City Council Minutes
October 22, 2024
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER 22, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor White called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor White, Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez and Councilmember Ortiz ABSENT: Councilmember Martinez
STAFF: City Manager Wood, Chief Mixer, Community Development Director Mugan, Public Works Director Tugel, Captain Paredes, City Attorney Thompson, IT Director Espinosa, City Clerk Rathbun
GUESTS: Gail Stewart-White, Cynthia Zavala, Stephanie Garcia, Belen Garcia
EXCUSE COUNCILMEMBER ABSENCES
No motion made.
INVOCATION
Invocation by Pastor Ines Lugo.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
All recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
AGENDA REVIEW
No changes.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Pastor Lugo, Greenfield Methodist Church, announced an event this Saturday that they, along with Senator Anna Caballero, some Supervisors and other community leaders from Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, would be hosting with COPA. She stated she would like to invite everyone and hoped to see them at the event.
Gabby Serrato stated that Mayor White was non-responsive with her concern regarding Councilmember Martinez blocking her on Councilmember Martinez’s Facebook Council page. She stated that there was a lack of transparency because she had not received a response. She stated that she did not want to threaten the Council with legal action regarding the non-responsiveness. She also stated that she would like to know what kind of events were going on in the City and asked that they be announced so that everyone would know.
Laura Mireles asked for an update on the recreation center. 19 City Council Minutes
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COMMENTS FROM CITY COUNCIL
Councilmember Ortiz stated that Councilmember Tipton had resigned and stated that it was very rare for a community to have a person such as him that was committed to the community. She stated that Mr.
Tipton had served on the Fire Board, Planning Commission and City Council and that the City was very lucky to have had Mr. Tipton’s service. She wished him well and hoped that he doesn’t detour from helping the community in the future.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that she had heard nothing but good things about the Harvest Festival.
She stated that all the posts were amazing and congratulated everyone involved. She stated that she would like to have an update on the recreation center at the next City Council meeting as well as discussion regarding funding for ADA equipped parks. She addressed the comment regarding her attendance while on the Council. She stated that she had only missed 4 out of 48 meetings. She stated that the election was Tuesday and stated that it was very important to vote and be part of the process.
Mayor White announced that Jamba Juice was having its grand opening on October 24th and that the sugar skull and Halloween house decoration contests were going on. He thanked everyone involved with the Harvest Festival and stated that it was a lot of fun. He also announced the Day of Thanks on November 24th and that the Rotary was hosting a community yard sale on November 23rd. He reminded everyone to remember to vote.
CONSENT ITEMS
A MOTION by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve the consent items including Warrants #322822 through #322935 and Bank Drafts #6262 through #6280 in the amount of $916,722.48, approve Minutes of the October 8, 2024 City Council Meeting, adopt Resolution #2024-128, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield Cancelling the November 26, 2024 and the December 24, 2024 City Council Meetings due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays”, and receive and file the departmental reports – Finance Department and Fire Department. All in favor. Motion carried.
MAYOR’S PRESENTATION, PROCLAMATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, RESOLUTIONS PRESENTATION – MONTEREY SALINAS TRANSIT – MICHELLE OVERMEYER, DIRECTOR OF
PLANNING & INNOVATION
Presentation was given by Michelle Overmeyer, Director of Planning & Innovation – Monterey Salinas Transit.
Mayor White asked that MST consider placing a stop near the Santa Lucia Shopping Center.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez asked about the gap in service. City Manager Wood stated that he had spoken with the MST CEO regarding the gap in service and they were trying to work out something.
Councilmember Ortiz stated that she was concerned about the gap in service because this would prevent people from making their medical appointments. Ms. Overmeyer stated that the RIDES program was a different program and was not affected by this.
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CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GREENFIELD ACCEPTING THE AUDIT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HARSHWAL & COMPANY LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF $42,500 – FISCAL YEAR 2023; $44,400 – FISCAL YEAR 2024, AND $46,395 – FISCAL YEAR 2025 RESOLUTION #2024-129
Staff report was given by City Manager Wood
A MOTION by Councilmember Ortiz, seconded by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez to adopt Resolution #2024-129, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield Accepting the Audit Services Agreement with Harshwal & Company LLC in the Amount of $42,500 – Fiscal Year 2023; $44,400 – Fiscal Year 2024, and $46,395 – Fiscal Year 2025”. All in favor. Motion carried.
