MINUTES
WHITTIER CITY COUNCIL
WHITTIER REDEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY
WHITTIER UTILITY AUTHORITY
REGULAR JOINT MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 13230 PENN STREET
MARCH 25, 2025, 6:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER - CLOSED SESSION
The Whittier City Council met in Closed Session on March 25, 2025. Mayor Vinatieri called the meeting to order at 6:22 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Whittier City Hall, 13230 Penn Street, Whittier, California.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION
3. CLOSED SESSION
3.A. Approval of Minutes - Closed Session
Approve the February 25, 2025 Special and Regular Closed Session Minutes.
3.B. Conference with Real Property Negotiators pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8
Property: 13412-13420 Franklin Street and 7336-7362 Painter Avenue City Negotiator: Shannon DeLong
Property Negotiator: The Olson Company, John Reekstin
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms.
4. CALL TO ORDER - REGULAR SESSION
Mayor Vinatieri called the Regular Session to order at 6:34 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Whittier City Hall, 13230 Penn Street, Whittier, CA 90602.
5. ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Joseph A. Vinatieri, Mayor
Cathy Warner, Mayor Pro Tem
Octavio Martinez, Council Member
Fernando Dutra, Council Member
Mary Ann Pacheco, Council Member
STAFF PRESENT:
Shannon DeLong, Interim City Manager
Keith Collins, City Attorney
Rigoberto Garcia, Jr., City Clerk
Ifath Casillas, Management Analyst
Margo Diamond-Nelson, Community Engagement Manager
Kyle Cason, Director of Public Works
Aviv Bar, Chief of Police
Whittier City Council/Redevelopment Successor Agency/Utility Authority March 25, 2025
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6. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council Member Martinez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
7. CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Collins indicated there was nothing to report out of Closed Session.
9. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Dutra moved and Council Member Pacheco seconded a motion to approve the Agenda. The motion carried unanimously.
10. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Mayor Vinatieri indicated that any members of the audience who wish to deliver a public comment should line up by the lectern and any members of the public on Zoom who wish to deliver a public comment should raise their hand. Staff forwarded and provided copies of the email correspondence to City Council Members for review. Comments regarding the public hearing item will be heard during the public hearing.
The following individuals provided live public comments:
Tom Hall; Brandon Arcega; Will Gearhart; Conny McCormick; Javier Garcia; Catherine Aguilar; Magdalena Barragñon Moe; and Rolando Cano.
8. PRESENTATIONS
8.A. 2024 Gateway Cities Energy Action Awards
Council Member Dutra introduced Hector De La Torre, Executive Director of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, who discussed the City of Whittier’s environmental efforts and presented Staff with the Gold Award for Energy Actions.
The public comment portion of the meeting resumed with D.K. providing a teleconference public comment.
All public comments and documents submitted are part of the record and are on file with the City Clerk Department. A video of the oral communications is available through the City’s website.
Whittier City Council/Redevelopment Successor Agency/Utility Authority March 25, 2025
Minutes
11. CITY MANAGER REPORT
Interim City Manager DeLong provided the following updates:
1) Daily crime statistics can be obtained online from the City of Whittier Police Department’s page or by going to www.crimemapping.com. The 2024 annual statistics will be available at a later date.
2) The Whittier Reads Celebration, a partnership between the Public Library Foundation and the Whittier Library, will feature the book “The Boys of Riverside.”
3) The annual Eggstravaganza event will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025 at Parnell Park.
12. JOINT CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Pro Tem Warner pulled Item 12.D. for individual consideration.
MOTION
Council Member Dutra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Warner seconded a motion to approve the Consent Calendar, with the exception of Item 12.D. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
12.A. Waive Further Reading
Recommendation: After the City Clerk has read the title, waive full reading of all resolutions and ordinances on this agenda for adoption.
12.B. Approval of Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the February 25, 2025 Special and Regular Meeting Minutes.
12.C. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Deny claims filed by Alvaro Perez, Ricardo Perez, Cirenia Peralta, Elena Vasquez, Bryan Degler, Maria Gomez, and Sebastian Duran-Lopez.
12.E. 2023-2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the 2023-2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report and direct staff to forward a copy to the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) and the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
12.F. Emergency Clearing of Whittier Narrows Well Field Recommendation: Ratify the emergency expenditure of up to $52,000 with California Arborist Complete Tree Care Inc. (California Arborist), to clear the brush and trim the trees located in the City water well field at Durfee Road in Whittier Narrows.
Whittier City Council/Redevelopment Successor Agency/Utility Authority March 25, 2025
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12.G. Council Districts of Newly Annexed Parcels
Annexation No. 2021-09
Recommendation: Approve the Voting District boundary division at Broadway and Whittier Boulevard for the newly annexed area in WestWhittier – Los Nietos Annexation, assigning parcels East of Broadway at Whittier Boulevard in Voting District No. 1 and parcels West of Broadway at Whittier Boulevard in Voting District No. 2; and direct staff to return with an implementing ordinance.
