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1973-01-09 Special CC MinutesSPECIALMEETINGOFTHECOUNCILOFTHECITYOFALAMEDA HELDTUESDAY------------JANUARY9,1973 Themeetingconvenedat4:00o'clockp.m.withPresidentLaCroixpresiding. ROLLCALL: TherollwascalledandCouncilmenFore,Levy,Longaker,~1cCallandPresidentLaCroix,Jr.,(5),werenotedpresent.Absent:None. NEWBUSINESS:------- 1.'TheNoticeandAgendaofthisspecia1meetinghadbeenacknowledgedbytheCouncilmenandwason file.ThepurposeofthemeetingwastodiscusstheRevenueSharingProgram. ThePresidentrequestedthattheCityManagerexplainfortheinterestoftheCouncilandtheaudience thes t tuat i onconfrontingtheCitywithregardtotheRevenueSharingFundsandanyactionwhichitmight takeinthisrespect. Mr.Wellerexplained,inaccordancewithhismemorandadatedDecember14,1972,andJanuary5,1973,the FederallegislationprovidingtheformulaforallocationofFederalfundsforaperiodoffiveyears beginningwithcalendaryear1972.Kestatedthemoneywasmadeavailablebyvirtueofcutbacksatthe Federallevelincertainkindsoflocalgrants,primarilyincategoricalgrantareas.Theestimated incomefortheCityunderthisprogramhads t ar-ted atabout$800,000andbeenreducedtoapproximately $380,000forcalendaryear1972.Hesaidtheuseofthefundswasrelativelyunrestrictedandrecounted thepermittedcateqor-icsasfollows:(1)publicsafety(Police,Fire,BuildingInspection);(2)environ- mentalprotection(sewers,sanitation,pollutionabatement);(3)publictransportation(streets);(4) health;(5)recreation;(6)libraries;(7)socialservicesfortheagedandpoor;(8)financialadminisc tration.Mr.Wellernotedthatschoolswerespecificallynotincludedonthelistandsaidhisadvice fromrepresentativesofboththeTreasuryandCensusDepartmentswasthatitwastheintentoftheCongress thattheneedsofschoolswouldbe met inotherways. Mr.Wellersaidthemoneymustbespentorobligatedwithinaperiodoftwoyearsafteritsallocation. Thiswasparticularlytruewithrespecttothefirsttwochecks,whichwereretroactive.Hepointedout iftherewasindicationthatfundswouldhavetobeaccumulatedformorethantwoyearsforaproject whichthelocalagencyfounddesirable,itwouldbenecessarytofilethisinformationwiththeSecretary oftheTreasury,whowouldhavetheoptiontodecidewhetherthefundsmightbesoaccumulated.Itwas statedtheamountsofthechecksreceivedbytheCitywere$190,754and$183,046,reflectingsmallamounts retainedasareserveagainsterror.AcheckwasanticipatedinApri1,1973,coveringthefirstquarter ofcalendaryear1973intheamountof$70,000or$80,000andfouradditionalremittanceswouldbe receivedduringfiscalyear1973-74. CouncilmanIkCallpointedoutthisprogramwasnota"biggrabbag"andthefundsshouldbeusedforthe benefitofallthetaxpayersinthecommunityandnotjustonesegment.Hecommented,assetforthin Mr.Weller'smemorandum,thatconstructionofa"northside"sewersystemwasdirelyneeded,atan estimatedcostof$500,000,andapriorityitemwasacquisitionofaparkonthenorthsideoftheCity inthevicinityofSherrnanStreetandBuenaVistaAvenueasthisareawasbadlyinneedofrecreational facilities.Heremarkedonthecommunication from Mr.WilliamS.Olds,2605CentralAvenue,suggesting thatfundsbeusedforapolicemarinepatrolalongtheEstuaryandnotedthataboathadbeenoffered totheCityonaleasebasisforayearandaprogramofthiskindwasunderconsideration.Hecommented thatPeraltaCollegeDistrictandtheBoardofEducationhadsubmittedcommunicationsonthissubjectand heexpressedtheopinionthattheCouncilwouldhavetodeterminewhatwouldhavethehighestpriority inthebestinterestsofallthepeopleintheCity. CouncilmanLevysuggestedthenorthsidesewersystemmightbefundedthroughaFederalgrant.Uponrequest, CityEngineerHannaexplainedthataveryinexpensiveprojecthadbeenworkedoutsomeyearsago;the