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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes 1996-07-01SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 1 IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL, MONDAY, JULY 1, 1996 AT 8:20 PM Regular Meeting: Present: San Rafael City Council Barbara Heller, Councilmember Cyr Miller, Councilmember Gary O. Phillips, Councilmember Absent: None Others Present: Rod Gould, City Manager Gary T. Ragghianti, City Attorney Jeanne M. Leoncini, City Clerk OPEN SESSION - 7:00 PM - COUNCIL CHAMBER Mayor Boro announced Closed Session items. CLOSED SESSION - 7:00 PM - CONFERENCE ROOM 201 Albert J. Boro, Mayor Paul M. Cohen, Councilmember 1. 0 Conference with Labor Negotiator Government Code Section 54957.6 Negotiators: Suzanne Golt/Daryl Chandler City Attorney Ragghianti announced no reportable action was taken. • Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9 (a): a. Robert F. Coleman, et al. v. The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority. (Request for City of San Rafael Participation as amicus party). City Attorney Ragghianti announced that the City Council unanimously approved participation as amicus party. b. Turner v. County of Butte, Court of Appeal for the Third Appellate District. (Request for City of San Rafael participation as amicus party). City Attorney Ragghianti announced that the City Council unanimously approved participation as amicus party. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS OF AN URGENCY NATURE: PM None 8:20 Mayor Boro announced that during a meeting earlier this evening the Council conducted interviews to fill a vacancy on the Planning Commission, and the Council unanimously voted to appoint Marilyn D. Williams as a member of the Planning Commission. The Council also conducted interviews to fill a vacancy on the Design Review Board, and reappointed Robert J. Huntsberry, Architect, as a member of the Design Review Board. CONSENT CALENDAR Councilmember Phillips moved and Councilmember Cohen seconded, to approve the following Consent Calendar items: ITEM RECOMMENDED ACTION 3. Acceptance of Statements of Disclosure Accepted Statements of for: (CC) - File 9-4-2 x 9-4-3 Disclosure. a. Cyr Miller, City Councilmember/ Redevelopment Agency Member b. Rod Gould, City Manager/Redevelopment Agency Executive Director SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 1 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 2 4. Call for Applications to Fill Unexpired Term a. Approved call for applications on the Planning Commission Due to Appointment to fill one (1) position on of Cyr Miller as City Councilmember - Term the San Rafael Planning to Expire end of June, 1999 (CC) Commission to expire the end - File 9-2-6 of June, 1999; b. Set deadline for receipt of applications Tuesday, July 23, 1996 at 12:00 Noon in the City Clerk's Office, Room 209, City Hall; and C. Set date for interviews of applicants at a Special Council meeting to be held on Monday, August 19, 1996, commencing at 6:00 PM, Conference Room 201, City Hall. 5. Resolution Adopting 1996-97 City RESOLUTION NO. 9630 - Budget (Fin) - File 8-5 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 1996 - JUNE 30, 1997 AND PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURE OF ALL SUMS SET FORTH IN SAID BUDGET (IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,351,045). 6. Resolution Authorizing the Signing of an RESOLUTION NO. 9631 - Agreement with the County of Marin for the RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE Provision of an Education Coordinator for the SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT MSLAJPA's Stormwater Pollution Prevention WITH THE COUNTY OF MARIN Program (MCSTOPPP) (PW) FOR THE PROVISION OF AN - File 4-4-6b EDUCATION COORDINATOR FOR THE MSLAJPA'S STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PROGRAM (MCSTOPPP). 7. Resolution Authorizing Appropriation Up to $1,000 RESOLUTION NO. 9632 - for the Preparation of Sketch Plans to Landscape RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING a Portion of Del Ganado Road, Terra Linda (PW) APPROPRIATION UP TO $1,000 FOR - File 9-3-40 THE PREPARATION OF SKETCH PLANS TO LANDSCAPE A PORTION OF DEL GANADO ROAD. 8. Resolution of Appreciation to Joyce Rifkind, RESOLUTION NO. 9633 - Retiring Planning Commissioner - 12 Years (P1) RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO - File 102 x 9-2-6 JOYCE RIFKIND, RETIRING PLANNING COMMISSIONER - 12 YEARS. 9. Approval of Temporary Street Closure of Fourth Approved staff recommendation. Street, Between "A" and "B" Streets, on Monday, July 29, 1996 From 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM to Celebrate Commencement of Construction of Rafael Theater (RA) - File 11-19 10. Resolution Directing City Manager to Take RESOLUTION NO. 9634 - Preliminary Actions Towards Agreements Providing RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE for Disposition of City Corporation Yard CITY MANAGER TO TAKE Property (RA) - File 12-4 x (SRRA) R-370 PRELIMINARY ACTIONS TOWARDS AGREEMENTS PROVIDING FOR DISPOSITION OF CITY CORPORATION YARD PROPERTY. 