Pre-meeting coverage!

A plan for town trees | Brooktrails' rate increases

Monday, November 7, 2022

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Good morning, reader. The gutters are full of leaves and the sound of falling rain is welcome and like living through an economic depression, one must be thankful for a little. Consider that we do not live in Ukraine or Russia. Tuesday is election day and may we hope to forge what is necessary for American life, its glory and its warts, to continue.

• Willits’ set to approve guiding document for city trees. 

• Brooktrails hosts Tuesday night board meeting. 

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City gov’t | Pre-meeting brief

WHAT: Willits City Council

WHEN: 6:30 PM Wednesday

WHERE: City Hall 111 East Commercial Street

If you like trees, the city council meeting is going to be good as council members are set to vote on an urban forest management plan. 

In the document, the city’s Urban Forest Management Plan, the following findings were made.

1. The City must address its aging tree inventory.

2. The management of the urban forest is limited by financial resources.

3. The urban forest program is limited by staffing.

4. Recreation Grove Park must be prioritized for tree risk and maintenance assessments. 

5. Canopy cover is low.

6. A community engagement strategy is needed.

7. The City must strengthen tree management practices.

8. Long-range planning policies could be improved to better enforce tree ordinances. 

9. The City lacks a policy that clarifies tree maintenance responsibility.

Human resources:

Council members will consider approval of “the reclassification of the Water Plant Operator/Meter Reader position to the Water Billing Meter Reader position.”

Fiscal impact?

The salary for the new position actually decreases if and when the current employee leaves. 

City of Willits: The Salary Class & Designation for a Water Billing Meter Reader is 58D; Salary Range: $43,524.63 – $52,904.46; FLSA Status: Non-Exempt. The employee who is currently in this position will be grandfathered in at their current wage class and designation of 61C. Should this employee vacate this position, the wage class and designation will revert to 58D.

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