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CITY OF TULARE
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Tulare Public Library & Council Chamber
491 North M Street, Tulare
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
5:30 p.m. Regular Meeting
Proper notice of this meeting was given pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Patrick Isherwood
Vice Mayor Steve Harrell
Councilmember Jose Sigala
Councilmember Terry A. Sayre
Councilmember Dennis A. Mederos
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Marc Mondell; City Attorney Mario U. Zamora; Chief Deputy City Clerk Melissa Wilcox; Deputy City Manager/Chief Technology Officer Jason Bowling; Chief Financial Officer Mark Roberts; City Engineer Michael Miller; Public Works Director Trisha Whitfield; Community Services Director Chris Orr; Police Chief Fred Ynclan; Fire Chief Michael Ott; General Services Director Manny Correa; Community Development Director Mario Anaya; Executive Director of Economic Development & Redevelopment Jennifer Gomez; Human Resources Director Janie Venegas
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Isherwood called to order the regular meeting of the Tulare City Council at 5:35 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 491 North M Street.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION
Community Services Director Orr led the Pledge of Allegiance, and an invocation was given by Greg Peterson, Pastor of Sunrise Community Church.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
David Valdez, Zee Enriquez, and Adrian Hernandez addressed the Council regarding the upcoming wrestling event.
Donnette Carter provided various Chamber of Commerce updates.
4. COMMUNICATIONS
City Manager Marc Mondell advised there were no communications.
5. COUNCIL REPORTS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST
Council reported on recent events and discussed items of interest.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
Items 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4 were removed from the Consent Calendar.
It was moved by Councilmember Sigala, seconded by Councilmember Mederos, and unanimously carried to approve the items on the Consent Calendar as presented except for item
6.2, 6.3, and 6.4.
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6.1 Waive the reading of ordinances and approve reading by title only.
Recommended Action: Approve the reading by title only of all ordinances and that further reading of such ordinances be waived.
6.5 Landscape Maintenance Contractor Agreement Extension.
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the First Amendment to the Professional Landscape Maintenance Contractor agreement with BrightView Landscape Services, Inc. (Routes A and C); and execute the First Amendment to the Professional Landscape Maintenance Contractor agreement with Perfect Care Landscape & Maintenance (Routes B, D, E, and F). [C. Orr]
ITEM(S) PULLED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
6.2 Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes.
Recommended Action: Approve the minutes of the special and/or regular meetings of February 3, 2026 and February 6, 2026. [M. Wilcox]
Council Action: Councilmember Mederos pulled this item to note an omission in the meeting minutes from February 6. It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and unanimously carried to approve the item as amended to include the following in the February 6, 2026 meeting minutes: “Councilmember Mederos stated he would like to see a groundbreaking occur soon for the International Agri-Center Way extension with the project complete by next year’s World Ag Expo, completion of the traffic signal at West and Prosperity, and completion of the Bella Oaks and Mooney Boulevard project.”
6.3 Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 2026-01.
Recommended Action: Adopt Ordinance 2026-01 approving and designating the Tulare Veterans Memorial Building, Hoyt House, T29A Convair Airplane, B-17 Bomber, and F-4 Phantom Jet as City of Tulare Historic-Cultural Landmarks and adding them to the Local Register of Historic-Cultural Landmarks pursuant to Tulare Municipal Code Chapter 10.38. [M. Anaya]
Council Action: Councilmember Mederos pulled this item to clarify that he does not have a potential conflict of interest as stated in the staff report. It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and unanimously carried to adopt Ordinance 2026-01 as presented.
6.4 Economic Development Updates.
Recommended Action: Receive an update on economic development activities. [J.
Gomez]
Council Action: Councilmember Sigala pulled this item for a verbal report which was given by Executive Director of Economic Development and Redevelopment Gomez. It was moved by Councilmember Sigala, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and unanimously carried to approve the item as presented.
7. GENERAL BUSINESS
7.1 Consideration of Termination of Agreement with TCCAD.
Recommended Action: Direct staff to proceed with consolidating fire and police dispatch operations at the Tulare Police Department; and authorize the City Manager, at the appropriate time, to issue a 90-day notice of termination of the current agreement with Tulare County Consolidated Ambulance Dispatch (TCCAD) for fire dispatch services.
Presented By: City Manager Mondell
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: Questions posed by Council were responded to by staff. Vice Mayor Harrell voiced concern about potential issues with operations when consolidated, City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, February 17, 2026 City of Tulare Page 3 of 4
particularly with staff being trained specifically for fire dispatch. It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Councilmember Sayre, and unanimously carried to approve the item as presented.
