MINUTES FOR AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING JULY 13, 2004

Town Of Atherton

Description

MINUTES FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OCTOBER 19, 2005 The meeting was called to order at 8:00 am. Roll Call: Alan Carlson, Kathy McKeithen. Others attending: John P. Johns, Finance Director, James Robinson, City Manager, Chief of Police Robert Brennan, Lt. Glenn Nielsen, Linda Kelly, Asst. to the CM, Paula Pierce, Asst. Finance Director, Mark Hynes, City Attorney, Jerry Carlson and Sandy Crittenden, residents. The meeting was called to order by Alan Carlson. The meeting began with inquiries of Committee member Kathy McKeithen regarding the size and location of a basement under construction and the effect on neighboring properties and on the Atherton Channel from excess groundwater being pumped offsite as a result of the project. thThe minutes from the previous Finance Committee meeting of July 13 2005 were reviewed and approved. Road Impact Fees Finance Director John Johns provided an accounting of road impact fee and excavation thsurcharge collections since May 16 2005, the date upon which the revised road impact fee became effective. Mr. Johns also alerted the Finance Committee to the fact that, based upon a preliminary assessment of the manner in which the Building Department had implemented the revised road impact fee ordinance, it may be necessary to revise the ordinance itself or to modify the Building Department’s fee collection procedures to ensure that such fees are implemented fully and equitably amongst ...

Informations

• Publié par: Isse
• Nombre de lectures: 14
• Langue: English

Extrait

MINUTES FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING OCTOBER 19, 2005

The meeting was called to order at 8:00 am.

Roll Call:

Alan Carlson, Kathy McKeithen.

Others attending:

John P. Johns, Finance Director, James Robinson, City Manager, Chief

of Police Robert Brennan, Lt. Glenn Nielsen, Linda Kelly, Asst. to the CM, Paula Pierce,

Asst. Finance Director, Mark Hynes, City Attorney, Jerry Carlson and Sandy Crittenden,

residents.

The meeting was called to order by Alan Carlson.

The meeting began with inquiries of Committee member Kathy McKeithen regarding the

size and location of a basement under construction and the effect on neighboring

properties and on the Atherton Channel from excess groundwater being pumped offsite as

a result of the project.

The minutes from the previous Finance Committee meeting of July 13

th

2005 were

reviewed and approved.

Road Impact Fees

Finance Director John Johns provided an accounting of road impact fee and excavation

surcharge collections since May 16

th

2005, the date upon which the revised road impact

fee became effective.

Mr. Johns also alerted the Finance Committee to the fact that, based upon a preliminary

assessment of the manner in which the Building Department had implemented the revised

road impact fee ordinance, it may be necessary to revise the ordinance itself or to modify

the Building Department’s fee collection procedures to ensure that such fees are

implemented fully and equitably amongst homeowners and developers. Mr. Johns

elaborated on this observations by citing as an example a recently approved grading

project in which the Building Department appeared to be accepting at face value

engineering calculations provided by a site engineer retained by a developer rather than

performing such calculations on its own.

Committee member McKeithen responded by reiterating the desire of the Council to

ensure that all fees be collected when the building permits are issued and that the

Building Department needs to calculate with review of the finance department the

amount of soil being off hauled for which certified forms should be required.

Committee member Carlson stated the Town should consider possible amendments to the

road impact fee ordinance after having looked at the whole permit process. In particular

Committee members McKeithen and Carlson suggested such a review include:

•

An assessment as to whether responsibility for the calculation of earth removed

should be shifted to the Building Department;

•

A determination as to whether it would be appropriate for the Building

Department to employ outside contractors to work for the Town to review the

plans and calculate the road impact fees;

•

A comparative assessment of fee collection practices by Portola Valley and other

communities, flowcharting of the Building Department’s core business processes;

•

Creating flowcharts that illustrate the complete permitting and fee collection

process; and,

•

Recommended protocols for establishing and updating building related fees on a

periodic basis.

Business License Taxes

The Finance Committee directed staff to continue to examine ways in which the Town’s

business license tax could be amended with the ultimate goal of reducing or possibly

eliminating the Town’s dependence on the Parcel Tax to fund current operations and

capital improvements. Ideas suggested by the Finance Committee for further review

included taxing real estate brokers and title insurance companies.

Police Dept. Staffing

The Finance Committee considered a proposed management study of the Police

Department that has been submitted by the consulting firm of Matrix.

The Finance Committee elected not to proceed with a management study. Instead the

Finance Committee directed the City Manager to develop a scope of work and to solicit

proposals for a community survey regarding desired service levels and other relevant

issues.

The Finance Committee also considered the request of the City Manager and of the

Police Chief to proceed with the hiring of two officers to replace vacancies. The City

Manager indicated that by filling such positions the staffing level would be consistent

with the minimum staffing levels as prescribed in the Brown Taylor Study.

The Finance Committee concurred with the recommendation of staff.

The meeting adjourned at 10:08 am