05-17-2017 - Special Meeting - MinutesCITY OF WEST COVINA
CITY COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY MAY 17, 2017, 6:30 PM
SPECIAL MEETING - BUDGET STUDY SESSION
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1444 W. GARVEY AVENUE SOUTH
WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA 91790
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER — Mayor Corey Warshaw called the Special Meeting to order at 6:34 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE — Led by Mayor Pro Tern Mike Spence
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Corey Warshaw, Mayor Pro Tern Mike Spence
Councilmen Lloyd Johnson, James Toma, Tony Wu
Staff present: City Manager Chris Freeland, Finance Director Christa Buhagiar
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
Members of the public Chris Miller; Phillip Moreno; Eric Melnyk, president of the West Covina
Police Officers Association; Pat Benschop, representing West Covina Police Management
Association; JerTi Potras, Ed Dor,, representing the West Covina Bruins football; and Jefferson
DeRoux addressed the City Council regarding various budget issues.
Wednesday May 17, 2017
DISCUSSION
Study Session
1) Fiscal Year 2017-18 Budget Study Session
It is recommended that the City Council provide City staff direction on the various City
priorities related to the Fiscal Year 2017-18 Operating and Capital Improvement Program
Budget.
City Manager Freeland presented a brief overview of the current status of the budget and the current
$6.1 million dollar deficit.
Staff report and PowerPoint presentation were presented by Finance Director Buhagiar which
included proposed revenue enhancement options and proposed expenditure cuts.
Council questions included whether the presented Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects are
funded with general fund monies and how much of the overall CIP budget is general fund. Finance
Director Buhagiar responded that $130,000 of the recommended CIP projects for FY 2017-18 are
funded by the general fund.
Additional questions and discussion included how much of the overall public safety budget is
coming from special funds and not general funds, which department were not able to meet the 3%
salary savings, specific general fund expenditures of each department, third party to review budget
numbers, in house graffiti costs vs. contract costs, and prioritizing the protection of public safety.
Motion by Spence and seconded by Wu to direct staff to return with breakdown of all general fund
expenditures by all departments. Motion carried 5-0 by the following vote:
AYES: Johnson, Spence, Toma, Wu, Warshaw
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
Council discussion ensued regarding proposed revenue enhancement options and expenditure cuts
and it was the consensus of the Council to 1) bring back detailed information on the sports group
lighting before pursuing the sports groups paying for lighting as a revenue enhancement, 2) remove
the elimination of 5 vacant police officer positions from the expenditure cuts list, and 3) to remove
the elimination of the School Resource Officer Program from the expenditure cuts list at this time
and review the program further.
Council discussion continued and included total general fund reserves, unfunded state mandates,
and collection of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) with sharing services such as Airbnb's.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Warshaw adjourned the meeting at 8:02 p.m.
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Wednesday May 17, 2017
ROsalia A. Bit1er MMC
Msistant City, Clerk
Corey Warshaw
Mayor
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