GRASS VALLEY
City Council Regular Meeting, Capital Improvements Authority and Redevelopment "Successor Agency"
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Council Chambers, Grass Valley City Hall | 125 East Main Street, Grass Valley, California Telephone: (530) 274-4310 – Fax: (530) 274-4399
E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.cityofgrassvalley.com
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting called to order at 6:03 pm.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Hodge led the pledge of allegiance.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Councilmember Jan Arbuckle
Councilmember Joe Bonomolo
Councilmember Tom Ivy
Vice Mayor Haven Caravelli
Mayor Hilary Hodge
AGENDA APPROVAL -
Motion made to approve agenda as submitted by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Vice Mayor Caravelli.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli, Mayor Hodge
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Nothing to report.
INTRODUCTIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
CITY UPDATE
1. Police Department Update
PUBLIC COMMENT -
Virtual comments attached.
Public speakers 1 thru 8
CONSENT ITEMS -
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES July 28, 2026
Motion made to approve consent as submitted by Councilmember Arbuckle, Seconded by Councilmember Bonomolo.
Voting Yea: Councilmember Arbuckle, Councilmember Bonomolo, Councilmember Ivy, Vice Mayor Caravelli
2. Approval of the Regular Meeting Minutes of July 14th, 2026.
Recommendation: Council approve minutes as submitted.
3. Title: Appointment of Independent Auditor for Fiscal Year 2025-26.
CEQA: Not a Project.
Recommendation: That the City Council 1) authorize the City Manager to execute an addendum to the agreement with Smith & Newell, CPAs for independent audit services for Fiscal Year 2025-26 in an amount not to exceed $51,530; and 2) approve the use of a sole-source procurement pursuant to Section 3.08.140(B) of the Grass Valley Municipal Code for the one-year extension of independent audit services with Smith & Newell, CPAs.
4. Joyce Dr Soil Remediation Project – Authorization to Award Contract CEQA: Initial Study – Mitigated Negative Declaration adopted by Planning Commission Recommendation: That Council 1) authorize the award of a contract for the Joyce Dr Soil Remediation Project to the lowest responsive bidder up to $1,730,000, subject to the bid protest period, 2) authorize the Mayor to execute the construction contract, subject to legal review and, 3) authorize the City Engineer to approve construction change orders for up to 10% of the contract amount, subject to the available budget.
5. 2026 Annual Street Rehabilitation Project – Authorization to Award Contract CEQA: Categorically Exempt – Section 15301 “Existing Facilities” Recommendation: That Council 1) award a contract for the 2026 Annual Street Rehabilitation Project to the lowest responsive bidder, subject to the bid protest period, 2) authorize the Mayor to execute the construction contract, subject to legal review and, 3) authorize the City Engineer to approve construction change orders for up to 10% of the contract amount.
6. Professional Services Agreement – Authorization to Approve Change Order CEQA: N/A – CEQA review will be completed as part of the project work Recommendation: That Council authorize the City Engineer to approve a contract change order up to $125,000 with GHD for added design and environmental work associated with the City’s decision to revert to a signalized design alternative on the Downtown Grass Valley Roundabout Project
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR FOR DISCUSSION OR SEPARATE ACTION AND /
OR ANY ADDED AGENDA ITEMS
REORGANIZATION RELATED ITEMS
PUBLIC HEARING
ADMINISTRATIVE
BRIEF REPORTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley, CA MINUTES July 28, 2026
Councilmember Bonomolo made a flock camera statement. Councilmember Ivy attended a NCTC meeting. Councilmember Arbuckle attended League of California Cities Board Meeting, Small and Rural Cities Group, Starry Nights Hospital Foundation Events, GVDA Chamber board meeting. Vice Mayor Caravelli will not be in attendance at the August 11th meeting. Mayor Hodge saw Cinderella at Nevada City Theater, attended Starry Nights, there is an upcoming benefit show to support local museums and national night out is coming up.
CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT
ADJOURN
Meeting adjourned at 6:44 pm.
______________________________ ______________________________ Hilary Hodge, Mayor Taylor Whittingslow, City Clerk
Adopted on: _______________
Item # 2.
City of Grass Valley
City Council
Agenda Action Sheet
Title: Amend the MOU between Nevada County and Nevada City pertaining to terms of remaining PLHA funds
CEQA: Consideration of an Addendum to the MOU partnership for administration of remaining PLHA funds is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378(b)(4) because the MOU does not commit the City to any specific physical project
Recommendation: Authorize the Mayor to sign the amended MOU between Nevada County and Nevada City pertaining to terms of remaining PLHA funds.
Prepared by: Amy Wolfson, City Planner
Council Meeting Date: August 11, 2026 Date Prepared: July 31, 2026 Agenda: Consent
Background Information: The Permanent Local Housing Allocation program was created in 2017 as part of the State’s Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB-2). It established a $75 recording fee on some types of real estate documents to, in part, fund local projects to address affordable housing and homelessness. The funds are dispersed to local jurisdictions after successful application to the State, and after a PLHA plan is approved that adheres to program guidelines. Grass Valley collaborated with Nevada City and Nevada County in 2020, through a Memorandum of Understanding, to apply and administer PLHA funds in order to maximize PLHA funding opportunities. The MOU outlined the Cities’ roles and responsibilities in achieving activities outlined in the PLHA Plan.
A large portion of PLHA funds were previously used as matching funds to leverage Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF) grant funds, supporting the creation of the Western Nevada County Regional Housing Trust Fund, for increasing the supply of affordable housing. The LHTF funds sunsetted after 2025 and are therefore no longer available to use as leveraged matching dollars. Because of this, County and City staff are proposing an amendment for the remainder of the 5-year plan using funds for rounds 4 and 5 in the amount of $808,089. The term of the MOU was for five years and is being amended to indicate that it will las until administration of funds for all five years is complete.
MOU Amendment: The adopted five-year plan of the trust fund coincided with eligible activities established by the state. Years 1 through 3 funding has been used to support affordable housing development, owner occupied housing, and homeless services. Funding during that time period was administered through the Western Nevada County Regional Housing Trust Fund so that we could leverage the funding with matching funds from the Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF). However, LHTF dollars have since sunsetted. Years 4 and 5 funding is proposed to be used on similar eligible activities, however, because of a lack of matching LHTF funds, will not be routed through the Western Nevada County Regional Housing Trust Fund. However, funds will continue to be used toward rental and owner occupied development, and a smaller percentage used on navigation Center and Homeless services , but will not be routed through the Regional Housing Trust Fund.
Remaining funds available are approximately $808,000. Projects will continue to be awarded in collaboration with the partner organizations. The only substantive change to the MOU is a change to the term of the MOU to coincide with the completion of all five rounds of funding
Item # 3.