Regular Meeting of the Calimesa City Council
Meeting Agenda
Monday, March 16, 2026 – 6:00 PM
Norton Younglove Multipurpose Senior Center
908 Park Avenue, Calimesa, CA 92320
The Calimesa City Council will be conducting this meeting in the Norton Younglove Senior Center. Members of the public may attend this meeting in person at the Norton Younglove Senior Center, 908 Park Avenue, Calimesa, CA 92320, or the public may view the City Council meetings live at https://www.youtube.com/@calimesacity900/live beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Submission of Public Comments: Public comment will be allowed by completing a speaker slip and providing it to the City Clerk at the meeting. Please observe a time limit of 3 minutes when giving your presentation. When called upon, please step forward to the microphone, state your name for the record, whom you represent and any statement you wish to make. Please be advised that you may not defer your 3 minutes to another speaker.
Jeff Cervantez, Mayor John Manly, Mayor Pro Tem
Eric Cundieff, Council Member Edgar Garcia, Council Member Linda Molina, Council Member Will Kolbow, City Manager Steven Flower, City Attorney In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a City meeting or other services offered by this City, please contact the City Clerk’s Office, (909) 795-9801. Notification of at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed will assist the City staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting or service. Any public writings distributed by the City to at least a majority of the Council Members regarding any item on this regular meeting agenda will be made available at the public counter at City Hall located at 908 Park Avenue, Calimesa, CA 92320.
Call to Order
Roll Call: Mayor Cervantez, Mayor Pro Tem Manly, Council Member Cundieff, Council Member Garcia and Council Member Molina.
Staff: City Manager Kolbow, City Attorney Flower, City Clerk Gerdes, Finance Director Reid, Community Development Director Lucia, Public Works Director Shakir, City Engineer Thornton, Deputy Fire Chief Shaw and Sheriff Captain Esquibel
Pledge of Allegiance
Communications From the Public
Pursuant to the Brown Act, this is the opportunity for members of the public to directly address the Council on any item within the Council’s subject matter jurisdiction. Please note that this is also the time in which members of the public may address the Council on any item on the Consent Calendar. This is not the time for City Council discussion of non-agenda items. After receiving public comments, Council Members, or staff, after being recognized by the Mayor, may briefly respond to statements made by the public or questions posed by the public. In addition, Council Members may ask questions for clarification or make a referral to staff for factual information to be reported back to the Council at a later meeting.
Approval of the Agenda, Consent Calendar and Waiver of Full Reading of Ordinances This is the time for the City Council to notify the public of any changes to the agenda; such as removal of an agenda item, rearrangement of the agenda, postponement of an agenda item or continuance of an item to a future meeting. This is also the time for the City Council to remove items from the Consent Calendar for individual consideration. Waiver of full reading of ordinances does not take policy action or approve or disapprove any ordinances on the agenda, it simply means that the entire text of the ordinance will not be read.
Consent Calendar
The following items on the Consent Calendar are routine and customary items and are enacted by a single motion, with the exception of items previously removed during “Approval of the Agenda” for individual consideration. Any items removed shall be individually considered immediately after taking action on the Consent Calendar.
1. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of March 2, 2026 Recommendation: That the City Council approve the action minutes of the City Council meeting of March 2, 2026.
2. Receive and File City Commission & Board Minutes
Recommendation: That the City Council approve the action minutes as presented for the Parks, Trails & Community Services Commission regular meeting of February 4. 2026 and Planning Commission regular meeting minutes of February 9, 2026
3. Approval of Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrant Registers Recommendation: That the City Council approve the Accounts Payable and Payroll Warrant Registers as presented.
4. Council Travel and Training - Meeting and Mileage Expense Report Recommendation: That the City Council approve the Council Travel, Training and Meeting/Mileage Expenses Report through February 28, 2026
5. Approval of Agreement for Farmers Market Vendor Coordinator Services Recommendation: That the City Council approve the agreement for vendor coordinator services with "Where's the Event" for a Calimesa Farmers Market.
Calimesa Chamber of Commerce Report
Business Items
6. Approval of Letter to Sacramento and Adoption of Resolution Advocating for Restoration of Local Land Use Authority
Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Approve the attached letter to the Governor and State Legislature addressing the continued erosion of local land use authority and requesting legislative relief;
2. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-07 formally calling for restoration of local planning authority and recognition of the role cities already play in delivering housing; and
3. Direct staff to coordinate with regional jurisdictions and organizations advocating for policies that better reflect the realities facing inland communities.
7. City of Calimesa Endorsement of Larry Smith to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) Board Recommendation: That the City Council consider whether to endorse Lawrence “Larry” Smith for the position of Regular Special District Member – Western Riverside County on the Riverside Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) and, if so, authorize the Mayor to sign the endorsement letter.
Mayor & Council Member Reporting of County & Regional Meetings/Conferences This is the time for general comments, announcements, reports on meetings attended at public expense as required by AB 1234, requests of staff, and other issues of concern to Council Members may be presented briefly at this time. The Council may not legally take action on any item presented at this time other than to direct staff to investigate a complaint or place an item on a future agenda unless (1) by a majority vote, the Council determines that an emergency situation exists, as defined by Government Code § 54956.5 or (2) by a four-fifths vote, the Council determines that there is a need for immediate action and the need for action arose subsequent to the agenda being posted as required by Government Code § 54954.2(b).
City Manager Comments & Reports
Closed Session Items
8. Closed Session Items
Recommendation: That the City Council meet in Closed Session for the following item:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6. City Negotiator: Will Kolbow, City Manager and Darlene Gerdes, Deputy City Manager/City Clerk/Human Resources.
Represented Employees: Calimesa Professional Firefighters Association.
Adjournment