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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - City Council - 2002-05-16 - Special Meeting 100 Special Meeting Redding City Council Community Room 777 Cypress Avenue Redding, CA 96001 May 16, 2002, 8:00 a.m. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kight with the following Council Members present: Cibula, McGeorge, Pohlmeyer and Stegall. I Also present were City Manager Warren, Assistant City Manager Perry, Deputy City Manager Starman, City Attorney Wingate, Electric Utility Director Feider, Development Services Director Hamilton, Economic Development Director Mitchell, Administrative Services Director Bachman, Police Chief Blankenship, Police Captains Dirks and Davidson, Assistant Director of Development Services/City Engineer Goodwin, Electric Group Manager Keener, Public Works Manager Duryee, Solid Waste Manager Miralles, Information Systems Manager Zempel, City Clerk Strohmayer and Assistant City Clerk Sherman. At the hour of 8:00 a.m., Mayor Kight announced that the City Council would adjourn to closed session to discuss the item listed below. Closed session pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957.6: CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR Designated Agency Representative: Randy Bachman Employee Organization: Local Union 1934 of International Association of Fire Fighters- AFL-CIO. (P-I00-050-050) I At the hour of 8:32 a.m., Mayor Kight reconvened the meeting to regular session and announced that no reportable action was taken. CITY PRIORITIES (A-050-080) City Manager Warren explained that periodically the City Council reviews current and future City projects and services, determines priorities, identifies state-mandated projects/services and those which would improve and enhance the livability of the community, and makes necessary modifications or suggestions regarding projects' status, cost and completion. Mr. Warren related that as Council identifies projects to pursue, they are charted and their progress monitored and reported by staff from inception to completion. Originally Council and staff identified 72 projects and, in order of priority, placed them on Projects Lists "A", "B" or "C." Mr. Warren noted that through planning and leveraging project costs with approximately $31.5 million in grant monies, the City has been able to complete approximately 64 projects, more than anticipated and of a higher quality than expected. He stressed that grant funding has made possible such projects as the Aquatic Center, the Sports Complex, Turtle Bay, and Clover Creek Preserve. The purpose of today's meeting is to again provide the City Council with an opportunity to review and modify the projects lists and provide staff widl direction and priority preference. I Accomplishments - Section 1 City Manager Warren pointed out that City employee turnover is at an all time low, and emphasized that all major funds have 1 0- Year Plans which show at least a 5% reserve. He recalled that the construction and completion of City Hall, including most of the landscaping and water features, was a major undertaking for Council and staff, but the end product is, and will long serve as, a source of community pride. The remodeling of RABA' s maintenance facility, and the Downtown Specific and General Plans were completed and adopted. Generation Unit #5 at the Redding Power Plant will help the City become more energy self- sufficient and on-line payment of utility bills was implemented to provide automated customer convenience. Mr. Warren also noted that the anticipated retirement of the electric 5/16/02 I I I 101 utility surcharge (two years early) will be brought to Council for consideration in the near future. A long-term contract with Haven Humane Society to provide animal regulation services was negotiated, and the first Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was established and staffed. The Market Street Demonstration block and the Yuba Street Streetscape were completed and have significantly improved the appearance of the. Downtown area. He pointed out that several new businesses were successfully recruited to the Redding area, i.e. . Chatsworth, Earthgrains, Budget, ACI, Blue Shield, etc., and private. projects such as Discovery Village, Safeway, Macy's and Mt. Shasta Mall improvements have played an integral role in the City's growth and enrichment. He remarked that these represent a small portion of what the City has accomplished in recent years. Core Mission Responsibilities - Section 2 Mr. Warren reviewed a partial list of the responsibilities of City Administration and City Departments, pointing out that the day-to-day operations of City government require many hours of staff time and energy. He complimented the Police Department's pro-active position in reducing crime, and applauded Geographic Information Systems Division as one of the best in the state serving as a benchmark for other cities. Mr. Warren also commended the Electric Utility Department's efforts to develop and optimize energy resources and ensure reliable service. . He pointed out that the City benefits from an energetic and intelligent staff which strives to improve service to the community. - Projects/Programs for 2002 - Section 3 Mr. Warren reviewed a list of 42 projects designated as top priorities by the City Council including departmental oversight responsibility, cost and estimated completion dates for projects such as: The Aquatic Center/Redding Plunge renovation, Clover Creek Flood ProtectionlPark, Cypress Street/Bridge Design/Widening, Cypress Street Utility Undergrounding, Eastside and Westside Sewer Interceptors, General Plan Implementation, New