Jul 01, 2025 City Council

[1) CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:05]

GOOD EVENING. I WILL NOW CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THE TIME IS 6:01 P.M..

MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE THE ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA ? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA? I'M HERE. ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. THANK YOU. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE FLAG SALUTE.

SALUTE, FLAG.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO LEAD US IN INVOCATION TONIGHT? SEEING NO ONE, WE´LL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

[5) APPROVAL OF AGENDA]

OKAY. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET A VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS FORM.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU. PRESENTATIONS.

[6.a.Recognition Connie Bernal]

CONNIE, IF YOU CAN JOIN US TO THE PODIUM. AND I WILL GIVE THE FLOOR TO MR. REINA, SINCE I KNOW HE HAD MADE THE REQUEST. YES.

CONNIE HAS WORKED FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS THAT I REMEMBER ON BRINGING BACK THE MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION TO WASCO.

SOMETHING THAT HAS STOPPED BECAUSE THE LOCAL POST HAD DISBANDED, AND SO A LOT OF EFFORT WAS PUT INTO IT TO BRING IT BACK IN. THIS YEAR'S CEREMONY WAS EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD.

CHARLIE FIVECOAT WAS THERE. HE WAS THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES , AND I WAS THERE TOO, AS A LECTURER OF NAMES.

AND WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING. AND SO IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND WE OWE IT ALL TO YOU.

WITHOUT YOU, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU, ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO BRING THIS BACK, HONEY. AND I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

I THANK YOU EVERYONE IN THE COUNCIL AND CHIEF FIVECOAT AND EVERYONE IN THE STAFF, THE WASCO STAFF.

WE ALL LIKE TO SEE THINGS RECOGNIZED. OUR VETERANS, AND I HAD A LITTLE HELP, BUT IT ALL TURNED OUT WELL FOR ALL THE VETERANS, AND FOR THE CITY OF WASCO.

AND I'M SURE THAT THE VETERANS LIKED IT. I KNOW IT'S A A COLLABORATION EFFORT, BUT WITHOUT YOU, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? THANK YOU, CONNIE . MEMBER MARTINEZ? THANK YOU.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU KNOW. TO RECOGNIZE THEM.

I'M JUST SORRY THAT I MISSED THE EVENT, BUT I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE THE HARD WORK AT IT.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU, CONNIE. I WAS THERE AT THE EVENT.

I WAS ONE OF THE LECTURES, ONE OF THE READERS.

AND I WAS JUST SURPRISED TO SEE HOW MANY WASCO FAMILIES HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE BRING BACK EVERY YEAR THERE'S MEMORIAL CELEBRATION.

AND ALSO, YOU KNOW OUR MASTER OF CEREMONIES , CHIEF FIVECOAT PUT A UNIQUE TOUCH TO IT, YOU KNOW, WITH HIS EXPERIENCES, YOU KNOW, HE HAD ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT ME ONE TIME WHEN THE MAGIC.

WHERE'S THE TOWN? I'M SORRY? THE MAGIC, YOU SAID THE MAGIC OF WHAT TOWN? MAGIC OF WASCO. NO, NO. THE TOWN WHERE YOU WENT WHEN THE MILITARY, WHEN YOU WENT BACK.

OH, TO TOCCOA, GEORGIA. OH, OKAY. YEAH. THAT WAS A VERY GOOD STORY.

SO THANK YOU, CONNIE, FOR DOING THAT. I THANK MRS. CAUDILLO, ELISA CAUDILLO FROM SHAFTER. I WENT TO HER LIKE TWO DAYS AFTER THE LAST YEAR.

AND I SAID, WHY ISN'T THIS HAPPENING IN WASCO? AND SHE MENTIONED THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW THE PEOPLE FROM WASCO.

[00:05:04]

IT WOULD BE NICE IF SOMEONE WOULD DO IT. I SAID, I CAN DO IT, AND THEN SHE JUST MENTIONED, I'LL HELP YOU, I´LL GUIDE YOU ALONG. AND THEN SHE SAID YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE FROM WASCO, IT CAN GET DONE.

SO THAT'S WHERE I HAD THE HELP OF THE VETERANS.

THE VETERANS HELPED ME. I SPOKE TO A COUPLE OF THEM, AND THEN THE OTHERS FOLLOWED THROUGH AND GAVE ME THE NAMES OF EVERYONE.

THEY ALL HELPED OUT. THEY GAVE ME TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

AND THEN THE READERS CAME THROUGH VERY WELL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

SHAFTER DOESN'T DO READING OF VETERANS. THEY DON'T DO IT.

SO MRS. CAUDILLO WAS SURPRISED THAT WE STILL CONTINUE TO READ ALL OF THE NAMES OF THE VETERANS.

SO SHE WAS THANKFUL ALSO. YEAH, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO DO THAT, CONNIE.

AND AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT BACK. THEY OBVIOUSLY CONNECTED WITH THE RIGHT PERSON, RIGHT? SO T HANK YOU, CONNIE, FOR DOING THAT.

OBVIOUSLY IT TAKES YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE THE WILLINGNESS TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT RECOGNITION. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.

AND WE DO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR YOU TODAY.

SO, GENTLEMEN, IF YOU CAN JOIN ME.

NO.

AND WITH THAT WE HAVE ITEM 6) A. HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR STATUS REPORT.

[6.b. Homeless Outreach Coordinator Status Report]

OKAY. MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, YOU ALL ASKED FOR AN UPDATE ON OUR NEW HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR POSITION AND THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE GOT GOING.

AND SO, HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT TONIGHT. I ALSO HAVE OUR HOMELESS OUTREACH COORDINATOR, MANDY VEGA, IN THE AUDIENCE AND COMPLIANCE OFFICER, JOE GONZALEZ.

THEY'VE BOTH BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THIS PROGRAM UP AND RUNNING, AND I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THEY'VE DONE.

IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO WATCH THEM WORK. SO THIS IS SORT OF OUR STARTING POINT.

THE POINT IN TIME COUNT HAPPENED JANUARY 29TH OF 2025, AND MANDY BEGAN WORK IN FEBRUARY OF 2025.

SO THE PROGRAM CAN'T TAKE DIRECT CREDIT FOR THE THE BIG DROP IN THE PIT COUNT NUMBERS FROM 2024 AT 35 TO 12 IN THE 2025 PIT COUNT. WE THINK THAT'S THE RESULT OF THE COMPLETION OF THE DEMOLITION ON THE OLD LABOR CAMP PROPERTY AND THE WORK THAT WE DID WITH THE ENCAMPMENT BEHIND WALMART DURING THE 2024 YEAR. SOME OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN, THE NEEDS OUT THERE ARE THE TEMPORARY SHELTER, DETOX AND DRUG TREATMENT, SOBER LIVING, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.

THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE A BIG PART OF IT, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

AND THEN, OF COURSE PERMANENT HOUSING. SO NUMBERS BY SERVICE TYPE.

SINCE FEBRUARY, WE'VE REMOVED THREE ENCAMPMENTS AND CLEANED THREE ENCAMPMENTS.

WE'VE HAD SIX INDIVIDUALS ACCEPT TEMPORARY SHELTER PLACEMENT, THREE THAT HAVE ENTERED SHORT TERM DETOX PROGRAMS,

[00:10:01]

AND THEN ONE THAT'S MOVED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

THIS WAS NOT ALL DONE IN A SILO BY OURSELVES.

ONE OF THE BIG PARTS OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS COUNTYWIDE TO WORK WITH US.

IT'S NOT OUR GOAL TO CREATE A NEW RESOURCE. IT'S OUR GOAL TO CONNECT TO THE RESOURCES THAT ALREADY EXIST.

AND MANDY AND CODY HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT THERE IN THE COUNTY.

SO WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH FLOOD, WASCO P.D., CODE COMPLIANCE, GOOD SAMARITAN.

BE FINALLY FREE IS A NEW ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, AND THEN LOCAL CHURCHES HAVE ALSO BEEN A PART OF THE EFFORT.

SO I'LL JUST RUN YOU THROUGH A FEW PICTURES. THIS IS ONE OF THE ENCAMPMENTS THAT WAS CLEANED.

THIS IS A BEFORE AND THIS IS AN AFTER. AND OF COURSE WE'RE OFFERING SERVICES TO THOSE THAT ARE AT THESE ENCAMPMENTS.

SOME ARE WILLING, SOME ARE NOT, BUT THE ENCAMPMENTS ARE BEING CLEANED NONETHELESS.

THIS IS ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS A SORT OF A UNIQUE SPOT.

WE'VE GOT TWO OF THESE LOCATIONS. THESE ARE ON OLD AG PROPERTIES.

THERE'S THESE CONCRETE CISTERNS BELOW GROUND THAT WE FOUND PEOPLE HAD TAKEN UP RESIDENCE IN.

SO WE'VE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WORKED WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GET IT DEMOLISHED AND CLEARED OUT.

AND THERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THIS PICTURE, AND I'LL GET TO ANOTHER SLIDE, WHO ACCEPTED SERVICES FROM THAT LOCATION.

SHE WAS LIVING THERE IN THAT CISTERN UNDERGROUND, AND SHE'S NOW AT THE OPEN DOOR NETWORK, HOUSED AND RECEIVING SERVICES, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES.

SO THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER AGAIN, CODY WORKED WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED.

ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS THAT WE'VE KIND OF DISCOVERED HERE IN WASCO IS THAT SOME OF OUR POPULATION COMES OFF AMTRAK.

SO THIS INDIVIDUAL ARRIVED IN WASCO FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

CLEARLY NEEDING MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE.

WHAT WE DISCOVERED WAS SHE HAD OUT OF AREA INSURANCE.

SHE HAD ID WITH HER. WE SEARCHED LOCALLY TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RESOURCES THAT WE COULD PROVIDE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE OUT OF AREA INSURANCE, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.

OUR GOAL WAS TO GET HER BACK ON TO AMTRAK AND BACK TO A PLACE WHERE SHE HAD RESOURCES.

THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT QUITE AS WELL AS WE HAD HOPED.

