Here’s what you need to know
- The Parlier City Council met on September 15, 2022 to discuss developments in the local community, such as Mexican Independence Day and Red Ribbon Week, as well as to hear matters on the agenda surrounding recreation and local ordinances.
- The council approved the creation of a City of Parlier Babe Ruth Baseball League. Through this, the City of Parlier promises to provide the necessary equipment for this program, which aims to give affordable access to sports and recreation for local 13 to 15-year-old Parlier residents.
- The council also approved an ordinance aimed at alleviating the administrative burden surrounding water and sewer services. Property owners can now have bills sent directly to tenants, although they are still legally liable.
Follow-up questions
- How will the action taken to appropriate funds to the Babe Ruth Baseball League today begin to pave the way to “restoring recreation” in Parlier, as was suggested by the mayor?
- What consequences, good or bad, will the new ordinance in Item B create for the relationship between the City council and Parlier landowners?
Conversation highlight
- On the restoration of affordable recreation opportunities like the Babe Ruth Baseball League, one advocate shared: “[The league is ]for the kids …they don’t have anything to do [for recreation]… and if we don’t give them something to do those are the ones that will be out on the streets….We’re trying to take our kids off the streets, and we’d like you guys to be a part of it. [I think this would be] a good opportunity for you guys (the council), the city, and the children”
Notes
The following members were in attendance for today’s meeting:
Council:
- Alma M. Beltran — Mayor
- Sabrina Rodriguez — District 1
- Trinidad Pimentel — Mayor Pro tem District 2
- Cathryn “Kathy” Solorio — District 3
- Diane Maldonado — District 4
Staff:
- David Cerda, Chief of Parlier PD
- Dorothy Garza, Parlier City Clerk
- Michelle Lopez, Treasurer
Actions/Discussions/Public comment
* Meeting begun with roll call at 6:30 p.m. *
I.) Call to order/Welcome
II.) Flag Salute
III.) Invocation
IV.) Additions Deletions
- Following the opening proceedings, the council took a moment to hear a proclamation of anniversary of Mexican Independence Day
- Read a brief history of the holiday
- Proclaimed Sept. 15, 2022 to be the 212th anniversary of Mexican Independence Day
- Humberto (last name not shared), resident, spoke briefly to thank the council for this recognition of the holiday and for celebrating Mexican culture and presence in Parlier.
- Mayor Beltran also took the moment to share the connection they hold to the holiday. “[As a first-generation Mexican American] I don’t forget where I came from… [and] I believe in holding equal rights”; a value that Beltran believes commemorating this holiday allows the residents of Parlier to celebrate.
V.) Presentations/Informational
- Staff member Eva (last name unknown) updated the council on upcoming events in the community, including:
- Red Ribbon week: This October, the city will be offering festivities in celebration of the annual “Red Ribbon Week”, which offers local youth the chance to engage with drug awareness. On Sunday, Oct. 23, there will be a march, which will end with food, activities, and a bounce house for all interested residents.
- Staff also discussed the history of the week: When after the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Salazar by a Guadalajaran cartel, cities across the U.S. have worn red ribbons to remember the importance of addressing substance abuse. Chief David Cerda spoke on how this is also an event for the community to connect with the police department.
- “Trunk-or-Treat”/Halloween Festivities: Staff spoke also of the much-enjoyed “Trunk-or-Treat” festival, held on Oct. 31 for the community to enjoy with no charge. The festival will include a costume contest, local food vendors, and games for Parlier youth.
VI.) Public Comments:
- No comments at this time
VII.) Consent Calendar:
- No items pulled from the calendar — council approved as is 5-0
VIII.) Regular Business —
* for more details on the following items, see the meeting agenda *
A) Item 3:
a) What: Consider the creation of a City of Parlier Babe Ruth Baseball League.
b) Presentation: The Vice President of the Parlier Panther Youth Sports spoke to the council to request their participation in the Babe Ruth Baseball League:
- What is the League?
- Will be a baseball league for 13-15 year old youth, who the speaker identifies as a key “at-risk” demographic in Parlier: “[The league is ]for the kids …they don’t have anything to do [for recreation]… and if we don’t give them something to do those are the ones that will be out on the streets.”
- What role will the city have?
- The speaker states that the only role they are requesting the city to play is to help create an affordable youth recreation program by providing the necessary equipment for the league.
- “We’re trying to take our kids off the streets, and we’d like you guys to be a part of it — a good opportunity for you guys, the city, and the children”
c) Council:
- The council expressed resounding support for this program for creating affordable and accessible means for Parlier youth to have recreation:
- Councilmember Pimentel: Yes, “this is a great opportunity for the kids.”
