Taft council enacts consent calendar including emergency HVAC purchase, health-fair street closure and contract amendment

The Taft City Council approved the consent calendar by a 4–0 roll-call vote on April 7, enacting routine and time-sensitive items listed as agenda items 9–15 (except item 14, which was pulled for separate discussion).

Key approvals included: the minutes from the March 17 regular meeting; a corrected warrant register for payment of bills (warrant/check numbers corrected to 201783 through 201863, totaling roughly $375,000); ratification of an emergency purchase and installation of a 24,000 BTU ductless heating and air-conditioning system for the Taft Police Department from Airco of Bakersfield for $5,669.00; a resolution waiving special-event permit fees and authorizing the street closure for a Westside Healthcare District health fair scheduled April 11, 2026 at 100 E. North Street; adoption of a resolution providing workers-compensation coverage for non-safety city volunteers; and authorization for the city manager to sign Amendment No. 4 with Securus Technologies at the Taft Community Correctional Facility.

Councilmember Waldrop moved the motion and Councilmember Cryer seconded; the clerk recorded yes votes from Councilmembers Cryer, Bryant, Waldrop and Shafeera. The motion passed 4–0 with one absence.

Details and context: The emergency HVAC purchase was described as necessary for the Police Department; the health fair street closure was granted after staff found no CEQA project impacts under the cited guideline; the workers-comp resolution extends coverage to non-safety volunteers; the Securus amendment was authorized without separate discussion. Item 14 (Chamber funding) was removed from the omnibus and considered separately.