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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - November 7, 1990CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 7, 1990 COMMENTS REGARDING NOVEMBER C 1990 MUNICIPAL ELECTION PC Mayor Pro Tempore Hinchman spoke about the November 6, 1990 election stating that the City Council Members he has worked with the last six years have been outstanding. Mayor Pro Tempore Hinchman again reiterated his feeling that the citizens of Lodi should have -regular reports on what is happening in this community and feels the City should look into adopting some type of communication plan. Coy+nci 1 Member Olson congratulated candidates Phi Pennino and Jack Sieglock on their victory and urged the community to support them. She also urged the waren of th'is community to seek public office. Mayor Snider spoke about the illegal flyer that was circulated i n our community just prior to the election and that he f e l t i t vks a disservice to a I I nine candidates. Mayor Snider then presented the following report of facts on the various charges that had been alleged. Charge - Lodi has only five police officers on patrol at any given time. Fact - From 12:00 noon to 3:00 am (15 hours, and the busiest time) Lodi has 8 officers assigned, plus a sgt. and It. and 10 are assigned between 10:00 p.m, and 3:00 am. The only time 5 are assigned is during the normally slow period of 3:00 am to 12:00 noon. Charge - Lodi has reduced the police budget when compared to total spending. Fact - The Police Department budget i s 28.3% of the General Fund, the highest percentage it has been in the last ten years. Fact - The Police Department budget has been increased 61% in the last 5 years, the highest percentage increase of a I I operating departments. Fact - The number of police officers per 1,000 population is the highest it has been in the last 7 years, and the total number of police officers and support personnel is the highest it has been in the last 15 years. Charge - Lodi i s seeing the problems of crime and drugs threaten our way of I if e. Fact - The increase in %he Lodi crime rate during the last 8 years is actually lower than it was in the previous 8 years. I er.-courage you to review CITY COUNCL MEETING NOVEMBER 7, 1990 Charge - The Council allowed developers to convert property previously dedicated to single family homes to apartments, thereby putting a strain on the sewer system. Fact - The conversion from some single-family uses to apartments vks consistent with the zoning ordinance adopted i n 1968. It was thic City Council that put as stop to these conversions by putting ir_Q a anoratorium prohibiting such action. This Council took that action 5 years ago. This Council listened and down -zoned the area thereby increasing the life of both the sewer and water systems. Charge - The State had to step in and order the City Council to update and renovate the sewer system. Fact - The State has never issued such .in order. State law requires that when the sewer plant reaches 75% capacity, the City must notify the State and move ahead with expansion. This we have done in the numbers with the Chief of Police. I n the past year, the crime rate i s do\nm by 6%. Charge - The Council i s reducing police protection. Fact - Documented numbers prove this i s a false charge. Charge - The Council has refused to live by the provisions of Measure A and instead adopted its own growth plan allowing Lodi to grow by 26,000 rav residents over the next 17 years-. Fact - The City's growth management plan is part of the City 's new General Plan which i s in the` process of being adopted. It provides for a 2% growth limit. This percentage increase was the result of a recommendation by a citizen task force appointed by the City Council to develop a growth management plan. The task force -was comprised of an equal number of citizens i n favor of and opposed to Heasure A This w i I I result i n an additional 19,450 residents in the next 17 years, not 26,000, an error i n the charge of 34%. Charge - Measure A would hw-e allowed just 3,000 nEw residents by the year 2007. Fact - There would have been no we to determine the growth rate of the Cit, use each annexation would have had t o have been approved by the voters. Charge - The Council allowed developers to convert property previously dedicated to single family homes to apartments, thereby putting a strain on the sewer system. Fact - The conversion from some single-family uses to apartments vks consistent with the zoning ordinance adopted i n 1968. It was thic City Council that put as stop to these conversions by putting ir_Q a anoratorium prohibiting such action. This Council took that action 5 years ago. This Council listened and down -zoned the area thereby increasing the life of both the sewer and water systems. Charge - The State had to step in and order the City Council to update and renovate the sewer system. Fact - The State has never issued such .in order. State law requires that when the sewer plant reaches 75% capacity, the City must notify the State and move ahead with expansion. This we have done in CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOVEMBER 7, 1990 accordance with State law. Fact - New water wells are being developed in accordance with a regular schedule set forth in the City's Capital Improvement Program. That schedule i s i n no way being altered or rushed. Charge - Lodi residents have no choice but to consume contaminated water. Fact - Lodi's water is safe to drink. The State Department of Health Services agrees with this statement. There are far less cancer-causing elements i n one-half gallon of Lodi water than there are in: A peanut butter sandwich A raw mushroom Further, the Council adopted 2-:/2 years ago a moratorium on sanitary sewer connections for areas zwl in the City limits at that time. This was done to ensure that those parcels within the City limits would have sanitary sewer capacity. Charge - I n order to pay for the improvements, the Council has dramatically raised sewer fees and hook-up charges. Fact - Part of the sewer fee increase is to pay for the improvements. The remainder of the sewer fee hike and the increased hook-up fees are to provide, on a pay-as-you-go basis, the funding f or the next expansion 10-12 years from now. That's the cheapest financial approach. That represents good planning. Charge - The City i s operating under a special waiver from the State Department of Health which allows it to use City wells that exceed the maximum contamination levels for DBCP. Fact - The new State requirements regarding DBCP levels went into effect in July 1989. All cities experiencing DBCP have been given the same direction fcm the State. This has been granted to allow time to install new filtration systems, and because the State's Department of Health Services acknowledges there are no short-term health concerns. Charge - The Council has been forced to rush to d r i I I new wells. Fact - New water wells are being developed in accordance with a regular schedule set forth in the City's Capital Improvement Program. That schedule i s i n no way being altered or rushed. Charge - Lodi residents have no choice but to consume contaminated water. Fact - Lodi's water is safe to drink. The State Department of Health Services agrees with this statement. There are far less cancer-causing elements i n one-half gallon of Lodi water than there are in: A peanut butter sandwich A raw mushroom CITY COUNCIL MEETIMG NOVEMBER 7, 1990 A 12 -ounce can of soda Charge - A comparison of the budgets of four Central Valley Cities presents the cost of the budget per person is: Sacramento - $ 976 Stockton - 749 Modest o - 596 Lodi - 1,139 Fact - The other three cities do not have municipal electrical systems. The fact that Lodi has a municipal electrical system i s of tremendous benefit to our citizens and our commercial and industrial communities. Lodi residents currently pay for electrical service about 35% less than they would pay ifserved by PG&E. When you subtract the Electric system budget fcm the total, Lodi's cost per person is $511, the lowest of the other three cities listed. Charge - Should the City have a certified and verified audit of its budget? Fact - The City of Lodi has, annually for decades, always had an audit of its fiscal condition �ormed by an independent auditing firm. In addition, federal law requires cities to perform an annual audit because federal funds are part of the City's annual expenditures. Charge - The White Slough Sewer Plant expansion was awarded this year to an "out of state firm". Fact - The Council awards bids to the "lowest responsible bidder". To do so is to realize the completion of a project for the taxpayer at the lowest possible cost. This policy is clearly in the best interest of the tax paying citizen. Council Member Reid spoke about the large number of political signs that had been posted on power poles, public rights-of-way, etc. during this past election. Council Member Reid indicated he would like to have the City Attorney drift a new ordinance regarding the placenent of such signs in order to remedy the situation.