Regular Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2026 Page 1 of 5
MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2026, 6:00 PM
KENT HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL CAMPUS - 111 W SANTA ANA ST, OJAI, CA Mayor Gilman called the meeting to order at 8:30 p.m., following (as noticed) conclusion of the May 12, 2026, Special Meeting of City Council.
ROLL CALL
The following members were present: Mayor Gilman, Mayor Pro Tem Mang, and Council Members Rule, Lang, and Whitman.
Also present: City Manager Harvey, City Attorney Burgess, and Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Agenda Items No. 6, 7, 9, and 11 were continued to a future agenda.
ACTION: Unanimous Consent reached through the Mayor, to approve the agenda as amended.
COMMISSION REPORTS
None
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Harvey introduced Public Works Director Palmer, who provided an oral report related to paving and speed humps.
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
Public Communications is the time set aside during the meeting for members of the public to address the City Council on items of City business other than scheduled agenda items.
Matters raised at this time may be briefly discussed by the Council, and will generally be Regular Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2026 Page 2 of 5
referred to staff and/or placed on a subsequent agenda. Under State law, other than for emergency items, no action can be taken.
CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be considered routine and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. There will be no discussion of these items unless, before the vote on the motion to adopt, specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate motions.
1. Minutes - City Council
RECOMMENDATION: Approve.
2. Minutes - Planning Commission
RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file.
3. City of Ojai Warrants for April 13, 2026 - April 26, 2026 RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file.
4. Confirm Appointment to Fill Mid-Term Vacancy on the Planning Commission
RECOMMENDATION: Confirm nomination of applicant Bruce Hanson as Planning Commissioner to fill a mid-term vacancy (term ending May 2028).
5. Confirm Appointment to Fill Inaugural Vacancy on the Public Safety Commission
RECOMMENDATION: Confirm nomination of applicant Larry Steingold as Public Safety Commissioner to fill an inaugural vacancy (term ending May 2030).
6. Amendment No. 2 to Pristine Auto Detailing for Fleet Detailing Services RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize City Manager to execute the second amendment to PW Agreement No. 2025-29B with Pristine Auto Detailing (Pristine Auto) to (1) increase the not-to-exceed amount for FY 25/26 by $15,000, and (2) establish a new not-to-exceed amount for FY 26/27 of $67,000; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to extend the term of the agreement to June 30, 2027.
7. Award Maintenance Agreement for Janitorial Services (Operational Need) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute Maintenance Agreement No. 2026- 31 with Kelly’s Cleaning & Supplies for janitorial services in the amount of $115,263.96 for a three-year period commencing July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, and;
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute, in their sole discretion, future amendments for up to two (2) additional one-year terms for a maximum agreement term not to exceed five (5) years.
Regular Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2026 Page 3 of 5
8. Consider Approval of Resolution No. 2026-16 Supporting Assembly Bill No. 2529 (Johnson) Relating to Declarations in Civil Claims Filed Against Public Entities
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Resolution No. 2026-16, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OJAI, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING
ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 2529 (JOHNSON) RELATING TO DECLARATIONS IN CIVIL CLAIMS FILED AGAINST PUBLIC ENTITIES.” (Attachment A).
2. Direct staff to transmit a copy of the executed resolution to the author of AB 2529, Assembly member Johnson, and to other members of the State Legislature as directed by the City Attorney’s Office.
Council Member Whitman pulled Item 5 for discussion.
Council Member Lang pulled Items 4 and 8 for discussion MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Gilman, seconded by Council Member Lang, to approve Items 1, 2, and 3.
The motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Lang, seconded by Mayor Gilman, to approve Item 4.
The motion carried unanimously.
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Lang, seconded by Council Member Rule, to approve Item 5.
The motion carried 4-0-1 (Council Member Rule abstaining).
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Gilman, seconded by Council Member Rule, to approve Item 8
The motion carried 4-1 (Council Member Lang dissenting).
Items 6 and 7 were continued to a future agenda.
DISCUSSION
9. Initiating Proceedings for the Annual Levy of Assessments, Preliminarily Approving the Engineer’s Annual Levy Report, and Declaring the Council’s Intent to Levy and Collect Assessments for the Landscaping and Lighting District No. 1, Plaza Maintenance Assessment District No. 2, and Landscaping and Lighting District No. 3 (City Council Direction) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-13 - Initiating Proceedings for the Annual Levy of Assessments for the City of Ojai Landscaping and Lighting District No. 1, Regular Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2026 Page 4 of 5
Plaza Maintenance Assessment District (District No. 2), and Landscaping and Lighting District No. 3 for Fiscal Year 2026/27; and
2. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-14 - Preliminarily Approving the Engineer’s Annual Levy Report for the City of Ojai Landscaping and Lighting District No. 1, Plaza Maintenance Assessment District (District No. 2), and Landscaping and Lighting District No. 3 for Fiscal Year 2026/2027; and
3. Adopt Resolution No. 2026-15 - Declaring the Council’s Intent To Levy and Collect Assessments Within the City of Ojai Landscaping and Lighting District No. 1, Plaza Maintenance Assessment District (District No. 2), and Landscaping and Lighting District No. 3 for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 and Setting a Time and Place for Public Hearing.
Item 9 was continued to a future agenda.
10. Habitat for Humanity Project; Real Property Management/Disposition Options; Establishment of a Community Land Trust (City Council Direction)
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Receive information regarding management and disposition options available to the City Council related to the real property underlying the proposed Habitat for Humanity project (involving the development of five residential units to be sold to qualified homeowners), including:
a. City ownership of the property subject to a ground lease with Habitat and/or future homeowners (status quo);
b. Conveyance of the property to Habitat for $1 for Habitat to develop five residential units and eventually convey fee ownership of property to future homeowners;
c. City ownership of the property subject to a ground lease with Habitat and/or future homeowners along with a conveyance of the property to a community land trust, if established.
2. Provide direction to the City Attorney’s Office to initiate the Surplus Land Act process.
3. Provide direction to the City Attorney’s Office as to which of the above options should be brought to City Council for further consideration and a decision and provide direction to prepare documentation needed to implement the disposition of the property based on the selected option.
4. Provide direction to the City Attorney’s Office as to whether to return to City Council with a future agenda item to establish a Community Land Trust, and/or establish an ad-hoc committee of City Council to work with staff to further frame out the steps needed to establish a Community Land Trust, irrespective of which option is selected for the Habitat for Humanity project.
MOTION: It was moved by Mayor Gilman, seconded by Council Member Rule, to direct staff to prepare paperwork for conveyance of the Montgomery Street property to Habitat for Humanity, provide direction to the City Attorney’s Office to initiate the Surplus Regular Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2026 Page 5 of 5
Land Act process, and to direct staff to return with a proposal for an ad hoc committee to establish a Community Land Trust separate from the Habitat for Humanity project.
The motion carried 3-2 (Council Members Mang and Whitman dissenting).
11. Consideration of the City’s Ability to Shift to At Large Voting (Gilman/Rule) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Consider information regarding the ability to shift from electing City Council Members “by-district” to an “at-large” method of selection.
2. Provide direction (or not) to the City Attorney’s Office as to whether to return to City Council with an ordinance repealing Ordinance No. 889 or an ordinance submitting a ballot question to the voters seeking voter approval to return to at-large elections.
3. Provide alternate direction to the City Attorney.
Item 11 was continued to a future agenda.
COUNCIL MEMBER'S REPORTS
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Council Members Whitman and Lang, and Mayor Gilman, requested a future agenda item regarding a second home tax concept review.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Gilman adjourned the meeting at 10:40 p.m.
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Weston Montgomery, Chief Deputy City Clerk
Approved: