HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-19 City Council Summary Minutes
Regular Meeting June 19, 2000
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ...........................................................249
APPROVAL OF MINUTES ...........................................................249
1. Council-Appointed Boards and Commissions Communications, Roles and Responsibilities – Refer to Policy and Services Committee ...........................................................249
2. Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for Employment and Training Services and Implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) ...........................................................249
3. City of Palo Alto Authorizing the City of Palo Alto to Submit a Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Cleanup Funding Request to the Division of Recycling of the State of California Department of Conservation” ...........................................................249
4. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation ...........................................................250
5. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation ...........................................................250
6. PUBLIC HEARING: Adoption of the 2000-01 Budget and Approval of Budget Adoption Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Adopting the Budget for Fiscal Year 2000-01 ...........................................................250
7. Resolution Determining the Calculation of the Appropriation Limit of the City of Palo Alto for Fiscal Year 2000-01
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...........................................................262
8. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and California Conservation Corps in the Amount of $150,000 for Open Space, Trail, Picnic Area and Campground Maintenance and Restoration ...........................................................262
9. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Mid-Peninsula Access Corporation in the Amount of $58,100 for Cablecasting Services and Local Programming Support ...........................................................262
10. Agreement Between the City of Palo Alto and Skyhawks Sports Academy in the Amount of $175,000 for Recreation Youth Sports Contract Camps ...........................................................262
11. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Burns International Security Services Company in the Amount of $160,983 to Provide Security Services at the Municipal Service Center and Parking Structures J and Q ...........................................................261
12. Amendment No. 4 to Sublease Between the City of Palo Alto and the Children’s Preschool Center, Inc. for Rent Reduction for the Children’s Preschool Center Located at the Cubberley Community Center ...........................................................263
13. Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) Service Agreements Over $65,000 for Fiscal Year 2000-01 ...........................................................263
14. Leases with Palo Alto Community Child Care for Facilities Located at the Ventura School Site, 3900 Ventura Court and the College Terrace Library, 2300 Wellesley Street ...........................................................263
15.Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. DBA the Professional Tree Care Company in an Amount Not to Exceed $300,000 for a Three-Year Tree and Stump
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Removal Project ...........................................................263
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. to a Closed Session. ...........................................................264
FINAL ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m. ...........................................................263
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The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council Chambers at 7:05 p.m. PRESENT: Beecham, Burch, Eakins, Fazzino (arrived at 8:05 p.m.), Kleinberg, Kniss, Lytle, Mossar, Ojakian ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Ben Bailey, 600 Homer Avenue, spoke regarding how five of his letters critical of our police got inadvertently lost from three Council packets (#9 of 50). Peter L. Teale, 1174 Stanley Way, spoke regarding the Utilities Commission, Cable Co-op sale, etc. John Easter, 1175 Stanley Way, spoke regarding the Utilities Advisory Commission. Kip Husty, 522 Bautista Court, spoke regarding the police. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION: Council Member Ojakian moved, seconded by Mossar, to approve the Minutes of May 1, 2000, as submitted. MOTION PASSED 8-0, Fazzino absent. CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION: Vice Mayor Eakins moved, seconded by Ojakian, to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1-3. 1. Council-Appointed Boards and Commissions Communications, Roles and Responsibilities – Refer to Policy and Services Committee 2. Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for Employment and Training Services and Implementation of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 3. Resolution 7976 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Authorizing the City of Palo Alto to Submit a Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Cleanup Funding Request to the Division of Recycling of the State of California Department of Conservation”
