City Council - Regular Meeting

Conduct in the city council chambers, rules of decorum for the public. Members of the audience shall not engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct, including the utterance of loud, threatening, or abusive language, clapping, whistling, stamping of feet, or other acts which disturb, disrupt, impede, or otherwise render the orderly conduct of the city meeting infeasible. A member of the audience engaging in any such conduct shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of the city council, be subject to ejection from the meeting per government code section 54954.3c. Removal from the council chambers. Any person who commits the following acts in respect to a meeting of the city shall be removed from the council chambers per government code section 54954.3c. A. Disorderly, contemptuous, or insolent behavior towards the city council or any member thereof tending to interrupt the due and orderly course of said meeting. A breach of peace, boisterous conduct, or a violent disturbance tending to interrupt the due and orderly course of said meeting. Disobedience of any lawful order from the mayor, which shall include an order to be seated or to refrain from addressing the city council, and any other unlawful interference with the due and orderly course of said meeting. Well, welcome everybody. Happy New Year, 2026. Here we go again. Another year loaded with opportunity. Welcome to the Taft City Council Successor Agency Joint Regularly Scheduled Meeting for Tuesday, January the 20th, 2026.

[clears throat]

City of Taft Council meetings are being held in person with full capacity seating and are live-streamed at www.youtube.com/user/cityoftaft. Public comment can be made in person and also can be received per the following. Written comments may be dropped off in the drop box in front of city hall. Comments may be emailed to the city clerk at cityclerk@cityoftaft.org, and they may also be made by phone to the city clerk's office at 661-763-1222. Public comments will be accepted up until 5:00 p.m. the day of the meeting, and all comments received shall be read into the record. We'll begin this evening's meeting with the pledge of allegiance led by myself, followed by an invocation from Greg Mudge. If you would join us, please.

[clears throat]

And over your heart, salute, and pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Will you pray with me? Father in heaven, we're so thankful for all the many blessings that we had in the year of 2025. And Father, we're excited about the opportunities and challenges that greet us here in 2000 26. We just pray that you'd be with us tonight as uh we consider and look at the plans for this coming year. We thank you, Father, for your son Jesus and what he means in our lives. And we thank you, Father, for the gift of these uh councilmen and staff members for the city of Taft that have committed to serving this community and helping to make us a better place to live. We're thankful for the service of Yvette Mayfield and the many years that she gave us. And tonight we are excited about the opportunity of welcoming Faithman Milton in her new role as city clerk. Be with them all, Father, as they take on these new challenges. Guide them and direct them. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen. Thank you very much, Greg. [clears throat] [snorts] Madam Clerk, may we have a roll call, please? Mayor Noer? Here. Councilmember Cryer? Here. Councilmember Waldrop?

Here. And Mayor Pro Tem Bryant and Councilmember Shaver are absent with notice. All right. I think their eyes were so filled with tears because of what's going on tonight they just couldn't bring themselves to be here. First item on this evening's agenda is a proclamation for City Clerk Yvette Mayfield. And I have the honor of reading this proclamation. City of Taft, State of California, Certificate of Commendation presented to Yvette Mayfield. In recognition of her many years of dedicated service to the City of Taft. Whereas the City of Taft honors Yvette Mayfield upon her retirement recognizing a distinguished career marked by dedication, expertise, and meaningful service to the community. And whereas Yvette began her professional path in the finance and real estate field before administering grants for the City of Wasco from 2001 to 2013 later continuing grant work for the Tuhon Indian Tribe and then joining the City of Taft in 2013 as a part-time grants administrator. And whereas in 2014 Yvette was appointed City Clerk of the City of Taft subsequently elected to the position until 2022 when voters approved transitioning to an appointed City Clerk making Yvette the first appointed City Clerk in Taft's history. And whereas Yvette has been an active community leader she has served the Taft Kiwanis Board since 2015 and the Taft Chamber of Commerce Board since 2016. Her time included being Kiwanis President in 2019 and Chamber President in 2023. She was voted by the community as Businesswoman of the Year in 2017.

