MCFARLAND CITY COUNCIL
McFarland Successor Agency, McFarland Public Finance Authority, McFarland Improvement Authority, McFarland Parking Authority Special Meeting Notice and Agenda
Council Chambers
103 W. Sherwood Ave, Mcfarland, CA
Website: https://www.mcfarlandcity.org/
Monday, June 16, 2025
5:30 PM
SAUL AYON, Mayor
RICARDO CANO, Vice Mayor
MARTIN GUTIERREZ, Council Member
ANITA GONZALEZ, Council Member
MARÍA T. PÉREZ , Council Member
VIEW THE MEETING RECORDINGS ONLINE at www.mcfarlandcity.org/AgendaCenterRecordings will be available approximately one week following the meeting.
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CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Saul Ayon
ROLL CALL:
Mayor/Chair, Saul Ayon
Vice Mayor/Vice-Chair, Ricardo Cano
Council Member/Board Member, Martin Gutierrez
Council Member/Board Member, Anita Gonzalez
Council Member/Board Member, María T. Pérez
INVOCATION:
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
APPROVE AGENDA AS TO FORM
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA
1. Approval of Resolution No. 2025-78 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF MCFARLAND REQUESTING INITIATION OF PROCEEDINGS WITH THE
LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A
SUBSIDIARY DISTRICT
PUBLIC COMMENT: Members of the public wishing to address the Council about any item not on the agenda may do so at this time. Speakers are limited to two minutes for each person. Fifteen minutes total will be allowed for any one subject. Please state your name and address for the record prior to making a presentation.
COUNCIL COMMENTS
CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT
This is to certify this agenda was posted at McFarland City Hall on June 13, 2025.
Erika De La Cruz, City Clerk
Diego Viramontes, City Manager
Next Meeting: Regular City Council June 25, 2025.
The City of McFarland does not discriminate based on disability and complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (661) 792-3091 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. Special meeting needs hour change
All agenda item and/or supporting documentation is available for public review on the city website at www.mcfarlandcity.org and the office of the City Clerk of the City of McFarland, at 401 W, Kern Ave.
McFarland, CA 93250 during regular business hours of 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, following the posting of the agenda. Any supporting documentation related to an agenda item for an
open session of any regular meeting that is distributed after the agenda is posted and prior to the meeting will also be available for review at the same location and available at the meeting.
City of McFarland
City Council Meeting
STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 1.
Section: ADMINISTRATIVE
AGENDA
Meeting Date: June 16, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Diego Viramontes, City Manager
SUBJECT: Approval of Resolution No. 2025-78 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF MCFARLAND REQUESTING INITIATION OF
PROCEEDINGS WITH THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION
FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUBSIDIARY DISTRICT
SUMMARY:
At the direction of Mayor Saul Ayon, and following discussions with members of the McFarland Recreation and Parks District Board, this item is being presented at a special meeting for City Council consideration. The District has faced mounting financial challenges and deferred maintenance issues that hinder its ability to provide consistent and expanded recreational services to McFarland residents.
While Mayor Ayon and City staff have met with three board members and District staff—who expressed verbal support for collaboration—there has been no agreement to pursue a joint meeting or unified transition. As such, the City of McFarland is taking independent action to initiate the reorganization process in the best interest of the community.
ANALYSIS
The District’s financial condition is unsustainable and structurally imbalanced:
• FY 2022-23 Operating Deficit: ($144,438)
• Annual Property Tax Revenue: $882,264
• Salaries & Benefits: $845,089 (96% of property tax revenue) • Annual Programming Budget: Estimated at less than $100,000 • Unfunded CalPERS Liability: $1.78 million, with $127,658 due annually through FY 2038
This funding structure leaves limited resources for meaningful programming, facility upgrades, or long-term investments in the community's recreational needs.
By reorganizing the District into a subsidiary district under City governance, significant efficiencies can be realized. The City’s current administrative infrastructure—including
Finance, Human Resources, Public Works, and Community Development—has the capacity to absorb all administrative and overhead functions without the need for additional staff. This would substantially reduce salary and benefit costs, freeing up resources that can be redirected toward recreation programming, youth engagement, community events, and facility improvements.
