Minutes
Lakewood City Council
Adjourned Regular Meeting held
October 24, 2023
MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER at 6:01 p.m. by Mayor Pe in the Executive Board Room, 5000 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, California.
ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Mayor Ariel Pe
Vice Mayor Todd Rogers
Council Member Cassandra Chase
Council Member Steve Croft
Council Member Jeff Wood
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NORTH CITY HALL OFFICE IMPROVEMENTS
Kelli Pickler, Director of Public Works, made a presentation based on the report in the agenda stating that the carpet and furniture at City Hall were aging and past due for replacement. She reported that with work wrapping up on the counter improvements at Community Development and Public Works, there was an opportunity to issue a change order to the contract in order to continue improvements on the north side of City Hall, including the lobby, the remaining portions of Community Development and the Administrative Services department. The contractor would keep the competitively bid pricing from the original contract. She stated that staff recommended that the City Council appropriate funds for City Hall Office Improvements ($850,000) to account 10109922.58800.70131 from the reserve for Capital Improvements from Measure L; authorize staff to negotiate and execute a change order to Empire Design and Build, in the amount of $522,250; authorize staff to issue a purchase order to D & R Office Works for the additional furniture, in the amount of $198,000; and authorize an additional project contingency of $130,000.
Staff responded to questions and comments from Council Members regarding potential security enhancements, additional changes to the front counter, physical constraints and efficiency assessments.
COUNCIL MEMBER CROFT MOVED AND COUNCIL MEMBER WOOD SECONDED TO APPROVE STAFF’S RECOMMENDATIONS. UPON ROLL CALL VOTE, THE MOTION WAS APPROVED:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: Wood, Croft, Chase, Rogers and Pe NAYS: COUNCIL MEMBERS: None
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City Council Minutes
October 24, 2023
LAKEWOOD EQUESTRIAN CENTER MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS
City Manager Thaddeus McCormack provided a brief history on management and operations at the Lakewood Equestrian Center.
Valarie Frost, Director of Recreation and Community Services, made a presentation based on the report in the agenda. She explained that as the owner and licensee of the property, the City would assume management of the equestrian center beginning November 1, 2023, since the current caretaker agreement would end on October 31, 2023. She stated that there were the added challenges of County, State and Federal regulations to which the City was legally bound to carry out as the owner and licensee. She detailed the future management plan, which included a contract with D. Joy Gould dba Hacienda Sosegado to provide horse boarding care including daily feeding of horses in boarding and daily cleaning of boarding units and would also serve in a consulting role to staff and provide customer service support to horse boarders, horse trainers and vendors. She added that staff were actively preparing to take on the management and operations of the Lakewood Equestrian Center with newly drafted agreements for horse boarding, horse training and vendors being developed.
Part-time city employees were being recruited and trained to assist with administrative and maintenance tasks and the need for equipment and supplies were being identified and purchased. She concluded by stating that the recommendations listed in the agenda report would be considered for Council action at the regular meeting later in the evening.
Staff responded to questions and comments from Council Members pertaining to budget considerations, operating expenses, agreement terms, boarding rates, chain of command and relationship with the contractor/service provider, security cameras and additional patrols.
The Council Members expressed gratitude to the members of the Equestrian Center Ad Hoc Committee for their efforts and commitment to providing as smooth a transition as possible.
Ms. Frost stated that a report could be brought back in three months and at six months to provide status updates.
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ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought before the City Council, Mayor Pe adjourned the meeting at 7:07 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jo Mayberry, CMC
City Clerk