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CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE COVINA REDEVELOPMENT.
AGENCY/COVINA PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY/COVINA HOUSING
AUTHORITY JOINT MEETING
MINUTES
March 3, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
125 E. College Street, Covina, California
Council Chamber of City Hall
Councilmembers Present: Councilmember Walter Allen, Ill Councilmember Patricia Cortez '
Councilmember John C. King . .
Mayor Pro Tem/Vice-Chair Hector Delgado
- Mayor/Chair Victor Linares
111 Staff ff Present: City Clerk Drew Aleman (Elected Member) City Treasurer Neil Polzin (Elected Member).
City Manager Chris Marcarello
City Attorney Kevin Ennis
Assistant City Manager Angel Carrillo
Interim Parks & Recreation/Library Services Director Krystal Smith Public Works Director Rafael M. Fajardo
Finance Director Theresa Franke
Chief Deputy City Clerk Fabian Velez
Staff Absent: Community Development Director/Deputy City Manager Brian Lee
1. JOINT MEETING—CLOSED SESSION 6:30 PM
CLOSED SESSION -WAS NOT HELD
JOINT MEETING—OPEN SESSION 7:30 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Linares called the Council/Agency/Authority meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. with all Councilmembers present.
ROLL CALL
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Led by Councilmember Cortez.
INVOCATION
Given by Covina Police Chaplain Steve Martinez.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion made by: Mayor Pro Tem Delgado
Seconded by: Councilmember Allen
Approve the agenda as presented.
Approved (5 to 0)
PRESENTATIONS
A. American Red Cross Month Proclamation
Mayor Linares read a proclamation declaring March 2026 as American Red Cross Month in the City of Covina and presented the proclamation to Covina Police Chief Walczak and American Red Cross representative Micah Forbes.
Mr. Forbes thanked the City for their partnership and encouraged the community to donate on March 17 at the Covina Parks & Recreation Center.
B. SGVCARE
San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG) Program Manager and Senior Analyst Samuel Pederson provide information on the SGVCOG's SGVCARE program partnering with the Covina Police Department to provide social services. SGVCARE Program Director Giovanni Godoy and Clinical Supervisor Sandra Walt shared success •
stories from the program.
2 PUBLIC COMMENTS
Speaker Number 1 commented on the lack of productive housing services, opposition to Continued Business item CB 1, first amendment rights, and current political practices.
City Attorney Ennis clarified that the language and comments just provided do not reflect the value of the City.
Uriel Delgadillo-Ulloa expressed dissatisfaction with a prior incident involving the Police Department and court system and progress toward resolution.
Neil Polzin spoke of Mayor Linares' financial history, personal connections between Councilmembers and Mike and Angela Touhey, contributions received by Joe Valdez of PCAM and subsequent contract approvals, requested local campaign finance reform, and questioned the need for Continued Business item CB 1.
Diego Flores thanked Councilmember Cortez and Mayor Linares for their support to the Charter Oak High School athletics program.
Jeanette Flores, Charter Oak Unified School District Board of Trustees member, thanked City Clerk Aleman for his efforts in registering and preregistering students from Charter Oak High School and read a comment on behalf of Isabella Gonzales who thanked Councilmember Cortez for her support of her cheer leading teammates.
JD Sanchez also thanked Councilmember Cortez for her donations to the Charter Oak High School football program.
Gassy Flores read a comment on behalf of Alejandra Flores thanking Councilmember Cortez for her leadership during an internship program with the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District and noted the importance of recognizing women leaders during Women's History Month.
Public Speaker Number 2 stated dissatisfaction with the name used to provide their public comments and expressed dissatisfaction with current policing standards regarding members of public agencies and office.
Public speaker 3 thanked the Covina Police Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department for their work on a recent residential fire, stated support for maintaining tax revenue on a local level, emphasized the priority of public safety, and thanked the City Council for their work.
COUNCIL/AGENCY/AUTHORITY COMMENTS
Councilmember Allen thanked the Covina Police Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department for their work with the recent fire and gave kudos to Police Department officers and civilians for all their work.
Councilmember King expressed his enjoyment with being able to read to children at the library with Councilmember Cortez in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday and encouraged everyone to get their library card. He also thanked the Parks & Recreation Department and Library Services division for their work.
Mayor Pro Tem Delgado recognized Women's History Month and the contributions of women throughout the community and encouraged continued progress to ensuring equity and resources for women to reach their full potential.
3 Councilmember Cortez shared a story regarding Women's History Month, thanked Mayor Pro Tern Delgado for recognizing Women's History Month, thanked the students who provide public comments, and requested that staff provide a resolution to honor the women of Covina. She also thanked Interim Parks & Recreation/Library Services Director Smith and Library Manager Petra Morris for their work and stated she enjoyed being able to participate in the reading event.
Mayor Linares commended Councilmember Cortez for her great work with the City and all she has done to give back. He also invited the community to the library's Disneyland Trivia night, taking place March 11, 2026, from 5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the Breakfast with the Bunny event, taking place at Heritage Plaza on March 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in conjunction with the Covina Kiwanis Club
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
City Manager Marcarello requested that the City Council consider continuing Public Hearing item PH 1 to the next regular City Council meeting due to the unintentional exclusion of an attachment to the item within the agenda packet.
Police Chief Walczak honor recently deceased Covina Police Department retirees Detective Ron Clark and Officer Dennis Till and provided background on the officers'work with the Police Department.
CONSENT CALENDAR
CC 1. Minutes
Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
Approve the Minutes of the February 3, 2026, Regular Meeting of the City Council/Successor Agency to the Covina Redevelopment Agency/Covina Public Financing Authority/Housing Authority.
Approved (5 to 0)
CC 2. Payment of Demands
Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
Approve Payment of Demands in the amount of $3,080,035.06.
