Documented by Artemes Gidram

The Sanger City Council poses for a photo with new city manager, Nathan Olson, at its Feb. 1 meeting. Source: Artemes Gidram

Here’s what you need to know

  • Sanger City Council appointed a new city manager, Nathan Olson, after the previous one resigned last September.
  • The council accepted a $20,000-grant from the San Joaquin Valley Control District.
  • The Fire Department plans to break ground in late March to begin reconstruction of its building, and is moving administration offices across the street.

Follow-up questions

  • How much longer will the sewer treatment plant and water treatment plant updates take?
  • How long will construction on the Fire Department take?

Notes

The Scene

The Sanger City Council meeting took place on Feb. 1, 2024, at 6:08 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 Sanger website.

Officials present:

Frank Gonzalez, mayor

Daniel Martinez, mayor pro-tem

Hilda Cantu-Montoy, Sanger city attorney

Greg Tarascou, acting city manager

Esmeralda Hurtado, council member

Dolores Melendez, council member

Michael Montelongo, council member

  • The meeting was called to order at 6:08 p.m.
  • Opening
    • The invocation was performed by Pastor Paul Canaday.
    • The flag salute was led by Gonzalez.
    • During roll call Fire Chief Greg Tarascou was present, filling in for acting City Manager/Police Chief Gregory Garner.
  • Agenda approval
    • The motion by Martinez passed unanimously.
  • Public hearing
    • Cantu-Montoy
      • According to state law, the hearing must not start before 6:15 p.m.
      • It was the third of four required hearings needed to redraw district lines.
      • State law requires that the lines be drawn to include an annexed property in the nearest council district.
    • Public Hearing 3 to update on City Council district boundaries
    • The council had to wait five minutes until 6:15 p.m. in accordance with state law. 
    • The annexed property is on the northeast side of town, extending from the north border of District 1 to Kings Canyon Road.
    • The annexed property becomes part of  District 1. There are 36 residents in the annexed area who will become constituents.
    • There were no public comments.
  • Consent calendar
    • Tarascou pulled items 3 and 4.

