The Merced City Council met on Monday, August 18, 2025, at 6:04 PM following a closed session that began at 5:05 PM. All seven council members were present. The meeting included a proclamation, public comments, consent calendar with one item pulled, action items on a liquor license and a polling contract, and appointments to multiple commissions. Key decisions included approval of a School Resource Officer MOU (6-1), a $53,250 community survey contract (6-1), and referral of a medical transport estimate ordinance to the Public Safety Subcommittee.
All right, good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're going to call the August 18th, 2025 meeting under said city council to order. We're going to begin with an invocation from Pastor Joel Dorman, Summit Church of Merced, and after that, if uh Councilmember Harris could lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Would you stand? Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this day that you have made. That we thank you for the country we live in, the state we live in, and this great city that we call home. We thank you also that you have spared us uh some of the extreme heat that so many people are dealing with, although we acknowledge our time is coming in a few days. We do pray for safety for those who are out in this heat. We pray that you would watch out for them. We thank you for our city government. We thank you for their work for us, the people, and we pray for them and their endeavors. We pray for our governor, we pray for our president. We thank you for this nation that we have representation, that we can uh air our concerns, ask our questions, and we thank you for those who actually volunteer to do this. And uh, we pray your blessings on their efforts. Pray for tonight, and as we maybe agree or disagree, may we remember that we are looking at individuals who are made in your image and treat them with appropriate respect. I thank you uh for this opportunity. Thank you for our city. In the name of my Savior Jesus, amen. 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 provides where thank you, Pastor Dorm. Okay, agenda item D, roll call, Councilmember DuPont. Present. DeAndra. Harris? Present. Smith. Present. Jean? Here. Mayor Pro Tem Boyle? Here. And Mayor Serrado. Present. Mayor, I'd like to remind the audience that if they wish to address the city council, they must submit a grenade request of speak form located at the podium in the back of the chamber. Additionally, citizens can submit public comment to the city council electronically no later than 1 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Comments received before the deadline will be sent to the city council and will be part of the record and will be mentioned as part of the written petitions and communications portion of the agenda and will be posted on the city's website. Material may be emailed to you, City Clerk at City of Merced.gov and any correspondence received after 1 p.m. will be distributed to the city council and retained for the official record. Also, for those audience members who wish to hear the council meeting translated into Spanish or Mong, please let our interpreters know. In accordance with government code 54952.3, it is hereby announced that the city council sits either simultaneously or serially as a public financing and economic development authority, parking authority, and or successor agency to the redevelopment agency. City Council members receive a monthly stipend of $500 by charter for sitting as a city council. And the mayor receives an additional $100 each month as part of the adopted budget and resolution 2024-78. The public financing and economic development authority, parking authority, and successor agency to the redevelopment agency received no compensation. Agenda item E, report out of closed session. We do have a report out of closed session tonight. First, with respect to item B3, uh Councilmember DuPont had a conflict and did not recuse himself and did not participate in the discussions. So the council agreed with another five-year extension to her contract, and we'll formalize that at a future date. So I wanted to congratulate Venus and thank the council. I think by making a wise choice.