Visalia City Council approves catalytic convertor ordinance, new police gear

Looking for more information about what happened during this week’s city council meeting?

Here’s a recap of what you missed:

Before the scheduled meeting, city council members held a work session to listen to potential changes to the Caldwell Avenue Improvement Project due to multiple road issues found by Yarbs Grading and Paving, the contractor for the project.

To read more about the proposed changes to the Caldwell Avenue Improvement Project, click here.

Consent Calendar

Visalia City Council members unanimously voted to accept the agenda’s consent calendar, meaning no discussion on the calendar’s contents occurred.

City council members first authorized City Manager Leslie Caviglia to approve a purchase of 10 Kevlar Uniforms for the Visalia Police Department’s traffic unit.

VPD’s traffic unit doesn’t have an abrasion/impact-resistant riding uniform. A November 2022 incident left a traffic officer injured after he was struck by a fleeing suspect, highlighting a need for better protective equipment.

“At this time, no other product exists that is made of Kevlar and has the capability of protecting a uniformed motor officer during their duties," the agenda item, in part, reads. "This is the only riding gear manufactured specifically for police officer uniforms.”

Kevlar is woven into a synthetic mesh material and manufactured with reflective material to create a safety motor officer uniform consisting of pants, a jacket, a shirt, and boots.

The only company currently selling Kevlar equipment, according to the police department, is MOTOPORT USA. The $30,000 cost will come out of the Asset Forfeiture Fund.

City council members also approved the Citizens Advisory Committee’s recommendation to appoint Alana Johnson to fill one of two vacant voting positions.

Johnson, a Brigham Young University graduate, moved to Visalia a year and a half ago with her husband, who recently opened a business in Visalia. The couple plans to stay in Visalia for 30 years, raising their children.

Johnson will serve on the committee through June 30. She will then be appointed to a full term starting on July 1 and ending on June 30, 2025.

City council members authorized Caviglia to award an emergency contract for $515,400 to Carollo for a condition assessment, facility plan, and master plan update at the City's Water Reclamation Facility. Carollo is the company that prepared the city’s master plan in 2008.

At the suggestion of city staff, council members authorized additional wastewater enterprise funds totaling $550,000 to cover the potential full cost of the project.

There were $150,000,000 in upgrades to the water reclamation facility in 2018, including improvements to the facility’s tertiary treatment process, allowing for treatment and disinfection for up to 22.0 million gallons of wastewater per day — removing more than 99% of traditional pollutants.

The upgrades also increased plant-wide efficiencies; however, the upgrades did not increase the overall design capacity of the entire facility.

The 2008 master plan shows design capacity at 22 million gallons of wastewater daily. Based on projected growth, the plan shows that plant capacity needs to increase to 26 million gallons of wastewater per day by 2030.

“[I]t is prudent for the city to evaluate the long-term impacts of these changes on the plant and its ability to maintain discharge requirements, continue efficient operations, and accommodate future growth,” a portion of the agenda packet reads. “Due to recent failures of key components within the system, coupled with increased demand and potential growth, this assessment must be completed as soon as possible….”

The total scope of the project is expected to take nine months, while the initial assessment and facility plan is expected within six months.

City council members also approved the addition of Ordinance 9.24.060 to the City of Visalia Municipal Code, officially establishing regulations prohibiting the unlawful possession of a catalytic converter in Visalia. City council members listened to a breakdown of thefts provided by the police department during a March meeting.

In 2017, Visalia reported one catalytic converter theft, compared to over 325 catalytic converter thefts last year.

Catalytic converters do not have serial numbers or other identifying markers, making it difficult for law enforcement to track down owners, Swarthout said. Most thieves are in and out in minutes.

Once the converter is removed, it is usually sold for cash. A replacement part can hit upward of $5,000.

The ordinance allows the police department to issue fines for the misdemeanor.

Violators are defined as those in possession of any catalytic converter(s) not attached to a vehicle unless they have valid “documentation or other reliable proof” they are in lawful possession of the catalytic converter(s).

Regular Items, Public Hearings

Council members then listened to a staff presentation on the proposed use of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, and HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan Program funds.

The proposed Program Year 2023 Annual Action Plan shows $1,250,000 in Community Development Block Grant projected resources and $1,345,000 in HOME Investment Partnership projected resources.

Staff will return the final Draft Program Year 2023 Annual Action Plan and amendments to the Program Year 2021 and 2022 Action Plan to include the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan on April 17.

The adopted Program Year 2023 Annual Action Plan must be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by May 15.

A copy of the drafts is available here, starting on page 91.

Visalia city council members finished Monday night’s meeting by listening to a staff presentation on a proposed amendment to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The amendment would provide $120,000 for the funding of First Time Homebuyer Loans for five single-family homes constructed by Self-Help Enterprises at NW 5th Avenue and N. Court Street.

This amendment will return for a final public hearing and potential approval at the next city council meeting.

A copy of the proposed amendments is available here, starting on page 260.

The Visalia City Council meets again at 7 p.m. on April 17 in the Visalia City Council Chambers.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: City Council approves catalytic convertor ordinance, new police gear