With the city’s pension liability growing a pace of nearly half a million dollars per year, newly installed Mayor Troy Edgar says dealing with it is going to be a challenge.
Edgar is serving his last year on the Council, having completed three full terms, the maximum allowed by the charter.
With the city’s pension liability growing a pace of nearly half a million dollars per year, newly installed Mayor Troy Edgar says dealing with it is going to be a challenge.
Edgar is serving his last year on the Council, having completed three full terms, the maximum allowed by the charter.
“I am honored you have given me this opportunity,” said Edgar. He acknowledged, however, that dealing with the pension liability will require “doing something different,” over the next year.
“This is the best council we’ve had in twelve years,” said Edgar, but “something has got to give.” Edgar said changes in pension formulas are driving up the cost to the city between $400-500,000 each year.
While he said he’s not for new taxes, Edgar did mention the possibility of a sales tax or other funding source. “We have to engage our community. Do something different or we may not be able to staff our police department to maintain our quick response time,” the mayor said.
Also, Edgar said he would press for funding to complete Los Al Boulevard and that he would work to improve the overall economic standing of the city during his term.
Edgar also took time to present outgoing Mayor Shelly Hasselbrink with a plaque for her service as mayor during the past year. “She has a very direct approach,” said Edgar and that has benefited all of us.”
Hasselbrink thanked Edgar as well as everyone who assisted her during her term. She expressed satisfaction in overcoming much adversity and pride in completing the Coyote Creek bike path, maintaining the 10-year Los Al Boulevard project and renewing “Race on the Base” after improving relations with the Joint Forces Training Base.
“We all have the same goal,” said Hasselbrink, and that is “to make Los Alamitos the best city it can be.”
Tim Whitacre, representing Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel, also presented a certificate to Hasselbrink from Steel, said the Supervisor wanted to thank her for “outstanding service as mayor in 2017.”
In other action, the Los Alamitos Council:
Approved a 3-year contract extension and payraise for city manager Brett Plumlee. Beginning July 1, Plumlee will be paid $190,367 annually, with a one percent per year automatic raise and up to 3 percent bonus incentives. The Council also awarded Plumlee $1,821, a 1 percent bonus for the current year.
Heard from LSL CPA managing partner Richard Kikuchi that the city had “no reportable deficiencies” for its annual audit.
Recognized new council member Mark Chirco for his prior service on the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Presented Certificates of Appreciation to sponsors and volunteers who assisted with the 2017 Winter Wonderland production. City officials said 6,000 people attended.
Approved by a vote of 4-1 an emergency “time-out’ ordinance that will require developers to provide .33 guest parking spaces for units proposed in the city. Councilman Richard Murphy said residents “need relief” from what has been a parking problem in the city. Mayor pro-tem Warren Kusumoto voted against the measure. City officials will work to finalize a long-term ordinance but wanted a “time-out” as they learned Los Alamitos’ code had no guest parking requirements while most other areas do.
Agreed with a suggestion by members Murphy and Kusumoto to have city staff and consultants look at amending a long term plan that would call for three lane access on Los Alamitos Boulevard from Katella to Cerritos rather than the two called for in the current plan.