Ojai City Council, Regular Meeting

Budget and Reserves

• Council accepted the mid-year budget excluding a proposed $710,000 increase for legal fees.
• The City Attorney was directed to submit a reasonable spending proposal by early March.
• Staff explained capital improvements and Measure C expenditures are impacting unallocated fund balances.
• The Finance Committee will review reserve policies and allocation guidelines in coming months.

Tree Ordinance

• Council members and staff discussed expanding tree protection ordinances and standard discrepancies.
• Public comment highlighted concerns regarding utility damage and the need for scientific consensus.
• Rather than immediate adoption, the council agreed to hold a public workshop to build consensus.
• The workshop is tentatively scheduled for March or April prior to the busy permitting season.

Administrative & Policy Updates

• The council approved an ordinance requiring electronic filing of campaign disclosures via the NetFile system.
• Salary ranges for Accountant classifications were updated to align with current market rates.
• A draft of strategic goals was posted to the city website with funding discussions tabled for future review.

• The City Council meeting covered several agenda items regarding budget, policy, and administrative updates. The key discussions and decisions included:

Budget and Reserves

• Mid-Year Budget: The council discussed concerns regarding a perceived $2 million shortfall in unallocated funds and the adequacy of the 100% reserve policy. Staff explained that capital improvements and Measure C expenditures are impacting these balances. The Finance and Budget Committee is scheduled to review reserve policies and Measure C allocation guidelines in the coming months.
• Legal Fees: A proposed $710,000 increase for the City Attorney's office was identified as the largest line item. The council decided to accept the mid-year budget with the exception of this increase. They directed the City Attorney to return with a reasonable spending proposal for the remainder of the fiscal year by early March.

Tree Ordinance

• Concept Review: Staff and public commenters discussed expanding tree protection ordinances. Concerns were raised regarding discrepancies between city and county protection standards (8-inch vs. 3.5-inch girth), utility company tree damage, and the need for scientific consensus.
• Decision: Rather than adopting the revised ordinance immediately, the council agreed to hold a public workshop to educate stakeholders and build consensus. The workshop is tentatively scheduled for March or April to occur before the busy permitting season.

Administrative & Policy Updates

• Electronic Filing: The council unanimously approved an ordinance requiring the electronic filing of campaign disclosures and conflict of interest statements via the NetFile system to comply with state standards and improve efficiency.
• Accountant Salaries: To address recruitment difficulties and align with market rates (which staff found to be 9% below the median), the council approved a resolution to update salary ranges for Accountant 1 and Accountant 2 classifications.
• Strategic Goals: The council agreed to post a draft of their strategic goals and tactics to the city website immediately, with a disclaimer noting it is not yet formally adopted. Detailed funding discussions for these goals were tabled for future review.