Blythe City Council approves full-time recreation director, police union deal and budget adjustments; gas station permit granted

BLYTHE, Calif. — The Blythe City Council, meeting in special session on March 25, 2025, approved several personnel, contract and budget measures and granted a business registration for a proposed gas station at 25440 South Park Avenue.

The council voted 3-2 to make the recreation director position full time with an annual salary of $75,000. The motion to approve the request was moved by Second Ward Council member Carl Anderson; the roll call recorded Council member Maflotti voting no, Anderson yes, Dean Moretti yes, Sirdi no and Council member Moreno yes, carrying the motion 3 to 2.

Council members unanimously approved an agreement between the city and the Lackawanna Police Benevolent Association and authorized the mayor to execute the contract. The motion was moved by Council member Moreno and seconded by Murady; the vote was 5 to 0.

The city comptroller brought forward an ordinance to correct a deficit and increase the budget for controller consulting. Council moved to receive and file and act on the ordinance by unanimous vote (5-0). The council then considered an ordinance amending the 2024–25 budget to apply $51,000 from unappropriated fund balance to a controller consulting budget code and to reclassify $29,000 from controller personal services and contingent accounts to controller consulting. The motion to adopt the ordinance as written was moved by Moreno and seconded by Anderson and passed 4 to 1, with Maflotti recorded as the lone no vote.

Separately, the council approved a business registration for a proposed gas station at 25440 South Park Avenue in the name of Musada Ahmed. That registration carried by a 5-0 vote after a motion to approve the registration was made and seconded.

Before the meeting’s agenda votes, the council moved into executive session on a motion by Carl Anderson, seconded by Dean Moretti; the initial vote to enter executive session passed on the council’s recorded voice vote. The council later recessed the executive session and returned to open session; First Ward Council member Amerigo Plahee moved to end the executive session, seconded by Second Ward Council member Carl Anderson, and the motion passed 5 to 0.

There was no formal public-comment record included in the meeting transcript provided. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn, which carried by unanimous vote.