Aug 02, 2022 City Council

SO I ASSURE YOU, I AM CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

[1) CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:05]

IF YOU'RE ABLE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE FLAG SALUTE WHICH WILL BE PERFORMED OR DOESN'T DO IT BY THE WASCO BENGALS CHEER CHEERLEADERS.

SERENITY REGALADO.

AUDREY MANZO, JAYLENE RODRIGUEZ, KENDALL QUINTANA.

IT'S A HIGHER GARCIA AND PLEASE REMAIN COUNCILMAN GARCIA IS HERE.

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA IS PRESENT.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR AN INVOCATION BY PASTOR MANUEL CAMP FROM LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH.

WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

THANK YOU. I LOVE YOUR ENTHUSIASM.

I SAID, WOULD YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND LEAD US IN PRAYER? ALL RIGHT. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF.

LET'S BOW ALL OF OUR HEADS IN PRAYER.

THANK YOU, FATHER KIM, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED AND BEEN ABLE TO BESTOW UPON THE CITY OF WASCO FATHER.

WE ASK AT THIS MOMENT THAT YOU CONTINUE TO USE A CITY COUNCIL, GIVE THEM WISDOM, THE SOLOMONIC WISDOM.

THEY NEED TO MOVE THE IDEAS FORWARD, MOVE THEIR MOVE THEIR INITIATIVES FORWARD, FATHER, AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY WOULD DO IT IF THEY HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY WITH THE PASSION TO MAKE THIS A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.

WE ALSO ASK FOR THE CHILDREN FATHER.

WE STARTING SCHOOL AND THE NEXT FEW DAYS FOLLOW THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE THEM A SUCCESSFUL YEAR, THAT YOU WOULD KEEP THEM SAFE FROM THEIR PATH FROM HOME TO SCHOOL AND BACK. FATHER AND ALL THESE THINGS WE ASK YOUR PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON.

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.

THANK YOU, PASTOR CANTU.

YOU MAY ALL BE SEATED.

[5) PRESENTATIONS]

A RECOGNITION FOR THE WASCO BENGALS CHEER.

ALL RIGHT, CYNTHIA TORRES, A CHEER REPRESENTATIVE, XENA TORRES, HEAD COACH, ADDISON VASQUEZ, COACH AND RUTH LOZA COACH OUR PRESENT.

AND I'M GOING TO READ THIS CERTIFICATE.

CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

THE CITY OF WASCO PROUDLY PRESENTS THE CERTIFICATE.

THE WASCO BINGO CHEER IN RECOGNITION FOR OVER 20 YEARS OF DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE YOUTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, TEACHING PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS THROUGH CHEER SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK, LEADERSHIP, ALL WHILE BUILDING CONFIDENCE.

HONOR. ON AUGUST 2ND, 2022, YOUR MAYOR GILBERTO VETERAN OK THE WASCO BINGO CHEER ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAS INSPIRED OUR YOUTH THROUGH CHEER.

I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR US.

[00:06:28]

IN FACT, IF I COULD HAVE THE COACHES COME OUT.

THANK YOU, LADIES.

HAVE A GOOD ONE. GET HOME SAFE TONIGHT.

[00:10:27]

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

AND KEEP MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[6) PUBLIC COMMENTS]

A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES WILL BE ALLOWED FOR ANY ONE SUBJECT.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION.

BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS.

THE BROWN ACT DOES NOT ALLOW ACTION OR DISCUSSION ITEMS NOT ON THIS AGENDA, SUBJECT TO NARROW EXCEPTIONS.

THIS WILL LIMIT A COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS MADE DURING THIS COMMON PERIOD.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.

SURE. [INAUDIBLE].

REAL QUICKLY, I ALSO WORK FOR THE WONDERFUL COMPANY AND THE MONTH OF AUGUST.

I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL GRANT WRITING TEAM HERE AT THE CITY, BUT IF THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF WASCO THAT ARE GOING TO BE SERVICING OBVIOUSLY KIDS AND PROGRAMS IN WASCO AND OR IN THE GENERAL AREA, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM.

IT'S WONDERFUL. GRANTS DOT COM ARE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY GRANTS DOT COM OR THEY CAN APPLY FOR UP TO $50,000 PER APPLICATION.

AND SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANY ORGANIZATIONS TO PLEASE HAVE THEM GO TO THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY GRANTS WEBSITE, I BELIEVE MS. [INAUDIBLE] MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE ORGANIZATIONS IN WASCO GETTING INVOLVED.

WE, I CAN TELL YOU ON BEHALF OF THE WONDERFUL COMPANY, WE LOVE WASCO, WE'RE VERY, VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THAT THE SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE BEEN EMBRACING OUR WONDERFUL PROGRAMS LIKE THE ACADEMY.

NOT SO MUCH THE ACADEMY, BUT THE THE PATHWAYS, THE PATHWAYS THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAVE A GREAT RAPPORT WITH YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND BUT WE ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY IN A GREATER FASHION BY GETTING MORE MONEY.

WE CURRENTLY GIVE ABOUT $1,000,000 A YEAR TO THE CENTRAL VALLEY, AND WASCO IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE CITIES THAT WE WANT TO KEEP SPONSORING AND SUPPORTING.

SO IF YOU KNOW OF ANY ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD USE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SOME FUNDING.

IT'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY GRANT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GREAT TO SEE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT.

WE? ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO ITEM SEVEN.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNDER SEVEN AND WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER EIGHT.

NOW UNDER NINE CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS CONSENT CALENDAR.

[9) CONSENT CALENDAR]

THESE ITEMS ARE PROVEN ONE MOTION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REQUESTS THE REMOVAL OF A PARTICULAR ITEM.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEMS 9A THROUGH 9K.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON A PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

MAYOR PRO TEM BELARUS.

NO CONFLICT. THANK YOU.

MEMBER GARCIA.

NONE. MAYOR. MEMBER LYNCH.

NO CONFLICT, SIR.

MEMBER MARTINEZ.

NO CONFLICTS. I DO NOT HAVE A CONFLICT EITHER.

IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR FULL NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE MAKING YOUR COMMENT.

ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO READ AN ITEM IF HE.

IF YOU DO.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE MAKING ANY COMMENTS.

OK ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AN ITEM NUMBER FOR THEM.

[00:15:02]

MEMBER GARCIA NONE.

MEMBER LYNCH NONE, SIR.

NOTHING, SIR. I DON'T WANT TO REMOVE AN ITEM.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THE MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. SECOND, MADAM CLERK HAS BEEN MOVED.

