CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2024 at 6:00 PM
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER – 128 SOUTH 5TH STREET, FOWLER, CA 93625
MINUTES
1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Mayor Pro-Tem Mejia called meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Daniel Parra (via teleconference)
Juan Mejia
Amarjeet Gill
Leonard Hammer
Karnig Kazarian
City Staff Present: City Manager Tucker, City Attorney Cross, Assistant City Manager Gaffery, City Planner Allinder, Fresno County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Dominguez, Recreation Supervisor Hernandez, City Planner Marple, Finance Director Moreno, City Engineer Park, Police Chief Reid, Public Works Director Rocha, and City Clerk Vasquez.
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Item 7, Closed Session, was removed from the agenda.
Motion made by Parra, Seconded by Kazarian.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer
6. CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS
6A. Police Commendations for Sergeant Fong Yang, Officer Carlos Macias, Officer Matthew Salas, and Fresno County Sheriff Deputy Joseph Nichols
9. PUBLIC COMMENT
One member of the public spoke.
10. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Hammer
11. CONTESTED CONSENT CALENDAR
No items were pulled from the consent calendar.
12. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
City Attorney
12A. APPROVE an Interim City Manager Employment Agreement and APPOINT Thomas W. Gaffery IV as Interim City Manager effective July 9, 2024.
Motion made by Hammer, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Kazarian
City Manager
12B. PROVIDE STAFF DIRECTION on the visual identity project.
Council provided staff direction to have Toole Design Group move forward with developing brand guidelines and to test the new color scheme on the website and other collateral as the next steps of the Visual Identity Project.
One member of the public spoke.
Planning
12C. Public Hearing to Consider the Proposed Citywide Zoning Code Update:
CONSIDER Introduction of Ordinance No. 2024-03 – An Ordinance finding that the proposed Citywide Zoning Code Update is exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15183 and adopting the Citywide Zoning Code Update replacing the City’s current Zoning Ordinance.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Parra, Mejia, Hammer
Public Works
12D. WORKSHOP on water operations and water quality
12E. Actions pertaining to Landscape and Storm Drainage Facilities Maintenance District No. 1 Annual Assessments.
APPROVE Resolution No. 2731, a resolution approving the City Engineer’s Report for landscaping and storm drainage facilities maintenance district no. 1 for fiscal year 2024-2025.
APPROVE Resolution No 2732 a resolution of the City’s intention to levy and collect the annual assessment of the Landscape and Storm Drainage Facilities Maintenance District No. 1, for fiscal year 2024-2025, and to set a public hearing for July 16, 2024.
Motion made by Parra, Seconded by Kazarian.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer
Mayor Parra left the meeting at 7:38 p.m.
12F. Actions pertaining to the Section 130 Caltrans Railway-Highway Crossing Program funded Manning Railroad Crossing Improvements:
i. ACKNOWLEDGE the $950,000 contract for Preliminary Engineering previously executed by the prior City Administration.
ii. APPROVE Contract Amendment No. 1 to extend the contract expiration to June 30, 2027, and to increase the Preliminary Engineering contract amount by $300,000 to a new total of $1,250,000.
iii. AUTHORIZE the City Manager to execute the agreement amendment.
Motion made by Hammer, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Kazarian
One member of the public spoke.
13. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
Updates were provided by City Manager Tucker, Assistant City Manager Gaffery, Finance Director Moreno, and City Clerk Vasquez.
14. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Updates were provided by Councilmember Hammer.
15. CLOSED SESSION
Government Code Section 54957.6
Conference with Labor Negotiators
Agency designated representative: City Manager
Unrepresented employees: Assistant City Manager, Finance Director, Public Works Director, City Clerk
The meeting went into closed session at 7:49 p.m.
16. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION AND REPORT ACTION
The meeting reconvened into open session at 8:41 p.m.
No reportable action was taken on the item.
17. ADJOURN
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:41 p.m.