A moderately attended Oakdale City Council meeting Monday evening saw a mixed bag of action and postponement on an agenda that included several items designed to publicize and promote the city. The meeting started at its usual 7 p.m. time after a two-hour closed door session in which existing and anticipated litigation was discussed. There were no reportable actions that came out of the closed session.

Two agenda items related to the Oakdale Airport were both tabled and referred back to staff for additional research and clarification. The first item dealt with a Lease Agreement in connection to an expansion of the current facilities by tenant Sierra West Airlines. Public Works Director Joe Leach, who presented the council with a proposal outlining the agreement, noted that there were some last minute negotiated figures of which the council was not aware. Council member Katherine Morgan asked for clarification on the reimbursement figures and for a timetable as to when the new rates would kick in. Leach agreed to research the questions and get back to the council members at their next meeting.

The other agenda item dealt with a proposal from Ecoplexus, Inc. seeking an Option to Lease Agreement with the city regarding a Solar Electricity Generating Facility at the airport. Ecoplexus had proposed a one year Lease to Option agreement which would net the city some additional rental fees. This matter was also deferred to the next meeting in reaction to reservations from council members stating that they have a responsibility to the residents of Oakdale to manage all assets optimally and to not accept the first offer on the table. Additionally, council member Michael Brennan had concerns that the Airport Committee, which will meet next week, had not been consulted on the proposal. He expressed a desire for that body to be given an opportunity to weigh in on the matter.

Council member Brennan reported that ROTA ridership, on the Riverbank Oakdale Transit Authority bus line, as measured by the fare box, was at 9 percent, which is just short of the goal of 10 percent. He noted that most of the riders are residents of Oakdale and that the fare box numbers have been as high as 11 and 12 percent.

In other action, the council acknowledged the contributions to the beautification of city property by the Oakdale Garden Club, which has taken on the responsibility of caring for 43 city plots. The club has 22 active members and prides itself on its “hands-on” approach to maintenance projects, said members.