Day: January 23, 2024

Glenn County Observer

Willows City Council

(Agenda Item 5.c.): Think of it as a colonoscopy for the City of Willows.

The city engineer, community development services director, and city manager are recommending that the city council approve a resolution authorizing the city manager to award and execute a contract with APS Environmental, Inc., for $28,376 and establish an overall budget of $31,214 for closed circuit TV (CCTV) inspection of the city’s sewer mains.

In order to determine methods of repair for some of the city’s sewer mains, CCTV inspections are needed. According to city staff, CCTV inspections allow accurate identification of the type, location, and severity of defects in the sewer system. Certain sections of the city’s sewer collection system reportedly have had known deficiencies for years. The known locations include a total of 6,617 linear feet of six-inch sewer mains and 2,439 linear feet of eight-inch sewer mains.

(Item 6.a.): The council plans to discuss the placement of a sales tax measure on the Nov. 5 election ballot and direct staff to return to the council at a future date with sales tax measure ballot language for consideration and approval, as well as any other sales tax-related research results, policies and/or legal opinions.

According to the Willows City Manager, the city will have exhausted all its General Fund reserves by June, 2025, and needs an immediate revenue source within the next 12 to 18 months to maintain critical city services. Matters to be considered include how much the tax should be, how long it should last, tax expenditure oversight, and policy intent.

(Items 5.d. and 5.e.): Staff also recommends that the council adopt a resolution accepting a 10-foot-wide public access and utility easement at 725 South Tehama Street, and adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a contract amendment to Coastland’s professional services agreement for upgrades to the civic center and Jensen Park.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. tonight, Jan. 23, at the Willows City Hall, 201 North Lassen Street.

Orland City Council

A special meeting of the Orland City Council is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. tonight, Jan. 23.

The city engineer is recommending that the council review and approve the initial study and mitigated negative declaration (IS/MND) regarding the County Road M 1/2 reconstruction project. In order for the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to approve the funds already allocated to this project, the City of Orland is obligated to prepare project studies and reports to comply with California Environmental Quality Act requirements. The 30-day public comment period ended on Jan. 19. City staff has prepared and submitted the necessary applications and supporting paperwork to the CTC, except for the city council’s approval of the IS/MND. This approval needs to be submitted prior to the CTC meeting for the allocation application to be deemed complete.

The Orland City Council special meeting is to take place at the Carnegie Center, 912 Third Street, in Library Park.

Daisy Judkins died peacefully in her sleep in the lap of her human, Larry Judkins, on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. She was adopted by Mr. Judkins on July 25, 2009, when she was nine or 10 months old.

Realizing that obedience school would be a lost cause, she immediately went to work as a newshound for The Valley Mirror newspaper in Willows. After she and her human ended their association with that publication, she became part of the two-mammal team of The Glenn County Observer.

Daisy’s hobbies included biting the shins of attorneys, attacking the boots of retired sheriff’s deputies, and demanding to go outside just as the news was about to begin on TV. She was a master of the art of becoming a moving obstacle course whenever her human walked through the house.

A highly spiritual dachshund, she was a firm believer in the power of bark. The number of mail carriers, package delivery persons, and other nefarious individuals who heard Daisy’s yapping and then abandoned their schemes of breaking into the homes of her human is estimated to be in the hundreds.

She is survived by her human, Larry Judkins; various other human relatives and friends, most notably Richard, Robert, Julia, Donna, and Sara Inés; her dog-pal, Ruby; and her longtime cat-pal, Willis.

No services are planned.