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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-09-18MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY - Mr/ - THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2009 — 4:00 P.M. CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBER 73510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER Mayor/Chairman Spiegel convened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. 11. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmember/Member Jean M. Benson Councilman/Member Jim Ferguson Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chairman Cindy Finerty Councilman/Member Richard S. Kelly Mayor/Chairman Robert A. Spiegel Also Present: John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager/RDA Executive Director David J. Erwin, City Attorney Sheila R. Gilligan, ACM for Community Services Homer Croy, ACM for Development Services Justin McCarthy, ACM for Redevelopment Stephen Y. Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk Bo Chen, City Engineer Russell Grance, Director of Building & Safety Lauri Aylaian, Director of Community Development Paul S. Gibson, Director of Finance/City Treasurer Janet M. Moore, Director of Housing Mark Greenwood, Director of Public Works David Yrigoyen, Director of Redevelopment & Housing Ignacio Otero, Deputy Chief, Palm Desert Fire/Riverside Co. Fire Dept./Cal Fire Dan Wilham, Chief, Palm Desert Police/Riverside Co. Sheriffs Dept. Andrew Shouse, Asst. Chief, Palm Desert Police/Riverside Co. Sheriff's Dept. Grace L. Mendoza, Deputy City Clerk MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY JUNE 18, 2009 III. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - Mayor/Chairman Robert A. Spiegel IV. INVOCATION - Councilmember/Member Jean M. Benson V. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None VI. NEW BUSINESS A. DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER'S/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S PROPOSED FINANCIAL PLAN AND PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF PALM DESERT, FISCAL YEAR 2009-2010. Mayor/Chairman Spiegel noted Councilman/Member Kelly first requested an additional discussion as it related to the Police Budget. Councilman/Member Kelly referred to page 2 of the City Manager's Revised Budget Worksheet and said his first concern was about the Narcotics Officer, as he was unaware that was a confirmed addition to the budget. He recalled talking about the Cities of Indian Wells and Rancho Mirage participating in this position, since it was a Valley -wide Officer who would be stationed somewhere outside Palm Desert; and even if not, those cities declined to participate. Therefore, under present conditions, he didn't think it should be part of the budget. Additionally, he noted that in its deliberations, the City Council didn't have the Public Safety Commission's recommendation. However, since that time, he'd read the verbatim account of their recommendations, with the primary one being that the City stay status quo with its Police Force, which he believed was good. If reductions had to be made, Public Safety Commission recommended 4%, including some ideas about what could be decreased. He didn't see any reference to the Narcotics Officer in that discussion; and although Councilman Ferguson was asked for his input during that meeting, his answer was that he was serving as the liaison and supposed to refrain from participating. However, the other liaison participated frequently, and he was concerned about whether or not the Public Safety Commission's recommendation was given without being influenced. He recommended that the Narcotics Officer not be included in the FY 2009-2010 Budget. 2 MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY JUNE 18, 2009 Councilmember/Member Benson pointed out that if Public Safety Commission recommended keeping the status quo, and the City already had a Narcotics Officer, then she felt the City should have one. She said Palm Desert had never relied on other cities to assist paying for something it needed; it had always been a leader and shouldn't be concerned if the other cities didn't think the position was necessary. Councilman/Member Kelly remarked that the City did not have a Narcotics Officer presently. Mayor Pro TemNice Chairman Finerty responded that the City has a Gang Task Force Officer. She added that Capt. Wilham's opening comment at the Public Safety Commission Meeting was that if times were better, he would be asking for a Narcotics Task Force Officer. When it was discovered that the City could eliminate two SSO positions, at Capt. Wilham's suggestion, because they should have been under the Sheriffs Office and not charged to the City; and when the Washington Street Substation rent reduction was factored in, there was a total savings of $183,000. Adding a Narcotics Task Force Officer then became very possible, and she wanted Capt. Wilham to further explain his recommendation. Captain Wilham said currently, the Department has a Narcotics Officer attached to the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force, a County position that covers the Palm Desert Substation service area. Based on the activity that officer has experienced in the City, if finances permitted, the Station could use the benefit of another Narcotics Officer assigned specifically to the City of Palm Desert. Responding to question, he said the County would not be eliminating its Narcotics Officer at this time, adding that it has been cutting some Task Force and Team positions throughout the County because of its budget situation, but he has not yet been asked to cut his position and was trying to avoid doing so. The Station's Narcotics Task Force Officer has been extremely busy around the Valley. In further response to question about whether or not the County would share in the cost of the new Narcotics position, he said the County still has a full-time position. Mayor Pro TemNice Chairman Finerty clarified that the County has a full- time Narcotics Officer, for which Palm Desert receives benefit. However, because there is so much activity, she said it would be prudent for Palm Desert to have a dedicated Narcotics Task Force Officer. She went on to say that the Sheriff has explained that there is a spike in crime due to the economy and unemployment, largely because people are burglarizing to get their next fix. Residents have been burglarized and want to know what the City is doing to protect them. If