Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program Committee Meeting

MINUTES NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE Revised Agenda Monday, November 19, 2018 7:00 PM MONTEREY PUBLIC LIBRARY, COMMUNITY ROOM 625 PACIFIC STREET MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA NIP Representatives Aguajito Oaks Olivia Morgan, Rep. & Alternates Casanova-Oak Knoll Michael Brassfield, Alt. Present: Del Monte Beach Jayme Fields, Rep. Del Monte Grove-Laguna Grande Merrily Alley, Rep., Kathleen Baker, Alt. Downtown Curt Tipton, Rep. Glenwood Lee Whitney, Rep. Monterey Vista Jean Rasch, Rep., Hans Jannasch, Alt. New Monterey Sharon Dwight, Rep. Oak Grove Luz Adam, Alt. Old Town April Harrison, Rep. Skyline Forest Dennis Duke, Rep. Villa Del Monte Duane Peterson, Alt. Staff Members Present: Jeff Krebs, NIP Staff Coordinator Alyssa Huerta, Administrative Assistant II CALL TO ORDER NIP Staff Coordinator, Jeff Krebs, called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Twelve (12) neighborhoods were represented with Alta Mesa, Deer Flats, and Fisherman Flats absent. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. July 19, 2018 (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Ms. Dwight discussed the approval of the April 5, 2018 minutes, approved during the July 19, 2018 meeting, where she requested the minutes for item number 4 for NM-9 be amended to include that she said “exposed tree roots are a trip hazard.” The April 5 meeting was reviewed for the discussion of this item, and the comment was not said by Ms. Dwight; therefore the minutes were unable to be amended as requested, despite the motion made. Ms. Dwight said the tape did not catch what she said, and that she knows she said it, but it apparently was not on the tape. Ms. Dwight requested a revision on page 2, item 3, paragraph 3, and asked that the typo saying “stature” be changed to “statue.” Ms. Dwight requested a revision on page 7, item 10, paragraph 4. She said the sentence currently says “…additional funds for the cost of staining the materials.” Ms. Dwight requested that the sentence be changed to “…additional funds for the cost of tinted concrete at 1650 Prescott.”  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Monday, November 19, 2018 Minutes Jean Rasch motioned to approve the minutes as amended. Merrily Alley seconded the motion. The motion was approved by eleven (11) representatives present, with Casanova Oak Knoll abstaining due to not being present at the meeting. PUBLIC COMMENTS Mr. Krebs opened public comments for items not on the agenda. Seeing none, Mr. Krebs closed public comments. INFORMATIONAL REPORTS & STAFF COMMENTS Mr. Krebs opened discussion for information reports and staff comments. Seeing none, Mr. Krebs closed informational reports and staff comments. NIP INFORMATIONAL REPORTS Ms. Dwight said at the September 20 Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) meeting the Spray Avenue tot lot play structure was discussed. She said with the change of entry it will now be a rectangular structure closer to street. She said the neighborhood supported the design and that it will be a larger structure. She added that the Scholze business committee and new staff do not want the new fence, and instead want open iron work. Ms. Dwight said she questions the change. She noted once the existing wall comes down there will be a test conducted for sound to see how much the fence is making a difference. 2. NIP Spokesperson Reports PUBLIC APPEARANCE 3. Proposed 2019/2020 NIP Meeting Schedule (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Mr. Krebs said that during the October Council meeting, Mayor Roberson asked for the NIP to streamline their process. Mr. Krebs discussed the two proposed NIP meeting schedules: the proposed “standard” schedule, which follows schedules of the recent, previous years; and he discussed the proposed “compressed” schedule and the removal of some items, such as going before the PRC. Mr. Krebs said he works with the staff through the process, so they are always in the loop. He also discussed the two week gaps between each April meeting. Mr. Krebs then referred to the Policy and Procedures Manual Subcommittee. Ms. Dwight said that the proposed “compressed” schedule is what they suggest going forward with and consider changing to, because it allows staff an extra week in between the April meetings. Mr. Brassfield said Ms. Dwight is great at going to the PRC meetings, but that her attendance is only one perspective of an NIP member. He said with new schedule he was concerned with the PRC disconnect. He said another issue involves public comment, and said that on voting night, since public comment is only offered during Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, November 19, 2018 2  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Monday, November 19, 2018 Minutes certain times, he hears from people that are upset about it. Mr. Brassfield said it is not right and public comment should be offered and not cut off. Mr. Krebs said public comment was limited and unless the project changed, public comment was closed. Ms. Fields said an improvement she could recommend is that any comments from Parks and Traffic should come back prior to the NIP’s first review. She said there should be a deadline for Parks and Traffic to get back to the NIP Committee with comments. She added that they may then have a meeting whenever they would like, and meet with the NIP Representatives, but they need to know to get the information to the Committee by a certain time. Ms. Alley said she did not agree and discussed her concern with NIP funds. Ms. Dwight said the PRC will continue to have meetings and discuss their priorities, so it is not that the NIP is not going to hear from the PRC and Traffic, but it’s that the proposed NIP schedule is the NIP’s schedule, and the PRC and Traffic will still tell the Committee what they want. Ms. Harrison said she does not see why the NIP would need to give any PRC projects particular priority over other NIP projects. She said it is up to the individual to look for the published meeting schedule for things like PRC, etc., if they want to attend those meetings. Mr. Duke asked if a motion needs to be made to accept the schedule. Mr. Krebs said the schedule will go before the Committee in January and he only wanted them to review it for now and receive their input. Ms. Dwight said it cannot be approved until the new committee is in place in January. 