Documented by Artmes Gidram

The Sanger City Council approved the appointment of six new police officers at its Nov. 16 meeting. Photo credit: Artemes Gidram

Here’s what you need to know

  • The Sanger Police Department appointed six new police officers.
  • Tony Boren, executive director of Fresno Council of Government, was honored for his years of service.
  • A further vote on the ordinance regarding City Council meetings and rules of decorum was passed.

Follow-up questions

  • Are there any more steps to passing or enforcing the rules of decorum?
  • What issues with the traffic lights in Sanger are there, and how can they be resolved?

Notes

The Scene

The Sanger City Council meeting took place on Nov. 16, 2023, starting at 6:03 p.m.

The meeting was held in person at the Sanger Administration building, located at 1700 7th St. in Sanger. The agenda can be found online at the city of Sanger website.

Officials present:

Daniel Martinez, mayor pro-tem

Esmeralda Hurtado, council member

Dolores Melendez, council member

Michael Montelongo, council member

Gregory Garner, acting city manager

Hilda Cantu-Montoy, Sanger city attorney

  • Closed session
    • Adjourned at 6:02 p.m.
    • There were no reportable actions from the meeting.
  • The meeting was called to order at 6:03 p.m.
  • Opening ceremonies.
    • Father David Peterson gave the opening invocation.
    • Martinez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
  • Ceremonial matters
    • Newly appointed police officers of the Sanger Police Department were introduced by Joshua Johnson.
      • Jesse Morales
        • Raised in Farmersville.
        • Graduated from Fresno State.
        • Served as an intern with Sanger Police Department.
        • Morales’ badge was pinned on by his father, Jesse Morales Sr.
      • Jessica Inostros
        • Raised in Parlier.
        • Graduated from Fresno State in 2022.
        • Was previously a reserve deputy with the Fresno County Deputy.
        • Inostros’ badge was pinned by her mother, Irene Vasquez.
      • Guramrit Litt
        • Raised in Roseville.
        • Litt’s badge was pinned on by his wife.
      • Ramiro Ayala
        • Born and raised in Fresno.
        • Graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor’s degree in criminality.
        • His badge was pinned on by his mother, Yolanda.
      • Kelsey Sanchez
        • Raised in Sanger.
        • Graduated from the Fresno City Police Academy in June 2023.
        • Sanchez’s badge was pinned on by her husband, Arthur.
      • Amanda Nelson
        • Born and raised in Fresno.
        • Nelson was previously an officer with Sanger but moved out of state.
    • Resolution to honor Tony Boren, executive director of Fresno Council of Governments, for his many years of service.
      • Martinez
        • Reported that Gonzalez was not able to attend the meeting but still wanted to reach out about how grateful he was to be able to issue this resolution.
        • Gonzalez serves as the Sanger representative on the Fresno Council of Governments and extended the comment that Boren has always been a friend of Sanger.
        • Boren has been with the Fresno Council of Governments for 30 years. He has served as the executive director from 2008 to 2023.
        • Boren started his career working for the city of Fresno in 1989 in the area of land use planning, and joined the Council of Governments in 1993.
  • Presentations
    • Sanger Chamber of Commerce quarterly report by Karen Pearson
      • Events.
        • 4th of July Spectacular.
          • Provided free water slides for kids.
          • Event was a partnership with Sanger Parks and Recreation.
        • Street Fair and Farmers’ Market
          • There were five themed Street Fair and Farmers’ Markets:
            • Disney night, Sept. 2
            • Military & first responders’ night, Sept. 9
            • Taco throwdown, Sept. 16
            • Disco night, Sept. 23
            • Country night, Sept. 30
        • Mixers
          • June city mixer was held by State Farm.
          • The July city mixer was held by Hope Sanger.
        • Ribbon-cuttings
          • June
            • Mind Yoga
            • State Farm
          • July.
            • Westamerica Bank.
            • Hope Sanger.
        • Upcoming activities:
          • Downtown revitalization committee meetings
          • Tree lighting on Nov. 29
          • Toyland Parade Dec. 2
          • Trek to the Tree on Dec. 10
  • Consent calendar
    • Hurtado pulled item 6 and Montelongo pulled item 4.
    • Item 4, Police Department monthly report
      • Montelongo
        • He pulled this item in response to concerns over traffic and lights.
        • He implored citizens to read through the report, which is publicly available, in order to see the work that the department is doing.
