Minutes – Special Study Session Meeting April 28, 2026 Page 1 of 2
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION
April 28, 2026 - MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER – The Special Study Session meeting was called to order by Mayor Stephens at 5:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Council Member Buley, Council Member Gameros, Council Member Pettis, Council Member Marr, Council Member Reynolds, Mayor Pro Tem Chavez, and Mayor Stephens.
Absent: None.
SPECIAL STUDY SESSION ITEM:
1. FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 MID-YEAR BUDGET UPDATE
Presentation by Kingsley Okereke, Financial Consultant and Mark K hou, Budget and Purchasing Manager.
Public Comments:
Ralph Taboada, Costa Mesa, thanked staff for their work on the report, spoke on costing out current vacancies, spoke on overtime overruns, spoke on pensions, and spoke on the bond for fire station number 2.
ACTION:
City Council r eceived and filed the Fiscal Year 2025- 26 Mid- Year Update, including updated projections for General Fund revenues and expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026 and provided the following observations and feedback:
• Revisit cannabis sales tax.
• Revisit the ambulance contract.
• Define non-essential expenses.
• Explore Transient Occupancy Tax and Business licenses Tax at a study session. • Changes to the budget should be implemented and evaluated during midyear review.
• Updates to the City Council on the budget should be provided early and frequently. • A long-term plan is needed to maintain the facilities. • Revisit the reserve amount.
• Evaluate the Police Department overtime budget.
• Review budget policies on spending and transparency.
Minutes – Special Study Session Meeting April 28, 2026 Page 2 of 2
ADJOURNMENT – Mayor Stephens adjourned the Study Session at 7:34 p.m.
Minutes adopted on this 19
th day of May, 2026.
___________________________
John Stephens, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
Brenda Green, City Clerk