MINUTES
SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL FINANCIAL PLAN COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
SOLVANG
January 27, 2022
Thursday, 6:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Uhrig called the meeting to order at 6:04 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang, California.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Charlie Uhrig (via Zoom); Mayor pro tem Mark Infanti; Councilmember Robert Clarke
Absent: Councilmembers Claudia Orona and Jim Thomas
Staff: City Manager Xenia Bradford, City Clerk Annamarie Porter
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Led by Mayor pro tem Infanti.
1. FINANCIAL PLAN COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
City Manager Bradford narrated a PowerPoint presentation regarding the City's financial plan.
Discussion followed regarding increasing sales tax versus increasing TOT, formation of a Business Improvement District (BID), assessments on property owners or business owners, results of a recent survey, law enforcement and public safety, medical services, code enforcement, general elections versus special district elections, sales tax from residents versus sales tax from visitors, TAC recommendations and reviewing what other cities charge for sales tax.
Mayor Uhrig opened public comments.
Jim Richardson, President of the Board, Solvang Senior Center, thanked City Council for supporting the construction of a new Senior Center and asked that the City fund the new Senior Center as a line item.
Ellen Albertoni, Executive Director, Solvang Senior Center, thanked the City for its support and spoke about continuing to nurture the relationship with the City.
Bonnie Jacobsen, President, Friends of the Library, spoke about funding Library programs; discussed operation of the Library and a requirement to pay $20,000/year to the library operator, City of Goleta, noting the Library does not have the funds and donors want to fund special programs and not operations. She requested that the City of Solvang assume costs for operating the Library, increase its investment in the Library and that it be made part of the financial plan.
There were no other public comments.
2. ADJOURNMENT- Mayor Uhrig adjourned the meeting at 7:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Annamarie Porter, City Clerk
M 2022-01-27 CC Special Financial Community Workshop