City Council Regular Meeting
Regular MeetingClearlake, CA · August 21, 2025
Minutes
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
Clearlake City Hall Council Chambers
14050 Olympic Dr, Clearlake, CA
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Regular Meeting 6:00 PM
MINUTES
A. ROLL CALL
PRESENT
Mayor Russ Cremer
Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten
Councilmember Tara Downey
Councilmember Jessica Hooten
Councilmember Mary Wilson
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE
D. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
Motion made by Vice Mayor Slooten, Seconded by Councilmember Hooten.
Voting Yea: Mayor Cremer, Vice Mayor Slooten, Councilmember Downey, Councilmember Hooten,
Councilmember Wilson
E. PRESENTATIONS
1. Presentation of August's Adoptable Dogs
2. Presentation by Future Farmers of America
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jodie Westphal commended the fire department for extinguishing a fire in her neighborhood. She
further commended SPCA for their spay and neuter program. Additionally, she stated there are
two CalRecycle grants for the City to consider: one for the CRV program, and one for recycling
tires.
Stephanie Hummel spoke regarding medical insurance. She stated the Senior Center would be
having a speaker on the topic soon.
Edgar Allan Harvorth spoke in favor of a no kill shelter.
August 21, 2025 Page. 2
Margaret Garcia had a question regarding the fire department in the city and commended the
captain in charge of the crew that worked on putting out a recent fire.
Kathy Langlais spoke regarding animal control and the need for foster homes and spay and neuter
programs.
G. CONSENT AGENDA
Motion made by Vice Mayor Slooten, Seconded by Councilmember Downey.
Voting Yea: Mayor Cremer, Vice Mayor Slooten, Councilmember Downey, Councilmember Hooten,
Councilmember Wilson
3. Award of Contract for the Senior Center Painting Project
Recommended Action: Rescind the prior award of contract to Poso Brothers Painting due to
contractor withdrawal and authorize City Manager to enter into a contract with Underdog
Painting for the Senior Center Project in the amount of $49,285.00 and authorize the City
Manager to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments.
4. Minutes
Recommended Action: Receive and file
5. Warrants
Recommended Action: Receive and file
H. PUBLIC HEARING
6. Discussion and Consideration of Ordinance No. 282-2025, An Amendment to Section 3-5.6 of
the Clearlake Municipal Code Regarding the Collection of Fire Mitigation Impact Fees
Recommended Action: Hold First Reading of Ordinance No. 282-2025, read by title only, waive
further reading and set second reading for next Council meeting.
City Manager Flora gave the staff report.
There were no comments on this item.
Motion made by Councilmember Downey, Seconded by Vice Mayor Slooten.
Voting Yea: Mayor Cremer, Vice Mayor Slooten, Councilmember Downey, Councilmember
Hooten, Councilmember Wilson
I. BUSINESS
7. Consideration of Designation of Voting Delegates and Alternate(s) For the League of California
Cities Annual Conference in October
Recommended Action: Designate one voting delegate and up to two alternates
Administrative Services Director Swanson gave the staff report. Motion to have Mayor Cremer
as Delegate, with Councilmembers Downey and Hooten as Alternates.
August 21, 2025 Page. 3
8. Discussion Regarding Next Steps for Animal Care and Control Services in the City
Recommended Action: Direction to Staff
City Manager Flora gave the staff report.
It was the consensus to direct staff to move forward with developing a Request for Proposals
(RFP) for Animal Services and for staff to discuss said RFP with an ad hoc committee consisting
of Mayor Cremer and Councilmember Downey to bring the RFP to the Council for future
consideration.
J. CITY MANAGER AND COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
K. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
L. CLOSED SESSION
(9) Conference with Real Property Negotiators: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8.
Property Address: 14180 and 14190 Division Avenue, Clearlake; Agency Negotiation: City
Manager Alan Flora; Negotiating Parties: Alvarez Investments ; Under Negotiation: Price and
terms of payment.
