Santa Paula Council–Back to work: Parking, Jail Expansion, Water Rights, Trash Collection and Municipal Planning

By Sheryl Hamlin

Parking, Jail Expansion, Water Rights, Trash Collection and Municipal Planning contributed to a three and a half hour Santa Paula City Council meeting.

In public comments, a 24 year resident of Santa Paula Street and Palm Street testified that residents are unable to access homes starting at 8:00 am on Saturday and continuing until 9:00 pm because Santa Paula High School has become an event venue. She questioned why this area was not included in the proposed Parking District. She also questioned the school district’s parking study during a low attendance period rather than during a high volume period like football season.

A representative from Southern California Edison spoke in public comments about first responder training for downed power lines.

Council Member Gherardi requested items without attachments be deleted from the Consent Calendar, which would apply to Item D Welkins Road Water Main Replacement. Without attachments council members cannot review the item. This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar.

With respect to council board packets, citizens should also have this material for review. Attachments such as those referenced by Council Member Gherardi and two reports used by Brian Yanez should be available for download along with the Agenda. Additionally, all presentations used by speakers should be available for download so that citizens can read and prepare questions for the meeting. This would enhance citizen involvement substantially.

Todd Road Jail Expansion

The Todd Road Jail Sheriff presented a $61,556,157 64-bed jail expansion that would add 48,229 square feet for mentally ill inmates already in custody in Ventura county. The proposed expansion will increase the footprint by 21% but is within the existing fence line and security envelope. This expansion was presented last year with the previous council opposing the expansion. The cost of the jail expansion has increased. The Sheriff indicated that the county is a leader in pre-sentencing alternatives but population growth and the recently passed Proposition 47 will change the incarceration requirements. The jail is 840 beds now (580 male and 243 female) with permission for 2307 granted in 1992. At 227,000 square feet and 64 acres out of 154 acres, the jail has room for expansion. The undeveloped property is leased to chili pepper farming. The jail offers rehabilitation training in computers and inmates can take GED classes. The sheriff indicated that Todd Road employees live in the area, inmates trim trees and that the addition will provide several years of construction jobs in which the labor organizations are expected to participate. The jail has a food waste recycling program, drought tolerant landscape and 50% of electricity is solar driven. The department is involved in electronic monitoring, early release, partnerships with probation where all are felons, not low level crimes. He said that incarceration is a “Constitutional Mandate and Moral obligation”. The project’s application for funding will be presented to the County Supervisors on January 13, 2015.

A lengthy discussion ensued about water rights instigated by Council Member Tobias. According to Brian Yanez, the jail is provided water by Santa Paula but has never transferred its water rights. Yanez suggested that we “cannot continue to offer water without gaining extra rights”. The city has an adjudicated level of 5480 acre feet with about 5000 used. This gives less than a 10% cushion according to Yanez. The sheriff said he could not speak to water issues and that the EIR should tell what amount of water this expansion will require. No one at the meeting was able to quantify the water usage required for this addition, although Yanez indicated that Santa Paula “gives” Todd Road Jail 60 acre feet from its allotment, thus reducing the pumpable amount without receiving the offsetting water rights. Council Member Hernandez asked about public water rights versus private water rights. Mayor Procter said that the county should convey the water rights to Santa Paula. There was no action item to pursue this transfer however. Discussion about the effect of the SCWW explosion on the jail and the security led to the council’s decision to withdraw the 2014 motion opposing the expansion. The vote was 3-2 with Council Members Crosswhite and Tobias voting “no” and Mayor Procter, Vice Mayor Hernandez and Council Member Gherardi voting “yes”.

At $961,815 per bed, this expansion will cost more per bed that most houses in Ventura County. Not one council member asked how this figure compared to hospital construction costs or how jail hospital construction costs per bed compared to non-jail hospital bed construction costs. Nor was there a question about how the cost estimate was prepared. Perhaps these items are in the council packet, but again such items should be available for the public’s scrutiny.

Fire Department Funding

Chief Araiza presented the challenges running the Fire Department due to explosion related staff outages and the possibility of losing the SAFER Grant. They are still down one “engine” due to the SCWW explosion. He is using temps for full-time positions. Firefighters perform inventory because the temporary employees may not be available when inventory is needed. The SAFER Grant application is opening on February 9, 2015 however, he asked for guidance in the event this is not successful. The chief was advised to create a detailed Succession Plan. There was a motion, but unfortunately the motion was not restated. The motion passed. The clerk should be restating all motions for the clarity of the minutes and the public, but this is rarely done. City Manager Fontes noted that Chief Araiza was President of the Fire Chiefs of California and went to the White House in 2014.

Parking District

Council Member Tobias recused himself from the lengthy discussion about the Parking District because he lives within 500 feet of the high school. Brian Yanez said the concept of the Parking District was approved and only the Palm Court was included. Rules for the Parking District were provided in the council’s packet, but again not for the public.

