CITY OF
CITY OF JACKSON
City Council Meeting Minutes
JACKSON January 8, 2024
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 (Remote) Bob Stimpson, Council Member Chris Mynderup, Interim City Manager/Police Chief Bree Wilder, Public Works Superintendent
ABSENT: Dale Fishback, Interim Fire Chief
Connie Gonsalves, 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 moved the ceremonial swearing in of Firefighter Kyle Judd and agenda items 7A & 7C to the regular City Council meeting scheduled for January 22, 2024.
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA.
Motion to approve the City Council Agenda dated January 8, 2024 as amended by Mayor McLean. Moved by Councilmember Godde, seconded by Councilmember Stimpson, and carried by a 4 to O vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde, Stimpson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves
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.
Bill Tiemeyer (2132 Thomas Dr.) - Expressed concern for a resident that recently tripped and was injured on a curb in Jackson View Estates. A tentative settlement has been reached between Jackson View Partners and the HOA regarding the paving, and he stated his understanding is that they are awaiting action between the City and Jackson View Partners. He requested Council to follow up to expedite the process. Mr. Tiemeyer also requested the City not issue any additional occupancy permits until the streets in Jackson View are either paved or a 24" feathered edge curb is installed by the developer, and that the subdivision agreement be changed, adding a section forcing the developer to January 8, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes
pave by a set date. The contract currently has no required date for paving until construction is complete in the subdivision.
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 the November 27, December 8, and December 11, 2023 Meeting Minutes. b. Approval of Expenditure Report through December 22, 2023 in the amount of $913,597.52 and January 8, 2024 in the amount of $49,133.83. c. Approval of Payroll Expenditure report for December 2023 in the amount of $364,934.52.
d. Receive Fire Department monthly report for December 2023. e. Receive Police Department monthly report for December 2023. f. Receive Building Department monthly report for December 2023. g. Acceptance of Committee Assignments [confirming decision made at 12/11/23 meeting].
Councilmembers Godde and Stimpson advised of the following changes to the Committee assignments for 2024:
• Max Godde will be the City liaison, with Bob Stimpson as the alternate, for both the Cemetery Committee and the Kennedy Mine Foundation.
Vice Mayor Simmons requested a change to the December 11, 2023 regular City Council meeting minutes to reflect a uniform front in the motion to retain Mayor Steve McLean as Mayor for 2024. Votes should be recorded as a 5 to 0 vote in favor (A YES: McLean, Simmons, Godde, Gonsalves, Stimpson). [Update will be reflected in the 12/11/23 minutes as requested.] Motion to approve the Consent Calendar dated January 8, 2024 as amended by Councilmember Godde. Moved by Vice Mayor Simmons, seconded by Councilmember Godde, and carried by a 4 to 0 vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde, Stimpson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves
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.
Public Works Superintendent, Bree Wilder - South Avenue storm drain to the creek near Mary Hite's home that has been plugged for the past ten plus years has been completed, with a new DI box and grading. The exit of the line near the South Avenue bridge has been cleaned out for better flow where it was previously buried in mud about 1.5 feet deep. The French Bar Bridge Project should be complete January 8, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes
within a couple of weeks, with a couple minor drainage issues to resolve with the contractor. Public Works started taking down Christmas decorations downtown today, following Serbian Christmas on Sunday. GeoCon and the surveyors have begun planning efforts for the reservoir project.
Interim Fire Chief, Dale Fishback - Firefighter Kyle Judd will be sworn in at the next regular Council meeting on January 22, 2024. Hydrant flow testing is continuing throughout the City. The Fire department personnel has been experiencing multiple staff illnesses post holidays.
Interim City Manager/Police Chief, Chris Mynderup - On Friday, January 5, 2024 around 6:45PM, JPD received a call regarding a suspicious device resembling a pipe bomb found in a shed at a residence on Rex Avenue. Staff responded with caution and residences within 500 feet were evacuated. Calaveras bomb squad, with assistance of the San Joaquin County bomb squad, were called in to assess the device, but findings were inconclusive. Out of caution, the device was taken out near the sewer treatment plant and detonated. It ended up being part of a "honey oil lab", which is the process of adding chemical butane to marijuana and pressing out the liquid. Vice Mayor Simmons advised the photo of the device did look like a pipe bomb with a fuse, etc. There was no harm to the public.
Jackson PD was able to assist with the Serbian Christmas tradition on Main Street on Sunday and it went off with a blast!
City Attorney, Josh Nelson (remote) - The California Legislative counsel's office has provided an estimate of the State budget and (according to their analysis) is facing an unprecedented 68-billion- dollar deficit. A better idea of the true impact will be provided when Governor Newsom releases his proposed budget later this week. With the availability of state funded programs over the last couple of years, the City will definitely see indirect impacts. Updates will be provided to Council when further information is received regarding the effects this will have on available funding for local governments.
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 - 1/21/24, attended the Amador Council of Tourism monthly board meeting at Hotel Sutter. They are spending money on commercials for "VisitAmador.com" on Fox 40, Mix 96FM, and are on Facebook and Instagram. Their Vice President plans to come to an upcoming Council meeting to provide a Visit Amador presentation.
Councilmember Stimpson - No report.
Vice Mayor Simmons - Attended a couple of meetings on the school consolidation DEIR.
Mayor McLean - Attended the Amador County Transportation Commission (ACT) meeting and the Amador Transit Committee meeting. He was just invited to a field trip with Caltrans, meeting at Mel's at 10AM on 1/25/24 for a field pavement training traveling from Jackson to Pioneer. Councilmember January 8, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes
Reardon and himself were assigned by ACTC to review a 12-page legal letter for comments regarding the school consolidation DEIR.
