RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF
CARL SCHOLLMANN TO THE CITY AND COMMUNITY OF COTATI
WHEREAS, Carl Schollmann owned and operated Carl’s Body Shop in Cotati since 1965; and
WHEREAS, Carl’s Body Shop has been run by Carl’s son Bruce and wife Helen since 2005; and
WHEREAS, Carl was always willing to assist the community, including tapping into his deep pool of friends and associates to help the City raise funds for events during the Great Recession; and
WHEREAS, much of Carl’s life involved cars and motorcycles; he loved everything cars and he owned several hot rods; and
WHEREAS, in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s he raced motorcycles at the Cotati Drag Strip, Cotati Raceway and in Petaluma; and
WHEREAS, in 1971-72 he raced motorcycles in Utah at the Bonneville Salt Flats setting land speed records; and
WHEREAS, for many years, Carl brought joy to the community at the Annual Tree Lighting Event by calling in a personal favor and having Santa Claus himself arrive by fire truck each year; and
WHEREAS, a tireless supporter of Cotati, Carl assisted each year at Kids Day by driving the Grand Marshall in the parade and assisting with other classic cars for dignitaries; and WHEREAS, Carl assisted the Cotati Historical Society each year with their annual chicken barbeque, which raised funds to support the preservation of Cotati’s history; and WHEREAS, when the Cotati Police Department began hosting the annual National Night Out, Carl was there and found a large portable barbeque that the police staff used to grill up free burgers and hot dogs for the community; and
WHEREAS, Carl loved local connections in the auto world and would tell City staff about an electric vehicle startup run by someone he knows, Tony Aquila; and WHEREAS, Carl would always graciously invite City Staff and City Councilmembers to the annual summer barbeque and classic car display on Stony Point Road; and WHEREAS, Carl loved Cotati and for all of the generous help that Carl gave to the City over the years, he was equally generous for many, many members of the community when they needed help; and
WHEREAS, somewhere along the way, Carl picked up the nickname “Uncle Carl” by Terry Dutra; and
WHEREAS, Carl was the Cotati Chamber of Commerce 2001 Citizen of the Year; and WHEREAS, the community and his family unfortunately lost Carl in 2023 at the age of 85; and
WHEREAS, a portion of Carl’s Body Shop Mission Statement reads:
Carl’s Body Shop and its employees, will provide our customers with the highest grade of service, and quality of repairs to insure the safety, dependability, and value of your vehicle to you and your family,
We will never suggest a service to your vehicle which is deemed unnecessary. We take your family’s safety seriously as if it were our own.
WHEREAS, that mission statement sums up how we remember Carl - honest, trustworthy, helpful, generous, friendly, humble and community-minded.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Cotati hereby recognizes Carls’ extraordinary contributions to the City of Cotati and the community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Carl will be greatly missed and remembered by the many people who knew him for his tireless work to better the community, his passion for all things automotive, and his friendly and generous disposition towards everyone.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Cotati held on February 13, 2024, by the following vote, to wit:
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
Approved:___________________________
Mayor
Attest:______________________________
Kevin Patterson, Deputy City Clerk
Approved as to form:______________________________
City Attorney