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, February 10, 2026
6:00 PM REGULAR MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER - ROLL CALL
Mayor Lemus called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Attendee Name Title Status
Sylvia Lemus Mayor Present
Susan Harvey Vice Mayor Present
Ben Ford Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Laura Sparks Councilmember Leave of Absence
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, City Attorney John Bakker, City Clerk Kevin Patterson, Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons
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 – JAN 27, 2026 RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
No public comment.
3. PROCLAMATIONS (ACTION)
A. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI DECLARING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2026 BLACK HISTORY MONTH Cotati City Council Minutes February 10, 2026
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Raquel Holmes and members of the Black Student Union at Sonoma State University.
No public comment.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
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. 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 seconds remaining, and red when time has expired.
Public Comment:
George Barich of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Michael Ceremello
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING 2026 ROLLIN' ROSIES CAR SHOW IN LA PLAZA PARK ON MAY 9, 2026 B. APPROVAL OF 2026 CITY OF COTATI KIDS DAY EVENT IN LA PLAZA PARK RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
8. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. CIRA INSURANCE UPDATE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Cotati City Council Minutes February 10, 2026
George Barich of Cotati
Michael Ceremello
B. MID-YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025/26
Presentation by Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
George Barich of Cotati
Michael Ceremello
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
C. STRATEGIC PRIORITY REVIEW AND UPDATE
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
Council directed Staff to come back at a future meeting with options to finish projects already started, and then propose priority of remaining projects with available staff/resources. Council requested that the Downtown Parking Study be included as a project in FY 25/26.
D. TRAFFIC SIGNALIZATION PROJECT
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
E. DISCUSSION ON POTENTIAL TOPICS FOR FUTURE COMMUNITY-POLICE Cotati City Council Minutes February 10, 2026
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
George Barich of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Raquel Holmes of Cotati
Council directed staff to add an item to the upcoming Community-Police Advisory Committee meeting, for the committee to have a discussion around potential actions or polices the City Council might consider in order to best protect the community in the event of federal intervention in Cotati.
9. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE
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 millenia. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities but serves as a gesture of respect to the land we are on.
Public Comment:
George Barich of Cotati
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Raquel Holmes of Cotati
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 Lemus adjourned the meeting at 8:23pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk