Agenda — Willits City Council, April 22, 2026

111 E. Commercial Street
Willits, California 95490
Tel | 707.459.4601
Fax | 707.459.1562
www.cityofwillits.org

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WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA
APRIL 22, 2026 | 6:30 PM | CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

1. OPENING MATTERS
a. Call to Order. | b. Pledge to Flag. | c. Roll Call.

2. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
The City Council welcomes input from the audience. If there is a matter of business on the agenda that you are interested in, you may address the Council when this matter is considered. If you wish to speak on a matter that is not on the agenda, you may do so at this time. In order for everyone to be heard, please limit your comments to three (3) minutes per person. The Brown Act regulations do not allow action to be taken on audience comments in which the subject is not listed on the agenda.

3. PUBLIC MATTERS

4. ENACTMENT OF ORDINANCES
a. None.

5. CONSENT CALENDAR
The City Council considers matters listed under the Consent Calendar as routine. The Council will take action with a single motion and roll call vote. A Councilmember may request the removal of an item(s) from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion and subsequent action.

The following items as presented are before the City Council for approval or denial:
a. City Council Minutes:
i. April 8, 2026
b. Discussion and Possible Adoption of Resolution Approving a Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy.
c. Approve Contract with RW Consulting to Facilitate Wastewater Negotiations Between the City of Willits and Brooktrails Community Services District. d. Approve an Agreement for Human Resources Services with Muchmore Than Consulting and Authorize the Interim City Manager to Execute the Agreement.

6. MONTHLY ACTIVITY REPORTS
Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of public interest. a. Building Activity Report March 2026
b. Business License Activity Report March 2026
Willits City Council Agenda – April 22, 2026

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7. COMMISSIONS, AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES
The Willits City Council meets concurrently as the City of Willits Planning Commission & City of Willits Successor Agency.

8. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
a. Verbal Reports – No Action.

9. DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATIONS (ACTION ITEMS)
a. Consideration of a Request that the City of Willits Vacate an Undeveloped Alley Approximately 14 Feet Wide and 180 Feet Long, Oriented East–West that was Originally Established as Part of the Oak Park Addition Subdivision in 1902.

Presenting staff member: Dusty Duley, Community and Economic Development Director
b. Cal Fire Cooperative Agreement/License, Improvement and Maintenance of Firco Rd. and Ells Field Airport.

Presenting staff member: Davey Bowles, Building and Public Works Director

10. DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORTS – (presented at the second meeting of each month)
a. Airport. b. Community Dev. c. Finance. d. Police Dept. e. Services & Facilities. f. Utilities.

Airport and Willits Police Department reports were not available at the time of publishing the agenda.

11. CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS

12. GOOD & WELFARE

13. CLOSED SESSION NOTICE
a. None.

14. ADJOURNMENT
Right to Appeal - Persons who are dissatisfied with the decisions of the City Council may have the right to a review of that decision by a court. The City has adopted Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which generally limits to 90- days, the time within an individual and/or entity may judicially challenge the decisions of the City Boards and Agencies.

I hereby certify under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that I posted the foregoing Agenda on the bulletin board at the main entrance of the City of Willits City Hall, located at 111 East Commercial Street, Willits, California, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting set forth on this Agenda.

Dated this 17th day of April, 2026.

Delores Pedersen, City Clerk
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Compliance
If you need assistance to attend or participate in a City Council meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (707) 459-7113 or Fax (707) 459-1562. Notification at least 48-hours prior to the meeting will assist the City Clerk in assuring the implementation of reasonable accommodations to provide accessibility to the meeting. Our meeting room is wheelchair accessible and ADA parking is available.

Additional Meeting Information for Interested Parties
Materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Willits City Council, Planning Commission, or Community Development Agency after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection at City Clerk’s office at 111 E. Commercial Street, Willits, during normal business hours, Monday through Thursday 9 AM to 5:30 PM. 111 E. COMMERCIAL STREET
WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490
(707) 459-4601 TEL
(707) 459-1562 FAX

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WILLITS CITY COUNCIL

MINUTES
WEDNESDAY APRIL 8, 2026
Mayor Allman 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 Gerardo Gonzalez, Larry Stranske, and Mayor Tom Allman were present. Vice Mayor Matthew Alaniz (attended Remotely)
Also, present were staff members: Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager; Jim Lance, City Attorney; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director; Davey Bowles, Building Official; Connor Stack, City Planner; Brian Fay, Police Chief; and Delores Pedersen, City Clerk.

2. Public Communications
 Items were presented during Public Communications; all comments are available to view on YouTube starting at timestamp 2.27.

3. Public Matters
None.

4. Enactment of Ordinances
None presented.

5. Consent Calendar
The following item(s) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows:
a. City Council Minutes:
i. March 25, 2026
b. Adoption of Resolution Approving the Revised Pay Classification Schedule, Effective April 1, 2026.
c. Adoption of a Resolution Approving amendments to the City’s Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.
• Item 5c was pulled to be placed on the agenda for the City Council Meeting of 4/22/2026.
d. Adoption of Resolution Approving the Side Letter Agreements between the City of Willits and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1245 (IBEW) and the Willits Police Officers Association (WPOA), extending the term of the current Memoranda of Understanding through December 31, 2026.

Willits City Council Minutes of April 8, 2026 Page 2 of 3 • Item 5d was pulled to be placed on the agenda for the City Council Meeting of 4/22/2026
e. Approval of a Resolution Authorizing the Willits Chamber of Commerce Car and Bike Show and Road Closures for May 24th.

Public Comment: None presented.

Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Stranske and carried unanimously to approve Consent Calendar item(s) (a, b & e).

6. Monthly Activity Reports
Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of public interest. a. Accounts Payable Activity Report: March 2026.
• Mayor Allman stated that cash statements are not available tonight but requested them to be brought back, view on YouTube at time stamp 9.51.

7. Commissions, Agencies and Authorities
None presented.

8. City Manager Reports and Recommendations+
a. Verbal Reports – No Action.
• Any Heath, Financial Consultant and Bob Richardson Interim City Manager are working on a more robust State of Finances Report, view on YouTube at time stamp 10.38.
• Comments on Staff Efforts, view on YouTube at time stamp 11:10.

Public Comment: None presented.

9. Department Recommendations (Action Items)
a. Announcement of the Willits Chamber of Commerce First Fridays Summer Concert Series with Events May 1st , June 5th , August 7th , and September 4th. • Connor Stack, City Planner, reported on the Willits Chamber of Commerce First Fridays Summer Concert Series. view on YouTube at time stamp12:19.

Public Comment: None presented.

10. City Council Announcements, Communications and Reports Councilmember Gonzalez
 Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) - Reported on the meeting, view on YouTube at time stamp 20:30.

Councilmember Stranske
 Inquired about the Water Tank that was planned for the Sewer Plant, view on YouTube at time stamp 22:43.
 Expressed concern of Bikes and scooters being ridded on sidewalks, view on YouTube at time stamp 26:02.

Vice Mayor Alaniz
 Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA) – Reported on the meeting, view on YouTube at time stamp 17:01.
 Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG) – Reported on the meeting, view on YouTube at time stamp 17:39.

Willits City Council Minutes of April 8, 2026 Page 3 of 3 Mayor Allman
 Finance Committee – Next Meeting 4/15/2026 at 4:00 pm.  Entertainment Zone Meeting – 4/15/2026 at 5:30 pm.

Public Comment: None presented.

No action taken.

11. Good & Welfare
 Councilmember Gonzalez – Sober Grad Tri-Tip dinner tickets still available.

12. Closed Session Notice
a. Pursuant to Government Code §54957 – Recruitment and Potential Public Employee
Appointment: City Manager.

City Council Adjourned to Closed Session at 7:01pm

13. Adjournment
The City Council reconvened to open session at 7:38 pm, and reported direction was given to staff.

Mayor Allman declared the meeting adjourned at 7:38 p.m.

For more information on the April 8, 2026 Willits City Council Meeting please view the recording on YouTube.
_____________________________
TOM ALLMAN, Mayor
City Council for the City of Willits
ATTEST:
__________________________

DELORES PEDERSEN
City Clerk
Item No. 5b
Meeting Date: April 22, 2026

AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager
Agenda Title: DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CATASTROPHIC LEAVE BANK POLICY.

Type: Presentation Consent Regular Agenda Public Hearing Urgent Time: 15 minutes.

Summary of Request: The proposed Catastrophic Leave Policy establishes a formal framework that allows City employees to voluntarily donate accrued leave to a coworker who has exhausted their own leave due to a serious illness, injury, or other qualifying catastrophic event. The City does not currently have a formally adopted Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy. Adoption of this policy establishes a clear framework for eligibility, administration, and safeguards should the City choose to allow voluntary leave donations in the future. Adoption of this policy provides clarity, consistency, and transparency for employees and administration while ensuring appropriate internal controls and compliance with existing personnel rules.

Recommended Action: Adopt the resolution approving the Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy, establishing a clear, compliant, and consistent framework to address rare catastrophic circumstances with appropriate administrative oversight and safeguards. (Recommended)
Alternative(s): Take no action currently and continue with a non-compliant Catastrophic Leave Policy, with the option to consider incorporating such a policy into the City’s master Personnel Rules and Regulations at a future date.

Fiscal Impact: Take no action currently and continue with a non-compliant Catastrophic Leave Policy, with the option to consider incorporating such a policy into the City’s master Personnel Rules and Regulations at a future date.

Personnel Impact: None.

Identified City Council Conflict of Interest: None.

California Environmental Quality Act: Does not apply.

CITY OF WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: April 22, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Robert Richardson, Interim City Manager
Deborah Muchmore, Human Resources Advisor, MTC
Agenda Title: Adoption of Resolution Approving a Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy.

ACTION REQUESTED:

This item is to request that the City Council consider and adopt a Resolution Approving A Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The proposed Catastrophic Leave Policy establishes a formal framework that allows City employees to voluntarily donate accrued leave to a coworker who has exhausted their own leave due to a serious illness, injury, or other qualifying catastrophic event. The City does not currently have a formally adopted Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy. Adoption of this policy establishes a clear framework for eligibility, administration, and safeguards should the City choose to allow voluntary leave donations in the future.

Adoption of this policy provides clarity, consistency, and transparency for employees and administration while ensuring appropriate internal controls and compliance with existing personnel rules.

BACKGROUND:

Catastrophic events—such as serious illness or injury—may require an employee to be absent from work for an extended period. In limited circumstances, employees may exhaust all available paid leave and may not qualify for short-term disability or other benefits.

The City has an existing policy that this policy would supersede. The current policy is not compliant with IRS requirements and would shift responsibility for taxation of the transfer-to-leave balance to the donating employee rather than the recipient under the IRS doctrine of constructive receipt.

DISCUSSION:

The proposed Catastrophic Leave Policy:
• Establishes clear eligibility criteria for recipients and donors • Confirms that leave donations are strictly voluntary
• Limits donations to specified leave types to protect donor employees • Provides an administrative review and approval process • Aligns with existing Personnel Rules, MOUs, and applicable labor laws Formal adoption ensures consistent administration across departments and participating labor organizations and provides employees with a clear, equitable process during times of significant personal hardship. In developing this policy, staff met and conferred with the City’s bargaining units, and the labor organizations concur. The proposed policy defines eligibility, administrative oversight, and safeguards to ensure consistent and equitable application if catastrophic leave donations are permitted. The policy does not create entitlement or expand leave benefits; instead, it establishes an orderly and transparent process that balances compassion with fiscal and operational responsibility.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy. Leave donations consist of existing accrued leave voluntarily transferred between employees and do not create additional City liability beyond normal payroll staff processing costs. The policy does not increase leave accruals or authorize additional compensation.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

This item has been noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date. The City has also used social media to promote and advertise the City Council Meeting Agenda Items.

As of the writing of this agenda item report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receive public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this agenda item report, such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting.

OPTIONS:

1. Adopt the resolution approving the Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy, establishing a clear, compliant, and consistent framework to address rare catastrophic circumstances with appropriate administrative oversight and safeguards. (Recommended)

2. Take no action currently and continue with a non-compliant Catastrophic Leave Policy, with the option to consider incorporating such a policy into the City’s master Personnel Rules and Regulations at a future date.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Catastrophic Leave Policy

2. Catastrophic Leave Donation Form

3. Catastrophic Leave Request Form

4. Resolution
City of Willits
Voluntary Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy & Procedures
(IRS-Compliant Version — Medical Emergency Only)
Purpose
This policy establishes a voluntary Catastrophic Leave Bank in accordance with IRS guidance on medical emergency leave-sharing plans and supersedes all previous Catastrophic Leave Policies. All previous Catastrophic Leave Policies are abolished.

The bank allows employees to donate accrued vacation, compensatory time off (CTO), floating holiday, management leave, or sick leave for use by eligible employees who experience a medical emergency resulting in prolonged absence and substantial income loss after exhausting paid leave.

A medical emergency may involve the employee or an eligible family member.

Policy
The City maintains an employer-administered leave bank. Donations are made to the bank and not to specific individuals. Donors may not designate a recipient.

Donors do not realize income and may not claim a tax deduction for donated leave.

Recipients are paid at their normal rate, and such payments are taxable wages to the recipient.

Only medical emergencies qualify under this plan. Bereavement (death of a family member) is excluded to maintain IRS compliance.

Voluntary Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy and Procedures 2 This policy does not alter any City policies regarding vacation, CTO, management leave, holidays or holiday pay, sick leave, or FMLA/CFRA, or any legally mandated state or federal leave.

The City will maintain the confidentiality of medical information in a manner consistent with the law.

Procedures

1. Donation Criteria / Eligibility to Donate
• Regular employees who have completed their initial probationary period may donate accrued vacation, CTO, floating holiday leave, management leave, or sick leave in fullhour increments to the Leave Bank. • Donors can donate up to 40 hours of sick leave each calendar year; other leave donations are unlimited, except donors must retain at least 40 hours of the specific donated accrued leave after donation.
• Total leave donated in a calendar year shall not exceed what the employee normally accrues in that year.
• Donor leave is converted to dollars at the donor’s base hourly rate when deposited; awards are drawn at the recipient’s base hourly rate.
• Donors may not claim an expense, tax deduction, or charitable contribution for donated leave.
• Donated leave may be used only for medical emergencies and may not be converted to cash by the recipient.
• Donors may not designate or suggest a specific recipient.

2. Eligibility Criteria for Recipients
• Employees must have completed their initial probationary period. • A Request for Leave Donation Form must be submitted with required documentation. • All available paid leave must be exhausted prior to use of catastrophic leave. • The condition must meet the definition of a medical emergency involving the employee or an eligible family member.
• Employees must have been off work for at least 30 calendar days due to the qualifying medical condition.
• Leave received may not be converted to cash.
• Unused donated leave must be returned to the Leave Bank.

3. Approval Process and Time Frames
• Administrative Services reviews all applications for eligibility; the City Manager approves or denies requests.
• Approved leave is generally granted in 40-hour increments, up to a maximum of 180 hours per qualifying event.
• When requests exceed available bank balances, the City Manager may allocate available leave equitably in amounts less than the standard increment.

Voluntary Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy and Procedures 3 • Applicants will receive written notice of approval or denial within 10 calendar days of their request
• Applicants who disagree with the written approval or denial provided to them by the City Manager may appeal to the City Manager for an explanation of how the decision was made. Within seven calendar days of receiving the explanation, the employee may submit a statement or request for reconsideration and may enlist a representative to assist them in preparing a reply. In such cases, the City Manager will make a final determination, and the City will reply to the employee with a final written decision within 10 calendar days of receiving the written statement or rebuttal. The final written response to the request for consideration shall be final and not grievable.

Termination of Catastrophic Leave
• The employee returns to work and is no longer in need of intermittent or other leave related to the same event or illness.
• The approved leave of absence ends.
• The employee separates from City employment.
• The Leave Bank has insufficient funds.
• Fraudulent use is discovered.

Definitions
• Medical Emergency: A medical condition of the employee or eligible family member that requires prolonged absence and results in substantial income loss after exhaustion of paid leave.
• Donor Employee: An employee who donates accrued leave to the Catastrophic Leave Bank and meets donation requirements.
• Leave Recipient: An employee approved to receive catastrophic leave from the Leave Bank.

References
IRS Revenue Ruling 90-29 (medical emergency leave-sharing plan).

IRS Notice 2006-59 (major disaster leave-sharing plans).

CITY OF WILLITS

CATASTROPHIC LEAVE DONATION FORM
Instruc�ons:
• Dona�ons must be made in full hour increments.
• Donor employee can donate leave up to once each quarter. • Donated leave will be credited to the Catastrophic Leave Bank.

Please refer to the Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy for complete details of the program.

Employee Name:

Department/Division:

Employee Title:

Primary Phone Number:

I wish to donate hours from the following selected category/categories.

Vaca�on leave hours (Indicate number of hours):

Compensatory �me off hours (Indicate number of hours):

Management Leave Hours (Indicate number of hours):

Employee Statement.

I understand that par�cipa�on in the catastrophic leave program is voluntary, and the hours I donate will be transferred to the leave bank. I also understand that I must maintain a balance of at least 40 hours of leave after the donation and the donated hours will be deducted from my leave balances once transferred to the leave bank has been completed.

Employee’s Signature: Date:

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Hours Received: Hours Approved: Hours not approved:

HR Official Signature: Date:

Sick Leave Hours (Indicate number of hours):

Floating Holiday Hours (Indicate number of hours):

CITY OF WILLITS

CATASTROPHIC LEAVE REQUEST FORM
Please refer to the Catastrophic Leave Policy for complete details of the program.

Employee Name:

Department/Division:

Employee Title:

Primary Phone Number:

Description of catastrophic event or need for leave:

Employee Statement.

I understand that par�cipa�on in the catastrophic leave program is voluntary, and the hours I receive will be transferred to me my leave bank based on the prevailing policy and the balance available in the leave bank. I also understand that I when I return from leave or when my catastrophic need has ended, any unused hours must be returned to the leave bank.

Employee’s Signature: Date:

TO BE COMPLETED BY THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Approved: Denied: Reduced:

City Manager Signature: Date:

Check if leave is for you, personally Check if leave is for a family member Requested Start Date: Expected Duration:

Notes:

Admin Services Signature
Resolution No. 2026-__ April 22, 2026

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RESOLUTION NO: 2026-_____

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS APPROVING A CATASTROPHIC LEAVE BANK POLICY.

WHEREAS, the City of Willits’ Catastrophic Leave Policy is out of compliance with IRS Revenue Ruling 90-29; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to offer a bona fide leave-sharing plan for employees; and WHEREAS, the City has developed a compliant catastrophic leave bank policy through which employees may donate leave balance to the City’s Leave Bank for transfer to employees who qualify as recipients under the policy; and
WHEREAS, City staff and representatives from the City’s labor representation unions have met and conferred in good faith, and the labor representatives concur; and WHEREAS, the Policy is included hereto as Attachment A.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS AS FOLLOWS:

1. The City Council of the City of Willits hereby adopts this Resolution and approves the City’s Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy, included hereto as Exhibit A: Catastrophic Leave Bank Policy. This policy supersedes all prior Catastrophic Leave Policies.

CEQA. The adoption of this Resolution is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code §§ 21000 et seq. (“CEQA”) and 14 Cal. Code Reg. §§ 15000 et seq. (“CEQA Guidelines”).

CERTIFICATION. The City Clerk of the City of Willits shall certify to the passage and adoption of this resolution and its approval by the City Council and shall cause the same to be listed in the records of the City.

SEVERABILITY. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution or its application to other persons and circumstances. The City Council of the City of Willits hereby declares that it would have adopted this Resolution and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, phrases, or portions be declared invalid or unconstitutional and, to that end, the provisions hereof are hereby declared to be severable.

Resolution No. 2026-__ April 22, 2026

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EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by a unanimous vote.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED, this 22nd day of April, 2026

THE CITY OF WILLITS
_____________________________
TOM ALLMAN, Mayor
ATTEST:

I, Delores Pedersen, City Clerk of the City of Willits, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly passed, approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Willits, California, at its regular meeting held on the 22nd day of April 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:
______________________________
DELORES PEDERSEN, City Clerk
Item No. 5b
Meeting Date: April 22, 2026

AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager
Agenda Title: APPROVE CONTRACT WITH RW CONSULTING TO FACILITATE WASTEWATER NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE CITY OF WILLITS AND BROOKTRAILS.

Type: Presentation Consent Regular Agenda Public Hearing Urgent Time: 15 minutes.

Summary of Request: The parties are in need of reestablishing negotiations to develop an updated wastewater agreement. RW Consulting has provided the attached proposal to assist the City with the facilitation of the process.

Recommended Action: Approve attached contract.

Alternative(s): None recommended.

Fiscal Impact: Not to exceed $20,000 from the Sewer Fund.

Personnel Impact: None.

Identified City Council Conflict of Interest: None.

California Environmental Quality Act: N/A
This Item Relates to the following General Plan Element : N/A Land Use Circulation Conservation and Open Space Noise Housing Public Services and Facilities, Parks and Recreation Economic Development
Reviewed by: Interim City Manager City Attorney City Clerk Finance Director Human Resources Council Action: Approved Denied Other: ________________________________________ Records: Agreement Resolution #_________ Ordinance #_________ Other _________ Proposal for Professional Services
Submitted by: RW Consulting
Client: City of Willits
To: Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager
Project: Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support Date: March 31, 2026
Purpose
RW Consulting proposes providing professional services to the City of Willits (City) to lead and support negotiations with Brooktrails Township Community Services District regarding the pending amendment to the existing wastewater settlement framework and the development of a new consolidated agreement.

The services are intended to help the City secure a practical near-term amendment and a more durable long-term agreement structure that reflects current operational realities, cost allocation needs, and equitable treatment of City sewer contributors and customers.

Project Objectives
The proposed assignment is focused on two related negotiation tracks derived from the current draft Second Amendment and the City’s stated policy direction.

1. Negotiate a revised Amendment 2 with a shortened term limited to Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27, in place of the current draft ten-year amendment term running from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2035.

2. Negotiate a new replacement agreement for a term of three to five years beginning in Fiscal Year 2027-28.

3. Develop a single agreement form that consolidates relevant operative provisions from the Original Agreement, the 2015 Settlement Agreement, and amendments into one administratively workable document.

4. Establish a framework for a rate study and evaluation of the payment structure applicable to Brooktrails.

5. Support development of an equitable contribution methodology applicable to Brooktrails and consistent with fair treatment of all City of Willits sewer contributors or customers.

Page 2 of 4 ends

Scope of Services
RW Consulting will serve as the City’s negotiation lead and strategic advisor for business, operational, and agreement-structure issues associated with the Brooktrails wastewater arrangement.

Task 1. Document Review and Negotiation Strategy
• Review the Original Agreement, the Settlement Agreement, amendments, the current draft Second Amendment, and available supporting records provided by the City.
• Identify business, operational, financial, and administrative issues that should be addressed in the short-term amendment and the longer-term agreement. • Prepare a City negotiation strategy, issue matrix, and recommended fallback positions for policy direction by City staff and the City Council.

Task 2. Short-Term Amendment Negotiation
• Prepare proposed revisions to Amendment 2 to shorten the term so that it applies only to Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
• Develop recommended provisions addressing interim rates, data sharing, capital replacement notifications, dispute handling, and preservation of the City’s future rate-setting and agreement rights.
• Participate in meetings, calls, and workshops with City staff, Brooktrails representatives, and other stakeholders as authorized by the City.

Task 3. Long-Term Agreement Framework
• Develop a term sheet and negotiation framework for a new agreement beginning in Fiscal Year 2027-28 with a recommended duration of three to five years. • Prepare a consolidated agreement outline that incorporates relevant clauses from prior agreements into a single modernized agreement form. • Recommend provisions covering term, rates, capital contributions, cost classification, data access, notice procedures, default, dispute resolution, and amendment procedures.

Task 4. Rate Study Coordination and Payment Structure Evaluation • Assist the City in defining the scope, objectives, assumptions, and data needs for a rate study addressing Brooktrails’ payment structure. • Evaluate alternative payment approaches, including fixed monthly payments, true-up structures, flow-based allocations, strength-based allocations, capacity-based contributions, or hybrid methodologies.

Page 3 of 4 ends

• Provide policy guidance on how Brooktrails’ contributions can be structured to align with equitable treatment principles for all City sewer contributors or customers.

Task 5. Negotiation Support and Council Materials
• Lead or support negotiation sessions on behalf of the City, subject to City direction and of the City Attorney.
• Prepare briefing memoranda, redline language, issue summaries, and presentation materials for staff and City Council consideration. • Support coordination with legal counsel so that business terms, operational provisions, and agreement language remain aligned.

Deliverables
RW Consulting anticipates providing the following deliverables during the assignment:
• Negotiation strategy memorandum.
• Issue matrix identifying City priorities, Brooktrails positions, and recommended options.
• Comments on draft short-term Amendment 2 revision for Fiscal Years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
• Draft term sheet for the new Fiscal Year 2027-28 and later agreement. • Consolidated single-agreement framework and clause checklist based on prior agreements.

Proposed Approach
RW Consulting will use a phased approach intended to secure an interim arrangement quickly while preserving the City’s leverage and flexibility for a better long-term agreement.

Phase 1. Assessment and Direction
During the initial phase, RW Consulting will review the governing documents, meet with City staff and legal counsel, identify key risks in the current draft amendment, and confirm City negotiation objectives.

Phase 2. Interim Amendment Negotiation
RW Consulting will prepare the City’s proposed edits and negotiate a shortened Amendment 2 that provides a temporary bridge through Fiscal Year 2026-27 while reserving key issues for the new consolidated agreement.

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Phase 3. Long-Term Agreement Development
RW Consulting will support the City in developing the structure, business terms, and negotiation package for a three- to five-year agreement beginning in Fiscal Year 2027- 28, including a rate study framework and equitable contribution methodology.

Assumptions and Coordination
This proposal assumes the City will provide available agreements, financial and operational records, prior correspondence, and access to relevant staff and consultants needed to support negotiations.

This proposal also assumes RW Consulting will work in coordination with the City Attorney, with legal advice and final legal form to be provided by counsel retained by the City.

Compensation
RW Consulting proposes to provide these services on a time-and-materials basis at a standard billing rate of $200/hour plus reimbursable expenses, with a not to exceed amount of $20,000.

Acceptance
RW Consulting appreciates the opportunity to support the City of Willits on this important interagency negotiation effort. This assignment is intended to help the City move from a fragmented amendment history toward a practical, equitable, and administratively clear agreement structure for wastewater cost sharing and future rate evaluation.

RW CONSULTANTING
April 2026
Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support

CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
THIS CONTRACT is made and entered into in duplicate, effective this 22nd day of April 2026 by and between the CITY OF WILLITS, California, hereinafter referred to as the CITY, and RW Consulting. whose address is 25000 N. Highway 101, Willits, CA 95490 hereinafter referred to as the CONTRACTOR, as follows:

RECITALS
A. Contractor is specially trained, experienced, and competent to perform the special services which will be required by this Contract; and
B. Contractor possesses the skill, experience, ability, background, certification, and knowledge to provide the services described in this Contract on the terms and conditions described herein.

C. City desires to retain Contractor to render professional services as set forth in this contract.

CONTRACT

1. SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY CONTRACTOR. Contractor shall perform the services described in “Exhibit A,” which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. Contractor shall provide said services at the time, place, and in the manner specified in “Exhibit A,” subject to the direction of the City through its staff that it may provide from time to time.

2. TERM. The services of Contractor are to commence upon execution of this Contract and shall continue until all authorized work is approved by the City. All such work shall be completed no later than June 30, 2027.

Payment by City under this Contract shall not be deemed a waiver of defects, even if such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.

4. METHOD OF PAYMENT. The contractor shall submit monthly billings to the City describing the work performed during the preceding month. Contractor’s bills shall include a brief description of the services performed, the date the services were performed, the number of hours spent and by whom, and a description of any reimbursable expenditures. City shall pay Contractor no later than 30 days after approval of the monthly invoice by City staff.

5. EXTRA WORK. At any time during the term of this Contract, City may request that Contractor perform Extra Work. As used herein, "Extra Work" means any work which is determined by the City to be necessary for the proper completion of the Project, but which the parties did not reasonably anticipate would be necessary at the execution of this Contract. Contractor shall not perform, nor be compensated for, Extra Work without written authorization from the City.

6. TERMINATION. This Contract may be terminated by the City immediately for cause or by either party without cause upon fifteen days written notice of termination. Upon termination, Contractor shall be entitled to compensation for services performed up to the effective date of termination.

CITY OF WILLITS
Gateway to the Redwoods
111 E COMMERCIAL STREET, WILLITS CA 95490 • PHONE: (707) 459-4605 Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support

7. OWNERSHIP OF DOCUMENTS. All plans, studies, documents, and other writings prepared by and for Contractor, its officers, employees and agents and subcontractors in the course of implementing this Contract, except working notes and internal documents, shall become the property of the City upon payment to Contractor for such work, and the City shall have the sole right to use such materials in its discretion without further compensation to Contractor or to any other party. Contractor shall, at Contractor’s expense, provide such reports, plans, studies, documents, and other writings to City upon written request. In the event of termination, all finished or unfinished documents, data, studies, and reports prepared by Contractor under this Contract shall become the City’s property; and Contractor shall deliver such documents to the City Clerk within two (2) business days from the date that this Contract is terminated.

8. CONTRACTOR’S BOOKS AND RECORDS.
a. Contractor shall maintain all ledgers, books of account, invoices, vouchers, canceled checks, and other records or documents evidencing or relating to charges for services, or expenditures and disbursements charged to City for a minimum period of three (3) years, or for any longer period required by law, from the date of final payment to Contractor to this Contract. b. Contractor shall maintain all documents and records which demonstrate performance under this Contract for a minimum period of three (3) years, or for any longer period required by law, from the date of termination or completion of this Contract.
c. Any records or documents required to be maintained pursuant to this Contract shall be made available for inspection or audit, at any time during regular business hours, upon written request by the City Manager, City Attorney, City Auditor, or a designated representative of these officers. Copies of such documents shall be provided to the City for inspection at City Hall when it is practical to do so.

Otherwise, unless an alternative is mutually agreed upon, the records shall be available at the Contractor’s address indicated for receipt of notices in this Contract. d. Where City has reason to believe that such records or documents may be lost or discarded due to dissolution, disbandment or termination of Contractor’s business, City may, by written request by any of the above named officers, require that custody of the records be given to the City and that the records and documents be maintained in City Hall. Access to such records and documents shall be granted to any party authorized by Contractor, Contractor’s representatives, or Contractor’s successor-in-interest.

9. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. Both parties hereto in the performance of this Contract will be acting in an independent capacity and not as agents, employees, partners, or joint ventures of one another.

Contractor is not an employee of City and is not entitled to any of the rights, benefits, or privileges of City employees including, but not limited to, medical, or Worker’s Compensation insurance. The parties intend to and have entered into a bonafide independent contract, and nothing herein is a subterfuge to avoid making the Contractor an employee of the City. Contractor shall have control of the means, methods, and details of performing the work and shall only be subject to the general direction and supervision of the City to ensure that results contracted for are achieved per plans and specifications provided to the Contractor. Contractor expressly warrants and agrees that it will exercise its own independent judgment in evaluating the accuracy and reliability of all data, technical reports and studies prepared by the applicant for the Project, its officers, agents, employees, and subcontractors or prepared by any other person or entity not a party to this contract.

10. INTEREST OF CONTRACTOR. Contractor (including principals, associates, and professional employees) covenants and represents that it does not now have any investment or interest in real property and shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in the area covered by this Contract or any other source of income, interest in real property or investment which would be affected in any manner or degree by the performance of Contractor’s services hereunder. Contractor further covenants and represents that in the Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support
performance of its duties hereunder no person having any such interest shall perform any services under this Contract.

Contractor is not a designated employee within the meaning of the Political Reform Act because Contractor:
will conduct research and arrive at conclusions with respect to his/her rendition of information, advice, recommendation, or counsel independent of the control and direction of the City or of any City official, other than normal contract monitoring; and
a. possesses no authority with respect to any City decision beyond rendition of information, advice, recommendation, or counsel. (FPPC Reg. 18700(a)(2).)

11. PROFESSIONAL ABILITY OF CONTRACTOR. City has relied upon the professional training and ability of Contractor to perform the services hereunder as a material inducement to enter into the Contract.

Contractor shall therefore provide properly skilled professional and technical personnel to perform all services under this Contract. All work performed by Contractor under this Contract shall be in accordance with applicable legal requirements and shall meet the standard of quality ordinarily to be expected of competent professionals in Contractor’s field of expertise.

12. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Contractor shall use the standard of care in its profession to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations.

13. LICENSES. Contractor represents and warrants to City that it has all licenses, permits, qualifications, insurance, and approvals of whatsoever nature which are legally required of Contractor to practice its profession. Contractor represents and warrants to City that Contractor shall, at its sole cost and expense, keep in effect or obtain at all times during the term of this Contract, any licenses, permits, insurance and approvals which are legally required of Contractor to practice its profession. Contractor shall, if required, maintain a City of Willits business license.

14. HOLD HARMLESS.
a. Consistent with California Civil Code Section 2782.8, when the services to be provided under this Agreement are design professional services to be performed by a design professional, as that term is defined under said section 2782.8, CONSULTANT shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless CITY, and its employees, officials and agents ("Indemnified Parties") for all claims, demands, costs or liability that arise out of, pertain to, or relate to the negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct of CONSULTANT, its officers, employees, agents, in said performance of professional services under this Agreement, excepting only liability arising from the sole negligence, active negligence or intentional misconduct of CITY.
b. Other than in the performance of professional services by a design professional, which shall be solely as addressed by subsection (a above, and to the full extent permitted by law, CONSULTANT shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless CITY and any Indemnified Parties, from and against any liability, (including liability for claims, suits, actions, arbitration proceedings, administrative proceedings, regulatory proceedings, losses, expenses or costs of any kind, interest, defense costs, and expert witness fees), where same arises out of the performance of this Agreement by CONSULTANT, its officers, employees, agents, and subconsultants, excepting only that resulting from the sole negligence, active negligence or intentional misconduct of CITY, its employees, officials, or agents.

Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support

15. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
a. Contractor, at Contractor’s own cost and expense, shall procure and maintain, for the duration of the contract, the following insurance policies.
i. Workers’ Compensation Coverage. Contractor shall maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance for his/her employees in accordance with the laws of the State of California. The Employer’s Liability Insurance shall be maintained in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per accident for bodily injury or disease.

Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support
iii. This insurance shall act for each insured and additional insured as though a separate policy had been written for each, except with respect to the limits of liability of the insuring company. iv. The insurer waives all rights of subrogation against the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, or agents.
v. Any failure to comply with reporting provisions of the policies shall not affect coverage provided to the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents or volunteers.
vi. The insurance provided by this policy shall not be suspended, voided, canceled, or reduced in coverage or in limits except after thirty (30) days written notice has been received by the City. c. Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions. Any deductibles or self-insured retentions must be declared to and approved by the City. At the City’s option, Contractor shall demonstrate financial capability for payment of such deductibles or self-insured retentions. d. Certificates of Insurance. The contractor shall provide certificates of insurance with original endorsements to City as evidence of the insurance coverage required herein. The endorsement shall be on forms provided by the City or on other forms which conform to all City requirements.

Certificates of such insurance shall be filed with the City on or before commencement of performance of this Contract. Current certification of insurance shall be kept on file with the City at all times during the term of this Contract.

16. NOTICES. Any notice required to be given under this Contract shall be in writing and either served personally or sent prepaid, first-class mail. Any such notice shall be addressed to the other party at the address set forth below. Notice shall be deemed communicated within 48 hours from the time of mailing if mailed as provided in this section.

If to City: City of Willits
111 East Commercial St.

Willits, CA 95490-3188
If to Contractor: RW Consulting
25000 N. Highway 101
Willits, CA 95490

17. ENTIRE CONTRACT. This Contract constitutes the complete and exclusive statement of Contract between the City and Contractor. All prior written and oral communications, including correspondence, drafts, memoranda, and representations, are superseded in total by this Contract.

18. AMENDMENTS. This Contract may be modified or amended only by a written document executed by both Contractor and City and approved as to form by the City Attorney.

19. ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING. The parties recognize that a substantial inducement to City for entering into this Contract is the professional reputation, experience, and competence of Contractor.

Assignments of any or all rights, duties or obligations of the Contractor under this Contract will be permitted only with the express consent of the City. Contractor shall not subcontract any portion of the work to be performed under this Contract without the written authorization of the City. If the City consents to such subcontract, Contractor shall be fully responsible to City for all acts or omissions of the subcontractor.

Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support
Nothing in this Contract shall create any contractual relationship between City and subcontractor, nor shall it create any obligation on the part of the City to pay or to see to the payment of any monies due to any such subcontractor other than as otherwise required by law.

20. WAIVER. Waiver of a breach or default under this Contract shall not constitute a continuing waiver of a subsequent breach of the same or any other provision under this Contract.

21. SEVERABILITY. If any term or portion of this Contract is held to be invalid, illegal, or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this Contract shall continue in full force and effect.

22. CONTROLLING LAW VENUE. This Contract and all matters relating to it shall be governed by the laws of the State of California and any action brought relating to this Contract shall be held exclusively in a state court in the County of Mendocino.

23. LITIGATION EXPENSES AND ATTORNEY’S FEES. If either party to this Contract commences any legal action against the other party arising out of this Contract, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable litigation expenses, including court costs, expert witness fees, discovery expenses, and attorneys’ fees.

