Lodi City Council Agenda — September 16, 2026

Lodi
Written By Don Bradford
Lodi City Council — September 16, 2026

Lodi City Council — September 16, 2026

Tuesday, September 16, 2026 · Closed Session 6:30 p.m. · Regular Session 7:00 p.m.

Carnegie Forum, 305 West Pine Street, Lodi, CA 95240

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Summary

The September 16 meeting is a working session dominated by contract extensions and capital-project authorizations. The AMENDED packet (523 pages) adds one large minutes-approval bundle covering 22 back meetings from March 2024 through August 2026 and moves the Cal Cities voting-delegate appointment from the consent calendar to the Regular Calendar as G.3. No other staff reports were changed from the original release.

The largest fiscal actions on the consent calendar are the on-call well and pump repair authorization ($1.0 million), the after-school Bridge Program contract with Lodi Unified (up to $657,000), the DeBenedetti Park Improvements 2027 bid authorization (~$5.1 million project cost), and the Well No. 8 abandonment change orders ($320,000). The Access Center construction management extension to March 31, 2027 (Bickford Ventures) is the most politically watched consent item.

The Regular Calendar has three items. G.1 is the quarterly Access Center operations, construction, and funding update — the meeting's most substantive policy item — with a Council-feedback request on long-term financial sustainability. G.2 updates the unpermitted food-vendor task force. G.3 is the appointment of a Cal Cities voting delegate for the September 23–25 conference in Anaheim.

Council: Mayor Ramon Yepez, Mayor Pro Tempore Mikey Hothi, Council Members Cameron Bregman, Lisa Craig-Hensley, and Alan Nakanishi. Interim City Clerk Walfred Solorzano.

AMENDED packet — what changed since the original release

  • New Consent Item C.1 — Approve Minutes for 22 past meetings (March 2024 through August 2026), adding roughly 176 pages of attachments. Full per-meeting summaries in the appendix below.
  • The Cal Cities voting delegate item — previously C.1 — moved to Regular Calendar G.3, so it can be discussed rather than swept up in a single consent motion.
  • C.2 through C.17 are unchanged in number and content. G.1 and G.2 are also unchanged.

Closed Session

The Council enters closed session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss two pieces of active litigation before opening the regular session (Government Code §54956.9(d)(1) — existing litigation):

  • Christopher Bennitt v. City of Lodi, et al., San Joaquin County Superior Court Case No. STK-CV-UCP-2025-1701 (an unlimited civil petition matter).
  • Cindy Lee Leatham v. City of Lodi, et al., San Joaquin County Superior Court Case No. STK-CV-UPI-2024-000324 (a personal-injury case).

The packet does not describe either case in detail. Residents can check case status through the San Joaquin County Superior Court case index.

Presentations (Section B)

The packet includes signed proclamations for each of these ceremonial items:

  • B.1 — National Hispanic Heritage Month 2026 (September 15 – October 15) proclamation.
  • B.2 — Proclamation declaring October 2026 as National Community Planning Month.
  • B.3 — Proclamation declaring September 2026 as National Library Card Sign-Up Month and recognition of the Lodi Public Library Card Art Contest winners.
  • B.4 — Constitution Day proclamation.

Consent Calendar (Section C)

The consent calendar has 17 items: one large minutes-approval bundle (C.1) plus 16 action items — resolutions, contract amendments, bid authorizations, and one improvements acceptance. Under Lodi's rules any council member or member of the public may ask that a specific item be "pulled" for separate discussion.

Largest fiscal actions on this consent calendar

Dollar values shown are total contract authority, appropriation, or project estimate as stated in each staff report; none of these items draw on the General Fund.

C.1 — Approve Minutes for 22 Meetings, March 2024 – August 2026 (CLK)

Resolution approving minutes for 22 past meetings — 14 regular meetings and 8 special meetings — spanning March 20, 2024 through August 19, 2026. Each meeting's minutes are attached separately (Attachments 1–22, packet pp. 17–353).

Regular meetings (14): March 20, 2024; April 3, 2024; May 1, 2024; May 15, 2024; August 20, 2025; September 3, 2025; October 1, 2025; October 15, 2025; November 5, 2025; December 3, 2025; December 17, 2025; August 5, 2026; August 19, 2026.

