THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER
CITY OF CORNING CITY COUNCIL
CLOSED SESSION MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2025
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
794 THIRD STREET
www.corning.org
A. CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm by Mayor Snow.
B. ROLL CALL:
Councilmembers present:
Mayor- Robert Snow
Dave Demo
Chuy Valerio
Shelly Hargens
Absent: Lisa Lomeli
Staff present:
City Manager Brant Mesker
City Attorney Collin Bogener
C. PUBLIC COMMENTS: No members in the audience.
D. REGULAR AGENDA:
1. Conference with Real Property Negotiations (54956.8) Property: APN 067-260-077-000
Agency Negotiator: City Manager Brant Mesker
Under Negotiation: Purchase
2. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation Initiation of litigation pursuant to § 54956.9(c): (one case) E. ADJOURN TO REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION: The closed session ended at 5:20pm. Mayor Snow stated pursuant to Government Code section 54957.1(a)(2) City Council had voted 4-0 to approve legal counsel filing a public nuisance case against the owner of 1518 Marin St. in the Tehama County Superior Court.
THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER
CITY OF CORNING CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2025
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
794 THIRD STREET
www.corning.org
A. CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm by Mayor Snow B. ROLL CALL:
Councilmembers present:
Jose “Chuy” Valerio
Shelly Hargens
Dave Demo
Mayor- Robert Snow
Absent: Lisa Lomeli
Staff present:
City Manager Brant Mesker
City Attorney Collin Bogener
City Clerk Rubi Ordaz
Public Works Director Eli Stanley
Planner/Rec. Coordinator Christina Meeds
Fire Chief Tom Tomlinson
Police Chief Craig Bassett
C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by the City Manager.
D. INVOCATION: Led by Councilor Hargens.
E. PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, APPOINTMENTS, PRESENTATIONS:
1. Proclamation: Tehama County Peace Officers’ Memorial Day. Present to accept the Proclamation will be Pat Hurton, retired CHP Sergeant.
Mayor Snow presented the Proclamation to Pat Hurton, retired CHP Sergeant. City Clerk, Rubi, read the Proclamation. Pat Hurton thanked and reminded everyone of the annual ceremony in Red Bluff on May 7th at High Point Assembly. They will be honoring four officers who lost their lives on the line of duty in 2024 in California. The keynote speaker will be James Gallagher.
2. Proclamation: May 2025 as Older American’s Month. Present to accept the Proclamation will be Elaine Benwell, Corning Healthcare Districts Elder Services Program Manager.
THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER Mayor Snow presented the Proclamation to Elaine Benwell, Corning Healthcare Districts Elder Services Program Manager. City Clerk, Rubi, read the Proclamation. Elaine presented a speech embracing older American’s. She thanked Council for the acknowledgement of older adults.
3. Proclamation: April 24, 2025, as General Federation of Women’s Clubs “Federation Day” in the City of Corning. Present to accept the Proclamation will be Club President, Jenell Cook, and members of the Maywood Woman’s Club.
Mayor Snow presented the Proclamation to Jenell Cook, President of the Maywood Woman’s Club and member of the Club. City Clerk, Rubi, read the Proclamation. Jenell thanked Council and recognized that the first members set the bar high for the Women’s Club and they strive to continue to support the community.
F. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR:
A resident of Corning would like to see the bike lanes be extended through town as he uses them, and they do not go all the way down Solano Street.
Closed at 5:43pm
G. CONSENT AGENDA: It is recommended that items listed on the Consent Agenda be acted on simultaneously unless a Councilmember or members of the audience request separate discussion and/or action.
1. Waive reading, except by title, of any Ordinance under consideration at this meeting for either introduction or passage, per Government Code Section 36934.
2. Waive the reading and approve the Minutes of April 8, 2025, regular and closed session City Council meeting with any necessary corrections.
3. April 16, 2025, Claim Warrant in the amount of $ 248,777.32
4. April 16, 2025, Business License Report
Councilor Valerio moved to approve consent items 1-4; Councilor Hargens seconded the motion.
Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio, and Hargens
Absent: Lomeli
Abstain/Opposed: None
Result: Motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent.
H. ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MEETINGS: None
J. REGULAR AGENDA:
1. Consider waiver of special event permit fee for the Corning Around the World event to be held on June 14, 2025.
Presented by Brant Mesker. Colette Cutter reached out to staff requesting her event permit fee be waived due to this event being beneficial to the downtown business district.
THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER Hargens- What is this event benefiting? Colette clarified this is an event for the community benefiting the business owners downtown. This will bring people to the businesses.
Councilor Demo moved to approve waiver of Special Event Permit fee for the Corning Around The World event; Councilor Valerio seconded the motion.
Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio, and Hargens
Absent: Lomeli
Abstain/Opposed: None
Result: Motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent
2. Adopt Resolution No. 04-22-2025-01, a Resolution finding that the issuance of a liquor license to Corning Food Center is a “public convenience or necessity.” Presented by Planner Christina Meeds. Corning Food Center would like to sell alcohol and wine in their store. The product is purchased and taken home. The alcohol will not be consumed on the property. Current law limits the amount of liquor licenses per city based on their population unless there may be a public convenience or necessity. At that point the City would need to determine the license be approved with a Resolution finding that public convenience or necessity would be served by the issuance of a Liquor License to Corning Food Center.
Councilor Demo moved to adopt Resolution No. 04-22-2025-01 a Resolution finding that the issuance of a Liquor License to Corning Food Center is a “public convenience or necessity,” and direct staff to issue a letter to ABC informing them of a City Council’s findings; Councilor Valerio seconded the motion.
Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio, and Hargens
Absent: Lomeli
Abstain/Opposed: None
Result: Motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent
3. Direction from Council regarding liability limits for the EAA Young Eagles event.
Presented by Brant Mesker. This item was requested per the last Council meeting. It is now being agendized for discussion. The current insurance standard recommended through Insurance Requirements in Contracts (IRIC) is $2,000,000,000 per occurrence with a $4,000,000.000 aggregate. The city is currently requiring a reduced limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate for this event. Staff does not recommend any further reduction below the current amount.
Barbara Boot and Tony Cutter were present to answer questions regarding the event.
The primary reason the EAA Young Eagles event wanted Council to consider a lower insurance coverage was due to an increase in cost for the EAA in order to meet the requirement to hold the event. They would need approximately $600 more to meet the insurance requirements. Barbara stated this event is free to kids ages 8-17, so there isn’t any money being made and pilots are donating their time, fuel, and aircraft.
THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER A motion was not required. All members agreed that the City should maintain their insurance requirements. City Council members and community members stated they would be willing to donate to help contribute to the increased cost to add required insurance coverage.
4. Adopt Resolution No. 04-22-2025-02, a Resolution authorizing an application to the Home Program for Pacific West Communities, Inc. to build a 24-unit apartment complex.
Shelly recused herself from this item due to her proximity to the phase II construction.
Presented by Christina Meeds. Pacific West Communities requested to apply for the HOME Investment Partnership Program. The developer will use the proceeds of the HOME grant to build phase II of the Salado Orchard Apartment Project. Phase II will consist of 24-unit apartments. They will be built next to the current apartment buildings, so they will have the same existing access. There will not be new entrances built since they will go through the existing ones. As part of the conditions they were asked to do extra striping and allow for a turn lane to help alleviate congestion during school drop off and pick up.
Councilor Demo moved to adopt Resolution No. 04-22-25-02, a Resolution granting authority to make an application to the HOME Program for Pacific West Communities, Inc. to build a 24-unit apartment complex and authorize the Mayor to sign any required documents; Councilor Valerio seconded the motion.
Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio
Absent: Lomeli
Abstain/Opposed: Hargens
Result: Motion was approved by a 3-0 vote with Lomeli absent and Hargens abstaining
5. Approve Task Order No. 9 under engineering contract 208-07 for the 2024/2025 well and system expansion project with NorthStar Engineering Presented by Eli Stanely. Staff is recommending City Council to approve Task Order No. 9 with NorthStar Engineering to provide engineering and surveying services for the city’s well and system expansion project. The scope of the project includes the design, permitting, installation, and testing of a new community drinking water well and pump station on Marguerite Avenue, as well as closing a critical water main gap-approximately one mile in length-along Toomes Avenue.
Engineer, Robin Kampann, clarified one part of the project is for the new community well on Marguerite, and another part is for the water pipeline on Toomes before the road repairs are done.
Councilor Hargens moved to approve Task Order 9 to NorthStar Engineering in the amount of $531,268 for professional services for Engineering/survey services under engineering services contract 2018-07 and authorize the City Manager to sign the Task Order authorization; Councilor Valerio seconded the motion.
Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio, and Hargens
Absent: Lomeli
Abstain/Opposed: None
THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER Result: Motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent K. ITEMS PLACED ON THE AGENDA FROM THE FLOOR: None
L. COMMUNICATIONS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND INFORMATION:
1. Thirty-two trees to be planted through the Butte Environmental Council Trees PLEASE program at Clark Park, Northside Park, Children’s Park, and Lennox Fields.
Recreation Coordinator Christina Meeds informed Council that Butte Environmental Council has a program that will be providing 32 trees to Corning to put throughout our parks. Chrissy, Eli, and Dom from Public Works walked the parks and chose the locations and what kind of trees.
M. REPORTS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Snow: No meetings.
Demo: No Meetings but reminded everyone about the May 6th Tuesday Night Market.
Lomeli: Absent
Valerio: He stated the Corning Community Egg hunt was a success, and Better Choice Realty had an Easter photo shoot for the community.
Hargens: No meetings
N. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Snow adjourned the meeting at 6:38pm.
Attest:
______________________________
Rubi Ordaz, City Clerk