CC MINS 20080129 SPC MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
JANUARY 29, 2008
The meeting was called to order at 6:15 P.M. by Mayor Stern to conduct interviews of
applicants for the Finance Advisory Committee in the Fireside Room at Fred Hesse
Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, notice having been given with affidavit
thereto on file. The meeting reconvened in Council Chambers at 7:13 P.M.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Clark, Gardiner, Long, Wolowicz, and Mayor Stern
ABSENT: None
Also present were City Manager Carolyn Lehr, City Attorney Carol Lynch, Deputy City
Manager Carolynn Petru, Director of Planning, Building & Code Enforcement Joel
Rojas, Director of Finance/Information Technology Dennis McLean, Deputy Director of
Finance/Information Technology Kathryn Downs, Director of Recreation and Parks Ron
Rosenfeld, Senior Engineer Ron Dragoo, Senior Administrative Analyst Matt Waters,
and City Clerk Carla Morreale.
FLAG SALUTE:
The Flag Salute was led by City Manager Lehr.
MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Stern encouraged residents to vote at the upcoming State Primary Election on
February 5, 2008.
RECYCLE DRAWING:
Mayor Stern announced Recyclers of the Month from the January 16, 2008 City Council
meeting, John Tomich and Quintas Guthrie. He indicated that all winners receive a
check for$250 representing a year of free refuse service and urged everyone to
participate in the City's recycling program.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Councilman Wolowicz moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Clark, to approve the
Agenda.
Without objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Ralph Schack, Rancho Palos Verdes, reported on a major electrical problem in the
Country Club subdivision of Rancho Palos Verdes that had been ongoing for five years.
He detailed the problems and asserted that Southern California Edison (SCE) had been
either unwilling or unable to fix the problem. Mr. Schack reported that the issue was, at
times, a life and safety matter and that a complaint had been filed with the Public
Utilities Commission. He asked the Council for their support in this matter.
Council and staff's discussion with the speaker included the following topics:
Councilman Wolowicz's observations regarding the meeting between SCE and the
County Club residents; the lack of awareness of the problem by staff or Council; a lack
of City control over SCE; a call to agendize the item in order to draft a letter in support
of the Country Club residents; a similar situation in Palos Verdes Estates ten years ago
where the issue was resolved within months of the City's involvement; a request for
Scott Gobble from SCE to address the Council regarding the matter; and, a request
from Mr. Schack that SCE be asked to provide a full accounting of every blackout in the
Country Club subdivision over the past three years.
At 7:30 P.M. Councilman Clark left the dais. He returned at 7:34 P.M.
CITY MANAGER REPORT:
City Manager Lehr announced that she was recently inducted as a new member of the
Peninsula Rotary Club by the President of Rotary International.
NEW BUSINESS:
APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR:
Councilman Long moved, seconded by Councilman Gardiner, to approve the Consent
Calendar with Item 6 removed for separate consideration.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Clark*, Gardiner, Long, Wolowicz and Mayor Stern**
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
* Mayor Pro Tem Clark abstained from voting on the Minutes of January 16, 2008, as
he was absent from that meeting.
** Mayor Stern recused himself from voting on the Purchase of Tax Defaulted Property
in Windport Canyon.
EMERGENCY STORM DRAIN PROJECT:
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 2 of 8
Mossbank Storm Drain Rehabilitation (1204 x 604)
Reviewed and reconfirmed by a four/fifths (4/5) vote, the Council's previous action on
August 21, 2007, authorizing staff to proceed with emergency repairs to the Mossbank
Drive Storm Drain.
OTHER CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS:
Motion to Waive Full Reading
Adopted a motion to waive reading in full of all ordinances presented at this meeting
with consent of the waiver of reading deemed to be given by all Council Members after
the reading of the title.
Approval of the Minutes (301)
Adopted the Minutes of the October 16, 2007 Regular Meeting and the January 16,
2008 Adjourned Regular Meeting, (with Mayor Pro Tern Clark abstaining from voting on
the January 16, 2008 Adjourned Regular Meeting Minutes).
