Sebastopol City Council
February 6, 2024

AND IF YOU COULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH FULL COUNCIL I WOULD BE HELPFUL.

ABSOLUTELY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

WHEN YOU SAID THE INFORMATION WOULD BE ON YOUR WEBSITE IS THAT ON THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL WEBSITE?
IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PAGE ON THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL WEBSITE.

AND YOU SAID BY JUNE 2024 CAN WE EXPECT TO HAVE ANY FOLLOW-UP REPORTS FROM YOU BEFORE CITY COUNCIL?

ONCE THIS IS DONE I WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO REPORT BACK.

TO THE EXTENT THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE JUNE 2024 THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW EARLY.

ABSOLUTELY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENT. I'M GOING TO LOOK TO STAFF. ANY INFORMATION STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ON ANY AUDIT ISSUES? GO AHEAD.

MY MICROPHONE SEEMS LIKE IT'S WORKING.

IT IS.

IT'S CONFUSING ME.

THE SUBJECT OF THE REPORTS, MY RECOLLECTION ON THAT IS THAT ONE REPORT WAS

DEEMED TO BE CONFIDENTIAL BECAUSE IT HAD MORE INFORMATION OF A PERSONNEL

NATURE SET FORTH IN THE REPORT AND WE WOULD HAVE TO NOW SCRUTINIZE IT TO SEE IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO RELEASE IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS CONFIDENTIAL PERSONNEL MATTERS AND IT WAS-- THAT DEEMED THAT CONFIDENTIAL.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENT AND TRY TO FINISH UP THIS ITEM BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK. MARY GOURLEY WOULD YOU MIND MANAGING THAT?

THIS IS A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS REPORT AND UPDATE ON THE AUDIT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT I WILL GO TO IN CHAMBERS FIRST AND THEN OUT INTO ZOOM. KYLE?

THIS IS, IN THREE YEARS THIS HAS REQUEST-- REGRESSED TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY

AND I FEEL IT HAS LOST A LOT OF HISTORY IN THE PROCESS WHICH IS WHAT I WAS

REALLY FEARFUL OF THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THIS COUNCIL BEGAN TO-- THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAPPENING. REMEMBER, THIS IS A NATIONAL DEBATE ABOUT POLICING HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 AND IT WAS A NATIONAL CONVERSATION

ABOUT POLICE PRACTICES THAT CAME TO A POINT WHERE THE CITY MADE SOME CLEAR DECISIONS. THOSE DECISIONS GOT DELAYED AND DELAYED AND DELAYED TO A POINT

WHERE THERE'S NO OVERSIGHT ABOUT THE THINGS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT WERE APPROVED. SO NUMBER ONE, A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WAS APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL, THAT HAS GONE NOWHERE. THERE WAS A CALL FOR FISCAL AUDIT THAT WAS ALSO IN THE APPROVED AGENDA ITEM, BUT HAS NOT COME TO FRUITION. AND THIS

COUNCIL DID, WITH THE REPORT, WAS FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT OUR

CITY HAS DECIDED ON AS BEING POLICE PRACTICES THAT WE WERE AGREEING TO WITH CONSULT WITH OUR DEPARTMENT. SO HERE WE ARE THREE YEARS LATER REELING BACK

ON A LOT OF THOSE AND IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT WHEN WE SAW THE PREVIOUS

REPORTS THAT WE SAW THINGS THAT WERE IN PROGRESS OR ONGOING AND NOW WE

ARE HEARING THOSE ARE NO LONGER ONGOING AND NO LONGER IN PROGRESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T AGREE WITH CURRENT POLICE DEPARTMENT PHILOSOPHY. 20 SECONDS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS COUNCIL AGREED UPON. WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY SORT OF MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF A MODEL WHICH WAS FUNDED BACK IN 2020 AND

GOING EVEN FURTHER AWAY WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A PUBLIC ONLINE COMPLAINT MECHANISM THAT WAS APPROVED, PAID FOR, AND THEN CUT BACK. WE ARE MUCH

FURTHER AWAY THAN WHAT WE AGREED UPON AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THANK YOU.

CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE? CAN YOU HEAR US?
GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE.

CHIEF, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE ENTIRE SEBASTOPOL POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR

YOUR SERVICE WHICH, AS I KEEP TRYING TO POINT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, IS EXEMPLARY

AND WE'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THE LEGENDARY JEFF WEAVER TO SET THIS HIGH Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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STANDARD FOR PERFORMANCE FOR SERVICE AND IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THE STUFF THAT HAPPENED IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ALL OF THE REST. BUT UNFORTUNATELY I AM

APOLOGIZING FOR MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL THAT ARE UNAWARE OF YOUR OUTSTANDING BEHAVIORS AS POLICE OFFICERS. THAT SAID, I AM ALSO SPEAKING,

THINKING YOU FOR THE TREATMENT OF MY NEW NEIGHBORS, THE CRIMINALS WHO,

THEY HAVE ALL-- WE'VE ALL HAD OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH OTHER

OFFICERS AND MINE SPECIFICALLY WAS FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WHERE AT THE WRONG ADDRESS, BEAT UP, JAILED, AND VERBALLY ABUSED. SO ANYWAY, THAT'S HOW I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. BETWEEN POLICE BEHAVIOR. THAT SAID, I WANT TO ALSO THANK JACQUES. I LOVE THIS NEW CAMPAIGN THING, THE LETTER THAT WENT OUT ASKING FOR DONATION SUPPORT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO HAPPEN SO WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT.
20 SECONDS.

HOW MUCH PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT YOU GOT FINANCIALLY SO I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL. AND ALSO APOLOGIZING, THE WHOLE THING ABOUT THE AUDIT IS A

COMPLETE AND TOTAL WASTE OF TIME AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU LINDA. WE WILL COME BACK TO IN CHAMBERS IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT.

GOOD EVENING. AS LINDA JUST SAID IT, THANK YOU TO THE POLICE. MY TAKE ON THIS

IS, THE REPORT CAME BACK WITH A KIND OF HYSTERIA ABOUT POLICING WHICH WAS AS OF MILES AWAY. AS THE POLICE CHIEF SAYS NOTHING MUCH EVER HAPPENS HERE. AN

AWFUL LOT OF OVERKILL AND PROBABLY A FORMULA THERE SOMEWHERE THAT, MORE LAYERS OF BUREAUCRACY PUT ON THE POLICE, THE LESS THEY CAN DO. I DON'T KNOW IF

THERE'S A TV IN THE BREAK ROOM AT THE POLICE STATION BUT I WOULDN'T BLAME THE POLICE FOR SITTING AND WATCHING TV ALL DAY. BECAUSE, IF YOU ARE RISK-AVERSE, IT

SEEMS TO BE THAT THE LESS YOU DO APART FROM BARBECUES WITH IMMIGRANTS AND

GLAD HANDING PEOPLE AT MEETINGS AND STUFF, MEANWHILE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE

CITY SINCE I'VE LIVED HERE, EXCUSE ME, THERE'S A HUGE UP TAKE IN HOMELESS PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE DRUGGED OUT OF THEIR MINDS, RETAIL THEFT, ON AND ON. VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE POLICE TO DEAL WITH WITH ALL OF THIS BUREAUCRACY. SO THE

LAST HALF-HOUR OF THIS MEETING I THINK IS BEING PRETTY WELL IRRELEVANT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY ONE OTHER THING SINCE I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. NUMBER 15 I THINK WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS ALREADY, A ROBUST AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I KNOW THE CITY HAD THE FIRST POLICE ON ELECTRIC BICYCLES IN THE COUNTRY. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE POLICE DOWNTOWN. THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE JUST LAYING AROUND SHOOTING UP AND STEALING STUFF, AND SO ON. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD PERSONALLY REALLY LIKE TO SEE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL GO TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD

LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATION PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. THESE UNMUTE YOUR TELEPHONE OR WAVE TO GET MY ATTENTION IN THE GALLERY. I SEE NO HANDS RAISED, I WILL GO BACK INTO CHAMBERS.

IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE BACK UP HERE WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE

HAVE ONE FINAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION AND WE CAN CLOSE THIS ITEM. ANY COMMENTS? WE WILL START WITH COUNCILMEMBER MAURER.

ANYTHING?
JUST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF TIME WAS PUT INTO THAT AND I DID READ IT, SO THANK YOU.

WELCOME.

VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?

I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION TO NOT MOVE FORWARD ON

52.6 AND 52.7. I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR TRANSPARENCY TO HAVE THE BODY CAMERAS ON AND WHILE IT WAS ADDRESSED EARLIER IN THE REPORT. IN OTHER

PLACES AS A PRACTICE, IT WAS ADMITTED TONIGHT THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN TURNED ON

A LOT OF TIMES IN TRANSPORT AND I DO BELIEVE, I DON'T BELIEVE SETTING POLICIES, Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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WHITE NOISE, I THINK SETTING POLICY IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR STAFF SO I THINK I FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT THAT SHOULD BE IN OUR POLICIES. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T

FOLLOW PEOPLE AROUND AND MAKE THEM TURN IT ON BUT I THINK THAT IS AN

EXPECTATION THAT I HAD AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL. I DID WANT TO ADDRESS THAT ONE. I GUESS THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS?

THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS THAT I, TOO, SHOULD THE SAME CONCERNS AS COUNCILMEMBER HINTON REGARDING THAT. BUT I ALSO HAVE SOMETHING ELSE THAT I

WANTED TO COMMENT ON AND SHARE SOME FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE THE REPORT THAT YOU'VE DONE AND I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT. YOU KNOW THAT I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

AND I ALSO BELIEVE THE POLICE IMPACT THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE CITY AND KEEPING ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT. I WORKED ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM IN TRAUMA CENTERS FOR NEARLY 2 DECADES SO I'VE SEEN THE OTHER SIDE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU ALSO SEE IN THE FILM. THAT BEING SAID WHEN I BROUGHT

UP THE COMMUNITY POLICING, I BROUGHT IT UP FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, BECAUSE WE

HAVE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH, AND FOR THE PUBLIC WHO DOESN'T KNOW, BEING A

BUSINESS OWNER I COMMUNICATE REGULARLY WITH ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS HERE

SO EVERY TIME THERE IS A SHOPLIFTING, SOME KIND OF SHOPLIFTING OR THEFT OR ALL

THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GO ON, THERE ARE BUSINESSES HIT WORSE THAN OTHERS

AND IT'S HARD AS SMALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY WITH INFLATION, THE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE DEALING WITH A LOT. SO AS FAR AS, I THINK WE NEED TO SEE MORE

WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN AND I'VE HAD A DISCUSSION WITH VARIOUS BUSINESS OWNERS AND THAT IS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS. THEY DON'T FEEL THEY SEE OFFICERS AT ALL. ONE PERSON SAW SOMEONE ONCE LAST WEEK THEY CAN'T RECALL SINCE SOME ARE REALLY SEEING PEOPLE. SOME EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY THEY SEE A DECLINE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THEY HAVE A LOT OF NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES GOING ON,

PEOPLE DOING DRUGS BEHIND THEIR BUSINESSES, THEY FIND THEM IN THE MORNING LAYING AROUND AND SAY WHERE ARE THE POLICE? SOME HAVE EVEN PROPOSED, SHOULD BE GET THE CHAMBER FOR SOMEONE TO HIRE SECURITY OFFICERS? I REALLY

BELIEVE POLICE OFFICER SHOULD BE AND WHEN WE DID THE BUDGETING IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THE EXTRA POLICE OFFICER. I ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO

REALLY FOUGHT FOR THAT AND IN OUR DISCUSSIONS I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE MORE

COMMUNITY POLICING IF WE HAVE THE EXTRA OFFICER AND I'M CONCERNED WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE. I KNOW THAT IT'S ANECDOTAL AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED IF THERE ARE LOGS. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS AND SEE THINGS AT A DIFFERENT TIME. IF THERE'S A LOG SHOWING THAT WE ARE THERE, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT MORE APPARENT TO EVERYONE. IF BUSINESS OWNERS ARE NOT SEEING IT, CLEARLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LYING AROUND DOWNTOWN AREN'T SEEING IT EITHER. I'M CONCERNED

ABOUT THAT AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH DEALING WITH THE TRANSIENT POPULATION. I KNOW I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS WHERE I COULD

KNOCK IT INTO CITY HALL BECAUSE THERE WERE MEN WHO WERE ALTERED SLEEPING UP

AGAINST THE DOORS AND I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE AS A WOMAN TRYING TO ENTER CITY HALL. I WAS TOLD THAT HAPPENED BUT IT HAPPENED LAST WEEK AGAIN AND I

UNDERSTAND PEOPLE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE, BUT THESE ARE PERSONAL INCIDENTS THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED MYSELF AND I KNOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE, AS WELL. WE'VE

GOT VIDEO OF THE FIGHT THAT HAPPENED AT SAFEWAY A WEEK AGO, GIRLS BANGING

THEIR HEADS AGAINST THE PAVEMENT, WE RECEIVED EMAILS ABOUT A STUDENT BEING MUGGED AND BEAT UP AND ROBBED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND THEN WE'VE

HEARD THAT HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND NONE OF US ARE EVEN AWARE OF THAT. I JUST SEE A DEGRADATION IN MY OPINION OF WHAT'S GOING ON. SO I REALLY

THINK THAT IT IS INCUMBENT ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FEEL THAT OWNERSHIP

AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE WATCH THIS GOING ON DOWNTOWN, AND I AM HERE EVERY DAY DOWNTOWN TALKING WITH PEOPLE, IT'S CONCERNING. VERY CONCERNING TO ME AND HONESTLY IT'S SAD AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE OFFICERS COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR US. I'M JUST, I'M NOT SURE THEY FEEL THE SAME. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO YOU, THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, WE NEED TO SEE MORE POLICE. WE NEED TO Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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SEE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND AND I'M NOT SAYING HARASSING PEOPLE BUT WHEN I

BROUGHT UP COMMUNITY PLACING, IT'S THE PHILOSOPHY AND IT'S WHAT USED TO HAPPEN IN SEBASTOPOL ACCORDING TO PREVIOUS POLICE OFFICERS. THEY WOULD BE DOWNTOWN SAYING HELLO TO PEOPLE, THE BUSINESS OWNERS KNEW WHO THEY WERE. I

THINK THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN TO REPRESENT MANY

DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE TRYING AND THAT I'M COMMUNICATING THAT TO YOU. I'M HOPING THAT SOMEHOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THIS AND GET A REPORT BACK OR FIGURE OUT. ARE THEY DOWNTOWN AND WE DON'T SEE IT? JUST TO CLOSE THE LOOP, HOW DO WE BEST UNDERSTAND WHAT

YOU ARE DOING AND IF THERE ARE CHALLENGES YOU ARE FACING, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO HERE TO HELP. HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF THIS? ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS, IT'S A MATTER OF THEM HAVING TIME. WE HAVE TWO POLICE OFFICERS ON AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND THEY ARE BUSY. I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE BUSY AND IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF RUNNING TO A CALL. IT TAKES TIME TO DO REPORTS, TO BOOK EVIDENCE, TIME IN BETWEEN. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE PROACTIVE POLICING. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO DO WITH ALL THE HOMELESS ISSUES, TRAFFIC

ENFORCEMENT, EXPECTED TO GO ON FOOT PATROLS AND THEY ARE DOING THAT BUT I'M GOING TO RUN THE DATA OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS AND LET'S FIND OUT IF THEY ARE

DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AS FAR AS FOOT PATROLS BECAUSE THAT IS LOGGED. FRANKLY THEY BETTER HOPE THEY ARE DOING IT. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT'S DIFFICULT. IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. WE ARE DEMANDING A LOT FROM THEM AND AS FAR AS I KNOW, LIKE I SAID, CAN WE ALWAYS DO BETTER? YEAH, WE CAN DO BETTER. IT'S A MATTER OF REEMPHASIZING. BUT I WILL LOOK AT THE DATA AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING IT AND IF NOT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATION.

THANK YOU, CHIEF. I THINK IT'S MESSAGING AND AN AWARENESS THAT COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS IS TRYING TO EMPHASIZE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE

TAKING IT IN AND YOU DID IN FACT REFERENCED EARLIER THAT THERE HAD BEEN A BIT OF THE TALKING TO ON THIS VERY ISSUE. I THINK WE HAVE A COMMENT FROM

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON OR A QUESTION, AND THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE

CLOSE THIS ITEM THAT WE BRING IT BACK TO WHETHER THERE IS CONSENSUS TO

REASSESS THE BODY WORN CAMERA SUGGESTION FROM OUR POLICE CHIEF THAT WAS

52.6 AND 52.7 THAT COUNCILMEMBER HINTON RAISED. YOU HAD SOMETHING TO ADD?

WE WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT BUT I DID WANT TO JUST MENTION THE THINGS THAT

THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BROUGHT UP ABOUT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL AUDIT. AND OF COURSE MY MEMORY IS USUALLY PRETTY GOOD BUT MAY NOT BE PERFECT. BUT I WILL SAY I WAS NEVER IN SUPPORT OF A CAHOOTS MODEL. WE DID, AS A

COUNCIL, I BELIEVE PRESENTING MYSELF BUT OTHERS FELT IT WAS AN EXPENSIVE MODEL. WE KNEW OTHER BIGGER CITIES LIKE SANTA ROSA ARE LOOKING AT IT BUT WE

DID HAVE OUR HOMELESS PERSON THAT STILL HELPS US TODAY AND THAT WE FELT WAS GOING TOWARDS A CAHOOTS NOT EXACTLY. IT WAS NOT AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION AND IN MY MIND I REMEMBER THAT AND I WAS NOT IN SUPPORT OF IT FOR THAT REASON.

I ALSO WANT TO REPRESENT THAT THE TWEET REPORT HAD A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS. THE REPORT WAS ACCEPTED BY COUNSEL AND THAT WE COUNTED ON OUR POLICE CHIEF TO HELP IMPLEMENT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. OR AS YOU'VE

DONE TONIGHT, AND I DO APPRECIATE SOMEONE SAYING, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT FOR US. WE NEVER HEARD THAT BECAUSE AS HE MENTIONED IT WAS ONGOING. SO

IT WAS LIKE OKAY LET'S IMPLEMENT MAYBE THE EASY STUFF FIRST, THE STUFF WE COULD DO, AND FIGURE THAT OUT DOWN THE ROAD. I'M GLAD WE DON'T HAVE AN UNENDING, ONGOING, WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU TONIGHT ON THAT. AND SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP HOW WILL THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS? I HEARD YOU SAY THESE THINGS WOULD BE COMPLETED BY JUNE 24. OF COURSE TIME MOVES

FAST AND MAYBE THAT CAN BE TIME STAMPED OF WE DID ALL THOSE THINGS, STAMPED JUNE 2024 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. LESLIE, I WAS THE ONE THAT CALLED FOR THE

FISCAL OVERSIGHT REPORT, AS I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS SPENDING THEIR MONEY AT THAT POINT. WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE

MONEY IN THE WORLD SO THE REST OF COUNCIL FELT LIKE THE REPORT WAS THE WAY

TO GO AND LEFT IT TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT POLICE SPENDING AND CITY Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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MANAGEMENT. ANYWAY JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THOSE BECAUSE THEY WERE BROUGHT UP AGAIN TONIGHT BUT THOSE ARE MY RECOLLECTIONS FROM THAT. THANK YOU.

I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR ME TO LIST REALLY QUICKLY THE 8 ITEMS THAT

OUR POLICE CHIEF IS RECOMMENDING NOT BE PURSUED BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL IN CONSENSUS ON LETTING GO OF IT.

SO I'M GOING TO LIST THEM QUICKLY AND I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO-- WELL LET'S DO THIS. I WILL LIST THEM QUICKLY AND THEN COME BACK ONE AT A TIME AND I WANT A THUMBS UP. I JUST WANT TO KNOW THUMBSUP OR THUMBS DOWN WHETHER PEOPLE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICE CHIEF'S RECOMMENDATION. DOES THAT SOUND ACCEPTABLE IN TERMS OF A PROCESS? THE FIRST ITEM IS 46.13. WILL NOT BE TREATED AS LETHAL FORCE. IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THAT? I'M GOING TO GO WITH MAJORITY HERE. WE'VE GOT MAJORITY SUPPORT FOR THAT. THE NEXT ITEM IS 36.19. A WARNING IS NOT A USE OF FORCE IS THE POLICE CHIEF'S RECOMMENDATION. THUMBS-UP OR THUMBS DOWN? UNANIMOUS IN SUPPORT OF THAT.

THE NEXT IS 86.26. NOT PURSUING A CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT PARTNER PRIMARILY FOR FISCAL REASONS BUT ALSO OTHER REASONS. THUMBS-UP OR THUMBS DOWN? I'M SEEING FOUR SO THAT HAS MAJORITY SUPPORT. 48.5 IS NO KINETIC WEAPON PROJECTILES ARE ACCEPTABLE. THUMBS-UP OR THUMBS DOWN? FOUR IN SUPPORT OF THAT AND THEN THE

NEXT ITEM IS NO UP GRADES TO THE DIGITAL AND AUDIO RECORDING ALTHOUGH THAT WILL BE KEPT ON THE BACK BURNER WHEN MONEY BECOMES FREE. THUMBS-UP OR THUMBS DOWN? I'M SORRY, THAT WAS 51.6. I THINK 51.6?
CORRECT. DID YOU UNDERSTAND? I THINK THE ITEM WAS THAT YOU ALREADY DO

RECORDINGS BUT THIS WILL BE A GRADE THAT WOULD SET UP A DIGITAL RECORDING IN THE ROOMS THAT ARE ALWAYS ON?
CORRECT, A MORE MODERNIZED SYSTEM.

OKAY. THUMBS-UP? WE WILL HOLD YOU TO IT AS ONE OF THOSE GOALS.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE NEXT IS 51.9 AND THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE CONTENTS, PERSONNEL, EMPLOYEE PIECES THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION REPORT. ACTUALLY CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US THAT SENTENCE?
I WILL CLARIFY. IN THE INITIAL SO THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION INCLUDES ALL PRIOR DISCIPLINE FOR THE INVESTIGATOR TO BE AWARE OF.

BUT YOUR POSITION IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT DO THAT? IT SHOULD BE SEPARATE REPORTS?

GENERALLY THAT IS NOT DONE BUT AS PART OF THE OVERALL REPORT, THAT IS INCLUDED WITH THE CAPTAIN'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE CHIEFS RECOMMENDATION.

SO IT IS INCLUDED. JUST NOT IN THE INVESTIGATIVE PORTION.

SO KEEPING THOSE SEPARATE. THUMBS-UP? IN FAVOR? AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE BODY WORN CAMERAS. THIS IS THE QUESTION. 52.6 AND 52.7. THE CHIEF IS

RECOMMENDING THAT WE NOT SPECIFICALLY STATE IN REGARDS TO BODY WORN

CAMERAS, THAT A FAILURE BY THE OFFICER TO COMPLY WITH THE RULE WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION. INSTEAD HE FEELS THE OVERALL DISCIPLINARY ACTION POLICY WHICH APPLIES TO EVERY VIOLATION BY AN OFFICER SHOULD APPLY HERE ALSO. SO THAT WAS THE ISSUE THAT COUNCILMEMBER HINTON WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. ANY COMMENT ON THAT ONE?
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON FOR BRINGING THAT UP. I ASSUMED BASED UPON

WHAT I HEARD FROM THE CHIEF SAY THE FACT THAT BODY WORN CAMERAS SHOULD BE WORN ACROSS THE BOARD UNLESS ONE BREAKS OR SOMETHING. WAS THAT WHAT YOU WERE IMPLYING?

THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER IN THE BODY WORN CAMERA POLICY IT SHOULD

SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT A FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE BODY WORN CAMERA POLICY WOULD RESULT IN DISCIPLINE. ISN'T THAT THE QUESTION?
THE CHIEF HAS AGREED THAT THEY SHOULD BE ON DURING TRANSPORT EVEN.

THEY ARE REQUIRED BY POLICY TO HAVE THEM ON, ACTIVATE THEM AT ALL TIMES WHEN CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC. THEY WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED TO HAVE THEM ON DURING TRANSPORT. WE ARE GOING TO

MAKE THAT A REQUIREMENT BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO HAVE THEM ON Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of:

AND IF THEY DO NOT ACTIVATE THEM WHILE ON A CALL THEY ARE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE RIGHT NOW.

THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE BODY WORN CAMERA POLICY NEEDS TO, ITSELF,

INCLUDE THAT WARNING THAT IF YOU VIOLATE THE POLICY YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE.

MY FEELING WAS WHY NOT? IN THE TO BE SPELLED OUT TO EMPLOYEES WHAT THE RULES ARE SO WHY NOT? THAT'S HOW I FELT ABOUT IT.

FOR ME AS WELL I FEEL THAT'S WHERE YOU CREATE BOUNDARIES FOR EMPLOYEES AND

YOU COMMUNICATE EXPECTATIONS AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GRAY.

MY CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE THAT THERE ARE MANY, MANY POLICIES THAT THE

POLICE DEPARTMENT IMPOSES AND WE ARE CALLING THIS ONE OUT BUT I'M SURE THE USE OF LETHAL FORCE OR-- THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN DISCIPLINE, TOO. I GUESS I FEEL

LIKE IF EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE, EVERYTHING IS SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE

AND WE SHOULD NOT CALL OUT ANY PARTICULAR VIOLATION AS MORE MERITORIOUS OF CONSEQUENCES THAT ANOTHER. THAT WOULD BE MY ARGUMENT.

I FEEL LIKE IT IS IN THE REPORT BECAUSE IT WASN'T BEING DONE REGULARLY AND WE HEARD IT TONIGHT IT WASN'T BEING DONE DURING TRANSPORT. AND WE KNOW THERE WAS A HISTORY ESPECIALLY THREE YEARS AGO OF IT NOT BEING DONE. SO FOR ME, IT'S SPECIAL AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE REPORT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE REPORT ON THIS ISSUE.

I THINK WE KNOW THE VARIOUS OPTIONS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE HERE. I HAVE A FEELING WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO. DO WE HAVE ANY CONCERNS? OVERRIDING CONCERNS. TO ME, I QUESTIONED THE NECESSITY. HOWEVER I

UNDERSTAND THE VIEW OF COUNCIL ON IT AS WELL AND I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN OVER IT.

GREAT. SO THUMBS-UP. SHOULD THE DISCIPLINARY WARNING BE INCLUDED IN THE BODY WORN CAMERA POLICY? SHE'S ON THE FENCE. I'M GOING WITH THE MAJORITY. SO PLEASE DO THAT.

SHALL BE DONE.

WOW. WHAT POWER. I THINK AT THIS POINT WE ARE DONE WITH THIS ITEM AND THE PLANNING DIRECTOR IS REALLY DONE. LET'S TAKE A VERY BRIEF BREAK. IT'S 8:15. LET'S COME BACK AT 8:25. 10 MINUTES, THERE'S CAKE IN THE ANNEX. PLEASE GO HELP CELEBRATE LARRY'S GOODBYE. THANK YOU.

HIS TRANSITION. NOT A GOODBYE. [ GROUP ON BREAK UNTIL 8:25 PM PT ]

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AGAIN AFTER TAKING A BRIEF BREAK TO HELP CELEBRATE LARRY McLAUGHLIN 'S COMPLETION OF HIS CITY MANAGER TERM. WE ARE BACK TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE AN ITEM THAT IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE ITEM 13 A WHICH IS THE REPORT FROM THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICTS. I AM MOVING THAT UP TO BE HEARD NOW. WE WILL THEN GO BACK TO OUR REGULAR ORDER WHICH WILL BE ITEM 8, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKPLAN AND THE RECEIPT OF

ANNUAL LEVEL OF SERVICE REPORT WHICH BOTH ARE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR. SO THE B ISD ITEM IS PRESENTED BY THE BIFD AD HOC

COMMITTEE WHICH IS MYSELF, VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN AND ON STAFF SIDE ARE LARRY McLAUGHLIN AND MARY GOURLEY. THIS EIFD REPORT IS IN WRITING ATTACHED TO THE

FULL PACKET AND IS REALLY JUST A BRIEF INTERIM REPORT THAT SUMMARIZES THE

RESULTS OF JUST A WEEKS WORTH OF WORK ON THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT WE ARE

PRESENTED-- THAT THE AD HOC WAS PRESENTED WITH AS TOPICS THAT WE NEEDED TO PURSUE AND THEN REPORT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL ABOUT. WE WILL BE PROVIDING A FULL REPORT AT THE JANUARY 16 MEETING AND THAT WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL AND ACTION ITEM. THIS IS REALLY TO JUST REPORT OUT. IN THE REPORT I WILL MAKE A

COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO THE VICE MAYOR TO ADD TO

THE CONTENT AND THEN WE ARE FORTUNATE TONIGHT TO HAVE SUPERVISOR LINDA

HOPKINS AVAILABLE BY ZOOM SO I WILL BE TURNING TO SUPERVISOR HOPKINS FOR COMMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN IN MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH SUPERVISOR HOPKINS ON THIS TOPIC. THE BASIC REVIEW HERE IS THAT THE COST OF FORMING AND EIFD WAS A Agenda Item Number: 4
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MAJOR QUESTION FOR CITY COUNCIL AND IS ESTIMATED AT $50,000 TO BRING IT

THROUGH THE FEASIBILITY STUDY TO THE POINT WHERE THE EIFD BOUNDARIES CAN BE SUBMITTED TO THE BUREAU OF EQUALIZATION. HELP ME OUT. THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. THAT IS JUST THE PRIMARY STEP AND THEN THERE ARE ADDITIONAL STEPS THAT HAPPEN AFTER THAT. THE REFERENCE POINT IS THE SANTA ROSA CITY

COUNCIL, THE ONLY JURISDICTION IN SONOMA COUNTY THAT HAS MOVED FORWARD TO CREATE ONE, AND THEY ALLOCATED $50,000 FOR THAT PHASE I AND PHASE II AND RECENTLY ALLOCATED AN ADDITIONAL $102,000 TO TAKE THEM THROUGH SURVEYS

THAT ARE NEEDED OF ALL THE PROPERTIES INVOLVED AND TO GET FOR THE CONSULTING. BUT THE FIRST COST, THE FIRST MONEY IS THE $50,000 IS OUR ESTIMATE. AS

I HAVE MENTIONED WE HAVE BEEN, BOTH VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN AND MYSELF WITH

SUPERVISOR HOPKINS OFFICE AND THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR THOSE COSTS BEING COVERED BY THE COUNTY BUT THAT DOESN'T PIN DOWN ANY OF THE SPECIFICS. WE DO

KNOW AT THIS POINT THAT THE POTENTIAL FOR COUNTY SUPPORT FOR THOSE EXPENSES

WOULD BE GREATEST IF THE EIFD INCLUDES ALL OF WEST SONOMA COUNTY AND WOULD BE LEAST OF IT IS THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL ONLY. THE POTENTIAL REVENUE IS OUTLINED IN THE SUMMARY. IT IS CLEAR WHAT IT DOES AS IT LOOKS AT A 30 AND 45 YEAR SPAN. LINDA HOPKINS OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL FACILITATING THE SUBMISSION TO VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN AND ME OF PROJECTIONS BASED ON A 2% ANNUAL GROWTH KEEPING IN MIND THAT JILL McLEWIS'S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXES. IT'S NOT A NEW TAX, BUT AS A REFERENCE POINT, IF IT WERE WEST COUNTYWIDE OVER A 30 YEAR SPAN THAT A 35%

CONTRIBUTION FROM THE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE, THE PORTION FOR THE COUNTY WOULD BE $82.7 MILLION, THE PROJECTION AT THE MOMENT WHEREAS IF IT WERE JUST A CITY ON A 30 YEAR WITH A 2% ANNUAL INCREASE, IT WOULD BE CLOSER TO, I THINK $9.9 MILLION.

SUGGEST AS A REFERENCE POINT. THIS IS JUST RUN NUMBERS. IN TERMS OF TIMELINE WE

DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION BUT THE SANTA ROSA PROCESS INDICATES THAT IT IS A MULTIYEAR PROCESS. THE ISSUED THEIR RFP FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES IN AUGUST 2022 AND ARE JUST NOW, IN DECEMBER 2023 COMPLETING PHASE I AND PHASE II EFFORTS.

POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WE HAVE NOT LOOKED INTO DEEPLY BUT AGAIN

IT IS A BIG RANGE THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED AND THEY ARE LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. ROADS, HIGHWAYS, STREETS, PARKING FACILITIES, TRANSIT FACILITIES, PARKS, RESTORATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS. IT'S A BROAD INFRASTRUCTURE LIST BUT AGAIN THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE PROCESS, PINNING THAT DOWN. THAT IS MY GENERAL OVERVIEW. ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD, VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN?

YES, I WANT TO FIRST THANK SUPERVISOR HOPKINS BECAUSE WHEN THE MAYOR AND I

WERE BOTH ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE SHE SHARED THE IDEA WITH ME KNOWING THE

FACT THAT I WAS HEADING AT THE LIBRARY AD HOC AND INDEPENDENTLY SHARED IT WITH THE MAYOR AND HAS BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL. IT CAN BE VERY DISCOURAGING

TALKING ABOUT EVEN ONE BUILDING AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN BUT THE POSSIBILITIES

OF ACTUALLY HAVING MORE EXPANDED SCOPE TO BE ABLE TO BRING MONEY IN IS VERY EXCITING EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR THE LIBRARY. BUT AS THE MAYOR JUST SAID, IT HAS

GREAT POTENTIAL FOR MANY THINGS THAT HAVE PASSIONATELY BEEN EXPRESSED BY THIS COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT IN THERE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, THE HOPE WOULD BE, THE PLAN IS

TO BRING A FULL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL SO THAT CITY COUNCIL CAN HAVE ALL THE

INFORMATION IN FRONT OF FULL COUNCIL IN ORDER TO MAKE A DECISION AND

DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS WORTH PURSUING AND IF SO WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF

THAT EIFD WOULD BE SO THAT IS OUR TASK ASSIGNMENT AND WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. LINDA HOPKINS, SUPERVISOR HOPKINS, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC FOR US?
YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT TO ME ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY SEE

AROUND WEST COUNTY AND IN SEBASTOPOL IS THE NEED FOR CRITICAL DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENTS. CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE, COMMUNITY SPACES, RECREATIONAL AMENITIES, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A LONG WISH LIST

AND UNLESS WE COME UP WITH A CREATIVE FUNDING MESSIANISM IT IS PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO BUDGET THIS IN. FIRST OF ALL I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS A PROCESS THAT I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING SINCE I GOT ON THE BOARD Agenda Item Number: 4
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AND WAS ALWAYS KIND OF TOLD THAT IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE COUNTY TO BITE OFF

AND THEN SUDDENLY SANTA ROSA STARTED DOING IT AND HAS A CONSULTANT MOVING FORWARD SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WILL BE CONSIDERING

A POLICY EARLY NEXT YEAR AND THAT IS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT SANTA ROSA TO BE

THE FIRST ONE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE AND TO NOT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY

EXTENDED TO OTHER CITY PARTNERS SO THAT WOULD KIND OF ALLOW US TO

FORMALIZE WHAT A COUNTY CONTRIBUTION COULD LOOK LIKE TO AN EIFD IN

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL TODAY

ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS AN INTEREST IN EXPLORING THIS WITH THE COUNTY

BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH MY STAFF TEAM AND THE COUNTIES OFFICE REGARDING POTENTIALLY A $50,000 EXTENSION OF FUNDS TO THE

CITY TO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO THIS AND GET A CONSULTANT ON BOARD AND REALLY DO THE ANALYSIS AND COME UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS. LOOKING AT FORMING THE PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY REQUIRED IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT OPPORTUNITY. I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT PART OF THIS BUT I

ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE ALSO MOVING FORWARD AND CAN ACTUALLY ADD IT TO THAT ITEM WITH A $10,000 ALLOCATION FOR A WARMING CENTER SO WE ARE LOOKING AT BUNDLING THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM IF THERE'S INTEREST. IF NOT AND WE NEED TO EXPLORE THIS FURTHER I AM HAPPY WITH THAT, AS WELL.

GREAT, SO THIS I THINK IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. ANYONE FEEL LIKE STARTING HERE? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?

I GUESS I HAVE TIME TO STILL LEARN ABOUT IT BUT IT'S SAYING THAT PART OF THE

PROCESS IS TO SURVEY THE PROPERTIES, WHICH MAKES ME THINK WE ARE LOOKING

CLOSER AT PEOPLES PROPERTIES AND YET WHEN I LOOK ONLINE IT SAYS IT DOES NOT INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES. SO I'M NOT SURE SURVEYING THE PROPERTIES, IS THAT TO

REASSESS PROPERTIES THAT MAY BE ANYWAY I DIDN'T KNOW WHY SURVEY THE PROPERTIES. IT'S IN YOUR STAFF REPORT, SO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, IF WE ARE NOT REASSESSING ANYTHING WHY ARE WE SURVEYING PROPERTIES? AND MAYBE AGAIN WE WILL LEARN MORE BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS I QUESTIONED THAT.

THE QUICK ANSWER IS NO, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF NEW TAXES. AS I SAID, WE ARE JUST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE INQUIRY INTO IT. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED TO

SURVEY PROPERTIES IS THAT ONCE THE BOUNDARIES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION, THAT DISTRICT HAS TO BE DEFINED ACCURATELY. I THINK IT'S

JUST AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR THE TAXING ENTITY OR BOARD OF EQUALIZATION THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHICH PROPERTIES ARE INCLUDED. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT SUPERVISOR HOPKINS?

THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE REASON I LOVE IT SO MUCH IS THAT IT IS NOT NEW TAXES. IT IS TAKING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING A

PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND REINVESTING IT IN THE COMMUNITY BUT THE ASSESSMENT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER MICK LEWIS?
HOW-- COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS?

IF IT'S BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF SEVASTOPOL HOW WILL IT BE ALLOCATED IF WE ARE INCLUDING WEST COUNTY OR THOSE AREAS?
SUPERVISOR HOPKINS DO YOU WANT TO FIELD THAT ONE?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I WOULD ASK EXACTLY ONE. HOW DO I KNOW THAT SEBASTOPOL IS GOING TO GET ITS FAIR SHARE? MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS IS,

FIRST WE LOOK AT THE INITIAL WORK BUT THE LAST STEP OF THE FIRST PHASE IS TO

CREATE A PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY WHICH WOULD INVOLVE APPOINTED MEMBERS FROM ALL THE JURISDICTIONS PARTICIPATING. IF YOU WERE TO WORK WITH THE

COUNTY IT WOULD BE THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL AND THE COUNTY OF SONOMA AND THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SIT ON IT, AS WELL. THAT'S WHEN YOU COME UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS. AFTER THAT, THE FINANCING AUTHORITY COMES UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS. ANY OF THE ENTITIES CAN STILL BACK OUT SO

WITH THE PUBLIC FINANCING CAME UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS AND THAT CAME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND CITY COUNCIL SAID YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH Agenda Item Number: 4
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FOR SEBASTOPOL, I FEEL THE MONEY IS BEING SIPHONED OFF ELSEWHERE OR DOES NOT

MATCH OUR PRIORITIES, AT THAT POINT YOU SAY WILL BE ARE GOING TO NOT GIVE ANY

SHARES OF OUR TAX INCREMENT INTO THIS EFFORT SO YOU WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL OUT SO YOU HAVE A VETO POWER ESSENTIALLY OVER THAT LIST.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHARE FROM MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE I CONSIDER MYSELF A

SEBASTOPOL RESIDENT BUT I DON'T GET TO VOTE FOR ANY OF YOU BECAUSE I AM JUST

OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS THE SEBASTOPOL IS MY TON AS WELL SO I STRONGLY BELIEVE

THAT EVEN IF YOU WERE TO DRAW A BOUNDARY THAT WAS CLOSER IN LINE, THAT IT

WOULD MAKE SENSE TO INCLUDE PEOPLE LIKE ME BECAUSE WE USE ALL OF THE AMENITIES OF THE CITY. SO I THINK BECAUSE WE HAVE SO FEW URBAN SERVICE AREAS

IN WESTERN SONOMA COUNTY, THOSE AREAS WOULD BENEFIT FROM A LARGER EIFD

BOUNDARY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS TO GO, IN THE PLACES THAT HAVE WATER AND SEWER. SO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF SANTA ROSA THAT IS SEBASTOPOL. FOREST BILL, GURNEY MILL, THAT'S IT FOR URBAN SERVICE

AREAS, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE LITERALLY THEY DON'T HAVE A FUNCTIONING SEWER SO PIPELINE PROCESS-- PROJECT IN PROCESS. LONG STORY SHORT THERE ARE FEW PLACES I CAN ACTUALLY ACCEPT THE TYPES OF PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH EIFD'S.

GOT IT, THANK YOU FOR THAT ANY OF THE QUESTIONS?

MY FIRST PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT THE CITY'S BUDGET SO THE IDEA OF GIVING ANY

INCREMENTAL GROWTH IN OUR PROPERTY TAXES FOR OUR CITY CONSIDERING OUR CURRENT STATUS, WOULD NOT BE OKAY. BUT I SEE THAT THIS REPORT IS NOT INCLUDING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SEBASTOPOL RESIDENTS. COULD YOU CLARIFY THAT THAT IS THE CASE? IS THAT TRUE? I'M ASKING OUR SUPERVISOR.

THE QUESTION BEING WITH THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL BE REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE A PORTION OF INCREMENTAL TAX INCREASES?

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND THE PART THAT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT THE COUNTY DECIDES TO DO WITH RESPECT TO THE FORMAL EIFD POLICY. IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THE

COUNTY WOULD SORT OF JUST PUT IN THERE IS WITHOUT THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL HAVING SOME KIND OF A MATCH. AS FAR AS I KNOW THE ONLY COUNTY THAT HAS A

FORMAL POLICY IS LOS ANGELES BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY CITIES INSIDE OF THEIR

JURISDICTION SO THEY SET A MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION OF THOSE CITIES IN ORDER FOR THE COUNTY TO KICK IN THEIR SHARE. I THINK THE REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO DO TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THIS IS REDEVELOPMENT 2.0. AS PART OF THE ANALYSIS YOU WOULD

NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT THE INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY WILL ACTUALLY

RESULT IN INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES AND REVENUE OVERTIME TO COMPENSATE FOR

THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN INVESTED IN THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND THAT IS THE

VISION THAT SANTA ROSA IS OPERATING UNDER AND WHY THEY BELIEVE IT WILL

BENEFIT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY IN THE LONG RUN WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY TAX VALUES OVERTIME.

ONE QUESTION. WILL ALL RESIDENTS WHO WOULD BE PART OF THIS EIFD, THE PROPERTY OWNERS, WILL THEY GET A VOTE OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT SKIRTS AROUND A VOTE? THEY DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A NEW TAX. IT'S JUST

INVESTING A PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OVER TIME BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT GOES TO THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.

ANY OF THE QUESTIONS?

THERE WAS TALK ABOUT COMBINING THIS WITH WARMING STATIONS BUT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS DOES THE WARMING STATION NEED TO BE IN SEBASTOPOL? ARE THERE OTHER LOCATIONS? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL

THESE DIFFERENT AREAS AND PARTICIPATING SO I'M JUST WONDERING DO ALL THE OTHER AREAS PARTICIPATE IN WARMING CENTERS AS WELL OR IS IT JUST SEBASTOPOL?

I FEEL I MAY HAVE MADE THAT A LITTLE UNCLEAR BECAUSE MY POINT WAS JUST THAT

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGENDA SO IF THERE WAS

INTEREST IN PURSUING THE EIFD, WE WOULD INCLUDE THAT ALLOCATION TO THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL WITH A DISTINCT ALLOCATION FOR $10,000 FOR SUPPORTING A WARMING CENTER WHICH WE HAD BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH MAYOR RICH ABOUT. THAT I WILL

MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS AND A SIMILAR SET UP HAS OCCURRED IN EASTERN SONOMA COUNTY. THIS WOULD JUST STREAMLINE THE PROCESS WHERE WE CAN GET YOU $60,000 EARMARKED FOR DIFFERENT THINGS SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION.

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THOSE TWO ARE NOT LINKED. JUST TO CLARIFY THAT. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
TO CLARIFY YOU ARE OFFERING THE $50,000 TO GET THIS STARTED, AND WHAT WILL IT COST SEBASTOPOL IN ORDER TO GET THIS STARTED? DO WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING MATCHING, AND WHAT DOES THAT COMMIT US TO IN TERMS OF ACCEPTING THE $50,000? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AS I START OF SHARED BEFORE YOU CAN REALLY PULL OUT OF THIS PROCESS AT ANY TIME. WOULD BASICALLY FACILITATE FUNDING TO START THE

PROCESS SO YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE TO CONTINUE OR WHETHER OR NOT TO. GIVEN YOUR CURRENT BUDGETARY AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

THAT YOU ARE FACING THAT A MATCH OF JUST STAFF TIME TO OVERSEE THE CONTRACT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. IF WE ARE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH YOUR STAFF FROM OUR

OFFICE AND THE CITY WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON DOING THE RFP AND MOVING FORWARD, THAT THAT WOULD BE AN ADEQUATE KIND OF MATCH FROM THE CITY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?

SO THIS ISN'T AN ACTION ITEM RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE WE GOING TO BRING IT BACK REALLY QUICKLY? BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING.

I THINK ALL WE COULD DO, AND I HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH THE CITY MANAGER BUT THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER WE CAN DO A THUMBS UP SUPPORT FOR THIS ITEM. I THINK THAT'S WHAT SUPERVISOR HOPKINS IS LOOKING FOR IT. IS THERE MAJORITY SUPPORT? WOULD YOU NEED A FORMAL MOTION? BECAUSE WE CANNOT DO THAT AT THIS MEETING.

IF WE HAD A MAJORITY OF COUNSEL EXPRESSING INTEREST IN THIS THEN MY STAFF AND

MY TEAM COULD START WORKING WITH THE CIOS OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE CAN

GET ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AGENDA WHICH WOULD ALSO NOT BE UNTIL JANUARY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT MEETING UNTIL THEN EITHER. AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE

AFTER CONSULTING WITH YOUR TEAM BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A FORMAL ACTION AND

THAT COULD HAPPEN IN JANUARY BEFORE IT HAPPENS AT OUR MEETING, BUT IT WOULD BE HELP TO KNOW. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED AT ALL THEN WE WILL LEAVE IT BUT IF YOU ARE IT WOULD BE GREAT TO KEEP WORKING ON IT.

I THINK WE HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER MAKING A COMMENT HERE.

TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, AGENDA ITEM 13, THE REPORTS INDICATE THERE WAS

LANGUAGE THAT SAYS FOR ANY OF THESE REPORT ITEMS, CITY COUNCIL CAN GIVE DIRECTION TO THE COMMITTEE THAT BROUGHT THE REPORT. SO IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO TAKE A THUMBS UP THIS EVENING FROM THE COMMITTEE.

IN ORDER TO INDICATE A WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT THE EIFD AND GET INVOLVED IN POTENTIAL FUNDING?
TO CONTINUE ITS WORK.

LINDA, YOU ARE SAYING YOU ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT US AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN A $50,000 GRANT, LET'S SAY, TO GET THIS STARTED? BECAUSE I DIDN'T

READ THAT IN THE REPORT THAT I LOVE FREE MONEY SO I NEED TO REALLY BE CLEAR BECAUSE WITH UP OR DOWN, YET. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT BLUNTLY. IS THAT WHAT'S GOING ON?

I THINK SUPERVISOR HOPKINS WAS NOT AT THAT POINT IN HER PROCESS WHICH IS WHY SHE HAS SHOWN UP TONIGHT BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING AS WELL. COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
I HAVE THREE THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT STAFF THINGS ABOUT THIS IDEA

INCLUDING, CAN WE MATCH THE OFFER WITH STAFF TIME WHICH IS WHAT SHE STATED, IN ORDER TO ACCEPT THE $50,000? WE WOULD NEED TO MATCH IT WITH STAFF TIME. AND

THE THIRD THING IS, HAS ANYONE TALKED TO OUR INCOMING CITY MANAGER DON SWARTS? ABOUT THIS IDEA?
IN TERMS OF THE INCOMING CITY MANAGER I KNOW HE'S AWARE OF IT. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM ABOUT IT. I DON'T KNOW THAT OTHERS HAVE.

MY INSTINCT IS THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY OPPOSITION TO IT. HE DIDN'T EXPRESS ANY OPPOSITION TO IT.

AS FAR AS STAFF TIME EVER READY DONE SOME WORK WITH THE AD HOC LIBRARY COMMITTEE.

CARRY SWANSTROM IS LIKELY TO BE THE PERSON LEADING THIS EFFORT SO I THINK THAT IS A RELEVANT QUESTION.

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IS IT ON YOUR PLAN? $50,000?
IS THIS WHY YOU WANTED TO DISCUSS THIS BEFORE THE WORK PLAN? I DIDN'T CHANGE THE AGENDA. ANYTHING YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? I HAVE A FEELING

THE DIRECTION THIS IS GOING SO IF YOU HAVE HESITATION I THINK NOW'S THE TIME TO EXPRESS IT.

WELL I THINK INVESTIGATING THIS MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR THIS COMMITTEE

BECAUSE I USED TO LIVE SOUTH OF TOWN QUITE A WAYS AND I CONSIDERED

SEBASTOPOL MY TOWN SO I THINK THAT IS THE SENSE THAT I HAVE IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT EVERY DAY WE GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF CITY BOUNDARIES.

SO I THINK THERE'S A SENSE THAT IT'S A LARGER COMMUNITY THAN JUST OUR CITY BOUNDARY FOR THAT. CERTAINLY WRITING AN RFP WITH EXISTING STAFF IS SOMETHING WE CERTAINLY COULD DO.

OKAY SO SUPERVISOR HOPKINS IS THAT OF THE-- THAT THE SORT OF STUFF COMMITMENT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR?

ABSOLUTELY AND LIKE I SAID WE WILL BE WILLING PARTNERS IN TERMS OF OUR OFFICE TEAM AND SUPPORT HOWEVER WE CAN.

THANK YOU, AND I SEE COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS HAS A QUESTION AND IN ORDER TO

MOVE THINGS ALONG I THINK I WILL GO TO A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN AND FIGURE IT OUT.

TO CLARIFY WHEN YOU ARE SAYING WE COULD OPT OUT AT ANY TIME, I'M ASSUMING THAT WOULD BE COUNSEL WHO WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION?
YES.

THE AD HOC COMMITTEE'S ONLY TASK HAS BEEN TO GATHER INFORMATION, BRING IT TO COUNSEL SO JANUARY 16 WHEN IS YOUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING?

I DON'T THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT FOR JANUARY I DON'T THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT FOR JANUARY 8 SO IT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NEXT ONE WHICH WOULD LIKELY BE AFTER THAT. IT WOULD BE THE 23rd I BELIEVE.

BECAUSE JANUARY 16 IS THE DATE WHEN HOPEFULLY IT WILL COME BACK TO COUNSEL.

I'M SORRY COUNCILMEMBER.

I JUST WONDERED, COULD YOU CLARIFY FOR ME WHEN YOU SAY WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU? EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT

DEFINITIONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND I ASK THAT BECAUSE I HEAR A LOT OF TALK AROUND THE LIBRARY AND FOR ME, THAT'S NOT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT'S A

COUNTY FACILITY AND WE HAVE MANY OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE

TO DEAL WITH SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT YOUR DEFINITION IS OF THAT VERSUS EVERYBODY ELSE.

INFRASTRUCTURE IS DEFINED IN THE LEGISLATION THAT CREATED EIFD 'S SO IT WOULD

REFER TO THAT AND WHAT IS AND IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE FUNDED BUT IN TERMS OF

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT ON ME TO

DECIDE, THAT'S ON YOU SO I WOULD NOT PURPORT TO ASSUME WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO FUND.

I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO IDENTIFY WHAT WE WOULD IDENTIFY, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE MEANS TO YOU. WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF THAT? FOR ME IT'S ROADS

AND WATER AND THAT TYPE OF THING AND I'M CURIOUS IF THAT'S WHAT YOURS IS AS WELL BECAUSE AGAIN I KEEP HEARING ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND I FEEL IT. INTRUDING I

WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SEBASTOPOL , WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE I THINK ABOUT ROADS, SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS, BIKE LANES, BUILDINGS, PARKS. I HAVE A PRETTY EXPENSIVE MENTAL

DEFINITION BUT REALLY ALL OF THOSE PUBLIC AMENITIES THAT COMMUNITIES RELY ON TO FUNCTION ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.

THINKING NOW WE CAN-- DO WE NEED TO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? I WAS REALLY HOPING TO GET THIS WRAPPED UP BY 10:00 BUT WE WILL SEE.

ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU SUPERVISOR

HOPKINS IF YOU WOULD NOT MIND HANGING WITH US FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

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THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE EIFD. IF YOU

WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT I WILL GO TO IN CHAMBERS FIRST AND THEN GO OUT TO ZOOM .

I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK. I THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA BUT I HOPE THE COUNCIL CAN GIVE THIS AD HOC A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION IN TERMS OF SCOPE. MAYBE SPEND SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT WHAT DOES THIS KIND OF BOUNDARY LOOK LIKE? I THINK

MANY TIMES WE'VE HEARD REFERENCE THAT IT'S A CITY OF EIGHT REFERENCE THAT IT'S A CITY OF 8000 BUT SERVES 50,000 SO MAYBE THAT'S YOUR BALLPARK PLACE TO START IN

TERMS OF POPULATION AND SIZE OF THE BOUNDARY BUT AGAIN THAT'S A FOR COUNSEL TO DECIDE BUT PLEASE TRY TO GIVE SOME MORE DIRECTION TONIGHT.

THANK YOU KYLE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON ZOOM PLEASE

RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY AND UNMUTE YOUR TELEPHONE OR WAVE TO GET MY ATTENTION IN THE GALLERY.

I SEE NO HANDS RAISED, SO I WILL COME BACK TO THE CHAMBER.

I JUST LOOKED IT UP AND IT SEEMS LIKE ALL OF THE CITIES IN CALIFORNIA ARE MUCH, MUCH BIGGER PLACES. THIS SEEMS TO BE INCREDIBLY SQUISHY TO ME, VERY VAGUE

WHAT THIS IS AND GIVEN THE MAYOR AND THE VICE MAYOR PLUS LINDA HOPKINS, THIS COULD GO VERY BADLY WRONG, I THINK BASED ON THE PROCLIVITIES OF THESE PEOPLE.

SO BEFORE PROCEEDING I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A HECK OF A LOT MORE. I THINK THE

QUESTION ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE WE JUST DISCUSS THE POLICE EARLIER THIS EVENING. MORE WARMING CENTERS AND MORE INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL THEM MEANS MORE OVERHEAD FOR THE CITY. SO I WOULD LIKE A HECK OF A LOT MORE DETAIL ON THIS BEFORE WE GET ANY FURTHER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. KATE CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?
YES, THANK YOU.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN, THANK YOU.

I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING IDEA, I WONDERING HOW THIS DIFFERENTIATES FROM

MAY BE DOING A BROADER LEAP WHICH WOULD JUST BE HAVING THE COUNTY ABSORB

THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL GIVEN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CRISIS AND INABILITY TO REALLY COVER ITS INFRASTRUCTURE? I THINK WASTEWATER AND THE WATER FUND ARE

NOW IN A DEFICIT AND IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF, IN TERMS OF FIRE AND POLICE STAFFING, WHERE VERY SHORTSTAFFED. SO THAT IS ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE. MY OTHER

QUESTION IS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO PLACE THE WARMING CENTER IN ANOTHER CITY? BECAUSE SEBASTOPOL HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA OF HOMELESS SERVICES

AND ALSO THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA OF HOMELESS PEOPLE AND IF YOU REMEMBER, YOU, SUPERVISOR HOPKINS TOOK THE HOTEL AND ALL THE REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

SO I WOULD ALSO INSTEAD OF $50,000 GOING TOWARD THIS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AS $300,000 OR $400,000 ANNUAL REIMBURSEMENT TO THE CITIZENS OF SEBASTOPOL FOR ALL

OF THE MONEY THAT WE LOST WHEN THE HOTEL WAS CONVERTED INTO HOMELESS HOUSING. I KNOW FOUR SPILL DOESN'T HAVE ANY HOMELESS SERVICES WHATSOEVER SO MAYBE THEY COULD TAKE THE WARMING CENTER. ANOTHER CITY BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE KIND OF TAPPED OUT. WE JUST DECLARED A FISCAL EMERGENCY. POLICE ARE

OVERWHELMED, SO I WOULD KINDLY ASK IF YOU COULD TAKE THAT BEAUTIFUL OFFERING AND GIVE IT TO ANOTHER CITY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO THE CHAMBERS. IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. I SEE NO HANDS RAISED VIRTUALLY.

LINDA CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE?
CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY?
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TWEAK THIS PHONE A LITTLE BIT. VOLUME IS NOT ADEQUATE BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU KATE AND OLIVER. MY TAKE ON IT, DID I UNDERSTAND IT?

BECAUSE I'M NOT HEARING THINGS REAL CLEARLY HERE, DID I UNDERSTAND YOU LINDA,

AND BY THE WAY HELLO, GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN THAT YOUR-- YOU ARE A FINE LIAISON. BUT DID I HEAR SOMETHING ABOUT OPEN SPACES AND PARKS AND STUFF? Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 10 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW INCLUDING THE HOTEL, A 96 UNIT, THREE-STORY MONSTROSITY SLATED TO GO INTO

AN APPLE ORCHARD UP HERE BEHIND THE O'REILLY BUILDING SO WE ARE FILLING UP, IN

MY OPINION ALL OF THE OPEN SPACES AND POTENTIAL PARKS THAT ARE POSSIBLE AT

ALL AND ABSOLUTELY NO CONSIDERATION, THESE STUDIES AND STUFF, I'M READING THE

DRAFT, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS AND THEY ARE

FINDING THAT THERE IS NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON TRAFFIC DESPITE THE FINDING HERE AT THIS ONE PROJECT, 684 ADDED VEHICLE TRIPS DAILY ON HEALDSBURG AVENUE AND 116.

YOU HAVE 25 SECONDS.

BUT THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA TO ME. WE REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE

OPEN SPACES AND STUFF AND WE NEED TO SLAM THE BRAKES ON THE DEVELOPMENTS IN

MY OPINION AND PUT A MORATORIUM ON BUILDING UNTIL PEOPLE START LOOKING AT THESE IMPACT REPORTS. WATER, THE COPS, TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU LINDA FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY OR WAVE TO GET MY ATTENTION. THERE WE GO. MARY CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE?

SORRY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW CLEARLY THAT THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM LINDA HOPKINS AND ANYBODY ON CITY COUNCIL. THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE IN CHAMBERS I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM ONE LAST TIME. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, UNMUTE YOUR TELEPHONE OR WAVE TO GET MY ATTENTION. SEEING NO ONE TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTION, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE BACK WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR DISCUSSION AND

AN INDICATION HOPEFULLY OF SUPPORT OR LACK OF SUPPORT FOR THE OFFER THAT SUPERVISOR HOPKINS HAS MADE TO US. I WILL SAY, AND HAVE SUPERVISOR HOPKINS

CONFIRM THIS ALSO, AN EIFD DOES NOT INCLUDE UNAMBIGUOUS, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. IT IS TAKING A PORTION OF EXISTING PROPERTY

TAXES AND HAVING IT CONTRIBUTE A PORTION OF THOSE EXISTING PROPERTY TAXES TO A NEW LEGAL ENTITY, AN EIFD, A NEW DISTRICT. SO NO NEW TAXES. SUPERVISOR HOPKINS DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN TO CONFIRM THAT IS THE CASE? I WANT TO ECHO EVERYTHING YOU SAID. THANK YOU MAYOR RICH AND IF WE WERE TO

DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE-- IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS IF WE WERE TO ASSESS PROPERTY TAXES IT WOULD BE A TWO THIRDS VOTE. THE REASON THIS IS NOT HAVE TO

GO TO A VOTE IS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY PUTTING ANY NEW TAXES ON ANYONE. IT IS DIVERTING AN INCREASE OVER TIME INTO A POT OF FUNDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

THANK YOU. YES, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?

I WANTED TO SAY IN THE BRIEF RESEARCH I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IT SAYS THAT

THESE ARE TO FUND PROJECTS THAT DEMONSTRATE A COMMUNITYWIDE BENEFIT AND IN THAT BRIEF RESEARCH IT SAYS THAT THEY CAN ALSO FUND LOCAL WATER PROJECTS. WE

KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS HELP, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT AND THE POSSIBILITIES. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE IT ALL VETTED BUT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST START AND IT LOOKS GOOD TO ME. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. IN MY BRIEF RESEARCH IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A SOLUTION FOR SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

I WOULD LIKE WHEN YOU BRING THIS BACK , TO SPELL OUT HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THAT $82 MILLION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW YOU ARRIVED AT THAT

NUMBER AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DEFINED BOUNDARY AND DEFINE POTENTIAL PROJECTS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT AND THAT DIRECTION. WE DO HAVE A SPREADSHEET THAT

WAS PROVIDED BY THE COUNTIES ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, SO THAT WILL BE ATTACHED Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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AND BE PART OF THE JANUARY 16 REPORT. SO YES, WE HAVE ALL OF THAT THAT WE CAN SUBMIT AND THAT IS THE EXPECTATION AND THE PLAN.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES BUT I JUST

WANT TO CLARIFY, WOULD THAT MEAN THAT OUR PROPERTY TAX THAT THE CITY IS RECEIVING REMAIN STAGNANT? IF THE INCREASE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO THE EIFD? GO AHEAD SUPERVISOR HOPKINS.

IT WOULD NOT BE DIVERTING ALL OF THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. IT WOULD BE TAKING A PORTION. SO THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT 25% LOOK LIKE? AND THEN AGAIN THE GOAL IS TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS SO THAT YOU ACTUALLY MAKE THAT 25% UP BECAUSE YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX AND

GROWTH OVER TIME WHETHER IT IS THROUGH INCENTIVIZING NEW HOUSING

DEVELOPMENTS OR CREATING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE OF THE ENHANCED AMENITIES.

I GUESS THE COMMENT I WOULD MAKE IS THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A MULTIYEAR PROCESS. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT CAN BE CONTRIBUTED FROM THE

CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE ALREADY COLLECT, NONE OF THAT COULD BE ALLOCATED TO THIS DISTRICT WITHOUT CITY COUNCIL ACTION.

RIGHT, BUT IF WE HAVE A PORTION GOING INTO A FUND THAT IS DECIDED BY A

DIFFERENT GROUP OF PEOPLE OTHER THAN PEOPLE THAT ARE ALL IN SEBASTOPOL,

DOESN'T THAT IMPACT THE OVERALL FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IN OUR BUDGET THAT IS

BEING DECIDED BY ELSEWHERE RATHER THAN HERE AND AS WE SIT HERE AND TALK

ABOUT A FISCAL EMERGENCY AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DIVERTING FUNDING SOMEWHERE ELSE? WHERE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY-- YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT

WOULDN'T JUST BE PEOPLE IN SEBASTOPOL DECIDING ON THIS SO AREN'T WE IN EFFECT TAKING OUR OWN POWER AWAY, GIVING THAT AWAY?

I THINK THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE WILL ADDRESS IF WE DECIDE ON JANUARY 16 OR BEYOND THAT, TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FULLY. THERE IS SO MUCH THAT HAS NOT BEEN ANSWERED YET.

FOR ME THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE TONIGHT, AND I WON'T BE IN LINE BUT I BELIEVE WE

HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF SCOPE OR BOUNDARIES AROUND IT BECAUSE IT IS CONCERNING TO ME, JUST A WIDE-OPEN THING. AND I UNDERSTAND FREE MONEY BUT WHAT DO THEY SAY, IF IT'S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE? SO I JUST THINK THAT, I HAVE SOME

CONCERNS AND I FEEL FOR ME TONIGHT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SAY YEAH, LET'S GO. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE STILL NEED TO ANSWER. ANYONE, BEFORE WE-- AND I GET THAT. I ACTUALLY GET THAT. HONESTLY, STEPHEN ZOLLMAN

AND I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS WE HAVE NOT ANSWERED AND IT HAS JUST BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS BE BEFORE WE DO THUMBS UP AND THUMBS DOWN?
JUST ONE MORE IDEA. IS THE IDEA OF ENGAGING ANYONE WHO WOULD BE WITHIN THIS BOUNDARY. I SEBASTOPOL IS THE TOWN. I LOVE TO HAVE YOU PUT IT, SUPERVISOR

HOPKINS, THAT YOU LOVE THIS TOWN AND I THINK IT'S TRUE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE WEST COUNTY. THEY IDENTIFY WITH SEBASTOPOL AS THEIR TOWN AND I WANT TO MAINTAIN THE FROM THE RELATIONSHIP AND NOT JUST ASSUME. I THINK THIS

HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR BEING VERY POLITICAL SO HOWEVER WE PROCEED WITH IT I

WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH CARE BECAUSE THIS IS PROPERTY TAXES THAT PEOPLE

ARE PAYING, LIKELY THEY VOTED FOR IT TO GO I'M NOT SURE ALL THE PROPERTY TAXES

THAT PEOPLE PAY BUT IF YOU ARE TAKING A PORTION OF IT, I JUST THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT. SEBASTOPOL WAS ALWAYS OUR TOWN. IC

OF WEST COUNTY THAT EVEN IF WE ARE GIVING UP A LITTLE BIT BY DRAWING A LARGER

DISTRICT OF PEOPLE THAT COME TO OUR CITY WE WILL PROBABLY GET MORE THAN WE ARE GIVING UP. IT'S JUST A MATH EQUATION. TO ME, IT'S PROBABLY A WIN. I KNOW

THERE'S A LOT TO BE VETTED AND I AGREE WE SHOULD WHAT CAREFULLY BUT I AM

INTERESTED IN PURSUING IT BECAUSE I DO SEE THE BENEFITS AND ALL OF THE

HOUSEHOLDS NOT JUST THE ONES AS SUPERVISOR HOPKINS SAYS RIGHT OVER THE BORDER BUT MANY HOUSEHOLDS THAT VIEW SEBASTOPOL. AND IF WE COULD GET A Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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PORTION TO HELP US CONTRIBUTE TO INFRASTRUCTURE IN OUR TOWN I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN OVERALL BENEFIT SO I'M SUPPORTING THAT TONIGHT.

THUMBS UP AND THUMBS DOWN ON GIVING SUPERVISOR HOPKINS OUR SUPPORT FOR PURSUING A $50,000 GRANT TO COVER THE INITIAL CONSULTING FEES. OKAY. YOU GOT

OUR SUPPORT, SUPERVISOR HOPKINS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN THE MIDST OF EVERYTHING ELSE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR SEBASTOPOL. WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? SO WE ARE CLOSING OUT THIS ITEM AND NOW THIS IS REALLY A QUESTION FOR MARY GOURLEY. I DON'T SEE US GETTING TO ITEM 11. IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH PUSHING THE DESIGNATED VOTING DELEGATE TO THE JANUARY 16 MEETING?
NO THERE WILL NOT BE BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE FIRST MEETING WAS IN FEBRUARY.

OKAY, SO LET'S PUSH THAT AND THEN REORGANIZATION OF THE AGENDA FORMAT. CAN WE PUSH THAT TO JANUARY 16?

LET'S MOVE FORWARD TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND IF WE HAVE TO DROP ANOTHER ITEM IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF HERE, OKAY FINE, 10:30 THAT'S THE ITEM THAT GOES. TWO ITEMS YOU ARE BRINGING FORWARD TO US. THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKPLAN

AND THE RECEIPT OF THE ANNUAL LEVEL OF SERVICE REPORT AND YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE BRIEF, SO THANK YOU.

JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW, I UTILIZE A WORKPLAN FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO HELP ORGANIZE, I NEED A MOMENT HERE. I SEE THAT VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN IS MAKING A REQUEST .

I'VE NEVER BEEN CALLED A QUIET PERSON UNTIL THESE MEETINGS.

WE PUT TOGETHER PERIODICALLY LIMITED STAFF TIME, LIMITED PLANNING COMMISSION TIME AND BUDGET DOLLARS. WHAT WE'VE DONE RECENTLY WITH THE

PLANNING COMMISSION WAS TO REVIEW OUR WORKPLAN AND THE PLANNING

COMMISSION HAD A COUPLE OF MEETINGS TO DISCUSS IT AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS IS 23 - 24 INTO 25 AS WELL AT THIS POINT AND IN TERMS OF THE ITEMS, 3A, 3B ONE, TWO, THREE A AND 3B ARE GRANT FUNDED. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUTSIDE FUNDING FOR THIS, ITEM 1 THE OBJECTIVE DESIGN STANDARDS OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ADOPTED THOSE. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THE SB NINE SINGLE-FAMILY LOT SPLIT REGULATIONS WHICH WE ALSO HAVE A DRAFT OF AND ARE ABOUT TO START REVIEW OF.

THE VEHICLE MILE TRAVEL THRESHOLDS IS WELL UNDERWAY AND IF YOU COME TO

COUNCIL IN THREE MONTHS OR SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO KNOCK OFF THE FIRST TWO FAIRLY QUICKLY IN EARLY 2023. THE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN WHICH USED TO BE

CALLED THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH A

GRANT WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF CITY FUNDING FOR THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE FUND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE THAT IT IS UPDATING BOTH COUNTIES AND CITIES.

IF ALL OF THOSE ARE COVERED BY GRANTS LET'S MOVE TO THE NEXT CATEGORY. THE

LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN IS THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THAT AND THAT IS BASICALLY THE WORKPLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR 18 MONTHS OR SO.

THE HOUSING ELEMENT, I WOULD BET WILL TAKE--

THE PDA GRANT WILL BE A PORTION OF THAT AND I DID GET A QUESTION FROM A

COUNCILMEMBER ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER HOUSING ELEMENT OF LIMITATIONS, THE TOP OF PAGE 3 AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME COMMENTS ON THAT AND THAT IS ONE

WHERE IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO PRIORITIZE, I WOULD

RECOMMEND A JOINT MEETING WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT A PLANNING

COMMISSION TIME TO DISCUSS THAT AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE IN TERMS OF DIRECTION AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO.

THE QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE ON THAT COMMENT IS, WHAT WOULD BE THE TIMING OF THAT JOINT SESSION AND WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN FIRST? WOULD

THERE HAVE TO BE A DECISION ABOUT WHICH ITEMS THEY WERE INTERESTED IN OR COULD IT JUST BE A MEETING WHERE ALL ITEMS WERE DISCUSSED?

FIRST OF ALL THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS HERE TONIGHT AND I DO HAVE A MEETING TO REVIEW THE FORECAST. IT WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AT LEAST INTO THE NEW YEAR GIVEN OUR SCHEDULE. HEARING TONIGHT ABOUT ITEMS TO PUT ON THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE CONTEXT IF WE CAN.

UP THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM

LEGAL AID IN TERMS OF TENANT RIGHT ISSUES AND THAT IS ONE WHERE THE PLANNING Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
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COMMISSION WOULD NEED DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD ON THOSE. WE COULD DO A

LITTLE BIT OF A DISCUSSION KICK OFF FOR RENT FUNDING TO GET SOME DIRECTION AS

WE GO INTO THAT PROJECT AS WELL WHICH IS RELATED TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT AS WELL.

I INTERRUPTED YOUR FLOW HERE BUT LOOKING AT THIS AT THE WORKPLAN THAT

YOU'VE PRESENTED, WHICH ITEMS ARE DEFINITELY ON YOUR WORKPLAN AND INCLUDED? DOES THAT GO THROUGH PAGE 4?
ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE FIVE BE I SHOULD SAY ARE IMMEDIATE, THIS NEXT YEAR.

THE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE WE COULD PROBABLY DO WEEKLY BUT I THINK WE

NEED, AGAIN, SOME DISCUSSION BETWEEN PLANNING COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL

WITH NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT REVENUE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. ITEMS SEVEN AND EIGHT, WELL SEVEN IS, THE STATE PASSES LAWS EVERY

SINGLE YEAR AND A LOT OF THEM RELATE TO HOUSING OR PLANNING AND WE NEED TO RESPOND TO THOSE SO WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS, AND THEN ITEM 8 ARE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOUND AND A COUPLE OF THESE FALL UNDER THE BUDGET COMMITTEE.

ARE THERE WAYS WE CAN MAKE DOING BUSINESS IN SEBASTOPOL MORE FRIENDLY? WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR ORDINANCES SO THERE ARE A COUPLE, ESPECIALLY ITEM 4

THAT BOTH STAFF AND PLANNING COMMISSION RECOGNIZES NEED SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN TERMS OF USE PERMITS. SO WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO THOSE. PART OF

THAT IS PRIORITIES OF COUNCIL, STAFF TIME, OTHER THINGS THAT GET ASSIGNED TO THE DEPARTMENT AND BALANCING THAT ALL OUT. I WOULD SAY THERE'S BACKGROUND

WORK BEING DONE WITH IDENTIFYING NEEDS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND TALKING WITH FOLKS. I MET TODAY WITH THE ROTARY AND LAST WEEK WITH FRIENDS OF IBIS PARK

IVES PARK SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BACKGROUND THINGS LOOKING FOR FUNDING AND

WAYS TO MOVE THAT FORWARD GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND BUT NOT A MAJOR INITIATIVE LIKE THE CREEK NATURALIZATION PROJECT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

ANYTHING ELSE FROM AN OVERVIEW PERSPECTIVE?
NO. I THINK THAT'S

IF WE CAN CLARIFY, THE ITEMS THAT YOU DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE PRIORITIZED THAT YOU COULD PRIORITIZE OR CONSIDER PRIORITIZING WITH COUNCIL DIRECTION. ARE THOSE ITEMS SIX, THE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE, ITEM 8 WHICH IS KIND OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE CLEANUP, AND ITEM 9 WHICH IS THE IVES PARK MASTER PLAN? YES. AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE STOPPED NUMBERING BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE REALISTIC. IN A TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME HOW MUCH COULD YOU POSSIBLY GET DONE, SO THE CREEK ORDINANCE AND EVERYTHING AFTER PAGE 5 IS NOT ON THE AGENDA AT THIS POINT. IT'S NOT ON THE PLAY, IT IS IN THE CUPBOARD, SO TO SPEAK.

CAN WE ASSUME THAT TO THE EXTENT WHAT COUNCIL WANTS TO PRIORITIZE ANYTHING IN NUMBER 6 OR LATER, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A JOINT-- HE WOULD PROPOSE A JOINT MEETING?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST, COUNCIL HAS SAID, IT HAS NOT BEEN QUITE SO

GRANT LOADED OR WITH A NEED TO DO SOME OF THESE IN THE PAST BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME TIMES WHERE COUNCIL SAYS DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS. THIS IS NOT A PRIORITY FOR US. MOVE IT DOWN OR MOVE IT UP, SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE COMING TO YOU WITH THIS. THIS IS WHAT STAFF AND THE COMMISSION HAVE DISCUSSED AS PRIORITIES BUT WE NEED YOUR GUIDANCE AS WELL.

I THINK AT THIS POINT QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER MAURER, ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK ? I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LINE HERE.

THERE ARE-- BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE-- DOES THAT MEAN IT MAY NOT BE ADDRESSED THIS YEAR? ACTED ON WITH A NOT BE ABLE TO BE ACTED ON?
WE WOULD NOT BE WORKING ON IT THIS YEAR IF IT'S NOT IN THE WORKPLAN. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THERE ARE THINGS THAT, I DID LOOK AT WHAT WENT TO THE CLIMATE

ACTION COMMITTEE AND I THINK IT WOULD NEED A LOT OF STAFF WORK IN TERMS OF

WRITING IT AS AN ORDINANCE THAT COULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND BE VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE WHAT THE REGULATIONS ARE SORT OF A GENERAL POLICY AT THIS POINT.

THERE'S A LOT OF STAFF WORK THAT WOULD NEED TO GO INTO THAT THAT I DON'T SEE MY DEPARTMENT HAVING TIME FOR. IF YOU WANT TO THAT TO HAPPEN THEY WOULD

NEED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, IS THERE SOMETHING HERE YOU ARE D PRIORITIZING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT?
Agenda Item Number: 4
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VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN?

THANK YOU BECAUSE IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I ALWAYS LIKE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME AND A COUPLE I HAD SUBMITTED. SOMETHING YOU SAID I SHOULD

EXPRESS INTEREST IN IS A RUN NUMBER FIVE WHICH, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS THE

PRIORITIZED, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO REALLY HAVE THE MEETING WITH THE PLANNING

COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACHIEVE TWO THINGS UNDER WORKPLAN NUMBER 5. AS WE HEARD FROM THE HOUSING ELEMENT THE BEST AND CHEAPEST WAY TO KEEP HOUSING IS TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THE HOUSES. AS FAR AS RENT CONTROL WE HAD HEARD FROM LEGAL AID. IN ORDER TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSES WOULD BE SOME TYPE OF TENANT PROTECTION. WHAT I ALSO HEARD WAS SOME SORT OF HARASSMENT

PROTECTIONS AS WELL ALONG WITH A REGISTRY SO I WANT TO ASK YOU FOR INFORMATION FOR COUNSEL, THOSE TYPE OF ISSUES WOULD BE UNDER NUMBER FIVE. IS THAT WERE YOU SEE THEM?
NUMBER FIVE, CORRECT.

AND SPECIFICALLY THE TOP OF PAGE 3. THESE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT CAME UP EITHER

AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WE HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTERS IN THE ROOM

TONIGHT WHO ATTENDED THAT MEETING AND TALKED ABOUT THE TINY HOMES AND

OTHER ISSUES THAT ARISE, IF COUNCIL HAS OTHER ISSUES, WE NOTE IT'S A POTENTIAL DISCUSSION.

YOU ALREADY HIT WHERE I WAS GOING. YOU ALSO SEE THAT AS BEING UNDER NUMBER FIVE AS WELL?
CORRECT, SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF IS IT A PRIORITY? WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

RIGHT, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INCLUDING HERE THE

AUDIENCE THAT TINY HOMES IS IMPORTANT FOR AT LEAST HAVING MORE HOMES FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. LAW ENFORCEMENT, TEACHERS, TO OPEN MORE STOCKS.

GETTING INTO COMMENTS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO CAPTURE ANY ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE WORK PLAN LIST THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER HAVING PRIORITIZED.

EVEN WITHIN THE WORK PLAN LIST, THERE ARE ITEMS THAT YOU FEEL WE NEED TO BE

DISCUSSED IF THEY WERE GOING TO BE PRIORITIZED AND THAT WOULD BE THE HOUSING

ELEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION AND OTHER IMPLEMENTATION ITEMS THAT WERE JUST DISCUSSED BY VICE MAYOR ZOLLMAN. WE ALSO HAVE THE RIGHTS OF NATURE QUESTION. ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDED INTO THE WORKPLAN? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?

I THINK WE NEED TO DO A THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS A SPECIAL INTEREST-- THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT.

IN GENERAL JUST GO THROUGH IT.

COUNSEL McLEWIS? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? NO QUESTIONS. THE ONE THAT I SEE IS A PRIORITY FOR ME BUT IS ALREADY ON THE LIST.

I APPRECIATE THAT SUGGESTION WHAT I'M HEARING FOR COUNCILMEMBER HINTON IS

THAT PERHAPS AFTER WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT WE CAN COME UP AND DO THUMBS UP AND THUMBS DOWN ON EACH OF THE ITEMS IN THE LIST. WE WILL SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS AND WE LOOK AT OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'M NOT ASKING FOR A VOTE ON THE RIGHTS OF NATURE ORDINANCE. IT'S OKAY WHERE IT IS.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? NO? OKAY. I THINK WE WANT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? MARY GOURLEY?
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKPLAN. IF YOU

WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT I WILL GO IN CHAMBER FIRST AND GO OUT TO ZOOM. WE DO HAVE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

GOOD EVENING. STEVE PEARCE, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M HERE

TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE TINY HOMES IT'S PART OF THE UP DATE TO THE WORKPLAN. IT'S PRIORITIZED BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL HAS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND WHY THIS WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO THE TOWN. MOVING IN DIRECTIONS OF TINY HOMES THAT ARE ON WHEELS. THEY CAN BE MOVED TO PEOPLE'S

LOTS, A SEWER HOOKUP, AND ELECTRICAL HOOKUP, PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST HOUSING Agenda Item Number: 4
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THAT CAN BE HAD. THEY CAN BE RENTED AND OWNED, THEY CAN ON THEIR OWN, AND BRING IN A TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS TO A LOT THAT IS PROVIDED. THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AND IT'S ONE THAT I RECOMMEND THE CITY TO LOOK AT. IT CAN COST AS LITTLE AS $650 A MONTH TO RENT A SPACE AND BRING IN YOUR OWN TINY HOME. YOU ARE A HOMEOWNER IN TOWN. THAT CANNOT BE HAD ANYWHERE ELSE. YOU

CAN PURCHASE THESE THINGS, THEY ARE QUITE NICE-LOOKING AND LOOKING ONLINE

THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF TV SHOWS THAT ARE OUT THERE NOW ABOUT TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS. THEY MEET THE CODE REQUIREMENTS, THEY MEET THE ENERGY REQUIREMENTS AND BECOMING THE FUTURE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THEY CAN BE 20 OR $30,000 TO PUT UP A FOUNDATION TO PLUNK DOWN AND ADU ON TOP OF IT. IT'S MOBILE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE YOU ARE LIVING YOU CAN MOVE IT TO ANOTHER PLACE. THE COUNTY HAS ALLOWED TINY HOMES ON WHEELS BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T DO IT AS AN ADU.

THAT'S TWO MINUTES.

NEXT I WILL GO TO ZOOM IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WORKPLAN. LORETTA CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF? CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN.

I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. CAN YOU SHOW US THE LIST YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?
YES WE WILL PUT THAT ON DISPLAY.

THANK YOU, THAT IS ALL I WANTED.

NEXT I WILL GO TO KATE. CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF? CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER? I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST OF THE PRIORITIES.

YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT THAT THE LIST

IS QUITE LARGE ON THE SCREEN SO SCROLLING WILL PROBABLY HELP SOMEONE LOOK AT THE LIST. THE COMMENT ABOUT THE EASIEST WAY TO PRODUCE MORE HOUSING IS

THROUGH KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOUSES, AND I WOULD SAY THAT RELATES TO

VACATION RENTALS, SO CLEARLY IF YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG VACATION RENTAL POLICY, YOU ARE RETAINING MORE HOUSING STOCK FOR LONG-TERM RENTERS. I

BELIEVE THAT THE HOUSING POLICY SHOULD REALLY NARROW DOWN THE NUMBER OF

AIR BNB AND VACATION RENTALS WITHIN CITY LIMITS TO PRESERVE EXISTING HOUSING FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN TOWN. MY OTHER COMMENT WOULD BE ONCE

AGAIN I THINK THAT ANY SORT OF STRUCTURE THAT BRINGS PEOPLE INTO TOWN

WHETHER IT IS AN ADU OR A TINY HOME SHOULD ALSO PAY IMPACT FEES BECAUSE OF

THOSE PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE USE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY. SO WE LOSE INFRASTRUCTURE MONIES WHEN SMALLER HOMES DO NOT PAY TOWARD INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT A HOTEL ALWAYS HAS TO PAY IT. 20 SECONDS.

EVEN THOUGH THE ROOMS MAY BE VERY SMALL, THE PERSON STILL FLUSHING THE TOILET AND USING THE SEWER ARE STILL CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO I WOULD

STRESS ONCE AGAIN REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE HOME, THEY SHOULD STILL BE PAYING TOWARDS INFRASTRUCTURE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.

SO I HAVE A PLAN. ONE THING THAT IS BEING CLEANED OUT MORE RECENTLY AS RESULT

OF GRANT DEADLINES WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN AND

MAKE CHANGES AND IMPROVEMENTS ON THIS PROJECT, HAPPENING WITHIN A ONE

MONTH PERIOD WITHIN THE LAST MEETING, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING ON THIS THAT YOU

CAN PRIORITIZE AND PRIORITIZE THE GRANT FUNDED OPPORTUNITIES EARLIER IN THE

SCHEDULE THAT WAY THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT AND COUNCIL INPUT

SO IT'S NOT BUTTING UP AGAINST THE DEADLINE, PASS IT OR YOU PAY FOR IT KIND OF A SITUATION THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED MORE RECENTLY. THE OTHER THING TO ECHO

WHAT I'M KIND OF HEARING IS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO ANYWHERE IN TERMS OF

RENT CONTROL, WHICH IN THE FUTURE WE ARE GOING TO IT NEEDS TO BE PREFACED WITH A STRONG UPDATE TO THE AIR BNB POLICY. THEY ALL JUMP OVER AND GO INTO

AIR BNB WORLD AND YOU'VE DEFEATED THE PURPOSE OF RENT CONTROL IN THE FIRST PLACE.

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF

THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE WORKPLAN, PLEASE WAIVE TO GET MY ATTENTION. CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF? GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.

AS USUAL YOU KNOW, I AM COMPUTER FREE SO FRANKLY I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A

CLUE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUT JUST PICKING UP ON

WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS ARE TALKING ABOUT, HOUSING, LIKE TO MENTION THAT ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS IS LIVING IN A CARGO CONTAINER. I THINK IT'S VERY

INTERESTING AND ALSO, I AM INTRIGUED WITH THE IDEA WITH ALTERNATE HOUSING, TINY HOMES AND ALL OF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE EXPLORED. BUT IN THE

MEANTIME, PEOPLE NEED TO START LOOKING AT WHAT THE COST-- CONSEQUENCES OF

BUILDING EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE PIPELINE, ALREADY BEEN APPROVED NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DREADLOCKED. IT'S

GOING TO BE WORSE THAN IT ALREADY IS AND I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT GOOD RIGHT

NOW, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR WONDERFUL-- DEPARTMENT

THAT IS UNDER RESPECTED, UNDERSTAFFED AND SAME WAY WITH THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT WHICH, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY LEADERS KEEP CREATING DISINCENTIVES FOR--
I'M SORRY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOT ON THIS WORKPLAN. WOULD YOU PLEASE KEEP TO THE TOPIC?
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT. I'M TALKING ABOUT HOUSING. I'M TALKING ABOUT LEVELS OF SERVICE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. SO ANYWAY, WE NEED TO START

LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED AND THE CONSEQUENCES WHICH AREN'T GOING TO BE GOOD AT ALL. AS FAR AS THE BUILDING AND SERVICES YOU HAVE 15 SECONDS 6:00 ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRED. THESE LEADERS, YOU ARE TAKING US TO-- IN A HAND BASKET. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.
[ CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
--

THE IMPLEMENTATION IS THAT WITHIN ITEM NUMBER FIVE, -- OR DID YOU NEED DIRECTION? SEE MAKE A DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL.

IF WE JUST SAY YES, ARE YOU GOOD? SUMAC I JUST WANT TO KNOW.

YES, I AM. THE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADDITIONALLY PUT ON IS A JOINT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING ISSUES. TO UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME THINGS HAVE COSTS, AND SOME THINGS DON'T.

I LIKE HER SUGGESTION. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD?
I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE COMMENT TO ITEM FIVE. I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE WORK THEN. WE MAY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS. WITH TENANT RIGHTS. WE HURT RENT CONTROL FROM AN AUDIENCE MEMBER TONIGHT. I DID NOT HEAR ANYBODY TALKING ABOUT THAT. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEWS ALL OF THE OPTIONS. THERE ARE NO DECISIONS COMING OUT. I HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR LEGAL EGG PRESENTATIONS BEFORE. WHETHER WE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION OR NOT WOULD BE A BOLT -- VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.

MY CONTRIBUTION TO THAT WOULD BE ITEM NUMBER SIX, ON VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCES.

I WANT TO CLARIFY IN WE ARE VOTING ON THE WHOLE PLAN? IT IS STARTING IN 2024? IS THAT CORRECT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. SEE MAKE A GUESS. YOU ARE VOTING ON THE RIGHT THING. THE PLANNING COMMISSION PROPOSED 2024 PLAN THAT STARTS ON PAGE EIGHT OF 21. AND IS DONE AT THE TOP OF PAGE 12 OF 21. CORRECT? YES. SO, WHAT I

AM HEARING IS, SOME INTEREST FROM COUNCILMEMBER NEYSA HINTON AND ME

MAKING SURE THE ITEMS IN NUMBER FIVE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE AND NUMBER SIX ARE PART OF A FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. ANY OTHER ITEMS WITHIN THE WORKPLAN? OKAY. WITH THAT CAVEAT, ITEMS NUMBER FIVE AND THE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE, LET'S JUST TAKE A BOAT. LET'S DO THUMBS-UP.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF IT AS PROPOSED? DO YOU NEED A FORMAL VOTE? YES.

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MOTION? SECOND? OKAY. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION. WITH ALL ITEMS ON THE WORKPLAN. WITH A SPECIFIC REQUEST THAT THE ITEMS IN FIVE THAT ARE TITLED

ELEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ITEMS AND THAT THE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE BE

PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN SOME FORMAT IN ORDER TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION. THAT IS MY MOTION. COMPLICATED AS IT MIGHT BE. SECOND? SECOND.

CAN WE HAVE THE ROLE CALL?
SO MOVED AND SECONDED. COUNCILMEMBER NEYSA HINTON?
AYE
VICE MAYOR STEPHEN ZOLLMAN?
AYE
MAYOR DIANA RICH?
AYE NOW, WE ARE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. YOU ARE STILL ON THE HOT SEAT. I DO WANT

TO RECOGNIZE CHIEF NELSON AND SUPERINTENDENT WHO ARE STAYING FOR THIS ITEM SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS THE LEVEL OF SERVICES THEY PUT TOGETHER. IT REPRESENTS A LOT OF WORK FROM ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS. THIS IS HOW WE PUT IT TOGETHER AND PRESENTED. I'M GOING TO THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS. YOU HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE COMPONENTS IN OTHER STAFF REPORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AGAIN, THIS IS 2022. WE DID DELAY IT A LITTLE BIT. WE ARE TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT TIME TO BRING IT TO COUNSEL. THERE IS A LOT OF STAFF REPORTING TO STATE THAT HAPPENS IN APRIL AND MAY. AND THEN, IT IS BUDGET SEASON.

WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE IT NOW.

OKAY. I WILL START OFF AS IS ORDERED. IN TERMS OF WATER, WE ARE PART OF THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT FOR THE SANTA ROSA PLANE. THEY HAVE COMPLETED A LARGE COMPONENT OF THE PLAN. THAT IS LOOKING GOOD. IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL WATER PRODUCTION, THERE WAS A BIG INFLUX IN 2020. THAT WAS A VERY LOW RAINFALL THAT YEAR. SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN DECREASING. AND IN 2022 THERE WAS A DECREASE OF 7% OF TOTAL ANNUAL WATER PRODUCTION. TO BELOW 300 MILLION GALLONS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TRACT HISTORY. A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH CONSERVATION. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] LANDSCAPE. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHANGING LANDSCAPE WITH THE DROUGHTS WE HAVE HAD. AND ADDITIONALLY WE HAVE HAD LITTLE RAINFALL IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE ESTIMATE FROM THOSE PIPELINE

PROJECTS OF BOTH APPROVED AND THINGS THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN IN TERMS OF NEW DEVELOPMENT TO UNDERSTAND FUTURE PROJECTIONS. AND, THAT IS THE

ESTIMATED DEMAND FOR PROJECTS CURRENTLY CREW -- APPROVED BUT NOT YET CONSTRUCTED. WE ARE WELL WITHIN THE CAPACITY OF THE CITY. WE DID THE SAME APICAL WASTE WATER. OURS IS TREATED BY THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AT THE LAGUNA TREATMENT PLANT. WE HAVE A CONTRACT FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAPACITY. THAT WE CONTRACT FOR. WE ARE AT 55% OF THAT CAPACITY. THAT IS WELL -- THAT INCLUDES APPROVED, PENDING, AND RESERVED CAPACITY. THAT IS WITHIN THE REQUIREMENTS.

AND WITHIN OUR GENERAL BUILDUP. IN TERMS OF DRAINAGE, WE DO NOT HAVE DRAINAGE FACTORS. WE HAVE ADOPTED REQUIREMENTS FOR LOW IMPACT DESIGNS.

THEY HAVE TO MEET REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF COVERED LAND, THEY HAVE TO DO THE STORE MANAGEMENT. AS WE GET MORE URBAN, THAT IS MORE OF AN ISSUE. AND

SOMETHING THAT PLANNING BUILDING, PUBLIC WORKS LOOK CLOSELY AT THE DEVELOPMENT. THE CITY ALSO DID RECENTLY ADOPT AN IMPACT FEE. THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2021. THAT FUND -- OBVIOUSLY IT IS BRAND-NEW. THAT WOULD HELP WITH STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECTS.

IF YOU CAN JUST GO THROUGH --
THEY ARE EASY. THERE IS NO CHANGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD AN INCREASE IN CALLS. 60% CONTINUE TO BE MEDICAL RELATED. AND THEY HAVE MAINTAINED THE INSURANCE RATING OF THREE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT MET THEIR PRIORITY ONE CALLS STANDARD. I KNOW RON IS HERE TO ADDRESS THOSE. THE SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS. THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT DECLINE. WE HAVE AN AGING POPULATION.

I'M SORRY. THE POLICE SERVICES. POLICE HAVE NOT MET THEIR GOALS? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAYING?
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ONE AREA WAS IN OUR GENERAL PLAN RECOMMENDED RESPONSE TIME OF THREE MINUTES FOR PRIORITY ONE CALLS. WE WERE ARRIVED AT 3:33 AS AN AVERAGE.

WE WILL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END. GO AHEAD FOCAL SCHOOLS.

SCHOOLS. WE HAD A SLIGHT DECLINE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT ON PROJECTIONS FROM SOME OF THE NEAR DEVELOPMENTS. THAT IS HOW CONGESTED THE ROADS ARE. THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION GRANT, THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS

WITH THE COUNTY AND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY THAT I'M HOPING THEY CAN HELP WITH. WE KNOW FROM RECENT MODELING, A LOT OF THOSE TRIPS DON'T STOP IN SEBASTOPOL. HOW DO WE DO WITH THAT? THAT IS -- THE COUNTY IS ABOUT TO START THE GENERAL PLAN. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN THERE AS WELL. WE HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS. HOWEVER, AT INTERSECTIONS, AS WELL AS CROSS

WALKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THE BODEGA AVENUE PROJECT, OBVIOUSLY -- THE THING

THAT I THINK WE WILL NEED TO LOOK AT IN THE UPCOMING GRANTS AND STUDIES ARE

POTENTIAL INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE OUTLINED FOR POTENTIAL SIGNALS. PARTICULARLY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] AS YOU ARE COMING INTO TOWN. THE THIRD

IN THE GENERAL PLAN -- BECAUSE OF THE NEARBY LIGHTS, IS -- PRETTY FAR DOWN.

GUESS. ABOUT THE INTERSECTIONS AND THE POTENTIAL ROUNDABOUTS, IT IS HELPFUL TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. AND NOW WE ARE IN HOUSING AND ALLOCATION.

WE DO HAVE FOR THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, 149 MARKET RATES THAT WE CAN ALLOCATE. THAT IS 50 PER YEAR PER CARRYOVER. THE HIGHLIGHT WE TALKED

ABOUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WAS, WE DID MEET OUR TARGET FOR THE SEVENTH CYCLE AND WE HAD OUR NEW TARGETS. I WILL NOT GO THROUGH IT. THE PIPELINE OF WHAT WE HAVE IS ALREADY APPROVED. I'M POTENTIALLY COMING FORWARD, WE ARE GOOD SHAPE. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT THE CITY PRODUCED OVER 1 MILLION KILOWATT HOURS FROM OUR SOLAR INSTALLATIONS. THAT IS A BIG HIGHLIGHT. I WILL STOP THERE.

OKAY. THAT IS A WONDERFUL COMMENT TO STOP WITH. I KNOW WE HAVE OUR POLICE CHIEF HERE. AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THAT REPORT?
NO. IT IS SUMMED UP WELL. THE THREE MINUTE RESPONSE TIME, I WANT TO DRILL INTO IT FURTHER AT SOME POINT. I HAVE A FEELING THAT MARKER WILL SET -- WAS SET MANY YEARS AGO. TIMES HAVE CHANGED. WE HAVE CONSIDERABLE TRAFFIC. OUR OFFICERS ARE USING SHORTCUTS.

PROBABLY WORTH REASSESSING. WE DON'T WANT UNACHIEVABLE GOALS.

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS? YOU'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS HERE? OR QUESTIONS? NO? OKAY. THEN I THINK WE GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MARY? THIS IS FOCAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SERVICE REPORT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, I WOULD GO TO IN PERSON OR IN CHAMBERS FIRST. NO,, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. CAN YOU UNMUTE? CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER? GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

I'M IMPRESSED WITH HIS REPORT. IT IS VERY OFTEN THAT THERE IS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF ACCESS TO DATA AND INFORMATION IN TERMS OF OUR CITY. IT FEELS LIKE VERY OFTEN TIMES, THINGS ARE THROWN IN AT THE LAST MINUTE. THIS REPORT DOES NOT DO THAT. I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT.

MULTIPLE TIMES TO LOOK. THERE ARE INTERESTING THINGS IN HERE THAT DID NOT GET COVERED. CARRY DID A GREAT JOB DOING A SIMILAR PRESENTATION AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT IS UNFORTUNATE TO RUSH THROUGH. THERE A LOT OF DETAILS IN THEIR THAT ARE NOT GETTING EXPRESSED TONIGHT. COUNCILMEMBERS, PLEASE REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT. AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THE DETAILS, THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS THAT SHOULD BE BRINGING UP QUESTIONS. THEY SHOULD BE DRIVING THE AGENDA.

BASICALLY, THIS IS GIVING YOU A GOOD AGENDA FOR WHAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT IN THE NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. AGAIN, I WILL GO BACK TO IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO BACK TO ZOOM. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

CAN YOU UNMUTES, PLEASE?
GUESS. I HAD A QUESTION FOR CHIEF NELSON. IF YOU HAD MORE OFFICERS, WOULD YOU HAD -- HAVE BETTER RESPONSE TIMES? I PUT SEVERAL PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THE LARGE FIGHT AT SAFEWAY AND THE MUGGINGS IN THE PARKS. IF YOU HAD MORE Agenda Item Number: 4
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RESOURCES, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE BETTER RESPONSE TIMES? I DON'T AGREE WITH THE MAYOR THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY LOWERED THE RESPONSE TIMES. I

THINK IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, YOU WANT YOUR OFFICERS RESPONDING WITHIN THREE MINUTES. THAT IS MY QUESTION.

LET ME GET THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST PIECE -- PLEASE. LINDA, CAN YOU UNMUTE?
THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT TRAFFIC. LIKE I SAID, PEOPLE NEED TO START TAKING A LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] YOU ADD THAT TRAFFIC. 684 ESTIMATED VEHICLE TRIPS DAILY FROM THE CANOPY. AND THEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN. WE ALREADY KNOW HOW THAT WORKS. PARTICULARLY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD A NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT. BECAUSE THE SUN

WAS DIRECTLY IN THE EYES OF THE STONE SOBER LIBRARIAN COMING HOME FROM WORK.

LINDA, YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS. TOO THERE WAS A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN THE CROSSWALK. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BLINDED, THEY CANNOT SEE. THAT INCLUDES EMERGENCY VEHICLES TRYING TO GO NORTH AND WEST ON THE AVENUE. THOSE PROJECTS SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. I WILL COME BACK TO IN CHAMBERS.

PAGE NINE OF THE HISTORIC RESOURCES ABOUT THE CITY AND THE CITY CENTER.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE WHERE HAVE FOUND ABOUT THE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I AM VERY CYNICAL ABOUT THIS REPORT. I HAVE READ ALL OF THIS STUFF. IT IS ALL VERY NICE. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I DON'T SEE INTENT TO DEVELOP THE CITY. I GUESS NOBODY IS ASKING QUESTIONS. IT IS VERY CONCERNING. IT SEEMS LIKE MORE BUREAUCRACY. MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION SOMETIME IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? RAISE YOUR HAND. UNMUTE TO GET MY ATTENTION.

I SEE NO HANDS. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOT BE ANSWERING QUESTIONS TONIGHT FROM THE PUBLIC. I DO

KNOW THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE HEARD I ASSUME, HAVE ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE. I'M SURE HE WILL FOLLOW UP TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

THAT IS HOW HE IS. WE ARE NOW BACK AT THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF DISCUSSION ON THIS REPORT. I WANTED TO COMMENT -- I AM IMPRESSED BY THIS REPORT. I VERY

MUCH APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE IT PRESENTED TO UNDERSTAND THE DETAIL OF THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF ENGAGES IN. THIS CAPTURES A HUGE REPORT. IT CAPTURES A LOT OF WORK FROM OUR AMAZING STAFF. THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY HERE. THE FACT THAT EVERYTHING IS BASICALLY YES, EVERYTHING IS GREAT, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO SAY THAT. IT IS IMPRESSIVE. OTHER COMMENTS?

I WANTED TO THANK HIM AND OUR MAYOR FOR POINTING OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS REPORT. AND THANK YOU CARRIE FOR WRITING IT. I WISH IT HAD BEEN GIVEN A DIFFERENT TIME SLOT. THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD INFORMATION. AT THIS HOUR I START TO GET DECISION FATIGUE AND TIRED. THERE IS SO MUCH INFORMATION. I APOLOGIZE IF I WASN'T AS ATTENTIVE AS I SHOULD BE. I WILL DEFINITELY SAVE THIS REPORT AND REREAD IT AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

IF I MAY FOR YOU AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, WE DO HAVE THIS AND SEVERAL YEARS OF THE SERVICE REPORT ON THE PLANNING WEBSITE UNDER DOCUMENTS.

VICE MAYOR?
JUST JOINING IN MY APPRECIATION. THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER NEYSA HINTON?
THANK YOU AS ALWAYS. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THANK YOU.

COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS?
SAME THING. THANK YOU FOR SAME. STARTING AT 6 A.M. MAKES IT A LONG DAY.

MY FINAL OBSERVATION IS, I FEEL LIKE THIS REPORT NEXT YEAR NEEDS A SOLID TWO HOURS AT THE BEGINNING OF A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THERE IS A LOT IN HERE. IT NEEDED TO BE GONE THROUGH MORE THOROUGH. WE HAVE RECEIVED IT AND DONE OUR PART. APPRECIATE OUR WONDERFUL STAFF STICKING AROUND TO BE AVAILABLE. LET'S APPLAUD THEM. OKAY. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE. WE HAVE ONE OTHER ITEM THAT IS Agenda Item Number: 4
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ESSENTIAL THAT I'M HOPING WE CAN GET TO. COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS IS TAKING A BREAK. WE WILL TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK. I'M SITTING HERE. COME BACK AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

TO CONTINUE, OUR NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO CITY COUNCIL PROTOCOL. THAT IS NUMBER 10. WE ARE GOING TO 10 B FOR DISCUSSION. THAT IS CONSIDERATION OF RETURN TO IN PERSON MEETINGS ONLY. CITYWIDE. THAT MEANS THAT ITEM 10 A, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO ADDRESS TONIGHT. IF THERE IS TIME, WE WILL ADDRESS IT. I THINK YOU ARE TAKING THE LEAD ON THIS ITEM.

CONSIDERATION OF RETURN TO IN PEACE AND -- IT IN PERSON MEETINGS. AS YOU HAVE

STATED, THIS IS OF WHETHER NOT TO RETURN TO IN PERSON MEETINGS ONLY VERSUS CONTINUAL ZOOM FORMAT.

AFTER THE LAST MEETING THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE. WE LOOKED AT HOW OTHER CITIES WERE DOING IT. WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK INTO WHAT OTHER CITIES WERE DOING. THAT IS IN THE REPORT. MOST CITIES HAVE GONE TO THE IN PERSON FORMAT.

THE ITEM TONIGHT BASICALLY IS WHETHER OR NOT TO STAY VIRTUAL WITH THE INPERSON AND HYBRID ZOOM. OR TO RETURN TO IN PERSON. ONE OF THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WITH IN PERSON IS WITHOUT THE VIRTUAL, HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO UTILIZE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] WHICH MEANS THAT IF SOMEONE IS SICK OR HAS AN EMERGENCY, THE

ONLY WAY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO LOGIN WOULD BE TO DO IT THROUGH TRADITIONAL BROWN ACT. THAT REQUIRES A 72 HOUR NOTICE. IF SOMEONE IS SICK THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT UNLESS IT IS POSTED ON THE AGENDA. THAT IS A CONSIDERATION. CITY STAFF HAS LOOKED AT IT. THE OTHER THING IS, BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCY THAT WAS DECLARED, IS THERE A WAY THE CITY WOULD SAVE MONEY? IF WE WENT TO JUST IN PERSON WE WOULD SO UTILIZE LIVESTREAM. MAYBE YOU TOO. IT WOULD REMOVE ONE PERSON DOING THE BACKGROUND WORK FOR I.T. IT WOULD SAVE US 20,000. PLANNING

COMMISSION HAS GONE TO HAVE A STAFF SOME OF THE MEETINGS BUT THEY ARE ALSO UTILIZING PCA. IF WE ARE DOING LIVESTREAM IT WOULD NOT REMOVE FUNDING. THEY WOULD STILL NEED TECHNICAL I.T. ASSISTANCE FOR THEIR FORMAT. IT IS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE. ONLY BECAUSE THE CITY VALUES TRANSPARENCY. WE ARE ALSO HEARING NEGATIVITY ABOUT THE COMMENTS BEING MADE. AND AGAIN, GOING OUT TO

OTHER CITIES, AND I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING IT, BUT IS

THROUGH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BASED IN THE MEETING WITH THE CITY COURSE, A LOT OF CITIES HAD GONE BACK TO IN PERSON ONLY. BECAUSE OF THE COMMENTS.

WITHOUT GOING -- YOU CAN READ THE REPORTS OF OTHER CITIES DOING THIS. THE

CONSIDERATION IS WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE THE MEETINGS WE ARE DOING WHICH IS HYBRID, OR TO GO TO IN PERSON. BUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WOULD NOT BE UTILIZED.

AND IN PERSON IT WOULD INCLUDE INCLUDE LIVESTREAM?
THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY TYPE OF BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION. IT WOULD BE IF

YOU'RE JUST WATCHING LIVE ON SCREEN THROUGH LIVESTREAM -- POTENTIALLY YOUTUBE. WERE SEEING IF WE CAN DO ALL THREE AT ONCE. IT WOULD NOT BE BACK AND FORTH. THE PUBLIC WOULD NEED TO BE IN PERSON ONLY.

I SEE WE HAVE A QUESTION. THE CITY MANAGER HAS A COMET.

WE WERE EXPLORING ISSUES ABOUT REMOVING PEOPLE AND UTILIZING THE ZOOM FORMAT. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE THAT JUDGMENT CALL IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. IT INVOLVES KNOWING WHAT THE COURT CASES ARE ABOUT. AND FIRST AMENDMENT COURT CASES. WHAT CONSTITUTES HATE SPEECH AND WHAT DOES NOT. IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THAT CALL. IN JUST A MATTER SECONDS EVEN IF WE HAD A DELAY. WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. ONE PERSON

COMMENTED THAT THEY THOUGHT THEIR SPEECH WAS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. I DETERMINED TO CUT THEM OFF AT THE TIME. THAT IS A TOUGH JUDGMENT CALL TO MAKE ON-THE-FLY. I SAW COMMENTS ABOUT THAT FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. I WOULD TEND TO AGREE IT'S AN ISSUE.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS?
YOU MENTION THE COST SAVINGS FROM DISCONTINUING. BUT THE FLIPSIDE

ALTERNATIVELY HAVING TO HAVE ALL OF OUR EXPERTS COME HERE IN PERSON, HOW IS

THAT GOING TO IMPACT US AS FAR AS WHEN WE HAVE ATTORNEYS, THEY JUST GET ON Agenda Item Number: 4
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AND THEY CHARGE US FOR THE TIME ON THE ZOOM. BUT IF THEY HAVE TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT LIKE THIS, HOW IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT COST? JUST SAYING.

YOU ARE RIGHT. I WILL NOT HAVE A NUMBER. IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT ON THE LENGTH OF THE MEETINGS. IT WOULD BE DEPENDENT IF THIS COUNSEL WILL REQUIRE THEM TO BE IN PERSON. I DID REACH OUT TO OTHER CITIES. THEY ARE ALLOWING STAFF AND CONSULTANTS TO LOGIN. HOW FAIR IS THAT? IT WOULD SAVE THE CITY MONEY NOT HAVING THEM IN PERSON TO HAVE THEM ZOOM IN. BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO HOOK UP -- WE WOULD DO WHAT WE DID IN THE OLD DAYS. IT WOULD BE UP ON THE SCREEN. PEOPLE WATCHING LIVE WOULD BE ABLE TO WATCH IT. IT COULD BE DONE. IT WOULD COST IF

THE CONSULTANTS WERE HERE IN PERSON WAITING TO GO HOWEVER LONG THE ITEM WAS GOING TO BE. IF THE CONSULTANT SHOWED UP AT 6:00, THE ITEM WASN'T UNTIL 10, WE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR MAC HOURS.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WE WILL GO DOWN THE LINE.

I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT?
NO.

OKAY. VICE MAYOR, ANY QUESTIONS?
MY QUESTION IS. I WANT TO CLARIFY THE COMMENTS. LOOKING BEFORE, CONSULTANTS COULD ACTUALLY CALL IN VIA SOME SORT OF FORMAT?
NO, NOT BEFORE COVID. THEY WERE HERE IN PERSON.

NOW WE COULD ALLOW THEM WITHOUT DOING ZOOM. WE COULD ALLOW CONSULTANTS?
YOU THEORETICALLY COULD IF YOU HAVE A CONSULTANT. IF THEY WERE DOWN SOUTH OR SOMETHING, THEY COULD THEORETICALLY CALL IN ON ZOOM. THE QUESTION IS, WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WRITE IT INTO THE AGREEMENT. WE WOULD ONLY PAY THEM WHEN THEY ARE ON THE CALL. IT IS HARD TO SELL WHEN THEY WILL BE ON. THIS COUNSEL COULD MAKE A DECISION THAT STAFF AND CONSULTANTS WOULD BE

ABLE TO LOGIN AND WE WOULD MAKE SURE IT WAS SHOWN ON LIVESTREAM WHICH IT WAS BEFORE.

AND, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE PRACTICE IS IN TERMS OF CONSULTANTS IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION?
NO, I DON'T. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING IN IN PERSON.

ON THE MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IN TERMS OF IF WE DON'T HAVE ZOOM, WE DISCONTINUED THAT PRACTICE. UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCE UNDER ANY RULES, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD A COUNCILMEMBER PARTICIPATE REMOTELY? YOU ARE TALKING TRADITIONAL?
LET ME BE MORE SPECIFIC. IF WE DISCONTINUED ZOOM FOR THE PUBLIC, WE GO AWAY FROM THE HYBRID FORMAT. AND WE ARE IN ESSENCE REQUIRING IN PERSON, ARE THERE CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR CONSULTANTS. ARE

THERE CONSULTANTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES WHEN COUNCILMEMBERS COULD LEGALLY PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, EVEN IF WE ARE NOT DOING HYBRID FOR THE PUBLIC? FOR TRADITIONAL BROWN ACT, YES. IT WOULD NEED TO BE POSTED. YOU WOULD NEED TO CALL IN. THE AGENDA WOULD NEED TO HAVE YOUR LOCATION. IF YOU'RE ON

VACATION, YOU WOULD NEED TO KNOW IF THE HOTEL OR ROOM IT'S GOING TO BE IN, ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE POSTED ON THE AGENDA. IT ALSO NEEDS TO BE POSTED AT THAT SITE AS WELL. WHETHER IT IS A HOTEL, VACATION RENTAL, HOUSE, AND IT HAS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THAT LOCATION.

OKAY. GO AHEAD.

I KNOW THERE ARE STILL CITIES AND TOWNS LOCALLY THAT ARE STILL CONTINUING REGARDLESS OF THIS. ONE IS SONOMA. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING? HANG ON. I BELIEVE I HAVE THEM IN THE REPORT.

IT IS ON. I'M SORRY. I MISSED THAT PART.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

PER THE REPORTS I HAVE, THEY ARE DOING BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] ARE THERE ANY PROCESSES IN PLACE THAT WE AREN'T DOING? I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, THIS IS AN AGE-OLD PROBLEM WITH TECHNOLOGY. WHEN THE INTERNET CAME OUT, EVERYONE HAD ISSUES WITH THE Agenda Item Number: 4
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DIFFERENT THINGS PEOPLE COULD BE EXPOSED TO AND NOW HERE WE ARE. DECADES LATER, WE ADJUSTED AND FIGURED OUT BOUNDARIES. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I DON'T BELIEVE THEY HAVE GONE DIFFERENT. THEY MAY HAVE PUT PASSWORDS IN. WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK INTO. I'M NOT AWARE OF THEM -- FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WE ARE DOING WHAT SONOMA IS DOING. I DON'T BELIEVE THEY DO PASSWORDS BUT I CANNOT SPEAK ON THAT. I DID NOT ASK THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYONE? OKAY. I HAVE ONE. DO WE HAVE A POLICY REGARDING COUNCILMEMBER ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS? DO WE HAVE A

REQUIREMENT THAT COUNCILMEMBERS CAN ONLY BE ABSENT FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEETINGS?
THEY CAN BE ABSENT FOR 60 DAYS.
60 TOTAL MEETINGS?
SIX -- 60 DAYS. FROM YOUR LAST MEETING, TO THE NEXT. IF YOU ARE MORE THAN 60, AND THAT IS -- IT STATES YOU ARE OFF THE COUNSEL.

DOES IT RESET?
AFTER THE 60 DAYS? NO. ALL RIGHT. PEOPLE TAKE VACATIONS. WE SHOULD KNOW.

I'M SORRY. CLARIFICATION. IF A COUNCILMEMBER COMES BACK AFTER 60 DAYS, NO.

BEFORE 60 DAYS, YES. THAT IT WOULD RESET. LET'S SAY THEY MISSED TWO AND THEY MAKE IT BACK. YES, IT WOULD RESET AT THAT POINT. I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING IF IT WAS AFTER 60 DAYS.

THEY WOULD BE GONE FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS CONTINUOUS TIME.

YES. IT DEPENDS ON THE COUNCIL MEETINGS. SOME MONTHS HAVE FIVE WEEKS.

OKAY. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO? OKAY. LET'S DO PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE.

THIS IS ON WHETHER TO MAINTAIN THE VIRTUAL IN PERSON AND ZOOM FORMAT MEETING OR TO GO BACK TO IN PERSON AS BEFORE COVID. I WILL GO TO CHAMBERS.

A TERRIBLE IDEA. I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THE ZOOM MEETINGS. MOST BUSINESSES ARE HYBRID THESE DAYS. TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING. THERE ARE A LOT OF ALTERNATIVES TO ZOOM. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] FREE SPEECH IS IMPORTANT. THERE ARE ONLY NINE PEOPLE ON ZOOM. I THINK BASICALLY IF USED CUT IT OFF, THIS IS A SLOW AND INSIDIOUS SLOPE.

QUESTIONS WILL NOT BE ASKED. IF YOU PUT THEM IN WRITING, YOU CANNOT HEAR THE MUTING YOU CANNOT ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN REAL TIME. IT IS VERY BAD. WHAT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT IS DRIVING ENGAGEMENT LOCALLY. NINE PEOPLE ON ZOOM. THAT IS A GOOD SIGN. TWO PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. IT'S VERY COLD AND RAINY OUTSIDE. IT IS NOT WORKING. WE HAD TO REALLY [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
THANK YOU. NEXT I WILL GO TO ZOOM. KYLE?
YES.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER? GO AHEAD, PLEASE. THAT WAS MY FAULT. CAN YOU UNMUTE AGAIN? MY APOLOGIES.

NOT A PROBLEM. AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT I HAPPEN TO BE A ZOOM ADMINISTRATOR. I AM SPEAKING AS AN EXPERT TO KNOW THAT BEING ABLE TO MANAGE

BOTH MEETINGS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER THAT DO NOT HAVE THE HICCUPS THAT THE

AT THE ITEM IS CLAIMING, AS JUSTIFICATION, AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO MANAGE BOMBING IS COMPLETELY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF CURRENT CITY STAFF. WHAT IS

UNFORTUNATE IS THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO BE HIRING OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS DO THIS WORK. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO PRIORITIZE I.T. SERVICES IN MEANINGFUL CAPACITIES. IF YOU RECALL RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF $1.5 MILLION AS A RESULT OF CYBER FRAUD BECAUSE OF OUR LACK OF KEEPING UP WITH I.T. SERVICES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO RUN THE CITY.

BEFORE WE START JUMPING TO MAKE HUGE DECISIONS, WE HEARD TONIGHT THAT WE

HAVE NOT EXPLORED ALL OF THE POSSIBLE OPTIONS OF METHODS THAT CAN BE USED TO MANAGE ZOOM MEETINGS IN A PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNOLOGICALLY SOUND MANNER.

SECONDLY, IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISRUPTION OF MEETINGS, THAT IS A CRIMINAL ACT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MAYBE FROM OUR CHIEF OR CITY MANAGER, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE OVER? YOU CAN GIVE

THE IP ADDRESS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEY CAN FOLLOW UP AND PERFORMING TERMINAL INVESTIGATION ON PEOPLE ILLEGALLY DISRUPTING MEETINGS. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S AN ISSUE REGARDING FREE SPEECH. BUT THE DISRUPTION PART OF Agenda Item Number: 4
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THE MEETING IS SEPARATE FROM THE FREE SPEECH ACTIVITY. I THINK WE NEED TO SEPARATE THOSE TWO AND DISCUSS THEM SEPARATELY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS IN CHAMBERS. CAN YOU UNMUTE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE CANNOT LET A FEW BAD ACTORS CONTROL OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. WE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE THAT GOING ON. AND A DAMAGING RATE. I PERSONALLY DO NOT THINK THAT THE BOMBERS SHOULD CONTROL THE OUTCOME OF OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN OUR MEETINGS. MANY OF THE BOMBERS

MIGHT NOT LIVE IN SEBASTOPOL, YET THEY ARE CONTROLLING OUR PROCESS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WHICH I THINK IS NOT THE DIRECTION TO GO IN. I DON'T THINK COUNSEL SHOULD LET THE BAD ACTORS WIN THE DAY. I THINK COUNSEL SHOULD STAND UP AND PRESERVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. IT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY. MANY PEOPLE ARE ELDERLY AND CANNOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. THEY ARE ONLY ABLE TO PARTICIPATE THROUGH ZOOM. MANY PEOPLE HAVE DISABILITIES AND MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE. PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN CANNOT DRIVE BECAUSE LIKE MYSELF, THEY CANNOT LEAVE THEIR HOUSE TO COME TO A FOUR HOUR MEETING. IT

WAS HIGHLY DISRESPECTFUL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONSULTANTS AND

COUNCILMEMBERS BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WHEN YOU'RE CUTTING OUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PUBLIC IS THE PRIORITY OVER CONSULTANTS IN TERMS OF PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY MEETINGS. IF SUPERVISOR HOPKINS WANTS TO GIVE US MONEY, I WOULD SUGGEST ASKING FOR THE $10,000 FOR THE CENTER TO PERHAPS GO TOWARDS I.T. SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ROBUST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND MAKE IT

ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE AND GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THESE VERY IMPORTANT COUNCIL MEETINGS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. NEXT, LORETTA.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN. I SENT A LETTER IN. I SAID ALL OF THE THINGS SHE JUST SAID. IT IS GOOD FOR FAMILY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND IT CANNOT COME TO MEETING. THEY CAN STAY HOME WITH THEIR KIDS AND DO THEIR HOMEWORK. GET THEM IN BED AND STILL PARTICIPATE. IT IS GOOD FOR SENIOR CITIZENS LIKE ME THAT DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE PARTICIPATION. I WAS LOOKING AT THE HOME PAGE AND

THE FIRST THING IN CAPITAL LETTER SAYS, PARTICIPATION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS YOUR BENCHMARK. IF YOU WANT TO CUT OUT PARTICIPATION, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DON'T WANT THE COMMUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. THERE WERE SEVEN OR NINE PEOPLE IN PERSON AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING. WE HAVE HAD 30 PEOPLE ON A MEETING THAT DIDN'T HAVE HUGE THINGS. WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCUSSION THERE WERE OVER 100 PEOPLE ONLINE. IF YOU WANT YOUR CITY INVOLVED, THEN WE NEED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HAVE THIS. AND LIKE SHE SAID, YOU CANNOT LET A VIEW BAD APPLES SPOIL THE POT. THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN SOLVE THAT. WE ARE ALL USE TO HAVING THINGS HAPPEN LIKE THAT IN THIS CENTURY, UNFORTUNATELY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. I'M 100% IN FAVOR OF THE MEETINGS. YOU.

THANK YOU. ROBERT? CAN YOU UNMUTE?
YES. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THE BEST THING ABOUT COVID WAS THE MEETINGS. THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE OR LEAVE WORK EARLY. WITHOUT HAVING TO SIT IN THAT ROOM WITHOUT DINNER YET. ON UNCOMFORTABLE CHAIRS. THE UNFORTUNATE PART IS, WE FELL INTO THIS WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN TO REALLY DO IT. I WOULD NEVER PUSHED OR PUBLICIZED IT. GETTING PEOPLE MORE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT WAS AVAILABLE, AND IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING. IT WOULD BE NICE TO PROVIDE TRAINING OR INSTRUCTION TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE TRYING FOR THE FIRST TIME. WE COULD DO MUCH BETTER FOR PARTICIPATION. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BOAT AT 10:30 P.M. TO CONTINUE THE PROCESS OF MAKING THESE DIFFICULT VOTES IN AN HOUR WHEN THERE ARE ONLY NINE PEOPLE LEFT. I SUPPORT THE HYBRID MEETINGS.

KEEP DOING THIS. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. WE NEED TO DO A TIME CHECK.

I WAS JUST GOING TO THANK HIM FOR HIS COMMENT. IT IS A TIME CHECK. THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO UNANIMOUSLY VOTE TO CONTINUE THIS MEETING. YOU CAN UNANIMOUSLY VOTE TO FINISH PUBLIC COMMENT OR, VOTE TO END RIGHT NOW.

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AND THEN, AS SOON AS WE ENDS, ANY ITEMS THAT ARE STILL PENDING WOULD BE MOVED TO THE JANUARY 16th?
YES. WE CAN DETERMINE WHICH MEETING -- WE WOULD HAVE A REVIEW TOMORROW.

I SEE YOU HAVE A PROPOSAL?
CAN WE NOT VOTE TO FINISH THIS SECTION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM? WE COULD VOTE TO CONTINUE PAST 10:30 SUSIE FINISH, YES.

YOU WOULD NEED A UNANIMOUS VOTE?
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN OPTION AS WELL.

OKAY. WE HAVE THAT OPTION. WE HAVE THE OPTION WHICH IS AVAILABLE WHICH IS TO TERMINATE THE MEETING. ANY OTHER OPTIONS?

I'M SORRY, --
OKAY. THAT IS FINE. IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THUMBS UP ON LETTING THE FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT MAKE HIS COMMENT?
WE HAVE TWO. WE HAVE DENNIS AND LINDA. --
I'M SORRY, MY APOLOGIES. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE 30 SECONDS. GO AHEAD PIECE DOESN'T PLEASE.

EVERYBODY IS IN AGREEMENT TO KEEP ZOOM. THERE ARE GOOD REASONS. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE -- WONDERFUL PEOPLE ARE NOT DRIVING ANYMORE. THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. I AM UNABLE TO GO TO THE MEETINGS. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I'M FULLY DEPENDENT ON ZOOM TO PARTICIPATE. IT IS A VIOLATION OF MY CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE A.D.A. IF YOU WERE TO NOT ALLOW PARTICIPATION. [ INDISCERNIBLE ] IN THE EVENT THAT YOU DID NOT, I AM AFRAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT LEGAL AID. TO MAKE A CASE FOR ME. I'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. IN ORDER TO GET MY RESIDENCE SHIELDED [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I HAVE FAITH THAT I WOULD PROBABLY PREVAIL. ARE YOU STILL THERE?
WE ARE HERE.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO LEGAL. BUT, I WOULD.

THANK YOU.

THAT IS TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. EVERYONE, HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY. SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR. THANK YOU. [Event Concluded]
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GMT20230719-001948_Recording_1920x1120
Wed, Jul 19, 2023 7:06AM • 3:37:24

SUMMARY KEYWORDS
sebastopol, city, ballot measure, public, councilmember, tax, meeting, fire, mayor, public comment, county, council, sonoma county, measure, sales tax, community, city council, services, budget, staff All
in all,
we are going to call the meeting to order at 604. And we will start off with roll call, please, Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor council member Mauer.

