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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin 06-06-01(1)MINUTES OF THE UKIAH CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting Wednesday, June 6, 2001 The Ukiah City Council met at a Special Meeting on June 6, 2001, the notice for which had been legally noticed and posted, at 4:30 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, California. Roll was taken and the following Councilmembers were present: Larson, Smith, Libby, Baldwin, and Mayor Ashiku. Staff present: Customer Service Supervisor Archibald, Public Utility Director Barnes, Airport Manager Bua, Community Services Director DeKnoblough, Police Captain Dewey, Finance Director Elton, Assistant City Manager Fierro, Interim Fire Chief Grebil, Risk Manager/Budget Officer Harris, Personnel Officer Harris, City Manager Horsley, MIS Coordinator Klingbeil, Community Services Supervisor Sangiacomo, Deputy Public Works Director Seanor, Museum Director Smith-Ferri, Public Works Director/City Engineer Steele, Planning Director Stump, Police Captain Walker, Police Chief Williams, Executive Assistant Yoast, and City Clerk UIvila. 2. REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2001-02 BUDGET ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND OBJECTIVES FOR VARIOUS CITY FUNCTIONS City Manager Horsley explained that staff is coming before Council to discuss the Departments accomplishments from last year and the objectives for next year. Staff will be selecting those items they feel are of importance. a. PUBLIC UTILITIES Sewer Division Public Utilities Director Barnes noted there has been concentration on work at the Wastewater Treatment Plant with some deferred maintenance in replacing some old pumps and grinders. They installed a new restroom and shower facility and locker room for the crews at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. They have instituted a state required Industrial Waste Compliance Program which will monitor industrial waste. This coming year they hope to continue to conduct routine maintenance and insulation of new facilities on the sewer system and will continue with some minor replacement of obsolete parts and equipment at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and to contract for an engineer to do the preliminary design for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and West Side Relief Sewer Projects. Discussion followed concerning the bid process for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project. The timeframe related to the West Side Relief Sewer Project and CEQUA review was also discussed. It was noted that staff should dialog with the water and sewer districts as well as the County regarding this project. Mr. Barnes explained that part of the West Side Relief Sewer Project will also go with the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion. That part will probably proceed with the plant expansion. Staff is looking at dividing the projects into two separate projects. Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 1 of ]! Electric Division Director Barnes explained that they are still working on the calibration/change out program for the meters in the Electric Division, and approximately 1800 meters remain to be calibrated or changed out. They have added some additional switches and sectionalizers in the system to breakdown magnitudes of any outages we have. They implemented a compliance record with General Order 165 which requires periodical insullation of their facilities. This coming year they want to finish replacing PCB transformers left in the system that exceed the California EPA standards. They plan to complete conversion of the 4 Kv to 12 Ky feeders along State Street from Henry Street to Low Gap Road. Other plans include installing underground switches along Orchard Avenue to limit the magnitude and duration of outages and to complete replacement and calibration of the remaining residential meters. Mayor Ashiku inquired if the substation on Low Gap Road is earmarked to be upgraded. Mr. Barnes advised that it is earmarked to be removed and perhaps made into a switching station. He further discussed the project and work in the surrounding area. He noted that some of the underground cable may be difficult to remove. Mayor Ashiku inquired about the money the Governor set aside for conservation programs and noted that he would like to take advantage of any resources that are allocated through NCPA for conservation that could be utilized by the City. Mr. Barnes explained that Administrative Assistant Burke has been assigned that task and has been working with NCPA on the 5X funds, 29X funds, and other projects that the City is considering. He explained that there is a total of 7200 meters within the system and approximately 1800 still need to be changed out or calibrated. All the commercial customers have been completed. City Manager Horsley noted that Mr. Barnes' staff has done a fantastic job with reconstruction of the lines. Staff will provide Council with another update this winter on their progress. Discussion followed regarding excessive glare from street lights and how citizens can contact the electric operations center or City Hall to have someone dispatched to the location. Councilmember Larson explained that h'e expected to see an objective regarding expanding the City's energy conservation program. Mr. Barnes explained that staff will come back to the Council shortly with a net metering rate and contract. He noted it still has to go to the City Attorney for review. A problem they have with some of the programs, particularly the 5X and 29X funds, is that it requires a large amount of documentation and follow up as to the effectiveness of the program, which will require more staff time than they have staff available. Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 2 of 11 Mayor Ashiku noted that other NCPA cities are using it within a defined city function because you can quantify it very easily. City Manager Horsley explained that those funds will be used for the solar panels on the new addition to City Hall. Water Division Mr. Barnes explained that staff will continue with the replacement of the systems, upgrading services, updating maps, provide conservation information to the schools, and offering tours of the plant by the schools. There are about 200 old meters that need to be changed. He noted that this is not an on-going program, however, staff picks them up when they find them. He continued to discuss leaks and high water usage by customers that may be the result of undetected leaks. Staff is available to assit customers with detecting leaks. City Manager Horsley explained that if someone has a water leak that they are unaware of, and submit proof of fixing the leak to the City, stff will discount some of their bill because it was something they had no control over. Councilmember Larson discussed the Planning Department's goal of completing the Master Service Element Plan for LAFCO, and assumed that the Plan involves water, sewer, and electric utilities, as well as other departments. He noted that the Planning Department is the only department that shows it as an objective. City Manager Horsley advised that a memo has been sent to all departments informing them of the need of compiling this information. b. PUBLIC SAFETY POLICE DEPARTMENT Police Chief Williams discussed accomplishments from the previous year including the purchase and installation of Mobile Video Units for each marketed patrol car with the department. He advised that they have experienced minimal problems with the units. He discussed the complaints received and advised that all officers were cleared of any wrong doing. He continued to discuss the success of the program. Objectives for this year include actively recruiting Officers with bilingual abilities. He discussed this goal in further detail with Council. The department is looking at a program to improve the bilingual skills of current officers. The department is also looking forward to implementing a community-wide bicycle safety program. The program would include education and enforcement. Discussion followed with regard to enforcement of bicyclist who violate the rules of the road and that education should extend to adults as well as school age children. Recruitment within the community for bilingual officers was also discussed. Councilmember Baldwin advised that he would be very supportive of a program that Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 3 of ]] would encourage officers, as part of their vacation, to attend an intensive language institute training either in California or Mexico. He continued to discuss various scenarios to enhance the bilingual skills of officers, and to encourage Anglo officers to become bilingual. Police Chief Williams discussed the use of in-car cameras and the audio transmitter that is in the police vehicle. When an officer needs to leave their vehicle, it is standard operating procedure for them to activate their transmitter. Police Captain Walker explained that the units selected were purchased with an environmental control device for each unit, due to the heat factor in Ukiah during the summer months. It is a cooling system for the units. Dispatch Police Chief Williams advised that during the past fiscal year a major expenditure for the Department was the purchase and installation of a new digital audio recording system in the Dispatch Center. it has upgraded staff's ability to record conversations coming in on the telephones to the Dispatch area and it has been a tremendous help. The division also completed the School Safety Radio Communications Network. He discussed this project in further detail. For the upcoming fiscal year staff's goal is to obtain and install a new enhanced 911 telephone system through State funding. Another important goal is the installation of a new radio antenna tower and base radio system, which will also benefit the Fire and other City Departments. Councilmember Larson inquired if the School Safety Radio Network is tied into the Critical Incident Response. Police Chief Williams responded affirmatively and discussed various possible situations in which the system would be beneficial. City Manager Horsley explained that there is a financial incentive for officers that have bilingual ability and that pass a test. Police Captain Walker noted that there currently is 7,000 law enforcement openings in California. Police Chief Williams briefly discussed generating renewed interest in the City's Cadet Program. FIRE DEPARTMENT Interim Fire Chief Grebil advised that staff has reviewed options for delivery of services and is currently focusing on the Joint Powers Agreement that would combine the City's Fire Department and utilize the California Department of Forestry (CDF) under contract. They have continued with cooperative relations with CDF and the Ukiah Valley Fire District Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 4 of Il (District) in the West Hills Vegetation Management Program and will continue to update Council on a regular basis during the next fiscal year. During the past year they completed demobilization of the North State Fire Station and consolidated the Police/Fire Mechanic with the Public Works' Central Garage. A 1987 ambulance was replaced with a newer dealer demo Rescue/Ambulance unit, as well as replacement of one of their four heart defibrillator monitors. The Department enhanced their portable radio