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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/21/2013 OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER June 21, 2013 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Tandy, City Manager AT/al SUBJECT: General Information Miscellaneous News  We received a pleasant surprise this week. The quarterly sales tax distribution was up 20.81% over the same quarter last year. We will not know “why” for another week or two. Until we know the origin, staff would suggest treating it as an aberration, rather than a trend, as the last two increases were 2.5% and 5.3%. The Finance Director’s report is enclosed.  As promised, the 4th of July celebration at The Park at River Walk is returning for a second year. The event, which is sponsored by Dignity Health and Bright House Networks, will feature live music, food and activities for the entire family. One highlight of this year’s event will be a fireworks show! We encourage everyone to come out and enjoy this FREE event. The attached press release provides more details.  According to the attached article from the Fresno Bee, Fresno is “teetering on the cusp” of bankruptcy. The Mayor’s plan to outsource trash pickup was denied by voters, which may force the City to take the first step towards bankruptcy by declaring a financial emergency. While most cities are slowly recovering from the recent fiscal crisis, including Bakersfield, we must keep in mind that the problems are far from being “over”.  The starting time for the June 26, 2013 City Council meeting will be 5:15 p.m. There will not be a separate Closed Session at 3:30 p.m. The Council will recess to Closed Session following Public Statements during the Regular Meeting.  Also on June 26th: o Councilmember-Elect Rivera will be sworn in. We had previously reported that this would take place on July 17th. o The First-in-Class acknowledgement ceremony will be held. This is a special time when Mayor Hall and the City Council recognize those High School students who have attained the elite status of achieving the highest grade point average in their school. A special reception for these students, plus their parents, will be held in the Caucus Room at 4:45 p.m., prior to the Council meeting. General Information June 21, 2013 Page 2  As you have already learned, the much-anticipated unveiling of the Mill House has been postponed due to an unanticipated glitch in the delivery of a key piece of equipment. As soon as a new date is scheduled, we will pass it on.  I will be out of the office from noon on Friday, June 28th through Thursday, July 11th. Assistant to the City Manager, Steven Teglia will be in charge during this time, and, as always, my staff will have the means to contact me should the need arise.  Southern California Gas Company released some information this week regarding their Advanced Meter Program. Installation began in April and will continue through December. Homeowners receive a letter 30 days in advance of the installation at their home; and of those who are already on line, the service is going well. These upgrades are expected to enhance customer service and safety, increase energy conservation, and improve operational efficiencies. TRIP Traffic Advisory  Coffee Road Motorists are advised to anticipate nighttime lane closures on Coffee Road, between Truxtun Avenue and Brimhall Road, on June 26-27, 2013 to allow the contractor to work on manholes located within the roadway. The closures will be in effect between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and will affect the middle and outside northbound lanes. The inside travel lane will remain open to traffic while work is underway, and all lanes will be open in time for the morning commute. Currently, Coffee Road is operating with three lanes open in the southbound direction. It is anticipated that three lanes will be open in the northbound direction by Tuesday. Permanent striping will be completed within the next few weeks under nighttime lane closures. The public should continue to anticipate intermittent nighttime closures down to one lane in each direction, and possible daytime closures with two lanes open in each direction through the month of July. Council Referral Responses  Councilmember Johnson: o Workforce Development Reports For your information, we enclose the following:  Streets Division work schedule for the week of June 24th; and  Letter from AT&T regarding possible programming changes. General Information June 21, 2013 Page 3 Events Beale Band Concerts The next concert will be held this Sunday, June 23rd at 8:00 p.m., and it includes some pre-concert entertainment at 7:00 p.m. The final concert is scheduled for June 30th. Bright House Networks Amphitheater Air Supply Saturday, June 29th at 8:00 p.m. Tickets: $27 - $41 The Summerland Tour Sunday, June 30th at 7:00 p.m. Tickets: $32 - $50 AT:rs:al cc: Department Heads Roberta Gafford, City Clerk MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Nelson K. Smith, Finance Director DATE: June 19, 2013 SUBJECT: Quarterly Sales Tax Update We received the most recent quarterly sales tax data, which reflects the activity and sales during the months of January, February and March 2013. The quarterly and annual trend information is as follows: Comparing the most recent quarter with the same quarter last year – positive (+) 20.81 %. Comparing the most recent four quarters with the prior four quarters – positive (+) 9.62 %. These results are better than our budget projections for the current fiscal year, which estimated sales tax growth at an annualized rate of 3.0 %. We do not have the detail results available by industry type at this time; this information will be available in a few weeks. Attachment cc: Rhonda Smiley Steven Teglia File name: nks:/s:/sales tax/memo-sales tax memo june 2013.doc Vendor Vendor Reporting prior Reporting most recent Date four quarters Date four quarters % change current quarter report April, May, June 2011 15,473,225$ April, May, June 2012 17,066,629$ 10.30% July, Aug., Sept. 2011 15,895,465$ July, Aug., Sept. 2012 16,295,273$ 2.52% Oct., Nov., Dec. 2011 16,095,952$ Oct., Nov., Dec. 2012 16,946,783$ 5.29% Jan., Feb., Mar. 2012 15,395,385$ Jan., Feb., Mar. 2013 18,599,105$ 20.81% Total 62,860,027$ Total 68,907,790$ 9.62% City of Bakersfield Sales Tax Comparison of most recent four quarters to the prior four quarters by vendor reporting period Next Story > Renewable power has costs that could raise Calif. electric rates Published: June 16, 2013 California's monthly report on jobs and unemployment includes a county-by-county breakdown, providing graphic evidence of the state's bifurcated recovery from the worst recession since the Great Depression. In the main, coastal California metropolitan areas — particularly the San Francisco Bay Area in the north and the San Diego-Orange county region in the south — are recovering smartly, with strong job growth. Inland counties are still struggling with double-digit unemployment rates, especially those in rural areas. The east-west economic split is also manifesting itself in sharply differing fiscal situations for local governments, especially cities. Most coastal cities are enjoying sharp increases in local property and sales tax revenues that are easing the austerity the recession had imposed. Inland cities are still coping with recessionary effects, as well as rising pension costs and, in some cases, with their own overspending. Two inland cities, Stockton and San Bernardino, have filed for bankruptcy. Several others are teetering on the cusp. Thanks to a hard-fought election, they include Fresno, the state's fifth largest city. Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin's nearly $1 billion budget hinged on her plan to outsource trash collection to a private firm that would pay the city millions of dollars in franchise fees. Unions challenged it via a special election. Last week, a long vote count finally resulted in rejection of her plan. Fresno is scrambling to fill the hole, but may be forced to declare a financial emergency, a first step toward bankruptcy. Interestingly, one of the state's troubled cities is located in the booming San Francisco Bay Area. Oakland, in the words of an Oakland Tribune editorial, "slowly slides toward insolvency" because of many years of overspending revenues. Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's budget projects a $128 million deficit, but offers only a few token steps toward bridging the income-outgo gap and doesn't address its huge pension fund deficit. Oakland indicates that a city's finances depend not only on the economy, but on the willingness of its elected officials to make hard-headed decisions. Oakland and other cities with liberal political tendencies and powerful unions have the most difficulty making those decisions, as what's happening 80 miles up Interstate 80 in Sacramento indicates. Sacramento's voters passed a local sales tax hike, and its City Council seems bent on spending the proceeds on expanded services despite warnings from its city manager that it sets the stage for deficits down the road. Tellingly, the new Sacramento city budget nearly doubles the allocations to City Council members to spend as they please in their districts. Call them political slush funds. Fresno among cities still teetering on edge of bankruptcy | Dan Walters | ...http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/06/16/3346466/fresno-among-cities-still... 6/19/2013 8:11 AM City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor Bakersfield · California · 93301 (661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140 DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION & PARKS DIANNE HOOVER, DIRECTOR Department of Recreation and Parks Date: June 18, 2013, To: Alan Tandy, City Manager From: Dianne Hoover, Director of Recreation & Parks Subject: Workforce Development Council Referral No. 381 The Recreation and Parks Department has reviewed the lifeguard training program and some alternatives that may reduce the cost of the training. The Lifeguard and Swim Instructor training classes have evolved over time. At one point, the City of Bakersfield was the largest provider of lifeguard training in Kern County. The City would train and certify lifeguards who would end up working for North Bakersfield Recreation and Parks (NOR), Taft, Shafter, Tehachapi and private pools. This practice became burdensome to scheduling instructors and pool time and retaining enough guards to work for the City. Current Challenges: The City of Bakersfield uses the American Red Cross learn to swim programs; therefore, lifeguards and swim instructors are trained with American Red Cross standards. Currently, we encourage lifeguards to also become swim instructors. The cost of each class is $85, thus, a total of $170 for both certifications. The lifeguard certification is a total of 45 hours and includes First Aid for Public Safety Personnel, CPR/AED, Blood borne Pathogens Training, administering emergency oxygen and Waterpark Lifeguard. Councilmember Johnson requested that the Recreation and Parks Department look at alternative methods to further the workforce development of lifeguards. Such as, partnering with non-profit organizations that might reduce the cost associated with these positions. City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor Bakersfield · California · 93301 (661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140 The Water Safety Instructor (WSI) is an additional 32 hours of training and covers the Red Cross learn to swim progression classes, lesson plans and tips on teaching using various techniques that help children and adults become comfortable in the water and learn basic strokes. The City of Bakersfield is fortunate to have four (4) Instructor Trainees on staff. American Red Cross Instructor