March 12, 2025 - Agenda Page 1
A G E N D A
REGULAR MEETING OF THE
WALNUT CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
21201 La Puente Road, Walnut, CA 91789
MARCH 12, 2025
7:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL
Linda Freedman, Mayor
Ritchie Cajulis, Mayor Pro Tem
Kaylee May Law, Council Member
Nancy Tragarz, Council Member
Dr. Allen Wu, Council Member
Tom Weiner, City Manager
Barbara Leibold, City Attorney
The City of Walnut appreciates your attendance and participation. The comments, input and interests of our residents and other members of the public provide the City Council and Housing Authority with valuable information regarding community issues.
City Council Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. Housing Authority Meetings are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month. City Council and Housing Authority Meetings are conducted in-person in the City Council Chambers.
Remote participation will also be available in the following ways:
1) You may participate in the meeting by joining from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:
Please click on this URL to join:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89920749258?pwd=SoJaO83gfGDiDq13D8xhCnUGEEP8sb.1 Password: 605669
2) To join by phone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
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Password: 605669
International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/knHaMYzzJ 3) You can email public comments to the City Clerk at [email protected]; comments received prior to 3:00 PM the day of the meeting will be distributed to the city council and may be summarized by the City Clerk during the public comment portion of the meeting. In compliance with Government Code section 54957.5, any writings distributed within 72 hours of the meeting will be made available for public inspection at the time they are distributed to the City Council.
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NOTIFICATIONS:
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES: It is the intention of the City of Walnut to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all respects. If as an attendee or a participant at this meeting and you need special assistance beyond what is normally provided, the City will attempt to accommodate you in every reasonable manner. Please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (909) 348-0710 at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting to inform us of your particular needs and to determine if accommodation is feasible. Please advise us at that time if you will need accommodations to attend or participate in meetings on a regular basis.
AGENDA POSTING: The agenda for this meeting was posted in the following listed sites before the close of business at 6:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting:
1. Walnut City Hall 21201 La Puente Road, Walnut, CA
2. United States Post Office, 280 S. Lemon Avenue, Walnut, CA
3. Public Library, Walnut Branch, 21155 La Puente Road, Walnut, CA
4. Walnut Senior Center, 21215 La Puente Road, Walnut, CA
5. Internet: www.cityofwalnut.org/agendas (staff reports included) The Agenda and all related reports are also available for inspection at City Hall at 21201 La Puente Road on the Monday prior to each meeting.
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON WCTV: This meeting is being recorded for rebroadcast on Charter Channel 3. By remaining in the City Council Chambers, you are giving your permission to be videotaped.
WCTV CHANNEL 3 REBROADCAST: Recorded City Council meetings air at 7:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. for a week following each City Council meeting on Channel 3 (Charter Subscribers).
PLEASE SWITCH YOUR CELL PHONES, PAGERS, AND OTHER ELECTRONIC
DEVICES INTO THE SILENT OR OFF POSITION WHILE THE MEETING IS IN SESSION. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
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CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Freedman
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: C/Tragarz
ROLL CALL: M/Freedman, MPT/Cajulis, C/Law, C/Tragarz, C/Wu INVOCATION:
In permitting a nonsectarian invocation, the City does not intend to proselytize, advance, or disparage any faith or belief. Neither the City nor the City Council endorses any particular belief or form of invocation.
PRESENTATIONS:
• Presentation by Los Angeles County Assessor, Jeff Prang on Walnut property value and other key subjects
• American Red Cross Proclamation
• Women’s History Month Proclamation and Recognition of Women in Non-Profit o Sharon Altman – Walnut Women’s Club
o Betty Huang – Chinese American Association of Walnut
o Trish Montreuil – Walnut Senior Club
o Mary Su – Chinese American Parent’s Association of WVUSD o Gayle Pacheco – Walnut Valley Educational Foundation
o Beckey Eskridge – Lions Club
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL:
Under Government Code Section 54954.3, any person wishing to address any item or issue not on the agenda or any item on the Consent Calendar may do so under Oral Communications.
There will also be an opportunity to speak on Discussion or Public Hearing items when the items are scheduled for consideration.
The Council may listen but may not act on items that are not already on the agenda.
Speakers are asked to limit their comments to three minutes and to present them in a constructive manner. The Council, City staff, and other citizens present have the right to be treated with
WALNUT CITY COUNCIL MEETING
March 12, 2025 - Agenda Page 4
respect, courtesy and openness. In return, the members of the Council and Staff commit to conduct themselves at all times with civility and courtesy.
