M 2024-05-28 CC 1
Regular Meeting - 6:30 PM
6:30 PM REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Infanti called the Regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber, 1644 Oak Street, Solvang, California.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Mark Infanti, Mayor pro tem David Brown, Councilmembers Robert Clarke, Claudia Orona, Elizabeth Orona
Staff: City Manager Randy Murphy, City Attorney Chelsea O’Sullivan, Administrative Services Director Wendy Berry, City Clerk Annamarie Porter
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Frank Smithson led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. PROCLAMATIONS, COMMENDATIONS AND CEREMONIAL ITEMS - None
2. PRESENTATIONS
a. Master Plan for Aging Presentation
Margaret Weiss, Adult Aging Network, and Dee Ann Rosenberry, Mental Health Professional, narrated a PowerPoint presentation.
Discussion followed regarding grant funding, partnering for a community assessment, Solvang’s older population and age-friendly designations.
3. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS – NON-AGENDA AND CONSENT ITEMS Mayor Infanti invited public comments.
Lansing Duncan
Al Cortese
Steven Martin
Dan Martin
There were no other public communications on Non-Agenda and Consent Items.
4. CITY MANAGER REPORT AND ADVANCE CALENDAR
City Manager Murphy addressed items on upcoming City Council agendas.
5. COUNCIL COMMENTS, REQUESTS, GC SECTION 53232.3(d) (aka AB 1234) and GC SECTION 84308 (aka SB 1439) REPORT OUT
MINUTES
SOLVANG CITY COUNCIL
Monday, May 28, 2024
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Councilmember Elizabeth Orona reported attending a meeting of the Ground Water Sustainability Committee and a local Rotary meeting where performance and contributions of First Responders were recognized and asked the possibility of developing a fire abatement and brush removal program.
Mayor Infanti commented on fires in San Luis Obispo and noted that fire season has started.
Councilmember Claudia Orona spoke about the Memorial Day weekend and ceremony; commented on parking on Copenhagen and the possibility of designating delivery areas so that delivery trucks do not take up parking on already busy streets.
City Attorney O’Sullivan noted the majority of Council would need to agree to direct staff to develop a fire abatement and brush removal program.
Council concurred with Councilmember Elizabeth Orona’s request to staff.
Mayor Infanti commented on the Memorial Day ceremony, and attending the awards ceremony for first responders.
Councilmember Clarke commented on the Memorial Day ceremony; noted there are several nice hotel projects currently in the works and asked about the possibility of expediting those projects and announced the upcoming Adopt-a-Pet Day.
6. CONSENT ITEMS
a. Approve Order of Agenda, as presented
b. Approve City Council Minutes: May 13, 2024
c. Adopt Resolution No. 24-1255 Authorizing the Execution of the Certifications and Assurances and Authorized Agent Forms for the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP) for the SYVT ADA Bus Stop Improvement Project, $31,889
d. This item was pulled from Consent for separate discussion. e. By second reading, Adopt by title only Ordinance No. 24-0374 Amending Subsections A and B of Section 1-11-2 (Designated Positions) of Chapter 11 (Conflict of Interest) of Title 1 (Administration) to Designate Certain Positions and Make Certain Clarifying Edits and Make a Determination of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act f. Receive and file April Monthly Financial Report
Motion by Councilmember Clarke, to approve Consent Items as amended, with the exclusion of Item No. d, seconded by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona and carried, 5-0.
ITEMS EXCLUDED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
d. Receive and file SBC Sheriff’s April Statistics
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Valencia presented details of the April Sheriff’s Department crime statistics, traffic citations, compiling statistics from different agencies, homelessness and offered to respond to questions from Council.
City Attorney O’Sullivan interjected that this was noticed as a presentation and suggested that if there are outstanding issues it can be brought back at an upcoming meeting.
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Discussion followed regarding statistics relative to tourists versus residents, non-reported crimes, the anti-camping ordinance and whether it is legal, transients camping near the river, the need to be consistent in enforcement, differentiating between day use and overnight camping, funds spent by the State on homelessness without a metric of effectiveness, property thefts versus property recovery and person priority versus property priority.
Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona, to receive and file the SBC Sheriff’s April Statistics, seconded by Mayor pro tem Brown and carried, 5-0.
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
a. Public Hearing to consider Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance No. 24-0375 Amending Chapter 2 (Sewer Code) and Chapter 3 (Water Code) of Title 9 (Water and Sewer) of the Solvang Municipal Code to Require Utility Accounts to be in the Property Owner’s Name, Incorporate State Requirements for Disconnection of Delinquent Residential Accounts, Provide Additional Enforcement Options and Make other Conforming Edits; and Making a Determination of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act.
City Attorney O’Sullivan presented details of the staff report.
Discussion followed regarding prospective application of the ordinance as it relates to future tenants.
Mayor Infanti opened the public hearing and invited public comments.
Frank Smithson
There were no other public comments and Mayor Infanti closed the public hearing.
Motion by Councilmember Clarke, to Introduce for First Reading, Ordinance No. 24-0375 Amending Chapter 2 (Sewer Code) and Chapter 3 (Water Code) of Title 9 (Water and Sewer) of the Solvang Municipal Code to Require Utility Accounts to be in the Property Owner’s Name, Incorporate State Requirements for Disconnection of Delinquent Residential Accounts, Provide Additional Enforcement Options and Make other Conforming Edits; and Making a Determination of Exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act, seconded by Mayor pro tem Brown and carried, 5-0.
8. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Discussion and possible action to advance Grant Funding Requests for addition into the proposed budget
Administrative Services Director Berry presented details of the report.
Discussion followed regarding the two-year budget cycle, annual application process, the deficit as a projection of next year’s budget, yearly decreases in the balance of the General Fund, expected reduced State funding, actions by staff to reduce the deficit, review by the committee, the possibility of using and the purpose of Measure U funding, getting FEMA money reimbursed, and the updated fund balances provided in the blue folder.
Mayor Infanti opened public comments.
Thomas Birkholm
Eric Calleja
Ashley Madrid
Tom Olmsted
Janet Olivera
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Ellen Albertoni
Jody Williams
There were no other public comments on this item.
Mayor pro tem Brown declared a conflict of interest, his wife is the Director of Atterdag at Home, and recused himself and left the Chamber.
Discussion followed regarding pros and cons of setting a cap, funding organizations, developing ideas for fundraising, and applying Measure U monies to lower budget shortfalls in specific areas.
Councilmember Elizabeth Orona suggested putting the budget line item at $200,000 instead of $69,000 and not calling it a “cap”.
Mayor Infanti stated he would not support that, as it does not address individual groups.
Discussion followed regarding a current freeze in hiring, public works projects that are on hold, the money available through Measure U, the need for input from the committee and considering their recommendations, leaving the door open for certain organizations, the possibility of partnering with other sponsors and event-specific funding.
Motion by Mayor Infanti, to accept the Atterdag at Home request for grant funding at the proposed amount, seconded by Councilmember Clarke and carried, 4-0, with Mayor pro tem Brown, absent.
Discussion followed regarding placing a cap on grant funding for next year and considering itemizing the budget value for the grant funding next year as a dollar amount, not a cap.
Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona to set a line item within the budget for grant funding at $200,000.
The motion died for lack of a second.
Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona to set a line item within the budget for grant funding at $175,000, seconded by Councilmember Claudia Orona and failed 2-2, with Councilmember Clarke and Mayor Infanti, opposed and Mayor pro tem Brown, absent.
Discussion followed regarding the Senior Center, how to structure the City’s commitment with payments over multiple fiscal years and the contract terms.
Motion by Mayor Infanti to not set a cap on grant funding budget for next year, seconded by Councilmember Clarke and carried 3-1, with Councilmember Elizabeth Orona, opposed and Mayor pro tem Brown, absent
Mayor pro tem Brown returned to the Chamber and took his place in the dais.
Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona to proceed to consider each grant applicant, individually, seconded by Councilmember Claudia Orona and failed 2-3, by roll call vote, with Councilmember Clarke, Mayor pro tem Brown and Mayor Infanti, opposed.
Motion by Mayor Infanti to approve the grant requests as they stand, accepting the table provided in the report of the requirements and amounts to be funded for FY 2024/2025, as recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee, seconded by Councilmember Clarke.
Discussion followed regarding grantees that have not yet fulfilled their reporting requirements, grant requirements being included in the contracts, using Measure U funds, the amount of available Measure U money, recommendations by the Ad Hoc Committee and putting Measure U in a separate fund.
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Amended Motion by Councilmember Elizabeth Orona revisit the grant funding after hearing from the Ad Hoc Committee to firmly understand how much available money is left from the Measure U fund next year.
Amended Motion died for lack of a second.
Mayor Infanti’s motion restated.
Motion by Mayor Infanti to approve the grant requests as they stand, accepting the table provided in the report of the requirements and amounts to be funded for FY 2024/2025, as recommended by the Ad Hoc Committee, seconded by Councilmember Clarke, and carried 3-2 by roll call vote, with Councilmembers Elizabeth Orona and Claudia Orona opposed.
9. COUNCIL CLOSING COMMENTS - None
10. ADJOURNMENT – 9:01 p.m.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:01 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
Annamarie Porter, CMC
City Clerk
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