City Manager Review: SW
Council Agenda Item No.: 1
CITY OF BUELLTON
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Regular Meeting of July 10, 2025
City Council Chambers, 140 West Highway 246
Buellton, California
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Silva called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
Present: Council Member Hudson Hornick, Council Member John Sanchez, Vice Mayor Elysia Lewis and Mayor David Silva
Staff: City Manager Scott Wolfe, City Attorney Greg Murphy, Finance Director Shannel Zamora (Via Zoom), Planning Director Andrea Keefer, Public Works Director Rose Hess, and City Clerk Linda Reid
REORDERING OF AGENDA
None
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Dr, Adam Bailey, introduced himself as the new superintendent of Buellton Union School District.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Member Hornick requested that Item 3 be pulled for discussion.
1. Minutes of June 26, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting
2. List of Claims to be Approved and Ratified for Payment to Date for Fiscal Year 2024/2025
MOTION:
Motion by Vice Mayor Lewis, seconded by Council Member Sanchez, approving Consent Calendar Items 1 and 2.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 July 10, 2025
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 4-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
3. Approval of Security Reduction/Release for 430/440 Central Avenue Duplexes & ADU
Council Member Hornick questioned details regarding the subject development, which were addressed by both the Public Works Director and Planning Director.
MOTION:
Motion by Council Member Sanchez, seconded by Council Member Hornick, approving Consent Calendar Item 3.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 4-0.
Council Member Hornick – Yes
Council Member Sanchez – Yes
Vice Mayor Lewis – Yes
Mayor Silva – Yes
PRESENTATIONS
4. Presentation by Central Coast Community Energy
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive a presentation by 3CE.
STAFF REPORT:
City Manager Wolfe presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
Das Williams, representing 3CE, provided a presentation and responded to questions from the City Council.
Mayor Silva called a brief recess at 6:34 p.m. and resumed the meeting at 6:40 p.m.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 July 10, 2025
PUBLIC HEARINGS
5. Consideration of Protests to Proposed Water and Wastewater Service Fees - Resolution No. 25-23 - “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Setting Forth the Increases to Monthly Water Meter Service Fees and Monthly Wastewater Service Fees in the City of Buellton” City Manager Wolfe and City Attorney Murphy provided guidelines as to how the public hearing would proceed.
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council consider adoption of Resolution 25-23.
STAFF REPORT:
Public Works Director Hess presented the staff report.
SPEAKERS/DISCUSSION:
Protest correspondence was received and made part of the record from the following individuals:
• Len Fleckenstein, Buellton
• Trey Pinner, President of Santa Barbara Property Group, Inc.
Mayor Silva opened the public hearing at 6:18 p.m.
Chris Fisher, representing Willdan Financial, provided a presentation regarding the 2025 water and wastewater rate study and answered questions from the City Council regarding the study.
The following individuals spoke in opposition to increasing the water and wastewater rates:
• Patty Hammel, Buellton
• Troy Morehouse, Buellton
• John Barron, Buellton
• Daniel Durbiano, Buellton
• Candice Signa, Buellton
• Len Fleckenstein, Buellton
• Trey Pinner, Santa Barbara
• Gray Hartley, Buellton
• Cristina Carreno, Buellton
• Farley Neumann, Buellton
John Dorwin, Buellton, spoke in support of raising the water and wastewater rates further to adequately address the needs of the water and wastewater systems.
Mayor Silva called a short recess to allow meeting participants to submit written protests and for staff to count the number of total protests submitted.
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4 July 10, 2025
There being no further public comment, Mayor Silva closed the public hearing at 7:55 p.m.
Public Works Director Hess stated the City received 97 protest votes.
City Manager Wolfe, City Attorney Murphy, and rate consultant Chris Fisher addressed the public’s questions and concerns that were discussed under public comment.
The City Council discussed the following issues:
• Solvency of the wastewater fund
• Creating a subsidy program for residents who need payment assistance. • Conducting rate studies every five years
• Increasing rates on November 1, 2025, rather than August 1, 2025 DOCUMENTS:
Staff report with attachments as listed in the staff report.
MOTION:
Motion by Vice Mayor Lewis, seconded by Council Member Hornick approving Resolution No. 25-23 – “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Buellton, California, Setting Forth the Increases to Monthly Water Meter Service Fees and Monthly Wastewater Service Fees in the City of Buellton” using Alternative 2 (Attachment 6 to the staff report) as the rate increase reference point, beginning November 1, 2025. The rate study will be revised to reflect usage of the Alternative 2 rate structure.
VOTE:
Motion passed by a roll call vote of 3-1, with Council Member Sanchez voting no.
Council Member Hornick - Yes
Council Member Sanchez - No
Vice Mayor Lewis - Yes
Mayor Silva - Yes
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS/ITEMS
Council Member Hornick questioned the status of acquiring a van for use by the Recreation Department. Council Member Hornick questioned the careless work being performed by Frontier Communications to install fiber lines in the City. Council Member Hornick suggested the City Council consider adding traffic calming measures to Sycamore Drive and Valley Dairy Road.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
None
COMMITTEE REPORTS
None
City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5 July 10, 2025
BUSINESS ITEMS
None
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Wolfe provided an informational report for the record.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Silva adjourned the regular meeting at 9:53 p.m. The next regular meeting of the City Council will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. ____________________________
David Silva
Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Linda Reid
City Clerk