Daily Business Report-April 12, 2017
Pension reform measure supporter April Boling speaks to the media Tuesday on the appellate court ruling. She is flanked on her right by Mayor Kevin Faulconer and on her left by Jerry Sanders, president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Appeals Court Upholds Pension
Reforms for San Diego Employees
An appellate court has affirmed the legality of the pension-reform measure Proposition B, ruling that the citizen-sponsored initiative was not subject to meet-and-confer obligations before the City Council placed it on the June 2012 ballot.
The unanimous decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal annuls an earlier decision of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). That decision would have nullified the cost-saving effects of the Comprehensive Pension Reform Initiative, which was supported by roughly two-thirds of the electorate.
PERB held that the City Council broke the law because it did not meet and confer with city labor unions before putting the citizen-sponsored initiative on the ballot for a public vote. PERB said the council had a meet-and-confer obligation with its employee groups because city officials, principally then-Mayor Jerry Sanders, supported the measure.
The appellate court said that while it is undisputed that Sanders and others in city government provided support to the proponents to develop and campaign for the measure, PERB was wrong to indicate that their support as individuals changed it to a government-sponsored initiative.
“PERB erred when it found Sanders and the San Diego City Council committed an unfair labor practice by declining to meet and confer over the CPRI before placing it on the ballot,” the court said. The court held that Sanders’ advocacy for the measure was protected under California statutory law and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“This is a victory for the citizens of San Diego and the state of California,” said April Boling, one of three proponents of the pension reform measure.
Said City Attorney Mara Elliott: “This case has statewide significance in affirming Californians’ constitutional right to direct democracy. In defending Proposition B, we protect the power of our citizens to participate in and guide their government.”
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CSE Partners with EnergySage to Promote
Solar Installations at Multifamily Residences
The San Diego-based Center for Sustainable Energy CSE is collaborating with EnergySage, an online solar marketplace, to promote and simplify installations of solar electric power systems at multifamily residences in California.
The partnership has resulted in the development of an easy-to-use, online comparison-shopping tool that provides information about the unique opportunities for shared solar projects and enables apartment building and condo owners to obtain price quotes directly through the website.
The new web resource, MultifamilySolarCA.com, was created specifically to streamline the process of installing solar for California multifamily properties and to help property owners and tenants reduce electricity costs. It offers resources and assistance for system financing, site considerations, utility billing and identifying experienced, reliable contractors.
Solar for multifamily properties presents a variety of challenges because each tenant residence has a separate electricity meter as do common areas and exterior lighting. However, a special utility billing arrangement, called virtual net metering, allows energy generation credits from a single solar system to be effectively shared by accounts with separate meters. This program is offered by the state’s three large investor-owned utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric.
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Employers: Renters Need a $648 Annual
Raise to Keep up with Rent Increases
San Diego renters need a $648 annual raise at their jobs just to keep up with rent increases, housing website Zillow said. The study released last week found San Diego renters would need the seventh-highest raises — just to break even with rent — of the 35 biggest regions in the United States.
Zillow predicts rent in the San Diego metropolitan area will increase 2.2 percent by February 2018. Nationwide, rent is expected to increase 1 percent, requiring an extra $168 a year.
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University of Nebrask Dean Appointed
USD Provost and VP of Academic Affairs
Gail F. Baker, a dean at the University of Nebraska Omaha, has been appointed provost and vice president of academic affairs at the University of San Diego. She will begin the job in July.
Baker has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. She is currently dean of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media and executive associate to the chancellor at the University of Nebraska.
Baker will succeed Andrew T. Allen, who has served as vice president and provost since 2013.
Among the highlights of her career at the College of Communications, Fine Arts and Media was the restructuring of the college into three distinct and collaborative schools, a move that helped to secure funding for the performing arts center building addition and expanded the community of donors and supporters.
Baker is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America where she is also a member of the College Fellows. She has earned recognition for her work as a teacher, scholar, communications practitioner and writer, authoring many books and articles. Baker has been recognized with four Emmy Awards for excellence in documentary writing and producing.
Baker holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, a master’s degree in marketing communications from Roosevelt University and a doctorate in journalism from the University of Missouri Columbia.
