All right, welcome everyone. I'd like to
call this meeting to order. Veronica,
would you do roll call, please? And we
need to do the um announcement of remote
attendance. So, why don't we start with
that?
>> Uh, thank you, Mayor. I want to state
for the record um that this meeting is
being conducted pursuant to the
teleconference rules um under the Brown
Act and that Council Member Flynn is
participating remotely uh from Greece.
Um the address is posted on the agenda.
I will not try to pronounce the name of
the street. Uh, and in accordance with
the Brown Act, uh, the teleconference
location has been identified in the
agenda for tonight's meeting. Uh, and I
want to note for the record that we have
a quorum of council members present here
in person. Um, Council Member Flynn, can
you hear me? Okay.
>> Yes, I can.
>> Great. And you have you been able to
hear the proceedings up until now?
>> Yes, I have.
>> Uh, do you have a a copy of the agenda
for tonight's meeting?
>> I do. And have you posted the agenda at
your location?
>> I have. Yes.
>> And is your location reasonably
accessible to the public such that any
member of the public could participate
in this teleconference from your
location if he or she wish to do so?
>> Yes, it is.
>> And is there any member of the public
with you now?
>> No, there isn't.
>> Okay, great. Um, and so, uh, as a
reminder to the council, all votes
tonight need to be taken by roll call.
And um now I'd invite the town clerk to
proceed with the roll call.
>> Council member Walter
>> present.
>> Council member Hasco
>> here.
>> Council member Flynn
>> present.
>> Vice Mayor Huy
>> present.
>> Mayor Taylor
>> present.
>> We have a quorum.
>> Thank you. All right. So our first item
of business is a proclamation. Helen's
going to present and I was happy to
sign. So Helen, go ahead.
>> Good evening. Thank you, mayor. Um, so
as many people know, June is Pride
Month, and here in our community, that
means something real. We're a small
town, but we've never been a
small-minded one. Our neighbors include
people of every background, every
identity, every story, and that's not a
weakness, which is exactly what makes
this place worth calling home. Pride
isn't just about celebration, though.
celebration matters, it's also
about remembering where we've been. It's
about remembering the people who stood
up so that their neighbors, their
children, and strangers they'd never met
could live openly, honestly, and with a
authenticity.
Here in the Bay Area, we've been part of
that history. And here in Porto Valley,
that history isn't abstract. It's the
kid in the high school down the street
um who needs to know they belong.
Um,
okay. Um, it's the couple who moved here
because they felt safe. Um, it's the
coworker. I'm like totally tearing up.
It's the co-orker, the neighbor, the
friend, the uncle, and the niece. So,
this month, let's be intentional. Let's
make sure every person in this community
feels genuinely welcome, not just in
June, but all year long. Happy Pride
Month.
Thank you, Helen.
>> So, thank you. And I know we have some
speakers who um folks who have joined me
to say we can do a stand after.
>> Yeah, please.
>> Hello. Um hi, my name is Marilyn
Hollinger. I'm a commissioner on the
Sanonteo County LGBTQIA plus commission
and um we are delighted we are delighted
that Portola Valley is doing this. Um,
part of our job as commissioners is to
advise the county supervisors on policy,
on budget and actions um that affect our
comm the LGBTQIA+, sorry about the
alphabet, um, community. Um, and so and
having cities do these types of things
um, is so meaningful because we could do
things at the county level. We had a
pride flag raising. We have a
proclamation that was issued by the
board of supervisors, but having each
town, and most of the towns in the
county, by the way, are doing this. Um,
having each town do this brings it
closer to home, as as Helen said. Um,
and it's meaningful. It means something
because when you have a public uh body
that is publicly saying, "We support, we
support this community, and this is a
safe place," it means something. I
raised my kids in Santa CL in Sonteo
County in in Milbury actually where I
was this morning and um and knowing that
it was a safe place that I could go to
the schools. My my co-mother and I
brought our child to the first the first
week of school we went to see the the
principal and we said we are this
child's mothers and we don't expect
there'll be any issues. And this was a
long time ago. This was 25 years ago.
and he looked at us and he looked at us
and he said, "There will be no issues."
And you know what? There weren't. Well,
there were questions. Um, you know, when my kids drew the the pictures of
what their family looked like, the
teachers would often take us aside and
say, "Who's this and who's this?" Um,
because and and it was it was important
that they felt comfortable asking
questions and getting to know us and
that we felt my our children were safe.
Um, both of my kids are transgender.
That's a big thing. And one of them came
out as transgender in high school at
Mills High School and was safe.
And I can't tell you how important that
was. And I Are we going to do the flag?
I don't know if there's going to be a
flag raising. Not today. It's okay.
>> Oh, great.
>> I think we've had it up all day.
>> Great.
>> So, we have it. It's over at our town
hall.
>> Oh, okay.
>> This is slightly different than here.
We'll take a walk over there maybe. Um
and
>> Oh, so I won't see.
>> So, and yeah. Yeah. So, we we raise it
and put it down, but we do have a
proclamation when you're ready and we'll
all stand together for a picture if you
>> That'll be great. Well, the flag, let me
just say something about the flag and
why that's important because how many
people use this facility a lot, right?
They're playing ball out there. They
bring their dogs. They bring their kids
and they see that. And especially for
the kids as they're growing up, they'll
ask, "What is that?" and hopefully their
parents will say good things about it
and they'll know it's a safe place to be
who they are. And so I want to thank you
on behalf of the commission and the
county supervisors. I want to thank you
for doing this for your town. Um and
invite you by the way to the pride
celebration that for the county that is
in San Monteo on Saturday. It's from
11:00 to 5:00 at Central Park in San
Monteo and it's a family-friendly event
and we'd love to have you join us.
>> Great. Thank you.
>> Okay. Pictures.
>> Yeah. So, we'll do a quick picture.
>> I'm here.
>> You need a flag.
» Whatever you like.
You guys
Yeah, we're gonna be freezing soon. So,
okay.
All right, let's move on to the next
agenda item, the town manager report.
» Good evening, Darcy Smith. I will give a
brief report, but first start with
upcoming town events. So, today was a
very busy day because we had the
Ormandell
end of year celebration and tonight we
were having the Cormandera graduation
party.
So
hold on next.
We have summer concert series coming up
July 9th, August 6th, September 10th,
and then PV Palooa and our town picnic.
So make sure you have these dates. But I
would like to encourage everyone after
today to do two things. One is please
carpull if you can or walk or bike or
ride your horse. And two, please, if you
bring trash, pack it out because we
spent basically all afternoon picking up
trash, including tiny water balloons,
which we will not have at Town Center
again. So, today will always go down as
the infamous day of the water balloon
fights that were the last ones at town
center.
>> The last water.
>> The last ones.
>> Yeah. And then two quick slides on the
audit which Tony has been living
breathing losing many hours of sleep
over. So as you know we completed 2122
and he's now working on 2223
and then we'll finish up the next two as
soon as possible. But a quick update on
the 2223 audits and all the work that
has been done and will continue to be
done. But most importantly, we've set
the finance committee meeting for June
30th at 4 p.m. So, please try to attend
that. Tony completed the MDNA.
I had to ask him many times what that
meant. Management discussion and
analysis. That's the beginning 10 or so
pages. The auditor prepared their
opinion yet letter, which is very
important. And last, all what's being
done right now is the very important
memorandum of internal control. That is
what it sounds like, the auditor's
observations and recommendations for any
compliance items and that's being
prepared right now, but it will be
published with the finance committee
packet which will come out uh about 5
days before June 30th. That concludes my
report.
>> Thank you, Darcy.
All right. Sorry. Let me get back to
my agenda. Everything's open. All right.
So then I'd like to open it up. Number
five, oral communications. So is there
anyone in the schoolhouse that would
like to speak on something not on the
agenda? Kim, please.
Good evening. This is Kim Giulia,
division chief and fire marshall with
Woodside Fire Protection District. It's
really nice to actually talk about
something not on the agenda for once and
I'm really excited to make this
announcement because it comes at a good
time given the safety element meeting
that just happened is Woodside Fire is
going to be hosting a town evacuation
drill
date set on September 11th of 20
happened to be on a Friday
and we thought Hey, what what a great
date to do this on. It will be of course
in partnership with the town of Portola
Valley and staff and partnering
agencies. So, this will be a large scale
with having Woodside Fire, Redwood City,
Menllo Park, PG& Cow Water. So, we are
making it as real of a drill as we can.
To answer the biggest question that
everybody has, not all of the town of
Portulla Valley is evacuating.
There will be specific zones that will
be called out. We are going to be
utilizing um SMC alert as well as
Genesis so that people can get familiar
with using those tools. Some areas will
be put on warning. Some areas will be
actually the ones under evacuation. The
scenario will be shared later on on
where the fire is actually taking place
in the district or in sorry in Porto
Valley. And we through fire modeling are
getting all the information of data of
how quickly the fire would actually
spread and grow, which direction, and
that's how we're going to call out the
zones. Currently, Woodside Fire, our
south zone training, which means Redwood
City, Cal Fire, uh Menllo Park, they are
doing wildland fire drill training this week, and they're up in the Los
Tranos area. There was an announcement
they put out specifically to the
residents. they're working out on Red
Berry Ridge. A lot of it was for a
familiarization for our adjoining
jurisdictions who would be coming to our
aid if there was a wildfire. And it was
because that area is very complicated.
