Palos Verdes Estates Budget Overview - City Manager Joe Hoefgen
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August 2010 bPy aCiltyoMsanVageerrJdoeeHsoefEgen states Budget Overview arlier this year, the City completed its two- As an example, the service contract with Charles year budget process amidst very uncertain Abbott Associates enables the City to adjust staffing Eeconomic conditions. Although, during the past levels for planning, building, and engineering two years, Palos Verdes Estates has generally fared services according to need, without “staffing up or well compared to our counterpart cities throughout down” City employees. Due to reduced need, the California, the continued economic uncertainty will City is contracting for 1,000 less hours of building require the City to exercise fiscal discipline as we inspection service annually from Charles Abbott address two primary challenges this budget cycle Associates -- the equivalent of reducing one half of including: (1) Dealing with property values which a full-time position. As another example, the City have reached a plateau resulting in little revenue found it more cost effective to hire its own part-time growth over the next two years, and (2) Remaining mechanic rather than continue to contract for this on guard for potential negative impacts that State service. The combined savings resulting from these budget actions may have on the City. staffing/contract modifications is $120,280 on an annual basis. While the recently adopted PVE Budget maintains current service levels, it is important to note that Maximizing the Useful Life of Vehicles – The proactive steps have been taken to reduce the City’s City depreciates all vehicles and equipment with a operating costs as highlighted below: useful life of at least three years or with a value of more than $5,000. In recent years, departments have Modification to Staffing Levels – The City of proactively managed the fleet and, in many Palos Verdes Estates provides service via a instances, have been able to extend the useful life of combination of its own full-time and part-time staff, vehicles by an additional three years or more. This as well as by contract providers. The City’s is particularly the case in the Streets and Parks Departments strive to provide a high level of service Department and for the non-patrol vehicles in the and we have, in recent years, made adjustments in Police Department. By extending the useful life of staffing/contract services to achieve savings. vehicles, the City is able to achieve savings for both . Continued to page 2 Palos Verdes Estates City Council Regular City Council meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. for study and closed session and 7:30 p.m. for the regular Mayor............................. Rosemary Humphrey agenda. Regular Planning Commission meetings are held the third Tuesday of Mayor Pro Tem............. John Rea each month at 6:30 p.m. The Parklands Committee meets the second Monday Councilmember............. George Bird of the month at 7:30 p.m. The Traffic Safety Committee meets the second Wednesday of the month at 4:00 p.m. Councilmember............. James F. Goodhart Meetings are held in Council Chambers - 340 Palos Verdes Drive West. All Councilmember............. Ellen Perkins agendas for City Council, Committee and Commission meetings are posted on Website: www.pvestates.org the City Hall bulletin boards at least 72 hours before the meeting. For more Email City Hall at [email protected] information call City Hall at (310) 378-0383. Fax: (310) 378-7820 Palos Verdes Estates Page 2 CITY OF PALOS VERDES ESTATES Palos Verdes Estates Budget Overview - City Manager Joe Hoefgen . Continued from page 1 the General Fund and the Equipment Replacement • Sufficient Capital Reserves – The capital Fund. reserve that has accrued over the years ensures that the City of Palos Verdes Estates is well positioned to Cities throughout the State have suffered from the address its capital needs. Palos Verdes Estates is continuing economic downturn and in many unique in that we have dedicated funding sources in instances have had to implement service reductions place for our most costly capital projects; examples or utilize reserve funds to achieve a balanced include the recently completed Palos Verdes Drive budget. While the City of Palos Verdes Estates has West Stabilization Project and the pending rebuild experienced additional financial challenges, as of two sewer pump stations. The City need not defer compared to prior years, there are certain key factors infrastructure improvements, which can save money which will continue to serve the community well in temporarily, but in the long term, actually create the future. These factors are highlighted below: additional financial obligations for the City. • Fire Parcel Tax – Palos Verdes Estates is unique Without question, these factors have contributed to in that there exists a separate, dedicated funding Palos Verdes Estates’ financial health and have