MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
SUNNYVALE CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 2005
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 456 WEST OLIVE AVENUE
SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA
The special meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, at 456 W. Olive Avenue, Sunnyvale, California with Mayor Chu presiding.
Mayor Chu led the salute to the flag.
The City Clerk called the roll. Councilmembers Lee, Hamilton, Miller, Howe, Vice Mayor Swegles and Mayor Chu were present and Councilmember Fowler was absent.
Staff present: Amy Chan, City Manager, Joan Borger, City Attorney, Chuck Schwabe, Deputy City Manager, Mary Bradley, Director of Finance, Grace Kim, Budget Manager, Mark Eyrich, Budget Analyst, Mike Curran, Director of Employee Development, Robert Walker, Director of Parks and Recreation, Don Johnson, Director of Public Safety, Marvin Rose, Director of Public Works, Susan Ramos, City Clerk
Public Hearing Items
1. Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Mid-Year Review and Long Term Financial Plan Update and Budget Modification No. 23 (RTC 05-037)
Amy Chan, City Manager, gave an overview of the workshop. Mary Bradley, Director of Finance, presented the staff report.
Council member Howe requested staff provide Council with a list of mandates.
Mayor Chu opened the public hearing at 3:00 p.m. There were no public testimonies and the public hearing was closed.
Vice Mayor Swegles moved, Council Member Howe seconded, to approve staff recommendation and receive the mid-year report as presented and approve Budget Modification No. 23. Motion passed with Council Member Fowler absent.
Mayor Chu declared a recess at 3:05 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 3:20 p.m.
2. Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Service and Budget Reduction Package and Budget Modification No. 24 (RTC 05-038)
Council Member Hamilton returned to the dais at 3:25 p.m.
Chuck Schwabe, Deputy City Manager and Amy Chan, City Manager, presented the staff report.
Mayor Chu opened the public hearing at 3:50 p.m.
Harriett Rowe, member of the public, referenced the letter submitted by Tim Risch, noting that water features have some merit and can be a revenue source for the city. She suggested the City continue to compromise for water features.
There were no other public testimonies and the public hearing was closed at 3:54 p.m.
Council Member Miller moved and Vice Mayor Swegles seconded to direct staff to defer the service and program budget reductions until July 1, 2005 and re-address the reduction package as part of the FY 05/06 budget and 10-Year Resource Allocation Plan; and, to approve Budget Modification No. 24.
Vice Mayor Swegles offered a friendly amendment to study the potential of raising golf fees from $2.50 to $5.00 and bring it back to Council for consideration before April.
Mayor Chu offered a friendly amendment to exclude golf fees from the original motion and direct staff to bring this item back in March for Council approval. The amendment was accepted.
Motion passed 6-0, Council Member Fowler absent.
Mayor Chu declared a recess at 4:00 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 4:15 p.m.
3. Review and Discussion of Budget Issues for Consideration in Preparing the City Manager’s Recommended Fiscal Year 2005/2006 Budget and Long Term Financial Plan (RTC 05-039)
Grace Kim, Budget Manager and Amy Chan, City Manager, presented the staff report.
Council Member Miller suggested withdrawing the budget issue in attachment B regarding an increase to Council’s travel allocation for regional and national conferences, since it will affect the General Fund at a vulnerable time.
Mayor Chu opened the public hearing at 4:36 p.m.
Skip Gottschalk, Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association secretary, provided clarification on his previous request to Council regarding rats and cockroaches in city sewers and manholes. He said that the request was made on behalf of the entire Lakewood Village Neighborhood Association and it is to ask the City to look into mitigating the existence of rats and cockroaches in city sewers and manholes by spraying or trapping. He said that the neighborhood is already conducting outreach to its residents and they have been in contact with the County Vector Control office for assistance. He urged the City take a proactive approach to mitigating this problem.
Harriett Rowe, member of the public, advocated for increasing the travel allocation for Council members for local and regional conferences noting the benefits derived from their participation at these meetings and conferences. She suggested deferring the matter for future consideration instead of eliminating it completely.
There were no further public testimonies and the public hearing was closed at 4:54 p.m.
Council Member Howe moved, Council Member Miller seconded to:
1) Direct staff to work with the County Vector Control office to be more proactive in educating the residents about controlling the existence of rats and cockroaches in the City’s sewers, manholes and residences, and to utilize existing City resources such as publications and utility stuffers to assist in this educational outreach without a budget allocation.
2) Defer consideration to increase the Council’s travel allocation for regional and national conferences, to next year
3) Set a cap of $100,000 for General Fund Budget Allocation for support of outside groups.
The motion passed with Council Member Fowler absent.
Council Member Hamilton left the meeting at 5:10 p.m.
4. City Programs Selected for the Fiscal Year 2004/2005 Service and Budget Review Process (RTC 05-040)
Chuck Schwabe, Deputy City Manager, presented the staff report.
Mayor Chu opened the public hearing at 5:18 p.m. There were no public testimonies and the public hearing was closed at 5:19 p.m.
Council Member Howe moved, Vice Mayor Swegles seconded to approve the program group for Year 1 only as recommended by staff for FY 04/05 service and budget review process, with further direction to change the date of the special City Council meeting from March 26 to April 2, 2005. Motion passed 5-0, Council Members Hamilton and Fowler absent.
Adjournment – Mayor Chu declared the meeting adjourned at 5:20 p.m.
Susan A. Ramos
City Clerk