Fountain Valley OKs fountain revival plans and $121.7-million city budget

The Fountain Valley City Council approved $235,600 in contracts Tuesday to bring the City Hall fountain back to life.

It also passed a $121.7-million city budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Condor Inc. of El Monte will repair the lower portion of the long-dry fountain for $179,000. Merchants Landscaping Services of Santa Ana will do the landscaping work for $31,275. AndersonPenna Partners of Newport Beach will handle construction management for $25,325.

The city has been planning for a year to bring back the 17,000-gallon fountain, which was drained during the drought. The feature, a centerpiece of the city complex on Slater Avenue, has fallen into disrepair since it went dry in 2015. The council whittled down potential — and potentially more expensive — looks for the fountain before getting to a version that partially restores its flow and adds landscaping to sections where the water won’t run.

The large bowl closest to the City Hall entrance would feature a sago palm and fountain grass to mimic a bursting spray, with a bed of aloe and blue chalksticks — succulents with greenish-blue, finger-like leaves — and trailing rosemary sprawling over the lip and agapanthus flowers in a gradient of darker to lighter blues as they approach the street.

The total budget for the project, including contingencies, is $260,000.

Budget passes

Also on Tuesday, the council passed the city’s $121.7-million budget for fiscal 2018-19, which starts July 1.

The city expects $121.7 million in revenue along with $111.8 million in expenditures from the general fund, its primary operating fund.

The general fund has a $5.9-million surplus, according to budget documents.

General fund revenue is projected to increase by about $2.3 million over the current fiscal year, primarily thanks to 3% increases in property tax and sales tax collections.

A capital improvement plan includes projects such as $750,000 to remodel the fire station on Bushard Street, $150,000 to modernize the kitchen and a meeting room at the recreation center, $100,000 for interior City Hall improvements, $80,000 for new security cameras at several city facilities and $60,000 for automatic security gates at the fire stations.

The city also plans to make an additional $2-million payment toward its unfunded pension liability.

hillary.davis@latimes.com

Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD