City Council

Item No.: G-5 CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2024 CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 794 THIRD STREET This is an Equal Opportunity Program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal Law. Complaints of discrimination may be filed with the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 p.m. B. ROLL CALL: Council: Dave Demo Jose “Chuy” Valerio Shelly Hargens Lisa Lomeli Mayor: Robert Snow All members of the City Council were present except Councilor Lomeli. C. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Led by the City Manager. D. INVOCATION: Led by Councilor Hargens E. PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, APPOINTMENTS, PRESENTATIONS: 1. PROCLAMATION: Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 14, 2024 through April 20, 2024. Present to accept the Proclamation was Ashley Knight from the Corning Police Dispatch Center and Daymon Schlereth from the Corning Fire Dispatch Center. 2. PROCLAMATION: Child Abuse Prevention Month. Present to accept the Proclamation was Andrea Martin, Child Abuse Prevention Coordinator for Tehama County. She City Council Members and Staff with ‘Stop Child Abuse’ pins and read a speech about Child Abuse. City Manager Mesker invited the public to attend the Children’s Flag Raising that will take place April 26th at 10:00am at the flagpole in front of the City Hall. 3. PROCLAMATION: April 2024 Sexual Assault Awareness (SAMM) Month. Present to accept the Proclamation was Susan Reyes, Empower Tehama Bilingual Legal Advocate. She provided City Council members with folders containing information about sexual violence and provided information and statistics related to Sexual Assault. She also invited the Public to wear denim on ‘Denim Day’ on April 24th. F. PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR: • Brooke Smith talked about the new thermostat that was installed at the Senior Center. She said it is saving a lot of money; it has already saved between $300-$400 dollars. • Ross Turner asked for the Palm Tree item to be moved up on the meeting agenda. • Sherry Holm(?) talked about the City needing more Police Officers due to gang violence and about Bell Carter being noisy and causing a dangerous road due to olives and olive oil spills, fast drivers, and a lack of stop signs. G. CONSENT AGENDA: It is recommended that items listed on the Consent Agenda be acted on simultaneously unless a Councilmember or members of the audience request separate discussion and/or action. 4. Waive reading, except by title, of any Ordinance under consideration at this meeting for either introduction or passage, per Government Code Section 36934. 5. Waive the reading and approve the Minutes of the March 26, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting with any necessary corrections. 6. April 4, 2024 Claim Warrant in the amount of $896,147.99. 7. April 4, 2024 Business License Report. 8. March 2024 Wages & Salaries: $407,112.94. THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER  Item No.: G-5 9. March 2024 Treasurer’s Report. 10. March 2024 Building Permit Valuation Report in the amount of $1,175.196. 11. March 2024 City of Corning Wastewater Operations Summary Report. 12. Authorize flying the Children’s Memorial Flag at City Hall starting on Friday, April 26th through Monday, April 29th. Councilor Valerio moved to approve Consent Items 4-12; Councilor Hargens seconded the motion. Ayes: Snow, Demo, Valerio, and Hargens. Abstain/Opposed: None; motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent. H. ITEMS REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA: None. I. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MEETINGS: 13. Public Hearing: Adopt Resolution 04-09-2024-01 and approve Tentative Tract Map 24-1001; Shaan Estates, to create 12 single-family residential parcels in an R-1 Zoning District. Approximately 2.74 acres located on the north side of Blackburn Avenue and approximately 140 feet east of Marguerite Avenue. APN: 75-310-42. Applicant: Hirday Singh. Planner II/Recreation Coordinator II Christina Meeds presented and corrected that it is 14 single- family residential parcels, not 12. The Public Hearing was opened and with no public comment, it was closed. Councilor Demo stated that he does not think paving half of the road is beneficial to the City. City Attorney Collin Bogener said he will look into what we can do to add paving the whole road into the Agreement. Councilor Demo moved to approve Tentative Tract Map 24-1001, adopt Resolution 04-09-2024-01 and adopt the 4 Findings and 47 recommended Conditions of Approval as presented. Councilor Valerio seconded the motion. Ayes: Snow, Valerio, Hargens, and Demo. Absent: Lomeli. Abstain/Opposed: None; motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent. J. REGULAR AGENDA: At this time Mayor Snow approved reorganizing the Agenda to address Item 17, the Palm Tree Landscape design first under Regular Agenda, and then return to the remaining items in order as stated on the agenda. 17. Review and provide Staff direction regarding Palm Tree landscape design options for the Corning City Plaza and Recreation Center Project. City Manager Mesker presented this item and stated that the Ad Hoc Committee approved a recommendation to the City Council to remove; City Council approved this recommendation. Mayor Snow said that a minimum of 2 trees on the corner of Solano Street needs to be removed to fix an existing water drainage problem. City Manager Mesker stated that for an ADA slope required for compliance, and to fix the existing drainage problem, at least 3 trees will need to be removed. • Shana Long speaking on behalf of Paulyne White stated Corning is losing to many historical features like the Tower and the Railroad Depot. The Maywood Hotel used Palm Trees in their advertisements to get people to come to Corning, which helped our town grow. • Ruth Myhre said she missed some of the meetings for the Plaza and is not okay with removing the Palm Trees. She said there is a change.org petition and it has a lot of votes in favor of keeping them. • Kathy Woodson said her husband is related to Warren Woodson who in 1895 planted Palm Trees in Corning, CA and there were no other Palm Trees around. She said they are not in the way and can be incorporated into the plan for the new City Plaza. Councilor Demo stated that the Ad Hoc Committee made a unanimous decision to remove the trees. He further stated that more people should attend those meetings so we would not be doing this today. He remarked that there are over 500 palm trees in the City. He stated he looked into other ways, moving the trees, or pruning and spraying more to keep them better maintained. He reiterated that he would like to see more in attendance at the ad hoc meetings. Ben Myhre asked THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER  Item No.: G-5 if removing all the trees is due to design and development by starting with a blank slate. Councilor Demo responded no; it is not due to design. Mayor Snow stated he is in favor of taking out the ones that are necessary for development due to ADA compliance and drainage. He said this needs to be done, we can leave the rest for the time being. City Manager Mesker said we go out to bid in the fall and if we only take out the trees for ADA compliance and drainage this will only change the plan minimally. Planner II/Recreation Coordinator II Christina Meeds stated if we do not remove the trees now, but instead do it five years down the line, the removal costs will not be funded through this grant, it will be funded from the City’s General Fund. Mayor Snow suggested removing the ones needed for drainage repair and ADA compliance and seeing how the remaining trees affect the Plaza. All City Council members in attendance stated they are here to represent you, the residents of the City. All Council members, by a 4-0 vote, were in agreement to remove the three Palm Trees to fix the drainage issues, meet ADA compliance, and leave the remaining palm trees in place. 14. Approve Professional Services Contract with SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologists, Inc. for Professional Planning Services. City Manager Mesker presented this item. With no public comments, Councilor Demo asked if this is to replace the position Scott Friend had with the City; he was informed yes. Councilor Demo moved to approve the Professional Services Contract with SHN Consulting Engineers and Geologist, Inc. for Professional Planning Services and authorize the City Manager to sign the contract. Councilor Hargens seconded the motion. Ayes: Snow, Valerio, Hargens, and Demo. Absent: Lomeli. Abstain/Opposed: None; motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent. 15. Approve Agreement with T-Mobile West, LLC for ground lease space at the Clark Park Telecommunications Tower Site. City Manager Mesker presented. Mayor Snow asked if this is going in front of the playground and if the gate will be relocated; City Manager Mesker stated yes, it is in front of the playground and the relocation of the gate has not been negotiated however it can become a condition of the Use Permit. Ruth Mhyre said the fence around the tower is not being maintained and should be part of the contract; City Manager Mesker said we can revisit the contract with Verizon as it relates to this fence maintenance. Councilor Hargens moved to approved the Agreement with T-Mobile West, LLC for ground lease space at the Clark Park Telecommunications Tower Site and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement. Councilor Valerio seconded the motion. Ayes: Snow, Valerio, Hargens, and Demo. Absent: Lomeli. Abstain/Opposed: None; motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent. 16. Adopt Resolution No. 04-09-2024-02 calling for a Ballot Measure changing the offices of the City Clerk and City Treasurer from elected positions to appointed at the election to be held on November 5, 2024. City Attorney Collin Bogener presented this item. Mayor Snow asked what this change will provide; City Attorney Bogener responded stating this will give the City more control over finding qualified applicants. Councilor Demo said we have been lucky with great people being elected in the past, but this makes sense for the City. City Manager Mesker said many cities have moved to having these as appointed positions. Laura Calkins asked what the applicant vetting process would entail and what would the pay scale be for the positions? City Attorney Bogener stated nothing is in place yet. Ross Turner stated he would like the positions to continue to be held by local residents. Councilor Demo moved to adopt Resolution No. 04-09-2024-02 calling for a Ballot Measure changing the offices of the City Clerk and City Treasurer from elected positions to appointed at the election to be held on November 5, 2024. Councilor Valerio seconded the motion. Ayes: Snow, Valerio, Hargens, and Demo. Absent: Lomeli. Abstain/Opposed: None; motion was approved by a 4-0 vote with Lomeli absent. K. ITEMS PLACED ON THE AGENDA FROM THE FLOOR: None. THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER  Item No.: G-5 L. COMMUNICATIONS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND INFORMATION: None. M. REPORTS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS: City Councilmembers will report on attendance at conferences/meetings reimbursed at City expense (Requirement of Assembly Bill 1234). Demo: Attended the Senior Center meeting and the thermostat was great! Also, he attended the Tuesday Night Market and stated it was a great turnout. Lomeli: Absent. Hargens: Attended the Tehama County Landfill meeting, the states that the Landfill offers free mulch you just need a truck and shovel. She announced that there is a free tire collection on April 13th from 8am-12pm and a Free dump day on 4/21 from 8am-12pm with a one load limit per household. She reported that the Corning Library accepts lithium batteries, they just ask you to tape both ends before turning them in. Ace Hardware accepts lithium batteries and fluorescent lights. Valerio: Stated he had no meetings to report, but he just came back from Paris and being there made him miss and appreciate Corning. Snow: Stated he had no meetings to report. He attended the Tuesday Night Market, it was great. He thanked everyone that helped with the Market. N. ADJOURNMENT: 7:40pm ____________________________ Lisa M. Linnet, City Clerk THE CITY OF CORNING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER