Visalia City Council Meeting - May 6, 2024
Visalia City Council Meeting - May 6, 2024
The Visalia City Council held a hybrid Work Session at 4:00 PM and Regular Session at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 6, 2024, at 707 W. Acequia. Vice Mayor Brett Taylor was absent. The Work Session included a review of the Narcotics Forfeiture Fund CIP, approval of the proposed Measure N budget for FY 2024/25 and 2025/26, and a presentation on a potential cannabis tax measure. The Regular Session featured a proclamation designating May as Historic Preservation Month, public comments on a mural application, approval of the Consent Calendar (with the mural item pulled for separate debate), and subsequent approval of the mural.
Consent Calendar
- Approved 14 routine items in a single 4-0 vote (Vice Mayor Taylor absent), except Item 2 which was pulled for separate discussion:
- Authorization to read ordinances by title only.
- Change Order No. 1 for $196,619 to Cummins Pacific for WWTP repairs.
- Dissolution of Landscape and Lighting Assessment District No. 07-06 and formation of No. 23-04.
- Amendment of Asset Works fleet software contract for $133,162 over 5 years.
- Sole source contract with Toter, LLC for solid waste containers (not to exceed $1,550,000 over 5 years).
- Resolutions for consolidation of the November 5, 2024 municipal election with Tulare County.
- Single-use alcohol permit exemption for Independence Spectacular at Riverway Sports Park.
- Contract with Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation for financial audit services ($356,500).
- Purchase of five Dodge Ram trucks ($235,740.40) using ARPA funds.
- Application for $443,302 in Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funding for V-LINE.
- Application for a Law Enforcement Mental Health Wellness Act Grant (up to $200,000).
- Memorandum of Understanding with Visalia Police Officers Association (Group B) for July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027.
- Adjustment of Trillium contract annual limit from $150,000 to $350,000.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Gabriel Jacquez (resident) opposed the proposed cannabis tax, citing Farmersville’s negative experience and calling the revenue projections deceptive; suggested directing any funds to emergency response teams.
- Reggie Gamboa, Gabriella Vaca, Dr. Randy Villegas, Grace Buckley, Makayla Gauley, Diego Vaquez Cisneros, Ann Solis, Annaleese Lira, and April Lancaster spoke in support of the Urbanists Collective mural at 1500 W. Houston Avenue, emphasizing community representation, youth involvement, and the transformative power of public art. April Lancaster argued that copyright concerns are unfounded under the Rogers test.
- Lindell Yoshimura (Visalia resident) inquired about the status of the Lovers Lane/State Route 198 intersection improvement project, expressing frustration with traffic congestion and delays. Mayor Poochigian referred him to Jason Huckleberry for updates (project in planning phases, presented to Council recently).
- Jim Reeves (Visalia) announced the 8th anniversary of the LGBT+ Source Center, noting growth from 300 sq ft to a 4,500 sq ft campus, serving thousands regionally, and contributing to Visalia’s Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equality Index score rising from 62 to 78.
Discussion Items
- Capital Improvement Program – Narcotics Forfeiture Fund (Fund 621): Melody Murch presented the two-year CIP for the fund, previously omitted from the April 15 presentation. Council Member Nelsen asked about night vision equipment for SWAT; Police Chief Sellers confirmed it is new equipment rolled out over two years. No formal action taken; the budget will return for adoption in June.
- Measure N Budget FY 2024/25 & 2025/26: Renee Nagel and Amee Swearingen presented the proposed budget, including an 18.1% sales tax projection (down 7% from prior year) and five amendments: reclassifying a battalion chief to deputy chief, increasing street maintenance from $3.8M to $4M, adding $1.2M annually for building maintenance, adding $25,000/year for Saturday youth programs at the Manuel Hernandez Center, and changing the uncertainty fund calculation from 10% of budgeted revenues to 30% of operating expenditures. Council discussed the fire station 51 capital needs (~$10M) and the uncertainty fund. A motion to approve as recommended passed 4-0.