SHE DID GET BACK ON AMTRAK, JUST IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

BUT THAT WAS NOT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T TRYING TO GET HER GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SHE JUST HOPPED ON. ONE OF THE THINGS WITH AMTRAK THAT, IF YOU HAVEN'T RIDDEN, TICKETS AREN'T CHECKED.

WHEN YOU GET ON THE TRAIN, YOU JUST HOP ON AND THE CONDUCTOR CHECKS TICKETS ONCE THE TRAIN'S IN MOTION.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE GET ON IN BAKERSFIELD.

TICKETS AREN'T CHECKED. AS SOON AS THE CONDUCTOR REALIZES THAT THEY'RE NOT TICKETED PASSENGERS, THEY GET EJECTED HERE IN WASCO. SO WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH AMTRAK.

WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND ASKED THAT THEY PLEASE CONTACT WASCO PD NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER IF THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, SO THAT WE CAN MEET FOLKS AT THE PLATFORM AND TRY TO GET THEM HEADED IN THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GO.

WE HAVE HAD THREE INDIVIDUALS JUST IN THE MONTH OF JUNE THAT HAVE COME IN FROM AMTRAK.

TWO FOR SURE, THAT WERE EJECTED AND ONE THAT MAY HAVE JUST GOTTEN OFF THE TRAIN AND GOT STUCK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH AMTRAK TO TRY TO HELP SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.

SUPPORTIVE SERVICES ARE EVERYTHING FROM VITAL DOCUMENTS, GETTING VOUCHERS TO HELP FOLKS GET THEIR VITAL DOCUMENTS, IDS TO BENEFIT RESOURCES. YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE MANDY IN THIS PHOTO.

SHE'S WITH ONE OF OUR INDIVIDUALS GETTING HER SITUATED WITH SOME RESOURCES AND BENEFITS.

THAT ALSO INCLUDES, IN SOME CASES, BUS TICKETS, BUS PASSES TO GET TO THE PLACES WHERE YOU GET VITAL DOCUMENTS.

NONE OF THOSE THINGS REALLY EXIST HERE, RIGHT? THE DMV IS IN SHAFTER.

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS IN SHAFTER. SO WE'VE PURCHASED SOME BUS PASSES, SOME REGIONAL TRANSIT BUS PASSES TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO THOSE APPOINTMENTS WHEN THEY NEED THEM. DETOX TREATMENT, AGAIN . WHAT WE'RE DISCOVERING AFTER THE LAST 4 OR 5 MONTHS IS THAT A LARGE PIECE OF OUR PROBLEM IS DRUG USE AND MENTAL HEALTH, AND THEY WORK HAND IN HAND MOST OF THE TIME.

HOUSING, WE THINK MOST OF OUR FOLKS WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE IF THE DRUG USE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WERE NOT SUCH PROBLEMS. SO HOUSING IS A PART OF IT, BUT DETOX IS A BIG PART OF IT.

[00:15:03]

WE'VE PLACED THREE PEOPLE INTO THOSE FACILITIES.

SHORT TERM SHELTER, AGAIN, IS A BIG NEED. BUT THE LONGER TERM GOAL IS TO GET FOLKS OUT OF SHORT TERM SHELTER INTO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT WITH, I BELIEVE, SIX INDIVIDUALS THAT WE PLACED IN SHORT TERM SHELTER.

AND SOME OF THOSE HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO LONGER TERM HOUSING.

THE INDIVIDUAL YOU SEE ON THE LEFT WAS A UNIQUE SITUATION.

SHE LANDED IN WASCO, I BELIEVE, WILL YOU CORRECT ME, ABOUT A YEAR AGO? MORE THAN THAT? MORE THAN THAT. A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, MAYBE HITCHHIKING FROM NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, ENDED UP HERE. NOT FROM HERE. NO FAMILY HERE.

AND HAS BEEN LIVING ON AND OFF THE STREETS, IN AND OUT OF THE CISTERN UNDERNEATH.

MANDY CONNECTED WITH HER. WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER SITUATED INITIALLY WITH TEEN CHALLENGE.

THAT DIDN'T END UP BEING THE RIGHT FIT FOR HER, BUT ULTIMATELY INTO OPEN DOOR NETWORK, WHERE WE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] SYSTEM TO SEE THAT SHE'S STILL RECEIVING SERVICES THERE AND HAS STAYED THERE SINCE, I THINK PROBABLY APRIL? SINCE APRIL. SO WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THAT. AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE RIGHT.

SAME THING. WE WERE ABLE TO GET HER HOUSED IN SOME OTHER TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

SOBER LIVING. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET A FEW PEOPLE HOUSED IN SOBER LIVING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ONE END OF TEEN CHALLENGE.

THIS WAS A RECENT PLACEMENT AND A TEEN CHALLENGE WITH.

THIS IS A COUPLE. WE PLACED THE FEMALE INTO BE FINALLY FREE WITH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND THE MALE INTO TEEN CHALLENGE. AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, STILL THERE.

THAT WAS RECENT. AND FINALLY, PERMANENT HOUSING.

YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THE RV ON THE LEFT AS THE RV THAT WAS PARKED UP BY WALMART FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

THE INDIVIDUAL THAT YOU SEE THERE WITH THE BAKERSFIELD MAYOR RECEIVED HOUSING AT THE RENAISSANCE AT BAKER THAT JUST RECENTLY OPENED.

AND THAT'S A PICTURE OF HE AND MAYOR GOH POINTING AT HIS NEW APARTMENT.

SO THAT WAS LARGELY THE WORK OF FLOOD. FLOOD HAD BEEN WORKING WITH HIM FOR A LONG TIME, TRYING TO GET HIM HOUSED.

AND SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, HE'S HOUSED THERE. SO WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

AND YOU KNOW, THE RV HAS GONE AS WELL. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER EFFORTS, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT MANDY IS DOING TO TRY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE COUNTY AT LARGE. SHE HOSTS A WEEKLY MEETING, IT USED TO BE TUESDAYS.

IT'S NOW GOING TO WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, WHERE WE'VE INVITED THE OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT SERVE THE WASCO AREA.

SO FLOOD, BE FINALLY FREE IS ONE, GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL.

THEY'VE ALL PARTICIPATED. WHERE WE COME TOGETHER, TALK ABOUT THE CASES THAT ARE OUT HERE, AND THEN GO OUT INTO THE FIELD AND SEE WHO'S OUT AND WHAT THEY NEED, AND TRY TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE CASES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

MANDY'S ALSO ATTENDED RESOURCE FAIRS, JOB FAIRS, OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS.

SHE'S BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN CONNECTING BOTH THE CITY AND OUR FOLKS WITH RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

JOBS, RECENT EXAMPLE. SHE ATTENDED A JOB FAIR, I THINK, IN DELANO? IN DELANO, WHERE SHE MET THE CENTRAL VALLEY FOLKS WHO SHOWED AN INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING HERE IN WASCO WITH VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDING FOR EVENTS.

SO HAVING SOMEBODY THAT'S ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND ATTEND THOSE EVENTS HAS BEEN REALLY VALUABLE FOR US.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM COMPANIES AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT CAN BRING RESOURCES INTO WASCO.

SO I THINK THAT'S BEEN HELPFUL. AGAIN, WE'RE COORDINATING WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.

WE PARTICIPATE IN THE BAKERSFIELD KERN REGIONAL HOMELESS COLLABORATIVE AS NEEDED.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF IT IS PREVENTION EFFORTS.

SO THE PAL PROGRAM IS GOING TO FIT RIGHT INTO THAT.

FAMILIES THAT WE WORK WITH THAT MAY HAVE KIDS THAT ARE THE RIGHT AGE FOR THE PAL PROGRAM.

WE'RE MAKING THOSE REFERRALS TO THOSE FAMILIES TRYING TO GET THEM EDUCATION RESOURCES AND JOB REFERRALS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER BIG FOCUS OF THE PROGRAM. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT OVER.

I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT THESE LAST FEW MONTHS.

IT'S MESSY WORK. IT'S NOT A STRAIGHT LINE. THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE LEFT HERE, WE FOUND RECENTLY IN ONE OF OUR PARKS.

SHE SEEMS TO HAVE SOME TIES HERE, BUT SHE'S GOT HOUSING ALREADY IN BAKERSFIELD THAT SHE'S LEFT AND IS AT RISK OF

[00:20:08]

AND THERE'S STILL SOME CLEANUP EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO TO BE DONE, SO.

WE'RE SEEING THAT IT'S SOMEWHAT SEASONAL. WE KIND OF GIGGLED THE FIRST DAY THAT MANDY WAS ON THE JOB.

WE WENT OUT AND LOOKED FOR FOLKS AND DIDN'T FIND A SINGLE ONE IN FEBRUARY.

AND SINCE THEN, AND WE THINK WEATHER IS OBVIOUSLY A BIG PART OF THAT.

IT WAS COLD, AND SO, EBBS AND FLOWS AND WE'RE STILL LEARNING AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LEARNING, AND YEAH. SO THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, JUST LAST SLIDE KIND OF GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT WHAT WE WANT THE PROGRAM TO BE ABOUT.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS BEST I CAN.

AWESOME. THANK YOU KERI. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL.

MAYOR PRO TEM? I HAVE A QUESTION. JUST AN AWESOME REPORT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THE COLLABORATION WITH ALL THESE AGENCIES IS REALLY KEY AND IMPORTANT.

SO IT HELPS DEFINITELY OUT THERE. AND THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU MANDY. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

MEMBER MARTINEZ? FIRST OF ALL, OUTSTANDING WORK.

I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX HERE.

LAST TIME I WENT TO THE CALIFORNIA CITIES, I SAT IN ONE OF THEIR HOMELESS PRESENTATIONS, I THINK IT WAS BY LA CITY OR LA COUNTY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR SOLUTION WAS TO BUILD A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF REALLY EXPENSIVE HOUSING UNITS, WHICH IS IMPRACTICAL FOR THE CITY OF WASCO TO DO, AND FOR ANY CITY REALLY TO DO TO TACKLE A HOMELESSNESS PROBLEM.