Yeah, council members Ohlman person Beisner rich person, Mara Hinton here. And councilmember Lewis will not be in attendance as youth out of the area. Okay. Thank you. Next up salute to the flag, please rise
the United States of America
but
as it goes along, we'll never
know.

Attachment 4 Otter AI Transcription Example
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All right, next on our agenda, we will be honoring some of our employees and with both with five year awards, and so we will start with Jaime ball divino I hope I said that right.

Congratulations for five years of service to the city of Sebastopol. Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone in your career. Your effort and dedication in the police department plays a tremendous role in the success of the city of Sebastopol. We appreciate your commitment to the city in this community. This certificate is in grateful appreciation of your five years of valued service and dedication to the city of Sebastopol. On behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Sebastopol I Nisa, Hinton and Mayor gratefully acknowledge your work and contributions to the city and look forward to your continued service to our city and the citizens of this community. It's dated today, the 18th today of July 2023 and signed, Chief would you like to say a few words and I'm not sure if our recipient is in attendance tonight. Okay, thank you.

Okay, that would be great.

On behalf of Officer Bal, de Vinos, and this basketball Police Department, I'd like to thank the city council and Madam Mayor and Madam Vice Mayor for recognizing his five years of service. He's a valued member of our department. He's one of our most fluent bilingual officers. So he's plays a very important role in the organization. And we're proud that he's part of our organization. So thank you very much. All right, thank you and I'm sure we will get the certificate to him from the city.

Mayor go
next, we have a five year service award presented to Anthony Drolet. For five years of service congratulations on reaching this significant milestone in his career. His effort and dedication and a Public Works Department plays a tremendous part in the success of our city of Sebastopol. We appreciate his commitment to the city and this community. And this certificate is in grateful appreciation.

I was five years of valued service and dedication. On behalf of the full city council and the citizens of Sebastopol, I Nissa hinten Mayor gratefully acknowledge his work and contributions to the city and look forward to his continued service to our citizens and citizens of the community and the city. Is it looks like Dante del Ponte is on zoom there. Would you like to say a few comments and I don't know if we have Anthony in the audience tonight. Dante? Yes. Mayor, thank Mayor Council. Thank you. I would love to say a few nice words about Anthony and I do believe Anthony is online with this tonight. So thank you for this opportunity speak well about one of my employees.

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in private sewer industry. Anthony was promoted to senior maintenance worker sanitary sewer operator and for the public works department in June of 2021.

I just like to note that Anthony is instrumental in the field maintenance and operation and expect inspections of the sanitary sewer system for the entire city.

While this may not sound like glamorous work, it is extremely important work. So I'd like to personally thank Anthony for his work ethic and commitment to our public works department and point out that the city of Sebastopol is lucky to have a qualified dedicated staff member such as Anthony
Thank you very much. He's in the audience.

I'd like to say a few words, Anthony.

Raise your hand
or not.

Okay, I'm taking that as a
thank you, Dante for your, for your words, and we really appreciate our employees. So next, moving along to the agenda, I would move on to statements of conflicts of interest. Are there any statements of conflict of interest tonight? All right, seeing none, we will go ahead and move on to public comment for items not on the agenda tonight.

Mary.

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Thank you, Mayor. So this is for public comment for items that are not on tonight's agenda. If you'd like to make a public comment, we will do in chamber first, and then we will go out to zoom and then come back to chamber and go back out to zoom. It is allocated for 20 minutes. So if we don't get to all the speakers, we would do it at the end of the meeting. So first, I have a speaker in chambers. Mary, would you like to make a public comment? And I will jump in when you have about 30 seconds left.

Thank you. My name is Marian McDonald. I live at 7135 Willow Street, I'm working to create a parking space on my property. My Block is quite congested for parking with only five unrestricted parking spaces for eight residences. Every single one of my neighbors supports me in creating a parking space on my property. I've been working since last November to comply with city requirements. My request for permit was denied by the building department. They refused. They referred me to the planning department to appeal a denial. I spoke with Mr. J there, then he tells me that the cost of appeal is $5,000 up front to initiate the appeal. That's prohibitive, elitist and unjust. Creating parking on my property is the right thing to do. I asked Mr. J, what value was served by denying the permit. And he replied, it's not consistent with the written code of the city. And I do understand that maybe it's time to update those codes. He gave me some wording from the variance procedure, which includes, quote, the granting of the application is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of the substantial property rights of the petitioner unquote.
$5,000 just to talk about it, that's not reasonable. I asked that that cost be waived or mitigated. And I also asked, Is it time to update those city codes? Mary, you have about 30 seconds. Thank you. I'd like to create space for parking on my own property. Every single one of my neighbors supports this plan.

And I asked for one point person to help me address these barriers is the right thing to do. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will go out to zoom. Kyle, Can you unmute yourself, please? Yes, I can. Can you see the timer?
Yes, I can. Great. Go ahead. Your public comment please. I'm so I'm speaking tonight to get some maybe response from the city regarding the May 30 Sonoma County grand jury report in which
there was a article on the city of Petaluma and its use of outsourcing city work to contractors.

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I know that some of our city council members have stated that they are not always up to date on the news. And so it's my hope that those city council members will read that grand jury report specifically, the section regarding Petaluma, and speak with our city so that our city can formally respond to this grand jury report, which talks about the way in which the city of Petaluma for over a decade, have utilized outside contractors to do the work of the city's planning department. If you look at any of our budgets over the last 510 years, you'll see that we to use a insane amount of money and outside contractors. Every department has massive budgets for contract services. It is not clear that the manner in which our city use utilizes contract services is that dissimilar from the way that Petaluma is be being described in that grand jury report. In particular, I'd like to reference our choice of outsourcing our entire engineering department. I've spoken previously about the radical increase to the cost for engineering that engineering budget as a result of outsourcing but it was never addressed. Additionally, if you go to the engineering site, the transparency
isn't even there. While it is stated that there are two engineering pool employees, our consultants, it's not clear that they are working for an outside firm. So I'm hoping our city has a concrete direct response to that grand jury report specifically on the way that Petaluma and in our, in our case, our city responds to, or utilizes contract services.

Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. The next speaker I have is in chambers.

Hi, Martha Glazer, and I've written to the Council today about this. There's something that I'd like to call to everyone's attention. And this is really an important development. It's sort of rivals, the 1996 Telecom bill in terms of the potential it has to take over a lot of our jurisdiction over what kind of towers and antennas are put in our city.

This is a new bill. Unfortunately, there have been bills in the state and one passed last week, I think it's still in committee, there's still probably room to keep protesting or arguing or trying to get representatives to work against it. It's the same sort of bill, but this one is comprehensive and global.

It's called HR 3557. Already, it's, it just was marked up and passed in out of committee and on a partisan basis. And now they're under secondary review by the national resources and transportation and infrastructure committees. And already, the US Conference of Mayors National Association of Counties and National League of Cities opposes this bill. And it's the problem with this is it's going to preempt your jurisdiction, your local ability to decide who we want to try to not renew the contract with Chromecast, we want to move the tower elsewhere, because we don't want it where we want to put housing or over the library or where the city works, or whether we're the seniors are, we won't have anything to say it will get preempted on every basis. This is about 25 cents very comprehensive, it will Agenda Item Number: 4
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take away due process, it will take away your governance, and I would ask that you as a body come together to oppose it in the same way you're supporting a bill tonight against fossil fuels. Thank you very much. Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will go back out to zoom. If there's anyone on zoom that would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand virtually, please unmute your telephone or please wave to get my attention in the gallery.

Linda, would you like to make a public comment? Would
you know, thank you very much for the three previous speakers all very articulate and have have totally legitimate issues that should be addressed that you know, hits this city council and next mayor and the vice mayor, just you know, it's like talking to a brick wall. Nothing happened. They do not here if they don't want to, you know, it's just It is futile. Ah, so Anyway, on that same issue of via wireless. Thank you, Martha. That but anyway, you know, the public has a right to know, when they are being harmed, and they they have a right to defend themselves.

So
regarding the amount of wireless radiation, which has already been spoken about, in the previous, previous city council meetings measured by a
physicist,
a professor, a retired professor from Ohio State, and it sounds at the levels of radiation downtowns gasp for 1000 times in excess of the recommended limit. And also turns out that we have been lied to, of course, a lot of us no doubt about that, wow, wireless water meters that were supposed to only be emitting transmitting three, four times a day, right Dante Dante is the one who fraudulently told these lies. Anyway, upon measurement, it turns out, they are emitting eight to 10 seconds. And so we are all being cooked alive. And in this town and also the money has been stolen from our condo, you have about 20 seconds. That's so you know, this
speaking of grand jury and occurs to me and I've done it before, this is wireless water meter issue needs and some others need to be brought before the grand jury. It's easier than you think. Kyle Thank you.

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Thank you, Linda, for your public comments. Next I will go to in chambers. Hi, my name is Patty Hiller. I live in Burbank heights in orchards, which as many of you know, our property abuts the cemetery and it's of the cemetery I would like to speak tonight.

For those of you have been walking around error driven through have seen this massive pile of dead debris. When I moved here in 2014, that pile was already begun. And since then, every tree virtually that has fallen has been dragged to this pile. So the pile is now more or less a block long, higher than my head, very, very deep.

On June 16, they had a fire, Burbank was immediately covered with smoke. I called 911. I got my evacuation stuff prepared. And when the smoke stopped, I went up to see what was happening. Well, the fire Thankfully, it was not the big pile. It was in back of that pile. There's a strip of land eight acres between the cemetery, and between Mitchell core. And there's a big pot farm they're surrounded by dead dead wood, dried grass debris. And that's what caught on fire. Sebastopol fire was their gold red fire was there. Thankfully, they put it out. Now, if that had been the big pile, what would have happened to us at Burbank, you have about 30 seconds left. Okay, we are about 200 people, many of us disabled, we have only one exit from the property. And
something has to be done. Please, if you can make it go faster than fast. We're getting dry lightning this weekend. The season is here. And that stuff is sitting out there. And I'm scared. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment. I will go back out to zoom. If there's anyone on zoom that would like to make a public comment for items not on the agenda.

I do not see anyone. So I will come back to the chambers. If you'd like to make a public comment.

And Patricia Rainey and I'm president of the board of directors at Burbank heights and orchards. And I just wanted to support Patti and the 200 residents said Burbank arts and orchards, we had to evacuate in 2017. It was very difficult for a lot of the residents and the staff cape and was there for the entire time. But
I know that you're working on it. And I really appreciate that. But I've been told that it's going to take time the owner
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doesn't have the money. He doesn't want anybody on his property. But we can't wait any longer. And there needs to be a solution. I've been told that there. We could get volunteers. And we could force you know, you can put a lien against the property, whatever needs to be done. It would be such a terrible disaster. If 200 people were in line of this fire, and it could have been prevented. So I urge you to do what you can to do it as soon as you can. Because we only have like maybe one more month before there could be a really bad disaster. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment. I will go back out to zoom. If there is anyone that would like to make a public comment for an item not on tonight's agenda.

I see no further people in zoom. Is there anyone in the chamber like make a comment? About the intersection.
rankle and
Buddy Bodega Avenue.

And I hear you think that you've solved the problem, but you have not. Cars are still speeding through there. And those lights you had to put one so far away people can see them. The lights that blink if you're going east in the morning. Nobody can see them if they're driving east in the morning or if you're going west in the evening. And there's sunset and you can't see them. And I moved into that subdivision there at Valley View at an i 99. And I
first thing I did was come to the meeting. I moved in March and in September I came to a meeting about the speed and the speed limit that was 35 miles an hour.

And after that
Caltrans had to make some decision. They raised the state because people were driving faster than that. And that was their how they dealt with speed limits. Apparently it's taken 23 years for that to go down from 52
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35 again? And do you think in 23 years of the traffic, Scott is less, that the problems gotten less, those blinking lights are almost invisible for how the speed is when they go down from 711? down that hill, because they think they're out of town already. And it's really a problem. I cross that street twice a day.

And I tell you, honestly, I pray every day, because I'm not God's will that if I can serve any community, however, do it. But Julie died. My sister who lives two houses from me, her ankle had to be completely rebuilt, maybe in about 20 seconds, because she was run over. And Harold the next to my neighbor here, because I was also hit there, and he never came back ended up dying in a nursing home. So it's just a matter of time where something else is going to happen. And really, we need a stoplight. Really, we do. And we told the city council that when they put these lights in, and I understand you were doing the cheapest arm, but it scared. And I know that Caltrans says oh, you can't because of how the lights are, but you can do it in the center of town. You're gonna have line after line after line.

I just don't know what the solution is. But I can tell you it's not it's a problem. That's your two minutes.

Thank you. So next I will go back out to zoom. If there's anyone like to make a public comment for items not on the agenda. I do you not see. I will come back to the chambers if you'd like to make a public comment.

Hello, my name is Patty Feynman. I live right on the corner of the Degas highway and Raychel. It has been like she said the traffic is increasing constantly. Today was an absolute mind blower. They have at least 100 truck taking the dirt from the project. And the Degas and Jew out somewhere out of town.

One of my neighbors even followed the trucks to see, where's this dirt going? And why is it breaking down the highway that hasn't been rebuilt in over 25 years. The last time it was built, rebuilt. jalopy was out there and they did a terrible job. We've had a lot of potholes that have had to be fixed since then.

We need that speed lowered if possible. But we need a regular light out there. Even though I live on the corner and I don't want all that exhaust in my bedroom window. At least some people won't be killed again. I was there when Julie was killed. It wasn't a fun thing. And half of the people that crossed that street, don't even use that blinking light. That's what I don't understand. I've had to yell out my bedroom window. Please use the light. Use the button, save yourself. I've had women with babies in strollers, try to beat the cars. It's just unbelievable. And
I just don't understand that. But please somebody out there help us get this taken care of. And then want to know where that dirts going.

Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Again, this would be last call for public comment on items not on the agenda. If you would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand virtually please unmute your phone or please get my attention. There are no further unzoom.

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Good evening, Leah Lampley. Here property manager for Burbank heights and orchards. I just want to thank you for all of the conversations that are being had in regards to the safety hazard by the cemetery over there. Everything that needs to be said is been said already. I'm just here to support and to say thank you for the conversations that are being had to the property owner at the graveyard. Thank you for the emergency response. We're just vulnerable. And
you know, this is our home and if anything happens, it's a scary thought. So all the preventative actions.

I just hope we can accelerate them on behalf of our community. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment.

Again, Last call for public comment for items not on the agenda. If you'd like to make a public comment please raise your hand virtually please unmute your phone or please wait to get my attention. There are no further comments in zoom.

In last call for chamber
public comment for items not on the agenda is closed.

Okay, thank you.

So to just go through a few of the items addressed.

I don't know if there is something that we can do about a fee waiver.

City Manager for an appeal on a question about a parking stall, I believe that's a bit a deposit. So I don't believe that you have to lose the full amount of the deposit. It goes towards the work of the planning department in processing the variance of conferred with the city clerk we do not know of any precedent, or waiving a deposit ahead of time, unfortunately,
theoretically, the city council has the power to waive a deposit, or the city council would be the appellate hearing body in any appeal of the variance that was made. So unfortunately, it's a catch 22.

What we have tried to do as a staff, is multiple staff members have tried, on several occasions to explain in great, great detail how the law works on that. We've been very sensitive to the plight of the Agenda Item Number: 4
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homeowner, I believe, and we have tried to explain the problems inherent in granting the relief that was requested, or building officials hands are just tied in this situation. It's not something that he could waive. It's not a discretionary decision. There is that variance process that is available. I don't know what we can do about the deposit. Frankly, I can only have any further answers than that. Okay, thank you. As a homeowner, I understand some of the woes of personally, I've had big trees that I had every month they cost a fortune. Anyway, thanks for that reply. And then it sounds like and I'm looking at the fire chief that sounds like the Burbank that we're hearing about that you're aware of it. And I know we have weed abatement, but I guess we don't have debris abatement. And it's but it sounds like you guys are working on that. Yeah, thank you, Mayor, we are working on it. So we have started the enforcement process. We have met with the manager owner of the cemetery.

Again, there are a lot of issues surrounding him being able to get that work done. As the Speaker indicated, the process unfortunately, is very slow. Again, we have provided the second notice of enforcement. However, we simply can't initiate encroachment, and send in contractors to deal with the fire hazard until we go through the
enforcement process, which also includes the ability for the property owner to engage in appeals and appeal process. And but again, we're moving forward with working with him and and working through the enforcement process. He is entitled to due process and appeals. Before we can or,
you know, again, our final step will be the notice of intent to abate. And, unfortunately, the process does take time. With that I will report to however that the perimeter has been significantly improved. And the perimeter actually currently is in compliant. So it is a matter of dealing with the dead and down brush from the it's in the area that the public
that the citizens spoke to, and even a little bit still up on bodega. And, but we are aware of it, and we're working through it. Thank you very much for that reply. Going to the email we all received right before the meeting. Stephen.

Councilmember Zalman is a representative on League of Cities and it does sound like the League of Cities is going to take a position on HR 35
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or 3035 57. But maybe council members Ohlman in his meetings with monthly Liga city can find out some more information about that bill and report back maybe next meeting. Yeah, I can Am I RT RT I believe you are maybe maybe maybe we'll, we'll confirm. We do attend these committees. I'm happy and maybe it has councilmember Lewis I'm sorry, I don't recall. But if it's me, I'm here.
happy to follow up on that what has happened with the reason for this confusion is that the League of Cities has not been meeting hold. Yeah, because of some procedural challenges. But yes, we do.

That's me, I take response. And we do have a connection to the head of the League of Cities. So we can certainly follow up on that. Follow up on that. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I'm so and then just to address the intersection, I do understand, I was on the council when a lot of that was discussed. And I hear your concerns.

That section comes in from people that are in the county. And so there's a lot of traffic, especially with the heat going out to the coast, and so on, and so forth. And of course, construction, we all drove around detours today with construction happening in the section of town where I drive through and live with. And so
we did get the speed limit lowered at that time, many years ago when we worked on it and those beacons put in and I've tried to mitigate that. But ideally, I agree, a signal would be great. A signal costs a lot and
and we are continuing to work on these things. So I hear you.

And to address, I think the member of the public that talked about consultants, I did want to take the opportunity to do a shout out of the grand jury report, because the basketball is mentioned in a very positive way. Thank you, Vice Mayor, rich, for having been picked up on our warming centers that we opened up
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in back in December. So we do read the news. And to address our use of contract services, again, our city manager makes those decisions and I think him and the budget subcommittee, look at those decisions very closely about the costs. And and and what makes sense for our small city. So but I did want to take the opportunity to say thank you very much. Vice Mayor. Yeah, just a follow up comment. I read carefully the the description of the situation in Petaluma. And having been on the Budget Committee and looked at our consultants and understanding all of the details. We're far far from the situation that was faced in Petaluma. So I'm sure that that I'm confident in our distinction in terms of what we're doing, versus what Petaluma was doing confident that we're doing the right thing for our public. That was a very extreme situation. But of course, we all read the grand jury reports and pay attention to them. So we'll continue to be vigilant about that.

Right. Thank you for those comments. All right. So moving along.

We will move to our consent calendar tonight. And I'm going to go ahead and read our items and we will then have an opportunity to hear from our public so Consent Calendar item number one is approval of city council minute meeting minutes for the meeting of June 20 2023. Consent calendar item number two is approval of city council special meeting minutes for meeting of June 27 2023. consent item three approval to authorize mayor to sign a letter of support for SB 252. SB 252 As amended would prohibit the boards of the Public Employees Retirement System in the State Teachers Retirement System from making new investments or renewing existing investments of public employee retirement funds and fossil fuel company as defined
Consent Calendar item for approval of amendment number three with Green Valley construction engineers for construction management projects for parquets street water sewer slurry seal improvement project, CIP number 0615 Dash 21.01 and CIP number 0819. Dash 21.01. Consent calendar item number five approval of modification to to amendment number four with would Rogers for the Degas Avenue bike lane project Consent Calendar item six approval of city of Sebastopol and Sebastopol Police Officers Association, side letter agreement to July 1 2022 Through June 30 2024.

Ma'am
Ma'am she's just one of those things that yeah Memorandum of Understanding once you start to say you mess it up wrong. Anyway, the MOU known as the MOU for new schedules and this is coming from us
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From the police department and our TC consultant, and then Consent Calendar items seven approval of contracts as approved in the fiscal year 2324. City city budget, which include a renewal of contract with much more than consulting B renewal of contract with Murrin. It see renewal of contract with Phillips Seabrook associates D approval of amendment 51. Two Master Agreement 2010 Dash 01 Dash 36 with the G. H. D. Inc, for engineering and technical support services to the engineering department and II approval of amendment 52 To master agreement 2010 dash O one dash 36 With GHD Inc, for city engineering services.

So, with that, I just want to make one clarification. So for item number three, I've been advised it's not a letter of support, it's actually going to be a resolution of support and the resolution is in the agenda item.

Okay, thank you for that correction.

Yes. I had a quote, didn't want to pull item number six. But I had a question I asked my question of staff. Sure. No, we, item number six is and this would probably be to our police chief is the change in the work schedule. There was discussion, and I appreciate this prompt, prompt response to a request from Council, because it is budget related. But I just want to know whether with this schedule change, this will make the risk the reduction in overtime that you had targeted, Chief Nelson, more likely to be mapped because I know that was one of your big goals. So now we're talking about budget reducing reducing overtime, and that was part of the schedule change.

Reduction.

Okay, so reducing overtime, and of course, there's the retention piece, because it's difficult for everyone to be working those big long hours. Okay. Thank you. That's my only question. Thank you.

Okay. Thank you.

Mary, could we go ahead and go to public comment? Sure. Thing calendar. So this is for public comment for the consent calendar items only. If you would like to make a public comment on the consent calendar items, one through seven. I will go to chamber first and then I will go out to public comment. If there's anyone in chamber that would like to make a comment on the consent calendar items I seen.

So I did and could you go up to the podium so that the people on Zoom could hear your question? I was curious where the bike paths are going to be on Verdaguer Avenue. Okay, thank you. We'll have you have a seat. Yeah. Then we'll take all the questions in one round robin. That's kind of how we like to do it. Thank you.

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Thank you. So I will go out to zoom. Kyle, if you'd like to unmute yourself.

So, because again, in the consent calendar, we have huge contracts out to outside contractors for work that many of the citizens are expecting is actually being done by city employees. I will return to my conversation regarding the Sonoma County grand jury. This time let's talk about the recommendations that the city complete a cost benefit analysis, further use of private firm versus employees to staff planning. So here's my question Has this been done and made publicly available for an engineering department? recommendation to the city opens an RFP for planning services considering the combination of city employees and private contractors to staff the planning department. When was the last time that an RFP was opened for our engineering department? And how exactly was the use of city employees considered in comparison to private contractors. The city requires them grouped by badges or logos to their employees that identify them to as M group employees in their email signature and designation to each staff listed under the planning staff directory on the website. This seems like low hanging fruit in terms of transparency, and can be easily implemented almost immediately by our hired outside consultant that manages the city website and social media. Or, for example, when our city engineer is listed in our zoom meeting, we can we can know that they are listed as a member of a private company that we are contracting with. Recommendation six, the city conducts a formal survey of the citizens of Petaluma. I'm gonna pass on that one considering the city's poor track record it has on it pulling its citizens and any sort of meaningful way that doesn't have massive amounts of bias. additionally,
tonight considering both the side letter agreement as well as the proposal for a potential tax measure to fund our police and fire services, have there been any sort of fiscal audit or cost benefit analysis on police services in any public facing way that would actually provide evidence of the continued need for massive budget increases to both of these departments that we've seen year after year? Thank you.

Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment.

So next, I will go back to chambers. I'd see no one in chambers, I will go one more time out to zoom if you'd like to make a public comment on the consent calendar items only. Linda, would you like to make a public comment? Would So alright, so it's my understanding the number six got pulled for discussion, because I would like to, I think it needs some discussion, by the way, that word memorandum random.

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So and then going down to seven and thank you, Kyle very much because I'm, I'm with you just about 100% there. I'd like to know what these people do. As you know, I am computer free cell phone free TV free and largely electricity free due to my electro sensitivity, you know, knowing that I am, are all being cooked alive by radiation. But anyway, the point here is, could somebody tell me what much more than consulting does other than collect money from the city the same way with Myrin? It and Phillip Phillips, Seabrook solutions, what are they do? Can you please tell me accommodate my disability? Thank you. And,
and otherwise,
I think you're throwing an awful lot of money away for these outside out of Towner tractors, and a lot of the unnecessary audits, you know, the thing about the fleet.

Rich, thank you very much was just an absolute waste of time and money. And we what we got out of it was the loss of a very talented, good.

Gore, which was bullied into
Linda, you have about 30 seconds. I am.

That's it. Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Again, I will go back to chambers. Did you not see anyone in chambers that would have public comment? I will go back out to the zoom. If anyone likes to make a public comment on consent calendar item, please raise your hand and please unmute your telephone are pleased to get my attention. I see no one. So public comment is closed on consent calendar items. Thank you, Mary. So pulling up for the bike lane question. This is a small revision to the contract that we've had in place to do bike lanes from looking at high street to Pleasant Hill Road.

We've had a 300 and this is a pavement rehab and bike lane. $303,805. In this is a additional $20,000 And that's why we put it on consent calendar. City Manager Larian, do you have anything to add to that? No. Thank you, Mayor. That was good summary. Okay, cool. And then Agenda Item Number: 4
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I know Marin, it is our IT company that works on all our city computer needs for both website and staff.

Most people work on computers these days. And how about could you who's Philip Seabrook associates without me looking in detail at the agenda item I can't recall.

Go ahead.

Go see Brooke is who provides our building services as well as our flood Lane manager, they have a person on their staff whose specialty is floodplain management. We needed to replace someone who had that specialty and they were the ones only ones in fact that we could find available who carry that specialty. Right. I recall.

Some of why we use their services is because we had a person who was an expert on our staff who retired, correct. That is right. Okay, by the way, I could mirror like the state that I've been with the city now over 30 years and we have never had an employee city manager, city philia city engineer. Our city engineers have always been consultants. Last time on the retirement of our engineering manager Henry Micah's, we did put out
request to try and
solicit resumes from city engineers. We did not find anybody who was willing and able to do the job as an employee. But we have always had a consultant city engineer as long as I have been here. That is because that specialty is highly trained.

It takes a lot of education and it costs a lot of money to have a city engineer on your actual staff. So only larger cities, generally speaking can afford that.

We have also, in most cases, had consultants doing the rest of our engineering work. We have had twice we have had engineering managers, that was primarily to keep the costs so of city contract work, city construction work, in line with direct management. And we have tried to replace those two individuals and we're not able to do so. So those services now of maintaining responsibility for the city's own construction contracts, do fall to GHD engineering, and who are doing a good job keeping costs in line. So that was the goal of having the engineering managers control costs of the city's own construction projects. And I believe that goal has been met through GHD ght helped us get a few grants to I recall. That's right. Many grants. Yeah. Thank you. All right. So Agenda Item Number: 4
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I am looking to the rest of the council.
are buddies. Okay, with the consent calendar? Would someone like to council members honor? Yeah, I move the approval of the items on the consent calendar.

I'll go ahead and second that motion. All right. Thank you. So we have a motion and a second. Mary, would you roll call?
Yes. Thank you, Mayor. So so moved by councilmember Zalman and seconded by Vice Mayor rich to prove Consent Calendar items one through seven. Councilmember Mauer. Yes. Councilmember Zalman? Yes. Vice Mayor rich? Yes. Mayor Hinton Yes. Council member Mick Lewis is absent. So the motion passes 401 With councilmembers mauers Ohlman. Vice Mayor rich and Mayor hidden voting in favor and Councilmember McClure is absent.

Great. All right. Thank you. So moving along. Tonight, we do have a presentation. And this is item number eight on our agenda. And we are going to hear from skip this is an informational presentation about meet your neighbor and spousal neighborhood communications unit known as SN see you. And it's a twice annual report. Hello. Hey, there. Is this? Is this the right heights? Yeah, sounds great. Thank you. Thank you so much. Are we going through the intro Jack, know you go right ahead or did a fine job of introducing you. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council and everybody else.

One, I want to clarify that I think in your documentation, it's still listed as map your neighborhood. And we did in fact, change the name to meet your neighbors. And so that's a significant change for us that I won't go into. But just as far as referencing, we still use the acronym and y n. But it actually is meet your neighbors.

So the number one thing that I wanted to try to address, I sent some documentation to you and I wanted to sort of address how this mun program has evolved. Part of the evolution of the program is what's called the leader Council. And our leader Council are those leaders that have gone through the class, and are attempting to do things in their neighborhoods working within their neighborhoods, they come together with other leaders, we do this on a monthly basis. They come together with other leaders to talk about what's working, what's not working, talk about the things that we told them that Agenda Item Number: 4
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they should try that didn't work, and then bring back the ideas that they found out that actually did work, and we share it with everybody else. So it's a real great sharing that goes back and forth. That group did meet throughout all of the COVID-19 through the pandemic, they were really great about that. They continue to meet. And while they were looking at working within their own neighborhoods, they began to look at working across neighborhoods. And in the idea of working across neighborhoods, the need for a map came up. And that map has actually been looked at is being looked at now actually.

The map actually had some permutations. The current permutation is that it's on a Google map. But it's actually not ready for primetime yet. So we didn't we're not ready to release the map itself to the public, but I wanted to be able to show at least what's happening. Part of what's happening is is that we use the four zones the evacuation zones that we have in Sebastopol, we use those as a central location in order for us to be able to under
Stan, what neighbors and neighborhoods are in each one of the zones. The zones become important when we get to the radio program. But if you just take a look, you can see within, I'm going to, I'm going to go over here real quick, or actually, I won't go over there, the three colored zones. So our evacuation zones, upper left hand corner 701001 To the right 002 To the bottom right 003 To the bottom left 004.

So you can see a number of
I don't know what those are dots with the little circle inside and stuff. And then you see some areas that are outlined. Part of what happened with the leader council was we did a survey, we had a good number of people that responded, hey, I'm doing something in my neighborhood. And we also asked for people to give us a boundary of their neighborhood so that we had an idea of what are we looking at for an individual neighborhood? And what are we looking at, at least across our general vicinity. So you can see these little brown areas, these areas are literally the boundaries of mi n neighborhoods.

And if I'm not mistaken, this map has like 32 of them on there. We had 46 or 48, neighborhood leaders that responded. And then we had 30, some that gave us their boundaries. This is the evolution of wanting to work individually to be prepared to wanting to work collectively within the neighborhood, to then starting to look at how do we prepare at the community level. So it's going across neighborhoods, and that's what the leader council was interested in seeing here.

Secondarily, what's happening with the leader Council is that they're entertaining the idea of adopting radio. And I'm talking about FRS, which is Family Radio Service GMRS, which is General Mobile Radio Service, or ham radios, that the big the big radio outfits. So that's a very different setup. But what what the leader Council has been trying to do is to adopt what the Sebastopol neighborhood command communications unit has been developing over the last three years, which is to be able to connect those neighborhoods within that within the neighborhood through an FRS radio, which is a walkie talkie Agenda Item Number: 4
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radio, small one, to a GMRS, that would be able to reach out from the neighborhood to the hub. And a hub would be in one of those four zones, of which we have three of those zones with hubs currently, where they would reach out then to the hub. And if you needed a change, or you needed something in your neighborhood that you didn't have within the neighborhood, the hubs would talk to each other to see if they could find it for you. That's the goal is to be able to keep community level communication happening. And those of us that are sheltering in place during any emergency, maybe even only a power outage, those of us that are sheltering place would be able to stay connected through that network. So the leader Council will be adding rate the hubs themselves, which are not indicated on here just now. But they will add the hubs and then they'll start to add the radio information that individual neighborhoods are willing to share. They will they'll have that information then listed so that you know when you need to get ahold of Marian, you know her callsign okay, if you need to get hold of skip, you know, skips callsign by virtue of scrolling over that map. That's where we're moving towards, but we're just not ready for that public part of that as of as of yet. So the s&c you network, the Sebastopol neighborhood communications unit network has been developing over these last years. And it's starting to take hold. And that's very, very exciting on a lot of different for a lot of different reasons.

