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Home My WebLink About2013-03-14OP MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013 CIVIC CENTER COUNCIL CHAMBER 73510 FRED WARING DRIVE, PALM DESERT, CA 92260 I. CALL TO ORDER - 3:00 P.M. Chairman Harnik convened the meeting at 3:00 p.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: Vice Chairman Jean M. Benson Member Robert A. Spiegel Member Van G. Tanner Member Susan Marie Weber Chairman Jan C. Harnik Also Present: John M. Wohlmuth, Executive Director David J. Erwin, City Attorney Rachelle D. Klassen, Secretary 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 Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs Stephen Y. Aryan, Risk Manager Casey Hartman, Battalion Chief, Palm Desert Fire/Riverside Co. Fire Dept./Cal Fire Bill Sullivan, Asst. Chief, Palm Desert Police/Riverside Co. Sheriffs Dept. Mary P. LaCross, Administrative Secretary III. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION Request for Closed Session: '^ A. Conference with Real Property Negotiator pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8: MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING MARCH 14, 2013 1) Property: 74555 Falcon Lane (APN 624-430-009), Palm Desert Negotiating Parties: Agency: John M. Wohlmuth/Janet M. Moore/City of Palm Desert/ Palm Desert Housing Authority Property Owner: Martingale Investments, LLC Under Negotiation: x Price x Terms of Payment With Authority Board concurrence, Chairman Harnik adjourned the meeting to Closed Session at 3:02 p.m. She reconvened the meeting at 4:01 p.m. IV. RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING - 4:00 P.M. A. REPORT ON ACTION FROM CLOSED SESSION. None V. CONSENT CALENDAR A. MINUTES of the Housing Authority Meeting of February 14, 2013. Rec: Approve as presented. B. CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AGAINST THE AUTHORITY TREASURY - Warrant Nos. 159-Housing, 162-Housing, 164-Housing, 169-Housing, 175-Housing, 160HA, 165HA, 170HA, 174HA, and 178HA. Rec: Approve as presented. Upon a motion by Spiegel, second by Tanner, and 5-0 vote of the Authority Board, the Consent Calendar was approved as presented. VI. CONSENT ITEMS HELD OVER None VII. RESOLUTIONS None 2 4111.411 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING MARCH 14, 2013 VIII. NEW BUSINESS A. REQUEST FOR AWARD OF CONTRACT TO RELIABLE TREE CARE IN THE AMOUNT OF $68,553.90 FOR THE CITYWIDE PALM TREE PRUNING PROGRAM (CONTRACT NO. C32530, PROJECT NO. 931-13) (JOINT CONSIDERATION WITH THE PALM DESERT CITY COUNCIL). Councilman/Member Tanner expressed pleasure at staffs recommending a local contractor and moved to, by Minute Motion: 1) Award subject contract for the Citywide Palm Tree Pruning Program to Reliable Tree Care, Coachella, California, in the total amount of $68,553.90 ($61,736.49 - City and $6,817.41 - Housing Authority); 2) authorize the Director of Finance to set aside an additional 10% contingency in the total amount of $6,855.39 ($6,173.65 - City and $681.74 - Housing Authority); 3) authorize the Mayor/Chairman to execute the contract — funds are available for the portion of the contract relative to the City and Assessment Districts in Parks and Recreation Account Nos. 110-4610-453-3320, 110-4611-453-3320, and 110-4611-453-3371, Repair/Maintenance Medians Account No. 110-4614-453-3370, and Assessment District Fund 200 Accounts; and for the Housing Authority, funds are set aside in the 2013-2014 Housing Authority Operating Budget. Motion was seconded by Weber. Responding to question by Councilman/Member Spiegel, who felt there were residents needing their palm trees trimmed and would pay the City's contractor to take care of them, about offering services to residents at a nominal price, Landscape Manager H. Spencer Knight said he'd been asked that question before. He wasn't certain of the exact response, because there were concerns for liability and other issues, but he didn't think it was a favorable one. He agreed to ask the contractor about their interest in performing such services. Mr. Erwin added that the subject contract represented services on public rights -of way, and if he understood the question correctly about property owners doing it, he didn't think it was appropriate. Further responding, he said resident private property owners were free to contact the contractor to make their own deal if desired. Councilman/Member Tanner noted that in many of the City's gated communities where HOAs (Homeowners Associations) have the same type of contracts, many of the residents there take action along with the HOA. He said the contractor was already on -site, has their equipment set up, and residents get their own trees done at the same time. He felt it would be up to the resident to make their deal. Councilman/Member Spiegel agreed. Councilmember/Member Weber commented that perhaps the City could get better bids if a greater number of trees were to be pruned in coordination between the City and private residents. 