City Council
Gary Hansen, Mayor
Evan Hutson, Vice Mayor
Rick Thomas, Council Member
Lorri Pride, Council Member
Matt Busby, Council Member
City Manager
Marti Brown
City Clerk
Vacant
Willows City Council
Special Meeting
December 17, 2024
Willows City Hall
10:00 AM
201 North Lassen Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-7041
Agenda
Watch the Council meeting online via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89467495240.
Remote viewing of the City Council meeting for members of the public is provided for convenience only. In the event that the remote viewing connection malfunctions for any reason, the City Council reserves the right to conduct the meeting without remote viewing.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
5. DISCUSSION & ACTION CALENDAR
All matters in this section of the agenda are discussed and will be acted on individually. Individuals wishing to address the City Council concerning any of these items are invited to make oral comments of up to three minutes at this time. Please address your comments to the Mayor and Councilmembers, and not to staff and/or the audience. When the Mayor calls for public comment, please raise your hand to be acknowledged. While not required, the City requests that you please state your name clearly for the audio recording. By State law, the Council is not permitted to undertake any action or discussion on any item not appearing on the posted agenda. If you have any documentation that you would like distributed to the City Council, please mail it to the City Clerk at 201 North Lassen Street, Willows, CA 95988 or email it to: [email protected]. a. Prentice Long Contract Amendment to Comprehensively Update the Willows Municipal Code Recommended Action: Authorize the City Manager to amend the contract with Prentice Long for a second time extension until June 30, 2025, to complete the comprehensive update of the City of Willow’s Municipal Code.
b. Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor
Recommended Action: Accept nominations and elect a Mayor and Vice Mayor to preside over the City Council for the 2025 calendar year.
c. 2025 City Council Committee Appointments
Recommended Action: Appoint Councilmembers to City Committees and Boards for the 2025 calendar year.
d. 2025 Proposed Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule
Recommended Action: Approve Resolution XX-2024 adopting the 2025 City Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule.
6. COMMENTS & REPORTS
a. Council Correspondence
b. City Council Comments & Reports
c. City Manager’s Report
7. CLOSED SESSION
Pursuant to Government Code Sections §54954.3, the public will have an opportunity to directly address the legislative body on the item below prior to the Council convening into closed session. Public Comments are generally restricted to three minutes.
a. Conference with Labor Negotiators (§54957.6)
Agency Designated Representatives:
Marti Brown, City Manager and Carolyn Walker, City Attorney Employee Organizations: UPEC, Fire and General Bargaining Units, and Management
8. ADJOURNMENT
This agenda was posted on December 13, 2024.
______________________________
Tara Rustenhoven, Deputy City Clerk
A complete agenda packet, including staff reports and back-up information, is available for public inspection during normal work hours at City Hall at 201 North Lassen Street in Willows or on the City’s website at www.cityofwillows.org. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Willows will make available to members of the public any special assistance necessary to participate in this meeting. If requested, the agenda shall be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12132). The public should contact the City Clerk’s office at 934-7041 to make such a request. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
The City of Willows is an Equal Opportunity Provider.
DISCUSSION & ACTION
CALENDAR
3 Agenda Item #5a
___________________________________________________________________________ Date: December 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
From: Marti Brown, City Manager
Subject: Prentice Long Contract Amendment to Comprehensively Update the Willows Municipal Code Recommendation:
Authorize the City Manager to execute a second contract amendment with Prentice Long for time only through September 30, 2025, to complete the comprehensive update of the City of Willow’s Municipal Code.
Rationale for Recommendation:
The contract with Prentice Long to comprehensively update the City of Willows Municipal Code will expire on December 31, 2024, and the code update is not yet complete.
Background:
Recognizing that the Willows Municipal Code was outdated, the City Council approved funding for an update for the fiscal year 2022-23 budget. Staff circulated a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consulting services in January 2023 and extended the deadline twice (until April 2023) to ensure an adequate number of qualified responses were received. The RFP was posted in the Valley Mirror and delivered to 10 qualified firms. By the due date, the City received three total qualified responses, which were presented to the City Council on June 13, 2023.
After reviewing the proposals received, the majority of the City Council authorized the City Manager to execute a contract with Prentice Long to update the Willows Municipal Code comprehensively.
Discussion & Analysis:
The City of Willows recently changed contract city planning services to Harris & Associates (“Harris”) to review Title 18 (Zoning) before finalizing the Code. Harris received the revised document in early October after the new contract was executed. In their review of the document, they have recommended more changes than are currently reflected in the draft document. Those changes would take considerably more time. As Title 18 and streamlining development processes are critical to the growth and development of the city, staff recommends working with Harris & Associates to update Title 18, ensuring that it’s a business and investor-friendly document before approving the entire Municipal Code.
4 Agenda Item #5a
To that end, staff recommends executing a separate task order with Harris to review and revise Title 18 (Zoning) of the Municipal Code. Should the Council wish to take this approach, staff further recommends holding a Special Joint City Council-Planning Commission meeting in February/March to learn more about the high-level Title 18 policy changes and best practices that Harris & Associates would recommend to the City and provide feedback and direction to staff on the proposed changes.
Harris would then make those changes and revisions and provide them to Prentice Long for legal review. Both contractors would present the complete draft of the Municipal Code at another Joint Council-Planning Commission meeting in the summer of 2025. The final document would be presented to the Council for approval in September 2025.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact to the City by amending the contract with Prentice Long for a time extension only. However, should the Council wish to enlist the services of Harris & Associates to make further revisions to Title 18, the City would be charged separately. An estimate of the cost will be provided at the December 17 City Council meeting during the presentation of this item. 5 Agenda Item #5b
_ ______________________________________________________________ Date: December 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
From: Marti Brown, City Manager
Subject: Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor
Recommendation:
Accept nominations and elect a Mayor and Vice Mayor to preside over the City Council for the 2025 calendar year.
Rationale for Recommendation:
According to the City of Willows Administrative Procedure and Policy Number 1-7, the City Council elects a Mayor and Vice-Mayor in December of each calendar year.
Background:
Consistent with City policy, the City of Willows City Council historically elects a Mayor and Vice-Mayor in December to preside over the Council in the following calendar year.
Discussion & Analysis:
The term of office for the newly elected Mayor and Vice-Mayor will run from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, unless otherwise selected by the Council to serve an additional term.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact.
6 Agenda Item #5c
_______________________________________________________________ Date: December 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
From: Marti Brown, City Manager
Subject: 2025 City Council Committee Appointments
Recommendation:
Appoint Councilmembers to City Committees and Boards for the 2025 calendar year.
Rational for Recommendation:
Consistent with past precedent and practice, the Council appoints Councilmembers to City Boards and Committees annually and/or on an as-needed basis in December of each calendar year.
Background:
Attachment 1 provides a Profile Summary of Willows City Council Boards and Committees.
Attachment 2 includes the Council-approved list of committees that Councilmembers serve on as city representatives and the 2024 appointees.
Discussion & Analysis:
The Council reviews the appointments of the primary representative(s) and alternate(s) to specific committees annually. Consistent with past practice, the Mayor or Vice-Mayor initiates recommendations for both continued and new appointments with the concurrence of the Council.
Please note that the Council recently established the Finance & Measure I Oversight Committee, which has been added to the 2025 Standing Committee List. This is also an opportunity to appoint a Council Liaison to the Planning Commission (should the Council wish to add this appointment).
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact.
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Profile Summary of Willows City Council Boards and Committees Attachment 2: 2024 Committees and Council Appointees
Attachment 3: 2025 Committee Appointments List (Blank) 7 Attachment 1
1 PROFILE SUMMARY OF WILLOWS CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Airport Land Use Committee
The Airport Land Use Commission (ALUC) ensures compatible land uses in vicinity of all new airports and vicinity of existing airports; provides for orderly development of air transit, protects public health, safety and welfare; prepares and adopts the airport land use plan; and reviews plans, regulations, and other actions of local agencies and airport operators. There is no institutional knowledge regarding the last time this committee convened (e.g., more than five years).
