09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TRINIDAD CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 08, 2026 (LIVE/HYBRID)
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Kelly called the live-hybrid meeting to order at 6:00pm. Council members in attendance: Kelly, Kenny, Tuttle, and Breckenridge. Waskiewicz was absent. City Staff in attendance: City Clerk/Interim City Manager Gabriel Adams, Special Project Manager Angela Cather, Administrative Assistant Anton Souza, and City Planner Trever Parker. Approximately (6) participants were present by video-conference, and (7) were present live at the beginning of the meeting.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
III. ADJOURN TO 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. DR180684
2. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (Calif. Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)) (1 Case: Yurok Tribe v.
City of Trinidad, et. al, U.S. District Court (Northern Dist.) 1:26-cv-05240)
3. Personnel Exception 54957 - City Manager Performance Evaluation IV. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION – No reportable action taken.
V. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion (Kenny/Breckenridge) to approve the agenda as submitted. Passed 4-0.
VI. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – 09/08/2026 cc
Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to approve the minutes as written. Passed 4-0.
VII. COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Tuttle: RCEA discussed rate structure changes. HTA discussed 10 hydrogen fuel public transit busses are offline due to fueling station issues. Would love to have my updates included in the meeting packet or updated to the website for sharing with the public.
Kenny: HCAOG introduced new Executive Director Rob Homlund, heard from a group of Bayside cut-off residents concerned with extended emergency response times due to Caltrans eliminating all the 101 exits and turn-off’s near Indianola, and discussed the Safe Routes to School plan acceptable to Caltrans to make grant funds available.
Kelly: Nothing to report.
Breckenridge: Nothing to report.
VIII.PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT – City Manager & Law Enforcement Interim City Manager Adams summarized stats included in the meeting packet and thanked the public safety team for all their effort keeping the community safe and patrolled. Noted stats for this period indicate a 25% reduction in calls for service from last year August/September. HSCO Deputies and Pacific Coast Security presense was felt during the summer, including though the Labor Day weekend.
HCSO Lt. Holt oversees 8 Sargents, including Sargent McKenzie from McKinleyville. He works weekdays with Corporal Esket who works graveyard shifts. Trinidad’s public safety success has a lot to do with good communication between myself and City Manager Adams, as well as the cooperation between members of the public safety team. Trinidad residents are supportive of HCSO and we are appreciative of that.
Mayor Kelly complimented HCSO, and also Pacific Coast Security for the fabulous service. Kenny agreed.
Public comment included:
Anita Thompson – Trinidad
Concerned about the issue of speeding and traffic violations observed throughout the summer. Edwards Street stop sign gets rolled very often, and overall speed has increased. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2
Holt explained that HCSO Deputies are responsible for traffic violations in our contract cities, but generally they are handled by CHP and City Police Departments. Adams noted that public meetings offer engagement opportunities for the public, to share their feedback and help shape the service requested.
IX. ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR.
(Three (3) minute limit per Speaker unless Council approves request for extended time.) Jack West – Trinidad
Trinidad School and the Six Rivers Running Club will hold a cross-country meet on September 22, beginning at 4pm, with between 300-500 kids expected. We will be doing direct outreach to every house on the race route, and coordinating parking in the field behind Murphy’s, and thanked the City Manager for his support and enthusiasm coordinating the public safety team to help make this a safe event (CERT, PCS, State Parks, HCSO, and the Trinidad Rancheria).
X. CONSENT AGENDA
1. Financial Statements – June & July 2026
2. Law Enforcement Report – July & August 2026.
3. Adopt Resolution 2026-07; Approving and Adopting the Humboldt County Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP)
4. Support a League of California Cities Resolution Initiative to Strengthen Local Authority Over Housing and Land Use Matters.
5. Update of the On-Call Planning Consultant Professional Services Procurement Process.
Regarding Item 5, Kenny inquired about the committee members for reviewing the RFQ’s. Special Projects Manager Angela Cather explained that the committee members are the City Manager Adams, Special Project Manager Cather, and Mayor Kelly.
