MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL AND
GONZALES SUCCESSOR AGENCY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2024
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
Council Member Orozco led the flag salute.
1. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Jose L. Rios Mayor/Chair Present
Scott Funk Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Excused
Liz Silva Council/Agency Member Present
Lorraine Worthy Council/Agency Member Present
Maria Orozco Council/Agency Member Present – Left at 6:42pm
YOUTH COMMISSIONERS
Valeria Cardenas and Emily Mendez.
STAFF PRESENT
City Manager Carmen Gil, City Attorney Michael F. Rodriquez, Community Development Director Taven Kinson Brown, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Deputy City Clerk Mary Villegas, Administrative Assistant II Marisol Gomez, Public Works Director/City Engineer Patrick Dobbins, Fire Chief Jason Muscio, and Police Chief Keith Wise.
* 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/87020263943 or call 1 (669) 900-6833 and use Meeting ID: 870 2026 3943. 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]
PRESENTATIONS
2. Fire Department Update
City Manager Gil and Fire Chief Muscio presented a powerpoint presentation which included a background when the Fire Station was built, they explained when the Firefighters began to be hired due to need, responses to calls per month, Fire Department outstanding needs, and the equipment and supplies needed.
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 Jr. showed the Gonzales Tribune Newspaper and questioned what the log said versus what the Police Department said regarding the number of fireworks calls.
Henry Martinez Sr. expressed his opposition to military equipment because this was a small safe town with no crimes.
CONSENT AGENDA
4. Approve the Joint City Council and Successor Agency - Regular Meeting - August 19, 2024 Minutes
5. Approve City Accounts Payable Warrants #50648-50686
6. Consider Adoption of the Updated Version of the City of Gonzales Emergency Operations Plan, including the recently added section for power outage emergencies
7. Consider Approval of Resolution No. 2024-56, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Designating Resurfacing the 100 and 200 Blocks of Fourth Street as the City’s Priority Project for FY 2024-2025 to be Funded by SB 1 “The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017” *
Note: * This Resolution was approved as Resolution No. 2024-54 but there was a clerical error, and the number was corrected to reflect the accurate number, Resolution No. 2024-56.
Council Members Worthy and Orozco pulled item 7.
*
Council Member Worthy asked if the funding could be allocated to something else if we didn't use all the funding. She also wanted to showcase this item to the community so that everybody knew that Public Works was able to get this funding, and since everybody had been very concerned about Fourth Street cleaning it up.
Public Works Director Dobbins responded yes, it could be allocated to another project.
Council Member Orozco asked if this was part of the street repair presentation from a few years back.
Public Works Director Dobbins explained the work the City did several years ago in a number of assessment districts didn’t include SB 1 funding, that was done with different funding sources, but this was the first time that SB 1 moneys are available to us for other projects.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
SECONDER: Liz Silva, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
REGULAR AGENDA
8. Consider Approval of Proclamation No. 2024-06 Proclaiming September as the City of Gonzales’ Community Beautification Month
Staff Report: City Manager Gil presented the staff report.
Public Comment: Henry Martinez Jr. didn't think this was going to get done because this side of the freeway was trashed and said it was the City's responsibility not the residents’.
Henry Martinez Sr. spoke about Fourth Street and alleys being bad and said the City should not be blaming the residents. He also commented about making the investors more responsible.
Council Discussion: Council Member Worthy commented about all of us as a community doing something because the City couldn't do everything everywhere. She asked staff if we could make some flyers, and she would be willing to drop them off at people's houses. City Manager Gil responded staff was going to do banners and could do flyers as well, and said this information will be in the staff reports, the City Manager Report, the utility bills, etc. to let people know what they could do to support beautification in the community. Council Member Silva agreed it was the responsibility of the residents. She didn’t think it was the responsibility of the Public Works Department but whoever lives there to take care of the surrounding area to keep our town looking nice. She applauded the residents that she had seen trimming their trees and Public Works for getting the trimmings and going out there and taking care of the weeding. She also encouraged everyone to step in and help. Council Member Orozco elaborated on a program she worked for where they would get free paint and didn’t know if Salinas Valley Recycles provided free paint which was a big help with neighborhood cleanups. She gave examples of the different districts where each Councilmember would have their day in their area. Mayor Rios suggested pulling the dead trees if we have the equipment to do it.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
SECONDER: Liz Silva, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
9. Public Hearing to Consider Adoption, Waiver of Reading, and Reading by Title Only Ordinance No. 2024-146, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Amending Chapter
3.16- Purchasing Procedures of Title 3- Revenue and Finance of the Gonzales City Code to Increase the Bidding Requirement Threshold for the Purchase of Supplies and Equipment From $5,000 to $50,000
Staff Report: City Attorney Rodriquez presented the staff report.
Mayor Rios opened the public hearing at 6:42pm.
Public Hearing: No comments came forward.
Mayor Rios closed the public hearing at 6:42pm.
Council Discussion: None.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
10. Consider a) Awarding a Construction Contract to Sierra Construction & Excavation, Inc. for the Industrial Wastewater Pipeline Contract; b) Authorizing Task Order #2 with Dudek Consulting; and c) Authorizing Task Order #2 with MNS Engineers
Staff Report: Public Works Director Dobbins noted that City Attorney Rodriguez suggested the need for a resolution to memorialize this action, so he prepared Resolution No. 2024-55, which was distributed to the Council this evening.
The Resolution for consideration under this item was Resolution No. 2024-55, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Authorizing Execution of a Contract with Sierra Construction & Excavation for Construction of the Industrial Wastewater Pipeline, Authorizing Task Order #2 Under a Master Service Agreement with Dudek Consulting for Design Support During Construction, and Authorizing Task Order #2 Under a Master Service Agreement with MNS Engineers for Construction Management And Inspection Services.
Public Comment: There was none.
Council Discussion: Council Member Worthy wondered why there was a big gap in the amount of one of the bids. Public Works Director Dobbins thought it was due to the unit price per square foot. Council Member Silva asked about the timeline. Public Works Director Dobbins responded around eight months depending on the kind of winter we get.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Resolution No. 2024-55
MOVER: Liz Silva, Council Member
SECONDER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy
ABSENT: Maria Orozco
EXCUSED: Scott Funk
GONZALES YOUTH COUNCIL UPDATES
11. Oral Communications
Youth Commissioners Cardenas and Mendez reported on finishing the process and outreach for the Youth Council and finalizing the plans for the orientation and a schedule.
Council Member Worthy suggested that Council Members attend the Youth Council meetings periodically, and for the Youth Council to get involved in the beautification efforts.
BUSINESS FROM CITY COUNCIL
12. City Council Board/Committee Reports
a. Transportation Agency for Monterey County
Mayor Rios reported on the EIR for the Highway 101 Salinas-Gonzales corridor and improvements; overpass in Chualar; and Abbot Street exit, as well as the impact of the new Amazon distribution center.
b. Mayor Selection Committee
Mayor Rios announced the meeting this Friday which Gonzales was hosting. c. Salinas Valley Recycles
Council Member Silva announced Mayor Pro Tem Funk will be attending the September 19th meeting since she wouldn’t be able to attend.
d. Measure K Oversight Committee
Council Member Worthy reported on the meeting they had last week where they received a presentation from the five recipients and they were all great presentations.
13. Oral Communications
Council Member Silva commented about seeing all the progress changes at the Community Center project where she would go by often and would take pictures, and it was great to see the Caprara Family was very excited about it. She also talked about the stadium which was getting a big facelift. She congratulated the 4-H and FFA Exhibitors who participated at the Monterey County Fair. She also talked about a Facebook post from Supervisor Lopez and his father-in-law who erected a memorial for the Braceros that were killed in the awful train accident in 1963.
Mayor Rios reported on the 3CE meeting he attended last week to discuss the current Policy Board made up of 19 members, and he was in favor for a smaller board. He elaborated on a City of Morgan Hill low-income housing program with a restriction for 45 years and the County and City came up with a downpayment. He wanted to throw this idea out there where we could maybe set up $100,000 from the new measure as a possible down payment.
BUSINESS FROM CITY MANAGER
14. Oral Communications
City Manager Gil announced the Salinas Valley Health Community Fair on October 12th at Central Park, the Fall Festival on October 26th, and the Community Gardening Day on November 2 nd at the Community Garden.
Public Works Director Dobbins reported on the progress of the Community Center project; the tour for Council Members Worthy and Silva; and the MST Circulator Project.
Police Chief Wise clarified what was reported regarding the media logs for the Fourth of July calls was accurate and he stood by those numbers. He explained the media log didn't reflect all calls for service and cases, which case numbers were generated based on type of calls for service, and if it doesn't generate a case number, it doesn't go on the media log, and therefore was not sent to the media. He reiterated what was reflected in the media log for that date, the Fourth of July, was accurate.
ADJOURNMENT
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Resolution No. 2024-55
MOVER: Liz Silva, Council Member
SECONDER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy
ABSENT: Maria Orozco
EXCUSED: Scott Funk
The meeting was adjourned at 7:29 PM.
ATTEST:
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk