City Council Budget Work Session #2 - Questions Responses Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Attachment IX
CM Question Staff's oral responses at the Work Session
Zermeno Where are the Green
Champions/sustainability team on the org
chart?
In the Environmental Services Division. Eric
Pearson is our Environmental Services
Manager.
Marquez Can you elobarate on your equity efforts PW in
terms of infrastructure and projects is equally
distributed/in all neighborhoods?
Equity is the guiding light in all we do. For
instance, our Pavement Improvement
Program (PIP) takes a look at which
communities have not benefited as much on
our paving efforts in the past, even if they are
not communicating with us. Sidewalk and
other projects take the same approach.
Marquez Can you speak to your current vacancy rate?
What is the plan to fill those positions?
As of last week, 24 vacancies of 161 positions
(15%). The positions in Utilities is very
difficult to recruit for since we have to
compete with districts that don't have the
same constraints working for a city has. The
positions in Transportation is also difficult to
recruit for. We are looking into ways to make
our recruitment more effective (ex: working
with PD and a consultant currently on board to
increase efforts).
Marquez How do we go about deciding which traffic
issues are addressed first? The list continues
to grow but we only have so much financial
resources and staffing capacity.
We review all issues & referrals. The ones with
safety consequences are given high priority.
Marquez When we get referral and request for traffic
mitigation issues, how does that work? Does it
go on a list? What is the timeline?
All referrals are evaluated. Sometimes the type
of mitigation requested is not warranted and
we look at other measures. For example, lane
narrowing or signage to reduce speeding
instead of speed bumps/lumps (for example
OHHA and Tribune/Cotati, and Ms. Avila and
Whitman).
Salinas Our definition of equity. Are we looking
through equally distributing resources across
all neighborhoods? Or neighborhoods that
have been further away from enhancements
and treatments and focusing on those areas
that have not been historically looked at?
The latter. Equality distributes the resources
on an equal basis regardless of the needs and
circumstances; Equity considers the needs and
spcial circumstances and takes necessary
actions to bring about equal outcomes.
City Council Budget Work Session #2 - Questions Responses Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Attachment IX
CM Question Staff's oral responses at the Work Session
Salinas A lot of calls/attention we get re: PW is for
speed bumps and speeding but there's a slight
shift in complaints. I'm seeing an increase in
sideshows and reckless driving with no
regards to rules/laws (ex: Jackson Triangle,
Mission Blvd and the loop). We get extremely
loud mufflers and things that are "killing the
mood" in this quality of life. At what point do
we prioritize these "quality of life" issues? At
what point do we prioritize street
enhancements/neighborhood elements to
reduce these nuisances?
PW can't control things like mufflers but for
things we can control, we look at what we can
do. For example, businesses on Bay Center
Place Industrial cul-de-sac (off Whitesell)
reported some drivers using it to do
sideshows. We looked into it and implemented
a solution that used Botts dots and placed
them in a way that made it difficult to make
quick turns in the cul-de-sac but the trucks
going in-and-out of businesses weren't
affected.
Salinas To follow up on Marquez's comment, where
are we on the recruitment for the
Transportation Manager?
We have renewed our efforts to recruit. We
have interviewed 3 candidates. This is
definitely a priority to the Department.
Wahab Can you elobarate more on the financial
situation? We have been dipping into the
reserve. What does the outlook look like for
year or two?
SFPUC, the City's wholesale water supply
provider, does not think twice about raising
rates as soon as they are needed at the full
level (ex: few years ago, SFPUC increased by
39%). Council has directed us to stabilize the
rates. We have a certain amount of money in
our reserves, currently about $48M. With the
reductions that I'm proposing to subsidize
water purchases, it will drop to $19M in 2025
before it starts growing back again. If we
didn't do this, the only other option would be
to increase our rates by 20% just to pay for
SFPUC's increase on top of what is need to pay
for our replacement needs.
Wahab What is the vacancy rate? 24 vacancies (15%)
Salinas There is a $5.2M gap in the Mission Blvd Phase
3 project. Where are we in closing that gap?
Where/when do we see Phase 3 starting?
Since we reported the $5.2M gap, we have
found $2.6M in funding and reduced the gap to
$2.6M. We have applied for a federal RAISE
grant. We applied 2 years ago and did not
receive it. If we don't get the RAISE grant, staff
will propose using some of our local ACTC
funding to close the gap.
Salinas The striping on the street - is that a standard set by an agency? Or do cities have the
flexibility to change the colors of the stripe?
Yellow striping is usually put near schools.
City Council Budget Work Session #2 - Questions Responses Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Attachment IX
CM Question Staff's oral responses at the Work Session
Salinas Please explore coloring crosswalks school
colors
Will do where appropriate.
Marquez Does the Corp Yard Needs Assessment include
Animal Shelter?
I believe it does (but not the current effort).
Marquez We already identified funding for PD issues,
yes? Like leaking?
Correct
Marquez Where would Weekes Library be listed? Kelly: We are currently doing an assessments need study for that location.
Marquez Do midyear budget revisions happen for both
CIP or GF?
Mainly the GF.
Marquez Do we have any updates on securing federal
money from our lobbyist?
The RAISE grant for Mission Phase 3. Also,
we're following opprtunities for water and
wastewater funding.
Marquez Do we ever quantify how much we received
per year in grant funding?
Yes, we have that information for PW&U and
will get that to you later (Update: Please see
attached info re FY21 approved grants, and
anticipated future grants). Director Claussen:
We will be bringing an information item next
month and will have information on federal
and state earmarks and funding that's been
secured.
Zermeno There's $501M in needs this year and $634M
over ten years. How do they compare or relate
to each other?
The $634M is over ten years and includes the
$118M for this year. The $500M is future
unfunded needs. We will find different soruces
of funding as years go by.
Zermeno What is the unfunded interchange projects? There are four interchanges over 880 that are in various stages of development. Whipple and
Industrial interchanges were just awarded an
$11M design contract. A St and Winton
interchanges are lagging a little bit behind.
Almost all of the rest of the funding for the
four interchanges over I-880 should come
from ACTC and Caltrans. There's Whitesell
over 92 and we've finally secured funding for
scoping and moving forward ($440K from
grants, $200K from City).
Zermeno And these funds are coming from Measure
B/BB, other sources?
Yes, they will not be from the GF.
City Council Budget Work Session #2 - Questions Responses Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Attachment IX
CM Question Staff's oral responses at the Work Session
Zermeno What would it take to have CalTrans give us
money to put more lighting in underpasses?
(ex: A St underpass)
We will look into it. Update: These lights are
installed and maintained by Caltrans. The best
way to get better lighting is to work with
caltrans. Stff reports that Caltrans has
replaced the lightbulbs and the lighting has
improved.
Zermeno When is Winton going to be paved? Right now; W Winton from Santa Clara to west- end this year.
Andrews Is there a reason there's no landscaping on
overpasses (Industrial, Tennyson, Calaroga),
which has speeding?
This is CalTrans ROW. CalTrans is
contemplating a project on Tennyson. The
project is in design, with construction
expected sometime in CY23.
Lamnin What immediate things are happening at the
Corp Yard?
The needs assessment is going on and will
determine what needs to be done.
Lamnin What is the status of the fiber loop? We have implemented Phase 2. There is no funding available right now for future phases.
We are looking at different options for our
fiber. There is some potential funding from
federal government from the new monies
they're talking about and will stay vigilant
about those opportunities.
Lamnin Why is the recommendation for a Highland
Gate and not removal of the barrier?
A gate will allow FD to use as an emergency
access road.
Lamnin Property taxes on excess right of way -- is this property we still need?
Director Claussen: We are trying to get rid of
property that we don't need and develop
Lamnin If there are additional Botts dots designs or
something we can put in places that are
wide/intersections?
Making wide intersections safer and more
pedestrian friendly is something that staff is
currently working on. EX: A St and Hesperian
to make it more pedestrian and bicycle
friendly. Safe Routes for Seniors that currently
has four locations in DT and will be an annual
project.
Halliday When was AMI Portal going to be live? End of this FY, expected at the end of June.
Halliday The funding gap for Mission Blvd Phase 3 is
down to $2.5M?
Correct
City Council Budget Work Session #2 - Questions Responses Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Attachment IX
CM Question Staff's oral responses at the Work Session
Halliday Is there a long-term plan for Tennyson? CalTrans has a plan. I will get information from them and present it to Council. The last
time we looked into it, because of the number
and width of lanes, there wasn't much we
could do to improve bicycle and pedestrian
safety on Tennyson over 880.
Halliday Any progress on the mitigation for Sulphur
Creek at Airport?
The issue last time was the mitigation (which
is well over $1M), we couldn't convince
County allow us to do that in Hayward. They
wanted us to do this in Oakland and Council
didn't want to spend that money outside of the
City. We have exhausted everything and there
is no other possibility. What we need to do is
proceed with implementing the mitigation
outside the City. We will look into it.
Marquez Do we have a budget for public art and
murals?
Kelly provided a response as to where it
lives/funded. Council asked for that to come
back to Economic Committee.