HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 12549 (Critical Facilities Progress Report)RESOLUTION NO. 12549
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
ACCEPTING THE PROGRESS REPORT FROM THE CRITICAL
FACILITIES COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, The City Council appointed a Critical Facilities Committee via Resolution
No. 12381 on November 19, 2007, and
WHEREAS, the Critical Facilities Committee was established in order to develop
strategies for informing and educating the community about the current state of our buildings as
well as develop an implementation plan to advance the priorities set by the former Critical
Facilities Strategy Committee, and
WHEREAS, the Critical Facilities Committee has met faithfully since November 29,
2007, spending numerous hours understanding the City's finances; explored debt financing, tax
solutions and other funding options; engaged with subject matter experts and developed a
communication plan in order to inform our residents and businesses about the current state of our
essential facilities, and
WHEREAS, the Critical Facilities Committee prepared an Interim report and presented
their work to the community and City Council at a study session on May 5, 2008, and
WHEREAS, the Critical Facilities Committee has prepared a Progress Report in order to
codify their accomplishments to date, delineate findings and conclusions and propose a series of
recommendations to the City Council, and
WHEREAS, one of the Progress Report recommendations is to extend the initial term of
the Critical Facilities Committee by 12 months (until July, 2009), in order for the Committee to
fully accomplish their two primary goals as noted above.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the City Council does
hereby:
1. Accept the August 4, 2008 Progress Report of the Critical Facilities Committee, a copy of
which is attached hereto.
2. Extend the term of the Committee members appointed on November 19, 2007 until the
last day of July, 2009. Prior to the end of this extended term, the Critical Facilities
Committee is to provide a Final Report to the community and City Council that
demonstrates the strategies used to educate and inform the community about the current
condition and needs for improving our essential service buildings and have developed
financially sound and politically viable implementation strategies to begin addressing the
needs of our buildings.
I, ESTHER C. BEIRNE, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City
Council of said City held on Monday, the 4°i day of August, 2008 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Brockbank, Connolly, Heller, Miller & Mayor Boro
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
I
WACity Managers- WorkFil&Council MateriahResolutions\200MCFC extension reso.doc
City of San Rafael
Critical Facilities Committee
Progress Report
August 4, 2008
City of San Rafael
Critical Facilities Committee
Progress Report
August 4, 2008
Mayor Al Boro and
Members of the San Rafael City Council
I._Niistory
On November 19, 2007 you appointed 15 San Rafael citizens to form a new Critical
Facilities Committee (CFC) to "develop strategies for informing and educating the
community about the current state of our buildings as well as (to) develop an
implementation plan to advance the priorities set by the former Critical Facilities
Strategy Committee (CFSC)."
The appointed CFC adopted an aggressive work schedule, first meeting on November
29, 2007. We have been meeting roughly twice a month since that date.
• Reviewed and discussed the report prepared by the former CFSC.
• Received detailed briefings from key staff on the city budget history, as well as
current budget structure and condition.
• Received detailed briefings from staff and consultants on financing and revenue
options including General Obligation and Special Tax bonds, library tax,
certificates of participation, and other tax measures.
• Received detailed briefing from Group 4 Architects including updated costs for
the options recommended by the former CFSC.
• Received detailed briefings from Godbe Research Group and Tramutola LLC
Team on public polling as well as tax campaign issues and strategies.
• Toured the new Marin City Public Safety building and the new City of Alameda
Library.
• Toured San Rafael Public Library, Police Department and downtown Fire Station.
• Received information from consultant Elliot Levin regarding public-private
partnerships.
• Discussed and analyzed all of the information presented.
• Developed a Communications Plan for Educating Our Community about San
Rafael Critical Facilities.
— 1 —
We Recommend. -
1 We recommend that you extend the life of this committee 12 additional months
with a final report due to you July 2009.
2. We recommend that the City contract for targeted polling to determine the voting
public's understanding of the present condition of our critical facilities, and of the
need for replacement or upgrade, and, to measure the public's willingness to
support a measure to accomplish a program of replacement and upgrade.
3. We recommend that the City retain professionals with expertise in campaign
strategy as soon as possible to develop informational materials to educate the
public to the need for replacement and upgrade of our public buildings.
4. We recommend that the City begin to develop a public education program as
soon as possible, utilizing community volunteers, civic leaders, community
groups, and business interests as both audience and educators.
5. We recommend that the City pursue all available avenues for private/public
partnerships, with a focus on the areas where there is greatest likelihood of
success.
6. We recommend that the City create a capital replacement reserve account, and
that that account be regularly funded so that money will be available to meet the
future needs for buildings and their components as replacement is needed.
7. We recommend that a date certain be set to place a measure before the voters,
and that date should be no later than November, 2009.
Activities Planned
o Three members of the committee, and Chief Gray, are scheduled to attend a
conference on Public Private Partnerships on July 18.
o Refine a recommendation for funding the capital financing needed.
o Refine a recommendation for a public education program in consultation with
campaign strategy experts.
o Refine a recommendation for phasing of projects as needed.
o Prepare and deliver a Final Report.
o Draft Communications Plan
o Interim Report
o Previous Critical Facilities Strategy Committee Final Report
�3�
Respectfully Submitted,
Mark LU6amersky, Chair
Phil Abey
GladyiGilliland
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Kevin J. Kroncke
Larr cve(m
Karen Nielsen
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Paula Kamena (Vice -Chair)
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Attachments
CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT
SAN RAFAEL CRITICAL FACILITIES
PROGRESS REPORT — AUGUST 4, 2008
Introduction Summarize the assignment From the City Council CFC appointing staff
before you. Note this section report of November 19, 2007:
is often written last. • The task of the Committee is to educate and
Following sections should be
written in order listed.
