Insurance money for library on Council consent agenda
City also looking at local emergency, future events
While there are several items of discussion on the Porterville City Council’s agenda for tonight’s meeting, one item on the consent calendar stands out amongst the rest.
The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.
City staff are requesting the Council approve the draft resolution that will authorize the commitment of insurance proceeds from the loss of the Porterville City Library for the reimbursement of expenditures caused by the library fire in February.
As it is already well known, the City of Porterville lost its beloved library after a catastrophic fire destroyed the building on February 18. The library was covered by the Alliant Property Insurance Program via the City’s membership in the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority.
While the City’s claim is complex and includes various coverages, one of the primary insurers on the policy, Lexington Insurance Company, gave a first payment to the City in April, totaling $2.5 million.
On May 19, the City Council committed the funds received from the insurance companies, including the $2.5 million and any subsequent payments, to reimburse expenditures incurred by the City in relation to the loss of the library and its replacement.
City staff are now requesting the Council approve the $2.5 million insurance payment they have received to go towards reimbursing costs incurred because of the fire. City Manager John Lollis has drafted a resolution to cement the use of the funds after Council approval.
There are two public hearing scheduled for tonight. The first concerns the formation of a landscape and lighting maintenance district for the Chelsea Glen Subdivision. The second public hearing is in regards to the potential approval of the CDBG 5-year consolidated plan. Those wishing to submit comments for these public hearings are asked to email their comments to councilmeetingcomments@ci.porterville.ca.us. Comments will be read aloud by a member of City staff when the appropriate time comes during the meeting.
Four ordinances will receive a second reading by the Council tonight. Ordinances 1870, 1871, 1872 and 1873 all have to do with with amendments to the Porterville Municipal Code or the Porterville Development Code. Each ordinance has already been before the Council once, and they were already approved. The second reading, if approved, will allow City staff to make the noted amendments. All of the amendments will go into effect after the second reading is approved.
The Council has two scheduled matters set for discussion at tonight’s meeting. The first matter is the consideration of the proposed fiscal year 20202021 budget process. The Council is looking to set a public hearing on the budget process at its meeting on June 16. Consistent with the City Charter, the City Manager must submit for the
ager must submit for the Council’s consideration a proposed Budget for the 2020-2021 Fiscal Year. Given the challenges the past couple of months, with the Library fire and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, staff is recommending the Council consider adopting a continuance of the 20192020 fiscal year budget for the first quarter of the 2020-2021 fiscal year (July - September), with the objective of formally adopting a refined 20202021 fiscal year budget at its meeting of October 6. In addition, staff are recommending the Council conduct its annual priority project review on August 25, when staff will be better able to prepare draft capital project budget estimates.
The last and final item in front of the Council tonight is the approval of the continuation of the proclamation of local emergency due to COVID-19. This item has come before the Council at each of its meetings since the virus hit Tulare County. Having already suffered the cancellation of the Iris Festival, Cinco de Mayo Parade, Porterville Fair, Military Banner Ceremony, and KJUG Summer Concert Series and other community events, it’s becoming apparent the COVID-19 pandemic could have continued affects on the upcoming Freedom Fest, and potentially as far-reaching as Pioneer Days, Veterans Day Parade, Christmas Tree-lighting Ceremony and the Children’s Christmas Parade. With all of this in mind, City staff is requesting the Council’s direction as to how to proceed with the declaration of local emergency, but is recommending that the declaration is continued.