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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Folsom City Council Meeting - February 14, 2023

City Council — Tuesday, February 14, 2023

BodyFolsom, California

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, February 14, 2023

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:44:11

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:01

Okay, we will now reconvene the city council special meeting for uh today, February 14th.

0:07

Um, are there any final actions?

0:13

Okay, we will adjourn the special meeting.

0:17

And I call to order the city council regular meeting for Tuesday, February 14th for the police category.

0:26

Council members Kozlowski here, Roarba, here, Aquino, here, Chalem Chirla, and Rodriguez.

0:32

Here uh Vice Mayor Challenge, will you please lead us in the Pedro Vice?

0:37

Absolutely.

0:40

I pleasure for which it stands for nation indivisible with members of Justice Crawl.

0:59

Okay, are there any agenda updates?

1:01

Good evening, Ma the Mayor.

1:02

Item number four is being continued to the February 28th council meeting, and they are two additional information and trust meadows for item 13, a copy of which had to be provided to you previously, and they are also available on the table in the back.

1:18

Okay, thank you.

1:21

Your next item this evening is business from the floor, and you currently have no request to speak under this item.

1:28

That's right.

1:30

Will the clerk please call the next item?

1:31

Yes, so our next item this evening will be scheduled presentations.

1:34

The first item is a resolution of commendation honoring Chris Corda and his retirement as owner of the Hacienda del Rio for 32 years.

1:41

And Madam Mayor, you did have a request to speak from Loretta Hedinger on this item.

1:47

Come on down.

2:03

I very much enjoyed reading the resolution in honor of Chris Corda.

2:08

And I just wanted to add something to it.

2:11

I mean, there are a lot of things that Chris has done through the years, but one that is really important is that he was part of the citizens committee that met for four years to create the regulations for the historic district that have rescued the residential area from the decline it was headed into the wonderful place that it is to live today.

2:38

And I couldn't let this evening pass without everyone knowing what a wonderful thing Chris did in helping on that project.

2:48

That's it.

2:50

Thank you, Navella.

2:54

Chris, I don't have a project.

3:14

Hello, Chris.

3:17

Hello, okay.

3:20

Chris, you are a great guy.

3:22

So I first first met Chris in December 2014 when I was in under construction to open up my business.

3:32

And uh there was an end of the year celebration for the business owners on the block and the businesses.

3:38

So those owners of the buildings and the businesses.

3:40

And I first met Chris.

3:41

Chris knew I was opening up a Mexican taqueria.

3:44

He's the owner of a Mexican restaurant, and he was very kind.

3:47

He was very he offered to help um help in any kind of way that he can as I was in construction, and so I just remember thinking he's a really nice guy.

3:56

So Chris, tell everybody.

3:57

Tell everybody, is owning a restaurant living the dream.

4:03

It was for a long time.

4:06

When I couldn't talk you out of going into it.

4:09

All right, Chris.

4:11

Oh, yeah.

4:11

I tell everybody is living the dream.

4:13

Okay, so Chris, I'm gonna read the resolution of commendation.

4:16

This is honoring Chris Corda on his retirement as owner of Folsom's Hacienda del Rio for 32 years.

4:22

Ras Chris Corda has been a proud resident of Folsom for more than 35 years and has owned and managed La Hacienda del Rio restaurant for more than 32 years.

4:31

Whereas Chris realized his interest in the restaurant industry during a career planning assignment in high school.

4:37

After community college, he decided to major in hospitality management at Calpali Pomona.

4:43

And whereas the Hacienda del Rio restaurant is a well-known landmark in Folsom's Historic District, which Chris describes as always feeling like home.

4:52

And where's the Hacienda del Rio restaurant has generously donated back to the Bolson community to support local causes?

5:00

And Chris has served as president of the Sacramento chapter of the California Restaurant Association and as a treasurer and president of the Sutter Street Merchant Association.

5:08

And after working in the restaurant entry for 50 years, Chris looks forward to his retirement, especially to having weekends and holidays off and spending time with his partner Sherry, his children Cameron and Candace and his five grandchildren.

