Funds are stumbling block to new library

Financing continues to be the major stumbling block for construction of a long-sought new library building for a Yorba Linda population expected to stabilize at about 70,000 by 2030.

A funding gap to build and equip a new facility currently is estimated to be from $3.9 million to $9.5 million of an anticipated $30 million to $31.5 million cost, according to a report presented to the City Council recently by Library Director Carrie Lixey.

And that's for a projected scaled-down version, with 45,000 square feet in a one-story structure and 225 parking stalls. The current library was last remodeled to 28,000 square feet in 1992, and patrons now average some 1,100 daily visits.

A council-designated preferred site for the facility is the so-called “strawberry field,” a 4.7 acre, city-owned parcel on the east side of Lakeview Avenue, south of the Lemon Drive intersection and north of the Stater Brothers center.

The largest chunk of cash accumulated for the project is $15 million expected to be in the library's reserve account at the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year. The library has a separate property tax stream from 71 years as an independent special district before merging with the city in 1985.

Another revenue source is $3 million the city could realize from the sale of 1.87 acres of the library's existing property and the adjacent former gasoline station site undergoing remediation for underground contamination, based on an estimate obtained in 2011.

An additional $4 million to $8.1 million could be borrowed, according to Lixey's report, with $250,000 to $500,000 annual repayments for 30 years. So far, $32,000 from library reserves has been spent on the project.

Funding prospects for a new library dimmed in early 2012, when the Yorba Linda Redevelopment Agency was dissolved, along with more than 400 others in the state, ending a program designed to eliminate blight and improve economic prospects in designated areas.

The city hoped to use proceeds from a 2011 bond to help finance construction, but rulings from the state Department of Finance and a veto by the governor of legislation authorizing use of the bond funds “has put the question to rest for the time being,” noted the city's report.

The new 45,000 square foot plan is below the 50,820 square feet envisioned in 2011, and the 0.64 square feet per capita is below a “best practices” recommendation of 0.75 square feet but above an average of 0.53 in eight other city libraries.

Interestingly, the new plan has more seats (up from 290 to 297), more computer stations (up from 104 to 121) and more parking stalls (up from 208 to 225) due to smaller staff areas and work counters and using more laptops and tablets. A one-story design also doesn't have stairwells and elevator shafts.

But the smaller proposal doesn't save money because of higher construction costs since 2011 and factors dealing with site preparation.

Will selection of mayor and mayor pro tem show council harmony? Final Yorba Linda vote counts

First test of the City Council's spirit of cooperation or level of disharmony comes Dec. 2 with the selection of a mayor and mayor pro tem. Except for combative periods in the 1990s and more recently, councils have rotated each member through the two positions.

Expect Gene Hernandez, now in the second slot, to become mayor on a 5-0 vote, but the pro tem choice offers possibilities that could hearld future contention, if the vote is divided.

Based on most rotations since the first council was seated in 1967, Mark Schwing is due to be mayor pro tem, but alliances and the occupant as probable mayor in the 2016 election year likely will kill his chances. Members might plug newcomer Peggy Huang earlier into the rotation or name Tom Lindsey, in line after Schwing.

The water and school district boards always follow a rotation policy, so expect Ric Collett to become president of the former Dec. 11 and Eric Padget to lead the latter beginning Dec. 9.

Meanwhile, the vote count is now complete:

--Final council tallies: Peggy Huang, 8,253; Tom Lindsey, 8,081; Jeff Decker, 6,476; Judy Murray, 5,520; Matt Palmer, 3,087; Paul Ambrus, 2,575. Measure JJ, cutting council ben- efits, was 16,061 “yes” and 2,714 “no.” Turnout was 19,910 of 40,270 registered, 49.4 percent.

Other final counts: Karin Freeman, 19,413; Carrie Buck, 18,278; Brenda McCune, 9,243; Jim Brunette, 6,723, in the school district, and Brett Barbre 35,192 and Greg Diamond 17,707 for the seat representing Yorba Linda on the county Municipal Water District board.

The percentage of city votes for Congressman Ed Royce was 79.8, while new state Assembly member Ling-Ling Chang won 75.4, both higher than the 68.6 and 63.9 they took district-wide.

In the governor's race, Yorba Linda voters gave Neel Kashkari 70.1 percent, with statewide GOP candidates attracting similar percentages. Counts for the six state propositions mirrored state results, except for the city's “no” on Prop. 47, which lowers some criminal penalties.

--Would the city's voter turnout increase if precincts were eliminated and elections held by mail only? Yes, but that's based on numbers from residents who requested mail-in ballots.

Of 40,270 registered for the November election, 22,617 were permanent mail-in voters or applied for a mail-in ballot just for this election. Only 11,741 (51.9 percent) returned the ballot, and 8,169 of the remaining 17,653 (46.2 percent) voted at a precinct.

--Yorba Lindans didn't mark choices in every race, following a usual practice. Although 19,910 cast ballots, only 19,386 voted for governor and 19,247 and 18,712 for Congress and Assembly candidates, respectively. Measure JJ drew 18,775 voters.

--Registration has increased by 98 to 40,368 since the cut-off date for the Nov. 4 ballot. The count and percentages: 22,360 Republicans (55.4); 8,608 Democrats (21.3); 7,795 no party preference (19.3); and 1,605 miscellaneous and five minor parties (4.0).

