TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
6:00 PM – January 14, 2025
1. OPENING
The Regular meeting of the Paradise Town Council was called to order by Mayor Crowder at 6:01 p.m. in the Town Council Chamber located at 5555 Skyway, Paradise, California who led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. An invocation was offered by Council Member Lassonde.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Bolin, Steve “Woody” Culleton, Heidi Lange, Ronald Lassonde, and Steve Crowder, Mayor
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Jim Goodwin, Town Attorney Scott E. Huber, Town Clerk/Elections Official Melanie Elvis, Community Development Director Tony Lindsey, Community Development Director Susan Hartman, Public Works Director/Town Engineer Marc Mattox, Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis, Finance Director Aimee Beleu, Project Manager Brian Solecki, Emergency Operations Coordinator Jim Broshears, Police Chief Eric Reinbold, Fire Chief Patrick Purvis, Fire Chief Jason Finney and Information Systems Director Luis Marquez. 1a. Jim McCourt from Meeder Investments provided a financial update. 1b. Taylor Nilsson from the Butte County Fire Safe Council, Dallas Koller from the Prescribed Burn Association and Town of Paradise Emergency Operations Coordinator Jim Broshears presented the benefits of grazing and prescribed burns in combatting wildfire risk.
1c. Camp Fire Recovery Updates - Written reports are included in the agenda packet. (110-60-061)
Colette Curtis, Recovery and Economic Development Director - recovery projects, advocacy, economic recovery and development, communications, emergency operations and Housing updates.
Marc Mattox, Public Works Director/Town Engineer -infrastructure and sewer updates.
Tony Lindsey, CDD-Building and Code Enforcement- Code Enforcement update.
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, approved consent calendar items 2a through 2d with item 2e removed from the consent calenda by Council Member Lange. Roll call vote was unanimous.
2a. Approved the minutes of the December 10, 2024 Regular Town Council meeting.
2b. Approved December 2024 Cash Disbursements in the amount of $10,448,662.86. (310-10-035)
2c. 1. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-01 “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Approving an Allocation of Funding and the Execution of a Grant Agreement and Any Amendments Thereto From The CDBG-DR Program”; and, 2. Authorized staff to allocate the additional CDBG-DR Program funding as needed to the current Multifamily projects that have already been underwritten and conditionally approved by DR-MHP. (710-10-095)
2d. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-02, “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, California, Reporting Unexpended Development Impact Fees in Accordance with Government Code Section 66006.” (740-10-013) 2e. ITEM REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR BY COUNCIL
MEMBER LANGE.
3. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
Council Member Bolin recused himself from the dais at 6:49 p.m. due to a potential conflict of interest.
2e. 1. Concur with staff’s recommendation to allow Paradise Town Manager to approve amendments to the current Master Services Agreement with HDR so long as the amendment does not affect the overall budget that was originally approved and the overall intent of the Master Services Agreement; and, 2. Adopt Resolution No. 2025-___ “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, Receding and Replacing Resolution No. 23-22, and Designating Authority to the Town Manager to Execute Individual Task Orders and Amendments Under The Resultant Master Agreement For RFQ 2023-001 On-Call Owner’s Agent Up To The Maximum Contract Aggregate Amount Of $5,000,000 To Expedite and Facilitate the Paradise Sewer Project, Initial Design And Progressive Design Build Process.” Council Member Lange requested this item to be removed from the consent calendar and asked for more Council input in any contract changes. Town Engineer Marc Mattox provided an overview of the Owner’s Agent Contract with HDR and explained staff’s request to authorize the Town Manager to make contract amendments without being able to change the scope, value and not-to-exceed amount of the contract. Council provided direction to staff to bring this item back at the January 21, 2025 Special Town Council Meeting. All Council concurred with Greg Bolin absent and not voting.
Council Member Bolin returned to the dais.
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
1. Fire Chief Patrick Purvis introduced the new North Division and Paradise Fire Chief Jason Finney.
2. Jon Remalia would like to rezone his newly acquired property on Anchor Way so he could build a shelter for his goats.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
5a. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the process required to draft the CDBG 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025-2026 Annual Plan. Ms. Curtis shared that this would be the first of two public hearings; the Town would solicit comments and draft the plans based on those comments. Staff would present the draft at the second public hearing. After the hearing, staff would submit the proposed 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan and 2025-2026 Annual Plan to HUD for final approval. (710-10-109) (710-10-110)
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 7:12 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 7:13 p.m.
5b. Town Attorney Scott E. Huber provided an overview of the Category 4 Hazardous Tree Program, the RFP and the history of the bid protest.
Nathan Bamford, a representative of J.W. Bamford reviewed the company’s position on why they thought they should have been awarded the contract, based on Bamford being the lowest bidder and having underbid proposed awardee by $3.5 million.
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 7:22 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 7:23 p.m.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton rejected the bid protest by J.W.
Bamford, Inc. for the HMGP Category 4 Hazard Tree Removal Program. Roll call vote was unanimous. (420-25-009)
5c. Town Attorney Scott E. Huber provided an overview of the Category 4 Hazardous Tree Program, the RFP and the history of the bid protest.
