CITY OF 111 E. COMMERCIAL STREET
8 WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490
(707) 459-4601 TEL
WILLITS (707) 459-1562 FAX
WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2023
Mayor Kanne called a regular meeting of the City Council to order at 6:30 p.m., in Council Chambers. The meeting was preceded by the pledge to the flag.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Madge Strong, Gerardo Gonzalez, Larry Stranske, and Mayor Greta Kanne were present.
Also present were staff members: Brian Bender, City Manager; Cathy Moorhead, Assistant City Manager; Jim Lance, City Attorney; Manuel Orozco, Finance Director; Scott Herman, Public Works Director; Karen Stevenson, Human Resources Analysist; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director, Leiloni Shine, Contract Planner; Andrea Trincado, Project Manager; Fabian Lizarraga, Police Chief; and Delores Pedersen, City Clerk.
2. Public Communications
None presented
3. Public Matters
a. Little Lake Fire District Department Update.
Little Lake Fire District Chief Carter was unable to attend, the Department Report is available in the agenda packet.
b. Proclamation - Women's History Month.
Mayor Kanne read the Proclamation Recognizing March as Women's History Month.
Enactment of Ordinances
None presented.
Consent Calendar
The following items) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows:
a. City Council Minutes:
i. February 8, 2023.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Stranske/Seconded by Strong and carried (4/0 with Rodriguez absent) to approve Consent Calendar items) (a).
6. Monthly Activity Reports
Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of public interest. a. Building Department Summary Report January 2023
7. Commissions, Agencies and Authorities
None presented
8. City Manager Reports and Recommendations
a. Adopt a Resolution Approving an Agreement with Mike Smith for a Ground Lease Agreement at Ells Field/Willits Municipal Airport.
Presenting Staff Member - Brian Bender, City Manager
Public Comment: Mike Smith expressed his thanks to the City Council for the approval of the Ground Lease Agreement.
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Stranske and carried (4/0 with Rodriguez absent) to adopt Resolution No. 2023-08 approving a Ground Lease Agreement with Mike Smith at Willits Municipal Airport-Ells Field.
b. Adopt a Resolution to Implement an Athletic Field Use Policy.
Presenting staff member: Brian Bender, City Manager
Public Comment: lan Fitzpatrick, Administrative Director/Coach of Mendocino County Soccer Academy and Andrew Hosford, President of Willits Redwood Little League, spoke in support of a Field Use Policy but would like to be part of the conversation and provide input.
By direction of the City Council, it was decided that a meeting would be scheduled, and the different organizations would be invited, to get clarification on what expectations are for the coming season.
No Action taken.
c. Informational update on the community's unhoused.
City Manager Bender reported that he has reached out to the County and the other City Managers of Mendocino County regarding what programs and resources are available to the homeless community. Any program or initiative the City would like to take on, would be new to the City and we would have to rely on the County for their staffing, resources, and program support, which are mostly based in Ukiah. The first approach for the city would be to facilitate a discussion with the stake holders of the different organizations in the community that are interested in helping with this issue.
Finance Director Orozco added that the County receives financial resources from the state for homeless programs.
Public Comment: Jane McCabe and Richard Winkle spoke in support of some type of basic services for the homeless.
d. Verbal Reports
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is using the Community Center as a Disaster Resource Center (DRC). Any Mendocino County resident that experienced damage from the storms can come to the DRC and apply for help.
FEMA will be at the Community Center until March 5th.
Reported on the County Tax Sharing agreement that the four municipalities (Willits, Ukiah, Fort Bragg, and Point Arena) have with the County of Mendocino.
City Manager Bender Attended the Cal League City Manager Conference and reports that there is not enough representation of the city managers in the northern California sector.
Willits City Council Minutes of February 22, 2023 Page 2 of 6 Public Comment: None presented.
9. Department Recommendations (Action Items)
a. Adopt a Resolution to Approve the Agreement with Springbrook Software to Acquire their Springbrook System to Support the City's Information Management Needs in Finance, Human Resources and Utility Billing.
Presenting Staff Member: Manuel Orozco, Finance Director.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Strong and carried (4/0 with Rodriguez absent) to b. Adopt a Resolution to Approve the Mid-Year Budget Adjustment for the Fiscal Year 2022-23 as Provided in Exhibits A and B.
Presenting Staff Member: Manuel Orozco, Finance Director.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Strong and carried (4/0 with Rodriguez absent) to adopt Resolution No. 2023-10 authorizing and approving the Director of Finance to Adjust the Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022-23 within Various Accounts as Incorporated in Exhibits A and B.
c. Adopt a Resolution Awarding a Contract to BAS Roofing, Inc., for the Replacement of the Roof at City Hall and the Art Center, for a Total not to Exceed Amount of $109,550 and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Contract Documents and Change Orders up to 15-Percent of the Total Amount of Construction.
Presenting Staff Member: Andrea Trincado.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Strong/Seconded by Stranske and carried (4/3 with Rodriguez absent) to adopt Resolution (No. 2023-11) of the City Council of the City of Willits Awarding a ontract to BAS Roofing, Inc. for Roof Replacements at City Hall and the Art Center for a total not to exceed amount of $109,550 and authorize the City Manager to Execute Contract Documents and Change Orders up to 15-Percent of the Total Cumulative Amount of Construction
This Item was moved and presented earlier in the meeting after Public Matters. d. Informational Discussion on General Plan Amendment No. Gpa-22-01, Zoning Amendment No. Zc-22-01, and Boundary Line Adjustment No. Bla-22-04.
