111 E. COMMERCIAL STREET
WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490
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WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 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, Larry Stranske, Saprina Rodriguez, Vice Mayor Gerardo Gonzalez 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; Karen Stevenson, Human Resources Manager; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director; Taylor Perry, City Planner; James Conner, Interim Police Chief; and Delores Pedersen, City Clerk.
2. Public Communications
• Community members spoke in support of and against having mobile vendors on Main Street. It was requested that the council revisit the City Code related to mobile vendors. • Jerry Ward, CEO of Solid Waste of Willits (SWOW) reported that SWOW has been sold to Redwood Waste Solutions; and the SWOW will be picking up green waste bins every week during the month of November.
Mayor Kanne thanked Jerry Ward for his years of service to the Willits Community.
3. Public Matters
a. Little Lake Fire Protection District - Update is available in the agenda packet. b. Quarterly Update by the Willits Chamber of Commerce.
Susan Mahoney, Chamber Director, reported the following:
• The City of Ukiah is the State Designated California Welcome Center of Northern California. Ms. Mahoney believes this will be a great thing for tourism in Mendocino County. The Center is located right next to the Ukiah Chamber of Commerce, there will be staff available at all times to assist visitors and citizens. • Amtrak has changed their policy and will now be able to stop in each city along their route from Humboldt to Martinez every day to pick up passengers that have purchased tickets. Citizens will no longer be limited to MTA for transportation needs. Greyhound will still be available a few days a week.
• During the last quarter the Chamber has had ribbon cuttings at the openings of the Munchery Restaurant and the Mane House Hair Salon.
• There are mixers coming up on November 3rd at Flourish & Flow Mendo Fitness Studio, located at 1726 S Main Street, this will be a Ribbon Cutting. • The Willits Chamber of Commerce, Mendocino County Library and Mendocino County Museum will be hosting an event at the Little Lake Cemetery called "Stone Stories" on Sunday, November 5t at 3:00 p.m., space is limited so it is requested that you call the Chamber to reserve a spot.
• The Chamber participated in the first Willts Art Walk in July.
August was a ramp-up month for the for the Harvest Moon Celebration that took place in late September. The Chamber partnered with the City of Willits and the Little Lake Fire District and road closure details were handled by the City Planning Department.
The process for closing Main Street for events is now mostly in place to make it much easier for other groups to close Main Street for future events. • The Harvest Moon Celebration was a successful event and well attended. Ms. Mahoney thanked all involved in making it such a successful event. • The Chamber is in the process of putting together their calendar for the next year; currently planning their Shop Small Day to encourage shoppers to shop at Local Small Businesses, possibly looking to change it to Friday from Saturday. Mayor Kanne asked that they consider keeping it as a Saturday event.
• The Chamber is looking for ways to increase their membership. c. First Reading and Introduction of an Ordinance Adding Chapter 8.10 Mandatory Organic Waste Disposal Reduction, to Title 8 (Health and Safety) of the City of Willits Municipal Code to Comply with the Requirements of SB 1383.
Taylor Perry, City Planner, presented a PowerPoint Presentation as well as an addition to the Ordinance, Title 8.10.100 Self-Hauler Requirements.
Jerry Ward informed the Council that SWOW has been following the requirements of SB1383 since 2015. He suggested that the city adopt the same Franchise Agreement that the County has. Mr. Ward also informed the Council that the monitoring of the proper waste disposal falls on the waste disposal company that provides the service.
Mayor Kanne requested that SWOW go back to weekly green waste pick up.
Public Comment: Susan Mahoney asked what accommodations would be made for Brooktrails? Jerry Ward responded that there are no green waste requirements for Brooktrails at this time.
Moved by Strong/Seconded by Gonzalez and carried unanimously to conduct first reading, by title only, and introduce an Ordinance adding Chapter 8.10 of Title 8 (health and Safety), Mandatory Organic Waste Disposal Reduction to the Willits Municipal Code in order to comply with the requirements of Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383).
4. Enactment of Ordinances
None presented.
5. Consent Calendar
The following items) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows:
a. City Council Minutes:
i. October 11, 2023.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Stranske and carried unanimously to approve Consent Calendar item(s) (a).
Monthly Activity Reports
Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of public interest. a. Business License Activity Report - September 2023.
b. Building Permit Activity Report - September 2023.
Commissions, Agencies and Authorities
None presented.
Willits City Council Minutes of October 25, 2023 Page 2 of 5 City Manager Reports and Recommendations+
a. Verbal Reports - No Action.
i. E. Commercial Street Corridor Master Plan Open House.
City Manager Bender reported that the city received a good quality of feedback and suggestions at the E. Commercial Street Corridor Master Plan Open House. The City is looking into having a second public engagement session that would include youth and their parents in the community.
ii. W. Mendocino Avenue Project, Phase One Update.
City Manager Bender reported that the project has been moving along well with no major problems. Argonaut and Tall Tree have been great to work with. The project is projected to be complete 2 weeks ahead of schedule.
ili. Rodeo Grounds Concession Stand and Restrooms Restoration Project.
