HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-10-1996 City Council Minutes MINUTE8
SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
TIME: Tuesday, December 10, 1996 - 7:00 p.m.
PLACE: City Hall Administration Meeting Room, 13777 Fruitvale Ave.
TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting/Joint Meeting with Saratoga Area
Senior Coordinating Council/Joint Meeting with West Valley
Community College Board
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Moran at 7:00 PM.
1. Roll Call
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Moran, Vice Mayor Wolfe, Councilmembers
Bogosian, Jacobs and Shaw.
Staff Present: City Manager Peacock
2. Report of City Clerk on Posting of Agenda
The City Clerk reports that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the
agenda for this meeting was properly posted on December 6. The notice
of adjournment from the December 4 Council meeting was properly posted
on December 5, 1996.
3. Oral Communications from the Publlc on Non-Agendized Items - None.
4. Joint Meeting with SASCC - 7:00-8:00 p.m.
A. Items of Mutual Interest
Dane Christiansen, President of SASCC, talks about SASCC. He indicates
that most of the money used to support SASCC programs comes from in-
house efforts and that it is SASCC's hope and goal that by the year
2000 they will be financially independent from the City. SASCC
provides many important services for a growing senior population. This
year some 10,500 volunteer hours will be put in by the many volunteers
who are one of the key elements to SASCC program success. Currently
income from the endowment fund helps to pay for services along with
funds from a general appeal campaign and fees. He states that what
SASCC does helps to fulfill many of the stated objectives in the City's
Vision Statement.
Charlie Thompson discusses SASCC finances in more detail. As indicated
SASCC is trying to expand services to meet the needs of a growing
senior population. The budget for FY97 represents a 12.4% increase
compared to the budget for FY96. The City's share of funding is now at
27%, down from 30% a year ago. SASCC has assets in excess of $900,000,
of which more than $720,000 is in the endowment fund. Funds are
managed professionally based on instructions from SASCC. SASCC
representatives meet quarterly with their portfolio manager and receive
detailed quarterly reports on all investments, yields and capital
gains.
Olga MacFarland talks about SASCC and Senior Center programs and their
growth from the inception of SASCC up to the present. Services are
provided to about 1,800 seniors each month. SASCC membership is now
close to 1,000 individuals. SASCC is only one of two non-profit senior
service organizations in the county. All others are operated and
funded by government agencies. About 85% of those served are residents
of Saratoga; the others come from the surrounding communities.
Rita Pennington talks about the Senior Care Program. The cost for this
program is about $40 per person served per day. The average payment
for this service is $12.44, which represents about 36% of the cost of
service provision. The remainder of the funding comes from donations
and grants from both the private sector and public agencies such as the
City. While the program is growing it is still relatively unknown in
the community. In the future the program plans to be more responsive
to the needs of working care givers who need to have the service extend
into normal work hours, i.e. from 7 AM to 6 PM rather than the current
5 hour program.
B. Agreement between City and SASCC
City Council Minutes 2 December 10, 1996
The City Manager reports that the City's CDBG funding for Senior Care
will be reduced by some $2,440 in 1997-98 as the result of the City of
Milpitas leaving the Urban County program. Funding from this source
for fiscal 1997-98 will be $33,185. The City still needs to review the
level of direct City support for SASCC, currently programmed for fiscal
1997-98 at $19,225, given the adverse impact on City finances as a
result of the failure of Measure L in November.
5. Joint Meeting with College Board
Note: Public Works Director Perlin is present for this portion of the
meeting.
The City Council welcomed Board members Lunde, Stokes and Atkins and
Chancellor Tseng and West Valley College President Fox to the meeting.
Councilmembers Bogosian and Shaw were introduced to the District Board
and staff.
a. Discussion of items of Mutual Interest
The college reports it is making more class offerings outside the
traditional 18 week semester format to fulfill the needs of more in-
career students who prefer classes which are held either on an all day
basis, a one a week basis or over a several week rather than an 18 week
basis. The Small Business Development Center is completing its first
year of operation and provides services free to small businesses in an
effort to enhance their ability to succeed. Funding for the Center is
through the Small Business Administration. During the first year of
operations more than 700 businesses have taken advantage of the
Center's programs. A PTA Center has also been developed to assist
businesses become linked to the federal procurement contract system
through the Department of Defense.
