[21:51] The 330pm meeting of the Bakersfield City Council is now
[21:55] in session. Good afternoon. It's my pleasure to call it
[22:03] to order the 330 regular City Council meeting of August
[22:06] 26, 2026. Madam Clerk, please call the role. Marigo. Here.
[22:11] Vice Mayor Core. Council Member Arias. Here. Council Member Gonzalez.
[22:16] Here. Council Member Weir here. Council Member Smith. I'm here.
[22:20] Council Member Coman. Here. Council Member Bush Your Tash. Here.
[22:23] Thank you. In keeping with Council's Resolution, the Public Statements
[22:27] portion is divided into two periods. There's a period for
[22:31] items listed on the meeting agenda and items not on
[22:33] the meeting agenda. Additionally, pursuant changes in state law. The
[22:37] City Council will now accept Public Statements via Phone and
[22:42] in person. Statements for items listed on this afternoon's agenda
[22:45] are given a two - minute time limit, 10 minutes
[22:48] for participants by phone and 10 minutes for in -
[22:51] person participants for 20 minutes total. Statements regarding items not
[22:55] listed on the Agenda are also given a two -
[22:58] minute time limit, 10 minutes for participants by phone and
[23:01] 10 minutes for in - person participants. If you have
[23:04] written comments that are longer than your verbal statement, please
[23:06] give them to the clerk who will give copies to
[23:08] the council. If you're here to make a Public statement,
[23:11] please register using the kiosk at the back of the
[23:14] chambers where you entered. Stafford available to assist if needed.
[23:19] We as a select, whether you're here to speak on
[23:21] an item listed on this afternoon's agenda or no matter
[23:24] not on the agenda. Speakers who do not identify a
[23:28] specific agenda item will be presumed speakers for the non
[23:31] - agenda portion. Those speakers will be called during the
[23:33] non - agenda portion of the meeting. Everyone in attendance,
[23:37] in person, or by phone is expected to adhere to
[23:39] the rules of decorum established by Resolution of the City
[23:42] Council. Failure to abide by the City's rules of decorum,
[23:46] including any disruptive behavior that interferes with our ability to
[23:50] have an orderly and efficient meeting prevents the City Council
[23:53] from conducting the business of the City. Consider this a
[23:56] first warning to everyone in attendance and participating. That conduct
[24:00] that disrupts the meeting may result in expulsion and or
[24:04] the chambers being cleared. Behavior that disrupts the meeting includes
[24:08] repetitive statements, shouting, hate speech, interrupting staff or presenters during
[24:15] the meeting. Speaking out of turn, outbursts from the audience.
[24:19] Telephonic participants are expected to adhere to the same rules
[24:22] of Dickhorn as those attending here in person. Medical, do
[24:26] we have any Public Speaker's regarding items not listed on
[24:29] the agenda. Marigo, we have two speakers by phone and
[24:36] four speakers in person for items not listed on today's
[24:40] agenda. Thank you. Would you call the Speakers by Foam,
[24:43] please? The first Public Speaker by Phone will be Francis
[24:47] White. Welcome, please introduce yourself.
[25:00] Ms. White. Welcome. Please introduce yourself.
[25:16] Here's that she is not there right now. Let's go
[25:18] ahead to the next person by phone and then we'll
[25:20] try to come back to her. Mayor Go. Welcome. Hi.
[25:29] I'm here. Sorry, I get my microphone's meeting on my
[25:32] M2. That's what I'm apologizing. I have a proposal for
[25:37] Bakersfield. I think may help. With Laura Income Families and
[25:41] Individuals that have a better way of lies and actually
[25:45] more income. It's a mentor - based cottage of cooperative.
[25:51] Centered model that connects people who have skills and ideas
[25:54] with experienced mentors. And sheared resources, business education. Like cooperative
[26:02] opportunities. Uh, there's people that do live already in Baker's
[26:05] Phillies and do very skilled, good build. So, you know,
[26:09] Referee's needs, had ideas, grow, design, teach and throttles with
[26:14] the services, and we know that. Somehow it's out to
[26:17] be entrepreneurs, but they may not have the capital or
[26:19] equipment. Or even the knowledge or workspace or connections tonight
[26:23] that is necessary as transitions to Megan Hoods with themselves.
