MINUTES
City Council Meeting
Council Chamber, Chowchilla City Hall
130 S. Second Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
Closed Session: 3:00 p.m. ~ Open Session: 4:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: 3:05 p.m.
Mayor: Ray Barragan
Mayor Pro Tem: Kelly Smith
Council Members: Waseem Ahmed, John Chavez, Jeff Troost City staff and contract employees present: City Administrator Rod Pruett, City Attorney Mary Lerner, Police Chief Jeff Palmer, Fire Chief Fred Gaumnitz, Public Works Director Jason Rogers, Community & Economic Development Director Mark Hamilton, Finance Director Kerri Williams, Deputy Director of Recreation & Community Engagement Stacy Wisener, IT System Administrator Carlos Berrocal, City Clerk Joann McClendon.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Additions and/or Deletions:
Motion by Council Member Ahmed, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Smith to pull Item 3.3 from the Consent Calendar. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957
Title: City Administrator
OPEN SESSION - 4:01 PM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION: Pastor Pruitt
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: Nothing to report.
PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOP - Section 1
1.1 Fresno-Madera Counties Police Chiefs & Sheriff’s Association Presentation
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Josue Diaz addressed the City Council requesting nullification of the $100 per day fee and other requests.
Madelyn Andrade repeated Mr. Diaz’ words in Spanish.
City Council Meeting MINUTES October 10, 2023
Digna Diaz addressed the City Council in Spanish stating that she is requesting that the City removes the $100 per day fee for mobile food vendors (or, $36,500 to operate an entire year).
Josue translated her full statement in English.
Catalina, owner of Tacos El Guerrero, addressed the City Council about her experience in obtaining her license to operate her mobile food business.
Adonai Diaz continued Madelyn Andrade’s prepared speech in Spanish due to her allotted time being cut off at the three-minutes limit.
Narrinder Singh, owner of Masala Art, addressed the City Council his concerns over expanding mobile food vendors, that it will hurt brick and mortar restaurants like his.
Rhonda March addressed the City to open the restroom so that unhoused senior citizens can use.
Jacob Sandoval addressed the Council via Zoom, League of United Latin American Citizens, expressing the unfairness of the fee schedule for mobile phone vendors and requesting to repeal the current fee to what it was before.
COUNCIL AND STAFF VERBAL REPORTS - Section 2
2.1 COUNCIL VERBAL REPORTS
Legislative, Collaborative Agency, Ad Hoc
Council Member Troost attended the Citizens Advisory Committee at Valley Air Board meeting where they discussed upcoming regulations.
Council Member Ahmed attended a Madera County Economic Development Commission meeting where they discussed updating new website, among other things. He also attended the Economic Development ad hoc meeting.
2.2 STAFF VERBAL REPORTS
Police Chief Palmer reported out current departmental stats. His department looked into the semitruck parking situation on West Robertson and looking into how to resolve.
Fire Chief Gaumnitz noted this week is the beginning fire prevention events at schools. On February 18, 2024, the Volunteer Firefighter Association is putting together a fundraising dinner.
The Firefighters have responded to 45 calls within the last 2 weeks, including yesterday at the Palms Facility and thanked all agencies involved.
Public Works Director Rogers reported that last week, their Wastewater division took our vactor truck out to clean our sewer line hot spots in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. They are working with Leadership Counsel regarding the Fairmead Sewer Consolidation Project. Right now they are tentatively scheduled to have the SWRCB Deputy Director visit the Fairmead area and our WWTP on November 1 st for a tour. As of last week, 80 ROEs have been collected. They recently completed and submitted a Reconnecting Communities: Highways to Boulevards grant application for the Roundabouts project. And finally, they had a pre-construction meeting with Avison Construction for the Alley Paving Project. Contractor is tentatively scheduled to start work end of October.
Mayor Barragan received consensus of the council to direct Director Hamilton to look into the fee schedule and bring back the mobile food vendor item to the City Council at a future date via staff report.
