San Clemente Ca Contracts

In the wake of a City Council vote to disband the Police Department and contract with the county Sheriff's Department, some residents talked defiantly Thursday of recalling city officials. Meanwhile, a few officers expressed shock, disappointment and fear over their future. Amid it all, some officers who previously had remained in the background came forward to support the City Council's decision and spoke of their readiness to become sheriff's deputies.

The City Council will consider approving a contract with Leittieri-McIntyre Associates, an environmental consulting firm, to prepare an environmental study for the proposed site of the Festival of Arts. Leittieri-McIntyre is also contracting with the city for planning of the Talega development, a 4,900-home project in the eastern hills of San Clemente, the proposed new site of the festival.

With the city's waste collection and recycling franchise about to change hands, the City Council is asking for a $100,000 insurance policy to make sure the new garbage collectors live up to their end of the agreement. Last week, council members authorized CR&R Inc. to assume responsibility for the city's trash collection service from Solag Disposal Inc., which had a contract with the city until June 2007.

Despite objections from nearly two dozen employees of the city's public-works maintenance department, a divided City Council has voted to proceed with a plan to eliminate the department and turn over street repairs and traffic-light maintenance to a private contractor. When they drew up the 1997-98 budget in February, council members said the plan could save the city $430,000. But the contractor with whom the city is negotiating now puts the savings at only $370,000.

Work to stabilize the storm-damaged Colony Cove bluffs at the north end of the city could begin as early as next week. On Wednesday, the City Council will consider awarding a $3.6-million contract to J.C. Baldwin Construction Co. for the project, said Handan Cirit, principal civil engineer for the city.

Despite objections from nearly two dozen employees of the city's public-works maintenance department, a divided City Council has voted to proceed with a plan to eliminate the department and turn over street repairs and traffic-light maintenance to a private contractor. When they drew up the 1997-98 budget in February, council members said the plan could save the city $430,000. But the contractor with whom the city is negotiating now puts the savings at only $370,000.

The City Council will consider approving a final contract tonight to hire the Sheriff's Department to assume law enforcement services in the community. If approved, the $5.79-million contract with the Sheriff's Department would save the cash-strapped city about $2.1 million during the coming fiscal year, slightly greater than previously anticipated, officials said. In comparison, it would cost the city about $7.

Some angry residents threatened Saturday to recall the City Council unless a controversial proposal to disband the Police Department and contract for services with the County Sheriff's Department is put before the voters. During a daylong special council meeting, officials outlined the city's bleak financial picture, telling residents that some programs must be cut or eliminated to avert a crisis. Switching to the Sheriff's Department is estimated to save the city $2 million a year.

Four City Council members who have been targeted for recall because they voted to disband the Police Department and contract with the Sheriff's Department said Friday they will fight the effort. "It just seems like we're snake bit," said Mayor Truman Benedict. "There's slides, fires, broken water mains, and now this. It gets discouraging. But we'll pull through." Council members Joseph Anderson, Scott Diehl and Candace Haggard are the other three named by recall advocates.

Angered by a City Council decision last week to disband the Police Department and contract for services with the Sheriff's Department, a group of residents and business owners met Thursday night and vowed to recall the four council members who voted for the change. "The City Council voted that way in spite of broad-based support for the department or putting the issue on the ballot," said Rob Topolski, a resident and former police dispatcher who organized the meeting.

To try to prevent beach-goers from crossing the railroad tracks at illegal access points, the city will begin installation of new high-security fencing in the Pier Bowl area. The City Council is scheduled to award a $40,000 contract tonight to Safeguards Technology Inc. of Hackensack, N.J., to remove the 15-year-old chain-link fence and replace it with a steel security fence running from the San Clemente Pier to the T Street Beach.

Work to stabilize the storm-damaged Colony Cove bluffs at the north end of the city could begin as early as next week. On Wednesday, the City Council will consider awarding a $3.6-million contract to J.C. Baldwin Construction Co. for the project, said Handan Cirit, principal civil engineer for the city.

The City Council has awarded a $500,000 contract to a San Diego-based construction company to build a long-awaited, humane animal shelter at Rancho San Clemente Business Park. Groundbreaking is expected to begin next month and construction may be completed by February, said Jim Holloway, director of community development.

The City Council has hired an accounting firm to do a cash-flow analysis in light of the county investment pool collapse. Since the county's financial debacle unfolded last month, city finance staffers have logged nearly 1,000 hours crunching numbers, and they need time to tend to other projects, said Paul Gudgeirsson, director of management and budget. The council voted unanimously on Wednesday to pay KPMG Peat Marwick up to $15,000 for the cash-flow analysis and review.

The first visible step in an excruciatingly slow process to repair a 17-month-old landslide and clear a vital stretch of Pacific Coast Highway began Tuesday with the tedious chore of dismantling three damaged bluff-top homes. San Clemente city officials said the demolition would have to be done painstakingly, piece by piece and without the help of bulldozers, because the three damaged homes on La Ventana are still hanging precariously over the 50-foot bluff.

Over the objections of firefighters, the San Clemente City Council voted unanimously Monday to disband its 66-year-old Fire Department and contract fire services with the county. City Councilman Truman Benedict called the decision "extremely tough. I've lived here in this town for 45 years. Most of these firemen have grown up here and gone to San Clemente High School. But we have to think of the whole city."

A group calling itself Citizens for a Better San Clemente gave formal notice Tuesday that it will seek a ballot initiative to stop the city from closing the Police Department and contracting for police services with the Sheriff's Department. "If this passes, the people win back their right to vote," said group member Barry Vick, making a pointed reference to the City Council's unilateral decision last month to contract with the Sheriff's Department.

Ending several months of negotiations, the City Council approved a four-year contract with the city's police union this week. The council voted 4 to 1 to approve the contract, with Councilman Thomas Lorch voting against the pact. "We're very excited that we finally reached an agreement," said Councilwoman Holly Veale. "I'm glad to have it behind us." Contract talks between city and police negotiators had stalled several times before both sides returned to the bargaining table last month.

The City Council turned over operation of four city services to the private contractors on Wednesday in a move that will affect 22 employees. The city hopes to save $2.45 million over five years by contracting with private companies to perform jobs like landscape maintenance and water meter reading. The firms were given one-year contracts that will be reviewed next year. "We're not contracting the whole city," said Councilman Tom Lorch. "We have a year to work on these and see how they turn out."