Special meetings (8): September 3, 2024; October 23, 2024; April 15, 2025; September 10, 2025; October 6, 2025; October 22, 2025; October 30, 2025; November 12, 2025; December 16, 2025.

Approving minutes is a routine but legally required step — it certifies the official record of what was said and decided. The size of this bundle reflects a backlog worked down under Interim City Clerk Walfred Solorzano; several of these meetings — particularly the special meetings in October–November 2025 — cover the process that led to former City Manager Scott Carney's removal, the appointments of Interim City Manager James Lindsay and then permanent City Manager Chris Reddig, and the City Attorney and City Clerk recruitments. The full per-meeting summary appendix at the bottom of this guide walks through each of the 22 records. The City's Agenda Center hosts the same minutes online.

C.2 — Bickford Ventures / Division 1 CM Services Amendment No. 2 — Lodi Access Center (CD)

Resolution extending term through March 31, 2027. Bickford Ventures, dba Division 1 Construction Management Services (Lodi), provides construction management, testing, and special investigation for the permanent Lodi Access Center at 710 N. Sacramento Street. Bickford was awarded the CM contract when Bobo Construction was hired to build the shelter in January 2025. The amendment is a term extension only, not a new appropriation. Unforeseen contaminated soils, ADA-compliant slab work, and coordination for a "quiet ward" and respite beds supported by San Joaquin County Behavioral Health all added time to the schedule. Funding source: previously appropriated ARPA-22001 project contracts.

C.3 — Quarterly Investment Report, Quarter Ending June 30, 2026 (IS-FIN)

Receive-and-file item certifying conformity with Government Code §53646 and Lodi's Investment Policy adopted June 20, 2024. Key portfolio figures at June 30, 2026:

  • Total investments: $191,007,754
  • Cash in bank: $51,037,714
  • Total cash and investments: $242,045,468
  • Quarterly interest and dividends: $1,929,533 (excludes unrealized market-value change)
  • 53.25% of the portfolio held in cash or cash equivalents (safety and liquidity emphasis)

Largest allocations by type: California Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) 27.28% ($52.1M), Medium-Term Corporate Notes 24.57% ($46.9M), Money Market Mutual Funds 13.48% ($25.7M), Municipal Securities 12.46% ($23.8M), and U.S. Government Agency Securities 11.42% ($21.8M).

C.4 — Lodi Unified School District CBO Bridge Program Contract, 2026/27 (PRCS)

Resolution approving contract up to $557,000 plus a $100,000 contingency (total not-to-exceed $657,000). Lodi Unified is the recipient of a state After School Education and Safety (ASES) grant funded under Proposition 49 (2002). Lodi's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) department has been the sub-recipient providing the recreational component for 18 years. FY26/27 sites: Reese, Larson, and Victor Elementary Schools, sites that transitioned from the Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) in 2024/25. The contract adds expanded intersession programming. PRCS costs are fully covered by the LUSD payment; revenue account 20073103.57303.

C.5 — DeBenedetti Park Improvements 2027 — Plans, Specs, and Bid Authorization (PRCS)

Resolution approving plans and specs; bid opening November 18, 2026; project estimate $5,100,000. DeBenedetti Park is at 2150 Lower Sacramento Road; the master plan was adopted July 17, 2019. Phase 1–2 scope: new parking lot on Century Blvd., pre-engineered restroom/concession structure, masonry park sign, trash enclosure, underground utilities, ADA paths, lighting, park amenities, irrigation, and landscaping. Funding source: Parks Impact Fee Fund (Fund 437), Project PKCP-2004 — no General Fund.

C.6 — West Locust Alley Mural — Miranda Pelletier and Michelle Martinez Selection ($25,000) (PRCS)

Resolution approving the Lodi Arts Commission's recommendation to select Miranda Pelletier and Michelle Martinez as two of four artists for the alley mural behind the Lodi Police Department, facing the Lodi Library, along West Locust Street between N. Church and N. Pleasant. Theme: "Contemporary Lodi & Its Citizenry." The wall consists of 13 stucco panels, each approximately 6 ft × 30 ft. Cost cap $12,500 per mural, total not-to-exceed $25,000, funded by the Art in Public Places (AiPP) program, CIP AIPP-25001.

