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Milpitas council declines immediate bingo-ordinance review, prioritizes fentanyl response study
Summary
Council voted not to add a review of the city's bingo ordinance to its active workplan but did vote to prioritize study and coordination on fentanyl and opioid response measures.
On May 21 the Milpitas City Council declined to add a staff review of the city’s bingo ordinance to the prioritized workplan, but it did vote to add a study of fentanyl- and opioid-related policies and programs to the active priorities list.
The meeting follows the council’s existing prioritization process, adopted Jan. 10, 2023, in which council members raise new requests during the announcements portion of meetings and staff returns those items for quarterly prioritization. Two items from recent council announcements were before the body: (1) a review of the city’s bingo ordinance and enforcement, and (2) consideration of enhanced policies and programs related to fentanyl.
Council members did not reach consensus to place the bingo-ordinance review on the prioritized list at this time. By contrast, the council voted in favor of prioritizing work on fentanyl response measures, with the mayoral team and council members directing staff to examine programmatic communications, coordination with the school district and regional partners, and options for potential ordinance or policy changes.
Vice Mayor Barbadillo said the fentanyl item reflected a desire for regional coordination rather than an immediate ordinance change: "My thoughts is a shared responsibility and effort with other cities and the state legislature in making sure that the world for fentanyl and opiates are very, very limited in Milpitas," the vice mayor said during the discussion.
Staff told the council Milpitas’ opioid-death rate is below some larger Bay Area cities (staff cited a 2024 fire-department report) but noted the council could ask for enhanced outreach, education and interagency coordination. The council asked staff for clarity about whether actions should be programmatic (communications, prevention, school coordination) or regulatory (local ordinance), and staff said they would return with options and cost implications.
Votes: the bingo-ordinance review did not gain a majority to be added to the prioritized workplan (no primary motion carried); the fentanyl study was approved in a roll-call vote with council members voting in favor (recorded as ayes for Vice Mayor Barbadillo, Council Member Chua, Council Member Lam and Council Member Lien).
Staff will add the fentanyl item to the prioritization list and prepare options for council consideration; the bingo-ordinance review may be raised again at a later quarterly prioritization cycle if a council member reintroduces it during announcements.
