20220215 City Council MinutesMINUTES
VERNON CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
REMOTE LOCATION VIA ZOOM
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ybarra called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Ybarra led the Flag Salute.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Melissa Ybarra, Mayor (via remote access)
William Davis, Mayor Pro Tem (via remote access)
Leticia Lopez, Council Member (via remote access)
Crystal Larios, Council Member (via remote access)
Judith Merlo, Council Member (via remote access – arrived at 9:03 a.m.)
STAFF PRESENT:
Carlos Fandino, City Administrator (via remote access)
Zaynah Moussa, Interim City Attorney (via remote access)
Lisa Pope, City Clerk (via remote access)
Scott Williams, Finance Director (via remote access)
Abraham Alemu, Public Utilities General Manager (via remote access)
Michael Earl, Human Resources Director (via remote access)
Fredrick Agyin, Health and Environmental Control Director (via remote access)
Robert Sousa, Police Chief (via remote access)
Dan Wall, Public Works Director (via remote access)
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
MOTION
Council Member Larios moved and Council Member Lopez seconded a motion to
approve the agenda. The question was called and the motion carried 4-0, Council
Member Merlo absent.
Council Mermber Merlo arrived via remoe access at 9:03 a.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Pat Sprengel, Los Angeles County Fire Department Acting Assistant Fire Chief of
Division VI, introduced himself.
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PRESENTATIONS
1. Employee Service Pin Awards for January 2022
Recommendation: No action required by the City Council. This is a presentation
only.
Human Resources Director Earl acknowledged Sylvie De La Riva Gonzalez,
Power Resources Settlement Analyst and Norma Rodriguez, Police Dispatcher as
the recipients of the Employee Service Pin Awards for January 2022.
2. Presentation on Pension Obligation Bonds - Workshop II
Recommendation: No action required by City Council. This is a presentation only.
Finance Director Williams and Ira Summer, GovInvest, presented the staff report.
3. City Administrator Report
Recommendation: Receive presentation on:
New Business Welcome
Vernon Business in the News
Joint Tax Sharing Agreement
Malburg Generating Station (MGS) Transition
Community Outreach
City Administrator Fandino presented the report.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION
Mayor Pro Tem Davis moved and Council Member Lopez seconded a motion to
approve the Consent Calendar. The question was called and the motion carried
unanimously.
The Consent Calendar consisted of the following items:
4. Approval of Minutes
Recommendation: Approve the February 1, 2022 Regular City Council meeting
minutes.
5. Conduct of Meetings via Teleconference Pursuant to Assembly Bill 361
Recommendation: Ratify the findings in Resolution No. 2021 -36 authorizing
continued conduct of City Council and all other City legislative body meetings via
teleconference, in accordance with Assembly Bill 361 (AB 361), due to continued
public health and safety concerns caused by COVID-19.
6. Regulations of Sidewalk Vending
Recommendation: Waive full reading, conduct second reading and adopt
Ordinance No. 1276 adding Chapter 12.10 - Sidewalk Vending to Title 12 - Streets,
Sidewalks and Public Places of the Municipal Code.
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7. Claims Against the City
Recommendation: Receive and file the claim submitted by the Law Offices of
Mabel N. Orue on behalf of Maria Isabel Rodriguez Navarro in an undetermined
amount.
8. City Payroll Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve City Payroll Warrant Register No. 788, for the period
of January 1 through January 31, 2022, totaling $2,509,060.57 and consisting of
ratification of direct deposits, checks and taxes totaling $1,621,614.09 and
ratification of checks and electronic fund transfers (EFT) for payroll related
disbursements totaling $887,446.48 paid through operating bank account.
9. Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation: Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 81, for the
period of January 16 through January 29, 2022, totaling $10,430,957.65 and
consisting of ratification of electronic payments totaling $10,136,246.26, ratification
of the issuance of early checks totaling $294,711.39 and voided Check No. 608639
totaling $3,549.22.
10. Fire Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the December 2021 Fire Department Activity
Report.
11. Police Department Activity Report
Recommendation: Receive and file the December 2021 Police Department Activity
Report.
12. Acceptance of Work and Notice of Completion for Contract No. LP-0586 –
50th Street Water Main Replacement
Recommendation: A. Accept the Work by Cedro Construction, Inc. with regard to
the 50th Street Water Main Replacement, Contract No. LP-0586; and B. Authorize
the General Manager of Public Utilities to submit the Notice of Completion for the
50th Street Water Main Replacement for recordation to the Los Angeles County
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (County Clerk).
13. Purchase Order with D&R Office Works, Inc.
Recommendation: Approve the issuance of a Purchase Order with D&R Office
Works, Inc. for the purchase, delivery and installation of office furniture for the
Vernon Police Department Detective Bureau and Sergeant’s Office, in an amount
not to exceed $57,260.49.
14. Award of City Contract No. CS-1204 Pacific Boulevard, Santa Fe and Vernon
Avenue Street Improvements
Recommendation: A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt under
the California Environmentally Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA
Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), part (c) (e xisting highways, streets
and sidewalks), because the project consists of repairs to existing streets and
involves no expansion of existing use; B. Accept the bid proposal from All
American Asphalt as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the Pa cific
Blvd., Santa Fe & Vernon Ave. Street Improvements project and reject all other
bids; C. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute Contract No. CS-
1204 in the amount of $878,606 for the Pacific Blvd., Santa Fe & Vernon Ave.
