TAFT CITY COUNCIL/SUCCESSOR AGENCY
MINUTES
MARCH 19, 2024
The March 19, 2024 regular joint meeting of the Taft City Council/Taft Successor Agency, held in the Council Chamber at Taft City Hall, 209 East Kern Street, Taft, CA 93268, was opened by Mayor Dave Noerr at 6:00 PM. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by City Clerk, Yvette Mayfield, and invocation was given by Pastor John Getty.
PRESENT: Mayor Dave Noerr and Mayor Pro Tem Orchel Krier Council Members Josh Bryant, Carlos Chavira and Ron Waldrop City Manager Craig Jones and City Attorney Jason Epperson City Clerk Yvette Mayfield
1. CITIZEN REQUESTS/PUBLIC COMMENTS
Chrissy Rodart, from Alpha House Women’s Shelter, shared about the agency’s current financial challenges, their financial recovery plan and invited everyone to consider attending their upcoming fundraiser dinner.
2. COUNCIL STATEMENTS (NON‐ACTION)
Council Member Waldrop reported out on the February 20th League of California Cities meeting that he attended and the ballot initiative that was presented.
Council Member Bryant encouraged the reporting of issues and concerns using the Report a Concern tab on the city website and explained the city’s jurisdiction is only within the city limits of Taft and gave information for county residents to reach out to Supervisor Scrivner regarding their concerns.
Council Member Chavira spoke on vagrancy issues and encouraged local businesses to participate in posting properties and calling law enforcement. He also spoke about reporting noise issues and being respectful to your neighbors.
Mayor Pro Tem Krier talked about the day’s election, the pendulum turning in California and encouraged people to attend council meetings.
Mayor Noerr reminded everyone that there are signs available at City Hall to post on business properties to assist with reporting of vagrancy and if anyone is having noise issues in their neighborhood and law enforcement has been called, to make sure to continue to call back if the noise issue returns as the police only know what is reported.
3. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT
Planning Director, Mark Staples, reported that the Commission only had one action item at their last meeting which was the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the new Dollar General’s beer and wine license.
City of Taft Council/Successor Agency Meeting
Minutes
March 19, 2024
4. DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Director Staples shared about the workshops being held for the Housing Element update and encouraged everyone to please complete the survey that is available to help assist with the update process.
5. CITY MANAGER STATEMENTS
There was none.
6. CITY ATTORNEY STATEMENTS
There was none.
7. FUTURE AGENDA REQUESTS
There were none.
********************************************************************************************* CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 8‐17
Waldrop abstained from Item No. 8
Noerr pulled Item No. 15
Motion: Moved by Chavira, seconded by Bryant to approve consent calendar items 8- 14 & 16-17.
AYES: Krier, Bryant, Chavira, Waldrop, Noerr
PASSED: 5-0
8. MINUTES
March 5, 2024 Regular
Recommendation – Approve as submitted.
9. PAYMENT OF BILLS
Warrant # 030824 Check No. 99442-99463 $ 89,276.00
Warrant # 031524 Check No. 99464-99527 $ 246, 481.62
Recommendation – Approve payment of the bills.
10. UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS IN THE CITY OF TAFT
City of Taft Council/Successor Agency Meeting
Minutes
March 19, 2024
Recommendation – Motion to adopt a resolution entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TAFT MAKING FINDINGS REGARDING UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS IN THE CITY OF TAFT (Resolution No. 4226‐24) and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
11. 2023 ANNUAL REPORT FOR KERN COUNTY FIRE STATION NO. 21 Recommendation – Receive and file the 2023 Annual Report from Kern County Fire Station No. 21 and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
12. MONTHLY REPORT FOR KERN COUNTY FIRE STATION NO. 21 ‐ FEBRUARY 2024 Recommendation – Receive and file the monthly report for January 2024 from Kern County Fire Station No. 21 and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
13. APPOINTING THE CITY MANAGER AS THE AUTHORIZED SIGNER FOR ALL
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS
Recommendation – Motion to adopt a resolution entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCILOF THE CITYOF TAFT APPOINTING THE CITY MANAGER AS THE AUTHORIZED SIGNER FOR THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY‐STATE AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL‐AID PROJECTS (Resolution No. 4227‐24) and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
14. REQUEST FOR DONATION OF TWO GEM ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY THE WEST KERN OIL MUSEUM
Recommendation – Motion to adopt a resolution entitled A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TAFT APPROVING DONATION OF TWO (2) 2019 GEM
ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO THE WEST KERN OIL MUSEUM AND ESTABLISHING PUBLIC BENEFIT (Resolution No. 4228‐24) and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
16. FUNDING TO THE TAFT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THE QUARTER OF JULY 2023 TO SEPTEMBER 2023
Recommendation – Motion to approve the 25% allocation of the Transient Occupancy tax to the Taft Chamber of Commerce for the quarter of July 2023 through September 2023, and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
17. MEASURE A CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS City of Taft Council/Successor Agency Meeting
Minutes
March 19, 2024
Recommendation – Motion to appoint Emmanuel “Manny” Campos, Brian Finn and Scottie Gee, to positions on the Measure A Citizens Oversight Committee effective March 19, 2024, authorize the City Clerk to keep an open-ended recruitment until such time as one more qualified applicant is received and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
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15. FRANCHISE AGREEMENT – WESTSIDE WASTE MANAGEMENT CO., INC. – AMENDMENT #3 TO SECTION 11.1 COMPENSATION FOR BASIC RESIDENTIAL SERVICE Motion: Moved by Bryant, seconded by Krier to authorize the Mayor to sign Amendment #3 to the Franchise Agreement between the City of Taft and Westside Waste Management Company, Inc. and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Noerr shared that he pulled the item in order to discuss the compensation being approved in the agreement. He explained that per the agreement, compensation is based off of the CPI and the agreement states the contractor may request a carryover from prior years when the inflation factor is below 5%. The contractor had requested a carryover of the .95% from the previous year. It is his recommendation that the 5% increase be approved without approving the .95% carryover.
Bryant asked for confirmation that the compensation increase request would be addressed again next year and that they would have the ability again next year to request carryover if available and it was confirmed that it is addressed annually.
Friendly amended Motion:
Byrant motioned to authorize the Mayor to sign Amendment #3 to the Franchise Agreement between the City of Taft and Westside Waste Management Company, Inc. for the requested 5% per the agreement while denying the request for .95% rollover and find that the activity is not a project per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as set forth in Section 15060(c)(3) and Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines. Krier, as the second to the original motion, concurred with the amendment.
AYES: Krier, Bryant, Chavira, Waldrop, Noerr
PASSED: 5-0
At 6:56 PM the meeting recessed to closed session.
CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR, CRAIG JONES, CITY MANAGER Government Code 54957.6 – All units
B. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Government Code Section 54956.9 (a) – Taft Union High School vs. City of Taft City of Taft Council/Successor Agency Meeting
Minutes
March 19, 2024
The City Council discussed in closed session the items agendized for closed session discussion and direction was given to staff. No other reportable action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT ‐ With no further business to conduct the meeting was adjourned at 7:16 PM. __________ ____________
Yvette Mayfield, MMC Dave Noerr
City Clerk Mayor