Thread by @AndyHS

It is Thursday morning so it must be time for Fresno City Council!

September 17, 2020 Fresno City Council via Zoom! On the Agenda are several commercial Cannabis related bills (Including one labeled 80-420!); Workshop on Homelessness; Esparza’s Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District ; the "Business is Essential to Local Economies Act;

“Bredefeld’s “Open City Hall to the Public Act”, “End the Snitch Hotline Act" ,Adopting the "Anti-Oppressive Government Act" and “Adopting the "Business Freedom Act," and a Closed Session item :Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability v. City of Fresno. @LCJandA

Selected CONSENT CALENDAR items:
1-B Actions pertaining to Commercial Cannabis Activity: 1. BILL- ( relating to the regulation of cannabis microbusinesses. 2. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 559th Amendment to the Master Fee Schedule Resolution No. 80-420 adding fees relating to

Commercial Cannabis Business permit applications . 3. Approve the Cannabis Social Equity Assistance Program Services (Will start accepting applications for Commercial Cannabis Permits).

1-C Claiming funds of $467,374.35 for stale dated (uncashed) utility customer refund checks dated December 28, 2000, through December 30, 2016, and transferring said funds from Utility Sales Clearing Fund 52502 to Water Enterprise Fund

1-D *Agreement with BKF Engineers in the amount of $17,850, for a total contract amount of $82,920, to provide additional consulting services for the Shields Avenue Bankside Trail from Fresno Street to First Street @mmwpro63

1-I appropriate $346,600 for 5G Cellular Plan Review and Inspection. (Requires five affirmative votes)

1-L *Reject all bids for a Requirements Contract for FAX Monthly Passes and Tickets

1-M Accepting electronic signatures and scanned copies of original signatures (DUE TO SHELTERING IN PLACE)

1-N Approve agreement with Marjaree Mason Center awarding CARES funding for emergency shelter and food services to appropriate $518,800

1-O *Adopting the "Open City Hall to the Public Act” by Garry Bredefeld

1-P *Adopting the "End the Snitch Hotline Act" sponsored by Garry Bredefeld

1-Q Approve Purchase and Sale Agreement with Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission for the sale of Pride Park

1- R Emergency Ordinance of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to powers &duties of Director of Emergency Services during Disaster, Emergency, or State of Emergency

Watch today’s 9 am City Council meeting at cmac.tv/gov/
@CMACTV #Fresno

All councilpersons present except for @PaulCaprioglio and @D7Esparza. Special CARES meeting. Chavez says Covid rates are going down but not enough to open businesses. This will codify the various entities and allow capacity of those to expand In #. 1:30 event to announce it.

Resolution captures what @MayorLeeBrand and County Chair. Businesses have agreed to abide by CDC guidelines. Seconded by @PaulCaprioglio ( he is now online ) and supports this. @kmkarbassi We hear and feel local businesses pain as his own family business has been closed longer

than ever. We will introduce another Bill later in this meeting. @GarryBredefeld We all want the same thing but this resolution asks Governor to allow path to opening as soon as possible. The same as usual. Follow public health guidelines. Already doing. Allow outside dining once

indoor dining allowed. This changes nothing. This just codifies what is already happening. What we need to do is just allow businesses to open without begging Governor Newsom on our knees. This is just A letter. We need Governor to take his knee off business’s necks. We need to

more and this is just a mirage. Newsom is authoritarian arbitrary decisions and this just big Government not allowing freedom. Bredefeld asks colleagues to allow businesses to open if they are following cdc guidelines says Bredefeld. @LuisCha70215912 we all want transparency but

all Bredefeld will do will cause businesses to lose their ABC licenses such as what happened in Southern California. Facts are there is a lot of work going on in the background with restaurant associations. Wants to make it clear that Bredefeld’s actions will hurt businesses.

