ABSTRACT: Highlights of the Special City Council Meeting & BUDGET QUESTIONS & ANSWERS are presented. For FY 2008/09, the total revised budget is $14,285,494; estimated total Reserve Balance is $10,344,540. Selected BUDGET QUESTIONS & ANSWERS are presented with TOPIC headings, including FOREST, PARKS & BEACH, OUTSOURCING POLICY, FOREST THEATRE and STREET PROJECTS. COMMENTS are made on acted upon items. At the end of the 2 hours 26 minutes meeting, Council Member ROSE moved adoption of the 2008/09 through 2010/11 Triennial Budget, seconded by Council Member TALMAGE, and carried unanimously. Hyperlink REFERENCES are provided.
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
IV. Orders of Council
B. Consideration of a Resolution adopting the Fiscal Years 2008/09– 2010/11 Triennial Budget.
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea
General Fund Budget Summary - Revenues and Expenditures
FY 2006-07 Thru FY 2010-11
Revised FY 2008/09: $ 14,285,494
City of Carmel-by-the-Sea
Reserve Balances
FY 2008-09 Projected Balance
Estimated FY 08-09
Total $ 10,344,540
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
TRIENNIAL BUDGET
FISCAL YEARS 2008/09 - 2010/11
BUDGET QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
TOPIC: FOREST, PARKS & BEACH:
Q.1. Why isn’t there a provision for a full-time person to water trees? The proposed new director of the Forest, Beach and Public Services Department will have no impact on tree watering because he/she will oversee other areas besides the preservation of the forest.
Response:
The existing funding level for a person to water trees is $20,200. The funding level to make this position a full-time person is $52,000, which includes benefits. This is a job duty that could easily be outsourced to the City’s contract landscapers and a cost comparison should be performed prior to increasing the existing funding. Trees on the City tree list are considered drought tolerant once established.
COMMENT: A second part-time tree waterer was added to the budget for FY 2008/09 as a contract employee as a cost of $20,200; two part-time tree waterers for a total cost of $42,400. Note: Nine of the 15 public speakers spoke in favor of budgeting for a tree waterer.
Q.2. In times of near drought conditions, is it reasonable to hire a full-time tree waterer? Should the City focus on planting trees that are more drought tolerant? Should we postpone re-plantings until our future water supply is more certain?
Response:
All of the trees on the City tree list are considered drought tolerant once established. Our tree watering program utilizes the non-potable spring water from the Del Mar area and is independent of the local potable water issues. The City is committed to planting new trees. However, whatever hourly level this position is allocated will determine the number of trees that can be planted and sufficiently supported each year.
Q.3. Why is the Forest Study Implementation cost for 2008-09 only $20,000 and not the $50,000 approved by the City Council?
Response:
Approximately $30,000 of the total $50,000 approved for this project will be spent in the current FY 2007-08. The remaining $20,000 will be spent in FY 2008-09.
Q.7. On Page E-11 Forest, Parks, & Beach, what is covered by Outside Labor & Contractual Services?
Response:
Outside Labor covers the hiring of private companies to perform tree removals, tree pruning, stump grinding, tree planting, trail clearing, fuel and invasive plant removal, bridge and stairway repairs, pest control, independent consultant services, irrigation installation and repairs, and other services as required. Contractual Services covers an annual contract with a single private tree company for tree related service for the fiscal year up to the budgeted funds.
Q.5. If fires are not going to be banned on the beach, can monies be spent to clean up the fire areas each Monday? Also, money for reclaiming of Mission Trail Park from invasive species should be included in the budget.
Response:
The proposed budget includes spending $10,000 annually in contracted labor costs to assist City staff with the beach cleanups on Monday mornings from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Public Works internal staff will continue to clean up trash and will use additional contracted staff, if necessary.
In regards to Mission Trail Nature Preserve (MTNP), some invasive plants are cut and removed in the fuel abatement zones, but not plants such as live ivy, acacias and eucalyptus in other areas. Additional funding would be required to specifically target invasive species in MTNP. The City could contract with the California Conservation Corps or other private contractors for this service.
Q.17. What is the status of the Scenic Road beach restroom project either at 10th or 13th to replace the temporary porta-potties?
Response:
Staff is currently reviewing an architectural services proposal to complete a conceptual design of the Scenic Road beach restroom.
TOPIC: OUTSOURCING POLICY:
Q.4. With an annual budget of $14 million and $10 million in reserve funds, why does our city outsource so many projects which could be done by competent, professional in house City employees?
Response:
The primary purpose to outsource is to augment in-house staff. The benefits of outsourcing include cost savings, improved quality, specialized knowledge, access to a large talent pool and risk management mitigation.
TOPIC: FOREST THEATRE
Q.15. Are there plans for a public meeting to review the concept of the Forest Theater remodel? How can the public obtain a copy of the booklet given to City Council members on this plan?
Response:
The public will have ample opportunity to review and give input to the project as it goes forward in the process. A workshop has been tentatively scheduled for June 17, 2008. The McCann pre-design concept is available at the reference desk at Harrison Memorial Library.
COMMENT: Mayor Sue McCloud announced that the meeting for June 17, 2008 was canceled; a future date was not announced.
TOPIC: STREET PROJECTS
Q.12. The Nichols Study said the city needs to spend ~ $660,000 to maintain city streets at their current state. How much will be spent next year on City streets from all sources (Including 1B money, TAMC, etc.)?
Response:
For FY 2008-09, the proposed capital projects budget includes a total of $515,600 for street and road projects. Due to limited staff resources, staff recommends focusing on the proposed street and road projects and add additional projects if resources and funds are available by mid-year.
COMMENT: Library dry sprinkler system (1/2 match to Harrison Memorial Library Board of Trustees $45,000 from Unrestricted Reserve Fund) was added to the Budget for FY 2008/09 at a cost of $45,000; the $45,000 was taken from Street Projects, although Council Member Ken Talmage advocated for the $45,000 expenditure to come from the Capital Reserve Fund.
ADDENDUM:
Other changes to the 2008/09 through 20010-2011 Triennial Budget, specifically FY 2008/09:
•Total Budget changes for FY 2008/09 amounted to $68,940.
• On the recommendation of Mayor Sue McCloud, the banner permit fee was eliminated; banner permit fees generated $2,000.00 annually.
• Added $14,000 expenditure for the Carmel Chamber of Commerce for the mailing of their free "Guide to Carmel" Visitor’s Guide.
REFERENCES:
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 10, 2008
Agenda Packet
Archived Video
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 10, 2008
Duration: 2 hours 26 minutes
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
CALIFORNIA
DRAFT BUDGET
FISCAL YEARS
2008/09 THROUGH 2010/11
7 comments:
I’m glad the tree advocates got 2 part-time tree waterers. Something is always better than nothing. However, if the council was concerned about our forest and trees the members would have budgeted for much, much more. They would have instructed the city administrator to put budgeting for the forest as a priority knowing the years of neglect preceding now. They would have recognized and valued the conclusions of Barry Coate and funded a plan in phrases over the three year period to make his recommendations a reality. Instead, they, kicking and screaming, added 1 part-time waterer. Sadly, the forest will continue to decline, because it is not a council priority and the budget for the forest is not nearly enough.
Examples of a lack of foresight in dealing with Carmel's problems and issues abound. The idea that someone in the public or a city council member has to ask the city administrator and the finance person about invasives in MTNP and restrooms on Scenic Road is telling. For invasives in MTNP they tell us they could contract with the California Conservation Corps or other private contractors...you get the idea that Rich & Joyce havn't been in MTNP for a long while. If they had, they would have contacted the CCC and had a cost figure estimate.
Ditto for the Scenic Rd. restrooms. This has been a long standing complaint for years. And Rich is just now reviewing an architectural services proposal to complete a conceptual design of the Scenic Road beach restroom.
Budget after budget has been similar. The city desperately needs a city administrator who takes direction from competent staff and is proactive, not Rich who waits for Sue to give direction and is years behind addressing acute problems which have been with us a decade now.
Sane and reasonable persons have to ask themselves why wasn't the library sprinkler system in the original draft budget and also 2 part-time tree waterers or the requested 1 full-time tree waterer.
There is also no reason or reasonable city explanation for not budgeting $660,000 for the poorly neglected streets and roads of Carmel. Why does the city use taxpayer monies to fund professional studies and then not follow their recommendations?
Well done highlights.
I find it interesting the city says "The benefits of outsourcing include cost savings, improved quality, specialized knowledge, access to a large talent pool and risk management mitigation" with no proof whatsoever. Only government can keep doing something without any proof or evidence.
More importantly, there are always tradeoffs. Where are the acknowledged disavantages? There are many.
Absurd! In a well run city, the tree waterer would have been included in the city forester's budget and rubberstamped by the city manager, no questions asked. It would not have risen to the level of public debate where the public had to beg for a tree waterer when the city forester and F & B Commission asked for it in their budget.
This is another example of minutae stupidly elevated to wasted time and effort spent debating what should have been handled at the administrative level. Sometimes, correction, most of the time, I wonder about Carmel and the level of competence exhibited by all concerned.
Competence in our current city government? What is that? We haven't seen competence in a city administrator in eight years.
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