Rubberized Asphalt Concrete Grant - FY 07-08 (602 x 1405)
1) Authorized the submittal of a grant application to the California Integrated Waste
Management Board for a Rubberized Asphalt Concrete Use Grant Program - FY 07-08;
2)ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-06, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, AUTHORIZING STAFF TO SUBMIT AN
APPLICATION FOR THE RUBBERIZED ASPHALT CONCRETE USE GRANT
PROGRAM (FY 07-08 THROUGH FY 12-13); and 3) Adopted an Environmentally
Preferable Purchases and Practices Policy for the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Claim Against the City by Julio Ronald Maldonado (303)
Rejected the claim and directed staff to notify the claimant.
Letter Requesting Recirculation of the Ponte Vista EIR (310)
This item was removed from the Consent Calendar for separate consideration.
Proposition 1B Local Street Funds (602 x 1404)
1) Adopted the list of projects attached to the staff report for potential funding with
Proposition 1B bond proceeds; 2) Authorized staff to apply to the state Department of
Finance (DOF) for release of Proposition 1B bond funds for these projects; 3) Increased
Appropriations in the Street Improvement Fund of the Department of Public Works and
amended the approved FY 07-08 Adopted Capital Improvement Program to reflect the
addition of$693,105.48 in Proposition 1B funds into the Citywide Arterial Streets
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 3 of 8
Improvement Program; and, 4) ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-07, A
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES,
AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 2007-70, THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR
FY07-08, TO ADJUST THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FUND BUDGET.
Gifts for Parks (602)
Accepted the Gifts for Parks and directed staff to prepare donor letters of appreciation
for the Mayor's signature.
Purchase of Tax Defaulted Property in Windport Canyon (950)
ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-08, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF TAX-
DEFAULTED PROPERTY IN WINDPORT CANYON AND AMENDING RESOLUTION
NO. 2007-70, THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008, FOR
A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OF $115,000 TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.
Mayor Stern recused himself from voting on the Purchase of Tax Defaulted Property
in Windport Canyon.
Register of Demands
ADOPTED RESOLUTION NO. 2008-09, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND
DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING FUNDS FROM WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR:
Letter Requesting Recirculation of the Ponte Vista EIR
Councilman Long moved, seconded by Councilman Wolowicz, to waive the staff report
on this item.
Without objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
Mark Wells, Rancho Palos Verdes, thanked the City for their support and efforts
regarding the EIR for the Ponte Vista Development.
Pat Nave, representative of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council, reported
on the use of incorrect traffic counts and formulas for the project and asked that the
issue be addressed in the letter requesting recirculation of the Ponte Vista EIR from the
City.
Chuck Hart, President San Pedro Peninsula Homeowners United, voiced support for the
R-1 zoning and a new EIR. He thanked the City Council for the letter.
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 4 of 8
Councilman Gardiner moved, seconded by Councilman Wolowicz, to approve the letter
to the City of Los Angeles Planning Department requesting the recirculation of the
Ponte Vista EIR, with the inclusion of the new traffic data presented after City staff has
been able to confirm that data.
Without objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
Council and staff discussion included a request for a copy of the traffic data presented
by Pat Nave and a compliment from the Council to the residents for their proactive
efforts regarding the issue.
# # # # # #
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None.
PAUSE TO CONSIDER THE REMAINDER OF THE AGENDA:
REGULAR NEW BUSINESS:
35th Anniversary Celebration (1201)
Councilman Long moved, seconded by Councilman Wolowicz, to waive the staff report.
Without objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
Councilmember Long moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Clark, to direct staff to
proceed with preparations for both a community-wide event at the Point Vicente
Interpretive Center and a formal dinner in celebration of the City's 35th Anniversary.
Council discussion included comments in favor of one public event, and comments in
favor of two events.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Clark, Long, and Mayor Stern
NOES: Gardiner, Wolowicz
Appointments to the Finance Advisory Committee (106 x 602)
City Clerk Morreale reported that Council held interviews of applicants for the Finance
Advisory Committee earlier in the evening and distributed ballots for the Council to
make their selections.
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 5 of 8
The City Council appointed David Emenhiser, Anthony Misetich, and Anthony Self to
the Finance Advisory Committee, each with a four-year term of office until January 29,
2012.
Councilmember Wolowicz commended all who applied and encouraged those who were
not appointed to apply again in the future.
