April 3, 2023 — Clovis City Council
Documented by Kendra Staub
Here’s what you need to know
- The Clovis City Council is looking into options to increase tax revenue for police, fire, streets and parks. More research is being done; council members are leaning toward levying a special tax in March 2024, but a consultant will be hired to provide recommendations and more information to the council.
Actions/Discussions/Public comment
Call to Order at 6 pm
Flag Salute – Council member Diane Pearce
Roll Call
- All members present
Presentations/Proclamations
1. Presentation of Proclamation declaring April as Community College Month.
Public Comments
- Physics faculty at Clovis College: Submitted a proposal to the council via email. Public concern about safety around Freedom Elementary School. A registered sex offender appeared at someone’s home, knocking on the door and looking through windows. The person was brought to a halfway house nearby; this location has caused other issues in the area. There were claims that the LLC associated with this halfway house is not vetting their residents well and putting the community at risk. They are asking the city to look into this and set up whatever ordinances are needed to regulate the property.
- Jessica: Rayburn, from the Clovis East area, asked why they weren’t warned that a “sexual predator” moved into their neighborhood. She said the halfway house brings down property values and puts children at risk. “Why can’t these companies buy land and build low-income housing away from our communities?”she asked.
- June and Eric: They were asked why they are concerned about this issue (the sex offender issue mentioned previously) if they no longer have kids in the school district. They said it’s an issue for everyone. There will be more of these houses popping up, they are unregulated and can be placed anywhere, they told the council. They claimed people living there are not getting any support or help, just living there unsupervised.
- Resident: Concerned for the safety of her children with the home in the area. A friend has worked with some women in the home and it is often unregulated with conflicts among residents. She shares a fence with the facilities and is concerned about schizophrenic patients not being monitored or regularly taking medications. “These people deserve to be helped, but not this way; it’s not safe for them or the neighborhood.”
Council response to public comments
- It’s more of a code enforcement issue in terms of what they can do. The council and staff will look over the proposal and decide what they can and cannot do in response to public concern while following state guidelines. They have already reached out to the state to ensure these homes are properly licensed. They encouraged residents to reach out to state representatives as well.
Ordinances and Resolutions
Consent Calendar
2. Administration – Approval – Minutes from the March 20, 2023, council meeting.
3. Fire – Receive and File – 2022 Fire Department Annual Report.
4. General Services – Approval – Res. 23-___, Amending the city’s fiscal year 2022-2023 Position Allocation Plan by deleting one principal office assistant and adding one staff analyst position within the Public Utilities Department.
5. General Services – Approval – Contract award to Compass Energy Solutions to implement energy efficiency projects for $962,625; and approval – Res. 23-___, authorizing a loan application through the California Energy Commission for project funding.
6. General Services – Approval – Resolution 23-___, Authorizing the general services manager to apply for and administer the Public Benefit Grants Program – new alternative fuel vehicle purchase through San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
7. Planning and Development Services – Approval – Final acceptance for CIP 19-15, Gettysburg/Norwich Alley Reconstruction – Villa Avenue to Gettysburg Avenue
- Approved 5-0
Administrative Items
8. Consider – For the City Council to consider options to seek additional funding for police, fire, streets and parks.
Staff: Andrew Haussler, assistant city manager
Recommendation: Consider and provide policy direction
- Background: Feb. 13 meeting council asked to discuss revenue options for the city of Clovis. Police chief requested additional funding.
- One revenue option is raising taxes
- General tax, general funds
- Special tax, used for specific needs, can be done in special election
- Sales and use tax
- Transient Occupancy Tax
- User utility Tax, not currently in Clovis.
- Parcel tax, requires ⅔ approval
- Landscaping maintenance district expansion
- In 2022 general taxes were approved 78% of the time
- “Use of a consultant could range from $100,000 to $200,000. Putting an item on the ballot for a November election could cost an additional approximately $75,000. Putting an item on a special election ballot (March or April) could cost approximately $300,000. For cost estimating, staff is using year one cost of an officer and related equipment of approximately $300,000, and approximately $180,000 annually total cost thereafter.”