The following item was pulled for individual consideration:
12.D. City Manager Employment Agreement
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Employment Agreement naming Conal McNamara City Manager for City of Whittier.
City Attorney Collins provided the report and Analyst Casillas provided the salary disclosure.
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Warner moved and Council Member Dutra seconded a motion to Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Employment Agreement naming Conal McNamara City Manager for City of Whittier. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Pro Tem Warner introduced Mr. McNamara, who expressed his excitement for joining the City of Whittier as the City Manager.
The City Council congratulated and welcomed Mr. McNamara back to Whittier.
13. PUBLIC HEARINGS
None.
RECESS
Mayor Vinatieri called a recess. The meeting reconvened with all Council Members present.
14. STAFF REPORTS
14.A. Branding & Citywide Signage
Recommendation: Receive and provide direction on revised logo designs, as recommended by the Branding Ad Hoc Committee.
Manager Diamond-Nelson presented the report. Interim City Manager DeLong and Manager Diamond-Nelson answered questions regarding applications of the three logo options; the color palette options; paper goods and stationary updates; opportunities for City Council input; park signage; Uptown Whittier gateway signs; and staff’s recommendation regarding the three logos.
Whittier City Council/Redevelopment Successor Agency/Utility Authority March 25, 2025
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The City Council deliberated.
MOTION
Council Member Dutra moved and Council Member Martinez seconded a motion to implement all three logo designs at staff’s discretion. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0-1, Council Member Pacheco abstaining.
Council Member Martinez exited the dais and returned shortly after.
14.C. Engineering Evaluation at the Intersection of Wardman Street and Pickering Avenue
Recommendation: Provide direction on interim modification options for the intersection of Pickering Avenue and Wardman Street to address limited sight distance while permanent modifications are being designed.
Director Cason presented the report. Chief Bar and Director Cason answered questions regarding an option for a physical street closure; types of commuters affected on Wardman Avenue; whether the existing two-way stop would remain; the option to add a “keep clear” sign at the intersection; line-of-sight issues arising from private properties; viable alternate routes; red curb extension; enforcement and monitoring of parking on red curb; the safest interim option according to the police department; the use of porkchops to delineate the right turn only; the timeline for the installation of the traffic signal; existing crosswalks; the ability to review the effectiveness of the interim option; liability concerns and risk factors of not implementing an interim action.
The City Council deliberated.
MOTION
Council Member Dutra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Warner seconded a motion to direct staff to implement the right turn only on Wardman Street interim mitigation option.
AMENDED MOTION
Council Member Dutra moved and Mayor Pro Tem Warner seconded a motion to direct staff to implement the right turn only on Wardman Street as an interim option, with the understanding that if the issues remain, staff will bring back a report with the alternative interim options. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
14.B. Engineering Evaluation at the Intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Citrus Avenue
Recommendation: Provide direction on interim modification options for the intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Citrus Avenue to address limited sight distance while permanent modifications are being designed.
Director Cason presented the report. Chief Bar and Director Cason answered questions regarding existing red curb and crosswalks; the option to add a “keep Whittier City Council/Redevelopment Successor Agency/Utility Authority March 25, 2025
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clear” sign at the intersection; whether private properties are blocking line of sight; closest alternate routes; the full closure option; the impact of option 4 on traffic on Magnolia Avenue; public input; the use of arterial roads; traffic enforcement on Beverly Boulevard; and the ability to review the effectiveness of the interim option.
The City Council deliberated.
MOTION
Council Member Martinez moved and Mayor Pro Tem Warner seconded a motion to direct staff to implement the right turn only on Citrus Avenue as an interim option, with the understanding that if the issues remain, staff will bring back a report with the alternative interim options. The question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
15. COUNCIL MEMBER / DIRECTOR COMMENTS AND CONFERENCE REPORTS Council Member Martinez thanked Staff for their hard work.
Council Member Dutra indicated he attended an event with Boy Scout & Cub Scout Troop No. 688 on Sunday, March 23, 2025; thanked Staff for receiving the Gold Award in Energy Actions; and wished Mayor Vinatieri a happy birthday.
Council Member Pacheco wished Council Member Dutra an early happy birthday; indicated she attended the Whittier Public Library Foundation’s tea event; spoke to students from Evergreen School; visited with the local carpenters’ union at a food bank event; attended the Arbor Day Celebration; thanked the City Council for appointing her to the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District and Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority; and shared she is a participant on Dancing with the Whittier Stars.
Mayor Pro Tem Warner wished Mayor Vinatieri and Council Member Dutra happy birthdays; encouraged all residents to use the services offered by the Greater Whittier LGBTQ+ Community Center; indicated she went to Encinitas, CA to view a pocket park with a land size similar to the First Avenue Park; and encouraged students on Spring Break to make good choices.
Mayor Vinatieri indicated it was heightened traffic enforcement day in Whittier on Tuesday, March 25, 2025; and discussed the newly released CalFire Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps.
16. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Vinatieri adjourned the meeting at 9:13 p.m.