Regarding Item 3, Kelly asked if the Planning Commission has engaged in the RCAP. City Planner Trever Parker explained that the RCAP is an ambitious plan with bigger commitments and benefits for the larger jurisdictions involved. For Trinidad, its more about standing with the other cities and county, and it is not an overcommitment. The MOU will be brought back in September or October as the final step moving the RCAP adoption process towards completion.
Motion (Kenny/Tuttle) to approve the consent agenda as submitted. Passed 4-0.
Xl. DISCUSSION/ACTION AGENDA ITEMS
1. Discussion/Decision regarding North Coast Children’s Services request for Supplemental Funding Support for Salmonberry Preschool FY2027.
Interim City Manager Adams explained that Salmonberry Preschool children parents raised awareness of a funding shortfall anticipated for the 2026-2027 school year due to declining enrollment. This was brought to the Council’s attention during the budget workshop in May. Updates were provided to the Council in June and July on a grassroots fundraising effort coordinated by organized parents. With enrollment numbers still unclear in July, NCS agreed to table any request for funding support until September.
Adams further explained that the City Council has complete authority over discretionary General Fund spending. General fund revenues are generated from property, sales, and tourist occupancy taxes. The Council, for example, currently budgets 10% of the annual occupancy tax revenue total as a contribution to services provided by the Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, Museum, Library, and Land Trust ($21,580 was distributed in May).
The current budget adopted in June for FY2027 projected an overall spending deficit of approximately $100k this year, with the caveat being much of that may be balanced by savings realized from the current staffing plan.
In July the City accepted the FY2025 Audit that confirmed the general fund reserve of $2.1 million, of which approximately $326k is unassigned and eligible for consideration per the city’s reserve policy structure. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3
FY2026 Audit season has yet to begin, but preliminary year-end financial analysis suggests the general fund will gain positive flow.
Public comment included:
Rodney Oien – North Coast Children’s Services
There are currently 8 children enrolled. We made changes to staffing to reduce costs. Projected $10k program deficit with 8 children enrolled all year. The community really helped secure this program, and our outlook beyond this year is positive. Hoping the Council may be willing to contribute $5k, to buy time to find more children and help stabilize this year’s budget.
Cecelia – Salmonberry preschool parent
Today was the first day of school. We had 2 children at the end of last year. Now there are 8 with a possible
9. Hope this engagement raises the importance of this program. What makes Trinidad special are the people that live here. Imagine this headline; “A coastal town that puts children first.” Let’s build on this legacy so we don’t have to keep asking how these programs stay funded. I live in Westhaven, and there are nearly 25 kids in the 6th Avenue neighborhood.
Ana Davis – Greater Trinidad Chamber of Commerce
Would love to share this message with the wider group that is part of the Chamber. Oein agreed to reach out directly to the Chamber ED and connect.
Council comments included:
Kenny: We’re in good financial shape this year, but I could support a one-time $5k commitment.
Kelly: Agree with Kenny. I support Salmonberry and education. We’ve heard compelling comments from the public. Oien has stuck with us for three meetings and I appreciate that engagement.
Motion (Kelly/Breckenridge) to approve a one-time $5,000 General Fund contribution to North Coast Children’s Services to support FY2026-2027 Salmonberry Preschool program. Passed 4-0.
2. Discussion/Update on the Water Source Comparative Analysis, Request for Technical Assistance through the State Water Resources Control Board Submitted in June 2026.
Mayor Kelly explained that the City has been on a fact-finding mission by conducting a grant funded comparative analysis but has not been able to successfully find funding. I’m hoping to re-fence this discussion based on what our next steps are to get this done.
