MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2023
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Larios called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Larios led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Crystal Larios, Mayor
Judith Merlo, Mayor Pro Tem
Melissa Ybarra Council Member
Leticia Lopez, Council Member
Jesus Rivera, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Angela Kimmey, Deputy 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, Public Utilities General Manager
Richard Corbi, Public Utilities Planning and Analysis Manager
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Merlo seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Salima and Hanif Surani, Tuxedo LA, discussed their Vernon business offering a warehouse filming location and expressed concern with the requirement for two Police Officers at every film shoot.
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June 6, 2023
RECESS
Mayor Larios called a recess at 9:05 a.m. The meeting reconvened at 9:12 a.m.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Merlo seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
1. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the May 16, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
2. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Receive and file the claim submitted by Barnaby Wang in the amount of $825.68.
3. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 110, for the period of April 29 through May 20, 2023, totaling $11,223,138.38 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $10,445,631.96 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $777,506.42.
4. Amendment to Classification and Compensation Plan
Recommendation: A. Approve new and revised job descriptions; and B. Adopt Resolution No. 2023-11 adopting the Classification and Compensation Plan in accordance with Government Code Section 20636(b)(1) and repealing Resolution Nos. 2022-29, 2022-31, and 2022-33 effective July 2, 2023.
5. Annual Statement of Investment Policy for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2023-12 approving an Annual Statement of Investment Policy for Fiscal Year 2023-24 and delegating investment authority to the Director of Finance/City Treasurer.
6. Notice of Completion for Contract No. LP-0584 – Rehabilitation of Reservoirs 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3
Recommendation: A. Accept the work by Capital Industrial Coatings, LLC, regarding City Contract No. LP-0584; and B. Authorize the General Manager of Public Utilities to execute and submit the Notice of Completion to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
7. Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. for Environmental Compliance Services
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Services Agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (Jacobs) for environmental compliance services, in substantially the same form as submitted, for a total amount not-to-exceed $1,465,686, for a three-year term.
8. Purchase Contract with Insight Public Sector, Inc.
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines DocuSign Envelope ID: 44ADC5B1-5539-4339-A249-7AE05B76E2C2 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6
June 6, 2023
Section 15303, because the project consists of installation of small, new equipment in existing facilities; and B. Approve and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Contract with Insight Public Sector, Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $60,530.37 for the purchase of an uninterruptible power supply.
9. Salvation Army Bell Shelter Reimbursement Agreement
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the Mayor to execute a Reimbursement Agreement for shelter beds within the Salvation Army Bell Shelter with the cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, and Southgate, collectively referred to as the Local Coordinating Alliance (LCA1), in substantially the same form as submitted, at an estimated cost of $31,379 and total amount not-to-exceed $42,000 for a one-year term through June 30, 2024.
NEW BUSINESS
10. Commission and Committee Appointments
City Clerk Pope presented the staff report.
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Council Member Lopez seconded a motion to appoint Ronit Edry and Jorge Nevarez, Jr. as business representatives to the Vernon Housing Commission (VHC) with terms ending June 30, 2027. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Merlo seconded a motion to appoint Bertha Padilla, employee of a Vernon business, to the Vernon Housing Commission with a term ending June 30, 2027. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Mayor Pro Tem Merlo seconded a motion to appoint Marlene Ybarra, Vernon resident, to the Vernon Housing Commission with a term ending June 30, 2027. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council Member Ybarra abstaining.
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Council Member Lopez seconded a motion to defer appointment of the environmental representative to the Green Vernon Commission to request additional information from the applicants. The question was called and the motion carried 4-1, Mayor Larios dissenting.
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June 6, 2023
11. City Council Appointments to Outside Agencies
City Clerk Pope presented the staff report.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Ybarra seconded a motion to confirm existing and new appointments to outside agencies as follows:
The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
12. Electric Rate Schedules
Public Utilities General Manager Dusenberry and Planning and Analysis Manager Corbi presented the staff report.