And when you're not used to driving in
areas such as those conditions, it's
very complicated to fight fires. So,
they're doing realistic wildland fire
drills. They are also doing some
simulated smoke out there. um to make it
seem as real as possible. They're also
placarding homes so that homes are used
to what it is for another jurisdiction
that has no idea what these houses are
and basically assessing each house if
it's a house worth defending or passing
on because they they aren't able to
safely protect the structure. So,
there's a lot of different levels to
that um evacuation drill that they're
doing this week. And it comes at a great
time because now when we come into
September to do the actual evacuation
drill, they will have that kind of
training just fresh in their minds for
what was done this week. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Kim.
All right. Is there anybody else that
would like to make a oral communication?
Looking online, I see no hands.
All right. So, I will move on.
Okay. So moving on to the consent
agenda.
Are there I guess let's see we usually
take
well okay.
Thank you.
Uh go ahead Christie.
Is it oral communication?
>> Yes. Thank you.
Um, I didn't get to talk at
the last 2-hour meeting, but after
attending the 5 to7 study session on the
state safety element, I was interested
in reading the individual planning
commission letters such as Ronnie and
Karen Vatras as a public member. Yet,
those letters were not made public and
sent only to the consultant for the 5:00
meeting. So, this is our town. We live
in it. And often when we read these
letters, we often uh it produces
questions and uh education in our minds
and whether agreement or not. So it was
just awkward to only see the BPTS
letter, one letter listed for the public
and not the other letters. So, I guess
my
question is to always list the letters
so the public can read um because we
like education. Um
let's see. Consider requesting um
from the state to have the ability to
have a third lane on our evacuation
exits. I think that's an important
request from Karen Vatra. I want to see
a practiced evacuation and I was so
happy to see that. Thank you, Kim. I
don't even have to read it. Um,
we would like to see the color changes
on the new and old terminology of the
safety element and be able to see the
state requirements versus our local uh
requirements that we're adding. I want
to see the exact process for if there
was an earthquake to occur. And I want
to thank the geological committee for an
excellent committee meeting yesterday.
Uh it was very educational and I
encourage everyone to listen to that
meeting. Um you know something I gained
from the meeting is 6.7 or greater
earthquake may happen in the Bay Area
and there's twothirds of a chance in the
next 30 years. So um let's get on top of
this. Thank you.
>> Thank you Christie.
All right. So, I will now open up public
comment on the consent agenda. So, I see
no one in the room.
Is there anyone online that wants to
make a comment about the consent agenda?
All right. I see no hands online, so I'm
going to close public comment. Um, are
there any,
excuse me, consent agenda items that
any, um, council member would like to
pull, Ellen?
>> Um, I'd like to pull uh 6C, please.
>> And I have a question on D.
>> 6B. Did you say
>> D?
Okay. And did you want to pull it for
discussion or is it a quick question?
>> I think it's a more complicated
question.
>> Okay. So, we should pull it.
All right. So, I would entertain a
motion for A, B, E, and F.
>> Motion to approve 6 A, B, E, and F.
>> Second.
>> Thank you. We have a motion in a second.
Ronic, can we have roll call?
>> Council Council Member Walter.
>> I.
>> Council member Hasco.
>> I.
>> Council member Flynn.
>> I.
>> Vice Mayor Huy.
>> I.
>> Mayor Taylor.
>> I.
>> Motion carries 5-0. Okay. So, let's
start with 6C.
Ellen, what's your
>> Yep. Um,
>> question comment.
>> So, I wanted to be clear on the costs of
the EV charging situation.
Um, sorry, I'm getting to that on my um
So, is the cost 322,695
less? It says entitlement portion is
currently estimated at 53,000.
711
could I so because init our grant is for
317
so has have there been so are we've gone
up in cost I need clarification on this
my understanding the costs are still
what was identified in the budget the
you know the 320,000
grant plus the 64
or 67,000 for cost. So that's our
portion of the costs for the project.
But with now that we're going to be
combining resources there, there are
opportunities for cost efficiency. So it
could go down. So but as I rec so what
I'm unclear on is um is the entitlement
portion which could go down because of
the scale of economy. Um, and obviously
this was not supposed it was supposed to
be not in cash but in staff time,
>> correct?
>> So is that still that's still the same.
So you're saying the entitlement
uh portion is for staff time.
>> Mhm.
>> Okay, great. That's what I wanted to
clarify. Thank you.
>> Okay. Any other questions on C?
>> Just a real quick one. Um, and it it
goes to the contract itself. we are
promising to
indemnify and hold harmless these other
jurisdictions which are way bigger than
us. Um is that I don't want to get into
the legal theory but I just want to make
sure that's been looked at by
um the town attorney and and viewed as
ordinary course. It's on page 32
in the packet or 33 depending.
I will say yes um we did provide legal
review of thisou and it is based on
otherus that the cities within the
county have entered into for other types
of projects. So this is yeah a bit of a
standard form. I do hear your point
about relative size between these four
jurisdictions though.
>> Yeah and I assume it only kicks in if we
do something bad.
>> Correct.
>> Okay. Thank you. Anything
bad?
>> Yeah. No bad. All right. Any other
comments on 6C? All right. I'd entertain
a motion for 6 C.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Thank you. Motion is second. Bronick.
Roll call.
>> Council member Walter.
>> I.
>> Council member Hasco.
>> I.
>> Council member Flynn.
>> I.
>> Vice Mayor Hufty.
>> I.
>> Mayor Taylor.
>> I.
>> Motion carries.
>> Thank you. Judith 16.
>> Yeah. So mot uh good to see them moving
on uh legislation on organized metal
theft. That's we've obviously been
significantly impacted. My question is
trying to make sure that we haven't
invested a ton of legal fees analyzing
legislation that's probably going to
change. I assume this is like a form
that other jurisdictions have signed up
to.
Yes. So,
in a simple
world, we get off we often get requests
from the League of California Cities,
which we're a member of, and they send
us these sample letters. And believe me,
we get a ton and usually I sort through
them and don't believe that they weren't
bringing to council, but especially
given the public concerns about the
telecommunications
copper theft recently and the fact that
it's ongoing and pervasive throughout
the state. I thought after conferring
with the mayor and vice mayor, this was
warrant warranted bringing to council,
but it was a very minimal amount of work
and they are form letters
>> because the legislation's going to
change. I'm I just want to make sure
we're not committing to weigh in on a
constant basis. Okay. Um all good then.
Motion to approve 6D unless there's
other questions. I didn't mean to get
ahead of the process. Were there any
other questions or discussion on 16?
Okay, great. So, we've got a motion and
a second. Roll call, please.
>> Council member Walter,
>> I.
>> Council member Hesco,
>> I.
>> Council member Flynn,
>> I.
>> Vice Mayor Huy,
>> I.
>> Mayor Taylor,
>> I.
>> Motion carries.
>> Thank you. All right. I'm going to close
out agenda item six and move on to
agenda seven. So 7A is reauthorizing the
town treasurer.
So Tony, is this your staff report?
>> Uh yes. And this is a pretty much an
administrative matter. Every year we're
required by the code to reauthorize the
town manager as town treasurer. U
included in this year was a small slight
uh clerical change to the investment
policy where uh authority was delegated
to the finance manager. that position
will not be filled um this year being be
replaced by the assistant town manager.
So we just changed the language uh from
finance manager to assistant town
manager but this is a an annual
administrative process that the the town
is required to do by the municipal code.
>> Okay. Thank you. Any clarifying
questions for Tony?
All right. Let me see if there's any
public comment. So I see no no public
comment in the room. Is there any public
comment online?
All right. I see no public comment, so I
bring it back. But I get a motion for
7A.
>> Um I minor
>> sorry
>> clerical effect. Um page 60. Bunch of
typos and grammatical issues. So
including Mayor Craig Taylor.
>> So just clean it up, please. It's my
only request.
>> So can you just give them a after the
back? Just
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, no. So, I'm I'm ready to
approve it.
>> Yeah. No, that great. Thank you.
>> Take that on.
>> Okay. So, can I get a motion to approve
7A?
>> Motion to approve 7A.
>> Thank you. Second.
>> Second.
>> Thank you, Veronica. Roll call.
>> Council member Walter.
>> I. Council member Husco.
>> I. Council member Flynn.
>> I.
>> Vice Mayor Hufty.
>> I.
>> Mayor Taylor.
>> I.
>> Motion carries.
>> Thank you. All right. Moving on to 7B.
provide an update and receive direction
on proposed budget for fiscal years
2627. Tony,
» thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, good evening.
Your presentation will be brief. Um,
have not changed much since the finance
committee presentation of I think
So tonight we'll I'll give you a brief
overview of um the preliminary uh 2627
budget. um primarily focusing on the
general fund because that is our main
operating fund and there's really not a
lot of activity in our other funds um
that are um
out of the ordinary uh some carryover
activity from 2526 but this presentation
will primarily focus on the general
funding
so but I wanted to give you an update on
2425
um and these are numbers as of May uh
revenue revenues are about 7 million. Um
about 88% of the budget. Uh so 11 months
into the year, we're right on track with
budget. Um so we're anticipating to be
at or around 7.9 million uh by the end
of the fiscal year.
Um we are seeing um
uh property tax for about 90% that was
budgeted um and 86%. So as long as we're
around 88% at this time we're right on
track with budget.
Then on the expense side um
Uh again, we're about 88% for the year.
