By Raymond Mendoza

Diamond Bar – The Diamond Bar City Council held its first official meeting of the month on Cinco de Mayo, with an agenda involving the city budget, sick leave regulations and the Multi-Year Capital Improvement Fund.

The meeting started off with a reading of the City’s schedule of future events, with a Planning Commission meeting on May 12, the Traffic and Transportation Commission meeting on May 14, and the next City Council meeting on May 19.

The Council then approved all items on its Consent Calendar, which included the minutes for the City Council study session on Apr. 21; the regular meeting on Apr. 21; the Planning Commission on Mar. 24; the ratification of the check register dated Apr. 16 -29, totaling $1,196,918.49; the Treasurer’s Statement for the month of May; the acceptance of work performed by Tamang Electric for the construction of the generator enclosure project at Diamond Bar City Hall; and the approval of Amendment No. 3, to increase additional work authorization from $25,000 to $35,000 for fiscal year 2014-15 in contract with Valleycrest Landscape Maintenance to extend the irrigation system at Pantera Park to irrigate trees at the dog park.

The Council also approved its consideration items, with Items 8.1a, b and c having a significant financial impact on the City’s upkeep, City official salaries and benefits.

Item 8.1 a was pertaining  to the approval and adoption of a budget for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2015 and ending June 30, 2016, to include maintenance and operations, special funds and capital improvements and appropriating funds for accounts, departments, divisions, objects and purposes. The cost of the estimates resources at $27.1 million with appropriations of $26 million for projects like Capital Improvements to rehabilitate roads and parks, increase economic development, and even electronically converting some of the City’s documents and records.

Item 8.1b established a compensation plan incorporating salary ranges and fringe benefits for all classifications of employment effective June 27, 2015; while Item 8.1c amended Resolution No. 2008-34 for the City’s personnel rules and regulation Rule VII for sick leave effective May 5, 2015.

And finally, Item 8.2 was to receive and file the fiscal year 2015-16 through 2019-20 Multi-Year Capital Improvement Program to ensure Diamond Bar’s public infrastructure improves in the coming years. The estimated cost for street maintenance, traffic management, transportation infrastructure projects, public works improvements and parks and recreation improvements total more than $44 million through the next five years, but was put in place to ensure that as California grows, Diamond Bar matches its growth by remaining safe and accessible to its residents.

Following the last item and the committee reports, the Diamond Bar City Council adjourned with plans to meet on May 19, at 6: 30 p.m., at the AQMD/Government Center Auditorium, at 21865 Copley Drive.