CC MINS 20160411 ADJ Budget Workshop MINUTES
RANCHO PALOS VERDES CITY COUNCIL
ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING/BUDGET WORKSHOP
APRIL 11, 2016
The meeting was called to order at 6:25 P.M. by Mayor Dyda at Fred Hesse Community
Park, 29301 Hawthorne Boulevard, notice having been given with affidavit thereto on
file.
City Council roll call was answered as follows:
PRESENT: Brooks, Campbell, Duhovic, Misetich, and Mayor Dyda
ABSENT: None
Also present were Doug Willmore, City Manager; Gabriella Yap, Deputy City Manager;
Deborah Cullen, Director of Finance; Michael Throne, Director of Public Works; Cory
Linder, Director of Recreation and Parks; Terry Rodrigue, Interim Community
Development Director; Ara Mihranian, Deputy Community Development Director; Trang
Nguyen, Deputy Finance Director; and, Carla Morreale, City Clerk.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
Councilwoman Brooks moved, seconded by Councilman Duhovic, to approve the
agenda, as presented.
Without objection, Mayor Dyda so ordered.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: (Audience Comments regarding Items Not on the Agenda)
None.
REGULAR BUSINESS:
Consideration and Possible Action regarding the General Fund FY 2015-2016
Year-End and FY 2016-2017 Preliminary Budget and the FY 2016-2017 Capital
Improvement Budget
City Manager Willmore provided an introduction to the Budget Workshop.
Director of Finance Cullen provided a staff report and PowerPoint presentation,
highlighting the items to be covered including the following: 1) Review of the Year-end
Fiscal Year (FY) 15-16 and General Fund Balance; 2) Review of assumptions used to
create the hybrid zero-based budget; 3) Review of staffing recommendations; and 4)
Consideration of Policy recommendations.
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Director of Finance Cullen reviewed the FY 2015-16 General Fund Major Revenue
Year-end Estimate compared to the adopted budget by category, noting that the total
revenue is estimated to end the year with a $335,000 positive variance over the
adopted budget. She reviewed the FY 2015-16 General Fund Year-end Expenditure
estimate compared to the adopted budget, noting that the total expenditures are
estimated to end the year $382,000 under budget. She provided a review of the
Estimated Fund Balance of the General Fund which is estimated to have a surplus fund
balance of$1.8 million at Year-end.
Director of Finance Cullen provided an overview of the Revenue Assumptions for the
Preliminary Budget for FY 2016-2017 as compared to the FY 2015-16 adopted budget,
including projected increases in property tax, sales and use tax, transient occupancy
tax, utility user tax, and licenses and permits, with the Overall Project General Fund
Revenues estimated to increase $619,600 compared to the adopted budget. She noted
that the projected General Fund Revenues for the FY 16-17 Proposed Budget was
$28.5 million.
Director of Finance Cullen provided an overview of the following: 1) Economic Impact
Reconciliation to the FY 2015-16 Budget based upon the approval of the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) with the Rancho Palos Verdes Employee Association in
November 2015, including an equity compensation adjustment and 2.5% COLA; and,
2) Proposed MOU Economic Impact Reconciliation to the FY 2016-17 Budget including
COLA, Merit pay and the 401(a) 1% match program for Tier 2 and Tier 3 management
employees. She provided preliminary budget FY 16-17 expenditure assumptions
including the following: CaIPERS Pension Rate increases totaling $87,000, with an
Unfunded Accrued Pension Liability of$5.7 million; projected COLA increase of
$114,300; average 2% merit increase of$72,600; and health benefits increase of
$45,000.
Director of Finance Cullen continued with a review of the following expenditures: Law
Enforcement increases totaling $940,500; Non-Personnel increases, which
encompasses all ancillary accounts other than salaries and benefits by Department.
She noted the total Non-Personnel increases were projected to total $718,200 including
Public Works for $315,700; Information Technology for $168,300; Community
Development for $110,200; and, City Administration for $124,000. She explained that
after the budget assumptions were applied the FY 16-17 Proposed Budget totaled $23.2
million, which was an increase of approximately $2.3 million over the FY 15-16 Budget,
including increases in Public Safety/Law Enforcement, salaries, benefits, mandated
water quality programs, RPVtv and Information Technology, maintenance, and other
expenses.
Director of Finance Cullen provided an overview of the costs of health benefits, health
savings account, PERS pension costs, Workers' Compensation, and other benefits
including vision, dental, life insurance, etc. in comparison to the FY 15-16 Adopted
Budget and year-end estimates. She reported on the variances between the revenues,
expenditures, and transient occupancy tax transfers of the FY 15-16 Adopted Budget
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and FY 16-17 Proposed Budget; and FY 16-17 Estimated General Fund Balance
projected to be $12.7 at June 30, 2017, less the 50% Policy Reserve of$11.6, resulting
in an Estimated Surplus Fund Balance of$1.1 million.
Director of Finance Cullen reported on two recommended position reclassifications as
recommended by the Koff Associates Classification and Compensation Study and
requested by staff; and additional proposed staffing changes to improve customer
service.
Discussion ensued among the Council Members and staff regarding the proposed
staffing changes.
City Council Members stated that they were in unanimous agreement with the following
title changes, reclassifications, and staffing changes, with the understanding that this
direction was a non-binding decision until the conclusion of the adoption of the budget:
City Clerk Department - Title change of position from Staff Assistant II to Administrative
Assistant.
Recreation and Parks Department— Reclassification of the position of Recreation
Services Manager to Deputy Director of Recreation and Parks.
Community Development Department— Salary Adjustment for Code Enforcement
Officer; and reclassification of the position of Planning Technician to Assistant Planner.
Finance Department—Transfer of position from Community Development Department
to the Finance Department with reclassification of the position of Staff Assistant II to
Accounting Technician.
Information Technology Department— Elimination of the part-time position of
Geographic Information System (GIS) Coordinator; elimination of GIS contract; and
addition of full-time position of GIS Coordinator.
Community Development Department—Addition of a position of Building Inspector II.
RECESS AND RECONVENE:
Mayor Dyda called a brief recess from 8:12 P.M. to 8:23 P.M.
Sharon Yarber, inquired about the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculation rate to justify
the 2% COLA; suggested revenue opportunity to offset the Preserve costs by charging
a small entrance fee or approaching the other local cities for donations to defray the
cost of the maintenance of the Preserve; commented on the increase of the cost of
health benefits, title changes, and staffing of the Human Resources Division and
Finance Department for the City.
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In response to Ms. Yarber's inquiry regarding the CPI calculation rate change, Director
of Finance Cullen reported that the rate was based on the CPI Urban Index for Los
Angeles, Riverside, and Orange County, which is estimated to be approximately 2.4%
by March 31, 2016.
Director of Finance Cullen provided a recap of the FY 2016-17 Estimated General Fund
Balance Update, including the staffing changes considered by Council, which results in
a projected expenditure increase from $23.2 million to $23.3 million, an increase in the
Policy Reserve from $11.6 million to $11.7 million with the Estimated Surplus Fund
Balance of$.9 million.
Director of Finance Cullen highlighted the following policy decisions for the Council's
consideration: 1) Establishment of an irrevocable 115 Trust to cover the CaIPERS
unfunded liability; 2) Sheriff staffing; 3) City Attorney legal budget; 4) Beautification
Fund; and, 5) Transportation/General Fund Swap.
Discussion ensued among Council Members regarding the different policy decisions for
consideration, including the amount of the Policy Reserve.
115 Trust— CaIPERS Unfunded Liability
Discussion ensued among Council Members and staff regarding the consideration of
establishing a 115 Trust to fund the CaIPERS unfunded liability.
By acclamation, the Council directed staff to return with additional information regarding
cities that have incorporated the 115 Trust for the CaIPERS unfunded liability and
situations they have encountered, for consideration in this current budget.
Mayor Dyda so ordered, with Councilwoman Brooks and Councilman Duhovic
abstaining on the item.
Sheriff Staffing
Discussion ensued among Council Members and staff regarding the addition of a
dedicated traffic enforcement deputy for specific areas in the City including the Palos
Verdes Drive East (PUDE) switchbacks; consideration of the addition of grooves to the
curves in the switchbacks; modification to the speed limit; and consideration of other
technology to address traffic enforcement issues including mobile speed detectors.
Council directed staff to return with information regarding technology to address traffic
enforcement issues including mobile sound detectors.
City Attorney— Legal Budget
Discussion ensued among Council Members and staff regarding the City Attorney's
typical annual budget under the contract, additional expenses to be incurred on
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additional legal opinions and memorandums, the recent legal decision on the
telecommunications Utility Users Tax (UUT) case, and the initial expenses due to
transition to a new City Attorney.
The general consensus of the Council was that staff or the City Attorney would return
with an explanation of the City Attorney's detailed budget, with the identification of legal
matters that could be outside of the contract.
Beautification Fund
Discussion ensued among Council Members and staff regarding overall improvements
and beautification of arterials and medians at large, the possibility of public and private
partnerships to fund the improvements, and repair to right-of-way pilasters, walls, and
fences.
The general consensus of the Council was to possibly consider a beautification fund for
median improvements including planting of trees and fencing improvements along the
public right-of-way medians as part of the Capital Improvement Program.
Transportation/General Fund Swap
Discussed ensued among Council Members and staff regarding aggressively seeking
out transportation funds from other cities at a discounted rate.
By acclamation, the Council directed staff to aggressively seeking out transportation
funds from other cities at a discounted rate.
City Manager Willmore provided an overview of the next steps in the budget process
including the following: 1) Capital Improvement Projects will be considered on April 19,
2016; 2) Five Year model will be considered on June 6, 2016; 3) First Budget hearing
on June 6, 2016; and, 4) Budget Adoption on June 21, 2016.
ADJOURNMENT:
At 9:30 P.M., Mayor Dyda adjourned the meeting.
Attest: May
City Clerk
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