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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1992-02-19Mayor John R. Penna Council: Jack Drago Joseph A. Fernekes Gus Nicolopulos ~oberta Cerri Teglia AGENDA ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING CALL TO ORDER: (Cassette No. 1) ROLL CALL: ORAL COMMUNICATIONS MINUTES City Council City Council Conference Room City Hall February 19, 1992 voL. HH - 305 ACTION TAKEN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING 7:09 p.m. Mayor Penna presiding. Council present: Council absent: Drago, Fernekes, and Penna. Nicolopulos, and Teglia. City Clerk Battaya stated that Councilman Nicolopulos was ill and unable to attend tonight's meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Don Ross, 319 Fairway Dr., stated that he had problems with the Building Division that had been on-going for eight months. He stated that he has been an emergency communicator for the FCC for ten years, and in 1986 had helped write the current ordinance on antennas. He stated that the ordinance had failed to nail down specifics and things were being interpreted in different ways than his memory of the intent. He describe his problems: he had put an antenna up ten years ago without any problems; several months ago he had put up a tower with one nightmare after another; Mr. DeSanto wrote him a letter and told him he was in violation of City ordinance, and needed a permit; and upon questioning of Mr. DeSanto was told he did not know what he needed from the City and this dialogue went on for two or three weeks; he had also had problems with Mr. Baca, who was requiring seismic studies and wind load studies which would cost him a $1,000.00 for a tower under 40' high; he believed that this was not required under the ordinance; that this was putting an undue hardship on him because the services he performed were of 2/19/92 Page I AGENDA ACTION TAKEN ~RAL COMMUNICATIONS Vice Mayor Teglia arrived: 1. 1991-92 Budget. 1.10 306 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS a volunteer category to the Fire Dept., Kaiser Hospital and an emergency network. He requested assistance from the Council on this problem, because he felt $1,000.00 was exorbitant to pay for volunteer services for emergencies by a ham operator. He stated that he had plans drawn up, but because he was not a civil engineer Mr. Baca wanted him to pay $200.00 for an engineer to certify the plans for a permit that costs $30.00. City Manager Armas stated that he was aware of Mr. Ross' problems which largely centers on some provisions of the Uniform Building Code relating to radio antenna attachment of a tower to the structure of a house. He stated that the concern of the Chief Building Official was that the extent which given its height and the wind would result in the tower being removed from the attachment portion. He continued, so there was a request for some engineering calculations to if it was safe given the height. He stated that he would follow-up on the matter, and report back to Council and Mr. Ross. Vice Mayor Teglia arrived at 7:14 p.m. City Manager Armas gave an update on the 1991-92 Budget: that unless additional steps were taken at year-end expenditures would exceed revenues by approx. $2.8 million; staff had gone back into their internal operations and identified areas for savings of $400,000; that the 1992-93 financial picture was still uncertain due to the state of the economy; he was doubtful that the economy will turn around much before the beginning of 1993; that information on sales tax would be available in March, and property taxes in April; examined expenditures and not filling vacancies to save costs; that conservative estimates had been made in the budget for revenues; that expen- ditures had grown 7%, and the revenues 2/19/92 Page 2 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 1991-92 Budget - Continued. 307 5%; Council needed to look at what level of services the residents need to be pro- vided by examining the various services provided; the fund ending balance at June 30 will approx. $7.8 million, of which over $5 million is either designated for specific purposes such as catastrophic events or is undesignated and available for use - which is slightly more than 15%; and the need to exercise restraint and caution in preparing the budget for 1992-93, and appropriations would remain at the previous year's level; Council would prioritize capital improvement pro- jects, etc. Discussion followed: economic projec- tions by the State on the deficit; newspapers reporting that housing acti- vity was picking up; that the State has withheld money from local government in the past when the economy was poor; financial projections for a five year period; the projected deficit; that the $400,000 was a one time only savings; that the Depts. would have to absorb the MOU increases; transfer of $500,000 to the CIP; that capital improvements to the Library would have to be tabled; what the cost of doing business was in the City; what the service impacts would be with a budget reduction of $2,000,000.00; looking at two scenarios - a) status quo with the Depts. absorbing the cost of living increases through vacancies, and b) to cut $1.6 from the budget including the $500,000 to the CIP because the budget shows a deficit of $2.1 with the transfer; undesignated reserve funds; that the budget reduction goal had been $700,000, and only $400,000 had been found; c) that necessary reductions be made to the 1992-93 budget to be certain expenditures equal revenues. Further discussion followed: that Council had to decide what non-public safety costs could be cut if the economy did not turn around; what were the mini- mum services the City could perform and maintain the quality of life for the 2/19/92 Page 3 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN e 1992-92 Budget - Continued. Community Development Block Grant program. Closed Session for the purpose of the discussion of personnel 308 residents; getting a better fix on poten- tial income; projections for revenue; non-balance sheet types of assets, such as land that is not producing revenue; looking at other areas for revenue growth rather than talk about reduction of ser- vices and positions; fear of the deficit increasing year by year; that the para- medic rates were artificially low when most were covered by insurance, and the Council should look at raising it; that it was it a low level for the people that do not have insurance; that the Subcommittee would advise the Council after investigation of service levels; gas tax monies; having staff do follow up on sales tax, rather than the consultant; why the City Clerk had not shown a pro- jected reduction of budget; because she was facing an $16,000 election due to the referendum, and a budget cut was not realistic; that the General Plan had to be updated and staff was looking at ways to not spend money; reduction proposals in the Fire Dept.; etc. General consensus was that the 1992-93 budget would be prepared on maintaining same level of appropriation as authorized in current year, that $500,000 would not be transferred into CIP Budget as a result, as part of budget submittals, departments will identify impact on ser- vices, and staff will identify projects (such as library improvements) that will have to be deferred. Discussion followed: that only 15% of total CDBG funds may be expended in the public service organizations; looking at different firms to fund rather than the same on-going organizations; that the Council appoint their standing Subcommittee to review funding recommen- dations prior to presentation at a Council public hearing; that the funding should be for organizations that serve this community; etc. Closed adjourned to a Closed Session at 9:05 p.m. to discuss a personnel matter. 2/19/92 Page 4 AGENDA ACTION TAKEN 309 Closed Session - Continued. matters, labor relations, property negotiations and litigation. RECALL TO ORDER: ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Penna recalled the meeting to order at 11:05 p.m., all Council present, no action was taken. M/S Teglia/Fernekes - To adjourn the meeting. Carried by unanimous voice vote. Time of adjournment was 11:05 p.m RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Barbara A. Battaya~ City of South San Francisco ~jghn R..~P~en~a~Ma~~-----~ _ Y°rancisco 'he entries of this Council meeting show the action taken by the City Council to dispose if an item. Oral communications, arguments, and comments are recorded on tape. The tape dnd documents related to the items are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and are available for inspection, review and copying. 2/19/92 Page 5