MINUTES
CITY OF DELANO
CITY COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING
June 28, 2022
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Osorio called the meeting to order at 12:32 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1015 – 11th Avenue.
FLAG SALUTE
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz led the flag salute.
ROLL CALL
Council members present: Bryan Osorio, Veronica Vasquez (via teleconference), Liz Morris, Salvador Solorio-Ruiz
Council members absent: Joe Alindajao
OFFICIALS PRESENT
City Manager Reyna, City Clerk Chavez, City Attorney Richman (via teleconference), Finance Director Lara Rios, Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez and Transit Manager Zamora
SPECIAL AGENDA ITEM(S)
1) Consideration of Adopting a Resolution to Permit Teleconferencing Attendance Option for City Councilmembers and other City Legislative Body Meetings Pursuant to AB-361 for Next 30 days (Resolution No. 2022-31a) Staff report provided by City Attorney Richman.
Mayor Osorio opened public comment.
No public comment.
Mayor Osorio closed public comment.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz shared his support.
Mayor Osorio asked if Council Members are still able to attend in person.
City Attorney Richman responded that the statute provides either or, but it is being utilized as hybrid which there have not been any challenges.
Moved by: Morris
2nd by: Solorio-Ruiz
Vote: 4-0
Ayes: Osorio/Vasquez/Morris/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: Alindajao
Abstentions: None
2) City Council of the City of Delano to adopt the City of Delano’s 2022 Transit Asset Management Plan (Tam) to meet program requirements to receive financial assistance under section 5307
Staff report provided by Transit Manager Zamora.
Mayor Osorio opened public comment.
No public comment.
Mayor Osorio closed public comment.
Moved by: Morris
2nd by: Solorio-Ruiz
Vote: 4-0
Ayes: Osorio/Vasquez/Morris/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: Alindajao
Abstentions: None
3) Approval of the CDBG 2022-2023 Action Plan (Resolution No. 2022-31) Staff report provided by Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez.
Mayor Osorio opened public comment.
Yolanda Vega stated that she appreciates the breakdown, however she is a bit disappointed only because this meeting is taking place at 12:30 in the afternoon. She added that she’s sure that there are other community members who would like to be present, especially when they're voting on such funds and may have questions, just like those who attended meetings regarding these funds. She shared this is her biggest concern, however she did go over the allocations and she saw that once again, it's going to it continues to go in a different direction, but aside from the allocations, she’s just disappointed in the time for this meeting, and community members are not able to be here. She further added that she’s fortunate because she works from home, but there's others who are currently working and are unable to attend.
Mayor Osorio closed public comment.
Council Member Morris shared that they still have their obligation and she’s glad this is being used for waterlines.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz thanked staff and he attended both meetings as they were excellently executed. He asked what would be covered by CDBG regarding the public’s comments.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez referred to the appendix provided and stated she check with CDBG.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz asked for his own inquiry as there were other comments besides infrastructure.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez affirmed Council Member Solorio-Ruiz’s request. She addressed Ms. Vega’s comment she spoke about the June 21st meeting in which that was the date that we have planned months ago with herself and the consultants, but unfortunately, the council meeting did not occur because of lack of quorum; as well as another meeting scheduled yesterday and that did not occur and lack of quorum. She clarified that the reason they had to have a special meeting today was due to a timeline, which normally, they’d take the action plan during a regular council meeting, but the next scheduled council meeting is on July 18th and they would have to meet the 60 day guidelines from HUD. She stated they have 60 days from the time that they released the funds, which is May 13 for cutoff being July 12th, so after Council approves this action plan, then they have other work to do. She added such as getting it into the system, get certification, other paperwork that is involved with that, so that's why they're having the action plan for today. She also stated that if they’re delayed past their deadline, then they're also at a risk of getting those funds not allocated to them. She corrected herself from earlier that they had two workshops April 12th and May 5th, so HUD only requires one workshop, but she went ahead and decided to have another one, so there were two opportunities. She also shared that they had a 30-day review period for submitting comments on this action plan, as well as having the action plan available at City Hall, second floor and at the library. Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez stated that they didn't receive any comments, but they did receive comments during the two meetings now during this time and of course there is this time, so she reported that there were really four opportunities for the public to really engage and participate.
Therefore, she just wanted to clarify because she knows there was concerns about that and she apologize that the meeting was for today, but unfortunately, they have deadlines that they have to meet by HUD, otherwise they risk losing the funds.
Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez asked for a community person for streets and alleys, and she was informed that there was a project to happen within a few years, so how does that coincide with this in regard to funding and budgeting.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez asked for the Mayor Pro Tem Vasquez to email her, and she can look into that for her.
Council Member Morris made an inaudible statement. Council Member Morris stated that she recommends checking with City Engineer Dowling.
City Manager Reyna stated that they can certainly check with public works.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz asked if they are going get experts for this.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez responded that Miguel Fernandez is in the audience and his salary and benefits come from this funding and not from the general fund.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz asked about he water lines and resurfacing street improving.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez responded that the City Engineer has a plan due to need.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz asked if this is approved today does this comeback to Council based on the comments that were made.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez responded that there are some that were eligible and some that are not, but the reason that the city puts in waterlines is because it comes water fees down.
She further stated that in respect to youth programs, they could have used the tennis court lights via CDBG, they had other funding sources, so they rather not put the burden on the residents.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz and Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez had a discussion on the logistics of allocation from HUD.
Mayor Osorio reviewed the list and approval on how everything checks out. He also asked about affordable housing can be considered for CDBG.
Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez other funding sources through the state and they have SelfHelp Enterprises to assist with those applications.
Moved by: Solorio-Ruiz
2nd by: Morris
Vote: 4-0
Ayes: Osorio/Vasquez/Morris/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: Alindajao
Abstentions: None
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz asked for a future meeting to host a joint meeting with the City Council and Delano School Boards regarding public safety.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Morris, seconded by Solorio-Ruiz, and unanimously carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 1:06p.m.
_____________________________________________
Ricardo G. Chavez, City Clerk