AGENDA
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
SPECIAL JOINT COUNCIL, SUCCESSOR HOUSING AGENCY,
& SUCCESSOR AGENCY MEETING
Working with our community to create positive impact through service with heart.
Values: Teamwork, Integrity, Honesty, Service and Respect Maria Orozco, Mayor, District 3
Kristal Salcido, Mayor Pro Tempore, District 4
Eduardo Montesino, Council Member, District 1
Vanessa Quiroz-Carter, Council Member, District 2
Casey K. Clark, Council Member, District 5
Jimmy Dutra, Council Member, District 6
Ari Parker, Council Member, District 7
Tamara Vides, City Manager
Samantha W. Zutler, City Attorney
Irwin I. Ortiz, City Clerk
Location:
City of Watsonville
City Council Chambers
275 Main Street, Top Floor
Watsonville, CA 95076
*Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(b), Council Member Montesino will be participating in the meeting via teleconferencing from: 1200 River Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Mayor Pro Tempore Salcido will be participating in the meeting via teleconferencing from: 65 Peppertree Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076 Anyone addressing the City Council is asked to fill out a speaker card and leave it at the podium for recording purposes
IF YOU CHALLENGE ANY ACTION APPEARING ON THIS AGENDA IN COURT, YOU MAY BE
LIMITED TO RAISING ONLY THOSE ISSUES YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE RAISED AT THE
PUBLIC MEETING DESCRIBED ON THIS AGENDA, OR IN WRITTEN CORRESPONDENCE DELIVERED TO THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO, OR AT, THE PUBLIC MEETING.
SPANISH INTERPRETATION WILL BE AVAILABLE
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Council Chambers is an accessible facility. If you wish to attend a meeting and you will require assistance in order to attend and/or participate, please call the City Clerk's Office at least three (3) business days in advance of the meeting to make arrangements. The City of Watsonville TDD number is (831) 763-4075.
For information regarding this agenda, please call the City Clerk's Office at (831) 768- 3040
AGENDA
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
SUCCESSOR AGENCY, AND SUCCESSOR HOUSING AGENCY
*Pursuant to Government Code Section 54953(b), Council Member Montesino will be participating in the meeting via teleconferencing from: 1200 River Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Mayor Pro Tempore Salcido will be participating in the meeting via teleconferencing from: 65 Peppertree Lane, Watsonville, CA 95076
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers : 275 Main Street, Top Floor (Special Meeting) Pages
1. ROLL CALL
1.a MOTION TO EXCUSE ABSENT COUNCIL MEMBER(S)
2. NEW BUSINESS
2.a CONSIDERATION OF PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT (Requested by Mayor Orozco, Council Member Clark, & Council Member Parker) 3 1) Oral Report by Mayor Orozco, Council Member Clark, & Council Member Parker
2) City Council Clarifying & Technical Questions
3) Public Input
4) Motion
5) City Council Deliberation on Motion
6) Action on Resolution to Rescind Resolution No. 287-25, Adopted at the November 5, 2025, Special City Council Meeting & Reinstate Resolution No. 119-14 (CM), which Authorized Adoption of the Master Project Labor Agreement between the City of Watsonville and the Monterey/ Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council and its Affiliated Local Unions 7) Action on Resolution Adopting the “October 23, 2025 Trades Council Side Letter”, as Presented at the November 5, 2025, City Council Meeting
3. REQUESTS FOR SCHEDULING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
4. EMERGENCY ITEMS ADDED TO AGENDA
5. ADJOURNMENT
This agenda was posted in accordance with the California Ralph M. Brown Act. The agenda packet can be accessed on the City of Watsonville website at https://watsonville.gov/2123/City-Council-Agendas-Minutes and is available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office (275 Main Street, 4th Floor) during normal business hours. Any materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Council after the distribution of the agenda packet will be made available to the public in accordance with Government Section 54957.5.
Public comments received three (3) hours or more before the meeting will be included in the online agenda packet before the meeting starts. All comments received less than three (3) hours, during the meeting, or after the conclusion of the meeting will be uploaded to the agenda packet as soon as possible, depending on staff availability.
4931-9207-6154 v1
RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 25 (CM)
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 287-25 (CM)
WHEREAS, on November 5, 2025, a majority of the City Council of the City of Watsonville voted to adopt Resolution No. 287-25 (CM), which rescinded Resolution No. 119-14 (CM), which authorized adoption of the Master Project Labor Agreement (“PLA”) between the City of Watsonville and the Monterey/ Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council (“Trades Council”), and its affiliated local Unions, which was executed on August 27, 2014, and has been in place since that time; and WHEREAS, the City Council has reconsidered its November 5, 2025 decision.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Watsonville, California, as follows:
1. Resolution No. 287-25 (CM), rescinding Resolution No. 119-14 (CM) is hereby rescinded.
2. The Project Labor Agreement adopted by Resolution No. 119-14 (CM) is hereby reinstated.
4931-6599-2826 v1
RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 25 (CM)
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE
ADOPTING SIDE LETTER TO MASTER PROJECT LABOR
AGREEMENT (“PLA”) BETWEEN THE CITY OF WATSONVILLE AND
THE MONTEREY/ SANTA CRUZ BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
TRADES COUNCIL
WHEREAS, on August 26, 2014, the City Council of the City of Watsonville (“City”) adopted Resolution No. 119-14 (CM), approving the form of Master Project Labor Agreement for the City of Watsonville for City construction projects exceeding $600,000 and involving three or more trades, and authorizing the City Manager to execute same; and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 119-14 (CM) authorized adoption of the Master Project Labor Agreement (“PLA”) between the City of Watsonville and the Monterey/ Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council (“Trades Council”), and its affiliated local Unions, which was executed on August 27, 2014, and has been in place since that time; and
WHEREAS, the Trades Council has agreed to the terms in the Side Letter, attached hereto as Attachment A.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Watsonville, California, as follows:
1. The Side Letter attached hereto as Exhibit A is hereby approved. Its terms are given the same weight and authority as those terms in the PLA adopted by the City in 2014.
