SUSANVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2023 – 4:30 PM
Mayor pro tem Herrera called the meeting to order at 4:30p.m.
Roll Call of Councilmembers Present: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Moved by Schuster; seconded by Brown, to approve the agenda with the changes as recommended by City Administrator Dan Newton to include item 13A being heard immediately after 9B as well as a presentation of the new vehicle acquired by the Police Department.
Motion Carried: 3 - 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
2. PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING CLOSED SESSION ITEMS (if any): No public comment
3. CLOSED SESSION: The City Council convened in closed session at 4:35p.m. to discuss the following items:
A. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT - pursuant to Government Code Section §54957
1. Economic Development Director
B. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION - pursuant to Government Code Section §54956.8
1. Name of Case: Cargill v. city of Susanville
4. RETURN TO OPEN SESSION: The Council reconvened in open session at 5:01p.m.
The Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation were provided.
Mr. Newton stated that the Council met in closed session to discuss the above-mentioned items, that direction was provided to staff; however, no reportable action was taken.
Ryan Cochran, Chief of Police, presented the department’s newly acquired vehicle.
Mr. Newton provided an explanation on the employee recognition program.
Bob Godman recognized Pat Thomson, Mechanic, for 5 years of service.
Tom Hernandez, Acting Fire Chief, recognized Leon Myers, Fire Captain, for 10 years of service.
Chandra Jabbs, Finance Director, recognized Alicia Cordova, Account Tech I, for 10 years of service and Stefanie Steward, Account Tech II, for 5 years of service.
Mr. Newton recognized Bob Godman, Public Works Director, for 15 years of service.
Mayor pro tem Herrera offered words to those recognized.
5. BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR: Amy Holmen, Lassen Land & Trails Trust, provided information on two events coming up in September and October.
Jacqui Henry requested a moment of silence for Maui.
6. CONSENT CALENDAR:
6.A Minutes of the City Council's August 2, 2023, regular meeting. 230802.cc.min.draft.pdf
Motion to waive the reading of and approval to receive and file the City Council's August 2, 2023, regular meeting minutes.
Moved by Brown; seconded by Schuster to approve.
Motion Carried: 3- 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
6.B Consider Resolution No. 23-6174, approving agreement with NextRequest for Public Records Request software.
Updated CA - NextRequest - discounted.pdf
23-6174.pdf
Motion to approve Resolution No. 23-6174, approving agreement with NextRequest for Public Records Request platform.
Moved by Schuster; seconded by Brown to approve.
Motion Carried: 3- 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS: No business.
8. COUNCIL DISCUSSION/ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mayor pro tem Herrera provided both the Land Acknowledgment Statement and the city's Mission Statement.
9. NEW BUSINESS:
9.A Appointment of Voting Delegate and Alternates for the League of California Cities Annual Conference to be held on September 20-22, 2023.
Mr. Newton provided a brief explanation of the item and requested direction from the Council as to who would be going and who would be the designated voting delegate. He added that Mayor McCourt would like to attend, as would two other councilmembers.
Mayor pro tem inquired as to whether all five Council members could be in attendance to which Ms. Long, City Attorney, stated that they could as it is a conference.
Councilmember Schuster stated that she would prefer to bow out due to budgetary reasons if everyone else would like to go.
It was the consensus of the Council to have Mayor McCourt attend as the voting delegate, and Mayor pro tem Herrera and Councilmember Brown attend as the alternates.
Motion to have Mayor McCourt attend as the voting delegate, and Mayor pro tem Herrera and Councilmember Brown attend as the alternates.
Moved by Schuster; seconded by Brown to authorize.
Motion Carried: 3- 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
9.B Discussion regarding Lassen High School Homecoming Parade Direction to staff Mr. Newton provided an explanation of the item and requested Council direction.
Renee Delgado, LHS ASB President, read a letter that they provided to the Council requesting the closure of Main Street for their Homecoming Parade. She included that ASB will assist with the marketing of the city’s SeeClickFix app.
Councilmember Schuster is for the event but requested more details on what streets are being requested.
Councilmember Brown stated that he is supportive of Alexander to Weatherlow.
Mayor pro tem Herrera stated that he was also in support of the event.
Mr. Newton stated that the issue with the road closure is finding a route for the semi trucks.
The closure would most likely have to be from Riverside to Weatherlow to accommodate the request, but staff could potentially find a shorter route as the request would prevent access to businesses at a peak period of time on a Friday.
City staff including Chief Cochran, Director Godman, and Acting Chief Hernandez all provided their comments.
Jim McCarthy, public, stated that it may be a state highway but, it is our Main Street. He added that he has an uptown business, and he is still in favor of the event.
Eileen Richard, public, suggested to stage the floats at Memorial Park and simply make the loop.
After further discussion, both Councilmember Schuster and Councilmember Brown are still in favor of the event.
Mayor pro tem Herrera stated that he is aware that it will be a lot of work for city staff, but he is very much for this event.
Both Herrera and Brown offered to be flaggers for the event, but it was requested that a shorter route be found.
13.A City Project Priorities
Mr. Newton provided an explanation of the item and requested direction from Council.
Councilmember Brown thanked staff as he knows it's hard to have other items added on when the list is so long.
Bob Tyndall, SMAC member, stated that there are projects at the airport as listed on the ACIP that need to be made a priority. He voiced his concern as to why they are not getting completed. He requested Taxiway B be placed on the list to where it is completed in the spring in addition to the completion of the 2024 project.
Jim McCarthy requested that time spent on HUSA should end and all put towards the economic development efforts as he is seeing changes with the current endeavor.
Jacqui Henry recommended that the airport item be made a priority as she sees that as economic development.
Councilmember Schuster asked Mr. Newton if the Taxiway project was one of the items that may not be on the list but is being worked on.
Mr. Newton responded by stating yes, but this is one of those projects that slipped through the cracks because of the workload and the items ahead of it on the priority list. 230215 City Project Priorities.docx
9.C Consider Resolution No. 23-6175, authorizing the Mayor to execute agreement with Aqua-Tech to clean and inspect the city of Susanville’s five water tanks and authorize the Finance Manager to increase the 7114 Water Capital Improvement budget in the amount of $30,075 Motion to approve Resolution No. 23-6175, authorizing the Mayor to execute agreement with Aqua-Tech to clean and inspect the city of Susanville’s five water tanks and authorize the Finance Manager to increase the 7114 Water Capital Improvement budget in the amount of $30,075
Mr. Godman stated that, due to the budget amendment and the need for a 4/5th's vote.
The item will be tabled at this time and presented at the next meeting.
Mayor pro tem Herrera stated that the item is tabled until a later date. 23-6175.pdf
10. SUSANVILLE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY: No business.
11. SUSANVILLE MUNICIPAL ENERGY CORPORATION: No business.
12. CONTINUING BUSINESS:
12.A Consider Resolution No. 23-6176, upholding, modifying, or rejecting the Susanville Planning Commission's decision to assess civil assessment penalties in the amount of $10,000 against the property located at 765 Shasta Street for violations of a nuisance abatement order.
Cody Loflin, Code Enforcement Officer, provided an explanation of the item and requested direction as to which Resolution the Council would prefer to adopt.
Mr. Guerrero addressed the Council and shared the work he has done to date. He added that the outside should resemble any other house in the area by the end of October.
Nuisance Abatement Order for 765 Shasta St.pdf
23-6176 (Rejection).pdf
23-6176 (Approval).pdf
Motion to approve Resolution No. 23-6176, upholding the Susanville Planning Commission's decision to assess civil assessment penalties in the amount of $10,000 as ordered pursuant to Susanville Planning Commission Resolution No. 23-1126.
Moved by Brown; seconded by Schuster to approve.
Motion Carried: 3- 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
13. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORTS:
13.A City Project Priorities – item heard following 9B
13.B Department Reports
City staff provided updates to the Council.
14. FUTURE COUNCIL ITEMS: 14.A Future Council Items
No comments.
20230816 Items from the Podium.pdf
15. ADJOURNMENT: Adjourned at 6:57p.m.
Moved by Brown; seconded by Schuster to adjourn at 6:57p.m.
Motion Carried: 3 - 0
Voting For: Herrera, Schuster, Brown
Voting Against: None
Absent: McCourt, Stafford
___________________________
Quincy McCourt, Mayor
Respectfully submitted by:
___________________________ Approved on: September 6, 2023 Heidi Whitlock, City Clerk