Mission/Goal Mission statement is visionary
and long term.
Goal is a statement regarding
the project being discussed
now —what do you want to
accomplish?
Situation Analysis Short statement regarding why
this plan is being written.
Explain the problem and the
need to generate
understanding and support for
solving the problem.
I
inform the community about the current
condition and needs for improving our
essential service buildings.
Mission: The mission of the San Rafael Critical
Facilities Committee is to educate the
community as to the current status of our critical
public facilities.
Goal: The goal is to develop community support
through education for the financial contributions
needed to pay for the required infrastructure.
Problem:
• The San Rafael community is unaware of the
dire state of our police and fire facilities and
how the deficiencies impact the effectiveness
and safety of our police and fire personnel.
• The public also seems unaware of the role
that our community centers would play in a
disaster situation and therefore also unaware
of the heightened need for their upgrade.
• The deficiencies in our facilities are not
readily apparent, and therefore difficult to
communicate.
• Though the public may be aware that the
library is old and perhaps too small, there
also does not seem to be sufficient
understanding of the real impact that this has
on the services the library could provide if it
were adequately sized in a more modern
facility.
• The magnitude of the capital program will
require additional public funds.
1 Challenges/Hurdles:
FACILITIES COMMUNICATION ION PLAN
Page 2
-------------------------
Research Include formal and informal
The CFC has:
research completed: surveys,
a Reviewed January 2007 polling data - (A
interviews, tours, outreach,
summary of facility related results are
etc.
included at the end of this Plan document).
• Received overview of City's finances from
staff.
• Reviewed prior Critical Facilities Strategy
Committee report and recommendations.
• Toured the San Rafael Police Station, Fire
Station No. 1 and the Downtown Library
• Toured Alameda Library and Southern Marin
Public Safety Building.
• Received updated report from Group 4 on
cost estimates for all facilities under
consideration.
• Received presentation and information
regarding public opinion polling (Godbe
Research) and education/campaign strategies
j (Sidewalk Strategies).
• Received presentation from Elliot Levin
regarding fundraising, donors, public private
partnerships (PPP's) and outside funding.
• Received information regarding tax and debt
financing options from Craig Hill from
Northcross, Mill and Ach, public agency
financial advisors.
Challenges & What have you got going for
Opportunities:
Opportunities you in this effort? Who has
• Educated populace: voters have the
credibility? Who are allies?
sophistication to understand the current
What perceptions currently
situation and how improved facilities can
exist?
enhance the quality of life in our community.
What are the hurdles? Will
• Patriotism -..- voters care about their
there be debate? Opposition?
community and want to be involved in the
decisions.
• Credibility: Voters like and trust (relatively)
in their community and its leaders.
• Affluence — voters can afford to pay higher
taxes
• Assistance - Organized community groups
exist that will assist in the education process.
• Need — The need is real and easily
demonstrated.
• Public Safety: Is a "hot button" and voters
tend to be very supportive of maintaining
q-
these services.
1 Challenges/Hurdles:
FACILITIES COMMUNICATION PLAN
City Objectives Explain measurable ways to
know if the City goal is being
met. Typically stated from a
City Council perspective.
Communication Measurable, specific ways to
Objectives know if the communication
goals are being met. Typically
use verbs such as "increase"
or "improve" (e.g., increase
W awareness by X percent).
These are not the "means" but
the "ends".
Page 3
• Education: Voters need to be educated as to
the needs.
• Energy: Motivating a campaign to raise taxes
is tough
• Taxes: People in Marin are begin heavily
taxed for a number of services already (or in
the future)
• Future Taxes — what is at play at local, State
and Federal level.
• Recession: The economy appears to be
causing people to spend less over the next 12
to 18 months.
• Skepticism: People do not trust government
in general and the use of tax dollars in
particular. Will the money be well used?
• Updated Citizen Satisfaction Survey in 2009
will demonstrate changes in voter perception
and support of facility needs.
• Education efforts and additional facility
polling through June 2009 could lead to
results that necessitate placing a tax/facility
initiative on a future election.
• More — TBD with expertise
• Critical Facilities defined as police, fire,
library and community centers.
• Increase the community's understanding
(beyond last poll) of the true condition of
City facilities, the consequences of not taking
action, and financing options of replacing,
repairing, or renovating them. (This is right
out of 2007 Godbe poll). Must be supported
with data and numbers.
Through polling, validate sufficient taxpayer
support threshold (say 65%) in order to
consider placing a ballot measure on future
election.
• Increase (beyond last poll) community
awareness of each of the critical facilities'
role in the community — emergency services
role.
FACILITIES COMMUNICA it ION PLAN
Page 4
reach.
Messages
What should your audience
Audiences
Specifically who do you need
• Most likely voters in the November 2009
to reach to be successful?
Create subsets of "citizens" or
election (per voter records)
In other words, what would
Influential people and organizations that
"public" such as community
would influence voters
elevator with them? Note that
leaders, users of specific
a message is not the same as a
facilities, frequent voters,
• Potential donors
potential funders, etc.
. Civic leaders
`l
Prioritize who you need to
a
reach.
Messages
What should your audience
know after reading a flyer or
hearing a presentation? What
do you want them to retain?
In other words, what would
you tell your target audience if
you had 10 seconds in an
elevator with them? Note that
a message is not the same as a
slogan.
Strategies
No more than three or four
statements regarding the
a
overall game plan. Typically
use words such as "develop"
or "establish". Consider in
the game plan the timing of
your information vs other
current events, whether to
invite the media, what
alliances you have or could
establish, etc.
• Press/media
• People willing to publicly advocate and work
on a campaign
• Facility users
• Possible opponents
• Existing facilities are inadequate and limit
the ability to provide services.