C.7 — Lodi Arts Commission Bylaws — Quorum Amendment (PRCS)

Resolution amending the Bylaws so that a quorum equals five members when all nine seats are filled, and four members when eight or fewer are appointed. Recent vacancies have made the current five-member-only rule difficult to meet. The Arts Commission voted unanimously to recommend the change at its August 12, 2026 regular meeting. Those same minutes also reallocate a previously approved $1,750 grant for a Photography Show and discuss the Arts Commission General Marketing Plan and a Council–Arts Commission mixer. No fiscal impact.

C.8 — Alcohol Policing Partnership Grant ($72,080) (PD)

Resolution accepting a Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) grant (Agreement 26-APP15) funding LPD alcohol-enforcement operations from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The Alcohol Policing Partnership (APP) program funds Minor Decoy operations, Shoulder Tap operations, IMPACT inspections (Informed Merchants Preventing Alcohol-Related Crime Tendencies), Trap Door operations, plainclothes and high-visibility enforcement, and trainings. Appropriations: $67,100 overtime, $4,000 special detail materials, $980 Medicare.

C.9 — Crossroads Software Assignment (PD)

Resolution authorizing consent to assignment of the September 19, 2023 Professional Services Agreement with Crossroads Software, Inc. to KAM Software Technologies, Inc., a California corporation doing business as Crossroads Software, Inc. Crossroads has been sold to its employees and requests the assignment. Crossroads provides LPD's e-Citations system and the electronic CHP 180 tow form used by officers. All terms carry forward unchanged; no new fiscal impact.

C.10 — Tobacco Enforcement Contract with San Joaquin County Public Health ($95,940) (PD)

Resolution ratifying (that is, approving after the fact) LPD participation in the Department of Justice Tobacco Grant Program and approving both the underlying contract (SJC Contract ID 26127, not-to-exceed $95,940) and an Amendment 1 extending the contract term for a third fiscal year. The grant funds Minor Decoy operations, unannounced retailer inspections for compliance with the flavor ban, minimum pricing, and signage rules, and quarterly Tobacco Enforcement Education trainings run by the Smoking Tobacco Outreach Prevention Program (STOPP).

C.11 — Quest Media & Supplies Jail Intercom Amendment No. 3 (+$10,000 change-order authority) (PW)

Resolution increasing change-order authority by $10,000, for a combined not-to-exceed of $20,000 on the Lodi Jail Intercom and Door Control System Replacement contract. The Police Department's 2003-era video and intercom system failed in January 2025; parts were no longer available. The remaining work integrates video call-up capability with the intercom system so dispatch sees live video when an intercom is activated. This requires a new, more secure network switch to meet the City's security network standards. No new appropriation.

C.12 — Robertson-Bryan Amendment No. 1 (White Slough UV alternatives, $59,862) (PW)

Resolution amending the August 2025 PSA with Robertson-Bryan, Inc. (Elk Grove) for the White Slough Water Pollution Control Facility, adding a Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection System Alternatives Analysis to the aeration-diffuser closeout scope. Existing UV components are no longer manufactured; the analysis will produce a technical memorandum recommending upgrade or replacement paths. Original contract $58,579; amendment $59,862; revised not-to-exceed $118,441. Funding: FY 2026/27 Wastewater Operating Fund (53053003.72450). No General Fund impact.

C.13 — Citywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Enhancement Project — Plans, Specs, Award Authority ($158,000) (PW)

Resolution approving plans and specs, authorizing advertisement for bids, and delegating award authority to the City Manager for the lowest responsive bidder, with change orders. Estimated total: $158,000, funded from Measure K (San Joaquin County's half-cent transportation sales tax). Primary scope: curb ramps at George Washington Elementary School, Project PWST-26005.

C.14 — 2026–2028 On-Call Well and Pump Repair Project — Specs, Bid Authority, Appropriation ($1,000,000) (PW)

Resolution approving specifications, authorizing advertisement for bids, delegating award authority to the City Manager, and appropriating $1,000,000 for the 2026–2028 On-Call Well and Pump Repair Project (PWWA-23004). An on-call contract is a standing agreement that lets staff dispatch well and pump repair work quickly without re-bidding each task. Bid opening: October 7, 2026. Funded from Water Operating funds.

C.15 — Eaton Drilling Change Orders ($320,000), Term Extension to June 30, 2027, Appropriation (PW)

Resolution authorizing additional change orders of up to $320,000 for the Well No. 8 Abandonment Project with Eaton Drilling Company and extending the contract term to June 30, 2027 (Project PWWA-26004). Scope includes destruction of Well No. 8, a private well at 801/825 N. Stockton Street tied to the Lodi Northern Plume contamination area, and Well No. 19. Additional appropriation of $320,000. Note: the CIP funding table shows two slightly different totals ($619,415 vs $691,415), which the packet does not reconcile.

C.16 — Civil Hydro Tech Amendment No. 1 — PCE/TCE Groundwater Monitoring ($122,160) (PW)

Resolution amending the PSA with Civil Hydro Tech to add another year of groundwater monitoring, sampling, and reporting for perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination and citywide plume management services. Roughly 56 wells are monitored under State Water Board Order R5-2024-0800. Amendment amount: $122,160; matching appropriation of $122,160.

C.17 — Accept Hutchins Street Square Pool Repair Improvements (PW)

Resolution accepting the completed Hutchins Street Square Pool Repair project. Contractor Ichor Restoration; final cost $38,380. Funded by a Hutchins Street Square Foundation donation. Accepting improvements formally closes out the project and starts warranty periods running.

Regular Calendar (Section G)

G.1 — Lodi Access Center and Emergency Shelter Quarterly Update (CD)

This is the meeting's most substantive item. Staff presents the quarterly operations, construction, and funding update for the permanent Lodi Access Center at 710 N. Sacramento Street and requests Council direction on long-term financial sustainability once currently identified operating funds are exhausted. The item explicitly notes that the discussion is not intended to reconsider the City's existing commitments to complete and operate the facility.

Access Center Q4 FY2025/26 activity

Overnight and day-use metrics from the current interim shelter operation.

Operations (interim shelter, Q4 FY2025/26)

  • 3,563 overnight stays serving 130 unique clients.
  • 6,800 day-use visits serving 316 unique clients.
  • 29 housing transitions during the quarter.

2026 Point-in-Time count — Lodi

Point-in-Time count is the federally required annual one-night census of people experiencing homelessness. Lodi's 2026 total is down 40% from 2024.

Construction and permanent facility

  • Permanent facility construction completion targeted for late 2026.
  • Bickford Ventures construction management extended to March 31, 2027 (Consent C.2).
  • Total project cost, prior escalations included, approximately $11.86 million per historical minutes.

Operating model and funding

  • Operating agreement with the Operations Management, Inc. (OMI)-led provider team runs through October 31, 2031.
  • Estimated first-year operating cost: $1.62 million.
  • Emergency Rental Assistance and Homeless-Housing (ERF) Round 5 application for $5,821,200 is pending state review.
  • County commitment ties 12 respite beds to the site through September 30, 2045, restricting any future decision to close, sell, or transfer the property.

Council-feedback prompt (long-term sustainability)

Staff seeks direction on: pursuing federal, state, regional, and philanthropic grants (including ERF Round 5); maximizing Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP), Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA), and related funds; supporting OMI donation and foundation efforts; expanding partnerships with the County, the Continuum of Care (CoC), healthcare providers, and nonprofits; evaluating third-party reimbursement (Medi-Cal, CalAIM); exploring whether OMI could assume greater financial responsibility consistent with the operating agreement; identifying City funding if needed subject to future Council appropriation; and considering other strategies Council identifies.

G.2 — Unpermitted Food Vendor Task Force Update (CD)

Receive a presentation on the City's coordinated education-and-enforcement effort on unpermitted food vending, prepared by Senior Community Improvement Officer Jonique Andrews.

Task force composition: Police, Fire, Community Development, Parks Recreation and Cultural Services, Economic Development, City Manager's Office, and other affected departments.

