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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-30-1997 Minutes MINUTES MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING JUNE 30, 1997 COUNCIL CHAMBERS This is the time and place set for an adjourned regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino from the recessed adjourned regular meeting held at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. The adjourned regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino was called to order by Mayor Minor at 5:38 p.m., Monday, June 30, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken by Deputy City Clerk Medina with the following being present: Mayor Minor; Council Members Negrete, Curlin, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Miller: City Attorney Penman, Deputy City Clerk Medina, Acting City Administrator Wilson. Absent: None. ANNOUNCEMENT SERVICE CITY ATTORNEY PENMAN CITY AMBULANCE (NB1) City Attorney Penman stated that several years ago the City of San Bernardino was sued by the County of San Bernardino and Courtesy Ambulance, which is now American Medical Response (AMR) , which provides ambulance services in the City. The purpose of the lawsuit was to compel the City of San Bernardino to comply with and follow the County of San Bernardino's emergency medical services dispatching and medical transport protocols. The City of San Bernardino won the case at trial, and at the Appellate Court level. However, now the U. S . Supreme Court has reversed those court decisions and ruled in favor of the County of San Bernardino and American Medical Response stating that the City of San Bernardino cannot go into the ambulance business unless they were in that business prior to 1980. Consequently, the City will not be establishing and operating its own ambulance business. This will have significant budget impacts this year as well as next year and will need to be fully evaluated by staff including whether the City can charge a franchise fee on the ambulance company. 06/30/1997 1 The Mayor and Common Council requested an update on the financial impact this Court decision will have on the City's Fiscal Year 1997/98 budget to be presented at a later budget deliberation meeting. BUDGET DELIBERATIONS - FISCAL YEAR 1997/98 - DISCUSS & TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION (Continued from June 26, 1997) (1) George Newlin, 25-year employee of the Fleet Division of the Public Services Department, spoke in opposition to the proposed budget reductions in the Fleet Division, and urged the Mayor and Common Council not to adopt the recommended budget reductions which would lay-off employees in the Fleet Division. Larry Hartman, employee of the Fleet Division of the Services Department, voiced opposition to the proposed reductions in the Fleet Division, and urged the Mayor and Council not to approve the recommended lay-offs in the Division. Public budget Common Fleet David Stevenson, II-year employee of the Fleet Division of the Public Services Department, spoke in opposition to the recommended budget reductions in the Fleet Division, and urged the Mayor and Common Council not to approve the budget reductions in the Fleet Division. Jeff Carr, San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), representing the General Unit employees, expressed concern regarding the proposed lay-off of employees with many years of dedicated service to the City so that part time temporary employees can be hired to replace them. He urged the Mayor and Common Council to postpone making any decisions regarding these proposed lay-offs so that additional meet and confer sessions can be conducted with the union, Personnel Department, and the City's Privatization Committee. Mayor Minor distributed an undated document outlining his recommended budget reduction measures for Mayor and Common Council discussion and approval. Mayor Minor explained that his budget reduction proposal did not include the Fire Department. He stated that his recommendations did include the following budget solutions for Fiscal Year 1997/98: * * * reduce the overall number of City employees; do not fund some management positions; inclusion of the Police & Fire Departments departmental budget cuts if approved by Council; and in the overall Common 06/30/1997 2 * some revenue enhancement measures. Mayor Minor stated that the Common Council should consider the following long-term solutions beyond Fiscal Year 1997/98 to reduce the annual budget deficit issues: * an assessment district to fund street sweeping and street lighting; a special tax to fund library services; a two-tiered retirement benefit for City employees which has begun in the Fire Department; refuse service privatization, or an agreement for landfill or refuse hauling with major waste management companies: if the Common Council will not bring measure to remove Charter Section 186, citizens group should do so; and electric utility restructuring through aggregation. forth a ballot then a private * * * * * In a memorandum dated June 30, 1997, Captain Robert