SO YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS GREAT.

I DID HAVE A QUESTION ON THE NUMBER BREAKDOWN.

BECAUSE I THINK OUR POINT IN TIME COUNT WAS LIKE 12 THIS YEAR, SOMETHING AROUND THAT NUMBER? BUT IT SHOWED LIKE 27 PEOPLE HAD RECEIVED SERVICES.

SO I'M ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE CAN BE DOUBLE COUNTED IF THEY GET SERVICES MORE THAN ONCE? NOT IN THE POINT IN TIME COUNT. THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IS A.

I MEAN, FOR THE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED SERVICES THAT.

FOR OUR BREAKDOWN, THE 27 WOULD INCLUDE.

CAN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE? YEAH. NO SUCH LUCK.

OKAY, THE 27 THAT YOU'RE SEEING THERE IS A CONDENSED FORM OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE RECEIVED SOME FORM OF INFORMATION FROM ME, WHETHER IT BE MY BUSINESS CARD, LINKING THEM TO SHELTER, LINKING THEM WITH OTHER RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S JOB RESOURCES, FAMILY RESOURCES, FOOD.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO LINK SOME OF OUR MEDICAL FACILITIES HERE TO ALSO OTHER SERVICES.

SO IT'S JUST LINKING THESE INDIVIDUALS OVER TO TWO SERVICES, WHETHER IT WAS SHELTER OR HOUSING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE THINK AT THAT POINT IN TIME COUNT, THEY'RE NOTORIOUSLY OFF.

BUT I MEAN, WE THINK THAT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERESTIMATED OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, IT SOUNDS LIKE? I DON'T. I THINK THAT, SO THE 27 RESOURCES ARE NOT NECESSARILY TO PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE TECHNICALLY CLASSIFIED AS HOMELESS.

OKAY. BUT IT COULD BE A PREVENTATIVE, YOU KNOW, SERVICE.

BUT WE THINK THE WAY THE POINT IN TIME COUNT WORKS, THE 12 IS PROBABLY A MUCH MORE ACCURATE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT THEY FIND UNHOUSED ON THE STREET ON A GIVEN DAY IN JANUARY, WHEN IT'S COLD IN THE MORNING.

SO THERE ARE PROBABLY, YES, MORE THAN THAT. BUT WE THINK FOR THE WAY THEY COUNTED, THAT'S PROBABLY A MORE ACCURATE NUMBER THAN WHAT LAST YEAR WAS.

SO LIKE I SAID, I THINK WHAT WE'RE DISCOVERING IS THAT HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS HERE IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES. MOST OF OUR FOLKS THAT ARE HERE OVER THAT HAVE FAMILY HERE ARE ON THE STREETS BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES CAN'T HAVE THEM AT HOME ANYMORE. AND SO IF THE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS WERE ADDRESSED, THEY WOULD LIKELY HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.

SO THAT SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST ISSUE WE'RE DEALING WITH.

THERE ARE SOME HOUSING ISSUES FOR SURE. YOU KNOW, THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND THE FOLKS THAT COME FROM OUT OF THE AREA THAT ARE TRULY, YOU KNOW, LIVING ON THE STREET, THE UNHOUSED.

I THINK THAT'S. WELL, I'LL BE HONEST. I MEAN, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED FAR EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATION OF WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, REALISTIC OF BEING ACCOMPLISHED. MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS, ARE YOU ENCOUNTERING RESISTANCE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE REFUSING ANY KIND OF SERVICES? WE ARE. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IS OUR BIGGEST ISSUE HERE.

I WAS COMING INTO THIS THINKING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS HUGE HOMELESS PROBLEM AND THEN WE COULDN'T FIND ANYBODY.

IT WAS HARD TO GET UP TO FIVE. AND THEN AS WE STARTED GOING, WE STARTED REALIZING, OKAY, WE WERE CONNECTING WITH THEM AND THEN CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

AND THEN WE'RE COMING ACROSS MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUBSTANCE ABUSE USERS OR MENTAL HEALTH. AND THOSE ARE WHERE WE'RE GETTING THAT RESISTANCE. THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT YOU'RE SEEING

[00:25:05]

AND THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE WE WERE WANTING TO FOCUS AND WE'RE REALIZING WE NEED TO GET TO THE ROOT, AND HOMELESSNESS IS JUST A SYMPTOM OF IT. SO THE THE ROOT I'M, I'M BEGINNING TO THINK IS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

SO WE WANT TO BRING IN THE MOBILE HEALTH UNIT TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.

AND BRINGING ALL THESE TEAMS ON BOARD IS GOING TO TAKE A UNIQUE STANDPOINT AND STANDING TOGETHER TO HELP FIGHT IT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL CAN DO ALONE.

SO WE HAVE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK WITH DOING SOME OF THE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND BEING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

ONE OF THE REPS LET ME KNOW THAT SHE HAD TOOK WHAT WE WERE DOING TO HER SUPERVISOR, AND THEY SAID THEY WERE REALLY PROUD OF THE UNIQUE STANCE THAT WASCO WAS TAKING.

WELL, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS SHOULD BE THE MODEL FOR OTHER CITIES TO FOLLOW.

MAYBE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS YOU'LL BE DOING A PRESENTATION YOURSELF AT THE CALIFORNIA CITIES.

SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU. MEMBER RAYA? WELL, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, AND I LOVE HOW YOU GUYS PUT IT.

WE'RE NOT HERE TO CREATE NEW RESOURCES, BUT WE'RE LEADING THESE PEOPLE TO THE RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE.

AND WITH ALL THIS DATA YOU GUYS SHOW, YOU GUYS ARE DOING THAT. SO GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. MEMBER MEDINA? THANK YOU, MAYOR. I AM IMPRESSED BY THESE NUMBERS.

I REALLY AM, AND I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE DECLINE IN THE POPULATION OF HOMELESSNESS, BUT THE OTHER NUMBERS JUST SHOW THAT YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE THIS BETTER.

AND ALSO THE NUMBERS PROVE THAT. I THINK THAT PROVIDING THESE SUPPORTED PREVENTATIVE SERVICES THAT YOU'RE DOING GOES A LONG WAY. AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT. WHAT I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS THIS.

ARE WE FOLLOWING UP ON SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE CONNECTING WITH SERVICES, ARE WE FOLLOWING UP TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN THIS PROGRAMS OR WHETHER THEY MAYBE ARE FALLING OFF AND MAYBE THEY'RE NOT RETURNING TO WASCO, BUT THEY'RE GOING SOMEPLACE ELSE TO BE A PROBLEM AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT MAY BE HAPPENING TO US, TOO, IF OTHERS ARE IN PROGRAMS AND THEY FAIL TO COMPLETE PROGRAMS, THEY WILL END UP IN WASCO AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER.

SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT. NO, WE ARE TAKING A UNIQUE APPROACH AND WE ARE FOLLOWING UP.

THAT'S, ONE THING THAT WE ARE DOING THE MOST OF IS CASE MANAGEMENT.

SO WE'RE NOT SENDING ANYBODY OFF WITH THE EXPECTATION OF WE'RE GETTING THEM OUT OF WASCO.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PASSING THE BATON AND JUST DROPPING THE BALL ON WHERE THEY'RE AT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY. SO I KIND OF CAN GET ANNOYING AT TIMES BECAUSE I'M, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING TODAY AND JUST FOLLOWING UP AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE EVEN ANSWERED PHONES LATE AT NIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE WHERE THEY WERE OR THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO WE ARE PUTTING IN THE EFFORT AND JUST LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE AND WE'RE HERE TO WALK ALONGSIDE OF THEM THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY AND NOT TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, BUT JUST BE A RESOURCE TO HELP LEAD THEM TO WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.

AND THE DETOX PROGRAM THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, YOU SAID YOU SENT, I THINK KERI SAID THIS, THAT THERE WERE THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE SENT TO DETOX, AND I WAS TAKEN ABACK BY THE SHORTNESS OF THE PROGRAM.

DID YOU SAY IT WAS ONE DAY DETOX? THERE'S A THREE DAY AND IT DEPENDS ON THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

SO THEY HAVE A SET STANDARD FOR IT, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU JUST ONLY USE METH, YOU CAN ONLY GO FOR THREE DAYS.

BUT THEY HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN STAY FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE TEN BEDS, SO THEY'RE LIMITED. IF YOU HAVE A DUAL SUBSTANCE, YOU CAN STAY THREE DAYS AND THEN THEY CAN HELP PUT YOU INTO A SOBER LIVING PROGRAM.

AND THEN HELP YOU TRANSITION OUT OF THAT WAY.

AND SO WE DO FOLLOW UP WITH OUR INDIVIDUALS. SOME OF THEM, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THEY TOOK A HUGE STEP IN TAKING THE FIRST STEP TO EVEN ASK FOR HELP AND GET TO DETOX.

SO IT MAY NOT HAVE WORKED THE FIRST TIME, BUT WE'LL TRY IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL IT DOES. BECAUSE ONE THING WE WANT THEM TO KNOW IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP AND WE AIN'T GOING ANYWHERE, SO. WELL, NO DOUBT THAT CONTACT THAT THIS PEOPLE HAD WITH YOU WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THEM TO DECIDE THAT THEY MAY WANT TO TAKE THAT STEP AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT DETOX PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU.

GREAT JOB. REALLY GREAT JOB. I'M IMPRESSED AS WELL.

AND JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NO FURTHER COMMENTS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO ADD.

OBVIOUSLY, FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE. I MEAN, I KNEW WE HAD HIRED MANDY.

