2001/06/20 City Council MinutesCITY OF ROHNERT PARK CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES for:
CITY COUNCIL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
ROHNERT PARK FINANCING AUTHORITY
ROHNERT PARK DISTRICT
SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS
WORK SESSION:
2001 -02 BUDGET
WORK SESSION MINUTES
June 20, 2001
Wednesday
The special concurrent meetings of the City of Rohnert
Park for the City Council, Community Development
Commission, Rohnert Park Financing Authority, and the
Rohnert Park District met this date for a work session
open to the public to discuss the 2001 -02 Budget. The
work session commenced at approximately 6:00 p.m.
in the Rohnert Park Senior Center, 6800 Hunter Drive,
Suite A, Rohnert Park, with Mayor Mackenzie presiding.
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Mackenzie called the work session to order at
approximately 6:03 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: (5) Councilmembers Reilly, Spiro, and
Vidak- Martinez; Vice Mayor Flores;
and Mayor Mackenzie
Absent: ( 0 ) None.
Staff present for all or part of the meeting: City
Manager Netter, Assistant City Manager Donley, Planning
and Community Development Director Kaufman, Public Works
Manager Stephens, Finance Director Lipitz, Director of
Public Safety Miller, Fire Commander Cassel, Building
Official Braun, Recreation Director Barry, and Youth and
Family Services representative VanderVennet.
City of Rohnert Park *SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES
June 20, 2001 Page(2 )
ACKNOWLEDGING THE CITY MANAGER /CLERK'S REPORT ON THE
POSTING OF THE MEETING'S AGENDA:
The Council acknowledged the City Manager /Clerk's report
on the posting of the meeting's agenda.
UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES:
Mayor Mackenzie stated that in compliance with State law,
the Brown Act, citizens wishing to make a comment may
do so at this time, limited to 3 -5 minutes per appearance
with a 30- minute limit.
1. Sandy Hemmill, Unicorn Marketing, was recognized and
discussed the return on investment from advertising
for the City. She encouraged the City to continue
to support local businesses through its contribution
to the Chamber of Commerce.
2. Judy Cameron, from The Voice, was recognized and
indicated that she works for The Community Voice
newspaper. She urged the Council to consider
continuing the "Shop Rohnert Park First" program
through the Chamber. She noted that The Voice has
decided to subsidize the advertising for the local
merchants until such time during the Budget meetings
that the Council decides whether or not it will be
able to continue to support the "Shop Rohnert Park
First" program. She pointed out that a lapse in
advertising will impact local businesses.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. PROPOSED 2001- 02.GENERAL FUND BUDGET
*Review of each City Councilmember's Suggested Budget -
Balancing Proposals and Consensus by three members
from June 8th Budget Meeting,: City Manager Netter
introduced each staff member at the request of the
Mayor. The City Manager then gave an overview of the
two documents in the work session packets, "Preliminary
Budget 2001 - 2002" and "Supplemental Budget
Information 2001 - 2002." He noted that any directions
from Council will be incorporated into the "Preliminary
Budget 2001 - 2002" document. Councilmembers Reilly
and Vidak- Martinez discussed their suggestions in
their respective "Budget Suggestion" documents, and
Councilmember Spiro, Vice Mayor Flores, and Mayor
Mackenzie shared additional comments.
*City Council /Community Development Commission/
Rohnert Park Financing Authority / Rohnert Park District
City of Rohnert Park *SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES
June 20, 2001 Page(3 )
*Review of Staff's Budget - Balancing Proposals -
Following input from June 8th Budget Meeting:
City Manager Netter highlighted short -term suggestions
from the last budget meeting, and Council CONCURRED to
discuss the "Short -Term Budget- Balancing" Options
outlined on page 14 of the "Supplemental Budget
Information 2001 - 2002" packet.
Council discussion of the Short -Term Options concluded
with the following DIRECTIONS TO STAFF:
1. Sale of City Hall to CDC (Interest Only): City Manager
Netter and Assistant City Manager Donley shared
comments on this option. Council CONCURRED TO PURSUE
THIS OPTION in the interest of creating affordable
housing. Councilmember Spiro noted her dissent, and
Mayor Mackenzie DIRECTED THE CITY ATTORNEY to respond
to the legal implications of the possible sale of the
city hall to the CDC.
2. Sell three well sites at $150K each (Interest Only);
Planning Director Kaufman and Finance Director Lipitz
shared comments on this option. *Council discussion
included the matter of the possibility of building
affordable housing on City -owned acreage located on the
west side of the City behind Home Depot and Wal Mart.
Council CONCURRED TO PURSUE THIS OPTION by DIRECTING
STAFF (1) to conduct a deeper search of City records to
identify all well sites; (2) to analyze the
possibility of selling each site, with the exception of
the 70,000 square foot site; (3) to consider having
housing experts and developers look at the sites; and
(4) to consider employee housing as a potential use for
one or more of the sites.
*CORRECTION ABOVE from 7/10/01 City council meeting: Per Councilmember Spiro (add' tion underlined)
3. Increase Community Center and other center fees:
and
4. Increase Sports Center fees: COUNCIL CONCURRED to all
suggested fee increases per the Community and Sports
Centers.
5. Transfer Boys & Girls Club to Benecia Youth Center:
Fire Commander Cassel and Recreation Director Barry
shared comments on this item. Council CONCURRED with
the concept of this suggestion, and DIRECTED STAFF TO
COME BACK WITH MORE DETAILS.