Business up north got shut down when it violated as well as Immanuel School got shut down. Best to work with business associations , health authorities and colleagues that actually want to help. I want to be truthful and upfront. We will open up in next few weeks with capacity

numbers given. @D7Esparza businesses are hurt nationwide. Harsh reality is Covid makes eating indoors dangerous as well as smoke and heat making it hard to eat outdoor. We were told to (prematurely)reopen back in May And we are hitting high number of deaths. We will hit Fall flu

season. Other counties have gone down in the four tier Color code. We can do also. Let’s be smarter this time around than what we did before. Asks residents that just because you can’t eat at a restaurant doesn’t mean food is canceled. He and chavez get takeout and support local

restaurants. @MayorLeeBrand Bredefeld threatening lawsuits doesn’t help. I don’t agree with everything Newsom does. But we worked together to allow hair salons to open. If we don’t do more we will lose restaurants. We are working with restaurant associations but rogue

restaurants have made it bad for the rest. @BuddySupervisor will co-sign with City of Fresno to work together and City of Clovis will probably join us next week. This will provide a even playing field. A united front is important. Something has to be done. Liens , finds and loss

of liquor licenses is possible. Data will show some restaurants can open but most lose money if less than 50% capacity.1) Need to keep population safe 2) help our businesses says mayor. Public: @LisaYFlores1 promoting pandemic when Bredefeld doesn’t wear a mask. She does get

take out. Upcoming flu season will cause more deaths as well as hurting economy. Next; Nelson Alie from Chamber says businesses pay taxes. We have no choice but to follow state guidelines. Support this resolution. Next: Regina Teter supports Bredefeld’s resolutions. Restaurants

are hurting and this is illegal and bait and switch. Hopefully businesses open Monday despite what is decided hear. Chuck Van Fleet of Restaurant Association and he supports this resolution. Need to get open but safely. Candice Leal has a hair salon. How many here hadlost salary

? Bredefeld raises his hand. Big boxes were allowed to open. Next Manny: small businesses are held hostage to County. Lowe’s needs to bring all their stuff outdoors too. Antonio: Small gym manager says they were forced to work outside until smoke forced them to close. Public

not allowed to Focus on their health. Next: half of SF airport restaurants were open Despite being indoors. Robert Ruiz: friend lost money as hairstylist and can’t afford to feed her grandkids.Kim Sambrano: protested and hard to see people lose money. She will move

across country so her grandkids can learn by in person Schools. Julie Glenn: owns three restaurants and we need to do own data gathering and do what Placer County did. Kevin: owns restaurants and a customer told him he was getting divorced and we were able to calm down. That is

what the community is losing. People passing away is part of life and not on Council’s shoulders.Renee Rees loves fresno. Not sure california is for us anymore but God has us here. Many selling their homes are moving to states that allow businesses to open. Everyone was onboard

to flattening the curve initially (cut off for time). Earl: more businesses will fail unless we help them. You need a key to unhandcuff them. Chris: Colorado has reopened their businesses. They will escort people out if customers are not wearing masks. Kari Mason: this is hard

due to rent and because of that can’t pay her employees. William French : reopen so people can’t deal with everyday stress of people like going to gyms. Paul Watson: mind-boggling that Walmart And Costco never closed and they never had uptick in sickness.

Nick Valdez: drove around to big box and asked if any of their employees or customers have died? None.Will Council members give up their salaries to help his limo company? @Esmeralda_Soria :some truth to what Esparza Said about what spring was like but she says we have more

safety PPE items now. We are listening to health experts.@GarryBredefeld Chavez said his resolution would put business owners in jeopardy. They are already in jeopardy. No data that supports Newsom’s decisions. You can’t contact trace back to restaurants. Other cities have opened

Councilmembers have not been impacted because we still get salaries. Homelessness has increased due to Newsom letting criminals out and this is who we want to listen to?? This resolution doesn’t do anything. @LisaYFlores1 says I tell people to not wear masks. Not true. Children

are hurt by schools not being opened. We all should follow Immanuel schools and reopen. @kmkarbassi appreciate Esparza and Bredefeld’s comments. Majority of Fresno’s businesses are open but are taking a hit still. Hair salons and restaurants are. Chamber and Restaurant Assoc.

have helped craft this resolution. How are we going to help?? Here are some: Soria’s parklet. Save our small business Act. Rent and mortgage relief. Didn’t shut water off. We are working double time. We work hard to ensure sanitation, safety etc are still going as essential.