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MOTION PASSED 8-0, Fazzino absent. CLOSED SESSION The Mayor announced that the closed sessions would occur at the end of the meeting. 4. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation Subject: McGuire & Hester v. City of Palo Alto, SCC #CV785328 Authority: Government Code section 54956.9(a) 5. Conference with City Attorney--Existing Litigation Subject: Jaim Nulman, Avelyn Welczer v. City of Palo Alto, SCC #CV779831 Authority: Government Code section 54956.9(a) PUBLIC HEARINGS 6. PUBLIC HEARING: Adoption of the 2000-01 Budget and Approval of Budget Adoption Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Adopting the Budget for Fiscal Year 2000-01 (Attachment 1), including: 1) Exhibit A -- The City Manager's Proposed 2000-01 Budget - Volume I: General Government Funds and Volume II: Utility and Internal Service Funds; 2) Exhibit B -- All changes detailed in the Amendments to the City Manager's Proposed 2000-01 Budget: Volumes I and II; 3) Exhibit C -- 2000-01 Proposed Municipal Fee Schedule; 4) Exhibit D -- Changes and revised pages in the Table of Organization Council Member Mossar said the Finance Committee reviewed the budget prepared by former City Manager June Fleming and her staff in April. Adjustments were made to the budget. The Finance Committee recommended to the full Council funding for wildlife rescue and enhanced funding for the Library. Much time was spent on the Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP). Three programs under HSRAP came without recommendations for funding. The Finance Committee ultimately approved funding in the HSRAP category for Urban Ministry’s Homeless Food Program, the Red Cross Homeless Program for Housing Subsidies, and the Youth Community Services (YCS) programs. Items in the staff report (CMR:288:00) and the
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budget overview that were not discussed by the Finance Committee were included for Council review. City Manager Frank Benest said the current budget was the second year of a two-year budget. The budget was a balanced budget with a total source of funds of $110 million and the total expenses of $109 million. That left $1 million in excess revenues over expenditures. At the end of the upcoming fiscal year, by June 30, 2001, the City planned to invest the $1 million in infrastructure reserve to help fund all the infrastructure improvements that were identified. In terms of reserve levels, $14.5 million was placed in the budget stabilization reserve (BSR). The infrastructure reserve was $12.4 million. A $6 million emergency fund was developed for unforeseen emergencies. Sales tax amounted to approximately $21 million, or 19 percent of the General Fund; property tax was $11 million, 10 percent; the transient occupancy (hotel) tax generated approximately $9 million, 8 percent; and the utility users tax generated approximately $6 million, 5 percent. Much of the utility user tax revenue went to the Palo Alto Unified School District. With respect to expenses or services, Public Safety equaled approximately 21 percent of the General Fund; Community Services was 20 percent; Administrative Services was 16 percent; Public Works was 11 percent; and Planning and Community Environment was 6 percent. The reserves were lower than in past years. Revenues were projected to grow at a declining rate, which was related to a perception on the part of staff that the economic expansion was leveling off. The gap between revenues and expenses was narrowing as shown on the long-term financial plan reviewed by the Finance Committee. Administrative Services Director Carl Yeats said the reserve balances were down slightly primarily due to the proposed expenditure for the Palo Alto Medical Foundation/South of Forest Area (PAMF/SOFA) park. Approximately two years prior, the Council established three priorities: 1) infrastructure management plan; 2) the traffic management and safety plan; and 3) and the Comprehensive Plan implementation. The infrastructure management plan was in the second year of its rollout. Staffing was added that would allow forward movement of the program, and approximately $7.3 million of infrastructure projects, were planned which would focus on Civic Center, Lucie Stern Community Center, Mitchell Park, $3.1 million in street projects and $1.5 million in sidewalk projects. Traffic management and safety was included in the previous priorities. Included in the current budget were traffic modeling upgrade, a new vehicle routing system, a commute alternatives program, and a continuation of the School Commute Program with the
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Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD). Another priority was the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan). Palo Alto was one of the few cities to have full integration of the Comp Plan into the budget. The City would continue the ongoing implementation of the Zoning Ordinance, implementing the second phase of the IT Strategic Plan, and continuing with the local shuttle service. Other expenditures included the lease payments to PAUSD that totaled approximately $5.6 million, the Storm Drainage Fund Loan of approximately $700,000, and a contingency for the implementation of the Leaf Blower ordinance. The Finance Committee changes were for the Wildlife Rescue and an increase in library staffing of $200,000, and the Finance Committee reviewed the HSRAP process and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget. The budget included changes made by staff that included an interest income reduction due to the expenditure for the PAMF/SOFA park, bike trail replacement CIP project, sandbagging machine, and an increase in funding for safety lighting for the parks. The City Manager added a request for a Customer Service Desk that would answer all incoming visitors to City Hall and direct phone calls to the appropriate staff. The City Manager asked for funding for a joint PAUSD-City of Palo Alto facilities study. Other changes included an increase of $33,000 for Urban Ministry for Homeless Meals Program, an increase in funding for the HSRAP program, a community newsletter on a quarterly basis, and other general fund adjustments. Other