Parlier staff reviews FY2025 grants portfolio; council presses on sports-park spending

Sandra Rodriguez, identified in the transcript as senior revenue manager, briefed the Parlier City Council on Nov. 7 on the city’s active federal and state grants for fiscal year 2025. She summarized the grants lifecycle, compliance requirements and the status of several major projects and reimbursements.

Rodriguez said the city’s grants support public works, streets, public safety, housing and recreation and stressed the routine reporting required: quarterly and annual performance and financial reports and retention of records for three to five years. “Grants provide support to public services, economic growth, and infrastructure improvements,” she said.

Key projects discussed included wastewater improvements and multiple public-works initiatives. Rodriguez reported the wastewater improvement project and other utility efforts are underway and that several invoices and reimbursement requests were recently submitted in September and October as part of routine filing deadlines. She also identified ARPA funds allocated to park projects and said the city has spent portions of those allocations.

Council members asked specifically about the indoor sports-park line item that the council previously approved. Rodriguez confirmed that, as of the meeting, the city had not yet spent the approved $1.0 million for the indoor sports park and that staff would follow up to determine whether procurement or bidding was in process. On Fig Tree Park, she said the $2.8 million project was completed and fully expended, and that the last closeout report and a final invoice (about $562,000) were pending.

Rodriguez also reviewed police-related funding: a settlement that has generated monthly receipts (reported as $56,377 accumulated and earmarked for officer needs), a BSCC grant used toward police facility work (about $2.5 million received, with a remaining balance reported), and several smaller grants that fund specific programs such as DUI checkpoints, vest reimbursements and a tobacco compliance position. She said a cannabis-related grant has pending reimbursements and that a Department of Justice grant (“15 COPS”) remains in the reporting stage with California Consulting assisting.

On street and transportation grants, Rodriguez said the city is working with consulting engineers on multiple grant-funded street-safety and crosswalk projects at locations including Academy Avenue, Tuolumne Street and the roundabout near New York and Franklin. She said several new grant applications are in development for additional crosswalks, safety ramps and FEMA hazard-mitigation work.

Rodriguez closed by noting two new housing grants have been submitted — one under PLHA and another to support first-time homebuyers and ADUs — and that these had no expenses to report yet. Council members thanked staff and asked to move detailed procurement or follow-up questions to a work session.

The grants overview was presented as informational; the council did not take formal action on any grant acceptance or budget amendment at the Nov. 7 meeting.