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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes 2002-10-07SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Pagel IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2002 AT 8:00 P.M. Regular Meeting: Present: Albert J. Boro, Mayor San Rafael City Council Paul M. Cohen, Vice -Mayor Barbara Heller Councilmember Gary O. Phillips, Councilmember Absent: Cyr N. Miller, Councilmember Also Present: Rod Gould, City Manager Gus Guinan, Assistant City Attorney Jeanne M. Leoncini, City Clerk OPEN SESSION — COUNCIL CHAMBER — 7:00 PM: Mayor Boro announced the Closed Session items. CLOSED SESSION — CONFERENCE ROOM 201 — 7:00 PM: a) Conference with Labor Negotiator (Government Code Section 54957.6) Negotiators' Names: Ken Nordhoff, Lydia Romero and Daryl Chandler Employee Organizations: San Rafael Fire Chief Officers' Association San Rafael Fire Association San Rafael Police Mid -Management Association San Rafael Police Association Marin Association of Public Employees, Supervisory Unit, SEIU Local 949 Marin Association of Public Employees, Miscellaneous Unit, SEIU Local 949 Marin Association of Public Employees, Childcare Unit, SEIU Local 949 b) Conference with Legal Counsel — Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9(a) Case Name: Jerry Roxberg v. City of San Rafael WCAB No.: SFO 0437593, 0437595, 0442651 & 0442652 Assistant City Attorney Gus Guinan announced that no reportable action was taken. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS OF AN URGENCY NATURE: 8:12 PM Re: San Rafael Meadows — Ranchitos Park: - File 10-3 x 10-5 x 10-7 x 9-2-4 x 9-3-66 (verbal) Gregory Andrew, 213 Las Gallinas Avenue, San Rafael Meadows, Board Member of the San Rafael Meadows Improvement Association, indicated he wished to briefly address the Ranchitos Park project, particularly the playground and park. He expressed pleasure at being in a position to speak by way of an update, explaining that in approving the project, Council requested the Park and Recreation Commission to review the play structures associated with the playground. Mr. Andrew stated that having met recently, the Park and Recreation Commission conceptually approved a proposal put forward by the developer. He reported that subsequently, a meeting took place, attended by Community Services Director Carlene McCart, himself and some members of the community, together with members of the Vision in Action Committee, and this meeting opened up what actually would happen with the park and playground. He indicated that the proposal put forward by the developer was not suitable and while nothing was settled at the subsequent meeting, he anticipated that with continued deliberations, the appropriate park would emerge. Mr. Andrew expressed his appreciation at having heard from Councilmembers Heller and Cohen on this matter, and would appreciate any support forthcoming from the entire City Council to assist in obtaining an acceptable park and playground. Councilmember Heller moved and Councilmember Phillips seconded, to approve the Consent Calendar as follows: ITEM 2. Approval of Minutes of Special and Regular Meetings of Monday, September 16, 2002 (CC) RECOMMENDED ACTION Minutes approved as submitted. SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 1 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 2 3. Request for Amicus Participation: (CA) — Approved amicus participation. File 9-3-16 x 4-13-102 x 4-13-102.1 Zack v. Marin Emergency Radio Authority (Marin County Superior Court Case No. CV024952); and Citizens for Open Process in Antenna Siting V. Marin Emergency Radio Authority (Marin County Superior Court Case No. CV024971) — 4. Resolution Approving Sue Beittel as Recipient of RESOLUTION NO. 11174 — the First Richard P. O'Brien Citizen of the Year RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO Award (CD) — File 262 x 9-3-85 x 102 SUE BEITTEL, RECIPIENT OF THE FIRST RICHARD P. O'BRIEN CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD 5. Update of Legislation Affecting San Rafael (CM) Accepted report. — File 116x9-1 6. Resolution Approving the Application for Grant RESOLUTION NO. 11175 — Funds for the Roberti-Z'Berg-Harris Urban Open RESOLUTION APPROVING THE Space and Recreation Program Under the Safe APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air and FOR THE ROBE RTI-Z'BERG-HARRIS Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000 (CS) — URBAN OPEN SPACE AND File 4-13-107 RECREATION PROGRAM UNDER THE SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, CLEAN WATER, CLEAN AIR AND COASTAL PROTECTION BOND ACT OF 2000 7. Ordinance Amending Title 4 of the Municipal Passed Ordinance No. 1788 to print - Code of the City of San Rafael by Amending and "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF Adopting the Uniform Fire Code (2000 Edition), SAN RAFAEL AMENDING TITLE 4 OF Amending and Adopting the California Fire Code THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY (2001 Edition) and Adopting Findings of Fact OF SAN RAFAEL, ADOPTING THE Relative to Modifications of Building Standards UNIFORM FIRE CODE, 2000 EDITION, (FD) — File 1-6-4 x 9-3-31 x 9-1 WITH AMENDMENTS, AND THE CALIFORNIA FIRE CODE, 2001 EDITION, WITH AMENDMENTS, AND PRESCRIBING REGULATIONS AND BUILDING STANDARDS GOVERNING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE, EXPLOSION AND OTHER DANGERS, AND ESTABLISHING A FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU AND PROVIDING OFFICERS THEREFOR, AND DEFINING THEIR DUTIES AND POWERS" (and setting public hearing for City Council meeting of 10/21/02) 8. Monthly Investment Report for Month Ending Accepted Monthly Investment Report August, 2002 (MS) — File 8-18 x 8-9 for month ending August, 2002, as presented. 9. Resolution Authorizing the Police Chief to Use RESOLUTION NO. 11176 — the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services RESOLUTION APPROVING USE OF Fund (SLESF) of $112,624 to Fund Overtime for STATE COPS PROGRAM Community Oriented Policing for Fiscal Year SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES FUNDS 2002-2003 (PD) — File 9-3-30 IN AN APPROXIMATE AMOUNT OF $112,624 FOR COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING (to fund overtime) 10. Resolution Approving Use of Federal Local Law RESOLUTION NO. 11177 — Enforcement Block Grant Funds in the Amount of RESOLUTION APPROVING USE OF $67,349 for Community Policing (PD) — FEDERAL LOCAL LAW File 9-3-30 ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,349.00 FOR COMMUNITY POLICING SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 2 11. Report on Bid Opening and Resolution Awarding Contract to Bauman Landscape, Inc. in the Amount of $67,487.20 for San Pedro Road Medians at Knight Drive, Project No. 10782 (Bid Opening Held Thursday, September 5, 2002) (PW) — File 4-1-551 x 9-3-40 12. Report on Bid Opening for Single Space Parking Meter Equipment, Bid No. 501-02, and a Resolution Rejecting all Bids, and Waiving Competitive Bidding Requirements Pursuant to Section 2.55.070(D) of the San Rafael Municipal Code, Allowing Staff to Negotiate and the City Manager to Contract for the Purchase of Single Space Parking Meter Equipment in an Amount not to Exceed $300,000 (MS) — File 9-3-87 x 11-18 x 12-14 13. Report on Bid Opening and Resolution Awarding Contract to Republic Electric, in the Amount of $141,700, re Traffic Signal Improvements at "A" & 2nd Sts. and "A" and 3rd Sts. and Interim Signal Improvements at Mission Avenue/Lincoln Avenue; Project Nos. 10784 & 10785 (Bid Opening Held Tuesday, September 24, 2002) (PW) — File 4-1-552 x 11-10 16. Resolution Authorizing the Signing of a Below Market Rate Rental Housing Agreement Between McInnis Housing Partners and the City of San Rafael re: McInnis II Apartments (RA) — RIP ??9 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 3 RESOLUTION NO. 11178 — RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO BAUMAN LANDSCAPE, INC. FOR SAN PEDRO ROAD MEDIANS AT KNIGHT DRIVE, PROJECT NO. 10782 (BID OPENING HELD ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2002) IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,487.20 PLUS CONTINGENCIES OF 10% (lowest responsible bidder) RESOLUTION NO. 11179 — RESOLUTION REJECTING ALL BIDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF SINGLE SPACE PARKING METER EQUIPMENT, BID NO. 501-02, WAIVING COMPETITIVE BIDDING PURSUANT TO SAN RAFAEL MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.55.070(D), AND AUTHORIZING STAFF NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE EQUIPMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000 RESOLUTION NO. 11180 — RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO REPUBLIC ELECTRIC IN THE AMOUNT OF $141,700.00 FOR TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS AT "A" STREET BETWEEN SECOND STREET AND THIRD STREET AND INTERIM SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS AT MISSION AVENUE/LINCOLN AVENUE, PROJECT NO. 10784 AND 10785 (BID OPENING HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2002) (lowest responsible bidder) RESOLUTION NO. 11181 — RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SIGNING OF A BELOW MARKET RATE RENTAL HOUSING AGREEMENT BETWEEN MCINNIS HOUSING PARTNERS AND THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL RE: MCINNIS II APARTMENTS AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Miller ABSTAINING: COUNCILMEMBERS: Heller (from item #2 only, due to absence from meeting.) Mayor Boro (disqualified from item #3 due to conflict of interest. The following item was removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion at the request of Councilmember Heller: 15. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS THROUGH THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION'S TRANSPORTATION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR THE MEDWAY/CANAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECT AND COMMITTING THE NECESSARY LOCAL MATCH FOR THE PROJECT(S) AND STATING THE ASSURANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT (PW) — FILE 11-15 x 11-1 x 4-3-379 x (SRRA) R-103 Councilmember Heller inquired whether the bus stops were being upgraded. Responding, Public Works Director Dave Bernardi stated they would be the new contract bus shelters. SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 3 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 4 Councilmember Heller moved and Councilmember Phillips seconded, to adopt the Resolution. RESOLUTION NO. 11182 — RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS THROUGH THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION'S TRANSPORTATION FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM FOR THE MEDWAY/CANAL ENHANCEMENT PROJECT AND COMMITTING THE NECESSARY LOCAL MATCH FOR THE PROJECT(S) AND STATING THE ASSURANCE OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: SPECIAL PRESENTATION: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro None Miller 17. PRESENTATION TO SUE BEITTEL, RECIPIENT OF THE FIRST RICHARD P. O'BRIEN CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD (CD) — FILE 262 x 9-3-85 x 102 Mayor Boro explained this was the first annual award and was due to the generosity of J. Michael Mahoney, in memory of his good friend Dick O'Brien. He indicated that he and all present Councilmembers served on the Planning Commission with Dick and enjoyed and loved him. Mayor Boro reported that everyone also knew and loved Sue Beittel, explaining that she is a tremendous volunteer in the community and he believed it to be so fitting that she was the first recipient of this award. Mayor Boro presented Sue with a Resolution passed by the City Council acknowledging all her wonderful accomplishments, and the fact that she has lived in the City of San Rafael for over forty years, working tirelessly on many efforts. He expressed regret that Councilmember Miller was not in attendance; however, he would sign the Resolution in the very near future. Congratulating Sue Beittel on her outstanding work, Mayor Boro expressed the City's pride and pleasure that she was the first recipient of the Richard P. O'Brien award. Councilmember Cohen displayed the annual plaque, identifying Mrs. Beittel as the first recipient, which would be exhibited in the lobby at City Hall. Mayor Boro also presented Mrs. Beittel with a glass plaque honoring her as the first recipient of the Richard P. O'Brien award and reported that a check for $2,500 had been mailed to her. Accepting the award, Sue Beittel stated it was an honor to receive the award, especially from a City such as San Rafael that has so much community participation. As an observer of the Planning Commission, she indicated she too knew Dick O'Brien and reported an experience where they signed ballot arguments together, spending a whole morning editing those ballot arguments to ensure mutual agreement. This, she indicated, was the day she became best acquainted with Dick O'Brien. Commenting on her forty years and the changes in San Rafael, Sue stated that in the 1960s, the Dixie School District was a model for volunteerism. She reported they provided wonderful training for and attracted a lot of volunteers, not only to work in classrooms, but also to be quite experimental in various activities. She indicated she was involved in one of these with Jean Starkweather, i.e., initiating an outdoor education program, and this was her initial step towards running for the San Rafael School Board. Mrs. Beittel stated that in the 1970s, San Rafael had not quite become the model it is now for community participation; therefore, it needed a big push from the community. She indicated that those who served on the first General Plan Committee had the opportunity to work with many others in learning about General Plans and providing some real input. She stated that at that time she, personally, worked on the Open Space Committee. In the 1980s, Mrs. Beittel reported that Proposition 13 came along and took both dollars and local control, bringing them to Sacramento. She recalled Senator Peter Behr stating "those who have the gold will make the decisions," and stated it was then necessary to learn how to work with Sacramento. She stated that in the 1990s the future problems of the area were recognized, i.e., the environment, affordable housing, transportation and social programs, and ways of dealing with SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 4 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 5 these were instigated. Stating that there still is the unfinished business of the 2000s, she reported having spent a lot of time on St. Vincent's/Silveira and the Multi -modal Transportation Plan and would continue this. Mrs. Beittel stated her own philosophy was to become involved and work with others to make a little difference, to have tenacity, hang in, collaborate at all times with all levels, and in the end, compromise. She stated that perhaps this could be addressed further in Marin County, as it does not happen too frequently. She indicated she accepted the check with great pleasure and would be donating it to her favorite organization, The League of Women Voters. Richard O'Brien's widow Mary O'Brien stated it was indeed an honor, recalling that her husband spoke often of Sue Beittel. She stated that perhaps Mrs. Beittel recognized tenacity in him also. Mrs. O'Brien thanked her for being a volunteer for San Rafael, which makes the City a better place for all to live. She reported that four