HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-28 CC Reso - Establishing Expenditure Plan for Public Safety and Oversight Board,___
RESOLUTION NO. 2014-28
, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UKIAH ESTABLISHING AN
EXPENDITURE PLAN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND AN OVERSIGHT BOARD TO MAKE
PERIODIC REPORTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE EXPENDITURE PLAN
WHEREAS:
I 1. The City of Ukiah is 47 square miles in size, but is surrounded by additional urban areas
and residential subdivisions within an unincorporated portion of Mendocino County. The
Ukiah Valley is the most populous portion of Mendocino County, containing, at least, 2/3 of
the total county population; and
2. The California Department of Finance estimates the population of the City of Ukiah ("City")
Ias of January 1, 2004, at 15,907 people and 16,185 as of January 1, 2014; and
3. Ukiah is the County Seat for Mendocino County and a commercial center for Mendocino
County, Lake County, Southern Humboldt County and Northern Sonoma County; and
I4. As such during business hours, the City population swells to perhaps as many as 40,000
people, including people who work, shop and receive services in Ukiah; and ,
5. Ukiah also is located on U.S. Highway 101, which is the major north-south highway west of I
Interstate Highway 5, and links southem California to Northem California and Oregon; and i
6. Consequently, a small city with a population of 15,907 people in 2004 and 16,185 in 2014
must provide law enforcement, fire protection and emergency medical services to a day
time population of 40,000, and respond to emergencies within the City, on U.S. Highway
101, and on a mutual aid basis within the larger Ukiah Valley; and
7. Public safety services are a general fund obligation of the City, which receives revenues
from ad valorem property taxes, sales taxes and vehicle license fees. The City receives
only 1% of the gross receipts from taxable retail sales within the City and less than 10% of
the property taxes collected from real property located within the City; and
� 8. While population within the Ukiah Valley and City of Ukiah has grown over the last 30
years, calls for police services have also grown significantly. Calls for police services has
I increased from around 2500 calls in 1969 to over 25,000 in 2014, or by 1000%. Calis for
service have increased in virtually every category, including assaults with weapons,
burglary, thefts and shoplifting, drugs, sexual assaults and domestic violence; and
9. In contrast, between the years 1989 and 2003, the number of sworn officers in the Ukiah
Police Department has remained constant at 28 officers; and
10. Calls for fire services have also grown. Between 1986 and 2012, fire calls increased 61% I
from 1.353 in 1986 to 3,277 in 2012; and
11. In 1988, the Ukiah Valley Fire District contracted with the City of Ukiah to provide fire
I services. The combined fre department had 15 firefighters; and
12. In 1988, the Ukiah Valley Fire District and City of Ukiah fire departments elected to
I independently provide fire services to their communities. Over the next 20 years, City of
Ukiah Fire Department continued to provide at least 15 firefighter staffing; and
13. In 2003, due to the State of California's budget deficit, the City's general fund revenues
were decreased significantly; and
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I 14. As a result, the City was faced with substantial deficits for fiscal years 2004-2005, which
required lay-offs or other reductions in expenditures for public safety services in the City;
' and
15. These budget deficits lead to deferment of equipment replacements, including fire engines,
the City's ladder truck and police patrol cars; and
16. To address the significant demands of an increased public safety workload and provide
funding for necessary equipment, in June of 2005, the Citizens of Ukiah passed by a
majority vote, Measure S, a '/z cent general sales tax measure ("Measure S Sales Tax"),
and Measure T, an accompanying advisory measure, which said that the first priority for
additional sales tax funds should be support of essential public safety services; and
17. Measure S provided funding that has been used to increase the Police Department staffing
from 28 sworn officers to 32 sworn officers. The 4 additional officers (one per work shift)
were added to address workload increases and decrease response times; and
18. Measure S allowed the Fire Department to replace aging fire equipment, including the
I City's essential ladder truck, and other fire vehicles, and maintain a staff of at least 15
firefighters, with at least 4 firefighters on duty per shift for emergency services; and
19. In 2008, the Nation, State of California and the City of Ukiah, experienced a recession
which significantly reduced city revenues from sales taxes, including revenues received
from Measure S. Due to these budget deficits, the City's general fund revenues were
, significantly decreased; and
20. This unanticipated nation-wide recession forced the City of Ukiah to eliminate open
positions, layoff personnel and reduce general fund budgets; and
21. Over the last six years, every employee in the City of Ukiah has had a 5% reduction in pay,
and absorbed increases to their health insurance costs, in addition to various unpaid
I furloughs and reduced work hours which were made necessary by significantly reduced
sales and property tax revenues ; and
22. The City of Ukiah fully complied with the PERS retirement cost reductions, reducing
retirements costs for new employees; and
23. The Police Department was reduced over a two year period from 32 sworn officers to 30
sworn, then 26 sworn officers, because of the 2008 recession and reduction in General
Fund revenues and Measure S revenues; and
i 24. The Fire Department operated ambulance service was eliminated as an additional measure
to economize in response to the 2008 recession and reduction in Measure S Sales Tax and
General Fund revenues, because the cost of the ambulance service exceeded the limited
compensation from reduced Medi-Cal and Medi-Care reimbursements; and
25. As the economy improved, and General Fund revenues and Measure S Sales Tax
revenues have been restored to the levels prevailing before the 2008 recession, the City of
Ukiah has worked to improve public safety services to the Ukiah community; and
26. For a two year period commencing January 1, 2014 and ending on December 31, 2015, the
City of Ukiah and the Ukiah Valley Fire District have entered a contract to provide fire
services to the entire Ukiah Valley and City of Ukiah; and i
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27. This agreement has increased the available on-duty firefighting staff to 18 firefighters, (11-
City paid personnel, 6-District personnel, and shared Fire Chief ) a combined two-
