20200303 Regular City Council Meeting - AgendaAgenda
City of Vernon
Regular City Council Meeting
Tuesday, March 03, 2020, 09:00 AM
City Hall, Council Chamber
4305 Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, California
Melissa Ybarra, Mayor
Leticia Lopez, Mayor Pro Tern
William Davis, Council Member
Carol Menke, Council Member
Diana Gonzales, Council Member
CALL TO ORDER
FLAG SALUTE
ROLL CALL
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
PUBLIC COMMENT
At this time the public is encouraged to address the City Council on any matter that is within the
subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. The public will also be given a chance to comment
on matters which are on the posted agenda during City Council deliberation on those specific
matters.
CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be approved with one motion. Items may be
removed from the Consent Calendar by any member of the Council. Those items removed will be
considered immediately after the Consent Calendar.
1. City Clerk
Approval of Minutes
Recommendation:
Approve the February 18, 2020 Regular City Council meeting minutes.
1. 2020-02-18 City Council Minutes
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Regular City Council Meeting Agenda
March 03, 2020
2. Finance/ Treasury
Operating Account Warrant Register
Recommendation:
Approve Operating Account Warrant Register No. 40, for the period of February 2
through February 15, 2020, which totals $4,367,717.51 and consists of ratification of
electronic payments totaling $4,028,259.82 and ratification of the issuance of early
checks totaling $339,457.69.
1. Operating Account Warrant Register No. 40
3. Finance/ Treasury
RDA Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register
Recommendation:
Approve RDA Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register No. 57, for the period
of January 19 through February 15, 2020, consisting of ratification of electronic
payments totaling $7,000.
1. RDA Obligation Retirement Account Warrant Register No. 57
4. Public Works
Public Works Monthly Building Report
Recommendation:
Receive and file the January 2020 Building Report.
1. Public Works Department January 2020 Building Report
5. Public Works
Acceptance of Electrical Easement at 4328 Alcoa Avenue (APN 6303-010-047)
Recommendation:
A. Find that acceptance of the Electrical Easement is not a "project" as that term is
defined under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section
15378, and even if it were a project, it would be categorically exempt in accordance
with CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (maintenance, repair or minor alteration of an
existing facility and involves negligible or no expansion of an existing use) and
15061(b)(3) (general rule that CEQA only applies to projects that may have a
significant effect on the environment); and
B. Accept the Electrical Easement and authorize the Mayor to execute the Certificate
of Acceptance.
1. Electrical Easement - 4328 Alcoa
2. Certificate of Acceptance - 4328 Alcoa
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Regular City Council Meeting Agenda
March 03, 2020
NEW BUSINESS
6. Public Utilities
Services Agreement with Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc.
Recommendation:
A. Find that the proposed action is categorically exempt from California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) review, in accordance with CEQA Guidelines §15306, because
the scope of the agreement consists of research, analysis, and resource evaluation
activities which will not result in a serious or major disturbances to environmental
resources and which will not commit the City to any project; and
B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Services Agreement
between the City of Vernon and Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc., for Design
Services for Equipment and Site Improvements for Well No. 22, in substantially the
same form as submitted, for an amount not to exceed $232,476.
1. Services Agreement with Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc.
7. Public Utilities
Services Agreement with Infrastructure Engineering Corporation
Recommendation:
A. Find that the proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines § 15061(b)(3), the general rule that
CEQA only applies to projects that may have a significant effect on the environment,
for the reason that any project that may occur in the future relying on this approval
would be subject to CEQA review and determination prior to- or at the time of -
requesting project approval; and
B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute a Services Agreement with
Infrastructure Engineering Corporation for a Water System Operations Analysis and
Master Plan, in substantially the same form as submitted, in an amount not to exceed
$273,685.
1. Services Agreement with Infrastructure Engineering Corporation
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Regular City Council Meeting Agenda
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8. Public Utilities
Added Facilities Agreement with National Ready Mixed Concrete Co.
Recommendation:
A. Find that approval of the proposed action is exempt from the California
Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") review, because it is an administrative 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 § 15378; and even if
the proposed action did constitute a project, it would be exempt from CEQA review, in
accordance with CEQA Guidelines § 15301, because the project consists of the
maintenance, repair or minor alteration of an existing facility and involves negligible or
no expansion of an existing use; and
B. Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Added Facilities
Agreement with National Ready Mixed Concrete Co., in substantially the same form
as submitted, for natural gas Added Facilities.
1. Added Facilities Agreement with National Ready Mixed Concrete Co.
9. City Administration
Letter in Amicus Support of City of Huntington Beach Appeal to California Supreme
Court
Recommendation:
A. Find that approval of the proposed action is exempt from California Environmental
Quality Act ("CEQA") review, because it is an administrative 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; and
B. Authorize the City Administrator to submit a letter in Amicus support of the City of
Huntington Beach to the California Supreme Court in the matter of City of Huntington
Beach v. Xavier Becerra et al., California Supreme Court Case No. S260766.
1. Letter of Support for Huntington Beach
ORAL REPORTS
City Administrator Reports on Activities and other Announcements
City Council Reports on Activities (including AB1234), Announcements, or Directives to Staff
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Regular City Council Meeting Agenda
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CLOSED SESSION
10. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL— EXISTING LITIGATION (2 cases)
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)
Bicent (California) Malburg LLC et al. v. City of Vernon et al.,
Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 19STCV08859 and JAMS Reference No.
1100107175
City of Vernon v. Bicent (California) Malburg LLC
Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 19STCP02411 and JAMS Reference No.
1220062657
11. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL — ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
Significant Exposure to Litigation
Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2)
Number of potential cases: 1
Facts and Circumstances: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(e)(3), the
City has received written communication threatening litigation on behalf of former
employee Jerrick Torres related to his termination, in the form of a Complaint of
Discrimination filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH).
The DFEH Complaint (DFEH No. 201910-08099730) is made available for public
inspection pursuant to Section 54957.5.
ADJOURNMENT
I hereby certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California, that the foregoing
agenda was posted in accordance with the applicable legal requirements. Regular and Adjourned
Regular meeting agendas may be amended up to 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Dated this
27t" day of February 2020.
By: f�15�
Lisa Pope, City Clerk
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Regular City Council Meeting Agenda
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Guide to City Council Proceedings
Meetings of the City Council are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. and
are conducted in accordance with Rosenberg's Rules of Order (Vernon Municipal Code Section
2.1-1).
Copies of all agenda items and back-up materials are available for review in the City Clerk
Department, Vernon City Hall, 4305 Santa Fe Avenue, Vernon, California, and are available for
public inspection during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Agenda reports may be reviewed on the City's website at www.citvofvernon.org or copies may be
purchased for $0.10 per page.
Disability -related services are available to enable persons with a disability to participate in this
meeting, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In compliance with ADA, if you
need special assistance, please contact the City Clerk department at CityClerk@ci.vernon.ca.us
or (323) 583-8811 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to assure arrangements can be made.
The Public Comment portion of the agenda is for members of the public to present items, which
are not listed on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. The
City Council cannot take action on any item that is not on the agenda but matters raised under
Public Comment may be referred to staff or scheduled on a future agenda. Comments are limited
to three minutes per speaker unless a different time limit is announced. Speaker slips are available
at the entrance to the Council Chamber.
Public Hearings are legally noticed hearings. For hearings involving zoning matters, the applicant
and appellant will be given 15 minutes to present their position to the City Council. Time may be
set aside for rebuttal. All other testimony shall follow the rules as set for under Public Comment. If
you challenge any City action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or
someone else raised during the public hearing, or in written correspondence delivered to the City
Clerk at or prior to the public hearing.
Consent Calendar items may be approved by a single motion. If a Council Member or the public
wishes to discuss an item, it may be removed from the calendar for individual consideration.
Council Members may indicate a negative or abstaining vote on any individual item by so declaring
prior to the vote on the motion to adopt the Consent Calendar. Items excluded from the Consent
Calendar will be taken up following action on the Consent Calendar. Public speakers shall follow
the guidelines as set forth under Public Comment.
New Business items are matters appearing before the Council for the first time for formal action.
Those wishing to address the Council on New Business items shall follow the guidelines for Public
Comment.
Closed Session allows the Council to discuss specific matters pursuant to the Brown Act,
Government Code Section 54956.9. Based on the advice of the City Attorney, discussion of these
matters in open session would prejudice the position of the City. Following Closed Session, the
City Attorney will provide an oral report on any reportable matters discussed and actions taken. At
the conclusion of Closed Session, the Council may continue any item listed on the Closed Session
agenda to the Open Session agenda for discussion or to take formal action as it deems
appropriate.