Minutes of the Blythe City Council
Special Closed Session
May 13, 2025
The May 13, 2025, Special Closed Session of the Blythe City Council was called to order at 1:00pm in the Council Chambers by Mayor DeConinck. Also in attendance were Vice Mayor Rodriguez and Council Members Halby, Burton and Spraggins. Staff in attendance included:
Interim City Manager and City Clerk Crecelius, City Attorney Roberto, Finance Director and City Treasurer Elms, Chief Building Official Brown and Police Chief Dale.
Interim City Manager Crecelius stated before we get to Public Comment, I wanted to state that this morning you received an email with options for an Agreement. Option B was the latest agreement sent to Mr. Bayles. I will let him speak, but believe that he has tentatively agreed to Option B. To streamline the discussion, I did want to point that out.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION:
David Bayles stated everything is good. I just have a question about a “complete failure” of the irrigation system. What does that mean? The irrigation system is comprised of a lot of moving parts. When it goes down you are not replacing all of it, but parts of it. The whole point of No. 13 was that this course was built many years ago and over the last 15 years we have been patching things. We have replaced numerous components on the pump system. We had a mainline blow out this morning. These are the issues we are plagued with on an aged system. My biggest concern is the pumps. It’s $10,000 to have them serviced and hopefully they have the parts with them. We have worked back and forth with Mallory. Even with the management fee I am going to be short $100,000 this year. I am already down $100,000 in sales this year compared to the same period last year. To take a hit on a pump system, I need some level of confidence that the City is going to help me out. I can’t afford an extra $10,000 when we are already in the hole.
What does a complete failure of the irrigation system mean? City Attorney Roberto stated the language is to discuss the system as a whole. The purpose of this meeting is for the Council to understand what you need from the City to make this happen.
They can ask you any questions they have before they deliberate on this final version.
The Council asked David Bayles various questions about the system, its maintenance and the number of annual repairs.
Interim City Manager Crecelius stated one reason the language is vague is that we are not familiar with irrigation systems and specifically the Golf Course Irrigation system. It may be helpful if he can help us define the major elements of the system so that we can better define a catastrophic failure of the system. Without knowing how it operates, we don’t know the potential for a catastrophic failure.
Mayor DeConinck asked what wording would make everyone happy.
David Balyes would like a number figure associated with it because there are so many components to the irrigation system. I originally said $5,000. If it’s $10,000 would the City kick in? Would that be an easier way to define it?
City Attorney Roberto stated the Council should get a clear understanding of what he is asking for and then you can go into Closed Session to figure out what you want to do.
Mayor DeConinck asked if Dave Bayles was happy with everything else.
David Balyes stated I will find a way to make it work for the next 5 years. Hopefully the economy will turn around. There has been a significant revenue decline over the last few years. I am good with the last revision with clarifying the irrigation by putting a number on it for any repairs that cost over $10,000 the City will help.
Mayor DeConinck stated that it is $10,000 per occasion/incident, not a combination of events. It was reported yes.
Councilman Halby asked for the cost of a total pump replacement.
David Balyes said if it’s just the pump and the motor, those are the cheap parts. It’s the components in the cabinet that drive everything that is the expensive part.
Councilman Halby asked if you had the worst of the worst outage, what would that cost? David Bayles stated it’s hard to say, but if the whole thing goes up, a whole new system is $700,000. If it’s a motor and drive, you are under $100,000.
Councilman Halby stated I am just wondering because what we are about to sign up for could be a potentially high ceiling for a dollar amount. That is something we need to consider.
Public Comment was closed.
RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION:
SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION ITEM:
1. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8. Property: 3480 Quail Run Rd., Blythe, CA 92225.
Agency Negotiator: Mallory Crecelius. Negotiating Parties: BNB Golf Management, Inc.
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment.
REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION:
City Attorney Roberto stated direction was given, no action was taken.
ADJOURN: The City Council meeting was adjourned at 2:10pm. ________________________________
Joseph DeConinck, Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________
Mallory Crecelius , City Clerk