Again, 11 months into the year. Uh so
we're looking to be um we have a deficit
budget of 263,000. We're currently
running a deficit at 204. So we're
underneath um where we are. So we're
tracking according to the budget plan.
Uh and we should be around the deficit
amount by the end of the fiscal year.
We're not out of areas or other all categories are tracking within the budget.
So moving on to the 2627. These are the
council priorities that have developed
uh the 2627 budget. Um and I won't go
over them but um they are well ingrained
in our minds as we um develop this bill.
So looking at general fund revenues,
we're projecting about 8.2 year, which
is a 3.9%
increase as of right now. Um we still
have to do um analysis on the impact of
the user fee study. We still haven't
added or we still haven't approved all
of uh the user fees. So staff still uh
going through planning and building and
engineering and what impact uh the fee
study will have on those revenues. So
the 8.26 26 million number will probably
change, but right now it's 3.9% increase
and it's primarily tax revenue. So
property taxes we're looking at 5.3%
increase. Uh sales and use tax about
7.7%.
Um business license tax um we are
trending very well. business licenses.
We're issuing about 700 business lic
and um and primarily most of that work
is contractor work. Um and but also the
budget for 2526 was based on historical
trends based on numbers that were posted
and as we've been completing the audits
and making the corrections in the
previous fiscal years, we're getting
truer numbers in regards to the activity
that's coming in revenue. I'm I'm able
to adjust some of our revenue numbers uh
upward. Um and but so but as of right
now, we've done an analysis on the tax
revenues. We're still waiting to um
uh see uh determine the impact of uh the
user feed uh the new user fees that will
be adopted.
and user fees are basically licenses and
permits and those categories.
Um, looking at a property tax, what is
driving the growth in property tax? You
know, it's it's you we're not building
new homes. Um, and we're not and it's
partially part due to uh remodels. Uh,
but it is the basically the sale of
property uh from year to year. So this
chart shows uh single family resident
sales from 2021 through 2025.
We're averaging about 51 sales per year.
U and the median median price has been
5.2 million. Uh and then for non-s
single family resident homes. Um these
include multif family residences,
commercial, industrial, um we we're
averaging about four sales a year with
3.1 million. So when so when there is a
new sale the the the assessed value of
the home is then reassessed at the
market value of the house that uh so
establishes a new baseline uh for the 2%
increase per year.
So looking at general fund expenses u
planning about 8.85 85 million, the 7.7%
increase primarily driven by the
increase in the sheriff's contract. Uh
to the general fund, it's going to be
about $488,000.
Um and we're currently projecting a
$584,000 deficit. Um we are still
reviewing the consultants um for
planning and building um and just
determining what hours are going to be
town work which will be charged to the
general fund and what will be applicant
work which will be charged to the u the
customer deposit fund. Um and we're
doing that for planning and building and
engineering and uh we'll have those
numbers updated uh for at the next
council meeting but as of right now
we're currently projecting a 584,000
As you can see, the largest increase is
the $498,000 in contract and contract
work includes the sheriff's contract,
Woodside Fire and um town attorney. Um
so, but the largest increase is about
488,000 of that 498,000
um is the sheriff's contract to general
fund.
And as I said, we're still under review.
We're looking at our subscriptions, the
use of consultants, and what the final
number will be for transfers out.
Um the budget will have funding for 15
full-time equivalent positions. And
these are how the the positions will be
allocated by division. Administration
will have six positions. Um finance will
have well it'll be the assistant town
manager will be split between
administration and finance uh planning
and building. We'll have the director,
the senior planner and then a we are
currently going to be recruiting for the
senior development review technician
building inspector. Um and then we'll
also be uh starting recruitment for
finance manager and accountant one um as
soon as possible.
Um other cost increases um retirement
although the contribution rate has gone
down for fiscal year 2627 we are
starting the year with a higher number
of employees uh with fewer vacancies. So
the more employees we paid throughout
the year is going to result in increased
retirement contributions over the
previous year. So we're currently
projecting about 135,000 retirement
contributions for the year. uh which is
about a $24,000 increase from 2526.
The U or the unfunded acred liability,
this is our advertised
uh cost of the pension liability. Um
this year it's going up about another
27,000 from 168 to 195. Um and this
number goes up every year. Uh there are
we can elect one-time savings if we
prepay. Uh but the savings are not um
it's less than 1% savings. So I'm not
currently recommending that we prepay
the U at this time.
Medical uh this is a significant
increase uh in our personnel costs uh
medical premiums on average. We have two plans that most of our employees
use. There's the Anthem plans and
there's Kaiser plans. Anthem rates have
increased approximately 12% per year
since 2122 and uh concurrently Kaiser
rates have increased 8% as well. Um and
um these are medical premiums that the
uh town pays. However, um a portion of
that cost is also um paid for by the
employees.
So, we're looking about 252,000 for
medical premiums uh this year, which is
an increase of about 27,000
and contract services talked about
earlier uh town attorney, sheriff's
office with site fire and then we also
have uh consultants with uh planning and
building uh good city is our planning
consultants. CSG consultants do building
inspections, plan review, and then Inner
West does town engineering and also CIP
project management. Then we also have a
contract with Shims Kota that helps with
permit processing. And then our
subscriptions uh you know just a list of
some of the subcriptions open gov other
IT infrastructure
starlink ring zoom um the biggest uh
we're no longer using well we won't be
using intergov this will be the last
year of intergov uh we we'll not we will
not have any future payments towards
intergov it's all being switched to open
gov uh but there will be a slight
increase in costs um with the annual
subscriptions but in the long run it'll
result in better better c customer
service for our applicants through
planning and building.
So looking at the sheriff as you can see
for 2627 the contract increased $197,000
which is 8.4%.
However in previous years we've been
using ARPA funding uh we also were using
expired credits uh to offset some of
these cost increases. um 2627 those use
of additional onetime funds is no longer
available. So there's going to be a
$488,000 increase to the general fund
and it's made up of the $197,000
increase uh to the contract plus the
expiration of the $211,000 credit.
And then we're not using ARPA funds. So
that's another $100,000 that we do no
longer have available. Um, we will use
an additional $20,000 in cops funding uh
to help offset this cost. Now, we do
receive from public safety sales tax and
cops uh about
it's less than 10% of the total contract
cost. Uh so it really is not it's not
really going to make any significant
dent in offsetting the cost of the
general fund. Uh so this $488,000
increase will adjust the baseline per
share for the sheriff's contract in the
general fund moving forward.
Westside Fire um
the costs are about the same uh from
previous year. Uh not much increase. Uh
we will be using uh Woodside Fire for 60
days of vegetation management. uh the
chipper costs there was a decrease in
the chipper cost from previous year and
then uh education costs of 59,000
and the capital improvement plan um went
uh council reviewed this a couple
meetings ago we're looking at about 1.45
million total for capital improvements.
However, post adoption, we probably have
some additional decisions to make on the
Fordfield bathroom, Valley Oak Trail
Bridges, and the Shauny Path speed
humps. Um, and but you know, we're in
development of those projects as we
speak or there's other mitigating issues
in regards to u the trail bridges and
then bathroom. We're waiting the results
of the feasibility study,
but we probably will not have those in
time for the adoption of the budget.
So this is the fiscal forecast. Um it
has not been updated u with projected
revenues and full expenses for 27 or
2627.
Uh so this this chart will be updated um
when we bring the budget back for
adoption. But this is this has been our
story for since November of 2024.
So that concludes my report. Okay, yield
back to council for questions and
direction.
>> Thank you, Tony. So, clarifying
questions on the presentation.
» Yeah, ju just a handful. Um, the graph
you just said that you just showed, you
said it hasn't been updated since 2024
like
>> No, it has been updated. I just haven't
updated it with 2627.
>> Oh, okay. Okay. Do you expect it to have
any material difference?
>> Yeah. Well, with the user fee study and
you know putting those into the analysis
where revenue ends up, but also we're
all looking at the consultants. So there
there's going to be a change in the
general fund for 2627 based on the
numbers now.
>> But it's still, you know, 6% increase in
expenses, 4% increase in revenue, but
those numbers are going to change
>> once we complete our analysis.
>> But it doesn't sound like it's night and
day different. like we we can assume
ballpark
>> it will still look similar.
>> Yeah.
>> But there might the the gap between
revenues expenses might shrink a little
bit.
>> Okay.
>> But the overall direction of the black
line is not
>> Yeah, that's my question. Um remind me
of the speed bumps. Was that I can't
recall
>> the the young man from was it CO Madera
made the presentations.
>> Oh,
>> okay. Now I remember. Thank you. you
know, engaging the BPTS committee,
>> okay,
>> kind of developing and we do have we do
have funding for that project. Uh we do
receive transportation funding. We got
measure A, measure W. So, this is a
project that we could probably do.
>> Um and uh the town attorney
and the legal services, one is for non
uh shoot maholi expenses. Is that
correct? Two lines.
>> Yes. And there were changes in those
costs. Are you projecting needing less?
It was page 74 of the packet. I don't
know if you want to flip to that.
>> Yeah, because well, we've we've had some
activities this year that uh have
increased those costs. We're not
anticipating them for 26 27.
>> You're not anticipate. Okay, that was my
question. Okay. And then the last thing
is um the consultants I know we've done
a good job already analyzing Sarah I
think heavily involved in analyzing who
are using for what is that work going to
continue and might that have an impact.
