111E. COMMERCIAL STREET WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490 (707)459-4601 TEL (707)459-1562FAX  WILLITS  WILLITS CITY COUNCIL  MINUTES WEDNESDAY AUGUST 28, 2024  Mayor Rodriguez called a regular meeting of the City Council to order at 6:30 p.m., in Council Roll Call: Councilmembers Madge Strong, Larry Stranske, Greta Kanne, Vice Mayor Gerardo Also present were staff members: Brian Bender, City Manager; Cathy Moorhead, Assistant City Manager; Jim Lance, City Attorney; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director; Manuel Orozco, Finance Director; Walter Kolon, Services and Facilities Director; and Delores Pedersen, 1. Little Lake Fire District Chief Alvarez gave a report of the Little Lake Fire Districts activities  Chambers. The meeting was preceded by the pledge to the flag. Gonzalez and Mayor Saprina Rodriguez were present.  City Clerk.  for the month of. July.  There were 99 calls for service in the month of July. Held their Annual Open House was a success.  Applying for Grants to help fund smoke and carbon dioxide detectors for seniors The department participated in the following fires: Sites, Blue Nose, Pepperwood,  and families with children. Miner and Park Fires.  Completed the EMT Recertification. This is done monthly. Regular drill was radio etiquette and radio operations. The fire department has a new Wildland Fires Rig. Engine 5469. Had a fundraiser to hopefully purchase new Turnouts. Also looking for grants to help with this expense, a new set of Turnouts costs between $8,000 and $10,000  as set. 2. Public Communications None presented. 3. Public Matters  a. Presentation of a Proclamation recognizing Laurie Burghardt and her commitment to the Mayor Rodriguez read the Proclamation and along with Councimember Kanne, Lisa Kvasnicka, Chamber President and Misty Johnston, Chamber Coordinator, presented Ms.  community and kindness.  Burghardt with flowers and certificates from the Chamber.  Page 1of5    b. Noticed Public Hearing - Presentation and Discussion of General Plan Land Use  Element Update and Land Use Diagram.  Dusty Duley; Community Development Director presented a Power Point presentation ont the General Plan Land Usel Element Update andL Land Use Diagram. Objectives: Accommodate growth, encourage infill, expand the City's Sphere of Influence (SOI), provide adequate facilities and services, provide expanded parks, provide for vital downtown and S. Main Street, provide a logical land use map, Citizens of the community spoke for and against expanding the City's Sphere of Influence (SOI) with emphasis on Exley Lane being removed from the SOI Map. Tamara Alaniz, Brooktrails General Manager, spoke on behalf of the Brooktrails Community Services District. Ms. Alaniz stated that she was at the City Council Meeting to express Brooktrails appreciation of the City of Willits' efforts to include Brooktrails in the planning efforts to update the Land Use Element of the General Plan. After reviewing the draft Environmental impact Report (EIR) Brooktrails will be recommending that the City of Willits revise the draft (EIR) to include the information provided by the City's own wastewater flow data provided by the wastewater flow meters over the past five years. The current EIR is based on a five-year-old Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) Municipal Service Review (MSR). Ms. Alaniz states that it appears the expansion of the Sphere of Influence (SOI) and the potential population growth would need further analysis, and the proposed expansion may trigger the need to expand the City's wastewater treatment capacity. Ms. Alaniz thanked both Dusty Duley, Community Service Director and Brian Bender, City Manager for continuing to maintain the relationship with Brooktrails. Council direction to Community Development Director, Dusty Duleyi is as follows: Language added to Goal LU4 regarding protecting the character of Main Street, North ofH Hwy 20t tot the High School as well as the Commercial Street corridor. Remove Exley Lanet from the Sphere of Influence map.  streamline permitting, and protect natural resources.  Public Comment:  Public Hearing closed at 8:59 pm. 4. Enactment of Ordinances None presented. 5. Consent Calendar a. City Council Minutes: . August 14, 2024. Public Comment: None presented. Consent Calendar item(s) (a). 6. Monthly Activity Reports  The following item(s) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows:  Moved by Strong/Seconded by Stranske and carried unanimously to approve  Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of publici interest.  a. Business License Activity Report - July 2024. b. Building Activity Report - July 2024. Willits City Council Minutes of August 28, 2024.  Page 20f5    7. Commissions, Agencies and Authorities 8. City Manager Reports and Recommendations:  None presented.  a. Proposal to install Identification Signs at Babcock, Bud Snider, Haehl, & Recreation Council asked to have "paid for with Measure K funds" taken off of the signs.  Grove Parks.  Public Comment: None presented.  Moved by Rodrnguezseconded by Gonzalez and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2024-44 authorizing the installation of identity signs at Babcock, Bud b. Review of the End of Term Benchmarks as required by the September 28, 2022 Agreement between the Willits Chamber of Commerce and the City fori the Allocation of Transient Occupancy Tax. The said benchmarks consist of the following: (a) Increase membership by 10-percent; (b) Develop a reporting system to track promotional and marketing efforts; and (3). A report compiling comments from all members noting what Misty Johnston, Chamber Coordinator presented a PowerPoint presentation on the Developed Local First Willits = to support local businesses during the Covid Updated community events. The Car and Bike Show on! Main Street in downtown Redesigned Website to better serve the members, community and those  Snider, Haehl Creek, and Recreation Grove Parks.  strategy is working and the ones that are not.  benchmarks. Pandemic. Willits. relocating to Willits. New membership software. Revitalized social media accounts.  Created in 2020 - Love Local Mendo - Online gift cards.  Utilizing Google Business Profile for better outreach. Dedicated page on website for Volunteer Opportunities.  Council members expressed their hope that the Community Calendar will be expanded to Public Comment: Tom Mann thanked the Chamber of Commerce and said that they are  the whole community as soon as possible.  doing a good job.  Verbal Reports - No Action.  U Update on the 2023 Pavement Preservation Plan. by thet third week of September. ii. Update on the 2024 Pavement Preservation Plan. being completed by mid-October.  Walter Kolon, reports that the project is at 85% completion. Expect completion Mr. Kolon reports that this project started al little over two weeks agoi iti is expected to be at 85% if completion of the project by the end of September. With hopes of Mr. Kolon reports that the contractor is making very quick progress with hopes  ii.  Update on the 2024 Underground Utilities Project. of completion within the next couple months.  Willits City Council Minutes of August 28, 2024.  Page 3of5    City Manager Bender expressed his gratitude to thet two volunteers that stepped up, after the last City Council meeting, to lock the park restrooms each day.  Public Comment: None presented. 9. Department Recommendations (Action Items) Public Comment: None presented.  a. Presentation and Possible Adoption of Fiscal Year 2024/2025 Budget.  Council expressed concern that there was no explanation of the changes made tot the way that funds are tracked in the budget. The new layout makes it hard for City Manager Bender responded that an addendum would be added with notes  the public to understand.  on how changes were made internally.  Moved by Gonzalez/Seconded by Kanne and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2024-45 approving and adopting the Annual Operating Budget for the 10. Department Monthly Reports - (presented at the second meeting of each month).  City of Willits for fiscal year 2024-2025. a. Airport.- Nothing more to add. b. Community Development. - Nothing more to add. C. Finance. - Nothing more to add. d. Police Department. - Nothing more to add. e. Services & Facilities.- Nothing more to add. f.Utilities. - Nothing more to add. No action taken. Councimember Kanne Councimember Gonzalez  11. City Council Announcements. Communications and Reports  Expresses her appreciation of Davey Bowles, Building Official, for information he  was able to give her on a difficult situation she encountered.  Water/Wastewater Committee =  Reported that Groundwater was being used because of a crack int the clarifier which caused water levels to drop, a second use was due to power outage and the Scada system having a glitch. Water plant has had to increase security due Explored how secure they were at the MTA Grounds and on the buses. Mendocino College Route 9 will quit running at 11 pm. each evening.  to ab break in.  Mayor Rodriguez  Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA)-  Opportunities to increase security were identified.  Willits City Council Minutes of August 28, 2024.  Page 4of5    Mendocino Council of Government (MCOG) may have the authority to take  MTA's share of CARES funds.  Public Comment: None presented.  No action taken. 12. Good & Welfare  Councilmember Strong- that would like to grow plants. October 6th at the Grange. 4:00 pm. September 21st- is the Harvest Moon Festival.  Willits Economic Localization (WELL) sponsored a garden tour open house at the Willits Integrated Service Center (WISC). The WISC has plots available for anyone WELL along with the Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Candidates Forum on September 7 &8-F Roots of Motive Power event at the Rec Grove and Willits Youth Dusty Duley, Community Development Director, announced that the Brews and Blues event is Saturday, September 1, 2024 at the Recreation Grove Park.  Mayor Rodriguez Soccer Opening Day.  Adjourned to closed session at 10:36  13. Closed Session Notice  a. Conference with Legal Counsel existing litigation (CA Govt. Code $54956.9 (d)(1)); in the matter of Craig Anthony Gelber VS City of Willits, et al, Case No. 3-23-cv-00681- JSC, United States District Court for the Northern California District.  Willits City Council reconvened to open session at 10:50 p.m. with no action to report from Closed  Session. 14. Adjournment  Mayor Rodriguez declared the meeting adjourned at 10:50 p.m.  SAPRINA  City Council for the City of Wilits  ATTEST:  s  Dalacs Padoaon DELORES PEDERSEN City Clerk  Willits City Council Minutes of August 28, 2024.  Page 5of5