Summary

Fresno City Council re-elects leadership, approves Consent Calendar actions, adopts financing and utility resolutions, and discusses labor and litigation in closed session

FresnoJan 15, 20263 min read

At a glance

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Council President Mike Karbassi was re-elected and Nelson Esparza elected Vice President; Council elected Miguel Angel Arias as Chair of the Successor Agency and Esparza as Vice Chair. The Council adopted multiple resolutions and approvals including a TEFRA financing resolution, recognized obligation/payment schedules for the Successor Agency, sewer connection funding and CEQA action for Three Palms Mobile Home Park, traffic-safety grant authorization, and several contract amendments and change orders. Closed session covered labor negotiations, existing and anticipated litigation, and the Council issued a limited waiver allowing disclosure about prior legal advice related to LGSC.

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Economic Development Downtown Redevelopment

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City Council

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LaborTransportationBudget & TaxPublic SafetyHealthcareCommerceElectionsEnvironmentalHousingUtilities

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Key decisions

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Re-elected Mike Karbassi as City Council President and elected Nelson Esparza as Vice President (ID 26-51).
Elected Miguel Angel Arias as Chair and Nelson Esparza as Vice Chair to the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency (ID 26-52).
Adopted RESOLUTION 2026-1 approving TEFRA financing for up to $80,000,000 for a student housing facility (ID 26-32).
Adopted the Successor Agency Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule (RESOLUTION SA-59) and related Fresno Revitalization Corporation resolution (ID 26-55).
Adopted RESOLUTION 2026-3, approved a Mitigated Negative Declaration and authorized acceptance of State Water Resources Control Board funds for a sewer connection to serve Three Palms Mobile Home Park (ID 26-27 / 2.-S).
Adopted RESOLUTION 2026-4 authorizing submission of a grant application (up to $500,000) to the State Office of Traffic Safety for traffic data analysis software and delegated grant authority to Public Works (ID 26-24 / 2.-T).
Approved award of a requirements contract to DNA Labs International for Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant 2024 testing of partially tested kits, not to exceed $525,600 for three years (ID 26-14 / 2.-O).
Approved Contract Change Order No. 4 with Floyd Johnston Construction Co. for Downtown Redevelopment water and sewer improvements in the amount of $2,924,928 and 100 additional working days (ID 26-25 / 2.-G).
Approved first amendments increasing maximum task order funding for on-call materials testing agreements (Salem Engineering Group and Krazan & Associates) by $1,000,000 each (ID 26-26 / 2.-D).
Approved first amendment to BX Consulting, LLC contract increasing compensation by $62,000 to a total not to exceed $110,000 for additional business outreach services (ID 26-71 / 2.-W).
Adopted ORDINANCE 2026-1 (BILL B-63) repealing Fresno Municipal Code Section 10-812 regarding conditions on police response to public safety alarm systems (ID 26-15 / 2.-P).
In closed session, discussed labor negotiations and multiple existing and anticipated litigation matters; Council voted to issue a limited waiver permitting the City Attorney to disclose prior advice regarding LGSC and former Councilmember Luis Chavez (ID 26-50, 26-8, 26-18, 26-19, 26-63).

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