Actions to date:

  • Bilingual (English/Spanish) educational pamphlet developed with the Public Information Officer, distributed by Police Patrol Officers and Community Improvement staff during educational contacts and complaint responses.
  • Coordination discussions initiated with the San Joaquin County Environmental Health Department on procedures for unsafe food and public health concerns.
  • Community Improvement staff completed two ride-alongs with the City of Elk Grove Code Enforcement Division to observe their practices.

Next two months: Public education campaign — bilingual pamphlets, a dedicated webpage on Lodi.gov, and a joint social media campaign with the Lodi Police Department — before transitioning to focused enforcement. No fiscal impact.

G.3 — 2026 League of California Cities Voting Delegate (CM)

Appoint a voting delegate and an alternate to represent Lodi at the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo, September 23–25, 2026 in Anaheim. The General Assembly on the conference's final day acts on statewide resolutions; only registered delegates may vote.

Mayor Ramon Yepez and Council Member Lisa Craig-Hensley are the two Council members attending. The Cal Cities submission deadline was September 1, 2026, but staff has received permission to file the online Voting Delegate form after Council action. This item was on the original packet as Consent Item C.1; the amended packet moved it to the Regular Calendar so Council can discuss the appointment on the record. No fiscal impact.

Ordinances (Section H)

No ordinances are scheduled for this meeting.

Levine Act Disclosure Reminder

Applicants, parties, and their agents who have made aggregated campaign contributions of more than $500 to a Council Member over the past 12 months must publicly disclose that fact — including the amount, contributor names, and Council Member names — either in writing to the Clerk before the item is considered or verbally at the time of consideration.

Appendix — Summaries of the 22 Minutes on Consent Item C.1

Per-meeting summaries covering the 22 sets of minutes attached to Consent Item C.1 for approval on September 16, 2026. Sources: individual minutes documents in the amended packet (Attachments 1–22, pp. 17–353). Roll-call notes indicate absences only.

Minutes by year

Of the 22 meetings, 4 are from 2024, 15 are from 2025, and 3 are from 2026 — reflecting the concentrated special-meeting activity around the Carney removal process and leadership transitions in late 2025.

March 20, 2024 — Regular Meeting

Roll call. All present: Mayor Craig, Mayor Pro Tempore Bregman, Council Members Nakanishi, Hothi, Yepez. Interim City Manager Andrew Keys, City Attorney Janice Magdich Lucchesi, City Clerk Olivia Nashed. No closed-session reportable action.

Consent Calendar. Approved as recommended. Notable actions included adoption of the 6th Cycle Housing Element (Regional Housing Needs Allocation, RHNA, compliance) and authorization of a Proposition 218 solid-waste rate-adjustment noticing process.

Regular Calendar / Ordinances. Awarded a five-year revenue-and-tax administration contract to HdL Companies (~$500,000, 5-0); adopted the 6th Cycle Housing Element update pending Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) certification (5-0); directed staff to move forward with discontinuing weekly "Shirtsleeve" informal sessions.

Civic significance. Housing Element adoption locks in state-mandated RHNA capacity; HdL contract centralizes business tax administration; Shirtsleeve wind-down changes how staff briefs Council in public.

April 3, 2024 — Regular Meeting

Roll call. All present. Interim City Manager Keys. Closed session: Van Guilder workers' compensation claim settlement approved unanimously and reported out.

Regular Calendar. Approved purchase of a Lenco BearCat armored rescue vehicle for the Police Department (~$390,000, 5-0), replacing an aging tactical vehicle. Adopted the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging pilot rate under Option 2 — $1.75 per hour with a $5 idle-time penalty after charging completes (5-0).

Civic significance. BearCat is the largest single Police capital purchase of the year; the EV pilot sets Lodi's first paid public charging structure.

May 1, 2024 — Regular Meeting

Roll call. All present. Closed session (City Manager recruitment): reportable action — Council appointed Scott R. Carney as City Manager (Resolution 2024-71, 5-0).

Regular Calendar. Direction on tenant utility billing responsibility — motion for Option 2 (tenant billed directly with landlord backstop) failed 2-3 (Ayes: Bregman, Yepez; Noes: Nakanishi, Hothi, Craig). Council directed staff to refine Option 1 (landlord-of-record). Adopted revised business license fee schedule aligned to HdL administration (5-0).

Civic significance. Carney's appointment ends Keys' interim tenure and is the leadership decision that dominates the next 18 months of Council history.

May 15, 2024 — Regular Meeting

Roll call. All present. Closed session: Brannon Haro Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) settlement unanimously approved and reported out.

Public Hearings / Ordinances. Certified the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Lakehouse Mixed-Use Development and introduced Ordinance No. 2025 approving associated zone-map amendments and a development agreement (5-0). Comprehensive rewrite of Lodi Municipal Code (LMC) Chapter 2.04 (Council organization and procedures) approved on first reading (5-0).

Civic significance. Lakehouse EIR certification clears a multi-year entitlement; Chapter 2.04 rewrite is the first significant modernization of Council procedures in years.

September 3, 2024 — Special Meeting (Ceremonial)

Single-item ceremonial meeting — proclamation and community recognition presentation. No Consent Calendar, no closed session, no Regular Calendar action.

October 23, 2024 — Special Meeting (State of the City)

Ceremonial State of the City address; no regular business items.

April 15, 2025 — Special Meeting

Closed-session-focused special meeting on labor negotiations and pending litigation. Reportable actions per the minutes document; no substantive open-session policy actions.

August 20, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Roll call. All present; City Manager Carney presiding. Finance Committee established with Council Members Hothi and Nakanishi appointed. Multiple utility-related and capital acceptances on consent.

Civic significance. First formal standing Finance Committee — later reconfigured in December 2025 and again in August 2026.

September 3, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Regular Calendar. Council voted 3-2 to formally oppose Proposition 50 — Ayes: Bregman, Craig, Nakanishi; Noes: Hothi, Yepez. Amador appointment to the Measure L Citizens' Oversight Committee approved 3-1, with Hothi dissenting.

Civic significance. First recorded 3-2 policy split of the 2025 cycle on statewide-ballot advocacy.

September 10, 2025 — Special Meeting

Closed session — beginning of the LMC § 2.12.050 process regarding the City Manager. No open-session reportable action noted in the minutes.

October 1, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Consent Calendar. Released the Access Center Operational RFP, launching the search for the shelter's long-term operator. Additional Bobo Construction change orders on the Access Center recognized.

Civic significance. The operational RFP is the milestone that eventually produced the OMI-led provider selection.

October 6, 2025 — Special Meeting

Adopted the preliminary resolution under LMC § 2.12.050 beginning the formal process for consideration of the City Manager's removal (5-0). Meyers Nave engaged as outside counsel.

October 15, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Recognition of retiring Public Works Director Charlie Swimley. Introduced Ordinance 2034 (Phase 3 Zoning Code amendments, including tobacco retailer distance and Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) provisions).

October 22, 2025 — Special Meeting

Continued closed-session proceedings in the LMC § 2.12.050 process; no substantive open-session policy actions noted.

October 30, 2025 — Special Meeting

Additional closed-session proceedings on the City Manager matter and appointment of James Lindsay as Interim City Manager to serve during the transition.

November 5, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Adopted the final resolution removing City Manager Scott R. Carney under LMC § 2.12.050. Adopted Ordinance 2034 (Phase 3 Zoning Code amendments) with the ADU section removed for later revision per California Housing Defense Fund (CalHDF) comment. Accepted White Slough Water Pollution Control Facility Aeration Diffusers and Solids Handling projects.

Civic significance. Closes the two-month LMC § 2.12.050 process; opens the two active Carney v. City of Lodi lawsuits.

November 12, 2025 — Special Meeting

Follow-on personnel and litigation-management items in closed session. Government Claim No. 25-45 filed by Carney acknowledged.

December 3, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Mayoral reorganization. Brief transition through Nakanishi at meeting start, then Yepez elected Mayor and Hothi elected Mayor Pro Tempore. Gillig CNG bus purchase authorized (~$1.75M). Finance Committee membership adjusted — Yepez added in place of Nakanishi.

December 16, 2025 — Special Meeting

Personnel and closed-session items associated with the interim City Manager transition and outside-counsel engagement.

December 17, 2025 — Regular Meeting

Adopted three multi-year public-safety labor contracts (Police Officers Association, Police Dispatchers Association, Fire Mid-Management) for July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028. Beckman's proposed Measure L ordinance amendment deferred to a full-attendance meeting. Yepez-driven LMC § 2.12.050 amendment (requiring a four-fifths vote for City Manager removal within three months of a Council membership change) set for a January 7, 2026 hearing.

August 5, 2026 — Regular Meeting

Ratified employment of David Hanham as Community Development Director (effective September 7, 2026). Introduced Ordinance 2049 to transfer City Clerk appointment authority from the City Council to the City Manager. Introduced Ordinance 2050 amending the CalPERS contract (employee cost-share reduction). Approved a CityWise Strategies LLC PSA for Development Services Operational Initiative (~$115,000, 4-0). Tree Maintenance contract (Elite Maintenance & Tree Service of Ceres, $616,700 + $100,000 change orders) failed 2-2 — Ayes: Craig-Hensley, Nakanishi; Noes: Hothi, Yepez; Absent: Bregman — and was continued to August 19.

August 19, 2026 — Regular Meeting

New City Manager Chris Reddig's first regular meeting. Appointed Taryn Jones as City Attorney effective September 21, 2026 (5-0). Awarded the 2026-2028 Tree Maintenance contract to Elite Maintenance & Tree Service ($616,700 + $100,000 change orders) 3-2 — Ayes: Bregman, Craig-Hensley, Nakanishi; Noes: Hothi, Yepez — with Bregman citing the City's budget deficit. Repealed and replaced the Finance Committee resolution with expanded membership and revised eligibility. Adopted Ordinance 2049 on second reading, transferring oversight, direction, and control of the City Clerk from Council to the City Manager (4-0; Yepez absent by that vote).

Cross-meeting themes across the 22 minutes

  • Carney investigation and removal (Sept 2025 – Nov 2025). From the September 10, 2025 closed-session start through the 5-0 preliminary resolution October 6 to the final removal resolution November 5, the Council spent five meetings (three of them special) working through the LMC § 2.12.050 process. Costs included Meyers Nave outside counsel and Government Claim No. 25-45; two Scott R. Carney v. City of Lodi lawsuits remained active as of August 19, 2026.
  • Leadership transitions. Andrew Keys (interim) → Scott Carney (May 2024) → James Lindsay (interim, Oct 2025) → Chris Reddig (permanent, by August 19, 2026). Public Works Director Charlie Swimley retired; Community Development Director David Hanham hired September 2026; City Attorney Taryn Jones appointed September 2026; Interim City Attorney Luebberke and Interim City Clerk Solorzano brought in during the same window.
  • Access Center and homelessness infrastructure. Bobo Construction change orders push the Access Center to about $11.86 million total by September 2025; operational RFP released October 1, 2025.
  • Finance Committee arc. Established August 20, 2025 (Hothi + Nakanishi); Yepez added December 2025; fully reconfigured August 19, 2026 with expanded membership and revised eligibility to include people who "work or have a business interest in Lodi."
  • Downtown Specific Plan and General Plan Update capacity. Council in November 2025 effectively paused the General Plan Update pending Downtown Specific Plan completion, Economic Development Strategic Plan finalization, permanent leadership hires, and updated Municipal Service Review (MSR) cost estimates.
  • Housing and zoning. 6th Cycle Housing Element (RHNA) adoption March 2024; Lakehouse Mixed-Use Development EIR certified May 2024; Ordinance 2034 (Phase 3 Zoning Code amendments) introduced October 15, 2025 and adopted November 5, 2025.
  • Public safety labor contracts. Three multi-year deals (Police Officers Association, Police Dispatchers Association, Fire Mid-Management) adopted December 17, 2025 for July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2028; CalPERS employee cost-share reduction introduced August 5, 2026.
  • Procurement and local-preference tension. Tree Maintenance contract split — 2-2 fail August 5, 2026 (Hothi and Yepez favored rebidding for local labor); reheard August 19, 2026 and awarded 3-2 to Elite Maintenance & Tree Service of Ceres over West Coast Arborists.
  • City Clerk reporting change. Ordinance 2049 (introduced August 5, adopted August 19, 2026) transfers oversight, direction, and control of the City Clerk from the Council to the City Manager — a structural change to elected-official support functions.

References

Don Bradford
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Lodi Committee on Homelessness — September 10, 2026