CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
Regular Meeting
Wednesday, October 25, 2023
5:30 PM
City Council Chambers
68-700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero
Cathedral City, CA 92234
• CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 PM by Mayor Rita Lamb. • PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Pro Tem Carnevale led the Pledge of Allegiance.
• INVOCATION (MOMENT OF REFLECTION)
Councilmember Ernesto Gutierrez offered the Invocation. • ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Rita Lamb Mayor Present 4:58 PM
Mark Carnevale Mayor Pro Tem Present 5:04 PM
Nancy Ross Councilmember Present 5:04 PM
Raymond Gregory Councilmember Absent
Ernesto Gutierrez Councilmember Present 4:58 PM
• AGENDA FINALIZATION
There were no changes to the agenda.
1. PUBLIC COMMENT
Josiah Maier, President of Cathedral City Professional Firefighters Association, indicated that he is speaking on behalf of the members of the association seeking a one-time payment from the America Rescue Plan Act Funds the City received for their work during the pandemic. He stated the majority of City Employees received a one-time payment from these funds, however, the members of the PFA were not offered the same.
Cathedral City P a g e 2 Printed on 11/02/2023
Jens Mueller, expressed his concern with trash cans being visible from the street.
He encouraged the City Council to establish a task force to come up with ideas to address this issue . He indicated that he would like to participate or help in any way he can.
David Koslow, requested that the City Council adopt a binding policy to conduct the City's business with sensitive and diplomatic consideration of the feelings and concerns of the Cathedral City citizens who volunteer their time and expertise to serve on the City's various Commissions and to direct staff to comply with the policy.
Fred Bell, Chairman of the Palm Springs Air Museum, presented the City Council with a check in the amount of $9630.80. He announced that they received donations to help Cathedral City residents that were affected by Tropical Storm Hilary and that the check is for the remaining monies not spent. He indicated that the City Council can determine how to distribute the remaining funds.
Joe McCabe, Museum of Ancient Wonders, thanked the City Council for their approval of funding for the museum through the Community Assistance Program.
Sunshine Herrera, President Cathedral City Evening Rotary, thanked the Council for their support of Fields of Valor. She indicated that the event will be held from November 4, 2023 through November 12, 2023. She stated that any of the Council Members that would like to be involved in any of the activities should contact her.
Chip Yarborough, acknowledged the Police Department for their traffic unit and thanked them for the work they are doing. He reiterated what Josiah Maier commented on related to HERO pay.
2. LOCAL EMERGENCY UPDATE
A. Update on Emergency Actions Related to Tropical Storm Hilary Recommendation: Update on Status of Emergency Proclamation, Resolution 2023-33.
Update on Emergency Actions taken by City, County,
State of Federal Agencies.
Possible consideration of additional measures to be
taken. Council may add items not listed on the agenda pursuant to Government Code section 54954.2 by
majority vote.
City Manager Charles McClendon provided an update on the Emergency Actions Related to Tropical Storm Hilary. He presented the following points:
• Ongoing Efforts
• Financial Impacts
• Financial Impacts - Costs Incurred
• Financial Assistance Programs
• Mental Health Assistance
• Emergency Plan Updates
Cathedral City P a g e 3 Printed on 11/02/2023
• Emergency Plan Updates - Timeline
This item was for information and discussion only, there was no formal action taken by the City Council.
A motion was made by and seconded by to approve the Update on Status of Emergency Proclamation, Resolution 2023 -33.
Update on Emergency Actions taken by City, County, State of Federal Agencies.
Possible consideration of additional measures to be taken. Council may add items not listed on the agenda pursuant to Government Code section 54954.2 by majority vote.
3. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Ernesto Gutierrez reported on the following:
• Had two meetings with City Manager McClendon and Assistant City Manager Ambrose
• Attended the Palm Springs Unified School District Sub-Committee Meeting • Attended the Battle of the Badges Event
• Participated in Media Day related to the Maya La Feria Internacional De Cultura Event
• Attended the Palm Springs Unified School District Legislative Breakfast along with Mayor Lamb, Police Chief Crum and City Manager McClendon • Attended the Maya La Feria Internacional De Cultura Event on Saturday and Sunday
• Complaints received regarding illegal food vendors
• Calls received regarding Code Enforcement and the need to be more proactive • Attendance at the upcoming Halloween Dog Costume Contest at Panorama Park • Attendance at the upcoming Halloween Spooktackular
Councilmember Nancy Ross reported on the following upcoming Halloween Events:
• Dia de Los Muertos that will be held at Sunny Lands
• Run with Los Muertos in Old Town Coachella
• Dia de Los Muertos - Palm Springs Art Museum
• Dia de Los Muertos at the Coachella Valley Public Cemetery • Dia de Los Muertas events that will be held at all four Forest Lawns across the Valley
• S.C.R.A.P. Gallery Event at Forest Lawn
Mayor Pro Tem Mark Carnevale reported on the following:
• His meeting with Jens Mueller related to trash cans
• The calls he received from constituents related to various areas of concern • A call from a local business wanting to relocate
• His attendance at the Maya La Feria Internacional De Cultura Event Cathedral City P a g e 4 Printed on 11/02/2023
• Complaints received regarding illegal food vendors
• A call he received related to a 16 -year old boy that attends Cathedral City High School that is homeless
• He will be a judge at the upcoming Halloween Costume Contest • The new DJs Sports Bar
Mayor Rita Lamb reported on the following:
• Her attendance at the Maya La Feria Internacional De Cultura Event • Her attendance at the Palm Springs Unified School District Legislative Breakfast • Her attendance at the College of the Desert Listening Tour Program • Her attendance at the Home Depot Foundation re-do of the Salvation Army Facility • Cathedral City High School Football game statistics
• Discover Digest
• The Friday Night Art Walk
• The Fall Booklet mailer
4. CONSENT AGENDA
A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Carnevale and seconded by Mayor Lamb to approve the following Consent Agenda items:
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mark Carnevale, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Rita Lamb, Mayor
AYES: Rita Lamb, Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Ernesto Gutierrez ABSENT: Raymond Gregory
A. Waive Full Reading of Ordinances on Agenda
M.O. 2023-166
B. Minutes Approval
M.O. 2023-167
1. City Council - Study Session - Oct 11, 2023 3:00 PM
2. City Council - Regular Meeting - Oct 11, 2023 5:30 PM C. Contract Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Woodard and Curran for Septic to Sewer Project Planning Grant Recommendation: To approve Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Woodard and Curran to provide Clean
Water State Revolving Fund Program grant related services updating the submittal of the planning grant for the City’s Septic to Sewer Project to the California State Water
Resource Control Board requirements; and, authorize the City Manager to execute the required Amendment
documents.
Cathedral City P a g e 5 Printed on 11/02/2023
M.O. 2023-168
D. Award Professional Services Contract to Alliant Consulting Inc. for Labor Compliance and Monitoring Services for the Dream Homes Park City Project C07021
Recommendation: To approve a Professional Services Agreement with Alliant Consulting Inc. in the not-to-exceed amount of $73,160 for Professional Labor Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Services for the Dream Homes Park Project; and, authorize the City Manager to execute the required contract
documents.
M.O. 2023-169
E. Contract Amendment No. 1 to the On-Call Engineering Services Agreement - State and Federal Projects
Recommendation: To approve Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreements with NAI Consulting, Inc. and with Interwest Consulting Group for On-Call Engineering Support and
Grant Administration Services for State and Federally
Funded Transportation Projects; and, authorize the City Manager to execute the required Amendment documents.
M.O. 2023-170
5. ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT
6. PUBLIC HEARINGS
7. LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
A. Approval of PAC and PACE Funding for Old Gays Book Signing Event Recommendation: Staff recommends that the City Council approve the funding requests from PAC and PACE for the Old Gays Book
Signing and panel discussion event.
M.O. 2023-171
A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Carnevale and seconded by Mayor Lamb to approve the Staff recommends that the City Council approve the funding requests from PAC and PACE for the Old Gays Book Signing and panel discussion event.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mark Carnevale, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Rita Lamb, Mayor
AYES: Rita Lamb, Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Ernesto Gutierrez ABSENT: Raymond Gregory
B. Approval of the Parks and Community Events Commission (PACE) support of the 2023 Snow-Fest Dog Costume Contest Event Cathedral City P a g e 6 Printed on 11/02/2023
Recommendation: To approve $100 from the Parks and Recreation Commission's (PACE) FY 2023-2024 Events Budget to
support the 2023 Snow-Fest Dog Costume Event.
