Minutes — Blue Lake City Council, February 10, 2026

1 CITY OF BLUE LAKE

CALIFORNIA
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 10th , 2026 ~ 6:30pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 42 43 PRESENTATION
44 7. RECEIVE PRESENTATION FROM STEPHEN KULLMANN FROM REDWOOD COAST 45 ENERGY AUTHORITY, ON NORTHERN RURAL ENERGY NETWORK AND LETTER OF 46 SUPPORT FOR NREN BUSINESS PLAN SUBMISSION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY 47 PROGRAMS
48 49 Public Comment:
50 • Unknown Speaker: Asked about benefits to public
51 • Adelene Jones: Asked about income requirements
52 • Ken Hamik: Asked where the money comes from (local/state/federal) 53 • Julie Christie: Asked about the letter of support
54 55 Motion by Council Member Napier to sign the letter of support. Second by Council Member 56 Bayles.
57 Voice Vote: Motion passed unanimously
58 59
60 ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION OR ACTION
61 62 8. CONSIDER STAFF RECOMMENDATION FOR A RECIPROCAL ACCESS EASEMENT 63 BETWEEN THE CITY’S CORPORATION YARD (APN 025-201-019) AND THE SITE OF 64 THE ROUSSEAU MIXED-USE PROJECT (APN 025-201-018)
65 Rousseau Investments LLC has submitted a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application for a 66 mixed-use project on their property in the Powers Creek District on APN 025-201-018. The 67 project proposes a two-story building that would consist of two 520 s.f. one-bedroom units 68 and 3,200 s.f. of commercial space on the ground floor and two 520 s.f. one-bedroom units 69 on the upper floor. Since the City Engineer’s recommendation would result in the use of a 70 portion of the City’s corporation yard property for an expanded driveway to serve the 71 Rousseau Mixed-Use Project, this item is being brought before the City Council for 72 consideration before the CUP application is scheduled for a public hearing. 73 74 Public Comment:
75 • Julie Christie: Supports Ryan’s project(s) Thinks the easement could be easily 76 facilitated and recommended that the City keep working with the family 77 78 Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Scafani to approve the possibility of the property being used as a 79 shared easement. Council Member Lewis-Lusso amended the motion by adding that the 80 understanding is to continue the process, evaluation, and assessment. Second by Mayor Pro 81 Tem Scafani
82 Voice Vote: Motion passed unanimously
3 CITY OF BLUE LAKE

CALIFORNIA
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 10th , 2026 ~ 6:30pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 83 84 9. INTRODUCTION OF NEW FINANCE MANAGER KARIE KROEKER 85 The City went through a robust recruitment process which resulted in numerous qualified 86 candidates and consisted of several interview and selection committees. Karie Kroeker was 87 selected as the preferred candidate and has accepted the job. Her first full day was January 88 27, 2026. Ms. Kroeker has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an 89 Accounting emphasis from what was then Humboldt State University. She worked for 90 Jackson and Eckland as a staff accountant for 19 years. She obtained her Certified Public 91 Accountant license in 2006.
92 93 Public Comment: None received
94 95 10. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 1252 APPOINTMENT OF SAMANTHA GREEN AS 96 CITY CLERK
97 Finalist interviews for the permanent City Clerk position were conducted by Council on 98 January 20, 2026. A conditional offer of employment was made and the preferred candidate, 99 Samantha Green, has accepted the position. Background and reference checks for the 100 Council’s preferred candidate have been completed. The recruitment process is now 101 complete, and the Council can now make a permanent appointment. 102
103 Public Comment: None received
104
105 Motion by Council Member Bayles to approve Resolution 1252 Appointment of Samantha 106 Green as City Clerk. Second by Council Member Napier 107 Roll call vote:
108 Aye: Sawatzky, Scafani, Napier, Lewis-Lusso, Bayles 109 Noes: None
110 Motion passed unanimously
111
112 11. OATH OF OFFICE: CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK, AND FINANCE MANAGER 113 Oath of office administered to City Manager, City Clerk, and Finance Manager by Mayor 114 John Sawatzky
115
116 12. BIKE AND SKATE PARK PROJECT- DRAFT CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN 117 In September 2025, Interim City Manager Jill Duffy presented several staff reports to City 118 Council and prepared a memorandum outlining her preliminary findings and recommended 119 actions related to the project. The purpose of this staff report is not intended to rehash the 120 events that led to the current status of the project, but rather to identify steps necessary to 121 move the project forward. The development of a corrective action plan will enable staff to 122 coordinate with relevant stakeholders and volunteer-based organizations that have executed 123 an MOU with the City, contributed to the project or expressed interest in this project. 4 CITY OF BLUE LAKE

