All right, good evening, everybody, and welcome to the Visaya City Council meeting.

We're gonna go ahead and get started tonight.

Uh we will go ahead and start our meeting by um saluting our nation's flag and now be led by Councilmember Puchigan.

And after that, we have an invocation by lead uh fire department chaplain and lead pastor Atherton uh from Pipeline Church.

So please join us.

Please stand and join me in the flag of sloop.

Ready?

Begin.

I'm glad to leave this flags of America.

Please join me in a word of prayer.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight.

We thank you for the days, the cooler days that we're enjoying here in the valley, and look forward to an incredible fall season as you provide.

Father, I pray that in uh line with all the things that we see around us, you would provide wisdom, clarity, truth, and grace in this room tonight, and over everything that takes place as we prepare this community, as we lead this community, and as those who serve in this community do their very best to lift out, reach le lift up, reach out, and care for the people that we call brothers and sisters in this place.

God, there's lots of things that we have to uh address, and there's lots of opportunities where people can mistreat each other.

I pray in this room tonight and beyond this place and all the decisions that are made, there would be only truth and grace measured out and a community binding together in a time when we need each other most of all.

Father, thanks again, and we are grateful in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Next we will have a special presentation for from the Special Olympic Torch Fundraising Recognition.

I think they're coming in from the outside.

There they are.

Come on in, guys.

Around the world, Special Olympics and Law Enforcement have a very special relationship.

Known honorably as guardians of the flame, law enforcement personnel join hands with Special Olympics athletes to champion the cause of acceptance and inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Guardians of the flame, both literally and metaphorically carry the torch, the flame of hope, at Special Olympics events.

The torch is escorted into the opening ceremonies of competitions signaling the start of the games.

Today we'd like to recognize the Visalia Police Department for its fundraising efforts in the twenty twenty-five law enforcement torch run.

In honor of their outstanding fundraising efforts and for being one of the top torch run fundraisers in the Northern Northern California footprint, we'd like to present the Visalia Police Department with its own special Olympics torch.

Um just as a side note before we officially present the torch, um, law enforcement supports Special Olympics year round, including the Torch Run.

Um, this Saturday, October eleventh, a joint tip a cot banquet will be held by several Tillary County law enforcement agencies at the Viselia Elks Lodge.

Law enforcement will act as celebrity servers to diners as they enjoy a delicious tri-tip dinner in support of Special Olympics, and we hope that you will come by and spend the evening with us.

So if we could have our law enforcement partners come on up.

Just say a couple words real quick, and I just want to say thanks to Special Special Olympics, because they are it's a cause that's been very near and dear to our hearts, and we're glad to support it.

But I'm really proud of Danny Gonzalez, who's really led our efforts, and I think you know, for the Vicelli Police Barn, it's important to recognize all that he's done to put this together and do the support along with uh Kyle Callender as well.

But um, great job, and uh it's a it's a cause that we love and are very happy to be a part of.

So thank you very much.

All right, well, thank you very much.

We appreciate that.

It's always nice to get recognition for such an amazing organization.

So next we're gonna go on to public comments.

Uh this is the time for general public comments to issue, or I'm sorry, this is the time for general public to comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Visaya City Council.

Three minutes during the general comment period on a matter that is not on the agenda.

The public may also make up to one comment for up to three minutes prior to the consideration of the consent calendar and immediately before any regular agenda item is heard.

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.

Public comments now open for anyone wishing to speak.

Good evening, Council.

Is it on?

Okay.

April Lancaster, uh, City of Isalia.

I'm here tonight to request clarification on the process and requirements for being added to the city's list of annual downtown events.

As you know or may not know, I recently submitted the Good Neighbor petition for the 2026 season of the downtown Visalia Farmers Market to meet the city's threshold.

I began circulating signatures from tenants in the Bank of Italy building in October of 2024.

Circulating the petition myself allowed me to engage directly with neighboring businesses to listen, answer questions, and hear their perspectives.

With very few exceptions, tenants in the Bank of Italy building are overwhelmingly supportive of the market.

Recent media coverage has also made the public aware of ongoing efforts to interfere with or undermine the market's operations.

I'd like to reference the December 4, 2023 first reading of the special events ordinance.