generations of O'Brien's were present this evening, including a great grandson. J. Michael Mahoney congratulated Sue Beittel for being a wonderful citizen of San Rafael and the world. He thanked Mayor Boro, the City Council and Planning staff for arranging to have this award presented. OLD BUSINESS: 18. FAIR RENTAL PRACTICES AGREEMENT ("FRPO") QUARTERLY REPORT (RA) — FILE 13-16 x 13-7-1 Economic Development Director Nancy Mackle stated this was a quarterly report on the Fair Rental Practices Initiative, a voluntary program put together by the property owners. She indicated it had several goals: • the property owners signed on a voluntary basis to limit rent increases to once a year; • 60 -day notices to be given for rent increases; • the amount of rent increases to be kept to less than 10% annually; and • buildings to be maintained in proper condition. Ms. Mackle reported the City added a monitoring program along with this voluntary effort, with the intention of: • continuing to track the rental situation to keep apprised of events; • being in a position to address complaints as they came in; and • attempting to resolve issues between tenants and landlords, or assisting tenants in whatever way possible. She confirmed that this monitoring was being handled by Mediation Services, who provided a report on the last quarter. When established, Ms. Mackle stated that the goal of the program was to get 50% of the properties covered by the voluntary agreement, and she was happy to report that it had now exceeded this goal, with 53% of the apartment units and 56% of the apartment buildings covered by the agreement. She stated staff considered this a very high percentage participation rate and were thankful for the voluntary effort to achieve this. Ms. Mackle noted from the Mediation Services' report that there had been 43 calls; however, those relating to FRPO amounted to 5, three of which related to Health and Safety issues, one concerned a security deposit and one was in connection with a rent increase. Elaborating, Ms. Mackle explained that Health and Safety issues either come from Code Enforcement to Mediation, or vice versa. Should Mediation Services receive such a call, it is referred to Code Enforcement, if the tenant is willing to work with Code Enforcement. Regarding the rent issue, she indicated that Mediation Services, by choice of the tenant, was unable to forward this to either the tenant organizer or work with any property owners. Ms. Mackle stated she did not have any means of verifying the rent increase beyond the voluntary agreement. Ms. Mackle stated the next quarterly report would be presented on December 16, 2002, with the Annual Housing Report, at which time all the other initiatives the City and Redevelopment Agency take on in an attempt to create and maintain affordable housing would be addressed. Referring to the staff report, page 3, paragraph 4, concerning anecdotal information, Marin SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 5 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 6 Independent Journal Report, and the fact that the Canal neighborhood may be an exception to this trend, Councilmember Heller requested further explanation. Ms. Mackle stated staff included this in the hope that more information would be available for this evening's meeting; however, she was unaware as to whether this information would be forthcoming from, perhaps, the tenant organization. She indicated that at the time the previous quarterly report was presented, statements were made to the effect that Canal rents were rising. Staff did not undertake a rent survey; however, at that time a non-profit group and the Marin Association of Realtors indicated they would bring information forward. She stated that to her knowledge, no such information was available this evening; however, in the event it was, she made reference to it in the staff report. Michael Burke, Frank Howard Allen Realtors, stated it was time to acknowledge the success of the Voluntary Fair Rental Practices Program and to also acknowledge and thank those many apartment owners who voluntarily signed on to be Fair Rental Practices Owners. He explained that almost two years ago, the City held community meetings to generate ideas to help in addressing the issues of rising rents in San Rafael. Mr. Burke indicated the City had received many complaints from tenants regarding owners raising rents well in excess of, at that time, over 10% per year, and one of the ideas put forward at those meetings was the concept of owners voluntarily agreeing to or acknowledging they already practiced a set of principles that were not of the type the City had been receiving complaints about. He indicated that basically, these owners voluntarily agreed to limit their rent increases to once per year, to give tenants an additional 30 days notice of any increase and to limit rent increases to less than 10% per year. Mr. Burke explained it was meant to be a voluntary effort to assist the situation and in response to the City's request for help, and it was not anticipated it would create the need for an expensive monitoring program to ensure that the voluntary promises were being upheld. Reporting that no group represents San Rafael apartment owners, Mr. Burke stated the idea was put forth at a hastily organized meeting of 20 — 30 owners, real estate agents and property managers. Having agreed to the principles, he stated volunteers contacted other owners to convince them to sign on to the program and these early efforts procured the signatures from approximately 15% of all San Rafael apartment building owners. Noting the City set a very high goal of having 50% of all buildings sign on, a seemingly impossible task, Mr. Burke stated that apartment owners had to be contacted one at a time and convinced of the merits of the program. He reported that pursuant to much hard work, that goal had been reached and exceeded, and it is now time to step back and acknowledge that success. Mr. Burke reported that a recent transaction he handled illustrates how successful the program really is. He explained that he listed for sale a 15 -unit apartment building in San Rafael (actually two buildings: an 8 -unit and 7 -unit building), the buildings had been in the same ownership for over 30 years and the owner had allowed the rents to become considerably below market, i.e., 30-40% below market. He stated that all of the apartments were 1 -bedroom, with the highest renting for $800, and the owner had previously signed on to become a FRPO owner. Mr. Burke reported he made it a very prominent part of his marketing of the building to describe the FRPO program and to acknowledge that the seller was one of the many owners who had signed on, and while it was not required of a new buyer, the seller hoped any new buyer might participate in the program. Mr. Burke stated the ultimate buyer of the property owned another building in the area and had himself signed that building on to FRPO, and while it was anticipated by most that any new buyer of this building would raise the rents to market upon acquisition, this new owner has agreed to step up the rents over a period of years, to bring them up to market, such that they are never increased to the existing tenants more than 10% per year. Mr. Burke indicated the new owner has re-signed an agreement on that building. Because of the low rental income of that building compared to its value, Mr. Burke stated it was almost impossible to obtain financing; however, the seller agreed to carry the financing for a period of time to enable the rents to be brought up over time. Mr. Burke stated that well funded and well -organized tenant groups had spent considerable time picking apart the program and going to great lengths