Here are some items the council will...

Here are some items the council will consider tonight.

2005-06 BUDGET

The council will vote on a $150.7-million operating budget and

$36.1 million in capital projects for the fiscal year that begins

July 1.

That furnishes largely status-quo services with only a minor

increase -- less than 2% -- over this year’s spending.

Each council member also can propose additional line items that

are voted on separately, and they did -- $7.5 million of them.

Some of those proposals include $75,000 for athletic facilities at

Costa Mesa’s high schools; $500,000 for a park and horse arena in

Santa Ana Heights; and $225,000 to relocate a ball field for the

planned Newport Coast Community Center.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council must adopt a budget by July 1.

It’s uncertain which of the separate line items they’ll agree on,

but the list is likely to be pared down from $7.5 million.

NEW PARK NAME

A planned 12-acre park next to the Newport Beach Central Library

needs a name, and the council will pick one tonight.

The city’s Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission received 425

name suggestions -- about 300 of which came from one resident -- and

pared those down to three.

The council could call the park Centennial Park, Newport Beach

Central Park or Newport Central Park -- or choose from any of the

other suggestions.

WHAT TO EXPECT

It’s anyone’s guess which name the council will prefer, but the

odds might be on Centennial Park, since the city’s 100th birthday is

coming up in September 2006.

RECYCLING, UTILITY FEES

Residents would be charged 12 cents more per month for recycling

service, and various water and sewer service fees would also

increase, if the council approves.

The water fee could increase by 8 cents per hundred cubic feet of

water, and sewer fees might go up by 10 cents per hundred cubic feet

of water used. Increases also are proposed for water meter and sewer

connection fees.

The recycling fee hike reflects inflation and increases in

recycling employee salaries and benefits.

Water charges could go up because the two agencies that sell water

to the city are raising their prices, and the sewer costs need a

boost to cover higher environmental standards cities are required to

meet.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The council is likely to approve the increases to recoup the

city’s cost for recycling, water and sewer services.

-- Compiled by

Alicia Robinson