Trustee areas could change representation on Placentia-Yorba Linda school district board

Geographical representation on the Placentia-Yorba Linda school district's board of education might become more diverse as the district follows through on a stated “intent” to elect trustees from voting areas rather than the current at-large system for November 2018 balloting.

Presently, four Yorba Linda residents sit on the five-member board: Karin Freeman, serving since 1989; Eric Padget, serving since 2008; and Carrie Buck and Judi Carmona, each first elected in 2010. Carol Downey, a former Placentia mayor, has served since 2000.

The district had 89,276 registered voters for last year's election, with 42,512 (47.6 percent) in Yorba Linda; 26,646 (29.8 percent) in Placentia; 10,898 (12.1 percent) in Anaheim; 6,428 (7.2 percent) in Fullerton; and 644 (less than 1 percent) in Brea.

Another 2,148 voters (2.4 percent) were in three unincorporated areas: East Placentia (596 voters) and Yorba Linda's Country Club and Fairlynn county islands (1,552 voters).

If evenly divided, each trustee area would include about 18,000 voters. Candidates would be required to live in the designated area, and only voters residing in the area would be allowed to vote for that area's trustee. Obviously, campaigns would be less costly.

Of course, where boundary lines are drawn will determine if one or more cities will have a majority of voters in one or more areas. Details regarding the boundary adoption process are to be determined, but public input is required.

Two trustee seats, now held by Buck and Freeman, are scheduled for the 2018 ballot. Terms for Carmona, Downey and Padget run through 2020, so full implementation for all five trustee areas is at least three years away.

“Given the potential financial and other consequences of a legal challenge” under California's 2001 Voting Rights Act, “the board considers it prudent to initiate the process to transition to a by-trustee area system,” noted a recent resolution adopted on a 5-0 vote.

The North Orange County Community College District has seven trustee areas, with voting populations ranging from 46,000 to 77,000. Three include Yorba Linda voters: 1,635 in Area 5 represented by Anaheim's Jacqueline Rodarte; 848 in Area 6 represented by Yorba Linda's Jeff Brown; and 40,046 in Area 7 represented by Yorba Linda's Ryan Bent.

Yorba Linda twice considered voting districts for City Council members: a 1978 advisory vote for districts passed 4,192 to 3,807, but the council “received and filed” the tally without comment. A council motion to put districts on a 1992 ballot passed 3-1, but no further action was taken on the plan for three districts – west, central and east – and two at-large seats.

The Yorba Linda Water District's directors haven't held formal discussions on voting areas. Registered voters included 42,534 in Yorba Linda; 4,417 in Placentia; 499 in Anaheim; 137 in Brea; and 2,148 in three county islands for the 2016 election.

Yorba Linda begins spend-down of small portion of reserves with $2.5 million going to arts center

Implementation of a planned spend-down of a small portion of Yorba Linda's more than $21 million stockpiled in reserve accounts has been approved by the City Council as part of the adoption of a two-year budget on a 5-0 vote last month.

This year's expenditure isn't much – just $3.6 million – and reserves will remain well above 50 percent of one year's operating expenses that is in keeping with official council policy adopted by a past council decades ago and followed by all succeeding councils.

Biggest chunk of the spend-down cash, $2.5 million, will go to fund a portion of the 13,500-square-foot, one-story arts center to be built in tandem with a 45,000-square-foot, two-story library on Lakeview Avenue close to the Lemon Street intersection.

Other uses include $725,000 to catch up on a backlog of road maintenance; $183,000 for a payment that would amortize 1/20th of the city's unfunded pension liability; and $200,000 to be deposited to the city's “other post-employment benefits” trust to pre-fund a portion of the city's unfunded retiree healthcare liability.

Revenue that brings city reserves above the 50 percent mark is considered “surplus operating reserves,” which is expected to reach $4.6 million at the end of the current fiscal year June 30.

About $1 million would be retained as a “reserve cushion,” resulting in a 53 percent stockpile, according to figures presented to council members recently by Finance Director Scott Catlett.

Two other interesting budget items:

– Revenue at the city-owned Black Gold Golf Club is expected to remain static for the current fiscal year, down only a few thousand dollars, with income anticipated to increase slightly to a bit above $6.1 million by the end of the next fiscal year.

Golf rounds, pro shop and range income will dip this fiscal year but rebound some in the next fiscal year. Food and beverage revenue will jump both years, according to current estimates.

The same is true for Community Center catering, which is also managed by Kemper Golf. Last year's near $300,000 income will drop to $225,000 this year and $230,000 next year.

--And in response to a council question about sales tax revenue expected from Town Center, Catlett noted funds have not been included in sales tax estimates “due to the amount of time still remaining before the project is complete and because the tenant mix is still not finalized.”

Catlett said, “Staff, however, engaged the city's sales tax consultant to provide an estimate based on the known tenants and presumed remaining tenant mix. Their estimate is that the Town Center will generate sales tax revenue of approximately $175,000 per year.”

