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El Centro council appoints finance director, restricts medians and approves downtown banners and sponsorships
Summary
At the meeting the council appointed Liz Fuchin as finance director (resolution 25-84), passed an ordinance making pedestrian use of medians an infraction (25-13), approved downtown graduate banners with Friends of El Centro, and approved a $500 sponsorship for an Imperial Valley College women-in-law-enforcement event.
The El Centro City Council approved several administrative and community items during the meeting, including a personnel appointment, two ordinances and multiple community programs.
Appointment: The council adopted resolution 25-84 to appoint Liz Fuchin as the city’s finance director through Dec. 31, 2025, setting monthly salary and benefits terms as described in open session. Liz Fuchin addressed the council after the vote, thanking staff and saying, “I promise, I keep the budget discussions only slightly painful and shorter.” The motion to adopt the resolution was made and seconded and the chair announced the motion passed.
Medians ordinance: The council introduced and approved ordinance 25-13 to define and restrict pedestrian use of public-street medians as a citable infraction, with educational enforcement first. Staff and the police chief noted some medians fall under Caltrans (Highway 86 segments along Imperial Avenue), but city staff said that does not preclude local ordinance adoption or enforcement within the city’s purview. The adopted infraction schedule in staff presentation described a $100 fine for a first conviction, $200 for a second within a year and larger fines for repeat violations. The motion passed 5–0.
Downtown banners and community sponsorship: Council authorized a Friends of El Centro Community Service Foundation partnership to sell and hang 34 graduation banners downtown for a summer period as a fundraiser ($225 per banner; banners returned to purchasers afterward) and approved a $500 community sponsorship for Imperial Valley College’s planned “Women in Law Enforcement Day,” a Jan. 30, 2026 seminar and outreach event for high-school students. Peter Martinez, a community organizer, said the event would target about 150 young women and include scholarships and speakers from local law enforcement and education partners.
Consent and scheduling: The council earlier pulled consent item 8 for a later appeal; staff and the council discussed scheduling the appeal for an upcoming meeting and agreed the matter could be added to the Dec. 16 agenda. The meeting recessed to closed session after the listed business.
What happens next: The finance director appointment and ordinances take effect per council direction; staff will implement banner logistics and coordinate the IVC sponsorship and will process the appealed consent item at the next available council meeting.
