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
October 28, 2025~ 6:30 p.m. ~Regular Council Meeting
Skinner Store
1 These minutes were generated by AI from the original meeting recorded October 28, 2 2025. The minutes are presented as “Summary Action Minutes”. 3 4 1. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Sawatzky called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. 5 6 Pledge of Allegiance Council, staff and public stood for the Pledge of Allegiance 7 8 Establish a Quorum of the Council: Interim City Manager Duffy established a quorum of 9 Council members. Present: Mayor Sawatzky, Councilmember Napier, Councilmember Lewis10 Lusso. Mayor Pro Tem Scafani, Councilmember Bayles. 11 12 Staff Present: Interim City Manager Duffy, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, City Planner Garry Rees 13 and Deputy City Clerk Laura McClenagan
14 15 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA [Time: 0:43]
16 Motion to approve the agenda with an amendment to a requested reordering, noting the 17 requestor was absent .
18 19 Motion: by Napier Second: Lewis-Lusso
20 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
21 22 3. PUBLIC COMMENT (Non-Agenda Items) [Time: 1:16] 23 The following members of the public addressed the Council:
24 ● Adelene Jones: Spoke regarding the memory of Merritt Lungren, concerns regarding 25 commissions taking their own minutes, and provided an update on the Chamber of 26 Commerce Board of Directors.
27 ● Don Bednar: Spoke regarding speeding issues on A Street and Broad Street and 28 requested speed bumps.
29 ● Julie Christie (via Zoom): Expressed support for the Council, discussed economic 30 infrastructure, and commented on the recall narrative. 31 32 4. 4. CONSENT AGENDA [Time: 11:38]
33 Council requested to pull all Consent items for discussion. 34 4.a. City Council Minutes for August 26, 2025 [Time: 11:58] 35 Councilmember Scafani requested corrections to spelling (lines 95, 98), removal of an 36 erroneous public comment reference ("Paradise K"), and the addition of speaker names 37 (Juan Pablo Cervantes, Ted Hales) and Ad Hoc committee members. 38 Motion to Approve as Amended: Scafani Second: Lewis-Lusso 39 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
40 41
42 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
October 28, 2025~ 6:30 p.m. ~Regular Council Meeting
Skinner Store
43 4.b. City Council Minutes for September 9, 2025 [Time: 17:07] 44 Corrections made to spelling of "Corse" and "Christie," and the addition of guest speaker 45 Nicole Goldbach (Humboldt County Elections).
46 Motion to Approve as Amended: Napier Second: Scafani 47 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
48 49 4.c. City Council Minutes for September 23, 2025 [Time: 19:39] 50 Corrections made to names/titles (Beth Burks, Richard Engel, Samantha Green), the 51 acronym "RHNA" (replacing Arena), and notation of the Ad Hoc presentation regarding the 52 City Clerk job description 14.
53 Motion to Approve as Amended: Bayles Second: Scafani 54 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
55 56 4.d. Monthly Disbursement (Sept 1 - Sept 30, 2025) [Time: 23:51] 57 Council clarified Check #13304 (grant reimbursement to SHN) and Check #13299 (Water 58 Operator exam fee policy) 16.
59 Motion to Approve: Scafani Second: Lewis-Lusso
60 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
61 62 5. PRESENTATION: HUMBOLDT COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH (RABIES 63 AWARENESS) [Time: 27:19]
64 Ben Dolf, Supervising Environmental Health Specialist of Humboldt County Department of 65 Health and Human Services, provided a presentation on rabies surveillance, transmission, and 66 local statistics (2 confirmed skunk cases in Blue Lake) . 67 Public Comment: Questions received regarding feeding wildlife and bat exposure. 68 Action: Presentation received; informational only.
69 70 6. SCHEDULE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING [Time: 48:39] 71 Staff requested a special meeting to address continued items. Council discussed availability 72 regarding travel schedules.
73 Motion: To schedule a Special City Council Meeting for November 19, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. 74 Moved: Scafani Second: Bayles
75 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
76 77 7. RESOLUTION NO. 1244: HCD MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (HOUSING 78 ELEMENT) [Time: 58:44]
79 City Attorney Ryan Plotz provided an update regarding the MOU with California Housing 80 Community Development (HCD). Staff requested continuing this item to allow for continued 81 negotiations with HCD and finalizing current draft MOU. 82 Public Comment: Scott Frazier and Julie Christie spoke in support of the Council’s fiscal 83 prudence.
