Thread by @AndyHS

January 5th, 2023 Fresno City Council meeting! Ceremonial Swearing in of newly elected Councilmembers Perea,Arias,Chavez and Esparza. Tyler Maxwell becomes Council President,too.

One item:RESOLUTION of the City of Fresno, California Honoring Fresno State Athletics and Urging Admission to a Power Five Conference sponsored by Maxwell, Mayor and City Manager as well as Proclamation for local reporter “Corin Hoggard Day” who is moving to Minnesota.

Among the Consent Items:1-B
Actions related to the One Fresno Housing Strategy to address the production of new housing and leveraging adaptive reuse opportunities: 1. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 22nd Amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No.

2022-154 Appropriating $175,000 for One Fresno Housing Strategy Related Activities (Requires 5 Affirmative Votes) (Subject to Mayor's Veto) 2. Affirm the City Manager's Finding that LeSar Support Services is Uniquely Qualified 3.

Approve a Consultant Agreement with LeSar Support Services for $175,000 to Provide Consultant and Grant Writing Services

1-C Actions pertaining to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) 1.

Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301/Class 1 for to proposed project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 2.

Approve an agreement with Helping Others Pursue Excellence (HOPE) allocating $500,000 in ARPA funding for small business assistance and to construct a commercial kitchen at an existing space on the Vision View campus.

1-E RESOLUTION - Authorize the acceptance of 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant award for $7,246,600 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and authorize the Fire Chief to complete all required documents (Subject to Mayor's Veto)

1-G Approve the purchase of licensing for the Accela Cannabis Module for our on-premise Accela Civic Platform in the amount of $20,000.

1-O RESOLUTION - Authorize acceptance of funding in the amount of $100,000 from the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Foundation Better Together Nature Positive Program, approving the associated Community College Rides Free project, and authorizing execution of grant documents.

(Subject to Mayor's veto)1-P Declaring local state of emergency to address affordable housing and homelessness.

Among the CLOSED SESSION

5-B CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - POTENTIAL LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(2); Case Name(s): Adventure Church, Inc. v. City of Fresno; Terance Frazier; Fresno Superior Court Case No. 22CECG04022

5-E CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - POTENTIAL LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(2); Case Name(s): Adventure Church, Inc. v. City of Fresno; Terance Frazier; Fresno Superior Court Case No. 22CECG04022

Next meetings:JANUARY 12, 2023 - NO MEETING
JANUARY 19, 2023 - 9:00 A.M.
JANUARY 26, 2023 - NO MEETING

Thank you @fresnoland ! fresnoland.org/documenters/

Watch live at 9 AM cmac.tv/gov/

City Council is starting to fill in with family and friends for the ceremonies!

Meeting begins at 9:08 with invocation by DK Criner of St Rest Baptist Church. Bagpipe performance Aaron Lipinski

Mariachi Cachanilla is next up

Folklorico performance by Los Niños de Aztlán

Hmong Culture and Art Performance by Vic Ncaus Koom Siab

@Maxwell4Fresno with a proclamation and mentions this group works to keep the Hmong Culture alive , working in politics and champions at Fresno Hmong New Year. @MayorJerryDyer with the congratulations!

Consent items moved to the 19th 1–E as well as Corin Hoggard Day. 1- D pulled for Contested Consent.

@AnnalisaPerea sworn in by her parents Henry and Grace

Perea thanks her parents, siblings and nieces as well as @Esmeralda_Soria Perea will bring her planning background to the City and by making this a sustainable one with affordable housing. Everyone should walk out their front door and think they live in the most beautiful city

She looks forward to working with County Supervisors and special thanks to City Staff working in the storm tonight. Let’s keep making great strides in this City! She introduces her staff too.

@MiguelArias_D3 oath will be sworn in by his children Anaii Zamora-Arias and Diego Zamora-Arias. Arias jokes Bredefeld wanted me to let everyone how much Garry has helped me do this job but does thank him for being a good debater. Arias: we have passed a city wide Project Labor

Agreement, hired more Firefighters, we have the highest paid police officers in the Central Valley. Thanks staff for the 150 projects in his district. We stayed true to our commitment to our residents despite the pandemic. We will continue to rebuild the older neighborhoods.

@LuisCha70215912 will be sworn in by Union Ironworker Pablo Villagrana. Chavez says this is his fourth oath with his Fresno Unified and is his 13th year at City Hall His zip codes had the hardest hit by Covid as they the most essential workers. He says electing our next council

President wont take as long as Congress’ House electing a Speaker!

@esparza_nelson is being sworn in by Sandra Garcia and his daughter Dania Esparza. Thanks his family on this his third oath. The current makeup of the council is different than four years ago oath. Who new what we would be taking on and things that federal government should do.

Thanks the residents for the strong mandate in electing him. He is looking forward to another exciting year at City Hall.

Arias nominates @Maxwell4Fresno to be Council President and @AnnalisaPerea as Council Vice President. Lisa Flores by Zoom says with Perea’s Planning background is important . Next : Sam Frank congratulates both. And Perea Vice President after only two minutes being sworn in!

Next: Fernando also welcomes new City Attorney Andrew Janz as well. HOPE is what I am hoping for. We are equally yoked so don’t pull away from each other. We have not lost hope in Bredefeld. Mr Mayor call the shots and do it correctly!

Next: Dez Martinez : thank you @AnnalisaPerea for her first week in office with the warning centers for our unhoused community. Next: thanks our community servants. As a Latina and farmworker family I thank these servants and I am proud.

Next: Michelle from Hmong radio KVIM and wishes congratulations and hope to continue to work with Council.

Council approves Maxwell and Perea as President and Vice President 7-0. Gilbert Felix with a proclamation

The full Agenda for today's Council meeting:

Council is back in session with President Maxwell at the helm. Election of Chair and Vice Chair to the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Fresno Arias is elected as Chair and Perea as Vice Chair. Approved

@AnnalisaPerea Wishes everyone a Happy New Year.Her staff has worked hard with the storm. January 9th is grand opening for new coffee shop Alchemist (same spot as Hi-Top Coffee was located in Tower District)

Chavez pulls 1-P @GarryBredefeld and @kmkarbassi register NO vote on 1- G Approve the purchase of licensing for the Accela Cannabis Module for our on-premise Accela Civic Platform in the amount of $20,000.

Unscheduled Public Comment:First Steve Diddy asks if Fresno can be a Cannabis Sanctuary City. Oath this morning could Fresno Charter be used for that as well as Constitution?

Next:Debra Homeless housing doesn't work. Poverello is not working as it was originally visioned. Many of these places have bed bugs and the mental services doesn't actually provide any services. I would like Council to take a 9 day homelessness challenge.

Dez Martinez: I was at homeless camps this morning to prep them of the incoming storm.I also saw Mayor Dyer's crew were moving people to state property.HART-less team were making people break down their stuff yet no shelter beds are being open to these people.The shower mobile

doesn't even have hot water! Open up these shelter beds and not open to just Poverello clients. @Maxwell4Fresno asks public to address him during public comments please (due to Dez addressing Dyer)

Brandi:Rent stabilization is needed as well as the tiny homes need to be finally opened. HART team is actually causes harm. One homeless person said one step forward is given 12 steps backward by HART. Tents were destroyed right before the storm.Not much has changed in her 5

years of coming to speak in front of Council. Next:Fernando We have a shortage of not water but leadership. Hopefully City Attorney Janz can put a sparkplug into the Council.Homeless don't need to be rounded up like Japanese internment camps.Also we need unlimited speaking and

not 2-3 minute limits like we currently have.Karla Martinez:of leadership Counsel speaks on 1-B and 1-P Anti -Displacement and CEQA replacement. Looking forward to more concrete details. Need mechanism to make sure true affordability is created.

Joe Martinez:Emergency Ordinance on Homelessness.Homeless throughout the community. Youth Shelter closed down recently and were told there wasn't enough homeless youth so they had to close.3000+ children who were homeless in Fresno.Most vulnerable were the LGBTQ+ youth.

Sean Anthony:our possessions were thrown away this morning just as my pregnant wife and I were moving into an apartment.Gloria Wyatt:I am not used to being homeless but I can't cover rent.Our tent was torn down this morning but we have no place to go!I am scared.Staff left as

soon as the rain came leaving everyone's stuff spread out. Crystal:i have yet to be placed as a homeless.Just me and my dog. It was hard to get that tent without commiting a crime but it was taken by staff.

Sean Lee:we cannot afford a place.Jerry Dyer is a liar as the Tiny Homes have yet to be built.

Robert McCloskey via Zoom:You have heard it directly from those on the street.Tiny Home Village has yet to be built.You have some straight up sociopaths on HART team.They cannot take property unless shelter is provided.The current profit model of development is not

working as not enough affordable housing. Next:I have been waiting to get out of the shelter and into an affordable housing. Lisa Flores via Zoom:medical emergency is hitting Fresno. I was given a letter that I can now only use St Agnes and not Community anymore.HART team needs

to be filtered with some of their staff not the best.

