Fort Jones Town Council
Regular Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2025
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING AGENDA
1, Cynthia Keno, Customer Service Representative for the Town of Fort Jones, hereby certify that the agenda for the March 10, 2025 regular meeting of the Town Council was posted at the Town Hall, near the door of the Town Council Chambers, Ace Hardware, on the front window of the Fort Jones Post Office and on the Town's website www.fortjonesca.org on March 7, 2025 by close of business.
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the forgoing is true and correct. undi Kene
Cynthia Keno, Customer Service Representative
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL:
The regular meeting of the Fort Jones Town Council was called to order in person by Mayor Madeleine DeAndreis at 7:00 p.m. In addition to the mayor, councilmembers present were Michelle DeCausmaker, Paula Johnson, and Alex LaRiviere. Councilmember Mercedes Garcia was absent.
Staff present: Cherie Stephen - Town Administrator, Jessie Monday- Town Clerk, Everett Hullquist - Public Works, Chief Joseph Hess- Fire Department, Chief Joshua Short - Etna/Fort Jones Police Department, and Kelly York- Animal Control/ Code Enforcement PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by Mayor DeAndreis
PUBLIC COMMENTS: No Comments
DISCUSSION / REPORTS / CORRESPONENCE; NON-ACTION ITEMS:
A. Police Department Monthly Report: Chief Short presenting. No report. The departments email has been down for a week and a half. Will get stats to the council at a later date. $10,000 worth of evictions and citations have been issued this month. Crime has gone down. Asking people to come on a ride along B. Fire Department Monthly Report: Chief Hess presenting. Report included. The state has put out a mandatory Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map that has to be adopted by the Town within 4 months of when the state announced. The Town also needs to publish the map for 30 days. Fire Department is replacing the medium rescue truck. It will be about $250,000-$300,000 to get it built.
C. Public Works Monthly Report: Public Works Hullquist presenting. Report included. Received a grant from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund Planning Grant for getting the plans and specs for replacing the sewer line throughout town. We then need to get a loan from IBank to replace the sewer line. Says our sewer is way out of compliance and this grant will help fix that.
D. Administration Monthly Report: Administrator Stephen presenting. Report included. Working on CDBG Grants and the financials for the Town.
E. Update on Essex's Spay/Neuter Clinic by Jaime Essex: Jaime presenting. Would like council to donate $5,000 to the clinic. $1,000 would go towards neutering strays, and the $4,000 would go towards coupons for citizens to pay for a portion of the cost for spay and neutering their domestic cat. Asked to be put on next months agenda.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. Items listed on the consent calendar are considered routine and may be enacted in one motion. Any item may be removed for discussion at the request of the council or the public. a.) Approval of Minutes: Approval of minutes with correction from Clerk Monday noted on 2/10 making firefighter to engine. Motion made by DeCausmaker, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes. i. Regular Meeting February 10, 2025
ii. Special Meeting February 11, 2025
ili. Special Meeting February 19, 2025
iv. Special Meeting February 21, 2025
b.) Ratification of Disbursements: February 1 through 28, 2025 c.) Review Budget vs Actual July 1, 2024 through February DISCUSSION / REPORTS: ACTION ITEMS:
1. Consideration of approval to sign and adopt a proclamation for Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, Week of the Young Child April 5'-11", as well as Domestic Violence Awareness Month also in April. Packets given to each councilmember and Administrator Stephen. Approved. Motion made by Johnson, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
2. Review, discuss, and possible action to amend the Job Certification and Continuing Education Policy. Mayor DeAndreis thinks we need a wage table instead of this policy and would like to see an updated one at the next meeting. Administrator Stephen says we have a wage table but we are here to amend the policy. Most of the job descriptions need to be updated and so does the wage table and that will take time. Policy approved. Motion made by DeCausmaker, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
3. Consideration of approval and second reading of Ordinance adding Chapter 3.12 "Purchasing" to Establish Purchasing Procedures, Including Cooperative Purchasing, and Informal Bidding Procedures Pursuant to California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting (CUPCCA); Finding Exempt from CEQA; Resolution Electing To Adopt The Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act (CUPCCA) Procedures. Attorney Jared amended the ordinance from the version presented last month with changes presented to him from staff and council. Approved was the amended ordinance, an urgency ordinance, and the resolution electing to adopt CUPCA procedures. First reading of the ordinance by title only. Motion made by DeCausmaker, seconded by Johnson. All Ayes.
4. Consideration of approval of SHN proposal to upgrade the Waste Water Treatment Facility.
Administrator Stephen says there was suppose to be an agreement to get a piece of land from the Finley Farm. It says in this proposal that it had been completed but she has not seen any agreement.
She will follow up but wanted to bring it to the attention of the Council. Approved. Motion made by LaRiviere, seconded by Johnson. All Ayes.
5. Consideration of approval of Fort Jones Fire Department Seasonal Firefighter Proposal for 2025. Chief Hess presenting. This is brought forward every year to the council to hire a seasonal employee. Hs been edited to slightly to match the rates of the economy. Approved. Motion made by Johnson, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
6. Consideration of approval of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding strike team pay/pay per call/pay per meeting. Chief Hess presenting. This agreement has the rates of pay from OES and Cal Fire. Approved.
Motion made by Johnson, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
STAFF COMMENTS:
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS:
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 9:46 p.m. The next regular town council meeting is scheduled to be held on April 14*, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
Attest:
fessie Mond
she Monday Town Click
Approved:
Andelentleade
Madeleine DeAndreis, Mayor