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Home My WebLink About2000-08-14Minutes City Council/Redevelopment Agency City Of Huntington Beach Adjourned Regular Meetings 5:00 P.M. - Council Chambers Civic Center, 2000 Main Street Huntington Beach, California 92648 Monday, August 14, 2000 An videotape of this meeting is on file in the Office of the City Clerk. Cali To Order Mayor Garofalo called the adjourned regular meetings of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Huntington Beach to order at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach. City Council/Redevelopment Agency Roll Call Present Julien, Sullivan, Harman, Garofalo, Green, Dettloff, Bauer Absent None Public Comments Mary DeSloover, President of the Board of Directors of the Literacy Volunteers of America, Huntington Valley spoke in favor of the proposed Library Budget funding. She expressed her support of increased staffing. Ms. DeSloover stated that the library staff has a significant impact on helping adult learners who are big users of library resources. Bea Hanser, President, Friends of the Library informed Council that the library is always recruiting, and has 700 volunteers donating thousands of hours. She stressed that the library requires staff to assist patrons with the numerous services it provides, including computer services. Ms. Hanser stated the library cannot operate with a skeleton crew and requested that Council vote for funding to hire more librarians. Pat Bril, Chair of the Library Board of Trustees stated her endorsement of the action to be taken in favor of library funding. She described the library's many amenities. Ms. Bril stated that the volunteer program provides valuable man hours equal to 15 full time staff workers, but that an infusion of librarians and technicians is desperately needed. Bette Barilla, Library Patrons Foundation requested Council to approve funding for the library system. She described the library's digital access, online resources and other computer services, which she stated will become ineffective in time with inadequate staffing. Ms. Barilla informed Council that the city library is in the low percentile with its number of librarians, as compared with other cities. (2) August 14, 2000- Council/Agency Minutes - Page 2 Lois Vackar, spoke in support of the budget item on funding the proposed Urban Forest project at Ellis Avenue and Goldenwest Street. She referred to a fictional story regarding trees, stating how they enhance the quality of life. Ms. Vackar spoke about the late Mayor Donald Shipley's contribution of a haven for birds at Huntington Central Park. She stated that the Urban Forest project is going to mitigate the perception of Huntington Beach as one of urban sprawl and over -development. Nancy Harris spoke in favor of Mayor Pro Tern Harman's item on the Urban Forest. She described the location of the proposed site in Huntington Central Park as north of Ellis Avenue, east of Edwards Street, near the stables and the dog park. Ms. Harris expressed her pleasure at the fact that the city owns the property. Ruth Siegrist stated that she is speaking on behalf of the Friends of the Children's Library to urge Council to approve the budget funding for the library. She informed Council that the library ranks among the finest in the nation, and commended its excellent administrative and library staff for their hard work. Ms. Siegrist spoke about the success of the children's summer reading program. She described the Children's Library as record -breaking in its book circulation, but that the process is too difficult and lengthy for a staff of its current size to handle. Jean Nagy stated her support of the agenda item on the Urban Forest, speaking about the ecological, economical and sociological benefits of planting trees. She encouraged Council to vote for the irrigation system in what she describes as the healthy area of Huntington Park proposed for the development. Ms. Nagy offered to write a no -cost grant for the city to apply for funding for the Urban Forest. Marinka Horack spoke in favor of including the development of an Urban. Forest to the city's Master Plan. She spoke about how the city is built -out and paved over and in need of a haven. Ms. Horack described how live oaks and native trees are environmentally important in providing oxygen, erosion control and other benefits that enhance the quality of life. She promoted the Urban Forest as a habitat for birds, and as such, a tourist attraction for bird -watchers. Kim Kolpin, Bolsa Chica Steward spoke in support of urban forestry. She stated how plant life has become endangered. She referred to a memo distributed to Council from the Balsa Chica Stewards, in which the planting of native trees is being proposed. Ms. Kolpin described the proposal as a more cost-effective alternative to that presented by the city. Mayor Garofalo closed the public comments portion of the meeting. Late Communications Pursuant to the Brown (Open Meetings) Act, the City Clerk announced the following Late Communications regarding agenda items. These communications were received following distribution of the agenda: Communication submitted by the Department of Administrative Services to the City Clerk's Office on August 11, 2000 transmitting the Preliminary Budget — FY 2000/01. The communication is titled City of Huntington Beach Preliminary Budget -- FY 2000101 (Accounting Detail) Modifications to Second Year of 2-Year Budget. (On File for Public Review in the Office of the City Clerk) (3) August 14, 2000- Council/Agency Minutes - Page 3 Revisions to the slide report on the two-year city budget. Communication dated August 11, 2000 from Victor Leipzig transmitting his support for the Urban Forest Concept for Central Park. Map submitted by Department of Public Works to the City. Clerk's Office on August 14, 2000 transmitting the Huntington Beach Central Park Urban Forest and Oil Well Area. The map is titled Huntington Beach Central Park Urban Forest Area Oil Well Map. Slide show presentation submitted by the Fire Department to the City Clerk's Office on August 14, 2000. The slide show presentation is titled Update on Business System and Technology Improvements. (City Council) Study Session — Fiscal Year 2000/2001 Proposed Preliminary Budget Overview (320.20) City Administrator Ray Silver and John Reekstin, Administrative Services Department Director presented a staff report which includes a PowerPoint slide show of the preliminary FY 2000/2001 city budget. The PowerPoint presentation is entitled Proposed Budget FY 2000/2001 Overview — Second Year of Two Year Budget FY200012001 and revisions to the slide report, both of which had been announced earlier by the City Clerk as Late Communications. City Administrator Silver provided the time lines for the upcoming City Council meetings on the budget. (City Council) Considered Staffs Funding Recommendations Re: Critical Unfunded Projects List in Fiscal Year 2000/2001 Budget -- Directed Staff to Prepare Responses on Council Comments and Concerns at the August 28, 2000 Budget Study Session (320.20) Council considered communication from staff on the funding recommendations for the Critical Unfunded Projects list in the FY 2000/2001 budget. Fire Chief/information Systems Manager Michael Dolder and Building Director Ross Cranmer presented a PowerPoint slide report titled Update on Business System and Technology Improvements. The slide presentation had been submitted to the City Clerk's Office on August 14, 2000 and announced earlier by the City Clerk as a Late Communication. Councilmember Bauer thanked City Administrator Ray Silver and staff for the comprehensive reports, and commended Councilmember Green for his innovation in recommending the format of a two year budget plan currently implemented by the city. Councilmember Bauer informed Council that claims are down substantially due to City Attorney Gail Hutton's excellent job in reducing legal costs. Mayor Pro Tern Harman headed deliberation on the potential increase from 7% to 10% of the carryover from the budget reserve. Considerable review and discussion was held regarding the Unfunded Projects Priority List. The focus included the following topic regarding the proposed Urban Forest: (4) August 14, 2000- Council/Agency Minutes - Page 4 1. Councilmember Sullivan requested staff to contact the public speaker, Ms. Kim Kolpin to obtain further information relative to the proposal of the Bolsa Chica Stewards on the planting -of native trees in the designated area in Huntington Central Park. 2. Councilmember Bauer initiated a request for staff to investigate competitive grants and potential Proposition 12 funding under the Quimby Act as opposed to the use of General Funds. Daryl Smith, Superintendent of Parks, Trees and Landscape answered inquiries regarding the proposed Urban Forest, identifying the area as one acre in Huntington Central Park north of Ellis Avenue and east of Edwards Street. Reference was made to the map submitted by the Department of Public Works to the City Clerk's Office on August 14, 2000. The map is titled Huntington Beach Central Park Urban Forest and Oil Well Area which had been announced earlier as a Late Communication by the City Clerk. Fire Chief/Information Systems Manager Dolder and Building Director Cranmer responded to questions regarding the business systems hardware upgrades and improvements for the business permitting and other fee processes that are scheduled to go live October 1, 2000. Staff was directed to return at the next scheduled study session on the budget on August 28, 2000 with responses to Council comments and concerns regarding the priority list. (City Council) Approved Staff Associated with the City Council Approval on June 5, 2000 of the Installation of Filtering Software on the Adult and Children's Internet Stations and Related Programs for the H.B. Central Library and Library Branches -- Approved Appropriation of Funds as Amended, Including Approximately $20,00 for Remainder of the Fiscal Year (320.20) The City Council considered communication from the Library Services Director transmitting the request that the City Council approve the library request for more staffing associated with the City Council approval of the installation of filtering software on the adult and children's Internet . stations. On June 5, 2000, staff requested that the City Council approve the use of filtering software on the adult public access PCs (excluding Internet access in the media section) and the associated Internet staffing. The City Council approved the filtering and media section requests. However, the issue of library staffing was deferred to a later date (Attachment #1). Staff is returning to the City Council at this time during Fiscal Year 2000-2001 budget discussions because the requested staffing is to be included in the FY0001 budget. Currently there is a total of 28 Public Internet Stations in the Central Library and a total of three in the Banning, Main Street and Oak View Branch Libraries, for a grand total of 31. Anticipated in January 2001 is an increase from 31 to 83 (Central Library 28 to fib; branches 3 to 17). Library Services Director Ron Hayden presented a PowerPoint slide report. A motion was made by Bauer, second Garofalo to approve Library Department staffing associated with the City Council approved Internet filtering and direct staff to add this amount ($147,070) to the proposed General Fund budget for FY 2000/2001. And as amended, to include approximately $20,000 for remainder of this fiscal year. The motion carried by the following roll call vote: AYES: Julien, Sullivan, Harman, Garofalo, Green, Dettloff, Bauer NOES: None ABSENT: None (5) August 14, 2000- Council/Agency Minutes - Page 5 Councilmember Sullivan requested a report from staff regarding a banner across the municipal pier. Adjournment — City Council/Redevelopment Agency Mayor Garofalo adjourned the adjourned regular meetings of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Huntington Beach to Monday, August 21, 2000, at 5:00 p.m., in Room B-8, Civic Center, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, California. G 4%"ej� City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk orthe City Council of the City of Huntington Beach and Clerk of the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Huntington Beach, California ATTEST: City Clerk -Clerk 10, Mayor -Chairman