SHE CAME, WE MET HER, BUT WE HAD NO SORT OF REPORT OUT AS TO WHAT SHE WAS DOING ON THE BEHIND THE SCENES, AND OBVIOUSLY SHE'D BEEN KEEPING BUSY, RIGHT? THE FACT THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS WITH HELP, THAT'S AWESOME, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD STILL BE ROAMING THE STREETS. AND PAINTING THE PICTURE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE FOLKS ARE FACING AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE PROBLEMS ARE IS REALLY IMPORTANT,

[00:30:05]

AND I THINK IF THERE GETS TO A POINT IN TIME WHERE YOU HAVE A CERTAIN HURDLE, RIGHT, THAT YOU GET TO, I MEAN, AS A TEAM THAT, HEY, WE CAN'T OVERCOME THIS AND WE NEED HELP OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY WE'RE A RESOURCE FOR YOU GUYS AS WELL AND WHATEVER WE CAN HELP IN.

I AGREE WITH WITH MR. MARTINEZ THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF PAVING THE WAY.

AND I KNOW THERE'S OTHER CITIES THAT ARE DOING WORK AND WHATNOT, BUT I COULD DEFINITELY SEE US WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH A LOT OF THESE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE FACING THE SAME PROBLEMS, RIGHT? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THE BAKERSFIELD NUMBERS ARE A LOT BIGGER.

THE POPULATION IS A LOT BIGGER. BUT I'M SURE WE CAN LINK UP WITH A LOT OF THE SMALLER CITIES THAT ARE FACING SIMILAR THINGS, WHERE I'M SURE FOLKS ARE GETTING OFF ON THE AMTRAK AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INFORMATION LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF KEEPING US INFORMED.

MAYBE IT'S A QUARTERLY, YOU KNOW, COMING QUARTERLY, OR MAYBE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING SOME SORT OF REPORT VIA EMAIL.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET A CONTINUOUS UPDATE BECAUSE THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION, RIGHT? IT LETS US KNOW THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE AND THAT, MANDY, YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. HAPPY TO DO A REGULAR REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

[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 ON 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? YEP. CAN YOU STEP UP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE THE NAME FOR THE RECORD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI. MY NAME IS MARIA MUNOZ, 9 1/16 STREET HERE IN WASCO.

GOOD TO SEE MY PROFESSOR FIVECOATS OVER HERE ON THE SIDE.

YEARS AND YEARS AGO. ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING REALLY BRIEF.

THE 10TH OF THIS LAST MONTH, MY MOTHER NEEDED ASSISTANCE, AND WE HAD TO CALL 911.

SHE WAS UNRESPONSIVE AT THE TIME. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT OUR POLICE STAFF HAD RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY WITHIN TWO MINUTES.

T HAT WAS THE FIRST OFFICER. THE SECOND OFFICER ARRIVED.

OFFICER LOPEZ ARRIVED TWO MINUTES AFTER THAT, AND THEN I CAME TO MINNESOTA.

SO WITHIN THOSE SIX MINUTES, EVERYTHING WAS RUSHING.

THEY WERE ABLE TO PERFORM COMPRESSIONS ON HER.

AGAIN, SHE WAS NONRESPONSIVE. SHE HAD CODED ON US.

THEY DID THE AED ON HER. IT WAS FUNNY IN THE SENSE THAT, BECAUSE NOW WE CAN LOOK BACK, BECAUSE SHE'S HERE.

SHE'S HERE WITH US, OKAY. IT'S FUNNY IN THE SENSE THAT HE SAYS I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M DOING IT. AND I SAID, YOU'RE HONEST.

LET'S DO IT. WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER. AND I JUST WAS CHEERING HIM ON AS HE WAS PERFORMING WHAT HE HAD TO DO.

AND HE KEPT A CALM, COOL, COMPOSED MANNER AS HE WAS DOING IT.

SO I APPLAUD THAT. YOU KNOW, I JUST. AWESOME.

THAT'S AWESOME, YOU KNOW? YEAH. SO HE WAS ABLE TO DO THE AED.

THEY FOUND VITALS ON HER AT THAT TIME. THEY TRANSPORTED HER BY AMBULANCE.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS RIGHT THERE, LIKE, SIX MINUTES WHERE I WAS AT.

BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO DO AN AED AS WELL. BUT LIKE I SAID, SO AFTER THEY STABILIZED HER SOMEWHAT, THEY PUT HER IN THE AMBULANCE. SHE CODED AGAIN FOR TEN MINUTES IN THE AMBULANCE AS SHE ARRIVED TO THE HOSPITAL.

I WALKED IN. YOU KNOW, I'M, LIKE, EXPECTING THE WORST.

AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S SITTING UP IN BED SAYING, WHAT HAPPENED? I DON'T KNOW, MOM. YOU KNOW, LONG STORY SHORT, THE PNEUMONIA THAT SHE HAD DIDN'T GO ALL THE WAY CLEAR UP, CAUSED HER BLOOD PRESSURE TO DROP. AND THAT WAS THE REASON WHY SHE WAS NON-RESPONSIVE AT THE TIME.

[00:35:03]

BUT MY POINT IS, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE THAT RESPONDED SO QUICKLY.

I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE 911 DISPATCHER THAT HELPED US IN THAT SITUATION AS WELL, AND THE AMBULANCE DRIVERS AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

IT JUST GIVES US ANOTHER CHANCE TO LOOK AT WHAT HER WISHES ARE, WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO IN THE FUTURE IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THINGS LIKE THAT. I, YOU KNOW, THAT SECOND CHANCE IS JUST AN EYE OPENER, AND SHE WANTED TO COME AND AND SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY, AND YOU KNOW, FOR GIVING HER ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIFE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO FROM HERE, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S AWESOME.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, FOR SHARING THAT. M EMBER MARTINEZ HAD A SUGGESTION THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THOSE THOSE OFFICERS.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. SO IF WE HAVE THE NAMES OF THOSE GENTLEMEN.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ARE THERE ANY E-COMMENTS, MADAM CLERK? THERE ARE NO MORE E-COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM OR ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TEN.

PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS. WE DO NOT HAVE CHIEF APPLETON.

SO WASCO POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHO'S UP? I WILL.

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

AND, YOU KNOW, STORIES LIKE THAT OBVIOUSLY REINFORCE AND REMINDS US OF WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE REASON WHY WE DO THE JOB, RIGHT? TO THE OFFICERS, THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER CALL. MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE IMPACT THAN ANY OTHER ONE AND A LITTLE BIT STRESSFUL, PERHAPS, BUT THE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IT MAKES, RIGHT? SO ANYWAY, TOO BAD I HAD TO LEAVE, BUT I LOVE THE STORIES AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.

SO, OKAY, SO POLICE RELATED ACTIVITY FOR THIS MONTH HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT WITH A FEW MINOR CHANGES, AND I'LL GET TO THOSE IN A SECOND. BUT THE STATS FOR JUNE YEAR TO DATE, 9872. AND JUST FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE HANDLED 1775.

ONE SECOND, SORRY, 1707. YEAH. 75. ALL RIGHT.

SO MOVING DOWN TO CALLS FOR SERVICE. FOR JUNE, WE HANDLED A TOTAL OF 1026.

THE OFFICER INITIATED ACTIVITY IS AT 749. AS YOU CAN SEE, JUNE, THE CALLS FOR SERVICE ARE DECLINING, BUT THE OFFICER INITIATED ACTIVITY STILL CONTINUES TO CURVE UP.

SO THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S REFRESHING. I'M MOVING ON TO TOTAL ARREST.

YEAR TO DATE, WE HAVE 537 FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE.

WE'VE ARRESTED 180 INDIVIDUALS, A FEW LESS THAN MAY.

AND I'M MOVING ON OVER TO STOLEN AND RECOVERED VEHICLES.

YEAR TO DAY 75 STOLEN. RECOVERED 66. AND JUST FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE ALONE, WE HAD 15 STOLEN AND 12 RECOVERED. MOVING DOWN TO THE LEFT, CITIZEN CONTACTS HERE TODAY, WE HAVE 187.

FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE ALONE 23. THE SAME AS MAY, A LITTLE LESS THAN IN APRIL.

AND CITATIONS AND TRAFFIC STOPS. YEAR TO DATE FOR TRAFFIC STOPS 1812, OF WHICH WE ISSUED 351 CITATIONS. AND FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE PRETTY MUCH DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS WE ISSUED TO MOTORISTS OUT THERE. AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.

[00:40:08]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR POLICE RELATED ACTIVITY.

WE ASSISTED WITH THE FIREWORKS SHOW. IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT.

NOTHING MUCH TO REPORT. IT WAS QUIET, UNEVENTFUL.

AND THEN WE DID COFFEE WITH A COP TODAY AT THE WOMAN'S CLUB, AND THAT WAS ALSO A NICE EXPERIENCE AND A GOOD TURNOUT, SO IT WAS GOOD. WE'VE BEEN BUSY, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? MAYOR PRO TEM? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT, ASSISTANT CHIEF MARK.

MEMBER MARTINEZ? I'VE ATTENDED A LOT OF COUNCIL MEETINGS IN OTHER CITIES AND OBVIOUSLY WASCO FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, BUT I'VE BEEN TO THEM IN SHAFTER, MCFARLAND, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING. I THINK THAT IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN A CITIZEN COME FORWARD AND IT WASN'T A COMPLAINT ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO THAT AGAIN, TELLS YOU THE OUTSTANDING JOB THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.

I DID HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. THE PIN ABOVE YOURS AND THE CHIEF'S NAMETAG, WHAT DOES THAT REPRESENT? NO. FUNNY YOU ASK. HER STORY HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A MEANING, SO I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH WORDS, RIGHT? THIS IS A LIFE SAVING MEDAL. WE SAVED A LITTLE GIRL FROM A [INAUDIBLE] IN SHAFTER BACK IN THE DAY, SO. AND SO WE WILL BE ISSUING THOSE HERE IN THE CITY OF WASCO AS WELL, CHIEF? OKAY, THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OF. THANK YOU. SO IF I STUMBLED A LITTLE BIT THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS MORE TO THAT STORY.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. SO I'D LOVE TO HEAR THAT STORY SOMEDAY.

ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? JUST KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

YOU GUYS ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB, MAN. ALL THE STORIES WE HEAR ABOUT YOU GUYS.

KEEP IT UP. GREAT. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

MEMBER REYNA? I TALKED ABOUT THIS THIS MORNING WITH YOU.

