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1. Called to Order: 6:30 p.m.
2. Quorum Established: Mayor John Sawatzky, Mayor Pro-Tem Elise Scafani, Councilmember Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Councilmember Katherine Napier
Absent: Councilmember Firor (illness)
Staff Present: City Manager Mager
Public Present: Kent Sawatzky, Verda Pitts, Adelene Jones, Mardi Granger, Marla
3. Approval of the Agenda:
Motion: To Move item number 5c after item number 9
Motion by: Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani
Seconded by: Councilmember Lewis-Lusso
No Public Comment
Motion Summary: Consensus
4. Public Comment
Adelene Jones: Comments on the Blue Lake logo; she likes the logo and comments on the review process and approval of using the new logo; it’s attractive and perfect for the City.
Comments on the Housing Element; housing is needed in the City encourages Council to pass the housing element; comments on the State suing cities for not complying.
Kent Sawatzky: States his disagreement with Adelene Jone’s comments; logo didn’t go through a process; the State gives all kinds of warnings before you get sued for not adopting a housing element and has faith in the Council to avoid a lawsuit.
Verda Pitts: Comments on the housing element and potential lawsuit for non-compliance; other cities that were sued were much larger than Blue Lake.
Public Comment Closed.
5. City Council Roles and Responsibilities Manual Update Items A and B:
Mayor Sawatzky asks the City Manager to present the item.
City Manager Mager: Presents on ways to optimize meetings and how the update to the manual can provide guidance to Council and staff. Recommends several ways to optimize meetings, including the use of the consent calendar and asking staff clarifying questions before the meeting.
Mayor Sawatzky: Recommends setting time limits on items.
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, February 11, 2025-City Council Special Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 2 | P a g e
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: Agrees with the use of the consent calendar; don’t pull items from consent that aren’t controversial; maintain 15 minute rule for public comment; pay attention to speakers time and limit number of commentors if necessary.
Councilmember Napier: States that she may be asking questions that the public has; she may ask more questions to make a decision.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Comments on the importance of the public seeing the Council deliberate on issues; could reduce public comment time to 1-2 minutes so everyone can speak.
Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: Public commenting time can be reduced or have people pick a number to comment.
Verda Pitts: States that the Council meetings are the time for the public to speak their concerns; supports limiting time.
Terry Bayless: It’s important for Council to have time to deliberate.
Public Comment Closed.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: The agenda setting committee can review the consent agenda to help answer questions.
Mayor Sawatzky: Asks what the next steps are?
Councilmember Napier: Comments that a policy is not needed; efficiency will evolve.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Comments on the agenda committee; needs more collaboration.
Councilmember Napier: Comments on the “incompatibility of office” doctrine; asks that commission representatives make a report to Council on their activities.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: States that the Council should set the agenda for the commissions; commissions can send a representative to the Council meetings; comments on the disconnect between the commissions and the Council.
Mayor Sawatzky: States that the liaison could carry the report back to Council and have a quarterly report from the commissions.
Public Comment:
Kent Sawatzky: States that the commissions are the best tool that the Council has.
Adelene Jones: Council should not micro-manage the commissions; the liaison should not act as a commissioner.
Verda Pitts: Commissioners feel disrespected when issues go back and forth between Council.
Rebecca Collins: Comments on the Public Safety Commission work plan for the year; Council asks the commissions to research items.
Public Comment Closed.
City Manager Mager: Recommends setting a yearly work plan for each commission and then have a quarterly report for each commission.
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: Asks about an updated strategic plan.
City Manager Mager: Explains that the City has a strategic plan that was started in 1997 and has been updated over the years. Staff and the commissions have been working on several projects identified in the strategic plan. States that the plan needs to be updated and this could be an opportunity for Council to engage with the commissions and the public.
Councilmember Napier: Proposes the formation of an ad-hoc to look into the commissions.
Mayor Sawatzky: Appoints Councilmember Napier and himself to the ad-hoc.
6. Council Correspondence
Email from Kent Sawatzky received and filed.
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7. Consent Agenda-No items
8. Reports of Council and Staff
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Nothing to report
Mayor Sawatzky: Nothing to report
Councilmember Napier: Reports on the City Clerk ad-hoc.
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: Reports on the City Clerk ad-hoc activities, including the need for someone to take meeting minutes and administrative staff being unwilling to take on clerk duties.
9. Future Agenda Items:
• City Clerk Position
• Agenda Item List-add to each Council packet
• Ad-Hoc for PowerTransitions and Power Plant
10. Overall Council Manual Update
Councilmember Napier: States that this item is not a priority and would like to see it worked on as a workshop.
Councilmember Lewis-Lusso: States that this item is a priority and would answer many questions and relieve current struggles; would like to see an ad-hoc committee formed rather than a workshop; the questions being asked can be answered if the manual is updated.
Mayor Pro-Tem Scafani: Some items are a priority; it needs to be brought in line with the Municipal Code; supports the formation of an ad-hoc committee to work on it.
Mayor Sawatzky forms an ad-hoc committee comprised of Councilmember Lewis-Lusso and himself to take a first review of the manual and provide language options for review.
Public Comment-No Comment
Motion to Adjourn-8:27pm
Motion by: Lewis-Lusso
Seconded by: Scafani
Motion Summary: Consensus