Minutes
GATEWAY City Council Meeting
OF
Council Chamber, Chowchilla City Hall
TO 130 S. 2nd Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610
PROSPER 1979 Tuesday, February 24, 2026
FEBRUARY Closed Session: 3:00 p.m. | Open Session: 4:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Mayor: Kelly Smith
Mayor Pro Tem: Ray Barragan
Council Members: Waseem Ahmed, John Chavez, Jeff Troost City staff and contract employees present: City Administrator Rod Pruett, City Attorney Development Director Denise Munoz, Finance Director Daniel Seeto, Director of Recreation & Community Engagement Stacy Wisener, IT System Administrator Carlos Berrocal, City Clerk Joann McClendon, Deputy City Clerk Vanessa Galvez-Escobar CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF AGENDA Additions and/or Deletions: None.
PUBLIC ADDRESS - CLOSED SESSION
None.
CLOSED SESSION - 3:00 PM
Mayor Smith was absent at roll call and arrived at 3:35 p.m. during Closed Session.
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - INITIATION OF LITIGATION Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 (d) (4) (Deciding Whether to Initiate Litigation) Number of Cases: 2
OPEN SESSION - 4:00 PM
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: Direction given by the Council; no additional reportable items.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
INVOCATION: Pastor Logan
PRESENTATIONS/WORKSHOP - Section 1
1.1 Ceremonial Oaths of Office:
• Officer Ronald Reyes
• Officer Matthew Hernandez
• Officer Jemal Pulliam
• Officer Carson Leoni
Officer Dante Lawson
• Officer Hassan Ahmed
PUBLIC ADDRESS
None.
City Council Meeting MINUTES February 24, 2026
COUNCIL AND STAFF VERBAL REPORTS - Section 2
2.1 COUNCIL VERBAL REPORTS
Legislative, Collaborative Agency, Ad Hoc
Mayor Pro Tem Barragan reported attending Economic Development Ad Hoc meeting.
Council Member Ahmed reported attending California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO) business meeting and The Chowchilla Athletic Foundation (CAF) Dinner.
Council Member Chavez reported attending The Chowchilla Athletic Foundation (CAF) Dinner.
Mayor Smith reported attending the CAF Dinner.
Additionally, Chowchilla Rotary will be purchasing 100 bus passes to be distributed through the Senior Citizen Center to assist seniors with transportation access.
2.2 STAFF VERBAL REPORTS
Fire Chief Gaumnitz reported that preparations are underway for the fair. Landscaping improvements are being completed to ensure the grounds are presentable prior to the event. He noted significant growth within the department this year. The Chief also reported that the Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee concluded its year-and-a-half planning process. A public hearing was held last Wednesday, followed by the final committee meeting last Thursday.
Completion of the plan allows the city to apply for mitigation grant funding opportunities. The plan will be brought back to the Council for approval in the coming months.
Deputy Director Joe Roman reported that during last week's storm event, staff responded to drainage issues, clearing debris from storm drains and inlets to ensure proper water flow. Several trees were down in parks and throughout the city; staff worked throughout the week to remove debris and address damaged trees. He met with MCT regarding continued discussions on the Highway 233 interchange project and related funding. Monthly water shutoffs were also conducted. Staff met with QK Engineering regarding Well 15 and flooding issues caused by excessive rainfall. It was determined that grading issues near the AutoZone/Mid Valley development site contributed to water damming. The City is coordinating with the adjacent property developers, who have agreed to assist with regrading and creating proper swales to improve drainage around the storage tank property. Preparations are underway for the Chowchilla Stampede next week, including weed abatement and cleanup along Robertson Boulevard to ensure the corridor is presentable. Parks are experiencing increased activity due to spring sports, and staff continue mowing and field preparations for softball, Little League, and JV baseball. The Director expressed appreciation for staff support and introduced Dustin, who has returned to serve as Public Works Director.
Public Works Director Ensminger introduced himself. He reported that he is currently focused on onboarding and reacclimating to operations. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve the Council and community.
Community & Economic Development Director Munoz reported that A&M Mercantile is anticipated to open in April at 14905 East Robertson Boulevard. Staff continue processing permits and supporting ongoing residential and commercial development projects. Meetings were held with developers, property owners, brokers, and existing business owners to discuss expansion opportunities within the City.
City Council Meeting MINUTES February 24, 2026
Finance Director Seeto reported that auditors are currently onsite conducting fieldwork. At this time, no issues have been identified. Fieldwork is expected to conclude this week, with financial statements anticipated by early next week.
