City Council
Evan Hutson, Mayor
Richard Thomas, Vice Mayor
Gary Hansen, Council Member
Lorri Pride, Council Member
John Lowe, Council Member
City Manager
Marti Brown
City Clerk
Karleen Price
Willows City Council
Regular Meeting
Action Minutes
August 25, 2026
Willows City Hall
6:00 PM
201 North Lassen Street
Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-7041
1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 PM
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. OATH OF OFFICE – Councilmember John Lowe took the Oath of Office
4. ROLL CALL
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Hansen, Pride and Lowe
Councilmembers Absent: None
5. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
Motion to continue item 6g, 6h, 6i, and 6j to the September 8, 2026, City Council meeting.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Councilmember Hansen Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Hansen, Pride and Lowe No: None
Absent: None
6. PUBLIC COMMENT & CONSENT CALENDAR FORUM
Items 6c and 6f were pulled for discussion.
Public Comments
Public Comment #1: Isaiah Rossi
Public Comment #2: Joyce Ksander
Public Comment #3: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #4: Jim Alves
a. Register Approval
Action: Approved general checking, payroll, and direct deposit check registers. b. Minutes Approval
Action: Approved the minutes of the July 16, 2026 Special City Council Meeting, the July 28, 2026 City Council Meeting, the August 11, 2026 Special City Council Meeting, and the August 18, 2026 Special City Council Meeting.
2 d. Oak Street and Madrone Manor Street Pavement Projects Action: Adopted Resolution 38-2026 authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Franklin Construction, Inc. in the amount of $409,409, with a 10% construction contingency of $40,941, and to execute an agreement for construction management and inspection services, provided the total project cost does not exceed the Engineer’s Estimate of $600,000, for the FY 2025-2026 street pavement and construction projects on Oak Street from Marshall to Murdock Streets and Madrone Manor.
e. Rural Economic Development Strategy and Business Attraction Project Action: Authorized the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Capital Rivers, Inc., dba Capital Rivers Connect, in an amount not to exceed $60,000, funded by the 2021 USDA Rural Business Development Grant, for the Rural Economic Development Strategy and Business Attraction Project, and authorize the expenditure of the remaining grant funds. g. Police Officer - Job Classification & Salary Schedule Action: This item was continued to the September 8, 2026 City Council Meeting. h. Police Sergeant - Job Classification & Salary Schedule Action: This item was continued to the September 8, 2026 City Council Meeting. i. Administrative Technician - Job Classification & Salary Schedule Action: This item was continued to the September 8, 2026 City Council Meeting. j. Community Service Officer - Job Classification & Salary Schedule Action: This item was continued to the September 8, 2026 City Council Meeting. k. On-Call General Building and Civil Plan Check Services Action: Authorized the City Manager, or her designee, to execute and administer on-call general building and civil plan check service agreements with Paxton Inspection Services, Development Compliance Solutions (DEVCOM), BPR Consulting, BUREAU VERITAS, and Interwest, for an initial three-year term with up to two additional one-year extensions, including assignment of work and City Manager authority to exercise optional extensions. l. Willows Police Department & POST Recertification
Action: Adopted Resolution 39-2026 re-establishing the Willows Police Department, authorizing participation in the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program, and authorizing preparations for law enforcement services. m. Chapter 2.65 of the Willows Municipal Code
Action: Introduced, by title only, an Ordinance acknowledging the re-establishment of the Willows Police Department and amending Chapter 2.65 of the Willows Municipal Code, and waived the full reading of the text.
3 n. Lexipol Subscription for Willows Police Department Action: Authorized the City Manager to execute a contract with Lexipol, LLC (via the City’s risk management JPA, NCCSIF) for a web-based police department policy and procedure management platform and associated consulting and implementation services, in an amount not to exceed $10,000.00 annually.
Motion to approve Items 6a, 6b, 6e, 6d, 6e, 6k, 6l, 6m, and 6n as presented.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Councilmember Hansen Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Hansen, Pride, and Lowe No: None
Absent: None
c. Oppose Assembly Bill 1383 (PEPRA)
Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Motion to adopt Resolution 40-2026 opposing Assembly Bill 1383 (AB 1383).
Moved/Seconded: Vice Mayor Thomas/Councilmember Lowe
Roll Call Vote:
Yes: Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmember Pride, Councilmember Lowe No: Mayor Hutson, Councilmember Hansen
Absent: None
3-2
f. Police Chief - Job Classification & Salary Schedule
Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Public Comment #2: Rick Beatty
Motion to approve the Police Chief job classification and salary schedule, with amendments.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Pride/Councilmember Hansen Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Hansen, Pride and Lowe No: None
Absent: None
The meeting was recessed at 7:15 pm and reconvened at 7:25 pm. 4 7. DISCUSSION & ACTION CALENDAR
a. Police Chief Recruitment & Appointment
Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Motion to approve the Police Chief Recruitment and Appointment as presented.
Moved/Seconded: Councilmember Hansen/Mayor Hutson
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Hansen, Pride and Lowe No: None
Absent: None
b. Request for Qualifications: Tenant Improvements to Civic Center to Re-Establish Willows Police Department
Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Michelle Knight
Motion to approve the RFQ for Tenant Improvements to Civic Center as presented.
Moved/Seconded: Vice Mayor Thomas/Councilmember Pride
Yes: Mayor Hutson, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Hansen, Pride and Lowe No: None
Absent: None
c. Neighborhood Watch Program
Public Comments:
Public Comment #1: Kathleen Weise
Public Comment #2: Michelle Knight
Action: By consensus, the Council tabled the item indefinitely. d. City Council Committee Assignments & Appointments
Action: By consensus, the vacant City Council committee assignments were reassigned as follows:
Glenn County Waste Management Regional Agency: Pride, Lowe (Alternate) Library Board Liaison: Pride
City & Counties Economic Development Steering Committee: Pride, Lowe Finance & Measure I Oversight Committee: Thomas, Lowe, Pride (Alternate) Council Liaison to the Chamber of Commerce: Lowe
8. COMMENTS AND REPORTS
5 a. Council Correspondence
Vice Mayor Thomas reported receiving a packet of historical documents and photos that were left on a Public Works vehicle by an anonymous donor for the Willows Museum. b. City Council Comments & Reports
Councilmembers reported on various community events and meetings attended.
Councilmember Pride requested regular project updates from the City Attorney and asked staff to investigate the purchase of an additional camera for the Council Chambers.
Mayor Hutson provided an update on road work being performed by CalTrans at the intersection of Highway 162 and Tehama Street.
c. City Manager’s Report
City Manager Marti Brown announced the upcoming Willows Water Fest, to be held on Thursday, September 10, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Central Park. The free, family-friendly community event, held in partnership with California Water Service (Cal Water), will celebrate Cal Water’s 100th Anniversary and the City of Willows’ year-long 140th Anniversary celebration. The event will feature a free barbecue, live music by Whitewater, a kids’ cardboard boat race with trophies, water-themed activities, a Willows Fire Department spray demonstration, informational and community organization booths, food and treat vendors, and other family activities. Brown encouraged the community to attend and participate in the celebration.
9. ADJOURNMENT – 8:47 PM
______________________________
Karleen Price, City Clerk