Sebastopol City Council
March 4, 2025

CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 4, 2025
As Approved by the City Council at their regular meeting of March 18, 2025 Please note that minutes of meetings are not meant to be verbatim minutes and are meant to be the City’s record of a summary of actions that took place at the meeting. The vote/action is the required information of the meeting actions that took place. Approved minutes are available on the City Council Meetings page.

Meeting held in Person and Virtual /Remote Participation In Person: 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Zollman called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm ROLL CALL:

Present: Mayor Stephen Zollman
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Sandra Maurer

Absent: Vice Mayor Jill McLewis
Staff: Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Mary Gourley
City Attorney Alex Mog
Administrative Services Director Kwong
Police Chief Ron Nelson
SALUTE TO THE FLAG : Mayor Zollman led the salute to the flag.

Mayor Zollman called for a moment of silence in honor of the Parkside Student.

REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED): To consider and take action on any request from a Council Member to participate in a meeting remotely due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances pursuant to AB 2449 (Government Code Section 549539(f)). Assembly Bill 2302 (2024) (“AB 2302”) revises rules for when members of local legislative bodies may participate in meetings remotely. Specifically, it amends the number of meetings that may be attended remotely for just cause and under emergency circumstances and clarifies the definition of the term “meeting,” for purposes of remote attendance. AB 2302 caps the number of remote meetings a member can attend each year based on the frequency of a legislative body’s meetings: Five meetings per year for those meeting twice a month.

No remote participation requested.

PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:

The following were presented:
• Presentation – Recognition of Former Sebastopol Library Manager Mathew Rose • Proclamation - Proclaiming March 2025 as Women’s History Month • Proclamation – Proclaiming March 2025 as American Red Cross Month

• Proclamation – In Recognition of the 40 Year Anniversary of Sebastopol World Friends and Takeo City Reference Order Number: 2025-069
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais.

There were no stated conflicts of interest.

Mayor Zollman stated he would like to re-order the agenda to hear item number 16 before item number 7 and pulled item number 9 from the agenda due to the city manager’s absence.

Public Comment: The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
Councilmember Carter moved and Councilmember Maurer seconded the motion to approve re-ordering of the agenda to item number 16 before item number 7 and pulled item number 9 from the agenda due to the city manager’s absence.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved approve re-ordering of the agenda to item number 16 before item number 7 and pulled item number 9 from the agenda due to the city manager’s absence.

Minute Order Number: 2025-070
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD): Up to Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit (Two Minutes for up to ten speakers). Additional public comment will be held at the end of the discussion and action items for up to an additional twenty (20) minutes. Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.

Process for calling on Speakers: Mayor or designee shall ask for public comment as follows: Speakers to be called on in an alternate manner (One speaker in person to be called on first; then one speaker remote to be called on second with additional speakers to be called on in the same manner) based upon the time limit.

The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment.

A member of the audience
Kyle
CONSENT CALENDAR: The consent agenda consists of items that are routine in nature and do not require additional discussion by the City Council or have been reviewed by the City Council previously. These items may be approved by one motion without discussion unless a member of the City Council requests that the item be taken off the consent calendar.

The Mayor will read aloud the title of each consent item (either full agenda title or a simplified version of the agenda title), and ask if a Councilmember wishes to remove one or more items from the consent calendar; and then open public comment to the members of the

public in attendance. At this time, a member of the public may speak for up to two (2) minutes on the entire consent calendar and request at that time that an item or items removed for discussion.

If an item or items are removed from the consent calendar, the item shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor. Council Members may comment on Consent Calendar items or ask for minor clarifications without the need for pulling the item for separate consideration. Items requiring deliberation should be pulled for separate consideration and shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor.

Mayor Zollman asked if any Councilmember wanted to remove a consent calendar item. There were no requests.

Mayor Zollman opened for Public Comment(s). The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment:

Kyle
Mayor Zollman called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Hinton moved and Councilmember Maurer seconded the motion to approve consent calendar items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None

1. Approval of City Council Special Meeting – Closed Session Meeting Minutes of February 18, 2025 (Responsible Department: Assistant City Manager/City Clerk) City Council Action: Approved City Council Special Meeting – Closed Session Meeting Minutes of February 18, 2025
Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-071

2. Approval of City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of February 18, 2025 (Responsible Department:

Assistant City Manager/City Clerk)
City Council Action: Approved City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of February 18, 2025 Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-072

3. Approval of Amendment 58 to Master Agreement with GHD for the preparation of the City’s Water Master Plan Update for amount Not-to-Exceed $97,358. The project is within the approved budget of $120,000 from Water Capital Fund 501
There is no fiscal impact to the City budget as the funds are authorized in the current FY budget. (Responsible Department: Public Works/City Engineer)
City Council Action: Approved Amendment 58 to Master Agreement with GHD for the preparation of the City’s Water Master Plan Update for amount Not-to-Exceed $97,358 Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-073

4. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending various Sections in Sebastopol Municipal Code changing Title of Public Works Superintendent to Public Works Director.

There is no fiscal impact with approval of item

(Responsible Department: Public Works Director/City Engineer) City Council Action: Approved 4. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending various Sections in Sebastopol Municipal Code changing Title of Public Works Superintendent to Public Works Director.

Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-074

5. Adopt Amendment No. 1 to 4Leaf contract for planning services to include expanded Scope of Work to expedite Barlow Hotel Development Agreement process, including a revised not to exceed budget of $41,688 (from $20,520), increase in hours to perform work, and increase in number of meetings including public hearings and authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment to the agreement. All funding will be provided by the developer so there is no cost to the City.

There is no fiscal impact to the City budget; Fees to be associated with Developer Agreement Reimbursement fund.
(Responsible Department: Community Development)
City Council Action: Approved Amendment No. 1 to 4Leaf contract for planning services to include expanded Scope of Work to expedite Barlow Hotel Development Agreement process, including a revised not to exceed budget of $41,688 (from $20,520), increase in hours to perform work, and increase in number of meetings including public hearings and authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment to the agreement Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-075
Resolution Number:

6. Approval of Acceptance of Bid for Well 7 Filter Media Replacement and CO2 Skid Retrofit. The total cost for the Well 7 media replacement and CO2 skid retrofit is $102,198, which exceeds the planned and budgeted amount of $94,250 in the 2024/25 Water Enterprise Fund. However, the overage can be absorbed within the current approved budget. De Nora Water Technologies, Inc. provided the lowest bid for the replacement of new treatment media, labor costs for the physical change-out of the materials, and disposal of the spent media, totaling $85,382.69. Additionally, their quote for the CO2 skid retrofit is $11,948.09. City staff is also requesting a 5% contingency ($4,867) to address any unforeseen issues during the replacement process.

There is no fiscal impact to the City budget as the contract amount can be absorbed within the current budget.
(Responsible Department: Public Works/City Engineer)
City Council Action: Approved Acceptance of Bid for Well 7 Filter Media Replacement and CO2 Skid Retrofit. The total cost for the Well 7 media replacement and CO2 skid retrofit is $102,198, which exceeds the planned and budgeted amount of $94,250 in the 2024/25 Water Enterprise Fund.

Minute Order Nubmber: 2025-076
Item Number was heard prior to Item Number 7.

16. Discussion of City Council Direction to Staff for Processes and Procedures for Responding to Media Inquiries. Item would be to consider direction to staff related to media contact: Currently, the only formal adopted policy is within the policy on the role of the mayor. It provides that:
• It is the Mayor’s duty to serve as the City’s primary media spokesperson in coordination with City staff. Appropriate City staff should always be alerted to media contact. • Nothing under the Mayor’s duties shall limit any individual Council Member’s ability to interact with members of the public or media.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item
(Requestor: Mayor Zollman)
Mayor Zollman presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Laura
Linda
Oliver
Jim
Chris
Kyle
Neal
Thomas
Kate
Paul
Paul AS
Sunny
Joel
Lea
Member of the audience
Anne
Lisa
Sarah
Carrie
Kate
Sabrina
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

Mayor Zollman called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Hinton moved to direct staff to amend the language as follows to remove “primary media spokesperson” and appropriate City staff should always be alerted to media contact.

There was no second. Councilmember Hinton withdrew the motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Maurer moved and Councilmember Hinton seconded the motion to direct staff to amend the formal policy of Nov 2024 as follows:

Remove two lines as noted below:
• It is the Mayor’s duty to serve as the City’s primary media spokesperson in coordination with City staff; and Appropriate City staff should always be alerted to media contact.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Directed staff to amend the formal policy of Nov 2024 as follows:

Remove two lines as noted below:
• It is the Mayor’s duty to serve as the City’s primary media spokesperson in coordination with City staff; and Appropriate City staff should always be alerted to media contact.

Minute Order Number: 2025-086
Mayor Zollman called for a break at 7:38 pm and reconvened the meeting at 7:45 pm.

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: Informational Items or Presentations are items that are informational only and do not require action by the City Council. Presentations shall be scheduled as necessary for the promotion of an event or service or general information items to the Council and should be limited to ten (10) minutes total in length of item (total length includes questions of Council to presenter and public comment). NONE PUBLIC HEARING(s): NONE
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):

7. Presentation and Discussion of FY 24-25 Quarter 2 Financial Update for Enterprise Funds.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item. (Responsible Department: Administrative Services)
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
Oliver
Kate
Robert
Jim
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

There was no motion; item was informational only.

City Council Action: There was no motion; item was informational only Minute Order Number: 2025-077

8. Presentation and Discussion of FY 24-25 Quarter 2 Financial Update for General Fund.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item. (Responsible Department: Administrative Services)
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
Kate
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

There was no motion; item was informational only.

City Council Action: There was no motion; item was informational only Minute Order Number: 2025-078

9. Presentation and Discussion of Long-term Budget Model and Projections and Preview of FY 25-26 Budget.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item. (Responsible Department: City Manager)
City Council Action: Item was pulled from agenda.

Minute Order Number: 2025-079

10. Approval of Employment Agreement with New Police Chief Sean McDonagh. The term of the initial employment agreement will be three years with a base salary of $174,896.

There is no fiscal impact to the budget as the salary is in the approved Police Department Salary Budget and additional costs can be absorbed within the departmental budget (Responsible Department: City Manager/Human Resources)
Human Resources Consultant Deborah Muchmore presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

Mayor Zollman called for a motion.

MOTION:

Mayor Zollman moved and Councilmember Maurer seconded the motion to approve Employment Agreement with New Police Chief Sean McDonagh. The term of the initial employment agreement will be three years with a base salary of $174,896.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis

Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved Employment Agreement with New Police Chief Sean McDonagh. The term of the initial employment agreement will be three years with a base salary of $174,896.

Minute Order Number: 2025-080

11. Approval of contract with Chavan & Associates LLP for Professional Auditing Services at a cost of $29,000 for the first three years, with an option to extend 2 more years and request for a budget adjustment of $4,000.

The fiscal impact to the budget will be $4,000; therefore this item requires a budget adjustment. (Responsible Department: Administrative Services)
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

Mayor Zollman called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Maurer moved and Mayor Zollman seconded the motion to approve contract with Chavan & Associates LLP for Professional Auditing Services at a cost of $29,000 for the first three years, with an option to extend 2 more years and request for a budget adjustment of $4,000.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved contract with Chavan & Associates LLP for Professional Auditing Services at a cost of $29,000 for the first three years, with an option to extend 2 more years and request for a budget adjustment of $4,000.

Minute Order Number: 2025-081
Resolution Number:

12. Consideration of Direction to Staff for Solicitation of Requests for Proposals(RFP) for IT Services. This item is for consideration to authorize direction to staff to create an RFP for IT Services and Return the RFP to the City Council for Consideration of Issuance at a future city council meeting There is no fiscal impact with discussion of item
(Councilmember Hinton and Mayor Zollman)
Councilmember Hinton presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Oliver
Kyle
Robert
Kate
Jim
The City Council was three in favor of directing staff to research IT auditors to conduct assessment of City IT.

Councilmember Maurer was in opposition of the additional workload on staff.

City Council Action: The City Council was three in favor of directing staff to research IT auditors to conduct assessment of City IT.

Minute Order Number: 2025-082

13. Consideration of Direction to Staff for Establishing a Public Oversight Committee for Measure U and Utility Rates to develop a formal process to create an oversight committee based on the framework contained in the staff report, incorporating specific operational parameters that protect staff resources and comply with applicable law and to return the item to a future City Council meeting for consideration of approval.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item
(Requestor: Councilmember Carter)
Councilmember Carter presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Oliver
Robert
Kate
Woody
Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

The Council directed staff to research with Councilmember Carter make up of an oversight committee on enterprise funds; and place creation of Measure U oversight committee on hold City Council Action: Directed staff to research with Councilmember Carter make up of an oversight committee on enterprise funds; and place creation of Measure U oversight committee on hold Minute Order Number: 2025-083

14. Consideration of Amendment to Council Protocols to Include on Regularly scheduled City Council Meeting Agenda an Item to allow Councilmembers to place an agenda item at the next Regular Scheduled Council Meeting with an Affirmative Vote of Two Councilmembers.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item
(Requestor: Councilmember Hinton)
Councilmember Hinton presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:

Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

Mayor Zollman called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Carter moved and Councilmember Hinton seconded the motion to approve Amendment to Council Protocols to Include on Regularly scheduled City Council Meeting Agenda an Item to allow Councilmembers to place an agenda item at the next Regular Scheduled Council Meeting or as with an Affirmative Vote of Two Councilmembers.

Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, and Mayor Zollman Noes: None

Absent: Vice Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved approve Amendment to Council Protocols to Include on Regularly scheduled City Council Meeting Agenda an Item to allow Councilmembers to place an agenda item at the next Regular Scheduled Council Meeting or as with an Affirmative Vote of Two Councilmembers.

Minute Order Number: 2025-084

15. Consideration of Direction to Staff to Create Flag Policy for City Buildings and Facilities. Item would be to direct staff to return to a future City Council meeting with a proposed policy.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item. (Requestor: Mayor Zollman)
Mayor Zollman presented the agenda item.

Mayor Zollman asked for questions of the presenter. The Council asked questions.

Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke: None.

City Council Discussion/Deliberation/Direction:

The council discussed the item.

The Council was in consensus to direct staff to return to a future City Council meeting with a proposed policy.

City Council Action: The Council was in consensus to direct staff to return to a future City Council meeting with a proposed policy.

Minute Order Number: 2025-085

16. Discussion of City Council Direction to Staff for Processes and Procedures for Responding to Media Inquiries. Item would be to consider direction to staff related to media contact: Currently, the only formal adopted policy is within the policy on the role of the mayor. It provides that:
• It is the Mayor’s duty to serve as the City’s primary media spokesperson in coordination with City staff. Appropriate City staff should always be alerted to media contact. • Nothing under the Mayor’s duties shall limit any individual Council Member’s ability to interact with members of the public or media.

There is no fiscal impact with discussion of this item
(Requestor: Mayor Zollman)
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Two minutes per speaker for up to twenty (20) minutes total for public comments but can be reduced at Mayor’s discretion depending upon the number of speakers or Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.

Oliver
CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:

17. City Manager and/or City Clerk Reports: (This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting)

18. City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards. ((This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting)
Councilmembers provided committee reports.

19. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers). There was none.

CLOSED SESSION: NONE

ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor Zollman adjourned the March 4, 2025 City Council Meeting at 10:11 pm. To the City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the City Council Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.

Respectfully submitted,
Mary C. Gourley
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk

City Council Meeting - March 4, 2025

IF YOU COULD JOIN

ME FOR THE
SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]

AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE
TO
HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THIS IS COVERED ABOUT THE
LOSS

OF LIFE OF ONE OF OUR PARKSIDE
STUDENTS.

IF WE COULD TAKE A MOMENT.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU

FOR JOINING IN WITH ME
TO DO THAT.

NOW WE WILL MOVE ON
TO OUR
PROCLAMATIONS.

MOVING ON TO OUR PROCLAMATION.

WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM
TONIGHT.

MY COLLEAGUES HAVE OFFERED
TO
READ SOME OF THEM.

THE FIRST ONE IS TO RECOGNIZE

OUR FORMER LIBRARY

MANAGER,
MATTHEW ROSE.

I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO --
BASED

ON TIME -- READ SOME PARTS OF
THIS.

I WANT TO POINT OUT, THE MAIN

POINTS, WHICH IS THE FACT
THAT

THE CITY RECOGNIZES
THE

IMPORTANCE OF OUR
PUBLIC

LIBRARIES TO THE WELL-BEING OF
ITS CITIZENS.

MATTHEW ROSE WAS THE MANAGER FOR
12 YEARS.

MATTHEW ROSE'S PROFESSIONAL
YET

FRIENDLY DEMEANOR FOSTERED TRUST

AND CONFIDENCE IN

PATRONS,
VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF.

ONE OF THE KEYNOTES THAT'S MOST

IMPRESSIVE IS THROUGH HIS

LEADERSHIP, THE LIBRARY

DEVELOPED MANY

PROGRAMS

RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF OUR

COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A

GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAM THAT WAS
ADOPTED BY LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.

THIS DISSOLVED THE PINK TAX,
A

FINANCIAL BURDEN

AND MADE

MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS FREE TO THE
PUBLIC.

THE LIBRARY OFFERED 600

PROGRAMS
IN 2024.

THE MOST OF ANY LIBRARY
BRANCH

IN THE SONOMA COUNTY LIBRARY
SYSTEM.

THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF MATTHEW

ROSE'S WORK IS FELT IN THE
GREATER AREA.

THROUGH HIS GENEROSITY AND

LEADERSHIP, THOSE WHO WORKED
FOR

MATTHEW ROSE ARE EQUIPPED
TO

CONTINUE HIS POSITIVE IMPACT
ON
THE COUNTY.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
I

AM HONORED TO RECOGNIZE
THE

SIGNIFICANT

CONTRIBUTIONS

MATTHEW ROSE HAS MADE TO
THE
CITIZENS OF SEBASTOPOL.

I EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND RESPECT

TO MATTHEW ROSE, RECOGNIZING
THE

IMPACT HE HAS HAD ON OUR

COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS TENURE
AND

WITNESS I SET MY HAND AND
THE

City Council Meeting - March 4, 2025

IF YOU COULD JOIN

ME FOR THE
SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
[ PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ]

AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE
TO
HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THIS IS COVERED ABOUT THE
LOSS

OF LIFE OF ONE OF OUR PARKSIDE
STUDENTS.

IF WE COULD TAKE A MOMENT.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

THANK YOU

FOR JOINING IN WITH ME
TO DO THAT.

NOW WE WILL MOVE ON
TO OUR
PROCLAMATIONS.

MOVING ON TO OUR PROCLAMATION.

WE DO HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM
TONIGHT.

MY COLLEAGUES HAVE OFFERED
TO
READ SOME OF THEM.

THE FIRST ONE IS TO RECOGNIZE

OUR FORMER LIBRARY

MANAGER,
MATTHEW ROSE.

I'M GOING TO BE ABLE TO --
BASED

ON TIME -- READ SOME PARTS OF
THIS.

I WANT TO POINT OUT, THE MAIN

POINTS, WHICH IS THE FACT
THAT

THE CITY RECOGNIZES
THE

IMPORTANCE OF OUR
PUBLIC

LIBRARIES TO THE WELL-BEING OF
ITS CITIZENS.

MATTHEW ROSE WAS THE MANAGER FOR
12 YEARS.

MATTHEW ROSE'S PROFESSIONAL
YET

FRIENDLY DEMEANOR FOSTERED TRUST

AND CONFIDENCE IN

PATRONS,
VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF.

ONE OF THE KEYNOTES THAT'S MOST

IMPRESSIVE IS THROUGH HIS

LEADERSHIP, THE LIBRARY

DEVELOPED MANY

PROGRAMS

RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF OUR

COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A

GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAM THAT WAS
ADOPTED BY LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.

THIS DISSOLVED THE PINK TAX,
A

FINANCIAL BURDEN

AND MADE

MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS FREE TO THE
PUBLIC.

THE LIBRARY OFFERED 600

PROGRAMS
IN 2024.

THE MOST OF ANY LIBRARY
BRANCH

IN THE SONOMA COUNTY LIBRARY
SYSTEM.

THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF MATTHEW

ROSE'S WORK IS FELT IN THE
GREATER AREA.

THROUGH HIS GENEROSITY AND

LEADERSHIP, THOSE WHO WORKED
FOR

MATTHEW ROSE ARE EQUIPPED
TO

CONTINUE HIS POSITIVE IMPACT
ON
THE COUNTY.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT
I

AM HONORED TO RECOGNIZE
THE

SIGNIFICANT

CONTRIBUTIONS

MATTHEW ROSE HAS MADE TO
THE
CITIZENS OF SEBASTOPOL.

I EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND RESPECT

TO MATTHEW ROSE, RECOGNIZING
THE

IMPACT HE HAS HAD ON OUR

COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS TENURE
AND

WITNESS I SET MY HAND AND
THE

GREAT SEAL OF THE CITY OF
SEBASTOPOL THIS 4th DAY OF
MARCH, 2025.

INVITE MATTHEW UP.

MOVE TO THIS END OF THE TABLE

AND SHAKE
OUR HANDS.

THANK YOU, MATTHEW.

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT IS PROCLAIMING MARCH
2025 AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.

I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER
WILL BE READING.

PROCLAIMING MARCH 2025 AS
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.

WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED A

CRITICAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE

ECONOMIC,

CULTURE AND SOCIAL

FABRIC, WORKING INSIDE AND

OUTSIDE THE HOME, IN

LEADERSHIP

POSITIONS AND THROUGH CREATIVE

INSPIRATION, WOMEN'S

HISTORY

MONTH PROVIDES AN

OPPORTUNITY

FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TO

EXPAND AND ENHANCE WHAT
OUR

CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY KNOW

ABOUT THE WOMEN'S ROLES
IN

HISTORY AND THEIR

CONTRIBUTIONS

TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS

NATION, WOMEN FROM
EVERY

BACKGROUND HAVE LONG

REALIZED

THAT AN UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD

WILL NEVER BRING EQUALITY OR

JUSTICE, AND WE ALL NEED
TO

ELIMINATE BIAS AND

DISCRIMINATION FROM OUR LIVES
AND INSTITUTIONS, THE 2025 THEME

FOR WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER,
WOMEN

EDUCATING AND INSPIRING

GENERATIONS, WHICH

CELEBRATES

THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH AND

INFLUENCE OF WOMEN WHO
HAVE

DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO

EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP AND
LEADERSHIP.

THANK
YOU.

IS SOMEONE RECEIVING THIS TODAY?
ELIZABETH SMITH HERE?
DON'T

SEE HER.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY
GRANDMOTHER.

SHE WAS A SHAKER MOVER.

SHE LIVED NEAR BOSTON.

SHE WAS THE HEAD OF

THE BOSTON
WOMEN'S LEAGUE OF VOTERS.

SHE

EDUCATED PEOPLE ABOUT THE
WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE.

WE WILL MAKE SURE

ELIZABETH
GETS THIS.

OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION
IS

PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING MARCH
2025 AS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
MONTH.

I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.

YES.

I WANT TO MENTION THERE'S
THREE

SEATS UP FRONT FOR ANYBODY
THAT

WANTS TO MOVE

FORWARD AND SIT
DOWN.

THERE WE GO.

SHE'S COMING ALONG.

WITH THAT, THE PROCLAMATION IS

PROCLAIMING MARCH
2025 AS
AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH.

EACH MARCH

ORGANIZATIONS

CELEBRATE AMERICAN RED
CROSS

MONTH BY RECOGNIZING
THE

COMPASSIONATE ACTS OF PEOPLE
IN

THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
AND

RENEWING OUR COMMITMENT TO LEND
A HELPING HAND.

SARA BARTON FOUNDED THE AMERICAN

RED CROSS, GENERATION
AFTER

GENERATION HAS STEPPED UP TO
DELIVER RELIEF AND CARE.

VOLUNTEERS, BLOOD AND PLATELET

DONORS AND FINANCIAL

SUPPORTERS

WHO NOW GIVE BACK THROUGH THE

RESPONSE AREA OF THE

AMERICAN

RED CROSS REMAIN UNWAVERING
IN

THEIR COMMITMENT TO PREVENT
AND

ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING IN
THE
FACE OF TODAY'S EMERGENCIES.

THESE VOLUNTARY AND GENEROUS

CONTRIBUTIONS SHINESHINE BEACON
OF

HOPE IN PEOPLE'S DARKEST HOURS,

WHETHER IT'S DELIVERING SHELTER,

FOOD AND COMFORT DURING

DISASTERS, PROVIDING

CRITICAL

BLOOD DONATIONS FOR HOSPITAL

PATIENTS, SUPPORTING SERVICE

MEMBERS, VETERANS AND THEIR

FAMILY, SAVING LIVES WITH FIRST

AID, CPR, AED AND OTHER

SKILLS,

OR DELIVERING INTERNATIONAL
AID

AND RECONNECTING LOVED
ONES
SEPARATED BY GLOBAL CRISIS.

THE WORK TO UPLIFT OUR

COMMUNITY

IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THOSE
WHO

SELFLESSLY ANSWER THE CALL
TO

HELP WHEREVER AND WHENEVER IT'S
NEEDED.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
THAT

OUR MAYOR HAS HEREBY PROCLAIMED
MARCH 2025 AS RED CROSS MONTH

AND ENCOURAGES ALL CITIZENS
TO
SUPPORT HUMANITARIAN MISSION.

HE HAS SET HIS HAND IN THE
GREAT

SEAL OF CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
ON
THE 4th DAY OF MARCH, 2025.

IS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE
RED

CROSS HERE TO ACCEPT
THAT?

COME ON UP.

I THINK YOU HAVE -- COME ON UP
AND SHAKE OUR HANDS.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
THERE YOU GO.

THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS
IN
RECOGNITION OF THE 40th
YEAR

ANNIVERSARY OF OUR

SEBASTOPOL
WE'RE ALL FRIENDS.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER WILL BE
READING.

THANK YOU.

FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW,

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARK
IN

DEDICATION ON THE EXIT TOWARDS
TOWN.

I HOPE YOU GUYS WILL ALL GET
A

CHANCE TO STEP OUT THERE AND
SEE
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

IT'S ONE OF THE

UNDERUTILIZED
PARKS THAT I LOVE SO MUCH.

A PLACE IN THE SOUTHERN PART
OF

JAPAN THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
VISIT.

IT'S ON MY LIST.

HERE WE GO.

IT'S LINKED BY THE

SISTER CITY
RELATIONSHIP FOR 40 YEARS.

MARCH 27, 1985, THE ORIGINAL

SISTER CITY CHARTER BETWEEN

JAPAN AND CALIFORNIA WAS
SIGNED

AND SEBASTOPOL WORLD

FRIENDS

RECOGNIZES THIS DAY AS

COMMERCEMENT OF

COMMENCEMENT OF SISTER

RELATIONSHIP S
RELATIONSHIPS.

BECAUSE OF THIS

EXTRAORDINARY

SISTER CITY

RELATIONSHIP,

COUNTLESS CITIZENS, BOTH YOUTH

AND ADULT HAVE PARTED
IN
SUCCESSFUL CULTURAL EXCHANGES.

THE CITY RELATIONSHIP HAS
FLOURISHED FOR 40
YEARS

FOSTERING A BOND OF

FRIENDSHIP

AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

OUR COMMUNITIES AND
THESE

CULTURAL EXCHANGES HAVE NOT
ONLY

ENRICHED THE LIVES OF

INDIVIDUALS, BUT HAVE

CONTRIBUTING TO FOSTERING GLOBAL

UNITY AND PEACE AS WELL
AS

CREATING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN

PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT

CULTURES

AND THE CITIZENS OF OUR TWO

CITIES WILL NEVER AGAIN
BE

SIMPLE STRANGERS BUT ARE
LINKED
WITH STRONG BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP.

THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE
OFTEN

LIFE LONG AND EVEN

MULTI-GENERATIONAL AND ARE CHARACTERIZED

BY STRONG FEELINGS

OF MUTUAL

RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING
AND CONCERN FOR ONE ANOTHER.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

OUR MAYOR IS HONORED AND WE ARE

HONORED TO RECOGNIZE
AND

CELEBRATE THE SISTER CITY

RELATIONSHIP FOR ITS DEEP
IMPACT

ON OUR CITIZENS, CULTURE AND
OUR

TWO COMMUNITIES IN

THE

REALIZATION OF SEBASTOPOL
WORLD

GOAL OF WORLD PEACE, ONE FRIEND
[ INAUDIBLE ]

WE HAVE TO MOVE THINGS
ALONG,
UNFORTUNATELY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALWAYS GREAT TO START A

MEETING
OFF RECOGNIZING GREAT ENTITIES.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO STATEMENTS
OF
CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

LOOK TO MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES TO

SEE IF ANYONE

HAS A CONFLICT OF
INTEREST.

NO?
OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE
TO

STATE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO

REORDER THE AGENDA TO HEAR
ITEM
16 BASED UPON WHAT WE HAVE
HEARD

FROM THE PUBLIC AND WANTING
TO

HONOR THE PUBLIC'S TIME BEFORE

THE ITEM NUMBER 7 AND WOULD LIKE
TO PULL ITEM 9 FROM THE
AGENDA

DUE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S

ABSENCE.

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY OUR
CITY

CLERK THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE

ABLE TO BE -- ARE THEY

INVITED

TO ATTEND THE BUDGET MEETING
ON
MARCH 6 OR VIEW THE VIDEO
AFTERWARDS?

WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING
ON
MARCH 6.

WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE

LONG-RANGE BUDGET MODEL AT
THAT
MEETING AS WELL.

IT'S VIDEO RECORDED LIVE STREAM.

YOU CAN WATCH IT ON LIVE STREAM.

IT WILL BE POSTED AFTERWARDS
ON
CITY WEBSITE AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOTION
TO TABLE ITEM 9 TO A FUTURE
MEETING.

AGAIN, THAT IS IN

REFERENCE TO

THE PRESENTATION AND

DISCUSSION

OF LONG-TERM BUDGET

MODEL AND

PROJECTIONS AND PREVIEW OF
THE

FISCAL YEAR '25 TO '26 BUDGET.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

THANK YOU.

NOW I WILL

OPEN IT UP TO
PUBLIC COMMENT.

MARY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS IS JUST FOR TABLING ITEM
9,

THE LONG-RANGE FORECAST MODEL

DUE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S
ABSENCE.

WE WILL HEAR IT ON
THE MARCH 6
BUDGET MEETING.

KYLE?

AS SOMEBODY WHO IS

CURRENTLY

AT AN INSTITUTION THAT'S FACING

REORGANIZATION, ONE OF
THE

BIGGEST THINGS THAT COMES UP IS
CROSS TRAINING.

I'M SITTING HEAR IN FRONT OF TWO

MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET

SUBCOMMITTEE.

I'M ALSO SEEING
THE

ADMINISTRATIVE

FINANCIAL
DIRECTOR HERE.

