Upfront
Public Agenda A preview of Palo Alto government meetings next week
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CITY COUNCIL ... The City Council has no meetings scheduled for this week. POLICY AND SERVICES COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss the City Council priority work plan and the city’s policy on social media. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ... The commission plans to begin its review of the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Stanford University Medical Center expansion project. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION ... The commission plans to discuss the city’s Long-term Electricity Acquisition Plan and the Gas Utility Long-term Plan. The commission will also consider using the Calaveras Reserve to fund the feasibility study for a new composting facility. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). HIGH-SPEED RAIL COMMITTEE ... The committee plans to discuss California’s proposed high-speed rail project; legislation relating to high-speed rail; and the core message of the Peninsula Cities Consortium, to which the city belongs. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 3, in the Council Conference Room at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.). ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD ... The board plans to review the proposed design for Hoover Pavilion, which is part of the Stanford University Medical Center expansion project. The board will also consider landscape and wall improvements for the Palo Alto Arts Center. The meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 3, in the Council Chambers at City Hall (250 Hamilton Ave.).
CityView A round-up of
Palo Alto government action this week
City Council (May 24)
Stanford Hospital: The council held a study session on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Stanford University Medical Center expansion project. The council also discussed the city’s pending negotiations with Stanford over the development agreement and voted to support staff’s proposed counteroffer to Stanford. Yes: Espinosa, Yeh, Holman, Price, Shepherd, Schmid, Scharff Abstained: Klein Absent: Burt High-speed rail: The council voted to support Caltrain’s proposed amendments to Senate Bill 965, which would make Caltrain’s electrification project eligible for federal-stimulus funding. Yes: Espinosa, Yeh, Klein, Price, Shepherd, Scharff, Holman No: Schmid Absent: Burt
Board of Education (May 25)
Student mental health: The board heard public testimony on, and discussed, a proposed policy on suicide prevention and mental health promotion. Action: None
City Council Finance Committee (May 25)
Children’s Theatre: The committee voted to institute a fee for participants in the Children’s Theatre. The fee would range from $50 to $300, depending on the production. Yes: Unanimous Public works: The committee voted to accept most of the staff-recommended cuts, but split on whether the city should completely eliminate its sidewalk-replacement program or split the costs of sidewalk replacement with property owners. Yes: Unanimous
Planning & Transportation Commission (May 26) Comprehensive Plan: The commission discussed the Policies and Programs of Governance Chapter in the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The discussion is part of the city’s effort to upgrade the Comprehensive Plan. Action: None
Fire budget (continued from page 5)
ployee group making actual ongoing cost savings.� The Finance Committee took a similar stance on May 18 when it rejected Fire Chief Nick Marinaro’s proposed budget for 2011. The budget includes an increase of more than $1 million to salaries and benefits. Marinaro told the committee that because of the minimum-staffing provision the department wouldn’t save any money by cutting the number of firefighters. Instead, some more experienced (and higher paid) firefighters would have to fill the vacated positions, sending overtime costs spiking. “It’s essentially a wash,� Marinaro said. “One of the reasons we stayed at full staffing is that it actually saves a little bit of money — we pay entry-level firefighters a lower rate than if we paid captains overtime to work.� In lieu of staff reductions, Marinaro has identified other potential cost-saving measures, some of which he called “draconian.� One proposal would eliminate the fire chief position after Marinaro retires in June and create a “public safety director� position that oversees both the police and fire departments. Other ideas include removing the Office of Emergency Services from the Fire Department; reorganizing the Fire Prevention Bureau, which handles environmental and safety management, including permits for fire-alarm systems; and scrapping the department’s paramedics service. Marinaro also told the Weekly that closing Station 8 at Foothills Park remains an option, albeit a politically difficult one that neither he nor Keene recommends. According to the city’s 2009 Service Efforts and Accomplishments Report, the station received just four service calls in fiscal year 2009 (compared to 2,605 calls at Station 1 on Alma Street and the roughly 1,000 calls at each of the department’s other Palo Alto stations). But any move to close the station would likely face resistance from residents in the sparsely populated, open-space district — particularly those who remember the 1985 fire near the foothills that destroyed 150 acres and destroyed four houses in Palo Alto and 11 in Los Altos Hills. Even if the council were to accept one or more of these proposals, the city is expected to take a tough stance on firefighter compensations during the negotiations. The Finance Committee directed Marinaro on May 18 to assume a 4 percent reduction in salaries and benefits. Vice Mayor Sid Espinosa, the only committee member to dissent, argued the council shouldn’t “build budgets based on contracts that don’t exist.� Despite the recent tension, Keene told the Weekly he is confident both sides will be able to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, however long that takes. “I know the city is completely committed to achieving a contract with the firefighters’ union that would work in the interests of both the firefighters and the city,� Keene said. “I’m optimistic now, but the negotiations may take some time.� N