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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-20-1999 City Council Minutes MINUTES SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL TIME: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 - 3:00 p.m. PLACE: Closed Session - Administrative Conference Room, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue; Regular Meeting - Council Chambers/Civic Theatre, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue TYPE: Regular Meeting OPEN SESSION - 3:00 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room 1. INTERVIEWS FOR FINANCE COMMISSION, LIBRARY COMMISSION, PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION AND PLANNING COMMISSION The following applicants were interviewed: Emest Brookfield, Sam Ochi, A1 Roten (Finance Commission); Bobby Chondra and Maxine McGinnis (Library Commission); Elaine Clabeaux, Norbert Fronczak, Nick Seroff (Parks and Recreation Commission); Cynthia Barry, Joan Couche- Coons, Norman Kline (Planning Commission). Sandra Dodge, Parks and Recreation Commission applicant was not able to attend due to an illness. The City Council made their selections for the Library and Planning Commissions. There was a consensus of the City Council to extend the application deadlines for the Finance and Parks and Recreation Commissions for three more weeks and directed the City Clerk to begin the recruitment process. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION - 5:30 p.m. 2. CLOSED SESSION A. Conference with Labor Negotiator pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6 Agency Negotiator: Larry I. Perlin; Employee organization: Saratoga Management Association (SMO) B. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(a) - Name of Cases: Santa Clara County Superior Court No. CIV 756-340; City of Saratoga v. TCI of Cleveland, Santa Clara County Superior Court; City of Saratoga v. Hinz, Santa Clara Superior Court No. CV 784560 -- MAYOR'S REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION - Vice Mayor Bogosian declared there were no reportable actions taken at this time. REGULAR MEETING/CALL TO ORDER - Vice Mayor Bogosian called the regular meeting to order at 7:05 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 13777 Fruitvale Avenue PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Led by City Manager Perlin ROLL CALL - All Councilmembers were present. Staff present: City Manager Perlin, City Attomey Taylor, City Clerk Ramos, Director of Administrative Services Walker, Acting Public Works Director Cherbone. 3. CEREMONIAL ITEMS - None REPORT OF CITY CLERK ON POSTING OF AGENDA - City Clerk Ramos reported that pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, the agenda for this meeting was properly posted on October 15, 1999. Page lo 6 Minutes for City Council Regular Meeting October 20, 1999 4. COMMUNICATIONS FROM COMMISSIONS AND THE PUBLIC A. Oral Communications on Non-Agendized - None B. Communications from Boards and Commissions - None C. Written Communications 1. Letter from Alan Rosenus regarding creation of a. Memorial Tree Maintenance Fund. Recommendation: To be presented at the meeting. City Manager Perlin presented the staff report. Vice Mayor Bogosian recognized Alan Rosenus, 20621 Lomita Avenue, who provided background and information about the proposed maintenance fund program, particularly for the caring of trees that are on public right-of-way. Discussion ensued. There was consensus of the Council to support the concept of tree maintenance, but felt it would be appropriate if the City did not directly participate in the administration of the funds for the sake of fairness and equality. City Manager Perlin suggested perhaps the City could offer assistance in other ways rather than acting as trustee. Discussion ensued. Mr. Rosenus requested if the City could provide him with a letter outlining the areas where assistance could be provided. Council concurred to direct staff to prepare a letter, to Mr. Rosenus outlining how the City could help the proposed tree maintenance fund. With concurrence from Council, Vice Mayor Bogosian recognJ[zed l:iert Mattel who requested to speak. Bert Martel: 14420 Fmitvale Avenue; commented he was misquoted by the Saratoga News at a Planning Commission meeting and provided clarification to his statement regarding health effects from the antennas. He reported that the TV show 20/20 will be airing tonight about cell phones and its risks. 5. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Previously Discussed Items - None B. New Items 1. Planning Commission Actions, October 13, 1999 Recommendation: Note and file. 2. Approval of Check Register Recommendation: Note and file. 3. Memo authorizing publicity for November 3 Public Hearing items: Continued public hearing for Wright appeal 4. Resolution authorizing destruction of certain records. Recommendation: Adopt resolution. Page 2of6 Minutes for City Council Regular Meeting October 20, 1999 MEHAFFEY/STREIT MOVED TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 5B(1), (3) AND (4). MOTION PASSED 5-0. Councilmember Baker requested to pull item 5B2 for discussion. Councilmembers questioned some items on the check register for clarification. There was a consensus of Council to direct staff to include an itemized list of the credit card charges in future check registers, for Council information. BAKER/MEHAFFEY MOVED TO APPROVED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 5B(2) TO INCLUDE THE FORMATTING CHANGES TO THE CHECK REGISTER AS DISCUSSED THIS EVENING. MOTION PASSED 5-0. C. Claims Against the City - None 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS - 7:30 p.m. - None 7. OLD BUSINESS A. Potential locations for memorial tree for the late Mayor Shaw Recommendation: Select a location from the list of recommended sites. City Manager Peflin presented the staff report. Discussion ensued. Councilmember Baker reported he provided the site list to Mrs. Shaw who expressed her preference for a site at the Civic Center. STREIT/WALTONSMITH MOVED TO REQUEST COUNCILMEMBER BAKER TO WORK WITH BARBARA SHAW TO SELECT ONE SITE FROM THE FIRST FOUR LOCATIONS ON THE PROPOSED LIST; TO APPROVE A 48" SIZED BOX; AND TO OBTAIN AN OPINION FROM BARRIE COATE, CITY ARBORIST, REGARDING THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE SUMP PUMP AT THE ONE LOCATION, IF THAT LOCATION IS SELECTED. MOTION PASSED 5-0. 8. NEW BUSINESS A. Report on development of a City Newsletter Recommendation: Accept staff report and provide direction as necessary. -- City Manager Pertin presented the staff report. ~ Discussion ensued. Councilmember Baker asked and City Manager Peflin replied that staff could explore West Valley College for their services, however, there may be a fair amount of fluctuating issues such as remover and conflicts with class sessions. Vice Mayor Bogosian commented he would support the concept of a newsletter but to be cautious about the cost. Discussion ensued. Councilmember Streit suggested to utilize the website for future consideration in order to save costs. BAKER/STREIT DIRECTED STAFF TO OBTAIN QUOTES FOR THE INITIAL CITY NEWSLETTER SIMILAR TO THE QUALITY AND FORMAT OF THE CITY OF CAMPBELL NEWSLETTER WITH A MAXIMUM OF FOUR PAGES, AND REPORT THE RESULTS Page 3of6 I ! October 20, 1999 Minutes for City Council Regular Meeting I : BACK TO COUNCIL BY THE END OF THE YEAR. MOTION PASSED 5-0. B. Presentation and report on deer population controls Reenmmendatian: For information only. City Manager Perlin presented the staff report. He deferred additional comments to Lt. Dennis Baldwin fi.om the Department of Fish and Game, who report:ed about deer population controls. Highlights of his report included: · Dept. of Fish and Game (DOFG) does not participate iin capturing the animals (it has not proven to be effective) · Popular control measure is the hunting Season, which would not work in Saratoga · Use exclusionary fences (provided a sample of a fencing material that the City could use) and sprays to keep them away fi.om private property · Last resort measure would be to issue depradation permits (killing the animals). Councilmember Waltonsmith asked and Lt. Baldwin .replied that the wildlife lab in their Sacramento office may have some information about birth conU:ol. He stated he would look into it and provide available information to City staff, Paula Reeve. Discussion ensued regarding the depradation process and animal traps. Councilmember Streit commented the City needs to exhaust all other alternatives before considering hunting and killing of the animals. Councilmember Baker expressed he would not vote for shooting deer. Vice Mayor Bogosian concurred with Councilmember Streit and thanked Lt. Baldwin for his report. 9. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (continued) and instractions to staff regarding actions on current oral communications - None 10. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Note: City Attorney will be excused at this point if no longer needed.) A. Special meeting of September 23, 1999 MEHAFFEY/BAKER MOVED TO APPROVED THE MINUTES OF 9/23/99. MOTION PASSED 5-0. B. Regular meeting of October 6, 1999 Councilmember Mehaffey corrected the recording of the votes in various areas of the minutes and to reflect ayes-noes-abstentions in the numerical recording of votes. Absences may be recorded in words. Councilmember Waltonsmith corrected minutes to reflect added language to item 9B, fourth paragraph, to reflect a timefi'ame of March 2000. BAKER/MEHAFFEY MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS AMENDED ABOVE. MOTION PASSED 4-0-1 (VICE MAYOR BOGOSIAN ABSTAINED). 11. CITY COUNCIL ITEMS A. Agenda items for the next adjourned regular meeting (Note: The purpose of listing the items immediately following is not to .discuss or take action on them, but simply to decide whether they are to be placed, on the agenda for the adjoumed regular meeting of October 26, 1999) 1. Presentation fi.om Library Commission and Friends of the Saratoga Library on Page 4of6 Minutes for City Council Regular Meeting October 20, 1999 the status of the library expansion project. 2. Joint Meeting with Finance Commission a. General Fund Reserve Policy b. Discussion of City's current financial condition 3. Appointment and swearing in of new Finance Commissioners 4. Joint Meeting with Parks and Recreation Commission a. Presentation fi:om Anderson-Brule Architects on Community Center renovations b. Status of park restroom renovations c. Status of play equipment upgrades d. Discussion ofplayfields project and alternatives e. Commission recommendations on Park Development Fund priorities 5. Appointment and swearing in of new Parks and Recreation Commissioners 6. Status report on Saratoga Creek litigation settlement activities Councilmember Streit suggested to move up the joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission to accommodate the presentation of Pamela Anderson-Brule to an earlier time. Council concurred to move up the joint meeting with the Parks and Recreation Commission to item 3; move the joint meeting with the Finance Commission to item 4 and remove the appointments and swearing in of the new Parks and Recreation and Finance Commissioners at this time. B. Other Councilmember Mehaffey asked and Mr. Perlin replied to agendize a status report on the Argonaut Shopping Center on November 3. Council concurred. Vice Mayor Bogosian reported that Councilmembers Baker and Waltonsmith and he attended the League Conference in San Jose last week. Each one provided a brief report about the sessions they attended which included topics regarding Business Improvement Districts, recycling, revenue ballot measure, Housing Element update, tax allocation complexities, lobbying efforts and ABC (Action for Better Cities), a lobbying group for City govermnents. He asked Council to consider supporting their efforts. Vice Mayor Bogosian reported on two resolution he voted for at the General Business Session: support the anti-graffiti legislation and oppose the colored tires appearing in the market due to their public safety and environmental hazards. Councilmember Waltonsmith noted that the bus stop that that is being constructed along the sidewalk at the Argonaut Center does not allow room for strollers or wheelchairs. City Manager Perlin commented he would have staff look into it. Councilmember Baker commented that the survey worksheet for the City's Housing Element update does not include the areas north of Cox and the Quito corridor and felt that since this is a traffic circulation survey it should include these areas. He also provided graffiti campaign bumper stickers to the City Manager for City-and public use. Vice Mayor Bogosian requested to agendize an emergency preparedness report to update the Council on the City's plans. City Manager Perlin replied that the best time to bring this report to the Council would be after the review of the draft emergency plan, which staff has received. Once the plan is finalized, staff will Page 5of6 Minutes for City Council Regular Meeting October 20, 1999 present it to the Council for discussion. The City will be iholding an emergency exercise in November to test the new plan, and staff could! schedule the presentation of the plan to the Council at their second meeting in December. Council Concurred. Councilmember Streit announced that the Amile Crossing property will be heard by the Planning Commission on October 27 and November 10, '.for anyone who ~night be interested. 12. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT : Schedule Council and staffphotos with Linda Y2K Community Forum at City Hall on Thursday,' October 28, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. Friends of the Library members will be scheduling meetings with members of the City Council before the 10/26 meeting · Arrangements have been made with the City Webmaster to train in house staff to update and maintain the City's website. ADJOURNMENT - Vice Mayor Bogosian adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. to the adjourned regular meeting of October 26, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. at the Adult Care Center, 19655 Allendale Ave. Respectfully submitted, ~'. City Clerk Page 6of6