HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/11/2009 - City Council Special MeetingSPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY OF COSTA MESA
CITY COUNCIL
August 11, 2009
The City Council of the City of Costa Mesa, California met in a Special Meeting on
Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at 6:55 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 77 Fair Drive,
Costa Mesa. The meeting was called to order by the Mayor.
1. ROLL CALL:
Council Members Present: Mayor Allan R. Mansoor
Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece
Council Member Eric R. Bever
Council Member Katrina Foley
Council Member Gary Monahan
Council Members Absent: None
Officials Present: City Manager Allan Roeder
Assistant City Manager Thomas Hatch
City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow
Administrative Services Director Steve Mandoki
Acting Development Services Director
Kimberly Brandt
Budget and Research Officer Bobby Young
Human Resources Administrator Lance Nakamoto
Fire Captain Jeff Janzen
City Clerk Julie Folcik
II. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Judi Berry, Costa Mesa, while supportive of the most proposed Memorandum of
Understanding, expressed her opposition to the "3% at 50" as she felt that was
not the time to offer a retirement incentive for retirement when the other unions
agreed to a five percent salary reduction.
2. Beth Refakes, Costa Mesa, suggested taking a tiered approach to retirement
benefits, felt that the benefits were setting the city up for instability and noted that
in the private sector salaries and benefits were being reduced and the city should
follow suit.
3. Mike Berry, Costa Mesa, spoke in opposition to the proposed amendments .to the
MOU.
III. OLD BUSINESS
1. From the meeting of August 4, 2009, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
2007 — 2013 with the Costa Mesa Firefighters Association (CMFA).
City Manager Allan Roeder highlighted the events that lead to the consideration of the
proposed amendments to the MOU with the CMFA. Administrative Services Director
Steve Mandoki summarized the proposal noting the four key items that the proposal
addressed as the extension of the current MOU from July 2009 to June 2013, proposed
no salary adjustment for the current and following year, unless the other unions receive
it, to amend the Public Employees Retirement System benefit to "3% at 50", and to
modify minimum staffing levels in phases to 28 personnel on a single shift. He and the
City Manager responded to questions from the Council which included furloughs, the
five percent reduction in pay, minimum staffing levels, the PERS incentive of early
retirement, the authority of Council and changes to the MOUs, and the potential
changes to the "10 -point plan." The Budget and Research Officer Bobby Young also
responded to questions from the Council that included the cost savings that would be
realized from the proposal, noting the savings of $1.3 Million for the first year and of
$3.1 Million over the four year term, and the freeze of raises for the first two years,
position vacancies, over -time, and the cost of the pension enhancement.
Mayor Mansoor expressed concern as to the inconsistency with the five percent pay cut
through furloughs and felt that the long-term consequences in terms of cost increases,
and that pension plans were unsustainable as noted in the letter from Reed L. Royalty
of OC Tax.
Council Member Monahan noted that without approving the proposal the projected
savings would not be realized with a key component being the retirement enhancement
and the reduction of minimum staffing.
In addition Fire Captain Jeff Janzen and Fire Captain Timothy Vasin, representing the
Costa Mesa Firefighters Association (CMFA) responded to questions regarding the "3%
at 50," the overall effect of the proposal on the service of the Fire Department, the
furlough option, and meeting the five percent reduction.
MOTION: Approve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 2007-2013 with the
Costa Mesa Firefighters Association.
Moved by Council Member Katrina Foley, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Wendy
Leece.
Mayor Mansoor expressed his concern that the public was not adequately notified of the
special meeting and suggested the item be continued to provide more notice to the
public of what was being proposed.
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SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Continue the item to the next Council meeting.
Moved by Mayor Allan R. Mansoor, seconded by Council Member Eric R. Bever.
In response to a question from Council Member Foley, Fire Captain Timothy Vasin
noted that if the proposed MOU was adopted that evening that the next day #here would
be a savings realized due to lack of overtime required due to minimum staffing ----
Mayor Pro Tem Leece after confirming with the City Manager- on- the_required_not'icing to
the public of the special meeting that was done, expressed -support fo_r the original
motion, commenting that in keeping with the 10 -point plan- that, the-prop9sed` MOU
"works for Costa Mesa" in realizing the cost savings and further"comme_n_ ted,th_ at any
reform of the retirement system needs to begin with the state level:
The Substitute motion failed by the following roll call vote:
Ayes: Mayor Allan R. Mansoor, Council Member Eric R. Bever
Noes: Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece, Council Member Katrina Foley,
Council Member Gary Monahan
Absent: None.
Council Member Foley pointed out that it was "about the numbers," and that the savings
was the primary focus, which will be realized through the MOU.
The original motion carried by the following roll call vote:
Ayes
Noes:
Absent:
IV. ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece, Council Member Katrina Foley,
Council Member Gary Monahan
Mayor Allan R. Mansoor, Council Member Eric R. Bever
None.
The Mayor declared the City Council meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
Mayor of the City of Costa Mesa
ATTEST:
City ` rlc_ of -the Oty_ of Costa Mesa
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