Public Works Department To Be Reworked

The Laguna Niguel City Council decided that the city's p will undergo some changes at its meeting Tuesday night.

Councilman Robert Ming was the only dissenting vote, and according to City Manager Tim Casey, the decision to rework the department was prompted by the retirement of one of the two city employees who oversees the maintenance of city parks and landscaped areas.

“The public works director and I recommended that all parks and landscape maintenance responsibilities be placed under the supervision of the remaining employee and that the position be upgraded to parks and landscape superintendent,” Casey said.

Instead of replacing the vacant supervisor position, the department and Casey proposed hiring two, lower level landscape maintenance inspectors. Casey said that these two employees will be responsible for “monitoring contractor performance in the field, identifying extra work needs and carrying out minor capital improvement projects.”

The other part of last night’s proposal was to upgrade the current position of building and facilities coordinator to building and facilities supervisor to recognize the additional responsibilities associated with the fact that the city now owns, rather than rents its City Hall.

Councilmember Ming cited his concern over the net increase of an additional city employee, because the vacant landscape maintenance supervisor position will be replaced with two landscape maintenance inspectors, as the reason for his dissenting vote.

There was also a public hearing to receive testimony for the community development block grant action plan. Representatives from non-profit organizations attended the meeting to speak in favor of the plan’s proposed sub-grants to public service providers. The plan was unanimously approved and will be placed on the April 3 agenda for final approval.

The City Council also:

• Awarded the contract to Oritz Enzerprizes in the amount of $2,014,656 for the

• Received the notice of completion for the

• Received the notice of completion for the Crown Valley Community Park slope repair project.

• Awarded the contract for the citywide roadway slurry seal program to Roy Allan Slurry Seal, Inc. for the amount of $762,368.81.

• Disposed of surplus and obsolete property by recommending donation to local non-profit organizations and schools as well as recycling unusable or broken items.

• Approved the request to use the community room as a polling place for the June 5 election.

• Awarded the contract for the July 4 fireworks display to Fireworks America.

The City Council also carried out a discussion regarding the proposed 2012-2013 budget. City staff will consider the following suggestions:

• Start setting aside funds for future improvements to Crown Valley Community Park that may be identified/recommended in the master plan process that is currently under way.
• Continuing budgeting funds for citywide street resurfacing.
• Consider a building permit fee for holiday for home improvements.
• Develop a new signage program for the .

The City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the  at City Hall, 30111 Crown Valley Pkwy.