Fresno City Council
City of Fresno Meetings
Thursday, March 9, 2023
9:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m. PST
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Fresno - CA Documenters Team
Among the Consent Agenda items:1-C **Adopting the 29th amendment to the Annual Appropriations Resolution (AAR) No. 2022-154 appropriating $2,032,000 for ERAP (Emergency Rental Assistance Program)
1-G **Authorizing and directing submission of an application for and acceptance of State of California Prohousing Incentive Pilot Program funds (Subject to Mayor’s veto)
1-N *Actions pertaining to the Barstow Avenue Class IV Bikeway Project - Bid File 12300267 (Council District 4) 1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff determination pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines 2.
Award a construction contract in the amount of $2,234,648 to American Paving Co., of Fresno, California
1-O ** Approve the First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with O’Dell Engineering in the amount of $219,300, for a total increased contract amount of $468,700, with a $15,000 contingency amount, for design services and preparation of construction documents for the…
…South Tower Park, San Pablo Park and the Ted C. Wills Community Center Projects (Council District 3)
1-R Assistance for Senior Affordable Housing project by utilizing future revenue streams to provide potable drinking water and sustainable Fire protection for the public benefit to Senior Citizens in the Fancher Creek completed neighborhood.
1-S **RESOLUTION - To Begin the Process to Change Kings Canyon/Ventura Boulevard to “Cesar Chavez Boulevard” (Subject to Mayor’s veto
Meeting begins at 9:10 am. All council members present. Invocation (I didn’t catch the name but invited by Karbassi). https://t.co/XHW2gA4tJs
Proclamation for “Pinedale 100 Year Anniversary” sponsored by Karbassi.Founded as a Mill town and there is a community museum. 10,000 signal corps stationed there however 5000 Japanese-Americans interned there as well.Event on March 25th 10 am to 5 . Rep:We are one square mile. https://t.co/io8D3MetRR
Activities for children beginning at noon. Thanks Karbassi for his continued support. This community has so much heart.David Rodriguez:A proud people and come out and talk to us. My family first came out in 1920’s for the mill.We have a health Hmong and African-American community
Karbassi:people in Pinedale are often looked down on but come out to the event and meet them. Robert Sandoval says we have a wall of veterans in Pinedale. https://t.co/kSfAtLqgJA
Proclamation for “Khetphet “KP” Phagnasay Day” Chavez:he is a producer, stuntman and actor and recently was in a key role in Dahmer.Fresno State grad,SE Fresno resident. (Plays a 60 second video clip) https://t.co/XzKWEZCW1a
Chavez:i went to Roosevelt School of the Arts but was never close to the quality of acting KP does! KP: a great entertainment industry in the valley and hope we get even more. https://t.co/NFRMe4hJbZ
Council reports:@kmkarbassi a deadly police shooting in District 2 happened. PD officer took shot to bulletproof vest and survived. Iran has women arrested and killed.The government is targeting women.Even shooting to blind them or poisoning schoolgirls.I thank the Council for
last year for supporting the Massau Act but we have federal government reps on both sides of the aisle who are trying to make deals with Iran
@MiguelArias_D3 I know Adminsitration is looking for volunteers to help work at the Warming Centers. I am volunteering and hopefully some of my staff can help too. Neighborhoods take the brunt. I plan on making some changes on operational side before we move to Cooling Centers.