Curtis, San Bernardino Police Department, explained the urgency of the CAD/RMS (computer aided dispatch/records management system) upgrade project to both the Police and Fire Departments. FIRE DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISH PLAN REVIEW FEE - (Discussed later in the meeting) (See page 10) r Larry pitzer, Fire Department Chief, explained in detail the proposal to establish a fee for Fire Department Fire and Life Safety Plan Review which would generate revenue in an amount of $41,800. Chief Pitzer answered questions from the Mayor and Common Council regarding the proposed Fire and Life Safety Plan Review fees, and ideal fire truck staffing levels. Chief Pitzer stated that in order to reduce the department's budget by five percent, he would have to close one fire station, and answered questions regarding the probable negative impact that closing any fire station might have on the remaining fire stations relative to service levels, response times and out-of-area reciprocal coverage between fire stations. Chief Pitzer answered questions regarding the possible impacts of the proposed merging of the Code Compliance Division and the Fire Department, as outlined in an undated document from Skip Kulikoff, representing the San Bernardino Professional Firefighters Union. 06/30/1997 3 Council Member Member Miller, to reduction measures. Devlin made a motion, seconded by Council approve Mayor Minor's recommended budget (Note: There was no vote taken.) Acting City Administrator Fred Wilson distributed an undated document (printed on green paper) outlining the Revised Summary of Budget Balancing Options, and stated that the Summary includes the number of vacant positions deleted, filled positions deleted, positions upgraded, positions downgraded, and positions added. He explained that this supplemented the position information previously distributed on the document printed on pink paper dated June 12, 1997. The Council expressed concern that since the entire preliminary budget proposal including the budget reduction measures has not been reviewed during the budget deliberation meetings on a line by line item basis, that there may be "hidden expenditures" for positions and projects that they are not aware of. Fred Wilson, Acting City Administrator, informed the Council that was not the case and that all known projected positions and "projects are outlined in the budget documents that have been presented to the Mayor and Common Council. Discussion ensued regarding previously presented budget reduction measures such as issuing bonds to raise revenue, selling a portion of the city yards to the Public Services Department Refuse Division, employee lay-offs, and employee furloughs. Barbara Pachon, Director of Finance, explained that it is projected that a savings of $57,000 could be generated for each 8 (eight) hour day employees are furloughed, and that a savings of $65,000 could be generated for each 9 (nine) hour day employees are furloughed. She explained that this applies only to General Fund employees, including benefits, excluding all Fire and Police Department (safety) employees. COUNCIL OFFICE Jorge Carlos, Executive Assistant to the Council, explained in detail the revised proposed five percent budget reduction, describing how the new proposed five percent budget reduction of $46,200 would impact the department's operations and ability to provide services. RECESS MEETING At 7:21 p.m., Mayor Minor declared a ten-minute recess. 06/30/1997 4 RECONVENE MEETING At 7:29 p.m., Mayor Minor reconvened meeting of the Mayor and Common Council Bernardino. the adjourned regular of the City of San ROLL CALL Roll call was taken by Deputy City Clerk Medina with the following being present: Mayor Minor; Council Members Negrete, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson: City Attorney Penman, Deputy City Clerk Medina, Acting City Administrator Wilson. Absent: Council Members Curlin, Miller. BUDGET DELIBERATIONS - FISCAL YEAR 1997/98 - DISCUSS & TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION (Continued from June 26, 1997) (1) ANIMAL CONTROL Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Animal Control budget in an amount of $31,000, be approved. COUNCIL MEMBER CURLIN RETURNED At 7:32 p.m., Council Member Curlin returned to the Council meeting and took his place at the council table. Jeff Carr, San Bernardino Public Employees Association (SBPEA), representing the General Unit employees, urged the Mayor and Common Council to postpone making any decisions regarding the proposed lay-offs so that additional meet and confer sessions can be conducted with the union, Personnel Department, and the City's Privatization Committee. COUNCIL MEMBER MILLER RETURNED At 7:33 p.m., Council Member Miller returned to the Council meeting and took her place at the council table. Barbara Dillon, Director of Personnel, stated that several meet and confer sessions have been conducted with the union, that one more meeting needs to be conducted, and that essentially only two remaining issues remain to be discussed: the "bumping rights" of employees proposed to be laid off or downgraded and what impact these "bumping rights" will have on all of the employees impacted by them; and the issue of privatization of any City services which will be discussed by the City's Privatization Committee. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Members Negrete, Curlin, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Nays: Council Member Arias. Absent: None. Council Miller. 06/30/1997 5 CEMETERY Council Member Miller made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Cemetery budget in an amount of $34,100, be approved. CITY CLERK'S OFFICE Council Member Oberhelman made Member Anderson, and unanimously recommendation to reduce the City amount of $51,000, be approved. a motion, seconded by Council carried, that Mayor Minor's Clerk's Off ice budget in an CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Civil Service Department budget in an amount of $15,200, be approved. CODE COMPLIANCE Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Code Compliance budget in an amount of $124,500, be approved. COUNCIL OFFICE Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Council Office budget in an amount of $46,200. be approved. FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Facilities Management budget in an amount of $155,400, be approved. FINANCE DEPARTMENT - (Discussed later in the meeting) (See page 7) Council Member Anderson made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Finance Department budget in an amount of $62,800, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) 06/30/1997 6 Council Member Oberhelman made a substitute motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that the discussion and possible action regarding Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Finance Department budget in an amount of $62,800, be continued to Monday, July 7, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Members Negrete, Curlin, Arias, Oberhelman, Anderson, Nays: Council Member Devlin. Absent: None. Council Miller. GENERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the General Government Account budget in an amount of $50,000, be approved. FINANCE DEPARTMENT - RECONSIDERATION - (Discussed earlier in the meeting) (See page 6) Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, and unanimously carried, that the previous action taken to continue the proposed budget reduction measures in the Finance Department to Monday, July 7, 1997, be reconsidered. Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Finance Department budget in an amount of $62,800, be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997; and that any budget reduction recommendations not completed during this meeting be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Council Members Curlin, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Miller. Nays: Council Member Negrete. Absent: None. LIBRARY Council Member Devlin made a motion, seconded by Council Member Oberhelman, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Library budget in an amount of $59,600, be approved. The motion carried by the followlng vote: Ayes: Members Negrete, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Nays: Council Member Curlin. Absent: None. Council Miller. 06/30/1997 7 PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY SERVICES Council Member Miller made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Parks, Recreation and Community Services budget in an amount of $244,600, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) Annie Ramos, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, explained in detail how the proposed five percent budget reduction totalling $244,600 would impact the department's staffing levels and ability to provide services. Council Member Curlin made a subs~itute motion, seconded by Council Member Arias, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Parks, Recreation and Community Services budget in an amount of $244,600, be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. The substitute motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Council Members Curlin, Arias, Devlin, Anderson. Nays: Council Members Negrete, Oberhelman, Miller. Absent: None. PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT r Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Personnel Department budget in an amount of $15,000, be approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Ayes: Members Negrete, Curlin, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Nays: Council Member Arias. Absent: None. Council Miller. PLANNING & BUILDING SERVICES Council Member Devlin made a motion, seconded by Council Member Negrete, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Planning & Building Services budget in an amount of $92,100, be approved. POLICE DEPARTMENT Council Member Curlin made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Police Department budget in an amount of $431,900, be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. 