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South Pasadena workshop drills into capital plan, audit snag and staffing costs including a proposed split of the city administrator role
Summary
Staff presented a five‑year capital plan and flagged an auditor communication issue; commissioners reviewed project priorities (old fire station renovation $400,000 placeholder; new city hall estimate $15 million) and discussed a salary survey with recommended range adjustments plus a 4% COLA and a proposed split of the city administrator and city clerk roles.
Finance and administrative staff walked the commission through a five‑year capital projects list, personnel cost scenarios and audit communications that together will shape the fiscal year budget.
Auditors: staff said the contracted auditors issued a letter identifying open items ahead of the June 30 state filing deadline and that communication through the engagement portal had been problematic. Staff said they had been asked for reports the city no longer produces and that improved direct communication is needed; staff noted the contract allows written notice for immediate termination and they will seek better engagement before considering termination.
Capital projects: staff provided detailed project sheets. Major items discussed include a $400,000 placeholder to renovate the decommissioned fire station for temporary office use (staff said FEMA's 50% rule effectively limits certain work and cited a $46,000 threshold in that context) and a planning estimate of roughly $15 million to demolish and rebuild city hall (staff characterized the $15M as a high‑end, preliminary estimate; financing would be required if pursued). Other project entries include street paving, stormwater vulnerability assessment and an anticipated adaptation plan (staff expects grant opportunities), public‑works equipment, and lifecycle replacements (servers, radios, thermal cameras).
Personnel: staff presented a salary survey covering peer cities and recommended targeted minimum/maximum adjustments for specific positions (for example, some director and technical roles); staff proposed applying a 4% COLA effective Oct. 1 in addition to range adjustments and warned commissioners the interaction of step increases and range adjustments can create uneven impacts if not modeled carefully. The charter committee recommended separating the city administrator and city clerk roles; commissioners generally favored moving forward with a separation in principle and asked staff to return with a proposed job description and costed ranges (commissioners discussed increasing the maximum for city administrator pay to remain competitive in an external search).
Why it matters: several capital projects are contingent on stable revenue; staff emphasized that a significant state property‑tax change could force harder budget choices, including hiring freezes or deferrals of capital work. Commissioners emphasized retaining trained staff and weighed retention against fiscal constraints.
What comes next: staff will refine revenue estimates when the county certifies taxable values on July 1, bring a firm step‑plan simulation showing range and COLA interactions, and follow up on auditor communication to firm up the audit schedule.
