LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL now has three members, Mayor Mark Marin, Vice Mayor Nancy Rogers and Jason Vandaam with the resignations of Krystin Gallegos and Brooks Mitchell. One maintenance worker has resigned and at Tuesday’s meeting, it was announced Bookkeeper Kim Lombardi has resigned to work full time at Sierra Valley Home Center. The mayor credited Kim for a good audit and good work.
The council voted to replace the maintenance worker.
For a council member, the three couldn’t agree on a new member so candidates Joy Markum, Libby Ryan and Colby Russell were asked to resubmit their letters and the council will have 30 days to fill Krystin’s position. Special election costs $3,000.
For Brooks’ seat, it will be filled in 2018.
The mayor told of looking into solar at the sewer plant where “electricity is astronomical.” When it was suggested to use USDA funding, the mayor stated there is $600,000 from the lawsuit which has to be used on the sewer plant.
The mayor talked of the “City not in a good state,” and explained how the city only gets 17% of property taxes. “Due to past councils,” he said the County still gets all that money and “we do the job as if we get 50%,” and added, “something has to be done. Seventeen percent is tough.”
Heavy discussion was over the sewer plant and the mayor stated Loyalton was the only municipal that didn’t dump water into the Feather River. The mayor told how the plant never should have been built where it is, was fixed with no documentation or inspection and how the flow rate needs to be dropped. He told of needing to negotiate funding to find where all the water is coming from where people flood on 1st Street where there used to be a ditch out to the old Wily Ranch and Lewis Pond was taken out.
Those in the audience were outspoken over the trailer park and why people still weren’t being shut off. The mayor said he’d call the county and tell them they’ll shut off water. It was stated 20 residents are paying.
Over a community clean up, it was decided the council would call 4H, Boy Scouts and check with Probation. Concerning overgrown yards which were called fire hazards, from the audience, Libby Ryan questioned the council sending letters, wants follow up and to change the city ordinance. According to Assistant Fire Chief Robert DeMartini, the fire department makes a recommendation and the city writes the letters.
For PERS, the mayor said he knows of no contract and stated the city “is broke.” Money they’ve had, had to use “by law.”
DeMartini said the fire department had gone on 114 calls; last night’s “wasn’t anything.” It gets volunteers out of bed and was “nothing but a street light.”
The Council will find details before voting in favor of adding $1 to vehicle license fees to help fund removing abandoned vehicles from public land. Libby Ryan told of CHP “dragging out vehicles and it didn’t cost a cent!”
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