Visalia City Council Work and Regular Session - April 7, 2025
Visalia City Council Work and Regular Session - April 7, 2025
The Visalia City Council held a work session at 4:30 PM and a regular session at 7:00 PM on Monday, April 7, 2025, in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included introduction of new employees, a mid-year financial review, approval of a consent calendar, and three regular agenda items: the Mobile Home Park Standardized Lease Program, the Five-Year Consolidated Plan for HUD grants, and a public hearing to abandon a portion of public street right-of-way. All votes were 5-0.
Work Session: New Employee Introductions
Police Chief Salazar introduced six new police department staff: Liliana Magaña (Records Specialist Supervisor), Martha Berrones (Records Specialist), Thania Lerma, Stacie Lohse, Theo May (Communications Operators), and Michael O’Neill (Police Officer lateral). Fire Department introduced Randy Rodriguez (Fire Prevention Inspector). Public Works introduced Lazaro Torres and Jorge Castro Portillo (Solid Waste Operators) and Luis Cedano (Traffic Signal Technician).
Work Session: Mid-Year Financial Report (Item 2)
Finance Director Renee Nagel presented the fiscal year 2024/25 mid-year report. Key points: the adopted budget was approximately $300 million. General fund revenues are projected at a surplus of $5.4 million after recommended appropriations. Sales tax is projected to be flat (0% growth) compared to last year, while property tax is up 10%. The city maintains a 30% emergency reserve policy. Staff requested appropriations: $613,300 for general fund capital projects, $308,000 for vehicle replacement, $35,000 for fleet maintenance, and $546,000 for convention center capital projects. Council discussed vehicle maintenance and deferred capital needs. The motion to approve the appropriations passed 5-0.
Public Comments & Testimony (Regular Session)
- A resident criticized the city’s website and the police department’s encryption of radio channels, asking for the primary channel to remain unencrypted.
- Irene Lapin (spelled L-A-P-I-N) commented on national politics and urged the council to consider the impact of federal layoffs on homelessness in Visalia.
- A representative of Visalia Pickleball praised the Senior Games organization and requested more pickleball courts, suggesting conversion of tennis courts at Plaza Park.
- Evrain Becerra thanked the mayor and council for their service and community events.
Consent Calendar
Routine items approved in one motion 5-0, including: authorization to read ordinances by title only; increase in Change Order Committee approval limits; property abatement contract ($210,000 annually); acceptance of SJVAPCD grant for electric solid waste truck; notices of completion for Parkway Widening and Park Picnic Table Replacement; recording of final maps for Pratt Family Ranch (Phases 1A,1B,1C,1D) and River Run Ranch (Phases 6&7); second reading of Ordinance 2025-02 for Shirk & Riggin Industrial Park development agreement; payment to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation ($121,000); purchase of two CNG solid waste trucks ($962,748) and a John Deere tractor ($134,438); sewer repair contract ($1,286,950); biosolids hauling contract ($170,000/year); and General Plan Annual Progress Report.
- Councilmember Nelson pulled Item 4 (acceptance of SJVAPCD grant) for discussion. Staff clarified that accepting the grant does not commit to purchasing an electric truck; the purchase would come back to council. The item was approved 5-0.
Mobile Home Park Standardized Lease Program (Item 1)
City Attorney Jim Coons and Housing Specialist Margie Prez presented the 2025 renewal of the program. Key changes: a process for residents to request future rent rates upon sale of their home, and a provision for surviving spouses to assume the lease. Public comment: a park manager expressed concern about capital improvement pass-through charges; a resident praised the program for keeping rent increases low. Council approved the 2025 Standardized Lease Program Agreement and Model Lease, including a request from one park to report spaces subject to the MOU separately. Vote 5-0.
Draft 2025/26-2029/30 Consolidated Plan and 2025/26 Annual Action Plan (Item 2)
Margie Prez and consultant Mary Itz presented the five-year plan for CDBG and HOME funds. Top community needs identified via surveys: affordable housing, homeless prevention, emergency shelter, home repair, and job training. Proposed five-year activities: $2.5 million CDBG and $3 million HOME funds, including senior affordable housing, rental assistance, and a tree well project. A public hearing was held; one resident asked about accessing survey results and the opportunity to comment at the next meeting. Council accepted the draft documents and continued the 30-day public comment period. Vote 5-0.
Public Hearing: Abandonment of Public Street Right-of-Way (Item 3)
Public Works staff presented a proposal to vacate a portion of Meadow Avenue and an alleyway west of Mooney Boulevard for the College of the Sequoias expansion. After publication and notice, no public comments were received. Council adopted Resolution 2025-26 ordering the closure and vacation. Vote 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- All consent calendar items (18 items) approved 5-0, with Item 4 discussed individually and approved.
- Mid-year appropriations totaling approximately $1.5 million across funds approved 5-0.
- Mobile Home Park Standardized Lease Program 2025 renewal approved 5-0.
- Draft Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan accepted; public comment period continues through April 21, 2025; adoption scheduled for April 21, 2025.
- Street right-of-way abandonment resolution adopted 5-0.
- No report from closed session.
- Next meeting: Monday, April 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the Visaya City Council meeting. This is uh the 430 work session. Today's Monday, April 7th, and we're gonna go ahead and start off our meeting by public comments. So anybody from the public um citizens are now invited to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visaya City Council on items listed on the closed session agenda. 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. Do we have anybody from the public wanting to speak? I don't see anyone moving. So next we're gonna go on to item number one of our work session, which is introduction of new employees. So Chief Salazar, come on up. Good afternoon, Mayor, members of council. Uh it's my pleasure this afternoon to introduce you several new employees from the police department. And uh, we have a number of professional staff here today. So if you've been to my badge of paintings, you always hear it takes more than just officers to make um public safety work, and we've got a number of them that we'll get to recognize this afternoon. So if I could have them come and line up here in front. I'm gonna start with Lily Liliana Magania. She goes by Lily. She was raised in McFarland. She attended Fresno Pacific University where she obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration. She's worked as a supervisor and a manager in a couple of different banks. Um she enjoys spending time with her family shopping and traveling, and uh, she began her career with the Vicelli Police Tournament as our record supervisor on March 10th, was a pretty big job in our department, and uh we're excited to have her on board. So welcome to Lily. Next up is Martha Baronis, who was raised in Portaville. She attended Portoville College and obtained an associate's degree in child development, an associate's degree in administration of justice from COS and a bachelor's degree in corrections from Fresno State University. She enjoys jogging, karaoke, and Pilates. She's agreed to sing a song for us when we're done here in a minute. And uh she began on March 24th as a record specialist in the records unit. You can do a duet with Chief. I still have not heard his voice yet. Threw me into the buster. Next up, we have from our dispatch center um Tanya Lerma. Tanya was raised in Tilary. She attended Fresno State University where she obtained a bachelor's degree in criminology with a victimology option. She enjoys painting, art, hiking, and going to concerts. And on March 3rd, she began her career in the at the Vicelli Police Department as a communications operator over at the VEC. Next up is Stacy Loos, who was raised in Hanford, and she attended Hamford High School and continued her education at the Milan Institute of Clovis, where she obtained an esthetician's license. She enjoys gaming, traveling, and shopping. And on March 3rd, she began her career here as a communications operator as well. And then we have Theo May, who was raised in Lemoor. He attended Mayville State University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in applied psychology with a minor in sociology. And in 2022, he was hired by the Kalinga Police Department, where he was employed as a police technician for three years. He enjoys spending time with family friends, playing video games, and going on road trips. And he began his career here at VPD on March 3rd as a communications operator as well. And then finally, we have uh lateral police officer Michael O'Neill. Michael was raised in Viselia. He attended Fresno State University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminology. And in 2021, he graduated from the COS Tiller Kings County Police Academy, where he was hired by the Tiller County Sheriff's Office assigned as a deputy to.
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