MINUTES
GATEWAY City Council Meeting
CITY OF RNIA Council Chamber, Chowchilla City Hall
TO 130 S. Second Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610
PROSPER 1923 Tuesday, April 23, 2024
FEBRUARY
7 Closed Session: 3:00 p.m. | Open Session: 4:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL - 3:06 p.m.
Mayor: Kelly Smith
Mayor Pro Tem: Waseem Ahmed
Council Members: Ray Barragan, John Chavez (3:27 p.m.), 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 Barragan to Approve the Agenda as Presented. Motion passed with Council Member Chavez absent.
PUBLIC ADDRESS - CLOSED SESSION
None.
CLOSED SESSION - 3:08 PM
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant Exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 (d) (2) or (3) Number of Cases: 1
2. Government Code Section 54956.9
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
Significant Exposure to Litigation Pursuant to paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (d) of section 54956.9 of the Government Code.
One Case: Threat of litigation from attorney Scott Rafferty (See attached letter.) OPEN SESSION - 4:08 PM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION: Pastor Logan Beardsley
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: Nothing to report.
PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOP - Section 1
City Council Meeting MINUTES April 23, 2024
1.1 Chowchilla Fairgrounds Parking Lot Proposal - David Rogers
1.2 Proclamations:
a. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14-20, 2024 b. International Firefighters' Day, May 4, 2024
c. National Police Week, May 12-18, 2024
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Halam (sp) addressed the City Council requesting a cease fire proclamation.
Lefty addressed the City Council on the same, requesting a resolution be placed on the next agenda.
COUNCIL AND STAFF VERBAL REPORTS - Section 2
2.1 COUNCIL VERBAL REPORTS
Legislative, Collaborative Agency, Ad Hoc
Council Member Chavez attended Legislative Action Days (City Leaders Summit).
Council Member Troost attended the K9 Dinner.
Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed also attended Legislative Action Days (City Leaders Summit) with Council Member Chavez where they met with legislators to talk about local concerns such as the Madera Hospital, homelessness and public safety.
Mayor Smith attended the K9 Dinner, and the Chowchilla Athletic Foundation Golf Tournament with Council Member Troost.
2.2 STAFF VERBAL REPORTS
City Clerk McClendon attended a transit conference last week, noting there is indeed enormous amounts of grant money for transit/transit related projects but in order for the City to take advantage of these funds the City would need to add staff to the department to manage each grant project.
Police Chief Palmer went over the latest stats of his department. He thanked all who attended the K9 Dinner and Ms. Wisener for her assistance in putting it all together. He reported how Measure N Funds helped arrest a man who was acting suspiciously at Veterans Park, through the ability to purchase cameras placed at the park, police officers were able to see where the suspicious person had hidden a handgun and was apprehended Fire Chief Gaumnitz the Fire Departments building expansion and renovation project should wrap up soon.
Public Works Director Rogers reported that the Urban Runoff and Pickleball Court Projects' contractors are in the process of starting the projects. Expected completion for the Urban Runoff Project is December and expected completion of the Pickleball Courts Project is late August.
Caltrans will have an Open House meeting for the SR 233 / Robertson Boulevard CAPM project tomorrow night from 5pm-7pm in order to receive comments from the public so that they can be incorporated into their design work.
City Council Meeting MINUTES April 23, 2024
At our last Council meeting, a resident had a concern about truck parking near Palm Parkway and Robertson Boulevard. Per our municipal code, Public Works has installed new "No Parking" signs in the area to address this issue and help create better sight lines.
Community & Economic Development Director Hamilton reported that a kick-off meeting will be held for the Environmental Impact Report for the Industrial Specific Plan next week; a pre-bid meeting was held for the On-Call Planning Services bid; Jack in the Box just received their approval for their sign; Self Help Enterprises have pulled 10 building permits for their "sweat equity" program in which homeowners actually help build their own home. His department recently hired a Permit Technician, a local resident.
Finance Director Williams meets regularly with ClearGov on budgeting software implementation and is planning on meeting with Department Heads next week to go over their 2024/25 draft budgets.
IT System Administrator Berrocal reported that server migrations are currently taking place.
City Administrator Pruett met with Measure T group; met with High Speed Rail and the State Water Resources Control Board with Director Rogers regarding the Fairmead project, going over deliverables.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Section 3
3.1 Approval of the April 9, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes (McClendon)
3.2 Approval of the April 9, 2024 Special City Council Goal Setting Workshop Minutes (McClendon)
3.3 Consideration and Acceptance of the March 2024 Financial Statements (Williams)
3.4 Consideration and Acceptance of the Quarterly Fee Waiver Report (Williams) Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Council Member Barragan to Approve the Consent Calendar as Presented. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
California Voting Rights Act
• Presentation from Demographer Regarding the Transition to By-district Elections (Lerner)
Spoke:
Scott Rafferty
Lefty
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Section 4
4.1 Public Hearing Regarding Demographic Process to Draw District Boundaries; Second Public Hearing to Gather Community Input Regarding Composition of District Boundaries (Lerner)
Mayor Smith opened the public hearing at 5:15 p.m.
Spoke:
Scott Rafferty
Jacob Sandoval
City Council Meeting MINUTES April 23, 2024
Josue Diaz
City Clerk McClendon read into record emailed submissions for this public hearing.
Mayor Smith closed the public hearing at 5:21 p.m.
DEFERRED BUSINESS - Section 5
NEW BUSINESS - Section 6
6.1 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (15-24) Awarding the Construction Contract for Chowchilla Boulevard Rehabilitation and Water Main Extension Project to Cal Valley Construction in the Amount of $2,564,896.00, Authorizing the City Administrator or Designee to Execute All Related Documents Thereto, and Amending the Fiscal Year 2023/24 City Budget (Rogers) Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Council Member Barragan to Approve City Council Resolution #15-24, Awarding the Construction Contract for Chowchilla Boulevard Rehabilitation and Water Main Extension Project to Cal Valley Construction in the Amount of $2,564,896.00, Authorizing the City Administrator or Designee to Execute All Related Documents Thereto, and Amending the Fiscal Year 2023/24 City Budget. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
ANNOUNCEMENTS - Section 7
MAY 2 NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER EVENT, VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK, 10AM MAY 8-11 CHOWCHILLA-MADERA COUNTY FAIR, CHOWCHILLA FAIRGROUNDS MAY 14 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CITY HALL, 4PM
MAY 15 PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING CANCELLED
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Smith Adjourned the April 23, 2024 City Council Meeting at 5:23 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
Joann McClendon, CMC, City Clerk Mayor Kelly Smith