HomeMy WebLinkAboutTC Min 2008-06-04
TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Slavitz called the regular meeting of the Tiburon Town Council to order at 7:30 p.m.
on Wednesday, Wednesday, June 4,2008, in Town Council Chambers, 1505 Tiburon Boulevard,
Tiburon, California.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
Berger, Collins, Fredericks, Gram, Slavitz
PRESENT: EX OFFICIO:
Town Manager Curran, Director of Administrative
Services Bigall, Director of Community
Development Anderson, Director of Public
Works/Town Engineer Nguyen, Chief of Police
Cronin, Town Clerk Crane Iacopi
INTERVIEWS FOR VACANCIES ON TOWN BOARDS & COMMISSIONS (6:30 p.m.)
(POST Commission)
· Ralph Leighton - 6:30 p.m.
· Peter Winkler - 6:40 p.m.
· Mindy Canter - 6:50 p.m.
· Jim Fraser - 7:00 p.m.
· Michael McMullen - 7: 10 p.m.
· Hank Skade - 7 :20 p.m.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW TOWN EMPLOYEES
New Police Officers - Eric Engstrom & Zachary Jacobsen
(Chief of Police Michael Cronin)
Chief Cronin introduced the two new officers and welcomed them to the community.
PRESENTATION - Annual Heritage Preservation Award
Chris Morrison, Recipient
(Heritage & Arts Commission Chair Margaret Bremer)
Town Council Minutes #10 -2008
June 4, 2008
Page 1
Ms. Bremer said the award was given annually to recognize excellence in safeguarding
yesterday's treasures for future generations. She presented the award to Chris Morrison who, for
over 40 years, she said had been collecting and sharing local history through the collection of
artifacts, legends, and stories from the Tiburon Peninsula.
Mr. Morrison accepted the award and thanked the commission and community for this high
honor. Members of the Town Council added their comments and thanked Mr. Morrison for his
contributions.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Town Council Minutes - Adopt minutes of May 21,2008 meeting (Town Clerk Crane
Iacopi)
2. 430 Ridge Road - Adopt resolution approving subject to conditions a Site Plan and
Architectural Review application for exterior modifications to an existing single-family
dwelling (Associate Planner Tyler)
Applicant:
Assessor's Parcel No.
Mark and Lynn Garay
059-082-22
3. Tiburon Court Subdivision - Approve Services Agreement for Biological Review and
Mitigation Monitoring Services (Director of Community Development Anderson)
Mayor Slavitz said that Item No.2 was being removed from the Consent Calendar. He stated that
the appellant had requested a postponement and that the item would be continued to June 18.
MOTION:
Moved:
Vote:
To adopt Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1 and 3.
Berger, seconded by Fredericks
AYES: Unanimous
PUBLIC HEARINGS
1. Municipal Budget - Introduction of proposed Municipal Budget for Fiscal Year 2008-
2009 (Town Manager Curran & Director of Administrative Services Bigall)
Town Manager Curran thanked the Director of Administrative Services for all of her work in
preparing the budget. She said that staff was pleased to present a balanced budget, although there
was a smaller surplus than in years past. She also pointed out some changes in the format of the
budget, from landscape to portrait, and the addition of a "non-departmental" section which would
show costs not attributable to just one department that had previously been included in the
administrative services department budget.
Town Council Minutes #10 -2008
June 4, 2008
Page 2
Director Bigall reviewed the operating budget with a power point presentation. She first reviewed
projected revenues which she estimated would include a 3% increase in property taxes but a 12%
decrease in Building Department revenues which she said were a result of the economic downturn
and declining interest rates.
Councilmember Berger asked whether the transient occupancy taxes were going up or down. Ms.
Bigall said that they would exceed budget in the current fiscal year and that she projected an increase
in the next fiscal year, as well.
With regard to expenditures, Director Bigall said that employee benefits were projected to be higher
in the coming year due to the elimination of the Town's CALPERS "super-funded" status, as well as
other increases in personnel costs. She said that the Police Department investigator position had
been staffed using COPS funding, but since that is not anticipated in the coming year budget the
position would be funded through the Town's general fund.
The Council discussed projected revenues versus expenditures. Councilmember Berger praised Ms.
Bigall for her prudence and probity in planning for economic downturns. He asked whether she
thought that expenditures would exceed revenues in the current year.
Ms. Bigall said that the Town would not allow this to happen, however she predicted that the gap
would close due to possible state take-aways and decreased property taxes.
Town Manager Curran added that Town staff took a more conservative approach than other cities in
Marin in projecting lower property tax revenues in the coming year.
Director Bigall also discussed the town's reserves, stating that the Town would start the coming
fiscal year with over $8 million in reserves, which represented one year's worth of operating
reserves.
Vice Mayor asked what the difference was in the budget between reserve funds and restricted funds.
Ms. Bigall explained that the general fund had both designated reserves and restricted funds; the
designated reserves were a part of the budget process that allowed the Town to fund projects in a
specific area. Town Manager Curran added that allocated general fund reserves can be reallocated or
reprogrammed by the Council while restricted funds, by law, cannot.
During the department overview, Council asked certain questions of staff. One question was
directed to Director of Community Development Anderson about whether any thought had been
given to the impact of the economic downturn on the planning and building division budgets. Mr.
Anderson said that while there had been a slight decrease in activity in those divisions, no program
shifts were anticipated at this time.
Mayor Slavitz asked what would happen if the Marin Clean Energy program took off-would there
be a cost to the Town.
Town Council Minutes #10-2008
June 4,2008
Page 3
Town Manager Curran said that according to the County's analyst, Dawn Weisz, there would not;
however, she said that staff would certainly bring the issue to the Council if that information
changed.
Ms. Curran then introduced Director of Public Works/Town Engineer Nguyen who gave an overview
of the upcoming capital improvement program budget for fiscal year 2008-09.
Director Nguyen said that the coming year would see another ambitious street rehabilitation program,
and that $650,000 was budgeted for this program.
Nguyen said that the Town had received a "safe routes to school" grant in the amount of $250,000,
which would be used for re-striping crosswalks and installation of curb ramps at Del mar School. In
addition, the Director said that grant funding had also been obtained for improvements to the Pine
Terrace Path, as well as other paths on Cayford, Jefferson to Reed Ranch Road, and Raccoon Lane.
The Director said that a new storm drain rehabilitation plan was in place for the coming year, which
would start with the Beach Road and Tiburon Boulevard area. He said the Town would spend
$200,000 each year for the next few years to achieve deferred maintenance and rehabilitation for its
drainage infrastructure.
Other community projects described by the Nguyen were the replacement of guard rails on certain
streets and seawall improvements in conjunction with the City of Belvedere. He also described a
project to replace a wall that had eroded in the Paradise Drive area.
Director Nguyen praised the efforts of the playground committee and said that through their efforts,
$90,000 had been raised toward the improvements at the Zelinksy Playground. He also said that
improvements were scheduled for the Cypress Hollow Park tot lot.
Mayor Slavitz asked about previous play structures at Belveron Mini Park and whether new
structures were planned for that location. Director Nguyen said that no further improvements were
planned to that park at this time.
Council asked about the proposed plans for the Public Works Corporation Yard. Director Nguyen
said that staff was working with the Council's finance subcommittee to select an architect to develop
a master plan for the corporation yard. The possibility of improving the dirt parking area near Lyford
Drive was also raised by Council.
Council praised Nguyen for his attention to improving the local roads. Mayor Slavitz noted that
when he joined the Council, it looked like the "failed streets" would never be caught up and now it
looked like they would be improved sooner than later.
Councilmember Gram said that he believed Director Bigall and Manager Curran "got it" in terms of
the overall economic climate and produced a budget that reflected that context. He was very
impressed by Director Bigall's knowledge of the town's finances in meetings with the finance
Town Council Minutes #10-2008
June 4,2008
Page 4
committee. Councilmember Berger agreed that Bigall had her "finger on the pulse" of both the
Town's finances and the current economy.
Mayor Slavitz opened the public hearing. There was no public comment. Mayor Slavitz closed the
public hearing.
Staff said they would return to council with resolutions adopting the current budget at the next
meeting.
2. Amendment to Town Contracts Ordinance - Consider repeal of existing Chapter 3A and
adoption of new Chapter 3A of the Town Code pertaining to Contracts (Town Attorney
Danforth) - 2nd reading and adoption of Ordinance
Council waived the staff report.
Mayor Slavitz opened the public hearing. There was no public comment. Mayor Slavitz closed the
public hearing.
MOTION:
Moved:
Vote:
To read by title only.
Collins, seconded by Berger
AYES: Unanimous
Mayor Slavitz read, "An ordinance of the Town Council of the Town of Tiburon repealing the
existing Chapter 3A and adopting a new Chapter 3A governing town contracts."
MOTION:
Moved:
Vote:
To adopt ordinance, as written.
Berger, seconded by Collins
AYES: Berger, Collins, Fredericks, Gram, Slavitz
TOWN COUNCIL REPORTS
Vice Mayor Fredericks said that Supervisor Kinsey had made a briefreport at MCCMC stating that
the County had applied for more channels for the MERA system which had met with opposition
from commercial entities. She also said that Will Travis, Executive Director of BCDC, was the
speaker and had calculated a one to three-foot rise in sea level due to global warming. She said the
Dutch had estimated a five-foot rise by the year 2100. Fredericks said that some possible responses
to this phenomenon that Travis discussed were returning strategic areas to wetlands, building of
dikes, and strategic fill of the Bay with new high density housing placed on bayside of already
developed areas.
Coumcilmember Berger said that he was honored to read the resolution adopted by the Town
Council at the Landmarks' Society memorial to Beverly Bastian.
Town Council Minutes #10-2008
June 4,2008
Page 5
TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT
Town Manager Curran distributed a draft agenda for the upcoming Homeowner's Summit on June
14, 2008, and asked for any changes to the agenda.
WEEKLY DIGESTS
· Town Council Weekly Digest - May 23,2008
· Town Council Weekly Digest - May 30, 2008
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Town Council of the Town of Tiburon, Mayor Slavitz
adjourned the meeting at 8:37 p.m.
AT EST~:/' t.'
/ I t~,'L( '/;"1~
DIANE CRANE COPI, TOWN CLERK
Town Council Minutes #10 -2008
June 4,2008
Page 6