The Burlingame Voice

Burlingame's City Manager

Leading Burlingame with a smile (by Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal) Burlingame City Manager Jim Nantell has a number of goals for the future including finding a way to fund storm drains, increasing hotel tax to create more income and to at least have a plan for a new community center in place. Many people might reveal they have an identical twin during conversation. Not Burlingame City Manager Jim Nantell. Nantell decided to cover his identical twin brother Bill's head in gauze prior to giving a speech during his tenure as president of the local Rotary Club. During the speech, Nantell had asked a friend to stand up and offer Nantell a clone to help with all his work then unraveled Bill. Nantell, 60, remembered the instance with a great smile one seen often around Burlingame. Nantell is normally smiling, dimples showing, and generally talking with his hands while working quite often as a mediator for the Peninsula city where he has worked since 2000. He's like the Energizer Bunny,? said Mayor Ann Keighran. He's just non-stop and gives dedication a whole new meaning.? Nantell fought the idea of holding his current position until about nine years ago. Before then, it was never about leading a city, that isn't what Nantell wanted. At least he didn't think it was what he wanted. Funny enough, leading and planning cities were things Nantell always enjoyed. Nantell was raised as one of six children in Wisconsin. As a boy, Nantell enjoyed building cities with his brother on a Ping-Pong table. Everything centered around the train, he said. Buildings were made out of paper. Matchbox cars took up the parking spots. My brother and I would walk around it. People would say, Those boys think they own this park.' And we did, because we lived across the street,? he said. Each neighborhood had their own park. Nantell live across the street from one. The pride for their neighborhood park led Nantell and his brother, while in third grade, to organize a baseball league with younger children challenging teams from the various neighborhoods. The brother team acted as umpires. Nantell truly was a child who grew up through community-based athletic programs. As such, he grew through leadership roles within it until he was in college, working during the summer as a playground leader or overseeing the skating rink. Before college came love. Nantell met his future wife Christine as a freshman in high school. Cupid's arrow did not strike, however, until junior year in history class. It was her quick sarcasm that catapulted their relationship to love, he said. The pair was married in 1970 their junior year in college. Today the couple lives in San Mateo and has four children Erin, Ashley, Michael and Madeline. Erin and her husband Jason have a 5-year-old little boy and a little girl on the way. When it came time to get a degree, Nantell decided to study psychology. In that era, we all wanted to change the world,? Nantell said noting his brother decided to major in business, a decision at the time Nantell questioned. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1971, Nantell began to look at graduate programs. At his wife's suggestion, Nantell decided to study parks and recreation administration at San Francisco State University. The pair moved to San Bruno. Nantell commuted to the city for classes and worked as an office supply delivery guy in his down time. For Nantell, the experience was his first in a big city outside of his Midwestern roots. The move, which was supposed to last one year, turned into a permanent home. After earning his master's degree, Nantell began working in San Mateo at the Lakeshore Recreation Center. He slowly moved up the ranks and still remembers the children whose lives he aided. From 1981 to 1985, Nantell worked as the superintendent of recreation and human services. He was then promoted to assistant city manager which essentially included the same responsibilities along with the library. When the city manager position became available, Nantell was honest not interested. Instead, he took the deputy city manager role in April 1990. While in that role, Nantell was given a unique opportunity to serve for more than a year as an interim fire chief beginning in 1995. Labor negotiations with firefighters and the city did not go well leaving the solution of an agreed-upon replacement, Nantell, to lead the troops. In his role, and to Nantell's delight, firefighters wanted him to suit up and visit fires. The first occurred at 3 a.m. Nantell dressed nicely under his fire gear a decision he questioned recently. Seeing the fires firsthand allowed Nantell to better understand concerns. In the late '90s and early 2000, Nantell realized, at the urging of former San Mateo city manager Arne Croce, that he may be ready to lead a city. When Burlingame became available, he jumped at the chance. Ironically, Nantell and his wife had called Burlingame home until six months prior to being named city manager. The summer prior to taking the Burlingame position, Nantell attended the Harvard JFK School of Local Government. In November 2000, Nantell began in his current role. Jim is a workaholic, an effective communicator and a people lover a great combination for a city manager. He spends every waking minute trying to figure out ways to make Burlingame serve its citizens better. We are very lucky to have him,? Councilwoman Terry Nagel said. Keighran added, Nantell's respect for others adds a lot to his success. I think everyone respects him,? she said. You could disagree with him but there is still a likability factor.? For Nantell, working in Burlingame meant a switch to a city which did not need to constantly make budget cuts. That quickly changed after Sept. 11. Just last week, the city approved $2.3 million in budget cuts and revenue enhancements. Thankfully, Nantell has experience in such instances. He is thankful to be working with a group of leaders who allow him to do things like put money away for invisible needs like water and drainage. For a while now, Nantell has said he would work at least another three to five years. His statement remains in place. But if it were true this time, he has a number of goals for the future including finding a way to fund storm drains, increasing hotel tax to create more income for the city and to at least have a plan for a new community center in place. One of the biggest mysteries around Nantell's office often comes with a cheesy twist, Wisconsin cheese of course. Although Nantell has been around the Bay Area long enough to recognized the 49ers as his hometown team, a stranger continues to anonymously drop off treats for Nantell with a Green Bay Packer twist fake cheese coasters shaped for the state of Wisconsin, a football themed Kleenex box and, of course, a cheese head hat are among the gifts. Nantell takes the gifts with a smile, but continues to wonder about the identity of the secretive gift-giver.

