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MINUTE-ORDER 09- 240 .................................................................................. 7. STAFF REPORTS A. Fiscal Year 2009/2010 Budget Revisions. Recommendation: Approve by resolution the proposed changes to the 2009/10 adopted budget presented as Package 1 at the City Council meeting of October 19, 2009. RESOLUTION No. 14983 APPROPRIATING AND TRANSFERRING CERTAIN FUNDS FOR SPECIFIED PURPOSES DURING FY 2009/10 (with edits to the cuts to PD) Mr. Ponty, Finance Director, asked Council to approve the staff recommendation by resolution on the budget reductions. Council discussed the School Resource Officer (SRO) position and acknowledged receiving a large number of emails on the matter. Mayor Foust said that Mr. Ingram sent out a memo on the matter and she provided details. Mr. Ingram explained that the cut will not be effective until July 1, 2010 and that this will provide some time for the City to work with the District on finding a solution. Mr. Ingram explained that they checked with three other High Schools (Carlmont, Atherton and Woodside) and he explained how SRO's are funded and assigned elsewhere. Mayor Foust explained that since the proposed business license tax increase did not pass (Measure Y) the City lost potential revenue. Mr. Ponty, Finance Director, explained that the potential revenue loss is estimated at $215,000 in the first year for a total of $650,000 in revenues after the three years. Public Comment: Nancy Gittleman, a Redwood City resident and teacher in San Francisco, said that her son is a freshman at Sequoia High School. She opined that it is a good and safe school. She said that if the SRO is not there to keep the school safe, the kids cannot learn and it is critical and imperative to have an SRO on campus. She asked Council to please keep the SRO position. Janet Wilkerson said she has been a teacher in Redwood City for twenty one years, and has four kids. She said that the Sequoia High School is a school of choice for many parents. She spoke about the commitment to the children's Bill of Rights, children deserving an education in a school that is safe, and how irreplaceable the SRO is. She asked Council to reconsider and challenged parents to come up with the additional funds needed or to reallocate funding to maintain the SRO. Florian Shasky, librarian at Sequoia High School, expressed his concerns and reasons to retain the SRO, which included: safety for staff and students, the role the SRO plays in any incidents that the school may be vulnerable to, SRO's experience, knowledge, and advanced training in providing community intelligence. He also mentioned this position JOINT CITY COUNCIL/REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 9, 2009 PAGE 6