We need to know that when an emergency happens that we would be able to connect everybody together, again, at at neighborhood level, but we want to be able to know that we can connect each other together and the network that smcu has been developing is really critical for that. And it's really has some traction, it's being built. And essentially in the county, what's happening in the county is they're mimicking our use of hubs in order to be able to do a larger picture in the county itself. So it is a system that actually has legs under it at the county level as well as for us on the local level.

I think that's all I was gonna say.

And then leave it up to if you have questions or comments.

Councilmember Mauer Thank you during the pandemic, my neighborhood why From meeting well, before the pandemic, we were having like a fourth of July party once a year, then when the pandemic hit, we started meeting three times a week in the street. And we, in a cul de sac, and so we draw people from two streets, actually, they come to our circles, we're still meeting once a Agenda Item Number: 4
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week, and we're not on your map. So you need to be, you need to be, well, actually, one of our guys is a radio person. And so he knows about your work, but I just didn't know how to get in touch with so how does a neighborhood you know, become part of this.

An individual takes the class, the Mun class, which we have on a monthly basis on the third Wednesday of each month, and it's on Zoom and in person.

So that's the way to start for an individual. If somebody is fairly hip to this kind of information, emergency preparedness information, they might just ease right on into our leader council meeting, which is the second Thursday of the month. And again, that one is only on Zoom currently, and this information is available on Sebastopol ready.org, on the calendar in specifics, but you you would go through the class, and then you would you would send people, maybe others your let's say that you took the class, and then others from your neighborhood, you might come to the leader Council and connect with others about what they're doing in their area. And to be able to learn from what you've been doing on a weekly basis. I'm sure that there's learnings that others would be able to take so a class the leader Council, get to work. Thank you.

Okay, thanks, Pierre. Yeah, thanks, guys, for being here and giving us this overview. I just wanted to make sure that the public is aware that this is me, your neighbor and smcu is part of our fire department, and is overseen by our Chief Fire Chief Jack Piccinini. So skip is a part of our support staff here and Sebastopol, he's the Public Outreach Officer, as I recall. And also we do have a budget line item for expenses here. And maybe you could give us a sense of what that money that was allocated by the city council has been spent on in support of these efforts. Yeah, great.

So yes, to the chief, we definitely are working under the umbrella of the fire department and have been for quite some time.

Our hubs require a specific kind of a base station, and an antenna and some cabling in order to be able to make those hubs operate. So a big part of our budget was to buy those radios, 50 Watt radios that are used by the hubs, to give you an idea of what that means is an FRS radio might work at two watts, my GMRS, radio works at five watts, and then the base stations are working at 50 watts with a good sized antenna, that's that's the goal. And then they would be able to reach in a much bigger footprint.

We also purchased a bunch of I'm sorry, that's not the right way to say that we purchase 40, some radios, GMRS radios, in order to be able to give out during events that we might have. So that's the plan also, is to be able to when we have neighborhoods that are active and are doing things, we would be able to go into those neighborhoods and give some GMRS radios to those neighborhoods that need them. So that's a big part of the way of where the money has been spent. And then can I just ask, Oh, an email address for you. Are you willing to share your email address in case anyone wants to reach out? Sure. SJ i e. R r e l s at city of sebastopol.org. Okay, and then the other way, of course, would be Agenda Item Number: 4
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for anyone to call the fire department and speak with paddy to get your contact info. Yes. And I will give you my phone number too, which is 707-799-2204.

I do answer it actually just
think and the chief might have something to add. But can I just ask one little question. Since I live on Hayden and I'm looking at this map it says in building wireless solutions. Is that a business or is that? A hub? I've just never heard of it. It's it's not a hub. Okay. It must be a business. So it's been used as a landmark ticket. Okay, right. Yeah. I just I would have lived there for 30 years. I would have no idea I just don't know. Or landmark. But anyway, just mention it. Anyway. It's funny what comes up on Google Maps? Yeah, I guess it's very funny sometimes chief. Yeah. Thank you, Mary. I so first of all, with regard to posting information on how people can get better involved, the fire department work with skip will do some things on our
Facebook account and also provide some information in the newsletter, the city's newsletter to help direct people to how they get involved, how they learn more about it, or if they want to attend a class.

And then my final comment is, I would just like take a minute and recognize Mr. Jules drills for his very hard work on this. He's been doing this for a very, very long time he has it, you know, he's just very passionate about it. And he's truly been a leader on this very important part of what the public can do when there's a disaster. So I thank you, and Thanks, Jeff. Appreciate it.

Anything else?
Great. Thanks. Stan green from the Sebastopol neighborhood communications unit was supposed to be here to talk about the radio, but he was just simply unable to. Alright, thank you so much for the informational presentation. All right.

Hey, so
that is our only presentation for tonight. So we will move along to public hearing. Agenda Item number nine. This is a public hearing to consider a resolution to modify the plant communities zoning for Agenda Item Number: 4
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Woodstone corners at 1121 through 1171 Gravenstein. Highway, South planned communities zoning amendment and use permit for that same address. And this is from our planning department and I saw believe carry on Zoom earlier.

Oh, they're very Thank you.

You want to go ahead and launch this one.

And then should we? Yeah, we'll discuss it and then open the public hearing. Thank you. Correct.

Yeah. And actually associate Kleiner John Jay will be giving the staff report for this. We do not have a planning commission that is on here tonight. But I feel well.

It'd be a pretty straightforward hearing, hopefully. John.

Thank you. Good evening, Mayor, vice mayor and council members. The item here tonight is a zoning text amendment request from Patrick Slater on behalf of Greg and Karen table to modify a use permit for a planned community at 1171 Gravenstein highway style or Woodstone corners for the attached resolution number 5156. As a part of your agenda packet tonight, on October 3 of 2000. The City Council approved the Woodstone corners development as a mixed use live work development. We're allowed ground floor commercial and upstairs residential only. This amendment tonight is to allow ground floor residential whereas currently not allowed under its current use permit. The amendment would also fill the use permit requirement for 100% residential and a commercially zoned district. This amendment request was submitted to the planning department on March 9 2023. And was heard at the June 13 2023 Planning Commission meeting where the commission voted in favor to recommend by resolution to approve the zoning permit which is also included in your agenda packet.

The amendment would only require the amendment tonight is only to add one new unit at 1171 in the Gravenstein Highway South. But as noted in the conditions of approval, staff has recommended and I condition for this to allow all units should they want to the ability to convert those ground floor spaces to residential through regular building permit to better streamline the process.

The amendment would only require this new unit to supply two parking spaces on site. And with 17 currently on site and for street parking spaces available, it would meet that minimum parking requirement. Alternatively, if the entire development were to convert to ground floor residential, the overall entire development would provide for parking spaces in excess so it'd be overburdened.

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With that. I will conclude my staff report and take any questions from the city council.

Okay,
as their questions it looks like councilmember Mauer. Yeah. I have a question about notification of the other neighbors in the area was the notification done?
Yes, the notification was done for both the planning commission meeting and also the city council meeting the newspaper of the press Democrat along with the mailed notice to 600 from the residents.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor rich. Yes. Thank you for that presentation. We talk in planning out and hear both you and Carrie Swanstrom talk about the need for consistency. My question on this one is, what sort of precedent are we setting? And are there what other what other current structures do we have in town that are zoned for commercial on the first floor that we might be seeing as proposing to convert to residential.

So we have a couple of projects. Recently, the planning commission just approved the 7631 heels were Murphy Avenue project that was originally approved as ground floor commercial and upstairs with two apartment units.

The Planning Commission heard a conditional use permit for that to have two additional residential units on the ground floor, which they approved. That did not come to the city council as it's a regular zone commercial district this this one is a little specific in that it's at plan community. So it does require the additional city council approval on that.

And we also have a another project
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for
it's along Main Street, South Main Street, to convert a commercial office space to residential. So there's quite a few projects in town that are going on right now that are converting commercial space into residential because of the vacant commercial spaces that we see in town. And
with residential, we need much more units in such. Great, so I'm sorry, sir, voice manager I was going to also add in and to address your question about precedent.

So currently, we do require a use permit in any commercial zone to have 100%, residential or residential on the ground floor.

We do look in the planning commission certainly looks at each site specifically. So I don't think there is a precedent here that's being set. That said, as as John noted, there is a bit of a trend. Some are Victorians that were originally houses that were converted to office and now wanting to go back, such as the South Main Street that John mentioned, others are like the brand new Healdsburg Murphy, where they have not been built out is commercial, seeing the need for residential and just simply asking to just build it out as that.

However, we did, I did just get notified that we did receive a quarter of a million dollar grant from a bag to look at if there are areas of town where in our commercial zoning district, where it does make sense to perhaps allow residential without the need for a use permit that will allow the Planning Commission and the city council to look at, you know, where it is appropriate and where it's not, so that we can, you know, not have all of these random requests coming but really provide guidance to the community on you know, downtown are the two commercial nodes versus the areas in between this particular site is not a doesn't have a lot of commercial frontage. So staff was very supportive of this, it's, you know, it's right adjacent to that hotel, and residential to the east. So it's very compatible to the surrounding uses, in terms of residential, converting those lower floors to the residential uses.

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And the other owners within the HOA for the the actual year development there, did review this and are supportive of the the changing the zoning for the entire development to this. Great, thanks. And then final question, if this had at what about the affordability piece? So I think we have some rules that would require that a certain number of units be affordable. Is that true? Would it apply here is a different since they're converting and just a really brief answer would be great and then we can move on to other topics.

Do you have any concerns about the way that this has been converted sidestepping in any way rules that would require that certain number of units be affordable? I do not this was only one unit that is being converted.

And they are they're actually smaller units there and John if I don't recall the square footage, but they're basically
smaller one bedroom units.

So my expectation is that the rental of them would likely be in the more moderate range. Anyway. Thank you. I think that's enough of an answer for me at the moment. Thank you.

Okay, seeing no other questions at this time. We, sorry, the process we open the public hearing. Yes.

So we will open the public hearing. And we will go to our public. And, Mary, can you ask for public comment? Thanks. Thank you, Mara. So this is the public hearing for the plan community zoning for Woodstone corners on Gravenstein. Sal, if you would like to make a public comment during the public hearing,
I will go to in chambers first and then go out to zoom. If there's anyone in the chambers that would like to make a public comment on this item.

Please go ahead.

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I would like to speak for me. I can hear you. We will call on you. We're going to chambers first and then we'll come out. Thank you. Thank you. Hi, my name is Andrea Colbert's. I'm here with my husband Bob Culbertson. And we are in April of 2023. We purchased a unit in Woodstone corners. And we are we would like to see we encourage any sort of opportunity in Sebastopol to to offer more residential housing. It's a huge issue from what my understanding is in Los Altos, they've made a there's been an approval to some degree of converting the commercial empty commercial spaces into residential housing. So yeah, so that's what we would we would encourage and make up provide housing to a number of people, including possibly our family, downstairs, if we're able to convert that. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment. Next Algot zoom. The first person I had is Kyle. Kyle, Can you unmute yourself, please? Yes, I can. Can you still see the timer? Yes, I can. Great. Go ahead your public comment place? So this question is not in regards to the actual agenda. It's more about the actual process here. So this is a question for the city attorney. The agenda items states the beginning that this is a request zoning text amendment request for the applicant from the applicant, Patrick Slater on behalf of Gregory and Karen, and Timothy and Rosalina debelle. Now, the question in particular for the city manager is in relation to the California political practice Fair Political Practices Commission, specifically section number 8740 6.3, which is the local one year ban. Local one year ban prohibits specific specified officials from one year after leaving local government office or employment from representing any other person for compensation by appearing before or communicating with their former agency in an attempt to influence the agency's decision and administrative or legislative action, whether quasi legislative or quasi judicial, and or any action involving a permit license contract or transaction involving the sale or purchase of property or goods. This one year ban also applies to an individual who at the time of the appearance or communication is an independent contractor of a local government agency or a public agency in his opinion or communicate on behalf of that agency. So again, question here is for the city attorney to specifically address the local one year ban.

His opinion on the local one year ban as to this particular agenda item, what responsibility of the city is to enforcement of that local one year ban? And if we are in fact in a violation of local one year ban, who is the governing body to to file some sort of a complaint on the on the violation of the local one year ban? Thanks so much.

Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. Next, I will go to in chamber.

Good evening. My name is Greg gave a light on the property that's being looked at and initiated the whole process. On the way here tonight and on the way to the planning commission. My past five or six signs, it's an office for rent. We don't need offices, we need housing. And that's I mean, I've just own one, one little unit, upstairs apartment downstairs office. They're hard to rent. And I figured city needs housing. I've like converted.

Good for everybody. Good for me. I can keep it rented. Good for you. You have more housing with no construction at all. Virtually no exterior work needs to be done at all. To convert this. It's good to go. I'm Agenda Item Number: 4
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also the manager of the HOA for Woodstone corners. At their last annual meeting. They voted unanimously unanimously in favor of this amendment, though All right, I stand available for any questions you might have later.

Thank you for your public comment. Next, Ella, go back out to zoom. If you'd like to make a public comment on this public hearing, Dana, would you like to make a public comment? Again, this is public comment for the public hearing on the plan community for the wisdom court. There you go. Can you hear us okay? Yeah, I can hear you. Can you hear me now? I'm sorry? Um, no, you're okay. You're okay. Can you see my timer? Dana?
Rave, I'm sorry, I can't be there in person. I'm so glad this is coming up. I'm also an owner in Woodstone corners. And totally in support of being able to do this transactional being mom remodel, both properties have their own separate entrance, there's plenty of parking on site.

Housing is a huge issue in Sonoma County. This would be a very simple interior remodel, with no exterior changes to the property. And I'm just requesting that she was looked at seriously. And
consideration is given for permission to allow
the bottom units to be converted to housing in beautiful one bedroom apartment. So that's my comment. Thank you very much.

Thank you for your public comment. I will come back to the chambers if there's anyone that would like to make a public comment on this item.

Seeing none, I will go back out to zoom. Linda, would you like to make a public comment? Agenda Item Number: 4
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Anyway, are Kyle doubtless special? Very good. Excellent. So anyway, what that brings to mind is, you know that our former mayor's calling in the footsteps of our former planning director
of Sir
Sure, what's his name? Ken Webster. Anyway, who actually owns yours? I on city council was actually Of course, he was pro business and was working for businesses and not once did he ever respond favorably to anybody who brought up a
an issue regarding health environment or anything like that, you know, I just hanging out there in the lobby, as I said, Before, I got no list. And then
21 Mostly, almost all unsolicited comments about him needing to be fired. And in that he he altered? You know, as I've said before, that traffic traffic survey in order to bring the bar will to us and that's why we have the traffic mask we have today, which is only getting worse, according to one of the cops. So and then more on on Kenyan he's, he's now in business for private business, you know, still
profiting from his experience, knowledge, you know, having been on the payroll of city. So anyway, it looks like that's what Patrick's doing. So, aside from now, this is a real opportunity to provide an idea you have about 20 seconds, safe housing, the the big issue that needs to be addressed is the levels of radiofrequency radiation. And it's easier than you think to convert an existing building to electrical magnetically Safe, safe thing. And so it's a real opportunity need to look into and make available to a population, which is you know, being cooked alive. Linda, that's two minutes.

Thank you for your public comment. So I will come back to chambers if there's any additional public comments on this public hearing. Seeing none, I will go back out to zoom. If there's anyone that would like to make a public comment on this public hearing. For the planning community rezone wisdom corners, please raise your hand, please unmute your telephone or please wait to get my attention the gallery. I see no further requests for public comments. So this public hearing is closed.

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Thank you, Mary.

I feel a little discouraged by the member of our public who is saying negative things about a previous employee and they're not even around to defend themselves. So I have to make a comment to that I it's a very small town and I think calling people out by name and saying things that are not nice
thoroughly truth is a dangerous slope. So
with that, I don't know if I have a few questions that maybe I could ask. And then if we have more questions or deliberations from the full council.

So I think these are for Carrie, Carrie, you mentioned a grant. And I was just curious of who was responsible for helping us get that.

I actually wrote that grant. That was in house. I didn't know you didn't. Did you work with our grant writer? Are you? I didn't know. They would have been able to. But the time was so tight that I, I just did it.

Thank you for that. Free Money is always welcome in the city. And then my next question is, do these conversions count towards our arena numbers? Yes, they will be in the shaking of the head. Yeah. So that is how many how many? Rena? How many credits do we get? So we would only get the credits if people decided to convert, so okay, one for each unit that would be converted. And so tonight, we know that there's Mr. De Bo, who is interested in converting has I do know that there are a couple of office? Yeah, tenants in some of them, so I wouldn't anticipate they all would be converted immediately. Okay, sounds good. Thank you for that. Is there any other council members? Ohlman? Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor. And I just want to say Yes, I definitely encourage these type of applications in these type of pursuits. For one thing, it definitely helps in a lot of ways to have these type of conversions for empty spaces in order to get the type of housing that we need, as the mayor just pointed out, also, for high density areas, like in commercial areas, it helps to have people more in condensed area to save on transportation, driving a cetera, that affects our environment. And I'm also delighted carries for you applying for the a bag, amount of money that was no small lift and much appreciated because I serve as the mayor of Sonoma County's mayors and Agenda Item Number: 4
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council, men's council members associations alternative to the a bag. So having worked with them, that was no small accomplishment. So thank you. Those are my comments. Thank you. And I'm sorry, I did pass over one member of the public comment for I think directed to our city attorney, Larry, and I know that we have an applicant who is helping the actual, if an architect actually helping the applicant with this process. Have you had a chance to research the question from the public? We were reviewing the statute as we speak. I appreciate the public bringing this to our attention, and we will review it in days to come. And then if we pass this tonight, if it needs to come back in a different way, is that what we're not able to find any penalty provision is to state what would happen if there was a violation.

Okay, so I would recommend the council finished the agenda item tonight. Okay, thank you for that for clarifying that. Okay. My spare rich. Yeah. Is this questions and deliberations? Comments? Yeah.

So I'm very much in support of this effort. I love the fact that there's a grant, there's grant money that's been obtained to look at converting some of our larger commercial spaces into residential, and actually really appreciate the proactive effort of an individual in our community to bring this forward and say, Okay, this is not good for commercial, let's go residential. And the one comment I would have is that, I think as we look for as our planning department looks at how to deal with these requests into the future, it would be, I feel it would be important to look at what sort of affordability expectations we might have for conversions of this type in terms of the, you know, some sort of credit or some way to encourage an affordable rent, where there was an opportunity, but otherwise fully in support.

Okay.

We're okay. And I will just make comments. I've been in this property, and I've been with people that own or rent upstairs, super excited about the project. It's great to have conversions happening like this in our community. I think it's a trend of the times back in the day there was like was pointed out on another property conversion from a house to an office property now that's trying to go back. So to move with the sign of the times, we definitely need more housing in our community, so fully in support as well.

So with that, if we can go ahead and move to the vote, Mary will call or Oh, no, sorry, we have to make a motion. All right.

I'm happy to make a motion in support of this item. All right, we got a motion in a second. We got a second from councilmember Mauer. So there we go.

Thank you.

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Thank you so moved by Vice Mayor ridge and seconded by council councilmember Mauer to prove the plan zoning, playing community zoning for Woodstone quarters approving the resolution councilmembers Mauer. Yes. Zalman Yes. Vice Mayor rich Yes. Mayor Hinton aye. Councilman Mike Lewis is absent. So the vote passes 401 With Councilmembers, Mauer councilmembers almond Vice Mayor Richard Mayer hidden waiting in favor and Councilmember Liu is absent. Okay.

Yes, so we'll come back on the August 1 agenda.

Okay. Thank you. Yeah.

All right. So now we're gonna move on to a regular calendar agenda item. And that is item number 10.

This is an item brought by myself and the vice mayor, Vice Mayor rich, and I am just going to read the subject and recommendation and then I think we can go through it. It's a lengthy item with a number of discussion topics. So maybe we can go through the item. topic by topic and maybe ask questions and then go to the public and then come back. So.

So can we take it down? It? Okay. Yeah, got it. Okay. Great.

Yeah, Z. Laurie, members of the public. Yeah. Sorry, everyone, and thanks, staff. That was quick work.

Yeah. All righty.

So, moving along. Agenda Item 10. The subject is consideration of placement of a ballot measure on a special election to be held November 7 2023. In the County of Sonoma city of Sebastopol. The recommendation is that the council receive this information discussing consider a ballot measure for the November 7 2023, special election and consider approval of a consultant to prepare a ballot question and ordinance as well as public outreach and education and consider appointment of an ad hoc ballot measure committee.

With that, I guess so. Mayor Hinton I actually have a question regarding the video. And I, the question is, there's inappropriate content in the recording of this meeting now? Is there anything that we can legally do to prevent the republishing of that video, it'll be removed next week, we ran into this before and we've we've moved, we've had our IT department take out that section, and the videos of that will Agenda Item Number: 4
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not be posted. Excellent. Reinforcing the need for that IT department contract. Thank you. Thank you.

Good question. Thank you.

So I guess I'll start with just a couple of comments.

Shortly after our last meeting, I spoke with our city attorney and, and was cleared to Brown Act with Vice Mayor rich on this agenda item to consider a tax.

And what that would mean, of course,
it's been I think, fairly well researched, so that we could all have information to consider and we had to move that agenda item very quickly. If we were to consider a November, ballot item, and bring it forth at this meeting. Because it's a multi step process.

It was very clear, having reviewed the budget, I think by all of us that we are in a structural deficit budget and it's going if we don't find a solution, we are going to be going negative and it's not going to take too many years.

It was also obvious to me as a council member, when I saw that the budget subcommittee had recommended and put money in the ballot or in the budget that ballot measures would be a consideration. It was really just a matter of when we would run them if we would run them but that definitely we had placeholders so
and so Vice Mayor Rich and I started researching what that might look like. We talked to multiple people. I had a very nice in depth conversation with Deva Prado who does elections for the county and to understand the process, and there's upsides and downsides but in these quickly, my feeling is information is power. And
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for the full council to liberate bond tonight, and it's it's not I think ideal in a short window. But with all things being equal, we obviously understand that we have needs in this community to fund and we got to figure out how to do it. So, Vice Mayor rich, would you like to add anything to that opening comments? Yeah, what I'd say is that this city council was pretty it was clear during the budget discussions and the city council meetings, two of them. Regarding the critical nature of our budget situation, we are at at the moment, estimated 1.6 7 million deficit, which is pretty awful. We have a consultant's report that indicates that we will use up our reserves within I think, five years, if I recall correctly, we have growing needs within the community, a community that demands high quality services, discussion at the last at the city council meetings regarding the budget that focused heavily on public safety recognition that we need in long term solution to that issue. And that we don't, we don't have a revenue building solution at the moment. So you know, crisis, that term was used quite a bit critical, that term was used quite a bit. And so moving forward seems like an excellent opportunity for us to take care of that in a quick way, or at least to consider it in the full city council. And that was the goal of this item to provide all of the information, all of the options in a question format, so that with recommendations from us, but also in a question format, so that the City Council could discuss it, because as I've said, to many people in this community, this city council is the council a very involved individuals who definitely do their research and contribute.

And so that's why we've laid it out in the way that we have at the other piece that I'd identify is that we all know that there are other tax measures floating out there. And we don't want to do anything that will in any way, be in conflict with those other tax measures. And so moving forward in November of this year, places in us in that in that opportunity space, to ask the public for support, inform the public in a very focused way, have our public decide whether the public wants to provide additional money for for our budget, and yet, then be open to the other opportunities that the rest of the county might need to present to us in March and November of next year, because there will be other needs. So that's really my initial comments.

Councilmember Mara, thank you. I so bear with me, I've gotten my little notes here.

So I agree. We're, we were in a budget crisis. And we do have a growing structural deficit. These are important things to take care of. But
I don't think this is the I think this is premature to put something on the ballot. And I'm going to outline why I think it's premature.

Last year's budget adopted budget was basically 1.1 million deficit.

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And in the actual, I think it's an estimated actual still was a gain of 470,000. So it wasn't as bad as it started out. And the year before was the same and had a 1 million deficit. And the actual was 300, and roughly 370,000. Gain, not a loss.

Two years before that. It was, for example, 2019 to 2020, it was 1.4 million deficit, the adopted budget.

That's the initial budget. So that was a deficit of 1.4. The actual was a 1 million deficit. So it came down by 400,000. And in 2020, to 2021, the adopted budget and the actual budget, it came down by 800,000.

So
my point in saying that it's not that I don't think we have a budget problem, but I think that it would be well, let me just keep going with what I'm trying to say so because I'm like my ultimate point is that I think we should wait, that I don't think this is the right timing. And one of my concerns is that the Sonoma County Fire Department they have a ballot measure which is a half a cent sales tax, which will be
Coming on the ballot in the springtime. And that will, our fire department will receive a lot of great benefit from that like $1.2 million plus 5 million for a building. However, the ad hoc committee for the fire department hasn't even completed their work yet. So we don't even know. And one of the questions on the ad hoc committee was whether to consolidate or not, that has not been completed. So So my understanding is that, because this is a special election, it has to be a special tax. And I understand it is what the city of Sebastopol needs, is they need revenue for the general fund. Yes, we need revenue for everything, but particularly the general fund so that we have more, so we're not facing this deficit every year.

So my concern with the fact that there's the County Fire Department has a ballot measure is that how will that it let's say Sebastopol puts a ballot measure now? And then they have won in the spring? Is that going to affect whether or not in the one we put on now is for public safety? Will that affect what Sebastopol will receive from the county
and Oregon's Sebastopol voters rejected and thereby, you know, hurt the county's effort as well. I don't know, to me, that's an unknown.

And that's one of my rationales for let's wait.

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So and the other idea is, since we need the money for the general fund, but what if we put it on the special ballot saying that we're using this for public safety, then I would think to be fair to the voters, the fire department should get whatever they're getting now. plus whatever taxes you collect for them, otherwise, you're just collecting a tax, and then using it for the general fund. I don't know if that makes any sense. But I'm really uncomfortable with that, because that feels there's a potential word deception of the residents. And I don't want to see that happen.

So I guess I said this, the ad hoc has not finished their work. So my suggestion is to wait until after we know what happens in the spring with the Sonoma County Fire ballot measure. And if that gets approved, that's that, that's
then Sebastopol is going to benefit greatly by 1.2 million, which is more than then that quarter cent sales tax we'd even put in now, you know, so.

And I'm not I'm absolutely not comfortable raising property taxes. And the main reason I'm, I'm really not okay with that is because Sebastopol residents are still paying for palm drive.

And I just, you know, I really didn't, I wasn't able to look at I'd like to know what the taxes are, and to see if there any sunset dates on taxes and stuff. But at this point, I'm not comfortable raising property taxes when we still have
that hospital for palm drive on there.

So my my main point is, I would like to wait until after the spring, and reconsider this for the fall of 2024, when it's a general election, because also it won't cost as much because a special election, we have to pay a lot more, it'll cost us at least $100,000 to put a couple, one or two measures or whatever, however much it'll cost. I don't know, it'll cost all 100. But it could cost more because it's a special election. If we're the only city putting a ballot, putting a measure on the ballot, it costs a whole lot. So if we don't do it, we actually save $100,000 For for this year. And that makes our deficit 100,000 last 1.5 something. And anyway, I would that's my argument for waiting, I think I think we should wait until until fall of 2024. Thank you.

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Councilmember Zalman. Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I just want to be clear on the process because usually what we do is we ask questions and we wait for comment, but I'm gonna No, no, no, I'm gonna follow
what I think is normal. It's okay. And
you're passionate. It's okay. It's, it's all good. I had one question. So But first, I want to thank the mayor and vice mayor for taking this on, especially given the outcome of the last time we were together and the votes that were made in the direction in which they moved to kind of Have it all be focused on just public safety, however you'd want to divide it. So I want to thank you for taking the initiative to sort this out and present it in a way that can hopefully address most of our questions and move forward. The one question that I have is on page five, the parcel tax thing. And I, the reason why I'm asking this is just to make sure that the public knows that we have explored everything, I kind of get a sense of where we'll go. But I still want to ask the question anyway, on page five, when it talks about the parcel tax, it starts with a recommendation of $200 per parcel. But when you go back to the May 17, presentation by the consultant, it said that it would be $290 per tax per parcel that would result in $790,000 being raised. So I guess I just kind of want to get your thinking of why you started at the 200. And not just relying on the paid consultants that were there to be retained, provide advice.

The the concept here, so yes, this city council could in fact, set whatever, parcel tax assuming that we all wanted to go forward with the parcel tax, the dollar amount of that parcel tax would be up for discussion, the $200 amount was just instinctively the Met, the amount that we felt in discussion would be the maximum, from our perspective, acceptable to the population, adding in and part of that conversation, I just like to bump back to what councilmember Mara was saying. And I actually looked at my property tax to see okay, what property taxes are we paying? And yes, there's about $260 in in very, in specific fees. And then in addition to that, there's percentages that apply, including palm drive to every single property owner. So it was just an instinctive 290 felt like absolutely too much $200, for discussion perspective, and for discussion, beginning points seemed acceptable as a starting point, I mean, instinctively, that's where I was, but Mayor Hinton, well, we also kind of looked at other district taxes in the area in West County. And so that upper amount is like the way up or a mountain. So again, with running any kind of ballot item, we want to make sure it passes, do everything we can to possibly so we didn't have time to do a survey, like many of the either larger organizations, or people with more time to pull the voters and say, What are you comfortable with? I did share with Vice Mayor Rich, I have sat on the West County high school bond committee for I believe I was before he was elected on council for four years. And I was involved in polling for the high school district at that time. So I was able to listen to that and participate. And I kind of knew what numbers they were playing with and their Agenda Item Number: 4
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strategy. So I could just kind of throw this number out. It isn't our recommendation to go to a property tax. So we were trying to also go well, what's reasonable in that? How much would that make us sales tax makes us more money. And then the other piece that I would add is that we were cognizant of another topic that Councilmember Meyer has raised, which is the need to be respectful of the work of the ad hoc fire committee, that work is not complete. And, and I personally am not part of that process.

But having looked at the report from Matrix, I'm concluding that the two major options will likely be independent firehouse, or consolidation, and that with consolidation, there might be a parcel tax, that would come over to the citizens of Sebastopol. So that entered into our let's not recommend a parcel tax, but it also entered into our if there's going to be a parcel tax, let's try to keep it low to not jeopardize the options for the fire ad hoc. And I just wanted to add to when you think about a sales tax part of the discussion, although I know that that can be viewed as a negative way to go for the whole community.