crimes can be eliminated by eliminating the 3 MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY JUNE 18, 2009 source, it would be of great help to the residents; and she believed the City would want to be proactive, especially when there is extra money available as was previously explained. Capt. Wilham reiterated that the Palm Desert Station would still have the County position, the request was to add another position specifically assigned to Palm Desert. He said the current officer covers the area from Sky Valley to the unincorporated area of Desert Hot Springs, Thousand Palms, Windy Point, and everything out to Whitewater in the County, as well as the Cities of Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, and Palm Desert. Therefore, he was extremely busy, covering the area for which the Palm Desert Station has responsibility while also working with the other members of the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force. He said the other position he was considering was a Narcotics Officer specifically funded by Palm Desert to address narcotics issues in the City. Responding to question about other cities in the Coachella Valley, he said Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Indio, and La Quinta all have dedicated Narcotics Officers. Mr. Wohlmuth observed that the Narcotics Task Force works as a team and asked if one officer was actually dedicated to Palm Desert or if the advantage was in having the team work in Palm Desert. Capt. Wilham answered that it was the benefit of the team, which was the advantage of assigning the officer to the team with all its resources. He said the team goes to different locations depending on the program they're working that day/week. Palm Desert has had the benefit of the entire Narcotics Task Force team when the County -assigned officer has been working cases in the City, and they have been very busy here. Upon question about what additional benefit would be realized with another Narcotics Task Force member from Palm Desert, he said it would provide more resources to spend more time in the City. Further, he responded that the team does work in the City for specific programs. However, he explained that members of the team work individually or with one other officer most of the time (i.e., working with informants or watching a particular location) then come together for activities such as a buy bust, large-scale surveillance, or serving search warrants when more manpower is necessary. In answer to question, Mr. Wohlmuth said staffs original recommendation was a 7% cut in the Police Budget; that has since been restored in the present budget, based on City Council's comments during the Study Session, along with additional Police Services. He referred to the Revised Budget Worksheets, noting that overall the City has projected $46,982,000 in Revenues and $46,957,546 in Expenditures, resulting in balance and 4 MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY JUNE 18, 2009 $24,454 ahead in the proposed budget. This includes some of the early retirements and some possible restructuring in advance —such as moving the Energy Department to Redevelopment. He affirmed that the latest version of the budget includes items added back into the budget during the Study Sessions. Responding to comment, Mayor/Chairman Spiegel stated the City's Budget would be approved at the next City Council Meeting. Unfortunately, he said one Councilmember would not be present then, which he assumed was the reason for today's discussion. If staff was directed to go forward today, it would then present the latest version of the budget to the City Council on June 25. Councilman/Member Kelly added that part of the reason for today's meeting was that all the work done on the budget to date was in Study Sessions, which he believed next year should all be regular meetings in order to formally record all decisions and adjustments. Councilman/Member Kelly moved to, by Minute Motion, remove the dedicated Police Narcotics Officer from the proposed City Budget. Motion was seconded by Spiegel and FAILED on a 2-3 vote, with Benson, Ferguson, and Finerty voting NO. Responding to Mayor/Chairman Spiegel, Councilman/Member Ferguson said he agreed with Councilman/Member Kelly that it was somewhat unrealistic to take a nearly $50 million budget into a do-or-die meeting five days before the end of the fiscal year with it being the first chance to vote on anything. Therefore, he felt if the Police Budget was being discussed, the whole budget should be open in case anyone else had concerns that could be worked out before the public hearing. He didn't have any particular concerns at this time. He reiterated his concurrence with Councilman/Member Kelly's comments and hoped that, at the least, the Study Sessions would be recorded in order to have minutes. Mayor/Chairman Spiegel agreed. Mayor Pro TemNice Chairman Finerty also felt it was important to record the Study Session, but added that she felt it was impossible to approve five departments' budgets, as was done this time, until Study Sessions are conducted for each of them in order to see how everything adds up overall. Councilman/Member Kelly remarked that is what was done, only it left a lot of room for interpretation — decisions were being made department by department but being done illegally. 5 MINUTES ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL, PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, AND PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY JUNE 18, 2009 Mayor/Chairman Spiegel commented that as it stands presently, if the City receives the Revenues estimated by the City Treasurer, the budget would result in a $24,454 surplus. He added that Mr. Gibson is generally very conservative, and he hoped that was the case today as well. He asked if his colleagues wished to review any other budget component at this time, and all answered they did not. Upon further inquiry to the City Manager and City Attorney for any additional remarks, none were offered. Councilman/Member Kelly noted that he would be absent from the June 25, 2009, Regular City Council Meeting. VII. ADJOURNMENT With City Council/Agency Board/Authority Board concurrence, Mayor/Chairman Spiegel adjourned the meeting at 4:19 p.m. ROBERT A. SPIEGEL,,NIAYO CH RMAN ATTEST: RACHELLE D. KLASSEN, CITY CLERK/ SECRETARY, CITY OF PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA/PALM DESERT REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY 6