CURRENT BUSINESS

APPOINTMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Susan Price, City Manager, reviewed the staff report and gave staff’s recommendation that the City Council consider the appointment from the eight applications received to complete the remaining 21 months of the four-year term of former City Councilmember Gregg Avilla.

Richard Crabtree, City Attorney, recommended that the City Council entertain motions rather than votes in order to garnish 3 affirmative votes.  With the 8 applicants it would take a majority of the Councilmembers present to appoint one of the persons and case law dictates this process when there are only four Councilmembers attempting to appoint 1 new member. 

Mayor Stevens thanked all candidates running for their public-spirited attitude and encouraged them after the vote is taken to continue to be involved and move forward united to make Red Bluff a better place to live.

Each Speaker had 3 minutes to speak and the draw for who speaks first began as Mayor Stevens selected Curt Dahl.

Curt Dahl explained that he came to Red Bluff in 1985 from San Bernardino with the District Attorney’s office and in 1991 he became Tehama County’s Code Enforcement Officer and that he would be retiring in October 2005.  He has been a member of the Planning Commission and has been involved in Community work since 1954.  He feels he has the tenacity and the ability to carry on the work that has already been done and asked for their vote. 

Councilmember Flynn asked him if there would be any conflict during the remaining time working with the County and holding the City Council position.  Curt Dahl explained that if any conflict were to arise he would excuse himself from it.

Frank McCaughey explained that he was born and raised in Red Bluff, served in the Air Force, and is now retired as President of the Local Union where he did arbitration and dealt with contracts and is currently a member of the Tehama County Resource Advisory Committee.  His family is still in the area and he has been active in the Community and would like to be involved in the changes and growth in the City of Red Bluff and in local government. 

Mayor Pro Tem Houghton asked him if he was opposed to growth and he explained that he supported growth in Red Bluff for the people to live on. 

Mayor Stevens asked him about a comment he had made about non-union jobs not paying a living wage and how he felt about the downtown businesses.  Frank McCaughey explained that it’s necessary to have a living wage to afford to buy a house, a car, and spend money in the stores. 

Fred Webb explained that he had no pre existing agenda and came to the Council with the ability to look at a situation, evaluate pro and cons and come to a logical conclusion for the benefit of the City of Red Bluff.  He has been involved in numerous clubs and activities in the community.  He had a background in the Navy as a Corpsman during the Korean War and went on to college at USC to get his degree in Criminology where he worked for the Treasury Department as an investigator.  Later he worked as Assistant Director for ARABCOM and eventually retired in Red Bluff but ended up working at the Sheriff’s Department and other jobs in the community.

Mayor Pro Tem Houghton asked him about his opinion on growth and Fred Webb explained that he supports growth as long as it’s controlled. He doesn’t discourage large businesses coming into the community as long as they don’t put small businesses out of business.

Wayne Brown explained that he has raised his family in Red Bluff and moved here in 1957 eventually going into business in 1964.  He talked about the changes in Red Bluff and how the times have changed also around the community and that we need to do everything that we can afford to do for the Fire and Police and encourage growth. People need a job to make a living and the challenge is to deal with a correct growth.

Councilmember Flynn asked about his feelings about the big box retailer and Wayne Brown said that we need to learn to adapt and make this town a great place to live.

Mark Proctor thanked the City Council for the opportunity to express his interest in the position and explained that he is currently raising a family in Red Bluff.  He has called Red Bluff his home for about 12 years and his wife is an attorney with the Child Support Services.  He has been very involved and has served on the Red Bluff Parks and Recreation Commission, Red Bluff Kiwanis Club, and is currently on the Tehama County Fair Board.  He feels that he can be an independent thinker and personal feelings would be set aside looking for what was best for the City.

Councilmember Flynn asked about his employment and Mr. Proctor stated that he works for the contracted cafeteria at Wal-Mart.  He is for growth as long as it benefits citizens and he supports the specialty shops as well as large businesses that will hire locally. 

Phyllis Avilla explained that she was born and reared here leaving for a while to teach and then returning to get into Social Services.  She has worked with Private non profits and has had to manage budgets.  She supports growth while still supporting the downtown businesses.  She deals with the community often and has been active on many councils and boards on social issues.

Councilmember Flynn asked if she would continue to work on her current job and she explained that she would.  She has a relative on the City staff and would excuse herself from any decisions that require her relative directly.

Lamar Bayles explained that he was born and raised in Red Bluff and is raising his family currently here. He has worked for the census, has run rentals, and now works for Wal-Mart. He believed that growth involves retail and that the medical field and construction will be the major things to grow and make the town prosper. 

Councilmember Flynn asked if he encouraged the big box business and Lamar Bayles explained that he would encourage all business.

Misty Lawrence explained that she is a single parent who has lived here since 1996 and owns a home. She loves growth and works as a regional sales assistant for an Insurance Company and has a lot of spare time for the City Council. She has served in the Navy and been a trainer for the cheerleaders with the Buccaneers. She encourages affordable housing and more competition to Wal-Mart and she wants to bring a lot of energy and a younger point of view.

Mayor Stevens asked about being called back for military service and about working in Redding.  She explained that she couldn’t be called back to service and that her work schedule is flexible.

Mayor Stevens encouraged those who don’t get selected to stay involved in the community and consider committee positions that become available.

M/S/C Houghton, Flynn to appoint Wayne Brown.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn and Houghton

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Frey and Stevens

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Stevens, Frey to appoint Mark Proctor.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Flynn and Houghton

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Frey and Stevens to appoint Curt Dahl.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn and Houghton

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Frey and Stevens

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Houghton, Flynn to appoint Wayne Brown.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn and Houghton

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Frey and Stevens

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Stevens, Frey to appoint Phyllis Avilla.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Flynn and Houghton

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Flynn to appoint Fred Webb.

Motion died due to no second.

M/S/C Stevens, Frey to appoint Curt Dahl.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Flynn and Houghton

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Stevens, Frey to appoint Phyllis Avilla.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Flynn and Houghton

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Flynn and Houghton to appoint Wayne Brown.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn and Houghton

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Frey and Stevens

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Flynn to appoint Misty Lawrence.

Motion died due to no second.

M/S/C Stevens, Frey to appoint Mark Proctor.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Flynn and Houghton

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

M/S/C Houghton, Flynn to appoint Wayne Brown.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn and Houghton

NOES:                        Councilmembers:                        Frey and Stevens

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

City Council took a five minute break and City Council members agreed not to discuss with each other anything that would be for the purpose of achieving a vote.

 M/S/C Houghton, Flynn to appoint Wayne Brown.

AYES:            Councilmembers:            Flynn, Houghton, Frey and Stevens

NOES:                        None

ABSENT OR NOT VOTING:                        None

Wayne Brown was sworn into office by Gloria Shepherd, City Clerk.

Councilmember Brown explained that this was a very humbling experience and that what you see on his application will be what you get.  He mentioned that he will do the best job that he can and that he is very adaptable.  He also mentioned that it’s time to be heard and to see the face of a small businessman who will face that growth is here and that he will deal with it and try to do it correctly.

Councilmember Flynn explained to those who were also applying to remember that he had sat out there feeling devastated at one time because he didn’t get picked and that it humbled him and he encouraged them to continue to participate and thanked everyone for participating.

ADJOURNMENT

At 8:25 P.M. Mayor Stevens adjourned the meeting to February 1, 2005 at 7:00 P.M., in the Red Bluff City Council Chambers.

                         s/b Larry Stevens

Mayor

ATTEST:

s/b Gloria Shepherd

City Clerk