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REPORT: PROPOSED FISCAL PLAN, FISCAL YEAR 1995-96 - FINANCE DEPARTMENT (Available in the Finance and City Clerk Departments) City Manager Everett described the budget schedule that the staff followed since early January, 1995, and the many hours of staff time expended on the process. City Manager Everett advised that this year the Unions were invited to attend the later department head budget sessions, and outlined their increased involvement planned for next year's budget process. City Manager Everett highlighted the many projects scheduled for completion in the 1995/96 fiscal year budget: opening of Red Morton Center; a newer and larger Fair Oaks Library from 800 to 3000 feet, ajoint project with the County; the public safety subcommittee and the Chief of Police have decided to end mandatory differential responses; establishment of a youth commission in cooperation with the YMCA and the school district; 6.5 acre Marlin Park in Redwood Shores; Shannon Way Playground in Redwood Shores; joint effort with the Belmont School District for a school and community center in Redwood Shores; construction of a new City Hall; many entrepreneurial activities including selling dispatch services, computer support services, Human Resources services; ongoing discussions regarding consolidations with Menlo Park Fire Protection District; and the fire department is preparing a business plan to repair and test breathing apparatus for other agencies. City Manager Everett explained the use of the City's self-insurance fund based on an outside actuarial study, and described how the City used that fund in creating previous budgets that were hard hit by State takeaways. City Manager Everett advised that $2.4 million of the total will be put into reserves to build interest income according to previous Council direction. City Manager Everett described the few budget alternatives available due to Councils' decisions on long term projects including the projects listed above, and referred to Attachment 1 with the Council's stated priorities including: eliminating police differential response, voice mail and increasing lobby staffing, customer surveys, and more emphasis on traffic complaints; the highly successful Citizens Academy; youth services such as expanding the Fair Oaks Library with a real homework center, completion of Red Morton Center with an expanded teen center, the mentoring program and Healthy Start at Taft School; expanded economic development projects with more focus groups with the Mayor and Vice Mayor and our business community and school district, and a retail anchor program; entrepreneurial projects with Parks and Recreation automated scheduling; mutual aid; partnerships with other agencies; the City showed real leadership in constructing the new City Hall in a significantly different way in order to hold down costs and make sure the people receive a quality building, using a private sector model; there is an ongoing effort to convert utility bills to more "user friendly" and to become a true instrument of information for City news to our utility users; and the City will produce a 4-page "Budget at a Glance" document if the Council approves that budget item. MINUTE BOOK NO. 53 Adjourned Special Council Meeting Budget Study Session Minutes Page No. 239 July 10, 1995 Page 2 n'__", ".,..n.....