MEETING MINUTES
The City Council/Successor Agency of the City of Firebaugh Vol. No. 24-06-03
Location of Meeting: Andrew Firebaugh Community Center
1655 13th Street, Firebaugh, CA 93622
Date/Time: June 3, 2024/5:30 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER Meeting called to order by Mayor Lopez at 5:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL Mayor Elsa Lopez
Mayor Pro-Temp Freddy Valdez,
Council Member Silvia Renteria
Council Member Brady Jenkins 6:05 pm
Council Member Felipe Pérez
ABSENT
OTHERS: City Attorney Christina Di Filippo; City Manager, Ben Gallegos, Deputy City Clerk, Rita Lozano; Finance Director, Pio Martin; Police Chief, Sal Raygoza; Public Works Director, Michael Molina; Battalion Chief, Hector Marin; City Engineer, Mario Gouveia; Gouveia Engineering Rep., Roberto Orozco; Raquel Tabares, Claudia Gutierrez, Guillermo Gutierrez, Celeste Cave, Jante Yergat, Miguel Manriguez, Nancy Avila, Chris Gutierrez, Brian Manriquez & others.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council Member Perez led pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion to approve agenda with tabling agenda item #5 to a later council meeting by Council Member Valdez, second by Council Member Renteria, motion passed by 4-0 vote.
PRESENTATION
• Westlands Water District awarded a scholarship to a Firebaugh High School student, Angela Rosa. • Sworn in Yvonne Sandoval, Code Enforcement Officer.
• Kyle Savage, Field Representative for Congressman John Duarte for Madera, and Fresno County introduced himself and provided a brief statement of services and proposed bill/laws their office is working on.
PUBLIC COMMENT
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – The City Council regular meeting on May 6, 2024.
2. WARRANT REGISTER – Period starting April 1 and ending on April 30, 2024.
April 2024 General Warrants #45790 - #45879 $ 595,126.44 Payroll Warrants #72247 - #72268 $ 230,889.25
TOTAL $ 826,015.69
Council Member Renteria inquired about the following checks: # 458957 – First Bank Credit Card. Council Member Jenkins didn’t attend, did the city get refunded the money or will he get penalized for unrecovered coset. #45860 – Fresno City College – Registration Officer Jason P. inquired what the city covered, #45876 – Thomas Tractor Co., interest fees.
Staff replied: Check #45897, City Clerk replied I requested a refund from ICSC, their representative informed me, the city will receive a partial credit which can be used for a future conference and can be transferred to another city member that is attending. Due to the late cancellation notice, which was less than the required 72-hour notice, am City Council Minutes
June 3, 2024
not sure if the hotel will provide a refund or credit until the credit card statement comes in. The City paid the insurance for the flight, so there is a voucher for a future flight.
Check #45860, Police Chief reported the fee paid for Officer J. Perez to attend a post class at Fresno City College.
Check #45876 – Finance Director Martin replied, Nancy can’t pay statements until Micheal’s staff submits the invoices.
Motion to approve consent calendar by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Perez; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
PUBLIC HEARING
3. RESOLUTION NO. 24-20 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND ASSESSMENT OF ANNUAL LEVY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 FOR LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING MAINTENANCE DISTRICT NO. 1 (Pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972.
Public Hearing was open at 5:52 pm – no comment given – Close Public Hearing at 5:53 pm.
Motion to approve Res. No. 24-20 by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Perez; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
NEW BUSINESS
4. RESOLUTION NO. 24-21 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH
AMENDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH AND MADERA COUNTY FOR AUTOMATIC/MUTUAL AID.
Motion to approve Res. No. 24-21 by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Perez; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
5. RESOLUTION NO. 24-22 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH APPROVING AMENDMENTS TO THE PERSONNEL RULES OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH.
Agenda item Res. No. 24-22, tabled.
6. RESOLUTION 24-23 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH
ACCEPTING COMPLETION OF DUNKLE PARK BASKETBALL COURT REHABILITATION
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 HARRIS DEVELOPMENT CORP. dba HBC ENTERPRISES.
Motion to approve Res. No. 24-23 by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Perez; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
7. RESOLUTION 24-24 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH ACCEPTING BID AND AWARDING CONTRACT TO AVISON CONSTRUCTION, INC. FOR THE HIGHWAY 33 BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT.
Motion to approve Res. No. 24-24 by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Perez; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
Council Member Jenkins joined the meeting at 6:05 PM.
City Council Minutes
June 3, 2024
8. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH PROPOSED A PRELIMINARY STREET BUDGET.
Informational item only.
9. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH COUNCIL MEMBER AGENDA ITEMS DISCUSSION.
Motion to leave “Council Member Agenda Items” on the agenda and propose a form that Council Members will complete when requesting agenda items for meeting, the form will be approved and adopted by the city council prior to be issued, by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Renteria; motion passed by 4-0 vote.
10. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FIREBAUGH ANIMAL SHELTER UPDATE AND DISCUSSION.
Staff and City Engineer provided an update on the status of this project. A meeting was held with the volunteers, they are working on a design for the future animal shelter, which will take about three to four weeks to complete.
Motion for the City Manager to continue to work with Mrs. Yergat by Council Member Valdez, second Council Member Jenkins; motion passed by 5-0 vote.
STAFF REPORTS
City Manager, Ben Gallegos – an email was sent to all Council Members about the League of Cities Annual Expo on October 16-18, 2024, in Long Beach. I will not be attending due to my daughter’s wedding that week. Pio will be attending the conference in my place. Let Rita know if you want to attend, so she can register you. A proposed coffee shop project was approved at a special planning meeting, it will go between the Gulf and Family Dollar.
McDonld’s started construction.
Gouveia Engineering Rep. Roberto Orozco – Construction on Cardella Street and Landucci, to put cape seal, on Wednesday, they’ll start with the chip seal, so you’ll see lose gravel and them sweeping the chips, then next week do the slurry. Landucci will get a section repaved between Cardella and Indart streets. Council Member Jenkins asked why does it 40 days. Orozco replied, they state 40-days because there’s different treatments, between the chip seal and the slurry seal you need to let it cure for about seven days. Then the pavement will require different work and additional equipment. It may be done sooner but they estimated it would take 40 days. Finance Director, Pio Martin – we have a new hire she will start on Monday, June 10th, as a replacement for Rachel Lopez, who left to work at the school.
Deputy City Clerk, Rita Lozano – nothing to report.
Public Works Director, Michael Molina – On the Madera County incident, we did get asked for a response to Ave 8 and Road 33, on the other side of 99, so that did put a heather in our hat for me and Hector. For them to take that much trust in our Volunteer Department to call us out there for some mutual aid help. Hector responded and I stayed in town, they were 3-0 staff in the fire truck. Chief Molina was out at the grass fire on Highway 180 for two days and a fire at Ave 7 and Road 16 on Thursday, burned about 12,000 acres. Next day returned to put out hot spots. Police Chief Sal Raygoza – talking about mutual aid, we assisted the Sheriff’s Dept. with our drones. Battalion Chief, Hector Marin – Nothing to report.
City Attorney, Christina Di Filippo – Nothing to report. Council Member Renteria – spoke with Ben, I would like to consider a proposed tax to assist the Fire Dept. with expenses for their department, I wish to approach the Council and city residents for input. Ben and I attended the ICSC, was surprised at how many vendors recognized the Firebaugh Representatives that attended conferences. We City Council Minutes
June 3, 2024
attended the conference to sell the city to possibly recruit new businesses to locate to our city. It was awesome to hear what they remember about our cities, because several bigger cities attended but the remember our small city. Council Member Valdez – want to talk about how kindness is contagious, I was approached by a business owner that wanted to talk about one our Police Officers. They were called by a business because there was a homeless person at the store creating an issue, two officers responded. Upon their arrival the noticed the individual was injured, one of the officers went into the store to buy a drink and a beef stick while they waited for the EMT’s. The reason I say kindness is contagious, because the store owner asked the police officer, what are you getting or what he was doing. The Officer replied he was buying it for the guy (homeless individual), he’s dehydrated and he’s waiting for the EMT, he has an issue and he’s being taking to the hospital. Well that inspired the business owner to take that individual a burrito, so that’s just a final tale of what the officers are out there doing, not only enforcing the law but also community policing and that’s what makes our town unique, so please let that officer that we (Council) are applicative of that.
Council Member Perez – St. Anges medical mobile clinic will be at the farmers markets between 5 PM to 9 PM, the will provide free services to our residents, we would like to bring them to our event every Thursday. The sidewalk has a ramp or drop at Zozaya that needs to be repaired, asked staff to look at it. Sierras Lane has the same issue. At Cline and Zozaya there are no lines, they need to be stripped, because you can’t see anything. Council Member Jenkins – wasn’t able to attend ICSC, glad the city representatives that attended had a good time.
If you need to check in on penalties for my absence, please do. Rita said it was taken care of (cancellations). Council Member Lopez – attended an event, a famous boxer was supposed to be there, he wasn’t able to make it, he said he will try to come to the city and say hi. Attended a downtown workshop, did a downtown walk, told Caltrans to make repairs while in the city. Attended the Boys & Girls fund raiser at Harris Ranch. Some funds were pulled at COG because of the State Budget.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AGENDA ITEMS
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION ITEM ONLY
CLOSED SESSION
ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn @ 6:51 pm by Council Member Valdez, second by Council Member Perez, motion passes by a 4-0 vote.