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SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BELLFLOWER CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2023, 2:00 P.M.
BELLFLOWER CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1 CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Santa Ines called the Special Meeting to order at 2:05 p.m. 2 ROLL CALL
The following Members of the City Council responded present to roil call:
Mayor Sonny R. Santa Ines
Council Member Ray Dunton
Council Member Dan Koops
Council Member Victor A. Sanchez
For the record, it was moved by Council Member Koops, seconded by Council Member Sanchez, and carried without objection to excuse the absence of Mayor Pro Tem Hamada.
Staff Participants:
Jeffrey L. Stewart, City Manager
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
Tae Rhee, Director of Finance
Anna Garan, Finance Manager
Len Gorecki, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Jim DellaLonga, Director of Economic Development
P.J. Mellana, Director of Parks and Recreation
Travis Sais, Assistant to the City Manager
Jennifer Poole-Eidd, Management Assistant
3 PUBLIC COMMENT
For the record, there was no one in the audience wishing to provide public comments.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes Item No. 4-A May 2, 2023 Page 2 of 5
4 BUDGET STUDY SESSION
A Consideration and possible action to conduct a City Council Study Session concerning 2023-2025 Proposed Budget.
City Manager Stewart introduced the item.
Director of Finance Rhee 1) gave a brief verbal presentation of the Staff Report; and 2) responded to Council Members' questions.
For the record, a revised list of follow-up items from the Budget Study Session on April 25, 2023, was distributed as supplemental material to the City Council and made available to the public prior to the start of the meeting.
Referencing the revised list of follow-up items, notable changes were discussed as follows.
Following brief discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with Follow-up Item Nos. 1 — 5 as presented.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 6 (Illuminate Trees and Median; Bellflower Boulevard Street Improvement Project), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff create design plan options for the lighting of the median for future consideration and obtain estimates for additional conduit in order to power the median to accommodate the lighting.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 7 (Tree Master Plan), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to 1) allocate the $250,000 in the budget ($125,000 in each budget year) for the future preparation of a Tree Master Plan; and 2) seek grant opportunities for the preparation of a Tree Master Plan and the replacement of hundreds of trees throughout the City, including CalFire and Federal Government funding for urban tree planting.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 8 (Replacement of Trees with West Coast Arborists), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to move forward with the replacement of trees throughout the City and obtain a more definitive cost estimate from West Coast Arborists (WCA) relative to the cost of maintaining the additional trees so that it can be factored into the final budget.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 9 (Duratherm Crosswalks at Bellflower Boulevard and Alondra Boulevard), following brief discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with the item as presented.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 10 (Traffic Signal Poles at Bellflower Boulevard and Alondra Boulevard), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with the item as presented, noting that it would serve as a test for other similar poles that need to be restored, and requesting that staff bring back a "per pole price" at a later date for future City Council consideration.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes Item No. 4-A May 2, 2023 Page 3 of 5
4 BUDGET STUDY SESSION — Continued
A Consideration and possible action to conduct a City Council Study Session concerning 2023-2025 Proposed Budget — Continued
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 11 (Traffic Measures — Rosecrans Avenue between Clark Avenue and Bellflower Boulevard), Council Member Sanchez requested that radar feedback signs at six additional unspecified locations be added to the budget, noting that traffic calming was rated the third area for an improvement in the citizen satisfaction survey.
At the request of Mayor Santa Ines, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Gorecki 1) confirmed that the City currently has four signs installed; 2) stated that each location will need two signs with a cost of $25,000 per sign; and 3) staff will search through their restricted funding for any eligible funding sources before they utilize the General Fund.
Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to include three locations (total of six signs) into the budget.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 12 (Cafe Lighting Extending to the 91 Freeway), Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Gorecki stated that the City does not own the street lighting south of Walnut Street and that he is currently working with Southern California Edison to get more information on their willingness to work with the City on this matter.
Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to bring this item back with more definitive and comprehensive information for future consideration.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 13 (Refurbishment of the Simms Park Tot Soccer Area), following brief discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with this item as presented.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 14 (Access to Riverview Park from Butterfly Garden Park), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to not move forward with this item at this time, noting an interest to keep this in consideration for the future.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 15 (Palm Street Fencing), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to move forward with this item and include an additional $48,000 in the budget for fencing at the southeast corner and northeast corner (in addition to the $57,000 allocated).
At the request of Council Member Sanchez, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Gorecki stated that the remaining two 91 Freeway exits at Clark Avenue and Lakewood Boulevard could be beautified to match the one completed at Bellflower Boulevard, but that the project would be limited and take some time, as the property is owned by Caltrans.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes Item No. 4-A May 2, 2023 Page 4 of 5
4 BUDGET STUDY SESSION — Continued
A Consideration and possible action to conduct a City Council Study Session concerning 2023-2025 Proposed Budget — Continued
Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to 1) come back with a study and design at a future date for the 91 Freeway exits at Clark Avenue and Lakewood Boulevard; and 2) seek additional grant funding opportunities for this project.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 16 (Traffic Calming Measure Implementation), following brief discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with this item to set up a study session on this topic.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 17 (Parks Master Plan), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with this item as presented.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 18 (Increase the General Fund Contingency Reserve), following brief discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to move forward with the item as presented to increase the General Fund contingency reserve to $10 million.
With regard to Follow-up Item No. 19 ($5 million reserve for property acquisition), following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to direct staff to add $3.1 million in cash in year one to the current properties held in the General Fund of $1.9 million (for a total of $5 million in set-aside of the General Fund reserve) for future property acquisition.
Recess: Without objection, Mayor Santa Ines recessed the meeting at 3:51 p.m. for a brief break.
Reconvene: Mayor Santa Ines reconvened the meeting at 4:01 p.m. with all Council Members present (except Mayor Pro Tem Hamada).
5 CONSIDERATION ITEMS
A Consideration and possible action to provide staff direction related to the naming of the new youth and senior center.
City Manager Stewart introduced the item.
Director of Parks and Recreation Mellana 1) gave a brief verbal presentation; and 2) responded to Council Members' questions.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes Item No. 5-A May 2, 2023 Page 5 of 5
5 CONSIDERATION ITEMS — Continued
A Consideration and possible action to provide staff direction related to the naming of the new youth and senior center— Continued
Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to select "The Oak Center" as the name of the new youth and senior center (without including a "tag line").
6 ADJOURNMENT
Without objection, Mayor Santa Ines adjourned the meeting at 4:11 p.m. �7
Sonny R. Santa Ines, Mayor
City of Bellflower
ATTEST:
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Mayr Oc iqui, City Clerk
Appr ved: May 22, 2023