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SUSANVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 – 4:30 PM
Mayor Schuster called the meeting to order at 4:32 p.m.
Roll Call of Councilmembers Present: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Mr. Newton requested a change to the agenda as the Fire Chief would like to recognize two individuals within his department.
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to approve with the addition of the recognition.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
2. PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING CLOSED SESSION ITEMS (if any): No comment.
3. CLOSED SESSION:
The City Council met in closed session at 4:33 p.m. to discuss the following:
A. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT - pursuant to Government Code §54957
1. City Administrator - Evaluation
B. LABOR NEGOTIATIONS - pursuant to Government Code §54957.6 Agency Negotiator: Dan Newton, City Administrator - Management Bargaining Unit Agency Negotiator: Dan Newton, City Administrator - Professional Technical Bargaining Unit C. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - existing litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 (d)(1): Case number 63745, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Kathleen Allison, Gavin Newsom Vs. city of Susanville.
4. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION:
Staff reconvened in open session at 5:05 p.m. where Mr. Newton stated that prior to reconvening in open session, direction was provided to staff and no reportable action was taken.
5. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR:
Laura, office manager with Lassen County Arts Council (LCAC), expressed concern with the area around Cottage and Union where their business in located. They stated that there have been many vehicles parked and left on their property and, although they tried to talk to the neighbors about it, and now code enforcement and the police department, that they would like to have more assistance with the issue.
Mayor Schuster requested that staff reach out to them.
David Teeter, LARP, thanked the City for signing the MOU for the Community Garden. He stated that they recently put a call out for new plots for the 2022 season. He also talked about a new program.
Angela Reed, Lassen Family Services (LFS), stated that since 2020 they have helped 600 children and Robin Chappin, LFS, requested staff wear orange on February 8th to recognize teen dating violence.
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6. CONSENT CALENDAR:
6.A Minutes of the City Council's January 19, 2022 regular meeting.
Motion to waive oral reading and approve minutes of City Council’s January 19, 2022 regular meeting.
220119.cc.min.pdf
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 4- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Mendy Schuster Abstain: Brian Moore
Voting Against: None
6.B Consider Resolution No. 22-5962, authorizing the Mayor to execute the 2022 Loan Agreement between the National Museum of the United States Air Force and the City of Susanville for the Phantom Jet F-4C (RF) on loan for static display at the Susanville Municipal Airport
Phantom Jet Agreement.pdf
22-5962.pdf
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
6.C Consider Resolution No. 22-5964, approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Professional Technical Bargaining unit for fiscal year 2021/2022
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-5964, approving and authorizing the Mayor to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Professional Technical Bargaining unit for fiscal year 2021/2022
22-5964.pdf
2021.2022 ProTech MOU final.pdf
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
6.D Consider Resolution No. 22-5966, approving and accepting donations from Soroptimist International of Susanville and Susanville Supermarket
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-5966, approving and accepting donations from the Soroptimist International of Susanville and Susanville Supermarket.
Stakeholder's Letter.pdf
22-5966 Donation Acceptance FY21-22.docx
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Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
6.E Consider Resolution No. 22-5967, increasing ARPA fund budget in the amount of $175,360 to accommodate essential worker premium pay for city employees as agreed to in recently approved employee bargaining unit MOUs.
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-5967, increasing ARPA fund budget in the amount of $175,360 to accommodate essential worker premium pay for city employees as agreed to in recently approved employee bargaining unit MOUs.
22-5967.pdf
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: No business.
8. COUNCIL DISCUSSION/ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Councilmember provided the land acknowledgement statement.
9. NEW BUSINESS:
9.A Vendor and payroll warrants
Motion to receive and file
20220120131026.pdf
Moved by Thomas Herrera; seconded by Brian Moore to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
9.B Consider Resolution No. 22-5965, authorizing Mayor to sign FC-31 (Memorandum of Understanding) and authorizing the City Administrator to sign FC-32 (Conservation Camp Program Project Request(s)) as necessary.
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-5965, authorizing Mayor to sign FC-31 (Memorandum of Understanding) and authorizing the City Administrator to sign FC-32 (Conservation Camp Program Project Request(s)) as necessary.
Bob Godman offered an explanation of the item, being the red bus inmate crews from Cal Fire. This agreement has to be updated annually. He stated that the program assists with clean ups along the river and other departments as needed and are billed at $200 per day paid by the department that utilizes their services.
ATP21-45 2022.docx
fc31 2022.doc
22-5965.pdf
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Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
9.C Sales Tax Ballot Measure
Consider Local Sales Tax Ballot Measure
Mr. Newton stated that this item is an information and discussion item. This is not for adoption tonight but a time to discuss what we would like to do. He provided information on how taxes are collected and disbursed to jurisdictions. Mr. Newton then presented a power point and offered results from the Survey Monkey listing all questions asked and their responses.
Mr. Newton continued that the base tax rate is 7.25% which means there is no additional tax coming to the City except the 1%.
Councilmember McCourt stated that he has heard people state that we are getting taxes for the incarcerated population and requested Mr. Newton to speak to that.
Mr. Newton responded that those people who are incarcerated are not in any way an impact to the sales tax revenue and, in addition, the state doesn't pay property taxes on that property.
However, it is a benefit as people who work at the prisons spend their money within city limits which does help taxes paid to the city. He also talked about the tax rates for neighboring Washoe County and the Reno area.
Mr. Newton discussed the adopted budget, the reductions in expenses and the additional revenues received and still shows a ($255,000) deficit.
He discussed the proposed ballot measure. Including an oversight board, a 1% tax and no sunset date. 1% would bring in approximately $1.5 million - $2 million annually. He provided the advisory measure language and requested feedback from the council.
Councilmember Herrera stated that he believed a lot of people do not know that the state gets
6.25% of the 7.25% and we only get 1%.
Councilmember Moore inquired about what information we have for people coming into town from out of the area as well as people who came in for fires etc., to which Mr. Newton responded that we may have some older information from 2019-2020 as we had staff working with a company that produced that type of information.
Councilmember McCourt offered his thoughts about what he has seen with data, city staff, transparency, and the deficit.
Mayor Schuster inquired as to how much it would cost to place this measure on the ballot to which Mr. Newton responded approximately $15,000 (rough estimate).
Mayor Schuster stated that she would support it as presented. Herrera, McCourt and Stafford agreed.
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Mr. Newton also stated that he would have Ms. Long also provide information at the next meeting regarding what could and could not be done as no public funds can be used to promote the tax.
Rebecca Dawson (member of the public) inquired as to where ARPA funds come from to which Mr.Newton responded. She also inquired as to what the sales tax measure dollars would go to.
Mr. Newton responded that it would go into the general fund such as fire and police.
Councilmember McCourt stated that the intention is to have an advisory committee, including members of the public, that would assist in determining where it is going.
Curtis Bortle, stated he agreed that there is a lack of pubic trust with city government. He continued that he also feels uncomfortable with the tax since he does not want to pay more to an entity to do what they are already doing.
DRAFT 2022-1-26 Advisory Resolution.docx
DRAFT ORD_7285.9 City_Gen_rev2019 SUSANVILLE.doc
9.D Consider Resolution No. 22-5968, authorizing budget increase for Little League security cameras
Motion to approve Resolution No. 22-5968, authorizing increase in budget of $5,000 to accommodate installation of security cameras at little league field.
Mr. Newton provided an explanation of this item, the vandalism that has occurred and requested the approval of Resolution No. 22-5968.
22-5968.pdf
Moved by Brian Moore; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Approve.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
9.E Consider Riverside Dr. Trail Project
Provide direction to staff pertaining to proceeding with Riverside Dr. Trail project.
Mr. Newton provided an explanation of the project and offered that this project will be paid out of a fund that is not the general fund. This project will construct a paved bicycle/pedestrian trail with a bridge along Riverside Drive. The CEQA is already completed and the City is at the point that they either need to complete the project or pay back the money used to date, which is approximately $80,000. Although not guaranteed, additional funding can be requested through the STIP through the Lassen County Transportation Commission.
Councilmember McCourt requested that the City's Public Works Department reach out the County's Public Works Department as they may be working on a similar project.
Mr. Newton agreed and requested direction on whether or not to proceed with the project itself to which the Council agreed.
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Preferred Alternative Riverside Drive Trail Final ISMND (1).pdf
10. SUSANVILLE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY: No business.
11. SUSANVILLE MUNICIPAL ENERGY CORPORATION: no business.
12. CONTINUING BUSINESS: No business.
13. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORTS:
13.A Department Head Reports Information only
Mr. Newton provided an update on the refinance of the City's debts. He stated that the process has been started and has to go through the court system and wanted to report that there is some strange language involved with the process in case they have seen anything regarding the process.
He continued with providing an update on the CCC closure. He stated that CCC is now doing an environmental report. The closure is now being referred to as the "proposed" closure. They are also conducting other studies to see how it will impact the community.
Chief Cochran stated that they performed ABC checks and ended up citing two businesses for selling alcohol to minors.
Chief Moore stated that a press release regarding the IOS 2 rating has already been released and he has already heard of at least one person getting an immediate rebate check.
Mr. Godman provided an update on the completion of the Bagwell Springs project.
14. FUTURE COUNCIL ITEMS:
14.A Future Council Items
220202_ITEMS FROM THE PODIUM - COMBINED LIST.pdf
15. ADJOURNMENT:
Going back into closed open ended at 6:50 p.m.
Moved by Kevin Stafford; seconded by Thomas Herrera to Adjourn at 7:27 p.m.
Motion Carried: 5- 0
Voting For: Thomas Herrera, Quincy McCourt, Kevin Stafford, Brian Moore, Mendy Schuster Voting Against: None
_______________________
Mendy Schuster, Mayor
Respectfully submitted by:
___________________________ Approved on: February 16, 2022 Heidi Whitlock, City Clerk