CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 05, 2023 at 6:00 PM
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER – 128 SOUTH 5TH STREET, FOWLER, CA 93625
MINUTES
1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Mayor Parra called meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Daniel Parra
Juan Mejia
Amarjeet Gill
Leonard Hammer
Karnig Kazarian
CITY STAFF PRESENT:
City Manager Tucker, Deputy City Attorney Lear, Assistant City Manager Gaffery, Finance Director Moreno, Recreation Supervisor Hernandez, City Planner Marple, City Engineer Park, Public Works Director Rocha, Police Chief Reid, and City Clerk Vasquez.
6. CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS
A. Swearing in of Police Officer Lucila Martinez
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Six members of the public spoke.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Items A-H and J-K were approved.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Mejia.
Voting Yea: Parra, Gill, Hammer
9. CONTESTED CONSENT CALENDAR
Item I. was pulled from the consent calendar.
Motion made by Mejia, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Hammer
Voting Nay: Kazarian
10. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Finance
10A. APPROVE Resolution No. 2675 adopting an Investment Policy Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Hammer.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Gill
10B. Actions pertaining to banking services:
APPROVE a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with United Security Bank (USB) for banking services and authorize the City Manager to execute.
Direct the City Manager to execute a Waiver of Security to ensure all City deposits at USB are fully insured above the FDIC limit.
Direct the City Manager to regularly monitor interest rates to ensure the City is obtaining the best possible return from USB
Motion made by Mejia, Seconded by Kazarian.
Voting Yea: Parra, Gill, Hammer
Personnel
10C. Provide staff direction regarding elected official medical care coverage Two members of the public spoke.
Staff was directed to bring a Resolution forward adding the elected official tier effective after Councilmembers are sworn in following the fall 2024 election at an upcoming Council meeting.
Planning
10D. APPROVE a Disposition and Development Agreement between the City of Fowler and Bobby Aulakh for the property located at 119 South 6th Street (APN 343-172- 09T) and authorize the City Manager to execute the Agreement.
One member of the public spoke.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Hammer
10E. Actions pertaining to Planning Project 23-13:
INTRODUCE ORDINANCE No. 2023-08, regarding Planning Project 23-13, proposing to Rezone the property located at the northwest corner of the intersection of North 4th Street and East Merced Street (Assessor’s Parcel Numbers [APNs] 343-143-10 & 11) from R-1-7 (One Family Residential, 7,000 square foot lot minimum) to FBC (Form Based Code).
FIND that the project qualifies as an infill project and is therefore exempt from further environmental review pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21094.5 and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15183.3.
One member of the public spoke.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Hammer
Public Works
F. Water System Workshop
Two members of the public spoke.
City Manager
G. Approve First Amendment to Police Chief Employment Agreement with Michael Reid Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Mejia.
Voting Yea: Parra, Hammer, Kazarian
11. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
Updates were given by City Manager Tucker, Police Chief Reid, Finance Director Moreno, and Assistant City Manager Gaffery.
12. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Updates were given by Councilmember Gill, Mayor Parra, and Mayor Pro-Tem Mejia.
13. CLOSED SESSION
No action was taken on the closed session item.
14. ADJOURN
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:19 p.m.