HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/28/2024 - Special MeetingCITY OF NEWPORT REACH
City Council Meeting Minutes
Special Joint Meeting with the Finance Committee
May 28, 2024
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER - 4:00 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Will O'Neill, Mayor Pro Tem Joe Stapleton, Councilmember Brad Avery,
Councilmember Noah Blom, Councilmember Robyn Grant, Councilmember Lauren Kleiman,
Councilmember Erik Weigand, Finance Committee Member Allen Cashion, Finance
Committee Member Nancy Scarbrough
Excused: Finance Committee Member William Collopy, Finance Committee Member Keith Curry
III. PRESENTATION
• Proclamation Recognizing Temple Bat Yahm
Mayor O'Neill read the proclamation and presented it to Rabbi Gersh Zylberman, Rabbi Miriam
Philips, Cantor Jonathan Grant, Cantor Elisa Waltzman, Executive Director Sue Penn, President
Adrienne Cohen, 15t Vice President Matt Cabrera, and other congregation members who shared the
history on the naming of Jewish people and gave thanks to Mayor O'Neill and Councilmember Grant
for their support and encouragement, the Newport Beach Police Department for providing safety,
neighbors of many faiths, founders of Temple Bat Yahm, and God for the opportunity to celebrate
their 50th anniversary milestone.
IV. CURRENT BUSINESS
1. Review of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 Operating Budget
Finance Director Al -Imam and Acting Deputy Finance Director Burguan utilized a presentation to
review the principles guiding the budget development, opportunities for public review, summary of
all expenditure funds, major fund operating expenditures, general fund revenues and expenditures,
primary reasons for a 5.9% General Fund budget growth, program enhancements, key General Fund
program enhancements, non -personnel program enhancements, proposed additional staffing
changes, changes in total staffing since 2009, General Fund sources and uses, recent changes to the
City's pension liability, historical investment, and City's funded status.
Mayor O'Neill expressed the importance of effectively managing the unfunded pension liability. In
response to his question, Finance Director Al -Imam stated that Ca1PERS is currently at 8.9%.
Finance Director Al -Imam continued the presentation and reviewed the employee count, the
retirement tiers, and the pension liability paydown strategy.
Mayor Pro Tem Stapleton thanked the Finance Committee and staff for their work.
Councilmember Grant stated she looks forward to a future Council announcing a fully funded
budget and expressed appreciation for the work done on this matter.
Mayor O'Neill pointed out that, upon being paid off, the unfunded pension liability amount will
become part of the budget.
In response to Councilmember Weigand's question, Recreation and Senior Services Director Levin
explained that the City's preschool programs will be moved, run as a camp in the summer, expressed
support for the contractors who will be running the program, and noted that the part-time hours
will be given back to the budget.
Volume 66 - Page 99
City of Newport Beach
Special Joint Meeting with the Finance Committee
May 28, 2024
Councilmember Avery noted the ups and downs on the graph and predicted the same will occur in
the future, commended Mayor O'Neill's leadership, emphasized a conservative approach to continue
to get the City through inevitable tough spots, and acknowledged the large responsibility of
developing sound financial practices to continue providing public services. He expressed being
fortunate to be on Council during this period.
Finance Committee Member Scarbrough expressed appreciation for the City's leadership and
thought the City's finances were going in a the right direction.
Jim Mosher inquired about performance metrics and departmental goals, and noted the challenge
with understanding the reasoning for fund placement in the budget, especially the Internal Service
Funds.
Mayor O'Neill announced the next steps and thanked citizen members of the Finance Committee,
Mayor Pro Tem Stapleton, Councilmember Blom, and staff.
IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None
V. ADJOURNMENT - 4:40 p.m.
The special agenda was posted on the City's website and on the City Hall electronic bulletin
board located in the entrance of the City Council Chambers at 100 Civic Center Drive on
May 23, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.
Will O'Neill
Mayor
004w� 4.
Leilani I. Brown
City Clerk
Volume 65 - Page 100