maninchargeofthehydraulicsectionoftheStateagencyhadnotapprovedtheproposalandtheproblem hadbeenreferredtotheStateDivisionofHighwaysforstudy.Hesaidhewouldliketothinkthatthe StateDivisioncouldsolvethisproblemandhewouldcheckshortlytolearnthestatusofthematter. Mr.WellerexplainedmethodsbywhichFederalfundsmightbeobtainedtowardthecostofthisproject. CouncilmanLongakerremarkedonthefloodingproblemonNasonStreetandattheendsofthestreets leadingoffBuenaVistaAvenueinthatvicinity,inadditiontothefloodingproblemsattheTube,and saidtherewasnoquestionbutthatthismatterwasoneofhighpriority. TheCityManagerwasrequestedtopursuethemattersothattheCouncilmighthaveanswerstotheentire northsidestormsewerproblem,hopefully,within t\·10 monthsforitsguidanceinthisrespect. CouncilmanLongakersaidtherewasnoquestionbutthattheareaoftheCitywiththehighestarrestrate wasthatoftheproposednorthsideparksiteandperhapsconsiderationcouldbegiventohavingaparkin thatarea\~ithaneyetocuttingdownsomeoftheseproblems. TherewasdiscussionwithregardtoacquisitionoftheDelMonteparkinglotsiteboundedbyShermanand BentonStreetsandBuenaVistaandPacificAvenues,theposs'[b i 1ity ofparksitesintheeventualDe1 Montedevelopment,theproposaloftheSchoolDistricttradingitsWebsterStreetpropertyforlandin theDelMontedevelopmentandthepossiblelocationofamultiple-useschoolandparksiteinthatarea. CouncilmanMcCallbroughtuptheremarksbyMr.WellerinhissupplementalmemoranduITIdatedJanuary5, 1973,withregardtoapossibledeficitintheCityfundsofapproximately$360,000in1973-74,which wouldrequireataxincreaseorutilizationofRevenueSharingFundstoeliminateit.Hepointedout thesuggestionthattheCorporationYardshouldbereconstructedandimprovedatanestimatedcostof 44 $160,000andtheWashingtonParkextensionandtheadjacenttriangular-shapedlandshouldbedeveloped, atacostofapproximately$400,000.HeemphasizedthatthereweremanyplacesintheCityonwhich theCouncilhadprioritiesforspendingthesefunds.Ifsomethingshouldcomeupwhichwasreallya necessityoverandabovetheexistingpriorities,hefelttheCouncilwouldgoalongwiththesituation. PresidentLaCroixsuggestedtheRecreationDirectorberequested,throughtheCityManager'soffice, totakeupwiththeCommissionthematterofasitestudy,costfiguresandrecommendationswith regardtodevelopmentofanorthsideparksitesothattheCouncilmightestablishapriorityfigure onthisproposal.ThiswasacceptabletotheothermembersoftheCouncil. PresidentLaCroixexpressedtheopinionthatthecitizensofthecommunityhadtherightandshould submittotheCouncilrequestsforvariousprojectstheymightfeelwerenecessaryintheCityand thepublicshouldbemadeawarethatthistypeofinputwasexpectedbytheCouncil. CouncilmanLevyreadapreparedstatementsuggestingthatconsiderationbegiventoconversionof utilitylinestounderground,statingsomeallocationfromthefundsunderdiscussioncouldstartthe project,thePacificGas &ElectricCompanywouldnotbeinvolvedbutthePacificTelephonewould cooperativelyundergroundtheareascommittedbythepowercompany.AfterthefirstyeartheBureau couldbudgetmoneyforsubsequentyears.CouncilmanLevysaidthereweremanyareasintheCitywhich couldusesomeface-lifting. Mr.WellerpOintedupthatindiscussingRevenueSharingFundstheCouncilshouldbecarefulabout makingacommitmenttoanongoingprogramand,logically,thesefundsshouldbeusedforcapital purposes.Hesaidtheundergroundingofutilitiesinothercities,basedontherequirementsofthe PublicUtilitiesCommission,wouldtakeaminimumoffiftyyearstomakeanyShowing.Hesaidthis wastruealsointhecaseofEstuarycontrol;bothofthesetypesofprogramshouldbeexaminedand standontheirownmeritsandiftheycouldstandthatkindofanalysistheyshouldbeinstituted. However,hesaiditshouldbekeptinmindthattherewasnoassuranceRevenueSharingFundswould