24. MEDIATION. The parties agree to make a good faith attempt to resolve any disputes arising out of this Contract through mediation prior to commencing litigation. The parties shall mutually agree upon the mediator and shall divide the costs of mediation equally. If the parties are unable to agree upon a mediator, the dispute shall be submitted to JAMS/ENDISPUTE ("JAMS") or its successor in interest. JAMS shall provide the parties with the names of five qualified mediators. Each party shall have the option to strike two of the five mediators selected by JAMS and thereafter the mediator remaining shall hear the dispute. If the dispute remains unresolved after mediation, either party may commence litigation.

25. EXECUTION. This Contract may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become binding upon the parties when at least one copy hereof shall have been signed by both parties hereto. In approving this Contract, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.

26. AUTHORITY TO ENTER CONTRACT. Contractor has all requisite power and authority to conduct its business and to execute, deliver, and perform the Contract. Each party warrants that the individuals who have signed this Contract have the legal power, right, and authority to make this Contract and to bind each respective party.

27. PROHIBITED INTERESTS. Contractor maintains and warrants that it has not employed nor retained any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for Contractor, to solicit or secure this Contract. Further, Contractor warrants that it has not paid, nor has it agreed to pay any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for Contractor, any fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gift or other consideration contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this Contract. For breach or violation of this warranty, City shall have the right to rescind this Contract without liability. For the term of this Contract, no member, officer, or employee of City, during the term of his or her service with City, shall have any direct interest in this Contract, or obtain any present or anticipated material benefit arising therefrom.

28. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT. Contractor represents that it is an equal opportunity employer, and it shall not discriminate against any subcontractor, employee, or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, national origin, handicap, ancestry, sex, or age. Such non-discrimination Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support
shall include, but not be limited to, all activities related to initial employment, upgrading demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff, or termination.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Contract to be executed on the date first written above.

CITY OF WILLITS: CONTRACTOR:

By: _______________________________
Robert Richardson, Interim City Manager
Title: ______________________________
Date: __________________________
Date: ______________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
____________________________________ ____________________________________ H. James Lance, City Attorney Delores Pedersen, City Clerk Date: _______________________________ Date: _______________________________ Professional Services
W/RW Consulting
Brooktrails Wastewater Agreement Negotiation Support
Attachments: Exhibit A – Scope of Work/Schedule of Charges Exhibit B – Insurance Certificates
Exhibit C – Insurance Endorsements
Exhibit D – IRS W-9 Reporting Form
Resolution No. 2026-__ April 22, 2026

Page 1 of 2 ends

RESOLUTION NO: 2026-_____

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS APPROVING AN

AGREEMENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES WITH MUCHMORE THAN

CONSUTLING AND AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT.

WHEREAS, the City of Willits has experienced significant organizational, operational, and fiscal challenges requiring professional human resources support; and WHEREAS, the City requested proposals from qualified firms and received 2 responsive proposals, of which Muchmore Than Consulting was selected, and WHEREAS, Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC (“MTC”) has been providing human resources services to the City since September 2025 as part of a reorganization and stabilization effort; and
WHEREAS, MTC has demonstrated familiarity with the City’s organizational structure, policies, workforce, and operational needs, enabling the provision of effective and efficient human resources services with minimal transition time; and WHEREAS, the City has evaluated its ongoing human resources needs and determined that continued external support is necessary to maintain compliance, operational continuity, and effective personnel management; and WHEREAS, the City desires to transition from intensive reorganization services to a more sustainable, ongoing human resources maintenance and advisory model; and WHEREAS, an Agreement has been negotiated with Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC for the provision of ongoing human resources services for an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on May 1, 2026, and ending on April 30, 2029, with an option to renew for up to two additional one-year periods, upon mutual agreement and satisfactory performance; and
WHEREAS, sufficient funds have been identified in the applicable budget to support the services contemplated under this Agreement; and WHEREAS, approval of this Agreement is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065, as it involves administrative and professional services only.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS AS FOLLOWS:

1. The City Council of the City of Willits hereby approves the award of the Human Resources Services to Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC for an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on May 1, 2026, and ending on April 30, 2029, with the option to extend, upon mutual agreement on cost for two additional one-year terms.

Resolution No. 2026-__ April 22, 2026

Page 2 of 2 ends

2. The Interim City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute the Agreement, including any non-substantive amendments consistent with this Resolution and within approved budget authority.

EFFECTIVE DATE. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by a unanimous vote.

PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED, this 22nd day of April, 2026.

THE CITY OF WILLITS
_____________________________
TOM ALLMAN, Mayor
ATTEST:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:
______________________________
DELORES PEDERSEN, City Clerk
Item No. 5c
Meeting Date: April 22, 2026

AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager
Agenda Title: APPROVE AN AGREEMENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES WITH MUCHMORE THAN

CONSULTING, AND AUTHORIZE THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT Type: Presentation Consent Regular Agenda Public Hearing Urgent Time: 15 minutes.

Summary of Request: This item is to request that the City Council consider awarding the agreement and authorizing the City Manager to execute an Agreement with Muchmore Than Consulting for Human Resources Services.

In March of 2026, the City distributed a request for proposals to 7 firms providing Human Resources Consulting Services. 2 responsive proposals were returned. Out of the proposals received that were responsive, Muchmore Than Consulting provided the most reasonable and sustainable pricing over the term and has organizational knowledge that has increased their value over time.

Recommended Action: Approve the agreement with Muchmore Than Consulting as recommended.

Alternative(s): Decline to approve the agreement and direct staff to pursue alternative human resources service options.

Fiscal Impact: The agreement includes a not-to-exceed $70,000 annual amount for each of the first three years of the agreement and has been structured to remain within available budget appropriations. Costs for these services reflect a reduction from the prior transition-level support and represent a more sustainable ongoing expenditure.

Adequate funds have been included in the applicable department budget.

Personnel Impact: None.

Identified City Council Conflict of Interest: None.

California Environmental Quality Act: Does not apply.

CITY OF WILLITS CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: April 22, 2026
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Robert Richardson, Interim City Manager
Agenda Title: Approve an Agreement For Human Resources Services With Muchmore Than Consulting, and Authorize the Interim City Manager to Execute the Agreement ACTION REQUESTED:

This item is to request that the City Council consider awarding the agreement and authorizing the City Manager to execute an Agreement with Muchmore Than Consulting for Human Resources Services.

BACKGROUND:

Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC (MTC) has been providing human resources services to the City of Willits since September 2025 as part of a broader organizational reorganization and stabilization effort. During this period, MTC has supported the City with critical human resources functions, including compliance support, employee relations, classification support, disability and leave administration, recruitment assistance, and organizational guidance during a period of significant operational and fiscal challenges.

As the City transitions from reorganization activities to steady-state operations, staff has evaluated the City’s ongoing human resources needs and determined that continued external HR support remains necessary due to limited internal capacity. The proposed agreement is intended to shift from intensive transition services to a more sustainable maintenance and advisory model, providing the City with consistent, reliable support while allowing flexibility to adjust services as needs evolve.

DISCUSSION:

The proposed agreement with Muchmore Than Consulting provides for ongoing, as-needed human resources advisory and support services at a level appropriate for long-term operations. Services include, but are not limited to:
• Employee and labor relations support
• Disability, leave, and reasonable accommodation administration • Recruitment and selection support
• Classification and compensation support (excluding citywide studies) • Policy review and updates
• Performance management support and supervisory coaching • General human resources compliance and advisory services The agreement will be for an initial three years, beginning on May 1, 2026, and ending on April 30, 2029, with an option to renew for two additional one-year terms. The cost of the agreement is not to exceed $70,000 a year for the first three years and will be set by mutual agreement in subsequent years.

MTC’s continued engagement offers continuity, institutional knowledge, and immediate responsiveness without the cost or delay associated with staffing a full-time internal HR function.

Having already worked extensively with City leadership, staff, and systems, MTC is able to provide services efficiently with minimal ramp-up time.

The agreement reflects a right-sized, maintenance-level approach to human resources support, aligned with the City’s current operational and fiscal conditions.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The agreement includes a not-to-exceed $70,000 annual amount for each of the first three years of the agreement and has been structured to remain within available budget appropriations. Costs for these services reflect a reduction from the prior transition-level support and represent a more sustainable ongoing expenditure. Adequate funds have been included in the applicable department budget.

OPTIONS:

The City Council may:

1. Approve the agreement with Muchmore Than Consulting as recommended; or

2. Decline to approve the agreement and direct staff to pursue alternative human resources service options.

Staff recommends approval.

ATTACHMENTS:
• Resolution and Agreement

MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING
April 2026
Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services

CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
THIS CONTRACT is made and entered into in duplicate, effective this 22nd day of April 2026 by and between the CITY OF WILLITS, California, hereinafter referred to as the CITY, and Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC. whose address is 6395 San Rafael Court, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 hereinafter referred to as the CONTRACTOR, as follows:

C. City desires to retain Contractor to render professional services as set forth in this contract.

CONTRACT

2. TERM. The services of Contractor are to commence upon execution of this Contract and shall continue until all authorized work is approved by the City. All such work for the first thirty-six months of the Agreement shall be completed no later than April 30, 2029. Subsequent one-year terms must be mutually approved in writing at least 30-days prior to the end of the previous term.

3. COMPENSATION. Compensation to be paid to Contractor shall be in accordance with “Exhibit A,” which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. In no event shall Contractor’s compensation exceed two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000), seventy thousand dollars ($70,000) annually for the first three (3) years from May 1, 2026 – April 30, 2029. without additional written authorization from the City. Compensation for additional one-year periods will be mutually agreed upon, in writing, at least 30 days prior to the end of the previous contracted period. Payment by City under this Contract shall not be deemed a waiver of defects, even if such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.

CITY OF WILLITS
Gateway to the Redwoods
111 E COMMERCIAL STREET, WILLITS CA 95490 • PHONE: (707) 459-4605 Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services

9. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. Both parties hereto in the performance of this Contract will be acting in an independent capacity and not as agents, employees, partners, or joint ventures of one another.

10. INTEREST OF CONTRACTOR. Contractor (including principals, associates, and professional employees) covenants and represents that it does not now have any investment or interest in real property Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services
and shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in the area covered by this Contract or any other source of income, interest in real property or investment which would be affected in any manner or degree by the performance of Contractor’s services hereunder. Contractor further covenants and represents that in the performance of its duties hereunder no person having any such interest shall perform any services under this Contract.

11. PROFESSIONAL ABILITY OF CONTRACTOR. City has relied upon the professional training and ability of Contractor to perform the services hereunder as a material inducement to enter into the Contract.

12. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS. Contractor shall use the standard of care in its profession to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, codes, ordinances, and regulations.

14. HOLD HARMLESS.
a. Consistent with California Civil Code Section 2782.8, when the services to be provided under this Agreement are design professional services to be performed by a design professional, as that term is defined under said section 2782.8, CONSULTANT shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless CITY, and its employees, officials and agents ("Indemnified Parties") for all claims, demands, costs or liability that arise out of, pertain to, or relate to the negligence, recklessness, or willful misconduct of CONSULTANT, its officers, employees, agents, in said performance of professional services under this Agreement, excepting only liability arising from the sole negligence, active negligence or intentional misconduct of CITY.
b. Other than in the performance of professional services by a design professional, which shall be solely as addressed by subsection (a above, and to the full extent permitted by law, CONSULTANT shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless CITY and any Indemnified Parties, from and against any liability, (including liability for claims, suits, actions, arbitration proceedings, administrative proceedings, regulatory proceedings, losses, expenses or costs of any kind, interest, defense costs, and expert witness fees), where same arises out of the performance of this Agreement by CONSULTANT, its officers, employees, agents, and sub- Professional Services
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Human Resources Services
consultants, excepting only that resulting from the sole negligence, active negligence or intentional misconduct of CITY, its employees, officials, or agents.

In addition, Contractor shall require each subcontractor to similarly maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance in accordance with the laws of the State of California for all the sub-contractor’s employees. Any notice of cancellation or non-renewal of all Workers’ Compensation policies must be received by the City at least thirty (30) days prior to such change. The insurer shall agree to waive all rights of subrogation against the City, its officers, agents, employees, and volunteers for losses arising from work performed by Contractor for City.
ii. General Liability Coverage. The contractor shall maintain commercial general liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage. If a commercial general liability insurance form or other form with a general aggregate limit is used, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to the work to be performed under this Contract or the general aggregate limit shall be at least twice the required occurrence limit.
iii. Automobile Liability Coverage. Contractor shall maintain automobile liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage for all activities of the Contractor arising out of or in connection with the work to be performed under this Contract, including coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles, in an amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit for each occurrence.
iv. Professional Liability Coverage. Contractor shall maintain professional errors and omissions liability for protection against claims alleging negligent acts, errors, or omissions which may arise from Contractor’s operations under this Contract, whether such operations be by the Contractor or by its employees, subcontractors, or subconsultants. The amount of this insurance shall not be less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) on a claims-made annual aggregate basis, or a combined single-limit per occurrence basis. b. Endorsements. Each general liability, automobile liability, and Workers’ Compensation insurance policy shall be with insurers satisfactory to the City and shall be endorsed with the following specific language:
i. The City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents, and volunteers are to be covered as additional insureds with respect to liability arising out of work performed by or on behalf of the Contractor, including materials, parts or equipment furnished in connection with your “ongoing operations” and “your work.”
ii. This policy shall be considered primary insurance as respects the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents, and volunteers. Any insurance maintained by the City, Professional Services
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Human Resources Services
including any self-insured retention the City may have shall be considered excess insurance only and shall not contribute to it.
iii. This insurance shall act for each insured and additional insured as though a separate policy had been written for each, except with respect to the limits of liability of the insuring company. iv. The insurer waives all rights of subrogation against the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, or agents.
v. Any failure to comply with reporting provisions of the policies shall not affect coverage provided to the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents or volunteers.
vi. The insurance provided by this policy shall not be suspended, voided, canceled, or reduced in coverage or in limits except after thirty (30) days written notice has been received by the City. c. Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions. Any deductibles or self-insured retentions must be declared to and approved by the City. At the City’s option, Contractor shall demonstrate financial capability for payment of such deductibles or self-insured retentions. d. Certificates of Insurance. The contractor shall provide certificates of insurance with original endorsements to City as evidence of the insurance coverage required herein. The endorsement shall be on forms provided by the City or on other forms which conform to all City requirements.

If to City: City of Willits
111 East Commercial St.

Willits, CA 95490-3188
If to Contractor: Muchmore Than Consulting
6395 San Rafael Court
Rohnert Park, CA 94928

18. AMENDMENTS. This Contract may be modified or amended only by a written document executed by both Contractor and City and approved as to form by the City Attorney.

Assignments of any or all rights, duties or obligations of the Contractor under this Contract will be permitted only with the express consent of the City. Contractor shall not subcontract any portion of the work to be Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services
performed under this Contract without the written authorization of the City. If the City consents to such subcontract, Contractor shall be fully responsible to City for all acts or omissions of the subcontractor.

Nothing in this Contract shall create any contractual relationship between City and subcontractor, nor shall it create any obligation on the part of the City to pay or to see to the payment of any monies due to any such subcontractor other than as otherwise required by law.

20. WAIVER. Waiver of a breach or default under this Contract shall not constitute a continuing waiver of a subsequent breach of the same or any other provision under this Contract.

28. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT. Contractor represents that it is an equal opportunity employer, and it shall not discriminate against any subcontractor, employee, or applicant for employment Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services
because of race, religion, color, national origin, handicap, ancestry, sex, or age. Such non-discrimination shall include, but not be limited to, all activities related to initial employment, upgrading demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff, or termination.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Contract to be executed on the date first written above.

CITY OF WILLITS: CONTRACTOR:

By: _______________________________
Robert Richardson, Interim City Manager
Title: _____________________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ATTEST:
____________________________________ ____________________________________ H. James Lance, City Attorney Delores Pedersen, City Clerk Professional Services
W/ Muchmore Than Consulting
Human Resources Services
Attachments: Exhibit A – Scope of Work/Schedule of Charges Exhibit B – Insurance Certificates
Exhibit C – Insurance Endorsements
Exhibit D – IRS W-9 Reporting Form

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Human Resource Services
Proposal
April 2026
For the

CITY OF WILLITS
By

TABLE OF CONTENTS
COVER LETTER/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS ........................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................................... 5 Summary of Proposed Services ................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.

FIRM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE ................................................................................................ 6 Core Strengths .................................................................................................................................. 6 EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS OF ASSIGNED PERSONNEL ........................................................... 7 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED...................................................................................................... 10 HUMAN RESOURCES SUPPORT`............................................................................................................. 10 Scope of Services Available............................................................................................................... 10 COST PROPOSAL ..............................................................................................................................13 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................................................................15 APPENDIX A.....................................................................................................................................16 3 COVER LETTER/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
April 5, 2026
Bob Richardson, Interim City Manager
City of Willits
111 E. Commercial Street
Willits, CA 95490
RE: City of Willits – Human Resource Services
Dear Mr. Richardson,
Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC (MTC) is pleased to submit this proposal in response to the City of Willits’ Request for Proposals for Human Resource Services. It is a pleasure to offer our services to a community-focused City that values professionalism, integrity, and its people.

MTC specializes in serving small and mid-sized California municipalities and local government agencies, where responsiveness, trust, and practical decision-making are essential. Our clients rely on us not only for technical expertise and regulatory compliance, but also for steady guidance and a respectful, people-centered approach—particularly when navigating sensitive employee, disability, and labor-related matters.

Muchmore Than Consulting was established in January 2019 and became a limited liability company on January 14, 2020. We are organized under the California Secretary of State as a single-owner Limited Liability Company. Consistent with this structure, 1099 reporting is issued under the owner’s tax identification number, as reflected on our W-9.

MTC is currently providing human resources transition services for the City of Willits. This direct, recent experience provides our team with immediate familiarity with the City’s organizational structure, culture, leadership expectations, and operational priorities. As a result, we are uniquely positioned to provide continuity of service, minimize ramp-up time, and deliver immediate value without disruption.
4 COVER LETTER/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
We would be honored to continue partnering with the City of Willits and to support the City Manager, Department Heads, and employees with reliable, thoughtful, and effective human resources services.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at (707) 490-0564 or [email protected] with any questions or requests for additional information. You may also contact Danielle Oliveira at (707) 490-0563 or [email protected].

Warm regards,
Deborah A. Muchmore
Founder / Director
Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC
Warm regards,
Deborah A. Muchmore
Founder/Director
5 COVER LETTER/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
Executive Summary
Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC (MTC) offers the City of Willits a responsive, experienced, and community-centered approach to human resources services tailored specifically for small California local governments. Based on our direct experience working with the City, we understand Willits’ focus on restoring organizational stability, rebuilding trust, and strengthening operational effectiveness.

MTC provides practical, timely guidance paired with a collaborative and respectful service model. Our approach emphasizes accessibility, continuity, and sound judgment, ensuring City leadership and employees receive consistent support and clear direction—particularly in complex or sensitive situations.

MTC will hold proposed rates for six months from the date of this proposal and, if selected, will maintain agreed-upon pricing for the initial five-year engagement, subject to the limited exceptions identified in this proposal.

Exceptions include City-wide classification, compensation, or staffing studies; labor negotiations; executive recruitment; payroll processing; and other large-scale research or development projects, which may be performed under a separate scope and budget by mutual agreement.

With local proximity, extensive public-sector experience, and existing organizational knowledge of the City of Willits, MTC is prepared to deliver immediate, reliable human resources support while serving as a trusted advisor to City leadership.

Services offered include:
• Full-service disability, leave, and return-to-work management • Position classification specification updates
• Review of payroll calculations
• Support for talent acquisition and recruitment processes • Annual review and periodic updates to employee policies and handbook • Support for and development of a sustainable and effective performance review process • Employee Relations and assistance in resolving employee grievances • Reference Checks and Exit interviews
• Support for and periodic communications, conflict resolution, and team building activities • Ad hoc human resources advisory services
The proposed services, rates, and terms have been provided for a period of three to five years, with an option to renew for an additional 3 years, upon our satisfactory performance and at agreed upon rates.
6 COVER LETTER/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC is a California-based, woman-owned professional services firm specializing in public-sector human resources for small cities and local government organizations.

We are deeply familiar with the operational realities facing agencies like the City of Willits, including limited internal staffing capacity, high public accountability, and the need for trusted advisors who understand both regulatory compliance and community context.

MTC is currently providing human resources transition services to the City of Willits, giving our team direct familiarity with the City’s organization, culture, leadership needs, and operational priorities.

This existing knowledge allows us to provide continuity, minimize ramp-up time, and deliver immediate value without disruption.

MTC is in a neighboring county. As a small consulting firm, we are intentionally structured to provide personalized service. Clients work directly with senior consultants who are accountable, approachable, and invested in long-term success—not rotating staff or call-center support. Together, these qualities make Muchmore Than Consulting a trusted and practical choice for the City of Willits.

Firm Qualifications and Experience
Muchmore Than Consulting, LLC is a California-based, woman-owned professional services firm specializing in public-sector human resources for small and local government organizations. We are deeply familiar with the realities facing cities like Willits—limited staffing, high public accountability, and the need for trusted advisors who understand both compliance and community context.

Core Strengths
• Proven experience supporting California cities and towns • Specialized expertise in disability and leave management • Direct access to senior-level consultants
• Flexible, relationship-driven service delivery
• Practical, legally sound, and people-centered solutions Our consultants support agencies with both ongoing HR administration and complex, high-risk advisory matters, and we are known for being responsive, approachable, and easy to work with. of team members
7 ABOUT OUR TEAM
Experience and Qualifications of Assigned Personnel

STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Our key team members for this proposal are Taíssa Mello, Danielle Oliveira, and Deborah Muchmore. MTC assigns senior-level consultants directly to client engagements to ensure accountability, continuity, and consistent decision-making. A brief bio for each follow, and Curriculum Vitae or Resumes are in Appendix A.

Deborah Muchmore, Founder/Director
Deborah Muchmore founded Muchmore Than Consulting in 2019 after retiring from the County of Sonoma, where she served as Administrative Services Officer I & II and Senior Human Resources Analyst. Deborah’s related accomplishments include developing and assembling the team for the first classification and compensation service line for Regional Government Services, personally conducting RGS’s first city-wide classification and compensation study for the City of Solvang, helping to resolve significant interpersonal challenges for executives at several municipalities, founding and operating a photography business, a catering company, and a human resources consulting firm.

Taíssa Araújo E Mello, Disability and Leave Manager/Senior HR Advisor Taíssa is a seasoned human resources professional with over 12 years of experience in leave management, talent acquisition, sales, and administrative operations. Taíssa manages all phases of disability and leave case management, as well as talent acquisition and onboarding. During her three years with Muchmore Than Consulting, Taissa has been certified in Disability and Leave Case Management practices by the Shaw Law Group and has created compliant, sustainable disability and leave management programs for the cities of East Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, Sebastopol, and supports other cities with complex case management. Taíssa helps both the employee and the organization efficiently navigate all stages of long-term leave management. In recruitment, she is a master at attracting top-level candidates and promotes competency-based interviewing in employee selection.

Alexandre Muñox-Oliveira Compensation Manager/Senior HR Advisor Alexandre Muñoz-Oliveira serves as a key contributor to MTC’s Finance Service Line, leading much of the analytical and technical work involved in reconciling payroll liabilities, producing year-end schedules and reports, and conducting classification and compensation studies. He brings extensive experience across payroll processing, benefits administration, accounts payable, grant and benefits reconciliations, and FLSA compliance. Alexandre Muñoz-Oliveira earned his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from San Francisco State University in 2021. Since then, he has built a strong foundation in public sector finance and human resources consulting, supporting clients throughout California.

Danielle Oliveira, Talent Acquisition Manager/Senior HR Advisor Danielle Oliveira was instrumental in founding MTC in 2019, serves as our administrator and Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Team Lead, and contributes her deep technical and analytical expertise to both public and private-sector clients. Her background spans the full spectrum of human resources functions, with strengths in classification, compensation, organizational development, operational document review and development, and HR operations. 8 WHY MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING
Muchmore Than Consulting has provided the following services to our public and limited private sector clients:
• End-to-end Disability and Leave Case Management, disability and leave policy development, compliance review, staff and employee training, employee advocacy, payroll and retirement integration, disability and industrial disability certification, and retirement support.
• End-to-end and requested selective support for talent acquisition and recruitment efforts, including the initial job analysis, development of a candidate profile and marketing materials, formal and direct marketing campaigns, the development and administration of selection processes, support for on-site selection activities, exit interviews, reference checking, and conditional and final offer letters.
• Staffing type and staffing allocation studies, classification and compensation studies, both organization-wide and for selected programs, divisions, and departments. • Policy review and development for personnel, operational, and fiscal policies, and procedural documents, forms, and guidelines.
• Review of compliance and support for improved implementation, retroactive pay adjustments, and discussions with labor organizations regarding the Federal Labor Standards Act for overtime and overtime exemptions for miscellaneous and local safety employees.
• Payroll practice and compliance assessments, implementation of payroll software changes and new systems, payroll processing, tax and retirement reporting. • Executive coaching and mentoring, assessment of key workplace skill and ability factors, traits, tendencies, and development and provision of professional development tools, programs, and paths.
9 WHY MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING
“Your contributions have been
invaluable, and what we have
accomplished would not have been
possible without your assistance.”
Chris Zapata, City Manager, Sausalito
“I had lost hope in the labor relations
process, but thanks to your
involvement, I have hope again.”
Matt Finnegan, Representative,
Teamsters Local Union 856
“We wanted to establish guidelines
regarding represented and
unrepresented classifications, and we
hadn’t thought of these options. This
has been very helpful. Thank you!”
Emily Sutkus Cruz, Human Resources
Manager, AC Transit
Thank you for auditing and completing
our W-2s and quarterly taxes on time.

The method Helena used to reconcile
the numbers is exactly what I would
have used; what a relief and extremely
helpful.”
Troy Bassett, Accounting and Finance
Manager, Town of Tiburon
“This is fantastic news. I was worried
about drawing enough interest on the
Captain position. Now I’m excited.

Killer Job Danielle”
Acting Captain Don Mort, Sebastopol PD
Thanks for all the hard work and
results!!!
Mary Gourley, City of Sebastopol Interim
City Manager/Assistant City
Manager/City Clerk
“Very productive DISC personality
assessment and team building
experience with my team today! Thank
you Deborah Muchmore, for guiding us
through this self-discovery and fun
communication exercises. What a great
and « colorful » team we have here
serving our internal city departments
and the entire Pacifica community!”
Yulia Carter, Assistant City Manager,
City of Pacifica
"Thank you for reaching out on the
weekend to ensure that I apply on the
correct website. Speak volumes about
your professionalism."
Anonymous Candidate
“Deborah, Great job on the study! We so
appreciate your support. Looking
forward to working with you more in
the future .”
Chief Bradley, South San Joaquin Fire
Authority
“Are you psychic? How did you know my personality so well? Everything DiSC is AMAZING!” “Let me get my colleagues, they have to experience this!” Anonymous visitor comments while visiting our trade show booth 10 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED

TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED
Human Resources Support`
The Muchmore Than Consulting team will collaborate closely with the City’s Administrative Services Director, Department Heads, and City Manager to provide coaching, guidance, and expert human resources support. Depending on the budget authorized under this agreement, MTC will also complete higher-level project work addressing tactical and strategic human resources challenges.

MTC will work with the Administrative Services Director and City Manager to prioritize projects and manage scope across fiscal years as necessary to remain within authorized budget parameters. A designated project lead will be assigned to the City to ensure continuity and ease of communication.

Scope of Services Available
Subject to the terms, conditions, and authorized budget of this Agreement, Muchmore Than Consulting will provide ad hoc and ongoing human resources services as requested and approved by the Administrative Services Director or City Manager. Services may include serving as the City’s Human Resources Advisor and performing any or all of the expert human resources functions described below.

Tactical Projects and Strategic Advice on HR related topics MTC will provide human resources-related advice and project support as requested, to the extent authorized funds are available. If budget constraints arise, MTC will promptly notify City leadership and discuss options such as phasing work across fiscal years, modifying scope, or identifying alternative resources, including low-cost or no-cost options where appropriate.

Classification and Compensation
Position reviews, review and updates to job classification specifications, and creation of new classifications where applicable. Single-position or multi-position within a program or division salary reviews and base salary compensation studies, as well as salary recommendations for new positions. NOTE: City-wide classification and compensation studies are outside the scope and budget of this agreement and may be performed upon mutual written agreement of scope and additional budget by both parties.

Disability Reasonable Accommodation and Medical Leave Administration Active Case Management for Disability and Leave Management and Administration. Work with your third-party administrator to keep the case moving forward and limit exposure. Work with the injured or ill employee to provide information related to their leave and entitlements, and assist them 11 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED
in obtaining all available legal protections, while limiting employer liability and achieving quicker, more efficient, and effective returns to work or separation when necessary. Provide support for City communications and Council actions related to return to work or separation from service.

ADA Administration
Serve as the interactive process coordinator, ensuring appropriate communications and records are made regarding agreed-upon temporary or permanent accommodations and temporary modified duty assignments.

Recruitment and Selection/Employment Administration
Support the City with the development and administration of effective and compliant recruitment and selection processes, including skills-testing processes, pre-employment and hiring practices, and onboarding of new staff. Provide recruitment services from the development of materials through the final certified list and the selection of successful candidates.

Payroll Calculation Review
Implement the initial payroll calculation adjustments to allow for payroll reconciliation each pay period. Participate in periodic assessments and adjustments of payroll codes and allocations to maintain accurate payroll processing. Participate in all new pay and benefit code development, additions, and employee separations. Support quarterly and annual payroll reporting and taxes. As budget allows, participate in the periodic reconciliation of payroll liabilities. Note: Full payroll assessment, reconciliation of liabilities, and payroll processing are out of the scope of this proposal.

Employee Retention
Conduct periodic stay interviews to bolster retention concepts and, as much as possible, exit interviews to determine reasons for leaving for all separating employees.

Policy and Procedures Administration and Enforcement
Make suggestions for and assist in the development and implementation of improvements to policies, procedures, and the handbook.

Performance Management
Work with City supervisors and managers to apply effective, consistent performance management practices, relate performance to established City standards, and use values-based communication and examples to coach and develop employees and craft and deliver performance evaluations. 12 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED
Employee and Labor Relations
Serve as a resource for employees, providing a safe channel for communications from leadership down and employees up through the organization. Source or facilitate training and coaching in communications strategies, tools, and transparency. Assist with the resolution of grievances and support meet-and-confer and negotiation processes between the City and recognized employee organizations when required. Note: Labor negotiations are outside the scope of this proposal.

Organizational Development and Team Building
Provide comprehensive training and facilitation services to assist your organization in becoming a healthier, more effective organization based on trust, respectful communications, productive use of conflict, and peer-to-peer accountability toward amazing results.

The services below directly address the following issues:
• Culture and Communication
• Professional Communication & Channels
• Role Clarity and Governance Guardrails
All of which will contribute to team building, commitment, peer-to-peer accountability, and drive results.
13 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED
Exceptions and Pricing Guarantee
We will hold prices under this agreement for six months from the date of this proposal and through five years of engagement if selected for the contract.

Exceptions to this agreement include City-wide classification, compensation, and staffing studies; payroll processing; full review and assessment of payroll processes and systems; system implementation; labor negotiations; executive recruitment; and other large research or development projects. As budget allows, MTC will participate in and advise on these activities to the extent permitted by available funds.

COST PROPOSAL
The total cost of this proposal shall not exceed $70,000 annually for each of the first three (3) years from the effective date of the agreement. Years Four and Five will be negotiated based on demonstrated service needs, historical utilization, and anticipated project scope, subject to mutual written agreement.

The City may select one of the following pricing options:

Option One: Fixed Monthly Rate
Muchmore Than Consulting will provide unlimited services within the scope of this proposal, excluding identified exceptions, at the following fixed monthly rates, billed in advance at the beginning of each month:
• Year One: $5,700 per month
• Year Two: $5,800 per month
• Year Three: $5,833 per month
Rates for Years Four and Five will be established based on the average utilization from the prior three years and anticipated service levels, as agreed upon in writing by the City Manager, Administrative Services Director, and MTC Director.

Option Two: Services Billed as Incurred
Alternatively, services may be billed monthly as incurred. Charges may vary month-to-month, but shall average no more than $5,833.33 per month over the first 36 months of the agreement. In Years Four and Five, monthly charges shall not exceed the annual agreement amount divided by twelve, unless otherwise authorized in writing.

Direct Costs
Direct costs, including recruitment advertising and similar expenses, shall be paid directly by the City via invoice or credit card and are not included in the monthly service rates.

RATES AND TERMS
14 TYPES OF SERVICES OFFERED RATES AND TERMS
15 REFERENCES

REFERENCES
City of East Palo Alto
2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA 94303, Phone: (650) 853-3187 Dates Served: January 2023 - Present
Contact: Ana Torres, Human Resources Manager [email protected] Services Provided: City-wide staffing study 2019 and 2025, Department and Division Classification and Compensation Studies, Recruitment & Selection, Disability and Leave Management, Ad Hoc HR/Finance services.

City of Sebastopol
7120 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, CA 95472, Phone: (707) 824-4879 Dates Served: March 2023 to Present
Contact: Ana Kwong, Administrative Services Director, [email protected] Services Provided: City-wide staffing study 2019 and 2025, Department and Division Classification and Compensation Studies, Recruitment & Selection, Disability and Leave Management, Ad Hoc HR/Finance services.

Redwood Empire Dispatch and Communications Authority (REDCOM) 2796 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, Phone: (707)-568-5992 Dates Served: August 2024 - Present
Contact: Evonne Stevens, Executive Director, (707) 565-8880 [email protected] Services Provided: Comprehensive development of classification, compensation, all employment policies, and benefit systems for a new employer of record, ongoing training, and ad hoc support.

Town of Tiburon
1505 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon, CA 94920, Phone: (415) 435-7373 Contact: Greg Chanis, City Manager, [email protected], (415) 914-5646 Dates Served: December 2022 to Present
Services Provided: Interim HR and Finance leadership, payroll, and disability retirements.

City of Sausalito
420 Litho Street, Sausalito, CA 94965, Phone: (415) 289-4100 Contact: Chris Zapata- City Manager: [email protected], (415) 342-9629 Date: August 2020 to Present
Services Provided: Interim HR leadership, classification and compensation Studies, currently Ad Hoc support.

Other clients we have served with related studies and services include AC Transit, City of San Pablo, City of Rocklin, West County Wastewater, City of Belvedere, Sonoma County Fire District, Town of Fairfax, Carmel-by-the-Sea, County of Marin Public Works Department, City of Santa Rosa
16 APPENDIX A: RESUMES OF KEY STAFF
Appendix A
Key Staff
Curriculum Vitae or Resume
Deborah Muchmore
Founder/Director
Summary
Senior Human Resources, Organizational Development, and Operational Consultant with 35+ years of public-sector experience and 10 years of private-sector experience, specializing in solving critical organizational challenges, developing classification and compensation systems, conducting and assessing staffing and organizational structure studies, implementing payroll and HR process redesign, and providing executive and leadership coaching.

Core Expertise
• Organizational solutions to structural issues
• Classification & Compensation Design
• Staffing Studies & Organizational Assessments
• HR Operations, Systems & Process Redesign
• FLSA Compliance & Policy Development
• Labor & Employee Relations
• Payroll & Timekeeping Implementation
• Leadership Development, Coaching & Facilitation
• DiSC Catalyst™ & Five Behaviors™ Certified Practitioner Professional Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) — Founder/Director (2019 – Present) • Provide executive direction to a growing consulting firm. • Lead agency-wide classification and compensation studies. • Structure and redesign master pay schedules and pay systems. • Structure and redesign classification systems and plans. • Strategic policy development and implementation.
• Conduct staffing studies evaluating organizational alignment, workload, and operational efficiency. • Architect HR, payroll, and administrative systems for public agencies. • Provide executive coaching to municipal leaders and elected officials. • Serve as interim HR manager, stabilizing HR operations for multiple cities. • Provide solutions for structural and interpersonal organizational challenges.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES (RGS) — Senior HR Advisor (2015 – 2022) • Designed and launched the Classification & Compensation Service Line for RGS. • Led classification and compensation programs across Northern California agencies. • Implemented payroll and timekeeping systems for fire districts, municipalities, and utilities.

COUNTY OF SONOMA —
Human Resources Analyst III (2013 – 2016) Human Resources Department 2 • Conducted countywide classification and compensation studies and managed 60+ annual recruitments for the Sonoma County Water Agency and County Human Services. Provided backup recruitment and classification support for Public Health Services.

Administrative Services Officer II (2012 – 2013) Sonoma County Water Agency • Directed human resources, administrative services, records, and public counter operations for the Sonoma County Water Agency.
• Conducted classification studies and directed the consultant-provided classification study for the reorganization of environmental services.
• Redesigned all-employee meeting structure and agenda. • Implemented the first employee-labor council and provided training in compliance with the MMBA Administrative Services Officer I (2005 – 2012) Sonoma County Community Development Commission • Directed public counter operations for the Sonoma County Housing Authority, Community Development, and Redevelopment agencies.
• Consolidated agency budgets into the Commission budget • Directed Finance operations from late 2011 – 2012, navigating a section 135 single audit and three State Controller Audits, as well as the preparation and public notifications related to the agency ROPS, DROPS, EOPS, and other necessary filings. Prepared financial statements for the Redevelopment Agency and the transfer of assets to the Successor Agency.

Housing Inspector (2000 – 2005) Sonoma County Community Development Commission • Conducted Housing and Urban Development grant required inspections of HUD housing throughout Sonoma County.

