OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Stockton City Council Meeting: May 12, 2026 - Mid-Year Budget, Tax Agreement, Fire Repairs

City Council — Tuesday, May 12, 2026
BodyStockton, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, May 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:03:50

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Good afternoon and welcome to today's May 12th City Council meeting, our first one at one o'clock.

0:10

Um before we get to roll call, uh I do want to um uh ask a couple clarifying questions regarding California government code 54953 uh going down to uh two um two B oh actually D three um from the city attorney uh regarding teleconferencing and it states it shall post agendas at all teleconference locations each excuse me as I go to the next page each teleconference uh location shall be uh accessible uh to the public correct five four nine five six five four nine five three five four nine five three point six uh going down to the um item under D three okay D three it says uh teleconferencing if a local agency elects to use teleconferencing D three correct my or correct mayor if the legisl it says if the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing it shall post agendas at all teleconference location is that what you're referring to yes okay okay um and then for the city clerk how far in advance must it be posted um agendas must be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting time okay um I know that uh uh the um location was contacted and somebody uh also went to the location but through speaking to the hotel uh there was no posting done so if there's no posting done if the you're talking about for the vice mayor's yes presence um if the agenda was not posted at the location where he would be participating then he would not be allowed to participate okay okay so um with that being said then um unfortunately the uh vice mayor will not be able to participate in tonight's meeting or today's meeting okay but feel free to watch from uh the website you can log in and watch from the website point of order let us go ahead and do roll calling there is no point of order there's no violation that's done there is no point of order okay thank you so go ahead and do roll called there's no point of order you're not gonna acknowledge there is no point of order on this item so there's a point of order because I was not noticed that there needed to be a posting of an agenda at the conference okay okay I'll let I'll let the city clerk answer that and unfortunately it does need to be posted at the location where you're participating from goodbye I didn't hear what you said Kevin unfortunately it does need to be posted at the location from which you are participating so with thank you so who notifies us when we're away of posting that should come as part of uh the posting process whenever the agenda comes out okay well I just want to go on record to say that was never advised by any staff person city attorney's office city clerk's office and if the mayor's choice is to shut out 5000 voters from being represented thank you we will move on from there let's go ahead and do roll call council member blower present council member enriquez present council member ponse present councilmember padilla present council member viapedua present vice mayor leah is absent and mayor for gazzi present we have a quorum wonderful okay moving on into the agenda then uh we have uh our invocation look around for all my stuff um we are gonna go with the pledge that's what we're gonna do first so if I can have Kenneth Huntley please come up Kenneth Huntley is a very active member of our community uh he knows how to get in touch with me and he's always looking out for others and so I love that about Kenneth and you are in charge of today's pledge thank you all right if everybody could face the flag as we uh do the pledge I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under

5:00

Uh he knows how to get in touch with me, and he's always looking out for others.

5:04

And so I love that about Kenneth, and you are in charge of today's pledge.

5:09

Thank you.

5:10

All right, if everybody could face the flag as we uh pledge.

5:19

I pledge allegiance to the flag at the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible for liberty and justice for all the car.

5:43

Don't put the car.

5:45

I don't know if you have a state's thing or no.

5:49

You're now an ambassador in the state.

5:51

So I'm actually wearing crowd each year.

6:02

Okay.

6:09

Oh, there you go.

6:10

I was like, where did you go?

6:12

Next up, we have our invocation with uh chaplain Kevin White from our Stockton Police Department.

6:19

Good evening.

6:20

Good evening.

6:21

Or afternoon.

6:21

Gosh, I gotta get used to that.

6:24

Hard to make those changes.

6:26

All right, let us pray.

6:29

Almighty God, we are so grateful that we live in a country that was founded on the concept that you created all people equally, and that you have endowed each of us with certain inalienable rights.

6:44

Lord, these are by your decision, these are your gifts.

6:48

And when we look one another in the eye, that is the lens through which we should see one another.

6:55

And so, Lord, we thank you for this.

6:58

We thank you for the dignity that you have given each and every one of us.

7:02

Lord, we thank you that we live in a country where we can speak our mind, where we can elect representatives to speak for us in government.

7:15

Lord, many places in the world do not have these rights and privileges.

7:20

And so we do not take them lightly.

7:22

And so, Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom as we use those God-given rights and privileges.

7:29

Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom as we speak to one another.

7:35

Lord, we are so grateful that we are not in a room where everybody looks exactly alike.

7:40

We are grateful that we don't not live in a world that is just uh black and white and grayscale.

