Measure P Committee Meeting

CITY OF LOS BANOS MEASURE P COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES June 9, 2021 ACTION MINUTES – These minutes are prepared to depict action taken for agenda items presented to the Measure P Committee. For greater detail of this meeting refer to the electronic media (cd and/or audio) kept as a permanent record. CALL TO ORDER: Fire Chief Hurley called the Measure P Committee Meeting to order at the hour of 5:30 p.m. from the Los Banos Police Department Annex, 535 J Street, Los Banos, CA. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Acting Police Chief Hedden led the pledge of allegiance. ROLL CALL – MEMBERS OF THE MEASURE P COMMITTEE PRESENT: Oversight Committee Members Mark Bodley, Gerald Giesel, Tim McNally, Tom Neeb, Richard Stewart, Diana Thurston. Absent: DJ Barcellos. STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Fire Chief Hurley, Acting Police Chief Hedden, Accounting & Budget Supervisor Tomas, Acting City Manager Brizzee, Assistant Fire Chief Strauch, Administrative Coordinator Gilardi. PUBLIC FORUM: MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE MEASURE P COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON ANY ITEM OF PUBLIC INTEREST THAT IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE; INCLUDES AGENDA AND NON- AGENDA ITEMS. NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO A FIVE (5) MINUTE PRESENTATION. No one came forward to speak and the public forum was closed. REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2019/2020 FINAL FOURTH QUARTER MEASURE P REPORT AND FISCAL YEAR 2020/2021 FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD QUARTER MEASURE P REPORTS. City Accounting and Budget Supervisor Tomas presented the staff report. She explained that the 4th quarter revenues for 19/20 came in higher than expected for both Police and Fire Departments. Revenues were slightly higher due to the final interest earnings in the last quarter of the fiscal year along with a slight increase in overall revenues. She also explained that the only difference in revenues that you will see is that Fire has a Misc. Revenues column, which is for strike team reimbursement. Tomas also stated that the reason that the Fire Department’s expenditures came in at 77% for the Fiscal Year was due to the Training Tower not being completed in the last Fiscal Year. Overall, Police and Fire were under budget for expenditures and revenues exceeded our budgeted numbers. Accounting and Budget Supervisor Tomas then reviewed the First Quarter Measure P Report. She explained that revenues for Police and Fire are slightly lower – at 11% for each. This mainly has to do with the fact that the sales tax is in arrears. The State lags 2 months behind in allocating the sales tax. Since this is the first quarter, revenues would only include one payment of sales tax revenues. We should expect expenditures to be near 25% at the end of the first quarter. As you can see, Police Department appears to be slightly higher but that is due to costs that are charged out at the beginning of the fiscal year, and that would be IT Services. There is $17,500 budgeted for capital outlay for Police this budget year which includes MDC equipment for police vehicles as well as 3 new MDC’s that are scheduled for replacement. Fund Balance for Police Department is at $3.2 million for Building, which will be utilized for the construction of the new Police Station, which should be happening very soon, and $1.2 million for other operating expenses and MDC replacement costs. Revenues for Fire are slightly lower due to the state’s lag of the sales tax payments we receive. Expenditures are only at 20% which is mainly due to the construction of the training tower. Supplies & Services for fire are at 41% which is higher due to the fact that IT Services are paid out at the beginning of the year. Fund Balance for Fire Department is at $824,926 in Building portion to be used for the Training Tower, and $409,070 for other operating expenses including and any other associated with MDC’s. Tomas explained in detail the addition of the CARES Act Funding that the City received that reimbursed us for COVID expenditures. Supervisor Tomas reviewed the Second Quarter Measure P Report and explained that the revenues for both Police and Fire came in a little low and that’s just because the timing of sales tax. She explained that the Revenues were segregated out into different categories: Measure P – which is the sales tax, Interest Earning, the CARES Act Funding – which she previously explained, Miscellaneous Revenues – which is Admin cost for Measure P personnel for our CDBG Code Enforcement Grant as well as Strike Team Reimbursement (for Fire) and Refunds – which is a refund for the dental insurance premium that the City did received. Expenditures appear to be on track near the 50% mark for Police Department and at 29% for Fire, again because the training tower project. Tomas