Hemet City council ponders conservatism

RUSTY STRAIT | SENIOR REPORTER

For the first time in a long time, the Hemet City Council began to tighten the city belts on unnecessary spending, but first the preliminaries. The invocation was followed by the pledge of allegiance offered by Mayor Males.

The City Attorney then reported that there was nothing to say from the closed session.

Then came various public comments, none of which were earth-shattering, although one lady praised the council to the point of almost awarding them sainthood, for which the council thanked her for the compliments.

There was only one proclamation, proclaiming February Black History Month. At the time, there was no one to accept the citation, but SSgt Williams from American Legion Post 53 in Hemet graciously accepted the citation following glowing remarks by Mayor Joe Males as to Williams accomplishments during his many years in the Army, including his numerous feats on the battlefield and many medals. It brought grateful applause from everyone in the room. Then the acceptance of the Hemet Warrant Registers dated December 29, 2022, in the amount of $1,379,944.39 and January 12, 2023, for $1,514,714.21. The payroll periods of December 12, 2022 - December 25, 2022, for $864,947.80 and December 26, 2022 - January 8, 2023, for $833,156,97. The investment Report for December 2022 was also received and filed without dissent. The Consent Calen- dar as follows was received and accepted 5-0.

1. The Regular City Council Meeting Minutes of January 24, 2023.

2. Waived further reading and adopted Ordinance 2007, an Ordinance of the City Council of Hemet, California, Amending Section 82-172 of the Hemet Municipal Code Related to Undergrounding of Utilities.

3. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Adopting and promulgating the Conflict of Interest Code and Designated Officials and Employees of the City Required to File a Statement of Economic Interest and Rescinding Resolution No. 2020-074.

4. Adopted a Resolution accepting the 2022 JAG Grant, when awarded, in the amount of $28,679; authorized approval of the MOU Agreement regarding the Fiscal Agent (FA) with Riverside County; authorizing the City Manager to execute the MOU Agreement; and authorized the Finance Department to increase the operating budget to allocate and appropriate the grant funds for $25,811 (grant amount less the 10% paid to the Fiscal Agent).

5. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving the Termination of the Agreement with CSG Consultants.

6. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of Hemet, California, Approving the Termination of the Agreement with 4Leaf, Inc.

7. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Approving the Second Amendment to the Agreement for Services between the City of Hemet and HR Green Pacific, Inc. for a contract amount not to exceed a total of $265,000 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement for a one-year term with month to month extensions.

8. Adopted a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, Approving the Lease Agreement by and between the City of Hemet and Amerco Real Estate Company, DBA: U-HAUL Center Hemet, CA (Tenant) for the property located at 250 Meier Street, Hemet, CA 92544, the Tenant' ‘s commercial rental business, for the parking of U-Haul trucks and trailers in the vacant parcel adjacent to the U-Haul property (east side).

9. Adopted a Resolution of Intention of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, to establish City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 202301 (Morgan Crossing) and to authorize the Levy of a Special Tax within the City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 202301 (Morgan Crossing).

10. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving an agreement with eCivis for Year Two ($53,800.00) and Year three (53,800.00) of a Grant Management software for $107,600.00, authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreement and related documents, and authorizing the Finance Director to record a supplemental appropriation in the American Rescue Plan, Fund 270 was continued by a 5-0 vote to a date uncertain.

11. Passed 3-2 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, award- ing Granite Construction a Construction Agreement for $3,032303 and Waiving any Minor Bid Irregularities, and authorizing the City Manager to approve additional construction expenditures not to exceed 10% of the Contract Amount of $313,230, expenditures not to exceed 10% of the Contract amount of $303,230, and awarding Willdan Engineering a Construction Management and Inspection Agreement for $211,113.60, and authorizing the City Manager to Execute all Contract Documents, and Directing the Finance Director to Re-Appropriate $1,581,646.60 of ARPA Funds from CIP 5743, and authorizing the City Clerk to Record the Notice of Completion Upon acceptance of the work by the City Engineer all for the Hemet Valley Bikeway Project, CIP 5696, Federal Aid Project No ATPSBL-5186(018). There was much debate and discussion on this item. Although the council seemed to believe we need more street repairs before the city takes off on a ride over the city' extended bike lanes of the future, the majority felt that turning down the grant would set the city up to be snubbed by grants in the future. However, they finally voted 3-2 to pass the resolution with Mayor Males and Councilwoman Meyer dissenting. Ultimately, they were caught between a rock and a hard place and chose to sneak through a crack to pass it. You never know how the Hemet City Council will vote on anything, but I think I saw a tendency toward being more conservative with the city's treasury. Just sayin' rustystrait@gmail.com