Glenn County Waste Management Regional Agency
The Waste Management Regional Agency was established in 1998 by a Joint Powers Agreement between County of Glenn and the Cities of Orland and Willows for the purpose of combining disposal and diversion quantities for determining compliance with AB 939 to allow for the efficient operation of diversion programs on a region-wide basis and:
▪ To assume the responsibilities of the County and the cities for implementation of the multijurisdictional Source Reduction and Recycling Element (SRRE), Household Hazardous Waste Element (HHWE), and the Non disposal Facility Element (NDFE) adopted by the County and the cities and any additional related elements or plans that may be required by state law including the Countywide Siting element (SE) and the Summary Plan (SP); ▪ To revise, as necessary, any existing elements;
▪ To prepare any new subsequent elements;
▪ To serve as the single agency responsible for the local approval and public review process of these elements;
▪ To prepare the annual reports for the reporting of progress toward AB 939 division goals; and ▪ To serve as the agency responsible for compiling the disposal information from haulers and facility operators for compliance with PRC Sections 41780 and 41821.5.
The Waste Management Regional Agency is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Supervisors from the County and a City Council member from each of the two Cities - Orland and Willows - who are appointed by their respective Board of Supervisors and City Councils.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/dept/public-works/solid-waste-recycling/about-us Glenn County Transportation Commission
The Glenn County Transportation Commission is a regional transportation planning agency that discusses Glenn County’s regional transportation planning and policy issues.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/committee/local-transportation-commission/welcome 8 Attachment 1
2 Regional Transit Committee
A Joint Powers Authority (under the umbrella of the Glenn County Transportation Commission) that oversees the County’s transit system (e.g., Glenn Ride).
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/committee/regional-transit-committee/welcome Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
LAFCO is a state mandated local agency that oversees boundary changes to cities and special districts, the formation of new agencies including incorporation of new cities, and the formation of local government agencies to preserve agricultural and open space lands, and to discourage urban sprawl.
The Glenn Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) was formed when the State Legislature passed the Knox-Nisbet Act of 1963. The law has been updated from time to time, most recently as the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/committee/local-agency-formation-commission/welcome City Select Committee
The City Select Committee includes the mayors of both the Cities of Orland and Willows to appoint city representatives to countywide boards, commissions, committees and agencies. This committee typically meets once per year in January to make appointments.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/committee/city-selection-committee/welcome Countywide Mosquito & Vector Committee
The Glenn County Mosquito & Vector Control District is a special district governed by a 5-member board of trustees that set policy for the District. The main functions of the District are to control the threat of mosquito-borne diseases and to reduce nuisance mosquito populations using sound abatement methods that minimize risk to the environment and the public. There is no institutional knowledge regarding the last time this committee convened.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/dept/health-human-services/public-health/services/mosquito-andvector-control Finance Committee
This Committee has never been defined and codified in any city policy documents. Should the Council wish to continue the formation of this committee, a policy document needs to be developed that defines the roles and responsibilities of the Committee and its members. Staff recommends leaving these appointments vacant until the Council establishes a policy for this committee. 9 Attachment 1
3 Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) - Voting Delegate GCID is dedicated to providing reliable, affordable water supplies to its landowners and water users, while ensuring the environmental and economic viability of the region. As the largest irrigation district in the Sacramento Valley. The District fulfills its mission of efficiently and effectively managing and delivering water through an ever-improving delivery system and responsible policies while maintaining a deep commitment to sustainable practices. This delegate position is for one Councilmember to vote on behalf of the entire Council to elect a representative to the Board who will represent the Willows area. It is unclear when this delegate position was last actively used or needed. There is no institutional knowledge regarding the last time that the City played a role in voting for a District delegate.
For more information:
https://www.gcid.net/
League Legislative Delegate
The Council delegate votes at the League of California Cities Annual Conference on behalf of the entire Council and City concerning legislative policy matters that the League of California Cities proposes lobbying on and/or initiating with the Governor and/or State Legislature.
Library Board Liaison
The Council Library Board liaison is a non-voting delegate who attends the Library Board meetings and acts as a liaison between the Council and the Board Trustees. 3CORE (Formally known as Tri-Counties Economic Development Committee) The goal of Tri-County Economic Development is to help communities expand their local economies and create jobs. There is no institutional knowledge as to when this committee last convened.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Loan Committee The CDBG Loan Committee oversees the City’s former loan program. Currently, there are no CDBG loan funds. There are nine outstanding CDBG home loans, but there are no duties for the committee to oversee. There is no institutional knowledge re: when this committee last convened.