[clears throat and cough]

And whereas she demonstrated a strong commitment to professional advancement she earned her Certified Municipal Clerk designation in 2016 and Master Municipal Clerk designation in 2020 through the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. And whereas Yvette played significant roles in major city projects including the Taft City Hall remodel the renovation of the Taft Needs Center and administration of housing rehabilitation rehabilitation programs. She administered various grants through the years for the City of Taft. She modernized policies, procedures, and perfected city processes to ensure long-term transparency, compliance, and efficiency. Whereas the City of Taft extends its profound appreciation to Yvette Mayfield for exemplary service steadfast leadership, and enduring contributions to the city and community. Now therefore the City Council of the City of Taft does hereby dedicate this day to honoring Yvette Mayfield and celebrating her legacy of public service with the city expressing its sincere gratitude and warmest wishes for a well-earned and fulfilling retirement. Signed and dated this 20th day of January 2020 six by Dave Noer and all the council members in full appreciation for all of the wonderful things you have done. So, Yvette Mayfield [applause]

[applause]

You ever seen this before? [laughter]

Thank you so very much. Would you like to address the council? I will. Please. I have nothing prepared because that's who I am. I prepare for you, I don't prepare for me, apparently. [laughter]

But I do want to take this time to thank the council. You've all been wonderful to work with and I've been blessed to be able to serve as your City Clerk since 2014. I'd also like to thank Craig, he's been a wonderful boss. He's challenged me, he's mentored me in many ways, and I'd like to think I've done the same with him. And I I also want to go on the record and say that Faith is a wonderful wonderful replacement. She will serve you well, I have no doubt. Thank you. Thank you so very much. [applause]

Okay, next up, item number two, appointment and swearing in of new City Clerk, City Manager Jones. Thank you, Mayor. On November 8th, 2022 the voters of the City of Taft approved Measure Q which amended the Taft Municipal Code to change the City Clerk position from an elected office to an appointed position. Ordinance number 850-22 was adopted by the City Council on December 20th, 2022 and codified as Municipal Code Section 1-19-6. Pursuant to the Municipal Code 1-19-6 the City Clerk is appointed by a majority vote of the City Council and serves the City Council by maintaining city records, preparing and posting City Council agendas, recording and maintaining minutes, administering municipal elections and ensuring compliance with applicable open meeting and public records laws. All right, thank you very much, City Manager Jones. The recommend action here is a motion to appoint Deputy City Clerk Faith Melton as City Clerk effective January 20th, 2026 to ensure continuity of operations and compliance with state and local requirements. Upon appointment the City Clerk will be sworn in and assume the duties of the office. At this time I would entertain such a motion. Motion. Second. I have a motion and a second. You made the motion, sir, any discussion? No, I would I think we had a good choice with Faith Melton and I thank Yvette Mayfield was a great City Clerk and did a lot of training her, working with her to make everything possible for her to be appointed to this position and um I think Taft is going to benefit with this decision. Thank you. All right, thank you, sir.

[clears throat]

Councilman Waldrop, you had the second. Well, I too like to thank Yvette for everything she's done. She's going to be missed and I hope she misses us. And far as Faith Melton goes, all I can say with a name of like Melton she's a winner. Thank you. Okay. I imagine Yvette is going to miss us. I think she'll be smiling in her rearview mirror as she and her husband head out of town on their first trip and we wish you both the very best on that trip. Um Faith boy, do you have a job in front of you, young lady. I'll tell you what, I don't know if you know enough about this City Council, but we lean on the City Clerk. We depend on the City Clerk. And hopefully we'll do a better job of not leaning on you so hard, but trust me when I say we understand your role and how important it is and how critical it is to all the people of City of Taft. So uh I do believe we have a motion and a second. Madam Clerk, may we have a roll call? Councilmember Cryer? Yes. Councilmember Waldrop?

Yes. Mayor Noer? Yes. That makes it unanimous. So, at this time I would ask that Yvette Mayfield come up and swear you in. I thought she was retired. [laughter] This is her last duty. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, state your name. I, Faith Melton do solemnly swear or affirm do solemnly swear that I will support and defend that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California and the Constitution of the State of California

against all enemies, foreign and domestic against all enemies, foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California and the Constitution of the State of California that I take this obligation freely that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion and that I will well and faithfully discharge and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter the duties upon which I'm about to enter. 100% [applause]

She didn't miss a lick. She didn't. It's the without mental reservation or purposes of evasion. That one always trips you up. So, I am going to recess this meeting for 5 minutes so we can take pictures and hug. 5 minutes.

[clears throat] Okay, we got all the pictures? Got everything? [laughter]

All right, then. We are ready, gentlemen? Yes, sir. All right. I'll call this meeting back in the session. Thank you all very much. Next item on the agenda, item number three, public hearing, zoning ordinance amendment 2025-16, amending title six of the Taft Municipal Code to implement housing element programs of the sixth cycle housing element update 2023 through 2031. City Manager Jones. Thank you, Mayor. This action for the City Council consists of zoning [clears throat] ordinance amendment 2025-16, amending title six of the Taft Municipal Code to implement 23 housing element programs within program five, removal of constraints, program six, accessory dwelling units, program nine, housing production streamlining, incentives, and the adopted sixth cycle of the housing element 23 2023 to 2031. The City Council introduced the zoning ordinance amendment at its regular meeting on December 16th, 2025, waived the full reading and set the date for a public hearing for January 20th, 2026. At its January 2020 26 meeting, which is today, the Council is asked to hold the public hearing, waive the full reading, and adopt the ordinance approving zoning ordinance amendment 2025-16. Thank you, City Manager Jones. At [clears throat] this time, I will open said hearing. Anybody wishing to speak in support of this action or in opposition, please step forward. Seeing none, I'll close the hearing. At this time, I would entertain a motion to adopt an ordinance entitled an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Taft approving zoning ordinance amendment 2025-16, amending title six of the Taft Municipal Code to implement housing element programs of the sixth cycle housing element update for 2023 through 2031, wave full reading, and find that the

project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, as set forth in section 15061B3 of the CEQA guidelines, and that the proposed amendment will have no significant effect on the environment. Motion. Second. I have a motion and a second. Any discussion, sir? No No discussions. All right. Councilmember Waldrop. It's all said. Okay, then. Well, it's a matter of bookkeeping. Madam Clerk, we have a motion and a second. May we have a roll call, please? Councilmember Cryer. Yes. Councilmember Waldrop. Yes.

Mayor Noe. Yes. That passes on a 3-0 vote. Thank you all very much. Next item on the agenda, citizen request public comments. Do we have any citizens request public? None? All right. Council statements, non-action. Councilman Cryer, I'll begin with you, sir. Thank you. Um I'd like to wish everybody a late Merry Christmas and a happy New Year's. Unfortunately, I have a bad accident. I hurt myself, so I missed the last meeting, so I couldn't say those things, but it's a day of Christmas to remember why why we had Christmas and what's all the meaning of it. And in New Year's, it's about the new beginning for a new year, what's going to happen. And there's a lot There's a lot of things coming up in California that could be pretty scary, especially in the energy part of it, you know, refineries, cost of fuel, how we're going to replace it, and what's ahead of us. Um I'd like to encourage everybody to look into it and read what's out there, all the information that's out there. It's all You can get all uh on on the internet, and talk to people in the oil industry. There's There's like our mayor here. He's got a wealth of information, Les Clark, here locally. A lot of good information out there to explain what is going to come to be down in California.

[snorts]

Um why is fuel is down right now because of oil cost? Is everyone paying what between three and $3.50 to $4 a gallon now, but he still go across other states, he gets lower than $1.99. Um but we're being a predicament coming up here. And another thing, looking at the oath of office that we just had here shortly with our new City Clerk, Faith Melton. What's in that What's in that oath? Defend Constitution and our country in there. How many of our elected officials in other states take their oath seriously? Defend us. To follow the laws. We're We're slowly getting away from it. So they're So they're swearing in on the Bibles anymore. They're swearing on a Quran or other means. Some are using neither. But they're not taking their oath seriously. And that could be the beginning of our our decline in our country here if we're not be careful. But um I just want to let people just think about it. And look about the good year ahead of us and what can we do to make things better. That's all I have to say, Mayor. All right, thank you very much, sir. Councilman Waldrop. I also would like to wish everybody a prosperous New Year's coming, and do great thing cuz I think we're going to we're going to have some great things happening. And boy, have we been getting the weather, rain, and now we got the fog moving in, keeping all this water here, and the weeds are going to be trees pretty quick if we don't get quit watering it. But as it as usual, we got to remind everybody those weeds have to be cut cuz they did end up being a fire hazard. So,

