CITY OF ARCATA
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBER MAY 03, 2023
1 SPECIAL MEETING
A special meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 5:30 p.m. with Mayor Schaefer presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on April 28, 2023.
PRESENT: Schaefer, Matthews, Atkins-Salazar, Stillman. ABSENT: White (recused). STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, Finance Director Miller, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn.
PUBLIC COMMENT
No one was present for public comment.
CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.8. Assessor's Parcel Nos. 507-362-025, - 026. Agency Negotiator: Karen Diemer, City Manager. Negotiating Parties:
International Woodworkers Local 398. Under Negotiation: Price and Terms.
The City Council met in closed session in the City Manager's Conference Room.
CLOSED SESSION REPORTS
A. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS Pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.8. Assessor's Parcel Nos. 507-362-025, - 026. Agency Negotiator: Karen Diemer, City Manager. Negotiating Parties:
International Woodworkers Local 398. Under Negotiation: Price and Terms.
Mayor Schaefer said there was nothing to report out from the closed session item at this time.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 5:54 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Arcata was held on the above date at 6:01 p.m. as a hybrid meeting, via teleconference utilizing Zoom Video Communications and in person, with Mayor Schaefer presiding. Notice of this meeting was posted on April 28, 2023.
PRESENT: Schaefer, Matthews, Atkins-Salazar, Stillman, White. ABSENT: None. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Diemer, City Engineer Khatri, Assistant City Engineer Caisse, Director of Environmental Services Sinkhorn, Deputy Director of Environmental Services— Streets/Utilities Culbert, IT and Digitial Media Specialist Carrillo, City Clerk Dory.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Mayor Schaefer read a statement acknowledging that Arcata (Goudi'ni) sat on ancestral Wiyot land.
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FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Schaefer led the Pledge of Allegiance.
CEREMONIAL MATTERS
A. Proclamation in Recognition of the 31st Annual National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive Day, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Councilmember Matthews read the proclamation.
Allison Kenney, appearing via Zoom, thanked the Council for the proclamation and spoke of the hard work of letter carriers saying the food drive would not happen without them.
B. Proclamation Celebrating Water Week, May 1-5, 2023.
Councilmember Atkins-Salazar read the proclamation and presented it to Director of Environmental Services Emily Sinkhorn who noted that Environmental Services Department staff were the stewards of Arcata's water resources in the community.
C. Proclamation in Recognition of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, 2023.
Mayor Schaefer read the proclamation and presented it to Tina Wood, Director of Nursing at Mad River Community Hospital, who thanked the Council and noted that nurses "are present for your first breath and your last."
D. Proclamation in Recognition of National Hospital Week, May 7-13, 2023.
Mayor Schaefer read the proclamation and presented it to Tina Wood, Director of Nursing at Mad River Community Hospital.
REPORT BY COMMISSION/COMMITTEE
EARLY ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry said the reusable food container ordinance needed to be enforced and public transit needed to be improved.
Gregory Daggett spoke against rezoning low-density neighborhoods to high density.
Fred Weis described what he felt was a violation of the Brown Act by the Planning Commission by discussing an item not described on its agenda.
Mayor Schaefer closed Early Oral Communications.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember White acknowledged the importance of the Dial-a-Ride Program.
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Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Fred Weis requested item A be removed from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
Joanne McGarry requested items B and C be removed from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY WHITE, AND WITH A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED THE CONSENT CALENDAR FOR MAY 3, 2023, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: A: APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF APRIL 5, 2023; B. BI-WEEKLY REPORT ON DISBURSEMENTS; C. APPROVE THE PROJECT PLANS AND AWARD
A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE ISAACSON SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE (STI) IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO R.A.O. CONSTRUCTION CO., INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $53,197.00; AUTHORIZE THE CITY ENGINEER TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY UP TO 25 PERCENT ($133,799.25, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $668,996.25) TO
ALLOW FOR ANY UNFORESEEN CONTINGENCIES, AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
A. Item VIII-A was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
B. Item VIII-B was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
C. Item VIII-C was moved to Items Removed from Consent Calendar.
D. Approve a Dial-A-Ride Funding Agreement for the City of Arcata for Fiscal Year 2023/24 in the Amount of $89,174 and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
E. Adopt Resolution No. 223-52, A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Arcata Adopting the Sewer System Management Plan 2023 Update per the Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirement for Sanitary Sewer Collection Facilities, and Authorize City Staff to Certify the Document in the California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS).
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approve the Minutes of the City Council Meeting of April 5, 2023.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Fred Weis noted that in New Business item A., the motion stated, " . . . upheld the timeline set by it at its March 1, 2023, meeting." He said the problem with this motion was that it was not clear May 3, 2023
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at the March 1 meeting what that timeline was. He requested the minutes be amended to reflect that the Council was asking staff to have a draft of the General Plan ready for the City Council at its July 11, 2023, meeting.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
On inquiry by Councilmember White as to the process for amending the minutes, City Clerk Dory explained that minutes were a record of what transpired at a given meeting, and the minutes should not be amended to reflect anything otherwise.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY ATKINS-SALAZAR, AND WITH
FOUR-TO-ZERO VOICE VOTE WITH ONE ABSTENTION, THE MINUTES OF APRIL 5, 2023, WERE APPROVED AS PRESENTED. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE.
ABSTENTIONS: WHITE.
B. Bi-Weekly Report on Disbursements.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry asked how she could find out what a check was in payment of.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
City Manager Diemer offered that Ms. McGarry could call or email her and she would be happy to relay the information.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY ATKINS-SALAZAR, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL RECEIVED THE BI-WEEKLY REPORT ON DISBURSEMENTS. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
C. Approve the Project Plans and Award a Construction Contract for the Isaacson Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (STI) Improvement Project to R.A.O.
Construction Co., Inc., in the Amount of $535,197.00; Authorize the City Engineer to Increase the Contract Amount by up to 25 Percent ($133,799.25, for a Total Amount Not to Exceed $668,996.25) to Allow for Any Unforeseen Contingencies, and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry asked about the improvement plans.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
Assistant City Engineer Caisse said this project consisted of bicycle and pedestrian street improvements. He said the majority of the work would be sidewalk improvements, including one or two bollards. He said trip hazards would be repaired. Additionally, there would be May 3, 2023
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installed some enhanced push button warning signals at Samoa and I Street and on South I Street.
ON MOTION BY STILLMAN, SECONDED BY ATKINS-SALAZAR, AND WITH A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE PROJECT PLANS
AND AWARDED A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE ISAACSON
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE (STI) IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO R.A.O. CONSTRUCTION CO., INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $535,197.00;
AUTHORIZED THE CITY ENGINEER TO INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY UP TO 25 PERCENT ($133,799.25, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $668,996.25) TO ALLOW FOR ANY UNFORESEEN CONTINGENCIES, AND
AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL APPLICABLE
DOCUMENTS. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Approve an Amendment and Restatement of the Agreement between the City of Arcata and Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) for Operations and Maintenance of the Arcata & Mad River Transit System (A&MRTS) and Vehicles, and Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Applicable Documents.
City Engineer Khatri said this item was for the Council to consider amending its annual maintenance contract with the Humboldt Transit Authority (HTA) to add operations services which included garbage services, record keeping, transit data management, and miscellaneous tasks related to operations. He said that currently Arcata operated with one Transit Manager, one Ttransit Operator, one 3/4-time driver, and five part-time drivers. He said that A&MRTS did not have back-up drivers if a driver called in sick. He said the goal of this amendment was to provide reliable transit services to Arcata by using HTA's expertise on transit operations services. He said HTA had assured Arcata that it would take all of Arcata's drivers that wanted to work. He said that HTA had a bigger pool of drivers so back-up drivers would be available.
STILLMAN MOVED AND ATKINS-SALAZAR SECONDED TO APPROVE AN
AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY
OF ARCATA AND HUMBOLDT TRANSIT AUTHORITY (KNOWN AS HTA) FOR
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ARCATA & MAD RIVER TRANSIT SYSTEM (A&MRTS) AND VEHICLES; AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Mike Wilson, Third District Humboldt County Supervisor and member of HTA, said this would help with coordination and convenience for the riders. He gave his commitment to support this relationship for the entire community.
Gregory Daggett asked how the City planned to encourage more people to use transit.
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Joanne McGarry said she hoped this would result in Sunday bus service. She recommended the transit facility be relocated temporarily and made more visible.
Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
THE MOTION PASSED ON A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
B. Public Hearing to Approve the Annual Engineer's Report and Declare the City's Intention to Continue to Levy and Collect Assessments of Existing Assessment Districts to include Mad River Parkway Business Center, Windsong, and Janes Creek Meadow Landscape Maintenance Assessment Districts.
City Engineer Khatri explained that this was the annual public hearing for the three landscape maintenance assessment districts—Windsong, Janes Creek Meadow, and Mad River Parkway Business Center. He explained that only the Mad River Parkway district included an annual Consumer Price Index adjustment and that the other assessments were based on the Engineer's Report when the districts were formed. He said the assessments from the three districts totaled $37,000.
STILLMAN MOVED AND MATTHEWS SECONDED TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL
ENGINEER'S REPORTS AND DECLARE THE CITY'S INTENTION TO CONTINUE
TO LEVY AND COLLECT ASSESSMENTS OF EXISTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS
TO INCLUDE MAD RIVER PARKWAY, WINDSONG, AND JANES CREEK MEADOW LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS.
STILLMAN AMENDED THE MOTION, AND MATTHEWS SECONDED THE
AMENDMENT, TO INCLUDE ADOPT THE MAD RIVER PARKWAY BUSINESS
CENTER LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT DISTRICT RESOLUTION NO. 223-48, THE JANES CREEK MEADOW LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT DISTRICT RESOLUTION NO. 223-47, AND THE WINDSONG LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT DISTRICT RESOLUTION NO. 223-40.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Fred Weis asked if it was normal in the past to not have a CPI increase for some of the districts? He asked if the Windsong and Janes Creek Meadow assessments could be adjusted? Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
On inquiry by Mayor Schaefer, City Manager Diemer said the assessment districts are instituted at the time of the development before parcels are sold. She said that renegotiating assessment districts would require a vote of all parcel owners, and she hadn't seen that be successful in other communities.
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THE MOTION, AS AMENDED, PASSED ON A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE. AYES:
SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE.
ABSENT: NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
C. Approve a Summer City Council Meeting Schedule for 2023 and Schedule Study Sessions with the Planning Commission.
City Clerk Dory reminded the Council that since 2008 it had canceled at least one of its summer meetings to accommodate staff and Council vacation schedules. She said the Council also needed to schedule two or more study sessions with the Planning Commission sometime between August and December.
BY GENERAL CONSENSUS, THE COUNCILMEMBERS DECIDED THEY WOULD
RESPOND TO A DOODLE POLL OF POSSIBLE STUDY SESSION DATES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF AUGUST AND THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF OCTOBER.
WHITE MOVED AND STILLMAN SECONDED TO CANCEL THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JULY 5, 2023.
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment. There was none. Mayor Schaefer closed the public comment period.
THE MOTION PASSED ON A UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE. AYES: SCHAEFER, MATTHEWS, ATKINS-SALAZAR, STILLMAN, WHITE. NOES: NONE. ABSENT:
NONE. ABSTENTIONS: NONE.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
Mayor Schaefer invited public comment.
Joanne McGarry spoke about the realities faced by the unhoused in Arcata. She noted there were a lot of ordinances in Arcata that were not being enforced, such as areas where dogs were not allowed and smoking in public. She said zero waste was not being promoted enough.
Gregory Daggett asked the Council why it wasn't asking why the cost of the Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades had increased so much.
Fred Weis listed tasks he felt Director of Community Development Loya had not accomplished or had changed. He said he felt the Director of Community Development needed to be reigned in.
Jane Woodward said the Economic Development Committee's input into the Gateway Plan, stressing the importance of parking, had been ignored. She requested the Council hold a discussion of the implications of sea level rise for all building sites in the City.
Patricia Cambianica said people were overwhelmingly asking that K Street be made safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, but not at the expense of the L Street Linear Park.
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Jim Becker said the petition for an L Street linear park now had 695 signatures. He declared that the L Street corridor was valuable open space and should be retained.
Mayor Schaefer closed Oral and Written Communications.
COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS
Councilmember Stillman reported on her attendance at a meeting on broadband. She asked when it was that the Council started allowing speakers to cede their time to another speaker. She also asked if the Council wanted to consider not allowing the public to remove items from the Consent Calendar.
Mayor Schaefer said the Council had set a precedent that only one speaker could cede their time to another.
Councilmember White reported on her attendance at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission, the Homelessness and Housing Working Group, and Arcata House Partnership Board of Directors. She said that Communidad Unida Del Norte De Arcata (CUNA) would be holding a brainstorming session on Sunday, May 7, 2023.
She announced that Arcata House Partnership was starting a food pantry.
Mayor Schaefer reported on a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority and announced it had recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary. She announced Equity Arcata would be holding another Home Away From Home event on Sunday, May 7, 2023. She said the Oyster Festival would take place on June 10, 2023.
Councilmember Matthews announced a Chamber of Commerce Mixer on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at The Grove.
Councilmember Atkins-Salazar reported on a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Humboldt County Association of Governments. She announced May was Bike Month.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:39 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bridget Dory
City Clerk