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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07131936City Hal ., .Palo .6.lto, California, July 131 1936. The Council of the City of ;Palo Ito .met : in regular session on this date at. 7:30 p.m.„ -with Mayor Judson presiding, will call as follows: >resent: Blois,.. Bonham, Collins, Costello,. Judson, kitchen, Mosher, R'ichards,,Salsman Stephens, Thoits, Thome.s . Absent: Cathcart, Goddard, Wood. 'The. minutes ,of the meetings of June 29 and July 1, 1936, were approved. Meeting of •Pe nsu1"a- Division of . League J. letter vd�as. received from the Secretary of the Pen nsula D visi:�on. of 'the . League of Calif ornia - £i n cipalities invit the members- of t1 -Council and:: city officials to attend the'next meeting of the Peninsula, Division- to be .held at the Secjuoi.a `.Rote1 In . Redwood City, at 6z:',30- p.m. Thursday, July 16th. Those who expect`. to attend this' meeting were requested to advise the Cite Clerk So" hat:reservations' can be made. Letterfrom' C1<aay Products Institute A letter was received from the Clay Products Institute of California `requesting:: that Section 1412 of Ordinance ho. 631 (Palo ,A :to Pluac'aoing Code) . beamended to permit the use of clay pipe fpr all house sewers when .laid with a sulphur silica joint. This e.s referred to -the Board of Public Works and Committee 1o.1. tiobropritton for Water Service to Children's Theatre A report ' was received from .the Board of . Works request- ing the Council for an appropriation of $350.00 for the purpose of defraying the cost of installing a 4 -inch water service to they Children's Theatre. A report was submitted by Committee ho. 1 recommending . an appropriation of ` 350,.00 be made for this p'brpose, and Committee No. 4 also recommended the appropriation be made,. to be taken .from the Contingent Fund of the budget for 1936-37 On motion of iitchei.l and Salsman,: these recommenda- tions were approved and the appropriation authorized, by uani=. vote on roll call. Funds to Clear Revolvin ; Charges on Black List bjlis A report was .received from the Board' of Works request- ing :-the Council for funds to clear two revolving 'charges on riaca List bills, .,one in the amount of $29.94 being a bill sent to - W. lit Butter for repair iof hydrant, and the other in the amount C 61.95 •: sent to Nathan -Robinson and LaVerne Posey --for damage to traf'ic signal, --it being impossible to ,collect either of these Committee No. 1 submitted a report on this matter, a ecommending that . the Board of Works and Auditor be authorized to clear,: these charges. Committee No 4 recommended that funds far .t ie Iurpose.'of_ clearing these charges be appropriated from the Contingent Fund of the budget for 19,36-37. On motion of Stephens and-Aosher, the above recommienda- ons" were approved and the appropriations authorized, by uuanirhoaas.: vote on roll ':call, the CoI two b1w and : on accords Decembi observ4e and ex; Pa mitting propose the B of -a su This '.na transfer purpose Rincona fifteen atras. recommeJ Revo:iv:.j Stephen; author': 3r recomme: ins a,.11 of Alma the undi Enbarcac removed. easterly with Giza Moshe:•, on roil advising Supervis nortbea s Avenue) tocbn: within t autboriz• Clara Co change t Alto to Supervis which is 7�1r r4. - vk Z. 3� _a :;ort on Street Lighting A report°: was received from the Board of Works informing tae Council that new lighting equipment is being installed . on tv,o blocks, Cnanning venue between Webster and Cowper Streets, ana an Webster Street . between ;Ciaanning and homer Avenues, in eeeoruance faith report made by the Board to the Council in .ecember, 1035. It was suggested that members of the council observe this experimental street lighting on these two blocks ena express their opinion upon it. Plans for Public Works Building, A report was received from the Board ox V orks trans- mitting Bulletins . No. 102 and No.;.2 relating to plans for a proposed public works building, :and advising the (%ouncil that the Board favors the purchase of a separate.. site and the erection of a suitable office building for the department of public works. This matter was referred to Committees No. 1 and loo. 4 for study. Lignting Tennis Courts A request was received from the Board of Works for a transfer of $1800.0o :from the Pole Fund Revolving Fund for the purpose of lighting the four remaining tennis courts in Rinconada Park, with a statement advising that a return of fifteen to twenty per cent could be expected from this investment. A report was received from Committee l)Jo. 1 recommending a transfer of $1800.00for this purpose. Committee pro. $ recommended that $1800.00 be transferred from the role Fund Revolving Fund for this purpose. On motion of Mitchell and Stephens, these recommendations were approved and the transfer authorized, by unanimous vote on roll call. :'rdinance Establish .ng Stop Signs A , report was received from the Board of Safety recommending mending for adoption an emergency ordinance covering the insta.iiation of stopsigns on the easterly and westerly corners of A.ima Street at its intersection with Churchill Avenue, with t_.e understanding ;;hat this ` is an emergency measure until the E; bercaaero Subway is completed, after which the signs will be removed. Ordinance No. 685, establishing stop signs on the easterly and westerly corners of Alma Street at its intersection t.� Churchill Avenue, vvasread, and on motion or Mitchell. and Mosner, was adopted as an emergency ordinance by unanimous vote on roll call. Cn::nge o. Name or Santa. Rita Road A report was received from the Planning Commission advising that a petition has beers. directed to the board of Supervisors requesting that; the name of Santa. Nita Road, northeasterly from.Middlefie.i4 Road, :be changed to California Avenue, and requesting: that the Council take action in regard to changing the name_ of that part of Santa Rita Road lying ,,itrizn the city limits > ;to , Cali.w or nl: Avenue. Onmotion of :Saisman andikAsher, the City Clerk was authorized to write a letter .to% the Board of Supervisors of Santa C..ara County stating t ,t tie City of Palo Alto is willing to c-.arge the name of Santa Rita Road within the city limits of Palo Alto to California Avenue, in the:. event that the Doard of Supervisors change the name of -that portion of Santa Rita Road S: ch is in the County to California Avenue. Report from advisory board on Commercial Amusements The annual report .of the -:activities of the advisory Board on Commercial Amusements for, the fiscal :year ending June 30,: 1936, was received, with the ;recommendation. t'rat the City pay the Palo Alto Times for the space used ' by, the;'' weekly publication of rating of films instead of .having the theatre company ao so, the, cost being approximately' x.150.00 per year. This was referred to Committees No. 3 and loo 4. Grant to Luella Butler A report was received From Committee No 1 recomme:riini that;:: the City execute the Grant requested by Luella butler as recommendedby the City Attorney on July lst. This grant extends to the heirs and assigns of Luella; Butler • as well as ,herself, certain rights to connect with the C1 n.ning Avenue sewer. On motion of Mosher and Ricihards,the mayor and City Clerk were authorized to execute this grant on behalf of the City, by unanimous vote on roll call. Plans for Library Additions l*o . 3 recommenc. ;�, report was received from. Committee ^- ing that the sum of 4500.00 be placed in the Contingent Fund to be used for plans and specifications for additions to the Library building, provided that a study first be mane of t'rie Library plant and the Council satisfied that the proposed improvements are necessary. On this matter Committee ao. 4 informed the Council that the sum of 4500.00 has been tentativ.34 inc L .ded in the budget of the Library for the purpose of preparing 'plans and specifications for additions to the eiorary Building, , with the request that the Council consider the wsdo: of .ep$naing the Library at this time before finally approvi i this ,item in the budget. This was discussed, and on motion of Richards and Bonham, the Mayor was .authorized to appoint a committee to aalce a study of the Library plant ana report its i'inaings to the Council. The Mayor aapointed Committee No. 3 to make this study. Mid.=3t i 011 Li 1--q t i to Consider Budget The Chairman of Committee No. 4. informed the Co unc. that the committee expects to compiete its work on the budget very soon and hopes to have printed copies of the proposed budget in the hands of each councilman by the middle of next week. The Council directed .hat a meeting be held on '- eLey 47t= for the purpose of considering the budget and holding a hear:.1 upon it at that time. Letter from Merchants League Referring to a letter from the. Independent ierc rants League recommending that pay reductions, of policemen and firemen be restored, Committee No. 4 reported that it has deferred action on this matter pending the Council's action On the .proposed ordinance introduced on July 1st creating tre 'office of personnel manager and relating to classification of employees. Ordinance Creating,Office of Personnel Officer A report was received from Committee No. 4 advisine it has made certain amendments to the proposed ordinance crea prop be a at t Per_ Cj.er' impr :.v en adop S id e in ti give. pass the 192;6 nom: yea: nom: 3 cr e ting the office of personnel manager, and presenting :this proposed ordinance as amended with the recommendation that it be adopted. A further change was made in the ordinance at this time, changing the word nmanager=' to nofficern. This proposed ordinance, creating the office of Personnel Officer, as amended, was given first reading. _?reement for . Expenditure of Gas Tax on 6tretit improvement Resolutio''.. No. 