City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. you

All right, I'd like to call this meeting to order, the regular city council meeting on Tuesday, June 16. Madam Clerk, roll call, please. Vice Mayor Reed.

Here.

Council Member Pratton.

Here.

Council Member Sandhu.

Here.

Council Member Farmer.

Here.

Mayor Rodriguez. Here. Thank you. If you'd like to join us for a silent prayer and the flag salute. Thank you. Madam Clerk, the replay statement, please.

This meeting of the Galt City Council is recorded with closed captioning. The recording will be cablecast on Metro Cable Channel 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast and DirecTV U-verse cable systems. The recording will also be video streamed at metro14live.saccounty.gov. Today's meeting replays Friday, June 19th at 9 a.m. and Saturday, June 20th at 9 a.m. on Metro Cable Channel 14. Once posted, the recording of this meeting can be viewed on demand at youtube.com forward slash Metro Cable 14.

Thank you. All right, do we have any agenda additions and or deletions? I have one, or I have two actually. One, I'd like to move H1 to after the consent agenda, so before G. And the other, I would like to pull item J1 and just pull that from the agenda if anyone would like to. Does everybody agree or?

We don't want to discuss that item?

We can. I mean, we cannot pull it. I just, I was, I saw the staff report and personally since it was mine, I just thought I'd pull it, so. But if you would like to discuss it, I'm happy to move forward with it.

I don't know, does everybody else think? I'm okay with pulling it. I'm okay with pulling it. Okay, that's fine.

Okay.

All right, we're good, Tina? Yes. Okay. All right, so let's go ahead and go on to presentations. The first one, the Sacramento Yellow Mosquito Vector Control District.

Sit on? There we go.

All right, good afternoon, mayor and council members. My name is Luz Maria Robles. I am the district's public information officer, and I'm here on account of the district to give you guys our annual update as it pertains to mosquitoes. As you know, it's been hot. Mosquitoes are definitely here, and I think most of us have maybe seen one or two mosquitoes already, maybe even been bitten. So I'm going to be giving you guys a little update as to what we can expect for the rest of the upcoming months This should turn on. Perfect. All right, so as you know, we are the local mosquito control district charged with protecting residents against mosquitoes and mosquito transmitted diseases. As you know, the district operates under the California Health and Safety Code, and our mission is to make sure that everyone can go outside without being eaten alive by the mosquitoes, because as you know, mosquitoes can pose a public health threat and they transmit a variety of diseases. So first of all, mosquito season is definitely here. We did have a lot of late spring rains. It's been a hot spring. So mosquitoes are definitely plentiful. They're definitely out. And of course, you know, West Nile virus continues to be a threat, as well as the threat for dengue fever. We do have the mosquitoes here that can transmit dengue. So that is one of our ongoing concerns. And I'll talk a little bit more about that as we get through the presentation. So as you know, mosquitoes come from a variety of different sources. Obviously, the The rice fields, the neglected pools, all the pastures, all those are areas that we know of, but it's really the small sources in people's backyards that we're really concerned about, right? The neglected pool, the bucket, the plant saucer, anything that grows mosquitoes or anything that holds water for more than a week. can and will become a mosquito breeding source. So those are the areas that we're really concerned about. The dog dish, you know, one neglected pool alone can produce about a million mosquitoes over the course of a summer and become a very big problem. So oftentimes people will say, Like, I'm a good homeowner. I don't have any mosquitoes at my house, but why do I get, why do I, why am I still being bitten by so many mosquitoes? Well, it could be that you might live across from Bryce Field. It could be that you might live, you know, two or three streets down from you. Somebody might have a neglected pool, and all of those can be, you know, reasons why you might be seeing a lot more mosquitoes, even though you might not be breeding them at your own yard. So again, mosquitoes come from different habitats. We have about 25 different species of mosquitoes that are active at different times of the year. So the mosquitoes that you see in the spring are different than the ones that you would see in the summer or even in the fall. All right, so how do we control mosquitoes at the district? We use what we call an integrated mosquito management approach, which includes public information and education. I'm the district's public information officer, and my job is to make sure that we're educating, doing everything that we can to inform the residents. So every year we have our annual Fight the Bite advertising campaign. We also have a lot of outreach events here in Galt. Every year we come to the Galt Bird Festival. And we educate, we distribute information, and obviously these presentations are also part of that public information that we do. Our surveillance program, we have a very extensive program, one of the largest laboratories for mosquito control. They're in charge of tracking and monitoring West Nile virus. So they're the ones that pick up the dead birds, test them for West Nile virus. If they test positive, then we set mosquito traps around a one mile radius of where that bird was found. We collect the mosquitoes and we test them. And that's how we're able to track and monitor West Nile virus activity throughout both of our counties. We also have our biological control, so the use of mosquito fish. We have plenty of mosquito fish free for people that want them for their ponds, for their fountain, for their horse troughs. And they're very efficient at helping us control mosquitoes naturally. Each one can eat about 250 mosquito larvae per day. So very, very effective. Our ecological management department, we have lots of heavy equipment. We work with landowners to make sure that they're not producing mosquitoes on their property. And then, of course, our control operations, that's like our boots on the ground, the guys that go out and do the free home service inspection. So if you're having mosquito problems at home, you can call us and somebody will come out and do a free home service inspection, provide recommendations, and even do a treatment if we do find mosquitoes at your property. So again, all of these elements can form our integrated mosquito management approach to mosquito control. So in regards to West Nile virus activity, you can see that Galt really didn't really see much activity, and these are last year's numbers. We're barely getting into the West Nile virus season now, so we haven't really detected much yet, and nothing here in Galt. So as you can see, those two mosquito samples, that was from last year, so you can say really no activity. two mosquito samples, zero dead birds. So not much activity, especially as it relates to the other parts of the county. But statewide, we had 113 human cases and actually, The CDC estimates that for every case that gets reported, there's 30 to 70 cases that go unreported because West Nile virus has a lot of the same symptoms as a lot of other ailments, right? Fever, headache, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, a lot of other ailments also have those same symptoms. So people often don't go to the doctor and West Nile virus is often not reported or detected. But again, these are the numbers. Every year can be a little bit different. This year, since it's been so hot and we have such late rain, we did start to see West Nile virus activity a little bit earlier than other years. But right now, it's still a little bit too early to tell. West Nile virus season usually peaks in the summer months. So July and August is when we tend to see the most activity. So we're kind of slowly getting there. And with summer being really officially starting next week, it's sure to ramp up. All right, but aside from West Nile virus, what's really one of our other bigger concerns is the detection of invasive Aedes or invasive mosquitoes. We have two species of mosquitoes that are different from our West Nile virus mosquitoes. These are actually aggressive day-biting mosquitoes. They prefer to bite people, and these mosquitoes, they grow in very, very small sources. They can even grow in a teaspoon of water, believe it or not. So they grow in small sources, even in plant axils, maybe like a watering can, a dog dish, just any cryptic source in your backyard would be a good home for these mosquitoes. And the concern with them is that they have the capability of transmitting dengue. So dengue is a disease that we often don't see here in the United States. But in the last three years, we've actually started to see locally acquired cases of dengue in Southern California. So basically what happens is now that we have these two mosquito populations that are steadily growing, you can see that we actually have them here in Galt over in the northern part of the city. Once we have these mosquitoes that are already here, all it would take for a local outbreak would be, like let's say I travel somewhere, I come back and I'm sick with dengue, one of these mosquitoes bites me, that mosquito gets infected and then it bites another person that hasn't traveled, and that's how local disease outbreaks occur. We have seen that again in Southern California for the first time ever in 2023, we did have the first few cases of locally acquired dengue. So again, these invasive mosquitoes, we discovered them for the first time in Sacramento County in 2019 in a small area of Citrus Heights in Sacramento County, but now they are really everywhere. And it's unfortunate because once you have these populations of these well-established mosquitoes, they're very difficult to control, and we often need you know, a variety of methods. So actually, you know, one strategy that we're trying out is what we call our sterile insect technique. Last year we did a pilot program in South Natomas in Sacramento where we actually released sterile male mosquitoes. So these are sterile males that have a bacteria called Wolbachia. It's a natural bacteria that already occurs in a lot of the insects, but not in this specific species of mosquito. So we release the males. The males do not bite. And when the males are made with the wild females in that area, then her eggs don't hatch. So over time, it's a way of reducing mosquito populations over time because the eggs just don't hatch and develop into full adults. We did have good success with that program last year, and we're actually gonna be doing it again in another part of Sacramento County that also already has a well-established population of these invasive mosquitoes. So it's one of our new tools, new technologies that we're using as part of our mosquito control efforts. So again, moving forward, we are planning to expand our SIT into one other area in Sacramento County. We're also going to continue with our surveillance, with our control efforts, and then, of course, always exploring more outreach opportunities to make sure that we're informing the public accordingly. You know, we also encourage the public to report day-biting mosquitoes regularly. If you're being bitten, please give us a call. We want to know about it because usually when people report bites, then we can focus our efforts in any given area to be able to do more trapping or just do more surveillance in that area. We are always encouraging people to also go around their yard at least once a week, drain all sources of stagnant water. I always say the mosquito control is a collaborative community effort, so we encourage people to do their part and help us out, because that will go a long way in reducing the overall population of mosquitoes. So with that, I see the city manager looking at me because he said, you only have five minutes and I'm over. I told him that I wouldn't talk that much. So do you guys have any questions on our mosquito control efforts or just how the season is looking? Any questions you're itching to ask?

That was a good one, huh? Council?

Yeah, go ahead. No, you go ahead. I do have one question. If people see large amounts of standing water that have been there for a long time and they seem like a mosquito risk, who are they supposed to report that to?

So they would call our district. Well, if it's within the city of Galt or within our city boundaries, then yeah, they would call our district. And then we probably, we likely already have a technician in that area that can go out and conduct an inspection, do a treatment and make sure that it's not producing mosquitoes.

Okay, thank you.

Mr. Farmer.

Yeah, thank you. So maybe Chris should get bitten and he'll wanna listen. Um, so again, I think, um, so just to be clear, cause I think that one of the misconceptions is that if someone has like, say they're not taking care of their pool or something like that, and they, they're people like that are kind of reluctant to call and ask for, cause they think they're going to get in trouble for, there's no fee for you guys to come out and put fish, you know, the, the mosquito eating fish in a stagnant pool or anything like that. Right. So they're not going to get cited or not going to get in trouble. Yeah.

Right, so basically the protocol is if somebody has a neglected pool, if we know about it and we go knock on their door and we ask or we say, we realize that you have a neglected pool, what are your plans to clean it up? If they tell us that they're gonna clean it up soon, then of course we give them that time. If they say that they cannot, then we offer the mosquito fish as a, it's basically like a long-term solution. We used to put the mosquito fish, you know, back in 2009-10 when we had so many vacant homes when the economy collapsed. You know, but then oftentimes people don't want the fish in their, you know, they don't want to take care of it and they don't want the fish either. You know, and in those cases we could pursue some, you know, some like a court order to allow us to actually put the fish in the pool because they are creating a public health nuisance.

Right. It's a danger at that point. Exactly. Yeah, it makes sense. Two more quick questions. So I recently had an acquaintance who was in Southern California and suffered a whole bunch of bites through the night. And what are some of the easy... You say some of the symptoms of the dengue or West Nile goat undiagnosed. What are some easy symptoms to pick up on that someone should be concerned within being bitten?

So mainly flu-like symptoms, right? A fever, a headache, fatigue, just being tired. West Nile virus also has swollen lymph nodes. Dengue has a lot of joint pain. So if you are suffering from those symptoms, we encourage people to visit their healthcare provider and request a West Nile virus exam that's done through a blood exam. And I know that oftentimes people might not go to the doctor because they think, oh, it'll just go away on its own. And more often than not, it does. 80% of people that have West Nile virus don't have any symptoms. 20% of people have those symptoms that I just mentioned. And 150 people developed a very severe form of the disease, the meningitis, encephalitis, and those are the cases that likely can end badly, can result in death. So we definitely encourage people, if you're having those flu-like symptoms in the summer, it's not really that common. So by all means, please go to your doctor.

All right, and then last question real quick. Did you say that the female, only female mosquitoes bite?

Correct, so even the animal kingdom, the ladies are not the nice ones.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Yeah.

All right, that's all I had.

Thank you, Ms. Robles.

Only female mosquitoes bite, correct.

Council Member Patton.

Council Member Sandhu.

I just have one question and it's probably more for staff. Just because I've been walking the trails a lot along the gulch and there is standing water there, is that something we check regularly? Or maybe we should be checking it regularly?

I would think that we do have eyes on the trail at times. I don't know what the evaluation would be for mosquito breeding. I don't know, maybe you can offer some insight into that.

Yeah, so if the water is flowing, even if it's just flowing a bit, you know, more than likely will not develop mosquitoes. We do have field technician assigned to the city of Galt. So that's, you know, they routinely check the creeks and the different sources. So likely if it's a large body of stagnant water, it either already has fish in it or it's already on our radar for it to be checked every, you know, 30, 60, 90 days. Our technician would go check it and then apply some material, you know, for 30, 60, 90 days and then come back after that time to ensure that it's not breeding mosquitoes.

OK, great.

All right, anything else? One other thing that I did want to add is if you're having any outdoor community events, we do offer free mosquito repellent wipes free of charge. We're happy to provide those for the city for any of your upcoming events. Or if you have agencies that serve the homeless, I'm also happy to come out and do a presentation to a Rotary Club, a neighborhood association. We do also have a booth here at your Galt Market, I want to say, one of the weeks in the summer. But we're always happy to come out and do more outreach if you request it. Thank you.

Thank you for the report. Appreciate it.

Oh, I'm sorry, one last thing. Marcia, Marcia sits on the board of our mosquito control district, so she is your representative, and she's here today as part of the presentation. So thank you to Marcia.

Thank you for serving for us.

All right.

Okay, moving on to the next presentation, the Galt Youth Commission Student Member Appointments and Administering the Oath of Office. How exciting.

So the recommendation is to accept the student member appointment selected by the Galt Youth Commission adult mentors and administer the oath of office. For background, there were eight student member vacancies with a total of 16 applications received. The applications were distributed at school sites, posted on the city's website, and on social media. The application of each selected student member was included with your packet for review. So after a motion by council to accept, I'll invite the members up to introduce themselves and administer their oath of office.

