City Council - Regular Meeting

All right, we will go ahead and uh call this meeting to order and uh everybody get settled in, find a seat if you can. Um it's great to see so many faces here. Um at this time please uh rise for the pledge of allegiance and please remain standing for the invocation. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Lord, we pause in this time to invite um your presence in this space. Um we have lots of ideas. We have lots of thoughts and opinions, but we pause to petition your thoughts and to hear what it is that you want to say into this community and to this meeting. May there be hearts that are open. Uh may there be minds that are thinking about being a people who are righteous before you uh and trying to work together for your good. We pray this in your name. Amen. Amen. Thank you. All right. Now we can sit down. All right. Lisa, can we have a roll call, please? Council member Leo Zuber. Present. Mike Rushia. Present. Dean Uker. Here. Vice Mayor Gary Barton. Present. Mayor Daniel Degraphth here. Okay. Public discussions. This time is provided to the public to address the city council on items that are not on the agenda. So, if you wish to speak on something that is not on the agenda, please come forward and state your name and address and you'll have three minutes. There's nobody that'd like to

speak. Seeing none, we will go ahead and move on to approval of the minutes of the regular meeting July 8th, 2025. Is there a motion? Move. Second. Motion a second. All right. Moving on to approval of the agenda as posted. Man, is anybody pulling anything from the agenda? Nothing. Okay. Okay. So, is there a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. Second. Is there a motion to approve the consent calendar? Second. Okay. Now, three of the items on the consent calendar were um proclamations. So item number I is for the San King County Board of Supervisors and their um 175th anniversary. So I believe this is supervisor Vickman Canip, one of you is going to come and uh give a little presentation. So you have the floor, you have the video. I was kidding. celebrating 175th anniversary of Sanwin County. And so we've been making trips. It was kind of my lovely idea to come and kind of celebrate birthdays in in the county. And this is Supervisor Rickman's uh district. I'm the chair of the board um of this the county, which is roughly 800,000 people. Um we have uh

8,000 employees. Um and we represent a lot of different areas and a lot of different um places. And coming here, I mean, you guys as leaders, I work with them. We go on trips with them. And you have very passionate public servants here. Um and it's just amazing for me to be part of it and be able to work with them. Um our county administrator, I'll go over the list of folks that we have here from the county. We all made the trek out. Mike Anderson is uh Mario Gardiaz, he's in the Mark Mike, are you still here? There he is. Mike Anderson. Gina Calder is my chief of staff. Maria Valenuela is there and that's supervisor Rickman's chief of staff. Scott Tyrell is also Supervisor Rickman's. Um our county administrator who is a homegrown ripping person and she she leads our county. Um she lives here. And then we have Brand uh Brenda Kylie is somewhere here. Brenda over there and Brandy are also um help run the county. And then we have from the clerk of the board. I want to give a huge shout out because they help us put on all these little parties that we have. So we have Michelle Dorg and Chelsea. And I'm not going to mess up your name. Sorry. So right. And then we also have Katie Albertson, our PIO in the front row here. And Olivia Hail, our register of voters. um she takes a lot of flack for all of us on all this voter registration stuff and we just hit over 400,000 400,000 voters in Sanwalk County. So shout out to Olivia on that and Sheree is also here with her from there. Um one quick thing and then I'll hand it over um is back in the day and we did we did a competition this year for the 175th anniversary and we did a seal um of this is actually another ripping person who won. and her name was um June and okay, where is it on here? June Sand and this was in eighth grade and she is the one that designed the