11. Renewal of Contract with Terra Linda Tow RESOLUTION NO. 9635 - for Towing of Abandoned Vehicles (current RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE contract from 7/1/95 through 6/30/96) (PD) SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT WITH - File 4-3-274 TERRA LINDA TOWING TO TOW ABANDONED VEHICLES FROM JULY 1, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997. 12. Resolution Authorizing Execution of an Agreement with Leland H. Jordan, Attorney, as the City's Special Counsel In Connection With the Development Approval Process For the Dominican College Development Project (CA) - File 4-3-310 x 9-3-16 RESOLUTION NO. 9636 - RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH LELAND H. JORDAN, ATTORNEY, AS THE CITY'S SPECIAL COUNSEL IN SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 2 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 3 CONNECTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THE DOMINICAN COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. AYES: COUNCIL ERS: Cohen, Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCIL ERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL ERS: None The following Consent Calendar item was removed for further discussion: 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, JUNE 3, 1996, SPECIAL MEETING OF MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1996, REGULAR MEETING OF MONDAY, JUNE 17, 1996, AND SPECIAL MEETING OF THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 1996 (CC) Councilmember Miller announced he was abstaining from this item, as he had not yet been appointed as City Councilmember. Councilmember Phillips moved and Councilmember Cohen seconded, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting of Monday, June 3, 1996, Special Meeting of Monday, June 10, 1996, Regular Meeting of Monday, June 17, 1996, and Special Meeting of Thursday, June 20, 1996. AYES: COUNCIL ERS: Cohen, Heller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCIL ERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL ERS: None ABSTAINING: COUNCIL ERS: Miller (as he had not yet been appointed as City Councilmember). SPECIAL PRESENTATION: 13. PRESENTATION OF RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO JOYCE RIFKIND, RETIRING PLANNING COMMISSIONER - 12 YEARS (P1) - File 102 x 9-2-6 Mayor Boro announced Joyce Rifkind was unable to be present this evening to receive a Resolution of Appreciation honoring her retirement after twelve years on the Planning Commission. Mayor Boro stated he will present the Resolution of Appreciation to Ms. Rifkind at the City Council meeting on August 5, 1996. MONTHLY REPORTS: 14. CITY WORK PLAN REVIEW (CM) - File 237 Assistant City Manager Golt presented the Work Plan Review, a monthly report which shows the status of the progress being achieved on the various objectives that were developed during the Management Team retreat held in January, and noted she was providing a brief summary of those objectives that have some sort of change, in order to highlight them for the Council's review. Referring to Item #2E, establishing computer or data processing priorities, Ms. Golt stated she was recommending a revised target completion date of December, 1996 in order to allow staff the time to meet with City Manager Rod Gould and to develop a more comprehensive and uniform approach to bring to the Council for further consideration. She noted Item #3A, the designation of an Economic Development Coordinator, was completed in mid-June; Item #3D, the identification of traffic strategies to fund and build traffic capacity to support economic development, is a particular objective she feels needs to be reviewed, with consideration to changing the completion date; Item #3E, policy revisions to reduce regulatory constraints and improve traffic capacity, is connected to Item #3D and should also have a revised completion date. Ms. Golt reported Item #4C, the Terra Linda Vision process, has been completed, and has now been outlined for the Council; Item #4D, to develop a work plan for the East San Rafael Neighborhood Plan, will require a revised completion date. Referring to Item #5C, to seek an agreement with St. Vincent de Paul on how their facility will be operated and how a new location will be identified, Ms. Golt stated Mayor Boro and Councilmember Cohen have been attending mediation meetings with representatives from St. Vincent, which are still ongoing; Item #5D, the development of a graffiti plan, will be presented to the Council in mid-August, SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 3 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 4 noting the final meeting needed to develop the overall plan will be held on July 8th. Mayor Boro referred to Item #4D, and Ms. Golt stated this item needed a revised completion date, noting it is now pending review with the City Manager, and several departments are involved in this item. She asked Planning Director Pendoley to suggest a revised completion date, and Mr. Pendoley suggested September 1, 1996. City Manager Gould stated he felt it was very important for the City Council to hold a team building study session with the City Manager and staff to discuss important goals and objectives, and noted this item was one that should be on that list, in order to develop more coherent strategy regarding the Canal Neighborhood. He stated he is working on arranging