RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The City Council convened its scheduled meeting on Aug. 4 to discuss several key city matters, including council appointments to regional boards, commissions and committees, as well as enforcement efforts related to illegal fireworks and temporary fireworks stands.

The meeting began with a special discussion on City Council appointments to regional boards, commissions and committees, a topic that was initially raised at the July 7 City Council meeting.

“I feel like it’s important to remember that these boards are critical to the city because it’s our outreach and how we want to be perceived as good quality members not only in the community but at large,” said Councilmember Garrett Gatewood.

Gatewood then called for the removal of Councilmember Joe Little from all regional boards and commissions.

Gatewood’s suggestions came amid ongoing tensions over Little’s conduct on social media and during council meetings, which Councilmember David Sander described as “creating a hostile environment” among city staff and regional partners.

“I don’t think anyone wanted to do this but to residents out there who have been paying attention, you have probably seen action which might seem out of the norm,” said Sander “The best defense for our residents, staff, colleagues and regional partners is to limit the communication and access between one of our council members and everyone we can.”

Mayor Siri Pulipati added, “As public officials, we are expected to lead not only with our decisions but our conduct. How we engage with them reflects our respect for this office and for our community and I take no pleasure in this decision but as leaders, we must be accountable to the standards we set and this includes being respectful, collaborative and constructive both in public forum and to our staff. This is the clear message that we are sending: respectful leadership is not an option.”

Councilmember Linda Budge expressed concern about the civility of the current environment.

“From day one, this council has conducted itself with respect, cordiality and courtesy. Unfortunately, this is the situation we find ourselves in,” Budge said.

Effective immediately, Little was removed from all appointments to boards, commissions and committees and replaced by other councilmembers.

Little was not present at the special meeting.

During public comment, Rancho Cordova resident Larry Leroy Ladd commented on Little’s removal.

“Joe Little was just stripped of all his extra city assignments, which I found very disappointing,” said Ladd. “Rancho Cordova is no more clicky than a lot of small towns. This is a city in Northern California with over 80,000 citizens. You can’t run a city like you’re the ruling clique in high school.”

The council also reviewed the results of enforcement efforts during the 2025 July 4th holiday regarding illegal fireworks.

Neighborhood Services Manager Russell Ducharme presented a detailed report, noting a significant increase in calls for illegal fireworks compared to the previous year.

“The weather was really cooperative with us this year,” Ducharme said. “We deployed multiple teams, including drone units, and because of the weather, those drones were able to stay in the air for longer.”

From July 1 to 8, Rancho Cordova Police Department (RCPD) received 129 calls, a 45% increase from 2024. Additionally, 80 calls were received through the RC Connect program, up 40% from the previous year. The city issued 64 potential citations based on the illegal firework activity.

Ducharme discussed the current fine structure, which increases the penalty for repeat offenders. Under the current system, the fine for launching illegal fireworks starts at $1,000, escalating to $2,500 for a second violation within a year, and $5,000 for a third.

“In order to increase reach rather than focusing solely on fines, I believe a flat $10,000 fine for illegal fireworks is the way to go. Other jurisdictions are using a stacking method, $1,000 per violation, whereas as soon as we identify that an illegal firework goes up, we document it and then move on to the next,” said Ducharme. “Our goal is to educate through enforcement, not just issue fines."

This approach, he noted, would allow for quicker response times and broader enforcement.

Gatewood expressed support for the increased fines but emphasized the need for better communication about the penalties.

 “We need to make sure people understand that if they get caught, the fines are significant,” Gatewood said. “We also need to double down on using drones for surveillance.”

Councilmember Little raised questions about the discrepancy between the rising number of calls and the relatively low number of citations issued.

“It seems like a challenge turning those calls into fines,” Little said.

Pulipati suggested the city consider the demographics of those receiving fines.

“We should look at the age range and socioeconomic background of the people being fined,” Pulipati said. “If we’re seeing a lot of youth involved, education should be a priority. We don’t want to bankrupt families.”

In addition to discussing enforcement, the council reviewed proposed changes to the city’s fireworks stand regulations. The current policy allows nonprofit organizations to operate up to two stands each year, but concerns were raised about fairness and competition for locations.

Staff recommended several revisions, including defining a "Principal and Permanent Meeting Place" for nonprofit organizations, clarifying that temporary or occasional locations wouldn’t qualify. They also proposed raising the minimum distance between stands from 600 feet to 1,000 feet and limiting each organization to one stand per year, with a cap of one stand per 5,000 residents. If demand exceeds available locations, a lottery system would be used to allocate remaining permits.

During public comments, several speakers from local organizations spoke up on the proposed changes.

Jamie Burlson of Bayside Life Church argued that the new requirements would unfairly exclude nonprofit organizations, such as hers.

“Our concern is that by narrowing it down to the ‘principle and permanent meeting place,’ that would disqualify nonprofits like ours that remain active in the life of that city,” said Burlson.

Kevin Sims, a Cordova High School music teacher, advocated for the importance of fireworks stands for community fundraising.

“The fireworks booths are vital to keeping our music programs thriving,” Sims said. “It’s important that any conversations about modifying booth operations include the voices of those directly affected.”

Dennis Revelle, president of Revell Communications, spoke on behalf of TNT Fireworks, voicing support for the city’s efforts to increase penalties for illegal fireworks and advocated for aligning nonprofit eligibility rules with the state fire marshal’s model ordinance. Revelle recommended moving the fireworks stand application deadline to May to better gauge demand and suggested a lottery system for unclaimed permits. He concluded by urging the city to bring together all relevant stakeholders for a collaborative discussion.

Councilmembers expressed little concern about increasing the distance between fireworks stands, with Councilmember Budge stating, “I don’t care about the distance between stands, I think the limit per population is silly and I can't imagine why we would want to get involved in a lottery. That is much too political for this conversation.”

The next Rancho Cordova City Council meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 18 at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive.