The Kern Agenda | Issue 1 | Friday, October 16, 2026
What Kern County’s local boards are deciding, in plain words. Every item links to its official source.
Welcome to the first issue. Each Friday we read the agendas so you don’t have to. Up top: next week’s meetings, day by day. Below that, what happened this week: an $88.3 million county budget update and approval of a 1.5 million square foot warehouse project in Oildale (both confirmed in the county’s meeting recap), plus proposed actions still waiting on official minutes in Arvin, California City, and McFarland.
A note on wording: when our only source is the agenda, we say “on the agenda.” It does not mean it passed. Board of Supervisors results below are from the county’s Oct 13 meeting recap. For Arvin, California City, McFarland, and the other boards this week, official minutes were not posted as of Thursday morning Oct 15, so those items stay “on the agenda.”
Next week: Oct 19 to 23
Monday, Oct 19
Delano City Council, 5:15 PM, Delano City Hall, 1015 11th Ave. Agenda
Agenda posted.Tehachapi City Council, 6:00 PM, 220 West C Street. Agenda
Agenda posted.
Tuesday, Oct 20
Bakersfield Historic Preservation Commission, 10:00 AM, City Hall North Conference Room A. Calendar
Listed, agenda not posted yet.California City Planning Commission, 6:00 PM, 21000 Hacienda Blvd. Agenda
Agenda posted.Shafter City Council, 6:00 PM, 336 Pacific Ave. Calendar
Listed, agenda not posted yet.Taft City Council, 6:00 PM, City Hall Council Chamber, 209 E. Kern St. Agenda
Agenda posted.Wasco City Council, 6:00 PM, 746 8th Street. Agenda
Agenda posted.Kern County Board of Supervisors, no meeting this week.
Confirmed by county calendar.
Wednesday, Oct 21
Bakersfield City Council, 3:30 PM and 5:15 PM, 1501 Truxtun Ave. Calendar
Listed, agenda not posted yet.Taft Planning Commission, 4:00 PM special meeting, 209 E. Kern St. Agenda
Agenda posted.Ridgecrest City Council, 5:30 PM special closed session, 100 W. California Ave. Agenda
Agenda posted.Ridgecrest City Council, 6:00 PM, 100 W. California Ave. Agenda
Agenda posted.
Thursday, Oct 22
Kern County Planning Commission, time not posted yet. Calendar
Date on county hearing schedule, agenda not posted yet.
What happened this week (Oct 12 to 15)
Kern County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday Oct 13
Sources: official agenda, Oct 13; county meeting recap, Oct 13. Formal minutes were not posted yet on the county’s Granicus minutes page as of Oct 15.
$88.3 million budget update. Approved: $88,292,009 in adjustments to the 2026-2027 county budget to reflect the final property tax roll and year-end fund balances. (Morning item 23)
Big warehouse project in Oildale. Approved: land-use entitlements for the Airport Commerce Center Industrial Project, about 1,505,440 square feet of industrial warehouse space plus two quick-serve restaurants on about 110 acres north of Merle Haggard Drive and west of Airport Drive in unincorporated Oildale. (Afternoon item 5)
Cadiz Northern Pipeline. The board directed staff to draft a letter of support for the Cadiz Northern Pipeline project, following a Sept 22 Legislative Program Committee referral. (Afternoon item 33)
Filling board vacancies. Approved: County Administrative Bulletin No. 43, setting options and procedures for filling vacancies on the Board of Supervisors. (Afternoon item 32)
Charter county paperwork. Approved: assigning the ordinance that made Kern a charter county (voters approved it June 2, 2026). (Morning item 22)
Labor agreements. Approved: new MOUs with the Kern County Detention Officers’ Association and three Sheriff’s Command Associations, each through June 30, 2027. (Afternoon items 44 to 47)
Federal housing grants. On the agenda (not listed in the county’s published recap; formal minutes not posted yet): authority to submit 2026-2027 grant agreements to HUD totaling $6,651,918.30. (Afternoon item 7)
Two Oildale streets could be vacated. On the agenda (not listed in the published recap; formal minutes not posted yet): a Housing Authority request to vacate Wainwright Drive and MacArthur Drive at 18 MacArthur Drive. (Afternoon item 6)
Emergency boiler at Meadows Field. On the agenda (not listed in the published recap; formal minutes not posted yet): skipping bidding for a $184,783 emergency boiler replacement at the California Aeronautical University building at Meadows Field Airport. (Morning item 15)
Speed limits. On the agenda (not listed in the published recap; formal minutes not posted yet): a proposed 45 mph limit on Golden Star Boulevard in Golden Hills, and an ordinance change on a short stretch of Wible Road near Belle Terrace.
2027 meeting calendar. On the consent agenda (not listed in the published recap; formal minutes not posted yet): setting the board’s regular meeting dates for 2027. (Morning item 21)
Layoff notices in the board’s mail. Filed as correspondence: a state WARN notice from Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream of a planned temporary shutdown affecting 221 employees on Nov 19 at 7301 District Boulevard, Bakersfield; and one from Key Energy Services of 57 layoffs on Nov 22 across sites in Bakersfield, Shafter, and Ventura. (Afternoon item 50, V and W)
Arvin City Council, Tuesday Oct 13
Source: official agenda. Meeting video is posted on the city’s Granicus player; official minutes were not posted on Agenda Center as of Oct 15.
New city manager. On the agenda: approving an employment agreement and appointing Daniel Padilla as city manager. (Item 5A)
Cannabis project hearing likely pushed. A public hearing on a site permit and development agreement for the LEEF Arvin commercial cannabis project at 818 South Derby Street. Staff recommends continuing the hearing to Oct 27. (Item 4A)
Measure H town hall. On the agenda: authorizing a neutral, facts-only town hall and educational materials about Measure H, the Arvin Essential City Services Sales Tax. The staff recommendation says no city resources may be used to support or oppose the measure. (Item 5E)
Lease changes. On the agenda: authorizing a notice ending Lease Agreement No. 2026-01 with Laborers of the Harvest/Shar-On Corp. (item 5C), and a new lease with Mi Pueblo Foundation to run a food recovery organization at the Adobe Plaza complex, 141 North A Street (item 5D).
Emergency tree removal. On the agenda: ratifying a $24,000 emergency contract with Legacy Landscaping Lawn and Tree Services to remove a fallen eucalyptus at DiGiorgio Park and clear Meyer Street. Needs a four-fifths vote. (Item 5G)
Fentanyl workshop. On the agenda: approving a police fentanyl awareness workshop on Friday, Oct 23, 6:00 to 7:30 PM, funded through a Kern County task force grant. (Item 5F)
California City City Council, Tuesday Oct 13
Source: official agenda and packet. No approved minutes for this meeting were listed on the city’s Granicus publisher page as of Oct 15.
Well No. 10 repair contract. On the consent calendar: awarding a $402,582 contract to S.A. Camp Pump Company for the Well No. 10 rehabilitation project and adding it to the 2026-2027 budget. (CC 7)
Reservoir project goes back out to bid. On the consent calendar: rejecting all bids for the Wonder Acres Water Reservoir and Booster Pump Station Project, revising the plans, and re-advertising. (CC 6)
More water and sewer work. Also on the consent calendar: task orders for sewer plant and system updates (CC 3), a wastewater vehicle purchase (CC 4), and a funds transfer for repairs to Wells 14 and 15A (CC 5).
Interim finance director. New business: direction on seeking a consulting agreement for interim finance director services. (NB 3)
Radio site repairs. New business: $19,262.11 in equipment for repairs and security at the Galileo communications site. (NB 2)
City manager in closed session. The 3:30 PM closed session lists public employment for the city manager position, plus lease talks for the airport restaurant building at 22636 Airport Way. (CS 2 and CS 3)
Measure J workshop. The clerk’s report lists a community education workshop on Ballot Measure J, a transient occupancy (hotel) tax, for Thursday, Oct 15 at 5:30 PM.
McFarland City Council, Wednesday Oct 14
Source: official agenda on the city’s meeting portal (also linked from the city’s agendas page). A published minutes file was not available through the portal API as of Oct 15.
Annexation No. 22. A public hearing on a negative declaration, pre-zoning ordinance, sphere of influence change, and starting the process with Kern LAFCo to annex territory to be called Annexation No. 22. The agenda references assessor’s parcel 060-250-02. (Item 17)
City land sale on Third Street. On the agenda: a purchase and sale agreement with Triumph M LLC for about 0.21 acres of city-owned property on Third Street. (Item 20)
Meeting schedule changes. On the agenda: a revised council meeting schedule for October, November, and December 2026. We’ll report the new dates once they’re set. (Item 18)
Sidewalk contract. On the consent agenda: a $137,137 bid from Cen-Cal Construction for sidewalk in-fill improvements, plus up to $27,427.40 for contingency and testing. (Item 16)
New police station wiring. On the consent agenda: a $16,125.79 quote from 661 Communication for communications work at the new police department, plus up to $5,000 contingency. (Item 14)
Harvest Festival. On the consent agenda: a temporary use permit for the McFarland Harvest Festival hosted by Mujeres Activas. (Item 15)
Also this week (Oct 12 to 15)
Bakersfield Planning Commission (Thu Oct 15). Hearings on a 310-lot tract map extension about half a mile south of Highway 178 and Miramonte Drive; a zone change on about 12.1 acres southeast of Morning Drive and Paladino Drive; a zone change from agriculture to manufacturing on about 2.99 acres near Rosedale Highway and Jet Way; and a general plan change and zone change on about 20 acres at 8339 Buena Vista Road. Meeting is the evening of Oct 15, so results were not available for this draft. agenda
Bakersfield Water Board (Wed Oct 14). Reports on water conservation and flood preparedness. Official post-meeting results not posted. agenda
Bakersfield finance committee (Mon Oct 12). A presentation on an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District feasibility study and an updated General Fund budget forecast. Official post-meeting results not posted. agenda
Tehachapi Planning Commission (Mon Oct 12). A Walmart grocery pickup expansion design review and a Ross Dress for Less sign application at 811 Tucker Road. Official minutes not checked as posted. agenda
Shafter Planning Commission (Tue Oct 13). A two-year extension for Tentative Tract Map 7052 on the west side of Poplar Avenue between W. Lerdo Highway and W. Los Angeles Avenue, and a permit for an accessory dwelling unit at 1100 Weyand Way. Official minutes not posted through the portal as of Oct 15. portal
Coming up: highlights from next week’s posted agendas
From the California City Planning Commission agenda for Tuesday Oct 20:
Housing Element zoning update (ZTA 26-01). Public hearing on a zoning text amendment that would implement Programs 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 of the city’s adopted 2023-2031 Housing Element. Staff asks the commission to recommend that the City Council approve it. The packet describes changes to residential parking standards, density bonus procedures, and how the code treats certain housing types (including emergency shelters, supportive housing, and employee housing).
Consent calendar. Approval of the Sept 15, 2026 Planning Commission minutes.
From the Taft City Council agenda for Tuesday Oct 20 (6:00 PM, City Hall Council Chamber, 209 E. Kern St.; also on Zoom and YouTube):
Police military equipment policy. A community engagement meeting on the police department’s 2025-2026 Annual Military Equipment Report (Item 1), and the annual renewal of Ordinance 847-22, the department’s military equipment use policy under state law AB 481 (Item 2).
Investment manager. A professional services agreement with Optimized Investment Partners to manage the city’s investment portfolio. (Item 3)
“Dark” meetings. On the consent calendar: a resolution to skip the first regular council meeting in January and July. (Item 14)
Christmas parade. On the consent calendar: a special event permit and street closures for the Dec 7, 2026 Christmas parade, including a vendor market and VIP seating at 5th Street Plaza. (Item 15)
Shafter and Bakersfield council agendas were not posted yet as of Friday morning Oct 16. Tehachapi, Delano, Wasco, and Ridgecrest agendas are linked in the Next week list at the top. We will pick up more items from those packets in a later issue.
Further out: Board of Supervisors Oct 27, 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. California City City Council Oct 27 (expected, agenda not posted). Arvin’s next regular date is commonly Oct 27 under the 2nd/4th Tuesday pattern, but it is not on Agenda Center yet. McFarland lists Oct 28 as its next regular meeting on the portal (event 767); its schedule may still change from the Oct 14 item above. Maricopa City Council Tue Oct 27, 6:00 PM (listed on the city calendar; location not listed, check the city site; agenda not posted yet).
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This issue was generated with AI from official public records and checked against the source documents before publishing.