David Siders' Stockton City Hall Blog

8:38 p.m.:

Community Development Director Michael Niblock is taking questions from City Council members. When that is done, the council is to talk about its upcoming town hall meetings. And then the meeting is to be over.

The blog is done first. Goodnight.

7:34 p.m.:

Revitalization Director Gus Duran is up. The department’s name is to be changed next week to the Economic Development Department.

Economic development is to be prioritized, Duran said. Redevelopment is to “take a back seat,” he said.

O’Rourke said, “Currently you have one staff person dedicated to this (economic development).” He said this will be the rare time staff suggests an increased subsidy.

The additional subsidy request of $168,000 would subsidize one staffer, O’Rourke said.

Duran said, “Our focus is going to be on business attraction and retention.” He said his department will go to other places in northern California to recruit businesses to Stockton.

Regarding the dry stack storage facility, Duran said no general fund money is going to construct that facility.

O’Rourke said the dry stack storage facility came up during staff meetings. He said he promised no general fund money would be spent on the project and that if general fund money is required, it will not go forward. He said there may be some operations and maintenance money to start, but that soon after it opens it would reduce debt service (and the general fund subsidy of the marina project, overall).

Regarding the move to Chase Bank Plaza, Duran said the move would be made, hopefully, during the next year. He said the city will save money by doing that.

7:42 p.m.:

In the housing division, Duran said CDBG funds are being reduced by 17 percent. The affordable housing program will be reduced by $600,000, he said. One vacant position will be eliminated, Duran said.

In redevelopment, revenue is down from $25.6 million in 2009 to $18.4 million in 2010.

Duran is discussing the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, former Mayor Ed Chavez’s program. There is expected to be a balance in June of $24 million, he said.

Duran said he is proposing a $5 million construction of a firehouse in south Stockton, a $4 million project in University Park. He said he is proposing that $15 million be used to reduce bond payments.

The state intends to take away more than $10 million this year and more than $2 million next year.

The SNI bond redemption could pay for much of the state takeaway. A staff reduction could pay for much of the rest, he said.

“We’re now cutting bone,” Duran said.

Mayor Ann Johnston is asking about the proposed increase in economic development staff, as it relates to proposed reductions elsewhere. Staff is to be shifted, Duran said.

7:56 p.m.:

Duran is talking about risk.

“The city has spent a lot of money on a lot of projects, not assessing the risk correctly.”

Mayor Ann Johnston is asking how moving to the Chase building will have a $300,000 savings.

O’Rourke is answering. He said, “No plans have really been completed for the buildout of the eight stories.” He said the city manager’s office and revitalization will do an analysis to determine viability. He said part of the answer is political (People will be upset about a move to nice quarters when budget cuts are being made), but in part an analysis will be done.

Vice Mayor Kathy Miller said she is concerned about losing key employees in redevelopment. She said, “I’m not seeing a whole lot of interaction between departments.” She said she is concerned that some longstanding employees in redevelopment will be hired elsewhere and will not be here in two years when the city needs them.

Johnston said, “How many will be left in your department?”

The department has 22 employees, he said. The reduction is almost half, he said.