Fort Jones Town Council
Regular Meeting Minutes
May 12, 2025
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING AGENDA
I, Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator for the Town of Fort Jones, hereby certify that the agenda for the May 12, 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 May 9, 2025 by close of business.
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the forgoing is true and correct. (nice stephen
Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator
CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL:
The special meeting of the Fort Jones Town Council was called to order in person by Mayor Madeleine DeAndreis at 7:01 p.m. In addition to the mayor, councilmembers present were Michelle DeCausmaker, Mercedes Garcia, Paula Johnson, Alex LaRiviere by video from Santa Cruz, CA.
Staff present: Cherie Stephen - Town Administrator, Jessie Monday- Town Clerk, Everett Hullquist - Public Works, Chief Joseph Hess- Fort Jones Fire Department, and Chief Joshua Short - Etna/Fort Jones Police Department
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by Mayor DeAndreis
PUBLIC COMMENTS: No comments.
DISCUSSION / REPORTS / CORRESPONDENCE: NON-ACTION ITEMS:
A. Police Department Monthly Report. Chief Short reporting. Stats for April 2025 included.
Mayor DeAndreis asks if we have a homeless issue. Chief Short says Etna Police Department will take calls from citizens reporting homeless in town and the officers will talk with them and help them get what they need or get to where they are trying to get to. There are no resources for them in Fort Jones so most of the time they are just passing through.
Mayor DeAndreis asks what Etna Police Department is doing about the speeding through town. The department is doing saturation patrols, writing tickets, and posting a message board that also has a radar on it that will give you statistics on how many cars are going by at what time and at what speed. The department is working with the county to drop the speed limit on Scott River Road to 25 MPH in the next couple of weeks.
B. Fire Department Monthly Report. Chief Hess reporting. Written report included. Burning permits are still getting issued. The Chief is talking with CalFire and will probably put out the burning ban around the same time as CalFire for Town which will be around end of June or beginning of July. Pro Tem DeCausmaker asks if Chief Hess could make a report to tell the council what our recruitment retention officer is doing. She is getting paid 98% of her wages through a grant the Town was awarded, and they would like to hear more about what she is doing for the Town and Fire Department. The Town pays a couple of thousand dollars a year for her benefits. Mayor DeAndreis asks if the FD has CPR certification classes? They currently do not because they do not have a firefighter that has the training to teach a CPR class, but Chief Hess will investigate it if there is interest from the public.
C. Public Works Monthly Report. Everett presenting. Written report provided. A picture of a map was given to Council of the current wastewater facility and where the proposed new location is. The flood plain is rising, and it puts the wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) is the flood zone. It is proposed to move it closer to Town. Moving the WWTF would be cheaper than keeping it where it is and raising the facility to get it out of the flood elevation.
To put it in the proposed area the Town would need to buy the land from the Finley Ranch.
The owner has already stated he would sell it to the Town. The facility should not smell and will have a green privacy fence around it with signs saying Wastewater Plant. Everett says we should send out a letter telling them what not to flush down the toilet like feminine products.
D. Administrative Monthly Report. Administrator Stephen reporting. Worked on the budget while out of the office. Invoiced Town grants that had reimbursables. Waiting for the contractor to get ahold of her to give her dates to be able to work on the roof at the ball field and the museum. Admin Stephen thanks Council and staff for supporting her through this difficult time. Pro Tem DeCausmaker asks about the expenses for our IT services? They are very high. Admin Stephens says the checks were written for multiple months of the retainer and the expenses for the cameras and laptops. She also states we need to cut down attorney fees because the fees have cost the Town about $10,000 so far. That is why he isn't present tonight. Mayor DeAndreis asks why the security cameras did not come to council to be approved. They were not budgeted. Admin Stephen says it was talked about in the past.
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:
i. Special Meeting April 23, 2025
b.) Ratification of Disbursements: April 1 through 30, 2025 c.) Review Budget vs Actual July 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025 Consent calendar approved with motion made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
DISCUSSION / REPORTS: ACTION ITEMS:
2. Consideration of Approval and Second reading of Ordinance 2025-2 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).
Motion to approve Ord. 2025-02 second reading by title only made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes.
3. Consideration of Approval and Second reading of Ordinance 2025-04 to Designate Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Consideration of Approval and Second reading of Ordinance 2025-05 to Amend Sections of the Fort Jones Municipal Code Regarding Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Motion to approve Ord. 2025-04 second reading by title only made by Garcia, seconded by LaRiviere. All Ayes
COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS:
DeCausmaker: Siding for Scout Hall was ordered by Everett. Will be Bull Dog green. That is our elementary schools color and mascot. The BBQ made by the high school welding class is at the park and Sam Amillio is laying the brick for the BBQ to by put on. That will be the last piece of the park grant.
DeAndreis: Attended the AB1234 training with Cliff Munson in Etna. Training was very helpful on how to conduct yourself as a council member. Be respectful to all online and in person.
Directs staff to email the Conflict-of-Interest code to her. The mayor would also like to get together with staff to fix how the notices for shutting off areas of water can be more effective.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m. The next regular town council meeting is scheduled to be held on June 9, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Attest:
Stephen
Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator
Approved:
Madden kleach
Madeleine DeAndreis, Mayor