M.O. 2023-172
A motion was made by Councilmember Gutierrez and seconded by Mayor Lamb to approve the To approve $100 from the Parks and Recreation Commission's (PACE) FY 2023 -2024 Events Budget to support the 2023 Snow -Fest Dog Costume Event.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ernesto Gutierrez, Councilmember
SECONDER: Rita Lamb, Mayor
AYES: Rita Lamb, Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Ernesto Gutierrez ABSENT: Raymond Gregory
C. Award Professional Services Agreement to David Volz Design for the Downtown Dog Park Design
Recommendation: To approve a Professional Services Agreement with David Volz Design in the not-to-exceed amount of $375,797 to
prepare the plans, specifications and environmental
documents for the Cathedral City Downtown Dog Park; and, approve a ten percent (10%) contingency in the amount of $37,579 for unforeseeable design costs, making the total encumbrance $413,376; and, amend the FY 2023/2024 and
2024/2025 PIP Plan; and, authorize the City Manager to
execute the required contract documents.
M.O. 2023-173
A motion was made by Councilmember Ross and seconded by Mayor Lamb to approve the To approve a Professional Services Agreement with David Volz Design in the not -to-exceed amount of $375,797 to prepare the plans, specifications and environmental documents for the Cathedral City Downtown Dog Park; and, approve a ten percent (10%) contingency in the amount of $37,579 for unforeseeable design costs, making the total encumbrance $413,376; and, amend the FY 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 PIP Plan; and, authorize the City Manager to execute the required contract documents.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Nancy Ross, Councilmember
SECONDER: Rita Lamb, Mayor
AYES: Rita Lamb, Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Ernesto Gutierrez ABSENT: Raymond Gregory
D. Gregory S. Pettis Fountain of Life Repair and Upgrade Recommendation: To authorize staff to proceed with the repairs and upgrades Cathedral City P a g e 7 Printed on 11/02/2023
to the Gregory S. Pettis Fountain of Life
M.O. 2023-174
A motion was made by Councilmember Gutierrez and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Carnevale to approve the To authorize staff to proceed with the repairs and upgrades to the Gregory S. Pettis Fountain of Life
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Ernesto Gutierrez, Councilmember
SECONDER: Mark Carnevale, Mayor Pro Tem
AYES: Rita Lamb, Mark Carnevale, Nancy Ross, Ernesto Gutierrez ABSENT: Raymond Gregory
E. General Fund Year End Review for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/2023 Recommendation: This item is presented for information, discussion and direction only.
Kevin Biersack, Financial Services Director, provided an overview on the status of the City’s General Fund Year End Balance. He indicated that the City is closing the year with a $2.5M+ surplus for fiscal year (FY) 2022/2023, which brings the City’s General Fund “savings account” balance to more than $39 million.
He stated that it is essential that the City maintain its Fund Balance at a minimum target balance of 33% of budgeted expenditures. The City is ending FY 2022/2023 with a 58% Fund Balance reserve. The budget for the upcoming FY 2023/2024 was planned to retain a 53% Fund Balance reserve; however, the August 20, 2023 , Tropical Storm Hilary event and the resulting expenditures provide a current projection of 38% Fund Balance reserve for the upcoming fiscal year. The City’s Forecast for this biennial budget cycle through June 30, 2025 , projects an operating deficit and a Fund Balance reserve at 33%, reinforcing the Council’s historical decision to prioritize achieving a minimum Fund Balance reserve and to have a sufficient “savings account”.
He indicated that at the November 8, 2023 , City Council Meeting, staff will present a variety of options for the City Council to consider amending the current budget.
The City Council provided comments and asked clarifying questions, which were responded to by staff.
This item was for information and discussion only, there was no formal action taken by the City Council.
A motion was made by and seconded by to approve the This item is presented for information, discussion and direction only.
8. DISCUSSION ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Pro Tem Mark Carnevale requested that a Zoning Text Amendment be added to a future City Council Agenda for discussion related to pet boarding. It was the Cathedral City P a g e 8 Printed on 11/02/2023
consensus of the City Council to direct staff to bring a discussion item on a future Study Session Agenda related to a Zoning text amendment related to pet boarding.
9. CLOSED SESSION
None
ADJOURN
Mayor Rita Lamb adjourned the regular City Council Meeting at 7:31 p.m.
Mayor, City of Cathedral City City Clerk, City of Cathedral City