Street Improvements project, for a period not to exceed 45 calendar days; and
D.Authorize a contingency of $85,000 in the event of an unexpected changed
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condition in the project and grant authority to the City Administrator to issue a
change order(s) for an amount up to the contingency amount if necessary.
15. Amendment No. 1 to the License and Software Services Agreement with
Power Settlements Consulting and Software, LLC
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute
Amendment No. 1 to the License and Software Services Agreement with Power
Settlements Consulting and Software, LLC (Power Settlements), in substantially
the same form as submitted, to amend the agreement to remove the automatic
renewal language, and extend the agreement by an addit ional three-year period,
effective February 1, 2022, for an additional $262,542, for a grand total not -to-
exceed amount of $589,360.
16. Amendment No. 2 to Services Agreement with S&S Labor Force Inc., dba
JRM for Unarmed Security Guard Services
Recommendation: Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute
Amendment No. 2 to the Services Agreement with S&S Labor Force Inc., dba JRM,
in substantially the same form as submitted, for continued unarmed security guard
services for a not-to-exceed amount of $992,000.
NEW BUSINESS
17. Appointment of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. for Underwriting Services
Recommendation: A. Approve issuance of Pension Obligation Bonds (POBs); and
B. Appoint Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. (Stifel) to serve as underwriters on the
proposed POBs for a cost not-to-exceed $296,000 to be paid from bond proceeds
upon transaction completion and authorize the City Administrator to execute the
related Engagement Letter with Stifel.
Finance Director Williams presented the staff report.
Thomas Jacob, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc., introduced members of the firm,
John Kim and Jordan Keny-Guyer, and provided an overview of Stifel, Nicolaus &
Company, Inc.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to:
A. Approve issuance of Pension Obligation Bonds (POBs); and B. Appoint Stifel,
Nicolaus & Company, Inc. (Stifel) to serve as underwriters on the proposed POBs
for a cost not-to-exceed $296,000 to be paid from bond proceeds upon transaction
completion and authorize the City Administrator to execute the related
Engagement Letter with Stifel. The question was called and the motion carried
unanimously.
18. Daggett Solar Power 2 Project Power Sales Agreement
Recommendation: A. Find that approval of the proposed action is exempt from
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, because it is an
administrative and fiscal activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical
changes in the environment, and therefore does not constitute a “project” as
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defined by CEQA Guidelines section 15378; with regard to the underlying project
and pursuant to the Power Purchase Agreement between SCPPA and Daggett
Solar Power 2 LLC, the lead agencies have obtained a ll CEQA determinations
required for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility, or such
determinations are reasonably expected to be timely obtained; and B. Approve and
authorize the City Administrator to execute a Power Sales Agreement (PSA) with
Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA), in substantially the same
form as submitted, for the purpose of purchasing 60 megawatts of solar power and
30 megawatts of battery storage with associated green attributes through the
Daggett Solar Power 2 Project for a projected annual amount of $7,100,000 over
a 20-year term.
Public Utilities General Manager Alemu presented the staff report.
In response to Council questions, Public Utilities General Manager Alemu
discussed the status of renewable resources.
MOTION
Council Member Lopez moved and Council Member Larios seconded a motion to:
A. Find that approval of the proposed action is exempt from California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, because it is an administrative and
fiscal activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the
environment, and therefore does not constitute a “project” as defined by CEQA
Guidelines section 15378; with regard to the underlying project and pursuant to the
Power Purchase Agreement between SCPPA and Daggett Solar Power 2 LLC, the
lead agencies have obtained all CEQA determinations required for the
construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility, or such determinations are
reasonably expected to be timely obtained; and B. Approve and authorize the City
Administrator to execute a Power Sales Agreement (PSA) with Southern California
Public Power Authority (SCPPA), in substantially the same form as submitted, for
the purpose of purchasing 60 megawatts of solar power and 30 megawatts of
battery storage with associated green attributes through the Daggett Solar Power
2 Project for a projected annual amount of $7,100,000 over a 20 -year term. The
question was called and the motion carried unanimously.
ORAL REPORTS
City Administrator Reports on Activities and other Announcements.
City Administrator Fandino discussed his attendance at the League of California
Cities Annual City Managers Conference on February 2 and 3 and announced
upcoming events including the New Business Welcome on March 9, and Spring
Egg-Stravaganza Community Event on March 24. He summarized the recent
Malburg Generating Station Town Hall Meeting.
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City Council Reports on Activities (including AB1234), Announcements, or
Directives to Staff.
None.
RECESS
Mayor Ybarra recessed the meeting to Closed Session at 9:42 a.m.
CLOSED SESSION
19. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Government Code Section 54957.6
Agency Designated Representative: Carlos Fandino, City Administrator Employee
Organizations:
Teamsters Local 911,
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 47, Vernon Police
Management Association,
Vernon Police Officers Benefit Association, and
Employees designated as Management, Confidential and Executive
20. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
Significant exposure to litigation
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2) Number of potential cases: 1
RECONVENE
At 10:58 a.m., Mayor Ybarra adjourned Closed Session and reconvened the
regular meeting.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
Interim City Attorney Moussa reported that the Council met in Closed Session,
discussed the items on the agenda, and took no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ybarra adjourned the meeting at 10:59 a.m.
______________________________
MELISSA YBARRA, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________________
LISA POPE, City Clerk
(seal)
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