Laguna approves two-year budget

Laguna Beach affirmed its spending priorities of open-space preservation and emergency preparedness with the City Council’s ratification Tuesday of a two-year budget.

The budget is $82.9 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year and $78.5 million for 2016-17. Revenues will allow the city to maintain existing services while putting 20% of general fund money into reserves.

The city has $1.8 million left from the 2014-15 budget and expects an additional $1.4 million from various sources during each of the fiscal years. It will set aside $300,000 for acquiring and maintaining open space and $130,000 yearly to pay an emergency-preparedness coordinator.

The coordinator would manage and expand the city’s Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, a group of volunteers trained to assist after disasters and work with various agencies on their emergency plans.

Officials will spend a onetime $768,000 and then $110,000 each year to clear brush within a 21-acre swath of Nyes and Oro canyons to protect homes from wildfires.

The budget also calls for a onetime payment of $30,000 to upgrade a paramedic engine truck with advanced life-support equipment and $57,000 each year to certify four paramedics — one additional worker for each shift.

The council also agreed to give pay raises to Laguna Beach’s city clerk and treasurer.

Beginning July 1, City Clerk Lisette Chel-Walker’s yearly salary will increase by $12,252, to $123,852, city Finance Director Gavin Curran said.

The pay boost includes a 2% raise, commensurate with amounts awarded to other managers, and additional money to bring her to the top of the salary range, Curran said.

Chel-Walker has worked for the city for 32 years, including the last three as city clerk.

City Treasurer Laura Parisi, who works about 25 hours per week, will make $81,276 a year beginning in July, an annual increase of $1,596, Curran said.

The increase includes a 2% raise to align with management positions and an additional 5% in exceptional-performance pay.

Parisi and Chel-Walker will each contribute 3% more from their paychecks toward their pensions.

The city will pay $1.2 million in each fiscal period toward unfunded pensions for the city’s public safety employees.