to find FRPO program owners who had not kept their promises. He indicated that the Marin Income Property Association receives, reviews and follows up on all rent issue related complaints received from Mediation, and it was his understanding, that to date, they had not received any rent related complaint against a FRPO program member. He noted that of the complaints received against non-FRPO program members, at least three had now signed on, and according to Mayor Boro's letter of September SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 6 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 7 17, 2002, thanking the owners who had signed up, the City had only received one rent related issue complaint against a FRPO program member. Mr. Burke stated it was very difficult to convince owners to sign on to a voluntary program such as this when the City and Press do not publicly support it. He indicated it is now time to publicly acknowledge and thank those many owners who voluntarily signed on to the program and to acknowledge the success of the FRPO program. Jessuina Perez-Teran, Marin Legal Aid, stated she first would like to thank the City Manager for accommodating today's report on FRPO and her schedule. Second, for the record, she stated she would like to remind Councilmembers that this Council, at least in a public meeting, never set a goal of 50%; therefore, if such a goal was set she would like to know at which meeting it happened. She indicated that according to the minutes of previous meetings, Mayor Boro, principally, stated the figure needed to be over 50%. Ms. Perez-Teran stated that a lot had been said to the effect that the market had softened up and she strongly encouraged Council to evaluate the different kinds of markets within the market, as rents are continuing to rise. She stated her organization does not have the time or energy, is not sufficiently funded nor has an adequate number of people to conduct a study on the housing situation, and she suggested that perhaps the City would like to undertake this, thereby, dispensing with the need to double check the information. She encouraged Council to evaluate this. Ms. Perez-Teran stated that 100% of property owners signing the agreement means nothing if they are not going to comply. She stated her belief that the voluntary agreement was a good first step; however, the second step needed to be initiated and policies put in place to tackle the problem in the event of another crisis. Mayor Boro requested staff to address the issue raised concerning rents in the Canal area. Economic Development Director Nancy Mackle stated she had presumed either the tenants, someone speaking on behalf of the tenants or the Marin Association of Realtors would bring something forward this evening in this connection, as indicated at the last meeting. Mayor Boro inquired whether anyone in the audience had information on rents in the Canal area specifically, in relation to the rest of the County. No response was forthcoming. Mayor Boro stated he believed the fact that 56% of the buildings and 53% of units had signed up was a good success and while 100% was desirable, he acknowledged this was a voluntary program. From the information received addressing the issues brought to mediation, Mayor Boro stated this indicates that although there have been instances, these have been few and far between. He believed there have been positive results. Councilmember Heller expressed her pleasure with the progress thus far and hoped the program would continue to grow. She requested the question of receiving these reports on a six -monthly basis in future be discussed at the December 16, 2002 City Council meeting. Stating that Mr. Burke makes a good point, Councilmember Phillips confirmed there had been success and anyone involved in voluntary organizations, e.g., Sue Beittel, was aware of the difficulty in gathering 100% of the troops; therefore, Mr. Burke deserved a great deal of credit. He reported that Mayor Boro and he met with Mr. Burke and several others recently, noting they were a delight to work with and Mr. Burke's candor was helpful in understanding some of the difficulties he had overcome. He again thanked Mr. Burke, commenting there was cause for celebration and reiterated Councilmember Heller's suggestion that perhaps more could and should be done. To the extent that there are violations, Councilmember Phillips stated these should be pursued; however, the intent was good, and he was grateful for this. Councilmember Cohen acknowledged the progress and the encouraging numbers. Recognizing that it is not even a voluntary association, rather a collaboration of a number of people who own properties, he expressed his appreciation for Mr. Burke's efforts in attempting to bring some leadership to the situation. Councilmember Cohen indicated he was heartened by the story regarding the sale of the building; however, was reminded of a comment made to him by an apartment owner in the Canal who signed on to FRPO, who stated "the problem is the folks who signed this are the good guys." He stated the challenge is to keep the pressure on those not signed up who continue to pressure tenants. In this respect, Councilmember Cohen stated the assistance of the now 50% who have signed is needed to maintain pressure on the remainder to come on board and treat their tenants fairly. Councilmember Cohen stated he still had concern regarding the issue of posting, and as stated SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 7 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 8 on a previous occasion, he would count it a success when the apartment owners did not view posting as marketing their business for sale, rather marketing it to attract tenants. In this way, they would be stating they signed a public pledge about how they treat tenants, and enticing future tenants to these buildings, rather than some other apartment where the owner is not willing to display the notice. He commented it should be something to be proud of and was disappointed with the continued resistance to publicly posting the notice. Councilmember Cohen stated he did not count this a success yet, but held out hope. Recalling Ms. Perez-Teran's statement on the issue of rents in the Canal, Councilmember Cohen stated his understanding of this statement was that Ms. Perez-Teran did not believe the tenants had the resources to undertake this. Even if they did, staff would probably fact check it, and he believed this to be an accurate perception. Not possessing an easy solution for this, Councilmember Cohen indicated he would be curious to know whether the rental market had softened across the board and whether the information applied to the Canal as well as other neighborhoods. He indicated that when referring to averages, it was not clear this was happening at all rental levels and while there was a softening at the top end of the market, the question was whether this was driving the average down or whether it was true across the board. Councilmember Cohen stated he was unaware of an easy way of carrying out this type of analysis, nor was he in favor of spending hundreds of staff hours in the process; however, he encouraged staff to consider ways of figuring this out. He stated it appeared the Marin Independent Journal's methodology was to survey advertisements in the newspaper; however, he was unsure whether all of these provide location. Councilmember Cohen stated he would be interested in knowing whether staff could attempt to gain a sense of this and garner information about the status of the lower end of the rental market. Economic Development Director Nancy Mackle stated staff had undertaken rental surveys previously and could attempt to engage someone for this purpose. The person used in the past was no longer in business; however, staff could endeavor to ascertain other availability. She indicated that when conducted previously, the survey did not go into neighborhood details, rather a sampling. She indicated it could, therefore, be difficult to show a trend; however, staff would speak with some professionals in this field and report back to Council. Mayor Boro inquired whether this could be available for the December 16 meeting, to which Ms. Mackle responded affirmatively. Councilmember Cohen stated this would be useful in gaining a sense of whether there were differences within the market to which careful attention should be paid. Councilmember Phillips moved and Councilmember Heller seconded, to accept the report. AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Miller The following item was removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion at the request of Mayor Boro, and placed at the end of the meeting: 14. REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION OF THE EMERGENCY DISPATCH CENTER FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT: (PW) — FILE 9-3-31 1) RESOLUTION DECLARING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DISPATCH CENTER AN EMERGENCY PROJECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAN RAFAEL MUNICIPAL CODE AND AUTHORIZING STAFF TO NEGOTIATE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR 2) RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT WITH HANNUM ASSOCIATES FOR THE PREPARATION OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE EMERGENCY DISPATCH CENTER - FILE 4-3-415 X 9-3-31 3) RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN A RELOCATION/SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH RICHARD CUTHBERT - FILE 4-3-416 x 9-3-31 Mayor Boro stated that one of the compelling arguments for the procedure Council is being requested to undertake, albeit somewhat extraordinary, is the timeframe of March, 2003. He noted staff was somewhat optimistic concerning MERA (Marin Emergency Radio Authority); however, based on happenings to date, and with a pending lawsuit, he questioned how realistic the date was. SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 8 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 9 He stated that one of his concerns pertained to the "need to rumble to this extent' and second, he would like some discussion about the building to be retrofitted and its relationship to the main fire station, which also requires retrofitting. Mayor Boro stated he was in favor of the concept of securing this space and whatever staff at the Redevelopment Agency works out with regard to relocating the tenant. His concern was with the timing, the issue of the retrofit and its impact on the existing station, which was also being evaluated, as seismic problems exist with a lot of these buildings. With the addition of the new Dispatch Center downstairs in City Hall, which he believed to have excess capacity, Mayor Boro stated he would like to understand one more time why this operation could not be consolidated into one location, since calls come into one location to begin with and are then re-routed. Addressing Mayor Boro's questions, City Manager Rod Gould stated that with regard to the MERA schedule, the main delays on the MERA project had been well publicized, and he believed these delays to have been occasioned by neighborhood resistance to placement of antennae, particularly on the Tiburon Peninsula. He indicated that currently, having attempted to work closely with the Town of Tiburon for the Town's preferred site, only to be rejected by Judge Dufficy, MERA is now focusing on the location that appeared in the Environmental Impact Report, and was voted on five times by the Town of Tiburon as an acceptable site for the Southern Marin antenna, i.e., Mount Tiburon. Mr. Gould reported that as had been publicized, two neighborhood groups there have sued MERA over the site. He explained that MERA owns the property that it purchased from the Marin Municipal Water District and is operating on the legal theory that as a Joint Powers Authority basically using the powers of the County of Marin, it is not obligated to obtain permission from the Town of Tiburon to build at that site. Mr. Gould stated he believed this legal theory would be tested in November in local courts. He indicated that should this theory prove incorrect, MERA has a contingency plan to also obtain approval at that site. Mr. Gould stated it is staff's belief that sometime between November and January 2003, MERA would obtain the right to build at Mount Tiburon and it would take approximately two months to construct the antenna and have it operational there. He indicated this is the final link in the so- called backbone of the Marin Emergency Radio System, and would allow the City to cut over to the MERA system as soon as the whole system had been debugged and training had been carried out. Mr. Gould stated it was staff's hope that Council would approve this contract and series of steps this evening to allow moving forward with the renovation of space adjacent to Fire Station #1 for the Fire Dispatch Center. On a point of review, Mr. Gould stated the reason this is necessary is that the consoles that are part of the Motorola system MERA has purchased are too large for the existing Fire Dispatch Center. He indicated that in order to be ready next spring, or at the latest the beginning of next summer, to receive the MERA system and be up and operational, it would be necessary to have a Dispatch Center up and operational, hence the need for these extraordinary measures to negotiate a contract, get a contractor working, make the necessary changes to that facility and be ready to go. Stating he did not see the schedule slipping beyond this, Mr. Gould added that there would be very serious problems should the MERA project be further delayed. He indicated there are very fine lawyers working on MERA's behalf and there is reason to believe they will prevail. Mr. Gould stated that at the latest, the end of spring 2003 is the deadline for cutting over to the new system; it is not a choice to stay on the old system for the Fire Department while figuring out the location of the Dispatch Center permanently. With regard to the question concerning the initiative to conduct a seismic and modernization study of the City's critical public safety facilities, including Fire Station #1, Mr. Gould stated this is underway with Group 4 Architects, who have conducted surveys of the Police and Fire stations and mass meeting centers. He indicated they are beginning to assemble ideas of what will be needed to put these facilities in top shape to withstand earthquakes and whatever may come in the future. In moving forward, Mr. Gould stated staff hopes to bring quarterly reports to Council, and in January, 2003, present the whole study to Council for a decision. Should Council decide to move forward, staff could be requested to work with a citizens' committee to refine the ideas that may wind up in a bond measure in November of that year. Mr. Gould stated that should this be so and substantial monies were available to rebuild certain public safety facilities, it would certainly make sense to locate the Dispatch Center in an existing fire station. He commented, however, it was his fear it could take a further two years beyond the election before being in a position to do drawings and commence construction. SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 9 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 10 City Manager Gould reported that when MERA would be operational was out of sync, even assuming further delay due to the legal battle. He regretted not having commenced the