Vote for items excluding 3 and 4

  • The motion by Hurtado passed unanimously.
  • Item 3: Agreement Between Sanger and Merced Community College District
    • Tarascou said he pulled the item to clarify that, if passed, the start date would not be until Feb. 15, 2024.
      • There were no questions or comments from the council or the public.
    • Vote
      • The motion by Hurtado carried unanimously
  • Item 4, Approval of license agreement with DR Horton CA 3 Inc. for North and Greenwood Sewer Lift Station Reconstruction Project
    • Josh Rogers, city engineer
      • The sewer lift on North and Greenwood avenues is located close to the road; the plan is to rebuild it further from the road.
      • The city is coordinating with owner-developer DR Horton to get temporary use of the property.
      • The license agreement in the staff report was OK’d by Cantu-Montoy and Rogers. The item was pulled because the attorney for DR Horton requested some changes that were agreed to by the city.
      •  DR Horton wanted the property to be referred to by its lot number – 585960 – and call it a license area. They asked to describe the construction activities as “staging and storing.”
      • The developer also added language about termination of occupancy, requiring the city to remove all of its property as well as that of contractors and third parties.
        • Martinez clarified that DR Horton is allowing the city temporary use of three of its lots as equipment storage while they reconstruct the lift. DR Horton is not charging for storage.
      • Vote
        • The motion by Montelongo passed unanimously
  • Department reports
    • City manager appointment and employment agreement
      • Cantu-Montoy
        • The former city manager resigned last September and the council has been working toward hiring a new one. In the interim, Garner was appointed temporary city manager. The council engaged a consultant firm for recruitment and has interviewed both local and national candidates. The council has decided upon Nathan Olson, former city manager of Lemoore. 
        • Olson told the council, “You got the right guy. I won’t let you down.
        • Gonzalez announced the benefit package for Olson, as required by the state open meetings law, the Brown Act.
        • City manager compensation and benefits
          • Term of contract will last three years from Feb. 23, 2024-Feb. 22, 2027.
          • Annual salary will be $200,000
          • The city manager will be enrolled in the city’s retirement plan with the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).
          • The city will provide a health care plan for the city manager and his dependents. The plan will include medical, prescription, vision, dental, disability insurance and a life insurance policy of $100,000.
          • The city shall pay the entire premium for the life insurance, dental and vision costs.
          • The employee will pay $45 a month, with the city paying the balance for medical and prescription plans for dependent care only.
          • At retirement the city manager may elect to continue coverage under the city’s health care plan at the employee’s cost including dependent coverage. Such coverage will continue until eligible for Medicare benefits.
          • The new employee will begin earning vacation leave as calculated at 6.1 hours per day. He will receive eight hours per month of sick leave. And 72 hours of management leave every fiscal year. He will get eight paid hours of holiday pay for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, Christmas and one floating holiday. The city manager will be entitled to bereavement leave of up to 40 working hours for the death of an immediate family member.
          • For termination without cause, the city manager will be entitled to severance compensation of nine months’ salary and health benefits if termination happens within the first or second years of the agreement.  The city manager will be entitled to six months of salary and health benefits if terminated within the third year.
      • Public comments
        • Michelle Speer, former assistant city manager, Lemoore
          • Speer started off by saying that change is difficult and that the city and the City Council can expect  a lot of change in the future. However, with Olson, she assured them that it would be change for the better. Stating that Olson cares a lot about his community and staff, she said that the city of Sanger is getting a good man.
        • Martinez
          • Martinez said he wasn’t only impressed with the candidate’s previous work as city manager of Lemoore but his experience in public works. Martinez referred to Sanger as being “a sleeping giant.” Sanger has huge plans, starting with the Highway 180 annexation, and Olson is a good fit for what the city needs, he said. Martinez said he also liked that Olson engages with the community, with a history of having community gatherings in order to gauge input.
        • Hurtado
          • Hurtado seconded the “sleeping giant” comment, congratulating Olson on his new position and said that she looks forward to the days when the city is thriving.
        • Montelongo
          • Montelongo started off by thanking the council for the hard work they put into finding the right candidate for the job. He said that they all sacrificed long hours and weekends in order to make it happen. Montelongo said he felt like Olson comes with a lot of experience, openness and transparency. The city can’t do anything without new businesses and Montelongo said he believes Olson will help bring them.
        • Gonzalez
          • Gonzalez stated that there was an extensive search nationwide. Gonzalez was thankful that they were able to find the right person right in Sanger’s backyard.
        • Melendez
          • Melendez congratulated Olson and shared that she was from Lemoore herself. She said that Lemoore is a great city but Olson will come to love Sanger. Melendez said she sees a lot of potential in Olson.
      • Vote
        • The motion by Montelongo passed unanimously
    • Accept grant funds from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and approve the purchase of a new alternative-fuel vehicle for Public Works
      • Council member Martinez recused himself, stating that he is an employee of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
      • John Mulligan, public works director
        • Every year the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District puts out a public benefits grant program. The city can apply and receive grants from $20,000 to $100,000.
        • The city has previously used these grants for the Police Department.
        • The Public Works Department has identified a need for the sewer waste treatment plant.
          • The $20,000 grant will also match another $15,100.
      • No public comment was made.
      • Vote
        • The motion by Montelongo passed 4-0-1, with Martinez recusing himself due to his employment with the San Joaquin Valley Air Control District.
  • City manager/staff communications
    • Fire Department staff is in the process of their redesign, and had met with their contractor the day before the council meeting.  Administration is being moved to the business buildings across the street from the American Legion building on the southeast corner of 7th and P streets. There will be signs out front of the administration building. The current plans are to break ground on March 31.
  • City Council member matters
    • Martinez
      • Martinez and Gonzalez attended an open house for state Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Fresno. A graphic representing Sanger was created to be part of a mural of Caballero’s district in her office.
    • Hurtado
      • Hurtado said she wants to get a consensus from the rest of the council to recognize Gong’s Family Market, which had recently been sold after being in business for decades in Sanger.
        • The rest of the council agreed.
      • Hurtado also asked for a consensus on applying for funds to repair the broken water slide at the community center. Suggestions were to ask Caballero for funding, ask city grant writers to find money for the project or to look at city funds.
        • The rest of the council agreed to this.
      • Finally, Hurtado stated that Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, had a meeting with the city regarding the wastewater treatment plant. Hurtado reiterated the dire need for a new facility during the meeting, she said. Hurtado suggested submitting a request for funds to both Caballero and Costa when the budgets of the respective representatives are being formulated. 
    • Montelongo
      • Montelongo wants staff to get information regarding the water tower and what telecommunication networks are being housed there.
  • The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

Actions/discussions/public comment

  • Public forum
    • Osvaldo Vera, former Sanger boxing coach
      • Vera stated that he got a chance to meet the selected city manager, Nathan Olson, and said he believed the council made the right choice. 
    • David Santo, office of Caballero
      • Santos thanked Martinez and Gonzalez for attending Caballero’s open house. He told the council to not hesitate to contact their office if they can be of service to Sanger.
    • Julian Rocha, community member
      • Rocha apologized for missing the last few council meetings as he said he was dealing with an illness.
      • Rocha asked to bring up matters that he has brought up in the past and has never seen addressed. He apologized if any had been addressed while he was gone.
        • He wanted to know what happened to the traffic cameras that were supposed to be attached to signals in Sanger.
        • He asked what happened to the banner that was scheduled to be put up at the entrance to Sanger in honor of Sanger resident and Raiders football coach Tom Flores’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
          • Gonzalez later clarified that discussions with the NFL Hall of Fame are still ongoing to gain permission to use their logo on the sign.
        • Rocha inquired about the construction of the current Fire Department headquarters, referring to it as the Sanger Taj Mahal. He said that it was originally supposed to cost about $7 million and has since grown in cost by about $2 million.
          • Montelongo clarified that there was an update last meeting with item F5.
        • Rocha mentioned wanting the audio or minutes of the Oct. 19 meeting. 
    • Kevin Carter, community member
      • Carter said that he was satisfied with the recent budget workshops in which members of the community were able to give and receive input about the next fiscal year’s budget. Carter said those types of meetings are very valuable not only for the city to understand the needs of the community but for the community to understand the needs of the city.

Conversation highlight

  • “My family from Lemoore is here and I look forward to building that team here and we’re family members. You can never have enough family members in your back pocket. So, I want to thank ya’ll for coming out, and you got the right guy. I won’t let you down,” said Nathan Olson, new Sanger city manager.

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

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