MINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 2024
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 4305 SANTA FE AVENUE
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Pro Tem Merlo called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Pro Tem Merlo led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Judith Merlo, Mayor Pro Tem
Leticia Lopez, Council Member
Jesus Rivera, Council Member
ABSENT:
Crystal Larios, Mayor
Melissa Ybarra, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Carlos Fandino, City Administrator
Zaynah Moussa, City Attorney
Lisa Pope, City Clerk
Jessica Alcaraz, Financial Services Administrator
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
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Rivera seconded a motion to approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Mayor Larios and Council Member Ybarra absent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Los Angeles County Acting Assistant Chief Trey Espy introduced himself as the new City liaison.
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PRESENTATIONS
1. Employee Service Pin Awards
Human Resources Director Earl announced the November and December 2023 Employee Service Pins Award recipients: Police Officer, Eugenio Cerda; Electrical Engineer, Viet Q. Nguyen; Mechanic, Senior, Victor M. Enciso; Street Maintenance Worker, Adrian Loya.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Rivera seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried 3- 0, Mayor Larios and Council Member Ybarra absent.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
2. Meeting Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the December 5, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes.
3. Claims Against City
Recommendation: Receive and file the claim submitted by the Law Offices of Payam Y. Poursalimi on behalf of Simon Perez.
4. Digital Billboard Development Agreements with Clear Channel Outdoors, LLC
Recommendation: Conduct second reading and adopt Ordinance No. 1296 approving Digital Billboard Development Agreement No. CCO-01 for Assessor Parcel Numbers 5192-025-900 and 5192-025-902 between the City of Vernon and Clear Channel Outdoor, LLC; Ordinance No. 1297 approving Digital Billboard Development Agreement No. CCO-02 for Assessor Parcel Number 6308-016-054 between the City of Vernon and Clear Channel Outdoor, LLC; and Ordinance No. 1298 approving Digital Billboard Development Agreement No. CCO-03 for Assessor Parcel Number 5192-019-801.
5. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 122, for the period of November 5 through December 16, 2023, totaling $18,985,444.66 and consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $18,227,385.95 and ratification of the issuance of early checks totaling $758,058.71
6. City Payroll Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve City Payroll Warrant Register No. 810, for the period of November 1 through December 31, 2023, totaling $6,958,064.15 and consisting of ratification of direct deposits, checks and taxes totaling $4,725,931.79 and ratification of checks and electronic fund transfers (EFT) for payroll related disbursements totaling $2,232,132.36 paid through operating bank account.
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7. Fire Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the October and November 2023 Fire Department Activity Reports.
8. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the October and November 2023 Police Department Activity Reports
9. Conflict of Interest Code (Statement of Economic Interests) Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2024-01 amending the City of Vernon Conflict of Interest Code and repealing Resolution No. 2022-34.
10. Quarterly City Housing Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the 2023 Fourth Quarter Housing Report.
11. Notice of Completion for Contract No. CS-1425 City of Vernon Gateway Arch Project Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15311, because the project only consists of construction or placement of minor structures accessory to (appurtenant to) existing commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities; B. Accept the work of YESCO LLC dba YESCO Signs LLC, as related to City Contract No. CS-1425; 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. Change Order No. 14 to the Consulting Services Agreement (CS-0099) with CNS Engineers, Inc. (CNS) for the Atlantic Boulevard Bridge Rehabilitation and Widening Project
Recommendation: A. Find that approval of the proposed change order is within the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 15063 of the CEQA Guidelines; and B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Agreement Change Order No. 14, in substantially the same form as submitted, for the Atlantic Boulevard Bridge Rehabilitation and Widening Project, Federal Project No. DBPL02-5139(010), Contract No. CS-0099, amending the agreement expiration date from December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024 and authorizing CNS to provide additional support and coordination services required to complete the design phase of the project for the additional cost of $177,070.27 (increasing the total contract cost to $2,456,748.21), with a Change Order effective date of December 31, 2023.
13. Amendment No. 2 to Services Agreement with Mariposa Landscape, Inc.
Contract No. CS-1413
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Services Agreement with Mariposa Landscape, Inc., in substantially the same form as submitted, for a one (1) year term in an amount notto-exceed $58,332.