original county seal. Um so there's a little bit of history there. Um we also brought Philip Merllo and I don't know if he's going to speak but I'll hand it off quickly here to um not to hold you guys up, but thank you for having us. Um thank you for being one of the eight cities in Sanwalk King County that makes greatness grow here and much appreciated. Do you have a new Oh, and this was this is actually the slide um the young lady that won this one and we'll show the next one, but she's in juvenile hall and the saying is absolutely amazing. It says the clock represents the evolution of Sanwaqin County throughout time, including its festivals, agriculture, engineering, and advancements in economy. If you look closely, the clock uh marks 209 for the to represent our area code. I hope this inspires others to recognize how far we've come and the hope of where we are going because time never stops. Thank you. Thank you, chairman, and thank you, mayor and council, for, you know, having us over here today. And um I know I've worked closely, I know, um Mr. Zuber who told me that I have three minutes to get there. [Laughter] you know, we're on a council of governments together and the mayor, you know, we've been in Washington DC. So, I can tell you these two individuals are and the whole board, you know, the fighting for you, you know, making sure we're getting are the money that um from the state and feds to fix our roadways and our transportation and infrastructure and also our CEO Sandy Regalo. And you know, she's born and raised here. I think what you're her what principal in elementary school. So I want to know some dirt and I want to know it by the end of this meeting. But no, this year we celebrate as our chairman Paul Cranipa and thank you chair u mentioned we celebrate 175 years of San King County a milestone that

honors our shared history, our progress and our vision for the future. We are proud to have Ripen to be part of that story. from Ripen's humble beginnings as a Riverside settlement to becoming the almond capital of the world. You know, your orchard, your main street, your schools, and your festivals, especially the Almond Blossom Festival. I'm going to give Kelly a shout out from the chamber. Where's Kelly? There she is. And the whole and the whole crew. And I can tell you, you know, being all all through, you know, the eight cities and talking to the different um chambers and nobody can touch Rippens. So, great job. You know, you got to reflect the same values that built San King County. Hard work, community spirit, and deep respect for your heritage and our heritage. As we look ahead, Ripen will continue to be a place where tradition and progress continues, contributing to a county that has been thriving for 175 years and will thrive for many, many more. So, God bless you all. God bless Ripen, God bless County, and God bless this great country of ours. So, thank you. Philip Phillips's our longtime historian and we'll let him he's a breath of fresh air and so he has a few words before he has to sneak out. Uh hi everybody. My name is Philip Merllo. I'm the executive director of the San King County Historical Museum which is uh out at Mickey Grove Park North Sam County. But we do care a lot about Ripen. Uh I'll keep it really short because I think there are a lot of people who know more about Ripen's history than I do. I'm I'm a not the expert on on the topic, but I'll say is

that Sam King County and and definitely Ripen. Um, at the museum, we always say that the history of this region and of our communities is not is significant, not just locally, not just regionally, but but really on a national level. And I think sometimes in our daily lives, it's it's easy to forget that, but the agricultural histories of our region um are really unique and really special. and in a lot of San King County, especially here in the South County and in places like Ripen, um it's one of the the best places in the world to have a small business farm. And I think because of the really the fertile soils, the the really good government institutions that we have in this area uh for irrigation for for for land management certainly South Samin Irrigation District um which is one of the earlier irrigation districts in the central valley um you have these really nally significant histories of these things that made this landscape really viable for small business agriculture. And that's why people from all over the world uh in in in Ripen's case, of course, you have a great diaspora of people from the Netherlands, the Dutch community here, there's the Portuguese community, uh this the the um the Swiss Italians were were an original group that were here a long time ago. Um it's become a real magnet for people from around the world to come to this area to to have small business farms and and build their American dream. So, I think that um given that context, I just think that it's really important anytime that we celebrate the 175th or an anniversary, I think it's important to name that because sometimes it's easy to forget that where we're from is significant and where we're from is important. And I think that when we keep that story with us and keep that in our heads gives us a sense of civic pride that makes our lives better. Thank you. [Applause] Hi, my name is Connie Jorgensson and I

live in Ripen. I'm the curator for the Clarence Smith Museum and Ripen Historical Society. I'm going to talk about Ammon Blossom Festival and how long it's been in Ripen. And the precursor to Ammon Blossom Festival was the um the starting of the Simpsonly Paper Company. Most of you probably know that. A lot of you might not know that, but Simpsonly Paper Company came to Ripen in 1962 and it was really huge and they had a festival for that and it was a celebration but it was in September of 27 28 and 29 and the next sep of February would have been six months later and they didn't have an Ammon blossom that year. So they didn't have an ammon blossom until 1963. That was the very first ammon blossom. And so that was the beginning of a blossom. And from that point on they wanted to have a celebration every year which started em blossom and this next coming year will be the 64th ammon blossom. And there have been many many changes throughout the years. One of those changes was the person first the first person was Maul Moholland. Her name was actually Clementine which a lot of you might have known. I'm probably going to run past my three minutes. It's already three minutes. I'm sorry. But uh a lot of things that were very important of the past was uh they

