City Council

City Council Meeting Minutes ___________________________________________________________________________________________ THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2026 – 6:00 PM COLUMBIA CITY, CITY HALL – 1840 SECOND STREET CITY OF COLUMBIA CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, OREGON AGENDA ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL: CONVENED: Mayor Alex Reed called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:02 pm. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Alex Reed Council President Rob Forman Councilor Gordon Thistle Councilor Connie Quick Councilor Lyle Bluhm COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: ALSO PRESENT: Kim Karber, City Administrator/Recorder Jerry Bartolomucci, Chief of Police ATTORNEY PRESENT: None A quorum was present, and due notice had been published. MOVED (BLUHM) AND SECOND (THISTLE) AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO ADD AGENDA ITEM 5.15 REAPPOINT JEFF CALDWELL TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. AGENDA ITEM 2 PUBLIC HEARINGS: None AGENDA ITEM 3 CITIZEN INPUT: None AGENDA ITEM 4 COUNCIL REPORTS: 4.1 Audit Committee: Next meeting scheduled February 10th. 4.2 Hazard Committee: Next meeting will be January 27th. 4.3 Parks Committee: Chair Bluhm reported that the next Parks Advisory Committee will be meeting on January 26th. Steve will be there going over the draft Master Plan. 4.4 Streets Committee: No report. 4.5 Water & Sewer Committee: No report. 2 Regular City Council Meeting January 15, 2026 AGENDA ITEM 5 CONSENT AGENDA: 5.1 Bills paid with check numbers 35812 through 35855 during the month of December 2025. 5.2 Expense vs Budget Report for the month ending December 31, 2025. 5.3 Combined balance sheet for the month ending December 31, 2025. 5.4 Minutes of the December 18, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting. 5.5 Activity Report from the City Administrator for the month of December 2025. 5.6 Activity Report from the Public Works Superintendent for the month of December 2025. 5.7 Activity Report from the Chief of Police for the month of December 2025. 5.8 Revenue Analysis Report for the quarter ending December 31, 2025. 5.9 Appoint City Administrator, Kim Karber, as Budget Officer for 2026 calendar year. 5.10 Reappoint Sue Kovich to the Audit Committee. 5.11 Reappoint Rebecca Pickering to the Budget Committee. 5.12 Reappoint Jazzmin Love and Logan Gilbert-Renner to the Hazard Committee. 5.13 Appoint Maria Tagliavento to the Audit Committee. 5.14 Appoint Neal Shervey to the Hazard Committee. 5.15 Reappoint Jeff Caldwell to the Budget Committee. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE CONSENT AGENDA BY UNANIMOUS ROLL CALL VOTE. AGENDA ITEM 6 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: None AGENDA ITEM 7 NEW BUSINESS: 7.1 Election of City Council President. MOVED (BLUHM), SECONDED (QUICK), AND CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY TO RE- ELECT COUNCIL MEMBER ROB FORMAN AS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR. 7.2 Committee Appointments. Mayor Reed will leave the committee appointments as is: Audit = Council President Forman Hazard = Councilor Quick Parks = Councilor Bluhm Streets = Councilor Forman Water & Sewer = Councilor Thistle AGENDA ITEM 8 OTHER BUSINESS: 8.1 Council President Forman thanked Kim and staff for the wonderful holiday party and the good food. 8.2 Audit Kim reported that the final audit had been issued and there were no findings. The auditors are printing hard copies, and they will be distributed once received. Kim inquired of Council if they would like the auditors to do a presentation since it was their first year as our auditors and they can go over everything and answer any questions. Council agreed they would like them to give a presentation. Mayor Reed asked if it was good news that they did not find anything and our audit committee did not find anything. Kim stated it is good news, and it indicates we are doing things the way they are supposed to be done. 3 Regular City Council Meeting January 15, 2026 8.3 City/County Dinner Kim asked that anyone who is going to the City/County dinner in Clatskanie let her know so she can RSVP. 8.4 Sommarstrom Subdivision Kim reported that two permits have been approved today and they will be breaking ground tomorrow. They are two-story common-wall town homes with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage. Livable space is between 1540 to 1560 sq feet. 8.5 Mayor Reed inquired whether the City has an ordinance regarding how many cars can be parked in front of a house. Kim responded that it depends on whether they are running or not. If they are running and tags are up to date, then there is not a limit. If they are not running or tags are not current, then there are ordinances addressing that. AGENDA ITEM 9 ADJOURNMENT: 9.1 There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting adjourned at 6:24 pm. APPROVED: _______________________________________ Alexander Reed Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Kim Karber City Administrator/Recorder