>> Yes. This is the first year since I've
been here where we actually have
somebody in planning and building can
actually review
>> uh the consultant's work. Uh this was
work that was started by former interim
uh Steve
>> um and was something that was sorely
needed and but we go going forward we
will be monitoring okay this is town
work this is applicant work
>> and these are the hours and and really
working with the consultants uh to keep
that in mind
>> we're not done that's still going to
continue
>> still going to continue yeah because I
mean we don't this is augmenting staff
levels that we have
>> yeah okay those are my questions thank
you
>> thank you Mary you have any clarifying
questions.
>> Well, I do uh I I'm just been trying to
sort out uh
how we're doing with our checks and
balances. Um are our bank accounts uh
reconciled monthly and do we have a sec
a separate person who rec reviews it and
how does that work and have all our
findings of the completed audits been
done and are any have any findings in
our in our audits that are in process?
>> Right. So the bank wrecks are an ongoing
process because we're refining and but
we are capturing everything that's
coming through
>> current. Yeah.
>> The the reason why we're recruiting for
a finance manager is to ensure that the
checks and balances remain that there's
another level of review.
>> Okay.
And because I we just want to make sure
that not one person doing everything
that's part of the process of cash
handling, depositing and
>> but right now without that person we are
doing that.
>> Right. We are still doing that. Yes,
>> that's all I want to know. Yeah. Thank
you.
>> Thank you, Mary Rebecca.
>> Uh yes. Um uh thank you Tony for your
hard work and diligence that's gone into
this. I I very much appreciate that. Um,
under services, I don't think we
mentioned laser fees. It's it's a small
thing in there, but um,
uh, it's something to think about, I
guess. Um, it's included as one of our
services and it's a it's a chunk of
change. So, I just wanted to clarify
that that is
>> still going to be uh on our budget for
next year.
Yes, we do have subscriptions that we
are reviewing.
>> And could you clarify um in the in the
records it says capital replacement
emergency fund a million dollars and
then there's a fund 401 capital projects
for something like 692,000.
What are the differences of those two
items? So the the capital replacement is
a category within the general fund
reserve
and normally would be used to fund any
transfers into
uh fund 401 which where we actually pay
for CIP projects out of that fund. Uh
but it is that fund 401 is
supported by transfers from the general
fund which we have not been able to do
the last two fiscal years.
Okay, thank you. And um when do our
franchise services fees get
renegotiated?
>> Uh well, three of the four are
established by state law. Um the energy,
cable, and water. Uh the only one that's
negotiable is the wastewater
is the waste with green waste. Um, and
I'm not sure when that contract is up
for renewal.
>> Okay. Um, and then under the town
manager salaries list, it shows a
$100,000 reduction. I was just curious
how that happens now that we've filled
the assistant town manager position.
>> Well, my salary is still being allocated
between town manager and
» Okay. And you're anticipating that for
what period of time for next year?
>> I am anticipating that to remain because
I finance will still report to me.
>> Oh, okay. And then just a clarification,
I wasn't clear on what cafeteria plan
management meant versus sort of the
health insurance line items.
>> Yeah. Cafeteria plan, the town
contributes a portion of um it's to
offset the cost of the premiums.
Oh, and and the the line item for the
health insurance and whatever. That's
what is that then?
>> That's that is the medical premium.
>> That's we pay that.
>> Yeah.
>> So, what what are we paying for the
cafeteria plan management then?
>> Cafeteria plan goes to the employees.
>> Goes what?
>> It goes to the employees.
» I I guess I'm still confused about that.
So we are paying a portion of their
health insurance and their vision and
whatever.
>> Yeah.
>> And then we are paying something else
towards
>> and then the employees are turning
around and paying the medical premium.
» So why isn't that all under health as
opposed to being a separate?
>> Because they're paid to separate
entities.
>> So we account for we account for it
separately.
I see. Okay. Um, do you not expect any
costs associated with the November
election given that we're considering a
ballot measure and it's the midterms? Is
there
>> Yes, we are still reviewing those. We do
have some consulting costs that will be
related to the election, but yeah, we
are still reviewing those. There'll be
attorney time
>> as well.
>> Okay. But that would be put into a
different bucket.
>> Yes, there will be a separate line item.
We have a we have a project number or a
project code uh for the election.
» But you're saying attorney time would
fall under um the town clerk's budget or
would it be under the attorney's budget?
>> It would be under the town attorney's
budget. Um but the there there will be a
code that says 26 election. Um, and we
also have the same code in the town
manager budget for the consultants. And
then we also have um elections cost that
will be out of the town clerk, but we'll
be able to run a report by project to
show um what the costs are.
>> Okay. Excellent. And but you've already
put some estimates for those costs into this um study budget or we're still
you're still working
>> Well, we we did put some of these
numbers in at the midyear with the
intent of carrying over those numbers to
2627.
Um but that gives us an idea what the
number is going to be. Um and then we'll
roll it over into 2627. But we're still paying consultants. We're
still tracking time. Uh so we'll have
that number um for the 24th.
>> Okay. And what exactly is a fuel
mitigation engineer?
» You want to answer that one?
>> Oh, we know. I know that.
» I actually just sent an email to Tony
about that. Um, but a fuel mitigation engineer. He is my
manager that manages the fuel mitigation
division at Woodside Fire. And that's
the crew that does all your rightway
work and chipping. However, um, I'm just
looking at that as a separate line item
because I'm not sure if that was because
I saw public education mixed with that.
So, I'm wondering if there was a mixup
with titles because it's usually that
you're funding the emergency
preparedness coordinator and public
education officer that runs the epic
organization that is funded by the town
and Woodside Fire. So, we'll follow up
on that, but that's what the FME is.
>> Okay, great. Thanks. Um, and I noticed
that there was quite a few different um
line items for software.
Um, so it it's included for the
community hall and it's included for
software and licensing for roads,
repairs, facilities, development
section.
Um, I'm just trying to understand what
that what that software is that we're
using for for those different areas.
>> Well, so for open gov, we have several
modules. One's finance. So those costs
are allocated to finance. Uh we're
enhancing permit licenses and coding and
that covers planning and building code
enforcement, public works. So we're just
allocating those costs across all
divisions.
» Okay. So
>> we also have
>> yeah community hall has um
uh community pass. So there's a software
that we use for uh recording um the
transactions for reservations and
payments. Um so those costs are
allocated to community hall uh for
classes. Um we also have um other
subscriptions that we have for um other
items other than open gov like blue beam
starlink um and those costs are
allocated out according to each
division.
>> Okay.
Those are my questions. Thank you
so much.
>> Thank you Rebecca.
Hi.
Um,
hold on. Let me um staff is currently reviewing all
consulting contracts for building and
planning and engineering. When will we
have know what those contracts what we
have?
>> By the 24th. We'll have it for budget.
>> Great. Um,
can you remind me what the intergovern
budget. What?
>> I'm sorry.
>> I I didn't hear the end of your
sentence.
>> We'll have it for the 24th when the
budget
>> meeting
>> when the budget it's adopted. Thank you.
>> Okay. Could you remind me of the 7500 in
government intergovernmental charge or
revenue?
>> I believe that's the motor vehicle fee.
» Motor DM fee or are you saying
>> DM? That's the motor vehicle fee. It's a
Santa Sanonteo County measure that was
passed years ago. We get separate um
it's either that or it's hopped. I can't
>> Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Um
BLF.
>> Yes.
>> You recognize it's not in the governor's
budget or the legislaturator's budget at
this point.
>> And I never budget the short ball.
>> Okay. I always budget what the county
tells me what's available.
» I think that number is optimistic.
>> No, this is the number. This is what
they have.
>> That's what they got.
>> This is what the county has.
>> Oh,
>> yeah. It's the shortfall that they're
fighting for.
>> Got it. Okay. Thank you for clarifying.
Um
Okay.
Um
because of our senior new senior
planner, are we expecting good city
costs to decrease?
>> Well, we're currently doing that
analysis.
>> Okay.
>> I can't say yes or no, but I mean
they're still doing work for us even
with the senior planner in in tow. Um so
it's still it's still a cost that's
going to be uh something to acknowledge.
>> Okay.
Thank you. Thanks. Those are my
questions.
>> Thank you, Helen.
>> So, Tony, just two quick questions. Um,
the master fee schedule, what do we
think the rough number is going to be?
>> I I
>> Do you have a range?
>> I It could be 250, it could be 400,
somewhere in that range.
>> Okay.
>> The what number?
>> The master fee schedule if once we
implement it.
>> Yeah. What you what was it? What was
your question?
>> What that number? how much we would earn
in addition by implementing the master
piece.
>> Right. In addition, that's my question.
Okay. Thank you.
>> So then Tony, last year we had a, you
know, a 200 some odd Kk deficit
and this year we have a 584 deficit,
but the sheriff's contract was like 488
hit to the general fund. It seems like
it's 688. So seems like there's 100k
somehow missing there.
>> Not following you. Um well I was just
trying to take what was our deficit for
this year?
>> 263.
>> Okay. So 263
>> and if you took 263 and added 488 to it
which is what I was roughly trying to
do.
>> Mhm.
>> That and that number is going to be you
know six I'm not doing the exact math
here but it's you know 700k roughly.
>> Right.
>> But yet we're projecting a deficit of
>> in revenue too. So that takes it that
>> so that and you so that's the difference
is we're expecting that increase of
roughly 200k in revenue.
>> Okay, great. Thank you.
