General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on September 13, 2011, at 10:00 A.M., with Ed Lane presiding. The committee addressed 14 agenda items during the session, the majority of which were informational presentations. One motion was brought to a vote, and the committee heard four public comments. The agenda covered a broad range of facilities and parks-related topics, including annual maintenance reports, capital improvements, real estate management software, and usage policies for facilities. The committee also received presentations on a fleet vegetable oil pilot program, parks acquisition and expansion funds, an aquatic master plan, golf course management, and parks conservancy matters. Additionally, the committee considered a resolution to amend Section 3.101 of the Council Rules. One item listed as "Items in Committee" was withdrawn from consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on September 13, 2011:

• Ed Lane
• Jay McChord
• Linda Gorton
• Steve Kay
• Chris Ford
• Diane Lawless
• K. C. Crosbie
• George Myers
• Doug Martin
• Peggy Henson
• Jamshid Baradaran
• Jerry Hancock
• Glenda George

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion to Remove Citizen's Advocate Position Review from Agenda

A motion was made to remove the review of the citizen's advocate position from the General Government Committee agenda. The motion was made by K. C. Crosbie and seconded by George Myers. 1:48:26

The motion passed by voice vote. All members present voted in favor, with no votes against and no abstentions. The following members voted for the motion: Ed Lane, Jay McChord, Linda Gorton, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, Diane Lawless, K. C. Crosbie, George Myers, Doug Martin, and Peggy Henson.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several financial allocations and capital projects:

Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvements The FY 2013 budget included an appropriation of $27,000,000 for deferred maintenance projects and capital improvements.

Real Estate Management Software Funding was discussed for the acquisition and implementation of real estate management software, with an estimated 18-month timeline for completion. The specific cost was not specified in the meeting materials.

Parks Acquisition and Maintenance The Parks Acquisition Fund received $1.3 million in grant funding designated for parks acquisition and capital maintenance.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the council on various facility and parks-related matters.

Doug Martin 31:12 raised concerns about facility occupancy and management, expressing worry about the lack of control over non-LFUCG tenants. He requested stronger legislative authority to manage city real estate assets effectively.

George Myers 46:20 spoke on facility usage policy and rent for partner agencies. He advocated for requiring all tenants to pay rent, with the council retaining the ability to grant funds to offset costs. Myers emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in how city resources are allocated.

Jerry Hancock 58:26 addressed parks maintenance and capital improvements. He highlighted the need for increased funding to address deferred maintenance in parks and stressed the importance of maintaining parks as a reflection of community health.

Steve Kay 1:05:05 discussed public-private partnerships for parks. He suggested that parks should receive the same high-profile attention as other public-private initiatives and recommended engaging the mayor to elevate the Parks Conservancy effort.

Appointments

Linda Gorton was appointed to the position of Vice Mayor.

Contested Items

The September 13, 2011 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among council members.

Facility Usage Policy and Rent for Partner Agencies

Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding whether all tenants occupying council facilities should be required to pay rent. The debate centered on concerns about transparency and accountability in how the council manages its properties and subsidizes partner agencies. Council members expressed the need for a formal process to evaluate any subsidies provided to tenants, rather than allowing ad hoc arrangements. The disagreement reflected broader concerns about ensuring fair treatment of all organizations using council facilities and maintaining clear financial records of facility usage arrangements.

Council Approval of Contracts and Administrative Actions

The council was divided on a procedural matter regarding whether routine contracts and deeds should be removed from the meeting docket. Some council members opposed removing these items, citing concerns about transparency and public access to information. Others supported streamlining the docket by handling routine administrative actions separately. This split vote reflected differing views on how to balance operational efficiency with the principle of maintaining public visibility into council decisions and contractual commitments.

Facilities - annual maintenance

Director Jamshid Baradaran presented an overview of the city's deferred maintenance needs for municipal facilities 1:12. The presentation highlighted a $27 million deferred maintenance list that requires attention across the city's facility portfolio.

Key Points Presented

Director Baradaran emphasized the importance of establishing long-term funding strategies to address the accumulated maintenance backlog. He also outlined a revised Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process that is scheduled for implementation by fiscal year 2014. This revised approach is intended to better manage and prioritize facility maintenance projects going forward.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, allowing the governing body to understand the scope and scale of deferred maintenance challenges facing city facilities and the proposed timeline for process improvements.

Facilities - capital improvements

Jamshid Baradaran presented an overview of capital improvement needs for the organization's facilities 1:12. The presentation focused on identifying major repairs and replacements required across the facilities portfolio.

Baradaran outlined a phased approach to addressing these capital needs, with projects prioritized based on two key criteria: funding availability and life safety priorities. This framework was designed to ensure that the most critical safety-related improvements would be addressed first, while other projects would be scheduled as resources became available.