Public Safety Committee (Police & Fire)
This Council Committee meets on an as need basis to discuss public safety issues in the city including policing, fire safety, street safety, etc…
City & Counties Economic Development Steering Committee Council Liaison to the County’s Steering Committee to review and monitor the economic development activities of the California State Association of Counties (CSAC). There is no institutional knowledge re:
when this committee last convened.
10 Attachment 1
4 For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/committee/cities-county-economic-developmentcommittee/welcome Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Board Committee The Water Resources Program is responsible for disseminating information, facilitating outreach, and encouraging involvement in groundwater and water resource activities in Glenn County. This committee oversees the implementation of the SGMA and provides recommendations.
For more information:
https://www.countyofglenn.net/dept/planning-community-development-services/waterresources/welcome 11 WILLOWS CITY COUNCIL 2024 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
COMMITTEE MEMBER(S) MEETING
DATES/TIME
TERM
EXPIRES
Airport Land Use Committee Thomas No regular meetings 12/2024 Glenn County Waste
Management Regional Agency
(1 member, 1 alternate)
Sprague
Hutson (Alternate)
Quarterly, Third
Thursday@ 10:30AM 12/2024
Regional Transit Committee
(2 members, 1 alternate)
Mayor
Hutson
Sprague (Alternate)
Monthly, Third
Thursday @ 9am 12/2024
Transportation Commission
(2 Members and 1 alternate)
Mayor
Hutson
Sprague (Alternate)
Monthly, Third
Thursday, following
Transit Committee
meeting
12/2024
LAFCO
(1 member, 1 alternate)
Thomas
Vodden (Alternate)
As needed, second
Monday 12/2024
City Select Committee Mayor Annually in January 12/2024 Countywide Mosquito &
Vector District
Vince Holvick
Thomas (Alternate)
As needed 6/2025
Finance Committee
(2 members)
Thomas
Hutson
As needed
12/2024
GCID Voting Delegate
(Mayor)
Mayor As needed 12/2024
League Legislative Delegate
(Mayor)
Mayor @ Annual League
Conference 12/2024
Library Board Hutson Every other month,
Second Thursday @
11:00 am
12/2024
3CORE (Formally known as
Tri-Counties Economic
Development Committee)
(1 member, 1 alternate)
Vodden
Thomas (Alternate)
As needed
12/2024
CDBG Loan Committee
(2 members)
? As needed 12/2024
Public Safety Committee (2
members)
Mayor / Thomas As needed 12/2024
Law Enforcement Services
Ad Hoc Committee
Mayor
Thomas
As needed N/A
City & Counties Economic
Development Steering
Committee (2 members)
Vodden
Sprague
As needed
12/2024
Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act (SGMA)
Board Committee (1 member)
Mayor Monthly, First
Monday @ 1:30 PM N/A
12 Attachment 2
WILLOWS CITY COUNCIL 2025 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
COMMITTEE MEMBER(S) MEETING
DATES/TIME
TERM
EXPIRES
Airport Land Use Committee No regular meetings 12/2023
Glenn County Waste
Management Regional Agency
(1 member, 1 alternate)
Quarterly, Third
Thursday@ 10:30AM 12/2023
Regional Transit Committee
(2 members, 1 alternate)
Monthly, Third
Thursday @ 9am 12/2023
Transportation Commission
(1 Member and 1 alternate)
Monthly, Third
Thursday, following
Transit Committee
meeting
12/2023
LAFCO
(1 member, 1 alternate)
As needed, second
Monday 12/2023
City Select Committee Annually in January 12/2023
Countywide Mosquito &
Vector District
As needed 6/2023
Finance Committee
(2 members)
As needed
12/2023
GCID Voting Delegate
(Mayor)
As needed 12/2023
League Legislative Delegate
(Mayor)
@ Annual League
Conference in
September
12/2023
Library Board Every other month,
Second Thursday @
11:00 am
12/2023
3CORE (Formally known as
Tri-Counties Economic
Development Committee)
(1 member, 1 alternate)
As needed
12/2023
CDBG Loan Committee
(2 members)
As needed 12/2023
Law Enforcement Services
Ad Hoc Committee (2
members)
As needed
12/2023
City & Counties Economic
Development Steering
Committee (2 members)
As needed
12/2023
Sustainable Groundwater
Management Act (SGMA)
Board Committee (1 member)
Monthly, First
Monday @ 1:30 PM N/A
13 Attachment 3
WILLOWS CITY COUNCIL 2025 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
Finance & Measure I
Oversight Committee
(2 Members)
Quarterly N/A
Council Liaison to the
Planning Commission
(1 member)
As Needed N/A
14 Attachment 3
Agenda Item #5d
________________________________________________________________ Date: December 17, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
From: Marti Brown, City Manager
Subject: 2025 Proposed Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule Recommendation:
Approve Resolution XX-2024 adopting the 2025 City Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule.
