Votes at a glance: Brawley Council approves FY25-26 budget and several grants, directs staff on school-district parcel restriction

The Brawley City Council held its regular meeting July 1 and took formal action on multiple items including adoption of the city budget, acceptance of IID grant awards, authorization of contracts, and direction to staff to begin negotiations with the Brawley Elementary School District to release a long‑standing restriction on a Parkside Estates parcel.

The council adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 citywide operating and capital budget as presented by Finance Director Sylvia Luna. The adopted citywide budget totals $65 million; the general fund was presented with proposed revenues of $26.8 million and expenditures of about $26.7 million, producing a modest projected surplus of about $70,000 and estimated year‑end reserves of roughly $12 million (unassigned portion about $8.7 million). The budget package added five full‑time positions at an estimated recurring personnel cost of roughly $493,000.

Council approved several grants and agreements recommended by staff: acceptance of a Green Lighting for Outdoor Wellness (GLOW) grant from IID for $35,000 to replace older lights at several recreation facilities; acceptance of an IID Public Green Space grant of $29,600 to plant trees at the Latigo retention basin; authorization for an amendment to continue janitorial services with Milo Janitorial through July 1, 2027, with a 5% contract increase; and authorization to enter a not‑to‑exceed agreement with municipal law firm Best, Best & Krieger LLP for legal services up to $90,000 for the coming fiscal year.

The council authorized the purchase of a replacement dump truck through the Sourcewell cooperative contract with Haker Equipment Company for $123,563.93 and approved a donation of $550 to the Brawley Sunstrokers swim team to cover practice fees at Calipatria Pool. The council also approved an amendment to the janitorial contract (noted above); that motion passed with one abstention (the transcript records an abstention but does not record a roll‑call name).

On a land‑use item the council directed staff to meet with the Brawley Elementary School District (BESD) and develop an agreement to release the restriction that currently requires a north Parkside Estates parcel to be retained for recreation. Staff described the parcel sizes and zoning and warned the county’s draft Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan update may limit high‑intensity uses over most of the site. The council approved direction to negotiate terms rather than immediately approving a sale or removing the restriction without an agreement.

Most motions were carried by voice vote with the council responding “Aye” and no roll‑call tallies recorded in the public transcript; when abstentions occurred they were noted without a recorded named vote. Specific motions and outcomes (as recorded in the meeting transcript) are listed below.

Votes recorded in the public transcript (summary): • Motion to amend the agenda and move item H to item B — passed (voice vote). • Approve donation of $550 to Brawley Sunstrokers (finding public purpose) — passed (voice vote). • Direct staff to meet with BESD to develop an agreement to release the recreation restriction on APNs 046349003 and 046349004 — passed (voice vote). • Approve going dark for the month of August (no regular council meetings in August) — passed (voice vote). • Authorize city manager to execute agreement with Best, Best & Krieger LLP for legal services not to exceed $90,000 — passed (voice vote). • Accept IID GLOW grant award, $35,000 — passed (voice vote). • Accept IID Public Green Space grant award, $29,600 — passed (voice vote). • Approve purchase of a drum dump truck from Haker Equipment Company, $123,563.93 (Sourcewell cooperative) — passed (voice vote). • Approve Amendment No. 4 to the Milo Janitorial contract to extend through 07/01/2027 with a 5% price increase — passed (voice vote, one abstention noted). • Adopt the fiscal year 2025–26 citywide operating and capital improvement budget — passed (voice vote).

Notes: the meeting transcript records voice votes, “Aye” responses, occasional abstentions, and the phrase “Motion passes” but does not include roll‑call vote tallies for most items. Where the transcript records only a voice vote, this summary reproduces the recorded outcome without inventing detailed roll‑call results.

Context: several of the items the council approved were grant‑funded or reimbursement programs (IID grants, federal aviation grants noted elsewhere in staff presentations) and staff said some reimbursements will require an upfront city outlay with partial IID reimbursement (50% up front, 50% at project completion for the IID grants). For the Parkside parcel restriction the council directed staff to negotiate an agreement; staff and council discussed notice to nearby residents and the role of the Airport Land Use Commission’s advisory review under the county’s compatibility plan update.