Glendale approves subrecipient agreement to seek $608,000 reimbursement for Municipal Green Zone EV pilot after public protests

Glendale’s City Council voted to authorize the city manager to enter into a subrecipient agreement with the Center for Transportation and Environment (CTE) so the city can implement the Glendale Municipal Green Zone Project and request reimbursement under a California Air Resources Board grant.

The item had been placed on the consent calendar but was pulled for separate consideration after public comment. Speakers at the meeting urged the council to remove the item from the agenda and hold a fuller public process. Speakers raised objections to using public funds and questioned fleet electrification; others urged the council to publicize grant‑funded projects more clearly on the city website and social channels.

What the council approved: According to staff, the total project cost is roughly $2,146,000; the local match (cash plus in‑kind staff time) is approximately $1,100,000, with a cash match of about $567,000 and in‑kind staff time valued at about $507,000. Staff said two vehicles had already been purchased or committed and two more were on order; the immediate reimbursement the council authorized staff to apply for is approximately $608,000 once the paperwork is submitted.

Staff emphasized that the council previously approved appropriations for the local match in April 2024 and that the current action is limited to approving the subrecipient reimbursement agreement and related certifications. Council members clarified that the staff report says “no fiscal impact associated with this report” because the appropriation was made earlier; they acknowledged that wording had confused several members and asked staff to be clearer in future reports.

Public comment: Several speakers asked that the item be pulled from consent and publicly noticed. Mike Mohill and others urged delay, saying Glendale should not be an early adopter of electric vehicle (EV) fleet equipment and alleging insufficient outreach. Beth Brooks and other speakers raised safety concerns about EV vehicle fires and urged clearer public disclosure. Staff and multiple council members responded that the project and fleet electrification plan had been discussed previously, that the matching funds were already included in last year’s budget and that the city has an ongoing fleet electrification plan.

Vote: The motion to authorize the agreements and reimbursement process passed on roll call as recorded: Bro(t)man — yes; Garpetian — yes; Kasakian — yes; Najarian — yes; Mayor — yes.

Why it matters: The action moves forward a state‑funded demonstration project intended to pilot electrified construction/fleet equipment as part of broader municipal fleet electrification and air‑quality efforts. The discussion highlighted tensions between grant‑driven pilot programs and residents who want earlier or broader public outreach before committing local match funds.

Next steps: Staff will execute the subrecipient agreement, submit reimbursement requests as eligible, and return with bid amounts or appropriation requests if the final construction bid exceeds current estimates.