Thank you for your attention and I want to thank you for your attention and I want to thank you for your attention.
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Thank you.
Thank you for your attention.
Who work every day to promote healthy families and healthy communities is my honor to present this
vaccination, recognizing August 2026 as National Press Meeting Awareness Month and August 1st, August 7, 2026 as World Press Meeting Week.
Thank you for your dedication and service.
Hi, I'm Angelica, I'm the Director of Development for San Benito Health Foundation.
And I'm also the part of the Board of California Press Meeting Coalition.
And so for National Press Meeting Awareness Month, we're having a breastfeeding walk in honor of breastfeeding and not only on breastfeeding, but just human milk for all the babies whose mothers can breastfeed, there is also donated human milk.
Thank you very much, thank you.
Now we're going to be on to 5.4 city council subpoena training.
Hello, my name is Leah Calderon and the Administrative Analyst here for the City Manager's Office.
And I have prepared a presentation for subpoena training.
Okay, first, what is a subpoena?
So, a subpoena is a legal order requiring action through the court system.
A subpoena may require the city to provide certain documents.
For example, emails, reports, contracts, meeting notes, as well as permit, or you could be required to provide testimony.
So we thought you would need to attend a hearing, and answers are in questions under oath.
And the difference between the subpoena and a public records request is that it is issued through a legal process, and it may require a mandatory compliance.
Where a public records request is requiring certain documents, but it's not through the court system.
So, some of the do's and do's for subpoenas are to preserve records, say emails, make sure you keep everything.
Please do not delete any records, do not edit them, make sure you preserve them as they are.
There are, as I mentioned, different types of subpoenas.
First one is document type, and the other one is to appear personally in court, which requires you to testify.
And so what happens when a subpoena arrives?
So step one, you receive the document.
Make sure you record when you receive it.
Who served it?
Deadline, requesting party.
For example, individuals are generally not served directly, and said the city of Hollister as an agency is served to the city clerk's office.
So once the subpoena is received, the city clerk would then contact legal counsel.
So it's very important, for example, city council member receives a subpoena through the city of Hollister to contact legal counsel, as well as if they were to be served personally as well.
So subpoenas involving the city council members, as just mentioned, the city clerk's office will probably go over the subpoena to the city attorney for review and guidance.
So the city attorney will then determine their appropriate response and advise the city council member on any required action.
The response process, again, pretty similar, as was mentioned earlier, make sure you review your records, including the date range, responsible departments, as well as collect any emails and any records that you would have or any reports and make sure everything is documented.
Common mistakes would be ignore the subpoena, missing deadlines, delaying records, it could be pretty common that if you happen to miss a subpoena date, the court might not let you know right away, but that does not mean that the court is not keeping records that you have not attended.
So with that, I will move on to the next slide, and so the key takeaways here are if you receive a subpoena, please stop and preserve all records and notify the city clerk as well as coordinating all of your information and again, please never respond to that.
So that is the end of my presentation, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Any questions?
I do have a question.
I've gotten a few in the last couple of year now, and obviously we want to be timely about subpoenas are very important, and the bodies that are requesting us to be interviewed are also important to have an important job to do.
Is it appropriate if we have a meeting let's say it's a special meeting and it completes with the interview.
Just a reschedule with the subpoena body and whatever the organization is that issue of the subpoena.
I can get back to you on that question with the correct information.
Miss inform you, but keep in mind that all subpoenas are really important to keep track of the day because the court is keeping track and it's very.
It's very important to do that as well as they're very unique to the type of court, so that is all up to the judge whether if you haven't been to certain subpoena days.
There's different penalties right there could be fine, and eventually so that's all up to the judge, but I can definitely get more information on your question.
Thank you.
Thank you not a question but Miss Thompson's on on the line in my experience as long as it's documented between the two parties it's agreed upon.
I think the court will find that reasonable enough to make accommodations.
I think of course it's the court they can do what they want if they wanted to but in that experience councilmember cliche I would say that's a pretty reasonable.
Experience an expectation on my behalf Miss Thompson do you want to chime in on that.
Thank you.
In council members this presentation this training was one of the recommendations in the grand jury reports so check.
Thank you.
So when we get on to public comment this is the time for anyone in the audience to speak on any item not obvious gender and within the subject matter jurisdiction.
So speaking cards are available in the lobby and are to be completed and given to city clerk before speaking.
When the city clerk calls your name please come to the podium state your name and city for the records and speak to the city council.
If you are joining us via zoom please hit the bottom of your screen to raise your hand if you are joining us via zoom using cell phone please press.
Our nine each speaker will be limited to three minutes with the maximum of 30 minutes per subject.
Please note that state law prohibits the city council from discussing or taking action on any items not on the agenda.
So in court do we have any public comments not for non-adidas items.
So now we're moving on to consent.
Do any members of the council have any brief questions or comments on items from the consent agenda.
We are pulling items 7.11 and we'll be hearing that after the consent calendar.
Okay.
All right.
So that and then do you have to vote for that or no.
So 7.11 is a resolution approving the creation of the deputy finance officer construction and capital management position and establishing its place on the city's compensation plan.
Do you have any comments or questions?
Do you go to that for or should we have public?
We could do you public comment on consent and do a vote on consent and then we could go to 7.11.
