Apr 01, 2025 City Council

[00:00:05]

[INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THE TIME IS 06:01PM. MADAM CLERK,

[1) CALL TO ORDER]

SALUTE. PLEDGE.

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO LEAD US IN INVOCATION? IF NOT, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AND WE'LL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON.

[5) APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

SO MOVED. AND I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MEMBER MARTINEZ. SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SALDAÑA ABSENT.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM SEVEN. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

[7) PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO MINUTES. A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES WILL BE ALLOWED FOR ANY ONE SUBJECT.

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

BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS. THE BROWN ACT DOES NOT ALLOW ACTION OR DISCUSSION ON ITEMS NOT IN THE AGENDA, SUBJECT TO NARROW EXCEPTIONS. THIS WILL LIMIT A COUNCIL MEMBER'S RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS DURING THIS COMMENT PERIOD.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NOBODY TODAY.

[INAUDIBLE]. SHE'S ON THE ROAD. COULD WE ALLOW HER A TIME WHEN SHE GETS HERE? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. SURE. OKAY. MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS.

THERE SHE IS. OH, OKAY. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION BECAUSE WE JUST APPROVED THE AGENDA AS FORM. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE ON. SO IF YOU CAN STAY ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION.

OKAY. [INAUDIBLE]. PUBLIC COMMENTS, VERONICA.

I HEAR I HEAR YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SO WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU.

OH, I'M SO SORRY. NO YOU'RE GOOD. I WOULD LIKE FIVE RIGHT TODAY BECAUSE I WAS BUSY PUTTING ON A BIG SHOW TRYING TO ADDRESS THE CITY OF WASCO.

HOPEFULLY I DID, BUT I WANTED TO THANK EVERY ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, HONORABLE MAYOR VALENTIN MEDINA AND CITY MANAGER SCOTT HURLBURT, AND OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR KERI COBB, AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, LUIS VILLA, WHO CAME AND FOR US CAME IN FOR US AT THE LAST MINUTE WITH OUR STREET CLOSURE APPLICATION PERMIT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND MARIA HAS A PRESENTATION THAT SHE PUT TOGETHER OF US FOR ME, SOME PICTURES. AND I SEE. HOW DOES THIS WORK? HIT PLAY. THE ARROW. THE ARROW AND POINT IT OVER HERE ON THIS.

RIGHT HERE. THIS LITTLE ARROW. THE LITTLE ARROW.

OKAY. SORRY, GUYS. I'M NOT TECHNOLOGICALLY. I CAN WRITE, BUT NOT TECHNOLOGICALLY SAVVY.

[INAUDIBLE]. PROBABLY NEEDS BATTERIES. NO IT HASN'T.

IT'S WORKING. PROBABLY NEEDS A GOOD BATTERY. IT'S ON.

IT'S FULL BATTERY. OH. CAN YOU MANUALLY DO IT FROM YOUR KEYBOARD? BUT THE EVENT WAS A SUCCESS, AND I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

[00:05:04]

WE HAD ONE ARTIST WHO SOLD OVER $2,700. HE SOLD IN ART.

JOSE SILVA, AND HE NORMALLY PARTICIPATES IN THE COLORS FESTIVAL AND THE COLORS FESTIVAL HAS A TEN YEAR HISTORY.

OUR INAUGURAL EVENT ART FESTIVAL FIRST YEAR HE SOLD TWO PAINTINGS AT $1,200 EACH AND SOLD SOME OTHER SMALLER PAINTINGS FOR A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS, BUT HE SOLD ALMOST $3,000 IN ART, SO THAT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR HIM AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES FROM THE EVENT.

WE HAD AZTEC DANCERS, BALLET [INAUDIBLE], THE ROSE QUEEN CAME.

WE HAD A CLOWN, WE HAD PLANET DANCE STUDIOS. THERE ARE VOLUNTEERS ON THE LEFT.

WE HAD SOME T SHIRTS THAT WERE DONATED. THERE'S OUR ARTISTS WHO DID THE MURAL OF THE STARRY NIGHT, VINCENT VAN GOGH. WE HAVE SOME PAINTING PROJECTS.

[INAUDIBLE] ON THE LEFT. HULA HOOPING, CORNHOLE, ART ACTIVITIES.

THERE'S OUR ARTIST, JOSE SILVA, WHO SOLD THE PAINTINGS.

SOME MORE ART ACTIVITIES. CHARLOTTE WHITE, THE PAINTER WHO COORDINATED ARTISTS FROM THE BAKERSFIELD ART ASSOCIATION.

SOME MORE ARTISTS, LOTS OF PAINTING, ART ACTIVITIES.

LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE. THOSE ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EVENT.

LOTS OF ART ACTIVITIES. THE ART ACTIVITIES WERE A BIG HIT.

WE WANTED THERE TO BE A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND PEOPLE JUST CAME AND LET THEIR INNER CREATIVITY LET THEIR IMAGINATION FLOW. IT WAS AN ART FESTIVAL HONORING VINCENT VAN GOGH.

WORLD BIPOLAR DAY VINCENT VAN GOGH WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE HAD BIPOLAR, AND THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN BIPOLAR AND CREATIVITY, SO WE WANTED TO CELEBRATE THAT. OUR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS EVENT, WE BROUGHT A LOT OF RESOURCES AND EDUCATION.

WE HAD THREE MENTAL HEALTH SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND SHARED VALUABLE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION.

WE HAD ONE WOMAN WHO SHARED HER JOURNEY LIVING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION AND THAT WAS VERY POWERFUL AS WELL.

SO THERE'S A VIDEO I'D LIKE TO SHOW AS WELL THAT WAS INTERVIEWED BY CHANNEL 23, AND I WAS ABLE TO SHARE MY STORY AND TALK ABOUT HOW THIS EVENT REALLY WAS A MOTIVATING FACTOR INSPIRING ME TO SHARE MY STORY AND INSPIRED ME TO PUT ON THIS EVENT ALONG WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GILBERTO REYNA.

SO WE HAD A PROBLEM GETTING THE VIDEO. OH, DID IT LOAD? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IN THE VIDEO I SHARE HOW I HAVE LIVED WITH BIPOLAR FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES, AND THE EVENT ENCOURAGED ME TO GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO COME OUT AND SHARE MY STORY, SHARE MY EXPERIENCE LIVING WITH THE CONDITION FOR THE LAST ALMOST TWO DECADES.

AND I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT I LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO LIVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE. IT IS POSSIBLE TO THRIVE DESPITE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME NOW THAT I AM IN A POSITION TO HELP OTHERS AND TO SHARE MY JOURNEY TO SHARE SOMEONE WHO INITIALLY WHEN I WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED, HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TRAUMA NOT KNOWING WHO TO TURN TO.

NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GO FOR HELP AND BEING LIKE MANY LATINOS WHO SUFFERED FROM STIGMA AND WHO SUFFERED FROM NOT HAVING ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND I FELT THAT A COMMUNITY LIKE WASCO, WHERE THERE IS A PREDOMINANT LATINO COMMUNITY, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS EVENT TO WASCO.

I FELT THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY. SO AGAIN, I WANTED TO TAKE A COUPLE OF MINUTES TODAY TO THANK THE CITY OF WASCO AND YOU AS GREAT LEADERS FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY AND ALLOWING COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA AND I TO PUT ON THIS EVENT.

WE RECEIVED LOTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK. I THINK THE COMMUNITY ENJOYED THEMSELVES.

IT WAS NOT ONLY A DAY OF ENTERTAINMENT, BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY A DAY OF EDUCATION.

IT SPARKED CONVERSATIONS AND IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING MORE MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION TO WASCO AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

[00:10:09]

YOU KNOW, SALES HAVE BEEN SOFT FOR THEM. I THINK WE, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND SO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE BROUGHT DOWNTOWN FOR THE EVENT JUST MADE THEIR DAY AND OVER AND BEYOND.

AND THEN THE OTHER ONE I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD NAME IT, BUT THE OTHER ONE, HE SAID I HAD A SPECIAL AND PEOPLE CAME IN FOR THE SPECIAL ONES.

THEY WERE INSIDE. THEY BOUGHT OTHER THINGS. AND LIKEWISE, HE HAD A TREMENDOUSLY GOOD DAY.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT KERI AND I HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BAD THING FOR DOWNTOWN TO DO THIS, SO IT IS NOT OKAY. AND SO IT WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR THAT.

AND I WILL GO AND TALK TO EVERY ONE OF THEM LIKE I DID BEFORE THE EVENT AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND IN REGARDS TO VERONICA, YOU JUST HAVE BOUNDLESS ENERGY AND A DRIVE THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IN MANY PEOPLE.

AND I AM SO HONORED TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU ON THIS FESTIVAL.

BUT LET'S JUST FACE IT, YOU WERE THE DRIVE BEHIND THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE FESTIVAL, AND I WAS SORT OF LIKE TRYING TO APPLY THE BRAKES. WHENEVER IT NEEDED TO BE AND IT TURNS OUT THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SPONSORS. THERE WAS A TIME IN WHICH I WAS WONDERING WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE THE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, AND THE FINAL DAYS, EVERYTHING CAME TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AND THANK YOU FOR INVOLVING ME.

I'M VERY HONORED THAT YOU INVOLVED ME IN DOING THIS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THE BENEFIT DOESN'T END WITH THE FESTIVAL.

YOU KNOW, NOW WE HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM NAMI TO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH WORKSHOPS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY WILL BE HELD IN THE SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH HALL, AND THAT'S OPEN TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE FOR THE PARISHIONERS OF THE CHURCH, AND WE WILL START THOSE HOPEFULLY THIS MONTH.

WE STILL DON'T HAVE A DATE TO START, BUT THEY'LL START SOON.

SO AND THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF. YOU WERE WONDERFUL.

WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT YOU. EVERYONE WAS SO ACCOMMODATING.

I KNOW THAT IN THE BEGINNING, WE ASKED FOR A LOT OF RESOURCES.

WE BROUGHT THOSE BACK. I THINK THAT SETTING A PRECEDENT IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO THINK ABOUT.

BUT I THINK OVERALL, WITHOUT YOUR CONTRIBUTION, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.

SO THANK YOU ALL. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA, THAT CAME TO VISIT US DURING THE FESTIVAL. I KNOW THAT MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ WAS PROBABLY WORKING AND COULD NOT ATTEND AND SO.

BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP.

THAT'S IT FROM ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST REAL QUICK.

I MEAN, VERONICA, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. RIGHT, THAT OBVIOUSLY SPEAKS VOLUMES.

SHARING YOUR STORY IS NOT NEVER EASY. SO, YOU KNOW PUTTING IT OUT THERE AND TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS EVENT.

