City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes
May 2, 2023 7:00 PM
Council Chambers
400 N. Douty St.
4:00 PM CALL TO ORDER STUDY SESSION AND CLOSED SESSION:
Mayor Paden called the study session and closed session to order at 4:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL BY THE CITY CLERK:
Present: Absent:
Council Member Lou Martinez
Council Member Mark Kairis
Council Member Kalish Morrow
Council Member Diane Sharp
Council Member Travis Paden
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Study Sessions are considered Special Meetings under the Brown Act. Accordingly, comments from the public are limited to items listed on the agenda (GC 54954.3a). Public Comment will be accepted during each agenda item. A maximum of three minutes is allowed for each speaker. Please begin your comments by stating your name and providing your city of residence.
None.
STUDY SESSION:
A. Presentation and Review of potential projects to include in Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for upcoming fiscal year 2024 and 2025 Budget and Direction from Council on which projects to prioritize.
Finance Director Chris Tavarez discussed the 2023/24 and 2024/25 Budget and Capital Improvement Plan. The Council reviewed the CIP General Fund rankings and provided their feedback. Staff will not be making project recommendations to be funded from the General Fund by this budget unless they are offset by grants or reserves, or of utmost need. Staff answered questions from the Council. No action was taken. The CIP review will continue at the May 16, 2023 City Council Study Session.
B. Presentation regarding existing and future Downtown lighting and discussion and Council direction regarding the Repair and Replacement Strategy Deputy City Manager Waters discussed the need for new lights and a consistent design in the downtown area. He provided the history of the lights and discussed the challenges of replacing them. He provided photos of the current conditions of the lights. Staff would like to establish a design standard. Staff answered questions from the Council. The Council spoke in favor of the project with the white and gold design, and directed staff to establish a design standard.
Staff will bring the project back to a future meeting for the Council's review and approval.
C. Discussion of the history of City support for the Hanford Chamber of Commerce and Council consideration of the reformation of a Council Ad-Hoc subcommittee to work with the Chamber on the possibility of future City support
City Manager Cifuetez provided a brief background. The Chamber of Commerce Director Amory Marple discussed the Chamber's accomplishments since her employment at the Chamber. She also discussed their events, future goals, potential partnerships, their occupancy in the Courthouse, and future growth opportunities. City Manager Cifiuentez and Ms. Marple answered questions from the Council. After a brief discussion, the Council directed staff to move forward with a Ad-Hoc Subcommittee.The Council selected Council Member Morrow and Vice Mayor Kairis with Council Member Martinez as the alternate for the subcommittee.
The Council adjourned to closed session at 6:06 p.m.
CLOSED SESSION FOR DISCUSSION OF THE FOLLOWING:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (54956.9 (d)(2)) Anticipated litigation involving Annexation 159
CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION:
Mayor Paden called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Absent:
Council Member Lou Martinez
Council Member Mark Kairis
Council Member Kalish Morrow
Council Member Diane Sharp
Council Member Travis Paden
INVOCATION:
The invocation was led by Council Member Sharp.
FLAG SALUTE:
The flag salute was led by Mayor Paden.
RECOGNITION/PROCLAMATION:
A. Proclamation for recognition of "National Public Works Week", May 21-27, 2023.
Mayor Paden presented the "National Public Works Week" Proclamation to Public Works Director Jim Ross.
COUNCIL REPORTS/GENERAL REPORTS:
Brief information-only reports from City Council and/or Staff, including committee reports and reports by City Council related to meetings attended at City expenses (AB1234).
The Council discussed the meetings and events they attended. During this time, the Council addressed the community's feedback regarding the Downtown Traffic and Pedestrian Improvements Project.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
This is the time for citizens to comment on subject matters within the jurisdiction of the Hanford City Council. This is also the public’s opportunity to request an item from the Consent Calendar be pulled for discussion purposes or to comment on any item on the agenda. State law does not allow the Council to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that members of the Council or staff may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising their public testimony rights (Gov. Code sec. 54954.2). A maximum of three minutes is allowed for each speaker. Please begin your comments by stating your name and providing your city of residence.
Bob Ramos addressed Vice Mayor Kairis's comments made during Council comments. He also discussed a meeting he had with Mr. Kairis. Mr. Ramos suggested Council Member Sharp recuse herself from voting on GB item A.
Nick Wagner addressed the comments made by Vice Mayor Kairis and Council Member Morrow. He also commented on past meetings regarding the traffic circle project.
