Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Sanger City Council
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
6:00 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBER
1700 7th Street, Sanger, California 93657
A. C ALL TO ORDER
The City Council called their meeting to order at 6:03 PM.
B. OP
ENING CEREMONIES
The invocation was offered by Father David Petersen.
The flag salute was led by Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Martinez
Roll Call
Present: Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Martinez, Council Member Esmeralda Hurtado, Council Member Michael Montelongo, Council Member Dolores Melendez
Absent: Mayor Frank Gonzalez
C. AGE
NDA APPROVAL, ADDITIONS AND/OR DELETIONS
The Council by motion of Council Member Hurtado approved the agenda as posted. The motion was seconded by Council Member Montelongo and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, HURTADO, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
D. C
EREMONIAL MATTERS
1. Police Commander Joshua Johnson introduced newly appointed Police Officers Ramiro Ayala, Jessica Inostros, Guaramrit Litt, Jesse Morales, Amanda Nelson, and Kelsey Sanchez.
2. Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Martinez presented a resolution to honor Tony Boren, Executive Director of Fresno Council of Governments, for his many years of service.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2023
E. PRESENTATIONS
1. President/CEO Karen Pearson presented the Sanger Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Report.
F. PUBLIC FORUM
Joyce Provost, representing members of the Senior Center, indicated the members are doing well and appreciate the support of the City Council. She said one issue is that they have no information regarding the budget and are not able to plan events. She requested that someone from City Hall visit the Senior Center and provide education regarding the TaxiScript system.
Kevin Carter said the pathway along Greenwood and Church Avenues looks really nice and that the Town Hall regarding fentanyl was a good event with great speakers and valuable information.
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
The Council by motion of Council Member Montelongo pulled agenda items G-4 and G-6 and approved the following items on the Consent Calendar:
1. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Minutes of the Regular Meeting held on November 2, 2023.
2. SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL ITEM - Warrants including Check Nos. 90354 through 90526.
3. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Payroll including Direct Deposit Nos. 61093 through 61479; Payroll Check Nos. 59244 through 59318; and Benefit Check Nos. 1932 through 1943.
5. SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL ITEM - Fire Department Monthly Report.
7. SUBJECT: APPROVED - P roposed Revisions to Employee Recognition Program.
The City Council approved Resolution No. 2023-65 to revise the Employee Recognition Program Administrative Policy.
8. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Participation in the Medi-Cal Intergovernmental Rate Range Program.
The City Council approved the contract for the Intergovernmental Agreement for the Transfer of Public Funds between the City of Sanger and the Department of Health Care Services (CHSC).
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2023
The motion was seconded by Council Member Hurtado and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, HURTADO, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
4. SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL ITEM - Police Department Monthly Report.
Council Member Montelongo made note that the Police Department Monthly Reports provide information about happenings in the City.
6. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Ordinance regarding City Council Meetings and Rules of Decorum.
Public comment:
Kevin Carter stated he does not think this limits the people’s ability to speak. He said the Fresno County Board of Supervisors had a hot topic a week ago and they limited public input to 20 minutes with a line out the door; that is limiting the ability to speak. He said several years ago the City had a rezone item and had to move the meetings to the Community Center and the Council allowed two hours of public comment. He said that lately Council meetings are out of hand. One person called another a liar. Another one called someone to step outside. He said if people can conduct themselves in a professional manner, they should have the opportunity to speak.
Karen Pearson stated it is not fair when a person is trying to speak and the audience is speaking over you.
The City Council by motion of Council Member Montelongo waived the full second reading, and adopted Ordinance No. 2023-09 amending Section 2-26 of the Sanger Municipal Code and adding Section 2-30 relating to Regular Meetings of the Council and Rules of Decorum at Meetings. The motion was seconded by Council Member Melendez and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: HURTADO
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
H. DEPARTMENT REPORTS
1. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Consultant Services Agreement for Financial Analysis and Rate Study of the Solid Waste Disposal Operation.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2023
The City Council by motion of Council Member Montelongo a pproved a Consultant Services Agreement for the Financial Analysis and Rate Study of the Solid Waste Disposal Operation with Interstate Gas Services and authorized the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement on behalf of the City. The motion was seconded by Council Member Hurtado and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, HURTADO, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
2. SUBJECT: APPROVED - Proposed RFP for Comprehensive Fee Study, Development Impact Fees Study, and Cost Allocation Plan.
The City Council by motion of Mayor Pro Tem Martinez approved releasing an RFP for a Comprehensive Fee Study, Development Impact Fees Study, and Cost Allocation Plan. The motion was seconded by Council Member Montelongo and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, HURTADO, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
3. SUBJECT: Consider Closure of City Hall December 26 through December 29, 2023.
Public comment:
Unidentified audience member stated some people need money and need to work and some need to pay bills and if they don’t have credit cards they can’t pay by phone so it’s better to be open.
Council Member Hurtado made a motion to deny the request to close City Hall from December 26 through December 29. The motion failed for lack of second.
Council Member Montelongo made a motion to close City Hall on Tuesday, December 26 and Friday, December 29. The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Martinez and approved by the following vote:
AYES: MARTINEZ, MONTELONGO, MELENDEZ
NOES: HURTADO
ABSTAIN: NONE
ABSENT: GONZALEZ
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2023
I. CITY MANAGER/STAFF COMMUNICATION
Interim City Manager Greg Garner announced the following:
1. The CrisCom Company will provide their quarterly report and discuss adding lobbying services to their contract.
2. City Staff is planning next year’s budget preparations. Budget workshops will be held on January 10 and January 24.
3. Staff is looking at options to improve traffic at Academy and Annadale Avenues.
Community Development Director David Brletic provided an update on the DR Horton Serenade Project. He said there is a lot of activity and homes are starting to close and taking occupancy.
Within the next few weeks, Staff will bring back a component of the Subdivision Agreement to modify the covenant about the amount of occupancy to be allowed.
J. MATTERS INITIATED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Council Member Hurtado announced/requested the following:
1. Staff to work with Senior Coordinator regarding budget information and provide a memo to the Council.
2. Education to seniors regarding the Taxiscript system.
3. Patrol after school at Academy and Annadale Avenues.
Council Member Montelongo announced/requested the following:
1. Report to Council on the services agreement for the business licensing.
2. Whether the five grantees were informed about the Façade Improvement Grants distributions.
3. Complaints of smell last year that were to be fixed this year.
4. Update on the Youth Council.
Council Member Melendez announced/requested the following:
1. Clean Faller Park basin and general cleanup of all parks for the holiday season.
Mayor Pro Tem Martinez
1. The next step for the City Manager recruitment.
City Clerk/Deputy Personnel Officer advised that the Council will have a special meeting on November 20, 2023, to discuss the next steps of the recruitment.
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
November 16, 2023
K. ADJOURNMENT
Being no further business, the Council adjourned their meeting at 7:52 PM.
ATTEST:
Rebeca Padron, City Clerk