Brawley City Council &
Successor Agency to Brawley
Community Redevelopment Agency
Special Meeting Agenda
August 18, 2026, at 6:00 PM
City Council Chambers
383 Main Street
Brawley, California 92227
This meeting will be broadcast live at https://brawley-ca.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=1 JJ Galvan, Mayor Ana Gutierrez, City Clerk
Timothy Kelley, Mayor Pro-Tempore William S. Smerdon, Acting City Treasurer John Grass, Council Member William S. Smerdon, City Attorney Perry Monita, Council Member Rebecca Terrazas-Baxter, City Manager/ Gil Rebollar, Council Member Executive Director
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
INVOCATION
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
2. PUBLIC APPEARANCES/COMMENTS (Not to exceed 4 minutes.) This is the time for the public to address the Council on any item not appearing on the agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. The Mayor will recognize you and when you come to the microphone, please state your name and address for the record. Speakers are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and orderly manner. Disruptive behavior and profanity are not permitted. You are not allowed to make personal attacks on individuals or make comments which are slanderous, or which may invade an individual’s personal privacy. Please direct your questions and comments to the City Council.
Any member of the public is invited to submit public comments in advance of the meeting to be read at the meeting. Please email your questions to valerie.sonico@brawleyca.gov or call 760-351-3048 any time before 2:30 PM, August 18, 2026. a. Public Comments for Items not on the Agenda
3. REGULAR BUSINESS
a. Potential Action to Approve Resolution No. 2026-45: Appointing Two Qualified Electors to the City Council in Lieu of an Election Pursuant to California Elections Code § 10229 – Presented by Emmet Fried, Assistant to the City Manager (3 attachments)
ADJOURNMENT: Regular Meeting September 1, 2026 @ 5:30 PM, 383 Main Street, Brawley, California. Supporting Documents are available for public review in the Office of the City Clerk, 383 Main Street, Brawley, California 92227 - Monday through Friday during Regular Business Hours; Individuals who require special accommodations are requested to give 48 hours prior notice. Contact: Office of the City Clerk @ 760-351-3048.
Ana Gutierrez, City Clerk
City of Brawley
City Council
August 18, 2026
Agenda Item No 3a
STAFF REPORT
To: City Council
From: Rebecca Terrazas-Baxter, City Manager
Prepared by: Valerie Sonico, Deputy City Clerk
Subject: Appointment in Lieu of Election – November 3, 2026, General Election RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive and consider the information regarding the November 3, 2026, General Election and, pursuant to California Elections Code § 10229, determine whether to appoint the nominated candidate(s) to office in lieu of conducting the election for any City Council contest in which the number of candidates does not exceed the number of seats to be filled. The City Clerk’s Certificate of Facts and the proposed Resolution are attached for Council review and action.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of Brawley’s General Municipal Election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Following the close of the candidate nomination period, the City Clerk, as the City’s elections official, is required to certify to the City Council the facts concerning any City Council contest in which the number of candidates nominated does not exceed the number of offices to be filled.
The City Elections Official has provided the required certification confirming the number of candidates, the number of offices to be filled, and that the nomination period closed pursuant to applicable law.
California Elections Code § 10229 provides an alternative to conducting an election when the number of candidates nominated for a city office does not exceed the number of offices to be filled. Under the statute, the City Council may appoint the nominated candidate(s) to the office in lieu of conducting the election. Alternatively, the City Council may direct that the election be held despite the contest being uncontested.
The appointment option is available only if action is taken within the statutory timeframe. If no appointment is made by the 75th day before the election, the election must be conducted, and the contest will remain on the ballot.
For the November 3, 2026, General Election, the 75th day before the election is August 20, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact will depend upon the action taken by the City Council. The Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget includes $50,000 for election-related costs. If the City Council appoints the nominated candidate(s) in lieu of the County administering an uncontested municipal election, the City would incur an estimated $300 fee payable to the County Registrar of Voters. This would result in 3a
approximately $49,700 in remaining budgeted funds, with the $300 fee representing approximately
0.6% of the total election budget.
Appointing candidates in lieu of election will therefore result in substantial cost savings compared to holding an uncontested election.
If the City Council elects to proceed with the election, the City will continue to incur its applicable share of election-related costs, which will be charged against the $50,000 budgeted for this purpose.
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may elect not to approve the appointment and instead direct that the election be held, as also permitted under Elections Code § 10229.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution No. 2026-45
2. Certificate of Facts and In-Lieu Appointment
REPORT COORDINATED WITH (other than person preparing the staff report):
Staff, Title or Consultant, Agency
William Smerdon, City Attorney, ,
REPORT APPROVAL(S):
Status – Date of Status
Approved - 8/14/2026
Staff, Title or Consultant, Agency
Marcela Tapia, Interim Finance Director
Rebecca Terrazas-Baxter, City Manager Approved - 8/14/2026 3a
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-45
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BRAWLEY, CALIFORNIA,
APPOINTING TWO QUALIFIED ELECTORS TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN LIEU OF AN ELECTION PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS CODE § 10229
WHEREAS, Council Members Gilbert Rebollar and Perry Monita’s terms on the Council are due to expire; and
WHEREAS, neither Council Member Rebollar nor Council Member Monita has filed nomination papers to seek reelection; and
WHEREAS, only two qualified electors have submitted nomination papers seeking election to the City Council, namely Eric Montoya Reyes and Clyde Richard Edgar Jr.; and WHEREAS, the City Elections Official has certified the facts of the uncontested contest to the City Council in accordance with Elections Code § 10229; and
WHEREAS, there are no other contested city offices and no city measures appearing on the ballot for the November 2026 municipal election, and the number of nominated candidates does not exceed the number of seats to be filled; and
WHEREAS, inasmuch as the foregoing facts permit appointment in lieu of election under Election Code § 10229, the City Council may forego conducting an election and appoint the qualified electors to fill the City Council seats being vacated by Council Members Rebollar and Monita; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The City Council finds and determines that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference;
2. Pursuant to California Elections Code § 10229, Eric Montoya Reyes and Clyde Richard Edgar Jr. are hereby appointed to the City Council of the City of Brawley. The appointed individuals shall qualify, take office, and serve exactly as if elected at a municipal election for the office.
3. The appointments shall become effective upon the expiration of the current terms of Council Members Rebollar and Monita.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a special meeting of the Brawley City Council held on August 18, 2026.
CITY OF BRAWLEY, CALIFORNIA
________________________
JJ Galvan, Mayor
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ATTEST:
_______________________________
Ana Gutierrez, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF IMPERIAL
CITY OF BRAWLEY
I, Ana Gutierrez, City Clerk of the City of Brawley, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 2026-45 was passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Brawley, California, at a regular meeting held on the 18th day of August 2026, and that it was so adopted by the following roll call vote: m/s/c
AYES:
NAYES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
DATED: August 18, 2026 __________________________
Ana Gutierrez, City Clerk
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