seismic modernization study some two years ago, which would have permitted making some of these critical decisions. As indicated by Mayor Boro, Mr. Gould confirmed there was an opportunity to get the adjacent space at a very low market rate presently and outfit it for this purpose. He indicated that even with the sizable cost of outfitting it as a Dispatch Center, it would still be fairly cost-effective over the time period. Lastly, with regard to the question as to whether or not the Police and Fire Dispatchers could be combined in the new Police Dispatch Center opened last year, Mr. Gould reported the Police Department had received authorization and had hired two new Dispatchers, who would take up the additional capacity in the Police Dispatch Center. Further, he stated it was hoped that should Council approve the Fire Dispatch Center at the adjacent facility, it would allow additional room to perhaps consolidate with some other Fire Departments to provide a more integrated Central Marin Fire Dispatch Service, which staff believed would have added benefits for San Rafael and the adjacent communities. Mr. Gould stated staff envisioned a consolidated Fire Dispatch Service in the Cuthbert space, noting the Police Dispatch Center is now fully occupied with the additional dispatchers. He indicated that both Chiefs were present should additional information be sought on any of these points. Recalling how hard Mr. Gould and Fire Chief Marcucci worked with the County of Marin in attempting to open a joint center in Terra Linda at Fire Station #7, which would have been ideal and very cost-effective for the City and County, Mayor Boro indicated he had not forgotten this and expressed his thanks, noting that because this failed it was necessary to consider other space. In an effort to understand the mechanics, he stated that on receipt of a 911 call which is police related, the Police Dispatcher handles it and dispatches the Police Officers; should it be a medical emergency or fire, the call is transferred to the Fire Department, which takes it from there. As the call had already "hit the boards," Mayor Boro indicated he did not understand why it could not be completed at the location where it was received. By adding more people for capacity in the Dispatch Center, he inquired whether this meant there still would be insufficient space to handle the Police and Fire work, should this be desired, and second, why it would not be possible to have end to end. Mayor Boro inquired whether the City would be seismically retrofitting the building currently occupied by Cuthbert, although not owning it. Mr. Gould responded affirmatively, and explained the building would be upgraded as part of a 20 -year lease. Responding to Mayor Boro's comment that this was unusual, Mr. Gould stated that the rent is so low, it anticipates substantial tenant improvements to make the space usable. Referring to the staff report, Mayor Boro stated it indicates the project started out as a $300,000 project, and then ran into seismic issues. He stated his concern was that the construction phase is now estimated to cost $475,000, with a 50% confidence level and inquired how much higher this could go over the $655,000 in question. Public Works Director Dave Bernardi stated that at this point with the 15% contingency, in his discussions with the design architect, the feeling was that the money identified in the staff report would be sufficient to complete the project. He stated there were no hard numbers or complete estimates, as the design had not been completed, and he did not wish to mislead by indicating what exactly the project would cost. Mr. Bernardi stated that when the design is completed, staff would have a much better idea of what the project costs would be. Mr. Gould added that the initial estimate did not include furnishings and fixtures. While understanding, albeit not liking, the difference between the $300,000 and $655,000, Mayor Boro stated he was concerned about the estimated cost of $475,000, while the contingency is only $71,250, yet the staff report indicates a 50% confidence factor. Adding to Mr. Bernardi's statement, City Manager Gould stated that in consultation with Ken Nordhoff, Assistant City Manager, Mr. Nordhoff indicated that staff had taken a hard look at the drawings prepared by the architect and a number of items in those drawings were found to go beyond the needs of the building, are duplicative and drive up the cost of the project. These have since been eliminated, driving down the cost of the project, resulting in a little higher confidence. Police Chief Michael Cronin concurred with the City Manager's remarks regarding being a little out of sync. He indicated the Dispatch Center in the Police Department is adequate to accommodate four people and he does not have more than three people working simultaneously; therefore, theoretically, a fourth person such as a Fire Dispatcher could work SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 10 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 11 there. He indicated the problem lies with the fact that there is presently a personnel shortage of three dispatchers; this incurs overtime at the rate of approximately $100,000 per year, which he has been directed to correct. Having located qualified applicants, and made job offers to two, Police Chief Cronin stated that when they come on, that excess capacity will vanish for the next year to a year and a half, as this is the time is takes to train a Police Dispatcher. One of the reasons for this is that the Police Department is presently transitioning from one records management system to another; therefore, Police Chief Cronin stated that for the foreseeable future, he did not have any excess capacity, again a sync problem. He confirmed for Mayor Boro that the excess space would be used for training, commenting that three people is 20% of the complement of the unit and it was extraordinary to be training that many people simultaneously. Mayor Boro inquired of Fire Chief Marcucci whether he envisioned any hope for consolidation with other agencies at the new expanded center in order to receive some income to offset this expense. Fire Chief Bob Marcucci explained that fire dispatchers work twenty-four hour shifts, which is an economic savings to the City, and absent this, it would be necessary instead of three dispatchers, to have six to seven. Because of this, sleeping accommodation and food preparation facilities are necessary. Fire Chief Marcucci reported that his biggest disappointment as Fire Chief was being unable to implement the joint dispatch center with Marin County Fire, as he believed this was the way to begin consolidation of fire services in Marin County. He indicated his belief that a city or county of 250,000 people does not need the number of fire departments it has, and the Dispatch Center was the beginning of pulling together fire agencies to work more cooperatively to have a better mutual aid system. As discussed with City Manager Gould, Fire Chief Marcucci reported that failing this, his objective is to attempt a consolidation of Central Marin. He indicated this would require more dispatchers; however, those fire departments are already paying the County of Marin Sheriff's Office for dispatch services. Fire Chief Marcucci stated the point is also being reached where perhaps the number of calls being received is stretching the capacity of one dispatcher on duty at a time. He referred to the Standard of Cover Report, which indicated that on 1,881 occasions there were two concurrent calls and 495 times, three calls were going at the same time. Fire Chief Marcucci explained that when dispatching to a fire, five, six or seven units are dispatched simultaneously and this