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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026_05_18 - SpecialMINUTES Special meeting of the City Council of the City of Redlands held in the Council Chambers, Civic Center, 35 Cajon Street, on Monday, May 18, 2026 at 5:00 P.M. Present:Mario Saucedo, Mayor Marc Shaw, Mayor Pro Tempore Paul Barich, Council Member Eddie Tejeda, Council Member Denise Davis, Council Member Staff: Charles M. Duggan, Jr., City Manager; Yvette M. Abich Garcia, City Attorney; Jeanne Donaldson, City Clerk; Phillip Doolittle, City Treasurer; Danielle Garcia, Interim Assistant City Manager; James Garland, Interim Management Services/Finance Director; Rich Sessler, Fire Chief; Rachel Tolber, Police Chief; Tabitha Crocker, Facilities and Community Services Director; Don McCue, Library Director; Monica Heredia, Municipal Utilities and Engineering Director; Brian Foote, City Planner/Planning Manager; Jenna Yorck, Human Resources Manager   A. Call City Council Meeting to Order Mayor Saucedo called the special meeting to order and offered the public an opportunity to address them on any matter scheduled on this agenda or any matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council which is not already scheduled on the agenda. Public comments were presented either in-person via Zoom, via cell phone or landline. B. Public Comment Budget Musings - Dennis Bell was displeased that the public had only a limited amount of time to review such a complex document as the Budget Book, leaving very little opportunity to examine it thoroughly. He raised several questions including, how was the city planning to budget for the Redlands Historical Museum, how were vehicle leases, fee waivers, and CalPers budgeted, and were higher water rates intended to cover the debt service. C. Fiscal Years 2026-2028 Budget Workshop 1. Proposed Budget Overview Mayor Saucedo made a brief statement to open the meeting. He urged the Council to work collaboratively to manage expenditures, ensuring the City can sustain the standard of services residents rely on. City Manager Duggan and Interim Assistant City Manager Garcia provided an overview of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2027-28 Budgets. The City Manager's budget message explained that this proposal continues the City's strategic investment in core services and its commitment to responsible financial stewardship. The budget advances key initiatives in public safety, infrastructure replacement and improvement, and technology modernization. Driven by ongoing national and global policy changes, this budget was developed during a period of financial caution. Accordingly, the City’s financial strategy will increasingly emphasize maintaining structural balance by aligning ongoing expenditures with sustainable revenue levels, prioritizing core services, and carefully evaluating new or expanded commitments within the context of long-term fiscal capacity. It was pointed out the workshop is an initial presentation of the budget and the Council will have more time to review the book, which is scheduled for discussion on June 2, 2026. Due to technical disruptions with Zoom, the Mayor recessed the meeting at 5:17 P.M. with the meeting resuming at 5:19 P.M. FISCAL YEAR 2026 SUMMARY In FY 2026, the City advanced major projects in civic facilities, public safety, parks and cultural amenities, homelessness services, climate action, fire station improvements, and public safety technology aimed at enhancing the community's quality of life. Revenue forecasts improved slightly, but reserve-funded capital spending increased due to the timing of approved projects, especially State Street City Hall and Safety Hall. FISCAL YEAR 2027 & 2028 OVERVIEW For FY 2027–2028, the budget focuses on balancing slower revenue growth with rising costs while investing in emergency response, public safety, parks, libraries, historic preservation, and long-term infrastructure. Key planned projects include replacing a paramedic squad, upgrading emergency medical equipment, providing ballistic protection for fire personnel, enhancing police support operations, revitalizing Texonia Park, improving Sylvan Park and Joslyn Senior Center, preserving A.K. Smiley Public Library, continuing Safety Hall and Fire Station 264 projects, and pursuing Good Nite Inn transitional housing acquisition. Some requested projects remain unfunded due to limited resources. The proposed biennial budget uses Measure T revenues to support key community priorities such as public safety, infrastructure maintenance, capital reinvestment, homelessness response, and quality-of-life programs. The budget reflects a balanced approach to maintaining essential services while investing in long-term sustainability, despite slower revenue growth, rising operating and personnel costs, and increasing infrastructure obligations. Departments have re-prioritized spending, deferred lower-priority items, and made operational reductions to preserve core services and fund critical investments. Major planned investments include Safety Hall, relocation of Fire Station No. 264, public safety technology upgrades, homelessness response efforts, and HVAC replacement at the A.K. Smiley Public Library. The budget also acknowledges inflation, aging facilities, labor market pressures, and the need to recruit and retain qualified staff, while anticipating the strategic use of reserves for major capital projects. Overall, the City emphasizes continued prioritization and careful long-term planning to balance service levels, infrastructure needs, employee investment, and fiscal stewardship. A brief recess was taken at 6:34 P.M. with the meeting resuming at 6:48 P.M. A six-year long-term financial forecast was presented, offering insight into projections through the year 2032. It was noted that to appropriately and responsibly add staffing and continuing expenses to the budget, a Six-Year Financial Model was used. Expenses were projected out with an inflation factor of 2.5%. Revenues were modeled under a “Steady” economic scenario and the annual running total for unassigned fund balance helped frame the decisions made concerning budget choices. City Manager Duggan added that as the next Biennium budget begins, he and staff intend to undertake the following: 1) A deep review of Departments/Service levels; 2) A complete Strategic Plan for FYs 2029 through 2032; 3) Preparation to decrease General Fund spending by $4.5M in Biennium FY29-30. Questions raised by Council Members centered on a number of topics including, vehicle leases, deficit spending, unfunded projects, tree trimming budget, utility assistance program, mitigation measures to assist homeowners with insurance companies, and subsidizing the citrus grove fund. The grove fund needs to be thoroughly reviewed and reevaluated, and Director Crocker pointed out that the City won't begin to receive revenue from the newly replanted groves for five years, as the trees will not start producing fruit until then. Following the overview, department heads discussed their FY 2027-2028 budgeted revenues and expenditures requests and responded to questions from the Council. Each Council Member expressed their appreciation for City Manager Duggan, Interim Assistant City Manager Garcia and the entire staff for their outstanding work in development of this proposed budget. Special thanks were given to Interim Management Services/Finance Director James Garland, Finance Manager Marie Datuin and Budget Analyst Miriam Valtierra. The Proposed Budget discussion will continue at the regular meeting of June 2, 2026. D. Adjournment There being no further action required the special meeting adjourned at 7:36 P.M.