Homeless issue, ice rink take center stage at Chico City Council
CHICO » The homeless issue took center stage again at the Chico City Council meeting on Tuesday.
During business from the floor, all speakers touched on the ongoing issue.
“I feel compelled tonight to come forward and plead to this group of very creative people to come up with a way to find a solution to the homeless issue,” said Matt Gallaway, who lives near Comanche Creek. “I realized the litigation is in place, but honestly, we’re in a position where we’re going to lose some very key businesses if we haven’t already lost them.
The proposed ice rink also gained attention again following a divisive response at the last Chico City Council meeting.
At the previous council meeting, supplemental appropriation and budget modification were requested to better manage funds for the Downtown Chico Ice Skating Rink. Although a contract is already in place with Ice America, council delayed the agenda item and requested further information. The presented report on Tuesday broke down the costs of the potential rink.
Presented by interim Public Works Engineering Director Bob Murdoch, $99,887 in costs have already been incurred for the rink. The cost is going towards the purchase of materials to construct the rink such as an aluminum ice floor, floor insulation, refrigerant and perimeter boarding. The funds have also gone toward the purchase of ice skates, helmets, skate storage racks, rubber mats and the rental of an ice re-surfacer. City staff costs so far are $4,200.
Asked by Councilor Alex Brown why the approval for an ice rink did not go to council, City Manager Mark Orme said the idea had been on his desk for multiple years, having paused the forward movement when the Camp Fire thinking it would be in poor taste due to Paradise’s ice rink. Now that time has passed, Orme said city staff decided the rink would be an affective way to drive traffic to downtown.
“City staff is always looking at ways to drive economic development,” City Manager Mark Orme said.
Fifteen speakers commented on the rink, with opinions among speakers split.
The environmental impacts of the rink are an initial 8,000 gallons of water with approximately 50 to 100 gallons per day over the eight-week operational period. The energy consumption has been estimated at 400 KW/day. The report says this is equivalent to the energy needed for 10 to 15 single family homes.
The revenues and expenditures have also been broken down. Revenues are expected to be around $579,700 coming from sponsorships, admissions, equipment rentals, special event tent rentals and concessions. Expenses are estimated at $427,186 coming primarily from the $217,610 Ice America contract.
The supplemental appropriation and budget modification for the rink passed 6-1 without support from Councilor Brown.
The council was also asked to confirm the individual appointments for four Climate Action Commission. Instead of making appointments, Councilor Sean Morgan suggested the commission that meets regularly disband and become an ad hoc committee, passing 5-2, without votes from Councilors Bennett and Brown.
Also on the agenda was negotiations with Motorola
Solutions, Inc. in regards to leasing and replacing radio systems used by Fire, Police and Public Works departments and was adopted, 7-0. The final price of the lease has not been released.
The council also saw an additional amendment to the fiscal year budget which will modify the salary range of Engineering and Wastewater positions, passing 7-0.
The changes in salary are for the positions of Senior Civil Engineer, Senior Development Engineer, Director of PW — Engineering and Wastewater Treatment Manager. The filed report reads the salary increase will have an approximate annual fiscal impact of $101,300. Only $11,700 affects the General Fund.