Thread by @AndyHS

Special Fresno City Council meeting at 2 pm. One item is requiring ALL Councilmembers and other Charter Officials to abide by health and safety emergency order while at City Hall. Also Includes two Closed Session items: conferences with all labor negotiators &Public Security.

Also on agenda is appropriation for safety masks for small businesses; Amend contract with EDC related to COVID-19; and Housing Retention Grant.

@MiguelArias_D3 Council President Miguel Arias just announced this will be beginning at 2:30 rather than 2 pm.

All Councilmembers present (Caprioglio is Audio only ) open Public Items First As City Attorney’s son is graduating this afternoon. Item D on providing masks to small businesses has been removed. Will begin with comments on Item C

*C.Approve Resolution requiring Charter officials to comply with health and safety emergency orders while in City facilities Public: don’t want to come to City Hall to speak to her Councilmember she should not have to risk her health. She shipped a mask to Councilmember

Bredefeld last week. Next Dez Martinez: on Santa Clara St (E, F G streets)homeless won’t be allowed back beginning July 1st. Can we use FEMA trailers or hotels reserved for Coronavirus victims that are now vacant?

@LovesMercy Brandi: asks Council to not only wear a mask but support others to do the same in order to help the vulnerable. Next: Jason Phillip : masks are not good as people can’t breathe well leading to taking in too much CO2 and even leading to death. CDC /WHO says healthy

People should not wear a mask. Also Arias is too temperamental and should not hold office. Next: Dee Barnes @barnes827 You are not required to wear mask unless you are meeting public or at a Committee. Asymptotic person can pass virus on. Next: Sam Frank of City workers president

says there is lot of misinformation out there on wearing masks. Masks can make a safe work place. Your constitutional rights are not infringed. If worker is in cubicle they can take mask off but not other times. Don’t people at risk by not wearing a mask.

President Arias: June 1st City Manager signed order that everyone coming into City Hall needs to wear a mask. We are still in middle of pandemic. Some deaths could’ve been prevented if better care was taken by asymptomatic people. Arias motions with Esparza seconding. Mike

Karbassi says so far protests have been peaceful. I want people to look at Council to do the right thing. He wears a mask a lot and shows compassion to others. He does have problems with some of the language in this bill. Need to be consistent with city order. If businesses have

to follow it than those at City Hall have to feel the same pain. Would like to change language in #2. Chavez: simple issue. We required businesses to wear a mask but we don’t have to at City Hall?? We have shared spaces here at City Hall. Any place that is shared needs to have a

mask as well. Simple: infection rate for health care workers are less than general public because they take precautions. Need to do what we ask public to do. We don’t need to kick councilpersons off a Committee. A vote of four can do that anyway. If employees have to do it than

We need to do so. Next: Esparza in favor of this. No Grey area here. Masks prevent others from contracting virus. Need my staff to be in a safe environment here at City Hall. Next Caprioglio: I had pneumonia four years ago and it was terrible and it stayed with me. I am comprised

because of that. Compliance with masks can help me from
Getting sick again and I know Bredefeld has strong feelings on this but I want to stay healthy. If you don’t like rule change it but not ignore. Next : @Esmeralda_Soria Want to protect my staff from
Being exposed by others.

We are not above the law. We need to protect not only our staff but all city employees. @GarryBredefeld (he wants a video shown with Dr. Fauci on 60 Minutes).

Facuci: people don’t need to wear a mask. It is not perfect protection. May have unintended consequences as people touching their mask. It can lead to a shortage of masks for the those who need it. “

Next video WHO: if you are not coughing you do not need to wear a mask. If you need to care for a sick person than put on a mask.

Bredefeld: people say science is clear but it isn’t as Dr Fauci just said. We don’t have physicians here at City Hall although some of us think they are. If people don’t want to wear a mask than he has no problem. We are only City mandating wearing a mask. County recommends it

but not mandated. They still care about their residents just because they don’t mandate it. People who don’t want to wear a mask go to other cities to do their shopping. Most of those who have died in Fresno were in nursing homes. This Order is not universally agreed upon by

Physicians. Bredefeld had cancer but didn’t expect others to wear a mask for his benefit. We should social distance and wash our hands. Council is trying to punish other Councilmembers if they don’t agree and punish them by removing them from Committees. We have 42 million un-

employed. County allows open meetings but “i guess they don’t care about their employees??” We have 6 M.D.s on this Council ? I will not be quiet even if you take me off Committees. Next: Karbassi Overwhelming health experts say to wear a mask. I have to follow what they say

@LuisCha70215912 Shared ventilation system and spaces. First Responders have a lower infection rate then general public. We need to protect public. Not too much too ask people to wear a Mask. @D7Esparza I believe those were old videos and we have evolved since then. It is spread

by droplets. It was embarrassing to have old videos shown and asks public to disregard. Arias: we follow public health orders. Dr Fauci now advises wearing Masks. This is not targeting one Councilmember. This applies to all Councilmembers. Bredefeld says to stay home if worried

about getting sick but not all people have that choice. Arias is offended by disinformation being spread out. Mayor Brand was called draconian and authoritative. He works hard and is a good person. He actively worked against my election but he has human decency. Arias will be in

Favor of Karbassi’s friendly amendment. Next: Bredefeld says arias called me an extremist at a news conference. We all need to watch our language. The constitution means something and doesn’t end during a pandemic. Government has thrown 42 million out of work. That was the wrong

Policy. A government that does that is draconian. Child abuse is happening due to kids not being going to school. People are getting cancer untreated because people afraid to go to their doctor. All these models these policies were based on were wrong. City Hall has been locked

Down and thus constituents can’t talk to their councilperson. This is a slippery slope where we can punish one Councilmember.

@kmkarbassi i want to have universal on this. Majority vote wins and we are removing the part where Committee assignments are removed. City Manager Quan wants to have language clarified. Karbassi: security will prevent any charter officials who refuse to wear a mask.

@PaulCaprioglio Thanks Karbassi for friendly amendment. You are keeping me healthy and alive and I appreciate it. If someone disagree with the law you work to change it. Must comply with it until then. Urge everyone to comply. Majority of people agree with masks. I want to get

Past this pandemic and get fresno back to the best city in the country. @D7Esparza Language used. What do we do if someone comes in an entry point that isn’t screened by security? @GarryBredefeld wants to clarify amendment. Karbassi: won’t get removed from Committe. Do have to

Wear a mask to enter and be in building. Soria : this goes into effect immediately? Yes. Passes 6-1

E. Approve amended contract with Economic Development Corporation to provide additional services related to COVID-19 pandemic

(Some audio problems with staff report) @Esmeralda_Soria makes motion. (Esparza went and got chocolate milk) passes 7-0

F.
Approve amended Resolution concerning the Housing Retention Grant Program.
Approve contract with administer the Housing Retention Grant Program Caprioglio says this is updated version. Soria: increased transparency as to which organizations got what money as Karbassi re-

Quested at a previous meeting. Esparza: brought up equity issue to neighborhoods where they are paying 50/60% of their income into rent. Soria: most will be interesting that range. Bredefeld: which organizations? Soria : listed in agreement and attachments. Bredefeld: what is

oversight? Soria: very clear in agreement as to how to get reimbursed. Bredefeld asks city legal counsel about if undocumented persons would get state money. Attorney: has to be in compliance with state law. Administrator will have to assure that.

Payment goes to landlord/tenant in joint grant. Soria : we ask same information as to what we ask for someone coming to start a water account etc. Bredefeld says that was beautifully said and he will be in favor. Passes 7-0. Council is going to Closed Session Now.

A. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
B.    CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - PUBLIC SECURITY - Government Code Section 54957(a): Matters posing a threat to the security of public buildings, the security of essential public services, and to the public's right of access to public

services and public facilities, and related actions pertaining to the Declaration by Governor Newsom of a State of Emergency to Help State Prepare for Broader Spread of COVID-19, and related local concerns.

Next Meetings: JUNE 11, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING JUNE 18, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING JUNE 25, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING
JULY 2, 2020 - NO MEETING
JULY 9, 2020 - NO MEETING
JULY 16, 2020 -9:00 A.M.

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