The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2003-06-26MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2003 CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBER I. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Benson convened the meeting at 3:04 p.m. I1. ROLL CALL Present: Member Jim Ferguson arrived 4:00 p.m. Member Richard S. Kelly Vice Chairman Robert A. Spiegel Chairman Jean M. Benson Excused Absence: Member Buford A. Crites Also Present: Carlos L. Ortega, City Manager/RDA Executive Director Robert W. Hargreaves, Deputy City Attorney Sheila R. Gilligan, ACM for Community Services Homer Croy, ACM for Development Services Justin McCarthy, ACM for Redevelopment Amir Hamidzadeh, Director of Building & Safety Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk Teresa L. La Rocca, Director of Housing Michael J. Errante, Director of Public Works/City Engineer David Yrigoyen, Director of Redevelopment Robert P. Kohn, Director of Special Programs Mark Greenwood, Engineering Manager Jose Luis Espinoza, Finance Operations Manager With Housing Authority Board concurrence, Chairman Benson adjourned the meeting to Closed Session at 3:05 p.m. She reconvened the meeting at 4:03 p.m. MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING JUNE 26, 2003 ID. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Housing Authority Meeting of June 12, 2003. Rec: Approve as presented. Upon motion by Spiegel, second by Kelly, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented by a 4-0 vote of the Authority, with Member Crites ABSENT. IV. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None V. RESOLUTIONS None VI. NEW BUSINESS None VII. CONTINUED BUSINESS A. REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW RPM TO AWARD BID FOR LANDSCAPING SERVICES AT EIGHT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTIES (Continued from the meeting of June 12, 2003). Mr. Ortega stated the Board had questions at the last meeting regarding who had bid on the project and whether there were local firms that had bid on this. Staff was available to answer any questions. Construction Maintenance Inspector James Conway stated that staff had referred this question to RPM, the management company for the eight properties. It was noted that for the past two years, bids went out to six local landscaping firms, and only one had responded compared with two outside agencies. The one local firm was in excess of 30% higher than the out of the area firm. Staffs recommendation was to continue with Liberty Landscaping, which had been with the City for quite some time. He noted that staff had also provided the scope of work and price to the City's Landscape Manager, Spencer Knight, and he was in agreement that the properties could be maintained at the same level they had been in the past for the proposed price. 2 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING JUNE 26, 2003 Member Kelly moved to, by Minute Motion, authorize the Palm Desert Housing Authority to authorize RPM to award bid to Liberty Landscaping, Riverside, California, in the amount of $20,867 per month for landscaping services for eight Housing Authority Properties — funds have been appropriated in the 2003/2004 Housing Authority Operating Budget under contract services. Motion was seconded by Spiegel and carried by a 4-0 vote, with Member Crites ABSENT. VIII. OLD BUSINESS None IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. CONSIDERATION OF THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY MANAGER'S AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S PROPOSED FINANCIAL PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003/04 (JOINT CONSIDERATION WITH THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL AND THE PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY). Mr. Ortega noted the staff report and recommendation in the packets and offered to answer any questions. He noted that the proposed budget was a balanced budget. He stated that Ordinance No. 1051 dealt with Council salaries and provided for a cost of living increase for Council, provided for compensation as members of the Housing Authority, and also provided for compensation as members of the Redevelopment Agency. Upon question by Mayor Pro TemporeNice Chairman Spiegel, Mr. Ortega responded that the cost of living increase was 3.9% for the Council. He also requested that an additional item be added to the Agenda dealing with compensation for Redevelopment Agency Legal Counsel, which was inadvertently omitted from the Agenda recommendations. Councilman/Member Ferguson moved to add this item to the Agenda. Motion was seconded by Spiegel and carried by a 4-0 vote, with Councilman/Member Crites ABSENT. Mr. McCarthy noted that a request had been received from Redevelopment Agency Legal Counsel (Richards, Watson & Gershon) to amend the fee schedule for the partners and legal staff in terms of paralegals and assistants. The current rate for the partners was $175 per hour, and this was established in 2000. The request was that the amount be amended to $185 per hour. With regard to paralegals and legal assistants, the request was for a $5 per hour increase to $95 per hour. Mayor Benson declared the public hearing open and invited testimony in FAVOR of or in OPPOSITION to this matter. With no testimony offered, she declared the public hearing closed. 3 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING JUNE 26, 2003 Mayor Pro TemporeNice Chairman Spiegel moved to: A) Waive further reading and: 1) Adopt Resolution No. 03-87, adopting a City Program and Financial Plan for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004; 2) adopt Resolution No. 03-88, establishing the Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2003/04; 3) adopt Resolution No. 469, adopting a Redevelopment Agency Program and Financial Plan for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004; 4) adopt Resolution No. HA-20, adopting a Housing Authority Program and Financial Plan for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004; 5) adopt Resolution No. 03-89, setting the Salary Schedule, Salary Ranges, and Allocated Classifications for FY 2003/04; 6) pass Ordinance No. 1051 to second reading, adding Sections 2.24.030 and 2.64.140 and amending Section 2.28.010 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code, establishing compensation for Members of the City Council, Redevelopment Agency, and Housing Authority effective September 1, 2003; B) By Minute Motion: 1) Approve Outside Agency Funding as outlined in the accompanying staff report; 2) approve adding $20,000 to Budget for retaining Legislative/Regulatory Advocacy Services (Municipal Electric Utility) — action approved by the Legislative Review Committee at its meeting of June 17, 2003; 3) approve an amendment in hourly rates paid by the agreement with Richards, Watson & Gershon for Redevelopment Agency Legal Services, with new rates effective July 1 (Partners — $185/hour; Paralegals/Assistants — $95/hour). Motion was seconded by Ferguson and carried by a 4-0 vote, with Councilman/Member Crites ABSENT. X. REPORTS, REMARKS, AND AGENCY BOARD ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION A. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR On behalf of all City employees, Mr. Ortega thanked the City Council for its assistance in adopting a balanced budget. Chairman Benson concurred, also thanking City staff for its hard work in providing all the information and an ample time in which to review it. She commented that due to the above, the process was virtually "seamless." B. AUTHORITY COUNSEL None C. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY None XI. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - C None 4 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING JUNE 26, 2003 XII. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chairman Spiegel moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:50 p.m. Motion was seconded by Kelly and carried by a 4-0 vote, with Member Crites ABSENT. ATTEST: RACHELL D KLASSEN, SECRETARY PA►_M DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY BENSON, CHAIRMAN 5