1994/08/08 City Council MinutesRohnert Park City Council Minutes
August R, 1994
The Council of the City of Rohnert Park met this date
in special 1994 -95 Budget work session commencing at
7:05 p.m. in the City Offices, 6750 Commerce Boulevard,
Rohnert Park, with Vice Mayor Eck presiding.
CALL TO ORDER Vice Mayor Eck called the special work session to order
at approximately 7:05 p.m.
ROLL CALL Present: (5) Councilmembers Eck, Spiro, Gallagher
and Hollingsworth, and Mayor Reilly
(7:13 p.m.)
Absent: (0) None
Staff present for all or part of the meeting: City
Manager Netter and Assistant City Manager Leivo.
Unscheduled Vice Mayor Eck stated that in compliance with State Law
Appearances (The Brown Act), citizens wishing to make a comment may
do so at this time.
Beth Robertson, Century 21 Classic Properties - stated that there were
1401 residential sales in Rohnert.. Park in..fiscal._ year
1992 -93 but only 1,049 residential sales in fiscal year
1993 -94. Imposition of a Real Property Transfer Tax
would not raise the funds anticipated and further
depress local sales.
Don McIsaac, 838 Lunar Court - said the City should hire professional
fire fighters. There should be at least two full time
fire fighters in each station.
Debra Hales, 825 Liana Court - discussed the merits of various
components of the budget. She compared the Rohnert
Park and Petaluma budgets.
Mayor Arrives Mayor Reilly arrived at 7:13 p.m. during Ms. Hales
remarks and assumed conduct of the meeting from Vice
Mayor Eck.
Council Discussion - After Ms. Hales completed her remarks, the
Council discussed the proposed budget and fire
services.
Karen Winfield, 1332 Gilpepper Lane - said the City should have fire
fighters with a commitment to fire fighting and
emergency medical skills. There should be two
companies, staffed by three fire fighters, twenty four
hours a day.
Steve Bishop, 7218 Ruby Court - Said the City needed to improve its
fire fighting and emergency medical services. Fighting
Rohnert Park City Council Mi.nutes(2)
Auqust 8, 1994
fires is not in the best interest of public safety
officers who have other important duties.
Mike Kabursky, 1441 Magnolia Ave. - stated that the City should
improve fire response times. The Council should fund
the three positions in the budget and commit to a short
term improvement plan.
Margaret Mclsaac, 838 Lunar Court - said that response times to the
Enterprise Ave, fire should be investigated. The City
should have fire fighters. She was disturbed about the
fire fighting training City officers receive.
James Baker, appearing as a resident - read a statement in response to
fliers being distributed in the community. He said
that citizens and elected officials should not berate
the current system and the people who serve. His
co- workers performed much better than indicated in the
fliers. The City should address our mutual concerns a
step at a time. He asked for an apology from
Councilwoman Gallagher who distributed the fliers.
There were no other appearances.
Motion Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to follow the staff recommendation
and add three public safety officers.
Councilwoman Gallagher stated, for the record, that she
represented the interests of citizens and would never
apologize for that.
Council Discussion - The Council discussed the motion and the
adversarial versus calm deliberative atmosphere, the
safety of citizens, the vote in Petaluma against a
public safety fee, the occurrence of fires in all
cities, scare tactics, employee morale, emergency
medical and ambulance services, mutual aid agreements,
and response times.
Vote The motion was approved by a vote of four in favor and
one abstention (Gallagher)
Councilwoman Gallagher stated, for the record, that she
will not vote when a issue is ramroded.
Recess Mayor Reilly declared a recess at 7:53 p.m.
Reconvene Mayor Reilly reconvened the Council meeting at
approximately 7:57 p.m. with all Councilmembers
present.
Capital Outlays - City Manager Netter reviewed the proposed capital
projects and previous Council deliberations. The
Rohnert Park City Council. Minutes (3)
August 8, 1994
Thorvex
Productions City Manager Netter reviewed the Thorvex Productions
proposal and recommended $5,000 funding.
Rev. Tharpe, Thorvex Productions - stated that many parents cannot
afford to pay for their children to attend classes.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
The Council discussed the merits of the program and the
number of Rohnert Park residents that participated.
Motion Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to approve the staff
recommendation. The motion was approved unanimously.