(10) Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation: Pursuant to Government Code 54956.9 -
Mosqueda, Miguel v. City of Clearlake, p.s.i., administered by LWP Claims Solutions, Inc.
WCAB No: ADJ9170309
(11) LIABILITY CLAIMS -Claimant Anna Middling ; Agency Claimed Against : City of Clearlake
(Govt Code §54961)
(12) LIABILITY CLAIMS -Claimant Jeremy Nelson; Agency Claimed Against : City of Clearlake
(Govt Code §54961)
M. ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACTION FROM CLOSED SESSION
Motion to deny the claims of Middling and Nelson:
Motion made by Vice Mayor Slooten, Seconded by Councilmember Downey.
Voting Yea: Mayor Cremer, Vice Mayor Slooten, Councilmember Downey, Councilmember Hooten,
Councilmember Wilson
N. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Melissa Swanson, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
August 21, 2025 Page. 4
Agenda
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
Clearlake City Hall Council Chambers
14050 Olympic Dr, Clearlake, CA
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Regular Meeting 6:00 PM
The City Council meetings are viewable in person in the Council Chambers, via livestreaming on the
City’s YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTyifT_nKS-3woxEu1ilBXA) or “Lake
County PEG TV Live Stream” at https://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCountyPegTV/featured and the
public may participate through Zoom at the link listed below. The public will not be allowed to provide
verbal comment during the meeting if attending via Zoom. The public can submit comments in writing
for City Council consideration by commenting via the Q&A function in the Zoom platform or by sending
comments to the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk at mswanson@clearlake.ca.us. To give
the City Council adequate time to review your comments, you must submit your written emailed
comments prior to 4:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting.
AGENDA
MEETING PROCEDURES: All items on agenda will be open for public comments before final action is
taken. Citizens wishing to introduce written material into the record at the public meeting on any item
are requested to provide a copy of the written material to the Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
prior to the meeting date so that the material may be distributed to the City Council prior to the meeting.
Speakers must restrict comments to the item as it appears on the agenda and stay within a three minutes
time limit. The Mayor has the discretion of limiting the total discussion time for an item.
Pursuant to Senate Bill 1100 and the City Council Norms and Procedures, any member of the public
making personal, impertinent, and/or slanderous or profane remarks, or who becomes boisterous or
belligerent while addressing the City Council, staff or general public, or while attending the City Council
meeting and refuses to come to order at the direction of the Mayor/Presiding Officer, shall be removed
from the Council Chambers or the Zoom by the sergeant-at-arms or the City Clerk and may be barred
from further attendance before the Council during that meeting. Unauthorized remarks from the
audience, stamping of feet, whistles, yells, and similar demonstrations shall not be permitted by the
Mayor/Presiding Officer. The Mayor/Presiding Officer may direct the sergeant-at-arms to remove such
offenders from the room.
August 21, 2025 Page. 2
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT (ADA) REQUESTS
If you need disability related modification, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in this meeting, please
contact Melissa Swanson, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk at the Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic
Drive, Clearlake, California 95422, phone (707) 994-8201, ext 106, or via email at mswanson@clearlake.ca.us at
least 72 hours prior to the meeting, to allow time to provide for special accommodations.
AGENDA REPORTS
Staff reports for each agenda item are available for review at www.clearlake.ca.us. Any writings or documents
pertaining to an open session item provided to a majority of the City Council less than 72 hours prior to the
meeting, shall be made available for public inspection on the City’s website at www.clearlake.ca.us.
Zoom Link:
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://clearlakeca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XDh2CHCrQEO1WW1sol6uzg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the
webinar.
A. ROLL CALL
B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
C. INVOCATION/MOMENT OF SILENCE: The City Council invites members of the clergy, as well as
interested members of the public in the City of Clearlake, to voluntarily offer an invocation before
the beginning of its meetings for the benefit and blessing of the City Council. This opportunity is
voluntary and invocations are to be less than three minutes, offered in a solemn and respectful tone,
and directed at the City Council. Invocational speakers who do not abide by these simple rules of
respect and brevity shall be given a warning and/or not invited back to provide a subsequent
invocation for a reasonable period of time, as determined appropriate by the City. This policy is not
intended, and shall not be implemented or construed in any way, to affiliate the City Council with,
nor express the City Council's preference for, any faith or religious denomination. Rather, this policy
is intended to acknowledge and express the City Council's respect for the diversity of religious
denominations and faith represented and practiced among the citizens of Clearlake. If a scheduled
invocational speaker does not appear at the scheduled meeting, the Mayor will ask that the City
Council observe a moment of silence in lieu of the invocation. More information about the City's
invocation policy is available upon request by contacting the Administrative Services Director/City
Clerk at (707) 994-8201x106 or via email at mswanson@clearlake.ca.us.
D. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA (This is the time for agenda modifications.)
E. PRESENTATIONS
1. Presentation of August's Adoptable Dogs
2. Presentation by Future Farmers of America
August 21, 2025 Page. 3
F. PUBLIC COMMENT: This is the time for any member of the public to address the City Council on any
matter not on the agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City. The Brown Act,
with limited exceptions, does not allow the Council or staff to discuss issues brought forth under
Public Comment. The Council cannot take action on non-agenda items. Concerns may be referred to
staff or placed on the next available agenda. Please note that comments from the public will also be
taken on each agenda item. Comments shall be limited to three (3) minutes per person.
G. CONSENT AGENDA: All items listed under the Consent Agenda are considered to be routine in nature
and will be approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a
member of the Council requests otherwise, or if staff has requested a change under Adoption of the
Agenda, in which case the item will be removed for separate consideration. Any item so removed will
be taken up following the motion to approve the Consent Agenda.
3. Award of Contract for the Senior Center Painting Project
Recommended Action: Rescind the prior award of contract to Poso Brothers Painting due to
contractor withdrawal and authorize City Manager to enter into a contract with Underdog
Painting for the Senior Center Project in the amount of $49,285.00 and authorize the City
Manager to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments.
4. Minutes
Recommended Action: Receive and file
5. Warrants
Recommended Action: Receive and file
H. PUBLIC HEARING
6. Discussion and Consideration of Ordinance No. 282-2025, An Amendment to Section 3-5.6 of
the Clearlake Municipal Code Regarding the Collection of Fire Mitigation Impact Fees
Recommended Action: Hold First Reading of Ordinance No. 282-2025, read by title only, waive
further reading and set second reading for next Council meeting.
I. BUSINESS
7. Consideration of Designation of Voting Delegates and Alternate(s) For the League of California
Cities Annual Conference in October
Recommended Action: Designate one voting delegate and up to two alternates
8. Discussion Regarding Next Steps for Animal Care and Control Services in the City
Recommended Action: Direction to Staff
J. CITY MANAGER AND COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
K. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
L. CLOSED SESSION
August 21, 2025 Page. 4
(9) Conference with Real Property Negotiators: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8.
Property Address: 14180 and 14190 Division Avenue, Clearlake; Agency Negotiation: City
Manager Alan Flora; Negotiating Parties: Alvarez Investments ; Under Negotiation: Price and
terms of payment.
(10) Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation: Pursuant to Government Code 54956.9 -
Mosqueda, Miguel v. City of Clearlake, p.s.i., administered by LWP Claims Solutions, Inc.
WCAB No: ADJ9170309
(11) LIABILITY CLAIMS -Claimant Anna Middling ; Agency Claimed Against : City of Clearlake
(Govt Code §54961)
(12) LIABILITY CLAIMS -Claimant Jeremy Nelson; Agency Claimed Against : City of Clearlake
(Govt Code §54961)
M. ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACTION FROM CLOSED SESSION
N. ADJOURNMENT
POSTED: August 15, 2025
BY:
Melissa Swanson, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk
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