HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-08-18 City Council Summary Minutesi
CITY
COUNCIL
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
August 18, 1986
CITY
Or
Pry! 0
ALTO
ITEM PAGE
Minutes of July 14, 1986 7 5 5 7
1. Appointment of Planning Commissioner to Fill 7 5 5 7
Term Expiring July 31, 1990 (Continued from
8/11/86)
2. Appointment of Visual Arts Jury Member to Fill 7 5 5 9
Unexpired Term Ending January 31, 1987
Consent Calendar 7 5 5 9
4. Agreement for Oregon Expressway/Page Mill Road 7 5 5 9
Landscape Maintenance
6. Conveyance of Former Ross Road School Sice 7 5 6 0
Below -Market -Rate to Duplex Lot to Palo Alto
Housing Corporation
Agenda Changes, Additions and Deletions
7. Report of Council Legislative Committee
8. Amendment to Agreement for Consultant Services
for California Public Utilities Rate Hearings
9. Long -Term Solid Waste Planning
9 A (Old 43) Award of Contract for Landscape
Maintenance
10. Consideration of Individual Contracts for
Management and Confidential Employees
11. Request of Counci lmember Fletcher re Smoke -Free
League Conference
12. Request of Council*ember Sutorius re Northern
California Power Association Financing
Adjournment to Closed Session at 10:30 p.m.
Final adjournment
7 5 6 0
7 5 6 0
7 5 6 3
7 5 6 3
7 5 7 6
7 5 7 8
7 5 8 3
7 5 2 3
-7 5 8 4
7 5 8 4
7 5 5 6
8/18/86
Regular Meeting
Monday, August 18, 1986
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the
Council Chambers, 250 Hamilton Avenue, at 7:30 p.m.
PRESENT: Bechtel, Cobb, Fletcher, Klein, Levy,
Patitucci, Renzel, Sutorius, Woolley
Mayor Cobb said a Special Study Session re the Palo Alto Airport
Operations was held at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Conference Room.
Mayor Cobb announced the need for a Closed Session re Personnel to
be held after the meeting.
MINUTES OF JULY 14 c 1986
MOTIOX* Councilmember Sutorius moved, seconded by Levy,
approval of the Minutes of July 14, 1986, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED unanimous/y.
1. APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSIONER -TO FILL TERM EXPIRING
JULY 31, 1990 (CONTINUED FROM 8/11/86) (COU 5--4-2)
Councilmember Levy said all the candidates were excellent and
whoever was elected would serve the City well. Before the item
wat continued, he supported Mark Chandler, the incumbent. He
supported Commissioner Chandler in 1984 because of his excellent
.record in community service, his intelligence and imagination, and
because they shared many of the same concerns. He served on the
Palo Alto Rousing Corporation, Civic League, Mid- Peninsula
Coalition for Fair Housing, and Mid -Peninsula Support Network. As
an attorney, he - served on the Trust for Public Land, and he worked
on many land -issues and had a sense of the economics and
practicalities of land within the community. He was the only
appointed or elected official in the community from the College
Terrace area. He lived in a duplex in a ACM --U zone and was married
with an infant. His perspective was important to the community.
It was not to soy people should be appointed to boards; and
commissions because of who they represented, but individual
characteristics were also important. The City should have as
diversified a board as possible. Council's practice was to
support incumbents who served the community well for a second
term. Commissioner Chandler was criticized for being discourteous
to the public, and while h.e was concerned, he believed the
criticism was fairly minor and dated back some time. There was no.
criticism for his preparedness, the thoroughness with which he
attended meetings, or the conscientiousness with which he voted.
He would support Commissioner Chandler.
Councilmember Patitucci agreed the candidates were excellent. He
supported Rick McMichael for the first ballot. He was a developer
and with the appointment of Pam Marsh and the resignation of Mr.
Northway, there was no one on the Planning Commission with any
direct development experience. There needed to be more variety on
the City commissions, and he believed Mr. McMichael was the best
qualified. If recommendations to the Council were to be thor-
%uglily thought through, they needed to be looked, at from many dif-
eerent perspectives. There needed to be more differences of
opinion. He believed Mr. Northway's resignation would be a
serious deficit to the quality of decisions made on the
Commission, and while Pam Marsh had good qualifications, her back-
ground was similar to those already on the Commission. He urged
Council support of Mr. McMichael.
Mayor Cobb supported Joe Huber for the first ballot
RESULTS OF THE FIRST ROUND OF VOTING
VOTING FOR CHANDLER: Levy, Fletcher, Woolley, Renzel
VOTING FOR HUBER: Bechtel, Sutorius, Cobb, Klein
VOTING FOR McMICHAEL: Patitucci
City Clerk Gloria Young said none of the candidates received five
votes and another round of voting was in order.
RESULTS OF THE SECOND ROUN€) OF VOTING
VOTING FOR CHANDLER: Levy, Pletcher, Woolley, Renzel
VOTING FOR HUBER: Bechtel, Sutorius, Cobb
VOTING FOR McMICHAEL: Klein, Patitucci
Ms. Young said none of the candidates received five votes and
another round of voting was in order.
RESULTS OF THE THIRD ROUND OF VOTING
VOTING FOR CHANDLER: Levy, Fletcher, Woolley, Renzel
VOTING FOR HUBER: Bechtel, Cobb
VOTiNG FO McMICHAEL: Sutorius, Klein, Patitucci
Ms. Young said none of the candidates received five votes and
another round of voting was in order.
7 5 5 8
8/18/86
RESULTS OF THE FOURTH ROUND OF VOTING
VOTING FOR CHANDLER: Levy, Fletcher, Bechtel, Woolley, Renzel
VOTING FOR HUBER; Cobb
VOTING FOR McMICHAEL. Sutorius, Klein, Patitucci
Ms, Young announced Mark Chandler received five votes and was
appointed.
Mayor Cobb congratulated Commissioner Chandler on his reappoint-
ment.
2. APPOINTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS JURY MEMBER TO FILL UNEXPIRED TERM
ENDING JANUARY 31, 198.7 (COU 5-7-2)
MOTIO is Mayor Cobb roved, seconded by Fletcher, to continue the
item to September 8, 1386.
Mayor Cobb said a continuance was necessary in order to consider
all applicants.
MOTION PASSED unanimously..
CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Fletcher removed 3, Landscape iaintenance Contract,
from the Consent Calendar.
Staff removed 5, Telephone and Data Communications Consultant
Agreement, from the agenda.
MOTIONS Councilmember Sutorius moved, seconded by Bechtel,
approval of the Consent Calendar.
4. AGREEMENT FOR OREGON EXPRESSWAY/PAGE MILL ROAD LANDSCAPE
MAINTENANCE (PWK 2-5) (CMR:43406)
Staff recommends Council authorize the Mayor to execute the agree-
ment with Santa Clara County for City maintenance of portions of
Oregon Expressway and Page Mill Road.
