City Council Minutes
July 8, 2025
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CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MEETING OF JULY 8, 2025
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor White called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor White, Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez, Councilmembers Ortiz, Jones and Garcia ABSENT: None
STAFF: City Manager Wood, Economic & Community Development Director Mugan, Public Works Director Tugel, IT Director Espinosa, Sergeant de la Torre, City Attorney Thompson, City Clerk Rathbun
GUESTS: Gail Stuart White, Ernest Gallardo, Robert Urquides, John Huerta, Jr.
INVOCATION BY PASTOR ROBERT MULLEN
Invocation by Pastor Mullen.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
All recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
AGENDA REVIEW
City Manager Wood asked that Item I-4, Resolution declaring a one-month recess in August 2025, be removed. Council concurred.
PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA Ernest Gallardo stated that there was a code that only allowed 10% window coverage for the businesses; however, there were some stores that have up to 70 to 80% window coverage. He stated that he would like to see this enforced.
Robert Urquides stated that there were some many people doing illegal fireworks still and stated that something needed to be done to stop it.
COMMENTS FROM CITY COUNCIL
Councilmember Garcia stated that she wanted to thank Public Works for being out there and cleaning all the dry brush and keeping the City clean. She stated that she enjoyed the 4th of July event and thanked staff. She stated that she went on a tour of the wastewater treatment plant, and it was an eye opener and she got a better understanding of what was happening.
Councilmember Ortiz stated that she attended the 4th of July ceremonies and everyone seemed to be very happy with the event. She stated that the traffic at the end of the night was bad and stated that may be next year they could work on it.
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Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez thanked the recreation department for the 4th of July celebration. She stated that she also went on a tour of the wastewater treatment plant and that it was an eye opening experience and it was vital to know how the plant works.
Mayor White announced that the Blue Zone walks were back and that they met every Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the gazebo. He thanked Councilmembers Garcia and Ortiz for joining him at the 4th of July celebration ceremony and thanked all the departments that were involved. He stated that the senior social was tomorrow. He stated that he also did a tour at the wastewater treatment plant and it was very informative.
He also asked for an excuse from the July 22nd meeting because he would not be present.
CONSENT ITEMS
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that she would like to clarify the minutes on the item regarding the flag Display. She stated that the minutes state that “this should be brought for further direction” but it should be updated to state “for a new resolution presenting it for it to be flown in June moving forward”.
A MOTION by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve the consent items including Warrants #324856 through #325048 and Bank Drafts #6735 through #6784 in the amount of $1,764,331.37; approve Minutes of the June 24, 2025 City Council Meeting, as amended, and Deny Claim Against the City – Michael Romero. All in favor. Motion carried.
MAYOR’S PRESENTATIONS, PROCLAMATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, RESOLUTIONS PRESENTATION – ALLIANCE ON AGING
Steven Macias, Executive Director, gave a power point presentation regarding the Alliance of Aging.
PRESENTATION – CENTRAL COAST COMMUNITY ENERGY (3CE)
Sophia Schnwirzke, Community Outreach, gave a power point presentation regarding 3CE.
UPDATE – WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Public Works Director Tugel gave an update regarding the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
UPDATE – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic & Community Development Director Mugan gave an update on the economic development.
INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION OF A POTENTIAL BUILDING MORATORIUM DUE TO
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY ISSUES
Staff report was given by Public Works Director Tugel, Economic & Community Development Director Mugan and City Manager Wood. Staff noted that a letter was received from Chris Peto, principal for the 5th Street Development.
John Huerta, Jr. stated that the Council should not focus on the RHNA numbers because the other cities, Soledad, Gonzales and King City, don’t match what the City of Greenfield had done as far as affordable housing in meeting the RHNA numbers. He suggested that the City focus more on the economic development impacts and would go with the interim capacity management plan. He stated that he was not in favor of a building moratorium.
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Ernest Gallardo stated that he was pro-growth; however, the City had outgrown its infrastructure and now it needed to stop building. He asked what was going to happen to the people that already had building permits and would they be allowed to continue their projects. He stated that the City should rebuild the existing plant and build a new one.