Library, Parkview Revitalization, Sports Complex, Stillwater Industrial Park, Storm Drain Master Improvement Plan and the Turtle Bay Museum and Pedestrian Bridge. Major Projects - Section 4 City Manager Warren complimented the Community Services Department and the Tourism and Convention Division regarding the Turtle Bay Museum! Arboretum and Sundial Bridge clarifYing project completion dates. He pointed out that these major projects represent $200 million in work in the community. He reviewed the list of projects by department responsibility and rated their completion factor on a scale of "I" (requires less than 1,000 hours to complete), "2" (requires between 1,000 and 2,000 hours to complete), or "3" (requires more than 2,000 to complete). Mr. Warren pointed out that projects identified with an asterisk such as the Master Airports Plan, elimination of the Electric Utility Surcharge, Zucker Systems Report Implementation, Convention Center Improvements, etc.. were included on the list because they are ongoing. He requested that Council clearly identifY the projects it wants to see completed in this section. Major Projects Not Beinv Completed or Moving Slowlv - Section 5 City Manager Warren explained that the projects listed in this category such as the Assessment District System, Affordable Housing, Animal Regulation, Bechelli Lane Improvements, Caldwell Park Master Plan, Park Marina Drive Area, railroad improvements etc. are either,not moving forward or moving very slowly. He related that providing enough affordable housing is always a challenge but the City has made great strides in that direction. Deputy City Manager Starman interjected that the need is greater today then ever before for affordable housing and over the last two years, more than 200 new housing units have been completed by the Redding Redevelopment Agency (Agency) and the City with many more in the construction or planning phases. Mr. Warren pointed out that these important projects currently lack funding, but if Council determines they are a high priority, staff will do everything possible to develop them. He cautioned, however, that in order to accomplish the projects listed in this Section, some reorganization and additional staffing would be required. Council ,Member Cibula emphasized that more affordable housing projects through partnerships with other public and private agencies have been extremely successful and have made it possible for the City and Agency to develop more projects. 5/16/02 102 Mr. Warren concurred, 'and pointed out that Council's direction is key in accomplishing these projects. He reiterated, however, that the need for additional staff to perform project oversight is crucial because staff is ctirfentIy at capacity. Council Member Stegall questioned why some projects are listed for development when, in reality, they are staff driven or state m~dated such as animal regulation and fingerprinting requirements for airport employees. She pointed out that these programs/projects would go forward without Council action. Mr. Warren concurred but explained that including these arid other proposed projects on the list provides Council with a clearer pi'cture of everything the City is working on as well as projects which may be of interest, such as an automall which has, the capacity to promote sales and increase sales tax revenue. He acknowledged, however, that this type of project would not only require considerable stafftime, it would not be viable with~ut substantial private industry participation. I Mr. Warren also emphasized that more and better Information Technology support is needed, but staffing and funding is a prqblem. Information Technology Manager Zempel related that the LT. Division has made improvements by meeting with departments to better determine equipment and service needs, and response time for P.C. repairs has improved overall. He conceded, however, that some equipment arid programs are outdated and additional programmers are badly needed to provide more service and research evolving trends in the information technology industry. More staff will be crucial as the workload increases. Mr. Warren concurred that LT. equipment and additional staff are needed but would come with a high price tag. Development Services Director Hamilton added that LT. issues will be coming to the forefront as part of the Zucker Systems Report (Report) implementation. He explained that in order to provide more efficient customer service, Development Services must have the ability to interface with other departments. He suggested that a broad approach which makes more information available to everyone should replace individual closed systems, but cautioned that this software is costly with estimates between $250,000 and $300,000 for implementation and approximately $100,000 per year to maintain. I Council Member Cibula pointed out that the implementation of new technology, while costly, increases productivity, and a cost savings is generally realized over time. Mr. Warren emphasized that given the number ofprojects currently slated, some things will not be possible without appropriate changes and increased staffing. He indicated that the Park Marina Drive area has unlimited potential but would require a great deal of time, coordination and a consensus from property owners and previous discussions have not been encouraging. Council Member Stegall related that Park Marina property owner, Chris Kutras has expressed an interest in working with the City on the Park Marina Drive property. Mr. Warren responded that if this is an opportunity Council would like to explore, he would pursue the matter but reiterated the need for Council direction