AVALONBAY COMMUNITIES, INC —
Senior Community Manager (1994-1999) (formerly Bay Apartment Communities) • Site management for six large five-star multi-unit apartment communities in San Francisco and Marin Counties – produced above expected ROI and lease to value numbers, controlled budget expenditures. • Renovation property management, move-out, leasing, and releasing for two large renovation properties in Solano and Marin County – both projects completed and released on time, under budget, and with better than anticipated ROI.
• Acquisition and Merger leasing support for two large properties in Renton, Washington, and Portland, Oregon – resolved resident concerns, facilitated effective move-outs and lease-ups.

NORTH AMERICAN MORTGAGE —
Senior Accountant (1990-1994)
• Reconciled appraisal fees for the western and mountain states regions. • Provided support for bank reconciliations
TOPAZ RESTAURANT – (1979-1980)
• Tableside meal guest experience – formal dining setting in Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa TATUM ENTERPRISES — (1985-1990)
General Manager – Sizzler Restaurants, Sonoma County
• Directed all operations for large steak, seafood, salad restaurants in Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Rohnert Park.
3 LINDY LINDQUIST, WINE SPECTATOR – 1982-1984
Clerical, secretarial, and office automation support for wine newsletters and marketing.

HOLTZINGER BROS. GRADING AND PAVING – (1978-1980)
• Office Manager, bookkeeper through adjusted trial balance (one-write system and ledger cards) ALVARADO INN, DOMINICS, ZIMS, ANDALOU, CATERING– (1976-1978) • Dominics and Zims - Beverage and food server, various shifts • Catering: San Francisco Jewish Temple, Opening of the SF Zoo New Primate Center, De Young Museum, New Years Eve parties and other various events.
• Anadlou - Su Chef to Chef
• Alvarado Inn – Su chef

EDUCATION
• CalPELRA Labor Relations Academy graduate 2025
• SHRM Senior Human Resources Professional Education Course 2013 • B.A. Public and Business Administration, University of Phoenix 2005 • County of Sonoma Executive Management Leadership Training 2003

COMMUNITY SERVICE
• Personnel Commissioner, Sonoma County Office of Education — Chair 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2026 • Treasurer, Cross and Crown Lutheran Church – 1995-2001

CERTIFICATIONS
• SHRM–SCP, Senior Certified Professional (2014–Present) • SPHR, Senior Professional in HR Services (2012-2023)
• County of Sonoma Management Leadership Academy

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM)
• International City Manager Association (ICMA)
• California Public Employee Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) • Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA)
• International Public Management Association (IPMA)
Taíssa Mello
Human Resources Lead Consultant
Summary
Taíssa Mello joined Muchmore Than Consulting in 2022. She brings with her over 10 years of experience in talent acquisition, team development, workforce planning, conflict resolution, and leave and disability management. Her experience includes but is not limited to:
• Talent Management & Acquisition
• Sourcing & Recruiting
• Global Workforce Planning
• People Management
• Change Management
• Leave Management
• Employee Relations
• Conflict Resolution
• Policy & Procedure Development
• HR Business Analysis
Taíssa has worked for great names in the private sector such as Johnson & Johnson and Praxair, as well as in international events like the Olympic Games. Her main areas of expertise are talent acquisition and workforce management.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2024- PRESENT)
Disability and Leave Management Services Manager / Human Resources Advisor Taíssa leads Disability and Leave Management Services for client organizations, delivering strategic guidance and operational oversight to build compliant, sustainable leave management programs. Her responsibilities include managing disability cases, administering statutory and employer-sponsored leave, and advising leaders and employees on accommodation solutions and legal entitlements in accordance with federal and local regulations. She partners closely with stakeholders to strengthen absence management practices, mitigate risk, and enhance employee experience. In addition to her core leadership role, she supports recruitment and selection initiatives and serves as the contract and insurance specialist, managing policies, clients, and compliance requirements.

PRE-MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
TARGET (2023- 2024)
Executive Team Leader Human Resources (HR Manager)
During my time, Taissa led a culture of inclusivity and accountability by developing HR strategies that improved key performance indicators such as turnover, mandatory training, scheduling, I-9 compliance, recruitment, and management of leaves and disability, moving them from red to green. She guided store leaders in hiring and onboarding talent aligned with business and guest needs, while ensuring team members’ schedules were predictable and accommodating. Taissa also managed leaves and disability cases efficiently, providing support to employees while minimizing disruptions. Through coaching, performance management, and continuous development, she drove team engagement and supported the overall success of the store.

MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2022- 2023)
Human Resources Specialist
Taíssa performs various recruitment activities for client entities such as development of materials, marketing, advertising, proctoring oral boards, and candidate communications. Conducts exit interviews and employment first interviews of candidates as assigned. Prepares, proofs, and develops drafts of various documents, presentations, articles, and agreements.

SPINNAKER RESORTS, INC (2022- 2023)
Recruitment & Training Coordinator
Leads full cycle recruitment activities of both professional and operational staff for Spinnaker – Hilton Head and act as the liaison for HR representatives throughout the Spinnaker network. In conjunction with functional area clients, aligns positions and sources candidates from local, regional, and national markets.

Engages with external entities (university, military, service organizations, etc.) to recruit and enhance Spinnaker’s profile in the community. Performs compensation studies to orient and update pay rates & benefits to maintain a competitive position in the hiring market. Provides the corporate training initiatives for all departments across the four states where Spinnaker Resorts are present (South Carolina, Missouri, Virginia and Florida). Develops materials and conducts group training activities in concert with the current company ethos. Identifies select training opportunities for new managers to develop best HR practices.

Directs internal employee engagements through meetings and events to enhance HR messaging.

KATE SPADE (2018- 2022)
Assistant Manager – HR & Operations (2019- 2020)
Designed and implemented customized talent acquisition programs for every offered role, ensuring proper external communication and employer branding efforts to secure high-performing candidates. Delivered monthly performance reviews for Supervisors at management level, setting achievement goals and providing constant coaching. Created comprehensive and customer-oriented training programs for new sales associates.

Store Supervisor – Operations (2018- 2019)
Delivered quarterly performance reviews for Associates at management level, setting achievement goals and providing constant coaching. Supported Store Manager on recruitment by posting open positions online, conducting interviews and onboarding new employees.

RIO 2016 - BRAZIL (2013- 2016)
Workforce Manager (2016)
Ms. Mello deployed outstanding human resources strategies for 11 Deodoro Cluster venues during Rio 2016 Olympic Games, being indirectly responsible for 7,200+ volunteers and paid staff. Managed 6k employee workforce and 70k volunteer workforce in labor relations and resource allocation to ensure all event venues were appropriately staffed. Engaged and resolved sensitive workforce issues and conflicts, including performance, terminations, and medical issues. Provided team leadership and coaching to managers on employee relations, development, HR policy and procedures.

Workforce Planner (2013- 2016)
Defined job descriptions and areas of expertise for 9 different functional areas during Rio 2016 Olympic Games phase. Trained more than 700 individuals in customer service and business operations for 4 different venues, including the Main Operation Center where senior executives and functional areas leaders were placed during game operations. Developed and planned workforce labor requirements to a geographic zone of venues for test events and game-time events.

Recruiter (2013)
Recruited professional staff for the Infrastructure Executive Director and participated in a team to recruit senior staff across all departments focusing on diversity & inclusion. Negotiated and implemented the online strategy for recruitment through a third-party supplier Vagas.com and LinkedIn. Instituted and managed the internship program for all departments within the company.

BRMALLS - BRAZIL (2011- 2012)
People Management Specialist
Taíssa sourced, recruited, and interviewed for corporate, financial, marketing, merger and acquisitions, lawyers, and administration roles within the corporate entity for all malls nationwide. Incorporated strategic planning with hiring managers, resume screening, group dynamic evaluations, assessments, competencybased interviews, all leading to the hiring and on-boarding of the candidate. Provided subject matter expertise within the online recruitment tool (VAGAS.com) toward the identification and selection of internal and external candidates. Successfully onboarded 50 interns through the creation and implementation of a corporate internship program. Provided HR policies guidance for managers located in our network of malls throughout Brazil.

WHITE MARTINS / PRAXAIR - BRAZIL (2010- 2011)
Human Resources Senior Analyst
Was responsible for high volume recruitment and selection of medical sales representatives, and focused recruitment on IT, management, and administrative support roles of healthcare company within the Brazilian territory. Trained HR representatives in Brazil and regional managers on internal systems of human resource management. Participated in the creation of the Trainee program and its recruitment and selection process.

JOHNSON & JOHNSON - BRAZIL (2010)
Talent Acquisition Trainee
Supported international recruitment and selection from strategic meetings with managers, screening resumes, providing group assessments, application of tests, and competency-based interviews, to onboarding of new hires. Assisted the coordinator and the manager of the division for placement of junior and senior management positions, managed logistics of national and international recruiting events in the market. Developed the corporate onboarding in São Paulo for day one of new hire orientation. Adapted the company’s global policies to specific local needs within a workgroup by reviewing admission processes.

Education
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Bachelor’s in Psychology
Software/Technological Skills
Microsoft Office Suite, Google Apps Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud, Computer Literacy, CalOpps, Indeed, Handshake, People Hub, CRM, Taleo, ADP, SAP
Danielle Oliveira
Human Resources Specialist/Administrator
Summary
Human Resources professional with extensive experience supporting public and private agencies in classification and compensation analysis, recruitment and selection, HR operations, and records management. Skilled in job analysis, salary data compilation, policy and procedure development, onboarding, and HR systems modernization. Provides both client-facing HR services and internal HR administration for Muchmore Than Consulting.

Core Expertise
• Classification
• Compensation
• HR Operations and Management
• Organizational Development
• Onboarding
• Policies and Procedures
• Recruitment and Selection
• Training and Development
• Records Retention policy and
procedures
Professional Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2019- PRESENT)
Human Resources Specialist / Administrator / Recruitment lead Leads and supports a wide range of HR functions for client agencies, with emphasis on classification compensation studies, recruitment, and HR operations.
• Conducts research, data collection, and analysis for classification and compensation studies, including salary surveys and job documentation review.
• Manages full-cycle recruitment for client agencies, including job postings, applicant screening, interview coordination, and candidate communication.
• Develops and updates HR policies, procedures, and organizational processes. • Oversee internal HR operations for MTC, including onboarding, records management, and administrative workflows.
• Maintains company website and social media platforms; provides technical support for Everything DiSC™ and Five Behaviors™ assessments.
• Serves as liaison with Wiley for client product orders and assessment administration.

Education & Certifications
Sonoma State University – BA, Human Development; Minor in Psychology (2013), Human Resources Management Certification (2017)
Solano Community College – AA, Psychology & Social Science (2011) Wiley Brands – Everything DiSC Certification (2020), The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team Accredited Facilitator (2019)
Technical Skills
Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat, CalOpps, NeoGov, Tracker RMS, ICON HRIS, APS.

Alexandre Munoz-Oliveira
Compensation Analysis • Financial Analysis • Payroll & HR Data Analytics Summary
Fiscal analyst specializing in compensation analysis, payroll administration, and finance-driven evaluations of municipal workforce structures. Experienced supporting public agencies with financial reconciliations, compensation matrices, payroll compliance, and operational continuity across finance and HR functions.

Core Expertise • Compensation & Market Analysis
• Payroll Processing & FLSA Auditing
• Financial Reconciliation & Grant
Accounting
• Workforce Data Analysis & Reporting
• Budget & Cost Tracking
• Accounts Payable/Receivable
• HR & Administrative Operations
Support
Professional Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2023- PRESENT)
Full-Time Fiscal Analyst
• Lead financial and compensation analyses for municipal clients, including benchmarking and classification study data validation.
• Train and support junior analysts in data acquisition, reconciliation, and reporting for compensation studies.
• Complete complex financial reconciliations across payroll liabilities, benefits, and grant programs. • Manage digitization project of 2,000+ employee files, including retention policy updates, I-9 audits, and system training.
• Provide onsite agency support: AP/AR, payroll processing, reconciliations, budget tracking, contract administration, licensing, and customer service.

MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2022- 2023)
Part-Time Fiscal Analyst
• Performed compensation studies including data assembly, validation, and development of compensation matrices.
• Supported recruitment processes including interview coordination and candidate communication. • Maintained data accuracy and workflow coordination across finance and HR project teams.

Education
San Francisco State University
BS in Business Administration – Concentration in Finance (2021) Technical Skills
APS Payroll Online, QuickBooks, Microix, Springbrook, Paychex Flex, Kronos Workforce Telestaff, NEOGOV, Government Jobs, CalJobs, CalOpps, Indeed, Handshake, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Apps Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud.

Elsie Okeyo
Senior Human Resources Analyst/Facilitator
Summary
Elsie Okeyo brings over ten years of professional Human Resources experience, with a background spanning employee relations, benefits and retirement administration, and leave management in not-forprofit healthcare and public sector environments. She has strong analytical skills and experience compiling and preparing detailed reports to support organizational decision making. Ms. Okeyo holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Certificate in Human Resources Management, and she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in human resources.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2019- PRESENT)
Senior Analyst/Facilitator
Elsie serves as a key facilitator and human resources analyst, providing support across classification, benefits administration, performance management, conflict resolution, recruitment, selection, onboarding, and offboarding. Her work includes redesigning and aligning performance management systems, supporting recruitment processes through proctoring and structured interview facilitation, and administering benefits and open enrollment activities. She is a licensed coach and trainer for the Everything DiSC and Five Behaviors experiential training systems and regularly conducts exit interviews, stay interviews, and facilitated conversations to support organizational health. Elsie also delivers training on employee expectations, communication, performance development, and conflict resolution, helping strengthen workplace culture and employee engagement.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES (RGS)
Human Resources Advisor
Since joining RGS, Ms. Okeyo has primarily supported partner agencies with a range of Human Resources services, including recruitment and leave management. Her responsibilities have also encompassed administering employee benefits, coordinating new hire and benefits orientation sessions, processing personnel forms, and tracking disability related documentation. Through this work, she contributes to efficient HR operations and consistent, compliant support for agency staff.

Education
University of Phoenix, AZ
Bachelor of Science in Business Management Certificate in Human Resources Management Skills
NEOGOV, Government Jobs, CalJobs, CalOpps, Indeed, Handshake, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Apps Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud.

Helena J. Munoz
Finance Advisor
Summary
Helena joined Muchmore Than Consulting in 2022. She brings her accounting and payroll experience, and public sector knowledge. Her experience includes but are not limited to:
• Customer Relations
• Bank Reconciliation
• Accounts Receivable
• Payroll
• Compensation
• Accounts Payable
For the last 2 years, Helena has served as a finance advisor for different municipalities in the state of California. Her main areas of expertise are accounting and payroll.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2022- PRESENT)
Finance Advisor
Ms. Munoz has been providing service to the Town of Tiburon with Payroll Processing, 941, DE9, DE9C Quarterly Tax returns, State Controllers Compensation Report, W2 reconciliation, filing and printing processing, Accounts Payable, 1099 and 1099R processing. Open Enrollment and Human Resources Support. She performed payroll and HR processes assessment for the City of Rocklin.

PRE-MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES (RGS) (2020- PRESENT)
Project Advisor
Responsible for the preparation of State controller's report and California Transparence data, CalPERS contribution reports, payments, enrollment of new members, and termination. Implemented payroll from monthly to bi-weekly cycle. Prepared bank reconciliations for Payroll and Operations accounts.

Generated invoices and statements for Planning Department hours. In addition, Cost analysis provided for bargaining negotiation, labor relations and MOU changes for recommendation and proposals.

CITY OF SAUSALITO (2020- 2022)
Payroll Administrator
Processed bi-weekly payroll for Safety and Miscellaneous employees. Submitted reports to agencies such as CalPERS, EDD, Labor Unions, and Benefits. She worked closely with HR in Labor Cost analysis, assisted with AdastraGov implementation, and processed Back pay calculations and retro payment to resolve employee disputes. In addition, assisted on the implementation of online timekeeping for payroll processing and employee self serves with Paychex, and processed Open Benefits enrollment for 2021.

Helena also assisted auditors with data gathering, was responsible for creating Absence Compensation report for end of year auditing, and prepared the State Controller report, California Transparence Data and Workers’ compensation audit report.

TOWN OF SAN ANSELMO (2018- 2020)
Accounting Benefit Technician
Processed Payroll for the Town of San Anselmo and Ross Valley Fire Department on a semi-monthly basis using Incode10 Tyler Technologies, implemented Tyler Employee Self Service and electronic timesheet for the Town of San Anselmo, and generated end of year reports and 1099. Ms. Munoz oversaw the accounts payable for the Town of San Anselmo and for Ross Valley Fire Department by training and overseeing the customer service temp process weekly invoice submitted by Public Works, Library, Recreation, Planning, Administration and Ross Valley fire Department. Assisted auditors in gathering data for audit throughout the year. Collected business licenses tax for the Town of San Anselmo and Fire Inspections, and Resale. Was responsible for inspecting fees for Ross Valley Fire Department, bank reconciliation for Payroll and Operation accounts for San Anselmo and Ross Valley Fire and preparing and filing Federal and State Returns for both locations. Prepared Monthly Journal entries, as well as State Controllers Report for Transparent California for the Town of San Anselmo and Ross Valley Fire Department. Worked with Maze Associates in retrieving documents for audit process.

MUNOZ PAYROLL SERVICES (2018- PRESENT)
Owner
Helena managed day-to-day operations of payroll such as submitting tax reports, processing worker’s compensation claims, processing invoice payments to vendors, generating W2 forms and Vendors Forms 1099, and preparing 941 Quarterly Federal Tax Return, DE9 and 9C State Returns, and 940 Federal Forms. Furthermore, she was Acting HR manager, processing hiring paperwork and semi-monthly payroll for Janitorial Services company. Processed payroll for the Fire Department while they recruited for a fulltime position. Assisted on the new MOU implementation and new FLSA rules and reviewed payroll process twice a month for the Schell Vista Fire Department.

CITY OF SAN RAFAEL (2001- 2018)
Payroll Administrator (2016- 2018)
Managed payrolls for 500 employees on a semi-monthly basis using Eden Tyler Technologies. Created a dual calculation report to settle FLSA issues between Fire and Police 7K Schedule and Semi-monthly payroll. Implemented Eden HR Web Portal and automated employee’s timesheet. Prepared Monthly Journal entries, as well as assisted with providing date for budget preparations. Ms. Munoz prepared the State Controllers Report and California Transparence, and prepared and filed 941 Quarterly Federal Returns and State Returns for the City. Produced Cost analysis for Labor Negotiations. Provided data for CAFR preparation, assisted in footnotes revision, photos, and document creation.

Payroll Technician (2007- 2016)
Helena provided innumerous Payroll support activities for the City of San Rafael. She processed worker's compensation payments, garnishments, audit new hires paperwork, calculate and pay terminations, process pay increases. Processed computer loans, W4, DE4, Deferral compensation changes, final pay calculation for retiring employees. She was responsible for reviewing all personal actions and hiring paperwork for Human Resources to ensure proper employee setup. Additionally, audited online time sheet approvals, prepared reports for Retirement, Association Dues, and submitted tax deposits. Managed employee 457, RHS, IRA and 401A plans for those who maximized qualified plan and reconciled quarterly taxes and managed state SUI tax rates.

