LODI CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
CARNEGIE FORUM
305 W. PINE STREET
TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025 ‑ 4:00 P.M.
A. Call to Order / Roll Call
The Special City Council meeting of April 1, 2025, was called to order by Mayor Bregman at 4:04 p.m.
Present: Council Member Craig Hensley, Council Member Nakanishi, and Mayor Bregman
Absent: Council Member Hothi and Mayor Pro Tempore Yepez
Also Present: City Manager Carney, City Attorney Lucchesi, and City Clerk Nashed
B. Regular Calendar
B.1 Receive Report for Consideration of a Future Action to Approve Fiscal Year 2024‑25 Mid‑Year Budget Adjustments; Add One Administrative Services Director/Chief Financial Officer Position, Two New Customer Service Representative Positions, One Budget Analyst Position, Two Associate Planners and a Program Coordinator (Rental Coordinator) Position; and Reclassify a Transit Planner Position, Human Resources Manager Position, and Information Technology Manager Position (ISD‑BUD)
Attachments: Attachment 1 ‑ 36 CIP PWST‑0025 Traffic Signal Maintenance Attachment 2 ‑ 43 CIP EUCP‑21002 12KV Overhead
Attachment 3 ‑ 44 CIP EUCP‑21006 12KV Underground
Attachment 4 ‑ 45 CIP EUCP‑21001 Streetlight Maintenance Attachment 5 ‑ 47 CIP EUCP‑21010 230KV Interconnection
Attachment 6 ‑ 76 CIP PWWA‑0052 PCE TCE Oversight
Attachment 7 ‑ 123 CIP EUCP‑21009 Substation Load Tap Changer Attachment 8 ‑ 196 CIP EUCP‑22005 Substation Relay Modernization Attachment 9 ‑ 197 CIP EUCP‑22004 Henning Getaway Project Attachment 10 ‑ 245 CIP EUCP‑23001 Substation Maintenance Attachment 11 ‑ 280 CIP EUCP‑23002 CDWR Natural Gas Plant Attachment 12 ‑ 296 CIP EUCP‑24001 60 kV Breaker Upgrades and Replacements Attachment 13 ‑ 304 GFCP‑25001 Citywide Space Planning Service Attachment 14 ‑ 315 CIP EUCP‑24004 Killelea 1211 Reconductor Attachment 15 ‑ 318 EUCP‑25001 LEU Operations Video Wall Attachment 16 ‑ 320 EUCP‑25003 Online Transformer Monitoring Attachment 17 ‑ 321 EUCP‑25004 Westgate Substation Pole Placement Attachment 18 ‑ Exhibit A
City Manager Carney asked Mayor Bregman for the opportunity to provide introductory comments to this item and read a prepared statement regarding staff reports redacted by the City Attorney and City Clerk being published contrary to his direction, diminishing City transparency. After several minutes, Mayor Bregman instructed City Manager Carney to stop reading his statement as it had deviated from the agendized item.
Budget Manager Jennelle Baker provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Fiscal Year 2024‑25 mid‑year budget adjustments. Specific topics of discussion included Fiscal Year 2024/25 mid‑year objective, budget background, mid‑year review, General Fund revenue, General Fund ‑ cost allocation, General Fund revenue by category, General Fund expense, General Fund expense by department, other funds mid‑year highlights, other funds expenses, Capital ‑ General Fund, Capital ‑ Electric Utility, Capital ‑ Public Works, personnel adjustments, salary tables, mid‑year recommendation budget forecast, and action recommended to be taken at the Regular Council Meeting on April 2, 2025.
In response to Council Member Craig‑Hensley, Budget Manager Baker confirmed the budget forecast included the recommended new positions.
In response to Council Member Craig‑Hensley, Budget Manager Baker confirmed the cost associated with the personnel adjustments are in line with the compensation survey that was conducted.
In response to Council Member Craig‑Hensley, Budget Manager Baker provided information on the full‑time position in the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department.
In response to Mayor Bregman, Budget Manager Baker and Community Development Director John Della Monica provided information on the General Plan update.
Council Member Craig‑Hensley spoke regarding the importance of a General Plan update.
In response to Council Member Nakanishi, Community Development Director Della Monica provided information regarding personnel adjustments in the department improving customer service.
In response to Mayor Bregman and Council Member Craig‑Hensley, Budget Manager Baker and Neighborhood Services Manager Jennifer Rhyne provided information on ARPA funding.
No Council action was required on this item.
B.2 Receive and File a Verbal Report on the Finance Divisions Observations (CM)
City Manager Carney clarified that the proposed budget will be brought to Council for action at the Regular Meeting on April 2, 2025, at which time Council may adopt the entire recommendation, pieces of the recommendation, or none of the recommendation.
Interim Assistant City Manager Bobby Magee provided a PowerPoint presentation regarding the Finance Divisions Observations update. Specific topics of discussion included agenda, review of risk factors, audit/accounting disclosures to auditors, audit results, Waste Management overages and contamination charges, payroll exception report, utility billings, and takeaways.
In response to Mayor Bregman, Interim Assistant City Manager Magree provided information regarding utility billing security deposits.
In response to Council Member Craig‑Hensley, Interim Assistant City Manager Magee provided information regarding the excess funds and the ERP system transfer.
Public Works Director Charlie Swimley spoke regarding concerns with the Waste Management overage charges.
Council Member Craig‑Hensley spoke regarding the commercial Waste Management overage charges arriving a year after the infraction.
Council Member Nakanishi spoke regarding Council receiving a positive audit report every year but now receiving an audit report with inadequacies. He stated Council must be address the situation.
Interim Assistant City Manager Magee provided information regarding the difference between the City's responsibilities and the auditor's responsibility during the auditing process.
Council Member Craig‑Hensley stated that she concurred with Council Member Nakanishi's comments and noted the issues brought forward in the report are unacceptable. She further stated that now that Council is aware of the problem, the situation must be addressed. Council Member Craig‑Hensley commended Budget Manager Jennelle Baker for the work she put forth in producing the budget document with the staffing shortage.
Mayor Bregman concurred with the previous statements and noted that now that the problem has been identified, the City will find a resolution.
JP Doucette, President of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, stated he has confidence in the staff as they brought forward this information and expressed disappointment that the full Council was not in attendance for the budget presentation.
An unidentified member of the public spoke regarding the transparency shown in the presentation and the Council's willingness to work through the issues and challenges and expressed disappointment in staff not being allowed to finish the presentation of information.
No Council action was required on this item.
C. Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 5:31 p.m.
ATTEST:
Olivia Nashed
City Clerk