City Council Notes March 7 Meeting

By WPManager on March 23, 2023

The Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 5:30 pm. Upcoming agenda information and streaming video of meetings are available at http://www.cityoffullerton.com. City Hall is located at 303 W. Commonwealth, Fullerton. Contact Council at (714) 738-6311 or council@cityoffullerton.com

Public Comments

Todd Harrison, Commissioner Patty Tudor, Diane Vena, and Commissioner Anjali Tapadia said they were disappointed at the dismissal of Dr. Shana Charles in the previous City Council meeting during the 2023 Legislative item.

Todd Harrison thanked the Mayor for sending Bill Mudge from Vector Control to rid Ranch La Paz mobile home park of the rat infestation that developed.

Bernard Oh said that the Mayor still has not affixed his front license plate, which is illegal according to California State Law. He also said that the Mayor wasted a million dollars on a study of the pros and cons of the Fire Department switching to Fire Authority or remaining under city control and ultimately gave the fire department the bare minimum to remain, which is shameful.

Maureen Milton welcomed councilmember Dr. Shana Charles and hopes that she has a lot of great ideas. She requested that maintenance oil the lobby doors as they make a racket during smaller meetings.

City Manager Report

City Manager Eric Levitt announced the last week for Meg McWade, Public Works Director, and thanked her for her service over the previous four years. In addition, Sunayana Thomas has been named the Community and Economic Development director. She is making some changes in the community development department and trying to make it more efficient. She is working with the staff. The City is working with Caltrans on homeless encampments. We have some agreements that we’re starting to work on, and we’ll update you in the next month on some things we’re making positive progress on.

Update on Fullerton Museum

The Fullerton Museum board has new members. New exhibits are in the works. One upcoming exhibit celebrates local women and women artists. The museum still is struggling with funding obstacles. The lengthy contract negotiation with the city has not resulted in any funding, prompting the museum board to find funding elsewhere. Furthermore, the current contract with the Museum Board does not allow the Museum to hire people directly, as the City is supposed to provide staffing. However, the City has been unable to provide the staffing leaving the Museum in limbo. Councilmember Zahra asked, “Can we bring this item back again to amend it so the Museum Association can hire people and move forward? This would benefit all of us.” Councilmember Zahra motioned to get the employment agreement for the Fullerton Museum contract to be on the agenda. Councilmember Charles seconded it.

Southern California Association of Governments Conference (SCAG) Election of General Assembly Delegates

After a dramatic and embarrassing misunderstanding between Mayor Jung and Councilmember Zahra, the council majority selected Mayor Jung as the representative that would discuss and negotiate on public policy matters that are essential to the city.

The audience booed the appointment.

Councilmembers Zahra and Charles chose councilmember Charles.

Mayor Jung appointed Charles as a backup representative without regard for the procedure and with no vote from the council.

Here is how the misunderstanding began:

Zahra: “These representations are essential. If we are to have good governance and representation at these regional boards, I encourage this council to diversify these appointments. We don’t have to appoint the same one or two people from this council to every single board.”

Jung: “That would be the assumption, then? That the one person or two persons are negatively representing the city or not doing their job well?”

Zahra: “That could be debated.”

Jung: “We could debate that. However, I don’t see you on any committee, and I think you’ve lost the council’s faith here. I mean, at least for me.”

Zahra: “So I wasn’t talking about your representation.”

See the video at http://www.cityoffullerton.com; go to Meetings and Agenda 3/07/2023

Update on Maple Center Lease for YMCA

City Council authorized staff to negotiate a lease agreement with the YMCA to operate the Maple neighborhood center and provide neighborhood services in an after-hours private rental program on January 17.

Since then, staff has worked with the city attorney’s office to draft a lease agreement with the YMCA to manage and operate the Maple neighborhood center. The lease presented guaranteed space at the Maple neighborhood center to the local boxing club twice a week for two hours, as requested by the City Council. It also includes City Council-approved policies and fees for private rentals at the Maple center, ensuring that the YMCA will manage private rentals in the same way that the city managed the rentals.