CONSIDERATION AND DISCUSSION OF A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING PLANNING
COMMISSIONER COMPENSATION
Staff report was given by City Attorney Thompson.
Mayor White stated that he would like to keep the compensation as it was.
Councilmember Ortiz asked if it was the same compensation that was implemented in 2005. City Attorney Thompson stated yes. Councilmember Ortiz stated that the City had a strong Planning Commission and they did an excellent job. She stated that it was important to raise the compensation and would hope that the rest of the Council would raise it from $50 to $100.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that she agreed with Mayor White and stated that she did recognize that the members of the Planning Commission were hard working and did a good job.
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GREENFIELD ESTABLISHING
THE POSITION OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AMENDING THE ASSOCIATED SALARY SCHEDULE AND TO SUPPLEMENTALLY APPROPRIATE $12,300 TO FUND THE POSITION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 RESOLUTION #2024-130
Staff report was given by City Manager Wood.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez asked what the increase would be. City Manager Wood stated that it would be a salary increase of approximately 7-8%. Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that this was a lot for one person and asked if Mr. Mugan could take additional duties. City Manager Wood stated that Mr. Mugan was already performing these duties and stated that in future there probably would be a need for a senior planner and an administrative assistant.
A MOTION by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez, seconded by Mayor White to adopt Resolution #2024-130, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield Establishing the Position of Community and Economic Development Director, Amending the Associated Salary Schedule and to Supplementally Appropriate $12,300 to Fund the Position through the Remainder of Fiscal Year 2024-2025”. All in favor. Motion carried.
DISCUSSION OF CITY COUNCIL VACANCY
Staff report was given by City Attorney Thompson.
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Beatriz Diaz stated that she agreed with the City Attorney and stated that all the seats would be filled after the election.
Mayor Pro-tem asked what was going to happen once the judge signed the writ that the appointment was not legal. She stated that the Council was going to have to re-do votes and there was going to be more to do. She stated that the Council would have to acknowledge that the person did not resign from the position; the appointment was illegal. She stated that language mattered and that Mr. Tipton did choose to resign on the day he resigned; however, that was not the reason why he wasn’t here moving forward.
City Attorney Thompson suggested that the Council wait for the writ so the City would know exactly what language was in it and then from there, Council might want to make a statement, as a body, stating what officially occurred. City Attorney Thompson also stated that as a legal standpoint the Council would have to do some ratification of votes at an upcoming meeting.
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GREENFIELD 1) AWARDING A PUBLIC WORKS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,034,166.00 TO ANDERSON PACIFIC ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION, INC. FOR THE WALNUT AVENUE PEDESTRIAN AND
BIKEWAY IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT BASE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS CONTRACT AND ASSIGN ADDITIONAL WORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS RESOLUTION; 2) APPROVE A CIP BUDGET TRANSFER OF $286,073.36 FROM THE 12TH STREET DRAINAGE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT; AND 3) SUPPLEMENTALLY APPROPRIATE $73,094.64 TO THE CIP PROJECT FROM TRAFFIC
IMPACT FEES
RESOLUTION #2024-131
Staff report was given by Public Works Director Tugel.
Belen Garcia thanked the City Council for approving this contract.
A MOTION Councilmember Ortiz, seconded by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez to adopt Resolution #2024- 131, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield 1) Awarding a Public Works Construction Contract in the Amount of $1,034,166.00 to Anderson Pacific Engineering Construction, Inc. for the Walnut Avenue Pedestrian and Bikeway Improvements Project Base Bid and Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Execute this Contract and Assign Additional Work in Accordance with this Resolution; 2) Approve a CIP Budget Transfer of $286,073.36 from the 12th Street Drainage and Pedestrian Improvement Project; and 3) Supplementally Appropriate $73,094.64 to the CIP Project from Traffic Impact Fees”. All in favor. Motion carried.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
None.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
City Manager Wood reported on the League of California Cities Annual Conference. He stated that he attended some very interesting sessions, one on AI and another on transparency portals. 22 City Council Minutes
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ADJOURNMENT
Mayor White adjourned the meeting in memory of Alexander Correa.
Meeting adjourned at 7:13 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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