CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 06, 2025 at 6:00 PM
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER – 128 SOUTH 5TH STREET, FOWLER, CA 93625
MINUTES
1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Mayor Mejia called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Juan Mejia
Amarjeet Gill
Leonard Hammer
Karnig Kazarian
Daniel Parra
Staff Present: Acting City Manager/Public Works Director Rocha, City Attorney Cross, City Planner Czeshinski, Sergeant Haro, City Planner Marple, City Engineer Park, and City Clerk Vasquez.
6. CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS
A. Public Works Week Proclamation
B. Police Week Proclamation
C. Jr. Ambassador of the Year - Davian Alcaraz
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Four members of the public spoke.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Parra.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Kazarian, Parra
10. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Personnel
A. APPROVE Resolution No. 2780 adopting an updated salary classification schedule Two members of the public spoke.
Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Parra.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Kazarian, Parra
Planning
B. APPROVE Resolution No. 2781, adopting an addendum to the City of Fowler General Plan Environmental Impact Report and approving General Plan Amendment No. 25-11, with the land uses proposed under Alternative A.
Property owner, George Bravante spoke.
Two members of the public spoke.
Councilmember Kazarian made a motion to table this item to the June 3, 2025 Council meeting to pursue a hybrid alternative of Alternatives A & B and a policy recommendation to tighten up the development of the commercial core along Clovis Avenue. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Gill.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Kazarian, Parra
C. APPROVE Resolution No. 2782 Authorizing the City Manager to execute agreements with Pacific West Communities and Fresno County Rural Transit Authority (FCRTA) as a joint applicant for a grant application for Round 9 of the Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant program.
Representatives from Pacific West Communities and Fresno County Rural Transit Authority spoke.
One member of the public spoke.
Motion made by Parra, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Kazarian, Parra
Councilmember Kazarian excused himself from the meeting at 7:32 p.m.
D. INTRODUCE Ordinance No. 2025-02, pertaining to Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map No. 6471:
i. Adopting a Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
ii. Prezoning Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map No. 6471 to M-1 (Light Industrial) and its designated remainder to R3 (Single-Family Residential) iii. Prezoning APN 340-120-06 to R3
APPROVE Resolution No. 2783:
iv. Initiating annexation of the Property of Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map No. 6471 and APN 340-120-06
A representative from Precision Civil Engineering, Inc. spoke.
Councilmember Parra stated he may have a conflict of interest due to possibly receiving a campaign contribution in excess of $500 in the past 12 months from the President of Precision Civil Engineering, Inc. and recused himself from the matter and did not participate in the vote on the item.
Three members of the public spoke.
Motion made by Hammer, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer
Voting Abstaining: Parra
Public Works
E. Actions pertaining to the Well 9 Drought Resiliency Project:
1. AWARD a construction contract to United Field Services Corporation in the amount of $3,356,725 and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
2. APPROVE a professional services agreement with Vanir Construction Management, Inc. in the amount of $128,725 for construction management and observation services for the Project and authorize the City Manager to negotiate the agreement.
3. AUTHORIZE a 5% project construction contingency budget of $167,836 to fund any identified environmental mitigation, testing, inspection, and unforeseen issues during construction.
Two members of the public spoke.
Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Parra.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Parra
F. AWARD Adams Avenue Rehabilitation Stearns to SR99 [STPL 5173 (039)] to Emmett Valley Construction, Inc. in the amount of $177,957 and authorize City Manager to execute the agreement
Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Hammer.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Hammer, Parra
11. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
Updates were provided by Public Works Director Rocha, City Engineer Park, and Sergeant Haro.
12. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Updates were provided by Mayor Pro Tem Gill, Councilmember Hammer, and Mayor Mejia.
13. ADJOURN
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.