AND SECOND, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ITEM 12 NEW BUSINESS A ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO APPROPRIATE

[12) a. Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Appropriate Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) for the Execution of a Professional Services Agreement with Retail Strategies, LLC. to Provide Business Development Consulting including Retail Recruitment, Downtown/HWY 46 Five Year Strategic Plan, and Retail Academy/Training. (Lara)]

STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 ARPA FOR THE EXECUTION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES LLC TO PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, INCLUDING RETAIL RECRUITMENT, DOWNTOWN HIGHWAY 46, FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND RETAIL ACADEMY TRAINING.

MISS LYLE? HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THIS ITEM WAS RESEARCHED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF.

A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS ITEM.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS IDENTIFIED A NEED TO ACTIVELY PURSUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE OUR EFFORTS WITH SALES TAXES AND INCREASE OUR REVENUE THAT COMES IN TO HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES.

SO THE CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL CONSULTANTS, REQUESTED QUOTES.

WE RECEIVED FOUR DIFFERENT QUOTES FROM FOUR DIFFERENT VENDORS, AND THEY ARE ALL VERY WELL QUALIFIED.

THEY OFFER DIFFERENT TOOLS.

THE ONE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS RETAIL STRATEGIES FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

ONE, THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY, AND THEY'VE VISITED OUR TOWN.

THEY KNOW WHERE WASCO IS.

THEY ALSO OFFER A HANDS ON APPROACH.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND.

THEY WILL BE COMING TO OUR TOWN TO DO A COMMUNITY OUTREACH, A COMMUNITY INPUT, PUBLIC WORKSHOP, WHERE THEY'LL INVITE OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, STAFF TO COME IN AND REALLY ASSESS WHAT DO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? YOU KNOW WHAT EMPTY LOTS DO WE HAVE? WHAT IDEAS DOES THE COMMUNITY HAVE? WHAT DO THEY WANT TO SEE COME INTO TOWN? SO THEY WILL BE DOING THAT TYPE OF ANALYSIS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND DO ALL HANDS ON BOOTS ON THE GROUND, GET US THE MARKETING MATERIAL THAT WE CAN UTILIZE WHEN WE GO OUT TO THE CONFERENCES LIKE ICSC IN SAN DIEGO'S COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER.

THERE'S ONE IN VEGAS THAT'S A CONFERENCE WHERE NATIONAL RETAILERS ATTEND AND THEY TRY TO DO DEALS OF WHEN OF WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO OPEN THEIR NEXT BIG STORE.

AND THIS COMPANY PART OF THE SERVICES IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO ASSESS TO A VERY BASIC ASSESSMENT AND REPRESENT US AT THE SAN DIEGO CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER.

AND BY REPRESENTING, THEY'RE GOING TO SET UP APPOINTMENTS WITH SOME OF THE VENDORS THAT THEY FILL MATCH FOR WASCO.

IT'S A GOOD MATCH.

SO IF IF COUNCIL AND I KNOW SCOTT AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTENDING THIS CONFERENCE COUNCIL IS MORE THAN WELCOME TO ATTEND.

REAL RETAIL STRATEGIES WOULD OFFER THEIR SERVICES TO SET UP APPOINTMENTS, COACHES THROUGH THESE MEETINGS AND LEARN LEARN FROM THEM HOW THE DEAL MAKING HAPPENS.

WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THAT DOOR? HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM COME TO WASCO? HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE? SO THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WE REALLY, REALLY LIKE THAT ABOUT RETAIL STRATEGIES THAT THEY WERE REALLY HANDS ON.

THEY ALSO OFFER A RETAIL ACADEMY.

AND WHAT THAT IS, IS THEY'LL COME IN AND TRAIN OUR STAFF, WHETHER IT'S OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR OUR CITY MANAGER MYSELF.

THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER TRAINING MINIMUM OF 6 HOURS TO OUR STAFF, WHOEVER WE APPOINT TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND THEN THEY WILL ALSO DO A DOWNTOWN HIGHWAY 46 STRATEGIC, EXCUSE ME, STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITY, A LOT OF POTENTIAL ON HIGHWAY 46.

HAS ALL OF YOU. THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT PROPERTIES.

AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THIS PLAN IS GOING TO DO.

[00:20:01]

WHO'S THE OWNER? WHAT BEST USES WOULD BE THAT COULD COME HERE? AND ALSO WHAT'S GOING TO GENERATE JOBS AND SALES TAX TO HOPEFULLY MEET OUR END GOAL, WHICH IS TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO BE SUSTAINABLE, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS BY BRINGING IN NEW, NEW NEW BUSINESSES, NEW RETAIL.

SO BOTH LIKE I SAID, BOTH OUR CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF, WE WE HAD INTERVIEWS WITH ALL OF THESE AGENCIES WERE RECOMMENDING RETAIL STRATEGIES FOR THOSE REASONS.

DO YOU GUYS I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLICS AT THIS? ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? NONE. I WANT TO START THE CONVERSATION.

I DID READ THE MATERIALS.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I READ.

BUT THROUGHOUT WHAT I READ THIS, WHICH IS IN FRONT OF US RIGHT HERE ON THE SCREEN, I KNOW THAT THE STAFF REPORT SPEAKS ABOUT WHAT YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN AND HIGHWAY 46, BUT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THIS COMPANY.

THEY THEY THEY DON'T MENTION HIGHWAY 46 BUT ONCE AND SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I ALSO READ THAT ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT WILL BE AT AN ADDITIONAL COST.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HIGHWAY 46 IS INCLUDED IN THE WHOLE PACKAGE.

I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.

I WANT TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT I'M NOT OMITTING ANYTHING.

AND BECAUSE I READ ALL OF THE MATERIALS AND I ONLY SAW HIGHWAY 46 MENTIONED ONCE THROUGHOUT THE STATION THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PART OF THE CONTRACT AND WE WILL MAKE SURE I KNOW THAT THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THAT I BELIEVE TOM DRAFTED AND THERE'S AN EXHIBIT, EXHIBIT A, I WILL MAKE SURE THAT IF HIGHWAY 46 IS NOT MENTIONED IN THAT EXHIBIT BEFORE WE EXECUTE THAT I WOULD WE WOULD ENSURE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK.

IF YOU CAN SCROLL DOWN ALL THE WAY TO EXHIBIT A AND MARIA, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE INCLUDED THAT.

THE DATA THAT, MAYBE THAT'S THE ONE POINT IT'S MAKING SOME 46 STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO IT IS PART OF THEIR SCOPE OF WORK.

THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE AGREEING TO DO.

WE DID DISCUSS THIS WITH THE CONSULTANT.

HE AGREED WITH US.

HE FEELS THAT A LOT OF THE EMPTY LOT, A LOT OF THE SYNERGY OF THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN DO AND DEVELOP IS ON HIGHWAY 46 BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE LAND AVAILABLE.

