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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Min 1998-09-03 8-24-98 / 9-3-98 Shopping Center is now not going to be opened, a number of people are asking what is happening with the Leisure World Center as well, there are several vacancies, two banks, the Quigley's location, the former television store, DalJe is said to be closing, to which he questioned what is causing these vacancies, is the landlord raising rents or whatever. Mayor Brown requested Council concurrence for he and Councilman Doane to meet and discuss this concern with the owners of the Center. Councilman Boyd mentioned that in a search for a short term property in that area he did speak with the person that handles the Leisure World Center however the square foot cost was about fifty percent more than elsewhere. It was confirmed that the construction behind the Center front had been in relation to the intended restaurant. Councilman Boyd suggested the involvement of the City through the City Council in conjunction with the Chamber and Business Association with the Orange County Business Council to look at what types of businesses may be looking to expand and then market Seal Beach. I ADJOURNMENT It was the order of the Chair, with consent of the Council, to adjourn the meeting until September 3rd at 4:00 p.m. to hold a Council workshop. By unanimous consent, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m. clerk I Attest: Approved: Seal Beach, California September 3, 1998 The City Council of the City of Seal Beach met in regular adjourned session at 4:06 p.m. with Mayor Brown calling the meeting to order with the Salute to the Flag. R~LC~L Present: Mayor Brown Counci1members Boyd, Campbell, Yost I Absent: Councilmember Doane Brown moved, second by Yost, to excuse the absence of Councilman Doane from this meeting. AYES: NOES: ABSENT: Boyd, Brown, Campbell, Yost None Doane Motion carried 9-3-98 Also present: Mr. Till, City Manager Mr. Barrow, City Attorney Mrs. Yeo, City Clerk I APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Brown suggested that this study session be flexible as to items of discussion, and by unanimous consent the order of the agenda was approved. I Mayor Brown indicated interest in a discussion of a Mission Statement for the City. The Manager offered that each year after adoption of the budget he meets with the department heads to review the capital improvement program, administrative and internal procedures to improve efficiency, the scheduling of projects, etc., noting that in the past couple of years there has been a backlog of projects which are now identified in the five year capital improvement program, a schedule is prepared quarterly, with some accountability for him to monitor progress on behalf of the Council the projects approved in the budget. The scheduling had not yet been accomplished when Councilman Boyd submitted his request for a one hundred day activity plan, that interpreted as a report to the Council as to the anticipated work plan and time line during the course of the year, the report was prepared with the departments this week, basically the capital improvement program with a time line added, this was done with the studies, analysis, master plans, etc. as well, explaining that those designated as completed mean they are anticipated to be completed within a time period, those showing zeros means there are no monies allocated. Councilman Boyd acknowledged that the information provided by the Manager is basically what he had initially been looking for, a task and project outline for fiscal year 1998/99, by department and by quarters, this also gives an indication of departmental workloads which lends itself to staffing assessments, whether it necessary to contract certain services, add personnel, or whatever, certain departments will have a greater impact from the amounts of money that is intended to be spent. The Manager said with every item listed, he believed that the report is at a level of detail that the Council does not need to be all that familiar with. I Councilmembers Yost and Boyd mentioned that they had identified certain items that they wished to have moved up, one being the 4th Street/Central Avenue traffic mitigation, the intent is to obtain a consensus to have that done in sixty days, currently scheduled for June, 1999 construction. Lampson Avenue improvements were mentioned, year 2000 computer upgrade as well. It was suggested that the Manager do a brief overview of the report. Councilmember Yost explained that with the new micron computers the motherboards should be Y2K compliance, therefore not a problem, the problem lies with program logic circuits which are small chips in just about everything, those all based on codes for a two digit day, none of the steam plants as an example have been certified as Y2K compliant, the airlines as well are considering not booking flights for a couple of days, all in all there could be problems. It was suggested that the Manager do a brief overview of the task/activities report. City Manager Activities - The Manager referred to Performance Measurement/Productivity Monitoring, this has been discussed 9-3-98 with several of the departments, it is an assessment as to how responsive staff is being to citizen/ Council complaints/requests, a sidewalk is uplifted, a tree is in need, staff advises it is on the list, when it does not get done for a time then it makes staff look bad, like staff does nothing, part of that is the result of decreased staffing levels, increased workloads, etc. With this, if staff identifies the most common complaints/requests and a time frame is established for so many days, a logging"system used to identify when it was received, then at the end of a quarter a review will show how many were resolved, some of this could be done by a part-time person or on a contract basis. Mayor Brown indicated he could relate to the activities better if there was an estimated date of the work and the completion. The Manager cited the utility users tax analysis, as an example, the Council requested the analysis in six months, it will be final by that time, this report was produced as a working document for the staff, not for the Council. Councilman Yost noted that this type of document shows where time is being spent; Councilman Boyd stated the document should have been prepared before the Council ever requested it, the Council needs time lines, deadlines, tasks, etc., it sets forth policy for the City while it