Okay so let's go ahead and go into it to public comment.
Okay and we have Christine.
That's for item 7.11.
Sorry not for consent.
So we don't have any speaker cards for it.
The rest of the consent calendar.
Thank you.
Okay.
So.
The size.
Okay.
So besides you moving 7.11.
Does anybody have any questions or comments on other consent items?
Okay.
Can I get a motion to approve?
I moved to approve.
Second.
All consent items.
But 7.11.
All right.
All in favor.
Can you pose?
So now let's move to each other.
Okay.
So.
Okay.
So.
Okay.
So.
I just want from consent agenda.
Okay.
So let's see.
Okay.
In their motion to approve this point.
No.
We have a discussion.
We have a public comment.
Okay.
Hello, city council.
Thank you for having me today.
So my subject that I wanted to discuss was item 7.11.
My concern with this item on the agenda is that we're creating positions.
For a resolution to create an indefinance officer construction and construction and capital management.
It's really hard to justify to create a position of this or any other hiring decisions at this time.
When we are still faced with a horrible budget that we all know.
I have a detailed conversation with city manager just a few weeks ago.
And she referenced at least 15 times that we have no money.
No money to spend.
There's no money to do incentives.
There's no money.
There's going to be an officer.
Nothing.
She could do.
There's no money.
But when we.
Physicians.
On the agenda to approve.
It feels like there's money for the things that we want in administration.
But there's no money for utilities or the police department or for fire.
Right now we should be in the position where there's a hiring freeze on everything with the exception of police and fire.
Because those are should be the only things that we're worried about at this point.
And then we need to pull the person's back.
I don't understand why.
We still have the city manager allowing her to spend up to or the city manager to spend up to $220,000.
Without no oversight.
She's we should be buying pencils if we have no money.
Orpons.
Right.
So we can't live outside of our means but we're still hiring positions that are very.
They're going to hit the budget significantly.
And then we want to eliminate the positions that are going to affect the public.
We want to contract to send us a water.
We want to pay them to tell us how to run our utilities.
It doesn't make sense.
I believe we are welcoming a new director for utilities for the city.
City utilities.
And they're going to have their hands full.
Because we're trying to eliminate their staff.
Or asking these people to do a job with five people, eight people.
Let's eliminate 17 positions.
But then we're going to hire construction manager.
I just want you guys to really consider where we're putting our money.
And how we're going to affect the community.
I'm speaking to you today as a community member.
I'm concerned that we are.
We are directing our funds in direction that doesn't necessarily benefit the community.
And if we are going to do this, you know, we are going to create positions like this.
There needs to be really, really strong oversight of how it's going to benefit us.
Who's going to pay for it?
How we're going to control it and manage it.
Without that, that position is not going to be an enterprise fund.
And that's what we keep saying.
There's no money because the enterprise funds are stuck in it all up.
You know, we're taking our money.
So please consider how we hire.
Thank you, Christina.
Right, Garcia.
You're taking me counsel.
Welcome back. My name is Frank Garcia, the city employee for public works. For months, employees have been told the city is facing financial crisis. We've been told about restructuring, eliminating positions and reducing staff. And making difficult sacrifices because there is enough money.
We've also seen a written statement that staffing evaluations were requested without repair work included.
If that's how staffing was evaluated, how do you determine how many employees you need without including all the work they performed?
Tonight, you're asking this council to create a brand new senior management position, so I have a few questions.
If the city truly cannot afford to keep the employees it already has, how can it afford to create a brand new senior management position?
If the city says it must eliminate positions because of financial challenges, one analysis demonstrates that creating this position is a higher priority than preserving the position the city says it can no longer afford.
Where's the analysis showing this position provides greater value than retaining the employees serving this community every day?
What medical savings will this position actually produce? And finally, why should employees accept that there isn't enough money to keep them, but there isn't enough money to expand management?
These aren't rhetorical questions, they deserve answers. Because tonight's agenda, since two very different messages, one message says there isn't enough money to keep employees, the other says there is enough money to create another senior management position.
Those two messages cannot both be true. Tonight, this council is about to decide what its priorities are.
Thank you.
Thank you, Frank.
I have no more speakers for this item.
Thank you. Okay. So now we'll move to...
If I can.
Thank you.
So thank you all for coming and speaking up on it. I do have a couple of questions if I can't see the minute or so.
This position that's been created is kind of multifaceted, right?
So they're going to be looking over finances, capital improvement projects, public works, it sounds like.
Permitting, so permitting, construction permits, CIP, engineering.
And it's going to be parted through an enterprise fund?
Interesting enough. It is because our development isn't enterprise fund.
It actually brings revenues not only for its own operation, but other parts of the general fund.
Okay.
This is a revenue-producing position.
We wish we had more of those.
This is a call center that actually has a revenue center.
Okay. And then my other question, nobody was laid off.
Like all the unions obviously didn't get a raise, which is very unfortunate.
But we were able to save everybody's jobs like we said we were going to.
As of today, right? Everybody...
No positions were...
One member of the staff has been laid off.
Okay.
Five members to give advantage of our incentive.
Okay.
Good.
Okay.
So in my eyes, the way that I'm justifying this is that the city of Haltzers behind on their audits.
We need more people looking over the finances in order for us to sort of pull back those pockets.
What did you call the purse strings?
So in my eyes, the way that I'm justifying it, nobody lost their jobs.
We're going to be taking money from an enterprise fund, which I see the concern of the union that could go towards the workers.
But a huge priority of this council.
And of you all, I think, so that we know where we're at.
Fine, actually, is to get some more people to look into the finances.
We need to get those audits numbers caught up.
And I'm assuming I'm just assuming that this position is going to be working towards that.
Councilmember, let me actually give you.
Bad news is not exactly good news is this position is about bringing money.
This is a position that is specifically created to increase revenues.
How do we increase revenues through our permitting process?
Once upon a time the city would take months if not years to process its permits.
That's money we're not collecting.
So in April, we restructure.
We went ahead and sent that particular revenue center that had not been produced in revenues to the finance department.
Why?
Because finance is about money.
And we took a different approach on how we're conducting our permitting process.
Is it looking at it as red tape?
We're looking at it as money.
The quicker we move, the quicker we release our permits,
without violating any regulations.
It's money in the bank.
That's what this position is about.
Money in the bank.
So your logic is that they're going to generate revenue.
Yes.
Which we need.
It's not going to fully cover the cost.
Oh, you will.
It will end in some.
Okay.
If you're saying it's going to fully cover the cost and then some of the position.
If that's what we're being told.
Then I definitely would support that.
My one concern sometimes is that, you know,
we adopt these policies and we move forward on these types of.
Resolutions, right?
And then there's no follow-up.
So I'm not going to be here.
I'm going to address that the public and the union.
Follow-up on that.
Right? You heard it here.
Hold us accountable.
Hold.
This city manager accountable.
I won't be here.
But for those reasons,
I'm going to support moving forward with this position.
Thank you.
Any other questions, comments?
I have some.
So I was actually going to pull this item because, you know,
write some of the very same feelings that Miss Camario and Mr. Garcia.
Like, I had some of the same concerns.
I was in a time when we're asking for, you know,
certain departments to take parachutes,
to take, you know,
effectively, early retirement.
So we can save for the budget.
And then we're going to add a position that's,
cool, and as far as the direct pay of our top cop,
the chief of police.
It's like almost on that same level.
It almost seems contradictory,
or even in some people that is Republican
for us to even, like, put this forward.
So, is, is it true?
Like we went through a lot of budget stuff in June,
and something stuck out at me,
and hoping to hold me to account here,
because I maybe never,
doesn't quite serve.
But in somewhere in the last four years,
did we go from, basically,
or expenditures?
And we go from, like, 35 million dollars to somewhere,
and then, in the neighborhood of 60 million,
in the last four years.
Like, is, it might just kind of,
I know there's just round numbers,
but I'm ballparking here.
Is that kind of accurate?
How about there?
It was part of, I think you're referring to the forecast
that we put together for future years,
and where we, when wrong,
was in the past,
that we had a huge increase in expenditures.
That is correct.
And then, so it's basically more or less true.
When, something like,
$35 million city,
do you like a $60 million city?
It sounds right.
Okay.
And so from our discussions,
my takeaway was,
we hired a quite a few employees,
HR's the most expensive.
We're not exactly business,
but we're kind of like a business,
where we have the inputs and outputs.
You know, cash come in,
we cash going out.
What would you say was the biggest?
It's, like,
why did our budget lose so much in the last four years?
Did HR have something to do with that?
It is.
It's always in the FTE.
It's always employment.
That's where the bulk of the money goes
in any operation.
We are not unique that way.
So I'll give you a perfect example.
This position is replacing four.
Four people used to do this job
and now we have one.
That's called efficiency.
That's called writing,
hiring the right person for the right job.
That's where he has not done that in its history,
unfortunately.
Now, we are.
Okay.
So that puts me in a little bit of a Marty's.
So that was my concern is that we hired a lot of people.
And would you say that in certain apartments,
obviously not police and fire were,
short staff in a, especially in police?
But keeping the city running effectively,
and just cleaning out storm trains is important.
And making sure the stuff that is maybe not sexy,
but like keeps the city running very important.
But are there departments within the city that maybe potentially,
comparatively to certain cities of a similar size
that would like be over staff?
Yes.
You have to look at operations.
So let's start with fire.
Fire will be under staff for a number of years,
especially now that we're preparing it to go into a district type of
structure.
It is very important to actually present the potential voters with a true
picture of what it costs to run a full service fire department.
Police, we have also been under staff for a number of reasons.
And that's why those two departments are not seeing any.
Work force reduction.
The rest of the departments, yes, we are consolidating.
There's a narrative out there that we will not be able to do the work
that we need to do that is false.
The work will get done.
It may not be done as quickly.
People may have to wait longer.
But the taxpayers expect services for their tax dollars.
Therefore, we have to provide those services.
Through smarter, more efficient management.
Staff will be work plan differently.
Please understand the most of our departments of two.
Let's say two weeks ago in how work plans.
I have no idea how people manage without a work plan.
Because when you have a work plan, you for example have a list of every park.
And you know when you're cleaning the bathrooms,
when we're feeding, moving the lawn, etc.
So if you don't have a work plan, then yes, I can see why you need 20 people to manage.
You don't.
What you need is a work plan, good management, and people who honor their work.
And if we have that, the city should be fine.
The city will be fine.
Yes, so I thank you for that.
You know, I brought it up a few times.
And I feel like I'm similar.
And I thought to council member, we're sending this.
I brought it up a few times.
Edward's Deming in the chison, continuing with some improvement approach.
There can be efficiencies that can be found if we just look for ways to be more efficient.
And when you go in somewhere around four years from a $35 million city,
as far as what we spend to like a $60 million city,
that's in my in four years.
I don't know if that's the most discreet responsible way to run a city.
And knowing each or human resources are, they are in the face of the city.
They're helping us keep the city running.
They are the most expensive part of any organization such as ours.
HR is always the most expensive.
So I too would want to make sure that this new head count is doing what is.
And possible forecast like what we're going to get out of any employee,
but it sounds like if they're going to be paid with their pay,
which is similar, if it was the right pay if you are top cop,
that you for police, that they're going to do what we're asking.
If I could make that correction, if that position is picked to the captain,
it's not the chief.
The chief is executive.
This is a middle manager position.
I completed that.
Thank you.
But we're going to get what we are looking to like the chief.
If they're going to consolidate four or head count into one, that's helpful.
We're going to get, it's a revenue generating position.
That's also helpful.
I have another question.
We've had challenges.
I mean, we've had this place have the builders,
contractors, people looking for permits home owners,
just trying to get a permit to make some modifications like for like for their homes
people forever.
Will this position, it says, will manage represented in un-represented staff?
Will they have some oversight over that apartment and help us find some efficiencies,
where, I know we've hired a couple of best clerks.
We've hired somebody to answer the emails in the phones.
Will this position be able to help us continue to move forward?
Absolutely.
In fact, so these are some of the changes that we're making.
So let me start with number one efficiencies.
Let me be as clear as possible.
It's not rocket science.
It is called sigma.
It's lean sigma.
It's alve, plenty of literature.
Some of us have been blessed to be certified.
We know how to be efficient.
Number two, to manage your new workplace.
You plan your work and you work your plan.
And out of that, workmen are performance measures.
Everyone in the organization will be...
We are accountable to achieve specific impacts, not process. I don't really like process, because process doesn't have to mean outcomes or impacts. So therefore, the performance measures will be on impact and impact alone. Right now, I'm sitting on work plans for every director, and by the way, we have many new faces.
The white is over here for public works. We have Karen Crocker for parks and of course, no ill-mink for HR.
So we have new directors, and everyone will have performance measures. The expectation is that they set the same thing for their employees.
So, for this particular position, the performance measures are actually kind of simple. It's money. It's as simple as that.
We see what revenue you have out of when you started the job, and then we see where it's going, because if it's not going, where it needs to be, then that's not working out.
This is not about personalities. This is not about who we like. This is about who produces in this particular case is about money.
Okay, thank you for that. That department has been challenging. So it's helpful to know that they would have some oversight in the permitting and building departments and help us to potentially create some efficiencies where we've had.
And hopefully, some better customer satisfaction, because it is kind of an output. It's something that we, it's service that we provide, right, permitting.
And obviously, we have to permit things that are compliant with what the state is asking us to do, and make sure of these compliance.
So we put in how our heater or whatever, like that's, it's got permits and everything's safe.
And heck, you can make your, how you've got home a little bit better if you, you know, a little higher if you actually go to sign up.
But that's, that's very helpful. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So you've identified the need, right.
Can you talk a little bit about the reporting structure and what is the or chart for who's reporting staff contractors vendors and then talk a little bit about you.
You touched on the evaluation, right, but can you do you have a.
I'm sure if at this point it would be a developmental evaluation to this office and what is the vision for that.
Thank you for asking. So this position is a deputy.
Finance director therefore reporting to director Jessica O'Connell who couldn't be here this week. She had already asked for the time off.
So this would be a member of her management team number.
In fact, I don't really have any interaction with that position except for when there are problems.
I will be going to her and saying it needs to be solved.
As you may recall back in April when we suggested a re-org of the former community development department we indicated that it was a test.
What we were doing was unique. I've seen a lot of things, but I have never seen permitting under finance.
The experiment worked. So what we have now going back to customers satisfaction.
We have a number of people if you wish to fill the room with them we can do that of all the people that are extremely thankful for how well things are going with permitting.
In inspections we no longer have people saying that they are afraid of our public servants.
We have people who are no longer asking for help because they feel victimized by the opposite.
So the experiment worked at this point we had been staffing that position with a contractor.
Our intention now is we don't need a contractor we know it's working plus contractors they're not employees right.
And so if we make this into an employee position then the director of tunnel is responsible for the delivery of those outcomes.
I can tell you that my expectation of her since she is running this particular team is a revenue goal.
Now this position will be responsible as it is right now responsible for the desk the permitting desk responsible for any requests that are made for permits and special write ups.
We have quite a bit of our public's records request is actually related to that and you will see that in the report.
This position will also oversee any issues with.
With projects that involve for example 10 years ago I was promised this and it hasn't been delivered or the city over charge me we need someone to investigate those allegations which we have been doing very successfully.
We need someone that can meet with individuals who are not sure what is being requested of them one of the narratives that I hope you remembered is.
