MINUTES
CITY OF DELANO
CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING
March 3, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers, 1015 – 11th Avenue.
INVOCATION
Pastor David Vivas offered the invocation.
FLAG SALUTE
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz led the flag salute.
ROLL CALL
Council members present: Joe Alindajao, Bryan Osorio, Salvador Solorio-Ruiz Council members absent: Liz Morris, Mario Nunez
OFFICIALS PRESENT
City Manager Reyna, City Clerk Chavez, City Attorney Hensley (via teleconference), Finance Director Lara Rios, Chief of Police Nicholson, Human Resources Director Zamudio, Interim Community Development Director Evanson, Public Works Director Nunez, Fire Chief Crist, and IT Manager Enriquez
PRESENTATIONS AND AWARDS
• Proclamation for American Red Cross Month for March 2025 presented by Council Member Solorio-Ruiz to Hector Vazquez, .
ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC
1. Claribel Gutierez – “Good evening City Council. I know the mayor, we praying for her her procedure and I know that Mario's in Puerto Rico making sure they get some solutions for the mosquito environment so we appreciate the hard work that everybody does, but I also had a little certificate and I know that so I took my two minutes as a public comment. Claribel Gutierrez, I work for the Assemblywoman, Dr. Jasmine Baes and we also have a certificate of recognition for the Red Cross Delano because I know I volunteer with them and I know that the work that you do is essential. We did 280 installments of the fire alarms for residents that they didn't even know they didn't need. All areas need to be secure before it used to be like just a common area, but no, every single bedroom and area needed to be secure because if they safe, we are safe. On behalf of the assembly woman, I'm going to give a recognition to them. Thank you.”
2. Irma Arredondo – “City of City Council members. My name is Irma Arredondo. My address is 1946 12th Avenue and I belong to the Delano Guardians Committee. The reason I'm here is to invite each of you to be our guest on a community meeting that will we have on March 21st at CRP office, the Center for Race and Poverty here on Jefferson on 1012 Jefferson Street close to this place will come with the presence of Mr. Manuel Lopez and Mr. Ryan from the DTSC, Department of California Environmental Protection Agency Department of Toxic Substance Control. So to my knowledge that is regards that PCE Plum that was discovered in downtown Delano in around 2010, 10 years. So the PC of our (inaudible word) systems that had spread under our grounds. So we are in all of the toxic gases that one can affect our immune systems like he vision problems just to pronounce them Multiple coordination? Yes. Coordination to mention, yes. Just to mention some the DTSC or the Department of California Environmental Protection Agency that has toxic assistance is controlled to my knowledge. They have installed three soil paper extractions, machines and equipment. One behind 920 Main Street here on in the alley and another one was Oasis cleaner and other one on pharmacy insurance behind High Street. Just recently two of them got broken, so that's why we are held this meeting and I want to pass invitations to you that were sent by the Delano Guardians and I will be here another time just to remind you about to please be our guests and we are the community want to be there and we would nice to see you there. Okay. Thank you so much for your attention. Thank you.”
3. Travis Underwood – “Travis Underwood, 621 Union Street. Thank you council for letting me speak. My question or kind of concern that I have is I'm a volunteer little league coach for the City of Delano. For the last month, myself and other coaches have been trying to fight for fields as the city has a very few limited baseball fields. The other day I went to one at the Cesar Chavez Park and for some reason it was being used for soccer and I was kind of questioning that because we do have a soccer field that as citizens built. But my next one was I called the rec center and they said that Wonderful had rented out the fields for two plus months. So I'm trying to figure out if the city can help us with making fields easier to access. As coaches, we have to provide our own resources, our own money, our free time. Obviously it's a volunteer position, but just grabbing a field we have to wait out there a couple hours just to hold the field. So if the city can figure out a way to help the coaches out in the future. Thank you.”
CONSENT AGENDA
1) Authorization to waive the reading of any ordinance in its entirety and consenting to the reading of such ordinances by title only
2) Warrant Register in the amount of $ 3,516,093.11
3) Minutes of regular Council meeting of February 18, 2025 4) Minutes of special joint City council and City Council as Successor Agency to the former Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Delano
5) Second and Final Reading of an Ordinance amending Subsection 2.64.040 of Chapter 2.64 of the Delano Municipal Code Regarding the Meeting Dates for the Community Law Enforcement Liaison Board (Ordinance No. 2025-1357)
6) Approve eliminating one (1) Motor Sweeper Operator; two (2) Equipment Operator I; one (1) Equipment Mechanic I; one (1) Assistant Solid Waste/Street Supervisor; one (1) Building Official/Senior Building Inspector
7) Adopt resolution approving the revised class specification for Water Production Operator I (Resolution No. 2025-12)
8) Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Delano declaring there are no unmet transit needs within the City of Delano (Resolution No. 2025-13) 9) Approval of Contract Change Order No. 1 for the “2024 Installation of Traffic Striping, City Wide Project” for additional work on County Line and Melcher Roads, by Central Valley Striping, in the amount of $67, 100.58, and authorization for the City Manager or her designee to sign the Change Order (Agreement No. 2025-15)
10) Report on the Status of the Local Emergency regarding the failed Waterline located on Garces Bridge Pursuant to Public Contracts Code § 22050
11) Approval of Professional Services Agreement with COAR Design Group to provide design development services for the proposed Delano Transit Maintenance Facility Conversion Project at the former Modified Community Correctional Facility and authorize the city manager to execute the same (Agreement No. 2025-16)
12) Second and final reading regarding an ordinance of the City of Delano amending chapter 6.48 Fireworks and adding Request for Proposal for Firework Show section (Ordinance No. 2025- 1358)
Motion was made by: Alindajao to approved items 1-12 on consent items; 2nd by: Osorio
Vote: 3-0
Ayes: Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: Morris/Nunez
Abstentions: None
PUBLIC HEARINGS
13) A Public Hearing for the First Reading of an Ordinance adopting revisions to the City’s Military Equipment Use Policy No. 706 to incorporate changes under California Assembly Bill 2546 and facilitate future policy review
Staff report provided by Chief Nicholson.
Council Member Alindajao – “Chief, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought we dealt with this military equipment use in times past. Is this the first time we are passing an ordinance in order to modify our policy?”
Chief Nicholson – “It has come up and by law it's every year we have to come up and counsel has to approve it.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz opened public comment.
No public comment.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz closed public comment.
Council Member Osorio – “I just want to thank Chief Nicholson for holding this community meeting I attended on Friday and appreciate his patients walking through the different types of systems and equipment that the city has. But no questions for me.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “No questions for me either. Chief, just thankful for the meeting that you hosted recently, the department hosted. You've always strived for transparency, for building trust and that's one component that you always excel in, so thank you.” Motion was made by: Alindajao to approve;
2nd by: Osorio
Vote: 3-0
Ayes: Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: Morris/Nunez
Abstentions: None
REGULAR AGENDA
No items.
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
No items.
COUNCIL STATEMENTS AND REPORTS
Council Member Bryan Osorio – “Yes, so along with a few council members, a few of my colleagues, I attended the Employee Services awards a few weeks back. It is inspiring and encouraging to see our city employees commitment. I got there towards the latter end, so I got to see how folks were creeping up to 20 years and past 20 years of service to our community. So that was really again, inspiring and encouraging and I think our staff who are both here and not here at our meeting for the work and commitment they give to our community, and as I briefly mentioned a few minutes ago I attended DPDs community meeting about the military equipment. It was definitely a learning opportunity for myself to see the different types of systems that our police department operates with. I appreciate Chief Nicholson's questions, some of them a bit more absurd than others, but again, thank you Chief for answering my questions. I also was fortunate enough to meet with Supervisor David Couch's staff regarding a few community residents concerns on the maintenance and procedures at the North Kern Cemetery. As some may remember these issues, a few issues were brought up a few council meetings ago and so I think we had a productive meeting and hope we can continue to build that trust and hopefully address some of the concerns raised there. Lastly, there is a march that's going to be happening in our community at the end of this month. This Cesar E. Chavez March for Immigrant Workers will be happening on March 31st. It's intended to honor his legacy by retracing the route of his funeral procession through the roads of Delano where he once marched and passed the fields where he labored. The event is intended to be joined by labor unions from across the state and the march will highlight the vital contributions of immigrant workers and reaffirm the ongoing fight for their rights and dignity. I did want to ask through the council if we can place an item for discussion for sponsoring some event fees for the parade. We're still getting a sense of what the total will be, but I want to thank Mr.
Chavez and Mrs. Zamudio for their support in getting these discussions going.” Council Member Alindajao – None
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “As far as on my end, I attended my first KernCOG meeting. It was awesome. I think I am still learning the ropes of what it's really all about. I believe we have a training soon with KernCOG to really find out exactly what the board does and its role in our government. It's important role in our government, so it was good attending that recently with the other supervisors and other city council members from the other communities in the county. I also wanted to echo what Councilman Rosario mentioned. He beat me to it. I believe the UFW, their representatives will send over a letter for the sponsorship request and so once I get ahold of that, then I will send it over to the city manager or the city clerk. I did let them know of course, our internal deadline for items. Hopefully they get it by Monday coming up next week. Hopefully that was right. Other than that, that's it on my end.” Mayor Pro-Tem Nunez – Absent.
Mayor Morris - Absent.
CLOSED SESSION
No items.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz seconded by Osorio and unanimously carried 3-0 to adjourn the closed session meeting at 5:58pm.
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Ricardo G. Chavez, City Clerk