Nevada City Taps Mayor, Vice Mayor to Revive Lapsed Tax Oversight
City Council • Nevada CityNovember 13, 2026
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Nevada City's citizen watchdog for two voter-approved taxes has met only once since 2021, and the city is about 18 months behind on audits. On Nov. 12, the City Council voted 5-0 to name the mayor and vice mayor to an ad hoc committee that will rebuild that oversight panel. The council also scaled back a waste-compliance consulting contract and heard the first briefing on a plan to make the city easier to walk, bike and roll.
- Measure M and C oversight committee revival approved 5-0 after residents asked where the tax money has gone since 2022
- City manager says the city is a year and a half behind on audits, a gap tied to the committee's lapse
- R3 waste consulting moves from $2,000 a month to on-demand as CalRecycle compliance nears completion
- Active transportation plan has 254 survey participants so far, with the survey open through the 24th
- Arts providers report full programs and waitlists as the council proclaims Arts and Health Month
Tax Watchdog Gets a Restart
The basics: Measure C funds police and fire. Measure M, passed in 2020, funds roads, sewer and water. Their citizen oversight committees were combined in October 2021.
Why it matters: Both measures depend on voters trusting that the money goes where promised. Council members said that accountability matters before the city asks voters for more funds.
Where things stand: City Manager Carrie Wright said the combined committee has barely met and its bylaws have no term limits. She said the governing language sets an expectation but not a requirement.
“The committee should meet twice a year. It doesn't mandate that they meet twice a year,” said Wright.
Wright tied the lapse to the city's finances. “We're about a year and a half behind on audits and that's been a priority that you guys gave me since I got here is to get caught up,” she said.
The other side: Two residents pressed for answers. Rick Beatty, a public commenter from Broad Street, said Measure M documents require an annual report, a citizen oversight committee and an independent audit. He also asked whether the revived committee would review past spending and how this affects water bills.
“Is there any record of the money we received and the money that was spent since 2022 for Measure M?” asked Beatty.
Vice Mayor Gary E. Petersen answered that the council reviews every project and budget. He said the audit lag explains why the committee stopped meeting. Still, he did not defend the result.
“This has not worked the way it was supposed to work, no doubt about it,” said Petersen.
Jim Hodomy, a public commenter from American Hill, raised a revenue concern. He said downtown retailers are being replaced by churches and healing centers that produce little sales tax, which would shrink Measure M and C revenue.
“We're losing sales tax generating retail businesses, especially in our business sector in downtown Nevada City,” said Hodomy.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Petersen moved, and Councilmember Micayla Sortland seconded, a motion naming the mayor and vice mayor to an ad hoc committee. That committee will review the oversight panel's bylaws and membership, solicit applications, interview candidates as needed and return with recommendations. The motion passed on a roll call. For: 5 (Sortland, Councilmember Adam Kline, Councilmember Doug Fleming, Petersen, Mayor Daniela Fernández); Against: 0; Absent: 0.
“We are doing as a council with this motion what we have done since we freaking got here, which is fix something else,” said Petersen.
Taxpayers and the residents who requested spending records stand to gain a functioning watchdog. Their questions about spending since 2022 remain open until the audits catch up.
What's next: The ad hoc committee will recruit applicants and bring recommendations back to the council. No date was set.
Walk, Bike, Roll: Plan Takes Shape
Why it matters: The grant-funded Active Transportation, Trails and Complete Streets Master Plan will set the city's walking, biking and trail priorities through winter 2027-28. That includes possible connections such as a Nevada City–Grass Valley link and safer Highway 49 crossings.
Where things stand: City Engineer Bryan McAlister introduced consultants from Alta Planning + Design. Katie Saline, Project Manager, Alta Planning + Design, walked the council through a three-phase timeline. Her team's data sources include Strava activity data, crash data from 2020 to 2025 and an analysis of public right-of-way.
“The purpose of this project, perhaps obviously, is to make it safer and easier to walk and bike and use mobility devices like wheelchairs to get around town,” said Saline.
So far, 254 people have taken the online survey. A second round of community engagement is planned for spring.
The other side: Eileen Jorgensen, a public commenter from Indian Flat Road, asked whether the plan accounts for the city's scenic corridor ordinances.
“I am concerned about the scenic corridor in our town,” said Jorgensen.
Council members responded that the scenic corridor runs along the highways and that the city is coordinating with Caltrans.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council took no vote. Members pressed the consultants on accessibility for people who use wheelchairs and asked for walking loops around town. Kline urged the team to reach residents with limited mobility.
“Everybody loves Nevada City, but Nevada City doesn't love everybody,” said Kline.
What's next: The survey stays open through the 24th, and spring workshops will follow.
Waste Help Goes On-Demand
Why it matters: Waste Management is seeking fee increases, and the city faces a future waste contract negotiation. Expert help remains available, at a lower fixed cost.
Where things stand: Fleming pulled consent item 5, the R3 consulting agreement, for separate discussion.
“I just wanna understand what we're getting into and what compliance work remains,” said Fleming.
“We've been paying $2,000 a month for their services, and this will be on demand,” said Wright.
Wright said the city's CalRecycle findings are nearly closed. The remaining work includes deploying 10 food mills to help divert organic waste.
Earlier, Sortland flagged proposed changes at the Nevada County Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission. She raised concern about how landfills will be monitored after they close.
“In the proposed revision of the bylaws, instead of meeting twice a year, there's a recommendation to meet as needed,” said Sortland.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Item 5 passed on a roll call. For: 5; Against: 0; Absent: 0. Ratepayers get continued compliance support without a monthly retainer. Regional waste oversight could thin if the commission adopts the as-needed schedule.
Arts Providers Seek Teeth for Proclamation
Mayor Fernández read a proclamation naming November 2026 Arts and Health Month. She noted her own background as an expressive arts therapist.
Robin Garcia, Executive Director, Nevada County Arts and Culture, spoke during the item. So did Hannah of Nevada County Arts and Culture and Amy Medeiros, Executive Director, Neighborhood Center of the Arts. They described arts-based programs, including services for adults with disabilities and seniors, that are full and have waitlists. Inner Circle Creative Arts Therapy, Foothills Compassionate Care and In Concert Sierra were also named as partners.
Why it matters: Demand is outpacing capacity. Fernández said she wants to give the proclamation teeth through support for the arts, though no funding was proposed.
Minor Items
- Consent calendar approved 5-0, minus item 5. It includes item 6, which lets the city issue grant support letters faster to meet deadlines such as one on Dec. 10.
- Paid parking is coming to high-priority downtown spots during special events like Victorian Christmas. “If you're gonna park downtown, we will be charging you for it,” said Wright. Staff will park at Pioneer Park.
- City manager's report: Wright announced storm preparations, a winter preparedness web page, prescribed burning near Providence Mine and new city office hours starting Dec. 1. The non-emergency number is 530-265-4700.
- Penzance twinning renewed: Paul Haas of KNCO reported on his 35th-anniversary visit to Cornwall and gave the council a signed Michael Newman photograph of Penzance Harbor. He said a re-formed twinning committee will coordinate with Grass Valley on a St. Piran's Day celebration March 6-7. He made no requests of the council.
- Pioneer Energy expands its board from 11 to 25 members, Petersen reported.
Looking Ahead
City offices will close the Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving week. The council's next meeting is Dec. 10 and will start earlier than the usual 6:30 p.m.