Politics & Government

Update: No 2013 Fourth of July Fireworks, Unpaved Alleys, Fee Increases at Wednesday Meeting

To break even in the upcoming fiscal year, fee increases may be implemented, and Fourth of July fireworks, a graffiti abatement team and other city funded endeavors may be scrapped for the city's 2012-2013 budget.

Article updated 12:45 p.m. Tuesday to state that the Big Bay Boom fireworks show will go forward in 2012, but may be canceled in 2013. The original version of this article stated that the city may vote Wednesday to eliminate funding for the event this year.

The Imperial Beach City Council will discuss how to deal with unpaved alleys, beach sand replenishment, next year's budget and other topics at their meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m.

The city spent near $1.4 million between May 11-26 on expenses and payroll.

That includes more than $600,000 for street improvements and about $100,000 for a Tijuana River water quality study.

More than $85,000 was also paid to the law firm Kane, Balmer and Berkman for work related to various redevelopment projects including the 9th Street and Palm shopping center, Bikeway Village and American Legion.

This is agenda item 2.2.

The public is invited to comment on the 2012-2013 budget and changes to rental fees at the Sports Park and Recreation Center.

The new fiscal year begins July 1. The City of Imperial Beach approves a new budget every two years, but often reevaluate each fiscal year.

Changes to the budget this year have been prompted by a "stated induced imbalance," or a result of the elimination of redevelopment agencies, city staff said.

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In past years, redevelopment funds helped offset increases to the sheriff's department budget and when it was eliminated Feb. 1, paid part or all of the salary of about one in four city employees.

Among recommended changes:

- eliminate Fourth of July fireworks at the Imperial Beach Pier in 2013 for $30,000 in savings. The 2012 Big Bay Boom will go forward as planned July 4 at 9 p.m. Together, the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition and Fourth of July fireworks to the beach in IB in 2011, or roughly half of beach attendees

- eliminate public relations contract with Che, formerly known as J. Simms Agency for $15,000 in savings

- eliminate redevelopment positions held by coordinator Jerry Selby and assistant project manager Elizabeth Cummings for $212,000 in savings

- reduce additional staff for $245,000 in savings

- reduce Sports Park and Recreation costs and increase fees for $85,000 in savings

- continue to explore ways to make money like expansion of vacation rentals and increased parking enforcement and ticket collection

A projection in general fund changes projects that the city's budget will $126,000 in the red by 2016-2017.

This is agenda item 6.2.

The city wants to increase fees for the rental or use of "athletic fields, lighting, picnic shelter areas, air jumps and music rehearsal and recording areas," a brief by City Manager Gary Brown said, and establish new fees for the use or rental of the gym, batting cages and other areas.

Earlier this year when new fees were proposed, Imperial Beach Little League President Don Spicer said he is concerned about new fees eliminating the league's ability to support players who may not otherwise be able to afford to play baseball.

Proposed changes may generate up to $20,000, "a relatively small portion of the city's costs" of more than $150,000 necessary to make services at the sports park available, the brief said.

Discussions about changes to the city's policy in regard to the sports park have been . Last month city council asked staff to look into increasing fees to have a structure more "consistent with the council's policy on cost recovery."

Staff at the sports park has been reduced by half since the start of the year, said sports park director Jim Coates. Other steps have also been taken to lower cost to the city at the sports park.

This is agenda item 5.1.

Workers are scheduled to be on the beach 24 hours a day, seven days a week with equipment and large pipes by August to provide the IB shoreline with 416,000 cubic yards of sand.

Sand replenishment is expected to cost the city near $190,000. The state and port district will provide an additional $5.2 million needed for the project.

The city will receive an update on the project at Wednesday's meeting. IB is one of a eight different beaches to get new sand this summer and fall. The sand will come from an area near Mission Bay.

This is agenda item 6.1.

Two local residents addressed city council about unpaved alleys behind their homes. Both took it upon themselves to place gravel in the alley to reduce dust and erosion and pollution from storm water. As a result, they were given violation notices, and in February spoke to the city council to express their concerns.

Council told staff to come back to them at a later time on a way to deal with more than 50 unpaved alleys around the city. A month later, seven different options were presented.

City staff will again ask council for direction on what do with the alleys at Wednesday's meeting.

This is agenda item 6.5.

Councilmembers will vote to authorize City Manager Gary Brown to ratify agreements with the city's employees and unions for the city's Unified Port of San Diego contract.

The city's contract with the port is renewed every five years. This time around, negotiations are not expected to end until September, and so the vote will allow the city manager to extend current agreement three months.

This is agenda item 2.3.

To read the complete agenda and documents attached, view the agenda packet attached to this story.

Correction: The original version of this article stated that the city would seek to eliminate funding for the Big Bay Boom fireworks show in 2012. This was corrected to say that the city may eliminate funding for the event in the future, but it will go foward in 2012.

Find out what's happening in Imperial Beachwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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