Minutes 81-06-22MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF
THE CYPRESS CITY COUNCIL
HELD
June 22,1981
The regular meeting of the Cypress City Council was called to order at 6:30 p.m. on
Monday, June ZZ, 1981, in the Cypress City Council Chambers, 5Z7S Orange Avenue,
Cypress, California, Mayor Gerald Mullen presiding.
PRESENT:
ABS~N2:
Councilmembers Coronado, Lacayo and Mullen
Councilman Rowan
Also present were City Manager/City Clerk Darrell Essex, City Attorney John Murphy,
and the following City staff members: Barrett, Davenport, DeCarlo, Duke, Lamm~ Powell
and Schat zeder.
FLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The City Attorney led the pledge to the flag.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: Mayor Mullen asked if anyone wished to speak in regard to
any matter which was not on the agenda.
Mr. Sam Villavicencio, 593Z Karen Avenue, Cypress, spoke in regard to a speeding problem
on Karen Avenue and indicated he had first informed the Council of this problem last
October. He stated he was never informed of what follow-up actions would be taken by
the City Council. He reported that the problem is most critical during the hours of g:30
p.m. and 3:45 p.m. when children are dismissed from school. He reported that about 150
children cross at Karen and Nancy daily and he was concerned that an accident may
occur. Mr. Villavicencio stated a crossing guard is needed and he requested that action be
taken before the start of the next school year. Mr. Villavicencio reported that he
approached the Swain School PTA last year regarding this problem. The principal advised
him that the Cypress Police Department was recommending the placement of a crossing
guard at Karen and Nancy, but there were no plans to install a traffic signal.
Following discussion of this matter, it was moved by Councilman Lacayo, seconded by
Councilman Coronado and unanimously carried to add this item to the agenda and refer
the matter to the Traffic Commission for their July gl meeting for their study, and to
request that the Council be informed of the Commission's determination on the matter.
Councilman Coronado read the following statement for the record: Mr. Mayor, The
agenda, as prepared by Mr. Essex for this evening, poses Council consideration to approve
both Appropriations and the City Budget for Fiscal Year 198Z. Since Council has yet to
hold one meaningful workshop session with Staff, I submit to you, Sir, that Council action
on either of these items tonight would be premature and ill-advised. I do not know how far
Councilmembers have progressed with their reviews of budget. Speaking only for myself, I
have thus far spent 38 hours of study and expect I shall require yet an additional ~0 hours
to complete my assessment. My lengthy review is prompted by Federal and State
budgetary indecision, County confusion and, not the least, the financial plight that
confronts several Orange County sister cities. My humble observations, Mr. Mayor,
indicate to me that all of the cities in Orange County are caught in a fiscal transient, the
beginning effects which are known to us -- the ultimate consequences -- anyone's guess.
Having progressed through nearly 60/0/o of my budget assessment (38 hours of labor and, I
should add, 8 hours of my scarce and precious vacation time), I am disturbed that, despite
the signs of drastic fiscal change everywhere, we are, here in Cypress, unresponsive in our
thinking and prioritizing. Truly, by our complacent attitude, our thoughts fixed on a
comfortable reserve fund, we are laying today the groundwork for a period of "crisis
management". This is the reactionary situation where, up to your "bleep" in alligators, you
understandably tend to ignore that your objective is to drain the swamp! We, and elected
officials everywhere, at one time or another promise the voters to be fiscally responsible,
that we desire to be held accountable. Without question, the responsibility for the
troubles that befall any democratic society rests entirely with the elected body. In a
Council/Manager form of city administration, the City Manager cannot be expected to
assume a position of community leadership. It is the Council's responsibility to set policy
in this City and there is no more fundamental policy question than ho~v the taxpayer's
money should be spent. With regard to the budget then, an acceptable budgetary process
r 3
City Council Minutes
June Z2, 1981
is for the City Manager and staff to prepare a Preliminary Budget that is, in their opinion,
most responsive to the City's need for public services, safety, good housekeeping and
maintenance. The next step is for Council to review the budget and make
recommendations for changes, deletions or additions, consistent with Council's current and
long range plans. To my mind, the current financial atmosphere surrounding government
everywhere demands that our budget for Fiscal Year 198Z be structured in a manner
attentive to long range considerations. Mr. Essex and I, with Councilman Rowan's
concurrence, had planned to meet in workshop session with Staff on Saturday, Z0 June. In
deference to Mr. Essex, who had several personal conflicts, I agreed to postpone this
session to 7:30 p.m., Z9 June. This was a welcome respite to me, because of the heat wave
and the need for me to otherwise expend an additional 8 hours of precious vacation in
attempting to meet the earlier date. Tonight's agenda surprised me, and that is an
unde~ o~atement, for I have never once considered the Preliminary Budget and proposed
Appropriations ready for approval. Mr. Mayor, I therefore move that agenda Items 16, 19,
Z0, Z4, Z5 and Z6, addressing appropriations and budget for the Fiscal Year 1981-8Z, be
tabled until the next regular Council meeting on 13 July 1981.
Mayor Mullen responded that he also had planned to attend the June 29 budget workshop
with the City Manager.
The City Manager reported that the matters on tonight's agenda relating to the budget
were recommended by staff to be continned to the July 13 meeting following the June 29
budget workshop. He reported that the two items dealing with the determination of the
City and District appropriations limits for 1981/82 were actions mandated by the State
pursuant to the Gann initiative and were unrelated to approval of the budget. Staff
explained that the appropriation limits were calculated based on a given formula contained
in the Gann initiative, and the City had no discretion in determining these limits.
Councilman Coronado stated he would like all financially related items on the agenda
continued to the July 13 meeting. Councilman Lacayo indicated he had no concerns with
approving the appropriations limits tonight. He felt the City budget was prepared under
guidelines which keep City expenditures to a minimum.
The motion to continue the items was not seconded.
Councilman Coronado stated he would support considering the budget items at the July 13
meeting as indicated in his statement.
COUNCILMAN CORONADO LEFT THE MEETING AT 7:0Z P.M.
ADJOURNMENT: Due to the lack of a quorum, Mayor Mullen adjourned the meeting at
7:0Z p.m. to Monday, June Z9, 1981, at 6:30 p.m. in the Cypress City Council Chambers.
For the benefit of persons in the audience, the City Manager announced that the public
hearings on the agenda would be continued to the June Z9 meeting.
PRESENTATION: At this time, Mayor Mullen presented a service pin to Police Lieutenant
Richard Hoffer in appreciation for his I5 years of service with the City of Cypress and
offered Lt. Hoffer his congratulations on his appointment as Police Chief for the City of
Sba fter, California.
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK OF THE CITY OF CYPRESS
-Z-