Adam Pinterits, Government and Community Affairs Director for Monterey County Association of Realtors, stated that he would prefer not to have a moratorium if possible but if it had to occur that it would be as short as possible. He stated that the City needed to plan around this and together this could be overcome.
Mayor White stated that the City had been working on this for several years and was ready to build but then the State of California told the City that there were no funds for the project. He stated that he hoped that the State would change and funds could be made available. City Manager Wood stated that the City was shovel ready within 60-90 days because the project had been in the works for many years.
Mayor White stated that the RNHA numbers were for a period of time and the City had built some housing already.
Public Works Director Tugel had a brief history of the wastewater treatment plant and how there was a spill in 2018, and the City was fined by the Water Board and also sued by a private organization. She stated that there have been minor spills and internal levy breaches. She stated that the winds were 30-35 mph, and the ponds were getting waves and hitting the levies.
City Manager Wood stated that the City was applying for another grant of $75,000,000 and if the City was successful, it would still need to get $36,000,000 in loans. He stated that the new rate study would determine how much the sewer rates would need to increase and once that was completed, there would have to be a Prop 218 vote. Public Works Director Tugel stated that the rate increase would pay for the loan and maintenance and operation of the plant.
Councilmember Ortiz stated that it was important that the community knows that this had been in the process for over a year and that the City was aware of the situation.
Councilmember Garcia thanked everyone for working on this and that this was not something that was new or ignored and that there was a plan but there were so many issues, and the city was working on it.
She stated that experts were looking at this and everyone needed to work together.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that she would like to propose that staff put these other initiatives into effect and to have the option as the City Attorney mentioned that anything in progress continue. She stated that she would like to have the moratorium as short as possible and have the option to re-look at the moratorium on a regarding basis. City Attorney Thompson asked for clarification regarding “anything in progress to continue” and it was the consensus from the Council to have any project with a building permit to have the ability to continue.
Public Works Director Tugel suggested that the building moratorium be only on building that impacted the sewer system and didn’t affect someone that had a building permit issued and that this be looked at every 6 months.
City Attorney Thompson clarified that after Council discussion that the recommendation was that staff continue with a building moratorium which would be adopted by ordinance and that the building moratorium would not apply to any project that does not impact the sewer system or a project that had a building permit and perhaps the ordinance would be revisited every six months or so as those interim measures were implemented to see whether or not they have had an impact. 18 City Council Minutes
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City Attorney Thompson explained that the moratorium would be adopted by ordinance and that this ordinance required two meetings, an introduction at the first meeting and adoption at the next meeting; then this ordinance would have to go to HCD for their approval and then the ordinance would go into effect 30 days after adoption.
Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez stated that while waiting for the adoption of the ordinance the other measures could go into effect such as water conservation measures, FOG program, etc. Public Works Director Tugel stated that those measures could go into effect right away.
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GREENFIELD ACCEPTING THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL CANNABIS TAX FUND GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $89,566 AND APPROVE A $89,566 BUDGET APPROPRIATION FOR THE GRANT RESOLUTION #2025-64
Staff was given by Sgt. de la Torre.
A MOTION by Mayor Pro-tem Rodriguez, seconded by Councilmember Jones to adopt Resolution #2025-64, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield Accepting the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program Funds in the Amount of $89,566 and Approve a $89,566 Budget Appropriation for the Grant”. All in favor. Motion carried.
ADOPT A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GREENFIELD EXTENDING A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO G AND C CONSULTING FOR UTILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC WORKS CONSULTING FOR AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000
RESOLUTION #2025-65
Staff report was given by City Manager Wood.
A MOTION by Councilmember Ortiz, seconded by Councilmember Jones to adopt Resolution #2025-65, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Greenfield Extending a Professional Services Agreement to G and C Consulting for Utility Infrastructure and Public Works Consulting for an Additional Amount Not to Exceed $25,000”. All in favor. Motion carried.
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
CLOSED SESSION - GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6
CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Agency designated representative: City Manager Paul Wood Employee Organizations: Service Employee’s International Union Local 521, International Union of Operating Engineers Local #3
No comments were received.
Meeting adjourned to closed session at 8:07 p.m.
RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
Meeting reconvened to open session at 8:16 p.m.
There was no reportable action.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT
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No report.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
No report.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:17 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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