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Published December 11th, 2019
Town of Moraga seeks citizen input regarding Unfunded Needs Assessments
By Vera Kochan
Town Manager Cynthia Battenberg Photo Vera Kochan

The Hacienda de las Flores played host for two community meetings to discuss Unfunded Needs Assessments. The purpose of the meetings, held on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4, was to get public input as to where Moraga's precious funds should be spent.
Town Manager Cynthia Battenberg along with several staff members made presentations to the audience of concerned citizens. Battenberg was pleased to point out that Moraga's finances are taking a positive turn in that the town council recently adopted protocols that will stiffen financial controls. Citing increased sales tax dollars from the new Outdoor Supply Hardware Store, steady home sale prices, Measure K improvements, and a one-time federal reimbursement investment, the town is beginning to see a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.
The three top priority areas seeking public input are: Capital Asset Replacement; California Public Employees' Retirement System Unfunded Pension Liability; and the Storm Drain Master Plan.
With regards to Capital Asset Replacement, Parks and Recreation Director Breyana Brandt's presentation stressed that town services are asset dependent. Parks, the library, the Hacienda, town offices, landscaping, police vehicles and public works trucks are just some of the town's major capital assets.
The CalPERS Unfunded Pension Liability presentation was given by Administrative Services Director Norman Veloso, who explained, "An unfunded pension liability is the gap between the amount of future benefits a pension fund is expected to pay out and the assets presently in the pension fund." During the 1990s, CalPERS reduced the amount of payments demanded from member cities due to an optimistic stock market. Its unstable investments along with increased life expectancies have resulted in changes to CalPERS actuarial assumptions.
Public Works Department interim public works director/town engineer Shawn Knapp presented the 2019 Addendum to the Storm Drain Master Plan. A field mapping project involving Geographic Information System data was done on 21 miles of the town's infrastructure. Current storm drain activities involve visual and closed circuit television inspections, debris cleanup and repairs to damaged storm drain pipes.
A feedback questionnaire was handed out to the community meeting attendees in which they could voice their opinions and prioritize the importance of each Unfunded Needs Assessment. The feedback will be presented by staff during the Jan. 8 town council meeting for consideration. Town staff urges citizens to visit the Town of Moraga website (www.moraga.ca.us), read the PowerPoint presentations and fill out a feedback questionnaire. Any questions, call Town Clerk Marty McInturf at (925) 888-7022.

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