Imperial City Council
James Tucker - Mayor
Ida Obeso-Martinez - Mayor Pro-Tem
Stacy Mendoza - Council Member
Katherine Burnworth - Council Member
Robert Amparano - Council Member
MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the Imperial City Council
City Council Chambers
220 West 9th Street
Imperial, CA 92251-1637
September 17, 2025
Closed Session at 06:00 pm
Open Session at 07:00 pm
6:00 P.M. CLOSED SESSION
CALLED TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:12 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Amparano, Burnworth, Mendoza, Mayor Pro Tem Obeso- Martinez, Mayor Tucker, City Manager Morita, Assistant to the City Manager Garcia, and Attorney Turner.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS ONLY:
Public comment received by Andrew Rauch regarding Property.
Public comment was received by Dr. Mervat Kelada and Tony Gallegos regarding property.
Public comment received by Flavio Grijalva regarding Teamsters 542.
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL:
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS- G.C.§ 54956.8 Property Address: 063-054-038
Agency Negotiator: City Manager and Development Management Group, Inc. (Michael Bracken) Negotiating Parties: Dr. Mervat Kelada, Under Negotiation: Price and terms PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - G.C § 54956.7 (b)(1) Title of Position: City Manager
CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS - G.C.§ 54957.6
Agency Representatives: City Manager
Employee Organization: Imperial Police Officers Association, Teamsters Local 542 & Employee Organization Management Supervisory, Professional, Confidential, and Police Captain/Unrepresented
Citv of Imperial Council Minutes
September 17, 2025
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION G.C §54956.9 (d)(2) ovalk, LLC v. City of Imperial et. al, United States District Court for the Southern District of California SCV2307 BAS DDL and City of Imperial v. Gazette Ranch, Inc., Imperial County Superior Court, ECU0056 7:00 P.M. REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Tucker called the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Council Members Amparano, Burnworth, Mendoza, Mayor Pro Tem Obeso- Martinez and Mayor Tucker.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor James Tucker.
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: There were none.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION: The City Attorney, Turner, stated that the council was given direction on existing litigation, there was no reportable action on Labor negotiations and employee evaluations, and price and terms were given on Real Property Negotiations.
PUBLIC COMMENT: There were none.
A. PRESENTATIONS:
A-1. Mayor Tucker presented the Proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
A-2. Mayor Tucker presented the Proclamation for National HR Professionals Day.
A-3. Mayor Tucker presented the Proclamation for Library Card Sign-Up Month.
A-4. Mayor Tucker presented the Proclamation for National I.T. Professionals Day.
B. CONSENT AGENDA:
B-1. Approval of Warrants Report.
Accept proposal from Dynamic Consulting Engineers, Inc from the On-Call Engineering Services Contract for services related to the 15th St. Improvements from C Street to F Street.
Accept proposal from Nicklaus Engineering from the On-Call Engineering Services Contract for services related to the Paseo Sewer Pump Station Grading Plan.
B-4. Authorization to reject claim #CJP-3054697 as recommended by Carl Warren & Company.
B-5. Receive and acknowledge the Classification and Compensation Studies conducted by Gallagher as final reports for city review.
Moved by Mendoza, seconded by Burnworth, to approve the Consent Agenda.
AYES: Burnworth, Mendoza, Obeso-Martinez, and Tucker
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: Amparano
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIES: 4-0-1
City of Imperial Council Minutes
September 17, 2025
C. ACTION ITEMS (DISCUSSION/ACTION):
C-1. Award the Manhole and Gravity Sewer Collections System CCTV Inspection and Inventory project to Downstream Services Inc. (Project No. 2025-08).
Presenter: David Dale, Public Services Director
Recommendation: Accept proposal from Downstream for the Manhole and Gravity Sewer Collections System CCTV Inspection and Inventory (Project No. 2025-08) and authorize a not- to-exceed amount of $272,603.00 with a 25% contingency.
Moved by Burnworth, seconded by Obeso-Martinez, to approve and accept the proposal from Downstream for the Manhole and Gravity Sewer Collections System CCTV Inspection and Inventory (Project No. 2025-08) and authorize a not-to-exceed amount of $272,603.00 with a 25% contingency.
AYES: Amparano, Burnworth, Mendoza, Obeso-Martinez, and Tucker NOES:
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIES: 5-0
C-2. Award the Shop Tank & Aten Tank Modifications and New Ventilation System Installation Project to Total Industries, Inc. (Bid 2025-03).
Presenter: David Dale, Public Services Director
Recommendation: Award the Shop Tank & Aten Tank Modifications and New Ventilation System Installation Project to Total Industries, Inc. (Bid 2025-03) in the amount of $1,038,536.99 with a 15% contingency.
Moved by Amparano, seconded by Mendoza, to approve and award the Shop Tank & Aten Tank Modifications and New Ventilation System Installation Project to Total Industries, Inc. (Bid 2025-03) in the amount of $1,038,536.99 with a 15% contingency.
AYES: Amparano, Burnworth, Mendoza, Obeso-Martinez, and Tucker NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIES: 5-0
C-3. Approve the implementation of the classification study recommendations for the unrepresented contract, MSPC, Seasonal, and Part-Time Classifications.
Presenter: Dennis H. Morita, City Manager
Recommendation: Approve and implement the recommendations of the classification study as outlined to include reclassifications, title changes, and new and updated job descriptions for all positions within the Contract, MSPC, Seasonal and Part-Time Unrepresented positions, and update the city's salary schedule to reflect these changes.
City of Imperial Council Minute.
September 17, 202.
Moved by Mendoza, seconded by Obeso-Martinez, to approve and implement the recommendations NOES:
ABSTAIN: Amparano
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIES: 4-0-1
C-4. Approve Resolution No. 2025-49, to amend the resolution for MSPC Unrepresented employees to include implementations from the class study.
Presenter: Kristen Smith, Human Resources Manager
Recommendation: Approve Resolution No. 2025-49, RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IMPERIAL ESTABLISHING THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR MSPC UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF IMPERIAL.
Moved by Mendoza, seconded by Obeso-Martinez, to approve Resolution No. 2025-49.
AYES: Burnworth, Mendoza, Obeso-Martinez, and Tucker
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: Amparano
ABSENT: None
MOTION CARRIES: 4-0-1
C-5. Appointment to the County of Imperial Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC).
Presenter: Dennis H. Morita, City Manager
Recommendation: Appoint a Primary and an Alternate council member to the County of Imperial ALUC.
*Mayor Tucker requested to table and bring back to the next meeting.
D. REPORTS:
D-1. Departments reported on their activities since the last city council meeting.
D-2. City Manager Reports: None
D-3. The mayor and council members have reported on their activities since the last city council Meeting and upcoming events.
City of Imperial Council Minutes
September 17, 2025
ADJOURNMENT:
Seeing no further business before the Council, Mayor Tucker ended this meeting at 8:26 p.m. and adjourned until the next council meeting on October 1, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the city of Imperial, California, this 15th day of October 2025.
Kit Shut
KRISTINA SHIELDS
City Clerk
City of Imperial Council Minutes
September 17. 2025