Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor. Or, view on local television or try live feed Pacificcoast.TV, (formerly pct26.com). The meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following. City council updates and archives are available on the City website.
Interactive City Council Agenda, 6/23/14. Full Agenda Packet 6/23/14, 222 pages.
Closed session, 5:30 p.m.
Mayor Mary Ann Nihart will attend this meeting through teleconference.
1. CA government code 54956.8. Conference (Lorie Tinfow) with Pacifica School of Performing Arts, price and terms of payment.
2. CA government code 54957.6. Conference with labor negotiator. Agency negotiator, Glen Berkheimer. Unions: Firefighters Local 2400, Battalion Chiefs Local 856, Department Directors Local 350. Wastewater Treatment Plant Employees Local 856. Miscellaneous Local 856. Managers Local 350. Police Officers Association, Supervisors, Management Local 350.
| Average is a financial/economic infrastructure to aspire to: Fix the broken city with something other than shell games and mythology-- been there. |
Consent Calendar
1. Approval of disbursements, fiscal year (FY) 2013-14, 4/4/14 - 6/13/14.
2. Approval of City Council Minutes, 6/9/14.
3. State supplemental law enforcement services (SLESA) account Fund 7 expenditure up to $394,384 for Data 911 in car video, two part-time community service officers 2014-15, and computer equipment, tasers, cameras, police radios and ballistic vests, FY 2015-16. Resolution, Fund 7, 2013-14.
4. Resolution, authorizing participation in San Mateo County 3-agency police grant "21 COAST" (Consumption of Alcohol Suppression Team), administered by our police department to reduce alcohol access by minors, FY 2014-15 $40,000 grant. Summary/Resolution.
5. Calera Creek Water Recycling Plant fuel tank replacement. Balch Petroleum & Builders, Inc. lowest bid $172,224. Summary.
6. Resolution #1498, establishing the appropriation limit for FY 2014-15, CA state constitution (Gann Initiative, Prop 111, (6/1990), article XIIIB: $34,897,143. (Our city is below that appropriation maximum, see Item 10, General Fund budget). Summary/Resolution.
7. Resolution calling and notice for General Municipal Election, (statewide), Tuesday, 11/4/14.
8. Approve Lorie Tinfow, City Manager employment agreement, first amendment: annual pay increase to $190,000 (from $180,000, the increase is $10,000). And continuation of the $2,000 monthly relocation housing assistance (retroactive to 3/2014). Summary/Resolution. Employment agreement amendment.
Special presentations - Proclamation: Parks and Recreation Month.
Public hearings
9. Approval of User Fees and Charges, FY 2014-15, Fee Schedule.
10. Adoption of the city operating and capital budget, FY 2014-15: Capital budget, $18,193,500; General Fund operating budget $26,889,000. Summary/Resolution. Draft General Fund operating budget, 84 pages.
11. Adoption/updating the Intrusion Detection and Robbery Alarm Systems code (need for an annual fee, and fee following three false alarms). Summary, ordinance update.
Adjourn.
Note: FY refers to Fiscal Year (7/1/14-6/30/15), all links with exception of the interactive city agenda are pdf files. Photograph from 5 blackberries.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
60 comments:
Isn't it wonderful how Ms. Tinfow's annual raise of $24,000 and the continuation of her "relocation assistance" of $2K per month follows
so closely her spectacular budget presentation? I'm feeling good about it, aren't you? When she comes up with the plan to fix the mess, let's give her Vallemar or Pedro Point.
This is not the time to raise any executive salary $2000 per month. Ms Tinfow should decline the raise and it should not be offered. She needs to lead by example. There should be an immediate freeze on all raise and benefit increases.
641 I'm thrilled she got the news out and in an understandable way, but the news was still bad. A $24,000 per year raise and the potential for another $24,000 per year in this continuing "relo" benefit. I guess what this really means is that raises will continue for city employees. How could they not?
Wow I missed out on this. Belly Dancing? Is pole dancing next?
26369 $216.00 05/30/14 01359 0 STERLING RACHEL OUTSTANDING
216.00 01.800850.52800.0000.000 INSTR FEES-BELLY DANCING
Sherlock, where do you find the time
to study city check runs? You could be taking the PB&R class in belly dancing! This check was to pay the instructor.
Item 8, correction and apology. The annual pay increase for Lorie Tinfow, City Manager, is $10,000. The $2,000 monthly is continuation of the housing relocation agreement (retroactive to March 2014). Thanks to the individual who cleared-up that jumbled sentence which is now corrected.
We very much appreciate the work Lorie Tinfow and her staff are doing to improve this City, including budget transparency, and any hope for needed economic development.
Thanks, Kathy. We do appreciate her work and the $10K rather than $24K says she appreciates the situation.
Hope the relo isn't dragged out much longer.
We know where $10,000 visitor center money savings is going!
611, ha, think she's worth it. And improvement in fixing Pacifica will be priceless! Her findings, the latest round of city financial inadequacies are old news continuing from about 2003. And structural economic deficiencies are even older news.
Speaking of old news, here's a 2010 Bay Area City Manager wage comparison article from Action Alameda News. And another from San Francisco Chronicle, 9/23/10. If you're still concerned, you might look into this further, and report back to us. Meantime, some of think we're pretty fortunate that City Council has hired Lorie Tinfow, who we believe is a highly competent City Manager.
Excuse me, but didn't council decide after much sturm und drang to give the Chamber their usual $10K? The PRC and the Beach Coalition were also funded. Only the library funding for extra hours was cut. How odd? Might that be more about building an appetite for a new central library than making the slightest difference in the city's finances? You betcha!
I think Tinfow will be worth it if her role goes beyond messenger of old news. When she stops the appalling waste of public funds on vanity projects like Beach Blvd., Palmetto, the retention of endless consultants to produce reports that lead nowhere, the posturing re economic development-- she'll show qualities not seen in Pacifica in decades, ie, a backbone and leadership. And if she can make the case for development WITH THIS QUIVERING FRAUD of a CITY COUNCIL then she is worth her weight in gold. I think she can do it. Could be our last chance.
Roger was at city council again last night, talking about the noise issue with the tire shop.
The city blundered this big time.
The City Council did not fund the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce or the Library. The did fully fund The PBC and the Resource Center.
One fact I know for sure regarding Roger....When Seaview Tire and Brake did an expansion a few years back (I don't know the exact date) a notice was circulated amongst the neighbors for approval and Roger signed it.
Roger also went to court with STB and settled in binding arbitration but now does not want to accept the outcome.
Thanks, Chris Porter for the info on the CofC. Council has a sense of humor, or something. All four of those NGOS are just a tiny drop in the pan.
Zoning zoning zoning.
Roger is obsessed with closing down Seaview Tire and Brake. He rented that house first and bought after being well aware a long time business was in his backyard. Yes he singed the expansion petition. The problems started when he built a rental unit and had trouble renting it.
The Meyerhoff's have bent over backwards to try and appease this guy but he'll have none of it. They have gone to court numerous times and prevailed. Now after making a threat in public against Meyerhoff he's had all his guns confiscated. Seaview Tire are the victims here, not Roger, he's brought this all onto himself.
Money can buy peace of mind as well as real estate.
This kind of stuff too often ends up in the headlines.
Regardless, the city shouldn't have allowed Karen Ervin to go to court to testify against Medler. This opens up the city for litigation.
254, does it? Did Karen Ervin testify on behalf of the city? If so, her testimony would be reviewed by the city attorney.
If not, isn't she just an ordinary citizen just like you? Except, if you testified you'd have to crawl out of that chicken costume and use your own name, right?
Karen and Courtney Conlon were both subpoenaed (sp).
