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SPECIAL MEETING
EL CENTRO CITY COUNCIL
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1275 MAIN STREET, EL CENTRO, CA
TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2026, 8:00 A.M.
OPEN SESSION
The El Centro City Council met in a special meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 8:36 a.m. in Conference Room A, El Centro City Hall, 1275 W. Main Street, El Centro, California for the purpose of closed session.
PRESENT: Council: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin City Clerk Wyles, City Manager Sawyer, City Attorney Hoff ABSENT: None
CLOSED SESSION PUBLIC COMMENT
None
CITY COUNCIL CLOSED SESSION
Moved by Ellett, second by Camarena, to adjourn into closed session for:
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8
Property:
Properties within El Centro, CA 92243 at the following addresses:
El Centro Regional Medical Center, 1415 Ross Ave.
ECRMC Medical Office Building, 1271 Ross Ave.
El Centro Outpatient Clinic, 385 W. Main St.
1204 Poplar Drive
1258 Poplar Drive
1295 Poplar Drive
1455 Pepper Drive
1215 Ross Ave.
1225 Ross Ave.
1243 Ross Ave.
1251 Ross Ave.
1271 Ross Ave.
135 S. 4th St.
Agency negotiators: Sheppard Mullin (Eric Newsom, Megan Rooney, Christina Nguyen) Negotiation Parties: Imperial Valley Healthcare District (IVHD) Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment
CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Patrick Clark
Employee Organization: Firefighters Association, General Employees Unit and Supervisor, Professional, and Technical Employees Unit
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CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Robert Sawyer
Unrepresented Employees:
Human Resource Staff Assistant
Management Assistant
Human Resources Analyst (2)
City Clerk Staff Assistant
Staff Assistant
Human Resource Analyst II
Public Information Officer
Multimedia Content Creator
Battalion Chief (3)
Police Lieutenant (3)
Police Commander I
Economic Development Manager
Project Manager Civil
Principal Engineer
Information Technology Administrator
City Clerk
Chief of Fire
Director of Public Works
Assistant Director of Community Development
Director of Finance
Director of Human Resource
Director of Community Services
Director of Community Development
Chief of Police
Director of Library
ADDED CLOSED SESSION ITEM:
Motion to add closed session item by Ellett, second by Carter – 5/0 PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957
Title: City Attorney
Motion carried unanimously.
Closed Session concluded at 11:59 p.m. (All present)
City Council recessed to 6:05 p.m.
OPEN SESSION
The El Centro City Council met in a special meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 12:11 p.m. in Council Chambers, El Centro City Hall, 1275 Main Street, El Centro, California.
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PRESENT: Council: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin City Clerk Wyles, City Manager Sawyer, City Attorney Hoff ABSENT: None
Invocation was given by Council Member Ellett and Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America was led by Council Member Ellett.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
No reportable action.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
No comments were received.
PRESENTATIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS BY MAYOR:
1. Presentation – National Library Week, April 19-25, 2026.
2. Proclamation presented for National Public Safety Telecommunication Week, April 12-18, 2026. *ADDED PRESENTATION
Motion by Camarena and second by Carter to Add Presentation to Agenda 2a. Proclamation presented for the Military Child
CONSENT AGENDA:
3. Approval of the City Council Minutes of March 17, 2026 and March 31, 2026.
4. Approval of payments related to the IID Date Drain “3-D” underground at Countryside Drive, update.
NEW BUSINESS:
5. Moved by Camarena, second by Carter, approval of a community sponsorship for the Joshua Lavell Holmes Foundation in the amount of $500.00.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
6. Motion by Ellett, second by Camarena, adoption of Resolution No. 26-22, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO AWARDING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE
EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR THE IMPERIAL AVENUE TRAFFIC SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION PROJECT FEDERAL PROJECT NO. CML-5169 (058).
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
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7. Moved by Marroquin, second by Carter, adoption of Resolution No. 26-23, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO APPROVING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
WITH WESTNET, LLC FOR THE FIRST-IN FIRE STATION ALERTING SYSTEM AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT.
Public Comment was received by Martin Nunez.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
8. Operational update for the El Centro Police Department’s Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) drone program by Commander Rene McNish.
Council members had several questions regarding the drone program.
Presentation only.
9. Presentation by Adriana Nava, Community Services Director, discussion and necessary action regarding Communications Site Lease Agreement with Vero Fiber.
Item was discussed and was tabled to another future meeting.
10. Presentation by Adriana Nava, Community Services Director, discussion and related action regarding an extension to the agreement with Catholic Charities for the continued implementation of the Working Hands Workforce Development Program under the same terms and conditions.
Council members asked a range of questions about the agreement and the budget allocated to the Working Hands program. Public comment was received by Peter Rodriguez and Armando Munoz.
Motion by Ellett, second by Carter, to table this agenda item and it bring back at a future meeting.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
11. Moved by Camarena, second by Marroquin, adoption of Resolution No. 26-24, RESOLUTION OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CENTRO AWARDING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT FOR VETERAN’S MEMORIAL PHASE 2 PROJECT and allocate $170,260 dollars from Measure P for this project.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
12. Moved by Camarena, second by Carter, that the City Council reviewed the proposed mural designs for the El Centro Downtown Beautification Project, approve the selected mural concepts, and authorize staff to take all actions necessary to move forward with fabrication and installation.
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AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
13. Presentation by Adriana Nava, Community Services Director, discussion and related action regarding a Construction Contract with Shades Structures, Inc. in the amount of $153,250.88 for Shade Structures for the Embellece (Beautify) El Centro Downtown Beautification Project.
Council members discussed the addition of the shade structures and the cost of adding them to the downtown area and decided not to go forward with the shade structures at this time.
Council member Ellett made a motion to ask for the grant financial information before a decision can be made, but motion was not second by another Council member and motion did not move forward.
Motion by Camarena, second by Crankshaw, to not move forward with the shade structure project.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
14. Motion by Camarena, second by Carter, approving the cancellation of April 21, 2026 City Council meeting and moving it to April 28, 2026 as a special meeting. Closed session at 8:30 am and open session at 12:00 pm.
AYES: Carter, Camarena, Crankshaw, Ellett, Marroquin
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAINED: None
LEGISLATIVE ACTION:
None
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS:
15. Update Emergency Declaration – WWTP Bar Screen Failure
16. Certificate of Mailing Notices of Application to the City, County and Municipal Government Agencies.
TASK FORCE AND MAYOR & COUNCIL MEMBERS REPORTS
Council Members provided updates on their activities since the last City Council meeting and shared information on upcoming events.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
Reported on recent activities.
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ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before City Council, the special meeting adjourned at 3:49 p.m. ____________________________
Norma Wyles, City Clerk
APPROVED BY:
_________________________
Michael Crankshaw, Mayor