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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-03-25 City Council~THIS PORT IS A *COUNCIL PRIORITY P’ ZDGET 1996-98 of Palo Alto Manager’s epert TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ATTENTION: FINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA DATE: MARCH 25, 1996 CMR: 139:96 SUBJECT:BUDGET ISSUE: SERVICE PROPOSALS PROCEEDING ON ALTERNATE TIMELINES FROM 1996-98 BUDGET PROCESS RECOMMENDATIONS: This is an informational report, and no Council action is required. This staff report provides information to the Council about several major study areas that may potentially require additional staffing or resource commitment from the City’s General Fund, but which will not be completed in time for incorporation into the 1996-98 Budget. In some cases, an estimated level of funding has been included in the base budget, pending Council review, and action on the proposal. POLICY IMPLICATIONS: The policy implications of each of the studies and proposals discussed below will be analyzed when specific recommendations are before the Council for review and approval. DISCUSSION: Several major studies and proposals are currently underway on timeframes that will not accommodate full incorporation of Council’s review and decisions into the 1996-98 Budget. These are discussed below: Major Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program As discussed in detail in another budget issues report (CMR:165:96), a number of major infrastructure studies and proposals are proceeding with the goal of incorporation into the second year of the two-year budget. These include projects arising from the Infrastructure CMR:139:96 Page 1 of 6 Management System report on buildings and building support systems; the Golf Course renovation; major capital work on the Palo Alto Unified School District fields; parks infrastructure rehabilitation; implementation of the Cubberley Master Plan; the Community Services facilities needs assessment; capital projects coming from the update to the Comprehensive Plan; Downtown Business District improvements, a downtown parking structure; and the Dream Team effort. It is unclear at this time whether additional staffing will be required in the Public Works Department to undertake the higher level of infrastructure rehabilitation and maintenance. Any significant increase in project workload will require a combination of both staff and consultant resource increases in order to be successfully implemented. Permit Streamlinin~ Staff plans to forward to the Council in April 1996 a report from the Customer Working Panel on permit streamlining. At the writing of this report, the recommendations are not finalized, and have not been fully evaluated by staff, but a contingency appropriation will be included for implementation costs (and associated revenues) in the Budget. Examples of potential recommendations with associated costs include: an additional plan checking position; increased funding for outside plan check consultants; concept of the one-stop permit center with expanded hours, which could mean a staffing increase; and a full one-stop permit center, including Utilities and Fire (hazardous materials), requiting facilities modifications and/or relocation of the function. Staff is also anticipating that recommendations to Council will include increases in building permit fees to offset any costs associated with permit streamlining. Comprehensive Plan - Service Level Changes Adoption of a new Comprehensive Plan is anticipated in the first quarter of 1997-98. Implementation activities associated with the new Plan will tend to fall in one of four categories: Policies and programs that influence the ongoing operations of the City, but do not generate a specific implementation assignment (e.g. "Support expanded bicycle storage on all trains and transit buses"). o Policies and programs that require new regulations and procedures. This is likely to include a complete revision of the current zoning ordinance, estimated to cost approximately $500,000. CMR:139:96 Page 2 of 6 O Policies and programs that lead to special studies, such as coordinated area plans. Cost sharing with the private sector will be explored in each instance, but may or may not be feasible. o Policies and programs that lead to capital improvements. Implementation of the new Comprehensive Plan will be expensive, but the opportunity exists to phase work over the 15-year anticipated life of the Plan. However, some of the more costly elements are likely to be highly desirable or mandatory in the first few years of the Plan, including new zoning regulations and a coordinated area plan for South E1 Camino Real. More precise implementation information will be available in conjunction with publication of the Draft Comprehensive Plan, in fall 1996. Tree Program On December 18, 1995, the Council approved in concept an augmented tree program, subject to development and approval of a new revenue source to support the program. Council also approved interim actions on partial funding for some components of the recommendations during F¥ 1996-98 and subsequent budget years, depending on the availability of ongoing revenues to support them. The 1996-98 Proposed Budget will include: O Addition of a Contract Coordinator position to accomplish the increased contract trimming, planting median and right-of-way maintenance currently budgeted. O In 1997-98, $123,000 in additional contract funds for tree removals, tree planting and tree trimming/pruning. O One-time startup costs for a nonprofit tree group. (A contingency amount of $100,000 has been set aside, pending completion of Council discussions on how to support this concept.) The City Attomey is working on preparation of a tree protection ordinance, which will return to the Council, along with an assessment of the costs of implementation, in April 1996. At this time, it appears that one FTE would be required to enforce the ordinance. The position would be located in the Planning Department. Funding has been set aside in the salary contingency account for this position, should Council decide to move forward with the tree protection ordinance and approve the related staffing. Library. Master Plan As part of the City Manager’s response to the Hughes Heiss Organizational Review, the Community Services Department undertook a comprehensive review of library services and ¯ CMR:139:96 Page 3 of 6 is in the process of working with the community on a Library Master Plan. The Master Plan should be ready for presentation to the Council in spring, 1996. Staff does not anticipate at this time that the Master Plan will require additional resources be added to the budget. Positive Alternatives for Youth Another effort which is in the development stage, but which will probably have a fiscal impact in 1996-97, is the Positive Alternatives for Youth. A committee composed of representatives from the Police and Community Services Departments, Human Relations Commission, the Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) (including School Board members), PTA Council, Adolescent Counseling Services, Family Services MidPeninsula, Mayfield Community Clinic, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Marketing Committee and the YMCA are working together to define "positive altematives for youth." The program to address at-risk youth would be a public/private partnership between the City, PAUSD and private business. Based upon a successful program implemented in the City of Vacaville and using existing programs and services, such as the Recreation Department’s "Outlet Program" and Adolescent Counseling Services as a foundation, the program could be expanded to include the following components: mentoring/job placement (provide part-time job opportunities for at-risk youth), community services (volunteer public services for youth), life skills/counseling, and tutoring. The big difference between Vacaville’s program and the one the City is developing is that Vacaville’s is primarily subsidized by City funds. Staff’s intent is to provide a valuable program with funding from the City, business, grants, and PAUSD. Due to the fact that the program components are using existing programs provided. by the City, PAUSD and other agencies as the foundation, the goal is to keep additional costs to a minimum. The committee is currently putting together program plans for each component that would include specific goals/objectives, target groups, estimated resources, and component evaluation criteria. Family Resource Center Staff recently updated the Council on this effort (CMR: 125:96). A task force is currently working on this issue and developing recommendations. Approximately 30 people serve on the task force, which has conducted focus groups, phone interviews and is developing a business plan for the proposed Resource Center. At this time, the plan is to present the business plan to the Council for review in late March or early April 1996. Staff does not anticipate that the plan will call for capital outlay or new infrastructure. Staff anticipates that the plan will request City funds for staffing and one-time start-up costs such as furniture and capital equipment. A major goal of the business plan will be to augment City funds with a 50 percent match to be raised from local foundations and other outside sources. Long-term funding for the Family Resource Center is envisioned as a collaboration between the City, PAUSD, the nonprofit community, and private foundations and corporations. It is unclear at this time where the proposed Resource Center will be CMR:139:96 Page 4 of 6 physically located, although staff anticipates that the Center will be housed in an existing facility such as a school or community center. Emergency Management Plan Staff plans to present the Council with a proposed Emergency Management Plan in May 1996. Based upon the draft.Plan, currently under review internally, there may be requests for additional staffing to coordinate and administer the program; capital outlay (remodel of the current Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and other areas of the Civic Center; creation of a computer training facility at Cubberley to accommodate conversion of the EOC, and trailers to store supplies for the community to be used in the event of a disaster); and additional operating budget expenditures. The total cost of renovating the Emergency Operations Center, including capital costs, is estimated at $670,000. A contingency amount of $100,000 has been set aside to begin implementation of the Plan in 1996-97, should Council give its approval. Fire Services Consolidation Study Staffrecently updated the Council (CMR:149:96) on the status of this project. It is too early at this time to predict either the outcome of the multi-jurisdictional discussions or their fiscal impact for Palo Alto. The Study is scheduled to be on a Policy and Services Committee agenda in May. Emergency Medical Service/Paramedic Plan The Fire Department is developing a proposal to increase its current emergency medical service capability. The plan involves increasing the number of authorized paramedics through training, without any incremental increase in full-time staffing; and the conversion of two fire engines to accommodate transporting patients. The plan may also involve implementing emergency medical dispatching (EMD); which would require training in Police Communications. (There is no recommendation to implement EMD at this time, as considerable staff work remains to be done, including coordination with a Countywide task force created to look at issues surrounding EMD.) A contingency amount of$150,000 has been set aside in the 1996-97 budget, representing some of the anticipated costs of implementation, and offset by revenues. The Fire Department hopes to present the proposal to the Council in April or May 1996. Utilities Organization Review A consultant has been selected and approved by Council. Work will begin immediately. A final report to the Utilities Advisory Committee is expected 24 to 28 weeks after project initiation, with review by the City Council 32 weeks from project initiation. FISCAL IMPACT" CMR:139:96 Page 5 of 6 The fiscal impact of each of these programs has been estimated on the attached exhibit, where sufficient information is available to make an estimate. However, continuing internal review and final Council action may increase or decrease these estimates. In addition, some proposals are dependent upon Council direction regarding the pursuit of alternate revenue sources and/or long-term financing. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: Staffwill report upon the environmental impact of each of the proposals, where appropriate, when it is brought before the City Council. ATTACHMENTS Service Proposals on Alternative Timelines DEPARTMENT HEAD APPROV g~ Emi~Harris~n - - Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: ~une )leming ~i’ty Manager CC:N/A CMR:139:96 Page 6 of 6