continuebeyondthefive-yearperiodindicatedandcommitmentsinvolvingadditionalstafforlong- termobligationstocompleteaparticularprogramorinstituteaprogramwhichwouldneverbecompleted wouldfindthelocaltaxpayerpickinguptheexpense. PresidentLaCroixbroughtupthematterofthecommunicationfromtheBoardofEducation,signedby Dr.G.R.McConnell,Secretary,indicatingitwouldliketoshareinthefundsreceivedbytheCity, andpointedouttheCityManagerhadexplainedtheSchoolDistrictcouldnotqualifyforthefunds. Heexpressedtheopinionthat,iftheCouncilagreedthiswasthecase,themattershouldimmediately beputtorestinsofarastheDistrictwasconcernedanditshouldbesoinformed. Mr.Cunningham,onrequest,saidhefe1tthemattercauldbeapproachedonpolicygrounds,pointing outtheCityandtheSchoolDistrictcooperatedtoalargeextentonrecreationalfacilitiesfor jointuseand,aspointedoutbyMr.Weller,therewereotherentitlementsinvolvingboththeState andtheCountyandtheSchoolDistrictreceivedmoneyfrombothofthesesources.Hesaidhewould supporttherecommendationoftheCityManager,andexplainedfurtherhisviewsonthesubject. Mr.Wellerexplainedthattheten-centover-ridetaxforschooldistrictsforcommunityserviceshad beendeletedbySenateBill90butthisdidnotremovetherighttolevythesameamountoftax,so thattheten-centtaxwasnolongerspedficallyearmarkedforcommunityservicesanditcouldbe thrownintotheSchoolDistrictequivalentoftheGeneralFund.Therefore,hesaid,itwouldbe somewhatofamisrepresentationtosaythatthetaxhadbeenremovedandtheDistrictcouldnolonger supportthekindofrecreationalprogramwhichhadbeeninexistence. CouncilmanMcCallmovedtheBoardofEducationbeinformedofthepositionoftheCityCouncilthat theSchoolDistrictcouldnotqualifytoshareintheRevenueSharingFundscomingtotheCity. CouncilmanForesecondedthemotion. TherewasdiscussionwithregardtotheproperactionfortheCounciltotakeinthismatter.Upon adviceoftheCityManager,CouncilmanMcCallsaidhewouldliketotakethepositionthat,ifthe Boardcouldpresentlegitimateclaimsfromalegalstandpointthatithadarighttoaportionof thesefunds,theCouncilwouldreconsideritsaction.Thiswasagreeabletotheothermembersofthe Council.CouncilmanMcCallsuggesteditwouldbeappropriateifameetingcouldbeheldbytheCity ManagerandrepresentativesoftheSchoolDistrict,thatthereshouldbeameetingofmindsamong theadministratorsoftheagenciesintheCity. CouncilmanForesaidhewouldwithdrawhissecondandCouncilmanMcCallwithdrewhismotion.Itwas determinedthatthesubjectoftheBoard'scommunicationwouldbeplacedontheagendaofthenext regularmeetingoftheCouncilonJanuary16,1973,under"UnfinishedBusiness",andtheBoardof Educationwastobesoinformed. 2.CouncilmanMcCallnotedthatMr.LeeSimpson,memberoftheBoardofEducation,waspresentand alsoMr.J.EdwardLarson,CollegeBusinessOfficerofthePeraltaColleges.Thesegentlemenwere introducedandwelcomed. 3.Councilman~1cCallcommentedthattheCouncilhadreceivedacommunicationfromtheCalifornia Taxpayers'AssociationdatedDecember21,1972,onthesubjectofRevenueSharing.Thiswas acknowledgedandreferredtothefile. 4.PresidentLaCroixsuggestedthatanothersessionbesetforfurtherdiscussionofthesubject ofRevenueSharingFunds.IntheinterimitwassuggestedthattheCitystaffendeavortodetermine what,ifany,othertypesoffundswouldbeavailabletotheCityforfutureprojectsandreports bepreparedonpriorityitemsasrequested.Itwasdeterminedthatasessionwouldbeplannedfor sometimeinthemonthofMarch,1973,thedateandtime to beset.Inaccordancewithasuggestion byCouncilmanLevy,itwasstatedanyrequestsbycitizenswouldbeconsideredatthattime. ADJOURNMENT: 5.Therebeingnofurtherbusinesstocomebeforethemeeting,theCounciladjourned. Respectfullysubmitted, CityClerk