Accountant Assistant (2001- 2007)
Processed Business license application using HDL software and calculated payments for taxes and fees for Residential and Out of town business and enter in Quadrant software. Route Business license application for process review to Fire, planning and Police Department. Provided customer with additional resources and /or information for acquiring fictitious business name, health permit, resale permit or information required for new business owners. Generated annual business license renewal letters and processed batch payments. Received money for Parking citations in person/mail, reviewed the paperwork for citation contest and forwarded it to traffic Sargent. Ms. Munoz collected payments for building permits, planning review, encroachment permits, meter bags, alarm permits, Code Enforcement citations, childcare deposits, recreation classes payment. She created and submitted invoices for Code Enforcement citations and hearing administrative citations. Entered Planning department time in Timeslips and generated invoice. Assisted Parking Enforcement Officers with processing the money collected from meters, and generated reports for Parking Manager. Assisted the Police department once a month by counting and recording evidence money collected. Reconciled the prior days’ work and prepared a money drawer for next day. Prepared daily deposits for Brink’s pickup.

Education
Contra Costa College
BS in Business Administration In Progress
Francelina Carneiro Setubal
AS in Early Childhood Education 1988
Vasco Coutinho
AS in Accounting 1988
Certifications
Member of CSMFO
Member of the American Payroll Association
Software/Technological Skills
Tyler ERP Pro10, Eden, HDL, Quadrant, Telestaff, Incode10, ADP Workforce, IBS Innovation Business Solution, CBIZ, QuickBooks, Paycheck, Springbrook, GovInvest, Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, TeamView, Cisco Webex, RingCentral
Ian Connolly
Human Resources Technician
Summary
Ian joined Muchmore Than Consulting in 2021, bringing prior experience in city government and a strong foundation in public-sector operations. He is highly adaptive, organized, and dependable, with a versatile skill set and a natural ability to understand broader organizational context. Ian combines big picture thinking with strong spatial awareness and a keen eye for detail, allowing him to approach administrative and HR tasks with precision and clarity.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2021- PRESENT)
Human Resources Technician
Provide administrative and technical services to public agencies, supporting organizational development, planning, records management, and policy implementation. Responsibilities include conducting research and analysis to assist project teams and ensure accurate, well documented deliverables. Work includes reviewing, scanning, and updating human resources files with strict attention to confidentiality and compliance; supporting recruitment processes by evaluating application materials and contributing to scoring matrices; and assisting with classification and compensation studies through targeted research and data collection.

CITY OF SAUSALITO (2020- 2021)
Administration / Human Resources Technician
Reorganized and updated digital human resources files for the HR Manager, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and compliance with retention requirements. Also supported a range of administrative tasks, including promoting COVID-19 procedures, scanning and preparing documents, and conducting targeted research to assist ongoing projects.

Education
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo - 2019 Bachelor of Science in City and Regional Planning
Minors: Sustainable Environments; Real Property Development Skills
Software: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Mac OS, Windows OS John Leddy
Programmer
Summary
John joined Muchmore than Consulting in early 2026 to support the firm’s expanding needs in the fields of automated data workflows, analytical systems, and machine learning–driven tools. He holds a B.A. in Data Science from UC Berkeley, where he studied machine learning, statistical modeling, probability, mathematics, and largescale data analysis.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2026- PRESENT)
Programmer
Develop automation workflows and data processing pipelines to streamline municipal compensation studies and related consulting deliverables. Build and maintain structured document and data systems that improve retrieval, analysis, and reporting of job classification and salary information. Conduct labor market and job classification research by compiling and analyzing salary schedules, job descriptions, and benchmark positions across multiple public agencies. Support modernization of consulting operations by introducing automated processes, standardized data structures, and reproducible reporting methods.

SANTA ROSA CITY SCHOOLS (2024- PRESENT)
Data Analysis & Automation Consultant
Perform statistical analysis on student performance, attendance, and demographic data to support district decision making. Build automated workflows for cleaning, transforming, and analyzing recurring datasets across grading periods. Develop dashboards and visualizations communicating performance trends and equity gaps to stakeholders.

Education
University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts in Data Science - Dec 2024
Relevant Coursework: Machine Learning, Data Structures, Probability, Linear Algebra, Statistical Modeling
Skills
Programming: Python, SQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Java
Libraries/Tools: Pandas, NumPy, scikit-learn, Plotly, Git, Excel, PyTorch, Supabase, Vite Techniques: Machine Learning, Statistical Modeling, Data Visualization, Automation Workflows, Data Pipelines
Michael Eric Walker Jr.

Human Resources Technician
Summary
Michael is based in Sacramento and supports public agencies across Northern California with a strong community focused perspective. He brings prior experience in high-volume hospitality and event operations, where he developed strengths in team leadership, service delivery, and managing fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, he values family, physical fitness, creative expression through music and art, travel, and community engagement. These interests reinforce his collaborative mindset, adaptability, and appreciation for diverse perspectives - qualities that support effective stakeholder interaction in public sector consulting environments.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2022- PRESENT)
Human Resources Technician
Provides administrative and technical support to municipal and regional public agencies across classification, compensation, records management, and organizational development functions.

Experienced in structured job analysis, job description development, compensation data compilation, internal equity review, organizational assessment, and HR workflow improvement. Brings strong technical proficiency in confidential records management, cloud based HR systems, and large-scale digitization, indexing, and retention of personnel files to enhance accessibility, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Education
San Francisco City College – San Francisco, CA (2012-2014) Lane Community College – Eugen, OR (2009-2011)
Skills
Digital HR Tools, Document Scanning & Archiving, Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom, Team Leadership, Customer Service, Event Coordination
Braulio Resendiz Cordova
Human Resources Technician
Summary
Braulio joined Muchmore Than Consulting in 2024 to support the firm’s expanding technical and administrative operations. He currently administers the company’s cloud‑based file storage system, overseeing file organization, system structure, and backup management to ensure smooth internal workflows. In addition to his technical responsibilities, he provides operational support to both the Recruitment and Compensation teams, contributing to data management, applicant processing, and project coordination. Braulio is a Bay Area resident and holds a B.S. in Information Systems from California State University, Northridge.

Experience
MUCHMORE THAN CONSULTING (MTC) (2024- PRESENT)
Administration & Human Resources Technician
Reviewed and digitized personnel records as part of large-scale document management projects, ensuring accurate capture, organization, and secure digital storage. Operated and maintained laptops, printers, scanners, and other technical equipment essential to project execution.

Supported recruitment operations by proctoring assessments, reviewing 800+ applications across all levels, and preparing structured applicant reports for hiring managers. Posted job descriptions across multiple job boards and ensured accurate representation of required qualifications.

Developed a cloud based file storage system to streamline document organization, strengthen data security, and reduce retrieval time. Managed the company’s backup drive containing more than 96,000 files, ensuring proper structure, accessibility, and operational continuity.

Represented the firm at industry conventions by staffing the company booth and communicating service offerings to prospective public-sector clients. Contributed to classification studies by gathering, organizing, and formatting compensation and organizational data from public agencies.

Education
California State University, Northridge
Bachelor of Science in Information Systems - July 2024
Skills
Software: SQL, HTML, CSS
Programs: SharePoint, Excel, Microsoft Office, Tableau, Salesforce, Zoom Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent)
Leadership: Eagle Scout (2017)
Permit Summary Report (Total Fees Paid)
Current
Month
March 2026
Month Last
Year
March 2025
Current Yr-ToDate
7/1/2025 -
3/31/2026
Last Yr-To-Date
7/1/2024 -
3/31/2025
Building
Count 5 5 45 51
Total Fees $762.02 $6,931.53 $16,031.95 $30,942.70
Fees Paid $762.02 $6,931.53 $16,031.95 $30,942.70
Total Valuation 27,500.00 408,468.00 640,539.96 1,501,459.64 Total Square Feet 0 1,754 5,033 29,288
Administrative $0.00 $2,221.79 $3,301.81 $9,797.01
BSF $5.00 $19.00 $55.00 $84.00
Building Department (OTC Permit
Fees) $0.00 $0.00 $297.00 $959.00
Building Department (Permit Fees) $591.25 $4,032.78 $9,889.02 $17,741.01 Building Miscellaneous Fees $121.87 $0.00 $1,468.12 $47.00 Encroachment Permit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Encroachment Permit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
GPM $38.50 $571.86 $896.76 $2,042.13
Processing $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
SMIP Commercial $3.08 $61.60 $71.28 $152.93
SMIP Residential $2.32 $24.50 $52.96 $119.62
Demolition
Count 1 0 4 4
Total Fees $150.96 $0.00 $280.89 $511.59
Fees Paid $150.96 $0.00 $280.89 $511.59
Total Valuation 7,000.00 0.00 10,500.00 15,000.00
Total Square Feet 0 0 0 3,010
Administrative $0.00 $0.00 $15.28 $116.51
BSF $1.00 $0.00 $3.00 $4.00
Building Department (OTC Permit
Fees) $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Building Department (Permit Fees) $139.25 $0.00 $246.00 $366.75 Building Miscellaneous Fees $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Encroachment Permit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Encroachment Permit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
GPM $9.80 $0.00 $14.70 $21.00
Processing $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
SMIP Commercial $0.00 $0.00 $0.50 $1.68
SMIP Residential $0.91 $0.00 $1.41 $1.65
Electrical
Count 6 3 33 30
Total Fees $1,422.00 $301.80 $6,602.87 $6,007.72
Fees Paid $1,422.00 $301.80 $6,602.87 $6,007.72
To
tal Valuation64,625.008,500.00262,824.71243,618.21
Total SquareFeet0002,882
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$635.04
BSF$5.00$3.00$35.00$33.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$432.00$216.00$2,646.00$3,374.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$553.25$69.25$2,358.41$1,582.50 BuildingMiscellaneousFees$359.61$0.00$1,167.97$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$62.48$11.90$339.96$341.06
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $7.00$0.00$39.54$16.06
SMIPResidential $2.66$1.65$15.99$26.06
EncroachmentPermit
Count1010
Total Fees$420.00$0.00$420.00$0.00
FeesPaid$420.00$0.00$420.00$0.00
Total Valuation0.000.000.000.00
Total SquareFeet0000
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BSF$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$420.00$0.00$420.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPResidential $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Grading
Count0000
Total Fees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
FeesPaid$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Total Valuation0.000.000.000.00
Total SquareFeet0000
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BSF$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPResidential $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Mechanical Count
041318
Total Fees$0.00$502.73$1,642.01$2,168.29
FeesPaid$0.00$502.73$1,642.01$2,168.29
Total Valuation0.0042,329.00158,679.00166,866.00
Total SquareFeet01,02002,270
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BSF$0.00$4.00$14.00$18.00
B
uildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$432.00$1,377.00$1,890.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$59.27$222.15$233.62
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$3.64$15.08$8.47
SMIPResidential $0.00$3.82$13.78$18.20
Plumbing
Count0077
Total Fees$0.00$0.00$615.82$2,233.64
FeesPaid$0.00$0.00$615.82$2,233.64
Total Valuation0.000.0024,168.58107,100.00
Total SquareFeet0000
Administrative$0.00$0.00$58.66$666.83
BSF$0.00$0.00$7.00$10.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$0.00$243.00$351.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$269.05$1,025.90 BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$0.00$33.84$149.94
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$0.00$0.00$27.92
SMIPResidential $0.00$0.00$4.27$2.05
Re-Roof
Count462930
Total Fees$442.21$801.29$3,410.88$3,488.47
FeesPaid$442.21$801.29$3,410.88$3,488.47
Total Valuation55,525.00157,840.00516,862.46648,635.81
Total SquareFeet8505,6007,93817,840
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$40.50
BSF$4.00$10.00$37.00$41.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$351.00$540.00$2,511.00$2,403.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$47.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$77.74$220.98$723.61$872.27
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $4.20$18.28$46.82$94.54
SMIPResidential $5.27$12.03$45.45$37.16
SewerLateral Inspection
Count0000
Total Fees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
FeesPaid$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Total Valuation0.000.000.000.00
Total SquareFeet0000
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BSF$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
E
ncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPResidential $0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Solar
Count00611
Total Fees$0.00$0.00$2,609.76$5,217.55
FeesPaid$0.00$0.00$2,609.76$5,217.55
Total Valuation0.000.00223,378.43262,408.37
Total SquareFeet0000
Administrative$0.00$0.00$0.00$215.63
BSF$0.00$0.00$13.00$16.00
BuildingDepartment(OTCPermit
Fees)
$0.00$0.00$2,208.00$4,150.00
BuildingDepartment(PermitFees)$0.00$0.00$0.00$331.74
BuildingMiscellaneousFees$0.00$0.00$47.00$94.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
GPM$0.00$0.00$312.73$367.37
Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
SMIPCommercial $0.00$0.00$0.00$16.23
SMIPResidential $0.00$0.00$29.03$26.58
Total Count1718138151
Total Fees$3,197.19$8,537.35$31,614.18$50,569.96
Total FeesPaid$3,197.19$8,537.35$31,614.18$50,569.96
Total Valuation154,650.00617,137.001,836,953.142,945,088.03 Total SquareFeet8508,37412,97155,290
Total Administrative$0.00$2,221.79$3,375.75$11,471.52
Total BSF$15.00$36.00$164.00$206.00
Total BuildingDepartment(OTC
PermitFees)
$783.00$1,188.00$9,282.00$13,127.00
Total BuildingDepartment(Permit
Fees)
$1,283.75$4,102.03$12,762.48$21,047.90
Total BuildingMiscellaneousFees$481.48$0.00$2,730.09$141.00 Total EncroachmentPermit$420.00$0.00$420.00$0.00
Total EncroachmentPermit$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Total GPM$188.52$864.01$2,543.75$4,027.39
Total Processing$0.00$0.00$0.00$0.00
Total SMIPCommercial $14.28$83.52$173.22$317.83
Total SMIPResidential $11.16$42.00$162.89$231.32
BL# Business Name Name Address Date Issued Type of Bussiness 7449 WILLITS DISCOUNT MARKET RATIB NORZEI 865 S MAIN ST 3/5/2026 RETAIL DISCOUNT MARKET New Business License - March 2026
Item No. 9a
Meeting Date: April 22, 2026

AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Dusty Duley, Community and Economic Development Director Agenda Title: CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST THAT THE CITY OF WILLITS VACATE AN UNDEVELOPED ALLEY APPROXIMATELY 14 FEET WIDE AND 180 FEET LONG, ORIENTED EAST–WEST THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE OAK PARK ADDITION SUBDIVISION IN 1902.

Type: Presentation Consent Regular Agenda Public Hearing Urgent Time: 30 minutes.

Summary of Request: Applicant William Harris requests that the City vacate an approximately 14-foot-wide undeveloped alley established by the 1902 Oak Park Addition subdivision map. The alley is located behind residential parcels fronting West Oak Street and State Highway 20. Staff has determined that the alley does not serve a broader public purpose, no utilities are located within the right-of-way, and the proposed vacation will not adversely impact emergency access or consistency with the City’s General Plan. If approved, the public right-of-way easement would be extinguished and the underlying property interests would revert to adjoining property owners to the centerline, subject to completion of required survey and recordation work.

Background:
• The alley was platted with the Oak Park Addition subdivision in 1902 and currently abuts the rear yards of 21 parcels fronting West Oak Street and State Highway 20 (APNs: 006-131-01, -02, -03, -09, -10, -11, -15, -16, -17, -18, -19, -20, -23, -24, -25, -26, -27, -33, -34, -39, -40). • The applicant intends, if the alley is vacated, to extend his lot lines to the centerline and use the additional area consistent with R-1 Single-Family zoning.
• The applicant raised public safety and maintenance concerns (illegal camping, fire risk during high vegetation). The City previously installed a fence at the alley’s east end, but City locks have been repeatedly replaced or broken, creating enforcement and maintenance issues. • Local utility providers were contacted, and no utilities are located in the alley. The alley appears to provide no broader public function beyond access for adjacent owners. • Staff is unclear when the City first assumed regular alley maintenance (vegetation removal typically occurs at least twice per year).

Discussion: This item was before the Council at the December 10, 2025 and February 11, 2026 meetings for discussion. Public comment reflected mixed views, with some speakers opposing abandonment due to concerns about property expectations, neighborhood impacts, and access, while others supported abandonment citing safety, maintenance, and nuisance issues. Council members also expressed differing perspectives regarding precedent, City priorities, and potential cost savings and private use benefits. Directions to staff included ensuring confirmation from utilities and emergency services and completing the formal noticing and hearing process should Council choose to proceed.

Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution approving Right-of-Way Abandonment No. RA 23-01 and vacating the subject alley right-of-way, subject to the conditions of approval.

Alternative(s): Deny the request or continue the item for additional information.

Fiscal Impact: The vacation of the alley will have no negative impact on the City’s General Fund. These actions will provide a minimal beneficial impact as it allows the new property owners to move forward with any development of the property consistent with zoning and building code and eliminate the need for City resources and responsibility for the maintenance of the alley being vacated.

Personnel Impact: Vacation of the alley would result in a reduction in City staff time to maintain the alley.

Identified City Council Conflict of Interest: None
California Environmental Quality Act: Categorically exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15305 (Class 5 – Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations).

CITY COUNCIL AGENDA STAFF REPORT
MEETING MEETING DATE: April 22nd, 2026 AGENDA ITEM NO:

TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
PREPARED BY: Dusty Duley, Community and Economic Development Director ____________________________________________________________________________________ CASE NUMBER:

APPLICANT:

REQUEST:

LOCATION:

RIGHT-OF-WAY ABANDONMENT #RA 23-01

WILLIAM HARRIS
Applicant is requesting that the City of Willits vacate an undeveloped alley approximately 14 feet wide and 180 feet long, oriented east–west. The alley was originally established as part of the Oak Park Addition Subdivision in 1902. The request also includes conveyance of the vacated alley from its centerline to each of the twenty-one adjoining parcel owners.

Alley is located between residential homes that front West Oak Street and State Highway 20 including the following described parcels:
006-131-01, -02, -03, -09, -10, -11, 15, -16, -17, -18, -19, -20, -23, -24, -25, -26, -27, -33, -34, -39, and -40.

ENVIRONMENTAL
DETERMINATION:

Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Section 15305 (Class 5 – Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations) of the CEQA Guidelines.

RECOMMENDATION: Approve a resolution vacating an approximately 14-foot-wide unnamed alley right-of-way created by the 1902 Oak Park Addition subdivision map.

BACKGROUND
The property owner of 53 West Oak Street, William Harris, is requesting that the City vacate a 14-foot wide by 180-foot-long strip of land currently available for use by adjacent property owners as an alley.

Upon City approval to vacate the alley, the owner intends to extend his existing property lines to the centerline of the alley and utilize the additional area consistent with the Single-Family Residence (R-1) zoning designation. The applicant has also expressed concerns regarding illegal camping as well as fire hazards posed by the alley, particularly during periods of high vegetation growth.

The alley was originally established as part of the Oak Park Addition to Willits subdivision in 1902 (Attachment A). While staff is unclear about the original intended use of the alley, alleys of that era commonly served functions such as garbage collection. The alley presently abuts the rear yards of twenty-one properties, most of which support single-family residences (Attachment B). Staff is also unaware of when the City first assumed responsibility for alley maintenance, which typically includes vegetation removal at least twice per year.

Summary of Prior Council Discussion at December 10, 2025, Meeting At the December 10th meeting, Council considered a discussion item regarding the subject Right-of-Way Abandonment Request #RA 23-01. City staff provided an overview of the request, including the alley’s history, physical characteristics, and the proposed abandonment and conveyance framework. 2 Public comment reflected mixed opinions. Several speakers expressed opposition to abandoning the alley, citing concerns related to property ownership expectations, neighborhood impacts, and public access. Other speakers supported abandonment, noting ongoing maintenance and safety issues within the alley, including fire risk and illegal activity, and expressing interest in incorporating the area into adjoining private properties.

Council discussion similarly reflected differing perspectives. Some Council members expressed reluctance to proceed with abandonment, indicating concerns about precedent and whether abandonment should remain a City priority. Other members noted that abandonment could reduce City maintenance responsibilities, save public resources, and allow adjacent property owners to make productive use of the land, including potential future residential improvements.

No formal action was taken. Council directed that the matter return for further discussion at the February 11th City Council meeting.

Summary of Prior Council Discussion at February 11, 2026, Meeting City staff supported further discussion of the alley abandonment request at the February 11th meeting.

Multiple members of the public spoke both in support of and opposition to the proposed alley abandonment.

Discussion included clarification from the City Attorney that the alley was created by subdivision map and is presumed to be a public right-of-way easement, with underlying fee ownership likely extending to adjacent property owners. Questions were raised regarding long-term maintenance responsibility, with clarification that upon abandonment, the public easement would be extinguished and abutting property owners would assume responsibility.

Council members expressed interest in confirming impacts to emergency access and utilities. Staff indicated that outreach to utilities and the Fire Department has not identified any conflicts or concerns to date.

Council discussion reflected differing perspectives on whether the alley serves a public purpose.

Directions to staff included ensuring confirmation from utilities and emergency services and completing the formal noticing and hearing process should Council choose to proceed.

DISCUSSION
Several adjacent property owners have expressed opposition to the proposed vacation, noting that they rely on the alley to maintain convenient access to their backyards, while several other owners have expressed their support for the request.

In response to past neighborhood concerns about non-residents entering the alley, the City installed a fence at the east end of the alley corridor. However, the City’s lock on this gate has been repeatedly replaced with non-City locks or broken entirely, creating ongoing access and maintenance challenges for staff.

Aside from providing access to the rear yards of adjoining parcels, the alley does not appear to serve a broader public purpose. Both the applicant and the City have contacted local utility providers, all of whom have confirmed that no utility facilities are located within the alley. The City likewise has no utilities within the area subject to the vacation request.

Accordingly, the alley primarily functions as a private access corridor rather than a public facility, and its continued designation as a public right-of-way does not provide a significant community benefit.

RIGHT-OF-WAY ABANDONMENT PROCESS
Willits City Code
A property owner may request the abandonment (vacation) of a public right-of-way by submitting an application to the City Clerk. Any request must be approved by the City Council at a public hearing after 3 considering comments from City staff, affected utilities, and the public. A request for the abandonment of a public right-of-way may be granted subject to conditions, or denied by the City Council, pursuant to Public Streets, Highways, and Service Easement Vacation Law (California Streets and Highways Code, Section 8300, et seq).

Further, before granting a right-of-way abandonment, the City Council must make all of the following findings (Willits Municipal Code §12.10.040):

1. Jurisdiction and Need
The abandonment is within the City’s jurisdiction and is determined to be unnecessary for present or prospective public use;

2. General Plan Consistency
The abandonment is in conformity with and does not adversely affect the General Plan and any adopted special or area plan applicable to the project location;

3. Public Interest / Improved Land Use
The abandonment is in the public interest through the improved utilization of land;

4. No Detrimental Impact to Original Purpose
The public interest for which the public right-of-way was originally acquired will not be detrimentally affected by the abandonment.

5. Conditions Protect Public Welfare
The conditions established by the Council for the abandonment are deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety and general welfare.

Findings are included in the draft resolution (Attachment D) State Law
The proposed alley vacation is governed by the Public Streets, Highways, and Service Easements Vacation Law (California Streets and Highways Code §§8300–8363). This law establishes the procedures and standards that cities must follow when considering the abandonment (“vacation”) of a public street, alley, or public service easement.

Under the law, a city may vacate all or part of a public right-of-way either on its own initiative or in response to a request or petition from an interested party. Prior to acting on a vacation request, the City must publish and post required notices and hold a public hearing where all interested persons may provide testimony.

At the hearing, the City Council must consider whether the right-of-way is unnecessary for present or prospective public use, which is the core legal standard for granting a vacation (§8324). If the Council makes this finding, it may adopt a resolution formally vacating all or part of the alley. The resolution may include conditions that must be satisfied prior to recordation.

The law also requires the City to consider consistency with the General Plan (§8313) and to notify any public bodies or utilities that have requested advance notice of vacation actions (§8347). Existing public utility facilities in use generally must be preserved unless the utility determines otherwise (§8340, §8334.5).

Upon recordation of the resolution of vacation by the City Clerk, the vacation becomes legally effective (§8325). Once vacated, public rights in the alley are extinguished unless the City expressly reserves easements needed for utilities or future public access.

Survey Approach Summary
4 To facilitate the alley abandonment and subsequent reversion of land to adjoining property owners, the applicant’s licensed surveyor has proposed a cost-effective alternative to preparing individual legal descriptions for each of the twenty-one affected parcels.

Rather than completing separate boundary surveys, legal descriptions, and plats for each parcel, the surveyor proposes to define the block as a whole through a boundary survey. This approach would rely on existing street monuments, or alternatively curb alignments and lines of occupation, to establish the overall block dimensions. Once established, the centerline of the 14-foot-wide alley would be determined and monumented.

Monuments would be set along the alley centerline at key locations, with intermediate staking provided to allow adjoining property owners the option to extend improvements, such as fencing, to the centerline.

The surveyor would then prepare and record a Record of Survey depicting the block boundaries, the alley location, and the established centerline.

This approach provides a practical method to implement the legal reversion of the vacated right-of-way to adjoining parcels without requiring individual parcel reconfiguration.

Applicant Responsibility
The applicant shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with required survey work, preparation and recordation of documents, including but not limited to the Record of Survey and any necessary title or deed updates, with the Mendocino County Assessor-Recorder’s Office.

CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis provided and direction from the City Council, the proposed alley vacation meets the required findings set forth in Willits Municipal Code §12.10.040 and the California Streets and Highways Code. The subject alley does not serve a present or prospective public use beyond limited private access, and its vacation would eliminate ongoing City maintenance obligations.

Staff has confirmed that the proposed vacation will not adversely impact utilities or emergency access and is consistent with the City’s General Plan. No separate conveyance of the vacated alley to adjoining property owners is necessary, as the City does not hold fee title to the underlying land and therefore has no property interest to convey. Upon vacation, the public right-of-way easement will be extinguished, and the underlying property interests will revert to the abutting property owners to the centerline, consistent with applicable law.

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution approving Right-of-Way Abandonment #RA 23-01, subject to completion of required survey, monumentation, and recordation actions necessary to effectuate the reversion of the underlying property interests.

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A – Oak Park Addition Subdivision Map (1902) Attachment B – Location Map
Attachment C – Assessor’s Map
Attachment D – Resolution
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ATTACHMENT B
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ATTACHMENT C
Resolution No. 2026- April 22, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-__

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS APPROVING THE VACATION OF AN APPROXIMATELY 14-FOOT-WIDE ALLEY RIGHT-OF-WAY ESTABLISHED BY THE 1902 OAK PARK ADDITION SUBDIVISION MAP WHEREAS, the applicant, William Harris, has filed a Right-of-Way Abandonment Application #RA 23-01 to vacate an unnamed alley located between residential homes that front West Oak Street and State Highway 20 including the following described parcels: 006-131-01, -02, -03, -09, -10, -11, 15, -16, -17, -18, -19, -20, -23, -24, -25, -26, -27, -33, -34, -39, and -40; and
WHEREAS, the subject alley right-of-way was originally established as part of the Oak Park Addition Subdivision in 1902 (Exhibit “B”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Streets and Highways Code 8333, the subject right-of-way may be considered for vacation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the subject right-of-way is unnecessary for present or prospective public use based on substantial evidence in the record; and WHEREAS, this application is exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15305 (Class 5 - Minor Alterations in Land Use Limitations) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and,
WHEREAS, the City Council intends to vacate the subject right-of-way pursuant to Streets and Highways Code Section 8300, et seq; and,
WHEREAS, public notice was provided consistent with the requirements of the Streets and Highways Code and applicable provisions of the Willits Municipal Code; and, WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a duly noticed public hearing at its regular meeting on April 22, 2026 and considered all testimony and evidence presented; and, WHEREAS, the City Council had an opportunity to review this Resolution and finds that it accurately sets forth the intentions of the City Council regarding the Categorical Exemptions and the project.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the City Council of the City of Willits makes the following findings pursuant to Willits Municipal Code Section 12.10:

1. The abandonment is within the City’s jurisdiction and is determined to be unnecessary for present or prospective public use
This finding is met because the subject alleyway is within the City’s jurisdiction and the only lawful interest presently served by the alley is by the abutting property owners for secondary access to their respective parcels. This use is a private interest that does not benefit the public.

There is no present or prospective public use for the alley.

2. The abandonment is in conformity with and does not adversely affect the General Plan and any adopted special or area plan applicable to the project location
This finding is met because abandonment of the alley does not adversely affect the General Plan and instead complies with General Plan requirements by its protection of public health, safety and welfare interests. The City’s Land Use Element LU-3.7 of its 2024 General Plan requires that public health, safety, and welfare interests be considered in reviewing proposals Resolution No. 2026- April 22, 2026
for changes in land use. Abandonment of the alley serves these interests by reducing instances of illegal camping and loitering in the alley, reducing the risk of fires and eliminating the public cost to maintain the alley.

3. The abandonment is in the public interest through the improved utilization of land
There is presently only private use, and no lawful public utilization of the alley. Abandonment will result in the abutting owners regaining ownership of the alley up to the centerline, free of the public easement. This change will result in improved utilization of the land and a benefit to the public by eliminating the City’s maintenance costs and liability exposure for an underutilized public easement.

4. The public interest for which the public right-of-way was originally acquired will not be detrimentally affected by the abandonment
The public easement in the subject alley was acquired as a result of the City’s acceptance of a residential subdivision in 1902 and the recordation of a final subdivision map in which the location of the alley was depicted. The public interest for which the alley was originally acquired is presumed to have been for the purpose of municipal garbage collection. No other public interest for which the alley was originally acquired is known. Because the alley is not presently necessary for garbage collection purposes, nor for any other public purpose, abandonment of the alley will not detrimentally affect any public interest.

5. The conditions established by the Council for the abandonment are deemed necessary to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare.

The City Council finds that the conditions imposed for the abandonment are necessary to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare. Such conditions include, but are not limited to, the completion of required survey work, monumentation, and recordation of documents to clearly establish the centerline of the vacated alley and ensure proper reversion of underlying property interests to abutting property owners. These conditions provide for an orderly transition of property rights and help prevent future boundary uncertainty or disputes.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Willits hereby approves the vacation of the subject right-of-way, as described herein and depicted in Exhibit “B”, subject to the Conditions of Approval set forth in Exhibit “A”.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Clerk is directed to cause this Resolution of Vacation to be recorded in the Office of the Mendocino County Assessor-Recorder upon satisfaction of all conditions of approval.

The above and foregoing Resolution was introduced by Councilmember __________ seconded by Councilmember ____________ and passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Willits, held on the 22nd day of April 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ATTEST:
______________________________
TOM ALLMAN, Mayor
City Council of the City of Willits
____________________________

DELORES PEDERSEN
City Clerk
Resolution No. 2026- April 22, 2026

EXHIBIT A

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
RIGHT-OF-WAY ABANDONMENT NO. RA-23-01
April 22, 2026

1. The applicant shall be solely responsible for all costs associated with required survey work, preparation and recordation of documents, including but not limited to the Record of Survey and any necessary title or deed updates, with the Mendocino County Assessor-Recorder’s Office.

2. Prior to recordation of the Resolution of Vacation, the applicant shall, at their sole cost, complete all required survey and title documentation to the satisfaction of the City, consistent with the following:
a. A licensed land surveyor shall prepare and record a Record of Survey defining the subject block boundaries and establishing the centerline of the vacated alley. b. The survey shall include the placement of monuments along the alley centerline at locations sufficient to identify the line for purposes of extending adjoining property boundaries.
c. The survey methodology may rely on existing street monuments, or where such monuments cannot be located, on curb alignments and lines of occupation to establish control.
d. The applicant shall coordinate with a title company to ensure that all affected properties appropriately reference the alley vacation as necessary, including the recorded Resolution of Vacation, and may include language extending property sidelines to the centerline of the vacated alley.
e. Any required updates to deeds or title records necessary to reflect the reversion of the underlying land to abutting property owners shall be completed to the satisfaction of the City Attorney prior to, or concurrent with, recordation. !
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EXHIBIT B
Item No. 9b
Meeting Date: April 22, 2026

AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
From: Davey Bowles, Building and Public Works Director
Agenda Title: CAL FIRE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE, IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF FIRCO RD AND ELLS FIELD AIRPORT.

Type: Presentation Consent Regular Agenda Public Hearing Urgent Time: 15 minutes.

Summary of Request: Adopt a Resolution directing the City Manager to finalize a Cooperative Agreement/License with CAL FIRE regarding access Ells Field Airport for the purpose of improvement and maintenance of the city owned portion of Firco Rd.

CAL FIRE has requested access to Ells Field Airport, and the adjacent city owned portion of Firco Rd for the purpose of removing vegetation within 10’ of the roadway, improving clearance for emergency vehicles, improving and maintaining a drivable road surface. Work will be conducted using manual methods, and where necessary, heavy equipment. These activities will reduce wildfire risk and support emergency access, annual training for firefighting, prevention, and law enforcement personnel.

CAL FIRE currently has agreements with the property owners for Firco Rd except for the city owned portion. The length of Firco Rd on city property is approximately 350 feet. Allowing CAL FIRE to improve and maintain this portion of Firco Rd would allow vital access for first responders and emergency personnel.

The city currently has a separate land use agreement with CAL FIRE allowing access and use of Ells Field during emergencies.

Recommended Action: Adopt a Resolution directing the City Manager to finalize a Cooperative Agreement/License with CAL Fire regarding ELLS Field Airport and Firco Rd.

Alternative(s): None Recommended
Fiscal Impact: None
Personnel Impact: Staff coordination time with CAL FIRE Identified City Council Conflict of Interest: None
California Environmental Quality Act: Performed by CAL FIRE as required.

This Item Relates to the following General Plan Element : N/A Land Use Circulation Conservation and Open Space Noise Housing Public Services and Facilities, Parks and Recreation Economic Development
Reviewed by: Interim City Manager City Attorney City Clerk Finance Director Human Resources Council Action: Approved Denied Other: ________________________________________ Records: Agreement Resolution #_________ Ordinance #_________ Other _________ “A California General Law Local Government”
April 1, 2025
City of Willits
Services and Facilities Director Walter Kolon
111 East Commercial Street
Willits, CA 95490
Re: FirCo Road Emergency Vehicle Access from the Airport Cutoff before “Meadowlark Trail” Dear Mr. Kolon,
This letter is reaching out to you in order to help facilitate the final leg of the FirCo Road Emergency Vehicle Access Route and to effectively implement the County of Mendocino Sherwood Corridor Special Benefit Assessment. With your help, we can finalize a long-sought emergency access route for first responders to facilities in and around the City’s airport in case of wildfire.

FirCo Road exists generally to the north and toward the east of Ells Field (the City’s airport) in Brooktrails. In case of emergency, as we experienced with the Oak Fire in 2020, both lanes of Sherwood Road may be converted to one-way traffic when used for evacuation. Brooktrails Township has worked with property owners and CalFire to create alternate Emergency Vehicle Access Routes to facilitate the deployment of emergency vehicles in case of full evacuation down Sherwood Road. This is not an alternate access route or second access for travel by vehicles or pedestrians; it is a worst-case scenario way for emergency vehicles to reach the airport and deploy from where agency staff and equipment would likely gather for emergency response in this neighborhood.

After Brooktrails Township spent considerable time and effort to complete the FirCo Road Emergency Vehicle Access Route, a single property owner along the “Meadowlark Trail” has physically obstructed the county’s ability to use its special benefit assessment money to improve and maintain the FirCo Road access all the way through to Poppy Drive. Therefore, we are respectfully requesting your cooperation in securing the final leg of this route through the western property line of the airport, where the log staging area along the original FirCo Road route was located when it was an active logging road until about the 1930s.

Approximately 2000 linear feet of twelve to fifteen foot wide vegetation clearance could be cleared by CalFIRE crews along the cutoff route and funded by the county assessment collection. This location would not interfere with the activities or tenants at the airport and no structures of any height would be built. Fencing and other security measures put into place by the City around the airport would be protected through coordination with you and your staff.

With CalFire’s labor assistance, this roughly 2000-foot route through to only the immediate area near the airport entrance on Poppy Drive could be created and maintained in order to allow the

EXHIBIT A
“A California General Law Local Government”
Sheriff’s Department to safely direct emergency vehicles in case of a wildfire emergency near the airport when both lanes of Sherwood Road are being used for evacuation. CalFIRE staff has agreed that they can complete the clearance work this summer.

As you are aware, CalFIRE has recently completed its fire mapping for the City of Willits and the City’s airport was classified under the Very High Fire Severity Zone. This emergency access route of travel would create an additional safety mechanism for the City’s airport facilities, as well as its surrounding neighborhood to help ensure that equipment and personnel from emergency responders could arrive quickly and safely to fight any fires near the airport.

Our Fire Chief had a preliminary meeting with City of Willits and CalFIRE personnel to roughly lay out a plan and route. We would like to meet with you further on this plan and coordinate with the county to finalize this last short leg of the emergency vehicle access route. We believe it would be in the best interest of the City to have this memorialized in an agreement and would appreciate your cooperation on this important project.

