Notetaking by Trong Yang
Here’s what you need to know
- The Kerman City Council met on October 12, 2022 and introduced two new Police Officers Francisco Vasquez and Danzel Gempis that will be joining the Kerman Police Department
- The council announced Bernice Velez as the new Records Clerk for Kerman
- The council voted to cancel the meetings for November 23 and December 28.
Follow-up questions
- Will canceling the meetings for the next two months affect the city’s communications with each other and with the public? If something important comes up, would that have to wait until next year to be addressed?
Notes
- Council member Bill Nijjer is not present for the meeting
- Mayor Pro Tem Ismael Herrera and Council Member Jennifer Coleman are present for the meeting virtually via Zoom
- Mayor Gary Yep and Council Member Kevin Nehring are present at the Kerman City Hall
- Mayor Yep called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
- The meeting opens with the Pledge of Allegiance
- Next on the agenda is the ceremony for two new police officers that are joining the force: Officer Francisco Vasquez and Officer Danzel Gempis:
- Officer Francisco Vasquez, 26
- Raised in Madera
- Oldest of three siblings
- Associates degree in law enforcement
- Graduated from Fresno City Police Academy class 162
- Danzel Gempis, 26
- Born in Santa Clara, raised in Fresno
- Graduated from Fresno City Police Academy, 158
- Worked as a soccer coach at Bullard High School
- Filipino background, family means everything
- Records manager Gloria Gutierrez introduced new Records Clerk Bernice Velez
- Bernice has been a Kerman residence for the last five years (moved from Mendota)
- She has seven years of records clerical experience and law enforcement
- Approved minutes from September 28 meeting
- Council Member Kevin Nehring pulled item C2 from the Consent Calendar
- He is an employee of Fresno County
- C2: Warrants; Exceptions. CK#25140 $388.00
- No other changes for the Consent Calendar
- Mayor asked if there is motion to approve the Consent Calendar
- Council Member Coleman seconds the motion
- The council discussed the next upcoming meetings
- November 23, 2022 – Thanksgiving Holiday
- December 28, 2022 – Christmas Holiday
- Mayor Yep suggests rescheduling the November meeting to November 30 and canceling the December meeting
- December starts with an odd week, the meeting won’t be until December 14
- Mayor Yep motions to cancel both meetings
- During the City Manager / Staff Communication section on the agenda, City Manager John Jansons mentioned that it has “been a busy week, but nothing to note that should come to the council’s attention.”
- Mayor Yep opens the meeting for public comments
- No one spoke in the chambers or Zoom
Conversation highlight
- “[Officer Vasquez] is very humble. What drove him to Kerman was our commitment to the community, which he embodies in his family life and his personal life. He had many choices to make and we’re very proud to have him in Kerman,” said John Golden, Chief of Police, Kerman Police Department.
- “It truly is an honor, I’m very happy in this position and I promise I’ll give my 110% and everything that I’ve got,” said Danzel Gempis, Police Officer, Kerman Police Department.
- “Thank you for the opportunity. I’m excited to be a part of this community and this department, and I’m looking forward to implementing my experience for the better of the department, the community and just to grow as a team,” said Bernice Velez, Records Clerk, Kerman City Clerk.
The meeting adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters-admin@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.