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Home My WebLink About02-10-1998 City Council Minutes MINUTES SAI~TOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Tuesday, February 10, 1998 PLACE: Adult Care Center, 19655 Allendale Avenue TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting/Joint Meeting with Sheriff, Saratoga Fire District, Public Safety Commission 1.' Roll Call Mayor Wolfe called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Councilmembers Bogosian, Jacobs, Shaw, Moran, and Mayor Wolfe were present. Also present were City Manager Perlin, Community Development Manager Walgren, Assistant Engineer Cherbone, Administrative Analysts Jacobs and Loft, and Deputy City Clerk Cory. Public Safety Commissioners present were Andreson, Biester, Dippel, Edel, Fredrick, Lemmon, and Chairman Hexamer. Also present were Sheriff's Captain Wilson and Lt. Colla; Saratoga Fire Department Chief Kraule, along with Fire Commissioner Geddes; and County Fire Department Chief Sporleder, along with Assistant Chief Lopes and Business Services Director Rock. 2. Report of City clerk on Posting of Agenda Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on February 6. The notice of adjournment from the February 4 Council meeting was properly posted on February 5. 3. Oral communications from the Public on Non-Agendized Items - None. 4. Review of Staff Restructuring City Manager Perlin submitted and reviewed a report on the revised restructuring, noting that the Finance Commission had unanimously approved the proposal. He answered questions on. matters such as: duties of various positions, including the CSO and the Office Specialists II and II; need for supervision in the Corporation Yard; and need for a full time,- experienced human resources person. He said there was still $14,000 in salary savings which could be used if estimated salary requirements were too low. MORAN/JACOBS MOVED TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESTRUCTURING AND RETURN TO THE COUNCIL WITH THE DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH IT. Passed 5-0. Mayor Wolfe expressed appreciation for the work of the staff and the Finance Commission on the restructuring. 5. Discussion with Sheriff, Saratoga Fire District, Public Safety Commission on Matters of Mutual Interest A. Sheriff 1) Mid-Year Review of Law Enforcement Activity Captain Wilson submitted and reviewed a 1997-98 budget review report and answered Councilmembers' questions. B. Saratoga Fire District Chief Kraule introduced Fire Commissioner Geddes and reviewed the following issues 1 through 9: 1) Mountain winsiT Use Permit City Council Minutes 2 February l0, 1998 Chief Kraule stated that the Fire District had annexed the Mountain Winery property and was now addressing fire and traffic issues there. A draft Environmental Impact Report is to be heard on February 18. Community Development Manager Walgren reported that the EIR is part of a process to legalize the County use permit under which the Winery is operating. 2) Status of Plans for Fire Station Renovations Commissioner Geddes described the renovations and stated the District is planning a bond issue in 1999 to fund them. 3) Emergency Medical Service Issues 4) Property Inspection Program S) Fire Prevention Issues - Weed and Brush Abatement - Water Main Replacements - Billside Fire Control 6) Class A Roofs - Postponed until later in meeting. 7) Traffic Concerns - Emergency Response Times - Effects of Traffic Calming Measures 8) Future of Saratoga Fire District 9) Discussion of Fire District Notification Procedures with respect to Termite Tenting Chief. Kraule stated that the department is notified when termite tenting is to take place, but there have never been any complaints. Chief Sporleder commented that only a two-hour'notification is required. Council discussed whether neighbors should be notified of the tenting, whether the tent itself was sufficient notification, the fact that a guard is posted during the entire time of the tenting, whether local authorities might be pre-empted by State agencies in this matter, whether any other cities in the State required such notification, and whether the notification itself might cause undue apprehension among the neighbors. There was consensus to refer this matter to the Public Safety Commission. Mayor Wolfe then returned to Item 6). 6) class A Roofs Chief Kraule reported that Saratoga Fire District, the County Fire Department, and the Public Safety Commission all favored requiring Class A roofing throughout Saratoga. City Manager Perlin stated this would require an amendment to the Building Code. Cheriel Jensen, 13737 Quito Road, suggested putting a display of various Class A roofing materials in the Building Department. Mayor Wolfe thought such a display might be placed in the fire station or the library. Chairperson Hexamer stated that the Safe Roofing Organization could be contacted about the displays. city Council Minutes 3 Feb:uezT2O, 2998 There was consensus to direct staff to bring the necessary ordinance to the City Council as a recommendation from the Public Safety Commission. C. County Fire Department - Status Report Chief Sporleder reviewed the same topics covered by Chief Kraule as applied to the County Fire Department. As to traffic calming measures, he stated his department opposed anything that could damage fire vehicles or cause them to slow below the speed limit. The bump on Baylor, he said, has a gentle enough slope so that it is relatively benign. He further explained a budget problem resulting from an inadvertent over-allocation of $15 million from the State to the Department. D. Public 8afety Commission Chairperson Hexamer introduced the Commissioners and explained the area of specialization of each. The Commissioners then described projects on which they were working. Commissioner Lemmon brought up the computer which had been added to the radar trailer, which had made it possible to prepare accurate logs of traffic speed. For instance, it showed that the traffic calming measures on Baylor had reduced both the top speed and the average speed. He stated that the residents had not complained about the measures. Elmer Szanto, 12612 Miller Avenue, took issue with the radar trailer readings on Miller, saying that his group~s readings by radar gun were more accurate. 6. Discussion of possible cancellation of Joint meeting with Library Commission scheduled for March 24 and postponement of joint meeting with Perks and Recreation Comm~ssion tO March 24 There was consensus to postpone the joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission to March 24, cancel the March 10 meeting and postpone the City Manager evaluation. 7. Self-Evaluation of Previous Meeting (February 4) - No comments. 8. Agency Assig-ment Reports Councilmembers reported on upcoming meetings and those they had attended. 9. Other Citizenship: Mayor Wolfe reported on a valuable discussion at the seminar on "Why People Don*t Trust Government." He then noted that students do not routinely recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, and there is a general lack of knowledge about local government. He suggested that an internship be set up at City Hall to acquaint high school students with local government. Lectures by Councilmembers or Commissioners could also be arranged. There was consensus to develop a program along these lines. Storm: City Manager Perlin distributed an update on storm damage in several areas of the City and stated that the City would be eligible for federal emergency funding. Concerning the Quarry Creek Watershed, he reported that the Mt. Eden Estates retention pond had overflowed, with consequences do~rnstream. Councilmember Jacobs stated that the property owner is responsible and ehould be required to mitigate the damages. Mayor Wolfe also said the ~it~ ~ounoil Kinutes 4 pebruaz'~20, ~998 City should require the property owner to do something. City Manager Perlin stated that the City is planning a large drainage project to take care of a number of festering problems. Absence: City Manager Perlin stated that he would be out of town at a conference later this week, during which time Recreation Director Pisani would take his place. 10. adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Grace E. Cory Deputy City Clerk