MINUTES
GATEWAY City Council Meeting
RNIA Council Chamber, Chowchilla City Hall
TO 130 S. Second Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610
FEBRUARY OSPER 1923 Tuesday, July 23, 2024
7, Open Session: 4:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
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, Deputy Director of Recreation & Community Engagement Stacy Wisener, Finance Director Kerri Williams, IT System Administrator Kurt Wlodarczyk, City Clerk Joann McClendon
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Additions and/or Deletions: None.
OPEN SESSION - 4:01 PM
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION: Pastor Pruitt
PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOP - Section 1
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Pastor Pruitt thanked the City for addressing a fallen pole before it became a disaster.
Kyle Savage, Congressman John Duarte's Field Representative, reported that the American Legion Post Town Hall was a great turnout. Introduced HR 8495, ensuring children or slave labor is not used to mine cobalt and other materials used for EV manufacturing.
COUNCIL AND STAFF VERBAL REPORTS - Section 2
2.1 COUNCIL VERBAL REPORTS
Legislative, Collaborative Agency, Ad Hoc
Council Member Chavez attended Music in the Park and Congressman John Duarte's town hall.
Council Member Troost did the same, plus drove around to view the City's current projects.
Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed also attended Congressman John Duarte's town hall and the Madera County Economic Development Commission meeting. he also attended a Madera County Transportation Commission special meeting where they voted Measure T to be a citizen measure rather than an agency measure.
City Council Meeting MINUTES July 23, 2024
Mayor Smith drove around town to see the weed abatement progress.
2.2 STAFF VERBAL REPORTS
Deputy Director of Recreation & Community Engagement Wisener announced the winding- down of the summer season events. She is working with a resident to assist with pickle ball court events.
Police Chief Palmer reported out departmental stats since the last meeting.
Fire Chief Gaumnitz reported weed abatement is ongoing. The LUCAS machines are in service.
Public Works Director Rogers reported the road improvements for the Chowchilla Blvd Project have been completed. The road will be striped and cleaned and reopened on Thursday. The Measure T Renewal that Council approved to go on the November ballot pulled in favor of a voter initiative petition for the same measure. The initiative petition was filed with Madera County on June 10, 2024 and was recently certified by the Madera County Clerk recorder.
They needed 3,735 signatures to qualify and received 5,872 in a few weeks with 4,721 estimated to be valid. The voter initiative plan appears nearly similar to the renewal approved by Council and still includes 80% of funds to be allocated to local roads and would still be administered by MCTA just like it is currently. Due to the petition being certified, the Board of Supervisors is required to adopt it and submit it to elections. In order to minimize confusion due to similar measures, the measure we worked on has been pulled from the ballot. Because this is a voter led initiative, to pass it requires a majority vote of 51% versus the 67% requirement of the renewal measure approved by the local agencies. Outside groups have expressed dissatisfaction with the initiative and have filed suit with the FPPC and State Attorney General to have the initiative invalidated and pulled from the upcoming election. MCT's legal believes that those suits will not be successful. However, it will still be important for us to monitor the situation and support the citizen led initiative.
City Administrator Pruett gave an update on several projects, including Fairmead Consolidation project, AutoZone issues with UPRR. Received a letter from attorney Rafferty regarding the districting process requesting payment. Mr. Rafferty added that he and his client, LULAC, were not happy with the City's final decision, they decided not to litigate it in lieu of them receiving $36,000.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Section 3
3.1 Approval of the July 9, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes (McClendon)
3.2 Consideration and Acceptance of the June 2024 Financials Report (Williams)
3.3 Consideration of the Quarterly Financial Investment Report, 2nd Quarter (Williams)
3.4 Consideration and Approval of the Response to the 2023-2024 Madera County Grand Jury Final Report: "Fairmead: Waiting for a Train" (Rogers)
3.5 Consideration and Approval of the Response to the 2023/24 Madera Grand Jury Final Report: "Madera County Animal Services: It's a Dog's Life" (Palmer)
3.6 Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance (522-24) Authorizing the Levy of Special Taxes in Community Facilities District No. 2022-1 (Public Safety, Maintenance & Services) Including Certain Annexation Territory (Hamilton) City Council Meeting MINUTES July 23, 2024
Motion by Council Member Chavez, Seconded by Council Member Troost to Approve the Consent Calendar as Presented. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Section 4
4.1 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (40-24) Related to Hearing Protests of any Affected Property Owners and Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute Necessary Documents Thereto (2024 Weed Abatement Program) (Gaumnitz) Mayor Smith opened the public hearing at 4:21 p.m. No one cam forward for or against the item.
Mayor Smith closed the public hearing at 4:22 p.m.
Motion by Council Member Barragan, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed to Approve City Council Resolution # 40-24, Related to Hearing Protests of any Affected Property Owners and Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute Necessary Documents Thereto (2024 Weed Abatement Program). 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 (41-24) Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute an Agreement with QK to Provide On-Call Planning Services to the Community & Economic Development Department (Hamilton) Motion by Council Member Barragan, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed to Approve City Council Resolution #41-24, Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute an Agreement with QK to Provide On-Call Planning Services to the Community & Economic Development Department.
Motion passed by roll call vote with Mayor Smith abstaining.
6.2 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution (42-24) of Intention to Levy and Collect the Annual Assessment for Landscape Maintenance and Lighting District No. 90-1 of the City of Chowchilla (Rogers)
Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Ahmed to Approve City Council Resolution # 42-24, of Intention to Levy and Collect the Annual Assessment for Landscape Maintenance and Lighting District No. 90-1 of the City of Chowchilla. Motion passed by roll call vote.
6.3 Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance (523-24) to Reenact and Impose the Existing Special Public Safety Tax (Measure N) for Submission to Voters at the November 5, 2024 General Election (Lerner)
Motion by Council Member Barragan, Seconded by Council Member Troost to Waive the First Reading of an Ordinance to Reenact and Impose the Existing Special Public Safety Tax (Measure N) for Submission to Voters at the November 5, 2024 General Election. Motion passed by roll call vote.
ANNOUNCEMENTS - Section 7
JUNE 10-
City Council Meeting MINUTES July 23, 2024
JULY 26 OPEN SWIM PROGRAM, CUHS POOL, MON - FRI, 12:30 - 4:00PM AUG 10 SUMMER NIGHT STARGAZING, EDWARD RAY PARK, 8-10PM AUG 13 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, CITY HALL, 4PM
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Smith Adjourned the July 23, 2024 City Council Meeting at 5:56 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
11 Twitch
Joann McClendon, CMC, City Clerk Mayor/Kelly Smith