Meeting Summary
Present: Stix, Francina, Rule, Lang, Whitman
This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.
At a glance
Planning Commissioner Removal and Minutes Adoption
- Council debated whether previous minutes accurately reflected a vote to remove or allow a commissioner to step down.
- A motion to re-agendize the matter with a new staff report failed during the vote.
- The council subsequently voted to adopt the minutes as received without changes.
Five-Year Pavement Management Plan
- Staff presented a plan to prioritize street repairs based on pavement quality indices to address deferred maintenance.
- Council discussed incorporating climate-friendly materials and managing tree trimming delays.
- The council voted to proceed with the execution of the plan as proposed in the staff report.
Pending Agenda Items and Homeless Facilities
- Staff recommended a priority-setting workshop in late August to address a backlog of 36 pending items.
- The council authorized the Interim City Manager to install portable toilet and hand-washing stations near City Hall.
- A motion passed to direct staff to schedule the priority-setting workshop for late August or early September.
Summer Meeting Schedule
- The council modified the August 8th meeting to serve as an informational session on the pickleball issue rather than a decision-making forum.
- A special meeting for the priority-setting workshop was scheduled for Wednesday, August 30th.
- The council agreed to maintain the full August meeting schedule to address the agenda backlog.
City Manager Recruitment
- Staff reported that one proposal had been received for the City Manager recruitment firm RFP due July 28th.
- The council noted that additional proposals could be discussed at the August 8th meeting if received.
Closed Session
- No closed session report was included in the provided meeting summary.
Full summary
Call to Order and Administrative Matters
- The meeting was called to order by Mayor Betsy Stix, and a quorum was established. Roll call confirmed the presence of Mayor Stix, Mayor Pro Tem Francina, and Council Members Ruhl, Lange, and Whitman. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Mayor Stix welcomed Interim City Manager Mark Scott and Assistant City Manager Carl Alameda.
Approval of the Agenda
- A motion was made to approve the agenda, with Council Member Lange seconding. Council Member Lange noted that Item D, regarding the removal of Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Starkweather, would be removed from the consent calendar for separate discussion. The motion to approve the agenda passed.
Public Communications
- Public comments were received on various topics not on the agenda. Speakers addressed evacuation planning and wildfire vulnerability, the Ojai Playwrights Festival, the Spirit of Ojai Homeless Shelter partnership, meeting procedures (including visual aids and time limits), Miners Oaks Park agreements, and a proposal for a community pool. Several speakers addressed the removal of Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Starkweather, raising concerns regarding due process, the Brown Act, First Amendment rights, and the specific language used in previous proceedings. Council Member Whitman clarified that his previous objection to the commissioner was based on political activism rather than allegations of misogyny.
Consent Calendar
- A motion was made to approve Consent Calendar Items A through C and E through G. The motion was seconded and passed. Regarding Item D (Request to Remove Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Starkweather), Council Member Lange moved to remove the item from the consent calendar for separate discussion. The item was removed from the consent calendar.
Minutes and Planning Commissioner Removal (Item D)
- Discussion ensued regarding the accuracy of the minutes from a previous meeting concerning the removal of Planning Commissioner Jeffrey Starkweather. Public speakers and Council members debated whether the minutes accurately reflected a vote to "remove" the commissioner versus a substitute motion to "let him step down." Concerns were raised regarding the commissioner's absence during the prior vote and the procedural implications.
- Council Member Whitman moved to adopt the minutes as received, arguing they accurately reflected the council's intent. Council Member Rule opposed the motion, stating the record must reflect the exact language of the motion voted upon. Mayor Pro Tem Francina moved to not adopt the minutes as received and to re-agendize the matter to restart the process with a staff report. Council Member Rule seconded Mayor Pro Tem Francina's motion.
- A vote was held on Mayor Pro Tem Francina's motion to not adopt the minutes and re-agendize the issue; the motion failed. Consequently, the council voted on Council Member Whitman's motion to adopt the minutes as received. The motion passed.
