Thread by @AndyHS

Fresno City Council October 24, 2019! Among the items are the 11 AM Cannabis Retail and Commercial ordinance; 2019 Men of the Year (Sunnyside High Principal Tim Liles @SHSregion ; Harry Harris, PhD; and Detective Danny Kim; Closed Session negotiation for 735 H St (just South of

Baseball Park). Please “Heart” if you like these reports. Forgive the many typos or (hopefully less) mistakes! CONSENT CALENDAR
Accept three cutaway vehicles from the City of Clovis appraised at $81,396.67

Approve a Work-Based Learning Internship Training Agreement with the

Fresno Unified School District to permit the Department of Transportation Municipal Fleet Division to be eligible as a work-based location for a student internship

*Actions pertaining to the Sugar Pine Trail Park and Ride Project at the southwest corner of Willow Avenue and

Shepherd Avenue

Approve a Contract with Landscape Maintenance of America dba California Highway Adoption Co. in the amount of $197,376 to provide monthly highway litter control along California State Routes 41, 99, 168 and 180. (Citywide).

Invocation by Reza Nekumasesh from the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno. Next: Annual Disability Awareness Month Proclamation and DAC Achievement Awards Ceremony @MayorLeeBrand Frances Reyes Acosta is head of Commission. Work to increase access for the disabled. City Manager

Thanks Shannon for her hard work. This is Shannon’s favorite day of the year. Jennifer Reyna: nominated for wheelchair basketball team Central Valley Ballers. Took specialized chairs and ramps. She hopes it improves their lives but improved her’s for sure. January will be a

at Holmes Playground. Next: jasmin from Planet Fitness who welcomes disabled to the gym. Next honorees from City’s Neighborhood Revitalization Team. They helped Tommy clean up his yard on their own time. Helps him age in his own place. Tommy brings up his own award for the crew.

Council reports: Mike Karbassi Thanks Maxwell Carlson for his hard work while District 2 didn’t have a Councilman. Met with Fire Chief about need for more personnel. Most fires are at vacant buildings. Fly In show at Sierra Sky Park. He was able to attend Fall Festival at Inspir-

ation Park. Thanks Esmeralda Soria @Esmeralda_Soria for the invite. Was able to be at swearing in of Andy Hall as Police Chief. Met about dealing with Vacant Big Box stores. Soria: met at League of Cities conference. Thanks staff and sponsors that made Fall Festival a success.

Girls, Fire Dept and organizations that came out too. Also new investments in Highway City area including 5000 sq foot library along with Supervisor Brian Pacheco. Tower District’s Day of the Dead event November 1st. Esparza: Mar with groups Men with Heart and Women of Power.

@MiguelArias_D3 Arias: Thanks Mayor and Tim Orman for working with County Board of Supervisors for pushing thru the relocation of Darling Rendering Plant. @PaulCaprioglio also attended League of Cities conference. A good event. Fresno State has their Homecoming game this Saturday

@GarryBredefeld was at Supervisors meeting and notes Darling Plant was a tough vote for Supervisors. Unveiling of Veterans Memorial out front of City Hall November 8th at 10 AM. A flyover will occur too. Consent Calendar: 1-g pulled by Esparza 1-a and 1-M by Bredefeld 1-L and

1-D by Arias. Next: Actions related to the City's Initiative to Combat Human Trafficking: 1. BILL - (for introduction) - Amending Sections 9-1603, 9-1604, 9-1605, and 9-1609 of the Fresno Municipal Code related to Massage Business Operations 2. BILL - (for introduction) - Amendin

Section 9-105 of the Fresno Municipal Code related to hotel registration. @MayorLeeBrand says this a scourge on our community. Soria: asks H Spees if we have enough PD to man this program. Spees didn’t think this will pull PD Officers away from other duties. @MiguelArias_D3

asks @MayorLeeBrand how we will support and fund this ? Mayor: we do need resources. Maybe the Cannabis Fund?

Passes 6-0 Next: Authorizing coordination on the development of strategies to reduce homelessness through Street2Home Fresno County and, where possible the alignment of spending plans that support a continuum of services to reduced homelessness. Chinatown’s Kathy Omachi says they

are inundated with homeless. Despite the homeless buildings built in the area there is still a lot of homeless. Next: homeless vet advocate says there are a lot of mental illness and addiction in the heroes. Need to take resources to the street. They are scattered throughout City

Let’s help our people. Next: Thanks Council for the opportunity to speak. Formerly from Madera. Is homeless woman and has a desire for safety. @kmkarbassi Thanks H Spees for his advocation. Homelessness is top issue he hears from constituents. Sacramento has dropped the ball and

it is a crisis. Needs to focus on in hospital care. Structure has a good mix but it needs small businesspersons and hospitals need to be included. Spees: “ St Agnes was given a two year contract with HEAT dollars. Resource pie is getting larger. He will take to heart the desire

to include more small businesspersons. @GarryBredefeld Wants to be sure Domestic Violence to 14 points is added. Spees: Notes Board of Supervisors made the same comment.@LincolnSeward Magsig want this to be a living document. This document will be brought back when it appears

their is a gap that needs to be corrected. Bredefeld: this is a complex issue. As Karbassi and PD Chief says this is not a housing crisis but a criminal and drug crisis. Yes. Housing is part of solution. Prop 47 etc has made this worse. When in prison they were required to get

drug treatment. Don’t favor false narrative. He asks Governor to declare an Emergency so new housing can be built. VA has a homeless program. Less than 1% on the street want a home due to addiction. Spees: County is fully engaged in this. This is a social and mental health crisis

Break down of mental health programs , drug addiction and lack of affordable housing as well as prison. @District5Chavez composition of the Street to Home Board: are these organizations prohibited from voting on these pots of money that they will benefit from? Spees:public scru-

-tiny will occur. Chavez: money is coming down from State. Why not we place these entities in an honorary part of Committee so they are not voting members? Spees: example on Continuem of Care (CoC) has a lot of people watching over it. Street to Home won’t be receiving the money.

City of Fresno has complete control over their part of the money. Chavez: Housing Authority as an example. How will they detach themselves from a part where they may apply for money?Spees: if they declare an interest in applying for the funding the City and County would be in

Charge. Chavez: so why have Housing Authority on the board at all? Spees: they have 600 vouchers which will be immense. They are also building mental hospital too. Need them at table. They wouldn’t have to recuse themselves as Street to Home isn’t a funding soarce.

Soria: she has toured some of the low barrier shelters that have been built. She thinks it is a housing crisis. She has heard the stories of the people. Often having broken families from divorce. Many are spending 75% of their income on housing so it doesn’t take much to be

homeless. We can’t lower density on housing to satisfy NIMBY desires. We need affordable housing and not just located in South Fresno. We all play a part in this problem. Be part of the solution and not just point fingers. Spees: Thanks Soria for being part of Governor’s Home-

less Committee. @kmkarbassi says he holds Sacramento responsible. Too little land is used for housing. @SenatorBorgeas tried to change CEQA requirements. Too many frivolous CEQA lawsuits. @MiguelArias_D3 he has strong hesitation on this. County Department Heads are not very

strong with mental health issues despite the County getting funds from State. Don’t hate on State when they are the ones providing the necessary funds. Agree with Chavez that some providers are voting on their own funding especially COC. How many we feed is not as important as

number leaving homelessness for housing. Asks Council to visit these low barrier shelters. NIMBY is a problem. Four of these shelters have opened in his district. Nobody else has offered up their district for a shelter , a mental hospital , etc. People want more housing but

only luxury single family housing if it is in their district. @kmkarbassi State relies on out patient mental hospitals. Scraps that Sacramento sends us is not enough. @GarryBredefeld Affordable housing done by government is always built too expensive. Get rid of regulations that

makes it so costly. It is a multifaceted problem. Most don’t want help but we can’t mandate that help like we used to. We won’t make Fresno into Los Angeles or SF. @PaulCaprioglio we are not going to solve this over night either as problem didn’t happen overnight. Approved 7-0

Housing Element: need to add 23,500 units. 39,000 sites found 4800 couldn’t be used due to zoning issues. At least 20 du/ac and 16 units per project. Downtown wound like 10,000 New homes. Some of the sites identified ended up going for lower density housing or non housing uses

We can show State we have enough sites available. Zoning won’t change and this doesn’t constrain what can be built and doesn’t change affordability. Planning Commission and D3 Implementation Committee would like to see more affordable housing created. Staff: Inventory needs sites

that can accommodate single family , multi family etc. @District5Chavez is there a ratio?
Dan Zack says there isn’t a ratio. Arias: we found sites in past but those sites were not used for affordable housing and NOW we have to look to Downtown to make up for it? Zack: not

necessarily. If it is a permitted use (office or housing )the developer can build as they want. That is why we have a buffer added. Approved 6-0.

Kathy Omachi says everyone looks at Chinatown as empty land they would be good for new housing. It isn’t! It is occupied with historical buildings and people. We are focused on High Speed Rail for that area but it is a train going nowhere.

Actions related to amending the Cannabis Retail Business and Commercial Cannabis Business Ordinance:
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@MiguelArias_D3 This is just for introduction today. Council ad-hoc has met 6 times. Are looking at other cities plans. One advantage for being one of the last

Will hire an application process Consultant in November. @Esmeralda_Soria Recent State laws : Equity License , unionized work force and Cannabis companies can use State Tax deductions. Arias: revisions made include notifying residents 1000 feet and additional zoning.

Owners and Operators would need Police Background check and City Work permits. City Manger would recommend Business Permit to Council. Conditional Use Permit to Planning Commission with Council for any appeals. Would need to have CUP appealed every five years. Soria: social

Equity component added. State may require it soon too. This wil help rectify some of the high rate of incarcerations for Cannabis use with people of color in past. Equity Qualifications required: Everyone south of Herndon, labor union, Cannabis conviction. Still have to show

ability to run a business. Council is already have put tax revenue into budget. Already 100 black market operations in Fresno. They have no regulations on them. Hopefully this will shut down most of those. EIR will be done by end of October.

Public Comment portion: @kieltls Has used Cannabis since age 14. Was arrested for smoking illegally in Administration building. His white privilege allowed him to not be shot. He later sold Cannabis to pay for school. Don’t create too many barriers as this will hurt low income

communities that already will have issue with raising capital. Next: government shouldn’t regulate who gets to be in private business. Agrees with social equity. If you want this equity Council shouldn’t limit Cannabis permits. What happens to the mom and pop black market that

don’t get awarded a permit. Entire neighborhood should benefit. Next: Cesar Casamayor asks why only 1 one 7 permits is mandated to be social equity. Why wasn’t community told about revisions? Agrees with union component but which union? Be sure community be included. Why was

a 16 -year old child shot in the back of his head running from police? (Press release on shooting by Councilmembers Soria, Arias and Esparza was just released. Thanks @MarkStandriff !)

Amber from Santa Clara based Cannabis company. Likes that social equity portion. Doesn’t like medical and recreational license will be tough. Buzz in lobby to get into store is no longer needed. That was related to medical cannabis. Also security cameras. Ownership changes time-

line as many businesses need to take on new owners due to costs. Don’t want to have to CUP every time ownership changes. Next: longtime lawyer says he was sued by City for running illegal cannabis operation. He sued back. He doesn’t think he should be held to the zones.

Next: Stacy Wiliams thanks @Esmeralda_Soria and @MiguelArias_D3 for their work. Still thinks minimal done here on social equity. @Esmeralda_Soria says we are setting floor and can go up. @MiguelArias_D3 we have raised ratio to 2 out 7. Transparency will be made.

Staff: State union rep from food portion including Career pathway in cannabis industry. City of Pomona had hiring provision required 33% local hires. Would be good here. Next: Dillon Savory union leader would like everyone to have good wages and benefits. All should have clean

and safe facilities. Thanks Soria and Atias for their work on this. Next: Chinatown’s Kathy Omachi worries about second hand smoke and to be sure permits are not run like liquor licenses. Council going to Lunch Recess until 1:30 pm.

Continuation of Cannabis talk after Fresno City Council’s “2019 Men of the Year” Presentation
Harry Harris, PHD, by Councilmember Mike Karbassi;
Detective Danny Kim, by Council President Paul
Caprioglio;
Sunnyside Principal Tim Liles, @SHSregion by Councilmember Chavez

First up is Detective Danny Kim a Cambodian refugee during Khemer Rouge regime . Began Coffee , Smoothie and Cookies with a Cop as well as YODA.

Mike Karbassi met Dr Harry Harris, PhD while walking precincts. Has worked as Senior officer in White House as well as at Fresno State. Dr Harris says cant believe he is turning 84 tomorrow. Just got back from China. Glad to live in Fresno.

Sunnyside High School’s Principal Tim Liles. Was a teacher at Roosevelt and Was one of the first to begin at Sunnyside High when it was built. Graduation rate is now 94%. Liles says he has great students , teachers and counselors at Sunnyside. He thanks his family. @SHSregion

Back to Cannabis ordinance. Chavez thanks the subcommittee for putting this together. He says Brown Act prevents rest of Council from learning what the subcommittee has been working on with this until today. We all want cannabis locations throughout the city that are safe. Why

are we taxing on square footage and not by pound ? City Attorney Sloan says this is what voters approved. Chavez: How much has the police Chief been involved? This is a monopoly and police have to enforce it. Arias says former Chief Dyer was involved but interim Police Chief Hall

has not. Chavez asks about why Council would Approve renewal of CUP after five years? Arias : gives some accountability to voters. Chavez: worries that Council is directing where a operator is located. Arias: there will be some uniformity and recommendation by administration.

Also no contact with Councilmembers while application is being considered. Assistant City Manager Jane Sumpter says matrix along with Consultant and project manager that have yet to be hired. Chavez: What is State proposed law about Social Equity? Soria: too soon but grants given

for social equity can give us an outline. Arias: new state law says discount for social equity. Chavez: wants to be proactive if State laws are still coming into being. @esparza_nelson State law requires union over 20 workers. Is that the correct number for Fresno? He thinks

this is a long time coming and good for Fresno. @kmkarbassi Thanks the subcommittee and Chavez for good questions about trying to match State laws. A deputy was shot and killed after two pot plants were stolen and he was sent to investigate. @PaulCaprioglio Thanks current and

past Councilmembers for there hard work on this ordinance. The new state law about social equity plus public comments. We have to be careful how we we structure this and regulation for businesspersons. We added ways to allow those with cannabis conviction to apply. Each applicant

needs to come up with their own social equity component. We need this flexibility. He think this will have a positive impact. He likes the way the ordinance was written originally. We can always change it later if need be. @GarryBredefeld are we budgeting based on this ordinance?

Jane Sumpter says we do anticipate some revenue by end of next year. Bredefeld: doesn’t think this will eliminate the black market due to cost. We shouldn’t offer first chance to open a cannabis business to those that were convicted of a crime. Also Council shouldn’t be left to

decide who gets the permit. Also cannabis is a gate way drug leading to heavier drug use and homelessness. @Esmeralda_Soria says when this ordinance was written we said we would come back with a social equity portion. That is what this is today. Social Equity provides local low

income residents can get a job. This is similar to the PLA we had before the Council earlier this year. Arias: Even when prohibition ended we still have illegal distilleries opening up. Just like that we won’t end all black market with this but it will be better. @GarryBredefeld

there are illegal opium but we don’t want legal opium dens set up. Arias: says we do have legal opium and they are called pharmacies. And this ends the cannabis portions. On to Consent Calendar. Accept three cutaway vehicles from the City of Clovis appraised at $81,396.67
Will we