changes made after the Finance Committee review included a cost savings of $43,000 for the proposal to use action minutes for Boards and Commissions and a reduction to overtime expense of $16,000. The City Manager recommended one no-impact change, which was to use the overtime expenditure and overfill three firefighter positions. Mr. Benest said the Council met the prior month and identified five new Council priorities: 1) Long Range Financial Plan which identified the financial means to fund the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure as well as the construction of public facilities over the following ten years; 2) Joint Master Plan of educational and community service facilities as a major priority of the community; 3) Zoning Ordinance update to allow zoning regulations to be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; 4) Infrastructure Management Plan that involved hiring staff to implement the Plan; and 5) Priority-setting system to be developed for all the projects requested by the community. There were monies in the budget to deal with each of the Council’s priorities. The Library Services budget was enhanced by $200,000 to upgrade staffing; funding for the pilot shuttle was continued, and funding for the bicycle depot at the train station was continued. Three
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employee vanpools were funded which helped employees from the Central Valley get to City Hall. The Comprehensive Plan was integrated into the budget. Funding was picked up for the staff person at the Palo Alto Alternatives for Youth. A customer service desk was recommended on Level 1 with a centralized telephone number. Money was set aside to fund infrastructure rehabilitation and for the staff to manage capital projects. In terms of the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) for the San Francisquito Creek, the City was moving forward with the four other partners who were participating on the JPA. There was funding for the City’s share of short-term projects to minimize some of the problems related to creek flooding as well as exploring long-term solutions. Emergency preparedness with respect to flooding and other disaster was enhanced. Funding was increased for water fund Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) to enhance the water system. An 11 percent water rate increase was proposed. The Fiber to the Home trial project was funded through the Enterprise funds. Funding was included for a cleanup day. The Council approved a Storm Drainage Master Plan. Mayor Kniss said the City was fortunate to provide a level of service with a budget of $110 million. She did not know how Palo Alto compared with other budgets on the mid-peninsula but thought Palo Alto was service-rich. Council Member Mossar said the Finance Committee had not reviewed or discussed the Customer Service Desk, Joint Master Planning with PAUSD, and Community Newsletter. Mr. Yeats said the Council needed to take action on the addition of the train whistle noise study. Council Member Mossar said during the Finance Committee’s and staff’s discussions on the means to increase social services funding and the HSRAP, action minutes for boards and commissions were considered which the City Manager projected as a cost savings of $43,000. That matter was referred to the Policy and Services Committee for discussion. The Finance Committee did not approve that change but appreciated that the City Manager was willing to look for cost savings to fund additional monies for social services. Mr. Benest said the discussion involved action-sense minutes except for land use related issues where staff would be given flexibility to request verbatim minutes.
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Mayor Kniss asked whether the Finance Committee recommended the items be taken into consideration prior to being voted on. Council Member Mossar said there were items before the Council that were not reviewed by any subcommittee of the Council. The items could be referred back to Finance Committee for discussion. Mayor Kniss urged the Finance Committee to discuss the items. Vice Mayor Eakins clarified the Finance Committee had not reviewed the Fire positions. Mr. Benest said Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva indicated there were some positive organizational benefits to using overtime monies to hire additional firefighters. Mr. Yeats suggested the Council adopt the budget without the inclusions, which could then be held in contingency until after review by the Finance Committee. Robert Carlstead, 147 Walter Hays Drive, said a year prior, the golf course finished its renovation and the Council adopted a new fee schedule which resulted in the monthly fee increase for senior golfers from $75 to $120 per month. The monthly pay cards for Seniors for Santa Clara golf courses was $80, and the amount for Sunnyvale was $85. He suggested the Council adopt a motion to reduce the fee to a more reasonable amount. Council Member Burch said the question of golf course fees was referred to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Council Member Ojakian said the Council would hear the matter in September. Brady Clark, Urban Ministries of Palo Alto (UMPA) Executive Board Member, Escondido Village, 108H, Stanford, said a Hot Meals Oversight Committee was formed to ensure the food served was safe and wholesome. Two volunteer training sessions were held on food handling for the hot meals program, with three additional sessions scheduled. The food program staff was on its way to becoming state certified for food safety management. A permanent full-time Food Service Manager and a permanent Office Administrative Assistant were hired. A search for an Executive Director was underway. He looked forward to working collaboratively with the City to ensure that people were served in a safe and healthy manner.
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Michael Hollingshead, Alliance for Community Care Housing and Homeless Supervisor, 206 California Avenue, thanked the Council for funding the services provided to homeless individuals suffering from symptoms of mental illness as well as Urban Ministry. Lynda Steele, Community Association for Rehabilitation (CAR) Executive Director, 525 E. Charleston, said the City funded CAR for many years, and the funding increased during the prior two years to benefit more than one program. The City’s support went a long way when CAR tried to obtain other donations. CAR raised over $1 million in ten months. Susie Hodges, Youth Community Services (YCS) Executive Director, 25 Churchill Avenue, invited the Council to attend the Summer of Service Closing Ceremonies. The funds raised would support the summer of Service Camp for middle school students. Lorraine Phillips, YWCA of the MidPeninsula Executive Director, 4161 Alma Street, thanked the Council for its continued support of the Rape Crisis Center. The funding allowed the YWCA to do prevention education and to staff a crisis intervention hotline that allowed people to get the support they needed. She was disappointed that the YWCA’s recommendation for the next year was flat for the following year. The recruitment and retention of staff was difficult without a cost-of-living increase. She encouraged the Council to reconsider the recommendations to fund a cost-of-living increase for the nonprofits that were recommended for funding. Herb Borock, P.O. Box 632, said earlier in the year when the Council discussed the Bressler Property, he indicated the Council needed a budget amendment ordinance (BAO) which required six votes to authorize the Council to bid on the property to buy it. At the current meeting, the Council could add it to the budget with five votes. He wrote to the Council about the need to retain verbatim minutes for the Planning Commission and planning items from the Architectural Review Board (ARB) and Historic Resources Board (HRB). The status of the request for a budget item regarding minutes was unclear. He asked whether the existing policy for producing minutes would continue to be followed in the absence of a policy direction from the Council to change. The utility road that went through the Arastradero Preserve along the Arastradero Creek was the alignment proposed ten years prior for a trail connection with the Arastradero Preserve, Foothills Park, and Los Trancos Open Space District. At that time, no further action was taken because of the complications of changing Foothills Park policy. The Council, in the Comprehensive Plan, said to evaluate such a trail,
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it was possible that actions taken by staff might start to get ahead of the Council’s current situation where it had not made up its mind. Other situations involving controversial items in the community occurred where the Council put off making a policy decision because of differences, but actions taken by staff appeared to go towards the assumption that the Council had made a decision, when in fact it had not. Many people in the community were concerned about maintaining the current policy of Foothills Park and that the type of decisions the Council made in the future on trail connections would affect the policy. Bob Moss, 4010 Orme Street, thanked the Council for the additional funding for La Comida. He shared Herb Borock’s comments regarding retaining verbatim minutes of the Planning Commission and ARB. On a number of occasions, Council Members and staff wondered why a particular vote happened and what was the thinking behind the vote. Clear minutes were needed to understand what happened at a meeting. Regarding the discussion about how to handle the items not reviewed by the Finance Committee, the problem he had with voting on those items at the current meeting was that the items were not included on the agenda nor discussed at the Committee meeting and were not debated by the public. The Council was better off sending the items back to the Committee and voting at that time. Lucianne Phillips, Palo Alto Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Executive Director, 4161 Alma Street, thanked the Council and City Manager for finding the funding to retain the partnership with the American Red Cross for another year in homelessness prevention. Prevention was a large activity of the Red Cross, and it was important to catch people prior to their becoming homeless. Council Member Mossar asked the Council if it would like to send any of the following items to Finance Committee: The customer service desk, the funding of the joint PAUSD facility study, Community newsletter, train whistle study, and the overtime expense reductions in order to overfill three additional firefighters. The consensus of the Council was not to refer to the Finance Committee the customer service desk, the funding of the joint PAUSD facility study, community newsletter, and the train whistle study. Mayor Kniss announced that she would vote no on the train whistle study. The consensus of the Council was to discuss the overtime expense reductions to create three firefighter positions.