*City Council /Community Development Commission/
Rohnert Park Financing Authority /Rohnert Park District
City of Rohnert Park *SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES
June 20, 2001 Page(4 )
6. Transfer DARE Program to School Resource Officer:
Public Safety Director Miller shared comments on this
item, and Council CONCURRED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION
ON THIS ITEM. Councilmember Vidak- Martinez added her
request to include a plan to maintain a School Resource
Officer as part of an Economic Development Plan for the
City.
7. Reduce Public Safety equipment: Public Safety Director
Miller commented on this item. Council CONCURRED WITH
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ITEM.
8. Reduce Engineering Department expenditures:
and
9. Move Meter - Reader function to Water Department:
and
10. Perform sidewalk repair in- house:
and
11. Eliminate all P/T labor in Public Works:
and
12. Eliminate contract service for tree pruning:
and
13. Eliminate contract service for storm drainage:
Public Works Manager Stephens shared the contents of
his memo outlining Items 8 -13 as listed above. Public
Works staff addressed the impacts to service.
Council CONCURRED WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION FOR
ITEMS 8 AND 13. Furthermore, Council CONCURRED TO
TAKE NO ACTION ON ITEMS 9 THROUGH 12 PENDING FURTHER
REVIEW.
RECESS: Mayor Mackenzie declared a brief recess at
8:07 p.m.
RECONVENE: Mayor Mackenzie reconvened the work session
at 8:12 p.m. with all Councilmembers present.
14. Reduce YFS Couselinq Service Hours by 50% (780 hours):
Youth and Family Services representative Kathy
VanderVennet commented on the suggestion. Council
CONCURRED TO MAINTAIN THIS EXPENDITURE PENDING THE
RESULTS OF THE WELL -SITE REPORT AND FURTHER REVIEW
FROM STAFF.
15. Reduce Outreach Program staff to half -time position:
Council CONCURRED TO MAINTAIN THIS EXPENDITURE PENDING
THE RESULTS OF THE WELL -SITE REPORT AND FURTHER REVIEW
FROM STAFF.
*City Council /Community Development Commission/
Rohnert Park Financing Authority / Rohnert Park District
City of Rohnert Park *SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES
June 20, 2001 Page(5 )
16. Fund Chamber of Commerce at original amount ($65K):
The Chamber of Commerce treasurer shared comments on
this item. Council CONCURRED TO FULLY FUND THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. Councilmember Reilly expressed
reservations about funding the Chamber until such time
that the information regarding the well sites and
the State budget is before the Council.
17. Reduce Tourism Council funding: Council CONCURRED TO
FUND THE TOURISM COUNCIL AT THE PRESENT LEVEL AND NOT
TO EXPAND IT. Councilmembers Reilly and Spiro
expressed reservations about Tourism funding.
18. Fund Retirement Medical from Reserves:
and
19. Reduce Reserves: Council CONCURRED WITH STAFF'S
RECOMMENDATION FOR THESE TWO ITEMS.
20. Eliminate Family Education Center funding:
and
21. Eliminate YWCA Battered Women Shelter funding:
and
22. Eliminate Catholic Charities funding:
and
23. Eliminate Face -to -Face funding: Copies of the
recommendations from the COYF Commission for Social
Service funding were DISTRIBUTED. Council CONCURRED
TO SUPPORT the COYF Recommendations for funding,
with the exception of the Youth of the Year Program
which will be discussed separately at the next
Council meeting, and pending further information on
the full extent of the City's deficit.
2. COUNCIL'S DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION FOR FORMAL
IMPLEMENTATION INTO BUDGET:
Directions as noted above in Item 2, Nos. 1 -23, to be
incorporated into a Proposed Budget 2001 -2002 for
further Council discussion and review at the next
Budget Work Session.
3. COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON NON - PROFIT FUNDING, CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS:
As noted above in Item 2, Nos. 16 and 17.
*City Council /Community Development Commission/
Rohnert Park Financing Authority / Rohnert Park District
City of Rohnert Park *SPECIAL CONCURRENT MEETINGS MINUTES
June 20, 2001 Page(6 )
4. NEXT STEPS:
*Choose Date and Time for Additional Budget Sessions:
Finance Director Lipitz asked for clarification on
the direction for the two reserves. Furthermore,
Director Lipitz stated FOR THE RECORD that she does
not feel it would be prudent to touch the reserves
anymore without a plan to replenish them.
Councilmembers shared their perspectives on the
Budget discussions to date, and they reiterated
their interest creating an Economic Development Plan
for the City. Robin Bleckwehl from the Chamber of
Commerce noted the Chamber's interest in assisting
the City with long -term budget planning.
Council discussion concluded with CONCURRENCE TO DIRECT
STAFF to prepare a Proposed Budget 2001 -2002 for
a Public Hearing at the Council meeting on July 10, 2001.
Councilmembers also CONCURRED to give their availability
dates to staff in order to determine a date in late
July or early August for the next Budget Work Session
to discuss Long -Term Budget Planning Options.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, Mayor Mackenzie
ADJOURNED the work session at approximately 8:58 p.m.
Katy Leonard,
Certified Shorthand Reporter
CSR No. 11599
Ja e Mackenzie,
Mayor
City of Rohnert Park
*City Council /Community Development Commission/
Rohnert Park Financing Authority /Rohnert Park District