Additionally, the City’s ability to leverage stable revenue streams, municipal bonding authority, and professionalized grant administration would position McFarland to make long-overdue investments in key capital improvements, including:
• Renovation or reconstruction of the community swimming pool • Development of Lions Park
• Implementation of the Parks Master Plan
Employee Retention & Transition Planning
The City is committed to ensuring continuity of service and minimizing disruption for current employees. During the transition, it is the City’s intent to retain all frontline staff currently employed by the District—either through direct assignment to the new subsidiary Parks & Recreation operations or through reassignment to other City departments with existing vacancies. This approach will allow the City to continue delivering recreation services without job loss and ensure that experienced employees remain engaged in public service to the McFarland community.
NEXT STEPS
Should the Council adopt the resolution, the City will submit a formal request to LAFCO to initiate the reorganization process. LAFCO will likely require a comprehensive feasibility study to evaluate the proposed structure, financial implications, and service delivery impacts. City staff will begin preparing for this study immediately following Council action.
CONCLUSION
The City of McFarland is taking proactive steps to address the long-standing challenges faced by the McFarland Recreation and Parks District. Establishing a subsidiary district represents a fiscally responsible, operationally sound, and community-centered path forward. This approach will enable the City to provide more robust and reliable recreation services while protecting the interests of staff and maximizing the use of public funds. Staff recommends approval of Resolution No. 2025-78 and authorization to proceed with the reorganization request to LAFCO.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no immediate fiscal impact resulting from adoption of the resolution. Any future costs related to the LAFCO application and feasibility study will be accounted for in the City’s General Fund, with the expectation that long-term savings will be achieved through consolidated staffing and streamlined operations.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2025-78, requesting the initiation of proceedings with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to reorganize the McFarland Recreation and Parks District (District) into a subsidiary district of the City of McFarland. This action would allow for a more efficient and coordinated delivery of parks and recreation services while preserving vital community programs and supporting the existing workforce.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-78
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MCFARLAND REQUESTING
INITIATION OF PROCEEDINGS WITH THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION
COMMISSION FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUBSIDIARY DISTRICT
WHEREAS, Government Code Section 56077 provides authority for the City Council of the City of McFarland (City) may propose a reorganization of a special district; and WHEREAS, Government Code section 57105 provides that a subsidiary district may be established in the territory of a district which contains 70 percent or more of the number of registered voters who reside within the district and are included within the boundaries of the City; and WHEREAS, the McFarland Recreation and Parks District (District) is a special district which meets the criteria for reorganization as a subsidiary district of the City of McFarland; and WHEREAS, the initiation of a reorganization may be requested by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the City or the District; and
WHEREAS, the Government Code provides for a study to evaluate the establishment of a subsidiary district and provide the application information for LAFCO to make determinations necessary to approve reorganization resulting in a subsidiary district; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of McFarland has determined that it is in the best interests of the residents of McFarland to reorganize the District into a subsidiary district, resulting in more efficient and coordinated management between recreation and parks that are currently provided by both entities serving the same community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of McFarland that it hereby finds and determines as follows:
1. The foregoing findings and recitals incorporated herein and are true and correct.
2. The City hereby proposes the reorganization of the McFarland Recreation & Parks District as a subsidiary district and requests that the Local Agency Formation Commission conduct proceedings for the proposal pursuant to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000, Government Code Sections 56000 et seq.
3. The reorganization can result in more efficient management of taxpayer resources and increase
recreational opportunity for residents.
4. A study will be commissioned pursuant to the Government Code that provides the relevant information for LAFCO to evaluate the reorganization.
5. That the names of the officers of the City who are to be furnished with copies of the Executive Officer’s Report and who are to be given mailed Notice of Hearing, if any, are: Diego Viramontes, City Manager, City of McFarland; Paul Saldana, Economic Development Manager, City of McFarland and Brianahi De Leon, Senior City Planner, City of McFarland, all to be notified and sent copies at 401 West Kern Avenue, McFarland, California 93250.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of McFarland on June 16, 2025 by the following vote:
Aye Nae Abstain Absent
Saul Ayon
Ricardo Cano
Anita Gonzalez
María T. Pérez
Martin Gutierrez
CITY OF MCFARLAND
____________________________
Saul Ayon, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Erika De La Cruz, City Clerk
I, _________________________, City Clerk of the City of McFarland, California, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of the Resolution passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of McFarland on the date and by the vote indicated herein.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________
Nathan Hodges, City Attorney