Staff Writer
At its June 27 meeting, after making one appointment to fill a vacant seat on the Civil Service Commission, the Signal Hill City Council voted to postpone appointments of three other open commission positions until April 2018, when there will be a new mayor and thus, presumably, a different appointment process.
The decision follows Mayor Edward Wilson’s use of charter-based appointment procedures at the May 23 meeting that allowed for mayor-only candidate nominations.
Also during this week’s meeting, the council acted on other matters impacting the city, including approving the Operating and Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2017-18.
Commissioner appointment
At the May 23 council meeting, candidates had been interviewed to replace commissioners whose four-year terms were expiring. Six seats across three commissions were filled during the meeting, but four remained open after Wilson refused to name additional candidates and barred the other four councilmembers from making nominations.
Additional candidates were then sought for the Civil Service Commission to continue the term of a member who had been moved to a different commission.
Since no additional candidates applied, the council at the June 27 meeting nominated from the existing applicant pool to fill that position. Ida Howard was appointed to the Civil Service Commission.
However, all councilmembers besides Wilson also voted to postpone making appointments for the three remaining open commission positions until the April 10, 2018 council meeting. Commissioners already serving but whose terms have expired will continue until they are replaced, as per the City’s charter.
One of those continuing commissioners, Steve Strichart, who, along with Paul Patterson, had applied for reappointment to this commission but was not nominated, stated that he would gladly continue serving on the Civil Service Commission. (Editor’s note— Strichart is associate publisher of the Signal Tribune.)
“I’m not going anywhere,” Strichart said. “My loyalties are with the city of Signal Hill.”
Strichart further expressed relief that two new commissioners were not appointed to the Civil Service Commission since there were several hearings coming up requiring an experienced commission.
The council’s decision to postpone making further appointments was the result of a motion by Vice Mayor Tina Hansen, after confirming with Wilson that he would continue to disallow nominations by other council members as he did at the May 23 meeting and as is consistent with the city charter. Councilmember Larry Forester seconded the motion.
“I absolutely am opposed to this process,” Hansen said. “I understand it’s in the charter [!] but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with that.”
She stated that her objection to the mayor’s chosen process was because it didn’t allow all council members to voice their nominations.
“I’ve sat with five other council members over the years, and never has anybody sitting as mayor taken the prerogative to be the only person that nominates,” she said. “I am not willing to sit here and watch residents who have served the City for so long be passed over again and [!] not be nominated and be in limbo again. I think that is completely disrespectful to them.”
Hansen then motioned to continue the appointments to April 10, 2018, when there will have been a mayor rotation. Applications remain active for one year, so existing candidates would be considered then.
“Hopefully the next person who is mayor will be open to accepting nominations from the entire council,” she said.
Hansen’s motion and comments were followed by applause from the attending public, many of whom have publically expressed similar sentiments since the May 23 meeting.
Wilson responded to Hansen’s motion by explaining that it would not alleviate the burden on the commissioners asked to continue serving.
“That also still keeps everyone in limbo,” he said. “If there are no nominations, then you’re not representing [!] all the residents.”
Wilson said that, in his opinion, everyone that applied is qualified and deserves the chance to be nominated. Previously, Wilson had made clear he wished to nominate candidates to commission positions other than those for which they had applied, and this was one of the reasons he refrained from making further nominations on May 23.
[aesop_image imgwidth=”500px” img=”https://signal-tribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-30-at-11.39.27-AM-1.png” credit=”Anita W. Harris | Signal Tribune” align=”left” lightbox=”on” caption=”Mayor Edward Wilson (left) with members of local indoor soccer league champions, the Hurricanes, at the June 27 Signal Hill City Council meeting” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off”] Hansen responded that she also believes all the candidates are qualified but that was not the basis of her motion.
“My issue is with the process,” she said. “I don’t think that only one person should have the right to nominate individuals and that the opinion of the other councilmembers should be discounted.”
Wilson then reminded the council that the charter makes clear only the mayor nominates candidates for council approval and said he wished for this consistency in the process going forward.
Councilmember Robert Copeland expressed concern about Hansen’s motion that if all appointments are postponed, the Civil Service Commission would be incomplete with only four commissioners instead of five. City Attorney Dave Aleshire confirmed that the commission is operable with only four and in fact needs only three to make a decision, but having five is more advantageous in case one or more cannot attend a hearing date.
“I really hope that we can sort this out tonight,” Copeland said. “I’m hoping that Wilson will just agree to allow [other] people to nominate so we can close this out and be done with this.”
Public comment supported his view as residents Maria Harris and Lance Woods also pleaded with Wilson to change his stance.
“I wonder if there might be a compromise made this evening so that commissions can go forward,” Harris said. “We’re such a small town, and having a seat unfilled as a result of a dispute at the council level doesn’t do us really well.”
Lance Woods, who is Councilmember Lori Woods’s husband, further requested that Wilson change his position to benefit the city.
“It would be nice to, if we could just get it back to where it was,” he said. “Then we could fill these seats, and then we don’t get the bad thoughts from the residents thinking we’ve got a council that’s now bickering [like] other cities. We’ve never been like that.”
His comments were followed by audience applause.
Copeland then made a substitute motion that the council only consider applicants for the open position on the Civil Service Commission that was created by one of its members moving to a different commission.
“I think it would be nice if we can fill that seat so we have five members,” he said.
Forester seconded that motion, which all councilmembers except Hansen approved. The council subsequently appointed Howard to the Civil Service Commission for the two years remaining in that seat’s term.
The council then voted on Hansen’s motion to continue the remaining three commissioner appointments to April 2018. All councilmembers except Wilson approved that motion, which was followed by audience applause.
Budget adoption
The council approved adoption of the 2017-18 Operating and Capital Budget it had discussed at its May 31 budget workshop.
Acting Finance Director Scott Williams stated that the approved operating budget accounts for current market trends affecting City sales tax revenue, including flattening auto sales and generally cautious consumer spending.
However, Williams noted, additional revenues may be derived from upcoming projects, including new auto dealerships, the Heritage Square mixed-use development project and development of a hotel.
The City’s current balance of $8.9 million is thus projected to increase slightly to $9.1 million by the end of the 2017-18 fiscal year.
Two big components of operating budget expenses are pensions, for which the City is funded at a healthy 75 to 95 percent, and the police department, which accounts for $9.1 million of the budget, 53 percent of which goes to patrols.
Council discussion at the May 31 workshop that impacts operating budget expenses includes: updating and redesigning the City’s website; implementing an electronic newsletter; hiring a part-time communications specialist; and creating an economic development fund.
In terms of the $33.4-million capital-improvement budget, Deputy Director of Public Works Grissel Chavez-Arredondo highlighted several projects the City is undertaking, for which many have costs mitigated by grants the City has received.
These projects include: maintaining streets, sidewalks and bus stops; park restoration and development; building the new library; and water facilities improvement.
Water quality
Regarding the last capital-improvement item, Chavez-Arredondo reported that water from Well 9 has now been introduced to the City’s supply, but some of its chemical components— including chlorine and ammonia— are still being adjusted. The City has received about 15 complaints from local residents and businesses, she said, reporting notable taste and odor differences in their water.
Wilson remarked that residents should have been notified before this new water source was introduced. Hansen said that complaints have been posted on neighborhood social-media platform Nextdoor.
Forester raised the point that certain restaurants have complained that the water has affected their food.
“That added chlorine made restaurants’ products taste different, and they’re getting complaints from their customers,” he said. “That’s something we should have looked at earlier, and we need to remedy it as soon as possible.”
Chavez-Arredondo assured the council that water sampling was continuing and adjustments were being made, but there is no health concern.
“It’s absolutely safe to drink,” she said.
