Jam Packed Agenda For Tonight’s Meeting of the Dixon City Council

Anyone who attends tonight’s meeting of the might want to plan for a late night. The agenda is full of new and unfinished business,  public hearings and minute actions

Here are some of the highlights:

9/11 Memorial at the Dixon Fire Department

The is in possession of a piece of steel from the The piece of steel sits on a mantle among important firefighter memorabilia – waiting to become a memorial in which people affected by the tragedy can visit for quiet reflection.

“The firefighters are proposing to install a concrete slab with steel pieces representing the twin towers, and mounting the World Trade Center Steel on this memorial,” a city staff report read. “Some type of plaque will also be placed on this monument, recognizing the sacrifices of those who died on Sept. 11, 2001.”

In addition, the firefighters have raised funds and gathered donations to achieve the project with no fiscal impact to the city.

Tonight, the City Council is expected to approve a project allowing the fire department to install the steel in front of its building. Approval is necessary because it involves placing a permanent structure on city-owned property, according to a staff report.

Approval of Firefighters’ MOU

On Aug. 10, the members of asked the Dixon City Council to not impose a contract on them that would cut their salaries by 8 percent. The council agreed and ordered its negotiation team back to the bargaining table with the firefighters to come up with a contract that would provide the city a two-year savings of $215,671.

Tonight, the council will vote on the contract that achieves the desired savings and calls for no cuts to the base salaries of the firefighters.

Included in the contract is a reduction in the education incentive from 7 percent  to 4 percent during the first year and eliminating it during the second year; a total reduction  of 50 percent  of the medical benefits allowance cashout; elimination of the uniform allowance during the second year; employees pay an additional/remaining 3.8 percent (in addition to the 3.913 percent  the city owes under the previous MOU) towards PERS; a PERS retirement program of 3 percent at 55 with three-year average for new hires;  and a payment of an additional .55 percent toward the employer share in PERS.

Appointment of interim Director of Finance and Technology

The Dixon City Council is expected to vote on the appointment of Joan Aguilar as its Interim Director of Finance and Technology.

Back in July then-director for a position as the City of Vacaville’s director of finance and technology. In response, the city accepted 17 applications for the position of interim director of finance and technology in Dixon.

Out of those 17 applicants city staff chose five to interview. From the five, city staff recommends Aguilar for the position, according to a city staff report.

“Joan has over 30 years of public sector experience, including working for the cities of Stockton, Azusa, Covina … and Burbank,” the report read. “During that time, she held the position titles of budget manager, budget officer, finance director/city treasurer and controller. She possesses degrees from California State University at Northridge and the University of Phoenix.”

Approval of Early Retirement Program

Back in June the Council adopted a resolution that authorized an Early Retirement  Incentive Program under PARS provided that the program met certain fiscal, managerial and operation goals for the city.

City staff then sent letters to 22 individuals who met the requirements of the program and received six letters of interest from staff in the following classifications:  director of community development, management analyst II, senior maintenance worker, technology coordinator and two senior bus operators.

Tonight, the council is set to decide approve the retirement plan or adopt another one. Should the council decide to implement the plan, those eligible for it would retire no later than Sept. 30, 2011.

“As is true with many public agencies, the City of Dixon is experiencing a shortfall between General Fund expenditures and revenues resulting in a projected deficit to the General Fund of approximately $710,00 in the current Fiscal Year,” a staff report read. “Savings from not filling two of the positions noted above (Management Analyst II and Senior Maintenance Workers) and filling two of the positions on a part time, as needed, hourly basis without benefits through the end of the Fiscal Year (Community Development Director and Technology Coordinator) will result in a first year savings to the City’s General Fund of $130,158. Over five years, the estimated net savings would increase to $341,896. Because  they are grand funded, and not general funded, savings from filling the two Senior  Operator positions at an entry level will result in a savings by year three of $28,029 to the City’s Transit Enterprise Fund.

The council meets at 7 p.m., inside its chambers on 600 East A St.

Check out the rest of the agenda attached to this story.

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