CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL AND REGULAR
COUNCIL CHAMBER MARCH 15, 2023
736 F Street, Arcata Wednesday, 6:00 PM
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.
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/85038801558
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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: 850 3880 1558
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.
SPECIAL MEETING
5:30 p.m.
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
3. COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS
A. Interview Two Candidates to Fill Two Vacancies on the Wetlands and Creeks Committee for a Term Beginning Immediately and Ending March 31, 2024, and a Term Beginning April 1, 2023, and Ending March 31, 2026.
4. ADJOURNMENT
REGULAR MEETING
6:00 p.m.
I. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
II. FLAG SALUTE
III. ROLL CALL
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IV. CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Certificate of Appreciation for Dave Couch for His 36 Years of Service to the City of Arcata.
B. Proclamation in Recognition of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day, March 29, 2023.
C. Proclamation in Recognition of World Rotaract Week, March 13–19, 2023.
D. Proclamation in Recognition of March for Meals Month, March 2023.
V. REPORT BY COMMISSION/COMMITTEE
VI. EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The City Council values your comments. This 15-minute time period allows people to address the Council on matters not on the agenda. Please know that, pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council cannot discuss or take action on items that are not listed on the posted agenda. At the end of all oral communications the Council may respond to statements. Supported requests that require Council action will be set for a future agenda or referred to staff. Speakers may be limited to two minutes. There will also be time for the public to comment specifically on each agenda item and again at the end of the meeting under item number XII (12).
VII. N/A
VIII. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters on the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine by the City Council and are enacted in one motion. There is no separate discussion of any of these items. If discussion is required, that item is removed from the Consent Calendar and considered separately. At the end of the reading of the Consent Calendar, Council members or members of the public can request that an item be removed for separate discussion.
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of March 1, 2023.
B. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
C. Approve the Project Plans and Award a Construction Contract for the Arcata South I Street Boat Launch Facility Improvement Project (REBID) to Mercer-Fraser Company in the Amount of $672,721.00 (Base Bid + Additive Alternative No. 2); Authorize the City Engineer to Increase the Contract Amount by up to $100,908.15, (15 Percent, for a Total Not to Exceed $773,629.15) to Allow for Any Unforeseen Contingencies; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
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D. Adopt Resolution No. 223-43, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Amending the Class and Pay Resolution—Management, MidManagement, Confidential & Appointed Employees [to Correct a Typographical Error to Salary Range C177, Step 2].
E. Reappoint Michael Furniss, Erin Kelly and Yana Valachovic to the Forest Management Committee for Terms Ending March 31, 2026.
F. Reappoint Mishka Straka to the Transportation Safety Committee (TSC) for a Term Expiring March 31, 2026.
G. Reappoint Christian Figueroa to the Planning Commission for a Term Ending March 31, 2027.
H. Appoint Guy Aronoff to the Transactions and Use Tax Oversight Committee for a Term Expiring September 30, 2026.
I. Adopt Resolution No. 223-42 Accepting a Fee Title Interest in Assessor's Parcel No. (APN) 505-251-011 and a Public Access Easement over a Portion of APN 505-251-013 from Humboldt State University Real Estate Holdings or Successor in Interest and Rescind Resolution No. 223-08.
IX. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
X. OLD BUSINESS
XI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Appoint Up to Two New Members to the Wetlands and Creeks Committee for a Term Beginning Immediately and Ending March 31, 2024, and a Term Beginning April 1, 2023, and Ending March 31, 2026.
B. Receive a Presentation on CalPERS Pension Update from GovInvest.
The City participates in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Like many municipalities in California and across the United States, Arcata’s pension liability is its single largest debt and a significant ongoing expenditure. The Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL) is the present value of future employer contributions for service that has already been earned. It is the shortfall between the City’s pension assets and what is needed to fully payout the benefits already promised to retirees. Current estimates place the City’s UAL at $29.61 million. This is in addition to the normal ongoing cost of contributions for employees.
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation on the City’s CalPERS Pension Update from GovInvest representatives and provide direction to staff as appropriate.
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C. Consider Adopting Resolution No. 223-44, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Accepting the Mid-Year Budget Review and Approving Associated Budget Revisions for the Fiscal Year 2022-23.
It is the standard policy and practice of the City Council to perform a mid-year budget review in March of each year.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council adopt Resolution No. 223-44, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata to Amend Resolution No. 223-01 Adopting the Annual Budget for Fiscal Year 2022-23.
D. Approve Proposed Amendments to Humboldt Waste Management Authority's (HWMA) Joint Powers Agreement and Direct the Mayor to Execute the Restated and Amended Agreement.
To comply with provisions of SB1383, City staff have been working regionally as a member of the Solid Waste Local Task Force (LTF), as part of an SB1383 Ad-hoc Committee of the LTF, and as a member agency in collaboration with HWMA since December 2020.
There are several concurrent components of developing and implementing SB1383 programs. Adoption of Ordinance No. 1560 was the first ‘decision-point’ for the Arcata City Council, which occurred on December 21, 2022. The second ‘decisionpoint’ for the Arcata City Council is approval of the proposed amendments to HWMA’s Joint Powers Agreement (JPA), which is a necessary step to establish regional processing of organics materials. The amendments to the JPA build on the letter of intent to support regional organics processing that the Council authorized on November 16, 2022.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council:
1) Discuss and Approve Proposed Amendments to HWMA’s Joint Powers Agreement; and
2) Direct the Mayor to Execute the Restated and Amended Agreement.
E. Receive a Report on the Mad River Community Hospital's Special Considerations.
This report addresses the background on the Mad River Community Hospital’s special considerations in the City’s General Plan and Land Use Code. It also describes the process needed to amend the special considerations and/or rezone the property for other uses. This report came at the request of the Council.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Council receive a report on the zoning and land use designations for the Mad River Community Hospital and provide direction as necessary.
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XII. ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
The City appreciates public input. This time is provided for people to address the Council or submit written communications on matters not on the agenda. Please know that, pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council cannot discuss or take action on items that are not listed on the posted agenda. At the end of all oral & written communications, the Council may respond to statements. Supported requests that require Council action will be set for a future agenda or referred to staff. Speakers addressing the Council may be limited to 3 minutes, with a maximum of 5 minutes, and a time limit on the length of oral communications may be imposed.
XIII. COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
All reports shall be specifically limited to items relating to City business and shall not request or lead to action by the Council at this meeting.
XIV. DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS
A. Joint Study Session with the Planning Commission on Sea Level Rise, Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber.
B. Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Budget Study Session, Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., in the Council Chamber.
XV. CLOSED SESSION
XVI. CLOSED SESSION REPORTS
XVII. ADJOURNMENT
Other than items continued or tabled to a date certain, the Council may, by majority vote, continue all matters not completed by 10:30 p.m. to the following Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber. Should the Council vote to continue the meeting past 10:30 p.m., discussion on an item on the agenda that either requires or allows for public input may not begin without a unanimous vote of the City Council members present. (Closed Session items may begin later.) (Reference: Resolution No.223-07)
DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA
XII. Document Submitted by Fred Weis