• Modernizing facilities is crucial for
continuing to provide and improve high
quality City services and to retain and attract
high quality employees.
• Services don't occur without the proper
facilities to support the work expected from
emergency services personnel.
• Implement an educational plan
• Develop a timeline of critical milestones.
• Manage our resources for polling and other
surveying mechanisms.
• Involve staff expertise throughout the course
of these strategies and education plan
implementation.
FACILITIES COMMUNICATION PLAN Page 5
Tactics Activities to undertake.
Important to prioritize based
on resources and impact on
specific audience. Examples:
Outreach/Presentations to
community leaders, Media
Relations such as tours with
editorial board, Websites,
Special Events, Materials such
as brochures and mailers
(targeted to audience).
Evaluation Re -conduct research to
measure if you met objectives
of the plan.
The tactics noted below may be used differently
based upon the audiences listed and messages
noted above:
• Invite media and other key `audiences' noted
above to tour our facilities.
• Utilize various media initiatives to convey
our need, message and goal.
o Internally — Snapshot, Focus
o Externally — cultivate stories for
local press
o Electronic —e-mail brochures
• Phone and door-to-door
• Bus stops
• Invite citizens to tour during Farmer Market,
Car Days and other events that are taking
place downtown.
• Develop mailing pieces — targeted to unique
audiences
• Develop talking points and power point
presentations and set up speaking
engagements by staff, civic and community
members to community groups
• Establish information on City's website.
• Consider video clips/production involving
staff and key stakeholders.
• City booth at events such as the Marin
County Fair, staffed by emergency personnel
• Additional voter polling noted above.
• TBD
L.1 FACILITIES COMMUNICAt ION PLAN Page 6
Schedule Detail what will happen, by • Critical dates:
when and by whom. Also, • November 7, 2009 — election day
what will the reporting
mechanism be to City o July 6, 2009 — Adoption of ordinance and
Council? ballot language
o July 20, 2009 — City Attorney's Impartial
Analysis
o August 7, 2009 — last day to submit
Ballot Language and related documents to
County Elections office
• Critical Steps
o Completion of final CFC report to City
Council — July 2008
o Determination of CFC by City Council -
continuation as Education Committee or? —
August 2008
o Approval of action plan — September
2008; Communication/Education Plan
implemented; includes working with
consultants to assist with education efforts
and do some further polling. Need to get
consultant agreements in place.
Budget Identify time as well as money • City staff (City Manager's office plus staff
needed for the plan. who use/operate critical facilities) would
devote time over 2008-09 year toward
education and information efforts.
• Strong coordinated volunteer effort needed.
• Estimated cost of $50,000 to $100,000 for
strategists, polling and education materials.
1
City of San Rafael
Critical Facilities Committee
Interim Report
May 5, 2008
Mayor Al Boro and
Members of the San Rafael City Council
History -
On November 19, 2007 you appointed 15 San Rafael citizens to form a new Critical
Facilities Committee (CFC) to "develop strategies for informing and educating the
community about the current state of our buildings as well as (to) develop an
implementation plan to advance the priorities set by the former Critical Facilities
Strategy Committee (CFSC)."
The appointed CFC adopted an aggressive work schedule, first meeting on November
29, 2007. We have been meeting roughly every other week since that date. We now
r N come before you for two purposes:
• To report on our progress to date, and;
• To request additional resources needed to further our assigned task.
I..II -�e C,, IF C h C:; s
• Reviewed and discussed the report prepared by the former CFSC.
• Received detailed briefings from key staff on the city budget history, as well as
current budget structure and condition.
• Received detailed briefings from staff and consultants on financing and revenue
options including General Obligation and Special Tax bonds, library tax,
certificates of participation, and other tax measures.
• Received detailed briefing from Group 4 Architects including updated costs for
the options recommended by the former CFSC.
• Received detailed briefings from Godbe Research Group and Tramatola LLC
Team on public polling as well as tax campaign issues and strategies.
• Toured the new Marin City Public Safety building and the new City of Alameda
Library.
• Toured San Rafael Public Library, Police Department and downtown Fire Station.
• Received information from consultant regarding public-private partnerships.
• Discussed and analyzed all of the information presented.
The CFC finds.
A working consensus has developed around a number of issues. Although one, or
more, could change based on new information, this is where we are today:
1. The CFC agrees with the entire scope of projects identified by the former CFSC,
with the addition of the Library, and would like to have them presented to the
voters for authorization and funding.
2. The CFC will recommend that the City adopt a mechanism (policy) so that funds
will be available to meet the future facility needs and their components.
3. The CFC will recommend that a date certain be set to place a measure before
the voters, and that date should be no later than November, 2009.
4. CFC members feel that the City should pursue all available avenues for
private/public partnerships, and should focus on the areas where there is
greatest likelihood of success.
5. The CFC has taken note that previous surveys, and anecdotal evidence, suggest
that there is common misperception among our citizenry that the City's buildings
are in satisfactory or good condition.
6. There is a consensus that we need additional resources in order to fully develop
and recommend a strategy for public education and information gathering, which
includes community polling. The resource request includes targeted polling to
determine the voting public's understanding of the present condition of our critical
facilities, and of the need for replacement or upgrade, and, to measure the
public's willingness to support a measure to accomplish a program of
replacement and upgrade.
DThe CFC recomaiends and regUests..
In view of the need for a more refined measure of public understanding and willingness
to support funding for critical facilities capital projects, the Critical Facilities Committee
recommends and requests that you authorize and direct staff to develop a scope of
work, including costs, for support services in preparing educational programs and
materials to enable the Committee to move forward with the development of specific
recommendations and plans for public education and infrastructure funding.
The Committee wishes to take this opportunity to thank City Manager Ken Nordhoff, and
all of the department heads and staff who have given countless hours to attending our
meetings, providing briefings, and answering our many questions. The substantial
progress we have made would not have been possible without their excellent support.
The Committee also wishes to thank Mayor Boro and Council Members for appointing
I::.. the members of this Committee. You chose wisely. There are no wallflowers in this
group. Our deliberations are best described as lively. We have made great strides in
reaching consensus. And while we sometimes differ in our views on specific issues, we
are entirely focused on the same goal, to produce the best possible plan for San
c. Rafael's critical facilities.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mark Lubamersky, Chair
Phil Abey
Gladys C. Gilliland
Kevin J. Kroncke
Larry Luckham
Karen Nielsen
Sean Prendiville
Roger Smith
Paula Kamena (Vice -Chair)
Dirck Brinckerhoff
John F. Jones
Cheryl A. Lentini
Gordon B. Manashil
Stephen M. Patterson
Jeffrey S. Schoppert
I
• 11
City of San Rafael
Critical Facilities Committee
Report to the City Council
April 18, 2005
Executive Summary
The Critical Facilities Committee —
The twelve volunteer members appointed by the City Council of the City of San
Rafael spent roughly seven months studying the City's need for a capital
development program to replace or renovate facilities deemed critical to public
safety, staff safety and operational effectiveness, and the maintenance of the
quality of life in San Rafael, as currently perceived by its citizenry. Those facilities
included:
• Police Station and City Hall
• Six Fire Stations
• Two Community Centers
• The Downtown Library
The Group 4 Architects Study —
A three -volume study of these same facilities by Group 4 Architects defined a
core for the Committee's undertaking. After making its own investigations of
Group 4's findings and conclusions, the Committee confirmed and expanded
upon those findings and conclusions.
San Rafael Staff Participation —
In our effort to incorporate the observations and thinking of the best and most
experienced minds, the Committee received extensive and repeated input from
City staff with expertise in finance, public safety and other operations as we
pursued an effective strategy to renovate and/or replace the City's critical
facilities.
Consultants —
The Committee met with experts on polling and public motivational strategies.
t
Findings —
• The City faces a serious structural operating deficit.
• The City has historically not provided the capital necessary to regularly
maintain, upgrade and replace critical facilities.
• The City needs, in the relatively short term, to replace the Police Station,
Fire Station # 1, and Fire Department Headquarters with a new combined
public safety facility, and that project should include renovation of City Hall
and construction of additional parking.
• Five of the remaining six fire stations are in need of either complete
replacement or significant renovation. Station # 6 requires some
upgrades, but is otherwise in very good condition.
• The Terra Linda community center is a strong candidate for replacement
while the San Rafael Community Center needs relatively less renovation.
• Increasing local revenue is the only possible solution to covering either the
budget shortage, or the capital facilities needs, but no single tax measure
is likely to do both.
• A Transaction and Use Tax (TUT) has a reasonable likelihood of approval
by San Rafael voters. It's estimated that a '/2 cent TUT would generate
$4.6 million annually.
• Covering the operating deficit is regarded as the highest priority.
• The major capital replacement projects require long term debt financing
backed most likely by a parcel tax.
• The Downtown Library, although a great community asset, was not
deemed critical in the same sense as the other facilities, which all play a
role in public safety. The Committee would like to see the library be the
subject of a separate study.
Recommendations —
• We recommend the City Council take steps to educate San Rafael citizens
of the City's dire financial condition and needs.
• We recommend the City Council take steps to place a '/z cent TUT on the
November, 2005 ballot.
• Assuming passage, the funds generated should be first allocated to
covering the estimated $3.1 million operating deficit.
• Remaining funds should be allocated either to a limited capital renovation
program immediately, or to an accelerated broad program as detailed.
• The Council should begin, at the earliest practical time, to prepare for and
propose a capital replacement bond program. That program should
encompass all of the facilities replacement and renovation discussed in
this report, in the priority order recommended.
0 Initiate a program to develop a new Downtown Library.
City of San Rafael
Critical Facilities Committee
History —
The Critical Facilities Committee was established by the City Council on
September 7, 2004 to:
■ Review a study undertaken for the city of its essential public safety
facilities, and
■ Recommend to the Council "financially sound and politically viable
strategies that will assure the ability of San Rafael's public safety facilities
and library to meet current and future needs."
The committee consists of 12 San Rafael citizen volunteers, from differing
background, and differing neighborhoods.
With few exceptions, the committee has met weekly for two or more hours to
hear from experts in various areas, to deliberate and discuss potential strategies.
In addition, committee members made site visits to all six fire stations, the police
station, two community centers and the library.
LlThe City Manager, Rod Gould, and Public Works Administrator, Richard Landis,
attended most of our meetings and working sessions. They have been
exceptionally helpful to the committee, providing regular briefings on relevant
issues, providing requested information and materials, and making city staff
available to the committee where specific expertise was required. It was also
qq very helpful that Council members sat in periodically and were able to provide the
committee with the Council's perspective when we had specific concerns or
questions.
The committee reviewed:
■ Reports of Group 4 Architects on the state of San Rafael's critical facilities,
■ Their discussion of the city's options,
■ Documents provided by staff relating to the City's fiscal situation,
■ Results of public opinion polling, and
■ Success of various tax and bond measures put before voters in California.
Our work falls into three broad categories, each of which will be discussed in
greater detail below. Those categories are:
Research and Education
Fundings and Analysis
SUrnmary and Recommendations
Research and Education —
The first task we assigned to ourselves was one of education and research.
Group 4 Architects Study —
The City of San Rafael commissioned Group 4 Architects to conduct a study of
essential city facilities. As a result of that study Group 4 presented a three -
volume report in August, 2003.
