1 MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL - SPECIAL MEETING (WORKSHOP)
CITY OF BANNING, CALIFORNIA
December 9, 2025 Council Chambers
3:30 p.m. 99 E. Ramsey Street
In Chambers Banning, CA 92220
The following information comprises the minutes for the special meeting of the Banning City Council, a joint meeting of the City Council and Banning Utility Authority, and the Banning City Council sitting in its capacity as the Banning Successor Agency Board.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Council Member Cynthia Barrington Mayor Sheri Flynn
Council Member Leroy Miller
Mayor Pro Tem Richard Royce
Council Member Colleen Wallace
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Phaedra Norton, Assistant City Attorney Arturo Vela, Interim City Manager
Vickie Sellers, City Clerk
Bob Deis, Sr. Consultant, Sloan Sakai Yeung Wong, LLP
Sandra Calderon, Acting Deputy City Clerk
1. CALL TO ORDER – 3:53 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBER PRESENT ABSENT
Barrington, Cynthia X
Flynn, Sheri X Miller, Leroy X
Royce, Richard X
Wallace, Colleen X
2. WORKSHOP
2.1 Parks and Recreation Commission Interview to fill the vacancy in Position 4, with a term ending January 31, 2027, on the Banning Parks and Recreation Commission.
Recommendation: Conduct an interview with the applicant to fill a vacancy on the Banning Parks and Recreation Commission, Position 4, term ending January 31, 2027.
Applicant Rita Chaparrosa introduced herself, highlighting her lifelong residency in Banning, her 37 years of experience with the city in various departments, and her involvement in community committees.
2 ● Parks and Recreation Commission Role: Rita understands the role to be advisory, with recommendations for policies and programs enhancements. ● Relationship with Staff and City Council: The relationship should be advisory, with recommendations going to the director. Issues should be taken to the director rather than staff directly.
● Handling Concerns: Rita stated she would go to the director with major concerns about staff reports and would keep confidential matters private.
● Meeting Attendance: Rita confirmed her ability to commit to attending the Parks and Recreation Commission meetings.
2.2 Continuance of the City of Banning Strategic Plan "Banning 2030 - Designing the Future TODAY"
Recommendation: Continue Discussion and Finalize Direction Regarding the City of Banning Strategic Plan "Banning 2030 - Designing the Future TODAY".
Discussion Points:
● Strategic Plan Overview: Bob Deis presented an assessment of the City organization and recommendations for moving forward, based on a strategic plan called "Banning 2030, Designing the Future Today".
● Workshop Summary: The workshop on November 25th involved each department sharing their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOTs). The strategic plan aims to reset the organization and onboard the council.
● Strategic Goals: There are 64 strategic goals due to Banning being a $100 million corporation on a major interstate, having three utilities, and needing to address accumulated catch-up goals. ● Decentralized Management: Banning's city management is decentralized, requiring strong department heads.
● Financial Position: The City's financial position is impaired. The general fund balance and internal service fund balance need immediate attention. ● Electrical Utility Fund: The Electrical Utility fund is underwater but is on its way to solvency through rate increases.
● Cash Management: Tight cash management is critical due to the impaired financial position. ● Budget Imbalance: The City has not had a structurally balanced budget for six years. Ongoing revenues need to cover ongoing expenditures.
● Financial Viability: The City needs to determine if it can be structurally balanced for the next five years.
● Catch-Up Goals: Employee performance management and technology issues need addressing. ● Insurance Issues: High settlements and claims have led to an increased insurance deductible. 3 ● Technology Decentralization: Technology purchasing and rollout are decentralized, leading to inconsistency between departments. Centralizing this function is recommended. ● Management Stability: Addressing management turnover is essential. ● Priority Review: Council reviewed Exhibit A to categorize and prioritize strategic goals ● Goal Tiers: Goals were divided into tiers based on the number of votes received. ○ Tier 1: Policy goals with three or two votes.
○ Tier 2: Goals with one vote.
○ Tier 3: Goals with no votes.
● Policy vs. Administrative Goals: The focus is on policy goals, with administrative goals providing direction to the City Manager.
● Flexibility: The City Manager needs flexibility on administrative goals. ● Implementation Plan: An implementation plan will be developed for Tier 1 policy priorities, including timelines and budgets.
● CFD Program: The creation of a CFD program was discussed as part of a multi-year plan to fix the City's finances.
● Tier Adjustments: Some goals were moved between tiers based on feasibility and overlap. ● Leave Management Program: Implementing a leave management program was identified as an important administrative goal.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS - Agenda Items Only
Mayor Flynn opened Public Comment
Frank Connolly supported Rita Paparrosa’s appointment and thanked Mr. Deis for his excellent work. He suggested prioritizing financial matters over animal control and homelessness issues and emphasized the importance of addressing the distressed departments: Finance, Human Resources, Police, and IT.
Mayor Flynn closed Public Comment
Next Steps:
● A consolidated strategic plan with tiered priorities and an implementation plan for Tier 1 will be presented in January.
● Council agreed to move forward with the strategic plan based on the presented tiers.
Action Items:
● Develop a consolidated strategic plan with tiered priorities. ○ Person responsible: Bob Deis
○ Deadline: January 2026
● Create an implementation plan for Tier 1 policy priorities, including timelines and budgets. ○ Person responsible: Bob Deis
4 ○ Deadline: January 2026
● Staff to present the final strategic plan to the Council. ○ Person responsible: City Staff
○ Deadline: January 2026
4. ADJOURNMENT
Motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Royce and seconded by Mayor Flynn.
Motion carried unanimously 5-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:43 p.m. and Council moved to go back into closed session.
Minutes prepared by:
Sandra B. Calderon
Acting Administrative 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/271?view_id=1&redirect=true