Dublin City Council to Hand out Nearly $200K in City Funds
A few months ago, the City of Dublin forecasted a budget deficit for the 2010-2011 fiscal year of up to $4.6M; however, happy times are apparently here again for the City’s finances. Before the State of California was able to approve the new budget, the Dublin City Council already voted to give away $120K to various community organizations in the upcoming fiscal year. This free-for-all came as a surprise, given that the City only recently pushed, and later rescinded, an effort to pass a new tax on Dublin residents, after implementing a series of belt-tightening measures, including the cancellation of this year’s Day on the Glen. Former Dublin Mayor and current Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE) Executive Director Janet Lockhart spoke in favor of continuing the $120K give-away despite the City’s well-documented budget concerns.
Ms. Lockhart has not been a stranger in City Hall. Since her departure as Mayor, Ms. Lockhart has represented developers, local business owners, and non-profit agencies in brokering special deals with the City of Dublin.
When Councilmember Kevin Hart raised concerns about Dublin’s generosity and asked if the $120K would be taken from Dublin’s “rainy day fund,” City Manager Joni Pattillo explained that “things are looking better than we forecasted” a few months ago. City Manager Pattillo could have been alluding to the $5M community benefit payment recently made by the developers of the Jordan Ranch project in East Dublin for waiving the standard affordable housing requirement, but no specifics were provided. This funneling of money could be perceived as another example of how East Dublin residents are subsidizing the rest of the city.
The City of Dublin will also be replacing the sidewalk in front of Dublin High School along Village Parkway in April 2011 during Spring Break. While the City does repair a small portion of sidewalks each year, the responsibility of sidewalk maintenance rests mainly on the shoulders of property owners in the City of Dublin. The total cost of the sidewalk replacement is estimated to be $105K. The City of Dublin will be putting up $70K of the total cost, while Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) will only have to chip in $35K. Since DUSD has budgeted to spend $120M on Dublin High School’s renovation, the fact that DUSD needs the City of Dublin to pay for the bulk of the sidewalk replacement comes as a surprise. The City’s contribution will come from the Measure B Bicycle/Pedestrian funds, and Dublin has a total of $473K available for such projects.
As part of the sidewalk replacement, the City of Dublin will also replace many of the trees lining Village Parkway and install stronger root barriers to minimize future damage to the new sidewalk. The City of Dublin will use DUSD’s preferred contractor Carroll Engineering, Inc. to complete the sidewalk project.
While both the $120K in handouts to local nonprofit organizations and $70K in sidewalk repairs are admirable undertakings, are these expenditures the best and most appropriate use of the City’s money? The City of has burned through a significant portion of the reserve accrued during former city manager Rich Ambrose’s tenure in order to weather the economic downturn brought on by the housing market implosion. Given that harsh fiscal reality and the uncertain future of the economy, the City of Dublin should have stayed the course with its belt-tightening and continued to replenish the reserve, as we brace for the bumps along the road to recovery.
6:21 AM on October 11th, 2010
What a colossal waste of money. This is what happens when you elect a liberal Mayor who doesn’t work in the private sector and has absolutely no business sense whatsoever.
8:40 AM on October 11th, 2010
We need more details on to whom exactly the money is going. It is hard to be outraged when there aren’t enough details to know the full story.
9:28 AM on October 11th, 2010
As the previous comment noted, please provide more details around the 120k give-away. Where is it going and why?
Also, I do not know former Mayor Lockhart but if you’re accusing her of brokering “special deals” with the city please provide facts and details to support your case. I appreciate the fact that you’re trying to educate the public but it’s purely speculative without the facts.
9:41 AM on October 11th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – we’ll likely be publishing an article about the “special deals”. In the meantime, here’s an Around Dublin article regarding the Sorrento East project. Please look for the part about the concession that Ms. Lockhart brokered that cost Dublin at least $525-$800K.
http://www.arounddublinblog.com/2010/05/dublin-ca-sweetheart-deal-for-sorrento-east-developer-regent-properties-means-cutbacks-for-residents/
Thx, John Z.
