City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.org City Council
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
Date: 4/19/2022
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Special Session
A. Call To Order
Mayor Nash called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m.
B. Roll Call
Present: Combs, Mueller, Nash, Taylor, Wolosin
Absent: None
Staff: Interim City Manager Justin I.C. Murphy, City Attorney Nira F. Doherty, City Clerk Judi A. Herren
C. Closed Session
C1. Closed session conference with labor negotiators pursuant to Government Code §54957.6 regarding labor negotiations with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 829 (AFSCME) and Confidential employees; and Menlo Park Police Sergeants (PSA) Attendees: Interim City Manager Justin Murphy, City Attorney Nira F. Doherty, Legal Counsel Charles Sakai, Interim Human Resources Manager Kristen Strubbe Mayor Nash adjourned to the closed session at 5:10 p.m.
Mayor Nash reconvened the meeting at 6:27 p.m.
D. Report from Closed Session
No reportable actions.
E. Special Business
E1. Interviews of Planning Commission applicants (Attachment) (Note: No action will be taken at this meeting. Appointments are scheduled for the April 26, 2022 City Council meeting.)
The City Council interviewed the following Planning Commission applicants:
Michael Meyer
Michael DeMoss
Camille Kennedy
Linh Dan Do
David Thomas
The City Council took a recess at 7:26 p.m.
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.org The City Council reconvened at 7:30 p.m.
F. Regular Business
F1. Adopt fiscal year 2022-23 budget principles and review General Fund forecast as of March 31, 2022, and receive preliminary information about potential service level enhancements and the capital improvement program (Staff Report #22-072)
Interim Finance Director Marvin Davis, Public Works Director Nikki Nagaya, and Interim City Manager Justin Murphy made the presentation (Attachment). Lynne Bramlett spoke in opposition of an emergency preparedness coordinator and in support of emergency preparedness management.
Adina Levin spoke in support of the Willow Road safety improvements project. Pam Jones spoke in support of a comprehensive operations manual, by department and citywide, and in pursuing the relinquishment Willow Road.
Vice Mayor Wolosin provided suggestions for the budget principles (Attachment).
The City Council received clarification on including reference to promotional opportunities for employees within the budget, emergency preparedness coordinator, their level and cost related to Menlo Park Fire Protection District, community service officers labor estimate update, position duties, uniforms, and rehiring previous employees, parking enforcement hours, need, and contract based options, history and reactivation of the gymnastics program, current employees from the previous gymnastic program, centralized recruiting, the graphic designer position, Willow Oaks in the CIP (capital improvement plan), and Hillview school turf replacement contractual agreement.
The City Council discussed updating the Mission Statement of Menlo Park to include the definition of equity, City Council cost recovery goals for all fee-based services, the preliminary service level enhancement positions, CIP new funding requests, trade-offs for gymnastic services with in-house staff and contract base, and climate resiliency position focus.
The City Council showed support for:
Drought coordination and support – sustainability specialist SAFER Bay staffing – associate engineer
Emergency preparedness coordinator – pending request title Community services officers
Traffic unit and staffing support – police officers
Parking enforcement – contract services
Gymnastics restoration – program assistants, instructors, recreation coordinator Housing support – Management analyst
Deputy city clerk restoration – Deputy city clerk
Graphic designer – Graphic designer
Climate resiliency – Management analyst
Eleven annual programmatic CIP projects
Chrysler pump station replacement
San Francisquito Creek Upstream
Automated water meter reading infrastructure
Streetlight conversion
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
City of Menlo Park 701 Laurel St., Menlo Park, CA 94025 tel 650-330-6600 www.menlopark.org Haven Avenue Streetscape project
Burgess pool lobby renovation
Willow Road bicycle and pedestrian improvements
Kelly Park and Hillview School turf replacement
Local road safety plan
Shuttle program evaluation
Storm system funding study
Police radio and communication equipment upgrades
Use of rubberized asphalt and speed feedback sign on Willow Road
The City Council directed staff to return Vice Mayor Wolosin’s updated budget principles for City Council consideration and return an updated Mission Statement for City Council consideration. The City Councils also directed staff to report back at next week’s City Council meeting with service level enhancement, gymnastic restoration, a comprehensive look across all service level enhancements and report back on the timing issue, and justification for the graphic designer position.
ACTION: By acclamation, the City Council extended the meeting past 11 p.m.
G. Informational Items
G1. Personnel activity report as of March 31, 2022 (Staff Report #22-073) H. Adjournment
Mayor Nash adjourned the meeting at 11:01 p.m.
Judi A. Herren, City Clerk
These minutes were approved at the City Council meeting of May 24, 2022.
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
PRELIMINARY 2022-23 BUDGET INFO
April 19, 2022
F1-STAFF PRESENTATION City Council Special Meeting Minutes April 19, 2022
Overview
Proposed budget principles
General fund forecast
Preliminary service level enhancement requests
Capital improvement program update and needs
Requested direction
AGENDA
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
1. Promote the City’s long-term fiscal sustainability
2. Provide city services and infrastructure that contribute to quality of life in Menlo Park
3. Revenue sources and grant accounting (new)
a) State the funds surplus/deficit balance to show annual results and use of fund balance
b) Identify revenue sources for the initial year of all capital projects c) Document and enter “due-to” amounts in the general fund for all expenses awaiting grant fund reimbursement by increasing the assigned reserve balance d) Ensure a fund’s fiscal year-end balance estimate is positive (Identify transfer ins where appropriate, for instance budget book forecast Fund 251, 252, 253 etc. negative)
PROPOSED BUDGET PRINCIPLES
3 City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
Forecasted at March YTD with reasonable assumptions
Taxes are holding strong with reductions in Sales ($509K) and TOT ($1.9M) being offset by increases in Property
Charges for Services March YTD is $5.8M
Other Financing Sources excludes $1.5M use fund balance to forecast true annual surplus/(deficit)
GENERAL FUND
REVENUE FORECAST (FY 2021-22)
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April 19, 2022
Forecasted at March YTD with reasonable assumptions
Salary & Wage fully loaded for April, May, June
Fringe benefits assumes additional $1M pension payment consistent with adopted budget
Services represent less or delayed spending, however three months could catch up
Additional revenue forecasted ($1.3M) and expenses savings cover for additional Transfer Outs over adopted budget of approximately $7.2M
GENERAL FUND
EXPENSE FORECAST (FY 2021-22)
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HOW HAS OUR STAFFING CHANGED?