gives staff the ability to evaluate what they are working on, without this it is an independent action mode, when there are programs with no Council direction it is a destructive mode, if he were a manager he would review this report every day to confirm the status of things, the Council has yet to set goals for the Manager, the intent is that the Manager and staff not have to interpret what the directions and objectives of the Council are, this gives the Council the opportunity to review and evaluate what the priorities are, what the mission is, and how it is going to be done. With regard to the Animal Control Efficiency Analysis, the Manager said that has been requested by the end of the month, and with regard to Strategies for Beach Cleaning, said that will not be done immediately, it is time intensive and help may be needed. It was pointed out that if the Council chooses to make a task a higher priority, it shall be done. Councilmember Campbell noted that this schedule is important in order to respond to questions from citizens, they want a time frame and do not want to be put off. To an inquiry of Councilman Yost as to the status of a sidewalk repair request, the Director of Public Works responded that staff is working on it. I I As to the Animal Control Analysis, Councilman Boyd indicated that determinations as to what is desired can be made when the Analysis is received. With regard to Enhancement of Public Information/City Promotion, an issue that was contained in his memorandum, Councilman Boyd said this should be an on-going policy, the press release of the Manager regarding the grant for trees is an example, such releases should be done on a regular basis, he would request a directive to the Manager as to what the Council feels is important and should be passed to the media, not just react when a bad situation arises. This would be a pro-active stance. He shared a sample of an information guide from the City of Laguna Beach setting forth guidelines for obtaining a building permit, the conditional use permit process, the design review process, how to obtain a coastal permit, etc. Also, there should be a designated person who weekly or bi- weekly prepares a media release as to what is or will be taking place in the City, the Manager should provide a report as to what is happening in each department, some of that I 9-3-98 I information would not be media appropriate because it is basically internal, the remainder however should be provided the media, as an example, Huntington Beach does a weekly City Administrator's report that goes to all of the press agencies. Caution was offered that Seal Beach has a limited staff and one needs to be careful to not create an amount of increased paperwork. Councilmember Campbell noted that every Monday the Times lists what City Councils are doing, Seal Beach is never listed, the City needs to feed them the information. The Manager responded that the City does provide the papers with information however it is not used, there being thirty-one cities in Orange County it is thought that they prioritize by what is of interest for that day and selectively pick just a few, also, if the press is inundated with releases regularly they may start discarding them, it may be better to be selective. Also, reports are being provided the Council so that activities can be better monitored by department and should the Council feel that any of those should be in the press, that can be done. The Mayor mentioned that it is more likely that the Sun and News Enterprise will run local news rather than the bigger papers, to that it was noted that the Register has a weekly community bulletin section. A member of the audience, Mr. Shanks, said in the past he has acted as the unofficial photographer, he gave it up, however suggested that there are times when there should be someone assigned to take photos for press use, all too often the press does not use them, there is also a cost involved. To that a suggestion was made that someone on staff could do that, also, possibly Mr. Shanks would again consider doing it if the press would promise to use the pictures, with credits. I I with reference to Park and Recreation Activities - Councilman Boyd noted the pier concession RFP item, shown as completed, his impression was that that was not going to be done. The Manager responded that initially the plan was to put that to bid, letters of interest were sent, there were two responses as to whether they would want to do the improvements at their cost and as part of the contract would reimburse the City for whatever costs were incurred for their type of concession, this was shelved and there has not been discussion with Council as to whether there is an interest in doing this. Councilman Boyd expressed his opinion that nothing of this nature belongs underneath the pier, it is believed that people feel businesses belong on Main Street. Mayor Brown said first of all there needs to be an assumption that the pier restrooms will be refurbished, and recalled being a junior lifeguard in Long Beach where he enjoyed very much being able to buy things at a concession on the sand, if not in the area of the restrooms, his feeling is that a concession on or near the beach is a convenience to the beachgoers and it could possibly be a money generator. Councilmember Campbell offered that a boardwalk is generally where a beach concession is found. Councilman Boyd noted he has lived and grown up in Seal Beach and Huntington Beach, his opinion is that this City is not set up for, nor is there desire by the community or the businesses for a beach concession, it would generate little revenue to the City, a beach concession adds nothing to the historic value of the pier, and he would be against it, it has been said there is limited staff, they are pressed for time, why waste their time on an issue that will come before the Council and be voted down. It was suggested that this issue be postponed for eight to ten months, also, that no staff time be spent on this until at least the third quarter. As to the format of a 9-3-98 study session, the Manager said he did not believe that the Council should take steps to make motions on an issue such as the concession, yet scheduling could be an appropriate decision. Councilman Boyd then asked what this session is for, if the intent is to rearrange things, as that is done and it is a year or so before it is addressed again, the notion of time is then lost. It was confirmed by the City I Attorney that actions can be taken at this session however there is then a need to allow everyone to speak to the issue. Councilman Boyd noted that his preference would actually be to take any action at a regular meeting, thus postpone the issue previously mentioned. As to the Janitorial RFP to be completed by the end of September, the question was for what facilities, the response was municipal buildings, City Hall, Police Department, and community centers. It was stated that this service would not be extended to the restroom facilities such as those at the pier and First Street, the comment of Councilman Boyd was that the Public Works crews service those facilities now, it is not adequate, there is only one person to do that, possibly an RFP should be prepared to include those restrooms. It was noted that some cities have a full-time weekend person to clean the restrooms and remove beach area trash, this would be preferred especially in the event the restrooms are refurbished. The Manager responded that at the present all such services are done in-house with the exception of the Police Department who has had a janitorial service for some time, forthcoming will be the privatizing of the City Hall restrooms, the contract for the First Street facility requires that they care for those restrooms, that I should be addressed first directly with the tenant. Councilman Boyd stated that the First Street facility is not being done, it would be preferred to have it done and bill the tenant for the service, and inquired if this will then be included in the RFP. The Manager offered to look into the . First Street facility issue, said that service could be included in the RFP, yet it may not be cost effective and may need to be taken out. Councilman Boyd stated at this point his concern is less with cost efficiency, more with restroom cleanliness. The Mayor deemed this to be a priority issue. Again with regard to media relations, the Assistant to the City Manager was mentioned as a public information officer, to that it was noted that the Manager will be taking a more proactive stance with press releases, information brochures will be developed, possibly leave the issue at that for the time and monitor what is done. As to the City's web site, the Manager said it has been updated, it has the agendas, the Bixby EIR, links to local real estate offices, restaurants, surf reports, etc., in fact the City is receiving compliments for having one of the best sites. Question was raised if the Council can have a web site, the response was that a call to City Hall can be linked to the City web site for Council E- I mail. Inquiry was made as to a Councilmember newsletters on the web site. Councilman Boyd asked if it would be acceptable to spend a reasonable amount to have a consultant or local resident assist staff with updating the site in a timely manner to get things on line, more than what is there now. It was confirmed that building and planning information is available from the web site, the Administrative Assistant prepares the agendas and puts them on site, one of the Recreation Supervisors is quite knowledgeable as well. It was suggested that the training level be increased for in- house personnel, that would be preferred over having someone 9-3-98 I come in to improve the web site, also, that there should be more than one person who has this knowledge. The Manager noted that with the new computer system, grant funded as it is tied into the Police Department and public safety, the City is looking to contracting some of its services as opposed to contracting out for services, specifically the Police Department where the City pays West Covina to use their system, that may no longer be necessary, and in working with the tri-cities West Comm it is likely that there will soon be need for an administrator if payments to West Covina cease which will likely be a financial saving, within about a month discussion will be necessary to evaluate the needs as far as an administrator is concerned, and may involve web site evaluating and management. The Mayor requested that a report be forthcoming to the Council in about ninety days as to recommendations for a good web site. To the thought of seeking the services of a college student, it was again stated that preference would be to upgrade the knowledge of those in City Hall. I with regard to the Mowing Contract RFP scheduled to be put to bid by March, 1999 - Councilman Boyd said his preference would be to move that forward to be out to bid before the new year, the reason is that he would like to see the undertaking of Lampson Avenue and Bolsa improvements and other maintenance projects that are in great need of improvement, then during the winter months the crews can commence work on public works improvement projects, relandscape the remainder of the front of City Hall, Main Street areas, preference would be to go to bid and contract before the end of December. The Manager responded that there was attempt to spread some of the projects out, he has asked for a tree program performance measurement survey that will take some time. Councilman Yost agreed that this item should be moved forward. The Manager added that this is more than just a mowing contract, the parameters of the contract need to be specific, mowing, irrigation system, grass maintenance, performance measures. Councilman Boyd said his intent was for a turf maintenance contractor, this will allow there to be five workers in the Parks Department to care for all landscape maintenance in the City, where they now spend a good portion of time on a lawn mower and edging, that is not thought to be an effective use of their time, there are flower beds, planters, landscaped areas that look as though they have not been touched in years. Councilman Yost noted that this seems to be getting rather complex, he would like to hear from the Parks and Recreation Director as to personnel and general objectives. The Manager said he has obtained samples of contracts from cities who have gone out within the last year for all median landscape services, there are considerable things involved, that includes measures to ensure that the performance is equal to what was in-house, considerable time has been spent getting staff into this as it was felt to be a threat where jobs would be lost, everything was seen as being privatized, yet as people have come aboard it is better understood that this is the more repetitive, routine tasks. Mayor Brown said what he is understanding, and he agrees, is that the mowing be dealt with, that