From:
To: Mary Gourley
Subject: Hire Staff, Not a Grant Writer - Public Comment 9/20/22 Date: Monday, September 19, 2022 9:58:20 AM
Dear Council Members,
In regards to hiring a grant writer, I would advise that you spend the $60,000 on hiring more City Staff.
There is no individual that could locate and write grants for all the categories listed and follow through on them from start to finish within a $60,000 budget. What you are requesting is unrealistic in terms of hiring a professional person to complete this task.
In addition, many of these categories are long-term and require City support well beyond a single grant.
If the City had one project, for instance, finding grants to complete Calder Creek, that would be in the realm of possibility, especially as the Planning Department is already working with nonprofits and outside institutions on this project.
In addition, the City does not need to write grants for homeless people. We already have non profits providing services within Sebastopol. Sebastopol has the highest per capita of homeless services and accommodations of any City in Sonoma County.
Please consider using this $60,000 to move from "the City of Sebastopol has limited staff for the amount of work that is being conducted on a day to day basis" to a position where the City has adequate staff to function on a day to day basis.
Best,
Kate Haug
Sebastopol