also explained that Staffing expenditures were slightly higher than the 50% for Fire, but that was due to the staffing for the Strike Teams. Tomas also reviewed the Third Quarter Measure P Report and explained that revenues for Police are at 72% and Fire are at 74%. The difference in the revenues is the money received for Strike Team Reimbursement. Expenditures are at 64% for Police and are slightly lower due to staffing and the Capital Outlay purchases. Expenditures for Fire are at 55%, which again is due to the Training Tower project. This project will be completed by the end of this Fiscal Year. There was a question asked about the positions covered by Measure P. Tomas explained that in the Police Department, Measure P funds 3 Police Officers, 1 Community Service Officer, 1 Crime Analyst and ½ Admin Clerk. In the Fire Department, Measure P funds 3 Fire Engineers, 4 Fire Fighters and ½ Admin Clerk. 2 She explained in detail how the funds were coded and why some of the funds were no longer in use, such as Measure A funds. It was moved by Thurston, seconded by Giesel to approve the 2019/20 Final Fourth Quarter Financial Report and 2020/21 First, Second and Third Quarter Financial Reports as submitted by staff. The motion carried by the affirmative action of all Committee Members present. REVIEW OF NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT FACILITY FUNDING PLAN. Acting Police Chief Hedden reviewed the presentation that he did for the City Council. Chief Hedden introduced himself and advised the committee that if they ever have any questions, they should feel free to contact him. He had his cell phone number on the board for all members to write down. He expressed his excitement for the new facility. It was indicated that April 2021 the RFQ for Design Building Entities went out. They are in the process of having a committee review and determine the top three companies that will be able to take place in the RFP process. Hedden reviewed the time-line for the project indicating we are currently on track for groundbreaking/construction in May 2022, with a facility open date of October 2023. UPDATE NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING TOWER PROJECT. Chief Hurley explained the progress for the Training Tower. He stated that this project was on the original 20-year expenditure plan for the 4th or 5th year, but due to the economic downturn, it was postponed. When this project begin in January 2021, it has literally exploded into what it is today. We are going to have a 4-story training tower with the tools to provide the best skills facility in the County. We will have many training opportunities including repelling areas, forcible entry, search & rescue, ventilation, etc. . It is scheduled to be on the July 7th City Council Meeting for Notice of Completion. After that, it will be turned over to us. We will have a grand opening where Measure P Committee members will be invited to come out and see the Training Tower as well as walk through it. It was asked by a committee member about smoke and fire. Chief Hurley explained that we will have a burn trailer separate from the tower. REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2021/2022 PROPOSED BUDGET. City Accounting and Budget Supervisor Tomas presented the report. She explained in detail to the committee the positions funded for Police and Fire out of the Public Safety Augmentation Fund as well as projected revenues and expenditures. STAFF MEMBER REPORTS: FIRE CHIEF HURLEY: Chief Hurley advised that the Fire Department has been very busy this year. He indicated that call volume at the end of the year is probably pretty close to previous year; however, we continue to have multiple calls at same times, where both Engine companies are committed at the same time. In the last year or two, we have been replacing our SCBAs. Chief Hurley also advised the Committee that we 3 purchased a new Engine this year. He explained the Engine in detail and advised that Engine 52 is the first-out engine at Fire Station No. 2. We continue to be very busy with fire prevention. We’re working on updating our training program for both paid staffing and volunteers. ACTING POLICE CHIEF HEDDEN: Chief Hedden said that he wanted to give the committee a visual for the employees who are funded by Measure P. He indicated there are 3 officers: Officer Lyle Kelly who is assigned to Narcotics task force; Darren Cole from the Patrol Division is our Field Training Officer; and Josiah Mardirosian who came to us from the Fresno area. We have one CSO position that is currently vacant; one Crime Analyst who is April Vierra, and Dana Rawls, Administrative Clerk from Code Enforcement is funded ½ out of Measure P and ½ out of the General Fund. Chief Hedden explained that he’s a visual person, and he thinks about the individuals when he thinks of the different funding measures. He likes to put a name to the position. It was asked by one of the committee