July 3 Council Meeting Summary
Editorial staff

The council had a light agenda and relatively short meeting on the eve of July 4th. Few residents attended, and most of them left after making public comments. One resident said the city should close the community foundation because it’s not raising money. A year ago, the foundation board chairman said it would raise $1.5 million during its first year for the benefit of the community and senior center expansion. The foundation has obtained $360,000 in pledges, but the total collected is unclear.

Another resident questioned why the city staff hadn’t followed up with a manufacturer to get information about prefabricated restrooms for the proposed facility at Melinda Park. Councilman John Paul Ledesma asked the city staff about following up, and a staff member reported the information had been received. It was noted by the resident that the total cost of a prefab restroom is $35,000, and the budget calls for $35,000 for the design process alone. City Manager Dennis Wilberg clarified the much-discussed cost of park restrooms, $500,000, as being the cost of the restroom at Florence Joyner Park. He said future restroom facilities wouldn’t necessarily cost $500,000.

No consent calendar items were pulled by council members, and the public pulled only two items. The ordinance permitting Senior Community Activity Team members to write parking citations passed 4-1 with Councilwoman Gail Reavis dissenting. The item regarding the Marguerite Recreation Center (YMCA) renovation (completion of the fire suppression system) passed 5-0. The council voted 5-0 in favor of the city’s annual weed abatement program (Phase 1) following a public hearing, during which no members of the audience spoke. Another item, the citywide classification and compensation study, was continued until the next meeting.

Assistant City Manager Irwin Bornstein presented a report on the revised fiscal year 2006-2007 city budget, which will be acted upon during a special council meeting on July 31. Only Councilwoman Reavis appeared ready to discuss the budget. She said, “I spent three hours last night typing my notes.” It became apparent the other four council members had either not read the report or were unprepared to talk about it. Councilwoman Trish Kelley asked what topics Reavis found worthy of discussion.

Reavis described the city’s plan to spend uncollected funds, such as the foundation’s money that hasn’t been raised for the community center. She also mentioned the problem of trying to spend the anticipated $2-million in-lieu fees from Steadfast when its mixed-use project has been frozen by a lawsuit. Another developer, UDR/Pacific, received council approval for its housing project, but the project – and any anticipated fees – are now off the table. Reavis added other concerns, such as the planned deck at the Nadadores’ facility, which isn’t in the budget. Reavis summarized, “We’re saying we have the money, and we don’t. Let’s be honest about it.”

Councilman Frank Ury said, “There’s nothing you’ve said that worries me a bit. I think all five of us are thinking way too hard.” No one responded to what seemed an ironic statement.

Another council member appeared to offer an excuse for being unprepared to discuss the budget information, saying “for the benefit of the audience” that being a council member isn’t a full-time job.

Those watching the program might still conclude that anyone working in a part-time job is obligated to work part of the time.

A member of the audience, Jim Woodin, made public comments after the council’s discussion. He asked about the revised budget, including spending of funds that hadn’t been collected and hiring staff members to grow the city bureaucracy. He said the budget revisions should be dead on arrival. He added, “The budget emphasis should be coming from the top down, which is the council, instead of the bottom up, which is the staff.”

Councilwoman Kelley responded, “We’ve been giving direction to the staff.” Kelley appeared unfamiliar with any portion of the revised budget.