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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1958 07-01 CC ADJ MIN394 National City, California, July 1, 1958 Adjourned meeting of the City Council of June 24, 1958, was called to order by Mayor Hodge at 1:30 P.M. o'clock. Council members pres- ent: Allen, Fessman, Hart, Hollingsworth, Hodge. Council members absent: None. ADIMMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS present: Alston, Stockman, Bird, Lill, Curran, Uautereaux, Holgate. The meeting was opened with pledge of allegiance to the Flag, fol- lowed by invocation by Mayor Hodge. Moved by Allen, seconded by Hollingsworth, the minutes of the regular meeting of June 24, 1958, be approved. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. CITY MANAGER BIRD asked if the Council wished to discuss the budget at this meeting. A preliminary copy of the budget has been given to each member of the Council. Er. Bird stated if there are any quest- ions the Council wished to ask or anything to discuss, he would like them to do so at this time so any corrections can be made prior,to going to final print. COUNCILMAN HART stated he would have to be excused as he was ill, and asked that the budget be held over until the next meeting as he would like to be present at the hearing. COUNCILMAN HART excused. COUNCILWOMAN HOLLINGSwORTH stated the part of the budget that needed to be acted on is the payroll schedule so that it can become effect- ive as of July lst, the rest of the budget could be held over for consideration. COUNCILMAN FESSMAN said he too thought the payroll should be effective as of today, and he thought the schedule was all right as it is. COUNCILMAN ALLEN asked the Council to review one particular classification, namely that of Poundmaster, and thought he should rate the same salary as that of Senior Clerk in the Police Dept„ which is $384.00. CITY AANAGE,d BIRD stated in anticipation of the question which might be raised,'he has taken care of those steps, the question which has been raised is a minor amount, and in the resolution and attached schedule which has been prepared, he has put the Poundmaster at Schedule 18, $314 - $384 per month. COUNCILMAN FESSMAN stated he felt that the position of Poundmaster is not any more important than the men working in the sewer department. Moved by Hollingsworth, seconded by Allen, the salary schedule, as amended, be approved and a resolution be prepared. Carried, by the following vote to -wit: Ayes: Allen, Hollingsworth, Hodge. Nays: Fessman. Absent: Hart. COUNCIL IOMAN HOLLINGSwORTH asked Mr. Fessman if he voted no just on the one item, or against the entire pay raise. COUNCILMAN FESSMAN stated he voted no against changing the salary of the Poundmaster as stated on the schedule. 7/1/58 395 COUNCILVvQMAN HOLLINGSWORTH stated she does not see any fire alarm system listed in the budget, and if we ever wish to get the insurance rate reduced, we are going to have to put in the alarm system. Mrs. Hollingsworth stated she would like to request that before the budget is adopted, the City Manager prepare a report as to how much a fire alarm system would cost, and also estimate about how much it might reduce the insurance rate to the citizens of National City. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated he advocated a fire alarm system since 1925, and we are now at a point where we can ably sustain and should have a fire alarm system; it would put us in Rate 5 or possibly Rate 4; if we went to a Rate 5, it would mean a ten cent reduction per hundred on insurance rates in all of the residential areas and a corresponding reduction based on classification on our commercial and manufacturing plants. There are two systems which we have investigated; one is an outright purchase or a system recognized by the Board of Fire Under- writers which would give us a sufficient amount of credit to auto- matically place us in a Rate 5, the system would cost approximately $70,000.00. The alternative, another system which has been recogniz- ed by the Board of Fire Underwriters, wherein we would lease, by lease contract of no capital outlay, with the Telephone Company. The advantages and disadvantages of both systems are apparent. If we went into the telephone system, it would mean between $7,000.00 and $8,000.00 per annum rental service, upkeep, etc. The purchase of the outright system which the City would own could be negotiated under a lease purchase contract for approximately the same amount of money per annum. In the one system, we would have to put on tele- phone operators which would increase our cost of operation, on the other it is completely automatic and does not require switchboard operators on duty 24 hours a day. However, in the study of the bud- get, which is a very tight budget, it has been the intention of man- agement to carry out Council policy of holding the rate; the budget as now prepared tentatively increases one cent above the $1.55 pres- ent rate. There is the possibility of cutting that rate one cent to $1.54. The reasons for the increase in this particular rate prim- arily was two cents necessary to carry the request and demand load of the Library going from $ .23 of last year to $ .25 this year, and in the Park we have increased it from $ .24 to $ .27. We deoreased our Bond Fund No. 8 one cent. To make up the deficiency, we have robbed the General Fund operation of sevenoents, giving us a total rate of $1,56. It is possible, if the Council so desires, to main- tain the present rate giving these additional services and at the same time it can be cut one penny. There is another factor which must be considered, and that is an increase of approximately $21,000 in the over all budget which will come up at the time when a reorgan- ization is requested. COUNCILMAN FESSMAN stated he thought perhaps it would be better, if necessary, to get a fire alarm system to raise the tax rate one cent. CITY MANAGER BIRD stated one cent would only raise $2,740.00. We would need $8,000.00 to $10,000.00 for a fire alarm system. COUNCILL N FESSMAN said he thought it would be better to put it on the tax rate as the people would save considerable in insurance rates, MAYOR HODGE said he thought we should take every advantage to lower the taxes at least one cent. We will have other sources of ix.come which can be used to take care of the different projects, one at a time. COUNCILWOIMMAN HOLLINGSWORTH 7/1/58 396 asked if we adopted the budget as prepared by the City Manager, and then we find later in the year we are going to have additional funds, could we than amend the budget and put in a fire alarm system. CITY NAVAGFF BIRD stated the budget could be amended; we can drop the tax rate to $1.54, based on the anticipated returns. vie can set up a contingency reserve and any time the Council wishes to enter into a contract after exploring all of the types of alarm systems, it can be done, From contingency reserve, there will be additions which will of necessity have to be made. The budget is merely a measuring stick to operate by and withs but there will be conditions which will have to be met, where by Council action it will be necessary to ap- propriate from reserve contingency fund to a specific part of the budget or department. MAYOR HODGE said he would like to see the Council vote on the budget today. Moved by Hollingsworth, seconded by Fessman, the tentative budget as presented by the City Manager be approved for adoption, the change to show the tax rate to be set at $1.54. Carried, by the following vote to -wit: Ayes: Allen, fess - man, Hollingsworth, Hodge. Nays: None. Absent: Hart. Moved by Allen, seconded by Fessman, the meeting be closed. Carried, all the Council present voting aye. Meeting closed at 2:18 P.M. ATTEST: CITY CLERK MAYOR, CITY OF NATION CITY, CALIFORNIA 7/1/58