FY06-07 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (602)
City Manager Lehr provided a brief introduction to the FY06-07 Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report (CAFR). She reported that the City had received financial reporting
awards for the past 14 years and noted that Roger Alfaro, CPA, Engagement Partner
with the Vavrinek, Trine and Day auditing firm was present to address questions that
Council may have regarding the CAFR.
Deputy Finance Director Downs provided a brief staff report and presentation.
Council and staff discussion included the following topics: potential presentation of the
FY06-07 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report at the budget workshop;
undesignated General Fund reserves; the City's investment portfolio; an explanation by
the independent auditor of his firm's role in the preparation of the report; other cities'
auditing failures; the level of aggregation in the financial report; the impact of the report
on the FY07-08 budget; reconciling the report numbers with the Water Quality Flood
Protection Enterprise Fund; the potential of losing the Vehicle Licensing Fee (VLF)
revenue; FY07-08 reserve estimates; and, a future discussion regarding an audit
committee.
Councilman Long moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Clark, to 1) Receive and file the
FY06-07 comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,
and the Independent Auditors' Report on Compliance and on Internal Control over
Financial Reporting; and, 2) ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2008-10, A RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES, AMENDING
RESOLUTION NO. 2007-70, THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR FY07-08, TO
INCREASE BUDGETED REVENUE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
The motion carried on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Clark, Long, Wolowicz, and Mayor Stern
NOES: Gardiner
Council Meeting Schedule (307)
Councilman Long moved, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Clark, to select Saturday, March
29, 2008, for the Tactical Planning Workshop with this date to be confirmed at the
February 5, 2008 City Council Meeting.
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 6of8
Without objection, Mayor Stern so ordered.
CITY COUNCIL ORAL REPORTS:
Councilman Gardiner stated he had nothing to report.
Mayor Pro Tern Clark noted that the Coastal Commission meeting for February was to
be held at the fairgrounds in Oceanside where staff expected 1,000 speakers on the
Foothill Toll Road Extension issue.
Councilman Wolowicz reported on his attendance at the following: South Bay
Association Chambers of Commerce Annual Installation on January 17, 2008; Palos
Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority Board meeting on January 17, 2008; a meeting with
Dwight Yoder on January 22, 2008, regarding the City's ordinance on picketing; a tour
of the Marymount facility on January 23, 2008, while the flags and silhouettes were in
place; a meeting with the neighborhood association for the Country Club subdivision
about their electrical problems on January 23, 2008; the dinner for the Palos Verdes
Chamber of Commerce installation of officers and recognition of businesses on January
24, 2008; Palos Verdes Peninsula Transit Authority Board Audit Committee meeting on
January 25, 2008; and participation in a conference call between staff and the auditor
on January 29, 2008.
Councilman Long reported that he had attended the dinner for the Palos Verdes
Chamber of Commerce installation of officers and recognition of businesses on January
24, 2008.
Mayor Stern reported that he had attended the dinner for the Palos Verdes Chamber of
Commerce installation of officers and recognition of businesses on January 24, 2008
and had visited the Terranea site with City Manager Lehr and property owner Bob Lowe
on January 26, 2008.
Mayor Pro Tern Clark encouraged all Councilmembers to do a walk-through of the
Terranea site to view the status of the development.
COUNCIL DISCUSSION & SUGGESTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Councilman Wolowicz requested that Council consider an item regarding the formation
of an ongoing audit or finance committee to meet with the auditor and staff to discuss
the annual CAFR in advance of it being presented to Council. He also requested that
the CAFR be included in the discussion of the two-year annual budget with the
relationship between the two documents shown.
Mayor Pro Tern Clark reported on a letter from the City of Lomita to Torrance Airport
regarding apparent concerns with the potential sale and storage of jet fuel at Torrance
Airport. He stated that Ken Blackwood from the Lomita City Council had approached
him asking that Rancho Palos Verdes support their effort with a letter of support on the
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 7of8
issue. Mayor Pro Tern Clark requested an item regarding this matter be placed on the
next Council agenda for discussion.
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Stern adjourned the meeting at 8:57 P.M.
Alto
Mayor
Attest:
L77/ tiet&
14.1L: -
City Clerk
W:\City Council Minutes\2008\20080129 CC MINS SPEC MTG.doc
City Council Minutes
January 29, 2008
Page 8 of 8