CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

WHAT HAPPENED:

The City Council gave the City of Huntington Beach Community

Facilities District its approval for the district to issue $16 million in

bonds for use in the current construction of the Hyatt Regency Huntington

Beach Resort and Spa, a 517-room hotel and conference center at Pacific

Coast Highway and Pacific View Avenue set to open in January 2003.

WHAT IT MEANS:

The bonds will be issued in the next couple of months, and be paid by

PCH Beach Resorts, LLC, the owner and developer of the resort, and the

long-term leaseholder of the property. Bonds will be repaid solely

through a special property tax levy, therefore the city does not have to

pay for the bonds.

Interest rates for the bonds are expected to be 6%, a figure much

lower than the 9.9% rate the city’s Redevelopment Agency currently pays

the developer.

Vote: 7-0

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

Council voted to enter into a six-year agreement with Mesa

Consolidated Water District and the Orange County Water District to

provide drinkable water service to the Talbert Seawater Intrusion Barrier

facilities.

WHAT IT MEANS:

Water districts will provide drinkable water by maintaining the

barrier and seeing to it that no seawater gets into Huntington Beach’s

water supply.

The barrier facilities are made up of a series of wells along Ellis

Avenue that prevent seawater from intruding into the Santa Ana River

ground water basin. A water pipeline at Adams Avenue and the Santa Ana

River will be the new source of the water, which will be provided by the

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

The Orange County Water District is responsible for all construction

and maintenance costs of the connection.

The water district and the Orange County Sanitation District are in

the process of developing a ground water replenishment system so waste

water from the sanitation district can be treated to drinking water

standards, and then be used in the ground water basin for replenishment.

Vote: 7-0

IN FAVOR / AGAINST

WHAT HAPPENED:

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, City Council

adopted a resolution to provide additional temporary partially paid

military leave benefits while providing continuing benefits for city

employees called to active duty with the United States Armed Forces.

WHAT IT MEANS:

City employees who have worked for the city for at least one year who

are called to active duty will receive their salary for the first 30 days

of military duty, and receive continued retirement service credits,

excluding accruals of any vacation or sick leave.

Employees who are National Guard members receive their salary for the

first 30 days of service regardless of how long they’ve been employed

with the city.

The city will continue to provide benefits to employees’ dependents

that they would have received if the employee had not been called into

military duty.

This resolution expires on Dec. 31, 2002, unless it’s extended by the

City Council.

NEXT MEETING

When: Monday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m.

Where: Room B-8 of the Civic Center, 2000 Main St., Huntington Beach.