Administrative Progress Report – March 22nd 2009
City of Willits
MEMORANDUM
Date: March 20, 2009
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Paul Cayler, City Manager
Subject: Administrative Progress Report
The following developments may be of interest to you and the community-at-large. Please contact me at (707) 459-4601, if you have any questions.
LAKE LEVELS
The additional splashboards have been installed in the Centennial Reservoir spillway. Morris and Centennial Reservoirs are full to the top and spilling over the splashboards. This is the maximum storage capacity. The estimated capacity is greater than 1,300 acre feet of water in storage at this time. Per the Willits Municipal Code the minimum water storage as of May 1st must be equal or greater than 1,170 acre feet in order to lift all water emergency regulations.
HEDGES
This is a controversial topic related to hedge and fence height limitations in front yard setbacks. Back several months ago, code enforcement activity in this area generated much public input during the Public Comment section of a regular City Council Meeting. Based on input from the City Council at the March 11, 2009, meeting staff has set this issue for a Special Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at 5:00pm.
SALES TAX REVENUE
The preliminary City of Willits sales tax revenue report from the 4th Quarter of 2008 is in. The news is not encouraging for the City, region or state. The comparison of 4th Quarter data from 2007 to 2008 indicates a decrease in the City of Willits of 11%. This downward trend for the 4th quarter sales tax is the same for Mendocino County (-7.1), the North Coast Region (-9.4), and statewide (-10.8). Staff will be receiving current sales tax projections for the Fiscal Year 2009/2010 soon based on this newest sales tax information. These up-to-date revenue projections will then be used for the budget development process that is presently underway.
SEWER PLANT PROJECT COST ESTIMATE
At the City Sewer Committee meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2009, an updated cost estimate for the sewer plant project was presented. The estimate for construction of Phases 1, 2 and 3 is now $30,918,229. The next step in project development will be the retention of a rate setting expert to proceed with a Proposition 218 rate study in order to determine where sewer rates will need to be set to support the proposed project. Tentatively, the matter of the rate setting expert will be brought forward to the City Council at the April 8, 2006, regular meeting.
TSUNAMI WARNING TEST
There will be a Tsunami Warning Test in the Mendocino and Humboldt County region on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, between 10:15am and 10:45am. This is the first time that a “live” tsunami warning code, rather than a test code, will be broadcast on radio and television stations. It is very important that the public is informed of this test ahead of time so they do not mistake the test for a real tsunami warning. The National Weather Service office in Eureka will initiate this test by activating the Emergency Alert System (EAS). This test of the Tsunami Warning System will involve NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, local TV and radio stations, and other local communication sources. Radio listeners should hear the familiar alerting tone followed by an audio message describing the test, similar to the routine monthly tests of the EAS. The general public should remember that the March 25th activity is a test and they should not respond as though there is a real tsunami. The public SHOULD NOT call 9-1-1 to find out what is going on.
KIDS CLUB
The Kids Club project is suspended due to the State of California freezing grant funding for parks and recreation projects. There is no news from the State on whether the grant funding will be unfrozen anytime soon. An inspection of the Kids Club project was conducted on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, as a part of extending the present suspension for another 60 days between Cupples Construction and the City of Willits. As a part of this inspection, it was identified that the partially completed structure was suffering due to the incomplete building siding. Mr. Eric Glassey, representing the Willits Kids Club, Inc, suggested that the Kids Club will provide a no interest loan to the City in the value needed to complete the building siding, thus securing the structure from further damage. This loan would be re-paid by the City once the State grant disbursement begins. The estimated amount to complete the siding, and possibly re-key the building, is $10,000. As of the writing of this report, it appears that a favorable agreement with the Willits Kids Club will be achieved in order for a temporary lifting of the project suspension to complete the building siding work, and possible re-keying.
REQUEST FOR A SENIORS PROTECTION RESOLUTION
A gentleman named Mr. J.R. Rose has approached the City for a resolution of support for senior citizen eligibility for entitlement programs, and thereby authorizing the City Council to support state and federal legislation that would increase protections for senior citizens disqualified from public programs. I have reviewed the draft resolution provided by Mr. Rose, and discussed it with him. The resolution provides for no other obligation on the City short of supporting state and federal legislation to protect senior citizen entitlement rights. Mr. Rose is going to all the city councils and board of supervisors in the region requesting that they approve a similar resolution. Mr. Rose stated that the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors approved the resolution on March 3, 2009, and that the Ukiah City Council is scheduled to consider the resolution soon. I have told Mr. Rose to contact me after the City of Ukiah approves the resolution. Then at that time, I will consider forwarding the matter to the Willits City Council. If you would like to review the draft resolution as presented by Mr. Rose, please contact me.