City of Indio
City Council / Indio Water Authority / Indio Electric Financing Authority Minutes
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Mayor Glenn Miller called to order the closed session meeting of the City Council for the City of Indio, at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 150 Civic Center Drive, Indio, California.
CLOSED SESSION - 4 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Glenn Miller
Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes
Councilmember Oscar Ortiz
Councilmember Benjamin Guitron IV
Absent:
Councilmember Waymond Fermon
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None.
3. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION TO CONSIDER:
3.1 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9 Significant Exposure to Litigation (2) Items
3.2 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of Litigation Significant Exposure to Litigation Pursuant to Paragraph (4) of Subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9
Number of Cases (1)
REGULAR SESSION - 5 PM
Mayor Glenn Miller called to order the regular meeting of the City Council for the City of Indio, the Indio Water Authority and the Indio Electric Financing Authority, at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 150 Civic Center Drive, Indio, California.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Present:
Mayor Glenn Miller
Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes
Councilmember Oscar Ortiz
Councilmember Benjamin Guitron IV
Absent:
Councilmember Waymond Fermon
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January 15, 2025
City Staff Present:
Bryan H. Montgomery, City Manager, Jon Nicks, Asst. City Manager, Brian Tully, Chief of Police, Steven Graham Pacifico, City Attorney, Sabdi Sanchez, Dir. of City Clerk Services, Andrew Ansoorian, Dir. of Human Resources, Ruby Walla, Dir. of Finance, Miguel Ramirez Cornejo, Dir. of Economic Development, Ian Cozens, Dir. of IT, Timothy T. Wassil, Dir. of Public Works, Rey Trejo, IWA General Manager, and Brian Halvorson, Dir. of Community Development.
2. INVOCATION - Pastor Stephen Sloat, Coachella Valley Christian Church
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE -led by Avry Felizardo, Roosevelt Elementary
4. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Steven Graham Pacifico reported Council met in Closed Session to discuss the items listed therein with no reportable action.
5. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL (YAC)
Julissa Cornejo, Youth Advisory Council Publicists, provided updates on recent activities. YAC volunteered at the Annual Tree Lighting, participated in the Tamale Festival where they sold Indio merchandise, and helped assemble and deliver gift baskets to local seniors at Christianson Apartments. Additionally, the Youth Council secured a small grant from the Directing Change Program to launch a suicide prevention and mental health awareness initiative in Indio through shortfilm projects. A report on the progress of the program will be shared at an upcoming meeting.
6. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND INFORMATION – None
7. CITY COUNCIL CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE – None
8. CITY COUNCIL REPORT ON MEETINGS ATTENDED PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 53232.3(D)
Councilmember Ortiz had no reports on Commissions.
Councilmember Ortiz requested support for a future discussion on solutions to limit big corporations from purchasing housing supply in Indio and provide an opportunity for Indio residents to purchase single family homes.
There was a consensus of the City Council to bring back for discussion at the February 19, 2025, Council meeting.
Councilmember Guitron had no reports on Commissions.
Mayor Pro Tem Holmes reported on Coachella Valley Conservation Commission, East Valley Reclamation Authority (EVRA) and her appointment as President to
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the Authority.
Mayor Miller reported on East Valley Reclamation Authority (EVRA).
9. APPOINTMENTS
9.1 Approve nominations for reappointment of Commissioners and appointments to fill vacancies on Boards and Commissions after a general municipal election per IMC Section 32.03(D)
Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Holmes, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve Council nominations and ratify appointments as listed on the attached roster of the staff report. Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
9.2 Appointment of Christian Rodriguez Ceja to the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission, nominated by Councilmember Oscar Ortiz
Motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Holmes, seconded by Councilmember Guitron to approve Council nomination and ratify the appointment of Christian Rodriguez Ceja to the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission.
Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
9.3 Appointment of Jerome Adams to the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission, nominated by Councilmember Waymond Fermon
Motion made by Councilmember Guitron, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve Council nomination and ratify the appointment of Jerome Adams to the Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission. Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
9.4 Appointment of Felipe Ortiz to the Planning Commission, nominated by Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes
Motion made by Mayor Miller, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve Council nomination and ratify the appointment of Felipe Ortiz to the Planning Commission. Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
10. CONSENT CALENDAR
10.1 Minutes for City Council meeting of December 4, 2024
10.2 Resolution No. 10474, adopting the amended City of Indio Conflict of Interest Code
10.3 City Warrants from 11.23.24 thru 01.06.25
10.4 IWA Warrants from 11.23.2024 to 01.06.2025
10.5 Developer mitigation fee reporting requirements pursuant to Government Code Section 66006
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10.6 Approve contract Change Order No. 1 to Walton Bros Enterprise Inc. dba CJW General Contracting in the amount of $80,858.17 for the 2024 Citrus Avenue Domestic Water Main Project, Project No. WT-WDFF124
10.7 Approval of Cost Sharing agreement with Find Food Bank for the construction of the 2024 Citrus Avenue Domestic Water Main Project, Project No. WT-WDFF124
10.8 Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Sierra Controls, LLC for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition maintenance in the amount of $142,757.32 for a revised total not-to-exceed amount of $367,757.32
10.9 Resolution No. 10475, fixing the employer contribution under the Public Employees' Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMHCA) at an equal amount for employees and annuitants, and making a determination that the action is exempt from further environmental review pursuant to Section 15324 (Regulations of Working Conditions) of the California Environmental Quality Act
10.10 Approval of Final Parcel Map No. 38632 for Can Do, LLC (The Greens Indio), generally located on the northeast corner of Avenue 42 and Jackson Street
10.11 Authorize release of Subdivision Improvement Agreement and Lien previously posted by Coco Palms 27, LLC, for Tract Map No. 38072-3 (Dolfina) and accept new Subdivision Improvement Agreement and improvement bonds with D.R. Horton Los Angeles Holding Company, Inc. for the street and survey monument improvements
10.12 Amendment Two to the Reimbursement Agreement by and between the City of Indio and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments increasing the regional share of the project and Amendment 12 to the Professional Services Agreement with T.Y. Lin International increasing their agreement for services by $234,829.05, for the Avenue 44 Bridge Project
10.13 Amendment Four to the Agency Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Indio for work related to the Arts and Music Line Project (Project No. PL2001) in the amount of $40,848; and authorize the City Manager to execute the Amendment
10.14 Amendment One to the Agency Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Indio for the Jefferson Street Widening Project from Avenue 38 to Sun City Boulevard (Project No. ST2203)
10.15 Amendment Two to the Agency Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Indio for the Avenue 50 and Jackson Street Intersection Improvements Project (Project No. TS1901)
10.16 Amendment 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with Albert A. Webb Associates in an amount not to exceed $444,532 for the Avenue 50 Widening and Avenue 52 Improvement Projects (Project Nos. ST2004 and ST2204)
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10.17 Resolution No. 10473, agreeing to Joint Exercise Powers of Eminent Domain with the County of Riverside and Act as Lead Agency and Amendment Four to the Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), the City of Indio, and the County of Riverside for the Jackson Street / Interstate 10 Interchange Project (Project No. ST0701)
10.18 Approve an additional $25,000 to install a solar lighting system for the Bravo Sculpture Project and authorize the City Manager and The City Attorney to amend the project’s contract accordingly
10.19 Three-Year renewal of VMware licensing and support subscription in the amount of $297,300.00 purchased through Connections Public Sector Solutions
Motion made by Councilmember Guitron, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve Consent Calendar Items 10.1 thru 10.19, except for Item
10.13. Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
Councilmember Guitron recused from the dais on Item 10.13 as the project is near his residence.
Vote on Item 10.13: Motion made by Councilmember Ortiz, seconded by Mayor Holmes to approve Item 10.13. Carried 3-1-1, with Councilmember Guitron abstaining and Councilmember Fermon Absent.
11. ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
11.1 Resolution 2025-01 of the Indio Electric Finance Authority modifying the surcharge for electric service within the boundaries of the City of Indio Motion made by Vice Chair Holmes, seconded by Board Member Ortiz to approve IEFA Resolution No. 2025-01. Carried 4-0-1, with Board Member Fermon Absent.
11.2 Select the finalist for the Indio Mural # 16 and authorize the City Manager and City Attorney to negotiate and finalize the terms of any agreement between the City and the selected artist, with a total budget not exceeding $50,000 for the mural and a total budget of $10,000 for lighting Motion made by Councilmember Guitron, seconded by Councilmember Ortiz to approve Muralist Number 2, Adam Enrique Rodriguez, based in Desert Hot Springs, CA. Carried 4-0-1, with Councilmember Fermon Absent.
11.3 Consideration of names for the conference rooms at the new City Hall.
Discussion by the City Council ensued. The item was deferred to the next meeting of February 5, 2025.
11.4 Review completion of the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan and provide an update
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on efforts to develop a new Strategic Plan that will begin in 2025 Assistant City Manager, Jonathan Nicks provided an overview of the 2022- 2024 strategic plan and future steps for the upcoming strategic plan. *Mayor Miller requested for the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee for the second phase of the Public Safety Campus and appointed Councilmember Guitron to serve on this committee along with Mayor Miller.
12. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public comments provided by the following:
1. Gil Marrujo – Public Safety Campus
2. Al Meza – Public Safety Campus
3. Tiffani Liebue – Animal Advocacy, kennel licenses for more than five pets
13. ADJOURN
There being no further business to discuss, Mayor Miller adjourned the regular/joint meeting at 6:48 p.m., in memory of Deputy Sherriff Timothy Corlew, and a moment of silence for those affected by the fires in the Los Angeles areas.
SABDI SANCHEZ, MMC
DIRECTOR OF CITY CLERK SERVICES
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