Fort Jones Town Council
Special Meeting Minutes
April 23, 2025
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING AGENDA
I, Jessie Monday, Town Clerk for the Town of Fort Jones, hereby certify that the agenda for the April 18, 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 April 18, 2025 by close of business.
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the forgoing is true and correct.
Jessie
Jessie Monday, Town Clerk
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 6:00 p.m. In addition to the Mayor, Councilmembers present were Michelle DeCausmaker, Paula Johnson, Mercedes Garcia and Alex LaRiviere.
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: Larry Alexander gave an update about the Fuel Mitigation Grant. Gave council a scope of work and a map of what the grant covers. They are clearing brush and dead trees from the surrounding areas of town. Everything that is taken down will be chipped or mulched so it will not be an eye sore. Mayor would like to know more information about this grant. Suggests to have it heard at a later meeting.
Mark Eyers would like to ask permission to hang the Lion Club banners in the town hall. They have done this for years because they meeting in this hall exclusively. They were taken down because during COVID but they would like they to be hung back up. Public Works says they need to be taken down because they do not let any other groups that have their meetings in the hall hang a banner and the town needs to treat each group equally.
Karen Whitehead would like to know what is happening with certain properties that look unkept and abandoned. She has asked about these properties multiple times and it is bring down her property value. Chief Short says they have served them with every violation they can and the District Attorneys Office keeps dismissing the charges. Chief Short says if she would like to speak more about it she is always welcome to come to his office and he will update her in more detail.
Dustin Bispo says the cottonwood trees that are by the creek and the bridge need to be taken out before they fall and cause more damage then they already have. Public Works addresses these in his report.
DISCUSSION / REPORTS / CORRESPONENCE; NON-ACTION ITEMS:
A. Police Department Monthly Report: Chief Short presenting. Written report included. There is currently 35 open cases within the town limits filed with the District Attorneys Office. Completed an Every 15 Minutes event with Fort Jones Fire Department, CHP, Sheriff's Office, and Etna High School. Chief Short says it was very impactful. Mayor DeAndreis would like to see animal strikes by car on his report monthly. She wants the citizens to realize how many animals get killed because people wont slow down. She would also like it posted on our website.
B. Fire Department Monthly Report: Chief Hess presenting. Written report included. June 19th from 7:00 to 8:30 pm CalFire, OES, Sheriff's Office and the Fort Jones Fire Dept. will be having a Public Safety Community Meeting for citizens to ask questions and get more informed. The meeting will be held at the Town Hall. Mayor DeAndreis asks if the Fire Department will check car seats for the public. Chief Hess says that they are happy to check if they are installed properly.
C. Public Works Monthly Report: PW Hullquist presenting. Written report included. Scott River Road is being chip sealed with money from a grant that we were awarded through the county. Project Don & Cowan Street cannot use the money from the bulk water revenue. The City Administrator and Public Works are looking for alternative sources of funding to pay for the project. PW Hullquist had a meeting with SHN. They talked about preliminary design and permitting of the proposed new plant, the new floodplain maps and how they affect the plant permitting, geotechnical and archaeological surveys, land acquisition around the plant, and the timeline of the grant amendment/ deliverables. Also discussed the future potential monitoring requirements for this plant.
D. Administrative Monthly Report: Administrator Stephen presenting. Written report included. The claim adjuster called for the roof on the ball field and the museum. He said he was waiting on a call to get a time from a contractor to fix the roof. Administrator Stephen and Chief Hess spoke with CalPers about retirement. CalPers has everything they need. It could take up to eight months to complete.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Chief Hess asks if we could move agenda items 6 & 7 to the top of the meeting because he has a training to lead for the other firefighters. Approved. Motion made by LaRiviere, seconded by Garica. All Ayes. a) Approval of Minutes:
i. l Special Meeting February 7, 2025
ii. Regular Meeting March 10, 2025
b) Ratification of Disbursements: March 1 through 31, 2025 Review Budget vs Actual July 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025 Consent calendar approved as presented. Motion made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
DISCUSSION / REPORTS: ACTION ITEMS:
2. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance 2025-04 to Designate Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
3. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance 2025-05 to Amend Sections of the Fort Jones Municipal Code Regarding Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Public Comment- Dustin Bispo says we need to have the Fire Department go to each house and tell people exactly what they need to clean around their houses for fire safety. They need to not wait. They should be out informing homeowners now before the fire season so they have time to do what they are notified to do before the fire season.
Chief Hess presents and says this ordinance is a state law and we need to pass it to be in compliance.
The state is passing this map as the worst-case scenario. We need to put in the work to make the town fire safe. The insurance will not use this map because the map does not account for the residential maintenance for fire safety. Code Enforcement York says she has been giving out letters for homeowners who are not within compliance of the current fire safety parameters. If the town decides to do an Internal Hearing Board that would give the power back to the town to serve violations and fees. A receivership is also an option to get possession of properties that have not been maintained or have been abandoned. Law enforcement has done everything they can. Attorney Jared says what is on the agenda is this ordinance that is a state law that you pass. The Internal Hearing Board is called an Administrative Process and it is done in other cities. Receivership is a very extreme situation where the Town would take ownership, contract someone to clean it, put it for auction, and hopefully get the towns money back.
If you make anything extra it will go back to the owner of the property. Both of these situations are possible but is not what is on the agenda for this item. Motion to approve Ord. 2025-04 and 2025-05 by title only made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
4. Consideration of approval for donations of a 40-yard dumpster for Annual Fort Jones Cleanup Day put together by the Fort Jones Lions Club. Mark Eyers from the Lions Club presents. May 10th from 8-12 will be the Fort Jones Clean Up Day. The Lions will purchase one 40 yard dumpster and two 20 yard dumpsters. The Lions are asking the town to donate a 40 yard dumpster like they have in the years previously. Approved. Motion made by LaRiviere, seconded by DeCausmaker. All Ayes.
5. Consideration of approval for a donation to 2025 Glow Fest put together by Northern California Resource Center. Larry Alexander presenting. This festival is a SEDC project. This event brings film makers to the valley to make money for the locals. Motion made to donate $1000 made by LaRiviere, seconded by Johnson. All Ayes.
6. Consideration of approval to award Advantage Paving for the Butte and Bower Street Rehabilitation Project for the amount of $163,594. Public Works Hullquist reporting. Says that Butte Street will be repaved and Bower Street will be grinded and paved. Approved. Motion made by LaRiviere, seconded by Garcia. All Ayes.
7. Consideration of approval to donate $5,000 to Essexs Spay/Neuter Clinic for Fort Jones. Jaime Essex's presenting. The clinic has to be moved to June 11" through the 13'h n. They have collected enough donations to make the clinic happen with the Town's donation or not. Administrator Stephen says $3000 would be the absolute max the town could afford. Motion made to donate $2500 made by LaRiviere, seconded by Johnson. All Ayes.
8. Consideration of salary increase for Customer Service Representative position. Cynthia has done an amazing job and has been loyal to the Town. Motion to give $20 an hour to the Customer Service Representative position made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. Ayes: Johnson, DeAndreis, LaRiviere, and Garcia. Nayes: DeCausmaker because Public Works has been asking for a raise for a long time, and he has not been granted his raise.
STAFF COMMENTS:
Public Works Hullquist said that the salary schedule has not been updated in a long time. The schedule is outdated.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS:
DeCausmaker: Public Works has installed 2 drinking fountains, and fence covers at the ball field.
Johnson: She has been communicating with the little league about the score board that is no longer working to collaborate on their options to replace it for next season.
DeAndreis: Attended the LOLA Dinner in Tulelake on the 9 of April.
Closed open session at 8:00 PM
CLOSED SESSION: @8:05 PM
1. Conference with Legal Counsel - Potential Liability: Gov. Code 54956.9(d)(2) Number of Cases; 2
2. Public Employee Performance Evaluation: Gov. Code 54957(b)(1) Position: Town Administrator
Back into open session at 10:19 PM. Nothing to report.
ADJOURNMENT: @ 10:21 PM
The next Fort Jones Town Council Meeting is scheduled to be held on May 12th, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
Attest:
london
Jessic Monday, Town Clerk
Approved:
Madeleine leader-
Madeleine DeAndreis, Mayor