A former state Assembly member is one step closer to working as a contract consultant for the city.

Steve Samuelian’s company, California Consulting, LLC of Fresno, is the top-ranked firm seeking the city’s on-call consulting work.

The council will review its options at Tuesday’s regular meeting. The city first considered hiring Samuelian’s firm in early October.

The search for an on-call consultant was put out for bid, and eight companies responded. A committee was formed to review and rank the companies, and Samuelian’s firm came out on top.

City Councilman Brian Ward was the council’s representative on the review committee.

Samuelian is no stranger to the workings of state and local government.

He was elected to the 29th state Assembly District seat in 2002. During his initial two-year term — in early 2003 — he weathered a loitering- and prostitution-related scandal that prompted calls from within the Valley’s Republican leadership for him to step down from office.

Among those calling for Samuelian’s resignation were Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia, and Rep. George Radanovich, R-Fresno.

Samuelian denied any wrongdoing, and was never charged. He remained in office and in December 2003 announced he would not seek reelection.

His company, California Consulting LLC, was founded in 2003. The firm represents numerous agencies and, according to the company’s Web site, has secured more than $50 million in competitive grant dollars for his clients.

The City Council has three options for a proposed deal with Samuelian.

Staff is recommending that Samuelian’s firm be hired for a one-time fee of $10,000 to make application for grant dollars, exclusively for ball field development, through Proposition 84, the Major League Baseball Tomorrow Fund, and the California State Parks Land and Water Conservation Fund.

City staff has indicated there is $50 million available to projects in the Central Valley through Proposition 84 alone.

The city would pay for the contract using unallocated General Fund money.

The hoped-for outcome is a potential $4.5 million payoff on the back side in terms of grant money to build three softball fields, for both youth and adult use, at the Heritage Center.

The other options include hiring Samuelian’s company for a monthly fee of $2,500 plus expenses, for which the company would make application for an unlimited number of grants in whatever areas defined as city priorities; and hiring the company for $1,000 a month, plus expenses, to apply for grants with California Consulting receiving a bonus equal to 10 percent of those grants that are successfully funded.

The staff is seeking the OK to negotiate a contact with Samuelian and, if that fails, to do so with the No. 2 company, Provost & Prichard Engineerng Group of Visalia.

In other business, the council:

-- Will consider whether or not to rethink its position on establishing a mosquito control district which includes the City of Porterville.

The council in early November opted not to pursue formation of such a district.

-- Will take part in a study session to review the latest development with the comprehensive Zoning Ordinance update and provide comment on the proposed standards with specific attention to the downtown and airport zones.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 291 N. Main St. The meeting is open to the public.

-- Contact The Recorder newsroom at 784-5000, Ext. 1040, or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.