Next Tuesday's Council Meeting - Another Barn Burner!

BUSY TIME NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT
Just when you thought things might begin to ease off a little bit you get slapped in the face with an agenda for next Tuesday's Costa Mesa City Council meeting and you realize that there's still plenty of interesting stuff going on.

FULL AGENDA(S)
Next Tuesday, February 7, 2017, the Council will meet, first in a packed-agenda Closed Session beginning at 4:00 p.m., and later in another packed-agenda open session beginning in Council Chambers at 6:00 p.m.  You can read the agenda items HERE.

FIVE ITEMS IN CLOSED SESSION
The Closed Session has three litigation items, including the first one which involves sober living organizations, plus two labor negotiation issues.  I'm suspecting these items will take every bit of that two hours allocated for it.

ORDER OF MARCH
Following the call to order, announcements and Public Comments for items NOT on the agenda there will be the first segment of Council Comments - the segment restricts each council member to four (4) minutes.  There is additional time at the end of the meeting if any council member wishes to deliver an extended commentary.

THE WARRANT
The Consent Calendar is shorter than has been the case in the past.  Item #2, Warrant 2570, shows us how nearly $4 million of our tax dollars have been spent.  You can read the entire warrant HERE.  I'll scroll down through it and list a few items that caught my eye:
The first thing was a list of sixteen (16) checks that were reversed - voided because of mistakes.  That's very unusual, but worth noting. 
Others included:
Admin Sure Inc. - $42,215.01 - Wkrs Comp Admin Fee - Jan-Mar 17
Arthur Lawrence - $22,000.00 - Final Stmt (for what?)
National Auto Fleet Group - $125,956.77 - purchase of 3 vehicles
Replacement Benefit Fund - $55,948.32 - 2017 PERS Retirement Plan
Travel Costa Mesa - $151,265.42 - BIA Receipts for November, 2016
Management Partners Inc. - $10,446.25 - Consulting Svcs DS 12/1-12/15
Jones & Mayer - $52,680.24 - Legal Svcs, Yellowstone and Dadey

MEASURE X INVESTIGATIONS
Further on down the agenda Item #6, HERE, is especially interesting.  It's a resolution authorizing the City to access state and local summary criminal history information for licensing purposes and federal level criminal history information.  According to the staff report, as a result of Measure X, which authorizes certain types of Medical Marijuana businesses - but not sales - in a small section in the north part of town, we will be required to have all owners, managers and all employees of such businesses undergo a background check prior to a business being issued a Medical Marijuana Business Permit.  Here we go, with a whole new layer of administrative documentation being required.  Yikes!

EXTENSION OF MARIJUANA BAN
There is only one Public Hearing on the agenda, HERE.  This is an extension of the urgency ordinance adopted on January 3, 2017 and which would expire February 17, 2017 that prohibits ALL marijuana uses that are or will be authorized by Proposition 64.  The staff recommends extending this urgency ordinance for ten (10) months and fifteen (15) days.

APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONERS
Old Business #1, HERE, is the appointments of commissioners to the Senior, Parks and Recreation and Planning Commissions.  The staff report outlines the procedures and has a link to the files on the candidates plus one to the nomination forms to be used.  This will be interesting.

WIND SPEED ORDINANCE
Old Business #2, HERE, is the second reading of Wind Speed Ordinance.  This will take 30 seconds, flat.

ADIOS, COIN!  GOOD RIDDANCE!
New Business #1, HERE, was a surprise to me.  This one recommends dumping Steve Mensinger's bogus COIN Ordinance, sweeping more of the residue of his tenure on the City Council out the door.  If you read the staff report you'll understand why - the State has passed the CRONY law, which requires any city using COIN to follow a similar process for ALL contracts.  This was a bad idea from the start and it will be good to see it go.  As part of this process staff is being directed to develop a policy that endures transparency in the labor negotiation process. 

MERCURIO TAKES THE LOW ROAD
You may find it interesting to know that, when I posted an advance note about this item on Facebook, Julie Mercurio - she who dominates and controls the Costa Mesa Public Square and who was an appointee to the Parks and Recreation Commission last year to give her short candidacy for City Council a boost - posted this comment on that thread: "I truly don't believe all those that voted for Sandy Genis & John Stephens saw this coming.  They voted for a safer community more cops & fireman.  They didn't VOTE for us to be raped behind closed doors...."  We are VERY lucky this woman is no longer a public servant.