Moved by Council Member Sandhu.

Second.

Seconded by Council Member Farmer. Roll call.

Vice Mayor Reed.

Aye.

Council Member Pratton.

Aye.

Council Member Sandhu. Aye. Council Member Farmer.

Aye.

Mayor Rodriguez.

Aye. Motion passes 5-0.

So if all the student members... So what you're going to do is raise your right hand and we're going to see after this, okay? So you're going to say, I escape your name. I escape your name. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. That I will support and defend. the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of California, against all enemies foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and during such time as I am a student member of the Galt Youth Commission, I will faithfully discharge the duties of the position of commission member according to the best of my ability. Any questions or comments from council?

Council? Yeah, I just want to say thank you, all of you, for applying. I'm the council designated person, so you'll be seeing me at your meetings. And I want to thank the mentors for all your continued hard work. I see most of you in the audience. And I'm really pleased to see how many applicants we have. And there was a time, I remember, just a few years ago, when we were struggling to get applicants. And to get 16 and literally have to... figure out who gets to go on and who doesn't. It's a big thing to see that. So it's definitely a big shift in the commission. And I think it's because of the commissioners who some of them are no longer here, the ones that have served and then left for you guys to be role models. If you're watching and be role models in your school or to your friends or your peers and get people interested in the youth commission. So I wanna say thank you to all of them. So congratulations and welcome.

Vice Mayor? Sure. First, I want to say thank you to all you guys for actually stepping up. I've talked to many youth in our city and there's a lot of people that wouldn't do what you're doing. So thank you. And to the mentors, after reading all of the applications that we did get, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes having to try to pick which eight got the job. So thank you for that. I think you picked a great group. I know some of these personally and they are amazing individuals. So thank you and thank all of you.

Council Member Pratt.

I just want to echo what's already been said. You guys stepping forward and doing this is huge. I mean, most kids don't even think about these types of things. So it's a great first step for you guys to move forward into your leadership roles.

Council Member Sandhu.

Yes, I would like to say welcome to our new youth commissioner. Thank you for your willingness to serve our community. And congratulations. Thank you.

And I'll just echo all that was said. Thank you for serving, and look forward to working with you and hearing great things from your organization. And thank you to the mentors. It means a lot for you guys to step up as well. But it looks like you have a little easier now with all these kids. All right, thank you guys very much. Any more pictures?

I would like to add that the oath, I was thinking, I was blanking on the word. The oath you took is kind of scary, especially the enemies foreign and domestic part. We take that very seriously, though. Just letting you know. You'll be trained.

All right, thank you so much for that. We just kind of wanted to share a little bit about what we did this past year. So this year we had 11 members on our commission by the end of the year, and they included Gabrielle, Caitlin, Caitlyn, Estrella, Madeline, Elise, Trinity, Armand, Savannah, Daniel, and Abigail. We also had five amazing mentors, very hardworking. We had Sharon Philstad, Jess Gorson, Talon Harris, Aubrey Prevehouse, and Camille Van Wormadam. So our very first event that we had was going to the state capital and taking a tour. The main goal of this was to really bond together. We wanted to have something that we had a basis to figure out who we really are around each other and to create connection to help us for our future events that we would be putting on for the year to give us a good start.

Another thing we did was the 4th of July parade. This was where commissioners were able to ride a float in the city 4th of July parade, and we also got to spend a lot of time with the community as well. We also did city hall, Okay, my favorite thing we did this year was the toy drive, where we worked with Gulp PD around Christmas. We got to fill bags of toys for the kids the week before, and then the next week, Saturday, we got to hand them out to all the kids, and it was very nice. We got to see all their faces. It really gave us an aspect on what we do. We also did City Hall trash pickup, where we came around City Hall, like the Dutch Bros, the churches, and we picked up a lot of trash. We had about five bags, big like black bags of trash, which made a big difference in our community.

As we approached the Halloween season, we were able to get a booth at the Trunk or Treat where we were able to engage with Galt's youngest citizens and give them candy and spend the holiday with them. As a commission, we also served four dinners this year, the Blue Angels of Hope Dinner, the American Legion Dinner, the A to Z Foundation Dinner, and the Galt Sunrise Rotary Community Dinner. At these events, we assisted with setting up, taking down, busing tables, and serving food. We got to interact with people from various communities and give a little bit back to the organizations who have been supporting us for many years. One of my favorite things we did this year was the Saturday markets. We're at our booth, we did free face painting, raffles and trivia in order to spread the word about our commission and just be able to engage with our community and get to know more about the citizens here in Galt. To wrap up the year, we were able to give out six scholarships to seniors from both Galt High and Liberty Ranch who were exemplary and deserve this to aid them in their college journeys. The recipients included Gabrielle Akers, Estrella Diaz, Roxanna Garcia, Allison Rivera, Stephanie Rocha, and Elia Rodriguez. Thank you. Are there any questions? Council.

Just keep up the good work. Look forward to the year ahead. Look forward to working with the new commissioners. And again, thank you most importantly to the mentors for stepping up. And I do especially Mr. Harris. He's been serving for a long time. And to the new people who come aboard. It's been a struggle sometimes to get mentors. We've had some vacancies. And so... Not only is it important to have the kids but to get the adult mentors that stay on it's been a challenge So I'm appreciative the ones that have been on for a while. So thank you.

Thank you Mentors it looks like you have Good leaders coming here and thank you you three. It's a great presentation very articulate better than Myself most of the time so thank you. Thank you for your presentation. Thank you All right Thank you for coming.

Thank you

Okay, moving on to item D, public comment. Madam Clerk.

Under Government Code Section 54954.3, members of the public may address the City Council on non-agenda items. The public comment section is for the City Council to receive comments. Except for brief responses to questions, no discussion or action may be taken on any item that is not listed on the agenda. Please limit comments to a maximum of five minutes. Consistent with the city council procedural guidelines, the mayor reserves the right to shorten the time limit for speakers to ensure the efficient and timely completion of all city business on the agenda. Ken Lee.

low-income senior housing apartments. You know, at 72, it's getting harder to get by on Social Security. Can the city adopt an ordinance on all senior housing throughout the city? On Monday Bingo games, we discussed this matter, all the people from other housing. A lot of the so-called low-income housing rates are increasing, and they're forcing the seniors out. Example, Galt Place, I'm paying a rate of 7.62. That's 60% of my Social Security check of $1,270. So out with the O, the income tenants now get a new rate of $1,052 to $1,350 for the same apartment. That is one of the reasons they're forcing us out. It does not compute with 60% of the income, because most seniors don't get that much money. Is this a plan forced out to get the seniors out of Galt to Natomas and Sacramento housing? Most of us like the small town atmosphere, controlled traffic and centralized shopping, easy walks, and the bus transportation. Another matter, there used to be an ordinance on cars blasting music loud. There used to be a $1,000 fine on that. We're getting a lot of influx of new people from other towns, and they're bringing that habit from their city, blasting the music loud. Some of the seniors, we can't take that. Especially if you're a walker, that music's right in your ear. And I like to bring up Maroon East Lot is a shining example of good. It's very nice looking now. And I got my first advertisement for July 11th auction. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Lee. Matthew Adams.

Thank you to the mayor and council members. My name is Matthew Adams. Full disclosure, I'm a resident of Woodbridge and a candidate for Assembly District 9. Just getting that off the top. For the past several years, chalking messages have been commonplace in this community. And before several events, residents have reached out to the Gulls Police Department to confirm that their activities are lawful and respectful. Every time, they have been assured that chalking public sidewalks is not a problem. However, that changed on Sunday, June 7th. Some community members were chalking a message that opposed ICE near city hall when a Galt police officer arrived and explained that a Galt city council member had called in a complaint. Now, if the city ordinance defines chalking as graffiti and officers simply doing their job, obviously we hold no will against anyone involved. However, the timing, the message, and the anonymous complaint tell a story. When the speech is on something that the council opposes, rules suddenly apply when usually no action is taken. This is not about chalk, this is about the weaponization of a city ordinance to silence speech that a member of this council finds uncomfortable. Targeting only messages that one disagrees with is selective enforcement, and it chills the free expression of every resident who dares to speak out. I am asking this council to clarify the ordinance on graffiti to ensure that all community speech is treated equally and to protect the right of Galt residents to express resistance without fear. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Adams.

Jean Davenport.

I thought you were partying with them or something. I thought you were partying with them. No.

I'm Gene Davenport. I'm the president of the city. I'm here to talk about the item on the city clerk's agenda. I understand it's been pulled for the night, but I want to address it. The five minute public speaker comments at the beginning of the meeting I think is very important. There's more than just ideas that come from that five minutes. But when it comes to agenda items, I don't have a problem with three minutes. I have a problem with people cutting to two minutes and things like that. You should make yourselves, make the commitment to allowing that three minutes to be heard by everybody that's here. There's no reason not to. Three minutes is not a lot of your time, whether there's 20 or 40 people. We need to be able to voice our concerns and our desires to this city because we do pay taxes here. We own homes here. We do a lot of business here. We eat out at a lot of restaurants. So the three-minute rule for agenda items, I don't have a problem with that. But I think I need you guys to also commit to that three minutes under any circumstance, because there's no reason not to. The five minutes should stay the same at the beginning of the meeting, because that's when people come in like Mr. Lee and comes in, regardless of what you feel about the person, they're expressing themselves. And sometimes five minutes is just the right amount. So with that, I'll leave this alone, thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Davenport. Chris Brosman.

I realize, too, I'm speaking with the agenda item that's pulled, but who is looking to silence the feedback from the public? I didn't ever hear that come up in the council that you guys were looking to reduce the time. Who's looking to reduce the council? You've always been able to do it. I've been attending meetings probably for six years. Very few times do I see it even invoked at five minutes. Usually we cut people off, but I've very rarely seen it where the mayor has reduced the time limit to three minutes. I've seen a lot of times where the council wanted more information, but five minutes was up and you guys had to apologize and stay with the five minutes, which I respected. But I see it as twofold. Trying to silence the public is never a good feedback. And two, I'd like to know whose agenda put this on because that's not the person I want. And if it was one of you, I'd like to have the pleasure of not voting for you next time. Thank you.

Excuse me, there's no clapping or any communication from the audience. If you want to speak, you have the public comment right, but please do not disrupt the meeting with any kind of response from the public.

Kelly Hawkinson.

Hello. My name is Kelly Hawkinson. I am here today because I have been protesting not only in Galt, but within my District 9 and Sacramento County. I have been protesting in the form of CHOP because it is colorful. It is not harmful to the environment. It sends a good message. It shows people there's a sense of belonging and community. And it is also to spread awareness of the current news and politics that I often feel is censored in Galt, or at least not allowed to be discussed, not safely, not comfortably. So you can see I'm young. I am here to say that I was babysat often as a child by World War II vets, and they taught me something very important. They taught me that they fought for our rights. And not only did they fight for our rights, but men of other countries and colored people from other regions fought for our rights. Because being an American and having pride in America and the flag was about fighting for our rights and fighting for the rights of others. This is civil liberties. This is the pursuit of happiness, liberty, It is frustrating to grow up in Galt. It is appalling to grow up in Galt. I have grown up in between the gaps. I have grown up sleeping on people's couches. I have seen many disgusting things in Galt online and in town and in people's houses that many people try to hide and not talk about. There is talk of trying to make Galt a sundown town. It has been happening for over 10 years. I have been aware. I am not the only one. I'd also like to point out the vets taught me that when small but effective forms of censorship are going into law and being enforced with cherry picking, especially if the police, when they come themselves, do not... They didn't tell me. I was the chalk artist. They did not tell me until nine minutes into the conversation why they were there or that I was supposed to stop or what the code was. And when I told him other cops have come up and approached me before and apologized and said this is under freedom of speech, expression, and press, he told me I was lying to him. Is that really, you know, is that the guy that you want representing you? Because after that, he proceeded to tell me that you guys personally called him, and the only reason he felt he needed to stop and enforce it this time is because the city council was enforcing it. This is a law, a municipal code that does not seem to get enforced otherwise. I've seen chalk in the parks about Trump, about MAGA, but once it's done leaning, that's when it gets called on, especially that is getting called on by city council. And if you want to say that you haven't seen the chalk, I don't believe you because if you walk our parks and if you walk our streets, then you can see it. It's been there and no one's come to wash it off. But the second concerned citizens advocate for the people they want to vote for and think other people should vote for, the second that citizens are out here showing people what the news is and telling people to look it up for themselves, city council gets involved to censor that. Law enforcement gets involved to censor that. Not even understanding why he's there entirely. Telling me he wouldn't know what to do if I was a kid that got called on and continued to persist because if I persisted and persisted, he would have to arrest me. He talked to me for over nine minutes. A lot of the time, his hand was on his tool belt where he had weapons. All I was doing was sitting on the ground with chalk. So I don't believe the people in Galt who tell me that you guys respect freedom of speech, you guys respect our freedom of expression, or our freedom of the press. So I want to let you know that I am an active part of this community, I am young, I may be naive, and I may be ignorant on some things, but I am growing, I am learning, and I am bringing as many people with me as I can, every step of the way. People just like me who fell in the cracks, people just like me who have not known better until now, We are disgusted. We see Project 2025 coming out in Galt. We see officials not doing enough to stop it. We see that they can understand the legalities of it are not okay and that it is anti-constitutional. And yet they are trying to force it in our schools. They are trying to force it on our streets. They are trying to force it on our parents so that they can no longer raise children how they want to. We are trying to force religion in our city and that is not okay. Even if that was how the city was founded, there is a separation in this state. I'd also like to call attention to online, if you look up how to learn about Galt history, it all goes back to one man. I don't think that's okay. I don't think that's a very honest history if everything only goes back to one man. I'd also like to call attention to People have told me IAS is being trained alongside our police in Galt, and so I will continue activism here, and I will continue bringing people here, and I will not let Project 2025 persist. All people deserve their rights to be respected. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Hawkins.

No more public comment.

Okay, reports by city council members on regional boards, commissions, and committees. Vice Mayor Reid.

I don't have anything.

Council Member Pratton.

