June 9, 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

• Item 9: instead of awarding West Coast Arborists a piggyback tree-maintenance contract, the council voted 4-0 (Garcia absent) on Sánchez's motion to seek proposals (RFP). The current vendor would continue month to month if needed. The council reversed this direction on Jul 28.
• The council held public hearings on the FY 2026-27 preliminary budget (including Measure ER and the golf course closure), the two landscape and lighting assessment districts, and job vacancies. All passed 4-0.
• The consent calendar included the November 3, 2026 election resolutions, a $154,000 increase to the Tanko Lighting streetlight contract, and cancellation of the August meetings (later revised on Jul 28).
• Lutz reported on a visit by a Fujian Province, China, delegation and hoped it could lead to a sister-city relationship.

Agenda items, in order

1. Opening, roll call, invocation and pledge

   Garcia was excused. Invocation by Pastor Drew of Hope Community Church; pledge led by Planning Commissioner Rocha. The certificates were postponed to the next meeting.

   Outcome: Four members present (Garcia absent).

   ▶ Watch 5:18 · Read in transcript

2. 1. FY 2026-27 preliminary budget (public hearing)

   No public testimony. Members discussed the possible effects of L.A. County Measure ER and the cost of the golf course closure. Staff said adoption was planned for June 23.

   Outcome: Received and filed, 4-0 on a roll call (Garcia absent). Motion by Sánchez, second by Lutz (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 7:28 · ▶ Measure ER question 20:26 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 41:24 · Read in transcript

3. 2. Landscape and Lighting Assessment District No. 1 levy (public hearing)

   No public testimony.

   Outcome: Resolutions 7480 and 7481 approved, 4-0 on a roll call. Motion by Lutz, second by Sánchez (minutes).

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

   ▶ Watch 41:40 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 42:34 · Read in transcript

4. 3. Paramount/Mines Landscape Maintenance Assessment District levy (public hearing)

   No public testimony.

   Outcome: Resolutions 7482 and 7483 approved, 4-0 on a roll call. Motion by Lutz, second by Lara (minutes).

   ▶ Watch 42:34 · Read in transcript

5. 4. Job vacancies status update (AB 2561 public hearing)

   No public testimony. The auto-transcript has gaps here, so this item follows the minutes.

   Outcome: Received and filed, 4-0 on a roll call. Motion by Lutz, second by Lara (minutes).

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

   ▶ Watch 42:34 · Read in transcript

6. Public comments and the Mayor's legislative update

   Three speakers and one written comment (see the Public comments tab). The Mayor then gave a legislative advocacy update, including the Whittier Narrows Dam project and more than 50 position letters.

   Outcome: Comments only; no action.

   ⚑ Erik Diaz spoke on behalf of West Coast Arborists before the item 9 vote. ▶ 43:38

   ▶ Watch 43:38 · ▶ Legislative update 48:15 · Read in transcript

7. 5–14. Consent calendar (items 5–8 and 10–14)

   Item 9 was pulled. Approved together:

   • 5. Minutes of May 26, 2026
   • 6. 18th warrant register of FY 2025-26
   • 7. November 3, 2026 general municipal election resolutions
   • 8. FY 2026-27 Gann appropriations limit
   • 10. Tanko Lighting: streetlight maintenance, +$154,000 (to $459,000 a year)
   • 11. Conflict of interest code biennial review
   • 12. Cancel the Aug 11 and Aug 25, 2026 meetings
   • 13–14. Notices of completion: Urban Habitat median and parkway projects (major corridors and Rosemead Boulevard)

   Outcome: Approved 4-0. The minutes list a motion by Lutz, a second by Lara and a roll call. On the video it is a voice vote (“All those in favor say aye”), and the mover corrected “5 through 19” to “5 through 14.”

   Contract C407 (Tanko Lighting)

   ▶ Watch 51:17 · ▶ Correction of the motion 57:38 · Read in transcript

8. 9. Tree maintenance: West Coast Arborists (motion to seek proposals)

   Award of Contract to West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Tree Maintenance Services

   Sánchez asked for the city's own RFP instead of relying on another city's (Rosemead's) solicitation. She noted there had been no RFP since 2020 and the current agreement runs through August 2026. Director Negrete said the Rosemead piggyback included a reduced rate.

   Outcome: The recommendation was amended to direct an RFP, with the current vendor continuing month to month if needed. Approved 4-0 on a roll call (Garcia absent). Motion by Sánchez, second by Lara (minutes). Rescinded on Jul 28, 2026.

   ⚑ West Coast Arborists: connection review FL09 found an indirect overlap. Labor unions (not the vendor) linked by a self-reported labor affiliation gave to council members, so the link is circumstantial. Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. · Vendor: West Coast Arborists

   Contract C406 · Vendor: West Coast Arborists · Jul 28, 2026 meeting

   ▶ Watch 51:59 · ▶ Roll call, 4-0 57:27 · Read in transcript

9. City Manager and staff reports

   Director Negrete said the Smith Park Aquatic Center groundbreaking was planned for early July, with construction starting July 6, and that the citywide road project was out to bid.

   Outcome: Reports only.

   ▶ Watch 58:02 · Read in transcript

10. Good of the Order (AB 1234)

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

    Outcome: Lutz asked staff to explore a commemorative video for the Fourth of July and the nation's 250th anniversary, seconded by Sánchez.

    ⚑ Lutz described a visit from a Fujian Province delegation led by a county mayor (Luo Tianjin, per the minutes) and hoped for a sister-city partnership. A Changting County, Fujian friendship proposal came to the council on Oct 13 and Oct 27, 2026. ▶ 1:00:14 · Oct 27, 2026 meeting

    ▶ Watch 1:00:14 · Read in transcript

11. Adjournment

    No closed session. Adjourned in memory of Ron Colosimo, a longtime educator.

    Outcome: Adjourned at 7:06 p.m. (minutes).

    ▶ Watch 1:07:59 · Read in transcript

Connections, recusals and disclosures

Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety.

• West Coast Arborists: connection review FL09 found an indirect overlap. Labor unions (not the vendor) linked by a self-reported labor affiliation gave to council members, so the link is circumstantial. Documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. · Vendor: West Coast Arborists (item)
• Erik Diaz spoke on behalf of West Coast Arborists before the item 9 vote. ▶ 43:38 (item)
• Lutz described a visit from a Fujian Province delegation led by a county mayor (Luo Tianjin, per the minutes) and hoped for a sister-city partnership. A Changting County, Fujian friendship proposal came to the council on Oct 13 and Oct 27, 2026. ▶ 1:00:14 · Oct 27, 2026 meeting (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. Home addresses are not shown. The auto-transcript is missing most of this section, so only the start of public comment is linked.

Council member comments and reports

Lara had left and Garcia was absent. Start times after Lutz are approximate because the transcript is sparse.

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.