CITY COUNCIL MEETING
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 6:00 PM
MEETING OF APRIL 5, 2022
The City Council Regular meeting will be held via teleconference pursuant to AB 361. Pursuant to AB 361 (2021), Teleconference Restrictions of the Brown Act Have Been Suspended, as Well as the Requirement to Provide a Physical Location for Members of the Public to Participate in the Meeting. The City of Sebastopol City Council meeting will not be physically open to the public and all City Council Members will be teleconferencing into the meeting via Zoom.
6:00 pm Convene City Council Meeting - Meeting Start Time (ZOOM VIRTUAL FORMAT) CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Slayter called the regular meeting to order at 6:02pm.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Mayor Patrick Slayter – By video teleconference Vice Mayor Neysa Hinton – By video teleconference
Councilmember Sarah Gurney - By video teleconference
Councilmember Diana Gardner Rich - By video teleconference
Absent: Councilmember Una Glass – Excused
Staff: City Manager/City Attorney Larry McLaughlin
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Mary Gourley
Administrative Services Director Ana Kwong
Fire Chief Bill Braga
Engineering Consultant Toni Bertolero, GHD
Planning Director Kari Svanstrom
Police Chief Kevin Kilgore
Public Works Superintendent Dante Del Prete
SALUTE TO THE FLAG: Mayor Slayter led the Salute to the Flag.
COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING:
City staff read the protocols for the meeting.
• This meeting is being conducted utilizing virtual settings for teleconferencing and electronic means consistent with State of California Executive Orders regarding the COVID 19 pandemic and AB 361. • Live stream and zoom are being utilized for this meeting. • Members of the public may view and listen to the meeting by use of Zoom and Live Stream as noted on the City’s website and as noted on the agenda.
• Members of the public wishing to speak to the City Council may do so during public comment for items not on the agenda or may comment on agenda items during the discussion of each item but must be logged into Zoom. Live Stream is a viewing only format. • Anyone using abusive, vulgar, offensive, threatening, or harassing language, personal attacks of any kind or offensive terms that target specific individuals or groups will be muted and removed from the meeting.
As Approved by the City Council at their regular meeting of April 5, 2022
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS:
The following were presented:
• Proclamation – National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 10-16, 2022 • Proclamation of the City of Sebastopol, State of California, Recognizing April 22, 2022 as Earth Day • Proclamation of the City of Sebastopol, State of California, Recognizing April 2022 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month
• Proclamation - Proclaiming the Fourth Friday in April as Children's Memorial Flag Day throughout Sonoma County in memory of children who have died by violence.
Reference Order Number: 2022-106
PLEASE NOTE:
Public Comment on all items listed on the agenda will be limited to two minutes, per person, per item. The Public Comment Portion of the Agenda will allow for 20 minutes at the beginning of the meeting and public comment not heard during those 20 minutes will continue at the end of the agenda, following the last calendared item and before Reports.
Council welcomes and encourages additional comments via email. Public Comment Emails can be sent to:
[email protected]
URGENCY ITEM -REQUEST TO BE ADDED TO AGENDA:
Mayor Slayter stated that the City Administration has requested that an urgency item be added to the agenda as it first came to City staff’s attention after the posting of the agenda, and requires immediate action (April 7th deadline).
City Manager/Attorney McLaughlin commented as follows:
• The City received a letter from Sonoma Applied Village Services in connection with a grant that they have applied for under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
• This first came to our attention after the posting of the agenda. • There is a deadline of the proposal to be in for consideration this Thursday, April 7th • SAVS have asked the City Council to do a letter of support for their grant application. • It could be added to tonight's agenda under the Brown Act by reason that the item was brought to our attention after the posting of the agenda and requiring action, immediate action in the future prior to the next Council meeting.
• it was discussed yesterday in our weekly afternoon, Monday afternoon meeting with Horizon Shine • Committee Member Councilmember Rich may want to add to the conversation since she was a part of that meeting yesterday.
• The ask this evening is that the Council place on the agenda for consideration later in the meeting. In order to do that we would take four City votes.
• All of you would vote to add into the agenda.
• There after it is taken up as a regular agenda item.
Mayor Slayter asked for questions. There were none.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment. There was none for this item.
MOTION:
Councilmember Rich moved and Councilmember Gurney seconded the motion to add the urgency item to the Council agenda (Letter of Support for SAVS for ARPA Funding).
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved add the urgency item to the Council agenda (Letter of Support for SAVS for ARPA Funding).
Minute Order Number: 2022-127
City Clerk Gourley restated the vote.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA : 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.
Speakers are allowed to speak for a maximum of three minutes so that all speakers have an opportunity to address the City Council.
Power point or visual presentations for public comment shall not be permitted unless approved by the Agenda Review Committee two weeks prior to the requested meeting date.
Speakers may not "yield" a portion of their allotted time to others.
The Mayor has the authority to limit or extend the time allowed for speakers dependent on the number of speakers in attendance.
The Mayor can poll the members of the public for an indication of the number of people wishing to speak, then call on individuals to speak.
It is the goal of the Council to conclude the public comments portion of the agenda within 20 minutes. If the public comment period exceeds twenty minutes, the presiding officer, typically the Mayor, reserves the right to reduce the time per speaker or carry over public comments to after all business items are completed.
The City Clerk will monitor the time for public comments and inform the speakers when the time limitation has been reached.
The Mayor could survey the members of the public, as appropriate, to move agenda items up or back to address the members of the public items of concern.
Public participation is encouraged on all public agenda items.
Council and staff will treat participants and each other with courtesy. Derogatory or sarcastic comments are inappropriate.
The public will likewise be encouraged by the Mayor to maintain meeting decorum.
In Council meetings when citizens are agitated, the Mayor may call a short recess to calm the situation.
If a member of the public is unable to attend the Council meeting, written communications may be sent to the City Clerk by e-mail or by regular mail.
Communications received after distribution of the agenda packet will be made available to the Council at/or as soon after the meeting.
Dorothy commented as follows:
• The electromagnetic frequency that comes off the newly purchased and disputed whether we should continue buying them water meters, it affects many people and among them are the elders and the children especially.
• I live in an elder community of two hundred apartments. • Even if they admit a small amount of radiation for four seconds or eight seconds, four times a day, multiple it by two hundred, that's a huge amount.
• That's only in one community. Throughout Sebastopol is 3,000 homes that would be affected by this and that's a lot of EMS.
• There is many people who have EMS injuries.
• This is an ADA, it is a disability that's recognized in Europe and the United States as a genuine disability. • It is causing a lot of harm in health for growth and diseases and if you are as I am a senior person who does not have a big income, there is no escape other than for the City of Sebastopol to take action on this to rescind this whole idea.
• I can't afford to move many people who are in Sebastopol on limited income. • This is a very important matter and I would wish the Council to take this up and act on it in our behalf.
Angela commented as follows:
• It is time to move forward by returning to our roots. • Last fall the City Council passed a multi-million dollars energy service with $2.2 million converting all Sebastopol's 3,000 water meters into EMF admitting smart water meters. • Climate change is one of the major thrust of this project, conserving energy water and greenhouse gases.
There is an old time strategy amongst dealers that goes something like this. Treat folks like mushrooms.
Keep them in the dark. Our Sebastopol City have been treated like mushrooms. • Most importantly offered no alternatives and how about the bulls? • All along, green claims like save water and water conservations and energy efficiency into presentations lowing many of us into thinking and hoping this meter project will be saving water and addressing climate change, too. It turns out that this has been the pure bull. • February 7th e-mail Gabe Johnson states unequivocally to Public Works Director there had never been a claim that the new meter saved energy or water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. • How can we do anything else but sit down and have a big rethink? • It is time to move forward by returning to our roots and maintaining our traditional meters and keeping our neighborhoods safe and no pollutions and finally return to our political traditions of true transparency and citizens engagement.
• Bring this back to the Council. Let's do this together.
Royelyn commented as follows:
• Dr. Carpenter a Harvard trained physician and director of the institute for health and environment, warned the greatest risk of RFR is cancer.
• There are growing evidence for brain and reproductive hacks. • He writes some people develop a condition called EHS. • They respond in the presence of RFR with variety of symptoms including headaches, fatigue and memory loss and other.
• He further warned exposure of smart meters of EHS. One hundred people contacted the Council to oppose the smart water meters.
• Many resisted in the increase of EMS.
• The meters collect and transmit personal data.
• Some fear the inevitable cost increases.
• Ten people contacted the Council and supported the water meters primarily for saving water for climate concerns.
• This water monitoring can be accomplished without changing the meter and adding EMS. • Reducing climate change threats and RFR, radio frequency radiation to protect people and the environment can coexist.
• This will require increase, public awareness of the peer reviewed on RVR. • Sebastopol historically excelled at this.
• We trust you can fix this now. Please bring the smart meter project back to Council and thank you for your consideration.
Jennifer commented as follows:
• I have a BS in environmental health and I am EMS sensitive. • Sebastopol needs to take a stand against corpora ionization. • A non-corporation in the business of delivering energy management services and solutions to commercial and industrial facilities.
• Sebastopol has a long history of policies restricting change and big box stores, non-local businesses and concerns for inequality Globally and locally.
• This exploitation that Sebastopol conducted itself in decades. • Why do we fall for the corporate green washing now?
• Allowing big telecom and a non-local corporation to take advantage of Sebastopol earnest desire to work on the climate emergency needs to call out what it is, manipulation. • We have seen information overturns the basis on which these meters were promoted to staff and Council.
• It appears that this company has been capitalizing our values and desires to reverse the climate emergency.
• However, let's not do this under fault pretense.
• It is in your power to do the right thing and avoid the possible lawsuit. Bring the meter topic back to Council to reconsider this bad decision.
• Uphold the general plans promised to reduce EMS where ever possible. • We are all bathed in EMS and it is only getting worse. It is a matter of time until we feel the cumulative, negative health effects.
• You now have the power to protect the health and safety of the people of Sebastopol. Please do so.
Sidnee commented as follows:
• We provide independent peered reviews and its harmful effects on people and its environment. • A good friend of mine was injured. She developed symptoms that includes headaches and nausea and body aches and Vertigo and brain fog. She does not own a cell phone or a computer. • When people around her use a cell phone, her reaction are in instantaneous. • This is a type of disability.
• She can live in a small portion of her house. We built her an 8 by 9 sleeping base so at least she can give her body a break at night. The shielding space costs over $3,000 and took 40 hours to build. • Can you imagine having to live like that?
• Unfortunately not all people with EHS have the financial resources or the capability to shield your homes.
RFR is like a poison to some people.
• This is not an overstatement
• I realized there are other towns who use smart meters but it does not make them safe. • The goal is to reduce as much as possible.
• Sebastopol has a long history of health and conscious actions to protect residents. I hope you will continue this tradition.
• I have friends in Sebastopol, these people need to be believed and respected. • They are your friends and allies. In order to stay well, they practice prudence • Thank you for your valuable time and all the hard work you do.
