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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08191935City Hall, Palo Alto, California, August 19., 1935. The Council of the City of Palo Alto net at 7:30 p.a. on this date;, pursuant to adjournment of August 12, 1935, eitl Mayor Judson pies. ding.. Roll call as follows: Present: Blois, ., Bonham, Cathcart, Collins, Costello, Goddard, Judsoxs, Mosher, Richards, balsmian, Stephens, Thoits, "''hoi;as. Absent: Mitchell, 14,00d. Budget for 1935-36 The special order of the day was the hearing on the proposed budget °f for 1.935-36 submitted at the last meeting by the budget committee'. Councilman Thomas, chairman of the committee, read a communication concerning the budgetary forecast of the Palo Alto Hospital and the recasting of the budget on the basis ,of the hospital carrying the hospital bond and interest charges from its own revenues, making possible a further reduction in the tax rate, . the Committee recommending, that the tax rate, for 1935-36 be fixed at $1.00 per $100.00 of assessed valuation. The revised summary sheets showing ,'Estimated Revenue" and; "Estimated Expenditures", with an unappropriated balance of $27,474,76, were presented. The Chairman of the Committee .explained the outstanding features of the budget, including the .20=cent: reduction in the tax rate in. spite of the fact that there is .an increase of $7500.00 over last pearls expenditures for hospitalization, in accordance with the vote of the people at the last election. Councilman Cathcart called attention to the recent study mace by the special committee, of which he, was chairman, upon the resolution presented by the Bar Association concerninE the City Attorney's office, and referred to the fact tra.a:t the petition of the ,Bar Association that the office of City Attoxney be made a full time position was denied on recommendation of this special committee, which came to the conclusion after careful study that there was no need for a full time City Attorney. Be stated that it was his opinion that the compensation of the City Attorney was too high for a part time position, and he asked for, an explanation asto how the budget committee arrived at its decision to allow the salary of the City Attorney to remain' at the samefigure, $3000.00 per year. The Chairman of Committee iCio. 4 replied that after a careful steady of the matter it was the unanimous opinion of the committee that the compensation of the City Attorney was not too great for the legal . services rendered to the City. Councilman Collins pointed out that the net red.uctioe in the budget of the City Attorney's office is $410.46, en.icn is due principally to a reduction in the salary of the steno- grapher. The Chairman. of Committee No. 4 stated that investigG- tion showed that the stenographer was serving the City for about sixty per cent of her time; that i 4 was the understanding that her entire salary would continue at the same rate as heretofore and that $75.00 would be allowed by the City, the Attorney to make up the remainder. Councilman Mosher also expressed his opinion that the City Attorney's budget was too high , that he had believea for some time that the City was paying too much for legal serv;:?es. .Counc not only the Ci the departments be made in the Thomas pointed in the payroll complete. study , consider the :qua of the salary rA tion by a spec i putting off acti until a general has the facts before it. Counc contact with tie observing the am opinion that tfie salary for the o It vj 3 that the •budge;, the budget comz.i vote on Toll - ca.L Aye: 14oe: Council budget, v.ith the of`` m. j ^�s :Lc ru`�,_,._ opportunity watt a if they desired. TheCat point it would be the budget, to ad, that the City Atti suggestion was ac( nesolut- fiscal year 1935- provision that the amended during th Thomas and Thoits, Ordinance Ordinane at '1.00 per 100. motion of Mosher a roll call. Bulletins frog Abus and a Progress ftep; from the League o' The Mayo:: Legislation affecti Legal Counsel of t This was placed o:1 d further 'the ssed ction ich no- estiga- about that of ore to Councilman Costello stated that it was his belief that not only the City. Attorney's budget but the budgets of many of the. departments were too high, and he thought reductions should be caade in the salaries of ;other;. department heads. Councilman Thomas pointed out that there" may be a lack of standardization in