I'M ALSO SEEING THE

ASSISTANT
CITY MANAGER HERE.

WE ARE DELAYING A PROCESS
THAT'S

ALREADY BEEN DELAYED MULTIPLE
TIMES.

DUE TO AN ABSENCE.

IT IS MY HOPE THAT AS A CITY, AS

AN ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS

US, THAT THERE WOULD BE

MULTIPLE

PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE ABLE
TO

MAKE THIS PRESENTATION AND
TO

MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS WHEN
WE
ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING DELAYS.

YES, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE
CITY
MANAGER IS NOT HERE TODAY.

IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHY
THE

ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER

WOULDN'T

BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THAT
ROLE,

THE FINANCE DIRECTOR WOULDN'T
BE

ABLE TO TAKE ON THAT ROLE,
OR

EVEN MEMBERS OF THE BUDGET

SBCOMMITTEE WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO

TAKE ON THE ROLE OF PROVIDING
US

WITH INFORMATION TO MOVE THIS
ITEM FORWARD.

UNFORTUNATE.

I WOULD HOPE THAT WHEN YOU DO

GOAL SETTING, WHICH HAS
BEEN

DELAYED OUT INTO THE
FUTURE

BECAUSE OF CONNECTION TO

BUDGETING, THAT CROSS

TRAINING
COULD BE ON THAT.

IT'S REALLY UNFORTUNATE WE'RE
IN

A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE
A
LIMITED NUMBER OF STAFF.

AS A RESULT, WE ARE

CONSTANTLY

OUTSOURING

OUTSOURCING AND HIRING PEOPLE
TO

DO WORK THAT WE SHOULD
BE
TRAINED TO BE ABLE TO DO.

THERE'S NOT AN EXCUSE FOR THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT TO ZOOM.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE

DELAY OF

THE LONG-MATERIAL BUDGET
MODEL
AND TABLING IT.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME BACK TO
CHAMBERS.

IF THERE'S ANY FROM

CHAMBERS

THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

COMMENT, SEEING NONE, IT'S
CLOSED.

WE HAVE HEARD PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE CAN DO ROLL
CALL VOTE.

THANK YOU.

SO MOVED.

SORRY.

YES.

SO MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER

CARTER AND SECONDED BY MAURER TO
TABLE ITEM 9.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.

YES.

HINTON.

AYE.

MAURER.

YES.

MAYOR.

YES.

MOTION PASSES.

THANK YOU.

MOVING

ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS
FOR
ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK

ON MATTERS WITHIN
THE

JURISDICTION OF THE CITY

COUNCIL

WHICH ARE NOT OTHERWISE ON THE
AGENDA.

TO THE LENGTH OF MEETINGS, IT
IS

STRONGLY RECOMMENDED WRITTEN

COMMENTS
BE SUBMITTED.

CONDUCT PUBLIC CONDUCT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SORRY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AS STATED THIS IS THE
FIRST
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

PUBLIC COMMENT IS TWO MINUTES
EACH.

WE HAVE A TIMER ON THE SCREEN.

IF YOU DON'T SEE IT, I WILL
GIVE
YOU 30 SECONDS.

WE COME TO CHAMBERS FIRST.

THEN OUT TO ZOOM.

BACK TO CHAMBERS, OUT TO ZOOM.

OUR FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS 20
MINUTES, MAX.

I

WILL COME TO THE FIRST PUBLIC
COMMENT SPEAKER.

DID I DO IT NOW?

ANYWAY, GOOD EVENING,
COUNCILMEMBERS.

THIS IS A TOWN BUILT
ON

COMMUNITY, CREATIVITY AND LOCAL
PRIDE.

LATELY, THE NEGATIVE PRESS
IS
CHIPPING AWAY AT THAT.

IT'S NOT JUST BAD HEADLINES.

IT'S AFFECTING BUSINESSES,
OUR

TOURISM AND HOW PEOPLE SEE OUR
TOWN.

WE CAN'T IGNORE IT.

WE NEED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THAT
STORY.

THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD
THAT'S
HAPPENING HERE RIGHT NOW.

IF WE DON'T PUT IT

OUT THERE, NO
ONE WILL KNOW ABOUT IT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE
CITY

TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE

APPROACH,

WHETHER THAT'S BETTER MEDIA

OUTREACH OR JUST

ADDRESS

CONCERNS BEFORE THEY TURN INTO
HEADLINES.

SEBASTOPOL IS BETTER THAN
THE
STORIES WRITTEN ABOUT US.

I BELIEVE THAT BEING
A
BUSINESSOWNER FOR ALMOST 12
YEARS.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
PEOPLE

AND PUBLIC THAT DON'T LIVE HERE
KNOW THAT.

FROM WHAT I AM HEARING

FROM

MERCHANTS AND CUSTOMERS, THIS IS

NOT WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED TO
EVERYBODY.

CASE IN POINT, TODAY.

ANYWAY, THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

OUT TO ZOOM.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A

PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ITEM
NOT

ON TONIGHT'S

AGENDA, RAISE YOUR
HAND VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME BACK
TO
CHAMBERS.

KYLE.

TWO THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
TO HEAR WHAT WE HEARD SO FAR.

THE FIRST IS THE PREAMBLE
TO

THIS PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION

WHERE THERE'S THIS PLEADING
WITH

THE PUBLIC TO SUBMIT COMMENTS BY
EMAIL.

THIS HAS BEEN A BROKEN

RECORD

FROM OUR MAYOR IN TERMS OF
HIS

SUGGESTION AS IN WHICH OUR

PUBLIC SHOULD ENGAGE WITH
GOVERNMENT.

ALSO, THAT'S ALSO THE

RESPONSE

WHEN WE PROVIDE CRITICISM AS TO

HOW THIS COUNCIL HAS NOT ENGAGED

WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, HAS
NOT

RESPONDED TO PUBLIC

COMMENT

HAPPENING WITHIN THE

MEETING,

HAS NOT IN IN WAY

DEMONSTRATED

THAT THE USE OF PUBLIC

COMMENT

IS BEING INTEGRATED INTO
THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

AGAIN, WE JUST SAW A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF THAT.

THERE WAS AN ITEM.

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM.

THE MAYOR MOVED TO VOTE.

WATCH THEM TONIGHT.

YOU WILL SEE THAT PATTERN OF
BEHAVIOR.

YOU WILL SEE THERE'S A LACK
OF

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC,
LACK

OF UNDERSTANDING OF

THE PUBLIC
IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

WATCH IT HAPPEN.

OF COURSE, THE AGENDA ITEM
FOR

LATER IS DEEPLY CONNECTED TO
THAT.

REALLY, THIS IS ABOUT ENGAGING

WITH THE PUBLIC AND REFUSING TO

INCORPORATE PUBLIC COMMENT
INTO
THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

THESE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

THEIR VOICES ARE VALUABLE.

YOU

NEED TO DEMONSTRATE HOW
THOSE

VOICES ARE PART OF THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, KYLE, 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 ON AN ITEM NOT ON

TONIGHT'S AGENDA PLEASE
RAISE
YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME
BACK

INTO THE CHAMBERS.

IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WOULD

LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT
ON
AN ITEM NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

SEEING NONE,

PUBLIC COMMENT IS
CLOSED.

THANK YOU.

I SAW COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER
RAISED HIS HAND EARLIER.

YEAH.

I JUST

ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION

ABOUT HOW WE CAN INTERACT AS A
NEW MEMBER, I'M CURIOUS.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A SUPER

FORMAL PROCESS.

I CAN'T RESPOND TO EACH

INDIVIDUAL AS THEY STEP UP
OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I CAN TAKE NOTES AND
SAY

SOMETHING AT THE END ADDRESSING
EACH.

IT BECOMES LESS OF A DIALOGUE.

WE LOSE OUR PLACE.

WE MUST MOVE FORWARD WITH
TIME

AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

I'M CURIOUS --

ON AGENDA ITEMS --

GENERAL

PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN'T HAVE
A

DISCUSSION BECAUSE THE ITEM
IS
NOT ON THE AGENDA.

ON AN AGENDA ITEM, YOU
ARE
WELCOME TO RESPOND TO THEM.

IF THEY ASK QUESTIONS AND
YOU

WANT STAFF TO ANSWER THOSE

QUESTIONS, YOU ARE WELCOME
TO

ASK THOSE QUESTIONS OF STAFF, TO

ASK STAFF TO RESPOND TO THOSE
QUESTIONS.

YOU CAN RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS.

IT'S NOT A BACK AND FORTH FOR

THE REASONS YOU
MENTIONED.

BUT THERE'S NO REASON A

COUNCILMEMBER

CAN'T RESPOND AND

MAKE A COMMENT IN RESPONSE TO
A

MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO MADE A
COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, ALEX.

MARY, WE HAVE COMPLETED PUBLIC
COMMENT.

WE WILL

MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT
CALENDAR.

CONSENT CALENDAR ONE,

APPROVAL

OF CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL

MEETING,

CLOSED SESSION

MEETING MINUTES
OF FEBRUARY 18, 2025.

NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL OF
CITY

COUNCIL REGULAR

MEETING MINUTES
OF FEBRUARY 18, 2025.

NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL OF
THE
AMENDMENT 58 TO MASTER

AGREEMENT

WITH GHD FOR THE PREPARATION OF

THE CITY'S WATER MASTER PLAN

UPDATE FOR AN AMOUNT NOT
TO
EXCEED $97,358.

THE PROJECT IS WITHIN
THE
APPROVED BUDGET OF $120,000
WITH

THE WATER CAPITAL FUND
501,

IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE HERE
IS

THAT THERE IS NO FISCAL
IMPACT

TO THE CITY BUDGET AS THE
FUNDS

ARE AUTHORIZED

IN THE CURRENT
FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.

NUMBER FOUR, INTRODUCTION
AND

FIRST READING OF THE

ORDINANCE

AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS IN THE

MUNICIPAL CODE CHANGING TITLE OF

PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT
TO
PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.

AGAIN, THERE'S NO

FISCAL IMPACT
WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.

NUMBER FIVE, ADOPT AMENDMENT
NUMBER 1 TO 4 CONTRACT FORFOR

SERVICES TO

INCLUDE

EXPANDED SCOPE OF WORK TO

EXPEDITE THE BARLOW
HOTEL

AGREEMENT

PROCESS, INCLUDING A

REVISED NOT TO EXCEED --
THANK
YOU -- $41,688.

AN INCREASE IN HOURS TO

PERFORM

WORK AND

INCREASE IN NUMBER THE MEETINGS
, INCLUDING
PUBLIC

HEARINGS AND AUTHORIZE THE
CITY

MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE

AMENDMENT

TO THE AGREEMENT, ALL FUNDING

WILL BE PROVIDED BY
THE

DEVELOPER SO THAT THERE'S NO
COST TO THE CITY.

AGAIN, THERE'S NO FISCAL
IMPACT
TO THE CITY BUDGET.

FEES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THE

DEVELOPER AGREEMENT
REIMBURSEMENT FUND.

SIX, APPROVAL OF THE ACCEPTANCE

OF BID FOR NUMBER SEVEN,
FILTER
MEDIA REPLACEMENT AND CO2 SKID
RETROFIT.

THE TOTAL COST FOR WELL
SIX
MEDIA REPLACEMENT AND CO2
SKID
RETROFIT IS $102,198.

WHICH EXCEEDS THE PLANNED
AND
BUDGETED AMOUNT OF $94,250
IN
THE FISCAL '24/'25
WATER
ENTERPRISE FUN.

IT CAN BE ABSORBED INTO
THE
CURRENT APPROVED BUDGET.

THERE'S NO FISCAL IMPACT TO
THE

CITY BUDGET AS

THE CONTRACT
AMOUNT WILL BE ABSORBED.

AT THIS POINT, I WILL LOOK TO
MY

COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF

ANYBODY

WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THE
ITEMS.

SEEING NONE, WE

WITH GO OUT TO
PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT
ON

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ITEMS

THROUGH SIX.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

PUBLIC COMMENT, CHAMBERS
FIRST,
THEN OUT TO ZOOM.

IF ANYONE IN CHAMBERS,
SEEING
NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.

KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?
YES.

THANK YOU.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO.

THAT'S OKAY.

I WILL BE QUICK.

GO AHEAD.

TWO PARTICULAR THINGS
ABOUT
THIS CONSENT CALENDAR.

IT'S INTERESTING TO USE
THE

LANGUAGE THAT THIS DOESN'T
HAVE
ANY

FISCAL IMPACT WHEN IT
DEFINITELY DOES.

YES, IT'S IN AN APPROVED BUDGET
AMOUNT.

IT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULDN'T

RE-VISIT BUDGET ITEMS IN
TERMS

OF LOOKING FOR FUTURE COST

SAVINGS OR CURRENT

SAVINGS
WITHIN CURRENT YEAR.

IN PARTICULAR, WITH THE GHD

CONTRACT, IT SEEMS EXCESSIVE IN

TERMS OF THE AMOUNT

CONSIDERING

THAT THAT AWARD WAS
LIKELY

GRANTED PRIOR TO OUR HIRING OF
A

CITY ENGINEER THAT
WAS

SPECIFICALLY HIRED WITH THE

SKILL SET OF MANAGING

THE TYPES

OF THINGS THAT THIS GHD

CONTRACT
OVERSEES.

IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME THAT WE

HAVE HAVEN'T EXPLORED FULLY THE

COST SAVINGS IN THE

CONTRACT

GIVEN THAT WE HAVE GOT

AN EXPERT

IN THE FIELD NOW ON OUR TEAM.

AGAIN, WHY ARE WE GOING OUT
FOR

THIRD PARTY CONTRACTS

WHEN WE

HAVE EMPLOYEES IN THE
CITY

CURRENTLY THAT COULD BE
DOING

THIS WORK OVERSEEING THIS
WORK

AND REDUCING THE COST TO
THIRD
PARTY CONTRACTORS ON THAT WORK?

SECONDLY, LOOKING AT THE

RETROFIT ON THE
--
WE LOST YOU.

KYLE, CAN YOU HEAR US?
KYLE, HAS GONE OFF THE SCREEN.

I DON'T

KNOW IF HE'S HAVING
CONNECTION ISSUES.

I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.

IF THERE'S ANYONE IN

CHAMBERS

THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THE CAN LENDAR ITEMS.

IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT

WOULD LIKE TO

MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE NO FURTHER COMMENTS.

THANK YOU.

BRINGING IT BACK UP FOR MY

COLLEAGUES, IS THERE DISCUSSION
OR POSSIBLE MOTION?

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO

ACKNOWLEDGE THE CALLER.

IS THAT OKAY?
YEAH.

HE WAS QUESTIONING THE

VALIDITY
OF

JUST PASSING THROUGH THIS
COST INCREASE.

I THINK HE BRINGS UP A FAIR
POINT.

IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW
HOW

STAFF DRILLS DOWN ONON
IMPACT

OF OUR NEW EMPLOYEE VERSUS THE

INCREASE IN
THIS.

THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO
KNOW.

IN THE ABSENCE OF OUR CITY

MANAGER, IS THERE

ANYONE THAT
COULD COMMENT?

DOES THIS -- I'M SORRY, IN
THE

ABSENCE OF OUR CITY MANAGER,

SOMEONE ELSE ABLE TO FIELD THE

QUESTION?

IS THAT SOMETHING TO BE LOOPED

BACK AROUND ON?

WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC WORKS
CITY

ENGINEER WHO MAY BE

ABLE TO PUT
CLARIFYING INFORMATION.

MARK?
GOOD EVENING.

IS IT ON?
GOOD EVENING.

WHAT
WAS THE QUESTION?
I DIDN'T CATCH THE QUICK.

NOW THAT YOU HAVE COME ON

BOARD AND WE'RE THRILLED
AND

GRATEFUL, YOU ARE GOING
TO

IMPACT THE ABILITY OF THE
MASTER

PLAN OR ENHANCE ITS STRENGTH
AND
COMPREHENSIVENESS.

TO THAT END, WHY IS THE BUDGET

INCREASING FOR THIS WHEN
MAYBE

YOU ARE HELPING

ALLEVIATE

SOME --

I'M DOING THE WORK.

IT'S ABOUT 1,000 HOURS OF
WORK

BEING PUT INTO THIS BY OTHER
ENGINEERS.

I'M MANAGING THE PROJECT.

I'M

NOT MODELLING AND ALL THAT
EFFORT.

THANK YOU.

CAN I CLARIFY?

THE CONTRACT

IS BELOW WHAT WAS
BUDGETED.
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]
[ NO AUDIO ]

I COULD READ THE PARK OF
ACTIVE

ENGAGEMENT AND HOW

THERE ARE

CONNECTIONS FOR -- THIS IS
THE

PART THAT I

DID NOT MENTION THAT
I USUALLY DO MENTION.

MAY REMOVE OR CAUSE THE REMOVAL

OF AN INDIVIDUAL FOR DISRUPTING.

ENGAGING IN BEHAVIOR DURING
A

MEETING OF THE BODY
THAT

ACTIVELY DISRUPTS,

DISTURBS,

IMPEDES OR

RENDERS THE

ORDINARILY CONDUCT OF THE
MEETING.

I WANT TO SAY THAT.

IF YOU COULD CONTINUE.

THANK YOU.

NEXT I WOULD GO

OUT TO ZOOM FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.

LINDA, UNMUTE YOURSELF.

GO AHEAD.

I AM PROBABLY -- CONSIDER

MYSELF A FIRST AMENDMENT
FANATIC.

I WAS A SPECIAL LIBRARIAN FOR 12
YEARS.

LIBRARIANS ARE PRETTY MUCH
FIRST
AMENDMENT FANATICS.

WHEN I FIRST READREAD THIS
AND

NOTE TODAY'S EDITORIAL, IT HIT A
TENDER SPOT.

RIGHT NOW, THE UNITED
STATES

FEDERAL LEVEL IS UNDERGOING SOME
PRESS CENSORSHIP.

THE AP OF ALL PEOPLE WANTS
TO

CALL A GULL SOMETHING
THAT'S

BEEN BEING CALLED SINCE THE
1700s AND GETS KICKED OUT OF
THE
WHITE HOUSE.

I FOUND THIS VERY DISTURBING.

I CANNOT SEE WHY WE CAN'T
BE

MORE LIKE SONOMA AND OTHER

CITIES THAT AS LONG -- A
PERSON

IS A SUBJECT MATTER

SPECIALIST
IF THEY ARE A STAFFER, USUALLY.

I DON'T THINK THE MAYOR SHOULD

ACT AS A LITTLE EMPEROR OVER THE
CITY OF SEBASTOPOL.

CLAPPING IS

ACTUALLY

DISTURBING THE PROCESS OF
MOVING
IT
ALONG.

ALSO, RECEIVING PUBLIC COMMENT.

AGAIN, UNLESS THE CITY ATTORNEY

THINKS AND ADVISES

DIFFERENTLY,

THIS IS WHAT WAS

NOTICED AS FAR

AS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR.

I WILL ISSUE THE CAUTION ONE
MORE TIME.

THANK YOU.

OLIVER, GO AHEAD.

CAN WE RESET THE TIMER.

GO AHEAD.

I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE COUNCIL

AND THE CITY A COUPLE OF
TIMES
ABOUT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY.

I THINK THIS IS EASILY SOLD.

LAURA HAS A BLOG HERE.

THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE ANY

COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITIZENS,
PARTICULARLY.

THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF

MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT HOW THE
CITY IS ORGANIZED.

THIS IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE.

THEY DID

SOME BRILLIANT PR AND UNDERMINED
THE CITY BASICALLY.

TERRIFIED THE LOCAL BUSINESSES
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

WE HAVE A SITUATION NOW WHERE

IF

THE CITY HAD A SUBSTACK AND
PUT

OUT TIMELY INFORMATION IN SIMPLE
ENGLISH, PROBLEM SOLVED.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, I DON'T KNOW
HOW

MANY PEOPLE HERE ACTUALLY READ

THE AGENDA ITEM OR JUST READ

LAURA'S BLOG AND THEN

READ THE

PRESS DEMOCRAT BECAUSE THAT'S
IMPORTANT.

THERE'S DIFFERENT

VERSIONS OF
THE TRUTH.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
GO

THROUGH THE CITY WEBSITE AND

FIND ALL THE DOCUMENTS,

TEDIOUS
BUT LEGALLY VERY IMPORTANT.

ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS FOR
THE

CITY IS WE GET SUED EVERY
FIVE

MINUTES BY EVERYBODY AND THEIR
BROTHER.

WE CAN'T HAVE

INFORMATION

LEAKING OUT, BECAUSE OF THE
ACLU

AND EVERYBODY ELSE LOOKING AT

US, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO

COME IN AND RESUSCITATE LAWSUITS

AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

THE IDEA OF THE PRESS IS

ANCIENT
HISTORY.

WE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT ERA.

ANYBODY CAN SAY SOMETHING ON
TWITTER, START A BLOG.

WHAT LAURA DOES IS GREAT.

I'M JUST SAYING IT'S A
LOCAL

VERSION OF THE TRUTH, IF YOU
LIKE.

OLIVER, YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS.

I'M DOWN ON THE PRESS
DEMOCRAT AS WELL.

IT'S MORE LIKE OP-EDS.

I CAUTION PEOPLE, LOOK AT THE
WEBSITE.

READ THE AGENDA ITEMS.

DON'T GET ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE

BECAUSE YOU GOT THIRD
HAND

INFORMATION FROM SOMETHING
WHICH
MAYBE EVERYBODY GO CRAZY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.

JIM, UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I
CAN.

GO AHEAD.

I HAVE A COUPLE THINGS.

WE ARE SO LUCKY

TO HAVE DALE AND
LAURA.

NOT MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS
KIND

OF INFORMATION AS A FREE
SERVICE.

I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO
SUBSCRIBE.

IT'S NOT MUCH MONEY.

YOU GET GREAT INFORMATION.

I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO
TREAT

THIS AS A RESOURCE THAT THEY
CAN

USE TO BRING THE PUBLIC
ALONG
WITH YOUR DECISIONS.

HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU
ARE

DOING AND WHY YOU ARE DOING
IT

AND NOT CREATE

SOME ADVERSARIAL
RELATIONSHIP.

I ALSO THINK THAT THE
MAYOR

NEEDS TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S

QUESTIONS OR

AT LEAST
ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER

FOR ACKNOWLEDGING KYLE, A
MEMBER

OF THE PUBLIC LIKE KYLE WHO HAS

RESEARCHED INTO THE BUDGET
STUFF.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ANSWER
QUESTIONS ON PEOPLE.

FROM PEOPLE.

IT WAS AN EXAMPLE.

FINALLY, I GOT SOMETHING IN
THE

WATER BILL OR SOMEWHERE
THAT

LAID OUT A PRETTY GOOD

EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE OPTIONS

WERE AND WHY WE MADE THE
DECISIONS WE DID.

SITTING THROUGH THE

MEETINGS, IT
WAS REALLY HARD.

PEOPLE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

THEY DIDN'T GET ANSWERS.

THE PAPER TRIED TO FIGURE THINGS
OUT.

I THINK THE COMMUNICATION TO
THE
PUBLIC IS REALLY LACKING.

IT FALLS ON THE MAYOR'S ROLE
TO

FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT IN A

BETTER WAY AND NOT

THREATEN

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR
A

GENTLE APPLAUSE IF THEY AGREE
WITH SOMETHING.

THAT'S MY OPINION.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT I WILL COME BACK TO
CHAMBERS.

WE WILL REITERATE AGAIN,
I
DIDN'T PICK THIS LANGUAGE.

THIS WAS DESCRIBED AS FAR
AS

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR AS FAR AS

IMPEDING THE

PROGRESS OF THE
PUBLIC IN WEIGHING IN.

THERE MIGHT BE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE
DIFFERING VIEWS.

THE GOOD THING ABOUT
OUR

COMMUNITY IS THE FACT WE WELCOME

ALL FEEDBACK.

IF WE CAN KEEP OUR LAWS QUIETLY.

THANK WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU.

NEXT INTO CHAMBERS.

HI.

MY NAME IS CHRIS.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF THE

PRESS DEMOCRAT AND SONOMA MEDIA
INVESTMENTS.

WHEN I HAD HAIR, I SPENT A LOT

OF NIGHTS AND EVENINGS
THAT

STRETCHED INTO EARLY

MORNINGS

COVERING COUNCILS

LIKE YOURSELF
IN SUBURBAN CHICAGO.

I COME HERE WITH A LOT
OF
RESPECT FOR THE WORK YOU DO.

UNDERSTANDING IT'S
VERY
DIFFICULT ACCEPTING CRITICISM.

CHECK OUT MY EMAIL INBOX,
I
ACCEPT A LOT EVERY DAY.

THAT SAID, TODAY WE PUBLISHED
AN

EDITORIAL AND WE PUBLISHED
A

STORY IN OUR NOON NEW NUS LETTER
ABOUT THIS POLICY.

MY GOAL ISN'T TO REITERATE
EVERYTHING.

BUT JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S
PRETTY

CLEAR FROM WHERE WE SIT AND WE

DON'T LIKE BEING THE NEWS, WE

LIKE REPORTING IT, THAT
THIS

POLICY POTENTIALLY SHORTS
NOT

ONLY OUR INDUSTRY BUT ALSO YOUR
CITIZENS.

I DON'T WANT TO REITERATE THOSE
CONCERNS HERE.

I KNOW THE FIRST

AMENDMENT
COALITION HAS GOTTEN INVOLVED.

I SEE JENNIE IS ON THE ZOOM
CALL.

WHAT I WROTE AFTER POSTING OUR

STORY ON LINKEDIN IS THAT YOU

ARE PUTTING YOURSELVES ON
A VERY
SLIPPERY SLOPE.

TO USE A COUNTY FAIR

ANALOGY,

YOU ARE SORT OF IN THE LEAD

POTATO SACK ON

THE BANANA SLIDE
WITH A PLSY LIKE THIS.

IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT

FOR

US NOT ONLY TO DO OUR JOBS BUT I
I

FOR YOU

ALL TO UNDERSTAND
OUR INTERACTIONS WITH YOU.

TO THAT END, I'M

GOING TO LEAVE
YOU WITH A BUSINESS CARD.

MY HOPE IS THAT THIS COULD
BE
ERASED ENTIRELY, THIS POLICY.

ANY POLICY REGARDING MEDIA.

IT'S A FREE COUNTRY.

WE'RE A FREE PRESS.

YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE FREE
TO
ANSWER

OUR QUESTIONS AND WE'RE
FREE TO ASK THEM.

CHRIS, TEN SECONDS.

ABSENT THAT, I WOULD LOVE
TO

HAVE YOU IN THE NEWSROOM TO

DISCUSSION HOW WE CAN
COMMUNICATE BETTER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

KYLE, YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.

GO AHEAD.

THIS POLICY IS AN

INFRINGEMENT RIGHTS
OF THE
PRESS.

SETTING A NGEROUS PRECEDENT.

THIS RESTRICTS THE FREE FLOW
OF

INFORMATION BY

CENTRALIZING

PRESS COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH
THE
MAYOR AND CITY MANAGEMENT.

THIS IS A CLEAR VIOLATION OF
THE

FIRST AMENDMENT AS UPHELD
IN
"NEW YORK TIMES"

VERSUS UNITED
STATES 1971 WHERE THE

SUPREME

COURT AFFIRMED

GOVERNMENT

IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON
THE

PRESS MUST MEET THE

HIGHEST
LEVELS OF SCRUTINY.

ANY EFFORT TO FILTER

INFORMATION

CAN LEAD TO CENSORSHIP
AND
SELECTIVE DISCLOSURE.

PRIORITIZING MEDIA

RESPONSES

BASED ON WHETHER AN

INQUIRY

ALIGNED WITH THE
CITY'S

PRIORITIES CONSTITUTES VIEWPOINT
DISCRIMINATION.

THE SUPREME COURT RULED IN
1995

THAT GOVERNMENT ENTITIES CANNOT
FAVOR BASED ON CONTENT.

THIS RISKS

SUPPRESSING

INDEPENDENT

JOURNALISM,

PARTICULARLY FROM MEDIA OUTLETS

THAT MAY BE CRITICAL OF THE
CITY'S ACTIONS.

THE COURTS HAVE RULED THE
PUBLIC

OFFICIALS CANNOT LIMIT
PRESS

ACCESS TO THOSE INQUIRIES
THAT

REFLECT THEIR PREFERRED
NARRATIVES.

THE MIAMI HERALD PUBLISHING,
THE

SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN

EFFORTS AND REINFORCES THE
PRESS
MUST REMAIN FREE.

THIS CONFLICTS WITH

CALIFORNIA'S

PUBLIC RECORDS ACT AND THE BROWN

ACT, WHICH WERE ENACTED
TO
ENSURE GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY.

THE COURTS RULED

SELECTIVE

RESPONSES COULD VIOLATE
TRANSPARENCY LAWS.

IN 1983, THE COURTS

REAFFIRMED

RESTRICTING ACCESSES
TO

GOVERNMENT PROCESSES

VIOLATES
THE PROCESS.

THIS POLICY COULD HAVE
A

CHILLING AFFECT ON PUBLIC

OFFICIALS,

DISCOURAGING THEM
FROM SPEAKING WITH THE PRESS.

IN 1966, THE SUPREME COURT
HELD

LENGTH LAY TORS RETAIN
THEIR

FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND

CANNOT BE PUNISHED FOR SPEAKING
ON PUBLIC MATTERS.

FINALLY, IN 1964, PUBLIC DEBATE,

I HOPE YOUR LAWYER IS READY FOR
ACTION.

THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NEXT WE WILL COME BACK TO IN
CHAMBERS.

I'M GOING TO ASSERT AGAIN.

TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE

HAS

AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD,
THIS
DISRUPTION IS DELAYING THAT.

I'M GOING TO REMIND PEOPLE
OF

THE PART THAT'S POSTED IN
THE
AGENDA

ITEM, WHICH PREDATES ALL
OF THIS DISCUSSION.

HELLO, EVERYBODY.

I'M NEIL HERRING.

IN A FORMER LIFE, I USED
TO
DABBLE IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGINBEGIN

HONORING LAURA AND THE TIMES AS
A MUNICIPAL TREASURE.

WHEN I CAME TO THIS TOWN OVER 40

YEARS AGO, THE NEWSPAPER
WAS

HEADED BY ERNIE JARNER, WHO
WAS
A
FASCIST IDIOT.

LOOK WHAT WE GOT NOW.

WE GOT A GREAT NEWSPAPER.

TO THE MERITS.

I'M FROM THE IF IT AIN'T BROKE
PARTY.

WE HAD A GOOD POLICY.

I

HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD ABOUT

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT.

YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT, MAYOR.

I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON YOU
TO
SAY, WHAT WASN'T WORKING?
WHAT MALFUNCTIONED?
WHAT ARE YOU AIMING TO REPAIR?
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.