@MiguelArias_D3 County, City employees are working hard. It is getting tiring hearing how bad Newsom is failing while ignoring federal failings that hurt the poor and minorities Those who pick crops don’t get help and they do have pre-existing Conditions as we have an unhealthy

air basin. We have tried to help businesses and provide guidance. I am not going to entertain this rhetoric about Newsom or a councilperson who just wants headlines. @PaulCaprioglio honor to work with colleagues. @GarryBredefeld has a good heart but his rhetoric is harmful.

@MayorLeeBrand Governor texted 15 minutes wanting a copy of this letter so they are listening. Nothing is worse than no hope is false hope. Passes: 6-1 with Bredefeld voting NO Ends special meeting and on to regular meeting.

Council votes 2-5 to Remove 1-0, 1-P 4-D and 4-E from agenda with Karbassi and Bredefeld voting yes to keep.

Proclamation in honor of the 25th Anniversary of Jaswant Singh Khalra Day Deep Singh thanks Council for this as well as naming the park after their honoree. Council will go to Closed Session now. One of the items :

5-A Significant Exposure to Litigation: Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability v. City of Fresno (Planning and Development)

These are the items voted to Remove from Agenda
1-O *Adopting the "Open City Hall to the Public Act” by Garry Bredefeld

1-P *Adopting the "End the Snitch Hotline Act" sponsored by Garry Bredefeld

4-D **Adopting the "Anti-Oppressive Government Act"

4-E **Adopting the "Business Freedom Act," repealing provisions of City Emergency Orders related to COVID-19 that close or restrict the operation of businesses

(Looks like several of my tweets got bumped by twitters throttling so hopefully it wasn’t too disjointed towards the end of the Special Meeting portion due to that.)

Council is back from Closed Session and Lunch Break (2 pm). Bredefeld and Chavez are not present “as they may be giving competing press conferences” jokes Arias.

Consent Calendar approved other than 1-C that Soria pulled. @LovesMercy Brandi: thanks council for the hard work they have done and agrees with Esparza when he said we could have been passed pandemic with better government response.( Bredefeld back)

1-C Claiming funds of $467,374.35 for stale dated (uncashed) utility customer refund checks dated December 28, 2000, through December 30, 2016, and transferring said funds from Utility Sales Clearing Fund 52502 to Water Enterprise Fund :Soria wonders why there was only the

minimal outreach on this (only via Business Journal) and maybe people doesn’t know they had these unclaim checks. She lists several non profits like Roosevelt soccer league , Pedal Junkies. Makes motion to pull this for better outreach. Finance director says these are from bad

addresses. It was printed in Spanish in Spanish language newspaper. He says it was on city’s website since February and they have gone beyond minimal outreach required. Some of the checks are 4-20 years old and May be hard to find them. He recommends to move forward. Soria does

not agree. Arias: legal limit met but do we want to table this and bring it back after more outreach? Caprioglio doesn’t want to wait. Council votes to bring it back in October.

Bredefeld hoped to hear 1-R but he wasn’t present when they voted on Consent Calendar and no council members were willing to reconsider it

Bredefeld hoped to hear 1-R but he wasn’t present when they voted on Consent Calendar and no council members were willing to reconsider it Council comments: Soria: Palm protected bike path is moving forward. @mmwpro63 September 15 is Latin Heritage Month kicked off

Soria to City Manager: bike unit patrol for Tower @Tower_District What is latest? Manager Quan says she will reach out to Police Chief Hall on this. Soria: RV encampments are becoming a nuisance. Attorney Sloan: code Enforcement will direct those RVs to fire evacuation centers

Soria: procurement process to get more local contracts. This will help give directions. @kmkarbassi Went to Shaver to see the damaged. Pleased to see Fresno PD and FD there helping. A week supply of Senior food is beginning with SAFR program. First come first serve to sign up.

Robert Kroll was former Carson City Nevada Mayor and very active In Fresno Rotary and proud Democrat.Adjourn in his honor @PaulCaprioglio thanks staff for getting work done for district 4. SAFR Program was meaningful for the recipients. Pardini was there giving away food.

@D7Esparza District 7 will be hosting it’s third Covid testing /mask giveaway at Mclane High School. @MiguelArias_D3 clean up of Santa Clara St was done and sanitized. Video cameras for catching illegal dumpers. He also thanks Esparza for fixing First St and Arias’ shocks and

engine block thanks him. Tonight is Rental Tenants Rights Zoom meeting tonight.

Miguel asks that sprawl development needs to pay for infrastructure so he doesn’t have to lay off a firefighter to pay for a traffic light. Bredefeld says there is lots of blame and not just developers. They just follow the rules made over the years by prior councils/ planning

departments. Chavez: Is this an exemption on us not annexing anymore until our agreement with County is renegotiated. What City And County think each side gets from tax revenues are different. Can we get it project by project until that renegotiations are done? Sloan: yes

Chavez: encouraged by this 10:15 AM project and what they can look like. Karbassi: starter homes are important. Each districts have different views. General Plans can be idealized and not part of market place. Mello-Roos is a good idea to pay for services. Approved 7-0

10:20 am ***HEARING to consider Text Amendment Application No. P19-02978, ordinance amendments, and related Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR), regarding the proposed regulation and permitting of commercial cannabis activities in the city of Fresno

Chavez:what is timeline will be ? City Attorney Sloan: clean up items and then finalized next week and then out for 30 days after equity part is addressed. City Manager takes first cut at vetting and then apply for CUP. Business could be up and running by May-June 2021

Approved 6-1 with Bredefeld voting NO. It will come back for a second read. 3-A Approving allocations and awarding subrecipient agreements in accordance with the 2020-2021 Annual Action Plan to include Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds of:

$1,028,001 for Housing Rehabilitation, $161,000 for Non-Profit Public Services, and $35,000 for Micro-Enterprise Assistance; HOME Investment Partnerships funds of $711,789 for Tenant-Based Rental Assistance; Emergency Solutions Grant

(ESG) funds of $717,230 for homeless and homelessness prevention; and Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) funds of $617,040; and authorizing the City Manager to sign all implementing documents required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

3-B ****Award a three-year contract in the amount of $25,183,393 to National Express Transit for the continued provision of paratransit services with the option of four one-year extensions and authorize the Director of Transportation to execute the documents

3-B ****Award a three-year contract in the amount of $25,183,393 to National Express Transit for the continued provision of paratransit services with the option of four one-year extensions and authorize the Director of Transportation to execute the documents

Homeless Advocate from Public : would like another transportation system to be used than this firm. @gregorybarfield contract remains in effect. Chavez: What assurances do we have in service provided ?

Barfield: we will keep them accountable. Previous contract wasn’t very well written in order to have certain standards met. Punitive if metrics are not met with fines. Termination can be done with just one violation. We want to support the provost is as it is our equipment used

Soria: have received complaints from previous provider. Barfield: we meet with provider every day. We would be leaving current provider for one called Next. Still use our equipment though. Arias: complaints about good service from his constituents. Approved

3-C **Adopting the 14th Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2020-159 to appropriate $1,970,400 of the $32,479,800 of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for transit operating, capital, and COVID-19 related expenses

4-B Adopting as an emergency ordinance the "Business is Essential to Local Economies Act," adding Section 2-516 and amending Section 2-514 of the Fresno Municipal Code @kmkarbassi 1)offer foreberance from eviction 2)price gouging of restaurants by third party take out

This will cap those At 15% rather than the up to 35%. Drivers get all tips and skimmed off by third party. Chavez:protection from eviction that homeowners have during this pandemic. Frivolous lawsuits for businesses following CDC rules. Kings Canyon Blvd has been hit By group

that is similar to frivolous ADA lawsuits in the past. Maybe a state discussion ? Bredefeld:bothered by restricting the third party limit As it is is limiting private sector. Not our role even when restaurants are actually being destroyed by the Governor and this council.

We don’t put restrictions on Big Box so we shouldn’t here. Our intention is good but private sector knows better. Esparza : powerful language in this that is troublesome Blanket application to all. Chavez: have to abide by CDC and local authorities.Bad actors needs to be add-

ressed. Esparza: 80% businesses complies city wide but still 20% doesn’t. We need pro active enforcement then. Esparza asks for that language to be removed. No second to his request. Esparza: motion for more pro-active enforcement. Chavez: contact tracing is getting better.

Removing language moots the point. Karbassi:want to make sure the 80% that complies should be rewarded. Esparza: 80% is a low grade. But in pandemics that is a hard F. Karbassi:jokes that in democracy 80% is a super majority.

Esparza: Education is first level of enforcement especially for those that are out of compliance. Arias: he doesn’t want to reward the Crazy Bernie’s that put people at risk and also get a unfair competitive advantage. Chavez: Habitual violators should be punished. Asks Sloan to

Put language in that helps with this. Approved as written with direction for language to help businesses follow rules. Approved 5-1 with Bredefeld with NO

4-C ****Approving the Infrastructure Financing District Plan for the Fresno Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District and the Allocation of the City's Incremental Tax Revenue from the Project Area Pursuant to Government

Joseph:33% of future existing is $9.8 million positive Esparza : when fully built in 50 years it will be net. City manager : wants to wait until budget is presented so we know impact on general plan. Esparza: short sided. Arias: we can walk and chew at the same time. Esparza:

Three public hearings where comments were taken. They seem in approval when they understood. Arias: Mayor elect Dyer and Downtown residents have been approval. Esparza : RDAs kept going despite recession. Quan: mayor brand is concerned. Bredefeld wonders why Brand here to say

what his concern. Quan: I represent Mayor here. Bredefeld: RDA was helpful and help to parts of towns that needed support. Approved 7-0

4-A **WORKSHOP on Homelessness

H. Spees : Main Questions : Covid homeless dollars ? And what will we do after December? 425 beds of which 287 are unit style housing. 24 travel trailers to provide isolation/quarantine. Funding is braided with other cities as well as County.

City allocations of CARES dollars can only be spent in city boundary. Recommend investing $2 million for housing. Council asks:1) continue to monitor 2) invest $2 million 3) approve agreement with County October 15th. @PaulCaprioglio thanks H. for answering his questions.

Soria: subcommittee didn’t have a recommendation but wanted to hear rest of council’s response. Wants Children and mothers prioritized. Would County be wiling to rehab bootcamp as temporary site. Caprioglio: boot camp is good site but with our current relationship with County it

May be not available. Arias: $2 million depends ,for him , who gets three bedroom home and who gets single unit and County doesn’t have history of asking Neighborhoods about the housing.Do kids get placed on motel drive where human trafficking is prevalent?

Esparza: would like more collaboration with County before committing $2 million. H. Spees: we will invest $15,000 for a family unit plus moving costs , first and last months rent etc and staff costs.

Arias: $15,000 funds could go to the Blackstone project before neighborhoods have a chance to vet them. H Spees: by October 15 meeting we will have a more solid view of this. Arias: budget will be more clear picture as well.

Caprioglio: subcommittee should get together with H Spees as he did to get more clarification. Arias: this is a workshop and no vote or public comments. This concludes today’s meeting.

020 CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING
OCTOBER 1, 2020 - NO MEETING OCTOBER 8, 2020 - NO MEETING OCTOBER 15, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING OCTOBER 22, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING OCTOBER 29, 2020 - 9:00 A.M. MEETING

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