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Home My WebLink About12-10-1996 Minutes MINUTES MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 10, 1996 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 adjourned regular meeting held at 8:05 a.m., Monday, December 2, 1996, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. The Ci ty Clerk has caused to be posted the order of the adjournment of said meeting held on Monday, December 2, 1996, and has on file in the Office of the City Clerk an affidavit of said posting together with a copy of said order which was posted at 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 3, 1996, on the door of the place at which said meeting was held. The adjourned regular meeting of the Mayor and Common Council of the City of San Bernardino was called to order by Mayor Minor at 4:08 p.m., Tuesday, December 10, 1996, in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Street, San Bernardino, California. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken by city Clerk Rachel Clark with the following being present: Mayor Minor; Council Members Negrete, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Miller; City Attorney Penman, City Clerk Rachel Clark, Acting City Administrator Wilson. Absent: Council Member Curlin. RES. 96-368 - RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 96- 352 RELATING TO THE SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS OF A SPECIAL TAX FOR POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION. (1) RES. 96-369 - RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 96- 353 RELATING TO THE CALLING OF A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE CITY FOR MARCH 18, 1997, TO PRESENT A SPECIAL POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION TAX TO THE VOTERS FOR THEIR APPROVAL. (2) ORD. Me-987 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ADDING CHAPTER 3.65 TO THE SAN BERNARDINO MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO A SPECIAL TAX FOR POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION AND PROVIDING THAT IT SHALL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL APPROVED BY 2/3 OF THE VOTERS. Final (3) 1 12/10/1996 Mayor Minor stated he had several speakers' requests regarding the agenda items and requested the speakers to come forward when he called their names. William Harrison, Jr., 4675 Woodbend Lane, San Bernardino, CA, urged the Council to meet with the opponents of the special tax to address their concerns and move ahead with placing the measure on the ballot. Father Ray Rosales, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, spoke on behalf of the measure, yet urged the Council to be open-minded to the concerns of the Hispanic and African-American communities. Esther Estrada, a resident of San Bernardino, stated that representatives from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Casa Ramona had been meeting with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and there were a number of issues to be considered, as follows: 1) creation of a sensitivity program for new police recruits using local community resource persons; 2) foot and bike patrols for the area from Highland Avenue to Mill and the freeway on the east side and the wash on the west side; 3) establishment of Hispanic and Black community liaisons with the department; 4) commitment to keeping the community centers on Mt. Vernon Avenue and Base Line and Medical Center Drive open; 5) hiring of Black and Hispanic officers to the position of police lieutenant; 6) promotion from within of a minority to police captain; and 7) support that the assessment be done by value of property rather than as a flat tax. City Attorney Penman explained that Proposition 13, which was approved by the voters, prohibits the City from enacting taxes based on property value. Morsell Johnson, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 1505 West Highland Avenue, Suite 11, San Bernardino, CA, reiterated the comments made by Esther Estrada, stating that if these concerns were addressed, the Council would have the support of the community. Freddie Spellacy, 3420 Beverly Drive, San Bernardino, CA, a local realtor and director of the neighborhood cluster associations, spoke in support of Measure "S", stating that no one likes to pay taxes. She added that for the first time citizens would have a say on exactly what happeIls to their tax dollars. Bill Rogers, 1482 East Davidson Street, San Bernardino, CA, spoke in opposition to more taxes, stating that some of the citizens have recently been put on notice by the County that they are being assessed for the San Timoteo Creek. 2 12/10/1996 Ralph Hernandez, 2160 West Rialto Avenue, San Bernardino CA , , questioned whether the City had a line item budget so the public can see exactly where all the money is going to come from and exactly where it's going to be spent. He added that Section 186 of the City Charter locks in annual salary increases for fire and police personnel, and these increases are based on comparisons to other cities; therefore, it would be impossible to predict these figures. Steve Filson, President, Police Officers Association, stated that the police and fire personnel had joined together and conducted a survey, and the clear message was that the citizens do not trust their elected officials. He stated that never before has there been such strong language included in a tax measure to ensure accountability. He stated that the city is at a crossroads and urged the Council to pass the ordinance. Skip Kulikoff, President, San Bernardino Firefighters Association, Local 891, expressed suppcrt for Measure "S", stating that the Fire Department needs new equipment to do their jobs--that they are at a point where they cannot respond to calls safely. Pauline Dey, 1378 Gould Street, San Bernardino, CA, criticized the City for not planning ahead for equipment replacement needs and then proposing to levy a large tax to make up for their inefficiencies. Richard Lewis, 5328 Park Lane, San Bernardino, CA, urged the Council to adopt the proposed resolutions and ordinance in their entirety. Ricky Johnson, 1555 Pennsylvania Court, San Bernardino, CA, commented on the overwhelming number of City units he observed responding to a one-person accident and the lack of minority women in the Fire Department. A letter dated December 10, 1996, and addressed to the Mayor and Common Council from the Westside Action Group, 498 West Court Street, Suite 219, San Bernardino, CA, expressed opposition to the police/fire tax ordinance as it was currently being proposed. Council Member Negrete stated he had listened to the testimony and the requests for upgrading representation of minorities in the Police and Fire Departments; however, the ordinance contained no guarantees that this would happen. He stated he had many reservations with the ordinance; however, as an elected official he wanted to go on record that he would support the proposal going to the citizens for a final decision. 3 12/10/1996 Council Member Arias stated she would be supporting this action, also. She noted that when it comes to taxes we are all hurting and in the same boat, but now ~he City has an opportunity to go to the people, and the people will decide whether or not they are willing to pay more for improved police and fire service. Council Member Oberhelman stated that everyone needs to recognize some of the things that have occurred with this Council, particularly in the area of cultural sensitivity. He stated that this matter is a priority item with the new police chief, who has developed a program to increase diversity in the Police Department and has lived up to that commitment. City Attorney Penman explained that in preparing this ordinance his office had made only one amendment to the previous ordinance, and this had to do with making sure that all exemptions that apply to State acts, apply to this special tax. He added that the exemptions most people seem most interested in were those for senior citizens, the blind, and the disabled. Mayor Minor summed it up by stating that if the tax does not pass, the hiring capability for police will not be there; that in fact, some of the 65 officers currently supported by Assessment District No. 994 may lose their jobs. RES. 96-368 - RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 96- 352 RELATING TO THE SUBMITTING TO THE VOTERS OF A SPECIAL TAX FOR POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION. (1) RES. 96-369 - RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 96- 353 RELATING TO THE CALLING OF A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE CITY FOR MARCH 18, 1997, TO PRESENT A SPECIAL POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION TAX TO THE VOTERS FOR THEIR APPROVAL. (2) ORD. Me-987 - AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ADDING CHAPTER 3.65 TO THE SAN BERNARDINO MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO A SPECIAL TAX FOR POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION AND PROVIDING THAT IT SHALL NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL APPROVED BY 2/3 OF THE VOTERS. Final (3) Council Member Oberhelman made a motion, seconded by Council Member Devlin, that said resolutions and ordinance be adopted. Resolution Nos. 96-368 and 96-369 and Ordinance MC-987 were adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Council Members Negrete, Arias, Oberhelman, Devlin, Anderson, Miller. Nays: None. Absent: Council Member Curlin. 4 12/10/1996 ADJOURNMENT At 4:54 p.m., the meeting was adjourned. The meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m., Monday, December the Council Chambers of City Hall, 300 North "D" Bernardino, California. (4) next regular 16, 1996, in Street, San RACHEL G. CLARK CITY CLERK By ~Ha~J Deputy City Clerk No. of Items: 4 No. of Hours: 1 5 12/10/1996