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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 2009-03-25 (2)MINUTES CITY COUNCIL CITY OF SOUTH SALT FRANCISCO REGULAR METING MUNICIPAL SERVICES :BUILDING COMMUNITY ROOM 33 ARROYO DRIVE CALL TO ORDER: ROLL CALL: PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PRESENTATIONS WEDNESDAY, MA~CII 25, 2009 7:05 P.M. Present: Councilmen Garbarino, Gonzalez aid Mullin, Vice Mayor Addiego, aid Mayor Matsumoto. Absent: None. Led by Resident, Sonny Koya. State of the City Address - Presented by Mayor Matsumoto. Mayor Matsumoto thanked the public for joining Council for the first "prime time" state of the City Presentation. She then presented the State of the City Address. The Mayor's Address acknowledged current financial turmoil being experienced at all levels of government and provided an overview of its impact on South San Francisco. This included an explanation of where the City's revenues come from ,and how funds are allocated, including reserves. The Mayor also defined Redevelopment, advising that State law authorizes cities to set up Redevelopment Agencies as a tool to foster economic development and jobs, remove blight and build more affordable housing. She noted that South San Francisco has four redevelopment areas: the El Camino Corridor, the Dowmtown, Gateway and Shearwater. Gateway and Shearwater are often referred to as East of 101. Revenue in the form of tax increments is generated from annual increases in the assessed value of properties located within each of these areas. This revenue is returned to the Redevelopment Agency to be used for infrastructure improvements. The Mayor then updated residents regarding the status of various services within the City, including the Fire Department, Library and technology upgrades to the webste and other programs. She noted the City was making great strides towards green initiatives and was proactively seeking to reduce its carbon footprint by among other things, looking at solar and wind power for the Water Quality Control Plant, reducing the number of City fleet vehicles that run on gasoline, enacting an ordinance prohlibiting Styrofoam containers and working in conjunction with sustainable local nonprofit organizations. The Mayor next explained that workforce development visas high on the City's radar. By partnering with the Applied Biotechnology Center it co-sponsored the South San Francisco Career Fair on March 9th at the Conference Center. Thy biotech industry makes up a large portion of the City's employment base and provides significant tax revenue and would continue to be an important source of such income. Mayor Matsumoto then sought to bring residents up-to-date on the then current status of the City's budget and in the coming fiscal year. Salaries' and benefits accounted for 78% of the annual budget leaving only 22% for vehicles, small equipment, landscaping, supplies, programs and the like. When the Council approved the budget for fiscal year 2p08-OS~, 42 positions were frozen. In February, staff presented the Council with $1.5 million dollars in budget cuts to close a gap in revenues for fiscal year 08-09. These cuts were accomplished by keeping positions unfilled, allowing for significant savings in salaries as well as cutting funding in areas that were deemed expendable for the remainder of the fiscal year. Staff continued to evaluate cuts for fiscal year 09-10 wh~ch would total almost $4 million. These cuts would. be more substantial. and create greater service impacts, but would permit the City to keep full-time workers employed. Some of tie anticipated impacts would be cuts in library hours and reference desk staffing; a slower response to repai*-ing potholes, sidewalks, curbs and gutters; a 4% across-the-board inct±ease in recreation fees; the discontinuation of some Police outreach programs and tie elimination of the City's newsletter in its current form. Staff and the Council's B,!udget Subcommittee would continue to monitor the economic climate and make recdmmendations to the full Council of further cuts they may deem necessary. Hopefully, that would not come to fruition. Mayor Matsumoto further noted there had been a national call to service. She advised Council wanted to make sure South San Franciscans had every opportunity to answer that call in a way that worked best for them. Volunteer Wea~'k would be April 19th to the 25th and the City would hold a Volunteer Fair on Tuesday, April 21St, from 3-7 pm at the Municipal Services Building. The Mayor closed by stating her hope that the address eiducated residents about their City Government. Like other cities on the Peninsula, South fan Francisco would face some serious challenges in the coming years. She noted that the City Council and staff share a deep love for South San Francisco and asked the public,to please know all were working diligently to ensure financial stability to maintain the quality of life residents had enjoyed in years past. Mayor Matsumoto thanked Assistant to the City Manager Kennedy and Management Analyst Bernal-Silva for their assistance with the State bf the City Presentation. Vice Mayor Addiego thanked Mayor Matsumoto for coaning up with the idea of delivering the State of City address in this manner. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 25, 2009 MINUTES PAGE 2 Councilman Gonzalez asked members of the public that were present whether they would like to see the State of the City Address presented in this'fonnat on an annual basis. Audience member. s responded in the affirmative. Recess: 7:30 p.m. Meeting Resumed: 7:50 p.m. AGENDA REVIEW None. PUBLIC COMMENTS Resident and South San Francisco Unified School District ("SSFUSD") Trustee Judy Bush appeared to invite the public to a Budget Forum SSFUSI'!) would be presenting on March 31st at 6:00 pm at the Westborough Middle School. Resident Ela Khostovan appeared to advise Council of vy~hat she perceived as a dangerous traffic situation on Park Way during the evenings. She advised of reckless and wrong-way driving on the street. She requested Council's help to make Park Way a safe street. Mayor Matsumoto directed Ms. Khostovan to speak with Chif;f of Police Raffaelli and Public Works Director White, both of whom were prese#~t, regarding the situation. ITEMS FROM COUNCIL • Announcements • Committee Reports Councilmembers reported on attendance at community meetings and events, including a meeting with Downtown Merchants. Council advised residents of upcoming events including a First Time Homebuyer's Seminar that would take place on March 31St Specific items for further action and/or consideration wire set; forth as follows: Councilman Addiego took a moment to reflect on the fqur Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in Oakland. He suggested that the Maypr's Office send a letter of condolence to the City of Oakland and paused to remerr~ber• Sergeant Dunakin, Sergeant Sakai, Sergeant Romans and Officer Hege. Councilman Garbarino joined in the expression of sympathy for the Oakland Police Officers as did the rest of Council. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 25, 2009 MINUTES PAGE 3 Councilman Mullin advised that in lieu of the traditional ~Vlay revision of the State budget, there would be a June update. He further advised of his (participation in a brainstorming session regarding the future of PenTV. Mayor Gonzalez advised the public of an item that would come before the Planning Commission at its April 2"d meeting regarding a use permit hearing pertaining to an applicant seeking to offer retail sales of new and used firs arms. • Council of Cities Nominations - SamTrans Board. • Council of Cities Nominations - ABAG Alternate. Mayor Matsumoto advised that Vice Mayor Addiego woiuld be representing her at the Council of Cities meeting that would take place that weelk. She stated there were three positions to be voted on. Council's policy was to providle direction to its representative as to how to vote in the first round and the vote was left to the representative's discretion with respect to the second round. After discussion Council determined to support Linda Kpelling for appointment to the SamTrans Board by a three (3) to two (2) margin. After discussion, Council determined to support Councilman <sonzalez for appointment as the ABAG alternate. Mayor Matsumoto asked staff to v~ork: with Councilman Gonzalez to make sure his appointment as the ABAG Alternate wound not prevent him from running for the seat in June. Mayor Matsumoto next advised Council had received a fetter regarding appointment to HEART after the Agenda was posted on Friday, March ~Otn City Attorney Mattas advised that although discussion o~the appointment was likely permissible within the Agenda description, the safest coarse was for Council to declare consideration of the item an urgency. Motion -Councilman Garbarino/Second-Councilman' Gonzalez: to consider candidates for appointment to HEART with respect to Council of Cities Nominations as an urgency item. Unanimously approved by voice vote. As other candidates might present themselves at the Council of Cities Meeting, Council directed Vice Mayor Addiego to make the decision with respE;ct to who the City would vote for in the first round. CONSENT CALENDAR Motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of l~'larch 11, 2009. 2. Motion to confirm the expense claims of March 2~, 2009. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MARCH 25, 2009 MINUTES PAGE 4 Motion -Councilman Garbarino/Second -Councilman Mullin: to approve the Consent Calendar. Unanimously approved by voice vote. COMMUNITY FORUM None. ADJOURNMENT Being no further business, Mayor Matsumoto adjourned the meeting at 8:27 p.m. Submitted by: y, l1~ ~I~rista rtinelli-Larson ity Clerk City of Sou ~ sco .Approved: , 'i G Karyl Matsumoto, Mayor City of South San Francisco REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES MARCH 25, 2009 PAGE 5