Folsom City Council Meeting: May 13, 2025 – Proclamations, Fee Update, CFD, Property Purchase, Flashing Arrow Trial
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Folsom City Council Regular Meeting – May 13, 2025
The Folsom City Council met on May 13, 2025, at 6:30 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting included multiple proclamations, a public hearing on police fee schedule updates, approval of a Community Facilities District overlay, purchase of a building for police use, establishment of meeting recesses, and authorization of a flashing yellow arrow trial project. All votes were unanimous (Councilmember Kozlowski absent).
Scheduled Presentations
- Resolution of Commendation for Mark Rackovan: Recognized Mark Rackovan, Public Works Director retiring after 27 years of service. He played key roles in major infrastructure projects including Lake Natoma Crossing, Folsom Lake Crossing, and multiple interchanges.
- Proclamation – National Public Works Week & City Works Day: Proclaimed May 18–24, 2025 as National Public Works Week and May 21 as City Works Day. City Works Day at Lions Park expects ~2,000 attendees and ~600 students, with over 35 booths.
- Proclamation – National Police Week (May 11–17, 2025): Recognized law enforcement service; noted 165 peace officers died in 2024 (a 6.5% increase from 2023).
- Proclamation – National Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Month (May 2025): Between 2018–2020, over 500 children under 5 died from drowning in CA; the city provides 1,770 swim lessons annually.
- Proclamation – May is Bike Month: Encouraged bicycling; earlier that day, 80 children completed a ride at the local castle.
- Resolution of Commendation – Folsom Arts Association: Honored for receiving the 2024 Folsom Arts Achievement Award; association has over 200 members.
- Annual Presentation by Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District: Assistant Manager Steve Ramos and board representative Craig Burnett discussed integrated mosquito management, West Nile virus (129 human cases in CA in 2024; no positive mosquito samples in Folsom in 2024, one positive bird), invasive Aedes mosquitoes (18 locally acquired dengue cases in CA last year), and planned use of sterile insect technology. The district manages 40–46,000 acres of rice. Councilmember Leary noted the public can subscribe for spray notifications at www.fightthebite.net.
Public Comments & Testimony (Business from the Floor)
- Abel Yamane: First-generation immigrant; stated that the city, state, and country never have the interests of trans, Black, Indigenous, poor, low-income children, incarcerated people, and undocumented people at heart; called for an end to "make believe borders and rules of citizenship."
- Vishunu Rao: Folsom resident and first-generation immigrant; described a terrorist attack in Palgam, Jammu Kashmir on April 22, 2025 (claimed by The Resistant Front, a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba) that killed 26 tourists due to religious identity. Requested the City Council issue a condemnation. The Mayor noted the city cannot act on matters not within its purview but would follow up.
- Mark Aleman: Thanked the Mayor and City Council for prompt removal of a dangerous fallen tree branch on a bike trail; praised recent trail maintenance. Mayor acknowledged Parks and Recreation staff.
Consent Calendar (Items 8–15)
All routine items approved unanimously via one motion:
- Approval of April 22, 2025 meeting minutes
- Ordinance 1349 (amending illuminated open sign rules in Historic District Sutter Street Subarea – second reading)
- Ordinance 1350 (designating Fire Hazard Severity Zones – second reading)
- Ordinance 1351 (increasing number of card tables and cardrooms – second reading)
- Resolution 11372 (agreement to purchase mobile column lifts for vehicle maintenance)
- Resolution 11373 (MOU with Sacramento Transportation Authority for STIP coordination)
- Resolution 11378 (contracts up to $750,000 annually for building/fire plan check services)
- Resolution 11380 (hire limited-term Park Planner II for Folsom Plan Area)
Public Hearing – Item 16: Police Department Fee Schedule Amendment
Lt. David Canapa and consultant Jeff Wakefield presented a comprehensive fee study (first since 2006) to align fees with costs. Councilmember Raithel raised concerns about two proposed fees: the late filing fee for alarm permits and the false alarm fee waiver request fee (items 7 and 8 on exhibit). He argued that requiring a $10 fee to request a fee waiver could penalize business owners who were wrongfully charged. He expressed support for the fee schedule but moved to adopt the resolution with amendments eliminating those two fees until a better billing provider (HDL) is contracted. The motion carried unanimously.
- Key Outcome: Resolution 11371 adopted with amendment dropping late filing fee and fee waiver request fee.
New Business – Item 17: Community Facilities District No. 20-1 (Russell Ranch 2)
CFO Stacy Tamani presented two resolutions to form an overlay CFD for a 118-unit multifamily development within the larger Russell Ranch CFD. The district will levy special taxes (approx. $1,300–$1,500 per unit, increasing 2% annually) to fund $3.5 million in bonded indebtedness for infrastructure. Public hearing set for June 24, 2025. Both resolutions approved unanimously.
New Business – Item 18: Purchase of 1 Natoma Street for Police Use
Commander Brian Lockhart requested authorization to purchase an 8,000 sq. ft. building across the street from the current police station for $2.7 million, plus $1 million in tenant improvements. The building will house the Neighborhood Services Division and Criminal Investigations Division, relieving overcrowding (staff currently work in closets and converted kitchens). Funding comes from developer impact fees. City Manager noted the building's availability was timely as the department must vacate rented space at 11 Natoma Street. The item was approved unanimously.
