Mayor makes committee appointments at meeting of Portola city hall
Mayor Tom Cooley then gave the floor to public comment, with local Josh Hart speaking about a bear cub that had been hit by a speeding driver some months prior in city limits.
Hart asked that something be done before there was further tragedy to keep people at an appropriate speed.
City communications
Councilmember Leah Turner reported that she had attended the new city councilmember training in Sacramento and that it was very informative.
Councilmember Pat Morton reported she had attended the two public Local Emergency Services Study Group, or LESSG workshop meetings for the proposed Beckwourth Peak Fire District.
Councilmember Stan Peiler reported that he had attended his first Plumas County Transportation Commission meeting and looked forward to being involved.
Mayor Pro Tem Bill Powers had also attended the meeting of the Transportation Commission, as well as the Portola LESSG workshop.
Powers also reported that he had chatted with the owners of Intermountain Disposal (IMD).
Mayor Tom Cooley reported that he had been quite busy with LESSG business.
Staff communications
Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District’s Mikki Brown briefly noted that the district had purchased more Purple air monitors for localized PM2.5 alerts in the area through a targeted airshed grant. “We are looking for volunteers in the community that would like to set one up, it just requires wifi and an external outlet,” Brown said. For more information, call the air district at 832-0102.
Mid-year financial update 2022-2023 and draft budget schedule
City Finance Officer Susan Scarlett shared information about the various aspects of the 2022-2023 draft city budget (found here.)
The general fund sits at a total of $1,045,400 as of December 31, 2022, with expenditures of $1,258,195.29.
“Overall, the city is in good financial cash shape,” Scarlett said. “Fund 207 and 208 (streets and snow removal, respectively) have no end number- money is being transferred out of the general fund to cover streets and snow.” Scarlett went on to note that there will be no revenue in the snow fund until May. “The funds we receive will be based on the streets report,” Scarlett noted. “We get back half of what was spent on snow removal the year before each year.”
Scarlett pointed out that the $44,567 for the North Loop line item would be fully reimbursable from the state.
Scarlett then invited members of the community to engage in the city budgetary process during upcoming opportunities for public comment and workshops that will be open for public comment.
The opportunities for public comment are scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 and Wednesday, April 12.
A city council budget work session is scheduled for Wednesday, May 17 at 3 pm and Wednesday, May 24 if needed. There will be a public hearing on Wednesday, June 7 and an adoption of the final 2023-2024 budget before the end of the fiscal year on Wednesday, June 21.
Mayor committee appointments
Mayor Cooley then led council through various adjustments to various committees.
Mayor Pro Tem Powers took the place of Interim City Manager Jon Kennedy on the airport land use commission, and Kennedy was appointed to the Plumas County Integrated Waste Management Task Force.
Portola City Clerk Jason Shaw replaced CFO Susan Scarlett on the Small City Organized Risk Effort Board or SCORE.
Kennedy was also appointed to the Emergency Services Policy committee and Mayor Cooley took a place on the committee as well.
The Community Development committee is now comprised of Councilmembers Stan Peiler and Leah Turner.
The Fire Wise ad hoc committee was disbanded, while Councilmember Morton and Mayor Cooley kept their positions on the fire department advisory committee.
Appointment of ad hoc committee for interim city manager labor negotiations
Mayor Tom Cooley appointed himself and Councilmember Turner to the ad hoc committee for interim city manager labor negotiations.
It was noted that there was a mistaken belief that the creation of the committee was to consider negotiations for the permanent city manager position and made clear that the committee was being created specifically to negotiate with the interim city manager.
