CITY OF MONTAGUE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES [DRAFT]
September 4, 2025
6:30 P.M.
Council Chambers, 230 S. 13th Street, Montague, CA 96064 I. CALL TO ORDER: @6:30 PM
II. ROLL CALL: Murakami, Vela, Dooley, and Jackson 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. Bernie Paul of the South Yreka Fire Chief and the president of the Fire Chief Association. He is going to outline why the Montague Volunteer Fire Department has not been selected to go on strike teams this year and provide a path to get on the strike team list. He was unable to get on the agenda and felt that he needed to address the council. The Siskiyou County Fire Chief Association is an association made up of Fire Chiefs of the whole county and they vote in the area coordinator. Greg Rhol was voted in as a chief to coordinate our emergency response staff. With that position it requires several certifications before they can send out teams. Every year they provide training that meets those certifications. The individuals that receive this training get put on the roster to go out on strike teams. This year Montague did not participate in that training. Several emails were sent out personally from Bernie to the Montague Fire Department. Since they did not participate on it the training they were not on the list. To get back on the list they must complete the RT130 training with a certified instructor that meets all the CICCS (California Incident Command Certification Systems) requirements. The operator must have a driver/operator engine bus certification through the CICCS. With those two templates being met, show performance with the local area BC. Once that happens, they look at the radio and make sure the programming is current with the 2025 program. Then they can be entered into the process to be entered onto the list. The RT130 is required every year. A list of expectations was passed out to the council. The list of expectations is voted on by the Chiefs and is not something that CalFire requires. He goes over the list of the only people that are acceptable to give the training for the certification. He wants to provide a clear path to getting the training necessary to get Montague back on the list for strike teams. Dianne Torpin with the Montague Rotary. She would like to address a response from the Parks and Recreation page to a post made by a member of the community on the Parks and Recreation page on the social media platform Facebook. Ms. Torpin handed the council members a copy of the email she is addressing. It regards the annual parade that the Montague Rotary is having for the Montague Balloon Fair and the Car Show being put together by the Montague Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Takeshi Murakami. Both events are being held on the same day and there is a conflict with an intersection that has the routes overlap each other. There had been a lack of communication between both parties. She is asking that the post be taken down off Facebook. The parade has had the same route for 25 years. Teresa Newton of Montague. She yells at Mayor Takeshi Murakami for 3 minutes that he is ruing the city, is corrupt, and doesn’t listen to people.
V. AGENDA APPROVAL: Approved. Motion made by Dooley. Seconded by Jackson. 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 8/7/2025. Approved as is. Motion made by Vela.
Seconded by Dooley. All Ayes.
VII. DEPARTMENT REPORTS:
1. Sheriff’s update for August 2025-Presented by Sargent Yates. June-August were reported on.
2. City Engineer’s update for August 2025-Presented by Dunn. The project to pave 9th and Prather Streets is in the beginning phase. It will start in FY26/27.
3. Planning Commission’s update for August 2025-No meeting in August.
VIII. OLD BUSINESS:
1. Adoption and Second Reading of an Ordinance of GENERAL PLAN INTRODUCTION, LAND USE ELEMENT, AND ZONING CODE UPDATES. Motion to adopt Ordinance by Vela. Seconded by Dooley. All Ayes.
IX. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Discussion of Freedom Festival Ledger Report. No questions.
2. Consideration of approval for Animal Control to host a spay and neuter fund raiser.-Presented by Hopkins. Tabled. Will be put on the October agenda.
3. Consideration of approval of appointment of Juan Gonzalez to the Montague Volunteer Fire Department. Approved. Motion made by Jackson. Seconded by Dooley. All Ayes. Juan Gonzalez is sworn in by Murakami.
X. COUNCIL AND STAFF REPORTS for August 2025
1. Fire Department: Presented by Murakami. Asked to bring roster for the Fire Department
2. Public Works/City Administrator: No questions
3. Animal Control/ Code Enforcement: Presented by Hopkins. No questions
4. City Clerk: Asking for a report back as to why the budget report looks different.
5. Treasurer: No questions.
6. Library: Presented by Clark. Vela asked Clark to be added to the September agenda to appoint Clark to Library Manager. Motion made by Dooley. Seconded by Vela. All Ayes.
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
Murakami asks to have Tipon come back to the podium and discuss the parade and car show further. Vela would like to see Bernie Paul on the October agenda. Motion passed. Motion made by Vela. Seconded by Jackson. Abstained by Dooley. No by Murakami.
XI. CLOSED SESSION @ 7:46 PM
1. Potential Litigation -- City Initiating (54956.9(d)(4)): One item. Direction given to attorney.
1. ADJOURN @ 8:44 PM Motion made by Vela. Seconded by Jackson. All Ayes.