OUR OLDER DOWNTOWN KNOW THERE'S VERY FEW OF ANY EMPTY LOTS.

SO IT WOULD BE VERY HARD FOR US TO RECRUIT A BIG, YOU KNOW, RETAILER TO OUR HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.

AND I IMAGINE THAT RETAIL STRATEGIES HAS THIS BOILER TEMPLATE FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, THE PRESSURE THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER.

AND AS I SAID, IT ONLY MENTIONS ONCE HIGHWAY 46 AND IT FOCUSES MOSTLY ON DOWNTOWN.

AND SO I WAS CONCERNED THAT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN THE CONTRACT AND THAT IT'S NOT SOMEHOW LATER GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, THAT WASN'T WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OUR CONTRACT AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHARGE MORE.

SO ASIDE FROM THAT, I'M VERY EXCITED.

I THINK THIS IS GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

IF IT PANS OUT, IF THEY DO WHAT THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAVE DONE IT FOR OTHER CITIES, IT'LL BE VERY GOOD FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK IT'S GREAT AND I THINK WHAT REALLY IS EXCITED ME WAS THAT THERE WERE WILLING TO COME OUT AND DO A LOT OF THE HANDS ON, BOOTS IN THE FIELD AND THEY WERE EVEN WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF THEIR DATA AND THEIR FINDINGS WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND SHARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE FINDING, WHAT CONSUMERS ARE LOOKING FOR. SO THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE NOT ONLY WITH STAFF, BUT WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.

IF WE CAN SHARE SOME OF THAT KNOWLEDGE TO THE BUSINESSES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE HERE TO HELP THEM IMPROVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR SELVES, THE BETTER.

SO I WAS EXCITED TO LEARN THAT THEY WERE, THAT WAS PART OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY DO.

[00:25:06]

AND NOW LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.

ANY COMMENTS FROM MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. HAVEN'T WE HAD STRATEGIC PLANS IN THE PAST? WE HAVE.

IN FACT, I WHEN I WAS APPLYING FOR THE DISTRICT OLD TOWN, THE $5 MILLION GRANT THAT WE GOT AND THOSE PLANS WERE DONE, I BELIEVE, IN THE NINETIES AND EARLY 2000.

SO THEY'RE REALLY OUTDATED.

SO PART OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH THEM THOSE OLD PLANS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY INPUT FROM OUR THE LOCAL BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THAT DATA, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED.

SO, YES, WE HAVE.

BUT THEY'VE BEEN MAINLY THEY'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE THE OLDER BUSINESS DISTRICT.

THERE IS ONE FOR HIGHWAY 46 THAT IT WAS DONE, I BELIEVE, IN THE NINETIES, LATE NINETIES.

IT WAS WHEN MR. PARNELL WAS HERE.

I REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE I SAW IT WHEN I WAS APPLYING FOR THE GRANT.

SO, YES.

AND WE ARE GOING TO BE SHARING THOSE PLANS WITH WITH THE CONSULTANT.

SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN GLEAN FROM IT, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THEM? YES. YEAH.

WE DON'T START FROM GROUND ZERO.

IF WE CAN START IN THE MIDDLE AND IMPROVE IT, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST STRATEGY FOR US.

THANK YOU, GARCIA.

NO, I'M EXCITED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING OUT AND BE HANDS ON.

I THINK IT'LL HELP CLARIFY THEIR DEFINITION OF WHAT DOWNTOWN WASCO IS, BUT DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THEM BEING WILLING TO SHARE THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS DATA WITH THEIR LOCAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THIS SHOULD BE AN ENDEAVOR OF REACHING OUT.

A DOUBLE PRONGED APPROACH OF NOT ONLY REACHING OUT TO THOSE WHO CAN POTENTIALLY COME TO WASCO, BUT ALSO HELPING DEVELOP THE BUSINESSES THAT WE ALSO ALREADY HAVE HERE.

YES, I THINK THIS PLAN AND THIS STRATEGY CAN WORK IN TANDEM.

SO JUST A COUPLE OF REMARKS ON THE GOALS OF THE OF THIS PLAN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. SIR. THANK MEMBER GARCIA.

COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH? COUNCILMAN GARCIA'S SENTIMENTS ABOUT.

IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S GOING TO BE THAT THEY'RE OFFERING TO COME IN WORK WITH WHAT'S ALREADY HERE AS WELL AS WHAT CAN COME HERE AND TO AND TO NOT JUST GO OUT AND LIKE SOME SOME COMPANIES KIND OF BULLY THEIR WAY THROUGH AND STUFF AND BUT THEY'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH OUR, OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THOSE THINGS.

THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ? I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS GREAT WORK BECAUSE I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING VERY VOCALLY THAT I'M TIRED OF JUST SEEING DOLLAR STORES AND LIQUOR STORES AND CHURCHES IN THE CITY.

SO IDENTIFYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS I'M EXCITED.

THIS IS GREAT. IT'S GOOD FOR YOU THAT PASTOR CANTU ALREADY LEFT.

A LITTLE LEVITY THERE.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL RIGHT. MADAM CLERK, FIRST.

IN A SECOND, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? . I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT SECOND DAY BY COUNCILMEMBER GARCIA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION MOTION AS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK.

NO APOLOGY IS NEEDED.

ALL RIGHT. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, MEMBER GARCIA.

NO MEETING UNTIL NEXT MONTH.

SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU.

CURRENT COUNCIL GOVERNMENT.

[13) b. Kern Council of Government (Reyna)]

I KNOW THAT WE APPROVED AT LEAST ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE VOTED ON THIS EVENING, WHICH WAS AN EXPANSION OR AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT GRANTED BY CURRENT CARS TO REPLACE CHARGING STATIONS HERE IN WASCO.

AND I ALSO LEARNED THAT ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT I HAD BROUGHT BEFORE, WHICH WAS FROM AVENUE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ROAD, HAS MOVED FORWARD OR IS CLOSE TO COMPLETE, AND WE STILL HAVE ONE PENDING.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ONE.

BUT THE WAY, MISS LAURA, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND YOU MADE ME FEEL AT EASE.

[00:30:01]

RIGHT. HONORABLE MAYOR, IF I MAY GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM.

SO BOTH OF THESE ITEMS, ONE OF THEM, THE RCP PROJECT, WE'VE COMPLETED ALL ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTS AND THEY'VE BEEN SUBMITTED TO CALTRANS THE [INAUDIBLE] WAS, THEY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDIES TO BE DONE.

THOSE STUDIES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE NOTICE TO THE TRIBES WAS SENT YESTERDAY AND STAFF IS CONTACTING NOT ONLY THROUGH CERTIFIED MAIL, WHICH THE LAW REQUIRES YOU TO DO IT THROUGH CERTIFIED MAIL.

WE'VE REACHED OUT VIA EMAIL AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CALLING THE TRIBES TO HOPEFULLY GET A RESPONSE FROM ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIST OF WHO THEY ARE TO GET A RESPONSE SOONER THAN THE 21 DAYS THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.

I KNOW THAT OUR DEPUTY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAS ALREADY REACHED OUT TO THEM VIA EMAIL AND WE'RE ASKING TO PLEASE EXPEDITE THEIR REVIEW AND REPLY BACK AND LET US KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR ANY CONCERNS.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOR ONE OF THEM.

AND WE DID UPDATE CURRENT CALL AND THIS MORNING I SPOKE TO AARON HAKIMI ABOUT IT AND WE'RE KEEPING CALTRANS IN THE LOOP SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN, BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE WAITING ON THE TRIBES TO GET BACK TO US AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY'LL GET BACK TO US SOONER THAN THE 21 DAY DEADLINE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING UP.

I WAS IS VERY CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT LOSE THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE COME TOGETHER AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

I'M PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE SO FAR, SO HOPEFULLY I WILL GET AN ANSWER BEFORE THE 21 DAY.

SIR. ALSO, EVERY TIME I GO TO THE COC, I TALK ABOUT SOME CONCERNS THAT I HAVE REGARDING THE CROSSING HERE.

SO ALL RIGHT, I DID MENTION THAT TO YOU AND I SPOKE TO MICHAEL NAVARRO WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT SIX.

AND I TOLD THEM THAT SIMPLY WHAT THEY HAD PUT THERE, WHICH WAS JUST A PAINTING OF THE CROSSWALK, IS NOT SUFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, TO ACTUALLY PROTECT OUR EMPLOYEES OR ANYBODY THAT CROSSES THAT STREET, HIGHWAY 43.

AND SO HE SAID, I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

AND NOW THEY SAID THEY'RE GOING TO INSTALL SOME HEAD KING SIGNING.

AND I SPOKE TO MS. LAURA, AND I SAID TO ME, THAT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A MEETING ON AUGUST THE EIGHTH.

YES, I SEE.

I BELIEVE I'M WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL TO PROTECT BOTH OUR EMPLOYEES AND ANYONE THAT CROSSES THE HIGHWAY.

SO, AGAIN, I'M PLEASED THAT THEY'RE LISTENING.

YOU KNOW, I SAY SOMETHING AND THEY'RE LISTENING TO US.

THAT'S THAT'S IMPORTANT.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK I BELIEVE THAT'S IT FOR [INAUDIBLE].

WASCO TASK FORCE.

[13) c. Wasco Task Force (Martinez & Reyna)]

THE TASK FORCE HAS NOT HAD A MEETING AS OF YET, BUT WE THE SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, THE ADVISORY STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING HAS MET ONE MORE TIME.

AND WE DID MEET WITH DARYL HOCHSTEIN, WHO IS A CHIEF OF POLICE, AND HE DID A PRESENTATION FOR US.

AND SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH.

DOING THE RESEARCH THAT WE NEED TO DO TO COME FORTH WITH A RECOMMENDATION, HOPEFULLY SOON.

AND SO WE WILL BE MEETING NEXT WEEK AGAIN.

AND THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE A CONTINUATION UNTIL WE CAN GET THINGS DONE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT'S IT FOR THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, SIR. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. AND REPORTS FROM KERN COUNTY FIRE.

[14) a. Kern County Fire Department (Appleton)]

MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, I WAS ON VACATION LAST MEETING, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING HERE.

NO APOLOGIES NEEDED.

SO ENJOYING THE COOL WEATHER.

I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP FROM THE JULY 5TH MEETING.

A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD ASK ME TO GET BACK TO YOU ON REGARDING FIREWORKS AND THE 4TH OF JULY.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAD.

HOW MANY CITATIONS WERE ISSUED IN WASCO? WHAT WILL BE DONE TO STOP THE FIREWORKS AND WHAT ENFORCEMENT IS BEING DONE, NOT JUST PR DOOR HANGERS? AND SO I WILL TELL YOU THAT ON THE 4TH OF JULY, THAT THE WEEKEND OF THE 4TH OF JULY, NO FIREWORKS CITATIONS WERE ISSUED IN IN WASCO.

WE DID NOT HAVE A STAFFING THAT COULD GO OUT AND AND HANDLE THE PATROL AND ENFORCEMENT OF FIREWORKS.

[00:35:02]

AND SO THAT IS A IT USES A SURVEY ONE, TWO, THREE FORM, AND THAT IS A HOW WE'RE COLLECTING DATA.

AND PART OF THAT FORM WAS IT JUST THE USE OF FIREWORKS, BUT IT WAS ALSO ALLOWED PEOPLE TO TO REPORT THE SALES OF FIREWORKS OR PEOPLE THAT HAD LARGE AMOUNTS OF FIREWORKS.

AND SO THAT ALLOWED OUR OUR ARSON INVESTIGATORS AND OUR OTHER INVESTIGATORS TO GO OUT AND AND ARREST PEOPLE OR SEIZE FIREWORKS BEFORE THEY EVEN LIT OFF. SO.

SO WHILE WE DIDN'T ISSUE ANY CITATIONS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFFING, ONE THING WE WERE ABLE TO DO, WE DID HAVE THE STAFFING ON DUTY THAT WEEKEND SO THAT NONE OF THAT WE HAD FOUR FIRES.

NONE OF THOSE FIRES EXTENDED BEYOND AND CREATED ANY LARGE AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY RESPOND AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE FIRES.

WE ALSO HAD SEVERAL MEDICAL AID INCIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND AND NONE OF THOSE MEDICAL AIDS WERE ATTRIBUTED TO FIREWORKS.

WHAT WILL BE DONE TO STOP THE FIREWORKS? ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'LL MOVE FORWARD IS THE SURVEY FORM.

WE HAD TO DOCUMENT WHERE WE'VE SEEN FIREWORKS, WHERE THEY'RE BEING REPORTED, AND ALSO JUST COLLECT THAT DATA AND THE ENFORCEMENT THAT IS BEING DONE.

I THINK SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP MAYBE THE QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT THE DRONE.

THERE WAS IT WAS IN THE NEWS ABOUT A DRONE THAT WAS BEING USED.

THAT DRONE WAS ONLY USED WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AROUND BAKERSFIELD.

IT DID NOT IT WAS NOT USED.