included wrestling uh basketball tournaments with other schools, a yo-yo contest, uh tractor poles, art exhibits, blue diamond tours, tours of the uh ammon blossoms, wine uh not wine testing, ammon tasting. They had u so many things that were different from now the candidates the uh queen candidates they had them anywhere from four of them to 10 of them but right now the person that runs all of this is Kelly Donahghue. Kelly Donahghue is the most amazing person. She we could not have Ammon Blossom without Kelly Donahghue. So um if you want to know anything more about Alan Blossom, ask Kelly Donahghue. Sorry that I didn't pass a minute. Okay, I promise this is the last thing because I can see council member Zuber giving us a sink eye over there. Where's the chair? So on behalf of the chairman of the board and the board of supervisors, our honor to present their certificate of recognition to the city of Ripen on the occasion of Sanin Countyy's 175th anniversary. Ripen is proudly known as the jewel of the valley and celebrated as the almond almond capital of the world. Ripen thrives on a rich sense of tradition, of family, faith, education, and the arts, and is a place where a clean, safe environment nurtures growth, opportunity, and success. As we mark this special anniversary, we celebrate the legacy that continues to shape our bright future. On this 12th day of

August 2025, the county of Sanwank proudly proudly recognizes the city of Ripen for a steadfast commitment to nurturing a vibrant, inclusive, and prosperous community. One that stands as a beacon of tradition, gener generosity, and culture. Signed by our chairman, Paul Canipa, and myself, um, Robert Rickman. So, mayor [Applause] Go down here. Working. Yeah. Come on up here. We'll take a picture. And I got some reading for you, too. No, you're not getting swag. So before I read this whole thing, I will just say um a lot of wonderful words have been said about the community of Ripen u tonight and we we appreciate that. What I getting out of the picture, but um you know, it really comes down to the people um all of you here, you're being recognized tonight, all of you here to to celebrate tonight um the the 75th anniversary. Um and just the the people who are maybe not here. Um, this community is a wonderful place and we're we're very thankful for, you know, everything we have and um, we appreciate all that you do. I mean, talking about the relationships that we have and the working relationship together with the the county and the city, um, it's been great. So, appreciate both of you and the the other um, supervisors and your staff. Um, it's been been a lot of fun to work with you and look forward to continuing working with that. I got a lot of a lot of paragraphs here too, a lot of where's so I will read this but um you know on behalf of the city of Richmond we've prepared this proclamation for you. It says, "Whereas the year 2025 marks its 175th anniversary of Sanqin County, commemorating its establishment in 1850 alongside the founding of the state of

California. And whereas Sanqin County, named for the river that runs through its core, has long stood at the intersection of geography, culture, and opportunity, is its history shaped by the original indigenous inhabitants, early settlers, and the generations who followed. And whereas after early periods of hardship and transformation, the discovery of gold in the mid- 19th century brought a dramatic influx of new settlers, laying the foundation for lasting communities and regional development. And there's lots of warehouses here. Whereas the arrival of the railroad in the 1860s positioned the county as a critical link between east and west, accelerating commerce and growth through the dedication of a diverse workforce whose contributions shape California's infrastructure. And whereas the county's fertile land and temperate climate led to a flourishing agriculture economy, producing an array of crops and supporting a way of life that continues to feed the state and nation. And whereas the evolution of agricultural practices supported by technological innovation and irrigation infrastructure fostered industry and trade that expanded well into the 20th century and beyond. And whereas through periods of war, change, and growth, the people of Sanin County have demonstrated resilience, creativity, and a commitment to building strong communities. And whereas the post-war era ushered in new opportunities in education, housing, and transportation, helping shape the modern character of the county as a place where individuals and families continue to thrive. And whereas Sam King County today stands as a vibrant, diverse, and essential part of California's central valley, honoring its past while looking toward the promise of the future. Now, therefore, the city of council of the city of Ripen, speaking on behalf of all of our people, do hereby publicly recognize and celebrate Sanin Countyy's remarkable history, its enduring spirit, and the contributions of all those who have made it a place to live, work, and grow for generations. Signed by me, the mayor. Thank you. [Applause] You want to come up here?

Okay, while they get settled down outside, can we have the athletes and coaches and uh anybody from Rip and Christian who is being celebrated this evening come on up for in front. We're going to have to start making these things shorter. Um, you know, I I know we we've said it before when uh the athletic programs get recognized, but uh we are very proud of all of you and your accomplishments and u it's exciting to see what uh the RIP Ripen Athletics both uh the Ripen programs and Ripen Christian have been able to accomplish. So, um it's great to see you guys up here and um we have this proclamation for you. So, I will read it to you and I just want to say congratulations. Um, so honoring the Ripen Christian High School 2024 2025 spring athletic accomplishments. Whereas the hard work, dedication, sportsmanship, talent, and exceptional team chemistry of the 2024 2025 Ripen Christian boys volleyball team and the co-ed tennis team has established these student athletes to earn championship titles. And whereas the Ripen Christian boys volleyball team the title earned the title of California intercolastic federation division 3 sacking section champions. And whereas the Ripen Christian co-ed tennis team earned the title of California intercolastic federation division 2 sacking section champions. And whereas the coaching staff, team members, parents, faculty, and student body at Ripench Christian High School were integral in guiding the teams to victory through their unwavering support. Now therefore, I Daniel Degraphth, mayor of the city of Ripen, do hereby recognize and heartily congratulate Ripench Christian High School on its outstanding accomplishments. Furthermore, the city council and the city of Ripen, speaking on behalf of all of our people, do

hereby publicly congratulate Ripen Christian boys volleyball team and the co-ed tennis team on their accomplishments signed by me. So, congratulations to you all. I don't know if the coaches want to say anything. We'd like to thank the city council and the city for uh for this honor and allowing us to come on out. Um got about half the members of our boys volleyball team somewhere up here and then our our tennis team. And so we're just very grateful for the support of the community and um you know our tennis team is excited to see and they won their first section title ever in in program history. Kind of nice and cool that you can kind of look through the windows right there and see a new facility that's going in and we'll get to celebrate it. We do appreciate uh the partnership with the city uh for allowing us to use the uh the community courts for many many years and are looking forward to kind of getting on our our own courts and uh freeing up some space for the community. So, um, yeah. So, very, very thankful to be here. No. Okay. Well, there you go. There's your proclamation of fans. Yep. Thank you. Appreciate it. Y. These ones are for different teams, right? So, which one should I read? That they're both. Oh, they're both the same. Gotcha. All right. So, now it's time for the uh Ripen High athletes. So, anybody from Ripen High, come up and get recognized. and coaches

move over a lot of so again I will make the same comment uh as I did previously but uh we're very proud of the accomplishments you guys have all uh made as players and as coaches and parents um it's you know again a very exciting exciting to see the um you know ability to go play at at the levels that you guys do and perform so well. So we're very proud of you and um we want to congratulate you and uh we will read this here as whereas the hard work, dedication, sportsmanship, talent and exceptional team chemistry of the 2024 2025 Ripenhive School boys golf team, varsity boys track and field team, the varsity girls track and field team and starless sky has established the students athletes to excel in their respective sports. And whereas Ripen High School varsity boys golf team ended the earned the title of California Intercolastic Federation Division Five Sackween Second Champions. And whereas Ripen High School's varsity boys track and field team earned the title of California Intercolastic Federation Division 5 SAW King Second Champions. And where the Ripen High School varsity girls track and field team earned the title of California Intercolastic Federation Division 5 second section championship champions. and where Stylus Kles as part of the track and field team placed ninth in the California Intercolastic Federation state track meet for the 300 hurdles. And whereas the coaching staff, team members, parents, and faculty and student body at Ripen High School were integral in guiding the student athletes to victory through their unwavering support. Now therefore, I Dana Degraphth, mayor of the city of Ripen, do hereby recognize and heartily congratulate Ripen High School on its outstanding accomplishments. Furthermore, the city council, the city of Ripen, speaking on behalf of all of our people, do hereby publicly congratulate the Ripen High School boys golf team, varsity boys track and field team, and the varsity girls track and field team and Starless Sky on their accomplishments. So, congratulations to you all and um make some comments. Well, you get to it's always an honor to get accomplishments what these students do