        • The Police Department issued 254 traffic citations in October.
    • Item 6, ordinance regarding City Council meetings and rules of decorum
      • Hurtado
        • She stated she didn’t have any specific questions. She said she pulled the item to reiterate that she doesn’t think this is a tool for the council’s protection but to silence the community’s voice.
        • The council meetings already don’t see a lot of people showing up and those that do often don’t know how to properly bring up their concerns.
        • She doesn’t believe she has seen any need to enforce strict rules on audience or council members.
      • Cantu-Montoy
        • This is the second reading of this ordinance.
        • It is not intended to silence anyone.
        • Cities throughout the state have had these for years.
        • They are intended as a transparency ordinance so everyone understands what the rules are.
      • Montelongo
        • “You’re still going to be able to talk to us.”
        • Months ago a gentleman came in and taunted the police chief, the council and the city clerk.
        • The rules aren’t meant to stop community members from coming and speaking to the council. Even if it’s to be upset over phone use or other issues.
        • The rules for the council are still more strict than what they are putting into place for audience members.
        • Montelongo recalled that the Sanger City Council had previously censured a prior council member. Reiterating that many of these rules already exist.
        • People need to be able to speak freely, respectfully and without fear.
        • Every city around Sanger, including Fresno, has these same rules as well as the state Legislature.
      • Melendez
        • He  does not believe this ordinance is meant to silence anybody.
        • The public shouldn’t feel intimidated by somebody else speaking their mind.
      • Martinez
        • He believes this is a good tool for the city to have.
        • This ordinance creates equal rules for the mayor and mayor pro-tem in how they can preside over the meetings.
        • The California League of Cities is pushing for this because it’s a weird environment we are in, with political strife.
  • Department reports
    • Consultant services agreement for financial analysis and rate study of the solid waste disposal operation.
      • The city hasn’t had a rate study in 12 years.
      • The city has to be compliant as they go into 2024.
      • The consultation will cover how much to charge residents for waste disposal as well as how much the city should pay Mid Valley Disposal.
    • Proposed Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive fee study, development impact fee study, and cost allocation plan.
      • Patrick Chaffee
      • This is to delineate services that the city provides and match developmental fees and impact plans.
        • The current master fee was updated in 2021 but a comprehensive fee study that identifies all of the city’s service costs down to the line item hasn’t been done in over 30 years.
        • The last fee study was five volumes and usually takes about a year to go through and process.
        • The process involves in-depth interviews with consultants and staff.
    • Consideration of closure of city hall Dec. 26-Dec. 29, 2023.
      • Garner
        • There was historically little to no traffic in the building during this time period.
        • There will be advance notice to community members that the building will be closed.
        • Employees can choose to take time off or continue to work.
        • There will still be employees available by phone if there is a need by citizens for city hall business.
      • Hurtado
        • She doesn’t understand the point of closing the building if staff will still be working.
        • She  believes it will be confusing to tell the community that city hall is closed while there are still staff working.
        • She believes it’s best to just keep the building open.
      • Garner
        • There will be options posted on the door for people to pay their bills or they can drop off a money order. Paying in cash will not be available.
      • Montelongo
        • He states that this is hard for him to decide because he always advocates for the building to be open.
        • There are times when people have called him because they can’t get through to city hall on the phone.
        • He feels the closure involves too many days.
        • He proposes just closing on only Dec. 26.
      • Melendez
        • There are a lot of constituents that don’t pay by credit card but only by cash.
      • Martinez
        • He said he wants to reward most staff with time to be with their family, and closing will give them an opportunity to leave.
  • Council meeting is adjourned at 7:52 p.m.

Actions/Discussions/Public comment

  • Public comments.
    • Joyce, an event organizer for the Sanger Senior Citizen.
      • The senior center has done really well and the participants are very happy with the results.
      • Joyce thanks the council for their support in opening the doors to the center.
      • The supervisor for the center, Clarissa, can’t seem to get budgeting information that she needs.
      • A lot of the senior citizens don’t drive anymore and it would be helpful if the city sent out someone to help teach them how to use the public transportation being offered to them.
    • Kevin Carter, citizen
      • Carter is grateful for the efforts the Public Works Department has put into repairing the pathways at Greenwood and Church avenues.
      • There was an informational meeting recently about fentanyl that Carter attended. He found it useful but was disappointed more people did not attend.
    • Maria Gonzalez, citizen
      • She feels the parks in town are embarrassing because nobody goes to check up on them.
      • She said she is concerned about children being hit by cars in the streets.
      • People on Annadale and Academy streets find it hard to see the red light.
      • She accused the council of ignoring public comment in favor of being on their phones or passing notes while people talked.
      • She asked if people were being ignored because they were from the poor areas of Sanger.
        • Montelongo clarified that he and Melendez were taking notes to plan a visit to the cross streets Gonzalez mentioned during her comments.
    • Acevedo, citizen
      • He said he has been pleading for action about the yellow lights for months. He states that seniors are afraid to drive because of them.
      • He said he wants more people to show up to council meetings but claims they don’t because the council doesn’t listen to them.
  • Consent calendar item 6, rules of decorum, public comment.
    • Carter, citizen
      • He didn’t feel like this was trying to limit people’s ability to speak.
      • He mentioned the Board of Supervisors limiting the Parents Matter discussion to 20 minutes and cited that as an instance of what he believes to be silencing the public.
      • He also mentioned recent public comments in which someone called a speaker a liar and another person wanted to walk outside for a physical confrontation, which he believed to be counterproductive.
      • He stated that he believes if you can’t conduct professionally, you shouldn’t have the opportunity to speak.
    • Karen Pearson, CEO, Sanger Chamber of Commerce
      • She said she didn’t believe this ordinance is limiting freedom of speech.
      • She stated that at one meeting she felt victimized by audience members at a previous meeting and felt she had to leave early for her safety.
      • She believes these rules help community members feel safe enough to speak their mind at council meetings.
    • Maria Gonzalez, citizen
      • She agrees with the rules and said rules are important.
      • She believes that rules should include City Council members’ cell phone use, believing having their phones on the dias is unprofessional.
    • Acevedo, citizen
      • He believes it’s unnecessary to pass rules when people already aren’t showing up to council meetings.
      • He said  in the many decades he has been going to council meetings he has never seen the council be threatened.
  • Consent calendar votes:
    • Motion by Montelongo; carried unanimously 4-0.
  • Consent calendar item 6, rules and decorum.
    • Montelongo moved to pass, and the motion carried with a 3-0-1 vote with Hurtado abstaining.
  • Consultant services agreement for financial analysis and rate study of the solid waste disposal operation
    • Motion made by Montelongo carries 4-0.
  • Proposed Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive fee study, development impact fee study and cost allocation plan.
    • Motion by Martinez passes 4-0.
  • Closure of city hall
    • Hurtado made a motion to ignore the recommendation and keep Sanger City Hall open Dec 26-29, but there was no second.
    • Montelongo moved to close city hall on Dec 26 and 29 instead of the full week.
      • Motion passes 3-1, with Hurtado opposing.

Conversation highlight

  • “I don’t feel like this is a tool for our protection. It’s just a tool to silence the community’s voice,” said Esmeralda Hurtado, council member, Sanger City Council.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at fresnodocs@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

The Fresno Documenters are a group of local residents who are trained and paid to attend and take notes at local public meetings where officials decide how to spend public money and make important decisions...