such a half-day session, and felt it would be appropriate to set a new completion date for this item after that meeting. Assistant City Manager Golt referred to Item #3D, which is to identify strategies to fund and build traffic capacity, and noted this item probably relates more to Public Works than any other department. Public Works Director Bernardi stated this is an issue that will require a number of policy decisions by the Council relating to the timing of the development. He stated he and Planning Director Pendoley have spent a lot of time talking about this, and he felt this issue was a candidate for further discussion in a study session, as it will be a significant change in the way we do things, and we need to take the time to do it right. Mr. Gould stated he had been discussing an idea with Finance Director Coleman about doing a mini revenue study, with the Council's concurrence, to look at the ways for infrastructure maintenance and development, especially those tied to new development in the City, and bring those recommendations to the Council in a study session sometime within the next 90 days. Mr. Gould stated that as he refines that idea and gives it more substance, he would like to bring that forward for Council consideration. Mayor Boro stated he felt it made sense to pend Items #3D and #3E until after the study session. Mayor Boro referred to Item #2E, noting City Manager Gould will be reviewing the recommendations from the Budget Oversight Committee, and felt it might be worthwhile for him to discuss this item with each of the Councilmembers to understand their perceptions of this issue. Mayor Boro stated they all understand the need for upgrading our technology; however, we need to make sure we have a destination point once we set sail, stating we want to get there, but we want to know where we are going before we launch this boat. Councilmember Cohen referred to Item #4E, concerning the Freitas Advisory Committee, stating the completion date is listed as July 15th, but since there is no scheduled meeting for the Committee, he did not feel that date was realistic. He stated the work of this Committee had been held up because of all the work involved in getting through the North San Rafael Traffic Model, noting the Traffic Model had taken longer than anticipated. Mr. Cohen stated the Committee is very concerned about coming back with a buildable, affordable alternative, and he does not want the Committee to be concerned with rushing to meet a deadline that is relatively arbitrary. He asked that the completion date be left open until he has a chance to meet with staff and see where we are with the consultant. He stated one of the problems will be scheduling the committee meetings, noting it will be difficult during the summer. Mr. Bernardi stated there has also been renewed interest in one of the rejected alternatives, which is now resurfacing as a result of CalTrans' re -review of that alternative, noting they are again looking at the first alternative they discussed a year ago. City Manager Gould referred to Item #5F, regarding Community Policing. Mayor Boro stated the City has not yet funded any additional activities for community policing in this year's budget, outside of the continuation of the foot patrol, which has been done through the Parking District. He stated he knew Mr. Gould had thoughts on how we might approach community policing, and assumed that if something came to light over the next couple of months, Mr. Gould would not necessarily be bound by the budget, as far as bringing recommendations to the Council, noting this is something that is important, and something the Council wants to pursue. Mr. Gould stated he firmly believed this was not necessarily a budgetary issue, it is an approach and a philosophy, and he would hate to see this issue tabled until next year's budget hearings. He stated that, pending the results of the retreat, if the Council is still interested in community policing, then he will be working with Chief Krolak and the Police Officers' Association to develop a proposal. Mayor Boro thanked Ms. Golt for her report, stating he felt it was very worthwhile to the Council. SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 4 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 5 15. DEPARTMENT REPORT - PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT (Per) - File 237 x 7-7 Personnel Director Daryl Chandler stated the City of San Rafael, through an Ordinance, has established a Civil Service System, in which the Personnel Department plays a key role in administering. He reported that within that system, the City has over 120 job classifications, 378 positions being tracked through the Position Control System, and from 100 to 200 additional part-time employees who are seasonal, primarily in the Recreation Department. Mr. Chandler stated that in providing services to the various departments, the Personnel Department is a support function, noting his report includes the identification of key areas for which the Personnel Department has some responsibility, as well as a detailed outline of all of the areas his department may be involved in from time to time. Mr. Chandler reported the Personnel Department consists of two and one-half positions, a Personnel