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First Phase of Atlas at Carlsbad Project Completed
Construction has been completed on the first phase of the new Atlas at Carlsbad project — a steel and glass, two-story office building and a single-story, 135,000-square-foot R&D/creative building.
Ware Malcomb provided architectural design services for the project, located at 5909 Sea Otter Place in Carlsbad.
Ware Malcomb collaborated with another architect to transform the existing 260,000-square-foot building into two separate buildings totaling 235,000 square feet of office and R&D space. The beams of the original building were kept intact to allow the transfer of lateral loads from the new offices to the warehouse building and diaphragm.
Ware Malcomb selected a large format, ultra-thin porcelain tile to be applied over the existing granite to transform the aesthetic of the existing office building. Ware Malcomb collaborated with LdG Landscape Architects to enhance the entries in the Paseo amenity area that separated the existing Alpha and Beta buildings.
Ware Malcomb designed the exterior corners of the Beta Building to integrate with the Paseo and office building. Some of the Paseo amenities included an outdoor amphitheater, barbeque area, outdoor seating, shade sails and an outdoor café.
The general contractor for the project was Dempsey Construction.
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Anonymous Donor Gives $101,000
to County Animal Services
An anonymous donor has given County Animal Services more than $101,000, an amount that will help dozens more sick and injured animals get the specialized medical care they need to lead healthy lives in new adoptive homes.
The County Board of Supervisors approved the acceptance of the donation during a board meeting Tuesday. That brings the Spirit Medical Trust Fund’s current total from $127,315 up to $228,597.
“Thanks to the compassion and generosity of not only this donor but everyone else that has donated to the Spirit Fund, we’ll be able to continue to provide veterinary care above and beyond the capabilities of our shelters, giving more animals the chance at a forever home,” said County Animal Services Director Daniel DeSousa.
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Council Confirms Mayor’s Appointments
to San Diego Housing Commission Board
The San Diego City Council on Tuesday confirmed Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s appointment of Tim Walsh and Stefanie Benvenuto to the San Diego Housing Commission’s Board of Commissioners.
Walsh is chief of staff for Rep. Juan Vargas. Benvenuto is the public policy manager fo the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The SDHC Board reviews proposed housing policy, property acquisitions, operating budget and other agency financial commitments.
Walsh fills the seat previously held by Roberta “Bobbie” Spoon, and Benvenuto fills the seat that was previously held by Gary Gramling.
Walsh, a resident of Kensington, manages Vargas’ daily, political, media and legislative affairs. He also leads congressional staff offices in Washington, D.C., Chula Vista, and El Centro
Benvenuto has served as the public policy manager with the San Diego Chamber since 2015, managing its Infrastructure, Housing & Land Use Committee, where she has led efforts on housing affordability and availability.
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FAA to Release Initial Facility Maps by April 27
ExecutiveGOV
The Federal Aviation Administration aims to release an initial batch of facility maps for small unmanned aircraft systems by April 27 in a move to help remote pilots depict areas and altitudes near airports where UAS platforms will be allowed to operate.
FAA the maps are intended to guide drone operators when they apply for Part 107 airspace authorization and help the agency accelerate the application process.
The agency added remote pilots can use the facility maps to align their requests for small UAS operations to with approved locations and altitudes.
FAA expects to issue as many as 200 facility maps on April 27 and said database updates will coincide with the agency’s 56-day aeronautical chart production schedule.
Small drone pilots are still be required to submit airspace authorization applications via the FAA website to gain controlled airspace access.
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Personnel Announcements
Dersch Design & Engineering Names
Miranda Goar as P.E. Electrical Engineer
Dersch Design & Engineering has named Miranda Goar P.E. Electrical Engineer.
Goar received her designation as a Professional Engineer in Electrical Power December 2016. She is licensed in the state of California. In her position, Goar designs power and lighting systems for commercial customers, government agencies, and utilities. Her strength is in renewable energy and utility scale solar power systems.
Prior to joining Dersch Design in November 2015 as an electrical designer, Goar held the position of energy services engineer III at Tucson Electrical Power in Tucson, Ariz.
Goar attended University of Arizona where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in engineering management. During this time, she served as both president and vice president of the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM).
