El Centro council appoints interim city manager, approves pump‑station change order and approves PLHA signatory updates

The El Centro City Council on Jan. 21 approved several personnel and capital actions the city manager and department staff said are intended to advance development and housing projects and to clarify grant-authority documents.

Key council actions included adoption of a resolution to appoint Daniel Paramo as interim city manager, approval of a change order to advance the Southern Pump Station sewer project, corrections to Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) resolution language and authorization for the mayor to seek additional public outreach from Imperial Irrigation District (IID). Several items passed unanimously; the interim city manager appointment passed by the tally read aloud at the meeting.

Interim city manager appointment

Human resources director Dulce Badoya presented a resolution recommending the appointment of Daniel Paramo as interim city manager for a term the staff presentation described as six months (or until completion of 960 hours of work). Badoya said Paramo’s hourly rate would be $115.39. The mayor read the government-code notice required to set executive compensation on the record.

Motion and vote: Mayor Pro Tem Carter moved the resolution; Council Member Marroquin seconded. The clerk recorded the motion as passing with the tally read during the meeting as “311.” (The motion was approved and the resolution was adopted.)

Southern Pump Station change order (Rove Engineering)

Public Works staff presented a status update and asked the council to authorize change order 3 to the Rove Engineering contract for the Southern Pump Station project so work already under way can continue while staff finalizes funds for the remaining phase. Staff described the project as a multi‑phase sewer lift station in the city’s southern quadrant that will enable future residential and commercial connections and said the work involves deep trunk sewer and equipment that will be mostly underground.

Staff said the wastewater enterprise fund will absorb the change-order increase and that federal ARPA funding and capacity fees also support the project. Staff said the item allows construction work to continue while finance finalizes the budget for a remaining portion of phase 1B; staff said they will return with precise funding numbers for the remainder of the scope.

Motion and vote: Council made and seconded a motion to approve the change order; the clerk announced the item passed 5-0.

PLHA resolutions and housing programs

Community Services Director Adriana Nava presented two resolutions to update the name of the designated official authorized to execute documents for the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) program (funds created pursuant to SB 2). Nava said the city and colonia-designated area together received about $2.7 million for the 2019–2023 period. She described three PLHA activities now in the five-year plan: a loan to an affordable-housing developer (named in the meeting as Chelsea) for about $520,076; a homelessness and workforce-development program run in partnership with Catholic Charities; and an accessibility-improvement activity for home modifications. Nava said 5% of PLHA funds are committed to program administration.

Motion and vote: Councilmember Marroquin moved both resolutions and motions were seconded; the clerk recorded both items as passing 5-0.

SCAG delegates and IID outreach

The council also designated the mayor as the city’s delegate and the mayor pro tem as alternate to the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) general assembly; that motion passed 5-0.

On Imperial Irrigation District, the mayor brought an item asking for a letter requesting more local outreach and an invitation for IID to present to the council and for a 2-on-2 meeting between IID and city representatives. The council directed the mayor to send the letter and to pursue the meeting; the clerk recorded that item as passing 5-0.

Closed-session start time

Council adopted a resolution moving the city’s closed-session start time from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to better accommodate members’ schedules; the motion passed 5-0.

Context and significance

Public Works staff said the Southern Pump Station is a multi‑decade priority for El Centro and that making the pump station fully functional will enable new subdivisions and commercial connections in a southern quadrant the staff presented in a highlighted map. Community Services staff said PLHA funds are already supporting a loan to an affordable-housing developer and a homelessness/workforce initiative operated with Catholic Charities that has already produced early participant success stories.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda (items 1–7): passed 5-0. - Item 8 — Resolution appointing Daniel Paramo as interim city manager (Resolution 25-01-02): mover Mayor Pro Tem Carter; second Council Member Marroquin; recorded as passing “311” during roll call. - Item 9 — Approve Change Order 3 to Rove Engineering (Southern Pump Station): passed 5-0; staff said change would be absorbed by the wastewater enterprise fund and staff will return with final numbers for remaining scope. - Item 10 — PLHA signatory update (non‑colonia resolution, 25-03): passed 5-0. - Item 11 — PLHA signatory update (colonia resolution, 25-04): passed 5-0. - Item 12 — Designate SCAG delegate/alternate (mayor, mayor pro tem): passed 5-0. - Item 13 — Authorize mayor to request IID outreach and 2-on-2 meeting: passed 5-0. - Item 14 — Move closed-session start time to 4:00 p.m. (Resolution 25‑05): passed 5-0.

Ending

Staff indicated it will return with the finalized Southern Pump Station budget figures and a master‑agreement recommendation for sidewalk trip-hazard work; the council scheduled no additional votes on these matters at the Jan. 21 meeting.