Interim City Manager Adams explained that on May 12, 2026, staff presented a list of options to the Council to conduct a water system comparative analysis. For several months leading up to that meeting, city staff worked closely with State Water Board staff who presented two viable funding programs the City could pursue to receive the support needed to answer the complex questions framed in the Council’s May 12 decision; 1) Technical Assistance (TA), and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Based on several limiting factors such as budget, timeline, and the level of burden and involvement of staff resources to implement, the Council selected to prioritize the TA route.
On May 29 the City submitted a preliminary request for TA through the Water Board website. On June 10 the Water Board denied the City’s application for TA for the following reason:
We have completed our review of the TA request for City of Trinidad. The request is not eligible for the TA program at the State Water Board. Per our Intended Use Plan (DWSRF) only systems that are failing or consolidation projects are eligible for the TA program. The request to explore interconnection is not an eligible project at this time.
City staff followed up with the Water Board representatives who shared this information:
“About two weeks ago our upper management began to raise the alarm that our Division was going to be losing multiple sources of funding over the next few years. As a result, we expect to see changes on what 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 4
we can fund this upcoming fiscal year (ie only funding “Failing” systems). Our 2026-2027 DWSRF IUP, grant prioritization guidance document, is expected to be posted in July 2026 and there will be a public comment period/workshop which I encourage the City to participate in.
On July 07, 2026, as advised staff attended the State Water Board’s public workshop/hearing on the FY2027 Intended Use Plan (IUP). During that meeting the Interim City Manager read a prepared statement and submitted the public comment packet on behalf of the City of Trinidad (see meeting packet).
In preparation of the final IUP presented to the Water Board on August 18, Lisa Hong and Michael Downey, Financial Assistance Section Managers who advised redirecting our engagement to the Technical Assistance Program Engineer James Garrett who supervises the Fund Expenditure Program. That program, according to Garrett, would have public comment period and workshop beginning in September, similar to the IUP process.
I met with Garrett on August 28 by video-conference (MS Teams) who reaffirmed that the TA program has prioritized failing systems and consolidation projects, and advised the City pursue two other routes:
“Based on the information that you shared with me I think that the best opportunity for you to explore is through the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) RealWaterTA Program (Real Water Technical Assistance (RealWaterTA) Information | US EPA). The priorities of the funding administered by this US EPA program are separate from the State Water Board’s Technical Assistance program. I would encourage you to submit a request for assistance to the RealWaterTA Program.” As advised by Garrett, staff submitted a preliminary inquiry/application to the RealWaterTA program on September 02 and received confirmation of receipt on September 04.
STAFF RECOMMENDED PATH FORWARD
To be sure staff is moving forward in a direction supported by Council, the following workplan is proposed for discussion:
1) Prioritze grant funded opportunities to fulfill the Council’s motion on July 08, 2025 and reaffirmed on May 12, 2026 to conduct a water system comparative analysis, continuing with EPA RealWaterTA Program engagement.
2) Continue engagement with the State Water Board Fund Expenditure Program to ensure the City of Trinidad’s interests are being included as their funding priorities are shaped for FY2027. 3) Maintain communication with outside engineering firms that specialize in water planning as a self-funded option should viable and timely grant funded opportunities continue to dry up. 4) Revisit the DWSRF Planning Grant Program (OPTION 2 – May 12, 2026 staff report) and self-funded path (OPTION 3) and begin examining a possible loan structured from the General Fund to the Water Fund.
Council questions:
Breckenridge: Whatever happened to coordinating with the Trinidad Rancheria to avoid having to duplicate data? Adams explained that there was a sense of urgency to participate in this process, but we’re unclear where the Rancheria is in their process. My goal is to find answers to the Council’s questions, which aren’t necessarily the same as what the Rancheria is looking for.
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria Executive Director We are moving forward with pre-development, discussions of environmental and design with our engineers.
