Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program Committee Meeting

MINUTES NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE Kick-Off Meeting Thursday, January 26, 2012 7:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS, FEW MEMORIAL HALL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA NIP Representatives & Aguajito Oaks NIP Rep Morgan Alternates Present: Alta Mesa NIP Alt Panetta Casanova Oak-Knoll NIP Alt Brassfield Deer Flats NIP Rep Pollacci Del Monte Beach NIP Rep Fields Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande NIP Rep Alley Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande NIP Alt Larson Fisherman Flats NIP Rep Reed Fisherman Flats NIP Alt Rowley Monterey Vista NIP Alt Simons New Monterey NIP Rep Dwight Oak Grove NIP Rep DiMaggio Oak Grove NIP Alt Green Old Town NIP Rep Harrison Skyline Forest NIP Rep Duke Skyline Ridge NIP Rep Lieberman Villa Del Monte Rep Maas-Baldwin Staff Members Present: NIP Staff Coordinator Reeves, Chief of Planning, Engineering, and Environmental Compliance Rerig, Recording Secretary Allen, Accounting Specialist Connolly CALL TO ORDER NIP Staff Coordinator Reeves called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. ROLL CALL All fourteen neighborhoods were represented. Sharon Dwight made a motion to move Item #5 to the beginning of the agenda. Hansen Reed seconded the motion. The motion was approved by all fourteen Representatives. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. October 13, 2011 Sharon Dwight made a motion to approve the October 13, 2011 minutes as amended. Dennis Duke seconded the motion. The motion was approved by nine Representatives, with Aguajito Oaks, Alta Mesa, Deer Flats, Monterey Vista, and Villa Del Monte abstaining.  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Seeing no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS 2. Welcome to New Representatives and Alternates Mr. Reeves introduced new NIP Committee members Lou Panetta, Alta Mesa Alternate, Mark Pollacci, Deer Flats Representative, Alan Igarashi, Old Town Alternate, who was not present, and Jason Maas-Baldwin, Villa Del Monte Representative. Olivia Morgan advised that Aguajito Oaks Alternate Abby Foss resigned and will be replaced by Vance Baldwin. Mr. Reeves reminded the Committee that to participate in project selection they must attend each project review meeting beginning with the March 29 meeting, or watch or listen to recordings of those meetings. 3. Orientation of Neighborhood Improvement Program a Parking Permits Mr. Reeves advised the Committee that the NIP Representatives have been given parking permits that will be valid until the end of 2012, and that the NIP Alternates have season permits valid through April 26, 2012. He reminded the Committee of the rules regarding the use of City Parking Permits. b NIP Policies and Procedures Manual Mr. Reeves advised the Committee to review the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual and thanked the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual Subcommittee, Sharon Dwight and Hansen Reed, for their efforts. c NIP Project Submittal Deadline February 17, 2012 Mr. Reeves asked the viewing audience to submit projects by the February 17, 2012 deadline. Ms. Dwight clarified that all project submittals must be for a capital project that is attached to land or structures. 4. Conflict of Interest Rules a Form 700 Due by January 26, 2012 (First NIP Meeting of the year per NIP Policies and Procedures Manual) Mr. Reeves verified that all NIP Committee members in attendance had turned in their Form 700 prior to the beginning of the meeting. b Conflict of Interest Zones and Map Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 2  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 Mr. Reeves advised the Committee to be aware of their zone of influence and asked members to contact him for guidance if they felt they might have a conflict of interest. 5. Follow up of January 17, 2012 City Council Meeting and Direction City Manager Meurer reported on the City’s budget, stating that the end of the Redevelopment Agency and the new rules regulating storm water would impact the budget. He advised the Committee that ten employees were laid off to cut 10% of the budget last year. He said employee concessions were also made last year regarding retirement benefits that will help future budgets. He discussed the possibility of base closures in the area, and discussed how important the various facilities are to the ongoing city budgets. Mr. Meurer said Council asked the Committee to fund projects once again that met the criteria of public health, public safety, and essential maintenance and asked the Committee to put the NIP funds where it will do the most good for the City. Mr. Reeves advised the Committee that the city would be facing many challenges to provide financing for future infrastructure needs, such as pavement maintenance and storm drain maintenance and rehabilitation. He said that the new State Storm Water Permit requirements would be costly and onerous to implement. He asked to meet with each Representative to review identified city infrastructure projects in their neighborhood, with the hopes that the neighborhoods would support some or all of those projects. He answered Committee member questions, and advised that work is continuing on identifying ways to utilize storm water runoff. 6. Project Update and Project Priorities Report Mr. Reeves advised that staff is working on closing out completed projects. He reported that staff hopes to present the screening for the Hilltop Center water storage tank to the Architectural Review Committee and Parks and Recreation Commission in February. NIP INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 7. NIP Spokesperson Reports Alternate Spokesperson Dwight said she had not attended the January 17 Council meeting, and had nothing to report in Spokesperson Heuer’s absence. PUBLIC APPEARANCE 8. Discussion of Neighborhood Improvement Program a Approve NIP Deadlines and Meeting Schedule The Committee concurred with the deadline and meeting schedule dates. Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Seeing no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. Sharon Dwight made a motion to approve the FY2012/13 NIP Deadlines and Meeting Schedule as submitted. Hansen Reed seconded the motion. The motion Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 3  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 was approved by all fourteen Representatives. b Review of NIP Process Dennis Duke reported that the NIP Project Cost Subcommittee had not met, and will report to the Committee later in the spring. After Item 11.d was discussed, Ms. Dwight asked to return to Item 8.b to review the NIP process. Mr. Reeves went over the schedule of events for the cycle and said the goal and singular purpose of the Committee is to come up with a list of projects as a recommendation to City Council for funding through the NIP fund. Ms. Dwight advised that it is the Committee members’ responsibility to go over the projects in their neighborhood and meet with the project proponents to define the scope of the project. Tom Rowley recommended that projects that involve multi-neighborhoods be considered, and gave examples of projects that were co-sponsored in the past. Mike Brassfield asked residents to contact their NIP representatives to discuss ideas for potential projects. Jayme Fields asked that staff email any submittals that come in after this meeting to the appropriate Representative. Ms. Dwight clarified that the Committee would determine at the February 23 meeting if a second review meeting would be necessary, dependent on the total number of projects submitted by the deadline. Mr. Reeves asked the Committee to study the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual regarding project support, especially for traffic calming projects. Carol Lieberman asked how much money will be available this year, and Mr. Reeves said that has not been determined yet. c Projects Submitted for FY 2012/13 Program and Status of Project Nominations Mr. Reeves advised the Committee that only a few projects had been submitted so far compared to last season. He said staff had advertized on the web, emailed information to the neighborhood and business associations, and posted flyers at city facilities such as the Library, Sports Center and Recreation Centers. Jayme Fields asked the Committee to look at their neighborhood projects from last year and see if any were worth resubmitting. 9. Elect NIP Spokesperson and Alternate for 2012 Lou Panetta advised that Rick Heuer had indicated that he would be available to act as NIP Spokesperson. Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Seeing no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. Sharon Dwight made a motion to appoint Rick Heuer as Spokesperson, and Richard Ruccello and herself as Alternate Spokespersons. Mike Brassfield seconded the motion. The motion was approved by all fourteen Representatives. 10. Appoint NIP Policies and Procedure Manual Subcommittee Hansen Reed stated that he will not be available for the subcommittee this year, and reminded everyone that NIP Alternates can also be members of the subcommittee. Jayme Fields nominated Merrily Alley; Sharon Dwight, Mike Brassfield, and Maxwell Green all volunteered. Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Seeing no requests to Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 4  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. Hansen Reed made a motion to appoint Merrily Alley, Sharon Dwight, Mike Brassfield, and Maxwell Green to the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual Subcommittee. Mark Pollacci seconded the motion. The motion was approved by all fourteen Representatives. 11. Mid-year Project Review a NIP Ending Balance and Contingencies Mr. Connolly reported that there is $5,474.54 in ending balance, $56,625.11 in the 2008/2009 Contingency Fund, $205,347 in the 2009/2010 Contingency Fund, and $200,000 in the 2011-2012 Contingency Fund. b Recommend City Council Deappropriate NIP Projects – None Mr. Reeves advised that there were no projects to consider for deappropriation at this time. c Request Additional Funding for Jacks Park Replace Power Panel – Citywide (30n1023) Mr. Reeves advised that the project was tabled for further staff review. d Review of Cut-off Projects Mr. Reeves advised that staff is working on closing out some completed NIP projects that would add to the ending balance and asked if the Committee would postpone review of the cut-off projects until the next meeting. Ms. Dwight explained that the Committee closes out the cut-off projects at the January Kick-off meeting so there are no loose ends while the Committee vets the new projects. She said any new ending balance would go towards the amount at voting night. Ms. Dwight then asked to return to Item 8.b to review the NIP process. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS Jason Maas-Baldwin (Villa Del Monte) said he enjoyed his first meeting and is looking forward to more. Arthur Simon (Monterey Vista) had no comment. Mike Brassfield (Casanova Oak Knoll) had no comment. Lou Panetta (Alta Mesa) had no comment. Jayme Fields (Del Monte Beach) had no comment. Merrily Alley (Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande) had no comment. Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 5 Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 Dennis Duke (Skyline Forest) said the process sounds a bit ominous but it can be a lot of fun. Sharon Dwight (New Monterey) said it was a great meeting and thanked staff for the meeting packet and for including the list of completed projects. April Harrison (Old Town) said ditto to Ms. Dwight’s comments. Olivia Morgan (Aguajito Oaks) said her neighborhood thanked the Committee for approving their project to paint the lampposts. Carol Lieberman (Skyline Ridge) thanked staff for the annual parking permits. Tom DiMaggio (Oak Grove) had no comment. Hansen Reed (Fisherman Flats) thanked staff for providing the meeting materials on line, and asked that the project nomination packet be provided on line also. He said this would probably be his last NIP meeting if Council approves his appointment to the Planning Commission. He said he has thoroughly enjoyed his tenure working on the Committee. Mark Pollacci (Deer Flats) thanked the Committee and staff for their help in answering all his questions. He asked for clarification on Accounting Specialist Scott Connolly’s role in the NIP process. Mr. Connolly explained that he keeps track of the NIP project funds. Mr. Reeves thanked Mr. Reed for his leadership and work on the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual, and said that he will be greatly missed. NEXT MEETING February 23, 2012 Preliminary Screening Meeting, Council Chamber, 7:00 PM ADJOURNMENT Mr. Reeves adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Kim Allen Tom Reeves Recording Secretary NIP Staff Coordinator Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Thursday, January 26, 2012 6