I JUST LOVE THIS CHART. IT'S SO EASY TO FOLLOW AND SO MUCH INFORMATION IN A SINGLE PAGE, SO THANK YOU.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANKS. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 11.

[11)CONSENT CALENDAR]

THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEMS 11) A. TO 11) L.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON A PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? I HAVE NONE. MARTINEZ? NO CONFLICT. MEMBER RAYA? NO CONFLICT. AND MEDINA? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY CONFLICT.

THANK YOU. AND I HAVE NO CONFLICT. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? SEEING NONE.

ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? I HAVE NONE. MEMBER MARTINEZ? NOTHING, SIR. MEMBER RAYA? NO. MEMBER MEDINA? I HAVE AN OBSERVATION ON ITEM H AND A QUESTION ON ITEM I.

AND I'M HOPING THAT I CAN DO THAT WITHOUT PULLING THEM.

WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY. OKAY, SO ITEM H, IT IS APPROVAL OF TRAVEL EXPENSES, TRAINING EXPENSES EXCEEDING $500 FOR A POLICE OFFICER.

AND IT HAS THE LANGUAGE THAT I HAD REQUESTED THAT WE DO NOT USE, IN WHICH IT SAID THAT IT WILL COST ABOUT $1,000. AND THE LANGUAGE READ WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM THAT WE WILL SPEND? NOT, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL BE ABOVE $1,000. BECAUSE THAT'S ALWAYS THE LANGUAGE THAT IS USED ON THOSE REPORTS.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT A LIMIT AS TO WHAT THE EXPENSE WILL BE.

WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. SO IF WE COULD CORRECT THAT.

THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IN THAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO REIMBURSABLE AS WELL.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THE NET COST WILL BE ZERO ONCE IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE.

MAYBE WE SHOULD IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. MAYBE WE SHOULD EXPRESS THAT.

THAT NET COST WILL BE ZERO. BECAUSE JUST TELLING ME THAT IT'S GOING TO BE OVER $1,000, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I KNOW THAT YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT, BUT THE SKY COULD BE THE LIMIT, RIGHT? SO I CAN CLEAN THAT UP. YES. IN THE FUTURE, THAT THAT LANGUAGE DOES NOT APPEAR ON THIS REPORT.

AND THEN ALSO I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT ITEM I. AND THIS IS THE TRIENNIAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT.

[00:45:03]

YES, I'M SORRY, I WAS IN THE WRONG ONE. I CAN'T SEE WITH MY GLASSES ON OR WITHOUT THEM.

PARDON MY MISTAKE. YEAH. BUT I'M REFERRING TO ITEM L.

SO. WHAT´S YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? THAT THE 2023-2024 AUDIT IS NOT COMPLETE.

AND THERE WAS A QUESTION OF CAPACITY BY THE FIRM THAT IS DOING THE AUDIT, AND ALSO SOME ISSUES WITH OUR OWN IN-HOUSE PERSONNEL. AND SO I'M ASKING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING US FOR AN APPROVAL, BUT THIS AUDIT IS INCOMPLETE, SO I CANNOT VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT IS INCOMPLETE.

SO WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON IS TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.

AND THE REPORT WAS A POINT IN TIME SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WHEN THIS REPORT WAS COMPLETED AND THEN FINALIZED AND TURNED OVER TO US.

THOSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN, AND I THINK THE CLERK CAN CLEAR THAT UP FOR US.

YES. I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT ALSO SAID THAT THE THE 2021-2022 WAS NOT COMPLETED IN TIME, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED AN EXTENSION AND THEN IT WAS COMPLETED.

CORRECT. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON GETTING AN EXTENSION ON THE 2023-2024.

AND SO IF YOU COULD JUST CLEAR THAT UP FOR ME.

SO ALL THE AUDITS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETED.

SO THEY'RE JUST FINDING WHERE IT WAS NOT COMPLETED BY THE EXTENDED TIME WE HAD REQUESTED .

AT THE TIME THE REPORT WAS? WAS BEING WAS DEVELOPED? YES. WHICH WAS IN JANUARY? IT WAS AROUND JANUARY.

MARCH. OKAY, THAT WAS IN MARCH. YEAH. MARCH 31ST, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.

OKAY. SO NOW EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETED? YES.

CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT CLARIFIES IT FOR ME.

OKAY. THAT WAY I CAN GIVE YOU AN HONEST AND INFORMED VOTE.

YES. OKAY. SURE. OH, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

WE DO HAVE A MICROPHONE THERE, BUT. HE WAS ALREADY GETTING UP.

SO, YES. SO NOW THAT WE'VE COMPLETED THOSE THREE AUDITS THAT ARE BEING MENTIONED, IT'S COMPOSED.

THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE TRIANNUAL AUDIT. THEY COMPILE ALL THE THREE AUDITS.

AND NOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH SUBMITTING THE CLAIMS THAT GO ON TO CURRENT CODE FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE'RE REFERENCING, THE 23-24.

BUT YES, THOSE ARE COMPLETE. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL MOVE HERE SHORTLY, START SEEING THOSE CLAIMS COMING FORWARD.

I'M GOOD IF WE NEED TO GET THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE COMING.

BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS CORRECTLY, SO.

AND YOU ARE, SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING IT FOR ME.

SURE. AND IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE TO.

WELL, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I NEED TO ASK THAT ITEM J BE PULLED FOR A SEPARATE DISCUSSION.

THERE'S AN ERROR ON THAT REPORT THAT I NEED TO CLARIFY BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT, BUT THE REST ARE CORRECT, AND THEY CAN BE APPROVED. MAY I COMMENT ON THAT? I READ THIS REPORT, THERE ARE TWO ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

ONE FOR THE WEST AND ONE FOR THE WEST? CORRECT.

THE NUMBERS APPEAR AS DIFFERENT NUMBERS ON THE EAST AND WEST, AND THEY SHOULD BE IDENTICAL.

OKAY. SO I NEED TO POINT THAT OUT IN THE REPORT.

I WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT. I DID LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND.

I PROOFED THEM AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT. SO IT IS EASY TO MISS.

ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. SO JUST A QUESTION, ARE YOU PULLING IT AND BRINGING IT BACK FOR ANOTHER TIME? NOPE. WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH A CORRECTION. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO APPROVE IT AS CORRECTED.

OKAY. JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. SO I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE ALL ITEMS EXCEPT FOR J.

AND THEN. I WILL SECOND. WITH THE EXPLANATIONS THAT I'VE BROUGHT UP.

CAN YOU GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER REINA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER REINA, SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH SEPARATE CONSIDERATION ON ITEM 11) J.

FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

[00:50:04]

[11.j. Council finds this action is not a “project” defined under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager or designee to Endorse and enter into an Agreement with BHT Engineering, Inc. for the design phase of the Filburn Avenue WEST CMAQ Project in an amount not to exceed $86,697.50 and allowing the City Manager to execute Contract Change Orders in an amount not to exceed an aggregate of $15,000.00.]

IT'S BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES, AS YOU POINTED OUT, EAST AND WEST.

JUST THE WAY IT WORKED AND THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST PHASES OF IT.

WHEN THE BIDS WERE RECEIVED, BHT, THE PREFERRED VENDOR, IN THIS CASE FOR ENGINEERING AND DESIGN SERVICES, SPLIT IT EXACTLY IN HALF IN THEIR MINDS. AND THE TWO NUMBERS CAME BACK AS IDENTICAL FOR EACH, THE EAST AND THE WEST. THE CORRECT NUMBER THERE APPEARS ON ITEM K.

$85,922.50. THERE WAS AN ERROR THAT I PROPAGATED ON THE COST ANALYSIS FOR THE WEST PHASE FOR ITEM J.

AND SO THAT $85,922.50 SHOULD APPEAR FOR BOTH PROJECTS, NOT THE $86,000 THAT IS IN THE STAFF REPORT.

$86,697.50 IS INCORRECT, AND I'M LOOKING AT MY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT FURTHER PROPAGATING THERE.

NO, NO, THAT'S CORRECT. BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING.

NOW, THAT NUMBER APPEARS IN SEVERAL PLACES IN THE PREAMBLE, IN THE AGENDA, IN THE STAFF REPORT.

THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IN THE RECOMMENDATION, FIRST PARAGRAPH ALSO IN THE FISCAL IMPACT SHOULD BE CHANGED TO THE 8592250. THEN AGAIN, IN THE RESOLUTION, IT APPEARS TWICE IN THE PREAMBLE AND IN THE SECTION ONE. AND THEN ALSO IN THE AGREEMENT, PARAGRAPH THREE, AND EXHIBIT A. AS AN ATTACHMENT IN THE AGREEMENT. SO EXHIBIT A WOULD BE CORRECT, IT WAS THE COST ANALYSIS? YEAH. SO THAT'S WHERE. RIGHT. THE NUMBER KIND OF THREW EVERYTHING OFF.

IT WAS. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE THAT ON THE CORRECT NUMBER? CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE, THE CORRECTED INFORMATION.

YOU HAVE THE CORRECTED VERSION OF THE ENTIRE PACKAGE.

YEAH. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS ON THE RECORD BEFORE YOU GO AHEAD AND PROVE THAT, IT IS FOR THE $85,000 NUMBER, NOT THE 80. THANK YOU FOR BEING SO THOROUGH ON YOUR CLARIFICATION.

I LOVE IT. MY PLEASURE. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM J.

W ITH THE CORRECTIONS MENTIONED BY MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER REINA? AYE. MOTION BY MAYOR MEDINA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER REINA TO APPROVE ITEM 11) J.

WITH CORRECTIONS MENTIONED. MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.

THANK YOU, MOVING ON TO ITEM 12 PUBLIC HEARINGS.

[12.a. Council finds this action is not a “project” defined under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Public Hearing and Reporting on City of Wasco Vacancies, Recruitment, and Retention Efforts to Comply with Assembly Bill 2561. (Hurlbert)]

PUBLIC HEARING AND REPORTING ON THE CITY OF WASCO VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS TO COMPLY WITH ASSEMBLY BILL 2561.