Trainees are qualified to teach both the Lifeguard Training Class and the WSI class. The current Instructor Trainers are part-time employees and cannot work more than 960 hours in a twelve month period. When the Instructor Trainers are not teaching, they are Pool Managers or Program Coordinators performing aquatic related duties. In addition to the cost of instructors, the American Red Cross charges the following costs per participant: ARC Fees Per Participant: Fees Lifeguard Manual $33.32 Water Safety Instructor Kit $42.46 ARC Lifeguard Certification Card $35.00 ARC Water Safety Instructor Certification Card $35.00 $145.78 Therefore, the City pays the American Red Cross $145.78 per person from the $170.00 in fees per participant for both classes. Recommendations to reduce costs per participant include: A. The City could library some of the required training materials and loan the books to students. These books would become the property of the City and would need to be replaced periodically due to wear, tear and loss. Students could opt out to buy their own books and materials at an additional cost. Savings per person: $80.00 for both classes. The City would subsidize instructor cost. Under this scenario, if a successful student passes all requirements and does not choose to work for the City, student would be charged full price of the class. Experience shows that if the class is priced too low, all potential guards in the surrounding area would take the City’s classes but the City could still end up short of the required number of guards and instructors. B. Develop a scholarship program for those unable to afford the initial fees. An overall scholarship program could apply to all Recreation and Parks programs, not just Lifeguard and Swim Instructor. Businesses may be more willing to donate to a City operated scholarship program if their donation could be used for aquatic programs, Adaptive sports programs and summer day camp costs. Donations could be funneled through the Bakersfield Foundation and the Recreation and Parks Department could administer the scholarship based on need. City of Bakersfield · Department of Recreation & Parks · 1600 Truxtun Avenue, 3rd Floor Bakersfield · California · 93301 (661) 326-3866 · Fax (661) 852-2140 Workforce Development In contacting this organization, they were not able to assist us in training or recruitment since the lifeguard training program is very specific and must meet American Red Cross training guidelines. The Recreation and Parks Department may be able to use Workforce Development in other duties within the department in the future. Conclusion: The salary increase approved by City Council in the spring of 2013 helped tremendously in lifeguard recruitments and retention this year, resulting in ten more lifeguards than in 2012. Continuing to be proactive with recruitments and training throughout the year will assist in retaining lifeguards for year round work at McMurtrey Aquatic Center as well. Week of June 24_2013_Work Schedule Page 1 of 2 STREETS DIVISION – WORK SCHEDULE Week of June 24, 2013 – June 28, 2013 Resurfacing/Reconstructing streets in the following areas: Preparing various streets in the area south of Palm Ave and west of “H” St for reconstruction / resurfacing (HUD funded area) Blade sealing various streets in the area between Union Ave and Alta Vista from Niles St to Bernard Blade sealing various streets in the area between Beale Ave and Baker St from Niles St to Flower St 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 Building temporary parking lot at north end of Sports Village phase 2 using asphalt grindings Concrete work in the area north of Flower St and east of Alta Vista in preparation for street reconstruction / resurfacing (HUD funded area) Miscellaneous sewer repairs found during video inspection. Preparing site at Sister City phase B Concrete work on various streets in the area south of E. California Ave and west of MLK Blvd in preparation for street reconstruction / resurfacing (HUD funded area) 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. THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Week of June 24_2013_Work Schedule Page 2 of 2 STREETS SWEEPING SCHEDULE Monday, June 24, 2013 Between Coffee Rd. & Verdugo Ln. – Brimhall Rd., south to the Kern River boundary. Cul-De-Sacs, west of Windsong St., between Brimhall Rd. & Thistlewood Ct. City areas between Rosedale Hwy. & Stockdale Hwy. – Verdugo Ln. to the west City Limit. Between Jenkins Rd. & Allen Rd. – Stockdale Hwy. & Birkenfeld Ave. Between Hosking Rd. & Astro Ave. – So. “H” St. & Union Ave. Tuesday, June 25, 2013 City areas between Olive Dr. & Downing Ave. – Coffee Rd. & Knudsen Dr./Mohawk St., including Patton Wy. From Weldon Ave. to Meany Ave. Between W. Columbus St. & 34th St. – Chester Ave. & San Dimas St. Beween Union Ave. & Madison St. – Casa Loma Dr. & White Ln. Between Westwold Dr. & So. Laurelglen Blvd. – Gosford Rd. & Woodglen Dr. Wednesday, June 26, 2013 City areas between Snow Rd. & Rosedale Hwy. – Jewetta Ave., west to the City limit. Between Ming Ave. & So. Laurelglen Blvd. – Coffee Rd. & El Portal / Laurelglen Blvd. Thursday, June 27, 2013 Between Snow Rd. & Olive Dr. – Jewetta Ave., east to the canal boundary. Between Olive Dr. & Hageman Rd. – Jewetta Ave. & Calloway Dr. Between Niles St. & Sumner St. – Union Avenue & Beale Ave. Between Sumner St. & E. Truxtun Ave. – Beale Ave. & Brown St. Between Brundage Ln. & E. Belle Terrace St. – Union Ave. & Kincaid St. Between Camino Media & Kroll Wy. – Coffee Rd., west to the PG&E easement. Friday, June 28, 2013 Between Etchart Rd. & Pavilion Dr. -- Calloway Dr., west to the canal boundary. Between Norris Rd. & Olive Dr. – Calloway Dr. & Coffee Rd. Between Olive Dr. & Noriega Rd. – Calloway Dr. & Verdugo Ln. City areas between Coffee Rd./Riverlakes ext. & Allen Rd. – Hageman Rd. & Rosedale Hwy. City areas between Pacheco Rd. & Harris Rd. – Stine Rd. & Wible Rd.