The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is increasing its bill for the city of Malibu next fiscal year. The $436,000 increase is one of the highlights of the proposed 2007-08 fiscal year budget, which was released this week and the City Council will have its first chance to publicly address the budget at its meeting on Tuesday.
According to a city staff report prepared by Administrative Services Director Reva Feldman, the 8 percent increase, which brings the city’s Sheriff’s services budget to $5.4 million, is due to “personnel-related costs adopted by the county.” According to the report, there will no change in the department’s service to the city.
The proposed budget includes General Fund revenues of $19.1 million and expenditures of $18.9 million. The projected revenue is an increase from last year’s $17.5 million. According to the report, this is due to an estimated increase of $382,000 in property tax, $200,000 in utility user’s tax, $268,000 in sales tax, $471,000 in money the city receives through various service fees and $360,000 in interest earnings.
Some expenses that are projected to increase include $35,000 for Web site upgrades, $15,000 for Web casting of Planning Commission meetings, $38,000 for street sweeping, $84,000 for Susan Shaw’s position as the public relations and fundraising officer, $300,000 for contract personnel for additional Parks and Recreation programs, and $400,000 for irrigation repairs at Bluffs Park.
The city also will have $10.7 million in capital improvement projects, including the $2 million Cross Creek Road Reconstruction and the $4.3 million Las Flores Creek Restoration, as well as $815,000 on improvements toward the Chili Cook-Off site. But, according to the city, $5.9 million of the capital improvements budget will be paid for through grants.
Not included in the budget is payment for the creation of Trancas Canyon Park (formerly named after Sgt. Alfred A. Kaspaul; see story page A1 ). However, at the meeting, the council will be voting on a proposed $235,000 contract with RBF Consulting for design and engineering services for the Trancas Canyon Park project. The city is still determining how to pay for the estimated $3.1 million project, but has already begun preliminary planning, with an environmental impact report on the proposed two- to three-acre park expected to be released in early July.
There is no solid proposal yet for the property, which is located on Trancas Canyon Road, just more than half a mile north of Pacific Coast Highway. A preliminary plan includes baseball and soccer practice fields along with a basketball court, a dog park, picnic shelter and tables, a play area for young children and restrooms.
So far, the city has $665,000 set aside for the project. At a meeting in February, the City Council instructed Feldman to examine how the city could come up with the additional $2.5 million.
The council members proposed some of their own ideas at that meeting, including taking money out of the city’s General Fund and issuing certificates of participation, which are similar to bonds. The city raised most of its money to buy the Chili Cook-Off site by issuing COPs.