[00:00:01] ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, IF WE'RE READY IT'S SIX O'CLOCK, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO [1) CALL TO ORDER] ORDER. YES, WE ARE. OK. ALL RIGHT, I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO A B 361 ISSUED BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM ON SEPTEMBER 20TH 2021 IN GOVERNMENT CODE 54953 EXCUSE ME, E. AND ALL MEMBERS ARE JOINING THIS MEETING REMOTELY VIA ZOOM WEBINAR. WE WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER MADAM CLERK WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL. YES. MAYOR REYNA. I'M HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. PRESENT. ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. IF YOU'RE ABLE, PLEASE STAND FOR A FLAG SALUTE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR AN INVOCATION. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER ANYONE IS HERE THAT CAN GIVE AN INVOCATION. OTHERWISE, WE WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. SALUTE. PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND WE WILL NOW OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. YOU MAY ALL BE SEATED NOW. OK, WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM FIVE. [5) Approval to continue to hold all City Council meetings until further notice by teleconference pursuant to Assembly Bill 361 and Government Code Section 54953(e), and finding that there is a proclaimed state of emergency in the state and city and that state and local officials have recommended measures to promote social distancing, all as required in AB 361 and Section 54953(e). (Hurlbert)] APPROVAL TO CONTINUE TO HOLD ALL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BY TELECONFERENCE PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL 361 AND GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54953 E. IN FINDING THAT THERE IS A PROCLAIMED STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE STATE AND CITY AN THAT STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE RECOMMENDED MEASURES TO PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING. ALL IS REQUIRED IN AB 361 AND SECTION 54953. MR. HURLBERT. YOU ARE MUTED, MR. HURLBERT. THANK YOU. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. ALSO INCLUDED IN AB 361'S PROVISIONS ARE THAT WE ONCE PER MONTH REAFFIRMED THE RULES WITHIN THAT ASSEMBLY BILL. AND SO THE ITEM TONIGHT YOU SEE ON YOUR AGENDA IS SIMPLY TO DO THAT, TO REAFFIRM THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND TO CONTINUE OPERATING IN THIS MODE FOR ANOTHER MONTH. THANK YOU, MR. HURLBERT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME, MADAM CLERK? NO. ONE MOMENT, PLEASE. OKAY, THANK YOU. MAYOR REYNA, THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY E-MAIL COMMENTS? NO EMAIL COMMENTS AT THIS TIME AS WELL. OH, WOW, THAT WAS QUICK. I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT WE USUALLY HAVE TO WAIT LIKE A MINUTE. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. PLEASE. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK IT HAS BEEN MOVED AN SECOND. WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL? OF COURSE. MAYOR REYNA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. WE COULD BARELY HEAR HIM, THOUGH. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ TO APPROVE TO HOLD ALL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS BY TELECONFERENCE PURSUANT TO AB THREE SIX ONE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, THE MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER ITEM [7) PUBLIC COMMENTS] SIX. THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING IS RESERVED FOR PERSONS DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND INCLUDING THE COUNCIL ACTING AS A GOVERNING BOARD FOR THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY ON ANY MATTER NOT ON THIS AGENDA. AND [INAUDIBLE] THE COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY HAS JURISDICTION. [00:05:02] AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VERBAL COMMENT USING ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND BUTTON TO REQUEST TO SPEAK. IF YOU'RE USING A TELEPHONE, PLEASE DIAL NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEYPAD. YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE NUMBER YOU ARE CALLING FROM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR COMMENT. ONCE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, YOU WILL BE MUTED. ANYONE WHO HAS NOT PROVIDED THEIR COMMENTS BY THE CLOSE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING CAN EMAIL THEIR COMMENTS TO THE CITY CLERK AT CITYCLERK@CITYOFWASCO.ORG AND THEIR COMMENTS WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL RECORD. THE CITY COUNCIL IS VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENTS, HOWEVER, DUE TO THE BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS NO ACTION MAY BE TAKEN AT THIS MEETING. SHOULD YOUR COMMENTS REQUIRE FURTHER CONSIDERATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY THE ITEM WILL BE AGENDIZED FOR A REPORT AND DISCUSSED AT A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AT THIS TIME DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? MADAM CLERK. JUST A MOMENT, MAYOR. MAYOR REYNA, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU NOW DO WE HAVE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS. NO EMAIL COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NINE. [9) WASCO PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY BUSINESS] THERE IS NOTHING UNDER EIGHT. WASCO PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY BUSINESS. WE SEE ITEM A RECEIVE AND FILE QUARTERLY BILL PAY TOTALING THREE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN DOLLARS AND FORTY NINE CENTS. I IMAGINE THIS IS COMING FROM MR. PEREZ. THAT IS CORRECT. CORRECT. THANK YOU. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL THIS EVENING, THIS IS A ROUTINE AND REGULAR BILL PAY THAT WE PRESENT TO THE BOARD QUARTERLY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT MBS PROVIDES TO ADMINISTER OUR ASSESSMENT DISTRICT BOND. BUT WE HAVE TWO OF THEM, WHICH IS A 91-2B AND THE 93-1. AND WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PEREZ. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VERBAL COMMENT USING ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND BUTTON TO REQUEST TO SPEAK. IF YOU'RE USING A TELEPHONE, PLEASE DIAL NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEYPAD. YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE NUMBER YOU ARE CALLING FROM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR COMMENT. ONCE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, YOU WILL BE MUTED. AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC MADAM CLERK? MAYOR REYNA, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS VIA EMAIL? NO, EMAIL COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANKS ONCE AGAIN. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS, VICE CHAIRMAN PALLARES? NO COMMENTS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DIRECTOR GARCIA. NONE AND AT THE TIME, THANK YOU. DIRECTOR MARTINEZ. NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I HAVE NO COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION. OK, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION, IS THERE A SECOND ONE? I'LL SECOND THAT, MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER GARCIA. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR REYNA. AYE. I APOLOGIZE, CHAIRMAN REYNA. THAT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT. VICE CHAIRMAN PALLARES. AYE. DIRECTOR GARCIA. AYE. DIRECTOR MARTINEZ. AYE. MOTION BY CHAIRMAN REYNA, SECONDED BY DIRECTOR MARTINEZ TO RECEIVE AND FILE QUARTERLY BILL. MOTION IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CLERK. OK, WE MOVE ON TO ITEM 10 CONSENT CALENDAR, THE CONSENT CALENDAR CONSISTS OF ITEMS THAT [10) CONSENT CALENDAR] IN STAFF'S OPINION ARE ROUTINE AND NON-CONTROVERSIAL. THESE ITEMS ARE APPROVED IN ONE MOTION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REQUIRES REMOVAL OF A PARTICULAR ITEM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE A PARTICULAR ITEM USING ZOOM, PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND BUTTON. IF YOU'RE USING A TELEPHONE, PLEASE DIAL NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEYPAD. YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE NUMBER YOU'RE CALLING FROM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. TONIGHT WE HAVE ITEMS 10 A THROUGH 10 G. [00:10:06] AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON ANY PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. NO CONFLICT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? NONE AT THIS TIME THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NO CONFLICTS. AND I HAVE NO CONFLICT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT AND WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE A PARTICULAR ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MADAM CLERK. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS AT ALL? I AM SHOWING NO EMAIL COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. OK. ANY MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE A PARTICULAR ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR, MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. NO ITEMS, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, MEMBER GARCIA, NONE AT THIS TIME MAYOR THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NOTHING, SIR. ALL RIGHT. AND I DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS TO REMOVE. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION, PLEASE. SO MOVED. SECOND. I'LL SAY, OK, MR. GARCIA, WAS THAT YOU? WHO MADE THE SECOND? YES, SIR, THAT WAS ME. OK, THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR REYNA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR MOTION IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM 13. THERE IS NOTHING UNDER 11 OR 12 NEW BUSINESS. [13)a. Adopt a Resolution approving the District 4 City Council Vacancy Appointment Guidelines. (Hurlbert)] A. ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DISTRICT FOUR CITY COUNCIL VACANCY APPOINTMENT GUIDELINES. MR. HURLBERT. YES. THANK YOU. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOLLOWING OUR PREVIOUS MEETING AND DISCUSSIONS STAFF HAS DEVELOPED THESE GUIDELINES AND IN COOPERATION WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO GOVERN THE ACTIVITY THAT WE HOPE TO BE ACCOMPLISHING AT THE FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING. THESE GUIDELINES OUTLINE THE PROCEDURE FOR RECEIVING, DISTRIBUTING AND THEN ULTIMATELY INTERVIEWING AND THEN VOTING ON ANY APPLICANTS FOR THE VACANT COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION IN DISTRICT FOUR BROUGHT ABOUT BY MR. CORTEZ RESIGNATION. IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES, I WON'T GO THROUGH AND READ THEM ALL. I GUESS, FIRST OF ALL, I'LL JUST VERY QUICKLY GO OVER THE IDEA IS THAT WE DESIGNED THESE GUIDELINES TO WORK, WHETHER WE HAVE ONE APPLICANT OR A DOZEN APPLICANTS. SO SOME OF IT MAY BE SEEM LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF OVERKILL, BUT THE PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO HANDLE ANY NUMBER OF APPLICANTS. THE NOTABLE ITEMS HERE THAT ACCOMPLISH THAT WILL BE FROM THE INITIAL RECEIPT OF APPLICANTS, ALL WILL BE FORWARDED TO COUNCIL WITH ONLY THE CITY CLERK VERIFYING THAT THEY ARE QUALIFIED AS ELECTORS, MEANING THAT THEY HAVE A VERIFIED ADDRESS, REGISTERED VOTERS AND ELIGIBLE FOR THE OFFICE FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT. ALL OTHER ANALYSIS OF THE QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION OF THE APPOINTEE WILL FALL TO THE COUNCIL TO DEAL WITH DURING BOTH THE INTERVIEWS AND ULTIMATELY ON THE VOTE SCHEDULED CURRENTLY FOR FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING. SO TO IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WE WILL ASK EACH OF THE FOUR CITY SEATED COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SELECT THEIR TOP THREE APPLICANTS. ONCE YOU'VE RECEIVED THE ENTIRE PACKAGE AND THEN THE STAFF WILL ASSEMBLE THE TOP MINIMUM OF THE TOTAL OR THREE. IF THERE IS A TIE IN THE NUMBER OF VOTES THAT ARE RECEIVED FOR THAT FIRST INITIAL STEP, THEN WE COULD END UP WITH MORE THAN THREE APPLICANTS GOING TO THE INTERVIEW STAGE. ONCE THAT INITIAL SELECTION IS ACCOMPLISHED, THE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED SPECIAL MEETING FOR [00:15:07] THE APPLICANT INTERVIEWS IS FOR JANUARY 27TH NEXT THURSDAY. WE HAVE JUST TO PRESERVE OUR COVID POLICIES AND DISTANCING. THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO HAVE ANY AND ALL APPLICANTS WAITING OUTSIDE THE CHAMBER. THE MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED REMOTELY JUST LIKE WE ARE TONIGHT. THEN THE APPLICANTS WILL ENTER THE CHAMBER ONE AT A TIME TO CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW, AND THEN THEY WILL LEAVE THE CHAMBER FOLLOWING EACH OF THEIR INTERVIEWS. THE SPECIAL MEETING WILL BE CONCLUDED AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE WEEKEND TO CONSIDER THE INFORMATION THAT THEY COLLECTED DURING THE INTERVIEWS AND ALSO IN THE WRITTEN APPLICATION PACKETS. PREPARING FOR THE SELECTION MEETING ITEM, WHICH WILL OCCUR THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY AT THE REGULAR MEETING. THERE WAS A BIT OF ATTENTION PAID TO WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE A FORUM OR A QUORUM, RATHER AT THE SELECTION MEETING ON THE FIRST BECAUSE WE ARE NOW RUNNING WITH THE FOUR A QUORUM, IS THREE. AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A MINIMUM OF THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT AND PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING ON THE FIRST. BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE EITHER THREE OR FOUR PARTICIPANTS THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR A TIE VOTE TO OCCUR WHEN THE ACTUAL SELECTION OCCURS AND THE PROCEDURE FOR RESOLVING A TIE IS OUTLINED IN THE GUIDELINES AS WELL. NOW, ONCE A SELECTION IS MADE, THE SUCCESSFUL APPOINTEE CANDIDATE WILL BE SWORN IN AND SEATED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT VOTE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE REMAINDER OF THE MEETING. THE ACTUAL APPOINTMENT VOTE WILL OCCUR NEAR THE END OF THE MEETING. WE ALL FELT THAT IT WASN'T FAIR TO TO SEAT A COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEN HAVE THEM TRY TO PARTICIPATE IN BUSINESS THAT THEY HAVE NO BACKGROUND IN AND HAVEN'T MAYBE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP TO SPEED ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE COUNCIL IS DEALING WITH CURRENTLY. BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY TIME FOLLOWING THE FEBRUARY 1ST MEETING PRIOR TO THE SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY TO ACCOMPLISH THAT. SO THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. AGAIN, HOPEFULLY YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THIS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME FROM COUNCIL ON SPECIFICS OF THESE GUIDELINES? MR. HURLBERT, LET ME READ THIS SCRIPT THAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE COUNCIL. SURE. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VERBAL COMMENT USING ZOOM. PLEASE USE THE RAISED HAND BUTTON TO REQUEST TO SPEAK. IF YOU'RE USING A TELEPHONE, PLEASE DIAL NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEYPAD. YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE NUMBER YOU'RE CALLING FROM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR COMMENT. ONCE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, YOU WILL BE MUTED. AT THIS TIME DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, MADAM CLERK? MAYOR REYNA AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS VIA EMAIL? WE HAVE NO COMMENTS VIA EMAIL. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS, MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. NO COMMENTS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ. JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS, SO LIMITING THE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES TO GO TO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS THAT PRETTY MUCH THE NORM THAT OTHER CITIES FOLLOW? WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES. BUT YES, THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE AN INITIAL SELECTION THERE, AND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT REALLY IS NOT TO UNFAIRLY EXCLUDE ANYONE. SINCE WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE VOTING ULTIMATELY FOR THIS APPOINTMENT AND THOSE SAME FOUR PEOPLE WILL BE REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS. IF IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WOULD SELECT IN YOUR TOP THREE SOMEONE THAT YOU'RE NOT INTENDING TO VOTE FOR. SO WITH THIS PROCESS, AT LEAST YOUR TOP TWO, ONE OR TWO, PROBABLY THREE WILL APPEAR. YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW. AND IF THE APPLICATIONS ARE SUCH THAT IT SEEMS OBVIOUS AFTER REVIEWING THEM THAT THE [00:20:08] PERSON EITHER IS NOT QUALIFIED OR IS NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THE APPLICATION, THEN WE DIDN'T THINK IT MADE SENSE TO USE A BLOCK OF TIME DURING THE INTERVIEW MEETING TO ENTERTAIN THAT. OK, SO SECOND QUESTION, WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE INTERVIEWS ONE AT A TIME. CORRECT? CORRECT. AND IT WILL BE BROADCAST JUST LIKE THIS MEETING WILL BE. IT WILL BE. ALTHOUGH THE THE APPLICANTS WAITING TO BE INTERVIEWED WILL BE ISOLATED AND ASKED TO TURN THEIR PHONES OFF OR ANY OTHER DEVICE THAT THEY CAN VIEW THE MEETING BECAUSE THAT WOULD PRESENT AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE TO KNOW THE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WAS THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO TEXT MESSAGE OR FIND OUT WHAT THE QUESTIONS WERE. OK, I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER. THANK YOU. YOU BET. EXCUSE ME, MAYOR REYNA. YES, WE DO HAVE A RAISED HAND FROM KRIS CERNA. SURE. MR. CERNA PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND MAKE YOUR COMMENT. I APOLOGIZE. I DID NOT MEAN TO RAISE MY HAND. SORRY. WELL, NOW YOU'RE ON THE HOOK. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU, KRIS. THANK. OK. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION. SO MOVED MR. MAYOR. I'LL SECOND THAT. OK, MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? YES. MAYOR REYNA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. AYE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA TO APPROVE ITEM 13A. MOTION IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. OKAY, WE MOVE ON TO ITEM B. [13)b. Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Enter and Execute an Agreement with First Mobile Trust LLC. An Ohio Limited Liability Company Subsidiary of Paya INC. for electronic bill payment services. (Perez-Hernandez)] THAT WOULD BE 13B ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO ENTER AN EXECUTIVE AND. EXCUSE ME TO ENTER AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH FIRST MOBILE TRUST LLC AND OHIO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, A SUBSIDIARY OF PAYA INC. FOR ELECTRONIC BILL PAYMENT SERVICES. MR. HERNANDEZ. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND ZOOM ATTENDEES THIS EVENING BEFORE YOU, THE STAFF REPORT, AND THIS RESOLUTION IS TO GIVE APPROVAL AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER OR ITS DESIGNEE TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH FIRST BILLING. BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO JASON I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AS IN EARLY 2020, WHEN THE COUNCIL HAD A GOAL SETTING, THERE WERE THERE WERE THREE PILLARS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTED STAFF TO FOCUS ON AND THAT WAS SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE, NEIGHBORLY AND SAFETY COMMUNITIES AND EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT. AND WITH THOSE THREE KEY POINTS IS HOW WE TOOK A HOLISTIC VIEW OF OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND HOW CAN WE PROVIDE. WELL. ADDED FEATURES TO OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE ARE ONCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED AND OUR DOORS WERE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND WE HAD TO SIMPLIFY A LOT OF THE PROCESSES, SO I'LL COVER A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION. AS THE PRESENTATION PROCEEDS, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JAYSON. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SO I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME HERE. AND CERTAINLY HONORABLE MAYOR. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS JAYSON DEROSIER AND I AM A DIRECTOR OF SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. AND JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME, BUT OVER 15 YEARS IN THE PAYMENTS ARENA, E-COMMERCE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH CARE VERTICALS PREDOMINANTLY BUT HAVE IN THE PAST WORKED FOR THE LIKES OF HEARTLAND PAYMENT [00:25:02] SYSTEMS, GLOBAL, VANTIS, AND SO THE BIG LARGE NAMES, YOU KNOW, IN THE INDUSTRY. GREG JACKSON COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY. WE CERTAINLY HOPE HE'S VERY WELL SOON. SO I'M FILLING IN AS A BACKUP FOR HIM. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND UNDERSTANDING AND YOUR FLEXIBILITY. RON JONES IS OUR DIRECTOR OF CLIENT MANAGEMENT, AND WE LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THE GROUP HERE BECAUSE HE DOES OVERSEE OUR CLIENTS ENGAGEMENT AND OUR IMPLEMENTATION TEAMS. IT'S JUST VERY NICE TO HAVE THAT NAME. YOU'LL HAVE DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION TO HIM AS WELL. AND SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST AN INTRODUCTION OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM HERE AN GREGG BAVISOTTO IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES IN THE GOVERNMENT CHANNEL WITH OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT, SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS AND PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY SPACE AND I'M HONORED ACTUALLY TO HAVE ON MR. PAT DORSEY, WHO IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF FIRST BILLING. AND SO I WAS ABLE TO GET HIM TO JOIN US TONIGHT. SO. SO REST ASSURED, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR US, WE'LL HAVE THAT ANSWER FOR YOU HERE WITH THE CO-FOUNDER JOINING US. AND SO THANKS, PAT, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US, BUT FIRST BILLING SERVICES IS A PAYA COMPANY, PAYA IS A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY ON THE NASDAQ. AND WE PROVIDE FULLY INTEGRATED END TO END BILLING PAYMENTS AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT SOLUTIONS FOR UTILITY COMPANIES AND MUNICIPALITIES. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE, BUT WE ARE HEADQUARTERED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND WE DO HAVE OFFICES ACROSS FIVE STATES IN THE U.S. WE HAVE OVER 2000 PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS MULTIPLE VERTICALS. WE PROCESS MORE THAN $40 BILLION DOLLARS AS AN ORGANIZATION. WE DIRECTLY SERVE MORE THAN 800 MUNICIPALITIES AND UTILITY COMPANIES TODAY AND THEN THROUGH OUR AGENCY AND PROVIDER YOU KNOW, THEY USE OUR TECHNOLOGY. WE ASSIST MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED IN THAT SPACE AND THEN WE SUPPORT OVER 300 INTEGRATIONS. AND SO THIS IS INTEGRATIONS INTO CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE LIKE. OK. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO WHO DO WE SERVE? WE ARE DESIGNED FOR MUNICIPALITIES LIKE YOURS AND SO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE UTILITY PROVIDERS, CITIES, TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, COUNTIES, PARISHES, PRECINCTS, RIGHT, ALL SORTS OF SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND TRIBAL COUNCILS. ALL RIGHT. SO WE REALLY DO IT ALL. AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IT'LL GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO. MOST OF WHAT WE DO, OF COURSE, IS UTILITY BILLING ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE. AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE A MAJORITY OF THE RECEIVABLES FOR A MUNICIPALITY DO TEND TO BE IN THE UTILITY SEGMENT, RIGHT? BUT WE ARE A MUNICIPAL PAYMENTS PROVIDER SO WE CAN FACILITATE PAYMENTS FOR ALL SORTS OF TRANSACTIONS WITHIN THE CITY. THAT NEXT SLIDE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S RUNNING SLOW. THERE WE GO. OK. AND SO IN ADDITION TO THE UTILITY BILL PAY, WHICH OF COURSE, IS THE MONTHLY BILL PAY IN THE SELF SERVICE MANAGEMENT OF OUR PORTAL AND THE BILLING MANAGEMENT, WE CAN FACILITATE ANY SORT OF TAX COLLECTION OR BUSINESS LICENSES, ANNUAL RENEWALS, BUILDING PERMITS, ANYTHING OF THE SORT. SO WE DO LIKE TO CONSIDER OURSELVES MORE OF A MUNICIPAL PAYMENTS COMPANY THAN JUST A UTILITY PAYMENTS COMPANY. OK. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND SO HOW WE DO THAT IS THROUGH ONLINE PAYMENTS THROUGH OUR FIRST CHOICE PORTAL. AND THAT'S OUR WEB PAY AND TEXT TO PAY ALONG WITH OUR E BILLING OR ELECTRONIC BILLING. WE ALSO FACILITATE IN-PERSON PAYMENTS, AND SO WE ENABLE YOU TO ACCEPT WALK IN PAYMENTS FROM CITIZENS THAT ARE COMING IN TO MAKE THAT PAYMENT AT THE COUNTER. WE HAVE SELF-SERVE KIOSKS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ALSO LOCKBOX SERVICES AND OUR ASSISTED PHONE PAYMENTS, AND SO OUR LIVE PHONE AGENTS ARE BILINGUAL. AND THEY ARE US BASED, OUR INTERACTIVE IVR IS ALSO BILINGUAL AND WE HAVE RECURRING BILL PAY. AND THAT'S WHERE A CITIZEN CAN GO ONLINE AND SET UP AN AUTOMATIC OR RECURRING PAYMENTS ON THEIR ACCOUNT. SO KIND OF A SET IT AND FORGET IT TYPE OF APPROACH. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO FIRST CHOICE IS OUR CUSTOMER FACING SOLUTION. AND SO THIS IS YOUR CITIZENS 24 SEVEN ACCESS TO PAY THEIR BILL AND ONLINE ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR PAST PAYMENTS, THEIR CURRENT STATEMENT. THEY CAN SCHEDULE ONE TIME PAYMENTS OR GUEST PAY SO THEY ACTUALLY DON'T NEED AN ACCOUNT [00:30:03] TO STILL MAKE A PAYMENT, WHICH IS GREAT FOR HARDSHIPS. OR IF A FAMILY MEMBER WAS GOING TO COVER A BILL FOR A, YOU KNOW, A MONTH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE WHOLE ACCOUNT OR USERNAME AND PASSWORD. YOU CAN SET UP AUTOMATIC RECURRING PAYMENTS ON OUR SYSTEM. VIEW CURRENT AND PAST STATEMENTS, AS I MENTIONED, SET BILL DELIVERY PREFERENCES. SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN YOUR BILL IS READY? AND VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE ARE A LEVEL ONE PCI SECURE ORGANIZATION AND LEVEL ONE PCI SECURE IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL THAT A COMPANY AN ORGANIZATION CAN BE. AND WE DO HAVE THAT CERTIFICATE. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT, WE CAN PROVIDE THAT OVER. AND A USER ON OUR SYSTEM CAN MANAGE MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS UNDER THE SAME LOGIN SO THEY'LL HAVE ONE LOG IN, THEN THEY CAN HAVE AS MANY ACCOUNTS AS THEY NEED. AND SO THIS IS GREAT FOR LAND OWNER, YOU KNOW, LANDLORDS OR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ALSO LIVE IN THE CITY. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO FIRST CHOICE OFFER SOLUTIONS AND TOOLS THAT HELP CUSTOMERS SAVE TIME AND RESOURCES. PREVIOUS PLEASE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, THEY CAN SET UP AUTOMATIC RECURRING PAYMENTS, THEY CAN VIEW THAT, YOU KNOW, CURRENT AND PAST STATEMENTS. AND I THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD HERE. AND A COUPLE OF OUR PARTNERS ON THE NEXT SLIDE WOULD BE THE CITY OF FRESNO AND CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS. AND SO THOSE WERE SELECTED. OF COURSE, WE HAVE WELL OVER 800, BUT THOSE WERE SELECTED BASED ON FAMILIARITY, RIGHT? WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT YOU WOULD RECOGNIZE THOSE AND THOSE ARE BOTH VERY GOOD PARTNERS OF OURS. OK AND SO I THINK. [INAUDIBLE] AS I BELIEVE THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD BEGIN FROM HERE, IS THAT RIGHT? CORRECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, APPRECIATE YOU. MM HMM. OK, SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN OVER INTO THE COST PIECE OF FIRST BILLING. NOW JUST CLICK JUST MONICA OR MARIA, CAN YOU JUST CLICK ONE MORE TIME? SO THIS GRAPH IT'S A SNAPSHOT OF FROM AUGUST OF 2019 TO AUGUST OF 2021 AND WHAT IT IS IS JUST THE WEB PAYMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED. IN AUGUST OF 2019, WE WERE RECEIVING ABOUT THIRTY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN WEB PAYMENTS, AND IN A MATTER OF IN A YEAR, IT WAS ALREADY TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO BY 2021, WE'RE FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE PERCENT INCREASE IN REVENUE COLLECTION JUST IN WEB PAYMENTS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS SO WE WERE COLLECTING ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED CUSTOMERS WERE PAYING THEIR UTILITY BILLS ONLINE AND NOW IT'S OVER A LITTLE BIT OVER TWO THOUSAND CUSTOMERS ARE USING OUR WEB PAYMENT SERVICES TO PAY THEIR UTILITIES. CLICK. BUT LIKE IN EVERY STORY, THERE'S A HERO AND THERE'S A VILLAIN. WELL, IT'S GREAT. WE HAD A 400 PERCENT IN MIGRATION FROM FOOT CUSTOMERS WALKING INTO THE LOBBIES TO WEB PAYMENTS. WELL, OUR COST ALSO INCREASED ON A MONTHLY BASIS. WE WERE THE ORANGE LINE IS WHAT WE PAY ON A MONTHLY BASIS. SO IN AUGUST OF 2019, WE WERE PAYING ABOUT ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE DOLLARS. AND BY AUGUST OF 2021, WE WERE PAYING FOUR THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE DOLLARS. YOU CLICK ONE MORE TIME. ONE MORE TIME. AND JUST WANT TO FOCUS EVERYONE'S ATTENTION ON THAT RED CIRCLE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE PANDEMIC STARTED, AND THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED SHIFTING ALL OF OUR ATTENTION AND SIMPLIFYING OUR WEB PAYMENT OPTIONS WITH OUR CUSTOMERS AND WE HAD THE MUNEZ VERSION OF OUR ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE ACCEPT THE PAYMENTS, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THAT FEATURE WHERE WE CAN AUTOMATE OUR PAYMENTS OR TEXT AND PAY. WE COULD NOT HAVE A VIEW OUR STATEMENT ONLINE. SO FROM 2012 TO 2021 TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED SUBSTANTIALLY, AND OUR CURRENT WEB PAYMENT OPTION HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH TECHNOLOGY. AND AS SUCH, WE ARE PRETTY MUCH IF WE WERE TO STAY COURSE, WE WOULD BE PAYING ABOUT SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR JUST IN FEES THAT THE CITY PAYS ON BEHALF OF THE CUSTOMERS THAT [00:35:03] WE DON'T PASS ON TO THEM. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ONE MORE CLICK. SO THIS GRAPH IS JUST TAKING A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE SPENT FROM AUGUST OF 2019 TO AUGUST OF 2021 AND WHAT WE WOULD HAVE SPENT IF WE WOULD HAVE TRANSITIONED OVER TO FIRST BILLING AND NATURALLY A QUESTION COULD ARISE, WHY DIDN'T WE DO THIS SOONER? AND THE RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION IS WE HAD TO UPGRADE OUR ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE, WHICH WAS A JUMP FROM 2011 TO 2019. WE HAD NUMEROUS YEARS OF RECONCILIATIONS WE HAD TO DO AND TO TAKE ON THIS PROJECT TO DO THE COMMUNITY AND CUSTOMER OUTREACH AND ALL OF THE ENROLLMENT THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO SWITCH OVER TWO THOUSAND CUSTOMERS AND ENROLL THEM IN THIS NEW ONLINE PORTAL. IT'S A TASK THAT WE ARE READY FOR AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? AND THE ORANGE GRAPH FROM THE GREEN ONE? SO WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO BE SAVING ABOUT TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS MOVING FORWARD. AND WE CAN USE THOSE TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE A VEHICLE. WE CAN USE THAT FOR A PART TIME FINANCE CLERK OR PURCHASE ADDITIONAL FIREWALL SAFEGUARDS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS INFORMATION. WE CAN INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY TO SIMPLIFY OUR THE CUSTOMER'S EXPERIENCE KIOSKS, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE IF WE GO INTO SOME OF THE DMVS. ALL YOU DO IS YOU JUST HAVE YOUR REGISTRATION THAT COMES IN THE MAIL YOU SCAN AND COMES OUT YOUR NEW REGISTRATION. SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT EFFECT. SO NOW WE HAVE A ROUGHLY ABOUT TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE CAN USE TOWARDS OTHER CITY OPERATIONS. BUT I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN FIRST BILLING, IT WASN'T MORE SO, THE GOING WITH THE MOST INEXPENSIVE VENDOR BECAUSE WE WERE FOCUSING ON QUALITY, CONVENIENCE AND EFFICIENCY. SO. WITH THOSE THREE THINGS THAT IS WHY WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH WITH FIRST BILLING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS, SO AFTER THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN EXECUTED, THERE WOULD BE AN INITIAL KICK OFF WITH FIRST BILLING AND HOW THE FINANCE STAFF AND FIRST BILLING WILL WORK TOGETHER TO DO ALL OF THE TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION THAT THAT TRANSITIONS OVER TO THEIR ONLINE PORTAL IS WE FIX ALL THOSE BUGS THAT MAY POP UP. THEN WE'LL START THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND INFORMING OUR CUSTOMERS. WE WILL BE MIGRATING OVER TO FIRST BILLING. WE WILL DO THE ENROLLMENT FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT DON'T FEEL AS COMFORTABLE AS ENROLLING THEMSELVES, ALSO AS A NEW CUSTOMER COMING INTO THE OFFICE TO START UTILITY SERVICES. IT'S GOING TO BE A ONE STOP SHOP WHERE AS THEY ARE FILLING OUT THEIR APPLICATION, THEY WILL ALSO BE ENROLLING IN THEIR ONLINE SERVICES SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS WHILE THEY'RE AWAY OR CALLING THE OFFICE. WE WILL BE ASSISTING THEM RIGHT THERE AND THEN AND LASTLY, OUR TARGET WOULD BE LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL OF 2022. WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO RUSH INTO THIS BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY. IF WE HAVE OVER 2000 CUSTOMERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UTILIZING OUR WEB PAYMENT SERVICES TO MOVE THEM OVER TO A PLATFORM WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONFUSED OR WE DIDN'T PLAN IT OUT PROPERLY. WE CAN LOSE THOSE CUSTOMERS AND TRANSITION OVER TO IN PERSON. BUT WHAT WE WANT IS TO BE FLEXIBLE AND THEY CAN MAKE THEIR PAYMENT ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME. THEY CAN VIEW THEIR STATEMENTS ONLINE. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR CONSUMPTION IF THERE'S ALERTS THAT NEED TO BE PUBLISHED THAT'S A FEATURE THAT COMES WITH FIRST BILLING AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AND BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE OR THE ZOOM [00:40:03] ATTENDEES JUST WANT TO ASK JAYSON OR [INAUDIBLE] THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR THEY WANT TO SHARE. IF NOT, WE CAN TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL FOR QUESTIONS. CERTAINLY, I MEAN, LOOKING FORWARD TO QUESTIONS, AND I CERTAINLY KNOW YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR HAS EXPRESSED HIS DESIRE FOR WASCO TO BE A TRANSPARENT, SMART CITY AND CHOOSING FIRST BILLING IS REALLY A GREAT FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION. SO WE LOOK FORWARD AND WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS. AND I LIKE TO COMMENT. MR. HERNANDEZ I HAVE DONE ABOUT THREE HUNDRED OF THESE IN EIGHT YEARS AND CITIES OF MULTIPLE SIZES THAT I SAY THAT WAS A VERY GOOD JOB AND YOUR PRESENTATION AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT AND WHY WE DO IT. SO. AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY. I'VE SAT THROUGH YOU WOULD BE AMAZED THE SIZE OF CITIES AND COUNTIES I'VE SAT THROUGH, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING. SO VERY GOOD JOB AND WE'RE THRILLED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BEST WE CAN. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU, MR. PEREZ-HERNANDEZ. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A VERBAL COMMENT USING ZOOM PLEASE USE THE RAISE HAND BUTTON TO REQUEST TO SPEAK. IF YOU'RE USING A TELEPHONE, PLEASE DIAL NINE ON YOUR TELEPHONE KEYPAD. YOU WILL BE CALLED UPON BY THE NUMBER YOU'RE CALLING FROM WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS. ONCE YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, YOU WILL BE MUTED. AT THIS TIME DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC, MADAM CLERK? MAYOR REYNA AT THIS TIME, I DO NOT SEE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS. DO WE HAVE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS, MADAM CLERK? NO EMAIL COMMENTS AS WELL. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. YES, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE WRITTEN CHECK AND CASH ARE PRETTY MUCH ABOUT THE SAME THING. WILL THE CUSTOMER STILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN CHECK AND OR CASH AT THIS KIOSK? SO GO AHEAD, JAYSON. I'M SORRY, I WASN'T SURE IF YOU WERE FIELDING THEM OR I WAS, BUT NO, THE KIOSK WOULD BE SIMPLY AN ELECTRONIC, SO EITHER A CREDIT CARD PAYMENT OR AN ACH PAYMENT ELECTRONIC CHECK PAYMENT. OK, WHAT IS THE ELECTRONIC CHECK AND IS IT SAFE? UH, SO YES, ELECTRONIC CHECK IS VERY, VERY SAFE. AND THE ELECTRONIC CHECK IS USING YOUR BANK'S ROUTING AND ACCOUNT NUMBER FROM EITHER YOUR CHECKING OR SAVINGS ACCOUNT AS A FORM OF PAYMENT. OK, SO SUPER SECURE, I MIGHT ADD WHAT WE DO IS WE NOT ONLY IS SO THEY'RE ELECTRONICALLY PROCESSED AND WE CHECK BOTH THE ACCOUNTING NUMBER AND ROUTING NUMBER. WE DON'T JUST CHECK TO SEE IF THEY TYPED IT RIGHT TWICE BECAUSE IF YOU DO THAT, YOU'LL FIND THAT WE HAVE LEARNED THEY'LL TYPE IT WRONG TWICE. SO WE ACTUALLY DO CHECK THE ACCOUNTING AND ROUTING NUMBER TO ENSURE THAT IT IS CORRECT. FOR TWO REASONS A. WE'RE CHECKING FOR FRAUD, WHICH DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THAT MUCH IN UTILITY WORLD, MAYBE IN THE RETAIL WORLD. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ACCOUNT'S RIGHT SO IT DOESN'T GET FLAGGED AND KICKED BACK. SO IT'S VERY SAFE AND WE ACTUALLY ACCEPT CHECKS. WE HAVE BUSINESSES UP TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. SO IT DOES ENABLE PEOPLE TO DO THAT AND DO IT WITH THE COMFORT AND SECURITY. OK, WELL, I'M EXCITED FOR THIS. WE DO NEED SOME GROWTH IN THIS AREA. I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT SOMEONE WHO CHOOSES TO WRITE A WRITTEN CHECK WILL BE ABLE TO. SO WOULD THIS BILLING CONTINUE THE SAME WHERE A WRITTEN CHECK CAN BE SUBMITTED VIA MAIL? YES. THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE, THAT'S STILL THE SAME PROCESS. BUT THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL FEATURE THAT FIRST BILLING ALSO PROVIDES, WHEREAS. ONLINE BILLING, THE LOCKBOX PORTION, WHICH IS INTERCEPTS IT'LL INTERCEPT, LET'S SAY, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A FROM YOUR BANK, YOU HAVE A BILL PAID THAT IT'S GOING TO BE MAILED TO [00:45:02] THE CITY. FIRST BILLING CAN COME IN AND INTERCEPT THAT CHECK AND DEPOSIT IT INTO OUR ACCOUNT AND CREDIT THE FUNDS. NOW, IF A RESIDENT CHOOSES TO HANDWRITE THEIR CHECK AND MAIL IT TO US, WE WOULD STILL PROCESS THAT CHECK EITHER IN-HOUSE OR THROUGH OUR LOCKBOX. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER PALLARES. YES, THANK YOU. AND THEN [INAUDIBLE] IN REGARDS TO LATE PAYMENTS. WILL THE TELEPHONE FEATURE ALLOW YOU SAID THEY'RE GOING TO TALK IN PERSON, SO IF THERE'S A LATE PAYMENT WOULD A CUSTOMER BE ABLE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR DELINQUENT BILLING? THANK YOU. SO FOR THE PAYMENT TO SET SOMEONE ON A PAYMENT ARRANGEMENT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE GOING INTO THE CUSTOMER'S ACCOUNT AND ANALYZING THE HISTORY ON THE ACCOUNT. SO FOR THAT FIRST BILLING WOULD THEN NEED TO TRANSFER THE CALL OVER TO FINANCE, AND WE WOULD HANDLE THOSE CALLS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE, MORE DETAILED. OK, THANK YOU. JUST THE FRUSTRATION I'M HEARING IS A QUESTION WILL BE SENT TO VOICEMAIL AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE STAND AND BUT THIS SOUNDS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER PALLARES. MEMBER GARCIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE DIRECTOR. CURRENTLY, DO WE ACCEPT CASH OR CHECKS LIKE IN A DROP BOX OR DID YOU MENTION A LOCKBOX? SO OUR DROP BOX IS THE BOX THAT WE HAVE OUTSIDE OF OUR FINANCE BUILDING, AND THAT IS ONLY FOR CHECKS. WE HIGHLY, HIGHLY DISCOURAGE FROM CUSTOMERS DROPPING CASH IN THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. SOMEONE CAN BREAK IN THERE AND TAKE THE CASH. SO WHAT WE HAVE ENCOURAGED OUR CUSTOMERS IS TO DRIVE DOWN TO OUR NEW OR AUTHORIZED PAYMENT LOCATION FIESTA MARKET WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT CASH PAYMENTS, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. AND ALSO ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN OUR OFFICES ARE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC AND OUR LOCKBOX IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA WHERE THERE IS A P.O. BOX ON YOUR STATEMENT AND YOU MAIL YOUR CHECK TO THAT P.O. BOX AND ALL IT DOES IT JUST PROCESSES YOUR CHECK AND IT POSTS THE AMOUNT TO YOUR ACCOUNT. I SEE. OK. AND AS FOR THE LATE PAYMENTS, OR LET'S SAY, IN THE SCENARIO OF RECONNECTS. WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME QUICK SERVICE AND BEING ABLE TO GET THAT RECONNECTED SHOULD SOMEONE BE IN THAT POSITION OR HAVE TO DO THAT? YES, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE COORDINATING WITH FIRST BILLING PRIOR TO THERE BEING A LATE NOTICE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IS YOUR QUESTION REGARDING LIKE DISCONNECTION OF SERVICES LIKE WATER SHUTOFFS? YES, SIR. YES. SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD HAVE A SHUT OFF LIST BEFOREHAND AND IT WOULD BE PROVIDED NOT ONLY TO FIESTA, BUT ALSO TO FIRST BILLING. AND THE WAY THAT OUR AGREEMENT WAS WRITTEN WITH THE FIESTA MARKET, WE WOULD ANY PAST DUE AMOUNTS WOULD BE PAID HERE IN THE CITY BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED TO START THE SERVICE BECAUSE FIESTA MARKET WOULD NOT PROVIDE US THE STUBS UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING. SO WE WOULD BE THE ONES THAT WOULD BE MANAGING ANY PENALTIES, PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS OR ARRANGING AND COORDINATING WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT ANY DISCONNECTIONS PRIOR TO SO WE DON'T. THERE'S NO CUSTOMER FRICTION THERE. I UNDERSTAND. NOW WE'LL SO FROM I GUESS FOR AM I UNDERSTANDING IS THERE'LL BE A LIST WHERE THEY PROVIDED TO THESE, TO BOTH OF THEM, WHERE CERTAIN USERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE PROCESSED THROUGH THEIR SYSTEM AND THEY'RE BEING DIRECTED BACK TO YOUR OFFICE TO DO THAT DIRECTLY FOR RECONNECT. AND WE WOULD BE NOTIFYING CUSTOMERS IN ADVANCE THROUGH THE FIRST BILLING FEATURE WHERE IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE THROUGH EMAILS THROUGH TEXT MESSAGE, JUST [00:50:04] WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE OVERWHELMING THEM, BUT JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT THE BILLS ARE READY SOME ARE PASSED DUE. BUT SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, JUST SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE COLLECTING THESE PAYMENTS, WE NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF. SO WE WOULD BE THE ONES HANDLING THE DELINQUENT ONES. OK. I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR NOW, MAYOR, THANK YOU MEMBER GARCIA. MEMBER MARTINEZ? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MR. MAYOR. SO IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AMI SYSTEM, IS THAT GOING TO HAVE ANY IMPACT BY TRANSITIONING TO THIS BILLING SYSTEM. NO IT'LL ACTUALLY HAVE. WELL, WE WOULD HAVE TWO SYSTEMS, ONE WOULD HAVE REAL TIME WATER CONSUMPTION BY THE MINUTE AND FIRST BILLING WOULD JUST HAVE REAL TIME PAYMENT OF YOUR UTILITY SERVICES. SO THERE WOULDN'T BE THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. SO BASICALLY, WE'LL COLLECT ALL THE DATA, THEN WE'LL DUMP THE DATA INTO THEIR SYSTEM FOR THE BILLING PURPOSES. RIGHT. IT WOULD BE FIRST INTO OUR ACCOUNTING, THEN IT WOULD GO OUT TO THEM TO FIRST BILLING. OK, IS THERE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH A CUSTOMER WILL BE CHARGED A CONVENIENCE FEE THROUGH THE SYSTEM? NO, THERE WOULDN'T BE A CONVENIENCE FEE BECAUSE THE WAY THAT OUR MUNICIPAL CODE IS WRITTEN, THE CITY ABSORBS THE CONVENIENCE FEE. IS WOULD WE BE CHARGED BACK A CONVENIENCE FEE OR JUST THE STANDARD FEE? SO THERE'S THE AND CORRECT ME, IF I'M WRONG, JAYSON, BUT THERE'S THE AUTHORIZATION FEE AND THERE'S THE PROCESSING FEE FOR EACH CARD AND DEPENDING ON THE FEATURES THAT THE CARDS HAVE, IF IT'S CASH BACK REWARDS, ALL THOSE THE CITY IS THE ONES THAT'S PAYING THE CUSTOMER WOULD NOT BE THE ONE PAYING THAT. SIMILAR TO PASS ON THE CONVENIENCE FEE TO THE CUSTOMER, MAYBE A PERCENTAGE LIKE TWO POINT EIGHT NINE PERCENT. THREE PERCENT. WE WOULD NOT BUT THE AMOUNT THAT SHOWS ON THE BILL IS WHAT THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE PAYING. SIMILAR TO WHAT IS NOW ON OUR WEBSITE WHEN A CUSTOMER PAYS THEIR UTILITY BILL. SO BASICALLY THE FEE THAT WE GET CHARGED BACK, SO JUST TO USE A SIMPLE THING THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT UNDERSTAND IF YOU HAVE A SQUARE READER, ONE OF THOSE LITTLE THINGS THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR PHONE TO COLLECT CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS AT A FAIR OR WHATEVER, I THINK THEY CHARGE THREE PERCENT OF ALL YOUR TRANSACTIONS. IS THAT BASICALLY THE WAY THAT THIS IS STRUCTURED OR IS THERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO WRITE A CHECK TO THE IRS, I BELIEVE THEY CHARGE YOU AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR A NON, YOU KNOW, A NON AUTOMATED PROCESSING THING. IS THERE A FEE THAT WOULD THE CITY WOULD END UP BEING CHARGED? SO ACTUALLY, WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT. THAT'S WHERE WE WERE BEING CHARGED THE AUTHORIZATION FEE, THOSE FIFTY THREE CENTS. THAT'S WHERE THOSE TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY WE WOULD BE SAVING THAT WOULD BE GOING AWAY. OK. THAT CLARIFIES. THANK YOU, ISRAEL. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU MEMBER MARTINEZ AS I LISTEN TO THIS QUESTION, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED AS WELL. BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT MR. PEREZ-HERNANDEZ THAT ON THE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THE AGENDA, IT DOES STATE THAT A FEE WILL BE CHARGED TO THE CUSTOMERS. AND IT'S A 299 FEE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS. AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, AND I WANTED TO ASK CLARIFICATION ON THAT. IT IS UNDER SIX POINT ONE, SO PAYMENT PROCESSING AND THEN IT IS ON SCHEDULE A. MM HMM. AT THE END, OK, IT DOES STATE WHAT FEES WILL BE CHARGED, AND IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE CUSTOMER WILL BE CHARGED THAT FEE. SO SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAVE A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING. CAN YOU SCROLL FURTHER DOWN? I'LL SO WHEN GO GO GO. LET ME JUST SAY UNDER SIX ONE B, IT SAYS IF THE CLIENT CHANGES THEIR BILLING SYSTEM, THERE WILL BE CHARGED A SET UP FEE. AND THEN SCHEDULE A. THERE IS A SEVERAL INSTANCES IN WHICH A CUSTOMER WHICH WILL BE CHARGED A FEE OF TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS. KEEP GOING, MARIA, KEEP GOING FURTHER DOWN. DOWN, HE SAID 6 1B, OH, I WAS GOING TO THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE WHAT IT IS, YEAH, THAT'S AT THE END. MAYOR SO ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WHEN THIS WAS STRUCTURED WAS DURING THE GOAL SETTING THAT HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY 2020 WAS THERE WAS ALSO A DISCUSSION OF WAS THE CITY [00:55:05] GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND PASS THE CONVENIENCE FEE TO OUR CUSTOMERS? AND IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THEN WHAT DO WE NEED TO GO BACK AND NEGOTIATE A FEE WITH FIRST BILLING, WHOEVER THE VENDOR WAS? AND THE REASON WHY IT'S IT'S ON HERE IS IF AT ANY POINT THE CITY DECIDES TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION TO CHARGE THE CONVENIENCE FEE, IT WOULD BE THE 2.99 PERCENT. BUT THE WAY THAT IT IS CURRENTLY, THE CUSTOMER WOULD NOT BE PAYING. BUT IT'S ONLY SHOWING THAT BOTTOM PORTION. I READ IT AS TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS, AND YOU'RE SAYING TWO POINT NINETY NINE PERCENT, I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT IT. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. ONE COULD BE A LOT MORE THAN THE TWO DOLLARS AND 99 CENTS WHY YOU GUYS ARE SCROLLING. THE CONTRACTS ARE WRITTEN TO MR. HERNANDEZ'S POINT. SOMETIMES CITIES CHANGE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. SO WE PUT IT SAYS OPTIONAL IN THEIR OPTIONAL CONVENIENCE FEE PROGRAM, AND THAT'S JUST INTENDED FOR TWO THINGS. IF YOU SERVE WERE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND AND WANTED TO CHARGE A CONVENIENCE FEE. WE'RE LOCKING YOU IN AT TODAY'S RATES DURING THIS CONTRACT. BUT THE WAY THIS CONTRACT IS WRITTEN, YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO BE CHARGED WHAT'S CALLED THE ABSORB PROGRAM. THAT MEANS YOUR CITIZENS WILL NOT GET CHARGED. THE CITY WILL GET CHARGED LIKE THEY DO TODAY, BUT LESS IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT MAKES SENSE. BUT LET ME ASK YOU THEN THIS QUESTION THAT I DO WANT CLARIFICATION ON UNDER 6.1B OK, IT SAYS IF THE CLIENT CHANGES THEIR BILLING SYSTEM, THERE WILL BE A FEE ASSESSED TO THE CUSTOMER IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] OCCUR. IF NO, THERE'S NO. SO WHEN WE DO THIS FIRST SETUP FOR YOU, WHATEVER YOUR ACCOUNTING SYSTEM IS TODAY, THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] IS SET UP. IF SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD YOU SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH TO A NEW BILLING SYSTEM, NOT WHAT WE DO, BUT WHAT YOUR SYSTEM OF RECORD DOES. THERE MAY BE A CHARGE, YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, WE'VE GOT THIS BRAND NEW SYSTEM LIKE WE'RE SWITCHING TO TYLER OR SOMETHING AND WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. THERE MAY BE A CHARGE TO DO THAT, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT IS. BUT THIS INITIAL CONTRACT, THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR INSTALLATION SET UP OR ANYTHING. OK, SO THIS LANGUAGE DOES NOT REFER TO THE CUSTOMERS, BUT IT REFERS TO THE CITY. THAT IS THAT IS CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT SIR. SO THAT MAKES SENSE. AND TO CLARIFY. MAYOR REYNA, IT'S 2.99 TWO DOLLARS AND NINETY NINE CENTS, NOT TWO POINT NINE PERCENT. YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. TWO POINT NINE NINE COULD BE A LOT OF MONEY. $2.99 IS STILL SOME MONEY, WHICH I DON'T LIKE TO BE CHARGED FEES, SO I'M THE FIRST ONE TO OPPOSE THEM. SO. AND IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO PASS THOSE FEES TO THE CUSTOMER, THEN I'M OK WITH IT. OK? AND IN REGARDS BECAUSE THE QUESTION CAME UP AND I JUST WANT A CLARIFICATION ON THAT AS WELL. LATE PAYMENTS, I WANT TO HEAR FROM FIRST BILLINGS. WHAT EXPERIENCE DO THEY HAVE ON THIS LATE PAYMENTS COMING TO THEM AND BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MUNICIPALITY, IN OUR CASE, IT'S AWARE OF IT THAT THE PAYMENT CAME IN OR THAT IT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE MUNICIPALITY SO THAT THE CUSTOMER DOESN'T END UP WITH THEIR WATER BEING SHUT OFF OR ALREADY HAVING THE WATER SHUT OFF AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN IT ON RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO CURRENTLY. SO, THE BEAUTY OF OUR SYSTEM, SO WHEN THEY GET ON AND MAKE A PAYMENT, EVERYTHING IS IN REAL TIME. SO NOT ONLY DO WE CHECK THAT CREDIT, DEBIT OR E CHECK TO MAKE SURE IT'S VALID. WHAT WE DO AT THAT VERY MOMENT IS WE POST THAT TO THE ACCOUNT ON OUR SIDE AND PASS THAT TO YOU. BUT THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO AND YOUR FOLKS ARE ABLE TO DO, THEY CAN LOG ON TO THE PORTAL THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS CITY AND THEY CAN LITERALLY RUN A REPORT AND CHECK IN REAL TIME. HEY, MR. SMITH, ACTUALLY DID PAY. DON'T DISCONNECT THEM. WE CAN ALSO SEND YOU AN AUTOMATED REPORT OF EVERYONE THAT PAID BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS ON THE DAY THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET DISCONNECTED. YOU DON'T WANT TO ROLL A TRUCK. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DISCONNECTED. SO DURING THAT SETUP AND ROLL OUT, WE DISCUSSED THE PROCESS THAT YOU WANT TO DO. YOU MIGHT JUST WANT A REPORT THAT GETS EMAILED TO SOMEBODY. YOU MIGHT HAVE A PERSON THAT'S DESIGNATED TO MAKE SURE THEY SEE ALL THE ABOUT TO GET DISCONNECTED, FOLKS. SO WE'RE VERY FLEXIBLE IN THAT. WE'VE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS WHAT'S THE BEST APPROACH FOR A CITY OR COUNTY TO DO THAT? SO THAT'S WHAT WE DO. LIKE THE CITY OF FRESNO, FOR INSTANCE, THEY GET A LIST OF PEOPLE THE DAY THAT AND MAKE [01:00:04] SURE THEY PAY SO THEY DON'T ROLL THE TRUCK. SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM EVERYBODY. IF THAT MAKES SENSE, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR? IT DOES MAKE SENSE. ANOTHER QUESTION TO YOU, MR. PEREZ-HERNANDEZ, IS [INAUDIBLE] THE FEED IS CUTTING OFF MAYOR REYNA. THEY NEEDED TO BE DIRECTED TO THE OFFICE BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO BE HANDLED THERE. SO WHAT'S YOUR PLAN? CAN YOU REPEAT THAT MR. REYNA, I ONLY CAUGHT THE LAST PORTION. YEAH, I APOLOGIZE. SORRY. I HAD ANOTHER CALL COMING. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PAYMENTS ARE CAPTURED TIMELY SO THAT THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT SUFFER ADDED CONSEQUENCES BEYOND THEIR LATE PAYMENT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE AND IT WAS IN EARLY JANUARY OF 2020 WAS AN ORDINANCE ADDED AND UPDATES TO OUR MUNICIPAL CODE WHERE IT HAS THE SPECIFIC STEPS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE PRIOR TO DISCONNECTING THE WATER SERVICES ON A CUSTOMER. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WOULD BE RUNNING TWO REPORTS ONE RIGHT AT 5:00 P.M. JUST SO THAT WE CAPTURE ALL DAY'S ACTIVITY AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT HAS A GAUGE OF ALL OF THE QUANTITY OF CUSTOMERS THAT MIGHT BE DISCONNECTED THE NEXT MORNING. WE WOULD JUST RUN A REPORT, THE SAME REPORT TO SEE WHO MADE PAYMENTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND OUR WATER DEPARTMENT NORMALLY STARTS THEIR WATER DISCONNECTIONS AT 6:00 A.M. SO THAT REPORT COULD BE RAN AT 5:00 A.M. AND THERE IS THAT THAT WINDOW BETWEEN, LET'S SAY, FIVE AND SIX WHERE WE NEED TO FIND A SOLUTION OR A CUTOFF BECAUSE IT'LL BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO CATCH IF SOMEBODY I JUST MADE THE PAYMENT AND THE GUYS ARE ALREADY DRIVING. BUT A SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, WE WOULD HAVE IT. WE WOULD HAVE IT SIMILAR TO THE REPORT THAT WE HAVE NOW THAT WE PROVIDE OUR WATER DEPARTMENT, BUT NOW IT'S GOING TO BE ENCOMPASSING FIRST BILLINGS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. HERNANDEZ. WE JUST NEED TO HAVE SAFEGUARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING THESE PAYMENTS ON A TIMELY BASIS AND THAT THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT SUFFER ADDED CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE OF OUR FAILURE TO CAPTURE A PAYMENT THAT WAS MADE. SO THAT'S MY POINT. AND IF I MAY ADD FIRST, BILLING WOULD NOT CHANGE THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR WEB PAYMENTS. IT'LL BE THE SAME PROCESS THAT WE DO NOW, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS FOR THE WATER TO BE DISCONNECTED ON OUR CUSTOMERS AND WELL, ACTUALLY NOW WITH MOVING WITH FIRST BILLING. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR DESKTOPS OR THEIR MOBILE BANKING MOBILE APPS. WHETHER THEIR BILLS ARE ALREADY READY, WHETHER THEY ARE, THEY'RE PART OF A LIST THAT'S GOING TO BE DISCONNECTING THEIR SERVICES. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE THERE'S COMMUNICATION HAPPENING AND THIS IS JUST MORE SO WITH FIRST BILLING FEATURES THAT ARE GOING TO BECOME AVAILABLE THAT UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY TO INFORM OUR CUSTOMERS OTHER THAN SENDING DELINQUENT NOTICES. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, SEE A DELINQUENT NOTICE, YOU KNOW IT'S DELINQUENT, BUT YOU MAY FORGET. THANK YOU. ONE MORE QUESTION, IF I MAY. DOES THE OTHER PAYMENT LOCATION IS IT GOING TO REMAIN? ARE WE GOING ABSOLUTELY, YES. THERE ARE OTHER CHOICES FOR CUSTOMERS LOCALLY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE. YES. WELL, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND MAKE IT CONVENIENT SO THEY CAN MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS CONVENIENTLY, WHETHER IT'S TEXT TO PAY AT A KIOSK IN THE LOBBY. FIESTA MARKET, ONLINE SETTING UP RECURRING PAYMENTS. THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL FEATURES. AND WILL PAYMENTS BE MADE? WILL SOMEONE BE ABLE TO MAKE A PAYMENT IN ADVANCE AND WHY IS THAT QUESTION THAT YOU MAY ASK? I PAY MY BILL, MY UTILITY BILL IN ADVANCE ALL THE TIME, IT'S ALREADY SET UP THROUGH THE BANK OR LIKE THAT, AND SO IT COMES AHEAD. I ALWAYS HAVE A CREDIT BECAUSE IT COMES OUT OF THE BILLING. [01:05:02] WILL SOMEBODY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT? YES, THAT WILL NOT CEASE TO STOP. OK. SOMEBODY MIGHT WONDER WHY I PAY IT SO EARLY, BUT I DO. [LAUGHTER] WELL, THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL FOR THE PRESENTATION. VERY CLEAR PRESENTATION. MAYOR. YES, MR. GARCIA. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW THERE'LL BE A TON OF OUTREACH, BUT WILL THIS SYSTEM OR PORTAL WILL ALSO BE EMBEDDED TO OUR CITY WEBSITE? I SEE YOU NODDING DIRECTOR. AWESOME, EASY ANSWER. THANK YOU. YEAH, WE HAVE A LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL OF THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE. YEAH. SO THERE'S A FEW MONTHS AHEAD OF US. BUT YEAH, I'M CERTAIN THE KINKS WILL COME UP AND SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THEM OUT. AND SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. MR. GARCIA. ALL RIGHT. I WILL MOVE THIS FORWARD. IS THERE A SECOND? GARCIA SECOND. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR REYNA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. AYE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. MOTION BY MAYOR REYNA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA TO APPROVE ITEM 13B MOTION IS UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ITEM 14 REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. [14) REPORTS FROM COMMISSION AND COMMITTEES] CURRENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. MR. GARCIA YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS YET, RIGHT? NO, I HAVEN'T YET. AND IF I COULD MAKE A FRIENDLY REQUEST TO THE STAFF TO PUT THAT ON THE CALENDAR FOR ME THIS YEAR IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU MEMBER GARCIA. FROM COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WELL, THERE'LL BE A MEETING THIS THURSDAY. RIGHT, SCOTT, I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT MEETING, SO I'LL BE REPORTING ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. AND WASCO TASKFORCE MR. MARTINEZ. WE WILL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK. MAYOR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A REPORT FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT'S KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT MR. [15) REPORTS FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS] APPLETON IS HE PRESENT. HE WAS EARLIER. YES. I'M HERE. OH, THERE IS. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. SORRY, SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. JUST A QUICK UPDATE FROM KERN COUNTY FIRE. WE HAD AN ISSUE LAST WEEK, I JUST WANT TO PASS ALONG TO THE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE HAD SOME PEOPLE COME TO THE FIRE STATION AND LOOKING FOR COVID TESTS IN WASCO AND DELANO. SOME BAD INFORMATION WAS SENT OUT. WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT WAS FROM, BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT DO COVID TESTING AND WE DO NOT HAVE COVID TESTS AT THE FIRE STATION. SO JUST IF YOU GET THAT REQUEST OR IF YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION, IF YOU HAD INFORMATION THAT IS BAD INFORMATION. WE'RE NOT SURE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. WE'VE TRIED TO TRACK IT DOWN. AND I JUST WANT TO PASS THAT ALONG AND ON A GOOD NOTE POSITIVE NOTE. ON THURSDAY, WE WILL BE GRADUATING TWENTY SIX NEW FIREFIGHTERS FROM OUR FIREFIGHTER ACADEMY AND THEY WILL BE HEADED OUT TO THE FIELD STARTING ON SATURDAY. SO WE'LL HAVE A BUNCH OF NEW FIREFIGHTERS TO HELP EASE OUR STAFFING ISSUES. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE NIGHT. GREAT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS FROM MR. APPLETON? OKAY SEEING, NONE. THANK YOU, MR. APPLETON. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU. OK. KERN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT MR. SHINN. SERGEANT. ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SERGEANT SHINN, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GOING TO REPORT ON A COUPLE OF THE DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT WE'VE HANDLED SINCE OUR LAST MEETING. ALONG WITH PRESENTING THE MONTHLY STATISTICS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. [INAUDIBLE] TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT PAGE HERE, I APOLOGIZE. TAKE YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT, THERE WE GO. SO THE FIRST EVENT I'M GOING TO PRESENT TONIGHT OCCURRED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23RD, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:34 A.M. DEPUTIES FROM THE WASCO SUBSTATION WERE DISPATCHED TO THE 1200 BLOCK OF F STREET TO ATTEMPT TO LOCATE A STOLEN VEHICLE. UPON ARRIVAL, DEPUTIES LOCATED THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS OCCUPIED BY RUEL MARTINEZ JR. [01:10:01] AGE TWENTY SEVEN OF WASCO. DURING THE INVESTIGATION DEPUTIES DETERMINED MARTINEZ NOT ONLY POSSESSED, BUT ALSO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO STOLE THE VEHICLE. MARTINEZ WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED AND BOOKED INTO THE KERN COUNTY JAIL FOR FELONY VEHICLE THEFT, POSSESSION OF A STOLEN VEHICLE, A FELONY BENCH WARRANT AND A MISDEMEANOR BENCH WARRANT. THIS INCIDENT JUST SERVES TO REMIND EVERYBODY TO MAKE SURE TO LOCK YOUR VEHICLE AT NIGHT, KEEP YOUR KEYS SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE AND DO NOT LEAVE YOUR VEHICLES RUNNING IN THE MORNING TIME. ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND ITS COLD IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. NOT SAFE TO LEAVE YOUR VEHICLES RUNNING IN THE MORNING TO WARM UP THE VEHICLE UNATTENDED. THE SECOND INCIDENT WILL BE PRESENTING ON OCCURRED ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 25TH, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:04 A.M. DEPUTIES FROM THE WASCO SUBSTATION WERE DISPATCHED TO THE TWENTY NINE THOUSAND BLOCK OF HIGHWAY 46 FOR THE VICTIM OF A SHOOTING. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE AREA, DEPUTIES CONTACTED PATRICK RODRIGUEZ [INAUDIBLE] AGE TWENTY THREE OF WASCO AND ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS WHO WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED TO A LOCAL MEDICAL FACILITY FOR TREATMENT. AND DURING THE INVESTIGATION, [INAUDIBLE] WAS FOUND TO BE IN POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION, TWO MAGAZINES, ONE IN WHICH WAS AN EXTENDED MAGAZINE AND TWO FIREARMS, ONE IN WHICH DID NOT HAVE A SERIAL NUMBER, AND IS CONSIDERED WHAT WE CALL A GHOST GUN. AND THESE ITEMS WERE THE GUN. THE TWO FIREARMS, THE AMMUNITION AND THE MAGAZINES ARE ALL PICTURED ON THE SLIDE ON THE SCREEN NOW. [INAUDIBLE] WAS ALSO DETERMINED TO BE A CONVICTED FELON AND ARRESTED AND BOOKED IN THE KERN COUNTY JAIL FOR FELONY, PARTICIPATING IN A STREET GANG, FELONY POSSESSION OF A FIREARM, PROHIBITED PERSON AND POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION CARRYING A LOADED FIREARM IN PUBLIC, POSSESSION OF A CONCEALED FIREARM CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT A CRIME AND MISDEMEANOR CARRYING A CONCEALED WEAPON IN A VEHICLE. THE LAST OF THE INCIDENTS WE'VE HANDLED AND I'M GOING TO COVER TODAY OCCURRED ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 9TH, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:53 PM WHERE DEPUTY'S FROM WASCO SUBSTATION WERE DISPATCHED TO A STRONG ARM ROBBERY. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE DEPUTIES IDENTIFIED ANGEL PEREZ GAMEZ, AGE 18, OF WASCO, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE HIM AT THAT TIME DURING THE MORNING HOURS OF MONDAY, JANUARY 10TH, THE DEPUTY WHO ACTUALLY HANDLED THE ORIGINAL INVESTIGATION WAS OUT ON PATROL. AND IDENTIFIED AND LOCATED GAMEZ NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF J STREET AND HIGHWAY 46. AFTER IDENTIFYING AND LOCATING GAMEZ HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PLACED UNDER ARREST AND BOOKED INTO THE KERN COUNTY JAIL FOR ROBBERY, PARTICIPATING IN A CRIMINAL STREET GANG AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT A CRIME AND [INAUDIBLE] ALWAYS TRIED TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS ANY INFORMATION IN RELATION TO THE INVESTIGATIONS PRESENTED TO CONTACT THE KERN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AREA CODE SIX SIX. I'M SORRY IT'S A 661-861-3110 OR THE SECRET WITNESS AT 661-322-4040. AND THEN I WILL MOVE ON TO SOME OF OUR MONTHLY STATISTICS THAT ARE SIDE BY SIDE FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN NOVEMBER TO DECEMBER. WHERE YOU CAN SEE OUR OVERALL CALLS OF SERVICE HANDLED BY THE WASCO DEPUTIES WENT FROM 754 TO 814 FROM MONTH TO MONTH. IT'S A TOTAL ARREST WENT FROM 45 TO 40 WITH AN INCREASE OF OUR TRAFFIC AND PARKING CITATIONS GOING FROM 57 TO 104. ALSO, WITH OUR PATROL CHECKS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ONE HUNDRED TO ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX, WHICH REPRESENTS ONCE AGAIN JUST OUR DEPUTIES BEING OUT IN THE PUBLIC, MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE FOR CONTACT AND BEING VISIBLE, GIVING US THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, JUST LIKE THE DEPUTY DID ON JANUARY 10TH, BEING OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND LOCATE THE SUBJECT WANTED FROM THE PREVIOUS CRIME INVESTIGATED. AND THEN OUR NARCOTICS RELATED CASES DECREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 11 TO EIGHT FROM MONTH TO MONTH. AND WITH THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION OPEN TO THE BOARD FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, SERGEANT SHINN. APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. NO QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? [01:15:05] OK. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, SERGEANT, FOR YOUR REPORT. VERY THOROUGH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM 16. [16) REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER] REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER MR. HURLBERT. YES, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW IF HE JUMPED OFF YET, BUT I WANTED TO THANK SERGEANT SHINN FOR MAKING THE EFFORT. HE ACTUALLY CALLED ME JUST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED AND HE WAS DOWNTOWN BOOKING SOMEBODY THAT HAD BEEN ARRESTED AND WASN'T SURE HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT BACK. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE DOING THAT REMOTELY OR NOT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU JUMPING IN. SERGEANT. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY AND WITHIN THE SPEED LIMIT, MAKE IT BACK TO THE SUBSTATION TO MAKE THE MEETING JUST BARELY A LITTLE BIT LATE. BUT I'M HERE. THANK YOU, SIR. I LIKE THE CLARIFICATION. [LAUGHTER] OK, WELL, ALL KIDDING ASIDE, LET ME I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS TONIGHT. MAYOR ONE IS COVID SUMMARY. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ALL BE TOGETHER SINCE WE INSTITUTED THE CITY PUBLIC FACING LOBBY SHUT DOWN AND SOME OF OUR OTHER COVID PREVENTION PROCEDURES HERE AT THE CITY. SO WE CONTINUE IN THAT MODE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WITH THE PUBLIC LOBBIES BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. WE HAVE CURRENTLY AT LEAST 12 OF OUR 60 EMPLOYEES OUT FOR VARIOUS REASONS, BUT MOSTLY EITHER DIRECTLY OR SECONDARY CAUSES OF COVID WAVE THAT'S HITTING THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW. WE'RE HOPING THAT WILL PLATEAU HERE SOON. IT'S DEFINITELY IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO MOVE WORK FORWARD AT OUR USUAL RATE, AND IN SOME CASES, I'M CERTAIN IT'S CAUSING SOME INCONVENIENCE FOR OUR CITIZENS AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR COOPERATION WITH US. AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, WE UNDERSTAND THE INCONVENIENCE. BUT WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON KEEPING OUR STAFF SAFE AND NOT BECOMING A NEXUS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE COVID VIRUS IN OUR OWN FACILITIES. SO HENCE THE THE PURELY REMOTE MEETING TONIGHT. SO WANTED TO PASS ALONG A NOTE FROM STAFF ALSO THAT IF YOU RECALL, THE VETERAN'S BANNER PROGRAM HAD BEEN REINSTITUTED AND WAS OPEN FOR APPLICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NEW REQUESTS FOR BANNERS, SO CURRENTLY THAT OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD IS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE ON APRIL 1ST. JUST TO BE SEASONAL SO WE CAN HAVE THE BANNERS FINALIZED AND ORDERED IN TIME FOR THE SEASON ONE. WE WANT TO PUT THEM OUT ON 7TH STREET, SO CHECK WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS. WE WILL BE ADDING SOME ADVERTISEMENTS. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER TO PUBLICIZE THE PROGRAM. AND SO IF YOU'RE AWARE OF ANY FAMILIES THAT HAVE VETERANS THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE HAVE THEM CONTACT THE FOLKS HERE AT CITY HALL. WE WILL BE SCHEDULING A [INAUDIBLE] IN EARLY FEBRUARY, A SPECIAL MEETING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR SANITATION RATE STUDY, INFORMATION BROADCAST AND ALSO TO KEEP UP WITH OUR RATE ADJUSTMENT TIMELINE. BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF THE COVID INFECTION RATES AND IN THE HOLIDAYS, TO BE HONEST OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE HAS SLIPPED BY A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT EARLY SPRING FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THE SCHEDULE AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE, SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S TENTATIVELY BEEN SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 8TH AND YOU SHOULD IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, YOU SHOULD BE RECEIVING A NOTICE FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE TO CONFIRM THAT THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE AND RESERVE IT ON YOUR CALENDARS. AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE ON MY LIST TONIGHT, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS HAPPY TO THE ANSWER, IF I CAN. THANK YOU, MR. HURLBERT. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? [01:20:01] I JUST ASK [INAUDIBLE] ADVERTISEMENT WITH THE COUNCIL BY EMAIL. THAT'D BE GREAT, REALLY APPRECIATED. THAT WAS THE BANNER ADVERTISEMENT. YES, SIR. OK, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NOTHING, SIR. THANK YOU. REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. [17) REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL] NO REPORT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? I, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE CITY MANAGER BROUGHT UP 7TH STREET AND MOVING FORWARD AND REDESIGNING THAT, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED TO ME AND HAVING TODAY'S DISCUSSION, WE DISCUSSED HAVING DOWNTOWN OR HAVING A KIOSK FOR PAYMENTS WITH OUR NEW PARTNERS. I WAS WONDERING IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS HAVING A KIOSK IN DOWNTOWN. I THINK IT'D BE INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE. WE'D BE THE ONLY CITY TO DO IT. I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE ACCESSIBLE. I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR STAFF TO HEAR IT AND PERHAPS PLAY AROUND WITH AND SEE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. ASIDE FROM THAT, MR. MAYOR, I RECALL AT THE LAST MEETING WE DID APPOINT. YOU APPOINTED YOURSELF FOR THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE TO KERN COG. I DON'T BELIEVE WE VISITED THE DISCUSSION FOR THE ALTERNATE. I WANTED TO PERHAPS THROW MYSELF MY NAME OUT THERE TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT DONE. WE WOULD HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] I BELIEVE, IS THAT CORRECT, MR. HURLBERT. THAT WOULD BE THE SO OUR CITY ATTORNEY CAN CONFIRM THAT. YES. ALL RIGHT. CONFIRMED. THANK YOU. AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT ALSO, WE NEED TO APPOINT A NEW MEMBER TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THE RELATED NEGOTIATIONS AND AGREEMENTS WITH HSR HIGH-SPEED RAIL. SO WHY DON'T WE AGENDIZE BOTH OF THOSE FOR A FUTURE MEETING MR. HURLBERT? YES, WE WILL. WE'LL ADDRESS ALL OF THE AD HOC. THE REAL ESTATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS ALSO SHORT. RIGHT. AT THE MOMENT, SO WE'LL HAVE THAT AS WELL. RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? MR. GARCIA. SO NO, THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. AND MR. MARTINEZ. I JUST WANT TO THANK MR. HERNANDEZ FOR HIS RESEARCH IN HELPING US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD SYSTEM AND FOR THE VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION. FEAR THE BEARD, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ. I DO WANT TO THANK THE STAFF. YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS EVERY MEETING, BUT IT'S TRUE. OUR STAFF ARE JUST WONDERFUL AND THEY DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB AT PREPARING FOR THESE MEETINGS AND PRESENTING THE INFORMATION IN A VERY THOROUGH FASHION. SO MR. PEREZ-HERNANDEZ I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID. WE DID HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S A GOOD THING. THAT IS A GOOD THING. AND YOU AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM FIRST BILLING WERE ABLE TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS TO OUR SATISFACTION, I BELIEVE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. AND YES, I THINK SERGEANT SHINN HAS A QUESTION. I'M NOT SURE HE'S RAISING HIS HAND. I THINK THAT THE QUESTION PERIOD IS OVER. NO, I'M KIDDING. [LAUGHTER] BY ALL MEANS. I'M SORRY, I PUT THE LITTLE HAND UP A LITTLE BIT AGO WHEN SCOTT WAS SPEAKING. SOME OF THE THINGS HE SAID, IT REMINDED ME OF THE FACT THAT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE SAME REASONS DISCUSSED BY SCOTT THIS WEEK ON THURSDAY, THE WOULD BE THE 9TH I'M SORRY, THE 20TH AND FRIDAY, THE 21ST. THE WASCO SUBSTATION IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE CLOSED FOR WALK INS. WHAT THAT MEANS IS AS FAR AS TRYING TO GET VEHICLE RELEASE PAPERWORK OR LIKE A COPY OF A REPORT, INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF OUR OTHER SUBSTATIONS, LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] SUBSTATION OR DELANO. BUT IT WILL NOT AFFECT ANY OF OUR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES. WE STILL DO HAVE THE DROP DOWN PHONE. LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE A PAYPHONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SUBSTATION, WHERE IT'S A DIRECT CONTACT OR DIRECT LINK STRAIGHT TO OUR DISPATCH, SO THEY CAN STILL CALL AND MAKE ANY REPORT OF ANY TYPE OF INCIDENT THEY NEED TO. AND WE WILL STILL BE FULLY FUNCTIONAL AS FAR AS ENFORCING THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT WITH DEPUTY RESPONSE AND HERE STILL AT THE SUBSTATION AND IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S NOT BEING AFFECTED. IT'S JUST SIMPLY FOR OTHER ISSUES THAT WE'RE BEING FACED LIKE SO MANY OTHERS. [01:25:02] UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE JUST HAVING TO STOP THE IN-PERSON JUST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WE WILL BE HERE TOMORROW. LIKE I SAID, WE'LL HAVE A LETTER ON THE DOOR THAT REMINDS INDIVIDUALS OF THAT. THE FACT THAT THERE IS THAT RING DOWN PHONE WITH CONTACT TO OUR DISPATCH AND THE FACT THAT BOTH OF THOSE OTHER NEARBY SUBSTATIONS WILL BE OPEN OR THEY CAN GET VEHICLE RELEASE PAPERWORK OR A COPY OF A REPORT, ANYTHING ELSE NEEDED IN THAT FASHION. BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS. HOPEFULLY, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE BACK FULLY FUNCTIONAL AND UNAFFECTED, IF ANY FURTHER NEXT WEEK, BUT IT'S JUST BE A SHORT INCONVENIENCE, UNFORTUNATELY. THANK YOU, MR. SHINN. DULY NOTED. SO THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND ON SUNDAY THE COVID TESTING AND VACCINE GIVING CLINIC THAT WE HAD AT THE OLD COURTHOUSE BUILDING. AND I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO MR. GARCIA BECAUSE HE WAS THERE FROM BEGINNING TO END. I CAME AND SPENT A FEW HOURS THERE MYSELF, BUT HE WAS JUST THERE WORKING HARD. AND SO MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I CAN'T SEE YOU. THERE YOU ARE. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE GIVEN VACCINES WHEN I LEFT. WE WERE OVER THE NUMBER THAT WE HAD IN OCTOBER. I BELIEVE WE WERE AT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN AT THE TIME. AND MR. GARCIA. DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE FINAL NUMBER? YES, THERE WERE OVER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY INDIVIDUALS GOT VACCINATED, BOOSTED OR WHATEVER DOSE IT WAS. AND OVER 200, SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD. YEAH, YEAH, THIS IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WITHOUT ANY OTHER BUSINESS? THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE. HAVE A GREAT EVENING. YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.