Council makes moves to improve Marysville

City also looks to build rainy day fund

Multiple city improvement projects were approved by the Marysville City Council earlier this week.

“Moving forward, the council is trying to be fiscally responsible and ensure that there are funds available for necessities in addition to a rainy day fund,” said Mayor Ricky Samayoa. Agenda items included:

River Front Park restroom project: Funding in the amount of $250,000 has been allocated to complete River Front Park restroom project improvements.

River Front Park and the City Cemetery were severely damaged during winter storms in 2017. According to a staff report, the city was awarded a $500,000 insurance settlement to make the necessary repairs.

“The city used its claim award to complete headstone repairs, minor road repairs, remove sand and silt, and repair fencing,” a staff report states. “After completion of the projects, city staff determined significant damage had occurred to the River Front Park Boat Dock restroom, including fixture damage to the remaining restroom.”

The city reported the additional damages to their insurer who agreed to include the additional damages in the claim. The remaining balance of the original claim, $284,242, was allocated to make additional repairs.

City officials then purchased a pre-fabricated restroom unit and associated fixture replacement items totaling $146,443. The city received only one bid for work on the project in the amount of $371,556.

“The total repairs to damaged restrooms totaled $544,353 resulting in a total claim loss of $760,111,” the staff report states. “When applying the city’s deductible of $250,000 the net claim ... totals $510,110.”

Samayoa said the funding allocated at Tuesdays meeting will be used to pay the deductible on the insurance claim.

Approximately 60 percent of the $250,000 budget adjustment for the River Front Park Restroom project will be derived from mid-year cost savings in the Community Development and Services Department and the other 40 percent will come from the general fund, read a staff report.

New vehicles for the Fire Department: The council also approved the city’s plans to execute a Municipal Lease Purchase Agreement to acquire a type-one fire engine and a quick attack vehicle for the Marysville Fire Department.

Samayoa said the new vehicles would allow the Fire Department to respond to congruent calls, something that the department is not currently able to do because of limited and outdated equipment.

According to the staff report, the Department’s current apparatus is failing more and more frequently and the repairs are becoming more costly and time consuming.

“All of the city’s current fire engines are outdated and unreliable,” states the report. “Maintenance costs and down time are becoming a very significant issue for the Department, impeding rapid, safe response times.”

According to a staff report, a municipal lease purchase option will total $950,000 over the course of a 15-year lease with annual payments in the amount of $114,887 at 3.77 percent interest. The city will own the vehicle at the end of the lease agreement.

While the city has not made any purchases at this time, the first monthly payment is anticipated on May 1, 2020.

The staff reports said that the city should have sufficient funds to pay for the first three years of the 15year municipal lease option prior to the due date of the first payment because of money already allotted for apparatus replacement.

The Fire Department currently has an apparatus replacement account balance of more than $100,000 and another $118,000 is expected to be added by the end of the year. The Fire District D-10/hallwood has also committed $125,000 toward the purchase of new fire apparatus.

Establishing a reserve fund: Council members approved a proposed General Fund reserve policy which outlines how and when money will be put into a reserve fund as well as how the money is used.

The city has been without a reserve policy or the funds to develop a reserve for the past several years.

“Prior to the voter approved Measure C sales tax 1 percent in 2016, the city’s reserves were depleted, nor did it have the revenues to rebuild them,” states a staff report.

The City Council’s approval will designate at least 20 percent of the city’s general ongoing operating expenditures fund – minus one-time expenditures – to be placed in a reserve with the longer-term goal of attaining and maintaining a reserve of 30 percent of the general fund.

“The money will be used for emergencies and there will be required action needed from the council to appropriate any of the funds in the reserve,” Samayoa said.

According to the staff report, the city’s general fund operating budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year is $9.2 million. Therefore, a 20 percent General Fund Reserve would be $1.83 million and a 30 percent reserve would be $2.765 million.

This year’s reserve is $2.57 million or nearly 28 percent of the general fund.

39, of the 1200 block of B Street, Yuba City, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office at 8:49 p.m. March 18 in the 5300 block of Lindhurst Avenue on suspicion of obstructing or resisting arrest. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.

DUI ARREST

27, of the 2300 block of Elm Street, Live Oak, was arrested by the Yuba City Police Department at 9:50 p.m. March 19 at Highways 99 and 20. He was booked into Sutter County Jail.

TO