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Mayor Kniss wanted a more itemized indication of how the customer service desk would be handled; for instance, whether there would be an answering machine after 5 p.m. She did not recall the City ever having a customer service desk. Council Member Fazzino said the City had a customer service desk from 1970 to 1974. Mr. Benest said the intent of the customer service desk was to have a place where people who walked into the building would be welcomed and referred to the appropriate department. If people did not know who to call in the organization, they were lost. A live person was needed to answer a centralized telephone number between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Council Member Fazzino said the person who handled the customer service desk in the early 1970s primarily handled receptionist duties, and the Manager made the decision to eliminate the position in 1974. The individual who would be hired for the customer service desk needed to have broader public information responsibilities. Mr. Benest said the position would be assigned to Public Communications. Council Member Fazzino said the demise of Palo Alto Information and Referral Service (PAIRS), an organization that provided information to the public about various types of services, was a function that could be handled by the customer service desk. Mr. Benest said the person hired for the customer service desk would be trained to handle all incoming calls. Council Member Kleinberg applauded the City Manager and staff for including the customer-friendly, resident-friendly item in the budget, in particular the main City phone number. She encouraged creative thinking regarding a family resource center kiosk and a computer where people could access information about the city and the family resource center. Spending money on hardcopy information should be discouraged. Council Member Mossar was concerned about one person taking all the calls to a central number, greeting people, and providing public outreach. The function, should it be successful, would continue to grow in its budgetary demands. The idea was good, but she did not see it as a one-person job.
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Vice Mayor Eakins hoped that adjustments and changes would be made as needs occurred. The County Board of Supervisor’s Office had an area staffed by volunteers. She suggested the title “Concierge to the City.” Council Member Burch said the customer service desk was a good idea. Council Member Beecham had a concern about increasing head count in the City. The City did not have as much funds as it wanted. The person in the position would support the public, but the position would increase the head count. Mayor Kniss said the person at the customer service desk would set the tone. She felt walking into the lobby was a lonely feeling. Council Member Mossar said the item that the Council wanted to discuss was the three firefighter positions which were proposed as a reduction in overtime expense. Mayor Kniss said the addition of three firefighter positions made sense but asked what happened if overtime was needed. Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva said he was not asking for three new positions but was asking for an overfill of three positions which were not permanent positions in the organizational chart. Overtime in the Fire Department was driven by four major components: 1) minimum staffing agreement that was part of the contract with Local 1319; 2) Station 8 was staffed from June 15 through October 15 during the wildland fire season with three positions on overtime; 3) a 12-hour ambulance to meet peak demand needs for transportation of patients was staffed by overtime positions; and 4) a number of vacation slots. Long-term disability also added to the need for overtime needs. A concern was the time it took to fill positions. Two academies were run each year and unless the timing for vacancies was right, it might take six months to fill vacancies. During the months that Station 8 was staffed, he often had ten people on overtime each day throughout the summer which caused fatigue and had an impact on productivity. Overtime costs would be moved from overtime to regular salaries. Council Member Mossar said Mr. Grijalva presented the request as a trial and used the phrase “overstaffing.”