The presentation was informational in nature, providing the board and attendees with an assessment of the facilities' current condition and the strategic plan for managing necessary improvements over time. No specific debate or concerns were documented as part of this agenda item.

The outcome of this item was informational, with no formal action or decision required at this time.

Facilities - real estate management software

6:42

Jamshid Baradaran presented a proposal for the acquisition of a web-based real estate management system. The presentation outlined a projected implementation timeline of 18 months for the new system.

A key component of the proposal involved coordination with the IT group to ensure the system would be compatible with existing infrastructure and technical requirements.

The agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal decision or action items recorded as outcomes from this discussion.

Facilities - usage policy

Jamshid Baradaran presented a new facility usage policy and accompanying process map during this agenda item 10:25. The presentation introduced the GS100 form as a standardized tool for evaluating facility usage requests from partner agencies.

The key objectives of the new policy included standardizing the evaluation process across partner agencies and ensuring transparency in subsidy decisions related to facility usage. The process map outlined the procedures that would govern how facility usage requests are reviewed and approved.

This was an informational presentation with no formal debate or decision required. The outcome was to inform attendees of the new policy framework and its implementation procedures.

Fleet - vegetable oil pilot program

Jamshid Baradaran presented information on the vegetable oil pilot program for the fleet 1:13:05.

Key Findings

Baradaran reported that using biodiesel made from French fry oil or soybeans is not legally permissible above 20% concentration due to state regulations. This regulatory limitation constrains the potential scope of the pilot program.

Concerns Raised

Cost efficiency of the vegetable oil pilot program remains uncertain. No clear economic analysis was presented demonstrating the financial viability of implementing this initiative.

Outcome

This was an informational presentation with no decision or action items recorded.

Parks - acquisition fund

Jerry Hancock presented information about the Parks Acquisition Fund 51:13. The fund generates between $200,000 and $400,000 annually.

Hancock proposed modifying how the fund is used. Rather than restricting its use solely to land acquisition, he suggested expanding its application to support capital improvements as well.

This item was presented as informational in nature, with no formal action taken.

Parks - annual maintenance

Jerry Hancock presented information on the city's parks maintenance needs 55:11. He confirmed that parks face substantial deferred maintenance, with an estimated cost of $27 million. Hancock indicated that this maintenance backlog will be integrated into the broader city-wide maintenance planning process.

This was an informational presentation with no action items or decisions required at this meeting.

Parks - aquatic master plan

Jerry Hancock presented information on the development of a Parks Aquatic Master Plan 1:00:04.

Hancock announced that a comprehensive Parks Aquatic Master Plan is under development and will be presented in December. The plan will incorporate community surveys and financial analysis to inform recommendations regarding aquatic facilities and programming.

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal action or decision required at this meeting.

Parks - capital improvements

Jerry Hancock presented an update on capital improvements for parks 1:01:06.

Key Points:

• Capital improvement funding was reduced by $250,000 in FY12
• Future parks capital improvement plans will be integrated into the city-wide capital planning process

Outcome:

This item was presented for informational purposes.

Parks - conservancy

Jerry Hancock reported on efforts to establish a private Parks Conservancy 1:01:38. The presentation outlined plans to form a steering committee to advance the initiative, with expectations to return with formal recommendations in the fall.

This item was presented as informational in nature, providing an update on the conservancy development process rather than requesting a decision or vote at this time.

Parks - expansion fund

Jerry Hancock confirmed the existence of an exaction fee program managed by the Division of Planning. 1:03:21 The discussion was informational in nature, with a presentation on this topic scheduled for February 2012.

Parks - golf course management

Jerry Hancock presented information regarding golf course management 1:03:54. The presentation was informational in nature.

Hancock announced that a Golf Master Plan will be presented to the council in December. The plan will include financial analysis, historical information, and comparisons with peer cities' golf course operations.

Resolution to amend Section 3.101 of the Council Rules

Glenda George presented two draft resolutions aimed at streamlining council operations by removing routine administrative actions from the formal council docket 1:24:26.

Presentation Overview

The proposed amendments would allow the mayor to execute certain routine administrative actions without requiring formal council approval. Instead of appearing on the official docket, these actions would be reported to the council through the mayor's communication process.

Key Speaker

• Glenda George

Outcome

This item was presented for informational purposes only and did not result in a formal vote or decision at this meeting.

Items in Committee

The committee discussed the status of the citizen's advocate position during this agenda item 1:45:08.

Key Participants

The discussion involved K. C. Crosbie, George Myers, and Linda Gorton.

Discussion and Action

The committee addressed the citizen's advocate position and its current status. A motion was made to remove this item from the agenda, with the action contingent upon finalization of an updated job description for the position.

Outcome

The agenda item was withdrawn.