Director, Personnel Technician, and a half-time Typist/Clerk. He noted the Volunteer Program Manager is also currently assigned to the Personnel Department. He stated that as a part of the current labor negotiations his department did extensive total compensation surveys, and as a part of that, each of the ten cities surveyed was asked how many full-time positions they have, and how many people they had in their Personnel Departments. He noted it was interesting to discover it really varies from city to city, from a low of one personnel person for sixty employees up to one for every 118 employees. Mr. Chandler reported that here in the City of San Rafael we have one Personnel Department staff for every 151 employees, and noted that without the dedication of the staff he has working with him, they would not be able to accomplish the things they are able to do. Mr. Chandler reported Linda Avanzino joined the department in January, 1995 as a half-time Typist/Clerk, and has a large responsibility for the record keeping, data entry into the Personnel Data System, and as a back-up in dealing with clients, primarily applicants. Mr. Chandler pointed out that a year and a half ago the Personnel Data System did not have any of the employee records entered into the system, and Linda has now entered all of the personnel records into the system, and has also developed a "how to" manual, so if she is not available and the information needs to be accessed, all they have to do is use her manual and follow through step by step, noting this has been very beneficial to him and Phyllis. Mr. Chandler stated Linda has also been responsible for purging their records. Mr. Chandler stated that as Personnel Director he has been working for the City since June, 1987, and is now beginning his tenth year. He noted his report lists a number of other titles that might apply to him, such as Affirmative Action Officer, Coordinator for the Employee Assistance Program, Complaint Counselor for Harassment Complaint Procedures, Representative for the City to the Sonoma/Marin Training Consortium, and Designated Employer/Employee Relations Officer for labor negotiations. He stated he has multiple titles and involvement in different tasks, which he noted goes a long way to helping the time go by so fast and being so enjoyable. Mr. Chandler reported Lynn Emrich began working for the City in January of this year when Council approved the establishment of a Citywide Volunteer Program, and noted that in the first five and a half months that the program has been up and running, we should all be proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the way of a draft handbook, a number of volunteer placements within the City, and a very big and successful clean-up in San Rafael, which Lynn coordinated. Mr. Chandler stated it is expected that this will continue in terms of her accomplishments. Mr. Chandler stated that Phyllis Huffman is the Personnel Technician for the City, who has been working for the City since January, 1985, and has been in her present position since November, 1994. He noted her primary duties relate to recruitment and selection, dealing with the applicants, and she is also the secretary for the office. He stated Ms. Huffman is one of the most knowledgeable people working for the City on the Position Control System and our relationship with the different functions BRC is able to provide. He noted that from his perspective, she is one of the more knowledgeable personal computer users, and is a resource in that area for other departments, as well. Mr. Chandler stated a week and a half ago Ms. Huffman was offered a similar position with the City of Petaluma, within two miles of her home, but chose to stay with the City of San Rafael. He noted he felt very fortunate that she had made the decision to stay, and thought the other City departments felt the same way. SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 5 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 6 Mr. Chandler noted his report provided an overview of the major Personnel Department functions, and using the funding information for the current fiscal year of 1996/97, the total budget approved the Council is $212,564. He stated of particular note is a time study to determine where most of staff's time is being spent, and noted the chart shows recruitment and selection take up the largest portion of time at 23%, with Information System/Records and Labor Relations being the two next highest areas. Mr. Chandler stated he applied the percentages from this chart to the total budget for the department, noting the breakdown shows how the budget spreads out based on the work requirements from last year. He noted that if he were to study the last six or eight weeks, at least 85% of his time would have been spent on Labor Relations. Mr. Chandler referred to the Recruitment and Selection Process, and noted that in a Civil Service System, all job opportunities must be advertised, and then there is an examination process, noting the City usually purchases or rents the written examinations, or the Personnel Department develops them in-house, in cooperation with a representative from the department for which they are recruiting. He stated those examinations measure skill, knowledge, abilities, and