CITY OF SAN FERNANDO
CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING – 2:30 P.M.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2026
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
117 MACNEIL STREET
SAN FERNANDO, CALIFORNIA 91340
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL – SPECIAL MEETING 2:30 P.M. (OPEN SESSION) Mayor Joel Fajardo called the regular meeting to order at 2:41 p.m.
Present: Council: Mayor Joel Fajardo and Councilmembers Mary Mendoza, Mary Solorio and Patty Loez
Staff: City Manager Kanika Kith, City Attorney Richard Padilla (Teleconference), Police Chief Fabian Valdez, Director of Administrative Services Erica Melton, Director of Recreation and Community Services Julio Salcedo, Director of Community Development Ron Garcia, and City Clerk Julia Fritz
Absent: Vice Mayor Victoria Garcia
TELECONFERENCING REQUESTS/DISCLOSURE None
City Clerk Fritz read a statement into the record, provided by Vice Mayor Victoria Garcia as follows: These are very heavy issues that we must now grapple with. The issues affect us, but their effects also extend beyond us. I hope that our Council will invite and listen to community feedback on the next steps to take. End of statement.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Led by City Clerk Julia Fritz
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Mayor Fajardo, seconded by Councilmember Solorio to approve the agenda. The motion carried, unanimously.
PUBLIC STATEMENTS
Carmen Godinez commented on elder people and workers.
Mayor Fajardo requested staff to reach out to Ms. Godinez to obtain additional information.
SAN FERNANDO CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES – Special Meeting March 19, 2026
Astrid Serrano spoke in opposition of the City celebrating Cesar Chavez Day.
Daniana Caro spoke in support of the City to rename all references within the city pertaining to Cesar Chavez.
Olivia Robledo stated she is part of the Cesar Chavez Commemorative Committee and reported that the committee has been dissolved and will be rebranded in the near future.
Ruben Rodriguez spoke on behalf of Pueblo Y Salud about the recent allegations towards Cesar E. Chavez and noted that the movement is not about Cesar E. Chavez himself but for the farmworkers and further suggested that the City follow recent changes made by the City of Los Angeles on the renaming the holiday to Farm Workers Day.
Ricardo Benitez spoke about positive accomplishments made by Cesar Chavez.
Beatrice McGeary spoke about all the positive work by different organizations towards the farm worker’s movement.
Yolanda Haro spoke about the allegations related to Cesar Chavez and asked that the city focus on the movement not on any one individual.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
1) DISCUSSION REGARDING CESAR E. CHAVEZ, NEWS AND RELATED MATTERS The City Council directed staff to:
1. Send a letter to the State Legislature urging elimination of Cesar E. Chavez Day as a state holiday and supporting the establishment of a Farmworkers Labor Movement Day on a different date than his birthday;
2. Send a letter to LAUSD supporting a name change for Cesar Chavez learning Academies;
3. Affirming the City’s withdrawal from participation in the Cesar Chavez March for Justice event;
4. Bring back at a later date the current MOU related to the Cesar Chavez Memorial site for further discussion;
5. Modify the City recognition of Cesar E. Chavez Day to potentially renaming the holiday as Farmworkers Labor Movement Day consistent with the City of Los Angeles;
6. Send a letter to Republic Services requesting the renaming of the Cesar E. Chavez scholarship program;
7. Delegate authority to finalize a draft statement incorporating values expressed during this meeting and to send a draft of the revised statement to the City Council by end of day.
Motion by Councilmember Lopez, seconded by Mayor Fajardo to direct staff to remove the Cesar E. Chavez statue and plaque from the memorial site. The motion carried, by the following vote:
SAN FERNANDO CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES – Special Meeting March 19, 2026
ROLL CALL
AYES: Lopez, Solorio, Mendoza, Fajardo - 4
NAYES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Garcia - 1
The City Council directed staff to cover the mural and research the Pueblo Y Salud Memorandum of Understanding to ensure removing or altering the mural is not in violation of the agreement or with the muralist; to potentially re-do the mural and bring back to a future meeting for discussion.
The City Council directed staff to do a two-step approach with having staff return to Council with a presentation on all the streets named after an individual and receive direction at that time on which street names should be considered for further assessment on potentially renaming that street and to start with Maclay Street.
The City Council directed staff to bring back a resolution on the Consent Calendar, changing Cesar E. Chavez Day holiday to Farmworkers Day.
GENERAL CITY COUNCIL/BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND LIAISON UPDATES Councilmember Solorio thanked the public for their comments and wanted to highlight Woman’s History Month.
Councilmember Lopez read a statement pertaining to protecting our woman and children.
Councilmember Mendoza expressed concerns with Councilmember Lopez taking accountability for missing a meeting.
Mayor Fajardo thanked everyone who came out today and mentioned he would research the Pueblo Y Salud Memorandum of Understanding to have a better understanding of the terms of the agreement.
ADJOURNMENT 4:12 p.m.
Motion by Fajardo, there being no objection the meeting was adjourned to the special meeting of March 23, 2026.
I do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and
correct copy of the minutes of the March 19, 2026,
Regular meeting and approved by the San Fernando
City Council at the meeting of May 18, 2026.
_________________________________________
Julia Fritz, CMC
City Clerk