City Council — 2024-09-10

Surplus Fund Allocation (Measure C Funds)

• Council members debated immediate expenditures versus creating a Budget Committee to oversee remaining surplus funds.
• Specific allocations totaling approximately $467,500 were approved for security, IT, and conservation projects.
• A Budget Committee meeting was scheduled to review the remaining surplus funds of approximately $2.9 million.

Ojai Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)

• Staff clarified that adopting the plan is not legally binding but acts as a planning tool for grant eligibility.
• Discussion occurred regarding resident insurance concerns and the sufficiency of prior public outreach efforts.
• The Council voted to adopt the 2024 CWPP Resolution and directed staff to draft an executive summary.

Meeting Summary: Ojai City Council

Overview

• The City Council addressed two primary agenda items regarding the allocation of surplus funds and the adoption of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Public comments highlighted concerns over transparency, fire safety, and community input, leading to significant debate on how best to manage fiscal resources and adopt planning documents.

Item 5: Surplus Fund Allocation (Measure C Funds)

• Public Comments:
• Fire Safe Council (Wayne Maynard): Urged the Council to reserve surplus Measure C funds for fire mitigation, citing previous success in leveraging small grants into large studies.
• Land Conservancy (Tom Maloney & Tanya Parker): Supported a $100,000 parking lot project near Maricopa Highway to offset parking removals from the ATP project and a $500,000+ Native Plant Nursery project to support the "Rewild Ojai" initiative.
• Public (Bill Miley, Renee, Teal): Voiced confusion over funding protocols, questioned the transparency of the decision-making process, and expressed concern that water management and fire scaping were being overlooked. Some requested that the Fiscal Advisory Committee review the funds before approval.
• Council Discussion:
• The Council debated immediate expenditure versus establishing a Fiscal/Budget Committee to oversee the remaining surplus.
• City Manager Ben Harvey noted that certain items (Security, IT, Environmental assessments) were time-sensitive and could be authorized now for later ratification.
• Mayor Sticks proposed convening the Budget Committee immediately to review the funds. Council Member Whitman (Pro Tem) argued for approving specific projects immediately, particularly those with long-standing community commitments like the Green Coalition and Land Conservancy.
• Decision:
• Motion 1: The Council voted 4-1 to approve specific allocations totaling approximately $467,500. Approved items included:
• Unhoused security contracts ($247,500 & $125,000).
• IT security assessment ($50,000).
• Lower Public Works Yard environmental survey ($12,000).
• Ojai Valley Land Conservancy surface parking lot ($100,000).
• Ojai Valley Green Coalition ($72,000).
• Motion 2: The Council voted 3-2 to schedule a Budget Committee meeting as soon as possible to review the remaining surplus funds (approx. $2.9 million).

Item 6: Ojai Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)

• Presentation: Chris Dantzsch presented the completed 255-page plan. He highlighted that the document serves as a funding mechanism for state and federal grants, features a digital dashboard for risk mapping, and is a "living document" subject to updates.
• Public Comments:
• Fire Safe Council: Commended the work involved and urged adoption to ensure funding eligibility.
• Bill Miley (Zoom): Argued that a 255-page scientific document required more public forum and summarization before adoption to ensure community understanding.
• Council Discussion:
• Legal Status: Staff and the City Attorney clarified that adopting the plan is not legally binding. It is a planning tool; specific actions (e.g., tree removal) require separate budget approval and direction.
• Concerns: Council Members raised concerns about the potential impact on residents' insurance rates and property (trees) if the plan designates areas as "high fire risk." Staff noted the plan does not directly dictate insurance but improves eligibility for mitigation funding.
• Outreach: Council Member Whitman argued that sufficient outreach had occurred over two years and that the plan was a necessary scientific resource. Council Member Ruhl argued for a public workshop to address resident concerns before adoption.
• Decision:
• The Council voted to adopt the 2024 Ojai Valley CWPP Resolution.
• An executive summary is being drafted for public distribution on the website.

Adjournment

• The meeting concluded with brief council reports regarding the Ventura County Transportation Commission. No further business was scheduled.