Documenter: Bre Yamaoka

Here’s what you need to know

• Water and sewer rates are increasing by 2.5% effective July 1, 2021

• There is concern about the communication regarding increasing assessments for landscaping in several city zones; votes were tabulated at the last Council meeting with most districts not approving the increase. (Link to Fresnoland Documenter Notes for last meeting). Residents are using Nextdoor to connect, and there are questions if this means existing trees will be removed.

• The 21/22 budget was adopted, including increases to the master salary table for all employees of the City of Reedley

• All solid waste fleet employees affected by layoff will receive severance payment linked to years of service; all employees have been offered employment with Mid-Valley Disposal, the private company selected to take over this function

• Retention bonuses were approved for Reedley Police, linked to years of service

 City Council Members

• Matthew Tuttle, Council Member, District 1

• Robert Beck, Mayor Pro-Tempore, District 3

• Ray Soleno, Council Member, District 4

• Anita Betancourt, Council Member, District 5

• Mary Fast, Mayor, District 2

The Scene

The Reedley City Council meetings are held in-person at the City Hall Council Chambers, 845 G Street, Reedley, CA, and broadcast via Zoom. The livestream camera was placed with all Council members and some Staff in view. All Council members were present. The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Mayor Fast. Most council members and staff did not wear masks at their designated seating. Most meeting attendees did not wear masks. 

The meeting agenda is located here: https://reedley.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/CC-2021-06-08.pdf

During the agenda approval, City Manager Nicole Zieba said that there was an inaccurate posting on Nextdoor stating Council will address the Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance District (LLMD) assessments (discussed at the 5/25 Council meeting) at this meeting. She reported it will be brought back at a later date. 

Public Comment

There were 3 public comments:

• Larry Talent commented on the communication and outreach to residents regarding increasing the assessments for landscaping along the Kingswood Parkway. He stated he did not receive any information on it and only heard about it from neighbors. He is concerned that residents do not understand the assessment and alternatives, and that he hopes as the Council is reviewing, an effort is made to engage stakeholders. He suggested including a professional arborist during the review. He also noted the sidewalk in the center walkway is rising in areas and noted it could lead to an accident or injury. 

• Sue Lusk thanked the Council for approving the Veterans Banner project. She also provided comments on behalf of her son Jeff who was not able to attend, thanking the Council for waiving rent for the Reedley River City Theatre when it was not able to host shows in person, and that there will be several summer camps for children this summer.

• Sheryl Warkentin spoke regarding the Kingswood Parkway loop, stating she has asked neighbors if they received the ballots or postcards regarding the Public Hearing for the landscaping assessments for fiscal year 21-22 for the LLMD and has not heard from any that they received information from the City on this topic. 

  • City Manager Nicole Zieba responded stating the vote occurred at the last Council meeting so there has not been time to host a public forum but this is part of the plan

  • She also said they received over 50 ballots in area, and the responses were overwhelmingly against paying an increased assessment

Consent Agenda

The Council unanimously voted to approve the agenda items on the consent agenda, including: 

• Approval of Minutes of The Special Council Meeting of May 25, 2021

• Ratify Agreement Addendum No. 2 With 4leaf Inc. Amending Terms of Compensation Listed Within the Original Agreement Consistent with Current Budget Approvals In Place

• Adopt Resolution No. 2021-052 Awarding A Construction Contract in The Amount Of $223,905 To Terra West Construction For “J” And “K” Rehabilitation Project

• Adopt Resolution No. 2021-055 Adopting A List of Projects for Fiscal Year 2021-22 Funded by SB 1: The Road Repair and Accountability Act Of 2017

• Staff Recommends That the City Council Take the Following Actions for The Save The Children Program at Washington After School Program:

• Approve And Authorize the City Manager to Sign an Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding with Kings Canyon Unified School District (KCUSD) To Expand Services With The Save The Children Program at Washington Elementary.

• Adopt Resolution 2021-056 Amending the 2020-21 Adopted Budget Appropriating $30,000 In the General Fund to Fund Part-Time Salaries, Summer Reading Incentives and Site Supplies Through June 30, 2021.

