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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-01-29Minutes City Council/Redevelopment Agency Meeting City of Huntington Beach Friday, January 29, 2010 8:30 AM - Room C and D Central Library 7111 Talbert Avenue Huntington Beach, California 92648 8:30 AM - ROOM C and D, Central Library CALL TO ORDER Mayor Green convened the City Council/Redevelopment Agency special meeting at 8:32 a.m. ROLL CALL Present: Carchio, Coerper, Dwyer, Green, Bohr, Hardy, and Hansen Absent: None ANNOUNCEMENT OF LATE COMMUNICATION Communication submitted by Deputy City Administrator Paul Emery, undated and titled The Huntington Beach Six Month Strategic Objective Matrix. COMMUNICATIONS SUBMITTED DURING THE MEETING Communication submitted by Fred Wilson, City Administrator, undated and titled Budget Update and Discussion. PUBLIC COMMENTS (3 Minute Time Limit) — None (City Council) — Meeting to review and update the Strategic Goals of the City Council. Facilitator Marilyn Snider, of Snider and Associates introduced herself and Graphic Recorder Gail Tsuboi of Tsuboi Design. Facilitator Snider requested self -introductions of the Department Heads and Council present at the meeting. Facilitator Snider took the group through a review of the City of Huntington Beach Mission/Purpose Statement, Core Values and Three -Year Goals (2009-12). Mission Statement: The City of Huntington Beach provides sustainable quality services to maintain and enhance our safe and vibrant community. Core Values Listing — The City of Huntington Beach Values: • Responsiveness • Accountability • Quality customer service • Honesty and Integrity Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 2 of 12 • Teamwork • Fiscal sustainability • Community involvement • Openness Three -Year Goals for 2009-2012, not in priority order: • Maintain our financial reserves • Maintain, improve and obtain funding for public improvements • Maintain public safety • Enhance economic development • . Improve internal and external communication A review of the City accomplishments since the previous Strategic Planning session of July 31, 2009 was conducted, along with a current SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. Below are the results of the brainstorming activity: Accomplishments of the City of Huntington Beach Since the July 31, 2009 Strategic Planning Retreat (brainstormed list of perceptions): • Record -breaking Summer Reading Program -- close to 6,000 readers • New restrooms at the beach • So far, we've been weathering the budget pretty well • City Council approval of the Downtown Specific Plan • Completed a study session on PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) rates • Met with the Army Corps of Engineers to pursue grant funding for water projects • Online Homework Tutoring Program through the Library • Completed the Bolsa Chica Lowlands Study and presented it to the City Council • Completed the Beach/Edinger Corridor Specific Plan and received Planning Commission approval • Successfully negotiated the holiday closure of City Hall • Achieved 90% participation in the AQMD (Air Quality Management Dist.) Ride Share Survey • Began energy retro-commissioning at Central Library • Presented the overview of the budget to all employees • Received $1.7 million in grant funding for energy projects • Thoroughly celebrated the Centennial • Completed Downtown Image Committee work • Surviving the storms without flooding • Completed the City Hall retrofit • Surf City Savings is up and running • Completed a Five -Year Financial Plan • Received additional Safe Route to Schools funding • Completed an RFP process for selecting a hotel developer • Reviewed and adjusted the roles of our boards and commissions • Study session on the relocation of Fire Station 8 • Presented to the City Council a proposal for the transfer of block walls ownership • Successfully elected a new mayor • Studied the feasibility of annexing Sunset Beach • New Fire Chief Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 3 of 12 • New website • Completed the pier buildings • Coming together as a team • Online recreation classes • Rollout of the Surf City Pipeline • Public records online • Combined two departments — Planning and Building • New payment system — the a -check option • Activation and certification of a new Urban Search and Rescue unit in the Fire Dept. • Edinger Parkway landscaping commenced construction • Completed a Safe Route to Schools project • Established a new financial reserve policy • Established an Energy Efficiency Program • Expanded Library Volunteers program • Meeting water conservation goals • Commenced a Charter Review Commission • Completed the energy retro-commissioning of the City Hall • Hired a consultant to begin expansion of the Redevelopment Area • City Council worked with City employees to achieve goals and objectives • Developed funding strategies for beach safety equipment • Purchased three new City vehicles with grant funding • Obtained HPRP funding to fund Project Self -Sufficiency • The Sand has gone "green" • Successfully negotiated some contract amendments with employee associations • Balanced the budget when faced with revenue reductions Current Internal Weaknesses/Challenges of the City of Huntington Beach (brainstormed list of perceptions): • Divided City Council • Lack of resources — difficulty keeping service levels up • Lack of business interest • Budget uncertainty • Inability to fill vacant positions • Low morale • Lack of reliable funding • Challenge in keeping up with state mandates • Employee uncertainty and anxiety • Pressure of financial constraints • Lack of funding for infrastructure • Deferral of equipment replacement • Reduced staffing levels and increased demand for services internally • Managing unfunded liabilities/PERS • Impact of retirements and loss of expertise • Problems with contracts on City projects • Lack of funding for slurry seal projects • Perception of lack of organizational leadership • Hiring freeze policy (currently 85 vacant positions) Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 4 of 12 External Factors/Trends that Will/Might have a Positive Impact on the City of Huntington Beach in the Coming Year (brainstormed list of perceptions): • Gates Foundation Opportunity Broadband Grants • Cooperation with the unions • Economic Stimulus funding • Local elections • Increasing viability of cloud computing • Higher stock market • Long-term economic trends that are positive • New retailers • Public -private partnerships • Working with the Downtown Business Improvement District • Increased role of the MVB (Marketing and Visitors Bureau) • Homeowners' tax credits for buying a house and energy efficiency • Updated building code requirements • Good investments; that our investments perform well • Redistricting • Potential Jobs Bill • Energy grants • Our weather • Getting free parking downtown • New hotel application • Increasing role of the Chamber and what it does for the City • Continuing increased participation by the community in major issues • Creative thinking as different agencies work together • Increase in volunteers with more skills External Factors/Trends that Will/Might have a Negative Impact on the City of Huntington Beach in the Coming Year (brainstormed list of perceptions): • State's early release of felons • Collapse of state government • Inflation • Federal deficit • Declining sales tax • Bankruptcies • Foreclosures • Loss of gas tax • Increasing need for local services • Less disposable income • Partisanship • Local elections • Strict water conservation requirements • Shortage of water • Climate changes • High health care costs Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 5 of 12 • Cap and Trade • Distrust of the electorate • Low interest rates • Lack of banks making loans to businesses • Reduced grant opportunities • State raid of financial resources • Declining property taxes • Unemployment • Increasing commercial vacancies • Less tourism • Major retrenching of key components of the national economy • Aging infrastructure • Aging workforce • Aging Council • Unfunded liabilities • PERS performance • Termed -out City Council members • Tight credit policies • Increased demand for services • Homelessness • Businesses leaving Huntington Beach • Increased litigation • Earthquake • Flooding • Disasters IDENTIFY NEW OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET SHORTFALL Brainstormed List of possible options from which the Options to Pursue listed below were selected: • Revisit mandatory staffing in the Fire Dept., e.g., reduce staffing on fire trucks • Job sharing • Review and reduce costs for Animal Control services • Close branch libraries and the Art Center • Reduce costs associated with the Fourth of July • Enhance employee contributions to PERS and evaluate the two-tier benefit • Institute the 4-hour staff time rule for Council requests • Evaluate/eliminate outside contracts • Deferral of wage increases • Eliminate supplemental medical benefits for new hires • 4/10 schedules • Cafeteria Plan for benefits • Eliminate HBTV broadcasts of City Council and Planning Commission meetings • Raise existing taxes (e.g., retirement, utility) • Cost recovery for arrest warrants • Sale or lease -back of Water Enterprise Fund • Broad cross -training of staff 0 One City Council.and one Planning Commission meeting per month Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 6 of 12 • Reduce/eliminate programs and services • Sponsorship by outside parties for city services under $10,000 • Streamline department operations • Consider webcasting of City Council and Planning Commission meetings, instead of HBTV broadcasts • Furloughs unpaid with City Hall closed • Revise parking rates • Court the film industry • Mandate contractors compliance with all laws, codes, regulations • Re-examine fees citywide and adjust where appropriate (e.g., ALS, BLS, beach events) • Sell surplus properties • Propose legal challenges to State mandates • Develop a Specific Plan for the industrial area to allow growth • Implement storm drain fees • Prioritize projects and services • Cooperate with the unions • Early retirements with 960 hrs/yr for 2 years • Sell the Main Promenade parking structure • Create funding mechanisms for block walls • Permanent part-time positions • Sell advertising on public buildings • VEBA Plan for all employees • Borrow from