The Visalia City Council held a work session at 4:00 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM on March 4, 2024. The work session included new employee introductions, an update on the Caltrans Lovers Lane Roadway Rehabilitation and Operational Improvements Project, and a review of select Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets. The regular session featured public comments calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, followed by approval of the consent calendar and two ordinances: a business regulations amendment (Ordinance 2024-02) and an urgency ordinance regulating massage establishments (Ordinance 2024-03).
Let's call the meeting order, the Visalia City Council work session, where we begin with uh let's see, public comments. Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visalia City Council and items listed on the council list and items listed on the closed session. The council asks that you keep your comments concise and positive. Creative criticism presented with appropriate courtesy is welcome. Each speaker will be allowed three minutes, and a timer will notify you when your time is expired. Please begin your comments by stating and spelling your name and providing your city of residence. Seeing none, we'll move to work session and action item uh number one. Uh new employee introductions. Let's begin with administrative services good evening, Mayor and Council members. Michelle Spear, assistant. Oh, old title. Administrative services director. My apologies. I'm here this evening to introduce Ashley Cook. She's an HR analyst with the City of Isaiah. Uh she and I started on the same day. She's been here since February 5th. She comes to us with 10 years of experience from Telary County Health and Human Services Agency, and we'll be working on all things HR, specifically recruitments, special events, new employee orientation, and things of that nature. So welcome, Ashley. Welcome. Would you like to say a few words? Awesome. You could come around so we could all congratulate you. Congratulations. All right. Let's go with the police department. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor and members of the council. It's my pleasure this afternoon to introduce several of our newest Visalia police personnel. We'll just go in order here. So I'm gonna start with. So we have five police officers here today. All of them just recently graduated from the Tilarie King's Academy as some of our police recruits. I'll start with immediately next to me is Daisy Garcia. Daisy was raised in Stockton. She currently resides here in Visalia. She attended El Diamante High School and continued her education at the College of Sequoia's, where she obtained an associate's degree in sociology and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Fresno State University. In June of 2023, before starting the academy, Daisy actually began her employment with the Viselia PD, where she was assigned to the records unit as a record specialist. She enjoys doing CrossFit hiking and jiu-jitsu. And as I mentioned, she just recently graduated from the academy and started now as a police officer in Viselia. Next, we have Johan Velasco. Johan was raised in Arosi and attended a Rosia High School where he graduated in 2019. He continued his education at Fresno State University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminology. He enjoys hiking, working out, and basketball. And he is also a recent graduate and now working as a police officer. Next, we have Ezekiel Moreno, who was raised here in Viselia. Ezekiel attended Redwood High School where he graduated in 2017. After that, Ezekiel joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served for four years and was honorably discharged as a corporal. Ezekiel enjoys running, going to the gym, watching sports. Specifically, he says Los Angeles Chargers, unfortunately.