CITY COUNCIL WRAP-UP

Here are some of the items the council considered at its meeting Monday:

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FIRE CODES

The council voted 7-0 to pass slightly adapted versions of new state fire codes as city law as well. Doing so allows the city to make its own adaptations for local conditions of the new codes, which the state requires cities start enforcing in 2008, said Building and Safety Director Ross Cranmer.

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WHAT IT MEANS

Various requirements for buildings will change in accordance with new state rules, updated every three years. A few provisions are deleted, such as earthquake codes for unreinforced masonry buildings — all such buildings have now had reinforcements added, according to a city staff report.

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DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS APPOINTED

The City Council voted 7-0 to sign a contract for a new director of public works. Travis Hopkins, who was city engineer before he stepped in earlier this year to help fill the interim position, will now take the job permanently, which went vacant in June when former director Robert Beardsley retired. Hopkins has been with the city since June 2006, and had been director of public works for the city of Placentia before then.

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WHAT IT MEANS

Hopkins has partially filled the position of director since July as acting director of public works in engineering. The job was split with operations director David Webb until a permanent candidate could be found. He came out ahead of 42 other candidates, according to a city staff report.

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WATER AND SEWER RATES

The council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance changing sewer and water service charges for residents of Huntington Beach. This completes an earlier vote made to introduce the changes.

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WHAT IT MEANS

City staff reports claim that a rise in some charges will be balanced by a lowering in other charges, leaving the average consumer spending a little less per month on their combined sewer and water bills. The vote also gives the city more power to maintain some sewer lines on private property that go through the public right-of-way.