The Library Feasibilitv Studv evaluates the San Rafael Downtown Library.
The Facilitv Evaluation Report evaluates six city fire stations, two community
centers and City Hall, the facility that also houses the Police Station. Areas
covered include:
■ Seismic safety,
■ Code compliance including such things as building code, ADA, and back-
up electrical generators,
■ Life safety including such things as hazardous materials decontamination
facilities and fire sprinklers, and
■ Modernization needs including such things as mixed gender living
accommodations and electrically operated equipment bay doors.
The Strateqic Analysis analyzes and summarizes the Facilitv Evaluation Report
findings and presents a smorgasbord of options for the city to consider, either
mitigating, or fully resolving, the problems found. This section also includes cost
estimates and funding options.
Based on the Council's charter, the committee made the Group 4 study its core
i!^^' document. We confirmed Group 4's findings with field visits to each of the sites,
adding our own impressions to Group 4's work.
During our site visits, and in meetings that followed, we were able to augment our
own observations with those of Fire Chief Martin and Police Chief Rohrbacher,
and a number of their line firefighters, police officers, and their command staffs.
Briefings by San Rafael City Staff —
Another very important part of our research and education effort was hearing
from city staff with expertise in the city's finances, budgets, and operational
needs. During the course of our review and deliberations we received briefings
and perspective from Assistant City Manager Ken Nordoff, Fire Chief Bruce
Martin, Police Chief John Rohrbacher, and Economic Development Director
Nancy Mackle, Library Director David Dodd, Carlene McCart, Director of
Community Services, Kay Naguchi, interim Library Director and other staff.
0
Briefings by Consultants -
We also heard from representatives of Group 4 Architects, and consultants with
expertise on opinion polling, tax measures and political campaigns.
The committee was able to hear from, and to a degree participate in, the
interviewing process conducted by staff and the Council to select consultants
with expertise in public opinion polling and tax initiative measures. In the process,
and upon the selection of these experts, the committee was also able to take into
consideration their initial opinion survey results, and to benefit from their
experience in guiding initiative measures from inception through election.
The committee received a very helpful briefing from the Tramutola organization
on the process whereby the City might proceed with a ballot measure of some
sort to address revenue needs.
Committee Research -
Committee members also conducted their own research on relevant topics,
including:
■ Possible sites for the development of needed city facilities,
■ Public and editorial comment on San Rafael governance and the state of
the city,
The success or failure of revenue measures in surrounding communities,
and
■ Strategies for winning public finance initiatives.
Member Expertise -
F1The committee began its analysis of the state of San Rafael's essential facilities
with a review of Group 4's in depth study of the facilities themselves, followed by
our own site visits to verify what Group 4 had found. A significant number of the
A committee members are employed in either structural or geotechnical
engineering, architecture, or the building construction industry. Thus the
�..� committee was able to bring the considerable expertise of its own members to
evaluating the facilities and Group 4's findings.
Findings and Analysis -
Methodology —
Site visits were a part of both our education and our analysis since members of
the committee have the expertise and experience to form conclusions
II:....N independent of those presented in the Group 4 study. Group 4's findings and
analysis were compared with the members' own observations and conclusions.
Both were discussed in some detail by the committee.
The committee, in general, concurs with Group 4 as to the deficiencies noted and
the options presented to either resolve the deficiency completely, or to
significantly mitigate it. As is often the case, some members were especially
concerned about a particular deficiency and gave that greater emphasis than
perhaps did Group 4. Examples include the lack of automatic back up generators
at some critical locations, lack of fire sprinklers at most locations, and the lack of
any facilities for the proper decontamination of personnel or equipment exposed
to hazardous materials.
The committee, in general, concurs with Group 4's prioritization of needs. Where
we extended Group 4's work was in developing a series of recommended
choices from among the alternative strategies presented by Group 4. To arrive at
our own path among the forest of trees, we held several sessions in which the
merits of various combinations were discussed. We conducted a number of
exercises through which a consensus finally emerged.
In one such exercise, members were asked to assume that only half of the funds
projected by Group 4 as necessary to fully resolve all the deficiencies noted in
the best possible way were available. (i.e. $25 million available of $50 million
needed.) Members were asked to come up with their recommended plan under
L'
the limited budget, and to provide the pros and cons of their choice. A sample
response is included in the attachments. (Attachment 1)
We also conducted what is known as a "Delphi" exercise. In a Delphi exercise a
series of questions or issues are posed to a group. The members each respond
to the question or issue anonymously. The group then reviews and discusses the
results and arrives at conclusions. In this case we responded to a series of
issues synthesized from the Group 4 study, our own observations, and concerns
that arose in discussion. Each issue was ranked as either a top priority and key
issue, or a low priority. The results allowed the committee to develop a
consensus on priorities. A copy of Delphi exercise results is included in the
attachments. (Attachment 2)
After debate, we conducted a form of internal poll in which members were asked
to choose from among a range of solutions presented for each critical facility.
The choices ranged from minimal seismic and life safety renovation, to full
replacement with new construction. This exercise was useful in determining both
a prioritization as well as a range of costs. A copy of the results (Conceptual
Recommendations) is included in the attachments. (Attachment 3)
Fire and Emergency Medical -
0
The committee agrees with Group 4's findings, both generally and specifically,
that San Rafael's essential public safety buildings are in serious need of either
replacement, or significant upgrades, in order to ensure that those facilities will
remain safe and operational, in the event of a major disaster such as a large
earthquake. Those considerations are particularly vital with respect to fire
stations because they provide not only fire suppression, but also the first line
medical response our community has come to depend on. Seventy percent of the
calls for service to the San Rafael Fire Department are for medical assistance.
