[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6235698,"mediaKeyId","3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea","parentId",3396985,"title","Public asks for Summerwinds park cameras; council directs staff to fund parks master plan and review security options","audioSeconds",6619,"startMs",146000,"endMs",6765000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea&start=146&end=6765","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea/thumbnail_146000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6235698/Calimesa-City/Riverside-County/California/Public-asks-for-Summerwinds-park-cameras-council-directs-staff-to-fund-parks-master-plan-and-review-security-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235698-33b632abe1936e765eba186a387922f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775440386&Signature=DnvUNmLbzaXlL9kMqgxzPdIHL3doWay3P0ZWZL1sXaKaX27ris~cVbFt-5jyi2caBI3TZMLRFo69F0xrZ82wEPAkM7sY~cxFbD4PY-nvu4PmPCoZR2BOK2Z9cgv6YMifZ6MvnBSZGsQq5ST6AYxCg-K4gPJH-1KP6XpE2sbZ0dKx~ceUhnN~XY8Y3M~ul5XDKaFj5oRpbu8n4ydL3AkzG3Y6FV22gcyAGmgHC~FI63PRpwm2LFHQPLZCzqUAVecPLGHWKU6SLG45rq~DM5VDYdhykv8yfAm3TZ3WCC1I2dW7robDWfVCJ-vIAYeaW6igygk-L7o0c-FImECyfx1lbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Calimesa CA","date","2025-05-20T08:30:09.91Z","article","A public commenter told the Calimesa City Council workshop that Summerwinds Park has endured vandalism and that the park lacks the security camera funding budgeted for Fourth Street Park, asking the city to correct the disparity.

“At the time, the budget contained general funds for security cameras for Fourth Street Park currently budgeted at $6,200. No funds were provided for security of the Summer Winds Park,” the commenter said, recounting incidents he said had included torn‑down signs, lighting damage and bullying, and describing about $15,000 in city costs tied to vandalism. “There are ample funds in both Summerwinds community, facilities district fund and the unreserved fund balance of approximately $3,100,000.0 to pay for such cameras,” the commenter added.

Councilmembers and staff discussed park security options and technology. Staff noted Fourth Street Park’s original camera system is older technology and that installing the same system at Summerwinds would not meet current expectations. The city manager and finance staff said a comprehensive approach would be preferable: identify scalable technology and a funding plan that could be applied across city parks rather than piecemeal retrofits.

Councilmember Jeff proposed using an existing $75,000 parks allocation to hire a consultant to update the city’s parks and trails master plan and mapping. Councilmembers concurred and the mayor asked staff to incorporate the suggestion into the budget document for the June 2 adoption. Staff said they will scope the master plan work; the parks and trails commission, staff and public workshops will likely be part of the consultant work.

Staff also said they had increased a Summerwinds CFD operating line by $100,000 in the draft budget to provide seed money for maintenance and to support evaluation of security options. Staff cautioned that some bond and CFD funds are restricted in use and that purchases must follow allowable uses, but said maintenance and security are likely eligible in many cases.

The council did not adopt a specific security product; it directed staff to develop a recommended, scalable parks security plan and return costs and options to the council as part of the final budget process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Calimesa City Council","oneSentenceSummary","A resident said Summerwinds Park has seen vandalism and requested parity with Fourth Street Park cameras; councilmembers asked staff to include a parks and trails master‑plan consultant ($75,000) and staff added $100,000 seed funds in the Summerwinds CFD to explore security technologies.","taxTitle","Calimesa City, Riverside County, California","taxId",72214,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6235702,"Calimesa fire chief defends rising wildland fire protection fees; cites aircraft, hand crews and shift from inmate labor",621,4447000,5068000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea&start=4447&end=5068","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea/thumbnail_4447000.jpg","/articles/6235702/Calimesa-City/Riverside-County/California/Calimesa-fire-chief-defends-rising-wildland-fire-protection-fees-cites-aircraft-hand-crews-and-shift-from-inmate-labor","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235702-e8d03f754301f29b23c07810990446ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1775440386&Signature=VruoD1taCDgWYnVLE2s9zP6yNJY04T~gCeRYxz4qgqv2PgYvI6VfY9zACap4Ozk3u1aqsnRbxYIsyKE9RVufblNP7cOExFGSvXM5m65LtyN3kgZCD0BvrsqWslFj6dZOWIT9Lcg6l1HqHfbOEyWkIYSNetOd~iPV4C-VAvlDPOcvDwvsFEBRoCmVlvfsv9yKCPgOBpA41ukO1i0QVrnCH~XHgWZ5CRg7t5g~9sxTmUbfpsjpeYYErilbgwki0Oq5Ywl7924ecNYF53bJKOI2IntfXFA2~8IoJU1vztXggjMYvl72QbnEUvZRgCK0W2z-HL6csmniETeixkdwn6uv4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calimesa’s fire chief told the council the city’s wildland fire protection agreement provides critical resources—aircraft, additional engines, dozers and hand crews—and that the agreement’s cost has risen with statewide changes in staffing and firefighting logistics.

