MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Lopez called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Lopez led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Leticia Lopez, Mayor
Crystal Larios, Mayor Pro Tem
Judith Merlo, Council Member
Melissa Ybarra, Council Member
ABSENT:
William Davis, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Carlos Fandino, City Administrator
Zaynah Moussa, City Attorney
Lisa Pope, City Clerk
Scott Williams, Finance Director
Fredrick Agyin, Health and Environmental Control Director Michael Earl, Human Resources Director
Robert Sousa, Police Chief
Dan Wall, Public Works Director
Todd Dusenberry, Acting Public Utilities General Manager
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Council Member Merlo seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Davis absent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Greg Modesti, Just Pottery, Inc., 4454 Pacific Boulevard, expressed concern regarding truck parking limiting access to his property.
City Administrator Fandino indicated City Administration would investigate and report back to Council.
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October 18, 2022
PRESENTATIONS
1. Employee Service Pin Awards for August and September 2022 Recommendation: No action required by City Council. This is a presentation only Human Resources Director Earl acknowledged Daniel Lopez, Gas Systems Specialist; Juan F. Lozano, Gas Systems Specialist; Christina Rivera, Utilities Customer Service Representative; and Robert C. Sousa, Police Chief, as the recipients of the Employee Service Pin Awards for August and September 2022.
2. California Department of Toxic Substances Control Update on Exide Related Remediation
Recommendation: No action required by City Council. This is a presentation only.
Mehdi Bettahar, Assistant Deputy Director, and Poonam Acharya, Project Manager, California Department of Toxic Substances Control, presented an overview of the Exide Vernon Facility budget and project update.
In response to Council questions, Mr. Bettahar and Ms. Acharya discussed efforts to deal with the 25% inflation rate and explained the effect of wind on ambient air lead concentrations.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Council Member Merlo seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried 4- 0, Council Member Davis absent.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
3. Approval of Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the October 4, 2022 Regular City Council meeting minutes.
4. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Receive and file claim submitted by Cynthia Duran in the amount of $180.
5. City Payroll Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve City Payroll Warrant Register No. 796, for the period of September 1 through September 30, 2022, totaling $2,724,261.48 and consisting of ratification of direct deposits, checks and taxes totaling $1,802,946.05 and ratification of checks and electronic fund transfers (EFT) for payroll related disbursements totaling $921,315.43 paid through operating bank account.
6. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 96, for the period of September 18 through October 1, 2022, totaling $14,302,269.08 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $14,067,061.20 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $235,207.88.
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October 18, 2022
7. Fire Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the August 2022 Fire Department Activity Report.
8. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the August 2022 Police Department Activity Report.
9. Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Grant Agreement
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator, Police Chief, and Police Sergeant to execute a grant agreement between the City of Vernon and the Office of Traffic Safety, in substantially the same form as submitted, for participation in the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) for a one (1) year term, with an effective date of October 1, 2022.
10. Office of Traffic Safety Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP) Grant Agreement
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator, Police Chief, and Police Sergeant to execute a grant agreement between the City of Vernon and the Office of Traffic Safety, in substantially the same form as submitted, for participation in the Traffic Records Improvement Project (TRIP) for a one (1) year term, with an effective date of October 1, 2022.
11. Notice of Completion for Contract No. CS-1204, Pacific Boulevard, Santa Fe Avenue, and Vernon Avenue Street Improvements
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), part (c) (existing highways, streets, and sidewalks) because the project consists of the maintenance, repair, or minor alteration of existing streets and involves no expansion of an existing use; B.
Accept the work of All American Asphalt as related to City Contract No. CS-1204; and C. Authorize the Director of Public Works to execute and submit the Notice of Completion for the project to the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office.
12. Services Agreement with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc. for OnCall Environmental Clean-Up Services Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15308, because the action is being carried out by a regulatory agency to maintain, restore, or enhance the environment, where the regulatory process includes procedures to protect the environment; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Ocean Blue Environmental Services, Inc., in substantially the same form as submitted, for on-call environmental clean-up services for an amount not-toexceed $300,000, for a three-year term.
13. Award of City Contract No. CS-1456 Citywide Tree Wells Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, because the project consists of the maintenance, repair or minor alteration of an existing facility and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use; B. Accept the bid proposal from FS Contractors, Inc., as the lowest DocuSign Envelope ID: E6419BB0-F7FA-41D5-9A0D-FB55C4651984 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 5
October 18, 2022
responsive and responsible bidder for the Citywide Tree Wells project and reject all other bids; C. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Contract No. CS-1456 in the amount of $702,690 for the construction and installation of Citywide Street Tree Wells, for a period not-to-exceed 60 calendar days; and D.
Authorize a contingency of $8,040 in the event of an unexpected changed condition in the project and grant authority to the City Administrator to issue change orders for an amount up to the contingency amount, if necessary.
14. Blanket Purchase Contract with Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc.
Recommendation: Approve issuance of a blanket Purchase Contract with Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. (Fujitsu), in an amount not-to-exceed $40,000 for the repair of Fujitsu equipment related to the Fiber Optics System Internet Access Operations and any ancillary purchases needed for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2022-23.
15. Services Agreement with DC Consulting Services LLC
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, because the project consists of the maintenance, repair or minor alteration of existing equipment and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Services Agreement with DC Consulting Services, LLC, in substantially the same form as submitted, to provide gas turbine maintenance services, in an amount notto-exceed $259,950.
16. Reject Bids Received for City Contract No. CS-1486 North Parking Security Fencing
Recommendation: Reject all bids for City Contract No. CS-1486 to furnish and deliver security fencing to City Hall’s parking structure, due to a lack of competitive bidders to compare bid prices since the total amount is significantly over the Engineer’s estimate.
17. Purchase Order with Donaldson Company, Inc.
Recommendation: Approve issuance of a Purchase Order with Donaldson Company, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $104,872.80, for purchase and delivery of combustion turbine air inlet filters needed at the Malburg Generating Station.
ORAL REPORTS
City Administrator Reports on Activities and other Announcements.
City Administrator Fandino announced Vernon School Red Ribbon Week; Halloween Spooktacular on October 27, 5:00 p.m.; and the Special Joint meeting on November 1, 2022 for AB 1234 Ethics Training.
City Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff.
None.
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October 18, 2022
RECESS
Mayor Lopez recessed the meeting to Closed Session at 9:25 a.m.
CLOSED SESSION
18. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Jerry Chavez v. City of Vernon
Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. BC719460
RECONVENE
At 9:51 a.m., Mayor Lopez adjourned Closed Session and reconvened the regular meeting.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Moussa reported the Council met in Closed Session, discussed the item on the agenda, and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lopez adjourned the meeting at 9:51 a.m.
______________________________
LETICIA LOPEZ, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
DocuSign Envelope ID: E6419BB0-F7FA-41D5-9A0D-FB55C4651984