The DMR Builders are moving ahead with the project with hopes of getting it completed within the time frame, maybe a little earlier.
City Manager Bender thanked staff for installing the pinwheel at the Hwy 20 park. There are hopes to install more art projects in the future. Mayor Kanne thanked Jane Camp for making the donation of the pinwheel to the community.
Public Comment: None presented.
9. Department Recommendations (Action Items)
a. Personnel, Policies and Procedures Update.
Presenting staff member: Karen Stevenson, Human Resources Manager.
The update has been postponed, currently waiting for additional input from IBEW.
10. Department Monthly Reports
a. Airport - No further comments.
b. Community Development Department
Dusty Duley, Community Development Director, added an update on the Rail with I rail project. Staff have had a positive conversation with Fish and Wildlife and are moving forward with the permit application. There is a budget shortage. The city has completed a grant request and submitted it to the State Coastal Conservancy, we are expecting affirmation, of awarding the city $3.3 million dollars to support the trail, in November.
• General Plan land development and the Sphere of Influence Amendment draft may be available by mid-November.
• Have entered into a contract with BPR Consulting Group to provide additional capacity for building plan review services, to support special inspections and high level of building permits.
The City is looking to recruit an additional City Planner.
Councilmember Rodriguez asked if there are any vacant building updates.
Community Development Director Duley responded that Vacant Building Ordinance appears to be getting some building owners to put additional time and energy into making use of their spaces. The city does continue to have some longstanding chronic vacancies. One property owner continues to be difficult to work with, staff are taking the necessary time to remediate the situation. There are some building owners that are beginning to face significant fines. c. Finance
Willits City Council Minutes of October 25, 2023 Page 3 of 5 • The Fiscal Year 20/21 Audit is complete. Finance Director Orozco will present an update at the November 8*h meeting.
d. Police Department - No Further comments.
e. Services and Facilities
• The crew is busy clearing trees and leaves and preparing for winter. • The tree in front of Kelly's Diner may need to come down. If the tree is removed it will be replaced by another tree.
• Winterizing the Landfill on Canyon Road, getting repairs done. • Walter Kolon, Services and Facilities Director will look into replacing the tree in the Wood Street Parking Lot.
• Just ordered 5,000 more sandbags for the sandbag station. f. Utilities
• A section of the water line had to be replaced on W. Mendocino due to ground shifts.
Waterline repair by Auto Mart had to be delayed because the pipe is larger than was originally expected.
• A treatment pump went down at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Friday, October 20th. A replacement pump has been order will arrive in seven to nine weeks from Sweden.
No action taken.
11. City Council Announcements, Communications and Reports Councilmember Strong
• Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority (MSWMA) - HazMobile is scheduled to be in Willits on November 4th
Councilmember Rodriguez
• Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) - Council Member Rodriguez reported that MTA Board has agreed to use the funds, received by Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) through SB 125 to accomplish three goals, purchase 2 parcels of property on the north side of Kohls for the potential Mobility Center, providing a Pilot Program for Laytonville and Covelo with a zero emissions vehicle that would travel once a week as a dial-a-ride type service and purchase zero emission vehicles by the deadline that the state has set. The MTA Board received the Ukiah Transit Center feasibility study presentation and viewed renderings of what the Mobility Center could look like.
Finance Committee - Received a report from Finance Director Orozco on the Audit. • Requests that the Council revisit the Food Vending Ordinance as an Ad Hoc Committee.
Councilmember Stranske
• The Willits Frontier Days Ad Hoc Advisory Committee meeting worked out very well.
There is no cost to the Frontier Days Organization. The City is seeking Insurance and FEMA funds for the repairs.
Councilmember Gonzalez
• Water/Wastewater Committee - Received updates on the MOU's with Pine Mountain and Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians. The equipment building at the Wastewater Plant will be going out to bid soon.
• Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) - Attended the LAFCo Conference in Monterey the week of October 16th.
Mayor Kanne
Willits City Council Minutes of October 25, 2023 Page 4 of 5 • Finance Committee - Fiscal Year 20/21 Audit complete with a small surplus. Mayor Kanne and Council Member Rodriguez both expressed a strong desire that the remaining Audits be completed as soon as possible. The hope is to have the audits done before budgeting season starts.
Public Comment: None presented.
No action taken.
12. Good & Welfare
Mayor Kanne reminds residents that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Howard Hospital offers Mammograms.
• Councilmember Strong reported that the Harvest Dinner that was at the Little Lake of money was raised for the School of Adaptive Agriculture. in hated One cal an omar any or coming to Imagination Station and reading books to the kids and answered questions.
13. Closed Session Notice
a. None presented.
14. Adjournment
Mayor Kanne declared the meeting adjourned at 8:33 p.m.
Gula Kanne
GRETA KANNE, Mayor
City Council for the City of Willits
ATTEST:
Delores Pedersen
DELORES PEDERSEN
City Clerk
Willits City Council Minutes of October 25, 2023 Page 5 of 5