Aug 22, 2025 3:00 PM - Redding City Council - Special Meeting

>> All right, we call this meeting to order. All right, let me start with the good stuff here. Hold on. Let me see if we got at least one person in the audience, probably going to, if anyone wishes to address the city council on any item considered at this meeting before or during the council's consideration of that item, please enter your name in the electronic kiosk located in the lobby. The city council will allocate up to a maximum of 3 minutes per speaker from each agenda item. Staff reports are available online at the city's website, at www.cityofredding.gov and in the public view binder located on the podium at the north end of the chambers. All right, call to order with the pledge of allegiance. And I'll do it this time. Ready to begin? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, which stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay, looks like we skip the, whatever you call it and the roll call. >> [CALLING ROLL] >> All right, Dolores, you're up. >> Well, good afternoon. Somebody told me that you were having a meeting today. I was at the courthouse when they told me, so I thought I better come and attend the meeting in. Regarding, I guess, the election and to consolidate with the election that. Regarding, I guess to consolidate it. Which is great that you're going to do that. I mean, my concern is Kevin Kry and the county who's not going to back down on what they actually did. And then like I said in my email to all of you, that it's actually violation for the county to, the way I look at it, it is we shouldn't even be, a lot of citizens who shouldn't even be concerned about the election, period, and worry that this is not going to go through regardless of the land deal. And Kevin and the county, those three who voted, to actually hold this over you, to kind of say, do this or else, we're not going to move forward with the election. It's totally wrong. It's unconstitutional. And I do believe that they will be receiving a letter from the attorney general and the Secretary of State, as I stated on my lamp on page three, page two, regarding. I was going to. If they don't basically overturn this and don't respond regarding the election, I actually submitted everything already to the Secretary of State and Attorney General, because I know the way they run the county, they're not going to change their mind. So, I'm not going to be waiting around for them to decide yes or no. So, I actually send everything already, including over the emails and making sure that gets to them as soon as possible. And I also contacted a couple lawyers, regarding this, because it's a violation of civil rights of freedom for the citizens to have an election. And you cannot, use a land deal for extortion or to threaten the city to make a deal. And that's not wrong. I mean, I'm sorry. It's wrong for them to do that. And I just feel really, I feel like it never ends, them doing this kind of thing. And it's upsetting that it takes. I have to take the time to actually file complaints against them to do the right thing. And it's frustrating for me to do this because I work seven days to make sure that people are in compliance with the laws. And this is ridiculous how the county runs the county. And I hope that you actually do something about them doing this to the city because you have the upper hand now and regarding what they're doing. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If this is an opportune moment, I would suggest calling for public comment at the remote location as well. >> I do not have any public comment at the remote location. >> Oh, terrific. Thank you. All right, so we'll take up subject 2A, consider two resolutions regarding November 4, 2025, special municipal election. Mr. Tippin, are you talking or Mr. Christian? >> I think your election official, Ms. Tipton, will take that. >> Ms. Tipton will do it. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor. I will take this item before you today is a request for adoption of two resolutions regarding the Nov. 4, 2025, special municipal election. At the council's last meeting, two meetings ago, on Aug. 5, the council adopted a resolution calling for a citizens initiative petition to be submitted to the voters at a special election to be held on November 4. The Citizens Initiative called for an adoption of an ordinance imposing a 1% sales to sales and use tax within the City of Redding, the proceeds of which will be used for dedicated funds for essential local services, including public safety, infrastructure and parks. At that time, we also adopt. The council also adopted a resolution requesting the Shasta County Board of Supervisors to direct the Shasta County Register of Voters to provide all necessary assistance for that election, which they took up this week during their Board of Supervisors meeting. Subsequent to the council's action. The state of California has scheduled a statewide special election for November 4, 2025, the same date and time as the city special election. So pursuant to Senate Bill 280, the legislation which called for the statewide special election, it authorizes a city's special election to be consolidated with the statewide special election. Notwithstanding the requirements of election code 10403 and 10406, consolidating the city special election with the statewide special election on November 4 would minimize costs, maximize voter participation, reduce voter