1 00:26:21,932 --> 00:26:24,711 The 330 p. m. meeting of the Bakersfield City Council 2 00:26:24,751 --> 00:26:32,473 is now in session. Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to 3 00:26:32,574 --> 00:26:35,273 call to order the 330 Regular City Council meeting of 4 00:26:35,294 --> 00:26:40,856 July 15th, 2026. Madam Clerk, please call the Raw. Mayor 5 00:26:40,856 --> 00:26:45,632 Go Here. Vice Mayor Core. Here. Council Member Aryas. Here. 6 00:26:46,297 --> 00:26:52,352 Council Member Gonzalez. Council Member Weir. Here. Council Member Smith. 7 00:26:52,352 --> 00:26:55,798 I am here. Council Member Coman. Here. And Council Member 8 00:26:55,819 --> 00:27:00,595 Bashar Tash. Here. Thank you. In keeping with Council's Resolution, 9 00:27:00,696 --> 00:27:04,755 the Public Statements portion is divided into two periods. There's 10 00:27:04,755 --> 00:27:07,315 a period for items listed on the meeting agenda and 11 00:27:07,355 --> 00:27:12,035 items not on the meeting agenda. Additionally, pursuant to changes 12 00:27:12,296 --> 00:27:15,395 in state law, the City Council will now accept public 13 00:27:15,416 --> 00:27:19,315 statements via phone access and in person. And to all 14 00:27:19,315 --> 00:27:20,915 of you who are here today, thank you so much 15 00:27:21,016 --> 00:27:25,155 for your willingness to be flexible. We know anytime there's 16 00:27:25,155 --> 00:27:30,275 a new system, but we will all agree, I hope, 17 00:27:30,315 --> 00:27:33,395 to give each other grace as we work through this 18 00:27:33,395 --> 00:27:36,915 system that ultimately we hope will be better for all 19 00:27:37,016 --> 00:27:40,435 involved. So thank you all for navigating whatever you had 20 00:27:40,435 --> 00:27:43,315 to do out there. Unexpectedly, and we'll just move forward 21 00:27:43,416 --> 00:27:47,875 together. Does that sound good? Nod your head. Hopefully, yes. 22 00:27:48,136 --> 00:27:51,075 Statements for items listed on this afternoon's agenda are given 23 00:27:51,096 --> 00:27:54,035 a two - minute time limit, 10 minutes for participants 24 00:27:54,216 --> 00:27:57,475 by phone in 10 minutes for persons in - person 25 00:27:57,475 --> 00:28:02,234 participants. 20 minutes total. Statements regarding. 26 00:28:10,657 --> 00:28:13,276 Items not listed on the agenda are also given a 27 00:28:13,297 --> 00:28:15,756 two - minute time lap, 10 minutes for participants by 28 00:28:15,777 --> 00:28:18,716 phone, and 10 minutes for in - person participants. If 29 00:28:18,737 --> 00:28:20,956 you have written comments that are longer than your verbal 30 00:28:20,977 --> 00:28:22,956 statement, give them to the clerk who will give copies 31 00:28:22,996 --> 00:28:25,116 to the council. If you're here to make a public 32 00:28:25,217 --> 00:28:29,276 statement, please register using the kiosk at the back of 33 00:28:29,276 --> 00:28:32,636 the chambers where you entered staff will be there to 34 00:28:32,676 --> 00:28:36,636 help if you're needing that. And yes, that you select 35 00:28:36,897 --> 00:28:39,436 whether you're here to speak on an item listed on 36 00:28:39,537 --> 00:28:42,236 this afternoon's agenda or in a matter not on the 37 00:28:42,276 --> 00:28:47,812 agenda. Speakers who do not identify specific agenda item will 38 00:28:47,812 --> 00:28:51,012 be presumed speakers for the non - agenda portion. Those 39 00:28:51,012 --> 00:28:53,012 speakers will be called during their non - agenda portion 40 00:28:53,012 --> 00:28:56,452 of the meeting. Everyone in attendance is in person or 41 00:28:56,473 --> 00:28:59,332 by phone is expected to adhere to the rules of 42 00:28:59,353 --> 00:29:03,812 decorum established by Resolution of the City Council. They'll uto 43 00:29:03,812 --> 00:29:07,732 to abide by the city's Robicorum, including any disruptive behavior 44 00:29:07,913 --> 00:29:11,092 that interferes with our ability to have an orderly and 45 00:29:11,132 --> 00:29:14,132 efficient meeting prevents the City Council from conducting the business 46 00:29:14,153 --> 00:29:17,172 of the city. Consider this a first warning to everyone 47 00:29:17,833 --> 00:29:21,092 participating that conduct that Disrupts the meeting may result in 48 00:29:21,113 --> 00:29:25,492 expulsion and or the Chambers being cleared. Behavioral Disrupts a 49 00:29:25,492 --> 00:29:30,372 meeting includes repetitive statements shouting, hate speech, interrupting staff or 50 00:29:30,473 --> 00:29:33,652 presenters during the meeting speaking out of turn outbursts from 51 00:29:33,652 --> 00:29:37,252 the audience. In telephonic participants are expected to adhere to 52 00:29:37,273 --> 00:29:40,852 the same rules of decorum as those attending here in 53 00:29:40,873 --> 00:29:43,732 person. Madam Clerk, do we have any public speakers regarding 54 00:29:43,913 --> 00:29:47,412 items not listed on the agenda? We'll start with the 55 00:29:47,513 --> 00:29:51,461 phone comments if you, any of those. We have. Not 56 00:29:51,501 --> 00:29:54,880 ready to see any. Requests to speak by phone. We 57 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,440 do have two speakers in person. The first speaker is 58 00:29:58,781 --> 00:30:08,591 Eddie Lane. Thank you. Good 59 00:30:08,612 --> 00:30:11,620 afternoon. I'm Eddie Lane with the CR Club. Thank you 60 00:30:11,641 --> 00:30:16,055 for committing 500, 000 dollars. To purchase and plant trees. 61 00:30:16,922 --> 00:30:20,460 You listened to the voices of the community. This was 62 00:30:20,500 --> 00:30:23,892 not a staff recommendation. Unlike the over 1 million dollars 63 00:30:24,793 --> 00:30:27,612 is in current contracts for tree trimming and removal. Up 64 00:30:27,612 --> 00:30:33,349 to 725 trees removed. Our July 6th recommendations endorsed by 65 00:30:33,450 --> 00:30:37,909 Belting Healthy Communities and Leadership Council for Accountability and Justice 66 00:30:38,250 --> 00:30:43,114 and their emails attached. Um, are one. For accountability and 67 00:30:43,114 --> 00:30:46,214 public confidence. That the dollars are well spent that this 68 00:30:46,235 --> 00:30:50,814 500, 000 dollars be designated in a separate account, an 69 00:30:50,814 --> 00:30:55,014 urban greening capital expenditure account with monthly reporting of funds 70 00:30:55,035 --> 00:30:58,412 spent. Two, a community - based plan be developed through 71 00:30:58,433 --> 00:31:02,332 special meetings of the city safe and healthy neighborhoods committee, 72 00:31:02,332 --> 00:31:06,209 preferably in community settings such as friendship house. Uh, we 73 00:31:06,310 --> 00:31:10,769 need you, sorry to say this, please understand. We need 74 00:31:10,809 --> 00:31:14,609 you horses. This is an analogy to listen directly to 75 00:31:14,649 --> 00:31:17,515 the public regarding the use of these funds. The initial 76 00:31:17,616 --> 00:31:21,355 staff idea presented last week was to purchase in Plant 77 00:31:21,376 --> 00:31:25,915 900 Trees using this 500, 000 dollars That's over 500 78 00:31:25,936 --> 00:31:30,495 dollars per tree. Bakersfield can do better. That's putting the 79 00:31:30,516 --> 00:31:33,775 cart before the horse. The public needs to be offering 80 00:31:33,775 --> 00:31:37,653 suggestions directly to you. Then you can provide the size 81 00:31:37,674 --> 00:31:40,773 and color and structure of the cart for city - 82 00:31:40,773 --> 00:31:43,743 staff to best use this 500, 000 dollars. We have 83 00:31:43,743 --> 00:31:47,104 a model. The model is the current River Parkway. Decades 84 00:31:47,125 --> 00:31:51,904 ago, volunteers planted hundreds of trees along the parkway, which 85 00:31:51,904 --> 00:31:55,894 are being enjoyed today. We have time. Today's July 15th. 86 00:31:55,894 --> 00:31:59,654 We can develop a time, a plan by October 15th, 87 00:31:59,654 --> 00:32:02,694 one additional request today. I would request a report from 88 00:32:03,115 --> 00:32:08,256 2025 - 26 of funds used for tree planting. Thank 89 00:32:08,296 --> 00:32:11,415 you for this opportunity. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lane. 90 00:32:12,659 --> 00:32:22,350 Madam Clerk, next speaker please. The next speaker is 91 00:32:23,011 --> 00:32:23,870 Raw Contrarius. 92 00:32:37,523 --> 00:32:40,702 Welcome. Please introduce yourself a moment. Oh sure. I'm having 93 00:32:40,723 --> 00:32:42,862 a hard time hearing, but I have two minutes to 94 00:32:42,862 --> 00:32:45,662 say something. That's okay. We're just, uh, we just need 95 00:32:45,683 --> 00:32:47,422 one minute. If you just want to sit down right 96 00:32:47,462 --> 00:32:49,422 there, we need our City Clerk to come back. Just 97 00:32:49,422 --> 00:32:54,126 sit right in the front seat. Oh. You can just 98 00:32:54,166 --> 00:33:00,793 sit there just one minute. Please, thank you. That's not 99 00:33:00,833 --> 00:33:01,993 a problem. We understand. 100 00:33:32,121 --> 00:33:36,889 The next Speaker is Ral Contreras. Mr. Contreras. You may 101 00:33:36,889 --> 00:33:46,723 speak now. Go ahead. Yes, welcome. Yeah, I'm calling 102 00:33:46,904 --> 00:33:51,074 about, I'm here for. What the police call classify as 103 00:33:51,095 --> 00:33:55,474 a two day stage live band event. It happens every 104 00:33:55,655 --> 00:33:59,134 Friday and Saturday night starting at 2. 30 in the 105 00:33:59,134 --> 00:34:03,154 morning and going till 6 a. m. for the past 106 00:34:03,255 --> 00:34:10,584 year. I have. My complaints. They have fireworks. There's no 107 00:34:10,765 --> 00:34:14,184 license for the bar. There's no, I really basically just 108 00:34:14,205 --> 00:34:16,264 coming in front of you trying to bring it to 109 00:34:16,285 --> 00:34:18,728 your attention. I don't know how to stop it other 110 00:34:18,728 --> 00:34:21,048 than I know they're applying for a conditional use from 111 00:34:21,088 --> 00:34:25,872 it. Possibly a zone variance to do this legal party 112 00:34:25,973 --> 00:34:29,722 that starts. Every Friday and Saturday for the past year. 113 00:34:29,762 --> 00:34:32,653 I've lived there for eight months. Every time I called, 114 00:34:32,653 --> 00:34:38,078 they show up. And they, uh, do nothing. They just 115 00:34:38,078 --> 00:34:40,238 say, take it up with the City Council. And like 116 00:34:40,238 --> 00:34:43,438 I said, here's my list of all the days for 117 00:34:43,459 --> 00:34:46,958 years where they will not do nothing to fire department. 118 00:34:46,958 --> 00:34:49,881 Won't respond. They have no business permit. They have no 119 00:34:49,982 --> 00:34:53,721 ABC license. It's got a bar with bar stools right 120 00:34:53,721 --> 00:34:57,190 in the front window. And it starts every Friday and 121 00:34:57,230 --> 00:35:00,790 Saturday night. Thank you, Mr. Contreras. Uh, Mr. Clegg, is 122 00:35:00,811 --> 00:35:02,870 there someone who can assist him and just getting the 123 00:35:02,891 --> 00:35:06,230 information and then we'll follow up with you. So if 124 00:35:06,230 --> 00:35:08,390 you, where would you like him to go to get 125 00:35:08,411 --> 00:35:11,590 connected with somebody? Oh, it's pretty good. Please take his 126 00:35:11,611 --> 00:35:14,230 gentleman. Mr. Contreras, that young man right there will help 127 00:35:14,230 --> 00:35:20,892 you and will take your information. Thank you. Madam Senator 128 00:35:20,932 --> 00:35:22,252 Clerk, do we have any other speakers. 129 00:35:39,018 --> 00:35:42,785 Welcome. Please introduce yourself. Thank you so much. Um, good 130 00:35:42,825 --> 00:35:45,105 afternoon, Council and Mayor. My name is Abby Power. I'm 131 00:35:45,145 --> 00:35:48,705 a policy advocate with leadership council for Justice and Accountability. 