Council Member Gherardi said the piecemeal approach was troubling and a broader plan including diagonal parking, drop-off zones, remote parking lots and enforcement should be prepared. As a short-term solution, she suggested painting all curbs red and issuing tickets. A schedule from the school to the police would indicate when the ticketing staff should be on duty in this area. Council Member Hernandez said there were three surveys and all in favor each time of parking districts all around the high school and not just on Palm Court. The motion to include a broader area failed. The public speaker said that Palm Court is dangerous because people are double parked and parking on the sidewalks, thus making it impossible at times for fire or emergency vehicles to pass. She also noted that this issue has been in discussion by council for a year with no progress while the problem exacerbates. The Superintendent of SPUSD spoke saying they were “good neighbors” and he proposed dates for a planning session with his board and the council. He also mentioned the property the school owned on Palm Court without discussion of the district’s plans for such property. No council member questioned the wisdom of destroying historic city fabric for parking. Yanez noted that each house would receive 2 guest passes and 2 residential passes for the street, although there are not enough spaces for four cars per household on the street. Vice Mayor Hernandez’ motion to include a broader area failed, while the motion to include only Palm Court passed. The item will be brought back after the Planning Session with the school district and the Traffic Study are completed.

Crown Disposal Sale to Recology

Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez presented next the possible acquisition by Recology of the Crown Disposal assets and business in Santa Paula. This acquisition has been in the works since the fourth quarter of 2014. Yanez requested detailed information from Recology in December and received the response by the required date of January 5, 2015, so he will be able to analyze and report on this for the January 20, 2015 council meeting. The representative from Recology spoke.

The company started in San Francisco with the original “scavengers” who picked up trash and looked for things to resell, so recycling is in its DNA. The San Francisco companies Sunset Scavengers and Golden Gate became Recology which now has residential and commercial clients in 118 communities totaling over 120,000 customers. The original San Francisco scavenger companies were owned by the truck owners, as each truck being one share.

Recology is an ESOP company (Employee Stock Option) with no employee owning more than 1% of the company. Each employee shares in the profits unlike other waste companies such as Waste Management and Republic Services which are public companies and pay dividends to stockholders. Yanez informed the council that Recology will pay a $50,000 fee for the transfer. Mr. Cotti, the city attorney, indicated that the franchise agreement allows assignment to another entity, but the city can impose new criteria. The city cannot unreasonably deny transfer. It was noted that Crown has been an excellent corporate citizen providing services for public events. Recology indicated it would continue that tradition. Recology has offered all employees jobs. The union representation will be continued with Recology however, it was not divulged if the new employees would participate in the ESOP, which can be quite lucrative. Generally the presence of union representation and participation in an ESOP are mutually exclusive. None of the council members asked for clarification of the ESOP participation.

Recology will lease the old wastewater plant owned by Mr. Tom Fry to use for truck parking which will facilitate deliveries and improved access to trucks for employees. Brian Yanez noted that Santa Paula has 90 customers now for its food waste program. Mr. Gamblen from Recology responded that with the purchase of ‘community’, all pieces will be in place for 100% recycling in Southern California.

Council Planning Session

Methodology for a planning session was proposed by City Manager Fontes. He suggested moderating and compiling suggestions from the public with promotion using both print and electronic. Council Member Gherardi said she preferred a meeting of council members first to understand the council’s goals. By announcing this meeting as a “study session” where no actionable items will be taken, such a meeting could be held within the rules of the Brown Act, but this format was not suggested. Council Hernandez disagreed and wants to have a city wide meeting with short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Council Member Tobias said that goals must be quantifiable. Council Member Crosswhite asked about the facilitator. Mr. Fontes responded that he can provide local facilitators and their costs to the council. There will also be staff costs, IT and translation expenses. Mayor Procter said that goals must be set high or risk mediocrity. It was moved and seconded that the city manager provide three names and costs for such a session to the council.

Next Meeting

Mr. Fontes indicated that the January 20, 2015 meeting will include a presentation on the Audited Financial Statements for the city and possibly a mid-year financial status, plus transit issues. The council picked a common date for the planning session with the school district. The Mayor proposed the council have a youth representative. The motion was passed.

The council adjourned at 3 hours and 23 minutes after commencement.

Items italicized are editorial commentary by reporter.

Sheryl Hamlin: With an MS in Industrial Engineering, Sheryl Hamlin spent years in technology with stints at Motorola, Tandem Computers and various startups. She has been on the boards of neighborhood organizations both in San Francisco and Palm Springs where planning issues were her specialty. She now resides in Santa Paula and loves the historic fabric of the city.  Ms. Hamlin’s blog Stealth Fashion  and  technology product ‘ Plug and Play Webmaster’.

Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free  SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE