CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2026 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 6:03 P.M.
2. ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Juan Mejia
Amarjeet Gill
Karnig Kazarian
ABSENT
Daniel Parra
City Staff Present: City Manager Reid, Assistant City Manager Rocha, City Attorney Santos, Finance Director Banda, Staff Engineer Carcha, Fire Battalion Chief Dominguez, Community & Economic Development Director Flood, Police Chief Gularte, City Planner Marple, Public Works Director Rocha, Records Technician Turney
6. CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS
A. Public Works Week Proclamation
B. Proclamation recognizing outgoing Recreation Commissioner, Roy Alatorre
7. PUBLIC COMMENT
Four members of the public spoke.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
A. RATIFY Pay Warrants for May 19, 2026
B. APPROVE Minutes of the April 28, 2026 Special City Council Meeting C. APPROVE Minutes of the May 5, 2026 City Council Meeting D. CONSIDER approving Resolution No. 2835 to establish multiple City standards. Staff recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2835
E. CONSIDER approving Resolution No. 2836, a resolution directing the City Engineer to initiate and prepare the Engineer’s Report for the City’s Landscaping and Storm Drainage Facilities Maintenance District No. 1 for fiscal year 2026-2027. Staff Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2836.
10. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Finance
A. DIRECTION, provide direction to staff regarding the proposed loan application amount to be submitted to Rural Community Assistance Corporation for the Police Department and Senior Center Project.
Mayor Pro Tem Gill motioned to approve a loan amount of $7 million.
Seconded by Mejia.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
B. RECEIVE, the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Proposed Budget Workshop Finance Director Banda clarified an error regarding the deficit amount referenced in the staff report. The original amount of $349,153 was corrected to approximately $500,176.
Planning
C. CONSIDER the following:
i. The introduction and waiver of the first reading by title only of Ordinance No. 2026-04, prezoning Assessor’s Parcel Number 345-100-05 to the R-1-6 zone district, with an R-3 Implementing zone district designation, prezoning the northern half of Assessor’s Parcel Number 345-100-04 to the R-1-10 zone district, with an R-1 implementing zone district, and prezoning the southern half of Assessor’s Parcel Number 345-100-04 to the R-1-7 zone district, with an R-2 implementing zone district;
ii. Resolution No. 2831, finding that Planning Project No. 25-44 is consistent with the City’s General Plan and General Plan Environmental Impact Report pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, Approving Tentative Parcel Map No. 2025- 45, and Approving Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map No. 6537, as conditioned; and
iii. Initiating annexation of Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 345-100-05 and 345-100-
04. Staff recommendation: the City Council introduce and waive the first reading of Ordinance No. 2026-04, open the public hearing, close the public hearing, approve Ordinance No. 2026-04, adopt the Resolution, and initiate the annexation of APN 345-100-05 and 345-100-04.
Public hearing opened at 7:24 P.M. Ordinance No. 2026-04 was introduced and the first reading was waived.
The applicant, JP Shamshoian spoke.
Public hearing closed at 7:26 P.M.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
D. CONSIDER: Adopting Ordinance No. 2026-05 Modifying the Regulations related to Tobacco Retailers, Council waive the First Reading of the Ordinance by title only and Conduct a Public Hearing for Ordinance No. 2026-05. Staff Recommends: Council Waive the first reading by title only of Ordinance No. 2026-05 Repealing and Replacing Chapter 20 of Title 5 relating to the regulation of Tobacco Retailers; Open the Public Hearing; Close the Public Hearing; and Adopt Ordinance No. 2026-05 as modified.
Public hearing opened at 7:31 P.M. Ordinance No. 2026-05 was introduced and the first reading was waived.
No members of the public spoke.
Public hearing closed at 7:31 P.M.
Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Kazarian.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
E. CONSIDER: the Reclassification of a Position in the Community Development Department:
i. Resolution No. 2833, the Position Authorization Resolution, converting the Permits & Entitlements Coordinator to Administrative Analyst. Staff Recommendation: Approve Resolution No. 2833.
ii. Resolution No. 2834, the Salary Classification Schedule Resolution, establishing the salary for the Administrative Analyst position. Staff Recommendation: Approve Resolution No. 2834.
Motion made by Gill, Seconded by Kazarian.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
Public Works
F. CONSIDER approving a professional services agreement with Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group in the amount of $109,500 to collect survey, prepare a Plans, Specifications, and Estimate (PS&E) package, Right-of-way acquisition, and construction management services for the Measure C Safe Routes to Schools Project and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
Staff Recommendation: Approve the professional services agreement with Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group.
Motion made by Kazarian, Seconded by Gill.
Voting Yea: Mejia, Gill, Kazarian
11. STAFF COMMUNICATIONS
Updates were given by Assistant City Manager Rocha, Community & Economic Development Director Flood, Police Chief Gularte, and City Manager Reid.
12. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Updates were given by Councilmember Kazarian, Mayor Pro Tem Gill, and Mayor Mejia.
13. ADJOURN
Having no further business, the meeting adjourned at 8:01 P.M.