VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC)
CITY OF VISTA
WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 6, 2025
The March 6, 2025, Workshop Meeting of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, was called to order by Mayor Franklin at 5:31 pm in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor John Franklin, Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez
Corinna Contreras, Dan O’Donnell, Jeff Fox
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
John Conley City Manager
Walter Chung City Attorney
John Malan Sheriff’s Captain
Gerard Washington Fire Chief
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
Imelda Huerta Assistant City Manager
Joe Vacca Community Development Director
Larry Vaupel Economic Development Director
Greg Mayer Engineering Director
Mike Sylvia Finance Director
Natalie Jacobs Human Resources Director
Chris Mitchell Information Technology Director
Chris Arce Public Works Director
Mike Pacheco Recreation and Community Services Director
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Contreras led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PRESENTATIONS
P1. The Mayor and City Councilmembers presented a proclamation to Vista Women’s Club members Judy Pantazo, Sonja Hults, Liz Franciscus, Donna DiMambro, and Nancy Jones declaring March 2025 as “Women’s History Month” in the City of Vista.
DISCUSSION
D1. FISCAL YEARS 2025/26 AND 2026/27 OPERATING BUDGET OVERVIEW (CC/CDC/BSD)
Mike Sylvia, Director of Finance, introduced the item and Sara Taylor, Budget Manager, provided staff’s presentation.
The City Council and staff discussed the following:
• Request for regional employment layoff data to be included in reports to the City Council. • Vacancy rate of the Business Park for industrial and office spaces included in the City Council Weekly Report on a quarterly basis.
• Directed staff to hold a community budget workshop meeting. • As the novelty of cannabis wears off and other regional cities start to open up cannabis storefronts, the City’s cannabis revenue is decreasing.
WORKSHOP MINUTES
MARCH 6, 2025
2 •Depending on the industry, there is growth of new businesses in Vista. Economic Development is currently studying the exits of businesses compared to the new businesses that come to Vista.
•Mayor Franklin asked for a hiring freeze with the exception of emergency workers and transfer the Year End Fund Balance to a “strategic budget reserve” account; there was not support for these actions at this time.
•Departments will continue to work with the City Manager and Finance Department to balance the budget.
•Asked staff to prepare forecast of emergency planning that accounts for less than 4% in property tax revenue.
•Proposition L will end March 31, 2037. Directed staff to include what shortfalls will look like in future years without Prop L revenue.
•Request for potential cuts to the budget for the City Council to consider.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 7:34 p.m.
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Kathy Valdez, City Clerk