HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/26/2021
1 Joint City Council and Finance and Investment
Committee Special Meeting Minutes
May 26, 2021
CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL
Via teleconference according to the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, Mayor Tankha called
the City Council Regular Meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.
Present: City Council Members
Mayor Kavita Tankha, Vice Mayor George Tyson, Councilmember Stanley Q.
Mok, Councilmember Lisa H. Schmidt, Councilmember Linda Swan
Finance and Investment Committee Members
Chair Susan Mason, Committee Members Roddy Sloss, Nathan Blair, Cheryl
Breetwor-Evans, Kjell Karlsson, Christopher Nam, Allan Epstein, Associate
member Frank Lloyd
Absent: Committee Members Chris Wellborn and Medha Rishi
Staff: City Manager Carl Cahill, City Attorney Steve Mattas, Interim Engineering
Services Manager/Planning and Building Director Zach Dahl, Administrative
Services Director Sarina Revillar, Management Analyst Cody Einfalt, City Clerk
Deborah Padovan
1. AGENDA REVIEW
There were no changes to the agenda.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment is Limited to Items which are the Subject of
the Special Meeting)
Bob Elson, Los Altos Hills Pathways Committee Chair, provided the Pathways
Committee budget requests and rationale.
3. NEW BUSINESS
A. Study Session Regarding Proposed FY21-22 Operating Budget and FY2022-2026 Five-
Year Capital Improvement Plan (Staff: S. Revillar)
Administrative Services Director Sarina Revillar presented the budget study session.
Council and Committee discussion ensued regarding the base budget, including additional
funding for law enforcement services and traffic calming options.
Town of Los Altos Hills
Joint City Council and Finance and Investment Committee
Special Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 – 4:00 p.m.
Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills,
California
2 Joint City Council and Finance and Investment
Committee Special Meeting Minutes
May 26, 2021
Public Comments
Anand Ranganathan, Los Altos Hills, said crime is down this year a lot and we share resources
with other cities and that is the benefit of using the sheriff.
Rajiv Bhateja, Los Altos Hills, said Atherton and Danville did not add any additional officers
specifically for license plate readers, but they do also have their own police forces. As the cost
of the readers are yet to be determined when it comes to officer's time, we should wait and see.
Jim Waschura, Los Altos Hills, commented on the 75K allocated for the miscellaneous
pathways.
Council and Committee discussion ensued for the proposed budget enhancements.
Vice Mayor Tyson provided information about the CHAC request.
Marsha Deslauriers, Executive Director of CHAC provided background on the one-time
funding request.
Council and committee members asked Ms. Deslauriers questions and received her responses.
Public Comment
John Swan, Los Altos Hills, said he was in favor of the Town giving back, but had issues with
the process.
Further City Council and Committee discussion ensued. After discussion, the following
enhancements were agreed upon:
Service Enhancements Dollar Amount
Air Compressor Replacement: Road Repair $25,000
EV Vehicle Replacement for 2005 Ford Escape, 2008 Ford
Ranger and include an EV Charging Station at Town Hall $120,000
Additional Pathway Work on GIS Maps $25,000
Byrne Preserve Parking Study $30,000
Housing Element: Meeting Regional Housing Needs Allocation
(RHNA) to comply with current state law $100,000
Professional Recruitment Services $30,000
Merit Increase 5% for Employees $160,000
Law Enforcement Additional Hours $450,000
CHAC (Assist in increased median wages and retaining
experienced, licensed clinicians and staff. Budgeted $16,500
with an additional request for $13,700 for a total of $30,200.
One-time funding for services
$13,700
$90,000
General Fund Total $1,043,700
3 Joint City Council and Finance and Investment
Committee Special Meeting Minutes
May 26, 2021
There was Council agreement to allocate the funding for CHAC utilizing the American
Rescue Plan (ARP) funds. The Mayor requested that staff return to the City Council with
suggestions and ideas for the remainder of the ARP funds. There was also consensus to bring
the sheriff’s contract requesting additional funding for a second deputy to the City Council
for further discussion prior to final approval.
Committee Member Epstein suggested that the survey be included in the service
enhancements. Mayor Tankha asked the City Manager to include the survey in the
enhancements.
Public Comment
John Swan, Los Altos Hills, said he agreed that a survey is needed, but asked why the
turnover. It is not salary issue. He believes that the Town has a turnover problem.
The City Council provided direction for the City Manager to return in June with the final
budget including the enhancements that were presented.
Committee Member Epstein wanted to address the sewer fund. He said the sewer fund
balance is in good condition and he would follow up with the staff about sewer capital
improvement projects.
4. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah L. Padovan
Deborah Padovan
City Clerk
The minutes of the May 26, 2021 special Joint City Council and Finance and Investment
Committee meeting were approved as presented at the June 17, 2021 regular City Council
meeting.