Director of Recreation & Community Engagement Wisener reported coordination of project information in preparation for implementation of a new formal project tracking system. All bands have been secured for the upcoming concert series; contract coordination is underway. Continued election outreach efforts. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the concession stand has been rescheduled to March 4 due to the recent storm. The mural at Cornerstone, originally painted in 2012, has been refreshed in preparation for the ribbon cutting. Ongoing coordination of Easter event logistics, vendor and sponsorship coordination, sports field scheduling, camera coverage planning at City Hall, IT and facilities coordination, website updates, and updates to the economic development brochure for International Council of Shopping Centers (ICS) preparation.
Technology upgrades are nearly complete, including Microsoft 365 deployment, backup system licensing, and storage efficiency improvements with development of a long-term archival strategy.
Upcoming events:
February 26 - Edward Ray Day
• March 6 - Stampede Cattle Drive at 10:00 a.m. on Robertson Boulevard • March 7 - Rotary Crab Feed
March 21 - Easter Event
• March 28 - Fair Kickoff Dinner
City Administrator Pruett reported attending the League of California Cities City Managers Conference last week. Today is the final day for CFD ballot submissions. As of yesterday, 18 ballots had been received, with an additional six received today, totaling 24. This is an increase from the previous effort, which yielded seven ballots. A two-thirds threshold is required. The ballots will be opened tomorrow after signatures are verified by the City Clerk. The city submitted a federal BUILD grant application today for the roundabout project. Updated cost estimates from Caltrans revealed a larger funding deficit than originally anticipated; therefore, the city requested additional funding. While the grant is competitive, the city is proceeding with the application. The City Manager noted that the Public Works Director began earlier than originally scheduled and expressed appreciation for his early start. An Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee meeting was held prior to the Council meeting. Additionally, staff met with Muni Services to review the quarterly sales tax report. Revenues were slightly below projections, partially due to the departure of Pacific. Staff will monitor future revenue trends as new businesses, including the auto center, become operational.
CONSENT CALENDAR - Section 3
3.1 Approval of the February 10, 2026 City Council Meeting Minutes (McClendon)
3.2 Consideration and Acceptance of the January 2026 Monthly Financial Report (Seeto) Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Adding Chapter 15.61 to Title 15 - Buildings and Construction, of the Chowchilla Municipal Code to Establish an Expedited and Streamlined Electric Vehicle Charging Station Permitting Process (Munoz)
3.4 Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Section 2.08 - Administrative Officer, of the Chowchilla Municipal Code to Delegate Certain Signature Authorities Pursuant to Government Code Section 40602 (Munoz) City Council Meeting MINUTES February 24, 2026
3.5 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution Declaring the Existence of a Public Nuisance by Virtue of Certain Weed Growth (Gaumnitz)
3.6 Consideration and Adoption of a City Council Resolution Approving a Retainer Agreement with Frazer Law, PLC, Ventura Law, and Napoli Shkolnik to Represent the City in Potential Litigation Regarding Contamination of City Water Supplies by Polyfluoroalkyl Substances ("PFAS"), 1,4 Dioxane, or Other Hazardous Water Contaminants (Prentice)
Motion by Council Member Ahmed, Seconded by Council Member Troost to Approve the Consent Calendar as Amended by not considering Item 3.6. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
PUBLIC HEARINGS - Section 4
4.1 Consideration of a Public Hearing to Discuss Submittal of a 2025 Community Development Block Grant Application (Roman)
The Mayor opened the public hearing at 4:38 p.m. There was no public comment. The public hearing was closed at 4:38 p.m.
Motion by Council Member Chavez, Seconded by Council Member Ahmed to Approve the Public Hearing to Discuss Submittal of a 2025 Community Development Block Grant Application. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
DEFERRED BUSINESS - Section 5
NEW BUSINESS - Section 6
6.1 Consideration of the Madera County Economic Development Commission's 2026- 2027 Fiscal Year Basic Service Level Budget Proposal (Pruett) Motion by Council Member Troost, Seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Barragan to Approve MCEDC's 2026- 2027 Fiscal Year Basic Service Level Budget Proposal. Motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
ANNOUNCEMENTS - Section 7
FEB 26 EDWARD RAY DAY
FEB 28 DALE THOMAS MEMORIAL - EASTMAN HALL 11AM
MAR 6 STAMPEDE CATTLE DRIVE
MAR 7 GIRLS SOFTBALL OPENING CEREMONIES
MAR 10 CITY COUNCIL MEETING, COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 4PM
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Smith adjounred the meeting at 5 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
ADre A. Cattle
Joann McClendon, CMC, City Clerk Mayor Kelly Smith