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1.Called to Order: 6:30 p.m.
Quorum Established: Mayor Sawatzky, Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani, Councilmember Firor, Councilmember Lewis-Lusso, Councilmember Napier
Staff Present: City Manager Mager, City Attorney Plotz
Public Present: Karina Green, Erin McClure, Julie Christie, Beckie Thornton, Angela Dare, Lisa Hoover
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Approval of the Agenda
No public comment
Motion: To approve the agenda as presented
Motion by: Councilmember Firor
Seconded by: Councilmember Lewis-Lusso
Public Comment: None
Motion Summary: Consensus
4. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda:
Erin McClure: Comments on illegal fireworks and thanks the Council for the town hall on the housing element.
Karina Green: Comments on her issues with creek flooding and communication with the City.
Julie Christie: Comments on having two meetings per month; keep communication open with outside entities.
5. City Council Training: City Attorney, Ryan Plotz introduces his presentation; the training will cover Council roles and responsibilities, the role of the City Manager, the Brown Act and the California Public Records Act.
Attorney Plotz: Council sets policy through local law (ordinances), planning policies, financial policies, the annual budget, capital improvement plans, the General Plan, etc… The Council Manual needs to be updated to resolve conflict between the Municipal Code and the manual.
Councilmember Napier: Questions how the process works in relation to the General Plan.
Attorney Plotz: The Council will direct staff to work on the plan; it’s a lengthy and expensive process and it’s the primary policy for the City.
Mayor Sawatzky: Questions how the housing element update was paid for and who did the work?
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
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, January 14, 2025 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 2 | P a g e
City Manager Mager: The City received grant funding to update the housing element; the work was contracted out to the City’s Planning and Engineering firm.
Attorney Plotz: Explains that it is easier to update the elements than it is to update the General Plan.
Attorney Plotz: Explains that the City Manager is the day-to-day administrator for the City; this is codified in the Municipal Code Section 2.12.070.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Questions the position of the Treasurer; who would this be? Attorney Plotz: Explains the limited role of the Treasurer; responsibilities include review and approval of the warrants and disbursements; the treasurer does not manage the day-to-day financial activities of the City.
Councilmember Napier: Questions the City Clerk duties; in the past the City Manager position was combined with the City Clerk and admin staff also fulfilled these duties; it is a difficult position to recruit for.
Attorney Plotz: Explains the role of the City Clerk; staff will be bringing this discussion to the Council at a later date.
Attorney Plotz: Presents on the Brown Act.
Attorney Plotz: Explains that Council only acts through collective action; Council by its very nature cannot conduct daily activities; the Brown Act precludes the Council from acting outside of a duly noticed meeting.
Council directives should be brought to the full Council for discussion and directive.
Councilmember Napier: Questions if an ad-hoc committee can provide direction.
Attorney Plotz: Clarifies that an ad-hoc committee cannot be delegated duties that would be the responsibility of the full Council. An ad-hoc committee cannot be used to assign duties not granted to the Council through the Municipal Code.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Questions how to share information with the other Councilmembers.
Attorney Plotz: Clarifies that Councilmembers cannot share information with more than one other Councilmember; it is best to bring the information to the full Council at a regular meeting.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Questions how to change the Municipal Code.
Attorney Plotz: The Council develops an ordinance through collective action by the Council; the City Attorney would draft the ordinance and bring it to Council for a first and second reading. Amendments to the zoning code have to go through the Planning Commission and are recommended to the Council by resolution and a public hearing process.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Asks what a resolution is used for.
Attorney Plotz: Clarifies that a resolution memorializes a decision or position; they do not set law.
Attorney Plotz: Presents on the California Public Records Act; informs Council about the use of personal emails, text messages and emails.
Public Comment:
Julie Christie: Comments on the presentation; feels that the information was skewed to control the Council.
Public Comment Closed.
6. City Manager Report: The City Manager presents her monthly report for January 2025; asks the Council if they have any specific questions and/or would like to see the information presented in a different way.