Approved (5 to 0)
CC 3. City of Covina Investment Report for Month Ended January 31, 2026 Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
Receive and File.
Approved (5 to 0)
4 CC 4. Award of Professional Services Agreement with Mark Thomas & Company, Inc., to Facilitate the Covina Town Center Pedestrian Bridge Feasibility Study and Outreach Program
Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
Approve Professional Services Agreement Authorizing the Project.
Approved (5 to 0)
CC 5. Native Garden Open Space Project—Covina Recreation Village Project — Project No. P2202 — Final Acceptance and Filing Notice of Completion
Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
1. Accept the work performed by Perera Construction & Design, Inc.; and
2. Authorize the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion for the Native Garden Open Space Project — Covina Recreation Village Project — Project No. P2202.
Approved (5 to 0)
CC 6. Adoption of Ordinance 26-01
Motion made by: Councilmember Allen
Seconded by: Councilmember King
That the City Council adopt Ordinance 26-01, entitled "An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Covina, California, Adding Chapter 8.80 Within Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the Covina Municipal Code Regulating the Sale and Distribution of Kratom Products".
Approved (5 to 0)
PUBLIC HEARINGS
PH 1. Introducing Ordinance 26-02, Approving Zone Change (ZCH) 25-3, Amending the City's Official Zoning Map, and Making a Finding of Exemption Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) Staff Recommendation:
Waive full reading and introduce Ordinance 26-02 entitled, "An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Covina, California, approving Zone Change (ZCH) 25-3, and amending the City's Official Zoning Map 2558 parcels from the existing RD Residential Zone (Multifamily RD 2000 through RD 3000 and RD 3400 through RD 5000) to High Density Residential Zone (HDR) 111 and Medium Density Residential (MDR), respectively, and the list of Assessor's Parcel Numbers are attached hereto as Exhibit A, and making a finding of exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)". 5 Mayor Linares opened the public hearing and announced the item will be continued to the March 17, 2026, City Council meeting.
CONTINUED BUSINESS
CB 1. Discussion and Direction Regarding the Proposed County of Los Angeles General Half-Cent Sales Tax Ballot Measure and Consideration of a Supplemental Local Transactions and Use Tax for the June 2, 2026 Ballot to Maintain Local Control of Revenues Staff Recommendation:
1. Review and discuss the County of Los Angeles' proposed half-cent sales tax measure for the June 2, 2026 ballot;
2. Consider adopting Resolution CC 2026-16, calling for the placement of an Ordinance and measure before Covina voters at the June 2, 2026 General Municipal Election to establish a supplemental general transactions and use tax intended to maintain local control of the revenue and directly benefit the Covina community;
3. Consider adopting Resolution CC 2026-17, providing for the filing of primary and rebuttal arguments and setting rules for the filing of written arguments regarding a City measure to be submitted at the June 2, 2026 General Municipal Election;
4. Consider adoption Resolution CC 2026-18, requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles to consolidate a General Municipal Election to be held on June 2, 2026 with the Statewide General Election to be held on that date pursuant to Section 10403 of the Elections Code.
5. Authorize any necessary changes to the proposed Ordinance and Resolutions to ensure compliance with edits required by the County of Los Angeles Registrar of Voters and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration ("CDTFA").
6. Designate members of the City Council that may be interested in drafting and signing the ballot argument in support of the local measure.
The PowerPoint presentation was provided by City Manager Marcarello.
Discussion from the City Council included the dissatisfaction with the pending County tax ballot measure, the need for local voters to determine where tax revenues are kept, previous issues with the accounting and distribution of County tax revenues, support for the County tax ballot measure, the desire to avoid tax increases, and the need to provide information to local voters on the proposed County and City tax ballot measures.
Questions and responses included if proposed legislation would exempt cities from the proposed County tax, to which City Manager Marcarello informed that the exemption would only apply to the state cap regarding sales tax; if the failure to pass the County tax measure would affect the implementation of the City tax measure, city staff responded that failure of 6 the passage of the County tax measure would not nullify the City tax measure but the proposed City tax measure includes language allowing the City Council to lower the tax rate to zero if desired; and if the City tax measure will still be required to appear on the ballot if the County tax measure fails, City Attorney Ennis confirmed it will.
Councilmember King and Councilmember Cortez stated they would volunteer to be involved with the drafting and signing of the ballot statement for the City tax measure.
Motion made by: Councilmember King
Seconded by: Councilmember Cortez
That the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution CC 2026-16, calling for the placement of an Ordinance and measure before Covina voters at the June 2, 2026 General Municipal Election to establish a supplemental general transactions and use tax intended to maintain local control of the revenue and directly benefit the Covina community;
2. Adopt Resolution CC 2026-17, providing for the filing of primary and rebuttal arguments and setting rules for the filing of written arguments regarding a City measure to be submitted at the June 2, 2026 General Municipal Election;
3. Adopt Resolution CC 2026-18, requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles to consolidate a General Municipal Election to be held on June 2, 2026 with the Statewide General Election to be held on that date pursuant to Section 10403 of the Elections Code.
4. Designate Councilmember King and Councilmember Cortez to draft and sign the ballot argument in support of the local measure.
Approved (5 to 0)
ADJOURNMENT
At 8:46 p.m., the Covina City Council/Successor Agency to the Covina Redevelopment Agency/Covina Public Financing Authority/Covina Housing Authority adjourned to its next regular meeting of the Council/Agency/Authority scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., for closed session and 7:30 p.m., for open session in the Council Chamber located inside of City Hall, 125 East College Street, Covina, California, 91723.
Fabian Vel- , M- Deputy City Clerk
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Victor Linares, Mai`,. s air
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