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame Library Authors Event on February 5th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 6, 2009 Two Popular Authors of Teen Books to Speak at Burlingame Library Burlingame Public Library will host acclaimed authors, Cecil Castellucci and Dana Reinhardt in February. Ms. Castellucci is the author of Boy Proof,? Beige? as well as two graphic novels, Plain Janes? and Janes in Love.? Ms. Reinhardt is the author of How to Build a House,? A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life,? and Harmless.? These authors of popular, entertaining, fast-paced, and well-written literature for teens will sign books, speak about their work and take questions from the audience. Don't miss this great event! Cecil Castellucci and Dana Reinhardt Thursday, February 5th 7:00 P.M Burlingame Public Library 480 Primrose Road Burlingame, CA 94010 Lane Community Room www.burlingame.org/library All library events free and open to the public

- Written by Fiona

Moving the Letters Around

From Reporters Notebook in the Daily Journal:

It looks like Blush in Burlingame may have closed its doors. The club's Web site was shut down, and a new name emerged Pulse. The new sign was made by shaving off the B to form a P, rearranging the remaining letters and adding an E. Clever.

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame Oks $2.3m in Cuts and Savings

City OKs $2.3M in cuts, savings (by Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal)

Cuts and revenue enhancements totaling more than $2 million were given the OK by the Burlingame City Council in an effort to address a projected $1.79 million shortfall in the current year's operating budget. In November, officials explained the city faced a $5 million shortfall if it continued with the adopted budget for this year and next. A list totaling $200 million of unfunded capital improvements, rising employee benefits and decreasing revenue resulted in the City Council directing department heads to consider potential reductions, many of which were approved Monday. This round is the more typical round of cuts,? City Manager Jim Nantell said during a video of the meeting. Moving ahead, Nantell expressed his hope to begin looking at reinventing the way departments run as a way to save money differently. Of the $2.3 million in cuts, $1.6 million will come from delaying capital improvement projects. More than $700,000 will come from reducing operating expenses, downgrading vacant positions, transferring salaries to enterprise funds, re-bidding or delaying some purchases, reducing staffing on one fire truck from four to three, closing the main library two hours early on Friday evenings, eliminating a vacant police officer position beginning in May and eliminating funds for council studies, according to a staff report by Parks and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz. Vice Mayor Cathy Baylock wanted to maintain the library hours on Friday and suggested cutting a graphic design position instead to make up the funds. She was alone in her hope to save the library hours, which City Librarian Alfred Escoffier explained were the least used hours of the week. The library will begin to notice the public about the new 5 p.m. Friday closing time before implementing the change, Schwartz said. Only two things were spared from the recommended list: $3,000 for a commissioners' dinner and $35,000 to be covered by grant money. The latter was pulled for clarification and could come back before council. As for the $3,000, Councilman Jerry Deal said little is done to recognize the volunteer work of individuals during the year and felt maintaining the dinner was important. Delaying purchase of a fire command vehicle, dump truck and a police motorcycle were potential but not suggested cuts. Councilwoman Terry Nagel requested the three items totaling a potential one-time savings of $184,000 be examined and brought back for further discussion next month. A list of $4.55 million in possible reductions $4.03 million in ongoing and $519,026 in one-time savings were put before the council. A majority of the savings will come from delaying the following projects: The Marsten Pump Station outfall line, Easton Creek box culvert, increasing disability access to City Hall, replacing the cooling tower at City Hall, replacing the library carpet and synthetic turf at Bayside Park. Many of these projects could be funded if the city is successful in its effort to pass an annual storm drain fee. The proposed fee which could cost anywhere from $116 to $2,060 could go before Burlingame property owners in May in hopes of raising $39 million for capital improvements. Those opposed to the measure have until Jan. 20 to protest the proposal prior to the council giving a final vote to send out ballots. A number of potential revenue-generating ideas, totaling $478,000, were also approved including: Shifting $200,000 of construction and demolition fees to the general fund; $5,000 from a $2 increase in cost to classes; $3,000 from extending the recreation building rental hours; $180,000 from increasing parking fines, which the council previously approved; and $90,000 from red light tickets from a yet-to-be installed camera at Broadway and El Camino Real. In the upcoming fiscal year, the city will also look at charging for collecting fees for the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Conventions and Visitors Bureau, a move estimated to mean an additional $4,000 for the city. Making cuts and looking for new revenue came as the result of revenues dipping. The city was looking at beginning the next fiscal year at a shortfall of $190,000 before funding capital needs. Before the losses, the city invested $8 million to $10 million annually to capital improvements like facility repairs, which has decreased to below $2 million in recent years. The result is the investment of less than $15 million for capital improvements instead of $64 million to $80 million. The Burlingame Avenue area accounts for 20 percent of the city's annual sales tax revenue about $2 million. Upgrading the streetscape in the area is estimated to cost $32 million. Since June, the city has seen about a 10 percent decline in sales tax revenue, which is estimated to result in a $700,000 loss if it continues at that level.

*** Glad to see that the library hours have been cut on Friday and not Sundays but any cutting of our Library "Community Center" is sad - even in these hard times.

