City Council Meeting Special Budget Session

8180 ACTION MINUTES OF TULARE CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF TULARE May 28, 2020 A budget study session of the City Council, City of Tulare was held on Tuesday, May 28, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., in the Tulare Public Library & Council Chambers, 491 North “M” Street. COUNCIL PRESENT: Jose Sigala, Dennis A. Mederos COUNCIL PRESENT VIA ZOOM: Terry Sayre, Carlton Jones COUNCIL ABSENT: Greg Nunley STAFF PRESENT: Rob Hunt, Josh McDonnell, Wes Hensley, Luis Nevarez, Janice Avila, Michael Miller, Traci Myers, Craig Miller, Darlene Thompson, Trisha Whitfield, Brian Beck, Cameron Long, Jason Bowling, Jose Rivas, Roxanne Yoder I. CALL TO ORDER BUDGET STUDY SESSION Mayor Sigala called the budget study session to order at 10:03 a.m. II. CITIZEN COMMENTS Mayor Sigala requested those who wish to speak on matters on the agenda to do so at this time. Donnette Silva-Carter addressed the council. III. STUDY SESSION (1) Presentation and Review of 2020/2021 Budget, General Discussion and Receive Direction on same and setting the public hearing to adopt for Tuesday, June 16, 2020. City Manager Rob Hunt provided a brief introduction. Finance Manager Darlene Thompson provided a PowerPoint presentation for the Council’s review and consideration. City Manager Hunt further review short and long-term reduction options, the establishment of a budget taskforce and quarterly Council budget reviews. Questions and comments posed by Council were addressed by staff. Fire Division Chief Cameron Long and Police Chief Wes Hensley provided reports regarding staffing and overtime for the Council’s review and consideration. Following discussion, Council, by consensus, authorized the use of reserves for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 Fiscal Years and directed to staff as follows on the short-term reductions:  8181 Maintain the little league and softball funding, combined $25,000; Reduce travel and training budgets by 50 percent; Do not fund the Catastrophic Fund for this year; Do not fund the Social Services Fund; and, Maintain the TCEDC funding. Additionally, Council, by consensus, approved the formation of a Budget Task Force to meet monthly, to include the Mayor of the City Council and the Board President of the Board of Public Utilities. A quarterly review is to be presented to the Council at the October 20, 2020, City Council meeting. The Council requested staff provided additional information regarding the possibility of a one day per month furlough and/or the delay of the two percent increase. (2) Review and consider for approval Administrative Policy 13-02 revising the City of Tulare Budget Policies & Practices. [Submitted by: R. Hunt] City Manager Rob Hunt provided a report for the Council’s review and consideration. Following discussion and suggested amendments it was moved by Vice Mayor Mederos, seconded by Mayor Sigala and carried 4 to 0 (Council Member Nunley absent) to approve Administrative Policy 13-03, as amended. IV. GENERAL BUSINESS (1) Public Hearing: a. Public hearing to adopt Resolution 2020-27 approving the City’s Program Year 2019-2020 Annual Action Plan Amendment III to include supplemental Community Development Block Grant funding (CDBG-CV) awarded to the City in the sum of $419,611 to be used to prevent, prepare for and respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; approve recommended allocations of CDBG-CV funding to sub- recipients and proposed microenterprise business assistance program; and/or direct staff to re-allocate all or a portion of funding to eligible activities under U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. [Submitted by: T. Myers] Community & Economic Development Director Traci Myers provided a report for the Council’s review and consideration. Mayor Sigala opened the public hearing at 12:46 p.m., Dave Clevenger of the Lighthouse Rescue Mission addressed the Council in support of their request for funding. With no further comments Mayor Sigala closed the public hearing at 12:48 p.m. The Council, by consensus, reviewed the allocations of funding as follows: Microenterprise Business Assistance funding amount at $200,000; Microenterprise business Assistance Administration funding amount at $40,000; Food Distribution funding amount reduced to $50,000; Altura Centers for Health funding amount increased to $50,000;  8182 Homeless Assistance funding amount – Council by consensus requested staff to issue a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the remaining funds of $79,611 and solicit projects to assist in the prevention and response to COVID-19 within the homeless population. The Council continued this item to the June 2, 2020 meeting for further consideration. V. COMMUNICATIONS City Manager Rob Hunt updated the Council on the County’s Attestation Variance accepted by the State. VI. ADJOURN BUDGET STUDY SESSION Mayor Sigala adjourned the special budget study session at 1:27 p.m. President of the Council and Ex-Officio Mayor of the City of Tulare ATTEST: _________________________________ Chief Deputy City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the City of Tulare