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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMin - CC - 1990.06.0638 Mayor Do Counci 1HaII at naldont 7 |32 CITY OF BURLINGAME CITY COUNCIL STUDY MEETING wednesday, June 6, t990, 7:30 p.m. city Ha1I Conference Room A Lembi convened the study session of he above date in conference Room A p.m. the Burlingame Cityof Burlingame City PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS BARTON, HARRISON, TEMBI , OiMAHONY, PAGLIARO STAFF PRESENT:ARGYRES, BECKER, BERGSING, COLEMAN, KIRKUP, MONROE, PALMER, QUADRI , REILLY, HERRERA, MALFATTI , HARVEY 1. REVIEW PROPOSED 1990-91. BUDGET AND CAPITAL PROGRAM City Manager gave the budget overview. General fund revenues are anticipated to increase 2.1 percent to $20 mil-l-ion while expendi- tures increase 5.1 percent to $17.8 million; $2.8 million is recom- mended for transfer to the capital improvement project which will reduce fund balance by $600,000. It was noted that 77 percent of the generat fund revenue comes from sales tax, hotel tax, and property tax and that the city is on a semi-fixed income. Water and sewer enterprise budgets will increase 5.4 percent, although water and sewer rates will need to increase 15 to 20 percent because of rationing. Capital improvement expenditures increase 4.5 percent to $5.1 mil-lion for twelve projects. The major project included in this is $2.1 miltion for the treatment plant headhrorks which will require a bond sale. The 5-year capital improvement program anticipates $42million in projects but, of this amount, $8.5 million is from presently unknown sources. The Council then began a department-by-department review of the operating budget. Councilman Harrison handled the Public works andCity HaII departments and indicatein meetings with the City Managerparticipation in the audit commi derstanding the need for changes iBarton questioned the decline i hat his questions were answered department heads. He thought e had helped him greatly in un- he Finance Department. Gloria nvestment portfolio outlined in dr andttentni the Finance budget; it was explained that this was the result of ex- penditures on capital improvements. Council had no further comments concerning Public works or City Hall- departments. Councilwoman o'Mahony indicated she had reviewed the Fire budget andfelt that it was rtlean and mean" and recommended approval . Council concurred . councilman Pagliaro reviewed the Park and Recreation budgets and there was a discussion of the new position reconunended for the after schooL sports program at BIS. Council supported the recommended ad- ditions. Mayor Lembi reviewed the Police budget. Councilman Pagliaro ques- tioned the number of vehicles in the department. Chief Palmer indi- cated that there are approximately 30 marked, unmarked, and support vehicles which must be replaced on a regular basis. In response to additional questions, he reviewed the accounts in the contractual service budget. Vice Mayor Barton reviewed the Library budget which increased 3.2percent. She asked the city Librarian to review the professional services account. city Librarian explained that there was $25,000in this account for a space planning consultant because the library is becoming crowded; we need to look tovrard the future of the Duncanproperty. After discussing this item, the Council supported the proposed Library budget. Councilman Pagliaro asked that the council discuss the new position of Disaster Preparedness coordinator proposed in the Fire Depart- ment. council had a general discussion with staff about the merits and needs of this position and, at the conclusion, supported its in- clusion in the budget. Councilman Pagliaro asked for a discussion of the convention andreau contract. He felt that since the city's revenuevisitors Bu from hotel tpossibly 10budget. He wish additio Mayor Barto representatiPagliaro th thought thattion on the mittee meeti ax haoka thou na1 r sdta ght epr eclined as a result of the earthquake we should corresponding decrease in the convention Bureau a decrease is especially appropriate since we esentation on the convention Bureau board. Vice he owners. Shehat was preparednot see that rdinance at this n indicated that she did not feel very stronqly on the on issue. Councilman Harrison agreed with Councilman at we should have more representation. Mayor Lembi the important issue was the City receiving representa- executive corunittee. He has attended a number of com- ngs concerning this item. After additional discussion, Council concurred with the Mayorrs position that we should seek a position on the executive cornmittee and after that try to address the representation issue. Councilwoman O'Mahony asked for a clarification on a number of the capital improvement requests. FUNDING REOUESTS FOR