7:46

Lord, we thank you that you have splashed color across our world and color and form across the people in this world.

7:55

And Lord, we are so proud that Stockton is possibly the most diverse city in these United States.

8:04

Lord, we thank you and feel blessed for our neighbors that look so different from us.

8:09

And so, Lord, as we receive with gratitude these gifts you have given us, Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom in making decisions, wisdom in looking out for one another, wisdom in reflecting the God-given dignity and respect that you have endowed each of us with.

8:37

Amen.

8:39

Thank you.

8:40

Okay.

8:41

Uh now we are going to go ahead and uh have a presentation from the San Joaquin Partnership on its 35th anniversary.

8:52

So I will invite Mr.

8:54

Gutierrez.

8:56

I didn't do it on the mic.

8:57

So we are moving on to the San Joaquin Partnership.

9:00

Uh presentation, 35 years.

9:03

Mr.

9:03

Gutierrez.

9:04

Thank you, Mayor and Council.

9:06

It's a pleasure to be here this afternoon.

9:08

Um today we have a presentation to provide for you for our 35th anniversary as an organization as your economic development corporation here in San Joaquin County.

9:17

The city of Stockton has been a long-standing partner of the organization, and we appreciate the mayor's participation on the board, and uh certainly her input as far as vision is concerned for the future.

9:28

So thank you for all that you do for us.

9:31

You can see our new logo uh for the 35th anniversary represented here.

9:35

It's reflective of all the assets that we have here in San Juan County.

9:39

You'll see the air, the shipping, the manufacturing, the trucks, the roadways, the railways, and our agriculture.

9:46

So wanted to make it reflective of everything that we have here to offer in San Juan County in Stockton.

9:52

Next slide, please.

9:56

Oh, yeah.

9:57

Thank you very much.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████22%
Public Works████████████12%
Public Engagement███████████11%
Procedural██████████10%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Community Engagement██████6%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Economic Development████4%
Engineering And Infrastructure████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Stockton City Council Meeting - May 12, 2026

The Stockton City Council convened on May 12, 2026, at 1:04 PM in a regular session that included recognitions, public comments, a consent calendar, hearings, new business, and council updates. Key actions included adoption of mid-year budget adjustments allocating $504,925 to Pixie Woods and fire department repairs, approval of a master property tax allocation agreement with San Joaquin County, and updates on housing, fire services, and public safety. Vice Mayor Jason Lee was unable to participate due to non-compliance with Brown Act noticing requirements for remote attendance.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved Consent Calendar (items 6.1-6.22) with a single 6-0 vote, except items 6.2, 6.3, 6.7, 6.9, 6.10, and 6.21 were pulled for separate consideration.
  • Adopted Conflict of Interest Code amendment (Resolution 2026-05-12-0601) 6-0.
  • Adopted Council Policy 4.09 on disruption of telephonic/internet services during meetings (Resolution 2026-05-12-0603) 6-0, required by SB 707 effective July 1, 2026.
  • Approved Property Tax Allocation Agreement for LeBaron Ranch and Thornton Road projects (Resolution 2026-05-12-0607) 5-1, with Councilmember Enríquez dissenting.
  • Authorized vehicle use agreement with Eastside Rural County Fire Protection District for a 3,000-gallon water tender and approved amendment with Lincoln Rural County Fire Protection District for three additional firefighter positions (Motion 2026-05-12-0609 and 0610) 6-0.
  • Approved the Alpine and Alvarado 3-Way Traffic Signal project (Resolution 2026-05-12-0621), including a $50,000 fund transfer and a $826,270 construction contract to St. Francis Electric, LLC, 6-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • General Public Comments: Several speakers addressed various concerns:
    • Bishop Dwight Williams announced a community health event on May 23, 2026.
    • Donald Tafoya criticized council pay raises while police officers lack a contract, praised Councilmember Villapudua for encampment cleanup.
    • Diana Buettner objected to the 1:00 PM meeting start time, arguing it silences public participation, and raised concerns over Project 2025 and council speaking time limits.
    • Pandora Crowder invited council to Unbound Charter School events, including a free summer literacy program.
    • Dan Richardson thanked staff for vendor ordinance enforcement but urged citations for repeat offenders; raised safety concerns at Victory Park and need for police contract.
    • Sergio Ortiz spoke about police stops in South Stockton during Cinco de Mayo, expressing concern over unequal treatment.
    • Julie Dunning criticized the meeting start time and alleged retaliation for prior events; she filed a complaint regarding a derogatory comment made during public comment.
    • Joey Veltri argued against rent control, stating it discourages housing investment, and advocated for streamlining development.
    • Ralph White criticized heavy police presence at Cinco de Mayo and questioned costs of bulletproof curtains in council chambers.
    • Jose Rodriguez, CEO of El Concilio, expressed disappointment over police actions during Cinco de Mayo, citing 140 cars impounded, 1,500 people stopped, and 1,200 citations issued, arguing these actions contradict the city's compassionate city resolution.
  • Specific Agenda Item Comments:
    • Diana Buettner (on 6.2) opposed appointments from outside a district, arguing residents should be represented by someone from their own district.
    • Dan Richardson (on 6.2) noted unfilled committee seats impact quorum and urged public participation.
    • Diana Buettner (on 6.3) dismissed the need for a policy on service disruptions, calling it petty compared to larger safety issues.
    • Brett Jolley (on 10.1) requested a continuance to June 23 to allow fire districts time to review the master tax sharing agreement; stated Montezuma Fire Protection District had not received notice.
    • Diana Buettner (on 10.1) expressed confusion about annexation impacts on county residents.
    • Alicia Leperchey (on 10.2) supported re-establishing a police substation in Kenfield, citing safety concerns that hinder access to social services.
    • Stefanie Alfaro (on 10.2) praised the $35,000 allocation for Gibson Park science tables and benches.

Discussion Items

  • 6.2 Council Policy Manual Amendment (Committee Appointments): A proposal to allow council to fill vacancies after 90 days if the district councilmember has not acted. Councilmember Padilla opposed, favoring collaboration over a punitive policy. Councilmember Enríquez supported, citing vacancies lasting over a year and need for accountability. The first motion to adopt failed 2-4; a second motion to deny passed 4-2, so the policy was not changed.
  • 9.1 ADU Ordinance Amendment: Staff presented updates to comply with state ADU law, including reduced setbacks, increased height allowances, and removal of owner-occupancy requirements for JADUs with separate sanitation. Councilmember Fugazi encouraged promoting pre-approved plans and fee waivers. The ordinance was adopted 6-0.
  • 9.2 Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Plan Amendment: Staff recommended applying for years 2022-2023 funds ($2,591,751) and reallocating $1.8 million from a housing trust fund to a home buyer down payment assistance program. Council expressed support for homeownership. Approved 6-0.
  • 10.1 Master Property Tax Allocation Agreement: Staff presented a new framework (10-year term) with base tax split 90% county, 10% city and incremental split 60% county, 40% city, improving city revenue share. Special districts receive either 2.5% of increment for 5 years or a proportional formula. Exclusions for large sales tax generators. Objection from Montezuma Fire District representative who requested a continuance; council proceeded to vote 6-0 to approve.
  • 10.2 FY 2025-26 Mid-Year Budget Adjustments: Staff presented $759,100 in unfunded requests with $504,925 available. After discussion, council adopted an amended motion (6-0) allocating $150,000 to Pixie Woods and the remainder to Public Works for fire department repairs, prioritizing mold remediation and roof repairs at Station 3 (South Stockton). Other items like Gibson Park improvements were not funded in this round.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion 2026-05-12-0602-01 (adopt policy on appointments) failed 2-4 (Blower, Enríquez yes; Fugazi, Villapudua, Padilla, Ponce no). Motion 2026-05-12-0602-02 (deny policy) passed 4-2 (same split).
  • Ordinance 2026-05-12-0901 (ADU code amendments) adopted 6-0.
  • Resolution 2026-05-12-0902 (PLHA plan amendment) adopted 6-0.
  • Resolution 2026-05-12-1001 (Master Property Tax Allocation Agreement) adopted 6-0.
  • Motion 2026-05-12-1002 (Mid-Year Budget Adjustments) adopted 6-0, directing $150,000 to Pixie Woods and remainder to Public Works for fire department repairs.
  • Council Comments: Councilmember Padilla announced an Ad-Hoc Homelessness meeting on May 21; Councilmember Blower reported on flood control meetings in Washington D.C.; Councilmember Enríquez condemned a homophobic comment made during public comment and called for decorum; Mayor Fugazi clarified that Vice Mayor Lee's absence was due to Brown Act requirements, defended the 5-minute speaking limit, and announced the State of the City on May 20.
  • Closed Session: The council recessed to closed session at 5:14 PM for labor negotiations; no reportable actions.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to today's May 12th City Council meeting, our first one at one o'clock. Um before we get to roll call, uh I do want to um uh ask a couple clarifying questions regarding California government code 54953 uh going down to uh two um two B oh actually D three um from the city attorney uh regarding teleconferencing and it states it shall post agendas at all teleconference locations each excuse me as I go to the next page each teleconference uh location shall be uh accessible uh to the public correct five four nine five six five four nine five three five four nine five three point six uh going down to the um item under D three okay D three it says uh teleconferencing if a local agency elects to use teleconferencing D three correct my or correct mayor if the legisl it says if the legislative body of a local agency elects to use teleconferencing it shall post agendas at all teleconference location is that what you're referring to yes okay okay um and then for the city clerk how far in advance must it be posted um agendas must be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting time okay um I know that uh uh the um location was contacted and somebody uh also went to the location but through speaking to the hotel uh there was no posting done so if there's no posting done if the you're talking about for the vice mayor's yes presence um if the agenda was not posted at the location where he would be participating then he would not be allowed to participate okay okay so um with that being said then um unfortunately the uh vice mayor will not be able to participate in tonight's meeting or today's