CITY OF BISHOP
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
FEBRUARY 24, 2025
1)
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Kong called the meeting of the Bishop City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 301 West Line Street, Bishop, California. 2)
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Councilmember Freundt
Councilmember Garcia
Councilmember Schwartz
Mayor Kong
ABSENT:
Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej
OTHERS PRESENT: Deston Dishion, City Administrator; Robin Picken, City Clerk; Karey Poole, Community Services Administrative Assistant; Dean J. Pucci, City Attorney; Nora Gamino, Public Works Director 3)
PUBLIC COMMENT PRIOR TO CLOSED SESSION
No public comments were made.
4)
CLOSED SESSION
4.A)
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION - SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9(b): 1 Potential Case
4.B)
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9 - Name of Case: City of Bishop et al vs. Aaron Schat et al Case No: SI CV CV-2368971 Closed Session began at 4:30 p.m. Closed Session ended at 5:45 p.m.
Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej joined the City Council Closed Session at 5:35 p.m. 5)
OPEN SESSION
Mayor Kong called the open session of the Bishop City Council to order at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 301 West Line Street, Bishop, California. 6)
MOMENT OF SILENCE
Mayor Kong announced a moment of silence.
7)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Kong.
8)
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Councilmember Freundt
Councilmember Garcia
Councilmember Schwartz
Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej
Mayor Kong
ABSENT:
None.
OTHERS PRESENT: Deston Dishion, City Administrator; Robin Picken, City Clerk; Dean J. Pucci, City Attorney; Bret Russell, Fire Chief; Nate Derr, Police Chief; Nora Gamino, Public Works Director; Dan McElroy, Community Services Manager; and Karey Poole, Community Services Administrative Assistant 9)
PUBLIC COMMENT
Mark Harrison, Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Bishop, recited a prayer.
Mark Vincent, of Studio7 Collaborative + Eastern Sierra Entertainment Audio Video Company, spoke to his entertainment business along with Philip Ganoung who are available for hire in Bishop. 10)
REPORT ON ACTIONS TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION AS REQUIRED BY LAW To report on actions taken in Closed Session as required by law, Mayor Kong read aloud the Closed Session items - 4.A) CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION - SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9(b): 1 Potential Case; 4.B) CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION pursuant to Government Code § 54956.9 - Name of Case: City of Bishop et al vs. Aaron Schat et al Case No: SI CV CV-2368971; and announced that no reportable action was taken. 11)
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Reports from the Fire, Police, Public Works, Community Services, and Administration Departments were given on each of their department's activities including upcoming and ongoing projects.
Fire Chief Russell reported to Council on the completion of the new ventilation system for Fire Station 1, thanked Council for their support for the Bishop Fire Department and for public safety as a whole, and thanked the Bishop Volunteer Firefighters and their workplaces that continue to allow our volunteers to respond to fire calls.
Police Chief Derr reported to Council on the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council survey that was recently completed to help determine how their grant money is spent to assist our youth, the receipt of the Point In Time Count (PIT Count) study for unhoused individuals in Alpine, Mono, and Inyo Counties, working on contracts to benefit our community, scheduled their next Citizens Academy to begin on March 6, 2025, and stated as a reminder to the public that with good weather, call volumes typically go up; therefore he asked that everyone be mindful and cautious in what they do in order to not increase calls.
Public Works Director Gamino reported to Council on their annual reporting for water and wastewater, an update to the City's annual consumer confidence report on water quality, the arrival of their new Vactor vacuum truck last week, and announced that Assistant Planner Budnyk received the Complete Street Safety Assessment Grant for a comprehensive transportation safety assessment that will focus on pedestrian and bicycle safety that will help identify and implement traffic safety solutions to improve safety for everyone and support our planning efforts for our next round of Active Transportation Programs (ATP).
Community Services Manager McElroy reported to Council on the upcoming bid opening for the pool resurfacing project, the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, an update on their scheduled programs, lifeguard recruitment, and upcoming Water Safety Instructor (WSI) training for Aquatics Coordinator Gomez. Community Services Manager McElroy announced the activities at the City Park starting with the aeration of the fields, hosting the Eastern Sierra Girls Softball tryouts, Little League Baseball tryouts, field use by the Bishop Union High School Baseball and Softball teams, the installation of a concrete path between the tennis courts and the skate park, and provided an update on this year's Family Fun Day, Hispanic Heritage and Latino Conservation Week, and Friday Night Markets.
City Administrator Dishion reported to Council on the upcoming kick-off meeting for the Eastern Sierra Community Housing Needs Study on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. via videoconference and is the first of six community meetings that will be facilitated in English and some in Spanish, the scheduling of the next City of Bishop and Bishop Rural Fire Protection District Joint Meeting, the first Parking Technical Advisory Committee Meeting, and shared information that Air Alliance Group and United Airlines is considering extending air service in Bishop through Mid-October 2025. 12)
BISHOP AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INFORMATION CENTER UPDATE
12.A)
Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Information Center Update Report - February 24, 2025 BACCIC February 24 2025 City Council Report
Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Information Center Executive Director Tawni Thomson reviewed her report with Council. After answering all of Council's questions, the Council thanked Tawni Thomson for her report. 13)
CONSENT CALENDAR
13.A)
City Council Meeting Minutes
Minutes 2025 01 13
Minutes 2025 01 27
13.B)
January 2025 Budget Report
January 2025 Budget Report
13.C)
January 2025 Financial Reports
January 2025 Bank Reconciliation Report
January 2025 Combined Cash Report
January 2025 Investment Portfolio Report
January 2025 Warrant Register Report
13.D)
Public Works Administrative Support Specialist Job Description and Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Full Time Salary Schedule Cover Page
Public Works Administrative Support Specialist Job Description Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Full Time Salary Schedule
13.E)
Police Department Flock Safety Contract
Cover Page
ALPR policy
Flock contract
13.F)
Budget Adjustment for Grant Funded Energy Efficient Pool Pumps Cover Page
HSEF Demonstration Project_ City of Bishop Replacement Pool Pump
13.G)
Amendment No.1 to Professional Services Agreement for Real Estate consultation and services between the City of Bishop and Bishop Real Estate Rasmusson and Assoicates Inc.
Cover Page
Amendment 1 to Professional Service Agreement with BRERA Professional Services Agreement Real Estate Services
2022 Letter of Extension
2023 Letter of Extension
2024 Letter of Extension
13.H)
Planning Commission Meeting Cancellation Notice
February 25, 2025 - Cancellation Notice
Mayor Kong announced that Item 13.E Police Department Flock Safety Contract is pulled from the consent calendar and will be brought back at a later date. No public comments were made.
Motion/Councilmember Schwartz
Seconded/Councilmember Garcia
Councilmember Schwartz made a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as presented except for Item 13.E.
Motion passed 5-0
Ayes: Councilmember Freundt, Councilmember Garcia, Councilmember Schwartz, Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej, Mayor Kong Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
14)
NEW BUSINESS
14.A)
Appointment to the Parks and Recreation Commission
Cover Page
Statement of Interest from Kim Partridge
Community Services Manager McElroy reviewed this item with Council. No public comments were made.
Motion/Councilmember Garcia
Seconded/Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej
Councilmember Garcia made a motion to approve the appointment of Kim Partridge to fill the unscheduled vacancy on the Parks and Recreation Commission with a term ending October 28, 2027.
Motion passed 5-0
Ayes: Councilmember Freundt, Councilmember Garcia, Councilmember Schwartz, Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej, Mayor Kong Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
15)
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Schwartz, with consensus from Council, asked that staff work with Council on a systematic approach on how Council Members are appointed to ad hoc committees and commissions.
Mayor Kong, with consensus from Council, asked staff to invite Northern Inyo Hospital District Chief Executive Officer Stephen DelRossi or a member of their Board to do a presentation on their new billing policy at a future meeting.
Mayor Pro Tem Muchovej, with consensus from Council, asked staff to invite a Mule Days Committee Representative to do a presentation on the 2025 Mule Days event, their 5-year vision, and fiscal solvency at a future meeting.
No further requests were made for future agendas items. 16)
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
Council Members reported on meetings and community events that they attended. 17)
ADJOURNMENT
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 6:46 p.m. to the City Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, March 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. ______________________________________
Karen Kong, Mayor
Attest: ______________________________
Robin Picken, City Clerk