1111, authorizing tine Mayor and City Caerk to execute agseement for expenditure of gas tax for the improvement of El Camino deal from Stanford -•venue to k,oilege ;.venue, was read, and on motion of Thoits and Saisman, was adopted by unanimous vote on roll call. Change of Setback Line Ordinance -686, changing the setback line on both sides of Ramona Street between Oregon Avenue and the Canal, in the South Court Addition, from 24 feet t*O 20 feet, was given second reading, and on motion of Thomas and Blois, was passed by unanimous vote on roll call. ippo .nt ,.ent. of Council Committees The -Mayor announced the appointment of .members to tie standing committees of the Council for the fiscal year 1936-37, as follows: Committee No. 1 - Public Works: E.C. hoits, Chairman h. C. Collins -uorenz Costello Glenn vv. Goddard Bari C. Thomas Committee No..2 - eublic Safety: A.1.Oatiica.rt, Chairman J. B. Blois Glenn v4. Goddard S. Stephens Granville °good Coaztittee No. 3 - eublic Library .b.enry � . Coi tins,Ghairman and Social "Welfare: ix. n. Bonham A.I. Cathcart G.W. lilosher Byrl R. 5alsman Committee No. 4 - Ways & Means: Earl C. 2homas,Chairman J. e. ztcheil Byrl A. Sal sman j. 6. Stephens E. C. Thoits Committee No. 5 Auditing and Accounts. o .B.Blois, Chairman Lhorenz Costello P. ,aitcheli W. Mosher R. L. Richards Nomination of De ities A communication was received from the City auditor nominating Mrs. E. B. Perrott as Deputy Auditor for the fiscal year 1b36--1937. On, motion of Mitchell and Mosher, this nomination was confirmed. A communication was received from; the City Llerk and Assessor nominating .lvina Larsen as Deputy City Clerk and Frank Cramer as Deputy Assessor, to serve for a term of six zont ending December 31, 1936. At this ; time Councilman Collins referred to the aepoint- ment of the Clerk and Assessor, made on July 1, 1936, for a period of six months, pending an investigation and report by Committee Biro'.' upon the question of division and consolidation of offices, and suggested, that the committee be asked to make its report as soon as. possible , so that the mai,ter could be settled without waiting until the completion of tree six months' tern. he moved that the confirmation of nominations of Deputy Clerk and Deputy Assessor be deferred. The City 4'-ttorney presented an opinion concerning the appointment of officials, and pointed out that the `'cherter provides that .officials appointed by the Council shall serve at the pleasure of the Council, and lr egardless of ordinances or resolutions which might be passed concerning appointment of officials, the Toms "at the pleasure of the Council." are interpreted to mean exactly what they say, and anyofficial appointed by the Council may be removed at any tie by the Council whether for cause or not. This matter was discussed, and on motion o.; 6alsman and Collins, the Auditor was authorized to pay Miss ,arsen for her work at the rate of salary prevailing for a deputy clerk for the month of July. .0n motion of Collins and Saisman,. the nomination of Frank -.Cramer .as Deputy Assessor was confirmed.' .:.. communication was received from the Tax Collector nominating: F. V.. erring as Deputy Tax Collector, and on motion of Mitchell an• d.Thoits, this nomination was confirmed. the Treasurer nominated ors. E. D. Perrott as Deputy Treasurer, and on motion of Thoits and Salsnan, this nomination was c orf irmed . Resolution in Appreciation of Service of Cant.. each A resolution, prepared by the special committee appointed by the Mayor as authorized by the Council at its meeting on Jay lst, recordingthe appreciation of the Council for the service of Capt. E. L. Beach as City Clerk from January 12, 1925 to June 30, 1936, was read. On Notion of Thoits and Richards, t is resolution was adopted and the Mayor was requested to convey a copy to Capt. Beach. Announcement by City Attorney The City Attorney informed the Council that he was leaving .in a fewdays on b.is vacation, but world return in time for the . meeting of the Board of Equalization on August 3rd, rte also stated that , upon his return he would be located in offices iri; the. Bank of America Building and would no longer be associatec. with another attorney. Committee No. 5 to Meet July 20th Councilman Biois, Chairman of .,Committee 5, ann:;;.;,nced that the committee would meet at 5 p.m., Monday, July 20th, at which time one of the subjects for consideration would be the matter of ` division and consolidation of offices. It was directed that Mr. T. D. Skinner, special accountant employed by the City, be requested to attend this committee meeting Approved' On motion of ;iiitchelia.nd Bonham, the following bills sere approved and warrants authorizedin payment of the same: Palo Alto Hos=pital $1469.50 Gd.C.Cobb, Treasurer 0.10 On motion, the: Council adjourned, to meet at 7:30 p.m., k. aay, July 27, 1936, in the city hall. Approved: r".rtes t: •