AGREEMENT WITH CITY OF PALO ALTO FOR MAINTENANCE
OF LANDSCAPING OF CERTAIN PORTIONS or OREGON/PAGE MILL
EXPRESSWAY FROM SPRR TO FOOTHILL EXPRESSWAY
7 5 5 9
8/18/86
6. CONVEYANCE OF FORMER ROSS ROAD SCHOOL SITE BELOW -MARKET -RATE
DUPLEX LOT TO PALO ALTO HOUSING CORPORATION (PLA 2-3-1/
PLA 2-6) (CMR:437:6)
Staff recommends Council adopt the resolution authorizing
conveyance of real property to the Palo Alto Housing
Corporation.
GRANT DEED
Palo Alto Housing Corporation
RESOLUTION 6547 entitled '.RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING
RECONV YA•*C! 0? ELUL PROPERTY TO THE PALO ALTO =USING
CORPORATION'
MOTION PASSED unanimously.
AGENDA CHANGES, ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
City Manager Bill Zaner said
would become 9-A.
La Ilt.1 1.:ctpe
Maintenance
L�J1L c.1. to ♦..t
7. REPORT Or COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE (LEG 4-2) (CMR:444:6)
Councilmember Pletcher eeid the "parental leave" bill was in the
State legislature and there was a similar bill in Congress. The
State legislation did not make it out of committee and was dead
for the session, but the Federal legislation was still alive«
Staff was advised of some amendments, and she asked for comment.
Assistant to the City Manager Vicci Rudin said amendments to H.R.
4300 (Clay, Schroeder, et al.) made the legislation stronger than
what the Legislative Committee believed it to be. In AB 613
(Moore), the employer was required to allow ethe employees to
maintain their health benefit, but at their own expense, and the
federal bill required the employer to pick up the cost of the
benefits even though it were unpaid leave. The federal bill
applied to any employee who wa: employed a minimum of three months
or 500 hours, whereas the State legislation only applied to
employees who worked at least one year for the employer. The
Federal legislation included parental leave and temporary medical
leave, which could be combined whereby an employee could get as
much as 36 weeks of leave .n a year, The Federal legislation
included a provision for a commission to explore the feasibility
of paid parental leave as' a follow-on to the ..unpaid leave
provisions of the bill. Council might want to consider advocating
amendments to the Federal legislation to be consistent wtth the
provisions of the State legislation which Council supported. She
believed the concept was the point Cou.tcil might wish to stress in
its recommendations.
7 5 6 0
8/18/86
Councilmember Fletcher said the Legislative Committee voted 2 to 1
in support of the original legislation at the State and Federal
level with the dissenting vote referring to the number of
employees affected in the workplace. There was a concern that
small employers would be impacted.
Cynthia Cannady, 2065 Emerson Street, spoke on her own behalf, but
was a member of the Palo Alto Child Care Task Force, an attorney
and mother of two children. She urged Council go on record in
support of H.R. 4300 and to support State legislation in principal
with similar effects. Both parents needed to work to meet the
cost of housing and living iii Palo Alto. Something needed to be
done about the conflict of job security and parenting and the
crisis in infant care and the fact there were not enough spaces in
the child care facilities which accepted infants. Care by the
parent through parental leave was the most efficient and high
quality child care in the first few months there was.
Dorothea Almond, 4135 Old Trace Road, worked at Stanford as a
child care consultant and was co -director of the Child Care
Resource Center. Last year, the Association of Junior Leagues
convened a conference called "Parental Leave -- Options for Dorking
Parents," The conference revealed that between 1975 and 1985, the
percentage of working mothers with children younger than one year
old increased from 31 to 47 percent. Pediatricians agreed
parental care to be of critical importance during the early,
months, The United States as the only industrialized nation
without a family policy. Many of the developing nations had
family policies which included parental leave auti jott, security or
at least the assurance the parent could return to a similar job
after .parental leave and certain benefits would continue during
the absence. The federal legislation began to address the issues
and allowed for considerable options. Sheurged support.
MOTIONS Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Renzei, the
City Council go on record in support of the principle along the
liner of A :613 - the concept of employer -provided unpaid parental
leave.
Councilmember Klein believed the legislation was importantand he
osupported the principle. Recent developments to H.R. 4300 mace: it
imperative to return the item to the Legislative Committee.
SU3STITUTC MOTIO; Council...ober Klein awed, second...1d by
Woolley, to refer back to the Council's Legislative Committee to
draft a more persuasive letter to the appropriate legislators
which can precisely take into account the recent changes.
7 5 6 1
8/18/86
Councilmember Renzel concurred a more detailed letter was needed
with respect to the legislation. before Congress but understood
staff drafted letters according to Council's policy statement.
She- expected staff would take. the elements of the State
legislation and relate them to the. legislation before Congress.
She believed Councilmember Fletcher's motion contemplated staff
would do what Councilmember Klein suggested in his motion. She
would not support the substitute motion=
Councilmember Sutorius supported the substitute motion. He
encouraged the Committee to think about the "number of employees"
issue because , he could not support the specific of 15 -employee
limit, which was too low to be contained in legislation.
Councilmember Fletcher asked about the Committee meeting and
Council acting in time for Congressional action.
Ms. Rudin said the Committee could meet on Tuesday, September 2,
1986, and the item could return to Council on September 8, which
would be consistent with the schedule of Congress.
NOTION PASSED by a vote of 8-1, Renzel voting "no.".
Councilmember Fletcher said H.R. 3535 (Swift) addressed the issue
of the results of elections being announced before the polls
closed in California. It proposed a uniform closing time of 9:00
p.m. Eastern Standard Time extending the daylight savings timeby
one hour in California for the extra one or two weeks in
presidential election years.
s. ,
NOTION* Councilmember Fletcher oved, seconded by Klein, that
Council support E.R. 3525, establishing uniform poll closing tiles
for presidential elections and direct the Council position be
conveyed to the appropriate legislators.
Councilmember Levy would not support the motion because he
believed it overrode the principles of noninterference in local
issues where a local entity could self -direct at no detc.iment to
others or to its own constituents. Citizens in California, Santa
Clara County and Palo Alto could determine what was best overall
in terms of how late .the polls should remain open. Further, the
legislation overrode the freedom of the citizen to make his or her
own decision in terms of whether to go to the polls.
Councilmember Klein pointed out citizens, still had the same
choices about whether to vote. It was established that the exit
polls and media projections influenced whether people voted, which
he believed to be an extraneous influence on the democratic pro-
cess. He urged support.
7 5 6 2
8/18/86
MOTION PASSED by a vote of 8-1, Levy voting 'no.'
i
1
Mayor Cobb said implicit in the motions were that Council's
positions be conveyed to the appropriate\legislators.
8. AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR CALIFORNIA
PUBLIC UTILITIES RATE HEARINGS UTI 9) (CMR:44O:s)
MOTION! Councilmember Sutorius moved, seconded by Bechtel, to
adopt the staff recommendation to approvethe budget ordinance and
amended agreement providing for an increase to the City's contract
with Rencon Research Corporation of the aggregate limit of
compensation from $10,000 to $50,00.0 for consulting services on
gas rate matters before the California Public Utilities
Commission. The additional funding will be provided from the Gas
System Improvement Reserve.
ORDINANCE 3702 entitled °ORDINANCE or THE COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR 1986-87 TO PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITIO* LL APPROPRIATION
FOR SPECIALIZED CONSULTING SERVICES ON GAS RATE MATTERS
BEFORE THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION'
AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT..
Recon Research Corporation
MOTION PASSED unanimously.
9. LONG-TERM SOLID WASTE PLANNING (ENV 4) (CMR : 3 7 4 : f )
Director of Public Works Dave Adams said Palo Alto's .landfill was
filling faster than originally anticipated. Staff sought long-
term solutions, i.e., alternate landfill sites outside the City
and the Waste to Energy Plant with Combustion Engineering in
Redwood City. Short-term solutions were needed. At present fill
rates, Palo Alto would be out- of landfill capacity sometime in
1993. Of the available options, raising the height limits and
changing the landfill configuration would give capacity sometime
into the year 20.00.. Raising the landfill height to 60 feet was
the most - important recommendation. Another recommendation was to
restrict landfill use by prohibiting individual and commercial
nonresidents. November 1 was the suggested date with the idea
landfill users could be notified by then. The Council should
direct staff to study ways to .collect compostibie material,
recycling cardboard and instituting some special fee schedules.
Staff recommended work on Byxbee Park development. be deferred to
allow for proper settlement and that staff be authorized to
negotiate with other parties for solid waste capacity in other
locations and that staff return to Council with additional data on
a transfer, station in Palo Alto if necessary.
7 5 6
3
8/18/86
Councilmember Bechtel asked about the present landfill height.
Mr. Adams said 50 feet was the authorized level and it was
presently about 40 feet.
Councilmember Bechtel realized there was a problem with gardeners
who worked in Palo Alto but who lived elsewhere. She supported
the elimination of nonresident usage and risked if gardeners who
worked in Palo Alto would still be able to bring compostible
materials. She referred to a dumpster in front of her neighbor's
house where it was three-quarters filled with garden debris two
days after it arrived.
Mr. Adams said curbside collection would be retained, and there
was the possibility of doing a compostible pickup.
Councilmember Bechtel referred to a private gardener who presently
hauled away debris. People did not want compostible material to
sit in front of. their house for a week until the next regular
garbage pick up.
Mr. Adams clarified Councilmember Bechtel referred to a non-
resident gardener doing work for a resident. He had no immediate
response but said something could be worked out.
Councilmember Bechtel was concerned about illegal dumping and
needed a response to her questions before she could support the
matter.
Councilmember Renzel asked if 60 feet was an absolute height
before or after settlement.
Mr. Adams said 60 feet would be height after settlement.
Councilmember Renzel asked if garbage presently buried in the
"valley" pot hole on Phase 1 had to be uncovered in order to fill
the valley.
Assistant Director of Public Works George Bagdon said yes. The
existing soil would be removed to gain capacity and be refilled
with garbage and another layer .of dirt of impermeable cover above.
The valley represented 15 to 20 percent of the capacity. There
would either be five months of capacity or it would drop to four
months if garbage were put on tope of the present coil. Some of
the removed soil could be saved.
Councilmember Renzel remained concerned about the final. outcome.
Councilmember Renzel asked about Stanford's solid waste.
7 5 6 4
8/18/86:
Mr. Adams said Palo Alto accepted all of Stanford's solid waste,
which represented about 11 percent of the City's intake. There
was an annual contract.
Councilmember Renzel said in reviewing Stanford's Environmental
Impact Report, garbage problems were regarded as being taken care
of by contracting with the City of Palo Alto. Stanford chose to
remain an independent entity, and she► queried whether it was eime
for Palo Alto to look at its own assets and urge Stanford to start
seeking its on solution using its own resources.
Mr. Adams said staff considered Palo Alto's commitment to Stanford
as being part of 'che community, and Council needed to provide
guidance in that regard.
Councilmember Renzel believed within the last ten years, City
Council made a strong' statement about no second lift, which
occurred when the dump was only 14 feet high. She asked if the
City was facing the music and when the landfill reached 60 feet,
if Council would be asked to make a different mountain or go
higher. She asked about the highest point at Shoreline.
Mr. Adams said the consultant advised 60 feet to be the practical
limit because of settlement conditions and earthquake stability.
There were no plans to go higher and no permits to go elsewhere.
Shoreline was 90 feet.
Councilmember Renzel asked if the "hills and valley" concept was
being eliminated and strictly making a big sloping, flat land mass
on the new configuration for Phases II and III. She was concerned
the City would end up with 150 useless acres because of so many
hills arid valleys and potholes.
Mr. Bagdon said there would still be undulations, but they would
not be as pronounced as they were previously. Technically, it
could be straighter than it was presently. Staff used the
undulations to coe orm asmuch as possible to what was approved by
the Council previously in raising the landfill ten feet.
Councilmember Renzel said the original plan had a big undulation
between Phases 1 and II, and she asked if it was eliminated.
She also asked if the height could be lowered five feet if some of
the swales and undulations were eliminated.
Mr. Bagdon said the big undulation would be eliminated with the
recommendation. The higher limit could not be lowered by elimi-
nating some of the swales and undulations.
7 5 .6 5
8/18/86
Councilmember Renzel referred to fill activity in the vicinity of.
the Mayfield Slough remnant consistent with the Council's policy
to start filling at the upper end. She understood when Mayfield
Slough was encroached upon with stockpiled soil, it would be moved
back away from Mayfield Slough remnant. It now looked liked it
was being filled on top. She asked what assurance the City had
that what little remained of the Mayfield Slough remnant would be
protected by the plan.
Superintendent of Field Operations Mike Miller said as the back
portion was filled, the stockpiled soil at the bottom would be
taken up and over the top. The perimeter was still a storage area
and the slough area would not be further encroached upon. The
thickness of the storage area was more than what was called for,
and it would not take any more soil than what was there to move it
over the top and meet the minimum requirements established by the
State.
Vice Mayor Woolley asked what would happen if all of the
landfill's capacity was not needed.
Mr. Bagdon said the grades would be adjusted and staff would
return for Council approval of a modified plan.
Vice Mayor Woolley referred to filling from one side to the other,
and envisioned getting halfway across at a certain height and then
Council deciding to change the height.
Mr. Bagdon said there would be a transition back to the presently
approved plan. There could not be a sudden 10 -foot drop.
Vice Mayor Woolley referred to the staff report, dated May 15,
1986, where both industrial and commercial corrugated cardboard
were discussed. The most recent staff report (CMR:374:6) dropped
the industrial corrugated cardboard discussion and she queried
whether it was because of the restructured tee schedule providing
an incentive for industry to undertake its own recycling program
for corrugated cardboard.
Mr. Miller said that was correct. The industrial programwould
provide an incentive or a _rate restructure. Tte City would still
provide a consultant -type service as it presently did. The
commercial collection would include Downtown, California Avenue
and Midtown.
Vice Mayor Woolley was also concerned about Stanford and while she
agreed with staff in terms _ of Stanford being a part of the com-
munity, it was important for Stanford to do everything the City
did to cut down on the waste flow. She asked if staff could come
up with an amount by which Stanford could be expected to increase
its recycling efforts.
7 5 6 6
8/18/86
Mr. Adams believed it would be difficult for staff to establish
such a figure without some type of study. Stanford could be asked
to conduct a study. As far as he knew, Stanford only did some
volunteer recycling.
Councilmember Fletcher referred to a letter, dated July 1, 1986,
from the Peninsula -Conservation Center (on file in the City
Clerk's office) which pointed out the City should have an environ-
mental impact report on the increased height of the landfill. She
asked for comment.
Mr. Adams said the question was not pursued.
Councilmember Levy was concerned about the costs of alternatives.
He realized many alternatives were being investigated, but if none
ofthem were acceptable, he queried whether Palo Alto could use
Newby Island or Kirby Canyon at the prices reflected in the staff
report.
Mr. Miller said the rates were not binding and could be increased
at any time.
Councilmember Levy asked about the change in rates for local
garbage disposal.
Mr. Miller said not knowing all the considerations other than what
was contained in the report, the rates could go up to two and
one-half times what people currently paid. The current rate was
$7.75 for two -can service, residentiai. backyard. Capitalization
and site costs for a transfer station would have to be added in at
some point.
Councilmember Patitucci said it was hard for him to interpret the
computer -generated picture of the parts,, and needed something to
help him deal with what type of park was anticipated. He wanted a
scale model.
Mr. Adams said the proposal was reviewed with Council on many
occasions and specific instructions down to the number of trees to
eliminate, park benches and dollars to be included in Phase'1 were
given. Staff intended to follow the Council instructions as
closely as possible. The new park design would go through the
Site and Design review process and would receive public review.
Councilmember Patitucci asked whether it was possible to implement
the actions having to do with changing garbage behavior including
pushing up the price to some serious levels and then revisiting
the height question in a year.
7 5 6 7
8/18/86
Mr., Adams said no. In order to properly grade and fill the land-
fill, the height decision was needed then. Other things could be
done for hopefully more benefit.
Mr. Zaner said it was a longterm project, and sometime ago a
consultant was hired to do a major landscaping plan for which a
now out-of-date model was done. The Planning Commission believed
the original landscaping plan was too expensive and elaborate, and
the Council concurred in the main. Staff reduced the scope of the
park, number of trees, some of the grading, landscaping, pathways,
etc., as instructed. The drawings were redone to show what the
park would look like. The primary objective was the landfill --not
the park. The park was a way to make use of the landfill after
the resource was no longer available. The Refuse Fund in effect
rented the property from the General Fund and returned it to the
General Fund in thf form of a community park. The Visual Arts
Jury requested the opportunity to hire a designer to do a massive
sculptural approach to the landfill which took the project down
another step in its evolution. Staff was careful to return to
Council step-by-step to keep everyone informed, and it was time
for Council to make the policy decision as to whether to raise the
height of the landfill. If raising the height was not preferred
by Council, staff would begin looking for another solution for the
early 1990s. The issues raised by Councilmember Patitucci were
valid but were already covered with the Council. In terms of a
model, if Council wanted to see what a landscape architect would
do with a 60 -foot high landfill, it could be done. It would cause
a delay and make the process somewhat more difficult in terms, of
coodination.
Councilmember Klein said present plans were good for another seven
years, and approval of the 60 -foot height limit would provide
another 6.4 years. Restricting the landfill to Palo Alto resi-
dents would provide another 37 days per year, or a little more
than one year in 14 years; the composting program provided an
additional 26 days per year and approximately one year in 14
years; the corrugated cardboard collection would provide another
18 days per year or about one-half year in 14 years; and mandatory
recycyling program would provide an additional eight days a year
or a little over 100 days in 14 years. Accordingly, all the
recommendations would provide a little over three years from the
additional steps. If nothing was done, the landfill had a
remaining life of seven years, and if all the recommendations were
done, the landfill had approximately 17 years remaining life.
Mayor Cobb believed Councilmember Klein's calculations were good,
but he guessed they would be more on the order of 80 percent due
to some loss of economies of scale as the dump filled. He asked
when the next report could be expected by Council.
7 5 6 8
8/18/86
e
1
At. Miller said the compostible material collection would take
between six and nine months to study and set up a pilot program.
Staff could report back in nine months on compostible material.
Corrugated cardboard would take nine months to one year to study,
and the refuse rate study would take between three and six
months.
Mayor Cobb asked about the alternatives if no answers were found.
Mr. Adams said representatives of Combustion Engineering renewed
hopes that San Francisco would still come through with its end of
the bargain. They were working with regulatory agencies and had
some confidence there would be a waste to energy plant in Redwood
City in which Palo Alto would be included. The waste to energy
plan would only be a long-term interim solution.
Councilmember Sutorius said recommendation No. I asked Council to
direct staff to initiate appropriate review of the modified Byxbee
Park concept, and he asked if staff would have a problem with a
modified motion to make the direction more explicit.
Mr. Adams said the intent was to convey that once Council set the
60 -foot limit, staff would have to go through the design process.
Mayor Cobb understood staff requested a policy decision to go to
60 feet and staff would do the studies, etc. necessary to return
with the specifics to implement.
Mr. Adams said Mayor Cobb was correct, and staff would start
implementing the fill at 60 feet beginning with the Mountain View
side.
Councilmember Renzel said staff would create part of the design by
filling to the 60 -foot limit at some presumed configuration.
Whatever happened between then and the Site and Design review at
60 feet would be a given of the Site and Design Review.
Mr. Adams said that was correct, but in the whole scheme of
things, it would not set the entire park.
Councilmember Renzel asked about the basis for the 60 -foot height
limit.
Mr. Adams said considering that other landfills in the area ranged
from 90 feet to over 100 feet, staff believed 60 feet was
reasonable ' and achievable. Going to 55 feet would effectively
eliminate the option of later going the extra five feet.
7 5 6 9
8/18/86
Councilmember Bechtel referred to page 10 of CMR:287:6 and said if
Council approved the recommendations, staff would be directed to
do the evaluation, site and design revif:w process, master plan
revisions, develop revised closure plans and appropriate
environmental assessment. She clarified the environmental
assessment would not be done solely on the 60 -foot height as
opposed to whatever the present maximum was.
