A special meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall to adopt Turlock’s 2011-2013 Strategic Plan.

The plan, a conceptual long-term planning document which will guide Turlock policy through 2013, has been in the works since March. Before that effort, the document had lain dormant since 2007 and expired in 2009.

The delay and a cancelled April follow-up meeting intended to continue work on the plan trace their roots to a fundamental question which council members grappled with at the last meeting, held on Sept. 27: should the council spend time envisioning an ideal Turlock, or should pressing budget concerns take priority?

 

On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council is also expected to:

Adopt an ordinance signifying the city has complied with aspects of new state law which requires redevelopment agencies statewide to either shutter their doors, or make a large payment to the state. The ordinance is required, should Turlock desire its redevelopment agency remains open.
The move under consideration would not commit Turlock to retain its redevelopment agency, but merely allow the city to keep its options open. A lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state move, currently under consideration by the State Supreme Court, could render the entire matter moot.
Should the lawsuit fail and Turlock opt to retain its agency, the city would be forced to pay $2.46 million – below the state's initial estimate of $3.19 million, but above Turlock's estimate of $1.70 million. A further, approximately $615,000 payment, would then be required each year for the life of the agency.
Making the payment would keep the agency alive – able to pay for some Turlock staff and future projects –  but would deplete all existing non-housing funds from the agency, and would require more than half of the agency's annual income to be returned to the state.Approve an agreement which would see First Transit, Inc., of Overland Park, Kansas, continue to operate Turlock's Bus Line Service of Turlock.
First Transit, Inc.'s proposal was rated higher than competing proposals from Modesto's Storer Transit Systems and MV Transportation Inc. of Fairfield. MV Transportation offered the least expensive bid, but First Transit's past experience earned the firm a higher rating on the contractor scoring sheet. Storer Transportation proposed a number of operational changes, higher driver wages, and upgrades, but was the most expensive option.
The past agreement is due to expire Nov. 30. The new agreement with First Transit, Inc., would last for three years, with a further three-year option.Accept the one year summary report of the Regional Transportation Impact Fee group, and authorize spending $6,662.32 – Turlock's share of a $50,000 countywide cost – to conduct a fee nexus study necessary to implement a RTIF.
The RTIF effort, comprised of all nine county cities and the county, seeks to pool money for regional highway and road projects with a new fee, replacing the existing County Public Facility Fee charged to developers. The nexus study would identify which projects the fee should fund, and would subsequently determine the amount of the fee.Conduct labor negotiations in closed session with all employee labor groups at 6:30 p.m., prior to the start of the council's regular, 7 p.m. meeting.Receive updates on the promotions of Turlock Police Captain Carl Nielsen and Lieutenant Ninus Amirfar, the start of the fall leaf pick up program, the construction of the Public Safety Facility and the related closure of West Olive Avenue, and the role of cable provider Charter Communications in the community.Recognize the retirement of Turlock Fire Engineer Keith Crabtree.Appoint a member of council to serve on the county Hazardous Waste Management Advisory Committee.Adopt an updated schedule of fees for Turlock Parks and Recreation programs, including field and facility rentals. Most fees are unchanged, year-over-year.

 

The Turlock City Council's regular meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the Yosemite Room of Turlock City Hall, 156 S. Broadway. It will be preceded by a 5 p.m. special meeting to accept the 2011-2013 City of Turlock Strategic Plan, and a 6:30 p.m. closed session to conduct labor negotiations.

To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9341 ext. 2005.