the payroll of : the City; that it might be well to make a complete study of the .standardizing of salaries and also to consider the question of a pension system, but that such a study of the salary question would involve a great deal of investiga- tion by a special committee. Councilman Saisman eb;ecteo to putting off action on the matter of the City Attorney's � tor.ne Y's budget until a general salary study can be made, since the Cauncil has the facts in connection with the City Attorney's office before it. Councilman Thoits . stated that after being in close contact l&itn the City Attorney's office for many years and after observing the amount of time devoted to city work, it was his opinion that the salary as recommended in the budget is a fair salary for the position. It was then moved by Cathcart, seconded by Costello, t;iat the budget of the City Attorney's office be re -referred to the budget committee. This motion was carried by the following vote or roil call`: Ayes: Cathcart, Collins, Costello, Goddard, Mosher, Richards, Salsxaan. Noes: Blois, Bonham, Judson, Stephens,rhoits,Thomas. Councilman Thomas then made a motion to adopt the budget, with the exclusion of the budget .v f the City Attorney's office. This motion was seconded by Cathcart. Further discussion was had by council members, and opportunity was also given to members of the audience to speak if they desired. The City Attorney suggested that from a legal stand ;oint it would be advisable, in order to balance the figures in. she budget, to adopt the budget as submitted with the proviso that the City Attorney's budget may be amended later. This suggestion was accepted. Resolution Ao. 1061, adopting the budget for the fiscal year 1935--36 as recommended by Committee No. 4, with the provision that the budget of the City Attorney's office may be amended during the fiscal ear, �Y , was read,, and o: 1. motion of Thomas and Thoits, was adopted p � by unanimous vote on roll call. Ordinance Fixing_ Tax Rate Ordinance No. 660, fixing the tax rate for 1933--3.6 t i.00 per , 100.00 of assessed; valuation, was read, and on motion. or wosher and Collins, .,has adopted by unanimous vote on roll call. bulletins fromgunicioal Leagne A bulletin concerning the Works Progress Administration and a Progress Report on Utility Valuation Hearings %,ere received from the League of California Municipalities and placed on f. ile. The Mayor reported the receipt of the Digest of 1935 Laois? ation. affecting Municipalities, prepared by Louis a. $c2rk„ a g..' Counsel of the League. ofCalifornia Municipalities.'.. Thie was placed.: on file. r ,ppropr icn _or Community Kitchen A communication 'was received from: the Chair f -n of the Board of ""Public Safety requesting that the Council appropriate the ` sum of $120.00 per month ($100.00 being salary and $20.00 being automobile expense) for the fiscal year 1935-36, to cover the exp ense`of administration of the work of the _Mayor's Committee on Unemployment Relief which has been turned over to the Board of Public Safety. It was poiritea out that this appropriation requested would cover the expenses in connection with the:. operation of the Community Kitchen, for which there is no allowance in the budget, and reference was made to the fact that during the past fiscal year a monthly appropriation was made by the Council as needed to cover the work or the Mayor's Committee. On motion of Sal s:nian and Richards, 'the sum of $120.00 was appropriated for this purpose for the ,.month of 'August, to be taken from the Contingent Fund, by unanimous vote on roll call. I=he Chairman of Committee No. 4 directed the attention of the Council toa chart on the wall of the council room shovin the Revenue. and Expenditures for 1935-36, with comparisons for the last fiscal year, 'which will be kept posted up to gate at regular intervals ; throughout the year. u211c1 �Ja1 .�i-t 1e iri Copies ofthe first issue of the weekly Municipal Bulletin, prepared as a result of the suggestions made at the last council: meeting, were distributed to council members. 0xx_ motion of Mosher and Bonham the council adjourned. approved: Attest: 40/ City Clerk sessic recom.z e a Feder eiec tri Alto. Board o. this a); re,iuest, Tnoits, Aye exc , th t be made that thi This mat the repo, referred next weeJ ing that construct CommitteE be apprc;,; use of tr of re:no;?.e proposed. app_Licatl u•nish s read, and unanimous r ecommer a.