MINUTES
JOINT MEETING OF THE COTATI CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO
THE FORMER COTATI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
City Council Chamber, City Hall 201 W. Sierra Avenue
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
6:00 PM SPECIAL MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Ford called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendee Name Title Status
Ben Ford Mayor Present
Sylvia Lemus Vice Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, City Attorney John Bakker, City Clerk Kevin Patterson, Director of Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons, Senior Accountant Neil Tomlinson, Recreation Manager Ashley Wilson
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND NOTICE OF WAIVING OF READING OF ALL
RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES INTRODUCED AND/OR ADOPTED UNDER THIS
AGENDA (ACTION)
A. COTATI CITY COUNCIL – REGULAR MEETING – OCT 28, 2025 No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [5-0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
3. PROCLAMATIONS (ACTION)
A. NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Vice Mayor Sylvia Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Council Treasurer Joan Harper of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
Cotati City Council Packet November 18, 2025
No changes.
5. CITIZEN BUSINESS AND PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS Any member of the public wishing to speak to the Council on any item(s) listed on the Consent Calendar or any matter(s) not listed on the agenda that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Council may do so at this time. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the Council is not allowed to consider issues or take action on any item not listed on the agenda during this period. Pursuant to City Council Policy 2025-03, comments of any member of the public are normally restricted to a total of three (3) minutes in length per person for matters not on the agenda and a total of three (3) minutes per person in length for any and all items on the Consent Calendar. The Mayor may extend the time limit for a reasonable time where a disability accommodation has been requested. To facilitate public comment, the timer indicator lights will display yellow when there are thirty (30) seconds remaining, and red when time has expired.
Public Comment:
George Barich of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. CANCELLATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON NOVEMBER 25, 2025 RESULT: Adopt [5-0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
8. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. RECEIVE AND FILE THE FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 AUDITED ANNUAL
COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT (ACFR), POPULAR ANNUAL FINANCIAL
REPORT (PAFR), AND THE AUDIT REPORT ON THE APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT Presentation by Senior Accountant Neil Tomlinson, and Sheldon Chavan of Chavan and Associates, LLP.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
B. PROPOSED UPDATED PARK USE AND SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT POLICY Presentation by Recreation Manager Ashley Wilson.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Council requested that the small group insurance waiver be considered when the City Facility Policy comes to City Council.
Cotati City Council Packet November 18, 2025
RESULT: Approve [5-0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
C. AWARD CONSULTING AGREEMENT FOR EVALUATION OF A TAX INCREMENT
FINANCING DISTRICT
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Council approved the contract award, and authorized Staff to make the decision on moving forward with Phase II of the project, without coming back to the Council for further approval.
RESULT: Approve [5-0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Ford, Lemus, Harvey, Sparks, Savage
NAYS: None
9. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The City of Cotati recognizes that we’re on the ancestral lands of the Coastal Miwok, who are the original caretakers of this area. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have been stewarding and maintaining a relationship on this land as knowledge keepers for millennia.
This acknowledgement does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves as a gesture of respect to the land we are on.
10. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
11. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
12. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ford adjourned the meeting at 7:33pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk