Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout06161975CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Regular Meeting June 16, 1975 CITY o PALO) ALTO ITEM PAGE Minutes of May 19, 1975 1 3 6 7 Oral Communications 1 3 6 7 Consent Calendar - Action Items 1 3 6 9 Garden Terrace Annexation No. 4 (Monroe Park Area) 1 3 6 9 Amendment to Community Housing Inc. Contract -Lytton Gardens 1 3 6 9 Annual Slurry Sealing Program - Report on Bids 1 3 6 9 Consent Calendar - Referral Items 13 7 0 Palo Alto/Stanford University Fire Consolidation Study 1 3 7 0 Visual Arts in Public Places 1 3 7 0 Palo Alto Housing Corporation - Renewal of Contract and Approval of Draft Amendment 1975-76 Revenue Sharing Allocation Resolution re Discarging Rockwell International Corporation, Neptune International Inc., aad Badger Meter Inc. from Claim in Court Action C-50234 Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program - Existing Housing Allocation for Palo Alto Greer Park: Dedication of Park Land San Francisquito Creek Trail F 6 H Aviation Center: Approval of Revised Final Plans - Palo Alto Airport Request that Item 11 be Removed from the Table Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program - Existing Housing Allocation for Palo Alto 1 3 7 0 1 3 7 0 1 3 7 3 1 3 7 3 1 3 7 4 1 3 7 4 1 3 7 6 1 3 8 1 Scott and Monroe Mini -Parks: Award of Construction Contract 1 3 8 2 Request of Councilman Com took re Staff Evaluation of Our Health Center Funding Request 1 3 8 3 Oral Communications 1 3 9 3 Adjournment 1 3 9 4 1 3 6 6 6116/75 June 16, 1975 The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date at 7:35 p.m. in a regular meeting with Mayor Sher presiding. Present: Beahrs, Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum, Sher Absent: Berwald, Clay, Norton Minutes of May 19, 1975 Vice Mayor Henderson requested that the spelling of Chief Zurcher's name be corrected in the next to the last paragraph on page 1279. Mayor Sher referred to page 1285, the ninth line of the last paragraph, and asked that the word "building" be changed to "site". Councilman Beahrs referred to the voting on page 1269 on the Clay amendment to the Policy and Procedures Committee recommendations regarding section (g`, and said he did not recall whether he voted the way it was shown in the minutes; but he did not wish to have the interchange removed from the County Transit Plan. (Upon checking the tape, the City Clerk's Office found that the "aye" votes were those of Councilmen Berweld, Clay, Norton, Rosenbaum, and Sher. Councilman Beahra inadvertently voted "ne".) MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Henderson, that the minutes of the meeting of May 19, 1975 be approved as corrected. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. Oral Communications 1. William C. Burns, 4190 Maybell Ways , Palo Alto, spoke on behalf of the Santa Clara Valley Coalition, made up of eighty dues - paying organizations in Santa Clara County. Over seven hundred people attended this year's convention where the action plan for a property tax freeze was adopted. Mr. Burns said there have been many words spoken in these Chambers about low income housing in Palo Alto and about long-time residents who can no longer afford to live in Palo Alto. The fact that Palo Alto is such a desirable community and that so many people would like to live here means that real estate values have gone up clubstantially. Therefore, the assessed value of residential property has gone up accordingly. Unless something is dons to lower the tax rate, there will be dramatic increases in actual property taxes for the citizens of Palo Alto. The Coalition considered this to be the sneakiest form of tax increase which is available. 13 6 7 6/16/75 rya The Tax Assessor says that he has to follow the state law and refl,_ct market value. The elected official says he is against any increase in the tax rate and will hold the line. So the citizen ends up confused about how his taxes were raised. If the Assessor is just following the law, and the elected official says he will not increase the tax rate, then the citizen wonders how all this happened without an election and without any kind of official voting for any kind of a tax increase. Mr. Burrs noted that a perfect example of the sneaky approach is on page C of the City of Palo Alto 1975-76 budget. At the top of that page, it says that the expenditures proposed in the 1975-76 annual budget can be met with existing revenue sources and at current levels of taxation. Mr. Burns said he paid his taxes in dollars and not levels. To find the meaning of that, you have to go to the first sentence in paragraph four which says the budget recommends a continuation of the current 74c per $100 of assessed valuation property tax rate. That sounds like no tax increase; but as everyone knew, the assessed valuations have gone up dramatically. If this recommendation is followed, there will be a tax increase. The Coalition realized that at least some Councilmembers rejected this approach. Mr. Burns was aware of statements made by Mayor Saer and Vice Mayor Henderson, Next week, Council will begin consideration of the budget; and the tax rate would end up being set depending upon what Council did to the budget. Mr. Burns asked Council to please find out first what it would be doing to the Palo Alto property owner, and that it find out who was going to be hurt and by how much. In the budget there is an estimate of a six percent increase in revenue. Mr. Burns wanted to knk,w how that squared with a such larger increase in assessments that people were receiving. Did this mean that a lot of other people, such as perhaps some of the commercial establishments, were not receiving any increases and all of the increases were being put on the homeowner? 1tr. Burns asked, for the Coalition, that Council lower the city tax rate to create a property tax freeze. Secondly, the Coalition would like Council to pass a resolution to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors requesting a property tax freeze at the county level. The third request was that Council pass a resolution going on record as favoring fair and equitable assessments, and specifically asking the Tax Assessor to produce a breakdown of percentage increases to the three classes of property - residential, commercial, and industrial - by area. A fourth request was that Council pass a resolution to request Senator Gerry Smith, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee On Tax Research and Reform, to have a hearing in Santa Clara County on the subject of equitable tax assessments in this county. The combined efforts of inflation and recession are devastating to many residents of Palo Alto. Property tax is one of the fastest rising of all inflationary items. 1 3 5 8 6/16/75 Many people must live on fixed or relatively fixed incomes, and the Santa Clara Valley Coalition expected city government to exercise the same degree of financial and fiscal responsibility that is now being required of everyone. 2. Melinda Hornig, ICZSU, informed Council that the meeting was being broadcast via a new system that did not require the presence of a KZSU staff member in the Chambers. 3. Frank Manfredi, 219 Addison Avenue, said the taxes ware too high; and taxation should be eliminated entirely. Mr. Manfredi suggested that citizens withhold thair taxes in order to get the politicians to listen to the people. Consent Calendar - Action Items Mayor Sher askded if Council were ready to vote on the items on the Consent Calendar. Councilman Beahrs asked that Item 5 regarding the award of the construction contract for the Scott and Monroe Mini -Parks be removed from the Consent Calendar. Mayor Shur asked that Item 3 dealing with the approval of the revised final plans for an F & M Aviation Center at the Palo Alto Airport be removed from the Consent Calendar. 1: .n Mayor Sher stated that Item 3 would appear as 13-A on the agenda; and Item 5, as I3 -B. Items 1, 2, and 4 remained for voting on the Consent Calendar. Gard .. Te 017:335:5) ORDINANCE NO. 2859 entitled "ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVING THE ANNEXATION OF CERTAIN UNINHABITED TERRITORY DESIGNATED AS GARDEN TERRACE ANNEXATION NO. 4" t to Comnuai Ho OOti'att a ytton dens City Attorney's Office recommends that Council authorial) the Mayor to execute the amendment to Contract No. 3388. I S1 r Q :356:5) Staff recommends that Council find this project categoricall;=; easmpt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 and that the Mayor be authorised to execute a contract with Bay Slurry Seal Company, Inc. in the amount of $20,907.55. The Comment Calendar Action Items passed on a unanimous vote. 1369 6/16/75 Consent Calendar - Referral Items 1 1 • f writ Fire Corso i ation Study(CMR:364:5) Staff recommends that the report on the feasibility of fire consolidation between Stanford University and Palo Alto be referred t' the Policy and Procedures Committee for its review. Jana Arta in Public AfrR% (CMR:358:5) Staff recommends that Council direct the Finance and Public Works Committee to consider a Visual Arts in Public Places Program which includes the creation of a Visual Arts Jury, the explanation of its duties, and the institution of a IX for Art account in the City of Palo Alto's Capital Improvement Program. The Consent Calendar Referral Items passed on a unanimous vote. Palo Alto Houaiu: Corporation - raig, retract :n Approval of Draft Amendment (CMR:305:5) Vice Mayor Henderson, Chairman of the Finance and Public Works Committee, reported that the only change proposed for the city's contract with the Housing Corporation concerns the amount to be paid to the Corporation by the city. The Corporation has encountered cost iacrexaee that are well recognized; and in this case, about a 251 increase had teen realized in such expenses as reproduction, printing, supplies, and postage. Also, the Corporation proposes to increase the salary of its staff members by 52. The Finance and Public Works Committee bad no difficulty in supporting this since the existence of a staff office has produced many benefits to the Corporation and, hence, to the city. Vice Mayor Henderson noted that the staff members put in far more hours than the number for which they are compensated. MOTION: Vice Mayor Henderson, on behalf of the Finance and Public Works Committee, moved that Council renew the Palo Alto Housing Corporation Contract for the fiscal year 1975-76 at the increased contract amount by approving Draft Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement, Low and Moderate Income Housing Services. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. 10�5o ew�au8 Sharino A1]ncntinn (CHR:357:5) Vice Mayor Henderson reported that the Finance and Public Works Committee received the staff report dated May 22nd containing the recommendations of the staff for application of the $296,267 of federal revenue sharing entitlement for 1975-76 and for application of the $110,000 unallocated balance of previous available funds. The staff recommended application of all of the revenue sharing funds to regular operating programs, 1 3 7 0 6/16/75 the rationale being that balancing the operating budget for 1975- 76 is the highest priority. Vice Mayor Henderson noted that this represented a departure from previous practice and philosophy where 80% of revenue sharing funds in Palo Alto have been applied to Capital Improvement Projects) The philosophy had been to consider federal revenue sharing a program of questionable duration and thus, not apply such funds to ongoing programs. The Committee decided that this philosophy should be continued, basically; and it made a number of changes. The result is the recommendation before Council at this meeting. The staff report of June 12th lists the recommended items and brief explanations for each, and it notes that proposals were heard from three community agencies - Children's Health Council, the Task Force for Alternative. :.iueinp, and Our Health Center. There was a fourth presentation from Intervene, and Council had material on that. Vice Mayor Henderson stated that considerable discussion was missing from the minutes of the May 29th meeting, beginning on the next to the last page. He said he would not attempt to cover all of it, but one item was the statement by Councilman Comstock that he would put the subject of a staff evaluation of the Our Health Center proposal on the agenda. Both Councilman Comstock and Vice Mayor Henderson stated at the meeting that they would support such a study, and that item appears on the agenda as Item No. 14. MOTION: Vice Mayor Henderson moved on behalf of the Finance and Public Works Committee that Council allocate Federal Revenue Sharing Funds for the entitlement period 1975-76 as follows: Senior Adult Services, $2S,191; Senior Adult Recreation Programs, $19,157; Greer Park, $120,000; Lagoon and Flood Basin Mitigation, $110,000; Foothills Park security, $4,000; Recreation Department Play Equipment, $8,000; and library books in the amount of the balance of funds, $9,919; and that the unallocated balance of previous funds and interest available in the city's revenue sharing trust fund in the amount ei $110,000 be allocated for Senior Adult Services, $75,000; library non -book materials, $5,000; and ramps for the handicapped, $30,000. Councilman Seaters had Anne Witherspoon's letter to (....uncil dated June 16th, and he wondered to what extent action on the action on the floor would affect her recommendation and thoughts. Mrs. Witherspoon recommends that $12,000 of the $75,000 be allocated to a Senior Day Care Program. Councilman Beaters said it was, of courses believed that some funds are available from the Hancock Foundation;"but he was not sure whether it was contingent upon the allocation of the $12,000 anonnt. Mrs. Witherspoon raised questions concerning the usefulness and continuation of the Senior Coordinating Council effort as compared to the foundation which was discussed, and Councilman Beaters was not sure what action anlhs motion would have on that particular point. Mayor Sher's understanding was the substance of the programs was better dealt with under the discussion of the programa themselves rather than under the allocation of revenue sharing funds. Vice Mayor Henderson commented that last week there was a notion about designating $12,000 of the $75,000 for the Senior Day Care Program, and it did not pass. At this point, when Council was talking about the use of revenue sharing funds, it could speak only of the total amount of $75,000. Next week when the budget is being discussed, someone should make a specif.c amendment to allocate the $12,000. Councilman Beaters explained that he wanted to be sure the question was still open. )1 1 3 7 1' 6/16/75 Vice Mayor Henderson Said that if something like this were approved at this meeting, it would have no effect since it was not in the budget. 1 Councilman Beahrs asked if Council had formalized the discussion with regard to the relationship of the Senior Coordinating Council and the proposed foundation. Mayor Sher noted that that point had nothing at all to do with the revenue sharing. Councilman Beahrs wanted to be sure that Mrs. Witherspoon's ideas were not being embarrassed by any actions taken, and he felt assured that Council was not so doing. Corrected Councilwoman Pearson was a little bit confused by the comment made See page 5 3 by Vice Mayor Henderson that most of the revenue sharing funds should 7/28/7Sgo toward one-time programs. She understood that when such things as Greer Park, the Flood Basin, Rttimps for the Handicapped, and other such items were discussed; but when Council talked about Senior Adult Services and Programs, it was talking about something that was not Corrected a one-time allocation. It is, hopefully, something that will be See Page 5 3 continued for many years. 7/28/75 Vice Mayor Henderson explained that there was a little compromising this year. Staff had recommended one hundred percent of the funds for operating programs, and the Committee wanted to go hack to the basic philosophy of primarily using the funds for Capital Improvements. What evolved was about a 75Z/25Z ratio rather than the 8O%/24% that had been approved the last few years. Therefore, this was still IS quite close to what it always had been; and some money had always Correctecbeen put into operating programs. In fact, this year the funds ee page53 covered the senior program. 7/28/75 Responding to Councilman Beahrs' comments regarding the $75,000 and the foundation, Councilwoman Pearson pointed out that Council agreed to, place $75,000 in the budget. At the same time, Council asked staff, member of the Task Force, Senior Coordinating Council members, and Mrs. Steeples to form a committee to resolve the problems regarding the fouadat;Lon. This meant that Council had already made a policy decision concerning the $75,000. CounWman Comstock 'said that if Council at next week's meeting decided that`some.of the $75,000 shonid go to the Senior Day Care Program, the directive to staff would have to be revised. If the money is put :Lb place for something that is going to happen very quickly, there would have to be some mechanism for contracting for the use of these funds; and if Council approves this specific use of $12,000, it sh3u11 be prepared with some kind of a motion to modify the direction to staff. That :::.iz:hc take the form of having the staff work with the Senior Coordinating as an intermediate agency for the handling of the funds. Councilman Coostock stated that he was responsible for changing the number of capital projects - changing them in the souse of putting them back in as pfss?.e::ts that would be covered by revenue ahariug and reducing the_number of operating programs. He said he was in favor of having a sub3tantial amount of the funds being used for one-time programs. Counci3r. _; Beahrs commented'that what was being said was that these items are one=shot programs that are being accommodated by revenue sharing. He personally thoaght chi. was appropriate, but he did not see how 1372 6/16/75 2. anyone could con.:ider the $75,000 allocation a one-time situation. Councilmembers had been assured that the older generation hopes to €fnance their needs themselves in one form or another; and if this is realized, the city will not be asked to finance senior citizen activities. This kind of intention had bean expressed to the city before by socially oriented programs but had never been realized. Councilwoman Pearson's concern needed to be considered to a degree, but Councilman Beahra felt the older citizens would honor their promise. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. Resolution re Disc nternat.ona o ••ration Neptune Internet one nc. an• Bad er Meter . ram ourt ct on - 0284 Robert K. Booth, City Attorney, informed Council that this resolution was requested by the attorney for three of the five defendants in the water meters case and is the formalization of last week's settlement of this long case. The city was overcharged by some 222 for water meters purchased from five manufacturers during the period from 1955 through 1968. Unfortunately, the amount of the city's purchases in those years was very small, approximating only about $6,000 out of a total purchase of $101;000 during the originally alleged period of the conspiracy commencing in 1958. In other words, Mr. Booth said the overwhelming bulk of the city's purchases of water meters occurred prior to 1965; and there is no recovery for the city in those purchasea. The result of this case will recover approximately $1,600, less about $414 in attorney's fees, with a net return of about $1,200 to the city in this water meter case. While the amount recovered by the city is small, the over-all recovery of well in excess of two million dollars in the entire case fo: the hundreds of public agencies involved will serve as an object lesson to those who do not wish to play the competitive bidding game fairly. Therefore, Mr. Booth asked Council's approval of the resolution. MOTION: Councilman Beahrs introduced the following resolution and moved, seconded by Pearson, its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 5101 entitled "RESOLUTION OP THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AUTHORIZING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO EXECUTE SETTLEMENT AND THE RELEASE DISCHARGING ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, NEPTUNE INTERNATIONAL INC., AND BADGER METER INC . , FROM ALL CLAIMS IN COURT ACTION N0. C-50284 (Glib) IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA" The resolution was adopted on a unanimous vote. ion 8 Hous Assistance Pa <•ta Pro_r ca on or o -I to «'r :360:5) MOTION: Vice Mayor Henderson moved, seconded by Mehra, that this a#smda item be tabled until Mr. Burns appeared"in the audience. 1 3 7 't ` 7 AY 6/16/75 0 The motion passed on the following vote: AYES: Beahrs, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum, Sher NOES: Comstoc's. 1 Greer Park: Dedication of Park Land u MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson introduced the following ordinance and moved, seconded by Comstock, its approval for first reading: ORDINAACE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING SECTION 22,08.010 OF THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO JOHN LUCAS GREER PARR (FORMERLY DENOMINATED AMARILLO PARK) The motion passed on a unanimous vote. San Francis4uito Creek T�r(CMR:354:5) MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Pearson, that (1) Co'incil authorize the use of funds appropriated in Capital Improvement Project No. 73-88 (Rural Trails and Pathways) to construct a walking trail along Sen Fraucisquito Creek from Marlowe Street to the site of El Palo Alto; (2) public notice be sent to all residents along the route requesting suggestions and concerns about the trail route; (3) two public meetings be held to develop a final trail plan; (4) curb -realignment be used instead of retaining walls or cantilevered boardwalks; and (5) youth crews be used wherever possible to construct the trail. Councilwoman Pearson urged her colleagues to support this motion. Money has been in the budget for rural trails and parkways for years, and not very such of it has ever been spent. This is already a dedicated park, and it is a beautiful area that would be enhanced by a trail and mini -parks. Councilwoman Pearson considered it appropriate that the funding be approved and that the people who live in the neighborhood be asked for their suggestions. Councilman Beabrs thought it rather unique to approve funding before the planning was completed, and he understood the motion to anticipate that there would be public hearings and other efforts expended on this project. He understood the money was available; therefore, he did not see why the commitment was necessary at this meeting. It seemed to Councilman Baehr* that a development of this character is required to go to the Planning Commission, presumably after the plans have been completed. George Sipel, City Manager, said that while the coney is available in the Capital Improvement Program, it has not been specifically deli natsrVfar this project. Rather than have staff spend further time on it, Mr. Sipel thought it was important to find out if the Council was serious about this particular trail. Mr. Sipel felt the matter should go to the Planning Commission at some point in tine. If Council approved the project in concept, it would be appropriate to send it to the Planning Commission to missist the staff in developing a specific plan. The alternative would be to send the matter to the Planning Commission now for their input as to whether or not there Should be a trail at ell. 1 3 7 4 6/16/75 Councilman Beahrb was sure the Council and the community were counnitted to this development, and he was just asking that Council handle things in the routine fashion as required. Per-=onally, Councilman Beattie saw no reason to send the matter to the Planning Commission until there was a plan. If Councilman Comstock's motion passed, there would be considerable input before there was a plan in final form; and that is the kind of final proposal that the Planning Commission normally secs. As Mayor Sher understood the situation, the proposal has been made and the report suggests that some kind of Council indication was needed as to whether or not it favors the ccncept of the trail along the creek. In due course, the plans would be developed; and there would be an opportunity for the Planning Commission to study them. Councilwoman Pearson suggested that the two public meetings mentioned in part (3) of the motion be held by the Planning Commission. Councilman Comstock agreed that that could be incorporated into the motion. Vice Mayor Henderson remarked that the only question that came up here in relation to money was whether this trail plan ;qualified for the current appropriation for trails and paths, and the City Attorney advises that it does qualify. Council was going through the steps of saying it agreed with the proposal and that it falls within the current $100,000 appropriation. Mayor Sher noticed in Kr. Peschcke-Koedt's letter that it was his understanding that benches and the actual physical aspects of the trail would be discussed during the development stage. There is nothing in this motion about that; and in the cost tabulations that add up to $35,000, nothing is said specifically about benches which Mr. 2eschcke-Koedt felt waa important for older people. Lawrence C. White, Director of Nature and Science, stated that benches were in the plan; and they would be located at various wide spaces all along the creek. Mayor Sher asked if benches were contemplated even though they had not been specifically mentioned. Mr. White responded affirmatively. Mayor Sher asked if this were the kind of project where there sight be funding programs available at the state or federal level. Mi. White did not think so because the trail went along a short stretch of the stream in town that did not connect with any regional trail system.. Mayor Cher stated that he strongly favored the concept of the traits in the city. It seemed to him that open space facilities such as this, close to the urban population, were the most needed and the most desirable. He considered this a splendid, well -conceived idea that would benefit a lot of people for a long time. Councilman 3eahrs was inclined to favor the proposal, but he cautioned that this area was not one of the safest in the city. Some tragedies had occurred there, and be did not see that this aspect had been is✓7� 1'3 7 5 6/16/75 addressed in any of the discussions on planning. He feared for children who might fall into a torrent and be lost, and public safety should be foremost in all planning efforts. Councilman Beahrs felt it might even be wise to have the benches anchored in concrete. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. F & M Aviation Center: A••roval of R ages; t'' s r oar t. Mayor Sher explained that he removed this item from the Consent Calendar because he was concerned about some statements he read in the supporting documents. He wanted to be reassured that a massive building would not be constructed that would be out of stale with the other structures. Mayor Sher referred particularly to the statement in the Environmental impact Assessment that the proposed hangar would be of massive bulk in an area where the general vista to the east is marshland. Landscaping along the road would somewhat soften the vista from a distance, but this did not entirely relieve Mayor Sher's feelings of nervousness about this aspect of the final plans. The last statement of the Environ- mental Impact Assessment indicated that the main adverse impact would be the visual addition of a large hangar, and that had not been considered significant by the Architectural Review Board. In checking the minutes of the ARB, Mayor Sher fc+and that while there was no concern there about the massiveness suggested in the Environmental Assessment, there was concern about some other features. Apparently, this building :s a steel frame one which was found; and the fixed base operator wants to relocate it and tack on some things which would make it conform to the requirements for buildings covered by the airport lease. Several members of the Architectural Review Board indicated that the changes that would have to be made were not too appropriate for the building that was proposed for relocation. Mr, Kinney of the ARB questioned the compatibility of a building which had been "found" rather than "planned". Mayor Sher knew the city's experts reviewed and approved these final plans, but he reiterated that it was done in a way that made him nervous. He asked for some reassurance, and he wanted to know what would happen if Council turned down the plans. Councilman Beahrs did nut object to what he considered to be a good idea, but it seemed to him that Council once waa shown architectural profiles on all of this development; and he wanted to know if the criticisms indicated that there had been a substantial departure from what Council had seen. Mayor Sher said there were plans approved which consisted of a greater number of smaller buildings, and this much larger, dual-purpose building had been substituted. Council was being asked to approve the substitute. Councilman Beahrn thought if there had been something available for the ABB to review, that should be available to Council also. Don Bodge, Manager of the Real Estate Staff of Santa Clara County, recalled that in 1967, the county entered into a lease with the city which had certain architectural control provisions in it. As a result of that lease, it was necessary to work out typical plans for development. Two publications evolved from that - one dealt with architectural control provisions, and the other book showed some concepts. Some time passed before the county was able to get any lease -hold interest on the site, for a fairly evident reason. That reason is that the requirements at Palo Alto Airport were much more stringent in the way of construction than could be found in any other airport in the 6/16/75 area. The requiremente carried a heavy monetary penalty for development. Nevertheless, after abaaut ame and one-half years, the county secured one lease for the site; however, it was just at that time when interest rates went up, money became hard to get, and that lease never materialized. TEe county managed to get a second lease, and the same thing happened. Mr. Hodge said this was the third lease on the site, and he was not in a position to say what would happen if development did not proceed at this time. He was not in a position to say that development would proceed even if the plans were approved, but the county felt desperate about getting something going. The county had considered coming back to the city and asking that the entire architectural plan review process be changed, but any change would obviously take time. b Milton Johnson, Architect, said that a lot of things had happened to the economy since he had been before Council a little over a year ago. Council reached a decision on the county's request last year; and hr. Johnson's plea at that time was that if approval were not gotten, it might no: be possible to afford to go ahead with construction. That was exactly what came to pass. The cost of the proposed two covered hangars that would have housed twenty-eight aircraft went up so much that the cost of renting them to possible lessees went higher than $95.00 a month. There are very few aircraft owners who are willing to spend that much money for a sun/rain shelter that is open and not locked. A more reasonable rental figure would be $55 to $65 per month. Present tie -down rentals at the Palo Alto Airport are $26.50, and they go up about $2.50 a month every year. Enclosed hangars with doors that can be locked are up to $125.00 per month, and the cost is more than that for larger aircraft. Mr. Johnson stated that it was not economically possible to put up those shelters. An interesting aside was that many of the steel manufacturers have ceased making those kinds of shelters because they find they are unable to sell thew to any airport in the United States. About two months ago, it was discovered there was a horse barn that was going to be dismantled in Los Gatos. This is a steel frame building that is twelve years old, and the steel is in perfect condition. The building has a metal roof; and any building that would have been constructed would have had a metal roof. Mr. Johnson proposed to de -erect the building, bring it down to the Palo Alto Airport, put in a new foundation, reevaluate the calculations to wake the building come up to the 1973 Building Code, and meet the fire regulations of both the city and the county. In accordance with the design standards for the Palo Alto Airport, a false mansard would be placed around the top of the building to hide the metal roof that is on top of a building that is 125' wide. The previous hangar was just 6,000 feet, and that was all that F & M felt it could afford. It was large enough to handle five single -engine aircraft and perhaps a small twin aircraft, and it could have been used for airplane repair aid other kinds of needs. But the proposed hangar will handle between twenty-six and twenty- nine aircraft for storage, as well es maintenance. 'The proposed hangar before Council is no higher than the one`Nystrom Aviation has had at the airport for a number of years. The building Mr. Johnson vas tat tng about is 16' at the corner of the building, and the highest point is 24'. When you get away from the building a short distance, the scale is no larger than some of the industrial properties across the street which are eighteen to twenty feet high; and it is not as high as the combustion portion of the Sewage Treatment Plant where the solids are burned off. With regard to impact on the marshlands, Mt. Johnson pointed out that the building would be completely surrounded by filled lend and is a good distance from any of the actual baylands that are trying to be preserved for wildlife. The building would be well on the side of the runway an an area that had been filled almost ten years ago. In order to mike the operation successful, r77 1 3 7 7 6/16/75 a maintenance hangar and aircraft storage were needed. Mr. Johnson felt that when yon have functional buildings that are doing a specific thing not really related to humans, you have to go ahead and provide the kind of building needed for the specific purpose - which in this case was housing for airplanes. The building may appear to be large to some people; but once it is located there with its overhang, the modulation on the exterior, earthy tones on the building itself, and the mansard roof, Mr. Johnson did not feel it would look overly large. With airplanes in front of the building and with proper landscaping, the building would have a good perspective. The other facilities that had been designed - the administration building, the landscaping, the parking -are exactly as originally submitted. The only change was that the twe shelters and the 6,000 square foot hanger were eliminated, and the large hangar placed in their stead. Mr. Johnson was now ready to transport the steel frame to the site, and the grading would begin as soon as a conditional permit had been gotten. The structural drawings would be reviewed by the Building Department, and erection of the building could begin in approximately six weeks. If the Palo Alto Airrort is ever going to move forward and become the front door of the city, Council needed to give this proposal careful consideration. Mayor Sher commented that the concerns he expressed were not new at this meeting. They were in the documents attached to the staff report. Mr. Johnson stated that unfortunately, he had not received that particular staff report. Mayor Sher's concerns were a result of the staff report, since he had not seen the structure. The standards that Palo Alto has for its airport are there because the city really cares about its bayiands and wanted to preserve them in their natural state. Mayor Sher realized the height was no higher than had been originally approved, but the bulk was much greater. Councilman Beahrs agreed that in present times and for years to come, Palo Alto would have to show an increasing inclination to compromise; and he hoped that Mr. Johnson's assurances of complete acceptability from the aesthetic standpoint were true. Councilman Beahrs agreed that the height of the building was acceptable, and the length of the building tended to reduce the effect of the height. He also agreed that steel on steel is possibly a better building from a fire resistance standpoint, and there was a high risk pf fire involved in the kind of services that would be provided. Councilman Beahrs asked 'now many buildings were being replaced by the proposed building, Mr. Johnson responded that the site under the lease was 3.5 acres, and there weze no structures on that land. Councilman Beahrs asked how many structures had been planned under the original concept. Mr. Johnson replied there would have been a 3,600 square foot single story administration building, and a 6,000 square foot hangar. There also would have been two shelters which were approximately 12,000' each. There would be 24,000 square feet in the hangar, but the 6,000 square foot building was being eliminated. Councilman Beahrs deducted that the use of the land area was roughly equivalent. 1 3 7 8' 6/16/75 Mr. Johnson commented that it was actually reduced because there would be 6,000 square feet less. Councilman Beahrs asked if that 6,000 square feet would be put into lawn and landscaping. Mr. Johnson explained that that space would be needed for tie -down area. Councilman Beahrs asked how the landscaping improvements would be done. Mr. Johnson stated that the plan in the packets showed the landscaped areas that surround the site on the two street frontages. The other three sides of the five -sided lot are up against taxi -ways and access areas to the airport, so no landscaping would be possible there. The two street frontages would be fully turfed, which is compatible with the Golf Course and the two-story office building across the. street from the site. There would be a type of ironwood tree that had been approved in relation to the baylands planning scheme, and the landscape belt is mounted between the parking lot and Embarcadero Road so that drivers would not see parked cars as they went by. There was an area by the turn on Embarcadero Road that is more heavily landscaped where there is a fire access to one of the taxi -ways owned by the county. Mr. Johnson mentioned the postive point that the principal buildings have been lined up in such a way so that as drivers went by, they would look between buildings and see airplanes and the airfield rather than a long row of solid buildings. Councilmen Beahrs considered the general dimensions of the structure to be acceptable; and if Council kept postponing action, the town would be priced out of the market. MOTION: Councilman Beahrs moved, seconded by Rosenbaum, that Council find that this project has no significant environmental impact. The motion failed on the following vote: AYES: Beahrs, Comstock, Rosenbaum NOES: Henderson, Pearson, Sher ? ION: Councilman Beahrs moved, seconded by Rosenbaum, that the submitted revised final plans be approved, provided that the Corps of Engineers' flood zone requirements are met. Councilwoman Pearson said this immediately brought to mind the question of the zone requirements of the flood rules, and that is the building .has to be high enough to prevent flooding or have some other kind of protection. Mr. Johnson checked with the Corps of Engineers, and Mx. Hans Lamb explained the origin of the federal act which was adopted in 1968. That act stated that any lands in the surrounding marshlands of the bay that are below a certain given datum must either hava been filled before 1972, or have a waiver, or go through the lengthy hearing process to get a permit. The magic number for the Palo Alto -Airport is 4.6 mean sea level, azxd this is determined by taking the highest high tide record and the lowest lox tide record. Mr. Johnson said the runway is approximately 4.0 mean sea level, and the top of the dikes out there are somewhere around 8.9 If a dike or levee breaks, the whole airport goes under water; and there is nothing that anybody 1379 6/16/75 can do about that unless bigger, higher, wider dikes were built. The airport has been known to be flooded before. The elevation for the proposed office building is 4.0', and that will be one of the highest points of land in that immediate area. The intersection of Embarcadero Road and Embarcadero Way has never flooded because the storm drains apparently capture enough of the water by the time it has intruded that far so that it is being pumped out at a sufficient level to prevent it from getting any higher, The hangar was going to be proposed at 3.92 feet, end the Corps was asked if everything had to be raised to be above 4.6'. Their response was that they were not concerned about that, and they just had jurisdiction if something were belc,- 4.6'. The Corps cannot force anyone to raise anything. The whole airport would have to be raised to meet that level. The Enforcement Officer of the Corps of Engineers felt that since the airport plan had been started to 1964, this was a public facility, and it was presumably to the public's benefit to have an airport, he could find sufficient reason to grant a waiver to the county and the city. The FAA has already approved the airport plan, the control tower has been constructed there, and there have been other improvements funded by the county and the federal government. If the Enforcement Officer found this was not in the public welfare and of public benefit, and not sufficiently documented to show that it should not go through the hearing process, then a three month stay would be needed for public hearings. If anyone seriously objects to the project, the Corps of Engineers will take a year to do an impact study that will show exactly what is known at this moment. Councilwoman Pearson thought it was curious that the federal government forces a law on the city that any building constructed at the airport has to meet certain height limits above the one hundred year flood possibility; but when federal money is involved, they excuse themselves. Kr. Pawloski stated that one of the problems encountered in the flood insurance program was that things were being done in two phases: The first phase which the Council acted on was the adoption of the flood hazard area. Two years from now, the federal government will give the city specific elevations for the administration of that program. Presently, the city had only preliminary information on that. In situations such as this, the Corps of Engineers has said they will make a technical review of the situation and make recommendations as to what could be done. There are generally two alternatives that can be pursued. One of these is to raise the fill above the flood elevation, and the other is to flood -proof the building. Mr. Pawloski was not certain what the situation was with regard to the airport because the city did not have the needed information, and that was the reason for turning to the Corps of Engineers. They did much of the initial technical study. Councilwoman Pearson asked if the Corps were saying that everybody would be flooded anyway. With all due respect to Hr. Johnson's comments, Mr. Pawloeki thought he was commenting somewhat on the process of Corps jurisdiction. The 4.6' elevation has to do with the claim jurisdictional area of the Corps, and Mr. Pawloski was not certain that applied to flood hazard conditions. Councilwoman Pearson elucidated that she vas speaking only of the flood hazard. If the building is going to be constructed out there, it has be be above a certain level. She asked if it would be two wars before the level would be determined. 1 3 8 0 ,1'50 6/16/75 Mr. Pawloski remarked that the building could be built above a certain elevation, but he added chat the harbor project was being flood -proofed. Vice Mayor Henderson felt very sympathetic toward this organization that was attempting to complete its project; on the other hand, from what he had read he could no say there was no environmental impact from the project. He asked what would happen if Council approved the final plans when it had rejected the idea that there was no environmental impact. Mr. Booth responded that the city was not the lead agency; therefore, its determination was of limited effect. Councilman Beahrs pointed out that the boating community took a huge amount of abuse in the improvement of the Yacht Harbor, and he was interested in knowing to what extent the improvements and general facilities at the airport were subsidized compared to revenues. Mx. Hodge responded that the county airport system is operated under an enterprise fund, and it carries its own weight. Palo Alto is not carrying its own weight. Councilman Beahrs recalled that the taxpayers put up about $300,000 for the control tower. Mr. Hodge commenced that the construction dollars that had gone into the airport were just barely being recouped, but the ongoing expenses of operation are paid for by the operator. Vice Mayor Henderson said that on the basis that there would be four or five thousand square feet less covered area as far as the building was concerned, he would vote for the project. Mr. Hodge pointed out that one of the concepts that is agreed for development of this airport is that any lease sight should have a maximum of thirty percent coverage by buildings. The original plan had nearly thirty percent, and this plan had something less than that. Mayor Sher asked if there would be more paving under the present plan. Mr. Hodge explained that the area covered by buildings or paving is the same, and the landscaping is the same. Mayor Sher appreciated the assurances from Mr. Hodge that the building in its finished state would be one that Council would like. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. 60:5) MOTION: Vice Mayor Henderson moved, seconded by Pearson, that Agenda Item 11 be moved from the table. The motion passed on a unanimous vote. Mt. John Burns, Executive Director of the Banta Clara County Hoy .ins Authority, said that Council action on this latter would extend the range of services that the Housing Authority could provide for Palo 1381 `•' 1 6/16/75 Alto. The present Section 23 program is still in effect so that piggyback funds could continue to be used; and due to Council's action of last month, the number of units under that program could La increased. Mr. Burns said that Section 8 would allow the county to provide assistance to an additional fifty-five families in Palo Alto. He explained that under thin new program, the assistance is really for the tenant rather_than the landlord. The tenant finds his own unit, and the Housing Authority acts as a conduit for the subsidized part of the funds. In order to function in this area, the Housing Authority needed to be declared the Public Housing Agency for the city; and that was what Mr. Burns was requesting. MOTION: Councilman Comstock introduced the following resolution and moved, seconded by Henderson, its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 5102 entitled "RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO PROVIDING FOR OPERATION OF THE SECTION 8 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENT PROGRAM -- EXISTING HOUSING BY THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE CITY OF PALO ALTO" and further moved, seconded by Henderson, that Council authorize the City Manager to prepare a written document stating that the allocation for Section 8 existing units is substantially consistent with Palo Alto's Housing Assistance Plan. Councilman Beahrs asked Mr. Burns how many units might be subsidized in Palo Alto. Mr. Burns anti.ipated that a good number of the units would come frcm tenants who are already living in a particular unit and paying too much rent; and at the same time, the owner has not been able to charge that elderly teuant enough rent to cover his expenses. There are several such units in Palo Alto. The use of the funds for vacant units would be minimal because there are so few of them in Palo Alto. Mr. Bursa could not promise exactly what would happen, but he stated that funds were available for fifty-five units in Palo Alto; and that would be in addition to the seventy-one or seventy- rwo units presently being served in Palo Alto, Councilman Beahrs wanted to know if this program would be successful through the use of federal and state subsidies to the extent that municipal subsidies would not be necessary. Mr. Burns responded that no piggyback funds could be used on the new programbecausethe federal government has established fair market rents. No higher rents than those that were established can be paid, even if there is additional funding available. The resolution was adopted and the motion passed on a unanimous vote. . S truct -P tract ✓ : • . Cousicilaan Beahrs commented that he asked that this agenda item be removed from the Consent Calendar because he did not want to vote funds for something which had never really been presented to Council. Be asked staff to comment on what was intended for Scott Street. 1 3 8 2 6/16/75 Keith K. Bruns, Director of Recreation, reported that about 110' of the street would be torn up and an emergency tur:-around constrticted. There would also be additional playground equipment installed and more planting done. Councilwoman Pearson pointed out that Council had already approved the plans for Scott and Monroe Street mini-p.arks, and staff had been waiting for the bids to come in. The plans are not new, and Councilwoman Pearson was willing to go ahead with the motion. MOTION: Councilwoman Pearson moved, seconded by Henderson, that the Mayor be authorized to execute a construction contract with A & J Shooter S Associates in the amount of $62,387 for the Scott Street mini -park improvements and the development of Monroe mini - park (total broken down as in CMR:363:5). The motion passed on the following vote: AYES: Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum, Sher ABSTAIN: 9eahrs • 1 3 3 3 6/16/75 e•uest of Councilman Comstock re Staff Councilman Comstock recalled that at the time of the Finance and Public Works Committee meeting the revenue sharing funds which have since been passed along to the Council were discussed, and requests from groups for funding were received at that Committee meeting. One of the group6 making a presentation and requesting funds was Our Health Center, and the amount of money they asked for was $250,000. Cauncilmembers had a copy of the proposal that had been given to the Finance and Public Works Committee, and they also had copies of the minutes of the meeting as well as a number of letters that had been written in support of Our Health Center. The Committee discussed this matter and generally agreed that it was not prepared to accept the proposal of this group or of other groups that had cone to the meeting with mpecific requests, but there was a lengthy discussion of the Our Health Cenger proposal and the broader issue of health care in the Palo Alto area whicli was being provided by this group and which had been in part funded by county revenue fundr- Tye discussion also included just what the role of the city was in the matter of health care and what the county's role was. Councilman Comstock indicated to the group that he was in no position to simply accept a request for that amount of money and go forward with it, and he felt he ,needed a careful review of the proposal by city staff before he made up his mind. Those who represented Our Health Center were very enthusiastic about their work, and their clients spoke most favorably about the treatment they had received there. Councilman Comstock felt the only way to deal with the situation was to get some evaluation of the proposal and try to get some better information as to where the line lies between the city and county's responsibilities in the health care area. Since Councilman Comstock wrote a memorandum to Council, he changed his motion somewhat. The motion he proposed in the agenda item simply deals with the question of having staff look at the proposal and make some comments to the Council. But Councilman Comstock thought it was also important for staff to come to Council with some indication as to their thoughts as to where the city and county's responsibilities :here in community health care. This county is running a number of facilities now as compared to very few cities who were providing health services. Councilman Comstock was sure that Council was aware of the city's previous engagement in healthcare at the Family Owned Hospital and how the city has moved away from that. He said he broadened his motion to be one directing staff to contact the County Health Department to review their and the city's responsibilities for community health care; and in light of what that discussion produces, come back to Council with a report that indicates whether further review of this proposal is justified or not. If further review is justified, staff would 'roceed with that and reapond to Council with their comments as to how the proposal Would fit into the city's responsibilities for community health care. MOTION: Councilman Comstock moved, seconded by Rosenbaum, that staff be directed to discuss with the County Health Department the county and the city's community health responsibilities to the city, and that the staff report to the Council whether the city has responsibilities in this area; and further, if it is apparent that the city does, the staff is to provide information on whether or not the proposal from Our Health Center falls within those responsibilities. Vice Mayor Henderson mentioned that the audience was always asked to not repeat presentations that were carefully recorded in the minutes of the Finance and Public Works Committee. However, in this set of minutes, there were complete statements by Miss Reticker, Dr. Kussman, and Miss Franklin; but there was not ccmplete information on the presentations made by Miss Rudd, Miss Bass, Miss Green, Mr. Fernstein, Miss Reeves, Miss Roberts, Miss Brody and several past. and present Recreation Department employees. Therefore, it would be only fair if those persons wished to repeat their statements before Council. Councilman Beahrs thought Councilman Comstock's motion suggested that if the county states that the City of Palo Alto has responsibility for community health care and the county further states it does not have the money to do the job, then Palo Alto would once again have to fund another program. In an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Governor Brown stated it was necessary to be compassionate; but that you could only go so far. He also expressed irritation with prolonged plans and studies which produced nothing except frustration and alienation of people from government. There are practical limits to what can be done, and people representing the taxpayers had addressed Council earlier in this meeting. Council had a letter from one of the city's former Mayors indicating that the tax increase for the residential taxpayer in Palo Alto, in some instances, showed a thirty percent rise. Councilman Beahrs veldered if Council was not inviting pioblems which it could not practically and reasonably assume. The city had already been burned on a couple of projects - and he felt he need not mention which ones - and in this case, the city vas being ssked for $250,000 for a program when only 352 of the clients were from Palo Alto. If the situation were to be handled fairly, Palo Alto should not put up more than 352 of the amount, which would be $88,000. Councilman Beahrs pointed out that statistics showed that 252 of the clients were treated for venereal disease, 192 were birth control situations, and that was 442 of the medical services offered. As he said at the Finance and Public Works Committee meeting, it galled him to have the city take care of this problem which is rightfully a regional or state one. Gini Reticker, 520 Cowper Street, stated that health care is inaccessible to many people in Palo Alto. In addition to one-third of Palo Alto's population which receives some form of public assistance= low income people iu the city cannot afford the high cost of private medical 1 3 8 4 6/16/75 care; and that is the only source of medical care in this community besides Our Health Center. Medi-Cal does not seat people's out -patient needs. People who are incredibly poor can receive )' di -Cal for out- patient benefits, but people with small incomes cannot afford private medical care and do not qualify for Medi-Cal. Santa Clara County provides services only in the areas of family planning and well baby clinics. The county does not provide treatment for communicable diseases in this area, and they do not provide general medical care in any area. There is no county hospital. Valley Medical Center is not a county hospital - it is a private hospital; that is, they do not treat people free of charge. Me. Reticker. said Our Health Center had been struggling since 1972 to meet the health care needs of this community. Although Our Health Center was open only two nights a week, three hundred people a month were being treated there regardless of their ability to pay. However, the Center was finding it nearly impossible to continue operating at the present funding and space level. Due to personnel and space limitations, Our Health Center is forced to turn away two hundred people a month. The facility, which had been given to the Center by the Public Health Department, is inadequate, not centrally located, has no office apace, and does not have enough examining and counseling rooms. In addition to being presently inadequate, county officials are talking about further space cutbacks and severe limiting of Our Health Center's use of the facility. The present staff consists of a handful of paid people and numerous volunteers, and people are working long hours at considerable personal sacrifice to keep the clinic open to deliver quality medical care. At the same time, the staff was attempting to do preventive work in the community. The federal government instructed the Center representatives to go to their, local government for funding; the county stated that it may not be able to use revenue sharing funds becauae they have to balance their own budget; and the city said the Center should apply to the county for funding. Our Health Center was caught in a vicious circle and was asking the city to take the responsibility of breaking that circle. Dr. Runs Kussmu, 30 Adair Lane, Portola Valley, post -doctoral fellow in the Department of Metabolism at Stanford University, said that last winter in an effort to help pay off his loans for Medical School, he started working nights et Our Health Center. His interests at first were mostly financial, although he did have a vague interest in alternative health delivery systems. Since joining the Center, however, Dr. Reissman bad become very interested in some of the issues concerning primary health care in general and community health clinics in particular. It became clear to him very quickly that Our Health Center eras not only different in the type of care it delivered, but it offered a unique kind of care that Stanford -- by virtue of its size and academic orientation - did not and could not offer, Dr. Kusemen stated there were at least three key areas where community clinics have the advantage over academic medical centers, u well as private doctors' offices, in the delivery of primary health care, especially to poor and low --income citizens; and be emphasized that he was speaking of primary health care and not of referral or specialty services. Our Health Center fully supported cooperation between the established institutions and community clinics in order to provide comprehensive cars to the community. The three key areas are: (1) in the prevention of disease, (2) in patient adherence to treatment programs, and (3) in the doctor/patient relationship. Dr. Xussaan's opinion vas that Our Health Center offered quality out -patient medical care to some of the poor and low-income people of Palo Alto, and it would like to expand its services to meet the clear demand that exists in the community at large. It wee hoped that the members 1385 6/16/75 of Council would seize this opportunity to invest it the health and wellbeing of the citizens of Palo Alto. Referring to Councilman Beahrs` comments on Governor Brown's remarks in the San Francisco Chronicle, Dr. Kussman pointed out that at the end of the article Governor Brown stated it was the government's responsibility to de- centralize power from the higher echelons to an area where the people had more coutroi. That is exactly what Our Health Center was trying to do in this case. The Center wanted the city to take the responsibility, rather than shunt it to the county, which would shunt it to the state, which would shunt it to the federal government.. As far as Our Health Center's proposal was concerned, Dr. Kussman was sure there would be debate about where the responsibility of health care lies; and there may be disagreement concerning the dollars end cents of the proposal. The fact is that the city and Our Health Center have the power and the ability to provide quality health care to the people of Palo Alto, and that is what should be done. Gayle Franklin, Our Health Center, said the information that had been given to Council by the previous two speakers was not arbitrary; but it grew out of direct experience of people in this community who have health care problems. It was crucial that Councilmecbers, who would be making a decision in this matter, realize that real people were involved; and Ms. Franklin described the personal care histories of several people who very much needed help and receive' it through ehe unique services of Our Health Center. She noted that at the last meeting of the Finance and Public Works Committee, everyone expressed scene interest and concern about the Center; but those representing the Center were told that their proposal was too late. ;iowever, the proposal was submitted one week after the Center knew there would be revenue sharing funds. Our Health Center was eager and willing to work with the city staff in evaluating the proposal and program, and the Center had two reasonable stipulations. They wanted equal participation in deciding upon the crite:ion of evaluation standards. The medicine practiced at Our Health Center is a specialized kind that differs in significant respects from other medicine practiced in this community, and input from the staff and volunteers would be crucial to a fair evaluation. Secondly, time is running out; and the county funding would probably be over with September 30th, so an evaluation was needed before that time. Hs. Franklin expressed the hope that Council would act responsibly by addressing itself to a very real public need, and she hoped the staff would be directed to work with Our Health Center in evaluating the proposal and program. Esther Bass, 327 Breant Street, said she was one of the core of people who helped start and open Our Health Center. Over the past three years she had seen people's energies and ideas formulated into very successful ongoing programs and new procedures for providing quality medical care. Those who worked at the Center have developed a relationship between professional and non-professional staff based on medical knowledge and sensitivity towards patients which has resulted in better treatment for the patients. Ms. Bass had the opportunity to work in various medical centers such as hospitals, doctors' offices, and public health facilities; and she began to realize there were vast differences between the way services were delivered by such agencies and by Our Health Center. Nowhere had she experienced the sensitivity towards patients and the streaming of preventive medicine that she had witnessed at tha Center. The City Council patted Our Health Center on the back two and one-half yeare ago for sponsoring Venereal Disease Awareness Week, and a year and one-half ago the Council patted the Center on the hack again and gave it office space in the Old Police Station. However, the move into the Old Police Station never occurred because of delayed completion of the building. City Council has recognized uur Health Center's needed services in 1386 6/16/75 the past in this community and has commended it for its efforts. In order to continue its services to the community, Our Health Center needed financial support. There is a need in the community for free or low-cost medical care, and Our Health Center has demonstrated that need by the increasing number of patients it has been seeing. Ms. Baas noted that the staff at Our Health Center, professionals and non-professionals, believed in quality health care for all people and has made a serious commitment of making the goals of the Center a very large part of their lives. She urged Council to seriously consider the proposal and to recommend further evaluation by the city staff, Dr, Frank Williams, 3573 Murdoch Drive, said he had been doing volunteer work at Our Health Center for over two years. He stated that this is an organization that does a very good job, and it was rare for the city to have the opportunity of supporting a group of such high caliber. The young volunteers who worked at Our Health Center had been of tremendous help in assisting young people who came to the Center to verbalize their needs and to help solve their problems. Dr. Williams felt the problems encountered at the Center were real and needed solutions, and those who were involved worked very hard to provide them. Regarding Councilman Beahrs' comment about being "burned" by other social. programs, Dr. Williams stated that this group was a very dedicated organization that had no political role to play; and in his opinion, the city funds would be in good hands. Councilman Beahrs asked why some of the professionals who were dedicated to this program did not go sown en masse to the Board of Supervisors and ask them to reorder their priorities, Due to the very heavy assessed valuations in this community, 2alo Alto was paying a disproportionate amount of money into the county kitty; and Palo Alto should get some money back. Council should pass a resolution and go down to the county with representatives from Our Health Center to ask for funding. Dr. Williams responded that he would be quite willing to discuss funding with the Board of Supervisors, but he was also interested in solving iseuee at the lowest government level that was possible. It is true that Palo Alto is spending more for its services than other communities, but it is also true that a lot of its money is being spent on services that were not really being productive. Our Health Center is successful, and a lot gf people benefit from it. If the city is not :willing to support the Center, Dr. Williams was sure the program would not be able to continue. Terry Potre, 18000 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, was one of the original workers who helped put together Our Health Center, served on the Hoard of Directors, was Director of the Laboratory, a medical assistant, and a counselor. Purr. Fotre felt the clinic was a significant place for people to set a medical education. Not only are the medical assistants educated in a rigorous training program, but the patients are educated about their own medical problems. At a rock concert held recently at E. Camino Park, Our Health Center provided medical coverage free of charge. Persons who donated their'time and skills were two medical doctors, two registered nurses+.,two emergency medical technicians, several medical assistants, and two drug counselors in collaboration with people from The Collective. These people worked with paramedics and police in a very cooperative operation, and Mr. Fotre thought that similar liaisons could work very successfully at future outdoor events. Liaison had also been established with the Haight-Ashbury M•diciA Clinic for development of a medical crisis team, and that Clinic started out with city funds because the city believed it could handle their own medical needs better than the county could even 1 3 8 7 1 ? -7 6/16/75 thought the County of San Francisco has a very large public heakh department. The Haight-Ashbury Cli.tic has a yerld-wide reputation of being one of the most successful free clinics is operation today. Mike Bissel, M.D., had been a patient at Our Health Center for about two months, and he just graduated from Stanford University where the future doctors were waked to strive for and attain a voice in public affairs and political and social issues as they related to health care. He promised those from Our Health Center that he would learn more about deficiencies of health care delivery in this community and more about what the Center was doing. Dr. Bissel asked the Councilmen er to do the same. Further, he asked Councilman Beahrs to join the members of Our Health Center when they stormed the Board of Supervisors in an effort to win financial support. Caroline Reeves, although a volunteer at Our Health Center, spoke to Council as a patient of the Center. She first visited the Center over a year ago; ald at that time, she was an employee of the City of Palo Alto under the heading of "casual". This meant a starting salary of $3.00 per hour, no health care benefits, no sick days or sick leave, and no cost -of -living raises. In the winter of 1974, there was a directive sent out to departments stating that casuals should be asked to not work over twenty hours a week so that the budget could be balanced. To Ms. Reeves, this meant that regardless of the work she was inro1ved in, she could not be paid for more than twenty hours per week; and it also meant she made $240.00 per month and was not eligible for Medi-Cal. Ms. Reeves mentioned this example because it was a situation close to Councilmembers, which they could all understand. There were people working very hard for the City df Palo Alto as casuals who were fifty years old. As governments are trying to balance their budgets, they are all attempting to cut back on this kind of employment. Another example was that part-time emplcyees at San Jose State University were not eligible for any medical benefits. Ms. Reeves thought chat our society, in this way, discriminated among human beings over their access to medical care, whether or not it was consciously done. Our Health Center, on the other hand, considers that health care is a human right; and it makes primary Medical care available to anyone regardless of his income or assets. Regarding Councilman Comstoek's motion, Ms. Reeves felt it dealt with responsibility for health care. It is, historically, not Our Health Center's responsibility to offer primary care to people, either. Yet, the Center has been accepting that responsibility for three years. She asked Council to look at this problem s a patient would look at the structure of medical care and government in this country, and as small revenue sharing community groups seeking funds in order to carry out the responsibilities they fecel;womfetoelemt it rather than from the point of view of a goverment trying to shift its budget around to decide if such care could be afforded. Our Health Center was in the position of being told by everyone that it was not their responsibility; therefore, nothing would happen. Dave Ellis, Alicia Way, Los Altos, vas hearing from Council that bealtb came waa not the city's job. He said that was a debatable issue and asked Council sa.consider it furtaer. Mr. Ellis could not imagine that talking with the county about whose job health care was would resolve the problem. The most likely thing that would happen was that such discussion would create delay, and Our Health Center would cease to exist. One of the things that Mr. Ellis learned while working at the Center vas that medicine can be very cheap when it is not being practiced at a profit. Our Health Center was asking for funding, but it bad proved its capability of being successful in advance. 1380'8 6/16/75 Linda Evans, 323 Curtner Avenue, who had been a client at Our Health Center, quoted a line from the minutes of the Finance and Public Works Committee which disturbed her: "Councilmsn'Beahrs said he had worked all his life, and he resented being asked to subsidize sexual promiscuity". Ma. Evans stated that she worked since she was twelve years old aad had been self-supporting since ehe was eighteen years old. She worked her way through the University of California, and ehe was presently supporting a household and a seven -year -old sou by herself. Ms. Evans was interested in exploding the myth that people "up there" work and"people "out here" do not. Her definition of sexual promiscuity was when someone engaged in sexual activity with no consideration of the effect that might have on unborn children, on themselves, or on society. She did not think that people w:io sought tc attain means of birth control and veneral disease control could • be called sexually promiscuous; in fact, they are simply acting in a responsible way. The reason the percentage of treatment at Our Health Center was so high for birth control and venereal disease situations was because such treatment was not effectively provided by the established medical community. One of the reasons such treatment is not effectively provided by the established medical community - is financial, and the other is the attitude of those in the medical profession. Our Health Center physicians and workers take the time to explain to patients all the things they need to know to make proper decisions about themselves and to understand what is happening to their bodies. Ms. Evans felt that if Council totally ignored the needs of the people in this community for this kind of care, it would be joining with other forces in our society which indicate there is no time fcr those people who have little money. Suzanne Cummings, Escondido Village, spoke about the priorities she was hearing from this Council. She had heard during the evening about previous conam..tments to airports and yacht clubs, for instance; and she observed the elaborate superstructure in which the Council houses itself; and then she heard Councilman Beahrs say that a line had to be drawn somewhere. Somehow it appeared that the line drawn was done so in such a way as to isolate those people who caneot use the Yacht Club or the airport and have very little interest in the •Civic Center. ?is. Cummings thought the priorities were a little mislaid. Somehow it was not right for Council to say it was not its responsibility to insure health care for people '.n the community; and if someone else did r_et assume that responsibility, that was too bad. Council seemed to think it was its responsibility to make sure there was an airport for those peoplo rho own planes. Ms. Cummings felt this misguided attitude needed examining. Merlyn Gray, 1235 Hamilton Avenue, University of California Graduate Student in the School of nursing, said that she had been doing volunteer work at Our Health Center for three months. Mrs. Gray had worked for years at a medical clinic to Palo Alto, and there is a difference in the kind of service given by Our Health Center to its p;.tients. The patients are treated with dignity, and their emotional condition is taken into account as well as their medical condition. The individual is given the dignity of being able to understand what is happening to his own body. Mrs. Gray states that Palo Alto definitely needed Our Health Center. Vice Mayor Henderson said he had been much troubled at the Finance and Public Work. Committee over this subject, and he was again tonight. The presentations at this greeting pointed up again how confused Councilaembers were in setting their priorities. At the local level, the Yacht Harbor could be dredged, money could be poured into pre.ervieg a white elephant Squire House, and money was found for undergrounding electrical. wiring 1 1 3 $ 9 '/16/75 for aesthetic purposes. Yet, Council could ignore the health needs of hundreds of citizens who could not afford adequate medical help. At the federal level, the contrast is even more incredible - billions for defense while millions of people are hungry, ill, poorly housed, or all three. Vice Mayor Henderson agreed with Councilman 8eahrs that the medical care problem should be handled at the federal level, and all people should be guaranteed minimum health care. The facts ars that health and medical needs are not being met at other levels of government. Vice Mayor Henderson noted that he was a member of a local governmental body for a few weeks yet, and he was not able to ignore human needs such as the ones being heard at this meeting. The city must have sufficient data and an evaluation of proposed services before it can consider contracting for specific services since there was no way that the city could hand over revenue sharing funds to an outside group; in fact, that would be illegal. Vice Mayor Henderson hoped Council would approve Councilman Comstock's motion, that the study will be made as quickly as possible, and if the study shows a need that the new Council will take the necessary' action. Councilman Rosenbaum noticed that: most of the audience was not present when the initial presentation was made under Oral Communications. A group of citizens from the Valley Coalition demanded not that the property tax be kept constant, but that it be reduced so that the amount of revenue provided from the property tax remained constant.' Those people were greatly upset about increased assessments, and they did not want the city to spend more money. Councilman Rosenbaum thought it would have been well, too, if those persons had remained and heard the discussion on this subject. The two matters were an interesting juxtaposition of views which pointed up the dilemma everyone faced. Councilman Rosenbaum thought it was fair to say that as f 3r as the City of Palo Alco was concerned, the well was dry. The budget would be balanced this year, and that would be done by raising the electrical utility revenues by $600,000. He did not know what the Valley Coalition would think of that, but a cop(' case could be wade for it because expense: had gone up. In reality, all govern. nt tax increases take place because expenses have gone up; and in a very real sense, the city's electrical rate is a tax. That money is needed to balance the budget. Although it had been very difficult,' Our Health Center has been getting along on some small fraction of $250,000. Given these relatively difficult hard times, the'Center obviously had the choice of attempting to continue on a relatively small amount of money or Homing to Council and asking for ten times as much. Councilman Rosenbaum stated it vas very unlikely that any amount approaching one -quarter of a million dollars would be approved. Oa the other hand; if there were some priority given to Palo Alto residents or if the program were limited to Palo Alto residents and the amount of money were on the order of the present level, Councilman Rosenbaum could support that because the Center was providing a valuable service. This service is one that should be provided, but the fiscal realities needed to be taken into account. The federal government could be looked to; but the fact is the federal government has an eighty billion dollar deficit, and they have no idea where they are going to get that money. Councilman Rosenbaum stated he would support Councilman Comstock's motion, but one had to be realistic and recognize there would be no program funded at the level that had been requested. Councilwoman Pearson remarked that it was .0 matter of opinion as to whether tbs city had been burned on the past program, and the past program referred to was the drug program. It was not Council, but it was many experts, doctors, psychiatrists, parents, clients, i.3 9 6/16/75 teachers, businessmen, etc. who all testified that the drug program was successful and had met all the requirements of its contract and even more. The drug program helped our own Palo Alto children. That is what the drug program was about, that is what this Council should be about, and that is what the future Council should be about. Councilwoman Pearson said she would support Councilman Comstock's motion just to get things going, but it is the Council who will have to answer the question as to who had the responsibility of providing health care. It will be interesting to hear from the county, and Councilwoman Pearson considered that their response would be predictable. She said she was appalled at the remarks made at the Finance and Public Works Committee meeting to the effect that Our Health Centet was promoting sexual promiscuity. Venereal disease and abortions are not new, and they are not unique to 048 generation. They are just finally beinC treated openly and honestly. It was clear to Councilwoman Pearson that Our Health Center Was needed, and she hoped the new Council would not give undergrounding of electrical wires a higher priority than this program which was helping people. Palo Alto is spending a lot of money on ft a recreation, its art, its culture, and its nature and science programs; and those services are for people who can mostly afford to pay. The Ou' Health Center is assisting those people in Palo Alto who are truly strapped by taxes and inflation, and everyone sitting on Council could afford to pay the Palo Alto taxes even if they go up another twenty-five or thirty percent which hers had done. People on the Council could also go to their own private physicians any time they felt like it and pay full price for it.' Caroline- Reeves is caught up in a Catch -22 situation; and as a casual employee and a woman, she will be the last hired and the first fired. Councilwoman Pearson did not agree with Councilman Rosenbaum's comments, and they did not totally agree on finances during the campaign. She also did not think they agreed on the role of government. Councilwoman Pearson had watched a number of budgets in her ten years on Council, and she believed government should work for people and do things for people - not to them. Utility rates could be raised for industries, for instance, and not necessarily for the residents. Industries are paying forty percent leas for their utility rates than any other city in the area. Aseessments could be raised on business. If you go to the Stanford Industrial Park, you can find that the land there was assessed at a far leas value than the residential land right across the street; and Councilwoman Pearson thought that was wrong. She concluded there were a lot of ways to get money in this very wealthy city, and she regretted she would not be on Council in the future to support Our Health Center with a yes vote. Councilman Reahrs thought there was nothing more cruel than to create false hopes and expectations, and he feared that was the result of all the debate and argument at this meeting. Pressure should be brought to bear where it is important, and the proper governmental level should carry this burden. Tonight's efforts were distressing to Councilman Beahrs because be could practically guarantee that nothing would result from the efforts. Higher level of governments would have to be forced to perform. There had been comments made about the defense budget when the fact was that the Health Education and Welfare Department budget eclipsed efforts in the national defense area. The defense budget had bean reduced by about forty percent, and Councilman Beahrs felt that could be a calamitous matter. In his opinion, the proper effort was not being made at the propsr place at the proper time. 1 3 9 1 6/16/75 Councilman Comstock explained that he elmost did not put this item on the agenda, and one of his reasons for hesitating wars the point made by Councilman Beahrs. The September 30th deadline was understood, and staff would want to resolve the"questions and report back as soon as possible so that no one would get into a prolonged situation. Councilman Comstock's opinion about the property tax rate was that it should be half again as high as it is. For instance, the city was subsidizing Palo Alto's police and fire carp:; and only half of those services were paid for by the tax rate. Health care was a concern to Councilman Comstock, and another concern was not duplicating health care. Too often services were overlapped by the city and the county, and that meant wasting a lot of money. This question of responsibility needed to be answered, and the answer needed to be given to the new Council in July. Councilman Comstock pointed out to Our Health Care representatives that this evening was not the end of the matter, and_ there could be a number of additional evenings such as this one. He recalled that at the Committee meeting he stated he had not fully made up his mind about the Center's proposal. If the answer does come back that there is some role for the city to play in the health care area, Councilman Comstock would still reserve his judgment as to whether Our Health Center had a better program than someone else. He felt he learned a lot at this meeting, but he still Needed to know more. Mayor Sher noted that Councilman. Comstock's notion tonight was a very limited one compared to his original one, and he did not think anyone should go away from this meeting not understanding the nature of the motion or what it might lead to. Mayor Sher understood the motion to be simply a direction to staff to discuss with the county its responsibility and the city's responsibility for community health care. Secondly, staff is to report back to the Council if there is city responsibility and if it would be appropriate for the city to participate. Finally, staff is to make some brief statement about the Our Health Center proposal; and if there is some city responsibility, staff sht.utd indicate whether or not the proposal would fall within it, without any evaluation at this time and no direction to staff to evaluate the Our Health Center progr m or its quarter of a million dollar proposal. Mayor Sher predicted that the staff, after talking to the county, would report that the county had responsibility for the delivery of community health services. Staff would further report that if the city wished, it could get into this area as well. Examples would be given st.ch as the paramedic program, the child care program and the drug abuse program, all of which have been supported by the City of Palo Alto and all of which are areas in which the county does have responsibility. In some canes, the city has supplemented county funding; and in others, it has supported 'such programs on its own. That would be the answer, and then Council would have to decide whether it wanted to get into what would be a uew program for the city. Mayor Sher's position was that there should not be any new programs of this magnitude which would be of a continuing nature unless some old programs are given up or re -directed into the new progress. To put it another way, Mayor Sher said he would not vote for a major program of this magnitude unless funds from an existing program are diverted into this new one. He was not sure whether the other members of Council who would be present after July 1st felt the /same way, and he did not know how the new Councilmembers felt; but that was his own position. This was not a time when the city could afford to undertake major new programs which were not a one-shot dal. Mayor Sher referred to the child care program. The county -participated in that during the first year, and the county would not participate nest year; consequently, the city is being asked to pay for what had been the county's share. There was no way that Palo Alto could afford to continually underwrite new programs. Mayor Sher stated he was prepared to vote for what be considered 1:` `ra, a very limited motes. Perhaps the staff direction would result in providing the ammunition that everyone wanted to be able to go 1392 6/16/75 down and tell the County Board of Supervisors that they should be discharging these particular responsibilities. Mayor Sher wanted it to be clear that in voting for this motion, he was in no way committing himself to the Our Health Center program. He added that the representatives from Our Health Center were fine advocates for their proposal, but they did not do their own program any good by making comparisons to other programs. When you talk about having been burned before, your are dredging up comparisons that are not going to do any good at all. Councilwoman Pearson thought it was important for Mayor Sher to realize that it was not a representative of Our Health Center who talked about tho city having been burned before, but it was a member of Council who made that statement. The motion passed on the following vote: AYES: Comstock, Henderson, Pearson, Rosenbaum, Sher NOES: Beahrs Oral Communications WSAMMIWAIMAKNOMMOOMMar 1. Dr. Russ Kussman spoke to Council re parliamentary procedure. He also asked if he understood correc,cly that the motion that was passed re Our Health Center states that city staff will meet with the county and discuss where the bearing of health responsibilities lie, and that they will report the results of that meeting to Council, and the staff will investigate the proposal of Our Health Center. Mayor Sher e=xplained that in the event the staff determined the city could appropriately get into community health care delivery, it would state whether the Our Health Center proposal was the type of thing the city might fund. There would be no evaluation of the proposal or any recommendation as to whether the city ought to get into that particular proposal.. That would be the next step. Dr. L.ussiian 'asked in the event that staff determined the county had 99,92 ' responsibility for health care and the city had .12, if staff might recommend to Council that it evaluate the Our Health Center proposal and then automatically do so. Mayor Sher reiterated that evaluation would have to come later if Council at some future time wished to have an evaluation. 2. Ronald Duncan, 454 Hamilton Avenue, suggested that the money used to keep the fountain running in front of the Civic Center be given to Our Health Center. 3. Caroline Reeves, 859 Lytton, wanted to kaow why a motion had been passed to ark tb:s county what t it was doing when everyone agreed that the county should be doing something that they were not doing. Councilwoman Pearson responded that her 1393 6/16/75 understanding of the motion was that Council has asked staff to go to the county and determine whether it was city or county responsibility to fund Our Health Center. She predicted the county would say it was their responsibility; but since they did not have any money, they would tell Palo Alto it was the city's responsibility. But what Councilwemau Pearson heard in the motion was that staff should look at the Our Health Center proposal to determine, if it were in the.city's purvia,.: to fund this kind of program; and their answer would be a positive one because such programs had been funded in the past. They would come back with some evaluatioi., but staff could not come back with a one page report. Mayor Sher asked Councilman Comstock if it had been his intention in the motion to have staff evaluate the Our Health Center proposal. Councilmen Comstock explained that he wanted staff to ask the couuty whet its responsibili- ties were and what the city's were in regard to community health care. If it is the county's responsibility, they can be pressured. If there is a division of responsibility, then the question needed to be answered as to whether the proposal from Our Health Center fell into the area of the city's responsibilities; and staff would answer that question one way or another. To answer that question, staff would have to conduct some sort of a preliminary evaluation. 4. Terry Fotre, 18000 Skyline Drive, Woodside, asked that the entire City Council go along when interested citizens went to the County to pressure them for appropriate funds. 5. Rime Rudd, 171 Brookside Drive, Portola Valley, understood Councilman Comstock to say at the Committee meeting that he would bring this issue up before the City Council and that be would find some way of having an evaluation of the program. Ms. Rudd felt that Councilman Comstock reneged on his promise. Councilman Comstock responded that his interpretation of the conversation was different from that of Ms. Rudd. 6. Loren Drake, The Collective Street TheatQr, thought Council was paring the trappings of the city above the quality of the life of the people. 1 Qtunseat_ The meeting adjourned at 11:10 p.m. ATTEST: APPROVE: 1314 6/16/75