Roundabout, City Lawsuits On Meeting Agenda Wednesday

The Imperial Beach City Council will consider a contract with a new City Manager and possible Interim City Manager at their meeting Wednesday.

Gary Andrew "Andy" Hall was selected as the top candidate from a field of more than 60 candidates who applied for the job this spring. 

If Hall's $175,000 a year contract is approved he will start in August to relieve Gary Brown after 10 years as the city's chief executive officer. 

This is agenda item 6.1. 

Hall is the current City Manager in Cathedral City, CA. Should he be unable to take the position in August, an Interim City Manager may be appointed by Mayor Jim Janney.

This is agenda item 2.9.

Following public meetings held in November and December, the city's Public Safety Department will request that street parking along portions of the beach be changed to a two-hour time restriction. 

As opposed to an ordinance which requires 2-3 meetings for approval, the parking changes may be approved with a resolution in a single meeting Wednesday. The city's Public Safety Department will request that changes to parking in the future be approved by resolution as opposed to ordinances to allow quicker changes.

New limits would impact more than 100 parking spaces on Seacoast Drive from Elkwood Avenue to Palm Avenue and on Palm Avenue from 3rd Street to Seacoast Drive.

The two-hour limit would be enforced from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

Changes may be made in the future to parking at beach street ends as well.

Click here to read a story about proposed street parking.

This is agenda item 6.3.

City Council will discuss the possible installation of a roundabout either at the 13th Street and Elder Avenue intersection or 9th Street and Donax Avenue. Members of the City Council have expressed interest in Imperial Beach installing roundabouts as a way to calm traffic and reduce the amount of gas people use coming and going at stop signs.

$10,000 has been allocated to the project to pay for design and installation.

This is agenda item 6.4.

A change in the city's contract with the city of Chula Vista to change enforcement in IB from Tuesday through Friday to Wednesday through Friday, particularly in summer and fall months "when the weather brings out many pets and their guardians," a staff report included in the agenda packet states.

Costs have been reduced about $8,000 due to an adjustment in city policy to aim to reunite owners and their pet immediately instead of bringing them to the Chula Vista Animal Shelter.

This is agenda item 6.5.

While repairs of streets on Elm Avenue from Seacoast Drive to 7th Street take place over the course of the next two years, the city will partner with WalkSanDiego and local residents to explore ways to improve traffic between people, bicycles and vehicles near Mar Vista High School, Imperial Beach Charter School and other nearby education offerings in the center of the city. 

Meetings to discuss this will be held July 23, Aug. 13 and Aug. 27 from 6-8 p.m. 

The study will cost an estimated $10,000, with approximately half of that amount from TRANSNET funds going to WalkSanDiego.

On Wednesday City Council will consider awarding a contract to build a ramp to access the Bayshore Bikeway near the city's Public Works yard on 10th Street. $348,000 was provided by a Recreational Trails Program grant. The city needs to provide approximately $47,000 to the project. 

This is agenda item 6.7.

Councilwoman Lorie Bragg has discussed the establishment of a historical repository in order to preserve items related to city history. 

This is agenda item 6.8.

Negotiations with employee unions for labor contracts and discussion of 13 potential lawsuits against the city will be discussed in closed session before the meeting.

Among items on the consent calendar to be approved with a single vote:

• Allow City Manager to renew an agreement with the company D.A.R. to pick up dead animals on public property.
• Allow City Manager to approve a health care reform impact study.
• Approve an agreement with the Imperial Beach Firefighters Association to allow use of up to 132 hours of sick leave to allow bonding with a child after birth or adoption. Current city health care plans do not provide paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child.
• Recruit a permanent Administrative Services Director. This person will act as the city's chief financial officer since the city no longer has a Director of Finance Department position.
• Ratification of $1.4 million in expenses from June 7 to July 5.