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Home My WebLink About5/22/2013CALIFORNIA Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Special Meeting Agenda Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California NOTICE TO PUBLIC Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on the open session portion of this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the City Clerk's Office located at 26379 Fremont Road, Los Altos Hills, California during normal business hours. These materials will also be made available on the Town's website at www.losaltoshills.ca.gov subject to Staff's ability to post the documents before the meeting. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills will hold a Special Meeting on WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2013, AT 7:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers. The purpose of this meeting is to consider the following matters: CALL TO ORDER (7:00 P.M.) A. Roll Call and Pledge of Allegiance 1. ONGOING BUSINESS A. Study Session Regarding Proposed FY 2013-14 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget (Staff. Y. Rasulova) (Continued from the May 20, 2013 Special Joint City Council/Finance and Investment Committee Meeting) B. Discussion on Amending Resolution 71-12, Establishing Standing Committees and Adopting General and Specific Rules Pertaining Thereto to Add a Section Regarding Committee Site Visits (Staff. D. Padovan) (Continued from the May 20, 2013 Special City Council Meeting) 2. ADJOURN ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk at 650-941-2222. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. Copies of all agenda reports and supporting data are available for inspection at Town Hall, 26379 Fremont Road and the Los Altos Main Library 72 hours in advance of the meeting. A complete agenda can be found on the Town's webpage: http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov. A complete packet of information is available for inspection during the meeting at the table to the back of the Council Chambers. The Council may take action on any agendized matter in any manner deemed appropriate by Council. City Council Special Meeting Agenda May 22, 2013 Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Special Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Council Chambers 26379 Fremont Road Los Altos Hills, California CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Waldeck called the Special Meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. City Council Members Present: Present: Mayor Gary Waldeck, Vice Mayor John Radford, Councilmember Courtenay Corrigan (arrived at 7:05 p.m.), Councilmember John Harpootlian, Councilmember Rich Larsen Absent: None Staff: City Manager Carl Cahill, Planning Director Debbie Pedro, City Engineer/Public Works Director Richard Chiu, Administrative Services Director Yulia Rasulova, Finance Manager Richard Lee, City Clerk Deborah Padovan 1. NEW BUSINESS A. Study Session Regarding Proposed FY 2013-14 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget (Staff. Y. Rasulova) Due to a concurrent Pathways Committee meeting, the City Council heard public comment from Eileen Gibbons, Chair of the Pathways Committee. She stated that she was in agreement with the new proposed language in the standing committee resolution. However, she was unsure whether the noticing should be contained in the resolution. She further stated that the noticing could delay some properties from being reviewed on a timely basis. City Manager Carl Cahill presented a list of projects and reductions to be funded and requested Council direction. He stated that he met with Councilmembers earlier in the day in one-on-one meetings. Administrative Services Director Yulia Rasulova presented a base budget and identified how much it will cost to run the Town at exactly the same level as the current fiscal year with no added services reductions. She stated the objective at this meeting was to review the additions and reductions to the budget as it contains new items that were not included last year. City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 The Council reviewed the items below and received information on each item. Funded Reauests fincluded in the Pr000sed Budaetl 1 Onetime Add funding for Records Management System 39 30,000 2 One-time Add funding for Professional Planner Services for 2014-22 Housing Element UDdate 40 80,000 3 Onetime Add funding for virtuatietion of the Town computer IMrustructure 41 25,000 4 One-time Add funding for unforeseen general expenses ex: purchase of k -rail & end treatment for Page Mil Rd, etc 42 40,000 5 Recurying Add funding for pathways landscaping maintenance on Fremont Path 43 (17,000) 6 One-time Add funding for rt -time contractual assistance in Adrninistrative Services De anment 44 (34,000) 7 Onetime Add funding for new file server for LAH network 45 4,000 8 One-time Add funding for Engineering Consultants for Page Mill Road / Matadero Creek 46 (50,000 9 Onetime Add funding for instruction and training; Commercial driver's licenses fo mlaintenance staff 47 (6,000) 10 Onetime Add funding to retire debt with California Energy commission Loan 03 -09 -ECD 48 33,739 11 Onetime Add funding to retire debt with California Energy Commission Loan 024 -03 -ECB 49 (59,869 12 One-time Add funding for repairs needed at Recreation buildi 50 7,500 13 Onetime Add funding for ADP Time & Attendance Implementation 51 5,000 R„Annf RaA,.