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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/05/2013 OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER April 5, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Tandy, City Manager AT/al SUBJECT: General Information High Speed Rail  The High Speed Rail Authority met in Fresno on Thursday, and had a preliminary discussion on their preferred alignment through Bakersfield. Some of the significant damage includes the City’s Corporation Yard, elements of Mercy Hospital, the Police Garage, Bakersfield Homeless Shelter and the newly constructed housing project in South Mill Creek, among many others. There was no mention of their publically released materials of our request to halt adoption of the plan line at the point where construction will stop north of Bakersfield. We have invited them to a meeting in Bakersfield, which would include the interested community members, to discuss these and other issues. It is our understanding that they plan to adopt the formal alignment at their May meeting. One major problem with what they are proposing is, of course, that it casts a shadow over the value of about 600 properties, including some like the hospital, Homeless Shelter and Corporation Yard, which are essentially irreplaceable assets. Miscellaneous News  Enclosed is a copy of the presentation I made this week at the Chamber of Commerce’s Government Review Council meeting. The presentation provided an opportunity to update local private sector industry leaders on the three main threats to City finances – the ROPS appeal, the property tax split and the fire fund. The ramifications of these threats, specifically the County’s actions, have direct negative impact to local private sector job growth and economic development. It is unfortunate the County has decided to stall multiple new developments at a time when the local economy can least afford it.  We had hoped to be able to place an agreement with Caltrans on the April 17th Council agenda for the freeway litter removal program. However, we have been informed it will not be ready, as their attorneys are still reviewing the document and the details of the proposed arrangement. This project remains a high priority; be assured we will continue to urge Caltrans to resolve the technicalities related to the agreement, so that we can move forward with the cleanup program. General Information April 5, 2013 Page 2  We are pleased to announce that the Employee Appreciation Breakfast is being reinstated after a five-year hiatus. This event is part of a larger national celebration known as Public Service Recognition Week, held the first week in May to honor employees of state, federal, county and local governments. Our employees have stood tall during the tough economic times, and we welcome this opportunity to show them our appreciation.  Reminder: I will be on vacation from April 12th through the 23rd. Rhonda Smiley will be in charge during my absence, and will capably handle my duties at the April 17th Council meeting. As always, staff will have a way to contact me, should the need arise. TRIP Traffic Advisory  Motorists are advised to anticipate nighttime lane closures on Calloway Drive, between Gleneagles Drive and Marby Grange Way, from Tuesday, April 9 through Thursday, April 11, 2013 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. This is necessary to allow the contractor for the Westside Parkway to install a storm drain across Calloway Drive. All lanes will be affected at some point during the project, but at least one lane in each direction will remain open to traffic while work is underway. All lanes will re-open prior to the morning commute. Upcoming Events Miscellaneous Entertainment: Average White Band April 13th – 8:00 p.m. Bright House Networks Amphitheater Tickets: $10 Bakersfield Symphony April 13th – 8:00 p.m. Rabobank Theater Tickets: $34 - $50 Jim Witter in “Feelin’ Groovy” Bakersfield Community Concert Association April 14th – 3:00 p.m. Rabobank Theater Tickets available from the Association only. Reports For your information, we enclose the following:  Streets Division work schedule for the week of April 8th; and  Letter from Bright House Networks regarding possible programming changes. AT:rs:al cc: Department Heads Roberta Gafford, City Clerk Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Government Review Council April 5, 2013 Presenter: Alan Tandy, City Manager Topic: Operating the City in the Face of Predatory Threats General Fund: $183,444,000 During Recession: Lost 172 staff positions – only 21 restored Current Challenges: Law Enforcement/Crime Rate/Prison Realignment Response times in all departments with staffing not fully restored TRIP – local match and financial costs above federal grants / $230 million loan applied for A means to promote economic development post-RDA State Department of Finance Recognized Debt Obligations in the aftermath of redevelopment ◦Start $27,903,000 ◦After Multiple Appeals -$18,137,000 ◦Balance $ 9,766,000 ($5 million General Fund) Mandated Housing Payments - Mill Creek Under a State Grant, repayment of $11 million may be required Litigation Filed City and County Disputes Issues at Hand John Nilon County Administrative Officer City and County Disputes Issues at Hand 1994/2005 Joint Powers Agreement regarding Fire Services 1995/2005 Memorandum of Understanding regarding Property Tax Splits City and County Disputes Issues at Hand From 1994/1995 to 2012, the process under the MOU and Agreement went smoothly, for the most part. ◦County recent history of holding up annexations/mitigation agreements. In 2012, County staff reinterpreted language from the original agreements. Each “reinterpretation” is worth millions of dollars in fund transfers from the City to the County. Personnel involved in the “reinterpretation” were not parties to either the original negotiations or execution of either document, nor to the versions that were extended in 2005. City and County Disputes Issues at Hand History of how the agreements were administered through the years corresponds to how they were written, not how they are now construed by the County. Blame is being placed by the County on a variety of past County officials: ◦Auditor-Controller Staff ◦County Administrative Officers (CAO’s) and Staff The County admits an error was made in the calculation of tax splits. (It would really have been over 200 errors by the Board of Supervisors, the current CAO, etc., since 1995.) City and County Disputes Issues at Hand Monies have been withheld! $5-6 million in “retroactive charges” is claimed. Big impact on a $183 million General Fund, especially when added to the hits from the State Department of Finance. ◦Tax splits covering 36 square miles of area annexed from 2005-2012 have been reversed, depriving the City of 40% of the revenue contractually agreed to. ◦It will be tens of millions of dollars in the future on build out! ◦State audits of County records resulted in findings that nothing was wrong! NO shortage or overpayment to ERAF. City and County Disputes Issues at Hand Development activity has shown incremental improvements recently. Multiple property owners/developers have annexations stalled because of the County’s new interpretation. Development increases tax revenue for both jurisdictions. ◦2001 example of 40 acres annexed to the City - Once fully developed, County property tax revenue increased 300% from pre-annexation level. Inability to annex causes lost and/or uncertain investment in preparatory costs, and stalled development. The County’s actions have a direct and negative impact on private sector job creation and overall economic development. City and County Disputes Issues at Hand Citizens within the City of Bakersfield amount to 42% of Kern County’s entire population. Nearly ½ of the population in 4 of the 5 Supervisorial Districts reside within the City. City and County Disputes Issues at Hand The City of Bakersfield and County of Kern should cooperate, and work together to serve a joint constituency, just as they have been doing under the two agreements for the past 18- 19 years. City and County Disputes Issues at Hand Thirteen months of efforts that included mediation and efforts to educate have brought about no progress. The quality of service the City can provide to its citizens is now very much at risk, including public safety. The long-term economic health of the Metropolitan region is damaged. Why? Week of April 8_2013_Work Schedule Page 1 of 2 STREETS DIVISION – WORK SCHEDULE Week of April 8, 2013 – April 12, 2013 Resurfacing/Reconstructing streets in the following areas: Reconstructing various streets in the area east of Buck Owens Blvd. and north of Select Ave Resurfacing Panorama Dr. for resurfacing between Fairfax Rd to Columbus Ave Preparing streets in the area south of Panama Ln and east of Akers Rd for resurfacing Sealing streets in the area west of Mt Vernon south of Panorama (weathering permitting) Miscellaneous Streets Division projects: Construction of spray pad at Siemon Park Video inspection of City owned Sewer & Storm lines to evaluate condition of pipes Miscellaneous concrete repairs throughout the city Installing handicap ramps on MLK Blvd between E California & E Brundage, Beale Ave between Monterey and Bernard St and Panama Ln between So. “H” St & Monitor prior to CIP project Testing an asphalt product that is 100% recycled material to resurface Elm St between 21st St & 19th St, the work will be done on 4/16/13 & 4/23/13. Crews will be preparing the street prior to the work being done. This work will be done at no cost to the city and staff will monitor and evaluate this process over the next few years THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Week of April 8_2013_Work Schedule Page 2 of 2 STREETS SWEEPING SCHEDULE Monday, April 8, 2013 Between So. “H” St. & Union Avenue – Pacheco Rd. & Hosking Rd. Between Stockdale Hwy. & Truxtun Ave. (ext.) – Coffee Rd & Partridge Ave. Tuesday, April 9, 2013 Between 99 Hwy. & So. “H” St. – Ming Ave. & Panama Ln. Cul-De-Sacs on the north side of Magdelena Ave., west of So. “H” St. Wednesday, April 10, 2013 City areas between Brundage Ln. & Ming Ave. – So. “H” St. & Union Ave. City areas between Wilson Rd. & Pacheco Rd. – So. “H” St. & Union Ave. Between Casa Loma Dr. & Planz Rd. – Madison Ave. & Cottonwood Dr. Between Planz Rd. & Brook St. – Madison Ave. & Hale St. Thursday, April 11, 2013 Between Carr St. & California Ave. – Mohawk St. & Stockdale Hwy. Between Stockdale Hwy. & Marella Wy. – California Ave. & Montclair St. Between La Mirada Dr. & Chester Ln. – Montclair St. & No. Stine Rd. Between California Ave. (ext.) & Stockdale Hwy. – No. Stine Rd. & 99 Hwy. Between Stockdale Hwy. & Ming Ave. – New Stine Rd. & Ashe Rd. Between Mountain Ridge Dr. & Ashe Rd. – Taft Hwy. & Berkshire Rd. Friday, April 12, 2013 Between Ming Ave. & White Ln. – Buena Vista Rd & Old River Rd. Between Stine Rd. & 99 Hwy. – Ming Avenue & Adidas. Between Panama Ln. & Birkshire Rd. – Gosford Rd. & Stine Rd. NOTE: If raining, there will be no street sweeping service and all street cleaning personnel will be assigned to cleaning plugged drains and part circle culverts. This also applies when a large number of street sweeper are in Fleet for repairs. Areas that have been missed during this time will be swept at the end of the month.