2600 Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93721
www.fresno.gov
City of Fresno
Meeting Minutes
City Council
Council President - Nelson Esparza
Vice President - Tyler Maxwell
Councilmembers:
Annalisa Perea, Mike Karbassi, Miguel Angel Arias,
Brandon Vang,
Nick Richardson
City Manager - Georgeanne A. White
City Attorney - Andrew Janz
Interim City Clerk - Amy K. Aller
9:00 AM Council ChambersWednesday, June 10, 2026
Budget Hearings - Continued from June 9, 2026
The City Council met for budget hearings in the Council Chamber, City Hall, on June 10, 2026, at 9:00 A.M.
9:11 A.M. ROLL CALL
Councilmember Perea joined the meeting at 9:16 A.M.
Councilmember Karbassi joined the meeting at 10:37 A.M.
Councilmember Richardson joined the meeting at 11:15 A.M.
Council President Nelson Esparza
Vice President Tyler Maxwell
Councilmember Annalisa Perea
Councilmember Mike Karbassi
Councilmember Miguel Angel Arias
Councilmember Brandon Vang
Councilmember Nick Richardson
Present: 7 -
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
Councilmember Vang led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVE AGENDA
On motion of Councilmember Arias, seconded by Vice President Maxwell, the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote:
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June 10, 2026City Council Meeting Minutes
Aye: Esparza, Maxwell, Arias and Vang4 -
Absent: Perea, Karbassi and Richardson3 -
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - 9:00 A.M.
Council President Esparza announced the budget hearing procedures.
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Luke Pretz, Reuben E, Ariena, Khristina Helm-Mcintyre, Alfred Aldrete, Taylor, Zahra, Marin, Alicia, Matthew Gillian, Jasmine Hernandez, Auggie, Ozuna, Sean Zwefler, Mel, Brandi N., Brianna. Zipzercats, and Jacquelyn Pearson,.
ID 26-687 Fresno Area Express Department (FAX)
Director Barfield presented the Department of Transportation / FAX budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
Discussion was held between Council and the administration.
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Sean, Kristina Helm McIntyre, and Arieana.
ID 26-686 Department of Public Utilities
Director Amico presented the Department of Public Utilities budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
Discussion was held between Council and the administration.
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Luke Pretz.
ID 26-685 Police Department
Police Chief Casto presented the Police Department budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
Discussion was held between Council and the administration.
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Luke Pretz, Ariana, Alfred Aldrete, Brandi N., Alicia R., Michaelynn Lin Lewis, City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2
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Laura, and Nikki Real.
ID 26-684 Fire Department
Fire Chief Alcorn presented the Fire Department budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.
Discussion was held between Council and the administration.
Upon call, no members of the public addressed Council.
Council Motions Made June 10, 2026
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#13) to increase the City’s contribution for the Fresno Police and Fire Chaplaincy from $75,000 to $150,000 with an annual increase to account for inflation. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Police Department)
Councilmember Arias motioned (#14) to authorize a 2-year agreement with Advance Peace funded by $700,000 of unspent city resources from the DAWN initiative in addition to $300,000 already included in the proposed budget. Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (PARCS)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#15) to allocate $2,500 to create a Public Safety memorial fund to cover etching costs (funding source District 2 operating budget). Districts 5 and 6 also will match this amount from their operating funds. Seconded by Council President Esparza. (City Council) Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#16) to allocate $17,500 to the Sierra Skypark Community Association to fund installation costs of a permanent aviation monument at Spatz and Blythe in northwest Fresno. Seconded by Council President Esparza. (City Council)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#17) to allocate $5,000 to American Legion Fresno Charlie Waters Post 4 (funding source District 2 operating budget). Seconded by Council President Esparza. (City Council) Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#18) to allocate $60,000 to the Khalsa Community Center to support their fund matching program with the State of City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 3
June 10, 2026City Council Meeting Minutes
California to purchase a building in the City of Fresno. Funding source to be determined. Seconded by Council President Esparza. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#19) to allocate $75,000 toward the restoration of Wilson Theater (funds to be determined). Seconded by Council President Esparza. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Richardson motioned (#20) $6,562.50 out of District 6 and District 2 each back into the general fund for attrition. Seconded by Councilmember Karbassi. (City Council)
Council Requests for Information Made June 10, 2026