We also are surrounded by 40,000 people that shop here and use us for Congress and public safety should be funded right by by people that are in our town because public safety is here for everyone. So this way, a sales tax would also be collected from both visitors and people that live in the county that are coming to town and whether they're getting a ticket or needing you know, some sort of response while they're in town from our public safety. departments. Thank you. And I have another question. But I see councilmember Olson. So this was a question that I asked, because I kind of got a little bit confused in the report, like who really was the author, because I'm usually seeing the author be like staff, so and I didn't want to reach out to the two of you, because then that would be a Brown Act thing. So I sent it to Mary, and asked her about, could there be multiple purposes for a sales tax? Or does it have to just people one specific person purpose, which seems to be from the report, like public safety, to sort of what I interpreted to fill the gap in the funding that we never had, and didn't have a reasonable expectation of having for the two allotted positions? So the answer I got back was also sent back to all of you. Because she apparently reached out to our tax expert, they did say that there could be multiple purpose for a sales tax. And I just want to make sure that that's the correct understanding of email exchange, and from staff that I have a proper expectation about the fact that it doesn't have to be just one purpose it can be have multiple purposes for sales tax, is that correct? That is correct. That's what the consultant stated that it did not need to be just public safety. You could public safety, parks, public safety, government services. So yes. Okay.

Thank you. That's my questions. So let me address that. Very familiar, having said on an open space, that there's a percentage in their tax measure that goes to parks in cities, and that creates their matching grant funding that they do every two years, and it was part of their tax measure when they originally passed. So we did discuss that and floated some ideas in our meeting with Danny Rosati about, you know, I think I heard library thinking here parks, I would point out that I do feel like a tax measure was not successful that had too much confusion to the voters. And that was, in my mind, the Bodega Bay fire tax paired with the West County High School for El Molino.

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you're gonna get some people that like, like the parks and over the library, and some people that want to vote for public safety. And so we're really looked in this proposal to mainstream, one of our major costs is public safety. It's right up there on the public's graph. And that is part of our budget that needs to be funded for this community. We have a local police department, and we have and that's a community value other towns have gone with the Sheriff's Department. This town has never really talked about that, although it's floated out in other cities. And we have a fire department and so that we heard, especially in recently that, you know, we need to get up to speed. So that's, that's why at the end of the day, we went with a shared public safety message. It's a simple one.

And that is our most the biggest part of our budget in our general fund.

Councilman Miller, I'll stick to questions. I wish she would stop me.

Say my Yeah, we've had a little time to talk about it. So I we understand that. This is your time? Well, this is generally supposed to be questions, and then we hear from the public, and then we discuss. So anyway. I apologize about that.

So my question is, so if this ballot measure
gets approved, and it's supposed to raise 792,000, roughly, right. Right now, the budget for the fire department is about 1.4 5 million, roughly. And the police department was around 6 million. So the budget this, let's just pretend it gets approved. And there's $792,000. So next year, does that mean that that amount gets split between the two agents, the fire department, the police department, and so then the for example, the
fire department would get roughly 1.7 million, and the police department would get 6.5.

And, Mike, my question is, it's about being careful about not not using this tax measure for the general fund, because that could be deceptive for the voters. If you're going to use it. It's like are you going to read
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Use what you gave them, you know, last year and or, you know, I just I just want clarity about that, because that's where I'm really uncomfortable. Okay, thank you. I think I will address it. And of course we could look the city manager it is it would be illegal for us to float and pass a public safety measure and use it for the general fund. The general fund is a general tax, and it's in the agenda item. And maybe we'll hear from Larry on that as well. But we spent a lot of time talking about a general tax, which would only have to pass by 50% plus one is my understanding. And this has to present passed by a larger majority of the voters. In my conversations with diva Prado, we talked about other communities that have run single tax measures. And I asked her what the success rate of those were like, what's our risk factor? And of course, no one knows, and they weren't exactly tax measures. But in the couple examples, she gave me the pass rate was in the 80% range. So that gave me some confidence
in that, and I don't see a tax measure that we would run personally. But it would be decided budget decisions are made by this body. So it would the money raised would have to be used towards public safety. And then just like this year, from our heads of those departments, we would hear from them in the budget process about what their needs are. Part of the proposal is we are also debating going for a half percent. So
that's another discussion item. But Dana, do you have anything to add? And then maybe lurking idle? Yeah, I'd like to jump right into the question of wood, this money have to be used for new expenses.

We are in a deficit situation, we need a long term sustainable plan for funding our needs. We're now at what is it 1.6 7 million underwater? And yes, I understand that the last few years, we've managed to come up with an actual net positive. But we have to recognize that especially this last year, there were one time amounts that we are not going to see again, those one time amounts really helped shore up our situation. So we don't have a long term plan. We ended up recognizing as a full city council, there was debate about it. But ultimately, this city council by majority vote supported two positions for which there is no long term plan, a fire engineer and a sergeant. So we have existing needs that we need to have a plan for. I think we're absolutely absolutely need full disclosure, transparency. But there is nothing that prevents us legally, so long as we're clear with the public from using these funds in this tax amount in order to shore up our existing needs so that we can continue to deliver services to this wonderful community. So that's the one piece and I think we just would have to be very clear with the public. So I think that answers that. And oh, and I'd also like to point out on the county fire tax, something that was really important. That was in councilmember mayor's statement, if if it passes, we don't know what's going to pass. We can rely on our voters, we can try our best to inform our voters, but we don't know what's going to pass. And we have to recognize that on that question, which you raised in your initial statements that the county tax is voters across the county.

So So basketball voters don't control that outcome. We're a relatively small number of voters.

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But there may have been more and more information that you needed in terms of your initial question.

My question specifically, was that, let's just take the fire department for now. The budget for this year is

1.45. ruffling.

So then if this tax gets approved,
are they then going to get that basically the same amount plus whatever is raised through the tax? Because if they're not, then it seems deceptive to me.

And I won't repeat it, but I did have I think our city manager may have something to contribute. And I just like to comment was unfortunately an obvious observation here. It depends on how you write the ballot question. So under the scenario that you're presenting councilmember Mauer, it would be perfectly appropriate actually, if we just if the tax is stated to be for public safety purposes, or just generally stay
He or fire or police purposes or something similar, then you have to spend that money towards that. So as the mayor pointed out, you would not be illegal for you to simply use the money to go into your general fund. On the other hand, it's perfectly proper and you can offset what you normally pay towards the fire department with the new money from the sales tax measure. And it wouldn't it would indirectly improve the rest of your budget. Because you're spending less other budget General Fund monies towards the fire department, you could utilize the special money to get through this special tax. The requirement is that you not violate the ballot question that you present to the voters. So but you can be as general with that, as you can be of our non specific as you want to be, is how you phrase your ballot question. Thank you, Larry, that you answered my question.

Any additional questions at this point?
Council? Mayor Hinton I think. I think, actually, Councilmember Mauer had another question. Oh, I think your question in one of your initial councilmember, I think, Councilmember Mara, and your initial statements. I think one question that was embedded there was whether this any attacks measured by us now would in some way, limit the opportunity for consolidation by our fire department, because we know that the fire and Hawk is still doing its work as your question. No, okay, that wasn't. My point was is that the the ad hoc committee hasn't completed their work. Right. And Agenda Item Number: 4
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so we don't know what the fire department's needs are going to be? They haven't we haven't finalized it. So I have another comment. And another comment that I didn't make earlier. But I'll, I'll wait until we hear from public. Okay.

All right. So
I guess we should go to public comment if there's no more questions on the items outlined in the staff report. So all right, Mary, thank you. So this is public comment for the potential ballot measure for November 2023. Special Election. If you'd like to make a public comment again, I'll go to chambers first, and then I'll go out to zoom.

Hi, this is on? Yes. Okay. My name is Carol capraia. And I first just want to say thank you for coming back in person. I haven't been for years I've been out of the loop. I'm not a Zoomer. And so it feels great to be back in the room again. And so I'm not a budget person, either. And I have no questions. I just have some information that maybe you can throw into the mix, or maybe you can't I don't know. But um, so in terms of sales tax and taught tax, the the trend, you know, the transient occupancy tax that is generated
by hotels, or whatever else is in that genre, I don't really know. But is there any way that you can project or you can guesstimate what the Tod tax generated by the hotel subasta pool might be? I was in this room when they made their presentation and the rooms were going to be going for close to $1,000, a night, some rooms, they were going to do some hostel rooms, some very high end rooms. And I've lost track of that project. Because again, I haven't been in the loop for a number of years now. So I feel really out of it. But I don't know if Barney is going to be building a hotel. If he's, I don't know what's going on with that. But I was just wanting to say, is there a way to look at other ways to see where we may be generating some money? And if that's just a possibility. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will go out to zoom first speaker I have is Kyle. Kyle, Can you unmute yourself, please? Yes, again. Thank you. Can you see the timer still? Yes, I can. Go ahead. Your public comment, please. So I'd like the public to really watch what's happening tonight in terms of process. I've seen counsel over the last number of years repeat this process repeatedly. First thing they do is they fund it and they don't tell you anything about what they fund. In fact, during the budget committee or during the budget approval process. We specifically we were specifically asking if we could address
What the funding for the ballot initiative researching process was. And we were told no. However, if you go into the budget subcommittee meeting, there was active discussion about this ballot measure. So first thing they did was funded in the budget, the process of seeking out this, this ballot initiative without Agenda Item Number: 4
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telling the public what that ballot initiative was going to be. Now they frame it, right, we hear this framing about we need to fund public safety. Without considering the fact that even just two years ago, there was active discussion by council on the need for fiscally auditing our public safety departments. Now, we've seen that with the fire. And I'm not saying that we're there's not a need for the funding to be happening in the fire part. In fact, it's been a disgrace, watching the way that over the years, the budget subcommittee has continued to not fund the fire department at an adequate level. But there is no publicly facing document that shows any sort of fiscal audit on the Police Services and the needs. I'll give you a couple examples. regularly over the last few years, we saw radical increases in overtime as a result of mutual aid requests with the sheriff's department. What that does every single time that we provide mutual aid for the Sheriff's departments, we're subsidizing every single one of those communities that is contracting with the sheriff's department.

We need a fiscal audit to determine whether we actually need to be funding at the levels that are being proposed. And
but we're gonna watch the head and see the process happen of fund frame approve, rinse and repeat.

Thank you, Kyle, for your public comments. The next I will go back to in chamber if there's anyone that would like to make a public comment on this item.

Seeing none, I will go back out to the zoom. Steve, can you unmute yourself please? I can thank you.

Can you hear me? I can. Can you see the timer? Yes, I can. Thank you. Great. Go ahead. Your public comment please. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Hinton and Council staff and community. My name is Steve acre fire chief of the Sonoma Valley Fire District. However, I'm here this evening as the president of the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association. I first want to acknowledge the very real budget deficit you are facing and the need to address it for long term financial health and providing services. I've been involved in very similar situations and it is most challenging. As I know you're all aware from attending our recent presentation at the mayor and council members meeting we have been working on a countywide fire sales tax for over four years. We have also presented to the city managers group, we will have a citizens based initiative on the ballot in March of 24. We have been working closely with every fire department labor and volunteers to develop this measure and have all of their unanimous support
and concern that a Sebastopol tax measure for fire or public safety will jeopardize our opportunity for success and the $1.2 million that the city of Sebastopol will receive annually forevermore. Our measure in total will bring over $60 million to fire agencies within the county. It will make every area of the county stronger for fire and EMS services including your neighboring fire agencies. All monies by ordinance will go directly to each entity. In closing, our ask is that you be thoughtful and methodical in your process of deciding what kind of fire or public safety tax measure to place on the ballot. And more Agenda Item Number: 4
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importantly, when we encourage you to consider a tax after March of 20. For any sales tax that you consider over a quarter cent will compete with our existing measure. We do not want to jeopardize subasta pools 1.2 million or the total 60 million for fire services. We asked you to please put your full support behind our measure for March as none of us can afford to have either competing tax measures or the splintering of support. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Steve, for your public comment. Next I will go back to chambers. So you know in chambers, I'll go back out to zoom. Linda, would you like to make a public comment? Anyway, you know, I want to run with you Carl. You know, the process sucks. And it does not work.

And the narrative is largely controlled by the conscious conscience Lissa corporate profiteers, which is you know, a very good example that was given to the shyster cola boys with a 5 million and then point $2 million, which was squandered for wireless water meters, which here and now here's the way I see it, as I explained to AG cop last night. That $2.2 million is talking about public safety. It is doing it is doing public assault, you know, radiation from beneath our feet 3002 A wire With water meters radiating around the clock, making people sick and the sicknesses that are most common from from radiation poisoning, or heart attacks, cancer, stroke, did you hear that Larry, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, stroke, and, and, and diabeetus makes your blood sugar just go right up. So anyway, so this is a little and Larry has said, you know that the need for the emergency manager, medical people has in the fire department, the medical calls, has gone straight up on a graph. So here's where I see that. So people are being assaulted by radiation, you know, their cell phones and all the rest of it, you know, it's just getting more and more worse and worse, they're having these symptoms are calling your emergency fire department, Linda, you have about 25 seconds. Anyway, it makes a greater demand on them. Now, at the same time, our
wise leaders here, you know, are under cutting and cutting, cutting back on, on the support and funding from our fire and police who are answering it in large number of calls because of the technology that this city council has put into place in squandering $2 million, which that's two minutes, or 60 people.

Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Next speaker I have is Jim, Jim, can you unmute yourself please?
Can you hear me? I can? Can you see the timer?
No, but I'll try to keep it short. You can let me know when i get a 30 seconds left. So Agenda Item Number: 4
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I appreciated the comments by Sandra Maher, aye. Aye. I believe that we need to tax ourselves, whether it's through maximizing the
sales tax, or adding another parcel tax, I would vote for one or both of them probably.

But I also think timing is important. It seems like if we can get the county fire tax done and see where we land on whether we're consolidating it would be make more sense to have a better communication to the public about why we need this tax in 2024, when the land is all sort of settled.

I also, you know, kind of what Kyle Falbo has said about you know, well, we thought we were going to remove the sergeant and not fund the fire department. And then we decided to do that. But we don't have the money. We're dipping into the reserves. I mean, we have structural problems. And I think a real strong communication about how we're going to solve those. And hopefully it involves new hotel taxes and increasing the business community and sales tax and possibly parcel tax. But a real communication effort from the city council about how a city of 7000 people can survive with its own police department and its own fire department, and what kind of funding we need will help sell those kinds of taxes. So I think,
you know, I will be okay for waiting and not doing a special tax and seeing where we have about 25 seconds. And that's my comment. Thank you very much. Thank you for your public comment. Next speaker I have is Oliver followed by Mark Oliver, can you hear us okay? Can you hear me? I can. Can you see the timer? I can Yeah, yeah. Great. Go ahead, please. Thank you. Good evening. Yes. So my feeling about this is we've already got the second highest sales tax in Sonoma County already in the city of Sebastopol. I think fatalities are shade higher than us. And the mayor mentioned earlier the 40,000 people that come here in shop. The more we pile on taxes, the less people are going to come and stay here. We don't actually have a hotel. There is no plan now to build a hotel here. We lost the Sebastopol in we're kind of bouncing along at the bottom. I think this is a very good time to start looking very strategically about how to rebuild the sales tax base. You can see my graph in the in the picture for my Zoom account. Sales tax is everything we're not going to make it on property tax I know very well from last year that half the world a large percentage of people in Sebastopol are not wealthy at all and can't afford even more taxes piled on. There's plenty of wealthy retiree people and Sauron who can easily and now have different political objectives and so on. It's also incredibly important to know that whatever happens Recology garbage bills and water which the city has control over is going to go up enormously next year to fund the city. And to me that's unacceptable because for years the city has been very poorly
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manage. So again, I have to say, it's critically important that we have a really coherent strategic plan.

Finally, I'd agree with what Councillor Morris said, I think this is very premature. I'm very sensitive about the money that the county and all the different fire services are organizing to fund our fire service. It would be very, very kind of clumsy to try and squeeze a quarter percent sales tax in and possibly torpedo all our efforts. So that's my comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Oliver for your public comment. Next speaker I have is Mike. Mike, can you unmute yourself please?
Oh, how about now? There you go. Can you see?
I can. Go ahead, please. Okay, Mayor city council members. Good evening. My name is Mike Stornetta, president of the professional firefighters Selma county local 1401. I represent roughly 350 firefighters from around the county. I'm also the committee chair for citizens supporting a safer Sonoma County. Currently, our committee is responsible for advancing the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs tax initiative. Through this tax initiative, the city of Sebastopol gained roughly $1.2 million for your fire department. I'm also ecstatic to report that as of this week, our committee has raised over $270,000 in just over a month. Additionally, as of this week, we've secured approximately 29,000 signatures qualifying our tax for the March 24 ballot, that they've done tremendous work. This tax in this initiative has massive support from all of our stakeholders, including all fire chiefs and all firefighters in Sonoma County. To reiterate, this tax supports the city of Sebastian with $1.2 million annually with no sunset.

We believe this will help relieve some of sabbaticals budget concerns. The best part is it's already in motion. Not only is the polling campaigning and tax language already written and paid for, there's a small army of firefighters working diligently to make sure it's successful come March. Due to the exceptionally good polling 65% and the hard work of our committee, we're extremely confident that this tax will be passed by our voters. In March it only needs 50% plus one vote. Our asked tonight is at the City Council slows this process down and includes our committee with all future conversations on potential sales taxes, specifically, on how we can all work together on achieving all of our goals. As I know you're aware, alignment with stakeholders is extremely important to ensure success of any tax, our main focus is ensuring the city of Sebastopol doesn't lose out on this $1.2 million in funding, that the fire service in Sonoma County as a whole doesn't lose out on 60 plus million dollars in funding. We really appreciate your support. And we look forward to future collaboration with all of you. Thank you guys.

Thank you, Mike, for your public comment. Next speaker. I have a Steve Steve, can you unmute yourself, please?
Yes. Can you see the timer?
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Again? Thank you.

Yeah, I want to
talk a little bit about the tax and just throw out some numbers of our experiences as a town, we did have the 2018 sales tax measure, and that passed with 68% of the vote. So if we're looking at the the two thirds are just, we're just getting there. If we're going to put push this in a November ballot, there is a risk results of a survey from the Regional Climate Protection Authority or a 2024 ballot measure. They just got back results that show just 50% approval for a sales tax or parcel tax. Now this is a completely different animal, but it's in the same ballpark of how receptive taxpayers are to measures. I also want to talk a bit about some of the regressive nature of sales tax.

People that are in the lowest income percentages, according to report from spur from 2017, a three to four times the amount in sales tax as a percent of their income as the most affluent taxpayers pay.

Not to say that parcel taxes are so also aren't a bit regressive. But I think we definitely have some numbers when it comes to sales tax. If we're going to present a tax measure, B might want to consider having a combination of both sales and parcel that are both moderate tax rates for the two.

If there is the possibility if it fails in November, we can try again and 2024 where we're only going to need 50% That makes a pretty big difference that two thirds requirement when it comes to the t o t that was 300 to $400,000 in potential revenue
knew that we were gonna get from the new hotel that's still out there never was considered in the consultant's report, and the consultant did bring up possibility of looking at the way refunding pensions.

So there are measures to bring in more revenue for the city, they may not be immediate enough to meet the needs that we see as this critical financial straits that we're in. I think we're gonna have a lot of explaining to do to taxpayers of how we got into this. That's two minutes. Thank you. Thank you for your public comment.

Next speaker I have is, is the Apple was set up cofco.org.

Can you can you hear us?
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Yes, I can. Sorry, took me a minute to get used to this. Oh, that's okay. Can you see the Tiber I can actually face great. Go ahead, please. I just had a question or maybe a request for clarification based on what Larry said earlier. And
I got the impression that if the new parcel or sales tax was approved by the voters, and it was presented to them as funds being directed to public safety, that it could be possible for the council at their discretion at a later date, to redirect funds that had been directed towards public safety to the general fund, and reduce, in effect, it would be money going into the general fund as a kind of a de facto
switch or something. Maybe I'm misunderstanding that. So maybe Larry could clarify that for me a little bit. Is it possible that I'd like to know what percentage of general funds now go to public safety, and whether or not that percentage could be reduced by the council at their discretion in the future? If this measure is approved, either one and, you know, to sort of compensate for it and puff up the general fun. Thank you.

Thank you for your public comment.

There. Again, this is public comment for the potential ballot measure. If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand virtually, please unmute your telephone or please wait to get my attention the gallery.

I see no hands raised. I see no phones off the hook, as you know, and waving to get my attention. And one last call for chamber. There is no and so the public comment is closed on this item.

Okay, thanks, Mary.

So I'm going to try to separate the things that we can answer from the members of the public and then from then other
questions that are regarding the agenda item. So a member of the public asked about t o t funds. I think another member of the public pointed out we were looking at around 400,000. With new hotel that has Agenda Item Number: 4
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been planned for a number of years and discussed but has not even broke ground yet. My understanding is that new hotel would take about two years to even get Bill once GrandPrix. Is that your understanding as well? Yes, it's approximately correct how long it would take. Okay. And then I think another member of the public asked us how much we lost from the spascoe. And I recall that at about $45,000 annually, which we were made a hole for three years. With some money we got from the county through our supervisor, Linda Hopkins, is that correct? The best of my memory that figure is in the ballpark. Okay. So I think those answer the two questions. I don't I don't know if I don't know if this came up. But I had a note, sunset date, it is part of the agenda item to discuss sunset dates, and I think the for the tax measure. So proposal. So I don't know if the city was going to inform us on average sunset dates or any of that information. If you wish the city clerk did review sunset dates, okay.

And then for the member of the public that, I think kicked it off and said, you know, watch how this works. I will just state that I was not a member of the budget subcommittee this year, and nor did I watch the meetings. I've been on the Budget Committee though, for the previous five years. So I didn't want to be swayed when I saw the budget process. And so I did not watch those meetings even though I had the right to do so just to throw that out there for the public. And then I think that kind of answers the majority of the questions, and then we're back to deliberations here and comments. It looks like vice mayor's got her hand. Yeah.

I just wanted to point out because it's been mentioned a couple of times that there was a very thorough audit of our police department by Jerry 3d. And that, in fact, he encouraged additional staffing as part of that audit report. So just want to correct some information there that's been put out regarding assessments of our police department. And I'm sure that staff could provide copies of Jerry threes report to anyone in the public that would like to take a look at it. And the follow up reports from our police chief, who reported out on the progress made.

That's all I have for now. And then I thought, Should we just go through the questions in the staff report? Mayor hint, how would you like to? Yeah, there's a couple things. But we have a couple hands up. So let's go to Councilmember filmin. First, and then.

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor, in the major point that I want to convey is the fact that we do need money, we need it like yesterday, essentially, there's no doubt about it. So again, I appreciate the mayor and vice mayor taking the time to do the research and present it to us tonight.

And for me, as I had already put forward and thought about this, this is by way of comments, I already actually reached out to our interim fire chief and told them exactly what I was planning on doing today, Agenda Item Number: 4
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which was to recommend the half cent sales tax, and it would go for multi purposes, it would go towards fire, because undoubtedly whether we consolidate or we do not consolidate, we are still responsible for the safety of the fire people, the equipment, the status of the trucks, all of that, regardless of how we end up voting. And regardless of the fire ad hoc, he did express concern to about the competition with the county ballot. And in my mind for exactly what I heard here today from Larry, is the fact that we have a multipurpose
tax measure, then, if for some reason, the Sonoma County one, the whole county ballot passes, then we don't have to fund police as much, or fire as much as we would if it wouldn't. And we could then offer some of that sales proceeds into ongoing needs in the community. And specifically for me, and this is not a new thing. This has actually been proposed. And on our list from the budget committee that said that bar as far as other ongoing facility projects, we have the fire station, we have the library, and we have City Hall needs. So part of my proposal for a multifunction multipurpose sales tax initiative would be to definitely stick fire there for prevention, stick the library, and as we've gotten member, a letter from a member of the public, we need to be worried about our infrastructure, those would be the three things. And again, if the county actually measure did get passed, then we wouldn't supplement the fire, we would end up having more money for a library that actually meets our needs and a way to fund our ongoing infrastructure needs. So that actually was my proposal of having a half cent sales tax.

But now that I heard from members of the public who dialed in, also connected with fire, that if that buys, if that half percent were to be granted at the margins that we need to pass at the margins that we need that would actually serve as competition. So that concerns me a lot. So now I'm back down to a quarter seven. But I those are my comments. And those are my suggestions moving forward, that we do not hang it on a very ill defined like public protection type argument, because part of also my proposal is that we do not include law enforcement, law enforcement from what I've went through with the budget committee, and what I've heard here in full public display, is the fact that it seemed like they were fine with the level of public safety that we would be they would be able to afford the city up until like, we as council members decided to just offer them more money and of course, due to other pressures that they had d'oeuvre said Of course, yes. Getting back to whether we've actually had an assessment done and a vice mayor just mentioned, of what the last audit was the audit for them.

They've not sufficiently complied with requests from Jerry three to actually sufficiently address the concerns raised from the audit.

So I also have concerns to about the why we would ask members of the public and those that shop here to find for law enforcement, when again, their their definition of what is actually needed and why they can't use a police captain to actually go out in to the field is because it would not be in Efficient use of services and resources, that's their definition. Unlike the three that I just stated in the library, we have an independent assessment done by Sonoma County Library itself stating the fact that our branch is too small police or fire, we actually have an independent matrix report that says that they've not been funded up to speed. And for infrastructure, we have more than enough independent sources that say we need to put money into that thing. One entity that has no independent, like Agenda Item Number: 4
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valuation of what our police chief and other police chiefs have done is police. So I am not on board with funding that. So I just want to state that be my position at this point that you okay, I'm gonna jump in here and address a couple of things.

One thing that we heard at the budget meeting, which was that are firetrucks couldn't get out the door.

And we were funding police with a hold on positions back to 1986 levels. That's why I was an advocate for funding those positions. I don't
whether
really, I'm about we need to deliver services to our public. And we didn't have a good funding mechanism in place. But we couldn't wait for that. Because when there's a fire, firemen have show up.

And when there's an emergency, police have to show up. We heard that now we're looking for a funding mechanism, that a that the voters will support. And we took really into serious consideration to not compete with the fire measure that we know is going to be happening in March that we don't know.

Well, well, they've got a lot of early success will pass, right, because sorry to say that the last one didn't pass, and I voted for it. But it didn't pass. We have 300 registered voters in the county and 5500 registered voters in Sebastopol.

This measure was brought forth because we don't want to compete. But we have no guarantee that that will pass and we have to wait for the money. So I am the member of SCTA and RCPA, as a member of the public brought up and I did a review in my board meeting that pulling that pulling. Unfortunately, we do know that the polling numbers didn't come out for that. And they polar pollsters found out that while people believe in climate change, they don't want to pay for it. So I think it's really important that whatever we put on the ballot, that we know that our community would support it. I think fear of loss is always stronger than fear again, we could wait till next November with our fingers crossed. I'm not a fan of waiting when we need things funded now. So
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just wanted to kind of throw that out. It addresses some of the members of the public that spoke. This is why we hustled to get this put together so that we wouldn't compete. And we are not the highest sales textbook. Petaluma and contatti are above us. I think it's stated in our staff report by by a quarter cent.

And we do have a max cap on sales tax that we can ask for. So it's kind of like who gets there first. So those things are important to me. And that's why I believe in this agenda item.

And to make it happen, we would have to come up with some compromises on this council about what that question would look like. And I don't know if we can do that tonight, although we are only at 830.

And so but but to make it happen in November and not complete compete with the fire measure running in March and not wait till November 24.

We would have to decide tonight and then move to our next council meeting and and finalize it. So anyway, Vice Mayor rich, yeah, thanks. I I agree that there's a need for there's a sense of urgency here.

So I agree with Mayor Han and with council members omen that we need to move forward. I think it's very interesting. I hear councilmember Mauer and I'm sure Mayor Hinton is on a certain level just kind of smiling inside because my hesitancy councilmember mouth or when I first approached by Mayor when I was all about seems premature. You know, ad hoc hasn't done, its work dealt. We need to be more, more intentional, more, do more research. That's kind of That's my style. That was my objection stated at the last
last budget meeting by the city council, I tend to want thorough research, a lot of forward planning, my son just got married. And let me tell you the wedding was organized. So I That's my general approach.

But I have come full circle on this one. And considering all of the moving pieces, the urgency that I heard from this council, the urgency the council members, Omen, and I felt along with staff during the budget committee meetings, and that, combined with a voice from this council about the focus need to provide long term staffing plans for these particular positions that were approved. And that then taking into consideration the comments that we hear from council members here, and also from the fire chiefs, they don't want us to compete. And honestly, I don't want to compete personally, with the fire tax, this is a big County Fire tax, the fire tax is going to be a big issue in March. We also have some others coming up in November, that I personally, they resonate with me, the our kids are future, there might be other ones that come along. November is a time when a focus of this year, the focus of the messaging to our community could be very clear, unencumbered by competing issues. And we could inform them fully.

And there would be time between November and March for all of us in this community to go ahead and support the fire tax, which I personally really believe in. The other piece is that Agenda Item Number: 4
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in terms of the focus council members Ohlman I struggle with this, because we heard a fire chief here, say I think it was Mike Stornetta. Say, you know, in terms of your messaging, you have to be careful to not please be careful as what he said, please be careful and intentional about the messaging of the purpose of this of this tax if we go forward with it. And honestly, to the extent that we are messaging fire, I think we align ourselves to be in competition much more to be more of a risk to the county wide fire attacks. So public safety, I feel like everyone can support that. I hear the general the need for general fund support. And I'm trying to I mean, I'm trying to process what what is the what is the combination there that doesn't confuse people? Is it public safety, and general fund isn't public safety and infrastructure? I could see a combination. So that's just kind of my, you know, e Cummings. Free consciousness comments at the moment.

I don't think we can add general fund into the tax of the special tax. Right. So you're right. So yeah, studies specific. So
yeah, yeah. Thank you for that reminder. So
I mean, it we could go through this bout or this agenda item by section and, and deliberate each i, as maybe a next step. But anyway, Councilmember Mauer can a special service be? For example, administrative services?
Can you raise money for administrative services?
Yes. Again, want to emphasize it depends on how you write about question, you can be very broad, you can be very specific. You can fund anything that you want to designate the money to go towards, because Administrative Services covers a wide range, including fire, including safety, including all of it. And the fact is, in my opinion, this is why this is what we need. And it's more honest.

Yeah, so I've more comments, but probably, I think I'm obviously outnumbered here. And so I can make my other comments. I think, I think we
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I just I would just say that.

Having had a little experience hearing from consultants about what I think it's really hard for the voters to fund administrative services, even if it's obvious that we could use more of that in our city. But if so, but you call it public safety. To me, that's a very deceptive use and in a meet and sort of an abuse of our public's trust, if you're gonna call it public safety and, and then not give the entirety of that money, you know, to those safety
to the fire and the police
So I'm really uncomfortable. I think I think I think this is really bad for our businesses. I think it's bad for our residents to raise taxes. I think it undercuts clearly undercuts the Sonoma County Fire Department efforts for year effort is clearly competing with their measure, it feels like it's sort of like, oh, let's get ahead of what everybody else is doing. And I'm not comfortable with that. I'd rather be more, you know, measured about this, and
especially considering something I've already said, I'm gonna repeat it, that the last two years, we had a million dollar deficit in the adopted budgets, and we came out, you know, one year we came out $369,000 ahead, and the next year, it was $470,000 gain on the last two years. I'm not saying we don't have a problem. I'm just saying, I think we can afford to wait, we can afford to wait until next year.

However, I wouldn't be, I wouldn't be agreeable to the idea of a sales tax to raise money put that before the voters to raise money for the administrative services, and that could be across the board could include anything, right? I mean,
and
I think we could find another way also to raise money for the city of Sebastopol. Like having events.

We could relook at the we could re look to the UUT, taxes as well, which probably won't raise that much money. But
yeah.

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I think that's it. Oh, I think that the revenue estimates for 2023 24 are very, very conservative.

