[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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],{"_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",6219239,"mediaKeyId","3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9","parentId",3623375,"title","Council hears community grant update, camp capacity change and a spike in public records work","audioSeconds",1012,"startMs",2445000,"endMs",3457000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9&start=2445&end=3457","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9/thumbnail_2445000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6219239/Capitola-City/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Council-hears-community-grant-update-camp-capacity-change-and-a-spike-in-public-records-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219239-e5ecf19454a48157bc4ca30c93f1d8fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773777327&Signature=icatS2Emwsnhy-6daY-FMKnRFYrfJkqd3SJLnZwZv6xdYwHXEEeCF~lYUaHMAH2ZhU1T4mRnCFyjZby-D16dGoj0c3LWENftacmPNRzozO4hqCdpNSioOy13yHVVf7VA6sWAjfpqxuibEhLU~YdpXzDWxrlA8sC3P5FuP2j56j6P7-j2B713wQkQNI0miXaI8iLAtl4j4e-EisypVoV-UPLKLTreTOTuDfzpo4zUOB7OyxexE3JHEY7p56sgIE-O7rXP3OkU~urMTf-oNzoXPxc5NlgMzf94fQ2BXwk5jMPfxrf1ArfZbw-RM4yzTAM1XZZ-A8uAb5Kl5FjBVoGcJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Capitola, California","date","2025-05-30T03:10:24Z","article","City staff used the May 29 budget hearing to brief the council on the community grant program, youth programming and trends in public-records requests.

Community grants and ECYP funds: Chloe (community grants lead) said the draft budget earmarked about $133,000 for the community grant program but noted much of that funding is not yet directed to specific grantees. She said $60,000 in ECYP (early childhood and youth programming) funds are restricted and historically used for children- and youth-focused grants. Staff proposed a July hearing to set program cycle length, form an ad hoc review committee, and run a notice-of-funding-available period over the summer with final council recommendations sought in September.

Staff clarified that several large nonprofit recipients (Second Harvest, Gray Bears, Community Bridges) were moved out of the general community grant cycle and funded separately through CDBG or restricted funding in recent years; staff said awards from prior CDBG allocations are being rotated across recipients and the city will continue to apply for CDBG funds to support these core service providers.

Camp Capital \"Littles\": Recreation staff reported a modest capacity increase for the Camp Capital Littles (pre‑K age cohort) — a roughly 20% bump in seats — accomplished by changing session limits rather than adding new space. Staff suggested resident-priority registration and session limits (as used in prior junior-guard programs) to maximize access.

Public Records Act workload: City Attorney Sam (online) described a marked increase in large public-records requests. She told the council that across four recent large requests the clerk’s office gathered “approximately 20, 30, 40 thousand documents,” roughly 15,000 of which reached the city attorney’s office for review and about 4,000 documents were produced to requesters. Sam explained that many documents are nonresponsive, privileged, or exempt (personnel or law-enforcement records), requiring attorney review and sometimes rolling productions for very large sets.

Why this matters: staff said the growth in records requests demands more staff and attorney time and can slow responses to other priorities; the council asked for ongoing reporting on PRA workload and potential options to streamline responses (search-term scoping, IT-assisted email searches, and rolling productions when needed).

Other notes: staff confirmed the community grant program’s past total allocations and described the July ad hoc review timeline; the council asked staff to consider requiring regular reporting from grantees and to explore a possible four-year grant cycle and more frequent check-ins for larger awards.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Capitola City Council - 05/29/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff outlined the community grant program (roughly $133,000 in draft allocation, with $60,000 ECYP restricted for early childhood/youth), a 20% capacity increase for the Camp Capital \"Littles\" program, and the city attorney described a sustained rise in public records requests that is consuming staff time.","taxTitle","Capitola City, Santa Cruz County, California","taxId",68972,"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},6219244,"Capitola staff detail multimillion-dollar CIP queue; Park Avenue traffic-calming held pending RTC outcome",579,1770000,2349000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9&start=1770&end=2349","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9/thumbnail_1770000.jpg","/articles/6219244/Capitola-City/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Capitola-staff-detail-multimillion-dollar-CIP-queue-Park-Avenue-traffic-calming-held-pending-RTC-outcome","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219244-190fe07a7063ef8254738953852e36ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1773777327&Signature=XgBEOFHdnRDMrB8brgrl8d3KIpa-svdF1hN~nIBWuUbbCVHlG6NTRq9P8-v3Qk9gIn7XNCSbUeMSo9Osf1ux6-wtWVIkjHB9J4LBVdLl-bs2tYdE73kV17cjcNa4KuwhX614ZhFemtowSHjnKkvuOPGTVare-Zg1ghq0n5E89-zHu~Wj4ILJh0nhvHBx~41sGTq10PkUVjTBLH19bld3aqEYX7lpJ5it8T-dBnsmXrBCoxKJPrr1e6S5y4r4fh0CkBhbJJS7JEcV3ttMN9H~dA5f7XIyUA8wai4XQkss5tNKjMHk1RW3-LqVP8IxyGc9ExwLej~ITr5ju0a5ambS-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public works staff told the City Council on May 29 that Capitola's capital improvements program (CIP) contains seven active projects, most funded with a blend of state and federal grants and local formula funds, and that staff did not propose adding new large projects for FY25–26.