One day they tell me one thing the next day they tell me something else this position puts an end because we have someone who's accountable for ensuring that the communication is consistent and is predictable and it's not I like you I don't like you.
This position will also oversee the CIP component the engineers who work in our capital improvement projects.
This position will ensure that there is communication between the engineers and the permitting process also the inspectors will come under this position.
So you have a team that should be focused on getting to yes a team that should be focused on making sure that the fees are coming in.
Development is happening people are happy and they continue to bring more business into the city.
So I think the.
Can you are you it doesn't have to be right now, but are you able to share your evaluation data in terms of was it a survey is it I mean total data is it.
I think I like to see that I think people at least within my district or books that I spoke to.
And they were understanding of kind of the community that I'll meet these point into finance that was awkward engineering going to finance that's a little awkward right capital improvement projects that's a little awkward.
I think in concept is great I just want to make sure that we do I do my due diligence when it comes to those real.
The real.
From the from the vision and the concept to does it actually work in terms of having an engineer or you know.
A non traditional role reporting to a finance director because there is a lot of coaching and mentoring work oversight expertise that does go into making sure that people are doing the work.
Yes, and please understand in the job description is included to a certain degree we are looking for a unicorn we need someone with not only financial background, but also building background.
We need someone who understands customer service but also understands how number crunch so it is a combination of all those things.
Having said that we are confident that we can attract talent going back to this notion that the city is going through a financial challenge and we are very upfront with potential employees about the situation in the city.
The reality is this the.
Individuals that will join us moving forward in light of our financial difficulties.
These are folks who are not scared of a challenge.
These are folks that are perfectly happy with a boat that sunk to the bottom of the ocean and is only one way and that's up.
This is not for someone who wants to roll roll your boat that gently down the string.
This is for fighters those are the folks that are going to come and apply to the city because we're going to tell them if you're not a fighter you're not going to make it.
So I'm confident that in light of the new leadership that we have that we're going to be attracted.
We're going to be very attractive to individuals who want to challenge.
So thank you for that. So just a full of my request.
I'm looking for the evaluation data in terms of realignment.
I'm looking for an organization chart which encompasses our.
All time employees or coded positions and our contractive positions because I want to see what that looks like as well.
Yep.
And then in evaluation period and also the goal of how much revenue we're projecting spring in.
Perfect.
Thank you.
It's fair.
Okay. So this is what I heard.
No more contracted position.
That's what I heard.
It's a January.
Revenue generating position.
It's coming from an enterprise fund.
It's supposed to pay for itself.
So as far as council member.
Morales is request.
Like I think you're going to have to do that.
But I think it's going to be in collaboration with the employees with the public with the management team here.
Like that's a real concern is it working.
What we said that we're going to follow is sustainable is this better for not only customer service for the public for the employees.
I understand the concerns from the union members.
I totally understand.
But if those things are true.
Then I think that would alleviate those concerns as well.
So again.
Accountability from the public from the management team from the city council members.
That's what's going to have to happen.
But I think it's going to have to be tried out before you can assess those things.
And I would support everything council member Morales also asking for it.
Yeah.
Those are my thoughts.
Thank you.
I just want to.
I have a question council member Morales.
Okay.
So the data the flow chart.
Is this something that we want.
Prior to are you talking about when the positions already established.
I might have missed something.
Any projects.
So it's an organizational chart.
It's an affordable chart.
That's a different process.
No.
And or track is basically who.
Like who reports to whom including vendor.
Right.
Yeah.
Okay.
The structure.
Okay.
Thank you.
For comments.
And also for Christina and Frank as well for coming out.
And so.
You know, I completely understand the concerns in the financial.
The financial challenges our city has.
What I've noticed.
This is just from.
My own perspective.
That it seems like we've had consistently.
Structural issues within.
Within our city positions.
And those structural issues.
Unfortunately.
Lead to foundational issues.
And so the foundation has become rocky.
And.
It's.
I would say.
It's just got us to where we are now.
And we're trying to kind of just fill in.
The cracks to kind of just see.
What we can produce as a city because.
We can look down for years.
I would use a community of here knows that.
In this part.
If this is part of the solution to help our community thrive, especially when it comes to.
Epinomical development.
That is so, so important because that has been left behind.
And that's why you know.
We grow so much with the housing bracket.
Over here.
However.
Our resources are straight to support all the people.
In this community.
this community and that's why our public safety department is so tasked with being short with
resources and staff and that's unfortunate. So if it becomes a burden of everyone in the community
and if this is part of that opportunity that we have to help our community grow in a beneficial way
and bring in some revenue that would be, you know, it would be ideal. So yeah, those are just
five thoughts. So was there a motion to approve this item? So moved. All those in favor? All right, bye. Any opposed?
Now we're then moving on to item 8.1 public hearing for the ecology and we'll rate adjustment in
maximum allowable solid waste collection rates. Maybe we have a stop for report please. So we have
from innovative voices. Good evening, Vice Mayor DeAnda Council members. My name is Selena Stotler,
I'm the Integrated Waste Management Manager for the Regional Agency. Joining me is Mike Kelly with
Recology, our exclusive franchise holler for the cities of Hollister, Simul Matista and the county of
Simul. And then I also have joining me, Katherine Mirrors, our staff analyst. I have worked closely with
Council members, Loris, who serves on our integrated waste local task force and has provided thoughtful
recommendations and guidance over the past couple of years on the Regional Agency's solid waste
programs. I've also had the pleasure of meeting many of you at our community events like Earth Day,
Celebration, I think, some number of Resendez was our MC back up in two years ago and
And then we've also had many of you celebrate our Green Business Mixers. Thank you for supporting
Integrity Waste.