9:08 PM on October 11th, 2010
Want more evidence, ok? Janet made a deal with the Seenos to build the School of Imagination on the Schaefer Ranch..
I cite a press release from the school of imagination:
“Outgoing Dublin Mayor Janet Lockhart and former City Manager Richard Ambrose
became the “School of Imagination’s” saving grace. For the past year, they worked to
broker a deal with Discovery Builders to build a school, located in the Schaefer Ranch
housing development in the West Dublin Hills.”
Reference: http://schoolofimagination.org/resources/FOR_IMMEDIATE_RELEASENovember_28.pdf
I suspect the Seeno deal was to to rezone and support the addition of 100+ more homes. See the city council notes on Nov of 2008.
See http://citydocs.ci.dublin.ca.us/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=229530 and notice the public comments from a grateful school of imagination.
The Seenos are nice folks and were raided by the FBI and IRS
http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-02-19/bay-area/17947215_1_seeno-construction-albert-d-seeno-irs-spokeswoman
10:21 AM on October 11th, 2010
John, please provdide some more detail on where the $120k is going as it represents about 2.5% of the projected budget shortfall. Once we get this info we can decide whether to fire up the torches and pitch forks.
11:14 AM on October 11th, 2010
Hi Anonymous,
We are waiting for the City to provide the specifics. Little details were given by the Staff and City Council during the deliberation, and that’s part of the problem today, in light of the City’s well-documented budget concerns, presented in excruciating detail, earlier this year. The City has essentially written a check for $120K in City Funds and left the line for recipient blank.
Thx, John Z.
2:27 PM on October 11th, 2010
the council deliberated without mentioning where the money will go? you are just giving us bullshit john.
3:10 PM on October 11th, 2010
Something tells me that this is just any fine example of John’s usually extremist spin. I’d be willing to bet (a lot) that this is a continuation of a customary and regularly budgeted item that’s been going on for quite a while — whereas it’s implied in the article that the city just decided to give away $120K as a grand new idea. Perhaps John suggest that our city stop supporting schools and fixing sidewalks?
This kind of bully-pulpit blogging is why nobody listens to you anymore John!
3:49 PM on October 11th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – at what point does telling the truth become “extremist spin” as you say? Just because the City has provided organizations with money in the past, why should this practice continue in light of the current budget crisis. The City should bring back all the services that were cut from residents such as the concert series, Day on the Glen, library hours, and etc. before throwing money around to outside agencies.
Thx, John Z.
4:51 PM on October 11th, 2010
Really? Is that why you are so compelled to share your feedback anonymously here, where nobody will see it?
Keep up the good work, John Z. Please continue to report on how our elected officials are not representing the people’s best interest and stealing from all of us.
4:33 PM on October 11th, 2010
Be a good boy and watch your language. The fact that you would be reduced to using such unsavory words says so much about your character, upbringing, and state of mind. Clearly you are upset because now thanks to the expose John did, the City is less likely to dole out the full amount Janet asked for. Instead of discrediting John Z., you are only making Janet look shady. The City is not her personal piggy bank. She is not entitled to use our money as a way to gain political favors with her cronies. Perhaps Jerry Brown should start looking at Dublin’s finances more closely, because I have a feeling we probably have more in common with Bell than we realize.
2:46 PM on October 11th, 2010
John,
My question isn’t related to the topic above…but I see breaking new ground at fallon gateway site. Are they starting to build Target? Do you have any info?? THX!
3:45 PM on October 11th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – Target is moving forward with preparing the Fallon Gateway site for construction.
Thx, John Z.
3:40 PM on October 11th, 2010
What about the library??? The city took away funding for 14 hours a week that includes and entire day! If they have extra money it should go towards services that were taken away, not new services.
5:09 PM on October 11th, 2010
John Z, aren’t you just biased because you tried to get elected to the Dublin City Council and failed? Why do you run a blog dedicated to the city of Dublin if you hate the city and the school district so much?