- Separately, a motion was made to approve the minutes from meetings held on May 9, May 22, and May 23. The motion was seconded and passed.
2024–2028 Citywide Pavement Condition Assessment and Five-Year Pavement Management Plan
- Staff presented a draft Five-Year Pavement Management Plan (PMP) prepared by Stantec to address deferred maintenance, noting no paving projects had been completed since 2019. The plan prioritizes streets based on pavement quality indices to prevent exponential cost increases. Staff indicated that approval would trigger a Request for Proposals (RFP) for 2024 design services. Council Member Lange inquired about incorporating climate-friendly concrete innovations and requested clarification on the 2023 street schedule. Staff noted that while the current project was under design, future projects would incorporate green features where possible.
- Discussion continued regarding implementation, including tree trimming delays pending state board approval of the stormwater plan. Council Member Whitman inquired about a "spot treatment" fund for critical failures; staff indicated the existing maintenance budget could address such issues. Public comment urged approval of recommended maintenance budgets and suggested increasing the annual paving budget. Council Member Lange asked about the impact of tourism and speed limits on road wear; staff confirmed that higher speeds increase degradation but noted no current analysis quantifies tourist-specific wear.
- Council Member Lange moved to proceed with the execution of the plan as proposed in the staff report. Council Member Whitman seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Pending Agenda Items for City Council
- The Interim City Manager presented a list of 36 pending agenda items and recommended a priority-setting workshop in late August or early September to define and prioritize these items. Council members discussed grouping related items and distinguishing between short-term and long-term priorities.
- Regarding a portable toilet and hand-washing station near City Hall for the homeless population, the Interim City Manager stated he could use signature authority to install the facilities unless the Council objected. The Council agreed to direct the Interim City Manager to proceed with the installation using his discretion, provided no Council member objects.
- Council Member Whitman moved to direct staff to set a date for a priority-setting workshop in late August or early September. Council Member Lange seconded the motion. The motion passed.
City Council Summer Meeting Schedule
- The Council discussed the summer meeting schedule. The Interim City Manager recommended maintaining all August meetings to address the backlog and proposed dedicating the August 8th meeting to the pickleball issue and the fifth Tuesday of August for the priority-setting workshop.
- Council Member Rule moved to delay the public meeting on the pickleball issue scheduled for August 8th. Council Member Whitman proposed a substitute motion to hold the August 8th meeting as an informational session to receive logistical advice and status updates on the pickleball issue, without making a final decision on the closure of the City Hall court. Council Member Stix seconded the substitute motion. The motion passed.
- Regarding the priority-setting workshop, Council Member Lange moved to schedule the special meeting for Wednesday, August 30th. Council Member Rule seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Council Member Reports
- Council members provided updates on various topics, including state funding for broadband expansion, homeless shelter appropriations, the Ojai Groundwater Basin Management Agency mediation, upcoming community events, and a workshop on animal rights.
City Manager Recruitment RFP
- Mayor Pro Tem Francina reported that the Request for Proposals (RFP) for City Manager recruitment firms is due on July 28th. One proposal had been received. It was noted that if additional proposals are received, the matter could be placed on the August 8th agenda for discussion. No formal motion was made, seconded, or voted upon regarding this item.
Administrative Remarks and Future Agenda Items
- Mayor Pro Tem Francina addressed comments regarding her posture, clarifying it was due to the condition of the chair. Council Member Whitman confirmed similar issues with the chair. No formal motion was made regarding this item.
- The Council discussed future agenda items, noting that new items would generally be held until the priority workshop unless urgent matters arose. It was confirmed that the August 8th meeting would include a report on pickleball but remain open to other items at the Council's discretion. The list of pending agenda items would be discussed at the end of the August 8th meeting to determine the schedule for the subsequent meeting. No formal motion was made, seconded, or voted upon regarding these items.
Adjournment
- Mayor Stix thanked the attendees and adjourned the session. No formal motion was made, seconded, or voted upon regarding the adjournment.