5:21

Now, therefore, I, Rosario Rodriguez, mayor for the city of Folsom, on behalf of the Folsom City Council and the residents of this community, do hereby thank Chris Corda for being a part of the Fabrico Folsom and congratulate him on his retirement for 32 years as owner of the Hacienda del Rio.

5:38

Chris, you have been an integral part of the historic district.

5:42

And so many people are feeling the loss of you and retirement, of course.

5:48

Um, but also that you had been such you've created memories for people through anniversaries and holidays and special events and the fantastic margarita.

5:57

So we wish you all well on your retirement.

6:00

Thank you very much.

6:01

Thank you very much.

6:08

I do feel blessed to have been able to do what I love to do, which was run restaurants in this beautiful community with outstanding progress in the historical district over the 32 years has come from here to way up here, and it is a jewel of Folsom and the City Council and really all the people in the city of Folsom have been a pleasure to have come in the restaurant to watch grow.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Budget and Finance███████████████████████████████████35%

Homelessness███████████████15%

Economic Development█████████████13%

Procedural████████8%

Community Engagement████4%

Public Works████4%

Historic Preservation███3%

Public Safety███3%

Affordable Housing███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Folsom City Council Special and Regular Meeting - February 14, 2023

The Folsom City Council convened a special meeting at 6:00 PM for closed session items, followed by a regular meeting at 6:30 PM on February 14, 2023. Highlights included a commendation for retiring restaurant owner Chris Corda, presentations from the Folsom Tourism and Economic Development Corporation and the Folsom Alliance for the Unhoused, approval of a consent calendar (with one item continued), adoption of a resolution amending a community facilities district tax rate, and a discussion on budget priorities that resulted in a directive to maintain current funding allocations.

Consent Calendar

Item 4 (approval of January 24, 2023 meeting minutes) was continued to the February 28 council meeting.
Items 5 through 11 were approved unanimously by a single motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

Loretta Hedinger spoke in support of the resolution honoring Chris Corda, highlighting his role on the citizens committee that created regulations for the historic district.
Judy Alexander (HART) clarified funding for Bidwell Studios: HART pays market rate for four units using private funds and a past $15,000 city contribution; the remaining 20 units managed by Hope Cooperative are funded by HUD under a housing-first model with no behavioral requirements and serve permanently housed severely mentally disabled individuals from across Sacramento County.

Discussion Items

1. Resolution of Commendation for Chris Corda

The council presented a resolution honoring Chris Corda for his 32 years as owner of Hacienda Del Rio restaurant. Chris Corda thanked the community and the council.

2. Folsom Tourism and Economic Development Corporation (TEDCorp) Quarterly Report

TEDCorp leadership presented an economic development update, outlining six objectives (attraction, retention, tourism, entrepreneurship, marketing, workforce). Five-year goals include attracting ten new companies, three company expansions, and $400 million in investment, with an estimated $1.4 billion total economic impact. The report also introduced 14 proposed economic development zones. Council members inquired about Folsom Lake College's startup ecosystem and the "Choose Folsom" branding structure.

3. Update by the Folsom Alliance for the Unhoused

Jean Schumann (Jake's Journey Home) described the alliance's work, including the Folsom Police Department's Community Crime Suppression Unit (currently understaffed: one sergeant and one officer), Powerhouse Ministries (54 beds), HART (winter shelter), Sacramento Self-Help Housing navigator (three drop-in days per week, 90 individuals served in 2022), and Jake's Journey Home. Key statistic: 20–35 permanently unhoused individuals in Folsom, with an estimated 150 transients encountered over the past two years. The alliance recommended a future permanent day center. Discussion addressed Bidwell Studios (24 units): four HART units are sober-living; 20 Hope Cooperative units are permanent housing for severely mentally ill individuals under a housing-first model. Council members expressed support and discussed the need for mandatory services.

4. Discussion of City Council Budget Priorities

City Manager requested direction on the high-level allocation of the general fund budget ("the pie"), which has historically devoted about 50% to public safety.
Councilmember Anna Rohrbough presented a detailed list of investment priorities totaling approximately $2.4 million in ongoing and one-time funds, including four police officers and a sergeant for South of 50, software upgrades, library improvements (new kid's PCs, lighting, baseboards), a parks volunteer coordinator, facility maintenance, fire division chief for training, and a public works section manager. She argued actual revenues have consistently exceeded projections, providing an average annual surplus of about $2 million.
City Manager and other council members (Aquino, Kozlowski, Chalamcherla) urged caution, noting past surpluses were used to rebuild reserves that fell to 6% during the Great Recession and were further stressed by the pandemic. A structural deficit is forecast. They emphasized that the city charter tasks the city manager with preparing the budget subject to council adoption.
Vote: A motion by Councilmember Mike Kozlowski to direct the city manager to prepare the preliminary budget using the current allocation percentages passed unanimously (5-0).

Key Outcomes

Unanimous approval of Consent Calendar items 5–11.
Unanimous approval of Resolution 10988 authorizing amendment of the rate and method of apportionment for Improvement Area 2 within Community Facilities District No. 23 (Folsom Ranch). A public hearing is set for the last council meeting in March.
Unanimous motion (5-0) to direct the city manager to use the existing budget allocation percentages when preparing the preliminary fiscal year 2023–2024 budget. The city manager will present a preliminary budget in May for council review and adoption by June 30.
Council members provided individual reports and recognized National School Resource Officer Day and Black History Month.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, we will now reconvene the city council special meeting for uh today, February 14th. Um, are there any final actions? Okay, we will adjourn the special meeting. And I call to order the city council regular meeting for Tuesday, February 14th for the police category. Council members Kozlowski here, Roarba, here, Aquino, here, Chalem Chirla, and Rodriguez. Here uh Vice Mayor Challenge, will you please lead us in the Pedro Vice? Absolutely. I pleasure for which it stands for nation indivisible with members of Justice Crawl. Okay, are there any agenda updates? Good evening, Ma the Mayor. Item number four is being continued to the February 28th council meeting, and they are two additional information and trust meadows for item 13, a copy of which had to be provided to you previously, and they are also available on the table in the back. Okay, thank you. Your next item this evening is business from the floor, and you currently have no request to speak under this item. That's right. Will the clerk please call the next item? Yes, so our next item this evening will be scheduled presentations. The first item is a resolution of commendation honoring Chris Corda and his retirement as owner of the Hacienda del Rio for 32 years. And Madam Mayor, you did have a request to speak from Loretta Hedinger on this item. Come on down. I very much enjoyed reading the resolution in honor of Chris Corda. And I just wanted to add something to it. I mean, there are a lot of things that Chris has done through the years, but one that is really important is that he was part of the citizens committee that met for four years to create the regulations for the historic district that have rescued the residential area from the decline it was headed into the wonderful place that it is to live today. And I couldn't let this evening pass without everyone knowing what a wonderful thing Chris did in helping on that project. That's it. Thank you, Navella. Chris, I don't have a project. Hello, Chris. Hello, okay. Chris, you are a great guy. So I first first met Chris in December 2014 when I was in under construction to open up my business. And uh there was an end of the year celebration for the business owners on the block and the businesses. So those owners of the buildings and the businesses. And I first met Chris. Chris knew I was opening up a Mexican taqueria. He's the owner of a Mexican restaurant, and he was very kind. He was very he offered to help um help in any kind of way that he can as I was in construction, and so I just remember thinking he's a really nice guy. So Chris, tell everybody. Tell everybody, is owning a restaurant living the dream. It was for a long time. When I couldn't talk you out of going into it. All right, Chris. Oh, yeah. I tell everybody is living the dream. Okay, so Chris, I'm gonna read the resolution of commendation. This is honoring Chris Corda on his retirement as owner of Folsom's Hacienda del Rio for 32 years. Ras Chris Corda has been a proud resident of Folsom for more than 35 years and has owned and managed La Hacienda del Rio restaurant for more than 32 years. Whereas Chris realized his interest in the restaurant industry during a career planning assignment in high school. After community college, he decided to major in hospitality management at Calpali Pomona. And whereas the Hacienda del Rio restaurant is a well-known landmark in Folsom's Historic District, which Chris describes as always feeling like home. And where's the Hacienda del Rio restaurant has generously donated back to the Bolson community to support local causes?

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