then relieves the personnel to do the more complex tasks. Councilman Boyd said a turf management program is where the mowing and edging is contracted, it is simple to get the contract out, there are a number of bidders to choose from, and it is quite easy to measure their performance, in the winter there is mowing every two weeks, in the summer every week. As to the people that maintain the landscaped I 9-3-98 areas, the Parks personnel, when winter storms hit they are pulled to work the front line with the Police and Fire Departments, therefore there is a competent work force that can always be called upon to operate equipment or whatever when needed, yet their primary job function is landscape beautification and maintenance. Agreement was indicated to proceed with a turf maintenance contract only. The Manager said he believed the objective is to do this on a cost neutral basis, therefore if the City is now going to be paying for a contractor yet keep the people there has to be an assurance that the contract will pay for those people, through attrition of full time positions that have not been filled with permanent people, rather full time temporary people, if those people were let go then this could probably be done. Councilman Yost indicated some concern with the cost effectiveness of this and the responsibility to the people who work for the City. The Mayor mentioned that it may not be the most cost effective in the short term rather in the long term, yet it will be worth it to get the maintenance things done, to that Councilman Boyd agreed and offered that these particular employees are more interested in beautification projects than maintenance. Councilman Boyd and members of the Council complimented the Recreation Department staff for the recreation brochure, the advertising, and the community newsletter. I Public Works Department Activities - The Manager pointed out initial intent to out source traffic signal maintenance, vehicle maintenance, sweeping, and striping. The Mayor recalled past opposition to the synchronization of the signals on Seal Beach/Los Alamitos Boulevards, claimed to be a loss of control, that really never happened, from Westminster to Katella there is need to stop at nearly every traffic light, to that Councilman Campbell too recalled that Los Alamitos was the lead agency for that signalization, claimed it worked down to Lampson Avenue but at that point it was a bottleneck because of the amount of traffic. The Manager cited the natural gas fueling station as potentially important to the City, to be located on Beverly Manor, staff is working with Pickens Fuel, and if grant monies are realized for the local share, this fueling station could be a reality for natural gas for police vehicles. The Mayor asked if Golden Rain Foundation could then convert to natural gas and purchase gas from the City. The Director of Public Works noted that the facility will be open to the public, there may be a contract with GTE, Super Shuttle, and others, and the City will get a premium on fuel. As to police car conversions, the Manager offered that new vehicles could be purchased with grant monies, it is at a point where timing is important, discussions are taking place and the City wants to assure Pickens Fuel stays, also that General Fund dollars are not being committed to pay the City share, there is a letter of intent should grant monies be realized, also clarified that the electric vehicle charger will be located at the Public Works Yard, and that at least one internal combustion vehicle will be kept. Mayor Brown said sh9uld there actually be an attempt to outsource street sweeping, Leisure World needs to know ahead of time. I I The Manager noted important projects in the Capital Projects schedule, specifically the storm drain and sewer system master plans, making reference to past comments relating to drainage in the vicinity of St. Anne's Church, this is an attempt at a project list, solutions, and cost, then prioritization, the report on the storm drain plan is due at 9-3-98 I the end of the second quarter. With regard to the sewer plan/improvements, Mayor Brown mentioned that if that is moved forward quickly the Sanitation District could likely provide about half of the funding, timeliness is because the District will deplete those monies before all of the cities make requests. The Director of Public Works responded that the consultant has been instructed to move plans along so that some projects will be ready to submit. The Manager mentioned that even before the Public Works Director came to the City there were discussions relating to Central Avenue/4th Street traffic calming issues and a time frame, stating that there is need to develop alternatives for discussion to show why some are preferable to others and then meet with the residents, that is proposed to take place in the next several months, would then lead to the design phase, solicitation of bids and then construction. Councilman Boyd noted that he has copies of letters from families written as far back as 1987 relating to the 4th/Central issue, they are supporters of the City yet are frustrated by the lack of attention to this concern. He pointed out that the schedule shows a public meeting in the second quarter, design in the third quarter with construction not starting until possibly June of 1999, which he claimed is not acceptable, March is also too long, it must be done sooner, this would be his top priority for the year, it will be of benefit to address what the community has voiced as its concerns. Councilman Yost agreed, Central is a busy street, somewhat of an arterial to Main Street, even though the intersection of 4th and Central does not meet the legal criteria for a stop sign by virtue of the traffic counts, the area is a problem, cars travel the street very quickly, there are a number of families with children which makes this a major public safety issue, at this point also felt to be a liability issue should something occur. Councilman Boyd offered that this is not a liability issue legally yet it is from a public relations standpoint. Mayor Brown said he believed that a stop sign could be installed despite the traffic counts. Councilman Boyd said a stop sign was his initial thought however that has since been reevaluated, his desire is for a lasting, permanent solution that is a standard for what the community should be doing with infrastructure improvements and repairs, a roundabout is a consideration as well as closing the ingress from the Marina Drive bridge onto Central Avenue, thus requiring people to travel Marina Drive, also, a limit of the weight of a vehicle that can travel Central Avenue, it is a residential street, not meant for various types of trucks, and his desire would be to hold a public meeting to consider this issue within the next two to three weeks, this is in fact a problem of the entire Council in need of resolution. Councilman Yost suggested this be a first priority of the Director. Councilmember Campbell said she would agree so long as the prioritization of Lampson Avenue does not change as there have already been fatalities and lawsuits relating to that roadway. Mayor Brown added that he has even had Leisure World residents express concern with the 4th/Central intersection. The Manager said if a consensus of the Council, the stop sign alternative would be reviewed as well, the construction phase could be moved forward by about a quarter, completed around March. Councilman Yost noted that each person in the vicinity has their own idea as to what would be the best solution. Councilman Boyd said he felt the procedure should be to advise the public that a stop sign will not be installed, present the ideas of what should be done, show the benefits, and move forward. The Manager suggested holding such meeting in early October, a second I I 9-3-98 meeting if necessary, the Director will need to finalize his report, notice of the meeting would need to be given, if there is then a Council direction, the design could be done, bid packets readied, maybe move a project into the third quarter, the Director concurred, suggesting design completion by the end of the calendar year, a month for the bid process, then construction in the third quarter, that dependent upon how elaborate the design. Councilman Boyd suggested a public meeting the end of September, bring forth the plan and design, an architectural sketch, nothing elaborate, and provide a time frame for construction. The Director noted that there are a number of projects currently on the table, staff is trying to keep them moving forward, moving something forward will mean pushing something else back. The Mayor said he believed that the intent of holding a meeting would be to describe what is planned, a time frame, which could be a foreseen solution to the public, to which Councilman Boyd emphasized the importance of providing specific information to these residence, not just more talk, something definitive, Councilman Yost too said it needs to be shown what is going to be done, why it works, what fits within the law and the area, if the proposal is not acceptable then move to another alternative. The Director pointed out that there are issues that will need to be addressed no matter what the concept, obtaining right-of-way as an example will make the process much longer. The Manager acknowledged the comments of the Council, said the third quarter or as quickly as possible could be a goal as long as it does not sacrifice the status of the other projects, suggesting the public meeting within three to four weeks. Mayor Brown suggested this presentation take place at the meeting of October 12th, to that there appeared to agreement, this would allow an opportunity to distribute fliers and talk to the residents of the area. I I It was confirmed that the City Yard fuel tank replacement has been postponed, just the removal is going forward. Councilman Boyd requested information from Public Works with regard to the Marina Drive Greenbelt concept design as there are persons from the OCTA Board that are interested, that could mean money to the City, he encouraged moving forward with the sewer master plan in order to seek funding from the Sanitation District, requested a time schedule for the alley rehabilitation projects as they move forward, and suggested that under grounding of power lines through a homeowner assessment be given due consideration. Councilmember Campbell inquired as to a time frame for completion of the pavement rehabilitation master plan, what streets will be done, etc., the response of the Director was that it is nearing completion, possibly to Council the second meeting of September. With regard to water meter reading, the Director noted the upgrade of the computer system, the meter reading system had been DOS based, will now be the windows system, thought had been given to the touch free technology however not chosen as satellite technology is coming as well. The Manager mentioned that the largest dollar project is the Seal Beach Boulevard Sewer Main scheduled for construction next Spring, $700,000. With reference to the Sidewalk, Curb and Gutter Rehabilitation Program, Councilman Boyd noted that Old Town is traditionally the image of Seal Beach, this District suffers the most from sidewalk dilapidation, curbs, and gutters, which has been pointed out a number of times by residents and visitors alike. He said he believed that there are enough areas that require repair even prior to the annual program, of which he showed photographs of examples, where disrepair did not happen overnight, said he has a list of I 9-3-98 I areas, and requested that they receive priority repair, the areas are claims ready to happen. Councilmember Campbell asked about patching the road failures in College Park East. The Manager said if one looks at the sidewalks, curbs and gutters in that light then why inventory, there has to be an inventory and prioritization, without that you lose the good faith and confidence of the community, the plan is to come up with a schedule to do the worst areas, have tangible results on-going, the same conditions exist on the Hill and College Park West, it is overwhelming, all can not be repaired in one year, it is a matter of prioritization. Councilman Yost agreed that this problem has gone on for years, there needs to be a system of prioritization, it is a liability yet so are other things. Mayor Brown indicated his opinion that the areas need to be listed, a value established, then prioritized, repair the most critical, find the money to accomplish repairs, as they are definitely liabilities. Councilman Yost said this is an ongoing maintenance item in the budget, there needs to be money added each year, it can not all be done at once. Councilman Boyd said he is not opposed to independent actions, there is no plan to repair things in a systematic manner, as a complaint is received a crew identifies the problem and should fix it, the Manager just confirmed that things could be done if there was enough