MINUTES
CALISTOGA CITY COUNCIL - REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 - 6:00 PM
Calistoga Community Center 11307 Washington Street Calistoga, CA 94515
1. Call to Order/Roll Call/Pledge of Allegiance and Optional Patriotic Activity Mayor Williams called the regular session to order at 6:00 p.m.
Present: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega and Councilmembers Eisenberg, Cooper and Gift.
Absent:
2. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSIONS
The Council did meet regarding labor negotiations and the results of those discussions are on the consent calendar. There is more work to be done on this topic.
3. ORAL COMMUNICATION ON CONSENT ITEMS OR NON-AGENDA ITEMS There was public comment by Eric Reichart and Scott Fournier.
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5. I.
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CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
Interim City Manager Celaya Reported:
1. The Merry and Bright Event was a success. Celaya thanked everyone involved.
2. The 30th Annual Lighted Tractor Parade was a fun-filled night with more than 11,000 spectators.
3. On Dec 11, 6pm-8pm, supervisor Anne Cottrell will sponsor the 3rd Annual Open House and Food Pantry Donation Drive at the Calistoga Library. Please come out and support our Community!
4. On Dec. 20, 1 pm-3pm there will be an Annual Holiday Dinner at the Boys and Girls Club, all residents are invited to join for a free meal, games and activities. Dec. 17th is the deadline to register for a delivered meal for homebound individuals.
5. Water Utility Rate Workshop will be held on January 15, 2026, from 6pm-7:30pm. More information will be included in the water bill.
6. Firefighter Nathan Bower has been selected by his peers as Firefighter of the Year! He is most deserving of this recognition.
7. The Fire Department will begin planned pile burns on Mt. Washington over the next few months to help reduce fuel.
8. The emergency repair work is beginning on Maxfield Pathway and may include night work and intermittent closures.
9. Caltrans will be conducting work on Hwy 29 between Rutherford and Oakville. This will happen in early January for 3 to 4 weeks.
10. The Vine Trail will be closed for tree work Dec. 15-18.
11. P&B hired a new permit tech; the position was created by a promotion of Claudia Pouliot, and that person will be introduced soon.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/ AWARDS
CONSENT CALENDAR
6.1. Adoption of Consent Calendar
Motion by Councilmember Cooper and seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg to adopt the consent calendar as presented with the exception of items 6.1 and 6.12. Motion Carried - City Council Minutes
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
December 9, 2025
Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember
Gift, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg None
None
None
6.2. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-100 - Appointments to the Green Committee, Housing Advisory Committee, the Planning Commission and Napa County's Mosquito Abatement District.
This item was pulled for discussion by Councilmember Gift who proposed other nominations.
The Council discussed this item and there was no public comment.
Motion by Mayor Williams (no second) to adopt the resolution confirming the Mayor's Appointments. Motion Carried
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember
Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg
Councilmember Gift
None
None
6.3. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-101 -Authorizing the City Manager to sign a purchase order agreement in an amount of $35,510.32 with Cameron Electric and authorize a contingency of 10% for change orders not to exceed a total project cost of $39,000 for the purchase, removal, and replacement of the backup generator at the Palisades sewage lift station.
6.4. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-102 - Confirming the Mayor's Appointments of Councilmembers to Various Local and Regional Boards and Committees.
6.5. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-103 - Adopting the successor Calistoga Professional Fire Fighters' Association collective bargaining agreement.
6.6. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-104 -Amending the Salary and Benefits ScheduleExecutive Management.
6.7. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-105 - Adopting the successor Calistoga Police Officer Association collective bargaining agreement.
6.8. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-106 - Amending the Mid-Management Benefit and Salary Schedule.
6.9. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-107 -Approving Amendment No. 1 to the Design Professional Services Agreement (PSA) No. 1031 with Censor North America Inc. to provide additional design services for the Conn Creek Bridge Water Pipe Crossing Project, Phase II in an amount not to exceed $38,516.
City Council Minutes December 9, 2025
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8. 6.10. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-108 - Adopting an Ordinance of the City of Calistoga amending Titles 8 and 17 of the Calistoga Municipal Code to implement programs in the City's Sixth Cycle Housing Element.
6.11. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-109 - Awarding a Business Economic Diversification Grant to The Village in the amount of $1,000.
6.12. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-110 - Establishing the 2026 City Council Meeting Schedule This item was pulled for discussion by Councilmember Gift, who suggested the Council Meetings go back to being held every first and third Tuesday of the month.
This item was discussed by Council and there was no public comment.
Motion by Mayor Williams and seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg to adopt the resolution adopting the 2026 Meeting Schedule as presented. Motion Carried AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Mayor Williams, Councilmember Cooper, and
Councilmember Eisenberg
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega and Councilmember Gift
None
None
PUBLIC HEARING
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
8.1. Adoption of Resolution No. 2025-111 -Appointing a Councilmember to Serve as Vice Mayor for 2026.
Councilmember Gift was selected to serve as Vice-Mayor for 2026.
The Council thanked current Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega for the work she did as Vice Mayor.
Motion by Councilmember Cooper and seconded by Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega to adopt the resolution Motion Carried
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember
Gift, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg None
None
None
8.2. A Subdivision Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Calistoga Amending Title 16 of the Calistoga Municipal Code to Add Chapter 16.21 (Parcel Mergers) and Repeal Section
16.20.040 (Voluntary Mergers).
This item was presented by Senior Planner Andrew Amelung
City Council Minutes December 9, 2025
Motion by Mayor Williams and seconded by Councilmember Eisenberg Approving the Ordinance Amendment including the administrative changes mentioned by Senior Planner Amelung Motion Carried
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega, Councilmember
Gift, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember Eisenberg None
None
None
9. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Cooper attended the Merry and Bright event and it was delightful and wonderfully attended.
Councilmember Gift thanked all the organizations that have come together to fill the holes in our community events. Merry and Bright was wonderiul and the Tractor Parade was incredible. She wished everyone a happy holiday season.
Councilmember Eisenberg and Mayor Williams will be at the elementary school to congratulate fifth grader Hennessy, who won the prize for naming the new NVTA bus, Poppy Bee. Also, Climate Action and NVTA are collaborating and moving forward with efforts to increase the number of vehicle charging stations and figuring out where to place them.
Vice Mayor Lopez-Ortega will be attending a North Bay League of Cities planning meeting for the 2026 activities. It will be a long meeting but it will be productive. Also, the businesses downtown will be open late on Dec. 12 in conjunction with the parade put on by the Catholic Church honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Mayor Williams attended an NVTA meeting, which has released a very extensive travel study that is available to the public. He also attended a FG Advisory Committee meeting with Councilmember Gift and they are forming subcommittees addressing topics and furthering Fairground progress.
10. ADJOURNMENT
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Mayor Williams adjourned the meeting at 7:21 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
APPROVED: 1/6/26
Approved by:
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