take Clovis logo off the bus jokes @kmkarbassi Passes 7/0. Next amend Retiree Health Reimbursement. Passes 6-0 with Soria absent. 1-G Clovis Hills Church of Clovis to add preschool. @esparza_nelson why are we still supplying emergency water 9 years later? Staff: they will be

able to connect with Clovis water by Spring 2020. By the time the preschool is built they will be connected to Clovis water. They are transferring more to City than they are using. They will connect to Clovis by time they open. Esparza: if we get to August and they are not con-

nected by then we can end it then? A: yes. We could work out a new deal then if need be. Arias: this doesn’t sit well with me. This is a sprawl megachurch and we decided to help them but we have other small areas that we insist they pay for full connection. This sets a bad prece-

dent. Carbajal: this church sits in Garfield water district and have rights to hook into water supply just as city does. Arias: why not go to Clovis? A: water main is 3 miles away but Fresno’s is close. This agreement allowed Clovis time to build it’s water line to the church.

Arias: seems we went out of way to help this church but not Orange Center. A: City is providing money to Orange Center for consultants etc. Esparza: be sure to let Clovis church of this conversation. Approved. Next:
*Actions pertaining to the Sugar Pine Trail Park and Ride Pro-

ject at the southwest corner of Willow Avenue and Shepherd Avenue. Arias: did we use measure c dollars for this? Scott Tyler says yes for trail component. Approved.

Approve a Contract with Landscape Maintenance of America dba California Highway Adoption Co. in the amount of $197,376 to provide monthly highway litter control along California State Routes 41, 99, 168 and 180. (Citywide) Arias: were prevailing wage used ? A: yes. This company

does this up and down the valley and already had their own equipment Tis allows them to have cheaper start up costs. Based in Sacramento but will hire locally. Arias: I don’t want out of town company when we could use local. Soria: I don’t see service agreement with this.

A: this hasn’t been signed yet. Scott Mozier: this isn’ t a consultant contract so it flows differently. @kmkarbassi we have problem with Cal Trans keeping our medians clean. He thinks we should use a local firm if possible. Could this be re-sent for bidding ? City Attorney says

we can’t give preference for local except 5%. Staff: if we put this out for bid again it would be 90 days. Attorney staff: council could award whichever section they want. @kmkarbassi Keep section 1 ( which has a local bid) and get rid of section 2 and 3. Scott Mozier : uncertain

-ty when we made bid as we were not sure how far funds would go so we broke it up into three sections. @kmkarbassi section 2&3 has bidder that was drastically lower. Staff: much better safety compliance. Assistant Manager Jim Schaad: my concern is that when we bid this out it was

geared towards low bid and not local. Will we be challenged by bidders? Attorney Staff: City would be in a positive position if sued. Schaad: if contract allows for best value council could override but we would not recommend. Karbassi: wants to support local business and not a

Sacramento company. @GarryBredefeld we all want local but we also want good service. Mozier says the committee has determined this Sacramento company will do it better. @D7Esparza he would also like local company for sections 1/2 but not for section 3 as they will clean more

@MiguelArias_D3 He is more concerned about how quick they can respond. A local company can do that Bette than a Sacramento one. @GarryBredefeld says this will cost taxpayers $80,000. Esparza says the multiplier effect will make up for it. @PaulCaprioglio we always try to local

and he will be in favor of Bredefeld. Schaad: $40,000 more for half the service. Vote on original motion by Bredefeld and then Karbassi’s motion if First fails: keeping section 1 as well as section 3 for 45 days. First fails. Second Motion:that passes 5-2. Adjourning to Closed

Session now. Rookspire Incorporated

OCTOBER 31, 2019 - NO MEETING
NOVEMBER 7, 2019 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2019 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING NOVEMBER 21, 2019 - NO MEETING NOVEMBER 28, 2019 - NO MEETING
DECEMBER 5, 2019 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING DECEMBER 12 9:00 A.M.

MEETING DECEMBER 19, 2019 - NO MEETING DECEMBER 26, 2019 - NO MEETING

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