April 28, 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

• This was the first meeting with electronic voting. Results appear on a display, so individual positions are not read aloud. Every vote was 5-0.
• The council approved a World Spirit Festival (an unofficial 2026 FIFA World Cup fan zone, June 26–27) with a budget of up to $877,000.
• Public hearings approved the FY 2026-27 fee schedule, the CDBG annual action plan (including a final-term amendment with Avant-Garde, up to $88,250) and an extension for Atlas Planning Solutions.
• The consent calendar adopted the new purchasing and alternative-bidding ordinances (1206 and 1207), a $165,108 water-damage restoration amendment and the 2026 fireworks stand permits.

Agenda items, in order

1. Opening, invocation, pledge and presentations

   Invocation by Council Member Garcia; pledge led by a North Park Middle School student. Certificates for the Pico Rivera Dons cheer teams. Gateway Cities COG Executive Director Hector De La Torre presented the Platinum Energy Action award.

   Outcome: All five members present (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:15 · Read in transcript

2. 1. FY 2026-27 fee schedule (public hearing)

   No public testimony. This was the first electronic vote.

   Outcome: Approved 5-0. Motion by Lutz, second by Garcia (minutes).

   ⚑ Electronic voting starts at this meeting. The display shows the tally but individual positions are not spoken, so the video confirms tallies only; the positions come from the minutes. ▶ 43:18

   ▶ Watch 40:38 · ▶ Electronic vote, 5-0 43:18 · Read in transcript

3. 2. CDBG FY 2026-27 annual action plan and Avant-Garde amendment (public hearing)

   Public Hearing – Approval of Community Development Block Grant Fiscal Year 2026-27 Annual Action Plan

   No public testimony. The recommendation included Amendment No. 2 with Avant-Garde, Inc. for CDBG administration (third and final term, up to $88,250).

   Outcome: Approved 5-0. Motion by Lutz, second by Sánchez (minutes).

   ⚑ Avant-Garde: connection review FL03 found a company-name match with campaign contributions from 2022. Sánchez recused on Avant-Garde items on Jun 11, 2024 (the minutes did not say why). On Apr 28, 2026 the minutes show her seconding and voting yes on the item that included the Avant-Garde amendment; no recusal is heard on the video. Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. · Vendor: Avant-Garde · Sánchez's recusals

   Vendor: Avant-Garde

   ▶ Watch 43:57 · ▶ Vote, 5-0 44:33 · Read in transcript

4. 3. Atlas Planning Solutions: hazard mitigation and Safety Element contract extension (public hearing)

   No public testimony. The contract term was extended to July 31, 2026.

   Outcome: Approved 5-0. Motion by Lutz, second by Garcia (minutes).

   Contract C400

   ▶ Watch 44:50 · ▶ Vote, 5-0 45:38 · Read in transcript

5. Public comments

   Six speakers and one written comment (see the Public comments tab). The City Manager said the council would be briefed in closed session on a matter raised.

   Outcome: Comments only; no action.

   ▶ Watch 45:46 · Read in transcript

6. 4–11. Consent calendar (items 4–11)

   Approved together:

   • 4. Minutes of Apr 14, 2026; receive and file Sister City Commission minutes
   • 5. 15th warrant register of FY 2025-26
   • 6. Ordinances 1206 (purchasing) and 1207 (alternative bidding for public projects), second reading
   • 7. Counter Services Representative job descriptions (Resolution 7468)
   • 8. Restoration Management Company: Parks and Recreation building water damage, $165,108 from the liability claims fund
   • 9. Metro exchange of federal STP-L funds, $186,322
   • 10. Third-quarter Treasurer's report (Mar 31, 2026)
   • 11. 2026 fireworks stand permits

   Outcome: Approved 5-0 by electronic vote. Motion by Lutz, second by Lara (minutes).

   Contract C401 (Restoration Management) · Contract C402 (Metro)

   ▶ Watch 1:05:26 · ▶ Vote, 5-0 1:06:12 · Read in transcript

7. 12. Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District No. 1: annual renewal

   Starts the yearly levy process and sets a June 9, 2026 hearing.

   Outcome: Resolutions 7470 and 7471 approved, 5-0. Motion by Lara, second by Garcia (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:06:30 · ▶ Vote, 5-0 1:06:56 · Read in transcript

8. 13. Paramount/Mines Landscape Maintenance District: annual renewal

   Starts the yearly levy process and sets a June 9, 2026 hearing.

   Outcome: Resolutions 7473 and 7474 approved, 5-0. Motion by Lara, second by Lutz (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:06:56 · Read in transcript

9. 14. World Spirit Festival plan and budget (2026 FIFA World Cup)

   Pico Rivera World Spirit Festival Plan and Budget Related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup

   Director Hernandez presented a free two-day festival on June 26–27 at two sites: concerts, soccer clinics, carnival rides, a vendor village, watch parties, a car show and a 5K.

   Outcome: Approved 5-0: an event budget of up to $877,000, funded by moving $152,473 and $214,527 from General Fund budgets, $50,000 from the PRIME fund and $82,000 from the Community Benefit Fund. Motion by Lutz, second by Garcia (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 1:07:36 · ▶ Vote, 5-0 1:22:48 · Read in transcript

10. Good of the Order (AB 1234)

    No City Manager reports. Members reported (see the Public comments tab, Council reports).

    Outcome: Reports only.

    ▶ Watch 1:23:13 · Read in transcript

11. Closed session and adjournment

    Closed session: existing litigation, City of Pico Rivera v. Super Lodging Services, LLC et al. Adjourned in memory of three relatives of city employees.

    Outcome: Information presented; no reportable action. Adjourned at 8:17 p.m. (minutes).

    ▶ Watch 1:26:19 · Read in transcript

Connections, recusals and disclosures

Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety.

• Avant-Garde: connection review FL03 found a company-name match with campaign contributions from 2022. Sánchez recused on Avant-Garde items on Jun 11, 2024 (the minutes did not say why). On Apr 28, 2026 the minutes show her seconding and voting yes on the item that included the Avant-Garde amendment; no recusal is heard on the video. Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. · Vendor: Avant-Garde · Sánchez's recusals (item)
• Electronic voting starts at this meeting. The display shows the tally but individual positions are not spoken, so the video confirms tallies only; the positions come from the minutes. ▶ 43:18 (item)

Records for this meeting

Key votes

Contracts

Public comments

Names follow the approved minutes. Home addresses are not shown. The Greyson comment is not clearly identifiable in the auto-transcript.

Council member comments and reports

Other members said they had nothing to report.

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.