- Mayor Beltran: Yes, “recreation is what we used to have before providing [programs like this] became too expensive”. The goal for Beltran, then, is to restore these accessible programs back to the residents of Parlier.
- Chief Cerda spoke on the need for programs like these in supporting at-risk youth: “We [Parlier PD] could use all the help we can get [to curb] the impulsive behavior” that, he contends, Parlier youth are inclined to engage in.
- Questions on the logistics and potential bureaucratic obstacles around this measure were considered and resolved throughout the conversation:
- Who would oversee the team? According to the council, it would be on the basis of the team to decide — likely volunteers. The only help the league would get from the city would be the equipment; and “even that”, the League advocate confirmed, “would be returned after [the season was over]”.
- An unnamed Parlier resident asked about the implications that funding a league like this could have for other recreational programs: “If this support for the Babe Ruth League would extend to other sports, and if so, would the same amount of support be offered”?
- Mayor Beltran says that yes, ideally this would eventually be the case. “We’re working on making recreation affordable for all (leagues and constituents) by restoring recreation…back to the city, under the city, and run by volunteers.”
- Another speaker spoke briefly to simply thank the council for the opportunity this gives all Parlier youth.
d) Vote:
- After this discussion, the council approved the item by a vote of 5-0.
B) Item 4:
a) What: Second Reading and adoption of ordinance amending portions of ch 13.10 and 13.50 of the Parlier municipal code relating to the application for conditions of furnishing water and sewer service, respectively.
b) Recommendation: Waive second reading and adopt ordinance no 2022-06, enforcing rules above.
c) Presentation:
- The item is, essentially, an ordinance that revises existing water and sewer ordinances “dealing with who the account name needs to be in” (now must be in name of the owner).
- Revised slightly with respect to those dealing with the deposit (sec 13.10.260 third sentence was added: “The (financial) deposit will be retained to the city but returned to the property owner if payments are timely within a period of one year. Otherwise, deposits will be retained by the city until the applicant has terminated the account.”
- The change, according to staff, was made because of accounting delinquencies which produced a “bookkeeping nightmare”. These changes then are simply aimed to be “administratively more easy”.
- The owner is also given the option, through this ordinance, of designating that the account bill is sent to the tenant. If this route is chosen, however, the landlord must sign that they are ultimately responsible for the account, giving the city ability to bill the property owner, not the city.
- History of revision, according to Mayor Beltran:
- ~2016 : water meter problems were prominent, and people had very high water bills/shut offs. “When it was brought to the council’s attention,”, however, “it was supposed to be audited and rectified; but the latter was not done”
- Rather, the city manager had allegedly left the balance on the accounts — causing complications when property owners were trying to sell the house with an unknown water balance remaining.
- Also, complications arose when property owners started placing bills under false names, causing balances not to be paid.
- This ordinance, then, aims to relieve this by fixing the admin failings that cause these shortcomings in the first place.
- ~2016 : water meter problems were prominent, and people had very high water bills/shut offs. “When it was brought to the council’s attention,”, however, “it was supposed to be audited and rectified; but the latter was not done”
d) Comments:
- On the need for a revision like this, Councilmember Maldonado said: “I see both ends of [the discussion] as ultimately, who gets responsible for the bill: the City or the property owner? For the council, this ordinance makes it clear to the property owner that in all circumstances, they as the owners are ultimately responsible.”
- Mayor Beltran affirmed this sentiment and shared how the changes will still work for the property owners favor: “When you look at other cities, we are going above and beyond in actually [specifying this responsibility]. Most cities don’t make it clear” to property owners that they are responsible for paying water and sewer charges.
- This ordinance, according to the council, gives people more options in the long run. “We need to fix our system”; and this item aims to do just that, while posing minimal imposition to the landowner.
e) Vote:
- After this discussion, the council approved the item by a vote of 5-0.
IX. Public Comment on Closed Session:
- No comment was offered by a member of the public regarding items on the agenda’s closed session
X. Adjournment for Closed Session:
- The Parlier City Council adjourned for closed session at 7:25 p.m.. The meeting lasted approximately 55 minutes.
The Parlier City Council meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at 1100 E. Parlier Avenue, Parlier, CA 93648.
For contact information and more details on the Parlier City Council, see their website. Virtual streaming options are available to the public typically through the agenda for that meeting; for information on past and future agenda, see here.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.