Alturas City Council
City Hall Council Chambers
October 21, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.
City Council Mayor Paul Minchella called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers.
Councilmembers present: Paul Minchella, Duanna Knighton, Jennifer Engel, Brian Cox and Jodie Larranaga. Councilmembers absent: None. Staff present: City Clerk Tacie Wheeler, City Treasurer Dorothy Long, Director of Public Works Warren Farnam. Public attending: 5. All present joined together in the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. Public Forum
None
3. Approval or Additions/Deletions to Agenda
MOTION by Councilmember Engel, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to approve the agenda as written. ALL AYES.
4. Consent Agenda
MOTION by Councilmember Engel, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to approve Consent Agenda as follows: a.) Approve minutes of September 16, 2025 meeting; b.) Approve minutes of October 15, 2025 Special meeting; c.) Approve City warrants for September in the amount of $1,211,740.26; d.) Approve ACH reconciliation report for September 2025 in the amount of $153,728.59; e.) Adopt Resolution #2025-25 removing inactive water & sewer accounts from September, removing C. Singleton account that was paid, making the amount to remove $445.97. ALL AYES.
5. Discussion/Action Item
Diana Bass, representing the Alturas Chamber of Commerce, explains that this is an ongoing thing with the Chamber and Public Works, as public works hang the lights up on the tree. They are looking into commercial grade lights for the tree this year, and the quote they received was $2500.00. They have received donations from Four Seasons, Valero, and Alturas Ranches so far.
Councilmember Cox remarks that the usual donation for civil projects in the past is a maximum of $500.
Ms. Bass states that they have reached out to a few others for donations, but have not received a response yet.
Director of Public Works Farnam says that it would help the efficiency and be a cost reduction for the Public Works department to have commercial lights.
Harry Boulade, also from the Chamber, says that Loren Holloway volunteered his bucket truck and time to clean up the top and give it a trim to help out as well.
Treasurer Long states that there was $250 that was expended out of fund 83 last year.
MOTION by Councilmember Knighton, SECONDED by Councilmember Engel to donate $1000 to the Alturas Chamber of Commerce for Main Street Christmas Tree Lights. ALL AYES.
6. Discussion/action Item
MOTION by Councilmember Cox, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to approve Resolution #2025-26 approving the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Alturas and Modoc County sheriff’s Office for 911 Dispatch Services, effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, authorizing the Mayor to sign. ALL AYES.
7. Discussion Item
Councilmember Knighton says that she met with Beckie Lewis and Chief Muller to discuss the importance of having an SRO (School Resource Officer).
Beckie Lewis, Superintendent of Modoc Joint Unified School District, states that she thinks Officer Widby is the best SRO that the school has had. Mrs. Lewis has been with the school for 19 years. She states that Officer Widby helps advocate for the kids inside and outside of the school, and she makes a huge difference.
Councilmember Cox says that is very good to hear. He states that he does have a few concerns. He says that 65% of Officer Widby’s time would be spent at the schools, but the schools would only be contributing $20,000 to her $200,000 salary. He thinks they should maybe consider that she patrol the school zones in the mornings and at lunch with lidar or something, or put in some sort of time limitations on patrol duty vs. school duty.
Councilmember Knighton asks what Officer Widby does when she is not at the schools.
Mrs. Lewis states that to the school, Officer Widby’s priority is the community. The school has left the schedule and personal ins and outs up to the police department.
Councilmember Cox suggests that they add to the MOU that patrol duties take precedence over the school, and note if there are scheduling conflicts or the department is shorthanded, she may have to patrol.
Councilmember Engel points out that it does reflect that in the MOU already.
MOTION by Councilmember Engel, SECONDED by Councilmember Knighton to approve Resolution #2025-27, approving the Memorandum of Understanding between the Alturas Police Department and Modoc Joint Unified School District utilizing a School Resource Officer, noting that the signature line should say “Marc Muller, Chief of Police”. 4 AYES, 1 NO.
8. Discussion/Action Item
Treasurer Long states that nothing has changed in this final budget.
MOTION by Councilmember Larranaga, SECONDED by Councilmember Engel approving Resolution #2025-28, approving the final Fiscal Year 2024/2025 budget in the amount of $7,296,972.00. ALL AYES.
9. Discussion/Action Item
Treasurer Long explains that this is the proposed budget.
Councilmember Engel requested the additional police department salary be moved to fund 02.
Director of Public Works Farnam states that he put in a change order for the roof project. The pool has a positive balance for operations, as they took two years of interest from the John Wall fund and a few other places to get that accomplished. They will also be including that in our newsletter to be completely transparent about that.
Treasurer Long states that with the adoption of the donation to the Chamber, she will have to add $500 to fund 83.
MOTION by Councilmember Engel, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to approve Resolution #2025-29, approving the proposed Fiscal Year 2025/2026 budget, with the additional $500 to be added to fund 83, community projects. ALL AYES.
10. Discussion/Action Item
Director of Public Works Farnam says that he did bring this to Council at the last meeting, and it needed corrections. They made all of the corrections, so it will now go to Shasta County instead of Lake County to keep it in California if necessary. He notes that this contract is a third of the previous contract.
MOTION by Councilmember Larranaga, SECONDED by Councilmember Engel to adopt Resolution #2025-30 approving Service Agreement No. 225103 between the City of Alturas and SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists, INC. ALL AYES.
11. Discussion/Action Item
Director of Public Works states that these are the people we have for our Airport projects.
MOTION by Councilmember Cox, SECONDED by Councilmember Engel to adopt Resolution #2025-31 approving the supplemental services agreement NO. 3 between the City of Alturas and Brandley Engineering, Inc. ALL AYES.
12. Discussion/Action Item
MOTION by Councilmember Cox, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to adopt Resolution #2025-32, approving the construction agreement between the City of Alturas and Meyers Earthwork, Inc.
ALL AYES.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Councilmember Knighton reports states that she handed out a slip with a QR code that will give everyone a chance to take a survey and provide input on the Main Street project. She also attended MEDC last week.
She says that they are approved to keep 34 beds at the old Warnerview. They are also working to get a cardiologist and an MRI machine. She reports that Philip Harvey at the new pharmacy, is looking to potentially have a medical supply store, sporting goods, dentist and other things they are looking into to fill the rest of the space in the old Rite Aid building. She also reports that she attended the Road committee meeting.
Councilmember Engel reports that she went to the LAFCO meeting and they did not approve the Surprise Valley Healthcare District’s MSR. They tabled it and formed an Ad Hoc committee. She also met with Clerk Wheeler and Councilmember Larranaga for the Clerk committee meeting.
Councilmember Minchella reports that he, too, went to the LAFCO meeting. He also attended the MCTC meeting, where there was a big NO on the Main Street project.
Councilmember Cox reports that him and Councilmember Minchella met about the wage proposal for the General Unit and submitted a counter proposal. They have not heard back on the counter proposal yet.
Councilmember Larranaga reports that she attended the same meetings that Councilmember Engel and Minchella went to.
COUNCIL/STAFF REPORTS
Treasurer Long reports that she is working on the Caltrans reimbursement, that should be close to one million. The Admin Assistant is leaving at the end of the month, and Public Works also has a vacant position, so they are flying both of those positions. She says the City will be open for the safe Trick-orTreat. She has not heard back on the Tobacco grant yet. She has received some potential violations of the City Council Ethic Policy, and wanted Council to be aware and keep that in mind.
Director of Public Works Farnam reports that they had one person quit, so they are flying that position.
They also have one person injured who just got surgery yesterday. They are waiting for the city attorney on the language of the lease for the Mill. They are working on getting everything buttoned up on the application at the new wastewater treatment plant, and getting things fixed at the old wastewater treatment plant. They have racked up $171,000 in fines so far. The aluminum waiver is going back to the water board in December. Due to the weather and the 6th Street project, they have not got to some of the pothole patching yet. They are trying to get some winter mix to do the really bad ones. The roof repair is complete. There was one change order, as they had to sheet it. They are working on the housing element and gearing up for the homecoming parade. They will also have the light parade in December, and they are requesting a full lane closure. They are working with the Sheriff’s Posse for that, as it takes about 30 people to accomplish that.
Clerk Wheeler reports that the new website has now launched. There are a few kinks to work out and she will be trying to get that done.
With no further business to come before City Council, MOTION by Councilmember Engel, SECONDED by Councilmember Larranaga to adjourn the meeting and to return in regular session on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 2:00 pm, City Hall. ALL AYES
Respectfully,
Tacie Wheeler
Tacie Wheeler
City Clerk