Thread by @AndyHS

Fresno City Council March 7,2019 Among the items are policy to allow street closures that inconvenience the public the least, whether to have a PLA (Project Labor Agreement) for local unions in Building $177 million Airport Expansion. A 27 acre subdivision at Shaw and Grantland.

All Councilmembers are present Jokes Invocation by Pastor Henry Paul from the Central Community Church. First of several proclamations:Presentation of the SPCA Pet of the Month are 4-week puppies in foster care. @stevebrandau @MiguelArias_D3

Proclamation of “50th Anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California” @MayorLeeBrand (I was in that photo so I couldn’t take a snap). Now on to Proclamation of “2019 NATIONAL AG DAY/WEEK” Councilmember Caprioglio and Councilmember Soria @MayorLeeBrand 400 crops

grown in Fresno area. @PaulCaprioglio @Esmeralda_Soria $7 billion and 20% of the jobs in local economy. Ryan Jacobsen of Farm Bureau says 50% of fresh fruit in nation.

Food insecurity of Fresno State students are at 30-40% levels. March Matchup to help provide donations to the Student Cupboard. Companies willing to donate money or products can contact the University. Fresno State’s First Lady Mary Castro says 150,000 visits to cupboard.

Councilmembers all match the $500-$1000 to the March Match for the student cupboard for total of $8001.00 plus doubled thru match.

Proclamation of “Rogue Festival Day” Councilmember Soria @Esmeralda_Soria @MiguelArias_D3 It goes thru until this Saturday. This is its 18th year!!

Proclamation for the Edison High School Academic Decathlon Team presented by Vice President Arias.

Coffee with Cops with @PaulCaprioglio yesterday brought 11 police officers and many residents. @D7Esparza District 7 town hall this past Monday with 70 residents in attendance. @stevebrandau says council needs to provide info on subcommittees that are formed as far a Brown Act

, who will be President , VP etc. Arias mentions past subcommittees need to be checked if any need to be eliminated as their purpose may have expired. Moving on to Consent Calendar ( only one item is left 1-A). Moving onto Approve a Policy on Conditions for Roadway Closures and

Lane Closures (Citywide) contractor will need a work permit, a detailed work schedule required and a preconstruction meeting with City will be required to close down a street. $1000 a day fine otherwise. This will apply to roads that are closed for three months or more. Also

request that Councilmembers are notified when this occurs so they can let their constituents know in a timely manner. @MiguelArias_D3 asks that any fines be directed to the area that is impacted. @GarryBredefeld asks why 3 months? Should be lower. A month is burdensome. Also

wants clarification on Arias’ friendly Amendment if directing money back to impacted area. Soria says an email about road closures is valuable to pass onto constituents. Also she wants meeting with railways and Congressmen about their road closures. @District5Chavez asks Public

Works Mozier and Arias would fines go to potholes, ADA improvements etc.? Arias says yes.Arias doesn’t want impact to Chinatown businesses and its roads sent to Friant area. Assistant City Manager Jim Schaad says we can’t legally call them fines. Mozier says typically three major

closures a year. @D7Esparza suggests fines go to a 1/4-1/2 mile radius of closure. Arias suggests leaving to staff to decide. Schaad says maybe radius shouldn’t be used as roads are linear. Brandau says Councilmembers will Be invited to meet with Contractor. Approved 7-0

1-C Agreement between the City of Fresno and WestCare California for Street Outreach Services through the HERO Team in the amount of an additional $84,000. @D7Esparza asks why so quick are we asking for more? @District5Chavez says this is bridge funding. H Spees says HERO

was originally for a greater homeless frame work. Last $420,000 brought us to March. This $84,000 will bridge us to next round of HERO funding. Chavez says H Spees will notify council where homeless hot spots are located. Passes 6-0 with Capriogli absent. Now 26.92 acres of pro-

perty located on the northwest corner of West Shaw and North Grantland Avenues to be annexed, with 163 lot single family homes.Will need a small parcel from nearby church. Need to be annexed from County Via LAFCO. Approved by Planning Commission in December. Arias asks about

General Plan changes. Should we honor General Plan or change it? Council changes the GP quite often. Staff Israel Trejo says water wells are used and won’t need to connect to city water. Arias has issue with this project as we change GP too often to fit whatever. Brandau asks to

postpone item to allow church members to have questions answered. Public wonders about traffic impact. “Veterans Blvd is still short $9 million to be built”. Lennar is the contractor. 10:05 appearance about creating Black Spiritual Consulate in District 1&3 Moas Alphega Jezrell

Jezrell says we have sihk, and other ethnic groups have places to meet. He would like something similar in District 1&3. Now the RESOLUTION - Directing City staff and the City Attorney to prepare and negotiate a Project Labor Agreement for Airport FATForward projects. Large group

of those in audience are here for. @PaulCaprioglio says FATForward airport expansion $177 million is largest capital expenditure for airport. Win for residents by staying under budget. All past projects at Airport have been on time and under budget. This will provides jobs to

disadvantaged minorities , women, vets and local. Caprioglio would like an ad hoc committee of himself, Soria, Chavez. Soria says this is first step and putting Fresno First. Soria says LAX Project was a PLA and came in under budget and on time. @District5Chavez says he regrets

not doing more workforce job training when he was at Fresno Unified. These are the people who will spend their money local. Arias likes to keep expenditures local. We need more vocational training. People need jobs to take advantage of this training. This can lead to pensions and

a better life. Make Fresno First. Don’t want to water down this Agreement. We still have able body people but out of work as well as one of highest unemployment rates. @D7Esparza says this can be a windfall for local community. District 7 has a Career Tech school that can help

with this kind of project. Don’t have to leave area to find work but to do it locally. @MayorLeeBrand thanks subcommittee for working with his staff. He will support PLA providing budget is solid and sound. A four year degree is not the only pathway to benefits and living wage.

They can buy cars, market level housing etc can help stimulate local economy. Brandau says this sounds like a lot of support for this Resolution today. Negotiations will occur but not definite on it being approved or not. 80% of local labor is non-union. Will those be allowed to

bid on this project? Caprioglio says negotiations will determine that. Arias doubts that 80% non union but higher. Brandau wants to be assured all voices will be at the table. Chavez says yes all voices will be heard. Councilmembers not on subcommittee can voice their concerns

via Legal Counsel somas not to violate Brown Act. Public comments beginning now. First says they are in favor of local jobs but want non union contractors included. Shouldn’t have to join union to be part of it. Labor’s Chuck Riojas says building trades strive for apprenticeships

People are paying attention to this Council and this PLA. Asks all those who have been effected by these good wages to stand up. Contractor representative also supports job training. Has trained homeless. Thanks Chavez for reaching out to them and to be part of this PLA.

Eric Christensen Coalition for Fair...says this PLA will exclude the non-union workers. If we are allowed to negotiate as well that would be fine. Otherwise it is exclusionary. Non-union worker in a PLA will lose 20% of the wage to a fund he/she will ever be able to tap it.

Next comments are from a Union employer. African-Americans are able to rise above redlining and discrimination by a good union job. Says no PLA is perfect but supports negotiating. VOICE is in support of this PLA to create local jobs. Daniel O’Connel says elections have con-

sequences and welcome newcomers Aria and Esparza. He represents Central Valley Partnership. Says each PLA is unique and will provide stability. Prevailing wage, local hire preference, dispute solutions for all workers. We need to support local families. Arias says we are familiar

with Selma project. It wasn’t the PLA that caused it to be overbudget but statewide construction increase in costs. All voices will be heard” he says in response to Sacramento based op ed that was against PLA. Approved 7-0

Triumphant photo op in foyer with Councilmembers and PLA supporters.

3-A repayment of $14 million low interest loan for 4.5 gallon water reservoir at NoethEast Surface Water Treatment Plant. Passes 6-0.

Legal Workshop City Attorney's Office rescheduled from February 13

Most of City Staff is under City Manager. Arias asks about hiring and firing Controller? Jane Sumpter says past controller have resigned. (Controller is charge of finances , CAFRs, payments etc ). City Attorney mentions Council rules since Brandau has been elected to supervisors

Paul Caprioglio will become President as Arias has not been on Council for a year. We can not appoint a replacement as Brandau is not in his last year. Could be vacant for 6 months. After Caprioglio finishes out this year Arias will take over and Caprioglio back to VP. CEQQ is a

project that will have an effective environement. EIR, mitigated negative declaration,conformity , Exemptions are type of documents. (Olympics are only exception to CEQA as it would never happen in California otherwise. ). Arias asks who determines impacts? A: Planning Dept

Arias asks if City Attorney has any help to DARM. Arias asks that City Counsel be part of any project so City will be defensible. Sloan says CEQA is more time consuming and expensive but it more defensible. Talia is City’s CEQA “czar”’and can meet with any Councilmember for

questions. CitybManager and Councilmembers Van Enter into contract up to $50,000!Competitive Process like RFPs can be up to $138,000. RFP can go with best value bid not lowest bid. Arias asks about city wide policy on selling real estate. Not really transparent. Arias and Soria

would like that to be better in 5th largest town in State. Arias says neighbor of city owned parcels that are being sold should be notified as to sale and new use. Brown Act: no serial meetings without public notice Close Session is only exception. Public Records includes private

devices and accounts. Drafts, confidential , investigation, or burdensome ( asking for one million pages) are exceptions. FPPC: (political reform act)Deals with conflicts and gifts and elections. End Legal Workshop. Moving to a fix in council hiring personnel. They can hire two

full time staff. Would lie Councilmembers to have more discretion in how this is divided among part time etc. Brandau Concerned with transparency during budget . He also liked being able to fix “fires”quickly like potholes , tree branch. Could money be transferred between staff

hires and these “fires”. Esparza would like each Councilmember to have the flexibility. Jim Schaad asks if Councilmember will notify City which pot of money is coming from?Approved 6-0 with Caprioglio absent. Unscheduled Public Comment now and then to Closed Session.

Lowell Community Development Corp., v. City of Fresno; item was pulled from Closed Session. End of Council’s public portion of meeting

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