At 11:30 am today Chavez and myself will have a presentation on Mobile Food Vendors with free food from 11:30 to 1 pm. Thanks Admin for working on park Fees. Unlike the Supervisors at County we look at every line item of our budget. Also soccer match at Chukchansi!! Maxwell: I
will volunteer with Arias at Warming Center. Chavez:homeless outreach and I would like to see how many have moved off the street.Noticed a trend that we are getting people from outlying areas of Fresno. I would like to see the numbers on that. Resources for food vendors.The
@FresnoCountyCA recently cracked down on food vendors along Kings Canyon which is understandable but they should not have confiscated food for vendors who had preliminary permits. Bredefeld:We had a recent community meeting.Fresno Animal Center will have $17 adopt a dog March 17
through the weekend. It is located on Airways. Pets are spayed/neutered, microchips etc. @esparza_nelson We will have to cancel Play Streets along Huntington Blvd due to rain. We will schedule in May. Fresno Art Museum hosted us for a Prop 68 progress. @AnnalisaPerea Happy Women
History Month. We walked different parts of the district and speaking on business grants.We also knocked on doors West of 99 to bring City Hall to the residents.Maxwell:Tour of Water Incubator Lab that affects both Valley and entire Country. I was invited by @jboren4507 to speak
to his students and learned on how to read a Council Agenda. I also spoke to Ms. Tatum’s elementary class on joy of reading. @gawhitefresno First year we have kept the Warming Centers opened.We are using parks staff and have to be there overnight so we have made call out to volu-
-nteers. We are coming up with a plan on disbursement of homeless into neighborhoods once warming centers close in morning.Need more shelters. Mobile Food Vendors outreach has been done. Some vendors have been jealous of those who have gone through the training already. Draft
Cultural Arts plan has gone out. We cannot spend one dollar of Measure P until that plan is approved so hopefully May. City Fleet fuel cost trend. We never seem to increase the fuel budget enough. New timeline on Cannabis for dispensaries to keep their approval. Impending storm
10:00 AM **Actions pertaining to the acquisition of easements and right of way for the MLK Center Active Transportation Project (Council District 3) 1) HEARING to consider a resolution of public use and necessity for acquisition of easements and rights of way for public street p
urposes over, under, through and across portions of APN 479-050-04, owned by Ruth McDonald and Florine Parish, for the construction of a concrete public sidewalk, concrete curb ramp and installation of public utilities along a portion of South Walnut Avenue and East Grove Avenue
2) Adopt a finding of Categorial Exemption pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Sections 15301/Class 1, 15303/Class 3, and 15304/Class 4 for the MLK Center Active Transportation Project 3) ***RESOLUTION - Determining that public interest https://t.co/bsmN1PtIuK
Arias:improvements in West Fresno. The owner asks for this friendly right of way as one of the owners has passed away. APPROVED 7-0
UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC COMMENT:3 minutes per speaker. First is Valerie Davis:Item 1-S I would like street named in front of Cesar Chavez Adult School in front of that as Cesar Chavez Blvd. Tim Liles Way is in front of Sunnyside High. I don’t think it will be hard for Fresno Unified https://t.co/RjDNBVze6A
to change its letterhead to change the street name rather than having businesses change their. Debbie Darden:West California was not part of this street change. I am proud of West Fresno. I would like Council to continue to invest in Fresno. West Fresno is founded with African- https://t.co/i4GlUfjpD7
-American roots. Please keep the street named California. BT Lewis:My heart is heavy as we are facing another of a thousand cuts .We are having erosion in West Fresno by having California Ave changed. It is part of this resolution. We love our Latino Brothers and Sisters but we https://t.co/lRfC6PbZoE
don’t want West Fresno to be affected. To change the name is an insult and an outrage.Sue Williams:Fresno was founded by railroad company.Stanford wanted this location for the town. Canal irrigation to Fancher Creek. Kearney helped plant the palms along Kings Canyon. We have https://t.co/dq5HoDM44n
history in this area too and don’t want the naming for this man to take away that history. Karen Moosond (?) :History is who and what we http://are.To take away that history.Without Kings River and Kings Canyon National park.Leland Stanford picked the spot. There is https://t.co/ywTkt0bEc3
