TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting Minutes
6:00 PM – June 09, 2026
1. OPENING
The Regular meeting of the Paradise Town Council was called to order by Mayor Crowder at 6:02 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 Culleton.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Bolin, Steve “Woody” Culleton, Heidi Lange, Ronald Lassonde and Steve Crowder, Mayor
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Town Manager Jennifer Macarthy, 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, Finance Director Aimee Beleu, Fire Chief Jason Finney, Project Manager Brian Solecki and Information Technology Technician, Travis Thompson. 1e. Fire Chief Jason Finney presented the 2026 fire season outlook. (440-05-026) 1f. Camp Fire Recovery Updates. Written reports were included in the agenda:
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. This item was combined with Item 6f. (960-70-009)
2. CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, approved consent calendar items 2a through 2e. Roll call vote was unanimous.
2a. Approved minutes of the May 12, 2026 Special and Regular Town Council meetings and the May 14, 2026 Special Town Council meeting. 2b. Approved May 2026 Cash Disbursements in the amount of $5,727,355.50. (310-10-035)
2c. 1. Declared outdated and unserviceable fire hose as surplus property; and,
2. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-34, "A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise declaring certain town property to be surplus and authorizing disposal in accordance with Town policies and applicable regulations." (380-10-003)
2d. Concurred with staff recommendation to file a CEQA Notice of Exemption for the Skyway Widening (CIP 9425) and Skyway Link (CIP 9424) Improvement Projects. (950-40-080) (950-40-070)
2e. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-35, “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise approving an application for funding and the execution of a grant agreement and any amendments thereto from the 2023-2024 funding year of the State CDBG Mitigation Resilience Infrastructure (MITRIP) program.” (710-10-106)
3. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR – None
4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
1. Alexandra Bern spoke in favor of ranked-choice elections.
2. Mike Ficklin spoke about citations against his property.
3. Mike Pollak spoke about code enforcement citations.
4. Monica Huchro spoke about a civil issue between her and her neighbors regarding loose dogs.
5. Taft Peterson questioned whether the Camp Fire had ever been investigated due to the weird burn patterns.
5. PUBLIC HEARINGS
5a. Human Resources and Risk Management Director Crystal Peters presented the Town’s vacancy report pursuant to AB 2561.
Mayor Crowder opened the public hearing at 6:48 p.m.
There were no public comments.
Mayor Crowder closed the public hearing at 6:48 p.m.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, received a report on the Town’s vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts, pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 2561. Roll call vote was unanimous. (640-10-107)
6. COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
6a. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox presented a report on the Town’s financial health and organizational impact.
1. Jon Remalia shared that he believes there are a lot of homes with only one resident which could be affecting the population estimates from the Department of Finance.
2. Carrie Max praised the town for only spending $10M out of the PRO funds after spending over $300M in recovery.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, received and filed the Town's first Annual Financial Health & Organizational Impact Report. Roll call vote was unanimous. (385-10-044)
6b. Council Member Bolin recused himself from the dais due to a potential conflict of interest.
Community Development Director Tony Lindsey and Fire Chief Jason Finney provided an update on the Defensible Space Inspection Program.
1. Jon Remalia spoke in favor of converting the two fire prevention inspectors positions as permanent positions.
MOTION by Lange, seconded by Culleton, to separate employment with the two grant-funded fire prevention inspectors at the end of term on October 15, 2026, and re-hire them on October 16, 2026, as a limited term position for a term of three years. Roll call vote was unanimous with Council Member Bolin absent and not voting. (610-10-015) (610-10-018) (610-10-020) 6c. Recovery & Economic Development Director Colette Curtis provided an overview of the options to obtain an economic development coordinator.
1. Jared Kramer suggested splitting the positions into two positions – a strategist and a project manager.
2. Melissa Schuster spoke in favor of partnering with the Chamber of Commerce and contracting with a consultant.
MOTION by Lassonde, seconded by Lange 1. Directed staff to hire an Economic Development Coordinator staff position, either as a permanent position; and, 2. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-36, “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, California, approving job classification descriptions”; and, 3. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-37, “A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise, California, adopting an amendment to the salary pay plan for the Town of Paradise employees for the fiscal year 2025-2026”. AYES: Bolin, Lange, Lassonde, and Crowder; NOES: Culleton; ABSENT: None; ABSTAIN: None. Motion Passes. (610-10-015) (610-10-018) (610-10-020)
6d. Recovery Project Manager Brian Solecki provided an overview of the Emergency Warning System (EWS) Project Closeout Report.
