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| Councilmember Wan |
- We discussed a renewal of a noise abatement agreement with Oakhurst Country Club. Due to the nature of golf course operations, several maintenance activities occur daily and at early hours in the day. Things like mowing the grass and resetting tee boxes and greens take place before play begins, which is typically at sunrise.
Current City ordinances prohibit certain noise creating activities like mowing lawns prior to 7am each day. Because time of use for the golf course starts at 7am, maintenance has always happened prior to that time. Historically there has existed a noise abatement agreement which granted Oakhurst permission to operate certain equipment at earlier times in the day - with the focus on areas away from homes, though not entirely.
The noise abatement renewal did not change any of the existing provisions substantively. We later determined that the wrong version of the agreement was included in the agenda packet. In addition, there was feedback provided by residents regarding Oakhurst maintenance operations, alleging operations outside the time permitted per the noise agreement. As such, the Council tabled this until a later date and asked our City Manager to approach Oakhurst to see if there were other provisions that could be adjusted.
- We discussed the salary schedule of the Police Chief position which is currently vacant and being filled on an interim basis. The Council agreed to increase the salary schedule by 4% consistent with the agreement that was in place with the prior Police Chief. When the recruitment period ends, we will discuss with the City Manager whether any additional changes need to be made to attract qualified candidates.
The Oakhurst Geological Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) Board also met and discussed a few significant items:
- We selected a new Chair (myself) and Vice Chair (Boardmember Enea)
- We received the annual engineer's report which indicated several areas where maintenance was recommended. Without adequate maintenance, the risk of damage due to Earth movement increases. Without additional funding however, the GHAD would need to use between 2-3 years worth of funding from the future to cover the cost. Without additional funding, I did not think it was prudent to spend all of the remaining GHAD funds on maintenance that may not add value, and would need to be performed on a repeated basis. Rather, I thought it was more important to take steps to increase the revenues so as to make the GHAD more solvent.
- We discussed the process for a ballot measure to increase GHAD assessments. A notice would be sent to all residents in the GHAD, and ask them to approve a rate increase. The amount of the increased assessment would vary based on the type of residence. Votes are counted on a per residence basis, with a greater weight going towards those residences of higher value or at higher risk of being impacted.
The Board gave direction to pursue the rate increase, including the establishing of a reserve, and determine whether a citizen oversight committee was possible with this type of assessment. If the voters of the GHAD approve the rate increase (towards the May/June timeframe), then the GHAD would be funded sufficiently to perform the operations it was intended to. If the voters reject the rate increase, that would cause nearly all GHAD activities to cease.
Just a clarification from one who has been following: On the "two areas" that required "further maintenance" there is actually a third that was identified in a previous report. Additionally, they not only require further maintenance but these areas have suffered damage as a result of lack of maintenance (for many, many years no maintenance at all) and are identified either as no longer or very limited in functionality. As discussion was held that had some support to use reserve funds to address. This was rejected on advice of the City Attorney who suggested it was a "co-mingling" of funds. I find this strange as the source of the reserve funds is both the property taxes we pay and in these specific areas a special parcel tax. Apparently, it is OK to "co-mingle" funds when they are collected but not when they are used for a safety and property protection benefit for our neighborhoods. Rather shameful
ReplyDeleteAs a resident that lives in the ghad, I can firmly say the only time I have ever seen any work done was when I here was a slide 1-2 years ago on Windmill Cyn Dr. I can state Jim Warburton does not do his job and that is why things do not get done. I do not say that lightly. That is a year-long observation of him, his work, and his leadership. He should be replaced by someone who can whip the department into shape
ReplyDeleteSomeone should audit our city engineer.
ReplyDeleteTotal Agreement - it is pretty obvious from his lack of knowledge of existing conditions and even past issues that should be checked on physically regularly. Instead, he relies on, recommending consultants that, as he noted this past week's meeting are somehow tangentially associated with his firm. He is obviously there to bill hours and do the least work possible and worse than that cares little about the well-being of the citizens of Clayton.
DeleteI agree. The GHAD has been neglected for too long, placing residents in peril. I am one of those residents and have no faith in our city engineer. I find our city engineer to be on the lazier side.
DeleteWhat is happening? With the house on the hill that is sliding in Keller Ridge? That thing should be torn down.
ReplyDeleteNo - the City should accept its responsibilities for the mismanagement and lack of maintenance and failures in the past in not addressing the KNOWN issues through the reserve funds that that home and all of us stuck paying into GHAD for years and not getting the services we were supposed to, Instead the City used the funds as a slush fund for outside paid Consultants and to cover "administration costs" that should have been part of the Genral fund's responsibility. You start by firing the City Engineer and City Attorney who don't give a damn about your neighbors but only about padding their own stipends. Then, instead you fix the issues. But it is very telling that you call for one of our neighbors' homes to be torn down. Your lack of compassion is stunning; however, it does capture the same tone and lack of compassion of our City Council just about right!
DeleteYou made an outrageous statement. The house needs to be torn down because it’s uninhabitable and a public hazard. By code, it needs to be condemned and razed.
DeleteIt’s not inhabitable and, in fact, a danger to those below it and around it. People have compassion, but it's irrelevant here on an empty home that would need millions of dollars worth of stabilizing work. By all means, buy the house, do the job, and sell it; it's your choice. You took a question about the home and turned it into spite. You didn't know no one lived there.
DeleteNo, I took a question about the home and turned it into a history lesson about the City for Years has neglected and turned a blind eye on the work that was supposed to be done by GHAD and wasn't. So, as a result the home is in your opinion a hazard and in your opinion should be torn down, I note you have no opinion on who should take responsibility or who should be held accountable. Thats not spite.
DeleteTell us without saying it that you haven’t gone to the house and surrounding terrain to see the hazard and that it needs to be abated. Just incredible.
DeleteThe city is not responsible for private property. That is NOT an opinion. It is a fact. If you want to educate someone, at least know your basics.
DeleteIncredible! The city doesn't own the home. You made some far-out assumptions. Whatever entity now owns the house, bank or otherwise, is responsible for the danger that home presents. It needs to go before it kills someone.
ReplyDeletewhen will our roads be rebuilt? They are in disrepair. What do we get from our extra city payment, Mellaroos?
ReplyDelete