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, June 09, 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
Laura Sparks Councilmember Present
John Savage Councilmember Present
Staff Present: City Manager Damien O’Bid, Assistant City Attorney Ali Wolf, 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
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 – MAY 26, 2026 RESULT: APPROVED [5 – 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
3. PROCLAMATIONS (ACTION)
A. PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COTATI
CELEBRATING JUNETEENTH
Councilmember Ford read the proclamation. Proclamation was accepted by Tramaine AustinDillon, Senior Diversity Officer at Sonoma State University.
4. AGENDA REVIEW (ACTION)
Cotati City Council Minutes June 09, 2026
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:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
6. CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
A. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION CALLING A GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER 3, 2026 AND REQUESTING CONSOLIDATION WITH
STATEWIDE ELECTION
B. URBAN COUNTY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT (JPA) RENEWAL
C. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS (GANN) LIMIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026/27
D. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING FISCAL YEAR 26/27 SENATE BILL 1
LIST OF PROJECTS AS REQUIRED BY THE ROAD REPAIR AND
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2017
E. FISCAL YEAR 2026/27 - FLEET VEHICLE PURCHASES
F. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY
ENGINEER'S REPORT FOR THE LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT
DISTRICT, LEVY AND COLLECT ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS, AND SET THE TIME
AND DATE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE COTATI LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026/27
G. SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR CONSIDERATION OF OBJECTIONS TO
THE OUTSTANDING BACKFLOW TESTING CHARGES AND LEVYING OF ASSESSMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-27
7. RESULT: ADOPTED [5 – 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
DIRECTION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
None.
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS (ACTION)
A. ANNUAL CITY FEE SCHEDULE UPDATE AND ADOPTION
Cotati City Council Minutes June 09, 2026
Presentation by City Manager Damien O’Bid.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Unnamed Speaker
Council approved the updated fee schedule, making the following requests of Staff:
-Delay implementation of fee to install a banner across Old Redwood Hwy @ La Plaza Park by six months, until January 1, 2027, to allow time to speak with organizations who fly the banners about the fee implementation.
-Evaluate and confirm that banner policy complies with free speech requirements -Bring an agenda item to a future meeting regarding an expansion of the policy allowing block parties with no permit fees.
RESULT: ADOPTED [5 – 0]
MOVER: Susan Harvey, Vice Mayor
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
9. REGULAR AGENDA (ACTION)
A. MID-CYCLE BUDGET UPDATE AND PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE FISCAL YEARS 2025/26 AND 2026/27 ADOPTED BIENNIAL BUDGET
Presentation by Director of Administrative Services Angela Courter.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
RESULT: ADOPTED [5 – 0]
MOVER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
SECONDER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
B. THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED CITY MANAGER EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
Presentation by Assistant City Attorney Ali Wolf.
Councilmembers comment.
Public Comment:
Laurie Alderman of Cotati
Cotati City Council Minutes June 09, 2026
RESULT: ADOPTED [5 – 0]
MOVER: Laura Sparks, Councilmember
SECONDER: Ben Ford, Councilmember
AYES: Lemus, Harvey, Ford, Sparks, Savage
10. 11.
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.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT & COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS
Report by City Manager Damien O’Bid. Councilmembers report out on local and regional events and meetings.
12. 13.
CLOSED SESSION
A. CONFERENCE WITH CITY LABOR NEGOTIATORS (GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6) CITY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE: CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE. EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATION: COTATI EMPLOYEE
ASSOCIATION (CEA) AND POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (POA) Mayor Lemus announced the closed session topic. No public comment. Council adjourned to closed session at 7:35pm.
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Council returned from closed session at 8:54pm. Mayor Lemus announced that there was nothing to report out of closed session.
14. INFORMATION RECEIVED AFTER THE AGENDA WAS POSTED
15. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lemus adjourned the meeting at 8:55pm.
/s/ Kevin Patterson, City Clerk