inventory by having a portable radio issued to each of their on-duty firefighters. The radio will be with them whenever they leave the Fire Station and they will be able to communicate with each other as well as back to Dispatch in emergencies. The Department has completed a 13 month contract with the District and a key element during the past year is that they have integrated their two Volunteer Chief Officers into Duty Officer rotation which allows a Chief Officer to be available to the City 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Objectives for the next fiscal year include providing a smoke detector program and targeting seniors and infants. They completed one grant application to FEMA regarding that program. They will be reassessing their Ambulance Fee Schedule and revising it as appropriate and will continue support of the West Hills Vegetation Management Program. The Department will be looking to certify'one employee as a Hazardous Materials Specialist and provide all Federal and State mandated training. The Department plans to conduct some Advanced Cardiac Life Support training as well as other training for all paramedics. Staff will be working toward standardizing fire training program with the District. They also plan to replace a Police/Fire Mechanic vehicle and a defibrillator monitor, as well as install an on-site fire hydrant near the fire training tower. In an effort to work toward employee retention, they plan to replace some kitchen appliances, remodeling one of the storage rooms into an officer's dorm, paint the interior and re-carpet the Fire Station. They will be looking toward providing a heavy lift system for ambulances at the Central Garage and replacing the three large apparatus bay overhead doors with six smaller ones. The Department is looking forward to the establishment of an employee wellness program, provide part-time assistance to the Fire Prevention Bureau, and to provide full funding for the Apprentice Firefighter Program. Councilmember Baldwin inquired about the possibility of relocating the fire training tower to the Anton Stadium parking lot, should funds be available for relocation purposes. Fire Chief Grebil advised that the biggest value of having the tower located near the Fire Station is that on-duty staff can train. He continued to discuss the benefits to having the tower close to the station. He explained that other locations had been considered, but it would be inconvenient for staff. c. PLANNING DEPARTMENT Planning Planning Director Stump advised that one of the Planning Department's major accomplishment is that they were able to keep functioning for the first eight months of the year with only two planners, instead of three, given the work load. During the past fiscal Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 5 of Il year, the Department processed about 60 large and complex discretionary permits, secured grant money of $120,000 for Riverside Park and $40,000 for the Master Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. They recently completed a $100,000 application for additional bike and pedestrian improvements, which may be awarded prior to the end of this fiscal year. The Gibson Creek Habitat Enhancement andPublic Access Study was completed and staff continues to monitor the Mendocino County Ukiah Valley Area Plan (UVAP). Substantial progress has been made in revising the Mixed Use regulations for the Airport Industrial Park, which will eventually be reviewed by Council. Revisions to the Homeless Shelter Ordinance were adopted and staff is close to bringing forward for Council consideration of the Commercial Development Design Guidelines. Staff has developed and is implementing a new strategy for improving the processing of permits between the Planning and various departments. Objectives for the coming year include continuing to implement the Ukiah General Plan with in-house staff, the final Doolan Creek Enhancement and Public Access Study should be completed, as well as revisions to the Hillside District Zoning Regulations. It is anticipated that certification of the EIR for the Orchard Avenue Bridget extension project will occur next fiscal year. Staff will be pursuing adoption of a Master Services Element Plan for the City in conjunction with pursuing a reduction in the City's Sphere of Influence, as directed by the General Plan. They expect to adopt a new Sign Ordinance and new Nuisance Ordinance. Staff will implement plans to improve permit review coordination and processing, create and implement an infill development and "smart growth" philosophy, and to continue to secure grant funding to facilitate important long-range planning projects. Building Division The Building Division has completed all education requirements pursuant to Assembly Bill 717 and the Plans Examiner was again certified as a Plans Examiner for the coming years. The Building Division wants to continue to improve and develop positive working relationships with the building community and general public, develop new Building Permit informational brochures, and to continue to develop a system of cross training between the Community Planning and Building Inspection Divisions. Discussion followed regarding enforcement of the Sign Ordinance and the lack of a code enforcement team available. It was noted that the establishment of code enforcement standards would assist in enforcement of all City regulations. Councilmember Larson was of the opinion that an accomplishment that is not listed is that the Planning staff, Planning Commission, and the City Council can be credited with the Ceja project which stimulated the issue of commercial design guidelines and was presented an award for excellence in design from the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Stump advised that staff talks to developers about the Ceja project, and developers have been more cooperative in creating a good design. Further discussion followed concerning enforcement and a proposed Nuisance Ordinance. Complaints received by staff were discussed. Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 6 of 1] Councilmember Baldwin inquired about how the $40,000 grant will be used to implement the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. He also inquired where the original idea came from to revise the Sign Ordinance. Mr. Stump explained that part of those funds are earmarked for crosswalk improvements in the downtown and for the striping of bike lanes on Gobbi Street, between Dora and State Streets. He also explained that revising the Sign Ordinance has been discussed for many years. The previous Planning Director had begun a project for revising the Ordinance and had dialogued with a number of community.groups about the Ordinance, however, over time the project was set aside. Staff would like to pursue that project to completion. He noted the current Sign regulations as being difficult for the public to understand. The Ordinance would be reviewed and considered for adoption by the City Council. He continued to discussed current the role of the Code Enforcement Officer also being the City's Plans Examiner/Building Inspector, and his duties. Councilmember Libby noted that some time ago she discussed electrical signs with Building Inspector Tuliback with regard to upgrading the regulations and inquired if that will be adopted in the proposed Sign Ordinance. Mr. Stump answered affirmatively that the ULI would be included in the proposed Sign Ordinance. Discussion continued with regard to signage and the processing of the proposed Sign Ordinance. It was noted that it is a public-driven process and will be reviewed by the Planning Commission and then the City Council. There was also a brief discussion of the business community's interest in establishing standards for signage. Recessed at 5:48 p,m. Reconvened at 5:55 p.m. d. PUBLIC WORKS Engineering Division Public Works Engineer Steele advised that the Engineering Division has been down one position throughout the past year. Accomplishments for the fiscal year included completion of the 2000 Street Striping Project, coordinated preparation of a comprehensive grading, drainage, and erosion control plan for the Langley property, worked with the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) to update the City's Pavement Management System (PMS) and staff is currently in the midst of the first phase of Geographic Information System (GIS) implementation project. Objectives for the upcoming year include implementing Phase 2 of the GIS, undertake a Storm Drain Master Plan for the City and various drainage facilities, including a drainage system inventory to determine the condition of the culverts and ditches. Staff plans to solicit proposals for a number of projects, and to administer the contract and grant funding requirements to successfully complete the Corridor Enhancement Project. She discussed Regular'Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 7 of il updating the Subdivision Ordinance and it being an item of continuous improvement. Many on-going projects involve cooperating with the Planning Department and improvements to those processes. Mayor Ashiku drew attention to a drainage problem on the Darryl Braggs property and the adjacent neighborhood. He inquired as to the time frame for resolving the issues associated with this property. Director Steele advised that the project is included under the Drainage Study. She advised that the digital orthophoto that will be done in August will assist their department in preparing the Drainage Study. She discussed options for resolving the issue. She advised that the contract for the State Street Tree Project is to be awarded to a General Contractor with an "A" license due to traffic control and the altering of sidewalks, and there will be a subcontract to a landscaping contract for the trees. She noted that the Engineering Division and City Manager have reviewed the specific plan and the type of vegetation to be planted. City Manager Horsley explained that the specific plan for the project has not been brought before Council for review. The project will encompass the area from Beacon Lane to Ford Street. Further discussion followed concerning the species of trees to be planted. It was noted that the Department will install root barriers on all the trees to protect the existing utilities that are near the sidewalks. There was also discussion regarding the timeframe for installing the turning signal modifications on State Street and Low Gap Road. It was noted that there is a proposed development at the corner of Brush and State Street and depending on the details of the development, there would be requirements for some of the street improvements in the area. However, there is money available in the budget for installation of the left-turn lane arrows. Councilmember Libby inquired about the Oak Manor Safe Routes to School Project as to when the City will be notified if they are awarded the grant. Director Steele explained that the application was submitted on time and they should receive notification within a couple months. If the City receives notification that they will not be awarded the grant, a bridge could still be implemented within a few months. City Manager Horsley explained that if they were awarded the grant, staff would draw up the plans and put the project out for bid for the following spring. Street Maintenance Division Director Steele noted that they expect to utilize their PMS to help prioritize street repair and preventative maintenance, continue on-going maintenance of the storm drain facilities and culverts, continue with sidewalk repairs and grinding, and street tree maintenance and replacement. They will continue with on-going and routine maintenance. Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 8 of ll Councilmember Larson noted that it will take $1 million per year to maintain the status quo for the PMS. He continued to discuss funding to maintain the status quo and looking at additional revenue sources. There was some discussion concerning the goal to establish a City-wide vehicle replacement program. Corporation Yard Director Steele advised that staff completed the additional soil and groundwater investigations and next year they plan to continue with the hydrogeologic investigation work. Garage Division Director Steele explained that the Division merged with the Fire and Police Department's mechanic and will continue to maintain their equipment. She noted that there will be less equipment from the Landfill to manage in the future. Solid Waste Disposal Director Steele explained that staff has been working with State agencies to secure approval of a final closure and post-closure maintenance plan and have been working with Solid Waste Systems to be able to meet our needs until the Transfer Station is opened. Staff has also been working very carefully to extend the life of the current landfill until that happens. For the next fiscal year, staff will need to begin closure activities. Their schedule is to get the contract documents and construction drawings for the closure completed by November 2001 and will need to coordinate the tasks to verify that an engineered alternative cap is feasible. The verification would take place during the spring. The bid and award of contract for construction of the final cap would take place next fall. After that, staff will implement final corrective actions. Staff is currently focusing on taking it one step at a time. Councilmember Baldwin inquired as to when the surplus equipment could be sold. Director Steele responded that the sale could take place soon after the conventional landfill activities are completed, most likely in the early fall. It was her estimate that the value of the equipment is in the range of $200,000. The money from the sale of the equipment would go into the Enterprise Fund to pay for post-closure costs. Mayor Ashiku thanked Director Steele for a job well done with only eight months on the job, and noted the various divisions of the Public Works Department. e. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Finance Director Elton explained that the Department prepared a 30-year financial projection for the Redevelopment Agency. The Department also hired a new Accounting Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 9 of ]] Manager. He discussed the objective to develop an implementation plan for the new accounting rules (GASB 34) which take effect in fiscal year 2002/2003. He continued to discuss GASB 34. The Department plans to proceed with the review financial software and to continue staff training and cross-training of positions to provide backup support for departmental staff. Discussion followed concerning the new accounting rules. Information Technology Director Elton advised that most of the accomplishments for this division have been routine, however, there have been some major accomplishments, such as the installation of the Citywide area network and E-mail being made available to City staff. He discussed the benefits to staff of E-mailing. He reported that the City's new Internet Web site is now operational and this division has taken over the responsibility of maintenenace of that site. Objectives for the coming year include transferring the telephone system responsibilities from the Risk Manager/Budget Officer to the Information Technology Division. The Division will continue to maintain the City's Web site and to assist the Finance and Billing Divisions in reviewing potential new billing and financial software. Councilmember Baldwin inquired about the objective to investigate and begin preparations for possible implementation of a new Citywide computer operating system. MIS Coordinator Klingbeil responded by explaining that each year Microsoft presents several new operating systems and as they are presented, the option to implement them is always present. So far, the City has resisted, however, eventually that product is going to stopp being supported. New software will be developed for newer operating systems and the City will need to catch up. The City has been using Windows 98 for the past three years and could continue for the next two years. Discussion continued regarding reviewing alternate software/hardware solutions that the City may wish to consider. Purchasing Division Director Elton discussed the functions of the Purchasing Division as being routine. He noted that there are plans to relocate the Purchasing office into the new building once it is constructed. Billing and Collection Director Elton reported that during the past year, staff has developed and implemented a marketing plan for the Ukiah C.A.R.E.S. program. In the coming year the division plans to make upgrades and replacements in their billing software and procedures. They also plan to focus on training of staff in that division. City Manager Horsley advised that a review of the remaining department's Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 10 of ] ] accomplishments and objectives will be scheduled for the next Council agenda. 3. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, the City Council meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Marie Ulvila, City Clerk Regular Meeting June 6, 2001 Page 11 of ll