Carpinteria City Council: votes at a glance — proclamations, fee changes, pavement closeout and strategic priorities approved

CARPINTERIA, Calif. — The Carpinteria City Council on March 24 approved a package of routine and policy actions including ceremonial proclamations, consent-calendar items, under-budget project closeout steps, and several policy updates the city said will support operations and long-range planning.

The council unanimously adopted two proclamations — designating April 2025 as Donate Life Month and as Carpinteria Business Month — and approved the consent calendar, which included minutes, expenditure filings, contract reports, and several routine assessment-district report authorizations (resolution numbers quoted in staff materials). Council also selected a volunteer of the year and received staff reports on multiple projects.

In substantive actions the council: approved the closeout and release procedures for the 2022 pavement rehabilitation project and authorized a $250,000 budget appropriation to the capital improvements fund; approved an amended agreement with South Coast Community Media (TV Santa Barbara); adopted a city electronic signature policy (resolution No. 6,374); and, after a duly noticed Proposition 218 hearing, approved a 5% across‑the‑board increase to the city’s Assembly Bill 939 (AB 939) solid waste program fee to offset rising implementation and regulatory costs (resolution No. 6,371). The council also adopted a set of city goals and priorities to guide work through fiscal years 2025–27.

Staff described the pavement project as “complete” and said the rehabilitation method used (full-depth reclamation) should yield a roughly 20-year design life for the repaved streets. Public Works staff reported an administrative budget-entry error during prior budget updates and requested the $250,000 appropriation be restored to the capital improvement fund; the appropriation will be covered by $115,000 in streets and thoroughfare development impact fees and $135,000 from Measure X funds, per staff. The council approved instructions to release construction contract bonds after a one-year warranty period.

On solid waste, staff and the city’s contractor EJ Harrison and Sons explained the AB 939 fee increase will fund expanded regulatory and outreach work connected to state organic-waste requirements and other program expansions; the fee is charged as a percentage of gross receipts and the council approved raising the percentage from 8% to 13% for residential customers and from 6% to 11% for commercial customers. Staff said the increase will keep overall residential bills lower than comparable neighboring jurisdictions.

Votes were unanimous on recorded roll-call votes unless noted. Several agenda items were discussed at length by staff and council before being approved.

Votes at a glance (formal items recorded in the meeting minutes): - Proclamation: April 2025 as Donate Life Month — outcome: adopted (motion and second recorded; unanimous vote). — referenced in provenance. - Proclamation: April 2025 as Carpinteria Business Month — outcome: adopted (motion and second recorded; unanimous vote). — referenced in provenance. - Consent calendar (minutes, expenditure reports, contract reports, resolutions regarding assessment districts and recruitment authorization) — outcome: approved (motion and second recorded; unanimous vote). — referenced in provenance. - Volunteer of the Year selection (City nomination forwarded to Carpinteria Community Association): Ted Rhodes selected as the city’s 2024 volunteer of the year — outcome: approved. — referenced in provenance. - Closeout and release of claims for 2022 Pavement Rehabilitation Project (Toro Enterprises, Inc.); authorize release of contract bonds after one-year warranty; approve $250,000 appropriation to CIP — outcome: approved (roll-call). Note: appropriation to be sourced from development impact fees ($115,000) and Measure X ($135,000); staff said the project is under contract budget but a mid-year budget entry had reduced the visible appropriation, creating the shortfall. — referenced in provenance. - Authorize city manager to execute amended agreement with South Coast Community Media Access Center (TV Santa Barbara) — outcome: approved. — referenced in provenance. - Adopt Electronic Signature Policy (Resolution No. 6,374) — outcome: approved. — referenced in provenance. - Proposition 218 hearing and adoption of AB 939 fee increase (Resolution No. 6,371) and related amendment to the solid waste franchise agreement with EJ Harrison and Sons — outcome: approved (roll‑call). Staff reported zero protests received in response to mailed notices to customers. — referenced in provenance. - Accept 2024 General Plan Annual Progress Report — outcome: accepted. — referenced in provenance. - Adopt city council goals and priorities for FY 2025–27; adopt council norms, values and principles of governance as working guidance — outcome: approved. — referenced in provenance.

What the council did not do tonight: the strategic mission and vision statements were presented as working drafts; staff indicated further refinement and a separate staff follow-up would be scheduled rather than final adoption at this meeting.

Council members, staff, and members of the public participated across the meeting; public comments and staff presentations are captured in the official meeting record.