TOWN OF MORAGA
REGULAR MEETING
TOWN COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2026
1010 MINUTES
5:30 PM
The following are minutes of the actions taken by the Town of Moraga Town Council. A full video recording of the meeting is available on the Town's website at:
https://livestream.com/moraga
TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBER
335 RHEEM BOULEVARD
MORAGA, CA
1. CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting was called to order at 5:30 PM by Mayor, Kerry Hillis.
ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Steve Woehleke, Vice Mayor Kerry Hillis Councilmembers Brian Dolan, Lisa Maglio and Graham Thiel Councilmembers Absent: None
Staff Present: Town Manager, Scott Mitnick; Asst.. Town Attorney, Denise Bazzano; Town Clerk, Amy Heavener; Administrative Services Director; Katie Bruner; Parks & Recreation Director, Mackenzie Brady; Planning Director, Sonia Urzua; Police Chief, Jon King
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. PRESENTATIONS
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
Roger Thompson, EdD from Saint Mary's College, Kathryn Brown, Philip Tringale, Peter Markavage, Ralph Osterling, Jackie Cabasso and Ron Schumacker provided public comments.
Town Manager, Mitnick provided follow-up comments to the Public Comments provided.
5. ADOPTION OF MEETING AGENDA
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Maglio
Adoption of the meeting agenda as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
Town Council, Regular Meeting 1 January 14, 2026
There were no public comments.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Maglio
Approve Consent Calendar items 6.1 - 6.3 & 6.6.
Vote: (5-0)
There were no public comments.
Councilmember Woehleke pulled Consent Calendar item 6.4 for comments from members in the Art in Public Spaces Committee.
Holly Hartz provided comment.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions..
Parks & Recreation Director, Mackenzie Brady addressed Council questions.
Councilmembers provided comments.
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Dolan
Approve Consent item 6.4 as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
Councilmember Woehleke pulled Consent Calendar item 6.5 for questions.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions.
ASD Director, Katie Bruner addressed Council questions.
Councilmembers provided comments.
Councilmember Woehleke provided the following comments: "The Organization Study will be focused on current operations. Strategic Goals as referenced in the Staff Report, if used for the study, will be appropriately reviewed with the Town Council. Results of the study will be reviewed with the Town Council, including for obtaining support if necessary for implementing study recommendations."
There were no public comments.
Town Manager, Mitnick provided final comments.
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Thiel
Approve Consent item 6.5 as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
Town Council, Regular Meeting 2 January 14, 2026
6.1 - Receive Accounts Payable Claims for: December 5, 2025 - December 31, 2025 ($297,184.39).
6.2 - Approval of Minutes for the December 10, 2025 Regular meeting of the Moraga Town Council.
6.3 - Adopt a Resolution authorizing the purchase of a Ventrac 4520-P all-terrain mower and HQ-682 Tough Cut brush/vegetation attachment in the amount of $39,808 from Belkorp Ag, LLC, Stockton; and find the purchase categorically exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (Existing Facilities).
6.4 - Adopt a Resolution:
1. Accepting the donation of two cement lion sculptures from the Lum family for installation at the Moraga Library entrance;
2. Accepting the donation of "Mirror Ball," a sculpture created by artist Doug Heine, for placement along the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail; and
3. Authorizing the Town Manager to execute applicable Public Artwork Donatior Agreements in a form approved by the Town Attorney.
6.5 - Adopt a resolution:
Authorizing the Town Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Municipal Resource Group, LLC (MRG) to conduct a Town-wide Organizational Assessment in the amount of $56,840, with a contingency of $3, 160, for a total not to exceed amount of $60,000 subject to approval as to form by the Town Attorney; and authorizing the Administrative Services Director to execute amendments to the agreements within the contingency, as necessary.
6.6 - Approve the 2026 Town Council Meeting calendar, cancelling, and rescheduling meetings as necessary, and direct staff to schedule a special meeting if needed.
7. ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REPORTS ON ACTIVITIES
Councilmember Woehleke attended the Menorah lighting on December 14th in Lafayette representing the Town of Moraga. Councilmember Woehleke gave personal remarks surrounding the event and its significance. Councilmember Woehleke provided a best practice recommendation from the Hannukah lighting in Lafayette is to consider scheduling the lighting at dusk in Moraga, instead of full darkness.
Councilmember Thiel attended the December 16, 2026 Art in Public Spaces Committee meeting and reported out what occurred at the meeting as it related to he evening's Consent Calendar item, potential for historical photographs and a discussion surrounding an Art in Public Spaces master plan.
Councilmember Maglio had no reports.
Vice Mayor Dolan attended the SWAT meeting (Southwestern Area Transportation Committee) meeting where they elected new officers on a rotational basis.
Town Council, Regular Meeting 3 January 14, 2026
Mayor, Hillis thanked the Moraga residents who attended the Coffee with the Mayor event. Mayor Hillis provided the Contra Costa County contact name which pertains to a project referenced during the General Public Comment period. Mayor Hillis referenced books gifted during the last meeting in December and how they pertain to the Town of Moraga. Mayor Hillis gave remarks on the 1st Menorah lighting in Moraga. Mayor Hillis made comments pertaining to the letter circulated pertaining to Mayor Martinez in Richmond, CA.
Town Manager Mitnick had no reports.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
8A - It is recommended that the Town Council take the following actions:
1. Waive the second reading and adopt an ordinance repealing and replacing MMC Chapter 15.04 "Building Codes" of Title 15 and adopting by reference certain sections of Contra Costa County Ordinance No. 2025-19, which adopts the 2025 California Building Code, the 2025 California Residential Code, the 2025 California Electrical Code, the 2025 California Mechanical Code, the 2025 California Plumbing Code, the 2025 California Energy Code, the 2025 California Historical Building Code, the 2025 California Existing Building Code and the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code with changes, additions and deletions, with adoption of findings to justify stricter construction standards to address local climatic, geological, or topographical conditions as authorized by Health and Safety Code sections 17958.5 and 18941.5.
2. Find the ordinance exempt from review pursuant to sections 15061(b)(3) and 15378(b) (5) of the California Environmental Quality Act.
Planning Director, Sonia Urzua presented the item.
Mayor Hillis opened the Public Hearing and asked for public comment.
There was no public comment.
Mayor Hillis closed the Public Hearing.
Councilmembers final provided comments.
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Dolan
Approve Public Hearing item 8A as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
9. DEPARTMENT REPORTS
9A - Adopt a resolution allocating the FY 2024-25 General Purpose Fund unassigned fund balance.
Administrative Services Director, Katie Bruner presented the item.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions.
Town Council, Regular Meeting 4 January 14, 2026
There were no public comments.
Councilmembers provided final comments.
ACTION:
Motion: Maglio / Second: Dolan
Approve Department Report item 9A as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
9B - Waive the first reading and introduce by title only an ordinance repealing and replacing Chapter 3.04 (Purchasing System) of the Moraga Municipal Code (MMC) relating to the Town's Purchases of Services, Supplies and Equipment; adopt a resolution adopting the revised Town of Moraga Purchasing Policy, to be effective March 1, 2026 and find the Ordinance and the updated Purchasing Policy Exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.
Administrative Services Director, Katie Bruner presented the item.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions.
Town Manager, Mitnick provided comments.
There were no public comments.
Councilmembers provided final comments.
ACTION:
Motion: Dolan / Second: Maglio
Approve Department Report item 9B as presented.
Vote: (5-0)
9C - Authorize, by minute order, a professional services agreement with Kosmont Companies (Kosmont) to provide on-call real estate and economic development advisory services to the Town of Moraga with an initial not-to-exceed amount of $60,000, and authorize the Town Manager to execute the agreement, with minor amendments that may be approved by the Town Manager and Town Attorney.
Town Manager, Mitnick introduced the item and Larry Kosmont of Kosmont Companies presented the item.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions.
Den Rojas, Kathy Brown and Bill Snyder provided public comments.
Town Manager Mitnick provided further comments.
Councilmembers provided final comments.
Town Council, Regular Meeting 5 January 14, 2026
ACTION:
Motion: Woehleke / Second: Dolan
Approve Department Report item 9C amended to include a quarterly economic development update.
Vote: (5-0)
Mayor Hillis called for a 5-minute break at 8:30pm.
Council reconvened at 8:35pm.
9D - It is recommended that the Town Council receive a report regarding SB 707, which enacts major amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act effective January 1, 2026, and July 1, 2026 and provide direction to staff to move forward with implementation actions for eligible advisory bodies.
Assistant Town Attorney, Denise Bazzano presented the item.
Councilmembers asked clarifying questions.
There were no public comments.
Councilmembers provided final comments.
ACTION:
No action was required; no action was taken.
9E - Staff recommends that the Town Council discuss the various appointments as presented by the Mayor during the Council meeting and direct staff to bring the 2026 Moraga Town Council Committee Appointments back to Council on the Consent Agenda at the next Town Council meeting for formal acceptance.
Town Manager, Mitnick introduced the item. Mayor Hillis presented the item.
There were no Council questions.
There were no public comments.
There were no final comments.
ACTION:
No action was required; no action was taken.
10. COUNCILMEMBER REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
ACTION:
Motion: Maglio / Second: Hillis
Bring back to Council, for discussion, the possibility of municipal branding as a tool in partnership with economic development.
Vote: (5-0)
Town Council, Regular Meeting 6 January 14, 2026
11. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
None.
12. TOWN MANAGER FOLLOW-UP AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Town Manager Mitnick summarized Planning Director, Urzua's follow up items. Town Manager, Mitnick made comments pertaining to his employment with Kosmont and announced there are vacancies on Committees and Commissions.
13. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Hillis adjourned the Town Council Regular meeting to closed session at 9:26 PM.
Respectfully submitted by:
Meliss Melche
Melisa Melcher
Acting Deputy Town Clerk
Approved by the Town Council:
10 1/326.
Kerry Hillis, Mayor
Town Council, Regular Meeting 7 January 14, 2026