Highlights from Feb. 4 city council meeting
–Highlights from the City Council meeting on Tuesday, February 4, as sent by the City of Paso Robles are as follows.
The City Council took the following actions:
Approved an agreement with Ferravanti Grading and Paving in the amount of $39,305 to repair Buena Vista Drive at Dallons Drive: A water main break damaged the road surface and base. Four different contractors submitted bids in the competitive bid process; Ferravanti’s bid was the lowest and most responsive.
Approved the updated Street Maintenance and Repair Plan: The city prepares a multi-year repair plan, so that residents and businesses can anticipate when their streets will be upgraded and utility companies can schedule their work. The intent is to ensure that trenching and other utility work is completed in the years and months prior to major road work, not after. The city spends approximately $6 million each year on major repairs. Funds that are available include the supplemental sales tax approved by the city’s voters in 2012, as well as SB-1 funds approved by the state legislature, that come from gas taxes and registration fees. The multi-year schedule of repairs is available on the city’s website.
Approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city and the Service Employees International Union, which represents most of the city’s non-management employees other than police officers and firefighters: The term of the MOU is for three years commencing on Jan. 1, 2020 and expiring on Dec. 31, 2022. All employees will receive a 3-percent wage increase effective Jan. 26. In addition, members will receive a 1-percent wage increase effective on Jan. 10, 2021 and an additional 1-percent wage increase effective on Jan. 9, 2022. Employees could receive an additional 1-percent in the 2nd and 3rd years of the contract should General Fund tax revenues less unexpected on-going expenditures exceed projections by $513,000 or more in either year. This last provision is designed to protect against an economic downturn or other fiscal emergency, and enlist employees’ participation in efforts to reduce expenditures and increase long-term fiscal stability.
Approved an agreement with RRM Design Group for comprehensive city facilities space planning: The agreement will allow the city to begin comprehensive planning to eliminate leased property (resulting in long-term savings) and ensure that adequate facilities are available to meet community needs now and into the future. As the city continues to grow, additional services will be necessary, and additional facilities will be needed from which to provide those services. For example, the increase in demand for fire and emergency medical services will require a third fire station. This station must be located so as to reduce response times. The planning process that RRM will lead is anticipated to take six months. Results will be input into the city’s long-term budget projections to ensure the facilities are available as they become needed.
Approved the removal of three diseased or weakened oak trees at three different locations in the city: The city’s heritage and beauty are intertwined with the beautiful Coast Live Oaks and Blue Oaks native to this area. Protections of these trees include ensuring that an arborist inspects each tree and recommends removal and that the public has a chance to provide input, if there is another viable option needing to be considered.
Approved a mixed-use project, including 4,000 square feet of commercial space and 17 3-bedroom apartments at 2548 Spring Street, site of the current Moose Lodge: The city allows a density bonus in certain situations, including the provision of affordable housing. The development will include one very-low-income unit and one low-income unit. These two units will be deed-restricted, to ensure their availability to low-income families into the future.
This represents just a subset of the total actions by the council. The full agenda can be found at https://www.prcity.com/agendacenter and the audio from the meeting can be found at https://www.prcity.com/AgendaCenter/City-Council-2. The minutes of the meeting will be available as part of the packet for the city council’s next regular meeting, which is placed online and in the library as soon as it is available, and always at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.
The next regular council meeting takes place on Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library Conference Center/Council Chamber at 1000 Spring Street.
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