7/7/26 Council Meeting

ready to yeah. I I .All right. Good evening. And I call to order our city council meeting 6 P.M. Tuesday. First we will start with our. Oh, we don't have it. We'll start with our pledge of allegiance. I rise for the pledge. Salute and pledge. Uh, united states and uh, which stands one nation under GOD indivisible. MADAM Clerk, can you take our roll? Council member goldstein here. Council member holly here. Council member o'brien here. Council member van overbeek here. Council member winslow here. Vice mayor bennett here. Mayor reynolds here. And I just want to note it for the record that, um, council member van overbeek. Is zooming. In from switzerland. So. All right. Speaker card and remote participation announcement JULY is here, so here we go. Um, there are some new rules on addressing the council on matters listed on the agenda. If you are in person, you should first complete the speaker card found at the back of the chamber. Once completed, turn the cards into the city clerk and the speakers are taken in the order the cards are received. In addition, due to changes in state law, citizen participation is now available via zoom. Yay! Please note that the city clerk will ask those of you who wish to speak via zoom to raise your hand when it's time for public comment for that specific item. Once the first speakers begins, no additional cards will be accepted or additional zoom speakers will be allowed to raise their hand. Um to comment on that item. Persons demonstrating rude, boisterous speaking on matters outside the jurisdiction of the city council or engaging in otherwise disruptive behavior will be called to order if such conduct continues, I MAY call a recess requesting the removal of such persons from the council chambers or from participating via zoom. Adjourn the meeting or take other necessary um appropriate action and it's my understanding we will not have video of zoom so we don't have to worry about crazy um things happening on video but audio will be there and you'll be able to hear everybody via zoom. Um, so closed session announcement. Uh, MR. Ryan jones via zoom. Also, do you have a closed session announcement for us? Yes, MADAM Mayor, there was, uh. Direction was given to. Staff and to legal. Counsel regarding. The city. >> manager recruitment. >> and that is my report. All right. >> consent agenda. All matters listed under their consent agenda are considered routine in nature can therefore be enacted with one motion. Are there any no votes disqualifying or disqualifications? No. >> all right. Um, do we have any speakers on um consent agenda? I don't. Have any um, cards in, but can we check to see if there's anyone on zoom who would like to raise their hand to speak on the. One consent agenda item? Anyone on zoom? Now's your chance. Yeah. >> no. >> okay. And then, um. What is there one that does want to speak on? Okay, I think. I think. >> we're okay. >> right. All right. >> okay, okay. I'll consider a motion. Moved to approve. Second..Second. Thank you. Did a. Motion and second by councilmember o'brien. Okay. >> um. Sorry. >> all right. >> it was a. Motion and second to approve the consent agenda as read. Council member goldstein. Yes. >> council member. >> holly. Yes. >> council member o'brien. Yes. >> council member van overbeek. Yes. >> council member winslow. Yes. >> vice mayor bennett. Yes. Mayor. Reynolds. >> hi. Motion carried seven zero. >> all right. Public comment. Members of the public MAY address the council at this time on any matters not already listed on the agenda and are within the jurisdictions authority. For those of you who are participating via zoom, raise your hand now um, if you would like to speak, please note that the council cannot take any action at this meeting on requests made under this section of the agenda. How many speakers do we have? Um, you and I beg forgiveness in advance. Because this is the first summer integrating this. Um I know that. For we. >> have. Five in person comments and if there are there's anyone on zoom that would like to raise their hand for this item for public comment that can be on anything that is not listed on the agenda and the very. Going once going twice okay nobody so we have five three minutes. Each okay. Um I'm going to name uh. Call the first three speakers. And if you can line up in the middle aisle uh vic. Will be. >> our first speaker. Followed by sam barber and then annabel graham. So vic. Hello my name is vic. I hope everyone's. Enjoying their summer. Actually we've been very. Fortunate with our weather. I'm going to be talking on two. Topics one now and the one on another topic. The first one is safety should be a number one consideration on our streets and I know I've speak spoke about this several times. Motorists are continue continuing to roll. Through stop signs. They