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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-1978MINUTES OF THE ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA June 24, 1978 The meeting was called to order by Mayor Vernon S. Evans at 8:05 A.M. in the City Council Chambers, 22 Civic Center Plaza. The following Council members were present: Gordon Bricken, David F. Ortiz, Harry K. Yamamoto, David L. Brandt, James E. Ward, John Garthe, and Mayor Evans. Also present were the following members of Staff: City Manager Bruce C. Spragg, City Attorney Keith L. Gow, Director of Public Works John E. Stevens, and Clerk of the Council Florence I. Malone. PROPOSED SALARY WAGE & Mayor Evans announced BENEFIT REDUCTION that with Council's 3-MONTH MORATORIUM IMPOSED permission he would depart from the Agenda to give Council members an opportunity to express themselves somewhat philosophically or otherwise as to their position on the proposed salary cuts. Councilman Garthe stated that in his speech yesterday evening, Governor Brown had said that cities would be receiving money from the State, and he suggested that Council delay its decision on salaries until such time as it is known how much money will be forthcoming. He then moved to delay doing anything in rela- tion to wages and fringe benefits until 3-4 months into the fis- cal year. Councilman Brandt seconded the motion. Councilman Brandt stated that he did not believe any Councilmen had been fully aware of the impact of an average 5 per cent salary roll-back and reduced fringe benefits that actually range from 6.1 to 22.7 per cent; and that for the time being he would support a moratorium on salary reduction. Councilman Bricken~stated that over the last 10 years the City's rate of expenditures has been doubling every 5 years; that the average cost per employee today is $24,000 compared with $8,000 10 years, ago~ and that the City must reduce its rate of growth of expenditures at te~st_.~..~he point where it does not exceed the rat~!~f inflation. Counciln~...Ortiz stated he would the source~{ revenue are known. support the motion until all Councilman Yamamoto stated that he favored maintaining the hiring freeze; that as soon as anticipated revenues are known, Council will have to decide ~how and where to use the funds to the City's greatest advantage; and that he favored a waiting period. Councilman Ward stated that the cost of government has gotten out of hand; that services to the public are the most important function of the City; that he favors waiting to see what the City's income will be and then taking a look at salaries. Mayor Evans stated the Council had definitely agreed and he had concurred with a reduction in salaries as necessary, but that he does not favor, has not favored and will not favor a reduction of salaries; that the Council should use other sources of revenue to balance the Budget; that if personnel cuts and program reduc- tions are necessary, they will be part of the process; that 3-4 months is too long to delay facing the issue and that, in his opinion salary reductions are not necessary at this time. CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 253 JUNE 24, 1978 Councilman Garthe re-stated his motion, to delay for 3 months or less, any reduction in wages, salaries and benefits, and to continue on the existing basis. Councilman Brandt seconded the motion, and it carried 6:1, with Councilman Yamamoto dissenting. CA 65B; CA 50.1 RECESS Council members present. At 9:00 A.M., Mayor Evans declared a recess; the meeting reconvened at 9:1.0 A.M., with all PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT John Stevens, Director of OPERATING BUDGET 5% REDUCTION Public Works, stated that TENTATIVELY APPROVED the department has three basic divisions: Engin- eering, Street and Water; that no general funds are used to support the operation of the Water Division; that the operational funds proposed for the Engineering and Street Divisions amount to $5,842,955. He presented an overview of the duties and responsibilities of those two divisions and their related fixed cdsts. Mr. Stevens distributed a tabulation of possible budget reductions, ranging from S, 10, 15 to 20 per cent. He stated that the cuts will affect service, including delays and increased future maintenance, reduction in street sweeping schedules and elimination of oil and slurry sealing programs. Mr. Earl Eddy, responding to the Mayor's request for comments, (3901 West Segerstrom), spoke in favor of continuing the level of service he has received as a builder in the community to maintain the quality of construction. Mrs. Mickey Madden (2319 N. Rosewood) stated that builders should be responsible for their project to a greater extent; and that rules and regulations should be kept to a minimum so that houses can be built that people can live in and afford. Councilman Bricken moved to reduce the proposed operating budget of the Department of Public Works by 5 per cent with the stipula- tion that it not include any decision that would slow down pro- cessing of permits as they relate to the public works facet of it, nor should it include any reduction in the level of mainten- ance of the capital plant, such as the slurry seal programs, or burdensome developer fees. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ward, and carried unanimously 7:0. CA 65B MAINTENANCE SERVICE DEPARTMENT Mr. Warren Clark, Super- & BUILDING MAINTENANCE DIVISION intendent of the Mainten- OPERATING BUDGET ance Services Department, NO REDUCTION; 10% REDUCTION stated that the level of custodian maintenance can be modified to the extent desired by Council, and he described schedule changes that could be by 6, 12 and 20 per cent reduc- tions, involving elimination of 3, 6 or 9 custodial positions. Mr. Clark provided Council with a written report of the impact of the reductions. Councilman Bricken moved to reduce the proposed Building Maint- enance Division budget by 10 per cent. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ward, and carried unanimously 7:0. Mr. Clark distributed a report on the impacts of 3, 4, 9 and 16 per cent reductions in the Equipment Maintenance Division. He told Council that the City has 685 units, and nine budgeted repair mechanic positions, which averages out to 76 units per man, as compared to 1972-73 when he had 7 mechanic positions and 385 units, or 55 units per mechanic; that he only has one CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 254 JUNE 24, 1978 CETA mechanic and recruitment is nil because there are not enough repair mechanics to fill the private sector vacancies; and that 5 out of the 9 mechanics work on police cars, which makes service to other departments very difficult. Councilman Garthe moved that the proposed budget for the Equip- ment Maintenance Division be tentatively approved with no reduc- tion and that Staff be requested to report on the reasons for and number of City vehicles being driven to employees homes. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bricken and carried 7:0. Council also encouraged Mr. Clark to submit a request to lift the hiring freeze to recruit for vacant budgeted positions in the Equipment Division. CA 6SB In response to the Mayor's request for comments from the public, Mrs. Mickey Madden (2519 N. Rosewood) stated that City employees should not be allowed to drive City vehicles to their homes. She suggested that they drive their own automobiles and receive an allowance. DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING SAFETY Gale Grant, Acting Depart- & HOUSING - OPERATING BUDGET ment Director, stated 1% REDUCTION TENTATIVELY APPROVED that salaries make up 90 per cent of the Depart- ment's expenditure. He distributed reports indicating impacts of a 6.1S%, 6.6% and 8.9% reduction of his proposed budget, and stated that revenues versus expenditures for the year will leave a deficit of $8,900, while rate of inspections per man has increased 24%, so that any decrease in inspectors would create a severe problem, especially because the work is directly related to citizens' safety. In response to a query from Councilman Bricken, Mr. Grant stated that the Department's operating cost, while not totally self-supporting, will not exceed S¢ per citizen per year. Bob Gilman, Sunset Construction, stated that Building Departments in other cities have imposed a 1 per cent development fee, and he was of the opinion that most developers would be willing to pay an additional fee rather than lose time on their projects. Ben Londeree, a member of the City's Building Department, stated that many of the current inspection duties are mandated by the State handicapped, noise and energy regulations, and have nothing to do with the structural integrity of the building; and that the Council has very little to do with establishing these regulations which are enacted by the State legislature and add to the workload of the Department. Councilman Yamamoto moved to reduce the proposed operating budget of the Building Department by 8 per cent, as proposed in options 1 and 2, of Mr. Grant's report, with the proviso that the Build- ing Inspector position assigned to the Conservation Program be retained. (The reduction would be effected by eliminating a Steno-Clerk position, and the position of Director of Building Safety). The motion was seconded by Councilman Brandt, but it failed to carry as follows: AYES: Yamamoto, Brandt NOES: Ward, Garthe, Evans, Ortiz, Bricken ABSENT: None Councilman Bricken moved to tentatively approve a 1 per cent reduction in the Building Department's proposed operating budget. The motion was seconded by Councilman Ortiz, and carried as follows: CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 255 JUNE 24, 1978 AYES: Bricken, NOES: Brandt, ABSENT: None Ortiz, Yamamoto, Ward Garthe, Evans CA 65B ORAL COMMUNICATION Mrs. Mickey Madden read RESOLUTION OF EAST ORANGE a resolution of the East COUNTY BOARD OF REALTORS Orange County Board of Realtors recommending that all moneys available to the City be used before consideration is given to pay cuts for personnel; that more emphasis be given to non-replacement of personnel lost through attrition; and that all other departments and services be reduced prior to any reduc- tions of police or fire department personnel. CA 50.1 STATE SURPLUS The City Manager announced TO BE CONSIDERED AT A that the use of the State FUTURE MEETING surplus funds to be allo- cated to Santa Ana in the amount of $2,632,500 will be considered at a future meeting, and he added that there are some important "strings" attached to the allotment. CA 65B MEETING TO REVIEW Councilman Brandt moved REMAINING DEPARTMENT BUDGETS to schedule June 26 at SCHEDULED at S:00 P.M. to review the budgets of the balance of the City departments. The motion was seconded by Councilman Bricken, and carried unanimously 7:0. APPOINTMENT OF COUNCIL Councilman Brandt moved COMMITTEE RE BUDGET CUTS to authorize the Mayor NOT APPROVED to appoint a Council Committee of three to start, immediately after the Monday, June 26 meeting, to re.fine the preliminary budget cuts approved by Council for each depart- ment with instruction to report to Council prior to the.date of the formal public hearing on the Budget, July 17. ~he motion was seconded by Councilman Ward, but it failed to carry as follows: AYES: Brandt, War~, Ortiz NOES: Garthe, Evans, Y~mamoto, Bricken ABSENT: None CA 65B ADJOURNMENT unanimously carried motion 7:0 by Councilman Ortiz. The meeting was adjourned to Monday, June 26, 1978 at S:00 P.M., in the Council Chambers on the of Councilman Bricken, seconded FLORENCE-I. MALONE CLERK OF THE COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL MINUTES 2S6 JUNE 24, 1978