ALL I HEAR IS THAT YOU WANT MORE

BUREAUCRATIC CONTROL PLACED
IN

THE HANDS OF THE CITY

MANAGER
WHO IS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

THE PEOPLE WHO NOW HAVE
THE

RIGHT TO SPEAK UNDER CURRENT

POLICY ARE ELECTED AND THEY ARE
PAID STAFF.

YOU WANT TO DIMINISH
THEIR

ABILITY TO ANSWER PRESS
QUESTIONS.

WHAT THE HELL FOR?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT I WILL GO OUT
TO CHAMBERS.

T PEELE, UNMUTE
YOURSELF.

YES.

CAN YOU SEE
THE TIMER?
YES.

GO AHEAD.

MR. MAYOR, MY NAME IS THOMAS
PEELE.

I'M REPRESENTING PROFESSIONAL
JOURNALISTS.

I'M A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER.

I TAUGHT JOURNALISM FOR 15
YEARS.

THIS POLICY, SIR, WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT, IS DRACONIAN.

REPORTERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO

COMMUNICATE WITH WHO THEY
NEED
TO COMMUNICATE WITH ON A STORY.

IF THAT'S A CITY DEPARTMENT

HEAD, THEN THAT'S A
CITY
DEPARTMENT HEAD.

THE FACT THAT YOU SEEM TO
WANT

THOSE COMMUNICATIONS TO
COME

THROUGH YOU TELLS ME BASED ON
42 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT YOU
ARE

MORE CONCERNED ABOUT

MESSAGING

THAN YOU ARE WITH ANY LEVEL OF
SIMPLE INTELLECTUAL TRUTH.

ONE MESSAGE DOESN'T WORK.

THE PRESS NEEDS TO BE ABLE
TO
FUNCTION FREELY.

THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE FIRST
AMENDMENT.

I WILL POINT OUT THAT A
FREE

PRESS IS THE ONLY BUSINESS
OR

OCCUPATION MENTIONED IN THE BILL
OF RIGHTS.

DON'T INTERFERE WITH A
REPORTER'S PROCESS.

ANSWER QUESTIONS WHEN THEY
COME
TO YOU.

ALLOW OTHER OFFICIALS

IN CITY

GOVERNMENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
WHEN

THEIR ANSWERS ARE WHAT A
JOURNALIST NEEDS.

I WANT TO POINT SOMETHING OUT.

YOU HAVE A TREASURE IN YOUR

COMMUNITY, RETIRED
PRESS

DEMOCRATIC REPORTER MARY
FRICKER.

SOMEBODY WHO WORKED WITH ME

IN

OAKLAND SEVERAL YEARS AGO ON

STORIES ABOUT A JOURNALIST

ASSASSINATIONED, GUNNED

DOWN IN
THE STREET.

I WOULD SUGGEST PERHAPS
MAYOR

YOU HAVE A VISIT WITH HER
AND

ASK HER WHAT SHE THINKS ABOUT
THIS.

I THINK SHE WOULD BE --
SHE

WOULD GIVE YOU WISE COUNSEL TO

STAY OUT OF THE WAY AND ALLOW
REPORTERS DO THEIR WORK.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT

I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.

I'M KATE THOMPSON, CITY
RESIDENT.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE

COUNCIL,

I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE
NEW PRESS POLICY DETAILS.

THEY LIMIT THE FLOW
OF

INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT MAY

BE

CONSISTENT BUT I QUESTION
THE

ACCURATE AND TIMELY CLAIMS IF

OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY

STAFF ARE WE REQUIRED TO CHECK
IN
BEFORE

ANY RESPONSE TO THE PRESS
IS PROVIDED.

THIS MORE CONTROLLING,

RESTRICTIVE POLICY FEELING
TROUBLING TO ME.

AS THIS CONTROL CAN BE

MISUSED
TO

DECREASE CITY GOVERNMENT
TRANSPARENCY.

I LOOK TO THE SEBASTOPOL
TIMES

FOR THEIR COVERAGE OF
CITY
BUSINESS ISSUES AND EVENTS.

THE MOST INFLAMMATORY STORY I

HAVE READ IS THAT WHICH SHARES

YOUR NEW POLICY LIMITING THIS
COVERAGE.

THIS COVERAGE THAT IS SO

HELPFUL

TO MORE INFORMED AND A ROBUST

ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN

YOURSELVES
AND THE CITIZENS THAT YOU SERVE.

I URGE YOU, CITY COUNCIL

MEMBERS, TO STEP UP

FOR

TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST IN
CITY

BUSINESS AND TO REMOVE THESE
NEW

CONTROLLING AND DISTURBING
POLICIES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.

IT STATES 392114.

CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?

CAN YOU SEE
THE TIMER?
YES.

THANK YOU.

I GUESS I CAN'T UNDO MY VIDEO.

I WROTE.

MY NAME IS PAUL.

I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT FOR 30
YEARS.

I HAVE FELT

EXTRAORDINARILY

BLESSED TO HAVE THE SEBASTOPOL
TIMES.

I HAVE LIVED IN DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES.

THE COVERAGE IS EXTRAORDINARY.

NUANCED,
GOOD SPIRITED.

AT TIMES SOME PERSONAL
BIAS

SHOWS THROUGH, WHICH IS ABOUT AS
SURPRISING AS ANYTHING.

A REMARKABLE LEVEL OF INTIMATE
COVERAGE.

ONE OF THE IMPACTS IS I HAVE

COME TO UNDERSTAND AND

APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT COUNCIL
MEMBERS DO, INCLUDING YOU, MR.

MAYOR, WHEN IT WAS THE

PORTRAIT
OF YOU A MONTH OR TWO AGO.

REALLY DEVELOP AN

APPRECIATION

FOR THE

AMOUNT OF UNCOMPENSATED
WORK THAT YOU DO.

IT'S QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

WHY YOU WOULD ADOPT A
POLICY

THAT WOULD ACCORDING TO
THE

PEOPLE WHO WOULD UNDERSTAND
THIS

BEST, MEANING LAURA AND DALE,

THAT WOULD IMPEDE THEIR ABILITY

TO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SUCH

WONDERFUL AND INFORMATIVE

STORIES THAT HAVE GOT
ME

INVOLVED WITH THE CITY AND CITY

AFFAIRS, THE COUNCIL ITSELF
BUT

MANY OTHER AFFAIRS IN
THE

COMMUNITY IN A NEW WAY, I DON'T
UNDERSTAND IT.

I THINK A COUPLE OTHER
PEOPLE

HAVE SAID, IF SOMETHING IS NOT
BROKEN, WHY DO YOU FIX IT?

ESPECIALLY IN A WAY THAT THE

PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST INFORMED BY

IT, THE REPORTERS BELIEVE
WOULD

BE VERY NEGATIVE ON THE

ABILITY

TO COVER YOU IN WAYS THAT
I
THINK

BENEFIT ALL OF US,
INCLUDING THE COUNCIL.

THEY ARE NOT A PR ARM OF THE
CITY.

IN THE END, THEY ARE A SOURCE
OF

GREAT GOOD WILL TOWARD
THE
COUNCIL AND CITY MEMBERS.

I WOULD ASK, WHAT ARE THE

SPECIFIC PROBLEMS THAT
THIS

POLICY IS TRYING TO ADDRESS WHEN

THERE ARE KNOWN HARMS IT COULD
DO.

THANK YOU VERY

MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENT.

NEXT BACK INTO CHAMBERS.

MY NAME IS PAUL.

I'M THE PRESS

PROTOCOLS

RECOMMENDED BY COUNCIL IS

DANGEROUS DEPARTURE FROM HOW THE

CITY FOR DECADES HAS

INTERACTED

WITH THE

PRESS, THE PUBLIC AND
THE COUNCIL.

THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC
NEEDS

INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY

POLICIES, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF
CITY

GOVERNMENT, PROVIDED IN A
TIMELY MANNER.

UNFILTERED OR OTHERWISE

SENSORED
BY CITY MANAGER OR THE MAYOR.

I QUESTION, WHY ARE YOU SO
FEARFUL OF THE SEBASTOPOL TIMES?

WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT'S
BUILT

ON GENEROUS EXCHANGE
OF
INFORMATION BACK AND FORTH.

THIS SEEMS TO BE A POWER GRAB,
AN UNNEEDED ONE.

DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.

SUNNY, UNMUTE YOURSELF.

THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD.

MY NAME IS SUNNY.

I'VE
BEEN A RESIDENT FOR 25
YEARS.

A READER OF THE SEBASTOPOL
TIMES.

I'M CONCERNED THE COUNCIL IS
CONSIDERING THIS POLICY.

I'M EMBARRASSED BY SOME

DECISIONS OUR

COUNCIL HAS BEEN
MAKING.

THE

DISREGARD FOR PUBLIC
CONCERN.

I HAD A FRIEND WHO IS ACTUALLY

ON COUNCIL OF ANOTHER TOWN ASK

ME TODAY, WHAT'S GOING ON IN
SEBASTOPOL?

WHO ARE WE?

I'VE BEEN

PROUD TO BE FROM HERE
FOR 25 YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A PLACE WHERE
WHEN

THERE'S REALLY FORWARD THINKING

POLICY, OFTEN GROUPS WILL
BRING

IT TO SEBASTOPOL FIRST TO BUILD

CONSENSUS AND BUILD --

I'VE BEEN

WORKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL

THINGS,
ZERO WASTE AND CLIMATE.

OFTEN THE STRATEGY WILL --
SEBASTOPOL IS FORWARD THINKING.

TO HEAR WE'RE CONSIDERING
THIS

DRACONIAN

PRESS POLICY, I'M
SHOCKED.

QUITE HONESTLY EMBARRASSED
IN

HAVING A BIT OF AN

IDENTITY
CRISIS ABOUT MY TOWN.

I URGE YOU TO REJECT THIS.

IT'S GOING TO JUST
REALLY

DIMINISH TRUST IN THE

COUNCIL
AND IN PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY.

PLEASE,

COUNCILMEMBERS, DO NOT
VOTE FOR THIS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT BACK TO IN CHAMBERS.

HI.

JOEL NEWBURG.

I'VE BEEN
A RESIDENT FOR 50
YEARS.

FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
I

HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT
FOR

ALL THE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF

NEGATIVE INPUT.

I'VE

PUBLISHED WORK

IN THE PRESS
DEMOCRAT.

I PUBLISHED WORK IN
THE

SEBASTOPOL TIMES WHEN ERNIE WAS
HELD A

GUN ON ALMOST ANYONE WHO
CAME INTO HIS OFFICE.

I HELD A GREAT DEAL OF

RESPECT

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE
PRESS.

I GUESS I JUST WOULD LIKE TO

REITERATE WHAT MANY OF

THE

PUBLIC HAVE SAID, WHICH IS WE
DON'T NEED THIS POLICY.

THIS POLICY MAKES YOU LOOK BAD.

IT MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE THE
NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

AND NOBODY WANTS

TO LOOK LIKE
THE NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU.

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.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME BACK TO
HI, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS LEA.

I'M A CONSTITUENT.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE

COUNCIL AND TO THE MAYOR
FOR

WORKING IN PUBLIC OFFICE,
WHICH
SEEMS CRAZY RIGHT NOW.

ALSO, THANK YOU TO LAURA FOR THE

SEBASTOPOL TIMES AND

PROVIDING

LOCAL JOURNALISM TO OUR CORNER
OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.

WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE
TO

HAVE NOT ONLY THE TIMES BUT

ADDITIONAL LOCAL PUBLICATIONS.

I OPPOSE THE PROPOSED PRESS
POLICY.

I WON'T GET INTO WHAT OTHERS
HAVE STATED.

I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IF

THE GOAL IS TO HAVE AN EFFICIENT

AND PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH

THE PRESS,

THE LOCAL PRESS IS

CLEAR IN THEIR POSITION

IN THAT
THIS IS NOT THE WAY.

I WILL ALSO THINK THAT

WELL-INFORMED POPULOUS
IS

CRUCIAL TO A WELL FUNCTIONING
DEMOCRACY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT

WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC

COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, BACK TO THE
CHAMBERS.

GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE

UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT WORK
YOU

DO ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR VERY
LITTLE PAY.

IN THE SPIRIT OF QUAKER

TRADITION, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
SAY, JOEL NEWBERG SPEAKS FOR ME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A

PUBLIC COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.

SEEING

NONE, I WILL COME BACK
INTO CHAMBERS.

HI.

MY NAME IS ANN.

I RUN THE JOURNALISM PROGRAM AT

SANTA ROSA JUNIOR COLLEGE.

I HAVE A STUDENT HERE.

I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO BE
HERE.

WHEN MY STUDENTS GET AN

ASSIGNMENT, I TELL THEM TO ASK
A
QUESTION.

WHO KNOWS ABOUT THIS?

WHO IS THE BEST PERSON
TO
ADDRESS THIS QUESTION?
THEN GO TALK TO THAT PERSON.

IF YOU GET QUESTIONS LIKE
IF YOU

ARE DOING A STORY ABOUT THE

CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER,

OBVIOUSLY, I WANT TO TALK

SOMEONE AT THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT
CENTER.

IF YOU ARE DOING THIS STORY
ON

FINANCIAL AID, YOU WANT TO TALK

TO THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL
AID.

OVER THE LAST COUPLE
YEARS,

THERE'S BEEN AN EFFORT AT THE
JC

TO KIND OF CORPORATIZE THE

MESSAGE, TO CONSOLIDATE THE

MESSAGE, HAVE ONE MESSAGE,
HAVE

A GATEKEEPER WHO THE STUDENTS
CONTACT AS WELL AS ANY PRESS.

THEY WILL DIRECT PEOPLE TO WHO

THEY SHOULD TALK TO AND THEN
HELP SET UP INTERVIEWS.

I HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST THIS.

WE HAD A SYSTEM THAT WORKED
FOR

TWO DECADES WHERE STUDENTS
WOULD

GO TO THE PERSON MOST IN THE
KNOW.

WHAT I HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST

COUPLE YEARS IS STORIES

SUFFERING AND JOURNALISM
SUFFERING.

IT BECOMES A GAME OF

TELEPHONE

WHERE INFORMATION GETS LOST AND

BECOMES LESS

ACCURATE IN

TRANSLATION FROM ONE PERSON TO
ANOTHER.

YOU HAVE 25
SECONDS.

FOR A WHILE IT'S BEEN
GOING

THROUGH POLICE BREAKING
NEWS
POLICE STORIES.

YOU GO TO THE PR PERSON, STUFF

HAS TO GO BETWEEN

POLICE,
DETAILS GET LOST.

THAT PERSON DOESN'T KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED.

THEY WEREN'T THERE.

YOU ALWAYS WANT TO GO TO THE
SOURCE CLOSEST TO THE ACTION.

STORIES ARE TAKING LONGER TO GET
RESPONSES.

INTERVIEWS ARE TAKING LONGER.

MY STUDENTS AREN'T ABLE
TO

PERFORM AS JOURNALISTS THE
WAY
THEY SHOULD.

THAT'S TWO MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT
WOULD

LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC

COMMENT,
RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, BACK INTO CHAMBERS.

LISA PIERCE.

I WANT TO REALLY THANK THE
COUNCIL.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY.

SEBASTOPOL TIMES I

BELIEVE IS
125 YEARS OLD.

IS THAT CORRECT?
YEAH.

OKAY.

EVEN LONGER.

WE HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE IN

THIS COMMUNITY TO HAVE THIS
RESOURCE.

THE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE
THIS

TRADITION ARE HARDLY

PAID AT
ALL.

SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL.

THEY ARE DEVOTED TO TRYING
TO
INFORM OUR COMMUNITY.

WE ARE INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO
HAVE

THEM SIT THROUGH THESE LONG

MEETINGS AND SCHOOL BOARD, ALL
THOSE MEETINGS.

WE WANT TO HELP THEM IN EVERY

WAY WE CAN TO DO THE BEST JOB
THEY CAN.

AND TO MAKE THEM KEEP GOING.

WE DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE
THEM.

I'M JUST -- WHEN WE -- SO
MANY

TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE LOST
THEIR

NEWSPAPERS ALL
OVER THE PLACE.

WHAT DO THEY HAVE THEN?
FACEBOOK, TWITTER, NEXT DOOR.

RUMORS FLY AROUND.

PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S
GOING ON.

I JUST REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE

AND ASK PEOPLE TO SUPPORT
OUR
LOCAL TREASURE.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE.

THANK YOU.

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, RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME
BACK
INTO
CHAMBERS.

ANYONE IN CHAMBERS.

SARA?

COUNCILMEMBERS, YOU RECEIVED

TWO LENGTHY EMAILS FROM ME
ALREADY.

I APPRECIATE TWO OF
YOU
ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
PUBLIC
HAS A CHANCE TO READ THOSE.

THEY ARE ON WEBSITE IF YOU
ARE

INTERESTED IN MY LONGER
COMMENTS.

TONIGHT I WANT TO SAY,
I'M OF
THE IF

IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX
IT.

I WANT TO GO BACK DO

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER'S REMARKS

ABOUT HOW DO YOU ENGAGE WITH
THE

PUBLIC WHEN THE PUBLIC IS
IN

YOUR PHYSICAL PRESENCE

TALKING
TO YOU?

THE WAY YOU CAN ENGAGE

TONIGHT

IS TO EXPLAIN TO US, WHY ARE

YOU
DOING THIS?
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

LET US KNOW HERE IN LIVE
TIME

WHILE WE'RE ALL ENGAGED WITH
YOU.

WE WOULD LIKE THAT ANSWER.

THANKS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

I WOULD GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM
THAT

WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC

COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.

SEEING NONE, I WILL COME
BACK
INTO CHAMBERS.

ANYONE IN CHAMBERS.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M SABRINA.

YES, I AM DISRUPTIVE BECAUSE YOU
DON'T

RESPOND TO WHAT PEOPLE
HAVE SAID TO YOU.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
YOU

KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER

PEOPLE

THAT AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN
SAID.

I'M AN ARMCHAIR ACTIVIST.

I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER.

I

DON'T LIKE USING FEAR-BASED
LANGUAGE.

THAT BEING SAID, NOT SPEAKING UP
IS HOW GERMANY FELL TO HIM.

NOW THERE'S ANOTHER HIM THAT
IS
MAKING

IT WAY TOO EASY TO TAKE
OVER THE COUNTRY.

I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANT

SEBASTOPOL TO BE OPEN
AND
COMMUNICATIVE.

WE THE CITIZENS CAN PARTICIPATE

IN POLICY MAKING, NOT
BE
DICTATED TO BY A FEW.

WE GET TO BE

INFORMED AND THAT
WAY WE GET TO ENGAGE.

THE PROPOSED AND SEEMINGLY

IMPLEMENTED PRESS POLICY
IS

ANATHEMA TO WHAT IS GOING ON
IN
OUR CITY.

REPORTING IN A TIMELY

FASHION

WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE US TIME

TO

DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE

POLICIES
THAT WE DO OPPOSE.

DO NOT CONTINUE DOWN
THIS
EXTREMELY FAULTY STRATEGY.

SEBASTOPOL CANNOT JOIN IN

BLINDLY DOING WHATEVER THE
POLITICIANS SAY TO DO.

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.

JIM, I BELIEVE, YOU MADE
A
PUBLIC COMMENT ALREADY.

IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE IN
YOUR

HOUSEHOLD THAT

WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT?
YES.

IT'S CARRIE.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO.

I WILL JUMP IN WHEN

YOU HAVE
30 SECONDS LEFT.

OKAY.

I AGREE

WITH MANY OF THE
COMMENTS TONIGHT.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE
MORE THINGS.

THE SEBASTOPOL TIMES IS A

WONDERFUL SOURCE OF ACCESSIBLE
INFORMATION.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS NOW,
WHICH

MAY HAVE AFFECTED OUR ELECTION

RESULTS, IS THAT MANY, MANY
NEWS
SOURCES HAVE A PAY WALL.

FOX NEWS DOESN'T.

YOU CAN JUST GO HEARHEAR THE
LIES.

IF YOU WANT TO

HEAR TRUTHFUL
ARTICLES, IT'S HARDER.

I JUST WANTED TOTO THAT
I

REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE

SEBASTOPOL TIMES DOES NOT HAVE
A
TIME WALL.

ANYBODY CAN READ IT

WITHOUT
PAYING A CENT.

HAVING SAID THAT, I
WOULD

APPRECIATE IF PEOPLE
DO

SUBSCRIBE AND DO SUPPORT THEM
SO
THESE PEOPLE CAN LIVE.

HAVE SOME MONEY IN THEIR
POCKETS.

CONTINUE TO DO WHAT THEY DO.

I'M HOPING THAT THE MAYOR WILL

BE INSPIRED BY THIS SHINING

EXAMPLE OF

ACCESSIBLE

INFORMATION AND GOOD WILL
THAT

THIS PAPER SHOWS AND WOULD
APPLY
THAT TO THE COUNCIL.

AGAIN, TO REITERATE, BECAUSE OF

THE PAPER, THE COMMUNITY IS
ABLE

TO UNDERSTAND MORE
AND

APPRECIATE MORE WHAT HAPPENS IN

SEBASTOPOL, WHAT HAPPENS IN
THE
COUNCIL.

YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS.

THESE PEOPLE LOVE
SEBASTOPOL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM
IS.

IT IS CREEPY, I AGREE.

IT HAS ECHOS OF, YOU KNOW,
THE

KIND OF GOVERNMENTS WE DO NOT

WANT HERE AND

THE CONTROL WE
DON'T WANT HERE.

I REALLY ALSO HOPE THERE ARE
NO

LAWSUITS THAT
COME OUT OF THIS.

WE ARE STILL DIGGING OURSELVES

OUT AS FAR AS I KNOW FROM
UNDER

THE LAWSUIT FROM THAT FOOLISH

PARKING --

THAT'S TWO MINUTES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.

NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.

ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT
WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT?
SEEING NONE, BACK OUT TO ZOOM.

KATE, UNMUTE YOURSELF.

I AM
UNMUTED.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.

THANK YOU.

GO AHEAD.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE SO
MANY
PEOPLE ATTENDING THIS MEETING.

I HOPE EVERYONE STICKS AROUND

FOR THE BUDGET AND WATER
AND
SEWER ENTERPRISE DISCUSSIONS.

AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS IN
A

FINANCIAL
CRISIS.

WE HAVE A FAILING WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT WOULD BE GREAT IF EVERYONE

CAN PUT THEIR INPUT ON THOSE AS
WELL.

MEDIA POLICIES ARE COMMON SENSE
AND STANDARD PRACTICE.

DOES THE OPPRESSED

DEMOCRAT

ALLOW ALL STAFF MEMBERS TO

REPRESENT THE PAPER WHEN

TALKING
TO THE MEDIA?

CAN THE COPY EDITOR

REPRESENT

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT IN THE
PRESS
AND SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT?
I DOUBT IT.

CAN YOU WALK INTO STARBUCKS

AND

TALK TO A CASHIER AND SAY
THEY

REPRESENT STARBUCKS AS THE
COMPANY?
NO.

DO

ALL CITIES HAVE PRESS
POLICIES?
YES.

LET ME READ ABOUT DANIEL
LORI,

THE MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO,
PRESS POLICY IN SAN FRANCISCO.

THIS IS A QUOTE FROM THE SF
STANDARD.

THE PRESS RELATIONS TEAM
HAS

INSTITUTED RULES THAT

REQUIRE

ALL SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENTS TO

RECEIVE APPROVAL OF THE

MAYOR'S

STAFF BEFORE MAKING

STATEMENTS
TO THE MEDIA.

THAT'S SAN FRANCISCO.

I'M ASSUMING THEY HAVE
PRETTY

GOOD LAWYERS THAT CAN

TELL THEM
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S LEGAL.

THIS WHOLE ABSURD AND

COMICAL

FIRE DIDN'T STORM IS

BECAUSE

DALE AND LAURA FEEL ENTITLED

TO
ON DEMAND 24/7 ACCESS TO
CITY

STAFF WHICH

THE TAXPAYERS PAY
FOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS MAKE $300 PER
MONTH.

DO YOU THINK THEY SHOULD
BE

OBLIGATED TO RESPOND TO DALE
AND

LAURA ON THEIR WEEKENDS, AT
NIGHT?

DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE
ANY
RESTRAINTS ON LAURA AND DALE?
SHOULD THEY HAVE FREE REIGN?

THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS POLICY

WHICH IMPACTS ANY

REPORTER'S

ABILITY TO GET
INFORMATION.

IT SAYS IT WILL BE IN A TIMELY
MANNER.

CITY HAS LIMITED STAFF.

IT'S EXTREMELY SMALL.

THAT'S TWO MINUTES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR

YUB PUBLIC
COMMENT.

I WILL COME BACK TO IN CHAMBERS.

ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A
PUBLIC COMMENT.

SEEING NONE, I WILL GO

BACK OUT
TO ZOOM.

IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM
THAT

WOULD LIKE TO

MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND.

SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT
IS
CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU.

BRINGING IT BACK UP FOR MY

COLLEAGUES, DISCUSSIONS,
COMMENTS?

I SUPPOSE WE MIGHT HAVE A
LOT
TO SAY.

THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT
OF

IS -- I WAS REACHING FOR A
METAPHOR.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW GOOD
MY
PERSPECTIVE IS ON MYSELF.

YOU MIGHT ASK MY FAMILY.

I JUST ALSO WAS LOOKING AT A
FOOTBALL TEAM.

IF YOU WERE COVERING A FOOTBALL
TEAM.

THE QUARTERBACK DEFINITELY NEEDS

TO HAVE A SINGULAR LINE OF

COMMUNICATION TO HIS WIDE
RECEIVER.

WHEN YOU SEE A

JOURNALIST

COVERING THE GAME,
THAT

JOURNALIST COVERS THE

QUARTERBACK, THE COACH,

WHOEVER

THEY NEED TO COVER TO GET
THE

SPECIFIC ANGLE ON THE

STORY OF
THE GAME.

WHO REALLY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED?

A PERFECT PERSPECTIVE ISN'T

REALLY POSSIBLE.

THE MORE EYES AND EARSEARS
WORDS
THAT

GO OUT HAVE TO HELP, IN MY
OPINION.

I'M JUST LEANING ON HOW WE CAN

GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN

FRAME THE ORIGINAL ONE WHERE IT'S

USEFUL SO THAT THE

MARKETING, THE BRAND MANAGEMENT

ASPECT AND THE

COMMUNICATION

VALUE WHERE WE GET FREE WORK
FROM THE PRESS.

WE JUST NEED INFORMATION TO GET
TO THE PUBLIC.

I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO

STICK TO
THE

ORIGINAL BUT HEDGE IT

TOWARDS LIMITING THE

MAYOR'S

FREEDOM OF MANAGEMENT OF THEIR

LICENSE TO CONTROL THE

NARRATIVE

TO JUST SIMPLY UNIVERSITIES
OR

LIKE SAY SOMETHING

SPECTACULAR

HAPPENS IN SEBASTOPOL, LIKE SAN

FRANCISCO IS GOING TO BUILD
A

NEW STADIUM HERE OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.

COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER?
OKAY.

I HAD PREPARED A STATEMENT.

WE HAD HEARD FROM SO MANY
PEOPLE
PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.

I'M MOVED BY YOUR COMMENTS.

I'M GRATEFUL TO THE EXPERTS WHO

HAVE COME TO SPEAK TO US
TONIGHT.

I JUST THINK THAT THE WRITERS

HAVE COME OUT OF THE CLOSET IN

SEBASTOPOL AND IT'S GREAT TO
HEAR FROM YOU ALL.

I THINK WE SHOULD LISTEN TO THE
EXPERTS.

I THINK THE CITY SHOULD AT
ALL

TIMES STRIVE TO BE

TRANSPARENT
AND ACCESSIBLE.

WE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO

CONTROL
OR LIMIT THE PRESS IN ANY WAY.

WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THE HYPER

LOCAL REPORTING.

I WANT TO REITERATE A FEW OF
THE

COMMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL
RECEIVED.

AGGRESSIVE,

INDEPENDENT

REPORTING IS A CHECK ON
GOVERNMENTAL POWER.

THIS IS SEBASTOPOL,
NOT

WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON, D.C.

THEIR IN-DEPTH

REPORTING,

PARTICULARLY BY LAURA, HAS
BEEN

AN ENGINE THAT IS INCREASED MY

ESTEEM OF THE CITY.

REQUIRING REPORTERS GO THROUGH
MULT

MULTIPLE

OFFICIALS SLOWING DOWN
INFORMATION FLOW.

PRIORITIZING RESPONSES BASED ON

WHETHER A TOPIC ALIGNS WITH CITY

GOALS ALLOWS SELECTIVE

TRANSPARENCY, RATHER THAN OPEN
COMMUNICATION.

THESE RESTRICTIONS DO NOT SERVE
THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
COMMENTS.

YOU HAVE EDUCATED ME ON THE

IMPORTANCE OF UNFETTERED PRESS
ACCESS.

I DO NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD
CREATE A FORMAL PRESS POLICY.

COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES,
PHONE

OR EMAIL, CAN BE

INDIVIDUALLY

ESTABLISHED WITH REPORTERS
AND
NOT PART OF A FORMAL POLICY.

I THINK WE SHOULD DIRECT STAFF

TO REMOVE -- IN THE

POLICY

CREATED IN NOVEMBER, I THINK
WE

SHOULD DIRECT STAFF TO
REMOVE

THE TWO LINES WHICH IS THAT
SAYS

TO SERVE AS -- THAT THE
MAYOR

WILL BE THE PRIMARY MEDIA

SPOKESMAN IN COORDINATION CITY
STAFF.

I THINK THOSE SHOULD BE REMOVED.

I WOULD DIRECT THE STAFF TO DO
THAT.

I'M NOT

GOING TO MAKE THAT
MOTION YET.

I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.

AFTER HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC

TONIGHT, ADDED A FEW MORE
COMMENTS.

I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET TO
THE
MANY LETTERS TO RESPOND.

I DID NOT RESPOND TO ANY TODAY

EXCEPT FOR ONE.

IN THE RESPONSES, I WAS ABLE TO

WRITE, WHICH STARTED AS SOON
AS

I LEARNED ABOUT THIS BY READING

THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE,
IT

STARTED WITH, DUE TO THE BROWN

ACT, I WAS AS SURPRISED AS ALL
OF YOU.

TO READ THE ARTICLE, I HAD NO

IDEA THAT WE WERE DEVELOPING ANY
KIND OF DIFFERENT PRESS POLICY.

SO EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE
COUNCIL.

WE HAVE A POLICY, WHICH
I

CLARIFIED INTO THE RECORD BEFORE
IT WENT OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

THAT'S OUR POLICY.

THAT'S THE ONLY

ONE I KNOW
ABOUT.

I WANT TO SAY THAT.

I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
MEMBER

OF THE PUBLIC WHO TALKED
ABOUT

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR'S PRESS
POLICY.

THAT MAYOR IS ELECTED.

THAT'S NOT AN APPOINTED MAYOR.

