Military equipment policy approved

OROVILLE » The Oroville City Council voted to approve an ordinance at Tuesday’s regular council meeting establishing a military equipment use policy for the Oroville Police Department.

The military equipment use policy is required to be in compliance with Assembly Bill 481 and includes a list of military equipment already in use by the Oroville Police Department.

No comments were submitted or spoken from the public for Tuesday’s public hearing but City Administrator Bill LaGrone spoke on his concern about how the policy could leave public safety exposed to the city.

“I think it puts our law enforcement agency at risk because you’re able to then assess what those assets are, how many do you have on hand,” LaGrone said. “In doing so, we’re actually making communities more at risk, not more safe from my standpoint.”

The council approved the ordinance 7-0.

In other business, the council approved 7-0 the authorization of transparency software that will allow the city to have a public facing view of the city’s itemized costs. The city will switch from the software OpenGov to Clear-Gov, a move that will also save money on cost.

The council voted 5-2 to reconsider an item regarding a tree pruning services contract within the city’s public right away.

Oroville resident Bill Speer spoke at the meeting, reporting that he was unable to find the request for proposal on the city’s website. Council staff said the site has since been updated to provide more clarity for requests for proposals.

Mayor Chuck Reynolds apologized to Speer for the confusion on the website, but motioned to move forward with the tree pruning services contract to P31 Enterprises.

The council approved five items in its consent calendar including the approval of an ordinance modifying the city’s municipal code relating to bingo game operations to increase proceeds allowed for operating costs and an ordinance regulating massage and other therapeutic bodywork business to comply with the Massage Therapy Act of 2008.

The next Oroville city council meeting will take place at 4:30 p.m. May 17, 2022 in the City Council Chambers at 1735 Montgomery St.