After months of negotiations, the Arcadia Police Relief Association has failed to find common ground with the City Council on a contract which expired Sept. 30th. Officers want to work 3 12-hour days, like the Pasadena Police Dept. does, as well as receive a 1.5% increase for overtime, pay for being on call, and for equipment. Officers have received a 25.3% pay increase over the last 3 years.
The City Council has unanimously opposed the Arcadia Police Relief Association's proposals for a work week make up of 3 8-hour days, a 1.5% pay increase, and payment for time spent on-call.
California's minimum wage increase is going to force some restaurants to hike food prices, cut back on employee hours and reduce advertising. McGrath's Fish House in Arcadia may be forced to reduce employee hours. The minimum wage is now $7.50 per hour. Another 50 cent increase goes into effect January 1, 2008.
City Council approved a 12% pay increase for City Clerk June Alford. The raise comes just as city voters are considering changing the city clerk's office from an elected one to an employee position.
The Arcadia and Monrovia police departments have been forced to increase overtime spending and reduce dayside patrol staffing because of the recent transfer of criminal cases from the Santa Anita Courthouse to Alhambra.
Arcadia City Council on Wednesday called for a study on whether it should contract with Los Angeles County for its fire protection services. The decision came after a marathon 5 1/2 hour session on the budget that attracted more than 400 spectators.
An audit of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Gardens shows that the facility exceeded its operating budget by nearly $1.5 million over the past three years. The Arboretum will be tightening its belt on spending.
The union for the Arcadia Police Department and the Arcadia City Council have reached an agreement. The contract gives officers a 24.4% increase in salaries and benefits over the next 4 years. The department is still down by 14 officers.
A recent audit found that the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Gardens exceeded its operating budget by almost $1.5 million over the past three years, and uncovered payroll discrepancies and unapproved rental fee waivers.
Measure A seeks to repeal utility users tax in Arcadia, on the April 12 ballot. The utility users tax is a source of revenue expected to generate $7 million for the city this year. Arcadia charges residents 7% for gas, water, and electricity, and 5% for telephone on utility bills. The city estimates each household pays less than $10 per person per month on average. The tax is 12.5% of the city's $54.9 million general fund budget. If repealed, it would mean a 12.5% cut to city services, including cutting 12 police officers, closing a fire department, increasing blight, street sweeping would be reduced from weekly to every other week. Programs for children and seniors would be eliminated and library and museum hours would be reduced significantly. Larry Papp helped author the initiative.
The city council voted 4 to 1 in closed session not to accept Kare Youth League's offer of $2 million to purchase 1.5 acres of the Arcadia Par 3 Golf Course, which is owned by the city and is more than 20 acres in size. Councilman Gary Kovacic thinks the property is more valuable than Kare Youth League's offer.
The City will pay $1.25 million to the Sully Miller Contracting Co. to settle a breach-of-contract lawsuit the company filed after it was fired from the Downtown 2000 project.
The city council has decided to appropriate $35,000 toward the design of a light rail bridge over Santa Anita Avenue. This is to pay for early design work needed for an environmental impact report. The bridge project is expected to cost the city $10.7 million which may come from a bond. The Construction Authority would pay $18.4 million bringing total bridge cost to $29.1 million.
The Board of Education of the Arcadia Unified School District has approved a one year contract with the teachers union that includes a 5 percent pay raise.
Pension reform is happening with Arcadia city employees. Arcadia City Council approved an ordinance last week whereby police officers and firefighters hired by the city are now required to pay their full employee share, or 9 percent, of their pension costs--an amount previously covered by the city. In addition, tentative agreements are in place with 4 out of 5 employee unions, to have members pay their full share by the next 3 years. Annual increases in employee costs during that period would be offset by equivalent annual raises. Other San Gabriel cities may follow suit.
Arcadia High School administrators have instituted a 24-hour student telephone tip line to increase campus security and decrease the risk of campus violence.
Arcadia Dial-a-Ride service to return to seniors, disabled after years of students "monopolizing" the service. On July 1, the fare will increase from 25 cents to 50 cents per ride and will have new fixed routes. The Dial-a-Ride will be for seniors over 62 years old and riders who are disabled.
Private schools pay annual rent for classrooms at two area public schools. There is a controversy over the use or misuse of classrooms by these students.