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Minutes 78-06-20HINUTES OF AN OF TIlE ADdOURNED REGULAR MEETING CYPRESS CITY COUNCIL HELD June 20, 1978 The adjourned regular meeting of the Cypress City Council was called to order at 6:4S p.m. on Tuesday; June 20,:2978 in the Administrative ~onference Room of the Cypress City ttall, 5275 Orange Avonu'e, Cypress, California, b~ayor Donald Hudson presiding. PRESENT: Councilmembers Evans} Lacayo, H~cLain, Rowan and Hudson '! ABSENT: None The City ~ana~er distributed' a report p~epared by. the Administrative Coordinating Te~m dated June 16 which described budget alternatives developed by th~ Team as a prpliminary response to the passage of Proposition 1;3~ With regard to' seve>aI of the possible revenue alternatives,' he reported that thb City Attorney recommended that the Council enact these now even if they are not implemented'at this time. He stated the alternatives proposed no employee lay-offs. He reported the !State has not yet given direction on the 'd!i!~ribu- tion of the property tax. With regard to the :possible red~c'tion of street maintenance services, Councilwoman Evans stated her concern was that reducing this service hbw;ma~ ~'rove to be'more costly for the City in the future. Councilman Lacayo stated he preferred not to cut serKi~es and that helha~ 0{h6~ prioritiesi~t~han what is con- rained in the;~report. Counci'lman;,Rowan:re.quested informatioi~ on the differen&e between street ma~i'ntenance funded by Gas Tax funds and that supported by the General Fund. Counci~m'an Lacayo re'quested a breakdown o:f t'he $250,000 annual building main~tblnance cost~ The City Manager proceeded to review the revenue alternatives listed in the report'S' With regard to Option 1 for the Street Light /lsers' Pee, the Finance Officer stated the 3% increase would generate sufficient revenue to make up for the shortfall. He stated if the l, ight[ng District does not receive an apportionment of the property tax, then th~ increase should be l~'itb regard ~o the development related users' fee, Councilman l,acayo stated he opposed fee increases for individual hoDeowners' ,~odifica- tions to their dwellings but he felt large develoDers should pay total costs. MayoP'Hudson stated he suggested the $50 home inspection fee at time of sale to cover his concerns over the safety of struc- tures at the time of sale. Councilman l,acayo stated he objected to this fee. Councilwoman HacLain requested the current assess~d v~luation Figures to compare with those of March, 1975. Mayor IIndson felt the Council should consider the minimal maintenance of parks, such as watering and mowing, and provide this general service to the public, and avoid special services to special groups. /',ouncilman Lacayo stated he agreed with this suggestion. Councilman l.acayo gave h'is recommendations for budget reductions. With regard to City Council travel and meeting expense and memberships, he felt no funds should he hudgeted for these ~tems hut the Council should cooperate with other cities to obtain and share information. suggested that ~he City Attorney retainer be cut to $1,000 per month, that the telephone costs be reduced, and that the Park I)istrict be consolidated with the City so that the General Eund can fund Recrea- tion programs. Ile asked for a reassessment of the government buildings maintenance costs to determine why they are so high. With regard to City pool vehicles, he felt they should he msod only necessary and reimbursement on a per mile basis should he considered. lie asked for a review of employee holidays; i~e suggested that the Council reduce its membership dues, and use their $200 sala'ky for travel and expenses, tle suggested that the $1700 for tho Planning Commission be eliminated and that the $3,000 monthly foe for legal City Council Minutes June 20, 1978 assistance be reduced. He recommended a joint venture with neigh- boring cities to reduce association fees, and share equipment and/or services. Regarding the City Manager's budget for books, he felt information can be shared with other cities. He suggested that the City consider eliminating outside printing services. He stated he opposed cutting services and instead of approving users' fees he recommended that the Council review the line items in the budget. Councilwoman MacLain stated she assumed that all administrative c~sts would be reduced. She supported the users' fees but stated she opposed consolidation of the Park District with the City to pay for parks programs which are used by a small majority of residents. She recommended that parks and parkway maintenance be consolidated under Public Works and reduced drastically, that handicapped curbs and ramps could be eliminated and the City perform only necessary services. She stated street lighting and policing were high prior- ities on her list. She recommended elimination of the Cypress College parking enforcement, and elimination of City support for crossing guards. She suggested that PTA groups, citizen volunteers or students could provide crossing guard service. She suggested that the Public Works Department consider doing all watering, con- struction and maintenance work at night to reduce costs and avoid traffic problems. She suggested that all city Commissions could be eliminated. She recommended a reduction of employee sick leave use, no pay increases, and felt keeping people on the job was pref- erable to unemployment costs. Mayor Hudson suggested that general services be separated from special services. He felt watering and mowing of parks were general services and that other park programs were special services, and that building inspection was a special service° tie supported maintaining the current employee salary levels. He felt the Council assuming City Commission functions would save time and money. He suggested that if services are reduced then the hours City Hall is open could also be reduced. He favored transferring the true costs to users in the areas of building permits and the Lighting District, and eliminating services not generally supplied to the public. He felt the Race Track policing was a special service and that the Race Track should pay the full cost