CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2023
THIS MEETING WAS CONDUCTED IN-PERSON AT 33 CHURCH STREET, THE PUBLIC WAS ABLE TO VIEW FROM HOME:
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5:30 P.M. 1. CLOSED SESSION
A. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957
Title: City Manager
7:00 P.M. 2. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH A QUORUM FOR REGULAR MEETING Council members present:
Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
Vicky Runquist, City Treasurer
Absent: Swift
Staff Present:
Sandra Spelliscy, Interim City Manager
Derek Cole, City Attorney
Karen Darrow, City Clerk
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
4. REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Cole reported that direction was given to staff and there was no reportable action.
5. PUBLIC FORUM
Steve Christensen noted his concern regarding overgrown vegetation on Sutter Volcano Rd. and the fire danger it poses.
Lisa Klosowski provided an update on the Visitor Center.
Kathleen Friedman asked for an update on the work to be done at 310 Gopher Flat.
Sandy Anderson noted her concern regarding the City’s role in marketing, social media and the Visit Sutter Creek website.
Gail Schifsky asked about the status of the parking signs for the Greenstone Terrace area.
6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. City Council Minutes of September 27, 2023
Recommendation: By motion approve minutes as presented.
M/S Council member Sierk/Riordan to approve the City Council Minutes of September 27,2023.
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
7. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Adopt Resolution 23-24-* concurring in the call for an election on the question or reestablishing the countywide abandoned vehicle abatement fee.
M/S Council member Riordan/Sierk to Adopt Resolution 23-24-12 concurring in the call for an election on the question or re-establishing the countywide abandoned vehicle abatement fee.
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
8. ORDINANCES & PUBLIC HEARING
Item 8C was heard before Items A&B.
A. Waive the second reading in full and enact Ordinance No.______ amending Title 18, Zoning Ordinance, of the Sutter Creek Code of Ordinances.
M/S Council member Riordan/Sierk to Waive the second reading in full and enact Ordinance No 373 amending Title 18, Zoning Ordinance, of the Sutter Creek Code of Ordinances
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
B. Introduce and Waive First Reading of Ordinance No. _____Amending Sections
2.06 & 2.08 of the Sutter Creek Municipal Code.
M/S Council member Sierk/Feist to Introduce and Waive First Reading of Ordinance No. _____Amending Sections 2.06 & 2.08 of the Sutter Creek Municipal Code, as amended.
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
C. Sewer Connection Fee Proposal
Recommendation: Open public hearing and take public comment. Close public hearing. Adopt resolution 23-24 -*approving changes to sewer connection fees.
Consultant Mark Hildebrand of Hildebrand Consulting gave a presentation on sewer connection fees.
Mayor Gunselman opened the Public Hearing at 7:37 p.m. There was no public comment, and the hearing was closed.
M/S Council member Sierk/Riordan to Adopt Resolution 23-24-13 approving changes to sewer connection fees.
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
9. ADMINISTRATIVE AGENDA
A. Informational report on City Cemetery
George Allen, Public Works Foreman gave an update on the condition of the cemetery and clarified that the damage to the retaining wall is the next-door property owner’s responsibility.
B. County sale tax increase proposal
Recommendation: Advise Amador County Board of Supervisors that Sutter Creek will not be participating in a countywide self-help sales tax increase ballot measure.
Interim City Manager Spelliscy presented.
M/S Council member Riordan/Feist to direct staff to write a letter informing the county that the city will not be participating in the self-help sales tax increase ballot measure.
AYES: Feist, Riordan, Sierk and Gunselman
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Swift
MOTION CARRIED
10. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS
Council member Riordan reported that he attended the ACTC meeting and is learning about opportunities available to Sutter Creek. He also noted that he met with Frank Whitmore of Weber Ghio about putting together a list of roads to submit for improvement funding improvement by the November 1
st deadline.
Council member Feist noted that she and Council member Sierk met with staff to have a marketing discussion and she feels that the city does have a role in the marketing and the memo sent out was to invite the Business Association to work with the City.
Mayor Gunselman noted that she received a copy of the memo that was sent to the Business Association and is concerned that the meeting didn’t include all the interested parties. Council member Feist noted that the Marketing Committee will schedule a meeting soon.
Council member Sierk reported that she is waiting on an ACRA meeting to let them know that Sutter Creek wants a review of the next contract and that Ione had recently pulled out of ACRA. She noted that she attended the League of California Cities Conference.
11. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Interim City Manager Spelliscy provided an update on:
310 Gopher Flat – staff is moving forward, and Weber Ghio is working on it.
City website - transitioning to Civic Plus for hosting/management services and noted that there needs to be a longer discussion about the City’s role in marketing.
DANCO project- Was denied tax credits by the state Tax Credit Allocation Committee because they did not have all the approvals in place by the deadline. She noted that the city has done everything that was required and that it is still on the agenda for the Planning Commission meeting in November.
CalFire- scheduled to work in the creek tomorrow noting that it has been harder to get their help due to their funding cuts.
Flushing dam- the contractor should be able to get in the creek to do the work this month.
12. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT – None.
13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Gunselman suggested putting website/marketing on the next agenda.
Interim City Manager Spelliscy noted that the website functions fall under day-to-day operations and that a longer discussion of the city’s role in marketing should be had and suggested that the next few agendas are pretty full.
Council member Feist noted that the Marketing Committee will meet first and then have it put on a Council agenda.
Interim City Manager Spelliscy noted that City Engineer Matt Ospital will be giving an update on Oro Madre repair work at the next meeting.
14. INFORMATION/CORRESPONDENCE
15. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 9:04 p.m.
_________________________________
Claire Gunselman, Mayor
___________________________________
Karen Darrow, City Clerk
Date Approved: November 6, 2023