06/30/1997 8 PUBLIC SERVICES Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Public Services Department budget in an amount of $702,800, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) The Mayor and Common Council requested that staff research for the next budget deliberation meeting the financial impact of transferring all costs for street sweeping services to the Refuse Fund; also, whether or not it is possible to fund street lighting costs out of gas tax revenues received. COUNCIL MEMBER CURLIN EXCUSED At 8:26 p.m., Council Member Curlin left the council meeting. Council Member Anderson made a substitute motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to reduce the Public Services Department budget in an amount of $702,800, be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. PUBLIC WORKS/ENGINEERING ~ Council Member Anderson made Member Miller, and unanimously recommendation to reduce the Public amount of $43,600, be approved. a motion, seconded by Council carried, that Mayor Minor's Works/Engineering budget in an MAYOR MINOR'S RECOMMENDATION - REFUNDING BONDS Council Member Miller made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to issue refunding bonds which would reduce the debt service on the Central Fire Station and Central Library, realizing a savings of $45,000, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) Council Member Oberhelman made a substitute motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to issue refunding bonds which would reduce the debt service on the Central Fire Station and Central Library, realizing a savings of $45,000; and fund the September 1, 1997 bond payment with proceeds of the 1997 refunding bonds, for a savings of $500,00: for a total savings in the amount of $545,000, be approved. 06/30/1997 9 MAYOR MINOR'S RECOMMENDATION - EXTEND BOND MATURITY DATE Council Member Miller made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to extend the maturity date of the 1989 bonds in order to reduce the debt service in an amount of $110,000, be approved. The motion failed by the Members Devlin, Miller. Nays: Oberhelman, Anderson. Absent: following vote: Ayes: Council Members Negrete, Council Member Curlin. Council Arias, There was no further action taken on this item. FIRE DEPARTMENT - ESTABLISH PLAN REVIEW FEE - (Discussed earlier in the meeting) (See page 3) Council Member Anderson made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to establish a fee for Fire Department plan review in an amount of $41,800, be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. TELECOMMUNICATIONS - ENDING FUND BALANCE Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to establish an ending fund balance for the Cable Television Fund for Fiscal Year 1996/97, in an amount of $83,000, be approved. The motion carried by the following vote: Members Negrete, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, None. Abstain: Council Member Arias. Absent: Curlin. Ayes: Council Miller. Nays: Council Member MAYOR MINOR'S RECOMMENDATION FUNDS CITY HALL REFINANCING Council Member Miller made a motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to utilize the funds from the City Hall refinancing, in an amount of $200,000, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) Council Member Oberhelman made a substitute motion, seconded by Council Member Anderson, and unanimously carried, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to utilize the funds from the City Hall refinancing, in an amount of $200,000, be continued to Monday, July 7, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. 06/30/1997 10 MAYOR MINOR'S RECOMMENDATION - TRANSFER TITLE OF REFUSE PORTION OF CITY YARDS TO PUBLIC SERVICES THROUGH A BOND ISSUE Council Member Devlin made a motion, seconded by Council Member Miller, that Mayor Minor's recommendation to transfer title of the refuse portion of the city yards to Public Services through a bond issue, in an amount of $1,700,000, be approved. (Note: There was no vote taken.) Discussion ensued regarding the potential positive and negative impact that this action might have on the General Fund and the Public Services Department as a whole, and its Refuse Fund specifically. It was the consensus of the Mayor and Common Council, that this matter be continued to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. COUNCIL MEMBER OBERHELMAN SALARY & BENEFIT PACKAGE MANAGEMENT/CONFIDENTIAL Council Member Oberhelman requested that a report be prepared for the Thursday, July 3, 1997 budget deliberation meeting outlining the details of the Management/Confidential bargaining group's salary and benefit package for review by the Mayor and Common Council. PRESENTATION FINAL REPORT FROM THE BUDGET COMMITTEE (Continued from June 18, 1997) AD HOC (2) No action was taken on this matter. ADJOURNMENT (3) At 8:54 p.m., the adjourned regular meeting adjourned to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 1997, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. RACHEL CLARK City Clerk By ~t'~4t".../ "7fi//~, Melanie Miller Deputy City Clerk No. of Items: 3 No. of Hours: 3.5 06/30/1997 11