Minutes of the Blythe City Council Meeting
March 14, 2023
The March 14, 2023 meeting of the Blythe City Council was called to order at 6:00pm in the Council Chambers by Mayor DeConinck. Also in attendance were Vice Mayor Rodriguez and Council Members Reynolds, Halby and Burton. Staff in attendance included: Interim City Manager and City Clerk Crecelius, City Attorney Roberto and Chief Building Official Brown.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor DeConinck.
The Invocation was offered by Pastor Mick Catron. Pastor Catron invited the community to attend the Calvary Chapel Grand Re-opening service on Sunday, April 16 th at 9:45am.
REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION:
City Attorney Roberto stated there is no reportable action.
PRESENTATION:
1. Recognition of the Palo Verde High School Girls and Boys Soccer, Girls Basketball and Wrestling Teams. It’s a great time to be a Yellow Jacket. The Council congratulated the teams on a job well done.
2. Presentation by the 2022-2023 Fair Ambassadors. This item was removed from the Agenda.
CONSENT CALENDAR: Items on the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted with one motion of the Council. If any item requires individual consideration, it will be removed from the consent calendar and acted upon separately.
3. Posting of the Agenda.
The summary of agenda items were posted on the bulletin boards on the outside of the public entrance to the Council Chamber and near the inside entrance of the Council Chamber on Friday, March 10, 2023.
4. Approval of the Warrant Register.
Recommendation: Approve 3/14/2023, warrants numbered 10164 through 10184 and 76417 through 76459 in the amount of $293,723.38.
5. Approval of the Payroll Register.
Recommendation: Approve 3/14/2023, warrants numbered 53494 through 53511 and Direct Deposit warrants numbered 55248 through 55308 in the amount of $258,846.18 and 3/14/23, warrants numbered 53512 through 53516 and Direct Deposit warrants numbered 55309 through 55407 in the amount of $73,500.61.
6. Minutes of the February 28, 2023 City Council Meeting.
Recommendation: Approve the Minutes of the February 28, 2023 Meeting.
7. City of Blythe Permits Issued for the Month of February 2023.
Recommendation: Receive and file this monthly report.
8. City of Blythe Fire Department Monthly Activity Report for February 2023.
Recommendation: Receive and file the monthly report.
9. City of Blythe Police Department Monthly Activity Report for February 2023.
Recommendation: Receive and file the monthly report.
10. Quality of Life Program Activity Report for February 2023.
Recommendation: Receive and file the monthly report.
No public comment. Councilman Reynolds moved approval of the Consent Calendar. The motion was seconded by Councilman Burton with a unanimous aye vote.
NEW BUSINESS:
MOU between the City of Blythe and Indio for Law Enforcement Services. Interim City Manager Crecelius reported the City of Indio is responsible for providing law enforcement services for the annual Coachella and Stagecoach festivals, both of which are held in April. Over 100,000 people attend these events, and the Indio Police Department relies on the help of other local Law Enforcement Agencies to support their staff. The City of Indio reimburses those agencies for providing personnel at the established pay rate and a flat pay rate for other costs.
The City of Indio asked the City of Blythe to consider providing Blythe Police Officers to assist at this year’s events. Officers will work this detail on their days off so it will not interfere with police operations in the City of Blythe. If there happened to be an emergency in Blythe, our staff could be recalled. It is therefore recommended Council authorize the Interim City Manager to enter into Agreement No. 2023-019 A once revied and approved by the City Attorney.
No public comment. Councilman Reynolds moved approval of staff’s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Councilman Burton with a unanimous aye vote.
April’s City Council Meeting Schedule. Interim City Manager Crecelius reported due to the Outlook Conference scheduled for April 6, 2023 and the other ancillary events that are held that week which is an Agenda week, staff asks to move the Council meeting from the second to the fourth Tuesday of the month. The regular meeting schedule will resume in May.
No public comment. Councilman Reynolds moved approval of staff’s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Councilman Burton with a unanimous aye vote.