Sincerely,
Tamara Alaniz, MPA
General Manager
Cc: by email
District Counsel Chris Neary
County Supervisor John Haschak
CalFIRE Battalion Chief Josh Duport

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE
for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Fires
CAL FIRE 719 (REV. 1/26) (Page 1 of 5)
CAL FIRE #
(No. assigned by HQ TS, Right of Way Unit)

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE

PROJECT
NAME:

UNIT
Designated
LICENSOR:
(Owner as
Recorded)
Designated
LICENSEE:

Supervising Right of Way
Agent

AUTHORITY
CITED:

Public Resources Code 4141. The Department may, for the prevention and suppression of forest fires, enter into cooperative agreements with any person, firm, association, or corporation that owns or controls any forest, brush, grass, or grain lands, under such terms as the Department deems advisable, and may renew, revise, or terminate these agreements.

Government Code 14662.5. In any agreement entered into whereby the state obtains a grant of easement, lease, license, right-of-way entry (including without limitation, a right-of-way, or right of entry on or over property of any railroad), the state agency or its director entering into the agreement on behalf of the state may agree to indemnify and hold harmless the grantor, lessor, or licensor and may agree to repair or pay for any damage proximately caused by reason of the uses authorized by such easement, lease, license, right-of-way, or right of entry agreement.

THIS AGREEMENT DATED: ___________________________
This agreement will remain in effect for a period of up to ten (10) years or until LICENSOR or LICENSEE terminate the agreement or property changes ownership and thereby shall be renewed).

By and between LICENSOR and LICENSEE, named above, in consideration of public services to be performed by LICENSEE for the prevention and suppression of forest fires, hereby licenses to the LICENSEE, use of the property under the ownership and/or control of LICENSOR, described as follows:

PROPERTY
DESCRIPTION:

Provide address, Assessor Parcel Number (APN) and/or portion of Section/Township/ Range, and/or other parcel identifier(s): (attach table identifying landowner(s) and associated APN’s or identifying legal description.)

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE
for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Fires
CAL FIRE 719 (REV. 1/26) (Page 2 of 5)
CAL FIRE #
(No. assigned by HQ TS, Right of Way Unit)
PURPOSE: Said Agreement on the above described premises will be as follows:
☐ Right of entry for field work related to the development of Fuels Reduction Projects.
(No California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation required, no ground disturbing activities required)
☐ Implementation of work per approved CEQA documentation. (Non-fire specific)
CEQA State Clearing House Identification Number required.

SCH ID #: _______________________
☐ Other: __________________________
Purpose Description:

ATTACHMENTS:

SUBJECT TO:

RIGHT TO
TERMINATE:

Total number of pages attached _________, if applicable - include the following checked items:
☐ Legal description ☐ Location map
☐ Site plan ☐ Assessors map (with project boundaries)
☐ Other: ______________________
To the extent that they can legally do so, both parties to this agreement agree to hold each other harmless against any and all claims for injury to the person or damage to the property, arising from the uses herein stated, except where such injury or damage is proximately caused by the negligent or willful acts of any persons not acting under or on behalf of either party to this agreement, its servants, agents, or employees. This form must be routed to Sacramento Right of Way Unit if exchange of resources for the project is required.

Either party may terminate this Agreement with 90 days written notice, and in event of and prior to such termination, reserves the right to remove any improvement erected by it upon the said premises.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE
for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Fires
CAL FIRE 719 (REV. 1/26) (Page 3 of 5)
CAL FIRE #
(No. assigned by HQ TS, Right of Way Unit)
LICENSOR LICENSEE:
or authorized Agent for landowner:

Print Name:___________________________
Signature:____________________________
Owner ☐ Agent ☐ (Controls Property)
*Signature:__________________________
Date: ______________________________
Email: _____________________________
*Note: Under penalty of perjury Authorized
agent signature acknowledges owner consent.

State of CA Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection Unit Chief or Vegetation
Management Plan (VMP) coordinator
Signature:______________________________
Date: _________________________________
Email: _________________________________
**Technical Services Supervising Right of Way
Agent
Signature:______________________________
Date:__________________________________
**Signature required if funds are exchanged for
the project.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE
for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Fires
CAL FIRE 719 (REV. 1/26) (Page 4 of 5)
CAL FIRE #
(No. assigned by HQ TS, Right of Way Unit)
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE (CAL FIRE 719) INSTRUCTIONS CAL FIRE has its own statutory authority to enter into agreements with property owners for the prevention and suppression of forest fires, including, but not limited to: fire access truck trails, fuel breaks, weather telemetry stations, surveys for CEQA, access roads, utilities, water facilities, training sites, fire control staging areas, communications, etc.

Unit to fill in the form according to the following instructions:

Maintain CAL FIRE-719 form file at the Unit level when there is no exchange of funds and the 719 is used for access for the prevention and suppression of forest fires. This includes but is not limited to:
maintenance of fire access truck trails, fuel breaks, weather telemetry stations, surveys for CEQA, access roads, utilities, water facilities, training sites, fire control staging areas, and communications sites.

Provide CEQA documentation (if applicable) when requesting a CAL FIRE NUMBER. The use of this form is not for beneficial fire agreements. A RM-70, RM-75, or RM-80 is to be used for beneficial fire agreements.

If the project does have an exchange of funds for the landowner, then submit a completed CAL FIRE-719, project map outlining affected APN(s) for each affected ownership, and attached documents via email, to the Right of Way Unit, Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services – [email protected] for review prior to gaining property owner signature. Once landowner(s) and attached documentation are verified, the CAL FIRE-719 will be returned with an assigned CAL FIRE NUMBER, and Supervising Right of Way Agent approval.

1. Once approved and returned to you via email or through DocuSign signature application the submitter will acquire landowner(s) signature via DocuSign or “wet ink”.

2. Have all originals signed and dated by an appropriate CAL FIRE person responsible for the agreement (Unit Chief or VMP coordinator), in the LICENSEE section BEFORE sending out to “LICENSOR” for signature.

3. Return the DocuSign form through email or completed originals with wet signatures to the Right of Way Unit, Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services, Right of Way Unit - PO BOX 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460 or if using overnight mail, 1131 S Street, Sacramento, CA 95811.

4. When received by Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services, Right of Way Unit, the Supervising Right of Way Agent will sign and date, as the Licensee for the State of California. (DocuSign or applicable signature application is an allowable signature) If wet ink signatures are used:
• Executed originals will be returned to the Unit for distribution. Maintain one for the Unit and one for the Landowner, “Licensor”.
• One (1) fully executed agreement will be retained by Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services, Right of Way Unit.

5. If payment is involved, Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services, Right of Way Unit, will notify accounting to schedule payment(s).

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT/LICENSE
for Prevention and Suppression of Forest Fires
CAL FIRE 719 (REV. 1/26) (Page 5 of 5)
CAL FIRE #
(No. assigned by HQ TS, Right of Way Unit)
FIELDS TO BE FILLED:

CAL FIRE NUMBER: Provided by Sacramento Headquarters, Technical Services, Right of Way Unit when an exchange of funds occurs with the landowner.

PROJECT: Provide Project Name. (Location, Purpose, i.e. Redding AAB, Air Attack Management Class).

UNIT: Provide Project Unit location.

LICENSOR: Provide Name of Property Owner or landowner representative.

LICENSEE: This is the Right of Way agent in Technical Services, only complete if Funds are exchanged for the agreement.

THIS AGREEMENT: Enter date Agreement is to begin. (Allow 1-2 weeks for review and approval).

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: Provide Address, APN, and/or portion of Section/Township/Range, and/or any other identifier(s).

PURPOSE: Provide specific details of what property is to be used for.

ATTACHMENTS IF NEEDED: If applicable, enter the number of pages of attachments to be submitted. Double click on box that applies if including an attachment. Under “default value” choose “checked”. When checking “other”, please provide brief description (i.e. Fee and Schedule, additional detail, etc.).

Proposed
Treatment Areas:

Legend
Date 5/8/19 JL
Scale 1:24,000
1" = 2000'

EXHIBIT B
Resolution No. 2026-__ Page 1 of 1 April ___, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLITS TO ENTER INTO A

COOPERTIVE AGREEMENT WITH CAL FIRE FOR THE PUPOSE OF IMPROVING AND MAINTAINING THE CITY OWNED PORTION OF FIRCO ROAD.

WHEREAS, Firco Rd has been identified as an essential emergency access road for the Ells Field Airport and surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, the city owns approximately 350 feet of Firco Rd, located at Ells Field Airport; and
WHEREAS, allowing CAL FIRE access to Ells Field Airport for the purpose of improving and continued maintenance of Firco road would allow its use for first responders and emergency personnel; and
WHEREAS, the city currently has an existing land use agreement with CAL FIRE allowing for use and access of Ells Field Airport during emergencies; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Willits City Council Does hereby authorize and approve the City Manager to enter into a cooperative agreement with CAL Fire to improve and maintain the city owned portion of Firco Rd.

The above and foregoing Resolution was introduced by Councilmember seconded by Councilmember , and passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Willits, held on the 8th day of April, 2026, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ATTEST:
__________________________
_________________________________
TOM ALLMAN, Mayor
City Council of the City of Willits
DELORES PEDERSEN, City Clerk
1 Monthly Achievements & Activities
• Issued 17 Building Permits ...............................................12 in February. • Opened 11 Code Enforcement Cases ...........................3 in February. • Closed 5 Code Enforcement Cases................................3 in February. • Total of 54 Active Code Enforcement Cases..............48 in February.

The Department required an average of 11 calendar days to issue March Building Permits.  Over the counter Permits (reroofs/minor electrical) are typically issued on the day of submission and are not included in the average processing timeline.  Timeline includes time for Fire Department to complete required review for certain permits.

Project Updates
• Willits Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program
o $553,857 allocated (2019–2023 funding cycle)
o Now accepting applications for $25,000–$50,000 no-interest loans o Application deadline: April 30, 2026
o Program supports rehabilitation of owner-occupied affordable housing o For more information, property owners may contact Phil Davidson at [email protected] or 707-459-7153
• Willits Farmers Market
o Willits Farmers Market will return to Bud Snyder Park on Thursday, April 30th • Willits City Pool
o City Pool will open to the public starting June 8th and will remain open through August 14th.
o Pool schedule and list of available activities can be found on Community Development Department Facebook page or the City website.
• Downtown Entertainment Zone
o Staff is preparing a resolution to create an Entertainment Zone in the Downtown Willits area.
o Resolution is anticipated to be considered at the May 13 Council meeting. o Public notices will be sent to all property owners within and adjacent to the proposed Downtown Willits Entertainment Zone boundaries.
o A community meeting discussion is planned for April 15th. • Free Dump Days (Clean California Grant)
o Free dump vouchers were provided to City residents to dispose of household waste at the Willits Transfer Station between dates of February 24-28. o City residents disposed of 92.22 cubic yards of waste using free vouchers Community Development March 2026 | Report
2 Staffing Items
• No items to report.

Budget Status
• No items to report.

Focus for Next Month
• Clean California Grant
o Finalize Bud Snider Park Improvement Designs
o Coordinate with School District woodshop class to build community kiosks. o Release RFP for Main Street improvements including decorative streetlights and banner system
• Entertainment Zone Ordinance
o Resolution to establish entertainment zone in downtown Willits o Coordinate with Willits Police Department
o Seek community input including downtown business owners. • LAFCO Municipal Service Review
o Work with LAFCO staff to develop public draft MSR
o Submit Sphere of Influence Amendment application to be processed concurrently with City MSR update.
• Review the operational impacts of staffing changes and identify adjustments needed to maintain core service
• Complete the Oak Park Subdivision alley right-of-way abandonment process in accordance with State and local requirements.
• Work with MCOG and HCD to determine City of Willits Regional Housing Needs Allocation.

Achievements & Activities
• FY 2023-24 Audit Completed, represented to Council.
• Continued to work on Bank Reconciliations for current Fiscal Year in preparation of updated / re-formatted Monthly Treasurer Reports.
• Stalled on preparation for FY 2024-25 Audit due to reprioritization for layoffs • Received final trial balance for completed FY 2023-24 to work towards properly updating City’s General Ledger
• Continued to assist consultants on reporting and navigation within the Springbrook Software system.
• Posted all outstanding journal entries so that further review and balancing of the City’s general ledger can take place
Project Updates
• Springbrook Implementation:
o Working to identify Springbrook configuration implementation issues to determine path toward updated efficiencies
o Project Management Module on hold. Suggest disengagement due to downgrade in capability.

Staffing Items
• None
Focus for Next Month
• Reconciliation of City’s general ledger
• Prepare to develop forecast updates
• Work with all staff to prepare FY 2026-27 budget
Finance March 2026 | Report
1 Monthly Achievements & Activities
• Parts are still on order to replace a section of failed storm drain that caused a sinkhole on W. Mendocino Ave. Staff is hoping to begin work on this upon receiving the parts. • MD Tree Management used the man lift procured for the tree work at Recreation grove to remove the worn and faded flag on top of the Willits Arch and replace with a new flag. • Replacement parts to repair the damaged play structure at Snider Park were ordered. The original feature was discontinued and no longer available. • Multiple water leaks were repaired , and Public Works crew members assisted in flushing the Water System, see UTILITY REPORT for more details.
• Several hydrants were serviced and painted as needed at various locations. • Roadside mowing and vegetation mitigation season on City properties and adjacent to the public right of way has begun, as well as clearing around utility infrastructure as needed.
• The water pump on the street sweeper is not functioning; a repair tec. has been contacted to assess the machine. The water pump feeds the sprayers on the machine for dust suppression.
• A tree in poor health causing sidewalk uplift and potential damage to utilities in front of 90 Spruce St. was removed and the stump was ground below grade. An additional stump in the same location was also ground down.
• Vegetation removal was conducted on Camp Ln. adjacent to the fence separating the roadway from the main entrance to Brookside Elementary School was cut back for vehicle clearance and sight distance for the No Parking signs in that area. -COMPLETE Project Updates
• Flushing of the water distribution system on Main St. was completed in a series of three nights, with coordination between the utilities and maintenance departments. The variable message boards were deployed in advance to increase community awareness of the project and enhance the safety of the crews during the operations.

Services & Facilities April 2026 | Report
2 • Tree work at recreation Grove was completed my MD Tree Management to reduce liability and increase public safety in the area along S. Lenore St. The project focused on dead limb removal, weight reduction, and removal of trees with large cavities and rotten portions exceeding safe standards to limit the potential of damage to the playground and structures at the facility.
• The portion of the City contracted drainage and sidewalk improvements performed by Wylatti issues Resource Management are complete. Wylatti was also contracted by the State DOT to address within the CALTRANS right-of-way, and that phase of the project is currently underway.
• A section of sidewalk adjacent to the East Valley bridge was poured and finished by Greene Concrete Construction, the City Maintenance Department assisted with traffic control for the project, clean-up, and tie into the existing sidewalk and roadway. • The Haehl Creek Walking Trail was serviced and the vegetation along the sides of the trail was cut back.
• Heavy overgrowth and debris removal from the channel along Walnut St. adjacent to the Railroad tracks is being removed to increase flow capacity. • Trees on Main St. were trimmed as needed for pedestrian and vehicle clearance. • Chips around the tree wells at Blosser Ln. were topped off. • The parking lot at the Sports Complex was power washed to clean up after the Solar Project, staff plans to re-stripe the parking stalls as soon as resources and weather allow.

Staffing Items
• Public Works Maintenance Worker Devin Howard transferred to the Wastewater Treatment Plant to fill the vacant Operator in Training Position. The department was restructured into a new working model, including re-titling and re-allocation of personnel to provide better services to the community.

Budget Status
• No Report, spending has been reduced, and several projects previously on hold are resuming.

Focus for Next Month*
*NOTE: SEVERAL ITEMS WERE ROLLED OVER FROM LAST MONTH OR ARE PART OF ONGOING SEASONAL OPERATION.
• Complete ditch and drainage repairs on E. Vallet St. and begin roadside mowing and vegetation management throughout the City owned right of ways. 3 • Pothole patching and minor road repairs at various locations, this is ongoing in areas prone to pavement failure.
• Repair the sink hole and failed culvert pipe on W. Mendocino Ave., still waiting for parts. • Continue assisting with the annual flushing of the water system as needed. • Continue roadside mowing and vegetation management throughout the City owned right of ways.
• Assess the Fountain at Babcock Park for repairs.
• Repair the play structure at Snider Park when parts are received. • Conduct tree trimming at various locations adjacent to public right of ways. • Restore the parking stalls at the Sports Complex impacted by the Solar Project. 1 Monthly Achievements & Activities
• Completed and submitted the 2025 Electronic Annual Report (EAR). • Completed three nights of flushing on Main St from Browns Corner to Glenn Mark Storage at the north end of town.
• Replaced fifty-meter registers and endpoints throughout the water distribution system. • Replaced failed Combined (finished water) turbidimeter breaker at SWTP. • Repaired multiple leaks in the water distribution system. • Completed annual dam inspection with division of dam safety. • Hand delivered night flushing notices to all businesses and residents along the Main St corridor. • Insulated PLC cabinets at the PRV, 3 MG and Locust tanks. • Operators worked with JM Integration on radio communication failures at SWTP. • Repaired leak at the Northbrook pump station.
• Cleaned Filter #2 filter screens for replacement of the multi-block underdrain system. • Operators and PW staff received a demonstration on new leak detecting devices. • Completed six sewer lateral inspections for property sales. • Cleaned thirty-five hundred feet of sewer mainline.
• Received and installed pump #2 into the Headworks at the WWTP. • Completed the California Toxics Rule (CTR) samples at the WWTP.

Project Updates
• Ongoing: Fats, Oils and Grease (F.O.G.) program throughout the sewer collection system. • Ongoing: Sewer lateral inspection program.
• Ongoing: Water meter replacement program.
• Ongoing: Grounds maintenance at Water/Wastewater facilities. • Reservoir Capacity: Morris 665-acre feet and Centennial 635-acre feet equate to 100-percent of full capacity (April 13th). Both reservoirs are currently overflowing the dam boards. • March 2026 Water Usage: SWTP: 16,935,731 MG. March 2025: 13,747,232 MG.

GWTP: 1,100,000 MG. March 2025: 2,100,000 MG.

Totals: 18,035,731 MG. March 2025: 15,847,232 MG
• March Non-Potable Water Usage [Truck Fill Station]: 2,600 Gals. • March 2026 Wastewater Treatment Plant Flows: 39,928,362 MG.

Utilities March 2026 | Report
2 Staffing Items
• Devin Howard started as an OIT at WWTP on April 1st.
• WWTP operator Caleb Allen received his state Grade 1 Wastewater Treatment Certificate.

Budget Status
• In Progress.

Focus for Next Month
• Schedule Veolia for the replacement of the Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection control panel at WWTP.

New panel was received on March 16th. Scheduled to be installed on 4/27/26. • Schedule 307 Blosser Lane failing sewer lateral replacement at the intersection of HWY 20 at Blosser Lane with Wipf Construction. Scheduled for April 15th. • Receive and replace laser shields in Filter #2 multi-block underdrain. • Install new filter media in the Trident #2 filter.

Willits City CouncilApril 22, 2026

Willits City Council
April 22, 2026