111 E. COMMERCIAL STREET
WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490
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WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2024
Mayor Rodriguez called a regular meeting of the City Council to order at 6:41 p.m., in Council Chambers. The meeting was preceded by the pledge to the flag.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Madge Strong, Larry Stranske, Greta Kanne, Vice Mayor Gerardo Gonzalez, and Mayor Saprina Rodriguez were present.
Also present were staff members: Brian Bender, City Manager; Cathy Moorhead, Assistant City Manager; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director; Manuel Orozco, Finance Director; Chris Dewey, Interim Police Chief; and Delores Pedersen, City Clerk.
2. Public Communications
• Citizens of the community spoke as advocates for Councilmembers to pass a resolution to push for a cease fire in Palestine.
Councilmember Strong asked if another Councilmember would agree to have this item on the next agenda. Mayor Rodriguez did not recommend that this item be put on the next agenda, she asked for time to do research, Vice Mayor Gonzalez agreed with Mayor Rodriguez.
3. Public Matters
a. None presented.
Enactment of Ordinances
None presented.
5. Consent Calendar
The following items) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows:
a. City Council Minutes:
February 28, 2024.
Public Comment: None presented.
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Kanne and carried unanimously 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. None presented.
7. Commissions, Agencies and Authorities
None presented.
8. City Manager Reports and Recommendations
a. Introduction of Chris Dewey as Interim Chief of Police.
City Manager Bender introduced Interim Police Chief Chris Dewey. Chief Dewey spent his 28-year career in Ukiah as Police Chief before moving to Missouri. Chief Dewey recently moved back to Mendocino County. The focus is for Chief Dewey to address staffing assignments and improvements and ensure that the Police Department is delivering law enforcement and public safety to the Wilits community.
Mayor Rodrigues asked what the timeline was to hire a new Police Chief.
City Manager Bender responded that the City is in the middle stages of the recruitment effort. Currently there are approximately five to six candidates. There is interest from both inside and outside the region. The time frame is to review and create a candidate pool by the first week of April and to follow with the interview process in the middle of April. The expectation is to come to terms with the best candidate by the end of April with a start date no later than June.
b. Verbal Reports - No Action.
Mr. Bender wanted to report that he has received multiple reports of success of last week's League of Cities District meeting.
Public Comment: None presented.
9. Department Recommendations (Action Items)
a. Adopt a Resolution approving an Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Planwest Partners, Inc. to update the General Plan Land Use Element and Implementation of Corresponding Zoning Code Revisions for An Additional $75,000 using funds available from the General Plan Maintenance Fund.
Presenting staff member: Dusty Duley, Community Development Director. • Councilmember Strong asked if the additional $75,000 included the re-zonings that are a result of the land use designation that come out of General Plan Land Use Element.
Mr. Duley responded that yes it would implement the corresponding zoning changes to go along with the comprehensive updates to the General Plan Land Use Diagram. • Councilmember Stranske asked if the $332,790 was all grant funds or would some of the funds be provided by City Funds?
Mr. Duley responded that $257,000 includes the three grants that the City received to support the project, the additional $75,000 being requested would come out of the General Plan Maintenance Fee, this fee is set aside to specifically support projects such as this. This fee is separate from the General Fund
• Councilmember Kanne requested that a presentation be given at a future City Council meeting showing what it looks like to complete an update of the City General Plan, a roadmap of how we will get there and a timeline for success as well as a breakdown of what we have accomplished to date. Councilmember Kanne would also like to know what it has cost the City to date and what it is going to cost the City to complete.
Public Comment: None presented
Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Stranske and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2024-12 approving an Amendment in the amount $75,000 to the Willits City Council Minutes of March 13, 2024 Page 2 of 4 Professional Services Agreement with Planwest Partners, Inc. For Professional Planning Services and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
10. Department Monthly Reports - (presented at the second meeting of each month).
None presented.
No action taken.
11. City Council Announcements, Communications and Reports Councilmember Kanne
Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) - Discussions centered around the Ukiah Transit Center and motions that are being taken to narrow down the location.
Councilmember Strong
• Economic Development & Financing Corporation (EDFC) - Meets March 14'h.
Mendocino Solid Waste Management Authority (MSWMA) - Meets May 2nd. The Hazmobile will be at the Willits Transfer Station on April 4' and 5'h. • Councilmember Strong reported that she attended the Mike McCoy presentation at the Museum, Mr. McCoy was discussing the potential ways to fund the operation of the Museum as a non-profit.
Councilmember Gonzalez
League of California Cities/Redwood Empire Division - The Public Utility Commission (PUC) Granted PG&E a temporary increase but expect another increase in the future. The consensus of the League of California Cities is that if PG&E fails again, they would rather it be replaced with something like the Sonoma Clean Power model.
• Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) - Workshop with Mendocino Couty Waterworks District #2. The commission provided input on a draft Logo for LAFCo.
Mayor Rodriguez
League of California Cities - The District Meeting happens every quarter, the recent one hosted by Willits, most common discussions centered around parks and recreation. Mayor Rodriguez thanked the City and staff for hosting a great event.
Public Comment: None presented.
No action taken.
12. Good & Welfare
• Mayor Rodriguez wished everyone a Happy Saint Patrick's Day.
Recessed at 7:38 pm. and Reconvened to Closed Session at 7:50 p.m.
13. Closed Session Notice
a. Pursuant to Government Code §54957 - Public Employee (Annual) Performance Evaluation - City Manager
The City Council reconvened to open session at 9:18 p.m. with no action to report from Closed Session.
14. Adjournment
Councilmembers Kanne, Strong, Stranske and Vice Mayor Gonzalez left the meeting at 9:18 pm.
Mayor Rodriguez met with City Manager Bender then declared the meeting adjourned at 10:20 p.m.
Willits City Council Minutes of March 13, 2024 Page 3 of 4 Sa Rodr
SAPRINA RODRIGUEZ, Mayor
City Council for the City of Willits
ATTEST:
Delires Pocasn
DELORES PEDERSEN
City Clerk
Willits City Council Minutes of March 13, 2024 Page 4 of 4