been source, which will generate approximately $3.98 an important part of our community’s ability to million in FY 2010-11 and comparable amounts in weather the current financial storm. If residents future years. Revenue from this voter approved have questions or desire additional information on parcel tax helps cover the cost of fire services the City’s budget, please feel free to contact City provided via contract with the Los Angeles County Manager Joe Hoefgen directly at (310) 378-0383, Fire Department. Fortunately, this funding source extension 2250. is outside the potential reach of the State of California. Council Agendas Available • Minimal Reliance on Sales Tax – While many •••••••••••••••••••• cities are heavily reliant on sales tax revenues to balance their budgets, sales tax represents only 1.5% of the General Fund Budget in Palos Verdes Estates. As a result, reductions in consumer spending levels and tourism have not translated into budget reductions, as has been the case for other communities. • Focus on Core Municipal Services – Palos Verdes Estates is unique in that we have a demonstrated past practice of funding only core municipal services – Police, Fire, Public Works, and limited administrative overhead. This philosophy has served the City well over the years and the City operates very efficiently. The City Council avoids creating new, ongoing expenditure commitments unless absolutely necessary. CITY OF PALOS VERDES ESTATES Page 3 City Launches New Website Our Address Has Changed (www.pvestates.org) alos Verdes Estates is excited to announce a new, redesigned City website available to the public Pbeginning August 1st at www.pvestates.org . The site contains new features and easy access to information from the homepage, including “search” capabilities. Users accessing our previous address www.palosverdes.com/PVE will be directed to the new site for a short period during the transition. We hope you enjoy the look and functionality of the site. Your feedback and suggestions for improvements are welcome. Please email us at [email protected] , or click on “Website Survey” under News. website and “Join E-News” (click on “Join E-News” Re-Register / Sign-Up for E-News/Agendas!! under the arch, as shown above). You must register, To receive news bulletins and announcements of even if you were previously receiving these meeting agendas, residents need to visit the new announcements from the City website. Generous Donation from PVE Residents Roger and Ruth MacFarlane hanks to a generous donation from Palos United States. The Mayor, City Council, and residents Verdes Estates’ residents, Roger and Ruth of Palos Verdes Estates thank the MacFarlanes for MacFarlane, the communities on the Peninsula are their generosity. Tnow a little safer. On June 30th, the non-profit organization, “500 For Life”, and the Roger I. and Ruth B. MacFarlane Foundation presented the Los Angeles County Fire Department with two thermal imaging cameras to be housed at Fire Station #2 in Palos Verdes Estates and Fire Station #53 in Rancho Palos Verdes. Thermal imaging cameras utilize advanced, heat- sensing technology so firefighters have a better ability to see in a fire. Studies have shown that when thermal imagers are used, the time required for a successful rescue drops by 75 percent. This equipment helps to save the lives of victims and firefighters. The MacFarlanes have donated a total of seven Roger MacFarlane, Frank Buonanotte (“500 for Life” Founder), cameras, which have been distributed throughout the Ruth MacFarlane and Assistant Fire Chief Barry Nugent Page 4 CITY OF PALOS VERDES ESTATES L.A. County Fire Department’s Fire Safety: Wildfires ach year fire burns millions of acres of woodland across the United States. We can better live with the land by learning about the natural areas we inhabit and what we can do to reduce our risk of loss if Ewildfire occurs. Homes that survive almost always do so because their owners had prepared for the eventuality of fire. In a wildfire, every second counts! For the fifth time in the past 10 years, the largest loss associated with fires and explosions occurred in the wild lands. For the second year in a row, it happened in Southern California. The 2007 California wildfires destroyed 1,500 homes and over 500,000 acres of land. Nine people died as a direct result of fire and 85 were injured, including at least 61 firefighters. No structure, or natural or cultural resource, is worth a human life. Firefighters count on you. If you own a home in a fire-prone area, you should take a few simple steps to make your property more defensible. It will increase your safety, firefighter safety, and the chance that your home will survive a fire. You can follow these simple steps from the L.A. County Fire Department: 1. Clear an area of 30 feet immediately surrounding your home. This area requires the greatest reduction in flammable vegetation. 2. Reduce Fuel Zone. The fuel reduction zone will depend on the steepness of your property and the vegetation.