CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER FEBRUARY 02, 2022
1 SPECIAL MEETING
A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 5:00 p.m. with Mayor Atkins-Salazar presiding. The location of the meeting was Sorrel Place, 969 Seventh Street, Arcata. PRESENT: Atkins-Salazar, Goldstein, Matthews, Schaefer, Watson.
ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: Assistant City Manager/Personnel Director Demello, Director of Community Development Loya, City Engineer Khatri, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn, City Clerk Dory.
TOUR OF SORREL PLACE, 969 Seventh Street
All attendees, including members of the public, were given a tour of the common areas and individual apartments (one- two- and three-bedroom) in the new four-story Sorrel Place at 969 Seventh Street, Arcata. The tour was led by Chris Dart and Rob Flint from Danco Communities, builder/owner of the building.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment. None was received. Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:02 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 6:02 p.m., as a hybrid meeting, via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications and in person, with Mayor Atkins-Salazar presiding. PRESENT: Atkins-Salazar, Goldstein, Matthews, Schaefer, Watson. ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, City Attorney Diamond, Assistant City Manager/Personnel Director Demello, Chief of Police Ahearn, City Engineer Khatri, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn, Finance Director Starzhevskiy, IT Manager Savage, City Clerk Dory.
FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Atkins-Salazar led the Pledge of Allegiance.
EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Greg King questioned why he should trust the Community Development Department, that would approve the data center project, to develop Arcata's Gateway Area Plan. He said Arcata streets February 2, 2022
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should be designed for drunk, self-absorbed, distracted drivers. He demanded pavement be taken away from cars and given to the people.
Patricia Cambianica said residents in the Gateway Area did not believe the City was listening to them and that the Plan was too vague. She said the Plan was very concerning for those who wished the best for the City and wanted to see it grow with integrity.
Jim, speaking to the Arcata Gateway Area Plan, said there was ongoing concern for building height not to exceed four stories and there needed to be a plan to address solar shading. He requested the City plan for the lack of parking in the area.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Watson removed item E and Councilmember Matthews removed item D from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment. There was none. Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY SCHAEFER, SECONDED BY MATTHEWS, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY 2, 2022, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FOLLOWING TWO ITEMS: D. DECLARE A CONTINUATION OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND E. RATIFY EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH NETRA B. KHATRI FOR CITY ENGINEER FOR THE TERM OF FEBRUARY 3, 2022, THROUGH FEBRUARY 2, 2027. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of December 15, 2021.
B. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of January 19, 2022.
C. Bi-Weekly Report on General Warrants.
D. Item VII-D was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
E. Item VII-E was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
D. Declare a Continuation of the Local Emergency Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Councilmember Matthews noted that the County Board of Supervisors was going back to inperson public meetings in March and asked that the City Council also resume open public February 2, 2022
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meetings beginning with the first meeting in March 2022, taking into account the status of the pandemic in the county.
BY GENERAL CONSENSUS, THE COUNCIL AGREED TO CONSIDER HOLDING INPERSON PUBLIC MEETINGS BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH 2022.
ON MOTION BY MATTHEWS, SECONDED BY GOLDSTEIN, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL DECLARED A CONTINUATION OF THE LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON.
NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
E. Ratify Employment Agreement with Netra B. Khatri for City Engineer for the Term of February 3, 2022, through February 2, 2027.
Councilmember Watson expressed appreciation to City Engineer Khatri for his work for the City.
ON MOTION BY WATSON, SECONDED BY SCHAEFER, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL RATIFIED THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH NETRA B. KHATRI FOR CITY ENGINEER FOR THE TERM OF FEBRUARY 3, 2022, THROUGH FEBRUARY 2, 2027. AYES: ATKINS-SALAZAR, GOLDSTEIN, MATTHEWS, SCHAEFER, WATSON. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Atkins-Salazar invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry spoke in favor of the resumption of in-person meetings. She said she hoped Arcata would get to the point where it recognized the urgency of the climate crisis.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar closed the public comment period.
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
A. Receive the Arcata & Mad River Transit Quarterly Report from Netra Khatri, City Engineer.
City Engineer Khatri gave a quarterly report on transit and the Arcata & Mad River Transit System. He noted that ridership was down due to the pandemic and the system was currently running an orange route as its regular route. He said that beginning the next week, transit would run the red and gold routes in the morning on a trial basis. He stated the City received a commission on ticket sales from Greyhound, but not from Amtrak. Also, he announced the City had purchased two electric buses.
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B. Receive a Report on the Residential Rental Inspection Program Working Group from Netra Khatri, City Engineer.
City Engineer Khatri said the City received 19 applications for the working group on the Residential Rental Inspection Program and selected nine members. He said it was a diverse group working with the City to prepare and implement the Program. He said the Group would meet once in February, twice in March, and that the public would be invited to its April meeting.
He said that public comments would be incorporated into a report. The ordinance would be brought to the Council in May for introduction with adoption in June, and the program was planned to begin in July 2022.
OTHER COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
City Manager Diemer reported on her attendance at the League of California Cities City Managers' Conference.
Councilmember Matthews noted the multiple incidents of distracted driving in Arcata and pleaded with the driving public to slow down.
Councilmember Watson thanked the public for its kindness and support of him lately.
Councilmember Schaefer reported on her attendance at a meeting of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority.
Mayor Atkins-Salazar reported on her attendance at a meeting of Arcata Main Street.
Councilmember Goldstein read a letter of resignation, effective March 1, 2022, due to her need to focus on family health matters.
DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
Mayor Atkins-Salazar announced there would be special meetings of the City Council for goals setting on March 1 and 8, 2022, at 5:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bridget Dory
City Clerk