MINUTES
CALISTOGA CITY COUNCIL - REGULAR MEETING
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 - 6:00 PM
Calistoga Community Center | 1307 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 6:02 p.m. Today we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the City of Calistoga's Incorporation.
Present: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Gift and Councilmembers Lopez-Ortega, Eisenberg and Cooper.
Absent:
2. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSIONS
3. ORAL COMMUNICATION ON CONSENT ITEMS OR NON-AGENDA ITEMS There was public comment by Carmen, Cindy Yant and Eric Hanson.
4. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
Interim City Manager Celaya reported:
1. On January 15th, we will be hosting a Water and Wastewater Utilities Open House in the Tubbs Building.
2. The Calistoga Laundromat has been temporarily relocated to 1506 Lincoln Ave. The permanent location will be 1015 Foothill in March.
3. The Tubbs Building at the Fairgrounds has new interior paint, and the Butler Building roof work is still underway. Also, a person was cited for vandalism at the RV Park.
4. During the last storm, Fire responded to multiple collisions, wires down, mudslides and trees down.
5. Highway 29 will only have one lane of traffic open between Rutherford and Oakville for 3 weeks in January due to culvert work.
The Mayor thanked the Fairground Director and all the volunteer efforts at the Fairgrounds.
Councilmember Lopez-Ortega requested that City Hall send out information regarding after-hours phone calls. Interim City Manager Celaya encourages everyone to contact the Police Department with after-hours urgent matters. Councilmember Eisenberg suggested an after-hours recording at City Hall. Vice Mayor Gift thanked the Police Department for its quick response in those instances.
5. PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/ AWARDS
5.1. The City Council made a Proclamation of Gratitude in Honor of Planning Commissioner Timothy Wilkes' service to the City.
6. 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 a typo correction on the third paragraph of page 39.
Motion Carried
City Council - Regular Meeting Minutes January 6, 2026
AYES: Mayor Williams, Vice Mayor Gift, Councilmember Lopez- Ortega, Councilmember Cooper, and Councilmember
Eisenberg
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None
6.2. Council Adopted Meeting Minutes from 11/4, 11/18, 12/2 and 12/9.
6.3. Adoption of Ordinance No. 780 - 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) - 2nd Reading.
6.4. Adoption of Resolution 2026-01 - Accepting the FY 2024-25 Development Impact Fees Annual Report in Compliance with Assembly Bill 1600.
6.5. Adoption of Resolution No. 2026-02 - Accepting a Notice of Completion for the Lake Street Overlay & Recycled Waterline Between Grant St. and Silverado Trail Project
6.6. Adoption of Resolution No. 2026-03 - Adopting the updated Calistoga Public Employees' Association collective bargaining agreement.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
GENERAL GOVERNMENT
8.1. Discuss and provide direction to staff regarding potential budget allocation and departmental responsibility for the Fourth of July Parade and/or Evening Light Show.
This item was presented by Recreation Manager Erin Stroud.
There was public comment by Cindy Yant, Carmen, Eric Reichart, and Charlotte Williams.
Council discussed this item and the possibility of adding a carnival to the event. The Council is supportive of the parade and requested that Director Stroud explore outside funding options for the light show and bring more information to the budget workshop for discussion.
COUNCIL REPORTS
Mayor Williams attended the Housing Advisory Committee Meeting, where there was a good presentation by staff and a discussion by the Committee. He also attended an NVTA meeting and an NVTC meeting, where both recommendations brought forth by the Council were approved: that more funds be allocated to the Welcome Center and that the director of Visit Napa Valley not be a member of the board, per a possible conflict of interest.
0. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Williams adjourned the meeting at 7:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
City Council - Regular Meeting Minutes January 6, 2026
Prepared by: Approved by:
Yudiana Galvan, City Clerk Donald Williams, Mayor
APPROVED: 1/2/26