Marysville City Council to discuss opening meetings to the public

The Marysville City Council will open tonight’s meeting with a discussion about whether to open council meetings to the public.

Marysville has been holding council meetings at city hall without public attendance, but with the meetings available to view live via video conference for many months.

According to the agenda, there will be discussion and possible action taken by the council during tonight’s meeting. The item was requested to be added to the agenda by Mayor Chris Branscum.

In other business:

– Finance Director Jennifer Stycznski will present a six-month financial review to the council summarizing the city’s position for the fiscal year through the second quarter.

With 50 percent of the year complete, general fund revenues are at 35.7 percent of budgeted amounts and expenditures are at 59 percent. The 2020/2021 adopted budget for revenue and expenditures is $10.61 million and $11.07 million respectively, according to a staff report.

The general fund is the operating fund for the city. Revenue sources for the general fund include property taxes, sales and use taxes, the cannabis tax along with others. The fact that revenues are below the 50 percent mark at this point in the fiscal year is common and expected for the second quarter and consistent with prior years because sales tax revenue has a two-month timing lag and other large revenue sources are not received until later in the fiscal year, according to a staff report.

– The council will discuss passing a motion to submit a FEMA staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (SAFER) grant to obtain funds to hire additional staffing for the fire department.

Last year, the fire department hired three fire engineers through the SAFER program to bring daily staffing personnel to four. The

positions hired last year will expire in March 2023. The SAFER program provides funding for a threeyear period with no matching funds for salaries and benefits. After three years, the city has to decide to keep the positions and pay the full cost for the employees or decrease staffing.

This year, the department is requesting additional personnel to staff the quick attack vehicle with two personnel and the engine with three personnel. The grant request is for $328,

389 to cover the salaries and benefits for three personnel for three years, according to a staff report.

In 2020, MFD responded to 3,968 calls for service with 1,533 overlapping calls or 38.63 percent of total calls.

– There will also be a public hearing about a motion to approve a development plan review application for a 71-unit affordable apartment complex at 1315 Yuba Street. The lot is on the block bounded by E 13th Street, E 14th Street, Ramirez and Yuba streets.

The development will be called East Lake Apartments. The Marysville Planning

Commission voted 5-0 to recommend the city approve the project. The property was formerly the sign yard for Caltrans District 3, according to a staff report.

As part of the planning commission’s consideration of the project, the developers intend to file for a property tax exemption, which is typical for tax credit and other affordable housing projects. A financial consultant for the city estimated the overall project would generate about $150,000 in annual property tax without the affordable property tax exemption. Currently, the city’s property tax revenue from the property is $406. The applicant estimated construction costs of $15 million and building permit and sewer impact fees of about $275,000, according to a staff report.

“The project will also have the indirect fiscal benefits by eliminating the current blighted conditions of the former corp yard, which may improve local property values,” it was stated in the planning commission’s consideration.

– As part of the consent calendar, the city council will approve amending the city manager pay structure from a nine-step scale to a pay range. This is being done after the city hired Jim Schaad as the new city manager with a starting salary of $160,000 a year – in between the established nine steps, according to the proposed resolution.

With the step system removed the pay range for the position will remain between $139,700 to $167,640 a year.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. To access the meeting, visit https://bit.ly/3sfheqo.