City Council to Swear in Vaus, Vote on Budget Resolution

The Poway City Council is scheduled to welcome its newest member and close up loose ends on the most recent fiscal year during Tuesday's meeting.

The 7 p.m. council meeting will be held at the City Council Chambers, 13325 Civic Center Dr.

Community leader and musician Steve Vaus is set to officially join the council Tuesday night, with Councilwoman Merrilee Boyack saying goodbye.

In last month's election, Vaus bested Gary Vineyard and former Poway Unified School District board member Jeff Mangum. Mangum, like outgoing PUSD board member Linda Vanderveen, was plagued in the election by the controversy over a school district bond that is projected to cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion to repay. Vanderveen lost her reelection bid.

Councilman Jim Cunningham also will be sworn in Tuesday after earning the second-highest vote total in his run for reelection. Vineyard, in his third run for the council, came in fourth. Boyack decided not to run for a third term and endorsed Vaus.

After Vaus and Cunningham are sworn in Tuesday, the council will hold a reception in the foyer before handling the rest of the agenda.

A key item is a staff budget report showing a $228,104 shortfall for the 2011-12 fiscal year, mostly attributed to less revenue from stormwater fees (eliminated in October 2011) and the dissolution of the redevelopment agency. Through the first quarter of this, the 2012-13 fiscal year, the staff report states the city is "showing signs of benefitting from the continued recovery of Poway's economic sectors" and "no signficant unanticipated costs have arisen" so far.

The council is asked to adopt a resolution authorizing staff to finalize the books for the 2011-12 fiscal year.