MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL,
GONZALES SUCCESSOR AGENCY,
AND
PLANNING COMMISSION
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023
6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor Jose L. Rios.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The flag salute was recited by all present.
ROLL CALL - City Council/Successor Agency
Attendee Name Title Status
Jose L. Rios Mayor/Chair Present
Scott Funk Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Present
Liz Silva Council/Agency Member Present
Lorraine Worthy Council/Agency Member Present
Maria Orozco Council/Agency Member Present
ROLL CALL - Planning Commission
Attendee Name Title Status
Gloria Velasquez Chair Present
Ernesto Mancera Chair Pro Tem Present
Myrna Morales Commissioner Absent
Adrian Paco Commissioner Present
Tencia Vargas Commissioner Present
YOUTH COMMISSIONERS
Absent: Sherlyn Flores and Luke Naegle.
STAFF PRESENT
City Manager Trevin W. Barber, City Attorney Michael F. Rodriquez, Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships Carmen Gil, Community Development Director Taven Kinison Brown, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Deputy City Clerk Mary Villegas, Development Services Technician/Admin. Analyst Alejandra Flores, Administrative Assistant II Marisol Gomez, Public Works Director/City Engineer Patrick Dobbins, Police Chief Keith Wise, and Finance Director Mike Howard.
Successor Agency Item
PUBLIC NOTICE
This meeting is being conducted consistent with State of California Executive Order N-29-20 dated March 17, 2020, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The public may participate in person or online via zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81130153263 or call 1 (669) 900-6833 and use Meeting ID: 811 3015 3263. If you wish to make either a general public comment or to comment on a specific agenda item, please use the Raise Hand function. You will be allowed three minutes for your comments.
If you choose not to attend the City Council meeting but wish to make a comment on a specific agenda item, please submit your comment limited to 250 words or less by 12:00p.m. on the day of the meeting to the City Clerk at [email protected]
2. JOINT Water Supply Assessment ITEM WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION - Administrative Draft: Vista Lucia Specific Plan Area Staff Report: Community Development Director Kinison Brown presented the staff report via powerpoint presentation. He gave a project introduction, and explained the proposed project estimated water demands, estimated water demands for existing and other planned uses, water supply characterization, and sufficiency analysis.
Public Comment: Henry Martinez Sr., 112 Tenth Street, talked about doing ditches on the road like Pleasanton; and irrigation water recycling.
Council Discussion: Greg Young from Zanjero AMS Company, and City staff asked questions from the Council regarding drawing water from the aquifers; how the water estimate was measured; City’s wells, and agencies in charge of the groundwater sustainability plan.
No action required. The Council and Planning Commission received the presentation and acknowledged that the Water Supply Assessment will be used to inform environmental review for the Vista Lucia Specific Plan Project and may be used as an informational foundation for other development projects under review, including the Rianda Family Cooler Project, the Puente Del Monte Specific Plan, the development of the D’Arrigo 138 acres within City limits east of Hwy 101, and future buildout of the Gonzales Agricultural Industrial Park.
Mayor Rios asked for a moment of silence in honor of brothers and community members Brian and Kirk Violini, who passed tragically last weekend.
A moment of silence was observed by all present.
ADJOURN TO REGULAR COUNCIL-SA MEETING
The Joint City Council and Planning Commission meeting was adjourned at 6:41pm.
BUSINESS FROM THE PUBLIC
3. Business from the Public not on the Agenda; any member of the Public may address the Council for a period not to exceed three minutes on any subject not on the Agenda. The Council will listen to all communications, but may take no action.
Henry Martinez Sr., 112 Tenth Street, commented about not receiving a letter from the Police Department regarding the incident where he supposedly walked out voluntarily with two officers.
He elaborated on the incident from October. He asked to send the letter again to him via certified mail since he didn't receive the first one.
Roman Barba, 123 Second Street, talked about growing up and going to school with Brian, and both brothers were Spartans and big donors for the wrestling teams.
CONSENT AGENDA
4. Approve the Joint City Council and Successor Agency - Regular Meeting - February 6, 2023 Minutes
5. Approve City Accounts Payable Warrants #48160-48219
6. Community Development Department Activity Report
7. Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships Activity Report
8. Fire Department Activity Report
9. Police Department Activity Report
10. Public Works/City Engineer Department Activity Report
11. Recreation Department Activity Report
12. Consider Approval of a Retroactive Agreement Between the City of Gonzales and Armanasco Public Relations, Inc. from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023, for Services Rendered to Support the Community Center Capital Campaign for a Not to Exceed Amount of $90,000; and Amend the FY 2022-2023 City Budget by Increasing the Measure X Budget (Budget Unit 100- 800), Other Contractual Services (Object Code 6245) by $45,000 RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Liz Silva, Council Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco
BUSINESS FROM CITY COUNCIL
13. City Council Board/Committee Reports
a. League of California Cities Monterey Bay Division
Mayor Rios asked Council Member Orozco if she could report at the next meeting since she was attending the March 13th Division meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Funk informed the March 13th Division meeting scheduled in Watsonville was open to the entire Council. He said that historically, the League would hold three a year but it hasn’t had one the last couple of years due to Covid, but Gonzales has represented well in the past, and he encouraged anyone who
can make it. He announced Congressman Panetta will be the speaker. b. Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
Mayor Pro Tem Funk reported on the early action planning grants for regional competitiveness and transportation, which there may be an opportunity for us; and CalVans Vanpool Authority meeting he attended in Visalia where he saw a lot of people from Gonzales.