Yorba Linda voter turnout drops to historic low

The big story in Yorba Linda's City Council election isn't so much who won or how much money was spent by candidates and committees as the record low number of voters who participated, despite the deluge of mailers, roadway signs and automated telephone calls.

Less than half of 40,270 registered voters bothered to return a mail-in ballot or visit a polling place, well below the 65.3 percent in the 2010 midterm election and 77.3 percent for the 2012 presidential ballot, for an historic low in a regularly scheduled election.

Only a couple of special elections, such as last month's failed recall with a 31.5 percent turnout – 12,783 out of 40,532 registrants – have drawn fewer voters in 47 years of cityhood.

And the number who voted for council candidates was even less, based on counts for the contests and the tally for Measure JJ, which eliminates pension and health benefits for fut- ure councils, that drew hundreds fewer “yes” and “no” votes than the official turnout.

Also consider that at least 8,000 voting-age adults aren't registered, so the percentage of Yorba Lindans who cast council race ballots drops dramatically. Sadly, of 22,616 vote-by- mail ballots requested by residents, about half were returned.

Certainly, the negative nature of the council campaigns played a large part in the lamentable lack of participation, with more than six out of every 10 voting-age citizens opting not to vote.

Two factions emerged – Peggy Huang and Tom Lindsey versus Jeff Decker and Judy Murray – with opposing camps calling each other liars in mailers, phone calls and social media.

Ridiculous roadway signage repulsed many voters, especially “Lindsey-Huang=More Traffic, More Crime” and “Huang Hates Horses,” and all candidates, responsible for zoning laws if elected, violated portions of the law's temporary sign regulations.

Mailers from both factions misrepresented issues and opponents, making it difficult to pick the most egregious example, but I'll cite one sad case from Huang, since she won the most votes.

Sent to women voters, the brochure was portrayed as a “non-partisan voter guide.” Four of five candidates were listed by first and last name with picture, except for Judy Murray, who was “J. Murray” with “photo not available,” obscuring her gender.

Also, the retiree was listed as “unemployed,” omitting her homeowner association presidency and other service. Let's hope this hit-piece was a one-time aberration from an otherwise positive candidate that was created by a too-eager consultant skilled as a negative wordsmith.

Historical note: Re-elected school trustee Karin Freeman joins the ranks of this city's most popular elected officials. She will complete 32 years in office when her new term ends, second only to the late Paul Armstrong, with 41 years as school trustee and water district director, and just ahead of Hank Wedaa's 30-year council service.

Retired Yorba Linda council members' medical, pension benefits continue for life under CalPERS

Here's a mixture of new and updated information on the hot-button issue of lifetime medical and pension benefits for which now-retired Yorba Linda City Council members qualify:

--This year, the city is paying $13,490 in medical insurance premiums for three past members. The city pays 90 percent of the premium, rising to 95 percent next year and 100 per-cent in 2016, up to a $1,167 monthly maximum per retiree.

Monthly city-paid contributions are $276 for Barbara Kiley and $295 for Hank Wedaa, both for single coverage, and $553 for single and one dependent coverage for Gene Wisner, according to data provided upon my request by Finance Director Dave Christian.

Kiley, elected to two terms, served eight years, 1992-2000; Wedaa, elected to eight terms, served 30 years, 1970-1994, 1996-2000 and 2007-08; and Wisner, appointed and elected to five terms, served 15 years, 1983-1992 and 1994-1999.

--Five past members collect monthly pensions all or partly based on years of council service through the California Public Employees Retirement System, known as CalPERS: Kiley, Wedaa, Wisner, Irwin Fried (four terms,1976-1992) and John Gullixson (three terms, 1990-2002).

The five collected a combined total of some $18,000 last year, based on council service. Gullixson also earned CalPERS credit for a post-council stint as executive director of Plumas County's Local Agency Formation Commission.

Pensions can begin at age 55 after a minimum of five years of CalPERS-covered service, computed by multiplying service years by salary and a 2 percent at age 55 formula. Salary for most was $500 per month plus for most a $60 monthly Redevelopment Agency stipend.

Thus, a participant serving two terms and retiring at 55 would receive $89.60 per month, and a participant serving the current three-term maximum would receive $134.40 per month, plus annual 2 percent cost-of-living adjustments, for life.

The 2 percent factor increases to 2.418 percent at age 63, so a participant serving two terms and taking a pension at or after that age would collect $108.33 monthly, and a participant serving three terms $162.49 monthly, plus the yearly COLAs, for life.

--Since CalPERS pensions vest upon five years of service, members with less than five years would not qualify for a pension, unless they have other CalPERS-covered government employment that can be added to the council service to meet or exceed the five-year minimum.

Or individuals leaving council service can apply to CalPERS to have the seven percent of salary employee contribution, plus interest, returned, even though that entire amount was for many years city-paid. Employer contributions – currently 18 percent – aren't rebated.

In 1995, council members granted themselves the same benefit and retirement packages as management employees – on a 3-2 vote – with Kiley, Wisner and Mark Schwing in favor and Gullixson and Dan Welch opposed.