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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960 10-18 CC MINNational City, Regular meeting of the City Council Hollingsworth at 1:30 p.m. o'clock. Hart, Morgan, Reid, Hollingsworth. 135 California, Gcto:;er le, was called to order by Mayor Council members present: Allen, Council members absent: None. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS present: Alston, Bird, Curran, Gautereaux, Kerr, Roberts, Stockman. The meeting was opened with pledge of allegiance to the Flag by City Manager Bird, followed with invocation by Councilman Allen. Moved by Reid, seconded by Morgan, the minutes of the regular meeting of October 11, 1960, be approved. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. RESOLUTION NO. 7824 was read, "RESOLUTION GIVING NOTICE OF PROPOSED ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY OF UNINHABITED TERRITORY DES- CRIBED HEREIN AND DESIGNATED "SWEETWATER ANNEXATION UNIT NO. 2", AND GIVING NOTICE OF TIME AND PLACE FOR HEARING OF PROTESTS THERETO." Moved by Hart, seconded by Reid, the Resolution be adopted. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. RESOLUTION NO. 7825 was read, accepting a grant deed from the Pente- costal Tabernacle of the Assemblies of God, a California Corporation. Moved by Allen, seconded by Reid, the Resolution be adopted. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. RESOLUTION NO. 7826 was read, "RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR VACATION OF A PORTION OF THE OLIVEWOOD HOUSING PROJECT." Moved by Morgan, seconded by Hart, the Resolution be adopted. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. ATTORNEY CURRAN reported he received a release of the lease held by National Plating & Processing Company of Texas on a certain portion of the tidelands; this enables the City to proceed with the making of a lease as previously authorized with E-Z Set Windows, Inc. ATTORNEY CURRAN stated examination of Application for Zone Variances No. Z-5 and Z-7 show the applications are defective inasmuch as they do not have all of the allegations required by Ordinance No. 962; the City Planner has been advised and no action can be taken upon the adoption of a resolution until these defects have been cured. ATTORNEY CURRAN stated with reference to the communication from Ohio Farmers Insurance Company and the bond of the contractor for the improve ment of 8th Street, he has requested the Attorneys for the Ohio Far- mers Insurance Company furnish the City with specific authorization signed by V. E. Posey that the sums which become due under the contract shall be paid directly to the Ohio Farmers as the surety on the con- tract. 10-18-60 136 HES, ROMERT RICHARDS, 1411 E. l6th Street, was present and stated she has been asked if the City takes over the water, or the management of the water, will our water be filtered or will we continue to have unfiltered water. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated it will not be filtered, but we will not have a storage in Sweetwater Lake. The engineering plan is with the new aqueduct below the Sweetwater .Lake, there will be a direct connection and we would have storage, but it would be oovered storage, The reason for the filtration plant is when you have water stored udder sunlight it forma a scum and other undesirable things in the Lake, and that is one reason the water has to be fil- tered, The State Department of Health has gone to the San Diego County Water Authority and have told them that all of the agencies will have to have chlorinated water, even though the Colorado River water is transported 400 miles in pipes, they do not feel this is sufficient. The San Diego County Water Authority in the past has been using heavy amount of chlorination every so often just to clear the pipes, but they are now planning on putting in a chlorination that will be regu- lar up near the County line, and she was assured by the Engineer of oebig & Koebig that a small chlorination plant will be put at the connection with the Colorado River water into our mains. MRS. RICHi state4 it is a known fact when the Water Company raises the rates they have to go through a Commission, and the question was raised if the City takes over the water and they wish to raise the rates, all they have to do is quote they are going to raise them, and wondered if the Council would be willing today, or not later than next week, to start in motion perhaps an ordinance stating you would not just vote a raise in water rates, but would give at least 30 days notice and havea pub- lic hearing and a law like that could not go into effect for 30 or 6i) days. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated she is sure the present Council mefm- bers would be willing to do that, but one Council does not have binding powers on another, The Council members in the past six years have reduced the City tax rate from'*1.78 to $1.50, and we have a budget hearing every year, and different persons have asked for many thingo and the Council has informed them it can be had if it is Possible without raising the tax rate. In regard to the water, the reason this was started six years ago was because the Water Company went before the Public Utilities Commission. and got a rate increase, the city ro- tested it, they did not get everything they wanted but did get increase, The Water Company . has' had this Company fo�c.33 ysa�Cs they have been before the P.U.C. 5 times and each time it has beef a raise, The people of National City would have much favor is appear to the Council whom they o e, n control than you are with P.U•C, s far as the request for an Qrdinance, Mayor Hol 137 stated she thought we could not very well do it until there I,ze a vote of the confidence of the people. MRS. RICHARDS stated then the Coil would put it into effect if you would give the people a chance to vote. first. COUNCILMAN MORGAN stated there is nowhere in the County of San Diego that he has been able to find that has as high a water rate as we have under the California Water & Telephone Company, and the cities are controlled by politicians but they have cheaper water rates than we do, MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated the California Water Distributing Company have held off going before the Public Utilities Commission since 1955 because they knew the South Bay Irrigation District and National City were doing these studies we have made. When they finish the filtration plant which will cost over a million dollars they will go before the Public Utilities Commission for a rate increase. There is a million and a half dollar issue involved before the P.U.C. now on subdivision lands about the 165 acre feet of which the Water Company has collected from all the subdividers and they are not returning any of these funds. If the P.U.C. rules they have to return the money, there is another million and a half dollars, so they will go back before the P.U.C. to ask for a rate increase. COUNCILMAN AT,TRN stated when the Water Company goes before the P.U.C. they present all of their assets and the Commission guarantees them a certain return on their money. It is not to protect the individual users that they go before the Commission, the City sends a representative to go into Court to try to protect the individual when the Water Company goes before the Commission. Any ordinance the Council passes here has pub- lic hearings and if enough people, or even a few get up and complain loud enough he believes the Council will think twice before they pass an ordinance against public opinion. COUNCILMAN MORGAN stated he did not think the citizens would go before the Public Utilities Commission whereas if it is locally controlled they will come before the Council and be heard. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated he would like to correct one statement made by Mayor Hollingsworth; that is during the 33 years the present owners of the Sweetwater District have gone before the Com- mission approximately 25 times and that in each case they did not receive a rate increase, but they did receive, because of the nature of their petitions, emoluments to the betterment of the Company, including the rates in most incidents. J. J. SHELTON, of KOEBIG & KOEBIG, INC., was present and presented their report covering recommendations relative to organizing a Munici- pal Water Department. The report was very detailed and Mr. Shelton presented the highlights. Mr. Shelton stated they have enjoyed the helpful courtesies on the part of the City's personnel and appreciate 10-18-60 138 the City employing them as their engineering consultants. LJOR HOLLINGSWORTH thanked Mr. Shelton for an excellent report. COUNCILMAN ALLEN stated a week or two ago he made a motion in regard to amending Ordinance 290 to include "cats" into this Ordinance, and after studying this Ordinance and another Ordinance he found that Ordinance 290 probably is not the correct Ordinance to be amended. Moved by Alien, seconded by Hart, the motion made as to amending Ordi- nance 290 be rescinded. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hart, Ordinance No. 828 be amended to use both the names of animals in this Ordinance as "dogs" and "cats" in order to try to eliminate the wild cat population and not the domestic animal that stays at home. Carried, by the following vote to -wit: Ayes: Alien, Hart, Hollingsworth. Nays: Morgan, Reid. VICE MAYOR HART questioned the time when the dogs must have their rabies shots and wondered if the Ordinance provides for a grace period. CITY MANA- GER BIRD stated in the past we have had to grant a grace period for the reason the City itself had not been able to procure license tags in time. This year we are not faced with that particular problem, we now have the license tags. VICE MAYOR HART said he would like to see the Ordinance provide for at least a 15 day grace period and set the price of $5.00 as a penalty if they do not have their dog licensed. There are a number of dogs who are not licensed and if we would catch them they would have to pay the extra 85.00; they are not getting their shots and they are dangerous and should be licensed when they have their shots. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH questioned the present Ordi- nance which provides for a grace period and a penalty. COUNCILMAN ALLEN stated Ord. 828 provides for twice the amount of the fee after the grace period. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hart, that on a voluntary basis we pass a slip of paper to the persons in the audience for them to put their names on to give to the press, and this way we may be able to get more people interested in coming up and trying to help us "run" National City. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. COUNCILMAN MORGAN stated with regard to the water revenue bonds it has been said in some cases that it would possibly be put on the tax bill, and Mr. Morgan asked if it would be possible for a revenue bond to be transferred from revenue over on the property tax. CITY ATTOR- NEY CURRAN stated the purpose of having a revenue bond issue is to set up a special fund and to make that fund responsible for the pay- ment of the principal and interest which becomes due by virtue of bonds which were issued in anticipation of the revenue to be derived, so the statement which has been made is not correct; if it is a 10-18-60 139 revenue bond issue it does not become a part of the tax structure and no taxes are levied in order to pay the principal and interest on any bond which is issued for that purpose. COUNCILMAN ALLEN stated many of the questions relative to the water proposition that have been asked all of us individually for the past few weeks, and all of the people who have been interested in partici- pating was brought out at a meeting last night at Highland School at which the attendance was very small. There will be a similar meeting Wednesday night at Las Palmas School and it is believed there will be a better panel and a better group of speakers. Mr. Allen requested that all the people invite their friends to attend the meeting, a great deal of information will be obtained by attending. Mr. Allen said a question which was asked last night was the possible "blank check" issued to the City Council. There is no such thing as a "blank check"; it is true we are asking for a possible six million dollar bond issue, that does not mean we are going to use the six million dollars, we are only going to use that portion of it which is neces- sary to either purchase the present water system or to establish one of our own, it depends on the series of events which happen after the election. The Water Company themselves have stated it will take twelve million dollars before all the interest was paid; at the pres- ent time the Water Company has been collecting bills from the people of National City for 33 years and the bonds have not been retired. We know if we purchase the system with the revenue bonds the bonds will be retired perhaps in less than another 33 years and we will not have to continue to pay the high rate for water we are now paying. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated she would like the City Attorney to explain the question of the "blank check," there could not be such a thing as a "blank check" or we could not sell those bonds. ATTORNEY CURRAN stated the point being made is that those bonds have to be sold to persons or corporations, people who have money, and people who have enough money to invest in bonds to not buy "a pig in the poke", they only purchase upon the advice of their investment counsel and that is the reason why the City and the South Bay Irrigation District engaged the services of financing consultants, Stone & Youngberg, so the City would be assured it was feasible and the bonds, if and when, they are issued would have a market and the:re would be people who had the money to buy them and would be willing a.nd even anxious. There is a great advantage to very wealthy investors in purchasing this type of bond because of the tax features. The only purpose the funds could be used for would be for the purpose of establishing a municipal water depart- ment, VICE MAYOR HART said this bond will be paid back with no other 10-18-60 140 money except revenue coming from the water. ATTORNEY CURRLN stated that is correct. BILLS AUDITED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE presented: General Fund Traffic Safety Park Fund Retirement Fund Harbor Fund Special Street Fund Drainage Fund Payroll Fund $ 12,297.11 4,947.75 526.74 4,483.75 18.09 3,295.28 2,066.75 51,164t35 TOTAL $78,799.82 Moved by Morgan, seconded by Hart, the bills be approved for payment and warrants ordered drawn for same. Carried, by the following vote to -wit: Ayes: Allen, Hart, Morgan, Reid, Hollingsworth. Nays: None. COMMUNICA'►TION FROM STONE & YOUNGBERG was read, stating they have reviewed the financial structure of the proposed National City Water Department, and based on the analysis which is being prepared by Koebig & Koebig, Consulting Engineers, they conclude the city will be able to operate and maintain the water department within present revenues and will be able to amortize the water revenue bonds sold to establish the department. Furthermore, the city should accrue sub- stantial annual surpluses as a result of its operation of the depart- ment. In view of several analyses which have been made of the value of the system, it seems very likely the city would probably issue bonds in the approximate magnitude of $4,000,000 or less, in which case the city would have a net surplus after all expenses of $250,000 per year. On the other hand, the analysis demonstrates that the city would have the ability to issue and sell the entire $6,000,000 bond authorization if this proved to be necessary. CITY MANAGER BIRD requested permission and authorization of the Coun- cil for the City officials to attend the League of Municipalities of the State of California for the annual meeting to be held in Los Angeles, October 23-26. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hart, the request of the City Manager be approved. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. CITY CLERK ALSTON stated any of the officials who are planning to attend by public transportation should stop at her office and get a tax exemption certificate for their ticket. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated he would like to request consideration of the Council in the matter of moving the site of the Community Building proposed at E1 Toyon Park from the site which had been established to a site east of the now existing ball field, and the Architect be ordered to proceed with the plans as scheduled. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH asked if the Park and Recreation Advisory Board had concurred. CITY 10-18-60 MANAGER BIRD stated not to his knowledge; the Park and Recreation Advisory Board has not met on this particular matter, although the Chairman and one other member was present at the meeting with the Council on the site to look at the plans as designed by the State Divi- sion of Highways in relation to moving 241 State Freeway through the area. COUNCILMAN MORGAN said he thought the park and Recreation Advisory Board should make a repo mmendation. Moved by Morgan, sec- onded by Allen, this be referred to the Park and Recreation Advisory Board and instruct them we need it immediately and a special meeting should be called. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated most of the Council mem- bers will be out of town next week and there will be no meeting for two weeks and it will hold up the Architect. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated if the motion which is proposed here prevails he suggested an amend- ment be made to the motion, wherein if the Park and Recreation Advisory Board concurs in this site the City Manager be given the authorization to notify the Architect to proceed immediately. COUNCILMAN MORGAN with the approval of his second, Councilman Allen, included the amendment in their motion. Carried, all the Council present voting aYe COMMUNICATION FROM CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION addressed to the Chief of Police, was read, stating in conneo- tion with the events of American Legion Day on Saturday, October 22nd they are requesting permission to allow the locomotive, which is on a cadillao chassis, of the 40 ET 8 Organization to operate and be stationed on the streets of National City. This locomotive would be parked at intervals of approximately one hour in the heavily populated areas, Plaza, shopping markets, etc. It would operate a total of about five hours. RECOMMENDATION FROM CHIEF OF POLICE CAGLE was read, stat- ing the vehicle in question is licensed by the State of California and adequate insurance is carried, and recommended the request be granted. Moved by ,Allen, seconded by Hart, the recommendation from the Chief of Police in this matter be approved. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. COMMUNICATION FROM KENNETH L. BLANCHARD POST 255, AMERICAN LEGION was read, urging the City Council to Consider the advisability of retain- ing the National City Airport. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hart, the letter be answered stating the property does not belong to the City of National City, nor is it within the boundaries of the City, and recommend the owners of the property be contacted in regard to main- taining the airport. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. COMMUNICATION FROM FREt,DOM BOOKS, INCORPORATED, was read, requesting the Mayor to proclaim Saturday, October 22nd as Freedom Books Day in National City. This is in conjunction with the loading of the first 10-.18-60 142 50 tons of books for the establishment of the first Freedom Library in LaPaz, Baja California. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hart, the Mayor issue the proclamation to the press. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated these books are all English speaking books and they are hoping to make this National and are going to establish either Spanish or English speaking libraries over all of Latin America, COMMUNICATION FROM J. DEKEMA, DISTRICT ENGINEER, DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS, was read, stating notice is hereby given that the California Highway Commission on September 27, 1960, did adopt as State Highway Road XI-SD-241-SD,A,ChV, Nate. that portion between Route 2 (new) 0.7 mile north of the Mexican Border and Route 2 (New) 2 miles south of Sorrento Road. In addition, the California Highway Commission did also by resolution on September 27, 1960, establish as a freeway that same section of State Highway. CITY MANAGER BIRD recommended the communi- cation be placed on file with the City Clerk. Moved by Hart, seconded by Morgan, the recommendation of the City Manager be approved. Car- ried, all the Council present voting aye. COMMUNICATION FROM COUNTY BOUNDARY COMMISSION was read, stating you are hereby notified the City of Bonita intends to incorporate in the territory delineated on the attached map. CITY MANAGER BIRD recom- mended it be received and placed on file with the City Clerk.. Moved by Hart, seconded by Reid, the Communication be received and placed on file. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. COMMUNICATION FROM SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY was read, stating a copy of Resolution No. 633 was attached. This resolution is being distributed to all newspapers in San Diego County for publication. CITY MANAGER BIRD recommended it be received and placed on file and a copy given to the press. Moved by Reid, seconded by l4organ, the recom- mendation of the City Manager be approved. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated there was a request made for the City of National City to provide a rain gauge to complete our weather station. This is a nominal expense; the weather station was provided by the National City Employees Association and is located on the lawn near the City Hall, and recommended he be authorized to procure the rain gauge so it can be added to complete the station. Moved by Reid, sec- onded by Morgan, the City Manager be authorized to procure the rain gauge. Carried, by the following vote to -wit: Ayes: Allen, Hart, Morgan, Reid, Hollingsworth. Nays: None. 10-18-60 143 CITY CLERK ALSTON presented the Annual Report of the City Cleric to be published in the newspaper, which is required by State law; this report was taken from the State Controller's report which had to be filed before September 30th and has been accepted by the State Controller. Mrs. Alston recommended the report be accepted and authorized to be published. Moved by Hart, seconded by Allen, the report be accepted and authorization granted to publish same. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. REPORT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION recommending the granting of Zone Variance No. Z-8, to William A. and Charmaine J. Nosal, 3016 East Division Street, was read. Moved by Hart, seconded by Allen, the recommendation of the Planning Commission be approved, and referred to the City Attorney for preparation of a resolution. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated yesterday she received a telephone call stating on the Nov. 8th ballot there will be the question "do the people of the South Bay area wish to establish a Junior College Dis- trict." Mrs. Hollingsworth said she is not sure of the exact wording on the ballot. The City of Chula Vista was going to pass a resolution urging the people to vote on this, and she believed also Imperial Beaca as it will cover the entire South Bay District. Mayor Hollingsworth said she would like to know how the other Council members feel about it, and asked if City Manager Bird could add anything further. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated it is his recollection they propose to create this Junior College District in the South Bay including the district that is known as the Sweetwater Union High School District; same to be operated by the same Board and same staff. The thing which they will be asking for with creation of the district with a tax rate which is set at 350 on the $100; we are now paying the San Diego Junior College 240, which means 110 addition on the tax rate. Subsequently they will ask for a bond issue which they are hopeful of getting matching funds through Federal Agency to establish the plant. Moved by Allen, sec- onded by Hart, we instruct the Attorney to prepare a resolution signed by the Mayor in favor of establishing this district, and so recommend toNationalCity voters. MAYOR HOLLINGSWORTH stated she did not think she should sign the resolution unless it was presented with the regular order of business, but if the City Attorney could prepare a resolution of this type and read two weeks from today which would be authorized by the Council it would still give some publicity before the election. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. COUNCILMAN ALLEN stated yesterday afternoon two of the City employees who had just returned from the Employees' Convention In San Francisco 10-18-60 144 stopped at his office on their way home to inform him what had trans- pired at the meeting. Actually it is the first time in many years any of National City's employees have gone that far, but these four, five, or six people who have been working on this in the last year have put National City on the map. It seems he was drafted into a situation in going to a dinner in West Covina with several of the employees, and it was unheard of, so it appeared, for any of the employees ever to bring a City Councilman with them. The Council of the host City appears and has dinner with the employees and then leaves, but for a Councilman to come with them really thrilled them to know that one group of civilian employees were on speaking terms with their Council and they had nothing but praises to sing for their City Council and City Manager. Moved by Morgan, seconded by Allen, the meeting be closed. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. Meeting closed at 3:20 p.m. MAYOR, CITY OF N ;TIO I� 7 k , CA IFORNIA ATTEST: CITY CLERK 10-18-60