>> I I have one more question.
>> Okay.
>> Sorry buddies.
>> Um it it uh we want to have a successful
efficient welcoming organization uh that
gives satisfaction to residents and
employees alike. What level of ongoing
annual revenue would be required to
restore structural balance to the
general fund while maintaining or
possibly improving current service
levels and preserving reserves at policy
targets?
>> We are still I mean
>> what number are we using?
are we imagining
>> 1.5 to two million
that keeps our reserve at 20% helps to
absorb any cost increases with the
sheriff's contract. Uh helps us to
continue funding capital projects. Um we
have a $350,000
maintenance of effort requirement of the
general fund which we have not met in
the last two years. So we are at risk of
losing our SB1 RMR funding which is
reduction in transportation funding. Um,
and there's other capital projects that
we need to fund like storm drains for
one. That could be about half a million
there just for a master plan and then
ongoing um costs for maintenance and
repairs that will be identified in the
master plan. That's just the tip of the
iceberg.
>> Yeah.
>> But there are other items that need to
be addressed. The the vehicle fleet
needs to be replaced. um that could be
about hundred to $150,000 right there.
Uh because trucks are not cheap. So um
you know, we don't have exact numbers,
but we do have a list of what items need
to be addressed and estimates, but yeah,
it's well 1.5 would be the range, but if
we can get more, then we could also
address our pension liability. We could
pay that down. Um, so there are some
costs that the town has not addressed
historically. Um, and this is an
opportunity for us to do that.
>> Yeah.
>> And Tony, when you said 1.5, it's 1.5 to
two is probably
>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Just
>> this is something that we're going to
discuss in July.
>> Yes. Well, what I'm what I'm hoping for
is to ask that we have that a slide that
clearly shows exactly what you just
finished saying for the presentation.
Yeah, that's all I'm asking.
>> Okay, thank you.
All right, so with that, let me move to
public comment. So, any hands in the
room? I see no hands in the room, so
I'll go online. Rita,
» hi,
>> welcome.
>> Thank you for taking my comment. Um, you
know, we just had that meeting about the
uh safety element and um that item that
I mentioned, I guess it was S5 on the
safety element talked about the storm
drains and I think we have a mandate or
something about how we're supposed to be
u checking them. And I saw on the slide,
one of the previous slides, there was
$20,000
for in the budget in the proposed budget
for fixing some storm drains. But um
because of the safety element, do we
have to now make sure that the money to
do what we have to do for the storm
drains in the town are part of this
budget? Thank you.
>> Thank you, Rita. Are there any other
public comments?
>> I can answer that question.
>> Yeah, let me just let's just capture all
of them if there's others. Um, okay.
Zoom user, I'm assuming Dana still.
>> Yes. Uh, just following that comment,
um, Portullah Valley historically has
never used curbs and things like that so
that the water spills onto the the soil
and and filtered itself naturally. So
that's only the only thing I'm offering
up is that idea is that we tend to be a
curbless town. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Dana.
Any other public comment?
All right. I don't see any other public
comment, so I will bring it back to
council for discussion. And Tony, is
there anything specific that you're
looking for from us? uh just you know
what you've received and it's this is
the right direction that we're going but
I wanted to answer um Rita's question
because the 20,000 yes that's coming out
of fund 401 but we also have additional
funding coming out of our gas tax fund
of about 50 to $50,000 for storm drain
repairs and these are just for minor
repairs on the storm drain system
>> right
>> not just 20
>> right and when we talk about the 1.5 to2
million that's the place that we would
actually start raising money to deal
with our storm water.
>> Correct.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Who would like to go first? Helen,
how about you?
>> So, do you have any comments?
Sure. Rebecca, would you like to go?
You're bright. I mean, it's early for
you, right?
>> Um, well, I I again, I'll just reiterate
that I really appreciate the efforts of
the finance department and Tony in
particular to putting this together. I
think it's an excellent excellent work,
very diligent. Um it certainly shows us
how we are um in a situation with that
black line where in a couple years we
will have passed below our reserve
levels and within a year or two beyond
that and possibly sooner we will run out
of money and need to do something about
it. So um I feel like this was the best
that we can do for this coming year.
We're obviously not a balanced budget.
We continue to have a hole that's
growing. Um we don't have a lot of
options in terms of squeezing here and
there. And I feel like the depart the
staff have done a pretty good job of
really looking um everywhere and trying
to be more efficient and trying to find
efficiencies wherever we can. So in that
respect um I appreciate that and um I
don't know that there's too much more.
for them and we can look at tiny little
things, but they're not going to have
huge impacts on the budget. Um, so yeah,
I mean, I I I think we've I think
everything's really been covered what we
can do. So, I I I appreciate the work
and I I look forward to having all the the open items that were mentioned
completed in terms of all the analyses
that still need to happen in the next
two weeks, I guess. Um, hopefully we'll
have a little bit more clarity on some
of those going forward. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Rebecca. Mary.
>> Yeah. I just wanted to follow up on on what I was saying before, which is
that I think as the um people who are
supposed to be doing the policy, we we
really need to really clearly have the
list of what of I mean, we all know what
the big things are, but with a ticket
with how much it's going to cost and and
really know what we're going to be up
against if we uh
if we keep moving in this direction In
other words, we can tighten our belts in
various different little ways, but we're
going to lose some major major uh things
that that characterize our our town and
which we all think are necessary and we
need to understand what they are and the
general public does too.
>> So, I really appreciate your work.
>> Mary, can I ask clarifying? Are you
suggesting that we add something to the
proposed budget or you're just saying
that people need to understand
>> in the presentation we need to have a a
pretty clear uh view of what we're not
going to be able to do?
>> Okay. Thank you.
» Sure. I I don't have too much. I do
appreciate all the work and the
continued communication. It's a vital
time for a town to have information
flow. It may be redundant. It might be
um kind of pretty basic, but I think
educating the public on our budget and
how we how what elements feed in is
really important. So, sessions like this
are very helpful. Um the only clarifying
point um and I forget the timing for the audits and the like. Um there is not
a possibility between now and the next
meeting when we're going to be asked to
approve the the budget that there's any
feedback that could impact the budget or
likely to impact the budget from the
auditors or from any controls, anything
like that. So that's to come later
and we'll see if any adjustments are
needed later. But just want to confirm,
we're not expecting or you have you're
not aware of anything.
Okay. And just to put a fine point on
the um I always refer to it the
Christian Co report. We're we've made a
lot of progress. We're still looking at
that from time to time and ticking off
further things. Okay. That's all.
>> We're not done.
>> Yeah. We're not done.
>> Yeah. Okay. We're in a state of constant
improvement.
>> Okay.
>> And even if it's a recommendation for
Christian company that they didn't make,
if we find it, we we'll implement.
>> Yeah. Okay. Well, thank you very much.
Those I think you've been thorough. I
have no other comments.
>> Thank you,
>> Helen. Thank you. Um yeah, just really
minor, you know, just a big thank you to
staff for the belt tightening and you
know, this um
you guys have done a lot um with a
little and so I appreciate that. Um you
know, tonight the conversation for
instance around the safety element to
bring that to where it's at is
impressive. Um it does sound like we
might need there is scope creep there I
think. So, we're probably going to need
to budget a little bit more for that.
>> Um, but uh
I think we're I appreciate what you've
got you've done and I think we're we're
in as good of condition as we can be
right now. So, um that's my comments.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Helen.
So, I would second it. Thanks, Tony. Um
doing a great job. Um I also appreciate
I mean I do think we built up our staff.
I mean, we're we're starting to fill the
positions, you know, we're not sitting
there like with half our positions
empty, so our budget looks better
because we're not paying people. Like,
that's kind of the wrong solution. So, I
really appreciate that we're actually
even though we don't have a lot of
choices in this budget, I I appreciate
at least we're starting to come together
with a full staff um and that this
budget represents that. So, I think
that's great. Um and I would second
Helen's um working with Sarah to figure
out if we're going to need any
additional money on the safety element.
did seem like there's going to be some
additional work involved. Um, but other
than that, um, I I think it looks good.
So, thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Okay. So, with that, let me close 7B and
move on to 7 C. So, Veronica, I think
this is you.
» Yes.
Okay.
So, uh with the recent signing of SB77,
there are a couple uh policies we need
to implement before July 1st.
So uh the first one is a telephonic or
internet disruption policy
uh for council meetings.
So starting July 1st uh council meetings
need to be conducted by a two-way
telephonic or audiovisisual service such
as Zoom uh which we will continue to
use. And as part of that requirement,
council needs to adopt a policy uh in
the event of a disruption during the
meeting. Uh the policy outlines
procedures for recessing and reconvening
meetings and the efforts uh council or
staff will undertake to restore service.
Uh so in the event of a technological
disruption or internet outage uh that
prevents public access to the council
meeting, council must immediately recess
the open session and uh make good faith
efforts to reestablish
uh telephonic or internet service. Uh
the recess must be at least for one hour
or until service is restored, whichever
occurs first.
Uh if service has not been restored
after an hour, council must reconvene
and either adjoin the meeting or adopt a
finding by roll call vote that
reasonable efforts were made to restore
service and that continuing the meeting
in person outweighs the public interest
in maintaining remote access. Uh
however, in the case that there is
little to no possibility of service
being restored, such as uh a power
outage, council may decide to adjourn
the meeting uh without attempting to
restore service.