money to do so, disagreed that repairing one location as opposed to another would cause problems, everyone knows that the City needs major overhaul in terms of infrastructure, it is understood that things are not going to be fixed overnight, these are problems that have occurred over the years, and there needs to be a commitment of money to resolve these problems. Councilman Yost offered that there are economies of scale, a number of things that set a framework for dealing with these issues, thus the priority system is important and will likely catch a larger number of problem areas. Councilmember Campbell mentioned that trees in College Park East have raised the gutters to where water ponds in front of the homes, many residents have offered to personally pay for the repairs rather than let the problem remain for years, in her opinion if they are willing to pay they should be moved up on the list. It was suggested that that would require a policy decision to develop a program to do that. Councilman Boyd said if this is going to be approached from a practical business standpoint, things are not allowed to go on this long, you identify the problem and deal with it effectively, otherwise if one wants to lose the public trust you just let things go. Councilman Yost asked what then should be removed from the priority list so that Old Town curbs and gutters can be moved to the top, to which Councilman Boyd asked if it is in fact necessary that something would need to be taken off or could an item just be moved forward, to that the Manager noted that monies have been increased that goes towards sidewalks, curbs and gutters, all was spent last year yet did not accomplish all of the areas, the year before the same, as a policy matter possibly the Council wishes to devote more resources to this repair. Councilman Boyd expressed his opinion that the public trust has been lost with regard to this problem, Leisure World does not have the problem as it is very well maintained, the City on the other hand takes on big projects before the smaller incremental problems are resolved. Councilman Yost suggested an inventory, then put it to bid for a reasonable price rather than paying high salaries for in-house personnel to do repairs on a location by location basis. Acknowledging the concern of Council for timeliness, the Manager offered that staff could bring back suggestions I I 9-3-98 for accomplishing this project as well as where the resources might come from. Mayor Brown said why not take the $700,000 intended for Main Street beautification and beautify the City by making it a safe place. Councilman Boyd noted that some people on Main Street and other areas are willing to discuss a Business Improvement District again, also, maybe commit some $100,000 or so from the Main Street Specific Plan to repair sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, the liabilities should be taken care of first, to which question was raised as to what locations would be done first, also, Mayor Brown asked how much money would it take to repair the majority. I With regard to the Marina Drive Bridge, the cost $3,425,000, Councilman Yost asked if there are other contributing funding sources. The Public Works Director responded that only about $100,000 is City money, other monies are from the State Bridge Rehabilitation/Seismic Program, the matching monies of about eleven percent will be split with Long Beach, also there are grant funds that have been acquired through the efforts of Mr. Zimmerman, a consultant to the City. He noted that Long Beach has delayed this project for years, Seal Beach requested to take charge, technically the Bridge falls within CalTrans District Seven, it was successfully transferred to District Twelve. Again with regard to sidewalks, Councilman Yost requested that any repairs include the Hill, College Parks East and West. The Public Works Director said he did not want to give the impression that nothing is being done with regard to sidewalk, curb and gutter repairs, explaining that of primary concern is where there are sidewalk lifts of three quarters of an inch and greater, concrete grinding has been completed throughout the City, there should not be any more three quarter inch lifts, if any remain the City should be notified, there are locations that appear to be problems however are not, most of the complaints from citizens are cosmetic, the prioritizing by the City deals with liability concerns. Mayor Brown noted that staff is hearing that the Council wants a better job and quicker. The Director made a point that it takes time to identify locations, every sidewalk in the City needs to be walked. Question was raised if volunteers could be used to identify the locations. Councilman Yost asked if a form could be used whereby residents could submit information relating to problem areas, to which the Mayor responded that as soon as the City is notified of a problem and should someone then trip and be hurt there is a guaranteed legal action, there needs to be a better identification program. Councilman Boyd offered to engage six or seven people to collectively inventory District One, if that would be acceptable, some of them actually have backgrounds to do so. The Manager mentioned City Hall window replacement, a project that has been discussed for a year or two, at present the doors remain open yet the air conditioning runs all day, if there were opening windows on either side of the building it is likely that for about nine months of the year the air conditioning could be turned off, an energy saving tactic, this would be windows on both sides of the building and done over time. Agreement was indicated that opening windows on the leeward side of the building would be a good idea, however the City Hall windows should not be replaced just for the sake of replacing. Councilman Boyd requested that a company be retained to wash the City Hall windows at least twice a year. I I 9-3-98 I Councilman Boyd made reference to the expiration of the term of the City Clerk in the year 2000, to which he suggested that funds be appropriated for a Deputy City Clerk on a part time basis initially, possibly fifteen to twenty hours a week at a pay range of between twelve to fifteen dollars per hour, someone who would assist with the present obligations of the office, learn the position, the workings of the office, not to answer the telephone, rather, assume the capacity of a Deputy and possibly even run for the position, as the Clerk can not merely leave the office