Taft council approves consent calendar, awards microgrid contract and files RSTP application

The City of Taft City Council approved its consent calendar during its July 2025 regular meeting, adopting a package of routine items by a recorded 4-0 vote.

The consent calendar included approval of minutes for June 2025; payment of bills totaling about $356,000; awarding a preselection agreement for packaged microgrid equipment for the transit electrification project to Westgen Power Solutions Inc.; authorization to submit a Regional Surface Transportation Program (RSTP) application to Kern COG for rehabilitation of East Kern Street from First Street to William Street; and a professional services agreement with the California State Controller's Office to prepare the city's required annual street report. Staff recommended CEQA findings that the listed activities are not projects under cited CEQA guideline sections.

The council voted to approve consent calendar items 7 through 11 on a single roll call. The clerk recorded the vote as yes from Council Member Kreier, Council Member Waldrop, Council Member Chavira and Mayor North; Mayor Pro Tem Bryant was absent with notice. The meeting record shows a motion and second were made before the roll call, but the transcript did not identify who moved or seconded the motion.

Item-by-item details: - Item 7: Minutes, June 2025 — approved as presented. - Item 8: Payment of bills — authorization to pay approximately $356,000 in claims and invoices — approved. - Item 9: Transit electrification microgrid equipment preselection — recommended motion to accept the only bid and award the packaged microgrid equipment preselection to Westgen Power Solutions Inc., authorize the mayor to execute the agreement, and find the activity is not a project under CEQA (citing CEQA Guidelines —7 15060(c)(3) and 15378) — approved. - Item 10: RSTP application for East Kern Street rehabilitation — recommended motion to adopt a resolution authorizing filing for RSTP funds with Kern Council of Governments and committing necessary local match; staff also recommended a CEQA non-project finding (citing CEQA Guidelines —7 15061(b)(3)) — approved. - Item 11: Agreement with California State Controller's Office to prepare the annual street report — recommended motion to authorize a professional services agreement and find the activity is not a CEQA project (citing CEQA Guidelines —7 15060(c)(3) and 15378) — approved.

The council took no separate public comment on the consent calendar and did not remove any item for separate discussion. The approved consent actions were recorded in the meeting minutes and reflected in the clerk's roll call.

The council then recessed into closed session to consider performance evaluations and existing litigation (Taft Union High School v. City of Taft) under the cited Government Code sections; no closed-session outcomes were announced in the public record at the time the open session concluded.