Inside City Hall

-- Compiled by Lolita Harper

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council decided Monday to go beyond city boundaries and

contract with a private Los Angeles company to provide crossing guards.

Despite expensive recruitment strategies such as increased

advertising, salary adjustments and fliers, the city has been unable to

fill vacant crossing guard positions. However, crossing guards are a

crucial safety element and the positions must be filled.

To solve both problems of recruitment and retention, staff suggested a

contract not to exceed $161,300 with All City Management Services.

WHAT IT MEANS:

All City Management will provide the city with all of its crossing

guards. All current crossing guards will be hired by the company.

VOTE:

4-0

Approved

WHAT THEY SAID:

“This company services a large area and has mass locations. Even if

someone calls in sick, we will have a replacement.”

-- City Manager Allan Roeder

WHAT HAPPENED:

The council agreed to donate gym equipment from the old downtown

center.

In July, Costa Mesa High School Athletic Director Kirk Bauermeister

wrote a letter to the city requesting the donation of the old backboard,

rims, scoreboards and benches being removed from the renovated downtown

gym.

Because the city uses the high school’s gymnasium for city basketball

leagues, it seemed a perfect fit, Bauermeister wrote. The donated

equipment would be used to create a better facility for both the high

school and the public, he said.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Costa Mesa High School will add the additional backboards and rims to

its larger gym as side baskets. The benches and scoreboard will be added

to the smaller gym. The donated items are part of the school’s five-year

plan to overhaul the gym facilities. New seat covers were installed,

ceiling tiles will be repaired, and the floor will be refinished also.

VOTE:

4-0

Approved

WHAT HAPPENED:

The council approved a new contract for city employees and made a

budget amendment of $915,580 to cover new salary ranges and other

changes.

The city and the Costa Mesa Employees Assn. have been operating under

a four-year memorandum of understanding that will expire Aug. 31. Both

parties met and agreed on a tentative contract that would cover the

period from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, 2003.

WHAT IT MEANS:

City employees changed their contract to cover only two years, they

were granted the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and they received full

paid holiday shifts starting Jan. 1.

VOTE:

4-0

Approved

WHAT HAPPENED:

The council approved salary range adjustments for job classifications

presented by the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn.

The city and the association are in the second year of a four-year

agreement but were meeting to discuss salary adjustments agreed upon in a

memorandum of understanding. A provision of the existing contract called

for a salary adjustment in the second year. The increase in salary ranges

called for a $430,820 adjustment to the budget.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Salary ranges for specific jobs will increase starting Sept. 1.

VOTE:

4-0

Approved

WHAT HAPPENED:

The city received a report from the Orange County Grand Jury titled

“Affordable Housing, Light One Candle,” which included findings and

recommendations about the lack of affordable housing in the county. Costa

Mesa is required by the state to respond to the report by Sept. 14.

After reviewing the report, staff prepared recommended responses to be

reviewed by the City Council. The responses outline the measures the city

is taking to address the issue of affordable housing. They include

exploring the pairing of state funds from the California Housing Finance

Agency HELP program with federal funds on an upcoming affordable housing

project and participating in a proposed countywide joint powers authority

that would implement a program making more affordable housing for sale.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The Orange County Grand Jury will receive a response letter from the

city, including the efforts the city is making to provide affordable

housing.

VOTE:

3-1, with Councilman Chris Steel dissenting

WHAT THEY SAID:

“We’ve got enough in this city. I say we shouldn’t even respond. Let

them sue us. I certainly know what that’s like.”

-- Councilman Chris Steel, objecting to any effort to provide

affordable housing housing

NEXT MEETING:

What: Regular Costa Mesa City Council Meeting

Where: Costa Mesa City Hall, 77 Fair Drive

When: 6:30 p.m. Sept. 3