GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Recycling services for 65 commercial customers in Gridley will continue but with the normal charge.

Christian Garcia of Waste Management addressed City Council during public comment at the March 18 meeting. He took his three minutes to point out that 65 commercial customers were not being charged for the recycling service for the last seven years. It was a “code error” that was caught last fall.

“They should not have been getting service for free,” Garcia said.

The customers were informed in November via a letter that they would be charged from now on for their recycling service with no back charges, according to Garcia, who produced a copy of the letter for City Council to review.

Gridley City Council members welcomed a new city police officer. Gridley Police Chief Rodney Harr introduced Natalie Barrera “as a part-time officer to begin with and hopefully full-time in the future.”

Barrera, in turn, introduced her family: husband, Adam Barrera, who is also a police officer; their son, Raylan; and her sister, Amanda who is an ICU nurse.

Harr took the podium again to discuss the approval of a digital forensic services contract between the Butte County District Attorney's Office Investigative Unit (BCDA) and the Gridley Police Department. The agreement’s focus will be forensic searching tools designed for digital media, including media contained within automobiles, cellular phones, tablets, cameras and other mobile digital storage devices, and any analytic programs designed to enhance digital forensic investigations. The cost for these services is $4,000 for the year.

A council member roll-call vote was taken and passed unanimously adopting the resolution.

Donna Decker from the Gridley Planning Department asked City Council to authorize a 2023/2024 Home Investment Partnerships Program application to the California State Department of HUD (Housing and Urban Development) for funding of no more than $12,200,000. The city of Gridley is partnering with AMG Development for a 36-unit project called Orchard View 2.

 “The HOME program has been very successful in supporting affordable housing projects in Gridley and the opportunity to continue to apply for HOME funding will further advance more affordable housing units,” Decker said.

Councilmember Catalina Sanchez asked, "Does the home partnership only apply to one specific developer or can it apply to any other developer that may be interested?”

Decker answered, “No, it is specific to the Orchard View 2 developer. AMG would be the main planner and this will include four or five different entities for this project.”

It was pointed out that there would be no costs to the city other than what it takes to apply for this grant.

The five council members unanimously approved the authorization.

Gridley Utility director Ross Pippitt requested approval of an upgrade to the closed-circuit TV system for sewer and storm drain monitoring. The system being used presently is outdated and malfunctioning, according to Pippitt, and parts for this unit are no longer available on the market.

To remove the old camera system and have the new system installed is estimated to cost $149,134. This estimate was acquired through the U-Rock Municipality and Contractor Equipment from Sacramento.

Pippitt moved on to the next item requesting City Council to approve the purchase of four three-phase transformers used as power supplies for commercial projects under construction. These purchases would increase the city budget by $206,625. Electric what has funds available in reserve to cover the expenses.

City Council members unanimously approved to purchase the new monitoring system upgrades and four three-phase transformers.

The agenda and all attachments can be viewed at http://gridley.ca.us/public/uploads/pdfs/3-18-24_Regular_Agenda.pdf.

The next Gridley City Council meeting will be at 6 p.m. April 1 at 685 Kentucky St.