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Mr. Grijalva said the request was for an overfill of three positions over authorized staff. The positions were not permanent. Council Member Mossar asked whether the employees would be hired on a temporary basis. Mr. Grijalva said the positions would be eliminated through attrition. During the prior year, ten positions were retired. MOTION: Chairperson Mossar for the Finance Committee, recommended to the City Council to approve the staff recommendation which included the new items from the current meeting and the following: 1. The Budget Adoption Ordinance which includes: a. The City Manager’s Proposed 2000-01 Budget: Volume I General Government Funds and Volume II Utility and Internal Service Funds b. All changes detailed in the “Amendments to the City Manager’s Proposed 2000-01 Budget” c. Proposed 2000-00 Municipal Fee Schedule d. Changes and revised pages to the Table of Organization 2. Utility Rate Schedule resolution increase in General Water Service Rates 3. Resolution Amending the Compensation Plan for Classified Personnel (Service Employees’ International Union, Local 715) 4. Resolution Amending the Compensation Plan for Management and Confidential Personnel and Council Appointed Officers 5. City of Palo Alto Statement of Investment Policy and Proposed Changes to the City’s Investment Policy Ordinance 4641 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Adopting the Budget for Fiscal Year 2000-01” Resolution 7977 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the Utility Rate Schedules W-1 and W-4 of the City of Palo Alto Utilities Rates and Charges pertaining to General Water Service”
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Resolution 7978 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the Compensation Plan for Classified Personnel (SEIU) Adopted by Resolution No. 7782 and Amended by Resolution Nos. 7812 and 7837, 7872, 7904, and 7962, to Change Certain Salaries and Classifications” Resolution 7979 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending the Compensation Plan for Management and Confidential Personnel and Council Appointed Officers Adopted by Resolution No. 7890, and Amended by Resolution Nos. 7897, 7902, 7907, 7914, 7927, 7945, 7958 and 7966, to Change Certain Salaries and Classifications” Approval of the City of Palo Alto Statement of Investment Policy and Proposed Changes to the City's Investment Policy as described in CMR:224:00 The Finance Committee recommends the City Council approve the funding allocations in Appendix 6 of CMR:288:00, as amended by the Finance Committee during its May 9, 2000, meeting to include the splitting of the HSRAP base budget into two components: Multi-year Contractors $1,028,672 and Limited-year Contractor $164,054 for a total base funding of $1,192,726. The two new bases will be adjusted annually by the Bay Area Consumer Price Index (CPI). Also recommended is an additional one-time funding of $24,000 for a total of $1,216,726, to be included in the 2000-01 Human Services Contract Program; and that Human Services contracts, and any other necessary documents concerning contracts, be authorized and executed by the City Manager or his designee as described in CMR:277:00. The Finance Committee recommends the City Council approve additional, one-time funding of $32,500 for Urban Ministry to cover operating expenses. The Finance Committee also recommends the change in the Utility Equity Transfer Methodology, which results in a net increase of $28,820 in transfers to the General Fund. AMENDMENT: Council Member Burch moved, seconded by Mayor Kniss, that until the Park and Recreation Committee reviews the senior golf fees, that effective July 1, 2000, there would be a temporary reduction in senior golf fees to $85. Council Member Mossar said she would not support the amendment and would not agree to include it in the motion. There was considerable
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discussion on the subject the prior year, and the seniors received a discounted play rate over the general public. When the Council agreed to finance the improvements of the golf course, the policy was clearly stated that the golf course had to support itself and would have to pay back the bonds that were issued to make the improvements. She was unwilling, without careful consideration of the fiscal impacts of the decision, to move forward. She was content to allow the Park and Recreation Commission to evaluate the rate structure for the golf course play and to make recommendations to the Council in a way that was rational and fiscally prudent. Vice Mayor Eakins asked whether the golf course was used by the seniors in comparison to other municipal courses. Community Services Director Paul Thiltgen said two senior fees were created the prior year: a $120 monthly fee and a $150 fee which was available to be used over many months. There was a major use of the $150 fee and a drop in the use of the $120 fee. More seniors used the golf course through the $150 fee than through the general fee in the past. Other courses were looked at, and the fees were found to be below average on the cost per round. Council Member Ojakian said he would vote against the motion. Since the new golf fee was enacted, a large number of seniors signed up for the more expensive fee. The current discount offered to seniors was a 66 percent discount over the current rate. The finances of the operation needed to be looked at because the City floated bonds to finance improvements. Council Member Lytle supported the amendment and said there were other revenue sources the Council could look at to finance improvements to community amenities and allow residents to experience more of the prosperity that the vibrant local economy produced. Seniors should not be charged the additional costs to pay for improvements to the community facilities. Council Member Burch said there were seniors on fixed incomes who would like to play golf as often as possible. Returning the fee to $85 would be a nice gesture. AMENDMENT PASSED 5-4, Beecham, Eakins, Mossar, Ojakian, “no.” MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED 9-0 for all items with the exception of the train whistle noise study for $30,000; Kniss “no.” RESOLUTIONS