on these issues and additional staffing. Mr. Warren observed that the Stillwater Business Park project should be tied into the SHAS TEC Redevelopment Project ~ea, but stressed that when discussing or referencing the Stillwater Business Park Project, it is in concept only, and pointed out that this would be a , major undertaking. He further explained that the Storm Drain Utility is becoming a problem and requested City Attorney Wingate expand on the subject. I City Attorney Wingate explained that Storm Water Master Plans must not only address storm water run off but storm water detention as well because it poses significant legal; political and engineering problems. The courts are imposing greater obligations on municipalities t9 treat storm water runoff as a utility becau~e of the major implications of not doing so. In addition, Proposition 218 did not exempt storm drain' utilities from voting requirements making it 1)ecessary to hold an election each time a maintenance fee increase is proposed. In addition, Federal regulations make it diff;icult to mair~.tain drainage areas due to restrictions 5/16/02 , 103 imposed by the Army Corps of Engineers and these hurtles present a challenge for the City to develop a good plan. This, too, will require significant manpower to resolve. Council Member Stegall expressed frustration that projects such as the Downtown Specific and Revitalization Plans were adopted but have been virtually abandoned while other high- profile projects have been introduced and taken center stage utilizing all available resources. She asserted that projects, once undertaken, should be completed before new projects are considered and urged Council and staff to move forward on Downtown issues. I Mr. Warren commented that some of the major improvements to the Downtown, such as the railroad under/overpass would require a full-time staff person. Council Member Cibula concurred with Council Member Stegall stating that the Downtown area is a priority. He also believed that as projects are completed from the "A" list (Section 4), a project from the "B" list (Section 5), of Council' s choosing, should take its place. He further opined that some projects from Section 5 such as more affordable housing and Bechelli Lane improvements should be included with the understanding that staff cannot handle too many projects. City Manager Warren reiterated the need for additional staff if Council cannot identify any projects which it would like to eliminate. Council Member Cibula responded that the Council will provide direction to staff concerning project priority, understanding that some may have to give way to ensure completion of top priority projects. He emphasized, however, that City Manager Warren does have some . discretion regarding projects within Council's parameters Mayor Kight pointed out that the underlying issue to accomplishing all that staff and the City Council would like to accomplish is manpower and the question of increasing staffing. I Council M~mber Stegall clarified that she was not suggesting increased staff and reiterated that projects, once started, should be finished prior to taking on others and that Council should determine project order. Council Member Cibula interjected that staffing issues should not be part of the equation at this time because there is no cost basis. He indicated that Council should be making decisions based on status quo staffing levels, and that projects would be developed and completed as time and manpower allow. Mayor Kight pointed out that a clear direction should be that when a proj ect( s) comes off the "A" list (Section 4), something moves up from the "B" list (Section 5) and Council will choose which project. It is then Council's responsibility to decide how and when to fund it. He asserted that Council must act collectively on project priority and staff should advise Council when manpower and funding levels are not adequate to undertake a project unless some other project is temporarily sacrificed. I Council Member Pohlmeyer concurred that when a project moves from the "B" to the "A" list, Council should make the determination. He observed that some projects on the "B" list are closely related to projects already in progress and should be discussed and developed in conjunction with one another. He also opined that prior to expending any staff time on projects such as an automall, the private sector must come forward with some interest and support. Mr. Warren related that when staff capacity exists to take on additional projects, Council will be advised and a determination can be made on which project to approach at that time. Council Member Stegall requested that Council be advised when resources exist for a project prior to staff expending any energy or time toward making it happen. She expressed concern that staffs interest in a project may influence when and if that project is developed prior to providing Council with the opportunity to discuss its viability and review other uncompleted projects. 5/16/02 104 City M~ager Warren explained that his goal is to provide Council with opportunities to aycomplish pasic, long-term goals, and projects such as an auto mall, which would generate s~l~s ~ax revenue and jobs, can help the City accomplish those goals sooner rather than later. He also explained that staff is constantly researching grant opportunities so that if a grant becomes availab.1e for aproject on the "B" list (Section 5), the City would be in a position to take advantage of that funding opportunity even though some projects on the "A" list (Section 4) are not done. . .Mr, Warren conveyed his understanding of Council's direction to continue with the Core Mission Responsibilities (Section 2), as well as Major ProjeCts (Section 4). Relative to Section. 