Kelly: If we received a grant from the DWSRF Planning Grant Program, would they manage the whole project? If we were to go out to bid and get a research firm to cover all the bases, staff won’t need to coordinate all the specialties. That would be handled by a contractor. If the Council would support using General Fund money, could we get reimbursed or will we need to be awarded the grant first? Adams explained that the Technical Assistance route would be handled entirely by the State, but the DWSRF planning grant would be handled inhouse, coordinated by our grant team, in the same manner we manage most of the City’s grants. Special Project Manager Angela Cather explained that the format of reimbursements depend on the grant program. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 5
Breckenridge: Did we pay for RCAC to conduct our rate study? Adams explained that the rate study was funded by USDA, not by the City.
Kenny: At first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I think Adams has a viable strategy and is on the right track.
Tuttle: I agree with Kenny.
Kelly: We’re talking about delivering a report, not a project. We may end up spinning our wheels on this and not convinced we’ll be as successful. Grant funded pathways being explored are not for planning or construction.
They are for research. We have discussed cost-sharing with the Rancheria, but we don’t know what they have and what their overlap is. We would be happy to hear from the Rancheria on this, but believe they are beyond this phase.
Public comment included:
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
Grant reimbursement eligibility is dependent on the program. The Council needs to be aware that negotiations need to be made between the Rancheria and HBMWD in order for the City to be part of the project. I’m concerned about the amount of time being contemplated doing a study and not moving forward. The sooner you make a decision, the wiser you are. This is important for the general welfare of the tribe and the people, not just the Casino. We are blessed to have an amazing team and grant writer and plan to move forward as quickly as possible.
Anita Thompson – Trinidad
I’m concerned too. It feels like this is taking a long time and we’re back where we were a year ago. We need to make a decision how it will be funded. I’m frustrated by this and confused because we applied for TA with the Water Board, were denied, then engaged in the hearings, but haven’t had any success due to funding issues.
This is so important, and I don’t know what’s going on. Is there a timeline with the EPA grant? Will there be overlap with the Rancheria’s data? Can we share it? Can we have GHD be included in any project being proposed?
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
We haven’t moved on so far that we wouldn’t be more than happy to figure out how to move forward together.
We have a feasibility study for the Rancheria – two alternative routes for the pipeline to get to the Rancheria from McKinleyville. Understanding that we’re applying for funding and receiving funding to enter into the CEQA/NEPA phase, but to get it we need preliminary design and engineering. Bearing the entire cost of bringing it to the Rancheria is significant. There needs to be cost sharing. This could be initially discussed in a G2G consultation.
Paula Levine – Trinidad Area Resident and Water Customer Trinidad is having multiple, complex water service issues. Many upgrades are needed in the future. There are basic, obvious cost savings to work with HBMWD. We would not need T3 Operators, for instance. I encourage the City to have a conversation with the Rancheria and determine the cost savings for Trinidad in the long-run.
The obvious advantage of fire resiliency is a no-brainer. What’s going to happen in 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 years from now. Plan for water resiliency for the next 100 years.
Andrew Davis – Trinidad
Move more quickly. I appreciate the effort so far. This feels like we have an opportunity to share costs. We may have to call a spade a spade and move on. Not a fan of GHD either.
Patti Fleschner – Trinidad
Agree with Paula Levine, and encourage the City to move forward working with the Rancheria.
Council comments included:
Kelly: I share the frustration with others in the community with how slowly this is moving, so I’m prepared to make the following motion:
09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 6
Direct staff to continue to look for grant funding for the next 4-6 weeks, appoint representatives to meet with the Rancheria to discuss collaboration and cost-sharing opportunities, and approve not-to-exceed $100,000 from the General Fund to hire a consulting firm to perform the comparative analysis.
The motion does not say to work with the Rancheria to connect with Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. I feel like we’re spinning our wheels. We’ve discussed funding this work directly in the past. We need to bite the bullet and pay for it. I want staff to have the ability to go out to bid and find a consultant to conduct this study.
Kenny: Procedurally this is not an action item tonight. The public has not been notified that this was an action item, spending $100k of the General Fund, and that would be a Brown Act violation.
Kelly: Motion withdrawn. I would like to get this on the agenda for October for a decision. This extra month gives more time to gather additional information.
Adams explained that it feels like we’re coming back to what I proposed in the staff report as a path forward. I also agree with Kenny in that authorizing $100k from the General Fund tonight could be perceived as a violation of the Brown Act. We have solicited information from contractors that specialize in this work, and bring back a more detailed proposal that’s agendized properly.
No decision was made. Staff will return with a more detailed proposal to the Council, as soon as possible.
3. Discussion/Update on the Luffenholtz Creek Low-Flow Monitoring Season and Water Shortage Continency Status.
Interim City Manager Adams explaine that on February 10, 2026 the City Council approved Task Order 6 under the Master Services Agreement with Pacific Watershed Associates to provide continuous bypass flow monitoring of Luffenholtz Creek during the 2026 water year. This monitoring is a requirement of the City’s Water Rights Permit through the State Water Resources Control Board and of the Streambed Alteration Agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure measures are taken to protect fish and wildlife resources.
PWA Hydrologist Todd Kraemer is responsible for implementing Task Order 6, and keeping the City informed during the low-flow season with the creek flow rates and trends. Certain thresholds require notification of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and also trigger various water conservation alert stages identified in the City’s Water Shortage Contingency plan adopted following the most recent significant drought period that ended in 2021.
Prior to the recent rain event that occurred on Wednesday & Thursday, September 02-03, no significant rainfall occurred since mid-May. PWA has been monitoring the flow rates of Luffenholtz Creek since July and in mid-August alerted the water department of flow rates nearing the notification stage identified in the water rights permit (.86 cuft/sec). Low-flows nearing this stage also trigger a Stage 1 alert in the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
The rain helped swell Luffenholtz Creek levels, but the trend observed so far echo’s the summer 2021 trend when flows diminished quickly to (.60 cuft) after an early September rainfall triggering the Stage 3 water conservation measures to be implemented through October.
As we get deeper into the dry season staff would like this discussion to raise awareness of the monitoring program and shortage contingency plans in place, identify possible scenarios and/or alerts that may come up as creek flows diminish, and make technical and operational staff available to the Council and public for questions. If flow rates continue to diminish, the City will need to activate the Water Shortage Response Team (WSRT) and declare and implement various drought stages per the Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
Council questions included:
Tuttle: It would be great to have all water customers on a text messaging alert system. Could we pull water from Mill Creek during a water emergency. Adams explained that it would be easier to truck in water. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 7
Kenny: It would be a good use of our technical staff time to dig into the data behind each shortage alert stage. Does anyone know if our average annual rainfall meets or exceeds the definition of Stage 1 alert? Todd Kraemer – Hydrologist, Pacific Water Associates
Stage 2 will be triggered with three consecutive days of .86 or below average bypass flows. The meters take 3000 readings per day. The average is based on the average of these readings. The word “sustained” is open to suggestion, so we determined three consecutive days would equal sustained. Unsure about the annual average rainfall total question.
City Planner Trever Parker suggested this document be updated if it’s confusing. Trinidad is different from most system due to the lack of storage. The main purpose of conserving early in the season is to get people use to doing it.
Kenny: This time of year is a good time to get people thinking about conserving, but I think it’s possible that we’re at stage zero. I don’t think we should scare people for no reason. We may have jumped the gun declaring Stage 1. The other question I have related to your telemetry system. Do we have to make any adjustment factor in prior year comparisons? I would think that people graph historical data to ascertain trends. Seems like a common scientific practice. I have an inquisitive mind.
Kraemer responded, stating the new system monitors continually, 24-hour days. We also do direct measurements to develop the hydrograph and combined give us a lot of faith in the daily averages we’re delivering to the City. We typically don’t do too much historical comparisons. We’re trying to give real-time data. We have reviewed Don Allan’s rainfall data, and Oregon State University’s PRISM data and see annual, downward rainfall trends. The data we see this year is similar to 2021. After Labor Day the trees shut off and draft less water.
Kelly: A quick Ai review of rainfall data shows average of 56% of that period rainfall, so we should be in Stage 1.
Presentation item only. No decision was made. Staff will continue this discussion through the low-flow season and update the Council with new information in October.
4. Discussion/Update on Wet-Weather Season/Super El-Nino Forecast Preparations.
Interim City Manager Adams explained that on August 06, Councilmember Jack Tuttle attended a video webinar hosted by Senator Mike McGuire that brought climatologists and meteorologists together from all parts of California to discuss the forecasting models for this year’s wet-weather season. https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/video/town-hall-us-senator-adam-schiff-and-california-senator-mike-mcguire Several models and climate experts are seeing signs that indicate a “super el nino” is setting up to bring increased precipitation and to the west coast this winter. Although the models vary as to which part of the north coast could see the highest impact of these systems, messaging from state and local level emergency preparedness agencies are consistent – to be prepared for higher-than-average rainfall and for extreme weather events that have a serious potential to impact coastal communities vulnerable to erosion.
Tuttle shared the following objective to base the discussion on:
Prevent what we can. Monitor what we cannot prevent. Prepare before an emergency occurs. Reduce avoidable bluff saturation and erosion, protect critical public infrastructure and coastal access, and ensure Trinidad can respond quickly and intelligently when major winter storms and king tides arrive.
Several proposed items Tuttle suggested the City Manager develop into a 2026-2027 El Nino Coastal Preparedness Program and return to the Council with include:
1. Identifying Trinidad’s highest-risk coastal locations.
2. Conduct a pre-winter drainage and bluff inspection and implement maintenance needs identified. 09-08-2026 City Council Meeting Minutes Page 8
3. Early coordination with emergency service and permitting agencies.
4. Re-visit the purpose and recommendations identified in the Coastal Resiliency Plan, funded by the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and potential implementation grant funding opportunities Council comments included:
Tuttle: Organizing a resilience fair in October that showcase emergency system preparedness (water, heat, power) and share information for what we can do to be prepared.
Kenny: Appreciate you bringing this item forward. I’ve read several articles on this topic, including the kelvin wave moving through the ocean to raise sea level temporarily 6 inches, expected to arrive in October.
Combining this with king tides in Thanksgiving and Christmas could be devastating to our most exposed, cultural resources in the Tsurai Study Area. The Coastal Commission is pushing for managed retreat. Armoring the shoreline takes years. I’m hoping that the three Tribes that have interest in this property will come forward and move any known human remains that could be harmed by shoreline erosion from the potential el nino devastation.
Kelly: Resilience plan for Luffenholtz Creek, and landslides that cause water line breaks. We need to keep our culverts clear through town, and also on the Parker Creek Trail. Make sure your generators are working, and you have auxiliary power if needed.
Public comments included:
Jacque Hostler-Carmesin – Trinidad Rancheria ED
We’re asking our households to prepare for 4 weeks of survival. The Rancheria monitors Scenic Drive and the Harbor regularly. The prediction is to prepare for severe winter storms. Regarding cultural resources, that would be very important to discuss in G2G meetings, and/or possibly hold a Management Team meeting.
Presentation item only. No decision was made.
5. November 2026 City Council Election Calendar Update.
City Clerk Adams announced that Trinidad will have a full ballot this November, with three incumbents (Tuttle, Breckenridge, and Waskiewicz) and one new candidate (Gretchen Riddle). Outreach will begin in October to announce three vacancies on the Planning Commission as well.
Presentation item only.
6. Staff Activity Report – July & August 2026.
Highlighted various accomplishments listed in the report, included in the meeting packet. Presentation item only.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
- Honoring Mary Klein and Dorothy Cox for their service to the community pickup up litter. - Comparative Analysis/TA application status.
ADJOURNMENT: 9:00pm.
Submitted by: Approved by:
_____________________________ _____________________________ Gabriel Adams Cheryl Kelly
Trinidad City Clerk Mayor