as other elected officials can, this is the custodian of records position and there are legal ramifications. Councilman Yost said generally most of the decisions relating to personnel are up to the City Manager, his preference would be to leave it that way, he would prefer to not expend the money at this time, that it not be a high priority now, yet it is important to maintain the continuity of that job. Councilman Boyd noted that the position of City Clerk is elected, the position has responsibilities that interact independently of the City Manager position, the office is currently in need of staffing, there had been a Deputy for many years however when the financial situation was poor the Clerk did not fill the position, the Clerk also lends staff support to the Council, therefore it is the Council that needs to establish the staffing level for that office. Councilmember Campbell noted that the office of the City Clerk is separate, the Deputy reports directly to the Clerk, no one else. The City Clerk explained that when the financial condition of the City was in difficult straits and departments were requested to cut their budgets, the Deputy position was the only means for the Clerk's department to cut by not filling the then vacant position, and noted that the budget of the City Clerk is minimal consisting of salaries, legal notice costs, equipment, and general office expenses. It was noted that the City of Los Alamitos is also seeking a Deputy, and in that City traditionally transcends to the Clerk position. Councilman Yost requested that this issue be held off pending a discussion with the Clerk. I I The City Manager mentioned that there is a definite need to repair the asphalt pavement at the end of the pier, repair it with wood so that it is consistent with the pier, also to move some of the sand back from where it now lies, and the license with the Navy was worked out today to continue the sand project shortly after Labor Day. There is some money budgeted for repairs to the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, the objective being to have some of the Trail users and their organizations participate. Councilman Yost said he has posted notice on the internet, has spoken with the bike shop as well, however there has not been interest shown, it may be necessary to take the budgeted monies to just do spot repairs, even the Business Association was approached to see if they would be interested in participating. Mayor Brown suggested that the new Councilmembers meet with Supervisor Silva to request County funds as well. with regard to the Cable Foundation, Councilmember Campbell said she had made a request of the City Manager to audit past invoices, her concern is with fiscal responsibility. Mayor Brown suggested that the five members of the Foundation Board do that, it is not an issue for the Council, it is their responsibility to resolve any problem. Councilmember Campbell made reference to Article 7, Section 5 of the By- 9-3-98 Laws state a Councilmember can request a review of financial records. Mayor Brown said to do that he believed a consensus of the Council would be necessary, and noted that Councilman Doane has been appointed to oversee their meetings, etc. It was pointed out that the opinion of the City Attorney is that a Councilmember may request an audit of Cable Foundation expenditures or grant funds. The Manager mentioned that the City auditors will be present in two weeks for the City audit, they could be requested to provide that service for Foundation records as well. Councilman Yost noted that that would be a cost, and questioned what is thought to be gained. The Manager responded that it is thought to be a good idea under generally accepted accounting principals, the cost would likely be less than $5,000. Councilmember campbell said again that she would personally like to review their expenditures for the past two years, to which she stated she would submit a letter requesting to do so. Councilman Boyd pointed out that the Foundation will be providing PEG programming to the City for a lengthy period of time, the memo from the City Attorney states that they can not incur indebtedness upon the City, they have monies from which they provide cable programming, his major concern is not with the individuals that sit on the Board, rather, that he would like assurance that they do not expend all of the money at once, also that they are following the by-laws of that Foundation. He noted that Councilman Doane is overseeing the Foundation, the city Attorney has said that Councilmember Campbell can look at the records or request an audit, preference would be to allow Councilman Doane to be responsible, if he feels there is a problem he can report back and the issue can be readdressed as a policy matter. Councilman Yost agreed that Councilman Doane is charged with that responsibility. Councilmember Campbell reiterated her request to review bills over a certain amount, possibly competitive bids for new equipment, as well as some policy questions such as does the Foundation have the final say on scheduling matters for shows. The city Attorney pointed out that in 1984 when the Cable Foundation was established the intent was to assure that the city did not get in trouble by interfering with public programming, which is a First Amendment issue, the Foundation is totally independent, the Foundation may have authority as to scheduling, however emphasized that the City has no power to do anything with regard to programming, the City has retained control in the sense that it can appoint members, review the financial records, and to transfer funds, however cautioned that nothing should ever be done that would even remotely appear to be interference with programming or day to day operations. To a question of whether there is a conflict with regard to the PEG coordinator, the City Attorney advised there is not, the coordinator acts as an independent contractor to the City, a similar example would be an EIR consultant. Councilman Boyd noted that as the PEG coordinator she determines scheduling of programs, etc., inquiring if that does not raise an issue, his concern would be with the potential for litigation inasmuch as the coordinator reports to the City Manager rather than the Foundation, to which the Attorney suggested caution again as a court will sometimes charge that although the person is claimed to be an independent contractor too much control is exercised, as would be the case with an employee, the City and Manager need