City Council
Evan Hutson, Mayor
Richard Thomas, Vice Mayor
Gary Hansen, Council Member
Lorri Pride, Council Member
Vacant, Council Member
City Manager
Marti Brown
City Clerk
Karleen Price
Willows City Council
Regular Meeting
Action Minutes
July 14, 2026
Willows City Hall
Closed Session: 5:00 PM
Open Session: 6:00 PM 201 North Lassen Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-7041
1. CALL TO ORDER – 5:00 PM
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride
Councilmembers Absent: None
4. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
5. CLOSED SESSION – 5:05 PM
Public Comment
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #2: Joyce Ksander
a. Conference With Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (54956.9(d)(1)) Name of Case: City of Willows v. County of Glenn, et al., Glenn County Superior Court Case No. 26CV00193
6. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION – 6:00 PM
7. CEREMONIAL
a. Proclamation – Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of California Water Service - received by Shannon McGovern and Tavis Beynon
8. PUBLIC COMMENT & CONSENT CALENDAR FORUM
Public Comments
Public Comment #1: Alan Burkin
Public Comment #2: Marlena Sparkman
Public Comment #3: Michelle Knight
Items #8b, 8e, 8f, and 8g were pulled for discussion by Councilmember Pride.
Item #8d was pulled for discussion by Councilmember Hansen. 2 a. Register Approval
Action: Approved general checking, payroll, and direct deposit check registers. c. Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Easement Agreement
Action: Adopted Resolution 29-2026 (Attachment 1) approving the Easement Agreement between the City of Willows and the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District (Attachment 2), authorizing the conveyance and quitclaim of the City's interest in the canal infrastructure improvements associated with Lateral 26-2B, granting a perpetual non-exclusive easement for the purposes set forth in the Easement Agreement, and authorizing the City Manager, or her designee, to execute the Easement Agreement and related documents necessary to implement the Agreement.
h. Engine 2 Lease Agreement: Community Leasing Partners Action: Adopted Resolution 30-2026 authorizing the City Manager, or her designee, to enter into a lease agreement with Community Leasing Partners for the purchase and outfitting of a new Type 1 fire engine for a term of nine (9) years
Motion to approve Agenda Items #8a, 8c, and 8h as presented.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Hansen/Councilmember Pride Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
b. Minutes Approval
Public Comment
Public Comment #1: Joyce Ksander
Motion to approve the minutes of the June 23, 2026, City Council Meeting, and the June 25, 2026, Special City Council Meeting.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Councilmember Hansen Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
d. Temporary Moratorium on New Mobile Food Applications Public Comment
Public Comment #1: Jesse Orendorff
Motion to introduce, by title only, an ordinance authorizing a temporary moratorium on new mobile food truck applications in the City of Willows and waive the full reading of the ordinance and direct staff to schedule the ordinance for a second reading and adoption at the July 28, 2026 City Council meeting.
3 Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Vice Mayor Thomas Roll Call Vote
Yes: Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Pride
No: Mayor Hutson, Councilmember Hansen
Absent: None
Motion failed: 2-2
e. Utility Biller – New Job Classification & Salary Schedule Public Comment
Written Public Comment #1: Holly Myers – read by Karen Johnson Public Comment #2: Jan Smith
Public Comment #3: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #4: Jesse Orendorff
Public Comment #5: Peggy White
Public Comment #6: Dan Gupton
Public Comment #7: Marlena Sparkman
Public Comment #8: Tami Allen
Public Comment #9: Joyce Ksander
No action was taken because no motion was made.
f. Prentice Long, PC: New Contract for the Municipal Code Update Project Motion to authorize the City Manager to execute a new contract with Prentice Long, PC through December 31, 2026, to complete the City of Willows Municipal Code Update.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Vice Mayor Thomas
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
g. Civic Center ADA Door Upgrades Project Agreement - Amendment Public Comment
Public Comment #1: Peggy White
Public Comment #2: Tami Allen
Public Comment #3: Marlena Sparkman
Public Comment #4: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #5: Karen Johnson
Public Comment #6: Resident
4 Motion to adopt the Civic Center ADA Door Upgrades Resolution (Attachment 1) authorizing the City Manager to execute Amendment 1 (Attachment 2) to the Billson Construction agreement.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Councilmember Hansen Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
The meeting was recessed at 8:24 PM and reconvened at 8:33 PM.
9. PUBLIC HEARING
a. Public Hearing: Proposition 218 Sewer Rate Increase
Received a presentation from Sophia Mills of LT Municipal Consultants.
Public Hearing Open: 8:33 PM, Closed 8:56 PM
Public Comment #1: Jesse Orendorff
Public Comment #2: John Lowe
The meeting recessed from 8:40 PM to 8:55 PM. The public hearing remained open during the recess while protest letters were counted. A total of 360 protest letters were received.
Motion to adopt Resolution 32-2026 approving sewer rates for the five-year period beginning August 1, 2026, as presented, maintaining the current single-family residential rate at $74.24 and implementing the proposed rates for multi-family and commercial customers for one year.
The Council further directed that the Sewer Rate Study be reviewed annually during the budget process, with consideration and adoption of subsequent years' rates based on the findings of the rate study.
Moved/Seconded: Mayor Hutson/Councilmember Pride
Roll Call Vote
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
Passed: 4-0
b. Urgency Ordinance – Food Truck Moratorium
Public Hearing Open: 9:21 PM, Closed 9:22 PM
No action was taken because no motion was made.
10. DISCUSSION & ACTION CALENDAR
a. Surplus Police Equipment Purchase
Action: Authorized the City Manager, or her designee, to purchase and accept transfer of three surplus police vehicles and other assorted police equipment from the City of Orland for a cost not to exceed $5,003.
5 Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #2: Peggy White
Public Comment #3: Resident
Public Comment #4: Jesse Orendorff
Moved/Seconded: Vice Mayor Thomas/Councilmember Hansen
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
Passed: 4-0
b. City Council Vacancy and Appointment Process
Action: Considered the available options for filling the City Council vacancy and directed staff to initiate an open call for applications to all eligible and interested parties and appoint an applicant utilizing the recommended timeline as provided.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Vice Mayor Thomas
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember Pride No: None
Absent: None
Passed: 4-0
11. COMMENTS AND REPORTS
a. Council Correspondence
Councilmembers reported receiving a Thank You Card from the Willows 4th of July Committee. b. City Council Comments & Reports
Councilmembers reported on various community events and meetings attended and thanked former Councilmember Matt Busby for his service.
Councilmember Pride requested a future agenda item to discuss the Library Board of Trustees vacancies.
Mayor Hutson requested future agenda items on Utility Sewer Billing, Ad Hoc Committee to Review Title 18 of the Municipal Code, and Committee Appointments. c. City Manager’s Report
12. CLOSED SESSION – 9:56 PM
Public Comments
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #2: Jesse Orendorff
a. Conference With Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (54956.9(d)(1)) Name of Case: City of Willows v. County of Glenn, et al., Glenn County Superior Court Case No. 26CV00193
6 Report Out: Council directed the City Manager to execute an agreement with Colantuano, Highsmith & Whatley, PC.
b. Conference with Real Property Negotiators (§ 54956.8) Property: 0 Sycamore Street, Willows CA 95988 / APN #003-113-006-000 Agency Negotiator: Marti Brown
Negotiating Parties: Ivan Alexis Ayala-Mendoza
Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
Report Out: The Matter will be brought back at a later date for further discussion.
Vice Mayor Thomas left the meeting at 10:32PM,
13. ADJOURNMENT – 10:34 PM
______________________________
Karleen Price, City Clerk