1 MINUTES OF THE FOWLER CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday February 15, 2022
Mayor Cardenas called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Councilmembers Present: Cardenas, Rodriquez, Kazarian, Mejia, Parra City Staff Present: City Manager Quan, City Attorney Cross, Police Chief Alcaraz, Public Works Director Dominguez, Community Development
Director Gaffery, Fire Chief Lopez, City Planner Marple, City Engineer Peters, Deputy City Clerk Vasquez
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Parra made a motion to approve Consent Calendar items 6-A through 6-D and 6-F through 6-H, seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriquez. The motion carried by roll call vote: Ayes: Parra, Rodriquez, Cardenas, Kazarian, Mejia
7. CONTESTED CONSENT CALENDAR
6-E. APPROVE a contract in the amount of $697,200 with Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group for the City’s General Plan Update and Environmental Impact Report (GP/EIR) and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract. (Planning)
This item was pulled by Councilmember Parra.
Councilmember Parra requested clarification on the scope of work and project timeline. Staff distributed copies of the referenced Exhibit A. City Manager Quan, stated the Exhibit A would be available on the City’s website the next day.
Councilmember Parra made a motion to approve item 6-E, without explanation, seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriguez. The motion carried by roll call vote: Ayes: Parra, Rodriquez, Cardenas, Kazarian, Mejia
2 8. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
8-A. PLANNING
i. APPROVE Resolution No. 2546 creating fire safety inspection fees Community Development Director Gaffery reported pursuant to State law, various building occupancies are required to have Annual Fire Safety Inspections performed by the City. He stated the proposed inspection fee reflects the City’s costs for contracted inspectors to perform the inspections and City staff time to administer the program.
Councilmember Kazarian made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2546 fire safety inspection fees, seconded by Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriquez. The motion carried by roll call vote: Ayes: Kazarian, Rodriquez, Cardenas, Mejia, Parra
ii. APPROVE Resolution No. 2547 Authorizing Submittal of a Grant Application to the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) for Measure C Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Funds
City Planner Marple provided an overview of the grant program. She reported staff is preparing a grant application that will facilitate bike lane connectivity to the Fresno County Rural Transit Agency (FCRTA) bus stop at 7th and Merced Street.
Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriquez made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2547, authorizing submittal of a Grant Application to the Fresno Council of Governments (COG) for Measure C Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Funds, seconded by Councilmember Kazarian. The motion carried by roll call vote: Ayes: Rodriquez, Kazarian, Cardenas, Mejia, Parra
iii. APPROVE Resolution No. 2545 approving Development Impact Fees and Planning Fees for Calendar Year 2022
Community Development Director Gaffery corrected the record as the item should read “APPROVE Resolution No. 2545 approving Planning Fees for Calendar Year 2022.” He reported the fees are for various planning and entitlement applications for projects within the City.
Councilmember Kazarian made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2545 approving Planning Fees for Calendar Year 2022, seconded by Councilmember Parra. The motion carried by roll call vote: Ayes: Kazarian, Parra, Cardenas, Mejia, Rodriquez 3 8-B. City Manager’s Office
i. COVID-19 Update
City Manager Quan reported the Fresno County Department of Public Health’s data shows Fowler’s vaccination rate is 75.5% and stated that effective tomorrow the mask mandate will only apply to unvaccinated individuals. She also thanked staff and Stephanie Mejia for their assistance with the Blossom Trail opening ceremony.
9. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS – (CITY MANAGER)
9-A. PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
Public Works Director Dominguez announced California Arbor Day is March 12, 2022. He stated the City of Fowler was awarded a grant for 60 trees and the public is invited to plant the trees in partnership with Tree Fresno. He also provided an update on the TCP Treatment Facility with construction beginning in Fall 2022.
9-B. FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fire Chief Lopez updated the Council on the new fire engine. He also reported one firefighter received his EMT license, another firefighter received his paramedic license, and three firefighters are currently participating in driver/operator training.
9-C. POLICE DEPARTMENT
Police Chief Alcaraz provided funeral information for former Assistant Chief of Police Vernon Gonsalves. He updated Council on Sergeant Arthur Duron’s funeral service. Police Chief Alcaraz also distributed DOJ crime statistics for January and February 2021 and provided an overview of 2021 crime statistics.
10. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Mayor Cardenas, Mayor Pro-Tem Rodriquez, and Councilmember Kazarian thanked staff and Stephanie Mejia for their hard work making the Blossom Trail Opening Ceremony a success.
Mayor Cardenas announced SKF District Manger Ben Munoz is set to retire and a special meeting will be held to appoint an interim District Manager.
Councilmember Parra stated that as part of his League of California Cities board duties, he attended meetings with the Governor’s office and other State 4 elected officials where he highlighted the needs of small cities, specifically broadband, and SB1.
Councilmember Kazarian provided an update on the South Kings GSA meeting approving a developer impact study. He also stated the Sesquicentennial Committee held their first meeting today.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Having no further business, Councilmember Kazarian made a motion to adjourn, Councilmember Parra seconded. The meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m.