is stretching the dispatchers. Although not complaining, the dispatchers enjoy their work and are very efficient; however, Fire Chief Marcucci indicated that sooner or later the point would be reached where additional support would be necessary. Chief Marcucci stated that consolidating with departments in Ross Valley, primarily the Ross Valley Department, Ross, Kentfield, Larkspur and Corte Madera, from where a preponderance of mutual aid has been received, and pulling them into the Dispatch Center, whereby they pay for the second dispatcher, would support all. Explaining that an Emergency Medical Dispatch is where the call is prioritized and the dispatcher remains on the line with the reporting party, giving pre -arrival instructions, Fire Chief Marcucci stated this becomes more difficult with one dispatcher and is very effective with two. He stated that to look at the global issue, it appears necessary to strive to consolidate with departments in close proximity to ensure not only benefit to the City, but the other agencies also. Fire Chief Marcucci reported that a great many of them would prefer to have a Fire Department dispatching their units instead of the Sheriff's Office, simply because of terminology, understanding, etc. He stated that to do this, it is necessary to market the Dispatch Center, and believed MERA's coming on board adds to the urgency of attempting to get a Dispatch Center functioning, and marketing the effectiveness of a Joint Dispatch Center. He indicated this could happen if confined to one facility showing professionalism, which the existing Dispatch Center does not do. Reporting that an unsuccessful attempt was made to locate the Dispatch Center in Fire Station #1, Fire Chief Marcucci stated that different alternatives were considered and this one appears to be the best, indicating that the square -footage rent was low, allowing for some flexibility. He did not know whether going out on the Bond Measure in 2003 would pass or be tolerated by the voters; therefore, a lot of uncertainties exist, and this appeared to be the most viable alternative. Mayor Boro thanked Fire Chief Marcucci and Police Chief Cronin SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 11 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 12 Should this be marketed to the other Central Marin Fire Departments, Councilmember Heller inquired whether a cost savings over the County could be offered. Fire Chief Marcucci indicated this would be the strategy. Councilmember Heller inquired whether there was a means of conducting cross training with the Police Department. Responding, Fire Chief Marcucci indicated his assumption that Fire and Police Dispatch were two different animals, and the calls are of a different type. He explained that many cities have consolidated Police and Fire; however, not to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief. They handle different types of calls, with Fire dispatching multiple pieces of equipment, unlike the Police Department. While not downgrading the Police, Fire Chief Marcucci believed the two Dispatch Centers to be vastly different. Should the space be available in the Police Dispatch Center, Mayor Boro inquired whether they could at some point be co -located, retaining their department identities. Fire Chief Marcucci responded affirmatively. Elaborating, he instanced San Jose where the Police and Fire Dispatch Centers are side by side, separated by a glass door, with good dialogue taking place between the two entities. Reflecting on Fire Chief Marcucci's comment, Councilmember Phillips stated he, as a layperson, could understand the two calls are different, i.e., equipment versus response with a patrol car; however, he questioned whether one person could not have the capability of making the distinction and responding appropriately. Police Chief Cronin stated this is done presently. He explained that when an emergency call comes into Police, the Police Dispatcher decides whether it is Police or Fire, which is not difficult. He stated there are opportunities to cross train people and have them do both. He also believed there would be some consequent degradation of service level as a "Fire Dispatcher" is going to be better at dispatching for Fire than a "Fire/Police Dispatcher" is going to be at either one. Police Chief Cronin reported that both he and the Fire Chief agree they would favor being in the same facility, which would lend itself to greater efficiency in terms of disaster management and a host of other things. He indicated that MERA offered one of the finest opportunities this County would ever see to consolidate the entire issue, and he believed it would be a substantial cost saving for the taxpayer generally. He recognized there would be some degradation of service at local levels, because the service the citizens of San Rafael are used to receiving could be somewhat higher than some other jurisdictions; however, unfortunately, the timing is not working in favor of this presently. Councilmember Phillips inquired whether this does not beg the longer-term question as to whether or not the City should be heading in the direction of consolidation. Amplifying a point made by Fire Chief Marcucci, City Manager Gould recalled from the Standard of Cover Report that some 76% of calls to the Fire Department are for emergency medical services, and unlike Police Dispatchers, the Fire Dispatchers are required to be Emergency Medical Technician certified in order to be in a position to give pre -arrival instructions. He indicated that even with cross training and having dispatchers who were truly Police/Fire/Public Safety Dispatchers, they would have to go through a separate program. Mr. Gould explained the police dispatching is generally more routinized, has a lot more jargon than fire; however, does not get into medical issues as fire dispatchers do. Mr. Gould explained that his experience and that of other managers with whom he had spoken on the whole issue of dispatch consolidation, indicates, as does Fire Chief Marcucci, that where there has been an attempt to locate Police and Fire Dispatch together, dispatching the same calls at the same terminals, it has been unsuccessful. He stated that where they have attempted to consolidate Police Dispatch with other agencies and Fire Dispatch with Fire Agencies, there has been success. Where new Agencies were created, i.e., Public Safety Agencies, where everyone is both a Police Officer and Fire Fighter at the same time under centralized command, it can work; however, attempting to put two agencies together having functioned separately for years, resulted in disaster, with Fire generally coming out on the short end. In his studies of these other agencies, mainly in Southern California, City Manager Gould stated that consolidation within function makes a lot of sense economically and in service; however, consolidation across functions is much more difficult to accomplish. Speaking personally, Councilmember Phillips inquired whether it was fair to conclude this was not a territorial issue. Responding, Police Chief Cronin indicated he would be happy to give Dispatch to Fire Chief Marcucci, however, being older and wiser, Fire Chief Marcucci had politely declined. Councilmember Cohen stated he was convinced on the consolidation issue and joint dispatch. He indicated that Mayor Boro and he had worked on consolidation issues much simpler than SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 12 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 13 this and at a much more obvious saving to the public and believed it to be a "head banging against the wall exercise." He stated he would not hold up this contract or approach in the hope that suddenly in the next sixty days there