MOTION by Culleton, seconded by Lassonde, 1. Reviewed and received the FEMA/Cal OES Emergency Warning System (EWS) Project Closeout Report; and 2. Provided direction to staff regarding long-term Emergency Warning System maintenance options, selecting the Time & Materials Plan to maintain, repair and contract technical support from HQE Systems on a as-needed basis, contributing $15,000 a year to the EWS Maintenance Fund; and 3. Provided direction to continue to test the Early Warning System on its current schedule, the 15th of every month at 12:00 p.m. Roll call vote was unanimous. (420-30-009)
6e. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox provided an overview of the proposed Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery – Infrastructure Action Plan Amendment 5.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lange, approved the Paradise Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery – Infrastructure Action Plan Amendment 5. Roll call vote was unanimous. (710-10-009) 6f. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox provided an overview of the proposed modification to the Paradise Sewer Project’s treatment and discharge systems. Carollo Engineers, Darren Baunne, presented on the project’s collection system alternatives and technical evaluation.
1. Jon Remalia spoke in favor of creating a ballot measure to let the voters decide if the projects and projected rates were too expensive.
2. Melissa Schuster spoke in favor of an effluent-only MBR treatment system.
3. Clifford Jacobson disagreed with the technical analysis provided by Carollo Engineers.
4. Al McGreehan through in order to be consistent with the current 1994 General Plan, the town should keep only construct Phase 1.
5. Doug Munjar believes the sewer service area should include Skyway up to Bille, as that is where the majority of existing businesses are currently.
MOTION by Lange, seconded by Bolin, 1. Adopted Resolution No. 2026- 38, "A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Paradise Modifying the Paradise Sewer Project Description to Include a Hybrid Gravity/Low Pressure Collection System, Membrane Bioreactor Wastewater Treatment Facility, and Surface Water Discharge," with an update to the language in Section 3 to read: “The Town Council directs staff to continue advancing the Paradise Sewer Project through environmental review, permitting, right-ofway engineering, engineering design, funding pursuits, and related implementation activities with required Council consideration of major milestones and actions consistent with the modified project description”; and, 2. Directed staff to proceed with environmental review, permitting, preliminary engineering, site acquisition activities, and funding pursuits consistent with the modified project description; and 3. Directed staff to continue pursuing state, federal, and other funding opportunities necessary to maximize the Phase 1 Sewer Service Area and preserve opportunities for future system expansion. AYES: Bolin, Lange, Lassonde, and Crowder; NOES: Culleton; ABSENT: None; ABSTAIN: None. Motion Passes. (960-70- 009)
6g. Assistant Town Manager Marc Mattox provided an overview of the first quarterly update to the 2025 Building Division Audit Corrective Action Plan.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Lassonde, received and filed the first quarterly update to the 2025 Building Division Audit Corrective Action Plan, covering the period from adoption through May 30, 2026. Roll call vote was unanimous. (740-30-013)
6h. Town Manger Jennifer Macarthy provided an overview of the proposed Grand Jury Response Ad Hoc Committee.
MOTION by Bolin, seconded by Culleton,1. Approved the formation of a Grand Jury Response Ad Hoc Committee, and; 2. Appointed Council Members Lange and Culleton to serve on the committee. Roll call vote was unanimous. (120-10-010)
7. COUNCIL INITIATED ITEMS AND REPORTS
7a. Council provided direction to staff to amend Section 16 of Resolution 2024- 09, to set Town Council meeting adjournment for 10:00 p.m. Council also directed that, whenever staff anticipates that a particular agenda item will require a substantial amount of time for either presentation and/or discussion, that a special meeting be scheduled to address that matter and thus help ensure that regular Town Council meetings can adjourn by the 10:00 p.m. deadline.
7b. Council written reports on committee representation were included in the packet.
8. STAFF COMMUNICATION – None
9. CLOSED SESSION – None
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Crowder closed the meeting at 10:31 p.m.
Date approved: July 14, 2026
By: Attest:
_________/s/_________________ __________/s/________________ Steve Crowder, Mayor Melanie Elvis, Town Clerk