MINUTES
CITY OF DELANO
CITY COUNCIL – SPECIAL MEETING
June 2, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Morris called the meeting to order at 5:06 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: Liz Morris, Mario Nunez, Joe Alindajao, Bryan Osorio, Salvador Solorio-Ruiz Council members absent: None
OFFICIALS PRESENT
City Manager Reyna, City Clerk Chavez, City Attorney Hensley, Finance Director Lara Rios, Chief of Police Nicholson, Human Resources Director Zamudio, Interim Community Development Director Dowling (via teleconference), Recreation Manager Batth-Chavez, Public Works Director Nunez, City Engineer Rodriguez, and IT Manager Enriquez
SPECIAL AGENDA ITEMS
1. Adoption of a Resolution Declaring a Fiscal Emergency in the City of Delano and Adoption of a Resolution Approving and Submitting a Ballot Measure Relating to the Extension of an Existing 1% Sales Tax at the November 4, 2025 Special Municipal Election (Resolution No. 2025-40) (Resolution No. 2025-41) (Resolution No. 2025-42)
Staff report provided by Finance Director Rios.
Mayor Morris opened public comment.
Pastor David Vivas – “Good evening, mayor and council members, pastor David Divas here in Delano.
I'd like to just encourage all the council members to move forward to put this on the special ballot in November. As we just heard right now from the finance director, the benefit of the 1% sales tax measure has helped out immensely. The city of Delano, and of course if you all unanimously vote on it to move forward, then you're going to have to use your sphere of influence to encourage your supporters, family, friends, everyone that voted for you to also vote for this measure because in 2018 it was a very close call.
I forget the exact numbers, but it was a very close call and it barely passed and so our city is growing. We see economically it's growing. The city is not where it was back in 2003, 2004. Again, I believe that all these businesses and homes that are coming in that have helped bring in this revenue has helped immensely. Now we all know also that California is a sanctuary state and with the current administration a lot of funding has been cut off to this state and so we need all the funds that we can get to help, especially public safety, our ham police department. And so we have seen the funds used. I happen to sit on the Citizens Review Committee and our finance director gives an accounting every year when we have this meeting of where those funds go. Now the general public to my knowledge, doesn't keep close tabs on how these funds are spent, but when we see the amount that has come in, it greatly benefits our community. Now I'm not one that likes to pay more taxes than is necessary, but when I first saw this back in 2007 as introduced as measure “I,” I saw the benefit and I saw the overall plan for the City of Delano of all the businesses and the future homes. And so I did see the benefit. So I don't mind paying the extra tax if it's going to help our city. Plus we do get a lot of traffic off of 99. People shop here, people eat here, people stay here. So we do see people from out of town that support our community. I'm going to ask every single one of you to vote in the affirmative and so that we can get this measure renewed this coming November. Thank you.”
Gloria Herrera – “Gloria Herrera 51 Ninth Avenue. Just a question, what's the emergency, fiscal emergency and if it passes, it's put on in the ballot. If it passes for how long it's going to be, the 1% continuously, is there a certain time or.”
Finance Director Rios – ”So the fiscal emergency is that the city will be losing $8.5 million annually and currently the proposed language that we will be presenting or putting on the special election ballot would be to have a no sunset clause, meaning it would not expire.” Mayor Morris – “Does that answer your question, Mrs. Her? That would be no sunset. That means it goes on until we repeal it. Yeah. Anyone else like to comment? Seeing none, we'll close the public comment and we'll move on to council statements. Councilman Solorio? Mayor Morris closed public comment.
