Colleen Baker, Mayor
James Clair, Mayor Pro Tempore
Corey Middleton, Councilmember
Drake Davis, Councilmember
Paul McCoy, Councilmember
John Elsnab, Interim City Manager
Juliana Lucchesi, Asst. City Manager
Emily Aldrich, Finance Director
Matthew Bray, Public Works Director
Melissa Sandberg, Human Res. Director
Cyndy Prohaska, City Clerk
Mark Gilman, Police Chief
Jerry Lemos, Fire Chief
Andrew Jared, City Attorney
YREKA CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
May 19, 2026
Closed Session: 5:30 PM
Regular Session: 6:30 PM
Yreka City Council Chamber, 701 Fourth Street, Yreka, CA Phone 530-841-2386, Facsimile 530-842-4836, email: [email protected] Regular Meetings of the Yreka City Council are held the 151 and 3rd Tuesday of every month.
This meeting is being livestreamed and can be viewed on Siskiyou Media Council's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzx2GSYFCrgE5przvnzitXO The full agenda packet can be found on the City's website at www.yrekaca.gov/ AgendaCenter. Copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to any item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection 72 hours before each regularly scheduled meeting, and 24 hours before each special meeting, at the City Clerk's office at City Hall, located at 701 4th St, Yreka, California during normal business hours. Any writing that is subject to disclosure that relates to an agenda item for open session distributed less than 72 hours prior to the meeting will be available for public inspection at the City Clerk's office during normal business hours.
Materials distributed to a majority of councilmembers less than 72 hours before a meeting will be available for public inspection on the City's website at www.yrekaca.gov/ AgendaCenter.
Please note the following change to the City's public comment procedures: Unless a Councilmember is participating in the meeting remotely pursuant to Government Code section 54953(!), remote public comment will not be accepted. Public comment may be provided in-person or via emaii, as set forth below. Members of the public des iring to provide comments as a part of the meeting are encouraged to either submit written comments by 3:00 p.m. to the City Clerk prior to the meeting or to attend the meeting in person." Written comments will be distributed to the Councilmembers but will not be read aloud at the meeting.
1. 5:30 PM CALL TO ORDER CLOSED SESSION:
Closed session called to order at 5:30 PM
2. PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS:
No public comment received on closed session items
3. CLOSED SESSION:
The City Council will recess to Closed Session to discuss the following item(s). At the conclusion of the Closed Session, Open Session will reconvene and reportable action, if any, will be announced:
a. Conference with legal counsel - potential litigation (Govt Code Section §54956.9(d)(2)) - Number of cases: 2
b. Public Employee Appointment (Govt Code Section §54957(b)) - Position: City Manager
4. 6:30PM CALL TO ORDER REGULAR SESSION, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION:
Open session called to order at 6:30 pm.
Closed session adjourned at 6:06 pm with no repo1table action.
5. ROLL CALL:
Councilmernbers Davis, Middleton, Clair and Baker are present.
Councilmember McCoy is absent
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA:
Motion to Approve the Agenda as Presented
MOTIONED: Councilmember Middleton
SECOND: Council member Clair
A YES: Councilmembers Davis, Middleton, Clair & Baker
NO's: -0-
ABSENT: Councilmember McCoy
7. PRESENTATIONS:
❖ Steven Bryan - Siskiyou Community Resource Center
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS:
No public comment received
9. CONSENT AGENDA:
All matters listed under the consent agenda are considered routine and non-controversial and will be enacted by one motion unless any member of the Council wishes to remove an item for discussion, a. Approval/ratification of payments issued from April 26, 2026, through May 9, 2026. b. Treasurer's Report for January 2026.
c. Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting held May 5, 2026. d. Adoption of Resolution 2026-16 of the City Council of the City of Yreka Requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Siskiyou Consolidate a General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election to be held Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
e. Approval of Resolution 2026-17 of the City Council of the City of Yreka Accepting the Evans-Wilmarth Annexation.
f. Amendment of Legal Services Agreement with Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley, PC, and Appointment of Julia Homaechevarria as City Attorney.
Recommended City Council Action: Motion to Adopt the Consent Agenda of the City Council of the City of Yreka as presented.
Motion to Adopt the Consent Agenda of the City Council of the City of Yreka as presented MOTIONED: Councilmember Davis
SECOND: Councilmember Middleton
A YES: Councilmembers Davis, Middleton, Clair & Baker
NO's: -0-
ABSENT: Councilmember McCoy
The motion passes
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Public Hearing Protocol:
i. Mayor will describe the purpose of the Public Hearing. ii. City Staff will provide the Staff Report.
iii. City Staff will respond to questions from the City Council. iv. Mayor will open the Public Hearing.
v. Public wanting to comment will come to the podium, provide the City Clerk with their name and address, and provide their comments.
vi. Mayor will close the Public Hearing.
vii. City Council will deliberate and act on the item.
Assistant City Manager
Agenda Title: Public Hearing- 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Sho11age Contingency Plan Adoption
Recommended Council Action: I) Open Public Hearing to receive public comment on the UWMP; 2) Close Public Hearing; and 3) Motion to adopt Resolution 2026-lS of the City Council ofthe City of Yreka.
No public comment received.
Motion to Adopt Resolution 2026-18 of the City Council of the City of Yreka Adopting the 2025 Urban Water Management Plan and 2025 Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Making the Findings that the Project is Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) MOTIONED: Councilmember Middleton
SECOND: Council member Clair
A YES: Councilmembers Davis, Middleton, Clair & Baker
NO's: -0-
ABSENT: Councilmember McCoy
The motion passes
11. CITY BUSINESS:
Interim City Manager
a. Agenda Title: Discussion/Possible Acton on the Proposed Revisions to the Policy & Procedure Manual for • Elected and Appointed Officials.
Recommended City Council Action: Staff recommends that the City Council review the proposed revisions to the Policy & Procedure Manual for Elected and Appointed Offbals and provide feedback and direction to staff to bring this item back at a future meeting for adoption. No formal adoption is requested at this time.
No public comment received
Agenda item 11.a was discussion only. No action was taken.
Interim City Manager
b. Agenda Title: Consideration of Appointment of Wil I iam I bershof as Yreka City Manager and Approval of Employment Agreement.
Recommended City Council Action: Motion to Approve the appointment of William lbershof as City Manager for the City of Yreka and Authorize the Mayor to Execute the Attached Employment Agreement.
No public comment received
Motion to Approve the appointment of William lbershof as City Manager for the City of Yreka and Authorize the Mayor to Execute the Attached Employment Agreement.
MOTIONED: Councilmember Middleton
SECOND: Councilmember Davis
A YES: Councilmembers Davis, Middleton, Clair & Baker
NO's: -0-
ABSENT: Councilmember McCoy
The motion passes
f. CITY MANAGER/STAFF REPORTS:
lnterim City Manager John Elsnab gave an update
Interim Police Chief Pat Dirksen gave an update
g. MAYOR/COUNCILMEMBERS REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND REQUESTS:
AB 1234* Conference and Meeting Report (verbal, if any) *(In accordance with AB 1234, Councilmembers shall make a brief report or file a written report on any meeting/event/conference attended at City expense.) Councilmember Davis gave an update
Councilmember Middleton gave an update
Council member Clair gave an update
Councilmember Baker gave an update
h. ADJOURNMENT:
Meeting adjourned at 7:48 PM