In response to Council questions, General Manager Dusenberry and Planning and Analysis Manager Corbi explained the cost of service study, anticipated future rates, and transition over the next two years.
Board/Agency Delegate /
Alternate
California Contract Cities Association Larios /
Rivera
Central Basin Water Association
Merlo /
Larios
VPU Rep
City Selection Committee (Mayor) Larios /
Council
County Sanitation District #1 (Mayor) Larios /
Merlo
County Sanitation District #2 (Mayor) Larios /
Merlo
County Sanitation District #23 Entire Council
Gateway Cities Council of Governments Ybarra /
Lopez
Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District
Health and Safety Code Section 2024
Lopez
Independent Cities Finance Authority Lopez /
Merlo
Southern California Association of Governments N/A
Southeast Water Coalition Ybarra /
Rivera
Vernon Solid Waste Hearing Panel –
Up to 3 Councilmembers Public Resources Code Section 44308 Ybarra
Lopez
Merlo
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Deputy Director of Public Works Garcia provided his historical perspective and discussed the top electric customers and potential for increased load.
Marisa Olguin, Vernon Chamber of Commerce, expressed concern with the proposed 5% increase and need to ensure retention of existing businesses. She reminded the City that it should be fiscally prudent and continue to reevaluate rates.
MOTION
Council Member Ybarra moved and Council Member Lopez seconded a motion to adopt Resolution No. 2023-13 Amending Electric Rate Schedule Nos. CS (Customer Service Fee), D (Domestic Service), GS-1 (General Service), GS-2 (General Service), LS-1 (Lighting-Street and Highway Utility-Owned System), LS2 (Lighting-Street and Highway Customer-Owned Installation), OL-1 (Outdoor Area Lighting Service), PA-1 (Power-Agricultural and Pumping Connected Load Basis), PA-2 (Power-Agricultural and Pumping Demand Basis), PA-TOU (PowerAgricultural and Pumping Time-of-Use), TC-1 (Traffic Control Service), TOU GS-1 (General Service), TOU GS-2 (General Service), TOU PA-1 (Power-Agricultural and Pumping Connected Load Basis), TOU-D (Domestic Service), TOU-G (General Service-Large), TOU-V (General Service-Large), and TOU-Vt (General Service-Large) regarding electrical rates to be charged for electrical energy distributed and supplied by the City within its boundaries. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
13. Citywide Annual Operating Budget, Capital Improvement Plan, and Appropriations Limit (Gann) for Fiscal Year 2023-24
Finance Director Williams presented the staff report.
Mayor Larios opened the public hearing. There being no speakers, Mayor Larios closed the public hearing.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Mayor Pro Tem Merlo seconded a motion to:
A. Adopt Resolution No. 2023-09 approving and adopting the Annual Operating Budget and the Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Year 2023-2024; and B. Adopt Resolution No. 2023-10 adopting the Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2023- 2024 pursuant to Government Code Section 7910. The question was called and the motion carried 4-1, Council Member Ybarra dissenting.
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June 6, 2023
ORAL REPORTS
14. City Administrator Reports on Activities and other Announcements.
Deputy City Administrator Kimmey reported on the City’s participation in the Special Olympics Torch Run; Blood Lead Testing at Vernon Village Park Apartments; and the upcoming housing lottery on June 14, 2023.
15. City Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff.
Council Member Ybarra reported that she attended the 64th Annual Municipal Seminar hosted by the California Contract Cities Association on May 18-21, 2023, in Indian Wells, CA, with an approximate fiscal impact of $850.
Mayor Pro Tem Merlo reported that she attended the 2023 Regional Conference and General Assembly for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) held from May 4-5, 2023, in Palm Desert, with an approximate fiscal impact of $560.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Larios adjourned the meeting at 10:03 a.m.
______________________________
CRYSTAL LARIOS, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
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