are. Continuously speeding on sheridan avenue and palmetto as well as side streets and they are continuously on their phones many of them while driving once again recall two years ago where somebody wrote to the stop sign I had to pull over two houses in front on their cell phone, hit my. Car, totaled it. I was on my way to volunteer for reading panels on citrus elementary, but I did call them to say I wasn't going to be there. I would highly encourage surveillance cameras the red light cameras we so much need on these streets as well as speed bumps. Note there have been. Two car accidents on palmetto near sheridan in the last couple of months. Residents on these streets would like to see more police enforcement. Thank you. >> thank you back um sam barber followed by annabel graham and then bo powell. Hello. >> um, I'm here. >> today. Just because I have. Concerns of the. Council's disregard. For constitutional. Rights of. >> the public. When they're at the council meetings, um, particularly when it comes. To criticism of the. Council members themselves. Um, so in quite a few. Occasions I've noticed mayor reynolds and mayor coolidge. >> did this a lot too. And we'll say we don't use. Names here. >> uh, that's a. Blatant violation of our constitutional right. >> as your constituents, we are allowed to come in here. And critique you. And say things. That you. >> maybe think. >> aren't very nice. >> to you. That's just part of your job. We're not electing. Kings and queens to our council. We're electing. Public representatives to the council. Um. >> so it's. Just unappreciated when you're. Trying to. Interrupt people. Whom are. >> critiquing you. It discourages. Public participation and I would. Like to see a bit more. Respect for everyone's constitutional. Rights here. Uh, my other concern was, uh, MR. Van overbeek recently made a facebook. Post where he. Uh, decided to use the deaths. Of unhoused. Members of our society. As a little political. Gotcha. >> I guess on facebook. Um, he said I think. >> it was a. Um. >> moral failing. Or something. To that effect, you know. Um which is funny because he's on the council right now. You're allowing. The deaths to happen and you're using that warren v chico settlement. As uh. >> oh we can't. Do anything the. Warren v chico. Settlement we can't. Do anything. Um. >> this is someone who voted against. Giving elderly. Unhoused women homes. Lecturing us on morality. This is someone. Who has denied. >> the ongoing genocide in. Palestine lecturing us on morality. When I asked him in person do you care. About those children when they came in here in tears you know he told me no. At least he was honest. You know, I had a feeling that he was morally bankrupt but uh, it was good. To have someone at least be honest with me. Uh, dale bennett, I remember seeing you in public. I asked. >> you if you'd condemn the genocide. Do you remember what you told me? Go away. Really strong moral. Leadership from the republicans here. Nice to. >> see, uh, when there was sexual misconduct when there was the michael, uh, vincent getting in church parking lots. Did any of you do anything to hold him accountable? No. You gave him a hot stone massage. You gave him whatever tanks. Whatever weapons they want. No accountability, no accountability for the other sexual predator michael williams either. Um, michael o'brien was the police chief at the time, so it's my right to call you. It's my right to call you. It's my right to call you . >> it is. Not okay to use some foul language. Actually is. >> have you heard. >> of california? Have you heard about the supreme court. Rulings for time? >> thank you. Okay, so you haven't. Anabel grime followed by bo powell and then molly copter. Uh, mayor and council. Members I'm anabel. Grimm and I am the general manager with chico area recreation and park district. I promise I'll be quick. My heels are fabulous but they are not built for long winded speeches. I'm here tonight because mark sorensen is leaving and frankly I'm not thrilled about it. In the navy we had a saying about not leaving anyone behind but mark didn't get that memo. In all seriousness mark partnering with you um the last few years has been uh one of my uh, genuine highlights of my time at cod when we came to the city with a $40 million dream for an aquatic center, you didn't blink you you helped us turn decades old wish list item into steel and concrete on garner lane when chico that long cod needed land for a world class bike park, the city handed over the humboldt road site and got out of our way to let us do the things that we do the best in this town. And when we floated unintended uh, the idea of shutting down main street for a parade you didn't just permit it. You showed up with your red volunteer shirt. Three years later, 10,000 people lined the streets for something that is now