HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Manager Meeting Summaries - October 5-18, 2011CITY OF PALM DESERT
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
STAFF REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager
Date: October 27, 2011
Subject: INFORMATIONAL ITEM - CITY MANAGER MEETING SUMMARIES
Following are meetings held with groups, residents, and/or businesses, for the period October 5 -
October 18, 2011:
October 5 Palm Desert High School Rededication
Attended the Palm Desert High School rededication. The campus
looks great and the new building is able to accommodate the more
than 2,000 students. The City should be proud of the new campus.
Meeting with Staff Regarding Red Lobster
Discussed options to assist Red Lobster and other future infill sights
to meet State and Federal regulations.
October 6 Staff Meeting
Bi-monthly meeting to review City Council agenda.
Overpayment of Pass Throughs to Redevelopment Agency
Due to conflicting interpretation of the State Code, met with staff to
discuss the overpayment of pass throughs from the Redevelopment
Agency to the County of Riverside and College of the Desert.
Falcon Crest
Visited Falcon Crest to tour the for sale housing project and walk
through an RDA -owned home. From the streets, this RDA project is
amazing. The challenge remains the housing marketleconomy and
the residential issues, not the appearance.
October 7 Meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Spiegel and City Attorney
MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
DATE: October 27, 2011
SUBJECT: Informational Item — City Manager Meeting Summaries
PAGE 2 OF 4
Road Project Tour with Mark Greenwood
Reviewed the three major road projects within the City:
✓ Monterey pavement reconstruction between Hovley West and
Whitewater
✓ Frank Sinatra/Portola Avenue intersection and drainage
improvements
✓ Cook Street widening at Country Club and Hovley East
Monterey and Frank Sinatra/Portola improvements are nearing
completion. Cook Street utility and drainage improvements will continue
for several months.
October 10 Executive Management Meeting
Weekly department head meeting.
YGreene Energy Independence Program Proposal
YGreene Energy submitted a proposal to the City to conduct a
Commercial Energy Independence program. Staff met internally to
discuss timing and comprehensiveness of the proposal.
October 11 CVWD Celebration of New Administration Buildinq
CVWD opened a new administrative facility in Palm Desert on Hovley
Lane East and held a ribbon cutting at this new facility.
Meetinq with Rachelle Klassen and Clay Von Helf
I met with Rachelle and Clay to talk about uploading Council agenda
staff reports online.
Cove TAC Meeting
Attended the Cove TAC meeting in Rancho Mirage.
October 12 Desert Willow President's Meeting
Some of the topics discussed were the financials, golf course
maintenance, food and beverage, and projects. Although the golf
industry continues to suffer from the economy, Desert Willow Resort
is showing modest financial gains.
October 13 Coachella Valley Recreation Leadership Summit
The Desert Recreation District is conducting a Strategic Plan. Some
of the discussion at the Summit was how DRD can provide better
services to the residents within their boundaries. We also discussed
what services DRD provides and what future services they should
provide.
MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
DATE: October 27, 2011
SUBJECT: Informational Item — City Manager Meeting Summaries
PAGE 3OF4
City Council Meeting
October 14 Meeting with Steve Nash, Palm Springs Art Museum
I met with Steve Nash to discuss the Museum's plans for the
installation of outdoor sculptures. Also briefly discussed the lease
agreement.
Meeting with Mayor Pro Tem Spiegel, Councilman Kroonen,
and City Attorney Dave Erwin
Discussed follow-ups.
Meeting with Lt. Erik Baltzar (COPS member) and Frankie Riddle
Attempted to mediate issues between the COPS Administrative
Lieutenant and other program participants.
October 15 Desert Dessert 20-Year Anniversary Celebration and
Time Capsule Opening
I attended the anniversary celebration at Civic Center Park. This
event was well attended. The attendees were complimentary of the art
and being invited to share in the opening of the Time Capsule after
twenty years.
October 17 Executive Management Meeting
Weekly department head meeting.
CVWD Mid -Valley Channel
Mark Greenwood, Bo Chen, and I met with CVWD to discuss the
future of the CVWD Mid -Valley Channel (a proposed channel north
side of Interstate 10 carrying runoff water from Monterey east to past
Washington Street). CVWD indicated that they have no future plans
to construct such a channel. The City will be fine with this decision
as a detention system with overflow facilities can meet the City's
future needs.
Project Area 4 Committee
I attended the Project Area 4 Committee meeting.
October 18 Neon Sign Tour with Councilmember Harnik, Councilmember
Kroonen, and Tony Bagato
The City Council established a neon (illuminated) sign subcommittee to
discuss and recommend a sign ordinance to the City Council addressing
this issue. The subcommittee toured El Paseo and Highway 111 to view
MEMO TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
DATE: October 27, 2011
SUBJECT: Informational Item — City Manager Meeting Summaries
PAGE 4 OF 4
signs and then met to discuss priorities and options.
Meeting with Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control
District, Mark Greenwood, and Spencer Knight
Staff met with CVMVC and the City's appointee to discuss Red Imported
Fire Ant (RIFA) programs and West Nile Virus programs and how these
programs can be implemented in our parks and streets.
Meeting Concerning Occupy Coachella Valley Movement
The groups proposing Occupy Coachella Valley have posted their intent
on camping in our Civic Center Park. Staff is preparing for the event and
communicating the City's ordinances to the group.
JOHN�1Cll./WOHLMUTH
City a ager
JM
CITY COUNCIL ACTION
APPROVED DENIED
RECEIVED (RI'iII,R
Mr
AYES: _ —
NOES:
ABSENT:
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VERIFIED BY:
Original on File with Cit lerk's Office