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, March 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 Community Development Noah Housh, Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott, Police Chief Chris Simmons, Planning Technician Pema Sherpa.
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 – FEB 24, 2026 No public comment.
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Harvey, Ford, Lemus, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
3. PROCLAMATIONS (ACTION)
A. WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROCLAMATION
Cotati City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Melanie Jones-Carter of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women.
B. RED CROSS MONTH PROCLAMATION
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Steve Countourotis of the American Red Cross.
C. PROCLAMATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI DECLARING MARCH 15-21 AS NATIONAL SURVEYOR'S WEEK IN THE CITY OF COTATI
Mayor Lemus read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Bruce Johnson of the California Land Surveyors Association, Sonoma County Chapter.
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:
Roberta Teller
Robin Birdfeather
Elaine Leeder
Alana Feldman
Liz Finn
Rinat Abstado
Linda Evans
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE 2026 ROTARY CLUB OF
RANCHO COTATI CINCO DE MAYO EVENT IN LA PLAZA PARK
B. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING THE ENGINEER OF WORK FOR
PREPARING THE COTATI LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR FY 26-27
C. CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR, AND
RECEIPT OF, PROHOUSING INCENTIVE PROGRAM FUNDS
D. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR THE 2026 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROJECT TO AMERICAN ASPHALT, INC. AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT
WITH GREEN VALLEY CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Cotati City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
Before voting on the Consent Calendar, Mayor Lemus announced that she would recuse herself from the vote on item 6A, due to family connections with the Rotary Club. Two separate motions were taken for the Consent Calendar: one for item A, and one for items B-D.
RESULT: Adopt [3 TO 0] Item 6A
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: John Savage, Councilmember
AYES: Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
RECUSE: Lemus
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0] Items 6B-6D
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
7. DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Councilmember Ford requested an item for the next regular Council meeting on potential policies for the Council to consider regarding cooperation between the City and immigration enforcement agencies. Councilmember Ford requested that the staff report for this item include sample policies provided by the Sonoma County Sanctuary Organization, as well as Ner Shalom Temple in Cotati.
The Council also requested that members of the Community-Police Advisory Committee join the Council for this discussion, if they are available.
8. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. SELECTION OF CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE FOR RECOLOGY FRANCHISE
AGREEMENT
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Logan Harvey of Recology
Council voted to appoint Vice Mayor Harvey and Councilmember Savage to the ad-hoc committee.
Cotati City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
RESULT: Approve [4 TO 0] Vice Mayor Harvey and Councilmember Savage MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
B. REVIEW PROPOSED SONOMA WATER TRANSMISSION SYSTEM BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO CITY'S WATER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER
Presentation by Director of Public Works/City Engineer Craig Scott and Jake Spauling of Sonoma Water.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Neil Hancock of Cotati
Council directed the City’s WAC member to support the proposed FY 26/27 Water Transmission System Budget.
RESULT: Adopt [4 TO 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Savage
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Sparks
C. HOUSING ELEMENT ANNUAL PRODUCTION REPORT (APR)
Presentation by Planning Technician Pema Sherpa and Director of Community Development Noah Housh.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
D. CITY OF COTATI 2025 GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT Presentation by Planning Technician Pema Sherpa.
Councilmembers comment.
No public comment.
9. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT & PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE
Cotati City Council Minutes March 10, 2026
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.
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