TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
6:00 PM – March 10, 2026
1. OPENING
The Regular meeting of the Paradise Town Council was called to order by Mayor Crowder at 6:00 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 Bolin.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Bolin, Steve “Woody” Culleton, Heidi Lange, Ronald Lassonde and Steve Crowder, Mayor
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Interim Town Manager Michael O’Brien, Town Attorney Scott E.
Huber, Town Clerk/Elections Official Melanie Elvis, Community Development Director Susan Hartman, Community Development Director Tony Lindsey, Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox, Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis, Human Resources & Risk Management Director Crystal Peters, Police Chief Eric Reinbold, Fire Chief Jason Finney, and Information Systems Director Luis Marquez. 1e. Mayor Crowder presented recognitions to the following employees for their service to the Town of Paradise for 2025. (630-20-022)
5 Years:
Nadia Alekseev
Melanie Elvis
Jessica Erdahl
Cameron Kovacs
Sarah Richter
Juan Rubio
15 Years:
Crystal Peters
25 Years:
Robert Nichols
1f. Camp Fire Recovery Updates - Written reports are included in the agenda packet.
Colette Curtis, Recovery and Economic Development Director - recovery projects, advocacy, economic recovery and development, communications, emergency operations and Housing updates. Marc Mattox, Assistant Town Manager -infrastructure and sewer updates. (110-60-062) 1g. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox provided an update on the Paradise Sewer Project. (960-70-009)
1. Brian Happ spoke in opposition to the arrogated pond approach, the proposed treatment site location at Crossroads and asked how many businesses have committed to returning once a sewer system is in place.
2. Jaime Happ spoke in opposition to the entire project and asked whether taxpayers would be responsible for the system’s upkeep and maintenance.
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION by Lassonde, seconded by Bolin, approved consent calendar items 2a and 2d. Roll call vote was unanimous.
2a. Approved minutes of February 10, 2026, Special and Regular Town Council meetings and February 19, 2026, Special Town Council meeting. 2b. Approved February 2026 Cash Disbursements in the amount of $4,725,613.97. (310-10-035)
2c. Acknowledged receipt of and filed the Planning Commission’s annual report concerning implementation status of the 1994 Paradise General Plan and Housing Element for the 2025 calendar year. (760-40-055) 2d. 1. Authorized adjustment of the Accountant Position to Senior Accountant with a correlating budget adjustment; and 2. Adopted Resolution 2026-18 “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, California, Amending the Salary Pay Plan to Include Two Senior Accountants for the Fiscal Year 2025/2026”. (610-10-18, 610-10-20)
3. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR - None
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
1. Mike Finklin asked that Council consider waiving $6000 worth of code enforcement citations for violations on his property.
2. Mike Pollak asked that the notice of violation he received for placing an unpermitted modular on his property be voided.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
5a. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the 2026-2027 draft Annual Action Plan.
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 6:24 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 6:24 p.m.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton,1. Conducted a duly noticed and published public hearing to solicit comments and/or suggestions regarding the 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan draft; and, 2. Directed staff to submit the 2026-2027 Annual Action Plan to HUD, along with all public comments. Roll call vote was unanimous. (710-10-111)
5b. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the proposed substantial amendment to the 2024 and 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plans.
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 6:27 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 6:27 p.m.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde,1. Conducted a public hearing to solicit public comment on the proposed substantial amendment to the 2024 and 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plans; and, 2. Adopted the Substantial Amendment to the 2024 and 2025 CDBG Annual Action Plans and authorize submittal to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Roll call vote was unanimous. (710-10-105)
6. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
6a. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox provided an overview of proposed criteria to standardize how Committees are formed.
Council appointed Council Members Bolin and Lange to review the Building Committee, Facilities Ad Hoc Committee, Legislative Ad Hoc Committee, Finance Committee, Economic Development Committee, Healthcare Ad Hoc Committee and Insurance Advocacy Ad Hoc Committee with Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox to clarify each Committee’s forum and role; purpose or scope; administration and documentation responsibilities; meeting cadence; reporting to full Council; and duration or sunset. 6b. Town Clerk Melanie Elvis provided an overview of Council’s request to rename the Town Council Chambers.
MOTION by Crowder, seconded by Lange, approved renaming Town Council Chambers to the “Doug LaMalfa Town Council Chambers”. AYES:
Bolin, Lange, Lassonde, Crowder; NOES: None; ABSENT: None; ABSTAIN: Culleton. (280-05-006)
6c. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the proposed 2026 Federal Advocacy Platform.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton, approved the 2026 updated Federal Advocacy Platform with the addition of a more robust section on economic development. Roll call vote was unanimous. (550-30-001) 6d. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the revised Strategic Healthcare Recovery Draft Plan.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton, accepted the revised Strategic Healthcare Recovery Draft Plan as a complete Final Draft. Roll call vote was unanimous. (460-10-003)
6e. Human Recourses & Risk Management Director Crystal Peters provided an overview of the proposed resolution to fix the employer contribution under the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act at an equal amount for employees and annuitants with respect to recognized employee organization 001 Paradise Firefighters Association.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lange, adopted Resolution No. 2026-19, “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, Fixing the Employer Contribution Under the Public Employees’ Medical and Hospital Care Act at an Equal Amount for Employees and Annuitants with Respect to Recognized Employee Organization 001 Paradise Firefighters Association”. Roll call vote was unanimous. (630-10-023) (630-10-017)
7. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS AND REPORTS
7a. Council initiated agenda items:
1. Council provided direction to bring back an item regarding potential initiation of litigation.
7b. Council reports on committee representation:
Council Member Bolin attended the Insurance Advocacy Committee meeting; the monthly LAFCo meeting; and the Solid Waste Committee meeting.
Council Member Lange attended the Insurance Advocacy Committee meeting and the Sewer Project Ad Hoc Committee meetings.
Council Member Lassonde attended the monthly BCAG and BCAQMD meetings, and the Roe Road Community Meeting.
Council Member Culleton attended the Solid Waste Committee meeting.
Mayor Crowder attended the Sewer Project Ad Hoc Committee meetings and the Roe Road Community Meeting.
7c. Future Agenda Items:
7c1. Town Attorney Scott E. Huber provided an update on a draft ordinance outlining the establishment of a Construction Complaint Resolution Committee.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION - None
9. CLOSED SESSION - None
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Crowder adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Date approved: April 14, 2026
By: Attest:
__________/s/________________ _____________/s/_____________ Steve Crowder, Mayor Melanie Elvis, Town Clerk