AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
February 25, 2026 COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR MEETING – 3:30 PM
REPORTS
Item 3.a Brown Act Updates (All Wards) Staff report from the City Attorney regarding changes to the Brown Act due to Senate Bill 707 (effective January 1, 2026).
REGULAR MEETING – 5:15 PM
APPOINTMENTS
Items 6.a Development Review Streamlining Ad Hoc Committee (All Wards ) Creation of the Development Review Streamlining Ad Hoc Committee and setting the first meeting in March.
Committee members will be appointed by Vice Mayor, Manpreet Kaur.
RESOLUTIONS
Item 7. d.1 CalVIP Cohort 5 Grant Program (All W ards) The City of Bakersfield has been awarded $4,899,000 under the California Violence Intervention and Prevention (CalVIP) Cohort 5 Grant Program, as approved by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) on February 12, 2026. The grant will fund violence intervention efforts from April 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, using a public health approach and coordinated, evidence-informed strategies in partnership with community organizations and public safety agencies. Adoption of the resolution authorizes the City Manager to accept the grant terms and execute the agreement on behalf of the City Council, satisfies BSCC requirements for signing authority, appropriates funds to the City Manager’s Office Operating Budget, and does not require matching funds.
AGREEMENTS
Item 7. e.5 Amendment to Agreement with Kern Community College District (All Wards) The City of Bakersfield received a direct allocation of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funding establishing programs such as the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Technical Assistance and Grant Program (“Program”).
Three partners were awarded funding to provide business support services to entrepreneurs, start -ups, and small businesses as grants assisting 883 businesses and creating 290 jobs. With the success of the first allocation, an additional $1,000,000 of ARPA funds was added to the original $350,439 KCCD Launchpad program to continue the program through 2026. On December 17, 2025, council terminated the agreement with the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce as they were unable to complete their program. This amendment would award $19,275.70 of those unused ARPA funds to the Bakersfield College Launchpad for additional business support services in their program. This p rogram is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act and has no impact to the General Fund.
MISCELLANEOUS
Item 7.g.1 Reimbursement to Bakersfield Police Department (All Wards) In July 2024, the Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) deployed sworn law enforcement personnel through EMAC to provide law enforcement and security services in support of a federally designated event. The deployment occurred from July 10 through July 22, 2024, and included eight sworn officers. The Police Department’s operating budget has already incurred these costs by paying personnel and travel -related expenses.
Reimbursement in the amount of $80,457.53 was received, and appropriation is requested to apply the reimbursement to the Police Operating Budget.
PUBLIC SAFETY / VITAL SERVICES MEASURE
Item 7. i.1 Agreement with The Open Door Network for Shelter Construction (Ward 2) The Open Door Network (TODN) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that serves community members in the city of Bakersfield and the surrounding areas, offering services such as managing a homeless shelter. Due to the ongoing need for shelter beds, TODN proposed the construction of a new , expanded shelter that would merge its functions into one location and serve more people with additional programs. TODN Shelter Project is currently under construction at 529 Dolores Street, consisting of four (4) separate buildings on 2.94 acres of land. Shelter bed capacity will increase by 100 beds for a total of over 350 shelter beds. On May 28, 2025, the Fiscal Year 2025 -26 Proposed Budget Book was presented to the City Council. It included an allocation of $2,500,000 in Public Safety/Vital Services Capital Improvement Project Reserves for TODN for the construction of a 350 -bed shelter that includes beds for families with children. Councilmember Gonzales made a referral that staff allocate funding from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund from prior year allocations in the amount of $2,500,000 instead of PSVS Capital Improvement Project Reserves. On June 15, 2025, the City Council adopted the Fiscal Year 25 -26 budget with th e proposed funding adjustment included. This agreement would be funded by the Affordable Housing Trust Fund allocated in prior fiscal years with PSVS funds.
Prepared by: Jaritza Nunez, Management Fellow CC: Department Heads Alex Hinojosa, Management Fellow City Manager’s File City Clerk’s File
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