MINUTES
1. Approval of the February 26, 2025, Council Meeting
PUBLIC HEARINGS/ ORDINANCE: None scheduled.
COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR: The Consent Calendar items listed below are considered and acted upon under one motion unless an individual item or items are removed by a Councilmember for further consideration or explanation.
There will be no dialogue/debate unless a Council Member requests otherwise on the following matters:
2. Resolution No. 25-09 - A Resolution of the City of Walnut Allowing Certain Claims and Demands in the Amount of $2,189,928.45 Demand No. 169830 through No. 169904, Both Inclusive
Recommendation: That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 25-09.
3. Resolution No. 25-10 - Directing the Preparation of the Engineer’s Report and Filing of Report for Fiscal Year 2025-26 Lighting and Open Space Maintenance District No. 1 (LOSMD) Assessments and Setting the Time and Place for a Public Meeting and Public Hearing
Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 25-10, initiating proceedings for the levy and collection of assessments within the Lighting and Open Space Maintenance District (LOSMD) No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2025-26 and ordering the Engineer to prepare a report in connection therewith;
2. Direct staff to hold an informal Community Meeting on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the Walnut City Council Chambers;
3. Direct staff to set the time and place for the Public Hearing on the matter of levying assessments for Fiscal Year 2025-26 LOSMD assessments at the City Council Meeting on May 14, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.; and
4. Direct staff to provide notice of the public meetings and Public Hearing in accordance with the law.
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4. Resolution No. 25-11 – Approving a Fund Exchange Agreement of METRO “Proposition A” Local Return Funds Between the City of Walnut and the City of West Hollywood
Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 25-11, approving a Fund Exchange Agreement between the City of Walnut and the City of West Hollywood for Proposition A Local Return Fund Exchange; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement on behalf of the City in substantially the form attached and in such final form as approved by the City Attorney; and
3. Authorize the exchange of $500,000 of restricted Proposition A Local Return Funds for $350,000 in unrestricted funds from the City of West Hollywood; and
4. Appropriate funds in the amount of $350,000 to Account 01-3558 for revenue received from Proposition A Local Fund Exchange between the City of Walnut and the City of West Hollywood.
5. Fourth Amendment to the Agreement for Professional Services between the City of Walnut and Placeworks
Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute and administer the Fourth Amendment to the Agreement for Professional Services between the City of Walnut and Placeworks, in substantially the form attached hereto, and in such final form as approved by the City Attorney; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute and administer implementing documents and amendments necessary to complete the professional services contemplated by the Agreement, as amended, provided developer funds are available in the project deposit account and the implementing documents and amendments are in such final form as approved by the City Attorney.
6. Grand Avenue and La Puente Road Intersection Improvements Project Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Authorize staff to issue a Purchase Order to City of Industry in the amount of $529,710.24 in FY 2025/26 for Walnut’s portion of the Grand and La Puente Road Intersection Improvements Project;
2. Authorize staff to issue change orders not to exceed 10% of the contract award amount ($52,971.02); and
3. Approve a Purchase Order to RKA Consulting Group for FY 2025/26 in the amount of $59,996.00.
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7. Citywide Traffic Signal Project- Battery Backup Replacement Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Appropriate $328,330.00 from available METRO Measure R Funds (Fund 16) to the project;
2. Authorize staff to issue a Purchase Order to NexTech Systems, Inc. in the amount of $226,879.53.00;
3. Authorize staff to issue change orders not to exceed 10% of the contract award amount ($22,687.95) to NexTech Systems, Inc; and
4. Authorize the installation of the battery backup devices to Los Angeles County Public Works in the amount of $71,600.00 with a 10% contingency ($7,160.00).
COUNCIL DISCUSSION/TRANSACTION ITEMS: None scheduled.
ANNOUNCEMENTS (COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF):
A. Councilmembers’ report on meetings attended at the expense of the local agency
B. Individual Members’ comments and updates
COUNCIL LATE BUSINESS: No action shall be taken on any item not appearing on the posted agenda except upon a determination by four-fifths of the Council Members that an emergency exists.
CLOSED SESSION:
A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR
(Gov’t Code Section 54957.6)
City Negotiator: City Manager Tom Weiner
Employee organization: Walnut City Employees Association (WCEA) and Unrepresented Employees
RECONVENE COUNCIL MEETING AND ANNOUNCE CLOSED SESSION ACTION:
ADJOURNMENT: The next regular meeting of the City Council is scheduled on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 21201 La Puente Road, Walnut, California.