GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – At its last meeting, Gridley City Council received an update from Sutter Buttes Flood Control (SBFC), considered Caltrans’ local assistances procedures, and took further steps towards beneficial purchases for the City and its departments.

Council heard a detailed presentation from SBFC Director Michael Bessette, about the overall status of the levees and other waterflow concerns in our area. Bessette touched on the Feather River West Levee Project, begun in 2013, that cost about $400 million dollars and the struggles that they and the Army Corp of Engineers encountered during the project.  Part of the work done as part of the project at the Oroville Wildlife Area will help redirect water when levels become too high for the Feather River to handle.

Additionally, Bessette shared a huge milestone for the SBFC agency – soon they will be able to provide a 200-year certification for all their member agencies and projects. Bessette says it is “an exciting time we’re going to be the first agency within the Central Valley to produce a 200-year certification package” for their work. Projects that hold this 200-year certification bear the signatures of a team of civil engineers must be inspected every 5 years to retain that status.

Moving on, Council then adopted the Caltrans Local Assistance Procedures Manual necessary for the procurement, management and administration of engineering and design services.

Council then heard from Planning Commissioner Donna Decker regarding moving forward with procuring an appraisal for the potential purchase of a property located at 57 E. Gridley Road. It runs parallel to the back side of the City of Gridley Electric Department, between Fairview Road and the west side of the Butte County Fairgrounds. The property has a commercial steel building already on site and would allow for future growth for the City Electric Department. Council voted unanimously to proceed with the appraisal.

The last item on the agenda addressed a source of frustration for some members of the public: the lack of a livestreaming audio/video platform that would broadcast City Council Meetings to the public. The dial-in teleconference system used by the City during the COVID-19 to broadcast meetings to the public has garnered complaints as it is cumbersome and difficult to hear Council clearly.

Acting City Administrator, Chief Rodney Harr presented Council with the Logitech Rally system. The system consists of camera(s), speaker, and remote microphones which will deliver audio/video content by way of Zoom to viewers, and potentially to Facebook or YouTube. Dial-in services would remain available. The total cost of the Logitech Rally cost would be $2,705.17 (one time) and a yearly licensing cost of $549.90 for Zoom. The motion passed unanimously.