City leaders ‘think big’ at special workshop

Marysville councilmembers, staff set goals for the future

Following Tuesday’s special workshop, Marysville council members and staff walked away with a series of short- and long-term goals that they hope to accomplish for the city over the next several years.

“I think knowing, overall, that we are fiscally doing well and are in a better position than last year gives us an opportunity to think big,” said Mayor Ricky Samayoa.

City Council and staff brought in a consultant – Ted Gaebler – to help put together a workshop that would look at ways of optimizing how the city functions and to set goals moving forward.

Before the workshop, Gaebler had city officials take a survey to help determine different things like personality traits, management traits and decision-making styles. Those results were talked about during the morning session.

“There are four different types of management styles, but we only have two within the city,” Samayoa said. “We have folks that tend to be more dominant and want to move things along quickly, and we have people that want to be supportive. So, we have a dichotomy of staff. We do take on things differently, but it’s not a bad thing. It can be a productive tool if used correctly.”

Samayoa said the discussions were important for city staff and council members to have so that there was a better understanding of where the city was headed and how they planned on getting there. He said the city wants to build off of a successful 2017, which saw increased efforts to address homelessness, the formation of a new community development department, and the revenues generated from Measure C performing above what was initially anticipated.

“I think the leader of the workshop (Gaebler) was able to put all of us in a more comfortable position to start the conversation of what the role of government should be and to look at it from a broader perspective,” he said. “It’s not just about seeing the bigger picture, it’s about creating a clear path on how to get there.”

The afternoon session focused on goal-setting, said Councilman Chris Pedigo.

One of the goals is for the city to focus more on economic development moving forward. Pedigo said city staff was directed to come back with recommendations on how to achieve that. That could include establishing a new economic development director position in the city, he said.

Another goal was for the city to establish a 10 percent reserve in the next two years, Pedigo said.

“I really enjoyed it. In the past, these workshops were more issue-driven, but this one was more free-flowing,” Pedigo said

Councilman Bill Simmons said there were a slew of other goals and projects city officials were able to come up with at the meeting that will be prioritized by city staff in the coming weeks.

“It was a full day and well worth the effort. The discussion with staff as well as City Council was very beneficial,” Simmons said.

City Manager Marti Brown said the goals discussed at the workshop will be brought back to the council on May 15 for final confirmation and approval.

Gaebler is a former executive officer for Nevada County, as well as the former city manager of Rancho Cordova, Visalia, San Rafael and East Palo Alto. A robbery suspect is seen on security footage.

Authorities are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect in two armed robberies at gas stations – one was successful, the other attempted.

Leslie Carbah, spokesperson for the Yuba County Sheriff’s Office, said investigators believe Sunday’s two incidents may be connected.

The first robbery occurred around 1:45 a.m. at the Kwik Serve gas station on Olivehurst Boulevard. The suspect, who appeared to be a white male in his 20s, brandished a handgun at the clerk and stole about $700 in cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets.

The suspect was wearing a blue bandana on his face, a gray hooded sweatshirt, black shorts and a gray backpack, Carbah said. He reportedly fled on foot westbound on Olivehurst Avenue.

The second incident occurred around 9:40 p.m. at the Plumas Lake Stop and Shop on River Oaks Boulevard. The suspect was described the same – a white male in his early 20s with his face covered who brandished a gun and demanded cash. This time, the clerk fled into a back room and called 911, Carbah said.

The suspect fled before deputies arrived. Carbah said investigators don’t believe the man stole any money or property from the store. A possible suspect vehicle was described as a late ’90s gold-colored sedan, possibly a Honda or Toyota, she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 749-7777.