March 24, 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

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gave an update on the Whittier Narrows Dam safety project. Work is expected to start in fall 2026 and finish by 2033. Streamland Park, the golf course, Bicentennial Park and Rooks Road (Avenida Vicente Fernández) will close during construction.
• The council approved the final design and inscriptions of the Purple Heart Monument for Veterans Memorial Plaza, 4-0.
• The consent calendar was approved together, 4-0. It included an ADA sidewalk contract with OrangeBlue ($224,510), a five-year tax-audit agreement with HdL, two electric trucks and a greens mower ($238,000 from air quality funds), $44,500 more for World Cup event entertainment, and water supply agreements with Ferguson and S&J (up to $975,000 over three years).

Agenda items, in order

1. Opening, invocation, pledge and proclamation

   Invocation by Council Member Garcia; pledge led by a Rio Vista Elementary student. Proclamation for L.A. County Veterans Service Officer Kenneth Gonzales Jr.

   Outcome: All present; Lutz arrived at 6:03 p.m. (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 11:45 · Read in transcript

2. Presentation: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Whittier Narrows Dam

   Project Manager Aaron Smith described the dam's condition and planned fixes and what residents can expect during construction. Members raised storm safety during construction, lighting on Rosemead Boulevard, a replacement for Rooks Road (possible through a Section 408 permit), noise, vibration and dust, and a pre-construction survey.

   Outcome: Presentation only; no vote.

   ▶ Watch 30:32 · ▶ Rooks Road question 1:09:30 · Read in transcript

3. 1. Housing Assistance Agency: civil rights certification (public hearing)

   No public testimony. Covers the five-year Public Housing Agency Plan goals and the HUD Civil Rights Certification.

   Outcome: Approved 4-0 on a roll call (Lara absent). Motion by Lutz, second by Garcia (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:14:53 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 1:15:18 · Read in transcript

4. Public comments

   Seven speakers and one written comment (see the Public comments tab). The Mayor said the Smith Park Aquatic Center groundbreaking was scheduled for June 2026.

   Outcome: Comments only; no action.

   ⚑ On the video Fred Zermeno's thanks to Kenneth Gonzales comes during the opening proclamation. The minutes list it under public comments. ▶ 28:11

   ▶ Watch 1:15:33 · Read in transcript

5. 2–15. Consent calendar (items 2–15)

   Approved together:

   • 2. Minutes of Mar 10, 2026; receive and file Parks and Recreation Commission minutes
   • 3. 13th warrant register of FY 2025-26
   • 4. Ordinance 1205 (Titles 2, 5, 8 and 10), second reading
   • 5. Housing Element annual progress report for 2025 (Resolution 7462)
   • 6. OrangeBlue General Contractors: ADA sidewalk (CDBG) project, $224,510 plus up to $90,000 contingency
   • 7. Hinderliter, De Llamas & Associates: sales tax services up to $60,000 over five years plus audit recovery at no more than 25% of revenue recovered
   • 8. Nationwide Environmental Services: street sweeping fee increase of $1,695 a month
   • 9. Kimley-Horn: Washington TOD Specific Plan extended to June 30, 2027 ($85,500 budget transfer)
   • 10. Treasurer's investment report (Feb 28, 2026)
   • 11. Two electric Silverado trucks ($156,000) and an electric greens mower ($82,000)
   • 12. $44,500 more for World Cup 2026 event entertainment and supplies
   • 13–14. Housing Assistance Agency and Water Authority minutes
   • 15. Ferguson Waterworks (up to $525,000) and S&J Supply (up to $450,000): water inventory supplies, three years

   Outcome: Approved 4-0 (Lara absent). The minutes list a motion by Sánchez, a second by Garcia and a roll call. On the video it is a voice vote (“All those in favor say aye… no opposition, so moved”).

   Contract C392 (OrangeBlue) · Contract C393 (HdL) · Contract C397 (Ferguson; S&J)

   ▶ Watch 1:39:24 · Read in transcript

6. 16. Final design of the Purple Heart Monument

   Final Design for the Purple Heart Monument to be Installed at the Veterans Memorial Plaza

   Parks and Recreation Director Yugar presented the design and read the inscriptions. The Veterans Commission approved the design on March 18, 2026; the unveiling was planned for May 21.

   Outcome: Approved 4-0 on a roll call (Lara absent). Motion by Sánchez, second by Garcia (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:43:02 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 1:51:54 · Read in transcript

7. City Manager report

   The council chamber was expected to reopen by the next meeting. Whittier had approved demolition of the Marine Corps property. Metro approved the Metrolink station engineering design, and a $3.5 million grant application was submitted.

   Outcome: Report only.

   ▶ Watch 1:52:48 · Read in transcript

8. Good of the Order (AB 1234)

   Members reported (see the Public comments tab, Council reports).

   Outcome: Garcia suggested keeping items from Streamland Park and the golf course as mementos for the Historical Society.

   ▶ Watch 1:55:34 · Read in transcript

9. Closed session and adjournment

   The closed-session item (City of Pico Rivera v. Termination Strategy in Group XIII Properties LP) was continued.

   Outcome: Adjourned at 7:54 p.m. in memory of Todd Marquez (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 2:04:02 · Read in transcript

Connections, recusals and disclosures

Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety.

• On the video Fred Zermeno's thanks to Kenneth Gonzales comes during the opening proclamation. The minutes list it under public comments. ▶ 28:11 (item)

Records for this meeting

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.

Public comments

Names follow the approved minutes. Home addresses are not shown.

Council member comments and reports

Lara had left. Members are identified by the Mayor's introductions and the minutes; uncertain starts are marked inferred.

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.