CITY OF LATHROP COUNCIL SPECIAL MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2025, 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 390 Towne Centre Drive, Lathrop, CA 95330 Lathrop CITY MEETING MINUTES PLEASE NOTE: There was no Closed Session prior to the Special Meeting. The Special Meeting commenced at 5:09 p.m, PRELIMINARY 1. 1.1 CALLTOORDER - Mayor Akinjo called the meeting to order at 5:09 p.m. 1.2 ROLL CALL Present: Absent: Mayor Akinjo; Vice Mayor Torres-OCallaghan; and Councilmembers Diallo and Lazard. None 1.3 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - City Clerk Teresa Vargas led the pledge of allegiance. 2. SCHEDULED ITEMS(S) 2.1 APPOINTMENT OF CITY COUNCIL VACANCY Director of Government Services and City Clerk Teresa Vargas provided the presentation, which included a summary of the appointment process to fill the City Council vacancy and provided the list of City Council applications received. The list of candidates considered for the vacancy as listed on the agenda, in alphabetical order by last name, first name: Camarena, Paul Dresser, Stephen Fazel, Mansoor Majid, Fadwah Mariam, Padma Zaca, Susan A question and answer period ensued following the presentation. City Attorney Salvador Navarrete provided additional information. The following in person speakers spoke in support of appointing Stephen Dresser, as the applicant and City Council Municipal Election Candidate with the next highest number of votes: Sheilla Zaballos, Larry Belfield, Carole Friesen, Craig Heise, Stephen (Steve) Dresser, Mike Doughty, January 6, 2025 Lathrop City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 1 Rosy Gill, Gloryanna Rhodes, Bennie Gatto, and Jimmy Zien. The following speakers spoke in support of appointing applicant Padma Mariam: Anoop Srivastava, Pranita Madhaorao, Ravinder Kumar, and Om Prakash. City Clerk Teresa Vargas announced a public comment letter received by Greg Leland in support of appointing Stephen Dresser, as the applicant and City Council Municipal Election Candidate with the The question and answer period continued. The City Council discussed the option of appointing with and without asking the applicants questions. Councilmember: Lazard spoke in support of appointing a candidate. Councilmember Diallo and Vice Mayor Torres-0/Callaghan spoke in support of asking candidates questions prior to considering an appointment. Mayor Akinjo spoke in support of appointing applicant MOTION FAILED by Mayor Akinjo, and seconded by Councilmember Lazard, to appoint Stephen Dresser, due to lack of third affirmative vote: next highest number of votes. Stephen Dresser. Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Lazard and Akinjo Diallo and Torres-0/Callaghan None None On a motion by Councimember Diallo, second by Vice Mayor Torres- O'Callaghan, the City Council provided direction to move forward with asking questions of the applicants. Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo Lazard and Torres-ocalagnan Akinjo None None MOTION FAILED by Vice Mayor Torres-orCallagnan to ask the eight (8) provided on the applicant questionnaire, due to lack of second. On a motion by Councimember Diallo, second by Vice Mayor Torres- O'Callaghan, the City Council provided direction to move forward with asking questions #2, #4, #5, and #8 of the applicant questionnaire. Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo Lazard and Torres-o/Callagnan Akinjo None None January 6, 2025 Lathrop City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 2 MOTION FAILED by Councilmember Diallo, seconded by Vice Mayor Torres-O'Callaghan, to rank candidates based on a ranking system, in which each question will have a point value (1 being the lowest to 5 being the highest score), due to lack of third affirmative vote: Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo and Torres-orCalagnan Lazard and Akinjo None None MOTION FAILED by Councilmember Diallo, seconded by Vice Mayor Torres-oCallagnan, to rank candidates based overall best performance no ranking system, due to lack of third affirmative vote: Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo and Torres-oCallagnan Lazard and Akinjo None None MOTION FAILED by Vice Mayor Torres-O'Callaghan, seconded by Councilmember Diallo, to ask candidates questions in a random order (name draw) for each question asked, due to lack of third affirmative vote: Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo and Torres-ocalagnan Lazard and Akinjo None None MOTION FAILED by Councimember Diallo, seconded by Vice Mayor Torres-oCallagnan, to ask candidates questions in a random order (name draw) for the entire process, due to lack of third affirmative vote: Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo and Torres-ocalagnan Lazard and Akinjo None None City Attorney Salvador Navarrete explained that consensus was already received to move forward with asking four of the eight questions, and at the conclusion of the question and answer period with the candidates, the City Council could entertain new motions. Mr. Navarrete also recommended that each applicant receive the customary 5 minutes to Based on said City Council consensus (prior vote), the following questions were asked in the order listed below (as listed on the agenda speak. and rotating applicants with each question): January 6, 2025 Lathrop City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 3 Question No. 2. Please tell us about your interest in serving on the City Council. Additionally, if you did not run for Council in the 2024 Election, Candidate Order: Paul Camarena, Stephen Dresser, Mansoor Fazel, During applicant Fadwah Majid's turn to speak, the applicant withdrew her application citing support for the candidate with the next highest Question No. 4. What do you consider the top/most important issue or Candidate Order: Stephen Dresser, Mansoor Fazel, Padma Mariam, Question No. 5. What is your vision for Lathrop in the next ten years, orhow would you like to see Lathrop ten years from now? Candidate Order: Mansoor Fazel, Padma Mariam, Susan Zaca, Paul Question No. 8. Council has a referral process by which Council Members may bring new items for Council consideration. Please give an example of a referral item you might consider proposing to Council. Candidate Order: Padma Mariam, Susan Zaca, Paul Camarena, At the conclusion of the question and answer period, the City Council commented on the candidate interviews. The City Council reviewed candidate applications submitted, asked questions of the candidates as indicated above, and considered the appointment of a candidate for the On a motion by Councilmember Diallo, seconded by Councilmember Lazard, the City Council appointed Stephen (Steve) Dresser to fill the City Council vacancy until the next regularly scheduled Municipal Election to be Held November 3, 2026, by the following roll call vote: what made you apply now? Fadwah Majid, Padma Mariam, and Susan Zaca. votes during the most recent Municipal Election. challenge facing the City of Lathrop today? Susan Zaca and Paul Camarena. Camarena, and Stephen Dresser. Explain why this is important to you? Stephen Dresser and Mansoor Fazel. City Council vacancy. Ayes: Noes: Absent: Abstain: Diallo, Lazard, Torres-ocalagnan and Akinjo None None None January 6, 2025 Lathrop City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 4 City Clerk Teresa Vargas announced that appointed Council Member Stephen Dresser would receive his Oath of Office prior to the Regular ADJOURNMENT - There being no further business, Mayor Akinjo adjourned City Council Meeting of January 13, 2025. 3. the meeting at 7:37 p.m. Teresa City Clerk Government Services Director January 6, 2025 Lathrop City Council Special Meeting Minutes Page 5