********************************
SIDE LETTER OF AGREEMENT
PAGE 1
SIDE LETTER OF AGREEMENT
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
MASTER PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT
In 2014, the City of Watsonville (“City”) and the Monterey/Santa Cruz Building and Construction Trades Council (“Council”), together with those Unions that became signatory thereto, entered into a Master Project Labor Agreement (“PLA”) for the City of Watsonville that applied to certain City public works projects. This Side Letter amends the PLA to extend its term and modify specific provisions of the agreement. This Side Letter is effective upon execution by a representative from the Council and a representative from the City.
AGREEMENT
The City and the Council hereby agree as follows:
A. Section 1.7 of the PLA is hereby amended and fully restated as follows: “‘Project’ means all public works or improvement projects paid for in whole or in part by City of Watsonville funds with an estimated cost of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) or more.
The City and the Council may mutually agree in writing to add additional projects or components to the scope of this PLA.
B. Section 2.2 of the PLA is hereby amended and fully restated as follows: “Project Description:
The Agreement shall govern the award of all Construction Contracts for public works, improvement or construction projects, paid for in whole or in part by City of Watsonville funds with an estimated cost of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) or more.
The City and the Council may mutually agree in writing to add additional projects or components to the scope of this PLA.
C. Section 7.2 of the PLA is hereby amended and fully restated as follows: “The Contractors/Employers shall make and transmit all deductions for Union dues, fees, and assessments that have been authorized by employees in writing in accordance with the applicable Master Agreement. This Agreement does not require any employee of a non-Union contractor to join a Union or to pay dues or fees to a Union as a condition of working on the Project; however, nothing in this Article is intended to supersede the requirements of the applicable Master Agreements as to Contractors/Employers signatory to such Master Agreements and as to employees of those Contractors/Employers who are performing Covered Work.”
D. Section 19.2 of the PLA is hereby amended and fully restated as follows: “This Agreement shall sunset on December 31, 2028, unless further extended through written agreement by the City and the Council.”
E. With respect to the following Projects, the City shall require PLA compliance:
1. Replace Headworks Diversion, project #14410
2. Chromium 6 Treatment Plants, project #14346
3. Airport - Hames, Amesti and Rider Tank Coating, project #14826 Attachment A
SIDE LETTER OF AGREEMENT
PAGE 2
However, due to the unique nature of the foregoing Projects, in the event the City does not receive at least three (3) contractor bids after expiration of the bid deadline, the City may choose to re-bid the Project without application of the PLA. In order to do so, the City must first notify the Council in writing via email and offer to meet with the Council to address the needs of the Project and provide any information that would be helpful to facilitate contractor bidding.
F. All other terms of the PLA shall remain in effect.
G. The Council affirms that it is authorized to execute this Side Letter on behalf of its affiliated local Unions.
Agreed by the parties per execution below:
CITY OF WATSONVILLE
Dated: By: ________________________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________________ Title: ______________________________________________________
MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL Dated: By: ________________________________________________________ Name: ____________________________________________________ Title: ______________________________________________________ Attachment A
From: [email protected]
To: Samantha W. Zutler
Cc: cityclerk; citymanager; Public Works; [email protected]; "Tania Ortiz"; [email protected]; Eduardo Montesino; Vanessa Quiroz; Maria Orozco; Kristal Salcido; Jimmy Dutra; Ari Parker; Casey Clark Subject: Councilmember Carter must recuse herself from votes pertaining to unions due to her union membership.
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:52:31 AM
Importance: High
Samantha Zutler
Watsonville City Attorney
275 Main Street
Suite 400
Watsonville, CA 95076
Dear Ms. Zutler,
I am writing to express my concern regarding Council Member Vanessa QuirozCarter's participation in city council votes related to union matters, given her membership in the Teamsters Union. It is crucial to maintain transparency and avoid any potential conflicts of interest in our local government. It was made clear at the last council meeting where the City’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA) was voted on, she made it quite clear here union membership is why she supports discriminatory PLAs. There is no daylight between her own prejudices and city business.
As a member of the Teamsters Union, as she proclaimed at your last meeting, Council Member Quiroz-Carter has a vested interest in decisions affecting union-related business. The Teamsters Union is actually signatory to the City’s Project Labor Agreement (PLA). To uphold the integrity of the council and ensure unbiased decision-making, it is imperative that she recuse herself from voting on any issues where the Teamsters Union is involved. California law
requires elected officials to recuse themselves from participating in governmental decisions where they have a financial interest, as outlined in the Political Reform Act. The law aims to prevent conflicts of interest and maintain public trust in government. Officials must disclose any potential conflicts and abstain from discussions and votes on related matters. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) provides guidance and enforcement to ensure compliance with these regulations, promoting transparency and integrity in public service.
I urge your office to review this matter and provide guidance to ensure compliance with ethical standards. Protecting the public's trust in our local government is paramount, and taking appropriate measures to prevent conflicts of interest is essential.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue. I look forward to your prompt response and action to uphold the integrity of our city council, starting with today’s vote on the City PLA.
Sincerely,
Eric Christen
Executive Director
Coalition for Fair Employment in Construction
www.opencompca.com
[email protected]
858-431-6337
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