[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[1:00] Council Member Tarber, Council Member Biddes, Council Member Horton, Mayor Potembrees,
[1:17] Mayer Calderon.
[1:19] We will commence to agenda item 1 approval of agenda as to form staff, are there any changes to the agenda?
[1:27] Are there any comments from the public comments from the council?
[1:32] Oh.
[1:33] One question.
[1:35] This item be?
[1:38] Item B?
[1:40] Yes.
[1:41] Resolution for the dog?
[1:43] Yes.
[1:44] Okay, is there any way we can move that up so that he can get out of here?
[1:48] Ah, yeah, we can move that up. Would you like to move it up now?
[1:51] I'm familiar all day, so.
[1:52] Okay.
[1:53] Yeah. Is everyone, oh, yeah. Do I have a second?
[1:56] Yes.
[1:57] Great. We have a second.
[1:58] Where are we moving it up to?
[1:59] We're going to move it up to the foreclosession.
[2:01] Okay, sure.
[2:02] We'll be the first item on the agenda.
[2:04] Okay.
[2:06] Okay.
[2:07] And I'm sorry, the motion was from.
[2:10] Mr. Tarber, and a second from Mr. Perez.
[2:12] Okay.
[2:13] Roll call.
[2:15] Council Member Tarber.
[2:16] Yes.
[2:17] Council Member Fiddes.
[2:18] Yes.
[2:19] Council Member Horton.
[2:20] Mayor Potembrees.
[2:21] Yes.
[2:22] Mayer Calderon.
[2:23] Yes.
[2:24] Mr. Tarber.
[2:25] Fantastic.
[2:26] Okay.
[2:27] So, now we are moving to item B.
[2:29] So, item B.
[2:32] This is consideration and approval for the city council of the city of Arvin declaring certain city owned personal property as surplus and authorizing the disposition pursuant to government code.
[2:48] Section 3, 7, 3, 5, 0
[2:51] 1, 1, 1, 1, 0.
[2:54] Staff recommends the council to approve the resolution and authorize a city manager to sell canine doggo to the city of Schaffter for $10,000.
[3:08] Subject to a purchase ill agreement prepared by the city attorney's office.
[3:15] Staff, do you have a report?
[3:19] I do.
[3:21] Thank you.
[3:22] Government Code Section 3, 7, 3, 5, 0.
[3:25] In Arvin Municipal Code Section 3.08.110, allow for and govern this position of surplus equipment and material subject to city council approval.
[3:36] The Arvin Police Department has a four-year-old police canine purchased approximately three years ago for $12,000.
[3:43] The canines assigned handler has left the department and is now employed by the Schaffter police department.
[3:49] Schaffter PD has formally offered $10,000 to purchase a canine, so may continue working with its existing handler.
[3:57] Police canines performed best with a consistent handler.
[4:01] This sells support continuity of training, care, and animal welfare by keeping the canine with the handler.
[4:07] It is already bonded to.
[4:09] Retaining the canine would require assigning a new handler and sending that officer to a six-to-eight week canine handler school
[4:17] at a cost of up to $6,000 plus additional time for bonding before deployment.
[4:24] Based on the canines age and service history, it is estimated to have approximately four working years remaining.
[4:31] The proposed $10,000 represents a reasonable recovery of the city's investment while eliminating ongoing costs related to training, medical care, equipment, and liability.
[4:43] Staff recommends a city council approve the attached resolution to clearing city owned property canine doggo as surplus property,
[4:52] and authorised a city manager to sell canine doggo to the city of Schaffer for $10,000,
[4:57] to a purchase settlement agreement prepared by the city attorney's office.
[5:02] Thank you so much for your staff report.
[5:05] Are there any comments from the public?
[5:08] Good evening, hon. Mermaer and City Council.
[5:16] I am a consent of a general president, our Arvin Police Officer Associate.
[5:20] Good evening, hon. Mermaer and City Council.
[5:22] I am a consent of a general president of Arvin Police Officer Association.
[5:28] I sat in here before you in support of this resolution.
[5:33] As you are aware, this canine program was approved back in January of 2023.
[5:38] If you haven't heard, the canine program has experienced a plight of issues internally.
[5:43] I work for a personnel, training and liability issues.
[5:49] This dog and specific was originally issued to one officer when the canine program was established.
[5:57] This officer already had issues internally with the canine supervisor.
[6:02] As a result, these issues continued when he became a canine handler with this supervisor
[6:07] of being directly assigned to him for the canine program.
[6:11] He resigned within a couple of months.
[6:14] At that time, the acting chief promised the APOA that another officer would get this canine.
[6:22] That did not happen.
[6:23] Even though he promised directly one officer, he assigned it to another supervisor.
[6:28] Any time there is a use of force, you always want the officers involved in use of force that you want.