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

TONIGHT WE ASK THAT YOU HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF AB 2561.

FROM A HIGH LEVEL, THIS BILL LOOKS TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES THAT ANY PUBLIC AGENCY IS CARRYING ON ITS BOOKS AT ANY POINT IN TIME. AND WE'LL DO EXACTLY THAT WITH THIS PRESENTATION HERE TONIGHT.

AND THIS WAS PREPARED BY OUR HR DEPARTMENT. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS IF A PARTICULAR AGENCY HAS MORE THAN 20 VACANCIES IN ANY GIVEN BARGAINING UNIT SUBGROUP.

WE DO NOT HAVE THAT SITUATION, THANKFULLY. AND SO THOSE RULES DO NOT APPLY TO US.

WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT WILL COME LATER IN THE AGENDA WHERE THERE IS A RULE THAT APPLIES TO US AND THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE US TO TAKE ONE ADDITIONAL ACTION TONIGHT.

[00:55:05]

THIS IS REALLY AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS AWARE AND THE BARGAINING GROUPS AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF STAFFING LEVELS AND STAFFING SHORTAGES TO HELP MITIGATE THE RESULTS NOTED IN THE REPORT.

THIS IS TO BE DONE ANNUALLY. IT ALSO GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO POINT OUT ANY POLICIES OR PRACTICES THAT MIGHT BE HINDERING OUR HIRING OR RETENTION.

TONIGHT, IF WE HAVE ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF BARGAINING GROUPS, THEY WOULD BE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION. WE HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF ANYBODY DESIRING TO DO THAT FOR TONIGHT.

AND AGAIN, THAT RULE ABOUT THE EXCEEDING 20% IS LISTED THERE, SO NEXT SLIDE.

WE HAVE TWO RECOGNIZED BARGAINING GROUPS THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, THE WPOA, BOTH FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SEIU FOR THE REST OF OUR ORGANIZED INDIVIDUALS. HERE IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE ACTUAL VACANCY RATES THAT WE HAVE.

BROKEN OUT, THE EASIEST WAY TO ABSORB THAT IS ON THE TABLE ON THE RIGHT.

WPOA 31 FULL TIME. IN THE BARGAINING GROUP IN TWO VACANCIES IS A 6.5% FOR SEIU 64 MEMBERS, FIVE VACANCIES, 7.8%, AND THEN OVERALL CITYWIDE, INCLUDING UNREPRESENTED 113, WITH A TOTAL OF SEVEN FOR 6.2%. NOW REMEMBER, THIS WAS FOR THROUGH 625.

AND SO THIS SUMMARIZES THIS IS A NUMBER THAT'S CONSTANTLY IN FLUX.

WE´LL HAVE NEW HIRES JOINING FROM TIME TO TIME AND SEPARATIONS AND SO FORTH.

BUT 6.2 IS DEFINITELY A LOW RATE AMONGST OUR PEERS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT SLIDE? OKAY. GO AHEAD. SO BASICALLY THE OBVIOUS FACTORS THAT GO INTO VACANCIES. I THINK THE OTHER FACTOR THAT ISN'T LISTED THERE IS AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHERE FOR BUDGETING REASONS OR OTHER REASONS, WE MAY FREEZE A POSITION FROM TIME TO TIME.

THE FROZEN POSITIONS AREN'T NECESSARILY COUNTED AS A VACANCY, BUT WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OPEN INTENTIONALLY WHILE WE'RE TRANSITIONING IN NEW POSITIONS. IN 2024, IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, WE FILLED 16 FULL TIME POSITIONS. AND OUR HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF REVIEWED OVER 1000 APPLICATIONS FOR FULL TIME POSITIONS.

AND SO WE'RE DEFINITELY SEEING INTEREST IN CITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE PUBLIC.

JUST A LITTLE. WHAT'S THAT? I SAID JUST A LITTLE.

JUST A LITTLE, A THOUSAND. YEAH. NOW. YEAH. WE WON'T GET INTO, YOU KNOW, THE RELATIVE QUALIFICATIONS OF ANY OF THOSE, BUT STILL, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER. IN FACT, QUALIFICATIONS ARE EXPLAINED ON YOUR REPORT, YOU KNOW. YES. SO YEAH. SO NEXT SLIDE. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO AGAIN THIS POINTS OUT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT COMES DURING THE RECRUITMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT OUR HR DEPARTMENT DOES IN REVIEWING AND QUALIFYING AND SETTING UP FOR ACTUAL INTERVIEWS AND SO FORTH TO GO THROUGH THE HIRING PROCESS.

SO THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. IF YOU HAVE YOU KNOW, SEPARATIONS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND GET OUR SHARE, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY. AND NEXT SLIDE.

WE ARE DOING SOME ONGOING EFFORTS IN RETENTION.

WE KNOW THAT NATIONWIDE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT IS A CHALLENGE FOR ALL KINDS OF BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA.

AND WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS OR CHANGES IN OUR ADVERTISING METHODS,

[01:00:03]

COULD YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE? SURE.

AS YOU KNOW, I'M A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ORGANIZATION PRICING IS SOMETHING THEY CALL STAR, THE STAR PROGRAM. AND I WON'T GO A LOT INTO DETAILS ABOUT IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO DO BETTER AND BETTER FOR THE ORGANIZATION AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY ARE DOING BETTER FOR THEMSELVES.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR IMPLEMENTED HERE WHERE IT WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO.

IT PROMOTES THE ATMOSPHERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO GET US ALL AHEAD.

AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, APPROVING ADDITIONAL INTERNAL PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES WHEN EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOWARDS A GIVEN GOAL, I THINK THAT IT WOULD PROMOTE THAT KIND OF THING.

AGAIN, THIS IS NOT PART OF THE SUBJECT, BUT IT GOT MY ATTENTION THEN.

SURE. OKAY. SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS PROBABLY.

YEAH, WE CAN MAKE A NOTE OF THAT AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIR PROGRAM.

YES. THANK YOU. .

SO I THINK THAT'S IT. OTHER THAN TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE ANY COMMENT.

I'LL LET YOU TAKE THAT OVER WITH THE CLERK. UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS.

NO QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL, RIGHT? MAYBE, NO? QUESTIONS AFTER. ALL RIGHT. SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? I HAVE NONE. MEMBER MARTINEZ? NO QUESTIONS. NO QUESTIONS, REYNA.

I HAVE ALREADY MADE MY COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR. AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT.

SO MOVED. I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM 14.

[14.a. Council finds this is not a “project” defined under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution Approving Amending the Employment Agreements between Kameron Arnold, Charles V. Fivecoat, Maria Lara, and the City of Wasco. (Hurlbert)]

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

YOU MAY RECALL WHEN WE'VE EITHER EXTENDED OR MADE OTHER AMENDMENTS TO SOME OF OUR DIRECTOR LEVEL EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS, THERE WERE INCONSISTENCIES SPECIFICALLY IN THE EXECUTIVE LEAVE A NUMBER OF HOURS PER YEAR.

THIS ITEM IS TO BRING THE THREE CONTRACTS YOU MENTIONED INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHERS.

AND SO WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM, THEN ALL THREE OF THESE WOULD BE AMENDED TO SHOW THAT 56 HOURS LANGUAGE REPLACED WITH IF YOU SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE.

TO THE 80 HOURS TO MATCH WITH THE OTHER CONTRACTS.

THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE THE CONTRACTS EXCEPT AS OUTLINED HERE IN YOUR REPORT.

IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS I WILL ADDRESS THOSE. THANK YOU, MR. HURLBERT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? I HAVE NONE. MEMBER MARTINEZ? NO COMMENTS. MEMBER REYNA, I'M SORRY. MEMBER RAYA? NO COMMENT. MEMBER REYNA? I HAVE NO COMMENTS AND I HAVE NO COMMENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

MOVE TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL?

[01:05:02]

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 14) B.

[14.b. Council finds this is not a “project” defined under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution Approving the Amended Salary Schedule for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in Compliance with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Requirement for Publicly Available Pay Schedules. (Hurlbert)]

ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE AMENDED SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 2026, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM CALPERS REQUIREMENT FOR PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PAY SCHEDULES.

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

SO TWO THINGS ARE HAPPENING ON HERE. ONE IS THIS SALARY SCHEDULE IS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED ON THE 17TH WITH ONE ADDITION.

AND THE DATE CHANGED, OF COURSE, TO TODAY'S DATE, BUT ON THAT WAS OMITTED THE INTERN POSITION THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED, BUT IT DID NOT MAKE IT ONTO THE SCHEDULE. AND IF YOU'LL FIND IN THAT NONEXEMPT BIWEEKLY SECTION THAT'S BEING HIGHLIGHTED THERE, THE INTERNSHIP LINE HAS NOW BEEN ADDED. SO THAT IS THE ONLY CHANGE TO THIS SCHEDULE.

THIS PROPERLY REFLECTS THE 4% [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS APPROVED AT THE LAST MEETING, AND THIS IS EFFECTIVE TODAY, AS A MATTER OF FACT. SO IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

PERFECT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? I HAVE NONE. MEMBER MARTINEZ? NO COMMENTS. MEMBER RAYA? NO COMMENTS. MEMBER REYNA? NO COMMENTS. AND I HAVE NO COMMENTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE PLEASE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 14) C.

[14.c. Council finds this is not a “project” defined under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Adopt a Resolution reaffirming Resolution No. 2025-4225, Approving the City’s Fiscal Year 2025–2026 Annual Operating Budget and the Five-Year 2025–2030 Capital Improvement Program in Compliance with AB 2561 Vacancy Reporting Requirements (Hurlbert)]

ADOPT A RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2025-4225, APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 2026 ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET AND THE FIVE YEAR 2025 TO 2030 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN COMPLIANCE WITH AB 2561 VACANCY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. MR. HULBERT.

YES, HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

THIS ITEM I ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THERE WERE SOME REQUIREMENTS IN AB2561, AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE JUST HELD NEEDED TO BE HELD JUST PRIOR TO OR PRIOR TO ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND CIP.

THAT ORDER OF APPROVAL DIDN'T GET DONE PROPERLY BEFORE.

SO TONIGHT WE'RE CLOSING THE LOOP ON THIS. WE'VE HAD THE HEARING.

WE'VE HEARD ANY TESTIMONY AS TO THE THE VACANCY REQUIREMENTS OR SITUATION.

AND NOW WE'D SIMPLY LIKE THE COUNCIL TO READOPT THE BUDGET AND CIP EXACTLY AS THEY WERE ON JUNE 17TH.

JUST SO WE HAVE IT IN THE RECORD THAT WE DID THESE IN, IF NOT TIMELY, AT LEAST IN THE CORRECT ORDER.

IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO. THANK YOU, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? NO COMMENTS. MEMBER MARTINEZ? SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS A NEW REQUIREMENT.

SO I'M ASSUMING WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS UNTIL AFTER THE FACT.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN THERE, BUT IT WAS NOT OBVIOUS THAT THE TIMING OF IT WAS SO CRITICAL AND AFTER THE FACT OR FINANCE DIRECTOR NOTICED THAT PHRASE. AND IT'S JUST SAID IN ONE PLACE IN THE LAW THAT THE HEARING SHOULD BE HELD BEFORE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW IS TO MAKE SURE THERE AREN'T UNNECESSARILY LARGE NUMBER OF VACANCIES, AND THE PLACE TO ADDRESS THAT WOULD BE WITH THE BUDGET IF THERE WERE GOING TO BE CORRECTIONS MADE.

SO IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THE LAW IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, IT MAKES SENSE.

SO I GUESS NOW WE HAVE A MECHANISM IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ISN'T HAPPENING NEXT YEAR? YES. THANK YOU, SCOTT. YOU WILL. THANK YOU. MEMBER RAYA? NO COMMENTS. MEMBER REYNA? YES. FOR MY OWN SATISFACTION, YOU ALREADY MENTIONED IT IS EXACTLY AS WE APPROVED

[01:10:06]

REMAINS THE SAME. I T DOES. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

AND IN FACT, WE'RE REAFFIRMING THAT PREVIOUS RESOLUTION WHICH WAS TIED TO THOSE DOCUMENTS.

OKAY. TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THAT'S THE CASE.

YEP. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. I MOVE TO APPROVE.

AND I WILL SECOND. MADAM CLERK, CAN WE GET THE VOTE BY ROLL CALL? MAYOR MEDINA? AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA? AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA, SECONDED BY MAYOR MEDINA TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION.

MOTION IS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. THANK YOU. MOVING

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

ITEM 15). A . [INAUDIBLE]. I ATTENDED THE MEETING THIS MONTH LAST WEEK.

SO THE 2025 TO 2028 STRATEGIC PLAN IS IN THE WORKS OF GOING OUT TO PRINT.

SO BASICALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, THE MISSION OF THE CURRENT EDC, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE THERE.

NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER.

SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT THE MEETING WAS THAT THE CASINO IN ARVIN WILL BE OPEN IN ABOUT FOUR MONTHS, PROVIDING ABOUT 2000 JOBS, WHICH IS HUGE OUT THERE FOR THAT AREA.

ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WAS MADE WAS, THERE IS A PROPOSAL FOR AN INDUSTRIAL PARK RIGHT ON WHAT'S CALLED ROSEDALE RANCH, WHICH IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT IS CURRENTLY THERE.

SO, YOU KNOW, EXCITING TO SEE HOW THAT SORT OF DEVELOPS.

ONE INTERESTING COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL WAS THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A NEW OIL WELL DRILLED IN KERN COUNTY IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WHICH IS KIND OF CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT, RIGHT.

BUT JUST ON THE REGULATORY FRONT, THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE LIVE IN.

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER COMMENT THAT WAS MADE IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF OIL BARRELS THAT ARE PRODUCED.

I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER THE TIME FRAME ON THAT.

BUT IT WAS COMMENTED THAT, YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT WE WERE PRODUCING 450,000 BARRELS OF OIL AND THAT WAS DOWN TO 230,000.

SO QUITE SIGNIFICANT. I JUST, YOU KNOW, THROWING IT OUT THERE, I CAN'T RECALL THE DETAILS ON THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF TIMEFRAME, BUT JUST SOME THINGS TO NOTE.

AGAIN, THE STRATEGIC PLAN 2025-2028. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

THAT SHOULD BE COMING OUT TO PRINT HERE PRETTY SOON. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR CURRENT EDC.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 15) B. KERN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, MISTER REYNA?

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

PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I JUST CAN'T GET PAST THAT.

THE PERMIT WAS ISSUED ON MAY 14TH. OKAY. AND THEN HIGHWAY 46 PEDESTRIAN BEACONS AWAITING CITY MANAGER SIGNATURE.

AND I DID COME TO YOU WITH THESE THINGS AHEAD OF TIME.

BECAUSE I WANTED TO PERHAPS HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER.

BUT YOU HAVEN'T FOUND ANY COMMUNICATION FROM ME.

SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO SHANE GUNN, AND I'VE ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AS TO WHERE IS THAT EMAIL THAT HE SAID HE SENT TO YOU THAT REQUIRE YOUR SIGNATURE.

SO I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM BACK YET. AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO HAVE HIM CONTACT ME DIRECTLY.

IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE IT WAS GRABBED BY OUR SPAM FILTER.

IT COULD BE . WE HAD SOME CHANGES IN THAT, SO.

YEAH, AND ACCORDING TO HIM, WHEN I SPOKE WITH HIM ON THE DAY OF THE MEETING, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, HE JUST GOT IT. I DID MENTION THAT TO YOU BEFORE BUT, YEAH, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IT LANDED IN YOUR FILTER THERE.

THAT FILTER THAT, SO. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I'VE ALREADY FOLLOWED UP WITH HIM, BUT I WILL GO AHEAD AND ASK HIM TO CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH YOU.

OKAY. I ALSO FOLLOWED UP ON THE CONNECTING COUNTY ROADS WITH SUPERVISOR DAVID COUCH.

HOWEVER THE NEW EXECUTIVE WAS NOT THERE TO REMIND ME OF HIS NAME? I HAVE A MENTAL BLOCK. [INAUDIBLE]. OH, YEAH? YEAH, THE NEW [INAUDIBLE] . YEAH, YEAH, HE WASN'T THERE BECAUSE WE WERE CELEBRATING THE LAST DAY OF AARON HAKIMI.

AND SO I GUESS HE DECIDED THAT HE DIDN'T NEED TO BE THERE, IN ANY CASE IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

[01:15:09]

THAT IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND THAT POOL IS THERE FOR ALL OF US TO TAP INTO IT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT.

ALSO, IT WAS MENTIONED AGAIN THAT THE RSVP AND CMAC APPLICATIONS WERE DUE JULY 17TH, BUT I KNOW WE ALREADY APPROVED THE ONES THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEND IN THE PROJECTS.

WE APPROVED THEM HERE AT THE COUNCIL. SO I KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU OF THAT.

OKAY. I ALSO FOLLOWED UP ON THE HIGHWAY 46 BIKE LANE WITH SHANE GUNN.

HE DID REQUEST THAT THE INFORMATION BE SENT TO HIM FROM STAFF.

SCOTT, I DID DIDN'T MENTION THAT TO YOU WHEN WE MET.

AND SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE A OFFICIAL RESPONSE.

SO IF YOU COULD REACH OUT TO HIM. AND THIS IS FOR THE BIKE LANE ON HIGHWAY 46 BETWEEN CENTRAL AND BECKY'S, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE DID OUR WALKTHROUGH THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM, WELL THAT'S EASILY DONE, RIGHT? BUT HERE WE ARE 2 OR 3 YEARS LATER. I THINK THAT COMMUNICATION HAS OCCURRED.

IT HAS. SO OUR CITY ENGINEER DID REACH OUT TO CALTRANS AND PUT IT OPEN UP A TICKET FOR THAT.

AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. T HEY'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

GOOD. SO. WHEN? DON'T KNOW YET. BUT IT PAYS TO FOLLOW UP.

BUT THE TICKET HAS BEEN OPENED, YES. RIGHT. THANK YOU.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S IT. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT I NEEDED TO REPORT.

THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM 15) C.

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

I WANTED TO POINT OUT, I MEAN, I GOT SOME ROUGH SORT OF COSTS FROM MR. RAYA. JUST SORT OF IN TERMS OF PLANTS, LABOR, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND WHATNOT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER $3,200. BUT LOOKING AT THAT SECTION, RIGHT, JUST GIVEN WHERE IT WAS AT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF BARE AND WHATNOT. FROM THOSE TREES BEING REMOVED.

IT'S JUST MINIMAL COST, RIGHT? WHEN IT COMES TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL THERE TO CONTINUE HOPEFULLY BUILDING SOME MOMENTUM ON SOME OF THESE PROJECTS.

AND I THINK THERE'S AN APPETITE FOR THAT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. SO I KNOW, SCOTT, LAST TIME WE TALKED, THERE WAS SOME SORT OF BUDGET, RIGHT, THAT WE HAVE.

AND GIVEN THAT WE ONLY TAPPED INTO $3,200 AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO SORT OF CONTINUE TO ALLOCATE TO SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE POINTED OUT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK ON, RIGHT? I THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO TAP INTO VOLUNTEERS AND, AND TRY TO CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, WORKING SOME OF THESE PROJECTS FORWARD. SO I THINK NEXT STEPS WITH, YOU KNOW, I GUESS AN ASK FROM THE COUNCIL WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE DID THIS PROJECT. I KNOW MR. REYNA WAS THERE.

MR. RAYA, MAYOR PRO TEM JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING COMMUNICATION OUT THERE WITH FOLKS AND CONVERSATIONS.

AND IF THERE IS AREAS THAT WE THINK WE CAN BEAUTIFY, RIGHT? AND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING AND HELP FROM THE CITY STAFF AND A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING, WE CAN MAKE SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THAT. I THINK IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. WELL RECEIVED.

YOU KNOW, HAD FOLKS THAT WERE WALKING BY AND HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? AND YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT WAS GOOD.

I ALMOST PICKED UP A COUPLE VOLUNTEERS THAT WEREN'T SIGNED UP. DIDN'T QUITE WORK, BUT IT WAS.

ALMOST. ALMOST, NEXT TIME. SO THAT WAS GOOD. ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD? MAYOR PRO TEM SALDANA? IT WAS JUST A GOOD TURNOUT LIKE YOU MENTIONED.

NEXT CLEANUP OR NEXT PROJECT WILL BE JUST FOLLOW UP AND POST AS SOON AS WE GET A LOCATION.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE MOVE ON TO REPORTS FROM CITY MANAGER.

[16)REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER]

IT'S ALL GOOD. OH, YEAH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT.

BUT WE WERE DONE A LOT SOONER THAN WE EXPECTED. BUT YOU GUYS DID A LOT OF WORK. YOU GUYS REALLY DID LOOK GOOD.

[01:20:04]

YOU GUYS ACTUALLY STARTED AT SEVEN? YEAH. BYE, CONNIE AND TONY.

THANK YOU. BYE. THANK YOU. NO, I WAS OUT. I WAS OUT OF TOWN.

OKAY. I KNEW I WAS FORGETTING SOMETHING. ALL RIGHT, SO THE COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT.

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST NORMALLY WOULD BE TOMORROW.

IT'S NOT. THEY'VE GONE DARK IN JULY, SO THEY'RE SKIPPING THIS MEETING.

WE JUST HAD THE GRILMER LANDSCAPE PROJECT UPDATE AND, SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT THE NUMBERS FROM PUBLIC WORKS, SO WE'RE GOOD THERE. SNIP EVENT COMING UP ON 7/3, THURSDAY, 8 A.M.

TO 4 BY APPOINTMENT. THE USUAL PLACE. WHAT DATE, SCOTT? I MISSED IT. THE THIRD, THURSDAY. OKAY. AND THEN ALSO THAT DAY FROM 9 A.M.

TO 1 P.M. AT GROCERY OUTLET, WE'LL HAVE A PET ADOPTION EVENT.

WE HAVE ON THE CALENDAR NOW, THE PAL OPEN HOUSE, JULY 10TH, FROM 3 TO 6 P.M..

AND THERE IS A FLIER GOING AROUND NOW. SO IF YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THAT YET, THEN YOU WILL, FROM THE CITY CLERK. WE ANNOUNCED PREVIOUSLY TO SAVE THE DATE FOR THE KDC ANNUAL DINNER, WHICH IS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH. THAT SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME AWAY, BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, IT'S USUALLY A GOOD EVENT, AND IT DOES SELL OUT EVENTUALLY. SO LET THE CLERK KNOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.

I HAD ANNOUNCED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT WAS DOING PREVENTIVE VALVE REPLACEMENT OR PROACTIVE VALVE REPLACEMENT. THAT'S BEEN KIND OF BOGGED DOWN JUST FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

BUT WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT STARTS UP AGAIN.

GET BACK ON TRACK. WESTERN ECONOMIC ALLIANCE, I'VE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE TIMES.

THE NEXT MEETING OF THAT GROUP IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 9TH AT 2 P.M.

AT THE WONDERFUL AMENITIES / LOGISTICS CENTER.

THEY'RE ON SEVENTH STANDARD ROAD. DO WE NEED TO RSVP FOR THAT ONE? I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. YES. THAT'S A SMALLER GROUP.

AND SO THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP.

SO YEAH. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, PLEASE LET THE CLERK KNOW AND WE CAN TRANSMIT IT TO CASE.

THEN WE'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD. STAFF HAS BEEN MOVING FORWARD IN A NUMBER OF FRONTS WITH THE ANTI-ILLEGAL FIREWORKS CAMPAIGN INCLUDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF DOOR HANGERS BY MR. REYNA, AND. I'VE BEEN WALKING THOSE STREETS. OKAY.

BUT FOR COUNCIL'S INFORMATION, WE'RE ALSO, DEVELOPED A ENGLISH - S PANISH FLIER TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO REGULAR FIREWORKS BOOTHS AND FOR THEM TO NOT ONLY POST, BUT TO HAVE A FEW COPIES TO HAND OUT TO CUSTOMERS.

WE'RE WORKING ON GROCERY STORE HANDOUTS. SAME, ENGLISH - SPANISH.

AND DEPENDING ON THE INTEREST OF THE PARTICULAR MARKET, IN THE PAST I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET MARKETS TO ACTUALLY PUT ONE IN THE BAGS, SO THEY MAKE IT HOME AT LEAST. BUT WE'LL SEE HOW WE DO WITH THAT.

ALSO WE DISTRIBUTED THE COPIES OF THE FLIERS AT THE CITY BOOTH AT THE FIREWORKS EVENT LAST SATURDAY.

AND WE'RE ALSO DISTRIBUTING THOSE TO OUR [INAUDIBLE] PASSENGERS.

SO WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AVENUES AS WELL AS OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND IT'S HITTING THAT EVERYWHERE IN THE LED SIGN AND OUR USUAL OUTLETS.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY. THANK YOU, SCOTT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR SCOTT FROM CITY COUNCIL? NO QUESTIONS.

NO QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. I'LL MAKE A COMMENT.

I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT THESE FLIERS ARE OUT THERE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAD SUGGESTED THAT WE COULD PUT ON THE THE BOOTHS THAT SELL FIREWORKS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT,

[01:25:01]

BUT I THINK IT'S ALL OF THOSE PLACES THAT YOU SAY YOU WILL BE PLACING THEM.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT, GREAT IDEA. I AM PUTTING THEM ON PEOPLE'S DOORS, AND I'M HOPING THAT NOBODY COMES AND SAYS, GO AWAY. SO FAR, NOBODY HAS SAID THAT. ANYWAY, THANK YOU, SCOTT.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. REPORTS FROM CITY COUNCIL.

[17)REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL]

AND I WAS SO HAPPY TO FIND OUT THAT THE MAYOR'S ESTIMATE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE WAS WAY UP.

HE SAID WE WOULD BE THERE FROM 7 TO 12, AND WE WERE DONE IN AN HOUR AND A HALF.

I FIGURED OUT WE WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A BUFFER, RIGHT? RIGHT. NO, THE KUBOTA DEFINITELY HELPED. HAVING THAT KUBOTA MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

IT REALLY WAS A GREAT PROJECT. IT WENT REALLY, REALLY QUICK.

AND STAFF DID A WONDERFUL JOB. YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THAT TRACTOR THERE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO? YEAH. AND OF COURSE, LOTS OF SHOVELS AND SO IT WENT REALLY WELL.

SO IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN, I THINK THAT WE NOW HAVE A GOOD ESTIMATE.

I THINK WHAT HELPED A GREAT DEAL WAS THE ORDER THAT YOU USED TO MAKE THE HOLES.

THAT WAS HUGE. OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE WAY PAST THE FIVE HOURS.

RIGHT. IT WAS. I ATTENDED THE THIRD AND FOURTH HEARTS AND MINDS WORKSHOPS ON JUNE 22ND AND JUNE 29TH.

THE FOUR WORKSHOPS WERE A SUCCESS, WITH ABOUT 50 PARTICIPANTS OVERALL.

I WANT TO SHARE THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED WERE AMAZED AS TO THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WAS DISSEMINATED IN THESE WORKSHOPS, AND ONE OF THEM SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULD TAKE AWAY THE MENTAL HEALTH TAG ON THE ADVERTISEMENT, BECAUSE I HEARD THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE NOT WANTING TO COME BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH, BUT IT WAS MOSTLY PHYSICAL HEALTH AND HOW IT HELPS YOU TO STAY WELL OVERALL.

SO WE PLAN TO DO THAT AGAIN. I ALSO ATTENDED THE 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AT THE BARKER PARK.

THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY NICELY DONE. I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THE ATTENDANCE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY WERE THERE, IN FORCE AND NO INCIDENTS OCCUR AS IT HAPPENED.

BUT TWO YEARS AGO I THINK IT WAS. AND ALSO THIS MORNING I PARTICIPATED IN TODAY'S COFFEE WITH A COP AT THE WASCO WOMAN'S CLUB.

I THINK IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. IT WAS NICE. AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I HAVE A PICTURE OF OUR ASSISTANT CHIEF CARRYING FOUR DONUT BOXES, AND HE JUST. I HAD TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THAT, YOU KNOW.

WAS HE BRINGING THEM OR TAKING THEM? THEY ACTUALLY HANDED THEM TO HIM.

YOU KNOW, AND I CAPTIONED THE THE PICTURE THAT.

NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES. SOME BRING DONUTS BACK TO THE STATION.

IT WAS EVIDENCE. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY ACTIVITY REPORT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISTER RAYA. I DO OWE [INAUDIBLE] A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION.

SO IF WE CAN GET ONE OF THOSE FOR BEING OPEN FOR A YEAR.

I KNOW THEY HAVE THEIR CELEBRATION. IT'S BEEN A WHILE NOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT TO HIM.

SO IF WE CAN GET THAT FOR HIM AND JUST LET ME KNOW WHEN IT'S READY AND I CAN DELIVER IT TO HIM.

I HAD A QUESTION THAT I FORGOT TO BRING UP. THIS IS MORE FOR PD.

I WAS READING AN ARTICLE EARLIER ABOUT A HOMICIDE OF A 34 YEAR OLD THAT HAPPENED IN WASCO.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS THE OUTSKIRTS, BUT I WAS CURIOUS, WHEN IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IS THAT SHERIFF'S AND WE'RE JUST WORKING IN CONJUNCTION? MEADOWS. YEAH. OKAY. BUT ON THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S LIKE, PD IS WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S.

YEAH.

[01:30:15]

NOW WE HAVE ITEM 18), CLOSED SESSION . THIS EVENING.

[18)CLOSED SESSION]

WE'LL TAKE A QUICK RECESS. OKAY.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.