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Hawaiian Gardens City Council Approves Amended Budget

 

 

The Hawaiian Gardens City Council approved an amended budget for fiscal year 2011-12 at its Mar. 27 meeting. Finance Director David Sung said expenditures where the city can cut in the second half of the year have been identified.

He said California’s financial condition has been challenging during the past two years with the State termination of Redevelopment Agencies effective Feb. 1, 2012. “Even though we have a balanced budget, we have been diligent to find ways to cut costs throughout all departments and continue cutting expenditures wherever we can.” He said the recommended budget adjustments would have a budget decrease of $562,300. As part of the net budget decrease, the un-encumbered portion of the General Plan Update, $100,000 will return to the General Fund Reserve account.

In other business the council approved the exchange of Proposition A funds for fiscal year 2011-12 and fiscal year 2012-13 between Hawaiian Gardens and the city of La Habra Heights.

Sung explained the city has been trying to find ways to increase revenue to pay for its transportation needs. One of these items was purchasing Proposition A Transportation Funds at a discount from other cities in return for unrestricted General Fund dollars.

He said Hawaiian Gardens receives approximately $220,000 in Prop. A Local Return Transit Funds that can only be used for public transportation purposes. In recent years, General Funds has subsidized Prop A programs and expenditures. For the 2011-12 Budget, the General Fund is scheduled to subsidize Prop. A and C programs for $170,000 and $130,000 respectively.

He said city staff negotiated the purchase of $40,000 Prop A Funds from the City of La Habra Heights in exchange for $30,000 of General Fund dollars. In addition the staff also negotiated the purchase of $65,000 Prop A Funds from the City of La Habra Height fiscal year 2012-13 allotments in exchange for $48,750 of General Funds dollars.

Sung said the $78,750 of Prop A funds will completely support approved transportation programs which were previously budgeted through Prop A and C Funds with a General Fund subsidy. Programs and projects currently budgeted in Prop C. which are Prop A eligible will be transferred to Prop A to allow for the use of purchased Prop A. funds.

The council also approved an agreement between the city and Office Team for Human Resources Personnel.

City Administrator Ernesto Marquez reported to the council that the City has contracted with Office Team to provide human resources personal while the Human Resources Manager position has been vacant. The current agreement was entered into in Oct. 5, 2011, pursuant to the authority of the City Administrator, which was capped at $35,000 annually. He said the position is still open, which will require the services of Office Team to continue until it is filled.

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