ORLAND CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting called to order by Mayor Chris Dobbs at 6:30 PM.
ROLL CALL
Councilmembers present: Councilmembers Bruce T. Roundy, John McDermott, Jeffrey Tolley, Vice Mayor Matt Romano and Mayor Chris
Dobbs
Councilmembers absent: None
Staff present: City Manager Pete Carr; Director of Administrative Services Rebecca Webster; City Attorney Greg Einhorn;
Police Chief Joe Vlach; Fire Chief Justin Chaney (left at 7:04 PM)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Led by Byron Denton
CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Warrant List for August 6, 2024 meeting (Payable Obligations) B. Warrant List for July 16, 2024 (Payable Obligations) C. Approve City Council from the Special Meeting on June 20, 2024 D. Approve City Council Minutes from the July 2, 2024 Meeting E. Receive and File Planning Commission Minutes from April 18, 2024 F. Updated State Route 32 Maintenance Agreement with Caltrans G. Draft of Grand Jury Report Response
ACTION: Councilmember Roundy moved, seconded by Councilmember McDermott, to approve the consent calendar as presented. Motion carried by a voice vote 5-0.
PRESENTATION
*Recognition of Recreation Director Joe Fenske and Introduction of Recreation Manager Olivia Henderson
Councilmembers, Congressman LaMalfa’s office, and the City Manager all expressed their deep appreciation for Mr. Fenske’s dedicated service.
Mayor Dobbs presented Director Fenske with a commemorative plaque honoring his 16 years of service to the City, adding that the City of Orland would greatly miss his presence and contributions.
Director Fenske expressed heartfelt gratitude to both current and past City Council members for their support in helping him achieve numerous projects for the Recreation Department. He also extended thanks to City staff and the community for their collaboration and support over the years. Additionally, Director Fenske acknowledged Olivia Henderson for stepping up as the next Recreation Manager, confidently stating that she will accomplish great things in her new role.
Orland resident Byron Denton conveyed his sincere appreciation for Director Fenske's contributions to the City, acknowledging the positive impact of his work.
Mr. Carr extended his best wishes to Director Fenske for his new position, noting that he has been a dedicated and valuable asset to the City.
Mr. Carr introduced Olivia Henderson as the new Recreation Manager to the City Council, highlighting her impressive three-year tenure as the City’s pool manager. Ms. Henderson expressed her gratitude to the Council for the new opportunity and her enthusiasm for her new role.
ADMINISTRATIVE BUSINESS
A. Westside Ambulance Rent Cost Share
Mr. Carr reminded Council that the City entered into an agreement with Glenn County last year to jointly share the costs of a new additional ambulance service. Mr. Carr shared that Westside asserts it needs a new facility for their additional 12-hour staff, with monthly costs of $1600 for rent and $1000 for utilities. Westside has found the facility, and they want to begin occupying and improving the facility immediately. The County has already approved these costs as part of the 12-hour ambulance budget.
Alternatives to this plan include co-locating the new paramedic crew with the existing crew or utilizing the Orland Fire Department station for the 12-hour staff.
Westside Board member Rob Silveria explained that Westside Ambulance plans to initially lease a facility located next to their current location to assess how effectively their personnel and management operate in the new building. He added that their goal is to alleviate the burden on the City’s volunteer firefighters and expressed optimism that this plan will achieve that aim.
Councilmember Tolley questioned the need for the additional facility. In response, Mr. Silveria explained that the current location is too small to accommodate two additional employees.
Councilmember McDermott highlighted the benefits of supporting the new facility, including preventing staff from transferring to better-equipped locations and easing the workload on volunteer firefighters.
Chief Chaney noted that the town's growth is leading to more EMS calls for the fire department, which could be handled by the added ambulance staff.
Vice Mayor Romano expressed his support for the facility, stating that it offers a practical solution for the community at a relatively low cost.
Councilmember Roundy emphasized that the current ambulance coverage in the county is unacceptable and urged that now is the time to take action for the community, expressing his approval of the facility.
Mayor Dobbs voiced his support but recommended that Orland City Council, Glenn County Supervisors, and the Ambulance Task Force reconvene to ensure all details are addressed.
Mr. Denton also stated his support for the new facility.
ACTION: Vice Mayor Romano moved, seconded by Councilmember Roundy to approve as proposed.
Motion carried by a roll call vote 4-1.
Ayes: Councilmembers Roundy, McDermott, Vice Mayor Romano and Mayor Dobbs Nays: Councilmember Tolley
B. Animal Control and Police Dispatch Contracts with GCSO Mr. Carr shared that the City’s agreements with the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) have remained unchanged since 2014. In March, they began negotiating updated agreements, focusing on the actual costs of services and Orland’s fair share. After considering alternatives, Orland decided that renewing the contract with GCSO is currently in its best interest.
Recent negotiations have aligned the City and the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) on new rates after initially being far apart. For Animal Control, GCSO proposes a new rate of $96,000 per year, up 75% from the 2014 rate of $55,000, with annual 3% increases over a 5-year term. For Police Dispatch, GCSO proposes the following increasing rates:
- 2024/25: $165,000
- 2025/26: $185,000
- 2026/27: $205,000
- 2027/28: $211,150
- 2028/29: $217,484
These rates reflect adjustments for increased dispatch technology and labor costs beyond CPI since the 2014 rate of $93,000. GCSO acknowledges Orland’s significant contribution to improving radio communications and considers factors like population growth and infrastructure investments in their proposal. Staff will also review and update service definitions.
Mayor Dobbs expressed that he felt the amount being negotiated was reasonable, particularly given that there had not been an increase since 2014. Other council members also praised the negotiation efforts, with Councilmember McDermott acknowledging the hard work of Mr. Carr, Chief Vlach, and Sergeant Johnson, knowing they acted in the city's best interest. Councilmember Tolley noted that the negotiating team succeeded in favoring the city and emphasized the necessity of the agreement.
Councilmember Roundy said the agreement was overdue for an update and praised the fair outcome for the County. Vice Mayor Romano expressed appreciation for reaching a reasonable number for services provided by the county.
Mr. Carr mentioned that once the contract is finalized, it will be presented to the Council for a vote. He also expressed his gratitude for the strong partnership between Orland and Glenn County.
C. Measure J Draft Documents
Mr. Carr explained that the City Council has directed Staff to place a local ½¢ sales tax measure on the November 2024 ballot, designated as Measure J by the County elections office The City Attorney has drafted the required Impartial Analysis for Measure J. City Hall Staff has also prepared a 300-word "Argument in Favor" statement for the Council’s review. The Council needs to decide on up to five signatories for the statement, including the organization’s name (Orland City Council) and at least one principal officer. Additionally, Staff is preparing informational literature about Measure J to be mailed to City residents with their water bills in late September.
Councilmember Roundy emphasized the importance of a unified council in passing measures, stating that the Council must be "in lock step" to effectively communicate with the community and help them understand the benefits.
Councilmember McDermott suggested that City Staff remove the numbers from the flyer since the specifics are not yet known. He highlighted the positive impact the new measure would have on the community, including road upgrades, facility maintenance, and additional ambulance services.
Councilmember Tolley voiced his opposition to Measure J, sharing that many of his constituents are also against it. He expressed concerns about the proposed measure and made it clear that he would not sign in support of it.
Vice Mayor Romano acknowledged his reluctance toward adding taxes but stressed the necessity of the measure for maintaining roads, ambulance services, and city facilities. He pointed out that much of the sales tax would come from travelers on I-5 and stated his support for Measure J, indicating he would be a signatory.
Mayor Dobbs reflected on the strong sense of community in Orland and expressed confidence that Measure J would further strengthen the City by improving roads, parks, and ambulance services. He declared his support for the measure and confirmed he would be a signatory.
Mr. Denton highlighted the success of Measure A and expressed his strong support for Measure J.
Orland resident Earl Megginson voiced his approval of Measure J.
Local business owner Terrie Barr shared her perspective on Measure J, stating that she would like to see the funds directed toward improving local businesses and enhancing access to them.
The Council requested City Staff to maintain transparency by providing the community with the estimated minimum costs for road, park, and ambulance services, ensuring a clear reference point for residents. They also asked for an annual report detailing the actual expenditures. Additionally, the Council suggested sharing the cost of repairing a mile of roadway to help the community better understand the reasons behind the expenses for these upgrades.
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Ms. Barr shared concerns and explained issues her businesses are having with the City’s codes and regulations.
Chief Joe Vlach invited all to join the police department at Library Park for National Night Out.
CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS
Councilmember Tolley:
• Attended past Councilmember Tracey Quarne’s Memorial service; • Attended the Recreation Commission Meeting July 31st, shared a constituent suggested more benches in Vinsonhaler park and he brought this to the Commissioners attention and he also brought up skate park questions;
• Shared that a constituent stated that the City could send out more mailing to be more transparent and let the community know what was going on around town; • Shared he is supportive of the ambulance but stated it is important to be fiscally conservatives with budgets and managing money.
Councilmember Roundy:
• Attended Mr. Quarne’s memorial services;
• Will be attending the Glenn Groundwater Authoity public hearing meeting; • Will be attending the Transportation and Transit meeting; • Attended the Chamber meeting and suggested if they have a candidates night they should have it early so that the community can get to know the candidates before ballots go out.
Councilmember McDermott:
• Will be attending the Planning Commission Meeting August 15, 2024.
Vice Mayor Romano:
• Nothing to report.
Mayor Dobbs:
• National Night Out is at the Library Park until 9 PM August 6th.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:06 PM
Jennifer Schmitke, City Clerk Chris Dobbs, Mayor