Feb 03, 2026 City Council

[00:00:05]

GOOD EVENING. I WILL NOW CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

[1) CALL TO ORDER]

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA.

HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA ABSENT. CAN YOU PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR THE FLAG SALUTE? SALUTE. PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

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

THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO DO AN INVOCATION? ALL RIGHT. WE'LL DO A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY CHANGES IN THE AGENDA? YES. HONORABLE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA HAS A A CONFLICT

[5) APPROVAL OF AGENDA:]

NEVER MIND. DIFFERENT ANNOUNCEMENT. YES. THERE'S A CHANGE.

ITEM SIX A IS BEING DEFERRED. TO THE NEXT MEETING.

WE'LL DO THE OTHER LATER. WHEN THE TIME COMES.

RIGHT? YEAH. SIX A? SIX A. OH, YES. GOOD. I APOLOGIZE. NO APOLOGIES. FOR THE CONFUSION. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. SECOND. GO AHEAD. I'LL SECOND IT, MADAM CLERK.

VOTE BY ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MEMBER SALDAÑA. AYE.

MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA. AYE. MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA, SECONDED BY MAYOR SALDANA TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS TO FORM WITH ITEM 6.A DEFERRED TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYE'S WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA ABSENT.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX. SIX A HAS BEEN REMOVED, SO WE'LL GO SIX B.

[6.b. Proclamation - Safe Surrender Baby Awareness Month]

THE PROCLAMATION IS AARON RODGERS, THE DIRECTOR OF BAKERSFIELD PREGNANCY CENTER.

I'LL JUST READ THIS. RIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. SAFELY SURRENDERS BABY AWARENESS MONTH.

WHEREAS THE SAFETY SURRENDERED BABY LAW WAS ESTABLISHED IN JANUARY 2001, IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASE OF INCREASED NUMBER OF NEWBORN INFANT DEATHS DUE TO UNSAFE ABANDONMENT. AND WHEREAS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW IS TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF NEWBORN INFANTS BY ALLOWING PARENTS OR INDIVIDUALS WITH LAWFUL CUSTODY TO SAFELY SURRENDER A BABY WITHIN 72 HOURS OF BIRTH.

CONFIDENTIALLY, CONFIDENT, CONFIDENTLY, I'M SORRY, CONFIDENTIALLY, WITH, WITHOUT FEAR AND WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

AND WHEREAS SINCE 2006, KERN COUNTY HAS BEEN SEEING, HAS SEEN 105 INFANTS SAFELY SURRENDERED, EACH REPRESENTING A SAFE, SAVE, A LIFE SAVED AND A FAMILY GIVEN AN ALTERNATIVE TO UNSAFE ABANDONMENT.

AND WHEREAS THE SAFE, THE SAFELY SURRENDERED BABY COALITION, COORDINATED BY THE KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, WORKS DILIGENTLY TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE VITAL LAW AND WHEREAS, THE COALITION IS LED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND STRENGTHENED BY THE COMMITMENT OF NUMEROUS PARTNERS, INCLUDING FIRST FIVE KERN, THE KERN COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, BAKERSFIELD CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, [INAUDIBLE] FOR PREGNANCY CENTER, RIGHT TO LIFE, KERN COUNTY ADVENTIST HEALTH HOSPITALS, CLINICA SIERRA VISTA, KERN FAMILY HEALTH CARE, [INAUDIBLE] FAMILY SERVICES, KERN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND RIDGECREST REGIONAL HOSPITALS. AND WHEREAS, RAISING AWARENESS OF THE SAFELY SURRENDERED BABY LAW LAW EMPOWERED BY

[00:05:01]

JUST PRESENT IT. YEAH. HAVE HER COME TO THE FRONT.

HAVE HER COME UP. HAVE HER COME UP REAL QUICK.

YES. YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? WOULD YOU LIKE IT? NO, NO. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? YEAH. MR..

MAYOR. PRESS THE. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. ON BEHALF OF THE SAFELY SURRENDERED BABY COALITION, THE BAKERSFIELD PREGNANCY CENTER WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING AND SUPPORTING THE SAFE SURRENDER LAW WITH THIS PROCLAMATION.

WASCO IS VERY DEAR TO ME. THIS WAS THE HOMETOWN OF MY MOM, JANINE PACE, WHO WAS MISS WASCO 1956.

SO IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND ARRAYS IN RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THIS LIFE SAVING LAW.

EACH FEBRUARY, OUR COALITION UNITES TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE SAFE SURRENDER OPTION, REMINDING EVERYONE THAT THERE ARE SAFE, LOVING ALTERNATIVES FOR PARENTS IN CRISIS.

SINCE THE LAW'S ENACTMENT IN 2001, LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED AND THE NUMBER OF INFANT ABANDONMENTS HAS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS THE STATE.

IN FACT, IN KERN COUNTY, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY BABIES ABANDONED IN TRASH CANS, DUMPSTERS OR RESTAURANTS.

SO THAT'S A WIN. YEAH. [APPLAUSE] LOCALLY, AS OF DECEMBER 2025, 105 BABIES HAVE BEEN SAFELY SURRENDERED AND GIVEN A CHANCE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

THIS PROGRESS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND ADVOCATES LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR STANDING WITH US AND HELPING TO ENSURE THAT EVERY BABY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW UP SAFE, HEALTHY AND LOVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].

TO MY COLLEAGUES. MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. ERIN, HOW ARE YOU? I AM GOOD, THANK YOU. WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU. IT IS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU.

I HAVE MY WASCO PIN FROM LAST YEAR. I JUST FORGOT TO PUT IT ON.

I HAD, I WAS AT THE PRAYER BREAKFAST THIS MORNING AND IT WAS REALLY EARLY.

I FORGOT TO PUT IT ON. A GIFT FOR YOU, SO THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, THERE'S AN ARTICLE ABOUT SOMETHING THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS DID FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU. BUT ANYWAY, I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.

THE WORK THAT YOU DO, YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES IS JUST INCREDIBLE.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE SAVING LIVES. THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

AND SO GOD WILL BLESS YOU FOR THAT. HE HAS YOU HAVE OUR UTMOST GRATITUDE FOR DOING ALL OF WHAT YOU DO.

OKAY. THANK YOU. KEEP DOING IT. I WILL. COUNCILMAN MEDINA.

ERIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I REMEMBER YOU FROM OUR LAST YEARS MEETING RIGHT AT THIS TIME.

SO, YEAH, I WAS ON CRUTCHES LAST YEAR. I'M SO GLAD I'M NOT [LAUGHS].

I'M GLAD YOU'RE, YOU'RE WALKING ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET. ME TOO.

JUST, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO. YOU KNOW IT TAKES ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOUR GUYS TO YOU KNOW, COMPLETE THESE EFFORTS. AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

IT'S A TEAM EFFORT, BUT IT'S GLAD. YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY, YOU KNOW, BABIES FOUND IN TRASH CANS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THANK YOU TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

SO ONE LIFE IS MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE. AND THE FACT THAT YOU'VE DONE 100 AND YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS SAFELY SURRENDERED 105 SINCE 2006, THAT'S OVER FIVE A YEAR. THAT'S ACTUALLY A LOT, YOU KNOW.

BUT IT'S IT'S GREAT WORK. AND THE FACT THAT YOU HAVEN'T HAD ANY ABANDONED AND TRASH CANS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT SHOWS THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB IN OUTREACH AND AWARENESS AND MAKING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE IS SUCH THING AS SAFE SURRENDER.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT I'M HAPPIEST AND PROUDEST OF YOU GUYS FOR DOING IS THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN LETTING PEOPLE BE AWARE OF THIS, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE JUST AREN'T AWARE THAT THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.

SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY OF THOSE SHOWS, THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING, AND WHAT BETTER PLACE TO GO THAN THAN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? EVERYBODY LOVES A FIREMAN. SO, YOU KNOW, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING.

[00:10:04]

WE'RE HERE. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE TO TELL YOU A QUICK STORY.

LAST YEAR WHEN I PRESENTED HER, WAS HERE TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION.

AS I WAS WALKING BACK, USING MY CRUTCHES TO HOBBLE BACK TO MY CAR, FEELING REALLY SORRY FOR MYSELF, AND THERE WERE TWO LITTLE GIRLS THAT WERE SITTING RIGHT THERE WITH THEIR PARENTS.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE IT WAS SOME PROCLAMATION FOR SOMETHING THEY WERE DOING.

BUT AS I WAS WALKING BACK TO MY CAR THESE I HEARD THESE VOICES BEHIND ME AND IT WAS LIKE, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. AND I TURNED AROUND AND THERE'S THESE THREE LITTLE GIRLS RUNNING UP TO ME, AND THEY SAID, WE WANTED TO JUST TELL YOU. AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME? AND THEY'RE LIKE, THANK YOU FOR SAVING THE BABIES.

THAT WAS MY FAVORITE STORY FOR 2025. AND I JUST THINK IT SPEAKS SO WONDERFULLY OF THE CITY OF WASCO AND THE RESIDENTS HERE.

THAT'S HOW YOU'RE RAISING YOUR CHILDREN TO BE APPRECIATIVE, TO STOP SOMEBODY THEY'VE NEVER MET, TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT LITERALLY MADE MY WHOLE DAY.

SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AS WELL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE]. IT WILL BE HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OH, BOY. I GET A WHOLE COLLECTION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OH, OKAY.

OH, WHAT ABOUT THIS? CAN I GET ONE MORE PHOTO? OH, NO.

THANK YOU. YEAH I KNOW. GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.

THANK YOU. OH, YAY! YES, I WILL LOVE THAT. THANK YOU.

I WON'T READ IT WHILE I'M DRIVING, I PROMISE. DON'T DO THAT.

THANK YOU. OKAY. MOVING ON TO

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

ON ANY MATTER NOT ON THE AGENDA OVER WHICH THE COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY HAVE JURISDICTION.

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

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

BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS, THE BROWN ACT DOES NOT ALLOW ACTION OR DISCUSSION ON ITEMS, NOT ON THE AGENDA, SUBJECT TO NARROW EXCEPTIONS. THIS WILL LIMIT COUNCIL MEMBERS RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS AND AND REQUESTS DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? I SEE.

PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND GUESTS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND AND OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.

SO MY NAME IS OSCAR ENCISO AND JUST A RESIDENT OF THE COMMUNITY, SO OF THE CITY HERE.

AND THEN WANTED TO BRING UP JUST THE FACT THAT I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS AWARE OF THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT IS DOING, ESPECIALLY CHIEF FOR THE THE FACT THAT THE THE TURNAROUND FROM WHEN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS HERE TO I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS WE'VE DONE IS TO GET OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE. IT'S JUST THE CONTACT THAT THEY MAKE WITH THE THE RESIDENTS HERE.

MY SON'S IN THE POLICE ACTIVITY. HE I DEFINITELY SEE HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.

[00:15:01]

THEY'RE DOING ROBOTICS NOW. AND SO CHRISTMAS, THEY THEY GO OUT AND THEY GIVE BACK GIFTS, BUT THEY ALSO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GIVE GIFTS, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WRITE A, A, A LETTER AND THEN EXPLAINING TO THEM WHY WHAT WHAT IS SOME OF THEIR INTERESTS? WHAT ARE SOME OF THEIR BACKGROUND. SO IT'S JUST MAKING THEM ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO KEEP THEM OUT OF TROUBLE.

SO NOT JUST THE RESPONSE TIME THAT THEY DO OUT THERE.

STOP AND CRIME. BUT ALSO THE DEDICATION TO DO JUST TRYING TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE WITH THE YOUTH.

AND I WISH I HAD THAT WHEN I WAS A KID, YOU KNOW.

SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. NOW THEY HAVE SOME EXPOSURE THERE. THEY'RE LEARNING [INAUDIBLE], THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY IN GOOD PATH.

SO I OWE IT TO OUR CHIEF. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF HIS OFFICERS, FOR EXAMPLE, OFFICER COOK. REALLY GOOD OFFICERS.

BUT SO I GUESS IT'S MY TIME TO JUST SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF GRATITUDE BACK TO THE TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE GOT GOING ON.

SO APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE CITY GOES FOR THEM.

OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY EMAIL COMMENTS, MADAM CLERK? MAYOR, THERE'S NO EMAIL COMMENT ON THIS ITEM ON ANY ITEM OF THIS AGENDA.

THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM EIGHT, SUCCESSOR AGENCY BUSINESS.

THERE'S NONE. ITEM NUMBER NINE, PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY BUSINESS.

NONE. ITEM NUMBER TEN. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS.

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

GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I HAVE A POWERPOINT FOR SOME, JUST BASICALLY JUST SOME PHOTOS.

EASY WAY FOR ME TO SEND IT TO MARIA. SO THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

I'LL TALK ABOUT THE OTHER STUFF. THE. I DIDN'T WANT TO.

I DIDN'T WANT TO. I WANT AARON TO BE UP HERE TO TALK ABOUT BE HERE TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE SAFE SURRENDER EVENT THIS MONTH.

THANK YOU. AND THE PROCLAMATION. SO. BUT THE SAFE SURRENDER, AS YOU NOTED BEFORE, IT'S ONE OF THE SAFE.

THE TWO LOCATIONS ARE A HOSPITAL OR A FIRE STATION, AND CLOSEST HOSPITAL IS DELANO, BUT THERE IS A FIRE STATION IN EVERY COMMUNITY AROUND HERE, INCLUDING WASCO. ONE IN SHAFTER, ONE IN MCFARLAND, TWO IN DELANO, AND THEN SEVERAL ALONG THE WAY IN BAKERSFIELD.

SO JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT IF THEY ARE UP AGAINST THAT, THEY CAN TAKE IT TO A FIRE STATION.

OUR PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT BABY AND GET IT TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

AND WE THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING. EACH ONE OF THOSE BABIES IS A GIFT FROM GOD, AND IT IS A PRECIOUS LIFE.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE THEM. SO SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR SAFE SURRENDER MONTH.

AND THEN ALSO BACK ON THE 23RD OF JANUARY, WE HAD A A METHANE GAS LEAK NORTH OF WASCO KIND OF BETWEEN PALM AND 43 AND JUST SOUTH OF TOXIC A LITTLE WAYS.

AND THEY WERE DOING A PROCESS WHERE THEY WERE LASERING OFF A WELLHEAD.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS GUY DOES THAT PROCESS ALL THE TIME.

HE'S DONE IT HUNDREDS OR MAYBE EVEN THOUSANDS OF TIMES, AND HE'S NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE.

AND SOMETHING HAPPENED AND THEY HAD A FIRE. SO OUR FOLKS WENT OUT.

AND IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE OH, I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.

SO THAT'S JUST A PICTURE OF IT. IN MY BRAIN, WHEN I THOUGHT WHEN I SAW THE LOCATION, I WAS LIKE, OH, IT'S SURROUNDED BY ALL THE ALMOND ORCHARDS.

AND THEN I REALIZED, OH, YEAH, THEY TORE THEM DOWN. SO ANYWAYS THAT'S JUST A PICTURE OF THE AREA JUST OUT THERE IN THE KIND OF RIGHT BETWEEN 43 AND PALM AND AND OUT IN THE DIRT THERE AND ANYWAYS, SO THEY HAD A SMALL OR A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL FIRE AND A LEAK.

WE WENT OUT THERE AND EVACUATED THE AREA. THEY HAD A, A TRUCK THAT WAS ON FIRE.

THERE'S A PICTURE OF THE THIS IS A PICTURE OF THE. WELL, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE WELLHEAD.

WHAT THEY WERE CUTTING. AND THEN AND JUST KIND OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE THIS TRUCK HAD SOME FIRE IN IT FROM THAT WAS CAUSED BY THAT AS WELL. SO OUR GUYS WERE IN THERE TAKING CARE OF THAT.

AND THERE'S A BIGGER PICTURE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW BIG THE WHEEL IS COMPARED TO OUR TO OUR FIREFIGHTERS THERE THAT ARE WALKING AROUND IT TO, TO CHECK ON THAT TRUCK. BUT WE DID HAVE OUR HAZMAT TEAM COME OUT FROM BAKERSFIELD.

QUITE A FEW PEOPLE. WE HAD THE WE DID AN EVACUATION WORKING WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE COUNTY.

THE SHERIFF DID AN EVACUATION INITIALLY ABOUT A HALF MILE RADIUS FROM AROUND THERE, AND WE HAD BACKED ALL OF OUR PEOPLE OFF.

[00:20:01]

AND THEN AND IT WAS I KNOW IT WAS IT SEEMED LIKE A LONG TIME, BUT AS FAR AS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT GOES, IT WAS IT WAS HANDLED FAIRLY QUICKLY. SO BUT AND THEN THIS IS OUR LAST PICTURE IS THIS IS A PICTURE.

SO ALL THESE PICTURES ARE COMING FROM OUR FROM OUR DRONES THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE A FEW OF THESE BRAND NEW DRONES THAT WE'VE ONLY HAD FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT HAVE INFRARED CAPABILITY ON THEM.

AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE SO THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST OR SECOND INCIDENT THAT IT WENT TO, THAT WE HAD THIS CAPABILITY TO SEE THE INFRARED.

AND THEN WE USED IT AGAIN LAST WEEK. I WAS OUT ON HIGHWAY 58.

WE HAD THE MULTI-CAR CRASH ON HIGHWAY 58, AND WE USED THAT TO FLY OVER THE INCIDENT IN THE FOG AND SEE THROUGH THE FOG AND SEE ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CARS AND ALL THAT STUFF.

SO JUST A SIDE NOTE ON THIS INCIDENT, BUT ANYWAY, SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THE TOOLS WE HAVE WITH OUR HAZMAT TEAM AND OUR, IN OUR LARGER DRONES. WE DO HAVE SMALLER DRONES AS WELL THAT WE THAT WE USE TO DO RECONNAISSANCE OF AREAS AND SO FORTH.

BUT ANYWAY, SO NOBODY GOT HURT. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS DAMAGED WAS THE WELL AND THAT TRUCK AND I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE BIT PROBABLY A LOT MORE, THERE'S A LOT OF PHONE CALLS HERE TO CITY HALL ONCE IT HAPPENED.

AND SO THE OTHER THING THAT WE WE DON'T HAVE THIS HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, WE DO THIS A LOT IN THE MOUNTAINS WHERE WE EVACUATE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF WILDLAND FIRES.

SO WE DO IT SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAZMAT INCIDENTS IS PROBABLY THE OTHER BIG ISSUE THAT WE HAVE.

BUT THE OTHER THE PIECE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE WE HAVE THE ALL THE WHOLE COUNTY, INCLUDING THE CITY OF WASCO, BROKEN UP INTO ZONES AND EVACUATION ZONES.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE ON HOW TO DO THIS, HOW IT WORKS AND SO FORTH.

AND SO I WAS TALKING TO THE CHIEF ABOUT IT EARLIER.

WE'LL GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT IT. THERE'S AN APP CALLED GENASYS PROTECT THAT I SENT TO MARIA, AND I SENT IT TO SCOTT. AND AND IT BASICALLY YOU CAN IT HAS A MAP ON IT.

YOU CAN ZOOM IN TO WHERE YOU ARE, AND YOU CAN SET YOUR LOCATION SO YOU CAN SET YOUR LOCATION AT YOUR HOUSE. AND IF THERE'S AN EVACUATION AT YOUR HOUSE, THAT APP WILL TELL YOU, AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO AND GIVE YOU ALL THE INFORMATION. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT APP, WHEN WE SEND OUT THE WHEN WE OR THE SHERIFF SEND OUT THIS EVACUATION NOTICE. WE DO IT BY TWO WAYS ONE, READY KERN.

SO YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE OTHER THE SECOND SET WE THE SECOND WAY WE SEND THAT OUT IS THAT WE SEND IT OUT BASED ON THAT ZONE OR A RADIUS OR WHATEVER IT MAY BE FOR THE EVACUATION AREA.

AND WE HIT ALL THE CELL PHONES IN THAT AREA. SO ANYBODY THAT HAS A CELL PHONE IN THAT AREA GETS PINGED WITH THEIR PHONE, AND THEY GET THE MESSAGE IN THOSE LOUD ALERTS YOU GET ON YOUR PHONE.

YEAH, WE DO THAT TOO. AND SO AND THEN ANYBODY THAT'S DRIVING THROUGH GETS IT ALL.

SO IT'S PRETTY HANDY. SO THAT WAS OUR INCIDENT.

NOTHING FURTHER HAS PROGRESSED SINCE THEN. IT'S BEEN FAIRLY QUIET AND THEY WENT BACK TO BUSINESS AS NORMAL AND AND TAKING CARE OF THEIR WELL.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? PRO TEM MAYOR. I'LL WAIT BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE CHIEF ABOUT THE SAME INCIDENT, SO I'LL ADDRESS IT FOR BOTH OF YOU.

AFTER HE SPEAKS.

WELL? I'M NOT SURE THE EXACT REASON WHAT THEY WERE DOING, WHAT THEY WERE DOING, THE PROCESS.

OKAY. SO AND IT WAS THE MAIN THING THAT CAUSED THE FIRE.

THE METHANE GAS WAS RELEASED. YEAH, THE METHANE GAS.

THERE WAS TWO. THERE WERE TWO GASES IN THERE.

METHANE AND H2S, HYDROGEN SULFIDE. H2S IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE, AND IT'S ALSO A POISONOUS GAS.

OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA. NO, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING ON THIS.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS ALL OVER, RIGHT? SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHATNOT.

I THINK THE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF HOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GETTING NOTIFIED AND THIS GENASYS APP THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I THINK IT'S AN AREA OF IMPROVEMENT FOR US, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND WHO'S AFFECTED, WHO'S NOT. SO I THINK IF WE'RE ABLE TO WORK OUT SOME SORT OF GAME PLAN, NOT JUST FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT IN TERMS OF EMERGENCIES AND WHATNOT, RIGHT? WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SOLID IN COMMUNICATIONS CLEAR. I THINK IT'S GOING TO GO A LONG WAYS WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

SURE. COUNCILMAN MARTINEZ. AND WE CAN AND WE CAN COVER THE TWO TYPES OF ORDERS THERE ARE.

THERE'S THERE'S TWO MAIN TYPES OF ORDERS, BUT THERE'S ALSO A SHELTER IN PLACE. THERE'S A SHELTER IN PLACE. THERE'S A WARNING. THERE'S AN ORDER. THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN THINGS THAT WE SEND SOMETHING OUT FOR. WE CAN COVER THAT WITH, WITH CHIEF AND GET SOME INFORMATION OUT ON THAT.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. IT'S NICE TO SEE THE COUNTY IS GIVING US SOME GOOD TECHNOLOGY.

YOU KNOW, THE INFRARED IS IS AWESOME. AND I'M SURE IT'S VERY HELPFUL IN YOUR LINE OF WORK.

[00:25:03]

I THINK I KNOW WHICH ONE FOR SURE, BUT ONE OF THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US GET THOSE FIVE DRONES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

WE'VE HAD FOR A FEW WEEKS, SO IT WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR US.

THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, CHIEF APPLETON.

THAT SHOULD BE ALL. THANK YOU. CHIEF. ITEM 10.B WASCO POLICE DEPARTMENT.

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

I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. WE LOVE HEARING THAT STUFF AND I'LL MAKE SURE IT GETS BACK TO OUR OFFICES.

WE LIKE TO LOOK FOR THINGS POSITIVE THINGS TO PASS ON.

THEY SEE THE BAD STUFF MOST OF THE DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE.

I MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND. I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER AND INCORPORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AT THE TOP WE HAVE THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEIR YEAR TO DATE.

THOSE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE AS WE WORK THROUGH THE YEAR.

AND I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME CATEGORIES I ADDED. BUT SO TOTAL INCIDENTS FOR JANUARY 1444, WE HANDLED 874 CALLS FOR SERVICE AND OFFICER GENERATED INCIDENTS 570.

THE THIS IS ONE OF THE CATEGORIES I ADDED. SO THE OFFICERS WORKED 156 CASES AND MADE 96 ARRESTS. WE HAD 15 CITIZEN CONTACTS. THOSE ARE THE CONTACTS WE KNOW AS PEACEFUL, FRIENDLY CONTACTS THAT THEY MADE 59 VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN CHECKS.

THOSE ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE MAKING YOUR INVESTIGATORY CONTACT.

SO A LOT MORE OF THOSE. THIS MONTH WE MADE 268 TRAFFIC STOPS.

WE ISSUED 64 CITATIONS. WE HAD SO FAR WE HAVE HAD SIX TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.

AND WE HAD THREE STOLEN VEHICLES, ONE RECOVERED.

AND AS FAR AS THE STATS FOR JANUARY, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

I DO WANT TO REPORT ON SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT.

ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS? MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA? AS USUALLY CONTINUE TO DO A GOOD GOOD JOB. OUR OFFICERS UNDER YOUR DIRECTION THEY'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.

THAT'S ALL I WILL SAY ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. AND THEN I'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS REGARDING THE EVENT OF THE METHANE.

OKAY? OKAY. YOU JUST WANT TO COVER THAT NOW OR.

YEAH, I COULD DO IT. OKAY, SO YOU ALREADY ALLUDED TO A COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA.

IT WAS VERY CONFUSING. I WAS IN SACRAMENTO AND I REACHED OUT TO MARIA AND SHE INFORMED ME AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND AND THEN I SAW SOME INFORMATION COMING FROM THE CITY TO THE PUBLIC, WHICH IS VERY, VERY GOOD.

I WAS UNAWARE, CHIEF, THAT YOU WERE ALSO PUTTING OUT INFORMATION REGARDING THIS INCIDENT.

IT SAID THAT IT WAS FROM WASCO. SO PEOPLE AND THAT SOME PEOPLE NEEDED TO EVACUATE.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY KNEW WHETHER THEY WERE NEAR IT OR FAR FROM IT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY CRUCIAL THAT I MEAN, THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS FOR US AT THIS TIME THAT YOU WORK IN CONJUNCTION AND THAT INFORMATION GETS PUT OUT RIGHT AWAY AND THAT VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION AS TO WHERE THE LOCATION IS, BECAUSE SOME OF IT SAID OUTSIDE WASCO. BUT THAT COULD BE ANYWHERE, RIGHT? AND YOU DON'T YOU AS A RESIDENT DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT MIGHT BE.

ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE INFORMATION THAT I SAW WAS ONLY IN ENGLISH.

AND THAT'S A BIG, BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS WHO WOULD NOT BE KNOWLEDGEABLE OR WOULD NOT LEARN OF THIS INCIDENT WERE IT NOT FOR LIKE, CHISMOSOS, RIGHT? I EVEN SUGGESTED TO MARIA THAT MAYBE IT SHOULD BE PUT ON CHISMOSOS BUT THEN I SAID, YOU KNOW, DON'T DO THAT. THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA AFTER ALL.

BUT BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO ACTUALLY GET TOGETHER AND IRON OUT ALL OF THIS THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE FOR FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. INFORMATION GOES OUT, GOES OUT TIMELY, AND IT GOES OUT TO EVERYONE.

[00:30:06]

I LOOKED FOR IT ON THE APP STORE RIGHT NOW, AND I COULD NOT FIND IT.

IS THAT WHAT IT'S CALLED? IT'S NOT AN APP. OKAY. OKAY. SO OKAY, SO I WANT TO JUST I WANT TO CLARIFY FOR YOU, THE, THE DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE INCIDENT, IT'S IN THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY, AND IT WAS QUITE A WAYS NORTH OF THE CITY. IT'S BASICALLY NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.

I DIDN'T SEE I DIDN'T LOOK HOW FAR IT WAS, BUT IT'S A IT'S MAYBE A MILE.

MAYBE. AND SO THAT MAKES IT THE SHERIFF'S RESPONSIBILITY.

SO THAT INFORMATION DOES GO OUT IN A TIMELY FASHION FROM THE SHERIFF.

WHY DIDN'T COME OUT IN SPANISH? I DON'T KNOW, THAT IS A COMMON THING FOR US TO DO.

WHEN I SAY US, WE DO THIS REGULARLY LIKE WE ARE THE ONE THAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE INCIDENT, AND THE SHERIFF IS RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND SO AND BECAUSE THE SHERIFF IS RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBLE THROUGH THE PENAL CODE TO DO THAT.

AND AND THE CHIEF AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT EARLIER.

AND SO WE'LL IRON THAT OUT FOR IN THE CITY AS WELL.

BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM IS, AND WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME, WE SEND THINGS OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, AND WE SEND A MESSAGE OUT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THAT INFORMATION GETS TWISTED THROUGH TEXT MESSAGES, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA. RIGHT. AND I DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME, ALL THE ALL THE, THE, THE RUMORS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME WITH IT.

SO WE I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND WE TRY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE PERTINENT INFORMATION TO THE OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT ACTUALLY AFFECTS THAT ARE IN THE EVACUATION ZONE.

SO THE PEOPLE KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NOBODY ACTUALLY IN THE CITY WAS IN THE EVACUATION ZONE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.

SO YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE REASON THEY DIDN'T GET IT, THE CITY MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF WASCO IS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T IN THE EVACUATION ZONE.

IF WE HAD A TRAIN DERAIL RIGHT HERE AND IT CAUSED A PROBLEM, OR A TRUCK HAD A PROBLEM ON HIGHWAY 46 OR ANYWHERE, AND IT WAS AFFECTING A CERTAIN AREA OF WASCO, THEN IT WOULD THEN IT WOULD THE EVACUATION WOULD GO TO THOSE ZONES OR THAT AREA OF WASCO, AND IT WOULD BE WELL KNOWN FOR SURE ALL THE INFORMATION IS THERE.

THE, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER IN IN BAKERSFIELD WOULD BE ACTIVATED TO A CERTAIN LEVEL.

THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES SETS UP EVACUATION CENTERS BASED ON THE TIMELINE, SO IT MAY JUST BE FOR A FEW HOURS.

THEY ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW, HEY, HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO BE FOR? SO THERE. SO WE'RE IN COMMUNICATION.

THE COUNTY OF KERN GETS INVOLVED. HUMAN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPEN BEHIND THE SCENES THAT WHEN EVACUATIONS HAPPEN.

SO WHEN I SAID EARLIER THAT WE DO THIS REGULARLY, WE DO THIS REGULARLY.

THIS HAPPENS ALMOST WELL. I MEAN, WE DO IT WAY MORE NOW THAN WE HAD IN THE PAST JUST BECAUSE OF OUR WILDLAND FIRES IN THE, IN THE MOUNTAINS. SO IT IS A VERY COMMON THING FOR US TO DO THIS.

SO SO TO SORT OF PUT YOUR, I SAY ALL THIS TO HOPEFULLY PUT YOUR CONCERNS AT EASE BECAUSE WE THE WHILE I'M SURE THE PEOPLE WERE UNSURE OF THAT THE INFORMATION WAS GOING OUT TO THE PEOPLE AFFECTED.

AND SO I'LL ASK WHY IT DIDN'T GO OUT IN SPANISH.