IT'S A GREAT DEAL. IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL ORGANIZED.

IT WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE EFFORT TO YOURSELF, MR. REYNA, AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WAS INVOLVED. SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.

ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY. RIGHT. FOR THE CITY OF WASCO, OUR RESIDENTS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, EASY TO TALK ABOUT.

SO HAVING THE AWARENESS AND HAVING THE DIFFERENT BOOTHS AND AS MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE OUT THERE IN TERMS OF RESOURCES, I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT. SO, A GREAT JOB TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED.

I DON'T KNOW, GENTLEMEN, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU FOR PUTTING IT ON. SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. EVERYTHING I SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS WELL ATTENDED AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ENJOYED IT, SO THANK YOU.

YEAH. NOW GREAT JOB. VERONICA. I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE IN WASCO ALL MY LIFE.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN EVENT LIKE THAT BEING PUT HERE DOWNTOWN.

THE THE ONES THAT I REMEMBER COME CLOSE TO IS THE ROSE PARADE.

THAT'S IT. IT WAS WELL ORGANIZED. INFORMATION, ENTERTAINMENT, FOOD BOOTHS, EVERYTHING.

[00:15:04]

AND, MAYOR, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO ADD SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE FROM SOMEBODY TO STAND IN FRONT OF A CAMERA AND SAY, I HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER.

SO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR VERONICA FOR DOING THAT, YOU KNOW? THAT GIVES HER A LOT OF CREDIBILITY IN DEALING WITH THIS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON. AND SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU DO THAT. YOU HAVE MY RESPECT AND ADMIRATION.

THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON. DO WE HAVE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS? THERE ARE NO EMAIL COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM OR ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TEN, PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS.

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

HONORABLE MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS HIRING FOR FIREFIGHTERS.

AND WE HAVE APPLICATIONS OPEN THROUGH APRIL 11TH.

SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY THAT IS INTERESTED IN BEING A FIREFIGHTER.

AND TONIGHT STARTED AT 6:00 AS WELL. THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING RIGHT AFTER THIS IS.

WE'RE HAVING A BIG HIRING EVENT THIS EVENING TO SHOWCASE A LOT OF WHAT WE DO AT OUR HEADQUARTERS IN BAKERSFIELD.

SO I JUST WANTED TO PASS IT ALONG TO THE CITIZENS OF WASCO SO THEY'RE AWARE.

AND IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN BEING A FIREFIGHTER, THEY CAN STOP BY THE FIRE STATION OR GO TO THE KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE AND FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND GET INFORMATION THERE.

WHAT'S THE MINIMUM AGE? I'M SORRY. MINIMUM AGE 18 YEARS OLD.

SO THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE YOU HAVE TO BE 18 YEARS OLD. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND THAT'S IT.

MAXIMUM AGE. I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK THAT. THERE IS NO MAXIMUM AGE.

THERE IS NO MAXIMUM AGE IN OUR DEPARTMENT. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD I THINK THE OLDEST GUY WE'VE HAD COME THROUGH OUR ACADEMY WAS 49 YEARS OLD.

OH, WOW. SO YEAH. YOUNGSTERS. SO ANY QUESTIONS? NO THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? NO THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO WASCO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

[10.b. Wasco Police Department (Fivecoat)]

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY GOOD EVENING FOR ME IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO CROSS OVER THE THRESHOLD OF HAVING A YEAR COMPLETED AS THE WASCO POLICE DEPARTMENT. THAT OCCURS ON APRIL THE 18TH.

BUT THE REAL EXCITEMENT FOR ME TONIGHT IS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW PAL COORDINATOR, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK DIANA GARCIA TO COME UP, PLEASE.

AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON, MARIA, LAURA AND KERI WERE BOTH ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR DIANA.

I THINK WE WERE REALLY BLESSED WITH THE SELECTION.

AND I'D LIKE MARIE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND AS TO WHERE DIANA CAME FROM AND WHAT HER EXPERIENCE IS.

THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU CHIEF. HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I HAD THE HONOR TO BE IN THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH KERI AND LIEUTENANT MAURA.

AND WE INTERVIEWED MANY APPLICANTS. WE SELECTED DIANA.

DIANA GARCIA HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. WITH A LOT OF GROUND IMPLEMENTATION AND WORKING WITH THE YOUTH.

SHE. PRIOR TO COMING. MY EXPERIENCE WITH HER, SHE WORKED WITH ME IN MCFARLAND, WITH THE GRANT IMPLEMENTATION, GRANT MANAGEMENT, CODE ENFORCEMENT. SHE DID A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS IN MCFARLAND.

BUT PRIOR TO JOINING THE MCFARLAND TEAM, SHE WORKED AT THE MCFARLAND HIGH SCHOOL WITH A LOT OF THE YOUTH.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER ON BOARD BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO HELP US NOT ONLY IMPLEMENT POWELL, BUT ALSO MANAGE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT GRANTS.

SO WE'RE EXCITED AND WELCOME TO THE TEAM DIANA AND WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU IMPLEMENT THIS GREAT PROGRAM.

THANK YOU. WE'RE TRULY EXCITED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THE PROGRAM READY TO EXECUTE AND GET IT MOVING.

AND JUST A COMMENT ABOUT MARIA, LAURA. AND I KNOW I GUESS I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW THIS, BUT THE GRANT EFFORTS THAT MARIA UNDERTOOK SOME TWO YEARS AGO, PROBABLY EVEN BEFORE THAT.

BUT WHEN I GOT HERE, WE WERE WORKING ON THE GRANT FOR THE REFURBISHING OF THE POWELL BUILDING.

[00:20:05]

I'D LIKE DIANA TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE EVENT.

WE'RE GOING TO COMBINE BOTH THE GRAND OPENING OF THE POWELL BUILDING AND THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE PD.

PLEASE, DAN. THANK YOU CHIEF. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

LIKE I SAID, I'M DIANA GARCIA. AND YEAH. SO WE'LL BE CELEBRATING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE NEW PAL FACILITY. WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS IT GOT RENOVATED, AND IT'S REALLY NICE.

IT'S GOING TO BE ON APRIL 22ND AT TEN IN THE MORNING AT THE NEW PAL FACILITY.

SO THAT'S THE EVENT THAT WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO.

PART OF THE EVENT IS FOR EVERYONE TO CHECK OUT THE FACILITY AND JUST CELEBRATE THE NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE YOUTH, FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND WE ALSO HAVE, IF ANYONE WANTS TO HELP OUT WITH THE FACILITY.

KERI ACTUALLY DID A WONDERFUL KIND OF LIKE A HOUSEWARMING FOR THE FACILITY AND CREATED A AMAZON REGISTRY FOR ITEMS SO WE CAN STOCK UP THE FACILITY FOR THE YOUTH. FOR THEM TO USE.

SO THERE IS A QR CODE THAT WE CAN SHARE AND A.

REGISTRY WEBSITE FOR AMAZON. SO IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING MORE INFORMATION, I HAVE THAT AND I THINK IT'S ALSO ON THE WEB PAGE THERE. SO ANYONE WANTING TO HELP OUT GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND FROM HELPING OUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM LOOKING IS FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE PROGRAM ITSELF.

AS WE ALL KNOW PROGRAMS LIKE THIS DEPEND A LOT ON THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE COUNTING ON.

OUR MAIN GOAL FOR THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST TO START IT UP, AND BUT WE WANTED TO CONTINUE AND BE SUCCESSFUL, NOT JUST FOR THE CURRENT YOUTH, BUT FUTURE YOUTH.

SO IF THERE'S ANYONE INTERESTED IN WANTING TO BE PART OF THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, OR IF YOU GUYS KNOW ANYONE WE ARE HAVING VOLUNTEER PACKETS THAT I CAN ALSO PROVIDE AND GET THAT STARTED.

SO LIKE I SAID, ONE OF OUR MAJOR POINTS RIGHT NOW IS GETTING THE VOLUNTEERS AND GET THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUTH.

AND YEAH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. SURE. ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN AGE GROUP OR LIKE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL OR JUST IN GENERAL? LIKE IT WOULD BE MORE ADULT.

MORE ADULT? YES. AND WE'RE NOT LIMITING. I KNOW THE PROGRAM IS THE, RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OFFICERS, BUT IT GOES BEYOND THAT. SO ANYONE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITH THE SUPPORT, IF YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WORKING OUT WITH THE KIDS IF IT'S TEACHING THEM HOW TO COOK, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES THESE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.

SO THERE'S VARIOUS AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH.

SO BUT IT IS IT'S MORAL ADULTS. SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE AND HOW ARE THE KIDS GOING TO BE.

THEY GET TO BE RECRUITED OR THEY CAN COME IN OR ONCE WE HAVE THE PROGRAM RUNNING, IT'S FREE OF COST.

THERE IS THERE WILL BE INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN CONTACT ME. THERE'S GOING TO BE A PACKET FOR THEM TO FILL OUT. OBVIOUSLY, THE PARENTS HAVE TO AGREE TO IT.

BUT ONCE IT'S OPEN FOR THE YOUTH. IT'S REALLY MORE JUST CONTACTING THE OFFICE AND SIGNING UP.

BUT IT'S FREE OF COST. THERE'S NO COST TO ANY OF THE KIDS AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM.

SO IT'S A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM TO GO IF THEY'RE NEEDING TO GO ANYWHERE OR TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK, THERE'S GOING TO BE A PORTION THERE WHERE WE'RE CREATING A SPACE FOR THEM TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND EXERCISE.

WE'RE EMPHASIZING ON THAT FITNESS AREA TOO. SO THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO IF THEY'RE NOT WANTING TO.

AS WE HAD MENTIONED, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS IS BOXING.

NOT EVERY CHILD OR YOUTH IS GOING TO WANT TO BOX, BUT THERE'S OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE [INAUDIBLE]. DIANA.

YES, I PROMISE TO YOU. I DID GIVE THE INFORMATION TO FLORA VERA, WHO WAS THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR FOR OUR EVENT, AND SO I WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT. SO YOU CAN YOU TWO CAN COME TOGETHER.

YES. AND I'M CERTAIN THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN SOME VOLUNTEERS THROUGH HER.

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU. LIKE I SAID, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL.

AND WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM. WE DO. BUT COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR IT TO BE A LASTING PROGRAM FOR THE YOUTH.

YOU MENTIONED ADULTS, BUT CAN, LIKE OLDER TEENAGERS, BE ABLE TO HELP? WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO HELP TOO? I'M CURIOUS. I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAD OVER 50 VOLUNTEERS AT OUR EVENT, AND SO AND THEY DID QUITE WELL. SO SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE. YEAH. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAYBE TALK ABOUT. I'M SURE THAT THE CHIEF AND THE LIEUTENANT WILL COME UP WITH.

IF WE HAVE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS THAT WANT TO HELP OUT, THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO FILL OUT AND TAKE.

I'M CALLING IT AN INTAKE, BUT A PARTICIPANT APPLICATION, AND WE'LL HAVE KIDS THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO JUST HELP OUT AND AS LONG AS THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FILLING OUT A STUDENT APPLICATION, THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION IS GOING TO REQUIRE THE VOLUNTEERS TO GO THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK AND THERE'S A PROCESS DIANA IS WORKING WITH.

SO, YES, IF YOU KNOW ANY ADULTS INTERESTED CONNECTED WITH DIANA.

DIANA CAN GET THEM THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION AND GET THAT PROCESS GOING.

OKAY. YEAH, WE DID HAVE ADULTS AND THEY DID QUITE WELL.

BUT THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, OLDER TEENAGERS THAT PARTICIPATED AND THEY DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB AS WELL.

SO MAYBE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THEM WOULD BE PASSED THROUGH YOU TO THEM.

SO BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THE INFORMATION WITH THE FLOOR.

THANK YOU. WELL, WELCOME ON BOARD, DIANA. IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SPEAKS HIGHLY OF YOU.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HOLD YOU TO IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB, BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED FROM US. RIGHT. DEFINITELY COUNT ON OUR SUPPORT.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THE CHIEF AND THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A WHILE IN TERMS OF GETTING THIS PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING. INTERESTING FACT, WE DID SOME REHAB WORK ON THAT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.

RIGHT ON THAT DEAL. SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THAT BUILDING LOOKS LIKE NOW.

AND I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE BETTER THAN EVER, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DEDICATED STAFF TO THAT AND AN ACTUAL PROGRAM IN PLACE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT AND WELCOME ON BOARD.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER REMARKS FROM THE COUNCIL? I JUST AGREE WITH MR. REYNA. YOU KNOW, THE OLDER KIDS, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, THEY CAN HELP OUT WITH THE TRAINING, JUST THE CONDITIONING ON THE BOXERS, EVEN IN TUTORING.

IF YOU GUYS GOING TO HAVE A TUTORING SESSION, THEY CAN HELP THESE YOUNGER KIDS, ELEMENTARY KIDS WITH THEIR HOMEWORK AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO AND I KNOW THAT THOSE KIDS, THE OLDER KIDS, THEY NEED THOSE COMMUNITY HOURS FOR COLLEGE FOR THEIR APPLICATIONS.

SO THEY'LL BE WILLING TO HELP OUT. NO. YEAH AND WE CAN I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, ACTUALLY, FOR THE YOUTH. AND I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS MYSELF.

I KNOW I'VE BEEN HERE A SHORT WHILE, BUT THE WHOLE WHAT THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS IT'S EXCITING FOR ME TO BE A PART OF IT AND MAKE THAT CHANGE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUTH, WHICH I ALWAYS SAY, THAT'S OUR FUTURE.

WELCOME. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. THE PAL PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.

QUICK FLEX. I USED TO BOX FOR THE BAKERSFIELD PAL PROGRAM UNDEFEATED.

[INAUDIBLE]. AND THEN I HELPED TO ESTABLISH AS A DEPUTY.

I HELPED TO ESTABLISH THE SHERIFF'S ACTIVITIES LEAGUE THAT WAS HERE IN WASCO. SO IT'S A PROGRAM THAT I DO BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE FOUND A GREAT FIT FOR OUR PROGRAM.

SO WELCOME. AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME. THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT. AWESOME. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? GENTLEMEN, QUICKLY.

I'LL GET INTO THE PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT PORTION OF IT.

BUT I WAS STANDING BACK THERE LISTENING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND I SAID, THIS IS REALLY A BIG MONTH.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE RUN A YEAR NOW. WE'RE DOING VERY WELL AS A POLICE ORGANIZATION WITH THE POWELL BUILDING WAS HUGE.

MARIA AND EVERYONE HAD THE VISION WAY BEFORE I GOT HERE AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

BUT IT WAS INTERESTING AS I WAS LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW HR IS INVOLVED AND HOW WE WANT TO GET THE SCHOOLS INVOLVED AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID THIS AND THE GRANT SIDE OF THE HOUSE DID THAT AND I'VE SAID THIS TO YOU BEFORE, AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO EMPHASIZE IT WITH YOU.

AGAIN, OUR SUCCESS IS BECAUSE WE ALL CAME TOGETHER WITH A COMMON GOAL TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

[00:30:07]

AND I THINK THERE IS A REAL BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

AND I AM VERY PROUD TO BE YOUR CHIEF. SO AS FAR AS STATS, I MADE THE PREDICTION AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE HAD PROBABLY HIT 18,500 INCIDENTS BEFORE THE YEAR WAS OVER. I'M DIALING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE SOMEWHERE NORTH OF 18,000 INCIDENTS BY THE TIME WE HIT OUR ANNIVERSARY DATE ON THE 18TH.

WE'RE STILL RUNNING VERY WELL AS FAR AS THE OFFICER INITIATED ACTIVITY.

THE RATIO, IF YOU WILL, TO TOTAL ACTIVITY. WE'RE RUNNING ABOUT 42% OF OUR CALLS ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE OFFICERS ON THE STREET AND BEING HANDLED AT THAT LEVEL. WE'RE STILL HAVING ISSUES WITH STOLEN VEHICLES, BUT EVERY EVERY AGENCY IN THE SOUTHERN END OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'M PROUD OF THE FACT THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARCH TOTALS, WE'VE HAD 16 STOLEN VEHICLES, WE'VE RECOVERED 11 OF THEM AND IF YOU GO BACK IN HISTORY AND YOU LOOK AT THE RECOVERY RATE, THE RECOVERY RATES WERE MUCH SLOWER, LOWER THAN THEY ARE NOW.

AND AGAIN, I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THE VISION THAT YOU HAD WHEN YOU DECIDED THAT YOU WANTED TO PUT TECHNOLOGY TO WORK FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IT SEEMS TO BE PAYING OFF. 1013 CALLS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 1013.

I'M REAL HAPPY WITH THE WAY THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING.

YOU CAN SEE IN MARCH THEY'RE UP AGAIN. ONE OF THE TRENDS THAT YOU SEE, IT'S KIND OF A CYCLIC TREND.

BUT THE WINTER MONTHS ARE GENERALLY KIND OF SLOW WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES, BUT THE CALL VOLUME IS USUALLY LOW. AND THEN AS THE WEATHER STARTS TO WARM UP AND PEOPLE ARE OUT ON THE STREET MORE, THEN THE ACTIVITY STARTS TO CLIMB. AND AS YOU CAN LOOK AT THE MONTHLY AVERAGES FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MARCH, THE NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO GO UP. OKAY. MARIA.

WHAT HAPPENED? THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW, CAN YOU CHANGE IT? I COULD. OKAY. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL ACTIVITY.

YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE DOING AS FAR AS THE TYPES OF CALLS FOR SERVICE.

I TALKED ABOUT TEN, 13 CALLS. WE'RE UP TO 357 NOW.

WE'RE PUSHING THOSE NUMBERS. WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THOSE NUMBERS HIGHER.

THE OFFICER OUT. OFFICERS ARE OUT THERE MAKING CITIZEN CONTACTS.

AND WE'RE SEEING IT ON THE INVESTIGATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE.

ONE OF THE NUMBERS YOU MIGHT NOTICE UP THERE IS THE TOTAL CASE NUMBER.

AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE CRIMINAL CASES 1450.

THOSE ARE CASES THAT HAVE REQUIRED INVESTIGATION.

AND I CAN VERY PROUDLY TELL YOU THAT THE OFFICERS ARE DOING A BANG UP JOB.

WE'RE ARRESTING PEOPLE BEHIND CASES THAT IN THE PAST, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE WE WOULD HAVE FERRETED OUT THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AND BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THESE ARRESTS. SO THE NUMBERS ARE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD FOR US.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM FOR YOU.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ. CHIEF. THANK YOU. CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB AND YOU SAID YOU'RE PROUD TO BE HERE.

AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY.

MAYOR REYNA. CHIEF. I SPOKE TO LIEUTENANT MAURA ABOUT THIS.

THERE IS THIS KIDS THAT LIKE TO POP WHEELIES ON THEIR BIKE.

YES, SIR. I ADMIRE THEM FOR BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

I COULDN'T DO IT MYSELF. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD IN LARGE NUMBERS.

OKAY. AND THAT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

ABSOLUTELY. IN FACT, DURING THE EVENT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THEM, BUT THERE WAS ABOUT SIX OF THEM THAT CAME IN THEIR BIKES.

THEY POPPED THAT WHEELIES AND THEY WENT AROUND THE CIRCLE AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES.

AND I DID NOT SEE THAT. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S JUST DANGEROUS, AN EVENT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAY BE WALKING, THIS KID MIGHT LOSE CONTROL OF THE BIKE AND THEN SLAM ONTO SOMEONE.

SO I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT AN EASY ISSUE TO SOLVE, BUT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PERHAPS EDUCATE THESE KIDS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THEM DOING THAT AND MAYBE FACILITATE AN AREA WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT WITHOUT THE DANGERS OF BEING OUT ON THE STREETS AND BEING RIDING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH THEY DO PURPOSELY, YOU KNOW.

THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. THEY LIKE TO GO AGAINST TRAFFIC.

THAT SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY RECENT PHENOMENON ALL OVER BAKERSFIELD EVERYWHERE, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.

[00:35:02]

MOVING ON TO ITEM 11 CONSENT CALENDAR. THE CONSENT CALENDAR CONSISTS OF ITEMS THAT ARE ROUTINE AND NONCONTROVERSIAL IN THE STAFF'S OPINION.

[11) CONSENT CALENDAR]

THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEMS 11 A TO 11 H.

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 AND MARTINEZ NO CONFLICT.

MEMBER RAYA. NO CONFLICT. MAYOR REYNA. NO CONFLICT, MAYOR.

AND I TOO HAVE NO CONFLICT. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? SEEING NONE, ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? MEMBER MARTINEZ? NOTHING SIR. MEMBER RAYA? OH NONE. MAYOR REYNA.

I DON'T WANT TO REMOVE ANY ITEM, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION AND I WOULD LIKE TO A CORRECTION ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT WOULD BE ITEM G AND ITEM H. THESE HAVE TO DO WITH TRAINING, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DO ALL THE TIME.

BUT THE LANGUAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THOSE REPORTS, WHEN IT SAYS THE COST OF TRAVEL AND TRAINING IS ESTIMATED TO EXCEED $1,000, AND I BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE IN THE PAST WAS ESTIMATED NOT TO EXCEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT.

SO I WOULD LIKE THAT TO CHANGE CORRECTLY, BECAUSE IF WE SAY WE'LL EXCEED $1,000, IT COULD BE 50,000.

I KNOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S INCORRECTLY STATED.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THAT, NOT EXCEED IN WHATEVER AMOUNT THAT YOU THINK THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO EXCEED, THAT WE ESTABLISH THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY CORRECT THAT.

AND WITH THAT CORRECTION, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WE HAVE FIRST AND SECOND.

CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? . MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA. SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES.

WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SALDAÑA ABSENT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14. NEW BUSINESS 14 A.

[14.a. Council finds this action not a “project” per Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Receive and File the “Cans of Creativity” Art Project for Wrapping the New Trash Cans on 7th Street. (Lara)]

EVEN FILE THE CANS OF CREATIVITY ART PROJECT FOR WRAPPING THE NEW TRASH CANS ON SEVENTH STREET.

MR. LARA. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND HONORABLE COUNCIL.

I HAVE A POWERPOINT. IT'S PART OF MY PRESENTATION, BUT WITH US HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, I DO HAVE TWO OF THE ART TEACHERS.

CAN I PLEASE HAVE MISS CASSANDRA MARTIN AND MISS VANESSA VICKERS COME UP? SO PART OF THE SEVENTH STREET RENOVATION PHASE ONE INCLUDED ART AND SOME OF THE ART.

YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN IT IN THE ALLEYS AND THE WALLS.

THE LAST PIECE OF IT WAS INCLUDING THE YOUTH AND WE REACHED OUT TO THE ELEMENTARY DISTRICT AND TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, MR. LUNA AND THESE TEACHERS, WE DON'T HAVE ONE OF THE OTHER TEACHERS.

AND JULIE, WHO'S THE ART TEACHER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WERE VERY QUICK TO SAY, WE WILL HELP.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO BE PART OF THIS PROJECT? SO THE GOAL WAS TO ENGAGE LOCAL STUDENTS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT PROMOTED WASCO.

THE BEAUTY OF WASCO LIVING IN WASCO. AND WE WERE GOING TO BE USING THEIR ART TO WRAP OUR NEW TRASH CANS.

AND IF MARIA. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE. THIS WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY JULIE PINNELL, THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER. SO IF YOU CAN CONTINUE, THERE'S 15 OF THEM.

BEAUTIFUL ART THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING TO WRAP OUR TRASH CANS AND TONIGHT I WANTED US TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE COUNCIL FILE AND RECEIVE AND FILE THESE AND ALSO THANK GIVE A BIG THANK TO OUR ART TEACHERS THAT WERE VERY WILLING AND THEY HAD A REALLY SHORT TIME TO COMPLETE THESE.

WE DELIVER THE PAPER AND OUR GIFT CARDS TO THEM IN JANUARY, AND THE DEADLINE WAS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY.

AND WE GOTTA KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY ONLY SEE THESE KIDS ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK.

AND THEY THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IT. AND NOW WE HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL ART THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO USE TO WRAP OUR DOWNTOWN TRASH CANS. AND CURRENTLY, THIS ART IS BEING DISPLAYED IN OUR VETERANS PARK LED BOARD, TOO.

[00:40:08]

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY A BIG THANK THANK YOU TO THE TEACHERS, TO THE STUDENTS.

AND I KNOW MARIA AND YOU, YOU ALSO HAD SOMETHING TO PRESENT TO OUR ART TEACHERS.

THANK YOU. BEFORE THAT, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MEMBER MARTINEZ.

THANK YOU GUYS. THAT ART CAME OUT BEAUTIFUL. YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE.

NOT EXPECTING MUCH. YOU KNOW, I HAD LOW EXPECTATIONS, TO BE HONEST.

AND WHEN THEY SAID THE YOUTH AND THEN. BUT YOU GUYS EXCEEDED THOSE EXPECTATIONS THAT ART IS AWESOME.

IT'S REALLY GOOD. IT'S CREATIVE. IT'S COLORFUL.

IT'S VIBRANT. I REALLY LIKE IT. THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO.

AWESOME. MEMBER RAYA. GREAT JOB TEACHERS. I LOVE THE IDEA OF INVOLVING THE YOUTH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ART SO THEY CAN HAVE THE THE FREEDOM TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES ESPECIALLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST KEEP IT UP. YOU KNOW, FUTURE PROJECTS WILL COME UP WITH THIS.

THEIR CREATIVITY CAN. SO GOOD JOB. THANK YOU.

MAYOR REYNA. WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB. I JUST SAW THOSE BEING SHOWN ON THE DISPLAY AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE WONDERFUL.

I STILL THINK THEY'RE WONDERFUL. AND I HAVE ANOTHER IDEA WE COULD USE THOSE, OR MAYBE NEW ONES TO MAKE A CITY CALENDAR THAT WOULD DISPLAY ALL OF THIS. OF COURSE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM THE PARENTS TO USE THEIR NAMES, YOU KNOW? AND IF POSSIBLE, SOME MAY NOT WANT TO DO THAT.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO WITH THOSE DRAWINGS THERE.

OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

IT'S DOWNTOWN IS CERTAINLY GOING TO LOOK A LOT BEAUTIFUL.

MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN IT DOES NOW WITH THOSE. YEAH I AGREE.

I MEAN I THINK IT'S AWESOME. IT'S AWESOME THAT WE'RE YOU KNOW IT'S SORT OF ALL AGES RIGHT.

WHICH IS COOL. BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT CREATIVITY.

I MEAN, WE SAW 14 DIFFERENT ONES AND ALL OVER THE BOARD, RIGHT? BUT THEY'RE ALL UNIQUE IN THEIR OWN WAY. SO I THINK THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOWCASE THOSE IN OUR DOWNTOWN.

IT'S AWESOME, RIGHT. BECAUSE I'M SURE SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO WALK DOWNTOWN AND BE LIKE, LOOK, THAT WAS ME, RIGHT? WHICH IS AWESOME. THAT WHAT WE NEED AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

SO GREAT JOB TO YOU ALL. I THINK IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.

GREAT RESULTS. AS AS MR. MARTINEZ MENTIONED AND WE DO HAVE A COUPLE CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION FOR YOU.

I DO WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING. WHEN CHILDREN PUT GRAFFITI ON THE WALL, THEY PASS BY AND THEY SAY, THAT'S WHAT'S ME. BUT WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THAT IS A GOOD THING AND WE WILL BE PROUD FOR THE KIDS TO SAY, THAT IS ME. [INAUDIBLE].

AND DO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THOSE CHILDREN.

IF YOU SEE THEM, YOU KNOW, TELL THEM THAT THERE ART WAS WELL RECEIVED.

AND YOU KNOW EVERYBODY REALLY ENJOYED IT. SO THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO TWO. ITEM 14 B. COUNCIL FINDS THIS ACTION NOT A PROJECT.

[14.b. Council finds this action not a “project” per Section 15060(c)(3), of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to complete and submit an Application for Funding and the Execution of a Grant Agreement, Budget Appropriations, and any Amendments Thereto with Kern Community College District for the California Jobs First Catalyst Fund for the Kern County Wasco Branch Library and Learning Center. (Hurlbert) ]

[00:45:05]

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THIS PROGRAM. THIS STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AT LEAST, AND IT WAS KNOWN AS THE SURF CRF PROJECT.

AND IT IS REALLY ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AND IT HAS MORPHED OVER THE YEARS, AND IT HAS KIND OF BEEN A HOT POTATO AS FAR AS THE THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS PROGRAM. MORE RECENTLY, THE EFFORT'S BEEN REBRANDED AS THE CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST PROJECT. THE GOALS ARE SIMILAR. AND IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED IN A COUPLE OF PHASES.

ONE IS THIS CATALYST PHASE THAT WE'RE IN NOW, AND IT CONSISTS OF A VARIETY OF IDEAS AND CONCEPTS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. AND THERE'S SOME MONEY THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE COUNTY OF KERN, APPROXIMATELY $9 MILLION FOR THE DOING PROOF OF CONCEPT FEASIBILITY STUDIES, AND MAYBE MOVING PROJECTS A LITTLE FURTHER THAT ARE ALREADY PARTLY UNDERWAY. THIS IS A. IN ITS ESSENCE, IT'S A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.

THE COUNTY IS BROKEN INTO FIVE REGIONS NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST AND CENTRAL.

WE'RE IN THE NORTHERN SECTION OF OF THE COUNTY AND DELANO, MCFARLAND, WASCO AND SHAFTER ARE THE COMMUNITIES, THE CITIES WITHIN THAT REGION? OUR THERE ARE SOME CONCEPTS THAT ARE MORE DIRECTLY INDUSTRIAL OR BUSINESS BASED TYPES OF CONCEPTS FOR EXPANDING ECONOMICS. THE PROJECT THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AMONGST THE NORTHERN COMMUNITIES IS ALSO THIS NEED FOR A MORE BASIC FOUNDATIONAL WORK.

AND IT HAS TO DO WITH BOTH PREPARING THE YOUTH OF THIS REGION AND THE TRANSITIONING WORKERS WHO ARE PERHAPS COMING OUT OF AGRICULTURAL WORK INTO LOGISTICS OR FROM LOGISTICS INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND ONE OF THE COMMON THREADS IS THERE IS JUST A THE NEED FOR A RESOURCE TO HAVE ANY KIND OF TRAINING OR EXPAND THE TRAINING AVAILABLE TO THESE FOLKS, WHETHER IT'S ESL OR WHETHER IT'S TARGETED SORTS OF INDUSTRIAL SORTS OF TRAINING, OR WHETHER IT'S DRIVING OR WAREHOUSE SAFETY OR ANY OF THESE THINGS.

THE IDEA IS THERE NEEDS TO BE A STRUCTURE THAT CAN PROVIDE THIS TRAINING AND PROVIDE A CONSISTENT OUTREACH TO THAT POPULATION THAT IS FINDING THEMSELVES SHIFTING BETWEEN INDUSTRIES. SO THE CONCEPT WAS TO QUITE FRANKLY, STEAL A LOT OF THE IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE SHAFTER LEARNING CENTER. BUT CREATE A MORE MANAGEABLE, MORE AFFORDABLE TEMPLATE THAT COULD BE PROVEN, PERHAPS HERE IN WASCO AND THEN TRANSPLANTED TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, NOT JUST IN THE NORTHERN REGION, BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. AND SO THAT'S REALLY OUR CONCEPT.

AND MISS LARA HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT WORKING ON THE CONTAINER FOR THIS PROPOSAL.

AND OURS IS AN EXPLORATORY STAGE, PROOF OF CONCEPT.

FEASIBILITY. STAGE. PROJECT. AND IT WOULD BE UP AND KIND OF BY DESIGN.

IT IS LOOSELY DEFINED. IT IS AT THIS STAGE WE NEED TO IDENTIFY, PROVE OUT SOME OF OUR SUSPICIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND GATHER THE NUMBERS TO SEE WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THERE'S SOME INITIAL INTEREST SHOWN FROM THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR'S OFFICE IN SUPPORTING THIS SORT OF AN EFFORT, AND PERHAPS EVEN ADVOCATING ON USING SOME OF THE UNDERUTILIZED SPACE AT THE LOCAL LIBRARY BRANCH OR OTHER TYPES OF FACILITIES THAT MIGHT LEND THEMSELVES TO THIS.

EVEN OUR OWN PAL BUILDING HAS THIS CLASSROOM PORTION THAT IS SET UP FOR STUDY AND FOR COMPUTER USE AND WHATNOT, AND IT MAY EVEN BE A VEHICLE TO HELP WITH THAT.

SO TONIGHT WE'RE REALLY JUST ASKING COUNCIL TO APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS APPLICATION.

IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE OUR PROJECT RECOMMENDED FORWARD FROM THE REGIONAL, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, GANTLET THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH AT THE CENTRAL THE ENTIRE GROUP TO SEE WHICH PROJECTS ARE SELECTED FOR FUNDING AND SO THE ASK TONIGHT IS APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD AND DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO KEEP OURSELVES IN THE RUNNING FOR THAT.

AND THEN IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL, WE'LL BE BACK TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME APPETITE TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

[00:50:08]

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MEMBER MARTINEZ.

NO QUESTIONS. MEMBER RAYA? NO QUESTIONS. MAYOR REYNA.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA, SCOTT. I LOVE IT. GOOD. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS SORELY NEEDED HERE IN WASCO TO USE THE LIBRARY BEYOND ITS LIMITED USE RIGHT NOW FOR EDUCATION, FOR TRAINING, FOR ART.

YOU INCLUDED ART THERE? SURE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I'M CERTAIN THAT OUR SUPERVISOR, DAVID KALISH, WOULD SUPPORT IT.

I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. AND I'LL BE CERTAIN TO GET IN HIS EAR ABOUT IT.

BUT DEFINITELY I THINK THIS IS A BIG LEAP FORWARD FOR US, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORTH.

AND CERTAINLY I THINK IT'S PERFECT FOR WASCO.

I WOULD ASK YOU NOT TO LIMIT IT. OKAY. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE, DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE GOING, BUT LET'S JUST GO AND GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN GET, BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT, AND OUR COMMUNITY WOULD USE WHATEVER SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE LIBRARY.

RIGHT. THAT'S MY $0.02. THANK YOU, MR. REYNA.

IT'S GOING TO BE RUNNING DOWN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE CENTER DISTRICT.

NO, IT'S UNDEFINED AT THIS POINT. THIS IS VERY MUCH AT THE CONCEPTUAL STAGE.

IS ARE THE NEEDS ACTUALLY PRESENT THAT WE SUSPECT THEY ARE? WHAT WOULD THE CURRICULUM LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD THE FACILITY NEED TO LOOK LIKE? HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD IT TAKE AND WHAT WOULD IT COST TO RUN? JUST DEFINING THOSE THINGS IS THE STAGE WE'RE AT NOW.

IF THE CONCEPT IS MOVED FORWARD, THEN THERE IS A LARGER POT OF MONEY THAT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE TO ACTUALLY DO IMPLEMENTATION. SO WE WOULD BE COMPETING FOR THAT OR FINDING LOCAL SPONSORS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WITHOUT THE STATE MONEY.

I READ YOUR REPORT. IT SAYS THAT UP TO $1.5 $2.5 MILLION, RIGHT? THAT'S THE CAP AT THIS STAGE FOR THE CATALYST FUNDING.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR FAR LESS THAN 1.5.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SCOTT. SO MY VOTE.

SO AT THIS POINT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S JUST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RIGHT.

EXPLORATORY PHASE. BUT SEE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE BEING APRIL 22ND.

RIGHT. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WE NEED BY THEN OR WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT ALREADY.

YEAH AND AGAIN, JUST TO REITERATE, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS BY THE 22ND.

WE HAVE TO HAVE THE QUESTIONS. OKAY. GOTCHA. BECAUSE THE WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS THE MONEY TO GO OUT AND AND GATHER THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS AND GOT IT.

IF WE NEED TO HAVE CONSULTANTS UP WITH US ON THAT OR VISIT OTHER KINDS OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS, THAT'S WHAT THE MONEY WOULD BE USED FOR IS TO GET THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE.

I'LL SECOND IT. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SALDAÑA ABSENT.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14C. COUNCIL FINDS ITS ACTION, NOT A PROJECT.

[14.c. Council finds this action not a “project” per Section 15060(c)(3), of the CEQA Guidelines; Receive and file the City of Wasco Financial Statements for the Year Ended June 30, 2024, and the City of Wasco Measure X Financial Statements for the Year Ended June 30, 2024. (Perez-Hernandez)]

30 SLIDES TO GO THROUGH THIS EVENING. ONLY? DON'T INCLUDE THE INTRO AND THE CLOSING SLIDE.

I'M EXCLUDING THOSE. HONORABLE MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS VIA ZOOM.

AHMED BADAWI, HE IS OUR PRIME AUDITOR. THAT HAS AUDITED THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE CITY'S BOOKS FOR THE CITY, AS WELL AS FOR MEASURE X.

GIVEN THAT MEASURE X IS REQUIRES ITS OWN. HOLD ON A MINUTE UNTIL WE.

OKAY. GIVEN THAT THE THE MEASURE X REQUIRES ITS OWN AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

[00:55:06]

GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO YOUR MEETING.

MY NAME IS AHMED. [INAUDIBLE]. I WAS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY SCREEN. I JUST SUBMITTED A REQUEST.

I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS POSSIBLE. YES. GIVE ME ONE MINUTE.

LET ME JUST [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. GO AHEAD AND SHARE YOUR SCREEN. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. SO I KNOW YOU CAN SEE MY SCREEN NOW.

SO I'M GOING TO GO INTO PRESENTATION MODE. WE CANNOT SEE YOUR SCREEN.

[INAUDIBLE]. NO. DOES IT NEED TO MOVE TO YOUR PRIMARY.

[INAUDIBLE]. LET ME TRY AGAIN AND.

[INAUDIBLE]. TRY COMING OUT OF THE MINIMIZED MODE.

FROM THIS THING HERE? SO YOU STILL NOT SEEING PRESENTATION? OKAY, I THINK WE ARE NOW, BUT WE'RE SEEING.

[INAUDIBLE]. YES, WE CAN SEE IT NOW.

OKAY. [INAUDIBLE] .

SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND SORRY FOR THIS [INAUDIBLE]. AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT.

[INAUDIBLE].

SUMMARY OF THE [INAUDIBLE] STATEMENTS. [INAUDIBLE] SPECIALIZED FIRM AT THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, WE WORK WITH 65 GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY AND ABOUT 44 CITIES, ABOUT 30 DEGREES AND JUST ONE NUMBER THAT WE DON'T LIKE [INAUDIBLE]. FAR AS LAWSUITS [INAUDIBLE].

DELIVERABLES [INAUDIBLE]. WE WILL MEET PROVIDE THE REPORT ON THE ANNUAL .

THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, ALSO THINKING ABOUT IT AS AN AUDIT OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS OF FEDERAL GRANTS.

[INAUDIBLE].

THE CREATION OF THE TRANSACTION REPORT [INAUDIBLE].

AND THEN FINALLY, [INAUDIBLE].

[01:00:08]

[INAUDIBLE].

WE DESIGN OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES BASED ON OUR ASSESSMENT OF THOSE CONTROLS AND PROCESSES AND THEN WE COME BACK AND ACCOUNT BALANCES BASED ON OTHERS ASSESSMENT AND THEN FINALLY .

[INAUDIBLE].

OBVIOUSLY, MANAGEMENT IS THE ONE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING AND MAKING THE CONTROLS.

[INAUDIBLE].

PROCESS AT THE BEGINNING THAT IS FOLLOWED BY THE CITY [INAUDIBLE].

WE REQUIRE THOSE [INAUDIBLE].

AND THEN FINALLY, ESTIMATES [INAUDIBLE].

REPORT MANAGEMENT STANDARDS [INAUDIBLE].

[01:05:35]

THIS IS HOW MUCH THE CITY STREETS AND ROADS AND BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT [INAUDIBLE] OPERATION.

RESTRICTED AMOUNTS HAVE [INAUDIBLE] RESTRICTIONS ON EITHER [INAUDIBLE] OR OTHER FUNDS THAT ARE [INAUDIBLE] FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE [INAUDIBLE] THIS CATEGORY. AND THEN FINALLY, THERE ARE [INAUDIBLE].

ON THE AMOUNT OF [INAUDIBLE] OUTSIDE. [INAUDIBLE] COUNCIL CONTROL.

KEEPING IN MIND [INAUDIBLE] QUALIFIES FOR [INAUDIBLE].

THE NEXT SLIDE WE [INAUDIBLE].

THAT WILL OFFSET THE COST. AND [INAUDIBLE] USERS. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TAX REVENUES ARE INCREASING SLIGHTLY YEAR OVER YEAR, AND YOU CAN SEE [INAUDIBLE]. AND THIS IS REALLY MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN RENTS [INAUDIBLE] THIS YEAR.

[INAUDIBLE].

AS A REALLY BIG FACTOR IN THIS SITUATION. IF YOU WOULD JUST FOCUS ON MYSELF WE LOOK AT SUNDANCE AS UNDER THE COUNCIL OF [INAUDIBLE] AND WE COMPARE THAT TO ANY RISK FACTORS THAT YOU SEE IN A VERY UNLIKELY SCENARIO THAT ALL THE [INAUDIBLE] ARE COMING [INAUDIBLE].

Y OU PROBABLY SEE THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS [INAUDIBLE] .

[INAUDIBLE] MAYBE A LITTLE BIT. BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE TO IT [INAUDIBLE] THREE MONTHS TO 17 MONTHS, BUT REALLY DEVOTED EXPENDITURE 2024 E 2023 MILLION VERSUS 2023 1.6 MILLION. AND THAT THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT THERE'S A BIG CAPITAL EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR.

[INAUDIBLE].

AN UNUSUAL YEAR AS FAR AS CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.

[INAUDIBLE].

AN ESTIMATED NUMBER. AND ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT ASSUMPTIONS IN ESTIMATING THIS NUMBER IS [INAUDIBLE] GOING TO BE DISCOUNTED.

SO WE [INAUDIBLE].

CURRENTLY [INAUDIBLE] 7.4 MILLION USING THE CURRENT DISCOUNT RATE OF 6.9%.

SO THAT'S JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA THAT THIS [INAUDIBLE].

RESPONSIBLE FOR [INAUDIBLE] RESPONSIBILITY. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT

[01:10:04]

MAKE ALL OF US ESTABLISH CONTROL THAT WOULD PREVENT FRAUD.

INFORM US OF ALL KNOWN SUSPECTED FRAUD. COMPLY WITH THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND CORRECT ACTIONS [INAUDIBLE].

AS FAR AS THE RESPONSIBILITY WE ADHERE TO THE SCA AND THE [INAUDIBLE] RULES AND THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER THE CITY, [INAUDIBLE] FOR EXAMPLE, COMPILING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AS A SERVICE [INAUDIBLE] AS WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT IT IS [INAUDIBLE] WHO IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

AS FAR AS I KNOW ABOUT IT, WE BELIEVE THAT THE AUDIT WAS A LITTLE BIT LATE.

THERE WAS JUST. [INAUDIBLE] SOME INFORMATION AND BUT OBVIOUSLY IT CAN BE AS FAR AS MAKING POLICIES FOR TRANSACTIONS AND NEW TRANSACTIONS. [INAUDIBLE] THE NEW STANDARDS THIS YEAR.

REGARDING HOW [INAUDIBLE] AN ERROR CORRECTION IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES.

PERFORMING ARTS. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH CITY STAFF.

EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE DAYS I ALWAYS FELT THAT COOPERATION WAS ALWAYS THERE.

BUT THE DELAYS WERE OUT OF CONTROL AT THAT TIME.

BUT WE ALWAYS [INAUDIBLE] THE COOPERATION WAS THERE.

SO WE [INAUDIBLE] ENCOUNTER BEING AN AUDIT. AS FAR AS MAKING ADJUSTMENTS, THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE BEST FIND ENTRIES IN AS OPPOSED TO ALL THOSE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS.

SO OTHER WE ARE THE RESULT OF US VIEWING THE NUMBERS TO SEE PRESENTED TO US AND DISCOVERING ERRORS OR SOMETHING AND THEN WE PROPOSE AN ADJUSTMENT TO MAKE THE NUMBERS [INAUDIBLE] ARE NOT ALLOWED TO [INAUDIBLE] CONTROL BECAUSE I NEED SOME IT SEEMS THAT ALLOF MY STATEMENTS AND THOSE [INAUDIBLE] US A SUMMARY OF THE DATA? I'M NOT GOING TO BOTHER YOU.

THE EDITOR IS SAYING THAT. THAT'S SO STUPID. BUT AS FAR AS YOU HAVE TO DO THIS, WE ALWAYS [INAUDIBLE].

THIS WEEK FOR OUR CLIENTS, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE [INAUDIBLE].

GOING TO BE SUSTAINED FOR ALLOWING THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. BADAWI. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MARTINEZ THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION, SIR. NO COMMENT. MAYOR REYNA I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I'M TRYING TO.

I'M THINKING HOW TO POSE THE QUESTION. IT HAD TO DO WITH EXPENSES FOR THIS PAST YEAR WERE MUCH LARGER THAN THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS AND IN I'M ASSUMING THIS, BUT I WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION, IS THAT THIS EXPENSES OR.

ADDITIONAL EXPENSES HAVE TO DO WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IS THAT ACCURATE? THERE IS NOTHING HERE. [INAUDIBLE].

[01:15:08]

AND THE PRIOR YEAR. IT WAS FIVE DAYS, SO 5.8.

RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? YES. THAT'S.

THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING TO ADD BECAUSE THE STARTUP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE WAS A LOT OF CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS AND THEY'RE LARGE PURCHASES VEHICLE, IT INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THAT'S THE INITIAL STARTUP.

IT'S SLOWLY GOING TO START TAPERING DOWN MORE INTO OPERATIONS.

NOW THAT WE'VE CEMENTED THE STARTUP OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR. AS OUR CHIEF OF POLICE HAS STATED, I BELIEVE SCOTT WAS GOING TO AND I CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE ALONG WITH THE RECEIPT OF ALL THIS GRANT SUCCESS WE'VE HAD, WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY ON THOSE FOR THOSE PURPOSES AND SO THOSE TRANSLATE TO EXPENDITURES IN MANY CASES.

SO IT'S NOT ALL POLICE. IT'S OTHER ACTIVITY AS WELL.

OKAY. SO ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL THEN LET'S SAY NEXT YEAR OR THIS YEAR RATHER WE SHOULD SEE A LEVELING OFF OF THESE EXPENDITURES AND COMPARABLE TO PREVIOUS YEARS. AM I ACCURATE IN SAYING THAT? CORRECT. OR PREVIOUS YEARS. PLUS. NATURAL. RIGHT.

ANY INFLATION. NEW FUNDING THAT WE GET TO SPEND.

OKAY I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, MR. BADAWI. REALLY THOROUGH PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BADAWI. AND THANK YOU, MR. PEREZ-HERNANDEZ. I THINK OVERALL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOOD STANDING.

GOOD TO HEAR THAT. YOU KNOW, NO SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT. SO THANK YOU FOR FOR ALL INVOLVED.

WITH THAT BEING SAID I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

SO MOVED TO RECEIVE AND FILE, AND I WILL SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? . MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER. REINA. SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO RECEIVE AND FILE.

WHILE MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANHA ABSENT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. BADAWI. THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 D. COUNCIL FINDS THIS ACTION, NOT A PROJECT PER SECTION 15060 C3 WASCO GUIDELINES,

[14.d. Council finds this action not a “project” per Section 15060(c)(3), of the CEQA Guidelines; Salary Schedule Update and addition of job titles Assistant Chief of Police and City Project Coordinator. (Hurlbert)]

ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE AND CITY PROJECT COORDINATOR, MR. HERBERT. YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

TWO TWO ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE IN YOUR PREAMBLE THERE.

SO AS PART OF THE CONTINUING OPERATION, OPERATION AND PLANNING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT SEEMS PRUDENT TO ESTABLISH A ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE POSITION. THIS IS PART OF JUST OPERATIONAL NEEDS AND ALSO PART OF A LONGER HORIZON SUCCESSION PLANNING. AND SO THAT'S, THE FIRST POSITION, AND ALSO TO ALLOW THE CHIEF TO START TO SEND, YOU KNOW, SPLIT UP SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OPERATIONS AS WE MOVE INTO OUR SECOND YEAR. THE SECOND POSITION IS THE CITY PROJECT COORDINATOR.

THIS IS IN CONTRAST TO THE EXISTING CITY PROJECT MANAGER POSITION THAT HAS BEEN LEFT VACANT BY THE PROMOTION OF OUR CITY ENGINEER. OUR INTENT IS TO ESTABLISH THIS NONEXEMPT POSITION OF PROJECT COORDINATOR, TO BEGIN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANY OF THESE PROJECTS WITH THE GRANT SUCCESS.

AND STEAL SOME OF MY OWN THUNDER WITH THE WATER PROJECTS THAT ARE ABOUT TO BREAK LOOSE HERE.

WE NEED SOMEONE WHO IS DEDICATED TO THESE AND MOVING THESE FORWARD AND CAN COORDINATE BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS ON NOT JUST THE FIELD IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE CIP ITEMS, BUT ALSO WORK WITH OUR OTHER STAFF ON TRACKING THE GRANTS AND THE REPORTING THAT WILL BE NECESSARY.

SO WE'VE ESTABLISHED THOSE RANGES. I THINK THAT THERE WAS POINTED OUT A POTENTIAL DISCREPANCY BETWEEN NOT THE STAFF REPORT, BUT THE EXAMPLE OR THE DRAFT STAFF DESCRIPTION OR JOB DESCRIPTION AND THE SALARY RANGE FOR

[01:20:09]

THAT NUMBER. WHERE IS IT? IT WAS IN THE. GO TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE.

MARIA. ON THE SALARY SCHEDULE? YEAH, I THINK JUST GO UP OR DOWN.

IT'S JUST ONE PAGE UP, I THINK. OR THE OTHER WAY? THE OTHER WAY D2. I SEE IT, THERE YOU GO. OH MY GOD, I CAN'T EVEN SEE IT NOW.

NOW MAKE IT SMALLER TO WHERE WE SEE THE YELLOW A LITTLE HIGHER.

YEAH SO JUST TO ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE HERE SAYS 120 TO 168 AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, IT SAYS 125 TO 175.

YEP. SO JUST. SO THOSE WILL BE RECONCILED. THIS IS THE CORRECT.

THE SALARY SCHEDULE ITSELF IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY TRANSMITTED TO CALPERS AND TO THE STATE.

THIS IS THE ACCURATE NUMBER. GOT IT. THE YELLOW ONE IS THE CORRECT ONE.

YES. AND IF YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, YOU'LL SEE THERE'S THE PROJECT COORDINATOR IN THE REST OF THE SALARY SCHEDULE THERE.

OKAY. THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. NO PROBLEM.

ALL RIGHT. AND IF THERE ARE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS HAPPY TO ADDRESS THOSE.

OTHERWISE THE THE REQUEST IS TO APPROVE THIS NEW SALARY SCHEDULE THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH SUBMITTAL TO CALPERS.

THANK YOU. SCOTT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MEMBER MARTINEZ.

NO QUESTIONS. MEMBER RAYA. NO QUESTIONS. MAYOR REYNA.

TWO. THE PROJECT COORDINATOR. I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS POSITION BEING IMPLEMENTED, BECAUSE WE SORT OF COULD BE A VICTIMS OF OUR OWN SUCCESS, OF HAVING TOO MUCH MONEY AND NOT THE ABILITY TO SPEND IT IN A TIMELY MANNER.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT AND SECONDLY ON THE I FORGET THE EXACT TITLE.

IS IT ASSISTANT CHIEF? CORRECT. AND THIS IS A POSITION THAT WE'RE THINKING OF MOVING SOMEONE WITHIN THE EXISTING DEPARTMENT. THE POSITION? YES. RIGHT.

SO AND THEN THAT POSITION WOULD BE VACANT AND SO WE WOULD FILL THAT POSITION OVER TIME.

I DON'T I WON'T SPEAK FOR THE CHIEF, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE IS AN INTENT TO IMMEDIATELY FILL THAT.

I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT EVEN THE FEASIBILITY OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ITSELF AND I THINK THERE THERE IS A DESIRE TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION FROM BECOMING TOP HEAVY, IF YOU WILL.

AND SO IF THERE ISN'T AN OPERATIONAL NEED TO FILL THOSE, WE WOULDN'T PROPOSE THAT.

OKAY. AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR MY QUESTION. OKAY.

RIGHT. SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE IF WE MOVE TO FILL THAT POSITION, THAT WILL BECOME VACANT, THEN WE RISK THE YOU KNOW, WE'RE RISKING BECOMING TOP HEAVY AND THE MONEY THAT WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND.

THAT IS CORRECT AND CERTAINLY THE MOVING FORWARD THAT WOULD NEED TO BE FUNDED AS WELL AND BUDGETED.

SO THE SEASON WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS THE PERFECT TIME TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND ANALYZE THOSE NUMBERS.

AND BUT WITH THE CHIEF'S CONCURRENCE THAT THE CURRENT PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE AN IMMEDIATE BACKFILL.

THANK YOU. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SURE. AND IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU NEED AN APPROVAL ON THIS.

YES, SO WE'LL ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE NEW SALARY SCHEDULE AND SUBMIT TO CALPERS.

YEAH. OKAY. AND I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES, WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SALDAÑA ABSENT.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14 E COUNCIL, FIND THIS ACTION PROJECT PER SECTION 15060 C3 WASCO GUIDELINES ADOPTED RESOLUTION APPROVING THE CITY

[14.e. Council finds this action not a “project” per Section 15060(c) (3), of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution Approving the City of Wasco Social Media Policies, and Authorize the City Manager or Designee to Endorse and Implement the Social Media Policies. (Hurlbert)]

MR. HERBERT. YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

SOME QUESTIONS AROSE DURING THE INITIAL REVIEW OF THIS ITEM AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, AND THE COUNCIL HAD DIRECTED STAFF TO FORM A OR THE COUNCIL FORMED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE AND AND REQUESTED STAFF TO MEET WITH THAT COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THOSE ISSUES AND BRING BACK PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, IF ANY, OF THE THREE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES. IF WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, WE'LL START WITH FROM THE BOTTOM UP.

[01:25:09]

SO IT RETURNS TO YOU IN THE EXACT SAME FORMAT AS IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

EXHIBIT B, THE POLICY CONCERNING EMPLOYEE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES HAD ONE TYPO ON THE SECOND PAGE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THAT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.

IF WE CAN PULL UP EXHIBIT B, I THINK IT WAS AT THE END OF SECOND PARAGRAPH.

YEAH. SO WELL ACTUALLY CORRECT MYSELF. SO IN WITHIN THE INITIAL PARAGRAPHS, THERE WAS THIS CONCEPT OF VIOLATION OF THE POLICY COULD RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

WE WANTED TO DEFINE THAT A LITTLE FURTHER. AND RATHER THAN REPEAT IT, THIS POLICY NOW POINTS BACK TO THE EXISTING CITY OF WASCO PERSONNEL POLICY. SO ANY KIND OF ACTION WOULD FOLLOW THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES IN THAT POLICY.

SO THERE ARE THREE MENTIONS OF THAT AND THEN ON THE SECOND PAGE THERE WAS A TYPO THERE, A HOLDOVER FROM THE SOURCE DOCUMENT WHERE WE REFER TO THE COMPANY RATHER THAN THE CITY POLICY.

SO THAT WAS CORRECTED. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? OKAY. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO EXHIBIT A, WHICH WAS THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS. SO I THINK THERE WAS A AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT IN MORE DEPTH IF NECESSARY.

BUT I THINK THERE WAS A GENERAL RECOGNITION THAT TRYING TO INSTITUTE THE SAME SORTS OF DISCIPLINARY CONCEPTS IN AN ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIAL WAS OVERKILL AND NOT REALLY FEASIBLE OR PRACTICAL.

SO THE COMMITTEE WENT BACK. THERE WAS, CAN I SAY, SPIRITED DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? AND I THINK WHAT WE SETTLED ON AS A COMMITTEE WAS TO ESTABLISH THE OWN THE INTERNAL RESULTS OF ANY VIOLATION OF THE POLICY.

AND SO THAT RESULTED IN THE REMOVAL OF THE TERM DISCIPLINARY WITH THE RESULT WOULD BE AS ESTABLISHED IN THIS POLICY.

SO THERE YOU WILL AGAIN SEE THREE PLACES IN HERE WHERE WE REPLACE DISCIPLINARY WITH AS ESTABLISHED HERE IN AND THEN DOWN BELOW ON THE SECOND PAGE ESTABLISHED ALSO MADE THAT SAME CORRECTION IN THAT FIRST PARAGRAPH, CHANGE IT FROM COMPANY TO CITY AND THEN ADDED A NEW SECTION HERE, A NEW PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A VIOLATION OF THE POLICY.

AND WHAT WILL OCCUR IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT VIOLATED THE POLICY WOULD RECEIVE A NOTICE OF THAT VIOLATION AND A REQUEST TO REMOVE THE OFFENDING CONTENT. AND AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS CONTENT ON THE ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIALS OWN SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT. AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF THE POLICY THAT WOULD TRIGGER THIS.

AND SO ESSENTIALLY REMOVING THE CONCEPT OF DISCIPLINE, BUT RATHER NOTIFICATION AND CORRECTION.

AND THIS WAS THE COMPROMISE OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE.

AND WHAT WE'RE BRINGING BACK TONIGHT FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.

THANK YOU. SCOTT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MEMBER MARTINEZ.

AS SCOTT MENTIONED, WE HAD A RATHER LENGTHY DEBATE ABOUT THE WORDING OF THIS, BUT I THINK THAT WE FINALLY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT EVERYBODY OR TO WORDING THAT EVERYBODY AGREES TO. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD POLICY AND I THINK IT'S NEEDED.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. MEMBER REYA COMMENTS.

MAYOR REYNA. WELL, I TOTALLY AGREE THAT WE HAD A VERY SPIRITED DISCUSSION, A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.

I DO WANT TO. AND SCOTT ALREADY HAS INFORMED THE COUNCIL THAT THIS POLICY INTENDS TO WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? NOT CONTROL, BUT I GUESS IN A CERTAIN WAY IT DOES CONTROL POSTINGS ON YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE.

I WAS THE ONE THAT HAD OBJECTIONS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING PUBLICLY HERE AND DURING OUR DISCUSSION.

I THINK THIS IS A VERY SANITIZED POLICY NOW THAT IT JUST STATES, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL RECEIVE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND REQUEST REMOVAL OF OFFENDING CONTENT. BUT BE AWARE THAT IT HAS NO MECHANISM THAT MIGHT FORCE SOMEONE TO ACTUALLY DO

[01:30:09]

SO I JUST LEAVE THAT TO YOUR CRITERIA. CRITERIA SO THAT YOU HAVE AN IDEA THAT THIS IS NOT DEALING WITH THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, BUT YOUR OWN PERSONAL MEDIA PAGE OR VARIOUS MEDIA PAGES.

THANK YOU, MR. WAYNE. ANOTHER THING THAT I MENTIONED, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ONCE YOU IMPLEMENT THESE TYPES OF POLICIES, THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO TAKE BACK. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU IMPLEMENT.

AND THEN YOU SAY, WELL, WE DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE AND THEN YOU TAKE IT AWAY.

SO THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU VOTE ON THIS, THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT BE AS EASY TO REMOVE.

THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. AND I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES. WITH COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM SALDAÑA ABSENT.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 15. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES.

[15.a. Kern Economic Development Corporation (Medina) ]

AND I BELIEVE, MARIA, YOU SENT OUT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SUMMIT AT KSCB.

THAT'S HAPPENING IN MAY 1ST. SO ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED, MAKE SURE TO LET MARIA KNOW SO SHE CAN GET YOU GUYS REGISTERED.

15B. COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT, MR. REYNA. THANK YOU MAYOR.

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

MARIA IS NODDING HER HEAD. SHE'S LIKE, YEAH, I'M AWARE OF THAT.

SO APPLICATIONS ARE DUE. JULY THE 17TH OF THIS YEAR.

PLENTY OF TIME TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS AND APPLY FOR THEM.

RIGHT. WE ARE VERY GOOD AT OUR STAFF IS REALLY GOOD AT DOING THAT.

BUT CERTAINLY BE AWARE OF THAT. YOU KNOW, WE USE ACRONYMS ALL THE TIME.

AND MOST PEOPLE GO WHAT IS THAT? SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE RSVP IS THE ORIGINAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, AND THE CMAC IS THE CONGESTION MITIGATION AIR QUALITY FUNDS.

SO AND ALSO I ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE CIRCLE AT J46. THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE ROUNDABOUT.

AND THEY EXPECT THAT THIS IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE DONE THIS SUMMER AND THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL START IN THE FALL FOR US.

I HAVE ASKED EVERY TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS THAT CALTRANS COMES TO OUR COUNCIL AND INFORMS US IN DETAIL AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING SO THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE. OKAY, SO I'VE ASKED TWICE ALREADY, SO I'M CERTAIN THAT IT'S ALREADY ON THE RADAR AND THEY SHOULD BE COMING SOON BEFORE THEY START CONSTRUCTION AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER.

BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT. THANK YOU, MISS REYNA.

[15.c. Wasco Task Force (Saldaña and Medina) ]

PUBLIC WORKS. AND, YEAH, SO IT WAS A GREAT TURNOUT, RIGHT? THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PICTURES I TOOK.

IT WAS LIKE OVER 80 PEOPLE. SO IT WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED.

A LOT OF TRASH, BIG BOOK ITEMS WERE PICKED UP, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR PUTTING THAT ON.

REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER SCOTT. YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

[16) REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER]

[01:35:03]

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST TOMORROW. HOSTED BY CRC AT THE OLD COURTHOUSE.

THE USUAL TIME, 7AM AT THE COURTHOUSE. SNIP EVENTS COMING UP APRIL 4TH AND APRIL 17TH.

HERE ON EIGHTH STREET IN FRONT OF PUBLIC WORKS.

THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.

I HAVE SOME AWESOME STATISTICS FOR YOU. SO SCRAP METAL AND WHITEGOODS, 6.6 TONNES MATTRESSES, 2.7 TONNES OF MATTRESSES, 14.3 TONNES OF JUST REGULAR TRASH, FOR A TOTAL OF ALMOST 24 TONNES OF TOTAL COLLECTION. 186 TRUCKS AND CARS WENT THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH, AND WE INSTITUTED A NEW STEP HERE FOR FOLKS WANTING HELP UNLOADING JUST TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM LIABILITY.

THERE'S A SHORT WAIVER FORM. VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE TO THAT FORM.

54 PEOPLE SIGNED UP, SIGNED THE WAIVER TO LET US HELP UNLOAD, AND OTHERS HAD LIGHT LOADS, AND THEY HANDLED IT THEMSELVES. SO A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE RESULT THERE.

THAT'S A LOT OF TRASH OFF THE STREET. SO THE ART FESTIVAL, AS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, ATTENDED THAT AGAIN, VERY FROM MY CHAIR. THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, VERY GOOD TURNOUT.

THE CHIEF AND I SPENT SOME TIME WALKING AROUND TALKING TO FOLKS THE ARTISTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, VERONICA, JOSE TWO OF HIS PAINTINGS WERE EXCEPTIONAL, EVEN AMONGST HIS THINGS.

AND HE HAD SAID, RIGHT AS WE WALKED UP THAT A BIDDING WAR HAD BROKEN OUT OVER A COUPLE OF THEM.

SO HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULT. AND IT WAS VERY, VERY STRIKING ARTWORK THAT HE HAD THERE.

SO THAT WAS GREAT. THE BANNER PROGRAM IS COMING UP UPON ITS DEADLINE.

THE SEVENTH IS THE DEADLINE FOR THIS BATCH OF ORDERS FOR THIS YEAR.

THE AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, THE INFO IS ON THE WEBSITE.

IF YOU HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE VETERANS OR RELATIVES OR FRIENDS WHO HAVE FRIENDS OR RELATIVES THAT ARE VETERANS, PLEASE REACH OUT AND FIND IF THERE'S SOME INTEREST.

WE A COUPLE OF NAMES HAVE COME TO US, AND SO THE CHIEF IS REACHING OUT IN ONE CASE TO SEE IF THERE'S INTEREST IN MOVING FORWARD THERE.

SO WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE I THINK IT WAS CONFIRMED THIS MORNING.

WE HAVE THREE ORDERS SO FAR AND PROSPECTS OF A COUPLE MORE.

SO WE RUN THROUGH THE SEVENTH. YES. OH, I'M SURPRISED BECAUSE LAST TIME WE DID THIS THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD SHOWN INTEREST AND DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT. AND NOW WE HAVE THE FUNDS.

IF THEY DON'T, WE DO. YEAH. SO I'LL TRY TO PROMOTE IT.

WE STILL HAVE A FEW DAYS. YEAH. HAVE THEM NOT WAIT TILL THE SIXTH OR THE SEVENTH IF THEY'RE INTERESTED.

SOONER IS BETTER FOR STAFF'S SAKE. YEAH, BUT AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHERE THE COST IS A BARRIER.

IT SHOULDN'T BE. YEAH. THANK YOU. REC AND PARK DISTRICT IS HOLDING AN EASTER EGG HUNT AT THE BASEBALL PARK ON SATURDAY, APRIL 12TH FROM 10 TO 1. AND YOU WILL GET NOTIFICATION OF ALL THESE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE WRITING MADLY DOWN ON YOUR NOTES.

AS WAS MENTIONED, THE PAL RIBBON CUTTING IS COMING UP ON THE 22ND AT 10AM.

AND THE AMAZON SUPPLY REGISTRY WAS A BRILLIANT IDEA.

FROM KERI AND SHE IMPLEMENTED IT AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL GOING TO BE PUSHING THAT ON THE INVITATIONS AND AT THE EVENT.

BUT I TOOK MY FIRST WALK THROUGH TODAY FOR THE IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE I'VE BEEN OVER THERE.

THE KITCHEN IS COMPLETE. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. THE CLASSROOM, THE FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE IS AWESOME AND SO THE WHOLE PROJECT IS REALLY COMING TOGETHER AND SO THANKS TO STAFF FOR JUST TAKING THAT OVER AND MAKING IT HAPPEN AND AS THE CHIEF SAID, EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY HAD A HAND IN THAT.

WE HAVE A WASCO RESOURCES FAIR COMING UP ON APRIL 25TH AT THE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS FROM 6PM TO 8PM.

WE CALL IT A RESOURCES FAIR. IT'S A JOB FAIR, BUT THERE ARE OTHER KINDS OF RESOURCES SHOWCASED THERE.

LEAGUE OF CITIES. LEAGUE OF CAL CITIES. LEADER SUMMIT IS COMING UP THE 23RD THROUGH 25TH IN THAN SACRAMENTO.

MAKE YOUR INTEREST KNOWN TO THE CITY CLERK. IT MAY ACTUALLY ALREADY BE TOO LATE FOR THAT.

[01:40:04]

THE CLERK MAY HAVE ALREADY SUPPLIED INFORMATION, OR YOU MAY BE ON THE MAILING LIST FOR THAT.

IF THERE'S INTEREST AGAIN LET HER KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

CONFERENCE COMING UP MAY 18TH. THROUGH TUESDAY THE 20TH.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE UNUSUAL ONES. THE REGISTRATION ACTUALLY KICKS OFF ON SUNDAY AND THEN IT'S OVER BY MIDDAY ON TUESDAY.

SO IT'S A PRETTY QUICK TURNAROUND. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP FOR THAT, I THINK WE MAY BE PAST THE WINDOW AS WELL.

WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO WE HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.

OKAY. SO WE'RE GOOD. YEAH. IF YOU'VE ALREADY CONFIRMED, THEN.

THEN WE'RE GOOD. THAT'S RIGHT AWAY. MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY IS COMING UP SATURDAY THE 24TH.

9AM THIS IS HELD OUT AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY.

IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTENDED THAT EVENT, IT'S REALLY AN IMPRESSIVE EVENT AND WELL WORTH THE TIME IF YOU HAVE AVAILABILITY ON THAT SATURDAY.

WHEN IS THAT? MAY 24TH, 9AM OUT AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY, OUT OFF OF HIGHWAY 223 AND 178.

I'VE ATTENDED. YEAH. WE'RE GETTING AN INVITATION ON THAT.

YES. CALENDAR INVITE HAS BEEN. YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING AND THEY ARE ASKING FOR A HEAD COUNT FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR JUST HOW MANY BODIES ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH.

BUT RIGHT. THERE ISN'T REALLY A CAP. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'VE EVER TURNED ANYBODY DOWN.

THEY JUST THEY WANT TO BE PREPARED. THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE OUT THERE, LOTS OF SPACE AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK, WELL, NO, ALMOST. FINALLY BIKE RODEO IS COMING UP SATURDAY, MAY 24TH.

ALSO THE TIME IS TO BE DETERMINED STILL, BUT BARKER PARK IS THE LOCATION.

THAT'S QUITE A BIT IN THE FUTURE AND I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT WE GOT CONFIRMATION LAST WEEK THAT THE STATE WATER REVOLVING FUND CONTRACT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO US ALMOST FOUR YEARS, WITHIN A WEEK OR SO OF FOUR YEARS FROM THE INITIAL APPLICATION FOR THESE FUNDS IN THE CONTRACT IS IN PLACE.

THERE'S A KICKOFF MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NEXT FRIDAY WITH THE WITH STATE STAFF AND OUR STAFF TO ACTUALLY GET THIS PROCESS GOING.

SO YEAH, CONGRATULATIONS. THAT'S WHAT, 28.7 OR 37 AND CHANGE 38.7.

YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. NO. THAT'S WONDERFUL. YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALMOST AS MUCH WORK NOW TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT.

WE HAVE A NEW POSITION. PROJECT COORDINATOR WE'LL PUT THAT TO WORK.

THAT INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE VERY BUSY. SO IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 17, REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

[17) REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL]

MY KID ATTENDED AND HE CAME BACK. I DON'T KNOW HOW HE ENDED UP WITH THE CREW THAT WAS GOING THROUGH THE STREETS PICKING UP APPLIANCES, MATTRESSES. HE SAYS, DAD, I DIDN'T HAVE TO PICK UP TRASH LIKE THE REST OF THE KIDS.

I WAS PICKING UP STUFF. HE CAME ALL EXCITED. HE REALLY LOVED IT.

THAT'S GOOD. REFRIGERATORS AND STOVES. RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH, HE TOLD ME THAT AREA. HE GOES, MAN, WE PICKED UP A LOT.

YOU MENTIONED THE NUMBERS. IT WAS A LOT. A LOT.

YEAH. THERE YOU GO. WE'RE GOING TO EXPECT THEM EVERY CLEANUP NOW.

NICE WORK. MEMBER REYNA. YES, I ATTENDED THE VEHICLE.

I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT TITLE OF IT. THIS IS THE CITY VEHICLES AND COUNTY VEHICLES AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT VEHICLE SHOW.

RIGHT. THAT HAPPENED ON MARCH THE 19TH. THAT'S WHERE SEVERAL OF OUR VEHICLES WERE ON DISPLAY.

OH, YEAH. THAT'S ACTUALLY HOSTED BY THE KERN COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.

THAT IS CORRECT AND BUT IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THERE WERE A LOT OF LITTLE KIDS THERE, AND THEY HAD THESE COSTUMES WHERE THEY COULD DRESS UP AS SOME TYPE OF A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE, THAT KIND OF THING.

I THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT AND OUR STAFF DID AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB AT SHOWING THE CAPABILITIES OF ALL OUR

[01:45:07]

SO. THANK YOU. I TOOK A LOT OF PICTURES. MAYBE I'LL SHARE THOSE WITH YOU AT ONE POINT AND THEN ALSO, I ATTENDED THE CLEANUP. OUTSTANDING JOB. AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THERE WAS OVER 80 VOLUNTEERS.

IT WAS HUGE ATTENDANCE. IT WAS REALLY NICE TO SEE.

AND THE NUMBERS ARE IMPRESSIVE. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE, SCOTT.

AND THEN OF COURSE, YESTERDAY. NOT YESTERDAY.

SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY. WE ATTENDED THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND ART FESTIVAL, WHICH I WANT TO ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATE VERONICA ON AN OUTSTANDING JOB. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. OBVIOUSLY, A LOT TO CELEBRATE, RIGHT? JUST TO COMMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY FROM THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND. OPENING THE POWELL BUILDING. A YEAR OF SERVICE WITH THE PD.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT STUFF THAT ARE HAPPENING.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, ALL THE STAFF THAT MADE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR ALL YOU DO, FOR ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU GUYS PUT IN DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND WITH THAT, I'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING. SO THE TIME IS 7:47.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.