Madera council adopts ROPS, authorizes city manager to seek county oversight board approval

The Madera City Council, sitting as the successor agency to the former Madera Redevelopment Agency, voted unanimously on Jan. 14 to adopt the Redevelopment Obligation Payment Schedule (ROPS) and the administrative budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year and authorized the city manager to present the ROPS to the countywide oversight board.

Finance Director Mike Lima told the council the ROPS is the State Department of Finance's mechanism for approving property-tax distributions to successor agencies so they can meet outstanding obligations created when redevelopment agencies were dissolved. "So tonight we are asking, 2 things. We are asking for, consideration of a resolution adopting the ROPS, representing the period 07/01/2026 to 06/30/2027," Lima said, adding the city is requesting roughly $3,400,000 to meet bond payments and about $25,000 for administrative fees.

The city presented the ROPS and the administrative budget to the council with no public commenters on the item and no council questions. After a motion and second, the council voted in favor of the resolutions; the motion passed unanimously.

The ROPS request is intended to cover scheduled bond payments for the successor agency and the modest administrative costs associated with maintaining those obligations. Under state law, the State Department of Finance reviews the ROPS and approves distributions to successor agencies based on demonstrated need.

With the council's approval, the city manager is authorized to present the adopted ROPS and administrative budget to the countywide oversight board for its consideration and approval. The council did not amend the ROPS during the meeting.

The successor agency will await action by the countywide oversight board and the State Department of Finance, which together determine the final allocation and timing of the funds requested.