CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL & PETALUMA COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY (PCDSA)
City Hall Council Chamber
11 English Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
MINUTES
Monday, January 5, 2026
REGULAR SESSION 6:30 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER – 6:30 P.M.
Mayor McDonnell called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
• ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor McDonnell, Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Vice Mayor Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs
ABSENT: None.
• PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
• MOMENT OF SILENCE
AGENDA CHANGES AND DELETIONS (TO CURRENT AGENDA ONLY)
City Attorney Eric Danly announced, “Section 54954.2 of the Government Code, part of the Brown Act, generally requires legislative bodies subject to the Act to post an agenda that contains a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at a meeting of the body, including items to be discussed in closed session at least 72 hours prior to the meeting, in the case of a regular meeting.
However, that same section, in subdivision (b), paragraph (2), provides that a legislative body may take action on items of business not appearing on the posted agenda upon a determination by a two-thirds vote of the members of the legislative body present at the meeting, or, if less than two-thirds of the members are present, a unanimous vote of those members present, that there is a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to the attention of the local agency subsequent to the agenda being posted as required.
Accordingly, I would like to recommend that the Council move to add and by a roll call vote add a closed session to tonight’s meeting agenda, to discuss a law suit filed against the City of Petaluma and the City of Morgan Hill today in the Northern District of California, based on a finding that there is a need for the Council to take immediate action concerning the case, in the form of direction to staff, and the need for action came to the attention of the City only hours ago today, when we were notified of the case, which has not yet been served on the City. The agenda description of the closed session item to be added to tonight’s meeting reads as follows:
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—EXISTING LITIGATION
(Pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9) Name of case: The United States of America v. City of Morgan Hill, City of Petaluma, Case 5:26-cv-00056- BLF, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Motion to add the above Closed Session item made by Councilmember Cader Thompson, and seconded by Vice Mayor Nau.
Vote: Carried 7-0
Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Vice Mayor Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs, Mayor McDonnell No: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
During General Public Comment, the public is invited to make comments on items of public interest that are within the City Council’s subject matter jurisdiction and that are not listed on the current agenda. Public comments are limited, up to three minutes per person.
Depending on the number of persons wishing to address the Council, time will be allocated in equal shares totaling no more than twenty minutes, subject to the Council’s discretion (Cal. Gov’t. Code §54954.3(a), Petaluma City Council Rules, Policies and Procedures, III).
Mayor McDonnell opened the general public comment.
John Hanania
Tom Gaffey
Claudia Aron Ross
Jodi Johnson
Tim Porteous
Janis Barker
Chantal Rogers
Maureen Gottschall
Mayor McDonnell closed the general public comment.
COUNCIL COMMENT
Councilmember Shribbs
Councilmember Quint
Councilmember DeCarli
Councilmember Barnacle
Councilmember Cader Thompson
Vice Mayor Nau
Mayor McDonnell
CITY MANAGER COMMENT
Assistant City Manager Brian Cochran
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Approve Minutes of the City Council/PDCSA Regular Meeting of December 15, 2025
2. Approved Tentative Agenda for City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting of January 26, 2026 Significant Agenda Items for Jan - March 2026
3. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-001 N.C.S. Appointing Councilmember DeCarli as Vice Mayor For 2026
4. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-002 N.C.S. Approving City Council Liaison Appointments for 2026
5. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-003 N.C.S. Setting the City Council Regular Meeting Start Time at 6:00 p.m.
6. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-004 N.C.S. Accepting Completion of the Hangar Repair Project for the Petaluma Municipal Airport by Altor Construction LLC and Authorizing Release of Retention
7. [Item removed from this agenda; to be heard at a future meeting.]
8. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-008 N.C.S. Accepting Completion of the Rainier Avenue Water Service Replacement (C67502536) and Urban Recycled Water System Expansion (C66402554) Projects by Team Ghilotti, Inc. and Authorizing Release of Retention
9. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-005 N.C.S. Accepting Completion of the Wetlands Mitigation and Bioretention Rehabilitation as Part of the Petaluma Community Baseball Field (Phase One) (C14501607) Project by Aanenson Wildcat Inc. dba Wildcat Engineering, Authorizing Release of Retention, and Closing Out Phase One of the Project
10. [Item removed from this agenda; to be heard at a future meeting.]
11. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-006 N.C.S. Approving the Purchase of California Stream Gage Improvement Program (CalSIP) Funded Stream Gage Equipment and Associated On-Site Technical Services from Xylem, Inc., and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute All Documents Necessary to Complete the Purchase
12. Adopted Resolution No. 2026-007 N.C.S. Adopting a July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule and Administrative Budget Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 43177
Councilmember Cader Thompson announced that she would be recusing from item #8 due to the project’s proximity to her home address.
Mayor McDonnell announced that item #10 had been removed from the Agenda and would be heard at a future meeting. Councilmember DeCarli alerted staff that there was a technical issue with one of the attachments to item #7. Staff said they would correct the issue and bring the item back at a future meeting.
Item #7 was therefore removed from the Agenda and would be heard at a future meeting.
Mayor McDonnell opened the public comment on the Consent Calendar, and seeing no one come forward to speak, he closed it.
Motion to adopt Consent Calendar items #1 through 6, 9 and 11 through 12 made by Councilmember Cader Thompson, and seconded by Councilmember Quint.
Vote:
Carried 7-0
Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Vice Mayor Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs, Mayor McDonnell No: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
Motion to adopt Consent Calendar item #8 made by Councilmember Nau, and seconded by Councilmember Quint.
Vote:
Carried 6-0
Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Vice Mayor DeCarli, Councilmember Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs, Mayor McDonnell
No: None
Absent: None
Abstain: Councilmember Cader Thompson
PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION
13. Introduction (First Reading) of an Ordinance Authorizing the Acquisition of Permanent Public Reclaimed Water Line Easements Associated with the Adobe Road Recycled Water Pipeline to Support the City’s Recycled Water System Expansion
Lucas Pereira, Assistant Engineer II and Jonathan Sanglerat, Engineering/CIP Manager presented the staff report.
Mayor McDonnell opened the public hearing, and seeing no one come forward to speak, he closed it.
Motion to introduce Ordinance No. 2919 N.C.S. made by Councilmember Cader Thompson, seconded by Councilmember Nau.
Vote:
Carried 7-0
Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Vice Mayor DeCarli, Councilmember Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs, Mayor McDonnell No: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
14. Public Hearing to Levy an Annual Assessment for Fiscal Year 2026 for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District and Resolution Establishing the Levy for the 2026 Annual Assessment for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District
Nancy Sands, Senior Management Analyst presented the staff report.
Mayor McDonnell opened the public hearing.
Darren Racusen
Mayor McDonnell closed the public hearing
Motion to adopt Resolution No. 2026-009 N.C.S. made by Councilmember Shribbs, seconded by Councilmember Nau.
Vote:
Carried 7-0
Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Vice Mayor DeCarli, Councilmember Nau, Councilmember Quint, Councilmember Shribbs, Mayor McDonnell No: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
CLOSED SESSOIN
• CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—EXISTING LITIGATION
(Pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9) Name of case: The United States of America v. City of Morgan Hill, City of Petaluma, Case 5:26-cv- 00056-BLF, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS
Mayor McDonnell opened the public comment and seeing no one come forward to speak, he closed it.
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION
Council adjourned to closed session at 8:01 p.m.
REPORT OUT FROM CLOSED SESSION
No reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor McDonnell adjourned the meeting at 8:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Caitlin Corley
City Clerk