BECAUSE THAT'S PRETTY COMMON THAT WE SEND IT OUT IN SPANISH AS WELL.

ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THERE'S A WHOLE THING. THERE'S A YEAH, THERE'S, A LOT TO IT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION, CHIEF. I DID WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE ALL OF WHAT YOU DO AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE IN PLACE, AND I'M ONLY SPEAKING ABOUT THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED.

THIS IS NO CRITICISM OF YOU OR YOUR DEPARTMENT OR ANY ANYONE ELSE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS.

BUT I'M SAYING WHAT MY EXPERIENCE WAS DURING THAT OCCASION IN WHICH I WAS SEEING THIS INFORMATION, IT WAS SAYING THERE WAS IN WASCO AND I KNOW YOU'RE TELLING ME IT'S NOT IT'S NOT IN WASCO.

AND I EVENTUALLY FIGURED IT OUT. BUT AGAIN, IT WASN'T IN SPANISH AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WONDERING WHETHER THEY WERE IN AN EVACUATION ZONE AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD EVACUATE OR NOT. THOSE WHO UNDERSTOOD ENGLISH, BUT THOSE WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH WERE TOTALLY OUT OF IT.

RIGHT. AND THAT'S ALL I'M SPEAKING ABOUT. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO AND WHAT OUR CHIEF DOES, BUT I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE WITH ME. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO IMPROVE THINGS AS, AS IT PERTAINS TO CHANGE TO COMMUNICATION AMONG AGENCIES SO THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE, AND MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE SAID IF WE'RE IN THE CITY AND IT'S CALLED FOR WASCO,

[00:35:04]

YEAH. THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND MAYBE DISCUSS ON A MEETING AMONG YOURSELVES SO THAT EVERYBODY GETS INFORMED AND NOT JUST PART OF THE POPULATION. AND I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT IT GOES OUT AND THAT THERE IS THIS PHONE CALL THAT GOES TO PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED, BUT THERE'S STILL PEOPLE READING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WONDERING WHETHER THEY ARE BEING AFFECTED BY IT.

AND AND THEY DON'T KNOW. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

AND IN ALL FAIRNESS TO THE CHIEF, THEY'VE ONLY BEEN UP AND RUNNING FOR A YEAR AND TEN MONTHS, SO AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY INCIDENTS LIKE THIS AROUND HERE, SO THAT'S THE FIRST TIME IN MY MIND IT JUST HASN'T COME UP EITHER.

SO WE WILL DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT IT AND GET IT SQUARED AWAY.

THANK YOU. YOU TWO DON'T HAVE A BIGGER FAN THAN ME.

DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? YOU TWO DON'T HAVE A BIGGER FAN THAN ME, OKAY? [LAUGHS] I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO. ALL RIGHT? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. IF I CAN ADD ONE CLOSING COMMENT ON THAT.

SO THE WE ALSO HAVE THIS REVERSE 911 SYSTEM HERE IN WASCO THAT PEOPLE CAN OPT INTO OR RECEIVE WITHOUT OPTING IN IF IT'S A TRUE EMERGENCY. AND THAT MESSAGE DID GO OUT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

AND IT SAID EXPLICITLY NO EVACUATIONS INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. BETWEEN THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE MEDIA, AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA IS WHERE THE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN NORTH OF THE CITY LIMITS GOT DROPPED FROM THE REPORTS.

AND I REMEMBER IT SAYING WASCO RIGHT. YEAH. IN NEAR WASCO OR IN WASCO.

YEAH. YEAH. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE COULD WE COULD TRY AND TRY AND TRY FOR PERFECTION, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO EITHER CONTROL OR CENSOR THE THE MEDIA GETTING IT WRONG.

SO THE BEST THING I THINK WE CAN DO IS EDUCATE FOLKS ON WHERE TO GET THE ACCURATE INFORMATION.

YEAH. AND YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT.

LIKE, I GUESS I DON'T BELONG TO THAT. WHAT DO YOU CALL THE REVERSE, THE REVERSE 911 OR WHATEVER THE BRAND NAME IS THAT WE.

YEAH, BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET IT THAT WAY. RIGHT.

YEAH. WELL, WE WE CAN ALL SIGN UP FOR THAT, AND WE'LL GET INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL AGAIN ABOUT DOING THAT AND ALSO THE CURRENT SYSTEM.

AND IF, IF THE TAKEAWAY MAY BE CHIEF APPLETON IS, IS THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, THE SPANISH LANGUAGE AND ALSO MAKING SURE THERE'S A LINK ON THAT MESSAGE THAT GOES TO THE CURRENT STATUS.

YES.

I SENT IT TO MARIA AND I'LL HAVE HER. SHE'S GOING TO SEND IT OUT TO YOU. IT'S CALLED GENASYS PROTECT.

GENASYS, G E N S Y S. YEAH. LIKE A DIFFERENT SPELLING.

SO GENASYS PROTECT. IF YOU HAVE THAT APP, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE ZONES, IT WILL SHOW YOU WHERE YOU ARE AND WHERE THAT EMERGENCY IS.

AND IF YOU'RE IN THAT AREA OF EMERGENCY. SO THAT IS A VERY, VERY QUICK WAY ON YOUR PHONE.

AND IT WILL HAVE EMERGENCY INFORMATION IN IT FOR THAT, FOR THAT EMERGENCY ONCE IT HAPPENS.

SO THAT'S THAT'S EXCELLENT. I JUST HAVE ONE MORE THING.

I THINK IT'S UPON US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POPULATION IS INFORMED OF THESE THINGS.

RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE ARE METHODS BY WHICH THEY CAN LEARN THE CORRECT INFORMATION.

BUT IF THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK ALL OF US CAN DO A BETTER JOB AT MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE INFORMED ABOUT HOW TO INFORM THEMSELVES.

THAT'S A REDUNDANCY BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH.

SO BRIEFLY, THERE WAS A CASE THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

CHIEF, BEFORE BEFORE YOU GO ON, I KNOW WE'RE ON TO MR. COUNCIL. MEMBER MEDINA. SEE IF HE HAS ANY COMMENTS. NO, I MEAN, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE REPORTING IS GOOD. I'M GLAD TO SEE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A MEMBER OF THE CITY THAT'S HERE THAT'S SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR YOU GUYS.

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. SO THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.

I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT MORE FOLKS THAT JUST MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SHOW UP TO THE MEETING, BUT, YOU KNOW, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. GOING BACK TO THE STATS, I HAD A QUESTION ON THE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE SIX COLLISIONS THAT WE HAD, WAS THE PRIMARY COLLISION FACTOR ON MOST OF THOSE FOG SPEED.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S CAUSING THEM? I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.

I, I CAN GET IT FOR YOU. I THINK FOR MOST OF THE FOR MOST OF THEM, IT'S UNSAFE TURNING MOVEMENTS.

[00:40:02]

THANK YOU. CHIEF MORA, AND THE GOOD THING ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN WASCO IS WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE TIGHT. ASIDE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, ASIDE FROM EVERYTHING, THE WORD GETS AROUND AND WE ALL STICK TOGETHER.

THANK GOD. AND WE COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER. SO THANK GOD FOR ALL THE FOR THE CITY OF WASCO.

THAT THE WAY WE, YOU KNOW, THE WAY WE ARE. AND ABOVE ALL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR REPORTS.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT. BUT JUST REALLY BRIEFLY ON JANUARY 9TH, WE HAD OFFICERS EXECUTE THREE SEARCH WARRANTS AT THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

THEY HAD RECEIVED REPORTS OF, THREE SUBJECTS NEGLIGENTLY SHOOTING GUNS IN THE BACKYARD OF A HOUSE, INCLUDING AN ASSAULT RIFLE. THE OFFICERS DID THEIR LEGWORK, THEY INVESTIGATED, AND THEY IDENTIFIED THESE THREE SUBJECTS, AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE KERN COUNTY GANG UNIT FROM COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT, SHAFTER P.D..

WE EXECUTED THE SEARCH WARRANTS AND THE ARREST WARRANTS. WE ARRESTED TWO INDIVIDUALS.

ONE GOT AWAY. BUT LATER, THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS ARRESTED IN NEW MEXICO AND THROUGH THE KERN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, HE WAS EXTRADITED BACK. SO THEY'RE ALL IN CUSTODY.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THE TAKEAWAY IS THAT WE WE WORK WELL WITH OUR ALLIED AGENCIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BRING PEOPLE TO JUSTICE.

THANK YOU. CHIEF. ALL RIGHT. MAYBE MAYBE I MISSED IT, BUT DID WE ANY WAY PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THAT? NO, NO, THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME YOU HEAR ABOUT IT HERE.

BECAUSE I'M GOING TO HARP ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AGAIN LATER TONIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, A NEWS RELEASE, A SOCIAL MEDIA POST BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOOD WORK.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE SHAMELESS AND SELF PROMOTE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AT THE CITY BECAUSE WE'RE DOING GOOD THINGS.

AND ONE THING I'M GOOD AT IS SHAMELESSLY SELF-PROMOTING AND, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO SEE US, I WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS GET YOUR, YOUR CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING FROM THE PUBLIC.

I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THE LAST THING WE HAVE IS WE HAVE THE MEDICAL CURRENT MEDICAL MOBILE CLINIC ON THE 26TH OVER AT THE POWELL BUILDING THERE. THEY'RE USUALLY FROM 2 TO 5, AND THEY COME ONCE A MONTH.

AND THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE ARE SPORTS PHYSICALS, LAB TESTING, HEARING AND VISION TESTING, AND ACCORDING TO THE COORDINATOR, THERE AVERAGING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 PEOPLE THAT COME FOR THEIR SERVICES.

SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM EVERY ANGLE TO TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU CHIEF. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. THANK YOU. THANKS.

[11) CONSENT CALENDAR]

THE CONSENT CALENDAR CONSISTS OF ITEMS THAT ARE ROUTINE AND NON-CONTROVERSIAL IN THE STAFF'S OPINION.

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

THIS EVENING WE HAVE ITEMS 11.A TO 11.D. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON A PARTICULAR ITEM ON THE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. NO CONFLICT. MEMBER MARTINEZ.

NO CONFLICT. MEMBER MEDINA. I HAVE NOT. AND I HAVE NO CONFLICT MYSELF AND MR. RYAN'S ABSENCE. SO. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM? MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA.

NO, MAYOR. THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NO, SIR.