or provide their own policing. He supported providing general services for parks, watering and mowing and main- taining the facilities for public access, that the Community Center be operated as a trade-off, and he supported the 3% street light users fee increase. RECESS: Mayor Hudson called a recess at 9:45 p.m. The meeting was called back to order at 10:00 p.m. with all Councilmembers present. Councilman Lacayo requested that the Council's comments be trans- mitted to the Blue Ribbon Committee on Proposition 13. The City Manager reported that the City Attorney advised if the Council wishes to approve the admissions tax increase and street light users' fee then they should approve the first reading of an ordinance and adopt an urgency ordinance for both items tonight. The urgency ordinance would offer protection since the regular ordinances would only have a first and second reading before July 1. Councilwoman MacLain stated she opposed a utility users' tax. Mr. Dan Downs, General Manager of Southern California Racing Asso- ciation, and representatives from Los Alamitos Race Track and the Horsemen's Quarter Horse Racing Association, were present to discuss the admissions tax. Mr. Downs stated they would like to cooperate with the City on the admissions tax to arrive at a situation agree- able to all parties. He requested a meeting with the Council and stated an increased admissions tax would make it difficult for Los Alamitos to compete with other race tracks in the area. He stated they understand the City's problem and they would like to work out a compromise that will not be detrimental to race track attendance. Mr. Downs requested figures on race track police security costs. -2- City Council Minotes June 20, 1978 The Council agreed that individual members would contact staff to make arrangements for a meeting this week with representatives of the race track. Councilman Rowan suggested that the admissions tax ordinance be changed by resolution which would give Flexibility if the rate is to be changed. The Council discussed setting the next budget meeting and agreed on Friday, June 25. Mr. Joe Hardcastle, 4588 Blanca Drive, Cypress, stated the supporters of Proposition 15 realize that they wil] lose services and they are willing to lose them. He stated he was concerned that staff was recommending new taxes to offset the effects of Proposition 13. He Felt the State would share the surplus funds and h.e recommended that the Council delay any action, tie stated he supported the users' Fees For parks and street lights but opposed other taxes that sub- stitute for the property tax. It was moved by Mayor Hudson and seconded by Councilwoman MacLain to adopt an urgency ordinance approving Option #1 of the street light users' fee. Councilwoman Evans requested that other alternatives be investigated, such as reducing lighting by half. Mayor Hudson amended the motion to allow further investigation :of the percentage increase, up to a 3% maximum. The Public Works Director reported staff considered having lighting at the intersections of residential streets with arterial stre:ets and turning the rest off which would mean a 2/3 reduction of lighting. This cost was estimated at $107,000 compared to $280,000 for total lighting. Councilwoman Evans stated she would not support the motion since she wanted more input on alternatives. It was moved by Mayor Hudson and seconded by Councilwoman Macl;ain to adopt an urgency ordinance approving Option #1 for the street light users' fee up to a 4.3% increase. The motion failed to carry with three ayes by Councilmembers Hudson, MacLain and Rowan and two noes by Councilmembers Evans and Lacayo. (4/5 vote required for adoption of urgency ordinance.) Councilwoman Evans stated she was concerned about the Council taking quick action without knowing what the State will do on Friday and adopting an ordinance which may not be necessary. She stated she opposed the $50 inspection fee at time of home sale. With regard to the development related users' fee, she requested information on what Fees are collected presently, whether the $25,000 will balance City costs, and how individual permits will be affected It was moved by Councilman Rowan and seconded by Mayor tludson to direct the City Attorney to prepare the ordinance relating to the street light users' fee for the June 26 meeting. The City Manager stated the ordinance could be presented at the June 23 meeting at which time the Council could approve the first reading, Mayor Hudson quested that June 23. withdrew the second to the motion. The Council re- the street light users' fee ordinance be submitted on Councilwoman Evans requested information on street lighting alter- natives, such as having every other light, every third light, or every fourth light turned off, no lights, and intersection lighting only, and information on the development related users' fee for the June 25 meeting. City lTouncil Minutes ~June 20, 1978 Councilwoman Evans stated she supported Mayor Hudson's proposal for users' fees for the Recreation District. She supported the $1/2 million expenditure cuts as contained in the staff report. She suggested that the Council adopt a policy where they will budget the $580,000 special sales tax revenue anticipated next year and give the staff direction on priorities. She stated she supported continuing the hiring freeze and she requested a complete review of personnel and information on unfilled positions and urgency positions. She stated she opposed capital outlay for land purchase or civic center expansion. She suggested that last year's special sales tax reserve be earmarked for industrial development and Revenue Sharing funds can be included, and she suggested that the Council determine how the funds will affect the industrial property. She stated she was not prepared to spend the $S80,000 this year on operating expenditures since it was a one-time revenue source. ADJOURNMENT: It was moved by Mayor Hudson, seconded by Councilman I,acayo and unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting at 12:05 a.m. to Friday, June 25, 1978, at 6:30 p.m. in the Administrative Con- ference Room. ATTES T: (:ITY CLERK OF' THE CITY OF CYPRESS -4-