aptitude, and the narrative describes how these tests might differ from job to job. Mr. Chandler noted the statistics show that since 1990 they have done 143 recruitments, averaging 26 recruitments per year, noting most of the recruitments have been related to the Police Department, with the Public Works Department being the next larger department. Mr. Chandler reported the fairly large "Miscellaneous" category on the chart represents those job classes that might overlap from one department to another, primarily clerical and secretarial positions, where it is particularly difficult to pinpoint the department, and noted that once the eligibility list has been established, it could be used to fill multiple vacancies regardless of the department. Mr. Chandler stated the turnover rate and the growth of the City are two factors in the extent of the recruitment the City is doing from year to year. The most significant thing to point out is that the turnover rate has decreased considerably since last year, due in part to a lower turnover rate in the Police Department, as well as other departments. He reported we are currently down to just two vacancies in the Police Officer classification, and hope to fill those positions soon. Mr. Chandler referred to Classification and Compensation, noting that although they have not spent a lot of time on this subject in the past, there are a lot of things his department might do, such as individual desk audits of specific positions, and overseeing occupational studies that they might contract with outside providers to conduct. He stated that in the last year the City has seen an increase in the number of individual job classifications, which he felt might have something to do with the fact that the last occupational studies had been conducted in 1986 and 1988. He noted that since that time there has been reorganization and restructure within some of the departments, particularly with the Public Works Department working with fewer people, and those who have remained assuming additional duties. He stated this was thought to have had some impact on their job classifications, so individual studies have been completed. He stated salary surveys and total compensation surveys have been conducted, noting he has been heavily involved in this during the last six months because of the City's labor negotiations. Mr. Chandler stated the Employer/Employee Relations category primarily emphasizes the flow of the information of the Meyers -Milias -Brown Act, which establishes labor relations in the State of California in the Public Sector. He noted the City, as a Public Employer, is allowed to establish some of our own rules, which we have done through an Employer/Employee Relations Resolution. He reported the City also has comprehensive MOU's for our bargaining units, and stated it was important to note that our bargaining unit numbers have increased over the past years, noting we now have seven bargaining units and one unrepresented group. Mr. Chandler stated the City is currently negotiating with all the bargaining units, with the exception of the Child Care unit, whose contract does not expire until next year. Mr. Chandler stated the City offers a full range of benefits for its classified employees, such as paid leaves and health, life and disability insurance programs. The Personnel Department enrolls all the new employees into these programs, deals with Change Actions on these programs for the employees, and responds to any number of employee questions that come in. Mr. Chandler stated the Council was aware that they have been aggressively looking at the City's health and dental insurance plans in an attempt to maintain current benefit SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 6 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 7 levels, but also trying to see if we can save some money on the premium costs. He stated he fully expects that during the next three to five months his department will be coming before the Council with available options. He stated that through Colonial Life Insurance the City offers a 125 Plan, which allows the employee to pre-tax dollars for dependent care and health insurance premiums. Referring to Personnel Information Systems, Mr. Chandler reported his department has grouped together both the hard copy and computer systems, and BRC has a Personnel Data System containing historical data on employees, which Linda updates as changes are made. Referring to the Position Control System, Mr. Chandler noted they are still trying to learn its capabilities, but already know they can generate statistical reports on employees, and can project increases in employee costs based upon assumptions of percentage increases. He reported this system had been used for the EEO -4 Reports, which are done on an annual basis. Mr. Chandler stated one thing he has always wanted was an Applicant Tracking System, which can be purchased from private providers for up to $30,000. He noted that while this was not possible, they have found a friend of Ms. Emrich's, who is a programmer for a private company and has volunteered to work with his department in developing a system that will, hopefully, do many of the same things. Mr. Chandler stated he hopes this will be developing