City OKs $2.3M in cuts, savings (by Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal)

Cuts and revenue enhancements totaling more than $2 million were given the OK by the Burlingame City Council in an effort to address a projected $1.79 million shortfall in the current year's operating budget.
In November, officials explained the city faced a $5 million shortfall if it continued with the adopted budget for this year and next. A list totaling $200 million of unfunded capital improvements, rising employee benefits and decreasing revenue resulted in the City Council directing department heads to consider potential reductions, many of which were approved Monday.
This round is the more typical round of cuts,? City Manager Jim Nantell said during a video of the meeting. Moving ahead, Nantell expressed his hope to begin looking at reinventing the way departments run as a way to save money differently.
Of the $2.3 million in cuts, $1.6 million will come from delaying capital improvement projects. More than $700,000 will come from reducing operating expenses, downgrading vacant positions, transferring salaries to enterprise funds, re-bidding or delaying some purchases, reducing staffing on one fire truck from four to three, closing the main library two hours early on Friday evenings, eliminating a vacant police officer position beginning in May and eliminating funds for council studies, according to a staff report by Parks and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz.
Vice Mayor Cathy Baylock wanted to maintain the library hours on Friday and suggested cutting a graphic design position instead to make up the funds. She was alone in her hope to save the library hours, which City Librarian Alfred Escoffier explained were the least used hours of the week.
The library will begin to notice the public about the new 5 p.m. Friday closing time before implementing the change, Schwartz said.
Only two things were spared from the recommended list: $3,000 for a commissioners' dinner and $35,000 to be covered by grant money. The latter was pulled for clarification and could come back before council. As for the $3,000, Councilman Jerry Deal said little is done to recognize the volunteer work of individuals during the year and felt maintaining the dinner was important.
Delaying purchase of a fire command vehicle, dump truck and a police motorcycle were potential but not suggested cuts. Councilwoman Terry Nagel requested the three items totaling a potential one-time savings of $184,000 be examined and brought back for further discussion next month.
A list of $4.55 million in possible reductions $4.03 million in ongoing and $519,026 in one-time savings were put before the council. A majority of the savings will come from delaying the following projects: The Marsten Pump Station outfall line, Easton Creek box culvert, increasing disability access to City Hall, replacing the cooling tower at City Hall, replacing the library carpet and synthetic turf at Bayside Park.
Many of these projects could be funded if the city is successful in its effort to pass an annual storm drain fee. The proposed fee which could cost anywhere from $116 to $2,060 could go before Burlingame property owners in May in hopes of raising $39 million for capital improvements. Those opposed to the measure have until Jan. 20 to protest the proposal prior to the council giving a final vote to send out ballots.
A number of potential revenue-generating ideas, totaling $478,000, were also approved including: Shifting $200,000 of construction and demolition fees to the general fund; $5,000 from a $2 increase in cost to classes; $3,000 from extending the recreation building rental hours; $180,000 from increasing parking fines, which the council previously approved; and $90,000 from red light tickets from a yet-to-be installed camera at Broadway and El Camino Real.
In the upcoming fiscal year, the city will also look at charging for collecting fees for the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Conventions and Visitors Bureau, a move estimated to mean an additional $4,000 for the city.
Making cuts and looking for new revenue came as the result of revenues dipping. The city was looking at beginning the next fiscal year at a shortfall of $190,000 before funding capital needs.
Before the losses, the city invested $8 million to $10 million annually to capital improvements like facility repairs, which has decreased to below $2 million in recent years. The result is the investment of less than $15 million for capital improvements instead of $64 million to $80 million.
The Burlingame Avenue area accounts for 20 percent of the city's annual sales tax revenue about $2 million. Upgrading the streetscape in the area is estimated to cost $32 million. Since June, the city has seen about a 10 percent decline in sales tax revenue, which is estimated to result in a $700,000 loss if it continues at that level.

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Glad to see that the library hours have been cut on Friday and not Sundays but any cutting of our Library "Community Center" is sad – even in these hard times.

– Written by Fiona