Food Truck Health Grade Rating, BID Budget at Wednesday Meeting

It's a busy week in IB politics, and the Imperial Beach City Council will hold their regular meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m.

During the public comment period of the meeting before agenda items are addressed, supporters of the Imperial Beach Little League and Imperial Beach Girls' Softball plan to voice their opinions on a possible YMCA takeover of the Imperial Beach Sports Park and Recreation Center.

Supporters are concerned about costs or if they will even have a place to play ball if the YMCA gains control. A website, saveibball.com, has been established to rally support for the youth leagues.

Before the start of the regular meeting, a closed door special meeting will take place with SEIU, Local 221, the city's employees' union.

The city's warrant registrar lists a subtotal of $1.7 million in total expenses from Oct. 12-26.

Expenses above $100,000 in the warrant register include more than $700,000 for street improvements and $450,000 for law enforcement services in July.

Other notable charges include $2,500 in consulting fees to former state assemblywoman and state senator Denise Moreno-Ducheny, more than $20,000 in redevelopment and housing agency legal fees

This is agenda item 2.2.

To approve grant documents, the city will vote to approve a resolution that allows staff to file papers to participate in the Regional Waste Tire Enforcement grant through the City of San Diego.

This is agenda item 2.3.

In line with other agencies in San Diego and Imperial counties, Imperial Beach will move to replace Regional Communication System radio equipment used by lifeguards, the Imperial Beach Fire Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Department. This will cost $45,000 a year, and according to a staff report, is already included in current and future budgets.

This is agenda item 2.4.

Earlier this year, the County Board of Supervisors approved food rating systems for mobile services like carts and food trucks.

The first reading of an ordinance to allow the county Department of Environmental Health to enforce these laws in IB will be take place Wednesday.

A public hearing on the matter will take place Dec. 5.

This is agenda item 3.1.

Also impacting local food establishments, the city's Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) disposal program will be amended, removing and adding rules.

Among rules to be added to the municipal code:

• regulation of grease disposal
• establish best management practices for commercial food kitchens
• require installation of grease capturing devices in new or remodeled commercial kitchens

Improper disposal of fats, oils and grease can literally clog city sewer pipes.

The city will receive a report on the matter and a first reading of the ordinance Wednesday. A final vote will take place Nov. 21.

This is agenda item 3.2.

The 2012-13 budget for the city's Business Improvement District will be reviewed and up for approval Wednesday.

At a Oct. 3 meeting last month, the BID was criticized by City Council for retaining reserves. The BID had reserves of $20,000 in the 2012-13 budget and $35,000 the prior year.

The assessment district taxes local businesses between $60 to $600 depending on the type of business. The money is used to pay for promotional activities and public events like painting electrical boxes, Christmas Comes to IB, Taste of IB and a summer concert series.

Business owners and members of the public interested in sharing their opinion of the BID budget are invited to comment.

Mike Osborne, who works at the Imperial Beach Pet Hospital, has been the BID's chairman for the past three years. According to a staff report in the agenda packet, the Imperial Beach Business Improvement District was established in 1997.

This is agenda item 5.1.

The city will receive the 2011-12 Quarterly investment Report detailing investments made by the city and IB Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency in bonds, investment funds and other financial services.

This is agenda item 6.1.

A resolution up for consideration would revise an application for 2014-18 Port District capital improvement program funds to pay for street improvements at the end of Date Avenue near the new Pier South hotel. This would pay for part of improvements the city agreed to make in a Disposition and Development Agreement with Pacifica Companies.

The project would mean new sidewalks, irrigation, gutters and other changes for a street end next to the hotel. The original application was for increasing the size of the children's play area at the Imperial Beach Pier, other street end improvements and a feasibility study for a restroom and shower facility south of the pier. Approving the resolution would mean the city would draft a Memorandum of Understanding between the Port of San Diego and the city.

This is agenda item 6.2.

Imperial Beach Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency treasurer and director will give a report on the agency's investment policy.

This is agenda item 7.1.