Josh Saint, one of the owners of P31 Enterprises reviewed the company’s position on why they thought they should have been awarded the contract, based on being the lowest bidder and having the qualifications to complete the project.
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 7:33 p.m.
1. Melissa Crick asked where the evaluation and scoring sheets could be found and why Council could not have heard the item to award the contract, first.
Town Attorney Scott E. Huber clarified that Council could not consider the award of the Category 4 Hazardous Tree Program contract first, because if either of the protests were approved, the contract could not be awarded at this meeting.
2. Craig Newton spoke in favor of the protest and thought Council should reject the bid process because it looks like public corruption.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 7:39 p.m.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton rejected the bid protest by P31 Enterprises, Inc. for the HMGP Category 4 Hazard Tree Removal Program.
Roll call vote was unanimous. (420-25-009)
6. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
6a. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis introduced the item and shared that the Town has been working toward awarding the Category 4 Hazardous Tree Contract since 2019. Project Manager Brian Solecki provided an overview of the RFP process and scoring matrix.
1. Gary Warner provided an overview of Warner Enterprises’ work experience, commitment to using local contractors and how they built the bid for the proposal.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Bolin, approved the Professional Services Agreement and authorized the Town Manager to execute a contract with Warner Enterprises for Category 4 Hazardous Tree Removal.
AYES: Bolin, Culleton and Crowder; NOES: Lange and Lassonde; ABSTAIN: None; ABSENT: None. (510-20-468) (420-25-009)
6b. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the proposed ordinance authorizing implementation of a Community Choice Aggregation Program for Pioneer Energy.
Town Attorney Scott E. Huber proposed an amendment to the ordinance submitted in the agenda packet, to have it codified under Chapter 2.47 entitled Community Choice Aggregation Program.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, 1. Waived the first reading of Town Ordinance No. 641 and read by title only; and, 2. Introduced Town Ordinance No. 641, “An Ordinance of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Authorizing the Implementation of a Community Choice Aggregation Program in the Town of Paradise Under Public Utilities Code section 366.2” with the amendment that the ordinance be codified under Chapter 2.47 in the Paradise Municipal code in a section entitled Community Choice Aggregation Program. Roll call vote was unanimous. (540-16-210)
6c. Town Engineer Marc Mattox provided an overview of the proposed Plans, Specifications and Estimate for the 2025 Off-System Road Rehabilitation Project.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton, adopted Resolution No. 2025- 03, “A resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Approving the Plans, Specifications and Estimate for the 2025 Off-System Road Rehabilitation Project and Authorizing Advertisement for Bids on the Project”. Roll call vote was unanimous. (950-40-074)
6d. Community Development Director Tony Lindsey provided an overview of the proposed ordinance to increase fuel break requirements on parcels over
1.5 acres from 30 feet to 50 feet. The ordinance also provides for an Exceptions Committee made up of two Council Members for extenuating circumstances. (540-16-211)
1. Josh Coleman spoke in opposition to this ordinance.
MOTION by Lassonde, seconded by Crowder 1. Waived the entire first reading of Town Ordinance No. 642 and read by title only; and,
2. Introduced Town Ordinance No. 642, “An Ordinance of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Amending Sections 8.58.010 - 8.58.60 of the Paradise Municipal Code related to Defensible Space/Hazardous Fuel Management and Fuel Break Requirements.” Roll call vote was unanimous. (540-16-211)
7. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS AND REPORTS
7a. Council initiated agenda items:
1. Council provided direction to staff to formally bring back an item which would establish a liaison committee between Paradise Unified School District and the Town of Paradise. Council appointed Council Members Greg Bolin and Heidi Lange to the TOP/PUSD Liaison Committee. 7b. Council reports on committee representation:
Council Member Bolin shared that the January LAFCo meeting had been cancelled.
Council Member Lange attended the PUSD monthly board meeting; a Continuum of Care meeting; and the Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce mixer.
Council Member Lassonde attended the Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce mixer; the VIPs Christmas Party; a mural unveiling at Joy Lynn’s; and spoke with Council Members of cities currently dealing with the fires in L.A.
Council Member Culleton attended the quarterly TOP/PRPD Liaison Committee meeting.
Mayor Crowder fielded several interviews from TV and radio stations from L.A. regarding the fires; attended the quarterly TOP/PRPD Liaison Committee meeting; a mural unveiling at Joy Lynn’s; the Moose Lodge reopening; and spoke with Kathy Yanni from the Fire Victims Trust who said they plan to shut down the trust by the end of the year. 7c. Future Agenda Items:
1. Council Member Bolin asked that staff bring back an ordinance that addresses broadcast burning and extended guidelines for grazing for Council consideration.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION
8a. Town Manager Jim Goodwin shared that he attended the quarterly TOP/PRPD Liaison Committee meeting and attended an Economic Forecast Conference with Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis.
9. CLOSED SESSION - None
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Crowder adjourned the meeting at 9:11 p.m.
Date approved: February 11, 2025
By: Attest:
___________/s/____________ ___________/s/________________ Steve Crowder, Mayor Melanie Elvis, Town Clerk