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 audio recordings provide an accurate and comprehensive backup of City Council deliberations and citizen discussion.
a. [Removed from agenda.] Receive, discuss, and provide direction on verbal report of City's ongoing response to homeless issues [Christine Platt, Homeless Outreach Coordinator]. b. [Removed from agenda. ] Receive and discuss engineer's response to the request for a crosswalk at Teresa's Place [Matt Ospital, City Engineer].
c. Receive, discuss, and provide direction to staff response to Jackson Dental's request for streetlights on French Bar Road.
Interim City Manager Chris Mynderup advised that staff does not recommend installation of streetlights on French Bar Road at this time as the lot in question is not zoned for use as an automobile parking area, estimated costs are between $25-35k, and police calls for service do not reflect the reported concerns of Jackson Dental staff. Dr. Ask has started the process applying to rezone the lot in question to commercial and the Jackson municipal code has lighting requirements for parking lots. If the rezone is approved, Council could revisit the item at that Mayor McLean opened the item for council discussion and received none.
Mayor McLean asked for public comments and received none.
Motion for staff to take no action at this time on Dr. Ask's request for streetlights on French Bar Road as directed by Council on this date. Moved by Mayor McLean, seconded by Councilmember Godde, and carried by a 4 to O vote:
AYES: McLean, Simmons, Godde, Stimpson
NOES: None
ABSENT: Gonsalves
ABSTAIN: None
d. Receive an update on "Giving Tuesday" results [Keith Davis, Cemetery Committee Chairman].
Cemetery Committee Chairman Keith Davis informed Council that the Cemetery Committee (with their new nonprofit status with ACRA) participated in the "Giving Tuesday" event on December 26, 2023 along with 64 other groups and received a total of $2,777.00 in donations.
There were a total of 27 donations totaling $2,496.00 and a match received from the Rancheria for $281.00. Mr. Sweet specifically thanked Mr. & Mrs. Pat and Jeannine Crew for their generous donation of $1,000.00. There will be additional fundraising activities coming up, January 8, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes
including a large dinner by the kiosk at the Cemetery in late spring/early summer. The Cemetery Committee's tentative $6,700.00 budget will include buying supplies to clean headstones, canister backpacks for water, and brushes. They also obtained estimates to straighten up tombstones and headstones. There will be an ability to "Adopt-a-Plot" soon, and they are preparing a green burial area to meet state rules and regulations. Argonaut High School volunteers will be coming in once a month to help out with weeds and clean up. Lisa Lucke advertises cleanup days and along with the Cemetery Committee members, Lion's members, high school kids, probation, and other volunteers have been showing up to help. Their goal is to make it easier for people to get around in the cemetery.
Keith Davis thanked and expressed appreciation for the following individuals:
-PW Superintendent Bree Wilder (and the public works department) for his generous help. -Cemetery Sexton Laurie Fishback for her time and volunteer efforts stepping into the Cemetery Sexton position when she was needed.
-Councilmember Max Godde for regular meeting attendance, valuable suggestions and city knowledge, help with getting the headstones, the children's cemetery, and his volunteer time.
Lisa Lucke expressed her gratitude for the Amador Community Foundation for managing donation money for the Cemetery Committee. Council expressed their gratitude to Lisa Lucke and the Cemetery Committee.
Mayor McLean inquired if there are any applicants for the Cemetery Committee vacancy with it being open to anyone in the County. Keith Davis advised it will be discussed at the meeting on Wednesday this week.
Mayor McLean asked for public comments and received none. e. Receive an update on FEMA request for public assistance (Disaster #DR-4683-CA California Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides).
Interim City Manager Chris Mynderup advised that City staff has signed off on completed submissions to FEMA for Category A & B damages totaling $67,756.11 and are awaiting approval.
Another $220k worth of proposed project applications in Categories C-G are still in the works. He expressed gratitude to PW Superintendent Bree Wilder and Deputy City Clerk Carleen Kirkpatrick for their work on these applications and coordination of site visits. No money has been received to date but the City is hopeful.
Mayor McLean opened the item for council discussion. Council expressed their gratitude to City staff.
Mayor McLean asked for public comments and received none pertaining to this agenda item.
In response to agenda Item 7C (Jackson Dental streetlight request):
Thornton Consolo (Jackson Planning Commissioner & Resident) - Expressed concerns regarding the need for additional parking near Jackson Dental and support for Dr. Ask's applying to rezone a residential lot to commercial. He stated the parking lot lights should be at the business owner's expense rather than the City and believes it would increase safety. He said he would like to see streetlights at January 8, 2024 City Council Meeting Minutes
this location on the North side of the street after and if rezoning to commercial is approved, permitting a parking lot to be built.
Dave McDaniels (21 French Bar Rd.) - Expressed concerns for parking lot illumination potentially having a negative affect on surrounding residential properties if the parcel in question on French Bar Road is rezoned to commercial, allowing for parking lot use. He trusts City staff will address these concerns and review city codes related to the requirements. Councilmember Stimpson agreed with Mr.
McDaniels' concerns. Vice Mayor Simmons advised there may be some tree requirements for shade/lighting and trusts Dr. Ask will conduct the parking lot installation professionally, if it is approved. Stimpson advised ADA compliance is another concern with traversing to Jackson Dental from that location as well.
Mayor McLean requested any additional public comment and received none.
7. REGULAR MEETING ADJOURNMENT.
Mayor McLean adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m. to January 22, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
8. CLOSED SESSION.
• CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-EXISTING LITIGATION
(Paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9)
Name of case: Mackey v. City of Jackson, Amador Superior Court
9. CLOSED SESSION ADJOURNMENT.
Mayor McLean adjourned closed session at 7:45 р.ш.
ATTEST:
the 212/24
Date Approved