only one Kings River and Kings Canyon Park. Keisha Thomas:I am not here as a Trustee but as a resident of West Fresno.We were not notified about this hidden part of this proposal. Just to come in and changed without a voice. Peggy Lee:I have owned property along Kings Canyon. https://t.co/dkKcAFeswE
Our mayor Jim Patterson once aid this is “not a giving but a taking”. Can we name the trailway system the Cesar Chavez Trailway instead.I think it will take well over $1 million to change their addresses.I fill this is polarizing the community. Hester Himley (Sp):Thanks Ms. Davis
for what she said earlier. One Fresno but what does West Fresno get. Leave California Ave as California Ave forever. It would be a disgrace to West Fresno. Starbucks coming to West Fresno when we don’t have other stores we should have first. Dr David Marshall:I come from Edison https://t.co/thQLCWnB7q
High graduates. I represent two CBOs and trying to get the property into an historical site as the first medical center. We have not been able to reach anyone at Historical Society except the president . karbassi:Mr. Meyer was my 4th grade teacher! Fernando Alazono:this is a
dictatorship and who is behind it. A movie named Puppetmaster was filmed at City Hall and was an appropriate name for this http://site.You all need God. Bredefeld is losing lots of friends like Steve (Brandau) which is good. You are on the hero side. I brought my son https://t.co/6DEjH2jgWR
today.Can I speak on his behalf? Jennifer:thank Perea for helping find housing. You cannot judge a book by its cover. after I transgender i can feel more like myself.I want to be the change I want to see in the world. We are human and deserve the same rights as everyone else. https://t.co/vtT1lQJfKB
Maxwell:your time is not transferable to others. Fernando Jr: I was homeless at one time and I know you have a lot on your plate. Jesus helped me not be homeless.Don’t give up!Barbara Horn:alley closures require 100 % of residents to agree. We have had shootings and racing. Can https://t.co/da3oYYbYPt
we change the 100% rule? The one holdout lives in another state.He wants a roll off gate and doesn’t like the look of a cyclone fence.Steve Diddy:Commercial Cannabis I spoke about before. I had manic times. I once spoke to Maxine Waters at a women’s march. I once had CBD that https://t.co/sbwRHcE9SW
actually worked on my manic. I don’t want to go back to LA just to buy that. My idea is to make Fresno a marijuana sanctuary! Altha Elane (SP) Fiscal cost to change the name change. Effects contacts, rent, 911, websites, business cards, recording forms,regulatory compliance. https://t.co/BRqOU41AZE
Why impose these hardships on the residents? Please vote NO. Gloria Hernandez: I was in jail 50 years ago fighting for my rights with Chavez.The County needs to have their own Warming Centers. Change hurts! Same arguments that Yokuts Valley had in that name change.Chavez made https://t.co/8dCFF5guU2
changes for all of us. He made us open our eyes but once you open them you can never change. Venancio Gaona:We have been working on changing various names around town for Chavez including Shaw and Herndon.But Chavez did some of his protests on Ventura Ave. This is where he did https://t.co/OI5lrr5tGc
his work. California Ave held his first organizing committee on California Ave.This committee had this Cesar Chavez Blvd approved already in the past. Jackie Grazier:I live in Sunnyside area. I see lots of Community Pride here today. The communication could have been done better https://t.co/jWxk2dkHrZ
and in collaboration. Chavez was a great man. I never went to the mountains as kids.The Kings Canyon is majestic.We need to honor that.We need to honor Cesar Chavez in another way that is not divisive. Patience Milrod:I recall when our phone number was changed from 209 to 559 and https://t.co/y6nwpAoluf
it was annoying. Our neighborhoods have changed.We need to do better to preserve our heritage.Council needs to see how we are developing. If the California Ave was not part of proposal than that is a problem. I am not sure what happened there.We are several decades over from
honoring this man. Dr Venice Curry:I am in support of Chavez but question the process in going forward on this proposal. This is dividing the community and “no goodwill in West Fresno” we can honor this man but exclude California Ave as no community connection was made. Look for https://t.co/OVP3WqQepx
honoring Chavez but leave California Ave out of that.Eric Gray on Zoom:Warming Center needs to be opened 24 hours a day. (tough to understand) @LisaYFlores1 Thank you to City Clerk and those in Planning in helping me. Cesar Chavez Blvd had points from everyone. The letters in the
packet regarding Sunnyside history. That all came from the developers the colonizers. They led to redlining. Council needs to go out to community before this resolution. @LovesMercy I agree with Eric Gray from earlier.24 hour warming center. Pinedale Warming Center is closed.
We
as a community to read over the Police Reform .HART team is not in along with reform commission as they take homeless property. New partnership and making the problem worse. Wendy Smith:Chavez http://resolution.As Dr Curry said Chavez needs to be honored but process was poor.
Other African-Amercians in West Fresno should be honored along California Ave.Also $1 Million for stationary? There is more to it. Cesar Adult School front strip makes more sense. Nia Hodge: we came to Fresno during Dust Bowl and graduated from Edison High. Do not remove ancient
landmarks. Leave California Ave as it is as it is a theft of the culture.This won’t take anything away from Chavez. Dez martinez:March 6 about 3:30 pm i came to an underpass and there was someone on a crane in distress. A girl from Bakersfield was up there and acting out of
character. Some yelled for her to jump.The boyfriend said she just wanted a bath and tacos. PD asked me to talk to her as she won’t listen to them. She cried,yelled but she was in lots of pain and in mental distress. She told me how she became homeless (Dez time is up)
Next Avis Braggs:stakeholders and destroying others heritage. People who live in West Fresno identify with West Fresno. It is not about changing the name but is about our heritage. We are the stakeholders, landholders and tax payers. We have invested too much. We have policy so
people have a say in the proposal. My mother was a Black Panther and helped Chavez. Next:Robert Mitchell:no sense of transparency. I have attended lots of community meetings and been on City boards but I just found out about this this morning. This does not bode well for “One
Fresno”. Chavez should be honored but not this way but a setback and a taking away from a community that has not been given much. Shannon Thom:Warming Centers needs to be open 24 hours. Ted C Wills needs to be open 24 7 too. Deeana: many at Ted C Wills Center are disabled. we had
to huddle under a roof during the rain. Please reinstate the emergency to keep open the Ted C Wills center. Next:Rick (tough to understand)Tents and clothes taken. Johnny Hernandez:I have worked for County and City. I live near Fairgrounds. I am not for the name change.I didn’t
know it has been proposed for 30 years.I did hear good ideas to name other things after Chavez. Kimberly McCoy:as a resident of West Fresno and hearing the comments today showed we were not informed of this proposal.We were redlined and thus had to make our own community. There
is a lot of mistrust in the community and your actions today show why. D’Aungillque Jackson:our homeless community population has skyrocketed and we need warming center. I do think the council needs to pull the Chavez proposal. I do like the Police Reform Workshop. Haley White:we
need to increase the warming centers hours. The Police Reform Recommendations is needed as well as the internal probe if the PD had any White Nationals in during Tower Theater protests. Next:California Ave name change is not wanted.We are so quick to get rid of our heritage like
Edison High admin building, Irwin Jr High etc. Ends Public Comment portion. Approved Consent Agenda (Arias and Chavez absent)
3- B WORKSHOP - Airport Parking Garage Art Installation - Artist and Concept Unveiling (Council District ) Sponsored by Airports Dept. New garage opened in 2021. We have gone through a formal process to select the artist. Claudia Esquela Miller:art that is iconic that welcomes https://t.co/HOna23VCfl
travelers and honored our heritage. Help with a positive image for Fresno. Public Art is part of our society. Fresno Art Council has a history with public arts.We wanted something inclusive. Lilian Chavez from Arts Council:It is a pleasure to partner with Airport. A formal call https://t.co/uA5w7N6kZK
artists went out http://statewide.It will also complement the artwork that is already there.17 artists responded. Top 3 interviewed. Art Council is there only as an advisory. Kaleb Eduarte (sp) was selected. Maxwell:do you have a photo of what the art looks like? A:No. https://t.co/XjPz3yqhi1
(Issues with video presentation.Only 6 slides were submitted). Airport Director:Unveiling is to be done here.Miller:Our artist happens to be a sculpture artist professor at Fresno City College. Art is called “You Have Arrived” and is 4 stories tall. A ceramic relief to mimic https://t.co/5GfqI5erE3
ancient reliefs. It is tree roots to represent the nearby mountains.Maxwell:looks like art nouveau to me. @kmkarbassi I liked that the San Joaquin River floor at airport. as a kid I still miss the old multi color carpet wall at airport. Maxwell:do we have to do go through the https://t.co/AyxphVMxvg
art process to add more murals? White:We can establish a mural process. We do want to look at painting the blue boxes at EV Charging Stations. Smaller things like that.
Maxwell:We will adjourn for lunch and be back at 1:30. First item will be the Cesar Chavez 1-S item.
Items 1-R and 1-S moved to Contested Consent but Chavez asks 1-R be heard after Closed Session. 1-I removed to unknown future date. Bredefeld votes NO on 1-B. Staff reads Parks info into 1-B on ball field costs.Esparza recuses himself form 1-H and Perea recuses herself on 1-L
Council back from lunch at 1:38 PM.
1-S RESOLUTION - To Begin the Process to Change Kings Canyon/VenturaCesar 2 Boulevard to “Cesar Chavez Boulevard” (Subject to Mayor’s veto) https://t.co/i3L8sMGEP5
Chavez thanks everyone who commented this morning or by email etc. We began this process last year. Freeway 180 was originally called Sequoia Kings Canyon Freeway as a way to keep Kings Canyon in the name for neighbors. This started 30 years ago.I went to Convention Center as a
14 years ago to hear protests.This City is different now. Mayor speaks of One Fresno. We have Sikh Park, new Hmong Street sign, named a police station after a fallen Hmong Police Officer , Hmong named elementary school, Armenian named elementary school. City has changed. https://t.co/aouuetWx0w
Essential workers got hit hard during pandemic and in a zip code in my district. We chose Cesar Chavez for that reason. He advocated for farm workers like the essential workers. He has a navy vessel named after Chavez. There are lots of streets named in Fresno after people who
did things locally. The process seems to be confused this morning. The State has to weigh in, the US Postal Service too. If we approve this today it will cover First to Peach.Second phase would have to be voted on by County Supervisors. I have talked with the Supervisor for that
area. Maybe in next 90 days. There are a number of changes in the area. You will see SE Asian, Punjabi stores. That is what makes the city http://great.One Fresno. makes motion to Approve. @AnnalisaPerea I have no problem honoring Chavez. But question on California Ave
part of original proposal? Arias:It was part of it 29 years ago. When brought back 13 months ago it was not as we wanted community feedback. Then mayor patterson vetoed it on behalf of Sunnyside homeowners.For this we have reached out to community and there will be another
chance for Community to weigh in on this in 30 days. We have tried to repair past wrongs in our neighborhoods. This council has responded when asked.Council passed this 30 years only to have patterson veto it. It was not brought back until now. I have had streets named in my
neighborhood like Audra McDonald Street, renaming Carver Middle School to Gaston. We bring it out to community and surrounding neighborhoods. We got no negative response from the different part of the community. 100 languages spoken here.This is just another way to honor that
diversity. Me and my family picked crops on California Ave.Farmworkers work during hot and cold weather , when fires are burning on the hills.I take exception to mayor patterson that we were “taking something away” when all this land was Yokuts. We intentionally try to be in-
-clusive. I don’t want this to be thought of “something taken away” as the hispanic community has always been there. The mayor then didn’t appreciate the city’s diversity 30 years ago. This item has followed the process and I will vote in favor. @GarryBredefeld I can tell what
what my fellow council members want. I have been part of naming freeways but I do worry about the cost of businesses changing stationary. 13 months we voted to get stakeholders commitment and we didn’t do that and we saw that from the response today.We can honor Chavez that does
not adversely affect other parts of the community. I won’t be supportive. APPROVED 6-1 with Bredefeld voting NO.
