Board extends gate hours, approves new street signs
GRF BOARD RECAP
by Ruth Osborn
Communications Director
The GRF Board of Directors met Feb. 24 to consider new gate hours, a street pavement plan, and new signs for Trust streets, among other items of business. Eight audience members took the podium to speak to the board, some of whom asked for information related to GRF Executive Director Jessica Sedgwick’s employment contract.
During her announcements, GRF President Janet Isom addressed those comments by saying that the board recently voted in executive session to not extend Sedgwick’s contract when it expires in June. Executive sessions are closed to the public so the board can confidentially discuss sensitive topics such as personnel matters and legal issues.
To watch the entire meeting, log on to lwsb.com and click “livestream.” In other news, the board addressed the following issues.
Change in Gate Hours
In an effort to save $56,300, or 71 cents per unit per month, annually in the 2025 budget, the board voted last year to reduce hours at the North and St. Andrews gates. The Main Gate has always been open 24 hours a day, and prior to January, the other gates were open from 5:45 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.
On Jan. 6, open hours at the North and St. Andrews gates were shortened to 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (13 hours a day per gate).
The board voted to reduce hours because vehicle counts showed minimal traffic through gates before 7 a.m. and after 8 p.m.
Several residents complained that shorter hours disrupted easy access to Sunday church services, primarily at Holy Family Catholic Church.
The board wrestled over completely reinstating hours and thus wiping out the budget savings. The final consensus was to compromise.
Effective as of March 2, both the North Gate and St. Andrews gates are open at 7 a.m. on Sundays only. Current hours for both gates are Sunday through Friday from 7 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Pavement Management Program
Upon the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board approved a maximum of $35,880 to NCE to provide a pavement management program for Trust Streets from reserve funding, which means the money has been specifically earmarked for this project.
The last pavement plan was drafted in 2014. That blueprint for maintaining Trust streets for the last decade has now expired with all work completed.
GRF BOARD, page 3
North Gate and St. Andrews Gate
Sunday-Friday: 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Main Gate
Operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without closure GRF BOARD
from page 1
NCE, a civil engineering firm specializing in pavement and materials since 1990, has also provided a pavement plan to the City of Seal Beach.
The company, which employs OCTA-certified inspectors, will use historical data and field surveys to inspect the 11 miles of Trust streets to prioritize road repairs.
Staff Benchmarking Project Upon the recommendation of the Administration Committee, the board voted to approve a proposal of $22,700 from operating funds to hire a company to compare GRF pay structures to industry standards.
Adamen, Inc., will benchmark 28 industry-specific positions— that may not be standard across industries—for $16,500, and Payscale will provide two data sets that can be used by GRF Human Resources staff to benchmark the remaining 51 positions for a cost not to exceed $6,200. Industry best practices require a salary benchmarking review every three years, with 2025 as the next scheduled review. A thorough benchmarking analysis of all positions within the GRF ensures competitive compensation, alignment with industry standards and internal equity. The process involves reviewing job titles and descriptions, responsibilities, pay scales and benefits using market data to address potential disparities and support talent acquisition and retention efforts. Such reviews also help companies avoid redundancies, inefficiencies and salary inflation ensuring GRF is not overpaying personnel.
Fair pay helps reduce turnover, saves on hiring and training costs, and lost productivity. Replacing an employee can cost over 50% of their salary. Benchmarking reports analyze data by company size, industry, geographic location, job title, and experience. The results can identify areas for improvement within the organization and drive better performance.
New Trust Street Signs
Upon the recommendation of the Facilities Committee, the board voted to award a contract to All American Sign for the replacement of all Trust street name signs at a cost of $24,537, plus a 10% contingency, for a total cost not to exceed $26,991.
Trust street signs, many of which are decades old and beginning to deteriorate, will be replaced.Paul Kryczko
