CITY OF IONE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Meeting of July 18, 2023
Mayor Rhoades called meeting to order at 6:00 PM
A. ROLL CALL:
Present: Stacy Rhoades, Mayor
Jack Mitchell, Vice Mayor
Dominic Atlan, Councilmember
Alison LaFayne, Councilmember
Diane Wratten, Councilmember
Staff: Amy Gedney, Interim City Manager
Rod Atteberry, City Attorney (Filling in for Andy Pinasco) Janice Traverso, City Clerk
B. CLOSED SESSION: None
C. MAYOR RHOADES LED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
D. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
It was moved by Councilmember LaFayne, seconded by Councilmember Wratten and carried to pull Item #1, Warrants and Item #2 Minutes of June 6, 2023 and June 20, 2023 from the Consent Calendar and move to the Regular Agenda for discussion.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
It was moved by Councilmember Atlan, seconded by Councilmember LaFayne and carried to approve the agenda with the amendment above.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
E. PRESENTATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS: None
F. PUBLIC COMMENT:
Paul Bates asked if the Park and Recreation Commission was ever going to get a meeting going because in my 38 years of Rec Facility Management I never seen this where people just decide they do not have a quorum and cannot do a meeting. I have lived here for one year and we plan on moving.
Greg Morris commented that there is a sidewalk in front of 200 Edgebrook Drive that is broken and it is making difficult for a couple of the people in the neighborhood to get their mail. I did fill out a complaint form at City Hall, but have not heard back.
G. INFORMATION ITEMS: Information items—there was no discussion.
1. June 2023 Fire Department Report
2. June 2023 Police Department Report
3. June 2023 Finance/Administrative Report
4. June 2023 Public Works Report
5. June 2023 Building Department Report
H. CONSENT CALENDAR:
3. Appointment to Planning Commission – Mayor Rhoades introduced Karen Huss to the public as our new Planning Commissioner.
I. PUBLIC HEARING: None
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
For the record: Action minutes provide the necessary documentation of City Council action. Audio recordings are retained for those desiring more detail on particular agenda item discussions. These audio recordings provide an accurate and comprehensive backup of City Council deliberations and citizen discussions.
J. REGULAR AGENDA:
G.1 – Warrants – Councilmember LaFayne:
a. If we don’t have a budget in place, how are we able to pay warrants. Most of the warrants that are being processed this month are for June. Once the budget is adopted by the Council, we will go back and retro the other items. b. It is not a requirement to do an interim budget or extend the budget. c. There were four entries for Casselle that were exactly the same amounts- staff will look into it.
d. Downtown Lights should have not been charged to ARPA-not a COVID emergency.
It was moved by Councilmember Atlan, seconded by Councilmember Wratten and carried to approve the July 18, 2023 Warrants.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
G.2 - Minutes of June 6, 2023 and June 20, 2023 – Councilmember LaFayne:
a. June 6, 2023 Minutes and June 20, 2023:
The information added to the June 6, 2023 for the Interim City Manager Employment Agreement, “Adopt Resolution No. 2023-*, was not the action taken by Council. A vote was not taken on the resolution, but there was a vote taken to approve the terms of the contract. The resolution and contract were not presented to Council at that meeting. After discussion by Council on amendments to the minutes, it was Councilmember Atlan, seconded by Vice Mayor Mitchell to approve the minutes of June 6, 2023 with Item N.1.
Regular Agenda, Interim City Manager Employment Agreement removed from the minutes and approve the minutes of June 20, 2023 with Item J.1. Approval of Minutes – June 6, 2023 be removed from the minutes and the resolution and contract be brought back for discussion.
AYES: Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: Rhoades
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
K. PUBLIC HEARING: None
L. REGULAR AGENDA:
1. 2019-2020 Audit – At the June 20, 2023, Brian Nash presented the Audit to Council. At that time, Council asked for more time to review it. It is being brought back for approval with one change, Brian Nash added NOTE L – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS – A member of the City Council is a person in a management position of a local golf course. The City provides tertiary water to the golf course for a contractual rate of $70,000 per year under an agreement approved prior to the Council member being hired by the golf course. The City Council approved a credit of these charges of $21,467 in November 2021 due to delivering less water in fiscal 2020 and 2021 than in previous fiscal years. The City also leases land to the golf course as described in Note K. The Council member has recused himself from voting on a transaction affecting the golf course. It was moved by Councilmember Wratten, seconded by Vice Mayor Mitchell and carried to accept the 2019- 2020 Audit.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
2. Response to 2022-2023 Grand Jury Report – Propane Tank at Howard Park.
In March, 2020, the City received $100,000 from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to install a generator at Evalynn Bishop Hall because the hall is registered as an emergency shelter with the American Red Cross. Instead of hooking up natural gas to the generator, the City installed a propane tank (fuel for the generator), which is illegal in the City according to Ordinance No. 489 dated March 7, 2017.
City Manager prepared a response to the Grand Jury addressing each of their findings and each of their recommendations, which staff agrees with. We have since removed the propane tank and are working with PG&E to provide natural gas for the generator. It appears that the City did not follow their own policies. Our Municipal Code does not allow propane tanks within the City limits.
There was a lengthy discussion by the Council, staff and the public on their concerns with the City’s response letter to the Grand Jury. It was moved by Councilmember Wratten, seconded by Councilmember Atlan and carried that the letter be redrafted at the hands of Amy and Dominic, and if Alison would like to add to that, so that we have a comprehensive response to this letter that includes the information that was discussed tonight.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
3. Response to Notice of Preparation for ACUSD – In 2022, the Amador County Unified School District determined that they were going to consolidate schools throughout Amador County—Ione Elementary School will relocate to Ione Junior High, and Ione Junior High students will move to Sutter Creek. ACUSD has issued a Notice of Preparation, which was never sent to the City of Ione. City Manager, Amy Gedney prepared a response to the Notice of Preparation. The following comments were made:
• Last paragraph regarding not receiving the NOP, be moved to the first paragraph
• Add the Fire Chief and Police Chief’s signatures on the letter • Add economic impact to the City and local businesses
• Jay Kelly commented that if the consolidation does go through, there is a lot of discussion among parents that they will not be sending their kids up, they will be holding them out. There will be possibly be petitions notifying the ACUSD that this will happen.
• Add that Union Pacific Railroad has not been contacted by ACUSD It was moved by Councilmember Atlan, seconded by Councilmember Wratten and carried to send the letter to the School District with the addition of the comments stated above.
AYES: Rhoades, Mitchell, Atlan, LaFayne, Wratten
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
M. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FROM CITY MANAGER:
• Special Meeting July 25, 2023 for Budget Workshop
.
N. COUNCIL COMMENTS/COMMITTEE REPORTS/FUTURE AGENDA:
Councilmember Atlan:
• Update on items that I have brought up in the past
Councilmember Wratten:
• WIRIS Update – Report from ACTC on the August 1, 2023 agenda • ACRA Fees – Will be discussed at the Park & Recreation Agenda in August, and on Council Agenda first meeting in September. •
Councilmember LaFayne:
• Been in contact with Justin Howard, ACRA regarding fees and the benefits Ione receives in return.
Mayor Rhoades:
• CalFire started clean-up of Sutter Creek including removing trees.
O. ADJOURNMENT:
It was moved by Councilmember LaFayne, seconded by Councilmember Wratten and carried to adjourn at. 7:27 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Traverso
City Clerk