&#i .. 11—Y,AaA 1. 1hs P—.—.A Q„AnaN... _ 1 One-Orne Reduce Appropriation for OPEB ARC retiree medical costs From $300k to $121 k 57 179,100 2 Recuning Apply hiring freem to the Bam Manager position at W WB From $94k to $45k 58 49,140 3 Recurring Reduce Planning Program & Pro'ect Consultant Appropriations fFrom $75k to $15k 59 60,000 4 Recurring Reduce Engineering Program & Pro ect consulting Appropriations From $35k to $20k 60 15,000 5 Recurrinci Reduce Community Service Grants fFrorn $65.6 k to $60k 61 1 5,600 6 RecLrrhy Reduce Appropriations for Tree Removal fFrorn $25k to $2.5k 62 22,500 7 Recuning Reduce Traffic Signal Repair/Replacernent Appropriations From $20k to $5k 63 15,000 8Rec Reduction in CSG build an check expenses From $120k to $117k 64 3,000 9 Reo Reduction in Other General Expense Budget costs From $9.4k to $5.2k 65 4,200 10 Retuning Reduce Appropriations for Town Picric From $35k to $25k 66 10,000 Unfunded Requests (not Included In the Proposed Budget) One-time Add fundinq for Gigabit Ethernet switch 53 8,000 Recurring Add funds for Equipment Maintenance & Repair 54 20,000 Recuning Add funds for Engineering Corsultants 55 10,000 Unfunded requests from City Council meeting on May 20, 2013 Recuning Add funding for Acterra to manage Byrne and other Town open space preserves WA 50 000 Recurring Add funding for private road rehabilitation WA 200,000 Onetime Add funding for reusable bags for Los Altos to replace DIastic ba WA 2,500 Recurring Add funding for crossing guards at Foothill EWessway & Edith WA 4,500 General Fund Reserve Designations incklded in the Proposed Budget) 1 Recuning lFunding for technology equipment replacement 52 5,000 Revenue Enhancements (included in the Proposed Budget) 1 I Recurring I Increase address change fee 56 9,600 2 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 Budget Reductions (included in the Pronosed Budaetl 1 One-time Reduce Appropriation for OPEB ARC retiree medical costs From $300k to $121 k 57 179,100 2 RecurtiApply h ring freeze to the Bern Manager position at W W B From $94k to $45k 58 49,140 3 Recurring Reduce Planning Program & Project Consultant Appropriations From $75k to $15k 59 60,000 4 Recurring Reduce Encl'neering Program & Project Consulting Appropriations[From $35k to $20k 60 15,000 5 Recurring Reduce Conirrunity Service Grants[From $65.6 k to $60k 61 5,600 6 Recurring Reduce priations for Tree Removal[From $25k to $2.5k 62 22,500 7 Recurring Reduce Traffic Signal Repair/Replaceffient Appropiations Trorn $20k to $5k 63 15.000 8 Recurring Reduction in CSG buiking plan check expenses FFrom 120k to $117k 64 3,000 9 Recuning Reduction in Other General Expense Budget costs From $9.4k to $5.2k 65 4.200 101 Recuning Reduce Appropriations for Town Picnic[From $35k to $25k 66 10,000 Budget Reductions not included in the Proposed Budget) Recurring Reduce Street rations E 'neeri Consultant ro'ations From $25k to $15k 67 10000 Bud et Transfers included in the Proposed Budget) 1 1 Recurring Transfer Supplemental Traffic Enforcement from General fund to COPS Fund 68 35,000 Council discussion ensued. Discussion on adding funding for instruction and training; commercial driver's licenses for maintenance staff, the Council provided the following direction: DIRECTION: Any professional licensing that an employee obtains while working for the Town shall be reimbursed by the employee in full if the employee leaves within one year of obtaining such licensing. After one year, an employee shall reimburse the Town at a pro -rated rate. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Councilmember Larsen, seconded by Vice Mayor Radford and passed unanimously to approve all the items listed above except for the following nine line items: 10 One-time Add funding to retire debt with Cafifomia Energy Commission Loan 03 -09 -ECD 48 (33,739) 11 One-time Add fiMing to retire debt with Cafifomia Energy Commission Loan 024 -03 -ECB 49 (59,869) 12 One-time Add ftinding for repairs needed at Recreation building 50 (7,500) Recurring d funding for Acterra to manage Byrne and other Town open space preserves WA 50,000 Recurring Add funding for pivate road rehabilitation WA 200,000 One-time Add funding for reusable bags for Los Altos to replace plastic bas WA 2,500 Recurring Add furidinq for crossing guards at Foothill Expressway & Edith WA 4,500 •5 R.. Reduce Conity Service Grants rFrom$65.6 k to 60k 61 :::5::;d =0 I Recurring Reduce Appropriations for Town Picric From $35k to $25k 66 10,000 The Council then discussed each item in detail. Discussion Item No. 1: One-time funding request for repairs needed at the recreation buildin;. Councilmember Larsen stated that perhaps the repairs on the Parks and Recreation Building could be deferred for two or three years. Council discussion ensued. 3 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 DIRECTION: There was consensus to include the repairs in the budget. Discussion Item No. 2: A recurring funding_ request to reduce community service arants from $65,600 to $60,000. Councilmember Corrigan stated that she has an issue with spending taxpayer dollars on philanthropy. She encouraged the Council to follow what Los Altos did in 2010 and not fund anymore grants. She wanted it changed immediately. Councilmember Larsen stated that he was partially in agreement and suggested reducing the amount in a "stepped down" process, perhaps over the course of three years. Councilmember Harpootlian stated that the money was received using the "power of government" and the Council decides who receives it. If the Council wants to be philanthropic, we can set up a program where the Town is available to take in money to give it away. Vice Mayor Radford stated that he didn't care if it was completely eliminated. Mayor Waldeck wanted it left in the budget for now. MOTION MADE: Moved by Councilmember Corrigan to eliminate the full line item of $65,000 from the budget this year. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Harpootlian. AYES: Corrigan, Harpoothan NOES: Waldeck, Radford, Larsen ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion failed. MOTION MADE: Moved by Councilmember Larsen to reduce the community services grant budget by one-third effective immediately. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Harpootlian. AYES: Larsen, Harpoothan NOES: Waldeck, Radford, Corrigan ABSENT: None 4 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 7 ABSTAIN: None Motion failed. Vice Mayor Radford requested this matter discussed at a regular City Council meeting. Councilmember Corrigan asked that a discussion on this matter be placed on the June 20, 2013 regular City Council meeting agenda. Notice should be given to the various agencies to which the Town has given money over the past few years. DIRECTION: There was Council consensus to reduce the amount budgeted from $65,600 to $60,000. Discussion Item No. 3: A recurring request to reduce appropriations for the Town picnic from $35,000 to $25,000. Council discussed the picnic and the possibility of making it a gathering, serving only ice cream. The Council agreed that this was a policy decision. Vice Mayor Radford wanted to keep the event as a full picnic with food. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Councilmember Corrigan to lower the picnic budget by $10,000. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Harpootlian. AYES: Corrigan, Harpootlian, Waldeck, Larsen NOES: Radford ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. Unfunded requests were now considered. Discussion Item No. 4: A request to add recurring funding for crossing_ guards at Foothill Expressway and Edith. Councilmember Corrigan pointed to the supplemental email item provided by the Los Altos City Manager that stated there was not a need for a crossing guard as the traffic numbers are too low. Mayor Waldeck stated that he would like to participate for one year to see if the numbers doubled and then continuation of the crossing guard could be revaluated. 5 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 2M MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Vice Mayor Radford to contribute $4,500 to pay for a crossing guard at Edith and Foothill Expressway contingent on matching funds from the City of Los Altos or the school district. The motion was seconded by Mayor Waldeck. AYES: Waldeck, Radford, Larsen NOES: Corrigan, Harpootlian ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. Discussion Item No. 5: A one-time request to add funding for reusable bags for Los Altos (to replace plastic bags). DIRECTION: There was Council consensus to not fund the reusable bag request made by Los Altos. Discussion Item No. 6: A recurring request to add funding for private road rehabilitation. City Manager Carl Cahill explained that this request is to start building a reserve as an ordinance is coming back to the Council. Council discussion ensued. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Vice Mayor Radford to place $100,000 in a contingency road maintenance fund. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Corrigan. AYES: Waldeck, Radford, Corrigan, Larsen NOES: Harpootlian ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. Discussion Item No. 7: A recurring request to add funding to manage Byrne and other Town open space preserves. Z City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 Council discussion ensued regarding the request by the Open Space Committee. Councilmember Larsen strongly suggested that the Los Altos Hills County Fire District supports the request as well. It would be subject to competitive bidding. Eileen Gibbons, Chair of the Los Altos Hills Pathways Committee, stated that the committee discussed the topic at their Pathways Committee meeting. The committee will be writing a letter in support of stewardship for open spaces. Nancy Couperus, Los Altos Hills, stated that over the course of three years, a group of volunteers went to pull "teezel" in the gully. It was contained, but they didn't have the manpower to continue. Acterra is a company that can leverage the community to get their volunteers out there to stay on top of the weeds. Further Council discussion ensued and it was suggested that no particular contractor be specified and that the Fire District should be asked to split the cost. Perhaps a five-year plan could be implemented so the weeds are eradicated and the cost may lower over time. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Vice Mayor Radford to allocate $50,000 to an unnamed vendor to pursue the best strategy to preserve all open space in Town, including partnering with the Los Altos Hills County Fire District and utilizing other strategies. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Harpootlian. ,, AYES: Waldeck, Radford, Corrigan, Harpoothan NOES: Larsen ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. Discussion Item No. 8: A one time request to add funding to retire the debt with California Energy Commission Loan 03 -09 -ECD and Loan 024 -03 -ECB. Council discussion ensued regarding the one-time paying down of debt. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Councilmember Corrigan to pay off the two loans with the California Energy Commission. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Larsen. AYES: Radford, Corrigan, Harpootlian, Larsen NOES: Waldeck A City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. Discussion Item No. 9: A recurring request to transfer supplemental traffic enforcement from general fund to COPS fund. Council discussion ensued on the COPS item. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Vice Mayor Radford, seconded by Councilmember Corrigan and passed unanimously to approve the transfer of supplemental traffic enforcement from the General Fund to the COPS fund. B. Discussion on Amending Resolution 71-12, Establishing Standing Committees and Adopting General and Specific Rules Pertaining Thereto to Add a Section Regarding Committee Site Visits (Staff. D. Padovan) (Continued from the May 20, 2013 Special City Council Meeting) Councilmember Corrigan suggested that changes be made to the standing committee resolution. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Councilmember Corrigan to add the wording to the standing committee resolution: "A committee may be required to participate in property site visits. Site visits must be performed by only current votin committee members and are permissible as long as any group of committee members does not contain a quorum of current members. In the event a site visit is necessary, a Standing Committee chair shall inform Town staff at least one week in advance of any visit. Town staff shall send the homeowner(s) a courtesy postcard notifying them that a site visit will be taking place within a defined time period. The postcard shall be sent a minimum of 72 hours in advance of any visit." The motion was seconded by Councilmember Larsen. AYES: Waldeck, Corrigan, Larsen NOES: Radford, Harpootlian ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None 19 D City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 Motion carried. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED TO RECONSIDER: Moved by Councilmember Corrigan to add the wording to the standing committee resolution: "A committee may be required to participate in property site visits. Site visits must be performed by only current votin committee members and are permissible as long as any group of committee members does not contain a quorum of current members. In the event a site visit is necessary, a Standing Committee chair shall inform Town staff at least one week in advance of any visit. Town staff shall send the homeowner(s) a courtesy postcard notifying them that a site visit will be taking place within a defined time period. The postcard shall be sent a minimum of 72 hours in advance of any visit." The motion was seconded by Councilmember Larsen. AYES: Corrigan, Larsen NOES: Waldeck, Radford, Harpootlian ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None Motion failed. MOTION MADE AND SECONDED: Moved by Mayor Waldeck to add the wording to the standing committee Resolution 30-13: "A committee may be required to participate in property site visits. Site visits must be performed by only current committee members and are permissible as long as any group of committee members does not contain a quorum of current members. In the event a site visit is necessary, a Standing Committee chair shall inform Town staff at least one week in advance of any visit. Town staff shall send the homeowner(s) a courtesy postcard notifying them that a site visit will be taking place within a defined time period. The postcard shall be sent a minimum of 72 hours in advance of any visit." The motion was seconded by Councilmember Larsen. AYES: Waldeck, Radford, Larsen NOES: Corrigan, Harpootlian ABSENT: None IM 0 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013 ABSTAIN: None Motion carried. At this point, an item of urgency was added to the agenda. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Vice Mayor Radford, seconded by Councilmember Corrigan and passed unanimously to add an emergency discussion item to the agenda. Vice Mayor Radford stated that he can only attend the City Council meeting from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. on June 20th DIRECTION: The City Council meeting shall remain on June 20, 2013 with the budget discussion beginning at 6:00 p.m.; staff shall proceed with the final budget and include the items identified at this budget meeting; and the discussion of community service grants shall be moved to the regular City Council meeting in August. 2. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by the consensus of the City Council at 10:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Deborah Padovan City Clerk 7 10 City Council Special Meeting Minutes May 22, 2013