oF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, May 03, 2022
Regular Meeting - 6:00 PM
City Hall - City Council Chambers
FORN
425 Webster Street, Colusa, CA 95932
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Reische called the meeting to order at 5:32 pm ROLL CALL - PRESENT: Council Members Josh Hill, Greg Ponciano, Daniel Vaca, Denise Conrado and Mayor Thomas Reische
PUBLIC COMMENTS - None.
CLOSED SESSION MEETING - 5:30 PM
Public Employee Performance Evaluation (§ 54957) Title: City Manager REGULAR MEETING - 6:00 PM
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION - Mayor Reische stated there was no reportable action.
ROLL CALL - PRESENT: Council Members Josh Hill, Greg Ponciano, Daniel Vaca, Denise Conrado and Mayor Thomas Reische
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
APPROVAL OF AGENDA - There was council consensus of the agenda approval.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Sean Amsden member of "Concerned Citizens of Careful Planning" discussed the City's 2007 CONSENT CALENDAR - All items listed on the Consent Calendar are considered by the Council to be routine in nature and will be enacted by one motion unless an audience member or Council member requests otherwise, in which case, the item will be removed for separate consideration.
Mayor Reische recused himself from Item 6 - Warrants List due to his financial interest with George L. Messick as President. Council Member Ponciano requested Item 8 be pulled. Pioneer Review Editor Susan Meeker requested Item 9 be pulled. Motion by Council Member Hill, seconded by Council Member Conrado to approve Items 1-7 of the Consent Calendar. Motion passed unanimously.
1. Approve - Council Draft Minutes of April 5th
2. Receive and File - Fire Department March Report
3. Receive and File - Police Department March Report
4. Receive and File - Finance March Report
5. Receive and File - City Treasurer's January Report
6. Receive and File - March Warrants List
7. Receive and File - PRT Quarterly report and State of the Parks report
8. Adopt - Resolution approving the maximum vacation accrual limit and the requirements to vacation sell back for all groups except Fire Fighter association. Also approving the Bilingual pay for all groups.
ITEM PULLED: After council discussion, Mayor Reische recommended forming an Ad Hoc Committee to rectify the issues. Council Members Ponciano and Hill volunteered to serve on the Ad Hoc and will meet with Finance Director Aziz-Khan. This item will be brought back after they meet.
City Council Meeting MINUTES May 03, 2022
9. Adopt - Resolution rejecting all bids, and authorize staff to notify the bidders for the Water Park Splash Pad
ITEM PULLED: Pioneer Review Editor Susan Meeker requested the bid release and the obtain a subcontractor on the specialty work.
ACTION: There was council consensus to bring back Items 8 and 9 to the next meeting.
COUNCIL MEMBER AND CITY MANAGER REPORTS
Council Member Hill participated in a poll for Item 10 and attended a Chamber Meeting.
Council Member Ponciano did some background work on public outreach.
Council Member Vaca provided updates on meetings he attended Council Member Conrado provided updates on all the meetings she attended.
Mayor Reische didn't have anything to report.
City Manager Cain introduced the City's Grant Writer Fernanda Vanetta. He attended a training seminar last week. Cain provided information on the two upcoming workshops.
PUBLIC HEARING
10. Subject: Public Hearing for an Ordinance to amend the City of Colusa City Code, including Appendix A (Zoning), to update cannabis regulations within the City Recommendation: Council to continue the Public Hearing; Council to introduce, read by title only, and waive the full first reading of the proposed Ordinance: An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Colusa, California Amending Article 4, Article 21.5, and Article 33 of the City Zoning Code and repealing Section 32.11 of Article 32 of the City Zoning Code regarding Cannabis Business Uses and Regulatory Permits.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: Janice Bell expressed opposition of dispensaries on East Clay Street but not at (CIP) Colusa Industrial Properties.
Amber Torres provided feedback and results from the survey she conducted on retail cannabis. She expressed her opposition to retail cannabis anywhere in the city.
Michael West expressed opposition to retail cannabis in the city. He stated school officials do not want cannabis in the city.
Vicky Willoh - in favor of retail cannabis.
Kristin Amsden - opposed to retail cannabis.
Joey Ragens - opposed to retail cannabis, recommended a new EIR, and to abstain if a council member had a financial interest.
John Rogers - opposed to cannabis dispensaries.
Matt Simmons - opposed to cannabis dispensaries.
John Vaca expressed concerned about potential smell and abstain if a council member had a financial interest.
Nancy Newlin - opposed to downtown dispensaries.
Jennifer Giffin - opposed of dispensaries and recommended community-oriented businesses.
Loni Gross - opposed to downtown dispensaries.
Francis Austin - asked about the revenue from cannabis. City Manager Cain replied 1.2 million dollars.
Thomas Roach - asked where the city was percentage-wise. City Manager Cain replied 10%.
City Council Meeting MINUTES May 03, 2022
Jack Cunningham - discussed how dispensaries increase undesirable traffic.
Valente Bailey - opposed to downtown dispensaries.
Cheryl Goodman - opposed of all dispensaries.
Angela Kingsley - opposed of retail dispensaries.
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 7:10 PM
ACTION: Mayor Reische made a motion to amend the Ordinance allowing a dispensary in the M-1 and General Commercial District except for the Pirelli area, seconded by Council Member Vaca. Council Member Ponciano made a counter-motion to reject any language in the Ordinance pertaining to cannabis dispensaries. With no second, the countermotion died. The original motion by Mayor Reische, seconded by Council Member Vaca passed 3-1 by the following roll-call vote.
AYES: Vaca, Conrado and Reische.
NOES: Ponciano.
ABSTAIN: Hill.
ABSENT: None.
COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
11. Subject: Consideration of Parks Recreation and Tree Commission Appointment City Clerk Kittle reported the vacancy on the Parks, Recreation and Tree Commission.
Applicant, Thomas Roach was present, if they had any questions.
ACTION: Motion by Council Member Conrado, seconded by Council Member Vaca to appoint Thomas Roach to the Parks, Recreation and Tree Commission for a four-year term. Motion passed unanimously.
12. Subject: US Department of Transportation (DOT) Rural Surface Transportation Grant City Manager Cain reported a grant fund match of 20% - the $578,000 would come out of the cannabis fund.
ACTION: Motion by Council Member Vaca, seconded by Council Member Conrado to adopt Resolution 22-16 for the city to submit a grant bid to US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the resurfacing of Fremont Street. Motion passed unanimously.
13. Subject: Rural Fire Capacity (RFC) Grant for 2022-23 Fiscal Year City Manager Cain reported this grant would help the Fire Department purchase safety equipment. The cash match portion would be taken from strike team funds.
ACTION: Motion by Council Conrado, seconded by Council Member Vaca to approve submission of grant on behalf of the City of Colusa Fire Department for approximately $20,000 in funds to be used for the purchase of communication equipment and Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment. Motion passed unanimously.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
14. Council to set up an Ad Hoc Committee for the 25 acres of land adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant.
Council Members Hill and Vaca volunteered to be on the Ad Hoc Committee.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
• Council Member Hill requested Fee Moratorium update.
• Council Member Ponciano requested forming an Ad Hoc Committee to partner with the Board of Supervisors and community members to discuss the homeless situation.
City Council Meeting MINUTES May 03, 2022
• Council Member Ponciano requested discussion to reinstate Department Heads, City Engineer, and Elected Treasurer oral reports.
ADJOURNED at 7:32 pm
Rusche
THOMAS REISCHE, MAYOR
Shelly Kittle, City Clerk