Presenting Staff Member: Dusty Duley, Community Development Director and Leiloni Shine, Contract Planner.
Dusty Duley, Community Development Director gave a brief description of the project, history of the property and provided an additional General Plan Map Amendment of the project.
Leiloni Shine, Contract Planner presented a PowerPoint Presentation of the project.
Willits City Council Minutes of February 22, 2023 Page 3 of 6 D. Sanders, Vice President of Schmidbauer Lumber Mills, shared some background of the company. Kevin Doble from SHN spoke on behalf of Schmidbauer Lumber Mills and provided an additional map titled State Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zones.
Public Comment: Several members of the public and business owners spoke in favor of the project.
Councilmembers Stranske, Gonzalez and Mayor Kanne all expressed concern of water availability and infrastructure to support fire suppression requirements.
No Action Taken
10. Department Monthly Reports
a. Airport
• The fourth bullet point on Monthly Achievements and Activities should be: Graded the Parking lot with holes filled, replaced parking blocks, and hung a new Flag that is now illuminated by a fixed solar light.
b. Community Development Department
• Community Development Director Duley added that there will be a joint Willits Rail Trail and Great Redwood Trail in-person community workshop open house held on March 23, 2023, in the Community Center starting at 6:00 pm.
Recognized that working with Caltrans to establish some Downtown Willits guidance signs is more important than ever, they had a meeting with Caltrans and received some commitments through them to start the process of getting updated estimates on the costs of the signage as well as an update on when Caltrans crew could install the signage.
• The City was awarded $371,856 from the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Grant to supporting the Housing rehab program.
• Councilmember Strong asked if the focus for next month of the Vacant Building Registration Program was on schedule? Community Development Director Duley responded that it is and that the department has actually completed some additional inspections of vacant buildings since this months report was completed, not everyone is responding to the notices that are being sent out, and those that have responded are not complete in their response. What is left to do is to further remind those that received letters of the importance of participating in the program. • Councilmember Strong asked if the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging station report would be brought to council next month? Mr. Duley stated that the City Planner, Taylor Perry, is working on an informational report to share with the council. c. Engineering
• Project Manager Trincado added that she is working with consultants to develop projects for the coming year.
d. Finance
• Finance Director Orozco reported that the current focus is to complete audits, have been running into issues with the 690 funds (payroll liability account) and bank reconciliation. Significant progress has been made on the payroll issues. e. Police Department
• Police Chief Lizarraga reported that one of the two recruits that was at the Police Academy voluntarily withdrew. The Recruit Training Officer at the Academy has referred an unsponsored recruit to us, and this recruit will be coming to meeting with Chief Lizarraga on February 23rd
Willits City Council Minutes of February 22, 2023 Page 4 of 6 • Former Sergeant Raymond Brady will be coming back to the Willits Police as a Reserve Officer.
f. Public Works
• Mayor Kanne asked if Public Works has considered the installation of dog waste stations on some of the more frequented blocks of Main Street, the Willits Dog Park Group has funds they would be willing to put into the effort. The location needing the waste station would span from North Valley Bank to Commercial Street on both sides of the street, as well as sections of Commercial Street. g. Utilities
• Public Works Director Herman reported that Drew Gillespey passed the Grade III water treatment exam and Chris Viall passed the Grade II water distribution exam and the Grade Ill water treatment exam.
• The water flushing update: East Hill through Haehl Creek Subdivision is complete, the plan is to now complete Baechtel Road, Shell Lane and Harrah's Manor after this week and then move on to the Main Street portion.
Mayor Kanne asked Public Works Director Herman why there was an increase of truck fill station sales in January? Mr. Herman responded that it was due to the dust control of the demolition of the old hospital.
No action taken.
11. City Council Announcements, Communications and Reports Councilmember Strong
• Economic Development & Financing Corporation (EDFC) will be meeting next week.
Vice Mayor Gonzalez
The Redwood Chapter of League of California Cities is meeting is on March 24th.
Mayor Kane
• Attended the Mayors meeting to appoint Jim Koogle as the alternate for Sonoma Clean Power.
• Mayor Kanne corrected her statement of the last meeting of Supervisor Gjerde being the Chair for Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) which was incorrect.
Supervisor Haschak is the Vice Chair.
Public Comment: None presented.
No action taken.
12. Good & Welfare
Councilmember Strong reported that the Building Community Initiative will have a gathering on March 19th at 4:00 pm at the Willits Senior Center. There will be focus groups on housing, health, local food, and agriculture, supporting the business community and youth/senior support services.
13. Closed Session Notice
None presented
14. Adjournment
Mayor Kanne declared the meeting adjourned at 9:09 p.m.
Willits City Council Minutes of February 22, 2023 Page 5 of 6 ep a
Gerardo Gonzalez, Vice Mayor
City Council for the City of Willits
ATTEST:
Delores Peelerse
Delores Pedersen
City Clerk
Willits City Council Minutes of February 22, 2023 Page 6 of 6