Santa Clara City Desk
By Carolyn Schuk

There was other business on the Santa Clara City Council's Dec. 6 agenda besides the proposed agreement for the 49ers stadium. And while it may not be as exciting as watching a new major-league football stadium become a reality, it nonetheless concerned bread-and-butter issues for city residents.

Senior Center Will Serve Lunch During Holiday Week

Although employee furloughs and pay cuts look the same on an accounting spreadsheet, they're considerably different in their impact on city residents' lives. That's highlighted by a request from the Santa Clara senior commission that the senior center remain open from Tuesday Dec. 27 through Friday Dec. 30 despite city employee furloughs. Volunteers have offered their time to staff the center.

The good news is lunch will be served those days and the senior center auditorium will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The bad news is that, "consistent with our agreement with employee bargaining groups for established furlough days, other parts of the Senior Center will not be open on the furlough days," said the City Manager's report on the subject.

"While we are thankful that we have volunteers and part time workers to assist the City...when a volunteer or part time worker is on duty at a City facility, a supervisor is also available, either on premises or via telephone," continued the report.

"With furlough days, however, State law mandates that employees on furlough may not work at all, including by phone as a supervisor. Assigning paid staff to work on furlough days is contrary to the agreements made with the employee bargaining groups."

On Thursday, December 15 there will be a lunchtime talk at the Senior Center on "Surviving the Stress of the Holiday Season" at 12:30 p.m. For information about the Santa Clara Senior Center, visit santaclaraca.gov/index.aspx?page=243 or call (408) 615-3170.

Convention Center Revenue Rises

The Santa Clara Convention Center reported that revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2011-12 was $168,738 over budget as of Nov. 12. However, expenses went up almost $50,000 to support these events. The bottom line is a year-to-date net loss of $543,936 - less than the budgeted net loss of $663,401.

During Q1, the convention center hosted 191 events, attended by 58,145 people. Currently, 108 events are scheduled for Q2.

Trash Hauler Agreements Approved

On Dec. 6, the City Council approved non-exclusive agreements with 10 industrial trash and recycling haulers for January through June of 2012. Businesses can choose among these haulers.

City Manager Jennifer Sparacino noted that none of them are under investigation for the incorrect reporting of landfill tipping fees at Kirby Canyon Landfill. "The city has protection in our agreements," said Sparacino. "Ethical standards are spelled out and the business has to sign that agreement. We also have the right to terminate and...audit, and we do audit periodically."

The county's Recycling and Waste Reduction Commission (RWRC) is investigating Kirby Canyon landfill operator, Waste Management, for misclassifying trash to reduce haulers' franchise fees.

City in Line for Refund and Some Lower Interest Payments

Council Member Jamie McLeod reported that the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) has a budget surplus and is returning it to member cities. Santa Clara will get $4,000 back.

The recent Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) bond re-financing will save that agency $4 million in interest, reported Council member Pat Kolstad. Santa Clara's piece of that is about 30 percent.

Closed Sessions Matter

As usual, there was no "reportable action" from the City Council's regular closed session meeting on Dec. 6. Besides the 49ers stadium, the city is currently negotiating with its 10 employee unions "pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6."

In Memoriam

The Dec. 6 council meeting was adjourned in memory of Sean M. Wash, active duty soldier of the Army National Guard and member of the Santa Clara Police Department Police Activities Explorer Program; longtime Santa Clara activist and senior commissioner Anita Marencia, retired SCPD officer Thomas Dean Martini; former Council Member and civil service commissioner Sue Lasher; Mary McLeod (grandmother to Council Member McLeod); and Chester McGlockton (son-in-law to city contractor Dorothy Moore).

Carolyn Schuk can be reached at cschuk@earthlink.net.