Sandi Maurer commented as follows:
• There has never been a claim that the new energy saving gas, water, and emissions. • Presentations include graphics.
• Sebastopol has the possibility to save water.
• A saving and conservation table includes greenhouse gas reductions, water meters and energy savings of 12,049 CCF.
• The project was developed as one project as a comprehensive conservation water conservation fund.
• He writes, this way it makes it looked like if they don't approve the project, they are in support of carbon reductions.
• On February 15th, the City Manager listed energy savings as a reason for the water meters. • Mayor Slayter talked about the reduction of gas emissions and climate emergency. • Councilmember Rich is a key driver and with her influence and vote on the climate action committee and rust to improve the project and benefit her goals.
• They did mislead Sebastopol. Yes, they did.
• Should decisions based on deceptive marketing claims to stand? No. • We'll be meeting with lawyers in the way the City failed to comply. • Please bring this issue back to Council and cancel the contract. We can't trust them and maintain the traditional water meters.
Martha commented as follows:
• Sebastopol has been known as a safe haven for people and now it seems less so. • We have to ask what's happening. I really appreciate all the comments that we have heard so far. • They're essential to looking at what has been going wrong and what needs to get changed. • I want to speak to the equity and justice issues that's part of the EMF problem for many of us. • While Sebastopol has long had concerns for the disadvantage aware and injured community. • Many can't afford to move out of Sonoma county as it becomes too densely saturated with the water meters which may seem like a few pings a day as they communicate with the cell towers and every new device compounds the defect.
• Added devices such as mart meters add to the aggregate lows that hurts those of us who feels the EMFs with tremendous fatigue and other symptoms.
• Some people have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars in shielding and mitigations from these painful electromagnetic frequencies.
• Many people in our town are in no position to help or wealth wise to move away. • Some have affordable or section 8 housing that they waited years to obtain. • People are not able to protect themselves or ourselves as a result of your plan to add Wi-Fi technology to an area that's already growing with EMS saturation.
• Overtime using smart water meters will require additional attendance for functionally. • Cell towers keep proliferated.
• Many people have realized, please bring water meter topic back to Council to review these important issues.
• These meters are not right for Sebastopol.
Paul Andre Schabracq commented as follows:
• The total cost of the meter project is $2 million.
• Given such a specific cost figure is surprising that Syserco did not provide a line by line break down of cost. How did they arrive at this figure?
• The water meters according to the purchase order costs $480,101. • For other services which are also, not specified, just listed as replacements and training and data management.
• Does the City know how our tax dollars will be spent on this obviously green wash boondoggle? • I urge you to take it back and reconsider it and end it.
Linda commented as follows:
• These wireless water meters are contributing to climate change by creating more heat with their frequencies as I have said multiple times, of 2 point GIGA hertz that are used. • As it carries data, it heats up whatever that's near it. • These frequencies are not found in nature. All the wireless smart meters work the same way. • The cumulative effect of billions of devices that are significant and not like fossil fuels using vehicles. • It is another pollutant and assault on people, pets, birds and bees and the planet. • Mechanical meters are safer and durable and accurate
• Those PG&E meters, 43,000 of them failed the first year. Let me switch over to the multiple lawsuits against -- so, I don't know how our superintendent of public works kept on saying he's done diligence to find these. The one that I have, they're at least two of them that I know about is, there is one in GAUM, water authority and let me just get to the $18 million and they filed it back in 2012 and if they have not filed of any satisfaction.
• $18 million and there is another one that I have yet to get my hands on in Ohio. We need to not use these things and bring back our metro meters.
Jude commented as follows:
• All of my citizens have covered such a breath of the area. • The points that have been made are un-dismissible and I think that the nail the coffin of the water meter issue is by Gabe Johnson himself has been twice quoted. • Because the pain of all of this is to protect the environment and reduce emissions of energy efficiency. • He himself said there has never been a claim that they save energy and save water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, there is no option but to go back and revisit this. • There is just about over a dozen elements to this laudable plan. • If they were reviewed, I am sure there can be some energy savings and environmental protection and some emissions reduction but not by retrofitting the water meters.
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais.
There were no conflict of interest statements stated.
CONSENT CALENDAR: The consent agenda consists of items that are routine in nature and do not require additional discussion by the City Council or have been reviewed by the City Council previously. These items may be approved by one motion without discussion unless a member of the City Council requests that the item be taken off the consent calendar.
The Mayor will read the consent calendar items; ask if a Councilmember wishes to remove one or more items from the consent calendar; and then open public comment to the members of the public in attendance. At this time, a member of the public may speak for up to three minutes on the entire consent calendar and request at that time that an agenda item or items be removed for discussion.
If an item or items are removed from the consent calendar, the item shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tern.
Councilmembers may comment on Consent Calendar items or ask for minor clarifications without the need for pulling the item for separate consideration. Items requiring deliberation should be pulled for separate consideration and shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
Mayor Slayter read the consent calendar.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment on the consent calendar.
Hal commented as follows:
• I am president-elected of the rotary club.
• We very much looking forward to working with the City to produce a committee Summit that would be successful as last year.
• We hope to see some of you on June 14th at the high school and the cafeteria where we hold their Summit. Thank you again.
Mayor Slayter asked if any Councilmember wanted to remove a consent calendar item. There was no request to remove any item from the consent calendar.
Mayor Slayter called for a motion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Gurney moved and Councilmember Rich seconded the motion to approve Consent Calendar Item(s) Number(s) 1-12.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
1. Approval of March 7, 2022 City Council Special Meeting Minutes (Responsible Department: City Administration)
City Council Action: Approved March 7, 2022 City Council Special Meeting Minutes Minute Order Number: 2022-107
2. Approval of the March 15, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes (Responsible Department: City Administration)
City Council Action: Approved March 15, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting Minutes Minute Order Number: 2022-108
3. Approval of March 22, 2022 City Council Special Meeting Minutes (Responsible Department: City Administration)
City Council Action: Approved March 22, 2022 City Council Special Meeting Minutes Minute Order Number: 2022-109
4. Approval of Resolution of the City Council of the City of Sebastopol Approving the Request To Reallocate Funds and Make The Necessary Changes To The Contractual Agreement Between SAVS and the City As Approved at the City Council Meeting of March 15, 2022 (City Administration/Administrative Services) City Council Action: Approved Resolution of the City Council of the City of Sebastopol Approving the Request To Reallocate Funds and Make The Necessary Changes To The Contractual Agreement Between SAVS and the City As Approved at the City Council Meeting of March 15, 2022
Minute Order Number: 2022-110
Resolution Number: 6416-2022
5. Approval of Resolution Authorizing Continued Use of Teleconference Meetings Based on Circumstances of the COVID-19 state of emergency and that the following circumstances exist:
a. The state of emergency as a result of COVID-19 continues to directly impact the ability of the members of City Council and the members of the City’s subordinate Committee’s, Commission’s, and Boards to meet safely in person; and
b. The State of California and the City of Sebastopol continue to impose or recommend measures to promote social distancing.
c. Resolution needs to be submitted to Council every 30 days. (Due to the 30 day requirement, the April 5th meeting would be too late) (Responsible Department: City Administration/Administrative Services)
Continuation of Virtual Meetings: First Approved: September 21, 2021 Resolutions Approved Every 30 Days:
a. October 19, 2021
b. November 16, 2021
c. December 7, 2021
d. January 4, 2022
e. February 1, 2022
f. March 1, 2022
g. March 15th 2022
h. April 5, 2022
i. Proposed for Approval for May 3, 2022
City Council Action: Approved Resolution
Minute Order Number: 2022-111
Resolution Number: 6417-2022
6. Approval of Contract with agreement between the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) and the City of Sebastopol (City) for the administration of the Mobilehome Rent Stabilization Ordinance (Responsible Department: City Administration) City Council Action: Approved Contract with agreement between the Sonoma County Community Development Commission (CDC) and the City of Sebastopol (City) for the administration of the Mobilehome Rent Stabilization Ordinance
Minute Order Number: 2022-112
7. Approval of Resolution Appointing the Engineer of Work and Directing the Preparation and Filing of the Engineer’s Report and Describing Potential Changes to the City of Sebastopol’s Lighting Special Assessment District for FY 2022-2023 (Responsible Department: Administrative Services) City Council Action: Approved Resolution Appointing the Engineer of Work and Directing the Preparation and Filing of the Engineer’s Report and Describing Potential Changes to the City of Sebastopol’s Lighting Special Assessment District for FY 2022-2023
Minute Order Number: 2022-113
Resolution Number: 6418-2022
8. Approval of Amendment No. 31 of Master Agreement 2010-01-36 with GHD Inc. for the Parquet Street Water, Sewer and Street Improvements (Responsible Department: City Manager) City Council Action: Approved Amendment No. 31 of Master Agreement 2010-01-36 with GHD Inc. for the Parquet Street Water, Sewer and Street Improvements
Minute Order Number: 2022-114
9. Adoption of Resolution for the Request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the Allocation of Fiscal Year 2022-27 Transportation Development Act Article 3 Pedestrian/Bicycle Project Funding (Responsible Department: Engineering/GHD)
City Council Action: Approved Resolution for the Request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the Allocation of Fiscal Year 2022-27 Transportation Development Act Article 3 Pedestrian/Bicycle Project Funding Minute Order Number: 2022-115
Resolution Number: 6419-2022
10. Approval of Amended City Purchasing Policy and Approval of Amendments to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy (Responsible Department: Administrative Services/GHD)
City Council Action: Approved Amended City Purchasing Policy and Approval of Amendments to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy
Minute Order Number: 2022-116
11. Approval of City Sponsorships (Responsible Department: Administrative Services):
a. Sebastopol Library for Sponsorship of Project for October 2022 (Waiving of Permit fees for Use of Parking Spaces) (Permit Fees Estimated at $245.00)
b. Sebastopol Service and Action Coalition June Summit - The Coalition requests the City provide $1000 in monetary support for the project as well as additional non-monetary requests. c. Sebastopol Kiwanis Club (Fee Waiver of $400.00 for Use of Ives Park for Easter Egg Hunt) City Council Action: Approved City Sponsorships
a. Sebastopol Library for Sponsorship of Project for October 2022 (Waiving of Permit fees for Use of Parking Spaces) (Permit Fees Estimated at $245.00)
b. Sebastopol Service and Action Coalition June Summit - The Coalition requests the City provide $1000 in monetary support for the project as well as additional non-monetary requests. c. Sebastopol Kiwanis Club (Fee Waiver of $400.00 for Use of Ives Park for Easter Egg Hunt) Minute Order Number: 2022-117
12. Approval of Second Reading, Waiving of Further Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 1139 Adding a New Chapter to the City of Sebastopol Municipal Code Section 8.70, of the Sebastopol Municipal Code to enact and comply with the provisions required with the passage of AB 481 and also adopts the newly created “Governing Body Specific Equipment Approval” policy of the Sebastopol Police Department. (Responsible Department: Police)
City Council Action: Approved Second Reading, Waiving of Further Reading and Adoption of Ordinance 1139 Adding a New Chapter to the City of Sebastopol Municipal Code Section 8.70, of the Sebastopol Municipal Code to enact and comply with the provisions required with the passage of AB 481 and also adopts the newly created “Governing Body Specific Equipment Approval” policy of the Sebastopol Police Department Minute Order Number: 2022-118
Ordinance Number: 1139
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: (Please Note: Although informational/presentations items are routinely informational in nature, some informational items may contain request for actions such as support, direction to staff, follow up, or receipt of item based on the presentation/information provided.)
13. Informational Item – Learn to Swim Program to be Held at Ives Pool (Greg Jacobs/City Administration) City Administration introduced Greg Jacobs who presented the agenda item.
Mr. Jacobs commented as follows:
• I want to thank you for this time.
• Second of all, I want to thank the City of Sebastopol for the fact that they have Ives pool. • A result of the gift of the City by Katherine Ives and you heard the quote and I am going to repeat it one quick time. "She thought it was nothing important to the health of the community than a public pool." The pool proved itself over and over and over, over the years. • The community owes her a great debt to the City for maintaining the pool over the years. • Many communities lost their pools over the years and you guys kept it going and I appreciate that. • I appreciate that on behalf of the Rotary swim program because without the pools, we could not teach free swimming lessons to all the second graders in the Sebastopol area. • It has been three years since we have been able to do it because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• It pains me to think that several hundred kids have not been able to get the lessons in the last two or three years.
• In fact, there are still some schools who were reluctant and resistance of getting into the pool this spring.
Although we did not have our usual 250, we are going to go ahead. We needed to keep our program going.
• Thanks to the City pool manager on the Western Sonoma County swimmers who was concerned that we were not going to do it said are you going to have the program and he said we can do it. • We put it together. It will begin on April 25th and run for four weeks. • The information thanks to the Assistant Manager Gourley earlier appeared in front of you or you have read it so where. We are looking for volunteers.
• I want to say one more thing and that's out of 100 swimming lessons that are provided, at least one life is saved.
• It is a unique program and no others in the United States have this swimming program and we'll continue to save lives with the help of the City and of course my rotary club will be organizing and managing at and handing out gear bags to the kids so they can put their wet clothes in it and for volunteers if any of you want to get down to the pool you get a free T-shirt for helping with swim lessons • I can answer any questions if necessary. Otherwise, I will say thank you very much.
Mayor Slayter opened for questions of presenter.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• Thank you for your enthusiasm for bringing this back year after year. • It is really remarkable. The number of kids that you support is really remarkable. • I do have a question about outreach and how you get your students to the school and I am curious do you do bilingual outreach
Mr. Jacobs commented as follows:
• We have bilingual forms that are provided to the schools. I contact every school over the years. • I have a group of teachers and administrators who know me and who I can have readily access to. • Over the years, you can say I have developed a group of interested and active teachers and administrators who are asking me, when we are going to start the lessons again. • Our publicity drive begins in the beginning of the year and I started earlier because of covid and I knew people would be worried about it and in fact we were not even sure we went through the program until four or five weeks ago.
• We decided to go with 150 and we talked to a lot of people and reassuring them about the situation at the pools and safe conditions we'll provide. There has been a ton of outreach.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment. There was no public comment.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I would like to thank Rotary for doing this program for so many years and making so many children water safe and encouraging so many swimmers to be competent all the way into adulthood and beyond. • My thanks to you for your leadership and all the rotary members who support this program and in our community members who do too and many volunteer instructors. • It is a phenomenal program. It is fabulous, thank you, Greg.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I want to add also, bilingual outreach that's been happening before I took and I shared it. • It is an amazing program that is Sebastopol and other communities are scared to attempt it • We have a lot of committed individuals who do it year after year and it is an amazing way for some kids to be exposed to the water sometimes for the very first time • Thanked Mr. Jacobs for the good work
The Council thanked the presenter for the presentation.
City Council Action:
Reference Order Number: 2022-119
14. Informational Presentation – Russian River Watershed Association (Requestor: Vice Mayor Hinton/GHD Vice Mayor Hinton introduced the agenda item.
Toni Bertolero, GHD, Engineering Consultant, introduced Andy Rodgers, RRWA.
Andy Rodgers, RRWA, made a presentation to the City Council.
Mayor Slayter opened for questions of presenter.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Thank you for the presentation.
• I just had a couple of questions.
• You mentioned collaborative efforts to apply for and obtain grants. • Have any been successful? Could you tell us about them? Mr. Rodgers commented as follows:
• I think about four years ago, there was a requirement to develop a watershed-wide small water resource plan is what it was called.
• It's a very costly endeavor. The members got together and had RRWA submit for a prop one grant. • We were awarded $00,000 for a research plan which allowed all the members to be eligible to receive prop 1 implementation grant funding.
• That's the best example i could come up with.
• Other than that, we provide a lot of support for each individual member and coordinate partnerships and bunding projects.
• There's a lot of opportunity and a lot of grant funding right now.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Thank you very much.
• The training you mentioned that Sebastopol is participating in as a special project, is that training our staff is participating in?
Mr. Rodgers stated that is correct.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Discussed the safe medicine disposal
• is there a benefit within the City of Sebastopol from that particular program Mr. Rodgers commented as follows:
• They're medical disposal bins.
• One is at the police department.
• People can bring their medicines and dispose of them for free and know we're going to dispose of them properly.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• Councilmember Eder was a firm believer and he was the one on the Council and our rep when the safe medicine drop off was started.
• It seems like a logical thing.
• Seems ridiculous it was within the last decade.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• We're interested in naturalizing Calder Creek that runs through Ives Park • The Planning Director is looking for grants for that. • It's an unusual situation in this regard.
• Maybe three properties upstream, there's a small urban farm. It's right there in the lower lying land of our city.
• The farm heads attracted a number of complaints and quite a lot of positivity for its continuation there. • The concern often is about the quality of the water that flows through the farm that's housing horses, cows, goats, etc.
• I'm wondering if your organization would help us as a member of the organization in advocating for cleaning up the quality of that water, as it goes through our public park and on to the Laguna Inn and ultimately the Russian River and Pacific Ocean.
• Would you be able to help us in a collaborative, positive way to make sure the quality of the water? Mr. Rodgers commented as follows:
• We work on behalf of our members.
• If the city would like to talk about the strategy and what we might be able to add to this I'm happy to do that
• We can talk more about that. That's just certain situations.
Councilmember Gurney commented I'm asking this question sort of to connect you and our Planning Director and Toni to see there's a way you might help in the grant application and perhaps in that effort to clean up the water.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Gregory Fearon commented as follows:
• I want to thank the Council and particularly Andy from RRWA. • I'm a volunteer and one of the things I'm involved with is stewards of the coast in redwood. • For the last seven or eight years, we've been doing watershed education in middle schools in the West County.
• We're well aware of the association's activities. We think it's a great partnership. • We're happy that Sebastopol is part of the process in the association and look forward to many more years of collaboration on both our activities, on collaborating around grants, on materials.
• It really can't be done. Each individual agency working isolated. • The association helps us pull both materials and people and energies to try to keep the various rivers clean and to help educate young people about how they can take a role and have a stewardship. • Thanks very much.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• As someone who kayaks and canoes from Guerneville to Jenner, I've noticed over the years the build up. • I wonder if you have any projects as to the management, control of the Ludwigia Mr. Rodgers commented as follows:
• We don't have projects that are addressing that, except we are connected with the public health department.
• So, when they're alerts, we help get the word out and we'll promote when there are initiatives or education opportunities about that. We will certainly promote those. • I'll say that's been similar kind of thing where we keep an eye on it and we're available to respond and help augment whatever outreach.
• We don't have these underground folks dealing with it. • But we certainly are watching it and know the importance of it.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
There was no further discussion.
The Council thanked the presenter for the presentation.
City Council Action:
Reference Order Number: 2022-120
15. Quarterly update on Police Department Audit Recommendations (Responsible Department: Police) Police Chief Kilgore presented the agenda item and commented I don't anticipate that you will have a quarterly update on our recommendations beyond this point. We may have some recommendations that will be brought back to Council for any updates that may be requested by Council or the community. But because of the fact that we have now provided a resolution or outcome on all of these recommendations, I don't anticipate a further quarterly update on these.
Mayor Slayter opened for questions of presenter.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• Thank you, Chief, for that report.
• I'm curious about traffic to the Website.
• Do you note, now that we have all these added features on the Website, that we have increased traffic, people looking at the features and I know there's Internet and you're able to see unique visitors. • If we know traffic counts, are they the same people coming back over and over? Different people? • Do you have stats on these new editions to our police Website? Chie Kilgore commented as follows:
• I don't. I don't know how to do any of that stuff.
• That would be left up to the folks that oversee the Website as a whole, which I believe is Planetaria.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Thank you for that presentation and the amazing work you've already done to go through all of these recommendations.
• I do see a couple that seem to still be in the process and they wanted to put that out there in terms of a future quarterly report.
• But specifically, if you could help us understand where we are in terms of 46.10. and 46.28, 46.10 was the mental health response team idea, cahoots model.
• I see in your report, you're tracking the SRPD in response program and considering a partnership there. • I am interested in knowing what your timeline might be. When we might hear back about that. • In terms of 46.28, that's the trauma-informed policing. I see you quote the recommendations and recognize the importance of trauma-informed policing. You say continued assessment of training options.
• My question is have you been able to find any training options? What's your projection in terms of being able to provide that opportunity to our officers and our community? Chief Kilgore commented as follows:
• As related to the mental health response, the mental health response program, the Cahoots program that has been assessed for us is a very costly program.
• It's been recommended as we see other agencies that are starting to take on mental health response programs, they're incurring a lot of costs related to that. • They're setting up teams. There are vehicles related to that, training as well. • It's in our best interest to try and hold off on making a determination as to which route we want to go. • The route I would like to lean towards is Santa Rosa Police Department inRESPONSE model for a few reasons.
• Number one, they utilize the county's MST team, which is an important factor, I think, for us in West County.
• We already have an established relationship with the team. • Continuing that relationship and the use of their resources is something that I think is important for us to continue and strengthen that relationship.
• The other issue is that Santa Rosa borders our city.
• As Santa Rosa begins to expand their program, I've already spoken with the outgoing chief and interim incoming chief and working with them to provide various teams. • What our conversations have led to is more of a regional response. • I think what we're getting into is siloed, cities that are responding in their own areas. • But this is a county-wide issue and this is a state-wide issue. • The more that we can lean towards a regional response and working as a collaborative group, I think is more beneficial for our city, the cities overall and the county and the county overall as well. • I would like to probably push this since Santa Rosa just started their inRESPONSE program. • I think it would be smart for us to wait somewhere between 12 and 24 months to see if they continue to expand and where those teams take us.
• As they hone in on the skills related to this program, where that might take the cost as well, which I anticipate might be a decrease.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• In the interim, you think their MST, county MST.
• How frequently do you call them and do you find they're responsive and serve our city's needs?
Chief Kilgore commented as follows:
• At this time they do.
• They're responsive, they do serve our city's needs and I don't have the exact numbers as to the frequency we call them.
• But our officers are continuing to deal with the challenges presented and utilizing the MST team as much as they possibly can.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Sounds like the time horizon is similar between 12 and 24 months. That's helpful. • The trauma-informed policing. Any thought whether we'll be able to integrate that.
Chief Kilgore commented as follows:
• We've developed a training plan for our entire personnel. • It’s not training we put on for the community.
• It's something for our personnel who respond to matters. • Much of the training they receive and communications and the perishable skills they receive relate at the trauma informed.
• But in the time that we're in with funding and resources, we have to commit to completing the required training that is required by the state for our personnel. • So that is always the priority.
• Then as we continue to expand funding and ability to attend training, that will be incorporated into that as well.
Councilmember Rich commented was your response you already have incorporated trauma-informed training for the officers?
Chief Kilgore commented some of our folks have received trauma-informed training. I'm one of the folks who have received trauma-informed training and we continue to engage in those as we're able to do so.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Gregory Fearon commented as follows:
• Mayor and members of the Council, I want to point out that, as the Chief said, this Is a regional problem, a regional approach.
• There are efforts, both to obtain funds, build out to other cities beyond the city of Santa Rosa. • Don't wait too long before you start becoming a part of the conversations. • The second is that I know on May 24th, the city of Santa Rosa is going to have a study session on police oversight boards.
• So, there are events about how you can modify, expand and/or take notice of what other cities are doing around police oversight, might inform, Sebastopol how to do that job. • FRB we in the community, who want to see effective policing and provide as much as possible transparency and light of day encourage all of you and your department to be able to try to become a part of any planning that takes place that regionalizes and learns from the lessons of those that are either better funded or out ahead of you.
• Thank you very much.
Jim Wheaton commented as follows:
• I didn't realize this was on the agenda. I would have done a little more homework. • I remember the report and the process and I'm thankful that happened and I'm thankful for all the work that's been done and the police department checking things off. • I just want to make sure, as I recall, when I heard some feedback from our last Police Chief about the recommendations, there was some resistance to doing some of them. • So, my question is or maybe there is not the want to do something • 140, is that everything in that report?
• That the things on the continuing basis are the ones that are more problematic or take longer or were there some decided not to do?
• Thank you very much.
Linda Berg commented as follows:
• I'd also like to thank Chief for his service.
• He's doing a fine job, from what I know.
• Loved our former Police Chief and also our officers are truly exemplary. • They're ready to communicate with us.
• So, anyway, but I would like to mention that, as I mentioned on the phone, the time and energy and money in an auditing and I'm looking at our already wonderful police staff, department, could have been better spent looking at public works, where there apparently a lot of corruption and shenanigans going on with that.
• They need to be looked at and I would like to add that right now I hope that this City Council will call a public emergency meeting to slam the brakes on the installation of the water maintenance.
Mayor Slayter responded to public comments as follows:
• That number of items is how many were in the report, which was the number in the report. • The other thing is that there are a number of items that the chief noted and they're color coded as such in the staff report, if you want to take a look at the written part of this, as ongoing. • These are things that the Police Chief has identified, the Council has identified, as things that need continual work.
• It's an ongoing thing. It's life-long learning. There is no way to complete some of these things. Virtually impossible. There are things that ongoing.
• There's all manner of categories in there.
• There was nothing decided to not do in any real substantive way. • Everything was responded to and considered and in some cases recommendations were responded to in a Sebastopol-appropriate way that may be different from a response for are the same comment in a larger municipality.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I've got the open policing for Sebastopol up on my screen. • I see very, very high comments, very, very trustworthy people comments made about our police force. • There's a comment that wasn't rated as highly as others. • There's a multi-paragraph reply.
• This is exactly what I had hoped that the open policing format would bring. • It's not about getting five stars.
• It's about getting quality information and feedback from your customers.
• That's really who these people are.
• They're the police department's customers and the City of Sebastopol's customers in providing exemplary and appropriate customer service is what we need to strive for.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I just want to applaud your efforts and recognize how much work has gone into all of this information that gets boiled down to a spread sheet.
• And also validate the bigger effect that your leadership and the activities of your officers are having on the community.
• This is a report, a piece of paper that captures a lot of hard work and deep changes. • I hear all the time comments from people in the public about the compassionate and consistent enforcement policies and responsive approach.
• But enforcement-related approach that everyone seems to be reporting, at least back To me. • Thank you to all your efforts in this leadership position. • It's not just your report. It's how you're incorporating everything into your style of leadership.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I think this is an impressive record of proactive responsibility. • Response to our community from the Jerry treat report. • I just wanted to make sure to tell you I'm very interested in the ongoing recommendations. • The few that logically will continue as we move forward, especially the evaluations, the community engagement, use of force, community oversight.
• There's a list.
• We'll see how those go and I'm very optimistic our situation will continue to become more Sebastopol like under your leadership.
Chief Kilgore commented as follows:
• The ones listed as ongoing, these are things that will always continue to be evolving. • I want to make sure folks know that it's not something we're ever going to have a complete close out to because there's something we should always be working on to improve.
The Council thanked the presenter for the presentation.
City Council Action:
Reference Order Number: 2022-121
Mayor Slayter called for a break at 7:50 pm and reconvened the meeting at 8:05 pm
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
16. Consideration of Amendment to City Council / City Staff Committee Assignments:
a. Request for Second City Council Appointee to the City Wide Staffing Assessment Study Ad Hoc Committee (Requestor: City Administration)
b. Disbanding Locals Who Make a Difference Committee (Requestor: Committee Members/Responsible Department: Public Works)
c. New Liaison Roles: Map Your Neighborhood and Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit (Requestor: Councilmember Rich/Fire) o Item to include presentation by MYN/Skip Jirrels, a presentation by SNCU (Stan Green)
City Administration presented the agenda item recommending the City Council consider amendments to the City Council/City Staff Committee Assignments.
• As you know, we anticipate a staffing study will be received in the very near future. • We would actually hope to have it in our possession prior to this evening. • We still anticipate that it will be here in a matter of days. • The committee was formed to review the staffing assessment and come back to the Council with recommendations.
• Previously, the Council has already appointed one Councilmember to this committee, vice Mayor Hinton was appointed at the March 1st meeting.
• We're returning to this evening in the hopes that a second Councilmember will be appointed as again we do anticipate receipt of this report, knock on wood here, in the very, very near future. • So, that's that item under number 16A.
• We request that another member of the Council be appointed to this ad hoc committee.
Mayor Slayter asked for questions of presenter. There were no questions.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment. There were no public comments.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I'm of two minds about this.
• First let me say I'm very disappointed that this Is taking so long. • I think all of us, Council and our leadership team on the city staff would've liked to receive this a few weeks ago.
• In any event, it will be coming in, and I'm hopeful that it will be a very informative and productive report. • So back to my being of two minds.
• On the one hand, I think the Councilmembers who hold the ongoing seats past the 2022 election should be the ones to be engaged on this committee because certainly they will Be the two who move forward with the new configuration, the new staffing, whatever that is. • On the other hand, I think it would be wise to balance this committee with someone of, you know, longer experience with staff and with our city organization.
• By that I'm saying myself or you, Mayor Slayter.
• I'm not volunteering.
• I just wanted to make that comment.
• When I put my remarks together and I see that you asked the two others rather than yourself that encourages me to look towards Councilmember Rich and ask if she would be interested. • So I'm hopeful that either of the two of you will join the vice mayor in this committee.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I continue to feel that there's great benefit on this important committee to having you joined up, Mayor Slayter, with Vice Mayor Hinton, for the reasons that Councilmember Gurney has just outlined. • But I understand that you have other obligations.
• However, I got the sense that you might be reconsidering. • So I'm going to put the question out there, Councilmember Gurney made an assumption. • Are you willing to serve on this committee? That's to you, Mayor Slayter.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I'm busy reviewing the staff report for the exact verbiage of phase two, the implementation phase. • Mayor Slayter asked staff the time requested for this committee.
City staff commented as follows:
16. Stated it would be time consuming.
17. It is going to be a time commitment to go over the proposal, to look at it, to provide recommendations to the Council and bring forth recommendations.
City Manager/Attorney McLaughlin commented as follows:
• I'm also of two minds about this because I thought, number one, it's appropriate, I would say, that the two leaders of the City Council at the present time, the mayor and the vice mayor are the ones that look at important issues involving staffing.
• But, as I mentioned, I'm also the second mind.
• I actually think it is also beneficial frankly that members of the present budget committee be involved in the staff assessment because we have held off promoting the idea of staffing changes during this particular budget consideration, with one exception of one department that was made necessary by other factors.
• We are waiting, as I mentioned a few times, in connection with the budget process, we are waiting for the staffing assessment and the work of the committee, and we anticipate other changes would be brought back after adoption of the budget in June.
• So, I do think it's helpful to have members of the budget committee actually on this. • We already have one.
• I also think it's potentially a good idea to have the leadership of the Council on this committee as well. • So I am of two minds, and I do agree with the assistant city manager. • This study is quite comprehensive.
• It would be a workload for sure.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I'm going to step up
• I shouldn't jump to a conclusion here, but given that it's a substantial workload And your mayor obligations, not to mention your work life, it sounds like it's not going to be manageable. • What's your conclusion?
• Because I think it's you or me.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I would agree that it feels like it's coming down to that • I'm hesitant to take this on due to my overcommitment with other aspects of my life. • Not retired, in other words.
• The other thing is, though, I do see the benefit of historical knowledge and just sort of the long lens. • I know that the vice mayor, you know, she's kind of in that category at this point. • I think that a lot of that is handled.
• However, I think that the fact that two members of the budget committee, Councilmembers on the budget committee are also on the staffing committee.
• That feels like a little bit of preaching to the choir in a lot of ways.
• Looking at other committee assignments that I have and other ad hocs, I think that one of them is probably starting to draw to a semi-close where the ad hoc will be coming to Council with a recommendation.
• So, perhaps that one is falling away, and in its place, this one might fill. • So, with the caveat that I will accept no further assignments, I will go ahead and volunteer for this committee.
Request for Second City Council Appointee to the City Wide Staffing Assessment Study Ad Hoc Committee (Requestor: City Administration)
MOTION:
Councilmember Gurney moved and Vice Mayor Hinton seconded the motion to approve Mayor Slayter to the City Wide Staffing Assessment Study Ad Hoc Committee.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
b. Disbanding Locals Who Make a Difference Committee (Requestor: Committee Members/Responsible Department: Public Works)
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• This committee actually was an idea that I brought forth in early 2018. • We have been celebrating our local citizens that make a difference since that time at the rate of about three citizens per year.
• I'm not sure if the staff report says how many citizens we have celebrated, but I think it's around 16, if I recall.
• As time has passed, while We still think it's a terrific program and citizens are always thrilled, and I think it means a lot to them to be honored by the city in this way, we have gotten less applications over time. • Some of that might be COVID related. Some not.
• But it's just, it's just the fact of kind of where the committee is. • Councilmember Rich and I, when we took a look at this year, we kind of started to open up a discussion about what we liked about the program.
• We had come back to this Council and actually made some suggestions. • We went back to the drawing board.
• Our suggestion tonight is that we dissolve this committee as it exists today and that we take the budgeted amount that we have already allocated for the rest of this year and hand it off to very worthy organizations that honor basically a citizen, and that would be the chamber of commerce. • I think they do a citizen of the year, and also the senior center does an age to perfection, both of them have a very broad and different volunteer base.
• We could honor their representative.
• So we still have a local hero on our banners downtown. That is I believe, the subcommittee's recommendation.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• This is great program, as Vice Mayor Hinton has indicated, has really run its course. • This is an opportunity for us to continue it, fortunately, through the efforts that our superintendent of public works has made in reaching out to the chamber and the senior center to integrate this banner program into a part of their existing recognition of our local citizens. • So it doesn't die, it just gets adopted by our existing nonprofits. • I believe the one thing I'd mention is that I believe the proposal is that the chamber of commerce, that or the senior center, that it be in their purview to apply to the sponsorship program in order to obtain the funding for the banners.
• So we leave it in their court to be proactive.
• But they've indicated a real interest in doing that.
• Is that your recollection?
• Am I capturing that correctly, Vice Mayor Hinton?
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I think we talked about, since the budget's already set, and because our community grants are already done for the year, that we would recommend that we just allocate that budget this year and that it would be up to them if they wanted to continue it to apply through the community grant process to keep it alive.
• So that's what I understood we were doing.
Superintendent Del Prete commented the staff report does say that the banner program, that the chamber of commerce and senior center would be invited to apply for funding through the sponsorship program.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I missed that in the staff report, but that wasn't, I think, the intent of our conversation. • The intent of our conversation is we would offer it up this year to them, and then in future years, because we've already closed our grant process this year.
Superintendent Del Prete commented as follows:
• The discussion I had with the senior center and the chamber was that they would apply for the sponsorship program within the next fiscal year.
• We just recently put up the most recent and last -- if the program gets dissolved, it would be the last local who makes a difference recognition.
• So they will be up for three months which then puts us very close to the programs that are celebrated at the chamber of commerce, and then the time frame does lay out to celebrate the age to perfection recipient about six months later.
• So, I spoke with both Katie and Linda, and they both fully understood that it would be a sponsorship application.
• The banners themselves are around $1,700 for the same number to have them manufactured. • There will be a few dollars extra to help with whoever they choose to promote that. • I did recommend that our excellent Holly Hansen has the template and kind of game plan that works really well.
• It would be a sponsorship.The City of Sebastopol logo would maintain on those banners as well.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I think the reason for my question for raising it here is that we do have I think a sponsorship committee, and it sounds like maybe if you have both entities applying for sponsorship, you might have a $4,000 approximate total amount that would be requested.
• I'm unclear on how much is in the sponsorship budget. • But we got the budget committee people here.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• Vice Mayor Hinton and I probably need to be aware of that when we're looking at the sponsorship budget for next fiscal year.
• I've kind of talked myself into a circle.
• But it looks like that's where we are.
Superintendent Del Prete commented I will add that this year in the current budget for the next fiscal cycle, the $4,500 for the locals who make a difference banners, has been removed in anticipation of that funding being allocated differently to continue the program in a different area.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I just want to make sure I get it.
• These two organizations will apply for the sponsorship monies in the next budget. • The budget subcommittee is listening to our interest in having future sponsorship monies available for this and other sponsorship opportunities.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I think what we're hearing is an interest in the members of the City Council that are here tonight. • Hopefully that includes you, Mayor Slayter, in making sure that this program continues next year in terms of funding made available within the sponsorship program to support sponsorship applications that these two entities might submit in the next fiscal year.
• That's the message I'm getting.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Kyle Falbo commented as follows:
• I've really appreciated this program and ad hoc committee and all the work that they've done for this community members that make a difference.
• It would be my hope in the future that the resources, labor, and exposure that was given to this program might be allocated to things such as the planning commission, which seats vacant the entire time while I saw via social media multiple posts calling for nominations for community members that make a difference.
• Whereas planning commission members are community members that can be making a difference. • And yet we saw zero exposure to those vacant seats.
• We saw zero mention of those vacant seats at numerous City Council meetings. • It is my hope in the future that if there is an ad hoc committee that may replace this ad hoc committee, it can be one that is about community building, community engagement, getting our community members involved in these active government roles.
• Thank you so much.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberations:
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• First, I'd like to recognize Vice Mayor Hinton for initiating this program. • It is a pretty new Councilmember coming up with the idea to spotlight members of our community in ways that hadn't been done.
• I think the program itself has made a difference.
• I'm a little saddened by the declining interest, but we're realistic and we see what's happening. • I appreciate the committee's recommendation to disband. • I also want to encourage the chamber of commerce and the senior center to apply for sponsorship money for this situation honoring their lead citizens but also for other ways, other reasons they might seek sponsorship.
• Because there is money there that needs to be requested and sent out from us so that we can have the city logo and the city promotion a very worthwhile community-rich activities.
MOTION:
Mayor Slayter moved and Vie Mayor Hinton seconded the motion to approve disbanding the Locals Who Make a Difference Committee.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
c. New Liaison Roles: Map Your Neighborhood and Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit (Requestor: Councilmember Rich/Fire) a. Item to include presentation by MYN/Skip Jirrels, a presentation by SNCU (Stan Green)
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• It's a great opportunity here with these wonderful community volunteers overseen by our public safety outreach coordinator to get some exposure for all of their incredible efforts. • I think Skip has a presentation that he'd like to share in order to convey the importance of their efforts, and then hopefully that'll provide the platform for deciding whether a liaison should be appointed by the City Council.
Skip Jirrels and Stan Green made a report out to the City Council.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• It seems like one of those roles where we should have an official liaison that we know will always be there as the communication opportunity directly with the City Council between the City Council and this really important group of amazing volunteers.
• That's my pitch on the liaison opportunity here.
Chief Braga commented as follows:
• I just wanted to take just a quick minute to publicly state how lucky I am and we are in the city to have skip and Stan on our team.
• I'm not saying they're old, but they've been around a long time.
• Skip is probably, along with Stan, one of the founding fathers of, if you go back to the CERT days, the community emergency response team.
• I know some of the Councilmembers went through those classes. • So we are very, very fortunate to have skip and to have Stan. • We make a great team.
• I can just kind of let them go and do their business and know it's doing things that's going to be for the benefit of our citizens.
• Publicly I want to thank Skip and Stan.
• Thank you very much for all your hard work.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I just wanted to take a minute to explain what my understanding of what the liaison obligations would be for this group.
• I've had a discussion with skip and Stan about what they feel would meet their needs and the primary obligation would be To meet once monthly with these two individuals in order to get updates from them. • They generally would meet at the fire station as a courtesy from Chief Braga and skip himself who has access.
• So there's the once monthly meetings to get updates from them. • Then there is attendance also -- or an invitation to it at some of the activities that they engage in. • So, for instance, there was a really interesting exercise that involved a neighborhood near the Sebastopol center for the arts.
• When I went there, it was super exciting to see approximately 25 people, plus a lot of observers who were actively going through training to understand in an emergency how they would communicate to one another and going through specific -- it was a specific script where there was a call going in, okay, I need to know whether a downed tree is going to be removed on such and such a street. • So seeing that active sort of implementation of plans, being part of that. • And then being a conduit and being available to them for questions or concerns as they go forward with their efforts.
• It's a fairly workable obligation just to describe the liaison goal here.
Mayor Slayter opened for questions. There were none.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Marian McDonald commented as follows:
• Thank you all for considering this.
• It's so exciting to see City Council attention to the work that we've been doing for years. • Map your neighborhood is neighbors helping neighbors. • We get to know each other in advance.
• We get to prepare in advance.
• Our goal is to take the stress off of our first responders, SNCU, the radio folks, our goal is two-way communication when the cell phones are down and the power is down, radio communication doesn't require any external system as long as we've got radios and batteries, we can communicate both up to the City Council and also from Chief Braga down to get information from us in the neighborhood. • We're grateful for our energetic leaders, skip, for map your neighborhood, and Stan for SNCU. • Both amazing awesome leaders.
• Oh, we are so fortunate in that regard.
• I will ask the City Council, please support our organizational efforts. • The volunteers of Sebastopol Is a cost-effective project with your attention to support our leaders, support our members, and our important work for public safety in time of disaster.
Linda Berg commented as follows:
• Frankly, to me, it sounds like great fun.
• I like to hang out and get to know the neighbors and so on and so forth. • I walk just about daily on the county trail.
• I have met so many wonderful people.
• It is just a highlight of my day to go out and B.S. with them. • And also talk about, you know, public safety, truly.
• But, anyway, what occurs to me is about safety outreach and map your neighborhood. • It's a great day I am wondering about the radio communication hub. • Is that like a short wave antenna?
• Because one of my neighbors over here has a bunch of antennas on his property. • But aside from that, I guess you'll probably answer that. • But, in addition to what they do, or what needs to be done is we also need to have another entity or entities of people going out and taking measurement and reporting of the radiation levels that are only getting higher here.
• That's what we need to do.
• The Coast Guard, and I guess in the Navy too, they've got a radiation officer on board that takes measurements of radiation levels.
• We are no different.
• Certainly with the increasing proliferation of wireless pulse radiation that is going on, we cannot afford to ignore the harm and danger of wireless radiation.
• My suggestion that we come up with some kind of a position, could be even volunteer. • It doesn't take a rocket scientist to go out there with a few meters and then report back to the city and the public about what they're finding.
• Especially around the cell towers.
• Our four macro cell towers that are on top of the redwood credit union, on top of the movie theater, City Hal, plus there is behind what used to be the hospital.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberations:
Mayor Slayter responded to public comments:
• What is the communications hub?
• I think that that's a question about what is it physically? • Is it a box somewhere?
Response:
• Each hub is three people.
• One is a GMRs, which is a more powerful walkie talkie, if you will that communicates with like radio represented in a neighborhood of houses.
• At the hub there is a scribe whose responsibility is to write down accurately, correctly, the message to be relayed.
• We don't solve problems in that manner.
• We relay messages.
• The third person is a ham radio operator who on the occasion that an answer to a problem or an issue cannot be solved either in their own intoed or in an adjacent neighborhood, relays the message to net control at the fire station.
• In so doing, that message is heard by all ham radio operators in all four hubs. • So the hub is people more than powerful boxes.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I raise my hand not because I'm volunteering.
• First of all, I'm not sure we've met in person.
• I want to appreciate all the work you've done organizing people pulling them together. • I also want to appreciate skip.
• What a natural at all this organizing you are.
• I really appreciated your report and your enthusiasm is just, I think, contagious. • A special aside, thank you to skip who came out to my walk at the end of February. • With my neighborhood leader explained the program to the people out walking that day. • It was a great opportunity for pr, and it was lovely to see him there on a Saturday morning just giving people encouraging talk to get involved.
• I'm also hopeful that Councilmember Rich would be interested in volunteering. • I know she's been involved for -- let's see, as a time before her Council experience. • That's the reason this issue is coming forward and not being selected as a volunteer on a previous committee, I'm hoping, and Councilmember Rich, you're interested in this one and have time available.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I'd be happy to step up as liaison.
• One of the conversations I had, though, with skip and Stan is that I'm already a fan. • So if there is anyone on the City Council, for instance, Vice Mayor Hinton, if you're interested in stepping in to be liaison for this committee, that provides yet another way of their information being shared with others.
• So I'd ask whether you have any interest because you haven't yet stated anything.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I love this program, as you know.
• I've shown interest in try be to be a leader.
• I just never really got it off the ground.
• I appreciate everything skip does.
• But I just took on the last committee.
MOTION:
Councilmember Gurney moved and Mayor Slayter seconded the motion to appoint Councilmember Rich as Council liaison to the Map your Neighborhood and Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Actions:
1. Appointed Mayor Slayter to City wide staffing assessment committee
2. Disbanding the Locals Who Make a Difference Committee.
3. Approved appoint Councilmember Rich as Council liaison to the Map your Neighborhood and Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit.
Minute Order Number: 2022-122
PUBLIC HEARING(s):
17. Public hearing –(Responsible Department: Planning)
Planning Director Svanstrom presented the agenda item recommending the City Council approve First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to revise the Zoning Ordinance to prohibit new Gas Stations in Sebastopol.
Mayor Slayter asked for questions of presenter.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• Question on page three
• I'm not sure I understand this language, page three of the staff report, section a, about location, down towards the bottom.
• Item number two.
• The site shall not join in residential district where single or two family residential use at the time the car wash use is established.
Director Svanstrom commented as follows:
• That is correct
• This is an existing standard that basically you can't locate a gas station at car wash adjoining a residential district.
• Since we're not allowing new automotive service stations we just struck that so it is clear to anyone reading this that the only new thing in this category you could possibly ask for is a car wash.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• This is what I'm checking on.
• It's not going to adjoin any existing residential district. • So that would be single family.
• Duplex, multi-family, correct?
• Any existing residential zoning district or if you have, say, like we have on South main street a number of residents in a commercial zone, also that.
Director Svanstrom commented that is correct.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• That's really helpful to say out loud.
• You are confirming it also covers a multi-family dwelling.
Woody Hastings, Climate Action Committee, commented as follows:
• I'm a member of the Climate Action Committee for the city and also a co-coordinator for coalition opposing new gas stations so, yeah, we did look at this in the transportation subcommittee of that Climate Action Committee a couple times and then also in the full Climate Action Committee and I think that the form it's in now makes sense.
• One of the mantras is try to keep it simple because the mission here is to, you know, stop digging the hole.
• We're in a climate crisis, you adopted the climate emergency resolution in 2019 and this is, you know, pursuant to that.
• You know, just to cease permitting new fossil fuel infrastructure. • I want to say that, you know, this is not a symbolic measure. • We've heard that from time to time from folks.
• The two gas station proposals that sort of initiated the formation of the coalition pose anything gas stations were near Sebastopol, one of them between Sebastopol and Cotati and one outside Sebastopol city limits and report active proposals two in less county. • It is not a symbolic thing.
• This is a meaningful ordinance that you have before you. • I will comment on the issue around hydrogen which is that I think comments or suggestions should include something about hydrogen maybe any other fuel may be well intentioned but there is really not a need for that at this time.
• As new technologies may come before the City Council there can be opportunities and it's a good thing to make sure it's possible to deploy.
• If it's not a good thing you have the ability to reject that proposal. • So I don't think that's the mission here at hand.
• It's just fossil fuel infrastructure.
• I will just say that we want to thank the staff for the hard work on this and for the Council, the city bringing it forward.
• We encourage your support for the measure.
• I want to add one more thing it made it through the climate action and planning commissions unanimously, so, yeah, I think it will be great to have City Council's vote on this so thank you.
Mayor Slayter opened the public hearing.
Jenny Baker commented as follows:
• Just to say I'm the co-coordinator of the coalition opposing industrializations along with Woody Hastings and completely support and hope you agree and approve this ordinance tonight. • Just to say as well as being a climate issue it's also an environmental justice issue because of the destruction around the world, wherever fossil fuels are drilled, pumped, transported, burned, et cetera, a process -- thank you very much to the staff for doing a fantastic job on the ordinance, and encourage you to keep it simple, and to approve unanimously just as the planning commission did and RCPA did, and also, as you know, cat was the first and Rohnert Park was the second city to do this and Sebastopol would be the third in the county.
• Calistoga has also done the same thing, passed an ordinance so, thank you very much for your work on this.
Alex Goodman commented as follows:
• Hello Sebastopol City Council my name is Alex Goodman, member of the Climate Action Committee and chair of the transportation group and want to voice my full support for this ordinance and believe had be a great step forward to continue to encourage more climate-friendly future. • I want to thank everybody part of the ordinance.
• You guys did a great job.
• Thank you so much.
Kenna Lee commented as follows:
• I am a nurse working locally, as well as one of the chairs of the Climate Action Committee and I just want to say that there is a public health benefit to passing this ordinance as well and creating a more livable city as well as more livable planet
• Wanted to thank Woody and Kari for their great work on preparing this ordinance for your unanimous passage.
Hearing no further comment, Mayor Slayter closed the public hearing.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I've done a fair amount of read I've done a fair amount of reading, not necessarily for this item. • This is something I'm interested in, transportation.
• Over the last couple years the idea that hydrogen is some sort of a silver bullet that helps us transition to a sustainable future, what I understand about hydrogen is it's a fossil fuel and it's really any widespread adoption, which we're not seeing in the world, of hydrogen as a fuel for transportation devices, honestly, my take on what hydrogen does is actually slows progress towards where we want to be as far as an electrical future.
• Electricity can be clean.
• The hydrogen potential, I think, should be limited to places where electricity may not be suited. • Things like aviation.
• Those kinds of things it makes more sense for.
• For local transportation for automobiles, electricity is where we need to be and using hydrogen as a bridge to get to that, I don't believe is prudent.
• Hydrogen is a fossil fuel and it brings with it the overhead of fossil fuels. • That's my take on hydrogen.
• I don't see a need to have a carve out for that particular fossil fuel in our ordinance. • There is some interesting work being done on synthetic fuels that are not fossil fuels but it would be essentially eternal Combustion engines but they would combustion the synthetic fuel rather than fossil fuels.
• That's very early technology but smart people are working on it so maybe that's something that can work but for where we are right now, I am in favor of this.
• I think the simplicity of the Planning Director's proposal of the amendment to the zoning ordinance of just simply changing C's to dashes, really it's pretty elegant. • That's my take on it.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• We know from my earlier votes on the RCPA that I'm very much in favor of this and I appreciate our staff and planning commission, everyone, Climate Action Committee, bringing this forward so we have the opportunity tonight to create a better future.
• I want to add a particular thank you to woody and Jenny all of the organizational work they've done to inform our wider community, our county-wide community.
• Put this in front of us and keep it go from city to city to city it's remarkable how people have galvanized around this.
• I think we're all just yearning to do goal and future-oriented and want to go in this direction. • So again my thanks to everybody.
MOTION:
Councilmember Rich moved and Mayor Slayter seconded the motion to approve First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to revise the Zoning Ordinance to prohibit new Gas Stations in Sebastopol.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to revise the Zoning Ordinance to prohibit new Gas Stations in Sebastopol.
Minute Order Number: 2022-123
URGENCY ITEM
Letter of support for SAVS from the City of Sebastopol for their grant proposal to the Sonoma County’s $96. million ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act). One portion of this proposal would fund the management and operational cost of the Sebastopol Horizon Shine Village for an additional two years. The deadline for this proposal is Thursday, April 7th.
Mayor Slayter opened for questions of staff. There were no questions.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Gregory Fearon, SAVS, commented as follows:
• Thank you, Mayor, Councilmembers and staff.
• I just wanted to say thank you if you do choose to give us a letter of support, I'm sort of in an awkward position because I'm on the committee that helped to design the ARPA reporting requirements and its application and is rumored I will be on the selection committee for who gets funded but I'm also on the board of saves and will probably recuse myself if the application comes before me. • I just want to say that Sebastopol is the gold standard for working with the community to try to do things. • I've been watching you all night long and the variety of things you have been discussing is amazing. • Your responses to people and the way in which you help people get the message across is just astounding.
• So no matter what decision you make tonight, I hope it is one that supports this project, I am impressed and I just wanted to say that.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberations:
There was no further discussion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Gurney moved and Vice Mayor Hinton seconded the motion to approve authorizing the Mayor to sign a letter of support for SAVS for ARPA Funding.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved authorizing the Mayor to sign a letter of support for SAVS for ARPA Funding.
Minute Order Number: 2022-128
18. Public Hearing: Introduction, First Reading and consideration of Amendment to Ordinance –Planning Commission (Responsible Department: Planning Department) Planning Director Svanstrom presented the agenda item recommending the City Council approve First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance - Planning Commission.
Planning Commissioner r Fernandez commented as follows:
• I think basically it was all covered what we discussed as far as the different areas. • I think the idea of using the school zones is a good idea. • It's worked already in the past.
• Really not sure the Commission had strong feelings about number of business owners, we did feel strongly a majority should be from within the city as we make decisions within city limits. • Other than that, don't want to take up more time of Council, if you have any questions I will be available.
Mayor Slayter asked for questions.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I see in the staff report, correct me if I am misreading it, but it sounds like one of the items For discussion is whether the business owner is required to reside in a particular address section. • I'm wondering whether Evert Fernandez had any input or advice for us on that question. • In the staff report it indicates that one of the questions is whether currently under the current draft the business owner position can apparently be filled by somehow who lives wherever, Oregon, San Francisco, there is no address limitation.
• So the question becomes it better that for that business owner we require that the business owner live within, for instance, the school district boundaries that we have established. • What's your thought about that.
Planning Commissioner Fernandez commented as follows:
• I think that having an absentee owner or owner that is not even in touch with the community would be a difficult situation.
• Now, I don't know if perhaps a representative, you know, someone who is not a business owner but works in a business.
• Again that could change very quickly.
• So I would be in favor as commission and as a citizen to want to have a business owner be more community-involved in the area because you can imagine it could be someone completely out of the area, out of touch, And you know, making decisions for the community.
Mayor Slayter opened the public hearing. There were no public comments. Hearing no comment, Mayor Slayter closed the public hearing.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I wanted to comment on the residency of a potential business owner who is appointed to the Planning Commission.
• Serving on the Council now almost 18 years and I have never received a complaint that any business owner who was appointed didn't live in the right location. • Also, as a former Planning Commission, vice chair and chair of the Planning Commission I worked with business owners, they were all very local people.
• In fact, one was Jim Packet who recently received some honors in our community. • I think we can keep in mind the significance of having business owner input and also the responsibility that Council has to measure that level of community committee for any business owner, whether they live in town, outside of town or in San Francisco.
• Let's think this through logically.
• Someone who lives in San Francisco in a time of public in-person meetings isn't going to drive up here for a lengthy meeting.
• For my experience I don't see it as a problem and I don't see it as something we need to protect against. • There's never been a residency requirement or residency restriction. • The Council at every appointment interviews very thoroughly. • I trust past Councils that I've worked with and future Councils to select wisely whether it is a residential seat, an area seat in our school districts or a committed business person from our business.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• I appreciate the comments made by Councilmember Gurney. • I actually would have agreed earlier but honestly looking at the way we define this residency requirement we're engaging a large portion of the greater catchment area in my perspective and I appreciate the opinion of our Planning Commissioner, Evert Fernandez.
• My leaning would be towards requiring a residency within that defined area at point.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I also want to discuss what appears to be two vacancies. • So I have been leaning to follow what has been recommended to us by our current Planning Commission which is to go down in number to five members.
• I think that's part of the staff report tonight.
• I know our meetings run long so I can't imagine having seven Councilmembers in a small community. • I do know other Councils run that number.
• But, yes, we have a Planning Commission that has had seven and the alternate. • So I just think that that probably, well, it got established before my time, probably came out of -- there was a lot of qualified people at the time so we expanded the Planning Commission. • I'm interested in possibly changing that since we've had these two long-term vacancies.
• And following recommendations that we've heard from current Planning Commissioners that they think they could be more productive with a number of five.
• So I want to bring that up as well tonight.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• My earlier comment was kind of like, if it ain't broken you don't have to fix it. Something like that. • I have no problem with the residency requirement if that's the will of the Council. • I do however have difficulty with reducing the Commission from seven to five. • For these reasons, serving on the Planning Commission is great experience in terms of learning land use law, or land use ordinances, the zoning ordinance.
• The issues that surround all of the use of our land, transportation, et cetera, et cetera. Affordable housing.
• In that regard it's great training ground for anybody who is interested in further public service running for office as mayor and all of us having served on the Planning Commission. • It's very fertile ground for future Councilmembers.
• We're in an election year with three seats up for an election and there's an election every two years. • Alternating between three seats and two seats.
• I think it's important to provide the opportunities to our citizens. • I feel really uncomfortable in this political time when democracy seems challenged to eliminate two opportunities for local people to participate in our government. • I think that's really important.
• I think one of our speakers earlier tonight pointed out a difficulty that we have. • Somehow we don't get enough notice enough.
• Somehow we don't get the applicants.
• We've got to look at our efforts there to encourage people and get them in. • I am hoping the election cycle right now will encourage people. • If this Council were willing to re-notice those vacancies and interview and select so again, for me, I just really want to preserve the opportunities for participation in our Democratic governance that's the small d - democratic governance.
Councilmember Rich commented I was hoping since he's here we could ask Evert Fernandez to give us his perspective on why - just as a reminder because I can't recall - whether he thinks limiting down to five is useful, if so, why.
Chair Fernandez commented as follows:
• I was going to make a comment on that, I wasn't sure if you were taking this in the different parts. • I will go ahead and address this now.
• I understand the comments regarding training ground, so forth, but I think that the way I look at the Commission is we are there to facilitate zoning issues and decisions and so forth. • And we do represent the entire city and internal and external city limits and outside the city limits and I'll just point out that our decisions are not final.
• They can be appealed to City Council and at that point more public comment can be made. • So we're simply trying to follow the zoning ordinances and try to be efficient. • If someone comes to a meeting and wants to get something accomplished, you know, that's kind of our goal there.
• I think we have good representation, it's important to have, say an architect, et cetera, on the Commission.
• It's good experience.
• Often times, more often than not recently, we haven't been voting on decisions, we've just been voting on making recommendations to City Council.
• So again it's something that any public member can speak to us on that. • It was quite cumbersome to have eight members at one point at the meetings. • I think it's just a matter of efficiency.
• We try to be more efficient And encourage more public participation as we keep our meetings going. • Also is that, you know, if more representation would be more appropriate in City Council than with Planning Commission.
• That would open it up to more individuals in an area that makes a difference, makes decisions, and so forth.
• So if you want more people, ohw about City Council with seven individuals instead of five. • But myself and majority of the Commission feel that we can do our job better serve the community better.
• We do represent the community and we give opportunity for people to speak there and any decisions we made are appealable.
• And again, it's more about being process and efficient of getting through any recommendations that come before us.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• My perspective on this is that honestly, I wish that the Sebastopol Union, Twin Hills Union and Gravenstein Union didn't have such wide-ranging boundaries. • My take has not changed – I feel 95472 is much too large and I have the same feeling about the school district boundaries.
• I think it's an improvement but is still not Sebastopol-centric as it needs to be. • The county Planning Commission does not have a seat for the City of Sebastopol on it. • A business owner who has a business in Santa Rosa, sorry. • There's good reasons for those decisions and perspectives. • So honestly, I -- my take Is after listening to a lot of opinions I think the reduction in the Planning Commission to five for a small city Is appropriate.
• And I'm favor of the school district boundaries.
• That a business owner can decide and one non-business owner could be a member of the Planning Commission from these three school districts.
• That's where I am.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• This is fun because we all have different opinions perhaps. • It's an awkward situation because Councilmember Glass isn't here. • We've got only four of us.
• So when I look at five people as the possibility, I see a concentration of power in two few people. • Land use decisions are by far as Coastal Commission alternate, I can tell you I really know how important those decisions are, living through major land use disputes that ended up in lawsuit they're the most important.
• They are by appointment.
• They are not accountable to the public either.
• Because they're not elected.
• So that's why I'm very uncomfortable with the number five. • Because I think we should have seven where we get, well, more community experience represented. • More professional experience represented.
• More age range hopefully represented.
• More diversity on the board.
• Five is just not a comfortable number for me and the mirror and I know, we divide every time the conversation comes around and it's okay.
The Council was in consensus to discuss the changes of the ordinances proposed separate from the number of Commissioners.
MOTION:
Councilmember Rich moved and Vice Mayor Gurney seconded the motion to approve for First Reading and Introduction of Amendment to Ordinance –Planning Commission as follows:
• Business Owner reside within the school district boundary • B. The members of the Commission shall be from among residents of the City of Sebastopol or shall be the owner of a business within the City of Sebastopol and a resident of one of the following school districts: Twin Hills, Sebastopol Union, and Gravenstein Union,… Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
The Council discussed the number of Commissioners:
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• So our ordinance says we can be at a minimum of five and maximum of seven I don't see we need to change or restrict it to five.
• If we don't have the six or seventh seat we're still consistent with our ordinance. • We tried the alternate, and that was my idea, and I have to say, it was not a good idea and it did not work out because of the way it was organized and I still think 5-7 is better. • If we have a lot of people interested and we can get up to 7, why not keep it there? Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• I was kind of in the same camp.
• It's interesting, the Sonoma Clean Power Clean Advisory Commission, or Committee has, I think, it's like 7- 11 people.
• I have it noted here to, how about we have, we stick where we are between 5 and 7. • So we agree on that.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• My question is to staff, what is the down side to having a seven-member board that has empty slots.
• It seems to me there's an administrative burden of just, you know, continuing to have to deal with recruiting or opening the positions.
• I just want to recognize, it's not just oh, leave it open and see what happens.
Director Svanstrom commented as follows:
• I have worked in two communities and agree, they are important decisions to our community. • But, as it was noted, anything can be appealed to the City Council. • So, there's an opportunity for any decision to be heard by ten people City staff commented there's additional time required to put the newsletter out and put it in the paper and things like that. It's more time for the Council to do the interviews as well.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• I know that there's a Councilmember that really wants to keep it at 7. • But I have to lobby for what the Planning Commission has asked for multiple times. • They are the body, we don't have people stepping out, we have open positions. • It feels like now is the time to make the change, make it a more efficient body and get it open. • It was expanded, and my understanding is they thought there were more good applicants and they made the change.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• It has worked out that it's been a training ground for a lot of Council people running. • And when this Council's gone to appoint people.
• A lot of times we made decisions to not appoint.
• I'm going to state where my decision tonight which is, I think we should move down to five. • So, I want to put that out there.
Mayor Slayter discussed wording in 2.24.020 members and terms, A, the Commission shall consist of seven members or such other members that the City Council shall, from time to time, determine by resolution but in no event less than five members. Questioned if the change requires a resolution.
City staff commented that wording is incorrect and should be changed for clarification as this would be an ordinance amendment, not resolution.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I wanted to get the history accurately.
• I was motivated to discuss an alternate position because there were frequent and repeated absences on the Planning Commission in the full body was not making the decision. • So the notion that I had was to put someone there who could see, filling the empty seat and have a wider fuller community decision.
• And we have a number of vacancies.
• It's related to the COVID pandemic.
• And they are waiting for life to come back to in person, which is much more fun. • I think we have very straight forward structural solutions if we have vacancies on these three bodies or any other bodies to which the Council appoints and that would be, for instance, notice them every six months.
• Make it easy for staff – advertise in just January and June.
• Or we could do something like the city of Petaluma, which has a rolling application. • Where there's a vacancy, you can put in an application and it can be considered that way their staff is not noticing it over and over.
• Why discourage people to put the hat in the ring and do it. • We have with former Councilmembers who were on the Planning Commission. • We have former candidates who are on the Planning Commission, there's a lot of overlap, I'm standing with the 5-7 of what we have now.
• And re-noticing the opening.
Councilmember Rich commented as follows:
• On balance I'm in favor of recognizing the opinion of our Planning Commissioner who is in the room, and also, the comments from our, from Kari, indicating that 5 is a number that's working in other communities.
• I don't like the idea honestly, I don't like the optic of having two empty seats. • That doesn't feel good to me.
• So, for a number of reasons, my feeling is, let's go with what's being recommended by our Planning Commissioner and what seems to be an acceptable standard in other communities and what has been a successful equation on this Planning Commission for quite a long time. • I go with five.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented as follows:
• Following the comment, I will make the motion that I would like to move forward with making 5 the permanent number.
• I want to make that motion.
• Councilmember Rich seconded the motion.
Mayor Slayter asked for clarification to process.
City Manager/Attorney McLaughlin commented what you are looking at here is introducing the change to the ordinance and introducing an ordinance that eliminates the” or 7” portion and changes it to five and that is an introduction to the ordinance.
Assistant City Manager commented the item tonight would need to reintroduce it, as this is a substantial change not in the notice, and would recommend the Council provide direction to staff, if that's the motion and that's the majority of the Council, and if it's a motion and it's seconded and approved to direct staff to bring down the limits of five, and that would be coming back at a different meeting. You can adopt the ordinance based on the geography and introduce it tonight but I would recommend bringing back a separate notice to discuss the number of positions and to clarify the ordinance. I would recommend removing that “by resolution” langugae. I don't think that should be in the ordinance. That needs to be cleaned up.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I'm uncomfortable with history being recounted inaccurately. • There's been a seven member Planning Commission for many more years. • It's only very recently that we have experienced trouble filling the vacancies and I feel the trouble overlaps with the COVID pandemic.
• So it's important here if we are looking at history that We be accurate.
Vice Mayor Hinton commented - I take it, our city manager is giving us the legal advice here, because the agenda, keep going back to the agenda, did cover this. I'm confused. Because, in the agenda packet on page 2, it talks about what to do about the vacancies, but I guess, we have to totally go back and start again.
City Manager/Attorney McLaughlin commented as follows:
• It sounds like the ordinance you are introducing is not before you in the packet. • So it needs to be adjusted and come back before the Council. • I'm suggesting it may not come back on the consent calendar. • Then we have the question of in the red line version sentence is added a majority for of the members of the Planning Commission shall be residences from within the city at all times. • That may also need to be revised and I would suggest that we provide direction to staff on that item. • As well as if we, that the other red line above that on page 8 of 34. • The geographic area questions.
• That would be useful.
City staff discussed the two vacancies.
The City Council discussed potential for legacy appointment and the City Manager/Attorney stated that could not be done as the Council would have to adhere to the wording of the ordinance.
Planning Director Svanstrom confirmed all current members are within the geographical boundaries.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• The question of the majority, I think that we all in agreement there, is that the majority would need to reside in the city limit and we can have one business owner and one nonbusiness owner, both residing outside the city limit, but within the three school districts. • That's what we would like to see.
• We have the school district, the motion that was already done, to introduce the ordinance included the school districts for both of the residents and the majority of members and alternates. • I think we have direction to bring back the ordinance that simplifies this sentence right here. • It's to just say that the commission is how it applies to commission members.
Councilmember Gurney commented I would like all of us and the mayor to be aware, that we have two voting in favor of reducing to 5, and two voting for 5-7, it's a no action vote and it does it change. Is that correct, Mr. City Attorney?
City Manager/Attorney McLaughlin commented that is correct.
Councilmember Gurney commented to be clear I will vote that way again when it returns. Just so you know, because I say it every time it comes up.
MOTION:
Vice Mayor Hinton Moved and Councilmember Rich seconded the motion to direct staff to re-introduce the ordinance at the next meeting to reduce the members of the Planning Commission from seven to five.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: Councilmember Gurney
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved motion to direct staff to re-introduce the ordinance at the next meeting to reduce the members of the Planning Commission from seven to five.
Minute Order Number: 2022-124
• Elimination of alternate position
• The members of the Commission shall be from among residents of the City of Sebastopol or shall be the owner of a business within the City of Sebastopol and a resident of one of the following school districts:
Twin Hills, Sebastopol Union, and Gravenstein Union,
• One business owner outside but within three school districts • Reduce the members of the Planning Commission from seven to five.
Due to the hour of the meeting, the Council was in consensus to continue item 19 and hear item 20.
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION) Continued:
19. Consideration of Standard Conditions of Approval for Development Projects (Design Guideline Subcommittee/Planning Dept)
City Council Action: Item was continued to a future City Council Meeting.
Minute Order Number: 2022-125
20. Consideration and Direction to Mayor or his/her Designated Representative for Voting for Various Boards and Committee Vacancies at the April 14, 2022 City Selection Committee and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board of Directors Association Meetings (City Administration) City Selection Committee
• Airport Land Use Commission, one position, to fill vacated seat (Tibbetts/Santa Rosa), 4 year term. • Local Agency Formation Commission, one position, to fill expiring term of Councilmember Pam Stafford (Rohnert Park), 4 year term.
One letter received – Pam Stafford, Rohnert Park
• Remote Access Network (RAN), one position, must be filled by a Mayor. *Note: The RAN appointment has been vacant for two years. Their next meeting is on April 14th. The board has been advised that this position remains vacant. Meetings are as needed and listed as annual but it is anticipated RAN may have several meetings this year.
Mayor Slayter presented the agenda item.
Mayor Slayter asked for questions of presenter. There were no questions.
Mayor Slayter opened for public comment.
Kari Svanstrom commented as follows:
• I am commenting as a member of the public and a resident of the City of Sebastopol, I support the direction tonight.
• I did want to make one comment regarding the Airport Land Use Commission.
• The number of flights over Sebastopol have increased significantly over the past few years and I would say, if there's someone who is from the West County or in the area, that understands that the impact, the noise impact that it has.
• I want to encourage somebody who is more respectful about the path going over populated areas. • Even if they are not hugely populated areas.
Kye Falbo commented as follows:
• I like to speak for broadly about the committee assignments and appointments and time management and the reporting of subcommittees.
• Prior to doing that I would like to speak about the importance of the Airport Land Use Subcommittee. • In particular, I'm interested in why it is that maybe all of these subcommittee assignments and all the -- there's a larger broader coalition of active citizens that can be appointed through the process and looking at the Airport Land Use Subcommittee, I find the websites that are associated with both are not functional.
• So, as a concerned citizen, I contacted the one name that Is associated with that by telephone. • No one was there to receive that call.
• No one was returning my call.
• It's my hope that whoever is on this appointment would be feeling the need And responsibility of maintaining proper Websites as well as communications out to the public about meeting dates and make up.
• More broadly, build love to see us get to a place where subcommittee assignments are being managed and held by people who rather than seeing it as something that is a duty and treat it regularly with disdain in terms of, you know, oh, another meeting that I have To go to. • Given the appropriate time.
• And amount of time regularly at meetings to report.
• I expect this evening we will not be receiving well communicated time out from our subcommittees. • Which is scheduled at the end of the meeting because of the time that we are. • And it would be my hope that this Council takes time management more seriously so we can get timely meeting communications from the subcommittees.
• It's disappointing that a community that we have decided to table to another date has not had any communication out and again, is getting tabled.
• That information is very important.
• And it's my hope that it would have been sooner than we hear something from the subcommittee, being, you know, held by such key members of the Planning Commission and design review board and the mayor of City Council.
• Thank you so much.
Mayor Slayter commented as follows:
• On the airport commission, there are very limited number of eligible cities to sit on that committee. • Sebastopol is not one.
• So that is a structural change that I know we have advocated to be made and it has not been made yet and to the comment regarding the county website, they have recently gone through over the last couple of weeks.
• It is a wholesale upgrade, soup to nuts of every single link. • Every single document and I have been frustrated for two weeks trying to access documents from the building department.
• So, that is not, that is are not the only guy who has been frustrated by this.
• It's universal at this point for anyone trying access the county website. • It's where we are with questions and comments on public comment.
Councilmember Gurney commented as follows:
• I agree with our member of the public who mentioned the concern for the noise over the air travel over the community and I would encourage us to write another letter. • Also, I would encourage our second member of the public to attend those Airport Land Use Commission meetings.
• They are public.
• It's good to tell us, but it's probably better to tell that board when they meet. • Also, I have a suggestion for this difficulty we face when the reports in from each of us nor -- for the work that we are doing are delayed due to the late hour.
• That we can submit written reports of the committee action. • I have been doing it with it for a long time.
• Sending the summary to Mary And referring to it in the meeting and making it part of the public record. • So I will say goodnight, I'm hoping you will all go on perhaps with the reports, thank you, everyone for your work.
• Thank you to our public too.
City Council Discussion and/or Deliberation:
There was no further discussion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Rich moved and Mayor Slayter seconded the motion to approve direction to the Mayor for Voting for Various Boards and Committee Vacancies at the April 14, 2022 City Selection Committee and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board of Directors Association Meetings (City Administration) City Selection Committee
• Airport Land Use Commission, one position, to fill vacated seat (Tibbetts/Santa Rosa), 4 year term. • Local Agency Formation Commission, one position, to fill expiring term of Councilmember Pam Stafford (Rohnert Park), 4 year term.
One letter received – Pam Stafford, Rohnert Park
• Remote Access Network (RAN), one position, must be filled by a Mayor. *Note: The RAN appointment has been vacant for two years. Their next meeting is on April 14th. The board has been advised that this position remains vacant. Meetings are as needed and listed as annual but it is anticipated RAN may have several meetings this year.
And provided authorization to the Mayor to vote if any nominations were received at the meeting.
Mayor Slayter called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Gurney, Rich, Vice Mayor Hinton and Mayor Slayter Noes: None
Absent: Councilmember Glass
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved approve direction to the Mayor for Voting for Various Boards and Committee Vacancies at the April 14, 2022 City Selection Committee and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board of Directors Association Meetings (City Administration) City Selection Committee
• Airport Land Use Commission, one position, to fill vacated seat (Tibbetts/Santa Rosa), 4 year term.
• Local Agency Formation Commission, one position, to fill expiring term of Councilmember Pam Stafford (Rohnert Park), 4 year term.
One letter received – Pam Stafford, Rohnert Park
• Remote Access Network (RAN), one position, must be filled by a Mayor. *Note: The RAN appointment has been vacant for two years. Their next meeting is on April 14th. The board has been advised that this position remains vacant. Meetings are as needed and listed as annual but it is anticipated RAN may have several meetings this year.
And provided authorization to the Mayor to vote if any nominations were received at the meeting.
Minute Order Number: 2022-126
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS:
20. City Manager-Attorney/City Clerk Reports
• City of Sebastopol Design Review Board/Tree Board
• The City has One Opening in Category C - a person not in subsection A or B of this section.
DEADLINE: April 26, 2022
• City of Sebastopol Public Arts Committee
• The City has One Opening in Category 2 - a person with experience in the public art field as either an artist, installer or designer.
• DEADLINE: April 26, 2022
22. City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards)
23. Council Communications Received
24. Future City Meeting Dates/Events (Informational Only): (See City Web Site for Up-to-Date Meeting Dates/Times)
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
April 5, 2022 City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the April 19, 2022 City Council Meeting, 6:00 pm, Zoom Virtual Meeting Format
Mayor Slayter adjourned the City Council meeting at 10:43 pm.
Respectfully Submitted:
Mary C. Gourley
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, MMC