3 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING MARCH 14, 2013 Mr. Knight explained that from a practical standpoint, the City's/Housing Authority's work is generally very concise. Although it covers the entire area with a lot of trees in specific locations, moving the contractor's equipment from one house to another to prune one or two palm trees there is problematic. Secondly, if the palm trees are located in back yards, the contractor has to free -climb the palms at a higher cost; whereas, nearly all the City's/Authority's trees can be accessed with lift trucks. He felt this may make a price difference, but upon request, again offered to ask the contractor about his interest in working with residents. Mayor/Chairman Harnik called for the vote on the motion to approve the contract with Reliable Tree Care, and it carried 5-0. B. REQUEST FOR AMENDMENT OF THE PROCEDURE FOR SETTING AND IMPLEMENTING PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY RENTAL RATES ANNUALLY. Ms. Moore explained that with the elimination of Redevelopment, staff has found many things where references need to be changed. The Redevelopment Agency formerly set policy for setting all rents; but now that the Housing Authority has taken over all Housing functions, this procedure needed modification to remove all references to the "Redevelopment Agency" and the "Agency's Units," which have been transferred to the Authority. Additionally, she said every other year Palm Desert was spending between $7,000 - $9,000 to perform a local rent survey with an appraiser. However, HUD (U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development) already performs a Riverside County Rent Survey, and staff recommends changing the policy to include maximum rents to be those set by HUD for Riverside County, saving money for the Housing Authority every other year. She advised that the Executive Director does have authority to ask for a survey, and it can be done in a number of ways. It can either be done by telephone survey, which is what staff already conducts from time to time, or an appraiser can conduct the survey. She said if the Executive Director asked for this, the Authority would spend the money at that point in time. She went on to say the last thing changing in the subject policy from the previous is implementation. She stated that the implementation of and increases in rents are all income -based. Last time the policy was changed, Palm Desert had not changed rental rates in approximately 6+ years. At that time in an effort not to overburden residents who were subject to a rent increase, there was a stepped implementation plan. But it was an initial implementation and only for that period of time, because rents are now adjusted annually; therefore, it's no longer necessary to use a stepped approach. She said the Authority implements rental increases upon certification of a tenant's income, which is a calculation according to State Law. The process is performed upon occurrence of vacancy and also upon completion of income certification, which takes 2 - 3 months. She added that 4 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING MARCH 14, 2013 tenants get a 60-day window from the time they income -recertify to the time they have to pay the new rental rate. Member Spiegel moved to: 1) Waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. HA-51, rescinding Resolution No. HA-32 and amending the procedure for setting and implementing rental rates annually; 2) by Minute Motion, authorize the Executive Director to take any other action that he deems necessary to facilitate, establish, and implement annual rent increases so long as such action is not inconsistent with the procedures in said Resolution. In answer to question about how the Riverside County HUD Rent Survey is structured, Ms. Moore responded that HUD provides the Rent Survey for all counties; and Riverside County is done as a whole (not separated by east and west areas). She affirmed that the Survey includes Blythe, Palm Desert, and all of the territory. Member Tanner seconded Member Spiegel's motion, above, and it carried by 5-0 vote. IX. CONTINUED BUSINESS None X. OLD BUSINESS None XI. PUBLIC HEARINGS None XII . REPORTS, REMARKS, AND AUTHORITY BOARD ITEMS REQUIRING ACTION A. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR None B. AUTHORITY COUNSEL None C. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE AUTHORITY None 5 MINUTES PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY MEETING MARCH 14, 2013 XIII. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS - C None XIV. ADJOURNMENT Upon a motion by Spiegel, second by Tanner, and unanimous vote of the Authority Board, Chairman Harnik adjourned the meeting at 5:02 p.m. ATTEST: H LLE D. SE , SECRETARY PALM DESERT HOUSING AUTHORITY N C. HAR XA)", K CHAIRMAN 6