City of La Cañada Flintridge sees revenue increase in mid-fiscal year

So far this fiscal year, the city has seen a net increase of $202,875 in general fund revenue and has spent $1,450 less than it was expecting to when the City Council passed the budget last June.

But, with new projects on the books — including the construction of sound walls along the Foothill (210) Freeway, maintenance upgrades at Lanterman Auditorium and a project to prevent rock slides on Foothill Boulevard — the city must adjust its projections upward to the tune of $250,450.

“The news here is generally quite good,” Director of Finance Daniel Jordan said of the revenue increase Wednesday in his mid-year budget review presentation to the City Council.

Jordan explained the reasons for the mid-year adjustments, highlighting some of the larger revenue sources and expenditures.

The city, on an annual operating budget of about $11.2 million, receives a bulk of its revenues from taxes, although fines, penalties and money received from outside agencies accounts for a portion of the total received.

Jordan reported an annual general fund budget for this fiscal year of nearly $11.6 million and a total of nearly $11.3 million in expenditures. Council members heard presentations on the projects requesting new funds not stipulated when the budget was passed, which amount to a combined $552,375.

Public Works Director Edward Hitti updated the council on the sound wall construction, for which $380,000 was previously approved. That project is expected to be completed in October.

Hitti also explained how the city might prevent further rock slides on portions of Foothill Boulevard, from Briggs Avenue to Oceanview Boulevard, where at least one boulder has fallen.

“We did visit the site,” Hitti told the council. “There are a lot of boulders and big rocks in that area. We consulted on how we could stabilize that slope.”

The most effective low-cost option would be to install a net formation of tension rods to prevent slippage, Hitti said. Eventually, if the local vegetation does not regenerate, the city can examine the option of planting ground covering for aesthetic purposes.

According to the mid-year budget review report, Public Works is seeking $165,000 to complete the structural components of the slope project.

Carl Alameda, a senior management analyst for the city, reported on the need for $4,475 in upgrades at Lanterman Auditorium, which the city operates through a joint-use permit with La Cañada Unified School District.

Alameda said the facility, currently undergoing repairs, requires additional fixes such as lighting on and around the stage area and in the Green Room. There are also wiring issues, discovered by repairmen, which need to be addressed, he added.

“The hot areas they taped off so no one would get shocked, but they would like to replace those wires,” Alameda said.

Additionally, the budget report identified a need for $2,475 to pay for custodial services at the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge, which the city owns but does not operate.

Council members accepted all staff recommendations, unanimously approving adjustments to the budget.

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Follow Sara Cardine on Twitter: @SaraCardine.

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