just what chico does on the fourth. That's not a small thing. That's a legacy you made, uh, partnership look easy even when projects were anything but. You brought patience when we brought big asks which was often humor when we brought bad news and then follow through when we needed it the most. That's a rare, uh, combination in this line of work and chico is better for it because of you. So on behalf of. Cod. >> our staff and the thousands of kids and families who will swim, ride and wave flags on the things that you helped make possible thank you. We are going to MISS You. I am going to MISS You and I wish you congratulations on your next chapter. Thank you. Thank you. >> so out. Loud cheering one time no. I've been here eight times. >> in the last 12 months. Um this. Month marked 12. Years ago the first time. I came to city. Council meeting and told. >> the council that the bombers were spying the children in. >> my neighborhood. He chose to do. Nothing about it. You know. It's not your problem even though the kids are going to your schools. You know. You got 750. School teachers. Not one of them. Respect you enough to say stop spraying. >> your children. You're stopped. Spraying our students. they have to betray their own. Children to let. Farmers spray them. Last time. >> I was here, um. And actually . >> mitch throw a bye and on tv. Oh, yeah. About the marijuana. You know, we found marijuana. >> in that. Um, they found marijuana. In the pot. So then dispatch troops probably triggered those people have a choice to buy that.. >> we don't. Have a choice. Butte county just refuse to enforce the law. Chico pd is. Hand in hand. With them. Try out bait and road count the telephone poles in between chico and the, uh, the farm bureau. 90% of our merch are sprayed by farmers count and one time between the farm bureau and durham uh, 100% of them are sprayed by farmers. We have these politicians like gallagher saying that they're going to cut back on our pgd bill. Pge will sue is out for. That num spam I checked right over here when um chief topsoil lab got out of here. Remember cotton that said he paid and paid $400 to sell his abusive force? Uh, this is embarrassing .This man right here the whole way. Uh, your corruption depends on him deceiving the new, um, shady manager. There hasn't been the city manager, interim city manager or a retired city manager in butte county for over 20 years but had the nerve to speak the truth to farmers. That's why you they had a butte county administrator as an interim and a big city manager to embarrassing. Thank you. Um, molly copters. Our last speaker. I mean from that who's in person? Thank you. Yes. >> uh, but, uh. Good evening. >> members of city. Council and city. Staff on behalf of the chico chamber of. Commerce and myself, I would like to thank. You, mark sorensen, for your many years of dedicated. Public service to the community. Although I've. >> only had the opportunity to work with you for. >> a relatively. Short time. I have been. Genuinely impressed by your steady leadership, your. Professionalism and your ability to. Remain calm. And guide your team. Through both the challenges and the successes that come with serving. This community. As you begin this next. Chapter, we hope that. >> your retirement is. Filled with joy, fulfillment. And a well-deserved. Time to enjoy. People and experiences. That matter the most to you. On behalf of the. Chamber, thank you. >> for. Your. Service and we all wish. >> you the best. All right. >> do we have anybody on zoom? That's one. No okay. >> zoom. >> all right. Um. We had nothing to do. >> with it I know there. Might . Two that's that's. Uh I. >> could use this one, but. I love. >> test. Test? Are we. Good now we got it. So MR. Sorensen thought he was going to get out of here without this. But he's not. It is my pleasure as the city manager or city mayor on behalf of the city council. I do not want that position. Um, to honor MR. Mark sorensen's retirement. Whereas mark sorenson has devoted more than two decades of extraordinary service to the city of chico answering the call to public service beginning with his appointment to the planning commission followed by two four year terms on the city council including serving as vice mayor and mayor and culminating in his leadership as city manager. As a lifelong chico and mark's love for his hometown, his unmatched knowledge of history and that's no joke um and his unwavering commitment to his future has guided every decision he has made on behalf of the community he has proudly called home. Whereas throughout his years of public service, mark earned a reputation for thoughtful leadership, careful preparation and quiet determination. He never asked a question that he did not already know the answer and his remarkable institutional knowledge and photographic memory made him an invaluable resource to colleagues, employees and elected officials alike, earning him the unofficial title of chico's historian extraordinaire and whereas during his tenure on the city council, mark championed fiscal transparency, accountability, courageously raising concerns regarding city financial condition at a time when those who were not always well received. His steadfast commitment to responsible government helped expose financial crisis that threaten the city's future, and his leadership helped establish sound budget policies designed to ensure that such circumstances would never again happen um again to a place like chico or put us at risk. Whereas mark answered the calls to service so you the manager he continued to bring stability, integrity with and decisive leadership during another pivotal period in chico's history brick by brick, he strengthened the organization, restored confidence, fostered collaboration and among departments and building a long lasting foundation upon which future leaders can continue to serve the community. And whereas mark consistently demonstrated the courage to make difficult decisions, the professionalism to keep the city council fully informed and even when delivering difficult news and the wisdom to place long term interest of the community above short term popularity. And whereas colleagues, employees and members of the city council have recognized that whenever chico faced its greatest challenges, mark has always stepped forward without hesitant hesitation as has been fittingly, he stood up to help the city when the city needed him most providing calm, principled leadership through some of the city's most defining moments. Mark's legacy extends far beyond the office he held his leadership, integrity, institutional knowledge and unwavering dedicated dedication have left an enduring mark on the city of chico and those who had the privilege to serve alongside him. Now therefore, let it be resolved that I, casey reynolds, the mayor of the city of chico on behalf of the entire city council do hereby express our deepest gratitude and appreciation to you mark for more than 21 years of distinguished public service and congratulate him on his retirement and wish him and his family continued health, happiness and success in the years ahead. And I will add to that if I'm not mistaken in that 21 years I don't think mark has ever missed one single meeting of planning commission city council city manager ever I think is one meeting and that I don't know that that will ever be um happen again. So congratulations. Thank you. >> you're welcome. Thank you. Thank you mayor and thank. >> you council. For four fantastic. Years as. >> your city manager. Special thank you to all the department heads. It's been absolutely fantastic working with you all for the last four years. And many of you have worked with uh years previous when I was on council and all of our city employees I see at least a couple out in the audience. It's just been an absolute pleasure and an honor to work with all of you, but I am looking forward to retirement. Thank you. >> thank you. >> I have one more thing. I have one more. Because you. Can't get out of here with the black plaque. The city of chico achievement award mark sorenson city manager JULY 20th 2nd to JULY 26th in recognition for the city manager mark sorensen's combined total of over 21 years and of exceptional leadership, unwavering commitment and distinguished service to the city of chico. A lifelong chico and mark's service to the community has included serving on the planning commission, eight years of the city council, two years of service as mayor and his return to the city as city manager for four years drawing upon his deep institutional knowledge, um, financial acumen and steady leadership, mark played a pivotal role in restoring transparency, accountability and confidence in the city's financial operations. As city manager, mark brought a clear operational understanding. Steady and decisive leadership and an unwavering commitment to the best interests of the city. His leadership inspired employees and elected elected officials alike to strengthen the organization and helped establish a solid foundation upon which chico can continue to be built. His dedication to public service and to the people of chico will have a long lasting impact for generations to come. So and it's just a beautiful black plaque that we'll get to hang on the wall. Congratulations, mark. Sorry for getting that out of order. Um alright regular agenda um item 4.1 confirmation of appointment of city manager if there are speakers would cain wishing to address the um on this matter on zoom please raise your hand at this time and this will be coming from mark sorensen, our city manager. Thank you mayor and council. Over the past seven and a half months, the