MINUTES
SONCHI LA CAMA
GATEWAY City Council Meeting
Council Chamber, Chowchilla City Hall
MIND 130 S. Second Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610
TO
PROSPER 1923 Tuesday, February 13, 2024
FEBRUARY No Closed Session
Open Session: 4:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: 4:02 p.m.
Mayor: Kelly Smith
Mayor Pro Tem: Waseem Ahmed
Council Members: Ray Barragan, 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 Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed, seconded by Council Member Troost to approve the agenda as presented.
OPEN SESSION - 4:03 PM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION: Justin Lopes
PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOP - Section 1
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Josue Vidal addressed the City Council regarding the homeless.
COUNCIL AND STAFF VERBAL REPORTS - Section 2
2.1 COUNCIL VERBAL REPORTS
Legislative, Collaborative Agency, Ad Hoc
Council Member Chavez attended the HOW dinner. He takes his grandson to the local library once a week for the Fist Five program since Madera County First Five building was vacated, and was challenged by the Friends of the Library to reach out to the community to obtain funding for their program.
Council Member Troost attended a Special Studies Committee of the Valley Air District where 2 new directors were seated.
City Council Meeting MINUTES February 13, 2024
Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed attended the Madera County Economic Development Commission meeting and Chowchilla's time capsule burial.
Mayor Smith attended a RAN meeting in Madera that the Madera Mayor chairs and I co-chair, where Council Member Troost and Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed will remain on their previously assigned committees. He also attended the time capsule burial event.
2.2 STAFF VERBAL REPORTS
Police Chief Palmer updated council on latest departmental stats since the previous meeting, reported that a much-needed cement slab was completed at the animal shelter; and that the person who had burglarized 3 commercial businesses has been arrested Fire Chief Gaumnitz updated the Council on fire station construction and that there have been more frequent fires since this time last year.
Public Works Director Rogers several City staff attended a meeting with the Greenhills HOA Water Committee to discuss the Kona well. Madera Pumps assessment is that their existing well is not able to be rehabilitated. They recommended that a new well be built in the same area. City staff stated that a hydrological assessment would need to be completed and submitted to the City for review, similar to the process followed with the last well, to assess potential impacts to drinking water. Well 15 - results of the test well pumping was completed and indicates a viable well. Recommendations for the new well are: pump depth of 555 ft and the well pumping 700 gpm. This will be more than adequate for filling the tank and allowing the booster pumps to operate as needed. Next step is to issue a bid notice for the permanent pump and connection to the tank. He met with the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the Fairmead Sewer Consolidation Project. They have completed their technical and financial package reviews and have sent to SWRCB management for review. Following management review they estimated that the Funding agreement will be provided to the City by July 2024.
And finally, the Alley Paving Project has been substantially completed. The City's inspector is identifying punch list items that need to be completed before the project can be closed out.
Community & Economic Development Director Hamilton reported to the Council regarding business property rehabilitations, met with new Manager of Hines Hospice and they are looking to expand, will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for Camarena Urgent Care, and a new day spa will be located on Robertson Boulevard.
Williams reported that the auditors were here last week and she started mid-year budget with all the departments.
Deputy Director of Recreation and Community Engagement Wisener thanked all who attended the burial of the time capsule. Began working on the Easter event, and received contract back from CUHS for the swim program. She is looking into possibly offering swim lessons.
City Clerk McClendon is working with the County Elections Office for the presidential primary that will begin March 2 through March 5, began receiving ballots for the 2023 CFD, Transit hired a part time Driver/Dispatcher to help fill the gaps, and Transits Triennial Performance Audit is complete and we are just waiting for their final report.
City Administrator Pruett was at the LOCC City Managers Conference last week; met with the County and City of Madera with the Measure T Consulting team at the Madera County Transportation Commission office to go over some of the proposals; he was one of the staff members who attended the Greenhills HOA Water Committee and reiterated that the same procedures as the last well will be followed for approval. He and Mark handed out fliers City Council Meeting MINUTES February 13, 2024
regarding the 2023 CFD in the affected area, and a Q & A is scheduled for after this Council meeting.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Section 3
3.1 Approval of the January 9, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes (McClendon)
3.2 Consideration and Acceptance of the January 2024 Check Register Report (Williams) Consideration and Adoption of an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Chowchilla Amending Title 18, Chapter 60, Section 180 - Shipping Containers (Zoning Code Text Amendment 19-0018) (Hamilton)
3.4 Consideration and Adoption of an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Chowchilla Amending Chowchilla Municipal Code Sections 18.08 - Land Use Tables;
18.60.120 - Mobile food Vendor; 18.96.020 - Definition of Land Use; and Approve the Addition of Title 9.06 - Vending on Public Property, and Title 9.07 - Food Truck Vending (Zone Code Text Amendment 23-0736) (Hamilton)
Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Council Member Chavez to Approve the Consent Calendar as Presented. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Section 4
DEFERRED BUSINESS - Section 5
NEW BUSINESS - Section 6
6.1 Presentation of the City's Quarterly Financial Investment Report (Williams) ANNOUNCEMENTS - Section 7
FEB 19 PRESIDENTS DAY HOLIDAY - CITY OFFICES CLOSED
FEB 21 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, CITY HALL, 5PM
FEB 27 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CITY HALL, 4PM
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Smith Adjourned the February 13, 2024 City Council Meeting at 4:23 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Joann MoClendon, CMC, City Clerk Mayor Kelly Smith