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Unless Otherwise Noted, All Items on the Agenda are Subject to Action.
Meeting Called to Order at 6:00PM
1. Pledge of Allegiance and Establish a Quorum of the Council Council Observed a Moment of Silence in Recognition of the Passing of Planning Commissioner Earl Eddy.
Council Members Present:
Adelene Jones, Mayor
Angela Shull, Mayor Pro-Tem
Elizabeth Mackay
Elise Scafani
Christopher Edgar
Staff Present:
Amanda Mager, City Manager/City Clerk
Ryan Plotz, City Attorney
Public Present:
Kent Sawatzky, Verda Pitts, Angela Dare, Erin McClure, Julie Christie, Justin Noydb, Tina Catalina, Jason, Mardi Granger, Beckie Thornton, Jean Lynch, Lisa Hoover, Lin Glen, Jeff Landon, Kim Warvi, Alex Ricca, Stasia Nakamura, Dave Nakamura
2. Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: Hands out emails and comments on the Blue Lake Rancheria and the negotiations with the Sheriff.
Verda Pitts: Appreciates the City Manager’s job is to promote growth; recommends that the admin position take over clerk duties.
Angela Dare: Comments on City Clerk duties.
Erin McClure: Comments on water tank lease and eminent domain.
Julie Christie: Comments on relocating water tank from McClure property.
3. Closed Session:
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Skinner Store Building-111 Greenwood Road, Blue Lake-Behind City Hall
CITY OF BLUE LAKE
C A L I F O R N I A
111 Greenwood Road
P.O. Box 458
Blue Lake, CA 95525
(707) 668-5655
Fax: (707) 668-5916
www.bluelake.ca.gov
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a. Closed Session: CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS Property: Portions of APN Nos. 312-131-037-000, 312-131-045-000, 312-131-046-000, and 312-190- 010-000, in the unincorporated area of the County of Humboldt, State of California.
Agency negotiator: Amanda Mager, City Manager; Ryan Plotz, Assistant City Attorney Negotiating parties: Erin McClure, Trustee
Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment.
b. Closed Session: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL--ANTICIPATED
LITIGATION
Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: one case c. Closed Session: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Title: City Manager
Motion: To enter into closed session
Motion by: Councilmember Mackay Second: Mayor Pro-Tem Shull Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Approved by Consensus
The Council, City Manager Mager and City Attorney enter into closed session at 6:10PM Council reconvenes at 7:08PM
Motion: To enter into open session
Motion by: Edgar Second: Mackay
Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)
Council: Nothing to report out from closed session items.
Mayor Pro-Tem Shull states that she lives on Acacia Drive, which is subject to discussion/approval for Resolution Number 1221; and as such she will recuse herself from voting on that agenda item.
Motion: To Approve the Agenda as presented
Motion by: Edgar Second: Mackay
No public comment
Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)
3. Public Comment – The Public is invited to present petitions, make announcements, or provide other information to the City Council that is relevant to the scope of authority of the City of Blue Lake that is not on the Agenda. The Council may provide up to 15 minutes for this public input session. To assure that each individual presentation is heard, the Council may uniformly impose time limitations of 3 minutes to each individual presentation. The public will be given the opportunity to address items that are on the agenda at the time the Council takes up each specific agenda item. 3 | Page
Lisa Hoover: Comments on Planning Commission and update on Powers Creek projects.
Lin Glen: Comments on Sheriff contract increases and public commenting protocol.
Kent Sawatzky: Provides an update on the County Board of Supervisors actions.
Beckie Thornton: Comments on City Manager/City Clerk duties and staff being on commissions.
Julie Christie: Comments on truck route and requests an update on the project.
Verda Pitts: Comments on the City providing law enforcement services.
Public Comment Closed.
4. Public Safety Commission Leash Law Presentation/Recommendation-Discussion/Action
Mayor Jones introduces the item; Commissioner Jason Crews presents the Public Safety Commission’s recommendation on a Blue Lake leash law. The Public Safety Commission recommends using Trinidad as a model for the development of a leash law and formalizing the law in the City’s municipal code.
Council discusses the recommendation and recommends a maximum 8 foot leash requirement.
Public Comment:
Alex Ricca: Comments that the east side of the levee is outside of City limits; has had more issues with dogs on leash; recommends exempting the path from Harnden Bridge to Taylor Way.
Stasia Nakamura: Dogs should be able to run on the levee and the trails; recommends a leash law in town.
Angela Dare: Comments on interactions with unleashed dogs.
Dave Nakamura: Agrees that dogs should be on leashes in town; not on the trail and levee.
Kent Sawatzky: Supports a leash law and additional contract with animal control.
Julie Christie: Supports a leash law; install signage on City property.
Lin Glen: Questions enforcement; a leash law would not have prevented the last two dog attacks; the City needs to go further to protect citizens.
Verda Pitts: A leash law was not my concern; a quicker response to animal issues was; I’m happy to let this die down; need vicious dog rules.
Public Comment Closed.
Mayor Jones: Supports a leash law.
Councilmember Mackay: Supports a leash law in town and off-leash outside of town.
Councilmember Scafani: Supports a leash law; carving out areas where it doesn’t apply is difficult.
Motion: To direct staff to develop leash law language, and signage and define the City’s jurisdiction in relation to the levee.
Motion by: Scafani Second: Edgar
No public comment
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Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)
5. Resolution Number 1220: Fiscal Year 22-23 Budget Amendment Mayor Jones introduces the item and reads the staff report.
City Accountant, Scott Gordon, provides an overview of the budget amendment.
Public Comment: None
Motion: To approve Resolution Number 1220 as presented
Motion by: Edgar Second: Scafani
No public comment
Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)
6. Resolution Number 1221-SB 1 Funding
Mayor Pro-Tem Shull recuses herself from voting; she resides on the street that is subject to the terms of the proposed resolution.
City Manager Mager provides an overview of the SB 1 program, including the staff’s recommendation to utilize the funding to resurface Park and Acacia due to the level of need and the opportunity to leverage the paving associated with the Pacific Gas and Electric gas line replacement project.
Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: Comments that these roads have been a problem for some time and the availability of additional funds from HCAOG.
Julie Christie: Comments on HCAOG budget and City funds.
Mayor Jones: Clarifies that HCAOG funding is project specific.
Jean Lynch: Comments on funding for City road projects.
Mardi Granger: Asks about location of the roads.
Motion: To Approve Resolution Number 1221
Motion by: Edgar Second: Mackay
No public comment
Vote: Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Abstain: Recused: 1-Shull
Motion Summary: Motion Passed
Public Comment:
7. Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Draft Budget Presentation & Adoption (Resolution Number 1222)- Action
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City Accountant, Scott Gordon, presents the draft fiscal year 23-24 budget; provides an overview of the general fund and special funds.
Councilmember Scafani: Stated that she met with the accountant and reviewed the budget; the does the salary schedule change overall?
City Manager Mager: There is no cost of living proposed this budget cycle.
Mayor Pro-Tem Shull: What is longevity pay?
City Manager Mager: Longevity pay is for long-term employees.
Councilmember Scafani: What happens if we adopt the budget and the law enforcement contract comes in higher; should we cut the budget to pay for the contract? City Manager Mager: Provides an update on the Prasch Hall improvements and the funding; staffing levels and the budget increase for another office position.
Public Comment:
Lisa Hoover: Questions discretionary funding sources.
Beckie Thornton: Comments on purchasing skates and bleachers.
Kent Sawatzky: Comments on fundraising; the general fund is positive and in good shape.
Jeff Landon: Is the City budget a million dollars?
Julie Christie: Thanks staff for budget presentation; would like updates on grant funding.
Lin Glen: Questions public comment protocol.
Motion: To Adopt Resolution Number 1222-Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget Motion by: Mackay Second: Shull
No public comment
Vote: Ayes: 4 Nays: 1 (Scafani) Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (4-1)
8. Planning Commission Zoom Option-Discussion/Direction Mayor Jones introduces the item; Councilmember Scafani presents the item.
Councilmember Mackay: Would we have a policy for the other commissions? City Manager Mager: Explains that the Planning Commission has more staff capacity to facilitate a Zoom option; the other commissions do not have dedicated staff.
Public Comment:
Angela Dare: Supports Zoom option for all commissions.
Kent Sawatzky: Can use Zoom 2x a year for Council members.
Public Comment Closed.
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Council directs staff to implement a Zoom option for the Planning Commission meetings.
Julie Christie: Supports Zoom
Beckie Thornton: Supports Zoom; would like the commissions that use Skinner Store to use Zoom.
9. Consent Agenda: Warrants and Disbursements
Motion: To accept the consent agenda as presented
Motion by: Councilmember Mackay , Second: Councilmember Shull Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: It’s a conflict of interest to vote on this item; you’re voting on your pay.
Public Comment Closed
Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)
10. Council Correspondence:
Mayor Jones reads a letter received from Bobbi Ricca.
11. Reports of Council and Staff:
Councilmember Edgar: Nothing to Report
Councilmember Scafani: Reports on RCEA meeting
Mayor Jones: Reports on HBMWD and City Wide Yard Sale
Mayor Pro-Tem Shull: Reports on RREDC meeting
Councilmember Mackay: Nothing to report.
12. Future Agenda Items:
Truck route and Powers Creek development update
13. Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: Comments on Planning Commission vacancy
Julie Christie: Comments on truck route project update
14. Motion to Adjourn:
Motion by: Councilmember Mackay , Second: Edgar
Public Comment: None
Vote: Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstain: 0
Motion Summary: Motion Passed (Consensus)