Minutes 2001-03-05MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CYPRESS CITY COUNCIL
HELD
March 5, 2001
The adjourned regular meeting of the Cypress City Council was called to order at 5:30
p.m. by Mayor McGill in the Board Room, West Wing of City Hall, 5275 Orange Avenue,
Cypress, California.
PRESENT: Council Members Keenan, McCoy (arrived at 5:38 p.m./left at 6:28 p.m.),
Piercy, Mayor Pro Tern Sondhi, Mayor McGill
ABSENT: None
Also present were City Manager Importuna, and staff members Belmer, Commerdinger,
DeCarlo, Hensley, Liu, Sinn, Storey, and Vazquez.
The Director of Finance and Administrative Services stated the purpose of the
workshop was to review the City's Strategic Goals, update the City Council on initial
budget requests, and review the Capital Improvement Program requests.
The City is currently finishing the third year of it's Strategic Goals. As part of the budget
process, staff would like to reevaluate the goals and make any necessary changes.
Proposed updated Strategic Goals are: 1) Enhance retail development and diversify
City's economic base; 2) Expand development of City's image to promote positive and
accurate information; 3) Plan and provide for adequate replacement funds for public
facilities and infrastructure; 4) Enhance and diversify housing types and affordability; 5)
Maintain and improve public safety; and 6) Enhance youth, senior, family, and
community programs and recreational facilities.
Council Member Piercy stated she felt Strategic Goal Two was confusing, and implies
the City has a bad reputation.
The City Manager replied that the goal is to make the public aware of where Cypress is
and what the City has to offer. Inaccurate information is often printed about the City,
which staff would like to respond to. This is not a defensive position but rather a
proactive one.
The Council Members discussed other possible wording for Strategic Goal 2. Staff was
asked to work with various wording to change the goal to better reflect the promotion of
the City's positive image.
The Director of Finance and Administrative Services reviewed the City's basic operating
budget process: Staff identifies a base budget, which is current operations, not
changing any programs, and what is needed to maintain service levels as they are
currently established. The next step is supplemental requests, which include personnel
changes, contract services, program changes, and the Capital Improvement Program.
Supplemental requests compete for available funding and reserve requirements by
fund.
The City's current basic budget is $17 million. In addition, there are Capital Projects,
which is a minimum maintenance of effort maintaining the City's infrastructure. This
averages $1.2 million per year. One commitment on the General Fund is the
Development Agreement with Warland Investments of $300,000.
For the Cypress Recreation and Park District, the basic budget is $2.9 million. Of that,
$1.1 million is for park and building maintenance costs, which is reimbursed to the
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES MARCH 5, 2001
City's General Fund. Annually, the District is averaging approximately $100,000 in
Capital Projects.
Initial budget requests for FY 2001-02, which have not been reviewed by the City
Manager, total $20,785,774, an increase of almost 12%. This includes the previous
Council policy of $1.6 million in CIP for infrastructure, new personnel requests, and
COLA increases. Initial revenue estimates are $21.5 million, which is an increase of
seven percent.
The Cypress Recreation and Park District initial requests are $3,424,684, an increase
of eight percent. This does not include grant money of $690,000 or related CIP
projects. Initial revenue estimates are $3.2 million with an estimated shortfall.
Initial personnel requests include ten new full-time positions and two part-time positions,
reclassifying of five General Fund positions, and reclassifying of two Recreation District
positions, which totals approximately $700,000. New program requests include a
concrete crew in Public Works, red light camera enforcement in the Police Department,
and mobile recreation, senior transportation, and the banner program in the Recreation
District.
The Director of Finance and Administrative Services stated the Capital Improvement
Program requests are placed in priority criteria: highest priority (mandated/necessary),
median priority (highly desired), and lowest priority (desired). After the priority is
established, the requests are then categorized by funding sources. Projects that are
not allocated to a specific fund are then placed in the General Fund where they
compete with operations and reserve requirements for funding.
The Director of Finance and Administrative Services provided a list to the City Council
that was developed by staff as priority projects based upon requests from departments
and others. The list is in three phases: General Fund, Cypress Recreation and Park
District, and Other Funds.
The highest priority requests in the General Fund include the Warland Drive
reimbursement development agreement (mandated), residential resurfacing of streets
(Council direction), sidewalk repair (Council direction), and improve public facilities
(upgrade buildings/ADA requirements). The highest priority requests in the Cypress
Recreation and Park District Fund include playground equipment upgrade (legal),
Oxford School irrigation conversion (lease agreement), Oak Knoll Park snack bar re-
roof/termite abatement (safety), Oak Knoll Park fence replacement (safety), Community
Center emergency lights replacement (safety), Youth League facilities renovation
(fee/matching), Park Land Development Set Aside (fee), Community Center Renovation
(staff), Art in Public Places (staff), and grant funding projects that include the Cypress
College tennis court renovation, and review of multi-use facility need at the Boys and
Girls Club. Highest priority projects from other funds include drain repairs/modifications
(Planned Local Drainage Fund), sewer repair/modifications (Sewer Fund), Walker
Street at Vessels Circle traffic signal installation (Gas Tax 2106 Fund), traffic signal
head replacement at various intersections (Gas Tax 2106 Fund), residential/arterial
maintenance (Gas Tax 2106 Fund), and change illuminated street name sign faces at
various locations (Gas Tax 2106 Fund).
A discussion was held regarding possible locations for parks and pocket parks within
the City, and how they could be developed and maintained to reduce the cost to the
City.
Mayor Pro Tem Sondhi asked that a budget package showing high, medium and Iow
costs for the Ball Road parkway improvements be provided should there be money
available for the project. The consensus of the City Council was that the priorities
presented were sufficient.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES MARCH 5, 2001
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: For Matters Not on the Agenda.
None.
ITEMS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS:
No items were presented.
ITEMS FROM CITY MANAGER:
No items were presented.
ADJOURNMENT: Mayor McGill adjourned the meeting at 7:23 p.m., to Saturday, March
10, 2001, beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott, 5865 Katella Avenue,
Cypress, California.
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS
ATTEST:
~, C,ER~ OF T.~ .TY OF CYPRESS