Oh, let's see. Just a couple items. June 3rd in the morning, I had a meeting with the Consumities Groundwater Authority. Not much to report out there. Talked about some of the normal stuff. We did have some conversations. We're still working on the one hot topic for us has been the folks that live within our city limits that are not paying part of the groundwater thing. So that's still in the works. We're going to have two public meetings, I believe, on that coming up, and that'll be advertising for that. Okay, yeah, I want them to be a council meeting. So you'll see it when it comes to that point. It's coming soon. I think Fritz has done a great job of keeping that moving forward. That's all I have on that one. Same day in the afternoon. Board chambers in downtown Sacramento was the LAFCO Commission, which is a Sacramento local agency formation commission. Also kind of in the middle of the year, so not a lot going on there. I really don't have anything to report on that one. Also attended a Zoom meeting for the BCC, which is the Basinwide Air Pollution Control Council, where I'm an alternative member. So I just listen in on those meetings usually. And it was pretty boring. But at least it was a Zoom. I didn't have to drive to it. So if anybody's got any questions on any of those meetings or commissions, welcome to have that conversation. That's all I have.

Thank you. Council Member Sandhu.

Thank you. A couple meetings I attend on the regional board on June. I did attend the Cable Commission meeting, and we did discuss with the budget 2026-2027, and we all know that Cable Commission is very much that income is going to the downward. So as a board, we really need to be, next time we're gonna make a tough decision how we're gonna cut and how we match with the income and expenses. And so far last, we already proved what was in the pipeline, and then as a whole of board, we make a ad hoc merit. so they can meet next couple month. I was not on part of that due to different reason was not my availability. But these ad hoc committee they can make a decision whatever they're gonna cut on them and bring them back I think in December or January. And I also attended another meeting on June 15th, South Sacramento Conservation Agency. And we also proved that fiscal year budget 2026, 2027. And there was some other item, it was not belong to God, it was on the Sacramento County or the other city. So that's the two meeting I did tender. Thank you.

Council Member Farmer.

First I had a question about your meeting. I know there's been some chatter online from some people who live in the city limits but have wells.

Yes.

So this is, I know that's been a discussion for a long time trying to start charging those people. So is this, this obviously is still ongoing thing but is there any

indication of that might come to fruition at some point or it's still the game plan is to have it have it ironed out before next year or the end of this year when they start sending out the bills they'd like to get it done before that time but but the public meetings will you know have all the information available to everybody to have the conversation And I don't know if we're going to send anything directly, Chris. Do you know if we may send something directly to those addresses? They've been getting them. We did. Okay. Yeah. Okay, excellent. So we're going to try our best to make sure everybody's fully aware of what's going on.

Yeah, because that's what the chatter was about. It was about that people have gotten the notices from the city and they were kind of upset at the city, like we were trying to do this.

That's why we're sending them the information. Yeah. And... You know, we don't know what those numbers are. They're not huge, but anything's, you know, something new to somebody. They don't want to pay it, I understand that. Yeah.

Mayor Farmer, or maybe, sorry, Council Member Farmer, the Public Works Director might be able to shed some light on.

Sure, please. It just helped for me to sort of interact with people I can.

Yeah, we are planning a community workshop on July 1st at Galt PD at 6 o'clock. The public's welcome to attend. We've invited all affected property owners, and we plan on having a public hearing for the council to consider adopting the fee on July 21st.

So the property owners will be invited? I mean.

They have been invited to the workshop. They got letters last week. And just for your information, the fee is for this coming year, fiscal year, is $35.54 per parcel, per groundwater using parcel. And then $10, in addition to that, $10 per irrigated agricultural acres.

Right, yeah. It's just like Councilman Pratt and this, it could be $5 and people, you know, they're just upset. They're upset because they've never been charged another charge. But I'm just trying to clarify, I was just trying to clarify with some citizens that were posting this online that this is not being driven by the city of Galt, where obviously if it comes to council for us to consider, it's because the groundwater authority is asking us to do that.

And this is by far the cheapest way for the city and its groundwater users to comply with SIGMAC requirements. Otherwise the state will come in and control groundwater management and that will be a much more expensive and complicated process for the city and its groundwater users.

Well, I'll look forward to that when it comes to the meeting. I'm sure the staff report will be thorough and there'll be a more robust discussion about it then. So thank you, Fritz, for that. As far as going back to the item at hand, I don't have any meetings that I attended, but I just wanted to note that I will be attending with Vice Mayor Reid. If you'll be there on Thursday, I don't know if you're going to make that. The branding, we have the meeting with the branding consultants that are working on that. So that... will be our second meeting, I believe, on that as part of our ad hoc that the Vice Mayor and I are assigned to. So I'll report back on that whenever the next meeting is after. So that's all I have. Madam Mayor, thanks.

Thank you. And sorry not to beat a dead horse, but Mr. Buckman, how many parcels are we talking?

157 parcels. There's that many, okay. Residential, commercial, and ag.

Okay, thank you. I did not attend any meetings this last two weeks. All right, moving on to the information consent calendar. I'll go ahead and read them all and then if anyone would like to poll and let me know. Item number one, receive and file warrants for period ending June 2nd, 2026. Item two, minutes of the regular meeting of June 2nd, 2026. Item three, levy of the special tax for community facilities districts 2020-1 for fiscal year 26-27. Item four, levy of special tax for community facilities district 2020-2 for fiscal year 26-27. Item four, award of contract for custodial services. Item six, second reading to adopt the single family residential objective design standards. Item seven, treasurer's report for period ending May 2026. Item 8, approval of Senate Bill 1, SB 1, annual project list for fiscal year 26-27. And I think that's it. Would anyone like to poll for discussion, any of the items?

Yeah, I'd like to poll item F5.

Okay, anyone else? Nope. Okay, I'll entertain a motion for one, two, three, four, six, seven, and eight.

Moved. Second.

Okay, moved by Vice Mayor Reed and seconded by Council Member Pratton. Roll call. Vice Mayor Reed.

Aye. Council Member Pratton. Aye.

Council Member Sandu. Aye. Council Member Farmer.

Aye.

Mayor Rodriguez.

Aye. Motion passes 5-0. Item number five, award of contract for custodial services. Mr. Farmer. Aye.

Yeah, I just wanted to pull it just to clarify. So I read the staff report. It seems straightforward. And I did speak with our city manager today briefly about this. And it is my understanding that the reason we're doing this is... because we feel that these services can be performed at the same level, but without having to, by contracting it out, essentially you're saving the city the liability or the uh you know retirement pers like all the things that come with having employees that we don't pay when we contract out i get i get that um i have two questions one is that it talks about the fiscal impact um of the 264 000 for the three years but it doesn't say it doesn't mention anything about what we currently are paying. So what I'm asking here is if we're currently using staff to perform these duties and we're gonna then now instead contract out We're basically increasing our cost because then what are the people that were before doing that? What are they going to do now? We're not laying them off. So there was nothing in here saying that, well, we're going to save this much by not having those staff in-house, although we're going to be paying this much to have it contracted out. So I don't see any mitigating of those fees. It just looks like it's an extra fee. And so with that, I just wonder, you know, if we're hiring this service to be done, You know, because this has happened before in the past where we hire people to do something and then we're like, well, what are those people going to do now? And I'm always, you know, cognitive of spending more money when it's needed or not needed. So I understand the principle. But can you answer that question for me, possibly?

I'LL TAKE AN INITIAL STAB AT IT. CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE TWO VACANT PART-TIME POSITIONS IN JANITORIAL. OUR APPROACH HAS BEEN TO NOT HIRE THOSE AND THEN GO WITH A CONTRACT SERVICE. AS OTHERS THROUGH TRANSITION LEAVE THAT ARE PERFORMING JANITORIAL SERVICES WE WILL ALSO THEN REPLACE WITH CONTRACT SERVICES. And an example that you have, I think one year of janitorial services was equal to roughly $84,000. The two part-time staff would exceed that amount on an annual basis. So on an annual basis, you certainly have that, but then all the other stuff that comes with it, you would also have a savings. And in general, the more routine city services, janitorial, some, you know, routine landscaping, you know, garbage service, there always been general knowledge more efficient to contract out than to have in-house staff. So currently with the two vacancies, we've had a lot of janitorial services that have not been met. So we've, staff have been performing some, the facility maintenance folks have been stepping up and performing some of the services. So we've essentially been going without in some cases due to the vacancies, so.

And these services currently, by the looks of it, are being performed by public works staff. I always get confused about is it parks or rec staff or public works staff doing these. It lists the locations as the library and the police department and the wastewater, so I would assume it's public works.

In this case, yes. Parks has custodial staff as well. And I'll just quickly note that the wastewater treatment plant facility has been served by contract for some time.

Okay. So that's not changing. So really what we're looking at is the shift is going to be with the library and the police department. Okay. So... The only other thing I wanted to mention, and I get that there is, when we get our staff reports, it always says you have the option to do this or that, and it says that the council can opt to No, not approved to hire Olympic, which is the company being proposed. But it basically says it recommends not to because they are qualified and so on and so forth. And I get that. And I'm not going to die on this hill here. This is not what I'm going to be picking this apart on. But I'm always uncomfortable when we go out to hire somebody, especially for a three-year period, and we always say, well, these people are qualified, so we don't really need to go out to RFP. I mean, there has been many cases, and I say many, I mean many. And I think some of us here remembered where we decided to go out to RFP on certain things, and it saved like six figures, like multiple six figures on one particular instance where we went out to RFP, if you guys remember what I'm talking about. So, you know, in some cases it's... I know the staff time it takes to do that and all that, I get it, but I just... I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALWAYS GETTING THE BEST PRICE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLAR. AND ALSO, THERE IS A PART OF THE RESOLUTION HERE, WHICHEVER WE APPROVE, IT SAYS THAT IT GIVES THE CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY TO MAKE ONE-YEAR EXTENSIONS AFTER THREE YEARS. I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL IF MAYBE WE COULD have it just come back to counties. Three years is quite a long time, so I don't think it's a big deal to just come back to us and have us re-up it, because no offense, I mean, Chris won't even be here, whoever the city manager is at that time will re-up it, but I think that for me, if I'm getting feedback from the community that the custodial services are not up to snuff, I would like to be able to have, well, it won't be me either at that time, but I would like to counsel at that point to have that power to say, I think we should go a different direction. So that's my only thought on that, and I hope that contracting this out, I hope this company is good, and I hope that we're getting a level of service that we've been getting, because I think the people that have been doing it are doing a good job, even though we've been short-staffed, because I don't get complaints on that. And so I'm always reluctant to change something that seems to have been going well. So this is just my thoughts. So I'm not trying to beat anybody up on this, but I just, I get why we're doing it and it makes sense financially. I just hope that sometimes money is not the most important, delivering the best service to the citizens, meaning keeping facilities clean and all that. So it's not just about the money, it's about getting the good service for the money. So I just want to be sure that we're getting that, if that makes sense. So that's all I have.

Anyone else?

Mayor, just for the clarification, Mr. Workman, and I see in the report, they said 12 proposal were received. And this, I don't see on the report, you don't put them in the report, what kind of proposal you get? And then you decided with the majority Olympia with the best one. Could you might be kind of explain what these 12 proposals, they was not in the report?

Yeah, we typically don't. A request for, include them in the council report. The way the RFP process works, and we did an RFP I think in April, got 12 proposals in response. Generally then we put together a selection committee of staff who rates the proposals and selects the most qualified and recommends award of the contract to the council.

Yeah, but I see before there's some contract, I think it came from Parks and Rec, they usually put all the beds and then they say, okay, this is the bed, that's the region we pick up the advantage. If there's the normal, but I did see previously when they come in some of the agenda item, they put like if there is a three bed, they say, well, this is the three bed and this is the bed we pick them up due to this region. That's kind of more transparency, but if you guys normally done it, that's okay, I don't have a problem.

Yeah, with bids, we generally will include bid summaries of all the bids received. With RFPs, our practice has not been to do that, just to recommend the top-rated consultant to the council. If the council is interested in seeing the proposals, along with recommended contract awards, we could certainly do that.

I think the difference between a bid and a request for proposal is that there's a little bit more, that staff has a little bit of wiggle room to be able to choose. They don't have to go with that lowest bid if they feel like that contractor isn't quite as good as the next contractor and not necessarily a public discussion. And so I'm assuming that that's part of the reason why we do that so that that ISN'T AIRED NECESSARILY.

SO THAT IS THE CASE HERE? SO WITH RFPs, YOU GUYS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO GO WITH IT. IT'S NOT LIKE A PUBLIC BID FOR A PROJECT WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE LOBITER.

THERE IS MORE DISCRETION WITH RFPs BECAUSE IT'S A QUALIFICATIONS-BASED SELECTION, NOT PURELY BASED ON PRICE.

RIGHT. SO I APOLOGIZE. SO I APOLOGIZE. MY MISUNDERSTANDING IS I MY MISUNDERSTANDING IS I THOUGHT YOU JUST PICKED IT. THOUGHT YOU JUST PICKED IT. SO YOU DID GET 12 PROPOSALS. SO YOU DID GET 12 PROPOSALS. I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T SEE THAT. I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T SEE THAT. SO THANK YOU, PAUL, FOR SO THANK YOU, PAUL, FOR MENTIONING THAT. MENTIONING THAT. I DIDN'T SEE THAT IT SAID THERE I DIDN'T SEE THAT IT SAID THERE WAS 12 PROPOSALS. WAS 12 PROPOSALS. ANYWAYS.

ANYWAYS. ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL MEMBER FARMER'S The extensions, the three-year extensions, does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Yeah, I'll comment. I don't have a problem with that. It's not a bad idea to adjust it to that.

I mean, I know if we're not happy with something, we could go back to the city manager and say, hey, I'm not really, I'm getting a lot of complaints. We're not really happy with, you know, from the public, I'm hearing a lot of outcry about whatever. And then he could probably take the pressure from the council and say, okay, we're not going to renew that. So I get that that could be the case too. But I think I'm just trying to protect this, like, because I won't be here. So I'm just looking, you know, I don't know if I have utmost trust in the council that I don't know who they're going to be in three years. DIDN'T WE DECIDE THAT WAS GOING DIDN'T WE DECIDE THAT WAS GOING TO BE AI? TO BE AI? THEY'LL GO FORWARD AND GO TO THEY'LL GO FORWARD AND GO TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHOEVER THAT THE CITY MANAGER, WHOEVER THAT IS, RIGHT, AND SAY THAT. IS, RIGHT, AND SAY THAT. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO LOCK IT IN SO I'M JUST TRYING TO LOCK IT IN THAT THIS COMES BACK TO COUNCIL IN THAT THIS COMES BACK TO COUNCIL IN THREE YEARS. THREE YEARS. LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY. LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY. SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH THE APPROVE AS PRESENTED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT COMES BACK TO EXCEPTION OF THAT COMES BACK TO COUN

No, that's okay, but I'm talking, I'm agreeing with Council Member Farmer. Three year is, you know, sometimes that's true. Crest won't be here, but we'd like to something come back to the Council. So whatever we feel comfortable with, that's okay, I'm agree with his motion.