The consequences to our city and citizens if our fire service and emergency
medical responders were unable to fully respond in the wake of a major disaster
m would be catastrophic.
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The City of San Rafael and its citizens must accept their responsibility to ensure
that our first responders are safe in their quarters, and that their quarters remain
intact and operational, so that those dedicated first responders remain able to
help others. We owe them no less.
City Hall and Police Station -
The committee also concurs with Group 4's findings with respect to City Hall and
the Police Station. The current Police Station is overcrowded and insecure. It
fails to provide an adequate degree of separation between detainees and the
public, risking public safety, and has totally inadequate facilities for evidence
storage, armory, and other essential law enforcement needs. There are no
facilities for decontamination and disposal of the hazardous materials routinely
found in police work. The department has simply outgrown its allotted space
resulting in the use of rented office space apart from the headquarters staff, and
the use of various storage containers kept in the police parking lot.
The committee is very aware that the Council Chambers in City Hall must
function as the city's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the event of a
major disaster. While Group 4 concluded that City Hall rated fair in terms of
seismic safety, fair is not acceptable considering the role it will be expected to
play in a time of great need. The entire building is in need of seismic upgrading,
as well as significant upgrades to electrical, HVAC and communications systems,
and the addition of fire sprinklers and building security.
Community Centers -
The committee reviewed the Group 4 analysis of the two community centers and
concurred that those facilities, while not perfect, are in reasonable structural
condition and would likely serve acceptably if pressed into service as shelters in
I, an emergency. We note that the San Rafael Community Center serves as a
backup emergency operations center in the event that the City Hall is too
damaged to serve that role in a disaster.
In evaluating the two community centers, the committee's focus is on their
function as essential facilities in the event of a disaster, and not as community
amenities. While not discounting the importance of the community centers as
important to San Rafael civic life, the committee determined that they should be
accorded a lower priority than fire, police and emergency operations facilities in
the allocation of what are sure to be limited resources.
Downtown Library -
The Downtown Library presented the committee with a particularly difficult
y' choice. Members of the committee are fond of libraries, and it was difficult to
decide upon a strategy.
However, in the end, the committee concluded that the downtown library
represents a different enough problem that it should not be encompassed in the
recommendations of our final report. We believe that the library issue should be
the subject of a separate review, and that the solution to whatever is done about
the needs of the library be apart from the solution found for public safety facilities.
The library should not compete with public safety facilities for available resources
in the same measure or action taken by the Council.
We will not include a specific funding proposal for the library as part of our final
report. But we are able to say that we wrestled with the difficult problem of
whether to preserve the original 1908 Carnegie building or to start over with a
new building. As the Group 4 report details, the existing library complex has been
added to, upgraded, and renovated several times in its nearly 100 year life. Every
addition or renovation resulted in significant compromises. Any new renovation or
addition would result in many more.
Modern libraries function very differently than their antecedents of only a few
`w decades ago. Their design and construction should attend to the needs of the
W. future, even while respecting the past.
The consensus of this committee is that the City will be best served by building a
new library, either on the site of the present one or on an alternate site located in
the core of the city.
Operational Needs -
The committee requested a briefing on San Rafael's financial condition to better
understand the resources available for the significant capital needs outlined in
the Group 4 report. Assistant City Manager Ken Nordoff provided that in depth
d
briefing. Members were very disappointed to learn the extent of San Rafael's
structural operating deficit and its impact on services.
We concluded that in addressing the city's capital needs we would also have to
address the operating deficit. We asked the Council for authority to do so, and
you granted us that authority.
We asked many questions of staff focused on whether there is any possibility of
saving on costs. We are as confident as we can be that staff has made
responsive and responsible cuts in every area possible, while striving to maintain
service levels. We are also confident that staff is prepared to make responsible
choices for additional cuts, sacrificing service levels if necessary, in order to
continue to operate within the available funding levels.
We also note, and acknowledge with great respect, that the Council, senior
management, and non public safety line personnel have all accepted reductions
in pay in an effort to help resolve the City's financial crisis.
We concur with staff and the Council that balancing the city's budget by making
further cuts in services would be counter productive, and would have serious
undesirable effects on the quality of life for San Rafael residents. We believe that
further cuts in service levels would undermine property values and business
activity, both of which would further reduce city revenues. We also believe that
further cuts in funding for building, street and other maintenance would have an
accumulating multiplication effect making for far greater problems in the future.
Therefore, rather than further cuts in spending, we find that the solution must lie
in increasing city revenue.
Our concerns over the operational deficit are as complex as the problem itself.
We are very concerned that building new facilities while cutting staff and reducing
service levels would undermine public confidence in city leadership.
Cause and Effect -
(( We inquired into the question of how the City of San Rafael, which is by almost
L.I!: every possible measure very well managed and very well regarded by a
substantial majority of our citizens, could have gotten into such financial
difficulties. We are satisfied that the causes are circumstantial and historical in
nature and not in any way due to poor husbandry on the part of present city
officials or staff.
l µ.h In an effort to provide the citizens of San Rafael with the lowest possible tax
burden, the City of San Rafael has historically under funded capital replacement
i and facilities maintenance needs. The problem was exacerbated by the passage
of Proposition 13. The result is an accumulation of unfunded capital replacement
needs with no capital reserve to meet them. These needs should have been
addressed over a period of time, rather than allowed to accumulate to the degree
we face today.
Funding Options —
The committee considered a variety of funding options, including those presented
in the Group 4 report and those suggested by staff or consultants during the
course of our studies and deliberation.
We looked at a variety of revenue sources including:
■ A parcel tax,
■ Increases in the business license, property transfer and hotel taxes,
■ Utility taxes,
■ Sales taxes, and
■ A transaction and use tax (TUT).
