Oakdale council adopts budget and several project agreements; amends dog‑bite quarantine policy, continues towing franchise discussion

The Oakdale City Council on June 16 approved the city’s preliminary fiscal year 2025–26 budget and a string of project and reimbursement agreements, adopted an amendment allowing the police chief or designee to authorize home quarantine in some dog‑bite cases, and postponed further action on a city‑generated, non‑consensual towing franchise agreement until its July 7 meeting.

The council voted 5–0 to adopt the preliminary budget for FY2025–26, which staff said would leave the city’s general‑fund balance at about $7.1 million and maintain a roughly 40% reserve level. The resolution authorizing the budget passed after staff explained that the work included more than 80 separate funds, and that Measure H revenues—an existing half‑cent local sales tax—continue to underwrite most public safety costs.

Council members approved several developer and agency reimbursement agreements intended to fund streets, storm drainage and park improvements. The council authorized a reimbursement agreement for the Saddlewood Subdivision project — a proposed 157‑lot housing development in the Crane Crossing South specific plan area — that staff said would reimburse certain oversized street and storm drain work and would include a $524,500 prepayment for planned Fish Park improvements. Staff described the total proposed reimbursement amount as “1,000,000, $99,003.72,” noting a contingency and soft costs included in the full figure not shown on the presentation; the council approved the resolution 5–0.

Separately, the council authorized an improvement and reimbursement agreement with the Oakdale Irrigation District for storm and street work related to the new Gregor facility. The council approved the $282,338.46 reimbursement agreement, to be funded from the Streets Capital Facilities Fund, by a 5–0 vote.

Public safety and animal‑control policy changes were also on the agenda. After a staff presentation and brief public comment, the council adopted an amendment to Oakdale Municipal Code section 4‑16 to allow the chief of police or a designee to authorize home quarantine of a dog involved in a biting incident, subject to enumerated conditions. The change permits home quarantine where the dog is current on rabies vaccinations, the injury is not severe, the owner can securely confine the dog and animal‑control checks can be conducted. The council approved the ordinance amendment 5–0.

A proposed city‑generated, non‑exclusive, non‑consensual towing services franchise agreement prompted extended discussion. Staff described updating the contract (the prior document had been expired since 2011) to align maximum fees with current California Highway Patrol (CHP) rates, remove the prior $35 franchise fee the city collected per tow, and raise certain insurance requirements. Council members and staff debated the insurance thresholds (staff initially proposed $1 million automobile liability, with council members asking staff to consider at least $2 million) and asked staff to return with CHP fee details and revised insurance recommendations. The council voted to continue the towing‑franchise item to the July 7 meeting.

Other council actions included: - Approval (5–0) of a $66,383.25 purchase of a 2024 Ford Super Duty F‑250 utility truck for Wastewater operations, funded from the Sewer Capital Replacement Fund; the 1991 F‑350 will be declared surplus. - Approval (5–0) of agreements related to rehabilitation of Brennan (Floribelle Brennan) Park’s basketball court to add a futsal striping and improved surfacing, lighting and fencing. The council authorized agreements with Vintage Contractors ($114,660 for court work), Modesto Executive Electric ($88,708 for lighting) and Stockton Fence ($38,701 for fencing), plus a $35,000 contingency, for a total project budget of $277,069 funded from the Parks Replacement Fund. - Adoption (4–0, one recusal) of the city’s SB 1 Road Repair and Accountability Act project list for FY 2025–26, directing SB 1 funds toward the city’s planned slurry‑seal program (Area 8, covering Bridle Ridge and Gregor Street areas) and scheduling the project for spring/early summer 2026. - Approval (5–0) of a resolution authorizing reimbursement to a developer for certain streets and storm improvements in the Saddlewood Subdivision project and related plan‑area accounting (summary above). - Approval (5–0) of a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute an improvement and reimbursement agreement with the Oakdale Irrigation District for the Gregor Facility project ($282,338.46, Streets Capital Facilities Fund) and to file the agreement with the county recorder. - Approval (5–0) of a master encroachment agreement with Unwired Broadband permitting construction of a citywide fiber‑optic network consistent with city standards; staff said Unwired would build at its own cost and proposed to serve areas of the city that do not already have fiber.

During public comment, residents brought a long‑running property dispute to the council’s attention: owners and contractors described a retaining wall bordering a low‑income apartment complex near 654 Pedersen Road that they say was improperly built, lacks a waterproof membrane and has allowed water infiltration and property damage for several years. Speakers requested that the city investigate the wall’s construction, verify compliance with the original engineering plans and enforce repairs by the builder and masonry contractor. Representatives of the apartment developer disputed some of those claims and said they had mitigated earlier problems; both sides asked the council and city staff to review documentation and respond.

What’s next: staff said items continued for July 7 will return with requested details (tow fees tied to current CHP rates, updated insurance thresholds). Many approved projects will move to contract execution and permitting; the preliminary budget will be finalized later this year in the standard budget‑adoption cycle.

Votes at a glance (formal roll calls recorded in meeting minutes): consent agenda approved 5–0; ordinance amendment (home quarantine) approved 5–0; FY 2025–26 preliminary budget approved 5–0; Saddlewood reimbursement agreement approved 5–0; towing‑franchise consideration continued to July 7 (motion passed 5–0 to continue); truck purchase approved 5–0; OID/Gregor reimbursement approved 5–0; SB1 project list adopted 4–0 (one recusal); Brennan Park rehabilitation agreements approved 5–0; Unwired master encroachment agreement approved 5–0.

Council members and staff provided follow‑up instructions: staff will return with fee schedules and proposed insurance thresholds for towing, will schedule returned items for July 7 when requested, and will proceed to finalize contracts and reimbursements for the projects approved at the meeting.