7.2 Revised Emergency Shelter Operator Agreement.
Recommended Action: Review a revised emergency shelter service agreement with Lighthouse Rescue Mission (“LRM”) regarding the City’s emergency shelter project for the term May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027.
Presented By: General Services Director Correa; City Manager Mondell Public Comment: Jason Bender voiced his disagreement with using taxpayer funds to pay for food to feed the dogs at the shelter. He also expressed his hope that the determination of appropriateness for dogs to reside at the shelter not by breed but by behavior. Steve Celentano expressed concern over insurance coverage.
Council Action: Questions posed by Council were responded to by staff and Renee Soto of the Lighthouse Rescue Mission. This item was informational only; therefore, no action was taken. The revised agreement will be brought for Council approval on March 17, 2026.
7.3 Pension Trust Administration Services.
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution (1) adopting the Public Agencies PostEmployment Benefits Trust (“Plan”) administered by Public Agency Retirement Services (PARS) to prefund the City's unfunded accrued pension liabilities; (2) appointing the City Manager, or his designee, as Plan Administrator; (3) authorizing the Plan Administrator to execute the documents necessary to implement the Plan; and (4) authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Phase II Systems dba Public Agency Retirement Services and PARS for pension trust administration services for the period February 18, 2026, through December 31, 2028, with up to two additional one-year extensions under the same terms.
Presented By: Chief Financial Officer Roberts
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and unanimously carried to approve the item as presented.
7.4 Park Special Event Permit Process and Facility Use Fee Schedule.
Recommended Action: Review and adopt the City of Tulare Park Special Event Permit Process Policy and Application; review the proposed Facility Use Fee Schedule; and provide direction to staff regarding reserving the first Saturday of May for a Cinco De Mayo community event at Zumwalt Park.
Presented By: Community Services Director Orr
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: Following lengthy discussion, it was moved by Mayor Isherwood, seconded by Councilmember Mederos, and carried 4 to 1 (Councilmember Sigala voted no) to approve the item as presented.
7.5 Request for Funding for July 4th Event.
Recommended Action: Provide direction to staff regarding a 250th Anniversary Independence Day event at Zumwalt Park on July 4, 2026, featuring and subsidizing the Sequoia Symphony Orchestra at either $50,000 with a $10 per ticket admission price or $60,000 with free tickets.
Presented By: Community Services Director Orr; City Manager Mondell Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: Questions posed by Council were responded to by staff and Todd Speelman of Spade Entertainment. Council requested additional information be brought back, including a budget breakdown with revenue component and other pertinent project details. It was the consensus of Council to table this item to March 3, 2026.
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8. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS - NONE SUBMITTED
9. STAFF UPDATES
Staff provided updates on department activities.
City Manager Mondell announced that the City received two CPRS awards: the 2025 CPRS Award of Excellence for “City of Tulare Zumwalt Park featuring Adventist Health Amphitheater” in the Park Planning Award of Excellence category and for “Letters to Jack Skellington” in the Outstanding Program category. Mr. Mondell updated the Council on AB 1708 which would establish a clear and equitable pathway for cities to access existing Homeless, Housing Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) funding while reinforcing accountability and alignment with the state’s homelessness goals. Mr. Mondell also updated the Council on graffiti award program requested by Councilmember Sigala, advising there is already a program outlined in the City’s municipal code and that he considers this issue closed.
10. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS
10.1 Conference with Labor Negotiators (Gov. Code § 54957.6) Agency Designated Representatives: City Attorney Zamora, City Manager Mondell, Assistant City Manager Gaffery, Deputy City Manager/Chief Technology Officer Bowling, Human Resources Director Venegas
Employee Organization(s): Tulare Professional Fire Fighter Association - Management and Non-Management
Council recessed to closed session at 8:37 p.m.
11. RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION
Council reconvened from closed session at 9:07 p.m.
12. CLOSED SESSION REPORT
There was no reportable action.
13. ADJOURNMENT
Seeing no further business to discuss, Mayor Isherwood adjourned the regular meeting at 9:07 p.m.
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and
correct copy of the minutes of the special and/or
regular meeting held on February 17, 2026, as
approved by the Tulare City Council.
Marc Mondell, City Clerk
By Melissa Wilcox, Chief Deputy City Clerk