MEMBER MEDINA. I HAVE NONE. AND I HAVE NONE. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND IT. MADAM CLERK, VOTE BY ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

MEMBER SALDAÑA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA.

AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ SECONDED BY MAYOR SALDAÑA TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA ABSENT.

ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12. PUBLIC HEARINGS.

[12.a. Council finds this action is not a “project” under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Conduct a Public Hearing and Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Submission of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application(s) to the State of CA. Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD) for funds not to exceed $300,000.00 for a Public Service activity, and not to exceed $3,300,000.00 for a Project activity, and authorize the City Manager or Designee to execute a standard agreement and any amendments thereof. (Lara) ]

CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUBMISSION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CDBG APPLICATIONS FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,

[00:45:04]

THANK YOU. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. YES. TONIGHT, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT YOU OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE COMMENTS FROM OUR RESIDENTS, IF THERE'S ANY. THE CITY IS APPLYING AND HOPES TO APPLY FOR A THE 2025 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

WE'VE CONDUCTED A FEW PUBLIC WORKSHOPS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY.

WE DID ONE AT THE PAL FACILITY WHERE WE HAD YOUTH PARTICIPATING AND PARENTS AND SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE ALSO DID ONE AT THE OLD COURTHOUSE, AND WE HAD A A HANDFUL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS ATTENDING AND SHARING WITH US, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY LOVED ABOUT WASCO, WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPROVED.

AND THERE WAS ALSO A COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WAS OUT POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OUR WEBSITE, AND ALSO THOSE THAT ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP WERE ASKED TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY. OVERALL, WE RECEIVED 120 RESPONSES FROM THE SURVEY.

AND BASED ON THE SURVEY, YOU KNOW THE CONSENSUS IS, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, PEOPLE SEE WATER AS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, STREET AND SIDEWALK REPAIR, SECOND, AND HOUSING.

THEY THEY'RE CONNECTING THE DOTS. THEY SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED WATER IN ORDER TO GET HOUSING.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THE PROJECT HERE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS THAT WE GO AFTER OUR WATER TANK TO HOPEFULLY ASSIST WITH, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO HAVE MORE CAPACITY FOR OUR WATER AND BE ABLE TO OPEN UP SOME OF THAT DEVELOPMENT.

THIS WOULD OPEN UP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN WASCO IF WE'RE ABLE TO SECURE MONEY TO BRING IN A 1.5 MILLION GALLON WATER TANK, THIS WOULD BE OUR SECOND WATER TANK. AND WE WE DO HAVE OUR WATER ENGINEER AND OUR DEPUTY PUBLIC WORKS WORKING ON THIS ALONG WITH MYSELF AND CITY MANAGER, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, THEY ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP, TOO.

AND WE WE DID OUR BEST EFFORT TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEEDED FOR HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN HERE IN WASCO. SO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS, LIKE I SAID, A WATER TANK AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE WOULD BE THE PAL FACILITY.

WE'RE ASKING 300,000, AND THAT WOULD BE TO KEEP IT OPERATING AND KEEP OFFERING NEW, NEW STUFF FOR THE PAL KIDS.

AND WE'RE HOPING TO BRING IN, YOU KNOW, JOB READINESS, FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WILL PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY GIVE THE YOUTH THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HOPEFULLY COME BACK AND AND TAKE OUR JOBS ONE DAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND TAKE COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS LARA. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA? WELL, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS, THIS PROJECT AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET IT FUNDED.

THAT'S THE KEY. AS I EXPRESSED BEFORE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND ANY OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND YOU DID MENTION THAT I COULD BE AWARE ONLINE, BUT I GOT BUSY AND NEVER WENT TO IT. SO THIS IS PERFECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES TWO THINGS, RIGHT? YES. THE NEED FOR WATER AND OUR NEED FOR HOUSING.

SO YES, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST PERFECT. I LOVE IT.

THANK YOU. MEMBER MARTINEZ. YEAH, AS MR. REYNA SAID THIS IS THIS IS AWESOME.

YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO IF WE COULD EVENTUALLY BUILD 400 NEW HOUSES.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE SEEING OF PEOPLE LIVING IN WASCO IS A LACK OF NEWER HOUSING.

SO AND I LOVE SEEING MONEY GO TO THE PAL PROGRAM.

SO I REALLY HOPE THIS GOES THROUGH. THANK YOU.

MEMBER MEDINA. YEAH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SO I MYSELF WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE WORKSHOPS, BUT I RECALL LAST TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION HERE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WATER CAPACITY AND WELLS AND WHATNOT. RIGHT. THE CONVERSATION CAME UP ABOUT WE GOT THE GRANT FUNDING FOR RE DRILLING NEW WELLS.

[00:50:02]

AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, THAT TANK SPECIFICALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY EXPANDING OUR CAPACITY, BUT IT WAS MORE SORT OF LIKE A BACKUP, RIGHT? SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DOES THIS SORT OF FALL INTO PLACE? RIGHT? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE WERE NEEDING A NEW WELL, RIGHT? NOT SO MUCH A STORAGE TANK AS IT WAS A NEW WELL.

SO HOW DOES THIS ALL FALL INTO PLACE? OR IS IT BECAUSE OF THE NEW ONES THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE? AND THEN THERE'S MORE CAPACITY THERE THAT I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS. OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR ASKING. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA. SO THE WELLS WE'RE DRILLING, THEY'RE REPLACEMENT WELLS.

THEY'RE NEW, BUT THEY'RE ONLY REPLACING AND WE DID ADD, WELL, IT'S STILL NOT COMMISSIONED A NEW TANK.

AND THIS ADDITIONAL TANK WOULD BRING IN AN ADDITIONAL, HOPEFULLY 400 HOUSES, BUT IT WOULD ADD TO MORE CAPACITY.

BUT I HAVE HERE A PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR CITY MANAGER, WE DID THE ANALYSIS WITH WITH OUR ENGINEER.

AND TO DRILL A NEW WELL, WE WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, THE LAND, THE SITE CONTROL, AND WE WOULD NEED A LITTLE OVER $5 MILLION TO DO THAT. THIS GRANT DOES HAVE A CAP. WE CAN ONLY GO FOR $3.6 MILLION, SO WE WOULD STILL NEED TO FIND ABOUT $2 MILLION OR MORE, AND WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE SITE CONTROL FOR THE NEW WELL, IF WE WERE TO GO FOR A NEW WELL.

SO INTERNALLY, STAFF, YOU KNOW, DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS FEASIBLE, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THIS GRANT THAT WOULD GIVE US HOUSING AND THAT WE HAVE SHOVEL READY AND THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT WITHIN TWO, AND WE HAVE THREE YEARS, 2.9 MONTHS TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT.

BY THAT MEANING WE HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY, WE HAVE TO DELIVER THE PROJECT.

AND RIGHT NOW, AND IF I'M WRONG, THE CITY MANAGER CAN CAN CORRECT ME.

WE DON'T HAVE SITE CONTROL FOR A NEW WELL TO DRILL A NEW WELL.

THIS TANK WOULD GO NEXT TO ONE OF THE THE REPLACEMENT WELLS.

SO WE OWN THAT PIECE OF LAND ALREADY. SO WE DO HAVE THAT SITE CONTROL FOR THE TANK.

IF WE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD THE EXTRA $2.5 MILLION AND WE HAD LAND WE WOULD HAVE PROBABLY WENT AFTER A WELL, BUT WE WE DON'T HAVE THAT. DO. YES, WE STILL NEED A NEW WELL SO OUR STRATEGY STRATEGY HERE IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE MEANTIME TO BRING IN SOME HOUSING AND ADDRESS WATER? BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW OUR CITY MANAGER IS LOOKING AT POTENTIAL FUTURE SITES FOR WELLS.

WE'RE DISCUSSING THAT INTERNALLY, AND I KNOW THAT HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHAT THE PLAN IS.

DO YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? SO SO I'LL ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.

AND AND SPECIFICALLY ON YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT WELLS AND THE CAPACITY AND WHATNOT WE DID HAVE OUR WATER CONSULTANT GO BACK AND LOOK AT THIS. AND WITH THE FIRST TANK THAT WE HAVE AND NOW THIS PROPOSED SECOND TANK.

WE DO BELIEVE THAT THROUGH MANAGED PUMPING INTO THE TANKS, WE CAN HAVE A SUSTAINABLE THROUGHPUT OUT OF OUT OF THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE STORAGE THAT WE CAN ADD. I BELIEVE THE NUMBER WAS 1000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.

THAT EQUATES TO THESE 400 HOMES. AND THE, AND THE PUMPS WILL BE GOING AND REFILLING AS THEY GO DURING, DURING THE PEAK TIMES OF THE DAY. BUT WHEN THAT PEAK PASSES, WE'LL GAIN, WE'LL GAIN GROUND ON REFILLING THAT TANK.

SO WE IN ESSENCE WE ARE ADDING THIS CAPACITY.

AND AND I IT'S A I THINK IT'S A REFINEMENT OR A CORRECTION TO THE STATEMENTS WE MADE THE FIRST TIME.

AND I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY INCORRECT TO SAY WE'RE ADDING ZERO CAPACITY.

I THINK THIS IS THIS IS A MUCH MORE REFINED ANALYSIS OF WHAT ARE WE REALLY DOING IF WE ADD THIS CAPACITY THAT WE CAN DEPEND ON THIS ADDITIONAL DAILY THROUGHPUT CAPACITY BECAUSE OF THE TANKS.

AT THE SAME TIME, MRS LARA IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

IT'S NOT THE LONG TERM SOLUTION. WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL WELLS.

AND AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER IN OUR THE THE CONCEPT THERE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT.

BRINGING A WELL AS PART OF THE OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS FOR HIGH WATER USE PROJECT, WHETHER IT BE HOUSING OR INDUSTRIAL OR ANY OTHER THING.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO, TO AN UNDERSTANDING WITH DEVELOPERS THAT THAT'S AN OPTION.

[00:55:01]

AND WE CAN CREATE A MECHANISM FOR THEM TO GET REPAID.

SO WE NEED SITE CONTROL. WE NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

WE NEED A DEVELOPER WITH THE POCKETS DEEP ENOUGH TO DO THAT, BUT THIS GIVES US A SHORT TERM BOOST.

YEAH, NO, I THINK IT'S GREAT. I MEAN, I JUST JUST MY MEMORY WAS SERVING ME IN TERMS OF THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD.

RIGHT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR AND MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT IT'S SUSTAINABLE. RIGHT. BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY'S BEEN WANTING NEW HOUSING.

WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. RIGHT. SO THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO CREATE THAT OPPORTUNITY, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. BUT REALLY IT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IT. RIGHT.

BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

AND THEN WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT DOESN'T WORK OUT THE WAY THAT WE ENVISIONED. I KNOW IT'S STRATEGIC PLACING, RIGHT? I KNOW WE HAVE THAT LAND OUT ON THAT CORNER AND ALL THAT MAKES SENSE. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN ONE YEAR OR TWO YEARS OR WHATNOT. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IT'S A SUSTAINABLE PLAN. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ALL WORKED IT OUT, RIGHT, WITH THE ENGINEERS AND WHATNOT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, SINCE THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WE HAD IN THE PAST. SO GREAT QUESTION.

AND THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. AND YES, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE SITE CONTROL.

AND IF IF WE ARE AWARDED, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND OUT PROBABLY TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR IF THEY SELECT US.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT TWO YEARS AND NINE MONTHS TO SPEND THE MONEY COMPLETELY.

SO WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THAT TIMELINE WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD DO WITH THE TANK.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ONE QUICK QUESTION.

WHAT IS THE LIFE ON THE ON THE TANK? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I'LL LET OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR ANSWER THAT.

DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S 20 YEARS PLUS.

SO ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME WE'D GET OUT OF A WELL ANYWAY.

SO. OKAY. AND I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THERE ARE TANKS MUCH, MUCH OLDER THAN THAT WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE AND AND REFURBISHMENT, I THINK THEY CAN GO LONGER. CORRECT. THE LIFE SPAN OF A BIG WITH MAINTENANCE CAN GO LONGER THAN THAT.

PROBABLY DOUBLE. OKAY. ANYA COMMENT OR QUESTION FROM.

YEAH, I HAD A COMMENT MAYBE QUESTION. SO AND I TALKED ABOUT ON THE WELLS.

SO FOR YOU TO PRODUCE THE WATER FROM THE WELLS YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE RESERVOIR FOR THAT.

SO YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT REFILLING THE WATER TABLE THAT WE'RE PULLING OUT OF, OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SUBSIDENCE, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL ANY WATER FROM THOSE WELLS.

AND EVENTUALLY THOSE WELLS WILL ALSO COLLAPSE ON THEMSELVES AS WELL.

AND YOU HAVE TO OVERDO THE MAINTENANCE ON THEM AS WELL.

IT'LL COST YOU MORE TO KEEP DOING MAINTENANCE IF YOU'RE NOT FILLING IN SOME OF THOSE RESERVOIRS AS WELL.

AND THIS IS THE TALKING ABOUT THE GROUNDWATER RESERVOIR.

SO THIS IS THE FOCUS. ONE OF THE FOCUSES OF THE THE SIGMA LEGISLATION.

AND WASCO IS PART OF A CONSORTIUM OF, OF NORTH KERN WATER STORAGE DISTRICT, NKWSD.

SHAFTER AND WASCO BANDED TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO PROTECT THE GROUNDWATER.

IT'S EXACTLY AS YOU DESCRIBE. SO THERE ARE PROJECTS BOTH IN PROGRESS AND BEING APPLIED FOR, THAT WILL ENSURE THAT WE DO GET ENOUGH SURFACE WATER TO REFILL AND REPLENISH THE GROUNDWATER.

THAT'S IT ON THE KIMBERLINA? RIGHT BY WHERE THE HIGH SPEED RAILROAD, THAT IS A LOT OF WATER.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT'S ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GETTING THAT FROM? ON KIMBERLINA, THE THE RECHARGE CENTER.

SO THAT'S SURFACE WATER THAT NKWSD IS ENTITLED TO AND ON WET YEARS WHEN THEY PUMP IT INTO THERE AND IT RECHARGES. THEY'RE GOING AFTER AN EVEN LARGER PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY THE AGRICULTURAL NEEDS, BUT ALSO THE MUNICIPAL NEEDS ARE FULFILLED IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY INTO THE FUTURE.

OKAY. THAT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT POINT, BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY BEEN ADDRESSED.

OKAY. AND THEN THE WELLS THAT WE'RE REPLACING, THE EXISTING WELLS ARE BEING ABANDONED AND WE'RE JUST DRILLING ON THE SAME LOCATION? NOT THE SAME LOCATION. THE THESE ARE THE FOUR OLDEST WELLS IN TOWN.

AND THERE WAS STATE FUNDING RECEIVED THROUGH A LONG, PAINFUL PROCESS, BUT IT WILL REPLACE THOSE IN NEW LOCATIONS.

THEY WILL HAVE SLIGHTLY BETTER INITIAL PRODUCTION CAPACITY, BUT NOT ENOUGH NOT COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE TANKS.

AND WE ALREADY EXHAUSTED THE KIND OF THE MAINTENANCE OR THE WORKOVER ON THE EXISTING WELLS.

EXISTING WELLS. YEAH. THEY'VE BECOME IMPRACTICAL TO TO CONTINUE TO REPAIR AND AND MAINTAIN.

OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS. MORE COMMENT, IF I MAY.

MAYOR PRO TEM, MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS.

YOU BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD QUESTION, SOMETHING THAT I HAD SPOKEN ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, RIGHT, THAT ADDING STORAGE THAT'S NOT INCREASED CAPACITY, BUT YOU STUDY, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF AN EYE OPENER FOR ME.

YES. AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, TO STAFF TO THINK ABOUT.

[01:00:03]

WE POSSIBLY NEED TO ALSO LOOK FOR INCREASING OUR STORAGE CAPACITY.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF TANKS CAN SERVE THE PURPOSE THAT YOU DESCRIBED, THEN INCREASING OUR STORAGE CAPACITY WILL ALSO INCREASE THE ABILITY TO HAVE MORE HOUSING.

AND SO WE NEED TO MOVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH NEW WELLS.

IF WE ARE ABLE TO SECURE SITES, THEN WE NEED TO ALSO MOVE TO INCREASE STORAGE CAPACITY.

SO SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO HAND IN HAND I BELIEVE A CITY THAT SHALL NOT BE MENTIONED.

YOU KNOW, I ASKED HOW MANY, HOW MANY STORAGE TANKS THEY HAVE.

I BELIEVE THEY HAVE NINE. SCOTT, YOU WOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

AND WE BARELY HAVE ONE, WHICH IS NOT YET OPERATIONAL.

SO I WOULD I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WE'VE GONE FROM ZERO TO PROPOSING TWO IN THE LAST.

NO. AND AGAIN, I'M NOT I'M NOT TRYING TO DIMINISH THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING.

RIGHT. BUT I'M SAYING THAT IF WE KEEP THIS FOCUS INTO THE FUTURE, OKAY, WE WILL IMPROVE OUR OUR CAPACITY IN REALITY BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID. RIGHT. TO HAVE MORE HOUSING. SO LET'S WORK ON THOSE.

AND I, I DON'T WANT TO DIVE DOWN INTO THE TECHNICAL WEEDS, BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR WATER SYSTEM AND THE ONE YOU MENTIONED IS THAT OURS IS 100% CONNECTED. EVERY WELL CAN COME OUT OF ANY FAUCET.

SO WHEREAS THE OTHER SYSTEM THAT YOU MENTIONED IS SEGREGATED AND, WELL, IN TANK PAIRINGS ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

SO IS THAT BETTER OR WORSE DIFFERENCES? THERE ARE PROS AND CONS OKAY.

SO WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT RIGHT.

IT WOULD BE QUITE COSTLY TO DO IT DIFFERENTLY.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT WAS IT. JUST A FOCUS TO, YOU KNOW, TO THAT.

SURE. THANK YOU MEMBER MEDINA FOR BRINGING UP THAT QUESTION. BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS THAT THAT WERE THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, AND THAT'S ALL ALWAYS SOMETHING HARD TO GRASP ON.

IT'S JUST A PROCESS FOR EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW. BUT YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT, MRS LARA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT OR ANY OTHER PROJECTS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

SO MOVED. SECOND. MADAM CLERK, VOTE BY ROLL CALL.

MEMBER SALDAÑA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA.

AYE. MOTION BY MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES WITHOUT COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 13, DEFERRED BUSINESS. THERE'S NONE.

[14.a. Council finds this action is not a “project” under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Appointment of One (1) Candidate to Fill the unexpired term vacancy on the Planning Commission, with term ending December 31, 2028. (Martinez and Raya).]

APPOINTMENT OF ONE CANDIDATE TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED, THE UNEXPIRED TERM VACANCY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2028. MARTINEZ AND RAYA. I'M SORRY. AND I CAN INTRODUCE THIS THIS ITEM IF IT'S OKAY. SO AS YOU SAW IN THE STAFF REPORT, WE HAVE THIS PLANNING COMMISSION VACANCY DUE TO THE RESIGNATION OF MR. PALLARES. SO THERE WERE THREE APPLICANTS FOR THIS THE COMMITTEE MET, WHICH CONSISTED OF COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ AND RAYA AND THE, MR..

MARTINEZ CAN INTRODUCE THE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THAT PANEL.

SO WE HAD THREE VERY WELL, WE HAD SOME VERY GOOD CANDIDATES FOR THE POSITION.

ULTIMATELY WE DECIDED TO GO WITH GONZALO CRUZ FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION MEMBER RAYA AND I AND KERI AND AND SCOTT ALL AGREED THAT MR. CRUZ WOULD BE THE BEST FIT FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA? NO, OTHER THAN WE ALWAYS ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE, SO.

MEMBER MARTINEZ. NO. NOTHING FURTHER. MEMBER MEDINA.

NO COMMENTS. MR. RAYA'S NOT ON. I HAVE NO COMMENTS MYSELF.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPOINT GONZALO CRUZ TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD.

SO MOVED. I'LL SECOND IT. AND I'LL SECOND IT.

[01:05:04]

AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA. AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA.

SECONDED BY MAYOR SALDAÑA TO APPOINT GONZALO CRUZ TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARD.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH FOUR AYES. WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RAYA [INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 14.B COUNCIL FINDS THE ACTION IS NOT A PROJECT UNDER THE SECTION 15378 OF THE CEQA GUIDELINES.

[14.b. Council finds this action is not a “project” under section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines; Appointment of Two (2) Candidates to fill the vacancies on the Wasco Recreation and Park District Board, with terms ending November 30, 2029. (Martinez and Raya)]

NOW IT'S MY TIME. I STOLE MY OWN THUNDER EARLIER.

