City Council to address numerous issues at special Monday meeting
March 09, 2007
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula City Council
The City Council will hold a special meeting Monday to play catch up when it comes to municipal business, and reexamine several issues.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe City Council will hold a special meeting Monday to play catch up when it comes to municipal business, and reexamine several issues. The meeting will be held March 12 starting at 5:30 p.m., and several items of business will be addressed before the Council adjourns into closed session, according to City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz.The Council will first interview a candidate for the Recreation Commission before they hear a review of the Brown Act. “Mayor Ray Luna asked the City Attorney for an overview of the Brown Act on closed sessions,” noted Bobkiewicz. The Council will then continue the discussion on protocol in the closed session. Another closed session item is a conference with City Attorney Karl Berger targeting one case of significant exposure of the city to litigation.The Council will reconvene to open session at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable Channel 10 and repeated later.Business includes a request by the Santa Paula Historical Society to use the old county fire station on the corner of 8th and Santa Barbara streets for storage. The Council will also hear an update on the status of implementing housing creation goals and those housing implementation portion of the General Plan.
The Council will discuss - but take no action on - a potential FAA grant for the Santa Paula Airport. SZP officials approached the Council recently asking that the city act as the grant sponsor.Another focus of Council discussion will be the potential condominium conversion by the owner of the Santa Paula Mobile Home Park.The Council will also discuss how to spend a recent infusion of about $500,000 in grant funding allotted to the Redevelopment Agency Housing Set Aside account. Bobkiewicz noted that two years ago funding was allocated for affordable residential development through a notice of availability, and the Council might want to consider other ways to spend the funds.The Council will also hear an update on the proposed Las Piedras Park Community Center, and consider whether or not to start offering public safety tips and information on Cable Channel 10. The Council will also consider requested changes to the agreement with Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation’s Vista Amistad, and hear a report on a proposed Santa Paula bicycle race.Police Chief Steve MacKinnon will give an update on the Santa Paula Police Department Strategic Plan and 2006 Crime Statistics. In a related matter, the Council will give direction to staff on where to acquire the funding to fulfill its goal to hire two new police officers, including a discussion on potential budget cuts in other areas.