MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL AND
GONZALES SUCCESSOR AGENCY
MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2025
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.
1. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Jose L. Rios Mayor/Chair Present
Liz Silva Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Present
Scott Funk Council/Agency Member Present
Lorraine Worthy Council/Agency Member Present
Maria Orozco Council/Agency Member Present
YOUTH COMMISSIONERS
Emily Mendez and Valeria Cardenas.
STAFF PRESENT
City Manager Carmen Gil, Public Works Director/City Engineer Patrick Dobbins, City Attorney Michael F.
Rodriquez (via zoom), Finance Director Mike Howard, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Deputy City Clerk Mary Villegas, Administrative Assistant II Esthela Palmerin, Fire Chief Jason Muscio, and Police Chief Keith Wise.
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]
* Successor Agency Item
PRESENTATIONS
2. Certificates of Recognition to the Gonzales High School Boys Soccer Team Deputy City Clerk Villegas read the certificates and Mayor Rios presented them to the athletes along with a pizza gift card.
Miguel Vidauri, Soccer Coach, expressed the hard work the boys put during the season and the goals they were able to achieve. He also hoped to be back next season.
3. Proclamation No. 2025-01 Declaring April as the Month of the Military Child Carissa McCann shared her experience as a military child when her dad was part of the military and the times she would worry when he would be sent away. She also thanked the City for this recognition.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva shared her experience as a military child herself when her dad served.
City Manager Gil read the proclamation and presented it to the Council.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Proclamation No. 2025-01
MOVER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco
BUSINESS FROM THE PUBLIC
4. Business from the Public not on the Agenda; any member of the Public may address the Council/Agency for a period not to exceed three minutes on any subject not on the Agenda. The Council/Agency will listen to all communications but may take no action.
Henry Martinez Jr. commented about the two individuals who were involved in a car chase ending the pursuit close to Gonzales High School. He also mentioned other incidents that happened recently in the City. He also suggested to the Police Department purchase some barricades to put up when trying to cover a crime scene.
Henry Martinez III shared his dad had sent him to a recent incident scene that occurred on April 4th.
He commented about having to deal with court and other issues, working with Paco, and making the Fifth Street bridge wider and fixing the roads.
Henry Martinez Sr. talked about receiving a letter from the Police Department about the complaints he submitted three months ago, and the type of barricades his son had mentioned earlier to Council.
CONSENT AGENDA
5. Approve the Joint City Council & Successor Agency - Regular Meeting - March 17, 2025 Minutes
6. Approve City Accounts Payable Warrants #51674-51838
7. Consider Approval of Resolution No. 2025-13, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Approving an Agreement with Braga Fresh Foods for Payment of Sewer Impact Fees Associated with an Increased Allocation of Industrial Wastewater Discharge Pursuant to Amendment of Conditional Use Permit 2009-04, and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Industrial Wastewater System Allocation Increase Agreement on Behalf of the City of Gonzales
8. Consider Approval of Resolution No. 2025-14, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Establishing the January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 Level of Benefits for Miscellaneous Employees; and Resolution No. 2025-15, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Establishing the January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 Level of Benefits for Management Employees
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Consent Agenda Items 5 - 8 MOVER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco
REGULAR AGENDA
9. Request from PG&E to Replace Trees at the North Alta Street Entry Mayor Rios excused himself from Item 9 due to conflict of interest.
Staff Report: Public Works Director Dobbins presented the staff report.
Public Comment: There was none.
Council Discussion: Council Member Worthy asked if it would be more expensive to bury the electrical cables underground.
Public Works Director Dobbins responded yes, it would cost more to do underground electrical work.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva shared her concern about the replacement of the trees. She also asked if it would be better to bury electrical cables instead of removing the trees. She read rule #20 from PG&E and did not agree with the option of the tree replacement to be bushes due to the trees being away from the cable. She also asked PG&E if this option was asked to different communities or just to the City.
Jazmine Venegas, PG&E Representative (via zoom), responded yes, it was asked to all customers.
She also mentioned that City staff and PG&E worked on the issue about the trees and had discussed different options.
Public Works Director Dobbins explained plants and weeds were not to exceed 10 ft.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva asked if the Council would be able to table the item so they could get more information.
*
Public Works Director Dobbins agreed on tabling the item to discuss this topic more and bring it back to the Council.
Jazmine Venegas, PG&E Representative, agreed to provide the City more information.
RESULT: TABLED [UNANIMOUS] Bring Item back to Council
MOVER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
SECONDER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
AYES: Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Jose L. Rios
GONZALES YOUTH COUNCIL UPDATES
10. Oral Communications
Youth Commissioner Cardenas updated the Council on the Youth Summit.
Youth Commissioner Mendez reported on working with an education team with UC Scouts about learning to transition to adulthood.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva asked if they knew when the ribbon cutting ceremony was for the Gonzales High School Football field.
Youth Commissioner Cardenas responded she would find out and get back to the Council.
BUSINESS FROM CITY COUNCIL
11. Consider Appointment to the Planning Commission
Mayor Pro Tem Silva mentioned there were two letters of interest submitted to the City and asked if the applicants were present so they could elaborate on their interest in serving on the Planning Commission.
City Manager Gil confirmed that the two applicants were present at the meeting.
Delia Gutierrez, mentioned she was born and raised in Gonzales and now raising her grandkids, served in the City Council and School Board in the past years. She mentioned being retired and wanted to give back to the community by being part of the Planning Commission.
Stephanie Magallon mentioned she was raised in Gonzales and would like to stay here as long as possible. She shared her work experience as part of the News. She also mentioned she liked to be involved and informed to be able to help the community.
The Council thanked both participants and said it was difficult to select one because both were very qualified.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Appointed Delia Gutierrez to the Planning Commission
MOVER: Scott Funk, Council Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco
City Manager Gil informed Stephanie that the Measure K Subcommittee had a vacant seat if she was interested in serving on that committee.
12. City Council Board/Committee Reports
a. Transportation Agency for Monterey County
Mayor Rios reported that TAMC allocated half a million dollars to fix Highway 68 and only four intersections on Highway 68.
b. Mayor Selection Committee
No Report.
c. Salinas Valley Recycles
Mayor Pro Tem Silva announced the next meeting on April 17th at the Council Chambers.
13. Oral Communications
Council Member Worthy asked staff to replace the flag at Central Park. She also wanted to thank Public Works for putting up the dog bag stands on Fanoe Road and asked to have some certificates to recognize the Fairview School students.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva said she reached out to the Congresswoman to give the students a copy of the constitution. She also mentioned that she was part of the Car Show Judging Panel.
Council Member Funk mentioned he assisted with the Car Show and thanked all staff and Public Works for their hard work. He also appreciated the Police Department for all the hard work they have done for the City.
Council Member Orozco also thanked staff and volunteers who helped with the Car Show, and thanked the Police Department for all the hard work. She said she heard really good feedback from the residents.
Mayor Rios thanked everyone for the Car Show which was very well organized. He also asked staff to provide updates about the signs on Fifth Street due to hearing trucks passing through residential areas.
Police Chief Wise confirmed no trucks were allowed in residential areas.
Council Member Orozco commented about truck drivers having a GPS system to be able to reroute through non-residential routes.
Police Chief Wise confirmed the usage of GPS on trucks to provide different routes.
BUSINESS FROM CITY MANAGER
14. Oral Communications
City Manager Gil announced the Chair Yoga on Tuesday from 9:00am to 10:00am, cooking classes on April 11th from 11:30am to 12:30pm, and art classes. She also thanked staff and Gonzales Customs & Street Life for their help with the Car Show, which had a total of 170 cars registered, involving cars from different Cities and even one out of State. She also shared positive feedback from the person who was working on the mural.
Public Works Director Dobbins reported on a base bid for $73,000 of roadwork in the City. He mentioned staff secured $53,000 from TAMC to do street work and just needed to gather $20,000 more.
Council Member Worthy asked if the digital sign project could be used to notify the drivers of the routes the truck drivers could take.
City Manager Gil answered that the project for the digital sign was not going to work due to the sign still being in the planning process and the use of it would be different.
Mayor Rios asked when the bids would be out.
Public Works Director Dobbins responded not having a set date yet but would get back to him with a date.
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.
There was none.
15. 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 Aquiline Construction Inc.
The Council unanimously approved the claim of Aquiline Construction Inc. and provided direction to the City Attorney and City Manager.
16. 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: WC Claim of Juan Mendoza.
The Council discussed the identified claim with the City Attorney and City Manager and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Scott Funk, Council Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Scott Funk, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 PM.
ATTEST:
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk