Town Council - July 16, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
The Mayor called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 437 Old Mammoth Road, Suite Z, Mammoth Lakes.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Police Chief Dan Casabian led the flag salute.
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS
The Public Comment portion of the agenda provides the public with an opportunity to address the Town Council on matters not otherwise listed on the agenda. Under California law the Town Council is prohibited from generally discussing or taking action on items not included in the agenda; however, the Town Council may briefly respond to comments or questions from members of the public. Therefore, the Town Council will listen to all public comment, but will not generally discuss the matter or take action on it. Requests for service from the Town may also be made at the Town offices during regular business hours. Members of the public desiring to speak on a matter appearing on the agenda should ask the Mayor for the opportunity to be heard when the item comes up for Council consideration.
Brianna Goico, President & CEO of the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, gave an update regarding current Chamber activities.
Betsy Truax, Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT) Vice President of Community Engagement, showed the posters for the new marketing campaign and announced information regarding the upcoming Community Coffee.
4. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
Opportunity to add urgency items pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(b)2, if necessary.
There were no additions to the agenda.
5. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS AND/OR DEPARTMENTS (AS NEEDED) Office of Outdoor Recreation Manager Lawson Reif gave an update regarding current office of outdoor recreation activities.
Parks and Recreation Director Stuart Brown gave an update regarding current parks and recreation activities.
Finance Director Megan Chapman gave an update regarding the launch of the Certified Properties App.
6. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS
6.1 Presentation from Hunden Partners to commence work on the Destination Stewardship Plan initiative.
1. Presentation of Hunden Partners - Destination Stewardship.pdf
2. Town Council - MLT Slide Deck.pdf
Bethanie DeRose, Hunden Partners Executive Vice President, gave a presentation regarding the Destination Stewardship Plan initiative. There was discussion among members of Council and Ms. DeRose.
7. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
7.1 Presentation of Sales Tax Analysis for the Town of Mammoth Lakes provided by HdL Companies
1. HdL Sales Tax .pdf
2. 1_Mammoth Lakes Council Trends Presentation_Bobby.pdf
3. 2_Sales Tax Presentation July 2025.pdf
4. 3_Mammoth Top 25_CY 2024.pdf
5. 4_Mammoth Lakes 2024 Calendar Year Reports_4TownCouncil.pdf
6. 5_Local Government Guide_4 Council.pdf
Finance Director Megan Chapman introduced Bobby Young, HdL Client Services Director. Mr. Young gave a presentation regarding sales tax trends. There was discussion among members of Council, staff, and Mr. Young.
Provide feedback to staff on the data Council would like to have brought back in what frequency.
8. CONSENT AGENDA
Town Manager Rob Patterson requested that Agenda items 8.3 and 8.4 be removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
Moved by
Councilmember Bill Sauser
Seconded by
Councilmember John Wentworth
Approve the Consent Agenda.
For (5)
Councilmember Bill Sauser, Councilmember John Wentworth, Mayor Chris Bubser, Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Rice, and Councilmember Brent Truax Carried (5 to 0)
8.1 Approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 2, 2025.
1. July 2, 2025 Minutes.pdf
8.2 Accept the Project Closeout Report for Volcom Brothers Skate Park Maintenance.
1. Project Closeout Report_Volcom Brothers Skate Park.pdf
8.3 Approve the resolution finding emergency circumstances justify the award of an emergency contract for replacement of the Whitmore Pool roof.
1. Resolution finding emergency circumstances justify the award of contract for replacement of the Whitmore Pool Roof.pdf
2. R25-XX Emergency Contracting Whitmore Pool Roof.pdf
This item was removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
Public Works Director Haislip Hayes outlined the information in the staff report for Agenda Items 8.3 and 8.4. There was discussion among members of Council and staff.
Moved by
Councilmember Bill Sauser
Seconded by
Councilmember John Wentworth
Approve the resolution finding emergency circumstances justify the award of an emergency contract for replacement of the Whitmore Pool roof.
For (5)
Councilmember Bill Sauser, Councilmember John Wentworth, Mayor Chris Bubser, Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Rice, and Councilmember Brent Truax Carried (5 to 0)
8.4 Approve the resolution finding emergency circumstances justify the award of an emergency contract for installation of an above-ground waste oil tank at 299 Commerce Drive.
1. Resolution finding emergency circumstances justify award of emergency contract for waste oil tank installation.pdf
2. R25-XX Emergency Contracting Town Yard Waste Oil.pdf This item was removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion.
Moved by
Councilmember Bill Sauser
Seconded by
Councilmember John Wentworth
Approve the Resolution finding that emergency circumstances justify awarding a contract for installation of an above-ground waste oil tank and decommissioning of the existing, noncompliant underground waste oil tank.
For (5)
Councilmember Bill Sauser, Councilmember John Wentworth, Mayor Chris Bubser, Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Rice, and Councilmember Brent Truax Carried (5 to 0)
8.5 Approve the agreement with Whitebark Institute for Town funding ($610,000) to ensure that high-priority fuel reduction activities can proceed to mitigate wildfire risk near the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
1. Whitebark Agreement - Emergency 610k treatments.pdf
2. Agreement - Whitebark - Emergency Funding 2025.pdf
8.6 Approve the resolution authorizing the temporary closure of Town roads for the Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza.
1. Mammoth Festival of Beers Road Closure Resolution.pdf
8.7 Accept Check Register 6/26/25 in the amount of $386,275.83. Accept Check Register 7/3/25 in the amount of $1,890,502.27.
1. Check Register 06262025.pdf
2. Check Register 07032025.pdf
9. POLICY MATTERS
9.1 Ordinance to Renew Town’s Military Use Policy.
1. Ordinance to Renew Town's Military Equipment Use Policy 2025.pdf
2. ORDINANCE Military Equipment 2025.pdf
3. Annual Report of Military Equipment Use and Inventory 2025.pdf
4. MLPD Military Equipment Policy 706.pdf
Police Chief Dan Casabian outlined the information in the staff report. There was discussion among members of Council and staff.
Moved by
Councilmember Bill Sauser
Seconded by
Councilmember Brent Truax
The Mammoth Lakes Police Department (MLPD) seeks Town Council approval for the possession or use of any military equipment through the Town Council’s passing of an ordinance renewing the Town’s Military Equipment Use Policy pursuant to Government Code Section 7071 (AB 481) at the next, regular, open meeting.
For (5)
Councilmember Bill Sauser, Councilmember John Wentworth, Mayor Chris Bubser, Mayor Pro Tem Amanda Rice, and Councilmember Brent Truax Carried (5 to 0)
10. COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
1. Councilmember Reports.pdf
Informational reports from Councilmember representatives on committees, commissions, and organizations; general reports on Councilmember activities.
Councilmember Sauser attended Fourth of July events.
Councilmember Truax attended Fourth of July events.
Mayor Pro Tem Rice attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Eastern Sierra Counseling and the Eastern Sierra Community Housing Board meeting.
There was discussion among members of Council and staff regarding power outages and road closures for construction.
Councilmember Wentworth attended the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District meeting, the Fourth of July Parade, and met with Hunden Partners regarding the destination management initiative.
Mayor Bubser attended the California Climate and Energy Conference.
11. CLOSED SESSION
11.1 Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6.(a), Conference with Labor Negotiators, the Council will meet with its representatives, Town Manager Rob Patterson, Community and Economic Development Director Nolan Bobroff, and Human Resources Manager Amanda Pelham with respect to the following Employee Organizations: Mammoth Lakes Police Officers Association.
At 5:52 p.m. the Mayor announced that the Council would be entering into closed session for the purposes as stated in the agenda.
12. ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACTION TAKEN AFTER CLOSED SESSION
The Council reconvened from closed session at 6:30 p.m. and announced that there was no reportable action taken.
13. ADJOURNMENT
The Town Council will adjourn to a regular meeting to be held on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
The Council adjourned the meeting at 6:30 p.m.