Council recommends that “new” projects be highlighted in bold, add any actions required by Council and provide additional details on timelines.
Public Comment:
Julie Christie: Questions if actions will be taken on the Manager’s report.
7. City Council Board and Commission Assignments:
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City Manager Mager presents the item; explains that the Council started the assignment process at their meeting in December and recommended bringing the item to the January meeting to finalize. The Council reviews the assignments and recommends a final assignment list.
Motion: To approve the Council assignment list
Motion by: Councilmember Napier
Seconded by: Councilmember Firor
Motion Summary: Consensus
8. Agenda Setting Committee
City Manager Mager presents the item; explains why there is an agenda setting ad-hoc committee and reviews the language in the Municipal Code. The agenda setting committee was established to assist the City Manager in finalizing the Council agenda and to provide feedback on items and the order and date of scheduling. The Municipal Code identifies the Mayor and the City Manager as the parties responsible for setting the agenda.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: States her concern that the Council is only meeting once a month; and concerned about process for adding items to the agenda.
Councilmember Firor: States that he is comfortable with the City Manager and the Mayor setting the agenda.
Councilmember Napier: States that she supports the continuance of the ad-hoc committee to set the agenda.
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: States that she supports staying with the process if there is one established; would like to see the order of business changed. If it needs to be addressed in the future it can be brought back.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Recommends keeping the ad-hoc committee; if it’s not needed in the future it can be addressed.
Motion: To establish an agenda setting ad-hoc committee comprised of the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem Motion by: Councilmember Napier
Seconded by: Councilmember Scafani
Council Discussion:
Mayor Sawatzky: Questions if there are any legal benefits to having an ad-hoc.
Councilmember Firor: Questions how the process works with three people participating? Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: States that there wasn’t a formal process.
City Manager Mager: States that it can be cumbersome to manage everyone’s schedule and it was a problem in the past to accommodate everyone’s availability.
Public Comment:
Julie Christie: Supports The Council being involved in setting the agenda.
Public Comment Closed.
Mayor Sawatzky: Questions if rotating the Councilmembers each month on the ad-hoc would be appropriate.
Attorney Plotz: States that Council could rotate members; the Mayor could appoint a Councilmember to serve each month. The Mayor is usually the person that appoints the ad-hoc.
Councilmember Napier: Amends her motion to appoint the Mayor and his designee to serve on the agenda setting ad-hoc committee.
Motion: to appoint the Mayor and his designee to serve on the agenda setting ad-hoc committee.
Motion by: Councilmember Napier
Seconded by: Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani
Motion Summary: Ayes: Napier, Sawatzky, Scafani; Abstain: Firor, Lewis-Lusso (Motion Passed) 4 | P a g e
9. Council Correspondence-None
10. Consent Agenda: Council pulls the meeting minutes; not all of the Council packets had correct copies of the minutes.
Motion: To carry the meeting minutes to the January 28, 2025 Regular City Council meeting.
Motion by: Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani
Seconded by: Councilmember Firor
Motion Summary: Consensus
11. Reports of Council and Staff:
Mayor Sawatzky: Reports on the Arts and Heritage Commission meeting and the Blue Lake Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Reports on the Redwood Coast Energy Authority meeting; RCEA approved the battery storage request for proposals solicitation.
Councilmember Firor: Nothing to report
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: Nothing to report
Councilmember Napier: Reports on the HCAOG meeting and the transit needs presentation.
12. Future Agenda Items:
• Circulation Element Update
• City Manager Evaluation
• Illegal Fireworks
• Meeting Minutes
• Signage for City Hall
• City Financial Report
• Powers Creek Flooding Issues
• Salary Scale Adjustment
• Ad-Hoc Committee Formation
• Council Roles and Responsibilities Manual
• Housing Element Adoption
• City Clerk Duties
13. Motion to Adjourn-10:20PM
Motion: To adjourn
Motion by: Councilmember Firor
Seconded by: Councilmember Napier
Motion Summary: Consensus