would be consolidation of any kind of service with other agencies, and should it not make sense to look at consolidation of service within this city across departments, then he would not spend time discussing it. With regard to the contracting proposal, Councilmember Cohen indicated his concern with doing a half -million dollar contract without competitive bidding. Like Mayor Boro, he stated he, unfortunately, was not convinced that the MERA morass would be resolved as soon as hoped. In looking at the date, Councilmember Cohen stated it occurred to him that whether it is put out to bid or negotiated, there are still sixty days, and as pointed out by Public Works Director Dave Bernardi, no one will submit numbers, negotiated or bid, until they have plans and specifications to look at, and it would take Hannum Associates time to do this. He stated that he could not in good faith tonight agree this was an emergency on the $500,000 contract and was not entirely comfortable with the language. He stated that at minimum, he would need to see some standards before negotiating a contract of this size and would like to know what the appropriate standards are. Councilmember Cohen stated the State of California has put out model regulations, previously given to Mr. Bernardi, for responsible bidder language and responsible contractor language, that goes well beyond possession of a contractor's license and the necessary bond. He indicated it addresses track record and gave an example whereby, at CMSA, they use workers' compensation experience ratings to give an idea of the safety record of a contractor. He stated it includes other standards inserted by the State as model language, and at a minimum, he would like to see this used. Noting the desired timeframe of 60 days to do plans and specifications, 20 days to negotiate and 100 days for construction improvements, Councilmember Cohen stated he would like to see over the next sixty days whether MERA would race ahead. Should staff still be convinced this is the case, they should return to Council with something more specific about how the selection would be made. He added it was his hope that should the contract be negotiated, a local contractor would be considered. Councilmember Cohen stated he was perfectly comfortable with the professional services contract as proposed with Hannum Associates and would be happy to move it. At a minimum, he requested some more work on the details of waiving the normal bid procedures; however, he believed there was time to put together some procedures within which to do this and meet the time frame. He believed no one would give a price until they had had a chance to evaluate completed plans and specifications and if they did, it would be a meaningless price. Councilmember Cohen indicated he would be happy to consult with Mr. Bernardi on some ideas he had concerning ways to approach this, should it be appropriate. Mayor Boro stated he supported the issue of the relocation agreement, and had no problem with the professional services agreement; however, in addition to looking at the issues just raised on the work itself, he indicated he would like some assessment as to what may happen to the building next door. He disliked the idea of spending money on a piece of property not owned by the City; however, the lease was good, and over its twenty-year term would pay itself back. Realizing that in a year or two it would be necessary to do something with the fire station, Mayor Boro inquired whether there was any economic advantage in attempting to accelerate this and whether a better job could be done by taking advantage of the whole building rather than just the Cuthbert building now and the station later. Responding, City Manager Gould stated that as Mayor Boro and Councilmember Phillips were the Council sub -committee monitoring the study, and as next week a progress report would be presented on status, he suggested this question could be discussed at that time. Returning to the question of cross training, Councilmember Heller stated she was concerned on hearing it took Police over a year to hire to capacity and were very understaffed in Dispatch. She also referred to Chief Marcucci's remark concerning one dispatcher (Chief Marcucci clarified this was one dispatcher per platoon) at a time, which she believed to be a problem, suggesting someone from Police should be cross trained for emergency purposes, and vice versa. Fire Chief Marcucci explained there at eight or nine firefighters capable of dispatching; therefore, when cover is unavailable, a firefighter is called in who is very qualified to handle the dispatch function. Elaborating on this issue, City Manager Gould stated that one of the reasons staff does wish to pursue consolidation with other fire agencies is that it provides a larger pool. He indicated that two dispatchers sitting at consoles give that much more redundancy in the event of multiple incidents or a major event at any given time. He stated staff sees this as an improvement in service at no increase in cost to residents, which he believed is something worth pursuing. As indicated by Fire Chief Marcucci, Mr. Gould stated that until there was a site up and operational, SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 13 SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 14 it would not be possible to consult seriously with these other agencies, even though they had expressed interest. Should Council permit retrofitting the building, he indicated staff would be in a position to conduct these talks in earnest. Councilmember Cohen moved and Councilmember Phillips seconded, to adopt the resolution. a) RESOLUTION NO. 11183 — RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF A MAXIMUM OF $40,000 FOR TENANT RELOCATION FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT DISPATCH CENTER (1033 C STREET) AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Miller Councilmember Cohen stated that this and the following motion acknowledge the discussion about the meeting with the Facilities Committee to be held next week. Should there be a sense of gain by changing direction somewhat or expanding the scope to assess both buildings, he suggested staff to return with a recommendation and the action would be re- evaluated. Councilmember Cohen indicated he did not wish to hold this up for another Council meeting should the committee continue on the course laid out. Councilmember Cohen moved and Councilmember Heller seconded, to adopt the resolution. b) RESOLUTION NO. 11184 — RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO SIGN A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HANNUM ASSOCIATES FOR THE PREPARATION OF PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN EMERGENCY DISPATCH CENTER FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips and Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: Miller c) With regard to the issue of adopting the Resolution waiving the formal bidding procedures, etc., Councilmember Cohen referred this back to staff to be dealt with sometime within the next sixty days. Mayor Boro thanked City Manager Gould, Public Works Director Bernardi, Police Chief Cronin and Fire Chief Marcucci for their input and participation with this issue. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS: 19. None. Addressing Sue Beittel, Mayor Boro stated that not only was she a great person for receiving the award this evening, but she and her fans were great for remaining throughout the entire proceedings this evening. There being no further business, the City Council meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk APPROVED THIS DAY OF 12002 MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL SRCC Minutes (Regular) 10/07/2002 Page 14