IT WAS A PILOT PROJECT THAT WAS TESTED ONLY IN THAT AREA AROUND THE OUTSKIRTS OF BAKERSFIELD AND IN THE NON CITY AREAS AROUND BAKERSFIELD.

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT IS AN OPTION NEXT YEAR THAT WE CAN OFFER TO DIFFERENT CITIES OR DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD OR THE METRO AREA OF BAKERSFIELD.

AND SO.

BACK TO MY OTHER NOTE. SORRY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS TO BE ABLE TO STOP THE FIREWORKS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US IS IF THE CITY COULD PURSUE GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO FOR FUNDING FOR MORE FOR MORE FUNDING FOR STAFFING AND TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND HANDLE INVESTIGATION AND EITHER THE INVESTIGATION EITHER AND OR MAYBE THE USE OF THE DRONE AND ENFORCEMENT OF FIREWORKS.

THOSE ARE THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT WE WE KIND OF REPORT BACK ON WHAT WE DID AND HOW THINGS WENT AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE ON DOING.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHIEF. I'LL JUST SAY SOMETHING.

I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.

THAT IS, THAT COLLECTING DATA WILL NOT MAKE THIS STOP.

YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE BECAUSE THIS PEOPLE THAT DO IT, THEY HAVE COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR THE LAW.

YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T CARE.

AND SO UNTIL YOU START HITTING THEM ON THEIR POCKETBOOK, NOTHING WILL CHANGE AND IT WILL GET WORSE ANYWAY.

SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE GRANTS, YOU KNOW, FOR MORE FIREMEN TO BE DEDICATED TO THAT.

I SUSPECT THAT IF YOU'RE SHORTHANDED, WHICH YOU ARE, IF YOU WERE TO GET MORE PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY DEDICATE THEM TO FIREFIGHTING RATHER THAN FIREWORKS.

YOU KNOW, IN THE DAYS BEFORE WE WERE SHORTHANDED, WE HAD ENOUGH STAFFING WHERE WE COULD BRING THE FIREWORKS TASK FORCE TO WASCO.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HAS HAPPENED EVER.

RIGHT. I MEAN, BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL A TIME IN WHICH ANY CITATIONS WERE GIVEN IN WASCO OH YEAH, I'VE GIVEN OUT PLENTY.

AND THEY USED TO WRITE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THEY WOULD GO OUT AND DO IT.

I PERSONALLY I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN ON ON PATROL ON THE 4TH OF JULY OR JULY 3RD IN WASCO TO DO FIREWORKS ENFORCEMENT, THREE OR FOUR, MAYBE FIVE YEARS.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S ENCOURAGING.

HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL CHANGE IN REGARDS TO PERSONNEL, AND THEN WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN BECAUSE AND IT IS NOT JUST A WASCO PROBLEM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT.

EVERYWHERE. YES, IT'S IT'S BUT IT'S A RESIDENCE.

OUR ANIMALS SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS, PEOPLE VIOLATING THE LAW.

[00:40:03]

NO, SIR. NO, MEMBER GARCIA? NO, NO, NO QUESTIONS.

NOTHING. SO YOU MENTIONED THE FUNDING FOR THAT DRONE PROGRAM.

WAS IT A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT DID IT OR WAS IT A MEMBER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? DID YOU CONTRACT WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY? SO WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE FOR US TO PERHAPS PAY FOR A FIREMAN TO GO TO THAT TRAINING, BUY THE DRONE OURSELVES, AND THEN WOULD WE HAVE EVEN THE STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY FLY THAT HERE LOCALLY FOR US? I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I THINK IT MIGHT BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE TO USE THE COMPANY FOR THAT DAY VERSUS TRYING TO BUY A DRONE. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE DRONE AND ITS CAPABILITIES VERSUS WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BUY TO DO THAT.

OKAY. SO LIKE WHEN THAT DRONE WAS FLYING, I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY HAD FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL WITH THEM READY TO RESPOND TO THE AREAS.

I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.

I THINK THEY FLEW AND THEN THEY DO SOME WORK AFTER THE FACT.

IT'S ALL PART OF THE INVESTIGATION SIDE AND I'M NOT PRIVY.

I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS.

I THINK AT THE TIME I GOT SOME OF THESE ANSWERS BACK, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ANSWERS ON HOW THEY WERE GOING BACK AND GETTING THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF IT DONE. OKAY.

THANK YOU, SIR. THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION.

IF I COULD JUST ASK YOU TO PERHAPS FIND THAT ANSWER, BECAUSE THAT COULD BE A SOLUTION IF WE COULD PAY FOR THIS COMPANY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS FOR THEM TO FLY THE DRONE AND THEN CONVEY THE INFORMATION TO YOU.

MAYBE NOT YOU PERSONALLY, BUT TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO RESPOND OR THROUGH AN INVESTIGATION.

WOULD YOU COME BACK TO US WITH THAT ANSWER? YES. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM, SO NO PUN INTENDED OF THE DRONE PROGRAM, BUT IT WAS.

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE THE FULL RESULTS YET.

AND SO I'M STILL WAITING FOR THAT TO COME ABOUT AND AND TO SEE THE CITATION PROCESS TAKES A LITTLE TIME.

AND SO WE'RE JUST INTO THE 1ST OF AUGUST, SO WE'RE AT 30 DAYS.

SO SOME OF THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET THROUGH WHEN YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW MOVING ON TO SERGEANT CHIN.

[14) b. Kern County Sheriff Department (Shinn)]

TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO PRESENT ON ONCE AGAIN THE THREE INVESTIGATION INCIDENTS THE CITY OF WASCO DEPUTIES HANDLED OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS, ALONG WITH ALSO THE MONTH TO MONTH STATISTICS.

AFTER THAT. SO THE FIRST INVESTIGATION THAT I'LL PRESENT ON OCCURRED ON MONDAY, JULY 18TH, WHERE APPROXIMATELY 10:30 P.M.

DEPUTIES IN THE WASCO SUBSTATION RESPONDED TO AN ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON IN THE 800 BLOCK OF LEWIS COURT.

UPON ARRIVAL, DEPUTIES LEARNED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION AND SEVERAL SHOTS WERE FIRED DURING DURING THIS ALTERCATION.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION, DEPUTIES WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THREE OF THE SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT WHO WERE IDENTIFIED AS ROGELIO SALAZAR, AGE 24, OF WASCO RAMON CADENA, AGE 25, OF WASCO AND ANGEL JAMAR, AGE 19, OF WASCO AND REMI.

WARRANTS WERE ISSUED FOR ALL THREE OF THE SUBJECTS ARRESTS SINCE THE WARRANTS WERE ISSUED.

ALL THREE SUBJECTS HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND BOOKED INTO CRF WHERE THEY ARE ALL PENDING CHARGES OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON AND PARTICIPATION IN A CRIMINAL STREET GANG.

JUST WANT TO INDICATE THIS CASE IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED.

ANYBODY WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THE CASE IS ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR THE WITNESS.

IN THE SECOND CASE WILL PRESENT ON OCCURRED ON SUNDAY, JULY 24TH, WHERE APPROXIMATELY 12:14 A.M.

DEPUTIES RESPONDED TO THE 1600 BLOCK OF PEACH TREE COURT FOR A BRANDISHING OF A FIREARM AND CRIMINAL THREATS.

INVESTIGATION. DURING INVESTIGATION, DEPUTIES CONDUCTED A SEARCH OF A RESIDENCE AND LOCATED A LOADED HANDGUN, WHICH IS PICTURED IN A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION AND PLACED A JUVENILE UNDER ARREST FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND CRIMINAL THREATS.

DURING THE SEARCH OF THE RESIDENCE, A SECOND INDIVIDUAL, PATRICIA ROMERO, AGE 31, OF WASCO, WAS ALSO ARRESTED FOR OBSTRUCTION OF A POLICE OFFICER AND BOOKED INTO CRF.

REASON I LIKE TO BRING THIS ONE TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IS THIS WE NEED TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR JUVENILES OR OUR CHILDREN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I PRESENTED ON AN INCIDENT LIKE THIS, BUT IT'S BECOMING TOO OFTEN A FAMILIAR SCENE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.

WE'RE COMING IN CONTACT WITH JUVENILES IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO ARE IN POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND BEING INVOLVED IN EXTREMELY VIOLENT CRIMES.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MAGIC LITTLE SOLUTION BUTTON IS, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO BE CONTINUE PREACHING THE IMPORTANCE OF.

[00:45:07]

THE THIRD INVESTIGATION I'M GOING TO PRESENT ON, IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN NORMAL, BUT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE TYPE OF WORK THAT YOUR WASCO DEPUTIES PUT IN THAT NOT ONLY SOLVE CRIMES FOR YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO OTHER AREAS.

WHEREAS ON MONDAY, JULY 18TH, DEPUTIES IN WASCO SUBSTATION LEARNED OF SEVERAL ARMED ROBBERIES THAT HAD OCCURRED IN THE COUNTY OF TULARE AND SEVERAL ARMED ROBBERIES THAT OCCURRED IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF KERN COUNTY IN THE DAYS PRIOR, IN WHICH THE SUSPECTS WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE TIES TO THE CITY OF WASCO.

FOLLOWING DAYS, DEPUTIES FROM THE WASCO SUBSTATION WERE ABLE TO ASSIST INVESTIGATORS WITH IDENTIFYING THE SUSPECTS INVOLVED AND WHICH CULMINATED IN THE ARREST OF AARON COURT SIERRA, AGE 20, OF WASCO AND CHRISTIAN RIOS, AGE 20, OF WASCO FOR ARMED ROBBERY AND CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT A CRIME ON JULY 25TH.

FROM BOTH SUBJECTS ARE NOW BEING HELD WITH NO BAIL IN THE CURRENT COUNTY JAIL, WITH PENDING EIGHT CASES OF ARMED ROBBERY JUST FROM KERN COUNTY ALONE AND NUMEROUS ADDITIONAL FROM OUR OUTLYING COUNTIES.

SO I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNCIL, THAT SOMETIMES THESE ARRESTS DON'T ALWAYS GET PUBLISHED ON OUR NEWSPAPER, BUT YOUR DEPUTIES ARE OUT THERE SOLVING CRIMES THAT ARE AFFECTING I'M SURE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT THE ONES WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO REMOVE THEM WHEN WHEN WE CAN.

AND THEN I JUST HAVE THE THE MONTH TO MONTH STATISTICS FROM JUNE TO JULY THIS YEAR WHERE, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE POWERPOINT, WHERE OVERALL CALLS FOR SERVICE DIPPED SLIGHTLY OR REST REMAINED STEADY AT 62 TO 62, OUR CITATIONS AND TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT FOR PARKING CITATIONS INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM 34 TO 43, AND OUR PATROL CHECKS WERE VERY SIMILAR FROM MONTH TO MONTH OF 66 TO 62.

AND WITH THAT OPEN TO THE BOARD AND THE MAYOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, SERGEANT SHINN.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANK THE DEPUTIES FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

I KNOW THAT YOU WORK UNDER VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOU KNOW, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SO MANY CRIMINALS DOING BAD THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, ALTHOUGH I'M THE ONE HERE PRESENTING ON CRIMINALS OF WASCO, THIS IS NOT A REPRESENTATION OF THE FACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS THE BAD COMMUNITY.

IT'S IT'S A LARGER IT'S A SMALL REPRESENTATION OF THE LARGER PROBLEM OF OUR SOCIETY.

AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S LACKING IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

IT'S UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TYPE OF CRIME BEHAVIOR IS HAS INCREASED OVER THE RECENT YEARS EVERYWHERE IN THIS STATE.

SO IT'S NOT THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS DETERIORATED WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IS JUST RUNNING AROUND HAPPY AND NOT HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WE ARE.

IT'S JUST A IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAT OUR SOCIETY NEEDS TO ADDRESS ONCE WE LIKE, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE DISCUSSED NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE IT'S AN ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED IN LEGISLATION MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE BY PEOPLE WAY ABOVE US.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I THINK THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN WASCO ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

I AGREE. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT GO AROUND, YOU KNOW, CAUSING HARM TO OTHERS.

SO. ANYWAY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR SERGEANT MAYOR PRO TEM? NO QUESTIONS. MEMBER GARCIA NO.

I KNOW THAT STAFFING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE AND ALWAYS WILL BE.

BUT DO WE HAVE A DEPUTY THAT'S ASSIGNED TO THE HIGH SCHOOL OR THE SCHOOLS FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER? NO, WE AIN'T NO LONGER.

THE KERN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE NO LONGER PROVIDES A DEPUTY FOR ANY OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY OF KERN.

LAST YEAR FOR I THINK IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, ACTUALLY EARLIER, 2022, ALL THE CONTRACTS WITH THE THE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE, I BELIEVE THE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TAFT AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT OR MIDDLE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN BAKERSFIELD AREA WERE ALL CANCELED.

AND THOSE DEPUTIES WERE.

PUT TO DIFFERENT ASSIGNMENTS.

I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIRE THEIR OWN SECURITY OFFICER.

IT WAS ONE OF OUR DEPUTIES, THE DEPUTY THAT PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR THEM IS NOW EMPLOYED AS THEIR AS A SECURITY OFFICER.

I WORKED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AS INTERVENTION COUNSELOR AND THE RESOURCES DEPUTY AT THE TIME WAS IN MY OFFICE MOST OF THE TIME.

SO THAT WAS IT WORKED OUT REALLY, REALLY WELL BECAUSE I WAS DEALING WITH THE THE PROBLEM KIDS AND THEN HE WAS TAKING OVER

[00:50:08]

MEMBER LYNCH MARTINEZ BOTH TALKING ABOUT STAFFING NOW THAT THE SHERIFF IS VERY PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON THE STAFFING CRISIS WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I GUESS WE'RE FREE TO TALK ABOUT IT. BUT I DO WANT TO COMMEND YOUR DEPUTIES, BECAUSE I'VE CRITICIZED THEM A LOT, BUT THEY ARE DOING MORE WITH LESS RIGHT NOW.

THEIR STATISTICS HAVE NOT WENT DOWN FROM LAST YEAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE OPERATING AT A FAR LESS ROBUST CAPACITY.

SO THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE GUYS THAT ARE HERE AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT THEY HAVE.

THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST WANT TO MENTION, MARIA, MAYBE YOU COULD LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME.

WE TRIED TO HAVE A WASCO TASK FORCE MEETING REGARDING THE SHERIFF'S ACTIVITIES LEAGUE BUILDING GOING OFF OF WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT, YOUTH INTERVENTION.

WE DID NOT GET THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE THAT WE HOPED TO GET TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT BUILDING REVITALIZED.

SCOTT HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A DISCRETIONARY FUND THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE TO GET THOSE REPAIRS DONE.

I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT, BUT IF WE COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND FIND OUT SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT BUILDING BACK UP AND RUNNING, BECAUSE I THINK BEFORE VASQUEZ LEFT, THEY HAD SOMETHING LIKE 80 KIDS ENROLLED THERE.

RIGHT. WE STARTED WE STARTED BEFORE COVID CAME AROUND.

WE WERE WE WERE UP AND RUNNING AND WE HAD QUITE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE PARTICIPATING ON A REGULAR BASIS.

AND WE HAD THAT OPEN, I BELIEVE, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS A WEEK WHERE EVERYBODY WAS MEETING THERE AND UTILIZING THAT AS A AS A GROWING SPACE TO COME TOGETHER. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS KIND OF.

YOU MADE A TURN FOR THE WORSE DURING COVID AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

I HAVE NOTED THAT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE A GOOD PROJECT FOR THE WONDERFUL GRANT.

ABSOLUTELY. SO I WILL LOOK MORE INTO IT.

AND IF IT'S A FIT, WE'LL GO AFTER SOME FUNDING THROUGH THE WONDERFUL COMPANY.

AWESOME. THANK YOU, MIRIAM.

NOTHING FURTHER, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER?

[15) REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER]

I JUST HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.

THIS FRIDAY WE WILL BE HAVING OUR SNIP MOBILE SPAY AND NEUTER EVENT FROM 830.

THERE WILL BE TWO DIFFERENT ONES, ONE AT 830 AND THE OTHER ONE AT 130.

I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE ALL BOOKED.

I MORE IF ANY OTHER COUNCIL IS OPEN AND WILLING TO COME AND HELP.

I KNOW OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WILL BE THERE.

OUR NEW CEO WILL BE THERE.

IF YOU'RE ABLE TO ATTEND, PLEASE JOIN US.

AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND COUNCIL AND THE RESIDENTS OF WASCO THAT WE HAVE FREE TRANSIT RIGHTS UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST.

SO I KNOW THAT THE DEER RIDE BUS IS STILL PROVIDING THOSE FREE RIDES.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE COVID 19 ASSISTANCE THROUGH SELF HELP FOR MORTGAGE AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF FUNDING IN THAT PROGRAM.

WE HAVE TRIED TO DO A LOT OF OUTREACHING.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO I KNOW WE HAVE FLIERS SHARE THE SPREAD THE WORD AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THESE FUNDS ARE HERE HERE TO HELP THEM GET THEM BACK ON TRACK IF THEY'RE BEHIND WITH THEIR MORTGAGE OR RENT OR UTILITIES.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UM, MAY I ASK YOU, WHEN DOES THIS PROGRAM END? DOES IT HAVE AN END DATE? YES, MAYOR REYNA.

AND IT DOES HAVE AN ENDING DAY.

AND I BELIEVE I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE, BUT THESE FUNDS DO HAVE AN ENDING.

THEY MAY ME ISRAEL DO YOU HAVE A DECEMBER 2023? SO WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THEM FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND WE WE HAVEN'T HAD THE SUCCESS THAT WE WERE HOPING FOR.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CAN I ASK A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THAT WAS I GOT A CALL YESTERDAY FROM A LADY THAT GOT REFERRED BY THE SALVATION ARMY TO ME, AND I DIDN'T KNOW THE NUMBER OR WHO EXACTLY TO CALL, SO I HAD TO GO DOWN AND GET THE NUMBER OFF THE SIGN.

AND SO SO THE NUMBER I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE IS 5598021600. AND WE DO HAVE FLIERS.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE I BELIEVE THEY'RE ON OUR WEBSITE, TOO.

WE HAVE THAT FLIER ON THE WEBSITE.

[00:55:03]

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HELP THOSE THAT NEED IT.

CAN YOU LOOK FOR IT? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MRS. LAURA. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT. SO REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

[16) REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL]

WE DID HAVE A VACCINATION COVID 19 VACCINATION CLINIC THIS PAST SUNDAY.

IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.

WE VACCINATED 91 PEOPLE, 84 OF WHICH WERE WASCO INDIANS.

AND SO THEY RECEIVED $50 CARD EACH FROM THE CITY OF WASCO.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE 91 PEOPLE RECEIVED A ONE.

EXCUSE ME. THAT'S NOT TRUE.

THE ABOUT 80 SOME PEOPLE.

I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW MANY CARDS CONSOLE HEAD, BUT THEY HAD $100 CARDS FOR WALMART.

THESE WERE GIFT CARDS FOR WALMART.

AND SO PEOPLE THAT GOT VACCINATED, BOTH THE ONES THAT WERE WASCO PEOPLE, THE 84 AND I DON'T KNOW AT ONE POINT I KNOW THEY RAN OUT.

THEY RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL $100 CARD, SO EACH INDIVIDUAL RECEIVE $150.

AND FAMILIES THAT CAME, YOU KNOW, SOME FAMILIES HAD FOUR MEMBERS.

YOU DO THE MATH. YOU KNOW, SOME HAVE THREE MEMBERS.

THEY WERE WALKING AWAY WITH $450 AND $600.

SO THAT'S HELPFUL TO THEM.

YOU KNOW, BUT I DO WANT TO SHARE THE NUMBERS WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT.

IF I MAY QUICKLY DO THAT.

SO WE VACCINATED 91 PEOPLE IN TOTAL, 84 OF WHICH ARE FROM WASCO.

BUT OUT OF THOSE, ONLY NINE WERE FIRST VACCINATIONS.

AND IF I GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS CLINIC THAT WE HAD, WHICH WAS JUNE, WE VACCINATED 93 PEOPLE, 83 THAT WERE FROM WASCO, AND OUT OF THOSE, 18 WERE FIRST TIME VACCINES.

NOW WE'RE STILL DOING A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE ARE INCREASING OUR FULLY VACCINATED RATES.

WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WE'RE NOT REACHING THOSE THAT ARE UNVACCINATED.

THAT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME.

THE WHOLE IDEA ABOUT DOING THIS WAS TO REACH THOSE THAT ARE UNVACCINATED.

AND SO I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY AND I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.

MAYBE NOT NOW, BUT LATER AS TO HOW WE CAN REACH THOSE THAT ARE UNVACCINATED AND ACTUALLY HAVE THEM COME OUT AND VACCINATE.

WE WE ARE PUTTING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN SHARED THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. IT WAS ON FACEBOOK.

IT WAS NOT JUST IN ONE AREA, BUT MANY AREAS.

AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY THAT IS.

AND SO WE STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

OUR INFECTION RATE KEEPS RISING AND OUR VACCINATION RATE IS STAGNANT.

EXCEPT FOR THOSE THAT ARE FULLY VACCINATED.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WE ARE INCREASING OUR FULLY VACCINATED RATE WITH THIS NUMBERS, BUT WE'RE NOT INCREASING THOSE THAT ARE UNVACCINATED, WHICH IS OUR TARGET BECAUSE ONCE THEY GET VACCINATED, ONCE THEY USUALLY HAVE A TENDENCY TO FOLLOW THROUGH, THEY KNOW THAT THERE IS OTHER THINGS.

SO IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH ME.

I DID PROMOTE THE DIALLO RIDE FREE FOR JULY AND AUGUST, AND SO I COULD HAVE PROMOTED THIS OTHER BENEFIT. AND SO FOR THE NEXT CLINIC, WHICH WILL BE HAPPENING AT THE END OF AUGUST OR LAST SUNDAY, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF FLIERS PRINTED FOR ME AND I'LL DISTRIBUTE THEM. I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

OKAY. SO, ALL RIGHT.

THERE IS NO REPORT.

ALL RIGHT, MEMBER GARCIA.

WHEN WERE THE BEST TIMES AGAIN? I BELIEVE 8:30 A.M.

AND THEN 130, I BELIEVE I'LL LET MR. BIA REPORT ON IT.

BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE.

I KNOW YOU PROVIDED THE STATS TO ME, BUT I'LL LET HIM SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE.

[01:00:07]

SO THE TOTAL IT'S FULLY BOOKED ALREADY, RIGHT.

KNOW. SO THE TOTAL ANIMALS THAT MAKE IT EVE I MISSED THE CUTOFF 58 SO FAR.

STARTS IN THE MORNING I BELIEVE EIGHT IN THE MORNING AND IT PROBABLY ENDS AROUND 5:00.

THAT'S WITH EVERYONE.

DOGS ALREADY SPAYED OR NEUTERED WAITING FOR FOR THE TIME.

BUT I SPOKE TO CANDICE, THE LADY THAT RUNS THE THE EVENT.

SHE SAID IT'S COMPLETELY BOOKED, BUT SOMEBODY CAN COME IN AT 830 IN THE MORNING AND CHECK IF ANYBODY CANCELED FOR THE MORNING SESSION AND THEN COME BACK AND CHECK AT 1:31 P.M..

I'M SORRY FOR IF ANYONE CANCELED FOR THE AFTERNOON SESSIONS AND THEY CAN GET IN THAT WAY, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE TIME FRAMES, SEE IF THEY CAN SQUEEZE SOMEBODY OUT. WELL, GIVEN THE POPULARITY OF THE SPAY AND NEUTER THING, MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE A FREE SPAY AND NEUTER IF THEY GET VACCINATED.

HEY, GOOD IDEAS ALREADY COMING THERE.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

WE ADDRESSED TWO ISSUES, RIGHT? WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT STOP.

STOP TAKING THE WRONG WAY.

I CAN. BUT NEVER MIND.

I DO HAVE THE STATS.

I DID FIND THEM.

MR. VILLA REPORTED 58 ANIMALS, 35 ARE DOGS AND 23 ARE CATS.

AND THIS EVENT, I BELIEVE, IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS, RIGHT, TO GRANTS THE SHELTER RECEIVED.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE PURSUING THOSE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO OFFER THESE SERVICES THAT ARE VERY POPULAR.

AND JUST REAL QUICK, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE FROM THIS EVENT OF THE LAST ONE WAS THE PRIOR EVENT WAS TWO ANIMALS PER HOUSEHOLD.

AND THIS ONE TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE OPTIONS.

IT WAS ONE ANIMAL PER HOUSEHOLD AND IT HAD TO BE A WASCO RESIDENT.

SO GET MORE PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES.

YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S VERY POPULAR AND IT FILLS UP QUICKLY.

AND SO THOSE THAT ARE NOT QUICK TO CONNECT WITH THEM, THEY LOSE OUT, SUCH AS MEMBER ALEX.

I'M PERSISTENT THOUGH.

831 OF THESE WILL GET INTO IT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MEMBER LYNCH. I HAVE NO REPORT, BUT I DO WANT TO ADVISE MEN AND PLAQUE.

I WILL BE DONNING CAMOUFLAGE TOMORROW.

FOR THE NEXT 13 DAYS.

I'LL BE BACK. I'LL BE AVAILABLE.

OFF AND ON. ON TELEPHONE.

RIGHT. AND A MILITARY OBLIGATION, MR..

MILITARY OBLIGATION FOR THE NEXT 12 DAYS.

I COMMEND YOU FOR IT. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR GRAND MARSHALS FOR THE WASCO ROSE PARADE.

OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE TYLER CORTEZ, AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, JENNY ROGER AND DOLORES HARRISON AND TIM AND KAREN HALTERMAN.

ALL VERY GOOD PEOPLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. YES, OF COURSE.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE CLOSED SESSION.

[17) CLOSED SESSION]

YOU KNOW, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CHECK BACK.

I GOT A NEW PART. ALL REMEMBER? ARE WE DONE? IT'S A JOURNEY.

THANK YOU, TOM.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.