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ADJOURNED REGULAR MEETING
EL CENTRO CITY COUNCIL
CONFERENCE ROOM/COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1275 MAIN STREET, EL CENTRO, CA
TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2025, 12:30 P.M.
The El Centro City Council met in adjourned regular session on Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. in Conference Room A, 1275 Main Street, El Centro, California.
PRESENT: Council: Crankshaw, Carter, Ellett, Marroquin
City Clerk Wyles, Acting City Manager Sawyer, City Attorney Martyn Evans ABSENT: Council (Council Member Camarena arrived at 12:36 p.m.)
CLOSED SESSION PUBLIC COMMENT
Received by Flavio Grijalva.
CITY COUNCIL CLOSED SESSION
Moved by Ellett, second by Marroquin, to adjourn into closed session for:
CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVT. CODE SECTION 54957
Public Employee Evaluation – City Clerk
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Property: 1415 Ross, El Centro and associated properties.
City Negotiators: Eric Newsom and Megan Rooney, Sheppard Mullin Negotiating with IVHD representatives
Under negotiation: Price and Terms
Motion carried.
Reconvened to Open Session
OPEN SESSION
The El Centro City Council met in an adjourned regular session on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in City Council Chambers, El Centro City Hall, 1275 Main Street, El Centro, California.
PRESENT: Council: Crankshaw, Camarena, Carter, Ellett, Marroquin City Clerk Wyles, Acting City Manager Sawyer, City Attorney Martyn Evans Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America was led by Council Member Crankshaw and Invocation was given by Mayor Pro-Tem Ellett.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
No reportable action.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comment was received by Pete Rodriguez.
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CONSENT AGENDA (ITEMS 1-3)
Moved by Camarena, second by Ellett, approving consent items #1-2.
1. Adoption of Resolution No. 25-43, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO APPROVING AMENDMENT NO. 3 TO LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF EL CENTRO AND COLE HUBER LLP FOR CITY ATTORNEY.
2. Approved the Transportation Development Act Program – Claims filing for fiscal year 2024-2025.
3. Item 3 was pulled from the agenda to return at a future meeting. 2 nd Reading and Adoption of Ordinance No. 25-04, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCILOF OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO REVISING SECTIONS 18-149 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO
PROVIDE THAT THE VIOLATIONS OF THE CAMPING PROVISIONS OF THE CODE MAY BE PROSECUTED AS MISDEMEANOR, waive reading and adopt by title only.
AYES: Camarena, Carter, Ellett
NOES: Crankshaw, Marroquin
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
NEW BUSINESS
4. Presentation by Andy Heath, Interim Finance Director, fiscal year 2025-26 Proposed Budget.
Council member Camarena had various questions regarding the budget, especially the new positions that have been added to the city.
Council Member Camarena expressed concern about adopting the budget as presented, citing the incomplete compensation study and limited time to review the information. She noted that some proposed positions lacked supporting documentation and she was not comfortable approving them without further explanation.
Mayor Carter asked the Council how they wished to proceed—whether to approve the budget as presented or approve it with amendments to specific items.
Council Member Crankshaw proposed approving the budget with a placeholder for the questioned positions, allowing Council to revisit and evaluate those roles individually at a later date. The funding would be reserved, and if positions were ultimately not approved, the money would return to the General Fund. He inquired if such a motion was permissible.
Acting City Manager Sawyer confirmed that Council Member Crankshaw could make a motion to approve the budget with no immediate action on the identified positions, allowing for further discussion at a future meeting.
Council Member Marroquin asked Acting Finance Director Heath whether the questioned positions were based on market comparisons with other cities or assigned a salary range arbitrarily. Mr. Heath clarified that for existing positions, salaries were adjusted based on the City's current salary table.
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Council Member Camarena raised a concern about the $2 million set aside for the compensation study—specifically, what would happen if the study showed more funding was needed to bring certain groups to market-level compensation. Mr. Heath responded that additional funding was available if the study results exceeded the $2 million allocation.
Acting City Manager Sawyer outlined various options for how the Council could proceed with budget adoption.
Motion by Marroquin, second by Crankshaw, adoption of Resolution No. 25-44, RESOLUTION OF
THE CITY COUNCILN OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026.
AYES: Crankshaw, Carter, Marroquin
NOES: Camarena, Ellett
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
5. Approval of Asset Transfer Agreement by and among the City of El Centro, El Centro Regional Medical Center, and Imperial Valley Medical Center:
This item was pulled from the agenda and will be brought back at a future meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The Council reconvened into closed session. Following this, the meeting was adjourned at 4:55 p.m. ______________________________
Norma Wyles, City Clerk
APPROVED BY:
_________________________________
Sonia Carter, Mayor