department volunteer firefighter force, with an increased firefighter capacity to at least 6
firefighters on-duty each day for firefighting and Paramedic medical services; and
28. The City Council has reauthorized the Police Department to increase staffing back to 32
sworn officers. The additional officers (which allow for an extra officer per work shift) were
added to address workload increases and decreased response times; and
29. Unlike the City's 1% share of the current 825% statewide sales tax, all sales taxes
produced by Measure S must remain in the City of Ukiah. These taxes cannot be taken
away by the State of California. Although enacted as a general tax which can lawfully be
used for any municipal purpose, the City Council has and by this resolution will continue to
place the Measure S Sales Tax revenue in a designated account within its budget and
financial statements so that its use for public safety services can be reviewed, audited and
accounted for; and
30. In addition, it is the intent of this resolution to commit the City to maintain the amount of
general fund revenues supporting public safety at or above current levels. This resolution
also commits the City to maintain the current level of public safety services, including a
minimum of 32 sworn police officer, and the level of fire prevention and protective services
commensurate with the City of Ukiah's portion of any City and District contractual
agreement forjoint fire, paramedic and fire prevention operations; and
31. Measure S will sunset in September of 2015. Without the continuation of Measure S Sales
Tax revenue, the City of Ukiah could not maintain current Police and Fire services. Without
Measure S Sales Tax revenues, the City of Ukiah would be forced to reduce or eliminate
some or all of these essential public safety services.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. EXPENDITURE PLAN: While the revenue received by the City from Measure S
Sales Tax is unrestricted general fund revenue, by this resolution, the City Council commits to
using these revenues to provide public safety services. "Public safety services" means law
enforcement and crime prevention services provided by the Ukiah Police Department, and fire
protection and prevention and emergency medical services provided by the Ukiah Fire
Department, by contract with the Ukiah Valley Fire Protection District or any other arrangement
approved by the City Council. These taxes may be used to pay for such public safety services
expenses as the training and salaries, including overtime and specialty pay, and fringe benefits,
of public safety officers and support staff working in the Police Department and of firefighters,
emergency medical technicians and support staff providing fire prevention and protection
services to the City. These funds may also be used for operating expenses, and the purchase
of vehicles, equipment and supplies, and capital improvements used exclusively for Public
safety services.
A. Accountinq for Public Safetv Services Revenue. In each fiscal year
commencing with the 2014-2015 fiscal year, for purposes of accounting for the use of these
revenues, the City shall continue to credit to an account or fund in the City's budget and
financial records, to be designated by the Finance Director, all of the following: (1) Measure S
Sales Tax revenue; and (2) "Public Safety Revenue" which is the revenue produced by the
Police and Fire Departments. ;
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B. Minimum level of Public Safetv Services. The City shall maintain a minimum
level of public safety services, but nothing in this resolution prevents the City Council from
establishing a higher level of public safety services, reorganizing or changing the method of
providing public safety services or reducing staffing for public safety where required by financial
' necessity resulting from circumstances beyond the control of the City, such as a prolonged
recession like the one experienced in 2008 or other prolonged and substantial reduction in
general fund revenues. The minimum level of public safety services shall be the level of such
services available in the City in the 2014-15 fiscal year, including the following: (1) thirty-two
(32) full-time peace officers as defined in Penal Code Section 7 and Title 3, Part 2, Chapter 4.5
(commencing with Section 830), and the level of fire prevention and protective services
commensurate with the City of Ukiah's portion of any City and District contractual agreement for
joint fire, paramedic, and fire prevention operations .
2. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. Every two years after the Effective Date of Ordinance No.
1149, extending the Measure S sales tax, the City Council shall appoint five people to an
"Oversight Committee" the only function of which shall be to review the City's budget for public
safety services and the expenditure of the revenues so budgeted. The persons appointed to the
Oversight Committee should represent a broad range of interests in the City, including such
interests as business owners, ethnic minorities, (1) Ukiah City firefighter, (1) Ukiah City peace
officer, homeowners and tenants.
The City Manager shall provide the Oversight Committee with any information it requests which
is not exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act and shall assist it in
i organizing and analyzing the information so provided. The Oversight Committee must prepare
a written report which shall be presented to the City Council at a noticed public hearing and
' which shall be available to the general public for not less than 10 calendar days prior to the
scheduled hearing date. The report shall contain an analysis of the level and types of service
provided by the City's police department and fire department or other arrangement approved by
� the City Council, the revenues and expenditures of the designated fund or account. It shall also
make recommendations concerning the future use of these funds and levels and types of
service. The Oversight Committee shall dissolve after it files its report with the City Council,
until a new Oversight Committee is appointed for the next two year review.
3. ACCOUNTING FOR MEASURE S SALES TAX REVENUE. All Measure S Sales
, Tax revenues and all interest on said revenues shall be credited to the designated fund or
account and shall be designated for use in accordance with this Resolution.
PASSED AND ADOPTED ON JUNE 24, 2014, BY THE FOLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: Councilmembers Scalmanini, Crane, Thomas, Landis, and Mayor Baldwin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
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Philip E. Idwin, Mayor
I ATTEST:
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Kristine Lawler, City Clerk
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