[26:27] I see this as something that's not helped people who
[26:32] are, whether they're covering the coming from. And of JC,
[26:37] a problem with homelessness in this area. And I think
[26:40] certainly these people can be helped with this once they're
[26:44] allowed to get housing that they would be able to,
[26:47] that within shelter or another group would help them to
[26:50] be able to transition both into housing and into an
[26:53] industry. Uh, which would give them, uh, self - worth
[26:57] and something to be able to live above the poverty
[27:00] level. Maybe by fraction, uh, says property would allow people
[27:07] to have these skills and resources. To be able to
[27:10] help, whether to every Ms. White, you only have about
[27:13] 15 seconds left. Go ahead and wrap up. Hey. Look,
[27:18] we're about to say, let's see, it's. English. Yet. And
[27:20] I'm asking for a pilot program that was a dude
[27:24] some kind of idea program caused to happen. So I
[27:28] just faced industry mentor co - op, the attached plate
[27:32] for our innocence participate and the mentors and people who
[27:36] have the industries within the families, individuals. Thank you, Ms.
[27:40] White. Thank you. Next person, please, by phone.
[27:50] The next person by phone has not connected. I will
[27:53] go ahead and move on to the in - person
[27:55] speakers. Thank you. The first person speaker is Don Miller.
[28:11] Welcome, please introduce yourself. Yeah, my name is Don Miller,
[28:14] M - I - L - E - R. Good
[28:16] afternoon. Council and staff. From now until November, on January
[28:23] 15th, July 15th, three city council members, Gonzalez, Arias and
[28:27] Carelessly supported drafting documents to make Bakersfield a sanctuary city.
[28:32] Thanks to where he jurisdictions do not provide sanctuary to
[28:35] anything but potential violence and political theater. Therefore, from now
[28:39] until November 1st, I will be reminding Bakersfield voters what
[28:42] was said on July 15th and who said it. What
[28:45] else might be affected by such recklessness. Department of Justice
[28:49] grant funding. Fundy needed to do real law enforcement. At
[28:53] the August 14th, laws and legislation committee, I spoke about
[28:56] a staff report recommended to be received and filed. Within
[29:00] it, page 13 of the report titled Municipal Funding Outlook
[29:04] speak specifically to grants affected by sanctuary policy. On February,
[29:09] 2025, then Attorney General Pan Bondi issued a memorandum titled
[29:13] Sanctuary City Directives. The Memos seeks to end the provision
[29:16] for DOJ grant funding to state and local jurisdictions that
[29:20] unlawfully interfere with federal law enforcement operations until a review
[29:24] is completed. And to terminate any agreements that are in
[29:28] violation of the law or R a source of waste
[29:31] fraud or abuse and initiate clawback a recruitment procedures were
[29:36] appropriate. Bottom line is sanctuaries jurisdictions risk losing grant funding.
[29:41] I will not stand by and watch Bakersville be turned
[29:44] into some political spectacle as ambitious individuals seek favor within
[29:48] the now extremely far - left Democrat Party. It appears
[29:51] our city is in need of maintenance. And from now
[29:54] until November, be prepared to hear a lot more from
[29:57] a lot more conservative people about the council meeting on
[30:00] July 15th. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Madam Clerk,
[30:04] next speaker, please. Melissant close.
