Tuesday, July 28, 2026

The workshop was opened at 3:07 PM with roll call establishing a quorum. Council Member Spicer was absent throughout the meeting.

A public workshop was held on air quality concerns related to the World Oil Recycling facility. Community members, including students and neighborhood leaders, testified about persistent petroleum odors, nosebleeds, headaches, and health fears. A letter from World Oil was read stating they are cooperating with agencies, but residents criticized the company for not attending in person. Residents demanded air monitors at schools, a public health study, and reconsideration of the facility's zoning near homes and schools.

Representatives from AQMD, DTSC, and the LA County Department of Public Health presented updates. AQMD confirmed 8 violations and over 130 complaints this year against World Oil, with 37 site visits conducted. DTSC explained its ongoing fire investigation and upcoming permit renewal process. Public Health provided resources for reporting health symptoms. The council requested air filters for schools and residents, and asked agencies to share monitoring data and study results with the community.

The council convened in closed session at 4:15 PM to discuss multiple litigation matters and an employment item regarding the City Controller. Direction was given to counsel on several cases, and some items were postponed. A subsequent need item was added by unanimous vote.

The Sheriff's Department presented a 90-day pilot drone-as-first-responder program starting August 19 at Compton Station. Two drones will respond to 911 calls, arriving in 1-2 minutes, providing aerial views before ground units arrive. The drones have no facial recognition or weapons, all flights are logged, and footage is stored in the same system as body cameras. Street takeovers have been reduced by over 45% in the past year. Flight data will be publicly available on a transparency dashboard.

Residents raised concerns about accountability, unspent COVID funds from 2021, street takeovers, parking enforcement inconsistencies, code enforcement in Richland Farms, the city clerk's attendance and minutes being behind, election integrity, city cleanliness, and the need for better community engagement. A representative requested help securing a venue for a back-to-school event. Several speakers criticized the lack of progress on long-standing city issues.

The council approved consent calendar items 6 through 9 as a block. Items 10 and 11 were pulled for separate discussion. A correction was noted changing 'Chief Smith' to 'Chief Simpson' in the minutes.

The fire chief explained that Compton's 911 fire/medical dispatch goes through Downey's regional dispatch center, serving Compton, Downey, and Santa Fe Springs. The cost has been reduced from $1 million to about $800,000. Bringing dispatch in-house would cost over $2 million in startup. Each 911 call costs $65, with over 12,000 calls per year. The council approved the contract continuation unanimously.

A council member questioned why the fire department has a separate fuel budget from the rest of the city and requested monthly fuel usage reports for all city departments. The fire department averages about $88,600 per month in fuel. The city manager committed to providing monthly fuel usage reports going forward. The item was approved.

The city manager reported on the upcoming citywide parking study, with consultant selection planned for September. A significant debate arose over whether to resume permit parking enforcement in Richland Farms while the study is conducted. Concerns were raised about the outdated 27-year-old parking ordinance, inconsistent signage, lack of technology, and unfair ticketing. The council could not take formal action as agendized but provided direction through consensus discussion to the city manager.

The council approved a $30,810 contract with MRS Environmental to review the city's pipeline franchise program. The consultant will assess how much Compton collects in pipeline fees compared to other cities and recommend ways to increase revenue. The city's current per-foot collection rate is significantly lower than comparable jurisdictions. The contract is time-and-materials based, so unused funds would not be spent.

The council approved four new business items: a financial application for a PFAS water treatment plant, a $46,000 contract for an Urban Water Management Plan update, a $127,237 remote-controlled mulching machine funded by a CalRecycle grant for clearing brush and vegetation citywide, and a memorandum of understanding to bring Little League baseball back to Compton using underutilized baseball fields.

Council members shared updates including National Night Out on August 4th, traffic calming improvements, a community paper shredding event, recognition of a retiring 37-year Public Works employee, the seventh annual Back to School Giveaway on August 8th at Gonzales Park, and plans for a September public safety town hall. A special meeting was announced for August 4th. The meeting was adjourned in memory of community members who recently passed away.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:14 PM with a unanimous vote. A special meeting was announced for August 4th, with the time to be determined.