03/06/2023 City Council Regular Meeting Adopted 03/20/2023
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City of Gilroy
City Council Regular Meeting Minutes
Monday, March 6, 2023 | 6:00 PM
1. OPENING
1.1 Call to Order
Meeting was called to order by Mayor Blankley at 6:00 PM.
1.2. Pledge of Allegiance
Council Member Marques led the Pledge of Allegiance.
1.3. Invocation
There were none.
1.4. City Clerk's Report on Posting the Agenda
City Clerk Pham reported on the posting of the Agenda.
1.5. Roll Call
Attendance Attendee Name
Present Rebeca Armendariz, Council Member
Dion Bracco, Mayor Pro Tempore
Tom Cline, Council Member
Zach Hilton, Council Member
Carol Marques, Council Member
Fred Tovar, Council Member
Marie Blankley, Mayor
Absent None
1.6. Orders of the Day
There were none.
1.7. Employee Introductions
Police Chief Espinoza introduced Police Officer Alyxis Guerra to the Council.
2. CEREMONIAL ITEMS
2.1. Proclamation – Proclaiming March 2023 as American Red Cross Month
Mayor Blankley read aloud the proclamation and presented it to Camille
McCormack.
3. PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL
3.1. Presentation from Community Agency for Resources, Advocacy and
Services (CARAS) - Gilroy Youth Center
CARAS Members Hazel Quintero and Xavier Garcia provided a presentation to
Council.
3.2. PUBLIC COMMENT BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS NOT ON THE
AGENDA BUT WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE
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Regular Meeting Minutes
CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
The following members spoke on items that were non on the agenda.
Marty Estrada requested Council to fast-track the Youth Center to the
voters with a bond measure.
Araceli Vaquera spoke on the status of Las Animas Veteran’s Park
situation and thanked the Council and staff for their hard work.
Eugene Bradley, CEO of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, suggested that
a VTA bus stop be in front of the potential youth center and expressed his
willingness to work with the Mayor and Council Member Hilton to help
bring more public transit into the City.
There being no further speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment.
4. REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS
Council Member Bracco had nothing to report.
Council Member Armendariz recognized March as International Women’s History Month
and she will be hosting a panel discussion on modern struggles of women at the Gilroy
Library on Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM.
Council Member Marques corrected the information she provided from the last meeting City
Council Regular Meeting about Gilroy Gardens.
Council Member Hilton reported on Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority JPA Board.
Council Member Cline had nothing to report.
Council Member Tovar had nothing to report.
Mayor Blankley reported on CalTrain Policy Group and VTA Board of Directors. She also
shared the news th at Digital Nest and Youth Alliance applied for a grant to help them
purchase a building downtown to operate a youth center.
5. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE
5.1. City Council Member Meeting Attendance
Council acknowledged receipt of the correspondence.
5.2. Support for the City of Gilroy’s 2023 RAISE Application – 10th Street
Bridge
Council acknowledged receipt of the correspondence. She also notified that
California Senator Padilla wrote a letter expressing support for the City of
Gilroy’s 20203 RAISE Application to the 10th Street Bridge.
6. FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED AGENDA ITEMS
Council Member Hilton requested Council to adopt a resolution proclaiming the month of
April as “Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month” in a future agenda item. The item received
majority support.
Council Member Hilton requested Council to adopt a resolution to proclaim the last two
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Regular Meeting Minutes
weeks of April as “High School Voter Education Week”. The item did not receive majority
support.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Blankley requested Agenda Item No. 7.2 be pulled out of the Consent Calendar and
Council take no action on the item as the applicant withdrew their application. There was no
objection to the request.
Motion: Approve the Consent Calendar except for Consent Calendar Item No. 7.2.
RESULT: Pass
MOVER: Dion Bracco, Mayor Pro Tempore
SECONDER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
AYES: Council Member Armendariz, Mayor Pro Tempore Bracco, Council Member Cline,
Council Member Hilton, Council Member Marqu es, Council Member Tovar, Mayor Blankley
7.1. Approval of the Action Minutes of the February 27, 2023 City Council
Regular Meeting
A motion was made to approve the minutes
7.2. Time Extension Request No. 4 for Tentative Map and Architectural and Site
Review Permit Approvals for Development of 202 Townhouse Units at the
Southeast Corner of Santa Teresa Boulevard and First Street, APNs 808-
01-21, 808-01-22 and 808-01-23; filed by Eagle Garden, LLC (TM 13-11 & AS
18-20)
No action was taken.
8. BIDS AND PROPOSALS
8.1. Award a Contract to McKim Corporation for the FY23 Annual CDBG
Sidewalk/Curb Ramp Project No. 23-PW-279 and Approve a Project
Expenditure of $271,205
Public Works Director Jordan provided staff presentation and responded to
Council Member questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor
Blankley closed Public Comment.
Motion: Award a contract to McKim Corporation in the amount of $246,550
for the construction of the FY23 Annual CDBG Sidewalk/Curb Ramp
Project No. 23-PW-279 and authorize the City Administrator to execute the
contract and associated documents; and approve a contingency amount
of $24,655 to be expended only with approved change orders for a
maximum project expenditure of $271,205.
RESULT: Pass
MOVER: Fred Tovar, Council Member
SECONDER: Rebeca Armendariz, Council Member
AYES: Council Member Armendariz, Mayor Pro Tempore Bracco, Council
Member Cline, Council Member Hilton, Council Member Marques, Council
Member Tovar, Mayor Blankley
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Regular Meeting Minutes
9. PUBLIC HEARING
9.1. Architectural and Site Review Permit to amend the Plaza Allium sign
program, located on property at the northeast corner of Tenth Street and
Chestnut Street, Application No. AS 22-24
Mayor Blankley asked Council Members to disclose any ex-parte
communications. None were disclosed.
Senior Planner Tambornini provided staff presentation and responded to Council
Member questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Hearing at 6:49 PM. There being no speakers,
Mayor Blankley closed Public Hearing at 6:49 PM.
Motion: Determine pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15162, that the
proposed amendment to the approved sign program is adequately
assessed by the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) (SCH # 2021060521)
adopted for the commercial development project on September 20, 2021,
and that no subsequent environmental review shall be required, based on
its independent analysis; and adopt a resolution to approve the proposed
sign program amendment AS 22-24.
RESULT: Pass
MOVER: Dion Bracco, Mayor Pro Tempore
SECONDER: Carol Marques, Council Member
AYES: Council Member Armendariz, Mayor Pro Tempore Bracco, Council
Member Cline, Council Member Hilton, Council Member Marques, Council
Member Tovar, Mayor Blankley
Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2023-12
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There were none.
11. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS
11.1. Approval of the Updated City of Gilroy Purchasing Policy
Finance Director Sangha provided staff presentation and responded to Council
Member questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor
Blankley closed public Comment.
Motion: Accept the staff report on the updated City of Gilroy Purchasing
Policy w ith the additional verbiage about wage theft in the policy.
RESULT: Pass
MOVER: Zach Hilton, Council Member
SECONDER: Tom Cline, Council Member
AYES: Council Member Armendariz, Mayor Pro Tempore Bracco, Council
Member Cline, Council Member Hilton, Council Member Marques, Council
Member Tovar
NAYS: Mayor Blankley
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11.2. Update on the Status of Council and Departmental Workplans
City Administrator Forbis, Police Chief Espinoza, Fire Chief Wyatt, Community
Development Director Goei, Public Works Director Jordan, Human Resources
and Administrative Services Director McPhillips, Finance Director Sangha, and
Assistant to City Administrator Atkins provided staff presentation and responded
to Council Member questions.
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment.
Ron Kirkish thanked staff for creating the work plan matrix.
Maria Agiular brought forth concerns about the other small businesses
downtown and that Council should look at businesses all the way from 1st
Street through 10th Street.
There being no further speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment.
12. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORTS
There was none.
13. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORTS
There was none.
14. CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed
Public Comment.
The Mayor recessed the City Council at 8:16 PM.
The Mayor reconvened the Council to Closed Session at 8:26 PM. The motion to stay in
Closed Session was unanimous.
14.1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Pursuant to
Government Code Section 54957 and Gilroy City Code Section 17A.11 (2);
Employee Name/Title: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator
No reportable action.
15. ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION
Mayor Blankley reported out of Closed Session as shown above.
16. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by Mayor Blankley at 9:08 PM.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Gilroy on March 20, 2023.
Thai Nam Pham, CMC, CPMC
City Clerk