4-A RESOLUTION of the City of Fresno, California Honoring Fresno State Athletics and Urging Admission to a Power Five Conference sponsored by Maxwell, Mayor and City Manager
@Maxwell4Fresno I am not a Fresno State alum nor much of a sports guy but I do know the pride the city has

for their team. We need to pounce on the opportunity to join the PAC 12 or Big 12.Our academics and graduation rates are always increasing. 3rd in graduation rate.The college is an economic and cultural impetist for the Valley as well as an athletic leader. Dogs won Mt West and

their football bowl game and being the only California team to win its bowl game this year. @MayorJerryDyer We have a unique time to work on this for PAC 12 or Big 10. Nursing, Ag, and engineering programs as well as Criminology is among the top in the nation.A sea of red at the

Sofi Stadium bowl game. Fresno State Men's Basketball team just beat undefeated New Mexico State! This may be symbolic today but this is important. Fresno State President Sandoval says the more exposure Fresno gets for sports, ag etc gets us closer to getting out from the shadow

of SF and LA. Go Dogs! @kmkarbassi Many of us up here are proud to have graduated from Fresno State. This is a no-brainer for PAC-12 due to size of our media population and rabid fans. APPROVED 7-0

Via Zoom Ruben Espinoza:in support of 1-P and I want to emphasize those youth graduating out of Foster Homes or incarceration.Lots of systemic problems such as housing instability.Brain development between 18-24 can lead to bad choices when they are not in a stable housing.

Arias pulls 1-I for Contested Consent too 1-D RESOLUTION - Approving the payoff of the Roeding Business Park Loan in the amount of $1,220,801.51 between the City of Fresno and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (Subject to Mayor's Veto.) pulled by Arias

staff:recommend paying Roeding Park business park loan. Bank is not being flexible so we think should pay it off. This goes back to 2004 in Association with RDA to build out the infrastructure. Unrestricted dollars will be used to pay this off. Arias:Mid-year budget is coming up

but we don't have those numbers yet but staff is asking we pay the $1.2 M now. Staff:we will be in default on this loan soon so we recommend paying it off now. Arias:we are taking these funds from our animal shelter.I am hesitant to take it from there.@gawhitefresno There is a

Statewide shortage of vets so neutering /spaying is not happening at our shelter. I hate taking funding from this but I don't want to go into default either.Unfortunately putting your back against the wall.Arias:Let's take it from general funds then. Chavez:What is the forecast

for our budget. White:mid-year budget will be at second meeting in February. Staff Ruthie:I was able to first meet with Muni in September and will meet them this afternoon. I am comfortable with their projections.White:I don't recall much consternation at last year's mid-year

budget report. @esparza_nelson How confident are we will be in the black at mid-term? Ruthie:confident we will be in the black. Vouchers can be given for spaying neutering for private vets to use.Arias:Funding source needs to be from salary savings in General Fund APPROVED

1-I Actions pertaining to the summary vacation of a portion of the southeast corner of North Parkway Drive and West Shields Avenue; a portion of North Parkway Drive, north of West Weldon Avenue; and a portion of North Marks Avenue, north of the Marks-Shields Connector (Council

District 3) 1. Adopt finding of Categorical Exemption per staff determination, pursuant to Sections 15301/Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and 15305/Class 5 (Minor Alteration in Land Use Limitations) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Environmental Assess

ment Number PW00663-SR99-01 for the Southeast corner of North Parkway Drive and West Shields Avenue 2. Adopt findings of Categorical Exemption per staff determinations, pursuant to Sections 15301/Class 1 (Existing Facilities) and 15305/Class 5 (Minor Alteration in Land Use

Limitations) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, Environmental Assessment Number PW00663-SR99-02 for a portion of North Parkway Drive, Arias:These parcels become dumping sites or services that don't belong in these neighborhoods. APPROVED

1-P Declaring local state of emergency to address affordable housing and homelessness.
Chavez:this will start the conversation and see the will of this body.This is a crisis. No part of this city is immune.Need to get on the same page.City Attorney will tell us what

is the difference between a CRISIS and an EMERGENCY. Janz:an emergency is not defensible and prefer labeling it a Shelter Crisis with a resolution. Chavez:we have purchased motels in hopes the homeless can go there and then to affordable housing.ADU/Mother in Law structures that

were not always built with permits. I would like to bring these into compliance and part of our housing inventory.Affordable housing conversation.McKinley and Blackstone is a beautiful project and sense it was already approved we will approve it quicker if built elsewhere.

