CITY OF EL PASO DE ROBLES
"The Pass of the Oaks"
City Council Agenda Addendum
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 4:00 PM
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 6:00 PM
Council Chamber - Library/Conference Center
1000 Spring Street
Paso Robles, CA 93446
Residents can livestream the meeting at www.prcity.com/youtube, and call (805)865-7276 to provide public comment via phone. The phone line will open just prior to the start of the meeting and remain open throughout the meeting to ensure the opportunity to comment on each item heard by the Council, other than brief reports and announcements by staff or the Council.
Written public comments can be submitted via email to [email protected] prior to 12:00 noon on the day of the Council meeting to be posted as an addendum to the Agenda. If submitting written comments in advance of the meeting, please note the agenda item by number or name. City Council meetings will be livestreamed during the meeting and also available to play later on YouTube by accessing the following link: www.prcity.com/youtube. Any writing or document pertaining to an open session item on this agenda which is distributed to a majority of the City Council after the posting of this agenda will be available for public inspection at the time the subject writing or document is distributed. The writing or document will be available for public review in the City Clerk’s Office, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA, during normal business hours, and may be posted on the City’s web site at www.prcity.com/meetings.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT Any individual, who because of a disability needs special assistance to attend or participate in this meeting, may request assistance by contacting the City Clerk’s Office (805) 237- 3960. Whenever possible, requests should be made four (4) working days in advance of the meeting.
Pages
*M. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS 3 - 6
This is the time the public may address the Council on items within the Council’s purview but not scheduled on the agenda. All persons desiring to speak on an agenda item are asked to fill out Speaker Information Cards and give them to the City Clerk prior speaking. Each individual speaker will be limited to a presentation total of three (3) minutes per item. Those persons wishing to speak on any item scheduled on the agenda will be given an opportunity to do so at the time that item is being considered.
State law does not allow the Council to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that members of the Council or staff may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by persons exercising their public testimony rights (Gov. Code sec. 54954.2).
R. DISCUSSION ITEMS
*1. 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park 7 - 10 Freda Berman, Public Works Director
CEQA Determination: The City finds that this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15061, subd. (b)(3), 15304.
City Council Agenda February 4, 2025
Recommendation: Authorize staff to continue the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park with all expenses exceeding available revenue covered by General Fund reserves (estimated by City staff at roughly $50,000) and direct staff to file a Notice of Exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines.
City Council Agenda February 4, 2025 Page 2 of 10
From: Gary Lehrer
To: City Clerk
Cc: Chris Bausch; Fred Strong; Kris Beal; Elizabeth Hull; John Hamon; Steve Gregory; Michael Rivera; Linda C George; Glenn OHagan
Subject: Item M Feb 4th public comments- please includs Date: Monday, February 3, 2025 3:27:26 PM
[EXTERNAL EMAIL]
Please note that Clive Pinder and Ty Lewis said it was extortionary for Miss Velie to ask about the hot tub picture. I Posted on ND neighborhood that as police chief why did he allow a 15 year old kid to take a picture of him in a hot tub with someone that is purportedly not his wife or girlfriend? Ty Lewis rsponded and said it was a family picture taken by his girlfriend’s daughter but it was removed before I could respond. Ty realized his claim that it was extortionary evaporated if he responded that way. Either way he loses. If he says there was nothing wrong with the picture then it is not extortionary to ask about it. If he says the picture was somehow incriminating or problematic he admits the picture was inappropriate. My point is that you can’t trust anything Ty Lewis says. Also my intent in this email is obvious to support present and future claims against the city. You guys actually especially enabled Ty Lewis’ reign of terror and frankly deserve to be sued. You had a chance to clear the reputations of all named by Ty Lewis and you did nothing. Nothing. You would imagine Elizabeth Hull with her legal training would spot a fraud.
Gary
Lehrer, Gary
M - Public Comment
The following comments seem almost quaint compared to the first TWO WEEKS of the second Trump Administration!
I’m speaking today on one chapter in the Mandate for
Leadership: The Conservative Promise better known as Project 2025 (P25) which covers the restructuring of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA. The
Natural Resources Defense Council refers to NOAA as being America’s environmental intelligence agency.
Given the P25 syllabus is over 900 pages long, I’ll only be focusing on the proposals covered on pages 674-677 which outline the drastic changes to NOAA and its six main offices including the National Weather Service or NWS.
Per page 675, P25 states verbatim, “Together, these form a colossal operation that has become one of the main
drivers of the climate change alarm industry.”
I’m positive the survivors of hurricanes last year or the fires in Southern California last month
, do not believe catastrophic weather events are the result of the climate change alarm industry. They are calling it what it is, climate change, PERIOD.
P25 is proposing that NWS “should fully commercialize its forecasting operations.” It further states that the work of the National Hurricane Center and the National Environmental Satellite Service should present data collected “neutrally without adjustments intended to support any one side in the climate debate.”
Most scientists I know present their data as collected, in an objective manner. As the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson Salas, Amy
M - Public Comment
says, “Just because you don’t believe the science, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”
Which brings me to their plan to downsize the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. On page 676 P25 says, “OAR is the source of much of NOAA’s climate alarmism. The
preponderance of its climate-change research should be
disbanded.”
Another alarming paragraph is page on 677 which says,
“Scientific agencies like NOAA are vulnerable to
obstructionism of an Administration’s aims if political appointees are not wholly in sync with Administration
policy.”
In an article by Hayley Smith for the Los Angeles Times last July, she quotes Matthew Sanders, a lecturer at Stanford and an acting director of the Environmental Law Clinic. He refers to a 2020 exchange between Donald Trump and Wade Crowfoot,
the state’s natural resources secretary over explosive wildfires and record-breaking temperatures.
“It’ll start getting colder-just you watch,” Trump told Crowfoot.
“I wish science agreed with you,” Crowfoot countered.
“I don’t think science knows,” Trump said.
Sanders said to break up NOAA and NWS would hamper the
federal government’s ability to understand or take action on climate change.
And, as Ms. Smith concludes, it shifts the responsibility of gathering and distributing critical weather information onto state and local agencies. I really don’t think paying for weather Salas, Amy
M - Public Comment
forecasting data is something any municipal or county
government can afford to add to its budget. I’ll leave it to you to choose the best path forward.
Thank you,
Amy Salas
Paso Robles
Salas, Amy
M - Public Comment
Council Agenda Report
From: Freda Berman, Public Works Director
Subject: 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park CEQA Determination: The City finds that this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines, §§ 15061, subd. (b)(3), 15304.
Date: February 4, 2025
Facts
1. In 2022, City Council reinstated the Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park after a 10-year hiatus. The event was a success as were Fourth of July Celebrations at the park in 2023 and 2024.
2. The Fourth of July event began at 2 p.m. and for 2024 included two bands, food trucks, a full soccer field of family-friendly activities, and sponsor area. The first concert began at 5:30 p.m. Early arriving crowds necessitated multiple staff shifts, the first starting work at 7 a.m. with others arriving throughout the day depending on work assignment. Police officers arrived at 4 p.m. Private security worked overnight shifts and during the day with the full crew arriving at 5 p.m.
3. Financially, the 2024 Fireworks Celebration was a challenge and required additional sponsors to offset a reduction in anticipated revenues. Although several additional sponsorships were confirmed, expenses required that all available budget savings from the two prior events were completely expended on the 2024 event.
4. Since 2022, the City has expended approximately $434,500 total, or about $145,000 per year on this community event (exclusive of sponsorship contributions). These expenses were covered by an annual Council-approved allocation of $65,000 and budget savings from previous Fourth of July events. If event programming remains like previous years, the estimated cost of the 2025 event is approximately $170,000.
5. For 2025, Travel Paso has committed $35,000 to the Fourth of July event and they have also committed to assisting with sponsor solicitation for the event.
6. At the January 15, 2025 City Council meeting, Council directed staff to (1) contract for fireworks for the 2025 event; and (2) present a new budget reducing anticipated costs. A contract for fireworks has been confirmed.
7. Large crowds dictate the majority of event costs, which can be reduced if the scope and hours of the event are reduced. Staff considered multiple factors in modifying the event including typical attendee arrival, popular activities and public safety. Delaying the start time to 4 p.m., reducing the number of band performances to one, reducing the size of the recreational activity area, and employing private security to just the overnight hours brings the total estimated event budget to $150,000, a reduction of $20,000 from the previous estimate.
Options
1. Continue the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park with all expenses exceeding available revenue appropriated from General Fund Reserves (estimated by City staff at roughly $50,000).
2. Provide alternative direction to staff.
Analysis and Conclusions
Large crowds dictate the majority of event costs. The 2024 event was very well attended with crowds likely exceeding 10,000 attendees.
Staff strategically evaluated reductions looking at where costs could be reduced without sacrificing the quality of the event and public safety. Significant reductions were made in the following areas:
Private security – Instead of hiring 15 private security personnel to work the event, the Police Department will dedicate two officers to Barney Schwartz Park between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. to address any issues and multiple officers to work the event beginning at 6 p.m.Qualified volunteers will be solicited to staff access points prior to event start and the Community Volunteer Patrol will post at the fireworks exclusion zone during the event. Private security will be used for two overnight shifts on July 3 and July 4 to prevent vandalism or theft of event equipment. Entertainment – One band will be hired, instead of two, resulting in a reduction in band fees, green room arrangements, and hotel rooms.
Family-friendly recreational activities – The footprint of the activities will be reduced as will the offerings. Recreation staff will select activities based on what has been popular in the past along with what materials they have on hand.
Staffing – Moving the event start time to 4 p.m. impacts staffing, most significantly for the full Police contingent, who will arrive later, park site staff and parking lot staff.
Fiscal Impact
Available funding totals $100,000; an annual budgeted Council-approved allocation of $65,000 and Travel Paso 2025 commitment of $35,000.
Costs for the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration are proposed as follows:
Pyrotechnics $ 43,000 (confirmed)
Event Operations and Professional Services $ 72,526
Staffing $ 22,000
10% Contingency $ 12,474
$150,000
CEQA
The City finds that the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park (the “Project”) is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15061, subd. (b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment. The Project is further exempt from CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15304, which applies to the minor temporary use of land having negligible or no permanent effects on the environment. Moreover, the City finds there are no unusual circumstances that apply to the Project.
Recommendation
Authorize staff to continue the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park with all expenses exceeding available revenue covered by General Fund reserves (estimated by City staff at roughly $50,000) and direct staff to file a Notice of Exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines.
CITY OF EL PASO DE ROBLES
“The Pass of the Oaks”
1000 SPRING STREET PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA 93446 www.prcity.com
MEMORANDUM
To: Council Members
From: Freda Berman, Public Works Director
Subject: Addendum, Item R1: 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park
Date: February 4, 2025
In light of recent events and upon further review of Item R1 with the Paso Robles Police Department, it has been determined that the elimination of private security from the Fourth of July event is not prudent. Private security accounts for approximately $10,000 in event professional services costs.
Reliance on community partners to fill the funding gap is the most realistic and appropriate strategy to fund the event with a revised budget of $160,000. This amount includes 10% contingency to account for unanticipated cost increases and day-of-event critical purchases.
Staff recommends the following change, delineated by bold text, to the Staff Report:
Staff Report Change:
Recommendation: Authorize staff to continue the 2025 Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration at Barney Schwartz Park with all expenses exceeding available revenue covered by General Fund reserves (estimated by City staff at roughly $60,000) and direct staff to file a Notice of Exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines.