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Taft council approves consent items including used‑firearm transfer; receives Kern County Fire report

City of Taft City Council and Successor Agency · November 19, 2025

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Summary

The Taft City Council voted 4–0 to approve most consent calendar items (including payment of roughly $241,000, bank‑card services, Christmas parade street closures, and a transfer/purchase of 12 used Glock .40 pistols for sworn officers). The council removed the Kern County Fire Station No. 21 monthly report for a presentation and later voted to receive and file it after the briefing.

At its Nov. 18 meeting the Taft City Council approved the majority of its consent calendar and heard a presentation from Kern County Fire Station No. 21 before receiving and filing the monthly report.

City staff summarized consent calendar items 7–12, noting payment of bills of approximately $241,000, a resolution authorizing bank card services, approval of street closures for the Christmas parade on Dec. 8, 2025, and "the transfer and purchase of 12 Glock .40 caliber semi automatic duty pistols by sworn Taft police officers," as requested by the chief of police. The mayor removed item 9 (the Kern County Fire Station monthly report) from the consent calendar so an on‑site fire official could present.

The council moved and seconded approval of consent items 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12. The clerk conducted a roll call; members recorded as voting "yes" in the roll call were listed in the record and the items advanced without separate discussion. The clerk later recorded the consent vote as carried.

For item 9, Battalion Chief Carrie Wright of the Kern County Fire Department presented the monthly report and an operational briefing. Wright reported that call volume had fallen in recent months — "Numbers have gone down" — with August and September showing significant drops and October rising again. Wright warned the council about holiday fire risks including deep‑fryer turkey incidents, dry Christmas trees and unsafe electrical use, and urged residents to supervise children and use proper ladder and electrical safety.

After the presentation the council moved to receive and file the monthly report; the clerk recorded a 4–0 vote in favor. The meeting then moved to closed session to discuss anticipated litigation and a real‑property negotiation.

The council’s actions on consent items and receipt of the fire report were procedural approvals; no appeal or motion to remove other consent items passed and no change was made to the police purchase request at this meeting.