Yorba Linda to pay $1 million more for 2024-2025 Sheriff's contract for same services

 

Current levels of service and staffing will continue through June 2025 under terms of the first amendment to Yorba Linda's five-year contract with the Orange County Sheriff's Department for law enforcement in the 20-square-mile city.

But the cost to the city will increase $1 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, a 7.37% jump to $14.9 million, according to recent action taken by City Council members. The amendment will be viewed by the county Board of Supervisors next month.

“The main reason for the increase is due to the salary and benefit changes that were approved by the board...subsequent to the beginning of the new five-year agreement on July 1, 2023,” Assistant City Manager Dave Christian reported to council members.

The city's first five-year pact with the county department was signed in 2012 and renewed in 2018 and 2023. Before the county contract, the Brea Police Department provided service for 42 years. The county previously patrolled the city from incorporation in 1967 to 1970.

The county's first contract with the city cost $9.8 million for the initial year, including start-up costs, while the final contract with Brea cost the city $11.4 million, according to a city report.

At a contentious nine-hour meeting in 2012, Brea submitted two bids to continue policing the city, one for the then-current level of service at $10.7 million and one cutting two deputies for$10.3 million. A bid from Anaheim was $11.4 million, not including start-up costs.

A 3-2 council vote awarded the contract to the county.

The current level of service includes 43 positions and 13 shared staff. The 43 slots include the captain, five sergeants, three investigators, 28 deputies, three community service officers and one each crime prevention specialist, investigative assistant and office specialist.

The 28 deputies include 23 on patrol, two on motorcycles, two for community support and one school resource officer. Deputy pay ranges from $138,873 to $145,473, not including benefits,

post pay, services and supplies and other indirect costs. Overtime cost projection is $783,152.

* * *

Cost for the animal control pact with Orange County Animal Care will jump 6.2% to $370,849 for the fiscal year beginning July 1. And the city owes $114,727 as part of the city's $512,000portion for construction of the regional care facility in Tustin that opened in 2018.

Services include Impounding stray and owner-released animals, rabies control, enforcement of leash and nuisance laws, the barking dog ordinance, animal cruelty investigations, citation issuance, impound fee collection and others. Information: 714-935-6848.

A senior mobility program contract not to exceed $150,000 offers daily transportation for age 60 and over provided by the California Yellow Cab Company through May 31, 2025. A recent expansion involves destinations five miles past city limits. Information: 714-961-7181.

Yorba Linda City Council withdraws from League of California Cities

 The Yorba Linda City Council has cast a unanimous vote to withdraw membership in the League of California Cities, which council members complain isn't living up to its mission to “expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy.”

The league, commonly called Cal Cities, drew specific criticism from four council members for supporting Proposition 1 on the March primary election ballot and opposing the Taxpayer Protection and Governmental Accountability Act set for the November general election ballot.

The decision to drop membership in the 126-year-old organization of 475 California cities follows similar action by Huntington Beach, Orange and Newport Beach. The league has no provision to refund the $22,130 membership dues Yorba Linda already paid for 2024.

At an April 16 meeting, council members Tara Campbell, Beth Haney, Peggy Huang and Janice Lim each cited a lack of support for local control measures as key reasons for the withdrawal.

Two representatives from the league spoke in favor of Yorba Linda continuing membership, citing financial and educational benefits for the city. They noted that, despite difficulties with details, support for Proposition 1 and opposition to the taxpayer initiative was warranted.

Huang, who said she voted to join the league in a previous council term and has served on several league committees, said she now “regrets” her past support. Regarding the league commitment to local control measures, Huang said she's “not seeing it in action.”

Haney said that Proposition 1 “reduces local control,” particularly regarding local funding for programs, and “Sacramento, in my opinion, does not have the knowledge to manage Yorba Linda.” She liked the two-thirds public vote requirement in the taxpayer protection initiative.

Lim said that league support for Proposition 1 “doesn't meet our city's goals” and that the measure was so controversial that the league at least should have taken a neutral stance.

Campbell noted the league “acknowledged problems with Proposition 1 but still supported it.” She agreed with her colleagues' comments and said that the league “sides with Sacramento rather than local cities.”

Proposition 1, the $6.38 billion bond measure for mental health and substance abuse facilities and homeless housing, squeaked through statewide by 50.19% in favor and 49.81% opposed, with just 28,024 votes separating the two sides.

The Orange County vote was 58% “no” and 42% “yes,” with a 93,550-vote margin, while the Yorba Linda vote was an overwhelming 70% “no” and 30% “yes,” with an 8,174-vote margin.

The taxpayer protection initiative would amend the state constitution to define all state and local levies, charges and fees as taxes and require new state taxes proposed by the state legislature to be approved by two-thirds legislative and public votes and new local taxes to be approved by a two-thirds public vote.