We considered not only the amount of revenue that would be generated by each,
but also the effect on the taxed community and the likelihood of receiving voter
approval.
Summary and Recommendations -
San Rafael's Financial Condition -
The City of San Rafael is suffering from the financial impact of a general
recession, significant taking of local tax revenue by the state, and historically low
tax rates. The Council should take strong measures to restore San Rafael's
financial health by increasing locally generated revenue that will stay within the
city. We envision that this should involve a number of steps put forward over a
period of time.
Faced with the prospect of further cuts in service as the City's reserves are
depleted in 9-12 months, we find that the City's most urgent need is to address
the operating deficit.
Critical Facilities -
i? Our original charter from the Council was to study capital replacement needs for
a the City's critical facilities. We have done so, and determine that those needs are
significant.
Facility Rehabilitation or Replacement Priorities -
We recommend that the following facilities (listed in order of priority) be replaced
or completely rehabilitated and modernized:
LJ
I"
LI New Public Safety Building
We recommend that a new Public Safety
House Block" across 5th Avenue from City
house the following functions:
Police Department
Fire Station 1
Fire Department Administration
Building be constructed on the "Blue
Hall. (Group 4 report Strategy IIIb) to
EOC
Joint Fire and Police Dispatch
The City will need to acquire and demolish one private property and demolish
Fire Station 1 and the Blue House for this project.
City Hall / Additional Parking
Construction of a new Public Safety Building as recommended above involves
complicating factors, such as:
■ Losing the building currently housing the Redevelopment Agency,
■ Moving the Police Department from City Hall and other leased space,
■ Losing a surface parking lot, etc.
Taken together the sum of those factors advance the need to seismically
upgrade and renovate the City Hall building and construct additional parking as
suggested in the Group 4 report.
These two measures are accorded
the greatest good for the greatest
Safety Building, City Hall upgrades
largest single cost undertaking.
New Fire Station # 2
the highest priority in part because they do
number of people. Together, a new Public
and additional parking also represent the
Due to its age, condition, and lack of space, we recommend that Fire Station 2
be demolished and rebuilt on the existing site.
We acknowledge that incorporating the department's training center on the
existing site poses additional challenges. We encourage the Council to explore
the possibility of acquiring additional adjacent land such as what is now the San
Rafael School District's corporation yard, or to consider alternate sites for the
training facility.
i A separate facility might be located near the Public Works Department, for
instance, and should include many of the department's maintenance operations.
The costs for structural and other improvements to the training facilities at Station
# 2 are included in the Group 4 study, but costs for a separate training and
maintenance facility are not.
Fire Stations # 4, S, and 7
All three of these stations require expansion, seismic reinforcement and
modernization. All three should stay in their current locations. The Department
has a goal of being able to house any two out the three possible service units
(truck, engine, or ambulance) at any station. The size of the apparatus bays,
therefore, (all are smaller than the benchmark of Station 6 that was used in
Group 4's analysis) may determine whether these stations need to be partially or
completely rebuilt.
Fire Station # 6
Station 6 is of recent construction but needs to have decontamination facilities,
improved storage and minor seismic upgrades.
Community Centers
We recommend that the San Rafael Community Center on "B" Street be given
seismic and life safety upgrades, but that the Terra Linda facility receive either
jj major renovation or replacement. We note that the proximity of the Terra Linda
Community Center to Fire Station # 6 should afford the Fire Department
I'!
convenient use of that facility for some training or other functions and will afford
the Community Center the advantage of immediate access to the firefighters and
paramedics should that center be needed for either mass casualty or shelter
missions in a disaster.
Library -
After considerable discussion and debate, the committee finds that the issue of
what to do about the San Rafael Downtown Library is significantly different in
character from the other facilities encompassed in our work. All the other facilities
have public safety as either their sole purpose or in the case of the community
centers, play a role in the event of a major disaster. The library does not, and we
find it impossible to weigh its needs against those of public safety.
Having said that, we wish to acknowledge the importance of the library to the City
of San Rafael, indeed to many members of this committee. We believe that the
library has its own constituency and community of experts. We recommend that
the question of what to do about the library be addressed by a body selected for
that purpose.
IComprehensive Plan -
We recommend that the Council direct that a comprehensive plan be prepared to
achieve these objectives over a specified timeframe, and that the resulting plan
be adopted as a stated goal.
VILA Facilities Funding —
As previously discussed, we find no solution that would address both the City's
operational needs and the capital needs for critical facilities replacement in a
single ballot measure. We are therefore recommending that the Council address
operational needs first.
Our first recommendation is that the Council place on the November, 2005 a
measure aimed at creating a one half cent transaction and use tax (projected
revenue of $4.6 million annually), and that those funds first be applied to covering
the projected deficit to prevent further service degradation.
If successful, this measure would cover the projected $3.1 million annual
operating deficit leaving a "surplus" of approximately $1.5 million annually. That
"surplus" would be insufficient to fund the substantial cost of critical facilities
infrastructure needs.
The amount of detailed study and planning needed for the critical facilities
replacements outlined above is significant and time consuming, even before the
first shovel of dirt is turned. We recommend that the Council begin the study and
planning process for the first steps in a comprehensive critical facilities plan as
soon as practical, following shoring up service levels, so that the first phase of
that plan can be put into motion as expeditiously as possible once funding is
secured.
At the earliest practical time, and based on more specific plans and cost
estimates, the Council should undertake a long term funding program through a
parcel tax backed bond issue. Bonds should be issued and projects funded in the
priority order presented above.
The remaining question then is how to best apply the potential "surplus" from a
successful half cent transaction and use tax. On that question we offer the
council two alternatives, along with their potential benefits, and our thoughts.