over the next couple of months. Referring to Employee Training, Mr. Chandler stated most of the departments have their own training budgets, but in terms of the Employee Assistance Program, the quarterly workshops that occur, and the Sonoma/Marin Training Consortium, the Personnel Department oversees what classes might be offered, the timing of the classes, and the scheduling of individuals. Mr. Chandler stated he hopes to expand by doing more of the brown bag lunches for employees, noting they have had contact with a number of private firms and individuals who would be willing to do that for free, and he is hoping to be able to develop a schedule whereby they could offer a class at least once a month. Mr. Chandler reported the Volunteer Program has been assigned to the Personnel Department, noting it was initially assigned to his department on an interim basis. He stated we must thank the community for the accomplishments in this program, thank Lynn Emrich, and the members of the Advisory Committee, which includes Councilmember Heller, Councilmember Miller, Tom Obletz, Dennie Dyer, and Carol Dillon. Mr. Chandler stated that although they have accomplished a lot, he acknowledged that expectations are very high for this program to coordinate and provide information to the Council on overall volunteerism within the City of San Rafael. He stated the Police Department, Library, and Recreation Department already have very successful programs, and they will try to coordinate the reporting of that, as well as to develop additional placements within the City. Referring to future projections, Mr. Chandler stated he felt there had been both outside and internal influences on the workload within the Personnel Department, noting external factors primarily relate to mandated programs related to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Family Medical Leave Act, the Department of Transportation's Drug & Alcohol testing requirements, and to some degree, escalating costs of premiums. He stated there were many internal factors, although the intense labor negotiations that were experienced in past years seem to have changed this time, and everyone is encouraged and thankful for that, from Management's perspective to the Employee Groups. He stated other internal factors include an increase in numbers, pointing out we have more Labor Represented Groups now than we did years ago, and noting when he came to the City nine years ago there were three such groups, now there are seven. He reported additional internal factors are new programs, such as the Volunteer Program, and the Position Control System. Mayor Boro introduced Phyllis Huffman, stating Mr. Chandler had informed the Council that she had turned down a convenient employment opportunity and will continue to work for the City of San Rafael, noting he appreciated her decision very much. Councilmember Heller noted Mr. Chandler had stated the job classifications had to be redone to comply with the ADA requirements, and asked what was involved in that? Mr. Chandler reported the essential functions of a job must be specifically identified, as opposed to "other duties as assigned". He explained that if the employer is looking to accommodate an individual who might qualify under ADA, the law establishes that the person, even with their SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 7 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 8 disability, would still have to be able to perform the essential functions. Therefore, from a list of perhaps fifteen or twenty job duties listed on a job specification, they must identify those that are essential to that particular job, by asking what the job exists for. He stated that in doing this, they would sit down with the supervisors and department heads, and quite possibly some of the employees who are in the job classes, review the current job specifications, establish which duties are essential functions, and then rewrite the job specifications in the proper format. Mr. Chandler made clear that they are not changing job classifications, and noted they had tried to be very specific with the employees and the supervisors that this was not a classification study, it is really just a reorganization of the job description itself. Councilmember Heller noted that in describing the external factors that increased the department's workload, all of those factors are Federal mandates. Mr. Chandler stated California has also passed a Family Medical Leave Act, but the Federal and State acts have recently been combined, so they are only dealing with one document instead of two. Ms. Heller pointed out that Lynn Emrich is doing a very good job coordinating the Volunteer Program, noting she only works half-time. Ms. Heller stated she was looking forward to a quarterly grouping of all of the volunteer hours, noting it needed to be stressed that this will be done through the cooperation of the other departments, because they simply need to give Ms. Emrich the information so that she can compile it for the Council. Mr. Chandler stated his department is already receiving statistics from the Police Department, and hope to develop the information from the other departments. He noted Ms. Emrich is aware of Council's request, and is currently working on this. Councilmember Cohen thanked Mr. Chandler for a very comprehensive report, stating it really does help, and pointing out that this is what the Council was trying to get to when the monthly department reports were begun, to just sit down and let the Council get a better understanding of what each of the departments goes through doing all of the work the Council throws at them. He stated he appreciated the approach Mr. Chandler had taken in laying out the areas of responsibility, what he sees coming up in the future, and goals for the upcoming year. Mr. Cohen referred to the internal factors affecting the department's workload, and noted Mr. Chandler had not included all of the support his department has provided to the Council in the recruitment process for the City Manager position. Mr. Cohen noted that although they had hired a consultant to do the actual recruiting, he wanted to stress that Mr. Chandler's work was really fundamental to the Council being able to come forward with recommendations as to how to proceed, and then taking them through the steps, noting the committee work he and Mayor Boro did could not have been done without Mr. Chandler's help, and he really appreciated and thanked him for all his work. Councilmember Miller stated he and the community thanked Mr. Chandler for temporarily hosting the Volunteer Program, noting it has been marvelous to know this program is in place, and that it is situated in the City and we are able to move forward. He stated that without Mr. Chandler hosting it, the program could never have taken off in such a nice, institutionalized basis as it did, and he expressed his appreciation to Mr. Chandler. Councilmember Phillips referred to the 3% turnover ratio, and asked how that compared to what other cities are experiencing? Mr. Chandler stated that during the last negotiations they had done a study on vacancy rates in some of the other agencies, but did not recall offhand what the totals were, although he offered to research this for Mr. Phillips. Mr. Chandler stated he believed if a city's turnover rate is less than 7% or 8%, they are doing very well, and noting that when looking at it strictly from the percentages, you also have to find out why people are leaving, pointing out that a lot of our turnover rate is due to retirements, and that we have a lot of people who stay with the City for a very long time, which he felt was a very good statement about the City of San Rafael's employment. Mr. Phillips stated he wanted to include his thanks to Mr. Chandler, noting he has always found him to be very cooperative, almost volunteering even more than is sometimes asked for. Mr. Phillips stated he liked that a lot, and he liked Mr. Chandler's attitude, and thanked him for all of his efforts. Mayor Boro stated he recalled that at one time there was to be an Affirmative Action Program with goals and objectives, stating he had lost track of what had been done about that issue. Mr. Chandler stated the Affirmative Action Plan had SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 8 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 9 been revised and updated with current 1990 census information in 1994, and noted that although they have not come forward with additional statistics to see where the City might be with that, they do update the statistical portion of the Plan on an annual basis. Mayor Boro stated it might be helpful for the Council to see the Plan, to see how the City tracks against objectives and how promotional opportunities come out, and to raise their level of attention to this issue. Mayor Boro noted the City has been desperately trying to fill the slots in the Police Department, and seem almost to be to the point where we will be at full compliment; however, he stated it seemed to him that as we go forward and have the luxury to perhaps recruit without the crisis mode that we have been in, it would almost be imperative that the City try to find officers who can speak a second language, particularly Spanish. Mayor Boro stated he felt this would be helpful for the City, because a good percentage of our population speaks Spanish. He acknowledged that a good number of the officers are taking volunteer training, and agreed this would help. Mayor Boro stated now that the City was not under pressure to fill vacancies, and if our salaries are competitive, then perhaps Mr. Chandler could come back to the Council and discuss making this issue not a hard requirement, but certainly something the City would like to have, stating he believed that in the long run the City would be better served. Mr. Chandler stated his department has received a lot of help from the Police Department and their going out to the various academies to promote opportunities with the City of San Rafael. Mr. Chandler stated he would concur, and as the City's salaries become more competitive, as he believes they will during the next year or two, we will have a better opportunity to recruit candidates who are already Police Officers in other jurisdictions, and who already have those skills, noting that will be our next target group. Mayor Boro thanked Mr. Chandler and Ms. Huffman, noting they do a great job for the City of San Rafael. PUBLIC HEARING: 16. PUBLIC HEARING - INTENTION TO CLOSE, ABANDON AND VACATE A STORM DRAIN PIPE ON THE LANDS OF ANDREAZZI, APN: 012-162-15; ANGELONE & ELLIOTT, APN: 012-162-09; ALLAN, APN: 012-162-10; AND MONTELEONE, APN 012-162-11 OF THE KNOLL TERRACE SUBDIVISION (PW) - File 2-12 Mayor Boro declared the Public Hearing opened, and asked for the staff report. Public Works Director Bernardi stated this was the final step in the abandonment of a pipe that was installed by property owners and utilized by the City as part of its storm drainage system. He reported the pipe collapsed last year and was beyond repair, and the Council authorized a project by which a new drainage system was constructed in the street, and abandoned the pipe that was in place. Mr. Bernardi stated the action now before the Council was to formally abandon any rights the City might have on the pipe, noting that by taking this action the City no longer has any liability or responsibility for the abandoned pipe. Councilmember Phillips asked for clarification of the word "vacation" as used in the report, and Mr. Bernardi responded this was a legal term which meant the City abandoned, or vacated, any interest we have in the pipe. City Attorney Ragghianti stated this was simply stating the City relinquished any legal interest that the Public Agency has in the pipe. Mayor Boro asked if anyone in the audience wished to address this item, and there was no one who wished to speak. There being no public comment, Mayor Boro closed the Public Hearing. Councilmember Phillips moved and Councilmember Heller seconded, to adopt a Resolution ordering the closing, abandoning and vacation of a certain drainage pipe on Clorinda Avenue. RESOLUTION NO. 9637 -RESOLUTION ORDERING THE CLOSING, ABANDONING AND VACATING OF A CERTAIN DRAINAGE PIPE ON THE LANDS OF ANDREAZZI, AP #012-162-15; ANGELONE & ELLIOTT, AP #012-162-09; ALLAN, AP #012-162-10; AND MONTELEONE, AP #012-162-11 OF THE SUBDIVISION ENTITLED "KNOLL TERRACE" AS SHOWN ON THE MAP OF "KNOLL TERRACE" SAN RAFAEL, MARIN COUNTY RECORDED AT PAGE 16 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 9 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 10 OF BOOK 12, MARIN COUNTY RECORDS. AYES: COUNCIL ERS: Cohen, Heller, Miller, Phillips & Mayor Boro NOES: COUNCIL ERS: None ABSENT: COUNCIL ERS: None 17. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS: a. CONGESTION MANAGEMENT MEETING - File 191 Councilmember Heller stated she attended a Congestion Management meeting last week, and reported they will be purchasing eight mountain bikes, offering two to San Rafael, two to Novato, two to the County, and two or three more that any other Police Department may ask for. She also reported there is a group called Citizens for Transit, who are questioning the City's "at grade" crossing at Andersen Drive, and are attempting to have this issue placed on the Congestion Management agenda, noting they would like to hear more about this from Mayor Boro. b. ST. VINCENT'S DINING ROOM - File 9-2-49 Mayor Boro stated an agreement has been reached in which St. Vincent's assumes responsibility for the actions of its clients when they are outside the dining room, and have adopted a Code of Conduct. Violations of the Code of Conduct will have consequences up to and including the potential loss of dining privileges. An Oversight Committee to monitor the on-going operation of the dining room is being established and includes neighboring merchants to help identify and resolve any problems. The City will take the lead in assembling a list of potential alternative sites for the relocation of the dining room. C. FIRE FLOW COMMITTEE - File 151 x 9-3-31 Mayor Boro stated he attended a meeting of the Fire Flow Committee, and they reported on the findings of a random survey of 600 registered voters served by Marin Municipal Water District, which shows the biggest concern is the issue of equity and how the money will be spent. He noted San Rafael and Mill Valley will have more money spent proportionately than most of the other cities, and the question was whether the taxpayers in those cities should pay more. Mayor Boro reported several of those attending the meeting noted that fire knows no boundaries, and this should be looked at as a global issue. Mayor Boro reported 63% of all respondents felt that way as well, that all homeowners should pay equally. He noted 75% of the respondents regard fire flow as a medium to high priority, and out of those respondents 42% urgent, and 33% a real problem, while only 13% felt the current system is adequate. Mayor Boro stated a committee is being put together to run a campaign, and invited the Councilmembers to get involved, noting the committee will be going to the other City Councils in the County. Mayor Boro stated this will be an advisory measure on the ballot, and if there is a majority vote, the Marin Municipal Water District will adopt the program and implement it, and noted the billing would be on the tax bills. There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 PM. SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 10 SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 11 JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk APPROVED THIS DAY OF 1996 MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL SRCC MINUTES (Regular) 7/1/96 Page 11