20250819
825-04
MINUTES OF THE CLOSED SESSION AND REGULAR MEETINGS
NORWALK CITY COUNCIL
NORWALK, CALIFORNIA
AUGUST 19, 2025
CLOSED SESSION MEETING
Mayor Ayala called the meeting to order at 5:08 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Norwalk City Hall, 12700 Norwalk Boulevard, Norwalk, California. Responding to roll call were Councilmember Rios, Vice Mayor Perez , and Mayor Ayala. Councilmember s Ramirez and Valencia were absent. Also present were Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager; Arnold M.
Alvarez-Glasman, City Attorney; and Camille Moreno, Assistant City Clerk.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR CLOSED SESSION MATTERS
There were no persons wishing to address City Council on the matters to be discussed in closed session.
CLOSED SESSION
City Council immediately convened to closed session for discussion on the following matters:
I. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE §54956.9(d)(1) – State of California vs. City of Norwalk, Case No. 24STCP03551.
II. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE §54956.8: Property: Property Address 12158 Firestone Blvd. (Front Street property); Negotiating Parties: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager, on behalf of the City and Arturo Sneider, Primestor Development Inc.; Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment.
III. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE §54956.9(d)(2) – Significant exposure to litigation in one case.
IV. PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE §54957.6; CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR. Negotiating on behalf of the City: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager; regarding negotiations with the Norwalk City Employees Association.
RECESS
City Council recessed at 6:35 p.m. pending the commencement of the regular meeting.
Minutes of the Closed Session and Regular Meetings
Norwalk City Council
August 19, 2025
2 REGULAR MEETING
Mayor Ayala called the meeting to order at 6:50 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Norwalk City Hall, 12700 Norwalk Boulevard, Norwalk, California. Responding to roll call were Councilmember Rios, Vice Mayor Perez , and Mayor Ayala. Councilmember s Ramirez and Valencia were absent. Also present were Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager; Arnold M.
Alvarez, City Attorney; and Camille Moreno, Assistant City Clerk.
The invocation was delivered by Pastor Arthur McKibben, Norwalk Church of the Nazarene; followed by the flag salute, led by Young Marine Private First Class Laureano Jimenez.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
The City Attorney indicated there was no reportable action taken on the matters discussed in closed session.
Mayor Ayala approved members of the Adaptive Recreation Program to address City Council.
Addressing City Council were Elizabeth Guerra, Barbara Medrano, Graciela Hernandez, and Alfredo Garcia-S.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilmember Rios reported on her meeting with the Mexican Consulate General and provided the phone number to a 24/7 immigration information hotline; thanked Housing Manager Bethani Cardenas and her staff for the Foster Youth V oucher Program; and requested the meeting be adjourned in memory of Frances Mary Husack . Vice Mayor Perez mentioned the upcoming heat warning and shared the City will have cooling centers available; thanked the Communications and Public Affairs team for sharing information on new legislation; reported on her attendance at the League of Cal ifornia Cities – Los Angeles Division Meeting, the Front Street Friday Night event, and the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority Panel in Oxnard where she participated as a panelist and spoke to newly elected officials. Mayor Ayala thanked Finance, Public Services, Public Safety, Social Services, and Recreation staff for all the successful summer events.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS
Mr. Gomez shared information on heat advisory cooling stations; provided an update on the upcoming Metropolitan Reconnecting Neighborhood and Communities Meeting; and announced Seniors will be recognized in the month of September.
Minutes of the Closed Session and Regular Meetings
Norwalk City Council
August 19, 2025
3 Videos were shared highlighting the National Night Out Recap and the “Bi -Weekly Review.”
CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent calendar items are considered routine matters which may be enacted by one motion and roll call vote. Mayor Ayala asked for a report on Item No. 7. Councilmember Rios asked for reports on Item Nos. 4 and 8 . Vice Mayor Perez moved and Councilmember Rios seconded to approve consent calendar as recommended. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: Councilmember Rios, Vice Mayor Perez, and Mayor Ayala NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers Ramirez and Valencia
MEETING MINUTES
City Council approved the minutes of the meetings of August 5, 2025. 825-04
PAYROLL FOR THE PERIOD JULY 20, 2025 – AUGUST 2, 2025
City Council approved gross payroll in the amount of $1,401,729.53; the payroll C heck Nos. 38467 – 38478 and the Voucher Nos. 348511 – 349103, in the total net amount of $1,057,794.61 for the payroll period July 20, 2025 – August 2, 2025. 630
COMMERCIAL DEMANDS
City Council approved the warrant register period July 29, 2025 – August 11, 2025, in the total amount of $9,591,654.22.
AGREEMENTS FOR - ON-CALL CITYWIDE GRANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ENGINEERS REPORT NO. 25-18
Following a brief report provided by Glen Kau, Director of Public Services/City Engineer, City Council discussion ensued with Councilmember Rios requesting staff seek additional grant funding opportunities . Addressing City Council was Brian Tindall. City Council approved agreements with the three qualified firms; Advanced Avant-Garde Corporation, Southstar Engineering & Consulting, Inc., and Blais & Associates, LLC to provide on-call grant management services for a term of three years from the date of execution; and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreement s as well as any extensions or amendments provided there is funding available in the budget on behalf of the City, in forms approved by the City Attorney.
