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    • City Hall

    Planning fee recovery: Community input is vital

    Pacific Grove’s Community Development Department (CDD) set a goal of “preserving services through the economic storm,” meaning that, after large budget cuts, staff layoffs, contracting with other agencies, reducing staff by 43 percent and instituting voter-approved taxes, there is still a budget gap of $1.5 million.

    One area being examined is the large general revenue subsidy for fee-based services that Pacific Grove has, particularly in the planning department. Staff estimates that 73 percent of the cost for service, on average, is borne by General Revenues – the public.

    Staff, looking for ways to recover costs, reached out to the community for input. Read more…»

    Loading zone on Lighthouse is going away

    Parking on the north side of Lighthouse Avenue between 13th Street and 12th Street will soon be converted to 90-minute parking. Currently, it is a mixture of 90-minute parking, loading zones and 20-minute parking. Read more…»

    New 4-way stop coming at Gibson and Fountain

    At its July 14 meeting, the Traffic Safety Commission decided to ask staff undertake a study of the intersection of Fountain Avenue and Gibson Avenue. Gibson had previously been designated a through street from Eardley Avenue to Alder Street while traffic on cross streets, including Fountain Avenue, were required to stop at Gibson.

    “A lot of times people (traveling on Fountain) think that you (traveling on Gibson) are coming to a stop,” said resident Karen Sheppard at that meeting. She also expressed concern for middle school students going home at the end of the day.

    Conversely, there was also testimony that traffic on Gibson does, in fact, stop as if there were already a stop sign there.

    Staff took traffic counts, a peak-hour hand count and an accident analysis. They noted that the presence of many senior citizens from Canterbury Woods and Forest Hill Manor, the presence of a medical office and the fact that the area is a walking route for students from Robert Down and Pacific Grove Middle School result in higher than expected vehicle traffic and pedestrian traffic at the intersection.

    The installation of four-way stop signs at the intersection was approved on the consent agenda at the city council’s September 16 meeting.

    The resignation: Cort and Council under fire

    By Marge Ann Jameson and Cameron Douglas

    Stunning his constituents - and most of the rest of the Monterey Peninsula — Mayor Dan Cort has offered to resign in the face of what appears to be a narrowly based recall effort on the part of some disgruntled citizens.

    Many in Pacific Grove awakened Tuesday morning, August 4, to the mayor’s email, which stated that he himself had received an email from David Dilworth threatening that if Cort did not resign by 11:45 a.m. that morning, Dilworth would go forward with a recall campaign. Cort stated that he believes it was an attempt to keep him from voting on the Police Officer Association contract on the council agenda for the August 5, 2009 meeting. Read more…»

    Cost-cutting challenges Pacific Grove’s core services

    Library removed from chopping block — for now

    By Marge Jameson

    Recommending a budget gap “target” of $2.5 million, Director of Management and Budget Jim Becklenberg warns that basic service assumptions in the City of Pacific Grove will be challenged in the coming years. Coming hard on the heels of staffing and cost reductions put in place in recent years, he and his staff are recommending a series of changes in service levels. Read more…»

    Unfunded TRAN leaves City to borrow from itself: Other options explored

    By Marge Jameson

    Without sufficient reserves, Pacific Grove faces a cash-flow problem. In the long term, property tax revenues will enable the City to meet its financial obligations, but not until November. And the City has bills now, as it does every year.

    Normally, the City applies to a pool of similar communities for a “Tax Revenue Anticipation Note,” or TRAN, which is a short-term loan, funded by selling the note on the open market, and which bridges gaps in cash flow. But this year, the TRANs did not sell on the open market, partly due to California’s reputation for fiscal crisis. While they are expected to sell in about 30 days, Pacific Grove will reach deficit levels by the end of July without interim funding.

    Director of Management and Budget Jim Becklenberg presented options to the City Council at the July 15 meeting, and on a 4-2 vote the Council approved the option for internal borrowing - borrowing from other funds the City has on hand and which are not needed before tax revenue comes in. Read more…»

    Monterey projects refund of fire department costs: Reduction of charges also likely in future

    Monterey City Manager Fred Meurer has advised Pacific Grove’s Interim City Manager Charlene Wiseman that Monterey will likely refund a portion of Pacific Grove’s 2008-09 payments for fire protection because of cost savings that the Monterey Fire Department was able to achieve in fiscal year 2008-09. Meurer advises that the amount may be as much as $100,000, and that more accurate numbers will be available next month, in august.

    In addition, Meurer states that there will be a reduction of $167,800 in the charges to Pacific Grove for fiscal year 2009-10 as a result of cost savings efforts made in Monterey and Pacific Grove, and he has directed his staff to reduce the monthly charges Pacific Grove pays as a result.

    He is also projecting a reduction of $281,000 in charges for fiscal year 2010-11, partly as a result of recognition that Pacific Grove’s reserve fire apparatus have been used “disproportionately” to assist Monterey while Monterey suffers mechanical problems with their own fire apparatus. Monterey anticipates that it will need Pacific Grove’s reserve equipment for the better part of a year while they await the building and equipping of a new fire engine.


    A fire engine can cost from $50,000 to more than $750,000. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has compiled guidelines for apparatus design based upon review of the anticipated hazards and geographical terrain of the area the fire department will service, as well as other variables. Other factors may include ease of operation response speed, equipment storage and equipment deployment.

    The manufacture of a fire engine remains a custom, almost one-of-a-kind operation. Typically, a group of workers is assigned to the fabrication of the body and assembly of the truck frame. A separate group performs body finishing, then the apparatus is wired, equipped, and tested by a third, or “equipment,” group.




    Preliminary budget released

    There were no real surprises on the City’s proposed budget for 2009/10, which was unveiled at the City Council meeting May 20. But there were some new issues.

    Director of Management and Budget Jim Becklenberg revised his estimated revenue loss to $1.5 million in the current year from a previous estimate of $1.3 million. And the failure of California’s budget propositions to meet voter approval in the special election of May 17, 2009 raises the specter of a “grab” from cities by the state. Read more…»

    Flashing crosswalk in the works: traffic commission

    By Cameron Douglas

    At its May 12 meeting, the Pacific Grove Traffic Safety Commission heard Public Works Director Celia Perez-Martinez update the installation of a flashing crosswalk on Sunset Avenue near the high school. That project is waiting for one piece of equipment that is three weeks away. “The electrical work that’s been able to be done so far has been done,” said Martinez. Read more…»

    New members for boards, commissions and committees


    The City Council has approved three new members to City Commissions and Committees. They are:

    William Fredrickson Planning Commission

    William Fredrickson is a graduate mechanical engineer. Over his 45-year career, he worked in engineering, sales and marketing, operations and general management. He has lived in three countries Read more…»

    Cost-cutting and revenue enhancements: FY 2009/10 looms

    By Marge Jameson

    Director of Management and Budget Jim Becklenberg reported at the March 4 City Council meeting that City staff anticipates a $1.3 million budget gap for the coming fiscal year. He was directed to return with ideas for revenue increases and for cutting expenditures.

    Report on the budget shortfall in Vol. I, Issue 24 (March 6-12, 2009) at “past issues”


    With the help of the Budget and Finance Committee and suggestions from the community, staff has researched strategies for closing the budget gap with both revenue ideas and cost-cutting measures and Becklenberg presented their report at the April 15 City Council meeting. The staff report outlines $2.2 million in revenue-generating options and another $2.5 million in potential cost-saving measures. He brought it to the City Council meeting and asked, “Are there any fatal flaws? Are we heading in the right direction or the wrong direction?” Read more…»

    City Hall Information

    Office of the Mayor and City Council 300 Forest Ave. Pacific Grove, CA 93950T :: 831.648.3100 F :: 831.657.9361

    City Manager’s Office 300 Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. Pacific Grove, CA 93950T :: 831.648.3106 F :: 831.657.9361

    City Hall Links

    Pacific Grove Online





    New Commissioners Appointed

    The City Council of Pacific Grove has approved the Mayor’s recommendations for the appointment of members to the City’s Beautification and Natural Resources Committee and to the Traffic Safety Commission. Michael Kapp is the new member of the Beautification and Natural Resources Committee, Sarah A. Lewis has been appointed to the Traffic Safety Commission, and Tony Prock is joining the Traffic Safety Commission.

    Michael Kapp has most recently served as what he terms an “interface” between major entertainment and technology industries such as Canter Technology, Gracenote.com, and EMI Music. Kapp serves on the Board of Advisors to the MOVES Institute - Naval Postgraduate School, and has served on the Pacific Repertory Theatre and The Monterey County Film Commission Boards of Directors. From 1972 to 1993, Kapp was also the founder and president of Warner Special Products, Inc., and has many other distinguished accomplishments to his name. He has been appointed to the Beautification and Natural Resources Committee.

    Sarah A. Lewis wants “to make a difference” and so joins the Traffic Safety Commission, bringing with her a certain passion for the city that could make up for any lack of experience in traffic management. Lewis’ experience in is interior design and architectural specifications. She says she is someone “who believes in using my bike or legs as transportation as much as possible” and is in favor of keeping a “slow pace” to downtown traffic. Her partner was recently the victim of a hit and run in front of Toasties.

    Tony Prock joins the Traffic Safety Commission. Currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Grove Police Citizens Academy Alumni Association, Prock has served the community in related areas for some time. Prock assisted Pacific Grove police with traffic control at the car events August Historic Week and Cherries Jubilee and has assisted police with traffic and crowd control at various other special events. He is also the safety coordinator at companies in the Bay area, has been the traffic and driving coordinator with Pacific Bell, where he presented a safe driving program for the Monterey Bay region, and has even served as a shuttle driver during Pebble Beach events.



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