111 E. COMMERCIAL STREET WILLITS, CALIFORNIA 95490 (707) 459-4601 TEL WILLITS (707) 459-1562 FAX WILLITS CITY COUNCIL MINUTES WEDNESDAY APRIL 23, 2025 Mayor Stranske called a regular meeting of the City Council to order at 6:30 p.m., in Council Chambers. The meeting was preceded by the pledge to the flag. Roll Call: Councilmembers Gerardo Gonzalez, Tom Allman, Bruce Burton, Vice Mayor Matthew Alaniz and Mayor Larry Stranske were present. Also present were staff members: Rodney Wilburn, Interim City Manager; Cathy Moorhead, Assistant City Manager; Jim Lance, City Attorney; Dusty Duley, Community Development Director; Walter Kolon, Services and Facilities Director; Manuel Orozco, Finance Director; Mike Parish, Interim Police Chief; and Delores Pedersen, City Clerk. Mayor Stranske stepped down as Mayor and turned the meeting over to Vice Mayor Alaniz. Vice Mayor Alaniz requested that there be an amendment to the Agenda to add nominations of a New Mayor. Moved by Gonzalez/ Seconded by Burton and carried unanimously to amend the agenda by adding nominations and seating a new Mayor to the Agenda. Vice Mayor Alaniz then asked for nominations for Mayor. Vice Mayor Alaniz nominated Councimember Allman for the newly vacant Mayor position, Councilmember Stranske seconded the nomination and carried unanimously to seat Councimember Allman as Mayor of the City of Willits. 2. Public Communications Eli Champion, employee of the Skunk Train Mr. Champion spoke to the matter of the Skunk Train partnering with the City to work together around various holidays to have a more festive look around town. The Skunk Train draws in visitors for the Skunk Train around Christmas and the goal is to attempt to have those visitors stay a little longer. Mr. Champion also expressed the need for lights at the Skate Park. Saprina Rodriguez expressed concern over an email exchange between herself, Delores Pedersen, City Clerk and Vice Mayor Alaniz. Madge Strong invited citizens to join Willits Economic Localization (WELL). Monday, April 28th is the deadline for submittal of items for the WELL Newsletter for the May- June edition. WELL is co-sponsoring a forum with the Library titled "Energy how to Page 1 of7 Save Money and Energy". The Library and WELL will be co-sponsoring a series of forums, one will be on Water, and another is planned on How to Reduce Waste Footprint. 3. Public Matters a. Discussion and Possible approval of an At-Will Employment Agreement with Laco Associates for Interim City Manager Services, at a Weekly Rate of $3,600, and Authorize the Mayor to Execute Same. Councimember Burton spoke in support of Rod Wilburn as the Interim City Manager. Mayor Allman questioned the concern of conflict of interest, with Mr. Wilburn being the Interim City Manager, because the City engages with LACO to perform engineering services. City Attorney Lance responded that this is addressed in paragraph 3d of the contract: > WILBURN shall not engage in any activity, with LACO or otherwise, which is or may become a conflict of interest, prohibited contract, or which may create an incompatibility, of office as the CITY'S Interim City Manager. LACO will cause WILBURN shall complete all disclosure forms required by law. Further, during the term of this agreement and for a period of at least six (6) months following the term. Both LACO and WILBURN will not directly or indirectly bid on, participate in, or solicit any business from the CITY, its agencies or representatives, in connection with any contract awarded or to be awarded by the CITY. This includes but is not limited to: (a) bidding on or participating in public works projects including contracts to provide the CITY with engineering, surveying, project management or other professional services; (b) consulting with any entity bidding on or participating in CITY projects; and (c) working for any entity that is a bidder or contractor with the CITY." Public Comment: Helen Simms asked who will provide oversight of the conditions of the agreement with LACO. City Attorney Lance responded that anytime the City is soliciting bids for contracts this comes to his attention then it is on the Agenda for City Council to take action on. If LACO, contrary to the agreement, bid on a contract, they would be disqualified. Madge Strong spoke in support of Rod Wilburn being the Interim City Manager and feels Mr. Wilburn will do a wonderful job. Saprina Rodriguez spoke in support of Rod Wilburn being the Interim City Manager. Ms. Rodriguez raised concerns about the process in choosing an Interim City Manager. Ms. Rodriguez states that the public would have liked to see a transition plan for the public to get some understanding of what the vision was. Ms. Rodriguez brought up concerns over the rate being paid to LACO for the Interim City Manager Services and urged the City Council to slow down, to seek more public input and evaluate both the cost and consequences of this decision. Mayor Allman responded that the Interim City Manager position salary is less due to it being an unbenefited position. Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 2 of 7 Moved by Burton/Seconded by Gonzalez and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2025-16 APPOINTNG RODNEY WILBURN AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH LACO ASSOCIATES FOR INTERIM CITY MANAGER SERVICES. b. Little Lake Fire District Monthly Update. Fire Chief Alvarez was unable to attend the meeting, the Little Lake Fire District Monthly Update was sent to the City Clerk, it was added to the packet. C. Third District County Supervisor John Haschak Monthly Update. Prop 172, State Sales Tax for Public Safety, was discussed. Fire Departments in Mendocino County felt there was a miscalculation, the calculation was revised and the Fire Departments in Mendocino County will be receiving more due to the new calculation process. Mr. Haschak reported that the BRIC Grant, Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities, through FEMA. FEMA has disbanded the BRIC Grant Program. This Grant was to be used for vegetation management, home hardening and defensible space for the Brooktrails Sherwood Road area as well as the City of Willits Airport and possibly other City of Willits areas. The County received the first phase, which was $3.6 million, to start the planning for the project, the entire project was $50 million. County is putting out an RFP for the Roof of the Library. The Ukiah Library staff brought to the Board of Supervisors a proposal to build a new Library. The projected cost of a new library in Ukiah would be about $38 million. Direction to the Library staff was to work with the County CEO and come up with something that is more sustainable. Councimember Burton asked how the County is getting along with the State Auditors? Mr. Haschak reported that the County is currently working with the State Auditors, the county is ready for them to start working within the next week or two. Public Comment: Madge added that at the Board of Supervisors meeting there were two other items on the Board of Supervisor Agenda. The Board of Supervisors voted to raise the square foot limit from 10,000 to 20,000 for cannabis grows. The other being a discussion about the $18 billion deficit that the County is showing for Fiscal Year 25/26. Delores Pedersen, City Clerk, swore in Rod Wilburn as the Interim City Manager. 4. Enactment of Ordinances None presented. 5. Consent Calendar The following item(s) are recommended for approval or denial, as follows: a. City Council Minutes: i. April 9, 2025 Public Comment: None presented. Moved by Alaniz/Seconded by Stranske and carried unanimously to approve Consent Calendar item(s) (a). 6. Monthly Activity Reports Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 3 of 7 Matters that do not require action by the City Council but are of public interest. None presented. 7. Commissions, Agencies and Authorities None presented. 8. Interim City Manager Reports and Recommendations a. Mr. Wilburn stated that he is honored to have this opportunity to work with the City Council, City Team and the City of Willits Community. The City of Willits is Mr. Wilburn's hometown, and he assured the community, staff and council that there will be no conflict of interest during his tenure as Interim City Manager. Public Comment: None presented. 9. Department Recommendations (Action Items) a. Presentation of Audit Conducted by Moss, Levy & Hartzheim Regarding Audited Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023. Manual Orozco reported that the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2023 fund balances were as follows: General Fund + Measure K = $3,500,000 Transportation = $2,400,000 Sewer Enterprise = $5,700,000 Water Enterprise = $4,300,000 Mayor Allman asked Mr. Orozco to explain how financially healthy the City of Willits is. Mr. Orozco responded that at the end of 2023 the City of Willits was still healthy. It is Mr. Orozco's goal to complete the Fiscal Year 2023/2024 Audit by the end of May 2025. Councilmember Burton inquired how much the City has had to backfill for pension obligations over the past twelve to twenty-four months. Mr. Orozco stated that we are still within the range that was expected. Council member Gonzalez inquired if Mr. Orozco feels the City will need to do a Budget Extension this year. Mr. Orozco responded that there will be no need for a budget extension. Public Comment: John Haschack reported that the County received information from HDL, who does the sales tax analysis for the County of Mendocino. The 4th quarter of 2024 sales tax was down by 8.7% for the County, overall, which includes the City's, sales tax was down 5.4%. The State was down 1.1%. Saprina Rodriguez reported that in 2023 that the General fund balance was in the positive despite the fact that the Council was honoring the commitments they had made with Measure K. The previous Council told the community that the Police Force would be increased, Parks would be upgraded, and roads would be taken care of. Ms. Rodriguez stated that funds had been allocated to make sure those happened. Ms. Rodriguez states that 2023 ended with a fund balance and all was done without using any of the Measure K funds. The Measure K Committee was very conservative and concerned about making sure that any funds that were allocated in the next year were not recurring Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 4 of 7 funds. There was an understanding that Measure K Funds would need to be used as backfill in order to continue to make sure that the City was meeting the obligations to the public. Councimember Burton inquired if the Rail-with-trail project was underfunded by one million dollars. Mr. Kolon, Services and Facilities Director, mentioned that the project management was underfunded not the actual project. b. Resolution Approving the Purchase of a Caterpillar 416 Backhoe with Loader. Public Comment: None Presented Moved by Burton/Seconded by Alaniz and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2025-17 to purchase a Kubota tractor and mower in an amount not to exceed $163,301.94. C. Resolution Approving the Purchase of a Kubota Tractor and Mower for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. City Attorney Lance inquired if Brooktrails was made aware of the purchase. Mr. Kolon stated that they had not that he did not believe they needed to be notified being that the purchase would be for Operations and Maintenance for the property. Public Comment: Tamara Alaniz, Brooktrails Township General Manager, responded that she agrees with Mr. Kolon that the purchase of the Tractor and Mower is an 0&M purchase, and that Brooktrails pays a monthly O&M, Capitol Replacement Costs as well as the dept service for the Wastewater Treatment Plant to the City of Willits. Moved by Burton/Seconded by Gonzalez and carried unanimously to adopt Resolution No. 2025-18 purchase a Caterpillar backhoe loader in an amount not to exceed $172,128.25. d. Discussion and Possible Action on Requesting a Public Convenience and Necessity (PCN) Determination for a Type 20 License for Beer and Wine for the Upcoming Jalos Market Located at 1569 South Main Street. Councilmember Burton asked for the date that Jalos Market made their application. Connor Stack, City Planner, did not have this information available. Maria Fierro, owner of Jalos Market, stated that the process started almost two years ago, the ABC License has been a year and a half long process. Ms. Fierro stated that the reason it has taken SO long is because of personal circumstances. Councilmember Gonzalez indicated that he supports the letter but wants to make sure that there will be signs posted stating no drinking on the premises. Mr. Stack responded that Jalos Market would be held to the rules of the ABS License. Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 5 of 7 The Council unanimously approved staff to write a letter to Alcohol Beverage Control in support of a Type 20 License for Beer and Wine for Jalos Market. Public Comment: None presented. e. Discussion and Possible Action on Requesting a Public Convenience and Necessity (PCN) Determination for a Type 20 License for Beer and Wine for the Upcoming Willits Discount Market at 851 South Main Street. Councilmember Stranske stated that he had gone to the Willits Discount Market and there was nothing there. The owner of the Willits Discount Market stated that they are waiting for the Building Department to issue a building permit SO that they can remove a wall inside the building to extend the main part of the market. The Council unanimously approved staff to write a letter to Alcohol Beverage Control in support of a Type 20 License for Beer and Wine for Willits Discount Market. Public Comment: None presented 10. DEPARTMENT MONTHLY REPORTS = (presented at the second meeting of each month) a. Airport. - Nothing more to add. b. Community Dev. Dusty Duley reported on the work being done at the Van Hotel. C. Finance - Nothing more to add. d. Police Dept. Chief Parish reported on the Hi-Low Siren Drill that is planned for the City of Willits on May 28th at 3:30 pm. e. Services & Facilities. Walter Kolon, Services and Facilities Director commended the crews and all the work they have been doing. Mr. Kolon mentioned that a manhole was being occupied by homeless citizens, the crews removed two yards of trash from the manhole. f. Utilities. - Nothing more to add. 11. City Council Announcements. Communications and Reports Councimember Gonzalez Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 6 of 7 Water/Wastewater Committee - Water Wastewater Committee now meeting quarterly. Camera truck upgrades, computer upgrades were done. Continued repairs being done to leaks. Vice Mayor Alaniz Finance Committee - Vice Mayor Alaniz reported that the committee received a report on the Audit and another about the City's financial system switch over to Springbrook from ACS. Public Comment: None presented. 12. Good & Welfare None presented Public Comment: None presented. 13. Closed Session Notice None. 14. Adjournment City Council Adjourned to Closed Session at 8:17 pm. For more information on the April 23, 2025 Willits City Council Meeting please view the recording on YouTube. *z L TOM ALLMAN, Mayor City Council for the City of Willits ATTEST: Dalsuo Pdaron DELORES PEDERSEN City Clerk Willits City Council Minutes of April 23, 2025 Page 7 of 7