Bakersfield Public Benefit Corporation reconvenes for first meeting since 2018

The Bakersfield City Council convened a special meeting of the Public Benefit Corporation on July 9, 2025, at 5:00 PM, marking the first gathering of this body since February 2018. The meeting began with a roll call, confirming the presence of all council members except for Council Member Arias.

City Manager Mister Clegg provided context for the meeting, explaining that the Public Benefit Corporation, which is composed of the city council, serves a distinct purpose focused on public benefit. He noted that the group is expected to meet annually, a practice that had lapsed in recent years. The primary agenda item for this meeting was to adopt the minutes from the last meeting held in 2018.

Vice Mayor Kour made a motion to adopt the minutes, which was approved with Council Member Arias absent. Following the approval, Council Member Smith shared insights regarding the corporation's initial purpose, which included plans to borrow over $200 million for the Centennial Corridor and related projects. However, thanks to the efforts of Congressman Thomas and the availability of federal and state funds, the city successfully completed these projects without incurring any debt. Smith highlighted that an additional $40 million had recently been secured to finalize connections between highways 99 and 58, contributing to a total project cost of $1.4 billion.

The meeting concluded shortly after, with no further comments or business to address, and was adjourned at 5:10 PM, just before the start of the regular council meeting at 5:15 PM. This gathering underscored the importance of the Public Benefit Corporation's role in overseeing significant city projects and the successful funding strategies employed by the city.