CC - Item 4A - 2011-12 Budget Development WorkplanROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER
DATE: MARCH 9, 2011
SUBJECT: 2011 -12 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT —STAFF GENERATED IDEAS
SUMMARY
As mentioned in the original staff report, meetings with the City's workforce were
conducted over the past week and some 70 ideas were generated. Many of the ideas
came up multiple times by several different departments. Included is a list of all the
ideas that were brought forward to reduce the City's budget deficit.
1. Charge /increase aquatic fees, no free passes.
2. Negotiate trash franchise fees.
3. Recoup some youth sports costs.
a. Charge for lighting or field prep.
b. Require leagues to perform their own field prep.
c. Limit number of free uses each year.
4. Not waiving the fees for every group that comes to the City asking for a waiver.
Many times staff must turn down paying customers to give the facility to a free
user.
a. Place a cap on the number of free uses an organization gets.
5. Require a facility fee from the adult school or require the adult school to perform
their own set -up and clean -up.
6. Shift July 4th Carnival and park festivities to 5pm - 10pm instead of starting at
noon as very few people attend and participation is very low in the afternoon.
7. Increase fees or require profit sharing of sales for "for- profit" vendors at City
events.
8. Fall Fiesta - require a wristband for a small fee for kids to participate in the
games and rides.
9. Contraction of the afterschool program to less sites, perhaps at two sites on each
side of the 10 freeway.
a. Consider offering a mobile recreation program that could target
neighborhoods that need it rather than just at schools.
10. Contract out the operation of adult sports. Many cities do this now and the City
gets a franchise fee from the provider, while the provider handles all field
preparation and league organization and scheduling.
APPROVED FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA:
City Council Meeting
March 9, 2011
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11. Allow for formal picnic shelter rentals for a fee. The ability to rent the shelters
has been requested countless times by residents so they don't have to "stake
out" their shelter at 5:00am on a Saturday just to make sure nobody takes it.
12. Charge a fee for use of the Pool Room at Garvey Center. We have the only pool
tables in town and the users are abusive to the equipment and facility.
13. Increase the fees for Senior Special Events to cover costs.
14. Increase swim lesson fees. This fee has been the same for years and is far
below what other cities are charging to cover costs.
15. Seek more volunteers for special events to reduce the need to paid staff to work.
16. Seek sponsorships for events or consider turning some events completely over
to sponsor organizations such as Rotary, Moose Lodge or Kiwanis.
17. Suspend tuition reimbursement.
18. Review cafeteria plan benefit.
19. Increase Facility Use Fees - Our fees are much lower than other cities, especially
for things such as wedding receptions and quinceaneras. Many of our users are
not Rosemead residents, but they come to our facilities because it's cheaper to
use our facilities than use their own in neighboring communities.
a. Consider adding a Gazebo with the RCRC remodel so that wedding
ceremonies can also be done.
20. Perform maintenance of facilities less often (Janitorial or mowing lawns less
frequently).
21. Institute an overnight street parking fee for commercial vehicles and RV's.
22. Renegotiate banking fees.
23. Create a Contractor Fee for participation in CDBG or HOME programs.
24. Hire a firm to audit businesses for license compliance where they only get paid
for what they find.
25. Allow and license home -based businesses.
26. Charge a fee for the Planning Pre - Application process that could possibly be
credited towards the final project fees if the project is completed.
27. Yard Sale fee after a certain number of free events allowed per year.
28. Institute can and bottle recycling at City facilities where we keep the recycled
funds collected.
29. Charge a fee to recover costs of public noticing for Planning agenda items.
30. Institute a Sewer Fee.
31. Institute a Planning Modification Fee to those who completely re- submit plans for
a project after a first set has been submitted.
32. Consider selling /renting some City functions to surrounding cities or partner with
them on contracts to get a reduced price for more work.
33. Allow for cost - recovery of plan reproduction on projects.
34. Implement a Notary Fee.
35. Begin passport processing and collect a fee.
36. Institute Storm Water Fees through the creation of a maintenance district for new
developments over time.
City Council Meeting
March 9, 2011
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37. Standardize purchasing for all departments to ensure best discounts are being
received.
38. Increase parking citation fines to the average of surrounding communities.
39. Use less paper through more electronic distribution (Quarterly brochure, event
flyers to schools).
40. Reduce the number of special events or the magnitude of them.
41. Review cost/benefit of having in -house Building Division services over
contracting out.
42. Establish on -call contracts for professional services (i.e. architects, design
engineers, etc.) so we do not have to go out to bid or seek proposals so often.
43. More efficient issuance of parking citations.
44. Implement or better coordinate the "penalty" assessment for failure to obtain
permits /licenses in a timely manner (develop a log or tracking system to ensure
those cited are charged properly when coming to City Hall).
45. Improve collection of court restitution charges.
46. Improve collection of vehicle impound and storage fees.
47. Implement an Abandoned Vehicle Abatement (AVA) program with other cities
within the County.
48. Implement a "service fee" for repeat code offenders or those who ignore previous
enforcement efforts.
49. Provide Live -Scan fingerprinting services to outside entities (i.e. school districts,
youth sports leagues).
50. Improve dog licensing canvassing to take place throughout the year rather than
just special targeted canvassing monthly or quarterly.
51. Provide dog licensing services at City events.
52. Flexible shift assignments to target most busy days and times rather than just
blanket 7 day service all the time.
53. Provide Code Enforcement services to the County unincorporated areas or
surrounding cities for a fee.
54. Install more irrigation drip systems to conserve water.
55. Plant more drought tolerant landscape to reduce water.
56. Install energy efficient lighting and motion sensors to reduce electricity.
57. Standardize and Lock thermostats for HVAC systems to reduce electricity.
58. Install smart irrigation sensors that reduce water usage.
59. Reduce street sweeping frequency, especially in residential neighborhoods.
60. License landscape contractors /gardeners similar to San Marino.
61. Install more LED street lights.
62. Allow Walmart to extend hours of operation.
63. Implement Cost Recovery admin. fee for vacant and abandoned lot abatement.
64. Implement a Commercial Parking fee for Commercial vehicles parked in
residential areas.
65. Require sports leagues, especially youth sports, to do their own field preparation
and snackbar clean -up work.
City Council Meeting
March 9, 2011
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66. More grant writing efforts.
67. Acquire additional equipment (i.e. concrete mixer trailer) so our staff can be more
responsive and self- sufficient to rely less on outside contractors.
68. Install pay meters for the lights at the tennis and basketball courts.
69. Allow welfare and other aid recipients to complete their required volunteer hours
with Public Works.
70. Reduce reliance on outside consultants.
Some of these items can simply be implemented by staff and will be incorporated into
the various work plans. Other ideas will require a shift in policy or approval by the City
Council. Over the next couple of months, these items will be brought back to the
Council through the budget development process for further discussion and evaluation.
Prepared by:
Matthew E. Hawkesworth
Assistant City Manager