c. Monterey Salinas Transit
Council Member Worthy reported on the Vanpools from San Jose coming to our area; implementation of the Better Bus Network busing system; circulators program; and resolutions thanking Congressman Panetta and Senators Padilla and Feinstein for their support in transportation funding. She thanked Public Works Director Dobbins for giving MST the list of approved contractors.
d. City & School Joint Steering Committee
City Manager Barber reported staff is planning one for March.
14. Oral Communications
Council Member Worthy thanked the Police Department for their work this weekend in conjunction with the Monterey Sheriff's Department on the tragedy that happened in our community. She said her husband could feel the sadness as he walked around the community because that’s how small we are. She suggested saying hello to the neighbors, and do something kind for another person because right now things are a little tough. She announced the food pantry this on Friday at 9:00am.
Council Member Silva echoed Council Member Worthy’s comments and mentioned she went to school with the Violini brothers, and since we are a small town it affects us all. She appreciated the Mayor’s time in remembering them. She thanked the Public Safety Department for doing all they did, as well as the Sheriff's Department. She reminded everyone that when incidents happen, we need to funnel any inquiries directly to the right authorities, and not take it upon ourselves to put things on Facebook because you just don't know who's going to be reading them, and how they could be affected. She reminded everyone to be kind.
Mayor Pro Tem Funk mentioned about the unfortunate couple of tragedies this weekend and appreciated the community for stepping up and helping those who have lost family members, and the school farm. He thanked Public Works in advance for their efforts next week which we expect a lot of rain.
Council Member Orozco echoed the Council’s comments on the tragedies and also expressed her condolences to the Cazares and Garcia’s families for their loss as well. She announced Ash Wednesday tomorrow and St. Theodore’s Church will be having enchiladas form 11:00am - 4:00pm, and Lenten Dinners every Friday.
Mayor Rios said it hurt him when he heard about the tragedy on Saturday because he has two sons that are not getting along, and he couldn’t get it out of his mind. He said he also went to school with the Violini brothers and never imagined something like that in our community and its sad about what’s going on now a days in the world with these shootings. He said he’s praying and hoping that we continue to have a safe community. He complimented the Council about putting together things in the past for our youth which are such a bright light in our community and he hoped they can overshadow everything bad that’s happening in the world. He was hoping the Youth Commissioners would be here tonight to tell them these comments.
On another note, he was glad that we had wells on both sides of the freeway which is peace of mind knowing the disasters that happened in Turkey and Syria. He would like to see and hoped when the first development came in, that we have a public safety personnel in the area over there for response to where the majority of the population is, and we have to be realistic about it.
BUSINESS FROM CITY MANAGER
15. Oral Communications
City Manager Barber reported about the County Office of Emergency Services approving staff’s recommendation to adjust the flood levels for their evacuation maps, meaning that the zones have been redrawn so that the Alpine and Corda Camps will no longer be needlessly evacuated should we have another storm of that magnitude. He also reported on the County updating the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, and this is important because projects that are in the CEDS are eligible for county and federal funding, and staff wants to make sure that our interests are carefully added to that project.
Community Development Director Kinison Brown announced the Agricultural Committee meeting tomorrow night in the Council Chambers at 6:00pm.
CLOSED SESSION
Any member of the public may address the Council on a closed session item appearing on the agenda.
Speakers shall have a limited time of three (3) minutes. Please be brief and to the point.
16. The City Council will recess to closed session to meet with its designated representatives, Trevin Barber and Mike Howard, regarding labor relations matters pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6. The employee organization is Gonzales Firefighters IAFF Union Local 538.
The Council voted unanimously to deny the claim of Rosales, and provided direction to legal counsel. No other reportable action taken.
17. The City Council will recess to closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(A) to confer with its Attorney regarding pending litigation which has been initiated formally and to which the City is a party: Claim of G. Rosales.
Council provided direction to its labor negotiator Mike Howard. No other reportable action taken.
ADJOURNMENT
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Jose Rios, Mayor
SECONDER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco The meeting was adjourned at 7:33 PM.
ATTEST:
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk