The Turlock City Council will hold a special, 6:30 p.m. meeting Tuesday to discuss planning the 2013-2014 city budget.
For this year's budget planning, City Manager Roy Wasden is suggesting a new process, where Wasden would prepare and present the entire City of Turlock budget. According to the city, the new system could make it more clear how budget decisions affect interconnected city units.
Last year, each division held its own, separate budget workshop.
Councilmembers may decide to either accept Wasden's recommendation, or to continue division-based budget planning as in years past.
Later Tuesday night, councilmembers will consider approving amendments to the 2012-2013 city budget. According to the staff report, the budget is $1.4 million better off than expected.
Savings come mainly from the continuation of employee retirement concessions, amounting to $1.5 million, and $1 million in reduced healthcare costs due to the city's switch to a new healthcare provider. The city faced major unexpected expenses reducing the full value of those savings, including a $380,000 shortfall in property taxes.
On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council is also expected to:
• Approve a project to rehabilitate Tuolumne Road from State Route 99 east to Golden State Boulevard.
The project would install rubberized asphalt, the first use of the surface in Turlock. Rubberized asphalt is said to last longer, require less maintenance, and generate less road noise.
The project would be funded by federal street project and gas tax dollars. Further funding would come from CalRecycle, funding the used tires which will be part of the rubberized asphalt.
The work would be performed by Granite Construction Company of Watsonville, at a cost of $884,488. Teichart Construction was the apparent low bidder, at $803,982.85, but did not meet federal requirements as a bidder as they did not identify a disadvantaged business enterprise to be used within their bid.
• Conference with legal counsel in closed session regarding the case of Bolt, an Alaskan Malamute accused of biting two women in the face and sentenced to death by the City of Turlock. Bolt's owner, Daniel Mendonca, is fighting the case.
• Create a new position, an “Assistant to the City Manager for Economic Development/Community Housing.” The position would combine the current positions of Community Housing Program Services Manager and Economic Development/Redevelopment Manager.
The Economic Development/Redevelopment Manager, Heidi McNally-Dial, retired earlier this year. The new position would be filled by current Community Housing Program Services Manager Maryn Pitt.
• Approve spending $28,620 to survey the pavement conditions of all local streets. The work would be performed by Nichols Consulting Engineers, who is also surveying all federally-aided roadways in Stanislaus County.
• Begin the process to increase the delinquency charge on garbage-only accounts from $10 to $25. The change would make the late fee consistent across all city account types.
• Finalize a plan to move the start time of Turlock City Council meetings to 6 p.m. Meetings currently start at 7 p.m.
• Finalize an amendment to Turlock Municipal Code governing the sale of fireworks, capping the number of sellers at 35. The cap is currently 50, though no more than 27 have ever applied.
The change would also make it easier for nonprofits to qualify to sell fireworks, requiring a tax exemption certificate from either the California Franchise Tax Board or the Internal Revenue Service, but not both.
• Approve a loan agreement between the City of Turlock and the Stanislaus County Affordable Housing Corporation for $270,025.25 for a four-plex located at 1060 Alpha.
• Sitting as the Successor Agency to the Turlock Redevelopment Agency, approve an updated payment schedule for outstanding obligations, and a budget for administrative expenses. The documents are required under state law.
The Turlock City Council will meet at 7 p.m. in the Yosemite Room of Turlock City Hall, 156 S. Broadway. A special budget meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.
