Town Council of Mammoth Lakes

Minutes of Special Meeting

Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 4:00 P.m. - 7:00 P.m.

437 Old Mammoth Road, Suite Z, Mammoth Lakes

Members Present:

• Mayor John Wentworth, 
• Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser, 
• Councilmember Chris Bubser, 
• and Councilmember Amanda Rice 

Members Absent:

• Councilmember Sarah Rea 

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1.

CALL TO ORDER

The Mayor called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 437 Old Mammoth Road, Suite Z, Mammoth Lakes.

2.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District Fire Chief Ales Tomaier led the flag salute.

3.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Town Manager Daniel C. Holler outlined the need for an urgency item. 

It was moved by Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser, seconded by Councilmember Amanda Rice, and carried by a 4-0 vote that, pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2b2, the Council hereby determines that there is a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to the attention of the Town subsequent to the agenda being posted as specified in subdivision a, said item being:

A Resolution finding that the emergency circumstances justify awarding a contract for street repair work without competitive bidding. 

Patricia Robertson, Executive Director of Mammoth Lakes Housing (MLH), announced that MLH had a grant for funds for rehabilitation of homes for health and safety repairs.  

John Urdi, Executive Director of Mammoth Lakes Tourism, announced that they had extended air service with  Advanced Air for the last two weekends of April.

Parks and Recreation Director Stuart Brown announced that the Town of Mammoth Lakes had an Instagram account.

CJ Sterling submitted an email regarding his opposition to the TBID. 

4.

POLICY MATTERS

4.1

Fiscal Year 23-24 Preliminary Budget (Department Requested).

Administrative Services/Finance Director Rob Patterson outlined the information in the staff report. There was discussion among members of Council and staff. 

CONSENSUS: Fund reserves through the budget process

CONSENSUS: Excess Measure A funding from Housing and Tourism will be allocated to the Housing Now! Program

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Pat Foster, Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT), said that we needed to change the negative tone. He clarified the process for adding members to the Board and for spending MLT funds. He said that it was a goal of MLT to change the times when the Town was busy. Mr. Foster said we needed to  work together. 

Ron Cohen, Mammoth and June Mountain Ski Areas, said that the Town and  MLT had been successful and that the tone of conversation did not reflect that. He advised letting marketers do the marketing. He said he though the MLT contract could be reduced to $1M.

Ted Carleton, The Sheet, asked why we were keeping the reserve war chest.

Jeremy Goico, Chair of Mammoth Lakes Tourism and Chamber of Commerce representative, said that we needed to be prepared for a recession. He said that his business  just had the worst March in nine years, and had huge CAM fees from this winter. He said that they would be presenting the strongest TBID renewal ever. Mr. Goico said that he was in favor of $2M contract with MLT.

CONSENSUS: Move forward with an MLT contract.

Mr. Carleton asked for a realistic budget regarding road rehabilitation and street maintenance.

4.2

Update and Council Direction on Response to Local Extreme Weather Declared Emergency.

This item was taken out of order. 

Town Manager Daniel C. Holler, Public Works Director Haislip Hayes, and Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District Fire Chief Ales Tomaier gave an update regarding the current emergency response and recovery. There was discussion among members of Council and staff.

PUBLIC COMMENT:

Patricia Robertson Executive Director of Mammoth Lakes Housing, reported on the impacts to the lives of the people displaced due to health and safety issues. She asked if the Council would consider a temporary moratorium on evictions, She said that she supported the proposed funding but asked to expand the uses of those funds. Ms. Robertson announced that MLH now had four full time staff members. There was discussion among members of Council and Ms. Robertson. 

The Mayor called a recess at 5:18 p.m. and the Council reconvened at 5:29 p.m.

• Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser
  Seconded by Councilmember Amanda Rice

  Approve grant funding of $100,000 to Mammoth Lakes Housing for the provision of temporary emergency housing. Approve $500,000 for the small business grant program to offset the costs of snow removal. 

  For (4)	Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser, Mayor John Wentworth, Councilmember Chris Bubser, and Councilmember Amanda Rice
  Absent (1)	Councilmember Sarah Rea

  Carried (4 to 0)
• Moved by Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser
  Seconded by Councilmember Amanda Rice

  Approve the resolution finding that emergency circumstances justify awarding a contract for street repair work without competitive bidding. 

  For (4)	Mayor Pro Tem Bill Sauser, Mayor John Wentworth, Councilmember Chris Bubser, and Councilmember Amanda Rice
  Absent (1)	Councilmember Sarah Rea

  Carried (4 to 0)

5.

CLOSED SESSION

At  7:14 p.m. the Mayor announced that the Council would be entering into closed session for the purposes as stated in the agenda. 

5.1

Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6.(a), Conference with Labor Negotiators, the Council will meet with its  representatives, Town Manager Daniel C. Holler, Administrative Services/Finance Director Rob Patterson, Community and Economic Development

6.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ACTION TAKEN AFTER CLOSED SESSION

The Council reconvened from closed session at 8:17 p.m. and announced that there was no reportable action taken. 

7.

ADJOURNMENT

The Council adjourned the meeting at 8:17 p.m.