Kathy
She is a city council person on the city council, anything she does either reflects good or bad on the city. She had no reason to go and testify and bring her patsie the chamber maid with her.
The city council seems to have dumped everything on city manager.As Karen Ervin said :council is looking for guidance.Council will make sure she earns her money now.Wait until a few months when sewer needs are presented and mandated pension contributions increase 38%.City Manager is good at creative financing,as $10,000 raise is offset by cut to visitor center.At least she knows what she is worth!
334, well now there you go, clarification and answer from Chris Porter, 327: Subpoenaed.
334, besides where in your law book does testifying in a court case as an individual end with election to public office? Clue it doesn't.
And further besides, past city council members in this city have testified in other court cases as individuals. Was it the end of the world? Not that I recall. Did anything past city council members do or say reflect on this city, except for crippling economic progress? No one recalls.
Other than that, your hidden identity comments are pointless attacks, which makes you look like a slimeball, or some related description.
^^^ Interesting two 334 comments. My comment was directed at the first one.
However 334, second one, City Manager negotiations would likely have been made prior to budget findings and not related to the $10,000 previously allocated to the Chamber of Commerce.
And there is no relationship between the two, so stop "spitting in the wind". The CEO of a city is paid, that the way it works. Did you do your homework yet to compare what City Managers in the Bay Area are paid? Guess not, otherwise you might "get it" maybe. Meantime, we should support the work our City Manager is doing to unscramble city finances, and hope this city takes action to develop a sustainable city economy.
Will you support economic development in this city? The Chamber of Commerce will. And they were not crying over loss of the $10,000, but you are, why?
I'm really glad to hear the city will be bulking up their financial expertise after 6 or 7 years in fantasy land. Going through a long and deep recession, in which CA was hit particularly hard, without a finance director has got to be one of the all-time bonehead decisions. I have no trouble believing this council was either too stupid to understand the finances, or, far more probable, those few who did understand were too careful with the information. Now we have a new golden girl airing the place out. That's great, but it's not enough if council's spending habits, reliance on tax measures, and priorities don't change.
To the first 334, YOU"RE DELUSIONAL! Karen not only should have testified to what she heard, she was OBLIGATED to do the right thing as a city council person and citizen. Any threat of serious bodily harm with a firearm needs to be taken dead seriously. Maybe in your twisted world that's none of your business. Crawl back under your rock.
The extremely high public servant money in Pacifica is lopsided .Council should raise minimum wage to be fair.As Councilmember Stone said we need get house in financial order.$10,000 cut and $10,000 increased in salary does not compute.This denial of financial reality shows why Pacifica goes down the slippery slope.
You have to comply with a subpoena or you're breaking the law. Bench warrant in your name often follows. Doubt either woman volunteered to be part of this typical Pacifica goatf%$k which has an irrational element to it. Hope it resolves through peaceful, perhaps financial, means. Life's too short to spend it fussing and feuding with neighbors who may just like the fussing and feuding a little too much.
507 Pacifica "goes down the slippery slope" because it has no economic development, not because it pays wages which we know to be near the bottom for cities in San Mateo County. This new CM may be the only thing between us and total collapse next year or the following. You really want to go bargain-hunting?
507 It computes just fine.
"near the bottom" are the operative words 6:30. Still room to cut a million or 2. As long as we're in the red we are paying too much. Fire dept still hasn't taken any real cut. It's their turn. Maybe our 4 mil shortfall will put the pressure on.
Mr. and Ms. Doom and Gloom, lay down your wary heads to rest: From Rock Bottom, there's only one way to go...UP UP UP!
$3.5 million written off the R.D.A.loan, another $2.5 million R.D.A. loan portion that we will be lucky to get 10 cents on the dollar. $1.5 million set aside that has gone missing and $4 million inter-fund loan that nobody knows how it was spent or why it was not repaid. This is the financial history of Pacifica. Staff and Council have failed us for years.
The currant Council is no better, to make this years budget balance they borrowed $2.2 million from the waste water treatment plant maintenance fund. I have no faith that this loan will ever be repaid. This is an internal loan if Council runs up against hard times they as both the lender and the borrower can postpone repayment. Can anyone tell me when Council hasn't cried poor me at budget time.
When I pointed out to both Council and Staff that the City was facing both loan & bonds for the building of the sewer plant that were going from interest only to interest & principle the first and only response was that they should refinance them. What that means for the citizens of Pacifica is that we will never pay off this debt.
When the sewer plant needs maintenance or upgrades the council will just raise the sewer fees. Lorie has provided Council with a legal way to turn the sewer enterprise fund into a piggy bank.
734 you've been beating that drum for years. Not happening. The city and the unions will cut jobs and services before they reduce a pay rate.
755 Love the freudian slip wary/weary. It's sooo Pacifica. Take your vitamins and your prozac because we haven't hit bottom yet.
And 831 you've been beating your drum to death. Only the city finally did start negotiating some real cuts after measure v flopped. They need to keep on it.
Tom, do you think we can sue the city if they try for another sewer fee increase since they are misappropriating funds?
Really 849? It's a shell game. Wise up.
Nobody is cutting fire and police wages. This city missed it's chance.
And it's the pensions for these two groups, in particular, that will keep Pacifica broke.
Tom, yes! Kicking the can down the road and creative financing continue. And questionable spending. Apparently there's little difference between the new council and the old councils. When this one opens its mouth all I can think is 'don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining'--which is exactly what I thought in the bad old days. It's disappointing, but also humbling and enlightening. You know what I mean, Grasshopper?
You know you're in Pacifica when you're left holding the bag and you're actually in the bag. Thanks Council!
What council now has at their disposal is far better than that last measly tax measure or any future tax scam. They've got access to the Sewer Enterprise Fund. Gotta balance a budget? Pay into a pension obligation bond? Running a little low? Just raise the sewer rate. We pay into it every time we pay our property taxes and they siphon it off for whatever purpose they choose. Hint, probably not sewer-related. Lotta good it did to defeat V. I guess Ms. Tinfow got a real good performance review. What other cool stuff is in store for us?
Let's start a ballot initiative to prevent limit fee hikes to 2%, following Prop 13 and snip snip the electric to their ATM! That's the ticket!
Devious, you wascally weebil, devious.
The loan is from the WWTP construction fund, not from WWTP operations, so our annual sewer rates should not be affected.
The new pensions bond loan against the WWTP construction fund (Fund 34 I think) replaces an existing pensions bond, currently paid at a higher rate (something like 6.5% as I recall). The WWTP construction fund currently has a low interest rate, something like .05%, and that rate will stay the same. This was discussed as part of the FY 2914-15 budget, passed by city council at their 6/23/14 meeting (above article, item 10).
The city is required to pay back this pensions loan, and a plan is in place to do just that. Of course, as Tom Clifford has pointed-out, the city has a problematic track record paying back debt to its infrastructure. The result is we are all affected by a less functional city.
The bottom line is the city needs more revenue than it takes in. The answer is taxation, smart development (commercial, retail and housing), annexation to any other city that wants us, or bankruptcy (ultimately County, not a good choice). We've been living with city austerity for quite some time and that isn't working. The currency of "our environment is our economy" is not bankable. Love the environment, but grow-up and learn to count.
Kathy, only time will tell if our sewer rates are jacked up by council's new found ability to borrow from the Sewer Enterprise Fund. As Tom Clifford noted, Pacifica doesn't repay its loans. It doesn't even handle the borrowed money very well. And here we've opened a brand new line of credit guaranteed by the rate payers. But, as you and others ask, what other choice do we have? None, whatsoever. IMHO, we're all just putting the best face we can on this on-going disaster.
The city of Pacifica has been talking to the firemen for 3 years about a new contract.
