CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL AND REGULAR
COUNCIL CHAMBER APRIL 19, 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.
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/84075867241
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:
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1. *67 1-669-900-6833
2. Enter Meeting ID: 840 7586 7241
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
5:15 p.m.
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
3. COMMITTEE/COMMISSION INTERVIEWS
A. Interview Candidates to Fill Two Vacancies on the Economic Development Committee for Terms Ending September 30, 2024, and One Vacancy on the Planning Commission for a Term Ending March 31, 2027.
4. ADJOURNMENT
REGULAR MEETING
6:00 p.m.
I. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
II. FLAG SALUTE
III. ROLL CALL
IV. CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Certificate of Appreciation for Jayne McGuire for her Eight Years of Service on the City of Arcata's Parks and Recreation Committee.
B. Proclamation in Recognition of Bike Month, May 2023.
C. Proclamation Recognizing May 2023 as National Historic Preservation Month.
D. Proclamation in Recognition of World Tai Chi Day, April 29, 2023.
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E. Proclamation Declaring April 2023 Arts, Cultural, and Creativity Month.
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. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
B. Ratify Employment Agreement with Emily R. Sinkhorn for Director of Environmental Services for the Term of May 3, 2023, through May 2, 2028.
C. Adopt Resolution No. 223-51, Approving an Application to the Clean California Local Grant Program for the Valley West Connectivity and Beautification Project; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
D. Approve the Purchase of One Sidewalk Restroom for Carlson Park, and Award Contract to Romtec in the Amount of $128,724.07, Including Tax, Utilizing Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract #081721-RMT; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
E. Approve the Playground Layout and Award a Contract for Redwood Park Playground Equipment and Surfacing Purchase and Installation to Miracle Recreation—PlayPower, Inc., in the Amount of $799,999.24, Including Tax, Utilizing Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract #010521-LTS-3; Authorize the City Manager to Increase the Contract Amount by up to $16,000, (Two Percent, for a Total Amount Not to Exceed $815,999.24) to Allow for Any Unforeseen Contingencies; and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
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F. Approve Amended and Restated Unsecured Note Between Open Door Community Health Centers and City of Arcata.
IX. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
X. OLD BUSINESS
A. Receive a Presentation from GovInvest on Addressing Pension Unfunded Liability.
On March 15, 2023, the City Council received a CalPERS Pension Update presentation from GovInvest representatives and directed staff to explore possible opportunities for addressing the Unfunded Pension Liability. This presentation presents some opportunities for Arcata to reduce the Unfunded Pension Liability and the estimated impact of those opportunities.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council receive a presentation on Addressing the City’s Pension Unfunded Liability from GovInvest representatives and staff, and provide direction as appropriate.
XI. NEW BUSINESS
A. Appoint up to Two New Members to the Economic Development Committee for Terms Expiring September 30, 2024, and One New Member to the Planning Commission for a Term Expiring March 31, 2027.
B. Public Hearing on Proposed Master Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-
24. The City reviews and updates the City's Fees, consistent with the goal of ensuring, with only a few exceptions, that fees for City services are sufficient to fully recover the cost of providing those services. The attached proposed fees have been prepared to meet this strategic objective.
State law requires that changes to the City's fees be presented to the City Council at a public hearing in accordance with Government Code section 66016.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council:
1) Open the public hearing to receive public comment regarding the proposed changes to the master fee schedule for FY 2023-24; and
2) Adopt Resolution No. 223-50, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Updating the Master Fee Schedule for Various Fees and Service Charges for the FY 2023-24.
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C. Consider Adopting a Revised Hiring and Recruitment Incentive Program Administrative Policy (increase to Lateral Police Officer Hiring Incentive); Approving a Retention Bonus for Current Police Officers; and Approving Police Department Physical Workplace improvements.
Like many Public Safety Departments throughout the state and nationwide, the Arcata Police Department (APD) is in the midst of a staffing crisis. Since January 2020, when APD deployed the highest number of Officers in its history, 29 [includes 2 overhires], our staffing has decreased 34 percent and is currently at 19 officers.
Hiring bonus programs have become part of the current market conditions for Police Departments. The current cost of supporting a Police Cadet Candidate through the Academy and field training is estimated at $65,000. While a $50,000 hiring bonus can appear high on the surface, the overall cost is a savings to the City and provides independently working Officers much sooner for the community.
Public safety is a core service the City provides. To ensure we are able to provide these critical services on a 24/7 basis, APD needs an immediate infusion of sworn personnel to boost our patrol ranks; to restore specialty positions, including Valley West, Downtown, Park Ranger and School Resource Officer positions; and to fill vacant positions in Outreach, Investigations and Emergency Preparedness.
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Council: adopt a revised Hiring and Recruitment Incentive Program Administrative Policy (increase to Lateral Police Officer hiring incentive to $50,000 paid over 2.5 years); approve a retention bonus for current Police Officers ($7,500 annually over 3 years); and approve up to $60,000 for Police Department physical workplace improvements.
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
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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 RECEIVED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA
VI. Document from Susan Ornelas