AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
May 13, 2026 COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR MEETING – 3:30 PM
REPORTS
Item 4.a Housing Element Presentation (All Wards) Staff will provide a presentation regarding the 6th Cycle Housing Element, Annual Progress Report and required Code Amendments.
REGULAR MEETING – 5:15 PM
JOB SPECIFICATIONS AND SALARY UPDATES
Items 6.e.1 Salary Schedule for Bakersfield Professional Fire Association (All Wards) The City has been notified by California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) that minor revisions to existing labor agreement language are necessary to maintain the pensionable reporting of scheduled overtime as special compensation. The proposed updates clarify and document the City’s longstanding intent and practice in accordance with applicable Government Code and California Code of Regulations requirements and do not create or expand benefits for employees. There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
Items 6.e.2 Salary Schedule for Bakersfield Police Officers Association (All Wards) The City of Bakersfield and the Bakersfield Police Officers Association (BPOA) have tentatively agreed to a one-and-a-half-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for police classifications covering July 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026. The proposed agre ement includes language updates related to shift schedule changes and compensatory time, as well as 2% salary increases effective upon City Council adoption and again following July 1, 2026. The agreement is consistent with Council -approved guidelines, and approval will place all represented bargaining units under contract. The estimated fiscal impact for the current fiscal year is $253,333, to be funded through personnel vacancy savings and operational cost savings.
HEARINGS
Item 8.a Public Hearing and Resolution for amended PLHA 5-Year Plan (All Wards) In 2017, the California Legislature enacted the Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB 2), which established a $75 recording fee on all real estate documents, creating a permanent, ongoing source of revenue for local governments to address the shortage of affordable housing in their communities. With this new revenue source, the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) was established, providing up to $296 million in State funding for the development of new affordable multifamily rental housing and single-family homes. On October 15, 2024, the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the PLHA program, identifying entitlement awards for the City of Bakersfield and other eligible local jurisdictio ns. The City is currently eligible to receive $2,621,239 in Permanent Local Housing Allocation funding for calendar years 2022 and 2023 entitlements. This resolution will allow the City of Bakersfield to amend the 5 -Year PLHA spending plan to reallocate previously awarded PLHA funding to another eligible affordable housing activity under the PLHA program. All City of Bakersfield PLHA funds will be reinvested into the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) for distribution through a NOF A. The Permanent Local Housing Fund is a State Entitlement Grant and the sources are from taxes collected by the state. There is no fiscal impact to the City’s General Fund.
Item 8.b Public Hearing to Consider Adoption of Sewer User Rates (All Wards) In 2025 , the Water Department (Water) partnered with HF&H Consultants (HF&H) to conduct a revenue rate study to assess the revenue requirements needed to cover costs of operating and maintaining the existing systems and
infrastructure. HF&H completed a full cost-of-service analysis (COSA) and provided recommendations for rates beginning FY 2026-27. Results of the COSA were presented to the City Council on October 22, 2025. Since then, City staff received direction regarding acceptable rate options, received feedback from community stakeholders, and engaged in multiple public outreach events. In 2026, HF&H conducted a new COSA, taking into consideration the feedback provided. With the results of the 2026 COSA, staff finaliz ed the 2026 -2030 Sewer Rates and Fees Report , recommending a five -year rate increase from FY 2026 -27 through FY 2030 -31. Annual sewer fees are subject to Proposition 218 , which requires a public hearing in which the public may support or protest the rate increase. Proposition 218 Notices for the proposed increased rates were mailed to all affected property owners informing them of the proposed changes to sewer user rates on March 5, 2026 , and March 19, 2026. If approved, the proposed rates will go into effe ct July 1, 2026, and future increases would go into effect each July 1 thereafter through July 1, 2031.
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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