- Council may consider a consultant to weigh tax options
- Pearce said she knows that safety is very important for this community and believes a special tax may be the best option to gain support and ensure the community is on board.
- Special taxes have about a 47% passage rate while general taxes pass 81% of the time
- No public comment
9. Consider – A request from The 500 Club located at 771 W Shaw Ave., Clovis for the city to call a special election on Nov. 7, 2023, to place a measure on the
ballot for voters to increase the number of allowed gaming tables from
20 to 51.
Staff: John Holt, city manager
Recommendation: Consider and provide policy direction
- Requires vote from residents and will cost approximately $350,000 (compared to $750,000 in a regular election).
- If the proposal moves forward, staff would begin the process and come back to call the election this summer.
Public Comment:
- Jarred on behalf of Clovis 500 Club: There was a window recently for the city of Clovis to make this expansion but it requires a resident vote. A request to direct staff and continue research before officially requesting the measure be put on the ballot.
- Council member Vong Mouanoutoua: “Why stop there? I want us to be the best. I’m fine with 51 tables, but we have to do more and be the go-to place for cards.”
- Council member Drew Bessinger: Concerned about the increase in police staffing and other public safety concerns that may be necessary with
- the increase in gaming tables.
- Pearce: I think this would be a longer process, 500 Club does not have much room to expand at their current location so it would require a yearslong process and buying/developing a new location that would give the city time to assess safety needs.
Final Comment
- The 500 Club is welcome to move forward with this and continue research. The city will work with them if they move forward to ensure community safety and other measures are in place for growth.
10. Receive and File – General Services Department Update.
Staff: Shonna Halterman, General Services director
Recommendation: Receive and File
- Personnel risk management
- Recruitment for all positions, workers compensations claims, health, dental, vision and life insurance benefit administration, liability insurance, labor relations and negotiations with nine units, safety training and wellness program
- Biggest challenges:
- Increased liability costs
- Division staffing
- Impact of California laws
- Department Support
- Staff of six maintain 483,111 total square feet in 38 locations
- Biggest challenges:
- Increased power cost
- Division staffing as new buildings are added
- Keeping up with deferred maintenance
- Community Services
- Senior Services, busy senior center for active adults over age 50
- New senior center is being constructed
- Senior center budget expenditures $1.36M
- Biggest challenges:
- Providing financially sustainable programs
- Maintaining quality staff
- Moving operation into the new senior center at Landmark
- Recreation
- Transit
- Two types of services: Stageline fixed route and Roundup dial-a-ride for people with disabilities
- Staff 65+ bus drivers, van drivers, trainers
- Buses are still free for riders
- Biggest challenges:
- Funding
- Compliance with Innovative Clean Transit Rule
- Supply chain delays and escalation of all cost of materials, vehicles, parts.
- Roundup saw highest ridership ever this quarter
11. Consider Approval – To submit a letter of opposition to Assembly Bill 742– Jackson,
Limiting the Use of Police Canines.
Staff: Holt, city manager
Recommendation: Approve
- This passed recently, but writing a letter of opposition would still add the city of Clovis to the list of opposed cities.
- Approved
12. Consider approval – To submit a letter of support for Assembly Bill 1067– Gavin’s Law
(hit-and-run penalties).
Staff: Holt, city manager
Recommendation: Approve
- Named after Clovis Unified principal killed in a hit-and-run accident
- Approved
13. Consider Approval – To submit a letter of support for Assembly Bill 1708 – Muratsuchi,
amending Proposition 47 to increase accountability for repeat theft offenders.
Staff: Holt, city manager
Recommendation: Approve
- Prop 47 resulted in shorter sentences for some individuals and a reduction in California prison population
- Co-sponsored by California police chiefs
- Approved
City Manager Comments
Council Comments
- Thank you to everyone involved in our work; there are so many positive reviews about our work and interactions with our staff.
- Mouanoutoua: Attended Vietnam veterans event, attendance nearly tripled from the year before.
Closed Session
14. Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2)
Conference with legal council – anticipated litigation
Significant Exposure to Litigation
Three potential cases based on claims received for the Sunnyside Avenue water
main break and property flooding incident on Jan. 3, 2022.
Meeting adjourned to closed session at 8 p.m.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.