Thousand Oaks Council Wrangles Over Budget

Could we tweak this and cut that and take from this to add to that?

It could have been Marlon Brando talking alterations with his tailor, but it was actually the City Council on Wednesday discussing its two-year, $135.3-million spending plan.

Council members unanimously support adding two police patrols and opening the Thousand Oaks Library on Fridays.

But City Manager Grant Brimhall’s spending plan does not include money for these council priorities, and recommends them only if the council finds some new source of money to pay for them.

However, the budget does include money to build restrooms at the small park beside the Civic Arts Plaza, hire an economic development manager and renovate city sidewalks.

And that is where the wrangling began at Wednesday’s special budget hearing.

Two council members, Elois Zeanah and Jaime Zukowski, questioned why administrative expenses--namely costs for travel, training and vehicles--had risen so sharply. Cuts in those budgets could pay for the extra day of library service, Zukowski said.

“Comparing the past budgets, it is a very substantial change, and I don’t understand why it is necessary,” Zukowski said.

Assistant City Manager Mary Jane Lazz explained that these administrative expenses were slashed in past years during leaner budget times and the city was simply trying to bring them back to normal levels.

Another council priority--finding $285,000 to add two new patrol cars and staff them 40 hours a week--was delayed for at least a year with no money located and no consensus on what services were really needed.

The city, which contracts with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department for police services, has 91 sworn officers--fewer officers per capita than Oxnard, Ventura and Simi Valley, officials said.

But Sheriff’s Cmdr. Kathy Kemp said that rather than the patrol cars, Thousand Oaks could really use a misdemeanor detective or some civilians to process police reports.

“I think the council can get more bang for the buck this way,” Kemp said. “It’s not as visible” as police patrols, she added, “but we can utilize our resources in a more efficient manner.”

The council agreed to wait until next year to approve any new positions. By then, the council will know how much money Thousand Oaks will get from a new state law granting cities a portion of sales tax from auto leases.

Council members did approve one new initiative: hiring an in-house auditor to analyze the city’s finances.

The internal auditor position was suggested by the Community Budget Task Force, a residents committee the council created to assist in the budget process. The spending plan incorporates 15 of the committee’s 24 suggestions, including refinancing city bonds and hiring an economic development manager.

The City Council also approved $27,200 to put the city’s municipal code on line for computer users. And the members agreed in concept to put the council’s legislative history on line at a later date.

Council members had expected to complete budget deliberations at Wednesday’s special meeting, but were still debating points late into the evening.