CITY OF BISHOP
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
JANUARY 26, 2026
1)
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Muchovej called the meeting of the Bishop City Council to order at 6:03 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, 301 West Line Street, Bishop, California. 2)
MOMENT OF SILENCE
Mayor Muchovej announced a moment of silence.
3)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilmember Kong. 4)
ROLL CALL
PRESENT:
Councilmember Kong
Councilmember Garcia
Mayor Pro Tem Freundt
Mayor Muchovej
ABSENT:
Councilmember Schwartz
OTHERS PRESENT: Pam Foster, City Administrator; Karey Poole, Administrative Support Assistant; Russell A. Hildebrand, Deputy City Attorney; Bret Russell, Fire Chief; Nate Derr, Police Chief; Anastasiia Budnyk, Principal Planner; and Daniel McElroy, Community Services Manager 5)
PUBLIC COMMENT
Jennifer Beaudean suggested that the A-Frame be included in the Master Plan for the Park as a future City Council meeting agenda item.
Rick Klug, a local resident and pastor, recited a prayer.
Rhonda Iharra, a local resident, expressed her dismay of how the State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is starting to have a heavy impact on our residents as to the number of projects they are working on at once on our local streets.
Jason Brown, a Bishop resident, - positive experience, Mormon church put in lights that were very bright, came down to City Hall and was taken back to the Pub Works off, within 30 mins they went down there and had the lights changed, thank the City for immediate response to fix issues Jason Brown, a Bishop resident, spoke to a positive experience he had when reaching out to City staff to report the installation of very bright lights in his neighborhood. He commended City staff for their quick response time. City staff went to the identified location within 30 minutes of reporting it and had the lights changed. 6)
PRESENTATIONS
6.A)
A Presentation on the Valley Apartments - Presented by Eastern Sierra Community Housing Executive Director Patricia Robertson.
ESCH Presentation - January 26, 2026
Council received a presentation from Eastern Sierra Community Housing Executive Director Patricia Robertson on current projects, the Valley Apartments, and upcoming rehabilitation projects. After addressing all of Council's questions, Council thanked Patricia Robertson for her presentation.
6.B)
A Presentation on Wild Iris - Presented by Wild Iris Family Counseling and Crisis Center/CASA of the Eastern Sierra Executive Director Dominic Hays.
Wild Iris Presentation - January 26, 2026
Wild Iris Brochure
Council received a presentation from Wild Iris Family Counseling and Crisis Center/CASA of the Eastern Sierra Executive Director Dominic Hays on their recent activities and programs. After addressing all of Council's questions, Council thanked Dominic Hays for his presentation. 7)
DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Reports from the Fire, Police, Community Services, and Administration Departments were given on each department’s activities including upcoming and ongoing projects. 8)
BISHOP AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INFORMATION CENTER UPDATE
8.A)
Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Information Center Update Report - January 26, 2026 BACCIC Report - January 26, 2026
Bishop Chamber of Commerce Board President Robert Sharp reviewed Executive Director Tawni Thomson's report submitted to Council. After a discussion about the Chamber's relocation, projects, and events, Council thanked Robert Sharp for his report. 9)
CONSENT CALENDAR
9.A)
City Council Meeting Minutes
MINUTES 2025 11 10 - Special Meeting
MINUTES 2025 11 10
MINUTES 2025 12 08
9.B)
City Council Regular Meeting Cancellation Notices
November 24, 2025 Regular Meeting - Cancellation Notice December 22, 2025 Regular Meeting - Cancellation Notice
9.C)
A Resolution Approving Guidelines for the Submission and Tabulation of Protests in Connection with Rate Hearings Cover Page
Reso No. 2026-XX Majority Protest Tabulation
9.D)
ORDINANCE - Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 13.06 Relating to Cross-Connection Control Cover Page
Ordinance No. XXX Update to Title 13 Cross-Connection Control
9.E)
ORDINANCE - Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Repealing and Replacing Chapter 17.75 (Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units) Cover Page
Ordinance - Repealing and Replacing Ch. 17.75 ADU and JADU - 2026 01 26 Exhibit A - CHAPTER_17.75.___ADU_and_JADU
9.F)
Challenger Sports - Letter of Extension
Cover Page
Vendor_Agreement Challenger Sports 2024 02 12.pdf
Letter of Agreement - Bishop P&R (1).pdf
Letter of Agreement - Bishop P&R 2026.pdf
CITY OF BISHOP Challenger Sports - signed.pdf
No public comments were made.
Motion/Councilmember Garcia
Seconded/Mayor Pro Tem Freundt
Councilmember Garcia made a motion to approve the Consent Calendar as presented.
Motion passed 4-0
Ayes: Councilmember Kong, Councilmember Garcia, Mayor Pro Tem Freundt, Mayor Muchovej Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: Councilmember Schwartz
10)
NEW BUSINESS
10.A)
City Council Discussion on Striping Options of the Upper Tennis Courts Cover Page
Community Services Manager McElroy reviewed this item with Council.
Public comments were made by:
Robert Jellison, a local resident, spoke on behalf of local pickleball players expressing their support for pickleball courts and shared his recent observations for a higher demand of court use for pickleball players versus tennis players.
Irene Yamashita requested Council's consideration for additional courts painted for pickleball.
Cam Smith expressed his concern if courts are taken from tennis players.
Rob Klinger spoke in support of keeping tennis and pickleball courts separate to avoid conflict.
Hans Wendl spoke in support of keeping tennis and pickleball courts separate to avoid conflict and requested that the Council consider overturning the Parks and Recreation Commission's decision to stripe both courts to accommodate both sports.
Bobbie Stryffeler spoke in support of both sports and the community. It is her opinion that six courts would be a lot and would need barriers to keep balls and people out of each others games. Bobbie Stryffeler suggested that with our local college coming to teach classes, perhaps the college will invest in courts.
Pierre Jgangirard spoke as both a pickleball and tennis player. Pierre Jgangirard shared his experience playing both sports, mostly playing pickleball in the morning and tennis in the afternoon, and mentioned that by afternoon everyone leaves and people have options to play either sport in the afternoons.
Mike Grotzki, a tennis player and a new community member who used to live in Mammoth Lakes, spoke in favor of creating more courts for both sports.
Jeanne Oakeshott expressed her opinion on fair and equitable court use for tennis players, not just pickleball players; and questioned the designated pickleball courts on the Park Master Plan.
Jim Rossini spoke in support of the tennis community and asked Council to consider keeping the two tennis courts in the upper courts and providing a total of six courts in the lower courts for pickleball.
Written public comments were received from:
Jim Rossini - wrote in support of the tennis community and asked Council to consider keeping the two tennis courts in the upper courts and providing a total of six courts in the lower courts for pickleball.
Suzanne Stimson - wrote in opposition of painting pickleball lines on the upper tennis courts.
Lindon Wiebe - wrote in support of painting pickleball lines on the upper tennis courts.
Robert Jellison - shared court use data by both tennis and pickleball players that identified the high demand for pickleball courts.
Council thanked everyone for their public comments and Council discussed this item further with staff.
After much deliberation, Council directed staff to see if there is room to fit six (6) pickleball courts on the lower courts and see what the implications are on the high school tennis team, receive feedback from the pickleball community to see if this suggestion is degrading their experience or not, and due to costs and maintenance concerns staff should keep looking at resurfacing the courts. Once Council hears back from staff on these items, Council will then make a more definitive decision on this item.
Mayor Muchovej announced a short three minute break. Mayor Muchovej reconvened the meeting at: 8:13 p.m.
10.B)
A-Frame Building - Proposal to Provide Environmental Support Services for the City of Bishop Chamber of Commerce/Visitor’s Center Project Cover Page
Helix Environmental Planning Proposal
City Administrator Foster reviewed this item with Council.
Public comments were made by:
Lynett Macintosh spoke in support of keeping and saving the A-Frame.
Warren Allsup spoke in support of keeping the A-Frame in same area of the City park.
Joann Lijek spoke in support of keeping the A-Frame as a historic building.
Jennifer Beaudean, spoke in support of keeping the A-Frame, not tear it down.
Noel Gabriel-Guacheno spoke in support of saving and repairing the A-Frame, and keeping the A-Frame and the Chamber of Commerce at the City Park.
Gayla Wolf spoke in support of saving the A-Frame.
Rhonda Iharra requested that Council place this item on the agenda when more members of the public are in attendance.
No further public comments were made.
After further discussion by Council and City Administrator Foster, a motion was made.
Motion/Councilmember Kong
Seconded/Councilmember Garcia
Councilmember Kong made a motion to approve the Environmental Support Services agreement with Helix Environmental for the CEQA compliance, Biological Resource Evaluation, Historic Resource Evaluation, and Preparation of Aquatic Resource Permit Applications associated with the demolition of the A-Frame Building in City Park.
Motion passed 4-0
Ayes: Councilmember Kong, Councilmember Garcia, Mayor Pro Tem Freundt, Mayor Muchovej Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: Councilmember Schwartz
Mayor Muchovej then asked everyone to take a moment to recognize Gayla Wolf's birthday by joining him in singing happy birthday to her. Gayla Wolf thanked everyone for singing happy birthday to her. 11)
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Kong, with consensus from Council, asked for a School Resources Officer report at a future meeting.
Mayor Muchovej asked, not as a future agenda item, but to have the Police Chief add to his Department report information on how the Flock data is being used. Police Chief Derr mentioned that they are following state law and they do not share with anyone outside of the state, or federal agencies; the Police Department can only share information with allied agencies within the State of California. Mayor Muchovej then clarified his request and asked Police Chief Derr to include in his next Department Report to Council the number of requests they have received from those agencies within the State of California.
No further requests were made for future agendas items. 12)
COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
Councilmember Garcia and Mayor Muchovej reported that the Local Transportation Commission (LTC) meeting was cancelled. Councilmember Kong reported that she arranged an orientation meeting with Eastern Sierra Council of Governments (ESCOG) Executive Director Elaine Kabala in preparation for her first ESCOG meeting. 13)
ADJOURNMENT
The Mayor adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. to the City Council Meeting scheduled for Monday, February 9, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Regular Meeting in the City Council Chambers. ______________________________________
Stephen Muchovej, Mayor
Attest: ______________________________
Alison Bishop, City Clerk