[30:21] To douce yourself. Hi, I'm, my name is Millicent Clouse
[30:25] and I'm a freshman at the Central Academy of Arts
[30:27] in Town Technology located in war too. I'm also a
[30:32] girl's trout senior in Troop 2815 where I have experienced
[30:37] the impact of community surface that can make. As I
[30:41] have completed two major projects with the community, happy toys
[30:45] for SAT cats with the current county animal shelter and
[30:49] a common room for students at my school. These projects
[30:52] allowed me to earn my bronze and silver award for
[30:56] Girl Scouts. I recently had the honor of Representing Five
[31:00] Counties of Girl Scouts as a national Girl Scout delegate
[31:04] in Washington, D. C. where I learned Robert's roles of
[31:07] order. And what it means to serve. I am learning
[31:11] how to work on the team and how to be
[31:13] a leader at the Cadet Technical Sergeant and Civil Arbitrol
[31:17] Squadron 121. I am also learning how to identify problems
[31:22] work with people who are different than I am and
[31:25] make things happen. I am working on my pilot's license
[31:30] even now and have seen how progress can be made
[31:33] with just a handful of people. Ultimately, I want to
[31:36] serve humanity as an astronaut, first though, I want to
[31:40] learn how to be a, how to better surf breakers
[31:43] filled, respectfully, I hope the council will consider my nomination
[31:47] to the BakerShield Ucid Council. Thank you. Thank you, Ms.
[31:52] Claus, and congratulations on your bronze and silver awards. Madam
[31:58] Clerk next item, please. Michael Orloff.
[32:17] Welcome. You might race the mic. Okay, I'm following up
[32:25] on my 12 noon comments. I'm writing to request that
[32:29] this council go on the record with a motion to
[32:32] consider. That we should be adopting rule of law. Policies
[32:37] for the City of Bakersfield. I also strongly suggest the
[32:42] city does not designate this a sanctuary city. American citizens
[32:48] are the victims of foreign nationals, not the immigrants. Sanctuary
[32:54] City policy is irresponsible. Exacerbates inflation, ruins the American dream.
[33:03] And foreign nationals reduced job availability and create drain on
[33:07] our health care feeding education, housing, criminal justice, infrastructure, and
[33:16] public safety systems. The cost of sustaining foreign nationals is
[33:22] part of the problem to exacerbate CPI increases. Sanctuary City
[33:28] Policy. Violates federal law. And interferes with law enforcement. Facilitating
[33:35] about 10 different federal crimes that people can make. Order
[33:40] security. Including ICE, serve important functions, including dismantling international criminal
[33:47] networks. Involved in human trafficking, weapon smuggling, and financial crimes.
[33:54] I fully support everyone who comes to this country to
[33:59] escape oppression and improve their lives so long as they
[34:03] enter America legally. Council should kindly go on record regarding
[34:09] the attached rule of law resolution. Thank you very much.
[34:13] Thank you. And for the record, would you just say
[34:15] your name, please? Michael Orloff. Thank you. Thank you. Madam
[34:20] Clerk, next speaker, please. Jesse Sanders. I don't see him
[34:29] here. Nick Speaker, please. Mayor Co, that was our final
[34:35] speaker for non - agenda Public Statements. Thank you. And
[34:40] then do we have any four agenda. Marico, we have
[34:44] not received any Public Speaker requests for agenda items. Thank
[34:48] you. Next item, please. Closed session. Item 5A, conference with
[34:55] legal counsel, personnel matter, conference to conduct interviews and to
[34:59] consider discuss the employment appointment of a chief assistant city
[35:02] attorney applicant. Item 5B, conference legal counsel, existing litigation regarding
[35:09] Melrose Gabriel Flores, a minor buy and through her guardian,
[35:13] Adlitum, Sabrina Rico, the Julian Garcia, City of Bakersfield at
[35:18] all. Thank you. We're adjourned to close session.
[1:54:01] The 330 City Council meeting at 502. Council Member Gonzalez
[1:54:05] on 5A, please. Thank you, Mayor Council has concluded its
[1:54:09] interview for chief assistant city attorney and has offered the
[1:54:13] position to Ashley Zambrano. We further direct the City Attorney
[1:54:17] to Draft Anemoyment Contract for the Chief Assistant City Attorney
[1:54:21] and bring that contract to the City Council for a
[1:54:24] vote on September 16, 2026. Thank you, Council Member Gonzalez.
[1:54:28] And now to 5B, Madam City Attorney. Thank you, Mayor.
[1:54:32] By unanimous vote. Of 6. 0 with Vise Mear Corps
[1:54:36] absent, the City Attorney was given direction. Thank you. Thank
[1:54:39] you. And with no other business, the meeting of 330
[1:54:45] is adjourned at 503.