Current estimates are that city-wide sales tax revenue will drop nearly $240,000 to $7.3 million at the end of the current fiscal year and rebound about $160,000 to close to $7.5 million by the end of the next fiscal year, still about $77,000 under last year's projection.

Yorba Linda adopts two-year operating budget that shows hefty surpluses for each year

Nearly $72 million.

That's what Yorba Linda's elected leaders have budgeted to keep this city humming for two years – $35.2 million for the fiscal year that started July 1 and $36.5 million for the following year ending June 30, 2019.

And – happily – the city expects taxes and fees to cover all expenses incurred for both years, with a $572,000 surplus this year and $325,000 next year, which, when added to the existing stockpile, will leave an anticipated $21.8 million reserve at the end of the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Here are some highlights from the lengthy budget document adopted on a 5-0 vote at the June 26 City Council meeting, with estimates presented by Finance Director Scott Catlett:

--Most revenue will come from property and sales taxes, with property tax income increasing 7.6 percent from some $17.6 million last year to nearly $19 million in 2019. Sales tax income will drop about 1 percent from nearly $7.6 million in 2016-17 to about $7.5 million in 2018-19.

All other revenue sources will remain static or increase slightly by the end of the next fiscal year. These include franchise, property transfer, transient occupancy, business license and motor vehicle taxes and various recreation, building, engineering and planning fees.

--Most expenditures will be recorded in the public safety area, jumping close to 12 percent from last year's nearly $10.9 million to about $12.2 million in two years. The chief expense is for contracted sheriff's services, but also included is some $250,000 for crossing guards and $180,000 still paid yearly to Brea for police-related workers compensation claims.

Other expenses up for the two-year period: 7 percent for parks and recreation, 32 percent for administration and 8 percent for public works, with community development down 12 percent.

The city's current 130 full- and part-time positions will jump to 141 by 2018-19.

--The city's unfunded pension liability is expected to increase due to recent action by the state's Public Employees Retirement System reducing the assumed rate of return for the plan's investments, with a new valuation report due to the city in August.

Currently, the city plan is 72.4 percent funded, with $45.1 million deposited with and $17.2 million owed to the system. The city plans to make extra annual payments to amortize the liability by 2036, instead of 2046, which should result in “a significant savings.”

--The annual subsidy to the city's Landscape Maintenance Assessment District for several underfunded local landscaping zones will drop 17.5 percent over the two-year period, from nearly $1.2 million last year to $987,000 in 2018-19.

The city's contribution for the “general benefit” received by all property owners will jump 8 percent from $666,506 to $719,111, with total district income – funded by assessments on annual county tax bills paid by property owners – growing 2.5 percent to nearly $8.7 million.

Yorba Linda revises procedure to remove illegally posted temporary signs in public rights-of-way

Perhaps the most significant change in Yorba Linda's new 20-page sign ordinance taking effect July 26 is a provision simplifying the procedures for removing signs illegally posted in public rights-of-way, generally along the sides of the city's major roadways.

Now, city employees will be able to simply remove a non-conforming sign rather than notifying the owner by certified mail 72 hours in advance. A “due process” requirement would be met by contacting the sign owner, if known, from the field that an offending sign will be removed.

City-removed signs will be retained for at least three days to allow for retrieval by the owner.`

Temporary signs placed on public property along city streets have long drawn the ire of many residents, especially during election seasons, when many candidates running for local offices ignore the city's regulations regarding the size and placement of signs on public lands.

Some of the most surprising violations are by City Council contenders, since they are given copies of the city rules when they submit paperwork to be on the ballot for council positions.

Yorba Linda, along with 12 of the county's 34 cities, allow some signs in public rights-of-way, namely election, non-profit, real estate and garage sale signage. The other 21 cities prohibit all rights-of-way signs, according to a city survey.

“These exceptions...are legally permissible because they serve a compelling public interest

in that real estate signs, in particular, serve to protect the public safety and welfare,” stated principal planner Nate Farnsworth in a report to the council.

“There are multiple studies and theories that demonstrate that vacant properties can lead to increased crime, decreased property values of surrounding properties, increased vacancy in surrounding properties and visual blight,” according to Farnsworth.

He added, “Although properties may become vacant for a variety of reasons, the city recogn-izes the critical role that the real estate industry plays in filling those vacancies as quickly as possible.” Directional signs are allowed any day from sunrise to sunset.

The ordinance was approved on a 5-0 council vote in June after a Planning Commission workshop and public hearing. Changes have been proposed since 2012, “in response to growing community concerns regarding the negative aesthetic condition along city streets due to the proliferation of temporary signs,” Farnsworth stated.

Other key provisions:

--Temporary signs are limited to 10 days exposure, with exceptions including election or other event signs. Removal must occur within five days of an event. Signs displayed longer than 10 days must follow rules for permanent signage.

--Temporary commercial signs on private property visible from public rights-of-way are prohibited, unless a permit is issued. Banner signs for grand opening events would be allowed for 45 days, up from 30 days in the previous ordinance.