[6:32] You need that supervisor to be supervising and making sure officers are following policy and the law.
[6:39] How can you do that when you have two supervisors at that time being the canine handlers?
[6:45] Recently, a city manager is not here.
[6:48] During negotiations, we found out that the police department doesn't have a canine policy.
[6:53] The canine policy is not in place because there was never a meeting conferred between the department and our police officer's association as required by law.
[7:00] Technically, as of right now, we are operating a canine program with no canine policy.
[7:05] Huge liability issues, especially right now at what the city facing financial issues.
[7:10] It is my estimation that this program has cost the city over $250,000 to operate.
[7:18] If I could have a couple more seconds.
[7:20] Take your time.
[7:22] Not only that, but the training, regarding that.
[7:26] My as a result, the canine was a big issue a couple of years ago.
[7:29] They were trying to spend it throughout the state.
[7:32] As a result, the created law and post our governing licensing board for a piece officer's
[7:37] created a standard back in April 2025.
[7:40] It's my understanding that these standards, I still not been put in place internally.
[7:44] Again, creating financial or liability issues.
[7:50] Back on the staff report, if you see back in January 2023.
[7:53] In the staff report, they put that they would aggressively go after a grant for this canine program.
[7:59] I don't know why that was approved if we know grants.
[8:02] Before we spend any money, you have to get the grant first because grants are very specific.
[8:07] Very strict on how to spend that money.
[8:10] From my understanding, talking to say a manager a couple of months ago, we still haven't obtained this grant.
[8:16] I am urging, not only to approve this resolution, but to temporarily suspend or terminate the canine program until we find a safe and reliable way to carry out this program.
[8:27] That's all I have.
[8:28] Thank you.
[8:31] Thank you for your comments.
[8:34] Are there any questions from the council?
[8:38] I do have a question.
[8:45] You just brought up to our attention that we don't have a canine policy in place?
[8:51] Correct.
[8:54] So why wasn't that brought up when we first approved the canines?
[8:59] Like, why didn't you bring it to our attention after the fact?
[9:02] Good question.
[9:04] So our department operates off of lexipo.
[9:06] Lexipo creates these template type policies for the department, which is in place right now.
[9:12] But it was never meant to confer what the APOA because the city never proposed it to us.
[9:16] This was brought up to city manager and acting chief Gazerian at that time for a meeting confer, but it never occurred.
[9:26] And okay, so never was followed through.
[9:29] Correct.
[9:30] The city never proposed it to the APOA to implement it.
[9:32] So as of right now, there is no policy.
[9:35] Okay, not just the policy itself for the use of it, but it was never proposed to us exactly what these canine handlers were receiving.
[9:43] As far as, like, takeum cars, overtime, any specialty pay that was never officially proposed to the APOA.
[9:50] So as a result, we are in talks right now during negotiations.
[9:55] You know, what are the standards right now and what's the plan with this canine program?
[9:59] Because again, it was never brought up to us formally.
[10:03] And as I recall in that, I don't really remember it's a little vague.
[10:07] But when the first, the canine was first brought up, no one had an issue with it.
[10:14] I believe all the PD officers are off for it.
[10:18] So by now, there's an issue.
[10:21] Yeah, so I don't know where the information came because no survey was ever done by the POA or by the chief at that time or the police department.
[10:30] So I'm not sure exactly where that came from.
[10:33] Yeah.
[10:34] But I will say that a lot of people were kind of excited at the time because, as you know, we had that silator for the pay raise.
[10:39] And we really did believe that the grant was really going to come in for it.
[10:43] And it was supposed to, like we said, it was supposed to be one officer and one sergeant.
[10:48] Full time.
[10:49] That I do recall.
[10:50] Yes.
[10:51] And I know the grant was going to come after the fact we were advised that once we approved it,
[10:56] but they were going to apply for a grant to continue with the canine program.
[11:00] Correct.
[11:01] I do remember.
[11:02] Yeah.
[11:03] And I think that's where things kind of fell apart because things were going on.
[11:06] And I could say within a couple months, we had one handler resigned.
[11:09] And it never went back to another officer.
[11:12] Okay.
[11:13] Yeah.
[11:16] So you're saying there is a policy in place.
[11:19] It's just invalid because we didn't meet it in front with you guys.
[11:22] It's just put in place, because that's lexipo.
[11:24] And lexipo will automatically just put up just, they're like templates.
[11:28] But it can't be enforced.
[11:30] It's not used.
[11:31] It's not trained on.
[11:32] Because it's not legit.
[11:33] It's just something lexipo automatically does for any type of subject for law enforcement policies.
[11:38] Does that have an ingest in any, because we're going to go sheets?
[11:43] Correct.
[11:44] The next meeting is January 27th.
[11:46] Okay.
[11:47] So I'm hoping the city at that time has a proposal or a plan on what they want to do.
[11:52] But it was officially sent to them via lexipo.
[11:55] Because once I heard that, there was no policy.
[11:57] I said, well, there's a template and that was sent to city manager in the city for review.
[12:03] All right.
[12:04] Thanks.
[12:05] Are there any other questions?
[12:08] So my question is, again, you know, I agree with council member Susan Riceman.
[12:14] Why are you bringing up now?
[12:16] Why am I bringing this up now?
[12:18] Why are you bringing up now?
[12:19] And the other part of this is, is during that period of time when they were on, you guys were on the council.
[12:26] What?
[12:27] Yes, correct.
[12:28] And I'm sure that there was a staff recommendation.
[12:30] Who did that staff recommendation come from?
[12:32] Was it from the chief of police?
[12:34] The city manager.
[12:36] City manager made the staff recommendation.
[12:38] Not the chief of police?
[12:40] I believe it was at that time.
[12:43] I think it was.
[12:44] It was the city manager and the chief at that time, I believe.
[12:48] So, so, you know, from my experience, the stuff that comes from the police department,
[12:55] the staff recommendation usually comes from the chief.
[12:59] And the city manager supports that recommendation from the chief.
[13:04] Just like the, what's that grant we got right now?
[13:09] No, no, no, no.
[13:11] No, no, no.
[13:12] Oh, no.
[13:13] OK, look at the process there.
[13:15] Where did it come from?
[13:17] The police department.
[13:18] Correct.
[13:19] So, somewhere there's some wires crossed, definitely, because I know that the police chief should have been the one to make that recommendation.
[13:33] Because he is the head of that department.
[13:36] He knows the needs and the wants of the department.
[13:39] So, but, in here in Newtalk, you're saying he wasn't aware of it and he didn't know anything about it.
[13:45] And, you know, somewhere they dropped a ball and there's no policy in place.
[13:50] I don't even know how that could even be.
[13:52] Because the council.
[13:54] I think what he's saying there is a policy in place, however, it was not, it's on that lexipol.
[14:01] Yeah, it's just a template.
[14:02] It's not a template.
[14:03] It's a template.
[14:04] It's not something we can use because, again, there's no meaning to infer.
[14:07] And those templates are supposed to be then kind of revised based on the agency operation.
[14:13] So, it's just a standard little template.
[14:15] It's not technically officially a policy.
[14:17] It's just in there as a template.
[14:19] So, when did you guys let City Manager know about this?
[14:23] December's last negotiation.
[14:26] I mean, I don't have exact date.
[14:28] So, it's just this December and we've had the dogs for how long.
[14:32] I'm assuming January 2023, somewhere around that time we got him.
[14:36] Okay.
[14:37] Yeah.
[14:38] But, it's news to us that there is never any, that the City Manager didn't know that there is no policy.
[14:43] That should have been known for a while already.
[14:45] And that should have been something I was proposed to the pay POS in the beginning.
[14:49] If they wanted to go through with the lexipol one or revise it.
[14:54] Well, wish you had a legal council here.
[14:57] Well, what you're saying is that the...
[15:00] The concerns that you've laid out to us are the Canine Unit was approved. It was a staff recommendation.
[15:09] The staff recommendation was to approve the Canine Unit and that there were going to be grants that were going to cover the costs of the Canine Unit,
[15:18] but that was not followed through. There were no grants that were applied and received to support the cost of the Canine Unit.
[15:27] Correct.
[15:28] There's no grant. I'm not sure if they're waiting for the grants that proposed something to the APOA or what they're waiting for, when they plan to propose this to the APOA or do a meeting confer.
[15:38] I'm not sure exactly if they're waiting for that grant.
[15:40] In addition to that, you're saying that there was no policy that was proposed to APOA for it to be finalized, approved,
[15:56] and then have the officers trained on that that never happened and that that should have happened.
[16:02] Correct.
[16:04] And that the city manager was well aware of it.
[16:08] And this is something that has been raised with the city manager and the previous chief of police.
[16:13] Correct. Yes.
[16:15] Okay.
[16:16] And then the thing with the policy, that's something that's supposed to be proposed from the city to the APOA.
[16:21] The APOA wouldn't create this or propose this to the city because it's a management right to create this gain.
[16:27] That's a come from the city.
[16:29] Right.
[16:30] Can it?
[16:31] So let me make a recommendation.
[16:33] I make a recommendation that we table it.
[16:35] Well, we can vote anything.
[16:37] Well, okay.
[16:39] Because, you know, he's standing there telling us that there is no policy in place that's been approved and we're operating.
[16:50] Other than the guidelines.
[16:54] So when we typically suspend.
[16:56] Mayor, Mayor, sorry for me.
[16:57] So the item that's on the agenda is different has nothing to do with the policy.
[17:01] Yeah, this has to do with the grant.
[17:03] Yeah.
[17:04] That's something that can you can add to the agenda in the future.
[17:06] Right.
[17:07] This item is solely regarding toggle, toggle and surplus and selling it to chapter.
[17:12] That's what we are considering for this item here.
[17:15] And so if the council wants to consider the policy or any other changes to the program,
[17:19] terminating the program, whatever it may be, that will need to be considered out of the future meeting.
[17:23] That's right.
[17:24] So we could go ahead and add that to a future agenda to discuss clearly.
[17:29] We need to bring in our council and and addresses what the city manager.
[17:34] So I would suggest then, you know, thank you for these concerns that you've raised and put on the record for us.
[17:41] If we could move with the item that we have before us and the recommendation from staff.
[17:48] Is that we.
[17:52] Except chapters offer.
[17:55] Because this dog is connected to a specific handler.
[17:58] There's no longer with our city.
[18:00] So can I have a motion to move forward with this recommendation?
[18:04] Why don't I think mayor?
[18:05] Sorry.
[18:06] I would recommend that in the future if you come up if you find any discrepancies.
[18:17] And if you have already let the city manager know and six months go by year,
[18:22] a year, shouldn't go that long and there's no.
[18:26] No, I guess remedy.
[18:28] Then I think you should let the council know.
[18:31] So we're aware of it.
[18:32] So we can know that in the future we'll know how to remedy a certain issue.
[18:37] So we could be a lease compliant.
[18:39] There may be a separate process for that.
[18:42] We can process through the unions and not specifically the employee to the council.
[18:47] That's right.
[18:48] So that's something we can again discuss with the city manager and the city attorney.
[18:52] Okay.
[18:53] I make a motion.
[18:54] And just like my friend, I was just.
[18:56] I brought up the any in the cannot program as to the reason why I'm supporting this resolution.
[19:01] Yeah.
[19:02] Thank you so much.
[19:03] Okay.
[19:04] Great.
[19:05] So do we have a second.
[19:06] Great.
[19:07] We have a motion and a second motion by.
[19:10] Okay.
[19:11] I'm in support of of selling the dog.
[19:13] But I'm also in support of the K9 unit.
[19:17] And I believe that the funds that are coming from this dog should stay with that K9 period.
[19:23] The 10,000 that's coming.
[19:25] It should go into the fund for the K9.
[19:27] It goes into any way.
[19:28] For the current dog.
[19:30] Okay.
[19:31] It should be ear not for that purpose.
[19:35] Now that's my motion.
[19:36] Do I get a second on that?
[19:38] Yeah.
[19:40] All right.
[19:43] Can we call the roll?
[19:45] Okay.
[19:46] So there is a motion from councilmember from Mayor Potem Reyes and councilmember Horton.
[19:52] Are we is that one dead?
[19:53] Let's go.
[19:54] Yes.
[19:55] We're going to approve to sell the K9.
[19:57] The direction to the city manager is to direct the funds to support additional training for the existing K9.
[20:04] Okay.
[20:05] That's requested by Mr. Tarver.
[20:07] Yes.
[20:08] The council.
[20:09] Seconded by Mr. Horton.
[20:10] Okay.
[20:11] Okay.
[20:12] Councilmember Tarver.
[20:13] Yes.
[20:14] Councilmember Perez.
[20:15] Yes.
[20:16] Councilmember Horton.
[20:17] Mayor Potem Reyes.
[20:18] Yes.
[20:19] Mayor Calderon.
[20:20] Yes.
[20:21] Motion carries by zero.
[20:23] We are going to move into close session.
[20:27] And following close session.
[20:30] We will be back again for the last action item on the agenda today.
[20:38] Two items.
[20:39] Yes.
[20:40] And we will be directing the city manager based on this conversation to include some additional background.
[20:54] If everyone would like on the K9 policy, we could add it to the following agenda so that we could get clear on that as a discussion item.
[21:01] Would you like that information?
[21:03] Yes.
[21:04] Great.
[21:05] Okay.
[21:06] Okay.
[21:07] Yeah.
[21:08] For the agenda for the 27th.
[21:09] Yeah.
[21:10] Just so that we could have clear.
[21:12] Thank you.
[21:13] Okay.
[21:14] All right.
[21:15] Call the close session item.
[21:17] Public Employee Performance Evaluation.
[21:19] Government code 54957B City Manager.
[21:25] We were going to close session.
[21:27] Are there any comments from the public on this item?
[21:30] Seeing none.
[21:32] The meeting will stay on and we will be back following this discussion.
[21:38] Thank you.