MINUTES
Regular Meeting
TULELAKE CITY COUNCIL
December 20, 2022 - 5:30 PM
Mayor Penny Velador called the meeting to order at 5:31PM. Council Members, Teresa Williams and Bryan Hendricks were present. Mayor Pro Tem, Tom Cordonier was present via conference call. Council Member Julia Pena Larsen arrived at 5:49PM. Also present were City Treasurer, Sara Luscombe; City Clerk, Aissa Martinez; Chief of Police, Tony Ross; Assistant Chief of Police, Tom Hoy; Finance Director, Will Sargent; City Hall Administrator, Jenny Coelho; City Administrative Clerk, Heidi Cureton and Director of Public Works, Jose Perez.
APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER 06, 2022, REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Council Member Hendricks made a motion to approve the minutes of December 06, 2022. Council Member Williams seconded. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-236)
APPROVAL OF THE PAYMENT OF BILLS
Council Member Hendricks made a motion to approve paying the bills presented. Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-237)
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
No comments were made.
OATH OF OFFICE FOR CITY TREASURER, SARA LUSCOMBE
City Clerk, Aissa Martinez swore in Sara Luscombe as City Treasurer with term ending November 2026.
DETERMINATION OF COMMISSIONERS TO THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier made a motion for the approval of determination of Commissioners to the various City Departments as follows:
City Hall Commissioner - Mayor Velador
Parks & Streets Commissioner - Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier
Garbage & Library Commissioner - Council Member Williams Police Commissioner - Council Member Pena Larsen with Council Member Williams as an alternate Water & Wastewater Commissioner - Council Member Hendricks Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-238) DETERMINATION OF CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, IE:
SCORE, LOLA, ETC.
Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier made a motion for the approval of determination of City Council appointed representatives to the following various organizations:
Small Cities Organized Risk Effort (SCORE) - City Hall Administrator, Jenny Coelho with City Administrative Clerk, Heidi Cureton as an alternate
League of Local Agencies (LOLA) - Mayor Velador & Council Member Hendricks Collier Interpretive & Information Center (CIIC) - Mayor Velador & Council Member Williams Rural Klamath Connects (RKC) - Council Member Pena Larsen along with former Mayor Hank Ebinger still going to represent Tulelake
Siskiyou County Revitalization Network - Mayor Velador & Council Member Williams Siskiyou County Integrated Waste Management Committee - Director of Public Works, Jose Perez, and Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier
Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) or Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSA) - Director of Public Works, Jose Perez, and Mayor Pro Tem Cordonier with former Mayor Hank Ebinger still attending.
Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-239) Minutes of December 20, 2022 - Regular 1
INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE 22-103 ADDING CHAPTER 15.10, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, AND CHAPTER 15.12, HEARING AND APPEALS, TO TITLE 15, BUILDINGS AND
CONSTRUCTION, OF THE TULELAKE MUNICIPAL CODE
Mayor Velador moved to make the finding that it can be seen with certainty the project will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment and is CEQA exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). Council Member Williams seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-240)
Mayor Velador made a motion to introduce and read Ordinance 22-103 by title only and directed staff to bring Ordinance 22-103 back for adoption at the next regular City Council meeting. Council Member Williams seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-241)
APPROVAL OF REMOVING HENRY EBINGER AS A CHECK SIGNER ON ALL UMPQUA BANK ACCOUNTS Mayor Velador made a motion to remove Henry Ebinger as a check signer on all Umpqua Bank accounts.
Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-242)
UPDATE AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF BIDS ON THE THEATER WALL Mayor Velador made a motion to table the possible approval of bids on the theater wall because they are still waiting for one additional bid. Council Member Pena Larsen seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-243)
APPROVAL TO REGISTER COUNCIL FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ACADEMY FOR JANUARY 18-20, 2023, FOR ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FOLLOW RESOLUTION 22-11, WHICH WAS PASSED ON JUNE 07, 2022, ENCOURAGING TRAINING FOR ALL NEWLY ELECTED AND VETERAN COUNCIL MEMBERS Mayor Velador made a motion to register all interested Council Members for the training academy.
Since some are unable to attend this year, it was suggested that Council Members alternate each year, so everyone has an opportunity to attend. Council Member Pena Larsen seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-244)
APPROVAL OF THE FY22/23 SALARY SCHEDULE FOR THE CITY OF TULELAKE City Finance Director, Will Sargent, explained that the California minimum wage was increasing to $15.50 beginning January 01, 2023, and has been increasing by $1 per hour for the past five years but the middle tier base wages were never bumped up. The minimum wage would now be more than the middle tier base wage, so in fairness, it needed to be addressed. Council Member Williams expressed a desire to look more carefully at the salary schedule and believes that the Police Department and Public Works employee wages need to be higher. Will suggested they have the workshop sometime in January before tax season begins, so he could attend. Mayor Velador made a motion to approve the FY22/23 salary schedule for the City of Tulelake. Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-245)
APPROVAL OF $3.00 PER HOUR RAISE TO EXEMPT EMPLOYEES, JOSE PEREZ AND JENNY COELHO, FROM $28.00 PER HOUR TO $31.00 PER HOUR TO FOLLOW CALIFORNIA RULES OF PAYING A SALARY THAT IS AT LEAST TWICE THE STATE'S CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE OF $15.50 PER HOUR, EFFECTIVE FOR THE JANUARY 06, 2023, PAYROLL
Mayor Velador made a motion to approve the $3.00 per hour raise to exempt employees, Jose Perez and Jenny Coelho, effective for pay period ending December 31, 2022. Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-246)
APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDED PERFORMANCE RAISES FOR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES, SAM FLORES GOING FROM $15.08 PER HOUR TO $16.69 PER HOUR; SCOTT CARROLL GOING FROM $14.35 PER HOUR TO $15.89 PER HOUR; ARTURO RAMIREZ GOING FROM $16.97 PER HOUR TO $17.98 PER HOUR; AND RAY CORONADO GOING FROM $14.00 PER HOUR TO $15.50 PER HOUR, EFFECTIVE FOR PAY PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022
Department Head, Jose Perez made the above recommendations for raises for the Public Works Crew.
Mayor Velador made a motion to approve the recommended performance raises for Public Works Employees as listed above, effective for pay period ending December 31, 2022. Council Member Pena Larsen seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-247) Minutes of December 20, 2022 - Regular 2
APPROVAL OF RECOMMENDED PERFORMANCE RAISES FOR CITY HALL STAFF EMPLOYEES AISSA MARTINEZ GOING FROM $14.00 TO $15.89 PER HOUR AND HEIDI CURETON GOING FROM $19.20 PER HOUR TO $22.08 PER HOUR. LIBRARY BRANCH MANAGER, TRICIA PLASS GOING FROM $17.83 PER HOUR TO $19.61 PER HOUR; AND CUSTODIAN, TEENA SALAZAR GOING FROM $14.00 PER HOUR TO $15.50 PER HOUR, EFFECTIVE FOR PAY PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022 Department Head, Jenny Coelho made the recommendations for raises as listed above. Mayor Velador made a motion to approve the recommended performance raises for City Hall Staff, Library Branch Manager and City Custodian. Council Member Hendricks seconded the motion. All votes were aye.
Motion carried. (Motion 22-248)
REQUEST TO GET A SEPARATE CREDIT CARD FOR THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT USING THE CITY
HALL CAPITAL ONE SPARK BUSINESS MASTER CARD ACCOUNT
Finance Director, Will Sargent, stated that it made sense for the Director of Public works to have a credit card to use for emergency purchases. The City would not be opening another account, just getting a card on the City Hall account with the name of the Public Works Director one a card for his use. Mayor Velador made a motion to approve getting a credit card for the Public Works Department. Council Member Williams seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-249) CLOSED SESSION: CONFERENCE WITH CITY REAL ESTATE NEGOTIATERS. GOVERNMENT CODE $54956.8 PROPERTY: 463A MAIN STREET, AP #050-071-120-000 AND 463 MAIN STREET, TUELAKE AP #050-071- 040-000 CITY NEGOTIATORS: FINANCE DIRECTOR, WILL SARGENT; COUNCIL MEMBER, TERESA WILLIAMS; POLICE CHIEF, TONY ROSS AND ALTERNATE, MAYOR PENNY VELADOR UNDER NEGOTIATION: TERMS AND PRICE OF POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF ONE OR BOTH PARCELS Council went into closed session at 6:24PM
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION
The Council returned to open session at 6:44PM. Mayor Velador announced that a motion was made and seconded in closed session to draw up a new contract and resubmit to Ray Duryee. A roll call vote was called. All votes were ayes. Motion carried. (Motion 22-250) CLOSED SESSION: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS, CHIEF OF POLICE GOVERNMENT CODE §54957.6
Council went back into closed session at 6:46PM
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CLOSED SESSION
The Council returned from closed session at 7:16PM. Mayor Velador announced that no action was taken in closed session.
DEPARTMENT HEAD UPDATES:
Assistant Chief of Police: Tom Hoy stated that K-9 training was going very well. Also, he did not get the K-9 vehicle from Malin, Oregon he was hoping for, so he has been busy getting all the K-9 equipment taken out of the Malin vehicle and putting it in the Tulelake Tahoe. He is, however, getting a free Charger from Malin which, he is excited about. He would rather save his budget and not have to buy a new car.
City Hall Administrator: Jenny Coelho announced that the next meeting for SCORE is January 27, 2023, in Anderson, CA. She also thanked everyone for coming to the Christmas party. She is hoping to know more on the Jumpstart grant by January or February. They should be finished up on the Clyde grant by March 2023. She mentioned she had feelers out on Cultural Center funding and W2's and 1099's will be out by January 31, 2023.
Director of Public Works: Jose Perez wanted to thank Council Member Hendricks for letting him borrow his trailer to pick up the dumpsters that were bought for the City in Galt, CA. He announced that the ten samples he sent in for water testing came back good with the conclusion that there is no problem with the City water. Any customers having issues may need to check their own plumbing lines.
Finance Director: Will Sargent announced that Charlie is getting ready to wrap up the audit. He is hoping to get results back in January, if not, February.
Minutes of December 20, 2022 - Regular
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Velador made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:31PM. Council Member Pena Larsen seconded the motion. All votes were aye. Motion carried. (Motion 22-251) Faulte Velada
Paulette Velador, Mayor
Attest:
UussaW artines
ssa Martinez, City Clerk
Minutes of December 20, 2022 - Regular