The Citrus Heights City Council presented a proclamation to the Sunrise Recreation and Park District in recognition of July as National Parks and Recreation Month. Photo provided by the City of Citrus Heights. 

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - At the July 9 meeting, the Citrus Heights City Council issued a proclamation recognizing July as Parks and Recreation Month. 

Councilmember Kelsey Nelson read the proclamation, outlining the importance of parks to the quality of life, health, and wellbeing of citizens. Parks create a place where people can come together, which increases social cohesion and active lifestyles. 

Sunrise Park and Recreation District (SPRD) Administrator Kevin Huntzinger accepted the proclamation and thanked the Council for many years of successful partnership. He added that this year the district will be celebrating their 75th anniversary on Oct. 4 at Rusch Community Park. The jubilee event will include music, vendors, a car show and fireworks. 

The councilmembers all expressed their enjoyment of the local parks and Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa said, “You’ve been a terrific partner to the neighborhoods and to the city.” 

Citrus Heights American Legion Post 637 announced their upcoming Battle of the Bands and BBQ event on Sept. 13. Post Commander Charles Stone said the American Legion has been helping local veterans since 1955 and this event is their largest fundraiser. 

Stone said, “This year we’re going to honor the 760 Californians who died as part of the global war on terror.” Four were from Citrus Heights: Sergeant Keicia Hines, Private First Class Sean Anthony Silva, Tech Sergeant Kristoffer Solesbee, and Private First Class Alexander Varela. 

The council recognized American Legion Post 637 members Ben Lehr and Steve Gall for their dedication to serving veterans in the community and improving their quality of life.

Stone said, “They worked really, really hard—to include helping veterans who are on the edge of suicide and then walking them back from that edge by providing them the support that they needed.” 

During public comments, one resident spoke about problems with blight in his neighborhood, saying “We need help. We need to do something about this. We need to get the drugs out of our city. We need to stop the scourge. And we need to start enforcing the code again.”

While there have been some improvements made by code enforcement, there are still ongoing issues of noise and nuisance. He plans to move out of the area if the issues cannot be addressed. 

Local animal advocate Melissa Hayden said she has seen “positive improvement.” After a prior incident of disagreement between her and Karpinski-Costa, Hayden said they are now “partnering together for a future event to help animals.” She said it’s important to “focus on the positive and move forward.”

Two residents from Mesa Oak Way spoke to the council about poor conditions in their neighborhood, with cracking sidewalks and crumbling streets filled with potholes. They said the roads are not being maintained, and it is dangerous for people walking in the neighborhood. 

Alfred Sanchez submitted a written comment expressing his concerns about the city’s chronic offender program, which outlines enforcement measures regarding homelessness. 

The Citrus Heights City Council recognized members of American Legion Post 637 for their dedicated service to helping local veterans. Photo provided by the City of Citrus Heights.

The Council held a public hearing to consider the levy of fiscal year 2025-2026 assessments for Landscape Maintenance Assessment District 97-01, which includes the following subdivisions: Bridgemont (Zone 1), Heather Down (Zone 2), Verner Glen (Zone 3), and Creekridge (Zone 4). 

The assessment fees cover the maintenance of landscaping, trees and other vegetation; operation of irrigation and drainage systems; and soundwall maintenance. 

Costs for Zone 1 are covered by the current fee level, so no change was proposed for this fiscal year. A proposed 2% increase for Zone 2, allowed under the fee schedule, would cover expected costs. 

However, fees are not sufficient to cover costs for Zones 3 and 4, so they are operating at a shortfall. A fee increase would require a Proposition 218 public hearing process, so an increase is not allowable at this time. 

General Services Director Regina Cave said that the shortfall can be subsidized by using available gas tax funds. After the city conducts a cost allocation plan, they can initiate the process for increasing fees to ensure future self-sufficiency of those zones. 

Karpinski-Costa asked for the subsidized total, and Cave said Verner Glen needed an additional $6,266 and Creekridge needed $12,996. 

Karpinski-Costa said the gas tax normally funds street paving, saying “So we’re watering people’s front lawns instead of paving streets. Is that what we’re doing? I just think that this is an unfair burden on the residents to pay for landscaping that people don’t want to pay for it themselves.” She said she understood it has to be covered at this time but wants to see a change in the future, so the city doesn’t have to carry that burden indefinitely. 

The council voted 4-0 to approve the assessments for District 97-01, with Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff absent. 

Then they considered fiscal year 2025-2026 assessments for the following Landscape Maintenance Assessment Districts: 98-01 (Stock Village); 98-02, Zones 1–4 (Sorenson Ranch, Autumnwood, Mariposa Creek, and Wyatt Ranch); and 03-01, Zones 1–3 (Stock Ranch North, Stock Ranch South, and Mitchell Village). 

Cave said these districts are fully funded by the current fees and the council voted to approve the 2025-2026 assessments.  

City Engineer Leslie Blomquist presented the annual update for the Citrus Heights Lighting Assessment District, which includes every parcel within city limits. The assessments cover the cost of operation and maintenance of all 4,818 streetlights and safety lights in the city. 

Blomquist said the lighting district rates are not sufficient to cover costs, with an expected shortfall of $195,997 for 2025-2026. As in the prior year, this amount can be subsidized by Measure A funds. 

Councilmember Tim Schaefer asked if the city plans to pursue a Prop. 218 hearing to increase rates. He said he believes the current rate is $267 per parcel per year, which he said is very low. Karpinski-Costa agreed and said the lighting assessment rates haven’t been raised in 36 years. 

City Manager Ashley Feeney said the city will be looking at options to begin the Prop. 218 process next year. 

Citrus Heights resident David Shelton said his neighborhood doesn’t have streetlights at all, so the homeowners maintain their own lighting above their garages. He said the city should not be using other funding to subsidize the lighting costs, since they don’t equally benefit all residents. He said the money would be better spent on road repairs.  

The council voted to approve the 2025-2026 lighting assessments.  

The council also considered sending overdue Recology accounts to Sacramento County for collection through the property tax roll. 

There were 1,017 delinquent residential accounts, with a cumulative past-due total of $686,414. Adding $68,641 in penalties, the total owed to Recology for garbage collection was $755,055. Notices were sent out to inform delinquent account holders of their overdue charges and the date of the hearing. 

The council voted to send the accounts to the county. Funds collected by the county will be forwarded to the city in January and May 2026, and then Recology will be reimbursed. 

The Council provided input on a draft letter of response to the Sacramento Grand Jury Report entitled No Equal Justice for Victims of Elder Financial Abuse, which was sent to Citrus Heights along with other cities in the Sacramento region. 

City Attorney Ryan Jones said the report outlined findings and recommendations about how local police forces handle financial abuse against seniors. One of the findings stated that there is insufficient community outreach to educate seniors about financial abuse. The city disagreed, because the Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD) staff attend monthly neighborhood area and service club meetings to discuss crime prevention.  

Karpinski-Costa added that the city recently partnered with state legislators to host a free public scam-stopper seminar at city facilities, drawing a large and engaged audience.

The report also recommended police departments should have a dedicated officer to handle financial abuse, but Karpinski-Costa agreed with the city response that a dedicated officer was not feasible for the CHPD. 

The Council approved the draft response letter as amended. 

The regularly scheduled City Council meeting on July 23 is cancelled due to a summer recess, so the next meeting will be held on August 13.