MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING (WORKSHOP)
FEBRUARY 25, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER – 4:54 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Sheri Flynn
Mayor Pro Tem Richard Royce
Council Member Cindy Barrington
Council Member Leroy Miller
Council Member Colleen Wallace
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Laurie Sampson, Assistant City Manager
` John Pinkney, Interim City Attorney
Lincoln Bogard, Administrative Services Director
Vickie Sellers, City Clerk
Caroline Patton, Administrative City Clerk
John Garside, Multimedia Specialist
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Agenda Items Only
John Hagen expressed concern regarding impacts to the community if the grant agreement were approved. He requested that grant funds be used to provide transportation for released inmates to return to their hometowns.
Sue Savage questioned what would occur once grant funds were exhausted and questioned the structure of the grant. She proposed a zero-tolerance policy for released inmates living unhoused within city limits.
Michelle Walter provided clarification regarding details of the grant and indicated support for the proposed program. She stated the program would serve released inmates seeking to improve their lives and move forward successfully.
Scott Drake expressed support for the grant program and shared success stories from similar programs.
Wilma Glover expressed opposition to the proposed program. She stated released inmates should be returned to their hometowns upon release and expressed concern regarding property values and growth within Banning.
Dylan Daniel stated he was new to Banning and had previously been incarcerated. He stated he came to Banning through a similar program and indicated it had provided opportunities he otherwise would not have had.
Doreen Reynolds stated she lived close to the jail. She expressed concern for youth within the community and shared experiences involving released inmates in her neighborhood.
City of Banning
City Council Minutes
February 25, 2025 Special Meeting
2 Lincoln Bogard, Banning Administrative Services Director, stated if the City withdrew from the grant at this stage, it could impact the City’s eligibility for future State grant opportunities.
Amy Pippinger shared statistics regarding previous Proposition 47 grant programs. She expressed concern that prior grant recipients were larger agencies and stated Banning was not large enough to support a similar program.
Kathleen Dale stated she found inconsistencies within the grant information. She stated misinformation had been circulating among residents and requested that the City provide additional information for clarity.
Marco Santana discussed the community-based organizations involved with the grant and clarified that those organizations operate throughout the county and surrounding areas, addressing concerns raised by previous speakers that the program would require participants to remain in Banning.
Jerry stated he was a member of the Riverside County homeless outreach team. He stated that when communities are resistant to supportive housing or outreach efforts, organizations may redirect participants to other areas.
Carol Albaugh, Faith in Action, expressed support for the grant program and urged the City to move forward with the proposal.
Sandra Glickman, Faith in Action, discussed a life-skills cohort program offered by the organization for individuals in need and offered assistance in support of the proposed program.
Juanita Diaz discussed inmate releases at the local jail and questioned why certain organizations were excluded from the program. She stated the City faced larger issues that should be addressed prior to implementation of a program of this nature.
Chris Castarena urged the Council to make effective use of the funding included in the grant. He stated he agreed the issue was regional in nature and should be addressed accordingly. He expressed concern that community issues could worsen if not addressed.
Mark Davis, Salvation Army, expressed support for the program. He stated this was a great opportunity to use grant funds to improve the community without having to tap into the local budget.
Daneen indicated opposition to the program. She stated she lived near a proposed transitional housing site, and she was concerned about the number of children in the neighborhood.
Lou Gregory addressed the Council and stated he had a son experiencing homelessness. He stated that when agencies ignore issues or assume others will address them, those problems continue to persist. He expressed support for the program.
Mario Carlos, Case Manager Specialist for the City of Banning, discussed the human aspect of the program and urged the public to remember that program participants are individuals deserving of compassion and support.
Kelly expressed opposition to the project and stated she was concerned for the children and residents of Banning if the program went through.
Heteres Milsa expressed opposition to the program and Proposition 47 generally.
City of Banning
City Council Minutes
February 25, 2025 Special Meeting
3 3. WORKSHOP
3.1 Review of Agreement with the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for the Proposition 47 Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Grant Program Recommendation: Receive and file.
Jeff Platt, Homeless Services Director, presented the staff report. He provided a timeline of the Proposition 47 grant program. He discussed Opportunity Village, a similar program in Banning, and noted the success it has had. He addressed concerns raised during public comment. He stated the City received grant funds similar to that of San Francisco and Los Angeles which speaks to the success of the already existing programs.
Mark Davis, Salvation Army, shared success stories. He discussed the variety of services the Salvation Army offers and how they would contribute to this program.
In response to a question from Council Member Wallace, Mr. Davis stated they weren’t directly associated with the transitional housing portion but rather would provide employment and treatment services to participants as part of the grant. In response to a second question from Council Member Wallace, he stated that successful grant recipient agencies are typically eligible to renew the grant at its expiration.
In response to Council Member Miller, Mr. Davis the Salvation Army would receive roughly $3.7 million from the total grant funds. He stated $1.3 million of that amount is for salaries for the homeless-to-work program. He stated portions of the program would be funded in-kind by the Salvation Army and not taken out of the grand funding.
In response to Council Member Miller, Lincoln Bogard, Administrative Services Director, stated there would be a five-percent retention requirement for this grant which meant that the City would need to pay for five percent of the total grant amount throughout the life of the grant which would then be released at the conclusion of the grant period.
In response to Council Member Wallace, Robert Fisher, Acting City Manager, discussed elements of the grant and potential costs to the City not covered by the grant, such as law enforcement salary.
Mr. Platt addressed questions from Mayor Flynn related to various requirements of the grant regarding housing. He also discussed the organizations partnered on the grant and the reasons certain partners were included. He discussed previous meetings held related to the grant application and development.
MOTION
Council Member Miller made a motion to adjourn the workshop and begin the regular meeting, seconded by Council Member Wallace.
Council Members discussed whether to adjourn the meeting or continue.
4. ADJOURNMENT
The question was called by roll call vote and the motion carried 3-2, Mayor Flynn and Mayor Pro Tem Royce dissenting.
The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m.
City of Banning
City Council Minutes
February 25, 2025 Special Meeting
4 Minutes presented by:
Sandra B. Calderon
Deputy City Clerk
These minutes have been prepared as Summary Minutes in accordance with City Council Resolution 2025-22 and Government Code Sections 36814, 40801, and 54953(c)(2).
The entire discussion of this meeting may be viewed here:
https://banningca.granicus.com/player/clip/172?view_id=1&redirect=true