Special Meeting Minutes 05/25/2022
Special Meeting Minutes
Fortuna City Council
Wednesday, May 25, 2022 – 2:00 P.M.
621 11th Street, Fortuna CA
We May Disagree, but We Will Be Respectful of One Another All Comments Will Be Directed to the Issue at Hand, and Addressed to the City Council Personal Attacks are Unacceptable
I. CALL TO ORDER / FLAG SALUTE / ROLL CALL
Mayor Long called the meeting to order at 2:01 pm and led the flag salute.
II. ORAL COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
There being no comments from the public for items not on the agenda, Mayor Long closed the public comments.
III. DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Climate Action Plan Update
City Manager Merritt Perry provided a brief introduction and Deputy Director of Community Development, Liz Shorey provided a staff report and update on the Climate Action Plan.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Ben McWhorter – Fortuna Resident –He requested the Council take a look at the use of natural gas and propane and then look at what the carbon intensity level of the electricity that is going to be put in homes to replace natural gas and propane. He encouraged that city needs to look at when switching from gas to electricity. His opinion was that a change like that will “put all the eggs in one basket” for the end consumer. The choice of the consumer is being taken away and they’re being told what to do. He encouraged the Council to look at what the opportunity is with some other fuels, bio-diesel, everything from a weed eater to a car, being converted to electricity and we can’t even keep our lights on in California in the summer.
John Flyer – Commented on no one in this process thinking about the end user that chose to live in rural areas and then are being told they need to change their life styles.
Data should be updated to 2020 and Michael Richardson said the plan was created for an urban area. We’re putting the cart before the horse, but please before the City makes a decision, ask for accurate data. Frustrating to just hear “check the box” to just get the points.
Please ask the questions, don’t just say yes and then we’ll try to figure it out when they get to the EIR. Do they include the point source emissions from Lithia mines? If they’re going to talk about offshore wind…we will get zero credit if the distribution line is not in Humboldt County.
Ben McWhorter – Spoke about in California 100% of portfolio mandated renewable energy.
The wind energy projects are going to have to come into California to offset coal coming into the state.
Hydro solar, wind to feed 100% of our electricity, he questioned. He asked the Council to think of that in terms of supply and demand. It will be even harder to bring that electric online when needed. This is one more thing getting added to the County’s plate.
When asked about approximately how many customers in the county have propane, Mr.
McWhorter responded that with home heating cooking, and water heating, that if homes have propane they probably have electricity. He estimated approximately 10 to 12K people have propane in their homes.
Special Meeting Minutes 05/25/2022
He also commented that when people try to get a water heater permit they won’t let you get natural gas, you can’t get it you have to get electric. That is how they’re phasing natural gas out. We can’t drive out our residents and there needs to be some middle ground.
There being no additional comments, Mayor Long closed the public comment section.
IV. ADJOURN
Mayor Pro Tem Trent moved, seconded by Council Member Johnson to adjourn the meeting at 3:15 pm. Motion carried 4/0.
Siana L. Emmons
City Clerk