MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL AND
GONZALES SUCCESSOR AGENCY
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2026
6:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mayor Pro Tem Liz Silva.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Youth Commissioners Rodriguez led the flag salute.
1. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Jose L. Rios Mayor/Chair Excused
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
Orlando and Ricardo Rodriguez.
STAFF PRESENT
City Manager Carmen Gil, City Attorney Michael F. Rodriquez, Community Development Director Taven Kinison Brown, Finance Director Mike Howard, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Deputy City Clerk Mary Villegas, Administrative Assistant II Marisol Gomez, Administrative Assistant II Yoanna Meza, and Police Chief 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 two 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. Introduction of New City Employee
City Manager Gil introduced Administrative Assistant II Yoanna Meza who joined the City in November.
Administrative Assistant II Meza appreciated the opportunity to work for Gonzales and shared she has been learning a lot.
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.
Andrew Brown talked about critiques on public comment for closed session which he thought it wasn’t going to happen; the Cyber Safety presentation at the Police Station which he thought was useless if parents and children did not walk out with parental controls and Youth Council not being contributors to the content; and suggested social media posts from the City Manager involving updates of events and infrastructure.
City Attorney Rodriquez noted that the listening on the agenda for the closed session and public comments was the correct way to agendize the fact that public comment was allowed on items that were on the closed session. He mentioned it doesn’t go into the detailed description, there are no staff reports. He gave the example of this evening's agenda about discussions with bargaining units, and if a member of the bargaining unit knew that we were going to go into closed session, they would be able to address the Council before we went into closed session. He added that was the way it has been agendized and that was the way that the law reads. He said the public comment was required before going into closed session.
CONSENT AGENDA
4. Approve the Joint City Council & Successor Agency - Regular Meeting - Regular Meeting - December 8, 2025 Minutes
5. Approve Accounts Payable Warrants #53073-53259
6. Consider Approval of Resolution No. SA-2026-01, A Resolution of the Successor Agency to the Former Gonzales Redevelopment Agency Approving the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule 26-27 for the Period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 *
*
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Consent Agenda Items 4-6
MOVER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
SECONDER: Scott Funk, Council Member
AYES: Liz Silva, Scott Funk, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Jose L. Rios
REGULAR AGENDA
7. Changes to the Brown Act Under SB 707
Staff Report: City Attorney Rodriquez presented the staff report.
Public Comment: There was none.
It was the Council's consensus to accept the report and bring back any necessary items.
8. Consider Approval of Resolution No. SA-2026-02, A Resolution of the Successor Agency to the Former Gonzales Redevelopment Agency Approving the Last and Final Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule 2026-27 Through 2035-36
Staff Report: Finance Director Howard presented the staff report.
Public Comment: There was none.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Scott Funk, Agency Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Agency Member
AYES: Liz Silva, Scott Funk, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Jose L. Rios
9. Public Hearing to Consider Waiver of Second Reading, Read by Title Only, and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025-154, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Repealing Chapter 11.04 of the Gonzales City Code Entitled ‘California Building Codes’, and adopting a New Chapter 11.04 Entitled “California Building Codes” and adopting by Reference the 2025 Edition of the California Building Standards Codes: ‘California Administrative Code’ (Part 1),‘California Building Code Volumes 1 and 2 (Part 2), -with exceptions, and Appendix Chapters H, I and J, ‘California Residential Code’(Part 2.5) - Appendix Chapters BF and CI’, ‘California Electrical Code’ (Part 3), ‘California Mechanical Code’ (Part 4), ‘California Plumbing Code’ (Part 5), ‘California Energy Code’ (Part 6), ‘California Wildland-Urban Interface Code’ (Part 7), ‘California Historical Building Code’ (Part 8), ‘California Fire Code (Part 9) – with exceptions and all appendix Chapters’, ‘California Existing Building Code’ (Part 10), ‘California Green Building Standards Code’ (Part 11), ‘California Referenced Standards Code, (Part 12), and adopting the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code and the ‘1997 Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings’
Staff Report: Community Development Director Kinison Brown presented the staff report.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva opened the public hearing at 6:30pm.
Public Hearing: There were no comments.
*
Mayor Pro Tem Silva closed the public hearing at 6:30pm.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
SECONDER: Scott Funk, Council Member
AYES: Liz Silva, Scott Funk, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Jose L. Rios
10. Consider Waiver of Second Reading, Read by Title Only, and Adopt Ordinance No. 2025-155, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gonzales, California, Amending Chapter 12.56 Summary Of Zoning Districts and Permitted Uses Of Title 12, Part 3 Zoning Districts Staff Report: Community Development Director Kinison Brown presented the staff report.
Public Comment: Andrew Brown pointed out Taven's microphones were off and it was echoing.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Scott Funk, Council Member
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Liz Silva, Scott Funk, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Jose L. Rios
GONZALES YOUTH COUNCIL UPDATES
11. Oral Communications
Commissioners Rodriguez reported on the current and past Youth Council Members’ attendance at the Community Center Grand Opening, fall GYC meeting plans, High School outreach program activities, joint meeting with Soledad and Greenfield Youth Councils on January 20th, and GYC meeting on January 29th.
BUSINESS FROM CITY COUNCIL
12. City Council Board/Committee Reports
a. Transportation Agency for Monterey County
No report.
b. Mayor Selection Committee
On behalf of Mayor Rios, Mayor Pro Tem Silva announced Marina's Mayor Bruce Delgado was selected as the new Chair for the year.
c. Salinas Valley Recycles
Mayor Pro Tem Silva reported the decision was made on the new General Manager for the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority and it will become public information at Thursday's meeting at 6:00pm.
d. Measure K Oversight Committee
Council Member Worthy reported the committee was able to find additional $25,000 from the Measure K funds and they determined it would be for work on the website. City Manager Gil mentioned there was a delay due to staff changes but staff was trying to get the Subcommittee together to review the applications. Council Member Orozco asked if they would be able to review them before April since the children's festival was coming up. City Manager Gil responded yes, in the next two to three weeks.
13. Oral Communications
Council Member Worthy shared her excitement about Saturday's Grand Opening of the Community Center seeing the community showing up and participating. She thanked City Manager Gil and staff for working hard to put that day together. She said it was great to have all our legislators and Council Members there. She announced she wasn’t going to be at the next meeting since she would be having hip surgery and hoped to be back in a couple of weeks.
Council Member Funk gave kudos to the City Manager and staff for leading the efforts to get the Community Center open. He knew they had a lot of work to do ahead of us as far as programming and he was excited we were on to a new chapter in the City of Gonzales. He appreciated City Manager Gil's leadership and direction to make it all happen.
Council Member Orozco echoed her colleague's comments regarding Saturday's ceremony and thanked City Manager Gil and staff for taking the lead on this project. She said she received a lot of positive comments regarding our youth and their involvement with the project. She also thanked the High School Band for performing that day.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva also echoed everyone's comments. She was excited that our small little town came out big for these kinds of events. She thanked staff, the youth, the community and elected officials throughout the valley. She also suggested having some forms in case people wanted to buy a brick. She mentioned for those interested in buying a brick to contact City Hall.
She thanked the efforts of the Caprara family and some of the growers that were there who came together and heard many wonderful things about how we include our youth in our decision making. She was excited to see Jeffrey, one of the founders of the Youth Council, and others who were even translating for the Spanish speaking community. She encouraged the youth to keep their bilingual abilities. She reminded everyone there was no senior luncheon this month, and if anyone knew a senior going through health issues, to let her or City Manager Gil know so they could get something to them on behalf of the Adventure Seeking Senior group, who have put blankets together for several years. She hoped everyone’s NFL team made them happy this season.
BUSINESS FROM CITY MANAGER
14. Oral Communications
City Manager Gil gave shout out to everyone who worked on the Community Center and made it to the grand opening. She informed we had folks who came all the way from LA and Seattle. She elaborated on the outcome and said she heard nothing but great comments. She said staff had some pavers left and staff was working with the contractor to see what the best way was to order more, and will get the information out. She announced full programming, such as the Boys and Girls Club, would start on the 26th, and some folks will start moving next week.
Community Development Director Kinison Brown reported on the Puente del Monte EIR, and the installation of the billboard.
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 two (2) minutes. Please be brief and to the point.
No comments came forward.
15. The City Council will recess to Closed Session to meet with its designated representatives regarding labor relations matters pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6. The Employee Groups are Gonzales Police Officers Association, Gonzales Police Supervision Association, International Fire Fighters Local 5388, and Unrepresented Employees.
Council conferred with its negotiators concerning labor negotiations with the referenced bargaining units and provided direction. No other reportable action taken.
16. The City Council will recess to closed session to consider personnel matters pursuant to Government Code Section 54957 (Evaluation- City Manager).
This item was continued to a future meeting since Mayor Rios was absent.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 PM.
ATTEST:
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk