Boy Scout Troop 51 led the Council Chambers in the Pledge of Allegiance

ATASCADERO—The Atascadero City Council met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m. The hybrid meeting was held in the City Council Chambers.

This week’s meeting started with Boy Scout Troop 51 leading everyone in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance. 

“Thank you very much; it is always an honor when we have the Boy Scouts come and do the flag salute and lead us in the pledge. Thank you so much,” said Mayor Heather Moreno.

The Agenda for the evening passed unanimously.

Before the Consent Calander passed, Councilmembers Susan Funk and Mayor Heather Moreno had questions on items 6 and 7, respectively.

Funk asked if item 6 was specifically for awarding a contract for $310,500 with Tesco Controls, Inc. to purchase a new Motor Control Center for the Lift Station No. 13 only and would the rest of the project be bid separately through the normal process, which was then confirmed by City Manager Rachelle Rickard.

Mayor Moreno asked a question on item 7 (Temporary Contract for Nighttime Police/Fire Dispatch Services). The cost comes in at $94,000. 

“We do mention that some of that cost will be offset by reductions that we have in staffing, but I’m also noticing that there will be a reduction in overtime not being used. Do you have a sense of how much of that might be offset,” asked Moreno.

There are eight dispatch positions allocated, and the city is currently staffed with a total of three qualified dispatchers. 

“We’ll have saving both from the vacancies and the overtime that will more than offset the amount of the cost of this contract,” answered Rickard.

The Consent Calander passed unanimously.

A Public Hearing was held concerning Confirming the Cost of Vegetative Growth and/or Refuse Abatement. Battalion Chief of Community Risk Reduction Dave Van Son gave the presentation.

“In April, the council adopted a resolution declaring vegetation growth a nuisance,” Van Son said. “At the end of March, beginning of April, I inspected 11,146 parcels, and out of those parcels, 3,093 were sent a notice saying that they were out of compliance. Which was an increase of about 268 notices from the previous year.” 

Van Son said that a lot of that was due to the late rains this winter, which brought growth back after people had already performed their abatement. The abatement deadline was June 1. Out of the original 3,093 properties, 106 of those properties were tagged to abate. Sixty-seven of the 106 were taken care of by the homeowners.

“Our contractor cut 39 parcels this year,” added Van Son.

The total contractor cost this year was $27,279.03

The administration fee was $55,422.97

And the total cost was $82,702.50, which will come back to the city.

The draft resolution, as indicated, was passed unanimously.

The council was also addressed with an Individual Determination from Funk and Dawn Henson of Seneca Services asking the council for a letter of support for their application for state funds to create an accommodation Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit, and Crisis Residential Unit, with a two-bed in-patient unit, directed at youth 18 and under with mental illness. 

The council agreed to draft a letter of approval.

The next Atascadero City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m.