to be very careful in that regard, the coordinator is not an employee. Councilmember Campbell said she raised the issue of scheduling because of a program last year that should not have been shown. It was pointed out that the Foundation is governed by their By-Laws and I I I 9-3-98 I guidelines, they have the prerogative to show whatever, whenever. Councilmember Campbell said some cities have done away with the PEG operation because of potential liability. The Attorney pointed out that if the coordinator were an employee of the City then it could be claimed the City was exercising some control over the programming, however she is an independent contractor and the City Manager has discussions in the same manner as he would with anyone in that capacity. It was suggested that the Foundation be allowed to work out any foreseen problems. Councilman Yost suggested that some segments relating to emergency preparedness be prepared and taped for airing in the case of such situation. Councilmember Campbell asked if the Council has the ability to audit any capital expenditures over a certain amount, the response was reference to the Foundation submitted budget, the capital budget not submitted as yet, also that the Foundation is felt to be coming more stable. I Councilmember Campbell made mention that the Planning Commission will be starting its hearings relating to the Bixby plan prior to ~he Environmental Quality Control Board finishing their review, yet her understanding is that the EQCB is to transmit their recommendation to the Commission. The Mayor said it is believed that the Commission can commence their hearings however before those hearings are concluded a report is to be forwarded from the EQCB. Councilman Yost recalled that the desire of the Commission was to have EQCB input initially, the decision should be left with the Commission, however it was pointed out that legally the EQCB report would not be required as they are an advisory body only. with the next meeting of the EQCB to occur on Tuesday, the Planning Commission the following evening, a suggestion was made to inquire if the Commission would prefer to postpone commencing their hearings for an additional week. Suggestion was also made that in the future, as a matter of policy, there be discussions with the various boards and commissions as to specific progression of considerations. In the case of Bixby, preference was indicated to inquire of the Planning commission as to when they wish to start their hearings, to that the City Manager noted that the hearing has been noticed and that the first meeting consists of no more than a repeat of the staff and consultant presentations, the opening of public comments, and the report from the EQCB will be to them prior to the completion of their hearings. It was pointed out that a number of people may be away for the holiday. The City Attorney advised that the City has one year to certify an EIR, it is believed the year period comes up in either October or November, an opinion as given in the past is that there is no remedy for the developer as this is a legislative matter, if not approved within the year period Bixby could not file a legal action, the EIR is not just deemed to be approved, the Permit Streamline Act applies to quasi-judicial issues such as Conditional Use Permits as opposed to a zone change or General Plan Amendment, it is not thought that a week will make a difference, also agreed that commencement of the hearings should be left to the discretion of the Commission, to which the Council concurred. I councilmember Campbell noted that the hotel reservations for the Coastal Commission hearing in Eureka have not been prepaid, and question was raised as to whether per diem is provided or if it is necessary to file for expense reimbursement. The Council requested that the City Clerk finalize the hotel arrangements and provide a per diem advance. The City Attorney concurred that payment for non- 9-3-98 elected attendees would be a problem. The Manager mentioned that the Council had been provided samples of mission statements and goals and objectives from other cities for consideration if desired. Mayor Brown said his concern is with micro-managing, a direction that he has seen the City heading towards, as there are things that the Council wants done and they will then be passed on to the Manager. Councilman Yost agreed. Councilman Boyd agreed as well, stated there are issues that each member of the Council will have at some point in time, said he agrees with the idea of a mission statement yet does not want to commit the time of anyone to that at this point, possibly establish a one year period to develop it, a mission statement sets forth the priorities of the Council and tells the public what priorities are set for staff. He noted that materials presented for this meeting were well done, this provides an opportunity for the Council to measure the performance of the Manager and in turn his measurement of staff performance. Councilman Yost noted that the mission statement at his place of employment has been helpful, in this case it would be an opportunity for him to make this community the best it can be for he and his family, possibly the members of the Council should prepare a statement as well. I with regard to federal surplus property, Councilmember Campbell suggested that possibly camera equipment could be looked into, and Councilman Boyd noted that the Fire Authority participates in this program where anything from bulldozers, computers, desks, etc. has been obtained from the federal government when facilities are closed, there will be numerous things made available with the closing of EI Toro and Tustin, the cost is just what it takes to pick up the items. Interest was expressed by Council in obtaining FAX machines and a scanner. With regard to the voice mail for Councilmembers at City Hall, Mayor Brown requested that his home phone number be provided. As to security at City Hall, Councilman Boyd said although public access needs to be maintained, the Council will be providing the Manager with policy measures as to what is felt to be appropriate security measures for the employees and visitors. As to future workshops, Council was not specific. I ORAL COMMUNICATIONS There were no Oral Communications. ADJOURNMENT It was the order of the Chair, with consent of the Council, to adjourn the meeting until Monday, September 14th at 6:30 p.m. By unanimous consent, the meeting was adjourned at 6:46 p.m. o cio clerk each I Approved: Attest: