CITY OF ARCATA
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER MAY 17, 2022
736 F Street, Arcata Tuesday, 6:00 PM
NOTICE AND CALL OF A
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCATA AND TO THE CITY CLERK:
Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata is hereby called to be held on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., as a hybrid meeting, in person and via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications. The purpose of the meeting is to consider Corrective, Preventative, and/or Remedial Actions the City may take in response to the April 12, 2022, Investigation Report Concerning Allegations of Sexual Harassment made against Councilmember Brett Watson.
Dated: May 12, 2022
/s/ Stacy Atkins-Salazar
Stacy Atkins-Salazar, Mayor
AGENDA
1 Special accommodations for the disabled who attend City meetings can be made in advance by contacting the City Clerk at 822-5953. Assistive listening devices are available.
Pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5, all writings or documents relating to any item on this agenda which have been provided to a majority of the City Council, including those received less than 72 hours prior to the City Council meeting, will be made available for public inspection in the agenda binder located on the counter in the lobby at Arcata City Hall, 736 F Street, during normal business hours, and on the City's website at www.cityofarcata.org.
PLEASE NOTE: Speakers wishing to distribute materials to the City Council at the meeting are requested to provide 10 copies to the City Clerk.
Public Advisory: The Council Chamber in City Hall
is now open to the public.
COVID-19 Notice
The City Council has returned to in-person hybrid meetings. The City Council asks that when attending City meetings, persons socially distance as best they can and be courteous to those who continue to choose to wear a mask.
May 17, 2022 City Council Agenda
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How to Observe and Participate in the Meeting:
Observe:
Members of the public can attend the meeting in person or observe the meeting on Zoom (see below), on Access Humboldt Channel 10, online by visiting www.cityofarcata.org and clicking on the See Live Meetings, Agendas, and Archives button on the home page, or on the City’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/CityofArcataCA Public Comment Participation in Person and on Zoom:
Members of the public may attend the meeting in person and give public comment. Or, they may access the meeting via Zoom to provide public comment.
1. Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device: Please use this URL:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81322327714
2. If you want to comment during the public comment portion of any item, click on raise your hand on the right-hand side of your screen. When it is time for public comment on the item on which you wish to speak, the Clerk will unmute you. You will have 3 minutes to comment (2 minutes for Early Oral Communications), subject to the Mayor’s discretion.
Or join by phone:
1. *67 1-669-900-6833
2. Enter Meeting ID: 813 2232 7714
3. If you are accessing the meeting via telephone and want to comment during the public comment portion of any item, press star (*) 9 on your phone. This will raise your hand. When it is time for public comment on the item on which you wish to speak, the Clerk will unmute your phone. You will hear a prompt that will indicate your phone is unmuted. You will have 3 minutes to comment (2 minutes for Early Oral Communications), subject to the Mayor’s discretion.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. NEW BUSINESS
A. Corrective, Preventative, and/or Remedial Actions the City May Take in Response to April 12, 2022 Investigation Report Concerning Allegations of Sexual Harassment Made Against Councilmember Brett Watson.
In September 2021, the City received a report that Councilmember Brett Watson (“Watson”) engaged in sexually harassing conduct towards a staff member. Thereafter, the City retained Karen Kramer of Kramer Workplace Investigations (the May 17, 2022 City Council Agenda
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“Investigator”) to investigate the allegations brought to the City’s attention. The Investigator provided the City with her investigation report on or about April 12, 2022 (hereinafter, the “Investigation Report”). The City is duty bound to take corrective, preventative, and/or remedial action(s) in response to the results of the Investigation Report. Through the City’s participation in its self-insurance risk pool, CIRA (California Insurance Risk Authority) and ERMA (Employer’s Risk Management Association), assigned special employment counsel, Mr. Thomas O’Connell (“Employment Counsel”) has researched available remedies for the City Council’s consideration, and provides his analysis and recommendations below (in the staff report). Employment Counsel asks the City Council to provide direction on how it would like to fulfill the City’s obligation to take corrective, preventative and/or remedial actions. Employment Counsel recommends, at a minimum, that the City pursue a restraining order against Councilmember Watson.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council provide direction on the corrective, preventative, and/or remedial action(s) to take in response to the results of the April 12, 2022, investigation report concerning allegations of sexual harassment made against Councilmember Brett Watson.
III. COUNCIL COMMENT
IV. PUBLIC COMMENT
V. ADJOURNMENT
DOCUMENTS RECEIVED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA
II-A. Correspondence from Maya Conrad, Robin Baker, City of Arcata Confidential and Management Employees, and City of Arcata Department Directors