336 Pacific Avenue, Shafter, CA 93263
Meeting Held In-Person and Via Zoom and Livestream on YouTube.
AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING
SHAFTER CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC:
Any documents produced by the City and distributed to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available in the City Clerk’s Office during normal business hours at City Hall located at 336 Pacific Avenue, Shafter CA. In addition, such documents will be posted on the City’s website at www.shafter.com.
CALL TO ORDER: 6:00 PM
ROLL CALL: Mayor Givens
Mayor Pro Tem Olvera
Council Member Alvarado
Council Member Espinoza
Council Member Prout
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Council Member Espinoza
INVOCATION: Mayor Pro Tem Olvera
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Those persons wishing to speak on any item included on the agenda, or on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, are invited to speak from the podium and address the City Council. Speakers are limited to five minutes unless additional time is needed for translation. Please state your name and address for the record before making your presentation.
COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REPORTS:
On their own initiative, Council Members may make a brief announcement or a brief report on their own activities. Council Members may ask a question for clarification, make a referral to staff, or take action to have staff place a matter of business on a future agenda. No formal action by the Council will be taken unless an item is identified on the Agenda.
Shafter City Council Agenda
January 20, 2026
CONSENT CALENDAR:
All items on the consent calendar are considered routine and non-controversial by staff and will be approved by one motion if no member of the Council or public wishes to comment or ask questions. If comment or discussion is desired by anyone, the item will be removed from the consent calendar and will be considered in the listed sequence with an opportunity for any member of the public to address the Council concerning the item before action is taken.
1. Approve General Checks: December 1, 2025, December 12, 2025, December 16, 2025, December 18, 2025, December 26, 2025, December 30, 2025, December 31, 2025, January 9, 2026, January 15, 2026.
2. Approve Payroll: December 12, 2025.
3. Council find the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines; and accept the Treasurer’s Report for November 2025.
4. Approval of Minutes: October 27, 2025, November 4, 2025, November 10, 2025, November 18, 2025.
5. Council find action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines; and adopt the City of Shafter Employee Bi-Weekly Pay Schedule, effective December 6, 2025.
6. Council find action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines; and adopt the City of Shafter Employee Bi-Weekly Pay Schedule, effective January 3, 2026.
7. Council find that the action is not defined as a "project" per Section 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines; approve the reimplementation of a Police Patrol Canine (K9) Program.
8. Council find the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines; approve and authorize the Chief of Police to enter into a three year contractual agreement with Westec for the use of the Weapons Shooting Range.
9. Council find the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(5) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines; authorize submittal of a letter on behalf of the City of Shafter supporting the request for funding from the state to help improve reliability and quality of drinking water.
10. Council find that the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(5) of the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines; authorize the submission of a letter of financial support for the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Rail (FSP) Program grant application for the Cherry Avenue Grade Separation Project; and authorize a funding commitment of $8,240,800 in Traffic Impact Fees as a local match for the grant application if the project is awarded.
11. Council find the action is not defined as a "project" per Section 15378(b)(2) of the CEQA Guidelines; adopt the MOU between the City of Shafter and Clean Water Ventures.
12. Council find that the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(2) of the CEQA Guidelines; authorize the City Manager or designee to transmit the letter exercising the City’s option to extend the Solid Waste Agreement for the East Shafter City Council Agenda
January 20, 2026
Shafter Service area with American Refuse, Inc. for a five-year period through July 31, 2031.
13. Council find that the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(2) of the CEQA Guidelines; authorize the City Manager or designee to transmit the letter exercising the City’s option to extend the Solid Waste Agreement for the East Shafter Service area with Varner Brothers, Inc. for a five-year period through July 31, 2031.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Should anyone challenge any proposed action which is the subject of a public hearing listed on this agenda, that person challenging any action taken after the public hearing may be limited to raising only those issues addressed at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at or prior to this public hearing.
1. GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NO. 25-45 AND ZONE CHANGE NO. 25-79: City Council conduct a public hearing to consider General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 25-45 and Zone Change (ZC) No. 25-79 and; adopt Resolution No. 3056, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Shafter, approving General Plan Amendment (GPA) No. 25-45; and introduce for first reading, by title only, and waive reading of Ordinance No. 776, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Shafter, approving Zone Change (ZC) No. 25-79. The GPA amends the City of Shafter General Plan land use designation for the property from Business Park (BP) to Industrial (I). The ZC changes the zone district under Title 17 of the Shafter Municipal Code from Business Park (BP) to Industrial (I) of an approximately 4.94- acre site (Assessor Parcel Numbers 028-180-36 and 028-180-12) located at 107 S.
Beech Ave.
ROLL CALL
MANAGEMENT REPORT:
1. FORMATION OF A U.S. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (CEDS), CEDS
COMMITTEE, AND NOMINATE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER TO JOIN
COMMITTEE: Council find the action is not defined as a “project” per Section 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines; adopt Resolution No. 3057, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Shafter, authorizing the formation of a U.S.
Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and CEDS committee; nominate one City Council member to serve on the CEDS Committee
ROLL CALL
2. FISCAL YEAR 2024/2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS: Council receive and file. This item is for informational purposes only.
ROLL CALL
3. ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PROCEDURES FOR THE CONDUCT OF
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS PURSUANT TO THE CHARTER ORDINANCE ADOPTION: Council find that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), since it is not a project; and waive further Shafter City Council Agenda
January 20, 2026
reading, read by title only and introduce Ordinance No. 775, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Shafer California, adopting Administrative Hearing Procedures for the conduct of Administrative Hearing Pursuant to the Charter of the City of Shafter.
ROLL CALL
4. RE-ALLOCATION OF CITY COUNCIL DISCRETIONARY FUNDING TO A
SINGLE LINE ITEM, AND INSTITUTION OF MAJORITY APPROVAL FOR EVENTS: Council find that the action is not defined as a "project" per Section 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines; that the City Council approve the item as listed here under the direction of Council at a prior meeting.
ROLL CALL
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND REPORTS:
DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR COMMENTS AND REPORTS:
RECESS:
CLOSED SESSION:
1. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS: Pursuant to California Government Code, Section 54956.8 Property: APN 028-180-22, APN 028-280-70, and APN 089-230-18 Agency Negotiator: Lance Lippincott, City Manager Negotiating Parties: California High Speed Rail Under Negotiation: Price and Terms.
2. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION: Pursuant to California Government Code, Section 54957. Title: City Manager.
3. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS: Pursuant to California Government Code, Section 54957.6 Agency Representative: Carol Chavolla, HR Director Unrepresented Employee Title: City Manager
ADJOURNMENT:
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a City Council Meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (661) 746-5000 at least three (3) days prior to the meeting or time the special services are needed to allow City staff in making reasonable arrangements to provide you with access to the meeting. Any public record, relating to an open session agenda item, that is distributed within 72 hours prior to the meeting is available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office at Shafter City Hall, 336 Pacific Ave., Shafter, CA 93263. This is to certify that this Agenda notice was posted at City Hall and Police Dept. by 5:00 p.m., January 16, 2026. Yazmina Pallares, S/S, City Clerk
REMOTE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS ALLOWED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS, SEE BELOW FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
1. You are strongly encouraged to observe the City Council meetings live via Shafter City Council Agenda
January 20, 2026
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/CityofShafter/
2. If you wish to make a comment on a specific agenda item or public comment, please submit your comment via email by 6:00 PM on January 20, 2026 to the City Clerk at [email protected]
3. If you wish to make a written comment to the City Clerk, 336 Pacific Avenue, Shafter, CA 93263.
4. If you wish to make a comment during the live meeting, callers must first register with the City Clerk at 661-746-5012 before the meeting begins to receive instructions and the call- in number and code. Please call by 5:00pm on the Monday prior to the City Council meeting to allow ample time for sign up. You will need to provide your name, phone number and the item number you wish to address.
5. All public comments are provided to the City Council and applicable Staff, for review and consideration by the Board prior to taking action on any matters listed on the agenda and are incorporated into the official record of the City Council meeting.