Uh second policy is uh public posting
board for agendas.
um council agendas
uh need to be translated into applicable
languages based on uh census data for
the town. So even though Portola Valley
doesn't meet the language threshold to
provide translated agendas, we still
need to provide a space for the public
to post their own translations of
council agendas. Uh this space has to be
adjacent to the current uh existing
posting board for council agendas and it
must be freely accessible to the public.
The town is not responsible for the
content or accuracy of the translations.
We're just providing space.
Uh so a designated board will be
installed next to the existing agenda
posting board outside town hall. The
space is reserved for translated
versions of council agendas only. Uh
there will be specific language posted
indicating such use. Um that language
will also include
uh language that stating that the town
is not responsible for any of the
materials posted and anything not
related to council agendas will be
removed.
Uh, so that's for the first item, the
two policies in the packet. Um,
>> so you're going to stop there, right?
>> Yes. Yeah. Great.
>> For now.
>> All right. So, any clarifying questions
for Veronica?
>> Yeah. Um,
the good faith determination of the cost
benefit. Are there any guidelines or
examples given for or is it really in
our judgment?
Yeah, the code mostly or only states
good faith efforts. Does not define what
those efforts are. Um I think
>> No, it's the I don't mind that. It's the
we have to either terminate the meeting
or decide to keep going, but that
requires a finding.
>> Uh yes. So when the disruption occurs,
we will uh recess the meeting while
staff uh attempts to fix the outage.
Like if it's a bad connection in the
schoolhouse, we try to restore that. Um
but
uh if service is not restored after an
hour then council needs to reconvene
and then make a actual determination to
either continue the meeting or adjourn.
Um and if you decide to continue you
need to make a finding that continuing
the meeting outweighs public interest.
And and I'm asking about the legal
standard for that very last point and
only that point which is
>> public interest in continuing the
meeting outweighs the public interest in
remote access. We can continue. Are
there any guidelines?
>> Okay. I was going to add add just that
this is obviously a new statute so there
isn't any precedent. Um but I think that
the council could in it reasonable
determination determine if it's there's
an item where there's a statutory
deadline to complete that item. say an
election resolution, you've got to get
the election
by a certain date. Um that would argue
for the public interest um uh you know
uh weighing in favor of continuing
despite the inability of the public to
zoom in for the meeting. Okay, got it.
Thanks.
>> Could I just add a question? So
what if there's, you know, the next four
agendas have no room on them for
continuing? Is that a reasonable
or is it not a statutory deadline? But
it's just like there's not going to be a
place to fit it in unless it's sort of
continued and get sort of getting
finished. So I mean I'm just trying to I
mean to J's point it's just kind of this
judgment call. Um do are we going to
come up with some kind of policy on
roughly what we think are going to be
our approaches or we're just going to
wing it after an hour and try to figure
it out on the fly?
>> I'll I'll take a stab at that. feel feel
free to um to jump in. I mean, I guess I
would say the council actually has
unfortunately had the opportunity to
make some of these judgment calls in the
past because we we've experienced these
outages um here at town hall and I think
that you know the council has um done a
good job of figuring out well this item
you know there's a lot of public
interest in it. No one's physically
here. We don't have any ability to
communicate to them to tell them to come
here you know to get here to the
schoolhouse. Uh, and so while there's no
legal precedent here, um, I would say,
you know, the council has some
discretion to make that judgment call
based on the facts and circumstances for
that particular meeting and that those
items.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mary. Clarifying
questions.
>> Yeah, clarifying question is um going
back to the uh safety element and the um
the possibility of not having any
electricity for months that can follow
an earthquake. Um is there a way that we
could have a not notify what we have
done in the past is notify people
upfront that if they are really want to
hear what's going to happen they uh and
the and it gets disconnected they can
they need to come to the town hall so
that we can actually move ahead in an
emergency situation because uh the
function of the town has to go on. Um,
and I I'm probably going to be the one
who pushes for the town being a viable
entity of its own without electricity if
it if if necessary. Uh, and I' I'd like
to be able to see a way forward for us.
That doesn't always depend on having the
electronic system up and going.
In other words, and and that could be
just as simple as a statement at the
beginning of the agendas. uh we had and
we do have that right now. Um we're
going to have to under SP77 actually
remove that statement because the
legislature has determined that uh the
public has the right to attend those
meetings by Zoom and that this is the
established procedure that we use in the
event that Zoom is not working. I mean
you raise a situation that I don't think
the statute contemplates and maybe the
legislature would have to address in the
event of a you know I mean it's not
outside the realm of reality. there's a
major earthquake and then we don't have
power for for weeks and the um council
needs to meet because there's priority
items. Um I I don't have the answer. I
know with with COVID the legislature did
that quickly to amend the Brown Act to
allow for fully remote Zoom meetings. Um
so I would expect something like I would
hope something like that would happen
and we talked to our local legislature
um legislator members to make sure it
does. Um but yes that we will not be
able to continue to use that language.
uh on our agendas to uh provide for the
inperson I'm sorry to to provide for the
um
>> even though there is an out there you
can uh determine that it's important to
meet
>> the the the out is essentially the the
um procedure that's that Veronica
outlined
>> uh that if there's the disruption we've
got to actually try really hard for an
hour to restore it and um and only then
could we continue the meeting uh where
the public interest balancing test
basically would allow us allow the
council to make those findings.
>> Thank you,
Rebecca.
>> Uh yes. Um it's just a small practical
question. When when we're required to
put a new space for a bulletin board, um
is there a physical board going to be
new physical board installed or are we
making room on our existing board? I was
a little unclear on that.
>> Uh yeah, a new board that is not locked
will have to be installed.
>> Okay. And um is that an expensive
proposition?
» Um no,
it's just a regular bulletin board.
>> I'm just wondering a little bit about
the aesthetics.
>> Well, it it is very interesting. We used
to have post them in a lot of different
places and now we're not posting them.
So, we must have a whole bunch of those
hanging around
>> or maybe they've been
>> they're still there and we do use them
occasionally when we're required to use
three different postings.
» Yeah, that's it for me. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Ellen. Um, just to be clear,
obviously we've been talking about
outages, but I'm assuming this also
applies to Zoom bombing
>> to what? Zoom bombing like you know to
stop the Is that disruptive? No.
>> No. But Zoom bombing I think is a little
different. If Zoom like let's say Zoom
had a catastrophic cyber attack or a
failure and Zoom stopped working, I
think
>> that's a different issue. But like Zoom
bombing, the act of like
getting a lot of public commenters that
may I mean to be honest that still is
happening and as long as
>> they're following the threeminut rule
they're generally allowed to talk and
say what they want.
>> Okay. So that this does not deal with
that. Okay.
» Thank you.
>> Okay.
Thank you. I I don't have any
comments. Um so I'll open up for public
comment. Any public comment on this
item?
All right. I don't see any public
comment online, so I'm going to move on.
» So, we I think once I close public
comment, I this sort of coming in late
after I've waited a significant amount
of time. So, um, I will open it up
again, but generally once I move off
this screen, it's sort of back and forth
doesn't work. So, this this will be my
last time doing this. Once I've closed
it and moved off, then we're we're done
with public comment. So, go ahead,
Christie.
>> Thanks. I'm on my phone and it takes me
a minute to get
moving on it. Um, I'm wondering a lot of
times on the Almanac or the PaloAlto
weekly or the daily, I see the agendas
posted for other council meetings. I
find it interesting to read them just to
compare. Oh, this time of year they're
working on that. What is our town doing
in comparison? So I think it is
important to at some point when our
budget gets to the point we can post
which the daily you can post free I
think but the almanac might charge
um to get more people reading our
information attending the meetings. We
only have one place you're posting now
which is right by town center. So I
think we should let everyone know and so
we get more than 10 people at meetings.
Thank you.
>> Thank you Christie.
>> All right. So I'm going to bring it back
to the council. Is there any discussion?
The only comment I would have is this
highlights the importance to me of
resurrecting
not immediately the PV fund attempt to
improve our tele communications
capabilities particularly in the
schoolhouse. Um, I know that's it's
related because I think this policy
which we have to adopt is,
you know, problematic because we've got
to hang out for an hour,
etc., etc. So, the right way to fix this
is to have a little bit of of a better
system, but that's it. I don't see any
room to do anything but adopt the Right.
>> Thank you, Mary. No,
>> Rebecca.
Yeah, I wanted to follow on on the whole
idea of resilience for the town. Um, and
I forgot to mention this during the
discussion for the budget.
Unfortunately, um, the PCE grant, um,
it's it's been listed as being for
improving energy efficiency, and I think
it absolutely needs to be switched over
to to installing battery backups.
uh storage for the town center.
Obviously, we won't be able to afford to
have enough batteries to allow us to
operate for even 72 hours, but if it can
allow us to stay in operation for the
time of a town council meeting, that
would be pretty critical. So, in the
event of an outage. So, I think we
really need to make sure that any money
we have available from like the PCE
grant that it goes towards battery
storage.
>> Thank you, Helen.
» Thank you for reminding
us of that. Obvious uh obviously that's
not the agenda item, but I would second
the battery backup. Um but in terms of
the um telephonic uh I'm you know I
think I'm fine with that. Thank you.
>> Thank you. All right. So I don't have
any comments either. I would entertain a
motion to approve this item.
>> Motion to approve.
>> Second.
>> Okay. Veronica. Can I roll call?
>> Council member Walter.
>> I. Council member Husco. Hi.
>> Council member Flynn. I. Vice Mayor
Hufty. I
>> Mayor Taylor. Hi.
>> Motion carries.
>> So, Veronica, on this next one, could I
ask maybe you just summarize the slide?
You know, we we got them in the packet
and I can read the slides. So, maybe
just summarize them rather than read
them all the way through.
>> Uh yes. So basically, uh, town council
has authority to, uh,
>> you should put, you should put them up
so everybody can see them, but just then
just summarize the slide
>> to, uh, extend
teleconference
uh, capabilities for subsidiary bodies,
which would be for the town uh, town
council Brown Act committees.
Uh so
eligible subsidiary or advisory bodies
are ones that are purely advisory. Uh
they don't have any final
decision-making authority or primary
subject matter over things such as
budget and taxes.
Uh
so these advisory bodies would be
excluded from using this
teleconferencing.
uh
capability
and the remaining committees here are
the ones that would be eligible.
Um
so if council authorizes them to meet
fully remotely uh they need to make
specific findings that remote
participation
uh would enhance public access and
participation in those meetings and also
consider the impacts on member diversity
and retention of these uh bodies.
Uh these findings are required for both
the initial approval and council needs
to reauthorize
uh every six months.
Uh if approved, the bodies conducting
the remote meetings need to comply with
certain requirements
uh such as uh the body themselves need
to vote uh on meeting fully remote. Uh
physical meeting location needs to be uh
available for public attendance. uh at
least one staff member should needs to
be physically present at that location
and remote members have to appear on
camera during the meeting.
Uh another stipulation of
uh this authorization is it allows
subsidiary bodies to make formal
recommendations to council uh using the
following process. If they such as uh if
they formally request to present their
recommendations to council, council has
to schedule a discussion within 60 days
of getting that request at a regular
meeting. It cannot be a special meeting.
The item cannot be placed on consent and
final action on the recommendations
cannot occur until a subsequent meeting.
So you can't meet and discuss the
recommendation and vote on it. It has to
be done at a following meeting
and that is it for this one.
>> Thank you. Thank you for the summary.
All right. Any clarifying questions for
Ron?
>> Yeah, I have one.
>> Yeah, and I have one too.
>> Well, I have a couple. Um, so the
conservate, so the test for whether you
can do this and who's excluded
if I'm only looking at your report. It
says serves in an advisory capacity only
and does not have final decision making
authority over various things. But then
there's a second prong which is and does
not have primary subject matter
jurisdiction over budgets, elections,
police oversight, privacy, public
library access, taxes or related
spending proposals. So I am questioning
um the conservation committee fitting
into that because it's not only what
>> they don't qualify. Yes, I'm questioning
why because it's a two-prong test and
they definitely have final decision
making over tree permits, but that isn't
a budget item or, you know, police
oversight, privacy, etc. So, are we sure
about that is the question.
>> I I can maybe take a stab at this. So,
um this only applies to advisory bodies.
So we we as a preliminary matter
excluded all decision-making bodies and
then of those advisory bodies there are
more there are certain bodies that are
excluded. So the finance committee is
only advisory but they're excluded
because they have primary jurisdiction
over the budgets and related spending
appro approvals. Um
so anyway that's that's the the reason
for
including uh sorry ex excluding
conservation committee they are
decision- making like um the planning
commission and ASC while they really we
were only able to identify one topic
where they had decision-m authority uh
we as staff felt like that was
sufficient to take them out of the
category of eligible subsidiary bodies.
And so maybe I I'll just take this
offline and go look at the legislation,
but it does say it's not just a one
trick, one trigger. It's a couple
different prongs
and like you get they are um not an
advisory capacity only. I guess you're
just stopping there and saying that
takes them out. Okay, I'll I'll go off
and read it. It just was interesting in
the way it was phrased
>> and we could bring this back if if you
find that you think that it's really you
have to have both to be yeah
>> excluded then we'll bring it back and we
can add them to the other list.
>> Yeah, I I'm not feeling strongly right
now. We could always do that separately
because we've got to adopt something
along these lines. It sounds um I am a
little concerned about the one staff
member must be physically
present for public attendance. So, is
that going to change how staffing
currently works for these bodies?
>> Yes, it could change it.
But I think when we discussed in the
past, we said the volunteer could staff
that. So, for example, we had one
committee member attending, they say,
"Hey, I want to attend
in the Buckeye room and have the AV
running there." Then they would open the
door and the public could come in and
use the AV system there. We could use
the town hall conference room if nobody
wanted to come. We have staff in town
hall,
>> but it has to be a town staff member. It
can't be a member of the committee
>> because that the way it's written, it
sounds like a town staff member.
>> And that was my concern as well.
>> Yeah.
>> Versus I I I'm fine with a member of the
committee having to come open it up and
let the public in. That's makes total
sense.
So
>> we can double check that, but I assure
you that won't be a a barrier. And I
should add that I talked to all the
committee chairs about this to solicit
just feedback. And the only one that was
really interested was bicycle.
>> Mhm.
>> Because they have a chair who travels a
lot and they've had a hard time getting
it members and but then they were deemed
ineligible. But actually I got to be
honest no feedback from anyone. They
seem to think it didn't seem that
interesting to them. But anyways, back
to this. It's not going to be a barrier.
I mean, usually if staff needs to be
there, we'll come and work if we abs,
you know, if we have to.
>> You don't think it's a huge burden? No.
In other words, okay, that's
>> and there was also a conversation I had
about could we just use the town hall
conference room? Fine. Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Because we would just really want
reliable AV system.
>> Okay. Two quick questions. Oh, sorry.
Did you have
>> No, it's just a great point.
>> Um, so open space, I thought they did
have jurisdiction over recommending on
the budget, but so you pressure tested
that. They they don't
>> just
>> on their funds. Okay. All right. Um, and
the last is if you have a committee of
committees
that's also a subsidiary body
and could take advantage of this because
we do have these other bodies we form
from time to time.
I think if they if the body was made up
of members of other eligible subsidiary
bodies, I think that would uh that would
qualify. But if you have a a body that
has a a planning commissioner or an ASC
member, for example, that would take it
out of uh consideration. I wanted to add
one other note just to make it really
clear. Um there is no deadline for
adopting this resolution for the
subsidiary bodies. Um unlike the the one
the resolutions that you just adopted,
there was a July 1 deadline. This one is
actually entirely optional. So council
could decide tonight to move forward. It
could decide to continue it or it could
decide not to move forward at this time.
Okay, thank you.
>> I just wanted to say that geologic
safety is very excited about this and
wants to us to move ahead
if that makes any difference.
>> Thank you, Rebecca.
>> Yeah, a couple questions. Um, I have a
little bit of a concern about the uh
requirement to that town council must
schedule a discussion on any
recommendations within 60 days and then
it requires actually two meetings given
how packed our schedules are. Um, is
there any kind of um level where a
recommendation
I'm trying to figure out how to say
this. I mean, our committees make
recommendations every day of the week.
Um,
you know, is there any kind of limit
that we could put that it has to be
based on a goal, a specified goal that's
in their charter or that's that's been
determined for that fiscal year that
then they've studied it and then they
make the recommendation to town council
as opposed to, you know, sort of, you
know, a random a more random um
recommendation to the town. um that's
not in their budget, that's not in our
budget, that's not in their goals for
the year, that you know just comes up
sort of randomly. Is there any kind of
limit that can be placed or should be
placed
um on that requirement?
>> U Veronica, I'm happy to take a stab at
that. Feel free to um add to it. So the state statute SB77
refers to any recommendations
um of these eligible subsidiary bodies
have to go through this um kind of
prescriptive process for taking the
recommendations to council. Uh Veronica
actually went back and forth on this
because I I will say the first time I
read this I I didn't really believe what
it said. I thought could it really does
this really mean any recommendations?
But um after talking to some colleagues
about it, we just believe this is sort
of the quid proquo that the legislature
determined for allowing um committees to
you know meet uh entirely remotely.
They're just adding more procedures uh
to the process for you know in exchange
for their ability to do that.
>> Okay. And then in the um paperwork in
the report it it mentioned something
about any elected officials serving on
the body must comply with you know the
remote code uh including publicly
noticing their remote location making
accessible to the public. Is it correct
in my assumption that a town council
liaison who has no voting ability is not
actually officially serving on the body?
They're just serving as they're just
there to report back on on what the
discussion was, but they they serve no
official capacity on that um committee
and therefore don't have to comply with
any of these um remote uh messaging
rules rules.
>> Correct. Correct. And is there a way to
include that clarification within
whatever ordinance we end up um
approving or or deciding to approve that
town council leaison are not not
included just for clarification.
I'm just looking at the language. I
mean, certainly the the council we we
included a draft um policy here for
consideration and uh the council would
have discretion to amend that to make
any clarifications before adopting the
resolution and adopting the policy.
>> Okay. Thanks.
>> Thank you, Rebecca. Ellen.
>> Um, so this is a weird one, but I had a
I know someone who
moved away during CO and didn't tell
anyone and stayed on a commission
committee body um, multiple. And so, so
what I'm curious about um
is if we then have committee or
commission members who just always
remote in like I think we would lose
something. Um, so I'm kind of wondering
I I'm somewhat interested in potentially
limiting to four times a year or
something um because of that situation,
but
that would be my s my comment and
suggestion.
Okay, thank you.