84 Action: Item continued to a future meeting.
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
October 28, 2025~ 6:30 p.m. ~Regular Council Meeting
Skinner Store
85 8. URGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 548-2025: COUNCIL ACTING AS PLANNING COMMISSION 86 [Time: 1:11:35]
87 Staff presented the periodic need for the City Council to act as the Planning Commission when 88 a quorum of Planning Commissions are unable to be obtained due to vacancies and recusals. 89 Interim City Manager Duffy announced that a resignation was received earlier in the day, 90 reducing the Commission to two members.
91 Public Comment: Adelene Jones, Scott Frazier, Angela Dare, and Julie Christie spoke in support of the ordinance 27 92 .
93 Motion: To introduce and adopt by title only Urgency Ordinance No. 548-2025. 94 Moved: Napier Second: Lewis-Lusso
95 Roll Call Vote: Napier (Aye), Lewis-Lusso (Aye), Sawatzky (Aye), Scafani (Aye), Bayles (Aye). 96 Result: Motion Passed Unanimously (5-0).
97 98 9. FIRE RISK MANAGEMENT SERVICES (FRMS) SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FEE [Time:
99 1:36:43]
100 Interim City Manager Duffy reported that the City's employee health insurance provider FRMS 101 is $11 million in arrears due to claims and has issued an assessment to its members to recover 102 costs. Blue Lake’s assessment is approximately $80,000. Staff recommended paying under 103 protest via an 18-month installment plan.
104 Public Comment: Jenny Short inquired about premium comparisons; Julie Christie commented 105 on previous agenda history.
106 Motion: To authorize installment payments under protest and authorize the Mayor to sign the 107 protest letter to FRMS (with typo correction).
108 Moved: Scafani Second: Lewis-Lusso
109 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
110
111 (Council recessed at approximately 8:38 p.m. and reconvened shortly thereafter). 112
113 10. PRESENTATION: POWERS CREEK FLOODING (KARINA GREEN) [Time: 2:00:38] 114 Karina Green presented on flooding issues affecting Broderick Lane, Chartin Road, and Prasch 115 Hall, citing sediment buildup and vegetation in Powers Creek. 116 Dave Feral of Mad River Alliance provided an update on the restoration plan status and funding 117 challenges (Prop 4 funds not available until 2026). 118 Public Comment: Verta Pits questioned previous expenditures on the creek; Julie Christie 119 suggested a Town Hall; Linda Cooley voiced concerns regarding Taylor Way flooding liability. 120 Council Direction: Staff to implement signage and safety measures for flooding areas, 121 Engineering to review potential French drain at Prasch Hall, and identify partnership agencies. 122
123 11. FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 BUDGET EXTENSION [Time: 3:24:49] 124 Interim City Manager Duffy requested a 3rd temporary extension (Resolution 1245) as the 125 revised budget is not yet ready due to consultant delays. Ad Hoc Committee Councilmembers 126 Bayles and Napier presented findings indicating structural deficits in Water and Sewer
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
October 28, 2025~ 6:30 p.m. ~Regular Council Meeting
Skinner Store
127 operating funds and significant deficits in Parks & Recreation 40. Recommendations included 128 quarterly reporting, mid-year reviews, and establishing clear audit trails. 129 Public Comment: Jenny Short supported the Ad Hoc committee's findings. 130 Motion: To approve Resolution No. 1245 authorizing the temporary extension of appropriations 131 for Fiscal Year 2025-26 for 60 days.
132 Moved: Napier Second: Lewis-Lusso
133 Roll Call Vote: Napier (Aye), Lewis-Lusso (Aye), Sawatzky (Aye), Scafani (Aye), Bayles (Aye). 134 Result: Motion Passed Unanimously (5-0).
135
136 12. CORRESPONDENCE
137 12a: National Rural Water Association – Final Loan Payoff. 138 12b: HCAOG RHNA Methodology Transmittal.
139 12c: Correspondence from Kent Sawatzky and Adelene Jones acknowledged. 140
141 13. REPORTS [Time: 4:17:50]
142 Items continued to the next meeting due to time constraints. 143
144 14. CLOSED SESSION [Time: 4:18:15]
145 14.a. Public Employee Appointment: City Manager.
146 14.b. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation. 147 Public Comment: None
148 Motion to Adjourn to Closed Session: Scapani Second: Lewis Luso 149 Vote: Unanimous (5-0).
150
151 Report Out of Closed Session (12:15 AM)
152 No Final Action Taken
153
154 15. MEETING ADJOURNED
155
156 Revised by Jill K Duffy
157 Acting City Clerk, City of Blue Lake