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Yes, I don't have any questions. I think I've inquired about this measure and got input from city staff. Thank you, Rosa, for the descriptions and the analysis on it. I think it's very important and as Pastor Viva's mentioned, it's going to take all of us in order to pass this measure in our own individual capacities, talking to family members and friends and neighbors about what this measure provides to our community in terms of addressing our public safety, our quality of life, our youth, our community as a whole. And so I think that we should all be on board with this measure. Thank you.” Council Member Alindajao – “I am also in supportive of the measure. I think that the city has shown a good stewardship over the funds that it's raised with this measure for some time. It has a historical track record of funding important initiative for the city. So that's good to know. Also, I applaud the staff for the foresight. I think looking ahead and seeing the kind of gap that it would create if it's not passed, I think that's an important part of being financially and fiscally vigilant and responsible. And also with the growing as I believe Pastor Vivas had mentioned with the growing retail business in the city of Delano. I think that is also I think being wise about expanding that retail base. It's not just going to come from the citizens of Delano but other parts of the county and even the state will be part of that support revenue for the measure. So I'm in support of it. Thank you.”
Council Member Osorio – “Thanks Mayor. Yes. I would also be in support of this measure as to the gap as to why we're discussing this in June, 2025 when it expires in March, 2028. As council member Linda hell mentioned, it's due to the diligence of our city staff in trying to more accurately forecast the financial predicament. We would be in the case where this doesn't pass. And so I think having that adequate room to plan and simulate scenarios for our city is a plus for us. And that is why I'm in support.” Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “Like everyone else. I'm a hundred percent in support of this. I was a former city employee working public safety and back in the day we were sharing police cars, we were sharing radios, we were sharing flashlights, literally handing the next guy coming on a flashlight, literally taking keys from the next guy. And this measure has been great and picking that up and all the technology for public safety, our roads were in really, really bad shape back in the day. And if we drove those cars through any road in Delano, they were really bad shape. So that's helped a lot. And I do remember when Roman Dowling was here, he did do a presentation on our infrastructure where the city was fixing our infrastructure and where some of that money had gone and I believe we're either at 50% or getting at to 50% of fixing our older portions of Delano. So if this goes away, this is going to hurt that we can't afford to let this go away. The time to make a decision is now. Again, I'm a hundred percent in favor of this.” Mayor Morris – “Thank you. And I too am 100% in favor of this particular issue. I was around when we first initiated measure I and Mario said, I can remember the reason we were initiated at that time. If all of you remember the roads were so bad here, everything was patched up and you could see all the little veins all over the roads, all over the place that look really bad. But I can see the growth of what this money has really done for this community. It's amazing some of the advantages that we've had to be able to give a 15% utility discount for senior residents helping alleviate the financial burdens on some of the most vulnerable population in our city. And along with I've seen us purchase 20 police cars all at one time because our fleet was so bad. And I think it is going to be even more beneficial now that we're getting a lot of businesses and the revenues that those businesses are going to bring in to the city. I think that's why we had such a great financial year was measuring you this year is because we had Niagara come in and some other businesses come in, they contributed a lot to the sales tax.” Motion was made by: Solorio-Ruiz to adopt Resolution Declaring a Fiscal Emergency in the City of Delano;
2nd by: Alindajao
Vote: 5-0
Ayes: Morris/Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
Motion was made by: Solorio-Ruiz to adopt Adoption of a Resolution Approving and Submitting a Ballot Measure Relating to the Extension of an Existing 1% Sales Tax at the November 4, 2025 Special Municipal Election;
2nd by: Alindajao
Vote: 5-0
Ayes: Morris/Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
City Attorney Hensley – “Mayor. You had one more item to finish under that prior item and that was to establish the priorities, filing written arguments, and also for asking for an impartial analysis from the city attorney's office. So there was one more resolution to address. And as part of that, the counsel need to decide whether or not one or more of your members are going to file a statement, the argument in favor of the tax measure. Often for these I see that all five council members when you support it will sign off on the argument in favor of the tax measure. So now is your opportunity, if you want to designate yourselves as being the ones to file that argument, say the tax measure as part of this resolution, that would be when you would take that action.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “And are we able to also nominate?” City Attorney Hensley – “Well, you can nominate all five of yourselves to put your names on it. What I generally see is the target five people to put one document together is maybe the group says to two of you, put it together and then the rest of us will sign off.” Council Member Alindajao – “If the council doesn't draft the argument, who would draft the argument?” City Attorney Hensley – “Well then it's left open to a service group or it could be association of people in the city. It could be any number of people. There's a list in the election code as how that would work and if it could drop down to just an individual, it could be nobody if nobody actually turns anything into the clerk. But generally, what I see in these kinds of circumstances is the council, if they're in favor of it, the five of them put their names on it and generally designate a council member to draft the argument. It doesn't mean you have to do it that we have to see it done now quite.” Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “But it would state all of our names. Right, right. Okay. Okay. I'm in favor of that. I'm open to being one of them, but if anyone else wants to, I am open to that as well.” Mayor Morris – “Everyone open to that or do we have to make it?” City Attorney Hensley – “Well, as part of this resolution you'll one pass the resolution and two, if you want to include however you want to designate yourself and it would be all part of one motion Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “Motion that we pass a resolution for the attorney's office to make the arguments?”
