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
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 9:00 AM Council Chambers
Budget Hearings Continued from June 11, 2026 - Vote on Budget Motions The City Council met for resumed budget hearings in the Council Chamber, City Hall, on June 16, 2026, at 9:00 A.M.
9:14 A.M. ROLL CALL
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 Richardson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVE AGENDA
On motion of Councilmember Karbassi, seconded by Councilmember Richardson, the AGENDA was APPROVED. The motion carried by the following vote:
Aye: Esparza, Maxwell, Perea, Karbassi, Arias, Vang and Richardson
7 -
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City Council Meeting Minutes June 16, 2026
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 - 9:00 A.M. (Vote on Budget Motions) Council President Esparza announced the budget hearing procedures.
Upon call, the following members of the public addressed Council: Rosalina Carson, Derek Payton, Derek Payton, Giovanni Morales, Myra Dominguez, Galliva Juarez, Yania Escobar, Jason Cross, Brandy N., Brooke Payton, Laura Fay, Kyle Lopez Schmidt, Sarah Reyes, Vanessa Padilla, Mariella Fernandez, Lilia Vasily, Juan A, Arissa, Diana Elmida, Ariana, Taylor, Whitney Sandersler, Aaron Foster, Terry Siegel, Chris Thompson, Rey Chamberlain, Melanie, Marcos Osorio, Harmon Singh, Navdeep Kar, Alfred Already, Brianna, Nikki Real, and Wendy Crisco.
ID 26-794 Vote on Budget Motions
Council Motions Made June 16, 2026
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#68) for $5,000 for City Hall mothers room upgrades. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (General Services) Vice President Maxwell motioned (#69) 1/3 of the cost of a hawk at Maroa between Barstow and Bullard. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (Public Works)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#70) for $30,000 for wage protection program outreach. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (City Attorney) Vice President Maxwell motioned (#71) for a $100,000 for Resiliency Center. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (General City Purpose) Vice President Maxwell motioned (#72) for a $100,000 for Fresno Arts Museum flooring upgrades. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (PARCS) Vice President Maxwell motioned (#73) for $50,000 for Care Fresno.
Seconded by Councilmember Arias (General City Purpose)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#74) for if there are any remaining Measure "P" funds after the budget has been balanced to go towards the upgrades needed at the Veterans Auditorium. Seconded by Councilmember City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 2
City Council Meeting Minutes June 16, 2026
Arias (PARCS)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#75) for $350,000 to supplement the pave more now priority location between Princeton - Bond and Clinton and First. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (Public Works)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#76) for $930,000 for a hawk on First and Fairmont. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (Public Works) Vice President Maxwell motioned (#77) to move $50,000 from the FY27 District 4 Public Works to the District 4 operating budget. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (Public Works)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#78) for $250,000 to fund the childcare access and family affordability commission. Seconded by Councilmember Perea (General City Purpose)
Vice President Maxwell motioned (#79) to make Fresno FAX buses zero fare on Election Day. Seconded by Councilmember Arias (FAX) Councilmember Arias motioned (#80) to fund up to $100,000 from the attrition savings in the Police Department's budget for the Gun Buy-Back Program and seek matching funds from Crimestoppers. Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (Police)
Councilmember Arias motioned to amend motion (#21) to add $50,000 to the City Clerk's budget for operational costs. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (City Clerk)
Councilmember Arias motioned to amend motion (#33) to allocate $584,500 from the Measure "P" for the replacement of 80 picnic tables and installation 44 concrete pads including accessible parking and paths of travel at two picnic areas at Roeding Park. Seconded by Council President Esparza. (PARCS)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#81) repaving South Fowler between Butler Avenue and Church Avenue. Seconded by Vive President Maxwell.
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City Council Meeting Minutes June 16, 2026
(Public Works)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#82) concrete repair - S. Peach to S.
