Politics & Government

City Budget Looking Good For Fiscal Year

Along with hearing a positive report about Clayton's balance sheet, the council also approved changes to the city's building codes.

Clayton's City Council members spent most of their time in closed session Tuesday night, but when open they were pleased to hear about the city's current balance sheet.

Merry Pelletier, the city's finance manager, briefed the council on the mid-year status of the 2010-11 budget. So far this fiscal year, the city has spent about $1.9 million, or about 49 percent of the general fund. Pelletier projects the city to stay under it's allocated budget for this fiscal year.

"I joke about shipping Merry and (city manager) Gary (Napper) off to the state so the state wouldn't be in the (financial) mess that it is in," Clayton Mayor David Shuey said. "We are in better shape than 99 percent of the cities in California. We've made very sure not spend money we don't have."

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The council also unanimously approved to update the city's local construction code to meet new standards from the state of California. The changes have no impact on already built buildings, but does change codes on most new residential and non-residential construction in an effort to make then more energy efficient.

Codes for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, residential and green building are altered by the new standards. An example of the changes is watter reduction, with 20 percent water reduction in the interior and 50 percent in the exterior for most properties, Clayton development director David Woltering said.

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The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors had already approved the changes and the city needed to follow suit to stay true to its accordance with the county pertaining to construction codes.

Mayor Shuey wasn't thrilled about the new standards, saying, "You always run the risk with over regulation as opposed to letting the free market handle it. But we have to follow the state; we have no choice."

The council's spent about two hours in closed session to talk with legal council. The city has two pending litigation cases: Katzman, et al v. City of Clayton and City of Clayton and Oakhurst Geologic Hazard Abatement District v. Municipal Pooling Authority of Northern California.


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