Riverside council approves streetlight assessment, multiple resolutions and contracts

Riverside City Council on Aug. 18 adopted the city’s annual streetlight assessment ordinance and approved a package of resolutions to collect unpaid abatement charges, declare surplus items, contract third‑party billing and mail services, and finalize a delinquent-fee assessment for a Linden Avenue property.

The council read and adopted ordinance 25‑0‑868, which authorizes the city to proceed with lighting improvements and to assess property owners in lighting districts for their proportionate share of streetlight electricity costs. Councilmembers voted by roll call, with Denning, Joseph, Brown, Frey, Lomax, Maxfield and Mayor Williams recorded as “yes.”

Council also approved a housekeeping ordinance (25‑0‑869) creating a solid waste collection revenue fund to allow the city to collect trash service charges and reimburse the hauler; that ordinance passed its first reading. The council approved a set of resolutions (25‑R‑3041 through 25‑R‑3047) covering routine surplus property disposal, grass/weeds and nuisance abatements assessments, two professional services agreements for online billing and printing/mailing of utility bills, a specific delinquent‑fee assessment for 4700 Linden Avenue, and a renewed lease/then‑and‑now payment for a parcel used for a bus stop and city sign.

Law Director (unnamed) clarified that nuisance abatement assessments are limited to “abatement work that was conducted by the city, not for anything that was done by the property owner.” City staff said they removed several parcels from an initial abatement exhibit as a precaution and will administratively correct any addresses that should not be assessed.

City staff described the billing contracts (resolutions 25‑R‑3044 and 25‑R‑3045) as necessary because the city lacks in‑house capacity to produce and process more than roughly 9,000 mailed invoices. The manager said the city solicited competitive quotes and that the per‑invoice cost was “a minimal addition” compared with the infrastructure and time needed to in‑house billing.

The assessment tied to 4700 Linden Avenue stems from a previously executed fee‑in‑lieu agreement in which the property owner agreed to pay a fee instead of constructing curb and gutter; staff said the invoice remains unpaid and the assessment is intended to ensure funds are available when the work occurs.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 25‑0‑868 (annual streetlight assessment): Motion to adopt; roll call — Denning yes, Joseph yes, Brown yes, Frey yes, Lomax yes, Maxfield yes, Mayor Williams yes. Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 25‑0‑869 (create solid waste collection revenue fund): First reading/approval by council; outcome: approved (first reading). Further public hearing to follow. - Resolution 25‑R‑3041 (surplus items): Motion/second; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3042 (grass/weed mowing assessments): Motion/second; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3043 (abatement assessments; updated exhibit consolidating parcels): Motion/second; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3044 (professional services — online billing): Motion/second; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3045 (professional services — printing and mailing bills): Motion/second; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3046 (assessment for 4700 Linden Avenue — fee in lieu delinquency): Motion/second recorded; outcome: approved. - Resolution 25‑R‑3047 (lease/then‑and‑now payment for Airway & Woodman parcel, $4,500 over five years): Motion/second; outcome: approved.

The council handled the motions in procedural order and used both voice votes and roll calls; staff and the law director said any clerical errors in assessment exhibits would be corrected administratively and brought back to council if needed.

Council adjourned regular business after completing the listed votes and moving into nonagenda public comment and discussion items.