If they have to cut pay how many years will it take them?
I wish my business was one of the city council lapdogs who got very generous back room no bid deals from the city council. I wish my business can raise rates and soak the taxpayers every chance I get.
If you can not figure out Pacifica is going down the drain, there is zero hope for you.
Kathy, Yes the money is coming out of the WWTP maintenance Fund, that fund has the same revenue source as the rest of the enterprise fund our sewer fees.
This is the same fund that is not only suppose to upgrade the plant in 2020 (the loan won't be fully repaid until 2022)but also will be taped to pay a large part of the sewer system replacement required by the consent degree(an estimate $50 million).
To meet all of the obligation placed on the fund our fees will have to go up.
In terms of the payment on the Pension bonds you are working on the misinformation that Council put out. The payments are being made as they come due, we are not buying them down. The full 6.5% interest is being paid and we are taking out a new loan at the .05% rate. Staff and Council were going to pay 1% interest until I pointed out to them that they would be taking about $76,000 out of the General Fund over the seven years of the loan. You know the General Fund, the fund that is so short that they could not fund the library.
The whole 1% Vs. 6.5% payment plan was just a sales pitch to make the public think it was getting something for its money.
Tom 714, you make a good point that the city pension bond replacement is not a pay-off of pension obligations, but an ongoing bond to fund existing pensions.
For this pension bond exchange, there should be no additional charges added to what we currently pay, although as you point out with the 7 year loan, there is a two-year time gap to fulfill the WWTP upgrade in 2020 (possibly the total amount might not have to be in place in the first 1-2 years). However, the $50 million needed is a long way off from what was currently $12 million in the construction fund, now $5 million. For sure, the $12 million to $50,000 million gap to be generated over the next 6 years could increase WWTP rates.
The continued level of .05% WWTP interest agreed to (and you suggested) will increase General Fund revenue, plus the 6% interest gained from closing that prior pension bond. (My personal thoughts about this were that the city should pay the WWTP a higher return on borrowed money, which would benefit the WWTP.)
The finances in this city are scary. The city needs to focus on long-term economic solutions: development or taxes or both. We're not Atherton, but their renewable (temporary/forever) solution was a $750 maximum parcel tax. With smaller parcel taxes, we've been there before. Needless to say, less resistance to development might help this city.
6:30I wish my business could too!
There's nothing to prevent council from raising sewer rates to refill the glass. Just a question of when and how much more than previously planned. And does anyone believe this pension bond is the only pressing debt they'll be faced with? This is an old Pacifica story offered to us with enough dirty laundry to quiet any objections. Remember, it's all about how you tell the story. Ain't it grand? Smile!
We're not Atherton
Or Daly City or East Palo Alto. They both have revenue.
We will be using outhouses when council gets through with the Sewer Enterprise Fund. How about other pension bond obligations? This one is for police and fire only, right? There are other pension bonds. How many times will this council use the Sewer Funds to cover non-sewer related obligations? We all know how often property-owners pay in. This is a replay of those days before the BigHorn Decision. This stuff will end up in the courts again. Too late for us. Outhouses.
@630 No baby, we're going down the toilet. Flush when ready, city council!
Kathy, be a good neighbor. Tell Atherton the money's in the sewer? Forget all those tax measures that never pass and bypass the voter entirely. Rich people, what do they know?
627 Hey, we don't know what they're talking about. Could have been how to loot the sewer fund. These days when cities cry poor, unions push back with practical advice and creative financing tips. Fleecing the taxpayers makes for strange bedfellows.
Maybe Julie Lancelle was right. Maybe we can ask the other cities for money. Being Pacifica residents shop over the hill.
Beg for money on street corners in other cities? Better you should beg for a toilet that works. Remember to go before you head back to Pacifica.
Finally, a cottage industry that Pacifica is really good at...
begging for money.
We don't even have to pay an outside consultant for expertise.
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