CITY OF PORTERVILLE
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY HALL, 291 N. MAIN STREET
PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA
SEPTEMBER 17, 2026, 5:30 PM
The City of Porterville provides members of the public the opportunity to attend and participate in City Council meetings both in person and remotely.
City Council Meeting will be livestreamed (viewing only) on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/@cityofporterville4149
Members of the public may also participate remotely via Zoom using the following information:
Please use the following link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82046050713?pwd=mwoDzCUIk0CH58FlHejdUhWMDtDeTs.1 Or via Telephone: 1-669-900-6833 Webinar ID: 820 4605 0713 Passcode: 333261 Persons attending the meeting remotely will have the opportunity to provide public comment during the designated public comment periods. To request to speak, click the "Raise Hand" button in the Zoom webinar or, if participating by telephone, press *9 to raise your hand. When it is your turn to speak, you will be prompted to unmute your microphone and will be asked to state your name for the record before providing your comments.
Public comments submitted remotely will be accepted in the same manner as comments from individuals attending the meeting in person and will be subject to the same time limits, rules of decorum, and meeting procedures established by the City Council.
Please direct any questions to the Office of City Clerk at 559-782-7464.
Call to Order
Roll Call
Pledge of Allegiance Led by Mayor Meister
Invocation
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
This is the opportunity to address the Council on matters listed under Scheduled Matters.
Unless additional time is authorized by the Council, each speaker shall be limited to three minutes.
The total time for public comment shall not exceed one hour.
SCHEDULED MATTERS
1. Interviews of Applicants for the District 3 City Council Vacancy Re: Consideration of conducting public interviews of Michael Carley, Darrin Crowell, and Tim Vanni for appointment to the vacant District 3 City Council seat.
2. Appointment to Fill the District 3 City Council Vacancy Re: Consideration of appointing one of the eligible applicants to fill the vacant District 3 City Council seat in accordance with Section 16 of the City Charter.
ADJOURNMENT - to the meeting of October 6, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Ralph M. Brown Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, requesting electronic participation as an accommodation, or to be able to access this agenda and documents in the agenda packet, please contact the Office of City Clerk at (559) 782-7464. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting and/or provision of an appropriate alternative format of the agenda and documents in the agenda packet.
Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the Agenda packet are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Office of City Clerk, 291 N. Main Street, Porterville, CA 93257, and on the City’s website at www.ci.porterville.ca.us.
Item No. 1.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
SUBJECT: Interviews of Applicants for the District 3 City Council Vacancy SOURCE: City Manager's Office
COMMENT: Effective August 21, 2026, Council Member AJ Rivas resigned from the Porterville City Council, creating a vacancy in the District 3 City Council seat.
Section 16 of the City Charter provides that a vacancy in a legislative office is filled by appointment of the City Council, with the appointee serving until the next general municipal election, at which time a successor is selected by the voters for the remainder of the unexpired term. If the City Council does not fill the vacancy within 30 days after it occurs, the Charter requires the Mayor to fill the vacancy. Accordingly, the City Council must fill the District 3 vacancy by September 20, 2026.
At its September 1, 2026, meeting, the City Council approved an application and interview process to fill the vacancy and authorized staff to solicit Requests for Appointment from eligible District 3 residents who are registered voters of District 3. The Council established September 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. as the application deadline and scheduled a Special City Council Meeting for September 17, 2026, to consider eligible applicants, conduct public interviews, and consider an appointment.
The City advertised the vacancy beginning September 2, 2026, through the City's website, social media, and local media. Interested individuals were required to submit a completed Request for Appointment form to the City Clerk's Office by the established deadline.
As of the September 11, 2026, deadline, the City received a Request for Appointment form from the following individuals:
• Michael Carley
• Darrin Crowell
• Tim Vanni
Staff has reached out to the Tulare County Registrar of Voters and verified that each applicant listed above meets the eligibility requirements established for Item No. 1.
the District 3 seat, including residency within District 3 and registered voter status within the district. The Municipal Code requires a Council Member representing a district to reside within that district and be a registered voter of that district.
Interview Process
Staff recommends that the City Council conduct the interviews in open session with all applicants participating in the interview process together. Applicants participating in person will be seated in the Council Chambers, and Michael Carley will participate remotely due to previously scheduled work-related training.
Each of the four City Council Members will ask one interview question, for a total of four Council questions. All three applicants will be provided an opportunity to respond to each question.
To provide a fair and randomized order of responses, the City Clerk will conduct a random drawing at the beginning of the interview process to establish the initial order of applicants.
For the first question, the first applicant drawn will respond first, followed by the other two applicants in the order drawn.
For the second question, the second applicant drawn will respond first, followed by the remaining applicants in rotational order.
For the third question, the third applicant drawn will respond first, followed by the remaining applicants in rotational order.
For the fourth and final question, the response order will continue in a roundrobin format from the conclusion of the third question.
Following completion of all four Council questions, each applicant will be provided an opportunity to make a brief closing statement.
This process is intended to provide each applicant with the same questions while rotating the order of responses throughout the interview.
Following completion of the interviews, the City Council will conclude this agenda item and proceed to the separately agendized second item to discuss and consider the appointment of an individual to fill the vacant District 3 City Council seat.
Item No. 1.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council conduct public interviews of the eligible applicants for the vacant District 3 City Council seat in accordance with the interview process described in this report.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Request for Appointment - Michael Carley - District 3
2. Request for Appointment - Darrin W. Crowell - District 3
3. Request for Appointment - Tim Vanni - District 3
Appropriated/Funded: Not Applicable
Review By:
Department Director:
Richard Tree, City Manager
Final Approver: Fernando Gabriel-Moraga, Chief Deputy City Clerk
Item No. 2.
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
SUBJECT: Appointment to Fill the District 3 City Council Vacancy SOURCE: City Manager's Office
COMMENT: Effective August 21, 2026, Council Member AJ Rivas resigned from the Porterville City Council, creating a vacancy in the District 3 City Council seat.
Section 16 of the City Charter provides that a vacancy in a legislative office is filled by appointment of the City Council. If the City Council does not fill the vacancy within 30 days after it occurs, the Charter requires the Mayor to fill the vacancy. Because the vacancy occurred on August 21, 2026, the City Council must make an appointment by September 20, 2026, or the authority to fill the vacancy will pass to the Mayor.
At its September 1, 2026, meeting, the City Council established an application and interview process for the District 3 vacancy. The Council authorized solicitation of Requests for Appointment from eligible District 3 residents, established September 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. as the application deadline, and scheduled a Special City Council Meeting for September 17, 2026, to consider eligible applicants, conduct public interviews, and consider an appointment.
The following individuals submitted a Request for Appointment form by the established deadline and were determined to meet the eligibility requirements for the District 3 seat:
• Michael Carley
• Darrin W. Crowell
• Tim Vanni
The City Council conducted public interviews of the three eligible applicants during the preceding agenda item.
The City Council may now discuss the qualifications of the applicants and consider appointment of one of the eligible applicants to fill the vacant District 3 City Council seat.
Under Section 16 of the City Charter, the individual appointed by the City Item No. 2.
Council will serve until the next general municipal election, at which time a successor will be selected by the voters for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Upon selection by the City Council, the appointed individual will be administered the oath of office and assume the District 3 City Council seat in accordance with applicable City procedures.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council appoint one of the eligible applicants to fill the vacant District 3 City Council seat in accordance with Section 16 of the City Charter.
ATTACHMENTS:
Appropriated/Funded: Not Applicable
Review By:
Department Director:
Richard Tree, City Manager
Final Approver: Fernando Gabriel-Moraga, Chief Deputy City Clerk