Fort Jones Town Council
Regular Meeting Minutes
July 14, 2025
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING AGENDA
I, Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator for the Town of Fort Jones, hereby certify that the agenda for the July 14, 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, Ray's Food Place, and on the Town's website www.fortjonesca.org on July 11, 2025 before 6:00 p.m.
I declare under the penalty of perjury that the forgoing is true and correct. hesu Stepken
Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator
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, Mercedes Garcia, and Alex LaRiviere. Paula Johnson came after the meeting started at 6:02 PM.
Staff present: Cherie Stephen - Town Administrator by teleconference, Everett Hullquist - Public Works, Joseph Hess - Fort Jones Fire Department Chief, and Josh Short - Fort/Etna Jones Police Department Chief.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by Mayor DeAndreis
PUBLIC COMMENTS: NONE
DISCUSSION / REPORTS / CORRESPONDENCE; NON-ACTION ITEMS:
P1. Wildfire Safety Presentation by Jill Drinkwater (Pacific Power Regional Business Manager) and Mark Swanson (1884 Line Company Project Manager) 1884 Line Company is working under contract with Pacific Corp to replace wooden power lines with aluminum or steel poles to reduce fire risk. They are also upgrading the power lines with ones that will not are in the event they come down preventing fires.
Pacific Power is striving to build their system to be more resilient long term for all seasons and weather conditions.
Over the next 18-24 months crews will be in our communities and surrounding areas working diligently. If power is expected to be out in any area, these crews will inform residents prior to any outage.
Hall. The response was "yes."
Councilmember DeCausmaker asked if the roofing materials had been ordered for the Scout position as she has received more resumes.
loans, responding to daily emails, payroll and bill pay, and setting up interviews for the clerk organize before re-opening. She stated that while being gone she will be working on CDBG have been submitted at this time. The museum is done being repaired, but Cecilia wanted to re- while she was gone on her family emergency? Admin. Stephen responded that all the invoices Capita Grant, if the museum was done and when it would be re-opening, and what to expect Council Discussion: Mayor DeAndreis asked if there were more invoices to submit for the Per No public comments.
Hullquist was getting quotes to fix the Walker Field fence.
A written report appears in the July 14 agenda packet. Admin. Stephens verbally added that E.
D. Administrator / Accounting Monthly Report
No public comment on the public works monthly report.
set into place on 11 Aug. 2025.
The mason work has been done for the BBQ at the Paul Garrison Pavillion. The grill should be travels as the currents trucks are older and not as reliable for long distance traveling. and taken to Redding. Hullquist mentioned that a new truck is needed for such out of town department fixed a fire hydrant that was leaking on Dale Street. Water samples were obtained A written report appears in the July 14" agenda packet. E. Hullquist verbally added that the C. Public Works Monthly Report
No public comment on the fire monthly report.
but that the department is staffed.
Fires are ongoing. Hess informed the council that he is leaving with an engine to the Green Fire, Monday for the Summit and Jack Fire. The Jack Fire is wrapping up, but the Butler and Red department has had an engine at the helibase (Scott Valley Airport) for crash rescue since last A written report appears in the July 14 agenda packet. Chief Hess verbally added that the B. Fire Department Monthly Report
to fast down Mathews Street and that kids could run out into the street Council Discussion: DeCausmaker said she received a complaint about the water trucks driving Public comment: A citizen asked if there were a lot of vacant homes in town. to be a problem.
urges all citizens to leave the fawns where they find them and call Fish and Game if there seems Short also mentioned problems with citizens finding fawns and taking them home to raise. He arrest the perpetrator.
stocking case they have been working on for several month ended after being able to finally A written report appears in the July 14 agenda packet. Chief Short verbally added that a A. Police Department Monthly Report
1. CONSENT CALENDAR:
Public Comment: None
a) Approval of Minutes:
1. Regular Meeting June 9, 2025
b) Ratification of Disbursements: June 01 through 30, 2025 c) Review Budget vs Actual July 01, 2024 through June 30, 2025 Motion: Garcia moves to accept the consent calendar as presented.
Second: LaRiviere
Ayes: M. DeAndreis, M. DeCausmaker, M. Garcia, P. Johnson, A. LaRiviere Nays: None
Action: Motion passes unanimously.
DISCUSSION / REPORTS; ACTION ITEMS:
2. Possible action to open Town Hall on Christmas Eve from 8-5.
Public comment: A citizen said yes to reinstate the office hours to 8-5.
Council discussion: Mayor DeAndreis thought that it was voted to close the office only for that Christmas Eve, 2024.
Motion: LaRiviere moves to reinstate the Town Hall hours, 8 AM to 5 PM, for the Christmas Eve holiday.
Second: Garcia
Ayes: M. DeAndreis, M. DeCausmaker, M. Garcia, P. Johnson, A. LaRiviere Nays: None
Action: Motion passes unanimously.
3. Possible action to approve a new IT service.
Public comment: None
Administrator Stephen asked to table this agenda item as not all the RFP's came in.
Motion: LaRiviere moves to table agenda item #3 until all the RFP's come in.
Second: Garcia
Ayes: M. DeAndreis, M. DeCausmaker, M. Garcia, P. Johnson, A. LaRiviere Nays: None
Action: Motion passes unanimously.
4. Possible action to give the administrator direction to revise all employee job descriptions.
Public comment: A member of the public stated that this sounded good and that updating is good.
Council Discussion: Councilmember DeCausmaker would like a 6-week time frame for job descriptions to be done.
Madeleine DeAndreis, Mayor
MadeleineArdei
Approved:
Cherie Stephen, Town Administrator
Attest:
be held on Aug. 11, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:39 p.m. The next regular town council meeting is scheduled to ADJOURNMENT:
host the next LOLA meeting in October.
Mayor DeAndreis informed the council and the administrator that she volunteered Fort Jones to Dunsmuir.
funding for water/sewer projects and that on the 21s' there is finance committee meeting in Councilmembers Johnson and LaRiviere did attend. LaRiviere stated that Senator Dahl has new Mayor DeAndreis commented that she did not attend the LOLA meeting in Dunsmuir, but COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Action: Motion passes unanimously.
Nays: None
Ayes: M. DeAndreis, M. DeCausmaker, M. Garcia, P. Johnson, A. LaRiviere Second: Garcia
descriptions with input from the department heads and that they are done in 6-weeks.
Motion: DeCausmaker moves to direct the town administrator to revise all of the employee job they are revised again, they can stay that way.
revising as some are too broad in the duties and others not detailed enough. She hopes that once issue with every new administrator the town hires. She agreed that the current ones do need as she has been on council for a longer time. Garcia stated that the job descriptions seem be an Mayor DeAndreis asked Councilmember Garcia how she felt about revising the job descriptions