WE ARE ELECTED AS A FIVE-MEMBER

BODY THE MAYOR

ROTATES,

GENERALLY SPEAKING, IN
CEREMONIAL WAY.

I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY
BACKGROUND.

MY FIRST JOB WAS READING
THE
MORNING NEWS ON A RADIO STATION.

FOR ANY OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, I
SPENT 20 YEARS IN
MEDIA,

INCLUDING FOUR YEARS

WORKING

WITH A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AT

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT.

MEDIA KIND OF IS MY WORLD.

I WILL HAVE A

RECOMMENDATION

TONIGHT ALSO ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD
GO ABOUT THIS.

I THINK A LOT OF
THESE

POLICIES -- WE HAVE

ANOTHER

AGENDA ITEM THAT I HAVE

CO-AUTHORED --

NO, THAT ONE I

AUTHORED ABOUT ANOTHER
TENDED

CONSEQUENCE OF THE POLICIES
WE

TRY TO PASS THAT ARE CAUSING US
MISUNDERSTANDING.

WE ARE TRYING TO CLARIFY THOSE.

WITH THAT SAID, I HEARD ALSO
I

HAVE TO STATE ABOUT A MEETING

THAT HAPPENED TODAY THAT I
FEEL

LIKE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
RE-SCHEDULED.

THE WORDS I HEARD FROM WAS, THE

MEETING WAS TO DISCUSS -- I
WROTE IT DOWN HERE.

HOW THE CITY WAS INTERESTED
IN

MOVING FORWARD WITH

THE PRESS
RELATIONSHIP.

WE
HAVE A POLICY.

WE SET THE POLICY.

I THINK THAT'S A

PREMATURE

DISCUSSION WHEN WE

HAVEN'T

DISCUSSED A POLICY AND FULL
TRANSPARENCY TONIGHT.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR AS FAR AS
I'M

CONCERNED, WE HAVE A POLICY IN
WRITING.

THAT'S OUR CURRENT POLICY.

ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS THE
WAY

THE MAYOR, WHICH I HAVE BEEN
THE

MAYOR, WANTS TO WORK WITH THE
PRESS.

WE ALL

HAVE WHAT WE'RE
COMFORTABLE WITH.

I GET IT.

I'M COMFORTABLE TALKING.

I'M COMFORTABLE JUST

LISTENING

TO WHAT THE PUBLIC SAYS
AND

MAKING QUICK NOTES AND
ADDRESSING THAT.

MAYBE THAT'S NOT EVERYBODY'S
STYLE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT

WHOEVERWHOEVER

SERVING AS OUR SPOKESPERSON
CAN

WORK WITHIN THEIR COMFORT
ZONE.

THAT DOESN'T CLOSE OFF ANYBODY

ELSE FROM WORKING A DIFFERENT
WAY.

RIGHT?

WE NEED TO ALL BE OPEN AND
WE'RE

ABLE TO COMMENT,
WE'RE ELECTED.

WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE
PRESS.

WE USUALLY DEVELOP THOSE WHEN WE
RAN FOR OFFICE.

OR BEFORE.

IF WE WERE IN THE MEDIA.

WITH THAT SAID, I AM GOING
TO

RECOMMEND TO STAFF, WITH A

MOTION, THAT WE STICK WITH
OUR

CURRENT POLICY BUT WE CHANGE
ONE

WORD IN THE FIRST LINE OF THE
POLICY.

AND THAT WOULD BE THAT
WE

RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR IS
THE

SPOKESPERSON

FOR THE CITY
COUNCIL.

THAT'S TYPICAL.

TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S

PRIMARY
CITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON.

IN COORDINATION WITH CITY STAFF.

NOTHING UNDER THE MAYOR'S DUTIES

LIMITS ANY INDIVIDUAL CIL

MEMBER'S ABILITY TO INTERACT

WITH THE
PRESS.

BY ADDING THAT ONE LINE, I THINK

IT WAS REALLY CONFUSING

BETWEEN

THE WAY I READ IT, WHICH WAS
THE

MAYOR'S RECOGNIZED AS
THE

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY

COUNCIL, GENERALLY SPEAKING
IN
PRESS RELEASES.

THE MAYOR

IS TYPICALLY QUOTED IN
THE PRESS RELEASE.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE
THAT
MEANS.

I KNOW AS MAYOR IN THE
PAST,

USUALLY THE MAYOR WOULD BE

QUOTED IN A PRE-DETERMINED

OUTWARD PRESS.

EVERYTHING ELSE WAS UP FOR
GRABS.

WE ALL ANSWER OUR PHONES
AND
CALL
BACK.

THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS TONIGHT.

TO KICK OFF MY OPINION ON THE
SUBJECT.

WE WILL SEE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES
THINK.

FURTHER DISCUSSION?

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON MADE A
MOTION.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT
WE CAN

ONLY DISCUSS THE MOTION THAT'S
BEEN MADE.

IS THAT CORRECT?

UNLESS IT'S --

THERE'S NO SECOND.

OKAY.

AS A NEW MEMBER, I'M NOT
SURE

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE
ARE
POSSIBLE COMPETING MOTIONS.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

RIGHT NOW, ONE MOTION HAS
BEEN MADE.

IF YOU WANT TO SECOND IT, YOU
CAN SECOND IT.

IF NOT, YOU WAIT AND THEN
YOU

COULD SECOND A DIFFERENT
MOTION
IF YOU PREFER ANOTHER MOTION.

CAN WE CONTINUE DISCUSSION?

YOU CAN CONTINUE

DISCUSSION

AFTER A MOTION HAS BEEN SECONDED
AS WELL.

COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER.

I WILL MAKE A SECOND
MOTION

THAT -- I MAKE A MOTION
WE'RE

NOT GOING TO CREATE A FORMAL

POLICY, PRESS POLICY, AND

THAT

WE'RE GOING TO DIRECT STAFF TO

REMOVE THE TWO LINES IN
THE

MIDDLE BULLET POINT THAT
STATE

THAT THE MAYOR'S IS THE

PRIMARY

MEDIA SPOKESPERSON IN

COORDINATION WITH CITY STAFF
AND

APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF
SHOULD

ALWAYS BE ALERTED TO MEDIA
CONTACT.

I WANT THOSE TWO LINES REMOVED.

THAT'S MY MOTION.

CAN I CLARIFY?

DO YOU STILL WANT

THE TOP LINE,

WHICH IS MAYOR RECOGNIZED AS

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY
COUNCIL?
THAT'S FINE.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND
AND CONTINUE DISCUSSION.

THERE'S NO -- I DID NOT HEAR
A SECOND.

I JUST WANT TO FEEL

OUT THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU JUST
SAID.

KIND

OF UNDERSTAND WHERE --
GO AHEAD.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON IS
ASKING

FOR THE FIRST

LINE THAT SAYS

THAT THE MAYOR WILL BE
THE

PRIMARY

MEDIA SPOKESPERSON TO BE

CHANGED TO THE MAYOR WILL BE
THE
COUNCILMEMBER SPOKESPERSON.

THAT'S STATED IN EARLIER BULLET

POINTS THAT THE MAYOR IS
THE

SPOKESPERSON FOR THE
COUNCIL.

IT'S REDUNDANT.

MY ASK IS TO REMOVE THE
MIDDLE

PART WHERE THE MAYOR IS
THE

PRIMARY SPOKESPERSON AND THAT
HE

COORDINATES WITH STAFF AND
THAT

HE HAS TO ALERT --
SORRY,

APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF
SHOULD

ALWAYS BE ALERTED TO MEDIA
CONTACT.

THAT FEELS -- IT DOESN'T

FEEL
OKAY TO ME.

I WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE BOTH OF
THOSE SENTENCES.

ONE MORE CLARIFICATION.

I THINK A LOT OF THIS KIND OF

DERIVED FROM EXTENDING THE
ADDITIONAL POLICY.

I'M WONDERING WHAT -- EVEN IF
WE

DO AMEND THE POLICY AS

WRITTEN,

WHAT KIND OF FREE DOMS OF
THE

MAYOR REMAIN TO CREATE
ADDITIONAL POLICY?

EACH ONE OF YOU -- THE
MAYOR

DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO

CREATE THAT, ANY POLICY FOR THE
CITY.

WHAT IS HERE IS HOW THE
MAYOR

WAS CARRYING OUT HIS DUTY AS
THE
PRIMARY SPOKESPERSON.

ANY ONE OF YOU COULD SAY,
I'M

ONLY RESPONDING TO EMAILS
BY

TEXT OR I NEED X AMOUNT OF
TIME
TO RESPOND OR WHATEVER.

THOSE ARE

ALL UP TO EACH ONE OF
YOU INDIVIDUALLY.

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.

I ACTUALLY WOULD BE OKAY --

YOU ARE RIGHT, IT DOES

REITERATE

THAT AS LONG AS YOU ARE
OKAY

WITH LINE ONE, THE SECOND
LINE
IS

THE SAME EXCEPT FOR
COORDINATION.

APPROPRIATE CITY STAFF

ALERTED

TO MEDIA CONTACT, I DON'T
KNOW

WHERE ALWAYS CAME

IN, JUST WAS
USED TO BE A COURTESY.

I'M ACTUALLY OKAY WITH
YOUR
MOTION AND WOULD SECOND IT.

JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE
THINGS ARE COURTESIES.

IT'S GREAT TO GET -- THERE
MIGHT

BE AN ARTICLE IN THE

PAPER AS
FULL COUNCILMEMBERS.

IF SOMEBODY FORGETS, I'M
OKAY
WITH THAT.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND WITHDRAW
MY

MOTION AND SECOND
COUNCILMEMBER'S MAURER'S MOTION.

I WAS JUST SPEAKING TO
THE
CITY CLERK.

SO THE COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY

AWARE, IF THE MOTION IS

APPROVED, WE WILL TAKE
CHANGE

THE POLICY AND BRING IT BACK
ON

CONSENT BASED ON YOUR DIRECTION
FOR FORMAL ADOPTION.

CAN SOMEONE -- TOO
BUSY
TAKING NOTES.

COULD YOU RESTATE THE MOTION?

I'M MAKING A MOTION TO DIRECT

STAFF TO EDIT THE FORMER POLICY

THAT WAS ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER
2024 TO REMOVE THE BULLET POINT
THAT HAS TWO SENTENCES IN IT.

IT SAYS TO SERVE -- THAT THE
MAY

RER WILL SERVE AS THE

PRIMARY

MEDIA SPOKESPERSON
IN

COORDINATION WITH CITY
STAFF.

APPROPRIATE CITY

SAF SHOULD

ALWAYS BE ALERTED TO MEDIA
CONTACT.

THAT'S THE MOTION THAT THAT'S
DELETED AND WE HAVE A SECOND.

OKAY.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
SEEING NONE, OKAY.

SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER, SECRETARIED Y ED SECONDED BY HINTON.

IT'S MATE
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.

YES.

COUNCILMEMBER
HINTON.

AYE.

MAYOR.

YES.

MOTION PASSES, 4-1.

IS IT OKAY TO TAKE A BREAK?
I'M

LOOKING FOR MY --
I'M

LOOKING TO MY FELLOW
COUNCILMEMBERS.

CAN WE TAKE FIVE MINUTES?
THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, PUBLIC.

THIS IS A

GOOD EXERCISE IN FREE
SPEECH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

WELCOME.

WE ARE WAITING FOR MARY.

WE

CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT
MARY.

NOR SHOULD WE.

THEN WAITING FOR COUNCILMEMBER
MAURER IS GOOD.

FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO FOLLOW AT

HOME, WE'RE -- FOR
NO ONE
FOLLOWING ALONG AT HOME.

FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE,
WE
WILL PICK UP ON NUMBER 7.

WE WILL ROLL THROUGH, TAKING
OFF
9, BECAUSE WE DECIDED TO TABLE
THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

MARY, ARE WE GOOD?
WE'RE GOING TO START.

CALLING AGENDA ITEM 7, WHICH
IS

THE PRESENTATION AND

DISCUSSION
OF FISCAL YEAR '24/'25 QUARTER

TWO FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR
THE
ENTERPRISE FUNDS.

THERE'S NO FISCAL

IMPACT WITH
THE DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM.

RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT
IS
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

DIRECTOR?
THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WILL MAKE THIS ITEM VERY
QUICK.

LET ME SHARE THE SCREEN.

WRONG SCREEN.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, MR.

MAYOR.

THIS IS THE FY SECOND QUARTER

FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR THE
ENTERPRISE FUND.

THE WATER FUND, THE

SCREEN SHOWS
THE WATER FUND ACTUAL IS 48%.

CAN I ASK -- CAN YOU GET RID

OF THE SIDE SO WE CAN GET IT
BIGGER?

ON THE SCREEN.

THANK YOU.

I'M SORRY.

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE WATER

FUND, THE SLIDE SHOWS THE ACTUAL

OF THE BUDGET FOR THE REVENUE IS
48%.

THE EXPENSE IS 48%, WHICH IS ON

TARGET FOR THIS TIME OF THE
YEAR.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TABLE
OF

FUTURE PLANS FOR BILLING

ALIGNMENT IN AN EFFORT TO
FOLLOW

IN LINE WITH THE WATER AND
SEWER
RATE

INCREASE THAT WILL TAKE
AFFECT JULY 1st OF 2025.

I BELIEVE THE CITIZEN HAS

RECEIVED THE STATEMENT
FOR
FEBRUARY 25th.

THAT IS FOR THE ACTIVITY OF
DECEMBER '24 AND JANUARY '25.

AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE ON A
BIMONTHLY BASIS.

THE NEXT TIME IS APRIL OF
2025

AND IT'S FOR THAT PERIOD, TWO

MONTHS.

NEXT BILLING WILL BE JUNE.

THAT WILL BE TWO MONTHS

OF BILLING
PERIODS.

THEN WHEN WE BILL IN JULY,
IT'S
JUNE OF 2025 AND IT'S STILL
THE
OLD RATE.

THE CURRENT RATE NOW.

THEN COME SEPTEMBER OF 2025,
IT

WILL LINE UP WITH THE WATER
RATE

INCREASE WE HAVE EFFECTIVE JULY
1st.

THERE WILL NOT BE -- JUNE WILL

BE OLD AND JULY NEW RATE IN THE

BILLING STATEMENT, WHICH IS

CAUSING SOME CONFUSION THIS
YEAR.

TO BE TRANSPARENT
AND

EVERYONE -- IF THEY WATCH
THIS

MEETING TONIGHT, THAT THEY
WILL

HAVE ONE STATEMENT

WHICH IS ONE
MONTH.

WITH THAT, I WILL END
MY

PRESENTATION AND WILL TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.

QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES?

MY BIG QUESTION, PAY MY
WATER

BILL ALL THE TIME, IS WON'T

THERE BE MORE CONFUSION BY A

ONE-MONTH BILL WHEN THE CITY HAS

BILLED BIMONTHLY FOREVER
VERSUS

TWO SEPARATE LINES ON YOUR BILL

FOR TWO MONTHS, ONE THAT
SAYS

JUNE IS ONE RATE, JULY IS

ANOTHER RATE, BECAUSE I

THINK --

I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE
DECISION.

I'M QUESTIONING IT.

THERE'S

A LITTLE BIT OF

HISTORY REGARDING -- WE DID
THAT.

WE DID THAT WITH THIS CURRENT
BILL.

THERE WAS A LOT OF

CONFUSION

FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE
OLD
RATE AND NEW RATE.

ONE LINE FOR THE OLD RATE,
ONE
FOR THE NEW RATE.

THEY COULDN'T CALCULATE

HOW

THEIR BILLS -- IT TOOK STAFF
TO

HAVE TO

DOWNLOAD EVERYBODY'S

BILL AND HAVE TO CALCULATE
OUTSIDE MANUALLY.

WE STILL ON A BIMONTHLY BILLING
CYCLE.

THIS IS GOING BACK WAY

WHETHER
WE HAD THE WATER RATE STUDY.

ORIGINALLY, WE THOUGHT WE
WOULD

HAVE A RATE INCREASE IN
FEBRUARY.

THAT WOULD ALIGN ALL THE
RATE
INCREASE PERFECTLY.

HOWEVER, WHEN WE DID THE
FIRST

PUBLIC MEETING WITH THE

COUNCIL

FOR THE RATE INCREASE, IT
WAS
NOT
WELL RECEIVED.

STAFF HAVE TO REGROUP.

OTHER PEOPLE GET INVOLVED.

INTERNALLY ALONG WITH
CONSULTANTS.

WE HAD A LOT ON OUR PLATE
WITH

THE RATE INCREASE, HOW TO RESET,
IF YOU WILL.

THEN WE WEREN'T THINKING.

THEN, OF COURSE, DURING THE
BUDGET SEASON AS WELL.

RATE INCREASE I GUESS

NATURALLY
WOULD GO TO JULY 1st WITHOUT
REALIGNING THE BILLING CYCLE.

THAT CAUSES A LOT OF CONFUSION
ON THAT BILLING PERIOD.

IF YOU RECALL, WE CREATED
A

PAMPHLET AND HAVE

COMMUNICATION

MESSAGES IN THE BILL, HAVE
EXPLAINING OURSELVES.

WE THOUGHT THAT GOING

FORWARD,

THIS IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO

REALIGN WITH THE RATE STUDY
SO

THAT IT IS JUST PERFECT THE
WAY
THAT

IT ROLLED INTO THE
STATEMENT.

I HAVE TWO FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS, IF I CAN.

ONE IS, I DO RECALL PROBLEMS.

BECAUSE

I SPECIFICALLY WAS OVER
BILLED.

I THINK THERE WAS A LOT
OF

QUESTIONS BECAUSE THERE WAS

AN
OVER BILL.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE

MAIN QUESTION OR THE

CONFUSION
WAS THE MAIN QUESTION.

FOR ME, THE OVER BILL WAS THE
MAIN QUESTION.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

I HAD A SECOND QUESTION, BUT IT
IS LOST TO ME NOW.

IT WILL COME BACK TO ME.

SORRY.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE

CUSTOMERS WILL BE RECEIVING
THIS
DIFFERENCE?
100%?
50%?

I'M NOT SURE --

YOU ARE SAYING THAT YOU WILL

CHARGE FOR ONE MONTH IN
SEPTEMBER.

DO ALL THE RESIDENTS GET

CHARGED
FOR THAT ONE MONTH?
YES.

ALL THE RESIDENTS WILL GET ONE
MONTH.

YOU ARE NOT CHANGING IT
FROM

BILLING EVERY OTHER MONTH,
CORRECT?

WE'RE NOT CHANGING IT --

JUST SEPTEMBER IS ONE
MONTH.

SEPTEMBER IS ONE MONTH SO
WE

CAN CLOSE OUT JUNE, WHICH IS
IN

THE CURRENT RATE THAT WE HAVE

BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THE
WATER

RATE STUDY, IT WILL GO UP IN
JULY.

EVERYBODY WILL GET JULYJULY
AUGUST IN NOVEMBER.

OTHER QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU.

IS THERE COST INVOLVED IN
ADDING AN EXTRA BILL?

ARE YOU SAYING THAT ONCE WE ADD

THAT EXTRA MONTH, WE WILL BE
ON
A NICE DUAL MONTH SCHEDULE?

EVERYBODY WILL BE ON TRACK SO
WE
DON'T HAVE DO IT NEXT YEAR?

YES.

FROM HERE ON OUT, ANY RATE STUDY
EFFECTIVE JULY 1st, IT
WILL
FOLLOW ITS CYCLE.

RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

GREAT.

OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO
OUT?

THAT WAS MY FOLLOW-UP
QUESTION.

I DON'T THINK IT'S BEEN
ANSWERED.

HOW MUCH DOES THE EXTRA MAILING
COST?
I'M

LOOKING AT THE AGENDA ITEM
HERE.

TRYING TO LOOK FOR THE COST
WITHIN IT.

I'M NOT SEEING IT.

THE COST FOR THE SINGLE MONTH
MAILING.

I BELIEVE IT'S $1,500.

IT'S VERY MINIMAL COST.

OTHER QUESTIONS

BEFORE WE GO
OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT?
SEEING NONE, MARY.

THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
ON

THE QUARTERLY

FINANCIAL FOR
THE --

I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER

HAS ANOTHER
QUESTION.

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

THIS IS FORWARD LOOKING.

WE HAVE HAD TWO RATES.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE
IMPACTS OF THOSE ARE.

PLANNING AHEAD, I

WONDER HOW

LONG -- HOW MUCH IN

ADVANCE

NOTICE DO YOU NEED IF WE
DON'T

WANT TO CONTINUE ANOTHER RATE
INCREASE?

IF WE WANT TO DE -- THERE WERE
THREE, RIGHT?

IF WE WERE TO SEEK THAT,
HOW

MUCH -- WHERE WOULD WE PACE
OURSELVES TO PREPARE FOR THAT?
ARE

YOU SAYING THAT -- ARE

YOU ASKING FOR THE WATER RATE

INCREASE COME JULY, WHICH
IS
EFFECTIVE JULY 1st, IF THE
CITY

DECIDED WE DON'T WANT TO DO A
RATE INCREASE?
IT'S
TOO LATE THIS YEAR.

I FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

INTENDING FOR THE FOLLOWING

YEAR, THERE'S ONE MORE RATE
INCREASE?
DO I UNDERSTAND THAT?
I BELIEVE THREE MORE.

THREE MORE.

SO IF WE WANTED TO DELAY FOR A

YEAR THOSE THREE OR JUST HAVE
A

PAUSE FOR A SECOND, I WANT TO

KNOW, TO BE KIND TO YOUR WORK

SCHEDULE, HOW TO MANAGE
THAT

PROPERLY WHEN WE SHOULD BRING
IT

UP AS AN -- HOW CAN I PREPARE
MYSELF

BETTER TO PREPARE THAT

AGENDA ITEM IF I WERE AFTER
THAT?

WHERE IS IT LEAST DISRUPTIVE --

THE COUNCIL CAN LOWER RATES

AT ANY TIME

OR SAY THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO INCREASE.

OBVIOUSLY, STAFF IN
ITS

BUDGETING PROCESS ASSUMES
THE
RATES ARE GOING INTO AFFECT.

IF YOU WANT TO AVOID
ANY

DISRUPTION OF HAVING TO ADJUST

THE BUDGET, YOU NEED TO
MAKE

THAT REQUEST AND HAVE
THAT

PROCESS GO BEFORE

THE BUDGET
PROCESS BEGINS.

I WOULD DEFER -- I WOULD
ASSUME

THAT'S BEFORE JANUARY
1st.

BEFORE JUNE THIS YEAR,
FOR

THE FOLLOWING YEAR, TO MAKE
SURE
WE'RE BUDGETING PROPERLY.

CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.

THESE BUDGET INCREASES,
THESE
ARE BASED ON THE I ANNUALLY?
ARE THEY BASED ON THE CPI?
THE

WATER RATE INCREASE IS

BASED ON THE STUDY THE CITY
HAS
LAST YEAR.

HOWEVER THAT WAS BILLED,
BASED

ON THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT
CITY

NEEDED TO PUT ASIDE
FOR

INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT'S HOW THE
RATE WAS BILLED.

I THOUGHT WE VOTED IN THE

RATES THAT WERE SET.

DID WE VOTE IN A THREEYEAR RATE
INCREASE?
YES.

FOR JULY, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME

RIGHT, DON'T QUOTE ME, WATER IS
INCREASED 4%.

I BELIEVE SEWER IS 11.
11?
YES.

TO CLARIFY.

THE COUNCIL ADOPTED A FIVEYEAR
SCHEDULE WITH A MAXIMUM FEES.

THOSE INCREASE EVERY YEAR
BASED

ON -- THAT'S BASED ON THE
RATE
STUDY THAT WAS DONE.

I
WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE
WE
GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT?

SEEING NONE, MARY, PUBLIC
COMMENT.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THE

QUARTERLY FINANCIAL FOR
THE
ENTERPRISE FUND.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

PUBLIC COMMENT, IN CHAMBERS

FIRST.

OUT TO
ZOOM.

KYLE, UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO.

YOU CAN LET ME KNOW.

GO AHEAD.

IT'S REALLY INTERESTING
TO

HEAR THE WORD CONFUSION
AND

SUGGESTING IT'S PUBLIC CONFUSION

AS THE NECESSITY FOR CREATING AN

ADDITIONAL BILLING CYCLE
WHEN

THE FACT IS ACTUALLY THE CITY

OVERCHARGED ITS RESIDENTS

BECAUSE THE CITY COULDN'T
FIGURE

OUT HOW TO DO A BILLING
CYCLE
WITH A CHANGE.

I'M GOING TO READ TO YOU
FROM
THE SEPTEMBER 24th DEPARTMENT

ACTIVITY REPORT THAT SAID

FOLLOWING UP ON THE PROBLEM WITH

OUR MOST RECENT UTILITY
BILLS

WHILE WE CAN TRACK

CONSUMPTION

MONTHLY OR BILLING SYSTEM IS
SET

UP TO BILL EVERY OTHER MONTH
AT
ONE RATE.

HOWEVER, THE BILLING
SYSTEM

GENERATED BILLING IN AUGUST FOR
JUNE, OLD RATES.

AND JULY NEW RATES.

FINANCING DOWNLOADED DATA SETS

WITH ACTUAL READS FOR EACH MONTH

JUNE AND JULY AND PERFORMED
THE

ACTUAL MANUAL

CALCULATIONS
OUTSIDE OF THE SYSTEM.

THE TEAM FOUND THE FOLLOWING
2,042 ACCOUNTS WERE

OVERBILLED
TO $13,624.

THEN UNDERBILLED, $5,202.

THE ONLY CONFUSION IS THE CITY'S

ABILITY TO
ACCURATELY BILL.

THEY ARE TRYING TO USE THIS

METHOD OF CEILING A JUNE

STOPGAP

MONTH TO BE ABLE TO MINIMIZE
CONFUSION.

THE REALITY IS, WE SHOULD
BE
ABLE TO BILL ACCURATELY.

WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE

THIS KIND OF ISSUE WITH

BILLING
OUR CUSTOMERS.

THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A READING

THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY TWO
MONTHS, GREAT.

FIGURE THAT OUT.

FIGURE THAT OUT BEFORE THERE'S
A

BILL HIKE AND YOU OVERCHARGE

THAT MANY THOUSANDS
OF
CUSTOMERS.
20 SECONDS.

THAT MANY THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS.

THIS GOES TO CONTINUE WHAT
WE

SAW PREVIOUSLY WHICH WAS RADICAL

MISAPPROPRIATION OF

FUNDS THAT

WERE COMING AWAY FROM
WASTE

WATER INTO GENERAL FUND THAT
WE
HAVEN'T BEEN REIMBURSED.

YOU DECIDED TO TO DO A $1.
5 MILLION LOAN WITH INTEREST
TO

THE RATE PAYERS TO PAY THAT
THING OFF.

FIGURE IT OUT.

[ CHANGE OF CAPTIONERS ]
WHY IS THAT? IS THIS FUNDAMENTALLY A CITY I.T. PROBLEM? YOU KNOW, WE

COULD BE SPENDING WAY TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO MAKE OBSOLETE

SOFTWARE WORK TO DO OUR BIDDING WHEN WE SHOULD MAYBE BE AS A CITY

LOOKING AT SAVING MONEY AND HAVING MORE MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLOUD OR WHATEVER. NOT CARRYING ON WITH THE WAY THIS IS DONE. BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S A NIGHTMARE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG. FROM WHERE I COME FROM, IT SEEMS VERY MUCH LIKE A TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM. BIG QUESTION, AGAIN, DIGITAL WATER METERS, WHY HAVE WE GOT THEM? IF THIS ISN'T SOLVING THAT BILLING PROBLEM.

THANK YOU, OLIVER. I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KATE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE?
HELLO.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THANK YOU. IT'S GREAT TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEFT IN CHAMBERS WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT WATER ISSUES. ANYWAY, ONE QUESTION I

HAVE HAD REPEATEDLY IS WHERE IS IT DOCUMENTED THE MONEY THAT THE CITY RECEIVES FROM SELLING WATER. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE A

COMMERCIAL WATER SALES FACILITY AT PUBLIC WORKS AND HAVE YET TO SEE ANY MONEY THAT'S COME IN FROM THAT. MY SECOND QUESTION IS THAT THE

SMART METERS WERE SUPPOSED TO ELIMINATE TWO FULL-TIME PUBLIC WORK EMPLOYEE POSITIONS. DID THEY END UP ELIMINATING THOSE TWO FULL-TIME

PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEE POSITIONS AND IF SO, CAN THOSE PEOPLE BE DIVERTED TO CLEANING UP DOWNTOWN. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME OF THE METERS ARE READ IN GALLONS. IS THIS TRUE AND IF SO, IS THIS NORMAL AND COST EFFECTIVE?

NUMBER -- MY FINAL POINT OR LAST -- ALMOST FINAL POINT, WATER RATES NEED

TO BE REVISITED IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING INFRASTRUCTURE AS WE DON'T HAVE

A MASTER PLAN FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS PROBABLY OVER $13 MILLION ANOTHER THIS POINT. WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE BILLING WITH

AN INFRASTRUCTURE FEE, NOT INCREASES ON THE GALLONS OF WATER BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF WATER COUPLED WITH FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS WE ALL KNOW DANTE'S RETIRED, SO WHO IS CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF THE WATER SYSTEM? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? WHO IS IN CHARGE OF TESTING OUR WATER QUALITY? AND WHO'S IN CHARGE OF

TESTING OUR FIRE HYDRANTS AND MAKING SURE OUR FIREFIGHTER WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS FUNCTIONING.

THANK YOU, KATE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK TO IN CHAMBER. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF -- THERE YOU GO. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.

GREAT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

I'M NOT SURE I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE REMINDING THE COUNCIL WHAT THEY VOTED ON NOT THAT LONG AGO. BUT RECALL THAT FOR ABOUT FOUR, FIVE

YEARS THIS COUNCIL A LITTLE BIT, MOSTLY THE LAST COUNCIL, MAYBE THE COUNCIL IGNORED THAT -- OPERATED AT AN ANNUAL DEFICIT EVERY YEAR. AND

NO ONE REACTED TO IT. NO ONE ASKED WHY. NO ONE ADDRESSED IT. THERE WERE

QUESTIONS AFTER THE FACT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE SEWER BILLS WERE CORRECT FOR ALL THAT PRIOR TIME, WHICH LED TO PART OF THE DEFICIT. THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPER DATA WAS PROVIDED IN 2019 WATER STUDY FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH IT PROBABLY WASN'T. SO

ANYWAY, THE DEFICIT PROGRESSED TO THE POINT THAT DEPLETED THE RESERVES. IT PROGRESSED THEN TO THE POINT THAT THE CITY HAD TO LOAN THE WATER RATE PAYERS A MILLION DOLLARS TO KEEP THE WATER FLOWING SO. THE

RATE INCREASE, THE FIRST STEP WAS TO BRING THE WATER RATES UP TO THE COST OF DELIVERING WATER. AND AT NO TIME HAS THIS COUNCIL EVER LOOKED AT WHAT THAT COST IS AND WHETHER IT'S USABLE OR REALISTIC. BUT THAT WAS NECESSARY TO STOP THE BLEEDING. NEXT IS TO ADDRESS THE -- REPLACE THE RESERVE. THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE WELL

FOUR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THEY WANTED TO BORROW MONEY TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THAT WELL. AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE RESERVES. THE STEP THREE WAS TO PAY BACK THE MILLION DOLLARS TO THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS GOING TO HAPPEN, I THINK, STARTING IN THREE YEARS.

AND THEN STEP FOUR, WHEN YOU GET THROUGH ALL OF, THAT HOPEFULLY THERE

MIGHT BE ENOUGH SURPLUS IN THE WATER RATES AT THAT POINT GIVEN THAT

EXPENSES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY START TO FIX THE WATER MAINS. AND THERE'S A WATER STUDY UNDERWAY THAT I THINK YOU GUYS ARE VOTING TO START TONIGHT OR WHENEVER YOU GET TO IT. AND THAT

STUDY THEN WILL PROBABLY GIVE US SOME BAD NEWS ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO

DO AND HOW MUCH WE NEED TO SPEND TO GET THE WATER PIPES AND OUR SEWER PIPES BACK IN GOOD SHAPE. SO THAT'S WHY IF YOU MAKE A DECISION TO STOP,

DELAY, POSTPONE, LOWER THE WATER RATES, YOU'RE GOING TO -- ROBERT, THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
-- WHEN IT WENT INTO DEFICIT BECAUSE PAST COUNCILS FELT SORRY FOR PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK TO ZOOM. JIM, CAN YOU STILL SEE THE TIMER?
YES, I CAN, THANK YOU. I'LL BE BRIEF.

GO AHEAD.

I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS, AND I

HAVEN'T BEEN FOLLOWING THIS THAT MUCH, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE COUNCIL

WILL EITHER ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS OR SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE

SOMEBODY HERE TO ANSWER THEM, BUT WE'RE WRITING THEM DOWN AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANSWERS. SO -- OTHERWISE WHAT'S THE POINT OF

HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT BY PEOPLE THAT ARE INFORMED AND, YOU KNOW, REFLECTING BACK TO THE COUNCIL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. SO THANK YOU, THAT'S MY COMMENT.

THANK YOU, JIM, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, CAREY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?
I'M SORRY, THAT WAS ME RAISING AND LOWERING.

OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, I'LL COME BACK TO CHAMBERS ONE LAST TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU, MARY. FOLLOWING UP WITH ONE WHAT THE ONE PUBLIC MEANTER

SAID, I'M HOPING THAT THESE QUESTIONS ARE BEING WRITTEN DOWN, BECAUSE IF

NOT I CAN ASK THEM AND I GUESS YOU CAN JUST SAY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER BUT YOU'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMENTER. SO ONE WAS IS IT DOCUMENTED WHERE THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SALES OF THE WATER IS. TWO,

THE DIVERSION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS -- THE PUBLIC WORKS ASSIGNED STAFF TO ANOTHER ROLE, WHAT HAPPENED THERE. THE WATER RATES, ARE THEY TIED TO THE NEEDS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THEN THREE, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE OUR FIRE PLUGS ACTUALLY WORK. SO I DON'T KNOW.

SO I CAN ANSWER QUESTION ONE, HOW THE WATER SALES AT THE PUBLIC WORKS, WHERE IS IT CAPTURED? IT IS PART OF THE WATER REVENUE. IT IS WITHIN THE WATER REVENUE THAT IS ON THE SCREEN TONIGHT. WE DID NOT SEPARATE IT OUT. THIS IS WATER SALES FOR THE WATER TOWER, AND THIS IS THE REST OF THE CITY. SO IT'S IN THE REVENUE.

OKAY.

WE CAN SEPARATE IT IF WE NEED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.

NO, I THINK THERE WAS JUST A REQUEST FOR WHERE THEY COULD FIND THE INFORMATION, SO I THINK WE GOT THERE.

BUT STAFF DID BILL FOR THOSE. AND THEN --

THE DIVERSION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE WATER, NOT ASSIGN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THAT. WE COULD TAKE

A PAUSE FOR WHEN --

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THAT BACK AND THEN ASK THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HOW THEY'VE BEEN ASSIGNED. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT DEPARTMENT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE WATER RATES, ARE THEY TIED TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE?

I BELIEVE THE REST OF THE QUESTION WOULD HAVE TO BE RESPONDED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF OPERATIONS.

OKAY. AND THEN PROBABLY TIED WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS TOO, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT OUR FIRE PLUGS WORK? WHEN THEY NEED TO. IS THAT PUBLIC WORKS? I'M ASSUMING.

OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY GOES OUT AND TESTS THE WATER HYDRANTS.

OKAY.

SO THEY ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE, AND THEY DO THAT REGULARLY.

THAT'S VERY REASSURING. SORRY, THAT WAS JUST ME FOLLOWING OTHER QUESTIONS.

JUST A RESPONSE. I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SAY THIS BECAUSE I'M NOT 100% SURE, BUT IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY, I DON'T THINK IT WAS TWO FULLTIME POSITIONS THAT WERE BEING SAVED BY THE METERS, BY THE SMART METERS. I THINK IT WAS LIKE A 0.75 POSITION OF ONE PERSON THAT WAS BEING SAVED. SO I SEE COUNCILMEMBER HINTON IS SHAKING HER HEAD, SO MAYBE THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR TO HER TOO, SO.

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
WELL, I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP. I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE

COMMERCIAL WATER SALES, AND MY QUESTION WAS IT'S EITHER GROUPED IN RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, I HAVE NO IDEA WHICH ONE. AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE BREAKING THAT OUT. WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH FROM THE PUBLIC IN THE FUTURE ABOUT THAT. AND THEN ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ASKED

KIND OF THE SAME QUESTION AS ME, IS WHY CAN'T WE FIGURE OUT SEPARATE

RATES ON ONE BILL AND WE HAVE TO DO THIS ONE MONTH THING. IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS TIED TO THE MISTAKES WE MADE LAST YEAR. IS THAT BECAUSE WE'RE USING AN OLD SOFTWARE SYSTEM? AND AGAIN, HAVING USED OLD SOFTWARE SYSTEMS,

MAYBE IT IS, MAYBE IT ISN'T, BUT I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IN A BILLING

SYSTEM YOU CAN'T APPLY TWO DIFFERENT READS FOR EACH MONTH WITH TWO DIFFERENT RATES. SO I JUST FEEL LIKE I WANT TO ASK MORE ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A REAL ISSUE THAT IT'S GOING TO COST $1,500 IF THAT'S THE WAY THE CITY WANTS TO DO IT, BECAUSE I'M NOT -- WE'RE POLICYMAKERS. I'M

NOT DIRECTING CITY STAFF, BUT I DON'T -- IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOLVING A PROBLEM THAT HAPPENED CLEARLY LAST YEAR WHEN WE OVERBILLED PEOPLE.

AND I WANT TO BE -- IF THAT'S -- IF THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT THAT WAY THIS YEAR, I WANT TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT. AND IF WE'RE DOING IT THAT

WAY, IT'S A REASON THAT WE CAN'T, SOMEHOW IN OUR SYSTEM, FIGURE OUT THE TWO DIFFERENT RATES. SO I JUST FEEL A LITTLE WEIRD ABOUT THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN PRESENTED. AND I WOULD REQUEST BACK TO STAFF A MORE THOROUGH

EXPLANATION ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE OVERBILLS AND THE MISTAKES MADE LAST YEAR.

OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS?
OH.

OH, I'M SORRY.

I'M SORRY, MR. MAYOR. I'LL TAKE YOUR -- THE PUBLIC QUESTION, YOUR

QUESTION, BACK TO STAFF AND UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS NOT -- THE SYSTEM IS NOT OLD. WE ONLY HAVE THE SPRINGBROOK SYSTEM SINCE 2017. SO IT'S NOT AN OLD SYSTEM. THERE'S MORE COMPLEXITY TO WATER BILLING WITH DIFFERENT RATES THAN WHAT MEET THE EYES. IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS YOU BILL THIS RATE IN, YOU PUT THIS IN AND JUST HIT A BUTTON AND IT WOULD CALCULATE CORRECTLY. SO

THERE'S A LOT OF COMPONENTS THAT GO INTO THE BILLING, AND I CAN TALK TO

THE BILLING PERSON AND TRULY LAY IT OUT FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND. SO I HOPE THAT ADDRESSED THE CONCERN.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT'S CHEAPER TO ACTUALLY PAY THE COMPANY TO HELP YOU

FIGURE IT OUT THAN IT WOULD BE TO DO SEPARATE MAILING, YOU KNOW, AS PROPOSED TONIGHT. SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO QUESTION IT A LITTLE BIT MORE.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR A MOTION? OH, GO AHEAD.

NO MOTION, JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION THAT MAY HELP SOMEBODY. WHEN I'M

PEELING THROUGH THE BUDGET A GOOD BIT, I'LL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS

ABOUT HOW OUR WIRELESS METERS WORK AS A PROCESS, BUT I TRIED TO ASK

ABOUT IF YOU LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THE LINE ITEMS AT THE BOTTOM, COST

ALLOCATION AND TRANSFERS, SOME OF THESE ARE EXACTLY WHAT THE BUDGET

DEFICIT IS, AND MAYBE YOU COULD SPEND A MOMENT EXPLAINING THESE TO THE PUBLIC. LIKE COST ALLOCATION, YOU KNOW, JUST SEEMED A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS LIKE $1.2 MILLION WAS WHAT WE LOST, OR SO, MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT JUST A BIT.

SO THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN, WE DID HAVE A STUDY FOR THE COST ALLOCATION PLAN. AND THE CURRENT YEAR, '24/'25 AMOUNT IS DIFFERENT DUE TO THIS NEW STUDY. THE PRIOR YEAR WAS BASED ON A 20 YEARS OLD COST ALLOCATION PLAN. SO THAT'S WHY IT COST THE $400,000 DIFFERENT THAT YOU SEE IN THE WATER AND SEWER AS THE DIFFERENCE. SO THAT EXPLAINED THE

DIFFERENCE AS WHY THE CURRENT AMOUNT IS SO MUCH LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. IS THAT --
YEAH, IT DOES. IT SPEAKS TO IT A LITTLE BIT. BECAUSE IT'S COST ALLOCATION -- MM-HMM.
-- IT WASN'T TRUE DEBT, THE WATER ENTERPRISE WASN'T TRULY LOSING MONEY.

IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND THAT COST SOME OF THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

RIGHT, THERE WAS AN OLDER METHOD BEFORE THE NEW STUDY WAS CONDUCTED FOR COST ALLOCATIONS. SO THERE ARE CENTRAL SERVICES, LIKE OVERHEAD,

THAT --
RIGHT.
-- I WOULD BE SPENDING TIME ON, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THE

ATTORNEYS THAT RELATED TO WATER AND SEWER BUT WE DON'T DIRECTLY CHARGE. SO THERE IS A METHOD OF HOW WE CAPTURE THOSE TIME THAT THE WATER SHOULD BE REIMBURSED, IF YOU WILL, TO THE GENERAL FUND SO. THE PRIOR YEAR WAS BASED ON A REALLY OLD METHOD. THE CURRENT YEAR IS BASED ON THE RECENT METHOD THAT WAS -- THE STUDY WAS DONE.

AND JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC PURPOSES --
YES.

THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS VERY ISOLATED FROM THE GENERAL FUND AS FAR AS THE TRANSFERS OUT AND THE ALLOCATION.

CORRECT.

SO ALL TIME FOR THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY'RE SPENDING TIME ON

WATER, EVEN IF THEY'RE THE SAME EMPLOYEES THEY MIGHT GO WORK ON THE SIDEWALK FOR PART OF THE DAY, WHICH ISN'T THE WATER. SOMEHOW THEIR TIME IS ATTRIBUTED APPROPRIATELY.

YES. SO THEY ARE -- FOR THOSE THAT ARE DESIGNATED TO WORK ON THE ENTERPRISE, THEIR COST IS DIRECTLY ALLOCATED TO WATER AND SEWER. AND

WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING ON ENTERPRISE, THEY WILL BE PAID FOR BY GENERAL FUND.

GREAT.

THANK YOU. SO I THINK WE'RE BACK FROM PUBLIC COMMENT, SO IS THERE A MOTION?
OH, SORRY.

NO.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, THIS IS JUST RECEIPT OF THE REPORT, THERE IS NO MOTION INVOLVED IN THIS. THIS IS --
OH, YES.

THERE'S NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

GOT IT, ALL RIGHT. JUST SPACED OUT THERE. MOVING ON TO NUMBER EIGHT THEN, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FISCAL YEAR '24/'25, QUARTER TWO FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR GENERAL FUND. AGAIN, THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT WITH

A DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM, AND THE RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT IS, AGAIN, DIRECTOR KWAN.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO THIS NEXT ITEM IS TO UPDATE THE COUNCIL. LET ME START FROM SCRATCH. I'M SORRY. THERE IT IS. THERE YOU GO. SO THIS IS THE '24/'25 SECOND QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE FOR THE GENERAL FUND. SO LET'S START FROM THE GENERAL FUND OVERVIEW FROM THE TOP. THE ADOPTED BUDGET HAS THE DEFICIT OF $698,000. THE PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT FOR '24/'25 IS $575,000. WE IMPROVE $125,000. THIS IS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE

CATEGORIES THROUGH DECEMBER. THE CITY HAVE COLLECTED 38.5% OF THE BUDGET FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUE. AND THIS IS GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE

BY DEPARTMENT AND THROUGH DECEMBER THE ACTUAL SPENDING OF BUDGET IS

41.2%. AND IT'S LAID OUT HERE EACH DEPARTMENT AND WHERE THEY ARE AS FAR AS EXPENDITURE IS CONCERNED. SO MOST OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDER THE 50% MARK. AND THAT'S IT. AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THE COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE. I KNOW THAT GENERAL FUND COULD BE A BIT COMPLEX, SO THANK YOU.

GOT IT. QUESTIONS?

I'M NOT GOING TO GO DIVE DEEP INTO THIS, BECAUSE I'VE GOT BUDGET COMMITTEE COMING UP. THAT'LL BE A BETTER VENUE. BUT THIS IS LIKE MORE FOR THE PUBLIC. BECAUSE WE'RE TRIMMING LIKE 35%, 40% OF BUDGET FOR THE YEAR -- YES.
-- CAN WE ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE DOING COST SAVINGS AND WE

CAN PREDICT WE MIGHT SHOOT UNDER THERE FOR THE BUDGETS OR ARE THERE

THINGS THAT HIT LATER IN THE YEAR THAT MIGHT AFFECT THAT AND BRING IT BACK UP. IS THERE A BIG WINSOME INSURANCE COST AT THE END OF THE PSYCHING CYCLE.

EXPENDITURES ARE NOT LINEAR. SOME YOU WILL SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEBT

SERVICE, THERE ARE SOME THAT WILL BE PAID IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR

OR SOME THAT ALREADY DONE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR, AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR. SO AS WE APPROACH THE

THIRD AND THE FOURTH QUARTER, THINGS WILL GET IN LINE AND THEY WILL GET CATCH UP. AND MOST OF DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE INSTRUCTED AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR '5/'26 BUDGET PROJECTION, THEY ARE TO LOOK AT '24/'25 AND

REALLY SCRUTINIZE THEIR EXPENSES AND HOW THEY PREDICT THAT THEY'RE

GOING TO END THE YEAR AND WHAT KIND OF SAVING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR THEIR BUDGET. SO THEY ARE LOOKING AT THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT?
THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE GENERAL FUND INFORMATIONAL REPORT. IF

YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL GO TO IN CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

YES, I CAN.

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

GREAT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

SO A REGULAR CRITICISM THAT I'VE GIVEN THE CITY IS THAT IT IS REGULARLY

OVERINFLATING ITS BEGINNING OF YEAR ESTIMATES OF EXPENDTURES AND UNDERESTIMATING THE REVENUE. SO TONIGHT WE'RE SEEING SOME CHANGES IN THE NUMBERS. A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN TERMS OF EXPENDTURES AND REVENUES THAT KIND OF REFLECTS THAT CRITICISM THAT I'VE SEEN BEFORE. AND ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF INCOMPLETE INFORMATION. SALES TAX DATA THAT'S BEING DELAYED. WE'VE GOT SOME FRANCHISE FEES THAT ARE BEING -- FROM PG&E -- THAT'S BEING DELAYED. AND I GUESS BECAUSE I'M REALLY

CONCERNED ABOUT THE ACTUAL WORDS THAT WE USE AND THE NUMBERS THAT WE PROVIDE, SEEING SOMETHING LIKE A $350,000 IN COST SAVINGS DUE TO

VACANCIES, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS -- TO WHAT DATE IS THAT $350,000 IN SAVINGS? IS THAT FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE

YEAR? BECAUSE THEN IT'S BEING OFFSET BY THAT WORK BEING DONE BY OUR

FAVORITE THIRD PARTY CONTRACTORS TO THE TUNE OF SOMEWHERE IN THE $250,000 TO $260,000 RANGE. SO THE REASON WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW

WHAT THOSE EXPECTED SAVINGS FROM VACANCIES ARE IN TERMS OF A DATE IS

THAT I'M EXPECTING THIS COUNCIL TO FULLY CONTINUE TO SPENDING MONEY ON

THIRD PARTY CONTRACTORS TO MEET OUT THE ENT OF THE YEAR TO FULFILL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE. AND IF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT NOW IS $250,000, IT'S A GOING TO DOUBLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR THE $500,000. AND THERE WE GO, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GETTING COST SAVINGS FROM A $350,000 VACANCY TO A $500,000 YEAR END GOING OUT TO CONTRACTORS. WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR

ABOUT DATES AND DOLLAR AMOUNTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

THINGS LIKE DELAYED DATA, EXPECTED REVENUE COMING IN LATER THAN

WHAT'S BEING REPORTED, BECAUSE IT'S AN INCOMPLETE REPORT IF NOT, AND WE'RE NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THE NUMBERS IF WE'RE NOT DOING IT.

THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME TO CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KATE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CAN YOU STILL SEE THE TIMER?
YES.

THANK YOU, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM PAST DISCUSSIONS, I BELIEVE THAT AT SOME

POINT THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER SIX

MONTHS TO BECOME SELF-SUSTAINING AND NO LONGER RECEIVE MONEY FROM THE CITY. IS THAT STILL TRUE? AND ONCE AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE WHOLE TIMELINE, SO I MIGHT BE OFF ON THAT. AND IF SO, WHEN WOULD THE CITY STOP SUBSIDIZING THE COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER? AND

THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS IS SALES TAX UP OR DOWN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. SO I'M SURE YOU CAN DO A YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO THE

SCHAM BERS, EVERY THERE'S ANYONE IN THE CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE,LY GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM, IF THERE'S

ANYONE ON ZOOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU, MARY. I GUESS I NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TRYING TO CONVEY

THE QUESTIONS AND GET ANSWERS, SO I'M GOING TO START TRYING TO DO BETTER. IN REFERENCE TO THE $350,000 COST SAVING FOR VACANCIES AT WHAT DATE ARE WE SAYING THAT THAT'S THE CASE?
THAT'S PROJECTION THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR.

RIGHT, BUT THE PUBLIC COMMENTER WAS SAYING THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO

KNOW THE DATE SO THAT WE JUST DON'T RUN AROUND AND THEN FILL IT WITH A

CONTRACTOR AND THEN IT GOES ABOVE THAT AMOUNT IS HOW I UNDERSTOOD THE QUESTION. SO IS THERE ANY WAY TO PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO THAT.

I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS VACANCIES.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN FOLLOWING UP WITH THE OTHER QUESTIONS WHERE

THE AMOUNT TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND WHEN ARE WE GOING TO

CONTRIBUTE TO THEM PAST THE SIX MONTHS WHERE THERE'S A RECOLLECTION

THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO PROVIDE IT BEYOND THE SIX MONTHS, ARE WE TRACKING THAT?

IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER BUDGET IT WAS PLANNED FOR THE CITY TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR SIX MONTHS.

OKAY.

THERE'S NOTHING BEYOND THAT.

NOTHING BEYOND THAT.

CORRECT.

THE LAST QUESTION IS SALES TAX, ARE WE UP OR DOWN?
WE ARE CURRENTLY DOWN.

DOWN.

ON SALES TAX.

ALL RIGHT. SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.

SO I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY. I RECALLED THAT WE GAVE THE COMMUNITY

CENTER HALF -- SIX MONTHS WORTH OF BUDGET, BUT IT PROBABLY IS ROLLING OUT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, RIGHT? THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW WE PAID THINGS. WE BUDGETED FOR AN AMOUNT AND THEN WE ROLL IT OUT. IT'S IN THE YEAR BUDGET.

FOR '24/'25, IT'S MY RECOLLECTION THAT WE BUDGET HALF A YEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND HOW ARE WE PAYING THEM?
WE'RE PAYING THEM QUARTERLY.

SO WE BUDGETED FOR HALF THE AMOUNT, BUT WE'RE PAYING QUARTERLY, TO CLARIFY?
WE ONLY PAY THEM QUARTERLY THROUGH THAT HALF OF YEAR.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THANKS FOR THAT. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. AND THE

WAY I READ THE STAFF REPORT -- AND YOU'VE JUST VERIFIED THAT THESE ARE SAVINGS, $350,000 VERSUS $261,000, YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S OVER THE WHOLE YEAR IS PROJECTED OR YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S HALF THE YEAR? OR YOU'RE NOT SURE? I DON'T REMEMBER. LET ME JUST TAKE A LOOK.

OKAY. BECAUSE IT SAYS YEAR-TO-DATE FINANCIAL INFORMATION. SO WHEN I

READ THAT, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NOT DATES, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S HALF YEAR TO HALF YEAR. BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN ANYBODY'S MOUTH, I JUST WANT TO -- BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WAS HALF YEAR. AND IF YOU NEED TO GET BACK, I JUST -- THAT WAS MY QUESTION AS WELL.

WELL, IT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT.

IT'S RIGHT THERE UNDER CHANGES AND EXPENSES TOTALLING. IT'S THE THIRD PARAGRAPH. IT SAYS THESE RESULTS ARE FOR THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

GIVE ME A MINUTE TO FIND --
JUST CONFIRMING THAT THAT'S TRUE.

YES.

I MEAN -- BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

IF YOU DO NEED MORE TIME, NO PRESSURE, AS LONG AS YOU KIND OF LOOP BACK TO US, THEN THAT'S GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? I KNOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING.

SO LET ME JUST -- I THINK I FOUND IT. SO THAT $350,000 IS COMPARING THE

PRELIMINARY YEAR END IN SALARY AND BENEFITS TOGETHER WITH THE ADOPTED BUDGET. THAT RESULTS IN A $350,000 IN SAVINGS DUE TO VACANCIES.

OKAY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A FULL YEAR.

SO YEAH, IN THE FUTURE IF YOU COULD INDICATE THAT, BECAUSE THE ENTIRE

STAFF REPORT TALKS ABOUT IT'S EVEN CALLED SECOND QUARTER, AND I

WOULDN'T --
YES, I UNDERSTAND, YES. I WILL ELABORATE THAT NEXT TIME.

OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE CALLER'S STATEMENTS. AND I THINK -- I

KNOW WHAT HE'S GETTING TO, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SAVINGS WITH THE

EMPLOYEES, BUT IT ALSO REACHES OUT TO WHAT ARE OUR CONSULTANTS

REPLACING AND DO WE HAVE IN ANY WAY AN ABILITY TO PUT OUR CONSULTANTS

AS A JOB POSITION AND SAY LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS ACTUALLY GOES

TOWARDS THIS SIDE OF THE BUDGET, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON

CONSULTANTS WHERE WE'RE NOT SPENDING ON EMPLOYEES AND IS THAT -- WE

CAN USE THAT AS A TOOL TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THAT'S A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING, DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

CAN I MAKE A COMMENT TO THAT, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD SUBJECT FOR GOAL SETTING. SOMETIMES WE HIRED CONSULTANTS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERTISE OR MANPOWER WE HEARD TONIGHT, A NEWS HOURS. SO

UNDERSTANDING MAYBE WHAT WE'RE USING CONSULTANTS FOR AND WHAT

SPECIFICALLY THEY BRING, LIKE BAKER TILLY FOR FINANCIAL VERSUS OTHER

THINGS, MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AT GOAL SETTING IF IT'S PRIORITY THE COUNCIL WANTS TO LOOK AT.

YEAH, I DO AGREE, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ONGOING THING SINCE AS LONG AS I'VE

BEEN ON COUNCIL ABOUT LIKE THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT CONSULTANTS DO, WE NEED IT, IS IT CHEAPER TO HIRE IN HOUSE, SO YEAH, PROBABLY GOAL SETTING.

PUBLIC COMMENT? DID WE? OH, THAT'S RIGHT. MY NEW THING ABOUT RESPONDING TO PUBLIC MEANT. OKAY, SO WE'RE DONE. SO THIS IS ANOTHER RECEIVE AND FILE, RIGHT? SO AS INDICATED BEFORE, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, WE HAVE DECIDED TO TABLE THAT. AND THEN WE'RE MOVING ON TO

NUMBER TEN, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH A NEW

POLICE CHIEF, SEAN, THE TERM, AND THE INITIAL EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WILL BE THREE YEARS WITH A BASE SALARY OF $174,896. I BELIEVE THAT IS DEBRA.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. UP TO THE MIC. SO YES, TONIGHT WE'RE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF NEW POLICE CHIEF SEAN McDONOUGH. SEAN'S HERE WITH US TONIGHT. I THINK WE'LL GET HIM TO STEP IN HERE. AND THIS IS A HIGHLY EDUCATED MAN IN LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SAFETY. HE HAS POLICE COMMANDER EXPERIENCE. HE'S BEEN A POLICE CHIEF THE LAST TWO YEARS, MOST RECENTLY IN COLORADO. THE ITEM DESCRIBES THE RECRUITMENT AND

SELECTION PROCESS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, AND IT ALSO

TALKS ABOUT -- WHICH YOU'LL READ OUT AS PRART OF THE PROCESS OF DECISION MAKING -- BUT CONCISELY IT NAMES A SALARY OF $174,98896. THAT THE -- IT ALSO

HAS LEAVESAND HEALTH BENEFITS THAT ARE THE SAME AS OTHER MANAGERS AND PROVIDES $5,000 FOR COACHING AS A NEW POLICE CHIEF IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CALIFORNIA. AND SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

GREAT. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM THE DAIS? ALL RIGHT, TO THE LEFT, NONE.

PUBLIC COMMENT, MARY?
THANK YOU, MAYOR. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CONTRACT FOR THE POLICE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL COME TO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

YES, I CAN.

THANK YOU, CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER.

YES, I CAN.

THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION OF THIS PARTICULAR HIRE. I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.

I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROCESS OF SELECTING. WAS THERE A REDUCTION

IN THE SIZE OF THE POOL, A SECOND WAVE, WHAT WAS THAT INTERVIEWING

PROCESS LIKE, AND WHAT WERE THE MERITS OF WHICH WE CHOSE THIS PARTICULAR CHIEF. I'M PARTICULARLY ALARMED BASED ON THE EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF THIS PARTICULAR HIRE OVER THE LAST JUST SINGLE YEAR. WORKING

WITH TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND RESIGNATION FROM THOSE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. AND THEN JUST TO QUOTE THE CHIEF

SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HIS RESIGNATION FROM ROCKY FORD SAYING THAT, YOU

KNOW, GOING IN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME OF ITS OFFICIALS DIDN'T FIT MY WELL

VERSED AND FUNCTIONING VISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT CITY AND IT NO LONGER

FITS WITH MY VALUES AND ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT I'M A STRAIGHT SHOOTER. SO I'M HOPING THIS HIRE CAN BE A STRAIGHT SHOOTER WITH

US AND PROVIDE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ABOUT HIS SEPARATION

FROM THE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT HE HAS BEEN HIRED FROM WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. THANKS.

THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO

CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, 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. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.

THANK YOU, MARY. DEBRA, CAN YOU ADDRESS SOME, IF NOT ALL, OF THOSE QUESTIONS FROM THAT PUBLIC COMMENTER.

YES, I CAN ADDRESS MOST OF THEM. THERE WAS A POOL OF CANDIDATES. WE --

FIVE OR SIX CANDIDATESWERE BROUGHT FORWARD TO A PANEL OF POLICE CHIEFS FROM AROUND THE BAY AREA. AND THREE CANDIDATES WERE MOVED FORWARD OUT OF THAT PANEL. THOSE THREE CANDIDATES WENT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW

PROCESS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, A PANEL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THEN ALSO AN INTERNAL INTERVIEW PROCESS WITH CITY LEADERSHIP. THEN

THEY ALSO WENT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW THAT SAME DAY WITH A FORMER POLICE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR. AND THEN THAT -- THOSE -- THE

COMMUNITY PANEL AND THE INVESTIGATORS' INTERVIEW BECAME ADVISORY FOR THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS OF THE CITY MANAGER. AFTER THAT, THE

CANDIDATE -- THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WENT THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE

REFERENCE AND BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION THAT INCLUDED IN-DEPTH

CHECKS INTO RECENT EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, PERSONNEL

FILES, ACTIONS THAT HAD OCCURRED AND ALSO ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE RELATED TO ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED. WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT. IT'S A CONFIDENTIAL PROCESS. THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATOR IS CERTIFIED BY POST, WHICH IS THE POLICE OFFICER STANDARDS AND TRAINING BOARD. AND DOES A THOROUGH JOB.

THANK YOU. BACK UP TO THE DAIS FOR QUESTIONS, POSSIBLE MOTION.

CAN WE MEET THE CHIEF? CAN WE MEET THE -- CAN YOU SAY A FEW WORDS? SURE.

SORRY, I SEEM LIKE I'M IN HIGH HEELS WALKING THROUGH HERE. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE WELCOME. I APPRECIATE KYLE'S QUESTION. THEY'RE VALID QUESTIONS. TRANSPARENCY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AS WE SAW TONIGHT

HERE WITH A MASSIVE TURNOUT FROM THE COMMUNITY HERE IN SEBASTOPOL

AND WITH THE BLESSING OF THE COUNCIL AND POLICY AND CITY ADMINISTRATION I'D LIKE TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS I CAN BE. IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT. I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED BECAUSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY CAREER. IT'S BEEN MY FAVORITE PART OF MY CAREER BECAUSE WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE NOTHING. WE HAVE TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS. SO

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO CONTINUE MEETING PEOPLE FROM THE CITY, FROM

BUSINESSES, AND THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY SO WE CAN KEEP PUSHING FORWARD INTO A POSITIVE PLACE. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
NO, JUST THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. SO WE ARE BACK UP TO THE DAIS FOR CONTINUED QUESTIONS OR A MOTION. I DON'T SEE ANY, AND I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE A -- WELL, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, NO? I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION, BUT MARY, I DON'T SEE WHAT PAGE IT'S ON. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY? IT'S RIGHT AT THE TOP.