City Attorney Hensley – “My office will draft the impartial analysis and I would say council members should draft the or two should draft the argument. I mean I can review it for perform.” Motion was made by: Nunez directing the city attorney to prepare the impartial analysis for the measure;
2nd by: Osorio
Vote: 5-0
Ayes: Morris/Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Thank you. Who else would be interested in serving with me in that capacity or if else wishes to? I'm also open to recuse myself and allow someone else to.” Council Member Osorio – “I've been supporting all of us being on there and then if a couple of us have to take lead, I volunteer to be one of those to draft a statement.” Motion was made by: Nunez nominating Council Members Bryan Osorio and Salvador Solorio-Ruiz to draft written arguments and the entire Council sign after; 2nd by: Solorio-Ruiz
Vote: 5-0
Ayes: Morris/Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
2. Approval and Submission of Ballot Measure Questions for the November 4, 2025 Special Municipal Election to Establish the Office of an Elected Mayor (Resolution No. 2025-43) (Resolution No. 2025-44)
Staff report provided by City Attorney Hensley.
Mayor Morris opened public comment.
Pastor David Vivas – “Pastor David Vivas. And I would say that I believe that City of McFarland, which has a population exceeding a little over 15,000 does elect its own mayor and need to remember that the mayor represents is the face of Delano. And of course a mayor, that position should be, well we don't know who's going to be running, but again that is the face of Delano and the term is four years. So I think that it's worked out the way we've been, the city council has been rotating here in the last 20 plus years.
However, I believe that we're at a position now where we should let the citizens choose its mayor. And so there's a lot of mixed reaction to this from the community. Just people that I've personally have talked to and some have asked, well how much of a difference will it actually make? And so these are just some questions that the public has asked. But I think just like other communities that are smaller than Delano citizens should be given the opportunity to elect its own Mayor. Thank you.” Mayor Morris closed public comment.
Council Member Alindajao – “Thank you Mayor. I was part of the council that put forward this initiative after serving as the mayor for two years and sitting on the city council since 2018. I've seen the process by which councils pick mayors and it's a very difficult and arduous process sometimes a lot of emotion and passion and I think the wise thing to do is to do the democratic thing and have the people of the community vote for the mayor. As simple as that we have a choice tonight whether we're going to ask ourselves that question, do you want an elected mayor or we'll allow the community to answer that question and my confidence in my vote is that we allow the community to decide that question because that is the first question you want an elected mayor At the time that there was support for the mayorship position, there was a broad coalition of support throughout the community from many walks of life, many backgrounds and whatnot came out and gave their support for the mayorship and we're giving the community the opportunity to determine whether they want to select the mayor to begin with. So, I think that should go to the people of this community to make that decision. Another argument I want to put forward too is that I know Councilman Osorio was not on the councils at that time, but he's been to the same process. He served as the city's mayor for two years. It's always been a challenging process, and I think it's better suited as other cities do is allow the community to vote for their mayor. So, thank you Mayor.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Of course. So as council member Linda Howell mentioned just some historical background on this item back when it was first brought forward, I was in support of it. The reason of course, as he mentioned debates on the dais in regards to the mayorship have been more colorful than usual during our times. So, but thinking about tonight's agenda item, I believe we need to take a few things into consideration. Let me preface by stating that I do believe our community should vote for their mayor. I believe in democracy. It's the reason that we're all sitting up here in the first place.
It absolutely should happen. Like I have shared before, it's the beauty of our country and it's the beauty of our democracy to allow residents to elect one of the most important roles in our city. But ultimately we have to take a few things into consideration if we decide to place this on the ballot this year and have folks turn out to vote potentially the following year in 2026, it has been shown that off presidential election years do not receive the most turnout compared to a presidential election year. So in order to get the most community input, we must place the election of the mayorship at least in 2028. The question of whether we should or not I think should go previously before then, but ultimately I think the final question to really ask ourselves is do we want more or do we want less community input? And if we want less, I think that's an issue. On top of that argument. I will also say with the measure of course now potentially being on the ballot this year, I think I would encourage all council members and all members of our community to fight like hell to make sure that that measure passes this year and for that solely to be our main focus this year. And so with that I'm in favor of we can potentially table this, we can potentially just table it for future discussion and then decide that at a later meeting as far as when we bring forward the question up and then of course placing it as an actual individual running for office later on if it passes or not. But that is my remarks and my comments. Again, like I stated, I am in favor of it. It's just, it's all about timing and I think that's important and community input. Thank you.” Council Member Osorio – “Thanks Mayor. So as Councilmember Alindajao mentioned as having served in this role, having gathered feedback and preferences from folks, I sense a temperature that would be in support of putting the mayorship up to the ballot. And so, I myself am in support of putting the mayorship question to voters, though I am concerned about placing it on a ballot this year, mostly because of voter turnout. Just sharing some quick statistics. According to PDI, it's a data-driven organization that analyzes voter behavior and election trends turnout in Delano over the last few elections have varied significantly. So last year this organization analyzed that about 50.8% in Delano voted in November, 2024 election. And then in the November 2024, primary 16.7% participated. And then in November of 2022, 29.4% participated. This year it's not a regularly scheduled election year. And so I think and believe history will show that turnout would mirror closer to the levels of a primary election. And with that expectation, I worry that this important decision would not reflect the broader segment of our community, at least the folks that I think really want this, including myself. I recognize that that reasoning contradicts a bit of why we added the measure, the tax measure onto the ballot this year. Again, I am in favor of that sales tax measure. I think it's important for our city staff to have the foresight to prepare and have the resources necessary. However, I feel for that one it differs from this one because if that one fails, we will, I know I will be in support of putting on the ballot again before the March 2028 sunset. However, if this one fails, I think the reasoning is a bit weaker to put it again on the ballot. And so that is my concern again about moving forward with it this year though I would be in support of it moving forward in a regularly scheduled election, even as soon as 2026. That's it for me, mayor.” Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “So this year we're just putting it on the ballot to see if people want to vote for a mayor. And if we agree to say yes, we want to vote for mayor in 2026, which is the midterms we will be voting for. A mayor has nothing to do with the counts of here or there. 2026 is going to be a very, very high count in voting. It's probably going to break records that year based on what we're seeing on our current administration. And regardless what side you choose right or left, it doesn't matter. It's going to be a very, very busy, busy 2026 election. That would be a perfect time to put that on the ballot because a lot of people will be there. Again, like some of the council members says that if it's important enough to put up for Measure “U,” it should be important enough to put it now for our mayor, let's pick our mayor.
Let's not let us choose. I'm new to the council, this is, I'm on working on my third year and for two years if you only knew the amount of people who contacted me trying to sway me right or left on who I should pick for mayor, I didn't pick who they asked me to. I picked who the people told me should probably be our next mayor. So, take that away from us and give it back to the voters so they can pick who they want as their mayor. Again, 2025 is to choose if we want to pick a mayor or not. 2026 is when it goes to the voters so they can pick their mayor. Thank you.”
Council Member Alindajao - “A couple of things. I think Council Member Solorio and Osorio brought up the issue of timing and cost. I think the timing makes sense to at least ask the question to the voters in this election cycle because I believe part of the voting or the group that's going to drive really the polls is going to be the tax measure that's really going to probably be the catalyst that'll bring folks to the polling station. Another issue is cost. If we consolidate the two issues, we're not going to have to pay a separate independent cost to bring the mayorship issue up at a different year. So, I think that's a cost saving issue as well. Also, I appreciate the fact that low voter turnout in off election years, like the midterm elections may not fully represent the community in terms of voting percentages and turnout. So, my suggestion or my amendment is to have the decision to vote for mayor now but have the first mayor election in the general election year instead of 2026, push that to 2028. I don't know how legally that works, Mark or if that's an issue, but can that be done?”
City Attorney Hensley – “Yes, we would just change the language to make it effective for that election.” Council Member Alindajao – “Certainly because turnout is much higher in general elections. Arguably I think the bar to electing the mayor is much higher in the general elections and I think that might address some of the issues that our council members might have in terms of turnout and whether the turnout really represents the will of the people. So that would be my amendment to item number two.” Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Thank you. Mayor, can I respond real quick? Yes. Okay. So two points.
Number one, cost. Does it cost the city of Delano anything in order to place it on the ballot next year in November? Being that there is already an election for of course two city council members who are up for reelection.”
City Attorney Hensley – “Look to the city clerk.”
City Clerk Chavez – “In regards to placing it on a special election or in regards to a general?” Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Placing it, let's say next November, which well, I don't know if that would classify it as a special or not, but being that there is already an election happening. Would that turn on the idea of it being categorized as a special or can we just add it on? Would that be another cost if we add it on?”
City Clerk Chavez – “Typically of what I understand, since the city of Delano generally already consolidates with the county for the open seats as we normally do, it would just be as is. So there wouldn't really be an additional cost.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Thank you. As for the second, as far as timing goes, I don't think it's probably effective or reasonable to maybe let our community vote for the question this November and then make them wait three years in 2028 to actually vote. They're going to be like, whoa, I think we need to make sure that we get them fresh back-to-back. I think that's important. And so I think that it would be effective to potentially do at least closer to 2028, which of course the next one would be 2026. So that's my response to Council Member Alindajao’s points.”
Council Member Osorio – “Mayor if I may respond? So, I appreciate Council Member Alindajao meeting me halfway because ultimately the way I would see this ideally in my preference is that in 2026 we let more folks who we know are going to turn out for the midterm election to decide whether we want to have a mayor or not. And then in 2028, that is when the selection of the mayor would happen during that election. Again, I would see that would be the scenario that I would be in support of. I think just my concern is that if it's on the ballot this year, there may be a high likelihood that it may not pass and then we wouldn't be able to get to 2028.”
Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “I may list. So what would be the difference of voting now than then other than we get it done now and get it taken care of? Now we keep pushing this off. So for the next three years we're going to have a lot of people trying to backdoor each other up on this council, trying to make deals behind this council, which are not good. I tell you, I was at a wedding, a quinceanera four birthday parties on the streets and everybody in the world, if you vote for this person or you nominate this person, we'll do this for you. I'm like, I don't do that. If you do this, I'll do that. And I don't like that. I think it's time for the voters to choose their mayor, make a decision if you want to choose your mayor, and if you do, the following year we pick our mayor period.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “For the record, I have not made any deals that are illegal or out of bound with my role as a council member. I do not play those games. I believe wholeheartedly that whatever the majority decides I am with it, whatever the majority of the council decides. And that's what's happening tonight for any item that we discuss and vote on. It is the majority that decide that is democracy. That is how it is.”
Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “And for the record, it was not council that was coming after me, it was other people trying to manipulate who they wanted or who they wanted to do, but not the council.” Council Member Alindajao – “And I certainly appreciate council member's comments and I'm with them.
I think we've beat this horse long enough that I think it's time to take action, but I think it takes three to tango the saying. So I think sometimes we have to find out where the support is and where council's thinking and so that's the reason for my amendment. So my amendment to item number two is going to put forward that we approve the...”
Mayor Morris – “And not before I say my comments. Okay. You mind?” Council Member Alindajao – “You want do that? You want to go first?” Mayor Morris – “Yeah, lemme go first. Okay. Well my position hasn't changed. Okay. I voted against this the last time and I'm going to vote against it today. And I'll tell you what is because I don't feel that the mayor should be paid an extra for what we do now because we all have the same authority and we all have the same vote. His vote, my vote is one vote, his vote is one vote and everybody here gets a vote.
Now we're going to pay the mayor extra money or stipend because he's a mayor and now he's got a name on a title in front of his name or in front of their name. Just makes sense to me. Whenever one of us is absent up here or I'm not here, one of these guys takes over and we do the same thing for one another.
And that's just common courtesy among the council. Along with that, I think as far as the awareness of this should be that every council member should have the opportunity to be the mayor, I think it makes for a stronger team because then that way we can sit up here and we know what the procedures are and we can cover for one another as we go along. But I think that every council member should have that opportunity to be the mayor and not because we are going to pay somebody extra just to do the same thing we do up here. And just because he has a mayorship name in front of his name that just doesn't make sense to me. And what is his duties? I don't know what the parameters are. Is he going to be able to vote or not vote or what? So those are kind of uncertainty. I know that during the time that we elect a mayor or we select a mayor within the council, it's a little uncomfortable for one day. Okay, for one night.
It's uncomfortable. Everybody says, oh, okay, yeah, no, we don't want it. We don't want that. It just goes around and then we're a little uncomfortable with that. But you know what? After we select a mayor, then it goes on. Okay, everybody accepts it and we're fine for the rest of the year until we select someone else among the council. Basically, I think it should just be put on a rotation basis and say the longest person servers who hasn't served or whatever parameters we set as to who should be the next mayor, should be the next mayor up here. Although I sit up here at the mayorship and I appreciate the confidence of my council members, but basically I'm up here to do a job and our job is to move this city forward. So, it doesn't matter whether I'm the mayor, he's the mayor or he's the mayor. So that is my position and that's where I stand and I'm still going to vote against it.”
Council Member Alindajao – “Thank you. Appreciate that. I guess also the first of all, I just want to clear something. Mayor, there's no stipend. You mentioned a stipend for them, mayor.” Mayor Morris – “Well, there may be.”
Council Member Alindajao – “I don't believe there's a stipend, right Mark?” City Attorney Hensley – “No, it that would've to be put in front of the voters for the to be based item. It's not included in this.”
Council Member Alindajao – “Yeah, I just want to make sure we are not confused by that. As I was saying about council member Nunez’s comments, I think I get what he's saying and you're right, mayor, it's a day where we go through some consternation about what's going on, but the mayorship matters to people in the community. It matters to people on this council. Even though we may say it doesn't matter, the reality is that there are people on this board that have their own thoughts and ideas about what qualifies someone to become mayor. And this is why there's so much consternation because we go back and forth. I may think that someone on this board shouldn't ever be the mayor. That's the reality of it. We have personalities. There's qualities that we think are important and other qualities are more important.
And that's how I don't want to really put forward also that we all get along really great and we're all best friends and we all support each other in every way. It's not the reality. We have a lot of disagreements about how to move forward, especially when it comes to the mayorship. So this is why I believe it's important for the voters to have that decision and the voters want that decision to make in terms of mayorship.”
Mayor Morris – “What is the difference between whatever agenda the mayor wants to push? Any one of us has that opportunity to push whatever agenda we want. So you don't have to have a mayorship.” Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “One doesn't have more power than the other, is what you're trying to say.”