132 00:35:48,705 --> 00:35:50,865 Um, we're in support of the request in the Sierra 133 00:35:50,905 --> 00:35:54,385 Club to conduct community listening sessions and include community input 134 00:35:54,566 --> 00:35:56,705 in the creation of a plan to allocate the 500, 135 00:35:56,745 --> 00:36:00,067 000 dollars, which is available for tree planting. Members should 136 00:36:00,107 --> 00:36:02,147 be involved as a tree canopy is something that impacts 137 00:36:02,328 --> 00:36:05,434 the everyday life and wellbeing of maker sale residence. We 138 00:36:05,535 --> 00:36:08,714 suggest that multiple meetings be held to gather community input 139 00:36:08,714 --> 00:36:11,674 during times which are accessible for many residents. For example, 140 00:36:11,695 --> 00:36:13,314 a 12 p. m. meeting in a 6 p. m. 141 00:36:13,314 --> 00:36:15,834 meeting and that the location of these meetings, um, be 142 00:36:15,834 --> 00:36:18,074 held in community centers or schools near the communities that 143 00:36:18,175 --> 00:36:21,514 are lacking tree canopy. And the options to participate virtually 144 00:36:21,535 --> 00:36:24,043 should also be available. Um, secondly, I would like to 145 00:36:24,144 --> 00:36:27,623 comment on the, um, availability of the general plan. And 146 00:36:27,623 --> 00:36:29,883 we would like to request that the city extend the 147 00:36:29,984 --> 00:36:32,523 comment deadline for the general plan, the general plan was 148 00:36:32,544 --> 00:36:37,723 released on, um, July 7th without notification until this past 149 00:36:37,744 --> 00:36:40,523 Monday, July 13th. So we would like to ask that 150 00:36:40,563 --> 00:36:42,763 the city extend the common deadline so that residents are 151 00:36:42,784 --> 00:36:46,523 able to participate in commenting on the general plan and 152 00:36:46,523 --> 00:36:49,003 also release translations of the general plan in both Spanish 153 00:36:49,104 --> 00:36:51,323 and Punjabi to ensure that all Baker said residents have 154 00:36:51,363 --> 00:36:54,023 the opportunity to comment on and rebuilt the plan. And 155 00:36:54,023 --> 00:36:57,023 thank you so much. I appreciate your time. Thank you, 156 00:36:57,044 --> 00:37:05,351 Ms. Power. And. Do we have any other speakers. Marigo, 157 00:37:05,351 --> 00:37:07,591 that was the final speaker for non - agenda items. 158 00:37:07,591 --> 00:37:16,894 Thank you. Next item, please. Agenda item public statements. Do 159 00:37:16,934 --> 00:37:22,362 we have any agenda item public statements? Madam Clerk. Margot, 160 00:37:22,362 --> 00:37:24,522 we have not received any requests to speak by phone 161 00:37:24,623 --> 00:37:27,642 or in person for agenda items. Thank you. Next item, 162 00:37:27,642 --> 00:37:37,389 please. Closed session item 5A public employee performance evaluation, City 163 00:37:37,389 --> 00:37:44,529 Manager. Motion closer close motion to adjourn to close session. 164 00:37:44,529 --> 00:37:49,829 We're juntoclistician. And for the record Council Member Gonzalez is 165 00:37:49,869 --> 00:37:52,229 here, he arrived at 337. 166 02:09:25,273 --> 02:09:29,652 Reconvening the 330 City Council meeting, Vice Mayor, Action on 167 02:09:29,993 --> 02:09:35,812 closed session item, City Managers evaluation is not concluded and 168 02:09:35,812 --> 02:09:37,572 will be continued to the August 5th meeting. Thank you. 169 02:09:37,833 --> 02:09:39,732 Thank you. And with that, we stand a journ at 170 02:09:39,772 --> 02:09:42,875 513. Thank you all for being here. We have a 171 02:09:43,376 --> 02:09:46,475 five o'clock meeting that's gonna take just a few minutes, 172 02:09:46,475 --> 02:09:49,155 but we're gonna do a technology switch out. We'll do 173 02:09:49,155 --> 02:09:52,535 the five o'clock meeting, we'll do the 515 meeting. But 174 02:09:52,576 --> 02:09:53,515 five is very fast.