MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE
GONZALES CITY COUNCIL AND
GONZALES SUCCESSOR AGENCY
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026
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
Mayor Pro Tem Silva led the flag salute.
1. ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Title Status
Jose L. Rios Mayor Present
Liz Silva Mayor Pro Tem Present
Scott Funk Council Member Excused
Lorraine Worthy Council Member Present
Maria Orozco Council Member Present
YOUTH COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Shelby Anderson and Orlando Rodriguez.
STAFF PRESENT
City Manager Carmen Gil, City Attorney Michael F. Rodriquez, Community Development Director Taven Kinison Brown, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/Deputy City Clerk Mary Villegas, Administrative Assistant II Marisol Gomez, 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 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]
BUSINESS FROM THE PUBLIC
2. 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.
Michael Trevino, Gonzales Resident, talked about agricultural roots and strong work ethic being a big part of what makes this City special, and expressed his intention to develop a storage facility project at 122 Bodega Street, and said he would focus on working collaboratively with City staff and respect the City's established processes.
Andrew Brown expressed his opinions on the City’s attire and commented about a police vehicle speeding in the alley, new library’s faucets, getting an adult bike from the event, and City’s social media posts.
CONSENT AGENDA
3. Approve the Joint City Council & Successor Agency - Regular Meeting - January 20, 2026 Minutes
4. Approve Accounts Payable Warrants #53262-53352
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
REGULAR AGENDA
5. Consider Approval of an Agreement Between the City of Gonzales and the Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District for Fire Chief Services Staff Report: Fire Chief Muscio presented the staff report.
Public Comment: There was none.
Council Discussion: Fire Chief Muscio responded to the Council Members questions regarding day-to-day presence from the district, and station location. City Manager Gil also talked about paramedic capacity for responses and clarified our Firefighters would still be the first responders.
She mentioned the services would be in situations where the department needs additional support when a Chief is needed and clarified that our Firefighters would be in constant communications with the Chief during a response.
David Sargenti, Fire Chief for the Monterey County Regional Fire District, looked forward to helping the City, and emphasized the camaraderie they have with the Gonzales Fire Department, bringing their engines in town and Gonzales Department going to the Chualar Station for department training.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Lorraine Worthy, Council Member
SECONDER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
6. Public Hearing to Consider Waiver of Second Reading, Read by Title Only, and Adopt Ordinance No. 2026-156, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gonzales Authorizing the Purchase and Use of an Unmanned Aerial System (Drone) and Making Findings in Compliance with Gonzales Police Department Policy Manual 709-Military Equipment Staff Report: City Attorney Rodriquez presented the staff report.
Mayor Rios opened the public hearing at 6:18pm.
Public Hearing: Andrew Brown asked how the public would be educated about what the police department has and said he didn't see any AI on it.
Mayor Rios asked Chief Wise if he could answer the question.
Police Chief Wise mentioned that the education was part of the process tonight, introducing the ordinance at the last meeting, coming back for adoption tonight, and it was also part of the policy for drone usage. He said this met the criteria under State and Federal laws and that is what the Department is doing, including ongoing training program, and staff continuing the training on a monthly basis to test flights, and staff will do the same with the new one.
Mayor Rios closed the public hearing at 6:22pm.
City Attorney Rodriquez added that the Police Department is required on an annual basis to bring forward to the Council a list of all the equipment they have, how many times it's been deployed, how much the cost of servicing it, and inventory. The list is on the City's website under the Police Department page and anyone who is interested would be able to find that information, as well as the policies that govern the use of military equipment.
City Manager Gil added the drone has also been highlighted in the City Manager's Report, it's been taken to the National Night Out for public viewing, etc. She said the Department will continue to put the information out there and this was an effort to better equip our Police Department with all tools available to make sure the community stays safe.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
GONZALES YOUTH COUNCIL UPDATES
7. Oral Communications
Commissioners Anderson and Rodriguez reported on their community project, community food pantry, outcomes of their January 22nd meeting, meeting with Public Works Supervisor Diaz, planning of the annual South County Youth Summit, and Gonzales High School activities.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva announced that Youth Commissioner Orlando recently participated in a speech competition through FFA and won a placement, so he'll be moving on to regionals.
BUSINESS FROM CITY COUNCIL
8. City Council Board/Committee Reports
a. Transportation Agency for Monterey County
Mayor Rios reported on the project updates for the Highway 156, Highway 68 corridor, and Highway 101 environmental stage, as well as the gas tax replacement session. b. Mayor Selection Committee
Mayor Rios announced the meeting this Friday.
c. Salinas Valley Recycles
Mayor Pro Tem Silva reported they announced Cesar Zuñiga as the General Manager for the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, who lived in Gonzales and worked for the Authority for 25 years. She reported on the compost giveaway and announced the next meeting on February 19th at 6:00pm in the Council Chambers.
9. Oral Communications
Council Member Worthy reported on the MST meeting where they discussed that buses will be operating on the weekend schedule, and the circulators will have a different schedule effective February 17th because they will be eliminating the Industrial Park stop location. She also thanked everyone who reached out to her during her surgery.
Mayor Pro Tem Silva encouraged residents to attend Chair Yoga on Tuesday at 9:00am at the Taylor Farms Family Health and Wellness Center, and announced the Senior Lunch on Thursday, February 19th at 11:00am at St. Theodore's Parish Hall; she will be attending legislative update February 25th in Sacramento, and asked if there was anything that the Council wants her to ask while there.
Council Member Orozco asked Council Member Worthy if she could inquire from MST if we can have one of the buses go to Corda Camp since she has had folks ask. She also asked Mayor Pro Tem Silva if she can ask if there is any funding for small rural towns for first-time Homebuyer Programs since we have a couple of our housing projects that are coming up. She announced the St. Theodore's Church Valentine's Dance on February 14th, and Ash Wednesday Lenten enchiladas dinner from 11:00am - 5:00pm. Anyone interested could pick up tickets from her or the church.
Mayor Rios reported on the power to the sign on the south end of town which was finalized last week and encouraged staff to send a letter of gratitude to PG&E since it took a monumental effort of all the departments involved in getting this project to creation. He shared concerns about the noise at the Industrial Park and asked staff if they can check the decibel levels at Taylor Farms operations. On another note, since the Community Center Phase 1 was complete, he asked the City Manager how much funding was left in the pot. He said he wanted to know what we had left to work with so that maybe since now that folks can actually see it complete, we can get things going. He asked when the amphitheater was going to be available and in regard to the Teen Center, he suggested contacting the School District Board about collaborating and paying for part of it since he felt we, as the City, shouldn’t pay 100% and it was for the benefit of the youth in the community. He felt this would be better for the youth and the community as a whole for the Teen Center to empower, expand, and create better human beings, and he hoped they can work collaboratively and talk about how many days they would want to man it. He also said he will ask Supervisor Lopez regarding a multitude of programs or services that can be available at the local library and for our schools to take advantage of resources available for the community. He asked if he could get a flyer with the times and different programs available so he can provide them to whoever asks him.
Council Member Orozco suggested that once the groups get settled with their programs, they can come before the Council to do a quick presentation.
BUSINESS FROM CITY MANAGER
10. Oral Communications
City Manager Gil announced the City will be receiving two awards at the American Public Works Association event on February 4th, one for the Community Center project and the other one for the Industrial Wastewater Facility Pipeline Project. She informed today was our new Public Works/City Engineer Octavio Hurtado’s first day and he will be introduced at the next Council meeting. She talked about the partnership with Greenfield for the Bike Repair Workshop held last Friday; Savor the Local last food distribution on February 4th; monthly Chair Yoga, art and cooking classes for seniors; Boys and Girls Club programming at the Teen Center on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as City drop in services for Teens on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. She added that staff was working on potential partnerships for more programming.
She also informed on the work that was still being done at the community center and she will share more information with the Council for the different programs and activities.
Council Member Orozco shared her disappointment with the Salvation Army food distribution ending. She asked if other South County Cities were being impacted, and if they applied for funding from Measure K again this year. She asked the Mayor if he could ask the other Mayors at his next meeting if they have been impacted.
City Manager Gil responded they didn’t apply this year, and she was told the Salvation Army was not coming anymore to South County because their funding has been cut drastically.
Community Development Director Kinison Brown reported the new sign company was bringing their electrician tomorrow, and the City Manager’s office will reach out to the Council for their availability for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Rios asked to adjourn the meeting with a moment of silence in memory of Jimmy Nielsen, a local business owner and family man who passed this past Saturday. He also said he wanted to mention, because it was extremely sad, about an alcohol related death. He mentioned Nathan Ruiz, a young man from our community also passed last weekend driving out of Soledad. He said he didn't know if he was drunk, but definitely the driver was drunk. He said he didn’t get it if someone is going to drink, sit home and drink but why get on the road.
A moment of silence was observed by all present.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Liz Silva, Mayor Pro Tem
SECONDER: Maria Orozco, Council Member
AYES: Jose L. Rios, Liz Silva, Lorraine Worthy, Maria Orozco EXCUSED: Scott Funk
The meeting was adjourned at 6:59 PM.
ATTEST:
Mary Villegas, Deputy City Clerk