City Council Minutes
March 16, 2022
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING OF MARCH 16, 2022
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Walker called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Walker, Mayor Pro-tem Martinez, Councilmembers Untalon, Tipton and White
ABSENT: None
STAFF: City Manager Wood, IT Director Espinosa, City Attorney Cochran, City Clerk Rathbun
GUESTS: Juergen Smith, Andrew Sandoval, John Martinez
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
All recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
AGENDA REVIEW
No changes were made.
PUBLIC HEARING – SECOND PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING PROPOSED COMPOSITION OF BYTRUSTEE AREA MAPS, PURSUANT TO ELECTIONS CODE SECTION 10010, SUBDIVISION (A) (2) Power point presentation was given by Dr. Daniel Phillips.
Juergen Smith stated that he didn’t agree with district elections. He stated that 94% of Greenfield was Hispanic and that LULAC did not have a case and if the City did not go to district elections, LULAC would not win the case. He stated that district elections were good for large cities but not for Greenfield.
Andrew Sandoval, LULAC, encouraged the City Council to go with four districts and an elected Mayor.
John Martinez stated that he would like to request that the Council do an analysis on how this would affect the schools and community before deciding regarding district elections. He stated that if approved this would segregate the community.
Councilmember White stated that he wanted to be transparent and let everyone know that he submitted Map 401.
Mayor Untalon stated that she would like to go with four districts with the Mayor elected at large and that a rotating Mayor was not a good idea.
Councilmember White agreed with having four districts with the Mayor elected at large which would be a more representative way of doing it
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March 16, 2022
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Councilmember Martinez agreed with having 4 districts and a Mayor at large.
Councilmember Tipton stated that all the comments received were against district elections, except for Mr. Sandoval. He stated that he didn’t see polarization of voting and doesn’t see the need of having it.
He stated that he would like to slow things down and do an analysis. He stated that if the Mayor lived next to another Councilmember in the same district, that district would have two representatives. He also asked what would happen if no one wanted to run for Council.
Mayor Walker stated that he didn’t like this process and that this would be the worse thing that could happen to Greenfield; however, if it was going to happen, he would like five districts with a rotating Mayor. He suggested that the Council put the brakes on this and have it for the 2024 Election in order to do more research. He stated that 8 out of 10 people didn’t want this.
There was discussion among the Council regarding district elections.
A MOTION by Mayor Pro-tem Untalon, seconded by Councilmember Martinez to move ahead with district elections, 4 districts and an at-large Mayor. ROLL CALL VOTE: Councilmember White – AYE; Councilmember Tipton – NO; Councilmember Martinez – AYE; Mayor Pro-tem Untalon – AYE; and Mayor Walker – NO. Motion carried.
Andrew Sandoval suggested that the Council select Map 405.
Juergen Smith asked the Council slow down and allow the residents of the City to decide whether to move forward with this and place it on the ballot.
Mayor Walker asked why LULAC was not forcing the Greenfield School District to do district elections.
John Huerta, Jr., suggested that Map 404 be selected and that the residents be allowed to vote for the Mayor.
Andrew Sandoval stated that many other cities were moving forward with district elections and stated that last week Gonzales School District voted on district elections and the City of Soledad had it on their next agenda.
There was discussion among the City Council regarding which Maps should be considered. It was the consensus of the Council to recommend Maps 401, 403, 404 and 405 be considered at the next meeting.
Councilmember Martinez thanked everyone that participated in the district election process.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.
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Mayor of the City of Greenfield
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City Clerk of the City of Greenfield
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