Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi is proposing to push back the start time of City Council’s regular open sessions from 5:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., according to the agenda for this week’s council meeting.
The council is scheduled to vote on the matter — and other major questions, including who to appoint to a vacant seat on the board of San Joaquin County’s embattled bus system — Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Council meetings could be moved to 1 p.m.
The mayor is proposing that council vote to move the start time of their regular, open-session meetings from 5:30 p.m. to 1 p.m., a report linked to Tuesday’s agenda shows.
If the change is made, closed sessions would be held before or after the 1 p.m. open session, the report says.
Under council policy, council meetings are generally held twice a month on every other Tuesday. Moving up the start time would require a vote to change that policy.
Appointment to RTD Board of Directors
On Tuesday, the council is also scheduled to vote on who to appoint to the board of the local bus system, the San Joaquin Regional Transit District.
The new hire would fill the seat that former Director Gary Giovanetti left in February, a report linked to tomorrow’s council agenda shows. Giovanetti and fellow director Les Fong resigned following the firing of the transit system’s CEO.
Applicants for the seat include former RTD Director Balwinder Singh, as well as Kyle Espiritu; Krystal Corona; Karl Knodt; Kaitlyn Lavaroni; Tanisha Raj and Saiha San, the report says.
The new director’s term would start immediately and end in June 2028, the report says.
Council could increase their salaries
Stockton City Council will also vote Tuesday on whether to increase councilmembers’ yearly pay from $30,832.82 to $40,000, according to a report linked to tomorrow’s agenda.
The city’s Salary Setting Commission recommended the increase in a 4-0 vote on March 27, with commissioner Shakeel “Sam” Carpenter absent.
The commission is chaired by 209 Times founder Motecuzoma Sanchez, whose organization was the subject of a 2024 report grand jury report finding that it had used harassment and intimidation to create an environment of fear at City Hall.
The proposed salary increase represents a jump of about 30%, the report states.
The increase would take effect in January, the report says. It contains no mention of increasing the mayor’s salary, who serves in her position full time, while councilmembers serve part time.
Chavez library, city auditor
Among other significant discussions set for Tuesday are continued talks about whether to rename the Cesar Chavez Stockton San Joaquin County Public Library.
The discussion was put on the council’s agenda earlier this month following a New York Times investigation detailing claims by multiple women that the labor leader had sexually abused them.
The council was unable to decide on the issue last meeting because the session ran until after midnight.
On Tuesday, the council is also scheduled to vote on which firm to hire as Stockton’s new internal auditor, the agenda shows.