Staff showed the contract cost rising from about $119,000 in FY 2021 to roughly $178,000 in the most recent year. The chief explained the operational value tied to that fee: when the city is in the wildland‑urban interface it automatically gains access to rotary‑wing and fixed‑wing aircraft capable of retardant drops, additional engines, dozers and organized hand crews that the city cannot sustain on its own.

The chief said the composition of hand crews in California has changed: where state crews were previously formed largely from inmate labor, they are now full‑time, paid firefighters on state hand crews, which increases the cost of that resource. He also pointed to higher apparatus and equipment costs and more acreage burned in recent years as contributors to the fee increases. “We automatically receive things that we don't have logistically. Rotary wing helicopter aircraft, fixed wing aircraft that has retardant, capable deployments… We get rotary wing. We get fixed wing, we get the, the benefit of extra engines, chief officers, dozers, bulldozers to cut line, and hand crews,” he said.

Councilmembers and staff noted the agreement had paid dividends during local incidents—staff referenced the 2019 Sandalwood fire when mutual aid and aviation assets were critical. The chief said that under the city’s deployment decisions, the city will keep local resources for city missions while relying on the state to handle off‑city incidents where appropriate.

Staff warned the council that this agreement is one of several mandated or widely used regional cost centers for small cities in wildland‑urban interface zones; local governments have limited ability to control those external cost drivers. The budget presented includes the current wildland fire protection fee as an ongoing expense and staff anticipates continued pressure in coming years.","The fire chief told the council that Calimesa’s wildland fire protection agreement cost rose from about $119,000 in 2021 to $178,000 and that the increase reflects higher operational costs, expanded aircraft and paid hand crews; he said the agreement provides resources cities lack on their own.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6235707,"Calimesa council warned of rising sheriff contract costs; deputies, POP officer and CSO roles debated",833,1996000,2829000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea&start=1996&end=2829","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea/thumbnail_1996000.jpg","/articles/6235707/Calimesa-City/Riverside-County/California/Calimesa-council-warned-of-rising-sheriff-contract-costs-deputies-POP-officer-and-CSO-roles-debated","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235707-ccbdcd674ff8aa298e2324e2e1daa06d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775440386&Signature=CtNXua2nSDkO-pBCKuMsAUcNMWW~~driVSh6vGyevbSRzC2u98hBb65Mj9OiCG3aZmHBcK9BY6TuIHF8jHFXj~c5iz1cVZIoYd75GPaRJnl7w5aGjAUkun9ruKgD1sCaUuLshL~xXlXmK8ffoXv28L53jB-kYuj1kxCKEgQ9OCwKEN-wqYJ4o-jNBD77WtBevsOy0iEJB7gAN~y3H2CagupbhmLuDaQh80w2dwXQkpf2BfbkvUVxX~VW-rNrDAO36ZLbJhclcqRp9iA-Pf01AsdRo8qags1iutJwham30jkWN~UMkIJ31QV5btrkOMN4PGwph7nuVrAkw5USpmM8dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calimesa City Council members heard detailed projections Friday that the city’s contract cost for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is rising and likely to remain elevated for the next several years, driven primarily by salary and benefits increases.

City staff and Captain Northrop of the sheriff’s office presented trend data showing multi‑year increases and a projected annual escalation in the sheriff’s contract. “When we look at that 7%, that’s trying to roughly estimate off of what the deputy union got to try to get to that number,” Captain Northrop said of projected future increases. Staff said those increases could amount to roughly $500,000 more in the coming two‑to‑three years if projected rates hold.

Staff highlighted two sheriff‑related cost elements the city currently funds: a dedicated POP (problem‑oriented policing) officer paid from the city budget (presented as costing about $450,000 per year) and a full‑time community service officer (CSO) budgeted at roughly $140,000 paid from a supplemental law enforcement fund. Councilmembers asked whether eliminating the CSO could yield savings; staff and the sheriff’s representative warned that the CSO performs traffic investigation, parking enforcement, tow stand‑bys and other functions that prevent routine duties from occupying deputies’ time.

Councilmember discussion focused on whether to prioritize savings or to preserve the CSO position to avoid diverting deputy time to lower‑priority tasks. Councilmember Eric said the CSO’s “workload… frees up some time for [deputies] to attend to more important calls.” City finance staff suggested a prudent approach is to budget conservatively for sheriff contract increases and to set aside funds in years when revenues exceed expectations to smooth future spikes.

Captain Northrop explained the county’s billing method for contract cities: the department bills for actual costs and performs a later audit/true‑up that can create supplemental invoicing. “We’re always gonna bill with… whatever it is the cost is,” he said. Staff and council discussed strategies such as budgeting a higher contingency and reserving surplus funds to offset future swings.

No formal motion was made to change law‑enforcement service levels; councilmembers asked staff to continue evaluating staffing and deployment options and to consider strategies for smoothing contract‑year volatility when preparing the final budget for adoption.

The discussion also noted that the supplemental law enforcement fund covers the CSO and part of the POP officer and that the city budgets an estimated $100,000 annually for supplemental deputies (two‑person responses) which could rise if the city faced a high‑profile incident.","Finance staff and county representatives told the council that Riverside County Sheriff contract costs have risen and are projected to continue increasing; the pop‑officer and community service officer (CSO) roles and possible savings were discussed but no formal service reductions were directed.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6235714,"Calimesa staff present structurally balanced FY 2025–26 budget with $6.7M projected reserves",4401,169000,4570000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea&start=169&end=4570","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396985-b33f37d864385464f521deb39afb93ea/thumbnail_169000.jpg","/articles/6235714/Calimesa-City/Riverside-County/California/Calimesa-staff-present-structurally-balanced-FY-202526-budget-with-67M-projected-reserves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6235714-504bed39cbd718fac2aa727f2225863b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775440386&Signature=N7Xe0LhntTh7nvmzHf3w0pJUcfl3YMrTBdovHeAd6hFpLeOAjLJZ4FAQ0AcRaVxwujJ4UKTjAywvvL9MNF8siwEFUmxOXebhU0AEMoP5rk4~Paugn0X7YhvO6GGFlZ5B2TrzgdR8IiIh~vVXNxSkm4tfFH7krgRRb~joTVCW7N61iZED7PFcPIT6TMpyivTlqGDml8Y0V8hq2VrLYBfesw3mpBztUZJGDZaCYa8HMi6~Jzxw2w6r1~blMacLjQ3G-2SQYrM6F6uDpNRFsV7IApmX1ZGdMpH~6mF21E8houAKfgjzA-hXtV9zqOq-QjvGGLSBouYQaz2JUkcLRNVKbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Calimesa City staff presented a draft fiscal year 2025–26 budget Friday that they described as structurally balanced in ongoing operations, with a projected ending general fund balance of about $6.7 million and an ongoing structural surplus of roughly $83,000.

The budget presentation, led by finance staff Will and Celeste, laid out the city’s revenue mix and near‑term pressures: property and sales taxes make up the majority of ongoing revenue, while rising public‑safety and insurance costs are squeezing the operating picture. Councilmembers gave staff direction on several items and asked that requested adjustments be incorporated for adoption at the June 2 meeting.

City finance staff said the city began the formal budget process in December and that the FY 2026 proposal is “structurally balanced” in the general fund subject to any changes the council directs. “As it stands right now, we have about an $83,000 structural surplus for fiscal year 26,” finance staff Celeste said during the workshop. The staff presentation showed a beginning fund balance for the current year of about $8.6 million and a projected fiscal‑year 25 net change of minus $154,000; staff estimated the starting balance for the FY 26 budget at about $7.4 million.

The presentation explained that roughly 76–84% of the city’s revenue is driven by property tax (including property tax in lieu of vehicle license fees) and sales tax, and that the ongoing revenue picture is sensitive to economic shifts. Finance staff Will outlined the long‑term trends shown in the slides and noted that FY 26 is in a considerably better position than more distant years but that forecasting is harder because of volatility in markets and costs.

On one‑time items, staff identified about $350,000 in recommended one‑time general fund expenditures for FY 26, including strategic planning, limited IT purchases to replace leases, legal costs and two community‑development planning projects (including an AB 98 circulation study that could be folded into a general plan update if state law changes). Staff also recommended a $10,000 allocation to mark Calimesa’s 35th anniversary next year. The budget assumes $375,000 in one‑time revenue transferred from the public services CFD and $350,000 in one‑time spending, yielding an operating surplus before transfers of about $246,000 and proposed transfers out of roughly $900,000.

Councilmembers and staff discussed the five‑year capital improvement plan (CIP). Staff said the FY 25–26 CIP includes roughly $4.5 million in projects for the coming fiscal year and a five‑year program totaling about $80.1 million, largely funded by grants and developer contributions; only a small share would come from the general fund in the five‑year horizon. The city manager reminded the council that approvals at this workshop were for the coming fiscal year only and that later years are for planning and projection.

Council direction and next steps: Councilmembers asked staff to include a parks and trails master‑plan consultant using an existing $75,000 allocation and to consider a parks security approach for Summerwinds Park (staff noted an existing CFD and other maintenance funds available). Staff said they will incorporate council feedback and return the final budget for council adoption on June 2.

The council opened the meeting with a motion to approve the agenda; the workshop continued through review of revenues, expenditures, public‑safety costs, insurance and the CIP. Staff emphasized that many cost increases—insurance, contract law enforcement and wildland fire protection—are largely outside the city’s direct control and that the proposed budget included a number of internal savings measures (for example, converting several contract positions to city employees, which staff estimated would save roughly $75,000 and add about 1,600 service hours).","City staff told the Calimesa City Council workshop they expect a structurally balanced FY 2025–26 general fund with a small ongoing surplus, robust reserves and planned one‑time spending; council asked staff to include a parks and trails master‑plan consultant and seed funds for park security work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public asks for Summerwinds park cameras; council directs staff to fund parks master plan and review security options

Calimesa fire chief defends rising wildland fire protection fees; cites aircraft, hand crews and shift from inmate labor

Calimesa council warned of rising sheriff contract costs; deputies, POP officer and CSO roles debated

Calimesa staff present structurally balanced FY 2025–26 budget with $6.7M projected reserves