The May 1 meeting of the Portola City Council included awarding certificates of appreciation to former Interim City Manager Jon Kennedy and to Stan Peiler, who recently resigned as a member of City Council. The meeting also touched on the new council vacancy, as well as a decision on what to do with a 1948 fire truck owned by the city.
Portola Mayor Pat Morton presented Peiler with a certificate of thanks for his many years of service and dedication to the City of Portola. Peiler thanked those present and the residents of the city for allowing him the opportunity to serve the city in that role. He also mentioned past Mayor Tom Cooley, honoring his memory with gratitude for all the time Cooley had given him, along with sharing a wealth of guidance, experience and wisdom before Cooley passed away.
The City Council also honored Kennedy with a certificate of appreciation, sharing the gratitude of the city for his hard work and dedication. It will be mailed to him. Peiler also thanked Kennedy and the sitting council members, as well as city staff for their hard work and dedication over the years.
Interim City Manager Susan Scarlett noted that a Cromberg road rehabilitation project is projected to start in mid-May. The goal is to keep wait times to 30 minutes for travelers passing through the construction zone. She also noted that the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District has some green waste curbside pickup vouchers available for those in the city that qualify. There will also be a home heating event held May 18 at the Veterans Hall in Portola from noon to 4 p.m., including lunch and prizes.
The City Council had no new updates on the Gulling Street Bridge. The city pool is projected to open to the public Saturday, June 14. Councilmember Leah Turner reported that she and City Public Works Manager Todd Roberts had decided to place the incoming dog park above Baldwin Park, which allows easy access and parking. Recent vandalism at the basketball court involved a fire started on the cement. The incident has been reported to Plumas County Sheriff’s Office.
Filling Peiler’s vacant seat
The council discussed the vacancy left by Peiler and options to fill the position. After some discussion, councilmembers agreed to offer interested residents the opportunity to serve on the council by appointment, with advertisement to begin as soon as possible. Letters of interest will be accepted until May 30. Those interested should be prepared to describe why they would like to serve at the Wednesday, June 12, meeting of City Council. The appointment of a future councilmember will occur at that meeting.
The City Council then discussed Resolution 2573, designed to transfer ownership of the water treatment plant to the City of Portola. “This has been a long time coming,” Scarlett said. The resolution would give the city the opportunity to accept the real property on which the water treatment plant resides along with acquiring the responsibilities of operation and maintenance. The action must be approved by the Plumas County Board of Supervisors. A motion was made to approve the resolution and approved unanimously by roll call vote.
As to the 1948 Ford fire truck owned by the city, councilmembers decided unanimously to surplus it.
Reducing fuels on city-owned property
The last item on the agenda was a landowner agreement for the Eastern Plumas Wildfire Protection Project. The City of Portola has five parcels enrolled in one of the Fire Safe Council’s hazardous fuels reduction projects planned by the EPWPP. This is a grant program designed to help reduce losses from wildfire and better prepare homeowners and their property.
Scarlett noted that Calfire had awarded the Plumas County Fire Safe Council nearly $6 million to help fund this project, which encompasses the communities of Lake Davis, Portola, Gold Mountain, Grizzly Ranch and parts of Clio. Treatment types will vary between commercial timber harvest, mastication, hand thinning and chipping. The project encompasses nearly 3,000 acres, with an additional 2,000 acres designated as a Phase 2 portion of the project.
“All 200-plus landowners must agree to this project for it to move forward,” Scarlett explained. Councilmember Jim Murphy recused himself from the discussion; he owns property relatively near the border of the proposed project. The proposal before the council was specifically focused on the 25 acres of city property included in the project. With no public comment, the council unanimously approved the landowner agreement with the EPWPP with changes approved by Scarlett and the city attorney. The motion included authorizing Scarlett to execute the agreement.
