96-0306_CC_Minutes_Adjourned Regular079
MARCH 6, 1996
' ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA
The Adjourned Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of San Juan Capistrano, California
was called to order by Mayor Hart at 4:15 p.m. in the City Council Chamber.
ROLL CALL.: PRESENT: Wyatt Hart, Mayor
David M. Swerdlin, Mayor pro tem
(arrived at 4:15 p.m.)
Collene Campbell, Council Member
Gil Jones, Council Member
Carolyn Nash, Council Member
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: George Scarborough, City Manager; Cheryl Johnson, City Clerk; Cynthia L.
Pendleton, Director of Administrative Services; Al King, Community Services Director; Karen
Crocker and Linda Evans, Community Services Managers.
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Written Communications:
(1) Report dated March 6, 1996, from the Director of Community Services, describing
the following four areas where the Department focuses its programs: Youth
Population Needs or Issues; Family Preservation and Parenting Issues; Senior
Population Issues; and, Cultural Diversity Issues. The report provided demographic
characteristics of the City's population; and, a matrix of programs and services
provided in the South County area, who provides those programs and the population
targeted by those programs. The report further listed existing City programs and
requested direction from Council in establishing areas where the department should
focus their resources to meet the needs of the community.
(2) Supplemental information providing a breakdown of Community Service Programs
in terms of the number of participants, their ages and their area of residence.
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Mr. King briefly discussed the information provided in the report. Mr. Scarborough advised
that following Council definition of priorities, staff would return with a report for additional
input.
Council Comments:
Council Member Nash indicated her view that due to budget constraints Community Services
was an area where further cuts could be made. Specifically, she felt contract programs could
be cut significantly because although they paid for themselves, they required staff time to
administer; and, those classes should be limited to a specific number. She indicated that the
City should not be involved in social programs such as family preservation and parenting
classes; that those types of programs should be provided by local organizations such as the
San Juan Task Force. She suggested staff meet with local non-profit organizations to discuss
each organization directing its efforts to specific areas of service. She felt the City should be
moving toward policing programs and referenced an LA Times article which indicated anti-
gang, intervention -type programs were ineffective. She further expressed concerns about the
effectiveness of the mobile after-school programs and felt they should be re-evaluated to
attract more attendance.
Council Member Nash initiated discussion regarding the Letters to Santa program and the
Santa Makes House Calls program, stating she had understood those programs had been
taken over by other organizations. Mr. King indicated that staff felt the Letters to Santa
program was important because no one else provided that type of program; that it had been
put on the wish list to help defray costs. Council Member Nash felt staff should review the
number of people served by a program and make the necessary program cuts. She affirmed
the City Manager's clarification that programs should be reduced whether or not they broke
even. Mr. King provided examples of programs that had been shifted to other groups; i.e.,
the senior citizens club had taken over certain senior programs such the flu shot clinic,
volunteer brunch, senior picnic and Dance Hall anniversary, thereby minimizing costs to the
City.
Council Member Campbell felt that intervention programs were a reward to "at -risk" youth
who got in trouble, and expressed concern that nothing was being done for underprivileged
youth who did not get in trouble. She felt Council did not want to make any more cuts in the
seniors programs. She indicated she could not make decisions until she had financial
information.
Mayor Hart agreed that intervention programs did not work. He indicated his preference
would be to channel intervention funds to law enforcement. He expressed concern that there
should be no duplications of efforts between local service groups and the City. He felt the
matrix provided in the report would be more helpful if it provided information regarding cost
and effectiveness of the programs.
Council Member Swerdlin felt the City was on the right track with intervention programs,
indicating his feeling that if the problem was not attacked now there would be a larger
problem later. He felt the City was doing a decent job of gang control and that particular
program should be enhanced. He suggested that service clubs take over the carnivals and —
then re -direct the funds they received back into the community. He felt the City should not
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compete with service clubs, but should only facilitate programs. He indicated a preference
' for funding of cultural diversity programs.