the Water Fund • Renegotiate costs with the County • Increase sales tax through Surf City Savings (shop local) • Contract out services (e.g., landscaping) • Reduce the City Council budget by 20% • Tax marijuana • Establish tax-free zones for commercial, industrial and manufacturing businesses • Host more fee -generating events (e.g., weddings on the beach) • Close City Hall every other Friday or every Friday • Court classic car auction houses • Require the school district to share or pay for crossing guards • Review and amend, if needed, economic development strategies From the list of brainstormed ideas above, City Council Members were asked to each choose 5 which they felt were viable and which would make the largest impact on the budget shortfall. The selected items were tallied and the following 7 options were further discussed and selected NEW OPTIONS TO PURSUE TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET SHORTFALL Not in priority order: • Internal revisit of mandatory staffing in the Fire Department (e.g., reduction of staffing from 4 to 3 on fire trucks) • Enhance employee contributions to PERS and evaluate the two-tier benefit • Deferral of wage increases, including cost -of -living and step Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 7 of 12 • Early retirement with 960 hours/year for two years o Eliminate supplemental medical benefits for new hires • Closing city hall on Fridays, with or without furloughs • Examine new ideas for revenue enhancement RECESS By consensus, the City Council meeting was recessed for a lunch break at 12:15 p.m. RECONVENE The Meeting was reconvened at 1:00 p.m. with all Council Members present. Facilitator Snider led the group in the identification of the next six-month strategic objectives, concentrating on how the goals will be addressed — date, accountable individual(s), and specific/measurable results for each. The following is the result of that exercise. Huntington Beach Six -Month Strategic Objectives — January 29, 2010 through August 20, 2010: THREE-YEAR GOAL: MAINTAIN FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND OUR RESERVES WHEN WHO WHAT 1. At the Feb. 16, 2010 City Finance Director Present financial updates to the Council Study Session and City Council. quarterly thereafter 2. Mar. 1, 2010 Fire Chief Investigate and report results to the DCA Paul Emery City Council on the internal revisit of mandatory staffing in the Fire Dept. (e.g., reduction in staffing from 4 to 3 on fire trucks). 3. Mar. 1, 2010 HR Director Investigate and report results to the DCA Paul Emery City Council on enhancing employee contributions to PERS and the evaluation of the two-tier benefit. Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 8 of 12 4. Mar. 1, 2010 HR Director Investigate and report results to the City Administrator City Council on the deferral of wage increases, including cost of living and step. 5. Mar. 1, 2010 HR Director Investigate and report results to the DCA Paul Emery City Council on early retirement with 960 hours/year for 2 years. 6. Mar. 1, 2010 HR Director Investigate and report results to the DCA Paul Emery City Council on the elimination of supplemental medical benefits for new hires. 7. Mar. 1, 2010 Energy Project Mgr. Investigate and report results to the Dir. Planning & Building, City Council on closing city hall on and Fridays, with or without furloughs. City Treasurer 8. Mar. 1, 2010 All department heads Investigate and report results to the (DCA Bob Hall — lead) City Council on new ideas for revenue enhancement. 9. At an April 2010 City Council Finance Director Present the results of the City's Study Session Financial Statement. 10. June 1, 2010 Finance Director Present an update of the Five -Year Financial Plan to the City Council. 11. June 1, 2010 Finance Director Present to the City Council for action a policy for equipment replacement and a policy for capital improvement reserves. THREE-YEAR GOAL: MAINTAIN, IMPROVE AND OBTAIN FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND EQUIPMENT WHEN WHO WHAT 1. Mar. 1, 2010 Dir. of Public Works, Submit a request to have working with the Army appropriation of the WRDA grant in Corps of Engineers the federal budget. Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 9 of 12 2. May 15, 2010 DCM Bob Hall, working Identify and prioritize the critical with all department heads equipment that needs to be replaced and the expected costs for the next two fiscal years. 3. June 15, 2010 Dir. of Public Works Provide to the City Council an outline of infrastructure activities and long-term funding requirements. THREE-YEAR GOAL: MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY WHEN WHO WHAT 1. At the April 19, 2010 City Police Chief, working with Present to the City Council for Council Study Session the Fire Chief and Marine information a plan to maintain Safety Chief public safety considering current budget constraints and personnel vacancies. 2. At the June 21, 2010 City Community Services Dir., Develop and present to the City Council Study Session working with the Fire Council a Replacement Plan for Chief and Police Chief Critical Health and Safety Equipment, including evaluation of potential ndin options. 