The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About07-11-1995 City Council Minutes MINU~ES SARATO3A CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 - 7:00 p.m. PLACE: City Hall Administration Meeting Room, 13777 Fruitvale Ave. TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting 1. Roll Call Councilmembers Jacobs, Moran, Tucker, Wolfe and Mayor Burger were present. Staff Present: City Manager Peacock, Public Works Director Perlin, Recreation Director Pisani, Finance Director Fil, Interim Finance Director-Smith, Associate Planner Walgren, Building Maintenance Supervisdr Rizzo 2. Report of City Clerk on posting of Agenda The City Clerk reported that, pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on July 7. The notice of adjournment from the July 5 Council meeting was properly posted on July 6. 3. FY 1996-97 Budget (continued from 6/21) The City Council agreed to the following changes to the draft budget. Approve the changes as set forth in the revised recommendations dated June 28, 1995, cut an additional $15,000 from activity 8082-6785 (vehicle replacement) by deleting the replacement of vehicle number 73, accept the proposed changes to activity 7075-4515 (litigation) as set forth in the City Manager~s memorandum of July 7, 1995, by adding $15,000 to the 1995-96 budget and $10,000 to the 1996-97 budget. The City Council discussed how it might handle the Sheriff substation from a budget perspective. It was concluded that any number of options could come to pass with budget consequences for 1995-96 and 1996-97 of from $0 to $480,000. Much of the uncertainty revolving around the timing of the negotiations between the county and West Valley College on acquiring a site for a new station. The City Manager indicated that these negotiations would most likely not conclude until September or October at the earliest and depending on their outcome, courses of action could be very different. Council agreed to revisit this issue at the first quarterly review meeting on budget status in October if negotiations had been completed by that time. It was so moved by Moran and seconded by Wolfe. Council then agreed to hold the vote on this motion so it could take up the next item on the agenda for decision as it would affect the direction given to staff in preparing the necessary resolution on the budget implementing the changes set forth above. 4. Request by Saratoga Community Access Television to Approve a $2,000 Stipend for the Community Access Coordinator through the Clty~s Payroll and Budget System It was moved' by Jacobs, seconded by Wolfe and passed 5-0, to approve the request of the Foundation and to make the necessary changes to the budget as contained in the City Manager~s memorandum on this subject dated July 11, 1995. These changes are: Expenditures 1995-96 1996-97 6067-3010 Wages, full time $6,856 $7,099 6067-3020 Wages, temporary $10,400 $10,665 6067-3030 Benefits $3,307 $3,414 Total $20,564 $21,178 Revenue General Fund Refunds/Reimbursements $9,855 $10,193 Franchisee Payment $5,000 $ '0- Total Revenue $14,855 $10,193 City Council Minutes 2 July 11, 1995 The motion to approve the draft X996-97 budget, as amended, was amended to include the action taken on Item #4 and to direct the City Manager to prepare the final budget resolution for Fiscal 1995-96 and 1996-97 for adoption by the City Council on July 19, 1995 incorporating all of the changes approved through July 11, 1995. The amendment was accepted iOy the mover and the seconder of the main motion and the motion paE~sed 5-0. 5. Discussion of Possible Rezoning of ~brams Property. The City Manager indicated he had been contacted by Dr. Abrams inquiring as to the interest of trxe City in allowing his property to be rezoned for general commercial use as he had been approached by Home Depot concerning his nine acre site on Sara~coga Avenue between Cox and the Freeway. It was the general consensus of the Council that rezoning for such a use would not be in keeping with the character of Saratoga and would not be supported by the community despite the additional tax revenue such a use would bring to the City. Council did indicate that if Dr. Abrams Was actively marketing the property for development that uses other than offices which would be less intensive than "big box" retail would be of interest to the City. Uses such as a Courtyard by Marriott were mentioned as a possible acceptable! alternative. The City Manager indicated he would so inform~Dr. Abrams. 6. Self-Evaluation of Previous Meetings. '. The Council discussed both the meeting of July 5th and July 8th. Council indicated that it liked the seating arrangement with the recording secretary and the other staff members being on the stage rather than in front of it and would like future setups to reflect that change. Regarding the July 8th meeting the Council discussed the next step to take in the process of reviewing future development of the park system. It was agreed that the next step was to come up with a focus group plan which would first deal with the system as a whole and then work on improvements at various park sites to make improvements which fit the needs of the system. Council agreed that in going forward with this process it would be important to keep the Parks and Recreation Commission fully involved. The Mayor indicated. that one of the attenders volunteered his time to help set ~ the focus group process having more than twenty years of professional experience in such efforts before retiring recently. It was agreed that the Mayor and City Manager should meet with this individual and develop a focus group plan to-bring back to the Council for action. Council agreed that the size and number of focus groups should be carefully considered because if the number of people involved becomes too large then nothing will be accomplished. The Vice Mayor asked whether the Council should be giving some quidance to the focus groups as they start their work so they will be able to focus on making recommendations which will be consistent with~the Council's expectations? He stated that the final decisions rest with the City Council and he does not want the impression to be made that whatever the focus groups come up with will just automatically be acceptable to the City Council. The other members of the City Council were undecided on whether to so instruct the focus groups and asked for time to consider the= Vice Mayor's proposal. 7. Agency Assignment Reports Wolfe-reports on the work of the Saratoga Business Development Council and his concern that some of this work should be being done by the Chamber of Commerce and that he will be meeting with the current president and the present elect to discuss his ideas with them. The Mayor indicated she would be meeting with the Chamber Executive Director in the next couple of weeks and discuss Councilmember Wolfe's ideas with her as well. Tucker-reports attend the meeting on Constit6tional Revision and came away with the impression that the direution the Commission will be taking in terms of recommendations regarding local government reform is already pretty well set. She also mentioned the letter from ABAG about the San. Luis Drain. Council discussed this and agreed to take no position since the information provided by ABAG was lacking in background and history and had not been City Council Minutes 3 July 11, 1995 through the Cities' Association for review and recommendation. Councilmember Tucker indicated she would express the City's concerns over the lack of information and poor communication on this matter to the A~AG staff. Jacobs-reported he had met with the publisher of the Saratoga News to discuss coverage of the City. Burger-reports on the Library JPA and that the Friends of the Library have agreed to fund Sunday hours at the library. 8. Other Matters The Vice Mayor requested that the NO RIGHT TURN ON RED posting at Saratoga Avenue and Saratoga/Sunnyvale Road be reviewed and evaluated in light of the problems with proper posting and the fact that the speed limit on that portion of Saratoga/Sunnyvale Road had now been lowered to 30 MPH. Council agreed to direct the Public Works Director to make such a review and evaluation in conjunction with the Sheriff's office and to convey his findings to the Public Safety Commission for its review and recommendation to the City Council. It was noted that John Clark has been appointed a~.the new chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission. Council asked the staff to prepare a press release on his appointment '.~ The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 PM. t Respectfully submitted, Harry R. City Manager ·