Maui property manager prevents MH mayor from participating in City Council meeting
Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate wanted to attend last week’s City Council meeting by telephone and in compliance with state open meetings laws, but the property manager at his vacation spot in Maui declined to allow him to post the agenda outside his condo.
The Council and City staff follow the California Brown Act guidelines when it comes to posting the time, location and agenda for all public and closed session meetings, according to Morgan Hill Council Services Clerk Michelle Wilson. Such information is posted at the location of the meeting – or the location from which a Council member will be attending remotely – at least 72 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting, or 24 hours in advance of a special meeting.
Tate meant to telephone City Hall and attend last Wednesday’s meeting – which included a key vote on the City’s operating budget for 2013-2014 – via teleconference. But when he tried to post the agenda outside the door of the condominium complex where he was staying, the property manager didn’t let him, Tate said.
“The manager said they didn’t want all those things hanging on the door,” and thus Tate was unable to participate in any City business scheduled at the meeting.
Youth and adult karate classes to continue at CRC
The Morgan Hill City Council agreed to extend its contract with American Self Defense Academy to offer karate and self defense classes for youth and adults at the Centennial Recreation Center.
The contract extension will keep the ASDA at the CRC – providing instructors, curriculum, class supplies and marketing materials for self defense students – until June 30, 2014, according to City staff. The cost of the contract extension is “not to exceed” $40,000, but that cost will be offset by enrollment fees in the classes.
Under the agreement, ASDA will receive 60 percent of all revenues from self defense and karate class registration fees, according to a City staff report.
ASDA has provided the classes for Morgan Hill residents since October 2011, and the service has grown since then. In fiscal year 2011/2012, 526 people enrolled in the classes which raised a total of about $31,000 in revenue. By the end of fiscal year 2012/2013, City staff project about 850 people will have taken the classes for the year, raising total revenue of about $47,000.
New cameras installed at Galvan Park
Five new security cameras at Galvan Park in northwest Morgan Hill will help police keep a watchful eye on park patrons and the nearby neighborhood.
The City Council awarded a contract to Specialized Electrical Contractor to install the cameras in the park on Crest Avenue.
The cameras will be providing live surveillance on the park’s parking lot, handball court, baseball diamond and the western portion of the grass ball fields. Dispatch staff at the Morgan Hill Police station will be able to watch the cameras via a live feed into the City’s communications center.
The cameras and their installation cost about $66,000, and the City Council accepted the project at last Wednesday’s meeting.
The City chose that location to place the cameras because it is a designated “lower income Census tract.”