Waldby, E. Grove to E. Kaviland. Seconded by Councilmember Karbassi. (Public Works)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#83) cost to repair sidewalk lifts around Huntington Court Apartments. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Public Works)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#84) repaving, preparing roads within Ventura Avenue, South Orange Avenue, East Butler Avenue, and South 1st Street. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Public Works) Councilmember Vang motioned (#85) installing street lighting/light posts, particularly in alleys within the E. Lowell Ave, 10th St., Lyell Ave., and 4th St. grid. Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (Public Works) Councilmember Vang motioned (#86) cost of Installing crosswalks on 10th St. intersections on E. El Monte Way and Montecito Ave. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Public Works)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#87) concrete Repair - S. Evelyn Ave to S.
Wailing - E. Grove to E. Kaviland. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Public Works)
Councilmember Vang motioned (#88) $100,000 to the Hmong Inc. to support their mission. Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (General City Purpose) Councilmember Perea motioned (#89) $100,000 to continue Fresno's Youth Leadership Academy. Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Perea motioned (#90) $120,000 for Shine Fresno.
Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (General City Purpose) Councilmember Perea motioned (#91) $25,000 for the local chapter of the City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 4
City Council Meeting Minutes June 16, 2026
National Alliance of Mental Illness. Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Perea motioned (#92) $0 fare for pregnant mothers.
Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (FAX)
Councilmember Perea motioned to amend motion (#11) to set aside cumulatively a total of $825,000 dedicated for spay and neuter broken down as follows: $225,000 which is already budgeted in this proposed fiscal year budget. About $180,000 from the unfilled vet position. $300,000 match from Dogwood Animal Rescue. Add an additional $120,000 for spay and neuter.
Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (Animal Center)
Councilmember Perea motioned to amend motion (#46) to set aside for $50,000 to partner with the County to open a library in the Tower. The $25,000 will come from their office money. Seconded by Councilmember Arias. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#93) allocate $35,000 per RFI 8.1.
Funding source to be determined. Seconded by Councilmember Richardson. (Public Works)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#94) to allocate $77,200 to fund the gap for improvements at Stallion Park. Funding source to be determined.
Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (PARCS)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#95) allocate $447,100 toward the design of a new park at Veterans and Barstow west of Highway 99. Funding source to be determined. Open to multi-year effort. Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (PARCS)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#96) allocate $200,000 to accelerate construction of the new Park West community Park west of Highway 99.
Funding source to be determined. Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (PARCS)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#97) allocate $25,000 to the African City of Fresno ***Subject to Mayoral Veto Page 5
City Council Meeting Minutes June 16, 2026
American Community Council. Funding source to be determined. Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (General City Purpose)
Councilmember Karbassi motioned (#98) Allocate $150,000 to Sister Cities International Fresno contingent upon them providing a spending plan that is approved by council leadership. Funding source to be determined.
Seconded by Councilmember Perea. (General City Purpose) Council President Esparza motioned (#99) for $30,000 to fund a feasibility study to identify appropriate traffic safety improvements along Olive Ave, between 1st St. and Cedar Ave., that would address the pedestrian safety concerns at Olive and Ninth St. (RFI # 074) Seconded by Vice President Maxwell. (Public Works)
Council President Esparza motioned to amend motion (#50) for $760,000 dedicated to providing school traffic safety improvements surrounding District 7 schools. (RFI # 067). Seconded by Councilmember Karbassi. (Public Works)
Council President Esparza motioned to amend motion (#67) for $650,000 to fill the funding gap for the property acquisition on the S.W. corner of First and Clinton for purposes of expanding Radio Park (RFI # 061). Seconded by Vice President Maxwell motioned (PARCS)
Councilmember Arias motioned (#100) to approve all motions. Seconded by Councilmember Karbassi.
ADJOURNMENT
City Council recessed the June 16, 2026, Budget Hearings at 3:33 P.M. to be resumed Friday, June 23, 2026 at 9:00 A.M.
The above minutes were approved by unanimous vote of the City Council during the September 17, 2026 regular meeting.
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