Key projects and funding

- Cliff Drive resiliency: staff said the project is a complex, multi-agency effort with Federal Highway Administration funding in hand for design (about $743,000) and an expected construction cost of roughly $10,000,000 to be released in phases by FHWA. The Coastal Commission is providing the local match. Staff are working on design and permitting and anticipate requesting construction funds later this year.

- Stockton Bridge debris mitigation: sponsored by state Sen. Laird and funded through the State Water Board, staff said approximately $785,000 is available and that additional structural evaluation and inspections are scheduled (inspections expected in July with a late-summer report back).

- Treasure Cove / Jade Street Park playground: a community center renovation is under construction and a Treasure Cove playground project is advancing toward construction; staff noted roughly $1,000,000 in fundraising committed by local \"friends\" groups and an outstanding CDBG application the city hopes will be awarded before budget adoption.

- 40 First Avenue corridor and multimodal improvements: projects are in design and permitting, with construction anticipated next spring and a mix of Measure D, SB 1, and an RTC grant proposed as funding sources.

- Bay Avenue corridor and Park Avenue traffic-calming: both projects have modest general-fund allocations in the draft budget (about $80,000 each in early scopes). Staff recommended delaying Park Avenue striping/curb changes until the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) finalizes design decisions for the coastal rail-trail segment that runs near Park Avenue.

Why Park Avenue is contentious: several councilmembers and multiple public commenters pressed staff to proceed with Park Avenue safety work despite staff's caution. Staff said the hold is to avoid potential duplication or conflict with the RTC's evolving plan for the rail-trail alignment; staff also noted that the detailed striping/striping construction option previously scoped would cost roughly $120,000 to construct. Staff said the city could proceed this calendar year if council appropriated the additional funds and authorized construction; if funded now, staff estimated a potential early-fall construction window.

Grants and match requirements: staff outlined several near-term grant opportunities — Land and Water Conservation Fund (50% match), state Coastal Conservancy grants (public access), Measure Q county grants (anticipated annual pool), active transportation grants (Caltrans) and various federal disaster funds. Staff recommended using smaller city match amounts to leverage larger grant awards where feasible.

Next steps and council direction: council requested follow-ups on Stockton Bridge inspection timing and more detailed cost and funding scenarios for Park Avenue. Staff committed to return detailed Park Avenue plans and timing if council chooses to appropriate the needed construction funds.

","Public works staff reviewed seven active capital projects, including Cliff Drive resiliency and the Stockton Bridge debris mitigation; council was urged to pause local Park Avenue construction planning until the Regional Transportation Commission's alignment decisions are clearer, though several councilmembers pushed to proceed sooner for safety.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6219249,"Capitola council hears budget shortfall tied to rising CalPERS costs, approves targeted one-time allocations",0,1284000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9&start=1284&end=1284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3623375-e2a6ffc8d8c17011f1c450dd6f5b1ce9/thumbnail_1284000.jpg","/articles/6219249/Capitola-City/Santa-Cruz-County/California/Capitola-council-hears-budget-shortfall-tied-to-rising-CalPERS-costs-approves-targeted-one-time-allocations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6219249-594293e045c9f4c26c06b1a44ce4132c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773777327&Signature=PHKjNJJKniq~tfX1MaukAjXYIqZbwysMbE96LMvO3y5Q3QFBWE~4AGq9E4O889X5L9yyDaPe74bP6JUuCQO1asyBWMm4A~SB-5JideG7uDWFbLJhUIgvHS~beGKZr34PB1eiyBwcRceNwS9TGT98s1kvbHp7wXgwwPIg92469l~YirGIE-HVSErGaOk1KubfWg9HQV5ZwhhG9YgKPtXCVwXYnfHW3OTuw3xjHnxK4CQNz4vOuhrO2Fkq12Kfo8rdNyra-AsdwSN9h0lTsS9JFTK~1BbTRSfgwbMIuCT3CJJyRjNR~8z0ZSNOLYXw-7lTCIl8xfSXUTs52jhKdGp8sg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Capitola City Council members on May 29 reviewed a draft fiscal 2025–26 budget staff described as “structurally balanced” but squeezed by rising pension costs and dependence on volatile sales and transient occupancy taxes.

Finance Director Jim Mulberg told the council the proposed budget still showed a limited ending fund balance for June 2026 — “an estimated ending fund balance of June of 20 26 of 653,000” — and later presented a corrected estimate of roughly $753,000 after several technical adjustments.

The shortfall stems largely from a jump in the city’s CalPERS unfunded actuarial liability (UAL). Mulberg reported the UAL rose from about $21,000,000 to $35,000,000 in two years and the city’s annual CalPERS payment increased from roughly $2,100,000 to $2,900,000 over that period. He said Measure Y revenue (estimated at just over $1,100,000) was largely matched by new personnel-related costs tied to the Measure Y implementation.

Why this matters: council members and staff said the combination of pension cost increases and heavy reliance on sales tax and TOT — revenues that can swing with the economy — leaves little flexible money for new programs and projects. Mulberg and other staff urged caution and recommended preserving a reserve target near $500,000.

Council discussion and follow-up: council members pressed staff for clearer breakdowns of Measure Y receipts and spending, and asked for routine reporting on Measure Y and related multiyear projections. Staff said the Finance Advisory Committee (FACT) reviewed and largely supported staff recommendations and that any FACT recommendations from its June 17 meeting would be brought back to council at the June 26 adoption meeting.

Allocations and vote: during deliberations the council agreed to a small set of one-time allocations funded from the available balance. Councilmember Morgan moved to allocate funds as proposed; the final, amended package approved by roll call vote (Johnson, Morgan, Orbach, Clark) totals $150,000 and is itemized below under \"Votes at a glance.\" Council also agreed to cancel the remaining special budget hearings and proceed toward final budget adoption on June 26.

Other budget items noted: staff said a $100,000 set‑aside remains for an employee down-payment assistance program (a reusable ‘‘silent second’’ loan) that to date has had limited uptake; officials also confirmed corrections to earlier line items (for example, portable toilet contract costs were reduced after a misplaced digit) and noted FEMA/Cal OES reimbursements from storm response remain pending.

Ending note: staff emphasized the city’s exposure to economic swings through sales tax and TOT and recommended continued conservatism in multi-year budgeting while pursuing economic development opportunities that could expand stable revenue over time.

Votes at a glance

- One-time allocation package (motion by Councilmember Morgan; second not specified): approved 4–0 (Councilmember Johnson — aye; Councilmember Morgan — aye; Councilmember Orbach — aye; Mayor Clark — aye). Final amended allocations accepted by council: RRFB (rectangular rapid-flashing beacon) crosswalk: $10,000; Monterey Park playground design/matching seed: $10,000; Esplanade Park planning/match: $50,000; Park Avenue traffic-calming/striping project: $60,000; Economic development consultant/strategy seed funding: $20,000. Total: $150,000. Motion outcome: approved.

- Cancellation of remaining special budget hearings and direction to proceed to final budget adoption at the June 26 council meeting: council consensus recorded and staff to return with FACT recommendations from June 17; motion outcome: consensus/approved.

","Finance staff told the City Council that Measure Y revenues mostly matched new personnel costs and rising CalPERS unfunded liability, leaving little discretionary surplus; council approved a package of small project allocations and canceled remaining budget hearings, moving toward adoption June 26.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears community grant update, camp capacity change and a spike in public records work

Capitola staff detail multimillion-dollar CIP queue; Park Avenue traffic-calming held pending RTC outcome

Capitola council hears budget shortfall tied to rising CalPERS costs, approves targeted one-time allocations