Ordinance No. 921-23 Amending Chapter 2.65 (Purchasing System) of the BMC to Outline Requirements to the Sale and Disposition of Surplus Property. Interim City Manager Crecelius reported once City property or equipment has met its useful life, the process for disposal has included a staff report to Council deeming the property surplus and authorizing disposal of the item. Surplus goods have routinely been stored at Public Works until a public auction is held to dispose of the asset. To streamline the process for disposing of surplus City assets, staff proposes the attached Ordinance which allows the City Manager to approve the disposition of any surplus assets with a value less than the City Manager’s signing authority of $60,000. Staff will bring any City surplus asset with a value greater than $60,000 to Council for approval prior to disposition of the asset. Pursuant to the Ordinance, staff will also bring any surplus items proposed for donation to City Council for approval. The proposed Ordinance outlines procedures for disposing of surplus assets through public auction, electronic auction or sales including internet-based marketplaces, by consignment, competitive bid, negotiated sale or exchange or trade for new goods. This will allow staff more avenues to quickly dispose of assets once they are obsolete or have met their useful life. Under this Ordinance, the City Manager will have the authority to destroy or dispose of surplus property with no commercial value or items that require an expenditure of funds for continued care, handling, maintenance, or storage which exceeds the estimated proceeds of sale. This will eliminate the storage of items with no commercial value at Public Works as assets with no value will be disposed of in a timely manner. The Purchasing Agent/Finance Director will keep records of all surplus property sold, exchanged, traded in, disposed of, or donated pursuant to this Ordinance. To streamline the process for disposing of City property that has become obsolete, worn out or no longer needed or useable by any City Department, it is recommended Council introduce Ordnance No. 921-23, and authorize the City Manager to approve the disposition of surplus items in a manner consistent with Ordinance No. 921-23 until the Ordinance takes effect.
No public comment. Councilman Reynolds moved approval of Staff’s recommendation. The motion was seconded by Vice Mayor Rodriguez with a unanimous aye vote.
ORDINANCE NO. 921-23. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2.65 PURCHASING SYSTEM) OF TITLE 2 (ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL) OF THE BLYTHE MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADD A NEW SECTION 2.65.140 RELATING TO THE SALE AND DISPOSITION OF
SURPLUS SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15061(B)(3).
Save Chuck. Interim City Manager Crecelius reported the City has launched the Save Chuck Collection in response to the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation’s announced closure of CVSP by March 2025. The website, www.savechuck.org was launched in the last few weeks and we encourage everyone to visit and sign up to participate and receive updates on this movement. This topic will be discussed at the Outlook Conference on April 6 th at
Palo Verde College from 9-11am. The City continues to receive support for our legislators, and community partners and fellow cities. We have received support from CVAG, Supervisor Perez and the County of Riverside, Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, Congressman Raul Ruiz, the Cites of Perris and Indian Wells, and several other cities are finalizing their support letters. Last night the Riverside County Division of the League of California Cities unanimously voted to support our efforts. The City is also working in close partnership with the City of Norco to propose a swap of CRC in Norco for CVSP in Blythe. If a prison must close, CRC is the better choice as it will save the taxpayers millions of dollars per year. CRC is $10,000 more per capita than CVSP.
To put that in perspective, it costs the state $20 million more per year to operate CRC than Chuckawalla. On top of that, CRC needs $1.1 billion in infrastructure improvements over CVSP’s 640 million. As CRC has been slated to close since 2012, the State has made no infrastructure investments into CRC, however the State has continued to fund projects at CVSP, including a medical facility upgrade that was completed this year. The City of Blythe believes this is a win-win for Blythe and Norco as Blythe wants to keep CVSP and for Norco who has for years petitioned to have CRC shuttered. CRC was built in the 1920’s as a hotel resort. It is one of the oldest prisons in the State’s system and the only one that was never designed to be a prison.
This swap is also a win for the Governor who will still reduce bed capacity statewide by closed CRC instead of CVSP. The biggest winner in this proposal are the taxpayers, who could take the money spent on CRC and reinvest it in our communities. Staff wanted to take this opportunity to give a brief update of what has been done and allow time for any question may have about the Save Chuck movement. We would also like to encourage our citizens to sign up to support these efforts.
Public Comment. Mick Catron asked if the strategy to not have CVSP closed is to recruit others to propose a swap of CRC for Chuckawalla.
The item was received and filed.
ORAL REPORTS:
Councilman Reynolds reported on several events occurring in the community this upcoming weekend.
Mayor DeConinck reported on other upcoming community events.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Chris Peters of 371 N. Tesoro reported on the restrooms in City parks.
ADJOURN: The City Council meeting was adjourned at 7:00pm. ________________________________
Joseph DeConinck, Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________
Mallory Crecelius, City Clerk