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Home My WebLink AboutCC_2025-08-26 Regular Meeting Minutes 1 MINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING August 26, 2025, 5:30 p.m. Veterans Memorial Hall 209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA Members Present: Mayor Carla Wixom Council Member Cyndee Edwards Council Member Jeff Eckles Council Member Zara Landrum Council Member Bill Luffee Staff Present: Interim City Manager Andrea Lueker City Attorney Brian Stack City Clerk Dana Swanson Finance Director Emily Conrad Public Works Director Greg Kwolek Community Development Director Airlin Singewald Police Chief Amy Watkins Fire Chief Dan McCrain Harbor Vitality Director Chris Munson _____________________________________________________________________ 1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER Mayor Wixom called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. with all members present. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. REPORTS 3.a Closed Session Report City Attorney Stack reported the Council met in closed session to discuss four real property matters: Lease Sites 134-136, 132W -133W at 1245 Embarcadero; Lease Site 137 at 1247 Embarcadero; 695 Harbor Street; and 1130/1330 Napa Avenue and the Council took no re portable action under the Brown Act. 3.b Mayor and Councilmembers' Reports, Announcements and Presentations 3.c City Manager Reports, Announcements and Presentations 2 3.d Subcommittee Reports - Verbal Update of Current Subcommittee Activities a. Water Reclamation Facility & Morro Bay / Cayucos Sanitary District JPA b. Morro Bay Power Plant (Vistra) c. Offshore Wind Energy d. Morro Elementary School 4. RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS 4.a Central Coast Community Energy Annual Presentation Spencer Brandt, Community Relations Manager, and Das Williams, Senior Advisor for Policy and Legislative Affairs, presented the 3CE Annual Update. 5. PUBLIC COMMENT  Larry Landis, Morro Bay, submitted a research paper illuminating evidence of arsenic contamination at the Morro Bay Power Plant and encouraged the Council to authorize the City Attorney and staff to review his work.  Rachel Wilson, Cayucos, commented on the 3CE presentation and shared her appreciation for Council transparency regarding recent meetings with Vistra representatives.  Homer Alexander, Morro Bay resident and Treasurer for the Morro Bay Maritime Museum, announced the 4th Annual Family Fun Day will be held on October 11th and asked that Council consider waiving the $418 and $645 special event/festival fees.  Kiernan Cottle, Morro Bay, offered comments.  Dina Lundquist, Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, provided an update on Chamber activities and priorities. End of public comment. 6. CONSENT AGENDA Unless an item is pulled for separate action by the City Council, the following actions are approved without discussion. The public will also be provided an opportunity to comment on consent agenda items. Mayor Wixom opened public comment for the Consent Agenda.  Peggy Mandeville, Morro Bay, spoke to Item 6.c., urging the Council to proceed with staff recommendation. 3  Lea Brooks, San Luis Obispo, commented in favor of the Morro Bay to Cayucos Connector Trail.  John Colbert, Los Osos, supported the Connector Trail project.  Gary Havas, Bike SLO County, added his support for the Connector Trail project.  Manny Treeson, Los Osos, spoke in support of the Connector Trail project.  Helene Finger, Morro Bay, urged the Council to support the Connector Trail project to safely connect the two communities.  Myron Amerine spoke on behalf of SLO County Bicycle Advisory Committee in support of the project.  Bruce Gibson, San Luis Obispo County 2nd District Supervisor, provided a status update on the Connector Trail project and offered to answer any questions.  Jeff Heller, Morro Bay, spoke to Item 6.b, expressing concerns about if or when the project will be finished, suggesting at some point the Council should be more involved in decision making.  Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, was in favor of the Connector Trail but expressed concerned about the loss of parking spaces used to access Dog Beach.  Ron Roche, San Luis Obispo County Parks Commissioner, urged the Council to approve Item 6.c.  Judy Setting, Morro Bay, was concerned about the loss of parking and access to Dog Beach, suggesting the City could open up trails from streets along the Beach Tract to lessen the impact of parking on Dog Beach.  Margaret Carman, Morro Bay, agreed with previous speakers' concerns regarding loss of parking along Dog Beach.  Mary Ann Gustafson, SLO Bike Club, appealed to Council to look at larger picture of not just cyclists, but all the people who will use the Connector Trail. End of public comment. Mayor Wixom pulled Item 6.c. Council Member Landrum pulled Item 6.b. Motion by Council Member Landrum Seconded by Council Member Edwards 4 Approve Consent Agenda Items 6.a, as submitted. Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0) 6.a Approval of Minutes Approve as submitted. a. August 12, 2025 - Regular Council Meeting b. August 12, 2025 - Special Closed Session Meeting c. August 13, 2025 - Special Closed Session Meeting 6.b Fiscal Year 2025 Quarter 4 Water Reclamation Facility Program Quarterly Report Public Works Director Kwolek and Dan Heimel, Confluence Engineering Solutions, responded to Council inquiries. Motion by Council Member Landrum Seconded by Council Member Luffee Receive and file the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Quarter 4 Report for the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) Program. Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0) 6.c Approve Cooperative Agreement Between City of Morro Bay and County of San Luis Obispo for County's Use of Right-of-Way on Three Parcels Owned by the City for Morro Bay to Cayucos Connector Trail Mayor Wixom asked staff to respond to questions raised during public comment. Elizabeth Kavanaugh, San Luis Obispo County Planner, respond to questions related to funding availability and the anticipated net loss of seven parking spots. Supervisor Gibson commented about the cost of construction and, based on SLOCOG's support for the project, was confident it would be funded. Motion by Mayor Wixom Seconded by Council Member Luffee 5 Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute the Cooperative Agreement between the City of Morro Bay and Count y of San Luis Obispo, as presented. Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0) 7. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS None. The Council took a brief recess at 6:55 p.m. and reconvened at 7:04 with all members present. 8. BUSINESS ITEMS 8.a Approve Professional Services Agreement for RRM Design Group for Design Services for Phase 1 of Coleman Park Improvement Project Public Works Director Kwolek presented the report and, along with Mike Sherrod from RRM Design Group, responded to Council inquiries. Mayor Wixom opened public comment for Item 8.a.  Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, hoped to see simulations when the project is presented to the Recreation and Parks Commission, and confirmed the contract amount was for design only, not construction.  Judy Setting, Morro Bay, urged the City to pursue a less expensive alternative. End of public comment. Motion by Council Member Luffee Seconded by Council Member Landrum Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with RRM Design Group to provide design services for Phase 1 of the Coleman Park Improvements project in an amount not- to-exceed $182,365, which includes an estimated cost of $156,765 for the base tasks and an estimated cost of $25,600 for optional tasks. Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0) 6 8.b Approve Letter to California Air Resources Board (CARB) Requesting Delayed Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations Harbor Vitality Director Munson presented the report and responded to Council inquiries. Mayor Wixom opened public comment for Item 8.b.  Dina Lundquist, Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce, commented in support of our local business community and respectfully urged the Council to approve and endorse the letter to CARB.  Jeff Heller, Morro Bay, offered to work at a grass roots level to support this effort.  Nattalia Merzoyan, Morro Bay, sympathized with the many challenges local fishermen face and hoped the decision makers would agree to an extension.  Bob Fowler, Morro Bay Landing, added his support for the City's efforts to advance this, noting the financial contribution the affected businesses provide the community.  Wade Gavin, Patriot Sportfishing, requested Council support and appreciated staff's efforts to bring this item forward. End of public comment. Motion by Mayor Wixom Seconded by Council Member Luffee Approve letter to CARB requesting Delayed Commercial Harbor Craft Regulations. Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0) 9. COUNCIL DECLARATION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Council Member Luffee questioned the public comment request for waiver of special event permit fees; it was agreed to await discussion of the City's Event Policy. 10. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:08 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 7 /s/ Dana Swanson, City Clerk