Chambers quiet for Tatiana Dugger
Councilors approve Veterans Village, grant for COVID-19 funds
OROVILLE >> Oroville resident Bobby O’Reilly used his public speaker time during Tuesday’s Oroville City Council meeting to hold a moment of silence of Tatiana Dugger.
Dugger, 19, was a former Oroville resident whose remains were found in Siskiyou County on Sunday, March 28 after being reported as missing Jan. 9. Mayor Chuck Reynolds along with councilors Janet Goodson and Eric Smith echoed O’Reilly’s thoughts with words of their own regarding Dugger’s death.
Development
With Vice Mayor Scott Thomson absent at Tuesday’s meeting, the Oroville City Council voted unanimously to move forward in conversation with Mark Mendez regarding the development of the Gateway Property Development near Feather River Boulevard and Safford Street in Oroville.
Mendez is seeking a combination of commercial property assets, an extended-stay hotel, restaurants as well as apartment housing with ground floor parking. Mendez noted that the property has not been built on in 60 years. Councilor Krysi Riggs
raised concern about the aesthetic of the building, ensuring it would have a look that would match downtown Oroville as the area is a gateway to the city’s downtown area. Smith asked that Mendez utilize the neighboring Feather River when considering construction.
Center repairs
The council also approved a change order for the Oroville Convention Center for stucco repairs to the north and west walls not exceeding $275,000 with Butte Roofing Company. The vote passed 6- 0. The council had approved
a stucco repair change order Feb. 2 to the building to repair damages, however, when contractors began the repair stucco began falling from structure underneath. The new change order accounts for demolition of all stucco, fixing of all framing and sheathing, and to re-stucco of both the north and west wall. The contractor stated that the eastern wall has been inspected and will not be in need of repair in the next five years.
The cost of the north wall is scheduled for $146,995, with the west wall scheduled for $126,765. The total cost of the project to date is $925,000 which includes new lighting, updated stage sound system, new interior and exterior paint, and exterior roofing and stucco repair.
Transportation funds
Councilors approved unanimously the recommendation of the allocation of additional transportation funds to support the Highway 162 Active Transportation Program project completion. The funding will enable the maintaining of extended schedule milestones for full use of available grant funding under the ATP grant cooperative agreement with Caltrans signed in December 2018.
The additional transportation funds will help support right- of-way support services including valuation, negotiation and acquisition, construction, plus design and project management amendments for consultants currently supporting the project.
Lastly councilors unanimously approved a municipal services review draft update for 2020. The document needs to be updated if Oroville pursues annexation of Thermolito. The draft approved will be submitted to Butte Local Agency Formation Commission once it has been given final approval by councilors.
Veterans Village
In a public hearing, the council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution approving a new subdivision for veterans called the Veterans Village Project at 711 Montgomery St. The subdivision will have 12 two-story townhomes and will have a deed restriction stating veterans and their families must stay for at least five years and the homes must be sold to other veterans.
In a second public hearing
councilors voted unanimously to approve two resolutions aimed at helping with funding for a community development response grant for COVID-19 response round two and three dated Dec. 9, 2020 and March 10, 2021.
Consent calendar
With Thomson absent, councilors approved five items on the consent calendar with a unanimous vote. Prior to the vote councilors approved the purchase of one Bradford flatbed that will house the new slide truck for the Oroville Fire Department.
The items approved were: • A memorandum of understanding with the Thermalito Union Elementary School District for a school resource officer from Aug. 9, 2021 through June 7, 2024.
• An agreement with Maritime Information Systems, Inc. for a one-year operations report subscription for the Oroville Municipal Airport at a cost of $4,999. • The sponsorship of the Experimental Aircraft Associations for the 2021 Oroville Airport Day Fly-in and fireworks on July 4. • The Police Department records technician position was unfrozen, authorizing recruitment for the position.
The council will next meet at 4:30 p.m. April 20 at 1735 Montgomery St. in Oroville. To participate in the meeting, email public comments to publiccomment@cityoforoville.org before 2 p.m. that day.