January 13, 2026 City Council Meeting

What happened

Timestamps, item boundaries and summaries on this page come from an automatic (speech-to-text) transcript of the city’s YouTube recording, checked against the posted agenda. Times may be off by a few seconds, the transcript does not identify speakers, and names and numbers may be misheard. The approved minutes are the official record. Methods

• Public Works presented the five-year Pavement Management Program update, focused on residential streets. It was received 4-0, with authority to speed up or group projects.
• The consent calendar (4-0) included a Proposition A fund exchange: $3,000,000 of Pico Rivera's restricted transit money goes to Montebello for $2,250,000 in unrestricted General Fund money. It also covered water-quality sampling with Eurofins (to $325,000) and an $82,810 truck.
• Lutz proposed a council ad hoc committee to look for sister cities on other continents. The Mayor and Sánchez suggested referring it to the Sister City Commission with Lutz as liaison. This is the start of the 2026 sister-city discussions.
• Closed session: property negotiation with Manning Beef LLC (APN 8122-011-022); nothing reported.

Agenda items, in order

1. Opening, roll call, invocation and pledge

   Invocation by Council Member Garcia; pledge led by a Rivera Middle School student. The Pico Fast Pitch recognition was continued.

   Outcome: Four members present (Lara absent).

   ▶ Watch 22:48 · Read in transcript

2. Public comments

   Five speakers and two written comments (see the Public comments tab).

   Outcome: Comments only; no action.

   ⚑ A speaker named Victor Gonzalez spoke about drinking water at schools. The name matches FL10, which is an identical name only, not evidence they are the same person. · Connections

   ▶ Watch 27:54 · Read in transcript

3. 1–9. Consent calendar (items 1–9)

   Approved together:

   • 1. Minutes of Dec 9, 2025
   • 2. 8th warrant register of FY 2025-26
   • 3. Internship program policy (Resolution 7457)
   • 4. Proposition A fund exchange with Montebello: $3,000,000 of Prop A local return for $2,250,000 of Montebello General Fund money
   • 5. Development impact fee report (June 30, 2025)
   • 6. Treasurer's investment report (Nov 30, 2025)
   • 7. Water Authority minutes (Dec 9, 2025)
   • 8. Ratified the purchase of a 2026 Ford F-350 from Rush Truck Centers, $82,810
   • 9. Eurofins Eaton Analytical: water-quality sampling, +$85,000 (to $325,000 through June 30, 2026)

   Outcome: Approved 4-0. The minutes list a motion by Garcia, a second by Sánchez and a roll call. On the video it is a voice vote (“Any opposed? … Abstentions? Moving on”).

   ⚠ Unclear: The auto-transcript is unclear here; this relies on the minutes.

   ⚑ The Prop A exchange trades restricted transit funds at 75 cents on the dollar for unrestricted General Fund money. That is the documented term of the agreement, not a finding of impropriety.

   Contract C377 (Montebello) · Contract C379 (Eurofins) · Contract C378 (Rush Truck Centers)

   ▶ Watch 44:50 · Read in transcript

4. 10. Five-year Pavement Management Program update

   Director Negrete presented the pavement condition survey, the cost of deferring work and a funding model focused on residential streets. He said new-plan construction could start in the fall and prior-plan projects in June. The City Manager said staff would look at the budget for more street money and noted Measure AB is already designated for streets. Lutz asked for a yearly public list of streets; Sánchez suggested an online pavement-rating lookup.

   Outcome: Received and filed, with authority for the Public Works Director to speed up or group projects, 4-0 on a roll call. Motion by Garcia, second by Lutz (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 45:08 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 1:24:35 · Read in transcript

5. City Manager report and Good of the Order (AB 1234)

   The City Manager announced the Jan 21 homeless count (volunteers needed) and Red Cross blood drives. Members reported (see the Public comments tab, Council reports).

   Outcome: Lutz proposed a sister-city ad hoc for other continents. On the video a member seconds referring it to the Sister City Commission, with Lutz as liaison. The minutes describe it only as a suggestion.

   ⚑ The first 2026 sister-city proposal (Lutz). Later in the year this led to the Fujian, China delegation and trip and the Sister City ad hoc committee. · Jul 14, 2026 meeting · Oct 27, 2026 meeting

   ▶ Watch 1:24:54 · ▶ Sister city proposal 1:31:22 · Read in transcript

6. Closed session and adjournment

   Real property negotiation: APN 8122-011-022, City Manager Carmona with Manning Beef LLC, price and terms. Recessed 7:24 p.m., reconvened 7:39 p.m.

   Outcome: Council briefed; nothing to report. Adjourned at 7:40 p.m. (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:43:52 · Read in transcript

Connections, recusals and disclosures

Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety.

• The first 2026 sister-city proposal (Lutz). Later in the year this led to the Fujian, China delegation and trip and the Sister City ad hoc committee. · Jul 14, 2026 meeting · Oct 27, 2026 meeting (item)
• A speaker named Victor Gonzalez spoke about drinking water at schools. The name matches FL10, which is an identical name only, not evidence they are the same person. · Connections (item)
• The Prop A exchange trades restricted transit funds at 75 cents on the dollar for unrestricted General Fund money. That is the documented term of the agreement, not a finding of impropriety. (item)

Records for this meeting

Key votes

Contracts

Roll calls heard on the video

Parsed from the auto-transcript; partial parses are common. The approved minutes are the record of the vote.

Key moments

Public comments

Names follow the approved minutes. Addresses are not shown. Some start times are approximate.

Council member comments and reports

Lara was absent. Members are identified by the Mayor's introductions and the minutes.

Full transcript

Automatic speech-to-text transcript, without speaker names; it may contain errors. Click any line or timestamp to watch that moment on YouTube. Home addresses are removed.