Affordable housing is not affordable to build. Can we change things to make it less expensive.Do we need to plant 10 trees?I think people would be ok if not. @kmkarbassi Preventing homelessness, preserving our current housing stock and creating new housing. State is

hamstringing us with so many state laws such as having to have solar or electric stoves. All of these costs are passed on to buyer. It is an uphill battle.
The Convention Center aspect worries me though.@AnnalisaPerea I have just been promoted to Council President (Maxwell took a

short break) We are 10,000 affordable units short. How do we remove the red tape? Do we expedite an affordable project over another type of project? Planning Director Clark: they will be treated the same although there are CEQA exemptions available. Perea:we need to make

affordable housing ministerial in nature and streamlining needed. During the pandemic entitlements that have expired so can we add automatic extension so the developers don't have to start all over with fees etc. Perhaps a 18 month extension? This will increase our housing stock

Arias:surplussing Convention Center in order to sell it? @gregorybarfield 30 days surplussing can be done. Arias:RFP to sell to see if there is any interest. Management of Convention Center has not been good as well as the catering required makes Convention Center more expensive

to use than Save Mart Center. City has not been backfilling new homeless shelters as homeless transition. We need these citywide. One Fresno plan will provide housing in 20 years but we have an emergency now.Hospitals discharge homeless they simply drive them to District 3.Same

with PD directing them there. Needs to be in all districts.City of Fresno has done all the lifting in this County.Supervisors have not built any shelters so the homeless advocates come here and not to them.Supervisors don't care. We have housed 3000 in the past 3 years

but have another 3000 homeless.White:I am frustrated that all of these great ideas I have to read about it in the newspaper at 8:12 pm. I find out the Convention Center will be used for housing homeless? Background on this item is not on agenda coming into this.I have had my

staff scrambling since 8:15 PM and we have 30 signed contracts for shows at Convention Center this year such as Disney On Ice, huge Indian weddings.Maybe one of you can let the bride know we are canceling their wedding?? Why was the approach this way? ADU/Mother In Law doesn't

bring in new units but just grandfathering them. Homeless at Convention Center has PD and cleanliness issues. It makes me think of the Superdome during Katrina! We have done a lot to house homeless the past 2 years than probably the last 20 years.Thank you for mentioning this.

I agree with Perea's ministerial request. This was all worthy of discussion.I want the homeless advocates here for this. @kmkarbassi I feel your frustration. Arias is correct his district has to take on the brunt of the homeless problem. Pardini's told us Save Mart was under-

cutting the Convention Center.@GarryBredefeld I din't know what this item was about either except by reading the Bee. I know all councilmembers would be frustrated if i put a proposal like this but not sharing the info ahead of time.But it doesn't make sense to use the convention

center this way. We have used our money for homelessness wisely.We never talk about Prop 47 , giving out free needles or Zero Bail.We need to be careful that people are misinterpreting what is said here and already showing up at the Convention Center for shelter.Chavez:City

Manager I am sorry for how this came out but this was supposed to be only as an introductory and it was a good first conversation. We all want to fix the problem and not be adversarial. There has to be better communication.Sometimes Administration will announce in public without

us being told first.Arias:we found out money was coming out of animal shelter here and not from the agenda. I don't care if Disney on Ice has to move to Save Mart when we have an emergency. But I cannot be the only solution to the homelessness. I have asked city staff to breakup

a 5-10 person camp as it will turn into drug use otherwise so I am just as guilty. I am not going to apologize for bringing this up. The Supervisors have failed and hopefully Bredefeld will become a Supervisor and clean that Board up. The homeless community also needs to do their

part as there are some who have been in a shelter for over a year but not finding a job or kicking their habit. I have been wrestling with this issue for four years.What are the alternative when Motel Drive is full?An alternative to District 3. White:I don't want to apologize.

I do already know we will be having legal discussion on this proposal. @MayorJerryDyer City manager has a huge job and when things like this happen it can be frustrating. Local government had homeless problem thrust on us. Let's talk about our successes. We have cleaned up free-

ways of homeless and we didn't displace them but found them a shelter.No encampments of 10 or more left in Fresno. Ambassador Inn reopened. Parkway Village will open soon. We are looking to apply for Turnkey 3 dollars soon.We removed density cap on our corridors.

We wanted ministerial approval to create more affordable housing but we didn't get support from this Council as nobody wants to be blamed for more affordable housing in their neighborhoods. I will take the blame.Congregant settings led to covid like the Convention Center. We have

a good plan in place.Some sustained funding over the next 3 years is coming. We have to use it wisely. Maxwell: I have heard excellent ideas today as well as frustration too.District 3 has taken on the brunt. I have a project coming to District 4 and have had lots of buy in with

the residents. I would like to Staff to work on Perea's ministerial idea and catch her up with some ideas we had before she came on to Council.
And with that Council moves on to CLOSED SESSION at 3:41 PM

5-B CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - POTENTIAL LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(2); Case Name(s): Adventure Church, Inc. v. City of Fresno; Terance Frazier; Fresno Superior Court Case No. 22CECG04022

5-E CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - POTENTIAL LITIGATION Government Code Section 54956.9, subdivision (d)(2); Case Name(s): Adventure Church, Inc. v. City of Fresno; Terance Frazier; Fresno Superior Court Case No. 22CECG04022

JANUARY 12, 2023 - NO MEETING
JANUARY 19, 2023 - 9:00 A.M.
JANUARY 26, 2023 - NO MEETING

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