Action Items

The Council unanimously voted to approve the agenda items, including: 

• Accept Draft Farmland Preservation Program Document for the City of Reedley – Approved Unanimously

  • Rob Terry presented, noting VRPA conducted research in August – November 2019 consisting of public outreach planning (limited due to Covid-19 pandemic), local data collection, analysis of best practices in California, and program goals & objectives

  • Additional questions to be answered include: how has the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) impacted the agricultural business community? How has Covid-19 impacted the agricultural business community? Has/will more land be fallowed as a result of SGMA and/or Covid-19? What are the anticipated economic impacts of a 1:1 ratio mitigation in the current landscape?

  • Reedley Planning Commission accepted Reedley Farmland Preservation Program document on 3/4/2021

• Consider items associated with Consumer Price Index Adjustments to Water & Sewer Utility Rate, Adopt Resolution 2021-053 approving 2.5% increase in water rate charges beginning July 1, 2021, Adopt Resolution 2021-054 approving 2.5% increase in sewer rate charges beginning July 1, 2021- Approved Unanimously

  • In 2016, City Council passed Resolution 2016-070 establishing water service rates and authorizing an annual inflationary increase in water service rates each July 1st based on 10-year rolling average of Consumer Price Index (CPI); current 10 year rolling average of CPI is 2.83% however Resolution 2016-070 caps annual increase at 2.5% 

  • Currently, base water service charge for typical single family residence is $33.45 per month; proposed rate adjustment would increase by $0.83 per month, to $34.28

  • Currently, sewer service charge for residential customer is $52.94; proposed rate adjustment would increase by $1.32 per month, to $54.26

  • Russ Robertson, Public Works Director, noted that water and sewer utilities inundated with unfunded state mandates, including mandated testing for microplastics

• Adoption of 2021-2022 Fiscal Year Budget and Related Fiscal Items – Approved Unanimously

  • A.      Adopt resolution no. 2021-048 of the City Council of the city of Reedley, acting in its capacity as City Council to the city, Successor agency to the former redevelopment agency, and as The Board of the Reedley housing authority, adopting the final Budget of the city of Reedley for the fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, providing for the appropriation and expenditure of all sums set forth in said final budget, providing for the Transfers and additional appropriations and repealing all Resolutions and parts of resolutions in conflict herewith, Except as provided for by minute order of the City Council on June 8, 2021

    • Additional discussion included a reduction in the RPBI budget from $60,000 to $20,000 for fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Originally, $60,000 was allocated to the RPBI budget for the upcoming year, an increase from $48,000 from last year. The approved MOU with Kings Canyon School District identifies that city’s share would be $20,000. The Council discussed how to best utilize the difference of $40,000, including installing radar traffic signs on N Thomas Ave ($10,000-$15,000) and additional funding for the police department to purchase a higher quality camera for a drone (up to $5,000).

    • Motion: adopt resolution no. 2021-048, changing RPBI budget item from $60,000 to $20,000, including funding for traffic signs and a drone upgrade for the police department.

  • B.      Adopt resolution no. 2021-049 of the City Council of the City of Reedley adopting a master salary table for all employees of the City of Reedley- Approved Unanimously

    • Pay ranges of part-time classifications are being increased, primarily driven by increases to California minimum wage which will increase from $14/hour to $15/hour on 1/1/22

    • Pay ranges for Reedley Police Officers Association positions adjusted to reflect agreed upon 3.0% cost of living increases (COLA) effective 1/1/22

    • Pay ranges for General Services Unit positions adjusted to reflect agreed upon 2.5% cost of living increases (COLA) effective 1/1/22

    • Pay ranges for Unrepresented positions adjusted to reflect agreed upon 3.5% cost of living increases (COLA) effective 1/1/22

  • C.      Adopt resolution no. 2021-050 of the City Council of the City of Reedley establishing a salary and benefit schedule for Unrepresented employees – Approved Unanimously

    • ⅓ of employees are Unrepresented

    • Increases maximum accrued cap of vacation hours from 240 to 320 hours (not changing how many hours are accrued, but the cap). Before the 240 hour cap was in place, there was no cap on maximum accrued vacation hours.

    • Increase cell phone stipend for those who do not have city-provided device/service from $30 to $50, or $75 to $125 for the two existing stipend tiers

  • D-F International Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Local 39 (aka general services unit) 

    • Approve and authorize the city manager to execute a side letter Agreement to the memorandum of understanding between the City of Reedley and the International Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Local 39 (aka general services unit) regarding employment severance provisions pertaining to the layoff of solid waste & fleet employees – Approved Unanimously

    • Approval by minute order to provide the same employment severance provisions to one (1) unrepresented employee, solid waste supervisor, as the laid off employees represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Local 39 – Approved Unanimously

    • Adopt budget resolution no. 2021-051 of the City Council of the City of Reedley amending the fiscal year 2020-21 adopted budget appropriating $96,535 in the solid waste enterprise fund to effectuate a side letter agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Reedley and the International Union of Operating Engineers Stationary Local 39 (aka general services unit), and the severance provisions for the unrepresented solid waste supervisor- Approved Unanimously

      • Pertaining to privatization of solid waste fleet to Mid Valley Disposal (MVD) effective 7/1/21

      • 10 employees affected by layoff, all employees have been offered employment by Mid Valley as of 6/4/21

      • All affected employees will receive annual boot replacement allowance and severance payment linked to years to service

      • City will not contest any unemployment benefit claims filed by affected employees if they do not accept employment with MVD

      • Total cost of total severance packages for these ten employees is $96,535

  • G-H. Reedley Police Officers Association 

    • Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a side letter agreement to the memorandum of understanding between the City of Reedley and the Reedley Police Officers Association regarding a one-time service retention award payment – Approved Unanimously

    • Approval by minute order of the City Council of the city of Reedley amending the final budget of the City of Reedley for the fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 increasing Appropriations in the general fund by $89,637 to effectuate a Side letter agreement to the memorandum of understanding between the City of Reedley and the Reedley Police Officers Association – Approved Unanimously

      • Retention award for Sworn employees is based on years of full-time service (25+ years –  9% of base annual salary, 8-25 years – 8% of base annual salary, 3-8 years – 7% of base annual salary, 1-3 years – 3% of base annual salary)

      • Professional staff employees (non-Sworn) will be provided one-time retention award of $500

      • City Manager noted the retention award is in response to recruitment bonuses offered by neighboring cities, including City of Clovis ($$10,000 recruitment bonus).. She said part of the Measure B survey process results included that highest on priority list was retention of qualified police officers. 

      • Cost of one-time retention award is $89,637

      • There was one public comment: Gary Kincaid of RPOA thanked the Council for considering the retention bonus for RPOA. 

Receive Information and Reports

• Reedley Community Services Commission Minutes 3/11/2021

• Reedley Airport Commission Minutes 3/18/2021

Council Reports

Mayor Pro-Tempore Beck had no report. Council Member Tuttle reported that he attended the 5/29 flag ceremony at the Cemetery. Council Members Betancourt and Soleno remarked that the cemetery looked beautiful. 

Mayor Fast reported she attended the Council of Governments meeting online. She met with City of Fresno District 4 Supervisor Buddy Mendes. She also said she went to Pioneer Park and Reedley Sports Park with her family and was impressed with the clean restrooms and floors, noting to compliment staff.

Staff Reports

City Manager Zieba said the City Council is going dark for one meeting in July (7/13/21) and potentially the 2nd meeting in August. 

She also reported that on June 10th the first and only jet will fly into the Reedley Airport for use by the Reedley College of Aviation, and as the runway is not long enough for the jet to fly out, it is here to stay.

City Manager Zieba noted the Covid-19 vaccine clinic at Reedley College will be closing on 6/30 as a result of a reduced amount of reservations. She reported the Public Health Department was pleased with the vaccination rate in Fresno County, and that having vaccines available at pharmacies and through pop-up events is sufficient. There will be a large get out the vaccine event this weekend at Reedley College which has been publicized on social media, with $20 gift cards to  be handed out to vaccine recipients.

City Manager Zieba shared an email received from the Governor’s office, requesting that all cities that have allowed outdoor dining and sales of to-go alcohol, allow these features will be kept in place through the end of 2021 so individuals do not feel the need to go dine inside and potentially result in increased Covid-19 transmission.

City Manager Zieba shared three mailings sent to homes within the LLMD and said next steps will be brought back to Council, primarily regarding the Kingswood Parkway because of the publicity it gets.  

City Manager Zieba remarked that in response to complaints about loud parties and understanding this is a quality of life issue, policing staff will be approaching the topic differently. Citations were issued for noise last weekend, and one household received a visit from a Sergeant.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 9:38pm.

Next Regular Meeting: June 22, 2021