3. July 1, 2010 Police Chief Provide the City Council with a written report regarding strategies to address the problem of DUI drivers in Huntington Beach. THREE-YEAR GOAL: ENHANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHEN WHO WHAT 1. Mar. 15, 2010 Planning and Building Dir Present to the City Council for and Economic action the Beach -Edinger Corridor Development Dir. Specific Plan. 2. May 15, 2010 Planning and Building Dir Submit for application acceptance and Economic by the California Coastal Development Dir. Commission for the Downtown Specific Plan and a Parking Master Plan update. Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 10 of 12 3. June 1, 2010 Economic Development Present to the City Council for Dir., with input from the action a DDA for a hotel in north City Council's Economic Huntington Beach. Development Committee 4. June 15, 2010 Economic Development Complete negotiations of an Owner Dir. Participation Agreement (OPA) with developer DJM for Phase II of Bella Terra. 5. July 15, 2010 DCA Bob Hall, working Schedule and plan at least one with the Community additional sporting event throughou Services Dir. and Huntington Beach. Marketing and Visitors Bureau 6. S July 15, 2010 at a City Economic Development Present to the City Council for Council Study Session Dir. action an amended merged project area to include previously identified blighted s opping centers. FUTURE OBJECTIVE Planning and Building Dir. Assess the constraints in the City's and Economic industrial zones and identify Development Dir. potential opportunities for use, including an identification of market demands. THREE-YEAR GOAL: IMPROVE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION WHEN WHO WH�►T 1. Beginning the day following City Clerk and PIO Post a summary of City Council each City Council meeting meeting highlights (e.g., actions by until July 2010 the City Council) to the Surfnet and on a link to all employees. 2. Feb. 15, 2010 City Administrator Update employee associations on the results of the strategic planning process. 3. May 1, 2010 Mayor Cathy Green — Hold at least one brown bag lunch lead, Mayor Pro Tem Jill with employees to provide Council Hardy, past Mayor Keith priorities and issues. Behr Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 11 of 12 4. July 15, 2010 City Administrator Provide to all employees two and Finance Dir. quarterly updates on the budget situation, in person and with an interactive Q & A session. 5. July 15, 2010 PIO, working with non- Identify revenue generation profits and other public opportunities on HBTV 3 and report entities on the feasibility to the City Administrator. 6. July 15, 2010 PIO, working with Public Improve HBTV 3 programming Cable TV Authority staff using PEG (Public Education and with department Grant) funding. heads to develop ideas for programming 7. July 15, 2010 City Administrator Provide to the employees and the City Council at least one update on the status of employee suggestions. 8. July 15, 2010 City Administrator Solicit employees'. suggestions (e.g provide a link to Pipeline) and provide feedback to the employees on suggestions given. Facilitator Snider listed Next Steps/Follow-Up Process which had benchmark dates as noted below: NEXT STEPS/FOLLOW-UP PROCESS WHEN `WHO WHAT Monday, Feb. 1, 2010 City Administrator Distribute the retreat record to those unable to attend or who had to leave early. By Wed., Feb. 3, 2010 All recipients Read the retreat record. February 9, 2010 Executive Team (City Administrator— lead) Review the "Internal Weaknesses/Challenges" list for possible action items. February 12, 2010 Department Heads Share and discuss the Strategic Plan with staff. Council/Redevelopment Agency Minutes January 29, 2010 Page 12 of 12 At the Feb. 16, 2010 City Council Present the updated Strategic City Council meeting (Mayor — lead Plan to the public. Monthly City Council Monitor progress on the goals and City Administrator objectives and revise objectives (Mayor — lead) (add, amend and/or delete), as needed. Monthly City Administrator Prepare and distribute the updated Strategic Plan Monitoring Matrix August 20, 2010 Mayor Strategic Planning Retreat to: (Friday) City Council - more thoroughly assess 8:00/8:30 am — 4:00 pm City Administrator progress on the Goals and Executive Team Strategic Objectives - develop a Vision Statement for the city - develop Strategic Objectives for the next six months The date of the next strategic plan retreat was set for Friday, August 20, 2010, 8:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. at which time the members will assess progress on the goals and strategic objectives, develop a vision statement for the City and strategic objectives for the next 6 months. ADJOURNMENT Council/Agency adjourned at 2:48 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting of Monday, February 01, 2010 at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers, Civic Center, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, California. City CMrk and ex-officio Cler f the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach and Clerk of the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Huntington Beach, California ATTEST: r <<City Clerk-ClerI