Almost every year, if you look on the budgets, the revenue was underestimated almost every year. And I think this year, the budget estimates are really conservative. And I think we're going to be seeing more water revenue, water sales revenue, because the water restrictions are over. And I wished we could get a like year to date, you know, water sales compared this year to last year. I didn't have that information.

But I think then and then we also have the t o t taxes. And my point is, is that I think we can afford to buy time to wait. So that's me.

Councilmember Zalman. Thank you, Madam Mayor. And, uh, no, I don't think that we need to go through all the rest. That's on the agenda, because I am seeing this and I'm seeing my position. And I don't think we're going to have a majority of vote to proceed the way that this staff report and the vice mayor and the mayor have put it together. The other points that I want to make sure that the public understands is in what you said councilmember Mauer resonates with me about being clear about what it is that we're putting out and asking for support for, for me anything related to safety, like a large safety protection is very misleading. For one thing, and the fact that we are way behind in our goals. As a council. I've said this during the budget proceeding, we haven't had one since like a discussion, where we would invite the public to go through what our goals are since 2017 2018. So when we use the word public protection, and you refer to it, you want to incorporate money for police.

That is not a foregone conclusion to me, or to the other members of the public that I interact with. They don't associate police giving them more money with their level of safety. What they understand is what other cities have done, which is they talk about it from a safety perspective of do we look for somebody to save us? Or do we provide our own safety, Richmond being one of them, they did not deep on the police, they decided what vital services that they needed to incorporate a library that provides free services for everyone, and especially ours, because ours is basically the de facto social service agency for the city. Because Gravenstein health action goes on and on and on about the fact that they're the face of health and mental health and this and this and as their doors are not open, like the library is for people to come in who are in desperate straits looking for a referral, looking for guidance. So that is important thing that Richmond actually had put in place. And they justified that by way of they keep themselves safe by having vital services, library, access to all forms of health, mental and physical. And they also talk about access to education and the need for that and not to forget mental health care.

That is the way that they decided and since we have not had a retreat to figure it out amongst our council members with participation from the public, I think it's Incredibly misleading to say that we as council are going to dictate what we want for the public to have the public save us, because we're going to build this as public safety. That to me is very seriously. So I just want to be clear. So we can save ourselves a lot of exercise of going through all the other sub agenda items. I am not in favor of having anything thrown out to the public to consider this as public safety, by way of funding more and giving more to law enforcement, I'm not going to do it. So we should Agenda Item Number: 4
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let's do a thumbs up about where we are. So we don't drag this out. I would appreciate that everybody gets to say comments. So I think that you've, you've laid down the laws and says, But why don't we hear from the Vice Mayor, I would like an opportunity to also make comments. So council members Ohlman. I am, as you think about my question to you, is because it sounds like you do feel a sense of urgency to figure out a funding opportunity.

Having heard my concern about the aligning that the potential conflict if we do, having heard these comments, what would you at this point propose as an acceptable? You know, special tax purpose? Yeah. And thank you for ask because it may have changed since you last talked. Yeah. And I mean, it's, it's like it for me, it would be a multipurpose thing. Okay, it would definitely be for fire. Because as I stated, number one, regardless of whether we consolidate regardless of the fire ad hoc puts up, we can still need the money, whether we consolidate or keep ourself no hires got to be part of it. And because we can do multipurpose, if for some reason we are perceived as being in conflict with fire in the county measure doesn't really matter. If the cat exactly the county does, whether they pass us or fails, or still in the same situation. Right. So I'm like fire guests, we need services for fire, definitely what else is done yet for the library, because again, we are the de facto social service agency. I wish our former mayor was here. Right after I got on to being the library Commissioner, he sent me a New York Times article saying the fact that it's a site, we are the social service agency, for this community, for people who are in dire needs, who need services immediately, and infrastructure. And because I didn't think about infrastructure, till we got the letter from the member of the public hate hub, in case anybody wants to know. And as soon as she said that, I'm like, Yeah, our pipes are like, really old, and they consistently break. So like, why not have three of them? And depending upon whether the county thing passes or not, we just move the money amongst the three, well, now County, we're gonna get the county money for fire, and they don't need as much then we have the other two that are proposed. So those are my thoughts, but then okay, so you'd think fire library and infrastructure would be your thought at this point? Yes. Okay. I'm sorry, I think you want it to.

Larry, would it be possible to do a ballot measure with those three, that three combination? Yes.

You want to however you want to raise it and the ballot measure that will set the parameters? How you spend the money in the future? Can I they don't have to be related to each other directly. Can I? I'm sorry, Mayor. But could we ask? I have serious concern about whether assuming so this would be a question for Chief Piccinini. Assuming this city council decides to go forward with a sales tax in November of this year, and that hasn't been determined yet.

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You know, you're an advocate for fire. Do my concern in the fire library infrastructure concepts? So focused in that way? Is that it seems like it would be
riskier in terms of the county fire tax. Can you bet I may be completely misunderstanding the implications you would know better than, than any of us. So if we were going to go forward as a city council? And I know you would say probably don't, but if we were going to go forward, do you think that that would be
that that would be a problem?
As opposed to kind of a public safety broader? I do. I'm sorry, you do, which so I do think it would be a problem if in terms of the competition with the county ballot measure, if we presented to our community, a tax specifically for public safety. Now there again, it's it just think, blurs the line, and there is potential consequences, but I don't have a crystal ball. So I'm sorry, I'm interrupting you. But the reason is that I asked my question very specific. Would it be better to have public safety as a broad use or to have fire as a specific use in a list of three?
Or it doesn't matter. So no, I have to answer the question in terms of you want to sell something to the community, it would be most beneficial to make it a fire safety tax. Okay, fire tax. Thank you. But I understand your broader concern. Thanks that that actually reassures me.

So, my comments are
we currently spend over $7 million for our police and fire departments. And I don't think we're funding all their needs by a longshot. So
I supported two positions two weeks ago, that I wasn't sure how we would get funded. And, and I'm very concerned about not running something in March against the county wide fire fire tax, which is why it was my idea to hustle and get this out. So that means if we don't run anything, we're talking about November 24.

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There is no way I'm going to support a tax for administration, although I think they need a lot of support, that I feel like needs to come out of the general fund. And I also don't think it would pass.

We clearly would have spent a lot of time talking about this question. So and it is presented as we would hire an educational outreach person who would do community meetings so that the voters understand if we ran a ballot measure what they were voting for. I personally would walk door to door.

So it's not like I have ever felt a nor do I ever want to deceive our public. I think that that is a fear. But I don't think it's a real one. I think that everyone knows that. We spend more of our budget on fire and police in this town. And that is partly why we are
borrowing out of our reserves to keep those departments funded so that they can maintain services to our residents.

I'm just concerned while I think the library needs to be funded, I think the parks need to be funded. I think a lot of stuff needs to be funded I'm very concerned about while we think we need the money, having a marketing background, nowadays, what I did for 25 years, different people have done different things, they bring those experiences to it, I think a clear message.

And so it will be really hard for me to support even though I think we should ask for the money sooner versus later, a mixed message ballot measure that's going to cost us upwards of $90,000 to run because I am afraid that the message would be muddled and we would not be able to get the two thirds majority that we need. So
that's just kind of i
i am
presented a public safety ballot measure because we have public safety needs, and we have to fund us.

So that's my comments. Councilmember Mauer, if we wait till the general election in November 2024, then we can put on that we can put a measure on the ballot and raise money for what we need.

Specifically, yeah, it was gonna be for a gamut of infrastructure and ministry is delivered, just as that can be the general fund, just we can't do that this November, just to respond to that if the fire measure passes, that adds a half a percent. If the kids are future passes, that adds a quarter percent I understand. And so when we heard from the public tonight about how high our tax rate is, that is my Agenda Item Number: 4
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other concern about a ballot measure and 24. I just want to say that publicly, because if we wait, the measures that pass first, take the tax, just
understand, and but if that fire, measure passes, we win, we win big, we win $1.2 million a year plus 5 million for an infrastructure for the potential for building the the 20 re, it would be huge. I'm all for it. And I'm all for that fire measure. But that doesn't solve the city's problems that just holds fire. And we have no idea whether or not these measures will pass. That's my, my point. We don't know if the child measure the childcare measure will pass. We don't know if any of the other measures will pass. So if we waited, yeah, it could be that there's no more room. But there's a lot of other ways to make money besides raising taxes, not this kind of money. So I mean, really. So we do have Danny Rossetti in the room. Do we want to get his opinion on a multi issue? Tax messaging Sure, Danny, would you mind rolling? Would you mind? I mean, yeah, I mean, we're gonna this is either gonna go down in flames or not. I mean, he runs back checks measure. So you've heard the discussion tonight in your because professional opinion, what do you what do you think about a multilevel versus?
Yeah, thank you, Madam Vice Mayor, Members, counsel.

I didn't speak earlier, because I really didn't want to push you in any one direction to make a decision. Because you're not alone. In this struggle you're having right now, most jurisdictions that I've seen go to ballot measures really don't want to go there. They don't want to ask for more taxes, they want to figure it out. But sometimes you're in, you end up in a situation where your challenges are so great that this is something you would like to do, right, pull the money lever. And when you get there, hope you're public, and your voters are with you. And there are challenges out there, in addition to communicating your positions to the voters, which you know, I can help you do other people can help you do right.

You have potential competing measures, right, you have a limitation of Agenda Item Number: 4
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how much you can totally ask for, which in our county is kind of unchartered territory at this point. So I don't really know what to say about that.

Other than, you know, there's some tolerance level that voters generally have. And on the flip side, I think you have a situation in Sebastopol, we have I live here as well.

We've got 5500 voters here compared to 300,000 in the county. So I feel like folks, if they were communicated to properly and understood what the issues were, you might have a very good chance to make something happen with that voting public.

Another challenge is that you've got very little time to do that. And I also understand that the city doesn't have a giant and budget to like, just go out there and do it either. So I wish I had a golden one to say, here's what will happen. Right. Question, Danny, that I would like to hear your opinion on? I'm sorry.

So the question was whether
in terms of the use of the tax, we have Mayor him feeling strongly that the winning message is a one focus, public safety message. We have another proposal here that would be fire and infrastructure and library did three different well related but a different type of message. And we want to we wouldn't want to get a two thirds majority vote. So given your experience, what do you say about that? Well, the more you present a voter with, the more questions they will generally have. So the more you have to explain, the harder it becomes to actually, like achieve what you're trying to achieve.

Could you do this in a way that's not talking about public safety, but talking about public infrastructure, and then you put all your lineups under that, perhaps is a rethinking and reframing. You're talking about libraries, you're talking about a firehouse, you're talking about City Hall, you're talking about parks.

Maybe that's what you look at,
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trying to get creative to help find some, you know, common ground for you.

Talking about three very disparate things can be very difficult, especially if the public isn't quite like ready to hear those comments.

Okay.

I know that from my past experience, recent experience, buyer, taxes generally have been pretty well supported in our county. So, you know, although the county wide one did not pass with the half cent sales tax a couple of years ago.

It's difficult without having some real numbers of polling of our citizens exactly on this particular set of issues. I would encourage the council to consider doing that if you were to move forward. That could help you make your decision ultimately on August 1, or eighth or whatever, whatever the next council meeting is.

Okay, thanks. This leads me to another thought do we? Do we have an option of voting to support and this is a timing question. So if we have three council if we have a majority support for moving forward with a ballot measure in November of this year, sometime, do we have some time? Do we have time to then pull the council together, get that support, but then pull the council together again, to work through what the heck the question would be?
I
don't know why I'm asking that question that's sitting. We're missing a council member tonight.

Although I don't know that when she would even be back in town. I don't I don't know what the timing would be.

So you would have to have the question approved with the whole ordinance drafted. So your next meeting is August 1, it has to be into the county no later than August 11.

Our council member that's out of the area is out of the area for two weeks, until when I'm sorry, I believe I don't have it in front of me, I want to say is the first week in August.

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So I don't know if she was going to be attending next week's or August 1 meeting or in I don't want to complicate it with that, because we can't control that. Right. So her question about timing is if we had three members that are willing to continue to talk about a ballot measure, it's just a matter what the question would be. You would have to have the question approved in the ordinance written by August by August 11 is a deadline to the county election. So we probably have to have another city special city council meeting in order to get this resolved. Right, correct. Yeah. And we wouldn't have the benefit of councilmember Mike Lewis, because she's out of town. I think Marion Danny Rossetti had something to contribute on. Any, did you have something else?
I believe there's also noticing requirement. Do you ever noticed a potential ballot measure some number of days before the public hearing? I don't know if that's three days, if it's 812. I'm not remembering off the top of my head. But there's some other little wrinkle there for you. Okay. Okay.

That's good information. Now. Thank you.

What I'm trying to work through here is, it sounds like we have three council members who feel a sense of urgency to move forward with the sales tax. We all know that that what cost is going to be associated, it's in the staff report. I mean, you know, we're looking at $105,000, to do this in November of 2023 of this year. And what remains is to determine what that question would be, and to identify that.

So my thought is, let's have a special city council meeting and work through that.

I mean, I'd be willing to have a special city council meeting to discuss this further. And then, now that we've had some thoughts on the table, and think about it, but what does councilmembers Ohlman, we would need three to move that forward.

Yeah, I'm definitely open to that too. And one other part that I want to bring out for all of us to think about is, our supervisor definitely guest advised us about the amount of money that's coming from the county to do a mobile crisis, to do it on a on a county wide basis and not have each municipalities have to come up with their own money to do it. That ties in with the need to make sure that we have a city that we're proud of, and actually has the vital services that we all look for, which is health care. For me, it's another reason for not funding and giving more to the police. Because the whole goal was is the fact that if they're not violent, they're not dangerous. We don't even need police to be on call to go and address them. So therefore, they don't need as much money. But ultimately, if we want to have a special counsel at to work through the question, maybe we can, but I just wanted to put that information out so that we can mull it all over between now and our special meeting, I will share that I did speak with Linda Hopkins and made her aware of our effort here. And she obviously has the county fire tax very much in the forefront of her mind and other county wide measures. But she completely understood that as a city, we need to somehow figure out a way to effectively continue to serve not just our city, but Agenda Item Number: 4
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the entire West Sonoma County. So she was you know, she definitely understood and supported the effort to pursue some sort of funding solution. And thank you for bringing that up vice mayor because it's just the library and people are like, Why are you so upset about not him at the library, part of what we discussed during our first session, and why Linda decided to have one of her assistants there is the fact that as we know or should know, we serve everybody from here to the ocean. Mine had limited hours at Foresthill, one and Guerneville, which people wouldn't think of necessarily going through there to get their library needs met. But I'm glad she's thinking about this being regional basis because her assistant during our meeting did like the idea of having a deconstructed library, not just being physically in our space, but actually so that everyone could participate. Maybe just your mobile van It's just like pop ups, whatever. But the whole regional concept thing got her aids attention. So I just want to put that out there. Mayor Hinton, what do we think about the idea. And also, I want to point out that if a majority supports moving forward with the sales tax, then even though it's councilmember Mauer may not be part of that majority. Once we move forward with it, I expect that I would hope that we would hear from her in terms of how the heck we were gonna, we were gonna define the use. So I see this as a full city council discussion. But I do have a question, Mayor hidden? Let's we are struggling with what the EU should be. How do we define the appropriate special tax, and we have differing opinions here. If we're going to set up another city council meeting, where we might try to identify an agreed upon use, it's not just about what's important. What what we might individually or as a group prioritize, it's important to identify what would might would be the effective message for the public? I mean, that's your concern, I think, Marian? So is there do we? What can we do between now and the next city council meeting to gather the necessary information that might provide us with some guidance? Should we be doing a poll? Should we be doing some research? What? I don't know the answer the question, I'm just posing it, maybe staff has some ideas, too. But Mayor, and I just don't know where to go with it. But
well, I mean, I know we're on a fast track here. But I'm, I'm, I mean, I hear councilmembers Ohlman being very passionate about the library. And I'm passionate as well. I'm just concerned. And I guess that's where the poll would come in. Whether our voters would are passionate as well. And they vote to tax themselves for an expanded library. And again, it does serve regional needs, but regional people in a sales tax measure? Yes, there they shop at our our, we would collect from them, I guess, some of that funding, I just but they wouldn't be voting on it. So if they use the library and don't live in the registered voters in the 5500. Number, they never vote doesn't count in this instance. So I don't know.

Can I asked Danny, again, to just step up? And if if we were to put together a quick and a quickie, a quickie poll.

Is it something that could be done quickly, and registered voters phoned? I assume you do these kinds of sort of things? And
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and can those questions be asked? Because as I just heard the RCPA, right, they just did it? And we got the answer.

I don't know what the most concerning thing from their poll is 34%. In one No. Taxes. No taxes. Yeah.

Right. But that's again, in Sonoma County. Right, though it's still County, and it's under the guise of the climate, you know, right piece. So, so Right. So they're like, Yeah, I'm, again, I believe in so I think I think gonna pay for I think the question is, if we came up with three alternatives, or three alternative potential uses, could we do? Because I'm hearing kind of three different ones here. Could we do a poll pretty quickly? That would give us some useful data? Also, yes. With competence, having not yet secured a vendor or candy, that nature, but I think it can be done. So the library question, the fire question.

I think we should throw in the public safety or police question. I don't know if I also had administrative.

Okay. We have a city, city administrative question, because structure to infrastructure, and how would you do it in parks? Are you talking about parks as well? Or no? And how do you do it? Any? Do you do it? Yeah, this is partly infrastructure. So couldn't infrastructure be used on parks? Because we're talking about the Ives park trail, word may mean different may mean infrastructure that might be best off to read read one or two or three.

What I would call like leading questions or value statements, and then test a specific list of issues that are most urgent to folks because that's really what you're trying to find out. What are people motivated to do something about in the moment? And Danny doesn't matter. We'll be able to do much more than that for a quick simple Yeah, less expensive, you know? Because I'm feeling that I mean, I personally am very data driven. So if I see if I see you know, results that support the indicate that the voters
should support focus that's different than what I'm thinking about. I'm gonna listen to that.

And then, so what would you then do? I don't know how these work, but doesn't it also affect the outcome? You can say? Do you support infrastructure? We know what's important to you infrastructure, parks,
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police fire, administrative services. But isn't it a different question altogether? That's an individual. If you put together infrastructure, police and library, you might get a different result. I'm just wondering how this is done. Thinking Out Loud here. Yes.

Typically, I have a ballot measure question prepared. Okay. And then we test that. Okay, we might test two versions of it to see if one or the other changes and then random sample them. So you don't have a first questions infecting the opinion. On the second question, situation.

It sounds like maybe, but again, you need to be careful, I'm sorry, excuse me. But you need to be careful not to
D load up too much into the questioning, which would then either turn the voter off and have them hanging up, which then forces you to have to get lots more samples. And we don't really have that luxury in a small town like this. Believe it or not, not that many people answer their phone anymore. So we can also try text messaging, texting back that way. I'm wondering if maybe one solution Mayor Hinton might be we make a vote on whether we're going to do a sales tax. And then we address the ad hoc committee. And we have an ad hoc committee, a couple of city council members, and maybe that ad hoc committee might include the to have the most diverse opinions on the on the
question,
to then work with Danny to come up with something. Yeah, I mean, I'd be willing to propose Steven, and you
since we did the agenda item, and then he's,
he's got the some of the questions.

And then you guys could work. I mean, I go to allocate a budget, if we're going to consider voting, running a big ballot thing, then I'm fine with spending a little money on a pool that could educate us of what we should do. And I would like to take in Sandy's bring it up in administrative services, I'm still not 100% off public safety, although I know that it feels like a line in the sand. I could also be convinced about other things, if the voters will support them. For me, it's really about we're going to spend this Agenda Item Number: 4
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money, I want the best chance for it to pass whatever that is. I would propose I think the two council members of the four who have more diverse I propose it be you Mayor Hinton, and council members online, but I'm happy to sub in for you. But I think you you to represent the extremes. And we got to come up with something that work. Okay. I'm happy to do whatever counts. What about improve city services? Just Is that even a special?
And is that special? That's the kind of question I would probably ask a pollster to say, would we get a meaningful result? Yeah, it's everybody wants better services? Right. Sounds so isn't that a general? I think that's pretty general. Isn't that a general tax sort of thing. We have our ballot specialist attorney, but he was unable to be with us tonight. So that sounds like a kind of question we would have to address with him. So the ad hoc would have to work with Danny. And yeah, I'm sorry.

I was answering from the perspective of the poll itself, not necessarily the structure of the measure.

I mean, I'm willing to serve on the ad hoc committee with councilmember Zillman, if you would like to, and if we want to do a poll, I think it might be worth it. To spend some money now. Because otherwise we're going to be waiting, I believe until November 24. I don't think I've ever advised a municipal government not to poll. Yeah, just because you have to spend so much money in there's so much energy that goes into trying to get it to pass if you've got to. If you got nothing from the beginning. It's okay. You want to figure that out quick. Right? Yeah, I would be happy. And thank you for saying that you would be too because I don't really think I mean, thinking through this and how the city of Richmond area with reimagine Richmond. It's like they were not knocking like safety. It's just that they had a variation of how they decided as a community to define safety. And maybe it could be laid out where it's like it's do define public safety as police library and other social services. And maybe that would be the resonating theme because a lot of people who do public defense are like if you don't have the basic things and the services your people will take out and Then they will end up being involved in criminal criminal activities, right part of the criminal system, which they don't want. So I'm not saying the fact that we're that far apart, I think that we could do something around the public safety, as long as we keep some options for the polling, to not just be limited to saying, where you want to feel safe, and you gotta give money to the police. So I don't really think we're that far apart. So no, and I agree with that comment. So what can we ask for it? Because I don't think this was in the, how much would we expect polling to? How much would we need to allocate to polling? And how long would it take for results? I would suggest, like four to 10,000. That's a big range.

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And then, you know, could be a week could be 10 days. Okay, maybe faster. Thank you for asking that question. Because I agree with Mayor in the fact that I mean, I think, like we released and maybe Sandy at some point use its sense, the sense of urgency, but we just don't want to throw money away.

So if it does the cost on the tail end, and I think we should give it up to 10,000, for whatever the polling is that we come up with, because I do want it to be succeeding, too. And I don't want to be the odd man out of like, this didn't pass because of you and your lock position. And I don't really want that either. So yeah, I'd be willing to approve tonight and up to $10,000. And then you work with the subcommittee and we come up with that sort of thing. Because yeah, just
yeah, we need to be, we need we have our own thoughts. But we really need to hear from the public.

And I don't want to, I don't also want to just throw out the same thing of public safety, and then be like, What was she thinking?
So I think it is responsible and prudent, especially in consideration. If we don't run now, we are going to have to wait till November 24. That's next year's budget. So your number to put it on the ballot alone was about 105,000. I think from the staff report, if I remember correctly, yeah. So if you spend 10 to 10% of what you would have spent right, you are being good managing public money responsible, right, kind of higher end of that scale. I think we could ask some questions, I'd like to ask some questions that go through your report of what's your tolerance, right. Is it a half sentence? Of course. Right. No, that's a definite question would be a great question. Question. Right. I've seen the sunset question, shift a ton in my career, to where everyone wanted and had to have a sunset, and then the public attitudes started shifting.

Yeah, well, we're concerned with the sunset with that ballot measure that is going to possibly require sunset down the road. There's this roundtable measure. That's, that's why the sunset measure is frankly being it's also it's something you can point to as an accountability measure to the public. Like, look, I'm not happy with this in 10 years, you guys choose not to renew it. 20 years, goes to the palm drive question. Like we don't want to be paying for something more not happy. public's not happy forever, it does impact your ability to be able to count on the money. Right? Yeah. So it's a really big issue in the Fire Services Manager.

It would it be okay, so we have it sounds like an ad hoc committee to put together the poll and deal with that.

Is, is it Marian is it appropriate? I'm looking at the at the potential caught seems like in defining what the question would be for this ballot measure. The other important element is making sure that the phrasing that the strategy regarding the question
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is tailored to have as little impact as possible on the upcoming fire attacks. Right. Can we ask the two of you to coordinate with I don't know Mike or Chris or someone Jack someone to make sure that the questions are kind of you get their perspective on it. Sure. Right. That makes sense guys, I think I do but I still feel like there's going to be a loss. I don't either, but I see it all being a win win. Right? Like right protection is important. So fun, the buyer right. But at the fight, if it doesn't pass on the county level, it very well may pass at a local level or vice versa. I just don't see a downside but yeah, it would it would I feel It'd be different if we were running at the same ballot because people would weekend it would weekend both, but that's different. That's what I'm trying to avoid it. I guess for me, it's it's an issue of collaborating, communicating and mutual respect. Just a check in check, you know.

Okay, so what are we doing there? All right. So, so do we want to vote on somebody want to make a motion
or
eukhost
Well, I moved that it's a site that the council form an ad hoc committee to work with. And we're definitely going with Danny, right? Because we priced this out. So with Danny Rosati to work through what polling questions we feel would be helpful in getting a ballot measure passed.

Yeah, I'd say to actually implement a poll to employ. I think we're asking you to implement the poll as quickly as possible to get the results and spend up to $10,000. I think we're also approving the pursuit of a ballot measure. Are we doing that at this meeting? Well, I think we still have oh, I need to wait until we Yes, yes. Yes. Okay. Yes. Well, yes. Okay. Getting a ballot measure. So yes, we're voting in favor of a ballot measure? Yeah. So you're actually so I just want to make sure I understand the motion for tonight is that you are?
Well, wait. Well, if we let me just debate this. Yeah.

Sure. Meishan back that says we should not be running a ballot measure. Right. So I don't think we're approving tonight. We're the ballot measure move forward. We're approving a poll to get information back yet? Well, that will allow us to have another special meeting and then better informed. Right, and Agenda Item Number: 4
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then make an informed decision, both about the question and about running the ballot measure. That's what I believe, right? I think city manager? Yeah. All right. No, I was just agreeing with that. But are you also going to direct a special meeting? Yes. Yes, we AM. So we're gonna have limited time. We gotta have that special meeting. Like, pronto? I mean, 10 days do you need does? Do you need 10 days, Danny, because we have like a week?
Okay, well, if we went to
the accelerator.

Right, I
mean, 10 days would be the 28th. of July, Friday. I think in just a reminder, we need to have a staff report done information for the public so that it's as clear and transparent to the public. So it's not just a matter of 10 days, it's a matter of 10 days plus, so let me ask you this. If we shoot for the regular Council meeting on the first, then we have
then then that would be the final decision. And then we just have to have a special meeting that same week, right to get the ballot question to.

So if we make a final decision, this is a question I think for Mary Gourley. If we make a final decision on August one that defines the question, specifically, will we be able to meet the other deadlines? Or will it be too late?
One, I would like to check with the county because I'm not clear on your publication notice. So I would want to check with them. So.

Alright.

So that would be one question, and one that needs to go into the newspaper. And then I'm sorry.

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I had that they do not include that. So that's why I'm questioning I'm just want to make sure whatever we do is gonna be legal, so we can meet the deadlines. But then, so if it has to be in 10 days before the August 11, you're talking August 1, which would be the deadline, assuming the 10 days publication, right. So August 1 would be the drop dead date, right, be able to put as an ordinance in there with a question because the ordinance is going to have to be drafted as well.

For a meeting, or our meeting, for it to be published the approved ballot question and ordinance has to be 10 days in advance, correct? No. So I understand that. That's the team if you look at the deadlines.

So those are the deadlines I put in Denise stated that there there's a publication. I know he's stating that but I didn't. But these are the deadlines from from the county. Correct. So I'm just saying I guess if we brought it back on the first with our information from our poll, would we still have time a need to do another special meeting
Dean that week to get us to our August 11 deadline
last day to submit ballot measure to the county.

And then we have a deadline to withdraw the measure on the 16th. And then the argument deadline.

Right. We have till the 11th. Right? Yes.

Yes. August one seems cutting it kind of close. Council meeting, right. Yeah. I don't know how we could do it earlier. My preference would be to do it earlier, but we can't. I mean, when would that be? August one.

Yep. I mean, maybe Monday, but Well, actually, Monday might actually get that one day might be meaningful.

Right.

We have a regular Council meeting on Tuesday. The first do we want to have an additional City Council meeting on Monday, the 31st.

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No one wants to have two meetings in a row. But one day in this tight schedule, would that make a difference? To question for Mary girly? Well, I mean, it's a question for Danny.

Can we can we get it? We try to?
Well, well, the question is, yeah, so.

Yeah, yeah. We can get the polling information by the 31st. Probably. And make the final decision.

Again, I don't want to weigh on one night to be able to get what we need. But you're gonna need that information to be in the packet. So it's not that Oh, right. Oh, right. Right. My right eye. Yeah. Following you now. Okay. Sorry. Yeah, I just want a night. But yeah, we need it. Right. So okay.

So I guess I'm back.

No, well, we can't do a meeting at council meeting our Facilities Council meeting would be the first and we would be struggling to get what we need in that first. And then we'd have to have another meeting to try to finalize the question. And you have an ad hoc committee that would be need to be meeting prior to this meeting rocking on that. So you're talking next week for the ad hoc committee to me. Yes. I mean, I'm talking for maybe questions you can go out to meeting to meet. Yeah, yeah. Well, we'll be meeting. Yeah. So I guess my question is, it sounds like the earliest that we could get results from a poll, and that's really pushing it would be Monday, the 31st. I think that was and does that even allow us enough time that we don't have time to post the agenda? Right. It's what she's saying. Yes. So when are we going to have the we would have to have
a city council meeting, council meeting and other special city council meeting with enough time to get that information on Tuesday? The eighth?
Right, that's really close. Or Thursday, the third or Monday, the seventh to go? And I know.

On Thursday, the third, I'm going to be out of town in August, from the second to the 21st. Okay.

Oh, boy. And that's also a period of time when councilmember Mike Lewis is out of town. She'll be back. Coming back into July. Yeah. Oh, she's back the end of July and you won't have ability to join Agenda Item Number: 4
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remotely. Okay. Do you know if she changed her plans? Because that wasn't the information she gave me.

I thought you told me she was going to come back end of July. No, he had another vacation that she planned after that. So her one vacation is going through the first of three, the August 1, and then I understand she's now said a second vacation after that. Okay. I didn't know. Sorry. Instead of I think what we should do is what I feel like as we've got agreement on supporting a pull up to $10,000. We've got agreement on subcommittee, you've got a motion on the floor. And I think I think we don't have all the answers that we think right now. We're gonna have to work on it.

Well, I just asked me if we can make it happen. And the subcommittee is going to have to plan out these dates. Okay, right away. Yeah. I'm just wondering if it's even possible to make the various deadlines.

Well, one question still be gotta get more information from the county about this posting that we talked about tonight, too. So
city manager Any advice for us here? Normally, um, problem is that we do don't know the notice. period, which is your that's the problem. Otherwise my answer to you would be you have until the 11th of March, okay. You can
be literally holding a special meeting the night before, and you could still do it. Okay. So I think I'm I agree with you, Marian. And I think I mean, I personally will make myself available on any evening, between now and August 18 to get together with the City Council to address this issue. I mean, so it's important, and we got to do it. Right, right. So yeah, I'm on board, I'll make myself available. And I trust the ad hoc committee to figure out the right date. And to figure out they know this information, and to contact the rest of us and say, sorry, there's not enough time if we're not going to be able to. Right, right. So that's what I said right now. Yeah. So members. Oh, man, are we Yes, absolutely. answers. I think we'll be able to make it work. Call smart to figure out the timing and add on. Yeah, Danny? It's seven days from any phone call.

Therefore, oh, for the data for the results of the poll. Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay.

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