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, March 3rd, 2026 ~ 8:00pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 1 Before the meeting was called to order, Mayor John Sawatzky noted for the record that 2 Council Member Napier would be participating in tonight's meeting remotely 3 4 Council Member Napier notified the city at the earliest opportunity that she has a 5 contagious illness that prevents in-person attendance. Her remote participation is 6 authorized under the just cause exception pursuant to Government Code Section 7 54953.8.3, subdivision (c)(2).
8 9 Council Member Napier was asked to briefly describe the circumstances requiring her 10 remote participation tonight for the record. Council Member Napier stated that she was 11 still experiencing symptoms and contagious did not want to expose council or any 12 attendees. Before proceeding, Mayor Sawatzky asked if any individuals 18 years of age 13 or older were present in the room with her at the remote location and to state the general 14 nature of the relationship if so. Council Member Napier indicated that there were no 15 individuals 18 years or older present with her in the room. 16 17 The record will reflect that Council Members Sawatzky, Scafani, Lewis-Lusso, and 18 Bayles are physically present here at Council Chambers, constituting a quorum. 19 Council Member Napier is participating remotely pursuant to Government Code 20 Section 54953.8.3(c)(2).
21 22 1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
23 24 2. ROLL CALL AND ESTABLISH A QUORUM OF THE COUNCIL 25 26 COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: City Manager Short established a quorum of council 27 members: Present: Mayor John Sawatzky, Mayor Pro Tem Elise Scafani, Council Member 28 Kat Napier (on zoom), Council Member Terri Bayles, Council Member Michelle Lewis-Lusso 29 30 COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
31 STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Jennie Short, City Attorney Ryan Plotz, and 32 Videographer Justin Goad.
33 34 3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA – Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Scafani to approve the 35 agenda. Second by Council Member Lewis Lusso.
36 37 Roll Call Vote:
38 Aye: Sawatzky, Scafani, Lewis-Lusso, Bayles, Napier
39 Motion passed unanimously
40 41 4. PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS: None received 2 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, March 3rd, 2026 ~ 8:00pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 42 43 ITEMS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION OR ACTION
44 45 5. ADOPT RESOLUTION 1256 ACCEPTING TREASURY MANAGEMENT SERVICES 46 WITH TRI COUNTIES BANK
47 The City currently has a Treasury Management Services Agreement with Tri Counties Bank. As 48 part of the annual account relationship review, updates were much needed due to the changes 49 in staffing. Also, previously excluded services that allow the City to scan checks at City Hall and 50 deposit them electronically are available. Instead, staff has been bringing the deposit to the 51 bank and wait, often for an hour, while bank staff scanned all the checks before being allowed 52 to deposit them.
53 54 Public Comment: None received
55 56 Motion by Council Member Lewis-Lusso to approve Resolution 1256 for Acceptance of 57 Treasury Management Services with Tri Counties Bank, Second by Council Member 58 Bayles.
59 60 Roll Call Vote:
61 Aye: Sawatzky, Scafani, Lewis-Lusso, Bayles, Napier
62 Motion passed unanimously
63 64 6. APPROVAL OF REDWOOD REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION 65 AMENDED AND RESTATED JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT
66 The Redwood Region Economic Development Commission’s Executive Director has 67 supplied the attached memo requesting that the City process the draft Amended and Restated 68 Joint Powers Agreement. The JPA was provided to the City Attorney, Ryan Plotz, who had a 69 conflict due to his representation of other agencies. He has forwarded the JPA to special 70 counsel for review. A response from special counsel is anticipated prior to the meeting but is 71 not available as of the posting of the Council packet. An update will be given during the staff 72 report at the meeting.
73 74 Public Comment: None received
75 76 Motion by Council Member Bayles to Approve the Redwood Region Economic 77 Development Commission Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement, Second by 78 Council Member Lewis-Lusso.
79 80 Roll Call Vote:
81 Aye: Sawatzky, Scafani, Lewis-Lusso, Bayles, Napier
82 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, March 3rd, 2026 ~ 8:00pm ~ Special Council Meeting Skinner Store Building ~ 111 Greenwood Rd., Blue Lake ~ Behind City Hall 83 7. CLOSED SESSION AGENDA:
84 85 a. Public Comment on Closed Session Agenda Item: None received 86 87 Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Scafani to move into closed session. Second by Lewis-Lusso. 88 89 Roll Call Vote:
90 Aye: Sawatzky, Scafani, Lewis-Lusso, Bayles, Napier
91 Motion passed unanimously
92 93 b. Council convened into Closed Session at Skinner Store at 8:39 p.m. for the purpose 94 of CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS:
95 Property: Approximately three (3) acres of land that is a portion of City owned 96 Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 312-161-018-000 and 312-161-015-000 97 Agency Negotiator: John Sawatzky, Kat Napier, Jennie Short, City Manager; and Ethan 98 Walsh (attorney for City) and Russ Gans (attorney for City) 99 Negotiating parties: DANCO parties Chris Dart, McKenzie Dibble 100 Under negotiation: Price and terms of payment.
101 c. Report Out of Closed Session. Council reconvened at Skinner Store at 9:36. No 102 reportable action was taken.
103
104 Adjourn
105
106 Prepared by: Samantha Green
107 City Clerk, City of Blue Lake