After re-elections, Heather Moreno, Heather Newsom and Susan Funk sworn in; Funk named new mayor pro tem
ATASCADERO—The Atascadero City Council met for its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. The hybrid meeting was held in the City Council Chambers.
The agenda for the evening passed unanimously.
All six items on the Consent Calendar passed after Councilmember Susan Funk commented on acknowledging the election with item A4: Reciting the Fact of the Nov. 8, 2022, General Municipal Election. And Councilmember Charles Bourbeau made a comment and thanked staff for making item A5: Santa Lucia Road Over Graves Creek Bridge Replacement Project Construction Phase Award happen.
Re-elected Mayor Heather Moreno, Councilmember Heather Newsom, Councilmember Susan Funk, and Treasurer Gere Sibbach then read their Oaths of Office and were sworn into their elected positions for the next four years by City Clerk Lara Christensen.
“I just want to say congratulations, and it’s great to have the old team back together again,” stated councilmember Bourbeau.
“Thank you to all of you who have trusted us with this very important and grave responsibility. We take it seriously, and we very much appreciate you, and it truly is a privilege to serve,” added Mayor Heather Moreno.
The City Council then appointed Susan Funk as their new Mayor Pro Tem for the next two years. Funk was nominated by former Mayor Pro Tem Heather Newsom.
Community Development Director Phil Dunsmore then addressed the newly appointed council on the General Plan Update Project – Phase 2.
“This is a moment we’ve been waiting for for quite a while, our General Plan Update. We’ve been talking about it for years; well, now, it’s really happening. I don’t need to tell you it’s going to be happening in a few weeks, a few months. This is actually it,” stated Dunsmore.
Dan Amsden with MIG, Atascadero’s primary consultant for the General Plan Update Project, then took over the presentation.
The next part of the process will begin in January 2023, and there is a Community Open House currently scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. There the community will be able to learn more and give input.
At the meeting, the council went over four key topics for the General Plan, which will reach into 2045. Those topics were:
- Assets and Vision
- Challenges and Opportunities
- New Development and Mobility
- Community Engagement Process and Additional Thoughts
An overarching theme throughout the council was that the younger generation needs to be fully included in the General Plan Update as they will be the future of Atascadero, and a need to bring in more jobs to the area.
The next item on the agenda was the Restaurant Development Incentive Loan Program. Deputy Director of Economic Community Development Loreli Cappel.
The program would help install full-service kitchens in the Atascadero downtown area. Loans up to $125,000 would be available for hard costs like equipment, machinery, fixtures, and furniture in restaurants. Either new or going through major renovations. The interest rate would be 4.25%, and the loan term would be 84 months. The goal would be to expand local restaurants.
The motion passed unanimously.
The 2023 City Council Meeting schedule was unavailable online at this time, but meetings will be back in 2023.
