HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026 05-18 CC SP BUDGET WORKSHOP MIN CALIFORNIA
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SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL
BUDGET WORKSHOP
May 18, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
City Council Chamber - 1243 National City Boulevard
National City, CA
Present: Councilmember Bush
Councilmember Rodriguez
Councilmember Yamane
Vice-Mayor Molina
Mayor Morrison
Others Present: Stephen Manganiello, Acting City Manager
Heidi Skinner, Interim City Attorney
Shelley Chapel, City Clerk (via Zoom)
Derek Aydelotte, Acting Deputy City Manager
Rachelle Barrera, Acting Director of Finance
Jeremy Day, Battalion Chief
Pedro Garcia, Economic Development Manager
Danielle Ghio, Director of Library Services
Alejandro Hernandez, Police Chief
Tonya Hussain, Deputy City Clerk
Martha Juarez, Acting Director of Engineering & Public Works
Sergio Mora, Fire Chief
Mike Pacheco, Director of Community Services
Angelita Palma, Community Development Manager
Martin Reeder, Director of Community Development
Stephen Sanders, Interim Director of Human Resources
Paul Valadez, Budget Manager
David Welch, Principal Planner
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of National City was called to order at
2:02 p.m. via teleconference and in the Council Chamber, located in City Hall, 1243
National City Boulevard, National City, California.
2. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers present: Bush, Rodriguez, Yamane, Molina, Morrison
Interpretation in Spanish provided by Ruth and Grisel.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Vice-Mayor Molina led the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment will be Restricted to Agenda Items Only)
Public comment was received from Ed Nieto.
5. STAFF REPORT
5.1 Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget Workshop No. 2
PowerPoint presentation introduced by Acting City Manager Stephen Manganiello.
Presentation provided by Budget Manager Paul Valadez and Department
Directors.
Councilmember Yamane left the dais at 2:24 p.m. and returned at 2:26 p.m.
Councilmember Bush left the dais at 2:52 p.m. and returned at 2:53 p.m.
Recommendation: Review, Receive Presentation, and Provide Staff Direction.
The City Council requested that additional discussion take place at a future
Budget Workshop and directed staff to return with the following information:
1. Further budget detail including the reasons for overtime including impacts
to operations.
2. Explore charging fees to owners of vacant storefronts for long-term
vacancy.
3. Councilmembers to meet with specific departments to explore actual
expenses.
Councilmember Bush requested that Acting City Manager Steve Manganiello
direct Directors to engage with their department staff regarding the budget.
ACTION: Motion by Bush, seconded by Councilmember Rodriguez for staff to
provide detailed information on contracts; professional services and other
maintenance and operations accounts; position detail for personnel excluding
employee names; work chart of filled positions including temporary employees and
annuitants; detailed cost for the 12 month UAL pension obligation bond liability,
worker's compensation premium, and for the Acting City Manager to meet with
individual Councilmembers to provide specific details as requested.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Bush, seconded by Councilmember Yamane
for staff to revise page 5 (General Fund Revenues) of the PowerPoint presentation
to add the audited FY24 actuals as the first column, the FY25 unaudited actuals in
the second column, the FY26 adopted budget in the third column, the FY26 actuals
up to March 31, 2026 and the projection for the remainder of FY26 in the fourth
column, and move the 'FY27 Prelim Budget' column to the end, as the fifth column.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Bush, seconded by Councilmember
Rodriguez to revise page 6 (General Fund Expenditures) of the PowerPoint
presentation to add the audited FY24 actuals as the first column, the FY25
unaudited actuals in the second column, the FY26 adopted budget in the third
column, the FY26 actuals up to March 31, 2026 and the projection for the
remainder of FY26 in the fourth column, and move the 'FY27 Prelim Budget'
column to the end, as the fifth column.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Rodriguez, seconded by Councilmember
Bush for staff to provide updated calculations reflecting a freeze on all new, non-
essential vehicle purchases for FY27 and any future vehicle purchase deemed
necessary would be brought forward for City Council consideration and approval.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Rodriguez to freeze all new full-time unfilled
positions excluding non-essential replacements for FY27 with the exception of one
Recreation Center Supervisor position.
Amended motion by Councilmember Rodriguez, seconded by Councilmember
Yamane to direct staff to return to the City Council with additional information
regarding the potential cost savings associated with freezing new, unfilled full-time
positions for FY27, excluding essential positions, positions filled through attrition,
and one Recreation Center Supervisor position. Any additional staffing requests
would be brought forward to the City Council for consideration and approval.
Motion carried by 4-1 vote.
Ayes: Bush, Rodriguez, Yamane, Molina
Nays: Morrison
ACTION: Motion by Vice-Mayor Molina, seconded by Councilmember Bush to
proceed with the staff recommendations as presented and direct staff to prepare
a preliminary budget for presentation at the June 2nd City Council meeting.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
Mayor Morrison called for a recess at 5:15 p.m. All members returned to the dais at 5:27 p.m.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Bush, seconded by Councilmember
Rodriguez for staff to return with a budget proposal to further reduce overtime,
freeze salary increases for executive and management positions, and explore
early retirement options.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
ACTION: Motion by Councilmember Bush, seconded by Rodriguez to accept all
of the revenue recommendations and to explore increasing sales tax through
events, and utilizing assets by renting City-owned spaces.
Motion carried by unanimous vote.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Morrison adjourned at 6:09 p.m. to the Regular Meeting of the City Council of the
City of National City, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, located
in City Hall, 1243 National City Boulevard, National City, California.
The meeting adjourned at 6:09 p.m.
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Tonya ussain, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
The foregoing minutes were approved at the Regular Me of June 2, 2026.
Ron rrison, Mayor