OH, IS IT? IS IT? THE RECOMMENDATION -- OKAY -- THAT STAFF -- WAIT, THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION. STAFF RECOMMEND.

IT'S DOTS, IT'S BULLET POINTS.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ IT?
YES.

I'LL READ WHAT THE MOTION WOULD BE, AND THEN THAT COULD -- SO IT IS TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE FOR SEAN McDONAGH. THE AGREEMENT IS FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM, ANNUAL BASE SALLY OF $174,896,

MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION -- OR PREMIUM AS IS DETERMINED BY THE CITY FOR ALL MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEES. CHIEF WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ACCRUE VACATIONS

IN -- DESCRIBED IN THE CITY'S PERSONNEL RULES, INITIALLY -- TEN WORKING HOURS PER MONTH. CHIEF WILL ACCRUE SICK LEAVE AS LAID OUT IN THE CITY'S PERSONNEL RULES, WHICH CURRENTLY PROVIDE 120 HOURS PER YEAR OR TEN HOURS PER MONTH. THE CHIEF WILL BE GRANTED 33 HOURS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE BEGINNING IN FY '26. THE CHIEF WILL BE GRANTED A TOTAL OF 100 HOURS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, 50 HOURS ACCRUED ON JULY 1st AND 50 HOURS ACCRUED ON JANUARY 1st -- NEW TO CALIFORNIA AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

TERMINATION WITH CAUSE AND RECEIVE RENCE, TERMINATION OF THE -- UPON

SUCH TERMINATION THECHIEF SHALL BE SPITELED TOADDITIONAL SALARY EQUAL TO THAT WHICH WOULD ACCRUE DURING 30 CALENDAR DAYS FOLLOWING THE

TERMINATION DATE -- ACCUMULATED -- THE CHIEF'S ACCEPTANCE OF SAID

SEVERANCE PAY SHALL INSTITUTE A FINAL SEDIMENTS AND SATISFACTION -- THAT IS THE MOTION.

GREAT, SO MOVED.

SECONDS.

THANK YOU. WHOOPS. THANK YOU, SO MOVED BY MAYOR ZOLLMAN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MAURER TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?

IT WAS A GOOD THING YOU READ THAT, BY THE WAY. YES.

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
YES.

MAYOR ZOLLMAN?
YES.

THE MOTION PASSES 4-1 TO APPOINT SEAN McDONAGH.

YAY. YES. OKAY. MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS APPROVAL

OF THE CONTRACT OF -- FOR PROFESSIONAL AUDITING SERVICES AT THE COST OF $29,000 FOR THE FIRST THEE YEARS WITH AN OPTION TO EXTEND TWO MORE YEARS AND A REQUEST FOR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OF $4,000. AGAIN, THIS FISCAL IMPACT TO THE BUDGET ALREADY $4,000, THEREFORE THIS ITEM REQUIRES A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT. SO THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS.

I JUST WANT TO SHARE MY APPRECIATION FOR TRYING -- GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO GET BETTER QUOTES.

YEAH, DITTO. REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO SEE YOU DID THE WORK ON THIS AND BROUGHT THIS TO US. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

TRIPLE THAT DITTO. SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, THIS IS FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR AUDITING SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL GO TO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

GREAT. BACK UP AT THE DAIS. FURTHER QUESTIONS, MOTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE FORMER CLIENT -- THE FORMER AUDITOR THAT WE WERE USING HAD DOUBLED HIS RATES.

AND SO ANNA MADE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO GO OUT AND GET SOME PROPOSALS.

AND SHE DID THAT. I'M JUST REITERATING MY APPRECIATION BECAUSE SHE SAVED US LIKE 20 GRAND, NO, MORE THAN THAT. THEY WERE GOING TO BE CHARGING $66,000, AND WE GOT IT FOR $29,000. SO THAT'S $36,000. SO THANK YOU, ANNA.

YES. THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS OR MOTION? NO? GO AHEAD.

I HAVE TO OPEN IT UP. SORRY.

YEAH, ME TOO.

I WILL APPROVE THE AUDIT CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL AUDIT -- I MOVE THAT

WE APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR PROFESSIONAL AUDITING SERVICES AT A COST OF $29,000 FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS WITH AN OPTION TO EXTEND TWO MORE YEARS AND REQUEST A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OF $4,000.

SECOND.

ROLL CALL.

THANK YOU, SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MAURER. AND AT A COST OF $29,000

FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS WITH AN OPTION -- APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET -- COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.

YES.

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

YES.

MAYOR ZOLLMAN?
YES.

VICE MAYOR McLEWIS IS ABSENT. MOTION PASSES 4-1.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 12. CONSIDERATION OR DIRECTION TO STAFF FOR SOLICITATION OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR I.T. SERVICES. THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSIDERATION TO AUTHORIZE DIRECTION TO STAFF TO CREATE AN RFP FOR I.T.

SERVICES AND RETURN THE RFP TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION AND ISSUANCE OF FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT FOR

DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM AND THIS IS BROUGHT FORTH BY COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AND MYSELF. YES, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
SO I'M GOING TO JUST BRING THIS FORTH. FIRST I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT

YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL OR THIS AGENDA ITEM BEFORE BECAUSE I

ACTUALLY SUBMITTED IT FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME ALMOST A YEAR AGO IN MARCH OF 2024 TO BE ADDED TO OUR AGENDA. THIS PROPOSAL, THIS AGENDA

ITEM HAS SAT FOR ALMOST A YEAR, WHICH BROUGHT ME TO BRING FORWARD OTHER POLICIES, WHICH IS THE 90-DAY RULE NOW AND ANOTHER POLICY TONIGHT WE'LL DISCUSS AT A LATER TIME. IT ALSO IS VERY INTERESTING FOLLOWING THE RFP THAT WE JUST VOTED ON THAT ACTUALLY SAVED US $20,000 A YEAR, BECAUSE

WE HAVE OUR OWN RFP POLICY THAT THE GENERAL MANAGER -- OR OUR CITY MANAGER IS NOT SUPPOSED TO APPROVE ANY CONTRACTS OVER $50,000 AND ANYTHING OVER THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE BROUGHT TO COUNCIL. LET ME POINT OUT THIS POLICY. I HAD MISINFORMATION. I THOUGHT WE RENEWED THIS POLICY EVERY THREE YEARS. I HAVE NOW FOUND OUT WE'VE BEEN PRENEWING IT EACH AND EVERY YEAR SINCE FISCAL YEAR '17/'18, AND IT STARTED TO GO ABOVE $50,000, OUR SELF-IMPOSED LIMIT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL, STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR 2021. WE'RE BREAKING OUR POLICIES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. THE

RFP SPECIFICALLY TO THIS AND ALSO THE POLICY THAT THIS COUNCIL AGENDA

REQUEST ITEM LANGUISHED WITH AGENDA REVIEW JUST KIND OF GETTING PUSHBACK. AND I DO WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT I DID ASK ABOUT IT

MULTIPLE TIMES AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS GOING TO GET PUSHBACK AND GO

OUT FOR RFP WITH A VARIETY OF OTHER STANDARD CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY LAST YEAR. AND SO I KIND OF LET IT GO FOR A WHILE AND HERE IT IS BACK BEFORE US TONIGHT. SO WITH THAT IT IS JUST A REQUEST TO FOLLOW OUR OWN POLICY TO GO OUT FOR COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS FOR OUR I.T. SERVICES AND THAT IS MY REQUEST TONIGHT.

GREAT.

QUESTION.

YES, COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
WHAT DOES IT COST TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP?

IT'S STAFF TIME TO PREPARE THE RFP AND THEN TO DISTRIBUTE IT AND THEN RECEIVE THE RFP, DO THE INTERVIEWS.

HOW MANY HOURS WOULD YOU GUESS THAT WOULD BE FOR RFP?

SO BASED ON THE MOST RECENT ONE FOR CHAUVIN, CAN YOU -- HOW MANY HOURS THAT WAS?
THE AUDIT RFP THINK IT TOOK ME LIKE A DAY TO PUT TOGETHER. BECAUSE THE AUDIT IS IN MY WHEELHOUSE, SO IT WILL TAKE A DAY TO PUT IT TOGETHER. I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO PUT AN RFP FOR I.T. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ALL THE TECHNICAL TERMS. IF THE CITY HAVE TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP, I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE CURRENT I.T. FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A TECHNICAL

SUPPORT ON THAT. BECAUSE I -- I DON'T KNOW ALL THE TECHNICAL TERMS TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AN RFP SO THAT IT IS APPLE AND APPLE COMPARISON.

ALL RIGHT, OKAY. THANK YOU.

ARE THERE -- MARY, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?

I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET WE -- THIS CONTRACT HAS COME BACK. SO IT HAS BEEN APPROVED THROUGH THE COUNCIL DIRECTION.

OKAY.

SO YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE POLICY. SO THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THE CITY MANAGER LAST YEAR TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT.

THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THROUGH THE ADDED COUNCIL MEETING, YES, AT AN ACTUAL COUNCIL MEETING IT WAS APPROVED AS THE CONTRACT ON I.T. WAS ON --
YEAH, IN THE BUDGET MEETINGS.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AS PART OF THE WHOLE BUDGET MEETINGS.

OKAY.

IT WAS ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WAS APPROVED AS WELL AS, I BELIEVE, MTC, MUCHMORE IS PART OF THAT.

I BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE -- THOSE WOULD BE EXTENDING ONE MORE YEAR AND THEN WOULD BE DISCUSSED, BUT ANYWAY, OKAY. I UNDERSTAND. I GUESS WE APPROVED IT.

YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

SURE.

OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE CUT YOU OFF TO GET TO MARY.

I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE LANGUAGE ALSO.

OH, I'M SORRY. NO MORE QUESTIONS, THEN YES, PUBLIC COMMENT, MARY?

THANK YOU, MAYOR, THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT TO DIRECT STAFF TO DO OUT FOR PROPOSAL -- REQUEST PROPOSALS FOR I.T. SERVICES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, OLIVER?
YEAH, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A 67-PAGE DOCUMENT. MY COMMENT EARLIER

ABOUT THE DIGITAL AUTOMATION, SO ON, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS EFFECTIVELY LIKE HAVING A MECHANIC ON SITE TO KEEP THE 10, 15-YEAR TRUCK RUNNING.

THIS IS LIKE THE OLD APPLE TO APPLE COMPUTER ADWARE, THE COUNSELOR, APPLE AND THE CITY ARE PCs AND I'M JUST WONDERING, I BELIEVE MOST OF THE CITY PCs ARE NINE YEARS OLD. WHEN YOU THINK HOW FAR BACK THAT IS IN MICROSOFT YEARS. BASICALLY THE CITY IS RUNNING ON THE SPRINGBROOK SOFTWARE. I'M JUST WONDERING IF A SEPARATE SCOPE HERE OR MAYBE ANOTHER

AGENDA ITEM IN THE FUTURE TO UPDATE AND UPGRADE TO A MUCH MORE MODERN SYSTEM WHICH WOULD GET RID OF PEOPLE FIXING TRUCKS AT 2:00 IN

THE MORNING THAT AREN'T WORKING, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ANCIENT HISTORY NOW. IT'S A BIT LIKE WHAT WE WERE SAYING ABOUT MEDIA HAVING

COMPLETELY CHANGED, THE CITY IS RUNNING ON REALLY, REALLY OLD TECHNOLOGY. I THINK MAYBE IN THE GOAL SETTING THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN GO WITH THIS TO SAVE MONEY AND BE WAY MORE EFFICIENT. YEAH, THAT'S MY COMMENT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE? CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES I CAN.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

SOME OF THE EARLIER INTERACTIONS I HAD WITH THIS COUNCIL WAS RELATED TO I.T. CONCERNS, RIGHT? LIKE YOU MIGHT ALL RECALL THAT $1.5 MILLION WAS ROBBED FROM OUR CITY AS A RESULT OF I.T. ISSUES REALLY, RIGHT? LIKE FAILURE TO TRAIN CITY EMPLOYEES IN PHISHING ATTEMPTS. FAILURE TO HAVE MULTIFACTOR AUTHENTICATION. FOR YEARS AFTER THAT BECAME KIND OF A STANDARD. AND REALLY TO EVEN SOME OF THE MOST RECENT COUNCILMEMBERS

WHERE THERE'S JUST LIKE CLEAR DEFIANCE BY COUNCILMEMBERS TO ACCEPT,

LIKE, STANDARD DATA PROTECTION POLICIES REGARDING LIKE PERSONAL DEVICES WITH SENSITIVE DATA, RIGHT? SO LIKE WHAT I'M REALLY CONCERNED

ABOUT HERE IS THAT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THE CITY TO BE EVEN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT SECURING I.T. SERVICES IN A WAY THAT WILL NOT PUT

US INTO THE SAME ISSUE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AS A RESULT OF MAKING A DECISION BASED ON POOR INFORMATION. SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS MIGHT BE A

SCENARIO WHERE YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY GET SOME PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT THE ACTUAL NEEDS OF THE CITY ARE. I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LACKING IN TERMS OF THE I.T. SERVICES THAT WE MAYBE HAVEN'T GOTTEN. MAYBE IDENTIFYING WHAT THOSE BE IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S VIEW OF WHAT'S BEEN LACKING WITH THE CURRENT VENDOR. AND THEN

ALSO MAYBE GETTING SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ABOUT LIKE WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT TO HAVE AS A CITY. THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE GOT I.T. SERVICES YOU CAN PROBABLY TALK

TO TO FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL STANDARDS THAT ARE IN PLACE RATHER THAN TRYING TO GO IT ON YOUR OWN. BECAUSE AGAIN, LITTLE LACK OF FAITH IN TERMS OF WHAT I.T. SERVICES HAVE BEEN IN THIS CITY, GIVEN OUR HISTORY. JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. AND THEN THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST MENTION IS THAT THERE ARE 13 SONOMA STATE I.T. EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE ALL RECEIVED LAYOFF NOTICES IN THE LAST MONTH. IF THERE'S A WAY YOU CAN KIND OF

CONNECT WITH THOSE FOLKS, BECAUSE I'M SURE THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES TO YOU IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU, KYLE. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT. ROBERT, UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE. THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

MY FIRST TOP OF MIND WAS COUNCILWOMAN HINTON HASN'T SAID WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT MADE HER WANT THIS ON THE AGENDA. WHAT PROBLEM IS SHE TRYING TO SOLVE. AND MY SECOND THOUGHT WAS SHE'S AN ACCOUNTANT

BUT NOT A TECHNOLOGY PERSON, ASK HER TO WRITE A REQUEST, AN RFP FOR

SOMETHING LIKE THIS SEEMS SORT OF NONSENSICAL AND PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO END UP WELL. LISTENING TO OLIVER AND KYLE, IT DOES SOUND LIKE WE NEED,

SORRY, PHIL, TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO COME IN AND LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE GOT AND HOW WE'RE OPERATING AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THAT.

AND PERHAPS AS PART OF THAT CONSULTING CONTRACT COULD BE A, YOU KNOW,

HAVE THEM PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND AN RFP IF THAT'S WHAT'S NECESSARY IF WE NEED A NEW TECHNOLOGY COMPANY TO FIX ALL OF THE ISSUES. IT'S A BIGGER ISSUE THAN WHAT IS SITTING BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW, I THINK. THANK YOU.

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

CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KATE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.

ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT THE PREVIOUS COMMENTERS, KYLE, ROBERT, OLIVER, IN

THE FACT THAT I DO THINK THIS WOULD BE AN AREA WHERE THE CITY MIGHT

WANT TO CONTRACT SOME EXPERTS TO GIVE, AS ROBERT SUGGESTED, TO HELP

CRAFT AN RFP AND ALSO TO MAKE A PRIORITIES LIST, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF

DATA SECURITY AND HOW THE DEPARTMENTS COULD INTERFACE MORE

EFFECTIVELY BETWEEN ONE ANOTHER, ESPECIALLY THE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, OUR WATER SYSTEM. I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE LIKE MANY

DOUBTS ABOUT HOW THE SMART METERS ARE ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING AND HOW

THAT SOFTWARE'S BEEN INTEGRATED AS WE'VE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH

SIMPLE THINGS LIKE BILLING, SO I JUST DON'T THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NECESSARILY AN EXPERTISE THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS ON STAFF. I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON STAFF IS AN I.T. SPECIALIST. SO I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND

THAT THE CITY CONTRACT OUT FOR THIS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE PART OF OUR 21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGY AND

CAN PROTECT AGAINST THE ADVANCE TYPE OF HACKING THAT WILL INEVITABLY

HAPPEN WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE MACHINES THAT

JUST CONSTANTLY BOMBARD YOUR SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE RELENTLESS, BASICALLY. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU,

AND I WISH ONCE AGAIN THAT THERE WAS MORE MEMBERS OF OF THE PUBLIC IN

THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT I GUESS THEY'LL JUST READ ABOUT IT IN THE SEBASTOPOL TIMES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, KATE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO ZOOM -- I'M SORRY INTO, CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT. JIM, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF PLEASE.

THERE WE GO, I CAN SEE THE TIMER, THANK YOU.

AWESOME, THANK YOU.

WORKING IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD WE HAVE AN I.T. DIRECTOR AT MY

COMPANY, AND EDUCATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES ABOUT HOW TO AVOID PROBLEMS. THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY STANDARD STUFF UPDATING COMPUTERS OPERATING SYSTEMS AND NETWORKING. I WAS CURIOUS AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE I.T. POSITION IS. AND MAYBE

THERE'S AN EXISTING RFP OR THE EXISTING JOB DESCRIPTION THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THAT IS. I'M A LITTLE WORRIED THAT IF IT INCLUDES

LIKE MANAGING THE SMART METER INTEGRATION WITH BILLING SOFTWARE, THAT'S A PRETTY DETAILED LOW LEVEL THING. SO I JUST THINK I.T. IS LIKE THIS

BIG BUCKET AND I WOULD LOVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE EXPECT AN I.T. PERSON TO DO FOR THE CITY. I'M NOT SURE I CAN GET AN ANSWER TO THAT HERE, BUT THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT COMES UP FOR ME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC XHEVENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU, MARY. BACK UP TO THE DAIS. COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

WHAT ARE THE APPROVED CONTRACT DATES FOR -- IN I.T. RIGHT NOW? ON A FISCAL BASIS, SO JULY TO JUNE.

SO ARE -- WE'VE CONTRACTED THEM UP UNTIL JULY 2025, IS THAT CORRECT? UNTIL JUNE 2025.

UNTIL JUNE 2025.

YES.

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
THANK YOU, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN. IT SPOKE TO ME. BUT IT OPENS UP CAN OF WORMS. SO INITIALLY I WAS JUST SIMPLY WANTING TO DO WHAT MAYBE

COULD BE CALLED LIKE THE EASY THING AND JUST CONTINUE ON LOOKING FOR I.T., BUT THE WORLD IS CHANGING SUPER FAST. LIKE SUPER FAST. AND THIS COULD

BE A GREAT MOMENT TO JUMP ON TO SOMETHING NEW THAT IS POSSIBLY CLOUD

BASED, POSSIBLY SAFER, POSSIBLY CHEAPER, AND MAKE OUR WHOLE CITY A LOT MORE EFFICIENT. AND AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY LIKE, HEY, MAYBE WE DIRECT

STAFF TO JUST SIMPLY LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS AND HOW MUCH THAT COSTS.

I THINK I'M GOING TO GO TO COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.

YEAH SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY

OPPOSED TO HAVING OUR CURRENT PERSON THAT WE CONTRACT WITH US HELP US DEVELOP AN RFP TO HAVE COMPETITIVE BIDDING. THAT WOULD BE A REALLY BAD LOOK. NUMBER TWO, THAT LEADS TO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY

INTERNALLY, AS SPEAKERS HAVE BROUGHT UP TONIGHT, MAYBE IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO CONTRACT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CONSULTANT OR AN EXPERT TO COME UP WITH WHAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR. AND I'D BE WILLING TO JUST,

YOU KNOW, GIVE STAFF DIRECTION THAT THAT'S -- WE KNOW WE HAVE OUR GOAL SETTINGS COMING UP. YOU KNOW, THIS WASN'T A BIG GOAL WHEN WE KIND OF

DID THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN GOALS AT COUNCIL, BUT MAYBE IT SHOULD BE A

GOAL AND IT SHOULD BE BIGGER AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT A LONGER RANGE APPROACH. AND I'D BE COMPLETELY OPEN TO THAT. I -- AND THEN AS I WANTED TO

ADDRESS THE SPEAKER, I GUESS I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE TRAINING AS COUNCILMEMBERS WE RECEIVED SLASH MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH I.T.

LAST SPRING WHICH MADE ME WONDER AND LOOK INTO THE CONTRACT AND WHAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GETTING. SO JUST TO -- WHY DO YOU BRING THINGS

FORTH, IT'S BECAUSE YOU USUALLY HAVE SOMETHING, SOME REASON THAT YOU THINK, HEY, WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE CLOSER. SO JUST ADDRESSING THAT. I JUST THINK AS A RULE OF THUMB, COMPETITION IS GOOD. WE'VE GONE OUT FOR OTHER RFPs, AND I THINK WE SHOULD EVERY SO MANY YEARS GO OUT FOR AN RFP. WE'VE BEEN WITH THIS COMPANY NOW SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S TIME. SO I'D BE OPEN TO THE DIRECTION FROM THE FULL COUNCIL AND

THEN MAYBE WE PUSH THIS A LITTLE BIT AND HIRE SOMEBODY THAT COULD HELP US WITH THE ISSUE.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
YEAH, THANK YOU. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM THAT'S TRYING TO BE SOLVED IS ACTUALLY JUST THAT WE'VE HAD I.T. FOR SO LONG AND MAYBE IT'S TIME TO FIND SOMEBODY NEW.
-- SPECIFICALLY.

I JUST THINK THAT THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE I.T. COMPANY, IN MY OPINION, COULD BE TREMENDOUSLY DISRUPTIVE. JUST ME AND MY OWN COMPUTER PROBLEMS IS A HUGE DISRUPTION IN MY WORLD. MY COMPUTER TO -- ANYWAY, YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU. I UPDATED THE

SOFTWARE ON MY COMPUTER BECAUSE THE STAFF SAID YOU NEED TO UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE. AND NOW I HAVE NO ACCESS TO EXCEL, TO WORD, TO ALL THESE THING, AND IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING. I NEED TO GET A NEW COMPUTER NOW. SO BUT JUST THAT PROCESS, THIS IS JUST ME, ONE LITTLE COMPUTER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE CITY AND THEIR WHOLE I.T. SYSTEM. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. THE STAFF DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MARIN I.T. THE STAFF LIKES MARIN I.T. THEY FEEL THAT THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. SO I DON'T SEE -- I GUESS IT DOESN'T REALLY HURT TO GO OUT FOR AN

RFP, BUT MY OPINION IS THE STAFF HAS ALREADY GOT SO MUCH GOING ON THEY DON'T WANT TO BURDEN THEM WITH ANOTHER THING. I MEAN, JUST THE PRAs ALONE THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH RIGHT NOW IS HUGE. SO I WILL NOT

BE SUPPORTING -- GOING OUT FOR AN RFP ON THIS AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THOSE OTHER REASONS.

OKAY. I'LL WEIGH IN. AND YES, I'M WILLING TO TAKE DIRECTION FROM

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER'S COMMENTS, ALSO THE

FACT IF WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR AN EXPERT TO SHAPE AN RFP, I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSULT WITH OUR INSURER. BECAUSE THIS TIES BACK INTO

IN TO WHAT ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS SAID, THE FACT WE DIDN'T WANT

TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTION WITH OUR OWN INTERFACE AND WHETHER IT'S A CLOSE SYSTEM AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF. I DO THINK IT'S RELEVANT FROM A

LIABILITY POINT OF VIEW FOR WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY USE AND EXPECT FROM VARIOUS SERVERS, OUR PROVIDERS. SO YES, I'M INTERESTED IN DOINGSOMETHING.

SO SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHAPE THE DIRECTION?

WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO, I GUESS, MOVE TO -- OR SEND DIRECTION TO STAFF TO LOOK INTO HIRING A CONSULTANT THAT CAN HELP US, GIVE US SOME ADVICE.

AND I AGREE WITH TALKING TO OUR INSURERS SO THAT WE CAN -- WE PUT MONEY TOWARDS CONSULTANTS A LOT. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I REMEMBER WHEN WE WORKED FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES", WE HAD TO KEY IN FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES, SO I KNOW THERE'S WAYS, I'M JUST NOT AN I.T. PERSON MYSELF. WE'D JUST NEED DIRECTION. I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF TO LOOK INTO

GETTING CONSULTANT AND BRINGING BACK AN EXPENSE FOR THAT, SOMEBODY

THAT WOULD BE NEUTRAL, JUST LIKE WE GO OUT AND ARE HIRING CONSULTANTS FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS THAT THE CITY NEEDS. I DO THINK WE CAN KICK THE

CAN DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THE INTERNET'S MOVING AT WARP SPEED AND KICKING

THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD LEAVES US WIDE OPEN FOR A POSSIBLE OTHER PROBLEM. AND I'M NOT OKAY WITH THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO ALEX, IF THIS IS PROVIDING DIRECTION, WE STILL NEED A

MOTION AND THE SECOND TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF, REFRESH MY MEMORY.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED DIRECTION, BUT WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE'S CONSENSUS ON THE DIRECTION.

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO GIVE YOU ADVICE ON HOW TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE PLANNING TO DO? OKAY. I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. SO I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW.

OKAY.

SO HERE'S HOW -- I KIND OF AGREE WITH THAT. MAYBE IT'S INFORMATIVE. THIS IS A BIGGER MOVE AND SOMEWHAT HECTIC AND I THINK VERY COMPLICATED. AND

IT'S -- IF WE WERE TO JUST GO OUT FOR AN RFP -- YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE JUST

GOING TO GET QUOTES FROM WHOEVER, THEY WOULD TELL US EXACTLY HOW

THEY WOULD SATISFY OUR NEEDS AND THEY MIGHT SHAPE THE WAY WE BID OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE MIGHT END UP JUST STAYING WITH MARIN BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. BUT IF YOU WERE TO GET LIKE A CONSULTANT, LIKE SOMEONE TO HELP YOU, IT'S NEUTRAL ADVICE. HEY, WE'RE AT THIS DIFFERENT PLACE AND WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE, SO IT'S VALUABLE THAT WAY. SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE. AND SOMETHING THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHILE WE WERE DOING THAT IS LIKE DO WE PUT A MONETARY VALUE ON THAT PERSON. DO WE SAY LIKE DO WE SPEND $5,000 LIKE ON -- DO WE ADD THAT KIND OF DIRECTION OR DO WE GO JUST LIKE GOOD LUCK.

I MEAN, WE'VE GONE OUT FOR CONSULTANTS WITH PR FOR THE FIRE

DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR GARBAGE CONTRACT, I THINK WITH DIRECTION WE

DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST UNTIL THE STAFF CALLS A COUPLE PEOPLE, AND I ASSUME THEY'LL BRING US BACK A PRICE RANGE, RIGHT? A SCOPE OF SERVICES MONEY ATTACHED, RIGHT, MARY?

AS LONG AS IT'S -- YES, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WOULD COME BACK, BUT WE

WOULD -- I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

A FULL CITYWIDE REVIEW OF OUR NEEDS AND HOW THAT CAN ALSO RELATE TO OR HOW WE CAN BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE DIRECTIVES ARE. I WOULD

JUST ADD TO THAT THAT I THIS MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE BEFORE WE

ACTUALLY DO THAT IS ACTUALLY GETTING AN ELECTRONICS POLICY IN PLACE AS

WELL SO THAT WE'RE WITH SARAH OR RJPA, BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE POLICY IS TOO SO THE I.T. PERSON KNOWS WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE SO THEY CAN BUILD THAT INTO THEIR SCOPE OF WORK. BUT YEAH, IF IT'S A CITYWIDE

DIRECTION, WE WOULD NEED TO GO MAKE SOME CALLS AND FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET QUOTES AND WHAT THOSE NEEDS MIGHT BE. WE'LL

HAVE TO DO A BASIC REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW. WE CAN COME BACK WITH ESTIMATES AND MAYBE NARROW IT

DOWN AT THAT POINT AS TO DEFINING BETTER WHAT THE SCOPE IS BEFORE WE GO OUT FOR AN RFP, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

THAT DOES MAKE SENSE.

MAKES SENSE TO ME. WHEN IS ELECTRONIC POLICY COMING, BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY ON AGENDA, RIGHT?
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE NEXT WEEK, OR TWO WEEKS, SORRY.

WE'VE BEEN WITH A SPENDER FOREIGHT YEARS, IF WE CAN'T GET IT DONE BY THE

END OF JUNE, I'M SURE THEY WOULD BE OPEN, I WOULD ASSUME, TO EXTENDING IT UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED AND THEN MOVE ON. SO WE'RE NOT BLOWING EVERYTHING UP QUICKLY. BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE THREE MONTHS UNTIL THIS CONTRACT ENDS.

I'M JUST CONCERNED WITH STAFF TIME, THE USE OF STAFF TIME ON THIS. THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.

OKAY.

TO CHANGE I.T.

WE NEED THE THUMBS UP, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING?
YES.

SO I AM IN AGREEMENT. SO OKAY, SO THERE'S THREE. 3-1. OKAY. DO WE NEED ANYTHING ELSE MORE ON THIS ITEM, MARY?
NO, WE'LL MAKE SOME PHONE CALLS. WE'LL TRY TO GET SOME ESTIMATES. WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO CITY COUNCIL TO HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON IT.

GREAT, THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13, CONSIDERATION

OF DIRECTION TO STAFF FOR ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR

MEASURE U AND UTILITY RATES TO DEVELOP A FORMAL PROCESS TO CREATE AN

OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BASED ON THE FRAMEWORK CONTAINED IN THE STAFF

REPORT INCORPORATING SPECIFIC OPERATION OF PARAMETERS THAT PROTECT

STAFF RESOURCES AND COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LAW TO RETURN THE ITEM TO A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE APPROVAL.

AGAIN, THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ITEM, AND THE REQUESTER WAS COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? ?

YES, I BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE IT'S A COMMON COMMITTEE THROUGH THE TEE --AS WELL AS SONOMA COUNTY. IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE MORE TRANSPARENCY,

PARTICULARLY FOR MEASURE U, WHICH WAS JUST PASSED AND I THINK IS

IMPORTANT, AND FOR OUR ENTERPRISE FUND SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE THE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR WATER SERVICES. I THINK IT WILL BE VERY VALUABLE TO

HAVE CITY -- CITIZENS SIT WITH THE BOARD AND PART OF THIS TO HELP AT LEAST OBSERVE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO GO FORWARD.

OKAY. QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC? RIGHT, LEFT, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH. SO AS A COUNCIL WITH MEASURE U, WE AGREED TO OUR PRIORITIES. IN FACT, COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS LED THAT. WE ALL AGREED WITH IT. I FULLY AM IN SUPPORT OF THAT. SO WE DID ESTABLISH A WAY THAT MEASURE U FUNDS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WITH A PRIORITY. BUT THEY'RE NOT MENTIONED IN THE AGENDA REPORT TONIGHT. SO I GUESS I'M ASKING ARE YOU AWARE OF THOSE AND -- BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE DO HAVE SOME CHECKS AND BALANCES IN PLACE.

SO WHAT I'M -- THOSE AREN'T CHECKS AND BALANCES. THOSE ARE GUIDELINES ABOUT WHICH BUCKETS SHOULD WE PUT THOSE THINGS INTO. DO THEY MAKE IT

INTO THOSE BUCKETS, AND CAN GENERAL CITIZENS TAKE PART IN OBSERVING

THESE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOING INTO THE BUCKETS WHERE THEY ARE GOING. AND THIS IS A COMMON, REALLY A QUITE COMMON PRACTICE AND CAN BE NOT DISRUPTIVE BUT ACTUALLY HONOR WHAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN AS THE 40% HERE OR, YOU KNOW, THESE KINDS OF THINGS. SO IT'S REALLY JUST A, YOU KNOW,

AN EFFORT TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT TO OPEN UP GOVERNMENT TO OUR CITIZENS TO LET THEM HAVE, YOU KNOW, TWO TIMES PER YEAR. I'M NOT MAKING ANY SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS ON HOW THAT LOOKS. I WANT IT TO BE AS LITTLE

DISRUPTIVE AS POSSIBLE AND I DON'T WANT IT TO BE MICROMANAGED BY ANY SORT. USUALLY THESE GROUPS ARE OBSERVERS. THEY MAKE A REPORT AND THEN

THEY CAN ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT NOT REALLY MUCH BEYOND THAT.

SO MY GENERAL THOUGHT TOO IS THIS IS JUST TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF

TO WORK WITH COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO COME UP WITH VARIOUS OPTIONS TO

COME -- TO DESIGN AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF THIS, CORRECT? I MEAN, BECAUSE I AM NOT FAMILIAR

WITH AN OVERSIGHT THING WITHIN THE CITY BEFORE AND BRINGING IN PRIVATE CITIZENS TO BE PART OF IT TO OBSERVE ANY OF THAT. SO IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, ALEX?
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEKING TONIGHT IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE THAT OR NOT.

LIKE COUNCILMEMBER CARTER SAID, THESE ARE FAIRLY COMMON. THEY'RE

USUALLY INCLUDED WITHIN THE BALLOT MEASURE THEMSELVES WHEN THEY EXIST. THEY'RE SORT OF A SELLING POINT, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE INCLUDE THEM IN THE BALLOT MEASURE. I THINK THE COUNCIL CAN CHOOSE NOW OR

LATER TO PROVIDE SOME DIRECTION ON WHAT IT IS YOU WANT THE COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, THE COMMITTEE TO BE DOING. IS IT JUST CONFIRMING THAT MONEY

WAS SPENT WITHIN THOSE BUCKETS? YOU KNOW, WHAT OTHER THINGS. IS THERE ONE COMMITTEE FOR BOTH MEASURE U AND ENTERPRISE FUNDS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO SEPARATE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, SO THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. OR YOU

COULD JUST DEFER THAT FOR COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO WORK WITH STAFF ON.

YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT THIS SOUNDS GREAT, I'M JUST, AGAIN, CONCERNED

ABOUT LIKE THE EXPENSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN ACTIVE BUDGET COMMITTEE. AND WHEN I WAS ON IT WE LIKE WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING LIKE LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM. SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO

LIKE DUPLICATE THINGS WHERE WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO DUPLICATE THEM. COUNCILMEMBER MAURER, DID YOU HAVE --
I DON'T THINK I HAVE QUESTIONS, I HAVE COMMENTS. I'LL HOLD THOSE UNTIL AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.

SEEING NO QUESTIONS, PUBLIC COMMENT, MARY?

THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE REQUEST TO LOOK AT ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR MEASURE U AND UTILITY RATES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL GO TO CHAMBERS FIRST.

YEAH, I THINK YOU MAY REMEMBER I BROUGHT UP NAPA, LOOKING AT THE NAPA COUNCIL WEBSITE HERE NOW. MEASURE G ALLOCATION AND THEY HAD AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I THINK I SUGGESTED THAT IN FEBRUARY THAT WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH MEASURE U. AND I'VE JUST BEEN LOOKING AT THE

VERBAGE ON THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH IS VERY WELL ORGANIZED, DEFINING WHO THE PEOPLE IN THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MIGHT BE. I GUESS THE ONE CAUTION AROUND HERE IS WE HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF SINGLE ISSUE MASSIVE EGOS. YOU

DON'T WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO COME AND MAKE EVERYBODY'S LIVES A NIGHTMARE BECAUSE THEY'RE OBSESSED WITH ONE PARTICULAR THING. NAPA

ARE ACTUALLY -- PREFERABLY FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES POSITION TO EXPERIENCING MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY. SO I MEAN, THERE'S

PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO ARE REALLY GOOD AT THIS KIND OF STUFF,

BUT PICKING THOSE PEOPLE AND PICKING THEIR BRAINS REALLY I THINK WOULD BE INCREDIBLY USEFUL. THAT'S MY KIND OF -- AVOID RANDOM PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO MAKE EVERYTHING MORE COMPLICATED. WHICH SEEMS TO HAPPEN HERE ALL THE TIME. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM, ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEP.

CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.

THANK YOU, GO AHEAD.

THERE ARE TWO THINGS GOING ON HERE. ONE IS MEASURE U. THE WAY IT WAS

PUT TOGETHER, CRAFTED, AND SO FORTH, IT IGNORED THE FACT YOU MIGHT NOT GET A HALF A CENT AND HAVE MONEY TO SPENT ON INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU GOT A QUARTER CENT PROBABLY MAYBE, WHO KNOWS. IF IT'S ONLY A QUARTER OF A CENT, ALL THAT'S DOING IS PAYING -- IS FIXING YOUR CURRENT DEFICIT. AND

THERE WILL BE NO MONEY TO GO TO ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY

HOPED WE COULD FUND, LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, STREETS, ROADS, SO FORTH, BETTER CITY BUILDINGS. THE SECOND HALF OF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK

IS A GREAT IDEA, WHICH IS SOME KIND OF ENTITY WITHIN THE CITY COULD

INCLUDE PUBLIC PEOPLE, SHOULD INCLUDE A COUPLE OF COUNCILMEMBERS, I THINK, AND MAYBE A STAFF MEMBER OR TWO. BUT THEIR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO

PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO THE WATER AND SEWER ENTERPRISES. GOOGLE IT AND LOOK AT THE AGENDAS FOR THEIR MEETINGS. THEY'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE

EVERY MONTH WHAT'S THE WATER QUALITY, WHAT PROJECTS DO WE HAVE

ONGOING, WHAT FAILURES DO WE HAVE, WHAT PROJECTS TO WE NEED GOING FORWARD. WHAT'S OUR BILLING, IS THE BILLING WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING, ARE PEOPLE USING AS MUCH WATER AS WE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO USE. HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT IN TERMS OF EXPENSES. THESE KINDS OF THINGS GO ON EVERY MONTH, EVERY OTHER MONTH. WHAT'S OUR WATER QUALITY, ARE OUR PUMPS WORKING? WE'RE SAMPLING ALL THE TIME. I THINK SOMEBODY SHOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN THAT, MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR. AND SUCH A GROUP COULD DO THAT. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NEVER HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DO THAT. THE BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS NEVER HAD ENOUGH TIME TO LOOK AT EVEN THE BUDGET FOR THIS. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE SEPARATED OUT AND GET THE FOCUS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, ROBERT, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS, SEEING NONE, I WILL GO BACK OUT.

KATE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

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

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

I FULLY SUPPORT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES FOR BOTH MEASURE U AND FOR THE WATER AND SEWER ENTERPRISE FUNDS. THE MEASURE U COMMITTEE COULD BE FAIRLY STREAMLINED. I THINK THEY HAVE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT

MEETS ONCE A YEAR, WHICH BASICALLY DETAILS HOW MUCH REVENUE WAS GENERATED BY THE SALES TAX AND THEN WHERE THAT MONEY WENT. IT'S -- I

THINK THIS WOULD BE LESS TIME INTENSIVE THAN WATER AND SEWER

ENTERPRISE FUNDS BECAUSE THERE'S LESS TO DETAIL IN JUST TERMS OF RECEIVING MONEY AND WHERE IT GOES. SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE ADDRESSED ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. IT'S A KIND OF TRANSPARENCY MEASURE. THE SECOND

POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT THE WATER AND SEWER ENTERPRISE FUNDS ARE MONEYS THAT ARE COLLECTED FROM RATE PAYERS FOR WATER AND SEWER.

WITHIN THOSE FUNDING, WE, THE WATER AND SEWER RATERS, ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR THOSE COSTS. AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE COULD BE PAID FOR ALREADY BY RATE PAYER FUNDING. IT'S CLEAR THAT WE NEED MUCH MORE

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WATER AND SEWER AS BOTH SYSTEMS ARE IN TROUBLE DUE TO DECADES OF MISMANAGEMENT. FOR INSTANCE, ANNA REFERRED TO THE

FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAD BEEN USING, QUOTE,UNQUOTE, AN OLD ACCOUNTING MODEL. AND THE MODEL THAT THEY HAD BEEN USING WAS OVER 20 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT EVEN LEGAL. SO IT'S WE NEED RATE PAYERS

TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MONEYS THAT PEOPLE

ARE PAYING FOR THEIR WATT EXER SEWER BILLS ARE ACTUALLY GOING

TOWARDS WATER AND SEWER AND GOING TOWARDS WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE. SO ONCE AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE A MASTER PLAN, AND IF WE A

HAD AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE --
KATE, THAT'S TWO MINUTES.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WOODY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.

OKAY. I JUST DID THAT.

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

GREAT, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

THANKS. YEAH, WOODY HASTINGS HERE SPEAKING AS A -- AS A SEBASTOPOL COMMUNITY RESIDENT. I AM NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE CLIMATE CENTER AS IT MIGHT INDICATE IN MY LITTLE SQUARE THERE. IT APPEARS THAT YOU'VE

DISABLED THE ABILITY TO RENAME YOURSELF, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT

CLEAR THAT I'M NOT -- THAT I'M SPEAKING JUST FOR MYSELF, NOT FOR THE CLIMATE CENTER. AND I'M REALLY JUST HOPPED ON TO SAY THAT I THINK THIS IS A GOOD SUGGESTION, GOOD PROPOSAL FROM COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. YOU KNOW, IT GOT CLOSE TO 40 YEAR EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC POLICY. AND IN MY VIEW,

THIS IS A FAIRLY STANDARD PRACTICE FOR THIS KIND OF -- FOR THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FUND. AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT'S SORT OF A NO-BRAINER TO

APPROVE, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO WORK WITH STAFF TO COME BACK WITH A PROPOSAL THAT MAKES SENSE. SO I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY YOU WOULD NOT GO AHEAD AND GIVE A THUMBS UP FOR THIS.

ONE LITTLE SUGGESTION IS THAT I KNOW THAT IT CAN SOMETIMES BE TOUGH TO

FIND FOLKS THAT ARE WILLING TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND TO FOCUS ON

THINGS WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDS, SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ALLOWING NO MORE THAN ONE, I WOULD SAY. SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN THE SEBASTOPOL COMMUNITY, 94572 ZIP, THAT DOES BUSINESS IN SEBASTOPOL, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S THEIR COMMUNITY, TO CONSIDER THAT. NOT JUST FOLKS THAT STRICTLY LIVE WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME IN CHAMBERS, SEEING NONE, KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, I CAN.

THANK YOU, CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW.

THANK YOU.

I THINK KATE BRINGS UP SOME GOOD POINTS. WE HAD A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH COST ALLOCATION BASED ON A 20-YEAR-OLD MODEL THAT THE ONLY REASON

THAT IT EVEN GOT CHANGED WAS A RESULT OF CITIZENS LOOKING AT THOSE

NUMBERS AND RAISING THEIR VOICE ENOUGH TIMES TO COUNCILMEMBERS TO ACTUALLY GET SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT IT. AND IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT COST ALLOCATION OVER THE YEARS, IT'S HIGHLY, HIGHLY SUSPECT, RIGHT?

SOME YEARS WE'RE SEEING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN COST ALLOCATION FROM ENTERPRISE TO THE CITY COUNCIL ITSELF. AND THERE'S NO, IN MY MIND, JUSTIFIABLE REASON AS TO WHY THAT WOULD BE THE CASE. BUT

BEYOND THAT, PART OF THAT ARGUMENT HERE IS THAT, WELL YES, I THINK WHAT

OLIVER SAYS ABOUT GETTING SOME FOLKS THAT ARE KIND OF MORE, I'D SAY,

HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN THESE FIELDS ARE GOING TO BE USEFUL, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT DIFFICULT TO ONBOARD SOME FOLKS. AND YES, THERE WILL BE A

LITTLE BIT OF STAFF TIME INVOLVED WITH, LIKE, INQUIRIES AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING SOME PRESENTATIONS TO FOLKS TO GET THEM UP TO SPEED. I

THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY HAVING CITIZEN OVERSIGHT ON THINGS THAT WE

HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD SOME ISSUES WITH IS GOING TO GO A LONG WAY WITH CHANGING THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE CITY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PUBLIC. THE

ONLY OTHER THING YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN

ABLE TO DO VERY WELL IS ACTUALLY DO THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY TO

MAKE SURE YOU'RE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU GET

QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THESE PLACEMENTS. I'VE SEEN POSITIONS GOING VACANT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME.

KYLE, YOU HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS.

THANK YOU. OR YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON THERE NOT VALID TO BE ON THERE IN A FIRST PLACE OR DON'T SURVIVE FOR THE LENGTH OF THEIR TERM. SO YOU'RE

GOING TO HAVE TO ACTUALLY PUT SOME CONCERTED EFFORT INTO HOW YOU

OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC TO GET THESE PEOPLE ON IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. THANK YOU.

NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, SEEING NONE, I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU, BACK UP TO THE DAIS FOR IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS DIRECTION TWO. SO FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION, THUMBS UP, COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

SO FOR ME IT'S ONE OF MY GOALS IS TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRUST IN THE GOVERNMENT. AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. AND I THINK IN TERMS OF

THE BUDGET, IN TERMS OF MEASURE U, IN TERMS OF THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, I THINK AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA. AND I -- BECAUSE IT ALSO CAN HELP FACILITATE MORE PUBLIC TRUST. BUT I THINK THIS IDEA NEEDS

MORE TIME TO FLUSH IT OUT, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD BRING IT TO THE

BUDGET COMMITTEE TO REFINE IT, TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER, AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. BUT WITH THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, I REALLY THINK THIS IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, NOT ONE THING. IT'S LIKE ONE IS THE MEASURE U

OVERSIGHT AND THAT COULD HAPPEN LIKE ONE OF OUR COMMENTERS SAID ONCE

A YEAR WHERE YOU SAY HERE'S THE MONEY WE HAVE AND THIS IS WHERE WE SPEND IT. AND THEN THE OTHER WOULD BE THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, WHICH

PROBABLY SHOULD MEET QUARTERLY TO DISCUSS THE MANY DIFFERENT ISSUES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST BILLING. IT'S WATER QUALITY AND -- SO ANYWAY, THOSE

ARE A COUPLE OF MY -- I WONDERED IF WE SHOULD BRING IT TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO, YOU KNOW, FLESH IT OUT AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.

I'M -- I GUESS MY BIG CONCERN IS THE IDEA THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BYLAWS AND RESOLUTION AND ALL THAT IS VERY TIME CONSUMING.

AND I'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY IT CAN BE DONE AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW?
COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER MAURER THAT THESE ARE TWO TOTALLY SEPARATE THINGS. THERE'S A COUPLE REASONS WHY I DO NOT BELIEVE -- UNLESS IT WAS SO SIMPLE, I WOULD SUPPORT AN OVERSIGHT FOR OUR TAX MEASURE. A, WE DID NOT INCLUDE IT IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE. WE DID THAT SPECIFICALLY AMONG US. AS WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT USUALLY IT IS INCLUDED IN BALLOT LANGUAGE WHEN THERE IS AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. AND WE DID ALLOCATE WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO. AND NUMBER THREE, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW, AS SOMEBODY POINTED OUT, HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GETTING AT THIS POINT. I THINK THAT SHOULD BE PUT ON HOLD. I'VE ALSO DONE A QUICK SEARCH ON,

ALTHOUGH IT'S COMMON, FISCAL OVERSIGHTS ARE TYPICALLY WITH LARGER FUNDS. THE FIRE MEASURE H, SCHOOL BONDS, ET CETERA. SO FOR ME, THAT'S KIND

OF WE ALREADY DID IT, IT'S DONE, AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GETTING. THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS, I LIKE THAT IDEA. I THINK THE

ENTERPRISE FUNDS IS A DIFFERENT BIRD, AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME IT MAKES. I'M NOT SURE I SEE WHY IT WOULD GO TO BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE TO VET OUT. I THINK IT SHOULD GO TO THE GOAL SESSION AGAIN.

IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE STAFF TIME, AND IT'S GOING TO INVOLVE WHATEVER IT INVOLVES. WE CAN

CERTAINLY DIRECT STAFF TO TRY TO BRING IT TO OUR GOAL SETTING SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT IT INVOLVES. DOES IT INVOLVE BYLAWS AND ALL THOSE THINGS? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY GET DOWN TO GOALS AND WHERE WE PRIORITIZE THINGS, I THINK. AND THIS WOULD BE A GOAL. WE'VE NEVER HAD ONE IN THE CITY. IT'S -- WOULD INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND WOULD INVOLVE THE PUBLIC. AND I LIKE ALL THAT. BUT I

THINK WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE -- AND I NEED TO UNDERSTAND MORE WHAT IT INVOLVES. AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE VETTING IT AT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE --

UNLESS MAYBE THEY WOULD SOMEHOW BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT COSTS, I'M NOT SURE. I THINK IT'S A PRIORITY THAT WE NEED TO SET AS A COUNCIL.

YEAH, I'M GOING TO JUMP IN AS WELL. I AGREE, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON. I

THINK THAT THE MEASURE AND OVERSIGHT FOR THE MEASURE U GIVEN WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO CAN HELP US WITH THAT. IT'S EITHER CDTFA OR LEGISLATORS OR WHATEVER. I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE THAT IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THAT. BUT AS FAR AS THE WATER, YES, I DEFINITELY DO THINK THAT IS SOMETHING TO PURSUE. AND I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT STAFF TO

START LOOKING AT IT SO THEN WHEN WE GET TO GOAL SETTING I'LL HAVE SOME MORE INFORMATION. BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO RANK THE DOTS FOR WHAT YOU WANT IN GOAL SETTING IF YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THE ISSUES. AND I DO AGREE

I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHY THIS WOULD BE RUN THROUGH THE BUDGET,

ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A FULL GOAL FOR THE COUNCIL WHEN WE MEET ON APRIL 1st. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? YEAH, I'M SUPER FLEXIBLE ABOUT THE WHOLE SITUATION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO,

YOU KNOW, SEND DIRECTION TONIGHT SO THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND FOR THE GOAL SETTING. I THINK THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. AND YOU KNOW, I WANT BOTH OF THEM TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

LIKE THEY WILL ACTUALLY SERVE THE CITY SOME GOOD BY FINDING SOME WAYS TO SAVE MONEY OR FINDING WAYS TO SAVE US TIME. THESE SHOULD BE GOOD ACTIVITIES. AND I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO EXPLORE KIND OF BOTH IN TANDEM

BUT LIKE VERY LIGHTLY MEASURE U, I AGREE THAT WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT. AND IT CAN JUST MEET ONCE A YEAR. AND IT MIGHT JUST BE LIKE A SIDE SADDLE ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES WE DO. SO IT'S VERY NOT -- IT'S LIKE NOT INVASIVE. DOESN'T TAKE TOO MUCH TIME. THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD THINK ABOUT. AND THEN FOR THE WATER ONE, YOU

KNOW WE COULD MOVE THE DIRECTION JUST FOR IT FOR NOW AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THE APRIL 1st SESH. YES? BUT I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH.

CAN I ASK JUST A QUESTION, IN MEASURE U, DIDN'T WE PROMISE AN ANNUAL REPORT -- DIDN'T WE PROMISE SOME ANNUAL REPORTING ALREADY? I THOUGHT THAT WE DID. SO I THINK THAT IS MEASURE U. AND IF THAT'S ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK IT'S ALREADY ADMITTED TO.

AN ANNUAL AUDIT OR SOMETHING?
I RECALL THAT TOO.

SO IT WILL BE PART OF THE CITY'S ANNUAL AUDIT. IT'S NOT A SEPARATE AUDIT.

I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER IF WE DID SAY WE WOULD DO AN ANNUAL REPORT.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I DO REMEMBER IT BEING PART OF THE CITY -- BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT WAS ANNUAL. SO THAT'S WHY I'M -- I THINK THAT'S COVERED. ANYWAY.

SO CAN WE DO A THUMBS UP ON LETTING PHIL WORK WITH STAFF AROUND THE

WATER --
THE ENTERPRISE.

YEAH, THE ENTERPRISE TO GET US MORE KNOWLEDGE, BE ABLE TO WALK INTO THE SETTING WITH IT. CAN WE GET A THUMBS UP?
AND JUST IF I COULD CLARIFY TWO THINGS. IT SOUNDED LIKE WATER -- YOU

WANT THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE FUND, SO WATER ENTERPRISE AND SEWER ENTERPRISE, AND THEN I'VE HEARD TWO SEPARATE THINGS. ONE IS SORT OF THE

PNSS, IF IT'S THE MONEY GOING TO THESE THINGS, ANOTHER IS OPERATIONAL, LIKE REVIEWING THE WATER QUALITY AND THAT SORT OF THING. IS THAT A DESIRE FOR BOTH? I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR DIRECTION IS CLEAR.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER FIRST.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND I ARE ON A STANDING COMMITTEE CALLED THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. SO BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TOGETHER,

HE AND I CANNOT TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE OUTSIDE OF BEING IN THE PUBLIC, BEING AT A BUDGET COMMITTEE. SO IT WOULD HELP THE PROCESS IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT AT THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. NOT LIKE LIMITED TO ONLY THEN, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY TIME WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE. OTHERWISE, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT.

OR IS IT A WHOLE SEPARATE ANIMAL AND WE CAN -- AND TALK ABOUT IT? ? SO IT'S A STANDING COMMITTEE, SO THOSE MEETINGS ARE AGENDIZED. SO YOUR

TOPICS THERE ARE ALL -- YOU CAN BROWN ACT -- BASED ONTHE CONVERSATION

YOU'VE HAD TONIGHT, IT DOES SOUND LIKE THIS IS NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE BUDGET COMMITTEE, RIGHT? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL IS DOING. IT'S

NOT SOMETHING THE COUNCIL HAS DELEGATED THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO DO OR HANDLE. IT'S WHETHER OR NOT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO THIS. IT'S NOT WITHIN THEIR EXISTING AUTHORITY TO CREATE A COMMITTEE LIKE THAT. AND SO

SINCE IT'S NOT WITHIN YOUR STANDING COMMITTEE, THE SCOPE OF THAT

STANDING COMMITTEE WITH TWO OF YOU COULD DISCUSS SOMETHING BECAUSE

IT WOULDN'T BE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THAT COMMITTEE'S SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

GREAT. WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT, CAN WE DO THUMBS UP BASED UPON AGREEING?

WE'RE THUMBS UPPING COMING BACK HAVING STAFF RESEARCH FOR OUR GOAL

SETTING MEETING WHAT IT WOULD BE INVOLVED TO DO A CITIZEN OVERSIGHT FOR THE ENTERPRISE?
MM-HMM.

AND THAT WOULD BE FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT.

CAN WE MAKE THAT A QUARTERLY MEETING?
I THINK IT'S FLUID.

I THINK THAT, YEAH --.

BECAUSE THAT WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.

THAT'S GOING TO BE SORTED OUT WHEN WE SEND IT TO STAFF TO REPORT BACK.

WHAT THEY RECOMMEND.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M THUMBS UP.

YEP.

THUMBS UP. OKAY, GREAT. ANYTHING ELSE, MARY, YOU NEED ON THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ALONG? OKAY. I THINK IT IS DOWN TO 14. CONSIDERATION OF

AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL PROTOCOLS TO INCLUDE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA AND ITEM -- SOMEHOW THIS GOT NOT QUITE

RIGHT, BUT ANYWAY, CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL PROTOCOLS

TO INCLUDE ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA -- OH,

OKAY -- AN ITEM TO ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO PLACE AN AGENDA ITEM AT

THE NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING WITH AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF TWO COUNCILMEMBERS. AND THERE'S NO FISCAL IMPACT WITH THIS DISCUSSION AND IT'S BROUGHT FORTH BY COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.

YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND PICK IT OFF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT QUITE IN FRONT OF ME.

THIS IS ONE OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THEY THINK THAT HAVE COME UP DUE TO OUR PROTOCOLS THAT WE PASSED. AND IT CAME UP RECENTLY THAT

THE AGENDA REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTS OF TWO MEMBERS OF THE

FIVE-PERSON COUNCIL, MADE A DECISION AND MOVED SOME MEETING STUFF

AROUND AND THE OTHER THREE OF US HAD NO INPUT AND WERE JUST KIND OF TOLD ABOUT IT. AND SO WHEN I TALKED TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, HE KIND OF

POINTED ME INTO THE DIRECTION THAT MANY COUNCILS HAVE A SPOT IN THEIR

AGENDAS ON A REGULAR BASIS WHERE ANY COUNCILMEMBER CAN BRING UP

SOMETHING THAT THEY'D LIKE TO GET ON AGENDA AND WITH THE ADDITION OF

ONE ADDITIONAL COUNCILMEMBER, THEN IT WILL BE PLACED ON EITHER THE NEXT AGENDA OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BASED ON THE STAFF REPORT. I THINK

THIS JUST SHOWS EQUITY AMONGST THE FIVE MEMBERS THAT ARE ELECTED AND

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE ROTATION, WHICH NOW IS A ROTATION PER OUR

PROTOCOLS, FOR MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR, THAT THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT

JUST HAVE FULL AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE OUR AGENDAS MINUS AND PLUS

WITHOUT THE OTHER THREE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT ARE NOT IN THE ROTATION DURING THEIR YEARS TO BE ABLE TO GET ITEMS MOVED FORWARD FASTER. SO I'M AUTHORING THIS TONIGHT. LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S AN UNINTENDED

CONSEQUENCE, NOBODY'S FAULT, THAT WE GAVE A LOT OF -- IN OUR NEW

POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS, I JUST WOULD SAY POWER TO WHO'S SITTING IN THE

VICE MAYOR AND MAYOR'S SEAT AND ALSO THE CITY ATTORNEY, I BELIEVE ARE

THE ONLY THREE PEOPLE CURRENTLY THAT CAN PUT SOMETHING ON AGENDA

UNLESS WE PASS THIS PROTOCOL TO ALLOW US TO BRING THINGS FORTH DURING A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING. I THINK THAT KIND OF RECAPS IT.

OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS?
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER.

THANK YOU. SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, I COULD SAY I REALLY

WANT TO GET SUCH AND SUCH ON THE AGENDA AND THEN YOU AGREE WITH ME

SO WHO WRITES THE AGENDA AND DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY GET APPROVED SINCE THERE'S TWO OF US SAYING YES? SO THEN WILL IT SHOW UP AT THE NEXT MEETING?

WE'LL SHOW --
HOW WILL THAT WORK?

I WORKED WITH THE CITY CLERK ON THIS, AND IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW COMPLICATED THE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE. IF IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING LIKE,

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE SEE -- WE'LL SAY MEETINGS SHOULD BE THIS DATE OR WHATEVER, THAT'S SIMPLE. IT CAN GET ON AGENDA. WE CAN VOTE ON IT. IF IT'S A

COMPLICATED ITEM RIGHT HERE, IF IT'S A MINOR WORK TASK THAT'S CONSISTENT

WITH PRIOR COUNCIL DIRECTION OR POLICY AND CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH

MINIMAL RESOURCES, CAN BE PLACED SOONER IF IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE WORK,

IF WE'RE NOT -- WE NEED STAFF TIME THEN IT MIGHT BE PLACED A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT THEY WOULD LET US KNOW.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU ARE CIRCUMVENTING THE AGENDA REVIEW COMMITTEE BY DOING THIS POLICY.

WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY CIRCUMVENTING, BUT I THINK GIVING DIRECTION TO

THEM THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE PLACED THAT'S OF CONCERN TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

OKAY.

SO IT MIGHT TAKE PRECEDENT OVER THE OTHER THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING AT, FOR EXAMPLE.

OKAY.

RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE SOLE DISCRETION.

IT'S TRUE. YEAH, I MEAN, THAT IS TRUE, BUT ALSO I JUST DEFINITELY WANT TO

SAY THAT IT'S LIKE AT LEAST SITTING ON IT, NOW I GUESS IN MY SECOND YEAR, WE DEFINITELY TRY OUR BEST TO JUST PUSH FORWARD EVERYTHING. ANYTHING WE GET, MINUS, OF COURSE, THE I.T. ONE. THAT WAS A THING, I ADMIT, THAT WAS

A THING, BUT OTHERWISE, I MEAN I THINK THAT WE DO ROUTINELY JUST

WHATEVER IS BEING PROPOSED, WE SLATE IT IN ALONG WITH STAFF TO BE ABLE

TO TELL US LIKE HOW MUCH LABOR IS GOING TO BE PUT IN THERE AND THEN ALSO ADJUSTING IT BY WAY OF CALENDAR. LIKE THEY TELL US LIKE IF THERE'S A

CONTRACT AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE THE CONTRACT, THEN THAT'S TAKEN

PRIORITY OVER ANYTHING ELSE, WHETHER, I WOULD ASSUME, YOU KNOW, ISSUES PUT FORTH BY US. SO I DON'T KNOW, I THINK I HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION ABOUT

IF THIS IS, LIKE, THE WILL OF ALL OF US, I THINK THAT'S GREAT, BUT IS IT ALSO SORT OF DUPLICATING THE EFFORTS OF AGENDA REVIEW, IDON'T KNOW.

LAST YEAR I SUBMITTED AN AGENDA REQUEST FOR THE LABYRINTH. THE LABYRINTH HAS BEEN DISMANTLED, AND THIS WAS A TEAM MEMORIAL. SO I'M

WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER, THE LABYRINTH DESIGNER, AND WE HAVE A FORMAL PROPOSAL, $5,000. IT'S BEEN SITTING IN AGENDA REVIEW FOR OVER A YEAR, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN ACTED ON. SO IF I BRING IT TO COUNCIL AND I

SAY I WANT THIS LABYRINTH TO GET ON THE AGENDA, AND LET'S SAY COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AGREES, WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

IT'S PLACED ON THE NEXT POSSIBLE AGENDA BASED ON WHERE THE STAFF REPORT CURRENTLY IS AT. IF THE STAFF REPORT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH VETTED, IT'S -- AGENDA REVIEW IS USUALLY THE DAY AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT COMES TO THE TOP OF THE LIST. IT ISN'T NECESSARILY, IN MY

OPINION, PLACED FIRST ON THE NEXT AGENDA, BUT IT'S FITTED IN -- IT'S FIT IN AS SOON AS WE CAN GET THE STAFF REPORT READY TO GO.

OKAY.

AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HANG OUT FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

SO IS THIS GOING TO BE A WRITTEN POLICY THEN?

THAT'S WHAT I'M PROPOSING, AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON EVERY -- IT'S GOING TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM. MAYBE OUR LEGAL CAN WEIGH IN ON EVERY SINGLE AGENDA.

WILL IT BE SEPARATE FROM COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS OR PART OF COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS?

IT WOULD BE SEPARATE, BUT IT WOULD BE SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, BOLD ITEM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE AGENDA. ITEM 19, YOU KNOW, FUTURE AGENDA -- REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

OKAY.

BECAUSE THE SPECIFIC -- JUST SO THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, BECAUSE THE SPECIFIC

AGENDA ITEMS ARE S AREN'T GOING TO BE LISTED, THERE CAN'T BE AN EXTENDED DISCUSSION.

THIS IS JUST ON HERE TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO SEND BACK TO STAFF SO THAT

THEY CAN WORK THROUGH WHETHER IT'S LOGISTICALLY POSSIBLE TO HAVE THIS IN ADDITION TO GENERAL REVIEW, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING?

I'M ASKING THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE PASSED, LIKE WE DID EARLIER TONIGHT, TO

NOW MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO INCLUDE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED ITEM TO

ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO PLACE AN AGENDA ITEM IN AN IDENTIFIED

REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING WITH AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF TWO COUNCILMEMBERS.

OKAY.

DOES STAFF HAVE ANY FEEDBACK YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE?

I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT NOT KNOWING HOW MY STAFF TIME MIGHT TAKE ON ITEMS. SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE YOU JUST STATED THE LABYRINTH AS AN

EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE THAT AND HAVE TWO COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SAY YES,

IF STAFF HAS NOT BEENINVOLVED IN THAT, I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TELL YOU AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE HAVE A POLICY WE MEET THE BROWN ACT IN 72 HOURS TO POST PACKETS. WE TRY TO GET THE COUNCIL REPORTS DONE A WEEK IN ADVANCE. WE TRY TO POST AT THAT TIME. WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL OF THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT. BUT IT'S A VERY SHORT TIME

PERIOD, UNLESS IT'S SIMPLE, BUT WITHOUT KNOWING HOW MUCH TIME IS

INVOLVED, IT'S HARD TO SAY, YES, WE CAN GET THAT DONE BY THE NEXT MEETING.

CAN I JUST ADDRESS THAT? BECAUSE IT IS ADDRESSED IN THE COUNCIL AGENDA RIGHT HERE. MARY AND I DISCUSSED THIS, AND THAT WOULD BE IT WOULD REFER

THE PROPOSAL TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR A BRIEF EVALUATION OF THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO PREPARE AN AGENDA ITEM. SO IT WOULD BE BROUGHT AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY INSTEAD OF LANGUISHING A YEAR.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER I THINK FIRST.

YEAH, JUST WANTED TO BE A LITTLE BIT AWARE OF PARAMETERS FOR THIS. YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT OVERLY ABUSED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IF THERE'S, YOU

KNOW, SOME KIND OF -- LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO DUMP ANYTHING ON TO THE AGENDA OR FORCE ANYTHING WHEN WE'VE GOT A LOT TO DO. BUT I DEFINITELY AM FOR THIS. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. I JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING SURE THE LANGUAGE IS PROTECTIVE.

AND JUST IN RESPONSE TO THAT, IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT TO ME, AND HERE WE

ARE TONIGHT CHANGING OUR COUNCIL PROTOCOLS THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS

ABUSING IT AND WE FELT LIKE IT WAS AN ABUSE AND IT WAS BECOMING A PROBLEM WE COULD COME BACK AND CHANGE COUNCIL PROTOCOLS.

SO IF I WANT TO PUT AN AGENDA REQUEST ON THE AGENDA, I WOULD WRITE IT MYSELF. I'D SUBMIT IT TO STAFF AND SOMETIMES I'VE SEEN MORE STAFF ADDS TO IT, YOU KNOW, MAKES IT BETTER. SO WITH THIS PROCESS ARE WE STILL WRITING OUR OWN AGENDA REQUESTS.

IN MY MIND IT'S IDENTICAL. IF YOU WANT STAFF TO EMBELLISH ON IT, IT'S NOT

GOING TO GET ON THE NEXT MEETING, IT'S GOING TO GET ON AS DIRECTED BY STAFF AND THE CITY AGENDA.

BUT WE STILL HAVE TO WRITE IT. IF I WANT TO PUT A PROPOSAL FOR IT, I STILL HAVE TO WRITE IT, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, OKAY. THANK YOU.

SEE A LOT OF CONFERRING OVER THERE. OKAY, SO AS FAR AS STAFF INPUT, I GUESS, THAT'S BEEN SOLICITED AND IT'S BEEN PROVIDED. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A QUESTION. SO I DON'T KNOW --

I GUESS WHAT I WAS ASKING THE CITY ATTORNEY IS I'M REQUESTING

CLARIFICATION AND MY QUESTION IS IF YOU'RE BRINGING AN AGENDA ITEM WITH THE FULL STAFF REPORT, TO ME THAT'S AN AGENDA ITEM. IF YOU'RE BRINGING

SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN AGENDA, THEN THAT -- I BELIEVE THE INTENT

OF THE POLICY, IT'S NOT BRINGING A FULL-FLEDGED STAFF REPORT THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN FOR THAT, IS THAT CORRECT?
CORRECT. SORRY IF I MISUNDERSTOOD. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM YOUR

STATEMENT, COUNCILMEMBER, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S USE THE LABYRINTH AS

AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU BROUGHT IT UP AT TONIGHT'S MEETING AND THERE WAS BUY

IN FOR THAT APPROVAL, YOU WOULD THEN SEND THAT INFORMATION TO MARY

AND THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO -- EXCUSE ME, THE -- COMMITTEE TO SET THE AGENDA AT THE SOONEST POSSIBLE TIME. YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THAT STAFF

REPORT FOR CONSIDERATION AT TONIGHT'S MEETING FOR, YOU KNOW, WHO WHETHER OR NOT TO ADD THAT.

CAN I JUST CLARIFY IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE DIFFERENT THAN RIGHT NOW. IT'S

MEANT TO GET YOUR AGENDA ITEM ON AND HAVE AGENDA REVIEW PRIORITIZE IT OVER NONPRIORITY. NOT TO SAY THAT THEY'RE NOT ALREADY PRIORITIZING MOST OF THE THINGS. BUT NOT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PRIORITIZED.

OKAY. ARE WE GOD WITH QUESTIONS? OKAY, I GUESS WE'RE GOING OUT OF THE PUBLIC. YEAH, OKAY.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, SO THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROTOCOLS FOR

ADDING AN AGENDA ITEM TO A NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING OR AS SOON AS

POSSIBLE PROTOCOL IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD COME TO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I WOULD GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, I CAN.

THANK YOU. ZACH, CAN I GET THE TIMER, PLEASE? KYLE, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR COMMENTS, AND I'LL JUMP IN. THERE YOU GO.

I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THIS PROPOSAL. IT'S GOING TO INTRODUCE DYSFUNCTION INTO OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL. IN THE U.S. SENATE THE FILIBUSTER AND RULES -- BUT OVER TIME BOTH PARTIES MANIPULATED THOSE RULES. WEAKENING THEM WHEN

IT WAS POLITICALLY CONVENIENT ONLY TO LATER FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED IN

A CYCLE OF DYSFUNCTION AND PARTISAN WARFARE, GRIDLOCK, BROKEN TRUST, AND AN INABILITY TO GOVERN EFFECTIVELY. THIS COUNCIL RISKS MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE. -- VETTED, PRIORITIZED. IT PREVENTS LEGISLATIVE CHAOS AND

ENSURES THE GOVERNING REMAINS FOCUSED ON THE MOST PRESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS. NOT JUST THE PRIORITIES OF A SMALL FACTION, ALLOWING

JUST TWO MEMBERS TO FORCE AGENDA ITEMS OUTSIDE OF THAT PROCESS IS NOT ABOUT TRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S ABOUT CIRCUMVENTING THE SYSTEM. IMAGINE IF EVERY COUNCIL SAW FIT TO REWRITE THE RULES WHEN IT SUITED THEIR POLITICAL INTEREST. IT SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT THAT CAN BE EXPLOITED BY FUTURE COUNCILS, LEADING TO GREATER INSTABILITY. IF THIS PROPOSAL PASSES, WHAT NEXT? WILL WE LOWER THE -- GOVERNANCE SHOULD NOT BE ERASED TO THE BOTTOM. WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK TO WASHINGTON TO

SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ABANDONING A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS FOR SHORTTERM POLITICAL GAIN. LET'S NOT MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT LEADS TO DYSFUNCTION. I URGE THIS COUNCIL REJECT THIS PROPOSAL AND UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF OUR AGENDA SETTING PROCESS. IF COUNCILMEMBER

HINTON REALLY WANTS THIS, SHE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL SHE'S MAYOR AND

PROPOSE IT AS A CHANGE UNDER THAT SCENARIO RATHER THAN AT A TIME AT WHICH SHE'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I WILL COME IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. THANK YOU, CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.

GO AHEAD, PLEASE.

YEAH, HI, GOOD EVENING. I THINK THIS IS THE KIND OF POLICY WITH SOME TWEAKS I MIGHT THINK HAS SOME VALUE. THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE COULD HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD FOLKS DOING AGENDA REVIEW. BUT IN

THE FUTURE, THERE MIGHT BE SOME HOLD-UP OR JUST MAYBE THERE'S

SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A PRIORITY AND MAYBE THE REST OF THE

COUNCIL BESIDES THE TWO ON AGENDA REVIEW WOULD LIKE TO BUMP IT UP A LITTLE MORE. AND I'M THINKING MORE FOR THE FUTURE WHEN MAYBE WE HAVE

DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THAT ROLE, THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD PROCESS, BUT RATHER

THAN JUST TWO COUNCILMEMBERS BEING ABLE TO PUT SOMETHING ON, IT SEEMS

MORE LIKELY THAT IF ONE PERSON PROPOSED SOMETHING, THEY SHOULD GET TWO SUPPORTING VOTES. SO RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ASKING

STAFF TO DO SOMETHING, TO DEVELOP YOUR PROPOSAL, YOU'VE GOT TO GET

THREE THUMBS UP DIRECTING STAFF TO BRING THAT BACK AND TO ALLOCATE THAT STAFF TIME. AND I WOULDN'T WANT A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, SOME, AGAIN,

FUTURE FOLKS, DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HERE WOULD

ABUSE IT BUT IN THE FUTURE, YOU CAN GET TWO PEOPLE THAT WANT TO LOAD UP

THE AGENDA OR CAUSE DYSFUNCTION WHERE IF YOU AT LEAST HAVE IT BE THREE, THEN YOU'VE GOTTEN A MAJORITY THERE. THAT'S REALLY JUST WANTING TO PRIORITIZE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE HAS BEEN HELD BACK. I THINK IT'S MORE

LIKELY THEN TO BE A HELPFUL WAY TO MOVE PRIORITIES FORWARD RATHER

THAN SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ABUSED AND IT MIGHT BE A TOOL THAT

WOULD ALSO HELP A GENDER REVIEW WHEN THEY -- WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF

COMPETING IMPORTANT THINGS TO GET A SENSE FROM OTHERS WHAT THEY'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE MOVED UP WITHOUT VIOLATING THE BROWN ACT. THANKS.

THANK YOU, JUNE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU, MARY. BACK TO THE DAIS, OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

WELL, RIGHT NOW ONE PERSON CAN ASK -- CAN SUBMIT AN AGENDA REQUEST, SO

HAVING IT COME TO THE DAIS AND HAVING TWO PEOPLE SEEMS LIKE A POSITIVE MOVEMENT. AND I THINK IT PROVIDES A CHECK ON THE AGENDA REVIEW COMMITTEE. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BAD THING. BUT MAYBE WE COULD TRY IT FOR A YEAR AND SEE HOW IT GOES. IS IT BEING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SUGGESTED THAT IT COULD BE ABUSED. I DON'T KNOW. BUT MAYBE WE COULD JUST TRY IT FOR A YEAR AND THEN BRING IT BACK AND SEE HOW THAT YEAR WENT. I THINK SIX MONTHS IS TOO SHORT, BUT A YEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TRIAL.

SO I'M ALL IN SUPPORT. I THINK -- I KNOW THEY DO IT IN ROHNERT PARK, SO I'D LIKE TO TRY IT.

YEAH, I'LL THROW MYSELF IN, BECAUSE I WAS ON THE LIBRARY COMMISSION, EXACTLY WHAT YOU PROPOSED. IT'S LIKE AT THE END OF THE MEETING IT'S LIKE

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO HEAR -- ACTUALLY, IT'S ON THE COUNTY BEHAVIORAL COALITION ON HOUSING. THEY SPECIFICALLY HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR FUTURE ONES. SO YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S GOOD. WE CAN JUST, I DON'T KNOW, TAKE IT FOR A YEAR. I DON'T KNOW, AS COUNCILMEMBER HINTON SAID, WE CAN ALWAYS REVISE ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T WORK AT ANY TIME. SO YEAH, MAYBE A YEAR OR SO. I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

I WOULD JUST SAY THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF OUR PROTOCOLS ARE WE'RE

GOING TO REVIEW THEM MANUALLY, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE PASS IT FOR A YEAR. WE PASS IT AND THEN WE REVIEW IT OR WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TALKED EARLIER ABOUT WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU TRYING TO SOLVE. TONIGHT COUNCILMEMBER MAURER AND MYSELF HAVE

MENTIONED ITEMS THAT SAT WITH AGENDA REVIEW THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT MAYORS AND VICE MAYORS FOR A YEAR. SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM I'M TRYING TO SOLVE AND I DON'T SEE IT AS ABUSE. I WOULD BE FINE WITH THIS POLICY WHETHER I'M SITTING ON AGENDA REVIEW OR I'M SITTING HERE. I THINK IT'S A

FAIRNESS ISSUE, AND I THINK THAT IF TWO MEMBERS CAN DECIDE AGENDA ON

AGENDA REVIEW, TWO OTHER MEMBERS CAN DECIDE AND USE A MECHANISM IF THEY WANT TO BRING SOMETHING FORWARD ON A BROWN ACT. SO -- OR NOT A BROWN ACT. MAYBE WE WOULD ALL AGREE IF SOMEBODY BROUGHT SOMETHING FORWARD. SO THAT'S JUST MY FINAL COMMENTS.

OKAY, COUNCILMEMBER --
CAN I JUST MAKE A MOTION TO GO WITH THIS.

SURE.

IS THAT OKAY?
YEAH.

I LOST IT. IS IT NUMBER 13?
NO, STAFF REPORT.

YEAH, CAN YOU READ IT. I LOST MY PLACE. I SWEAR I JUST HAD THIS.

THE MOTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO COUNCIL PROTOCOLS

TO INCLUDE ON REGULAR SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AGENDA AN ITEM

TO ALLOW COUNCILMEMBERS TO PLACE AN AGENDA ITEM AT THE NEXT

REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING WITH AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF TWO COUNCILMEMBERS. MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT INSTEAD OF IT STATING AT

THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING OR AS SOON THEREAFTER

BASED UPON INPUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER FOR TIME NEEDED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S FAIR.

MOVED.

SECOND.

THANK YOU, SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND SECONDED BY

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE COUNCIL PROTOCOLS AS JUST STATED. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.

COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.

COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?

YES.

MAYOR ZOLLMAN?
YES.

MOTION PASSES 4-1 WITH VICE MAYOR McLEWIS ABSENT.

ITEM 15, CONSIDERATION OF DIRECTION TO STAFF TO CREATE A FLAG POLICY FOR CITY BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES. ITEM WOULD BE TO DIRECT STAFF TO RETURN TO A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WITH A PROPOSED POLICY. THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT FOR THIS DISCUSSION AND THIS IS BROUGHT FORWARD BY MYSELF. I'LL

HAVE TO SAY, I FELT LIKE A LOT OF STRESS WITH LIKE THE PRIDE STROLL AND THAT WAS WHEN I WAS ORGANIZING IT. I WAS LIKE, THIS IS NOT CITY ORDAINED IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM UNTIL WE GOT TO THE FLAGPOLE. AND THEN I WAS LIKE,

THIS SEEMS ODD, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A FLAG POLICY EVEN THOUGH IT'S

INFORMALLY BEEN DECIDED YOU CAN RAISE A FLAG FOR THIS PARTICULAR MONTH. AND THEN OTHERS HAVE APPROACHED ME, IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WELL, IF

YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, THEN WHAT ABOUT NAACP AND THE MISSING VETERANS AND THIS AND THIS AND THAT. I'M LIKE, WHOA, I THINK WE NEED A FLAG POLICY. SO THANK YOU TO MARY, SHE ALREADY KIND OF HAS RESEARCHED

VARIOUS CITIES, AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE THEY ALL HAVE THESE TYPE OF POLICIES. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO JUST SORT OF BE OKAY WITH DIRECTING

MARY OR STAFF TO AT LEAST LOOK INTO THIS AND BRING IT BACK AND LET US

KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE, SO THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT FORWARD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, POLICY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT?
SOUNDS GOOD.

OKAY. ANY OTHER -- NO? OKAY, PUBLIC COMMENT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, SO THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DIRECTION TO STAFF TO

LOOK AT OTHER CITY POLICIES AND TO BRING BACK A FLAGS POLICY FOR CITY BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL COME IN CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON ZOOM. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

BACK TO THE DAIS. AND I GUESS THIS IS FOR DIRECTION, SO IT'S ANOTHER THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN, RIGHT?
WE HAVE A COUPLE.

OH, SORRY.

AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS FOR STAFF TIME, AND WE'VE ALREADY PUT A FEW THINGS ON TO THE STAFF FOR THIS. AND THE STAFF HAS A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW. AND

I'M NOT SURE THIS -- HAVING A FLAG POLICY DOES ANYTHING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC

TRUST AND SO I WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE COMFORTABLE WAITING ON THIS

FOR LIKE -- BRING IT BACK IN SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING SO WE CAN DISCUSS IT AGAIN. BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT. THE RFP FOR THE I.T., ALL THE OTHER THINGS WE DID. THAT'S JUST MY POSITION.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?

IN RESPECT TO THAT, CAN -- IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAY LIKE, LET'S CURB IT, TAKE YOUR TIME?
[ CAPTIONERS TRANSITIONING ]
NO RUSH. GET IT TOGETHER BEFORE JUNE MAYBE. I DON'T KNOW.

I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU CAN DO THAT. THIS IS NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL.

WE HAVE POLICIES WE CAN DO. I'VE DRAFTED SOME OF THE POLICIES YOU HAVE

AS EXAMPLES IN YOUR THING. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT TIME COMMITMENT LIKE THE RFP FOR I.T. OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE DECIDE WHICH FLAGS WE APPROVE AND DON'T APPROVE? SO AGAIN, IF WE'RE SHOOTING FOR JUNE AND WE SPENT THE NEXT

COUPLE MONTHS RESEARCHING IT, I WOULD ASK TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS

KIND OF INCLUDED BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THESE, I'M LIKE OKAY, WITHOUT

SAYING WHAT I THINK WOULD BE LIKE FOR SURE AND ARE WE RAISING A

DIFFERENT FLAG EACH AND EVERY MONTH BECAUSE I'M SURE WE COULD COME UP WITH A FLAG 12 MONTHS OF THE YEAR THAT'S ANOTHER CEREMONIAL FLAG OR

ARE WE -- I'D LIKE TO HAVE STAFF COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OF

WHAT -- I HATE TO SAY ARE THE MOST POPULAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A CEREMONIAL FLAG UP NECESSARILY 12 MONTHS A YEAR, I GUESS. THEN WOULD IT BE FOR THE WHOLE MONTH OR TWO WEEKS OUT OF THE MONTH? I DON'T KNOW. I'LL JUST SAY THE DOWNTOWN BANNER POLICY, 1990, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF ARGUMENTS, SO JUST WANT TO RAISE THAT.

WE COULD LOOK AT SORT OF WHAT FLAGS HAVE BEEN FLOWN IN THE PAST IN

ORDER TO COME UP WITH THAT LIST AND ALSO I THINK ANY POLICY WE PUT

TOGETHER WOULD SPECIFY THE PROCESS TO ADD NEW FLAGS TO IT SO THAT THE COUNCIL KNEW WHAT THAT PROCESS WAS.

CAN I JUST ADD IN REALLY QUICK? DOING SOME RESEARCH ALREADY ON SOME OF

THESE POLICIES, THERE IS IN THE POLICIES DEFINITION TO LIKE THEIR CITIES THAT

FLY THE PRIDE FLAG ALL MONTH WE HAVE FLOWN THE FLAG VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN ONE WEEK IN APRIL. IF IT DOESN'T GET DONE BY JUNE, WE STILL CAN DO

IT THROUGH A PROCLAMATION AND WE COULD DO THAT FOR PRIDE MONTH, BUT YES, IT'S IN THERE WITH THE LENGTH OF TIMES WOULD BE. SO WE WOULD BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS.

QUESTION, IS THERE A PROBLEM KEEPING THE FLAG POLICY INFORMAL LIKE IT IS NOW? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WE'RE TRYING TO FIX?

SO THE PROBLEM IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL IS AUTHORIZING

EACH FLAG TO BE FLOWN AND THAT THE FLAGS ARE THERE, REPRESENTATION OF

THE COUNCIL'S POLITICAL SPEECH BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE RUN THE RISK OF

SOMEONE CLAIMING THAT IT'S A PUBLIC FORUM, THAT ANYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO FLY THE FLAG AT. SO WE COULD DO THAT LIKE MARY MENTIONED AS AN AD HOC BASIS EVERY TIME WE WANT TO FLY A FLAG ADOPTING A PROCLAMATION. THAT IS

AN OPTION OR THE POLICY SERVED ALL AT ONCE AND THAT WAY EACH YEAR WE

DON'T HAVE TO AUTHORIZE THE FLAG BE FLOWN FOR PRIDE MONTH OR OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

THANK YOU.

THIS IS MY DIRECT. WE'RE THUMBS UP? WHAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING? THUMBS UP.

OKAY. PERFECT. IF THERE'S NOTHING MORE, WE'LL GO TO -- WAIT. WAS THAT IT? THAT'S IT.

OH, MY GOODNESS. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. MARY, PUBLIC COMMENT?
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS THE SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU DID NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MINUTE. IT'S A TWO-MINUTE PERIOD.

BEHIND THE VESTIBULE BEHIND YOU IT JUST SAYS SEBASTOPOL. I THINK THERE'S

A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING LOCALLY BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO LIVE

TECHNICALLY IN THE COUNTY WHAT THE COUNTY DEFINES AT SEBASTOPOL AND

THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. WE'VE GOT LIKE 4,000 TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY. WE'VE

GOT A ROOMFUL OF PEOPLE FROM SANTA ROSA AND GOD KNOWS WHERE WHO

DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE AND WHEN YOU DRIVE INTO TOWN, IT SAYS WELCOME TO SEBASTOPOL. IT DOESN'T SAY WELCOME TO THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE COME IN AND SWIM IN OUR SWIMMING POOL, WHICH IS GREAT AND USE THE SENIOR CENTER AND ON AND ON AND ON. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW. THEY ASSUME THAT THEIR TAX MONEY THEY'RE PAYING IN THE

COUNTY IS FUNDING THE CITY AND THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY, WHICH IS GREAT. I'M NOT COMPLAINING.

IT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNICATION ISSUE WHERE PEOPLE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, SO THAT'S MY COMMENT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, OLIVER. I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD AND DID NOT SPEAK AT THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

THANK YOU. THEN WE'RE MOVING DOWN TO CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORTS. CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK. MARY, ANYTHING?
I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE ON APRIL 1st THE CITY WILL HAVE THEIR GOAL SESSION. IT WILL BE HERE FROM STARTING AT 1:00 AND THEN WE WILL GO INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING AT 6:00. SO ON APRIL 1st AND I THINK THAT'S IT.

GREAT. THEN THIS IS FOR REPORTS FROM MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES. ANYBODY WANT TO GO FIRST?

I TOOK A SEBASTOPOL WALK WITH OUR FORMER MAYOR SARAH GURNEY AND THERE WERE 18 OF US THAT DID THIS AND NINE OF US WALKED BACK TO THE

PLAZA AND WE SAW THE NEW BEAUTIFUL MURAL OVER AT ANNA LEE HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT IS REALLY SPECIAL. I KIND OF WISH IT WAS IN TOWN SO EVERYBODY COULD SEE IT. LET'S SEE. WE MET ON THE APPLE BLOSSOM TRAIL TO CLARIFY THE ROUTE. I HAD A WATERSHED ASSOCIATION IN WINDSOR. THERE IS A NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG TAKE-BACK DAY APRIL 26th FROM 10:00 P.M. TO 2:00 P.M. AND I WILL TALK TO OUR POLICE CHIEF ABOUT HOPING TO HAVE SEBASTOPOL ON THE MAP WITH THAT PROJECT.

I ATTENDED THE TOWN HALL WITH JARED HUFFMAN AND WE HAVE SOME PROGRESS TO REPORT WITH THE NEW GARBAGE CONTRACTOR. SCRR IS

CONTACTING A LOT OF BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS AND THEY'RE WORKING

WITH SCHOOLS AND JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF A REAL GOOD POSITIVE OUTCOME IS THAT THEY'RE AUDITING. SO THEY'RE AUDITING BUSINESSES. THEY WORK WITH

THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING UNIT AND DID AN AUDIT OF THEIR CURRENT SERVICES AND IT LOWERED THEIR BILL. SO THAT'S A DIRECTION THAT I FEEL IS

REALLY IMPORTANT, REALLY GLAD TO SEE IT AND I HAVE OFFERED TO WORK

WITH ONE SPECIFIC NONPROFIT AND THEY HAVE NOT GOT BACK TO ME YET, BUT I

THINK WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF AUDIT I THINK IT CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE LIKE IT DID WITH THAT FAMILY HOUSING. THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE WANT TO GO? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
SURE. I ALSO ATTENDED JUST THE BEGINNING OF JARED HUFFMAN'S ADDRESS UP

AT BURBANK HEIGHTS AND THEN WE HAD A FIRE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON THIS MONDAY WHICH COUNCILMEMBER McLEWIS AND I BOTH ATTENDED. I RECUSED

MYSELF FROM HELPING SELECT THE OUTREACH COMPANY THAT WE HIRED FOR

COMMUNICATIONS TO THE PUBLIC, BUT IT WAS SELECTED BY THE REST OF THE

COMMITTEE TO GO WITH GRASSROOTS LAB AND THEY ARE THE SAME

ORGANIZATION THE CITY OR I GUESS COMMITTEE TO RUN OUR TAX MEASURE

USED. SO I THINK THAT PROBABLY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. WE DID GO

OUT FOR AN RFP AND WE HAD FOUR BIDDERS AND THREE OUT OF THE FOUR WERE

INTERVIEWED BY THE SUBCOMMITTEE AND AGAIN, I DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEWS OR THE FINAL DECISION. SO I THINK THAT IS IT FOR ME.

CAN I JUST ADD IN REALLY QUICK? I'M SORRY. ON THE FIRE AD HOC COMMITTEE,

IT'S GOING TO LAFCO TOMORROW, THE APPLICATION, WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
2:00 TOMORROW AFTERNOON BEFORE THE LAFCO WHICH IS IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING ROOM. I WILL BE ATTENDING ALONG WITH CITY STAFF AND GOLD RIDGE. SO WE ARE PREPARED FOR THAT AND OUR PROPOSAL I THINK IS BEING RECOMMENDED BY MARK BRANDT OF LAFCO. SO WE'VE GOT A RECOMMEND ON IT BEFORE IT GOES TO THE BOARD.

SO DOES THAT START THE 45-DAY PROTEST PERIOD, STARTING AFTER THEIR MEETING TOMORROW DEPENDING WHAT THEY DECIDE?
I BELIEVE IT STARTS ON THE 10th , MONDAY, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A 45-DAY PROTEST PERIOD. I WANT TO SAY MARCH 10 THROUGH MAY 2nd , BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE DATES.

ARE WE ALERTING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THAT 45-DAY PERIOD?
YEAH. THAT IS WHY WE HIRED THE COMMUNICATIONS FIRM, TO START ALL THE MEDIA.

THERE'S MAILERS REQUIRED TO TAXPAYERS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, LOTS OF STUFF.

COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, YOU WANT TO REPORT OUT?
I'LL PASS. IN ADDITION TO ATTENDING THE REGULAR MEETINGS, I ATTENDED MY

VERY FIRST HOMELESS COALITION BOARD MEETING, FASCINATING, TO FIGURE OUT

LIKE HOW ALL THE FEDERAL HUD MONEY RUNS INTO THE COUNTY AND THEN HOW

IT GETS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP OUR

UNHOUSED BASED UPON BEHAVIORAL AND ALSO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, HAD

MY VERY FIRST ONE-ON-ONE COINCIDENTLY WITH CONGRESSMAN HUFFMAN

BEFORE WE SAW HIM LATER IN THE DAY AND THE PRIMARY TOPIC FOR ME WAS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION FOR OUR YOUTH. THAT WAS PART

OF THE REASON WHY I DID THE START OF A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE YOUNG

PERSON THAT WE LOST WHO ACTUALLY GOES TO SCHOOL HERE, BUT YET LIVES IN SANTA ROSA.

SO IT WAS AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TIE-IN

BETWEEN HIS STAFF AND MIKE MAGUIRE'S STAFF AROUND TRYING TO SET UP A MENTAL HEALTH PILOT PROGRAM IN WEST COUNTY. SO THE WORK CONTINUES ON THERE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

OH, SORRY. I GUESS SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO THAT. THANK YOU, ALL. THANK YOU, ALL.

THANK YOU.

RECORDING STOPPED.

WE HAVE LEFT THE MEETING. [Event Concluded]