New Business – Item 19: Electronic Readerboard Sign (Continued)
The City Manager announced this item was continued to a future meeting at the applicant's request.
New Business – Item 20: City Council Meeting Recesses
Resolution 11370 replaces Resolution 6451 to establish regular recesses: second half of July (instead of early August), second half of November, and second half of December. Proposed by Vice Mayor Raithel. Approved unanimously.
New Business – Item 21: Flashing Yellow Arrows Trial Project
Civil Engineer Zach Bosch presented a pilot project to install flashing yellow arrow left-turn signals at up to five intersections to improve traffic flow and reduce emissions (9–12% reduction in idling). Staff identified 41 possible locations; the pilot will use rigorous site selection criteria (sight distance, opposing lanes ≤3, left-turn collisions ≤5/year). Council supported the trial, with Vice Mayor Raithel suggesting a six-month report before budget considerations. Staff will conduct public outreach before deployment. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous (4-0) with Councilmember Kozlowski absent.
- Resolution 11371 (Police Fee Schedule) adopted with amendment to exclude late filing fee and fee waiver request fees.
- Resolutions 11374 and 11375 (CFD 20-1 formation) adopted; public hearing scheduled June 24, 2025.
- Resolution 11381 (Purchase of 1 Natoma Street) adopted; budget for tenant improvements to return to Council for approval.
- Resolution 11370 (Meeting recesses) adopted.
- Resolution 11379 (Flashing Yellow Arrow trial) adopted; staff to report back in approximately 6 months.
- Item 19 (Electronic readerboard sign) continued to future meeting.
- Next meetings: Budget workshop May 27 at 2:00 PM at Folsom Public Library; regular meetings June 10 and June 24 (with possible budget workshop).
City Manager Reports & Council Comments
- The recruitment for the new Public Works Director is underway, closing June 22; Marcus Yasutake serves as interim.
- Councilmember Raithel thanked police and fire for addressing homeless encampments in Parkshore neighborhood.
- Councilmember Rohrbough attended CapTecap, meeting with federal officials including Rep. Kiley on Empire Ranch Interchange.
- Councilmember Leary reported on Washington D.C. water meetings and ongoing jail booking delays; requested follow-up on alley parking ordinance.
- Mayor Aquino attended CapTecap and toured Northern Virginia for housing and community center ideas.
Meeting Transcript
Madam Mayor. Then we will adjourn the special meeting and call to order the regular meeting of the Folsom City Council for Tuesday, May 13th, 2025. Would the clerk please call the roll? Okay, council members Leary. Here, Rethel. Here. Aquino? Here. And Kazowski is absent. If you'd all please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, Mr. City Attorney, are there any agenda updates? Good evening, Madam Mayor. We have a revised staff report, transmitted for item 16, as well as in additional information, transmitted for item 18. Both have been previously provided to you, and they are also available on the table in the back. Okay, great. Thank you. That takes us to business from the floor. This is the public's opportunity to address the council on items that are not on the agenda. But please understand that state law prohibits us from taking action or deliberating on items that are not on the agenda. So if you want to speak now during business from the floor or on a future agenda item, if you wouldn't mind filling out a blue speaker card at the back table, please, handing it over to the officer, and the clerk will call you up at the appropriate time. So do we have anybody who wants to speak during business from the floor? Yes, we have three requests to speak under this item, I believe. So I will go ahead and call the speaker up, and you could go ahead and approach the podium when called. You could go ahead and approach the podium, please. Good evening, Abel. Hello. Oh, I don't know. I think I lost it. Okay. Hello, my name is Abel Yamane. Uh my parents immigrate in this country legally. Um Havasha, and I'm first generation here in the United States. Um I went to school at Galardo, Sutter and Folsom High, and I graduated in 2020. I just want to say briefly, real quick, um, that this city, country, and state um will always never have the interest of trans, black and indigenous, poor and low income children, incarcerated folk and undocumented people at heart. Uh these make believe borders and rules of citizenship that are made up must be put to an end. Thanks for coming out, Abel. Okay, so the next speaker is Vishunu Rao, followed by our last speaker, Mark Aleman. Good evening. Good evening. Um, my name is Vishnu, and I'm a resident of Folsom City. So today I'm here just as to bring your attention to some of one worldwide event that's happened where I come from. I'm a first generation immigrant to this country, and uh wanted to bring your attention to something that happened on the other side of the world. Um, so I'm here with a very heavy heart, uh, bringing your attention to a very horrific event that has happened um in India in a place called Palgam, which is in the state of Jammu Kashmir on the 22nd of April. Um, there was a brutal assault um with genocidal intentions, um, on and which has claimed the lives of 26 innocent people, primarily uh tourists who were there. Um and it's also left a few people injured with very grievous injuries. And initially it was um unknown as to who were the who the gunmen were, but eventually a terrorist organization with the name of uh what's it called? The uh resistant front, uh, which is a front end of the Pakistan-based Lushkare Taiba um has claimed responsibility for this event. Um the important thing to notice here is that these people were shot point blank only because of their religious identity. The reason I'm here is that I want to stress that these people were shot and killed only because of their religious identity, and it's a it's a problem that's becoming very very big across the world and across everywhere in you know, in some parts of this country also, it might spread.
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