Well, we appreciate our opportunities to engage with the community. Through those events tonight,
we're here for a different purpose, the Recology Rate. This public hearing is being held in
accordance with Prop 218 regarding the proposed solid waste service rates. The purpose of the hearing
is to receive public comments and announce the results of the written protest process and consider
adoption of those proposed rates. If a majority protest has not been received. At this time,
I'd like to recommend that the Vice Mayor, open the public hearing to receive public
testimony on the proposed race. Thank you.
Thank you.
Do we have any questions from the council?
Okay. I'll now open public hearing on this item. That's fine.
Do we have any public comments? No, man.
So now I will close the public hearing for this item.
Is there any motion to, oh, does anybody have any questions?
We may have a discussion about that.
I guess I'm disappointed if we get any protocols. How many did we get?
We have about 236 protests.
And what's the number that we needed?
5,000.
Okay.
It was just 5,091.
Okay. That's good. I think to put out their publicly.
Thank you for that.
With that said, did you have a question?
Okay, perhaps.
So thank you for the presentation in the work.
I know your team has up an automobile job of just everything and working on numbers and just
our partners with ecology have really heard that concerns about affordability.
And so the comments I share here is for strategy purpose.
So we raised a water rates, PG&E race rates, grocery prices, gas prices.
So my ask is that we do it.
I saw on the report that there's an opportunity for people with fixed incomes to be able to apply.
And so my ask of this council is that we have a campaign strategy communication
and effort to make sure that our residents with fixed income really understand that there are these opportunities for them.
There to to be some relief in terms of a or a rate reduction.
I believe it's in the moment with PG&E care.
So it's very similar.
So if they do one, they would also not only qualify for PG&E, but also our water rate discounts.
And we are integrated waste management as well.
So I'm really concerned about that.
I know that a lot of fixed population are seeing years, folks with disability may not have
may consume information in a very different way.
So I am asking the council and our partners to be partners with with an intentional campaign to really communicate to a population about
making sure that they understand the resources and they can access a way to actually process.
Those applications.
Thank you, council member.
Miles, any other questions, comments?
I have just a little comment.
You know, any time we talk about like rate studies.
The community knows what likely the direction of the rates are going to go.
We inflated the dollar during COVID, right?
We inflated the dollar.
It takes way more dollars to chase the same or fewer goods.
You know, it just takes more dollars to do anything.
And then, you know, the straighter form.
It was, you know, kill prices around.
Everybody's getting hit over the head.
I mean, grocery prices, everything.
But these funds need to stay solvent, right?
Like, you know, we have enterprise funds ourselves.
That we had in touch since like 2018, 2019.
That's, you know, going on 10 years, you know, so we need to make these funds whole.
So when costs go up, you know, for, you know, everything in the world.
We need to analyze these things.
And I would, you know, I would submit, I would submit.
I'd rather that, you know, we do it on an annual basis.
I mean, I'd probably first time seeing you in here.
Maybe we did this presentation before.
Is this an annual thing?
We did to 2018 in 2021.
And at that time, it was administratively decided by the cities in the county to do a five year.
Okay.
Not to exceed five percent.
So that is the same pathway that we're doing today.
Okay.
Because when it comes to the city, we should probably looking at things annually.
But the way things are going with the dollar, we should be doing it annually.
It just hurts a little bit less if it's two to three percent per year.
Instead of like every nine years, we do like a major thing.
So, I guess that's just my comment.
We just do it.
If we did it annually, it might just hurt only a little bit less.
But we've got to keep these funds whole.
And this will responsibilities.
Something that we all, we all agree.
Thank you.
I agree with Councilwoman Morales.
So we know you guys do a great job with your outreach.
But you are going to be offering like a low income program.
There is, there is a low income program with for ecology.
And we more recently at the recommendation of local task force increased outreach through social media, the bill inserts.
And so we love to partner more with the cities and the county to increase.
At this time, we've seen a study increase in the participation.
But in my opinion, there's a lot of room for improvement.
For example, just at this time, we have 800 participants in the low income compared to 2021, which was at 339.
That's really good.
So yeah, that's promising.
Again, no matter.
Yeah, we have to pair bills.
But like, some people kind of forward to pay the bills.
So even though we want to go, like, that's always something.
I'm just going to invite you guys to keep the money.
Couple of Morales just hit that element ahead.
Like, let's do outreach.
Especially that population.
I think they do a little bit more outreach.
They're not, you know, the older people that are on a fixed income.
You know, they're not as, I don't know, as involved with acknowledging
those bills.
It's really helpful.
So that's great news.
So you guys can just keep that in mind.
Keep pushing that forward because things are getting more costly out there.
So thank you guys for that.
Thank you.
I agree with many of the sentiments of my colleagues up here.
And some of the thank you so much for your continuous work.
Also your colleagues back there.
And yes, so further forward to covering more events with you.
And please, if you need anything from us, just slide.
Thank you.
Anything else?
Oh, yeah.
Okay.
So instead of most of your groups this item.
I will move to a group this item.
Matter of ice.
Can I get a second?
Oh, second.
All those in favor.
All right.
Any opposed?
All right.
And now we're moving on to committee assignments.
Does anybody have anything to report?
Go ahead.
Just we had an obviously July was off.
But I just want to remind our refresh for integrated waste management.
We are looking at the RFE and we will have meetings to discuss the review and
recommendations.
I believe our senior managers part of that.
I was selected to be part of that process as well.
And we should have a complete fine.
November.
Marguer.
Everything okay?
Yeah.
Okay.
Nice.
Thank you.
Can't deliver.
No.
Nothing to report.
No.
Okay.
I myself have nothing to report.
July is usually a recess for everybody.
So those committee assignments should be put on hold.
And as we prepare to go into the next half of the year.
Okay.
So.
Okay.
So.
So I'm not going to say.
So.
Oh.
So.
Yeah.
So.
Oh.
of utilities. I work private public. So I actually have experienced work for some of the largest
companies in the world. I'm really excited to come here and have an amazing vision and I'm excited
to be part of it. So I'm excited to be working to work for us. Thank you. And Mr. White is taking the lead
on our response to the water board. We have, as you may recall, in order to survive a nation,
we send information. They send us more questions. Mr. White and his team are working on a response.
And we will go from there. We already had some very interesting discussions about some of our partners
and some of the expectations that we will be having of them in the future if they want to continue
being our partners. As far as meetings with our water collaborators, we have meetings with
sunny slope. And also with the county's water district in which both of us are going to attend
need their governance body. We already went by sunny slope and met Mr. Lander. We have not gone to the
district just yet. But we are beginning to build our village. Our utilities need a village. We cannot
do this alone. And we're beginning to talk to other entities as well. People know,
other firms know of our challenges and they are being very proactive in reaching out to us to see
how they can be part of the solution. So very happy in that regard. Moving on to incentives, I'm actually
going to let Ms. Noelle Mink speak on some of these measures. Yes, we proud to work for
incentives and we've had five people respond. So right now, Stephanie Brown, I can hear familiar with.
And I are meeting with those five employees and giving them a lot of information about what it will
look like for them. And then they have approximately two weeks to give us the solid date. They have to meet
Chairman, our retirement date. And then we'll process and move those forward. I anticipate at least four.
Potentially five. We had five people request information and asked to be considered
at everyone's position as you meet. So we're just taking our time with them, taking care of meeting
with them, making sure they have all the information that they need. It's a big decision. And
an normal circumstances, right? People's retirement is a big deal. And now with this, it's even more
careful consideration. So more to come in there. So we, as we present to the council, we
our approach was to first incentivize for those who had enough years in the city. It was not mandatory.
It was completely optional. People made their own personal decisions, whether or not they wanted to take
advantage of the incentive. I mean, the realities that folks that are retirement age, chances are that
they have low longevity here in the city. So regardless of layers, it's highly unlikely they will not be touched.
For MOUs, we have to always go with the most junior. So the folks at the top stay in the top
side of the bottom, the folks at the bottom have to go. And so we wish more people would have taken it.
But that's what it is. And so the council had indicated that we could use up to $300,000 for those incentive.
So the remaining, we will use as we begin separating individuals from the city.
Historical holoster RFP. On your on the desk, on the dyes, you will see a draft, a draft that we
are ready to release, probably soon, which is for us requesting partners that would want to either
a service promoters of the next historical holoster A, A, B, or B as the C for support. So that they can
execute the event. One of the key differences between this and our original bike rally is that this is a
four-day event. So as I mentioned to some of you during the event, my business appointment was
that we didn't have 30,000 people, 40,000 people. A lot goes into the planning. A lot of money spent on this
event in success is attached to the number of folks that come. The more, the better. I have shared with you
some of my thoughts about some other events that take place in the Pacific, and I took all three states,
because to a certain degree, I think we are very similar. And I gave you information on events. There are two
day long in the type of guests, the number of guests that they attract, and it's hundreds and hundreds, thousands and thousands,
and also for the events. So, we are also asking for responses for an event that will be taking place
in 2028. There are two reasons for that. Number one, we need time to really prepare an event that is going to
attract just for the sake of putting a goal out there, 30,000 people. To do that, we need time. Number two,
it is highly unlikely that there will be any money in the budget for the next fiscal year. So,
we are not saying abandon this approach. Why the opposite? We're leaning into it.
One more of it, but we're also saying let's do this right. Let's make sure that we can capitalize this to the highest degree.
So if it takes a little longer, it gives us a breather as far as the financial commitment.
And so that's the information that I had with you regarding the RFP. And last but not least, we have given you the first report,
or what will be an ongoing report to you all. So if you go to the very end of the agenda packet, you will see that we have given you all the public's requests that we received in the month of June.
We will be doing this every month, so that we can see, for example, the Nicholas Berlinson requested information and the description is there.
Mark Surrada, Pierre Molen, Wol Park, several Wol Park is very busy. Timothy Vaughn, Wol Park again, David Mendoza, Alyssa Leeds, Sarah Jackson, Jojo Matthew, Chris Chris, Jerry and Christina Gutierrez, Adam, and the list goes on. So this gives you a sense, this gives the public a sense of what type of information is being requested.