Beneficial funding
The council authorized a $5,000 grant from the general fund, which it gives annually, to Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital. The grant specifically helps provide health services to children from low-income families.
Community Services Director Aly Mancini explained the importance of these funds.
“Children’s health funding helps meet strategic plan objective goals [!] to ensure and enhance quality of life for residents,” she said. “And I can assure you [!] this funding is desperately needed still and very much appreciated.”
Separately, the council approved uses for approximately $58,000 the City received in a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from Los Angeles County. Of the total, $49,396 will be used to install an American Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant rubberized play surface at Calbrisas Park, and $8,716 will be used for the Senior Food Distribution Program, which provides brown-bag lunches twice per month to 35 to 45 residents.
Landscape levy
Continuing a discussion from the June 13 council meeting on the annual levy for California Crown landscape maintenance, the council voted to approve a 1.886-percent increase for residents in that tract. (Wilson recused himself from voting since he is a resident of that area.)
The increase is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the levy is collected through the Los Angeles County Tax Assessor.
About 15 people attended a public meeting about the increase, and there will also be a follow-up meeting now that the increase has been approved.
The City will incur approximately $75,000 in maintenance expenses this year for California Crown that includes an additional painting project, but should have $89,139 in reserves by the end of the year for future extra projects.
Green city
Director of Community Development Scott Charney presented the council with the City of Signal Hill Green City Report for 2016, which it received and filed.
Charney explained that the City’s ongoing sustainability efforts and creation of the Sustainable City Committee (SCC) were based on the United Nations’ 2005 framework of 21 Urban Environmental Accords designed for local governments to use in developing their own sustainability efforts.
Highlights of the report that Charney shared include: diverting 74.1 percent of recyclable waste from local landfills (exceeding the goal of 50 percent); completing two energy-efficient housing projects; beginning development of the mixed-use Heritage Square project; expanding green space in View Park; reducing water use by 21 percent (exceeding the goal of 12 percent); and beginning work on a storm-water retention facility at the Long Beach airport.
Library bids
The council approved rejection of all three bids received for construction of the new Signal Hill library and also approved inviting additional bids after a couple of months.
City Manager Charlie Honeycutt informed the council that the received bids significantly exceeded the $8.6 million estimate the City had budgeted for the library’s construction.
Honeycutt cited summer work on area schools as the main reason for the higher bids, though his staff will look into cost-saving measures for library construction or possible additional funding. The City would also open up bidding to contractors other than those that were pre-qualified.
“Hopefully, through those measures, we’ll get a more competitive bidding environment,” Honeycutt stated.
Presentations
Wilson presented each member of local indoor girls soccer league champions, the Hurricanes, with a certificate marking their achievement, having ended the season with five wins and one loss.
“The Hurricanes displayed great sportsmanship that was recognized by other team coaches as incredible,” Wilson read from a statement.
Wilson recounted the team’s winning season.
“As far as we know, this is the first championship that any Signal Hill team has won,” Wilson added. “We’re very, very proud of these girls and their coach.”
Wilson also presented a proclamation to Mancini recognizing July as the month of Parks Make Life Better!
“This is all an example of how parks make life better,” Wilson said, referring to the Hurricanes soccer team. “We’re really excited about our parks program for our youth.”
Finally, Wilson also introduced Carina Hernandez, a new part-time account specialist in the Finance Department.
Safety
During new business, Wilson informed the council that the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors approved a 10-year contract for 9-1-1 emergency response services for Signal Hill.
Wilson also invited Police Chief Christopher Nunley to speak about July 4 celebration precautions. Nunley stated that the hilltop would be closed to non-residential vehicular traffic on July 4, although walking is permitted. He also stated that the police department would increase street patrols that day.
“I wish everybody a happy and safe Fourth of July,” Nunley said. “Remember that all fireworks, even ‘safe and sane’ fireworks, are illegal in the city of Signal Hill.”
The next Signal Hill City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, July 11, at 7pm in the council chamber at 2175 Cherry Ave.
