Paso Robles City Council Meeting Summary
June 17, 2025
🏛️ Closed Session Summary
The meeting began with a closed session regarding:
- Public Employee Labor Negotiations
Covered groups:- International Association of Firefighters
- Paso Robles Police Officers Association
- SEIU
- Part-time and management staff
- Department heads, including City Manager
👥 Roll Call
All councilmembers were present:
- Councilmember Bausch
- Councilmember Beal
- Councilmember Gregory
- Councilmember Strong
- Mayor Hamon
🧾 Consent Calendar – ✅ Approved Unanimously (5–0)
All 10 items were approved, including:
- Approval of prior meeting minutes
- Adoption of FY 2025–26 Investment Policy
- Purchase of Fire Command Vehicle
- Award for Wastewater Digester Cover Replacement
- Extension of engineering contract with MNS Engineers
- Allocation of Community Services Grants
- Ambulance service contract authorizations
- Airport lease amendment
- Approval of Transit Asset Management Plan
- Budget and grant fund transfers for infrastructure projects
💰 Public Hearing: FY 2025–26 Biennial Budget
Presented by Finance Director Ryan Cornell and City Manager Chris Huot.
📊 Budget Overview:
- General Fund Revenues: $51.9M
- Expenditures: $55.1M
- Reserves: Over 30%, meeting policy goals
- Priorities:
- Infrastructure investment
- Public safety and staffing
- Long-term financial discipline
🗣️ Council Feedback:
- Councilmember Gregory raised caution on reliance on one-time revenues
- Councilmember Strong asked for clarity on transit funding and future obligations
✅ Budget adopted unanimously
🔄 Infrastructure Financing Authority – Special Session
Council briefly reconvened as the El Paso de Robles Infrastructure Financing Authority to:
- Approve bond issuance authority
- Confirm officers and bond administration procedures
✅ All items passed unanimously
🚗 Employee Parking Permit Program Update
Community Development Director Warren Frace presented:
Background:
- Initiated in 2018 to reserve downtown lots for employees and free up on-street parking for customers.
- Cost: $5/month or $60/year
- Program ended January 2025.
🅿️ Affected lots (98 spaces total, ~5.4% of total downtown parking):
- Spring & 12th
- Behind Marv’s Pizza
- Alley between Pine & Railroad
- Railroad & 12th
Timeline:
- August 2024: Council asked for low-cost permit options
- December 3, 2024: Staff recommended converting to open public parking
- December 17, 2024: Council delayed vote to allow more outreach
- June 17, 2025: Staff returned with findings and recommended simplified, first-come-first-serve access
🔁 Staff reiterated value of removing barriers and returning downtown lots to general public use.
🗣️ Public Comments
Linda George
- Called for transparency on grants and contract expenditures
- Suggested formation of a citizen finance oversight group
Sharon Rheinhardt
- Expressed concern over unfulfilled public records requests
- Requested improved communication tracking between officials and third-party groups
🧑💼 Councilmember Reports
Councilmember Beal
- Supported facility upgrades and strategic financial planning
Councilmember Gregory
- Suggested improved public dashboards for budget understanding
Councilmember Strong
- Asked for long-term debt summary
- Urged regional transportation collaboration
Councilmember Bausch
- Praised staff’s budget clarity
- Requested more reporting on grant-related project timelines
Mayor Hamon
- Thanked council and staff for cooperation
- Emphasized fiscal discipline and transparency
✅ Final Summary
- All items, including the FY 2025–26 budget, were adopted unanimously
- Employee parking lots will likely return to open public use
- Council continues to focus on financial sustainability, community trust, and transparent operations