14. Amendment No. 2 to Services Agreement with Allied Universal Janitorial Services, Contract No. CS-1414
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Services Agreement with Universal Building Maintenance, LLC dba Allied Universal Janitorial Services, in substantially the DocuSign Envelope ID: 8FD8AB1E-2E78-443E-BF6E-FE16D198FC22 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6
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same form as submitted, for a one (1) year term in an amount not-to-exceed $146,163.
15. Purchase of Police Administration Vehicle
Recommendation: Approve and authorize issuance of a purchase order with National Auto Fleet Group for the purchase of a new police administration vehicle for a total amount not-to-exceed $64,000.
16. Office of Traffic Safety Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program Grant Agreement
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator, Director of Public Works, and Director of Finance or designee to execute a Grant Agreement between the City of Vernon and the Office of Traffic Safety, in substantially the same form as submitted, for a one-year term, for participation in the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program with an effective date of October 1, 2023.
17. Audited Financial Reports
Recommendation: Extend submittal of the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Final Audit and Report to Council to February 20, 2024.
18. Purchase Contract with ChargePoint, Inc. for an Additional 5-Year Assure Maintenance Plan and Enterprise Cloud Plan Subscription Recommendation: A. Pursuant to Vernon Municipal Code Section 3.32.110(B)(3), deem the proposed Purchase Contract commercially unreasonable to rebid every three years due to ChargePoint’s proprietary software system and being the original equipment manufacturer for the existing chargers; B. Approve the issuance and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Purchase Contract with ChargePoint, Inc., for an additional 5-Year Assure Maintenance Plan and 5-Year Enterprise Cloud Plan Subscription, in an amount not-to-exceed $381,700, extending the overall warranty for the 20 City-owned Direct Current Fast Chargers to a total of 10 years; and C. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $38,170 for unforeseen expenses not included in the proposal, and grant authority to the City Administrator to issue Change Orders for an amount up to the contingency amount, if necessary.
NEW BUSINESS
19. Contract with Hardy and Harper, Inc. for Street Improvements (Contract No. 20240122)
Public Works Director Wall presented the staff report.
In response to Council questions, Public Works Director Wall stated work would begin within six weeks and would take two months.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Rivera seconded a motion to:
A. Find that award of the proposed Capital Improvement Project at Gifford Avenue, 48th, 49th, and 50th Street is categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), part (c) (existing highways and streets), because the DocuSign Envelope ID: 8FD8AB1E-2E78-443E-BF6E-FE16D198FC22 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6
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project is merely to repair existing streets and involves no expansion of existing use; B. Accept the bid proposal from Hardy and Harper, Inc. as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Gifford Avenue, 48th, 49th, and 50th Street Improvements, City Contract No. 20240122, and reject all other bids; C.
Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a contract with Hardy and Harper, Inc., in substantially the same form as submitted, for street improvements on Gifford Avenue, 48th Street, 49th Street and 50th Street in an amount not-toexceed $792,000; and D. Authorize a contingency amount of ten percent (10%) or $79,200 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. The question was called and the motion carried 3-0, Mayor Larios and Council Member Ybarra absent.
ORAL REPORTS
20. City Administrator Reports on Activities and Other Announcements.
City Administrator Fandino welcomed the Council back and wished everyone a Happy New Year. He announced the application period for the 2024 Vernon CommUNITY Fund Scholarships; registration for the League of Cities 2024 Mayors and Council Members Academy; and the nomination period closing for the April 9, 2024 General Municipal Election.
21. City Council Reports on Activities (including AB 1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff.
None.
CLOSED SESSION
RECESS
Mayor Pro Tem Merlo recessed the meeting to Closed Session at 9:09 a.m.
22. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
City of Whittier, et al. v. Los Angeles Superior Court, et al.
Orange County Superior Court Case No. 23STVP03579
23. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Victor Vasquez v. City of Vernon
Workers Compensation Appeals Board Case Nos.: ADJ14531366, ADJ10694560, ADJ14531368 and ADJ9554215
24. Public Employee Discipline/Dismissal/Release
Pursuant to Government Code 54957(b)(1)
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RECONVENE
At 9:51 a.m., Mayor Pro Tem Merlo adjourned the Closed Session and reconvened the regular meeting.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Moussa reported the Council met in Closed Session, discussed the items on the agenda, and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Pro Tem Merlo adjourned the meeting at 9:52 a.m.
______________________________
CRYSTAL LARIOS, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
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