- Cannabis Tax Survey Findings: Richard Bernard of FM3 Research presented results of a March 12-18 survey of 688 likely November 2024 voters (margin of error ±4.4%). Key findings: 66% initial support for a general tax on cannabis businesses (with or without mention of state mandate), rising to 74% after education, then dropping to 64% after opposition arguments. Top voter priorities: addressing homelessness, maintaining emergency response times, keeping public areas safe, and preventing property crime. Council members expressed support for moving forward, citing potential state mandates and community priorities. A motion to receive the report, authorize staff to develop a ballot measure, and appropriate $20,000 for informational materials passed 4-0.
- Mural Request – Urbanists Collective: Item 2 was pulled from the Consent Calendar. Paul Bernal presented alternatives to the mural committee’s conditional denial. Public speakers overwhelmingly supported the mural. Council members praised the youth involvement and noted the committee’s strict guidelines; they voted to approve the mural with changes directed to staff. Motion passed 4-0.
Key Outcomes
- Measure N Budget (Work Session): Approved (4-0) the proposed FY 2024/25 and 2025/26 budgets with staff-recommended amendments; the budget will proceed to the Measure N Oversight Committee on May 9, 2024, followed by public hearings on May 20 and June 3, 2024.
- Cannabis Tax Measure (Work Session): Received survey findings and authorized staff to continue developing a local cannabis tax measure and ballot language for the November 2024 ballot; appropriated $20,000 from the General Fund for informational materials (4-0).
- Historic Preservation Month Proclamation: Council designated May 2024 as Historic Preservation Month, recognizing the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee’s work.
- Mural Approval (Consent Calendar Item 2): Approved (4-0) the mural application from Urbanists Collective for the south-facing façade at 1500 W. Houston Avenue, with direction to staff to incorporate council input.
- Consent Calendar (excluding Item 2): Approved (4-0) as presented.
- Closed Session: No reportable actions.
Meeting Transcript
Citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Victoria City Council and items listed on the closed session. The council asks that you keep her comments concise and positive. Creative criticism present with appropriate courtesy is welcome. Item one capital improvement program. Good afternoon, Council. Melody Murch from your finance department. This is a cleanup item from our capital process. It's to review a final fund that was left out of the presentation at the end on April 15th. Staff is available to answer any questions that you have, and we can bring back any answers that we can't give you tonight at a later date. And this fund will be brought with all the others for final adoption in June. And the fund that we're looking at is the narcotics forfeiture fund. This fund is restricted to uh to cover costs that are related to narcotics forfeiture for the police department. Council, any questions on this? Yeah. Um since I've been sitting up here, I've always spoke of when it comes to the safety of our uh personnel within our city that um that's foremost for me. So I'm trying to figure out um item number four, night vision equipment for SWAT team purchase equipment for all SWAT special weapons and tactical teams, purchase your seven sets of equipment annually until uh full unit is equipped, and it's concerning night vision. And I see we're appropriating money for 2024-2025. If that doesn't fulfill the entire grouping, why do we extend out 26, 27, and 28? Or is that a replacement again? Thank you, Councilman Nelson, Jason Sellers are chief of police. So this is new equipment for the SWAT team. They've never had this equipment before. Um, this is part of just managing the fund, but this is a rollout of this type is sufficient for the team, and we've discussed it internally, but this will work. It it better equits them and provides safety for them. It provides them with different um means of operating that they haven't had in the past. So it's a new type of equipment that they had. Um it could be a safety issue, but um the way that we're deploying it breaking it out in two years is is sufficient and fine. Okay, good enough. Thank you. Any more questions? Okay, this will all be brought back to you with the budget in June. Thank you. Thank you. Any public comment on this? No. All right. Thank you. That's the shortest one yet. Let's move to item number two. Review and discuss proposed fiscal year 2024/slash 25 and 25 slash 26 measure in budget and continue with the amended expenditure plan previously approved. Good evening, council. My name is Renee Nagel. I'm the finance and technology director for the city of Visalia. And with me, I have Amy Swaren, um, who is our budget analyst. And tonight we're here for the measure in 2425, 25, 26, proposed budget. Um, so as in previous years, measure in is per pulled out and done a little separately and then combined and at the end with the total budget. And that's just because it has additional additional processes that have to be followed, and then of course, it has to go to the committee and all that. So we're just here a little earlier with it. The capital for measure in is in here as well. So this is operating and capital for measure, and this is a total package for the proposed for measure in.
openpublica.com