HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016_05_25 - Special MINUTES: of a special joint session meeting of the City Council and the Successor Agency to
the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Redlands held in the Council Chambers,
Civic Center, 35 Cajon Street, on three separate days at 5:30 P.M. on May 25, 26
and 31, 2016
PRESENT: Paul Foster, Mayor
Pat Gilbreath, Councilmember
Paul Barich, Councilmember*
John James, Councilmember
ABSENT: Jon Harrison, Mayor Pro Tem
*Councilmember Barich was absent from the session on May 31,
2016.
STAFF: Enrique Martinez, City Manager; Sam Irwin, City Clerk; Robert Dawes, City
Treasurer; Carl Baker, Public Information Officer; Jeff Frazier, Fire Chief, Mark
Garcia, Police Chief, Danielle Garcia, Chief Innovation Officer; Chris Diggs,
Municipal Utilities and Engineering Director; Chris Boatman, Quality of Life
Director; Tina Kundig, Finance Director; Oscar Orci, Development Services
Director; Amy Martin, Human Resources Director
Mayor Foster called the meeting to order and offered those present the opportunity
to provide public comment on any subject within the jurisdiction of the City
Council or the Successor Agency.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Citizen Report — At the May 25, 2016 meeting, Steve Rogers introduced a
Redlands Police Department Citizen Report he had written to complain about
mistreatment he said he has received from the City Manager and staff. He read
from documents attached to the report and submitted two copies of the entire
package to the City Clerk.
Olio — At the May 31, 2016 meeting, Dennis Bell began his remarks with a
compliment to the City of Redlands Hometown Heroes Program for the successful
Memorial Day observance at Hillside Memorial Gardens. He then inquired about
the legality of automobile detailing enterprises around the city and the ubiquitous
political signs.
FY 2016-2017 BUDGETS - CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION:
Three special meetings of the City Council were held on the subject of the FY
2016-2017 Proposed Budgets to provide adequate opportunity for public comment
prior to consideration and approval from the City Council and the Board of
Directors of the Successor Agency. The format of all three meetings was
consistent with time set for opening comments from members of the City Council
Budget Subcommittee, Councilmembers Gilbreath and James and City Treasurer
Dawes, providing their perceptions of the document proposed for consideration
and the process employed for its derivation. In introducing the Proposed Budget
Summary for the General Fund, Finance Director Tina Kundig highlighted the fact
Special Meetings
May 25,26 and 31,2016
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that overall FY 2016-2017 revenues, primarily from property taxes, sales taxes and
franchise fees, are projected to increase by $916K. After a lull in development
activity and revenues during FY 2015-2016, these revenues for FY 2016-2017 are
estimated to increase by $597K. The total available sources to fund General Fund
operations for FY 2016-2017 are planned to be $64.4M. Final budgeted
expenditures are planned at $58.8M for FY 2016-2017 which results in a year-end
General Fund estimated surplus of $93,451.00 and an ending unreserved fund
balance of $8.9M at June 30, 2017. An unreserved fund balance of $8.9M,
together with $10.3M in reserves, equals $19.2M and represents approximately
three and a half months of operating costs or 29%, which exceeds the Government
Finance Officers' Association recommendation of at least 2 months or 16.67%. As
public comment at the May 25, 2016 meeting, Katherine Gifford, of the Friends of
the A.K. Smiley Library, relayed a story of the positive life changes experienced
by one graduate of the Adult Literacy Program to clearly demonstrate the
significant value of the Program to the community and to solicit support for
increased funding in the budget. Steve Rogers said he did not have time to read
the budget documents and requested a presentation from staff to educate the public
on details. At the May 26, 2016 meeting, Dennis Bell requested that details be
included in the budget documents to clearly reflect the impacts of the City Council
policy on fee waivers and the revenue losses to the Water Department experienced
as a result of conservation efforts in response to drought. He also indicated his
disapproval of the gateway landscaping project. At the May 31, 2016 meeting,
Christine Mitchell and Ted Parsons, of the Friends of the A.K. Smiley Library,
called for the restoration of library operating hours, materials and programming to
funding levels equivalent to those experienced prior to the budget cuts of recent
years. Dennis Bell inquired as to the significant funding increases budgeted for the
Liability Self Insurance Fund. In conclusion to the workshops, Mayor Foster
reiterated the conservative nature of the planning factors used to derive the
proposed budget and reminded those present that two budget reviews will occur
during the coming fiscal year, rather than the usual one mid-year review, and
candidate proposals for use of actual surpluses will be considered at that time.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting of May 25th was adjourned at 6:12
P.M. and continued to the special joint session meeting held on May 26, 2016 at
5:30 P.M. The meeting of May 26th was similarly adjourned at 5:44 P.M. and
continued to 5:30 P.M. on May 31, 2016. The meeting on May 31st was
adjourned at 5:48 P.M. The next regular meetings of the City Council and the
Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Redlands are
scheduled for June 7, 2016.
Special Meetings
May 25,26 and 31,2016
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