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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 100892 Approved as Submitted 10/27/92 ATASCADERO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR ADJOURNED MEETING OCTOBER 8, 1992 The Mayor called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Councilperson Kudlac led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmembers Bewley, Borgeson, Kudlac, Luna and Mayor Nimmo Absents None Also Present: Muriel I'Micki" Korba, City Treasurer and Lee Raboin, City Clerk Staff Present: Ray Windsor, City Manager; Andy Takata, Assis- tant City Manager/Director of Community Services; Henry Engen, Community Development Director; Art Montandon, City Attorney; Mark Joseph, Administrative Services Director; Greg Luke, Public Works Director; Mike McCain, Acting Fire Chief; and Bud McHale, Police Chief A. CLOSED SESSION - Labor Negotiations (Session held pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6) . The Council recessed to Closed Session at 6:02 p.m. At 6: 10 p.m, regular session was reconvened. B. OPEN SESSION - City of Atascadero Budget Reduction Plan Mayor Nimmo provided opening remarks regarding the state of the City's current financial situation and introduced the Budget Reduction Plan as recommended by the Council sub-committee. Councilwoman Borgeson asserted that she was opposed to the proposal because she believed a ten percent cut could be achieved without lay-offs and spoke in favor of examining the alternative of closing CC10/08/92 Page 1 City Hall one day a week for all non-safety employees. Councilman Luna asked legal counsel if this could be done. The City Attorney advised that he believed this option would be subject to negoti- ations with each employee bargaining unit and reported that he would have to review all Memorandums of Understanding before making a determination. Councilwoman Borgeson remarked that Will Hurst, Union Representative for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) , had implored her to request Council consideration of postponing action on the Budget Reduction Plan for one week to allow the unit to look at the alternative Councilwoman Borgeson was proposing. Public Comments: Tom Jamason, City employee and SEIU representative, stated that the employee bargaining units were never given an opportunity to address the Budget Reduction Plan and asked for a delay to allow all units to provide input. Marj Mackey, 5504-A Tunitas Avenue, spoke in support of continuing the matter for one week and giving the employee bargaining units time to respond. Eric Greening, 7365 Valle, agreed. ---End of Public Testimony--- Andy Takata, Assistant City Manager, reported that before the Council had adopted its' budget for Fiscal Year 1992-93, the employee bargaining units had been given the opportunity to respond to all budget-reduction suggestions, including the one proposed by Councilwoman Borgeson. He added that the groups had been given another occasion to provide input once the State's budget had been adopted but no group had come back with any recommendations. The City Attorney mentioned that the bargaining units could, at any time, bring forward alternate proposals and demonstrate a willing- ness to amend their MOUs. BUDGET REDUCTION PLANS The Council .took the following action on the eight-point Budget Reduction Plan, as proposed by the Council Subcommittee: 1. The elimination, in compliance with existing Rules and Regulations, of Provisional and Regular Part-Time employees. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . CC10/08/92 Page 2 2. Removal of previously granted special salary increases to the Finance Technician in Administrative Services (10%) and Administrative Secretary in Community Development (5%) . Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . 3. Elimination of the position of Police Agent (5) and sub- stitute, through promotion, one sergeant. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . 4. Change the Acting Fire Chief to permanent and place the vacated Battalion Chief on vacancy hold. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . 5. Within Public Works, eliminate the position of Engineer- ing Technician II. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . Council discussion ensued regarding the position of Administrative Analyst. Councilmembers Luna and Kudlac spoke in favor of maintaining the position. By mutual consensus, the Administrative Analyst position was retained. 6. Within Community Development, eliminate the positions of Planning Technician and Assistant Planner. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . Discussion followed regarding the proposed reclassification (downgrade) of the Building Official and Compliance Official to Senior Building Inspectors. Councilman Bewley strongly opposed the elimination of the Building Inspector II position and questioned the justification for creating two Senior Building Inspectors. He argued that the City could save more money by keeping the Building Inspector II and eliminating one of the two proposed Senior Building Inspectors. Councilman Luna voiced support for the sub-committee recommendation because the specific employees who would downgrade to the Senior Building Inspector positions were both capable of performing numerous duties including inspections, plan checks, code enforcement and computer applications. MOTION: By Councilman Bewley, seconded by Mayor Nimmo to retain the Building Inspector II and eliminate one Senior Building Inspector. Discussion on the motion: The City Manager pointed out that the sub-committee recommendation was to downgrade the positions of Building official and Compliance Official and asked Councilman Bewley to clarify which of these two positions he was in favor of eliminating. CC10/08/92 Page 3 Motion amended: Councilman Bewley amended his motion as follows: To retain the Building Inspector II and eliminate the Building Official; motion failed 2:3 (Councilmembers Luna, Borgeson and Kudlac) . By majority, the recommendation to eliminate the Building Inspector II and downgrade the Building Official and the Compliance Official to Senior Building inspectors was approved. 7. Within Administrative Services, reclassify the position of Assistant Finance Director to Accountant (downgrade) . Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . 8. Within Community Services, eliminate one part-time Rec- reation Coordinator and place vacancy hold on two others. Eliminate position of Building Maintenance Specialist for the Facilities Section of Parks. Approved, 4.1 (Borgeson) . MOTION: By Councilman Luna, seconded by Councilman Kudlac to approve the Budget Reduction Plan including giving staff direction to retain the Administrative Analyst position; motion carried 4:1 (Councilwoman Borgeson opposed) . OUT-PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE: Staff asked Council to give direction regarding out-placement assistance for those employees who will be affected by the approved Budget Reduction Plan. MOTION: By Councilman Luna, seconded by Councilman Kudlac to authorize the appropriationof $600 for out-placement assistance for employees affected by lay-offs; motion carried 5:0 by roll call vote. ADDITIONAL COUNCIL COMMENTS: Councilwoman Borgeson made a motion to direct staff to open up negotiations with bargaining units to modify or refine the plan adopted. Mayor Nimmo mentioned that the employee groups are free to come forth with proposed changes without need for a formal action by the Council. Other members of Council agreed. The motion failed for lack of a second. Councilman Bewley indicated that he would like to see staff look into a four-day work week and what savings would result from closing City Hall one day per week. Mayor Nimmo suggested that this matter could be brought back during the mid-year budget review. Councilman Bewley concurred. CC10/08/92 Page 4 THE MELTING'S WAS ADJOURNED AT 7:12 P.M. MINUTES RECORDS AND PREPARED BY: 1 LEE OIN, ty Clerk CC10/08/92 Page 5