Ojai, CA Seal

 AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026, 6:00 PM

KENT HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL CAMPUS - 111 W SANTA ANA ST, OJAI, CA


OJAI CITY COUNCIL

ANDY GILMAN, MAYOR
DISTRICT 1 - LESLIE RULE
DISTRICT 2 - RACHEL LANG
DISTRICT 3 - ANDREW WHITMAN
DISTRICT 4 - KIM MANG
 

BEN HARVEY
CITY MANAGER
BETHANY BURGESS
CITY ATTORNEY
WESTON MONTGOMERY
CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK
 


VIEWING & ACCESS
Public participation is encouraged! The Ojai City Council meets regularly on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6:00 p.m. The meetings are conducted in a hybrid model, providing both in-person attendance and virtual public comment via the Zoom link below. Virtual attendance via Zoom is the only way to remotely provide public comment. Pre-registration is not required for public comment via Zoom. Instead, Zoom participants will utilize the “hand-raise” function to indicate their desire to speak on an item. The meeting is also livestreamed on the City's website at ojai.ca.gov/525/2968/Public-Meetings, on YouTube at youtube.com/@ojaicity, and on Spectrum Channel 10. See “Public Comment Options” below for further instruction.

ZOOM LINK - August 25, 2026 - Regular Meeting

ROLL CALL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

APPROVAL OF AGENDA

PRESENTATIONS

1.

Food Share Ventura County Chief Development Officer, Jennifer Caldwell, to provide a report on local services provided.

 
Presentation Slides

COMMISSION REPORTS

CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

Public Communications is the time set aside during the meeting for members of the public to address the City Council on items of City business other than scheduled agenda items. Matters raised at this time may be briefly discussed by the Council, and will generally be referred to staff and/or placed on a subsequent agenda. Under State law, other than for emergency items, no action can be taken.

CONSENT CALENDAR

All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be considered routine and will be enacted by one motion in the form listed. There will be no discussion of these items unless, before the vote on the motion to adopt, specific items are removed from the Consent Calendar for separate motions.

2.

City Council Minutes

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve.

08-04-26 Special Meeting
08-11-26 Regular Meeting

3.

Planning Commission Minutes

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Received and file.

07-01-26 PC Regular Meeting
07-15-26 PC Regular Meeting

4.

City of Ojai Warrants for July 27 - August 16, 2026

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Receive and file. 

Administrative Report - Warrant Report
Attachment A - Warrant Register
Attachment B - Disbursement by Category
Warrant Report Cover

5.

Treasurer's Monthly Report of Cash and Investments for the City of Ojai as of July 31, 2026

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Receive and file. 

Administrative Report -Treasurers Report July 2026
Attachment A -Treasurer's Monthly Report July 2026
Exhibit A - Cash & Investment Summary July 2026

6.

Approve Addendum to Fire Alarm Monitoring Contract with JMG Security Systems

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve the addendum to the fire alarm monitoring contract with JMG Security Systems for the installation of new smoke detection equipment in the gymnasium at 510 Park Road in the amount of $17,488, as detailed in the submitted contract documents and in accordance with applicable state and local fire safety codes.

Administrative Report - Recreation Gym Fire Alarm Services
Attachment A - Addendum, Agreement No. 2026-104
Attachment B - Agreement

7.

County of Ventura Civil Grand Jury Report Regarding Ojai Permanent Supportive Housing Project

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Approve the proposed response to the County of Ventura Civil Grand Jury Report.

Administrative Report - Civil Grand Jury Report OPSHP
Attachment A - Civil Grand Jury Report, Including Attachments
Attachment B - Proposed Response to Civil Grand Jury Report – Clean Copy
Attachment C - Proposed Response to Civil Grand Jury Report – Redline Copy

DISCUSSION

8.

County of Ventura Civil Grand Jury Report Regarding Countywide Response to Public Complaints About Fireworks (Legal Requirement)

 
RECOMMENDATION:
  1. Discuss the proposed response to the County of Ventura Civil Grand Jury Report
  2. Approve the proposed response or provide direction for revisions to the proposed response.
Administrative Report - Grand Jury Fireworks
Attachment A - Report
Attachment B - Proposed Response

9.

Introduce Ordinance No. 974 Amending Article 5 of Chapter 3 of Title 4 of the Ojai Municipal Code to Add Section 4-3.511 Prohibiting the Use of Libbey Park Tennis Courts For Any Activity Other Than Tennis (City Council Direction)

 
RECOMMENDATION:
  1. Introduce, for first reading by title only with further reading waived, Ordinance No. 974 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OJAI, CALIFORNIA AMENDING ARTICLE 5 OF CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 4 OF THE OJAI MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADD SECTION 4-3.511 PROHIBITING THE USE OF LIBBEY PARK TENNIS COURTS FOR ANY ACTIVITY OTHER THAN TENNIS, and;
  2. Direct staff to return to the City Council for second reading and adoption of the Ordinance at the September 8, 2026, City Council Meeting.
Administrative Report - Tennis Court Ordinance
Attachment A - Ordinance No. 974

10.

City of Ojai Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy (Operational Need)

 
RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt the City of Ojai Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy, establishing a governance framework for the responsible use of AI systems across all City departments.

Administrative Report - AI Use Policy
Attachment A - Policy

COUNCIL MEMBER'S REPORTS

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

ADJOURNMENT

 

Posted August 21, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.  

Weston Montgomery, Chief Deputy City Clerk

WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS

Written public comments will be published here for public access. Please see PUBLIC COMMENT OPTIONS below for instructions on how to submit.


ACCOMMODATIONS
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call (805) 646-5581. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.

If you feel that a language interpreter is necessary for you to participate in this meeting, notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements for an interpreter to assure your participation/understanding of this meeting.

Si considera que un intérprete de idiomas es necesario para participar en esta reunión, la notificación 48 horas antes de la reunión le permitirá a la Ciudad hacer arreglos razonables para que un intérprete asegure su participación/comprensión de esta reunión del Concejo Municipal.

Para Español por favor llame al (805) 646-5581 ext. 100 o por correo electronico a cityclerk@ojai.ca.gov.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Agenda reports and other disclosable public records related to agenda items are available on the City's website at ojai.ca.gov/525/2968/Public-Meetings and at City Hall located at 401 S. Ventura St., Ojai, Ca., during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT OPTIONS

Written Comments: In order for staff to provide the City Council with written public comments timely, written/emailed public comments must be submitted no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting.

You may always submit written comments to the City Clerk via mail, in person at City Hall, or via email to cityclerk@ojai.ca.gov. If your written comment is received by 3:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting date, the City Clerk will distribute copies of your comments to all Council Members and recorded on the City website. Written comments received after 3:00 p.m. may not be distributed to the Council Members and recorded on the City website until after the meeting.

Verbal Comments: Verbal Comments will be received on any item on the agenda at the time the agenda item is heard. Comments may be made in person at the meeting or through Zoom, via the link at the top of the Agenda. Pre-registration is not required for public comment via Zoom. Instead, Zoom participants will utilize the hand-raise function to indicate their desire to speak on an item.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
All materials related to an item on this agenda, including written public comments, will be available for public inspection in the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, and following the meeting, will be accessible on the City of Ojai's website at ojai.ca.gov.

As a government agency, the City of Ojai is subject to the California Public Records Act (Government Code § 6250 et seq.). Please be advised that all communications submitted to City officials and staff are subject to public disclosure under the California Public Records Act. There are limited exceptions that allow the City to redact personal information under the California Public Records Act. If you have concerns regarding privacy, please do not include your personal identifying information, such as your name, e-mail, phone number, and home address in your correspondence to the City, including, but not limited to, public comment.

If you challenge the actions of the City Council in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in the public notices, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing (California Government Code Section 65009).

Any legal action by an applicant seeking to obtain a judicial review of the City Council's decision on a Hearing listed on this Agenda may be subject to the 90-day filing period of and governed by Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.6.
LEVINE ACT WARNING
Applicants and their agents before the City Council are subject to the campaign disclosure provisions detailed in Government Code Section 84308. No City Council Member may accept, solicit, or direct a contribution of more than $500 from any party or agent for 12 months subsequent to the date a final decision is rendered by the City. This prohibition commences when your application has been filed, or the proceeding is otherwise initiated.

A party to a City proceeding - which includes both applicants and agents - shall disclose on the record of the proceeding any contribution of more than $500 made to any Council Member by the applicant or agent, during the preceding 12 months. No party to a City proceeding, or agent, shall make a contribution to a Council Member during the proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered by the City.

Prior to rendering a decision on a City proceeding, any Council Member who received a contribution of more than $500 within the preceding 12 months from any party, or agent, to a proceeding shall disclose that fact on the record of the proceeding and shall be disqualified from participating in the proceeding. However, if any Council Member receives a contribution that otherwise would require disqualification and returns the contribution within 30 days of knowing about the contribution and the relevant proceeding, the Council Member shall be permitted to participate in the proceeding.

If you believe that these provisions apply to you or a Council Member, please inform the City Clerk at the earliest possible opportunity. Failure to do so may affect the City's ability to process your application.