CLEARLAKE ? One position that was up for elimination was spared in the Fiscal Year 2009-10 budget that was adopted Thursday by the Clearlake City Council. The $6.29 million budget was passed on a 3-2 vote with Councilmembers Joyce Overton and Roy Simons casting dissenting votes.
The Park Maintenance I position avoided elimination while funding for two code enforcement positions, a building inspector and the police chief”s secretary was cut. Animal Control services also took a hit with the plan being to move the services in-house and eventually terminate the city”s contract with the county.
“There are no easy decisions this year,” City Administrator Dale Neiman said. “Our goal was to impact the most important services delivered to the public as little as possible.”
In order to spare the parks position staff recommended eliminating a part-time position within the department, inmate supplies, the purchase of truck and the purchase of crack seal for a savings of $50,346. Retaining the positions costs $41,493 for a calculated savings of $8,853 in the General Fund.
According to Neiman the city is looking at $1.2 million in revenue cuts from the state. He said the state will be taking $169,000 in property taxes; all the city”s gas taxes, which is $237,000 and $830,000 from the Redevelopment Agency. He recommended that the city consider participating in legal action that many cities he said are initiating upon.
“A number of law suits are starting to be filed against the state and we recommend that we take part in that if there is no cost to us,” Neiman said, adding that he doesn”t believe participation will present financial burden.
All members of the council expressed opposition to budget as presented during the July 9 meeting, particularly in regard to eliminating code enforcement officers and reorganizing the department. “As I remember at the last meeting all members of the council were adamant in keeping Janine Lowe and Lee Lambert (code enforcement officers),” Simons said, adding that he was opposed to the budget as presented.
The council was under pressure to pass a budget because according to Neiman, each month that the budget is not passed it decreases budget savings by approximately $33,000.”The fact is we are out of options. We are out of choices,” Vice Mayor Judy Thein said. “The cost of doing nothing is going to hurt us all.”
Reorganization of the Code Enforcement Department includes assigning one police officer to the field duties of the department and the Community Development Department will handle the paperwork. “Our goal is to maintain the same level of effectiveness,” Neiman said. “Police officers will do the field work, take pictures and do the evaluation and then take it to City Hall for processing.”
Neiman further reported that all building abatements will be handled by the building inspector and vehicle tows will fall upon the police department.
Overton again voiced her opinion against the plan. “I do not see where the police department can handle code enforcement or animal control,” she said. “I see a lot of overtime, which means we aren”t going to save any money.”
Police Chief Allan McClain said that animal control duties will not be assumed by police officers. Termination of the contract with the county amounts to a $100,720 savings, which McClain said will allow for the creation of a new position.
Clearlake citizen Rick Mayo said that the cost savings expected from bringing animal control services in-house is unrealistic, citing costs to purchase a vehicle and train personnel. He said renegotiating a contract with county should the need arise in the future will cost the city millions.
Neiman said that a draft agreement with animal control has been developed. The agreement proposes that animals will be transported to Lakeport, one position will be created and one position will be reclassified. The county will be paid for the cost of housing and euthanization to a maximum of $75,000. McClain said the plan is to deal with animal control issues that present immediate public safety concerns.
Although the council took action on the adoption of the budget, public hearing was continued to Aug. 13 to further discuss the plan for moving animal control in-house as well as the fee schedule for the coming year.
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11
