The city budget passed unanimously on Tuesday night and included the elimination of 9 full-time employee positions, an increase in paramedics fees and a one-year, 1 percent utility tax increase.
More than 400 people crammed City Hall and an adjacent outside courtyard Tuesday, as City Council wrestled with ways to slash $2 million from its annual budget.
Incumbents Sheng Chang and Barbara Kuhn failed in their bids for re-election to City Council as voters gave first-time candidate Gail Marshall, former Mayor Roger Chandler and council appointee Gary Kovacic the nod for the next four years. Gino Roncilli came in well ahead of former Mayor George Fasching for the two year seat. Voters also gave thumbs down to Measure A, a ballot initiative that would have added 2 percent to the current 5 percent utility tax for the next four years.
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.
City Council is looking at fee increases, proposed elimination of as many as 14 full-time positions and other controversial alternatives to balance the 1996-97 budget.
Arcadia's City Council was unable to elect a Mayor at Tuesday's Council meeting, with 5 members splitting their votes 3 ways. Several council members are interviewed.
City Council voted to appoint a financial advisory committee to examine the city's financial policies and the size of its reserve fund, then report back to the Council by December.
City Council voted Tuesday night to spend $804,380 in transportation funds to purchase land for a rail station on the northern edge of downtown Arcadia.
Arcadia City Council has approved funding for outdoor lights at Dana and First Avenue middle schools, but opposed lighting a soccer field at Foothills Middle School.
The City Council voted 3-1, with Councilman Sheng Chang dissenting, to do nothing with a request from an Arcadia resident to enact a citywide ban on leaf blowers.
The City Council approved a proposal Tuesday that would place a voluntary cap on the amount candidates spend in the April municipal election. The limit will be 50 cents per resident.