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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
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CALL TO ORDER: Mayor John Sawatzky called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m. 1 2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: [0:37] 3
4 01. ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL: [0:55] 5
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor John Sawatzky, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council 6 Member Kat Napier, Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 7 COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT: 8
STAFF PRESENT: Interim City Manager/Acting City Clerk Jill Duffy, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, 9 Deputy Clerk Laura McClenagan and Videographer Justin Goad 10 11 12 02. AGENDA APPROVAL: [1:07]
Motion: to approve the agenda 13
14 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 15
Motion carried: 5/0. 16
17 03. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: [3:06] 18
Adelene Jones talked about affordable housing in the Powers Creek District. 19 Kent Sawatzky talked about smaller infill projects in residential areas. 20 Julie Christie request updates from the HCAOG liaison and requests the Meetings Zoom ID and 21 Password be printed on the agenda to help with accessibility. 22 23 04. CONSENT AGENDA: None [8:45] 24
25 26 05. DISCUSS AND SET DATE FOR SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR THE RECALL OF ONE COUNCIL MEMBER POSITION: [8:57] 27
28 Public Comment Received: [17:25] Nicole Goldbach, Humboldt County Elections representative, 29 Mardi Granger, Kent Sawatzky, Julie Christie, Lyn, Rebecca Collins 30 31 Motion: [29:17] to select January 6, 2026, for the Council Member Recall Special Municipal 32 33 Election.
34 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Terri Bayles 35
36 Motion carried 4/1 with the following vote:
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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.c
Aye: Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, Mayor Pro Tem Elise 37 Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 38
Nay: Mayor John Sawatzky 39
40 Public Comment Received: Adelene Jones, Kent Sawatzky, public commentor, Julie Christie 41 42 Motion: [43:27] to select mail-in ballot and a drop-off ballot box at Prasch Hall as the method 43 44 and location in which to hold the special election.
45 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Mayor John Sawatzky 46
Motion withdrawn, length of time (30 days vs 1 day only) drop-off box to remain at Prasch Hall 47 48 needed.
49 50 Motion: [45:31] to select mail-in ballot and in-person ballot at Prasch Hall. 51 Motion by: Council Member Terri Bayles
Second by: Mayor John Sawatzky 52
53 Motion failed: 2/3
Aye: Council Member Terri Bayles, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 54 55 Nay: Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 56 Public Comment Received: Lynn, Julie Christie, Kent Sawatzky, 57 58 Motion: [29:17] to select mail-in ballot with a drop-off ballot box at Prasch Hall as the method 59 60 for submitting votes.
61 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 62
63 Motion carried: 4/1
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 64 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 65
66 Nay: Council Member Terri Bayles
67 68
Motion: [52:40] that the drop-off ballot box be available for one day only on the day of the 69 election at Prasch Hall. (January 6, 2026) 70
71 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
4.c
73 Motion carried: 4/1
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 74 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 75
76 Nay: Council Member Terri Bayles
77 78 Motion: [52:08] to approve Resolution No. 1240 calling a Special Municipal Election for 9 the Proposed Recall of Councilmember Scafani to be held on January 6, 2026, by mail-in ballot 7 or a drop-off ballot box available for one day, the day of the election at Prasch Hall. 80 81 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 82
83 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 84 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles 85 86 Public Comment Received: [54:02] None received. 87
88 Motion: [54:37] to authorize use of Prasch Hall at no-charge to Humboldt County Registrar of 89 Voters for the drop-off ballot box voting location. 90
91 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 92
93 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 94 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles 95 96 Public Comment Received: [55:18] None received. 97
98 99 06. APPROVAL OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH REDWOOD COAST MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION: [55:53] 100
101
Public Comment Received: [1:37:58] Glenn Bernald, Kent Sawatzky, Shaun Fyfe, Adelene Jones, 102 Brian Corse, Jennifer Corse, Julie Christie, Kevin Fischer 103 104
Direction to Staff: Bring back the redline version of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 105 with the changes discussed tonight to the next or following meeting. Council will email 106 any questions or concerns to the City Attorney, Ryan Plotz, with a copy to Interim City 107 Manager Jill Duffy to assist in the language development of the MOU. 108
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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
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109
07. CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT PROCESS: [2:10:26] 110
111
Motion: [2:53:46] to offer a salary range of $104,000 annually – $124,800 annually 112 113 Motion by: Council Member Kat Napier
Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 114
115 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 116 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles 117 118
Public Comment Received: [2:35:34] Kent Sawatzky, Lorraine Ponte 119 120
BREAK: [2:55:50] 121
122
07. CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT PROCESS - Continued: [0:06 Part 2] 123 124
Motion: [13:28 Part 2] to amend our agreement with Tripepe Smith to include the full scope of 125 services. 126
127 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Kat Napier 128
129 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council 130 Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles 131 132
Public Comment Received: [15:33 Part 2] Julie Christie, Glenn Bernald 133 134
08. REVIEW OF OUTSTANDING VENDOR OBLIGATIONS AND FISCAL OVERSIGHT: [18:46 Part 2] 135 136
Public Comment Received: [45:00 Part 2] Rebecca Collins, Julie Christie 137 138
09. APPROVE RESOLUTION 1242 - A RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING 139 FOR THE RAILROAD AVENUE-HATCHERY ROAD PHASE OF THE BLUE LAKE TRUCK ROUTE 140 PROJECT: [1:10:46 Part 2] 141
142
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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
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Motion: [1:16:50 Part 2] to approve Resolution 1242 as presented with the following 143 amendments, preface both four and five with “upon approval by the city council, the city 144 manager is authorized…”. 145
Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 146
147 Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso
8 Aye: Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Kat Napier, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso, 14 Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member Terri Bayles 149 Nay: None 150
151 Motion carried: 5/0
152
Public Comment Received: [1:17:02 Part 2] Julie Christi, Public Works Director Glenn Bernald 153 154
10. APPROVE CHANGE ORDER TO SECOND STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT: 155 [1:24:35 Part 2] 156
157
158 Motion: [1:39:39 Part 2] to approve the change order for the second street pedestrian bridge. 159 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
160 Second by: Council Member Terri Bayles
161 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Michelle Lewis- 162 163 Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles
Nay: Council Member Kat Napier 164
165
Public Comment Received: [1:39:58 Part 2] Julie Christi 166 167
11. APPOINT REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATION TEAM: [1:43:45 Part 2] 168 169
Motion: [1:47:39 Part 2] to move to have Mayor John Sawatzky and Council Member Kat Napier 170 171 be on the negotiating ad hoc committee.
Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 172
173 Second by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso
174 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Michelle Lewis- 175 176 Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Kat Napier Nay: None 177
178
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, September 09, 2025 ~ 6:30 p.m. ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall
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Public Comment Received: [1:47:58 Part 2] Julie Christi 179 180
CONTINUATION OF THE AGENDA: [1:49:23 Part 2] 181
182
Motion: [1:49:37 Part 2] to continue item number 12) Discuss and Appoint City Council Member 183 Board, Commission and Ad Hoc Appointments, item number 13) Council Correspondence and 184 item number 14) Reports of Council and Staff to the next meeting. 185 Motion by: Council Member Michelle Lewis- Lusso 186
Second by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani 187
188 Motion carried: 5/0
Aye: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Mayor John Sawatzky, Council Member Michelle Lewis- 189 190 Lusso, Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Kat Napier 191 Nay: None
192
ADJOURNMENT: [1:50:20 part 2] 193
Motion: to adjourn September 09, 2025, special meeting at 11:20 PM. 194 195 Motion by: Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani
Second by: Council Member Terri Bayles 196
Motion Carried: 5/0 197
198
Laura McClenagan 199
200 Deputy Clerk, City of Blue Lake