AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
April 22, 2026 COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR MEETING – 3:30
APPOINTMENTS
Item 3.a Appointments to the Planning Commission (Wards 1, 2, & 4 ) City council plans to make 3 appointments to the Planning Commission.
REPORTS
Item 4.a Policy for Addressing Tele phonic or Internet Disruptions (All Wards) Senate Bill 707, enacted in 2025, requires public agencies to provide remote public participation via two -way audio or audiovisual platforms by July 1, 2026. In response, the City Council adopted updates to its meeting policy on March 11, 2026, with full i mplementation expected upon deployment of a new platform. To complete compliance, the City must also adopt procedures for handling service disruptions during meetings. The proposed policy authorizes recesses, directs staff to restore service, and outlines options for reconvening, continuing, or adjourning meetings. There is no fiscal impact associated with this policy.
Item 4.b Public Safety Update (All Wards) The Bakersfield Police Department will provide an update on reported crime, traffic conditions, and response times for 2025.
REGULAR MEETING – 5:15 PM
PRESENTATION
Item 4.a BPD Chief Greg Terry’s Retirement (All Wards) Retirement presentation to Greg Terry, Chief of Police, for 30 years of service to the City of Bakersfield.
AGREEMENTS
Item 6.f. 2 Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program (All Wards ) On May 8, 2024, the City Council approved the FY 2024 –25 HUD Action Plan, which allocated HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding to Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) to administer the Tenant -Based Rental Assistance program. CAPK, an experienced provider of housing and homelessness prevention services, is well positioned to assist at -risk households in maintaining stable housing and avoiding homelessness.
The funding for these services consists of previously budgeted federal HOME grant funds and does not impact the General Fund.
Item 6.f.3 KernGRIT initiative (All Wards) On March 7, 2025, the Kern Coalition, led by the Kern Community College District, released a $9 million funding opportunity through the California Jobs First Catalyst Fund Program to support projects advancing economic and workforce development. The City o f Bakersfield participated as a sub-partner in the KernGRIT initiative, led by Project Development Solutions, which was awarded funding in Fall 2025 to support clean energy innovation and regional competitiveness. Under a proposed Memorandum of Understandi ng, the City will collaborate with PDS to complete two technical studies focused on land use and manufacturing strategy, and workforce development.
Approval of the MOU will formalize the City’s participation and authorize implementation of this work.
While $245,000 in General Funds will be temporarily allocated for project cash flow, all costs will be fully reimbursed through the state grant, resulting in no long-term impact to the General Fund.
MISCELLANEOUS
Item 6. h.1 Operation Spla sh (Ward 2) In February 2026, the City was awarded a two -year, $54,000 Operation Splash Grant from Kaiser Permanente Southern California Fund to support the 2026 and 2027 summer swim seasons. The grant, distributed in two $27,000 installments, will fund discounted swi m
lessons, Junior Lifeguarding classes, and pool passes for low -income families, continuing a partnership now in its eleventh year. The program will provide 300 reduced -cost swim lessons, 100 swim passes, and water safety education to approximately 800 parti cipants. There is no impact on the Recreation and Parks Operating Budget within the General Fund.
PUBLIC SAFETY / VITAL SERVICES MEASURE
Items 6.j.1 - 6.j.2 Alondra Park and Hershel Moore Park De sign P rojects (Wards 5 & 7 ) The City of Bakersfield is advancing design efforts for two undeveloped park sites: the 5 -acre Alondra Park and the 12-acre Herschel Moore Park. As part of previously approved capital improvement projects, both sites require architectural and engineering d esign services to support future development. Following adoption of Resolution 009 -2026 establishing an on -call library of qualified professional firms, the Recreation and Parks Department solicited proposals from QK, a qualified design consultant under th e program. QK submitted proposals of $375,540 for Alondra Park and $479,500 for Herschel Moore Park, both of which were deemed acceptable and consistent with the established rate structure. Sufficient funding is available within the Capital Improvement Program in the Public Safety and Vital Services fund.
CONSENT CALENDAR PUBLIC HEARINGS
Item 7.a Master Fee Schedule (All Wards) State law requires that new and adjusted municipal fees be adopted by ordinance or resolution following a public hearing, and Bakersfield Municipal Code Chapter
3.70 authorizes the City to establish fees to recover the reasonable cost of services. Followin g a comprehensive review of the Master Fee Schedule originally completed in 2021 and updated in subsequent years, staff has applied current Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments of approximately 3– 4%, along with updated labor, materials, and administrativ e overhead costs, to ensure continued full cost recovery consistent with City budget policy. The proposed resolution and Exhibit A include updated and new fees across multiple departments, including Economic and Community Development, Development Services, Fire Prevention, Recreation and Parks, and Water Resources. Overall, the proposed Master Fee Schedule aligns fees with current operational costs and supports fiscal sustainability by maintaining appropriate cost recovery and reducing reliance on the General Fund.
Item 7.b FY 2026-27 HUD Action Plan (All Wards) The FY 2026–27 Annual Action Plan represents the second year of the City’s Consolidated Plan 2030 and outlines proposed use of approximately $7.1 million in HUD entitlement funding, including CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and ESG programs. Recommended projects, reviewed by the Finance, Economic Development and Jobs Committee on February 23, 2026, include public infrastructure improvements, housing assistance, homelessness services, and supportive programs for seniors, low-income residents, and individuals with HIV/AID S. A public review period was conducted in March 2026 with no comments received. Final project budgets will be adjusted upon release of HUD’s official funding allocations. As these projects are fully funded through federal grants, there is no impact on the General Fund.
HEARINGS
Item 8.a Sewer User Rates (All Wards) The Water Department’s Wastewater Division, which operates as a self-sustaining enterprise funded primarily through user fees, conducted a comprehensive revenue rate study in partnership with HF&H Consultants to evaluate long -term operational, maintenance, and capital needs. Based on a 15-year financial plan and updated cost-of-service analysis, staff developed a proposed five-year rate structure for FY 2026 –27 through FY 2030–31, increasing annually from $475 to $875 to ensure continued service reliability and infrastructure investment. The proposed rates comply with Proposition 218 requirements, and public outreach, including mailed notices and community engagement, has been completed. The City Council’s current action is to continue the public hearing on the proposed rate adjustments to May 13, 2026.
Prepared by: Jaritza Nunez, Management Fellow CC: Department Heads City Manager’s File
City Clerk’s File
News Media File