Councilmember Karbassi requested an estimate to install a higher fence (at least 6 feet in height) on the northern and eastern border at the Polk Overlook in Council District 2. (PARCS)
Councilmember Vang requested an internal memo on the City’s policy regarding disposal and removal of animal carcasses on the City’s Public Right of Way. In addition, what is the standard response time. Lastly, is the disposal and removal of animal carcasses performed in coordination (or part of an MOU) with the County’s Health Department. (Animal Center) Councilmember Perea requested the Ridership of FAX during the Nighttime and the weekends. (FAX)
Councilmember Vang requested for Route 29, how many of the 74,000 are either State Center Community College Students or Fresno Unified students. Also have there been any emergency calls and if so, how many. (FAX)
Vice President Maxwell requested a memo for obstacles to providing subsidized fare on election Day. (FAX)
Vice President Maxwell requested a memo of cost to department to provide zero cost bus fares to City employees and Interns.(FAX) City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 4
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Vice President Maxwell requested an estimate for a Hop line to connect hospitals and frequently used Clinics.(General Services) Councilmember Richardson requested what percentage of Energy for the Sidestream facility is produced by Solar? (Public Utilities) Councilmember Vang requested what is the policy for requesting an exemption or delay in billing for Garbage. (Public Utilities) Councilmember Perea requested what options are available to revitalize the Sidewalks of Tower; Olive Ave. between Palm and Van Ness; and Wishon from Olive to Fern. For District 1 and District 3. (Public Works) Council President Esparza requested a memo outlining the number of customers who have applied for the utilities affordability credit program and the amount of money being saved by ratepayers participating in the program for the last whole fiscal year. (Public Utilities)
Councilmember Perea requested the landscape requirements for trees and other types of functional landscape. (Public Works)
Council President Esparza requested Requesting a link to the EyeOnWater website and an explanation of what it is. (Public Utilities) Councilmember Karbassi requested a memo outlining the process, options (including STEP grant funds), and cost estimates for a street racing and excessive speeding suppression operation in N.W. Fresno, specifically around Veterans Blvd. (Police)
Councilmember Arias requested why hasn’t the City done the gun buyback program it used to do. Recalled that the last one was completed in 2009. (Police)
Councilmember Arias requested when an adult is trespassing, who is mentally unstable, is breaching an elementary campus should be an automatic zero and somebody should be dispatched - how do we classify. (Police)
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June 10, 2026City Council Meeting Minutes
Councilmember Vang requested Chestnut and Kings Canyon Road - cost to install and maintain redlight camera safety measures. (Public Works) Councilmember Vang requested the number of School Resource Officers and the contract with their respective school districts. (Police) Councilmember Perea requested if we have calculated out the total cost of increased presence that's been needed over the past year or so to help combat against the increase of physical violence and rowdy crowds that we've seen in the Tower District. (Police)
Council President Esparza requested a memo with CAO on what enforcement operations and inspections were conducted under the Tobacco Grant Program. Please provide the number and type of enforcement actions and violations by Council District. (City Attorney)
Council President Esparza requested a memo with the top 12 schools with the most citations for violating school zone speed limits. (Police) Council President Esparza requested what does the Municipal code say about noise complaints. Can a decibel reader on a cell phone be used instead of old decibel readers. (Police)
Councilmember Perea requested how many drones is the Fire Department using pertaining to illegal fireworks?. (Fire)
Council President Esparza requested a memo with the 12 worst intersections for vehicle accidents and pedestrian vehicle injury. (Police) Councilmember Arias requested could improvements be made, like a shade structure, at the bus stop on the northeast corner of Olive & Fresno. (FAX) Councilmember Arias requested what is the amount of recycled water that the City produces a year. (Public Utilities)
Councilmember Arias requested to move the pressure washing schedule to City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 6
June 10, 2026City Council Meeting Minutes
2:00 A.M. instead of 1:45 A.M. in the Tower District. (Public Utilities) Councilmember Karbassi requested a memo outlining process to deed City- or County-owned sliver of property north of the roundabout at Blythe and Spatz and to ceremoniously rename N. Blythe Ave. to Skypark Way. (Public Works)
Vice President Maxwell requested a separate memo for what it would cost FAX to provide zero fare bus rides to pregnant mothers. (FAX)
ADJOURNMENT
City Council recessed the June 10, 2026, Budget Hearings at 7:38 P.M. to be resumed Thursday, June 11, 2026 at 9:00 A.M.
The above minutes were approved by unanimous vote of the City Council during the September 3, 2026 regular meeting.
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