city council has conducted an extensive recruitment process to select the city's next city manager. Following that process, the council selected jillian hain. MISS Hain brings many years of local government experience and currently serves as the assistant city manager for the city of vallejo. The council is presented with the employment agreement with jillian hain to serve as a city manager and as required by the california government code, all state for the public record that the city of chico is proposing to enter into an employment agreement with jillian hain to serve as the city manager with an annual salary of $285,000, a one time relocation allowance of $15,000 $400 per month vehicle allowance as well as other employee benefits specified in the agreement. And tonight we are seeking council approval on the employment agreement and to authorize the mayor to sign the agreement. That concludes my introduction. All right. Um. >> vice mayor bennett, I see you in the queue. Do you wanna speak now or do after speakers? Okay. >> just making sure. All right. >> how many. Speakers do we have? Excuse me, I just closed up. No problem. Second. I know we have five. Speakers in the, uh, chamber and I believe we have one speaker on, um, zoom. I will. >> take the speakers first. Yeah. And I'll call um, the first three names elizabeth griffin followed by vic and then kim. Not if you could go ahead and line up in the middle. Aisle elizabeth griffin. Vic and then kim not so elizabeth. >> it's first. Go ahead. Good evening councilors. I'm here to. Discuss the appointment. Um, of MISS. Hein. >> is it. To the. Position as city manager? What I wanted to know is the answer to a few questions. Prior to. Offering her this job. Did you know. About her prior history? The complaints against her, the, uh. Case. >> the lawsuit. Which had been. Settled in which. She had., um. >> apparently yelled. And um. >> I don't. >> know exactly what she did. But she made. Somebody feel very uncomfortable by harassing her which the city had to settle for $130,000. So it was her bad behavior which caused that to happen. Was any discussion of that made with the, uh, attorney for. >> the city? Um. >> I'm asking. >> now because when you when somebody has a propensity to something like that and. They do it again in the. Future, um, attorneys can use that to say the city knew about it and they hired her anyway. And so you're going to be on the hook for liability for anything she does in them in that way. Um, as far as uh, asking other questions, um, they made a big deal in the valley newspaper about a project that um, apparently she had been in charge of uh however, she went out on a leave a medical leave? Um, I wondered if you had spoken to her at all about whatever this serious medical condition was. Is this something that she is going to have again? Are we going to be on the hook for her medical expenses? Is she going to be absent because of that? Were any increase made about that? Um, having been on the school board for 12 years I had to vet a lot of different employee contracts and go through this process and to me this just sounds like. This person was not adequately that it and particularly to offer her the type of obscene package that you have offered her just because. >> the. Prior person had that amount of money does not mean you have to offer it to the other person who takes his place and just because you offered. >> her a job. You can. Still back out of it. Um. You know. She hasn't been confirmed so you're not on the hook and I would suggest that you do that. Don't offer her the job. Thank you. Um, vic followed by kim not. Hello again. >> long time no see. I have talked with several people. From the safeway and in my neighborhood and encourage them to come down to the city council meeting. Many of these individuals wanted to know regarding setting the salary for the new city manager and why are we the public not able to vote regarding what is acceptable or not? Unfortunately there. Were a couple of negative. Comments from residents who live. On sheridan avenue, palmetto and related side streets regarding the new city manager. My question is regarding her contract which includes $285,000 annual salary. A relocation allowance, $15,000 monthly vehicle allowance, $400 a monthly car. Phone allowance ,$75 and other employee benefits. How did the city council come up with these extravagant dollars? I I'm. Retired now but I want you to note that I have a doctorate degree in education. A master's degree in department of recreation and parks management, three community college credentials and personal health allied health emergency care adaptive physical education a single subject teaching. Credential. >> I have taught over several thousand students throughout my career and it would take me several. >> years. To have earned $285,000. I