2010 JUN 24 CC MINSPECIAL MEETING OF THE EL SEGUNDO CITY COUNCIL
Thursday, June 24, 2010
El Segundo Public Library
111 W. Mariposa Avenue, El Segundo, CA 90245
7:30 a.m.
7:30 A.M. SESSION
CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Busch at 7:30 a.m.
ROLL CALL
Mayor Busch
- Present
Mayor Pro Tern Fisher
- Present
Council Member Brann
- Present
Council Member Fuentes
- Present
Council Member Jacobson
- Present
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS — (Related to City Business Only — 5 minute limit per person, 30
minute limit total) Individuals who have received value of $50 or more to communicate to the City
Council on behalf of another, and employees speaking on behalf of their employer, must so identify
themselves prior to addressing the City Council. Failure to do so shall be a misdemeanor and
punishable by a fine of $250. While all comments are welcome, the Brown Act does not allow
Council to take action on any item not on the agenda. The Council will respond to comments after
Public Communications is closed.
Chris Thomason, El Segundo Firefighters' Association, spoke in favor of merging the El Segundo
Fire Department with Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Ron Swanson, resident, spoke regarding the initiative petition being circulated to transition the Fire
Department to Los Angeles County.
Mark Marion, resident, spoke regarding opportunities for public comment.
Dave Burns, resident, spoke against consolidating El Segundo Fire with County Fire.
Jack Kenton, resident, suggested that the City look at non - essential programs which could be
eliminated and services which could be charged back to the residents.
Marty Smith, resident and Los Angeles County Firefighter, addressed the concerns of non -
transport issues and the benefits of having multiple paramedic units available if both units assigned
to the City were busy.
Fred Curcio, resident and Los Angeles County Firefighter, spoke in support of the County
consolidation.
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JUNE 24, 2010
PAGE NO. 1
Rod Spackman, Chevron, spoke regarding the other responsibilities that the El Segundo Fire
Department is currently charged with and his concerns with training and cooperation currently
enjoyed between Chevron and the City.
SPECIAL ORDERS OF BUSINESS:
Consideration and possible action regarding a strategic planning session which will guide
staff in the preparation of the Fiscal Year 2010 -2011 Preliminary Budget. Staff will present a
brief overview of the estimated General Fund Fiscal Year 2009 -2010 yearend projections,
General Fund Fiscal Year 2010 -2011 budget assumptions, projected shortfall and options to
balance the FY 2009 -2010 and FY 2010 -2011 General Fund Budgets. Staff will also
provide follow -up on open items from the prior Strategic Planning Session.
Deborah Cullen, Finance Director, gave a presentation on the following items:
a. Fiscal Year 2009 -2010 Yearend projections
i. Balancing options
b. Fiscal Year 2010 -2011 Preliminary Budget
i. Balancing options
1. Fire Department
a. L. A. County Fire Contract
b. Reduce staffing level to 14
C. Run short options
Council recessed at 8:55 a.m.
Council reconvened at 9:00 a.m. with all present.
2. All City Departments savings /reductions
ii. Early retirement options for Safety /Miscellaneous employees
iii. Union Concessions
1. Freeze /reduce scheduled salary increases
2. Furloughs
3. Layoffs
4. Benefit cost sharing
5. Tiered benefit cost sharing
iv. Reduce General Fund unreserved /undesignated balance
V. Internal Service Funds
vi. Reduce Capital Project funding
vii. Undesignate funds in the Economic Uncertainty Fund
viii. Reduce Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) funding or withdraw Pay Go from
Trust
C. Potential Revenue Generators
i. Public Library Foundation and Recreation and Park Fee Study
ii. Trash collection fees
iii. Sale of Fire Station #2
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PAGE NO. 2
iv. Transient Occupancy Tax increase in tax rate (April 2012)
V. Increase Utility User Tax rate (April 2012)
d. Open Items
i. Council Benefits
ii. Early Retirement
Council discussed transitioning to Los Angeles County Fire or keeping our City Fire Department.
Debbie Aguirre, Chief, Planning Division, and Daryl L. Osby, Chief Deputy, from Los Angeles
County responded to Council questions.
Los Angeles County fire proposal would be completed and given to the City in July, 2010.
Negotiations would take approximately six months. From Contract approval (signature) to
complete transition would be approximately August 2011.
MOTION by Mayor Busch to go forward with the proposal, go back to all bargaining groups and
ask for a 5% concession to bridge the budget gap, negotiate a two tier system for future
employees, and conduct public meetings to get public input regarding fire services. Motion failed
for a lack of a second.
MOTION by Mayor Pro Tern Fisher to go forward with the proposal, go back to all bargaining
groups and ask for a 10% concession to bridge the budget gap, negotiate a two tier system for
future employees, and conduct public meetings to get public input regarding fire services. Motion
failed for a lack of a second.
MOTION by Mayor Busch, SECONDED by Council Member Brann to ask employees for a 5% cut
in compensation and /or benefits and negotiate a two tiered benefits system. MOTION PASSED
BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: MAYOR BUSCH, COUNCIL MEMBERS BRANN AND
JACOBSON; NOES: MAYOR PRO TEM FISHER AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES. 3/2
MOTION by Mayor Busch to begin negotiations with Los Angeles County and get further
information and detail, SECONDED by Council Member Brann. MOTION PASSED BY THE
FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: MAYOR BUSCH, MAYOR PRO TEM FISHER, AND COUNCIL
MEMBER BRANN; NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS FUENTES AND JACOBSON. 3/2
In negotiations with County, staff directed to investigate costs associated with El Segundo having
their own ambulance transport.
MOTION by Mayor Busch, SECONDED by Mayor Pro Tem Fisher to have the Regular City
Council Meeting on July 6, 2010, keeping the agenda brief for the 7:00 p.m. open session for
Strategic Planning purposes, and have the 5:00 p.m. closed session dedicated to bargaining group
negotiations. MOTION PASSED BY UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE. 5/0
Staff directed to return on the July 6, 2010 meeting with an analysis of the proposed ballot initiative
to transfer El Segundo Fire Services to Los Angeles County.
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Staff to agendize a two tier Council benefits option, and voluntary reduction of Council stipend and
benefits, for the second meeting in July.
Staff to address placing a "Pledge of Allegiance" and second "Public Communications" on future
agendas.
ADJOURNMENT at 10:55 a.m.
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JUNE 24, 2010
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