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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcc min 2008/03/06 MINUTES OF AN ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA March 6, 2008 6:00 p.m. An Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Chula Vista was called to order at 6:01 p.m. in the Chula Vista Police Headquarters, Community Meeting Room, located at 315 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California. ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Councilmembers: Castaneda, McCann (arrived at 6:05 p.m.), Ramirez, Rindone and Mayor Cox ABSENT: Councilmembers: None ALSO PRESENT: City Manager Garcia, City Attorney Moore, Director of Budget and Analysis Van Eenoo, Finance Director Kachadoorian, Interim City Clerk Norris, and Deputy City Clerk Bennett PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND MOMENT OF SILENCE PUBLIC COMMENTS Ian Botha, Chula Vista resident, representing Tops For Patios stated that the increase of City permit fees from approximately $168.00 a few years ago, to $522.00 at present has resulted in the loss of business for him and other similar small business contractors. He stated that customers would not pay such a fee for a patio cover and instead, were seeking unlicensed contractors to perform the work. He asked the Council for its help to lower the fees. Mayor Cox referred the matter to staff. I. BUDGET WORKSHOP . Fiscal Year 2008 - 2009 Base Budget Overview City Manager Garcia presented an economic overview of the nation, state, and city. . Revenue Projections and Assumptions . 5-year Forecast Finance Director Kachadoorian presented the revenue projections and assumptions, and five-year forecast that included salaries and wages, health care premiums, CalPers retirement benefit costs, CalPers funded status, OPED retirement health benefits, major revenues, sales tax, property tax, franchise fees, development revenues, Transit Occupancy Tax, and the financial outlook and forecast for fiscal years ending 2009 through 2013. Page 1 - Council Minutes March 6, 2008 BUDGET WORKSHOP (Continued) Deputy Mayor Rindone requested that staff look at the possibility of freezing staff s step Increases. Director of Budget and Analysis Van Eenoo presented the fiscal year 2008/2009 proposed budget. He also gave a brief history of the recent budget cuts. City Manager Garcia presented the Budget Balancing Strategy. . Outcomes from employee focus groups Director of Budget and Analysis Van Eenoo presented the results of the two Employee Focus Groups conducted on February 28th and 29th. Councilmember Ramirez suggested that the focus group-type culture be maintained. Deputy Mayor Rindone spoke with respect to potentially increasing Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) from 10% to 12%, and suggested that staff survey the 18 cities in the region to see what they were doing. Mayor Cox added that the City of San Diego was also proposing an increase, and suggested that stafflook in to the matter. . Fiscal Year 2008 - 2009 Mayor and Council Budget Director of Budget and Analysis Van Eenoo presented the 2009 Mayor and Council Budget. Mayor Cox asked the Council to confirm the vote taken at the November I, 2007 Council Workshop. ACTION: With reference to the 2007/2008 Mayor and Council budget, Mayor Cox moved to accept the recommendation of the budget subcommittee that each blocked budget division in the department of Mayor and Council be individually reduced by at least 10%, the details of where the Mayor and each Councilmember take their respective 10% reductions of their own block budgets were at their own discretion, with the sum total reduction of at least $148,857 for the department. Deputy Mayor Rindone seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-1, with Counci1member Ramirez voting no. Mayor Cox then addressed the 2008/2009 budget, and offered the following motion: ACTION: Mayor Cox moved that the same approach be applied to the department of Mayor and Council for fiscal year 2008/2009 for each blocked budget division in the Department of Mayor and Council be individually reduced by at least 10%, the details of where the Mayor and each Councilmember take their respective 10% reductions of their own block budgets were at their own discretion, with the sum total reduction of at least 10% for the department. Deputy Mayor Rindone seconded the motion. Page 2 - Council Minutes March 6, 2008 BUDGET WORKSHOP (Continued) ACTION: ACTION: ACTION: ACTION: Deputy Mayor Rindone requested clarification as to whether or not the motion by Mayor Cox was an additional 10% reduction over the 2007/2008 budget. City Manager Garcia and Budget and Analysis Director Van Eenoo responded that the 10% reduction for the 2007/2008 budget in the Office of Mayor would be maintained for the 2008/2009 budget. Councilmember Ramirez offered a substitute motion to reduce the entire Mayor and Council budget by 29%. Councilmember Castaneda seconded the motion. Councilmember Castaneda offered a substitute motion to direct the budget subcommittee to look at additional cuts in the department of Mayor and Council. It was the consensus of the budget subcommittee to look at additional savings beyond 10% in the department of the Mayor and Council. Councilmember Ramirez offered a substitute motion to amend the original motion, that the block budget for fiscal year 2008/2009 in the department of Mayor and Council be individually reduced by at least 10%, the details of where the Mayor and each Councilmember take 10% reductions of their own block budgets be at their own discretion, and that the Mayor shall take a percentage greater than that, so that the sum total reduction was 29% for the department of Mayor and Council. Councilmember Castaneda offered a substitute motion to continue the matter of the Mayor and Council budget to the Council Workshop scheduled for April 3, 2008. Councilmember Ramirez seconded the motion and it carried 3-2, with Mayor Cox and Deputy Mayor Rindone voting no. OTHER BUSINESS 2. CITY MANAGER'S REPORTS There were none. 3. MAYOR'S REPORTS Mayor Cox thanked staff for their extraordinary work in bringing the workshop information to the Council. 4. COUNCIL COMMENTS There were none. Page 3 - Council Minutes March 6, 2008 ADJOURNMENT At 8:29 p.m., Mayor Cox adjourned the meeting to the Regular Meeting of March II, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. ///~ ~/ J-- ~ Lorraine Bennett, CMC, Deputy City Clerk Page 4 - Council Minutes March 6, 2008