Remarks by Nelson Esparza
210 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 7 of 9
- Play at 1:44:42
“All right, thank you. With that, is there any opposition to approving the consent agenda? Seeing none, the consent passes seven to zero. We have a couple of contested items. What we're gonna do, we're going to, let's see, we're going to do the 2N, 2N first. Pulled by Council Member Arias.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:54:01
“I do have Council Member Vang punched up.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 1:54:32
“Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, Willow and Bulge Park with the new playground and such. It's looking good out there. All right, we have a motion. We have a second. Is there any opposition to approving item 2N7? Seeing none, the item passes. Council, here's what we're going to do. We are going to break to knock out some closed session items. And regardless of whether we finish or not, we'll come back squarely at 1.30 for the tobacco discussion. Hear that item. 2Y at 1.30. So we're going to break for closed and then come back at 1.30 and we'll do the tobacco retail license item. City…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 4:49:06
“All right, we are back and in session. We're going to take on the tobacco retail license item. It was on consent agenda. It got pulled from the consent agenda. We've heard public comments on it already from earlier this morning. So given that we've heard the public comments and We'll just come up to the dais for a discussion up here, pulled by Council Member Richardson, but as one of the sponsors, I'm gonna say kind of a few things. I do wanna hear Council Member Richardson's thoughts as well. You know, as I indicated at the last meeting, the last time we discussed this item, we met with a…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 4:57:06
“Thank you, Council Vice President. We'll go over to Councilman Richardson who pulled the item. And I know you had some thoughts, pretty extensive thoughts at the last time we discussed this as well.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:24:20
“Yeah. Thanks. Councilman Richardson, you know, and it was lively discussion last meeting around. I don't want you to think that I didn't take any of your ideas and consider them. Obviously, there's already three co-sponsors on the item, so I couldn't go talk to you directly, but I did take notes of your suggestions. I talked about a number. I consulted legal counsel on a number of them. And there was just, you know, and maybe you did too. Maybe you had the same conversation. I have no idea. But as you're entitled to the same information, but it was tough. Some of them were tough to…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:25:20
“That was my comment. Thank you. Lots of discussion already. Thank you. Council Member Perea.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:30:34
“Thank you, Council Member Perea. Council Member Karabasi, followed by Council Member Arias.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:43:46
“With respect to the council member's questions about the fee, obviously we have sort of the full cost as determined. That was 972, I think. and then that's subsidized heavily by the grant. If the grant is not renewed, if we are not successful, would then the full fee be charged to the retailers?”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:44:21
“Yeah, because right now, I mean, it's effectively subsidized by the grant, effectively, right? We're subsidizing the retailers because of the state grant. They keep it relatively low, but the full cost, we know what that is. Okay. All right, Council Member Vang.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:48:32
“Thank you, Council Member Vang. I don't have anyone else punched up. Going once, going twice. I appreciate the thorough discussion and did go back and take a look at the language. It looks like the question I had asked about the fee being adjusted, it wouldn't be an amendment to the ordinance. It would be adjusted in the Master Fee Schedule for the future council. I will not be here if or when that occurs based on what grants may continue to be received or not received anymore. All right, we're gonna call the question. Is there any opposition to approving item, what item number is this? Two-…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:49:17
“There have not been, it is the language as presented. Okay, I am opposed to the language as written. Item passes six to one. Thank you, council. I think the last component of the open session that we have this afternoon is going to be unscheduled communication. So we'll go ahead and move over to unscheduled communication before we go back to closed session. I have one card for Emily Hanson. Is Emily with us? No, I don't see anybody coming forward. That's the only yellow card I had. If you have a card, yeah, come on down. Meanwhile, we'll go over to, well, actually we have a card coming.…”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:50:21
“It was on the consent agenda and passed in the morning.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 5:53:48
“We're gonna move over to Zoom. I don't have any additional yellow cards, but if there is anyone in the chamber, you're welcome to fill out a yellow card for unscheduled communication. So moving over to Zoom, we have Lisa Flores.”
City Council · Aug 27, 2026
- Play at 12:51
“All right, good morning. Welcome to today's council meeting. We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order here at 9.06 a.m. Clerk, would you please call the roll?”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 13:22
“Okay, fantastic. So next is the invocation followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. I will ask everyone to please stand if they can. And our invocation this morning is gonna be by Sherry Knott, who's Minister of Women over at St. Russ Baptist Church. Welcome. After invocation, I'll ask everybody to remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 16:44
“Council Member Perea, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? All right, move on to approval of the agenda. City Clerk, are there any announcements, changes, or items already removed from the agenda?”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 19:32
“ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, CITY CLERK. ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES, COUNCIL, COUNCILMEMBER PREYA? COUNCILMEMBER RODRIGUEZ?”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 20:02
“Council Vice President? Council Member Vang? Council Member Richardson? None. Okay, all right. I will entertain a motion for approval of the agenda. So moved. First, second, third, and fourth. Is there any opposition to approving the agenda? Seeing none, that passes. Okay.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 20:27
“Thank you. So we'll move on to the ceremonial presentations. We have a couple now this morning. We had one tabled. Our first proclamation is sponsored by Council Vice President Maxwell and Council Member Richardson. This is a proclamation for Ryan Simon Valdez Day.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 32:15
“So thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 40:32
“Thank you, Council Vice President, Council Member Richardson, as well as the family, very heartwarming presentation. Our second and last proclamation for this morning is gonna be presented by Council Member Radius, and that is a proclamation celebrating Broadway Park and the South Tower Community Land Trust.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 41:31
“Parque. Is that how you spell it in Spanish? Yes. Parque.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 50:40
“All right, fantastic. I'm gonna move on to council member reports and comments. Council member Perea. Council member, I'll skip over him. Council vice president, do you have any comments? Council member Ving.”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026
- Play at 53:12
“Thank you, Councilman Richardson. That's everybody except for myself. I first off want to thank everyone who came out to our eighth and final Beat the Heat event at Romaine Park last night. It was incredible to have over 1,000 attendees enjoying one last summer celebration before school starts here next week. A huge thank you to our community partners who made it possible, from the nonprofits who attended to the Fresno Police Department and their cadets for helping, Fresno Fire Department, and one of my favorite taco shops, El Premio Mayor, for keeping everyone fed. And most of all, thank you…”
City Council · Aug 13, 2026