City has projected $852,506 shortfall

BRAWLEY — Best estimates for the general fund revenue and expenditures were offered by the city council here in a “big picture” presentation for city staff direction during a regular council meeting Tuesday.

Currently, the city has a projected shortfall of $852,506 for fiscal year 2017-2018.

There is a challenge to maintain present service levels while the cost of business continually escalates.

Meanwhile a CalPERS fund (public employees’ health and pension benefits) restructuring is anticipated to result in annual general fund savings of $190,000.

Part of the shortfall was found due to at the close of FY 2016, the General Fund reports to have used $1,248,741 of its reserved fund balance.

This amount encompassed $305,922 in capital project expenditures, the Regional Water Quality Control Board settlement payment and shortfall of revenue received for the fiscal year.

And an audit identified revenue projection for sales and use tax had been overestimated, remarked City Manager Rosanna Bayon Moore in an email.

Overall general fund revenues and expenditures were estimated per the adopted budget for FY 2016-2017, including capital projects and RWQCB settlement payment with revenues at $15,141,763 and expenditures of $16,331,536, leaving a difference of $1,189,773.

Draft estimates for FY 2017-2018 are projected at $14,928,293 in revenues and $15,780,799 in expenditures ($852,506 difference). RWQCB payments, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority and CalPERS increases also constrain the budget.

But city council directed staff to continue to seek cost reductions across general fund cost centers, and staff was directed to maintain highest levels of service as possible, stressed Moore.

In another agenda item City Planner Gordon Gaste recommended approval of a tentative tract map and zoning change for the Palm River subdivision.

The partial zone change will be from R-1, residential single family, to R-2, residential low density to allow for development of single family detached dwellings and single family zero-lot-line dwellings. The latter includes houses that share a wall with a neighbor, built very close to the property line, and typically does not leave room for a yard, allowing maximum building space and little set back from the road. The motion passed unanimously 5-0.

This site is now vacant sitting on 24.49 acres. The tentative map will subdivide the property for construction of 47 single family detached homes and 86 zero-lot-lines homes. Access is proposed via River Drive, North Palm Avenue and Duarte Street.

And in a resolution the city council proposed a parcel swap. The city owns real property, lots 6 and 7 in block 78 of the Town site of Brawley as per map Number 920 known as Parcel 1. Meanwhile, Robert O’Brien and Elizabeth Machado own real property lots 8 and 9, block 78, known as Parcel 2.

O’Brien and Machado have requested that the city swap Parcel 1 for Parcel 2. Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 are mutually interchangeable except for the fact Parcel 1 is adjacent next to another parcel owned by O’Brien and Machado. Since the city council determined Parcel 2 would be more useful, the city council took action in closed session to swap Parcel 1 for Parcel 2. This motion also passed unanimously 5-0.