members whether there was a dispatcher funded by Measure P. Staff replied not out of Measure P. It was also asked by a committee member if the departments were close to being fully staffed. Chief Hedden explained that the Police Department is closer than they’ve ever been. He is hopeful that within the next six months or so, Police Department will be fully staffed. A Committee Member brought up all of these shootings. She asked if the City felt like they were getting better control on it. Hedden explained that the crime numbers and shootings were attributed to a small group that was sort of having a gang war. Chief Brizzee established the gang unit, and that almost immediately combatted that problem. It was really gang related, and others involved gang members that were love triangle situations. They weren’t just going up and down the street shooting at random citizens. It was asked if there were plans to keep the old Police Department facility once the new one is completed. Acting City Manager Brizzee explained that the Police Department purchased the Annex with Capital Improvement money, so there was discussion that maybe City Hall would expand and take the Annex for that expansion. The plan has been literally walk over to the new building and close the doors to the old building. They are not taking any furniture, computers, etc. . . . The new facility will be furnished with all new state of the art equipment. City Manager Brizzee also stated that we haven’t had this many working officers since approximately 2008 before the recession hit. He also indicated that we are down 12-13 shootings from last year at this time. In the past year, we’ve had a difficult time keeping staffing for various reasons. Committee Member asked if we’ll need more staff when we move to the new facility. Brizzee explained that they are oversizing the new facility by 50 – 100%. So currently, we have four receptionist desks and we’re going to eight. That is the same throughout 4 the entire facility. We are planning for the future. It doesn’t mean we’re going to get more officers hired. Chief Hurley answered the questions asked regarding the Fire Department’s side. He stated that we currently have the same number of bodies that we had in 2008. We are staffing 3 full shifts between two stations. We recently added a new Firefighter to give us one shift of six people. Our multiple call incidents continue to increase. We continue to do business occupancies and annual business inspections. We do have the need for additional stations, personnel & equipment. MEASURE P COMMITTEE MEMBER REPORTS: DIANA THURSTON: Committee Member Thurston stated that she is happy to be a part of this committee and she is very excited because she has been a part of Measure P since the beginning. She commended staff on an amazing job. She expressed her concern about this summer, fire hazards and being in a drought. She stated that if staff would like to provide her with any information, she will include in her articles to help educate the public. MARK BODLEY: Committee Member Bodley commended staff for the reports and the detail in them. The Oversight Committee has done a good job making sure we are meeting the intent of Measure P. Let’s keep up the good work! Acting City Manager Brizzee wanted to let the Committee know that within the next few years, Staff should be coming to them with a new Expenditure Plan. TIM McNALLY: Committee Member McNally echoed the same sentiments. Glad to see that the garbage situation has been getting better. TOM NEEB: Committee Member Neeb inquired about School Resource Officers for the upcoming year. Acting Chief Hedden explained we have one Resource Officer at Pacheco High School and one Resource Officer currently on maternity leave. We’ll have to get someone out there if she’s not back from maternity leave. We also have a third Resource Officer at MCOE. GERRY GIESEL: Committee Member Giesel expressed his appreciation for being able to meet in person for this meeting. He’s very happy to see these projects that have been planned are finally happening. As a citizen, he’s very pleased with how the City is progressing. There is still more work to be done – with the town exploding again, we are going to need more facilities and personnel in the future. Giesel also addressed City Manager Brizzee regarding the traffic on Highway 152. He indicated that the City still needs to look at a by-pass for the future. Acting City Manager Brizzee explained the traffic light situation and what the City will be doing to address those issues. 5 RICHARD STEWART: Committee Member Stewart is grateful to be a part of this committee. Being a part of the committee and seeing how money is used has been a great experience. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business, Fire Chief Hurley adjourned the meeting at 6:37 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Mary Lou Gilardi Administrative Coordinator Measure P Min210609.doc 6