every year. They work really hard. It was a special group. Uh Stara especially got to place ninth in the state of California. In the state of California, you got to remember state of California is huge. So that was a wonderful accomplishment. These kids have done great for all the different years. We wish them well. How many of you are seniors? Raise your hand because they're all moving on to their next level of life uh in college. So it'll be a great time, but we appreciate all the effort you put in. Uh now I want you all in the middle so we can take a quick picture. So, getting like three rows. Drew is not going to say anything. No. Six, five.

Um ordinances item number two, second reading and adoption. Um Lisa, you have something to present to us on this, I believe. But okay, so this is a second reading and adoption of the um GAN limit ordinance that we do on an annual basis that I'm happy to answer any questions. Any questions? I just think we should read it. You want Lisa to read it after that? No. Uh, I'm kidding. Is there a motion to wave the second wave the second reading and adopt the ordinance? I'll second that. Uh, I can't call a vote here, but um, there we go. You're welcome, Lisa. All right. Um, department heads, chief. Uh, Mr. Mayor, all I have to report is tomorrow, uh, we do have our community meeting for area responsibility 3. It's going to be at the police department at 7 p.m. And we will also be present um, at th on Thursday at the first responders night. Many of our staff members will be there uh communicating with the public at the farmers market from 5 to 8 and nothing else to report. All right. Thank you. Okay. Ken, uh a couple items. Um so I did send an email out to council. Hopefully you uh got that about the housing element being officially adopted and in compliance. Um, however, with that, there's a whole host of uh tasks and uh action items that we're going to be bringing forth to the council over the next uh probably couple years. We're going to start working through some of those. So, um with that being said, you'll see some stuff coming up. However, we do not have a planning commission meeting this month again. So, uh enjoy your time off. We'll have one in September if you'd come out if you'd like to come out and join us for those. Perfect. Okay. Thank you.

Question comment. That's good. I know that you had people helping you with that, but to come back that way that it did, I think is quite an accomplishment. Yep, I agree. James, same. Yeah, two quick things. Our water uses for July was 14% lower than our water usage for July of 2024 last year. Um, it was 27% lower than our 2013 numbers. And then our large item pickup program is still going on. So, residents have until the end of September to sign up for that. And, uh, that's it. All right. Thank you, Mr. Tster. Kevin, nothing. Wow. Neil have something. I had 12 things, but it I'll cut it. I just have one. The road work that's being done over on the east side of the freeway in what is it? Area two. Is that what we're doing this time? I have to say, and I've talked to several people over there. They're impressed with what's going on. I mean, we realize that some of those streets were in pretty bad shape. So, they're getting entirely new streets put in, not just capped, and the company that's doing the work is keeping things moving. It's pretty for me, it's impressive. The amount of roadway that's being improved over there is probably more than I've ever seen done at one time since we've started this. So, thanks for the planning and the and the work that the staff is doing. It's it's having an impression on the residents over there. Mr. Vice Mayor, yes. wanted to thank you, Connie, for your comments this evening and echo your

appreciation for the head of our chamber. Um, Kelly, you don't you don't get thanked enough and uh we just love what you do. Thank you for Porchfest. A lot of fun. Uh, thank you also to the staff members here from the police chief, all the heads of the departments. We really appreciate what you do for us every day. Yeah. Couldn't have said it any better. We have a wonderful town, wonderful people. So, um, appreciate everyone who came. I know they all left us and, um, we we might have had a side bet going on up here about how many would be left and I think Leo won. So, um, anyways, thank you for sticking around. Appreciate it. And with that, we will go into close session.