3- A WORKSHOP - Status update on Police Reform Commission Recommendations sponsored by Office of Mayor and City Manager https://fresno.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11699540&GUID=84F472F4-FD34-4178-ACFA-51172C194673 https://t.co/HI2uugafFl
This is a long 100 pages so I included the link. City will present a 16v slide version. https://t.co/G5IqIzeSZt
White:we provide a chart in this PowerPoint. @BalderramaPaco Commission was formed in June 2020. To date there has been 32 of the 73 accomplished .Others are partially.Some were outside of our power.Some were given to Police Reform commission and some declined. Power Point : https://t.co/Je1qYAgan9
White:implementation team created 4 groups. One working group the mental health one has done their work but due to COVID the other three did not. Balderama:I am committed to this document. Working with CBOs.What services can be farmed out and not need a full officer.White:some https://t.co/API6ZmViRo
recommendations did not get done. Chief:team looked at STARS model in colorado. Some went to see eugene OR CAHOOTS version and others to New Mexico. We have two vacancies to fill. 988 Hotline for Mental Health in Fresno.We can transfer the call from Dispatch to 988. If this call
shows the caller is in danger of hurting themselves it is immediately put back to dispatch. I hope to have 5 mental health crisis team clinicians in the evenings to respond. Hopefully starts in Summer.This is an alternative response from a PD Officer. What I don’t like is a PD
officer respond to a Middle School and taking the child away in a squad car. Not a good look and a better response is a mental health crisis specialist. #46 Traffic Officers assigned to other city Departments:FAX and Graffiti units are no longer under PD. If units are not https://t.co/D4qOk6puGN
efficient I disband it. #11-14 Use of Force Policy.These are Best Practice nationally. De Escalation Policy. Every complaint against PD is looked at. A translator is available or we can work with your translator. #23 wording is State’s.Internal Affairs will investigate major https://t.co/9j13d03XVk
violations.Minor can be done by City. Reprimand kept for 3 years but State now says 15. #27 morality clause to keep liability away from City. That already part of their Oath. Qualify Immunity:PD Officers CAN be sued. Federal Law. It is a misconception that individual officers https://t.co/JIWpbXNMsm
cannot be sued. This is false. #30 and 31 are a priority of Chief.Hiring more female police officers. Going to colleges to recruit officers. Half of new officers are minorities including some female. #35 Working on transparency. #36:i thought this was doing this.# fraud cases https://t.co/XQa9nxUhry
have decreased. Hope to have no more than 20 officers out on long term disability and only 10 at light duty. #42 Community Specials Officers that are CADETs who help officers. #44 No grants without a funding source.We don’t seek those out. #47 need to be efficient.$49 Consistent https://t.co/DkEyVKQuOu
#68 Would like diplomas. #69 not popular nationwide to merge into one department.#72 Advance Peace has been funded for a lot of money.
