1 CITY OF MILL VALLEY
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
ACTION MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
26 CORTE MADERA AVENUE, MILL VALLEY
February 22, 2023
5:30 P.M.
Mayor Jim Wickham – Present
Vice Mayor Urban Carmel – Present
Councilmember Stephen Burke – Present
Councilmember Max Perrey – Present
City Staff Present: City Manager Cusimano; City Attorney Khalsa; and City Clerk/Management Analyst III Politzer.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wickham called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M.
ACTION OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
None.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA ORDER
Agenda_230222
It was MOVED by Councilmember Perrey and SECONDED by Councilmember Burke to approve the agenda order. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote.
PRESENTATIONS
None.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Wickham opened public comment for items on the Consent Calendar, Items #1-3.
Seeing no one who wished to speak, Mayor Wickham closed public comment.
City Manager Cusimano and Chief Navarro made brief comments regarding Item #3.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Burke and SECONDED by Councilmember Perrey to adopt the Consent Calendar, Items #1-3. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote.
1. Consideration of the February 6, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting Action Minutes.
Recommended Action: Approve the City Council meeting action minutes.
Item 1_Approval of Action Minutes_230222
2 2. Consideration of a Resolution Designating City Manager Todd Cusimano, as a Governing Board Member of the Marin Emergency Radio Authority (MERA) and the Alternate Representative, in the Absence of the Designated Representative, Chief of Police Rick Navarro.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 23-___.
Item 2_MERA Appointments_230222
3. Authorize the City Manager to Sign an Agreement with the Marin County Sheriff's Office for the Mill Valley Police Department's Participation in the Specialized Investigative Unit of the Marin County Sheriff's Office.
Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to sign the agreement.
Item 3_MCSO Agreement Authorization_230222
COUNCIL/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS Vice Mayor Carmel said he attended his last Zoom meeting with the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) as they are now going to meet in person. He noted TAM’s Executive Committee will be meeting to discuss funding for the Highway 101 Interchange project in Corte Madera.
Councilmember Burke said he attended a Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Board meeting where they discussed the Summit Project. He also noted the MWPA has partnered with a retired Cal forester who is an expert in biomass, and they will be collaborating with MCE on future projects.
Councilmember Perrey added to Councilmember Burke’s announcement, noting MCE and MWPA are going to collaborate on the Marin Bio-mass project. He also mentioned Councilmember Burke and himself set up meetings as liaisons with the Mill Valley School District every other month. Councilmember Perrey said the MCE and Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce Joint After-Hours Mixer was a great chance for MCE to participate in Mill Valley tradition.
Mayor Wickham said Mill Valley is preparing for downtown renovations and noted the community should stay tuned for an update. Mayor Wickham thanked Tamalpais High School’s Principal, JC Farr, for his service to the High school and for his service to the Mill Valley community.
PUBLIC OPEN TIME
Speakers: John Bickland.
Communications (via eComment): None.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT
City Manager Cusimano gave a report/update on the following topics:
• Gave a preview of what City Council meeting-related items will be coming to the City Council for consideration in the next 6-12 months.
3 • The Sustainability Coordinator position received a total of 33 applications. He encouraged others to apply as the application period is closing soon. • Gave a summary of the most recent wind event, noting the City received seven downed tree calls last night. He said the City is working on its internal notifications between the Southern Marin Fire Protection District, the Mill Valley Police Department, and the Mill Valley Department of Public Works.
• Planning and Building Director Kelly and Senior Planner Staude finished their work on the Draft Housing Element so it will be presented to the Planning Commission soon and then to the City Council shortly after.
• The Planning and Building Department is looking into story poll solutions at the affordable housing project site of 1 Hamilton Drive.
• The City’s Attorneys at Richard, Watson, & Gershon, LLC., are preparing a Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Litigation Report/Analysis which will be given to Council soon.
NEW BUSINESS
4. Consideration of a Resolution Making Appointments to the City’s Arts Commission, Emergency Preparedness Commission, Library Board of Trustees, Parks and Recreation Commission, and Planning Commission.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 23-___.
Item 4_BCC Appointments 2023_230222
Item 4_Public Communication No. 1_230222
Mayor Wickham introduced City Clerk/Management Analyst III Politzer who gave a summary of the staff report.
Mayor Wickham opened public comment. Seeing no one who wished to speak, Mayor Wickham closed public comment.
Mayor Wickham announced the City Council will be appointing the following individuals to the vacant City Board, Commission, and/or Committee positions:
• Arts Commission: Victoria Mimiaga, Maura Tokarski, and Sharon Valentino. • Emergency Preparedness Commission: Leah Curtis, Tara Huffman, and John Poulson. • Library Board of Trustees: Sally Chang Low and Brook Cosby. • Parks and Recreation Commission: Chris Kearney.
• Planning Commission: Ernest Cirangle, Eric Macris, Kevin Skiles, and Jon Yolles.
It was MOVED by Vice Mayor Carmel and SECONDED by Councilmember Burke to adopt the Resolution. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote.
5. Consideration of a Resolution Opposing Initiative No. 21-0042A1, the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 23-___.
Item 5_Resolution Opposing the Taxpayer and Government Accountability Act_230222
City Manager Cusimano clarified that the City Council already adopted Resolution No. 22-10 in 2022, which opposes Initiative No. 21-0042A1, the Taxpayer Protection and Government 4 Accountability Act, but asked for the City Council to approve of staff drafting a letter to be sent to the League of California Cities further detailing the City of Mill Valley’s opposition.
Councilmembers approved the City Manager’s request.
6. Discussion of Availability for Annual City Council Retreat.
Recommended Action: Select the date and location of the 2023 retreat.
Item 6_Discussion of Availability for 2023 Retreat_230222 Mayor Wickham suggested holding the annual City Council retreat on March 23rd at the Ralston White Retreat. All Councilmembers concurred. Mayor Wickham directed staff to reach out to the venue and schedule the retreat.
PUBLIC HEARING
7. (This item will be continued to the March 20, 2023 Regular City Council Meeting) Hold a Public Hearing and Consideration of a Resolution Adopting the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Public Steps, Lanes, and Paths 220 Project to Allow Development of a Pedestrian Path and Emergency Evacuation Route Between Woodbine Drive and Greenwood Way.
Recommended Action: Continue to the March 20, 2023 Regular City Council meeting.
Item 7_Continuing Public Hearing_230222
It was MOVED by Councilmember Burke and SECONDED by Councilmember Perrey to continue the Public Hearing to the March 20, 2023 Regular City Council meeting. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0 vote.
COUNCIL REQUESTS AND IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION
None.
ADJOURNMENT – The Council ADJOURNED at 6:05 p.m. to the Monday, March 6, 2023 Regular City Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Mill Valley City Council Chambers. ___________________________
Jim Wickham, Mayor
ATTEST:
__________________________________________
Hannah Politzer, City Clerk/Management Analyst III