Ojai City Council Regular Meeting

CITY COUNCIL MINUTES REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2025, 6:00 PM KENT HALL – CITY HALL CAMPUS – 111 W SANTA ANA ST, OJAI, CA ANDY GILMAN, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS: DISTRICT 1 – LESLIE RULE DISTRICT 3 – ANDREW WHITMAN DISTRICT 2 – RACHEL LANG, MAYOR PRO TEM DISTRICT 4 – KIM MANG BEN HARVEY MATTHEW SUMMERS WESTON MONTGOMERY CITY MANAGER CITY ATTORNEY CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK Mayor Gilman called the Regular Meeting of the Ojai City Council to order on April 22, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. ROLL CALL On the call of the roll, the following were present in the Kent Hall Council Chambers: Mayor Gilman, Mayor Pro Tem Lang, and Council Members Rule, Whitman, and Mang. Also present in the Kent Hall Council Chambers: City Manager Harvey, Assistant City Manager Alameda, City Attorney Summers, Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery. ABSENCES PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Lang, with a second by Council Member Whitman, to approve the Agenda of the April 22, 2025, Regular Meeting. Council Action: Unanimous consent reached through the Mayor, with five (5) in favor and zero (0) against.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Minutes ojai.ca.gov 2 PRESENTATION Ventura County Fire Marshall Joe Marelli provided a presentation on the release of the Ventura County Fire Department’s Local Responsibility Area Map. COMMISSION REPORTS PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSENT CALENDAR (Items 1.a – 1.i) All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be considered routine by the governing bodies and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. There will be no discussion of these items unless, before the governing body votes on the motion to adopt, specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate motions. 1. a) Waiver of Reading in Full of Any and All Ordinances Listed on this Agenda and Provide that they be Read by Title Only and Directing the Clerk to Assign an Ordinance Number Upon Successful Introduction b) City of Ojai Warrants for March 17, 2025 – March 30, 2025 RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. c) March 2025 Treasurer’s Monthly Report of Cash and Investments for the City of Ojai RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. d) Minutes of the Ojai City Council from the: March 25, 2025, Special Meeting, Joint Meeting with the Historic Preservation Commission; March 25, 2025, Regular Meeting; April 8, 2025 Special Meeting, Closed Session; and April 8, 2025, Regular Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Approve. e) Minutes of the Ojai Planning Commission from the March 5, 2025 Regular Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. f) FY 2025/26 List of Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Projects Required by State Senate Bill 1 (SB1) RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a resolution to provide the list of road maintenance and rehabilitation projects to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) as required by California State Senate Bill 1 (SB1) to secure access to State grant funds for these projects in Fiscal Year 2025/26.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Minutes ojai.ca.gov 3 g) FY Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Eide Bailly, LLP for Finance Process Improvement Implementation Services through June 30, 2025 in an Amount not to Exceed $90,000 RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with Eide Bailly, LLP allocating an additional $25,000 for an amount not to exceed $90,000. h) Ratify Appointment to the Parks and Recreation Commission RECOMMENDATION: Ratify nomination of applicant Brenda Lear as Parks and Recreation Commissioner to a four-year term on the City of Ojai Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) by majority vote. i) Letter of Support for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Proposed Rewild Ojai: Native Plant Nursery Expansion and Business Development Building (Phase II Implementation). RECOMMENDATION: Authorize Mayor Gilman to sign the attached letter of support on behalf of the City of Ojai for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s grant application. Council Member Whitman pulled Item 1.h for discussion. Motion: It was moved by Council Member Rule, with a second by Council Member Whitman, to approve the Consent Calendar (except pulled Item 1.h) of the April 22, 2025, Regular Meeting. Council Action: Unanimous consent reached through the Mayor, with five (5) in favor and zero (0) against. Motion: It was moved by Council Member Whitman, with a second by Mayor Pro Tem Lang, to approve the Consent Calendar Item 1.h of the April 22, 2025, Regular Meeting. Council Action: Unanimous consent reached through the Mayor, with five (5) in favor and zero (0) against. DISCUSSION 2. City Council Goals and Tactics RECOMMENDATION: 1. Review the attached proposed draft City Council goals and corresponding tactics, and advise staff of any desired changes from what is presented for adoption; OR

