RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL
SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FINANCING AUTHORITY
HOUSING AUTHORITY
MINUTES
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Regular Session - 6:00 p.m.
Pursuant to California Government Code 54953(b)(1) one additional call-in location has been established for the Mayor to attend this meeting via teleconference at Kern Council of Governments Board Room; 1401 19th Street, Suite 300, Bakersfield, CA 93301
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ROLL CALL - 6:00 p.m.
Council Present: Mayor Pro-Tem Blades; Vice Mayor Rajaratnam; Council Member Hayman; Council Member Gorman
Absent: Mayor Endicott
Staff Present: City Attorney M. Koczanowicz; City Manager Strand; City Clerk Charlon; Chief Ysit; Finance Director Brewton; Parks & Rec Director Wegener; PW Director Reed APPROVAL OF AGENDA - Charion pulled item 3 from consent requesting it to be heard as a discussion item before item 5 - Motion to approve with requested change Rajaratnam - Hayman - 4 ayes; 1 absent
PRESENTATIONS
Presentation of Proclamations
• In Honor Of Elliot Duff Upon The Occasion Of His Retirement From The City : Public Works Week
Emergency Medical Services Week
PUBLIC COMMENT OF ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA - T. Wiknich; M. Neel *Mayor Endicott came on at 6:24 pm via WebEx during Wiknich comments
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS / DIRECTION
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Proposed Action To Approve Draft Minutes Of The Ridgecrest City Council Regular Meeting Dated May 7, 2025 Charlon
2. Authorization For The City Manager To Execute The Notice Of Completion For The HSIP Cycle 10 Project, Federal Project No. HS/PSL-5385(074); For The City Clerk To File The Notice Of Completion And City Staff To Release Retention In The Amount Of Forty-One Thousand Five Hundred Eighty-Eight Dollars And Eighty-Nine Cents ($41,588.89) To Elecnor Belco Electric, Inc. Thirty (30) Days After Recordation Reed
Authorization For The City Manager To Sign The Notice Of Completion For The Clean California Grant, Leroy Jackson Improvement Project; For The City Clerk To File The Notice Of Completion And For City Staff To Release Retention In The Amount Of Two Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand, Two Hundred Fifteen Dollars And Eighty-Three Cents ($234,215.83) To The Contractor, Griffith Company, Within Thirty (30) Days After Recordation
4. Approval Of Resolution Dissolving The City Organizations And Services (City Org) Committee Charlon Motion to approve CONSENT CALENDAR items 1, 2 & 4 Rajaratnam - Endicott 5 ayes
DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
Item 3 - staff reviewed the item which was pulled due to the request for the additional funds/change order.
Public Comment M. Neel - Motion to approve item 3 Hayman - Rajaratnam 5 ayes • Annual AB 481 Military Equipment Use Report- 2024 Ysit Public Comment - M. Neel Motion to approve item 5 Hayman - Rajaratnam 5 ayes Discussion Regarding The Board Of The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (IWVGA) Hayman Public Comment - M. Neel, T. Wiknich
7. A Resolution To Accept The Base Bid For Schedule A & B As Submitted By Griffith Company; Allocate Transit and Intercity Rail Program (TIRCP), Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC), Drainage Impact, & Traffic Impact Funds, And Up To $300,000.00 For A 3% Contingency, For A Maximum Total Of Up To $9,260,155.00; Award A Construction Contract To Griffith Company To Construct The AHSC Improvement Project, For Eight Million Nine Hundred & Sixty Thousand One Hundred And Fifty-Five Dollars And No Cents ($8,960,155.00); And Amend A Professional Services Agreement With Willdan Engineering In The Amount Of $144.708.00 To Provide Engineering Services For The Project; And Authorize The City Manager To Execute The Contract & Agreement Reed Public Comment - None
Motion to approve item 7 Gorman - Endicott 5 ayes
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Economic Development Committee
Members: Kyle Blades and Solomon Rajaratnam
Meeting: 1st Monday of the month @5:15 p.m.
Location: City Hall Conference Room B, 1st Floor
• Next meeting June 2, 2025
Finance Committee
Members: Solomon Rajaratnam and Scott Hayman
Meeting: 2nd Tuesday each month at 5:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall Conference Room B, 1st Floor
• Report from May 13, 2025
Infrastructure Committee
Members: Mayor Endicott and Kyle Blades
4th Thursday each month at 5:00 p.m.
Location: City Hall Conference Room B, 1st Floor
Next meeting May 22, 2025
Parks, Recreation, and Quality of Life Committee
Members: Mayor Endicott and Scott Hayman
Meeting: 1st Tuesday each month at 5:30 p.m.
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
Next meeting June 3, 2025
OTHER COMMITTEES, BOARDS, OR COMMISSIONS
CITY MANAGER REPORT
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS discussion re: policy how council puts items on the agenda - renegotiate WM contract - Water bills 1413 & 1466
MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT - 8:18 p.m.
MINUTES - CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY / FINANCING AUTHORITY / HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR - May 21, 2025