Megan N. Crouch

The Lindsay City Council held a regular meeting where several key items were addressed. The Council recognized the Orange Blossom Festival Queen and her court, as well as the festival's honored couple. A budget workshop for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 was conducted, and the Council provided direction on finalizing the budget, specifically concerning departmental needs. Additionally, the Council authorized the release of a Statement of Qualifications to identify firms interested in the acquisition, operation, and improvement of the City's water and wastewater systems. Routine items, including warrant lists and treasurer reports, were also accepted as part of the consent calendar.

The Council meeting involved several key actions, including the formal recognition of the Kiwanis Club and the swearing-in of a new Police Lieutenant. The council addressed several community concerns raised during public comment, particularly regarding senior center conditions and transparency in municipal expenditures. Key business items approved included the authorization of a final subdivision map for O'Hara Ranch Phase 1, the implementation of a new public art program, and the appointment of a member to the Measure R committee. The City Manager provided updates on infrastructure projects, community events, and international relations with Ono City.

The agenda for the regular meeting included a Proclamation for Lindsay Youth Football. The Executive (Closed) Session included a conference with labor negotiators regarding the Mid-Management Group and a conference with legal counsel regarding anticipated litigation (1 case). Key discussion items included employee recognition, the administration of the Oath of Office for new Police Officers and a Police Sergeant. The Consent Calendar covered routine items, such as waiving the reading of ordinances, approving Police & Fire Division Highlights, approving the December 2025 Warrant List and Treasurer's Report, and updating the Salary Schedule effective January 1, 2026. Business reports involved a review of Refuse Rates and Lighting and Landscape District Rates for Fiscal Year 2025-2026, directing staff regarding potential adjustments. Action items included the adoption of Ordinance 701 updating the City's Conflict of Interest Code, adopting Ordinance 702 concerning a zoning change from Light Industrial (IL) to Mixed Use (MU), and adopting the 2023-2031 Housing Element along with related zoning ordinance amendments (Ordinance No. 703). Further action items included authorizing the submission of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications, accepting the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Successor Agency Audit, considering an update to Financial & Procurement Policies, approving wages and related benefits for Mid-Management Employees for the first half of 2026, approving a contract with Precision Civil Engineering, Inc. for City Engineer services, and awarding an Architecture-Engineering Services Contract to Integrated Project Solutions for the Lindsay Generators Project.

The agenda for this regular meeting included presentations covering the Wellness Center Events and Programming Update, Wellness Center Memberships Update, and Wellness Center Facility Improvements/Capital Outlay Projects Update. The meeting also included a public comment period and a consent calendar which listed the minutes from the July 21, 2025, Regular Meeting for approval. There were no action items listed. The section for requesting future items allows committee members to propose topics for future staff analysis.

The Lindsay City Council held a regular meeting with discussions on various topics. The council convened in an executive session to discuss labor negotiations, existing litigation (Guzman v. City of Lindsay), and anticipated litigation. The council also discussed and took action on the consent calendar items, including waiving the reading of ordinances, approving police and fire division highlights, approving meeting minutes, accepting warrant lists and the treasurer's report, accepting the Well 11 Inspection Project as complete, receiving and filing the PFAS monitoring notification for Walker Well, and ratifying the youth sports agreement with the Lindsay Unified School District. Additionally, there were presentations on the Lindsay Ono Sister City Program and department head reports from Park & Recreation and Finance. The council also held public hearings on the adoption of the updated Building Code 2025 Ordinance 615 and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2025 application.