Okay, so we have a motion on the floor from Council Member Farmer to approve most of the recommendation except for the number six in the recommendation, correct?

Right, correct.

Is that a good enough way to say that? Okay, and it was seconded by Vice Mayor Reed. Yep. Okay, roll call, please.

Vice Mayor Reed.

Aye.

Council Member Pratton.

Aye.

Council Member Sandu.

Aye.

Council Member Farmer.

Aye.

Mayor Rodriguez. Aye.

Okay, motion passes 5-0. All right. Okay, we are moving item H1 up. And so the approval of the permit services supervisor and deputy director of maintenance and operations, classifications and salary ranges and updates to the personnel manual. Ms. Covey.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. Tonight, staff is requesting approval to establish two new classifications corresponding salary ranges and updates to the personnel manual. The proposed permit services supervisor position in community development will provide direct oversight of permit operations, improve workflow coordination, and enhance customer service. The proposed deputy director of maintenance and operations in public works will strengthen leadership capacity, improve operational planning, and provide oversight to both maintenance and operations divisions. This new position will replace the current utilities manager and public works maintenance manager. These recommended changes are a result of an organizational review aimed at improving service delivery, operational efficiency, and leadership support across both departments. The fiscal impact of these changes is $58,398, and upon approval will be incorporated into the new fiscal year budget. With the approval of these two new job descriptions and salary ranges, we are adding the two classifications to the incentive matrix in the personnel manual. So staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution, approve the new classifications and salary ranges, and approve the updated personnel manual. So I'm available for any questions you may have.

All right, Council, Vice Mayor Reid.

No questions.

Council Member Sandhu?

No question. Thank you.

Council Member Farmer?

Well, I have all the questions. I'll just ask for everybody.

I do appreciate Chris and I did have a conversation about this today too, so thank you for Chris elaborating. But just for the public to hear, so I'm assuming that we're creating this, and again, anytime we're creating new positions, I'm always going to ask questions and make sure that I feel like it's warranted because growing the government is always something I'm a little, always cautious about if it's not necessary. So it's my understanding that we anticipate a large amount of, and I guess these questions could be for you, Jenny, or Tricia, whichever. We're anticipating a lot of permit, a lot of building coming in, right? And currently we are, short staffed, in your opinion? We think that we don't have sufficient, you wanna just elaborate? Sell me on the idea of why we need this position. Let's just make it simple.

Sure, thank you. So there's a few main points behind this position. One is community development is seeing record levels of permitting, as you saw last year, was the highest number of building permits we've issued ever. THE POSITION, THE PERMIT THE POSITION, THE PERMIT TECHNICIAN POSITION AT THE FRONT TECHNICIAN POSITION AT THE FRONT COUNTER HANDLING ALL OF THE COUNTER HANDLING ALL OF THE PERMIT AND ALL OF THE MONEY PERMIT AND ALL OF THE MONEY IS AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION. IS AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION. THAT POSITION HAS A LOT OF THAT POSITION HAS A LOT OF TURNOVER BECAUSE OF THAT. 10 YEARS OR SO, I THINK THAT'S TURNED OVER THREE OR FOUR TIMES. SO HAVING SOMEBODY BE THAT POINT PERSON OF COLLECTING ALL OF THE FEES, MANAGING ALL OF THE FEES, ENSURING THE FEES ARE CORRECT AS A SUPERVISORY LEVEL POSITION RATHER THAN AN ENTRY LEVEL TECHNICIAN IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WE ALSO DON'T HAVE ANYBODY IN CDD WHO OVERSEES THE FEE AGREEMENTS, THE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENTS, THE SKIP FINANCING. IT'S HANDLED PIECEMEALED ALL OVER THE CITY. So having that come together in one person is also critical so that we know what contracts we're managing. And lastly, we're about to embark on a brand new permit system for the city. We're hoping to kick that off in 26-27 with some funding in the budget tonight. This person, this new supervisor, would oversee that entire process of bringing the permit system online and be the point person in the future for handling that system, working with the consultant that we hire, supporting city staff who need to learn the system, et cetera. So really being the keeper of that new system, which in other cities can be an entire full-time position. So there's a lot of responsibility that this person would have on their shoulders.

So if I'm understanding this correctly, you're anticipating a lot of work load. We've had a lot of, we've had the highest number of permits, so it's not just speculation, right? If I'm understanding the way you're describing is if you, because you have an entry-level position that's with one person that's handling all that stuff, and you have turnover at that position, by having someone who is a management position, supervisor position that still, and according to the staff report, still is doing some of those lower level tasks, right? They can be doing everything from that all the way down to that. Your hopes is that you don't have turnover and that if there is a front person, front desk turnover, that you still have that person as a solid, stable position, right?

Yeah, and it just puts a second set of eyes on all of that CASH THAT'S COMING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT AND ENSURING THE FEES ARE COLLECTED APPROPRIATELY, THE REPORTING IS BEING DONE. SO THERE MAY BE A SLIGHT SHIFT IN THE DUTIES OF THE TECHNICIAN TO THE SUPERVISOR BASED ON THE TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE.

OKAY. AND THEN WITH THAT, THERE'S IN THE STAFF REPORT IT TALKS ABOUT WITH THE ADDITION OF THAT, THERE'S ACTUALLY SO IT'S NOT JUST A FULL ADD. THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO POSITIONS THAT WOULD GO AWAY SO THE NET INCREASE IS ONLY 58,000. AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY?

SO BETWEEN THE TWO NEW CLASSIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE CREATING, WE'RE ONLY ADDING ONE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT BODY BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WORKS POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ELIMINATING, THERE'S ONE OCCUPANT THAT WILL BE TAKING THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR ROLE.

OKAY. SO THE WAY I'M READING THIS IS THE PERMIT SERVICES SUPERVISOR, SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ADDING. THAT'S THE ONE TO ADD. AND THEN THERE'S THE UTILITY MANAGER AND PUBLIC WORKS MAINTENANCE MANAGER. SO THAT IS SOMETHING.

THOSE WOULD BE ELIMINATED.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ONLY A NET INCREASE. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN TELL ME ABOUT THE, SO THAT'S ONE POSITION IS THE PERMIT SERVICE, THE PERMIT SERVICES SUPERVISOR. SO TELL ME ABOUT THE W DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE. SOMEBODY SELL ME ON THAT ONE.

The Deputy Director, through this move, the recommendation, we are adding one higher level management position and removing two, as Ms. Covey has indicated. There's a net cost savings to the city. We think we have the right candidate for this role to oversee both sides, the operations and maintenance for both utilities and streets maintenance. So we think it's a great fit for the staff we have and it actually saves us money.

Was that position, was that not Clarkson's position previously, or is that, am I thinking of a different role?

No, a different role. So currently the way Public Works is organized, you have the director, there's one deputy director, which was Clarkson, which is now Truong.

Gotcha, okay.

So the idea is to, excuse me, to create this other deputy over a multiple division. So there's water, waste water, streets, facility maintenance, probably missing something else.

Water distribution, waste water.

So we, if you recall, we had a consultant review the department about a year ago, and this is one of the recommendations from that group.

Okay so this is coming that's my next question so that this is coming from the evaluation that we did at the department so this is not just something that you guys came up with internally this was through an evaluation okay and just to double check this so the funding for this is coming from I'm looking for it here but maybe somebody help me out it's general fund and something from where is it coming from?

So it's actually a net saving of $111,000.

Okay. Well, that was an easy sell, saving money. I mean, you don't even have to twist my arm on that one. All right, well, I appreciate the questions or the answers to my questions. And I think that's all I have. Madam Mayor, thank you.

All right, I also do not have any comments. Thank you for covering a lot of some of my questions. So I'll entertain a motion.

So moved. Second.

Okay, moved by Councilmember Farmer and seconded by Vice Mayor Reed. Roll call.

Vice Mayor Reed?

Aye.

Councilmember Pratt? Aye.

Council Member Sandhu. Aye. Council Member Farmer. Aye. Mayor Rodriguez. Aye, thank you. Motion passes 5-0. All right, back up to item G, fiscal year 2026-27 budget and related items.

Good evening, Mayor, Council. As we present the fiscal year 26-27 budget, this marks a significant change as the city is gonna transition from a two-year budget to an annual budget, and doing this will help us get a more accurate picture on the city's financial condition. This budget process was a collaborative effort with all departments across the city, and so I wanna thank all the department heads and their staff for their input. And lastly, I want to thank my budget team, Carlos, Lana, and Ramon for all of their hard work and efforts in getting this budget prepared and presented for you today. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Carlos Loria, the Deputy Finance Director, to go over the budget.

Thank you, Lila, for the introduction. Good evening, Mayor, council members, and everyone here present. As Lila mentioned, I am going to present to you the fiscal year 2026-27 budget. On the agenda for today's presentation, we have a few items, an overview of the budget process, a long-range financial plan, citywide budget with fund balances, personnel requests, capital projects, new operational requests, and the fee schedule. The budget process is a year-round process. It starts with implementation of the new fiscal year budget in July and throughout the year managing that budget. And that first stage and throughout the year we pay attention to changes in business that may have a fiscal impact that prepare us for the next cycle The official budget development process starts around December to January when, at that stage, the finance department works closely with the city manager to develop budget guidelines and instructions for the departments that are based on the city council's strategic plan and priorities. and present the first set of instructions to the departments and guide them to prepare a balanced budget. During the months of February and April, The departments work on developing their budgets with finance. They obtain a guidance from finance as it relates to creating a sound and balanced budget and receive preliminary approval from the city manager. And finally in June, we come to you with the budget. If during the presentation you have any questions on any of the slides, please don't hesitate. I will take questions at the end as well, if you'd like to wait for the full presentation. So it all starts with the baseline budget. And what the baseline budget is, is that first step. So finance prepares a budget that provides the essentials for the departments. And in that budget we include operations and maintenance funding that's equivalent to the latest adopted budget. And also included in that budget is any commitments that the Council has previously approved, such as labor contracts and other contracts. So for this fiscal year, our baseline budget is $79.5 million as a starting point. And then And so in more detail, some of the items included in here are medical, retirement, and workers' comp cost variations, whether those costs are increasing or decreasing. We include those on the baseline budget. We also include, as I said, labor contract cost of living adjustments. So by the time we kick off, the departments already have the basics. and where the recommended budget, what adds on to the baseline budget is updated revenue projections. Departments work with finance to update revenue projections for charges for services, taxes, et cetera. We also receive any requests from the departments for new positions, reclassifications, as the examples that Ms. Coley presented today, operations and maintenance funding requests based on changes in operations or new mandates, as well as for capital projects. All right, speaking of revenue projections, citywide revenues are projected to increase by about 15%. There are several factors contributing to that in this budget. Taxes are increasing 5.4%. The category of taxes includes sales tax, property tax, Measure Q, Measure R, and CFD assessments. Licenses and permits are also projected to increase 5.95%. Revenue from intergovernmental sources is decreasing 36%. Intergovernmental revenue is basically, for the most part, of grant funding. The reason the revenue from grant funding is decreasing in this upcoming budget is we have not RECEIVED FINAL WORD THAT ANY MAJOR GRANTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. IN THE CURRENT YEAR, WE COMPLETED THE C STREET PROJECT, WHICH WAS A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF FUNDING. AND SO IN THIS NEW YEAR, WE'LL BE UP TO SECURE ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS.

MR. SCARIA, COULD YOU REMIND ME IF THERE IS A BUDGET DECREASE, RIGHT, AND THERE IS SOME proposed budget on the grant. If you might tell me what's in the pipeline? 2027 grant. Anything in the pipeline?

Yeah. Right now.

You mentioned in report 5.9, that's proposed, right? So that means this is in the pipeline or that's what you're thinking this can be?

That's already, we only budget for approved grant funding, and so what you see here includes several grants. For these particular budget, We have several projects, including Walnut Street, the Walnut Street Walker Park, and Cost Road that will be funding several capital improvement projects.

All right, thank you.

Revenue from fines and fees is also projected to increase. This revenue includes late fees and vehicle fines. The use of money source of revenue remains steadily increasing with the continued high interest rates in the market. And you will notice a significant increase in the refunds category. This is primarily a change in budget and accounting practice, whereas the GFOA, Government Finance Officers Association, provides guidance for budgeting and budgeting at the program level. This is the first step in moving in that direction. In previous budgets, the Departments of Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and the Police Department have shared expenses across different service funds For example, the police department with measure R and the safety CFD public works with other non-general fund service funds such as streets, utilities, and parks and recreation with the lighting landscape districts. Instead of splitting every invoice and making the accounting or books complicated where we list the same purchase across multiple funds, we are moving in the direction of funding everything in the operating budget and getting reimbursed by those support funds and those funds receiving the services from the operating department. The miscellaneous revenue is expected to experience a slight decrease. This is revenue from donations and host fees. The decrease is anticipated in the donations category. And the last item on the revenue categories is the transfers in, which includes several items, the transfer from general fund to parks and recreation, Measure Q contribution to parks and rec and the lighting and landscape districts, a contribution from the Measure A fund for streets projects, and the cost allocation plan. In the general fund, we anticipate an increase of 21.9% in revenue. The categories are basically the same. We're just narrowing it down to general fund category, but if you have any questions on what's included in any of those, I'd be happy to answer.

Mr. Solari, I do have a question real quick. Sorry, it would be easier for this one to ask these as we go. So just to understand, CITYWIDE REVENUE VERSUS GENERAL FUND REVENUE, OBVIOUSLY THE CITYWIDE REVENUE IS GOING TO INCLUDE LIKE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND THINGS, RIGHT? OKAY. SO THAT INCREASES BASICALLY 15%, WHICH LOOKS LIKE AROUND $13.4 MILLION BY MY MATH. THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE IS PROJECTED TO BE UP 21, ALMOST 22%, WHICH LOOKS TO BE LIKE AROUND 5 MILLION OR SO.

Is that right so far?

Okay. All right. I'll hold the rest of my questions for that. I just want to understand where I'm at so far. Continue, please.

Parks and Rec Fund is anticipated to increase its revenues by about 4.4%. This includes miscellaneous revenue, which includes refunds and reimbursements from the different organizations that use the city facilities. Parks and recreation revenue category includes revenue for the use of sports fields, diamonds and courts. Recreational programs are also anticipated increase by approximately 40,000. Revenue from rents of facilities such as Littleton, Cibola Center, pavilions and parks are anticipated to increase 7.5%. And as mentioned earlier, the overall increase is anticipated at 4.4% for parks and recreation. The Public Safety Measure R fund is expected to experience a 2.4% increase in revenue. And Measure Q fund is anticipated to experience an 8.6% revenue increase.

Mr. Solario, could you tell me, if I'm just not understanding, but if measure R is a half cent and measure Q is a full cent, and they're both being funded by sales tax, then how could one projected to go up 2. something percent and the other go up eight? Shouldn't it just be double?

Not necessarily. There's different items that contribute in terms of where the sales tax applies for the two different measures. Okay. And we can go into more detail, but it has to do with local purchases versus purchases made online that are shared and distributed in the county pool.

Because I mean, the numbers themselves, if the FY27 proposed number for measure Q, I mean, sorry, measure R is 2.5 million and measure Q is 5 million. So that's double, right? So that makes sense. I was just curious why the percentages were like almost four times as much.

Another factor contributing is interest revenue. Measure R does not generate as much interest as Measure Q. Measure Q is bringing $170,000 alone in interest earnings, and that has to do with the existing and upfront fund balance created in the first two years. Okay, thank you. Moving on to the expenditure side, expenditures citywide are expected to increase 10.5%. Citywide, the biggest growing factor is capital, as well as transfers out and payroll budget. Operations and maintenance is increasing by 27.4%.

So just a thought, sorry to jump in. You don't mind if I just ask questions as we go along, right? Okay. Just a thought here, you know, because none of us up here are accountants, at least I don't think any of us are. So, you know, I'm looking at all these through just basic. You have the citywide revenue as a page, which is nice, all laid out, and then you have the general fund revenue so we can see the difference. But when we get to the expense side, you only have the citywide expenditures page, but I don't see a general fund expenditures page. Just would be helpful maybe if that was included next time just so I can have the apples and apples all the way.

We will review the general fund parks and rec and measure Q expenditures with the long range financial plan as we get to that. Okay.

So if I'm understanding so far, looks like we, so if we're only comparing overall expenses versus expenditures, I mean revenues versus expenditures, I'm sorry. So basically citywide, we're looking at a 15% increase, which is roughly 13.4 million. And our expenditures are going up 10%, which is about, obviously it's 10% of that number, so it's about 10 million. So it looks like our net, is about $3 million of revenue, looking compared to what we're bringing in citywide total and what we're gonna be spending citywide total. It looks like about $3 million. Am I doing the math right?

We are bringing in $101.5 million in revenue citywide. Right, versus 88, so that's 13.4 million difference.

So we're bringing in 13.4 more overall, right?

We're spending more than we're generating. We're making use of one-time use of fund balance in this fiscal year budget for one-time expenditures. As noted, most of these are capital improvements, which represent 39% of the citywide budget.

No, I see what you're saying right. We're spending 110, we're bringing in 101, but the percentage increase, I was just looking at it through simply that our percentage of revenue is not as high as, our percentage of revenue is higher, I'm sorry, than the percentage of our expenditures?

That is correct.

Okay, all right.

The growth is higher on the revenue side.

I'm just trying to keep up with you, Carlos.

It's not easy, and I'm not claiming I'm gonna do it, but I'm trying. All right, thank you.

It's fine. Any questions you have, I'm happy to answer as we go.

Actually, quick question. And going back to the revenue, do you happen to know offhand approximately how much one time REVENUE IS THERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE ONE TIME, WHETHER IT'S A GRANT OR WHATEVER. BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES WE SEE A BIG NUMBER COME IN AND THEN REALIZE IT'S ONLY ONE TIME.

ONE TIME REVENUE EQUATES TO 5.9 MILLION. OKAY.

THAT'S WHY WE NEED THAT GRANT POSITION.

Next is personal requests. We have several requests for new positions. Included is a grants analyst slash grants manager position within the administration department. The goal with this position is to increase the amount of grant revenue we receive and also to include compliance with our grant guidelines as well as with other accounting principles. Second position is a building inspector within community development and the permit services supervisor discussed earlier within community development as well. Within the police department, we are requesting a new office assistant to position. There is currently a part-time position within the department. The increase in workload and programs has put demand for a full-time position. The public works department is requesting a public works maintenance worker, one also known as a street sweeper operator. There currently isn't an official street sweeper operator. The department currently staffs that role with whoever has a license and gets trained. However, as time goes by and as the city grows, it's becoming more challenging for the department to complete those duties without a full-time dedicated position. A request for a maintenance mechanic is also included. This request is a new position, but is offset by the elimination of the supply technician position within the central shop. Over the years, the supply technician has become more of a technician than a mechanic technician than a supply technician, where they end up working with the team rather than ordering supplies. And there is more demand for that type of service within the department than there is for somebody to just focus on ordering supplies for them. This position itself only has an impact of $7,800, and it's partly a new request. The final position is a water systems operator, also called a water treatment operator within the Water Delivery Fund, this position. is requested to comply with state requirements as it relates to back row testing. The responsibilities required by the state basically are the equivalent of a full-time position doing routine testing and reporting on a regular basis.

Can someone, and this might be a Tricia question, what are these one-time costs for some of those positions?

The one-time costs are equipment. In the case of the building inspector, it's the purchase of a vehicle for that inspector to get around the city and do the inspections. For the other positions, it's furniture, computer equipment, telephone equipment, and so forth. Total cost of all the requests is $812,000. There's one, two, six positions within the general fund, and two of them within the utility funds.

Mr. Solario, the one public works position that's coming from the general fund, that one is only, that was only ending up an increase of $10,000 because of a freezing of the supply tech position, is that right?

That is correct. All right, thanks. There's also a list of requests for reclassifications and salary adjustments throughout the various departments. A total impact of $164,000 citywide, 151 will impact the general fund, 5,800 the gas tax fund, 5,900 the stormwater fund. There is a savings to the water fund, a $19,000 impact to parks and recreation, savings to the wastewater fund, and a slight increase within the solid waste fund. from these pre-classifications. If you have any questions on any one of those items, I'll be happy to answer. Operational funding requests. TOTAL ABOUT $3.2 MILLION CITYWIDE. 131 COME FROM THE ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT. AND 1.4 WITHIN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 440 WITHIN THE ELECTED DEPARTMENT. 151 for non-departmental, 8,000 within Parks and Recreation, 350,000 within the Police Department, and 708 with the Public Works Department.

Community development is 1.4 million. I think that might be 1.2 include that plan for 2050, right?

That is correct. The request within community development includes 1.2 million for the general plan update and 250,000 for comprehensive development software.

Okay, thank you. Then the other thing is electoral. Can you might explain is 440, the breakdown of electors and increase.

Of course, within the elected division, $371,000 are requested for attorney's fees, 51,000 for election costs, 16,000 for various commissions, including the Act Commission, Youth Commission, and the Call Purification Commission.

Thank you.

Questions? All right.

So, Mr. Soler, I have a question. Sure. Going back to the reclassifications and the salary adjustments, I'm just trying to understand... Let's see. Well, for one, I see the requests for the increases, but there's no reference for me there. I don't know what the increase is because I don't see what it was before. I just say, for example, I don't know, administrative assistance for Parks and Rec is $29.74. So that's the additional number that's being asked for, right?

Correct.

But I don't know what percentage that reflects. I don't know if that's a 2% increase for that position or it's a 25% increase because I don't have a reference point. So for me to look at that and go, I don't even know if that's a lot or it's not a lot.

Let me, I can go over each one of those items.

And then with that, are some of these positions, for example, like I'm just gonna throw out, like the public works ones, are not some of those union positions which those when we negotiate with those bargaining groups, those increases and stuff are Those are put together when we do the bargaining agreements, right? The cost of livings and all that?

So out of all the public works positions listed on the reclassification request, only one is a union position. The rest are all unrepresented.

Okay. All right, thanks for clearing that up. I mean, I don't need you to go through line item by item. It would be nice if it was on here and saying because, I mean, if one of them was like, you know, a 25% or 30% increase, then I would obviously zero in on that and go, why are we doing that for that position? Whereas if something's like 2%, then I'm like, eh, that's like a cost of living increase.

Let me explain the changes. In the case of the office assistant for community development, we are reclassifying an office assistant to an admin assistant. It's a different title. This change is to align the position with the responsibilities, which include cash receipts, customer service, and some budget management within the department. The city manager executive assistant is being reclassified to assistant city clerk. Similar to the previous position, it is to align the position with the responsibilities. The office assistant within the city manager's office is also being reclassified or requested for reclassification to administrative assistant at the city manager's office for the same reasons. Two accounting assistants part-time within the finance department are requested or are being considered for an increase in working hours. Those two positions currently work 20 hours a week. The department is requesting an increase to 28 hours per week. The second set of accounting assistants have completed the level one training and have begun the level two responsibilities of an accounting assistant within the department. And their request is for a promotion to the accounting assistant two series. within the Parks and Recreation Management Department. The request is for a compaction review salary increase. That is to spread out the salary within the positions that report to these management positions and have some room for, between the direct reports and the supervisors.

No, I understand the compaction. Yeah, I understand that part. I think would it be helpful just for future, I mean, obviously, I don't want to get into the weeds of it tonight, but I think it would be for future, this particular spreadsheet that we're looking at, this is just me talking, I don't know, maybe everybody else is fine with it, but It would be very helpful if there was a notation of some sort, even like a simple symbol on the side that says, this particular is just a salary adjustment, but this one has a reclassification. Because I don't know which ones are, you know, you're telling us, you're going through, but you wouldn't have to do that if it were just on there. And when I studied this prior to the meeting, coming in here, I could see and go, oh, that's reclassification, that's why they want to add three grand or whatever, right? And then which ones are union, that would be helpful. Although there's probably only one, so maybe that's not that big a deal. But also too, knowing what the before and after cost was. Like this is what it was before, or a percentage would be helpful. So you could say like such and such position, this is a reclassification. And because of that, this is what we're requesting, X amount of dollars, and this represents a 13% increase over what it was before. That would just be helpful for me to understand what we're approving. Because, I mean, this is the stuff that's very uneasy for us because we're just basically going on total faith. Let me ask you this. So these reclassifications and these salary adjustments, these were put together by each department, so Public Works, for example. So Public Works came to you guys at Finance and said, this is what we'd like to see, adjustments in the budget, and then Parks and Rec did the same and so on. That's how it works?

Almost. They worked with the HR department as well as with Finance and the city manager in creating this proposal.

Okay, so or maybe there's a request for something and then HR evaluate, so.

Council Member Farmer, if I may add, like to maybe provide some context to some of these and they're kind of grouped together where you have a lot of the public works supervisors all being changed to the same grade, essentially, because they all have similar duties. So the idea here was to basically put them all on equal footing and give them the same pay grade of 56 that you see here. And I get your point that having a starting point of where they were would be helpful for you. And then in the next grouping, the engineering class, we've had, as you know, extreme difficulty filling vacant engineering positions. So the thought is that we provided this increase to the engineering classes, for somewhat of a retention policy for some of the positions that are filled, but then also as a recruitment effort to try to fill the positions that we just have not been able to fill. So currently we have a vacant senior and a, an associate engineer position. And I've seen, we've done this before, like years ago when I first started with the city where they had separated out the engineering class to move them forward because we had the same problem 20 years ago and eventually raised the, raised the salaries of those positions and we were successful in getting long-term engineers. Right. So the hope is we do that again.

And I'm aware of some of these that there's a reason why you're raising them. So I only have one last comment to make on this stuff here and then I'll let Mr. Sligo continue or other counsel. And I don't want this to come off the wrong way, but I'm just going to say it. One of my biggest pet peeves I've ever had in the seven and a half years I've served is when it comes to compaction stuff.

Mm-hmm.

I hate, and I would say that with a capital H, when I see us being asked to create a position and then later we come back and go, oh, by the way, we have to adjust such and such positions because we created that other one or we raised that one. Now it's kind of created compaction and now it's like a domino effect. That's like somebody coming to me and going, oh, by the way, we forgot to tell you that by recruiting that position, it's now going to whatever.

Yeah.

Because that feels like I get blindsided.

Totally understood. And I think the HR director shares your struggle in that. So take that as it is. I'm just saying.

I don't like it.

But... in your next rounds of negotiations, something you consider is setting as a policy reference is minimum and maximum compaction rates. So you avoid like the one-offs. So that is something you should address during negotiations.

Yeah, and I know we have a policy and I get that it's appropriate and we have to follow that. I think it's just, I think sometimes there's been, it's happened where we didn't get told, like it would've been nice if we're saying, hey, we're gonna create this exposition or we're gonna reclassify the deputy so-and-so. Let's use that as a hypothetical, right? We're gonna reclassify the deputy so-and-so for this particular department. and this is why we're doing it, and this is why we think we need to do it, and this is how much it's going to cost, and then it comes to us and go, okay, sounds, makes sense, but it would be more helpful if when that came to us, it says, and as part of that, we will have to reclassify the superior person up to that because of this, but it feels like we're never told that when that comes to us. And so, yeah, anyways.

Good point.

All right, well, I think that's all the questions I have. I appreciate... You know, I personally don't need to go through line item, line item. If the council wants to hear me personally going through each one of these, I mean, again, we're kind of at faith that these are needed reclassifications or needed increases. And so we kind of have to, you know, go at 164,000. Honestly, I mean... On principle, we're asking questions, but 164,000 for 23 positions, you know, in the grand scheme of things, is not a big number. So I guess that's all I have.

Well, I would support your percentage and the way to realign it, because this document is our recap after we've already looked at it. So tonight, just what you're saying, we're We don't really have a chance to review this piece, right? So in our mind, we have to try to balance it against what we've already looked at. So I think it just would be very helpful.

And I like the way it's laid out. This is very, you know, the tricky thing with budget stuff always is, you know, making it detailed enough that it doesn't look like we're hiding anything, right? but also making it not so detailed that it's complicated that we can't understand it, because we're sitting up here looking like we don't want to understand, because like I said, none of us are accountants. So this is a good balance. I like how it's laid out. I think just moving forward, there's little things like, hey, if you added a column that said such and such, that would be a little more helpful, and that's just input is all. But generally speaking, I like the way it's laid out. It's clear. So thank you to staff, whoever put this together.

Next item is capital projects. There is a request for $24 million in capital projects funded by multiple funds. The impact to general fund from these list of projects is $44,000. The remainder is funded by the gas tax fund, stormwater, water, wastewater, transit, impact fees, and the Sacramento Transportation Authority, also known as Measure A. PROJECTS LISTED INCLUDE THE ANNUAL PAYMENT REHAB, CARILLON BOULEVARD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, THE CITYWIDE DRAINAGE INLET UPGRADE, TETMAN GULCH IMPROVEMENTS, INFILTRATION AND INFILT PROJECT, LIFT STATION REHAB, OLD TOWN WATERMAN REPLACEMENT, parking lot rehab and repairs, replacement of the AB liner for wastewater, road drainage improvements, storm drain main replacements, the transit and operations maintenance center to address any capital maintenance, the upgrade of the VATCON dumping station, the wastewater collection systems maintenance, the water distribution maintenance, water main replacement project, and the well rehab project. Any questions on any of the capital projects? As mentioned earlier, overall total anticipated revenues citywide are $101.5 million. Operations and maintenance expenditures account for $86.9 million. $24 million in capital projects for a total of $110.9 million in appropriations. $9 million in use of fund balance. with an anticipated ending fund balance citywide of 167.6 million. The general fund anticipated ending fund balance is 23.3 million. This 23 million includes the reserves.

Mr. Sloan, our reserve policy is 20. Remind me what it is again.

Our general fund reserve policy is... 25% of prior year actuals within the general fund and parks and recreation fund.

All right, 25, okay.

What do each of the enterprise funds, because they're separate, what's their reserve percentage?

The reserve for the... UTILITY FUNDS INCLUDES WORKING CAPITAL, CAPITAL FOR ANTICIPATED CAPITAL PROJECTS UP TO FIVE YEARS. IT ALSO INCLUDES... WHAT PERCENTAGE?

ARE THEY AT 25% AS WELL?

NO, IT VARIES. THERE'S MULTIPLE COMPONENTS WITHIN UTILITIES, AS MENTIONED. So as I mentioned, the working capital, that's 10%. Rate stabilization reserve, that is to mitigate any unexpected rate increases so that the public is not impacted. An emergency capital of 2%. debt service that is a reserve equivalent to any debt obligations. Currently the wastewater fund is repaying a bond. So every year we are required to set up a reserve equivalent to the payments required from the city for that particular year. So it's slightly different from the general fund. Gotcha. Other questions?

No, just on the fund balance sheet, just basically we have the revenue 101 million, right? And then expensive is 110. So at the end of the day, we have almost 10 million in negative, right? In order to balance, we're using whatever reserve fund and how we're using in order to do the... fund balance and also what your plan don't be happen this in next year and you might have some kind of plan how we're going to do if this time is 10 million negative we're using the balance fund what we're going to do in the future um as shown on the um

Graph above, the operations and maintenance expenditures are 86.9 million compared to the 101 in revenues. The operations and maintenance are the ongoing expenditures. The capital projects are 24 million. So those are one-time expenses. So in the future, or for as long as we do not have capital projects, funded by fund balance, we will not have a deficit, or we will not be exceeding revenues.

So that's mean 25, 24,000 is a big effect to going in the negative, so it won't be happen next year, right?

Correct, unless we have projects that are being funded with those specific fund balances.

Okay, thank you. I kind of share Council Member Sandhu's concern about this, right? All you have to do is look in the news and look as close to Sacramento that they're having to cut massive amounts of money in their budget because they don't have the revenues coming in. And we're on the other hand going, well, we're gonna dip into our fund balances to build this and build this and build this. And you say that, you know, we'll build it until there's nothing else to build. Well, I can pretty much ask everybody at that front table, every single year, they're gonna have something they wanna build. And so, us sitting on this side of the table we have to take that into consideration right at what point do we say no that we're that we can't approve a budget that keeps showing us a negative number because we don't want to end up like sacramento we don't want to lay any of you anybody off we don't want to cut services we don't want to do these things that sacramento is having to do because just to build a new something Right. So these are concerns that I'm pretty sure are shared by everybody up here. And just we want to put that out there.

Yes, and this is why we like this chart, because it shows you our beginning and our ending fund balances. I think this is one of the most important charts in budget development for us in finance. This is basically our starting point when we meet with the departments and kick off instructions. First thing we tell them, this is how much money you have to play with. This is what's available. These projects being proposed, some of these are being funded by impact fees, which have built a balance over the years, specifically for these projects. We collect the revenues from developers, we tell them there is a nexus, therefore you need to build or provide a fee to mitigate these impacts. as we have enough funding for those projects and they make it on the capital improvement plan, we make use of those funding. So in some instances, it is a good thing to make use of fund balance because we've collected it for a special purpose and we're now keeping that promise.

Yeah, I mean, I totally see what you're saying, but I actually look at it in a little bit different way just to kind of, I guess, make an analogy. To me, it's different one-time expenses versus ongoing. Like if my household brings in $100,000, okay, and then I have a reserve policy for my household of 25%, so I have $25,000 to set aside for like a rainy day fund, right? I'm just using that as simple numbers. But my expenditures are, you know, my ongoing expenditures every year are, you know, $75,000. So I'm 25, a $25,000 buffer. So like if I took a, you know, if I got a, you know, if I missed some work or something happened at work and I got it demoted or something and I, whatever, I still have that cushion. So I'm not spending all the money I have. But if I need a new refrigerator or the car breaks down, I got to put it in the shop. These are one-time things that don't come up. They're not for sure every time. And I have to dip into that $25,000 to cover a couple of those things. I don't think that's always a negative because we're still... My regular bills are not exceeding my regular income. There's a buffer. So I'm just painting it in a different light. So government's a little different in that way. I don't know if that's a good analogy, but that's the way I'm looking at it. So... I mean, we have, like, what, $8 million in the reserve right now? Based on $31 million, it would be like $8 million. Is that about right? Seven point something?

That's actually on the next slide. Oh, okay. Sorry.

So, I mean... Ruined it. I mean, one of our projects alone, the water is $7.6 million just for that project alone. So... I mean, I guess the other option to go with what Vice Mayor is saying is we could just wait for that funds to build up so we have the actual cash and then do those projects. So that would be a different way of doing it instead of having to dip into a reserve to pay for it. So I think we're just... But I think that looking at the way... we do it as a city, you know, our most stable revenue is our, I mean, most of our revenue is property taxes, sales tax. I mean, yes, those could vary, but they're pretty solid. Like, I mean, unless they have a massive recession, you're not going to see a huge drop in that, right? So the projections that they make are pretty solid. They're pretty, like, you can count on them pretty much for the most part, right? So I think dipping in a little bit is not like we're, like, taking a huge gamble. I don't know.

I do want to add a little bit about that, but in your scenario, you're saying 75,000 in expenses, but we need to factor in increasing costs. Right now with the economy that's happening, we've got increased energy costs, fuel costs, tariffs that are HAPPENING, AND IT COULD ALSO IMPACT THE MARKET BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SUPPLY IS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE. IT COULD IMPACT SPENDING IN THE CITY, AND IT CAN ALSO IMPACT DEVELOPMENT. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE MONITORING THE FUNDS. Those are things that we need to look at. Right.

But I mean, to his point, what he's looking at is he's like, we're taking in $101 million and we're spending $110 million. So there's a $9 million deficit. We're overspending my $9 million. But $24 million of our expenditures is one-time stuff. So I mean, what is that? It's like almost three times that number. So you take any of those projects out or take, we could just go say, I don't want to do that project and that project and that project. Find nine million right so that it all balances But I think that's why we have a reserve and I think we have a projection so I understand how it works I've been looking at these long enough to understand that it's a little different than it is at home for the city, but I don't know Any other questions

In this next slide we provide a financial forecast for the general fund with the starting point using the fiscal year 2026-27 budget and an estimate through 2030-31. Several factors were built into these forecasts, which are based on information we know as of today. Revenue increases are based on existing known development that's in the pipeline. including 350 single family homes, 115 rental units over the next five years. Also new retail business within the Gulf Ranch areas. We anticipate an estimate of 4.78% in property tax in fiscal year 26-27, 2.1 in fiscal year 27-28, and 1.6 in 2028-29, and thereafter stabilizing 2%. The new retail business is anticipated to increase sales tax by 3.1% in fiscal year 26-27, 3.5 in fiscal year 27-28, and stabilizing at 2% thereafter in the next coming years. Expenditures, we took a conservative approach to expenditure projections. We did include an inflation factor, but we did not include labor negotiation assumptions. We did, the assumption does take into consideration the current rate of increasing cost in energy and other costs driven by the cost of, by the increasing cost in fuel, such as supplies and services that the city procures. The city is anticipated to remain with healthy reserves and a healthy fund balance over the next five years with starting fund balance of 23.3 million in the fiscal year 26-27 and at 22.3 million by 2030-31. included within the forecast are the projects that are currently on the capital improvement program as well as the general plan update that's included in this budget.

I have a question, Mr. Solario. You mentioned that you had kind of factored in some just guesstimates on inflation just to take a conservative approach to it, but you didn't do it for the labor negotiations stuff. I mean, hypothetically, couldn't you do that in the future, though? I mean, because if you were to look back, say, over the last five years and say... AVERAGE THAT WE USUALLY END UP AVERAGE THAT WE USUALLY END UP WITH WHEN WE'RE NEGOTIATING WITH WHEN WE'RE NEGOTIATING CONTRACT OR WHATEVER. CONTRACT OR WHATEVER. IT COULD BE X NUMBER AND THEN IT COULD BE X NUMBER AND THEN YOU COULD TAKE THAT NUMBER AND YOU COULD TAKE THAT NUMBER AND DO THAT JUST TO SEE. DO THAT JUST TO SEE.

AN INFLATION FACTOR ACROSS AN INFLATION FACTOR ACROSS THE BOARD WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR THE BOARD WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR GROWTH WITHIN SALARY AND GROWTH WITHIN SALARY AND BENEFITS. BENEFITS. I DIDN'T PUT A NUMBER TO ANY I DIDN'T PUT A NUMBER TO ANY ONE OF THE BARGAINING GROUPS

We don't typically budget for that because we don't know what that number would look like and we don't wanna inflate what our budget would look like.

Right. I mean, but this is just projections, right? I mean, this is just like, you know. Thank you.

Any questions on the forecast?

One more, so I see what you're saying, this was when I said that the fund, the reserve fund was, I said like I thought it was eight million, it's actually 11 or 12. I wasn't thinking about the 25% of the fund six too, so that was, thanks.

So the true non-committed balance would be the 11.4 million that would, what would be estimated to use for the next budget cycle.

Next you see a forecast for the Measure Q fund. This is based on current budget for Parks and Recreation and the Lighting and Landscape District, which are the primary expenses within Measure Q. We're looking at an ending fund balance of $1.8 million in fiscal year 26-27, and projecting that the fund balance, if spending remains at prudent and responsible levels, we will end up with a $4.5 million balance by 2030-31. The forecast for the Parks and Recreation Fund is, again, the basis is the current, or the fiscal year 26-27 budget, which is at $9.8 million, and we anticipate that in five years, that budget's gonna be at 10.4. for in the case of Parks and Recreation, there is a more conservative approach to revenue growth, and we're basing it off on the trends that we've seen within the fund. We don't have taxes or other major sources of revenue that are driven by the growth in the city, but we do anticipate slight growth over the years.

So I have a question about the revenues, the market. It seems like the number's pretty level. It says the 26-27 proposed is $2.8 million, and then in five years it's literally like $20,000 maybe or less than $20,000. Is that pretty much just because, I mean, and maybe that's a question for Armando, is pretty much because we already know what we collect on rent, how many spaces we rent, and that stays pretty consistent, so there's really not any like... there's really not any potential for that number to go up unless we were to increase rent spaces or something, right? So that's why it's pretty flat.

Based on current business, that is, you know, revenues have increased and have fluctuated a little bit, but have remained within the same range with the improvements made within the department by the Director Solis, we've seen a little bit of growth, and so we are remaining hopeful that we'll go in that path, and if in the future we notice that there's potential for greater increases, we will reflect those in future forecasts.

Because, I mean, the main revenue for the galt market is the space rental. I mean, that's really the meat and potatoes of it. There's really not much else. And I think it was mentioned in another sheet here, but there was something about the renting of the grounds for other events and stuff outside of the actual market, right? That was detailed. I think I saw it somewhere. So other than that, it's expected for it to be flat, right? Well, it's good to know that because there was a time where we were shown a slide that had like a graph that went like this for the market. And it was like the doom and gloom graph that we were showed. So it seems that we're not on that trajectory.

Any other questions on that slide or on any part of the presentation?

I do have a question about, could you go back one slide?

Mm-hmm.

Okay, so a couple slides before that, we talked about the Measure Q forecast, right? And the Measure Q forecast revenues go up for 600,000 over the five years. And we have, of that, Measure Q was for what? Parks and Rec, right? That's what everybody up here, it was before me, but I agreed with it, was for Parks and Rec. Well, over those five years, we are seeing an increase of $300,000 to Parks and Rec with a fund balance of, by the end of five years, $4.5 million. Where then we look at this line up here, wait, go to the other one, the Parks and Rec one. That one. So now we see, you know, we start with 2.4, but we end with 2.7, but there's a fund balance of four and a half million dollars that's left in Measure Q at five years when we were supposed to take this money and put it towards Parks and Rec.

And so what you see here is the accumulation of fund balance for capital projects. If you would like to increase the operational budget and not leave room for future capital projects, that would be understandable. But the idea on building a fund balance within Measure Q is to have those resources available for when the department wants to do some improvements.

Yeah, that makes sense. So what he's saying is it's not like we're not going to use it, but it's like if we decided we wanted to build, you know, we're going to renovate one of the parks and that costs $1.2 million or something, right? Right. We have that. In order to eat up all that and what you're saying is that we need to be using all that money, we would have to increase the ongoing O&M expenses completely up to that number, which would leave us no money for anything new.

Well, which leads me to the second half of my comment where I'm checking out the fee schedules. And for the most part, there is no increase in fee schedules for parks and rec, but there are some. So as long as we have outstanding balances in the measure Q fund, and we have money that's supposed to go towards parks and rec, we really shouldn't be seeing any of these increases in the fee schedules for anything underneath parks and rec, because that's why we got this money. That's why people voted on this money. And that's where the money should be going.

No, I, I agree with that 100%. As a matter of fact, I was under the impression that there wasn't any fee increases in Parks and Rec.

There's only, if I remember right, I'm trying to pull it up right now, but my password is causing problems. There's only a few, but... What are they?

Can somebody tell us what some of the fee schedule increases are that have to do with Parks and Rec?

Of course.

Swim team... And I get the lifeguard, the trainings, that's all because of the Red Cross is increasing their schedules or their prices. But the swim team, and then there was a couple more that I'm trying to find. But you get what I'm saying? Uh-huh, 100%. That was all my comments for Mr. Solario.

We're looking at the fees for parks and rec.

I lost them all together. Yeah, I would look it up too, except that on the same boat you are. It'll take me five minutes to log back in my computer with all the authentication processes I have to go through.

Rodney, can we increase the amount of time it takes for these things to turn off? I asked him that already. I think we're at the maximum. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE REPORTING OUT THESE FUND BALANCES ON MEASURE Q ON HOW WE HAVE ALL THE OTHER MONEY THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF GAULT VOTED FOR TO BE THERE AND THEN TURN AROUND AND TELL THEM, OH, BY THE WAY, THERE'S GOING TO BE INCREASES IN YOUR FEE SCHEDULES.

I DO NOT SEE ANY INCREASES WITHIN PARKS AND RECREATION FEES. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU REMEMBER.

THE SWIM TEAM GOES FROM 215 TO 220. AND ALL OF THOSE. WHAT IS IT?

THE OTHER ONES WERE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAININGS BUT THOSE ARE NOTED RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THE RED CROSS INCREASED THEIR FEES. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A COUPLE MORE.

THESE ARE ALL THE RED CROSS

So maybe there isn't any. I don't see any other fees. It might have been the Red Cross ones that threw me off.

Possibly. But the city's fees for recreational services, I don't see one that is increasing.

And I, you know, under normal circumstances, it is totally understandable to see things increase. Think costs go up, operational costs go up, and so on and so forth. But I think, you know, it's very clear that the council feels probably the same as Vice Mayor Reid does, that because of the Measure Q, it's a little bit different way we look at it because we're not trying to, we're trying to keep things pretty, we're trying to keep those fees low solid as we can I do hear a lot of complaints people saying if you put two or three kids in sports and it becomes unaffordable and so on so that you know with the measure Q that was one of the great things about that as we were able to say hey you know so I think for the time being it would be nice so we could keep doing that which it seems like you are so thank you actually return check fees went down That's probably why.

Other questions?

I think I've asked all mine. Yeah. And then some. Okay.

Good points. I think just to point out where we started, and that is, you know, the conversion to the annual will give us all more visibility. I think it's a great idea.

Probably a lot of work for you guys, so thank you. No, we don't.

But again, I do appreciate whoever did that, because it is tricky. Sometimes we have people coming up, and I know Mr. Wenzel's not here tonight, but usually a budget night, he must be really ill or something, because this is like his Super Bowl. This is like his Super Bowl. But yeah, so we have some people come up and make comments saying, you know, we... They want to see more detail in the budget because that's something that they like to dig into. But at the same time, for us... you know, which, you know, just so for the public watching, we do get a budget. It's super, you know, it's like the phone book, right? But for what you're presenting here and what you're presenting to the public or people that are watching and for we're watching, you're just kind of breaking it down, trying to make it as simple as to understand, but also have it detailed so that we can see what's what and have transparency. So I appreciate trying to find that balance. We've seen budgets gone all different ways. We've seen pie charts on everything and we've seen it, super super dumbed down for lack of a better word and then we've seen it super complicated i've been here through all those like this and i think i would say the last couple times that you guys did a good job with making it you know understandable not too complicated for us to so thank you

I do have one random, very random question. We collect Quimby fees for those developments that don't want to build parks. Does that sit in the 06 fund or is that a general fund thing?

No, it's in its own fund. We do not commingle any of our impact or Quimby fees with operational funds.

That's fund 12.

Fund 12, okay. Well, there's not very much in there. Can you put more in there? All right, any other questions or comments from council?

We have public comment.

Chris Brosman.

What I'm concerned of is on page five, it says a 25% budget savings factor was applied to parks and rec operations maintenance and budget. I guess savings is another way of saying that we reduced our parks and recs funding by 25%. I don't think that was the intention of Measure Q either. When I looked at your chart on the wall here, it showed, you know, we're going to make $5 million in Measure Q funds. And where those monies are going? Mostly to the LLCs. I don't think that was the intended fund of Measure Q dollars. It was meant to be icing on the cake. Parks and Rec, needless to say, is a... been in my, it started me coming to council meetings, and it will continue to keep me coming to meetings. I look a lot into these numbers, and to be honest with you, on one page there's one number, and then there's another page, there's another number. So right now I'm looking at page six, and if we look at what number is showing there for Measure Q, it's 4.5. Looking at the slide, it's $5 million. When I look at taxes, gas taxes, again, I'm not able to ask the questions, but I go from 1.8 to 5.4. Now, is gas prices going up that much that we're going to be more than doubling our tax revenue from gas? And that's on page six. Grant funding. I hope if we do apply, get a person hired for grant funding, that they earn more than 80% of their salary. I'd prefer to be like 150% of their salary, because in the real world, guys, that's what it would be. Compaction and compression, I learned today. Said great words for the city, I guess. But in the private sector, I certainly never heard of those terms. In fact, I had to look them up just to figure out what the heck they were. And community development permit supervisors, pretty good position to get at $170,000. Compaction, contraction, I thought we adjusted salaries already this year. I thought we did a lot of stuff with the unions, but what I'm seeing here is we're increasing, let me get to the number, because I hate giving you something that's not true. At least it's being reported here. I got a minute 42, so I better pick it up, Chris. But as I remember, it's a 45% or something increase in wages going out, looking at our budget. 45%. I'd rather see part of that not going towards salaries. I mean, automatic salaries and then go, okay, I've got a group of guys, all four do the same thing, so we're gonna bring them all equal. God, that's a great world. But some of those guys are gonna get some pretty significant pay raises. To me, I'm always a percentage kind of guy and go, okay, give them a little bit, little bit, little bit. I'm gonna wrap this up with, guys, I know you're facing an awful lot of stuff here and it's a lot of information for you to digest and it's a lot of information for the public to try to digest. Basically, I started seeing these reports last week, but you only have so much time in the day, and that's kind of what I looked at, and I drilled down, and I'm going, wait a minute, a lot of this doesn't make sense to me. One of the slides showed $750,000 going from general fund to parks and rec. I don't think that's that 6% that we were talking about. going towards parks and rec that a lot of you committed to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Brosman. Ken Lee.

Yes, I wanted to know where some of the revenues go. Like, when they sell to the public, is that sales tax listed in the total revenue market, or does it go into a different fund? And basically, the business licensing fees you collect from all those vendors, what account does that go into? And all the wholesale that's going on there, we don't collect any revenues off all that wholesale business going on there. All we're getting is space rent.

Thank you, Mr. Lee. That's all. That's it. Okay, Council, what say you?

I would like, Carlos, if you could address a couple of questions that Mr. Brossman had. So the budget, I hope I'm looking at the right page. The budget for the Parks and Rec is currently, well, their total revenues right now Let's look at the expenses because that's more. So it's $9.8 million, right? Is that right? $9,840,000? So what was referred to by Mr. Rossman was that the policy the council came up with that said that we will, that the general fund will contribute a fixed amount of a certain percent, which was, I believe it was six. I forget what it was. So the 6% of 9.8 is only like 500 grand or 500 and some thousand. Am I doing the math right?

It's actually based on prior year and audited actuals, so we wouldn't be doing the math to compare adult work, proposed budget.

Oh, okay, right. Okay, so the proposed is 9.8, but what is the actual, do you have a rough number? Regardless of what it is, even if you use the $9.8 million, it's only $590,000. So if we were contributing 6% of 01 using the $9.8 million, it would be $590,000, but yet we're actually contributing $750,000. So we're above the 6% threshold, right? The...

6% of the most recent audited actuals is close to a million dollars. The contribution from general fund to the parks and recreation.

That we are contributing?

That would be contributing is close to a million dollars. The city's transferring $750 in cash to the Parks and Recreation Fund and providing two full-time positions dedicated for maintenance of parks facilities, which is the equivalent of the other $250.

SAY THAT AGAIN?

THE 6% EQUATES TO APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION. WE'RE PROVIDING 750 IN CASH AND TWO POSITIONS. AND TWO POSITIONS FUNDED IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT RECYCLE WITHIN PUBLIC WORK.

GOT YOU. OKAY.

THAT TOTALS TO 6%.

AND THEN THE OTHER I forgot the other question. Do you guys remember some of the stuff that was addressed? There was another question. I forget what it was. I DON'T RECALL, BUT I DO REMEMBER THERE BEING A MENTION, MR. BRUSSMAN DID MENTION SOME POSITIONS ABOUT NEGOTIATING UNION STUFF. I DID ASK THAT EARLIER THAT I WAS CONCERNED THAT WE HAD ALREADY ADDRESSED SALARY INCREASE OR WHATEVER, BUT ONLY ONE POSITION ON THAT WHOLE LIST IS ACTUALLY A UNION POSITION. SO A LOT OF THOSE OTHER ONES ARE NOT POSITIONS THAT WE ADDRESSED THROUGH THOSE UNION NEGOTIATIONS. just want to say that we actually, yeah, so we had, we, this is not us going through and just giving raises to whatever, and then we're coming back and doing, but some of these positions, as was mentioned, I know there's some positions in public works specifically or community development, like the, um, I forget what there were, but Chris mentioned them, that we have struggled to engineer positions. We've struggled to get those because we just, honestly, those positions don't pay enough, and we don't even get anybody applying for them. So I know that some of those reclassifications are for retention. But anyways, but I always appreciate... You know, great questions from the public. Yeah, they're all important and valid questions and concerns, and so I would always encourage somebody that if they have a question after tonight, they could email it to us or email it to the city, and we can ensure that we try to get those questions answered by finance so that somebody can get the answers they want. That's all I have.

All right, council, I'll entertain a motion.

Move to approve as stated in the agenda.

Moved by Council Member Pratton and seconded by, I'll second, seconded by Council Member Rodriguez. Roll call.

Vice Mayor Reed.

Aye.

Council Member Pratton?

Aye.

Council Member Sandhu?

Aye.

Council Member Farmer?

Aye.

Mayor Rodriguez?

Aye. Motion passes 5-0. Thank you, staff. That was a very good presentation, and thank you for your patience with our questions. Okay, moving on to G2, required public hearing and reporting on City of Galt vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts. Ms. Covey.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I would like to introduce human resource analyst, Rachelle Jennings. She will be giving tonight's report on vacancies in relation to AB2561.

Good evening, Mayor and Council Members. My name is Rochelle Jennings, and I am the Human Resources Analyst with the City of Galt. Tonight, I will be presenting on Assembly Bill 2561, discussing vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts for the city. Okay, AB2561 promotes transparency and accountability by requiring public agencies to publicly report vacancy trends and recruitment and retention efforts, helping ensure adequate staffing levels to support effective public services. AB2561 requires public entities to disclose the status of vacancies and the recruitment and retention efforts at a public hearing once a year. That's what we're doing tonight. to promote transparency. Tonight I will be discussing our 2025 vacancy rates and recruitment and retention efforts. In 2025, the Stationery Engineers Local 39, also known as IUOE, started the year with 56 authorized FTE positions and increased to 73 with the addition of 19 FTE positions in December and the removal of one supervisory classification that was placed in the unrepresented mid-management unit. The vacancy rate ranged from 12.5 to 27.4% throughout the year. The significant increase in December was due to the additional full-time positions that Council approved and the time it took to recruit candidates internally, such as holding interviews, completing physical requirements, and promoting the internal staff. As you can see in December, we hired seven staff to fill a good amount of those vacancies. And although it's not shown on this table, in January 2026, we filled an additional eight vacancies, significantly reducing the vacancy rate to below the 20% threshold. Over the course of 2025, the IUOE unit experienced nine resignations and 20 new hires with the annual turnover rate of 18.85%. In 2025, the Galt Police Officers Association, GPOA, had 35 total authorized FTE positions and a vacancy rate ranging from 8.57 to 14.29% throughout the year. This unit never experienced a month in which its vacancy rate reached or exceeded the 20% threshold. Overall, GPOA experienced three resignations and two new hires with the annual turnover rate of 9.65%. In 2025, the Galt Police Department Civilians Association, GPDCA, had 14 total authorized FTE positions, one vacancy, and a vacancy rate ranging from zero to 7.14% throughout the year. This unit also never experienced a month in which its vacancy rate reached or exceeded the 20% threshold. In 2025, GPDCA had one resignation, zero new hires, and an annual turnover rate of 7.59%. In 2025, the city's overall full-time vacancy rate ranged from 8.19% to 10.53%, and the turnover rate at year end was 11.33%. Since we're a smaller city, our employees are often paid less than employees in the same classification at other agencies in our region, which affects our recruitment and retention. Human Resources has worked to strengthen the city's recruitment and retention efforts in various ways. Our goal is to improve our workplace culture, increase job satisfaction, and keep employees engaged in engaged in an effort to reduce turnover, improve retention, and make the city a more desirable and competitive place to work. Here are some examples of our recruitment and retention efforts in 2025. We've used targeted job ads such as posting jobs on the Highway 99 billboard, social media, and various job boards such as APWA, California Rural Water Association, and CWEA for public works positions, as well as placed recruitment banners throughout the city. We've participated annually in the Galt Job Resource Fair hosted by California Human Development, Sacramento Works, and the Employment Development Department. We've conducted exit interviews and implemented stay interviews to gain insight into what contributes to employee satisfaction and identify ways the city can improve the employee experience. In 2024, an average of 50% of those who participated in an exit interview reported dissatisfaction with the city's workplace culture. In 2025, the average was 45.45%. And I'm happy to share with you tonight that so far in 2026, the average has reduced to only 14.29%. We've hired various student interns through the San Joaquin Delta College and through the city's student intern classification, which has led to part-time and full-time hires with the city. We're continually improving the city's workplace culture through the commitment of the Galt Employee Engagement Committee, GEEC, This committee focuses on employee engagement, recognition, and satisfaction, which increases retention. The committee has also reinstated the city's You Make a Difference program, which allows employees to recognize their coworkers who go above and beyond and model the city's core organizational values. The city has prioritized investing in its employees through training and development. For example, we recently implemented the Leadership Academy, which focused on strengthening the city's management team to improve job satisfaction and retention. During the last round of negotiations, the council approved an incentive matrix allowing unrepresented employees to earn incentives for advancing their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Additionally, the city offers a generous tuition reimbursement program in which eligible employees may receive up to $4,000 per fiscal year for qualified education expenses, enhancing our benefits package and benefiting both the employee and the city. Last year we established a home buying assistance program aimed at supporting the recruitment and retention of city staff by improving access to home ownership opportunities within the community. We have also revised our outreach and recruitment process for police officer academy attendee applicants by having police department staff present at the academy, streamlining the application and interview process and increasing the number of qualified applicants. All of these efforts combined are intended to make the city a desirable, enjoyable, and competitive place to work while improving retention and decreasing our vacancy rate. That's all, thank you for your time. Are there any questions? Council?

DO YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR PUBLIC DO YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS?

COMMENTS? YES. YES. LET'S CHECK. LET'S CHECK. WE HAVE TO OPEN A PUBLIC WE HAVE TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING, CORRECT? HEARING, CORRECT? YES. YES. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN A PUBLIC WE'RE GOING TO OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING. HEARING. ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS? ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS? NO PUBLIC COMMENT. NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

So all the numbers that we're seeing are from 2025, right? Which is six months ago now. Correct. How are, you don't have to give me the numbers, just a yes or no. Okay. How are the vacancy rates looking now compared to December? Because in some of these categories, December looked a little rough.

So they were looking really... Well, if the new positions get approved, that number is obviously going to be affected. But, Tricia, do you – was it – we got it reduced to – I can't remember what you quoted me on.

Are you looking for general vacancy rates by bargaining unit or just overall?

Just for the – like the three that we talked about, right? Because the biggest swing is 39, and then the GPOA is a much smaller swing because it's not as many people, right? Right. The one thing that did stand out to me was for the GPDCA where we had, and I'm assuming that's the same position that's been vacant since March. Yes.

We really struggled to get someone through the background process, but we have since filled it. So the GPDCA has a 0% vacancy rate. The GPOA currently has 11.43% vacancy rate. And for IUOE, we have a 12.16% vacancy rate. Fantastic.

So to answer your question, yes, we are in a lot better position than in 2025.

Thank you. So 11% of the GPOA, they have 30-some officers. So it's like, what, three officers? We're down like three-ish?

We're down four. Four. We have 35 authorized positions.

So remind me, public works, all those engineer positions, are they in there? Those are unrepresented. Unrepresented, okay. Yes, they're not included. Do we have maybe a ratio or a percentage for the unrepresented in general or per department, that type of thing?

We do have a city-wide vacancy rate that we track. So per AB2561, we track it by bargaining unit, and then we do a general one. Which is everyone else? That includes all bargaining units and unrepresented, full-time staff, because our part-time and temporary staff just sway too much, and it would affect our turnover and vacancy rate. So we just track the full-time, and I will get that for you. So our citywide vacancy rate is 9.52% right now. And that does not include the new positions that were just approved in the budget.

Any other questions or comments? Okay, do we just accept the report or do we have to have?

Yeah, there's no action. This is just a required informational hearing per state law.

Thank you.

Tricia, does the AB2561 only require us to report on the union positions? That is correct. Yeah, that's weird.

That is correct, and there are reasons for that that I'm happy to discuss with you another time. But this was a lot, this was a bill that was pushed heavily by labor, organized labor in California, yeah.

Thank you, Frank.

All right.

NEARING THE END, ANY NEARING THE END, ANY COMMUNICATION? COMMUNICATION? JUST A REMINDER, THE JUST A REMINDER, THE JULY 7TH COUNCIL MEETING IS JULY 7TH COUNCIL MEETING IS CANCELED. CANCELED.

OKAY. OKAY. NO OTHER CITY CLERK REPORT NO OTHER CITY CLERK REPORT ON THAT? ON THAT? OKAY. OKAY. COMMENTS BY STAFF?

COMMENTS BY STAFF? PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR ARMANDO SOLIS. ARMANDO SOLIS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. CITY COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED, SINCE THIS IS I JUST WANTED, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING BEFORE the Independence Day Celebration Parade, the music and viewing from Veterans Field, fireworks in the pool. Those tickets are on sale now, and you can register for the run also. We'll also have, before our next meeting, another Concerts on C Street. It'll be July 11th. I thought it was well attended. It was a little hot, but I think we learned a lot from our first street closure, and we hope to improve from there.

Is the slide open during the fireworks?

It won't be open during the fireworks. It will be open while there's public swimming.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, LANA, CARLOS, AND LYLA FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY PUT IN ON THE BUDGET. IT IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE DIRECTORS BECAUSE THEY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT. SO I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE THAT COUNCIL HAS IN STAFF IN APPROVING THIS THROUGH. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW FISCAL YEAR. THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS COMING. AND ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS COMING IS WE REMOVED THE INTERIM TAG ON THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. SO HE IS NOW OFFICIALLY THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, NO LONGER INTERIM.

YOU GOT TO GET HIM A NEW NAME TAG.

WELL, IT WASN'T IN THE BUDGET.

BUT THAT HELPS OUR OVERALL VACANCY, RIGHT? Any?

That's it.

That's it. All right. Comments by City Council and future agenda items. Vice Mayor Reed.

I didn't have anything to report earlier because it wasn't a commission or committee. So I did a few things this last few weeks since I wasn't here at the last meeting. I assisted the California League of Cities in grading some applications for the Helen Putnam Award for Public Safety and so we had 14 applicants and one of them got 95 out of 100 points which was pretty fantastic. Yesterday I had the opportunity to meet with Congresswoman Doris Matsui, where we covered a few things. She wanted to know what was going on in the city. And so I sat down and told her a lot of our concerns, which was from the train stopping in the middle of town, which then again happened like four hours after that meeting. And then we discussed not having public safety on that side of the tracks. We talked about putting in a subway underneath that train track. What?

Subway sandwich shop?

No. The road that goes under the train track.

I'm hungry.

And then we discussed Highway 99. We discussed the... size of highway 99 how everybody thinks that it is too small for the way it is and we discussed every single one of the on ramps and off ramps between twin cities and c street and so she had a lot of questions for me that i discussed with the city manager and we're going to be looking into some things to get her some some of the data that council member farmer uh came up with with csd and then the other information that we can get from the California Highway Patrol, because she wants to have better understanding and better data of the congestion and what happens in there. And then we discussed also homeless, and we discussed the new coalition that we're working on, and I think that's all that we talked about. I'm trying to remember. Yeah. Then I hadn't been up here since we had the Officer Gray Wall freeway sign showing. I thank you for that. That was a great thing to attend and I love the sign. I attended Helping Hands Board of Directors meeting, which they had a lot of questions for me that had to do with homeless, senior activities in the city. They're pushing for more senior discounts when it comes to city services and city activities. And then they had a lot of questions about the housing developments that are going on. And on top of that, I'm gonna echo what The city manager said budgeting is not easy, and it takes a village of people, and all those people are sitting right there, or a lot of them are sitting right there, so thank you. We sit up here and we try to process the numbers, but like Council Member Farmer said, we're not accountants, so Carlos does a good job of trying to explain it to us so that we can understand it the best we can, so thank you. That's it.

Council Member Pratton. Council Member Sandhu.

Thank you. Just only a few comments. First of all, thank you for the staff, especially finance department, and especially every director. You know, this report has come from the average a lot of time. Thank you for the reports. I'd also like to thank you for the public comment. That's very important. That's the feedback we need, what our constituents wants. There is no agenda item, but I like to use my city discretionary fund. I would like to give to $500, contribute to Galt Junior Hawk Youth Football and Cheer, and the other $500 I want to contribute to Liberty Ranch High School Athletes Boosters. And that's all, thank you.

Council Member Farmer.

A couple things. This microphone's weird. I had a question for Fritz, and you could get this to me whenever you have staff send it to me or whatever, but I had a citizen ask me about, and I hadn't noticed it until I looked at my own, but the water bills now, the SRF-1 and SRF-2 are now seem to be combined, and I don't know how long it's been like that. I remember they used to be itemized, but now it says SRF-1 and 2, and it just gives a figure. And the reason I guess this particular person was questioning that is because they were asking when the payoff of the first SRF is coming. We were told it's not far out, that we're getting close to that one. And so their question is because they're combined, then when it does go away or whatever, they're not going to be able to see it. So I don't know. I'd just like to know if anybody can tell me when we started detailing it as one line item instead of two because it used to be two. But it might be a long time ago. I don't remember exactly. And then the second question would be if you can let me know when the payoff of that first one is. Those were the upgrade loans that we did for the water plant, whatever. So if you can give me a date on that so I can get back to him on that. I appreciate that. And... The only other thing, I want to say thanks to everybody who did the budget tonight. Again, I already said that I liked the way it was presented, so thank you for that. And it's always difficult. Budget's not my favorite because, again, we're just up here having a lot of faith in staff. And it's always one of the things that the public is always most critical of. is uh how we spend our money and stuff so it's always hard um but the only other thing i wanted to mention is in light of some of the comments that we had earlier in the night the public comment um maybe i'm just wondering how we could if we maybe we could just have at the next council meeting which would be mid-july i guess if we could just do like a revisit or somebody just give a brief overview of what our municipal code says as far as like you know, protests like standing on corners or putting signage out or, you know, drawing on a sidewalk or drawing on a street or drawing on a wall. You know, I mean, just because those questions were posed. And so I would like us to at least state for the public in a public meeting what our municipal code says, and then as far as that municipal code, what is considered free speech, what's considered graffiti versus, I think there's, obviously it was a very contentious.

Council Member Farmer, if I can ask, I mean, the public comments seem to reflect the graffiti issue that we had recently. So is that where you want us to focus? Yes.

Yeah, well, I mean, because it seemed like the speakers tonight were insinuating, you know, infringement on First Amendment rights of freedom of speech, right? Because they were writing on the sidewalks and stuff, right? And so I know we have code with, like, if you want to put signage up. I know there's code with if you want to stand and protest with a sign that says whatever. But when it comes to the drawing on things and drawing on city properties like that, I think we need some clarification for the public to understand how the city looks at that.

Yeah, I mean, it's pretty simple. I mean, if you look under a graffiti ordinance, essentially it defines graffiti as a nuisance, and then it further defines graffiti and what it is, and it specifically says chalk, like in the definition of graffiti. It describes all the things that you can use for graffiti, you know, paint, and other items, but chalk is in there. So technically, if they are using chalk on public right-of-way, it is considered graffiti. So PD was correct, the assistant city manager in communicating out was correct, and PD was end up correct in the way they handled that situation.

Okay. Well, thanks for the clarification. Maybe we don't need to, but I just wanted to, because it never got said out loud after these people spoke, and I just thought it would have been helpful if we would at least help people. At least it was defined in some matter how the city looks at that, I guess. So, anyhow. Other than that, I don't think, so our next meeting is mid-July, right? 21st. The 21st, okay. All right, well, I look forward to the IDC. It's my favorite event the city does. I'm sure it'll be great. So I want to thank you guys in advance for all your hard work and Public Works. I know it's a joint effort, and PD. There's a lot of working parts, moving parts in that. So, but hopefully it's safe and we don't have anybody's houses burned down and hopefully we don't have to give out any multiple thousand dollar fines for illegal fireworks, although it probably will probably still happen, but.

They're already starting, at least in my neighborhood.

Yeah, I think, actually, at that point, would it be possible, I know Amy's not here and her and Genesis isn't here and I know they handle all the social media, but I think we've already been putting out some social media about the illegal fireworks, but I think it would be helpful if we really put something out prior to the 4th that says that drones, we will be using drones, and the fines will be hefty, and this is what the fines will be. I think it would be proactive to do that. So if you can do that, that would be great. That's all I have. Thanks.

And I'll make this pretty quick. I also met with Congresswoman Matsui right after Tim and I bring up 99. She says, oh, I talked to him about it. And I brought up the train. Oh, I already talked to Tim about it. So ours was a little bit more social. But we did discuss a little some nuances that and some other issues with the railroad property. I don't know if I'm allowed to announce what I told you. So the city had applied for a grant through Matsui's office and she approved her portion of it and then it went to committee, a federal committee, and they approved a portion of it. So at this point, the city of Galt should be receiving about $250,000 for, so that could be coming in. That is if all the stars align out there in D.C. federally and Appropriations decides to distribute those funds that have been approved. So that's a nice surprise that we'll hopefully be able to use. Other than that, oh, I did just want to comment that someone sat awfully quiet, didn't get any attention throughout this whole meeting, even through the budget. So thank you, Director Mort, for not having big asks.

I'm just kidding.

anyway so but thank you and thank you for all the hard work all of staff and we do have a very busy season coming forward and yes I forgot something was very important I'm sorry I just wanted to mention that the community lost somebody pretty significant for those of you that live locally a gentleman who worked at Ace Hardware his name was Sidney Johnston we knew him as Sid he was A 93-year-old gentleman who worked in the nuts and bolts aisle. And he's been, he worked there for 23 years. And he was a veteran. He was a Korean War veteran, served in the Navy. And so Ace Hardware posted something that he had died. And so I just wanted to mention that, you know, 23 years, working up until 93 years old. So anyways, condolences to his family on behalf of the city.

All right. And with that, we'll close this meeting.