We don't hide things in the city, hiding takes effort, and we're too busy for that. So this is a way of saying, folks, we're not hiding anything, here it is.
This is also inefficient, so council member Shay, since you like efficiencies. For example, we have a number of folks that are requesting information from the permitted department.
One has to ask, do you really need to submit a public request request for that? Why can you just go over there and get in get it? The reason for it was, Gianna, this is the only way that we can get any information from the old community development department.
What we're saying is, that was then this is now, you don't need a puree, but don't take my word for it, let's make it happen. So we are working on how we link information. Right now, you can go there's the other mystery is all the secret contracts that the city manager has, well, all of our contracts are in our transparency portal. You can see not only the contracts for this year, but the ones going back to, I don't even know the beginning of times.
Everything is done in the open, we just haven't had the technology to show it, but now we do. Nothing is being done in some dark alley in the middle of the night, everything is done according to the systems that we have in the policies that we have in anybody can see it.
Thank you. Okay, so let's circle back to a couple of points that you just made. You've got direction for the 300,000 given sentence. Where do you assume that your direction is to use that money to lay people off? Was that in the language that was adopted, the direction from the council that you were given? How do you make that assumption? You went from giving incentives to employees to you're going to use it to fire them, essentially that's what I heard.
I'm actually councilmember, you make a very good observation. The MOUs that the union entered into do not have any language, providing any serents package to any of the laypeople.
I'm talking about the direction you got from the council for the 300,000, but that's a major chance. Let's just slow down a little bit.
Okay. And remember, you, as a city manager, get direction from the council.
Correct. Number two, you essentially said the bike arally is not going to happen until 2028 did you not just say that?
That is correct. Okay. So you, speaking of not hiding things, I don't see the bike arally on the agenda.
I'm a city of holster residents voted almost 70% to have a bike arally. What was the direction from this council on not having a bike arally till 2028? How did you make that?
That's what is being proposed, but that's why by me, which is why you gave you that direction.
That's, this is my report to you. Okay. You don't make that decision. I'm not making that decision, sir. This is why we're giving it to you.
So we're giving it decision. No decision has been made. My role is to report, which is what I'm doing. I am not making decisions.
Okay. It is the council who gets to decide whether or not you want to release an RFP, whether or not you want to have a rally, whether or not you want four days.
Right. Just reminding you of that, because that's not what I've heard, and I, I just want to slow down and make sure we're following the process.
If you would like to have a study session, which would be great to discuss this RFP, then let's have it.
I think there's an ad hoc committee, the most appropriate thing to do, would be to flesh this out, because this is an RFP that was
The on the on chat GPT, I know channel GPT, this is a chat GPT RFP that you're proposing for us not to have bike rally till 2028. That is something very contentious, not only with our staff here.
We know that, but with the public, and you do not get to make that decision that there's no bike rally, and this is my interpretation until 2028.
Correct. I'm letting you know that in the budget for 2027, it is not our intention to allocate those funds.
That's my proposal to the council. The council can say no.
Exactly. So if you're a people, my point is this, Mr. Curtis, the people who want the bike rally need to have it properly agenda is.
They need to have a discussion with all of us up here who make that decision.
That's fine.
That's what concerns me about what I just heard. That's all. That to me is like,
Why would you like to agenda is it?
Number one, I think it should go through that ad hoc committee.
So if we can have a conversation about this RFP and about what the future of the bike rally would like like, I think it should go through that ad hoc committee.
Can I get a vote from the council?
No, excuse me. I'm still talking.
Number two, then I would recommend that like we do with all ad hoc committees, we bring it back to the council and we ask for consensus to move forward.
Number three, this council gives you direction on what is going to happen with that bike rally.
So can I have a direction from the council, please? I'm here in direction from one member of the council.
What, what excuse me? Do I not have a right as an ad hoc committee member?
I have a meeting with you to talk about the bike rally.
The future of the bike rally to talk about how the bike rally went.
Is it down with the mayor? Am I missing something here?
Yes, you want to agenda is decided.
So I'm asking for the right to ask the ad hoc committee to bring that back forward.
The question is the agenda is in the agenda.
Can you chime in, please?
In writing, correct.
Correct.
And about my recommendation to bring it to the ad hoc committee.
Thank you.
That's really good.
Wonderful.
Thank you.
Okay. I will leave it at that.
Okay.
Okay. So we need an approval from the council.
Is this no.
Okay.
All right.
Is that all?
That's it.
Okay.
Thank you.
Question.
Is there comments?
Can I start?
All right.
Well, thank you.
So now we're going to move into closed session.
Does the committee attorney to red-close session?
Item sleep.
One of the safeouts.
To the committee.
This is for the executive.
I have four.
A.
The executive.
A.
Deputy executive.
A.
Thank you, City Attorney, City Court, do we have any public comments on the site?
Any of these items?
No, guys, Mayor.
Thank you.
So now, right, meeting's adjourned?
Thank you, everybody.
Jennifer, if you could just hold on a sec.
I did you want to have any here?
I could set up that room too.
Okay, Jennifer, you could stay on this.
Thank you.