From: Laurie alderman <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2026 1:24 AM
To: Susan Harvey <[email protected]>; Sylvia Lemus <[email protected]>; Ben Ford <[email protected]>; Kevin Patterson <[email protected]>; John Savage <[email protected]>; Laura Sparks <[email protected]> Cc: David Rabbitt <[email protected]>; George Barich < >; Carleton L. Briggs Attorney at Law < >;
Michael Ceremello Ceremello < >; John Bakker
<[email protected]>; Angela Courter <[email protected]>; Noah Housh <[email protected]>; Amie Windsor <[email protected]>; Michael Hilber < >; Damien O'Bid <[email protected]>; Chris Simmons <[email protected]>
Subject: Mid year budget item public comment. Coverup of code enforcement monies spent against George Barich -- $239k increase.
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Well, the City staff is trying to hide the outrageous mis-use of public funds in the details of the mid-year financial review. Such transparency.... Plus, hiding an budget amendment to cover up the outrageous legal costs to prosecute George Barich for code enforcement violations. The hearings started in November 2023 and are still continuing, scheduled up to April 2026.
The increase in legal fees mostly are from the hiring of another attorney in June 2025 to take over the "prosecuting" duties in George Barich's code enforcement case, because at that point, there was the issue of Robert Smith breaking the State Bar rule 3.7 -- attorney as witness (prohibited). Nowhere in the Cotati Municipal code does it say the City has a right to hire an "extra" attorney" to prosecute a possible code violations. It must have been very expensive using public funds for this attorney if the legal services went up from $2k to $171k, a $169k difference. I can't even get since December 1, 2025 the totals for Redwood Public Law through PRA requests, but the City is going to reimburse the fund out of the public eyes?
PUBLIC COMMENT
Robert Smith's contract is increased $70k to cover this code enforcement prosecution of George Barich. Problem with that, is that a written agreement for overbudget needs to be completed before the services are rendered, not afterward. He's continually gone over budget for the last few years with no budget amendments as required This is the city attorneys and city manager improperly paying Robert Smith in this 2 1/2 year long hearing to "get George" at all costs.
I have been shouting from the rooftops about this mis-use of public funds for a few years now and nobody has listened. This is mis-use of public funds that all of you on the council have been aware of since I started reporting the mis-use in June 2024 publicly.
Please do not sign this resolution and continue the mis-use of public funds at the cost of the residents of Cotati.
See below for related information.
Sincerely,
Laurie Alderman
Pg. 102 of the packet:
Staff report:
Overall?.cumulative.mid‗year.General.Fund.expenditure.increased.from.the.previous.year. by.approximately.87¡9↘ .or.₰7¡9.million¡.Most.of.the.increase.was.due.to.the.timing.of. transfers.out.for.capital.projects¡.The.increase.in.Contract.Services.is.primarily.related.to. legal.and.IT.services?.as.well.as.contracts.for.ongoing.operations.and.maintenance.at.
Falletti.Ranch¡.Staff.are.proposing.a.budget.amendment.for.the.legal.services. associated.with.Code.Enforcement.due.to.unusual.on‗going.matters.which.were. unplanned.for.in.the.adopted.budget.for.the.fiscal.year¡.Increased.salaries.™ .benefits.are. derived.from.MOU.negotiated.increases.as.well.as.one‗time.payouts.incurred.at.the. beginning.of.the.fiscal.year
Resolution:
NOW.THEREFORE.BE.IT.RESOLVED?.that.7).The.Fiscal.Year.868❶―8❷.Operating.Budget.is. hereby.amended.to.incorporate.the.revenue.and.expenditure.adjustments.identified.in.the.
Mid‗Year.Financial.Report?.including.but.not.limited.to¿.a).Adjustments.to.General.Fund. sales.tax.revenues.based.on.updated.forecasts·.b).Increased.appropriations.for.General.
Fund.legal.services.related.to.Code.Enforcement·.c).Adjustments.to.Community.
Development.charges.for.services·.and.d).Recognition.of.increased.investment.earnings.in. the.Water.and.Wastewater.Funds¡.8).The.Administrative.Services.Department.is.authorized. and.directed.to.make.all.necessary.accounting.entries.and.administrative.changes.to. implement.this.resolution¡.9).This.resolution.shall.take.effect.immediately.upon.adoption¡.
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.76?.868❷?.by.the.following. vote?.to.wit¿
Robert Smith's budget was from $38k to $50k for these years.