310-06
Minutes of the Closed Session and Regular Meetings
Norwalk City Council
August 19, 2025
4 MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE OF ENGINEERING DIVISION – AGREEMENT AMENDMENT NO. 6, ENGINEERS REPORT NO. 25-19
City Council approved Amendment No. 6 to the agreement with Mario Mera Consulting to continue the scope of work of professional services in an amount not to exceed $8,550.00, which will increase the agreement amount from $320,500, not to exceed $329,050; and authorize d the City Manager to execute amendment provided there is funding in the budget, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney. 310-02
AMENDMENT NO. 1 – PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT – CITYWIDE INSPECTION SERVICES – ENGINEER’S REPORT NO. 25-20
City Council approved Amendment No. 1 for the agreement with Onward Engineering to increase the annual contract amount to $200,000 for Citywide Inspection Services; and authorized the City Manager to execute the amendment provided there is available budget, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney. 310-02
RESOLUTION NO. 25 -36 – ACCEPTANCE OF CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF TRAFFIC
SAFETY GRANT FUNDS
Following a brief report provided by Rita Ruiz, Interim Director of Public Safet y, Mayor Ayala highlighted the importance of this grant. City Council adopted Resolution No. 25- 36, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORWALK AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 ADOPTED BUDGET TO ADD THE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY PROGRAM GRANT, in the amount of $100,000.00 with $14,619.00 allocated respectively, for the purchase of and operating costs for a Radar Trailer; and authorized the City Manager as Chief Executive to complete and submit grant related documents and amendments.
730-03
RESOLUTION NO. 25-39 – BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 APPROVED BUDGET – AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR PROJECT NO. 7864 – SENIOR
CENTER ROOF REPLACEMENT AND EXTERIOR PAINTING OF BUILDING
Following a brief report by Glen Kau, Director of Public Services /City Engineer , Mr.
Gomez, City Manager, reported on the current physical status of the Senior Center roof.
City Council:
a. adopted Resolution No. 25- 39, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF NORWALK AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 ADOPTED BUDGET TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR PROJECT NO. 7864
SENIOR CENTER ROOF REPLACEMENT AND EXTERIOR PAINTING OF BUILDING; and
Minutes of the Closed Session and Regular Meetings
Norwalk City Council
August 19, 2025
5 b. authorized the City Manager to execute an agreement with Letner Roofing Company in the amount of $776,000 including amendments up to the 15% contingency, provided there is funding in the budget, on behalf of the City, in form approved by the City Attorney.
610/1005-04-7864
APPOINTMENTS
ADVISORY BODY APPOINTMENTS
Councilmember Rios moved and Mayor Ayala seconded to appoint Vanessa Armendarez to the Art in Public Places Committee. MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: Councilmember Rios, Vice Mayor Perez, and Mayor Ayala NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers Ramirez and Valencia
200
REPORTS
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 25 -40 - APPROVAL OF A PUT OPTION AGREEMENT FOR THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 12158 FIRESTONE BLVD, NORWALK, CA 90650 (ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBER 8056-014-034)
Alex Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development, provided a report. City Council discussion ensued with Vice Mayor Perez requesting Primestor be present at a future City Council meeting to discuss the current property and other future development plans with conceptual timelines. Councilmember Rios requested additional information, and Mr. Hamilton outlined the terms of the PUT Agreement. Vice Mayor Perez moved and Councilmember Rios seconded to:
a. adopt Resolution No. 25- 40, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF NORWALK APPROVING PUT OPTION AGREEMENT BY AND
BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORWALK AND PRIMESTOR DEVELOPMENT, LLC IN CONNECTION WITH 12158 FIRESTONE BLVD., NORWALK CA 90650; and b. find that the Put Agreement is exempt under CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3) and 15783(a) and none of the exceptions to the Categorical Exemptions under CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply; and c. approve the PUT Agreement with Primestor Development LLC for the property located at 12158 Firestone Blvd. (Assessor Parcel Number 8056-014-034); and d. authorize the City Manager to execute the Put Agreement, amendments, and any other ancillary documents reasonably necessary to effectuate the intent of this Resolution,
including but not limited to, amendment, certificate of acceptance, and escrow documents, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
Minutes of the Closed Session and Regular Meetings
Norwalk City Council
August 19, 2025
6 MOTION CARRIED BY THE FOLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE:
AYES: Councilmember Rios, Vice Mayor Perez, and Mayor Ayala NOES: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers Ramirez and Valencia 1405-06
ONE-WAYS NEIGHBORHOOD REHABILITATION PROGRAM SUMMARY
Following a brief report provided by Moises Mata, Senior Management Analyst, the report was received and filed. 1410-01
RESIDENTIAL REHABILITATION PROGRAM SUMMARY
Mr. Mata provided a brief report. The report was received and filed. 315
HEART OF NORWALK SPECIFIC PLAN UPDATE
Carlos Rojas, Senior Planner, and Phil Burns, Principal at the Arroyo Group , provided a brief report. City Council discussion ensued with Vice Mayor Perez thanking staff for reaching out to property owners and for scheduling more upcoming informational workshops. Vice Mayor Perez requested Heart of Norwalk information be shared on the official City of Norwalk social media accounts. Addressing City Council was Brian Tindall.
The report was received and filed. 1405-06
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The Assistant City Clerk summarized emails submitted by Steven Hsieh and Steve C.
De Baca. Addressing City Council were Paki, Andy, Norwalk Resident No. 2, Norwalk Resident, Norwalk Resident No. 3, Hasan, Ms. Oaxaca, and Brian Tindall.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before City Council, the meeting was adjourned at 9:08 p.m., in memory of Frances Mary Husack.
____________________________
CAMILLE MORENO
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
ATTEST:
____________________________
TONY AYALA
MAYOR