consider that, and uh get her done. Thank you. All right, thank you very much, sir. Like I said, a brand new year. Here we are. It's not like we don't address so many of these issues year in and year out. They haven't killed us and ate us yet, so that's a good thing. I watched the governor's state of the state address not too long ago. He hadn't done one in a while. And after watching him, I hope he doesn't do another one for a long time, too. That's strictly my opinion. But I was trying to follow what he had to say given what's really going on. Uh and I when one digs deeper into the issues and and what we have to deal with, uh it's somewhat confusing. So, I looked into uh our budget. And I looked into how it got to be where it is. When the governor took over this the office of governor in 2019, staff that supported the office of the governor was 150 people. 150 people. Currently, there are 381. That's the governor. Uh the budget in 2019, the state's budget was 300 billion. In 2024, 494 billion dollars. And according to the governor and the legislative analyst's office, we have a budget problem. We have a structural deficit problem. They forecast, obviously, a budget deficit this year, but the governor redid the revenue side of the budget and came up with about 42 billion dollars that the LAO's office couldn't find. So, he's feeling better about it.

But they all agree that in '27, '28, '28, '29, and '29, '30, that there will be budget deficits approaching 30 to 35 billion dollars every year. And then you think about some of the programs, and the governor came out and he revised the way they were going to fund high-speed rail. One of my favorite subjects. High-speed rail. How they going to fund that? They're going to fund it through cap and trade. Now, I did some research on cap and trade, and when it first came out, you know, cap and trade does not say not one word about railroads. Not one word about high-speed rail. Cap and trade supports funds 27 state agencies and 129 programs. It wasn't until no private money came in that Governor Brown at the time in 2014 decided, "Oh, wait a second. If I declare it a shovel-ready project to reduce greenhouse gas, I can use that money." And for the last few years, Gavin Newsom has been giving high-speed rail 25% of all cap and trade income. Well, that averaged about 300 million dollars a year. And cap and trade was supposed to end in 2035. Or no, 2030. It's supposed to end in 2030. There's no such thing as a temporary tax in California. Everybody knows that. So, the governor said, "Well, we'll just push that out till 2045." And since 25% of all of it isn't enough, averaging 300 million dollars a year, he decided to give them a billion dollars a year of the money that comes into cap and trade. And I thought about that. That's a lot of money. That's a heck of an increase, isn't it? 300% plus. And then I thought, "Well, how about all

the other programs?" Remember I told you there was 129 programs and 27 agencies supported by cap and trade. So, I'm going to share some of that with you. You got the California Air Resources Board, low carbon transportation, clean cars for all, clean mobility in schools, clean mobility options, clean vehicle rebate programs, zero and near zero emissions, wood smoke reduction, community solar, farm worker housing, single-family energy efficiency solar. You've got the California Department of Fire Prevention. Think about this for a minute. California Department of Fire Prevention. Had a big fire not too long ago. Kind of a big deal. Pacific Palisades. Kind of a repeat of the Bel Air fire. So, you would think they're going to get the lion's share, at least a big chunk. They don't get 10% of what high-speed rail is going to get. Pacific Palisades fire wiped out 8.3 billion dollars in property values. 8.3 billion dollars. Prescribed fire liability pilot. They get about 20 million bucks. I mean, how important can they be, right? You got waste diversion, food waste rescue, California Department of Water Resources, state water project turbines. We spend 25 times as much on high-speed rail after the increase as we do on water. California Department of Water Resources. Food production investment programs, decarbonization, clean transportation, industrial decarbonization, carbon removal, California Governor's Wildlife Response and Readiness. They'll get 36 million. Then you got California high-speed rail. Oh, there it is. I found it. They have gotten thus far, remember wildfire response and readiness, 36 million. They've gotten 7 billion 474

million dollars. How about this? California Ocean Protection Council, the sea level rise, global warming, melting of all the ice caps, right? 65 million dollars. After the change, they'll get 14 million dollars. State Water Control Board, California State Water Resources, California Volunteers, Climate Resilience Planning. So, high-speed rail used to get about 300 million. Now, they're going to get a billion. That means the rest of those, remember all those I just read to you? All these right here? 129 programs. Now, each of those programs was sold to the people of the state of California as critical to the survival of the state, fighting against climate change. All those employees, all those computers, all those offices, all the pensions, they were all sold to us as critical to the survival of the state. When Gavin Newsom decided to give high-speed rail a billion dollars each year from now on instead of 25%, if each of those other agencies took an equal hit, then every one of those 128 programs lost 78% of their budget. 78%. I didn't see that on the front page. I didn't. I saw Gavin talk about the fact he gave a billion dollars a year to high-speed rail, but all those other agencies that are so critical to the survival of the state in light of climate change, if they all take the same hit, lost 78%. So, either they solved the climate change dilemma, or they weren't very important to begin