confusion and comply with state election law. So, before you today are two proposed resolutions that would one, call for the consolidation of the city's special election with the statewide under Senate Bill 280 and number two, make budgetary adjustments providing for election related expenses such as consultant or legal services which may be necessary to assist the elections official to address any unforeseen complications. And that concludes my presentation, and I am open for questions. >> All right, Mr. Littau? >> So, just clarity the money for $10,000 for the city clerk's office, that's money that we'd be spending no matter what. This is just part of our job and our role. Just trying to separate this. Regardless of what the county does next week or so, that is money that we would have to spend anyways, is that correct? >> Well, I would if the council chose not to. That certainly is your prerogative, and we do the best we could. That money would be intended to help the clerk's office navigate the election, especially in the context of this is the first time we've actually ran a citizen's driven initiative and there may be opportunities to need assistance. And so that is what that request would be for. >> Okay. And as far as the other item, the $30,000 for the city attorney's office, is hypothetical, which means if the county does move forward and approves the resolution for the ballot initiative, then we would not be spending the full amount. >> Yeah. If everything goes smoothly, I don't anticipate that we'd actually be spending much of that at all. >> Okay. >> And the other thing I would mention to the council is that especially given the fact that we just adopted a budget, we have some funding that we could utilize for that initially and so come back at a later date, either at midyear or with a budget resolution later on. So, if the council preferred not to do that budget resolution today, we'd still be able to move forward and seek those services if we needed them, and then the council would take that up at a later date. >> Was it your recommendation to pass 1 and then 10,000 of the 40 for the number 2. >> I would say just for ease of action, if you didn't want to do the budget Reso, it would be okay just not do that one today and just do the one for the election. Because like I said, we do have. Excuse me, we do have enough budget today to actually accomplish that, but ultimately we won't have enough budget towards the middle or into the year. >> And you can allocate that basically immediately and come back to us at a later date, correct? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And so, it's already budgeted for that type of work and we could, we could do that and then maybe we do a cleanup at the mid-year like we normally would do. >> Okay. All right, sounds good. >> Yeah, I think, I mean personally, I think we were all surprised and taken back a little bit that the county did not follow through and do what we expected them to do. But giving them a chance to do the right thing next week in our eyes, I think that I have strong indications, I think with discussions with the county that they're going to proceed forward and do the right thing. with our budget watching all our pennies and our nickels and everything, I think I would prefer not to have to spend a thousand dollars or $2,000 if we didn't have to. >> So, we're still going by the 30 days law and the 40-day law that we talked about for them. >> And I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. >> Oh, we have a for surplus land is 30 days, right? >> Oh, I think you're talking about for the land. >> That's a different issue. >> Yeah, I'm sorry, I got confused. >> That's all right. >> No, first time ever. >> Yeah. This item is really just in response to the state legislation calling for the statewide election. Previously there was nothing to consolidate with, so there was no request for consolidation. But at this point consolidation would be appropriate. >> So, I'd make a motion that we approve the $10,000 for the city clerk's office. At least authorize that and that's how I'd like to move forward. >> Second, we're doing one initially. One. Right, sorry. >> And yes, approve option one there and then on the budget resolution. Or number two, the $10,000 for the city clerk's office. >> Right. And you're second that little addition? >> That's correct. Just to make sure that we all have clarity. So obviously item number one is related to the consolidation of election. Item number two would be to approve the budget resolution for the $10,000 for the city clerk's office, but not the additional funding for potential consultants with attorneys. Yeah, and what'll happen is that we'll make that modification for the mayor's signature tomorrow. >> Okay, great. >> All right. And you're. Sean, you're okay with that? I mean, we don't need to approve the second. No. >> Well, Barry, they have enough money to do it. >> Okay so, at least everybody's on board. I'll second it. So, we have a second. All in favor? >> So, you need a roll call. >> Do you have comments, Aaron? >> No. All right, so then you guys are on track. I'm on the same page. >> All right.Okay. So, passes unanimously. >> Let's take a roll call vote. Since councilmember Resner is calling in. >> I'm messing up all over the place today. >> No, you're not. You're doing great. [CALLING ROLL] >> Thank you. >> Now. Passes unanimously. 4-5 -- 4-0. All right, any travel requests? Any item 12? We are