MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2022 (LIVE/HYBRID
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Ladwig called the live-hybrid meeting to order at 6:00pm. Council members in attendance: Ladwig, West,
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. CLOSED SESSION
1. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: City of Trinidad vS. Tsurai Ancestral Society, et. al, Humb. Co. Sup. Court Case No. 180684) IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION
No reportable action was taken in closed session.
V. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion (West/Kelly) to approve the agenda as submitted. Passed unanimously.
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - 08/23/2022 cc2, 10/11/2022 cc.
Motion (West/Tuttle) to approve the minutes as submitted. Kelly abstained from 08/23/22 due to absence.
Passed unanimously.
VII. COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Kelly: Coordinated a website taskforce to review the status and improvements to the site. Attended the Planning Commission meeting and requested City Manager provide General Plan update summary in each month's Manager's report, schedule a coordination meeting with the Coastal Commission, and make it a renewed priority.
West: Will report on HCAOG and Trails Committee meeting in December.
Ladwig: Both RREDC and HTA are discussing housing and transportation.
VIII.STAFF REPORTS - City Manager & Law Enforcement
City Manager Naffah highlighted accomplishments summarized in the staff report included in the meeting packet. Naffah provided the Luffenholtz Creek flow rate, water production, and leak repair progress. Alsc announced Coastal Resilience Proiect meeting on December 05 IX. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR
(Three (3) minute limit per Speaker unless Council approves request for extended time.) Steve Madrone - Trinidad Area resident/County Supervisor Commended the Council for water related grants received this past year that improve resiliency, leaks, storage tc. Rainfall timing makes a difference. Also want to note the dog attack that occurred at the State Park ecently, in City limits, but in the parking lot in the State Park property. The gentlemen with the poodles need o be dealt with. It would be good for the City to join this conversation. Lastly, the Watershed Council is you stakeholder group, and at the forefront of why you've been so successful with grants.
X. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Staff Activity Report - October 2022
2. Financial Statements - September 2022
3. Law Enforcement Report - October 2022
4. Project Update: Trinity Street Pavement Rehabilitation Motion (West/Tuttle) to approve consent agenda as submitted. Passed unanimously. 11-08-2022 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1
XI. DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
1. Project Update/Discussion: Trinidad Water System Drought Resiliency Project City Manager Naffah introduced City Engineer Dagan Short. Short explained that the grant funds replacement of one, 150,000 gallon water tank and 7,500 ft of main line feeding it from the water plant. The project is funded by the Department of Water Resources, and will be constructed in 2023. One redwood tank will be replaced with a 300,000 gallon steel tank. Access around the tank will need to be improved, along with the addition of a chlorine booster tank.
Council questions included:
West: How much water can be usefully stored on that site? How will the tank fit on site? Short explained that the added chlorine booster station will be needed to treat any stale water stored, and the tank will be the same height, but wider.
Ladwig: Construction is slated for June-September, when Luffenholtz Creek flows are low. Short explained that one tank will need to be demolished to make room for the new tank. During that time the City will only have 150,000 gallon storage. Hopefully the construction timeline will only be 4-5 weeks.
Tuttle: Is there a salvage value to the redwood tank to be demolished? Short explained, yes. The contract documents will handle how this will be handled.
Public comment included:
Kati Breckenridge - Trinidad
Will there be less water storage during construction, during fire season? Short explained that yes, that will be a concern but we'll try to construct the project as quickly as possible.
Steve Madrone - Trinidad Area Resident/County Supervisor How old are the tanks? If we have a dry spring, you'll have to ask the residents to conserve during construction.
In addition, the City is working on grants for 5000 gallon residential rainwater storage. Having 100 of these tanks would be very helpful for fire protection someday. Short explained that the tank to be removed was constructed in 1974. The other tank is 2 years older (1972).
Presentation item only. No decision was made.
2. Project Update/Discussion: Rainwater Catchment Demonstration Grant Administrator Becky Price-Hall updated the Council on the plans to create a demonstration system for rainwater catchment, using a roof to collect and store water in a tank. This was a stormwater project component that was removed due to site control issues. It's now back, and the grant funder has expressed willingness to consider funding it, located at the Trinidad School. GHD representatives are studying the size of system needed to meet the School garden needs. We're also looking at demonstrating smaller storage systems for residents, and will report back to the Council when the project develops.
Public comment included:
Steve Madrone.- Trinidad Area/County Supervisor
Commended the City's work on this project, and the School garden program. 5000 gallon or smaller tanks are exempt from the building code. The State of California incentivized water storage by exempting these improvements from property tax improvements. Templates and pamphlets are very helpful as well. Residential cost estimate to develop 5000 gallon storage is approximately $12k.
Council questions/comments:
Ladwig: Will there be an interpretive sign developed as part of this grant? Price-Hall explained that yes, this will be developed and coordinated with the School, with additional information promoted on the City website.
Presentation item only. No decision was made.
3. Discussion/Decision regarding Letter of Support for Humboldt Waste Management Authority's Edible Food Recovery Program.
City Manager Naffah explained that the regional task force has been working on an edible food recovery program and the letter included in the packet was recommended by the group to consider, approve, and send to HWMA in support of the program.
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Public comment included:
Steve Madrone - Trinidad Area Resident/County Supervisor I sit on the HWMA Board. This is a new law. How it will look and function are two of the main issues being discussed, along with not penalizing people already doing this in their back yards.- which is the most cost- effective way to do this. The big picture is to have a facility to turn this into fertilizer (partnering with local fish farms), but in the beginning will have to be shipped out. Appreciate Trinidad's support.
Motion (Kelly/Tuttle) to approve the letter of support to HWMA as submitted. Passed unanimously.
4. Discussion/Decision to Begin the Recruitment Process to Fill Expiring Planning Commissioner Terms.
City Clerk Adams explained that Planning Commissioner terms last 4-years, and appointments are made by the City Council. The 4-year terms expire on a rotating basis in December during each General Election year (even numbered year).
New Councilmembers are seated in January at the conclusion of each general election. At that meeting the Council is asked to make appointments to the Planning Commission to fill the vacancies left by rotating term expirations.
The current commissioners are:
Tom Hopkins Trinidad area Resident Term expires December 2024 Diane Stockness City resident Term expires December 2024 Richard Johnson Trinidad area resident Term expires December 2022 Aaron Hakenen City Resident Term expires December 2022
Diane Stockness City Resident Term expires December 2022 Trinidad Municipal allows the Planning Commission to include up to (2) Commissioners that live outside the city limits if no qualified City residents apply. Commissioner Johnson is one of two serving that live outside the City limits. His term is expiring, along with residents Aaron Hakenen (View Street) and Diane Stockness (View Street).
With no term limits specified in the Trinidad Municipal Code for Planning Commissioners, current Commissioners are welcome to reapply.
There were no comments from the Council or public.
Motion (Kelly/Tuttle) to authorize staff to begin the recruitment process to solicit public interest in serving on the Planning Commission and bring letters of interest back to the Council for appointment in December or January.
Passed unanimously.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Kelly: Water Plant Update. Contractor vs. In-house Staffing.
Kelly: Roles and Responsibilities of the City Manager and City Council. - Kelly: Website improvements, electronic communication tools.
Update from City Engineer regarding water storage tank grant.
ADJOURNMENT: 7:11pm.
Submitted by: Approved by:
A My
Gabriel Adams Steve Ladwig
Trinidad City Clerk Mayor
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