thank you. >> for your time. Thank you kim not followed by julian zenner. Oh I'm sorry one more time. Are you. >> I'm done. Okay. >> I thought. >> you were asking. >> me. A question. No. >> okay. >> no thank you. Um, kim not followed by julian zenner. Good evening council. Uh, I'm just here to welcome. MISS Hayden to the city. I think, uh, you've made a fine decision. I spoke to one of the council members this morning and, uh, they expressed that they had looked into all these issues that were just expressed regarding the broadway. Project the manager, the. City golf uh. Project and, um, they were satisfied with the answers that she gave. And I'd also. Like to. Say one other thing that. Maybe a lot of people don't. Know is jillian. Jillian has a. Real local connection. I'm sitting with. Uh. >> a. Couple of her aunt's and. Uncle who are. Longtime chico citizens and, uh, it's she spent a lot of time up here in her youth. With her cousins. And she has a real. Great local knowledge already. And, um, I'm glad. >> and. I'd also like to thank, um, MR. Winslow. I thought he did a great job today and in the past few days. Of, uh. Of dealing with a lot of the. Concerns that, uh, were expressed by the first speaker. Uh. >> I think that it was. Over the top. What they were saying about. Uh. >> jillian on. Online it a lot of keyboard warriors sort of. Stuff and um. You know, regarding lawsuits for. Example. >> MISS Presson was just named in a. Lawsuit against the city .Um. >> we made a settlement settlement with a. Ex-cop who we had fired. And um. We gave him some more money just so he wouldn't, uh, try to get his. Job back and he would. Just go away. So settlements happen. People get named in. Lawsuits and all the rest. Uh, and once again, I'd like to welcome her to the city and I really hope you approve this contract. Thank you. Okay. >> julian zinner followed by. David or dave garcia. Good evening. City council members here and in vegan switzerland. Um. The city of. Vallejo is recognized. As the worst run city in northern california. There have been there has been absolute. Chaos six. Temporary or. Permanent city managers in the past. Five years. Rapid turnover. >> of police. And fire chiefs. Because the vallejo police department. >> has had. >> the. Highest rate of fatal police shootings without discipline, the state has taken over control with a settlement agreement. In APRIL of 2024. For some years the officers had actually marked fatal shootings by bending the tip of their badges. Jillian hain was hired in 2019 as the planning and development services director. Then appointed assistant city manager in APRIL 2021. The management of a large housing and urban development grant for supportive housing was so bungled that the city of vallejo was required to reimburse hud $2.6 million. In SEPTEMBER of 2025, vallejo had to pay $130,000 to settle claims of a MARCH 2023 accusation of harassment of an employee. Another lawsuit is pending in that regard. Our departing city manager had a salary of 270,000 $207,000 base pay. The city council is now hiring him. MISS Hagen as our city manager for $285,000 was generous, quite generous benefits. It's inconceivable to me that chico could not find someone more qualified and with less baggage to be our next city manager. Thank you. Thank you, dave garcia. >> and then we do have one speaker on zoom so. We'll call dave. Good evening. Thank you for letting me speak. Um so. Leadership sets. >> the tone. And transparency. Should be. >> a critical. Issue in city government., especially. >> in developing public trust. Uh. >> jillian hahn. >> has. Been with the city of vallejo for seven years. The california. Department of justice. Opened a. >> review of vallejo. Police in. 2020. >> citing number. >> and nature. Of shootings by officers. Uh. >> vallejo police shot someone. On average. Every four months between 2000 and 2020. Often fatally. Uh volunteer. Reform efforts. Stalled and in 2023 attorney general rob bonta had to sue the city alleging a pattern of excessive force. Vallejo agreed to court. And reforms. After the lawsuit in 2020, vallejo announced its own investigation but refused to release the report. After completion. The american civil liberties union sued under california transparency laws in 2025, a state appeals court ordered the report disclosed. Finally, in JUNE of 2026, vallejo released its long secret police badge bending report. Vallejo and its insurers have faced some $50. >> million. And police related liabilities. Will this police secrecy problem continue with the city of chico? Chico soul journalists had to sue chico pd to comply with the california department. Records act. Transparency must be our city manager's number one priority and building public trust. I hope killian hahn was thoroughly vetted in regards to vallejo police department's liabilities. Thank