CITY OF
CITY OF JACKSON
City Council Meeting Minutes
MACKSON September 11, 2023
CALIFORNIA
Mayor and Council Members John Georgette, City Clerk
Steve McLean, Mayor
Chad Simmons, Vice Mayor Staff Members:
Max Godde, Council Member Josh Nelson, City Attorney (Attended remotely) Chris Mynderup, Interim City Manager/Police Chief
ABSENT: Bree Wilder, Public Works Superintendent
Connie Gonsalves, Council Member Dale Fishback, Interim Fire Chief Bob Stimpson, Council Member Carleen Kirkpatrick, Deputy City Clerk Mayor McLean called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
Mayor McLean led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mayor McLean held a moment of silence in honor of the fallen heroes and victims on September 11, 2001.
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA.
Motion to approve the City Council Agenda dated September 11, 2023 as presented. Moved by Vice Mayor Simmons, seconded by Councilmember Godde, and carried by a 3 10 O vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves, Stimpson
ABSTAIN: None
2. PUBLIC MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
Discussion items only, no action will be taken. Any person may address the Council at this time on any subject within the jurisdiction of the City Council. Please note - there is a three (3) minute limit.
Linda Hein & Lucy Hackett (Baker Street West) - Advised they will be leaving the Hein & Co. building by January or February 2024, and requested guidance on previously issued TOT funds they received to improve lighting for Baker Street West. They advised they would like to move forward with installing the lighting as planned, with expectation of the lighting being 80-100% portable when they have to move. They hope to stay in Jackson, however, locations in Menden, Stockton, and Lockford are being considered. They are making contacts with the owners of the old courthouse in Jackson, as well as the Preston Castle in lone as other potential sites.
Mayor McLean asked for public comment and received none. Mayor McLean advised Ms. Hein and Ms. Hacket to use the funds as they see fit and thanked them for notifying Council.
September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
Mayor McLean asked for any additional public comments and received none.
3. CONSENT CALENDAR.
Items listed on the consent calendar are considered routine and may be enacted by one motion. Any item may be removed for discussion at the request of a Council Member. a. Approval of August 28, 2023 Meeting Minutes.
b. Approval of Expenditure Report in the amount of $190,607.87. c. Approval of Payroll Expenditure Report in the amount of $370,515.29. d. Receive Jackson Building Department Monthly Report for August 2023. e. Receive Jackson Fire Department Monthly Report for August 2023. f. Receive Jackson Police Department Monthly Report for August 2023. g. Approval of Economic Development Committee's recommended appointment of committee member Erika Simmons to the TOT/Measure E Annual Grant Review Advisory Committee.
h. Resolution No. 2023-34 Accepting The Completion of Public Improvements for the Civic Center Improvement Project Phase 2 and Filing a Notice Of Completion and Authorizing Recordation Therefore.
i. Resolution No. 2023-35 Concurring in the Call for an Election on the Question of Re- Establishing the Countywide Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Fee.
Mayor McLean inquired about consent item 3H, regarding replacement of the broken TV monitor in the Civic Center. PW Supt Wilder advised he has been in contact with the contractor and they have agreed to replace the TV. Vice Mayor Simmons inquired if the Civic Center certificate of completion is being issued and PW Supt Wilder advised that is up to Council, though the City is still holding the bond which would more than cover the cost of the screen if needed.
Mayor McLean inquired about consent item 31, and Interim City Manager Mynderup advised the resolution presented is to get the Abandoned Vehicle Abatement Fee on the ballot again ($1 per registration) to fund the County abatement removal process.
No changes made to the consent calendar. Mayor McLean requests a motion.
Motion to approve the Consent Calendar dated September 11, 2023 as presented. Moved by Councilmember Godde, seconded by Vice Mayor Simmons, and carried by a 3 to 0 vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves, Stimpson
ABSTAIN: None
4. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.
This section is to provide staff an opportunity to present oral status reports on issues. No legal action is expected to be taken by the Council.
September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
Public Works Superintendent, Bree Wilder - The City Pool filter was installed on Friday with a couple remaining valves to install and should be ready by tomorrow, in time for the High School swim team.
