Susanville City Council
Regular Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 – 4:30 PM
Mayor Schuster called the meeting to order at 4:30PM.
Council Members in attendance: Schuster, Miller, Parrish, & Hibbitts
1. Approval of Agenda: (Additions and/or Deletions)
MOVER: Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
SECONDER: Council Member Patrick Parrish
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
2. Public Comment Regarding Closed Session Items (if any): No comment.
The City Council convened in Closed Session at 4:31PM to discuss the item(s) below.
A. Public Employment - pursuant to Government Code §54957
1. City Manager Recruitment
2. Acting City Manager - Evaluation
4. Return to Open Session: (recess if necessary)
Council Member Bortle entered the Council Chambers at 5:00PM • Reconvene in open session at 5:00 PM
• Pledge of Allegiance
• Invocation
• Report any changes to agenda – No changes to the agenda. • Report any action out of Closed Session
Kelsey Walsh, City Attorney, stated that the Council met in closed session where no reportable action was taken, but direction was provided to staff. Council will be reconvening in closed session following open session.
• Awards or Presentations by the City Council
5. Business from the Floor: Any person may address the City Council at this time upon any subject on the agenda or not on the agenda within the jurisdiction of the City Council.
However, comments on items on the agenda may be reserved until the item is discussed and any matter not on the agenda that requires action will be referred to staff for a report and action at a subsequent meeting.
Presentations are subject to a three-minute limit.
Rod Wood, VFW, requested a proclamation for Veterans Day.
6. Consent Calendar: All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine by the City Council. There will be no separate discussion on these items. Any member of the public or the City Council may request removal of an item from the Consent Calendar to be considered separately.
MOVER: Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller
SECONDER: Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Council Member Curtis Bortle, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
6.A. Minutes of the City Council August 31, 2026 special meeting and the September 2, 2026 regular meeting.
6.B. Vendor and Payroll Warrants
7. Public Hearings - No business
8. Council Discussion/Announcements:
Council Member Bortle provided a land acknowledgement statement.
Council Member Hibbitts thanked the Police Department for their willingness to participate in a ride-along as well as Mr. Prettyman, the Code Enforcement Officer.
9. New Business:
9.A. Consider Resolution No. 26-6566, Amending appendix of designated positions in the City of Susanville's Conflict-of-Interest Code.
Heidi Whitlock, City Clerk, provided an explanation of the item and requested Council approval of Resolution No. 26-6566.
MOVER: Council Member Curtis Bortle
SECONDER: Council Member Patrick Parrish
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Council Member Curtis Bortle, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
9.B. Consider Resolution No. 26-6567, supporting the Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2026, supporting the closure of Main Street, and authorizing the closure of Fair Drive.
Erik Edholm, Acting Public Works Director, provided an explanation of the item and requested Council approval of Resolution No. 26-6567.
MOVER: Council Member Curtis Bortle
SECONDER: Council Member Patrick Parrish
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Council Member Curtis Bortle, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
9.C. Consider Resolution No. 26-6570, supporting the Safe and Sane Halloween event on October 30, 2026, supporting the closure of Main Street, and authorizing the closure of South Gay Street.
Mr. Edholm provided an explanation of the item and requested Council approval of Resolution No. 26-6570.
MOVER: Council Member Curtis Bortle
SECONDER: Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Council Member Curtis Bortle, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
9.D. Consider Resolution No. 26-6571, authorizing a modification to the Police Department budget for the Byrne-JAG Federally Administered Grant Youth Service Officer position
Allen Sobol, Acting Public Safety Chief, provided an explanation of the item and requested Council approval of Resolution No. 26-6571.
MOVER: Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller
SECONDER: Council Member Patrick Parrish
AYES: Mayor Mendy Schuster, Council Member Patrick Parrish, Council Member Curtis Bortle, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Miller, Council Member Gerry Hibbitts
NAYS: None
RESULT: Passed
9.E. 1409 Fourth Street - Public Nuisance Follow-Up
Ms. Jabbs provided an explanation of the item, as did Mike Prettyman, Code Enforcement Officer, Chief Sobol, and Kelsey Walsh, City Attorney. Discussion included the number of calls that have been related to the property, what types of calls, and whether a receivership should be considered.
Council Member Parrish requested clarification on the number of calls to which Chief Sobol responded that there were 73 calls in the last 15 months, with 11 citations issued ,and only one citation went to the property owner.
Mr. Murray, owner of 1409 Fourth Street, expressed that he did not want to talk if he was permitted to talk for only three minutes. He continued in an aggressive manner that he has been victimized and villainized since he moved to his house.
Jackie Jones, public member, stated that what was just witnessed is what Mr. Murray does every time. She stated that she feels bad but no longer calls the police.
Pat and Amy Holley, public members, thanked the Police Department and the Council for their work on this issue and requested that the Council move forward with the receivership.
Tom Russell, public member, also voiced that this is an ongoing issue and that there are still a lot of items that have not been reported.
Jacqui Henry, public member, stated that she hopes that Ms. Walsh can move this forward as it should be stopped tonight.
Council Member Bortle apologized to the public members for having to deal with this so long. He stated that he would be interested in exploring the receivership option.
Council Member Hibbitts stated that he felt that everything that the City can do through code enforcement and police department avenues has been done. He would like to move forward with the receivership.
Chief Sobol, stated that everyone who has interactions with Mr. Murray will know that this is his normal behavior when confronted. He stated that the average person should not have to deal with this, but he is used to dealing with this.
Council Member Parrish voiced his concerns with this issue and stated that he is weary of government taking personal property, which is why he wanted to know how long this issue has been going on. He stated that he did not want to set the precedent that the City will try to take someone's property. He stated, in this case, he is okay with moving forward. However, he wanted to know what the next step would be if the court denied the request.
Ms. Walsh stated that the next step would be to reach out to Mr. Collins, possible receiver, to talk about a litigation guarantee.
Mayor pro tem Miller stated that this has been going on way too long and would like to see something happen to fix it.
Mayor Schuster stated that she agreed as once it becomes a health concern, the City needed to move forward.
It was the consensus of the Council to authorize Kelsey Walsh to move forward with the litigation guarantee and possible receivership.
10. Planning Commission - No business
11. Susanville Community Redevelopment Agency - No business
12. Susanville Municipal Energy Corporation - No business
13. Continuing Business - No business
14. City Manager's Reports:
14.A. Code Enforcement Update
Mike Prettyman, Code Enforcement Officer, provided an update on the code enforcement endeavors.
Pat and Amy Holley, public, requested extra police protection on Third and Fourth Street during this time.
15. Future Council Items:
15.A. Future Council Items
Council Member Bortle requested consideration of a budget amendment to fund an Animal Control officer. Parrish and Hibbitts agree.
Council Member Bortle requested consideration of K-9 program funding. What would it take to re-establish the program and a canine replacement program. Hibbitts, Parrish agreed to place on agenda for discussion. Ms. Jabbs requested to place this as a topic in the mid-year budget discussion to which they agreed. It was requested to be presented in three ways: canine, officer and canine, and officer, canine, and vehicle.
Mayor pro tem Miller requested cameras at the park. Hibbitts, Bortle and Parrish agree.
Open session ended at 6:15pm.
Went back into closed at 6:20pm.
16. Adjournment:
Adjourn at 6:39pm.
• The next regular meeting of the Susanville City Council will be held on October 7, 2026 at 4:30 PM.
Heidi Whitlock, City Clerk Mendy Schuster, Mayor
Approved on: October 7, 2026