[00:00:05] >> [NOISE] GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. IT IS 6:01 AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER. [1) CALL TO ORDER] MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? >> MAYOR REYNA >> I'M HERE. >> PROTEM POLARIS. >> HERE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH. >> PRESENT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINA. ABSENT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. PLEASE STAND FOR A FLAG SALUTE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION THAT WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR PAUL HERNANDEZ FROM THE FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH. >> [BACKGROUND]. >> DIDN'T SEE ANY. >> INDICATION, YES. >> YEAH, THE INDICATION >> SALUTE, PLEDGE. >> LET'S PRAY. LORD, HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU RIGHT NOW, LORD UNITED IN YOUR PRESENCE, LORD, JUST THANKING YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY, LORD. THANK YOU FOR THE CITY COUNCIL LEADERS THAT WE HAVE, LORD. PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM DISCERNMENT LORD, ENVISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY, LORD. PRAY SHOULD BE IN THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, LORD. PRAY SHOULD BE WITH OUR SHERIFFS AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, LORD, AND THEIR SAFETY LORD. PRAY THAT YOU'D WATCH OVER US AND KEEP US SAFE, LORD. PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUR WILL IN OUR COMMUNITIES LORD, AND THEN ALL OF OUR BUSINESS, THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE DONE DECENTLY AND IN ORDER AS THE BIBLE SAYS, LORD. PRAY THAT YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO BE HONORED AND GLORIFIED IN OUR COMMUNITY. LORD HELP US LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH. WE ASKED YOU THESE THINGS AND YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME. AMEN. >> AMEN. >> THANK YOU, PAUL. APPRECIATE IT. [5) PRESENTATIONS] MOVING ON TO ITEM 5, PRESENTATIONS. BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH RECOGNITIONS, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT STEVEN CAMP, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF US CONGRESS, DAVID VALADAO OFFICE IS PRESENT. STEVEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ITEM A, RECOGNITION OF THE WASCO ROSE FESTIVAL ORGANIZATION. ALL OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR ORGANIZING A SUCCESSFUL WASCO ROSE FESTIVAL. THE WASCO ROSE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE, ORANGE HEART FOUNDATION, WASCO PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT, WASCO ELKS LADIES, WASCO WOMAN'S CLUB, WASCO BLOCK AND TACKLE FOOTBALL CLUB, WASCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, DJ DAVID ARMENDARIZ JUNIOR, WASCO ROSE QUEEN PAGEANT, SECOND TO NONE YOUTH BASKETBALL TEAM AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT GAVE THEIR TIME AND DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE SHARON SHARP TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE WASCO ROSE FESTIVAL. SHARON, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> THANK YOU, HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. WE'RE VERY HONORED TO BE HERE. I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THE ORIGINAL STORY. AFTER COVID INDUCED NON-FESTIVAL FOR A YEAR, A GROUP OF US CAME TOGETHER LAST YEAR AND SAID, WE CAN'T LET ANOTHER YEAR GO. THERE WERE A CORE GROUP OF SIX OF US WHO WE WERE THE FIRST ONES THAT SHOWED UP AND WE SAID, LET'S DO THIS. WE PUT IT ON IN THREE WEEKS, WHICH WE'RE HAPPY WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN. [LAUGHTER] THEN WE DECIDED, HEY, WE REALLY LIKE THIS. WHY DON'T WE TAKE ON A CHRISTMAS EVENTS? WE IMMEDIATELY KNEW THAT OUR PLAN WOULD BE FOR THIS YEAR TO MOVE IT BACK TO SEPTEMBER, WHERE THE ROSE FESTIVAL HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN, IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION, WHERE IT BELONGS. WE MOVED IT AND REACHED OUT TO PARTNERS AND SAID, WE WANT THIS TO GROW, WE WANT IT TO BE SUSTAINABLE. THE GROUPS THAT WE REACHED OUT TO YOU AND THAT STEPPED UP, MOST OF THEM ARE NON-PROFITS. WE SAW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE EVENTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT THEM AS WELL AS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS YEAR, IN ADDITION TO THE FESTIVAL AND THE PARADE, WE BROUGHT BACK WINE AND ROSES IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF THE ELKS LADIES. BLOCK AND TACKLE BROUGHT BACK THE DEEP PIT DINNER AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE AWAY, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL. [00:05:03] RECREATION PARKS DISTRICT BROUGHT BACK THE RUN AND MADE IT INTO A COLOR BLAST FUN RUN. THE WOMEN'S CLUB TOOK ON THE ART SHOW, AND SECOND TO NONE STEPPED IN AT THE LAST MINUTE. WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES AND PUT ON A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. DJ DAVID JUST PUT A RIBBON ON THE WHOLE EVENT BY MAKING IT SUCH A FUN EVENT IN THE PARK. WE HAD MORE VENDORS THIS YEAR AND MORE PARADE ENTRIES. OF COURSE, WE CAN'T FORGET THE WEEKEND STARTS WITH THE MISS WASCO ROSE QUEEN PAGEANT. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ADDING YEAR OVER YEAR. THIS YEAR, MARLENE OPEN UP THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM ON SATURDAY AS WELL, AND OUR GOAL IS JUST TO CONTINUE ADDING EVENTS. WE HAD AMAZING VOLUNTEERS. I THINK CAMILLO SCHOOL WAS ABOUT 60 AND ALL TOTAL AND I'M SURE WE HAD MORE THAN THAT ADDING TO ALL OF THE EVENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR BEING EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER AS WE GROW YEAR OVER YEAR. WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN SO MANY WAYS. WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO THE CHRISTMAS EVENT DECEMBER 3RD. YOU'LL BE HEARING A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT. WE'RE JUST GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THE MANTLE THAT SO MANY HAVE DONE BEFORE, AND ESPECIALLY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE RECLAIMED ROSE FESTIVAL AND BRING IT BACK TO SEPTEMBER. >> THANK YOU, SHARON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND THEN AFTER I GIVE THE CERTIFICATES OUT, I WILL GET MY PEERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO MAKE COMMENTS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ALL OF YOU REPRESENT THE BEST OF WASCO. WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MAINTAIN THIS TRADITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO MANY YEARS, ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE, ALL THE PLANNING THAT YOU'VE DONE, ALL THE LONG HOURS OF WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN, IT'S RECOGNIZED, IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK YOU'RE WONDERFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE. WASCO IS BETTER FOR HAVING YOU AROUND. YOU CERTAINLY ELEVATE WASCO TO A LEVEL THAT BRINGS RECOGNITION TO OUR CITY THAT IT WOULDN'T OTHERWISE HAVE WERE IT'S NOT FOR ALL OF YOU. SO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I WILL BE COMING DOWN, BUT FIRST, I WILL ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO READ THE ORGANIZATIONS ONE BY ONE SO THAT WE CAN DO THIS IN AN ORDERLY WAY. THEN AS YOU'RE CALLED, YOU CAN COME TO THE FRONT AND I WILL MEET YOU UPFRONT AND I WILL BE PASSING SOME CERTIFICATES. I WILL ALSO BE GIVING EACH OF YOU 18 TO THE CITY. [BACKGROUND] >> IF WE CAN HAVE THE ROSE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE. JUAN GALLARDO, TRACY MILL GLENDENNAN, JOHN SHARP, CAMILO VASQUEZ, ORKIDEA OCAMPO, AND EMMA DOBBS. [BACKGROUND] >> I HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU WHO [INAUDIBLE]. WE WILL HAVE A PICTURE ALTOGETHER [OVERLAPPING] >> WE WILL DO IN THE [INAUDIBLE] PLUS THE LAST ONE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. [LAUGHTER] >> IF YOU GUYS CAN JUST REMAIN THERE PLEASE. WE'LL GO WITH THE NEXT ORGANIZATION WHICH THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE STANDING ALREADY. IT'S FOR THE ORANGE HEART. WE HAVE ORKIDEA OCAMPO, [INAUDIBLE] OCAMPO, AND TRACY GLENDENNAN. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] [00:10:18] THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS THE ELKS LADIES. WE HAVE LIZ GERBER AND KATHY, I AM SO SORRY, I'M GOING TO MESS UP THE LAST NAME. >> GAIZY. >> KIZZY. >> AN EXTRA NAME. >> [BACKGROUND] >> YOU SURE CAN. >> [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] >> THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS THE WASCO HISTORICAL SOCIETY. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS BUT WE DO HAVE ONE REPRESENTATIVE HERE, WHICH IS MARLENE SWAN.[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] LOST THE MUSEUM. ROBERT ALICE. [BACKGROUND] THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS DJ DAVID [INAUDIBLE] JUNIOR. I AM SO SORRY.[BACKGROUND] >> IT'S FINE, IT'S MINE. [LAUGHTER] >> THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS SECOND TO NONE. EDDIE VELAZQUEZ. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO CALL ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER THAT'S OUT THERE THAT I DID NOT NAME. >> THEY'RE NOT HERE. >> THEY'RE NOT HERE? OKAY.[BACKGROUND] WE HAVE WASCO RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT. CHRIS SIRNA. [00:15:18] THE NEXT ORGANIZATION IS BLOCK AND TACKLE. THE REPRESENTATIVES HERE IS VICKY PEREZ AND JOE DOMINGUEZ. [BACKGROUND] OH, IF YOU GUYS CAN PLEASE.[BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] >> NEXT ORGANIZATION. >> THAT IS ALL WE HAVE. WE HAVE A LIST OF VOLUNTEERS. [BACKGROUND]. >> IF WE CAN ALL GET IN TOGETHER, WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE ALL OF US TOGETHER. I'D LIKE TO INVITE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME DOWN HERE ALSO [NOISE] [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] [APPLAUSE] >> I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. >> YOU CAN'T LEAVE YET. >> I CAN'T? >> NO, NOT YET. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] >> I THINK SO. [BACKGROUND] >> THAT IS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. DO YOU WANT ME TO ANNOUNCE IT AT THE END? I CAN DO THAT. >> A LITTLE FURTHER OUT. >> YEAH, DON'T KNOCK THEM OUT. [BACKGROUND] >> I'LL ADD IT TO MY SCRIPT. >> THIS THURSDAY AT 6:00 PM. >> 6:00 PM? >> YES. >> THURSDAY? [BACKGROUND] [00:20:01] >> MR. REYNA WILL ACTUALLY GO TAKE IT TO THEM. >> YES I'LL BE HAPPY TO GO TAKE IT TO THEM. >> WASCO ROSE QUEEN PEAGENT? >> YEAH, I CAN DO THAT. CONGRATULATIONS ALL, NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SOME OPPORTUNITY TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO YOU AS WELL. MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> MONICA. [LAUGHTER]. >> ORDER IN THE COURT. I ALWAYS WANTED TO SAY THAT. [LAUGHTER] MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. NOT MUCH JUST REPEATED THANK YOUS. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU >> THANK YOU. MEMBER LYNCH. >> I THOROUGHLY ENJOY THE ROSE FESTIVAL. I'VE ALWAYS HAVE. I JUST WANT TO ASK IF NEXT YEAR YOU CAN TURN THE TEMPERATURE DOWN ON THE PARADE. [LAUGHTER] THE BACK OF THAT LITTLE FIRE ENGINE WE WERE COOKING, IT WAS HOT, BUT WONDERFUL JOB EVERYBODY DID GREAT. >> THANK YOU, MEMBER LYNCH. MEMBER GARCIA. >> WELL, IT CERTAINLY WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE RETURNS, I GUESS POST-PANDEMIC. HAVING IT BACK IS A FAVORITE NOT ONLY LOCALLY, BUT FAR AND WIDE. I KNOW FRIENDS THAT CAME AS FAR AS LIKE VENTURA TO COME GET THE ROSES, WHICH THEY WERE EXCITED ABOUT HAVING AT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL. I KNOW SERGEANT AND I WERE EQUALLY ENTHUSED AND BOUGHT HALF A DOZEN INTAKE. [LAUGHTER] I'M EXCITED TO GET TO HAVE THOSE AND ALL THE MEMORIES FROM THIS WONDERFUL EVENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I KNOW IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. THANK YOU, MA'AM. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. MOVING ON TO ITEM 6, [NOISE] PUBLIC COMMENTS. [6) PUBLIC COMMENTS] THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING IS RESERVED FOR PERSONS DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND INCLUDING THE COUNCIL ACTING IS A GOVERNING BOARD FOR THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY AND THE WASCO PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY ON ANY MATTER ON THIS AGENDA AND OVER WHICH THE COUNCIL SUCCESSOR AGENCY AND THE WASCO PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY HAVE JURISDICTION. SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES. 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 ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA SUBJECT TO NARROW EXCEPTIONS. THIS WILL LIMIT A COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS MADE DURING THIS COMMENT PERIOD. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? YES. PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE FOR THE RECORD. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOAN MCCONNELL SMITH. DO YOU NEED MY ADDRESS? I KNOW SOME ASK FOR THAT. I AM YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CURRENT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR AREA 2, WHICH REPRESENTS, I CALL IT THE NEW SOUTH SEQUOIA LEAGUE DELANO MCFARLAND WASCO SHAFTER AND TAFT. I GREW UP IN WASCO, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHEN THE WASCO ROSE FESTIVAL STARTED. MY FATHER WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT PALM AVENUE SCHOOL AND I'M A WASCO HIGH GRAD. I HAVE RESIDED IN DELANO FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND I TAUGHT SCHOOL THERE. I WAS APPOINTED TO THIS BOARD A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. I'M JUST HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD A REALLY ROUGH FEW WEEKS. I DON'T WANT TO GET EMOTIONAL. WE HAD A PRAYER GATHERING LAST NIGHT IN DELANO, IN FRONT OF OUR CITY HALL. I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. I WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT HERE AND THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT HAVE WORKED TOGETHER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I THANK THEM FOR PUTTING OUT TRUTH WHEN SOCIAL MEDIA IS PUTTING OUT LOTS OF OTHER THINGS. I'M JUST HOPEFUL THAT YOU CAN HAVE YOUR RIVAL GAME NEXT WEEK. IS IT NEXT WEEK? IS IT THIS WEEK? >> WHICH? >> WASCO SHAFTER. [LAUGHTER] TWENTY EIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE IN DELANO TOO. >> TWO WEEKS. >> I'M JUST HOPEFUL I KNOW WE'VE HAD TO MAKE LOTS OF SCHEDULING CHANGES IN MY COMMUNITY, BUT SAFE SCHOOLS ARE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. I KNOW WE'RE PART OF THAT KCSOS SAFE SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP AND WE ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAFETY NOT ONLY OF OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES. IT'S JUST NICE TO BE HERE AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO HEAR ABOUT THE ROSE FESTIVAL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MS. MCCONNELL. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORKS AND I ECHO YOUR SENTIMENTS. I BELIEVE ALL OF US ON THE COUNCIL AND STAFF AND THE SERGEANT, [00:25:02] AND I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT I AM CERTAIN THAT WE ALL ECHO YOUR SENTIMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE AN EMAIL COMMENTS? >> MAYOR, WE DID NOT RECEIVE EMAIL COMMENTS ON ANY ITEMS FOR THIS AGENDA. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER SEVEN SUCCESSOR AGENCY BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER EIGHT THE WASCO PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY, BUSINESS. CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS CONSENT CALENDAR. [9) CONSENT CALENDAR] THE CONSENT CALENDAR CONSISTS OF ITEMS THAT, IN STAFF'S OPINION, ARE ROUTINE AND NON-CONTROVERSIAL. THESE ITEMS ARE APPROVED IN 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 9J. 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. >> MEMBER LYNCH. >> NO CONFLICT SIR. >> MEMBER GARCIA. >> I HAVE NONE MAYOR. >> I HAVE NO CONFLICT EITHER. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? PLEASE STATE YOUR FULL NAME FOR THE RECORD BEFORE MAKING YOUR COMMENT. SEEING NONE, ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM, MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES? >> NO ITEMS, THANK YOU. >> MEMBER GARCIA. >> NONE. >> MEMBER LYNCH? >> NONE, SIR. >> I DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE AN ITEM. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> MADAM CLERK IS BEING MOVED AND SECOND, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? >> MAYOR REYNA? >> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES? >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH. >> AYE. >> MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MOTION IS APPROVED FOUR AYES WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ ABSENT. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING UNDER ITEM 10 PUBLIC HEARINGS. WE ALSO DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING UNDER DEFERRED BUSINESS. ITEM 12, NEW BUSINESS. [12) a. Accept the latest rate analysis proposal and authorize staff to mail and print notices for Proposition 218 hearing on December 20, 2022.] A, ACCEPT THE LATEST RATE ANALYSIS PROPOSAL AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO MAIL AND PRINT NOTICES FOR PREPOSITION 218 HEARING ON DECEMBER 20TH, 2022. MR. VIA. >> GOOD EVENING MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL THIS EVENING WE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION FOR THE WATER AND SEWER RATES STUDY. THIS WILL BE DONE BY ALISON, WHICH IS GOING TO BE DONE VIA ZOOM LT CONSULTANTS. >> I'LL JUMP IN. GOOD EVENING HONORABLE MAYOR. >> WE CAN'T HEAR. >> ALISON? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>NO. >> NO, WE CANNOT. [BACKGROUND] >> PUT THE MIC UNDER THE TV. >> NO CHECK THE SPEAKER. [BACKGROUND]. >> HOW DOES IT SOUND? >> YOU'RE CLEAR, BUT IT'S JUST YOU'RE NOT LOUD. >> THE SOUND IS NOT BEING TRANSFERRED FROM THERE TO HERE. >> GO AHEAD CAN YOU SPEAK AGAIN, ALISON? >> HOW AM I NOW? HOW'S THE VOLUME NOW? >> IT'S A LITTLE BETTER. >> IT'S NOT YOUR MIC. >> WE REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT HER. IT'S A PROBLEM WITH OUR AUDIO HERE. ARE YOU ABLE TO TRANSFER THE SOUND TO THE MONITORS? [BACKGROUND] [00:30:10] >> WE DID A TEST RUN AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. >> I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN HEAR WHAT WE'RE SAYING. ALISON, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR AUDIO IS LOCAL AUDIO THAT IS HAVING AN ISSUE HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> I CAN HEAR YOU. >> I CAN HEAR HER TOO, JUST VERY LOW. >> VERY FAINTLY THOUGH. [BACKGROUND] >> I THINK IT'S ALISON. >> WHAT WAS THAT? >> THE CAMERA [LAUGHTER] >> ALISON, CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> I CAN HERE YOU. >> I THINK THAT IF SHE TRY TROUBLESHOOTING. >> IT'S CONNECTED, RIGHT, SCOTT? >> YES. >> OKAY. CAN YOU TRY NOT USING YOUR HEADSET, AND MAYBE THAT WOULD WORK, BECAUSE WE DID DO A TEST RUN AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING VIA ZOOM. CAN YOU TALK AGAIN? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YES. >> YES. >> MUCH BETTER. >> THAT'S MUCH BETTER? >> YES. >> YES. >> OKAY. APOLOGIES. [LAUGHTER] I HAD SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. I THOUGHT I HAD MY SETTINGS, SOMETHING THAT I USUALLY DO, BUT THAT'S OKAY, WE CAN JUMP RIGHT IN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. TONIGHT, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE RATES STUDY SINCE WE LAST TALKED IN END OF AUGUST. WE'VE WRITTEN UP THE RATE STUDIES REPORT, REFLECTING EVERYTHING WE'VE DISCUSSED TO THIS POINT. I HAVE A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY PRESENTATION. THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THOUGH THAT IS [NOISE] NEW INFORMATION, THE FIRST BEING THERE IS 78 CENT NEW CHARGE ON THE BASE OF WATER RATE. I WAS ADVISED BY A SENIOR STAFF THAT THAT IS NEEDED FOR ADMINISTRATION, READING METERS AND BILLING. THAT'S A SLIGHT UPDATE THERE. IT APPLIES TO ALL WATER CUSTOMERS UNDER OTHER FRANCHISE, THE WHOLE SCHEDULE, DIFFERENT CUSTOMER CLASSES. THEN THE OTHER UPDATE IS THAT I'VE PROVIDED A SCHEDULE OF DROUGHT RATES. THOSE ARE OPTIONAL. IF THE GOVERNOR DECLARES A DROUGHT EMERGENCY AND WE HAVE A MANDATORY WATER CUT BACK, WE WILL THEN ADOPT THE DROUGHT RATE. THE IDEA IS THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT LOSE REVENUE DURING A DROUGHT SCENARIO. WATER SALES WOULD GO DOWN, BUT THE RATE GOES UP, AND SO IT NETS OUT SO THE WATER FUNDS ARE NOT [INAUDIBLE] THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. >> ALISON, BEFORE YOU MOVE FORWARD, THIS IS IMPORTANT. WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT THE RATE WOULD GO UP BY? IS THIS DROUGHT RATE? >> IT'S IN THE PRESENTATION HERE. >> BECAUSE IT WASN'T ON THE REPORT. I KNOW THAT THE REPORT SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CHANGES, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THOSE CHANGES WERE. >> THOSE WILL BE PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT. >> VERY GOOD. >> ALISON, IF I COULD JUMP IN, ALSO THAT 78 CENT ADJUSTMENT, AND ALSO INCLUDED SIGMA IMPLEMENTATION OVERHEAD. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT. I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT. >> THIS IS A GOVERNMENT REQUIRED. >> IT'S THE OVERHEAD OF IMPLEMENTING THE SIGMA PLAN THAT WILL BE COMING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. >> OKAY. >> PLEASE PROCEED, ALISON. >> VERY GOOD. IF YOU COULD ADVANCE THE SLIDES, PLEASE. WHY DON'T WE LOAD UP THE SLIDE AS WE BRING THIS ONE UP. AS A REMINDER, THE WATER AND SEWER RATES HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED IN SOME TIME, ESPECIALLY SEWER 2007, AND THEN WATER RATES IN 2017. WATER AND SEWER RATES ARE SUPPORTING THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE TOTALLY SELF-SUPPORTED BY RATES, [00:35:01] THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL FUND OR OTHER TYPES OF OUTSIDE FINANCING. WE REALLY DO NEED RATES TO BE SUFFICIENT TO COVER COSTS. THE RATES STUDIES PRESENTED TONIGHT IS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN AT THE MAXIMUM PLANNING HORIZON ALLOWED BY PROPOSITION 218, WHICH IS THE STATUTE THAT GOVERNS HOW WATER AND SEWER RATES CAN BE ADOPTED IN CALIFORNIA. THIS IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT THE CITIES USED RECENTLY FOR THE SOLID WASTE RATE ADJUSTMENTS. THE SCHEDULED PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENTS, AGAIN, THIS JANUARY 1ST, AND THEN ARE FOLLOWED BY JULY 1ST RATE INCREASES AFTER THAT. THOSE JULY ADJUSTMENTS MAPS THE TURNOVER IN THE FISCAL YEAR. THAT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR BUDGETING PURPOSES. I THINK WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. >> I WANT TO DO SOME CLARIFICATION, MAYBE I'M WRONG. PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. THE WATER RATES ACTUALLY ARE GOING UP VERY SLIGHTLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A DECREASE IN WATER ALLOTMENTS. >> THAT'S CORRECT. THAT SHOULD BE COVERED AGAIN IN THIS PRESENTATION. >> I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD AND THEN MISS THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. >> YOU WILL HAVE TIME FOR CLARIFICATION AT THE END IF WE DO MISS SOMETHING. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED ALISON. I'M SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION. >> NOT A PROBLEM. WHY DON'T WE LEAVE THIS SLIDE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SLIDE BEFORE. YOUR WATER FUND IS VERY HELPFUL. YOU HAVE ADEQUATE RESERVES, SO YOU CAN FUND SOME PRETTY MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT POTENTIALLY ARE COMING DOWN THE LINE. REVENUES ARE MOVING EXPENSES, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR. REALLY IT'S JUST MINOR INFLATIONARY COST INCREASES TO MAKE SURE THAT RATES ARE REALLY KEEPING UP WITH OPERATING COSTS AND INFLATION OVER TIME, THAT'S THE MAIN GOAL. THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME RATE STRUCTURE ADJUSTMENTS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT COULD IMPACT DIFFERENT TYPES OF RATE PAYERS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF WATER USERS, LOWER USERS THAN HIGHER USERS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY MAJOR RATE SHOCK AS PEOPLE ADJUST TO NEW TYPES OF BILLING. THERE IS A PLAN TO DRAW ON YOUR WATER FUND RESERVES TO HELP MITIGATE RATE ADJUSTMENTS OVER TIME. THE AMOUNT IS 2.3 MILLION, WHICH DOES SOUND SIGNIFICANT AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY. THE CITY WATER ENTERPRISE FUND DOES HAVE OVER 11 MILLION, OR DID AT THE START OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THERE ARE ADEQUATE REVENUES TO FUND THIS RATE MITIGATION INITIATIVE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER SLIDE. THIS IS YOUR CURRENT WATER RATE STRUCTURE, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS. EACH CUSTOMER PAYS A MINIMUM SERVICE FEE, AND THAT FEE INCLUDES A BASE ALLOTMENT OF WATER. HERE THIS IS UNITS OF 100 CUBIC FEET, THAT'S THE CCF, AND EACH 100 CUBIC FEET IS 748 GALLONS. THEN ANY USAGE BEYOND THAT BASED ALLOTMENT IS CHARGED $4.03 PER UNIT. THIS TYPE OF RATE STRUCTURE WAS SET UP SO THAT THE WATER WITHIN THAT BASE ALLOTMENT WAS INITIALLY INTENDED TO REPRESENT ABOUT 75 PERCENT USAGE. IT'S REALLY ONLY THE TOP 25 PERCENT WHO WERE GETTING FILLED VOLUME RATE. WE'RE CHANGING DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS, LONG-TERM DROUGHT, CONSERVATION. WE'VE SEEN THAT IT INCREASED AT 90 PERCENT OF WATER USE, SO THERE'S DISPARITY ABOUT HOW THE RATES WERE INITIALLY SET AND INTENDED TO RECOVER REVENUES VERSUS WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY RECOVERING AT THIS POINT IN TIME. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WE WENT OVER THE UNITS OF WATER BILLING, AND WE WENT AHEAD AND LOOKED AT THAT BASE WATER ALLOTMENT. THE INTENT IS TO ALIGN THE BASE WATER ALLOTMENT WITH TYPICAL EFFICIENT INDOOR WATER USE. THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS A TARGET OF 50 GALLONS PER PERSON PER DAY. THAT REALLY IS THINGS LIKE BASIC HEALTH AND SANITATION, SHOWERS, BATHING, WASHING DISHES, WASHING TOILETS, AND DOES NOT CONSIDER EXCESS USE FOR OUTDOOR IRRIGATION OR INEFFICIENT USAGE. THE BASE ALLOTMENT OF WATER IS INTENDED TO GO FROM 25 UNITS DOWN TO 700 CUBIC FEET OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, [00:40:04] TO EVENTUALLY ALIGN WITH ABOUT 3.4 PEOPLE PER HOUSEHOLD, WHICH IS ALLEGEDLY [LAUGHTER] ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, THE AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE IN MOSCOW. I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT IF THAT HOUSEHOLD OCCUPANCY IS ACCURATE, BUT THAT'S THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY. WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE AS I MENTIONED, THERE WAS A NEW 78-CENT PER MONTH METER FEE. I'VE ALSO MENTIONED DROUGHT RATES, AND I'LL HAVE A CHART ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MINUTE. THEN, AS I MENTIONED, WE WANT TO REDUCE THE BASE WATER ALLOTMENT FROM 25 TO 7 CUBIC PER MONTH OVER FIVE YEARS. REALLY IT BENEFITS LOW-WATER USAGE CUSTOMERS. RIGHT NOW, MOST CUSTOMERS DON'T USE 25 MINUTES. THE COST STRUCTURE INCLUDES THOSE 25. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT LOW-WATER USERS ARE ONLY PAYING FOR WHAT THEY USE. WE WANT TO DEMONSTRATE THE COST FROM MAYBE MID-LEVEL WATER USERS THAT, IF YOU'RE ABOVE INDOORS EFFICIENT USE, YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR EVERY SINGLE UNIT THAT IS GOING TO BE USED. IT REALLY GIVES PEOPLE MORE OF A PRICE SIGNAL REGARDING HOW MUCH WATER THEY'RE USING EACH MONTH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HERE IS THE RESIDENTIAL FIVE-YEAR WATER RATE PLAN. THE FIRST-RATE ADJUSTMENT IS PROPOSED FOR JANUARY 1ST, COMING UP HERE QUICK. THE IDEA IS THAT THAT FIRST JOB, THAT THE CURRENT TO JANUARY 1ST, REPRESENTS THE INCREASE OF THE 78 CENTS METER READING FEE. THEN IN ADDITION, IT'S THE FIRST REDUCTION IN THE BASE OF WATER. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT FIRST-RATE ADJUSTMENT IN JANUARY. THEN FOR THE FOUR YEARS OF FOLLOWING THAT, IT'S A PHASE-IN TO THE EVENTUAL RATE FOR 2026, WHERE WE'RE ALIGNING INDOOR WATER USAGE WITH THE STATEWIDE TARGET, AND THAT IS THE BASE ALLOTMENT WATER PER YEAR. [NOISE] ALL CUSTOMER CLASSES ARE NOW PAYING AS I SAID OLD CUSTOMER CLASSES ARE CERTAINLY PHASING DOWN THEIR WATER BASE, AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE VOLUME RATE. WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE RATE TO DROP FROM $4 TO $1.50, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO GET USED TO THIS NEW RATE STRUCTURE. AS PEOPLE ARE LOSING THE AMOUNT OF WATER IN THERE. THEY'RE FREE. BASE A LOT ONCE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING THAT BILL FOR EACH UNIT OF WATER THEY USED TO GET IT FOR FREE, NOW, PAY FOR IT, AND SO WE WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT BILL AND NOT HAVE EXORBITANT BILLS TO START. THAT'S WHY IT'S A RELATIVELY LOW VOLUME RATE RATCHETS ABSOLUTELY. LIKE I SAID, IT'S THE SAME PROCESS FOR RESIDENTIAL AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL. COMMERCIAL, I LOOKED AT LOWER WATER USAGE PERIOD AND ALIGNED THE INDOOR EFFICIENT USE WITH THOSE TARGETS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WE CAN SPEND A MINUTE ON THIS CHART. WE LOOKED AT EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR WHAT A TYPICAL SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER USES PER MONTH AND THEIR WATER USE AND I COMPARED IT TO PROPOSE A BILL TO THE CURRENT BILL. THE CURRENT BILL IS THE $28.60 PER MONTH AND MOST CUSTOMERS GO OVER THAT, MAYBE IN THE SUMMER, ONE OR TWO BILLING CYCLE IN THE SUMMER, BUT NOT TOO MUCH. THEN UNDER THE PROPOSED WHICH IS THE BLUE BLOCKS THERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT A TOTAL ANNUAL COST EACH YEAR AS THE RATE PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED, IT GOES UP SLIGHTLY EACH YEAR TO EVENTUALLY REACH THAT FIVE-YEAR FULL COST OF SERVICE. IT'S VERY GRADUAL PHASE OF EACH YEAR EVENTUALLY, THAT THEN GETS HIGHER THAN THE ORANGE LINE, WHICH IS THE CURRENT RATE OR THE TYPICAL SINGLE-FAMILY ESTIMATE. OVER FIVE YEARS, IT IS AN INCREASE IN ABOUT 45 PERCENT RELATIVE TO THE CURRENT RATE STRUCTURE. BUT LIKE I SAID, WE TRIED TO PHASE THAT IN GRADUALLY AND USES THE AVAILABLE RESERVES AS A GREAT MITIGATION PLAN. [00:45:04] NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS CHART COMPARES THE CURRENT AND PROPOSED TYPICAL SINGLE-FAMILY WATER BILL OR AN AVERAGE USAGE FOR TYPICAL CUSTOMERS IS 15 CUBIC PER MONTH. WASCO IS A VERY LOW TYPICAL BILL COMPARED TO THE WATER AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES. AGAIN, JUST TO EMPHASIZE THAT FIRST-YEAR JANUARY REVERSE RATE ADJUSTMENT IS VERY MINOR, IS REALLY TO GET PEOPLE USED TO THE IDEA OF THERE'S A LOT GOING DOWN AND WARM WATER BUILD-UP VOLUME RATE. THE FIRST [LAUGHTER] ADJUSTMENT IS 25-21, BUT THE AVERAGE WAS JUST 15. MOST CUSTOMERS WILL NOT EVEN NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A LOT NOW WENT DOWN. THIS TYPICAL CUSTOMER DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE, AND THIS CUSTOMER IS JUST PAYING ADDITIONAL 70 PERCENT BILL. WASCO IS VERY FAVORABLE ON A TYPICAL WATER BILLS COMPARISON TO OTHER AGENCIES. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. LET'S TALK ABOUT DROUGHT RATES. DURING A DROUGHT, THE GOVERNOR WILL ASK URBAN WATER SUPPLIERS TO REDUCE THEIR WATER CONSUMPTION, AND TYPICAL RANGES IS 20 PERCENT, 30 PERCENT, 40 PERCENT IS PRETTY HIGH, BUT WE'VE SEEN 20-25 PERCENT IN RECENT YEARS. WHAT HAPPENS DURING A DROUGHT IS THAT THE CITY IS SELLING LESS WATER. YOU'RE COLLECTING LESS WATER THROUGH THE VOLUME RATE. BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT UPSIDE DOWN, AND THAT'S ANY WATER SUPPLY COSTS WILL GO DOWN BECAUSE YOU'RE TRANSPORTING LESS WATER TO YOUR SYSTEM. I LOOKED AT A LOT OF SAVINGS DURING THE DROUGHT. THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS FOR PUMPING AND CHEMICALS, SO I ACCOUNTED FOR PROPORTIONALLY INCREASE IN THOSE COSTS, BUT THEN THE REST OF THE SYSTEM COSTS ARE STILL NEEDING TO BE RECOVERED. NOW YOU'RE SELLING A SMALLER AMOUNT OF WATER, SO THAT'S WHY IT RESULTS IN RATE INCREASE. I'VE PROVIDED DROUGHT RATES FOR EACH YEAR, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WATER. IF THE GOVERNOR DECLARES A DROUGHT, YOU CAN REVIEW YOUR WATER SALE AND REVENUES, AND US CITY COUNCIL CAN THEN ADOPT THESE DROUGHT RATES. IF YOU CHOOSE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, IT'S OPTIONAL, BUT IT WOULD HELP REDUCE OR MITIGATE REVENUE LOST DURING THE DROUGHT SCENARIO. THE DROUGHT RATES ARE MORE AND MORE COMMON AND MORE AND MORE PUBLIC AGENCIES I WORKED FOR OR ASK FOR THEM IN THESE WATER RATES STUDIES. I WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT AS AN OPTION. >> I DO HAVE A QUESTION, ALLISON. THESE WATER DROUGHT RATES ARE 400 CUBIC FEET, EACH 100 CUBIC FEET WOULD CAUSE THAT ADDITIONAL AMOUNT DEPENDING ON THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE ARE REQUESTED TO CUT BACK FROM THE GOVERNOR. >> CORRECT. MY THINKING WAS AS A MINIMUM, YOU WOULD STAY THE SAME BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, THAT'S GOING TO EQUAL INDOOR EFFICIENT USE, THAT $50 PER PERSON PER DAY. YOU REALLY CAN'T GET BACK INTO MORE AT $50. IF YOU ARE TRULY ONLY $50 PER PERSON, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CUT BACK ANY EXCESS. BASIC FEES WITH A MINIMUM EFFICIENCY AND VOLUME WILL STAY THE SAME, AND THEN IT'S REALLY THE EXCESSES ABOVE THAT, THEN THE CHARGE PER 100 CUBIC FEET. THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE. I CAN MOVE FORWARD PLEASE. >> IF I COULD ADD BY ADOPTING THIS DROUGHT RATE SCHEDULE, AGAIN, AS ALLISON SAID, IT'S COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. IT DOES ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO ACT MUCH QUICKER IF SHOULD IT BE NEEDED SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY DECLARED, THEN IT'S SIMPLY A MATTER OF ADOPTION RATHER THAN GOING THROUGH A NEW RATE STUDY IN 218 PROCESS. >> I WOULD ASSUME THAT FOR US IT WOULD DEPEND ON THE HEALTH OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND AT THE TIME THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS OCCUR. >> YES. WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF THOSE REASONS, ONE TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH OF THE ENTERPRISE AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO SUCH AN EMERGENCY MANDATE WITHOUT A PANIC. >> YEAH, I SEE. PLEASE PROCEED, ALLISON. >> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I THINK I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF WE HAVE ANY CHANGES FOR SIRI. I DON'T THINK OF YOU SINCE THIS IS THE LAST TIME YOU SPOKE. THE SEWER FINANCIAL HEALTH IS STRONG. REVENUES ARE COVERING EXPENSES AND HAVE A HEALTHY OPERATING RESERVE, [00:50:04] ABOUT 3.5 MILLION COMPARED TO OPERATING COSTS OF ABOUT TWO MILLION. IT'S VERY HEALTHY RESERVE. THE MAIN CHALLENGES OF THE SEWER FUND ARE JUST KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION AND THEN POTENTIALLY FUNDING SOME SEWER LINE PIPELINE REPLACEMENT IS TO KEEP THE SYSTEM OPERATING IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND REPAIRING AND REPLACE AGING. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. >> LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT. REMEMBER, VINSON MARTINEZ HAS PRECEDENT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED DOWN. >> THIS CHART HAS YOUR CURRENT SEWER RATES SCHEDULE. WE HAVE VARIOUS TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES AND EACH IS BILLED MONTHLY FIXED CHARGE. IF CUSTOMERS KNOW EACH MONTH, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY DOESN'T GO UP OR DOWN, LIKE THE WATER BILL DOES. IN THIS PROCESS WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS IN EACH CATEGORY, THERE ARE NO CUSTOMERS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ELIMINATE THOSE, AND I ALSO WANTED TO DISCUSS THAT SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES ARE PER BUSINESS, AND SO THERE'S MAYBE SOME EQUITY ISSUES IF THERE'S A SMALL BUSINESS AND A LARGE BUSINESS AND THEY'RE CHARGED THE SAME AMOUNT. I THINK AN EXAMPLE I GAVE PRIOR WAS A BABY SHOP. THE BABY SHOP MAYBE HAS TWO SALOON STATIONS OR 10, BUT THEY'RE CHARGED THE SAME AMOUNT, SO THE RATES RELY ON AN AVERAGE OR TYPICAL SEWER FLOW INFORMATION. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS JUST THE REMAINDER OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMER CLASSES THAT YOU HAVE, BUT THE CALLOUT THAT AS SCHOOLS ARE BUILT ANNUALLY BASED ON AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE. REMEMBER THAT YOU DID A LOT OF WORK ON VERIFYING THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTS, AND SO I SPENT THAT TIME LIKE GAVE ME SOME SPECIAL CHARACTERS THAT THEY'RE BUILDING AN AREA WHEN I HAVE A SLIDE ABOUT THAT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE INTENT OF THE SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENTS IS TO KEEP UP WITH INFLATION FOR THE OVERALL COST OF SERVICE ACROSS THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE. BUT THEN ALSO UPDATE THE FLOW AND THE LOADING ASSESSMENTS FOR YOUR DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS. WASTEWATER. THE COST TO SERVE EACH CUSTOMER IS MADE UP OF FLOW WHICH IS THE VOLUME OF WASTEWATER, BUT ALSO THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTANTS IN EACH GALLON OF DISCHARGE. THINGS LIKE RESTAURANTS TYPICALLY HAVE A LOT OF OILS AND FATS AND GREASE THAT ARE MORE EXPENSIVE TO TREAT AND DISPOSE OF THAN MAYBE AN OFFICE WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST FLUSHING THE TOILETS OR WASHING THEIR HANDS. WE DID A LOT OF WORK UPDATING THE FLOW AND LOADING ESTIMATES, AND THAT IS THE INDUSTRY'S BEST PRACTICE AND DEFINITELY A GREAT A STUDY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT EVERYONE IS BUILD [INAUDIBLE]. THERE ARE A RANGE OF OUTCOMES FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS. SOME RATES GO DOWN, SOME RATES GO UP. THE ONES THAT GO DOWN TO ALL THE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS, FEW YEARS OF BILLING DATA JUST TO SEE HOW MUCH DO YOU REALISTICALLY THINK THOSE CUSTOMERS WERE DISCHARGING INTO THE SEWER. IN MY OPINION, SOME OF THEM ARE ORDERED A DECREASE BECAUSE THEY AREN'T FLOWING THAT MUCH INTO SEWERS, THEY'RE NOT USING THE SEWER AS MUCH TIME AND SO THEY'RE NOT SIGNIFICANT AS MUCH TO SERVE THEM. IN THIS PROCESS, WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER CLASS. A LOT OF PUBLIC AGENCIES HAVE ONE CLASS. IT'S SINGLE-FAMILY, MULTI-FAMILY, TOWN-HOMES, RV PARKS SOMETIMES. DUPLEX, TRIPLEXES ARE ALL CONSIDERED ONE RESIDENTIAL CLASS AND THAT'S THE WAY IT IS HERE IN WASCO. THE FEEDBACK AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WAS TO KEEP THAT TYPE OF STRUCTURE INSTEAD OF POTENTIALLY BREAKING APART THE CLASS INTO OTHER MULTIFAMILY CATEGORIES. SHOWN HERE IT'S THE PROPOSED RATE ADJUSTMENTS AND IT EQUATES TO ABOUT 2.7% PER YEAR JUST KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION. HERE IS THE MONTHLY SEWER BILL COMPARING WASCO'S CURRENT AND PROPOSED TYPICAL SINGLE-FAMILY BILL WITH OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES. IT'S THE SAME STORY WITH THE WATER FUND. THE WATER RATES IS THAT WASCO HAS A VERY LOW COST SERVICE AND YOUR RATES ARE VERY COMPETITIVE WITH EACH OF THIS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS AND THIS INFORMATION IS IN YOUR PACKETS AS WELL IN THE REPORT AS WELL AS THE PROPOSITION TO 18 NOTICE. [00:55:02] IT JUST ILLUSTRATES THE CHARGES FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS. AS I MENTIONED, SOME RATES ARE GOING DOWN BUT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CUSTOMER WHO'S FOLLOWING CATEGORIES OF RAISERS LIKE INFLATION DURING CRISIS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, THERE WERE NO CUSTOMERS IN THE TWO CATEGORIES IT'S THE MORTUARY WITH EMBALMING FACILITIES, PRINTING AND PUBLISHING, THE SWIMMING POOL, AND POTATO SHED AND A SEPTAGE. I THINK THAT IN ONE OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WE TALKED ABOUT A SWIMMING POOL ACCOUNT THAT SAYS DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMER CLASSIFICATION. JUST POINTING OUT THAT CATEGORY IS REALLY NICE SPLIT, BUT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THAT FACILITY IN THE SURFACE AREA. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS OF THE SCHOOLS AND ULTIMATELY SETTLED UPON A PRETTY EFFICIENT INTO OUR WATER USAGE ESTIMATES FOR THE SCHOOLS. THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF WATER THEY'RE USING INDOORS OR INFLOWS INTO THE SEWER AND THEN EXCLUDES THE OUTDOOR WATER USE. THE SCHOOL HAVE BALLS FIELD AND THAT PUTS HUGE WATER [NOISE]. YOU DON'T WANT TO CHARGE THEM BECAUSE THAT WATER DOESN'T GO INTO THIS USES. THIS IS THE PROPOSED RATE SCHEDULE. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE ABOUT A 1% RATE PER YEAR AND THEN JUNIOR HIGH WAS ABOUT 1.8 PERCENT. AGAIN, ROUGHLY INFLATION TO THE INFLATION. >> I JUST WANT TO ADD JUST FOR THE CLARITY OF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS. THIS DIDN'T CHANGE SINCE THE LAST TIME WE LOOKED AT THIS, THIS RATES HAVE REMAINED THE SAME SINCE OUR LAST CONVERSATION. >> YES. THIS IS THE SAME SLIDE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN CONDUCTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. TONIGHT, I HAVE THE RATES AND THE REPORT AND THE SAMPLE OR PROPOSITION TO 18 PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE. TONIGHT, THE ACTION ITEMS ARE TO CONSIDER THE REPORT TO EITHER ACCEPT THE REPORT OR REQUEST. IF THE REPORT IS ACCEPTED, WE WOULD ASK THAT SOME COUNSEL AUTHORIZE THE PRINTING AND MAILING OF PROPOSITION TO 18 NOTICES. THAT ALSO SET A PUBLIC HEARING DATE ON DECEMBER 20TH WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW RATES. THAT IS IF THERE'S AN ABSENCE OF A MAJORITY OF PROTESTS, SO THE CUSTOMERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE A WRITTEN PROTEST THAT THEY DO NOT WANT THE RATE CHANGED MORE THAN 50% OF THEIR PARSECS OR APPLICABLE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE TAKING SERVICES. PROTESTS THE RATES THEN COUNSEL IF YOU WANT ADOPT THE RATE OF PLAN. TO MAKE THIS ALL WORK AND GET OUR AGENDA FIRST IMPLEMENTATION DATES TO 18 NOTICES NEED TO BE MAILED IN NOVEMBER 4TH THAT IS THE DROP-DEAD DATE. THE LAST POSSIBILITY DATE TO MEET THE 45-DAY PERIOD OF FIREFIGHT PROPOSITION TO 18. TO THEN BUILD A DECEMBER 20TH HEARING BUT THEN THE IMPLEMENTATION IN JANUARY. THAT'S WHAT I HAD TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR SUPPORT OR THE STUDY OR THE PROPOSITION TO NOTICE. >> THANK YOU, ALISON. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS, MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MEMBER GARCIA. >> NON, MAYOR. THANK YOU. >> MEMBER LYNCH. >> NONE, SIR. >> MEMBER MARTINEZ? >> NOTHING, MR. MAYOR. >> WHO WILL MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE LOOKED AT THIS THOROUGHLY. IT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE CONVERSATION, THE CHARGES WE'RE GOING TO BE MUCH HIGHER. WE DECIDED TO USE 2.3 MILLION OF THE FUND BECAUSE WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND OF OVER $11 MILLION TO SUBSIDIZE THE FIRST FIVE YEARS. BUT ULTIMATELY, WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS THIS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS REQUIRED US TO USE LESS WATER. WE ARE IN THEIR MANDATE TO DO THAT AND SO WE HAVE NO CHOICE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN MANDATED BY THE STATE. AND YOU HEARD IT, THE 750 GALLONS. THAT'S THE AVERAGE THAT THEY EXPECT US TO BE WITHIN FIVE YEARS. SO THIS WILL GET US THERE. IT'LL COST MORE IF YOU USE MORE WATER. [01:00:02] IF YOU DON'T USE WATER AS MUCH, IT WON'T COST YOU THAT MUCH MORE. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE DIDN'T DO THIS LIGHTLY, THAT WE THOROUGHLY LOOKED AT IT, WE ASKED QUESTIONS. ALISON WENT BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND CHANGE THINGS SO THAT IT WOULD BE MORE, I DON'T WANT USE THE WORD FAIR TO OUR RESIDENTS AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE ENDED UP WITH. JUST FOR YOUR BENEFIT, I WANTED TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS. OKAY. I'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD. IS THERE A SECOND? >> I'LL SECOND, SIR. >> MADAM CLERK HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL. >> MAYOR REYNA? >> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> THERE'S A GOOD QUESTION FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST TO BE CERTAIN THAT DOES INCLUDE THE DROUGHT RATE SCHEDULE? >> YES. BECAUSE THAT IS AN OPTION. IT IS NOT MANDATORY. >> IS IT THE COUNCIL'S DESIRE THAT THAT BE THE MOTION? >> I'LL PULL THE COUNCIL TO INCLUDE IT. YES? >> YES. THE ANSWER IS [OVERLAPPING]. >> THE CLERK WILL MAKE A RECORD THAT IT DOES INCLUDE THE DROUGHT RATE SCHEDULE.? >> YES. IT IS NOT MANDATORY. OKAY. MADAM CLERK, THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? >> YES. MAYOR REYNA? AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA? >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH? >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? >> AYE. >> MOTION BY MAYOR REYNA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH TO APPROVE THE RE-PROPOSAL, THE DROUGHT RATE SCHEDULE AND TO PROCEED WITH NOTICE OF HEARING AND PROPOSITION TO 18. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ALLISON, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE TO GET US HERE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S AHEAD. THANK YOU. ITEM B, [12) b. Adopt a Resolution Approving Police Department Start-Up Position Job Description and Pay Range, Amended Salary Schedule, CalPERS Safety Plan, and Budget Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2022– 2023.] ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING POLICE DEPARTMENTS STARTUP POSITION AND JOB DESCRIPTION IN THE PAY RANGE. AMENDED SALARY SCHEDULE, CALIPERS SALARY PLAN, AND BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO 2023. >> ITEM B, 12B? >> YES. >> ON 12B. >> AM I OFF? [OVERLAPPING]. [LAUGHTER] >> GO BACKWARDS IN THE REPORT, BUT SINCE IT'S DOWN. >> ARE WE OKAY, MADAM CLERK? NOTHING TO BE SORRY ABOUT. ALL RIGHT. >> THIS IS BY MR. HERBERT? >> YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. BASED ON PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT STAFF HAS HAD WITH THE COUNCIL AND COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RESEARCH AND PLANNING, AND INVESTIGATION TO STAND UP OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING ESTIMATES OF COSTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS. THE REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU AND THE REQUESTS BEING MADE TONIGHT IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION BASED ON MEETINGS WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING SERGEANT SHIN AND SOME OF THE OTHERS. I THINK EVERYBODY INVOLVED BELIEVES THAT IT IS PRUDENT TO MOVE THAT WAY. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, THEY SEE A POINT IN THE FUTURE WHERE THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO POPULATE [NOISE] THE SUBSTATIONS FULLY. THEY'VE ALSO SAID TO ME THAT THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF LEAVING US HANGING. THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME. BEST ESTIMATES FROM THOSE THAT WE'VE SPOKEN WITH ARE ANYWHERE FROM 12-24 MONTHS TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER, AND THAT'S IF THINGS GO WELL WITH RECRUITMENT AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION. NONETHELESS, THE CURRENT PLAN, AS IT'S LAID OUT IN THE STAFF REPORT HERE [NOISE] CONSISTS OF FOUR STEPS. I WON'T READ THE REPORT TO YOU, BUT I'LL GO THROUGH THE HEADINGS AND WE CAN DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED. BUT THE FIRST IS TO ESTABLISH A STARTUP TEAM AND THIS IS A CORE GROUP OF STAFF THAT WILL BE FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REST OF THE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT A POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S PART OF WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR TONIGHT AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE [01:05:02] THE SELECTION OF A CHIEF OF POLICE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME. NOT NECESSARILY AN INTERIM POSITION, BUT A DEFINED AMOUNT OF TIME TO START THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TAKE THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE TRANSITION, AND ESTABLISH AN OPERATING PROCEDURES AND CULTURE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE TRANSITION IS MADE TO A NEW PERMANENT LONG-TERM CHIEF. THE SECOND WOULD BE, THIS STARTUP TEAM WOULD DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK INVOLVING JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR THESE NEW POSITIONS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED. THE PRECISE STAFFING LEVELS, POLICIES, MUNICIPAL CODE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP, APPROVALS THAT STAYED IN OTHER AGENCIES, ASSIGNMENT OF RADIO FREQUENCIES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OUTSIDE AGENCIES THAT HAVE A PIECE OF THIS PROCESS, AND IN DEVELOPING A MUCH MORE PRECISE BUDGET FOR AN ONGOING, NOT ONLY FOR STARTUP CAPITAL EXPENSES, ONE-TIME EXPENSES BUT ALSO FOR AN OPERATING BUDGET GOING FORWARD. AT THIS POINT, THE AMOUNT WE'RE PAYING FOR THE CONTRACT LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 4.4 PLUS THE ADD-ONS, 4.5 MILLION A YEAR. MY ESTIMATE FOR OPERATING OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT STARTUP WOULD BE SOMETHING NEAR FIVE MILLION, PERHAPS A BIT OVER THAT ON AN OPERATING BASIS. THAT ASSUMES THAT THE CAPITAL EXPENSES FOR OTHER START-UP COSTS ARE HANDLED THROUGH OTHER REVENUE STREAMS. THE THIRD STEP IS THIS TEAM WOULD DELIVER EACH OF THESE PLANS [NOISE] UNDER STEP 2 [NOISE]. THIRD STEP WOULD BE TO TIE DOWN AN EXACT TIMELINE WORK WITH THE CURRENT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ON A TRANSITION SCHEDULE. WE WOULD ACTUALLY THEN EMBARK ON RECRUITMENT, EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION, BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND TRAINING, AND ALL THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT TO GET US TO A PROJECTED POINT, A KNOWN DATE ON WHICH WE WOULD PLAN TO TRANSITION WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK WOULD HAPPEN DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. I ESTIMATE THE FIRST TWO STEPS AT 2-3 MONTHS EACH. THE THIRD STEP WOULD BE 6-12 MONTHS. THE FOURTH STEP WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE GO-LIVE DATE AND THAT MAY TURN OUT TO BE NOT JUST A DATE, BUT A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE WOULD COORDINATE EVEN ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND IN ESSENCE HAVE QUASI-DUAL COVERAGE FROM BOTH AGENCIES WHILE WE WERE SURE THAT ALL THE SYSTEMS PUT INTO PLACE FOR OUR AGENCY WERE ARE IN FACT RUNNING PROPERLY AND WE'RE READY TO CUT THAT CORD. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? DOES THAT SEEM CLEAR ABOUT THE PROCESS THERE? I'LL GO IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL WITH THIS STARTUP TEAM. THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO APPROVE THREE NEW POSITIONS TONIGHT THAT DON'T EXIST ON OUR SALARY SCHEDULE. ONE WOULD BE A CHIEF OF POLICE, POLICE LIEUTENANT, AND A POSITION WE'RE CALLING THE PD RECORDS ADMINISTRATOR, POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS ADMINISTRATOR. THOSE THREE POSITIONS WOULD FORM THE STARTUP TEAM AND WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR EACH OF THE TASKS REQUIRED UNTIL WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF JOINING THEM. TO DO THAT, WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL APPROVE THOSE POSITIONS BUT ALSO A SALARY SCHEDULE UPDATE THAT IS FORWARDED TO THE STATE. WE HAD A GOOD PIECE OF NEWS. THERE ARE HELPERS' SAFETY CONTRACT FROM THE PREVIOUS EXISTENCE OF A POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE IS STILL IN PLACE. IT'S NOT A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT, BUT IT CUTS OUT A STEP OF STARTING A BRAND NEW PAST CONTRACT. WE CAN GET A VARIETY OF CONTRACT PERCENTAGE OPTIONS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THAT EXISTING CONTRACT WITHOUT GOING BACK AND DOING ALL THOSE STEPS FROM SCRATCH. OUR HR DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MODELS THAT REPRESENT TRADITIONAL OR CURRENTLY USED TYPES OF CONTRACTS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEY TYPICALLY RANGE FROM ON THE HIGHER END, SOMETHING THREE PERCENT OR ABOVE AT 50, [01:10:04] DOWN TO 2.7 AT 55 OR 57. VERY FEW AGENCIES CAN ATTRACT APPLICANTS, LET ALONE RETAIN THEM, AT RATES BELOW THAT RANGE. WELL, WE MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT THAT JUST FOR THE COST DIFFERENCES, I THINK WE'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE BY TRYING TO LOWBALL THOSE RATES. WE JUST WON'T BE SUCCESSFUL IN RECRUITING FROM OTHER AGENCIES IF WE'RE NOT ABOVE SOMEWHERE, AT LEAST NEAR THE MEDIAN, IF NOT SLIGHTLY ABOVE. AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE NUMEROUS STEPS THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO YOU IN MUCH, MUCH MORE DETAIL ON WHICH PLANS WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AND WHAT THE EXACT COST OF THE CITY FOR THOSE PLANS WILL BE. YOU ARE NOT APPROVING THOSE PLANS TONIGHT. YOU'RE APPROVING STAFF TO GO RESEARCH THEM AND GET QUOTES FROM CALPERS. THAT'S ALL. THE FOURTH STEP IS TO APPROPRIATE SUFFICIENT FUNDING BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE '22, '23 FISCAL BUDGET THAT YOU ADOPTED. THAT WILL BE BROUGHT OVER FROM ARPA FUNDS. IT TURNS OUT THAT ARPA FUNDS, THIS IS AN ALLOWABLE USE. YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL VERBIAGE IN YOUR REPORT THAT POINTS THAT OUT. THIS IS ONE-TIME MONEY, AND A PERMANENT OPERATING BUDGET WOULD BE ESTABLISHED IF NECESSARY FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AT MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. THEN FOR THE '23, '24 OPERATING BUDGET, WE WOULD HAVE MORE OF A STABLE BUDGETARY NUMBER FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND ALSO APPROVE, SO YES. >> THAT WOULD BE DONE FOR ACCOUNTING PURPOSES FOR ARPA FUNDS? >> YES, IT'LL BE A TRUE APPROPRIATION INSTEAD OF COMING, WELL, AND ALONG WITH IT, I GUESS I SHOULD POINT OUT THERE'S MORE DETAIL LOWER IN THE REPORT OR FURTHER IN THE REPORT. BUT, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE STRONG RECOMMENDATION IS TO CREATE A NEW DIVISION WITHIN OUR GENERAL FUND TO HOUSE BOTH REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SEPARATE FROM THE CURRENT CONTRACT LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES BUDGET CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THAT KEEPS THAT AREA OF ACCOUNTING UNENCUMBERED, GIVES US A PLACE IF WE RECEIVE GRANT FUNDS OR OTHER REVENUES, TRANSFERS FROM MEASURE X, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT. THEN IT GIVES IT A SEPARATE PLACE FOR THOSE FUNDS TO LAND AND NOT BE CO-MINGLED WITH OTHER OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. >> IT'S LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO. >> I BELIEVE SO. THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL TO DO TONIGHT AS TO CREATE THIS NEW DIVISION WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND AND PROVE THE APPROPRIATION OF ARPA FUNDS TO SEE THAT BUDGET. IN YOUR REPORT, YOU SEE THE THREE CATEGORIES OR THREE NEW POSITIONS, THE CATEGORY THAT THEY FALL INTO ON OUR SALARY SCHEDULE, AND THE PROPOSED INITIAL RANGES. THE FIRST TWO, POLICE CHIEF AND THE POLICE LIEUTENANT, BOTH BE CONTRACT POSITION SIMILAR TO OUR DIRECTORS AND DEPUTY DIRECTORS. THOSE WILL BE HANDLED ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS. THE PD RECORDS ADMINISTRATOR IS A NON-EXEMPT POSITION. YOU HAVE AN EXISTING RANGE THAT IS APPROPRIATE. HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL END UP BEING A CONFIDENTIAL POSITION, MEANING IT WON'T BE SUBJECT TO THE MOU MUCH LIKE IN HR POSITION WHERE THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THAT INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE EXEMPTED FROM THAT. THAT MAY CHANGE, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE BEST INFORMATION TODAY IS THAT'S THE CATEGORY IT WILL FALL INTO. IN YOUR REPORT, I REPEAT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CALPERS CONTRACT, AND THEN WE GET TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET. IN YOUR REPORT, IT'S BROKEN INTO THREE CATEGORIES, PERSONNEL, CAPITAL EXPENSE, AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD. THE PERSONNEL COST IS FOR THOSE THREE POSITIONS, ASSUMING WE CAN HIRE THEM VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS A WORST-CASE BUDGET TO COVER US THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF '23. IF WE HIRE ALL THREE POSITIONS AT SOMETHING ABOVE THE MEDIAN OF EACH OF THOSE RANGES. [01:15:07] CAPITAL EXPENSE, AGAIN, IS BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE. I BELIEVE THAT OUR CAPITAL EXPENSES CAN BE MODERATED SOMEWHAT BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE 30TH. WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED THREE POLICE CRUISERS FOR A STAFF OF TWO. WE PROBABLY DO NEED UNIFORMS FOR THE TWO SWORN OFFICERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO HIRE. WE'RE LOOKING AT TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS, EITHER IN THE FORM OF A CONVERSION OF ONE OR TWO OF THE ROOMS AT THE OLD COURTHOUSE OR AN ACQUISITION OF A MOBILE OFFICE THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THREE PEOPLE TO WORK IN FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THE COST OF THOSE OPTIONS IS, THE COURTHOUSE IS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER, A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT SOME CHANGES OR BUILDING OFFICIAL POINTED OUT SOME INADEQUACIES IN THE COURTHOUSE, INCLUDING PANIC HARDWARE ON THE EXIT DOORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE'LL BE SOME RETROFITTING NECESSARY TO HAVE PEOPLE HOUSED THERE FULL-TIME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COST OF RENTING OR LEASING, OR EVEN PURCHASING MOBILE TRAILER OFFICES HAS ESCALATED IN A REALLY SCARY WAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND IN FACT, MOST OF THE SUPPLIERS WE'VE SPOKEN TO WILL NOT SELL THEM. THEY ONLY WILL LEASE BECAUSE THE INVENTORY IS BEING IMPACTED BY SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE OUT THERE. THEY'RE JUST RARE, AND IT'S HOW THEY MAKE MONEY. THE NUMBER THERE TURNS OUT TO BE 597,000 ROUND NUMBERS. THE REQUEST FOR THE APPROPRIATION OF RPA FUNDS IS FOR 600,000 JUST TO HANDLE ANY CONTINGENCIES THERE. THAT IS FROM A CURRENT BALANCE OF SOMETHING ABOVE THREE-AND-A-HALF MILLION IN THE ARPA FUND BALANCE. I THINK OUR UP-FRONT COSTS OF OPERATING THE DEPARTMENT, WE DO HAVE THIS SITUATION WITH ARPA, AND I THINK IT WILL BE INVALUABLE IN HELPING US GET OFF THE GROUND WITH THEIR DEPARTMENTS. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO USE THE ARPA FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE. I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING HERE. THE FISCAL IMPACT, AS POINTED OUT, NO IMMEDIATE IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND VERSUS THE ADOPTED BUDGET THAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER. THOSE FUNDS WOULD COME IN DIRECTLY FROM ARPA, SO IT WOULDN'T AFFECT ANY OF OUR OTHER DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS. WE ARE SEEING I HAD A MEETING WITH OUR TAX CONSULTANT TODAY. WE'RE SEEING WHAT WE REFERRED TO AS A PLATEAU. THERE IS NOT A REDUCTION IN OUR REVENUE STREAM, BUT IT IS MODERATING. WE'VE GONE THROUGH A RECOVERY PHASE. WE'VE DONE BETTER THAN MOST OF OUR PEERS HERE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AS FAR AS A RECOVERY OF OUR REVENUE RATES FROM A SALES TAX STANDPOINT, AND MEASURE X FUNDS ARE OUTPERFORMING OUR INITIAL PROJECTIONS, SO THAT'S ENCOURAGING. BUT SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF STUDY AND A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE SPENDING NOW FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT GETS US A LONG WAY TOWARD BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE AND SUSTAINABLY OPERATE AROUND POLICE DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU, MR. HURLBERT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? STEPHEN CAMP, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS? >> I DON'T HAVE A COMMENT. >> THANK, YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MEMBER P. PALLARES >> NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MEMBER GARCIA? >> ASIDE FROM AGREEMENT WITH THIS HUGE INVESTMENT, I THINK IT'S A LONG TIME COMING. I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE USE OF THESE ARPA FUNDS. THANK YOU. >> MEMBER LYNCH. >> I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE PURSE FOR RETIREMENT THING, WHICH ARE YOU RECOMMENDING ONE IN PARTICULAR? [01:20:06] >> NOT YET. >> FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING IS, IS THE PERCENTAGE AT RETIREMENT, THEY MENTIONED THERE'S THREE PERCENT AT 55 AND THINGS LIKE THAT. >> RIGHT, AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE AUDIENCE THAT MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HOW RPA PENSIONS WORK. THE PLANS ARE REFERRED TO AS TWO PERCENT AT THIS AGE OR THREE PERCENT OF THAT AGE. THAT IS THE FORMULA THAT'S USED IF A PERSON RETIRES AFTER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, THAT 20 IS MULTIPLIED BY THAT PERCENTAGE, AND THAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR FINAL OR IN SOME CASE IS HIGHEST BASE PAY DURING EMPLOYMENT TRANSLATES TO THEIR PENSION AMOUNT GOING FORWARD. FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S TYPICALLY BEEN IN THE THREE PERCENT RANGE, 2.5-3.5. FOR NON-SAFETY PLANS, IT'S TYPICALLY TWO PERCENT. AT 50 UNDER NEW RETIREMENT AND REFORM LAWS, IT'S TWO PERCENT AND 57, I BELIEVE. SOME OF THE SAFETY FORMULAS HAVE CHANGED AS WELL. UNTIL WE HAVE THOSE QUOTES IN HAND, I HOPE THAT I CAN RECOMMEND THE 2.7 JUST BECAUSE IT'S A LOWER COST BASIS. BUT IF THE RESEARCH THAT THE STARTUP TEAM DOES TELLS US WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NEW QUALITY OFFICERS AT THAT RATE, THEN WE PROBABLY WILL COME BACK AND ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THE THREE PERCENT RATIO. FOR NEW OFFICERS, IT'S GOING TO BE THE HIGHER AGE RANGE, 57, PROBABLY. FOR CLASSIC MEMBERS THAT ARE STILL OUT THERE DOING IT AND WANT TO COME OVER AT MAYBE THREE PERCENT AT 50. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT FULLY ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. >> YOU'RE SAYING 2.7. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? >> THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING. BUT I CAN'T DEPEND ON MY OWN KNOWLEDGE AT THIS POINT. I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE RESEARCH TO FIND OUT WHAT THE MARKET IS OUT THERE. I'M GOING TO BE RELYING ON THIS STARTUP TEAM TO HELP GET THAT INFORMATION. >> THAT'S ALL I HAD. >> THANK YOU. THE WAY I'M TAKING THAT IS THAT THE TEAM IS GOING TO DO THE INVESTIGATION, BRING YOU THE NUMBERS, AND THEN THAT'LL BE EASIER TO SLIDE OR PROPOSE SOMETHING FOR US. >> CORRECT. >> I WILL MAKE SOME COMMENTS. I DO WANT TO COMMEND YOU HIGHLY. >> OKAY. >> I'M SORRY. >> I HAVE NO COMMENTS. [LAUGHTER] >> I APOLOGIZE. I FORGOT HE HAD RETURNED OR ACTUALLY COME IN. MY APOLOGIES, MR. >> IT'S OKAY. [NOISE] >> I COMMEND YOU HIGHLY FOR MOVING FORWARD SO SWIFTLY TO GET US TO THIS POINT. AS YOU KNOW, A FEW MONTHS BACK, I ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF A STEERING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET SEVERAL CONSIDERED OCCASIONS AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER INFORMATION OF THESE THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, STARTUP COSTS IN REGARDS TO EQUIPMENT AND START UP COST IN REGARDS TO PERSONNEL, WHICH I PROVIDED TO YOU IN SEPTEMBER THE 16TH. THIS IS NO EASY TASK, BUT IT CAN BE DONE. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MOVE SWIFTLY IN THIS DIRECTION BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT WILL GET US A LONG WAY TO GAIN BACK CONFIDENCE, I BELIEVE, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. THIS IS NO REFLECTION TO THE SEARCH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAY THAT. I HAVE HIGHEST THEME FOR WHAT DO YOU DO, BUT THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS SOLVING AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD TO SOLVE IT. THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THAT ARE PRESENT HERE. ACTUALLY, FOUR OF THEM. BILLY COLEMAN IS ONE OF THEM. BILLY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? >> NO. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. >> IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT COME TO THE MIC. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY TO SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR MOVING ALONG. THERE'S A LOT BEEN HAPPENING IN WASCO. APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT IS DOING. BUT I THINK THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING AND GOING. THANK YOU. >> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. [01:25:01] >> SARAH NICOLE, SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE AND HAS SERVED WELL. OF COURSE, VINSON MARTINEZ AND MYSELF ARE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL SO WE ARE ONLY MISSING THREE OF US. >> TRACEY IS HERE. >> TRACEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, TRACEY? I'VE BEEN LOOKING THAT WAY AND I DIDN'T SEE YOU. SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF OUR COMMITTEE. AGAIN, THANK YOU, SCOTT, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE TO GET US HERE AND THIS COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE. MAYBE WE CAN SERVE SOME PURPOSE AND ADVISING IN THE FUTURE AS WELL, LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD IN SOME WAY WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP. WE'RE NOT DISBANDING BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU. THERE WAS NO COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS, SO I'LL MOVE THIS FORWARD. IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> MADAM CLERK, THERE IS A MOTION AND IT'S BEEN SECOND WOULD PLEASE CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL. JUST TO ENSURE FOR THE RECORD, WHAT IS BEING APPROVED IS THE CREATION OF THREE POSITIONS AS NOTED IN THE REPORT WITH THEIR APPROPRIATE SALARY RANGES, AN UPDATE TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE WHICH WILL BE POSTED, NEGOTIATIONS AND REQUESTS FOR QUOTES FROM CALPERS FOR A NUMBER OF NEW SAFETY CONTRACT OPTIONS, AN APPROPRIATION OF $600,000 OF RPA FUNDS TO BE PLACED INTO THE NEWLY CREATED, AN APPROVED TO BE CREATED DIVISION OF OUR GENERAL FUND CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. >> MY MOTION IS FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? >> I'M SORRY, MAYOR, WHO SECONDED? >> I DID. >> MR. MARTINEZ. >> THANK YOU. >> MAYOR REYNA. >> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. >> AYE. >> MOTION BY MAYOR REYNA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS MENTIONED, MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ITEM C. ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPOINTING MARIO JUAREZ. [12) c. Adopt a Resolution Appointing Mario Juarez as an Extra Help Retired Annuitant under Government Code Sections 7522.56 and 21224 and approving employment agreement with a compensation of $23.5194 per hour and a length of term not to exceed 960 hours per CalPERS Rules.] IT'S AN EXTRA HELP RETIRED ANNUITANT UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 7522 PERIOD 56 AND 21224 IN APPROVING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH A COMPENSATION OF 23.5194 PER HOUR IN A LENGTH OF TERM NOT TO EXCEED 960 HOURS PER CALIPERS RULES, MR. ALBERT? >> YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, PREVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED A THIRD TRANSIT DRIVER POSITION. IT WAS ALWAYS ANTICIPATED TO BE FILLED WITH A PART TIME DRIVER AND ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR THAT WAS TO HELP RELIEVE THE OTHER TWO FULL TIME DRIVERS TO ACCOMMODATE VACATION AND SICK LEAVE AND SO FORTH AND TO HAVE A BACKUP DRIVER AVAILABLE FOR HIGH TRAFFIC EVENTS THAT MIGHT TAKE PLACE. WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MR. JUAREZ BE INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION, HE'S EXPERIENCED, HE'S COMING OVER FROM ANOTHER CALIPERS AGENCY, HOWEVER. HE'S SUBJECT TO THE RETIRED ANNUITANT RULES, WHICH FITS RIGHT IN WITH OUR REQUIREMENT FOR A PART TIME. THIS IS A MAXIMUM OF HALF TIME OVER THE COURSE OF A TWELVE MONTH PERIOD, THEREFORE, AN HOURLY RATE EMPLOYEE, NONE OF THE OTHER STANDARD BENEFIT PACKAGE ITEMS WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO HIS HOURS OF WORK. HE'S AVAILABLE TO START SOON, NOT SOON ENOUGH FOR OUR CITY CLERK, BUT HE'S AVAILABLE AND EXCITED TO START WORK HERE. THERE'S A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REARRANGEMENT DOESN'T ACCIDENTALLY TRIP OVER ANY OF THE CALIPERS RULES FOR A RETIRED ANNUITANT. YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT AND WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS RESOURCE THAT WE'RE USING THAT SAME REGARD. IT TAKES PROCESS, BUT APPROVAL OF THIS APPOINTMENT IS THE FIRST STEP AND THEN WE CAN GET STARTED ON GETTING HIM ON BOARD. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CITY CLERK, I'M SURE WE CAN ANSWER. >> THANK YOU, MR. ALBERT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS, [01:30:02] MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES? >> NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >> MEMBER GARCIA. >> NO COMMENTS. > THANK YOU. >> MEMBER LYNCH. >> NO COMMENTS, SIR. >> MEMBER MARTINEZ? >> NO COMMENTS. >> I DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. >> MOVED, SIR. SECOND. >> MADAM CLERK, IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? >> MAYOR REYNA. >> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH. >> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. >> AYE. >> MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER LYNCH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION. MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. ITEM 13 REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. CURRENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, MEMBER GARCIA. >> NO, THIS WAS THE LAST MEETING. >> THANK YOU. CURRENT COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT. NO MEETINGS SINCE WE LAST MET. I BELIEVE I HAVE A MEETING THIS THURSDAY. WASCO TASKFORCE THAT THE WASCO TASKFORCE HAS NOT MET. OUR COMMITTEE DID MEET LAST WEDNESDAY. YOU HEARD ALREADY WHEN I SAID, SO I WON'T ELABORATE ON THAT ANY FURTHER. REPORTS FROM KERN COUNTY FIRE? [14) a. Kern County Fire Department] MR. APPLETON? HOW ARE YOU? >> GIVE ME AN HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I GOT TO BE QUICK BECAUSE WE GAVE A FIRE OFF TO GO TO JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW FOR SEPTEMBER, WE HAD 228 TOTAL INCIDENTS IN THIS CITY OF WASCO. SEVENTEEN FIRES IN 155 MEDICAL AIDS AND VEHICLE COLLISIONS FOR THE MONTH. OTHER THAN THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT FOR TODAY. ANY QUESTIONS? >> NO. PLEASE GO. [LAUGHTER] >> BE SAFE, SIR. >> BE SAFE, SIR. >> THANK YOU FOR COMING. >> THANK YOU. SERGEANT SHIN. [14) b. Kern County Sheriff’s Department] >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TONIGHT UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T ABLE TO PREPARE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN A COUPLE OF CALLS FOR SERVICE AND HAD A MEETING LATER THIS EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. BUT TO BE BLUNT, I THINK A LOT OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN [OVERLAPPING] >> CAN YOU SPEAK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT? >> PART OF THE ISSUES WE'VE ALREADY HAD ALREADY BEEN DISSEMINATED TO YOURSELVES AND THE PUBLIC AND DISCUSSED BROADLY. COUPLE THINGS I WANT TO JUST OBVIOUSLY JUST TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TAKING THE RECENT VIOLENCE IN AND OUT IN AND AROUND OUR COMMUNITY EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY. WE ARE INVESTIGATING ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS. AT THIS TIME THERE'S NOT MUCH INFORMATION THAT WE'RE WILLING TO RELEASE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN ONE OF OUR RECENT, NOT THE ONES THAT ARE INCIDENTS IN THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS, BUT ONE OF OUR LESS RECENT HOMICIDE, THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN A MAJOR BREAK IN THE CASE. HOPEFULLY, I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE INFORMATION WITH EVERYONE FOR THE NEXT MEETING. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHOW EVERYBODY THAT INFORMATION THAT WE PUT OUT THERE THROUGH OUR PIO AND THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER IT IS NOT DONE SO LIGHTLY. INFORMATION RELEASE ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE THREATS TO OUR KIDS AND THE COMMUNITIES AND AFTER-SCHOOL EVENTS IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK INTO THOROUGHLY BEFORE MAKING ANY STATEMENT LIKE THAT. I HOPE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN WHEN I MAKE THOSE STATEMENTS THAT WE ARE HERE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY GO UNINTERRUPTED. HOPEFULLY, WE ARE ABLE TO GET BACK TO OUR SPORTS AND WE WILL DEFINITELY AS THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PROVIDE AS MUCH SECURITY AS POSSIBLE TO TRY TO MAKE THE HIGH-SCHOOL AND THE ATTENDEES COMFORTABLE. ALTHOUGH AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE STILL HAVE NO CREDIBLE THREATS TO OUR SCHOOLS OR ANY OF OUR AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. BUT WE'RE STILL HERE TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE AS [01:35:01] POSSIBLE DURING THESE EVENTS GOING FORWARD. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S IT'S BEEN CRAZY PAST COUPLE DAYS HAVE BEEN TON OF ARRESTS MADE AND YOU'LL SEE IN THE ONCOMING ARREST LOGS, BUT THERE'S JUST A LOT THAT I COULD REPORT ON. UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE I SAID, I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TOGETHER DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN A LOT OF THEM. BUT I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU'D LIKE ANY CLARIFICATION ON STUFF. BUT LIKE I SAID, AS FAR AS OUR MORE RECENT MAJOR INCIDENTS, WE ARE INVESTIGATING THEM. WE ARE AVAILABLE IF ANYBODY IS WANTING TO PROVIDE US INFORMATION, WE'D LOVE FOR THEM TO CALL US AT 661-861-3110. LET US KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYTHING AND WE ARE LOOKING INTO EVERYTHING. WITH THAT I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS FOR SERGEANT SHIN? >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST HAVE A COMMENT ALONG HIS LINES OF THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY PUT OUT THAT STATEMENT SAYING THAT THERE IS NO CREDIBLE THREAT TO OUR SCHOOLS, CHILDREN, PUBLIC EVENTS. I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CITY LEADERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM OTHER AGENCIES. I'M SURE SCOTT HAS BEEN. I HAVE BEEN AS WELL. THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME FROM SHAFT OR PD, MCFARLAND PD, DELANO PD. THERE IS NO CREDIBLE THREAT TO THESE PEOPLE COMMITTING A VIOLENT ACTS AT OUR PUBLIC EVENTS. THOSE ARE ALL AT THIS TIME, INTERNET RUMORS. THEY'VE BEEN ACTUALLY INVESTIGATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. HOPEFULLY, WE CAN NOT LIVE IN FEAR OF GANGS, BUT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS THERE ARE ONLY AS EFFECTIVE AS THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE, THEY NEED LEADS TO FIND EVIDENCE AND THEY NEED EVIDENCE TO PROSECUTE THESE CASES. EVERYBODY THAT HAS YOUR RING DOORBELL CAMERAS, ALL THAT STUFF, BE IN CONTACT WITH SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND HELP THEM. WE CAN'T LIVE IN FEAR OF THESE GANG MEMBERS ANYMORE. >> THANK YOU, MEMBER MARTINEZ. I ECHO ALL THAT MY MESSAGE THAT WAS PUT OUT. IT'S THE SAME. WE CANNOT GIVE IN TO FEAR. WE CANNOT BE SPREADING RUMORS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS RUMORS COSTS SO MANY THINGS TO STOP HAPPENING WITHIN OUR CITY AND THAT ONLY ELEVATED THE VOLUME OF THE FEAR THAT PEOPLE WERE FEELING. BECAUSE WHEN YOU CANCEL ALL OF THESE EVENTS, PEOPLE SAY WHAT AMOUNT MUST BE TRUE. MUST BE TRUE, ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THEY'RE BEING SAID. WHILE I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S CONCERNS, I THINK THAT SHARING ALL OF THIS RUMORS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE, DID NOT HELP AT ALL. BUT IN ANY CASE. THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND. SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CANNOT SHARE INFORMATION WHEN YOU'RE DOING INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THAT MAY IMPEDE YOUR INVESTIGATION. IF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ALL THE GORY DETAILS AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON WE CAN'T SHARE THEM. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN RESOLVE THIS ISSUES SOON AND WHEN YOU ARE REPORTING RIGHT NOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO. THERE IS ALREADY AN IDENTIFIED CRIMINAL THAT YOU'RE MOVING ON. THE SOLUTION IS COMING AT LEAST FOR THAT ONE PARTICULAR ONE. I KNOW IN THE LONG RUN, YOU CATCH THESE CRIMINALS THAT HAS BEEN THE RESULT OF YOUR INVESTIGATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> NO, I APOLOGIZE. >> I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>THANK YOU SCOTT. REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER. [15) REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER] >> HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MOSTLY EVENTS, BUT I DID WANT TO, ALSO FOR THE RECORD, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT TOO LATE. THERE IS A TYPO ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT STARTUP STAFF REPORT. IT WAS ACTUALLY A DRAFT FORM ON OCTOBER 4TH, IT WAS HELD OVER TO TONIGHT'S MEETING. THE DATE AT THE TOP OF THAT STAFF REPORT SHOULD BE TONIGHT'S DATE, NOT OCTOBER 4TH. WE CAN NOTE THAT ON THE MINUTES IF NECESSARY, JUST A PERSONALITY FLAW I HAVE, TO NOTICE THOSE THINGS. BUT GETTING ON WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, THE ACTUAL CITY MANAGER ANNOUNCEMENTS. THERE ARE A BUNCH OF EVENTS COMING UP, AND THAT REALLY IS THE BASIS OF MY REPORT TONIGHT. BEGINNING ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT, 6:00 PM, 10:31, WILL BE THE TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT. BARKER PARK REC BUILDING PARKING LOT IS THE GENERAL AREA WHERE THAT WILL BE OCCURRING. NEXT WOULD BE, THERE'S A, I BELIEVE YOU'VE ALL BEEN NOTIFIED, IF YOU HAVEN'T RSVP-ED YET, A STAFF EVENT HERE THAT INVOLVES THE JUDGING OF STAFF COSTUMES, WHICH IS ALSO ON HALLOWEEN IN A DAY, [01:40:06] 11:30 AM, AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD. ANY AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT DARE SHOW UP WILL BE RECRUITED AS JUDGES FOR THAT [LAUGHTER] CONTEST. >> ARE YOU GUYS ALL GOING TO DRESS UP AS YOUR FAVORITE COUNCIL MEMBER? >> YES. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU MAY WANT TO CHANGE YOUR ANSWER [LAUGHTER] AFTER KNOWING THAT. NEXT ITEM, NOVEMBER 19TH, IS THE COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY, 8:00 AM, AT BARKER PARK, THERE WILL BE A FLYER COMING OUT SOON THAT'S STILL A LITTLE WAYS AWAY. NUMBER 4, EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION LUNCH, IF YOU RECALL, THAT WAS AN EVENT LAST YEAR THAT WAS HELD AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD. SIMILAR FORMAT THIS YEAR, COUNCIL IS VERY MUCH INVITED TO COME AND GO AS YOUR SCHEDULES MIGHT ALLOW, 11:30, AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD ON DECEMBER 1ST. YOU'LL BE GETTING ADDITIONAL REMINDERS ABOUT THAT AS WELL. NEXT IS DECEMBER 3RD, THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. WORKING ON DETAILS THERE. SHARON MENTIONED THAT THAT WAS COMING. WE HOPE AND INTEND TO HAVE OUR SLED FLOAT PUT BACK INTO PARADE SHAPE. WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES, AND HAVE THAT AS AN ENTRY. LASTLY, THE TOYS FOR TIGERS EVENT COMING DECEMBER 5TH, 6:00 PM, AT THE ELKS LODGE, WHICH I GUESS IS A NEW LOCATION FOR THAT EVENT. NONETHELESS THAT'S WHERE IT IS, AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MUCH MORE IN THE WAY OF DETAILS, FLYERS, ETC, THAT WILL HIT YOUR INBOX OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THAT'S IT. >> THANK YOU MR. HERBERT. [16) REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL] REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR PRO TEM PALLARES. >> NO REPORT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MEMBER GARCIA? >> NO, I JUST WANT TO SEND MY THANKS AGAIN TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE TO A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY OVER THE LAST WEEK. IT SEEMS THESE KIND OF ACTIVITIES ALWAYS TEND TO HAPPEN WHEN I'M OUT OF TOWN AND JUST ADD A LOT OF ANXIETY TO MY STRESS WHEN I'M AWAY. BUT IN ANY CASE, I WAS HAPPY WITH THE RESPONSE FROM OUR CITY LEADERS ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR STATE LEADERS, AND I'D ASK THAT WE JOIN IN SENDING A LETTER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, JOINING CALLS MADE BY OUR STATE SENATOR HURTADO REQUESTING RESOURCES AND AID FOR OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS IN THIS TIME. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ALSO MAYBE EVEN TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK FOR SUPPORT FOR OUR PERSPECTIVE OWN POLICE SERVICES. THAT PROSPECT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF MONEY, AND I WOULD ALSO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO LOBBY OUR STATE SENATORS AND STATE LEADERS TO SUPPORT US IN THAT ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >> THANK YOU, GARCIA. MEMBER LYNCH? >> ON ROMERO, I'VE BEEN ON VACATION IN THE STATE OF COLORADO, FOR THE LAST 10 DAYS, JUST GOT BACK THIS AFTERNOON. I ATTENDED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT MONTROSE, COLORADO, AND GAVE THEM GREETINGS FROM THE CITY OF WASCO, AND THEY RETURNED THEM. I HAD A GOOD TIME. THREE-AND-A-HALF HOUR MEETING. >> REALLY? >> LONG MEETING. >> I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. [LAUGHTER] >> I WAS READY TO GO TO SLEEP WHEN I GOT HOME. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. [LAUGHTER] >> IT'S GOOD THING THAT THIS IS NOT ROTARY, OTHERWISE WE WOULD FINE YOU. [LAUGHTER] LET'S SEE, MEMBER MARTINEZ. >> I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT. >> THANK YOU. WELL, ALONG THE LINES OF REACHING OUT TO OUR LEADERS, I SPOKE TO STEVEN KEMP, OVER THE PHONE REGARDING POLICE STARTUP, AND OUR CONGRESSMAN VALADAO, IS PUTTING A REQUEST FOR $50 MILLION, THAT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED AS GRANT TO SMALL MUNICIPALITIES. I BELIEVE IT WAS 25,000- >> [BACKGROUND]. >> HOPEFULLY THAT WILL PASS, AND THAT WOULD MEAN SOME MONEY AVAILABLE FOR US. BUT I KNOW THAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE, AS MEMBER GARCIA MENTIONED, FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES, SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO REACH OUT TO ANYBODY THAT CAN EXTEND THEIR HAND AND SAY, "HERE, TAKE THIS FROM US," BECAUSE WE CAN USE IT. >> YES. >> ANYWAY, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT YOU HAVE [01:45:04] A TIMELINE FOR ALL OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU REPORT MR. [INAUDIBLE] REGARDING THE POLICE STARTUP. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALSO, ONCE THE THEME IS IN PLACE, AN ESTIMATED TIMELINE. I KNOW YOU DID MENTION SOME OF THESE THINGS MIGHT TAKE LONGER THAN WE MIGHT THINK, BUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PUTTING A TIMELINE AS TO THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE BY WHAT DATE, WHETHER IT BE A YEAR, A YEAR-AND-A-HALF, WHATEVER THAT IS, SO THAT WE HAVE TARGETS TO GET COMPLETED BY A CERTAIN DATE. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, COULD JUST BE A SIMPLE CHART, AND THAT WAY WE HAVE SOMETHING TO VISUALIZE THAT WE NEED TO GET THERE BY A CERTAIN TIME. DOES THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU? >> IT DOES. >> I DO WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU. WE DID HAVE THE ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST HARVEST FESTIVAL, ON SUNDAY. IT WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY, AND LOTS OF GOOD FOOD, LOTS OF LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE, AND THEY SPOKE ABOUT HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE OCCURRING IN THE CITY. THEY REALIZED THEMSELVES THAT THEY WERE PART OF THE PROBLEM IN SHARING INFORMATION THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT. I TALKED TO A LADY WHO TALKED ABOUT THE INCIDENT ON 7TH AND 8TH STREET, AND SHE WAS POSITIVELY SURE, BECAUSE SHE KNEW THE INDIVIDUAL THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HAD DONE SOME HARM TO HIM WHEN IT WAS NOT THE CASE. I THINK IT'S NOW OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD A GUN DISCHARGED IN HIS POCKET AND GOT INJURED BY IT. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID A FEW MOMENTS AGO. I SAID WE ALL PLAY A ROLE IN LOWERING THE VOLUME OF THESE THINGS, LIKE SPEAKING OUT THE TRUTH, WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON OUT THERE. YOU HEARD IT FROM MEMBER MARTINEZ, YOU HEARD IT FROM SERGEANT SHIN, AND I WANT TO SAY IT, THERE'S NO CREDIBLE THREAT TO ANY ONE ORGANIZATION, ANY SCHOOLS, SIMPLY NOTHING LIKE THAT. SO WE NEED TO, I THINK, BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE THIS MIGHT OCCUR AGAIN AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SETTING THIS PRECEDENCE THAT WILL TAKE US DOWN THIS PATH OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CRIME AND THEY'RE COMMITTING CRIMES AGAINST EACH OTHER, NOT AGAINST OUR COMMUNITIES, AT LARGE, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S FEARS. WE DON'T HAVE CLOSED SESSION. >> NO WE DO NOT. >> DON'T BE SO SAD ABOUT IT. >> [LAUGHTER] NO, I'M JUST SURPRISED. [BACKGROUND] NO, I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND UPSET. THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE NEW FACES HERE, THANK YOU. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. [NOISE] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.