Rationale for Recommendation:
It is considered a best practice in municipal clerking to adopt an annual City Council meeting calendar and schedule for purposes of planning City Council and staff work, as well as public transparency.
Background:
It is a standard best practice in municipal government to approve the annual City Council meeting calendar and schedule for the following calendar year. Typically, consideration and approval of the calendar schedule occurs in the month of December for the following calendar year.
Discussion & Analysis:
By adopting an annual city council meeting calendar and schedule, the Council and City staff may better plan the Council’s workload, special meetings, changes in the meeting schedule, and Council recesses, allowing for ample public notification of the Council’s meeting calendar and transparent communication.
In addition to the Council meeting calendar, staff also recommends closing the Civic Center the week of Christmas from December 22 through December 26, 2025, as City Hall is already closed on December 24, 25, and January 1. If approved, the second meeting in December would also be cancelled on December 23 (the day before two paid holidays).
The Fire Department is exempt from this closure as it provides essential services, and a rotating Public Works employee would also be on call 24/7 during this time frame. In addition, it’s worth noting that the city is not “giving” this time to City employees. All employees are required to use vacation, compensation, and/or unpaid time during the holiday closure. The City Manager 15 Agenda Item #5d
has met and conferred with the UPEC General Bargaining Unit, and they prefer the annual holiday closure.
Finally, as it is common for City Councils to take a summer recess and cancel one or two consecutive City Council meetings, usually in the month of August (e.g., Chico City Council), the following list of Council meeting dates also includes a summer recess cancelling the first meeting in August 2025. Should the Council prefer to meet on that date, it can easily be added as part of a Council motion to approve the Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule for 2025.
Lastly, Veterans Day in 2025 is a city holiday on the second Tuesday of November. As such, staff also recommend cancelling that meeting, or the Council may wish to schedule a Special meeting on another day that week.
The proposed 2025 City Council Meeting schedule includes the following dates:
January 14
January 28
February 11
February 25
March 11
March 25
April 8
April 22
May 13
May 27
June 10
June 24
July 8
July 22
August 26
September 9
September 23
October 14
October 28
November 25
December 9
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact.
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Resolution XX-2025
o Exhibit A – 2025 Council Meeting and Calendar Schedule 16 Attachment: 1
City of Willows
Resolution xx-2024
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WILLOWS ESTABLISHING THE 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING CALENDAR AND SCHEDULE WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Willows (City) currently meets on the Second and Fourth Tuesdays of each month at City Hall in the City of Willows; and WHEREAS, the City Council also cancels Regular Meetings and holds Special City Council Meetings from time to time; and
WHEREAS, the Willows Municipal Code Section 2.04.050 (2) requires that the City Council set their Dates, Times, Places and Frequency of their Regular Meetings; and WHEREAS, it is common practice in municipal government to adopt a Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule for the calendar year.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
1. The City Council of the City of Willows, California shall adopt the City Council Meeting Calendar and Schedule for Regular Meetings of the City Council in Calendar Year 2025 and a holiday closure of the Civic Center December 22 through December 26 as shown in Exhibit A.
2. Nothing herein shall restrict the ability of the City Manager to set the time, and location for each meeting or exercise discretion otherwise provided for in City Council Resolution No. 44-2021 (November 23, 2021).
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Willows City Council this 17th day of December 2024 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
APPROVED: ATTESTED:
______________________ ____________ ___________
Gary Hansen, Mayor Tara Rustenhoven, Deputy City Clerk
Attachment: Exhibit A - 2025 Council Calendar and Meeting Schedule 17 = Council Meeting Date = Paid Holiday = Cancelled Meeting Date = Holiday Closure 18 Exhibit A
COMMENTS AND
REPORTS
19 CLOSED SESSION
20