with. Color me confused. I don't have the answers, but I have a lot of questions, about 129 of them. Yeah. So, I just wanted to share that factoid with all of you. And I'll continue to do more research into that. And the story goes on. All right. That's Dave's College of Obscure Knowledge. I hope you all enjoyed it. That's all I have this evening. All right. Next up, department reports. We have any department reports this evening? All right. LT, come on up. So happy I follow that. [laughter]

Here is exciting. Good morning. Or good evening, Mr. Mayor. Hello, sir. We have the department report for the police department for the uh month of December. Uh for the month of uh December, uh Taft police officers responded to 370 total incidents. Um they took 139 individual crime reports, uh made a total of 53 arrests, both misdemeanor and felony, and that's broken down as 39 misdemeanor arrests, and 14 felony arrests. And the department is in good shape. Everybody's healthy. Everybody's working. And uh good to be here. Got everybody out there, boots on the ground, huh? Boots on the ground. Well, it's a whole new year, so we're glad that everybody's healthy and everybody's back at it. Absolutely. And we appreciate how you keep us safe. All right. Well, thank you. Happy to do it. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. All right. Any other department reports this evening? Seeing none. City manager statement. City Manager Jones. Thank you, Mayor. Nothing additional tonight. Thank you, sir. City attorney statements. Jason. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I I did not get to say this in December, uh so I want to take the opportunity tonight to thank Evette Mayfield again and let her know that it's been an absolute joy working with her for this last decade or so. We're all very excited to be working with Faith to continue working with Faith, but she knows that she has big shoes to fill fill, and uh the thing that could not be included in the proclamation was just how easy you, Evette, have made my job over the last decade. Uh it's really remarkable. You're the best of the best, and we're all going to miss you. Thank you.

There'll be a commensurate reduction in your fee because of that, by the way. [laughter]

Thank you, Jason. All right, future agenda requests this evening. None. None. None. All right. We'll move on to the consent calendar items 10 through 14. All items listed on the consent calendar shall be considered routine and will be enacted by one roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the city council requests specific items to be removed from the consent calendar for separate action. Any item removed from the consent calendar will be considered after regular business items. Are there any items on the consent calendar that any member of the public would like to comment on? Seeing none, those items are item number 10, the minutes of the December 16th meeting. Item number 11, payment of bills some $1.1 million and change. Item number 12, monthly report for Kern County Fire Station number 21 for November 2025. Recommendation is to receive and file the monthly report for November 2025 from Kern County Fire Station number 21 and find that the activity is not a project for the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, as set forth in section 15060C3 and section 15378 of the CEQA guidelines. Item 13, funding to the Taft Chamber of Commerce for the quarter July 2025 to September 2025. Recommendation is a motion to approve the 25% allocation of the transit occupancy tax to the Taft Chamber of Commerce for the quarter July 2025 through September 2025. Lastly, item 14, purchase of replacement police patrol vehicle due to aging fleet. Motion to approve the purchase one Chevy Tahoe police vehicle for the police department and authorize the city manager or designee to execute all documents and find that the activity is not a project for the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, as set

forth in section 15060C3 and section 15378 of the CEQA guidelines. Does any member of the council wish to remove any of these items from the consent calendar? I'd like to remove 13 cuz I have a question. 13. All right, at this time I would entertain a motion to approve consent calendar items 10, 11, [clears throat] 12, and 14. Motion. Second. Madam Clerk, may we have a roll call, please? Councilmember Cryer? Yes. Councilmember Waldrop? Yes. Mayor Noer? Yes. It's approved on [snorts] 3-0 vote. Thank you very much. [clears throat]

Item 13, funding to the Taft Chamber of Commerce for the fourth quarter of July 2025 to September 2025. City Manager Jones. Thank you, Mayor. The city of Taft and the Chamber of Commerce entered into an agreement on September September 16th, 2008 where the city council recognized it's in the best interest of the city to financially support the chamber. The city council agreed to fund the chamber in the amount of 25% of the actual transit occupancy tax, TOT. Total amount of TOT received by October 31st, 2025 deadline in the quarter ending July 25 through September 25 was 48,000 $629.87 and the amount to be allocated to the chamber will be $12,157.47. Thank you, City Manager Jones. At this time I would entertain a motion to approve the 25% allocation of the transit occupancy tax to the Taft Chamber of Commerce for the quarter of July 2025 through September 2025.

