Mayor Vetoes Redondo Beach Sewer Maintenance Fee

Redondo Beach Mayor Brad Parton this week vetoed a plan to charge residents and businesses a monthly fee to fund maintenance and repairs to the city’s sewer system.

Parton was absent the previous week when the City Council narrowly approved the new fees. As the council considers next year’s budget over the next two weeks, the members are expected to discuss again how to fund an estimated $16 million in repairs to the aging system.

The repairs are in addition to the proposed $53.8-million budget for fiscal year 1994-95, which begins next month.

The proposed budget, which is about $400,000 more than last year’s budget, calls for the city to end a cost-cutting attrition program that has eliminated 77 positions over three years. The council decided this week not to cut several positions from the Fire Department.

The council scheduled a meeting on June 28 to make final budget decisions.

The council is also expected to decide whether to add $100,000 to the city treasurer’s budget. The proposed budget eliminates one position from the treasurer’s office through a retirement, but the treasurer has asked that the position be reinstated and has requested several salary increases.

At a budget workshop this week, the council voted to set aside $500,000 to recruit city workers and offer incentives to productive staff members.