MEETING MINUTES
The City Council/Successor Agency of the City of Firebaugh Vol. No. 23/09-18
Location of Meeting: Andrew Firebaugh Community Center
1655 13th Street, Firebaugh, CA 93622
Date/Time: September 19, 2023/6:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order by Mayor Pro Perez at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL Mayor Felipe Pérez
Mayor Pro Tem Elsa Lopez
Council Member Silvia Renteria
Council Member Brady Jenkins
Council Member Freddy Valdez
ABSENT:
OTHERS: City Attorney Christina Di Filippo; City Manager, Ben Gallegos, Deputy City Clerk, Rita Lozano; Public Works Director, Michael Molina; Finance Director, Pio Martin; Police Chief, Sal Raygoza; City Clerk, Amanda Fleming; Gouveia Engineering, Mario Gouveia, Ramiro Rodriguez, Manuel Trujillo, Wanda Breshears & others.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council Member Renteria led pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion to approve agenda by Council Member Jenkins, second by Council Member Valdez, motion passed by 5-0 vote.
PRESENTATION
None
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – The City Council regular meeting on August 21, 2023.
2. WARRANT REGISTER – Period starting August 1 and ending on August 31, 2023.
August 2023 General Warrants #44581 - #44863 $ 1,465,300.50 Payroll Warrants #72064 - #72107 $ 165,710.04
TOTAL $ 1,631,010.54
Motion to approve consent calendar by Council Member Lopez, second Council Member Jenkins; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
PUBLIC HEARING
None
City Council Minutes
September 18, 2023
NEW BUSINESS
3. RESOLUTION NO. 23-44 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH, CALIFORNIA, DECLARING CERTAIN CITY PROPERTY AS SURPLUS EQUIPMENT.
Motion to approve Res. No. 23-44 by Council Member Jenkins, second Council Member Valdez; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
4. RESOLUTION NO. 23-45 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH
ACCEPTING COMPLETION OF THE UTILITY AND SURFACE ALLEY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO RECORD A NOTICE OF COMPLETION WITH FRESNO
COUNTY, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE FINAL PAYMENT OF RETENTION MONIES TO KROEKER, INC.
Motion to approve Res. No. 23-45 by Council Member Lopez, second Council Member Jenkins; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
5. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH TO DISCUSS AND SELECT DATE FOR A JOINT MEETING WITH THE FIREBAUGH LAS-DELTAS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
Motion to proposed October 16th for the joint meeting by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Renteria; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
6. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO VACANT PLANNING COMMISSION POSITIONS.
Motion to appoint Martha Sandoval and Wendy Ozburn as Planning Commissioner, with Dillion Knight as Alternate Planning Commissioner by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Jenkins; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
7. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE SELECTION OF CENERGY OR SIEN, INC.
Motion to direct City Manager to work with both Cenergy and Sien, Inc regarding this solar project by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Renteria; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
8. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH CITY BUSINESS LICENSE FEES UPDATE.
Motion to amend Itinerant local businesses fees, from $500 a quarter to Gross Annual Income of $50, $100 or $200 annually fee by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Jenkins; motion passed by 3-2 vote.
Renteria and Lopez – no.
STAFF REPORTS
➢ Police Chief Sal Raygoza – nothing to report.
➢ Public Works Director, Michael Molina - nothing to report. ➢ Battalion Chief, Hector Marin - Attend Incident Command System (ICS) training at Office Emergency Services (OES), the focus was with the potential Flooding.
➢ City Manager, Ben Gallegos – emailed all council to attend a conference, went with Elsa to attend the Habitat for Humanity event. Working with and on the Brownfields issues, more properties are coming forward.
City Council Minutes
September 18, 2023
➢ Gouveia Engineering Mario Gouveia – submitted CMAQ application to seek funding for sidewalk repairs, available grant is for 1.7 million.
➢ Deputy City Clerk, Rita Lozano – will be attending the League of Cities Annual Conference for training, leaving Tuesday.
➢ Finance Director, Pio Martin – waiting for the equipment to come in so the new recording system can be installed in the council chambers.
➢ City Attorney, Christina Di Filippo – held the Ethnics and Harassment Training before the regular council meeting.
Will be out October 2, 2023, Maria will attend the council meeting in my place. ➢ City Clerk, Amanda Fleming - Received some issues of concerns that I would like to report: West Hills College has some rooms where the air conditioning units weren’t working, since it is a new building shouldn’t they be covered under some kind of warranty. People are talking about a new pandemic with covid, to take place around election time, the city did things that were illegal last time by having staff, first responders and others wear masks and get vaccinated, so the city should prepare for next year. City needs for more housing for or elderly. Small homes may be a possibility, and residents would like to ask the city to bring back zoom meetings. With the possibility of a World War happing, what is the city doing to prepare for that.
➢ Council Member Renteria - would like to invite everyone to the Festival, please support the community, funding helps with the Christmas Electric Parade and other community events. ➢ Council Member Lopez – Out country is in a catastrophe right now. ➢ Council Member Valdez – West Hills College did an awesome job with the 911 remembrance tribute. ➢ Council Member Perez – attended a workshop, they put everything together and provided air purifies for twenty-five families.
PUBLIC COMMENT
CLOSED SESSION
ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT
❖ Motion to adjourn at 7:09 pm by Council Member Valdez, second by Council Member Renteria, motion passes by a 5-0 vote.