Mayor Pro Tem Nunez – “I just didn't like the fact how the public was coming and I was new to the council for two years and it's not just one night of awkwardness. It was weeks and weeks and weeks of this on and on and on and on and on. And when people were approaching me towards the end, I said, I don't discuss it. I don't talk about it. You'll find out that night. And I saw how the council itself was acting and how someone felt. They may or may not been offended or were overlooked or anything like that. It had nothing to do with that. I think if the voters chose us, then the voters should be able to choose their mayor.”
Council Member Alindajao – “Also. I think there's an agreement. I think there's a majority agreement that we want to see the mayor elected. But I think the question here is how do we get there? And I think potentially my amendment may be that pathway that we can all agree on, but I think the majority of us, I think want to see the mayor elected, just like the community wants to see the mayor elected. So with that, I'll make a motion mayor, to prove item number two with the amendment that we have the ballot measure for the mayorship in 2026 with the first mayor, citywide mayor election, assuming that it passes in 2026.
In 2028, that's my motion.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “Do we have to specify the month or no?” Council Member Alindajao – “Well, it would be on the regular November cycle. Yeah.” City Attorney Hensley – “So you're saying that this resolution would call for the election in November 2026.”
Council Member Alindajao – “To put the question forward to the voters.” Motion was made by: Alindajao to approve and submit Ballot Measure Questions for the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election to Establish the Office of an Elected Mayor 2nd by: Osorio
Vote: 4-1
Ayes: Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: Morris
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
City Attorney Hensley – “Okay. Same as the last one. Did the council want to appoint any or all of its members to make an argument in favor of this.”
Mayor Morris – “What was that again? Mark?”
City Attorney Hensley – “Like on the tax measure where the council made the decision to put together an argument in favor of the measure as the council it has, you have the same option here and not all five of you have to put your names on. It can be one, it could be 3, 4, 3, 5. It's a decision for you. If you're going to make it, you make it now. And the other question is, do you want the impartial analysis, which is all baked into this one second resolution? And I probably would recommend the impartial analysis. It will just explain how this would work. I don't put any, it's not vote for, vote against. Just explains to the voter how the process would work.”
Council Member Solorio-Ruiz – “You said you would recommend the impartial analysis?” City Attorney Hensley – “Yeah, because I think it helps explain to the voter if they read it of in an objective way.”
Council Member Alindajao – “We don't have to take a for position on it. Right.” City Attorney Hensley - You don't have to do anything.” Motion was made by: Alindajao to have the city attorney's office draft the impartial position and no council position should take a for stance on the mayorship 2nd by: Nunez
Vote: 4-1
Ayes: Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio/Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: Morris
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
3. Resolution Calling and Giving Notice of the Holding of a Special Municipal Election for the Consideration of Certain Ballot Measures to be Held on November 4, 2025, and Requesting the Kern County Board of Supervisors to Render Specified Services Relating to the Conduct of the Special Municipal Election (Resolution No. 2025-45)
Staff report provided by City Attorney Hensley – “Now we are going to have the final resolution is where we direct the registrar to place these items on the election. We will draft as such that we are directing them to, it's currently drafted. They would both be. And it was always recognized that either one or both, this may not be passed at all or it may be that just one of the matters goes forward. But we will change the language. So the registrar would be directed to put the tax measure on or the November 2025 election and that the mayor item would be put on in the November 2026 election. So we need to vote on that resolution as I've explained it.”
Motion was made by: Nunez to adopt Resolution Calling and Giving Notice of the Holding of a Special Municipal Election for the Consideration of the Tax Measure Ballot to be Held on November 4, 2025, the election of the Mayorship to be in November 2026 election, and Requesting the Kern County Board of Supervisors to Render Specified Services Relating to the Conduct of the Special Municipal Election and General Election;
2nd by: Solorio-Ruiz
Vote: 5-0
Ayes: Morris/Nunez/Alindajao/Osorio /Solorio-Ruiz
Nays: None
Absent: None
Abstentions: None
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Nunez seconded by Solorio-Ruiz and unanimously carried 5-0 to adjourn the meeting at 6:01 pm.
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Ricardo G. Chavez, City Clerk