>> All right, let me check and see if there
are any comments from the public. Rita
Combmes has her hand up. Rita, go ahead.
Hi, thank you for taking my comment. Um,
this policy may help us with some um,
retention of people and I am aware of
some people um, that have been on
committees and whatnot in the past that
did move away. Maybe they had something
going on in that address um, in town,
but uh, that I think it's not for us as
residents to police that, you know. Uh I
think everyone that's on these different
committees and whatnot, they're
appointed by the council. So uh maybe
there's a liazison with the council that
can follow up on uh where people
actually reside, but people do travel.
And so it' be nice if um if some of them
can be on um remote and uh you know many
times the uh the geo safety meeting
which I'm really glad that we've been
doing for a while. It's an important
group. you know, their meetings are on
Monday mornings and if there was a
outage that weekend, they do not have
power to run their meetings and there's
nobody around to to help them. So
perhaps um you know for meetings that
are are happening at odd times, you
know, there will be uh staff and maybe
uh the internet will be more secure for
those for those different um meetings.
And this idea of if a uh committee or
commission proposes something and wants
to meet with the council, you know, uh
there are times planning commission
hadn't met for months. You know, it was
nice to see them today, but uh the
residents don't have a chance to ask
questions if they're not meeting and we
can't send all of them a question. And
so this might be a way to uh to fix that
loophole. Uh I'm and I really appreciate
uh you know the five of you that have uh
stepped up to be elected into this
position uh to keep our town safe, but
uh our council has not always been as uh
proactive as this particular one is. And
so um I think moving forward having uh
issues followed up would be a good
thing. Thank you very much for
listening.
>> Thank you, Rita. Any other public
comments?
Okay. Going once, going twice, going
three times. All right. I'm closing
public comment.
All right. So, bringing it back to the
council for discussion. Who would like
to go first?
» Okay, Judith. Thank you.
>> Sure. Um, look, I do think it's worth
trying myself. Um, we have the right to
revoke the authority at any time for any
reason if we adopt it. And I am curious
to see if we can get greater
participation
um by some of these bodies and make it
easier for them to to meet. Um, so I
would I would be in favor of trying it.
I I think there are some legitimate
questions that are being raised here.
Um, but I think we can try it out for a
while and see if it's um something
that's manageable. That's my view.
>> Thank you, Mary.
>> Yeah, I I totally agree that we should
give it a try. Um, in particular, I
think committees like parks and wreck uh
we've gotten the idea that we it's not
possible to be a Brown Act committee.
Well, it is possible and hopefully these
little modifications will little by
little will make it easier easy enough
so we can actually get people
participating again.
>> Thank you, Rebecca.
>> Yeah, in general, I'm uh supportive of
allowing uh these bodies to meet
remotely. Um
I I would like to get a confirmation on
Judith's question about the triggers
whether the two are required to meet the level or if it's if it's one or the
other. Um
uh I don't know I don't have a strong
opinion on whether the committee should
meet at least a certain number of times
in person. Um, I think it would be
helpful to have it, you know, a minimal
amount,
you know, at least maybe a couple times
a year in person or something if it made
sense. Um,
otherwise, I do support committees being
able to meet remotely and attendance as
well for, you know, individual people to
be able to remotely as well as and still
participate as a voting member when
they're traveling. I don't know if
that's part of this at all. So, that's my viewpoint. I don't know if it
requires
um I if we can go ahead and and and
approve this tonight or if we need to
have it have it come back as a consent
item after there's been a little bit
more um clarification on some of the
open issues or if I don't know I don't
have opinion on that one.
>> Okay. Thank you. Helen
» maybe I misunderstood. I thought this
was for someone traveling for instance.
Is this for the entire body to be Yeah.
>> remote? Oh, I sorry. I missed that memo
somehow.
>> Somebody has to open it up, right?
>> In person.
Okay. So, um, you know, I
definitely like the idea of being able
to be remote, but I do I think it would
be important to have, um,
first of all to I I would have like a
maximum of a person who's traveling individually
do it four times a year. um is what I
would like because if if they're always
traveling, I'm concerned about that. Um
so, and it would be to me it would be an
honor system out of respect and things
happen, but I would like that. And um
and I do like Rebecca's idea of having,
you know, them meet in person
x number of times. I don't know you know
four times a year also keep it same same
or something so that people can remember
it four and four or something um I you
know and not everyone has to be at that
those four but like that it would be an
in-person meeting at least four times a
year um and if people are traveling then
they can zoom in as well so that's what
I would recommend
>> thank you um I mean I think we just do
everything we can to support
volunteerism in the town. So, I'm in
favor of doing this. I have serious
reservations about this any random issue
getting brought to the council um and
having to be dealt with in 60 days. But
I think we should do is we should just
pass it. I would recommend we just pass
it as is um and that we try it and see
if we, you know, if we if we find that
there are problems, we can then change
this. I mean, we got to renew it every
six months anyway. So, I would say let's
start it and see if, you know, if we end
up getting a lot of random requests,
then maybe we stop doing it. Or if we
end up with people who are doing remote
all the time and never seeing each other
and we decide that's not a good thing,
then maybe we add additional language.
But I think we should just pass the
resolution tonight and see how it goes.
>> I second the motion.
>> Um, okay. Not sure that is exactly a
motion, but but but but that wasn't
quite a motion. But but I will make the
motion that we pass the
now. If you want to second that, you
can.
>> I'll second that motion.
>> All right, Veronica, we have a motion
and a second.
>> Council member Walter.
» Um
uh and happily, yes.
>> Council member Hasco,
>> I. Council member Flynn.
>> Uh, yes. Since we are reconsidering this
in six months. Yes.
>> Vice Mayor Hufty.
>> I.
>> Mayor Taylor.
>> I.
>> Motion carries.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Helen. I mean, I I
appreciate your comments. I I think we
should just, you know, let's just review
it in six months.
>> Yeah.
>> I know we've already moved, but can can
the committees make decisions about the
what they'd like to do? In other words,
would they like to say, I we have to
have at least one live meeting.
>> So, they can do whatever they want,
right? This just gives them within this
window, they they can do what they want.
Um,
>> okay. I' I'd like to move on to agenda
item number eight.
>> Um, so are there any oral reports that
need to be made?
>> No. I mean, the finance committee um
meeting was held.
>> I'll make that one. That's right. I
mean, I'm the le I'm the lean actually.
>> But um yes, but um happy to trade.
>> No, that's okay. I gota I got to admit I
lose track. But if you're the because I
was going to make that comment, but if
you're feel supplement because I I'll
get it started. You supplement and then
we'll deal with it. It I mean we heard
about the budget. So no need to repeat
that. Tony did a great job on that. And
then um you know I will say that um
it was not clear to me that the members
knew what they needed to do. In other
words, some of them felt like they
needed to make a recommendation and
didn't. So there was a little bit of uh
lack of clarity there. But I think it
ended up with them, you know, hearing it
out, asking good questions, and the
result was the the presentation tonight.
So, I'm going to turn over to Craig
about the the presentation that he made.
I don't want to characterize that. So,
and anything else you want to fill in?
>> Yeah, I actually wasn't going to speak
to that. I was just going to say that I
thought it was a good robust discussion
and if people are interested in the
finances, they should watch the video.
>> Yep.
>> And everybody should watch the video of
the airport roundt
is fascinating. It's fascinating.
President Trump's unleashed American
drone dominance so that we can have
vertical uh transportation right into
Portolo Valley LA. It's going to be
great.
>> I I had actually had to go look that up
and got really went down a big rabbit
hole. It was really fun
>> actually
right
>> but I did want to make a small
correction.
>> Oh god.
>> Um you have contact Licardo or Mueller
to let them know.
>> Uhhuh. it. I think you meant maybe
Mullen. Congressman Mullen.
>> Um Oh, yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, Mullen. Okay.
>> Yep. Um
>> can't even remember.
>> Yeah. Mueller has no jurisdiction over
federal.
>> Mullen.
>> F A M U L E N.
>> Mullen. M U L L I N.
>> I N.
>> Um. So,
>> thank you. Sorry, small correction.
>> It's okay.
>> Okay.
But there's an opening.
>> You do conserve.
>> I just want to get money from the SFO.
Really, that's all I wanted for the
town.
Um, I do have a small conservation
committee I covered for Rebecca. Um,
it's a contentious committee. There's a
lot of tension on it. I just uh I hope
that people who know people who are on
it, we need to talk to people about
being respectful of each other.
Um and they are working on a list. I'm
going to try to get this straight. List
of planting that would be ministerial.
Did I get that?
It's Yeah, it
objective standards. Thank you. Not
ministerial. Thank you. You're right.
objective standards. So a plant list
that would be objective and we you know
so that they can easily plant when
things are being developed. So but the
but right if you have remind people to
be kind and respectful on on that
committee if you know people there
>> we we also I'll just point it out. I
don't want to discuss we have the code
of ethics that applies so it might be a
tool
>> for you it
>> well it's usually Rebecca's but I was
sorry Rebecca
» but we you know I just you know we all
have um know people on that you know on
that committee so there's been some
chatter to me so um just it we need to
make sure that the tone on committees
are thoughtful and kind and
thank you.
>> Thank you. Okay. Um so with that I will
open it up to public comment.
Is there any public comments?
See no one in the room. I see no one
online. Going once, going twice, three
times. Gone. Okay. Um then I would look
for a motion to adjourn. So moved.
>> Second. Thank you everyone. Great.