CALIFORNIA
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 10th , 2026 ~ 6:30pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 124 Public Comment:
125 • Kevin Fisher: Thanked Jennie and Council. Acknowledged there is still work to do. 126 Supports MOU with MBTTA
127 • Adelene Jones: Supports Kevin Fisher and wife Ingrid, who were instrumental in 128 starting Annie and Mary Rail Trail. Supports bike park 129 • Brian Corse: Asking if outstanding funds are public records. Creating community 130 through riding bikes
131 • Tim Daniels: Thanked Jennie for work put into bike park. Happy to see her as city 132 manager
133 • Julie Christie: Concerned with liability, engineering of bike park, and parking 134
135 Motion by Council Member Lewis-Lusso to approve Draft Correction Action Plan for the bike 136 and skate plan. Second by Council Member Napier.
137 Voice Vote: Motion passed unanimously
138
139 13. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 1253 AND MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING 140 WITH MOUNTAIN BIKE TRIBAL TRAIL ALLIANCE
141 The bike park project has generated significant community enthusiasm and support with 142 financial and volunteer work hours committed towards this endeavor over the past three 143 years by several community members. MBTTA is a local nonprofit organization based in 144 McKinleyville who has expressed interest in participating in these efforts to advance the 145 project. Staff recommend formalizing the group’s role through an MOU to ensure 146 accountability, transparency and collaboration related to fundraising, project completion, 147 long-term maintenance of the facility, insurance coverage and access to the City property for 148 public use subject to City approval. Additionally, the agreement assists with compliance with 149 City Resolution 1077 pertaining to donation management. 150
151 Public Comment:
152 • Shaun Fyfe: Founder of MBTTA, looking forward to sharing joy of riding bikes while 153 working with individuals to ensure equitable access to biking activities. 154 • Julie Christie: Thanked Shaun for stepping up for community and kids 155
156 Motion by Council Member Bayles to Approve Resolution 1253 “Approving MOU with MBTTA 157 for Development, Maintenance, and Monitoring of the Blue Lake Bike Park” and Direct the City 158 Manager to sign the MOU. Second by Council Member Lewis-Lusso 159 Voice Vote: Motion passed unanimously
160
161 14. PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF REGARDING POTENTIAL CANNIFEST SPECIAL 162 EVENT
163 Humboldt Green Events LLC is the organizer for the annual Cannifest festival. On February 5 CITY OF BLUE LAKE

CALIFORNIA
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 10th , 2026 ~ 6:30pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 164 3, 2026, the organizer began promoting on social media that they would be holding 165 Cannifest in sunny Blue Lake on September 11 – 13, 2026. No applications or 166 conversations with City staff had occurred prior to the postings. The organizer had 167 coordinated with Dell’ Arte for the rental of the building and outdoor spaces on their property 168 for the event. City Manager Short reached out to Dell’ Arte and we set up a meeting that 169 afternoon to discuss the various permits that would be needed and the fact that Dell’ Arte 170 conducts the Mad River Festival under a very specific Conditional Use Permit. Dell’ Arte 171 confirmed at the meeting that they do not intend for Cannifest to be conducted under their 172 CUP and that the event coordinator is responsible for all City permits. 173
174 Public comment:
175 Those in support of Cannifest being held in Blue Lake:
176 • Stephen Geider, Artemis Pebdani, Kash Boodjeh, Eishee, Yajaira Padilla, Guido, 177 Jesse Dodd, Adalene Jones, Rebecca Collins, Sarah Mkinney, Stephen Kullman, Eric 178 Olson, Lin Glenn, Angela Dare, Malia Matsumoto, Alan and Carlotta Clark, Noah 179 Bremer
180
181 Those on edge about the event/concerned about parking, conflicting events, or safety:
182 • Justin Goad, Brian Corse, Julie Christie, Jean Lynch, Verda Pitts, 183
184 Those opposed to hosting Cannifest in Blue Lake:
185 • Lori Ponte and Teresa Sawatzky
186
187 Point of Order by Cort Pryor was made regarding public comment. Since council had taken 188 two additional comments once public comment was closed, Cort Pryor wanted the opportunity 189 to comment. Cort’s comment was about conflict of interest and advised the council to be 190 conscientious of this when making decisions that may be within the sphere of influence. 191
192 NO ACTION WAS MADE: Further discussion to continue if needed 193
194 15. SUSPENSION OF HUTA
195 Under normal circumstances, the Annual Street Report was completed by Scott Gordan, the 196 City Accountant at Jackson and Ecklund. Mr. Gordan had been out on medical leave for 197 some time and upon his return in December he intended on completing the ASR. 198 Unfortunately, before he could complete the report his doctor returned him to medical leave. 199 Jackson and Ecklund informed us last week that they would be unable to provide a 200 replacement for Mr. Gordan. Our new Finance Manager has taken on the collection of 201 necessary information and hopes to be submitting the ASR to the SCO by the end of 202 February. The suspension of funds will not affect the actual revenues received by the City, 203 just the timing for the receipt of those funds. We anticipate that the temporary suspension 204 will not result in funds being delayed into the next fiscal year. 6 CITY OF BLUE LAKE

Blue Lake City CouncilFebruary 10, 2026

Blue Lake City Council
February 10, 2026