Town Council approves EIR on sewer pipe to Chico
Crowder named mayor; Jones is vice mayor
The Paradise Town Council voted unanimously to name Steve Crowder as mayor and Jody Jones as vice mayor Tuesday night.
Crowder was nominated by Steve “Woody’ Culleton, who is back after November’s election.
The biggest issue facing the council Tuesday night was the city sewer. It was the second time in the past two years that the council has voted on the subject, and this time the council voted unanimously to support it.
In the fall of 2019, the council voted to build a water treatment plant in Paradise in order to create local jobs and avoid the political uncertainty of Chico. Town staff has always supported a sewer pipe to Chico.
On Tuesday night, town engineer Marc Mattox was back supporting the pipe to Chico — which also has the support of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. The board wants to form a Brown Actcompliant committee composed of at least four members with two elected council members from both the Town of Paradise and the City of Chico.
The entire project is set to cost nearly $185 million and has the support of Clint Snyder, assistant executive of the CVRWCB, who called into the meeting. Jones, who was among those voicing concerns with the political instability in Chico, said that the formation of a board helps lessen those concerns.
Much like previous votes, councilman Greg Bolin had to recuse himself because he has property that could benefit from the project.
The council also voted to abandon a move to create a utility district within the town. The idea was to force Comcast and AT& T to join PG&E as it has undergrounded all utilities in Paradise. However, on Tuesday night, Mattox told the council that at this time a district would not help them get closer to undergrounding.
Mattox noted that the town will continue to push through its California Public Utilities Commission case against both utilities and, in the meantime, drop the idea of a utility district. Mattox also told the council that they were to get an update on the CPUC case in a closed session following the meeting.
The council voted 4-1 to allow temporary storage yards for equipment and vehicles but not including any tree/ vegetation processing activity. Culleton voted no, saying that the ordinance needed to allow for tree/vegetation processing activity.
Tryon asked several questions about why the tree/vegetation processing wasn’t allowed and both Bolin and Jones told her that it was a CAL OES decision that the town council didn’t fight — in fact, Jones said that she thought it was a good idea.
The council also voted to allow the Paradise Unified School District to rezone part of their property on Pearson Road in order to build the new operation center.
Before the council swore in two new members, it took time to recognize outgoing councilman Michael Zuccolillo and councilwoman Melissa Schuster.
Zuccolillo was recognized for his work also in rebuilding the town after the Camp Fire. Schuster wasn’t present for the meeting but was recognized for her work on the council, and bringing back tourism to the Ridge following the Camp Fire. She was also recognized for successfully getting the daffodil recognized as the town flower.