Signs of City Council annoyance
during mid-year budget update

February 27, 2015
Santa Paula News

There were signs of City Council annoyance during a discussion of the mid-year budget when a new member started to question Santa Paula’s finances.

Councilwoman Ginger Gherardi, who was seated on the council in December, first asked that the update be delayed due to longer business that had pushed the item close to the 10 p.m. mark at the February 17 meeting.

The item should be addressed when more time is available, “But,” noted Gherardi, “if you want to go through with it I have my questions,” regarding city finances. 

Her request brought sharp words from Vice Mayor Martin Hernandez who noted such a request should have been made earlier in the evening so those waiting for the presentation including staff would not have waited.

There was one speaker: Chris Mahon of the International Association of Firefighters who noted that firefighter positions including those grant funded are going unfilled and a reserve is acting as an engineer, classified as a temporary employee without benefits.

Three firefighters are still out after being exposed to toxic waste in the November Santa Clara Waste Water explosion and others said Mahon are out on long term disability. 

The SPFD he noted is “under stress” and attention must be paid to its staffing needs.

Councilman Jim Tovias noted that the city has picked up the financial slack on the grant-funding gap for the firefighters and, “I don’t know if we can do it again… ”

Finance Director Sandy Easley told the council that the mid-year review of the $13.7 million General Fund budget shows a projected surplus of $136,061 mostly due to increases in sales and property taxes as well as increased rent on city owned properties.

Gherardi had questions early on about the 10th Street Improvement Project as well as the upgrade to financial software. 

The council was told in March 2013 that a portion of Crown Disposal’s $1.6 million purchase of the city’s former wastewater plant would be used to upgrade or replace the city’s financial software, which was considered out of date and cumbersome. 

After some questions about city finances Gherardi asked Easley about the new accounting software.

“It takes two years to get it once it is approved,” said Easley.

“The city has not approved it?” asked Gherardi.

“No,” said Easley, who added the cost is about $200,000 for an upgrade.

City Manager Jaime Fontes said if updating the software is a priority it could be included in the upcoming budget.

Gherardi noted that Easley alluded to overtime costs for the Santa Paula Police Department in the budget review memo and asked for clarification as well as a staffing update.

Three officers are on injury leave and recruitments have started for new officers but Easley said there is a “learning curve” for new officers that must first pass muster at the academy before they start field training.

Commander Ish Cordero said the SPPD has offered a lateral position to a candidate and has two recruits that are undergoing the approximately three-month long background checks.

He noted that the SPPD hadnine homicides in 2013-2014 “Took a toll on our budget,” by requiring overtime for investigations.

“Is the $250,000 from Limoneira in the budget?” asked Gherardi about the annual grant approved by the council in November 2013. 

The agreement calls for Limoneira to give the city $250,000 annually for three years, a sum that would be matched by the city to strengthen public safety.

Easley said officers received a 4 percent raise culled from the grant. 

“How much of that money did you use this year, how much is left?” asked Gherardi who was told she would have to be advised on the answer.

“I’m concerned about figures,” said Gherardi, such as expenditures on projects, the status of others such as the railroad crossing repair project and the lack of park cleaning, among others that the public has also asked about.

She asked what the city’s reserve is and was told it is $1.1 million.

Gherardi said she questions city spending and gave several examples including city legal costs which she noted are “spread out throughout the whole budget… ”

Such questions center on “How we’re doing business,” and she noted gaps in needed positions that remain empty, especially in public works that relies heavily on enterprise revenues.

Such gaps, she added, could account for the lag in project implementation.

“You’re questions are good,” but Tovias said “there are a lot of them… my question is staff time. If all of us asked all those questions it would take staff months to answer them, weeks to come up with some of this “Frankly,” he added, “we’re not staffed for that,” and Gherardi’s “extensive list” of questions. 

City Manager Jaime Fontes said all Gherardi’s questions are valid, but “I want to bring back to the focus of tonight’s meeting, a mid-year report,” in relation to where the budget stands.

The goal setting process and upcoming budget process would be suitable for Gherardi’s concerns he noted and, “When you do ask for items as a group we will carry out what you want as a group… ”

Gherardi said information about the present budget and city resources would be necessary for future budgeting and she questioned how a budget would be crafted without input.

Mayor John Procter said he thanked Gherardi for asking the questions but noted, “It’s important to me that we work well as a team… ”

“There’s a time and a place for questions,” said Hernandez and there is a council learning curve of protocols.

“The learning curve I had was to spend time one-on-one with department heads,” asking questions and garnering information.

Tovias said, “I want to point out that Citizens for a Safer Santa Paula worked really hard for Measure F,” a 1 percent sales tax that would have provided an estimated $800,000 annually to police and about half each to fire and road repair, “this process would be a lot more pleasurable… ”





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