City Council Meeting MINUTES October 10, 2023
Community & Economic Development Director Hamilton is holding a Central Valley Economic Summit on November 2 at Farnesi’s (previously named Builders Forum). He also went over departmental stats.
Finance Director Williams reported that all Tyler modules are up and running; completed the CEDEAC reporting and attended a meeting regarding security cameras at Veterans Park. Trinette Martinez is the City’s new HR Manager who started this week.
Deputy Director of Recreation & Community Outreach Wisener worked on some website updates that needed to be done and working on the October 28 Halloween event and Christmas-related events.
IT Systems Administrator Wlodarczyk reported out on the security camera project at Veterans Park.
City Clerk McClendon is working with the new HR Manager transitioning HR duties and processes over to her.
City Administrator Pruett attended the Community Task Force meeting; Rancho Calera project meeting with Caltrans about the roundabout and access to commercial properties from it; working with High Speed Rail for reimbursement agreement forthe design and construction of this section; attended the Economic Development ad hoc meeting regarding Sessions/Loan Oak development agreement; met with Enterprise to review their website.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Section 3
3.1 Approval of the September 26, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes (McClendon)
3.2 Consideration and Acceptance of the September 2023 Warrant Register (Williams)
3.3 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution Accepting the Public Street and Utility Easement for the Road 16/5th Street Curve Reconstruction Project (Rogers)
3.4 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (75-23) Approving an Agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3) to Provide Public Opinion Research Services for the Measure N Renewal that will be on the 2024 General Election Ballot and Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute and Negotiate any Necessary Revisions to the Agreement (Pruett) Motion by Council Member Ahmed, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Smith to Approve the Consent Calendar as Amended, Removing item 3.3 from consideration. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Section 4
4.1 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (76-23) Approving Measure T Annual Expenditure Plan (AEP) for Fiscal Year 2023/24 and Authorizing the Public Works Director or Designee to Submit the Plan to the Madera County Transportation Authority (MCTA) for Adoption (Rogers)
Mayor Barragan opened the public hearing at 4:43 p.m. No one came forward for or against the item. Mayor Barragan closed the public hearing at 4:43 p.m.
City Council Meeting MINUTES October 10, 2023
Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Council MemberAhmed to Approve City Council Resolution # 76-23, Approving Measure TAnnual Expenditure Plan (AEP) for Fiscal Year 2023/24 and Authorizing the Public Works Director or Designee to Submit the Plan to the Madera County Transportation Authority (MCTA) for Adoption. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
DEFERRED BUSINESS - Section 5
NEW BUSINESS - Section 6
6.1 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (77-23) Declaring its Intention to Establish a Community Facilities district and to Authorize the Levy of Special Taxes Therein - Replacement of CFD 2006-1; and, Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (78-23) Declaring its Intention to Incur Bonded Indebtedness of the Proposed City of Chowchilla Community Facilities District No. 2023-1 (Replacement of CFD 2006-1) (Pruett) Tony Fagundes spoke in favor of the item.
Mr. Hillibrand spoke in favor of the item.
Glen Pace also spoke in favor of the item.
Mark Pressman, Wulf Hansen, spoke in favor of the item.
Bud Levine, Wulf Hansen, spoke in favor of the item.
Motion by Mayor Pro Tern Smith, Seconded by Council Member Troost to Approve City Council Resolution #77-23, Declaring its Intention to Establish a Community Facilities district and to Authorize the Levy ofSpecial Taxes Therein - Replacement of CFD 2006-1; and, to Approve City Council Resolution #78-23, Declaring its Intention to Incur Bonded Indebtedness ofthe Proposed City of Chowchilla Community Facilities District No. 2023-1 (Replacement of CFD 2006-1) ANNOUNCEMENTS - Section 7
Oct 18 Planning Commission Meeting, City Hall, 5pm
Oct 24 City Council Meeting, City Hall, 4pm
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Barrragan adjourned the October 10, 2023 City Council Meeting at 4:58 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED: