CITY OF BISHOP
City Council Meeting Minutes
MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2023
6:00
P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ellis called the special meeting of the Bishop City Council to order at 6:01 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 301 West Line Street, Bishop, California.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Schwartz.
3. ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Councilmember Kong, Councilmember Schwartz, Councilmember Muchovej, Mayor Pro Tem Garcia, and Mayor Ellis ABSENT:
None.
ALSO PRESENT:
Deston Dishion, City Administrator
Robin Picken, City Clerk
Russell Hildebrand, Deputy City Attorney
Ethan Aukee, Assistant Finance Director
Richard Standridge, Police Chief
Nora Gamino, Public Works Director
Elaine Kabala, Associate Planner/Economic Development Coordinator Dan McElroy, Community Services Manager
Mayor Ellis announced that Items 9A and 9B are being pulled from tonight's agenda and will be brought back at a future meeting.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT – NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: This time is set aside to receive public comment on matters not calendared on the agenda. When recognized by the Mayor, please state your name and address for the record and please limit your comments to three minutes. Under California law the City Council is prohibited from generally discussing or taking action on items not included in the agenda; however, the City Council may briefly respond to comments or questions from members of the public. Therefore, the City Council will listen to all public comment but will not generally discuss the matter or take action on it.
Public Comment made by Mark T. Vincent
Public Comments were made by:
Warren Alsup, a local resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
John F. Harris, a Bishop resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Gayla Wolf, a local resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Kelli Brown, not a Bishop resident but has a business in Bishop, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Lynette McIntosh, a local resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Rick Klug, a local resident and pastor in Bishop, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Michelle Mulligan, a local resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Carol Harris, a Bishop resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Sherry O'Connell of the Salvation Army, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Tiffany Lau, a local resident, spoke not in support of invocations.
Laura Smith, a Bishop resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Kristy Morton, a local resident, asked that the agenda be published in the paper.
John Atkin, a local resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
Greg Smith, a Bishop resident, spoke in support of invocations at City Council meetings.
No further public comments were made.
5. BISHOP AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INFORMATION CENTER UPDATE – Prepared by Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Information Center Executive Director Tawni Thomson and presented by Destination Marketing Specialist Julie Faber.
Item 5
On behalf of Executive Director Tawni Thomson, Destination Marketing Specialist Julie Faber reviewed the Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Information Center report with Council and provided a brief update on their digital marketing programs.
6. EASTERN SIERRA TRI-COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS QUARTERLY UPDATE – Prepared and presented by Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fairgrounds Chief Executive Officer Jen McGuire.
Item 6A
Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fairgrounds Chief Executive Officer Jen McGuire reviewed her report with Council and along with Board of Directors President Judy Waggoner and Director Joanne Parsons they provided some additional information to Council on the Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fairgrounds activities and events.
7. DEPARTMENT REPORTS Updates on department activities will be given by the Department Heads and/or their staff.
Reports from the Police, Public Works, Community Services, Planning, and Administration Departments were given on each department’s activities including upcoming and ongoing projects.
A.
Fire Chief Joe Dell
Fire Chief Dell is absent and excused due to his attendance at the Emergency Medical Care Committee meeting.
B.
Police Chief Richard Standridge
Police Chief Standridge reported to Council on the high amount of traffic through town recently due to weather and increased tourist traffic, the great response their department has had from the Vons property owners in helping to address illegal homesteading and littering at their parking lot and on their property, an update on Oscar Lopez-Esparza who is scheduled to graduate from the Police Academy in February, and announced the hire of a new Communications Operator Kelsey Allred.
C.
Public Works Director Nora Gamino
Public Works Director Gamino provided Council with updates on the following capital projects: East Line Street Bridge Replacement Project, Whitney Alley Green Infrastructure Project which is a Proposition 68 funded project, and the Warren Street Rehabilitation Project (South Warren Street); Public Works Director Gamino also gave an update on Bishop Area Wastewater Authority (BAWA) activities and answered questions from Council related to crosswalks on Main Street.
D.
Community Services Manager Dan McElroy
Community Services Manager McElroy reported to Council on organizing summer programs, the gymnastics class schedule, After School Program, the January 27 "Kids Night Out" event, hosting softball, baseball, and soccer at the City Park, an update on the dirt delivery at the City Park ballfields, tree maintenance, the next Parks and Recreation Commission meeting agenda items, the City Park Front Restroom Rehabilitation project reimbursement, the Community Garden grant, and the current recruitment schedule for their current job openings.
E.
Associate Planner/Economic Development Coordinator Elaine Kabala Associate Planner and Economic Development Coordinator Kabala reported to Council on an application received for a potential development on the south side of Vons, working with housing investors and economic development investors, an employer workforce housing survey, and provided an update on addressing recent code and signage violations.
F.
City Administrator Deston Dishion
City Administrator Dishion reported to Council on the importance of the housing survey sent out to help assess how much housing we need in town, the Fire Joint Powers Authority Ad Hoc Committee meeting, a potential Planner candidate, an Airport meeting update, the implementation of the Emergency Operations Center due to the recent storms, his upcoming presentation at the Chamber of Commerce's "Lunch and Learn" meeting to talk about sidewalk cleanliness and how to partner together to keep downtown clean, and reported on making upgrades to the Council Chambers by April this year.
8. CONSENT CALENDAR – NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: All matters under the Consent Calendar are considered routine by the City and will be acted on by one motion.
A.
FOR APPROVAL/FILING
1. City Council Meeting Minutes – December 12, 2022
Item 8A.1
2. Monthly Budget Reports – November 2022
Item 8A.2
3. Warrant Registers – November 2022
Item 8A.3
4. Combined Cash Report – November 2022
Item 8A.4
5. Bank Reconciliation Report – November 2022
Item 8A.5
6. Investment Portfolio – November 2022
Item 8A.6
7. Sportsites Letter of Extension – 3/1/2023 – 2/28/2024 Item 8A.7
8. A Resolution Renewing the City of Bishop’s Military Equipment Policy; AB 481-Military Equipment Annual Inventory and Report for 2023 Item 8A.8
9. A Resolution Approving the Application for Grant Funds for the Urban Greening Program Item 8A.9
No public comments were made.
Moved by: Councilmember Schwartz, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Garcia to approve the Consent Calendar as presented.
AYES:
Councilmember Kong, Councilmember Schwartz, Councilmember Muchovej, Mayor Pro Tem Garcia, Mayor Ellis NOES:
None
ABSENTS:
None
ABSTAINS:
None
RECUSALS:
None
SUMMARY:
5 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains; 0 Absent.
Motion passed 5-0.
9. NEW BUSINESS
Mayor Ellis reminded everyone, as he announced at the beginning of this meeting, that Items 9A and 9B are pulled from the agenda and will be brought back at a future meeting.
A.
FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022 AUDITED FINANCIALS - Council to review and accept the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Audited Financial Statements – Finance.
Item 9A
Item 9A was pulled from the agenda.
B.
PROPOSITON 4 CALCULATIONS REPORT – Council consideration to accept the City of Bishop Proposition 4 Calculations Report June 30, 2022 – Finance.
Item 9B
Item 9B was pulled from the agenda.
10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Muchovej asked for a presentation on how we will prioritize streets and sidewalks around town. Councilmember Muchovej also asked to receive an update on Council benefits.
No further requests were made for future agenda items.
11. COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
Council Members reported on meetings and community events that they attended.
12. ADJOURNMENT Monday, February 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting in the City Council Chambers.
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 7:40 p.m. to the City Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, February 13, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. ______________________________________
Jim Ellis, Mayor
Attest: ______________________________
Robin Picken, City Clerk