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CITY OF MONTAGUE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 5, 2024
7:30 P.M.
Council Chambers, 230 S. 13th Street, Montague, CA 96064 PARTICIPATION: Participants can attend in person, online, and/or by telephone, as follows:
• In-person at: Montague City Council Chambers, 230 S. 13th St. • Online via WebEx at:
• Meeting number (access code): 2630 874 0065
• Telephone at:,1-650-479-3208 When prompted, enter Meeting ID: 26308740065 Passcode: *89335983 AGENDA PACKET: Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to any item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection 72 hours before each regularly scheduled meeting at the City Clerk’s office at City Hall, located at 230 S. 13th Street, Montague, California, during normal business hours. Any writing that is subject to disclosure that relates to an agenda item for open session distributed less than 72 hours prior to the meeting will be available for public inspection at the City Clerk’s office during normal business hours. Materials distributed to a majority of councilmembers less than 72 hours before a meeting will be available for public inspection on the City’s website at www.cityofmontagueca.com.
SPEAKERS: Speakers, please stand at the podium and speak loudly so the entire room can hear you. The chairman will recognize you and ask that you state your name and mailing address so that the City Staff can follow up on any issues requiring City action, or provide you with information, if appropriate.
Please silence your cell phones. Thank you!
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA:
I. CALL TO ORDER: @ 6:30 PM
II. ROLL CALL: Muramaki, Jackson, Dooley, and Vela present.
III. PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE:
IV. PUBLIC COMMENTS: “This time is set aside for the public to address the City Council on matters listed on the Consent Agenda as well as other items not included on the Regular Agenda within the authority of the City Council. If your comments concern an item noted under New Business or Old Business on the Regular Agenda, please address the City Council when that item is open for public comment.” (The Brown Act requires the public be given the opportunity to address the City Council before action is taken. If there is a Consent Agenda, there is no other opportunity for public comment on items on the Consent Agenda.) The City Council has the right to reasonably limit the duration of each speaker to three minutes. Speakers may not cede their time. The City Council may ask questions but may take no action during the Public Comments portion of the meeting, except to direct staff to prepare a report, or to place an item on a future agenda.
Teresa Newton comments that at the last meeting she had requested that she would have the City Administrator job description and expenses and revenue for the city but it is not on the agenda. Administrator Dunn says that he put the Fire Department budget and the cost for the locks. Newton says that’s not what she asked for and there is no minutes to reference.
V. AGENDA APPROVAL: Approved. Motion made by Dooley, seconded by Vela. All Ayes.
VI. CONSENT CALENDAR: Discussion/possible action - All matters listed under the consent calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion unless any member of the Council wishes to remove an item for discussion. The City Clerk recommends approval of the following consent calendar items:
1. Approval of City Council Meeting minutes for 10/3: Approved. Motion made by Jackson, seconded by Vela.
All Ayes.
VII. DEPARTMENT REPORTS:
https://cityofmontague-454.my.webex.com/meet/clerk
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1. Sheriff’s update for November 2024- Sargent Yates reporting. Report included.
2. City Engineer’s update for November 2024- No report. Dunn reporting. They are working on Diggle Field.
3. Planning Commission’s update for November 2024- Dunn presenting. Citizens wanted to put up taller fences.
They approved both.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Swearing-in newly elected council members- Administrator Dunn swears in Council members Murakami, Dooley, Jackson, and Vela.
2. Discussion/possible action nominate Mayor and Mayor Pro Tempore: Dooley nominates Murakami for Mayor. Jackson nominates Vela. Vela accepts the nomination. Nomination is dead locked. Jackson and Vela voted for Vela. Murakami and Dooley voted for Murakami. The current Mayor will stay in his position until a fifth council member is appointed. Murakami nominates Jackson for Pro Tem. Dooley nominates Vela.
Nomination is dead locked. Jackson and Murakami voted for Jackson. Vela and Dooley voted for Vela. The current Pro Tem will stay in his position until a fifth council member is appointed.
3. Discussion/possible action consideration to fill vacant City Council seat-Dunn presenting. There are two ways to fill a vacant council seat. You can request a letter of interest from the citizens or we can do a special meeting but it will cost the city $10,000. Kym Rose asks why you can nominate yourself but you cant vote for yourself. Mayor Murakami says that you have always been able to vote for yourself. Approved to fly vacant council seat for 30 days. Motion made by Vela, seconded by Dooley. All Ayes. The position end date will be January 6th at 4:00 PM. Then schedule a special meeting for February 3rd to seat the new member.
4. Review of FY 24/25 Fire Department Budget and door key locks- Administrator Dunn presenting. They are some discrepancies in the budget that are explained. Payment for truck, payroll out of wrong GL, etc. The door locks were paid out of the buildings line for Fire Department and was a total of $377.09. The Fire Department budget is about $70,000 over budget Mayor Murakami asks. Administrator Dunn explains that it is over budget because of the discrepancies told previously.
IX. COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS for November 2024
1. Fire Department: Mayor Murakami reports. 31 calls overall. 7 District, 7 Mutal Aid, and 17 for the City.
Average one per day.
2. Public Works/City Administrator: Dunn presenting. Employees would like to use the rotary room for the Christmas party on January 3rd. General Consensus. Rotary is paying $10,000 for new tables in community hall. Administrator Dunn asks council to put a pole across Hoag Street to block people from getting stuck in the mud. General Consensus. Approved.
3. Animal Control/ Code Enforcement: Report included.
4. City Clerk: Clerk Monday presenting. Account Clerk will be leaving at the end of December for surgery for a month. Clerk will be the only one in the office.
5. Treasurer: No report.
6. Library: Manager Suzie join via video. Preparing for the Christmas Bazaar. Will have a local author at the booth with her book. She is a notary so all proceeds for the month of January will go to the library. She has been very ill the last couple months and the library has not had to close once because of the amazing volunteers.
7. Commissioner/ Council Statements and Requests: Members of the council may now make brief announcements, reports, or request staff to report to the council on any matter at a subsequent meeting.
Dooley comments on the decorations in City Hall saying they are amazing. Vela received a report from Right Click Technologies for our End of Life report for the PC’s in City Hall. General Consensus to add to the agenda next month. Mayor Murakami says we will have Vocal Ensemble will be singing at the tree lighting this year. We have a Santa for the Bazaar as well. A new Santa suit needed to be purchased because the old one was disposed of without the Mayor’s knowledge. Teresa Newton asks if Mayor Murakami has anything to report from the Fire District meeting? She said that Mayor Murakami had said that Administrator Dunn 340291.1
will now be the commissioner for the Fire Department. Mayor Murakami says he had stated that the City is getting restructured so the City Administrator will be the supervisor over all departments. This is waiting the restructuring of our City Government.
X. CLOSED BUSINESS: @ 8:06 PM
Open session @ 11:26 PM
1. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (City Initiating): Government Code 54956.9(d)(4) Number of Cases; 1
2. Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Gov. Code 54957(b)(1) (EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION DISMISSAL) Assistant Fire Chief, Acting Fire Chief, Firefighter- No action taken.
3. Public Employee Appointment (Gov. Code 54957(b)(1) (Employment)—Positions: Acting Fire Chief – No action taken.
XI. ADJOURN: @ 11:27 PM
Motion made by Dooley, seconded by Jackson. All Ayes.