Motion. Second. Okay. [clears throat] Councilmember Cryer, you had the motion and you pulled this item. a simple simple question, probably a dumb question. Um looks like you would think that from July to September that would have been paid already. You would think cuz right now we're in the we're in January 1st. Where's When do we pay uh um October to or December? The process of the collection of all those taxes from all the vendors takes a little while. So, typically we are one uh one period, one quarter behind when it comes to that. That's a good question. That was my question. All right. Okay, then.

Thank you. All right. Madam Clerk, we have a motion and a second. May we have a roll call, please? Councilmember Cryer? Yes. Councilmember Waldrop? Yes. Mayor Noer? Yes. It passes on a 3-0 3-0 vote. Thank you very much. Next up, item number 15, professional service agreement with NBS to conduct a sewer and solid waste rate study. City Manager Jones. Thank you, Mayor. The last sewer and solid waste fee study was conducted in 2021. [snorts] Due to unprecedented inflation during the past 5 years, city staff has uh deferred [cough]

sewer collection [clears throat] system repairs and some large equipment replacement in the solid waste division. At this time staff City staff recommends a fee study be conducted with a goal of setting smaller rate adjustments over a period of years preventing a one-time large increase. This [clears throat] will be necessary to prevent the city's general fund from subsidizing these enterprise funds which are required for all other city functions including public safety. It is essential that the city has an independent study performed by professional group with expertise in Proposition 218 process. The city has utilized NBS in the past and staff has negotiated the terms of the attached agreement and recommend the Taft City Council approve the attached professional service agreement with NBS. Once the study is complete, all findings and recommendations will be brought back to the city council in the form of a study session before any public meetings or legal hearings take place. Thank you, City Manager Jones. Recommend action here is to approve a motion to authorize the mayor to execute the professional services agreement with NBS Government Finance Group and find that the activity is not a project for the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA, as set forth in section 15060C3 and section 15378 of the CEQA guidelines. At this time I would entertain such a motion. Motion. Second. Motion and second. Councilmember Cryer, you made the motion, sir. Yes, thank you, Mayor. Um I think this is important cuz as everybody knows that uh with the cost of labor going up and the cost of everything else going up and all related to it and other factors, uh we need to have a study to find out that um we're in line for our rates that we charge uh for our sewer service and stuff. And um cuz there's a lot of expenses also to repair and ongoing process of making sure we're in compliance and that we're doing the right stuff to make sure our

system is continued operating efficiently. Thank you. Yes, sir. Councilmember Waldrop. I think this is one service we should stay on top of. This is a critical one. I'm going to have to agree. Uh there's a couple of things that can really ruin your day at the house. And that is if when you turn on the faucet clean water doesn't show up and when you flush the toilet dirty water doesn't leave. So, both of those things kind of critical. We try to stay on top of those things. Another thing that sometimes are identified are additional opportunities for efficiency or some other improvement. Uh Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing if we could do the studies and actually come before the people and say, "Guess what? We've come up with process improvements and equipment replacements and we're going to actually cut your rates." So, that's always a goal and we try to keep that in mind. In the interim, what we have to do is provide a quality service. So, uh it is necessary. We have a motion and a second. Madam Clerk, may we have a roll call, please? Councilmember Cryer? Yes. Councilmember Waldrop? Yes. Mayor Noer? Yes. It passes on a 3-0 vote. Thank you very much. Okay, at this time that ends our open session portion of this meeting. This

[clears throat]

council will be going into closed session for consideration of item A, council with legal counsel conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation, government code section 54956.9B, one undisclosed case. Item B is conference with real property negotiator Craig Jones, city manager, government code section 54956.8, one undisclosed parcel. And lastly, item C, conference with labor negotiator Craig Jones, city manager, government code section 54957.6, all units. I want to thank you all for being a part of this evening's meeting. Congratulations to our new city clerk and congratulations to a well-earned retirement. I wish you both the very best on the road. Thank you all. This meeting is adjourned. When was your last two last 14 days? Yeah. It was the 19th.