The first choice is to apply any and all new revenue, above and beyond what is
strictly needed to cover current deficits, to attacking on a one -by -one basis those
critical facilities needs that can be accomplished with the available funds on an
ongoing basis. Under this scenario, it should be possible to perform seismic
retrofits for fire stations # 4, 5, and 7, and to provide emergency generators in
many cases. The objective would be to accomplish as much facilities operational
security as possible with the available funds every year on an ongoing basis until
the entire remaining critical facilities replacement program can be funded and
completed. This option has the advantage of addressing some critical facilities
problems reasonably quickly. The downside is that they would be problems
considered lower in priority.
The second possible alternative for the use of a potential "surplus" is to apply
some of those funds to an highly accelerated critical facilities replacement
planning process, apply anything remaining to restoring services already cut, with
the objective of arriving at a completed planning process and bond issue date
earlier than might otherwise be possible. This approach might well get the City to
a fully developed plan for all critical facilities needs and to a bond issue, faster
than might otherwise be possible, but there would be no short term resolution of
any significant critical facilities problems.
The weight of the committee support falls behind the first choice, but both are
presented because both have merit.
Other Measures -
We note that studies place San Rafael's tax rates below those of comparable
cities in several areas. We recommend that the Council adopt a strategy to
increase the City's tax structure to be on par with comparable cities.
We note that over a significant period of time the City has not funded capital
replacement reserves, and has not regularly and systematically invested in
keeping facilities up to date. As noted previously, this is a long established
situation and does not originate with this Council.
We recommend that this Council adopt a policy directly aimed at preventing that
oversight in the future and ensuring that facilities are systematically upgraded to
meet operational needs. To further that objective, we suggest the Council
consider establishing a permanent citizen's advisory committee to help evaluate
and prioritize departmental needs and requests for funds.
Note: Regarding the Dollar Amounts Presented in This Report—
The
eport—
The Critical Facilities Committee did not perform independent analysis of the
City's budget, nor of the projected potential revenue from revenue measures, nor
of the projected costs of the capital replacement projects presented. The figures
cited herein were taken from projections provided to us by staff, consultants, and
the Group 4 Architects reports.
!+ We caution that these figures are only estimates based on the information
available at the time this report was prepared. In the case of the costs taken from
the Group 4 report, those were preliminary conceptual budget estimates at the
time the Group 4 report was prepared. At the date of this report, those estimates
are nearly two years old.
Our message is this: the actual figures may vary considerably from those we
have used. The Council is urged to make its own analysis of each element before
taking action.
Acknowledgements —
The committee wished to acknowledge the support of Mayor Boro, the entire City
Council, Rod Gould, Richard Landis, Ken Nordoff, Bruce Martin, John
Rohrbacher, Nancy Mackle, David Dodd, Carlene McCart, Kay Naguchi, Larry
Tramutola, Group 4 Architects, and the San Rafael firefighters and police officers
who helped us understand the complexities of the City and its needs.
San Rafael Critical Facilities Committee Members
I
Lionel Ashcroft
Bill Ballas
Kate Colin
Jack Devlin
Marie Fisher
Gladys Gilliland
Larry Luckharn
Charles Pick
Rob Ward
Pat Webb
Alex Vollmer
Iraj ZoInasr
I
Attachments
I
1
Attachment 1
San Rafael Critical Facilities Committee
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Given a $25 million budget for critical facilities I would recommend
allocating the entire sum to building a new public safety facility on the
Blue House site.
PROS
• Doing so provides the "greatest good for the greatest number of
people" in that it addresses both police and fire department
critical needs while also freeing up space for city administrative
uses.
• Such a project would be more easily "package able" for
presentation to the voting public than an assortment of
remedies spread over a number of facilities.
• A new public safety facility would clearly be visible and tangible
to the public where seismic upgrades to an assortment of
facilities provides a lesser degree of satisfaction of "getting
something for the money."
• Although not directed at the operating costs question, a new
public safety facility would, at a minimum, relieve the city of the
burden of rent for overflowing police and fire personnel.
• A new public safety building would also provide a more secure
and fully functional Emergency Operations Center for the city.
CONS
o This approach puts all the apples in one basket and does
nothing for the many other fire stations and their personnel.
o This approach may also be resented by the personnel at the
remaining stations.
Attachment 2
Below is the summary from the 11 members who participated in the Delphi exercise on January 11 th. Note: This was not a statistical study.
- The "top" column indicates
the number of people who indicated that the issue was a "top 3" issue.
- "Key" issues
are
the
10 issues that are key for the critical facilities.
- The "low" column indicates
the issues that were the lowest 3.
Top
Key
Low
7
9
0
Conditions for firefighters are unacceptable and depressing.
4
11
0
Police department doesn't fit in the current police station.
3
8
0
Conditions for police officers at the City Hall facility are obsolete, unacceptable, unsafe and unsanitary.
4
8
0
Lack of generators at almost all critical facilities including the community centers.
2
9
0
San Rafael needs to be able to attract, hire and retain top quality, dedicated public safety officers.
2
7
0
Library too small and crowded for a city our size.
1
8
0
Deferred maintenance cannot be deferred any longer.
3
8
0
Fire and police stations would be crippled by a large, local earthquake.
1
7
2
Emergency evacuation shelter plan is not to code and possibly not adequate in an emergency.
1
4
4
San Rafael deserves excellent libraries with excellent hours.
0
3
3
Police may no longer be pro -active due to budget cuts (drug abatement, traffic issues, etc.).
1
2
3
Community deserves better.
1
4
4
Library needs to be updated.
0
8
0
Police and fire officers will not be able to respond in time of disaster.
0
4
6
Inadequate space for training firefighters.
0
0
8
Library does not serve the residents of San Rafael equally,