meeting okay but feel free to watch from uh the website you can log in and watch from the website point of order let us go ahead and do roll calling there is no point of order there's no violation that's done there is no point of order okay thank you so go ahead and do roll called there's no point of order you're not gonna acknowledge there is no point of order on this item so there's a point of order because I was not noticed that there needed to be a posting of an agenda at the conference okay okay I'll let I'll let the city clerk answer that and unfortunately it does need to be posted at the location where you're participating from goodbye I didn't hear what you said Kevin unfortunately it does need to be posted at the location from which you are participating so with thank you so who notifies us when we're away of posting that should come as part of uh the posting process whenever the agenda comes out okay well I just want to go on record to say that was never advised by any staff person city attorney's office city clerk's office and if the mayor's choice is to shut out 5000 voters from being represented thank you we will move on from there let's go ahead and do roll call council member blower present council member enriquez present council member ponse present councilmember padilla present council member viapedua present vice mayor leah is absent and mayor for gazzi present we have a quorum wonderful okay moving on into the agenda then uh we have uh our invocation look around for all my stuff um we are gonna go with the pledge that's what we're gonna do first so if I can have Kenneth Huntley please come up Kenneth Huntley is a very active member of our community uh he knows how to get in touch with me and he's always looking out for others and so I love that about Kenneth and you are in charge of today's pledge thank you all right if everybody could face the flag as we uh do the pledge I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under Uh he knows how to get in touch with me, and he's always looking out for others. And so I love that about Kenneth, and you are in charge of today's pledge. Thank you. All right, if everybody could face the flag as we uh pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag at the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible for liberty and justice for all the car. Don't put the car. I don't know if you have a state's thing or no. You're now an ambassador in the state. So I'm actually wearing crowd each year. Okay. Oh, there you go. I was like, where did you go? Next up, we have our invocation with uh chaplain Kevin White from our Stockton Police Department. Good evening. Good evening. Or afternoon. Gosh, I gotta get used to that. Hard to make those changes. All right, let us pray. Almighty God, we are so grateful that we live in a country that was founded on the concept that you created all people equally, and that you have endowed each of us with certain inalienable rights. Lord, these are by your decision, these are your gifts. And when we look one another in the eye, that is the lens through which we should see one another. And so, Lord, we thank you for this. We thank you for the dignity that you have given each and every one of us. Lord, we thank you that we live in a country where we can speak our mind, where we can elect representatives to speak for us in government. Lord, many places in the world do not have these rights and privileges. And so we do not take them lightly. And so, Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom as we use those God-given rights and privileges. Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom as we speak to one another. Lord, we are so grateful that we are not in a room where everybody looks exactly alike. We are grateful that we don't not live in a world that is just uh black and white and grayscale. Lord, we thank you that you have splashed color across our world and color and form across the people in this world. And Lord, we are so proud that Stockton is possibly the most diverse city in these United States. Lord, we thank you and feel blessed for our neighbors that look so different from us. And so, Lord, as we receive with gratitude these gifts you have given us, Lord, we ask that you would give us wisdom in making decisions, wisdom in looking out for one another, wisdom in reflecting the God-given dignity and respect that you have endowed each of us with. Amen. Thank you. Okay. Uh now we are going to go ahead and uh have a presentation from the San Joaquin Partnership on its 35th anniversary. So I will invite Mr. Gutierrez. I didn't do it on the mic. So we are moving on to the San Joaquin Partnership. Uh presentation, 35 years. Mr. Gutierrez. Thank you, Mayor and Council. It's a pleasure to be here this afternoon.

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