Robert Parkhurst, Mayor
MEETING MINUTES
Kristine Lowe, Mayor Pro Tem
REGULAR MEETING Edward Garcia, Council Member
SIERRA MADRE CITY COUNCIL Gene Goss, Council Member
Kelly Kriebs, Council Member
Sue Spears, City Treasurer
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
5:30 pm
CITY
City of Sierra Madre
City Council Chambers
232 W. Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, California 91024 ERRA
The Brown Act provides the public with an opportunity to make public comments at any public meeting; As an alternative, public comment may be made by e-mail to [email protected] by 3:00PM on the day of the meeting. Emails will be acknowledged at the Council meeting, filed into public record, and scanned onto the City website for public review.
The meeting will be streamed live on the City's website at www.cityofsierramadre.com, on Foothills Media website at http://www.foothillsmedia.org/sierramadre and broadcast on Government Access Channel 3 (Spectrum)
CODE OF CONDUCT
The purpose of a City Council meeting is to conduct City business. Members of the public that behave in a manner that interrupts or obstructs the Council's ability to conduct City business may be asked to leave the meeting. Any and all demonstrations which disrupt, interrupt, or obstruct the Council's ability to conduct City business are prohibited. No signs, posters or other large objects shail be brought into the Council Chambers or other meeting place if doing so would disrupt, disturb or otherwise impede the orderly course of the meeting.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, Council Member Garcia, Council Member Goss, Council Member Kriebs
Mayor Parkhurst called the meeting to order at 5:36 p.m. City Clerk Aguilar called the roll.
Present: Mayor Robert Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Kristine Lowe, Council Member Gene Goss, and Council Member Kelly Kriebs
Absent: Council Member Edward Garcia (Excused).
Also Present: Aleks Giragosian, City Attorney
Jose Reynoso, City Manager
Miguel Hernandez, Assistant City Manager
Laura Aguilar, Deputy City Manager/City Clerk
James Carlson, Senior Management Analyst
Police Chief Gustavo Barrientos
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INSPIRATION
Mayor Parkhurst led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA
Vote of the City Council to proceed with City business.
Mayor Pro Tem Lowe made a motion to approve the agenda as presented.
Council Member Goss seconded the motion.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Members Goss and Kriebs Noes: None.
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: None
The motion to move to approve the agenda as presented was approved by a unanimous voice vote by all Members present.
COUNCIL OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION
Report out from Closed Session held on February 25, 2025.
City Attorney Giragosian reported that the City Council met in Closed Session to discuss the following:
1) Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Gov. Code Sec. 54957) Title: City Attorney
No reportable action was taken.
APPROVAL FOR READING RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES
Vote of the City Council to read all Ordinances and Resolutions by title only and waive the reading in full.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Council Member Kriebs made a motion to read all Ordinances and Resolutions by title only and waive the reading in full.
Mayor Pro Tem Lowe seconded the motion
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Members Goss and Kriebs Noes: None.
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: None
The motion was passed by a unanimous voice vote from all present Members.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
Approval of February 25, 2025, City Council meeting minutes City Clerk Aguilar advised the Council that she'd received e-mailed feedback on the minutes, from Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, requesting corrections to three typos within the meeting minutes:
• Council Reports: Under Mayor Parkhurst's report, the word "weekend" was missing an "n" Public Comment: Under Director Yanez's report, the word "reasons" was missing the second "s" • Discussion 1: the word "adopting" was misspelled.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Council Member Kriebs made a motion to approve the minutes as amended; Council Member Goss seconded the motion.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Members Goss and Kriebs Noes: None
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: None.
The motion to approve the amended minutes was approved by all Members present.
Approval of March 4, 2025, Special City Council meeting minutes.
Mayor Parkhurst asked if there were any requests for amendments to the Special Meeting minutes.
Seeing none, Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Council Member Goss made a motion to approve the minutes as presented.
Mayor Pro Tem Lowe seconded the motion to approve the minutes, as presented.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Member Goss Noes: None
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: Council Member Kriebs.
The motion to approve the Special Meeting minutes was approved by all Members present.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
Reporting of Council Members' activities related to City business.
Council Member Kriebs: had no updates to report.
Council Member Goss: Reported that the Library Meaningful Improvement Project is 38 days behind schedule but has been assured by Vertex that the project will be completed by the January 2026 deadline. He also reported that he attended the Planning Commission meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Lowe: Reported that she attended Sierra Madre Elementary School on February 27 with Luna Peak Foundation, where they promoted their new book: / survived the Wildfires of 2025.
Mayor Parkhurst: reported that he attended the Los Angeles County Sanitation District meeting on February 26; he also attended the Natural Resources Commission meeting on February 26. They discussed Earth Day activities, scheduled for the same day as the Wistaria Festival.
February 27 the Ad-Hoc Revenue Committee met. Mayor Parkhurst announced the names of the newly appointed members: Michael Amerio, James Kelly, Russell Meek, Mike Comer, and Tom Dennison.
March 6 he attended a meeting of the Clean Power Alliance.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION CODE OF CONDUCT
Your participation is welcomed and invited at all City Council meetings. The Council requests that participants refrain from making personal, slanderous, profane, or disruptive remarks. A person who continues to disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting after being warned by the Mayor or designee to cease the disruption may be precluded from further participation in the meeting. No signs, posters, or other large objects shall be brought into official meeting places if doing so would disrupt, disturb, or otherwise impede the orderly course of the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
The Council will listen to the public on any item on the agenda. In addition, the Council will devote time for public comment on items not on the agenda. Addressing the City Council from the audience is not ermitted: all comments addressing the Council must be made from the podium. Only public comment made from the podium will be recognized by the City Council and entered into public record.
Providing Public Comment For Items on the Meeting Agenda Persons wishing to speak on any item on the agenda will be called during the comment period at the time the agenda item is brought forward. Persons wishing to speak on closed session items have a choice of doing so either immediately prior to the closed session or at the time for comments on items at the open session.
Provide Public Comment for Topics not on the Meeting Agenda Time shall be devoted to provide public comments for items not on the agenda. Under the Brown Act, Council is prohibited from taking action on items not on the agenda.
Providing Public Comment
1. Any person wishing to provide public comment is asked to complete a comment card. Each speaker will be limited to up to three continuous minutes, which may not be delegated or deferred.
2. A podium is provided for public comment. Comments addressed to the Council shall occur during the appropriate time on the agenda and should not be construed as an opportunity for dialogue.
Mayor Parkhurst opened Public Comment for items not on the agenda City Clerk Aguilar advised that four e-mails had been received in advance of the Council meeting:
Antoinette Ibrahimi: Asked the City to allow World Central Kitchen to be allowed to relocate to Sierra Madre
Margo Malakoff: Asked the Council to allow World Central Kitchen to return to Sierra Vista Park.
Sarai Lomeli: shared her gratitude for World Central Kitchen Marya Hayes: asked the City to allow World Central Kitchen to be stationed at Methodist Church Senior Management Analyst Carlson: provide a brief update on the upcoming storm Yvette Del Corazon, Brookside Lane: shared her concerns on the Yucca Trail Debris Structure
PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION IN RECOGNITION OF WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR THEIR
CONTRIBUTIONS OF DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS TO COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY THE EATON FIRE
Presented by Mayor Parkhurst to representatives from World Central Kitchen
ACTION ITEMS
Regardless of staff recommendation on any agenda item, the City Council will consider such matters, including action to approve, conditionally approve, reject, or continue such item.
CONSENT
City Clerk Aguilar presented the following report:
a) CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 25-18 APPROVING CERTAIN DEMANDS It is recommended that the City Council approve Resolution 25-18 approving payment b) CONSIDERATION OF THE FOURTEENTH TOLLING AGREEMENT WITH GINKO
STONEHOUSE, LLC
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the Fourteenth Tolling Agreement with Ginko Stonehouse, LLC
C) REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR PROFESSIONAL AUDITING SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEARS 2025-2026, 2026-2027, AND 2027-2028
It is recommended that the City Council authorize the issuance of a Request for Proposals for Professional Auditing Services for three fiscal years, with an option to renew for two additional fiscal years.
d) CONSIDERATION OF SUPPORT FOR CALIFORNIA'S FEDERAL
SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
It is recommended that the City Council approve a letter of support for California's request for federal supplemental appropriations to assist in disaster recovery and wildfire resilience efforts, following the January 2025 Los Angeles firestorms. e) APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH THE
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE RIGHT-OF-ENTRY (ROE) PROGRAM REQUIRED FOR THE PHASE 2 PRIVATE PROPERTY DEBRIS
REMOVAL PROGRAM
It is recommended that the City Council execute the MOU with the County of Los Angeles for administration of the ROE Program required for the Phase 2 Private Property Debris Removal Program
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY PUBLIC WORKS CONTRACT FOR FLORAL DEBRIS BASIN CLEANOUT BY NORTHWEST EXCAVATING, INC.
It is recommended that the City Council receive an file the notification of an emergency Public Works contract for emergency debris removal at the Floral Debris Basin, following the 2025 mid-February winter storm event.
Mayor Parkhurst brought the matter to the Council for questions then opened public comment.
Seeing no one come forward, the Mayor closed public comment and brought the matter back to the Council for discussion and/or a motion.
Mayor Pro Tem Lowe made a motion to approve Consent items a-f.
Council Member Kriebs seconded the motion.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Members Goss and Kriebs Noes:
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: None.
The motion to approve Consent items a-f was approved by a unanimous voice vote by all Members present.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Parkhurst asked the Council if they had any items they wanted to discuss at a future meeting. • Council Member Kriebs asked for an update to the Yucca Trail Debris Structure
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Parkhurst asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Council Member Goss made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Council Member Kriebs seconded the motion.
Mayor Parkhurst called for a vote of the Council:
Ayes: Mayor Parkhurst, Mayor Pro Tem Lowe, and Council Members Goss and Kriebs Noes: None.
Absent: Council Members Garcia (Excused).
Abstain: None.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:20 pm to a Regular City Council meeting scheduled for March 25, 2025.
Part T. Pello
Robert Parkhurst
Mayor
Mintues taken by:
Tuna Aguilar.
City Clerk Laura Aguilar
ACTION ITEMS
Regardless of staff recommendation on any agenda item, the City Council will consider such matters, including action to approve, conditionally approve, reject, or continue such item.
PUBLIC HEARING
The appellant and/or applicant will each be provided a total of ten (10) minutes to address their item. A portion of their allotted time may be reserved for rebuttal or a summary conclusion at the close of public comment. All other speakers will be limited to a total of three continuous minutes, which cannot be delegated. These rules will be enforced but may be changed by appropriate City Council action.
AVAILABILITY OF AGENDA MATERIALS
Materials related to items on this agenda are available for public inspection on the City's website at www.cityofsierramadre.com.
LIVE BROADCASTS
Regular City Council meetings are broadcast live on Cable Channel 3 and rebroadcast on Wednesday and Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
MEETING ASSISTANCE
If you require special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call the City Clerk's office at 626) 355-7135 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The City Council will adjourn to a meeting to take place on March 25, 2025