COMMT'NITY GROUPS Council reviewed the funding requests they had received from twelve giroups totaling $43,150. City Manager indicated that based on past Council policy, $12,000 had been included in the budget for thisyear. Councilman Harrison felt strongly that we should make a one- time allocation above our limit for the Mercy fire/earthquake repairs of $2,000. Vice Mayor Barton felt that the primary purpose of these funds was for programs which support human needs of the less fortunate. councilman Pagtiaro and Mayor Lembi felt they could support the $2,000 request for Mercy. Mayor Lembi questioned the request by the San Mateo Performing Arts center and indicated that we are the only City in the area not to contribute. He felt that we should contribute some amount. After additional discussion, it was the consensus of the Council that all of the groups that had received funding last year would receive the same 1evel of funding for this year plus, on a one-time basis for this year onIy, $2,000 would be added for the Mercy firelearthquake repairs and $2,500 for the Performing Arts Center. The City Council concluded its review of the proposed budget by thanking the city Manager and department heads for their fine work in preparing the budget. 2. HISTORICAL PRESERVATION ORDINANCE City Attorney reviewed the staff report he had prepared concerning various alternatives available to the Council in preparing a his- toric preservation ordinance. Councilman Pagliaro felt the Council has a frustration in dealing with projects proposed affecting his- torical sites since we currently have no controls. His concept is for expandinq the duties of the Beautification Commission and makingf it a Beautification and Historical commission. The commission would consider applications for adding buildings to a historic preserva- tion list. Any decisions of the corunission could be appealed to thecity Council. Basic purpose of the list would be to preserve the exterior of historical buildings including important architecturalfeatures. Interior alterations would not be covered. He thought that a public hearing process was aLso needed to deal with changes or hardships. Councilman Harrison asked if we needed to review the previous list and see how many buildings realistically would be on a list. Vice Mayor Barton thought that \"re needed to consider the problems that designating a property on a Iist would cause fo thought that we should start with the current lisin 1982. councilman Pagliaro indicated that heresidential property should be subject to th rtttdideotime. Councilwoman o'Mahony agreed that residentiaL buildings should not be included. Mayor Lembi stated that we needed to care-fuIly consider the economic hardships that this coul"d cause for com- mercial properties. City Planner added that there needed to beprovisj-ons in the ordinance for building code and possibly zoning waivers and for items such as unreinforced masonry. After addi- 39 tional discussion, it was the consensus of the Council that Council- man Pagliaro and the City Attorney would work on developing a draft ordinance during the next two months. 3. COI'NCIL COMMENTS Councilman Pagliaro asked the Mayor if he had responded to a letter from a school child about banning styrofoam. Mayor tembi indicatedthat the city Manager had responded. Councilwoman orMahony outlined the council discussion at the last meeting concerning developing a recreationaf need survey. Council- man Pagliaro thought this was a good idea but felt that we needed to move quickly or the opportunities in the industrial area would begone. Vice Mayor Barton vehemently disagreed with the city con- sidering purchasing the Hiram walker property for recreational uses. She reviewed her reasons why she feels the property is inappropriate and the impact it would have on the cityrs financial condition. Councilwoman orMahony thought it was very important for the City tofind out what the public interest bras on this subject. CouncilmanHarrison asked if we had received any cost estimates for the soi.l sampling necessary at Bayside Park. Staff indicated that they aregetting an estimate which should be ready by the next council meet- ing as directed by Council earlier. Vice Mayor Barton stated that in any recreation survey Councilshould consider the competing interests for all recreational uses including the library or senior addition to the recreation center.At its June L8 meeting, staff will present to the Council a cost es-timate for the testing needed at Bayside Park to determine its ap-propriateness for any other uses. AIso included will be a draft ofthe park and recreation survey for the recreation brochure. FROM THE FLOOR There r^rere no comments from the floor. AD.lOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m. udith A. MalfattiCity Clerk 40 vmy