Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program Committee Meeting

MINUTES NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE Special Meeting Monday, October 21, 2013 7:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBER, FEW MEMORIAL HALL 580 PACIFIC STREET MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA NIP Representatives & Aguajito Oaks NIP Alt Foss Alternates Present: Alta Mesa NIP Rep Heuer Casanova Oak-Knoll NIP Alt Brassfield Deer Flats NIP Rep Pollacci (7:04 pm) Del Monte Beach NIP Alt Deering Fisherman Flats NIP Alt Rowley Monterey Vista NIP Rep Jannasch Monterey Vista NIP Alt Venza New Monterey NIP Rep Dwight Oak Grove NIP Alt Green (7:02 pm) Old Town NIP Rep Harrison Skyline Forest NIP Rep Duke Skyline Ridge NIP Rep Conway Villa Del Monte NIP Rep Mucha Staff Members Present: NIP Staff Coordinator Reeves, Recording Secretary Allen Principal Engineer Harary, Capital Programs Coordinator Francis, Parks Operations Manager Marcuzzo CALL TO ORDER NIP Staff Coordinator Reeves called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. ROLL CALL Thirteen neighborhoods were represented, with Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. July 10, 2013 Sharon Dwight made a motion to approve the July 10, 2013 minutes as submitted. Rick Heuer seconded the motion. The motion was approved by eleven Representatives, with Deer Flats and Skyline Ridge abstaining and Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande absent. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments for items not on the agenda. Having no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS There were no informational reports from staff. Mr. Reeves asked that members encourage their neighbors to submit project nominations before the deadline.  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 NIP INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 2. NIP Spokesperson Reports Spokesperson Heuer reported that Council is moving forward with the conference center expansion with a projected increase of up to $200,000 in annual TOT. He also advised that Council would be reviewing the Downtown Plan at their October 23 meeting. PUBLIC APPEARANCE 3. Review and Recommend City Council Approve NIP Policies & Procedures Manual Revisions The Committee reviewed and discussed the revisions to the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual proposed by the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual Subcommittee. Sharon Dwight advised that the subcommittee discussed bundling projects but felt it should be left to the Committee’s discretion each year, rather than be included in the manual. She said the subcommittee recommended removing Appendix 2 from the manual because they felt that the revised language on Page 11 IV. C. Committee Member Requirements addressed conflict of interest issues adequately. Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Having no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. The Committee discussed the proposed revision to the procedures requiring a monthly report on the status of projects. Principal Engineer Harary advised that his staff would update the Master Project List quarterly, with hopes to add a schedule for each project by early next year. Tom Rowley asked that the proposed wording in the manual be changed to quarterly rather than monthly. Mike Brassfield asked that NC (no change) be added to the comment column for projects that had no progress from the last update. The Committee and staff discussed the proposed revision to Page 18 V. J. sixth bullet concerning the reporting on and closing of accounts. After discussion, the Committee concurred that they did not need a list of closed projects each year but did want staff to close as many projects as possible as soon as possible and add any remaining balances to the total funding amount available for project selection each year after the NIP Representative signs off on the project. Rick Heuer made a motion to recommend Council approve the revisions to the NIP Policies and Procedures Manual with the changes for conflict of interest, quarterly reporting, and closing completed projects prior to voting night. Mark Pollacci seconded the motion. The motion was approved by thirteen Representatives, with Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande absent. 4. Discuss Master Project List Format of NIP Projects Sharon Dwight asked that the Capital Projects office provide the NIP members with an excel spreadsheet of just the NIP projects on the Master Project List each quarter via email, and post a PDF copy of the NIP projects to the web. Mr. Harary said his staff would provide that information. Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 2  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Having no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. 5. Discuss Prioritization and Criteria Used for Project Design and Construction Mr. Reeves explained that there were various factors used to prioritize projects including voting night order, public safety, weather sensitivity, and bundling projects together for cost savings and to expedite construction. Mr. Harary said his priorities were health and safety, legal mandates such as ADA access, loss of grant funding, economic benefit of reduced cost or increased revenue, preservation of assets, and benefit to the community at large. He advised that when he assigns projects he considers many factors including bundling, ability to assemble or design in house, windows of opportunity with utility or other agency projects, juggling staff expertise, and vendor purchasing. He explained that priority decreases when a project requires relocation of utilities, acquiring easements, or scope changes. He said projects that have inadequate or partial funding, environmental or business hurdles, or are one of a kind projects also decrease in priority. He concluded by saying all CIP and NIP projects are equal. Several representatives said weather sensitive projects should have a higher priority. Ms. Dwight said CIP and NIP projects are not equal and should not compete. She explained that NIP was established to set up an alternate funding source specifically for small projects that did not have the priority that the city’s CIP had. April Harrison said she agreed with Ms. Dwight, that NIP was for the little guy, and no matter how small the project it should have equal importance with CIP projects. Mr. Heuer said NIP projects are more important than CIP projects and that he had issues with two of Mr. Harary’s criteria, specifically that one of a kind projects should not be a negative and that it is irrelevant if a project is bigger or of city benefit. Mr. Heuer and Dennis Duke said having a schedule for each project would be a great help to the committee. Mr. Reeves opened Public Comments. Having no requests to speak, Mr. Reeves closed Public Comments. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS April Harrison (Old Town) said that she hopes there is more emphasis placed on individual neighborhoods rather than citywide projects in the coming year. Abby Foss (Aguajito Oaks) had no comment. Harry Mucha (Villa Del Monte) said that as a member of the committee for almost a year he continues to be uplifted by what the committee accomplishes, how it discovers new ways of doing things, and the awareness of the common folks, which makes this city a better place to live in. Sharon Dwight (New Monterey) said she appreciated the opportunity to ask staff questions so the committee can have a better understanding and set goals more realistically. She thanked Mr. Harary and Mr. Reeves and said it is an honor to work so closely with staff who want good things for the people who live here. Mike Brassfield (Casanova Oak Knoll) said he echoed what Ms. Dwight said. He complimented staff and the committee on the open discussion and the changes the combined group is working together on to find consensus and implement. He said the Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 3 Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 committee needs updates on the progress of existing projects to determine how they vote in the next year. He expressed his concern on how to meet the next year’s obligations, and how to pay for the funding increases of old projects with today’s dollars. Mary Conway (Skyline Ridge) had no comment. Dennis Duke (Skyline Forest) said he echoed appreciation for both staff and the committee. Marian Deering (Del Monte Beach) said she appreciated the open communication and information flow, and found it very helpful. Rick Heuer (Alta Mesa) said the new monitors on the dais would be helpful with the overhead presentations in the future. Tom Rowley (Fisherman Flats) said to keep on trucking. Hans Jannasch (Monterey Vista) said the discussion was great, but work still has to be done to get the older projects completed to avoid not having enough funding to complete projects He gave the example of a project in his neighborhood for six driveways where only one of the driveways can be completed with today’s dollar. Maxwell Green (Oak Grove) said he is appreciative of everyone too and with intimidation and great happiness, he knows the Committee has a lot to do. Mark Pollacci (Deer Flats) said thank you and good night. Mr. Reeves said the gentleman who presented the For the Love of Monterey workshop met with staff members and asked how staff builds care and love for the community. Mr. Reeves said his answer is that Monterey already has it with the NIP Committee who have their fingers on the pulse of the community and bring the community needs to fruition. NEXT MEETING The next scheduled meeting will be Orientation Meeting on January 23, 2014 in the Council Chamber at 7:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Reeves adjourned the meeting at 8:56 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, Kim Allen Tom Reeves Recording Secretary NIP Staff Coordinator Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, October 21, 2013 4