City backflow checks were completed for the year. Father Collin with the St. Katherine Drexel Catholic Parish reached out seeking volunteer opportunities, and Wilder is meeting with them Wednesday to go over weed eating and clean up needs along the Moore water ditch that Public Works has received multiple complaints about recently. The Parish also has a contractor who may be able to assist with rebuilding a frame structure to cover a box at the end of the ditch with a broken wood plank. Weber Ghio requested he provide an update that everything is on track with the French Bar bridge replacement.
They are also communicating with contractor George Reid to schedule a field meet regarding the paving that failed at Vukovich and Hoffman to come up with solutions. Jackson Creek Townhomes on Clinton Road will be doing some rock work on the wall behind their homes. Wilder will be in touch with their contractor to discuss addressing some vegetation, dredging, and debris removal while on site. Mayor McLean stated if there are additional costs that would be beneficial, it can be considered. Wilder advised it should be a big help for minimal cost. The Ace Hardware sewer project went out to bid and no bids were submitted. They are reaching out to the water board to confirm hiring someone directly, as one interested contractor just missed the submission date. Vice Mayor Simmons inquired if the creek clean-up is complete. Wilder advised the number of days per week the crew works is inconsistent but they hope to continue with clean-up a couple days a week moving forward. Simmons inquired about the Timber Ridge area near Court Street, and Wilder advised it will be cleaned up and he is trying to get a contractor to provide a quote on dredging that area as well. He advised 95% of the pipe there is full of silt and mud, and if they can dig down deep enough it should wash out. The property owner above that area gets flooded otherwise. Wilder advised even if they have to run a mini escalator at that location, it will be addressed one way or another. Councilmember Godde advised the last time he saw that done was about 20 years ago. Wilder advised he has done it twice in the past ten years with a backhoe but it can't reach far enough to make a difference.
Interim Fire Chief, Dale Fishback - Fire attempted to participate in the 9/11 ceremony at the American Legion this morning but were called away for a Code 3 medical call in town. Next month is Fire Awareness month- they will teach classes at the schools starting September 29t at First Five for fire prevention, teaching stop-drop-and-roll, etc. for public awareness. Fire department C shift staff is covered through the next month and a half during Engineer Digirolamo's absence. Truck One has been pump tested, ladder tested, and quotes are being received for adding City decals. They should be fully staffed and in the CAD for dispatch again in a couple weeks.
Interim City Manager / Police Chief, Chris Mynderup - On August 29"h, he attended a community mental health roundtable at the Sutter Amador Hospital, hosted by the hospital's Chief Administration Officer Michael Cureton to discuss strengths and weaknesses as a county when detaining persons for mental health crises. Other attendees included members from County Behavioral Health, County CAO Chuck Iley, members from the lone Police Department, Amador Sheriff's department, ER staff, and Wellspace Health. They were able to compile an exhaustive list of needed improvements, things that are working well, and a wish list for the future if there was an unlimited budget. One of the biggest issues for Jackson Police Department is when a person from anywhere in the County is detained on a 5150 mental health evaluation and is taken over by County mental health, the arresting agency then backs off.
Afterwards, if the person causes a disturbance, because they are now in City jurisdiction, our officers get called to respond This creates a revolving door, utilizing our city resources for county issues, and we are seeking solutions, such as stronger security measures at the hospital and mental health to prevent individuals from causing a disturbance and leaving the hospital. Another issue is when Jackson PD September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
brings any person under a 5150 detention, they have to be medically cleared before mental health will come out to see them, and often these detainees refuse all medical clearance procedures. Policies and procedures need to be developed for these types of incidents.
At approximately 3:20AM on Saturday morning, Officer Morrison conducted a traffic enforcement stop of a gray Dodge Challenger accelerating hard near the St. Sava mission entrance, resulting in a 2.2-mile pursuit with speeds estimating up to 60MPH in 35MPH zones. Emergency backup was requested, and the pursuit ended when the driver was unable to negotiate a turn at Mission Blvd. and Highway 88 and collided into the embankment on the north side of the intersection. Once cover officers arrived, Morrison conducted a felony stop on the driver and four passengers. Driver and all passengers were removed and detained with no injuries. 20-year-old driver Cameron Richard Swingle of Pine Grove was arrested and booked into the County Jail for felony evading a peace officer with wantless regard for safety, felony kidnapping for failure to let his passengers out at their request, and misdemeanor reckless driving. Chief Mynderup thanked Amador County Sheriff's Department and Sutter Creek Police Department for their assistance.
City Attorney, Josh Nelson - No report
5. COUNCIL REPORTS.
This section is to provide Council members an opportunity to present reports on their activities and to request item be placed on future agendas.
Councilmember Gonsalves - absent.
Councilmember Godde - He worked with the Cemetery group over the last two weeks.
Councilmember Stimpson - absent.
Vice Mayor Simmons - He stood in for Mayor McLean at the flag event at the High School.
Mayor McLean - He attended the Amador County Transportation Commission meeting where they approved »! million dollars for road repairs to fill potholes in the county. Vice Mayor Simmons adviser of a large pothole on Hoffman. PW Supt Wilder advised, for safety, Public Works will be filling the pothole on Hoffman in tomorrow if the responsible construction parties have not done so by then.
Wilder has already requested them to clean up the red dirt on Argonaut Lanc in front of the homes closer to Buena Vista, and directed them to stop opening their tarps too early as it releases lots of dirt near those homes. Wilder advised they have drone footage of the area before the work began, and they will reassess once the work is complete. Mayor McLean also attended the Amador Transit Committee meeting. He is scheduled to attend the Oak Manor award ceremony tomorrow at 12:30pm for residents over the age of 90 years old. Mayor McLean advised of a Chamber Mixer at Sutter Hospital at 5:30PM.
6. DISCUSSION CALENDAR.
For the record: Action minutes provide the necessary documentation of City Council actions and audio recordings are retained for those desiring more detail on particular agenda item discussions. These September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
audio recordings provide an accurate and comprehensive backup of City Council deliberations and citizen discussion.
a. Receive, discuss and provide direction regarding (verbal) report from the Homeless Outreach Coordinator regarding the City's response to homeless issues [Homeless Outreach Coordinator, Christine Platt].
They are continuing to monitor the bridge near Mel's Diner that was recently cleared out by Caltrans. There has been some activity of people under there again, though none residing there.
She attended a meeting with the Foothill Conservancy Watershed Protection District and they are looking to provide a solution for garbage at the dam and behind the hospital. Homeless individuals may be able to utilize garbage cans that can be removed on a schedule. She received a text today from a recent client she helped get into rehab who now has 18 months sober and is still living in sober living. His daughter was having a baby and advised he would not be able to meet his grandchild if he wasn't clean and sober, and he is now going to meet his grandchild.
Foothill Conservancy is doing a river clean-up by Electra Road this weekend from 9AM-12PM, meeting at Box Beach. It is the annual river cleanup, not a homeless encampment clean-up.
Brittany Pettinichio has recently been hired as the Assistant Homeless Outreach Coordinator and the unhoused community is really connecting with her, as she has a kind giving heart. Christine is happy to have someone people can contact to connect them with resources when she is out. b. Receive a report by the Chief of Jackson Fire Department regarding the inspection of certain occupancies required to have actual annual inspections performed pursuant to Sections 13146.2 and 13146.3 of the California Health and Safety Code (SB1205). [Fire Chief Dale Fishback, Amador FPD Prevention Officer Ashley Anaya]
Interim Fire Chief Fishback introduced Amador Fire Protection District Prevention Officer Ashley Anaya. Ashley advised the County will continue to provide services to the City of Jackson, such as state mandated inspections for schools, apartments, daycares, churches, and any other fire marshal services such as fire investigation, etc. during the duration of the agreement. Mayor McLean and Council thanked them for their expertise and services.
c. Discuss and provide direction regarding Economic Development Committee's recommendations to expand outreach and marketing for the Façade Grant and increase funding to $2500 match [Councilmember, Bob Stimpson].
Interim City Manager Chris Mynderup advised he attended the Economic Development Committee meeting on August 30th, 2023 and presented on Councilmember Stimpson's behalf. Since the beginning of the Façade Grant program in 2010, there have been 19 recipients for a total of $34,518 in matching funds issued by the City of Jackson. The current match amount is set at a maximum of $1500, and the committee agreed with the changing economy over the past 13 years, to increase interest in the program, they recommend Council to increase the amount to $2500 matching funds.
Mayor McLean opened the item to public comment and received none. Mayor requests a motion.
September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
Motion to approve expanding outreach and marketing for the Façade Grant by increasing funding to a $2500 match, as presented. Moved by Councilmember Godde, seconded by Vice Mayor Simmons, and carried by a 3 to O vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves, Stimpson
ABSTAIN: None
d. Update on FEMA Request for Public Assistance (Disaster # DR-4683-CA California Sever Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides).
Interim City Manager Chris Mynderup advised Deputy City Clerk Carleen Kirkpatrick and Public Works Superintendent Bree Wilder have been diligently working on conducting inspections with FEMA and CalOES and submitting required paperwork for the request for public assistance from FEMA since the flooding disaster event at the beginning of the year. Some of the sites include Detert Park, citywide sewer lines and manholes, South Avenue bridge, Stark Lane bridge, other bridge abutments, mudslide locations, and the sinkhole near the library. He briefly covered the seven categories of damages that can be submitted, with Category A & B damages eligible for 100% reimbursement and Categories C to G eligible for up to 75% reimbursement. To date, $65-70K in reimbursement request for Categories A and B have been submitted. No funds have been received or approved yet, and staff is still working on submissions for damages that fall into categories C to G. PW Supt Wilder advised our last site visits are scheduled for this coming Thursday for storm drainage concerns on French Bar Road near the city limits on the West side and near the middle of South Avenue running under South Avenue to the creek. Vice Mayor Simmons inquired about the tarping above the old Mel's parking lot. Wilder advised that was included in the reimbursement request submitted to FEMA, along with expenses for tree removal at Detert Park. PW Supt Wilder and Council briefly discussed past conversations and plans for possibly creating a living wall or other options for that hillside, and potentially using SB1 money to fund the project. Councilmember Godde asked if SB1 is approximately $80k/year, and PW Supt confirmed, advising he has about two years saved up to put towards the estimated $300k cost of the project. Council thanked Carleen and Bree for their efforts on the FEMA submissions.
e. Discuss and provide direction on the Oro de Amador Cattle Pasture Request for Proposals Addendum #1 [Chris Mynderup, Interim City Manager].
Interim City Manager Chris Mynderup advised of a meeting with current lessee Gib Gianandrea to answer some questions regarding the current RFP for use of the cattle pasture at Oro de Amador, duc on November 3, 2023. Gib provided some suggestions worthy of putting into an Addendum to the RFP, which include requiring a copy of the current cattle brand registration certificate as part of the bid packet and the ability to offer the lease to the second-choice bidder should the awarded lessee decide to leave before the end of the lease. Council confirmed these are good suggestions. Mayor McLean inquired about the requirement for a firebreak, and Mynderup advised this is included in the RFP and when bids are submitted, an email will also be sent out emphasizing the firebreak requirement and estimated costs.
Mayor McLean opened the item to public comment and received none. Mayor requests a motion.
September 11, 2023 City Council Meeting Minutes
Motion to approve Addendum #1 to the Oro de Amador Cattle Pasture Request for Proposals, as presented. Moved by Vice Mayor Simmons, seconded by Councilmember Godde, and carried by a 3 to 0 vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves, Stimpson
ABSTAIN: None
7. REGULAR MEETING ADJOURNMENT.
Mayor McLean adjourned the meeting at 7:13 p.m.
8. CLOSED SESSION.
• PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT
Title: City Manager
9. CLOSED SESSION ADJOURNMENT.
Mayor McLean adjourned the meeting at 7:38 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on September 25, 2023.
ATTEST:
- 10/923
John Georgette, City Clerk Date Approved