The
steadied post-recession economic environment is having positive
impacts on the community, as evidenced by the following updates to
some topics from past columns:
--A
detailed analysis of Yorba Linda's long-term infrastructure,
facilities and equipment needs now underway by city management staff
is expected to result in recommendations submitted to City Council
members, probably at a June meeting, for potential future action.
The
study will build on a report prepared about two years ago
recommending amounts to be contributed to specific reserve funds
focusing on the city's physical needs, contributions that had been
suspended for a few years due to economic hits to the city's tax
revenue.
The
forthcoming analysis will include “a refinement of the city's needs
relative to street infrastructure,” according to a recent report
prepared by Finance Director Scott Catlett.
In
addition to analyzing an appropriate level of contributions to the
special reserve funds, Catlett noted the staff is working on
recommendations regarding the city's General Fund operating reserve
levels, now set at 50 percent of expenditures under council policy.
“These
recommendations would distinguish between emergency reserves and
'rainy day' reserves and establish guidelines for the usage of and
additions to the reserves,” Catlett stated in his report.
Council
last month approved transferring $860,843 to facilities reserves,
$475,702 to equipment reserves and $366,605 to infrastructure
reserves over a three-year period, dollars to come from actual and
projected budget surpluses from 2014 to 2017.
--A
state-approved Educator Effectiveness Block Grant will bring $1.75
million in new, one-time funds to the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified
School District, according to a report to the district's trustees
from Candy Plahy, assistant superintendent of educational services.
The
money will be spent over a three-year period to support the
professional development of certificated teachers, administrators and
paraprofessional educators. Most, some 64 percent, will go to
programs providing support and mentoring to beginning teachers.
Funding
also will support coaching for teachers identified as needing
improvement, “leader-ship academies” for managers, mentoring for
new administrators and other program needs.
--Interesting
per-pupil target spending levels for the current school year for
Placentia-Yorba Linda campuses, based on average daily attendance
figures, are noted in a financial report prepared for trustees by
James Pham, fiscal services director.
Individual
spending levels are $8,398 for kindergarten through third grade
students; $7,720 fourth through sixth grades; $7,950 seventh and
eighth grades; and $9,452 9th through 12th
grades.
Average
daily attendance this year, including county education programs, is
expected to be (rounded) 25,150, anticipated to drop slightly to
25,017 next year and 24,867 the year after.