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City Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 5:30 p.m. Regular Meeting
City Council Chamber, 491 North M Street, Tulare, California Proper notice of this regular meeting of the Tulare City Council was given pursuant to California Government Code Section 54954.2.
City Council Present: Mayor Patrick Isherwood, Vice Mayor Stephen C. Harrell, Terry A. Sayre, Dennis A. Mederos
City Council Absent: Jose Sigala
Staff Present: City Attorney Mario U. Zamora; Chief Deputy City Clerk Melissa Wilcox; Assistant City Manager Thomas W. Gaffery IV; Deputy City Manager/Chief Technology Officer Jason Bowling; Chief Financial Officer Mark Roberts; City Engineer Michael Miller; Public Works Director Trisha Whitfield; Police Captain Ray Guerrero; Fire Chief Michael Ott; General Services Director Manny Correa; Community Development Director Mario Anaya; Human Resources Director Janie Venegas; Housing and Grants Specialist Norveen Brar
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Isherwood called to order the regular meeting of the Tulare City Council at 5:34 p.m. in the Council Chamber located at 491 North M Street.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION
Vice Mayor Harrell led the Pledge of Allegiance, and an invocation was given by Brian Bell, The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints.
3. PROCLAMATIONS & RECOGNITIONS
3.1 Proclamation for National Public Works Week, May 17-23, 2026. Mayor Isherwood read and presented a proclamation to Public Works Director Whitfield proclaiming May 17-23, 2026 as National Public Works Week.
3.2 Proclamation for National Salvation Army Week, May 11-17, 2026. Mayor Isherwood advised this proclamation would be rescheduled to ensure members of the Salvation Army are in attendance to be recognized for their service.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Donnette Silva, Tulare Chamber of Commerce CEO, provided various Chamber updates.
5. COMMUNICATIONS
Assistant City Manager Gaffery advised there were no communications.
6. COUNCIL REPORTS AND ITEMS OF INTEREST
Council reported on recent events and discussed items of interest.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Item 7.6 was removed from the Consent Calendar.
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It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Councilmember Sayre, and carried 4 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent) to approve the items on the Consent Calendar as presented except for item 7.6.
7.1 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.
7.2 Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes.
Recommended Action: Approve the minutes of the special and/or regular meeting of May 5, 2026. [M. Wilcox]
7.3 Economic Development Updates.
Recommended Action: Receive an update on economic development activities [J. Gomez]
7.4 Tulare Fire Chief Officer Group Side Letter of Agreement No. 1.
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution approving and authorizing the execution of Side Letter of Agreement No. 1 between the City and Tulare Fire Chief Officer Group (TFCO), amending Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) adopted December 2, 2025, for the term of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028. [J. Venegas]
7.5 Professional Services Agreement with Rick Engineering Company.
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to sign a contract with Rick Engineering Company in the amount of $462,202 for professional consulting services associated with the preparation of a Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Strategic Plan. [M. Anaya]
7.7 Purchase of Two Polaris Utility Vehicles (UTVs).
Recommended Action: Award the purchase of two utility vehicles for a total of $30,000 and adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget approving the use of Fund 605 Fleet replacement fund balance and the appropriation of $30,000. [M. Correa]
7.8 Parcel Map Acceptance – TPM 2025-04.
Recommended Action: Approve the Parcel Map filed by Holmes Properties, LLC for the division of land located on the south side of Corvina Avenue, west of Hillman Street, and accept all dedications and easements offered to the City. [M. Miller]
ITEM(S) PULLED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
7.6 Inyo Corridor Streetscape, Placemaking, and Revitalization Project.
Recommended Action: Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Zack Urban Solutions, Inc. (ZUS) in an amount not to exceed $198,000, subject to minor or clarifying changes approved by both the City Attorney and the City Manager; and authorize the City Manager or designee to approve contract change orders in an amount not to exceed 10% ($19,800). [T. Gaffery] Council Action: This item was pulled by Councilmember Mederos for clarification. It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and carried 4 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent) to approve the item as presented.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
8.1 Approve 2026 Annual Action Plan Involving CDBG and HOME Funds.
Recommended Action: Approve the 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan to appropriate approximately $1,124,832 of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds across public infrastructure, public services, affordable housing preservation, and program administration activities, and $791,794.52 of HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program funds across affordable housing development, tenant based rental assistance, program administration, and community housing development organization activities; and authorize the City Manager and/or City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, May 19, 2026
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their designee to execute related agreements and all other materials as necessary for the CDBG and HOME Programs.
Presented By: Housing and Grants Specialist Brar
Public Comment: The public hearing was opened at 5:56 p.m. Receiving no public comment, the hearing was closed at 5:56 p.m.
Council Action: Mayor Isherwood recused himself due to a conflict of interest (employed by SelfHelp Enterprises). It was moved by Councilmember Sayre, seconded by Councilmember Mederos, and carried 3 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent; Mayor Isherwood recused) to approve the item as presented.
9. GENERAL BUSINESS
9.1 Committee on Aging Appointment.
Recommended Action: Appoint one member to the Committee on Aging to the vacant seat for a term ending December 31, 2027.
Presented By: Chief Deputy City Clerk Wilcox
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: It was moved by Councilmember Sayre, seconded by Councilmember Mederos, and carried 4 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent) to appoint Cecilia Franco to the Committee on Aging for a term ending December 31, 2027.
9.2 Policy on Handling Service Disruptions During Hybrid Public Meetings.
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution approving the Policy on Handling Service Disruptions During Hybrid Public Meetings and directing the City Clerk to implement associated noticing and publication requirements.
Presented By: Chief Deputy City Clerk Wilcox
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and carried 4 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent) to approve the item as presented.
9.3 Tulare Mosquito Abatement District Appointment.
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution making an appointment to the Tulare Mosquito Abatement District Board of Directors for a term from July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2029.
Presented By: Chief Deputy City Clerk Wilcox
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: It was moved by Councilmember Mederos, seconded by Vice Mayor Harrell, and carried 4 to 0 (Councilmember Sigala absent) to adopt a resolution appointing Craig Smith to the Tulare Mosquito Abatement District Board of Directors for a term from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2029.
9.4 Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Capital Improvement Program Review.
Recommended Action: Review the City of Tulare Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Capital Improvement Program and provide direction thereto.
Presented By: City Engineer Miller
Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: Questions posed by Council were responded to by staff. It was the consensus of Council to move forward with the Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Capital Improvement Program as presented.
9.5 Fiscal Year 2027 Preliminary Budget Review.
Recommended Action: Review the preliminary Fiscal Year 2027 budget and provide direction thereto.
Presented By: Chief Financial Officer Roberts; Budget Finance Manager Del Cid Public Comment: There were no public comments.
Council Action: There was no action taken.
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10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
10.1 Board Member Appointment Process.
Recommended Action: Direct staff to add to a future agenda or take no action.
Submitted By: Councilmember Mederos
Council Action: It was the consensus of Council to have staff add this item to a future agenda.
11. STAFF UPDATES
Staff provided updates on department activities.
12. RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING ITEMS
12.1 Conference with Labor Negotiators (Gov. Code § 54957.6) Agency Designated Representatives: City Attorney Zamora, Assistant City Manager Gaffery, Deputy City Manager/CTO Bowling, Human Resources Director Venegas Employee Organization(s): California League of City Employees Association (CLOCEA)
12.2 Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Govt. Code § 54956.9(d)(2): 1 case
12.3 Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (Govt. Code § 54956.9(d)(1)) Name of Case: VCU317197 Laborers International Union of North America Local 294 and People of the State of California, Ex Rel. Rob Bonta, Attorney General of the State of California v. City of Tulare
Council recessed to closed session at 6:54 p.m.
13. RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION
Council reconvened from closed session at 7:49 p.m.
14. CLOSED SESSION REPORT
There was no reportable action.
15. ADJOURNMENT
Seeing no further business to discuss, Mayor Isherwood adjourned the regular meeting at 7:49 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 May 19, 2026, as approved by the Tulare City Council.
Marc Mondell, City Clerk
By Melissa Wilcox, Chief Deputy City Clerk