On Feb. 1, the redevelopment era came to an end.
On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council will oversee an agenda dominated by preparing for a world without a redevelopment agency, culminating in holding their first-ever meeting as an RDA Successor Agency.
During the 2011 state budget negotiations, legislators looked to balance the state budget by forcing redevelopment agencies to either close, or pay large fees to the state each year. The required payments were found to be illegal by the State Supreme Court, leaving agencies with only one option - to shut down.
The law provided for a new agency to replace the outgoing redevelopment agency - a "Successor Agency." The Turlock City Council previously decided the City of Turlock would serve as the successor agency to the Turlock RDA - a new legal entity which holds liabilities separately from the city or former RDA - but on Tuesday will finalize that decision.
The successor agency will make payments on debts and collect loans, rents and other revenue on behalf of the former redevelopment agency. But the successor agency will not be allowed to bond for further revenues, or take on new projects; the agency will solely be tasked with winding down Turlock's existing RDA, with an aim to eventually disband once all debts have been paid and existing projects completed.
The Turlock Successor Agency is expected to have the Turlock City Council serve as its board of directors, with the mayor serving as the chair, and vice mayor as vice chair. The city manager will serve as executive director, city clerk as secretary, and city treasurer as finance officer.
Then, meeting as the successor agency for the first time, the agency is expected to create the fund needed to collect tax revenues from the county auditor-controller to pay existing debts, adopt a payment schedule for those debts, and authorize the successor agency to invest in the State Treasurer's Local Agency Investment Fund.
On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council is also expected to:
• Hold a reception, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., in honor of new Turlock Police Chief Rob Jackson. He will be sworn in as chief at the beginning of the regular, 7 p.m. council meeting.
• Issue a proclamation in honor of Dave Young, the interim police chief, whose tenure as chief will end Tuesday. Young's interim term will have stretched from July 30, 2011 through Feb. 14.
• Approve rehabilitating Golden State Boulevard, from Crane Street to the city limits, and West Main Street from 700 feet west of Tegner to just east of Kilroy Road. Pavement will be repaired, broken curb, gutter, and sidewalk will be replaced, ADA compliant access ramps will be installed, and drainage at the corner of Golden State Boulevard and Marshall Street will be improved.
Work will be performed by George Reed Inc., of Modesto. The $985,484 cost will be financed through a combination of federal grants and gas tax revenues.
• Consider upgrading the city's security card access system in City Hall and in Fire Station 1 and 2. Additionally, a new cardlock system would be installed at the wastewater treatment facility, corporation yard, and transit building
The work, to cost $146,846, would see all City of Turlock buildings use the same cardlock system as the new Public Safety Facility. The cost was included in the fiscal year 2011-2012 budget.
• Approve advertising for construction proposals for a multi-million dollar expansion to Turlock's wastewater treatment facility. The upgrade would be funded through a state loan.
• Appoint Aaron Hackler to the Turlock Mosquito Abatement District board. The board has had a vacancy since former board president Milt Richards left Turlock to take a job in Canada.
• Hear a presentation on the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority.