Craig Johnson complemented Maintenance Worker Carmen Navarroo for her work in the community. He also commented on the newspaper article regarding the downtown traffic circle project. City Manager Cifuentez addressed his comments.
Jack Schwartz provided an update for the Carnegie Museum and invited the Council and public to the Carnegie's upcoming events.
Angel Rodriguez commented on the Downtown Traffic and Pedestrian Improvements Project and the amount of money the city is spending on the project. She also asked that the city keep the money local.
Dennis Ham commented on the downtown project and shared concerns about the negative affects this project will have on traffic and parking downtown.
Dulce Velazquez, of the American Cancer Society in Fresno, provided her background and expressed her concerns regarding second-hand smoke.
Sylvia Rios, a local volunteer of the American Cancer Society, discussed the negative affects of second-hand smoke and provided information packets for the Council.
Micheal Quinn spoke in opposition to putting a traffic circle downtown. He also expressed his concerns regarding the construction time of a traffic circle.
Kimber Reagan expressed her concerns about the downtown businesses being affected by a traffic circle.
Lynn Nelson commended Vice Mayor Kairis and Mayor Paden for their presentation regarding Heroes Park. She also commented on the traffic circle project.
Anna Brookshire commented on the budget for the traffic circle project.
Adrea Barona thanked the Council for following up on an issue he had in his neighborhood. He also shared his suggestions on how to keep the public informed. He also commented on the Sentinel article and suggested other areas in the city for a traffic circle.
Jim Showmaker expressed his concerns regarding a traffic circle in the central business district.
David Ayers commented on the Air Pollution Control District. He also spoke in opposition to the traffic circles in the downtown area and shared his past experience being on the City Council.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made and then the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and voted upon by a separate motion.
Motion to Approve.
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
Passed (UNANIMOUS)
Council Member Diane Sharp
Council Member Kalish Morrow
AYES: Diane Sharp, Mark Kairis, Kalish Morrow, Travis Paden, Lou Martinez A. Procedural Waiver: Waive reading in full of resolutions and ordinances and approval and adoption of same by reading title the only.
B. City Clerk: Approval of the Minutes of the April 4, 2023 Meeting C. City Clerk: Approval of the Minutes of the April 18, 2023 Meeting D. Administration: Approval of a new 1-year Service Agreement with Main Street Hanford for the same annual compensation amount of $81,090.
E. Finance: Acceptance and authorization for staff to File the City of Hanford's Quarterly Investment Portfolio and Transactions Reports as of 03/31/2023.
GENERAL BUSINESS:
A. Community Development: Authorization to award a contract to Interwest Consulting Group, for an amount not to exceed $391,944.72 and appropriation of said amount to provide engineering and design services for the Downtown Traffic and Pedestrian Improvements Project.
Deputy City Manager Waters discussed the consulting services for the Downtown Traffic and Pedestrian Improvements Project and the project's key milestones for the Council's review and consideration. Interwest Consulting Group Director Nicole Jules (teleconference) addressed the Council's questions and concerns. Staff answered questions from the Council. After much discussion, Council Member Sharp made the motion to award the contact to Interwest Consulting Group.
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
NAYS:
Passed
Council Member Diane Sharp
Council Member Kalish Morrow
Diane Sharp, Mark Kairis, Kalish Morrow, Travis Paden
Lou Martinez
COUNCIL COMMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS::
At this time, any Council Member may ask a question for clarification, make an announcement, or report briefly on their activities. In addition, subject to Council Policies and Procedures, they may request staff to report back to the Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any matter or take action to direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda. (GOV. CODE SEC. 54954.2)
It was a Council consensus to direct staff to prepare a letter in opposition to AB 650. Council Member Martinez and Mayor Paden also expressed their concerns regarding the lights at Lacely Park.
A. Council Future Agenda Items
B. Upcoming Events and Important Dates:
May 1: Summer Day Camp Registration opens. Camp dates June 5, 2023 - August 4, 2023. Contact Parks and Community Services for more information at 559-585-2525 or Register Here
May 4: Thursday Night Market 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
May 6: Food Truck Take Over in Civic Park 5:30 pm -9:00 pm May 10: City/County 2nd Quarter Coordinating Conference 6:00 pm at Fugazzi's hosted by the City of Hanford
May 13: Helping Hands Volunteer Program YAC/Rotary 1098 Campus Drive 8:00 am - Noon Sign up here
May 16: Regular City Council Meeting
ADJOURNMENT:
Mayor Paden adjourned the meeting at 9:41 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Natalie Corral
Natalie Corral, City Clerk