Some of these were funded with ARPA.Some need other revenue sources. https://t.co/Q2aJqOZnHx
Arias:PIRT team members?Chief I did not select them. Arias:do we know how each division costs city in liability claims? White:risk management does that for us. Staff:we can give a 5 year outlook too. Arias:City is responsible for first $5 Million before insurance kicks in. https://t.co/vKfTIY03u2
Staff:yes, It was $3 M in 2019. Increase could be for different reasons. Chief:PIRT team Pedro Navaro Cruz, Michael Vasquez, Sandra Celedon, Oliver Baines (several others named but I didn’t catch)White:usure if they are meeting or not Arias:no oversight on officers that were on
medical leave before Chief arrived,.How many now? A:62 with 20 on light duties. 0ver 100 before I arrived. Arias:Independent auditor. Chief:new standard and an officers removed.Some terminated or resigned.We did that with reduced disciplinary issues as we rid of minor disciplined
Arias:we now have the highest paid officers in the area at the cost of other important parts of department. In recruiting have you decreased the standards?Chief:no. Arias:seemed like Fire Department recruitment was different than Fresno PD. We give more each budget cycle but we
also expect more from you. In 911 dispatchers is a 4-8 minutes before answering. We have the lowest paid dispatchers. I have not seen better response times. We need to look at other dispatch models like American Ambulance who either pay better etc.Chief:This is a priority. Arias:
it does little to have lots of officers if residents don’t get through to dispatch. @kmkarbassi Commission names? White:two pages of names karbassi:I suggest they participate in ride alongs , Citizen Academy etc just to have experience. SROs are popular in Middle Schools. FPOA
influence. Sometimes officers may speak to union before they talk to chief. I am concerned that weapon etc needed come to unions etc first.Chief:I do get messages from officers. We do have a good relationship with our unions which is not always true at all cities. Karbassi:
qualified immunity. What we say up here on Council makes a difference.Just saying officers need their own insurance sounds good to certain of community but may make an exodus of employees. I also don’t want officers hesitating whether to get their weapon out. Chief:I send message
to any officer involved in a shooting that just follow policy and you will be fine. Bredefeld:I am bothered to hear the PD department was a disaster before you arrived. You said officers would be held accountable when you came on. Were they not held accountable? Chief:the https://t.co/0NUKAzRLjo
discipline was inconsistent and led to low morale. Bredefeld:hiring of new officers are minorities and some female. Are they still the most qualified? Chief:yes or they would not make it through the process. Bredefeld:i do think SROs at schools. FPOA represent lots of officers
so I don’t know why we wouldn’t want to hear from them.Chief: i have meetings with them but I don’t include them in the budget process.Bredefeld:the helicopter instrument panel is broken.Why did the request not come to Council? White:we did not need to come to council as the
budget allows the chief to access his emergency fund just for that reason. If he did not have enough in that budget we would have brought it to council.Bredefeld:One of the members of the implementation team tweeted we were not asked. Chief:I don’t have to ask anyone. Bredefeld:
this person also has an agenda where police are murderers and should be defunded. I think you as chief are improving the department even though it was never a disaster.White:teams did not approve as we don’t need their approval and most of the teams didn’t meet anyone.Chief:I
have a great team, a good council and a City Manager that is good. A mayor and a good community. The person who tweets is not helping me find bad people.
Chavez:we had 1-I moved to future meeting but his questions have been answered. A series of votes and 1-RESOLUTION - Of
Intention to Annex Final Tract Map No. 6338 as Annexation No. 140 to the City of Fresno Community Facilities District No. 11 and to Authorize the Levy of Special Taxes; and setting the public hearing for Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 10:00 am (Northeast corner of East Church
Avenue and South Sunnyside Avenue) (Council District 5) to vote on this. @LisaYFlores1 Bringing this up at a such a late part of this meeting few public will even know. APPROVED 5-0
2:30 WORKSHOP - Presentation by Fresno City Employees Health & Welfare Trust sponsored by Office of Mayor and City Manager
White:I am City Manager but also a trustee of this trust. I am turning this over to Shane Archer of Fire Dept. We will give a history of the trust. https://t.co/GwPJVvhPXs
Next:Health comp is not an insurance company but Blue Shield does provide that . We handle the claims. White:a few of the councilmembers had questions on this so this is why we are having this workshop.Comparison of plans too. https://t.co/j1Ng4KdlXV
Whiter:our staff put this chart together to compare apple to apples. All employees pay the same rate whether single or married/family. Phillip:Fresno v Clovis. Clovis has many plans https://t.co/621grRyQFD
@kmkarbassi Sometimes a city employee will talk to a councilmember when they have a complaint. White:talk to these people who represent the employees Karbassi:i think they just want to vent. How many are on the high end v low end? Rep: high plan has higher copay and deductibles. https://t.co/0iISGgQOTU
Karbassi:mental health services are expensive. How are that negotiated? Do you poll employees to see what is needed? Rep:check to see how many providers are nearby. Rep:union reps such as Sam Frank asks employees. In past dentists would not take any new patients and union heard
about it. White:we are developing a complaint form too.Arias:We had an Kaiser type plan killed as Jackie Parks was against http://it.Now we find the lack of plans has been a hindrance to hiring people used to a larger array of plans.I had a Er Bill of $8000 as that is https://t.co/I1FBUQuMx2
the plan we have. If management is not the obstacle and union is not the obstacle why have we not had any movement? This seems like a failed system but I see no urgency to find another plan. At budget hearings I will be asking when was the last time we have bid out? Why a single
pays same as family. I am concerned about the rank and file employees. They have to go bankrupt to get medical care. I don’t want us to have to compete with San Francisco but at least with those across the street. As a user of this system this is a hindrance. Esparza:when I came
to council i was surprised how limited our plans were. Catastrophic or mediocre were the only options. Don’t need cadillac plan. A kaiser plan would seem like an option for an entity this size.Need to maximize our bargaining power. Could have PPO,HMO, Cadillac, Catastrophic ,
Kaiser etc. Sam Frank:This job had great benefits when I was hired but former councils wanted more privatizing, golf courses and started making employees pay whereas city paid full before. It is all council priority. You need to look at young employee using few but may later https://t.co/wegMLxmjcv
get married etc they pay more.Some have secondary insurance. I met with Kaiser but they kind of blew it. I would like them to come again. There is more to do this than meets the eye. Very complex. We need to explore multiple options. But mostly the priority of Council. Arias:
often times employee groups bring items to us and we can get a solution. But this has been going on a long time with no change.
2:35 WORKSHOP from the Fresno Housing Authority. Sponsored by Maxwell (it is 4:35 pm!) https://t.co/B5l67sIzPR
$71 Million secured for 2022 real estate projects from governmental agencies.We are in a housing crisis but we are doing everything possible to provide high quality housing.Voucher Incentive Program, but it needs participating by landlords. Purchasing shelters is just one part.
We are planning for the future in SW Fresno with single family homes. California Avenue Neighborhood revitalization awarded to Fresno Housing Authority.We completed the implementation plan and is being reviewed by HUD.
This is a heavy lift but cities around that have worked
with Housing Authority to do similar. But we do need a person from City to be there for the next 7 years. Take a ride up to Sacramento to check out Choice Neighborhood Investments to see what is being done!
Arias:second time we have heard on CAN proposal and will hear one more. Real work now http://starts.You have our support.Chavez:thanks for doing the work to build affordable housing.Karbassi: I met director at a high Speed Rail meeting and he had a burst of energy!
@gregorybarfield We will get an answer on the airport question. Maxwell:we will vote on 1-R in open session after closed session.
CLOSED SESSION
5-A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-EXISTING LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(1) Terance Frazier, et al. v. City of Fresno, et al.; United States District Court Case No.: 1:20-CV-01069
5-B CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL- POTENTIAL EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION: Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2): Central Valley NMTC Fund, LLC., v. City of Fresno
MARCH 16, 2023 - NO MEETING
MARCH 23, 2023 - NO MEETING
MARCH 30, 2023 - 9:00 A.M.
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Agency Information
City of Fresno Meetings
The Fresno City Council makes decisions on the scope, direction and financing of city services, such as water, sewer, police and fire protection. It also establishes policy that is administered and implemented by city staff, as well as establishing land-use policies through the General Plan and zoning regulations.
Meetings usually occur at 9 a.m. on Thursdays at the Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno Street. They are also available to participate in via Zoom and are webcast.
In Fresno, the city clerk and the city attorney serve the council, not the mayor.