CITY OF CRESCENT CITY
Council Member Raymond Altman Mayor Pro Tem Isaiah Wrigh Council Member Beau Smit
Council Member Blake Inscore
MINUTES
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL/MEASURE S OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
PRIORITY PROJECTS MEETING
WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
210 BATTERY STREET
CRESCENT CITY, CA 95531
TUESDAY MARCH 15, 2022 5:30 P.M.
OPEN SESSION
City Council call to order Mayor Greenough called the Council to order at 5:30 p.m.
Roll call Council Members present: Council Member Ray Altman, Council Member Blake Inscore, Council Member Beau Smith, Mayor Pro Tem Isaiah Wright, and Mayor Jason Greenough
Staff members present: City Manager Eric Wier, City Attorney Martha Rice, City Clerk/Administrative Analyst Robin Patch, Finance Director Linda Leaver, Public Works Director Jon Olson, Fire Chief Bill Gillespie, and Police Chief Richard Griffin Measure S Oversight Committee call to order Chair Schellong called the Committee to order at 5:30 p.m.
Roll call Committee Members present: Committee Member Emery Mattz, Committee Member Dana Reno, Vice Chair Ernie Perry, and Chair Kelly Schellong Committee Member absent: Committee Member Cindy Cruse
Pledge of Allegiance led by Mayor Greenough
NEW BUSINESS
1. Priority Projects Presentation
• Recommendation: Hear presentation regarding priority General Fund Projects and available funding options - Projects to include but are not limited to:
Front Street (G Street to L Street)
Improvements to the Fred Endert Municipal Pool
• Police Department Facility & Site Improvements
City Hall
• Downtown Restroom
• Technical questions from the Council
• Technical questions from the Committee
• Receive public comment
• Further Council discussion
• Further Committee discussion
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• Give direction to staff as necessary and appropriate
City Manager Eric Wier gave a detailed presentation of the Priority Projects for the City of Crescent City starting with an overview of what had been discussed in each of the prior Measure S Oversight Committee/City Council meetings. He further reported that the available funding for these priority projects to discuss will come from Measure S, the General Fund, ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act), and Debt Service options. He went over the budgets previously reported to the Council and Committee for the Crescent City Police Department, Crescent City Fire & Rescue, the Fred Endert Municipal Pool and street projects. Chair Schellong asked Police Chief Griffin of the four items listed for the police department, which would he prioritize; Chief Griffin stated he would prioritize vehicles due to their age, mileage and nearing end of life status. Then he would want in order: lockers, duty firearms, and finally vehicle repair. Due to some technical issues, a brief recess was called at 5:54 p.m. for them to be addressed. The meeting was called back to order at 6:10 p.m. City Manager Wier went over the funding plan for consideration for Front Street - G Street to | Street. The estimated cost is $2.2million; Measure S to cover $1,032,467, the General Fund to cover $767,533, and Del Norte Local Transportation to cover $400k. City Manager Wier went over the project schedule in detail. For Fred Endert Municipal Pool, Brian LaBrie of Johnson Controls gave a presentation on the Pool Energy Efficiency Project that they are proposing to the City to take on. He went over the present design, the present pool area actual performance, the present day pool operation experiences, comfort results and then what their plan would be to reduce energy cost for the pool. The total project cost, as reported by Johnson Controls was $1,166,962 with a 20 year total savings of $604,583. Mr. LaBrie further reported that the project annual savings would be $22,500. Committee Member Reno asked about the annual measurement and verification optional costs of $16k and $9,500 and stated that would significantly reduce the project annual utility savings as previously stated of $22,500; Chair Schellong stated that would be over the course of a year. City Manager Wier went over the options for the Council and Committee to consider for the Pool HVAC improvements: option 1: do nothing; option 2: VFD option, and option 3: dehumidifiers project, which is the recommended option. City Manager Wier went over the pool improvement project and advised the Council and Committee that the prices before them are set if they agree to sign with Johnson Controls. Committee Member Reno stated that this pool will make other City projects unable to happen due to staff time needing to be spent on keeping it running. Aquatics Supervisor Garcia explained that EMOT Dan Borges does spend a lot of time at the pool repairing things and making it still a running facility. City Manager Wier went over option 3, dehumidifiers, in detail with the agreement, construction commencement and finalization. City Manager Wier went over the police department and the facility updates that will need to be done and the cost. Chair Schellong asked what the difference it would be between doing the updates versus having a whole new building; City Manager Wier stated it would be $5 - $10million, whereas the PD Facilities Improvement Project would only be $1.15million. City Manager Wier then went over the proposed City Hall, the design, the estimated project cost of $2,750,000 and the schedule in which design and construction would occur should funding be secured. The next project idea would be a restroom for downtown with an estimated project cost of $150k, outlined the design and the project schedule. Vice-Chair Perry gave an overview of the bathrooms/showers/cleaning station located at the Harbor and the process they had to go through. Chair Schellong asked if some of the unallocated funds from the Front Street project could go towards funding this bathroom; City Manager Wier said it could, but this is a project that you would want to have the cash around $150k. He reported to the Council and Committee that for these projects there are currently unallocated funding sources: ARPA:
$1,186,392; Measure S: $1,032,467, and the General Fund: $847,329 and went over them in detail. The Council gave direction to have the Chamber request for additional funding in tonight's presentation. He explained the marketing plan the Visitor's Bureau has and for Council consideration would be $3,500 per marketing video for $7k total. Council Member Inscore, a member of the Chamber Board of Directors, explained to the Committee and Council exactly what they have done with the funding and marketing plan to bring more people to Crescent City. City Manager Wier stated for discussion tonight is: what are the priority projects, what is to be cash funded, saved or pay now, and should the City use debt service on any of these projects. He went 3/15/22 COUNCIL/MEASURE S MINUTES
on to show a detailed chart of the potential projects along with the potential funding for these projects.
There were no comments from the public.
Committee Member Reno suggested obtaining a loan and combining it with ARPA funds to get all of the projects done for $5.2million with a lower loan from our funding sources. City Manager Wier stated it is possible and it would lower it to $4.5million and is one of the options for funding suggested. Finance Director Leaver explained that there are several combinations of doing the funding for these projects in detail. The Council and Committee agreed that of the projects, Front Street and Pool are the two top priorities. Finance Director Leaver explained that the Measure S, ARPA, and General Fund allocations for this year are a one-time funding source. However, it is expected to have more unallocated funds for next year. Vice-Chair Perry suggested getting the new City Hall funded since the building is just sitting there and costs will rise; the five-year plan needs to stay intact; supports Front Street project and the pool. Chair Schellong stated she would like to see the Chamber funding and the downtown bathrooms done with some of the unallocated funds. She further stated the SCAs for the fire department needs to be top priority. The PD should be funded by a debt service. The Oversight Committee concurred that it is important for the community to know how the City is moving forward and effectively using the funds from Measure S to fund essential services and concurred that Front Street and the pool are priority projects. Council Member Altman stated that since we will never see interest rates like this again, we could do the debt service and have all of the projects funded. There is a risk to not doing the debt service, because Front Street could have been done for $3.5million and now it's $12mil. The longer we wait, the more expensive the projects will become. Council Member Smith agreed with Council Member Altman and stated the priority is Front Street. Does not feel that the pool is a priority as it already costs the City a lot of money as it is. Feels like the PD needs to be addressed to make the locker rooms appropriate for all staff. Council Member Inscore agreed with Council Members Altman and Smith that prudence is necessary. The opportunity we have with current funding, would like to see the Front Street and pool project done with ARPA funds and have debt service for the police department and City Hall. Supports the downtown bathroom and the extra money to the Chamber of Commerce. Mayor Pro Tem Wright stated that he is not in favor of debt service right now until the future of Measure S is known, since the figures given to the Council and Committee by Director Leaver includes Measure S revenues. Supports the Front Street Project as number one, the PD next, and then the Pool. Supports Economic Development with City Hall being last. City Manager Wier explained that without Measure S funding, the extra officers and firefighters would not be able to happen, so if it were to go by the wayside, we would have to take on a debt service to make these things happen. Chair Schellong stated that she believes debt service should go towards things that will stick around such as the police department and City Hall. Mayor Greenough supports the following projects: Front Street, the Pool Project are priorities. The downtown bathroom does not need to be funded this year, would like the ARPA funds be used towards the pool. If debt service is going to be done, it should be done on something that will be around for a long time and City Hall and PD projects are both good candidates it. Chair Schellong reported that when she reports to the community, she will outline how important Measure S revenue is and what will happen if we no longer have it. City Manager Wier stated that the Oversight Committee's main priority is Front Street and all Measure S funds are used for Front Street; Chair Schellong stated there should be a caveat that the Pool project be included as well. City Manager Wier asked the Council for direction on the $760k unallocated general fund that's above the 25% that gets you Front Street; Director Leaver stated that is if the Local Transportation Commission to pay the $400k. Mayor Greenough confirmed with the Council that there is a contingency plan that ARPA funds will be used to fill in for whatever it takes after the Local Transportation Commission funding; the Council was in consensus to move forward with Front Street and directed staff to request additional funding of $400k from DNLTC, to purchase long lead materials, and to include in FY23 Budget Unallocated Measure S funding and General Fund to complete the project. Mayor Greenough asked the Council if they were in consensus to move forward with the Pool HVAC Project; City Manager Wier asked if the Council 3/15/22 COUNCIL/MEASURE S MINUTES
would like to see $300k of ARPA funds for the Pool; Director Leaver suggested to wait until NLTC comes back to contirm the $400k from them as we'll find out on April 5; the Council wa 1 agreement to move forward with the pool and Front Street after April 5th if the $400k is approve for Front Street. The Council was in unanimous consensus to debt service City Hall and PD. City Manager Wier advised the Council staff will come back to them with some financing options in
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Council and Committee, each adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m. to the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Crescent City scheduled for Monday, March 21, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Chambers of the Flynn Center, 981 H Street, Crescent City, CA 95531.
ATTEST:
Bal
Robin Patch
City Clerk/Administrative Analyst
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