POINT ARENA CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Anna Dobbins
Vice Mayor Dan Doyle
Councilmember Barbara Burkey
Councilmember Jim Koogle
Councilmember Jeff Hansen
MEETING MINUTES
OCTOBER 28, 2025 6:00 PM
CITY HALL, 451 SCHOOL ST.
& VIA TELECONFERENCE
https://zoom.us/s/84888251095
REGULAR SESSION – 6:00 P.M.
I CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
Anna Dobbins was absent by prior arrangement.
II APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion to approve Agenda passed unanimously 4-0.
III MAYOR’S REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
A) Assemblyman Chris Rogers
B) Mendocino County Sheriff Update
C) Point Arena Fire Safe Council
IV COUNCIL REPORTS – Items in this agenda section are informational or for scheduling purposes only.
A) City-Related Meetings
B) Council Committee and Commission Reports
1) Mendocino Transit Authority
2) Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG)
3) Economic Development & Finance Corporation (EDFC)
4) California League of Cities
5) Arena Cove Advisory Committee
6) Parks Committee
V PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR (Public Comment Period)
This is the time for members of the public who wish to be heard on matters that do not appear on the Agenda. City Council policy is to limit each speaker to three (3) minutes. Pursuant to the Brown Act Section 54954.3, the City Council may not take action on an item that does not appear on the Agenda. The public will be allowed to speak concurrently with the calling of an agenda item following the staff presentation of that item.
VI CITY MANAGER/CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS
City Manager Molly Haviland reported that the General Fund balance is $65,000, and the Allocated Fund account holds $351,000, earning approximately $2,000 in September. The Allocated Fund primarily consists of PLHA home repair loan funds.
City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – October 24, 2025
The pier hoist is under repair with grant funding from the Coastal Conservancy. The pier is closed for launches through November, but the product hoist remains operational, allowing urchin divers to unload harvests. Pier replacement, managed by Peter Bogdahn, is progressing well despite some deteriorated components; all repairs remain within budget.
The oil shed has been removed, and residents are now responsible for disposing of used oil, with locations listed on the City website.
Staff attended FEMA workshops with Synergy to develop a City-specific annex to the County emergency plan, required for future FEMA funding. The process is expected to conclude by year-end.
The recent cornhole fundraiser at Arena Cove, hosted by the Redwood Coast Receation and Parks District, generated $140 for the City. Staff noted ongoing challenges with event insurance and continues to explore alternatives with CIRA.
VII CONSENT CALENDAR
Notice to the Public: All matters listed under this category are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. If a member of the public would like an item on the Consent Calendar pulled and discussed separately, the request shall be made to a Councilmember prior to the meeting.
Unless a specific request is made by a Councilmember, the Consent Calendar will not be read. There will be no separate discussion of these items
A) Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of August 26, 2025 B) Transaction Report – August/September 2025
C) Wastewater Report – August/September 2025
D) Department Reports: Pier, Wastewater & Streets
E) Mendocino County Library Advisory Board Appointment
F) Arena Cove Coastal Trail Accessway Management Plan
G) Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Mural
Motion to approve Consent Calendar by Councilmember Burkey, Seconded by Councilmember Koogle. Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
VIII PRESENTATION
A) CalTrans Point Arena Pavement Rehabilitation and Sidewalk Replacement Project Tony Semanovich, Caltrans Project Manager from Eureka District 1, provided an update on the upcoming Point Arena State Route 1 project. The project is a capital preventative maintenance effort focused on preserving the corridor, rather than a full redesign, with an estimated construction cost of $27 million funded through the SHOP program, a mix of state and federal funds. The project extends from Iverson Avenue to near Elk Silo Greenwood and City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – October 24, 2025
primarily involves pavement overlay, milling, and resurfacing. High-friction surface treatment will be added at the Flynnville hairpin curve for safety.
A major component within Point Arena is sidewalk replacement, expanded from the original scope of curb ramp upgrades based on city requests. The project includes approximately 5,500 linear feet of sidewalk, 16 curb ramps, and 42 driveways, designed to meet ADA standards while maintaining existing access. Additional work includes guardrail replacement, drainage improvements, minor signage and striping, and modifications to address prior drainage issues and groundwater seepage. Parking will generally remain consistent, though some adjustments on School Street are necessary to accommodate standard-width sidewalks.
The project is in the final design phase, including environmental permitting, and outreach to property owners for easements. The plan is to advertise for contractor bids in July 2026, award contracts in winter 2026, and begin construction in spring 2027, with completion expected by fall 2028 over two construction seasons. Construction sequencing will aim to minimize disruption to businesses, property access, and traffic, with temporary closures and flagging as needed.
Semanovich also noted other regional projects, including sidewalk extensions from Lake Street to City Hall through a separate project in 2030 and scour protection work at the Garcia River Bridge in 2029. Residents can stay informed through the project website, social media, or by contacting Caltrans staff. The Council was thanked for the opportunity to present, and Caltrans staff were available for questions.
IX REPORTS/ACTION ITEMS – All items under this section are for discussion and possible action.
A) Consideration of Pier Fee Increases
The Council discussed proposed updates to the Point Arena pier fee schedule. Staff explained that the pier operates as an Enterprise Fund and fees are intended to offset operational costs, which have increased over the past decade while revenues have declined. Key factors affecting revenue included salmon season closures, reductions in other fisheries, and equipment breakdowns. Staff noted that the purpose of the discussion was to gather input and direction, not to take votes.
Proposed fee adjustments included raising commercial and sport launch fees to $45 per launch, offering discounted punch passes, and increasing landing fees from 15 cents per pound to 17 or 20 cents per pound. Staff presented revenue projections indicating these changes could help the pier operate in the black, while noting additional fees for after-hours launches and boat storage could further support financial stability. Merchandise pricing adjustments were also discussed.
City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – October 24, 2025
Council members and the public provided feedback on fee structure, launch pass design, and accessibility for the fishing community. Staff clarified operational considerations related to tracking passes and managing pier activity efficiently. The Council directed staff to refine the fee schedule and return with a revised proposal for further review at a future meeting.
B) Trash Can Replacement Project Funding Request
Staff reported that in 2021, the City received a State Parks grant to upgrade and install new park equipment. To date, a swing set has been installed at Downtown Park, and new benches and rehabilitated picnic tables have been provided at both Downtown Park and Arena Cove.
Grant funds may also be used for the purchase of new garbage and recycling cans, with staff recommending that trash cans be uniform throughout the City, including at the Pier, Downtown Park, and along Main Street. The City currently has 12 sets of cans, and the proposed model is sturdy, 32-gallon, side-load containers designed to withstand Point Arena winters while limiting unauthorized household trash disposal.
The recommended cans are competitively priced, with a unit cost of $609 through bulk ordering, and staff suggest using blue cans for recycling and brown cans for landfill waste.
The purchase of these cans would be reimbursable through the Prop 68 Parks Grant, with all associated costs for tax and shipping included.
Following discussion, the Council approved the purchase of the recommended trash cans.
Council members expressed satisfaction with the plan and directed staff to proceed with the acquisitions.
Motion to approve the purchase of the trash cans by Councilmember Burkey, Seconded by Councilmember Koogle. The motion passed unanimously 4-0.
C) Addendum to Redwood Waste Solutions Contract Regarding Organics Recycling The Council discussed the First Amendment to the franchise agreement with Redwood Waste Solutions, which would authorize the City of Point Arena to perform curbside pickup of organic and green waste. This addendum is a result of the City’s March 2024 Memorandum of Understanding with Soil Alliance (formerly Grit Soil) to support compliance with California Senate Bill 1383, which requires municipalities to divert organic materials, including food waste, green waste, and food-soiled paper, from landfills. The City’s existing franchise agreement with Redwood Waste Solutions, executed in June 2024, grants the company exclusive rights to curbside collection within city limits; however, Redwood Waste Solutions is unable to economically provide separate collection for green and organic waste.
To address this, Redwood Waste Solutions has added an addendum exempting the City from the company’s exclusive collection rights solely for the pilot composting program operated by Soil Alliance at Point Arena High School. Under this addendum, the City may collect and City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – October 24, 2025
transport organic and green waste, but only within city limits, and all materials must be delivered to the high school composting site. Staff confirmed that there is no fiscal impact to the City from executing this addendum, though any costs associated with the active curbside collection program will be considered at a future meeting. Council members expressed support for the addendum, and questions regarding operational specifics, such as collection frequency, were noted for discussion at later meetings.
Motion to authorize the Mayor to execute the First Amendment to the franchise agreement with Redwood Waste Solutions by Councilmember Burkey, Seconded by Councilmember Hansen. The motion passed unanimously 4-0.
X ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
Adopted at the November 18, 2025 Point Arena City Council Meeting ______________________________ ______________________________ Mayor City Clerk