Selma Council pauses new fleet leases, approves Little League donation and Chamber MOU; orders stoves replaced

Selma City Council voted on several budget and policy items at its March 4 regular meeting, including a 4-1 decision to suspend the initiation of any new vehicle leases under the City’s Enterprise Fleet Management agreement and unanimous votes to approve an emergency donation to the Little League and a memorandum of understanding with the Selma District Chamber of Commerce.

The council voted 4-1 to stop initiating and taking delivery of additional leased vehicles through the Enterprise Fleet program except for vehicles already in process, giving staff time to review the program and to seek additional input from local auto dealers. The motion allows for emergency purchases if city operations require them, subject to council review.

Why it matters: Council members who opposed rapid enrollment in the fleet program said the arrangement risks shifting local vehicle purchases and related service work out of Selma. Supporters and staff said the lease approach can reduce upfront capital pressure and stabilize long-term maintenance costs.

"When we first started looking at this program, I was not ... into it at all," said Public Works Director Michael Hahn, who led staff briefings on the program. He said he was persuaded after reviewing resale and equity protections Enterprise offers and after the department analyzed aging vehicles that were costing more to repair than to replace.

Enterprise representative Danielle Troiani told the council the company projects lifecycle savings and manages resale and timing for off-ramping vehicles. Troiani said the firm can tailor replacement timing by mileage and use and that resale proceeds return to the city to help fund future replacement.

Council concerns and vote: Several council members and local car dealers told the council they want more time to assess whether local dealerships can supply specific vehicles and to ensure tax and service dollars remain local. Councilmember Scott Trujillo cast the lone no vote on the suspension. The council directed staff to return with more information and to allow emergency exceptions if a vehicle needs immediate replacement.

Votes at a glance

- Suspend initiation/delivery of new Enterprise Fleet leases not already in process: motion approved 4-1 (yes: 4; no: 1). Decision directs staff to pause further leasing pending council review; emergency exceptions allowed.

- Emergency donation to Selma Little League: council added the item under Gov. Code §54954.2 and approved a $1,500 donation based on the Parks & Community Services Commission recommendation; motion passed unanimously (5-0). Little League officers told the council the group had $4,143.68 on hand and urgent needs for gear and repairs ahead of the spring season.

- Memorandum of Understanding with the Selma District Chamber of Commerce (Resolution 2025-22R): council approved the one-year, evergreen MOU that provides a $35,000 annual stipend to the Chamber plus an immediate $11,000 payment to cover half the cost of July 3 fireworks; motion passed unanimously (5-0). The MOU contains standard reporting requirements and an automatic 60‑day notice termination clause.

- Appointment to Planning Commission: the council filled a current vacancy by appointing Brian Ramirez to the Planning Commission for the term that runs through June 30, 2026; motion carried (vote recorded as 4-1). Several applicants said their earlier submissions could not be located in city files and staff said it is working to recover or re-file missing applications.

- Replacement ranges for Senior Center and Salazar Center: the council approved up to $15,000 (plus applicable sales tax) to replace cooking ranges at the Senior Center and the Salazar Center after inspections found the existing appliances were old and parts were no longer available; motion passed unanimously (5-0). Staff presented vendor estimates ranging roughly $4,200–$7,400 per range.

- Consent calendar and check register: the council approved the listed consent calendar items and the check register by roll call, including payments noted in public comment (vote recorded as unanimous).

Discussion items that will return to council

- Carport and setback standards: council held an extended discussion about enforcement of carports that were built without permits and, in some cases, decades old. Staff and the city attorney outlined limits on retroactive approvals: standard building and fire-code inspections are required before a retrospective permit can be issued, and variances are limited to "unique" property circumstances under the municipal code. The council asked the city attorney to draft ordinance language/options to give property owners an administrative path (including inspection requirements and possible penalties) for resolving longstanding noncompliant carports; no binding policy change was adopted at the meeting.

- Enterprise Fleet program review: beyond the pause on initiating new leases, the council asked staff to return with additional data, including procurement options from local dealerships and cost comparisons. Staff said the city has not yet moved all fleet purchases to Enterprise and that several vehicles already in the program are in service.

Other notes from the meeting

- Public comment raised the cost of recent homeless‑encampment cleanups recorded on the check register (a $5,922.30 cleanup was discussed) and asked for before-and-after photos; staff confirmed the city keeps before/after photos and will include them in future police department reporting.

- Planning and staffing: the council appointed a resident to the Planning Commission but also acknowledged several candidate applications were temporarily missing from records; staff said the deputy city clerk is working to restore file integrity and recommended re-submittal as needed.

What’s next: Staff will return with draft ordinance language and administrative procedures on carport compliance and a fuller analysis of the Enterprise Fleet lease program and local procurement options. The Enterprise pause is temporary and excludes vehicles already in the delivery pipeline; staff may seek urgent council approval if a critical vehicle fails in the interim.

(Reporting by City of Selma meeting transcript; council action tallies reflect the March 4, 2025 roll calls that appear in the official meeting record.)