- Written by Fiona

Burlingame's "Sherman" - DINE BURLINGAME

Floating Burlingame restaurant faces fines for paint spill Polyurethane paint leached into water from Burlingame's Sherman steamship (by Shaun Bishop Daily News Staff Writer) A paint job gone wrong at a floating restaurant in Burlingame could mean tens of thousands of dollars in fines and cleanup costs for the boat's owners. San Mateo County prosecutors are in the process of negotiating the penalties with the owners of The Sherman, a 1920s-era steamship that now hosts an upscale American restaurant. Both sides now acknowledge that a paint not meant to be constantly submerged in water was applied to The Sherman's hull at low tide on Nov. 21, 2007. When the tide came in, it washed the burgundy polyurethane paint off the boat, leaving a 75-foot by 100-foot sheen on Sanchez Creek, according to a lawsuit filed Nov. 25, 2008, by the district attorney's office. Now, the district attorney's office wants the restaurant to pay the $33,783 emergency cleanup bill for the spill and up to $55,000 in fines for violating several state laws. The Sherman's general manager, Ivor Bradley, told MediaNews that the paint job was part of nearly $4 million in renovations that the boat's owners made before the restaurant's launch a year ago. He said the spill was an accident and that the owners of the boat, which is moored at 410 Airport Blvd., hope to settle the lawsuit and move on. "Damage is done, we understand that, and we just want to move forward and pay and try and ensure it doesn't happen again, and it won't happen again," Bradley said. The two sides have been negotiating the amount of the fines for several months, though the requirement to pay for the cleanup is non-negotiable, said Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Hill. "That's what it cost the taxpayers to clean it up and it's not fair for them to bear the burden," she said. After a passerby saw the red sheen on the water and called 911, firefighters and environmental health workers were able to quickly contain the spill with floating booms, Hill said. They finished removing the paint with an absorbent material the morning of Nov. 22, 2007, Thanksgiving Day, she said. Aside from a few paint flakes found on nearby plants, the spill caused no apparent damage to marine life or the water quality, Hill said. Tension over water pollution was high at the time of the accident, just two weeks after the cargo ship Cosco Busan hit the Bay Bridge and spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. Emergency workers suspected the paint was from The Sherman, but the owners declined to pay for the cleanup until the source of the pollution was established, according to the lawsuit. Hill said subsequent tests showed the substance in the water matched the paint that was used on The Sherman. Bradley said The Sherman's paint supplier was at least partially to blame, since the boat's owners ordered paint that is meant for submerged boat hulls. He said the supplier sent the wrong kind. "We didn't check it. We just assumed it was the right paint because they had been giving us the correct paint all along," Bradley said. "It was the wrong paint which just floated off the ship." Hill said the painters still should have known that they were using the paint incorrectly, since the product had a warning label saying it was not recommended for "constant immersion" in water and should be left to dry for at least seven days. The lawsuit seeks fines for four violations of California law prohibiting improper disposal of hazardous waste, including portions of the health and safety, business and professions, and Fish & Game codes. It names Dago Mary's, the parent company of The Sherman, along with principals Eileen Long and Brian Maloney and supervisor Joseph Fitzgerald.

- Written by Fiona

An Ode to '08

Dear B'game, lend me your ear As we say hi to friends of last year It wasn't all roses and cheer But our town we held quite dear She certainly hit the big C And we had some party With fireworks and laughs And only a few gaffs For a fab book we did pay By a Garrison--Ms. J That gave us a view Of history and today too We ate, laughed and had cheer At places far, most very near There were those come anew Like Brio, La Boheme and crew Bonarda, Powell's and old standbys still good Like Alana's, Rocca's and Sam's in the hood Kept us strong one and all For the changes at City Hall We said goodbye to Rosalie as mayor And welcomed Miss Ann with a flair Can November be Cathy's turn again so soon? We should all welcome the boon Some went to play on the links Larry, Meg and Doris did these hijinks But Jack, Jim and Don Continue to serve on There was big news at the train depot With exhibits and displays for the people Russ put them together from a trove Into treasures of history we dove Our kiddies stayed in schools Studying all those new tools BHS got a new boss, new field and new grass Chris Holleran went to the head of that class While the newspaper business was rough The Times, Daily Journal, Post and such Gave the Voice plenty of fodder And if not, we came up with stuff odder So as we head for ought nine Think thoughts good and benign For we live in a great town On the Peninsula it's the crown

- Written by Joe

A Chop Chop Here and a Chop Chop There ....

