MINUTES
Special Meeting
TULELAKE CITY COUNCIL
June 28, 2022
5:30 PM
Mayor Ebinger called the meeting to order at 5:31 pm. Mayor Pro Tem Penny Velador and Council Members Julia Pena, Bryan Hendricks and Teresa Williams were all present. Also present were Chief of Police, Tony Ross; Director of Public Works, Jose Perez; City Hall Administrator, Jenny Coelho; Finance Director, Will Sargent; City Administrative Clerk, Heidi Cureton and City Clerk, Raul Figueroa Tamayo.
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
No comments were made from the Public.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND/OR TULELAKE BASIN JOINT UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT UPDATE No representatives were present to give an update.
CLOSED SESSION: SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 54956.9(B):
NUMBER OF POTENTIAL CASES: 1 (POLICE DEPARTMENT)
Mayor Ebinger announced that the Council would go into closed session at 5:32PM.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION
Council came back into open session at 5:52PM with no action to be taken.
CLOSED SESSION: INITIATION OF LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION § 54956.9(C):
NUMBER OF CASES: 1
Mayor Ebinger announced that the Council would go into closed session at 5:52PM.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION
Council came back into open session at 6:21PM with a motion having been made that Council would have the City Attorney obtain inspection warrants for the property located at 347 and 349 Modoc Avenue. All votes were Ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-114)
APPROVAL OF THE CITY OF TULELAKE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 SALARY SCHEDULE City Hall Administrator, Jenny Coelho, informed the Council regarding the need for the approval of the fiscal year 2022-2023 salary schedule. Chief of Police did comment on the hourly rate of the Police Department Head's base salary not being equal to the other Department Heads. He also mentioned this was a very prominent point of contention with his recruitment for Police Chief among the candidates. Mayor Ebinger, seeing the disparity, made a motion to approve the salary schedule for the fiscal year 2022-2023 with the amended changes for the Police Chief base rate of pay to be increased to $28 per hour. Council Member Williams seconded the motion. All votes were Ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-115) APPROVAL OF RAISE FOR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE, ARTURO RAMIREZ TO INCREASE FROM $16.00 PER HOUR TO $16.97 PER HOUR, EFFECTIVE FOR THE JULY 22, 2022, PAYROLL Director of Public Works, Jose Perez, informed Council regarding the raise for city employee, Arturo Ramirez, and that he wants to increase his hourly rate to $16.97 since Arturo has obtained his CDL license. Mayor Ebinger made a motion to approve the raise for Public Works employee, Arturo Ramirez, to increase from $16.00 per hour to $16.97 per hour, effective for the July 22, 2022, payroll. Mayor Pro Tem Velador seconded the motion. All votes were Ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-116) REVIEW AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 PROPOSED BUDGET Finance Director, Will Sargent, updated the Council with the 2022-2023 proposed budget that summarized the increases in expenses across department budgets, due to the increase in minimum wage from the California legislature and the ever-increasing operating costs. He did mention that this would constrain many departments to the break-even point and the City may have to put a halt on any projects or renovations for this fiscal year. Mayor Ebinger made a motion to approve the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 proposed budget.
Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were Ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-117) Minutes of June 28, 2022 - Special Meeting
DEPARTMENT HEAD UPDATES:
Chief of Police, Tony Ross: Informed the Council regarding the finding of a potential recruit for the position for another police officer, Avery Fensler, that would be able to attend the academy that starts on July 5, 2022.
Lastly, he informed the Council that the Police Department would be busy with following up on weed abatements during this summer season.
City Hall Administrator, Jenny Coelho: Informed the Council regarding the EPA meeting with the Siskiyou County Economic Development and the State Economic Departments, who have brought to her attention a grant that could go into further funding for the Visitor's Center. She also said that she learned at the SCORE meeting that the property insurance rates would increase by 32% this year, bringing the total cost to $140,000 for property, liability, workman's compensation, and a few other miscellaneous items.
Director of Public Works, Jose Perez: Informed the Council regarding the contract for the Veteran's wall project to be done by tomorrow.
Finance Director, Will Sargent: He updated the Council on the end of the year audit coming around and will be starting the paperwork to have everything ready for the Auditor.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ebinger made a motion to adjourn the June 28, 2022, special meeting at 7:37PM. The motion was seconded by Council Member Williams. All votes were ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-118) Henry A Ebinger, Mayor
Minutes of June 28, 2022 - Special Meeting