Council votes: lease for Lord Heigl House, settlement on pension claim, budget amendment, appointments and directives

The Venice City Council took a series of routine and substantive votes at its meeting, including a lease for the historic Lord Heigl House, a settlement of a pension dispute, a budget amendment that adds a police training position, several appointments and directives for staff.

Key votes and outcomes

- Lord Heigl House lease (Consent item 25‑0191): The council approved a lease agreement with Black Gold Coffee Roasters LLC to manage the Lord Heigl House coffeehouse. The lessee representatives said the business will operate a café, host music and events, and collaborate with the Venice Museum and Archives. Council discussion confirmed the lease is 57 pages long, that the first six parking spaces adjacent to the house (two handicapped and four regular) are dedicated to the café, and that revenues from the lease will go to the city’s journal/general fund. The agreement passed unanimously.

- Settlement of pension dispute (25‑0192): Council authorized a confidential settlement with a retired employee, resolving a dispute over whether compensatory time should be included in average final compensation under an older pension plan. HR Director Alan Bullock told council the dispute arose under a pension plan that has not accepted new members since about 2014 and that the situation was unique to the retiree involved. The settlement was approved unanimously.

- Budget amendment (Ordinance…