5, Projects not being completed or moving slowly, he asked Council for its priority preferences. I As time and resources become available, Council Members conveyed their preferences for projects listed in Se,ction 5 as follows: Council Member Pohlmeyer favored projects which promote economic development and facilitate infr.astructure. He also placed a high priority on issues relative to airports security. He placed a low priority on projects which require significant participation from the private sector unless the private sector develops a plan and guarantees participation. He also expressed interest in seeing Downtown issues move forward, but pointed out that this would also require participation from the business community and private citizens. Mr. Warren assured Council that unless staff is approached by the private sector, the City will not take the lead on projects which require outside participation. Council Member McGeorge also favored completion of projects already in place, opining that many projects on the "B" list are mandates or health and safety issues which will be done ~ithout Council prioritization. He pointed out that there will be a new City Council in December 2002, and the current Council should not commit to more than it can handle. He . . also believed that the City should wait for opportunities to present themselves and make a determination at that time. I Council Member Stegall concurred with completing projects underway prior to taking on new projects and pointed out that many projects underway relate, directly or indirectly, to economic development such as affordable housing because it provides subsidies for first-time home owners and jobs for working families. She stated that the Downtown Revitalization Plan and the Park M~rina area (as it is developed) will benefit the community and should be done incrementally. She opined that relocating the Greyhound Bus Depot to RABA's intermodal facility is manageable and affordable and she favored moving forward to improve the railroad situation in the Downtown with an over/underpass or relocation of the switching station. Ms. Stegall also suggested that public safety is very important to the citizens and to people considering a move to this community. Council Member Cibula agreed with Council Member Stegall that affordable housing is crucial. He also supported partnership agreements and favored investigating opportunities as they arise. Mr. Cibula also felt that a railroad crossing over/underpass in the Downtown area is critical and opined that it should be moved ahead as a priority because it will have a direct impact on other Downtown projects. He supported Bechelli Lane improvements and the Park Master Plan including trails and open space implementation as a priority, and pointed out that state and federal mandates will always be a priority. Mayor Kight strongly supported economic issues and the creation of jobs. He pointed out that the Mt. Shasta Mall Improvements Partnership resulted in increased sales revenues of 60% equating to $400,000 for the General Fund. He also supported an automall if it would produce revenue and jobs. Mr. Kight concurred with Council Members Cibula and Pohlmeyerthat partnerships are very successful. However, while he supported the Downtown area improvements, he opposed the City being the only contributor, opining that private businesses and other contributors must join in the revitalization efforts. He recalled that development of the Park Marina Drive area has been discussed for many years, but it would take a concerted effort from many individuals to bring it to fruition. He believed the City's . . role should be one of an active participant, not the leader. I 5/16/02 105 Council Members Cibula and Stegall favored the City's participation in project meetings initiated by outside individuals, agencies or groups to demonstrate the City's interest, with the understanding that resources may not be available at that time to allow the City to participate in the project itself. Mayor Kight explained that City Manager Warren has the latitude to determine which opportunities to explore and concurred with Council Members Cibula and Stegall that staff should participate in outside meetings regarding a proposed project and report back to Council for consideration and direction. I In response to Council Member McGeorge, Electric Utility Director Feider clarified that retirement of the electric utility surcharge will be brought before Council at the June 4, 2002, meeting. Staff will provide options for Council consideration to terminate the surcharge and recommend a public hearing for rate increases. Frank Strazzarino, Chamber of Commerce President, related that ongoing conversations with members of the business community center on creating jobs. The Stillwater Business Park Project will create jobs and the Chamber wholeheartedly supports this endeavor. Also important is more and better infrastructure for utilities which open the door to new business which creates more jobs. He emphasized that the Chamber is very interested in the Downtown area and recognizes the endless potential for Park Marina Drive. He noted that the Zucker Report was a step in the right direction to improve service to the development community" and the public at large, and complimented Development Services Director Hamilton for his proactive approach in planning ways to improve customer service. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, at the hour of 1 0:28 a.m., Mayor Kight declared the meeting adjourned. I APPROVED MaYO~ K;jL ATTEST L;~ City Clerk I 5/16/02