The College asks about opportunities to jointly publicize these kinds
of outreach programs to the Saratoga community. The City Council
indicates that it has recently expanded the City'squarterly recreation
guide, and that might be an avenue for the College staff and the City
staff to explore in terms of the additional space and the cost to
include that space in the quarterlyguide. Councilmember Wolfe remarks
that the College theater is already taking advantage of the new
entertainment guide which is being produced several times a year as a
program of the SBDC with the cooperation of the Saratoga News.
President Fox recounts recent successful City/College projects, the
Compressed Natural Gas Station and the Wetlands Project, both of which
were spearheaded by the City's Public Works Director. She praises him
for the way he worked with the College and the community on these
projects. She also indicates that in addition to having the Rotary Art
Show on campus each May the College has agreed to be the site for the
1997 Strawberry Festival which has been held in Los Gatos for many
years. The Festival will be held in June of 1997.
President Fox indicates that the current student population represents
many segments of the community, not just recent high school graduates.
For example the average age of an enrollee is 29.
The Council brings up the issue of traffic problems on the streets
which lead into the College, especially Fruitvale Avenue, and what the
College might be willing to do to address the situation, such as
changing the start of classes to a time different from the start of
Redwood School and Sacred Heart and St. Andrew's schools nearby.
Chancellor Tseng indicates that the District has a program in place
through ALTRANS which works on trip reduction through programs to
increase the use of mass transit, carpooling, and the like. It is
recognized however that West Valley is essentially a commuter college
where most of the daytime students also hold down jobs, so this
presents a special challenge. The District indicates a willingness to
have this matter studied by ALTRANS, including the possible
advantages/disadvantages of changing class starting times and asks the
City to work with Steve Blaylock of ALTRANS on such a possibility.
President Fox indicates that to save energy the tennis court lights are
no longer turned on, thus cutting down substantially the availability
City Council Minutes 3 December 10, 1996
of these courts for community use in the winter months. Proposals to
install "light meters" have proven not to be cost effective. It was
agreed to have staff look at ways this might be accomplished, using a
pay and play system of some sort.
6. Resolution on City Council Liaison Appointments
It is moved by Councilmember Bogosian, seconded by Councilmember Shaw
to approve Resolution 96-65. Motion passes 5-0.
7. Self-Evaluation of Previous Meeting
It was noted that the meeting was brief and moved right along. Mayor
Moran thanked the other members of the City Council for their help in
making her first meeting as Mayor go so well. It was agreed that the
handling of the consent items which were removed for discussion was
also done well.
Councilmember Shaw expressed concern about the comfort of'the chairs
used by council. All agreed that they were very old and were not
comfortable to sit in for an extended period of time. Mayor Moran.
observed that the general condition of the council chambers was beyond
quaint. Staff was asked to look into the cost of getting new chairs
similar to those used in the various conference rooms and offices.
Councilmember Bogosian suggests that the Council consider switching to
lapel microphones, as this would be more convenient than using the
current pedestal microphones. Staff was asked to look into the cost
and feasibility of this switch.
8. Agency Assignment Reports - None.
9. Other
Councilman Bogosian requests a closed session on December 17th to
review with the City Attorney and legal counsel regarding the status of
the Baykeepers litigation. Staff was instructed to consult with the
City Attorney to determine the availability of the litigation team for
that date and if the 17th is not possible to find a date certain when
the entire City Council and litigation team can be in attendance.
10. ADJOURNMENT to closed session pursuant to Government Code Section
54957 PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Title= City Manager
The City Council adjourned to closed session at 9:00 PM.
11. RECO~vzNE TO OPEN SESSION
Council reconvened into open session at 10:00 PM, and Mayor Moran
announced that Council has continued the closed session item to 5:30 PM
on December 18th.
12. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Moran adjourns the meeting to December 17th at 7:00 PM and then
to December 18th at 5:30 PM. (Clerk's Note: The December 17 meeting
was later cancelled.)
Respectfully submitted,
Harry R. Peacock ~
City Clerk