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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-08-1968 City Council Minutes SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SUMMARY OF MINUTES TIME: Monday, July 8, 1968 7:30 P. M. PLACE: Saratoga City Hall, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue, Saratoga, California TYPE: Adjourned Regular Meeting I ORGANIZATION Mayor Hartman called the meeting to order at 7:35 P. Mo A. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmen Robbins, Smith, Tyler, Mayor Hartman Absent: None II PETITIONS, ORDINANCES AND FORMAL RESOLUTIONS A. ORDINANCE NO. 45 Mayor Hartman suggested that the council reviewsthe entire budget carefully but defer adoption of Ordinance 45 until the regular council meeting on July 17. Councilman Robbins, Chairman of the Management Committee, reviewed briefly the budget process followed by the committee. He stated that 1968-69 revenues shown on pages A and B were based on conservative projections. The Council asked if the amount of building permit revenue were not high. Mr. Robbins responded that the committee considered it conservative in view of the current level of building activity although it is quite a bit higher than the 1967-68 budgeted amount. Mr. Huff compared the ci§arette tax projection with receipts for the eight months of 1967-68 and explained that the estimated gas tax interest income was based on a projection of gas tax fund balances for the coming year. Mayor Hartman pointed out that the budget draft did not provide an estimate of the parks and recreation fee fund revenue for 1'968-69. Mr. Huff indicated that this revenue would be added to the budget. Mr. Huff suggested that the city take advantage of the favorable price on vehicles purchased through the state by budgeting each year for new ones and auctioning off the old ones when they are one year old. Since this would involve no significant fund outlay, the Council indicated that it would not alter the budget to include this possibility but would give the matter serious consideration at the appropriate time. It was pointed out that capital funds from outside sources are itemized on Page B as are funds from accumulated reserves. On Page C the Council questinned comparison with last year. It was pointed out that Department 303 is combined with 302 for 1968-69, accounting for most of the anticipated increase in 302. Next the Council reviewed the supporting budget data for each department. Comments were made on the following: 100 - City Council - Mr. Robbins reviewed the corfanittee consideration of changing auditors and indicated the decision to retain the current firm for 1968-69 and to review the advisability of making a change prior to next year's budget studies. 110 - City Clerk-Administrator - Mayor Hartman asked the percent of salary increases a~d Mr. Huff advised it was approximately 10%. (Mr. Huff later corrected this statement to advise that the increase was about 10% above what the 1968-69 rate would have been without any adjustment to the 1967-68 salary plan). Services include the contract with Bill Ko Matsomoto for accounting services, the cost of which is increased 5% over the 1967-68 figure. i12 - City Treasurer - This department figure incorporated an increa'se of $1800 annual salary for the city treasurer. The Council directed the City Administrator to confer with the Treasurer to determine his recommendation on this salary. SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SUMMARY OF MINUTES - JULY 8, 1968 - Continued 120 - City Attorney - No comment, 130 - Planning - Salaries in Planning are up 15% over 1967-68. 150 - Governmental Buildings - Mrs. J. J. Sitney, speaking from the audience, indicated that the janitor is expected to do the work of about three men and that he is unable to provide an edequate level of service for the Youth Center program. She advised that in addition to his work at the Youth Center and Council Chambers he maintains buildings at Hakone Gardens and the Corporation Yard. She stated that the part time help of the Youth Center was used to fill in periods during which the custodian is not on duty, particularly on weekends. Mayor Hartman asked if Youth Center would be interested in providing part time work at the center for youth, to which Mrs. Sitney replied affirmatively, although she indicated the problems involved with pay roll cost, minimum w~ges and so forth. 160 - Non Departmental - Councilman Tyler questioned the amount designated for the annual report and was advised that the $8000 figure was for the 1966-67 report delayed to include the General Plan and the 1967-68 report. The Council advised skipping the 1967-68 report and using the Mayor's Newsletter to convey essential information to t he citizens in the spring of 1969. The next annual report will be circulated in the spring of 1970. In view of the dost of health insurance, Councilman Tyler suggested future consideration of a $500. deductible health insurance plan with the city paying the individual medical bills below that amount. 172 - Police - The hourly rate is up from 11.70 to 11.93 and the expenditures are also are also increased to ~provide an additional 40 hours per week of police s~rvice.' Inauguration of additional service will be delayed until completion of the Public Welfare Cormnittee study on Police protection and Council action to implement the study. 190 - Buildin~ Regulations - Mr. Huff indicated that the cost of soil engineering services for the ensuing year are expected to more nearly approach the budgeted expenditure of $10,460. Under the current excavation and grading ordinance which requires no inspection for this supervised grading the city will not recover the cost of this service. However, the excavation and grading ordinance can be amended to reinstitute these inspection fees even on supervised grading. 202 - Civil Defense - No comment. 302 - Public Works - EnSineerin~ - Councilman Robbins reviewed the committee study of subdivision engineering and the backlog of public projects. The cGmmittee recommends addition of an assistant civil engineer to~this~dep~rt~nentit9 6vercnme this backlog. The Council approved addition of the civil engineer and directed the City Administrator to have the Director of Public Works prepare a project schedule indicating the engineering man hours for each project and the anticipated timing. The Council also demanded a periodic progress report on this work to enable them to keep track of the project status. The Council indicated that a review of progress in 4 to 6 months would provide an indicator as to the feasibility of assuming the responsibility for subdivision plan checking without further staff additions. 303 - Eliminated 322 - Street Maintenance - Councilman Robbins stated that the committee recommended addition of one man to the street maintenance crew in view of AAA going out of the traffic signing business and because of the increasing mileage of city streets. Council approved this recommend- ation. Mr. Huff said that the salaries and wages of the street crew were split between Dept. 322 and 313 storm drain, with all overtime charged to Storm Drain funds. -2- SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SUMMARY OF MINUTES - JULY 8, 1968 - Continued 323 - Traffic Safety - no comment 330- Corporation Yard - Mayor Hartman questioned the amount allocated for the fence. Mr. Huff indicated that this was to repair the existing fence and extend it to the school-city property line. 340 - Park Maintenance - No cormnent. 313 - Storm Drains - The Council analyzed each proposed project. Special attention was given to Bohlman Road, Sarahills Drive, Komina-Lomita, and Quito Road north of the railroad. These projects and the others proposed in the budget were retained for the coming year. Fund 45 - Gas Tax Construction - The Council specifically reviewed the Quito-Maude project and directed that it remain in the budget. They also asked that the 2-1/2" AC recap of Fruitvale be designed to reduce the existing crown. Fund 46 - Gas Tax Special Matching - After review of this fund the Council deleted the Bohlman Road project and trans- ferred the proposed $100,000 expenditure to Assessment Matching. Fund 91 - Civic Center Improvement Fund - Mr. Huff outlined the cost of the proposed Council Chambers addition=~as $115,000 · for construction including basement storage area plus $9,800 for design fees. He indicated that the $40,000 proposed for the corporation yard building was included as a first phase of development and that the first step, the selection of an architect, would require Council approval. Actual desi~p~and construction will await a decision on location and possible joint development with another public agency. In regard to the proposed Youth Center funds, Mrs. Jo J. Sitney spoke from the audience, stressing the heavy demand on the building and the dire need for expanded facilities. She pointed to the 4-1/2 month attend- ance of 25,000 young people. She reviewed financing arrangements whereby the youths themsel.ves pay for their programs; United Fund pays the Director's salary and profits on courses pay for the assistant Director. Mrs. Sitney stressed the need for $12,000 for current critical needs. The Council approved the proposed $4000 for the Youth Center and indicated the possibility of including Youth Center Capital improvement needs in the Park and Recreation bond election in the spring of 1969. Fund 92 - Street Improvement Fund - The Council directed that the fund for the Saratoga Avenue walkway and the Saratoga-Los Gatos Road walkway be lumped together as walkways. Councilman Smith pointed out the extremely high public interest in the Saratoga Avenue walkway and the Council assured him that this change in form would not affect the status of the Saratoga Avenue walkway. Fund 99 - Land Acquisition and Improvement Fund - The Council consolidated Park Land Acquisition and Park Improvements in one sum and indicated the desire to incorporate Park and Recreation Fee Funds if possible. The Council had no questions or comments on Village Parking Maintenance District or any of the other budget sheets. -3- SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL SUMMARY OF MINUTES - JULY 8, 1968 - Continued At 11:00 P. M. the Council recessed and reconvened in executive session to 60nsider personnel matters. B. RESOLUTION NO. 85-7 Upon reconvening, the Council considered Resolution 85-7, adopting job specifications and salary scales. Councilman Robbins moved, Councilman Smith seconded, that Resolution 85-7 be adopted; carried unanimously. Following adoption of Resolution No. 85-7, the Council recessed and reconvened in executive session to discuss personnel matters. C. ORDINANCE NO. ll5-K - Second reading Upon reconvening, the Council considered Ordinance 15-K, establishing the salary of the City Administrator. Councilman Tyler moved, Council- man Smith~seconded, that Ordinance 15-K be adopted; carried unanimously. III ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS None IV COMMUNICATIONS None V ADJOURNMENT The Mayor adjourned the meetin at 12:55 P. M. Respectfully submitted, ~/R. HUFF, CITY ~LERK -4-