The lease has a proposed initial five-year term beginning April 1, 2023. The proposed terms of the agreement require the city and the YMCA to meet annually to evaluate the YMCA programs and ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement.

In addition, Parks and Rec staff will meet with the YMCA before the beginning of summer and again before the beginning of the school year to discuss and evaluate the programming schedules, community relations, and other items.

If approved, the YMCA would take over the building maintenance for the Maple neighborhood center as part of the proposed lease; the city would remain responsible for capital replacement items or significant repairs. This is consistent with other lease agreements with other neighborhood centers in the city. Councilmember Zahra asked for a reminder to the public on the savings to the city. According to Director Sunayana Thomas, the annual savings for the building maintenance portion and additional staffing, the city is saving approximately $150,000.

Zahra said, “With the current savings that we’re making, I’d like to propose that we create a fund of maybe $20,000 to help increase that subsidy so that we can allow the free program to be expanded to more residents.”

It was passed unanimously.

Credit Card Fee Structure return from Feb 21 meeting

Director Ellis Chang presented. Staff seeks approval for agreements with Tyler Technologies and Global Payments Integrated to provide merchant and gateway services and to seek direction regarding the city’s credit card fee structure.

Approval of the contract with Global payments will enable integration with the Parks and Recreation, the compressed natural gas, and the downtown parking software applications for credit card payment processing. Staff is still working with Goldman Payments Integrated as to whether or not those credit card and e-check fees for those merchant accounts can be passed to customers. Customers may remit payment for city services via cash, check, or credit card, and by late 2023 via e-check.

While the city does not incur an additional cost for payments via cash, check, and ACH wire transfers, the city does incur fees for customers when customers pay with a credit card. The city does not accept payments via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or other similar person-to-person payment platforms.

The city now pays approximately $400,000 in credit card fees.

The credit card transaction volume is by utility, Parks and Rec, downtown parking, and all the other non-utility accounts.

Non-utility includes Public Works, Engineering, Community and Economic, Building and Planning, Fire, Police, Business Registration, and Library credit card transaction.

Councilmember Zahra recommended notifying the residents for a year before credit card fees for utilities are added to the customer payment.

Passed 3 to 2 (Whitaker & Dunlap No)

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE

District 1: Fred Jung Mayor (714) 738-6311 fred.jung@cityoffullerton.com
District 2: Nick Dunlap Council (714) 738-6311 nicholas.dunlap@cityoffullerton.com
District 3: Shana Charles Council (714) 738-6311 shana.charles@cityoffullerton.com
District 4: Bruce Whitaker ProTem (714) 981-8474 bwwhitaker@live.com
District 5: Ahmad Zahra Council (714) 738-6311 AhmadZ@cityoffullerton.com

Tentative Agenda for March 21 City Council

11. VACTOR HYDRO EXCAVATOR VACUUM TRUCK PURCHASE Hydro vacs are used to carefully remove earth, clay, soil, ice, gravel, or dirt from an area using a non-destructive process, meaning that all underground fixtures and infrastructure are left undamaged. Additionally, hydro vac trucks are safer and more efficient, environmentally friendly, and precise than traditional digging methods such as a backhoe or large equipment.

12. FULLERTON POOCH PARK RELOCATION PROJECT Approval of plan and budget. 13. HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS – AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN SUBMITTAL. Approval and acceptance

14. LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR SOCAL EDISON BUILDING SoCal Edison filed a Building Electrification Application with the California Public Utilities Commission on December 20, 2021, for approval of its 2024-27 programs.

15. RECYCLE FROM HOME PILOT PROGRAM Discuss the program and provide direction.

16. NOISE REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

17. CITY COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE AND DECORUM

18. CITY COUNCIL MEETING START TIME