SO COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA HAS A CONFLICT ON THIS ITEM.

SO HE WILL BE ABSTAINING OR ACTUALLY RECUSE HIMSELF FROM THIS ACTION.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE. WE HAVE A QUORUM OTHERWISE.

SO WE'LL JUST CONTINUE. THAT'S THAT'S, COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA NEED TO LEAVE THE? WE WE DETERMINE THAT HE DOES NOT NEED TO LEAVE.

ALL RIGHT. DON'T WANT HIM TO FIND HIMSELF IN TROUBLE, BECAUSE.

NO, NOBODY WANTS THAT. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING.

I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ.

SO THIS WAS OUR SECOND DAY OF INTERVIEWS THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK. IT WAS BUSY. WE HAD A LOT OF APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION.

A LOT OF GOOD APPLICANTS. ULTIMATELY, WE WE DECIDED TO SELECT ANAMARIE CORTEZ.

SHE ALSO APPLIED FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION. WE DECIDED TO PUT HER ON THE PARKS BOARD.

WE FELT THAT WAS A GOOD PLACE FOR HER. AND ALSO RAFAEL CASTRO ARE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS? MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA.

NO. MEMBER MARTINEZ. NOTHING FURTHER SIR. MEMBER MEDINA WHO WAS RECUSED? YEAH, I KNOW. I'M SORRY. AND I HAVE NO COMMENTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPOINT ANA MARIA OROZCO CRUZ AND RAFAEL CASTRO TO THE WASCO RECREATION AND PARKS DISTRICT BOARD.

SO, MADAM. OH, COULD I GET A MOTION? MOTION? COULD I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? I ALREADY MOVED. IT MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. MADAM CLERK, VOTE BY ROLL CALL.

MAYOR SALDAÑA. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. MOTION BY COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM REYNA, SECONDED BY MAYOR SALDAÑA TO APPOINT ANA MARIA OROZCO CORTEZ AND RAFAEL CASTRO TO THE WASCO RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT BOARD.

MOTION IS APPROVED WITH THREE AYES, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RIAH ABSENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCNAIR RADKE.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MOVING ON TO ITEM 15.

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

MR. MEDINA. SO THE FIRST MEETING, I MEAN, IT'S QUARTERLY MEETING, BUT THE FIRST MEETING HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE OUT IN SACRAMENTO, SO I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND. I HAVE NOTHING TO REPORT.

THANK YOU. ITEM 15.B KERN COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.

MR. REYNA. NOTHING TO REPORT. I REPORTED ON THE LAST MEETING.

LAST, LAST ONE OF OUR MEETINGS. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 15.C WASCO TASK FORCE.

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

FLIERS AND EMAILS WILL BE GOING OUT WITHIN THIS COUPLE DAYS.

SO, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO ATTEND AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

CAN YOU SPEAK AS TO WHAT THE AREA WILL BE THAT? THAT STILL HAS, IT STILL HASN'T BEEN HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED, HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED YET.

THAT'S WHY WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS WE'LL. AND JUST A CORRECTION ON THE COMMITTEES.

SO IT'S MEMBER SALDAÑA AND MEMBER RAYA. YES. I'M SORRY FOR THE WASCO TASK FORCE.

SO JUST AN UPDATE ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 16.

[16) REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER]

YES. HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

SHORT LIST TONIGHT. AS YOU NO DOUBT HAVE NOTICED, THE BOTH THE HAWK AND PEDESTRIAN BEACON SYSTEMS ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, TEARING OUT THE CORNERS HERE. AND THERE'S BEEN SOME WORK ON THE THE FOUNDATIONS OUT ON HIGHWAY 46.

SO THAT IS IN PROGRESS. I THINK THERE WILL BE A BIT OF WORK ON ON, THIS ONE SHOULD GO CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH COMPLETION, THE ONE ON 46, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MAY HAVE A DELAY WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR MATERIALS.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. SO THE ONGOING WORK WITH THE CONCRETE AND FOUNDATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY FEBRUARY 20TH.

[01:10:08]

OH, SO THERE'S DELAY ON THE OTHER ONE. THERE'S DELAYS ON BOTH.

CORRECT. MAY I ASK A QUESTION THAT BRIEFLY, SHE HAD MENTIONED THAT THE ONES ON HIGHWAY 46 WERE GOING TO BE USED SOMEPLACE ELSE IN WASCO THE BEACONS.

I ALWAYS MISPRONOUNCE THAT WORD, SO JUST BEAR WITH ME. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE LOCATION WILL BE THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE 11TH STREET, 11TH AND D STREET, 11TH AND D? YEP. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. OKAY. NEXT IS AT THE PAL BUILDING THERE WAS A MOBILE CLINIC ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH, AND I THINK IT'S BEEN REPORTED PREVIOUSLY, BUT AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER GOT STATISTICS ON HOW MANY FOLKS WERE ACTUALLY SEEN.

YEAH.

COORDINATOR ADVISED THAT ON AVERAGE, SHE SEES ANYWHERE FROM 15 AND 20 INDIVIDUALS AT EVERY CLINIC.

SO IT'S BEING WELL USED. SNIP EVENT COMING UP.

WELL, WE HAD 1ST JANUARY 28TH SINCE THE LAST MEETING, AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE COMING ON FEBRUARY 23RD, AS USUAL, 8 A.M. HERE ON EIGHTH STREET. IT WAS ANNOUNCED PREVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY BREAKFAST WILL BE HELD TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 4TH, AT THE COURTHOUSE ACROSS THE STREET AT 7 A.M..

WE HEARD THE MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE CLEANUP ON FEBRUARY 28TH, AND I HAVE QUALIFIED GOOD NEWS.

SO THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION THAT WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT TODAY INCLUDES SEVERAL BUNDLES OF FUNDING.

ONE OF THOSE IS CALLED THE THUD PROGRAM. AND IT IS OUR BELIEF, SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION, THAT OUR PROJECT, OUR APPLICATION FOR PHASE TWO OF THE DOWNTOWN REFURBISHMENT IS CONTAINED IN THAT THAT BILL IT'S A LOT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS THERE. AND WE SPOKE TO CONGRESSMAN VALADAO, REPRESENTATIVE.

AND HE AND THE LEGISLATIVE ANALYSTS ARE LOOKING INTO THAT.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

AND SO WE'RE I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS OKAY TO SAY WE'RE 90% SURE THAT THAT IT STAYED IN THERE.

AND HE SAID YES. SO THERE'S ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOME SHENANIGANS TOOK PLACE AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT BUT WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE APPROVED. SO THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS AND SHOULD ALLOW US TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. IF NOT LATE THIS YEAR, THEN SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER.

IS THAT IT? THAT'S IT. SHORT LIST. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.

SURE. CONGRESSMAN, CONGRESSMAN VALADAO VISITED WASCO RECENTLY, AND I SAW PICTURES OF YOU AND MARIA AND CONGRESSMAN VALADAO WALKING WASCO. WOULD YOU INVITE US NEXT TIME TO TO ATTEND WHEN HE'S GOING TO BE HERE? SURE. HE HE WANTED TO COME SPECIFICALLY TO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN, AND IT WAS A VERY SHORT WINDOW.

HE ASKED THAT IT WOULD BE LIMITED IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

ALL RIGHT. SO SOMETHING TO TO CONSIDER. YES. LAST TIME PRIOR TO TO THIS LAST TIME HE CAME IN, I BELIEVE MEMBER MARTINEZ, MYSELF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE STAFF YOU KNOW, RIGHT.

WENT ABOUT WASCO. THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO BRING TO HIS ATTENTION AS WELL.

SURE. THANK YOU. WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. WE WILL. WE WILL ALWAYS ASK.

THANK YOU. BECAUSE I'M NOT ABOUT, NOT TO ASK FOR MONEY ANYWAY.

NO, NO. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GIVING US 5 MILLION.

RIGHT? YES THEY ARE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HURLBERT. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 17 REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

[17) REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL]

I SAW, ARE THEY DOING BUMP OUTS HERE? YES. THAT'S EXCELLENT.

YES. ARE THEY GOING TO DO BUMP OUTS ON 46 AS WELL? NO. THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS VEHICLES PARKED ON HIGHWAY 46 THAT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE LINE OF SIGHT. BUT I KNOW THEY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY.

[01:15:06]

IT'S BEEN YEARS. YES. I THINK WITH THE ULTIMATE LANE DESIGN, THEY'RE ON 46.

A BUMP OUT WOULD WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS BECAUSE THERE THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT THERE'S AN INFERRED NOT NOT PAINTED BUT THERE'S AN INFERRED ACCELERATION LANE AND DECELERATION LANES COMING INTO THAT INTERSECTION.

RIGHT. OKAY. SORRY. WHAT'S A BUMP PUT? BUMP OUT IS WHERE NORMALLY YOU WOULD HAVE TWO STREETS COME TOGETHER WITH JUST A RADIUS, A CURB. AND HERE THE THE BUMP OUT IS EXAGGERATED.

IT NARROWS THE TRAVEL LANES ON PURPOSE TO GET FOLKS TO SLOW DOWN, AND IT CREATES A SHORTER WALKING DISTANCE BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO BUMP OUT ON BOTH SIDES.

SO IT TAKES ABOUT WHAT, 3 OR 3 OR FOUR FEET ON EACH SIDE OUT OF CIRCULATION.

SO PEDESTRIANS HAVE A SHORTER SPRINT. THEY'RE ALSO KNOWN AS SORRY I'M SORRY. THEY JUST HAVE DIFFERENT TERMS, THAT'S WHY.

BUT THE SAME THING I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY ANOTHER BENEFIT OF A BUMP OUT IS THAT YOU BECOME VISIBLE TO DRIVERS, RIGHT? RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT HIDDEN BEHIND THE CARS ANYMORE.

THEY CAN SEE YOU BETTER. SOMETHING THAT DRIVERS AROUND THIS CORRIDOR HAVE A TENDENCY TO IGNORE.

THEY JUST PRETEND LIKE THEY DON'T SEE YOU. YES.

ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SO LET ME SEE WHAT I HAVE HERE.

I ATTENDED THE MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ACADEMY FROM THE 21ST THROUGH THE 23RD.

I THINK SEVERAL OF US DID THAT. ALSO, I ATTENDED THE LOVE LIFE CHOOSE LIFE EVENT FOR THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE $1,500 BECAUSE WE HAD A BABY BOTTLE FUNDRAISER, $1,500 FOR THE BAKERSFIELD PREGNANCY CENTER. AND I DID NOT SHARE THAT WITH ERIC.

AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PERFECT TIME TO SHARE IT WITH HER. AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE CURRENT MEDICAL MOBILE CLINIC.

I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THAT. I THINK DIANA INVITED THEM TO COME.

IS THAT IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED, CHIEF? YEAH. THEY HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL BIG RV, AND IT HAS TWO EXAMINING ROOMS. IT HAS THE ABILITY TO BRING PEOPLE THAT ARE ON WHEELCHAIRS.

I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEDICAL TREATMENTS THERE, OR EXAMINATIONS, INCLUDING SOME OB-GYN EXAMINATIONS. I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT I LEARNED.

IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT. AND THAT WAS IT. I'M HAPPY TO TO HEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONVERSATING REGARDING EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENTS, CHIEF. THANK YOU.

THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. REYNA. MEMBER MARTINEZ.

YEAH, A COUPLE OF THINGS. DID WE EVER FIND OUT? I THINK THE VENDOR WAS MOTOROLA, REGARDING THE ENCRYPTED POLICE CHANNELS, WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD TO DO WHEN WE CONVERTED TO DIGITAL? YES. SO DIGITAL DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN ENCRYPTED.

DIGITAL IS DIGITAL AND THE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC CHANNELS THAT WILL BE ENCRYPTED.

SO WE, WILL THE PRIMARY CHANNEL WILL BE ENCRYPTED OR UNENCRYPTED.

IT'LL BE DIGITAL. SO IT'LL BE DIGITAL BUT NOT ENCRYPTED.

NOT ENCRYPTED. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO TO ADDRESS IS THAT SOCIAL MEDIA WOULD KIND OF BE A THEME FOR TONIGHT.

I WENT TO THE SSL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF WASCO RESIDENTS THERE.

AND I HAD THREE DISTINCT CONVERSATIONS WITH THREE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO WERE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF ANYTHING THAT THE CITY IS DOING.

AND I THINK SOMETIMES WE GET CAUGHT UP IN OUR CIRCLE OF FRIENDS TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE INFORMED, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE PUBLIC IS COMPLETELY UNINFORMED ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I KEEP PUSHING FOR THESE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEWS MEDIA COVERING ANYTHING UP. JUST AN EXAMPLE.

CONGRESSMAN VALADAO, WHOSE VISIT I SAW ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES POST ABOUT IT, AND THEY WENT HIGH LEVEL OVER THE PROJECTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED.

I SAW EACH MAYOR OF EACH COMMUNITY. I SAW EACH DIRECTOR OF EACH COMMUNITY POST ABOUT IT.

AND THE ONLY REASON WHY I KNEW HE VISITED WAS BECAUSE DAVID VALADAO POSTED ABOUT HIS VISIT WITH A PICTURE OF MARIA AND SCOTT.

HE DIDN'T GET VERY MANY POSITIVE COMMENTS BELOW IT, BUT HE POSTED ABOUT IT.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK AT A HIGH LEVEL ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN PROJECT, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE HARPING ABOUT OUR LACK OF SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE POSTING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THE ROBOTICS PROGRAM AND ALL THAT STUFF.

[01:20:02]

I REALLY DO, AND I THINK THAT THIS HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR, WHAT, TWO YEARS NOW? I THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR US TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING AND START IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ. MR. MEDINA. YEAH. I TOO ATTENDED THE MAYORS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS CONFERENCE IN SACRAMENTO.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING WITH NEIGHBORING COLLEAGUES AND WHATNOT.

INTERACTED A LOT WITH THE THE NEIGHBORING COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THAT WAS GOOD.

THE TIGER WELLNESS CENTER IS OPEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M SURE SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE PROBABLY REACHED OUT. BUT THEY'RE IN NEED OF CLOTHING FOR BOYS, SO I KNOW SNOWBALL JUST HAPPENED, BUT FOR INTERVIEWS, GRAD.

RIGHT. SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR SUIT JACKETS, SUITS, SLACKS, TIES, ETCETERA, YOU KNOW, SORT OF FORMAL ATTIRE FOR BOYS.

SO THAT'S ONE. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, I KNOW THAT THE WASCO GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM, VARSITY TEAM IS GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS, AND I GUESS THAT'S THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2017.

SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL. I BELIEVE THEY HAD AN EVENT GOING ON TONIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE WASCO IS PRETTY ACTIVE, SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ IS SAYING, I THINK WE'VE WE'RE TRYING.

RIGHT. WE STILL WE'VE GOT A WAYS TO GO, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS.

RIGHT. JUST KEEPING OUR, OUR, OUR RESIDENTS INFORMED.

BY NO MEANS. I KNOW SOME OF THE RESERVATIONS.

I BY NO MEANS WANT TO BE. I MEAN, I'VE SEEN OTHER CITIES THAT GO SORT OF THE OPPOSITE WAY, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THESE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, KEEPING PEOPLE INFORMED, I MEAN, SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I DON'T WANT TO BE PREMATURE, RIGHT.

IN TERMS OF LIKE, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE APPLYING FOR FUNDING FOR THESE, BUT THESE 400, YOU KNOW, NEW DWELLINGS LIKE ONCE THAT SORT OF MAYBE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN STAGE, THOSE ARE THINGS WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW OUT THERE BECAUSE YEAH, I MEAN, I KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE I'M HERE, RIGHT? BUT WHAT EVERYBODY SEES AS, OH, WHAT'S SHAFTER DOING? RIGHT? THEY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF HOUSES HAPPENING OVER THERE. WHY ISN'T WASCO GROWING? SO THINGS LIKE THIS, I MEAN, WE HAVE TWO, TWO CITIZENS HERE IN TONIGHT'S MEETING, RIGHT? WE COULD ALSO SAY, HEY, IF WE HAD MORE PEOPLE HERE, THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT IT'S ALWAYS JUST KIND OF.

SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE EASIEST WAY TO TO GET OUT TO FOLKS. SO THE OTHER THING THAT I HAD A QUESTION ON, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T REVIEWED IN A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WHEN DO WE HAVE OUR NEXT SORT OF LIKE BUDGET REVIEW UPDATE? IS THAT STILL A WAYS AWAY? IS IT? WE WE ARE GEARING UP FOR THAT.

SO WE'LL HAVE A MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW FOLLOWED PRETTY QUICKLY BY THE STRATEGIC MEETING TO START TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. AND JUST WITH OUR STAFFING SITUATION OVER IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S MOVING A LITTLE SLOWER THAN NORMAL AND A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE'D LIKE, BUT IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY MAKING PROGRESS.

OKAY. AND SO IT'LL BE ANNOUNCED AND WE'LL, WE'LL START WITH THE, THE MID-YEAR EXERCISE AND GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROBABLY IN IN THE COUNCIL MEETING SETTING AT A FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE STRATEGIC MEETING.

OKAY. AND IN SORT OF CLIFF NOTES TO THAT OR SEARCH CONTINUES.

RIGHT. YES. THAT'S THAT'S ACTIVE AND YEP, LITTLE SLOW SOUNDS LIKE OR LITTLE GETTING SOME TRACTION.

WE HAVE WE HAD WE'LL HAVE FOUR INTERVIEWS THIS WEEK.

SO WE, IF WE FIND A CANDIDATE IN THERE, THEN WE'LL BE MOVING MUCH FASTER.

OKAY. PERFECT. AND THEN THE LAST ONE, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AN UPDATE NOW OR WHATNOT.

MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN FOLLOW BACK UP WITH ME, BUT I KNOW I HAD ASKED ABOUT GROMER.

THERE WAS THE GROMER REVAMP. RIGHT? IT'S IT'S.

WHERE'S THAT? WHAT STAGE IS THAT IN? SO THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO THERE'S A THERE'S A SEPARATE PROJECT GOING ON IN THAT AREA THAT THERE'S NEED TO BE SOME STREET IMPROVEMENTS ONCE THOSE ARE IN INCLUDING SOME UTILITIES, WHICH IS SEWER CONNECTIONS IN THAT AREA. ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETE, THEN WE'LL CONTINUE WITH WITH OUR WHICH IS IT, REPAVING IS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROAD? CORRECT. THAT IS WHAT THE CITY WILL DO IT RIGHT AFTER THAT.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO REPAVE NOW. YES. SOME UTILITIES ARE COMING IN FROM FROM A SEPARATE PROJECT.

A PRIVATE PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO TIE IN SO THEY DON'T GET THAT.

SO IT DOESN'T GET CUT INTO THE THE FRESHLY PAVED ROAD.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY WAITING ON THAT PROJECT TO FINISH.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME BEHIND THAT AND, AND PAVE.

OKAY. BUT THAT PROJECT IS ACTIVE. LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE A YEAR LATER AND SAYING,

[01:25:01]

YEAH. ALONG WITH CURB AND GUTTER, BECAUSE I THINK HALF OF THE ROAD IS IN GOOD CONDITION.

THE OTHER HALF IS IN TERRIBLE CONDITION. OH, RIGHT.

YEAH. I DIDN'T MEAN, LIKE, HALF OF THE NORTH OR THE SOUTH.

NO, NO. YEAH. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE CLEAR ONE LANE OR THE OTHER LANE.

IT'S GOING TO BE BOTH. AND WITH CURB AND GUTTER AS WELL.

THAT'S THE PLAN. PERFECT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. MR.. AND I TOO ATTENDED THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CONFERENCE, AND I, COUNCIL MEMBER MEDINA JUST MENTIONED. IT'S ALSO A NICE THING TO NETWORK WITH THE NEIGHBORING CITIES OR JUST PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA.

CITIES ALWAYS HAVE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FOR US.

YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY CRUCIAL FOR ALL OF US TO BE INFORMED AND TO BE MORE ANYTHING EDUCATED ON SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE BEING GOOD LEADERS HERE IN THIS IN OUR CITY OF WASCO. A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY KIND OF TAKEN AWAY FROM THAT I HAD.

BUT, I MEAN, IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE WE'RE ENGAGING IN A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR US, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE. THIS EVENING WE'LL HAVE ITEMS 18 A.

[18) CLOSED SESSION]

DO WE HAVE A RECESS? YES. WE'LL HAVE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.

AND ADJOURN THE MEETIN MAYOR. ALL RIGHT, I WILL ADJOURN.

WE WILL NOW ENTER. OH, NO. NO, NO. ADJOURN THE MEETING.

IT'S 8 P.M.. THANK YOU GUYS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.