The City Council will meet tonight for the last time until Sept. 7 to discuss a range of issues important to the city, including the adoption of a new public arts plan and discussion of proposed changes to existing commissions and committees to save the city money and ease the burden on city staff members who deal with the groups.
Consent calendar items include a new fire alarm ordinance; a prohibition of oversized vehicle parking on city streets; the adoption of a living wage ordinance; the allocation of $9,900 to the Chamber of Commerce for economic development activities; and several other matters.
The consent calendar also includes a recommendation about funding for the city's Climate Action Plan, and the approval of a grant from the EPA to participate in the Small Cities Climate Action Partnership.
There will be public hearings on three items, including a sewer fee increase that would boost costs $2 a month; a Clean Water fee and special taxes to fund library programs; and a proclamation regarding the Orientation Center for the Blind and how it has recommitted to implementing Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
The council will get its first look at a Public Arts Master Plan the Arts Committee has been crafting.
The council will also examine possible changes to "policies, practices, protocols, composition, and number of the City's advisory bodies for purposes of improving efficiency and effectivenes."
The changes are based on an assessment, submitted June 1, by a contractor that determined the city had "more advisory bodies than almost any other city in the region. It further identified that staff members feel 'stretched thin' in providing support to these advisory bodies."
The report indicates that shifting from the creation of "detailed minutes" to "action minutes" produced by advisory body members, will save the city $7,199.49 annually. No other cost savings are laid out in the plan.
To determine how to become more efficient, the contractor, Citygate, said officials should ask: "Can the City get by without this committee or advisory body?" according to the staff report prepared for the council.
The contractor recommended that the city consider eliminating some seats on the Albany Library Board; dissolving the Civil Service Board; expanding the Community Media Access Committee; and folding the duties of the Waterfront Committee into the Parks & Recreation Commission, which would be renamed as a result.
Citygate also suggested that the Police & Fire Pension Board meet less often and that the Social & Economic Justice Commission take on environmental policy concerns so that the Sustainability Committee could become more of a task force.
Overall, Citygate recommended that Albany should transition to more of a self-help model "in recognition of the more frugal fiscal times when cities are looking for ways to do more with less."
The recommendations "will test individuals' and the organization's courage and capacity for change," according to the staff report.
Staff are charged with reporting back to the council in November about what changes have been implemented and how the changes have affected business as usual.
"The goal is to complete the transitions in time for the next round of City Council appointments at the end of this calendar year. During this time staff will also review and incorporate amendments as appropriate to the City's Commission, Committee, and Board member handbook to reflect the recommended changes in policies, procedures, and protocols," according to the report.
Council members will continue to discuss their health plan coverage, which gives them access to better benefits than other city officials receive.
AGENDA
Council Member Joanne Wile will be teleconferencing from Dorrington, CA.
7:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. ROLL CALL
3. REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION, IF ANY
4. CONSENT CALENDAR
(Consent Calendar items are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. By approval of the Consent Calendar, the staff recommendations will be adopted unless otherwise modified by the City Council. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a Council Member or a member of the audience requests removal of the items from the Consent Calendar.)
4-1. Minutes, July 6, 2010.
Staff recommendation: Approve
4-2. a. Ratification of City of Albany net payroll in the amount of $ 213,879.54; taxes, benefits & withholdings in the amount of $163,370.98. Total payroll in the amount of $377,250.50. Payroll period: 07/02/10.
b. Ratification of Albany Municipal Services JPA net payroll in the amount of $51,240.56; taxes, benefits & withholdings in the amount of $39,393.68. Total payroll in the amount of $90,634.24. Payroll period: 07/02/10.
Staff recommendation: Ratify.
4-3. a. Ordinance No. 2010-02 – An Ordinance of the Albany City Council which amends Albany Municipal Code Section 9-10.21 prohibiting oversized and recreational vehicle parking on any public street or highway with certain exemptions, including a grace period for recreational vehicles currently owned by Albany residents.
b. Ordinance No. 2010-05 – An Ordinance of the Albany City Council Adding Municipal Code Section 9-1.1 to Change the Definition of Annual Holidays Relative to Traffic and Parking Enforcement, and Adds Definitions for Oversized and Recreational Vehicles.
4-3A Staff Report
4-3B Ord 2010-02
4-3C Ord 2010-05
Staff recommendation: Adopt for Second Reading – Pass-to-Print, Waiving reading of entire Ordinance: a) Ordinance No. 2010-02. 2) Ordinance No. 2010-05.
4-4. Ordinance No. 2010-06- An Ordinance of the Albany City Council Amending Chapter XI, Fire Prevention of the Albany Municipal Code to Include Regulations for Smoke Alarms and Smoke Detectors. Second Reading – Pass-to-Print, Waiving reading of entire Ordinance.
4-4A Staff Report
4-4B Ord 2010-06
Staff recommendation: Adopt for Second Reading-Pass-to-Print, Waiving reading of entire Ordinance.
4-5. Ordinance No. 2010-07 – An Ordinance of the Albany City Council Adopting Section 2-26 Entitled "Living Wage Ordinance" to the Albany Municipal Code with the Following Change: Change the word "Increase" to "Adjust" in Section
2-26.5(c).
4-5A Staff Report
4-5B Ord 2010-07
Staff recommendation: Adopt for Second Reading – Pass-to-Print, Waiving reading of entire Ordinance.
4-6. Resolution No. 2010-40 – A Resolution of the Albany City Council Adopting the Yearly Tax Rate for the Pension Override Tax to Fund City Police and Fire Pension Obligations.
4-6A Staff Report
4-6B Reso 2010-40
Staff recommendation: Approve.
4-7. Resolution No. 2010-41 – A Resolution of the Albany City Council Approving the Application for Grant Funds for the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentives Program Under the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84).
Staff recommendation: Approve.
4-8. Economic development activities for 2010-11 for specific economic development projects and programs to be carried out by the Albany Chamber of Commerce.
4-8B Funding Proposal
Staff recommendation: Approve the allocation of $9,900 for FY 2010-11.
4-9. Pierce Street Pavement Rehabilitation and Path – Additional Design Services Agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.
4-9A Staff Report
4-9B Additional Services Request
Staff recommendation: Authorize the City Manager to amend the Consultant Services Agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. for the design of the Pierce Street Pavement Rehabilitation and Path Project to: 1) Provide for the extension of the existing sound wall on the 500 block of Pierce Street. 2) Include NPDES clean water design features. 3) Provide miscellaneous additional services, as provided in Consultants proposal for an amount not to exceed $74,800.
4-10. A rendering of the quarterly Cash and Investments Treasury Report of the City of Albany as of March 31, 2010, as required by Section 53646 of the California Government Code.
4-10A Staff Report
4-10B Attachmt
Staff recommendation: Note and File, information only.
4-11. Climate Action Plan – Implementation Plan Funding.
Staff recommendation: Refer to staff and the Sustainability Committee for recommendation on alternatives to fund implementation of the City's Climate Action Plan, with an initial report back within six months.
4-12. Small Cities Climate Action Partnership EPA Grant Award.
4-12A Staff Report
4-12B Albany-El Cerrito MOU
Staff recommendation: Approve the City's participation in the Small Cities Climate Action Partnership EPA grant award and authorize the City Manager to execute the Grant Award Memorandum of Understanding.
4-13. Temporary Street Closure on Key Route and Dartmouth for Albany Streets Events.
Staff recommendation: Approve street closures for: 1) A two-block area of Key Route Blvd between Solano Avenue and Portland Avenue from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 22, 2010. 2) A six-block area of Dartmouth between Masonic and San Pablo Avenue from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 9, 2010.
5. GOOD OF THE CITY/PUBLIC FORUM/ANNOUNCEMENTS
For persons desiring to address the City Council on an item that is not on the agenda please note that City policy limits each speaker to three (3) minutes. The Brown Act limits the Council's ability to take and/or discuss items that are not on the agenda; therefore, such items are normally referred to staff for comment or to a future agenda.
Please go to our website at www.albanyca.org to view all future Commission and Committee meetings.
6. PRESENTATION/PUBLIC HEARING
6-1. Presentation of Proclamation to the Orientation Center for the Blind regarding recommitment to full implementation of ADA requirements.
6-1 Proclamation
6-2. Sewer Fee increase for monthly service charges for purposes of environmental compliance.
6-2A Staff Report
6-2B Reso 2010-39
6-2C Certification of Mailing
6-2D Wastewater Financial Plan and Rate Review Report by Bartle Wells Associates
Staff recommendation: 1) Conduct the public hearing. 2) Adopt Resolution No. 2010-39 – A Resolution of the Albany City Council Establishing an Increase of Two Dollars per Month in Sewer Service Charge Rates During Each of the Next Five Years ($10 total increase per month) for Environmental Compliance, and Continuing the Annual Rate Adjustment Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
6-3. Clean water and library taxes.
6-3A Staff Report
6-3B Library Services Tax
6-3C Supplemental Lib Svs Act 2006
6-3D NPDES Program
Staff recommendation: 1) Conduct the public hearing. 2) Direct staff to post taxes to property tax bills, as previously authorized.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
7-1. Council health benefits.
7-1 Staff Report
Social & Economic Justice Commission recommendation: Review the health benefit cap that is higher than that for employees and suggest that for the next Open Enrollment period, they have the same lower cap (Kaiser rate).
8. NEW BUSINESS
8-1. Arts Master Plan.
8-1A Staff Report
8-1B Reso 2010-38
8-1C Master Plan
Staff recommendation: Approve Resolution No. 2010-38 – A Resolution of the Albany City Council Adopting the City of Albany Public Arts Master Plan.
8-2. Changes to policies, practices, protocols, composition, and number of the City's advisory bodies for purposes of improving efficiency and effectiveness.
8-2A Staff Report
8-2B Exhibits A & B
8-2C Advisory Bodies
8-2D National Forums Summary
Staff recommendation: 1) Direct staff to work with the City's advisory bodies to transition to implementation of recommended changes to scope, agenda setting, minutes, and meeting procedures; composition; outreach; sunset provisions; training; and other changes in policies, procedures, and protocols to improve efficiency and effectiveness, by December 31, 2010; 2) That staff report back to Council in November 2010 on implementation progress and recommended modifications, if any; and 3) Direct staff to develop and conduct a training workshop for appointees to City advisory bodies, tentatively scheduled for the evening of Monday, January 31, 2011.
9. OTHER BUSINESS, REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED, ANNOUNCEMENT OF EVENTS/FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
(Council and staff announcements: Council Member reports on State, regional and local boards, commissions and committees to which they are appointed by the City Council; Council Member announcement of requests for future agenda items. No public comment will be taken on announcement of future agenda items).
9-1. The City Council is on summer recess for the month of August and will reconvene at the next regular scheduled Council meeting on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.
9-2. City offices will be closed on Monday, September 6, 2010 in observance of Labor Day.
10. ADJOURNMENT
(The Council meeting packet is available for public inspection at the Albany Library (526-3720), the Fire Department and the City Clerk's Office. The agenda and supporting staff reports can also be found on our web page at: www.albanyca.org. If you have any questions pertaining to any agenda item or Council meeting procedure, please contact the City Clerk's Office at 528-5710.)
Agenda related writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the lobby of City Hall.
The City of Albany is dedicated to maintaining its small town ambience, responding to the needs of a diverse community, and providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.
To view the live televised Council meetings go to Channel 33. Please note that if you provide your name and address when speaking before the City Council it will become part of the official public record, which will be posted on the Internet and broadcast on Channel 33.
