Also, pay raises for Police Dispatchers & Community Service Officers, spending $652K on road improvements
By Allen D. Payton, Editor
LOS BANOS, CA — During their regular meeting Wednesday night, Aug. 7, 2024, the Los Banos City Council will hold two public hearings to consider approving a beer and wine license for La Gloria Restaurant and Desserts and renewing the Los Banos Downtown Property and Business Improvement District for another 10 years.
Downtown Property and Business Improvement District
During the meeting, under agenda item 8.B., the city council will hold a public hearing to conduct and conclude a public hearing and direct the City Clerk to tabulate the ballots of the votes by property owner assessments to renew the Los Banos Downtown Property and Business Improvement District for another 10 years beginning Jan. 1, 2025, or sooner.
A Business Improvement District (BID) or Property and Business Improvement District (PBID) is a self-taxing district established by property and business owners to enhance the economic vitality of a specific commercial area. Members pay a special tax to cover the expense of providing their BID with services beyond what the local government offers in their area. A BID or PBID is a public-private partnership organized for the improvement of a specific geographic area.
According to the city staff report for the item, the LBDPBID is a benefit assessment district whose primary goal is to provide improvements, maintenance and activities which constitute and convey a special benefit to assessed parcels. This approach has been used successfully in other cities throughout the country to provide special benefits to property owners, namely increased sales, attraction of new tenants, increased occupancies, and specifically increased property values.
LBDPBID property owners decided to pursue renewal of the LBDPBID in order to continue a revenue source devoted to providing special benefits to assessed property owners. If renewed, the LBDPBID would generate approximately $176,047.76 in assessment revenue on an annual basis for maintenance and general security and marketing and placemaking programs that are above and beyond those provided by the City and other government agencies.
On June 21, 2024, the city sent a Notice and Assessment Ballot to the owners of all property proposed to be assessed within the LBDPBID. Mailing the notice and assessment ballot began the mandatory forty-five (45) day period in which owners may cast ballots. The votes will be counted and the results announced at the council meeting.
If the vote is successful to support 50% or more of the property owner assessments to renew the LBDPBID, the City Council is asked to adopt the resolution to renew the LBDPBID and levy the assessments.
The district is governed by the LBPBID Owners’ Association Board of Directors which represent a cross section of property owners but will also include businesses, government and others paying the PBID assessment.
Beer & Wine License
According to the city staff report for the agenda item, #8.A. by Community and Economic Development Directo Stacy Souza Elms, La Gloria Restaurant and Desserts is located at 265 Mercey Springs Road, in the Premier Cinemas Plaza. “The restaurant currently serves a variety of authentic Mexican cuisine and seeks to enhance its dining experience by offering beer and wine to its patrons. The Type 41 ABC License allows the on-sale of beer and wine for consumption on the premises in conjunction with a bona fide eating establishment. The hours of operation are from 11 am to 8 pm Monday through Sunday, closed on Wednesdays.”
A Conditional Use Permit is required for any establishment dispensing for sale or other consideration alcoholic beverages, including beer and wine, for on-sale or off-sale. The city council must adopt a resolution finding the proposed project to be Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301, Existing Facilities in order to approve the conditional use Permit to allow for the on-sale of beer and wine.
On July 10, 2024, the Los Banos planning Commission held a public hearing to review Conditional Use Permit #2024-05 for the use of a Type 41 alcohol license for the on-sale of beer and wine license and recommended approval by the city council.
$652,215 for Road Improvements
In addition, under item 7.E. on the Consent Calendar, the council will consider adopting a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a claim form on behalf of the City for the Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) Exchange funds in the amount of $652,215.00 to the Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG).
RSTP funds are distributed through Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs) to eligible projects that may include safe routes to school or other related active transportation, bicycle and pedestrian projects bicycle and pedestrian, among other transit and transportation improvement projects and programs. MCAG is the county’s MPO.
The funds will be used by the City in conjunction with existing road tax revenues for street and road improvements in the Fiscal Year 2024/2025 budget the city council adopted in June.
Pay Raises for Police Dispatchers, Community Service Officers
Also, on the Consent Calendar, under item 7.G., the council will consider approving a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the city’s police dispatchers and Community Service Officers for increases to their pay and benefits. According to the staff report, “The City has bargained in good faith with the LBPDCSOA and reached agreement on a new three (3) year MOU for July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027. The changes to the MOU include, effective July 1, 2024:
• Salary increase of two point seven-five percent (2.75%) for the Public Safety Dispatchers on August 1, 2024, July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026.
• Salary increase of three percent (3%) for the CSOs on August 1, 2024, July 1, 2025 and July 1, 2026.
• Certificate Pay will be increased to $75 per month for Corrections Academy Certificate, Dispatcher Training Certificate and Intermediate Dispatchers Certificate.
• Amendment to the Cafeteria Plan Allowance (Health, Vision, Dental, Life Insurances) as it pertains to increasing the dollar caps amount over the term of the agreement.
• Allow for a 12-Hour Shift Schedule Pilot Program and Uniform Allowance for CSOs in the amount of $800 per fiscal year.
Fiscal Impact: For Fiscal Year 2024/25, the proposed adjustment will increase salaries and benefits expenditures by approximately $41,000. The increase will be distributed between the General Fund $30 thousand and the remainder $11 thousand from Measure H, Measure P, and CFO funds ($6,000, $3,000, and $2,000 respectively). In FY 2024/25, funds were budgeted in the General Fund contingency fund to mitigate the impacts of expenditure increases from labor agreements. Staff will ensure future increases are factored into the budget projections for the duration of the agreement.”
Meeting Information
The council meeting begins at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers inside City Hall at 520 J Street in downtown Los Banos. It can also be viewed livestream on the City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@losbanos406.
Public Comments
Public comments are allowed for each agenda item and general public comments for matters not on the agenda are received at the beginning of the meeting under Public Forum. As an alternative for in-person comments, written public comment may be made by e-mail to [email protected] or delivered to the City Clerk at City Hall, 520 J Street three (3) hours prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. Comments received will not be read aloud at the meeting but shall be distributed to the City Council via e-mail and added to the agenda packet on the City’s website for public review. Agenda packets can be found on the City’s website at https://losbanos.org/category/city-council.