Mr. Adams said the environmental assessment would cover the final
configuration of the park, but the 60 feet would already be
established hopefully that evening.
Councilmember Bechtel never wanted to build "Mount Trashmor.e."
Everyone hoped something could be worked out with the joint powers
authority, but it did not. Palo Alto only had about seven years
remaining on its landfill.
MOTION: Councilmember Bechtel moved, seconded by Klein, to
adapt the staff recommendations 1 6 with the _ addition that at
the time the ban on nonresidential use is implemented that staff
develop a process for enforcing nonresidential gardeners gardening
in Palo alto to only be allowed to bring compostibie debris to the
landfills
1. Direct staff to initiate appropriate review of the modified
Byxbee Park concept, which increases the height of the land-
fill closure plan to 60 feet and fills the valleys and ties
the hills together as described in staff report (C1NRs287s6);
2. Defer the first phase of Byzbee Park conversion in order to
allow for settlement and for installation of a gas recovery
system;
3. Prohibit nonresidents from using the landfill effective
November 1, 1486 and direct staff to return to Council with a
revised landfill use fee schedule at a later date;
4. Direct staff to report back with an analysis of additional
waste reduction measures;
a) coapostible plant debris collection;
b) corrugated cardboard recovery;
c) restructured feeschedule for individual and commercial
refuse collection ret+ea.
5. authorize negotiations with other parties for landfill space
outside Palo alto; and
6,. Direct staff to review and analyze transfer station options
and report beck to. Council.
7 5 7 0
8/18/86
AMENDMENT: Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Renzel, to
add 4(d) "Analyze recycling in multiple family zones.•
Councilmember Fletcher said there was terrible waste at multi-
family establishments, and the additional fees for excess garbage'
were not directly seen by the residents in multi -family
establishments because of a blanket fee. There needed to be
additional incentives.
Mr. Zaner said the additional assignment to analyze recycling in
multiple family zones would probably take six months to one year.
Councilmember Fletcher said the report did not have to return with
the other aspects, but she wanted a feasibility analysis.
AMENDMENT PASSED unanimously.
Vice Mayor Woolley supported the main motion because she believed
it was a sensible combination of keeping. the City's options open
and simultaneously doing everything possible to reduce the waste
stream. If the City was successful with the latter, staff assured
that the additional height could easily be stopped and the City
could return to the present plan.
AMEMDNSAT: Vice Mayor Woolley roved, seconded by Menzel, to add
recommendation 7 to direct staff• to add a condition to the 1986
Stanford Refuse Disposal Agreement stating that within one year
the onive»sity will implement a plan to significantly increase
their recycling program for residential and campus activities and
that the plan be reviewed by Council before the 1987 annual
amendment.
Councilmember Fletcher preferred to phase Stanford out of Palo
Alto's landfill because it did not have the same growth limita-
tions, did not conform to Palo Alto's height limits or new FAR
limits. Stanford seemed to be proceeding with development at an
accelerated rate, and the County seemed to be insensitive to the
environmental effects of the approved developments. She supported
the amendment.
AMENDMENT PASSED unanimously.
Councilmember Patitucci said it sounded as though Council was
going to a ten -foot higher height limit and would fill in valleys
without first looking at a plan for what the park would look like
when it was done. If the motion passed, staff would start going.
towards 60 feet tomorrow.
Mr. Adams said that was correct.
7 5 7 1
8/18/86
Councilmember Patitucci .said stuff would begin to function at the
dump as if the contours were completely changed without looking at
s no&1 , or drawing, or anything which showed the impact of the
park. Not only was the park secondary, it was of no concern to
the Council how useful the park would be. He could not support
recommendation 1 under those circumstances. He requested to vote
on recommendation l separately. Council was not expressing any
priorities in the other items, and given the limited staff
capability to deal with the issues, they would be dealt with
linearly. He believed Council should express some priorities, and
if the numbers reflected priorities, they might be renumbered in
order of importance.
a!4EMDMEMMT s Councilmember Patitucci moved, seconded by Woolley,
if Council approved the height limit, the transfer station be the
least priority. If Council did not approve the height limit, then
the transfer station would become the .highest priority. Ho
suggested the items under recommendation 4 be prioritized as
follows:
a) restructured fee schedule
b) review of modified Byxbee Park concept;
c) corrugated cardboard recovery; and
d) waste in multi -family zones
Councilmember Patitucci believed the fee structure was a motivator
and would communicate the problems to the public.
Councilmember Klein asked for clarification of the linear study
process absent the amendment.
Mr. Adams said staff would review the information on hand for each
item and see whether they could 'tackle more than one point at a
time. Staff might also decide to return with the one that was
easiest to report on rather than doing the most difficult one
first. While staff would be happy to do the studies in the order
specified, staff might be able to do the total composite
assignment easier if it was left to staff's discretion.
Councilmember Klein opposed the amendment. :le believed the
assignment was better left to staff's discretion. He was
concerned that all the programs be put into effect as soon as
possible.
Vice Mayor Woolley referred to inclusion of the transfer station
options and asked whether the same staff would work on it.
Mr. Adams said the same staff would work on the subject, but it
was not related to the other four studies. A transfer _ station
would be needed if the material were taken anywhere outside of
Palo Alto.
7 5.7 2
8/18/86
Councilmember Bechtel believed the studies should be left to the
City's administrators. She opposed the amendment.
Councilmember Fletcher said if the order was left as recommended
and Council approved the height limit increase, she asked whether
staff would feel they could delay items 5 and 6 or would the items
proceed, and if an alternative was found before the City reached
the 60 foot height limit, the height limit would not be reached.
Mr. Adams said Councilmember Fletcher was partially correct.
Since the City would be filling from one end, it would reach the
higher height limit at that end and taper off from that point.
Councilmember Sutorius concurred with Councilmembers Klein and
Bechtel.. The $220,000 in revenue the City would lose by pro-
hibiting nonresidents was important and might be what
Councilmember Patitucci had in mind when he dealt with the
priorities. The study reflected in 4(c) would take four to six
monthe, and he asked how much revenue would the City lose in that
time. He believed item 3 in combination with 4(c) deserved high
priority and he did not want to approve something that just
allowed item 4(c) to drift to the bottom of the pile if there were
other things in progress.
Mr. Adams said 4(c) referred to a City-wide collection rate and
the use of the landfill was a separate rate of collection at the
gate. Staff could return with gate rate within two months or
could wait until next year's refuse rates were set and do it
then..
Councilmember Sutorius said if the dump were closed to non-
residents on November 1, 1986, and the. City started losing revenue
at an annual rate of $220,000, he asked about staff's intent 'to
f ind. a . way to start recouping or offsetting the lost revenue.
Mr. Adams said absent any instructions from Council, staff would
have returned in time to set a rate for entrance to the landfill
only, which would commence approximately Janua.sy 1, 1987. It
would not be the rates referred to in 4(c).
Councilmember Sutorius clarified the rate structure would apply to
residents.
Mr. Adams said yes.
Councilmember Sutorius opposed the amendment for the reasons
enunciated by Councilmewbera Klein and Bechtel. He believed staff
understood Council's concerns about the lost revenues and the need
for an timely offset recommendation.
7 5 7 3
8/18/86
AMENDMENT FAILED BY A VOTE OF 3--6, Menzel, Patitucci, Woolley
voting "aye."
Councilmember Frenzel referred to the previous study session and
said four members of the Council went on a tour, but the remaining
Councilmembers were unable to attend. The tour drove up onto
phase 1 and looked down into the major valley, which was a real
detraction from the ultimate use of the area.
AMENDMENT: Councilmember Menzel moved, seconded by Fletcher, to
ask staff to review whether a more economical_ means existed to
fill the valley in phase 1.
Councilmember Renzel suggested City vehicles could dump there and
there would be a restricted number of ltee :s within the control of
the City to not dig up the existing cover material with the idea
of ending up with something to allow a person to walk over the top
of the area and not fall in a hole. The swale was an interruption
in the ability to move across the area and it had no aesthetic
appeal. It might provide three months of additional dump life,
and without establishing a fancy road for general use, the City
might be able to use the area productively and end up with a bet-
ter product. The report need not interfere too much with present
studies, but a decision should be made then in order to not delay
the closure of phase one any longer than it was already being
delayed by the natural gas and settlement issues.
Councilmember Sutorius believed if the amendment passed, the City
would end up with a two -foot layer of impermeable and when the
City reached the ultimate fill in, it would place another two feet
of impermeable fill and t e cap soil on top.
Mr. Adams said the initial impermeable cover was not yet
there —only the intermediate, but everything else was correct.
Councilmember Sutorius suggested the City might lose two vertical
feet of .dump capacity for whatever hor i eonta1 level was involved.
Mr. Adams said that was the loss of the 15-20 percent. They would
still need to build an access road to that area.
Councilmember Sutorius asked if gas relief piping would be needed
both in the tirst level and the new level established.
Mr. Adams said some waywould be needed to treat the accumulation
of gas whether by digging through the present cover as previously
proposed or by separate gas collection. ins presumed that would be
included in the study referred to in the amendment.
Councilmember Sutorius understood the spirit behind the amendment
but believed it would be taking time for something that would not
produce an economic way.
7 5 7 4
8/18/86
1
Councilmember Fletcher said the amendment did not speak to
accomplishing the fill in but just to an assessment from staff and
was not a major assignment.
Councilmember Renzel commented methane gas was not heretofore
pumped out, and she could not imagine digging down through two or
three lifts to the earliest -placed garbage. They spoke to methane
pipes going down about two feet into the most recent garbage, but
older garbage below was sealed off all over the landfill She did
not believe it was any different from other parts of the landfill
and urged her colleagues to support the amendment at least
conceptually. She realized landfill was the major objective, but
the amendment would gain three months' time and end up with some
valuable, useful land.
Mr. Adams interjected that staff studied the issue, and the
assessment in their report was the most economical way.
Councilmember Patitucci did not believe he would support the
amendment. He asked if such questions would be moot when they
received the results on the kind of park, or would Council be able
to make changes such as Councilmember Renzel mentioned.
Mr. Adams said the type of question currently being asked would be
locked in and impossible to explore; however, modest changes to
the surface would be possible. Staff would be redesigning the
park as they were filling. Long before the point of complete fill,
they would have the site and design review process completed; and
the Council would have another opportunity to look at the issue
with more details for Phase 1 and the concept and contours for the
rest of the phases.
AMENDMENT FAILED by a vote of 2-7, Renzel, Fletcher voting
°aryl. "
Councilmember Renzel asked if staff could set up an additional
Council tour of the landfill as soon ac possible so councilmernbers
could see what they faced on Phase 1, with the possibility of
reconsidering the issue at an early date.
Mr. Adams said staff could set up such a tour without a motion.
Councilmember Renzel wanted it understood the issue might be
raised within a week or two after the tour.
Mayor Cobb requested staff set up the tour quickly.
Mr. Adams added the particular valley could be addressed
separately and was not an issue regarding the height of the
main landfill.
7 5 7 5
8/18/86'
Councilmember Renzel said she was concerned the Councilmembers who
had not Been the configuration of the land needed to see it.
Councilmember Klein believed they all shared frustration there was
no better solution to waste disposal. The issue was not one they
could solve on theirnwn. Pending the regional solution they all
hoped for, there was no choice. A tripling of waste disposal
rates could not be inflicted on their citizens together with an
unsound environmental solution. He did not like the idea of
having the garbage trucked 50 miles nor seeing the City create an
ever -higher landfill in the Bay, but it seemed the best
alternative left, and they should do it in as efficient and
environmentally -pleasing a way as possible. Staff's proposed
solutions made sensed and he would vote for the motion on the
floor.
Councilmember Fletcher was unhappy about making a decision to
raise the landfill higher than any building allowed in the City.
She was also upset the environmental assessment came after the
fact but concurred Council had no choice and would vote for the
motion.
Councilmember Renzel concurred with Councilmember Fletcher's
assessment. She had no problems with recommendations 2-6 but
remained concerned about the ad hoc planning. She was pleased
Council would review the approved plan, which was a poor one, and
she hoped the lines would end up smoother. She was not happy
about ,the height,
Mayor Cobb believed even after Council passed the motion, their
backs were still against the wall. He concurred with all.
cennci member: Klein's comments. He had been concerned about the
issue since he first joined the Council. Council and staff must
make the issue a priority because the fact had to be faced they
still ,had no long-term solution.
Councilmember Levy strongly seconded Mayor Cobb's comments.
MOTION DIVIDED FOR PURPOSES OF VOTING
FIRST PART OF MOTION AS AMENDED RELATED TO RECOMMENDATION 1, RE
6o -FOOT LIMIT PASSED by s. rote of 7-2, Mensal, Patitucci, voting
*no."
REMAINDER OF MOTION AS AMENDED RELATED TO RECOMMENDATIONS 2-7
PASSED unanimously.
9 A. (OLD # 3 AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE (PWK 7)
(CMR:432:6)
Councilmember . Fletcher said since El Camino Real was a State
highway she wanted to find out . why the landscaping on El Camino
Real was being paid for by the City rather than the State.
7 5 7 6
8/18/86
1
MOTION' Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Bechtel, to
adopt staff recommendation that*
The Mayor be authorized to execute a contract with John
J. Shooter in the amount of $.109,968 per year for a
period of two peace to_ .promid.e landscape mail tenance
services; and
• Staff be authorised to execute change orders in the
amount of $17,000 for each of the two contract years.
AWARD OF CONTRACT
JOHN J. SHOOTER
Councilmember Fletcher said the Webster -Cowper Garage was a
parking assessment facility, and she believed the funds might be
reimbursed from the parking assessment funds.
AMENDMENT; Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Bechtel,
to direct staff to seek cost -sharing agreements with Caltrans for
landscaping maintenance costs on 81 Camino Real.
City Manager Hill Zaner said while staff would endorse the notion,
prospects of being successful were extremely slim. He could not
see the State being concerned about landscaping on El Camino as
funds were committed in many other places. It would be fruitless
to enter into a lung series of negotiations with the State.
Councilmember Fletcher understood a discussion was due to
commence. She asked if there were to be negotiations over a lease
agreement.
Director of Public Works David Adams said the City was
negotiating regarding the amount the State paid for sweeping.
The City was not reimbursed for all the sweeping. The State also
paid for street lighting and signal maintenance to a point, but
the City paid for extra signals. The arrangement was. complicated,
and the City asked for the State's permission to landscape the
areas with the understanding the. City would pay for the
maintenance.
Vice Mayor. Woolley said the City Attorney indicated an amendment
to a contract of that nature was not appropriate.
Councilmember Fletcher said:, she had in mind going ahead with the
contract and seeking reimbursement. She asked for response
regarding landscaping at the assessment district garage.
7 5 7 7
8/18/86
Mr. Zaner said in the Downtown area there were no funds nor any
mechanism for maintenance of parking lots or the structure, as
existed in the California Avenue district. The City was looking
at the possibility of returning to Council to establish such a
district which would then levy the cost of maintenance back on the
assessment district.
AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN BY MAKER AND SECOND
MOTION PASSED unanimously.
10. CONSIDERATION OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS FOR MANAGEMENT AND
FLOYEES PER 1) (CMR:446 :6 )
CONFIDENTIAL EM
City Manager Bill Zaner anticipated there might be changes in
state law in the near future. The purpose of the set of
agreements with management employees was to take into account any
changes that might occur. The agreement was reviewed both by the
City Attorney and by Mr. Whitmore, who did special legal work for
the City in the labor relations field.
Councilmember Bechtel clarified if an employee was terminated for
normal reasons, the contract would in no way prohibit such
termination.
Director of Personnel Services Jay Rounds said that was correct.
The contract was carefully structured to memorialize the Merit
Rule provisions covering termination and granted no more and no
less in terms of rights to the employee or powers to the employer
than those that already existed in the Merit Rules.
Councilmember Klein asked what th.e written contract added to
either the City's interests or the management employees'
interests.
Mr. Rounds said the main accomplishment of the contract was to
make a . bilateral agreement. The group in question was the only
group of employees for which the City had no bilateral agreement.
Councilmember Klein believed every year when Council approved the
salary structure for management employees, Council was making a
bilateral agreement, The contract was oral. He asked what the
difference was.
Mr. • Rounds said staff had always taken the position .that Council
was free to change the compensation plan on any given Monday
night. While Council had never chosen to do that, the effect
would be a two-year compensation plan which would be backed by a
contract. The City would be in a similar situation with regard to
thecontracts as they ..were with the . other employee groups where
there was a collective representation.
7 5 7 8
8/18/86
1
Councilmember Klein clarified the difference was the employees
would have an enforceable right to the compensation package for
two years, whereas at present Council was free to change the
package at any time.
Mr. Richard Whitmore, Whitmore, Kay and Stevens, clarified the
difference was that the employee would be assured, e.g., with
management employees, they would participate under the management
pay plan for a period of two years. Presently, even if Council
agroed unilaterally to subject certain employees to the plan for
one year, Council could change it after one year, maybe every
Monday night. The question was whether Council felt comfortable
with the restriction. Staff purposely included in the contracts a
maximum amount of flexibility as to pay by utilizing the
management pay plan, and in terms of disipline or termination tied
into the Merit Rules and other provisions Council currently had
that allowed them to discipline or terminate an employee.
Councilmember Klein asked if Mr. Whitmore shared Mr. Rounds belief
that. Council could change the management pay plan on any given
Monday
Mr. Whitmore wished to reserve the option to argue that they
could. If the matter were a subject of litigation and they were
speaking to the chances of winning the case, he might be -somewhat
more frank. That discretion was at least a greater possibility
than if Council had the contract.
Counci1merber Sutorius asked if the body of legal advice generally
was that under Proposition 61 the proposed contract would obviate
the negative impacts of Proposition 61.
Mr. Whitmore said there were some questions and debate, and there
would be litigation, but the general body of legal opinion was a
contract entered into between employees and the City prior to
passage of Proposition 61 would survive even if the Gann
initiative passed and would be a valid ocntract which could not be
impaired by the operation of the initiative.
Councilmen er Sutorius asked in what position an agency was absent
such a proposed contract. If Proposition 61 passed, what was
the positionof the City if it participated in the litigation and
continued to administer the existing Merit Plan.
Mr. Whitmore said Mr. Gann and his legal advisers took the
position that if there was no contract, the three major components
of the initiative affecting local employees --the salary
limitation, the restriction on sick leave, and the restriction on
vacation -would go into effect - immediately. Without a contract,
as of November 5, 1986, the ray limitation would go into effect
and the myriad questions on vacation and sick leave would then
arias. Thosequestions would be part of the litigation. The
7 5 7 9
8/18/86
general legal opinion was what was contained in a contract could
not be impaired by the initiative for the term of the contract.
When the subject contracts expired, the pay -limitations, sick
leave and vacation restrictions would go into effect. At least
there would be a period of some stability so the status. quo would
continue, and some of the litigation would work itself out during
that time.
Councilmember Patitucci clarified Council presently had contracts
with organizations that represented groups, and they were now
speaking to individual contracts with people who had never had
contracts before and were not part of groups.
Mr. Whitmore said that was correct. Under State law, employees
could represent themselves either individually or collectively, as
many e:nployeen chose to do.
Councilmember Patitucci asked if many government agencies had
similar contracts.
Mr. Rounds heard many public agencies ,had gone ahead and put
together contracts for certain members of their staff. A great
many public agencies were contemplating such contracts.
Councilmember Patitucci asked why the contracts were for two
years and not one.
Mr. Rounds said staff considered one year. They were attempting
tc put. together a period of adjustment and stability and one year
would, in effect, be only six to eight months if the proposition
passed.
Councilmember Levy understood the element of salary involved in
the Gann initiative was a maximum limit on salaries of all City,
employees of $64,000 a year.
Mr. Rounds said that was correct. He did not know whether the
element would be interpreted to mean salary or total
compensation.
Mr. Whitmore said the wording of. the initiative was confusing and
spoke about the salary • of the governor and a limitation on the
compensation of other employees. There was a question as to what
the initiative meant by using two different words. In recent
litigation, Mr. Gann's attorneys said they meant "salary."
Councilmember Levy asked if the basic package was implemented for
thr coming year, how many City employees would be affected by the
Gann initiative.
Mr. Rounds .said the number could be 14 if the definition was
"salary," to well over 100 if the definition was "total
compensation." All City employees would be affected by the
fringe -benefit provisions pertaining to sick leave and vacation.
8/18/86
0
8
MOTION: Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Levy, to
adopt staff recommendation approving an ordinance authorizing the
City Manager to enter into memoranda of agreement with individual
Management and Confidential employees. These agreements will put
•mplo;rees who represent . themselves _individually on an equal
footing with collectively represented employees, in terms of
bilateral legal documentation of compensation and conditions of
employment, and will provide baseline documentation for existing
compensation and benefits. Such documentation will be
advantageous both to the employee and the employer in the event of
protracted .litigation which would conceivably follow changes in
the law.
Councilmember Klein opposed the motion. Council should look
carefully at what they were doing and not adopt a panick
response. The contracts were not the usual ones at all. Council
elicited in its questions that the contracts added little to the
rights of the employees and the obligations of the City. He did
not believe any City Council would start changing the pay schedule
of employees. Employees knew when Council enacted the pay
schedule for Management, it would remain in effect fur some period
of time. The contracts were merely a subterfuge to get around the
effects of Proposition 61 and would merely give the people who
supported Paul Gann's ideas an argument. If Proposition 61 did
pass, Council should not try to get around what was the will of
the people. He preferred to use the energy to work hard against
Proposition 63.. The contracts would be costly to administer. He
did not like the idea that management would have a written
agreement whereas they had not before. The overwhelming number pf
management employees both in the private and public sector did not
have written agreements. He believed the contracts were bad
policy and Council should not approve the motion.
Councilmember . Levy differed very strongly. He believed the item
was a prudent management action which Council should take in
anticipation of an eventuality which could dramatically. affect
Council's ability to continue operations in a straightforward way.
Fourteen to one hundred management -level employees would be
affected. The lower number was still extremely important because
they were the important directors of the City's business. It was
a question of Council prudently trying to foresee what might
happen and to prevent the employees themselves panicking Wean they
saw the initiative might pass. It was. up to the courts to
determine whether the contracts were a subterfuge, but he believed
they were valid contracts. The costs would be minor compared to
the costs to the City in disruption of service, etc., if the
initiative passed and there . was a . revolt on the part of
management, and they looked for alternative employment. He hoped
the inititative did not pass, but Council should act in
anticipation of the possibility of it passing and try to foreclose
unfortunate actions.
7 5 8 1
8/18/86
Councilmember Fletcher did not consider the proposal an action of
panic but of caution. She also remembered Council believed
Proposition 13 was so bad it could not possibly pass. Turning
down the the proposal would not prevent other cities from making
similar arrangements with their staffs, and that would be
inequitable and not to the benefit of Palo Alto. The strength of
a city lay in the quality of its staff and Council had an
opportunity to provide some protection.. The proposal would
preserve the morale of the City's excellent employees.
Councilmember Bechtel concurred with Councilmembers Fletcher and
Levy. She believed Council owed the proposal to its employees.
Council valued its employees and wanted to be sure they were
around with all the proper benefits. With the wonders of word
processing, she did not believe drawing up the contracts would be
an onerous task.
Councilmember.. Fenzel concurred with Councilmembers Bechtel,
Fletcher,_and Levy. Council had for some time attempted to get
two-year contracts with some of the bargaining groups in the
City. Anticipating the legislation might pass was prudent, and
Council would want an orderly transition into whatever
interpretations the new law might take. Council really valued the
City's excellent staff and wanted them to remain. It would be
is.portant to have as much stability as possible in the event of
such legislation. The terns of employment for management
employees had to be recorded somewhere, and they would simply be
recorded in the form of a contract and would not amount to much
additional work. A two-year contract was consistent and not in
avoidance of the law. She urged support of the motion.
Councilmember Patitucci seconded Councilmember Klein's comments.
He believed Council would be making a serious mistake if they
approved the motion. They would be setting personnel policy
precedents for the wrong reasons. If individual contracts with
individual employees was brought to Council as a separate issue,
the matter would be studied in Policy and Procedures Committee and
personnel committees fox many years before arriving at a
conclusion. He believed fundamentally the issue was political
where they, along with every other City Council, would try to
soften the impact of aboeirsable legislation. If everyone softened
the impact, no one would feel the pain and no one would vote
against the initiative.. He opposed the motion.
Councilmember Sutorius concurred with Councilmembers Patitucci and
Klein. He would . vote against the motion. He hoped all
Councilmembers would uniformally and energetically work in
opposition to Proposition 61, but the motion was not the way to
approach fundamental, long-lasting personnel procedures and
policies.
Councilmember Klein said the motion was enacting contracts which
Council would not otherwise do, and he believed it was a sham. He
believed City governments should act in the highest possible,
honorable way. They,, were setting a bad example. Absent
Proposition 61, Council would go through elaborate study
procedures.
Councilmember Renzel commented in the case of Proposition 61 the
ball was not in Council's court to deal with but in staff's court
whether they chose to continue in public employment. With the
salary limitations and the high caliber of staff, it was clear
what choices staff would make of necessity. Council had
difficulty in the past recognizing they were competing with the
private market place to get new professional managers in various
department head categories. While the initiative was ostensibly
to lower public costs, the real effect would be to lower the
caliber of people attracted to public service. A two-year
contract would not soften the ultimate blow of the proposition.
Council could not presume the public would fully understand the
ramifications of such an initiative.
Mayor Cobb said he had been prepared to vote in favor of the
measure but was persuaded by the comments of Councilmembers Klein,
Patitucci, and Sutorius. He did not believe Proposition 61 would
pass. The motion was a bad way to solve a real problem.
NOTION FAILED by .a vote of 4-5, Rsnzsl, Bechtel, Fletcher, Levy,
voting 'aye."
11. REQUEST OF COUNCILMEMBER FLETCHER RE SMOKE -FREE LEAGUE
CONFERENCE ( ADM 3-2) )
Councilmember Fletcher said she was attempting to get protection
for the nonsmoker in conferences. Such protection was done in
Seattle the prE,,vious year, and the City's smoking ordinance
prohibited smoking in conference rooms anywhere in the City.
Council should ask for no less from the League of. California
Cities.
NOTIOS: Councilmember Fletcher moved, seconded by Remsel, to
direct staff to prepare: and forward a resolutionto th. League of
California Cities, proclaiming smoke -free conference rooms and
dining :cress at future League conferences.
MOTIONPASSED unanimously.
12.: Ries VEST OF CQUNCILMEMSER SUTORIU a RE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
POWER ASSOCIATION FINANCING (UTI 3.2)
Councilmember Sutorius requested the item be postponed to another
meeting.
7 5 8 3
8/18/86
ADJOURNMENT TO CLOSED SESSION
Council adjourned to a Closed Session re Personnel at 10:30 p. m.
FINAL ADJOURNMENT
Council adjourned to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 1986.
APPROVED:
ATTEST:
Mayor