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Minutes ojai.ca.gov 4 2. Appoint a City Council subcommittee to meet with the City Manager to review the proposed draft City Council goals and corresponding tactics, returning with a final version for adoption at a May 2025 City Council meeting. Council Direction received for Staff to obtain more Tactics information and return at the May 13 City Council Regular Meeting for a continued discussion item. 3. Mid-Year Budget Update and Fiscal Year 2024/25 Budget Amendments; Auditor and General Fund Balance Policy Updates; and Approval of Audit Services Agreement with Rogers Anderson Malody & Scott LLP RECOMMENDATION: 1. Amend the Fiscal Year 2024/25 City of Ojai (City) Budget, as shown in Attachment “A”; 2. Adopt a Resolution establishing a General Fund Balance Policy; 3. Adopt a Resolution establishing an Auditor Rotation Policy; and 4. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Rogers Anderson Malody & Scott, LLP, for annual financial services through fiscal year ending June 30, 2027 in an amount not to exceed $187,875, with an option to extend for two additional fiscal years through June 30, 2029. Motion: It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Lang, with a second by Council Member Rule, to approve Item 3, as recommended. Roll Call: On the call of the roll, the vote was five (5) in favor and zero (0) against. Ayes: Mang, Rule, Lang, Whitman, Gilman Noes: None Abstain: None Absent: None MOTION PASSES 4. Contract with Ventura County Behavioral Health for Intensive Services Coordinator RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the County Behavioral Health to provide an Intensive Service Coordinator for certain non-emergent mental health and case management services to all unhoused individuals in the City in the amount of $194,308 from May 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one (1) year terms. Motion: It was moved by Council Member Rule, with a second by Mayor Pro Tem Lang, to approve Item 4, as recommended. Roll Call: On the call of the roll, the vote was three (3) in favor and two (2) against.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Minutes ojai.ca.gov 5 Ayes: Lang, Gilman, Rule Noes: Whitman, Mang Abstain: None Absent: None MOTION PASSES 5. Two Council Member Request: Introduce Ordinance Modifying Ojai Municipal Code Section 2-4.102(a) to Allow for a Change in the Parks and Recreation Commission Member Composition RECOMMENDATION: Introduce the attached ordinance modifying the Ojai Municipal Code to allow for a change in the City Council’s ability to modify the commission member composition, giving the option for the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) to be established as 7-members or less, as may be appointed by the City Council. Motion: It was moved by Mayor Gilman, with a second by Mayor Pro Tem Lang, to approve Item 5, as recommended. Roll Call: On the call of the roll, the vote was five (5) in favor and zero (0) against. Ayes: Rule, Mang, Gilman, Lang, Whitman Noes: None Abstain: None Absent: None MOTION PASSES COUNCIL MEMBER’S REPORTS CITY MANAGER’S REPORT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Mayor Pro Tem Lang, with a second from Council Member Rule, requested a speed hump policy. Council Member Mang, with a second from Mayor Pro Tem Lang, requested the City look into the possibility of participating in the Fourth of July Parade with a vehicle float. Council Member Rule, with a second from Mayor Pro Tem Lang, requested a future agenda item regarding an “ember screen” fire hardening discussion. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Gilman adjourned the April 22, 2025, Regular Meeting at 10:05 p.m., until the May 13, 2025, Regular Meeting at 6:00 p.m. Prepared by: Weston Montgomery, Chief Deputy City Clerk

O F PO O CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2025, 6:00 PM KENT HALL – CITY HALL CAMPUS – 111 W SANTA ANA ST, OJAI, CA ANDY GILMAN, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS: DISTRICT 1 – LESLIE RULE DISTRICT 3 – ANDREW WHITMAN DISTRICT 2 – RACHEL LANG, MAYOR PRO TEM DISTRICT 4 – KIM MANG BEN HARVEY MATTHEW SUMMERS WESTON MONTGOMERY CITY MANAGER CITY ATTORNEY CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK VIEWING & ACCESS THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID MODEL WITH BOTH IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE AND VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION. TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LIVE VIRTUAL MEETING VIA ZOOM, CLICK THIS LINK: Zoom Link – City Council Regular Meeting – Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 6:00 p.m. This meeting will also be available for viewing only on the City’s website through Granicus at ojai.ca.gov/525/2968/Public-Meetings, on YouTube at youtube.com/@ojaicity, or on Spectrum Channel 10. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call (805) 646-5581. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you feel that a language interpreter is necessary for you to participate in this meeting, notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements for an interpreter to assure your participation/understanding of this meeting of the City Council. Si considera que un intérprete de idiomas es necesario para participar en esta reunión, la notificación 48 horas antes de la reunión le permitirá a la Ciudad hacer arreglos razonables para que un intérprete asegure su participación / comprensión de esta reunión del Concejo Municipal. Para Español por favor llame al (805) 646-5581 ext. 101 o por correo electronico a cityclerk@ojai.ca.gov PUBLIC COMMENT In order for staff to provide the City Council with written public comments timely, written/emailed public comments must be submitted no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Agenda ojai.ca.gov 2 IMPORTANT NOTE: As a government agency, the City of Ojai is subject to the California Public Records Act (Government Code § 6250 et seq.). Please be advised that all communications submitted to City officials and staff are subject to public disclosure under the California Public Records Act. There are limited exceptions that allow the City to redact personal information under the California Public Records Act. If you have concerns regarding privacy, please do not include your personal identifying information, such as your name, e-mail, phone number, and home address in your correspondence to the City, including, but not limited to, public comment. Members of the public who wish to make public comments may do so in person at the meeting, comment live via telewebinar software, or submit written public comments in advance of the meeting. Written public comment emails should be sent to cityclerk@ojai.ca.gov No pre-registration is required for public comment via telewebinar (Zoom). Instead, during the live meeting, telewebinar participants who wish to speak on an agenda item will be asked to use the Zoom software’s hand-raise function at the beginning of each item. LEVINE ACT WARNING Applicants and their agents before the City Council are subject to the campaign disclosure provisions detailed in Government Code Section 84308. No City Council Member may accept, solicit, or direct a contribution of more than $500 from any party or agent for 12 months subsequent to the date a final decision is rendered by the City. This prohibition commences when your application has been filed, or the proceeding is otherwise initiated. A party to a City proceeding—which includes both applicants and agents--shall disclose on the record of the proceeding any contribution of more than $500 made to any Council Member by the applicant or agent, during the preceding 12 months. No party to a City proceeding, or agent, shall make a contribution to a Council Member during the proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered by the City. Prior to rendering a decision on a City proceeding, any Council Member who received contribution of more than $500 within the preceding 12 months from any party, or agent, to a proceeding shall disclose that fact on the record of the proceeding and shall be disqualified from participating in the proceeding. However, if any Council Member receives a contribution that otherwise would require disqualification and returns the contribution within 30 days of knowing about the contribution and the relevant proceeding, the Council Member shall be permitted to participate in the proceeding. If you believe that these provisions apply to you or a Council Member, please inform the City Clerk at the earlies possible opportunity. Failure to do so may affect the City’s ability to process your application. IMPORTANT NOTES Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Such documents are also available on the City of Ojai’s website at ojai.ca.gov, subject to the staff’s ability to post the documents prior to the meeting. If you challenge the actions of the City Council in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in the public notices, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing (Calif. Gov’t Code Sec. 65009). Any legal action by an applicant seeking to obtain a judicial review of the City Council’s decision on a Hearing listed on this Agenda may be subject to the 90-day filing period of and governed by Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Agenda ojai.ca.gov 3 ROLL CALL ABSENCES PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF AGENDA PRESENTATION Ventura County Fire Marshall Joe Marelli to provide a presentation on the release of the Ventura County Fire Department’s Local Responsibility Area Map. COMMISSION REPORTS PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS Public Communications is the time set aside during the meeting for members of the public to address the City Council on items of City business other than scheduled agenda items. Matters raised at this time may be briefly discussed by the Council and will generally be referred to staff and/or placed on a subsequent agenda. Under State law, other than for emergency items, no action can be taken. CONSENT CALENDAR (Items 1.a – 1.i) All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be considered routine by the governing bodies and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. There will be no discussion of these items unless, before the governing body votes on the motion to adopt, specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate motions. 1. a) Waiver of Reading in Full of Any and All Ordinances Listed on this Agenda and Provide that they be Read by Title Only and Directing the Clerk to Assign an Ordinance Number Upon Successful Introduction b) City of Ojai Warrants for March 17, 2025 – March 30, 2025 RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. c) March 2025 Treasurer’s Monthly Report of Cash and Investments for the City of Ojai RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. d) Minutes of the Ojai City Council from the: March 25, 2025, Special Meeting, Joint Meeting with the Historic Preservation Commission; March 25, 2025, Regular Meeting; April 8, 2025 Special Meeting, Closed Session; and April 8, 2025, Regular Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Approve.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Agenda ojai.ca.gov 4 e) Minutes of the Ojai Planning Commission from the March 5, 2025 Regular Meeting RECOMMENDATION: Receive and file. f) FY 2025/26 List of Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Projects Required by State Senate Bill 1 (SB1) RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a resolution to provide the list of road maintenance and rehabilitation projects to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) as required by California State Senate Bill 1 (SB1) to secure access to State grant funds for these projects in Fiscal Year 2025/26. g) FY Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Eide Bailly, LLP for Finance Process Improvement Implementation Services through June 30, 2025 in an Amount not to Exceed $90,000 RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with Eide Bailly, LLP allocating an additional $25,000 for an amount not to exceed $90,000. h) Ratify Appointment to the Parks and Recreation Commission RECOMMENDATION: Ratify nomination of applicant Brenda Lear as Parks and Recreation Commissioner to a four-year term on the City of Ojai Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) by majority vote. i) Letter of Support for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s Proposed Rewild Ojai: Native Plant Nursery Expansion and Business Development Building (Phase II Implementation). RECOMMENDATION: Authorize Mayor Gilman to sign the attached letter of support on behalf of the City of Ojai for the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy’s grant application. DISCUSSION 2. City Council Goals and Tactics RECOMMENDATION: 1. Review the attached proposed draft City Council goals and corresponding tactics, and advise staff of any desired changes from what is presented for adoption; OR 2. Appoint a City Council subcommittee to meet with the City Manager to review the proposed draft City Council goals and corresponding tactics, returning with a final version for adoption at a May 2025 City Council meeting.

Tuesday, April 22, 2025 Ojai City Council Regular Meeting Agenda ojai.ca.gov 5 3. Mid-Year Budget Update and Fiscal Year 2024/25 Budget Amendments; Auditor and General Fund Balance Policy Updates; and Approval of Audit Services Agreement with Rogers Anderson Malody & Scott LLP RECOMMENDATION: 1. Amend the Fiscal Year 2024/25 City of Ojai (City) Budget, as shown in Attachment “A”; 2. Adopt a Resolution establishing a General Fund Balance Policy; 3. Adopt a Resolution establishing an Auditor Rotation Policy; and 4. Authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Rogers Anderson Malody & Scott, LLP, for annual financial services through fiscal year ending June 30, 2027 in an amount not to exceed $187,875, with an option to extend for two additional fiscal years through June 30, 2029. 4. Contract with Ventura County Behavioral Health for Intensive Services Coordinator RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the County Behavioral Health to provide an Intensive Service Coordinator for certain non-emergent mental health and case management services to all unhoused individuals in the City in the amount of $194,308 from May 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one (1) year terms. 5. Two Council Member Request: Introduce Ordinance Modifying Ojai Municipal Code Section 2-4.102(a) to Allow for a Change in the Parks and Recreation Commission Member Composition RECOMMENDATION: Introduce the attached ordinance modifying the Ojai Municipal Code to allow for a change in the City Council’s ability to modify the commission member composition, giving the option for the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) to be established as 7-members or less, as may be appointed by the City Council. COUNCIL MEMBER’S REPORTS CITY MANAGER’S REPORT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT AGENDA POSTED APRIL 18, 2025, 12:00 PM Weston Montgomery Chief Deputy City Clerk