6 0
50 100
150
200
250
300
FY2016-17 FY2017-18 FY2018-19 FY2019-20 FY2020-21 FY2021-22 City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
Description Request Labor estimate
1. Drought coordination
and support
1.0 Sustainability
specialist
$132,893
2. SAFER Bay staffing 1.0 Associate engineer $197,726
3. Emergency
preparedness coordinator
1.0 Equivalent to
management analyst or
project manager
$165,505
4. Community service
officers
3.0 Community service
officers
$622,257
5. Traffic unit and staffing
support
3.0 Police officers $622,257
6. Parking enforcement Personnel or contract
services
$207,425
PRELIMINARY
SERVICE LEVEL ENHANCEMENTS
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April 19, 2022
Description Request Labor estimate
7. Gymnastics restoration 5.75 – 2 Program
assistants, 2.75
instructors, 1 recreation
coordinator
$694,540
8. Housing support 1.0 Management analyst $185,194
9. Deputy city clerk
restoration
1.0 Deputy city clerk $153,438
10. Graphic designer 1.0 Graphic designer $153,438
11. Climate resiliency 1.0 Management analyst $185,194
PRELIMINARY
SERVICE LEVEL ENHANCEMENTS
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April 19, 2022
62 funded & carryover projects
22 proposed for new funding in FY22-23
7 categories
– Buildings & systems
– Environment
– Parks & recreation
– Stormwater
– Streets & sidewalks
– Traffic & transportation
– Water system
11 programmatic categories: Parks (minor), Sports field renovations, Traffic signal modifications, etc.
CIP OVERVIEW
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April 19, 2022
Repaved Willow Road with rubberized
asphalt Repaved Middle Avenue Renovated Burgess Pool chemical storage room Completed park pathway
reconstruction in Sharon Park Electrical and equipment upgrades to City Hall for next gen 911 service Installed fencing around Main Library basement stairwell Substantially completed Bayfront
Canal-Atherton Channel flood control
project Replaced aging water mains on Haven
Avenue and Casey Court
COMPLETED PROJECTS
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April 19, 2022
11 annual programmatic projects Ongoing projects
– Chrysler Pump Station replacement
– San Francisquito Creek Upstream
– Automated water meter reading infrastructure
– Streetlight conversion
– Haven Avenue Streetscape project New projects
– Burgess pool lobby renovation
– Willow Rd bicycle and ped improvements
– Kelly Park and Hillview School turf replacement
– Local Road Safety Plan
– Shuttle program evaluation
– Storm system funding study
– Police radio and communication equipment upgrades
NEW FUNDING REQUESTS
11 City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
June 7 City Manager’s budget workshop
June 14 public hearing
– Send written public comment in advance of meeting
– Attend meeting and offer verbal public comment
– Contact City Councilmembers before meeting
June 28 budget adoption
– Updated budget incorporating City Council direction from June 14 – Public comment
July 1 – new fiscal year
KEY MILESTONES
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Approve budget principles
Ask questions or provide feedback:
– Preliminary service level enhancements
– Capital improvement program needs
REQUESTED DIRECTION
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April 19, 2022
THANK YOU
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022
Number
/Letter
Existing Language Proposed Language
2 Provide city services and infrastructure that contribute to quality of life in Menlo Park
Provide city services and infrastructure that contribute to quality of life in Menlo Park of current residents and future generations
2a Implement ordinances and City Council adopted initiatives and strategies to contribute to the quality of life in Menlo Park
Implement ordinances and City Council adopted initiatives and strategies to contribute to the quality of life in Menlo Park make Menlo Park a vibrant, healthy and sustainable community both now and for years to come.
2b Proactively maintain and improve existing infrastructure to minimize maintenance costs and decrease the City’s
greenhouse gas emissions
Proactively maintain and improve existing infrastructure to minimize maintenance costs and decrease the City’s
greenhouse gas emissions
New n/a Invest in projects and infrastructure that reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and support the City’s safety
and accessibility goals (Vision Zero and Complete Streets) Proposed Budget Principles Edits
F1-WOLOSIN PRESENTATION City Council Special Meeting Minutes April 19, 2022
Number
/Letter
Existing Language Proposed Language
New n/a Make investments in disaster preparedness and climate adaptation that will reduce future financial burdens.
2c Strive to balance the resources and requirements of each area of the city in an equitable manner through the use of equitable tools
Strive to balance the resources and requirements of each area of the city in an equitable manner through the use of equitable tools Approach resource allocation throughout the city in a balanced and equitable manner, while striving to address past inequities, the impacts and benefits of
development in different areas, and the unique needs and opportunities in different districts.
2d Evaluate one-time revenues for highest and best
investment recognizing the benefit of leveraging near-term investments for long-term gains in financial sustainability, and/or quality of life
Evaluate one-time revenues for highest and best investment recognizing the benefit of leveraging near-term investments for long-term gains in financial sustainability, and/or quality of life for current and future residents and/or to stave off the future impacts of climate change.
City Council Special Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2022