City of South Lake Tahoe
City Council Budget Workshop
Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 9:00 am
1901 Lisa Maloff Way
NOTE: The Meeting Minutes represent actions taken during the meeting of the City Council. Complete Council member discussions on Regular Session meeting items can be viewed in archived video recordings on the City’s website at http://www.cityofslt.us Public submittals on items are retained in the administrative record and can be viewed in the City Clerk’s repository at http://www.cityofslt.us Land Acknowledgement
Mayor Pro Tem Roberts read the Land Acknowledgement.
Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance
Mayor Pro Tem Roberts called the meeting to order at 9:08 a.m.
Roll Call
Present were Mayor Pro Tem Roberts, and Councilmembers Robbins, Jinkens, and Horgan.
Mayor Bass was present over Zoom due to just cause provision of the Brown Act related to illness and noted no one over the age of 18 was present.
Also present were City Clerk Blankenship, Interim City Attorney Rudin, and City Manager Roverud.
Closed Session Report
None.
Public Communications
General Public Comments were heard from the following people:
1. Lou Perini- Subsidizing tourism, complete streets project, audit of motel association, Liberty Utility rates
2. Kathy Zollinger, Bear League- Bear box requirements in campgrounds, blinking “watch for wildlife” signs
3. Kelly O’Hare- Possible grant funding for additional police officer position, limit lines on streets needed
4. Melissa Soderston- Tourism advertising, more wildlife signage, lowering speed limits, upcoming TRPA meeting regarding glyphosate, defensible space
5. Angie Reagan- “Community for All” in City budget
Written public comment was received from the following person:
1. Danielle Hughes, Tahoe SPARK- Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies memorandum
City Commission Reports
Stacey Ballard, Chair- Arts, Culture, and Tourism Commission- provided verbal report Consent Agenda
Action: Moved/Seconded: Jinkens/Horgan
Yes: Bass, Roberts, Robbins, Jinkens, Horgan
Action: Passed the Consent Agenda.
1. City Council Meeting Minutes
Action: Passed Motion 2026-113 approving the minutes from the August 11, 2026, City Council meeting.
2. Construction Agreement Award for El Dorado Beach Revetment Phase 2 with Globe Engineering Development in the amount of $697,600 and Amendment to Agreement No. 2 with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. for El Dorado Beach Revetment and Improvements Project
Action: 1) Passed Resolution 2026-071 authorizing and directing the Director of Finance to transfer $14,500 from the Stormwater operational budget and $150,000 from the Johnson Blvd Complete Streets Project account to the El Dorado Beach Revetment and Improvements Project account, and 2) Passed Motion 2026-114 finding the El Dorado Beach Revetment and Improvements Project, Phase 2, to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15304, authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute an Agreement with Globe Engineering Development (C-224-2026) for the El Dorado Beach Revetment Phase 2 Project for a not to exceed amount of $697,600, authorizing the Director of Public Works to use contingency up to a cumulative amount of $115,000, and authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute Amendment No. 2 (C-229-2026) to the Professional Services Agreement with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. (C-016-2026) for $23,119.
Public comment was heard from the following person:
1. Lou Perini
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the California Tahoe Conservancy and the City of South Lake Tahoe
Action: Passed Motion 2026-115 authorizing the Mayor to execute an MOU with the California Tahoe Conservancy (C-223-2026) to coordinate the City's Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) hazardous fuels reduction project with the Lyon's Ranch project on Conservancy land.
4. Acceptance and Appropriation of TRPA Mitigation Funding and Transfer of Funding for the Upper Bijou Park Creek Watershed Restoration Project and Construction Agreement Award for Tamarack Culvert Replacement Project with Tinkers in the amount of $290,711.40
Action: 1) Passed Resolution 2026-072 authorizing and directing the Director of Finance to appropriate $96,240 in TRPA Mitigation Funding to the Upper Bijou Park Creek Watershed Restoration Project and authorizing and directing the Director of Finance to transfer $60,000 from the Stormwater operational budget to the Upper Bijou Park Creek Watershed Restoration Project Account, and 2) Passed Motion 2026-116 finding no additional review of the Upper Bijou Park Creek Watershed Restoration Project needed under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15162, authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute an Agreement with Tinkers for the Tamarack Culvert Replacement Project for a not to exceed amount of $290,711.40, and authorizing the Director of Public Works to use contingency up to a cumulative amount of $60,000.
Regular-New Business
5. Discussion and Direction to Staff Regarding Budgeting For Playfields Consortium/ LTCC Pickleball and Tennis Project, and Approval of Waiver of Permit Fees up to $36,000
Action: Moved/Seconded: Jinkens/Horgan
Yes: Bass, Roberts, Robbins, Jinkens, Horgan
Action: Passed Motion 2026-117 approving a waiver of permitting fees of up to $36,000 for the pickleball and tennis courts project proposal, direct staff to budget for annual contributions from the General Fund estimated to be $ 9,851 towards maintenance staff and $14,313 towards a maintenance improvement sinking fund.
Note: Councilmember Robbins requested an item be brought back for general policy adjustments related to approval and waiver of permit fees (Roberts seconded).
The following person addressed the Council:
1. Amy Chitton, Lake Tahoe Community College Vice President of Administrative Services Public Comment was heard from the following people:
1. Nick Speal
2. Melissa Soderston
6. Consider Adoption of Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Recommended Budget Action: Moved/Seconded: Jinkens/Robbins
Yes: Bass, Roberts, Robbins, Jinkens, Horgan
Action: 1) Passed Resolution 2026-073 Approving FY 2026-2027 Municipal Operating and Capital Improvement Program Budget; and (2) Passed Resolution 2026-074 Approving FY 2026-2027 List of Allocated Permanent Positions.
Note: Councilmember Robbins requested an item be brought back regarding AI use Policy for Police investigations (Horgan seconded).
Public Comment was heard from the following people:
1. Nick Speal
2. Melissa Soderston
3. Kelly O’Haire
Agenda Planning Calendar
7. Agenda Planning Calendar
Action: Received and filed.
Updates and Announcements (City Attorney, City Clerk, City Manager) City Manager Roverud
1. Upcoming Multicultural Celebration September 12 at Bijou Community Park Councilmember Reports and Comments - Assignments to Boards, Committees, and Commissions
Mayor Pro Tem Roberts
1. Requested an agenda item regarding designating Heavenly Village as an Event Zone (Jinkens seconded).
Councilmember Robbins
1. Mayor Bass’ statement of January 13, 2026, that he would resign as Mayor if found guilty.
Councilmember Horgan
1. Trash messaging needs to be consistent with outside agencies regarding bear access to trash.
Adjournment
Mayor Pro Tem Roberts adjourned the meeting at 3:00 p.m.
Approved by:
_____________________ Date:______________
Cody Bass, Mayor
Attest:__________________ Date:____________________
Susan Blankenship, City Clerk