Some budget decisions wise, fiscally sound

The tough economy certainly impacts local government agencies, as reflected in city and school district budget decisions. But some recent actions merit positive comment as both wise and fiscally sound:

--Despite trimming a traffic officer and a detective from the current contract with Brea police, the City Council kept a School Resource Officer at Esperanza and Yorba Linda high schools, with the officer dividing 147 monthly hours between the two campuses.

Total cost for the position is $158,121, which includes wages, benefits and “associated operational and support costs,” according to a report by Capt. John Burks, with the city paying $91,710 and the school district $66,411 (about half of school-year costs).

The officer is a liaison for law enforcement-related needs, including criminal acts on campus, counseling of students and campus security issues and can aid in instruction on drug/alcohol use, gang awareness and teenage domestic violence.

Also, the officer “occasionally conducts criminal investigations involving students at the schools and assists detectives with missing or runaway juvenile cases,” Burks noted. An added duty: answering police needs at elementary and middle schools in Yorba Linda.

The city funded 3.5 school resource officers as recently as 2008-09, but the number was cut to one in 2009-10 when the elementary and middle school positions were eliminated.

Yorba Linda students attending El Camino, El Dorado and Valencia high schools benefit from three officers, one at each campus, with funding by Placentia and the school district.

--The city has negotiated agreements with some contractors to perform services at the same levels but at reduced rates. For example, two-year extensions on three contracts to maintain city-run landscape districts are down three to five percent.

The extensions cut about $26,000 from contracts now totaling $773,000, with more than $18,000 in savings for the city’s cash-strapped arterial landscape district, responsible for maintaining greenery along major streets, now partially funded from city reserves.

Also, janitorial services at eight city facilities, including city hall, library and Community Center, will cost $31,000 less than last year with a $142,356 contract. Yorba Linda works with Buena Park, La Habra and Orange on a multi-agency bid package.

--Perhaps surprisingly, the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district began the 2011-12 fiscal year with $89,728 more in the bank than the amount at the beginning of 2010-11, according to a financial report presented at the Sept. 13 trustee meeting.

The district had a general fund balance of $20,231,598, with $15,231,164 “designated for economic uncertainties” June 30 after spending $201,141,754 with $196,668,522 income.

--Although unpopular with residents seeking a cultural arts facility in Town Center, council’s 4-1 decision to not reserve city-owned Old Town land for an arts venue is practical, due to space issues coupled with council’s choice to build a new library there.

As reported by Community Development Director Steve Harris: the city “has received preliminary feedback from prospective developers that the commercial-designated area within the Town Center is relatively limited and could prove to be difficult in attracting certain retailers.”