OROVILLE – Oroville’s first city council meeting of the new year, held Jan. 7, was brief and concentrated on Mayor Ed Naillon’s appointments of department heads as well as naming committee members for 2025.
Mayor Naillon made the following department head appointments for 2025, marking no changes from the previous year: City Attorney, Mick Howe; City Clerk, JoAnn Denney; City Superintendent of Public Works, Steve Thompson; Fire Chief, Bruce Rawley; Police Chief, Gary Hirst. As there are no anticipated contractual changes, Kurt Danison was appointed as City Planner and Bryan Forbus as City Building Official.
Councilmember Kolo Moser made the motion to approve confirmation of the mayor’s appointments. The motion received a second from Councilmember Richard Werner. The motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Naillon discussed the council committees and the rotation within the committees each year. He explained that this is to allow all council members the opportunity to serve on each committee. His appointments were as follows:
- Aviation: Mike Marthaller and Tasha Shaw
- Emergency Aid Board: Mayor Naillon, Moser, Werner and Denney
- Facilities: Moser and Werner
- Finance: Walt Hart and Shaw
- Fire Board: Naillon, Chief Rawley, Marthaller and Denney
- Health: Hart and Moser
- Parks: Shaw/Moser
- Personnel: Marthaller and Shaw
- Sewer: Marthaller and Werner
- Solid Waste: Hart and Moser
- Street/Weed Control: Shaw and Marthaller
- Water: Werner and Hart
The mayor also recommended that the city stay with the rotation schedule for Mayor Pro-Tempore. The rotation would be January to March 2025, Hart; April to June 2025, Marthaller; July to September 2025, Moser; October to December 2025, Werner and January to March 2026, Shaw.
Werner made a motion to approve the mayor’s committee appointments and the mayor’s pro-tem rotation schedule. The motion received a second from Shaw and carried.
Shaw updated the council on the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Center for Quality Communities Scholarship Program. She said that two applications had been received. Clerk Denney will email out the applications to the council members to consider for nomination to the AWC during the council’s next meeting on Jan. 21.
Under Department Head Updates, Police Chief Hirst reported that Officer Wessale will finish her Field Training Officer (FTO) program that week. Once the training is complete her initial scheduling with the department will be discussed, according to Hirst.
The police chief also said that the new patrol pickup is online. There was some discussion on equipment for the vehicle that will be installed soon. Hirst said that the department has been holding monthly meetings to step up proactive enforcement, as well as current operations.
Superintendent Thompson said that he has a two-block section of water and sewer lines located in the alley south of 11th Ave. that need to be replaced. Thompson told the council he is working on getting costs for potential outside help to install the lines due to the narrow work area and equipment needed to replace complete the project.
The Oroville City Council meets the first and third Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the council chambers located at city hall. The next council meeting is scheduled for Jan.