AMBULANCE TRANSPORTATION, REDUX
New Business #2, HERE, was another pleasant surprise.  This is the resurrection of the discussion of Ambulance Transportation within the City of Costa Mesa.  The staff report outlines the four steps recommended by Fire Chief Dan Stefano:

1. Receive the updated presentation on the status of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance transportation for the City of Costa Mesa.

2. Authorize and approve a part-time Emergency Medical Services Coordinator to assist in the coordination of the Fire and Rescue department’s EMS ambulance transportation program, including billing and cost recovery.

3. Approve the scheduling of an April study session to discuss the reassessment of the city’s EMS ambulance service transportation options.

4. Approve the scheduling within a May City Council meeting to review updated recommendations on the city’s EMS ambulance service transportation.

This is GREAT news.  You will note that it calls for a study session on this issue in April - remember when we used to have those before Jim Righeimer took over? - to thoroughly vet this issue in a more casual setting, then agendize it for a May City Council meeting.

STARTING OVER WITH ALL COMMITTEES AND BOARDS
The final item on the agenda is New Business #3, HERE, - another surprise to me.  This one is certain to give loyal volunteers some heartburn.  You can read the staff report, but basically this sweeps ALL committees and boards clean and starts over as of the end of March. 

 MAJOR CHANGES FOR THE PENSION COMMITTEE
It also recommends merging the Pension Oversight Committee into the Finance Advisory Committee.  If the council decides to retain the Pension Oversight Committee the staff report recommends changing the scope of work and responsibilities and changing the name to the Pension Advisory Committee.

MORE CHANGES - ADDS AND DELETES
Also, this item recommends considering formalizing the Military Affairs Team as a Committee; the dissolution of the Fairview Park Citizen's Advisory Committee, the Charter Committee and the 60th Anniversary Committee.  It also asks for the consideration of the creation of a Fairview Park Steering Committee and a Youth Sports Committee.

THE LIST
Here's the list of the current committees.  There is an attachment to the staff report, HERE,  that lists the members and term expirations:

• Access Building
• Fire and Housing Board of Appeal
• Cultural Art Committee
• Finance Advisory Committee
• Historical Preservation Committee
• Housing & Public Service Grants Committee
• Pension Oversight Committee
• Bikeway and Walkability Committee
• Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee
• Fairview Park Citizens Advisory Committee
• Charter Committee

A MAJOR RECRUITMENT PROCESS STARTS NEXT WEEK
I can tell you this will get some spirited conversation.  I don't have the sense that the council is unhappy with any committee or member of a committee.  City Clerk Brenda Green will launch a recruitment effort, special interview meetings may be scheduled as was done with the commissions and new committee members will be appointed at the regular City Council meeting of April 4, 2017.

OPTIONS
Recruitment/Interview options are provided in the staff report.

BRING A PILLOW
Tuesday is going to be one VERY interesting meeting - those attending should plan for a long, but fascinating, evening.

City Council Agenda Preview

COULD BE ANOTHER LONG NIGHT
The Costa Mesa City Council meets again at 5:45 p.m., Tuesday January 19, 2016 in City Council Chambers at City Hall for what promises to be a very interesting meeting.  The full agenda is HERE.

PRESENTATIONS
Early in the meeting there are three presentations scheduled:

• Mayor's Award - OCC Soccer: All Orange Empire Conference Team Players
• Delegates from Wyndham, Australia
• Cal Trans - I-405 Red Hill Avenue Overcrossing

COMMENTS
Then comes Public Comments - always an adventure, since folks can exercise their right to address the council for three minutes on ANY issue important to them that IS NOT on the agenda for this meeting.  That's followed by Council Member Comments and the CEO's report - if they actually let him speak, that is.

CONSENT CALENDAR
Next comes the Consent Calendar - those items deemed to be "routine" and can be considered in one vote without separate discussion.  This time there are nine (9) items listed.  I won't cover them all, but will comment on the Warrant.

THE WARRANT
Item #2,  Warrant Resolution #2549, HERE, which lists items paid.  This is always a fun exercise to scroll down through the list to see what makes up the disbursement of nearly $5 million dollars on our behalf.  Here are a few that caught my eye.

• Civil Source - $96,180.00 - Temp Support (various)
• Jones & Mayer - $116,952.24 - Legal Services (many)
• Moore Iacofano Goltsman Inc - $66,536.38 - GP Update & Environ. Report
• ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems - $14,761.00 - Sr. Center Installation
• CSG Consultants, Inc - $13,733,73 - Bldg. Inspct Svcs
• Government Staffing Services - $6,865.00 - Temp Svcs
• Melad & Associates - $4,716.04 - Building Plan Check Svcs
• Scientia Consulting Group Inc - $6,880.00 - Prof. Svcs Agreement
• City of Huntington Beach - $21,210.00 - Helicopter Svcs - Nov 2015
• G4S Secure Solutions - $55,912.55 - Jail Facilities - Nov. 2015
• KOA Corporation - $16,952.38 - 19th Bike Fac. 11-15, School Zone ClngProj-11-15
• Kabbara Engineering - $20,585.95 - Fairview Bike Trail, 6/1-7/15/15
• Liebert Cassidy Whitmore - $35,695.02 - Legal Svcs (various)
• Graphic Solutions Ltd - $4,772.00 - CM Wayfinding Signage  Oct2015
• Orange County Humane Society - $8,250.00 - Kennel Fees, Nov. 2015 
• Sears Commercial One - $3,132.86 - Gray Paralance Reclina-Rocker

So, that's a sample.  More than $150,000 for legal services; more than $122,000 for temporary services and much, much more.

NO PUBLIC HEARINGS - 2 OLD BUSINESS ITEMS
There are no Public Hearings scheduled.  Normally those would be heard beginning at 7:00 p.m.  There are a couple Old Business items on the agenda, though.

GROWING "WEED" IN THE CITY
Old Business #1, HERE, is the second reading of the new ordinance regarding the prohibition of cultivation of marijuana in the city.  You may recall that this is required unless we want to let the State of California control that activity.  Any such ordinance must be in force before March 1.  This one won't take long - five minutes, max.

RESIDENT-ONLY PARKING
Old Business #2, HERE, is another second reading - this time the ordinance regarding parking prohibitions and resident-only parking permits.  Again, this one shouldn't take long since it was thoroughly vetted during the first hearing.  There is a revised "Guidelines for Consideration of Installation or Removal of Resident Only Permit Parking", HERE.

I-405 AESTHETICS
There are several New Business items on the agenda.  #1, HERE, which is titled "I-405 Improvement Project - Aesthetics Plan", and deals with the aesthetics of the proposed expansion of the I-405 Freeway between the 73 Toll Road and the I-605 at the Los Angeles County line.  You'll recall the turmoil over that project, which will add one mixed-flow lane and one express lane and convert the HOV lane into an express lane.  This item addresses the "look" of the project.  There are several attachments dealing with sound walls, and other design elements.

CDBG GRANT CRITERIA CHANGES
New Business #2, HERE,  deals with revisions to the Community Development Block Grant Public Service Grants rating criteria.  This is a big deal.  The ad hoc city committee responsible for the review and recommendation for receipt of such grants has recommended a modification of the requirements. Those are summarized here:
1. A maximum of ten grants may be awarded per year. (Revised from maximum of 20 grants per year.)
2. Minimum grant amount is $15,000. (Revised from $5,000.)
3. Staff will obtain copies of police incident reports for all applicants with Costa Mesa-based facilities that provide direct services to the public. (Added emphasis in review process.)
4. A maximum of five points will be awarded to applicants that are based in Costa Mesa. (Previously no points were provided for Costa Mesa-based programs.)
5. Award rating points for grant applicants that partner with other service providers. Note: partner does not need to be a grant applicant. (Previously only bonus points were awarded for collaborative applications.)

In my view, the biggie here is the halving of the number of grants to be given each year.

SPEED HUMPS ON SAINT CLAIR STREET
New Business #3, HERE, is the request for speed humps on Saint Clair Street by resident Jay Litvak.  The staff has analyzed this situation and recommends NO speed humps be installed.  For you speed hump fans, this staff report and included chart will be of interest.

BIKE COMMITTEE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
New Business #4, HERE, is near and dear to my heart.  This is the presentation to the City Council of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan - Goals, Objectives and Policies by the Bikeways and Walkability Committee.  I've sat through almost all of the meetings of this dedicated group, who worked tirelessly to carefully craft the document they will present to the City Council Tuesday night.  The staff report provides the information you need, and you can read the entire document - the product of more than four (4) months labor by this group - HERE.

AMBULANCE TRANSPORT
New Business #5, HERE, Ambulance Transportation for the City of Costa Mesa, is the final item on the list.  I wrote about this earlier, so will not flog it further.  You can read what I wrote HERE.  I'm just disappointed this item is so late in the agenda.  History shows us that many council members lose their focus as the evening wears on and sometimes exercise poor judgment when dealing with complicated issues like this one.  We'll see.