HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - April 20, 2004 SMLODI CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CARNEGIE FORUM, 305 WEST PINE STREET
TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2004
A. CALL TO ORDER / ROLL CALL
The Special City Council meeting of April 20, 2004, was called to order by Mayor Hansen at
7:00 a.m.
Present: Council Members — Beckman, Howard, Land, and Mayor Hansen
Absent: Council Members — Hitchcock
Also Present: City Manager Flynn, Interim City Attorney Schwabauer, and City Clerk Blackston
B. REGULAR CALENDAR
B-1 "Discussion and appropriate action regarding governance of San Joaquin Council of
Governments"
City Manager Flynn reported that he was notified last week that the San Joaquin Council of
Governments (SJCOG) Board would soon be making a critical decision, which was
important for Council to consider. He explained that currently for the SJCOG Board to take
action, it requires a majority of the cities with the majority of the residents to support it. As
an example, if the County and the City of Stockton, with two votes each, supported a
motion, they would have the majority of residents, but not the majority of cities. Stockton
has proposed that the voting requirement be changed strictly according to population. The
City Manager of Stockton justified the request by pointing out that Stockton contributes
47% of the sales tax revenue for Measure K; however, it only gets 30% of the money.
Mr. Flynn distributed and reviewed a report listing sales tax, population, and employment
figures for Escalon, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton, Tracy, and the County (filed).
Council Member Howard commented that concern has been expressed that the request by
Stockton to increase the number of votes to represent its city makes it unfair for the
remainder of the cities in the county. If changed as requested, Stockton would receive 5
votes, Tracy 1, Lodi 1, Manteca 1, Lathrop .04, Ripon .04, Escalon .02, and the County 2.
This would mean that Stockton could effectively have success with supporting or denying
any motion by getting the support of either Tracy, Lodi, Manteca, or the County, i.e. just
one other city with a population of over 50,000. Conversely if Stockton was opposed to an
issue, it would take the support of every other agency on the Board to overrule its
opposition. Stockton has intimated that if its request is not agreed to, it would not support
the Measure K renewal effort.
Mayor Hansen believed that the system has worked well as is and serves the entire county.
He was opposed to the request by the City of Stockton.
Mayor Pro Tempore Beckman pointed out that Stockton and Lodi are the only cities on the
SJCOG who have any interest in money being spent in the northern half of the county. For
this reason, there would be an advantage to Lodi if Stockton's request was approved.
Discussion ensued about various methods/systems of voting on the SJCOG Board,
possible reasons why Stockton is making the request, and what it might mean for the
future.
Public Works Director Prima stated that, fundamentally, it is about Measure K money and
the question of whether it belongs to the entire county and all of its residents as
represented by the SJCOG Board, or to each individual agency.
Council Member Land preferred that the SJCOG Board voting method remain unchanged.
City Manager Flynn reported that there is also a proposed new distribution for allocation of
the Measure K program.
Continued April 20, 2004
Mayor Pro Tempore Beckman disclosed that his employer, the Building Industry
Association of the Delta, has taken a position to not support moving forward with the
Measure K renewal in the 2004 election, but would support it in 2006. He asked Interim
City Attorney Schwabauer if this presents a conflict of interest, to which Mr. Schwabauer
advised him that it did.
NOTE: At 7:35 a.m., Mayor Pro Tempore Beckman abstained from further discussion on
the matter, due to a conflict of interest, and left the meeting.
Council Member Land noted that the staff report provided by the City of Stockton did not
present an argument for its request.
MOTION/ VOTE:
Council Member Land made a motion, Howard second, that Lodi does not support
Stockton's request to change the method of voting by the SJCOG Board. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Members — Howard, Land, and Mayor Hansen
Noes: Council Members — None
Absent: Council Members — Hitchcock
Abstain: Council Members — Beckman
Mayor Hansen stated that he would not be opposed to the Measure K renewal being placed
on the November 2004 ballot if the SJCOG Board is in support of it.
Discussion ensued regarding other possible measures that might be on the 2004 ballot,
following which City Manager Flynn stated that he would be recommending to Council that
Lodi bring forward a measure for a half cent sales tax increase.
With the aid of an overhead chart (filed), Public Works Director Prima reviewed proposals
for percentage distribution by program categories. He noted that the local street repair
money is allocated to the agencies based on a formula. Currently it is split half to the
county and the remaining half that goes to the cities is based on population, with a
minimum of $100,000. He understood that roadway safety would be allocated on the same
basis as the local street repair. Congestion relief is allocated on a project by project basis.
Mr. Flynn reported that the city managers recommended that SJCOG staff combine
roadway safety and local street repair into one category entitled, "Local Street Repair and
Roadway Safety."
Council Member Howard noted that for Lodi the areas of most importance are congestion
relief and local street repair, and she would voice support for keeping those percentages
strong. In reference to the issue of regional transportation impact fees, she mentioned that
many members on the SJCOG Board feel it is important that they be adopted this year in
time for the November ballot. Each city has been asked to create its own fee by July and
have it adopted by the SJCOG Board. Cities have been cautioned that if they do not have a
fee in place, they will not be eligible for the renewal component of Measure K dollars.
Council Member Land commented that County Supervisor Sieglock had stated that he
would not support Measure K without a regional transportation impact fee.
C. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 8:24
a. m.
ATTEST:
Susan J. Blackston
City Clerk
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