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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor John Sawatzky called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 1 2 ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL: [0:23] 3
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor John Sawatzky, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council 4 Member Kat Napier, Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 5 COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: 6
STAFF PRESENT: Interim City Manager Jill Duffy, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, Deputy Clerk Laura 7 McClenagan and Videographer Justin Goad 8
9 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: 10
11 12 AGENDA APPROVAL: [1:44]
13 City Attorney Ryan Plotz announced that a matter has arisen after the posting of tonight's agenda, which is, at approximately 3:45 today, August 26, 2025, the Acting City Clerk Dani 14 Burkhart, submitted her resignation as Acting City Clerk, effective immediately. As the council 15 knows, the city clerk serves as the city's election official. Several items on tonight's agenda 16 relate specifically to the recall process and include directives requiring the city clerk to take 17 certain actions. These actions are time-sensitive and governed by statutory deadlines and must 18 19 be taken by the appointed city clerk.
Because the city clerk has resigned and is no longer able to carry out those duties, city council 20 must consider immediate action to address the vacancy, including potentially designating an 21 acting or interim city clerk to fulfill urgent legal obligations. Under Government Code section 22 54954.2, subdivision B, the council may take action on items not listed on the posted agenda if 23 two conditions are met: first, a determination is made by a two-thirds vote of members present 24 that there is a need to take immediate action, and second, that the need to take action arose 25 after the agenda was posted. 26
In this case, since the resignation occurred today and the agenda was posted 72 hours prior to 27 the start of tonight's meeting, and concerns the city's ability to comply with state election law in 28 connection with the recall, I am recommending that the council consider a motion to add an 29 item to the agenda for discussion and possible action regarding the resignation of the city clerk 30 and the designation of an interim city clerk to fulfill city clerk duties. If the council makes the 31 motion and the appropriate findings, that item will be added to the agenda and can be taken up 32 in the normal course. 33
34 35
36 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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
Public Comment Received: Alexander Ricca, Adelene Jones 37 38 39 Motion: To add an urgent item to the agenda accepting the resignation of our acting city clerk and consider the appointment of an interim or acting city clerk, finding that there is a need to 40 take immediate action regarding the designation of the city clerk designation or an interim city 41 clerk as the matter involves urgent time-sensitive election duties relating to the recall process. 42 Further that the council determine the need for this action arose after the agenda was posted 43 and that the agenda shall be amended to add the following urgent item as an item requiring 44 action. The item would be discussion and possible actions regarding the recognition of the city 45 clerk and designation of an acting or interim city clerk. [7:30] 46 47 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 48
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 49
50 ADJOURNMENT: move to adjourn our meeting tonight, moving items 3 through 10 to 51 tomorrow night’s agenda (August 27, 2025) reconvening at 6:30 p.m. and continuing item 11 52 (Closed Session: Public Employment Evaluation) tonight. [10:30] (6:50 p.m.) 53 54 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 55
Public Comment Received: Alexander Ricca 56
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 57
58 59 CALL TO ORDER: Continuation of the August 26, 2025, Regular Meeting: Mayor John Sawatzky 60 called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. on August 27, 2025. 61 ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL: [0:35] 62
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor John Sawatzky, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council 63 Member Kat Napier, Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 64 COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: 65
STAFF PRESENT: Interim City Manager Jill Duffy, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, City Planner Gary 66 Reese, Deputy Clerk Laura McClenagan and Videographer Justin Goad 67 https://www.youtube.com/@BLCNews95525 68
69 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: 70
71 72
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
73 74
OLD BUSINESS: [8/27/25 0:46 part 1] Item 11 (Closed Session: Public Employment Evaluation) 75 Mayor John Sawatzky reported that council moved to adjourn the closed session at on August 76 26th at 8:06 p.m. The council returned to the Skinner store with a quorum to report that no 77 78 reportable action was taken at 8:10 p.m.
79 Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Kent Sawatzky 80 81 CONSENT AGENDA: [8/27/25 8:34 part 1] 82
3 Motion: to approve items 3e-City Council Minutes for July 3, 2025, 3f-City Council Action 8 Summary Minutes for July 22, 2025, 3g-City Council Action Summary Minutes for July 28, 2025, 84 85 and 3h-Approve Monthly Report on Disbursements.
86 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
Second by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 87
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0) 88
89 90 ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT: [8/27/25 12:32 part 1] 91 Item a. City Council Minutes for February 20, 2025:
Motion: [8/27/25 15:29 part 1] to approve February 20, 2025, minutes with the following 92 corrections: 93
1. Thursday, not a Tuesday. February 20th. 94
2. Page two, Line 35, says Mayor Pro Tem Scafani comments on the formation of the ad 95 hoc. And I would like to add “the formation of the ad hoc outside of an open session 96 97 council meeting in spite of multiple requests to agendize this since December 2024.” 98 3. In reference to RCEA solicitation timeline, add “which was inaccurately portrayed to the council 99 at the December 10, 2024, meeting.”
100 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
Second by: Council Member Terri Bayles 101
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 102
103
104 Item b. City Council Minutes for March 25, 2025:
Motion: [8/27/25 17:38 part 1] to approve March 25, 2025, minutes with corrections on the 105 adoption of February 20, 2025, minutes. Page 3: line 10, should state “withdrew the motion.” 106 107 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
108 Second by: Council Member Terri Bayles
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 109
110
111 Item c. City Council Minutes for April 8, 2025:
Motion: [8/27/25 18:40 part 1] to continue April 8, 2025, minutes to the next meeting. 112 113 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
114 Second by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 115
116
117 Item d. City Council Minutes for April 22, 2025:
Motion: [8/27/25 15:29 part 1] to continue April 22, 2025, minutes to the next meeting. 118 119 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
120 Second by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 121
122
HOUSING ELEMENT UPDATE & NEXT STEPS: [8/27/25 19:26 part 1] 123 4 City Planner Gary Reese presented a staff report to the council and public and answered 12 questions. Gary anticipates the council will receive a recommendation from the planning 125 commission in September. 126
127
Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Barbara Russell, Kent Sawatzky, Julie Christie 128 129
130 RECEIVE AND FILE CERTIFICATE OF SUFFICIENCY OF THREE RECALL PETITIONS AND SET DATE 131 FOR SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE RECALL OF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION:
32 [8/27/25 48:49 part 1] Yeah, this was the item was added as an urgency item when the council 1 3 convened its regular meeting yesterday. As reported, City Clerk Dani Burkhart submitted her 13 resignation at 3:44 PM yesterday, the day of the meeting. Due to the items on tonight's agenda 134 requiring official election obligations, you have before you Dani Burkhart’s resignation and an 135 opportunity to appoint an acting city clerk until a more permanent appointment can be made. 136 The city clerk is a direct appointee of the council. 137 138
Motion: [8/27/25 52:25 part 1] to appoint Interim City Manager Jill Duffy as the Acting City 139 Clerk. 140
141 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
Second by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 142
Motion Summary: Consensus (5/0). 143
144
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Rebecca Collins, Julie Christi 145 146
147 RECEIVE AND FILE CERTIFICATE OF SUFFICIENCY OF THREE RECALL PETITIONS AND SET DATE FOR SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE RECALL OF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION: 148 [8/27/25 56:33 Part 1] 149
150
Motion: [8/27/25 1:13:39 part 1] to adopt resolution 1239 to certify the sufficiency or 151 insufficiency of recall petitions seeking removal of Council Member Kat Napier, Mayor John 152 Sawatzky and Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani. Juan Pablo Cervantes, Humboldt County Elections 153 Officer was available and responded to Council questions. 154 155 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 156
157 Roll Call Vote:
8 Aye: Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor John Sawatzky, 15 Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 159 Nay: 160
161
Motion: [8/27/25 1:15:26 part 1] to continue Resolution 1240, selecting a date for the recall 162 election, to a special meeting on September 9, 2025. 163 164 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Kat Napier 165
166 Roll Call Vote:
Aye: Council Member Kat Napier, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 167 Nay: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor John Sawatzky 168 169
Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Barbara Russell, Rebecca Collins, Lori Ponte, Angela 170 Dare 171
172
BREAK: [8/27/25 1:28:08 part 1] 173
174
EXTEND CONTINUING RESOLUTION 1237 IN LIEU OF FISCAL YEAR 2025/26 BUDGET: [8/27/25 175 0:00 part 2] 176
177
Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Kent Sawatzky, Rebecca Collins, Barbara Russell 178 179
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
Motion: [8/27/25 23:18 part 2] to approve resolution 1241 authorizing a temporary extension 180 of appropriations for fiscal year 2526 pending the adoption of the annual budget and file the 181 approved resolution with the Humboldt County Auditor's Office and formation of an ad hoc 182 committee members comprised of Council Member Bayles & Napier to assist the Interim City 183 Manager in the development and assessment of our budget. 184 185 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso
Second by: Council Member Kat Napier 186
187 Roll Call Vote
8 Aye: Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor John Sawatzky 18 Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 189 Nay: 190
191 Motion carried 5/0
192
CONSIDERATION OF TRANSITION FROM VERBATIM TO ACTION-STYLE MINUTES: [8/27/25 193 194 26:54 part 2]
195
Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Kent Sawatzky, Barbara Russell 196 197
Motion: [8/27/25 55:10 part 2] to go from verbatim minutes to action summary minutes. 198 199 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 200
201 Vote:
2 Aye - Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor John Sawatzky 20 Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 203 Nay - 204
205 Motion carried 5/0
206
RECEIVE REPORT AND SURVEY PERMISSION REQUEST FROM THE SAFETY COMMISSION: 207 [8/27/25 55:28 part 2] 208
209
Public Comment Received: Ted Hale, Barbara Russell, Kent Sawatzky, Julie Christie, Lori Ponte, 210 Justin Goad 211
12 Adelene Jones announced a public safety fair will be held on Saturday, September 20th from 10 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Perigot Park. We have 14 agencies signed up, so it should be informative and 213 fun. 214
215
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
Motion: [8/27/25 1:24:29 part 2] to approve the disbursement of a traffic control survey for I 216 street neighborhood and the approximate area. 217
218 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 219
220 Vote:
21 Aye - Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor John Sawatzky, 2 Council Member Terri Bayles 222
Nay - Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 223
224 Motion carried 4/1
225
226 COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE: [8/27/25 1:27:56 part 2]
A letter regarding the county’s recently adopted lighting/dark-sky ordinance and a letter after 227 the agenda was posted which you received as a handout regarding agenda item 4 Housing 228 Element Update. 229
230
REPORTS OF COUNCIL AND STAFF: [8/27/25 1:28:55 part 2] 231 a. Ad hoc Committee Reports: [8/27/25 1:28:55 part 2] 232 i. Need to place City Manager discussion on September 9, 2025, Agenda 233 ii. Transparency ad hoc is working with a web designer and a new YouTube channel. 234 iii. Need to place committee and ad hoc review on an agenda 235 iv. City Clerk ad hoc in progress. 236
v. Bike Park ad hoc in progress – gathering information. 237 vi. Public Comment Received: Julie Christi 238
b. Commission Updates: [8/27/25 1:38:24 part 2] 239
i. Mayor John Sawatzky and Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso attended the 240 League of California City's Redwood Empire Division general membership meeting 241 last Friday in Fortuna which relayed information regarding the wildfire impacts on 242 insurance for homeowners and there's some recommendations that are going to 243 be coming down for homeowners. 244
ii. An Arts and Heritage meeting is coming up. Hopefully that one will happen 245 because I think it's been four months since they've had one. 246 iii. Public Comment Received: Julie Christi 247
c. City Manager Report: [8/27/25 1:41:27 part 2] 248
i. Skunk tested positive for rabies on Greenwood 249
ii. The bike park remains closed to public access until its completion. 250 iii. City is now in compliance with the state controllers’ office. 251
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.go
Blue Lake City Council Minutes
Tuesday, August 26, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Regular Council Meeting Wednesday, August 27, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.b
iv. Public Comment Received: Julie Christi, Kent Sawatzky, Rebecca Collins 252 253
ADJOURNMENT: [8/27/25 1:55:49 part 2] 254
5 Motion: to adjourn August 26, 2025, regular meeting and August 27, 2025, special meeting at 25 10:02 p.m. 256
257 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 258
Motion Carried 5/0 259
260
Laura McClenagan 261
262 Deputy Clerk, City of Blue Lake