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7. Resolution Determining the Calculation of the Appropriation Limit of the City of Palo Alto for Fiscal Year 2000-01 Vice Mayor Eakins asked for an explanation of the item. Administrative Services Director Carl Yeats said the resolution was required by law according to the State Constitution. The limit went up each year and was adjusted by the population growth or the per capita income. The City could not appropriate any more than a certain amount of the total revenues. City Attorney Ariel Calonne said the Gann Appropriations Limit was the follow-up companion to Proposition 13 (Prop 13) which restricted revenues; the Gann Limit restricted the ability to spend the money. The Gann Limit was given an override to facilitate the utility users tax expenditure that went into the City/Palo Alto Unified School District lease arrangement. MOTION: Council Member Mossar moved, seconded by Kleinberg, to adopt the resolution determining the Proposition 4 (Gann) Appropriations Limit Calculation for Fiscal Year 2000-01. Resolution 7980 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Determining the Calculation of the Appropriation Limit of the City of Palo Alto for Fiscal Year 2000-01” MOTION PASSED: 9-0. REPORTS OF OFFICIALS 8. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and California Conservation Corps in the Amount of $150,000 for Open Space, Trail, Picnic Area and Campground Maintenance and Restoration 9. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Mid-Peninsula Access Corporation in the Amount of $58,100 for Cablecasting Services and Local Programming Support 10. Agreement Between the City of Palo Alto and Skyhawks Sports Academy in the Amount of $175,000 for Recreation Youth Sports Contract Camps 11. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Burns International Security Services Company in the Amount of $160,983 to Provide
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Security Services at the Municipal Service Center and Parking Structures J and Q 12. Amendment No. 4 to Sublease Between the City of Palo Alto and the Children’s Preschool Center, Inc. for Rent Reduction for the Children’s Preschool Center Located at the Cubberley Community Center 13. Human Services Resource Allocation Process (HSRAP) Service Agreements Over $65,000 for Fiscal Year 2000-01 14. Leases with Palo Alto Community Child Care for Facilities Located at the Ventura School Site, 3900 Ventura Court and the College Terrace Library, 2300 Wellesley Street 15. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. DBA the Professional Tree Care Company in an Amount Not to Exceed $300,000 for a Three-Year Tree and Stump Removal Project Council Member Mossar said the prior year during the budget hearings, the Finance Committee and the Council had a serious conversation with staff about trail maintenance. Several Council Members went on a walk in Foothills Park and saw the results of the trail maintenance done by the California Conservation Corps (Corps). Several rare, native plants were removed in the process of the Corps’ work and barren areas along the trails were created. She was aware that the Community Services Parks Division worked with a committee of interested citizens to develop standards for the trails. She assumed the Corps would be apprised of the standards and supervised to make sure its work met the standards that the citizens committee and Parks Division put in place. Herb Borock, P.O. Box 632, said two years prior, the former City Clerk brought to the Council a report that recommended $100,000 to be provided for the Mid-Peninsula Access Corporation for local programming support and indicated it was a policy change. The current staff report indicated a policy change of allocation of money from the franchise fee. He provided the Council with the minutes of two years prior where the City Clerk agreed with him that the funds were not coming from the franchise fee but came from the General Fund. The previous City Clerk had the knowledge, but when the subsequent years’ reports came out, he did not have an opportunity to contact the City Clerk’s Office to make the transition of the minutes from two years prior.
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MOTION: Council Member Mossar moved, seconded by Eakins, to approve Item Nos. 8-15. MOTION PASSED 9-0. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m. to a Closed Session. The City Council met in Closed Session to discuss matters involving Existing Litigation as described in Agenda Item Nos. 4 and 5. Mayor Kniss announced that no reportable action was taken on Agenda Item Nos. 4 and 5. FINAL ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor NOTE: Sense minutes (synopsis) are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto Municipal Code Sections 2.04.180(a) and (b). The City Council and Standing Committee meeting tapes are made solely for the purpose of facilitating the preparation of the minutes of the meetings. City Council and Standing Committee meeting tapes are recycled 90 days from the date of the meeting. The tapes are available for members of the public to listen to during regular office hours.
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