Catholic
Charities Councilwoman Gallagher asked for information concerning
the Catholic Charities program.
Council
Discussion The Council discussed several topics including funding
for a City Annual Report and newsletters, the
Performing Arts Center Curtain, the speed display sign,
computers, cash balances in sewer and water accounts, a
Local Government Commission guide to municipal budgets,
live cablecasting of City Council meetings, the
increase in the City Manager's budget, the Data
Processing budget, City offices and annex expenses, and
Council travel and meetings budget.
Council discussed the Sports Center weight room
expansion, Golis Park Baseball Field Lighting, the
Stadium Soccer Field, the City Hall face lift, "B" Park
improvements, and the in -line hockey facility.
Motion
Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to approve projects 2,3,4,5, and 6,
provided the City Manager provide a report on the
proposed City Hall face lift before work commences and
the amount of project six is subject to negotiation.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Community
Promotions
City Manager Netter reviewed the Community Promotions
budget and the changes approved by the Council in past
meetings.
Volunteer
Center
The Council discussed the Volunteer Center budget.
Motion
Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Gallagher, to approve funding of $5,000
for the Volunteer Center for Fiscal Year 1994 -95. The
motion was approved unanimously.
Thorvex
Productions City Manager Netter reviewed the Thorvex Productions
proposal and recommended $5,000 funding.
Rev. Tharpe, Thorvex Productions - stated that many parents cannot
afford to pay for their children to attend classes.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
The Council discussed the merits of the program and the
number of Rohnert Park residents that participated.
Motion Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to approve the staff
recommendation. The motion was approved unanimously.
Catholic
Charities Councilwoman Gallagher asked for information concerning
the Catholic Charities program.
Council
Discussion The Council discussed several topics including funding
for a City Annual Report and newsletters, the
Performing Arts Center Curtain, the speed display sign,
computers, cash balances in sewer and water accounts, a
Local Government Commission guide to municipal budgets,
live cablecasting of City Council meetings, the
increase in the City Manager's budget, the Data
Processing budget, City offices and annex expenses, and
Council travel and meetings budget.
Rohnert Park City Council Minutes (4) Auaust. S. 1994
Motion Mayor Reilly made a motion, seconded by Councilman Eck,
to reduce the Councilmember travel budget to $5,000.
The motion failed by a vote of two in favor and three
opposed (Gallagher, Spiro, and Hollingsworth).
General Plan Councilmembers discussed the cost of undertaking a
General Plan update.
Motion Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to not put $100,000 in the budget
for a General Plan update and to assign the funds for
the Public Safety Department.
Discussion Councilmembers discussed undertaking a phased planning
process. The City could hold a facilitated Town
Meeting to determine land areas that a General Plan
update would address.
Withdrawal of
Second Councilwoman Spiro withdrew her second of the motion.
There was no other second to the motion.
Motion Councilman Eck made a motion, seconded by Councilwoman
Spiro, to include $20,000 in the budget to start a
General Plan update after completion of the current
General Plan update. The motion was approved
unanimously.
Debra Hales, 825 Liana Court - discussed undertaking a General Plan
update, commercial development, the needs of low
income households, and sales tax revenues.
Linda Branscomb, 21 Anne - stated that the City needed to take a long
term look at the General Plan.
Real Property
Transfer Tax City Manager Netter reviewed the rates in other cities
and the funds that might be raised if the tax were
increased.
Motion Councilman Hollingsworth made a motion, seconded by
Councilwoman Spiro, to keep the Real Property Transfer
Tax at its current rate. The motion was approved
unanimously.
Unscheduled
Public Mayor Reilly stated that any citizens who wished to
Appearances make comment may do so at this time.
Katherine Collins, 828 Lilac Way - stated that the Mobile Home Space
Rent Appeals Board budget would provide half of the
funding for the additional position in the City
Manager's Office. Live cablecasting of Council
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August 8, 1994
meetings is not necessary. The budget for a City
Annual Report and Newsletters was correctly reduced.
Council
Discussion The Council discussed traffic signals, no funding for
Sonoma County Cultural Arts, funding for the Rohnert
Park Association for the Arts, and funding for the
Youth Advisory Council.
Adjournment There being no one further wanting to be heard and
there being no further business to conduct, Mayor
Reilly adjourned the meeting at 9:11 p.m.
Deputy City Clerk
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