you. >> thank you. >> and our next. Speaker is. On um, zoom and it's a. Vallejo city. COUNCILWOMAN Gordon r jordan I apologize. You said right gordon thank you, thank you. Good evening, city council and to the mayor and to the staff and the residents of chico. I am honored to speak in support of deleon hane as a chico next city manager. I have worked with gil land for nearly seven years as a community advocate first housing commissioner second and now the honors as a vallejo city council member district six and now as city COUNCILWOMAN. I must tell you transparently throughout the time she has consistently demonstrate integrity, professionalism and collaboration and leadership not only with the community but also amongst her peers newly licensed and built trust and bring people together to solve complex challenges during the covid 19 pandemic, she helped lead the housing and homeless responses and that team projects and provide shelters and permanent housing for most of vulnerable residents. She has also played a key role in major academic and economic development and infrastructure projects, always focusing on transparency, long term and community benefits. While we are saddened to see her leave vallejo which is not the worst city, it is a growing city that has issues but how ever people like gillian has improved what that looks like chico is gaining and experience. Through thoughtful and dedicated public servant. I have every confidence that she will serve your community with the same excellence she has brought to ours. I offer jillian haynes my highest recommendation. I want to say thank you and let me let you know not everything you see or read is factual. We as a city of vallejo have had our ups and downs but it is never with her abandon us even in the most critical moments when we had uncertainty she showed up and stood up for us. I have had people tell me and higher uh elected officials stay guilty and do not play when it comes to vallejo she will advocate for it. Is she perfect? Of course not. If you find that person let me know. But she will give her best as long as you the city council got her back. You mayor have her back. This is her staff. Have her back. You will get more than you would expect. And yes I'm a little jealous but I'm grateful that she's moving forward. Thank you. It's time. Thank you, thank you. All right. That is it. Thank you. All right. Um, vice mayor bennett, your first in the queue. Thank you. >> mayor. For the. >> record. >> city clerk okay. At the outset. I want. >> to express my utmost. Respect for. >> the. Council and its decisions even. >> when I. >> MAY disagree with some of them. The process. Process must. >> be respected. >> and upheld every in every instance our system. Must prevail. Otherwise we risk moving towards an undemocratic and flawed outcome. First it was another candidate. Did who I believe would serve our community well as city manager a person familiar with our citizens and and a unique personality chico definitely has. He has been a member of the city team for decades and knows our city department employees and department heads, a responsible. Leader and a very challenging leader of a. Very difficult department. The uh chief. Of police I truly believe lillian aldridge would have been an extraordinarily successful, very responsive and truly forthright city manager a person I know will a person of unquestionable integrity and commitment, a person with decades of experience in making decisions. I am a firm believer in the concept and importance the value of experience and life experience and work and family to build a person to be a leader and make sound decisions. One of my favorite comments that he makes quite often doing the right thing the right way. Every time. For that reason I am going to maintain my loyalty, loyalty and. Support for billy aldridge. And I. >> my vote will be. Not in support. Of the new city manager and I apologize for that. All right. Anybody else. Know I would make. A okay councilmember goldstein. Thank you mayor. Um, well. I'm excited. About this. I'm excited. To be able to bring jillian hand on board. I am grateful that my community members are doing their digging about any candidate that we bring forward to lead this entire city in this community, especially for quite an immense paycheck and benefits. I will always be critical of um, whoever we pick and I think that's good, but I want to push back on some of the negativity here and I want to make sure that people are digging deep enough and considering um, you know, the multiple sides to every story for example. I mean, sure, the press has reported that I have an fppc complaint against me. Does that, um, mean that I should be thrown out of every uh, consideration anyway just throwing that out there but I also um besides that I want to note some speakers brought up some things that concerned me like one person asked if we'd considered medical conditions. I believe that would be completely illegal for us to consider. So I just want to clarify that. But yes, we have considered carefully um, the pros and cons of all candidates and when you're at a very high level what I why I brought up that ppc complaint against me is I want to show that everybody at a high level is going to be vetted, criticized by the public for better and for worse. Um, and those are things that we absolutely considered in our search. So I just want to assuage the fears here and to say that I support our candidate and I support our community and it's um thorough looking into anybody that we hire. Councilmember ryan. >> thank you mayor. So I. >> want. To first. Echo the. Comments that. >> the vice. Mayor made. About chief alders. >> of course. >> I feel that way. >> I promoted. Him and. I cannot. Speak highly enough about. Him but really. Um. >> what this. >> uh, this vote will be for me is process and. I don't want to call. It a failure in process. I think it's an incomplete process. I'm used to. Being a department head and being a position of hiring numerous people. To have all the information at my disposal so I can make an informed decision. I don't think we have that and that's no fault of the candidate. Um this on at all that's a failure in the process. So my vote will be no not because I don't support and I will support her um with every fiber of my body if that's the direction that council goes. I want her to know that, um, but I'm not and have not been a fan of our process. It's been incomplete. So that I am going to vote no not against the candidate necessarily but against our process because it's been incomplete and I need to know what I don't know. All right. Seeing no further speakers I would make a motion to execute a conditional offer of employment upon successful background check of which, um, the city does on all its employees. Um and to I would direct the city manager and city attorney to modify the contract with the following um amendments uh, that the calpers and the medicare pickup offset and the financial offset would mirror what the current city manager um, contract does, uh, that we would eliminate any meta language or the meta language that is in there currently and that the severance language other than the term that is already agreed to um, would mirror the current um city manager language as well and um, to offer that potentially we change the start date to as early as JULY 27th if that was so inclined for MISS Um to be available by then that would be my motion. And I would. >> second that motion. Okay there is a motion and a second and um. Do you want. >> me to read back the motion or do you want you're good. With that. >> they're pretty good. Oh my GOD. Okay I think everybody knows what they're going. Councilmember goldstein. Yes. >> council member holly. Yes. >> council member o'brien. No. >> council member van overbeek enthusiastically. Yes. >> council member winslow. Yes. >> and welcome. >> to chico. Vice mayor bennett. No. >> mayor reynolds. Yes and welcome. Carries five to. >> all right. Um item sorry 4.2 appointment of interim city manager. Um if there are any speakers wishing to address this matter on zoom, please raise your hand at this time and we will have a report from city manager mark sorensen. Thank you. >> mayor and. Council staff report. That's right. As noted. In the previous agenda item, jillian hain is expected to begin as city manager in the coming weeks. Uh, my retirement date is set for JULY 10th. So council is asked to designate assistant city manager eric gustafson as the interim city manager effective JULY 11th to serve until the permanent city manager begins employment with the city of chico. All right. >> consider a motion. Yeah. >> oh! Do it. >> oh. >> well, do we. >> have any. >> public comment? Did anybody raise their hand on zoom? No. All right. We have no public comment. Any council member. I'll just say. Um, that uh. If it's two weeks that's that's great. If it was longer. >> I think that'd be. Okay too. >> yeah. >> I'm always. >> happy. Working with you. All right. >> um. I'll move. >> to a move to approve second. Maybe I'll let you take which one you want. I have well, so the delay. >> from switzerland apparently i beat your time because the. Delay in switzerland. Cost you. >> a couple seconds, buddy. Okay. >> uh, council member goldstein. Yes. Council member. Holly. Yes. >> council member o'brien. Yes. >> council member van overbeek. Yes. >> council member winslow. Yes. >> vice mayor bennett. Absolutely. >> yes. Mayor reynolds I carries seven zero. >> all right. We are going to do it and turn to the deadline JULY 14th closed session meeting at 5 or 530 followed by our regular city council meeting at 6 P.M. Here at 421