o7Here are some items the council will...

o7Here are some items the council will consider tonight:

f7

INCREASE IN

LIFEGUARD PAY

City officials have negotiated a two-year agreement with the

association that represents the city’s lifeguards, giving lifeguards

a 4% pay hike retroactive to April 2005 and a 3% increase as of April

2006. The move should make city lifeguard salaries competitive with

the rest of the market.

The number of prospective lifeguards has dropped significantly,

with tryouts for Lifeguard I positions decreasing by 75% since since

2002. The proposed agreement with lifeguards also offers an added 50

cents per hour for bilingual employees. If the council approves the

agreement, it will cost $79,900 over two years.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Funding for the increase was included in this year’s budget, and

staff members believe the change will help attract more lifeguard

candidates, so the council likely will support the pay agreement.

CITY HALL

PROJECT

The council will hear the cost estimate for the complete city hall

project, including a new city hall, parking garage and rebuilt fire

station. An earlier estimate came in at about $41.5 million, with the

city hall making up $19.7 million of that amount. At the Aug. 9

council meeting, project consultants showed a design for a building

with nautical themes -- a wall that looks like a wave, structures on

the roof that resemble sails -- and proposed up to $5.8 million in

upgrades and added space.

Tonight council members will hear more about the fire station and

parking garage and talk about whether to expand the city hall or

upgrade plans for the building.

WHAT TO EXPECT

More public comment is likely, since a citizens group last week

announced plans for a ballot measure that would require a public vote

when the city borrows money to pay for projects, including the city

hall package. Council members don’t have to commit to anything

tonight, however; they plan to take a final vote on the project Oct.

11.

LIVE-ABOARD APPEAL

The Huzyaks, a couple who own a home in Newport Beach but spend

much of the year cruising on their 100-foot yacht, want permission

for their captain to live on the yacht while it’s docked at a

residential pier off Lido Isle. Although the city issues permits for

people to live aboard their boats in the harbor, it’s prohibited in

residential areas such as Lido Isle.

After neighbors complained about the Huzyaks’ boat, the harbor

commission in June upheld the city policy forbidding residential

live-aboards. The Huzyaks appealed to the council, which will now

consider whether to allow the Huzyaks’ captain to live on the yacht

for three to four months, or to change city policy so anyone can

apply for a permit to live on a boat in a residential area.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The harbor commission had rarely, if ever, discussed live-aboards

before this issue came up, and it’s likely the council hasn’t talked

about them much either. It’s not clear whether council members will

want to bend or change the rules.

-- Compiled by Alicia Robinson