City considers cutting $2.3M (By Heather Murtagh, Daily Journal) The Burlingame City Council will consider $2.3 million in cuts and revenue enhancements to address an estimated $1.79 million shortfall in this year's operating budget. In November, officials explained the city faced a $5 million shortfall if it continued with the adopted budget for this year and next. A list totaling $200 million of unfunded capital improvements, rising employee benefits and decreasing revenue resulted in the City Council directing department heads to consider potential reductions to be considered Monday. Of the $2.33 million in proposed cuts, $1.6M will come from delaying capital improvement projects. More than $700,000 will come from reducing operating expenses, downgrading vacant positions, transferring salaries to enterprise funds, re-bidding or delaying some purchases, reducing staffing on one fire truck from four to three, closing the main library two hours early on Friday evenings, eliminating a vacant police officer position beginning in May and eliminating funds for council studies, according to a staff report by Parks and Recreation Director Randy Schwartz. Department heads were directed to produce a list with 5 percent and 10 percent cut proposals. Both are listed next to recommended cuts. Overall, lists include $4.55 million in possible reductions; $4.03 million in ongoing and $519,026 in one-time savings. Capital improvement projects to be delayed include: the Marsten Pump Station outfall line, Easton Creek box culvert, increasing disability access to City Hall, replacing the cooling tower at City Hall, replacing the library carpet and synthetic turf at Bayside Park. A number of potential revenue generating ideas, totaling $478,000, will also be considered including: shifting $200,000 of construction and demolition fees to the general fund; $5,000 from a $2 increase in cost to classes; $3,000 from extending the recreation building rental hours; $180,000 from increasing parking fines, which the council previously approved; and $90,000 from red light tickets from a yet-to-be installed camera at Broadway and El Camino Real. Revenue has been down for years. The dip began after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 to just over $31 million down from a pre-Sept. 11 high of $41 million. Currently, the city is looking at beginning the next fiscal year at a shortfall of $190,000 before funding capital needs. Before the losses, the city invested $8 million to $10 million annually to capital improvements like facility repairs, which has decreased to below $2 million in recent years. The result is the investment of less than $15 million for capital improvements instead of $64 million to $80 million. The Burlingame Avenue area accounts for 20 percent of the city's sales tax revenue about $2 million. Upgrading the streetscape in the area is estimated to cost $32 million. Since June, the city has seen about a 10 percent decline in sales tax revenue, which is estimated to result in a $700,000 loss if it continues at that level.

- Written by Fiona

Monday's City Council Meeting

Field fees to be studied (Daily Journal Staff Report) A review of increased fees for facilities such as fields and buildings approved by the San Mateo Union High School District will go before the Burlingame City Council Monday, which will then decide how to proceed. Talks of new fees began last year but numbers were not approved until March. The increases were aimed to cover all costs associated with using a facility lights, custodial services, security and equipment. Cities have posed a number of questions since the approval, specifically if the fines are fair under California law which prohibits a school district from making a profit off the facilities. In addition, local sports groups feared the costs would be too great for many players to carry. In December, the district debuted an analysis by Perry-Smith Accountants declaring the fees fair and legal. Now, the Burlingame City Council must decide how to proceed with the facility fees conversation. The San Mateo Union High School District represents San Bruno, Millbrae, Burlingame, Hillsborough, San Mateo and Foster City. It only has facilities in San Bruno, Millbrae, San Mateo and Burlingame. Under the old rates, for example, use of a high school stadium field in San Mateo was $8 per day. This year, such a field would cost $17.50 to $27.50 per hour depending on the quality of the field. Charges will be raised to cover the full costs incurred by the district in the 2009-2010 school year. At that point, the field would cost $35 to $55 per hour. A 20 percent discount will be offered to nonprofit youth groups using the fields. The report looked at the allowable charges under the Civic Center Act in the California Education Code and concluded charges were aligned with costs. In some instances, the allowable hourly rate was higher than being charged, according to the report. District officials said reviews of agreements with various cities it serves will continue. Now the district will continue to review agreements with the various cities it serves. An agreement with Burlingame to use the fields will be terminated July 17, 2011. Until then, the city will continue to schedule events and collect the fees. The 1955 contract regarding the use of the district gyms and other facilities, however, ended Aug. 23, 2008. After that point, the city began paying the fees for facility use. At the same meeting, the council will discuss a 6 percent salary increase for City Manager Jim Nantell and a 2 percent salary increase for City Attorney Clark Gus? Guinan. Nantell will now receive $18,022.82 per month. Guinan will have an annual increase of $3,331. *** Salary Schedule (link) Meeting Agenda (link) Employee Benefits on the link are very unspecific!

- Written by Fiona