Council Member Jones noted the recent City donation of $10,000 to the San Juan Task Force
and requested a staff analysis of the return for that investment. He concurred that the City
should not be involved in the same types of programs offered by local organizations; however,
he felt it was the City's duty to facilitate and assure assistance to the underprivileged. He also
felt that financial information would be helpful in making decisions. Council Member Nash
expressed concern that there may be some programs local organizations would be unable to
take over and the City should assure that community needs did not go unmet. Mr. King
indicated that in developing a community -wide comprehensive approach to the delivery of
services the City did not need to be the sole provider. He advised a report could be prepared
assessing each organiation's ability to meet community needs and noting where needs may go
unmet. He further noted that discussions with local organizations regarding eliminating
program duplication had raised concerns with both the ability of organizations to fund certain
programs and the potential for the City to provide financial assistance.
Mrs. Crocker indicated she was the City facilitator on the Board of Directors of the San Juan
Task Force. At her suggestion the Board will be implementing a new request for assistance
form which asks for specific purpose for asking for the money, who will be serviced and
results and an annual reviews to determine if the organization and results were worth the
contribution.
' Mr. Scarborough asked for clarification regarding the shifting of programs to non-profit
organizations. Mayor Hart indicated that non-profit organizations should take over programs
when there was assurance that they could accomplish the program and provide a benefit.
Council Member Swerdlin concurred that was the right direction. Mr. Scarborough asked
for additional clarification regarding overall reduction of programs and costs. Mayor Hart
responded that programs that were not effective should be eliminated, clarifying that he was
addressing particularly youth programs; that programs should be analyzed in terms of the
overall structure of who is taking responsibility, and what are the program costs and benefits.
He further concurred that contract classes should be limited to a set number. Council
Member Campbell indicated a preference for the City to be involved to the point of assuring
programs were being done right.
Council Member Swerdlin indicated that he would prefer a private organization to offer
services as long as there was accountability and the City was assured its goals were being
met. Council Member Nash reiterated her belief that the City's resources should be funneled
toward crime and programs for youth who are not in trouble. Council Member Campbell
indicated her preference for programs that would help a youth become a better person; that
she would like to know how much the City is investing in its youth for those types of
programs and how much per person for "feel good" programs.
Mayor Hart requested that staff prepare the requested information for discussion at a future
meeting. Council Member Jones requested a brief synopsis of staffs opinion of each
' program, how if helps the community, whether it could be privatized and whether financial
assistance would obtain more services than the City could provide. To assist with determining
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future law enforcement needs, Council Member Jones requested information on the number
of gang members in the City and what percentage of the City's population are non -gang
members as compared to other cities such as Santa Ana and San Clemente.
Follow -Up Worksession Date:
There was a consensus of Council to set Monday, April 15, 1996 at 4:30 p.m., for a follow-up
worksession. Mr. Scarborough indicated his understanding that the Council had requested
an estimate of program revenues and expenditures; how many people were served; and, a
narrative which included goals for the programs and whether the program could be
transitioned to the private sector. Mr. King added his understanding that the report would
include a review of essential and non-essential programs, who can provide those programs,
and how the Department can economize.
Public Input:
Kathy Holmes, Member of the Parks, Recreation and Equestrian Commission, indicated her
support for retaining City facilitation of certain programs such as the mobile after-school
program, noting that the local non-profit organizations cannot meet all the community's
needs. As a Commissioner, she felt that her responsibility was to the total community; that
there were children who were not able to participate in the Boys & Girls Club and the San
Juan Task Force programs who were reached through the City's programs such as the after
school program and ballet folklorico. She cited support for the City retaining the carnival
because revenues from that activity fund other City recreational programs.
CLOSED SESSION
None. [The item that was originally placed on the agenda was removed from consideration.]
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Council, the meeting was adjourned at 5:40 p.m. to the
next regular meeting date of Tuesday, March 19, 1996, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
ATTEST:
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Respectfully submitted,
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03/06/96