City Council
Rick Thomas, Mayor
David Vodden, Vice Mayor
Gary Hansen, Council Member
Forrest Sprague, Council Member
Evan Hutson, Council Member
City Manager
Marti Brown
City Clerk
Amos Hoover
Willows City Council
Regular Meeting
Action Minutes
November 28, 2023
Willows City Hall
Regular Session - 6:00 PM
201 North Lassen Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-7041
1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00PM
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Thomas, Vice-Mayor Vodden, and Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague
Councilmembers Absent: None
4. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
Item #8h on the agenda was moved to item #8b.
5. CLOSED SESSION REPORT OUT
a. Labor Negotiations
Mayor Thomas reported there was an agreement reached to have a temporary hiring freeze of the Finance and Human Resources Specialist position until March 2024 at the November 14 City Council meeting.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT & CONSENT CALENDAR FORUM
a. Register Approval
Action: Approved general checking, payroll, and direct deposit check registers. b. Minutes Approval
Action: Approved the November 14, 2023, meeting minutes, and the November 21, 2023, Town Hall meeting minutes.
c. City Manager Contract – Item pulled from Consent Calendar Action: Authorized the City Attorney to amend the City Manager’s contract to include two additional weeks of paid vacation per year for a total of four weeks paid vacation (instead of a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)).
Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Hansen and Hutson
2 Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
d. $4 Million Clean California Grant – Revised Scope of Work to Upgrade Sycamore Park Action: Approved resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all associated documents to receive the grant award.
Public Comment
Dennis Asbury
Motion to approve items A, B, and D on the Consent Calendar.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Hansen and Sprague
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
7. PUBLIC HEARING
a. General Plan Update - Rezone (GPA-23-02; RZ-23-02)
Action: Held a public hearing and passed a first reading of a resolution entitled: “A resolution approving the request to amend the general plan land use map (file#GPA-23-02) and redesignate one parcel from Office and Professional to Light Industrial and approve the request to modify the zoning map (file#RZ-23-02) and rezone one parcel from RP (multiple residence professional office district) to ML (Light Industrial) for property located at assessor’s parcel numbers 003-121-015.”
Hearing Opened at 6:17 PM, Closed 6:18 PM
Public Comment
Lorri Pride
Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Hansen and Sprague
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
b. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Closeout (Rumiano Cheese) - #17-CDBG-12031 Action: Held a public hearing and authorized the City Manager to approve, sign, and submit all forms required for the closeout of Community Development Block Grant #17-CDBG-12031.
Hearing Opened at 6:31 PM, Closed 6:32 PM
3 Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Hansen and Hutson
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas No: None
8. DISCUSSION AND ACTION CALENDAR
a. Lease of City Owned Property for Agricultural Purposes Action: Lease awarded to Qaiser Ahmad for $36,995 for the first year.
Moved/Seconded: Vice Mayor Vodden and Councilmember Hansen Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
b. Fiscal Emergency & Sales Tax Ballot Measure – Clarification of Resolution Vote Action: Clarified the Council vote on declaration of fiscal emergency and resolution to place a Transaction and Use Tax measure on March 5, 2024, ballot.
Public Comment
Lorri Pride
Doug Ross
Roberta Asbury
Dennis Asbury
Moved/Seconded: Vice Mayor Vodden and Councilmember Hansen Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, and Hutson, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas No: Councilmember Sprague
c. UPDATED: Future Short- and Long-Term Options for Law Enforcement Services Action: Received staff presentation, discussed potential plans of action as it relates to law enforcement services. Announced potential 2 ½ year agreement with the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office to continue law enforcement services. No action taken. d. Fiscal Emergency – City Finances, Educational Action Plan Action: Item continued until after January 1, 2024.
e. Legal Opinion – Gift of Public Funds
Action: Waived Attorney-Client privilege and authorized the City Manager to release the City Attorney’s recent legal opinion regarding the gift of public funds between two public agencies.
Moved/Seconded: Mayor Thomas and Councilmember Hansen
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas No: Councilmember Hutson
4 f. City Hall - Holiday Closure
Action: Approved closing City Hall and all non-emergency services on December 27, 28 and 29.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Hutson and Hansen
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
g. 2024 City Council Meeting Calendar & City Hall Closure Schedule (Holidays) Action: Approved the 2024 City Council Meeting Calendar and City Hall Closure Schedule.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Hansen and Vice Mayor Vodden Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
h. Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee – Proposed Name Change Action: Approved name change of the Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee to the Law Enforcement Services Ad Hoc Committee.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmembers Sprague and Hutson
Yes: Councilmembers Hansen, Hutson, and Sprague, Vice Mayor Vodden, and Mayor Thomas
No: None
9. COMMENTS & REPORTS
a. Council Correspondence
b. City Council Comments & Reports
c. City Manager’s Report
9. CLOSED SESSION
a. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation (§54956.9) Report Out: Received information on the case and gave directions to the City Attorney.
10. ADJOURNMENT - 9:13PM
______________________________
Amos Hoover, City Clerk