4. Recommend City Council Approve Proposed Changes to the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual (Not a project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Ms. Dwight said the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual Subcommittee took the idea of the proposed “compressed” schedule and went through the manual to look for conflicts in the language for use again in future years. Ms. Dwight said the Manual Subcommittee discussed and did some wordsmithing and that Mr. Krebs looked through their changes and took them to the City Attorney’s Office. Ms. Dwight said the City Attorney stated if the NIP makes any change to the manual at all, then they must change the whole document. Ms. Dwight said the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual Subcommittee recommendation is to hold for now. Ms. Alley said they have the changes they believe should be made, but they can make changes next year. Ms. Dwight said the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual Subcommittee would like to move forward with the proposed “compressed” schedule when the time comes. She said the only changes to the manual now would have been to make permanent changes to the schedule they just reviewed. Mr. Brassfield said it has been years since changes have been made and approved and because of the conflict, the only people who can approve it are the City Council. Mr. Krebs explained that the changes will not get forwarded to Council because the Committee will not accept it to move forward. He clarified that it is not the City Attorney, Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, November 19, 2018 3 Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Monday, November 19, 2018 Minutes Committee or staff who are stopping the changes from moving forward, but the City Manager. Mr. Brassfield asked if the Manual Subcommittee resolved the issue with the City Attorney. Ms. Dwight said yes. Mr. Brassfield said if there is problem with the City Manager, then the only people who can solve it are the City Council. Ms. Dwight said there is reason to believe within the next 12 months that changes will come down that will change the culture, and there will probably be a new way that this is approached. Ms. Dwight stated that at this time the Manual Subcommittee is recommending that they hold and do not proceed, and await that culture change. Mr. Brassfield said the idea to wait for some chance that there will be some conditional change in the culture, and not knowing what, they will not be successful as a Committee if staff are trying to solve their problems. He said their problems can be solved as a Committee if they communicate. Mr. Brassfield said it is frustrating that the Committee cannot get the item to Council to discuss. He suggested Council have a subcommittee to discuss items with the NIP Committee. Mr. Duke said the new City Manager has only been in 2 or 3 months and the winds might change, so he said it is best to wait. A gentleman from the public audience requested clarification on this item. Ms. Dwight explained that Council asked the NIP to streamline their process. She said the Committee has the ability in the short term to make changes to the calendar, because the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual allows for that, but permanent changes to the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual for the long term will not be something the Committee is seeking at this time. No motion was made, as the NIP Committee said it was a review. COMMITTEE MEMBER COMMENTS Jayme Fields had no comment. Curt Tipton had no comment. Sharon Dwight said she wanted to make a request that next NIP agenda include an item to change the name of Montecito Park to the Harry Mucha Park. April Harrison had no comment. Dennis Duke said he has a new NIP Alternate for next year. Ms. Jean Rasch said when she was an Alternate and was watching the NIP, she remembers a lot of PRC projects that could not be passed because of deeds, etc. She said she felt a lot of time was wasted having the projects go through the Committee and then being rejected due to legal basis. She said she felt like the Committee wasted a lot of energy on the topic of sidewalks last year, and asked if they can prevent wasting energy working on projects that are not projects. Ms. Dwight said there is nothing that says the NIP cannot do sidewalks and that is what the NIP did when they began. Mr. Krebs said new sidewalks can be built, but maintenance comes down to the abutting property owner. Ms. Dwight said there continues to be discussion. Ms. Rasch suggested they figure out a policy so the Committee can quickly consider projects they can do and know those needing to be rejected. Mr. Brassfield said the Committee is not allowed to just throw out the projects. Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, November 19, 2018 4  Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Monday, November 19, 2018 Minutes Ms. Rasch said they are not allowed to not review them, but they can quickly weed them out and reject them summarily. Mike Brassfield said he always appreciates the dialogue of the Committee. He thanked the NIP Policy and Procedures Manual Subcommittee for coming up with suggestions. Lee Whitney said she is looking forward to projects and getting them going in her neighborhood. She thanked committee for their hard work and time they put in, and said happy thanksgiving. Merrily Alley had no comment. Duane Peterson stated that he is Harry Mucha’s NIP Alternate and asked Ms. Dwight if he could bring her idea of the park renaming to Harry’s wife, Suzanne. Olivia Morgan said she can’t help but think, when looking at the Policy and Procedures Manual, that it is like the Golden Gate Bridge and their work never gets finished. She said she can’t get an NIP alternate because Abby Foss scared off everyone when she said the NIP meetings go to midnight. Ms. Morgan said she is happy to be back. Luz Adam had no comment. NEXT MEETING 5. January 24, 2019 (Orientation Meeting) or special meeting to be scheduled as needed. ADJOURNMENT Mr. Krebs adjourned the meeting at 7:42 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, NIP Staff Coordinator Neighborhood Improvement Program Committee Meeting Minutes Monday, November 19, 2018 5