Speaking of money giveaways, I heard you attended the school district’s annual fundraiser dinner last weekend. How much money did you give away to the district and wasn’t this inconsistent with your position in the Tassajara Prep Charter School?
6:06 PM on October 11th, 2010
Calling out the criminal wrongdoings of the City Council and former Mayor Janet Lockhart only goes to show that John Z. is truly a man of the people and not in lockstep with the special interest that runs this town. The jokers who sit on the council do not represent Dublin. Those of us who follow the blog regularly are. I haven’t heard about John Z. attending the DUSD fundraiser, but if he did, that only means that he truly is supportive of public schools and understands that Dublin’s K-8 will feed into Tassajara Prep. It’s too bad John wasn’t elected, but he probably wouldn’t be able to work on Tassajara Prep had he gotten into office. I guess in a strange way, my family and I are thankful everything turned out the way it did. Go John Z.!
9:44 PM on October 11th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – I absolutely attended DPIE’s Celebrity Waiter event. I’m a supporter of Dublin’s schools. While I don’t always agree with the decisions of the DUSD and City of Dublin’s leadership, I will always support our schools and community.
Thx, John Z.
1:23 AM on October 12th, 2010
I think the City has seriously undermined its own credibility on the issue of city finances with this $200K discretionary grant. Contra Costa Times columnist Tim Hunt just published an article titled “Tri-Valley budget cuts make their impacts in many ways”:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_16292352
Mr. Hunt began the article by writing that “Dublin has cut its budget 10 percent a year for the last two years, while other cities have dipped into reserves to bring budgets into balance.”
Not exactly a rosy picture. How irresponsible of the City of Dublin to give away money BEFORE the State approved its budget. I think what happened here is just a microcosm of the kind of dysfunction that goes on the state level.
Do we have enough reserve to weather another severe downturn like the one we are still going through? If not, we need to exercise more fiscal prudence and save, save, save.
8:13 AM on October 12th, 2010
Anonymous labeling and name calling aside, the” jumped to” conclusions demonstrate quite a lack of basic understanding as to how local government works. Take for example The School of Imagination (which should be an inspiration to all of us living here) was always zoned for semi-public from the beginning (and I believe before Discovery bought the project prior to expiration of a development agreement.) It is Discovery Homes (and other donations) that funded the actual building and this entire process was managed by City Staff, reviewed (changed) and approved by the Planning Commission and recommended to the City Council just like every other land use issue mentioned in comments above. (The Planning Commission has zero affiliation with the City Council other than being part of California’s required government process and of course we are volunteers; your neighbors.)
And, finally, what says that giving small chunks of $120,000 to various Dublin non-profs isn’t a more effective use of the money than say extended hours for the library? It very well could be that more of our residents are benefited by this type of expenditure than others. I don’t know and I certainly don’t think you folks do given the lack of specifics. (For specifics, go find the Council minutes for the meeting where these non-profs publically applied for these small grants (less than $20k ea, I think).
I would hope over time you folks so concerned about all matters civic would attend weekly meetings with helpful suggestions or volunteer for various commissions and projects that help all of us develop Dublin public policy.
10:05 AM on October 12th, 2010
Hi Bill,
Are you writing as a private citizen or a Dublin Planning Commissioner? Please clarify.
In light of the City of Dublin’s well publicized budget challenges in the amount of $4.6M earlier this year, the $200K in handout is no small amount. Given all the City-sponsored budget workshops you have had to attend on the anatomy of our budget woes, you, as a planning commissioner, should understand better than anyone just how much of our reserve had already been spent. Has City Manager Joni Pattillo provided sufficient detail to convince everyone that the good times are here again? How could she, given the State of California still did not have a budget in place, when the approval to give away $200K was made? Is the City really in the position to continue siphoning money from its general funds to prop up local non-profits, regardless of how noble their missions are, when that money should have gone to fund city services and replenish our diminishing reserves?
The Around Dublin Blog always encourages readers to get more involved and check the facts for themselves, but unlike you, we do not believe the Public’s lack of physical presence means that we have consented to the misuse and abuse of public dollars. The point of a republic is that we have entrusted our elected and appointed officials to do what is best, so we may, as a city, stay on the course of fiscal prudence established since Dublin’s incorporation. Are you saying that the governing body we have now in Dublin requires the level of micromanagement you are advocating?
9:09 PM on October 12th, 2010
Tired of Local Politicians spending your tax dollars on their Special Interests? Tired of hearing Local Politicians say one thing as it comes to Economic Downturns and the need to tighten spending but then turn around and spend your tax dollars with no oversight? Tired of working day after day to strengthen your family only for your tax dollars to be spent on Low Income Households just so your Local Politician can collect a quick buck from State and Federal Politicians for building High-Density Homes for people that don’t work? I know majority of you are around Dublin, and its time to put the real hard working people in office. Kick the true Politician out, the one who lies to get your support and campaign dollars, gets elected and forgets who and what they promised. You all know what I am writing about, the truth. Yet, we the hardworking tax payer have too much pride and respect to voice our anger. Its times to end their run of lies and deceit and time to take back what is ours, the Beautiful City of Dublin. Lets stop hiding behind the scenes and start taking back our City! Thanks for letting me VENT…
9:54 PM on October 12th, 2010
I didn’t read all the comments above but I did think of something (forgive me if someone else already brought this up).. With the huge amount of money spent on the \eternal ribbon\, couldn’t that money (Dublin got from the Feds) have been used for the sidewalk repair/replanting of trees? Seems that could have been a beautification project that I think the Fed money had to be used for… I just thought that the eternal ribbon money would’ve been better used on other beautification projects instead of \dumped\ into a steel hunk-a-junk.. (I know, art is an acquired taste that I might not have yet)… but now, after the hunk-a-junk is sitting there, we’re seeing the city already spending city money on beautification projects… just wondering-
4:49 AM on October 13th, 2010
Hi Anonymous – that’s an interesting point. I believe that the beautification grant money could only be used for projects along the Dublin Boulevard corridor. The sidewalk in front of DHS may be too far away from Dublin Boulevard to qualify.
Thx, John Z.
12:04 AM on October 13th, 2010
you sound like a politician yourself
5:32 AM on October 18th, 2010
John,
Why aren’t more people concerned about the City of Dublin and Mayor Tim Sbranti continueing to funnel MILLIONS of East Dublin Developer fees into the City’s General Funds. This should be illegal! Can you please post a listing of all prior “Community Benefit” funds? And can you please keep the east Dublin community focused on this latest round of theft.
Tim Sbranti for Mayor – Hide Your Wallet!
3:37 PM on October 18th, 2010
Hi Tired – here is an article that we published awhile back on some of the Community Benefit Payments and how they were used:
http://www.arounddublinblog.com/2008/11/community-benefit-payments/
The items going to the general fund are essentially redistributions of funds from east Dublin to the rest of the City. Since we published that article, the City also struck a sweetheart deal with the developers of Sorrento East to contribute a Community Benefit Payment of up to $275K:
http://www.arounddublinblog.com/2010/05/dublin-ca-sweetheart-deal-for-sorrento-east-developer-regent-properties-means-cutbacks-for-residents/
Thx, John Z.
11:24 AM on October 18th, 2010
Fiiiing “rupped off”….
Sounds like a combination of “ripped off” and “fu@^ed”.
Must be a freudian slip….
2:49 PM on October 19th, 2010
John,
Sounds like these community benefit payments really need to be investigated. We should really scrutinize exactly how they are being spent. If they are not used i nthe east then the local HOA’s should sue the city. Let’s hope they come to their senses.
4:30 PM on April 28th, 2011
Dublin’s generosity and asked if the $120K would be taken from Dublin’s “rainy day fund,” City Manager Joni Pattillo explained that “things are looking better than we forecasted” a few months ago. City Manager Pattillo could have been alluding to the $5M community benefit payment recently made by the developers of the Jordan Ranch project in East Dublin for waiving the standard affordable housing requirement, but no specifics were provided.