City of Biggs City Council Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 5:00 PM
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA
Posted: May 5, 2023, prior to 5:00 PM, location: 3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA.
Copies of this agenda packet are available for review in Biggs City Hall 465 C Street, Biggs, CA.
Or at www.biggs-ca.gov
Public comments on agenda items are welcomed and encouraged in advance and will be accepted until 3:00 PM. on the meeting date by emailing the City Clerk at [email protected] or via the drop box at 465 C Street.
Comments will be conveyed to the Council for consideration.
Following the Governor’s termination of the Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued on March 4, 2020, the Council will no longer be operating under the modified open meeting rules of Assembly Bill 361. It will operate under the traditional provisions of the Brown Act, with all meetings open to the public and all Council members attending in person. As a continued courtesy to the public, the meeting will be broadcast free via the internet - no comments will be allowed remotely. The zoom link to watch the meeting is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5308680100.
Speaking Time Limit: Three-minute time limit for each speaker unless Council specifies a different time limit based on the time allotted for the item and/or the number of speakers.
Written Materials: Council is unable to read written materials presented at the meeting. If a person intends to appear before the Council and provide written material, that written material should be delivered to the City Clerk at least 10 days in advance of the meeting date.
Cell Phones and side conversation: Please silence all cell phones, side conversations and other disturbances during the meeting.
ADA Compliance: It is the intention of the City of Biggs to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If, as an attendee or a participant at the meeting, you need special assistance beyond what is normally provided, the City of Biggs will attempt to accommodate you in every reasonable manner. Please contact the City Clerk’s at (530) 868-0102 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting to enable staff to make reasonable arrangements.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public may address the City Council on matters which are not listed on this agenda. The City Council may not discuss nor take action on any item not listed on the agenda.
Please limit your comments to 3 minutes.
City of Biggs City Council Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 5:00 PM
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA
5. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of warrants: 37523 – 37605, 10320231, 41720231, 41920231, 9302720 - 9302747 for the month of April 2023 in the amount of $404,936.32.
B. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of April 11, 2023.
C. Acknowledge receipt of Butte County Animal Control Reports for April 2023.
D. Adopt Resolution No. 2023-05, “RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF IBGGS ADOPTING A LIST OF PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 FUNDED BY SB 1: THE ROAD REPAIR AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017.”
E. Acknowledge receipt of Accountant’s Report for March 2023.
Action: It is recommended items “A” through “E” be acted on simultaneously unless separate actions are requested by a Councilmember or a member of the audience.
Recommendation: Motion/Second to approve the consent calendar.
6. DEPARTMENT REPORTS
A. Public Safety
B. Public Works
C. Planning: Activity Report.
D. Engineering: Activity Report
E. Flood Control
F. Electric
G. BCAG
H. Air Quality
I. Solid Waste: Origin and Recycling Report
J. Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control
K. SCORE
L. LAFCO
City of Biggs City Council Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 5:00 PM
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA
M. Biggs Unified School District
N. Other Commission Reports
O. City Administrator
1. Discussion/Action: Feral Cat Program.
At the September 13, 2022, Council Meeting, Council agreed to support efforts to trap, spay/neuter, and release feral cats for a trial period not to exceed six months with the cost not exceeding $3,000.
Recommendation: Council should give direction as to whether they would like to continue to participate in the Feral Cat Control Program.
2. Discussion/Action: Power Poles and Lines in New Annexation.
On May 4, 2023, the Local Agency Formation Commission approved the annexation of additional parcels into the City of Biggs. The City does not own the electrical poles and lines brought into the City through this annexation.
Recommendation: Direct Administration to engage the law firm of Day, Carter, Murphy to begin acquisition activities for recently annexed parcels into Biggs Public Utilities.
3. Discussion: City Assistance in Renter Landlord Utility Disputes.
City staff have assisted non-resident property owners in prorating and splitting out the water and sewer billing between tenants and landlords when a tenant moves in or moves out.
Such multiple-party invoicing has become a time-consuming process in which City staff are often inserted into the contractual tenant-landlord relationship, and City staff are placed in a position of arbitrating disputes to which the City is not a party.
Staff will send a letter to the property owner informing them city staff will no longer assist in prorating and splitting water and sewer bills.
4. Discussion/Action: Electric Rate Adjustments.
At the previous two council meetings, the issue of the erosion of the Electric Fund balance was discussed. Council gave direction that increases should be phased in over time to lessen the impact on ratepayers.
City of Biggs City Council Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 5:00 PM
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA
Recommendation: Adopt Resolution No. 2023-06, “RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
OF BIGGS ESTABLISHING THE ELECTRIC UTILITY SERVICE RATES FOR
CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY OF BIGGS MUNICIPAL SYSTEM, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023, AND DECEMBER 1, 2023.”
5. Discussion/Action: Public Benefit Fund Programs.
According to AB 1890, utility-sponsored public benefit programs in the area of energy efficiency are intended to provide “cost-effective demand-side management services to promote energy-efficiency and energy conservation.”
Recommendation: Direct Administration to spend budgeted Public Benefit Funds to provide high efficiency LED lightbulbs to ratepayers of Biggs Electric Utility as authorized in the current budget.
6. Discussion/Action: Dollar General Store.
Dollar General is interested in building a store in Biggs similar to the store in Durham.
Recommendation: Direct Administration to begin preliminary fact-finding related to making zoning changes necessary for a Dollar General Store to locate in Biggs.
7. Discussion/Action: Banking Options.
Recent bank failures have caused many City Finance officers to consider risk mitigation strategies to ensure that public funds are properly secured and protected from additional disruptions in the financial markets.
Recommendation: Direct the City Administrator to move a portion of the holdings in the LAIF to Northern California National Bank to ensure complete FDIC protection and an increased rate of return for the City of Biggs.
Direct the City Administrator to acquire reasonable assurances from municipal finance experts that funds on deposit at U.S. Bank have adequate FDIC guarantees by June 1, 2023, and report to Council.
8. Discussion/Action: Mobile Food Trucks Street Vendor and Trespassing.
City Staff has received five complaints in the last week related to vendors and food vendors setting up on the private property to engage in commerce in violation of the Biggs Municipal Code, the Health and Safety Code, and or the Penal Code.
City of Biggs City Council Meeting Agenda
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 5:00 PM
3016 Sixth Street, Biggs, CA
Recommendation: Give direction to the City Attorney and City staff regarding enforcement initiatives or crafting policies that address the concerns of residents impacted by out-of-compliance vendors and food businesses set up in the City.
9. Discussion/Action: 2023-2024 Budget Development Process.
The City budget is the financial plan that outlines how the City will allocate its resources to meet its objectives and goals for the coming fiscal year.
Recommendation: Provide input to be included in the 2023-2024 budget.
7. INFORMATIONAL
8. CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Government Code section 54956.8
Property: Butte County APN 001-103-018-000
Agency negotiator: Josh Cook, City Administrator
Negotiating parties: CRE Development, Investment & Advisory Under negotiation: price and terms of payment
B. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2):
One potential case
9. RESUME REGULAR SESSION
10. ADJOURNMENT
Presented by May 5, 2023
Roben Benish, City Clerk