Post-meeting coverage
What happened last night? | Franklin Pierce
The EVM age
You could call these times the Enhanced Vegetation Management Age.
It means watching PG&E’s defiance of environmental laws and disregard for all species as it reaches deeper into the woods.
Reaching for what?
All you have to do is walk into the woods anywhere and you could see an owl or some other bird near the utility right-of-way.
And then there’s litter, severed gate chains, trampled soil and the deadening drone of industrial strength wood chippers.
There’s no lumber born from this. Nothing to be had or to build a better society with.
Not to mention chainsaws with mufflers modified to be louder than any sensible person would want.
—Zack Cinek
Thursday, June 9, 2022*
*PM edition
NEWSBOY contents
Post-meeting report
Presidential quote
City business
Council members blitzed through their meeting last night, less Madge Strong, the four made quick work of the agenda.
Some date-setting work remained Wednesday, but City Hall had planned to hold a meeting June 13 for the Fiscal Year 22-23 budget.
More information on the city’s finances is pending.
What happened last night?
Dr. Jeremiah Dawson made comments to the council, citing statistics about tobacco products, availability to children and so on.
The background information here is that a new city ordinance eliminating flavored tobacco products from sale in the city stalled out when it was tabled for an unknown future date.
Another gentleman spoke on the matter, too. The second speaker’s name was not audible–a common shortfall of remote meeting technology.
There’s more happening on the issue of banning flavored tobacco–
Legislation that already banned flavored tobacco was signed by the governor.
The tobacco industry, non-profit Ballotpedia says, is leading the pushback with a referendum set to appear on the November ballot.
This is a list of the top corporate supporters:
ITG Brands, LLC
Philip Morris USA, Inc.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
Swedish Match North America, LLC
Source: Ballotpedia
Again, we have now entered into a period of time in our lives designated as Western Wear Days.
A Fourth of July parade route was approved, too.
An election for two city council seats was approved. This was a formality to establish an agreement with the county for essentially running the election.
The election is for the seats held honorably by Larry Stranske and Greta Kanne.
They are remodeling City Hall.
Renovation of City Hall will deliver an improved interface for city staff and the public to mingle is underway.
So they say.
Council members approved remote meetings for another 30-days.
A list of items for the city’s Local Streets and Roads Program passed 4-0.
Willits gets state money for these projects.
FY22/23 Local Streets and Roads Program • Annual Traffic Striping Program, • Survey equipment maintenance and replacement, • Project management software and field tablet, and • Traffic safety equipment, such as cones, delineators, and signs.—City of Willits
The city predicts it will receive $104,391 from the state for this work.
But the amount of money allocated to Willits could be reduced due to the city not meeting a minimum spending requirement of its own.
Over the last several years, the City has not met the MOE requirement of a minimum expenditure amount of $291,473.67 for street maintenance from the General Fund. It is anticipated that at some point the California Transportation Commission (CTC) may reduce the City’s funding from this program if the MOE continues to not be met.—City of Willits
NOTE: MOE is an acronym for Maintenance of Effort.
Council members did not communicate any worry that the city could lose free money for not spending enough on streets.
Work on the city’s groundwater extraction system goes out to bid after winning formal approval to do so last night.
The project going out to bid is manifestation of the city’s controversial groundwater system that will rely on an existing well in the wetlands of Little Lake Valley north of the city’s wastewater facilities.
The City stated it has $551,156 in Proposition 1 grant money for this first phase of the project estimated to cost $561,275.
Fiscal Impact: $625,000 will be budgeted in the FY22/23 Water Fund (503) budget to cover the cost of Phase I of the project. This will include the cost of construction, inspection, construction management, and construction engineering. Eligible expenses up to $551,156 will be reimbursed from the Proposition 1 Grant. An additional $500,000 will be budgeted for Phase II of the project in the FY22/23.—City of Willits
Keep this in mind
Construction work on a Blosser Lane renovation project from the railroad tracks to the city limit (if you were heading towards Della Avenue, not Highway 20) begins Monday.
Then on the next day, June 14, roadwork will close the parking lot of the Willits Skate Park for a “few hours.”
Election results
Looking for the most up-to-date election results for Mendocino County?
While waiting for the official results, view unofficial election results on the county’s page.
Presidential quote
14th US President Franklin Pierce
Friday, March 4, 1853
Inaugural Address
It has spoken and will continue to speak, not only by its words, but by its acts, the language of sympathy, encouragement, and hope to those who earnestly listen to tones which pronounce for the largest rational liberty. But after all, the most animating encouragement and potent appeal for freedom will be its own history--its trials and its triumphs
