George Rodericks

City Manager's Blog

The City Manager's Blog is an online educational tool to provide general information to the community in open communication style. Periodically, the City Manager will post articles of general interest covering topics such as the Town's budget, budget process, capital projects, upcoming meetings, community issues, public safety, and general Town operations.

Articles in the blog are not designed as press releases or Town publications, rather, they are written in more of a conversational style. The Blog does not have a comments feature but readers are free to respond to the Blog and its entries view email directly to the City Manager.

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Jun 20

That's A Wrap! - June 19, 2019

Posted on June 20, 2019 at 10:49 AM by grodericks grodericks

Thats A Wrap Logo

Council Meeting Date: June 19, 2019
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured

Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative. 


The City Council met for their Regular City Council Meeting on Wednesday, June 19 beginning at 7:15 pm with Open Session. A Closed Session was held at 6 pm. The Council discussed the City Manager's 360-Evaluation and provided direction to the Mayor and Vice Mayor for discussions with the City Manager. 
 
Following Roll Call, the Council moved to Presentations. During Presentations, by Proclamation, the City Council recognized Jim Massey for his contributions to the community over the years. 

Following Presentations, the Council moved to Public Comments. 

Report.jpegFollowing Public Comment, the Council moved to the City Manager's Report. The City Manager's Report is prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, Planning, 
Police, and Public Works. The Council received Oral Reports from the City Manager and staff on various issues contained within the City Manager's Report.

After the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 8 through 10. Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were bills, minutes, and approval of a Lease Extension with Knox Playschool. Following brief comments on the lease extension, the the Council approved the items on the Consent Agenda. 

Following the Consent Agenda, the Council took up the Regular Agenda.

Item No. 11 was Consideration of and Appointments to Various Committees and the Town's Planning Commission and the assignment of staggered terms. Following a staff report and public comment, the Council appointed 4 members to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee; 2 members to the Environmental Programs Committee; 4 members to the Park and Recreation Committee; 1 member to the Audit and Finance Committee; 1 member to the Transportation Committee; and 2 members the Planning Commission. Following the appointments, staff drew appointee names randomly to assign staggered terms to all new appointees and members of the Town's Rail Committee. There remains 1 vacancy on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and 1 vacancy on the Environmental Programs Committee. 

Item No. 12 was Adoption of the FY 2019/20 Operations and Capital Budget, Salary and Benefit Resolution for Unrepresented Staff, Memorandum of Understanding for the Atherton Police Officers Association; 2019/20 Salary and Classification Schedule, and the GANN Limit Appropriations. Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to the Town's revenue projections, Police Officers Association MOU and Capital Improvement Budget. Following discussion, the Council adopted all necessary Resolutions to adopt the Budget as presented.

Item No 13 was discussion of the General Plan Update and Initial Study/Negative Declaration, as well as the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. Following a staff presentation and public comment, the Council discussed issues related to street classifications, levels of service, hazard mitigation plans, fire hazard plans, aircraft noise and frequency, freight noise, quiet zone designation, noise contours, and the Grand Boulevard Initiative. The Council provided comments back to staff for future discussion on the General Plan and asked that it return for future consideration. 

Item No. 14 was a Review of Fees and Penalties, including the prior Road Impact Fee and Construction Time Limit Penalty; and provide direction to staff. Following a brief staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the merits of a fee study; the ability to adjust fees based on new hourly rates; the addition of a penalty for working without a permit; modifications to the construction time limit penalty to eliminate the 30-day grace period and remove the cap on the penalty amount; and the possibility of a future development tax on construction. Following discussion, the Council asked that staff return with modifications to the Construction Time Limit Ordinance to remove the maximum cap on the penalty amount; a recommendation on elimination of the 30-day grace period; implementation of a working without a permit penalty; and proposed fee adjustments to account for increases in hourly rates for the Council's consideration. The Council asked that staff schedule further discussion on the possibility of a development tax.  

Next was Item No. 15, Consideration of a Professional Services Agreement with R3 Consulting Group for Solid Waste Procurement Assistance. Following a staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the submittal by R3 Consulting Group. Following discussion, the Council authorized the award of the Professional Services Agreement to R3 Consulting Group.

Last up was Item No. 16, Civic Center Update and Ratification/Authorization for various project task orders, approval of a Consent Agreement and Exchange in Real Property Interest Agreement with the SFPUC, and ratification of the City Manager's Proposed Change Order process. Following a staff report and public comment, the Council discussed the various task orders related to electrical service work for the temporary facilities in the Park; extension of timeline for services for Mack5, Construction Management; approval of subcontracts via Mack5 for Asbestos Removal Monitoring and Storm Water Monitoring and Inspection Services; approval of a task order for Interwest for Information Technology assistance; and approval of the Consent Agreement and Real Property Exchange with the SFPUC. Following approval of these items, the Council discussed the Change Order process proposed by the City Manager. The Council asked questions related to the various possible sizes of change orders, the intended process to be used for review and approval, and the magnitude of change order potential for the project. Following discussion, the Council ratified the process with the caveat that no individual change order over $250,000 may be approved by the City Manager without Council review. 

Following Council Reports and Final Public Comments, having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 10:07 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!



The next meeting of the City Council will be July 17. The July 17 meeting will be a combined Study Session and City Council meeting as the meeting on July 3 has been cancelled. The July 17 meeting will begin at 5 pm at the Pavilion in the Park. The meeting tentatively includes a review of Cash Flow Planning for the Civic Center Project; Review and Approval of various General Plan Updates; Feedback on the Town's Townwide Traffic Study; Adoption of the Town's Green Infrastructure Plan; and Review and Consideration of changes to the Town's Integrated Pest Management Policy.

GeorgeR6824xThanks for reading!

George Rodericks
City Manager

Town of Atherton
grodericks@ci.atherton.ca.us