Minutes 1994-06-06
. . , . 301
MINUTES
BUDGET STUDY SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, JUNE 6, 1994
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
The City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande met for a
1994-1995 Municipal Budget Study Session at 5:00 P.M., with Mayor
Matthew Peter Gallagher, III, presiding.
1. FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Gallagher led the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag.
2. ROLL CALL
Present with Mayor Gallagher were Council Members Drew
Brandy, Bernard Burke, Michael Lady and James Souza. Staff
'- Members present were City Manager Chris Christiansen, City Clerk
Nancy Davis, Finance Director David Bacon, Parks and Recreation
Director John Keisler, Director of Building and Fire Kurt
Latipow, Planning Director Doreen Liberto-Blanck and Chief of
Police Rick TerBorch.
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
MRS. SHARON BEERY of 5975 Deer Creek Road complained to the
Council that she had applied for a place in the Arroyo Grande
Farmers Market and was turned down. She said the Council should
take action because it had approved the use of the street and
alley for the Farmers Market. She said local growers should be
allowed in.
Mr. Christiansen said the Farmers Market is a statewide
organization governed by a board of directors that controls the
number of spaces.
After further questions by the Council, Mayor Gallagher
asked staff to inquire into the situation and report at the next
regular Council meeting.
4. CONTINUATION OF BUDGET STUDY SESSION - EXPENDITURES
Planning Director Liberto-Blanck began the review of her
proposed budget, and referred to her March 16 and 18, 1994, Staff
Reports. She said the Planning Budget reflected a status quo
budget. She requested that the Council support an increase to
$2,200.00 over what was proposed in the Travel and Training
portion of her budget. She said that would cover $1,000.00 for
an economic development session, $700 for staff training and for
Planning commissioners to attend a local workshop, and $500.00
for mileage and miscellaneous. The Council approved her request.
Mr. Christiansen recommended that $6,000.00 be added to
1
3 0'2
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JUNE 6, 1994
Account No. 240 Contractual Services as matching funds if a
grant the City applied for is received from the state. The
Council approved his recommendation.
Council Member Brandy referred to the list of 30 Planning
Department Projects described in the Planning Director's March
18, 1994, Staff Report. Council Member Brandy said the Planning
Department is currently understaffed to complete work on these
projects. He said perhaps the city should be restructured, a
Community Development Department established, or there should be
cross-training between departments.
Mayor Gallagher said he would like to wait and see the
results of the Planning and Technical Assistance grant and how it
identifies the issues in the community.
Council Members discussed the possibility of hiring an
outside consultant to apply for grants to assist the City in
finding alternative funding for projects. They asked the
Planning Director to return to the next budget study session with
options for alternative funding sources, ranging from more
clerical assistance for the Planning Department to hiring an
outside contractor to work on grants.
Council Members began the discussion of the Fire Department
proposed budget. Chief Latipow and the Council talked about the
need for a new rescue vehicle, which was not budgeted. Mayor
Gallagher said that item is on the list of things to consider
after it is known how the State's budget will affect the City.
Mayor Gallagher and Council Member Brandy requested that the
Fire Chief prepare a report on what baseline services the
taxpayers expect, and what extra ordinary services there are that
could be included in a cost-recovery plan. Council Member Burke
said he would want to look carefully at any new fees for
services.
Chief Latipow described a new piece of equipment in his
budget, the hose tester, and requested that the Council approve
his renting out the tester to other fire departments as he does
his department's washing machine and dryer. The Council
approved.
The Building and Safety Building Department proposed budget
was discussed, and Mr. Christiansen explained that by changing
the building inspector position to full-time, it would allow for
cross-training for fire inspections. He said the employee could
become a Life Safety Inspector and do both the building and fire
2
. . 303
.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JUNE 6, 1994
inspections.
Mr. Christiansen said there were some typographical errors
in this budget. He said the total for Salaries should be
$106,290.00, total Services and Supplies should be $19,550.00 and
the Grand Total for the budget should be $127,931.00.
There were no changes in the Governmental Buildings budget.
The Council decided to interrupt the budget study session to
take up a New Business item requested by Warner Brothers.
5. RESOLUTION REOUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO CLOSE BRANCH STREET
(FROM TRAFFIC WAY TO MASON STREET) ON MONDAY. JUNE 13. 1994. TO
~ FILM PORTIONS OF THE MOVIE "LITTLE GIANTS"
GEORGE LARSON, who is handling Locations for Warner Bros. on
the "Little Giants" movie, said he had contacted merchants in the
village and 36 had given approval, four were against and four or
five were not contacted. He read the Notice of Filming he had
asked the merchants to sign. He said pedestrian traffic would
still flow and rear parking lots would remain open.
After Council discussion, it was moved by Burke/Souza
(5-0-0, Burke, Souza, Brandy, Lady and Gallagher voting aye) to
approve Resolution No. 3032 Requesting Authorization to Close
Branch Street (Highway 227) to Film Portions of the Movie "Little
Giants."
4. CONTINUATION OF BUDGET STUDY SESSION - EXPENDITURES CONTINUED
The Parks and Recreation, Parks Development and Parks
capital Development sections of the proposed budget were
discussed next. Parks and Recreation Director Keisler reviewed
his budget items.
He requested that his Account No. 240 Contractual Services
be increased to $13,000.00, and Council approved.
Mr. Keisler requested that the Council approve a truck
costing $17,500.00 for the Parks Department. He said it would
replace a 16-year-old truck the City is using now. Mayor
Gallagher said he would prefer to decide on that purchase after
the City knows what effect the State's budget will have.
Mr. Keisler said the Elm Street Community Center (formerly
Lopez continuation School) needs a roof repair. Council
discussed the matter and decided to wait until the City knows
what effect the State's budget will have. Mr. Christiansen said
the roof repair may have been a part of the Government Buildings
3
~'
3 0,4
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JUNE 6, 1994
proposed budget. He said he would look into the matter.
No other changes were made in these proposed budgets. Mr.
Keisler pointed out that the City only subsidizes the entire
recreation program a little less than $5,000.00. Council Members
requested that there be careful watch on the recreation programs
to be sure that no one was excluded because of cost.
6. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
7. ADJOURNMENT
On the unanimously approved motion of Souza/Burke, the
Council adjourned at 8:46 P.M. to meetings at 5:30 P.M.
Wednesday, June 8, 1994, with the Parks and Recreation
Commission, and 5:00 P.M. Monday, June 13, 1994, for a Continued
Budget Study Session.
'--yy) -(
II, MAYOR
ATTEST: ~..,t/A:a. ~oIJ
NANCY A. VIS, CITY CLERK
4