CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING OF APRIL 1, 2025
As Approved by the City Council at their regular meeting of April 15, 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.
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Zollman called the meeting to order at 6:05 pm ROLL CALL:
Present: Mayor Stephen Zollman
Vice Mayor McLewis
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Sandra Maurer
Absent: None
Staff: City Manager Don Schwartz
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Mary Gourley
City Attorney Alex Mog
Administrative Services Director Kwong
Building Official Steve Brown
City Engineer/Public Works Director Mark Rincon Ibarra
Community Development Director Emi Theriault
Police Chief Sean McDonagh
SALUTE TO THE FLAG : Mayor Zollman led the salute to the flag.
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. None Required. All Councilmembers were in attendance.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:
The following were presented:
Proclamation: Sexual Assault Awareness Month
Proclamation: Week of the Young Child
Proclamation: National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week 4/14 -4/20 Proclamation: Children’s Memorial Day (MOVES)
Certificate of Recognition - Years of Service Award – Mary Gourley, Asst City Manager/City Clerk:
Thirty (30) Years of Service
Agenda Item Number: 4 Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
Reference Order Number: 2025-105
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.
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. • Kyle
• Robert
• Oliver
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 was no request.
Mayor Zollman opened for Public Comment(s). The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment: None
Mayor Zollman called for a motion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Maurer moved and Councilmember Carter seconded the motion to approve consent calendar items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, Vice Mayor McLewis and Mayor Zollman Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
1. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2025 (Responsible Department: Assistant City Manager/City Clerk)
City Council Action: Approved City Council Meeting Minutes of March 18, 2025 Minute Order Number: 2025-106
2. Approval of Amendments to City Council Protocols Policy Number 6: Agenda Review Committee/Agenda Preparation and Placement of Items on an Agenda. Amendment is required due to Council Action on March 4, 2025 when Council approved Amendment to Council Protocols to Include on Regularly scheduled City Council Meetings an Item to allow Councilmembers to place an agenda item at an identified Regular Scheduled Council Meeting with an Affirmative Vote of Two Councilmembers. This item places that procedure into the Council Policy.
There is no fiscal impact to the City’s budget with approval of this item. (Responsible Department: City Attorney/Assistant City Manager/City Clerk) City Council Action: Approved Amendments to City Council Protocols Policy Number 6: Agenda Review Committee/Agenda Preparation and Placement of Items on an Agenda. Amendment is required due to Council Action on March 4, 2025 when Council approved Amendment to Council Protocols to Include on Regularly scheduled City Council Meetings an Item to allow Councilmembers to place an agenda item at an identified Regular Scheduled Council Meeting with an Affirmative Vote of Two Councilmembers. This item places that procedure into the Council Policy.
Minute Order Number: 2025-107
3. Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance Amending Section 13.08.110, Basis of Sewer Service Charges, of the Sebastopol Municipal Code and Approval of Changes to City Policy 94.
There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item to the City’s budget (Responsible Department: Public Works/Engineering)
City Council Action: Approved Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance Amending Section 13.08.110, Basis of Sewer Service Charges, of the Sebastopol Municipal Code and Approval of Changes to City Policy 94.
Minute Order Number: 2025-108
Ordinance Number: 1154
Resolution Number: 6656-2025
4. Letter from Mayor to Congressman Thompson expressing support for the City of Santa Rosa’s Community Project funding request for the Llano Trunk sewer of $3.1M from the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. Note that this is a continuum of funding requests via USACE. This funding request is for the construction phase.
There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item to the City’s budget (Responsible Department: Public Works/Engineering)
City Council Action: Approved Letter from Mayor to Congressman Thompson expressing support for the City of Santa Rosa’s Community Project funding request for the Llano Trunk sewer of $3.1M from the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. Note that this is a continuum of funding requests via USACE. This funding request is for the construction phase.
Minute Order Number: 2025-109
5. Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending Municipal Code 13.16.120; Collection and Disposal of Garbage. Item is to amend code from the existing ten year term to fifteen year term of agreement for solid waste collection services for the Garbage Franchise Agreement as approved and executed between the City of Sebastopol and Sonoma County Resource Recovery, LLC, and which will become effective July 1 2025.
There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item to the City’s budget (Responsible Department: City Attorney/Assistant City Manager/City Clerk) Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
City Council Action: Approved Introduction and First Reading of Ordinance Amending Municipal Code 13.16.120; Collection and Disposal of Garbage. Item is to amend code from the existing ten year term to fifteen year term of agreement for solid waste collection services for the Garbage Franchise Agreement as approved and executed between the City of Sebastopol and Sonoma County Resource Recovery, LLC, and which will become effective July 1 2025.
Minute Order Number: 2025-110
Ordinance Number: 1155
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):
6. Consideration of Direction to Voting Delegate to Vote at Special Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association Meetings (Board Meeting) to be held in Sebastopol on Thursday April 10, 2025; Item to include Request from Mayor to authorize Mayor or Voting Delegate voting authority to vote at the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection or Board Meetings where there is not enough time to have the item discussed and considered by the Council as a whole.
There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item to the City’s budget (Responsible Department: Assistant City Manager/City Clerk) Assistant City Manager Gourley presented the agenda report recommending the City Council Consider Direction to Voting Delegate to Vote at Special Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association Meetings (Board Meeting) to be held in Sebastopol on Thursday April 10, 2025; Item to include Request from Mayor to authorize Mayor or Voting Delegate voting authority to vote at the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection or Board Meetings where there is not enough time to have the item discussed and considered by the Council as a whole.
Mayor Zollman asked for questions. There were none.
Mayor Zollman opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke:
Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Direction to Staff:
The Council discussed the recommendations below.
Measure H Oversight Committee – 2 Seats. 3-year term starting in May. *Note – you must be an independent County resident; active fire chiefs, active fire directors, County employees, or spouses to any such individuals may not serve on the committee. Meeting schedule details are pending.
Letters Received:
Jeff Okrepkie, Santa Rosa
Evelyn Mitchell, Healdsburg
Sandra Lowe, Sonoma
Neysa Hinton, Sebastopol
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
Jill McLewis, Sebastopol
The Council was unanimous in support of the following:
Supporting:
Vice Mayor McLewis
Councilmember Hinton
If one or both of the members are not supported at the meeting by the Board, the following order of nominees are supported in the order shown:
1. Jeff
2. Sandra
3. Evelyn
OTHER APPOINTMENTS:
North Bay Division LOCC, Executive Board – 2 Seats (to fill expiring terms of Susan Harvey of Cotati and Janice Cader Thompson of Petaluma) 1 primary seat and 1 alternate seat. 2-year term starting in April.
Letters Received:
Susan Harvey, Cotati
Janice Cader Thompson, Petaluma
Stephen Zollman, Sebastopol
The Council was unanimous in support of the following in the order listed below:
Supporting:
1. Mayor Zollman
2. Susan Harvey
3. Janice Cader Thompson
Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Citizens Advisory Committee – 2 Seats (to fill expiring terms of John Shribbs of Petaluma and Kevin McDonnell of Petaluma). 2-year term starting in April.
Letters Received:
John Shribbs, Petaluma
Marjorie Morgenstern, Cloverdale
Karen Nau, Petaluma
The Council was unanimous in support of the following in the order listed below:
Supporting:
1. John Schribbs
2. Marjorie Morgenstern
Additional Direction Required:
Recently, on January 31, 2025, the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection called a special meeting for voting on an item for the California Coastal Commission for nominations to be submitted to the Senate Rules Committee. Due to the urgency of the special meeting, there was not enough time for the Council to consider direction to the Mayor for this meeting. In instances where there isn’t sufficient time for the City Council to provide direction to the Mayor or Voting Delegate for voting on urgent items, such as was the case Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
with the recent special meeting for the California Coastal Commission nominations, it is recommended that the Council authorize the Voting Delegate or their alternate(s) to have the authority to cast votes at a City Selection or Board Meeting on behalf of the City. However, this should be contingent upon a subsequent report back to the full Council to ensure transparency and accountability on the decisions made. This approach would provide flexibility for voting in time-sensitive situations.
MOTION:
Councilmember Hinton moved and Councilmember Carter seconded the motion to approved direction as indicted above to Voting Delegate to Vote at Special Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association Meetings (Board Meeting) to be held in Sebastopol on Thursday April 10, 2025; and approved Request from Mayor to authorize Mayor or Voting Delegate voting authority to vote at the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection or Board Meetings where there is not enough time to have the item discussed and considered by the Council as a whole.
Mayor Zollman called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Maurer, Vice Mayor McLewis and Mayor Zollman Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved direction as indicted above to Voting Delegate to Vote at Special Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association Meetings (Board Meeting) to be held in Sebastopol on Thursday April 10, 2025; and approved Request from Mayor to authorize Mayor or Voting Delegate voting authority to vote at the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection or Board Meetings where there is not enough time to have the item discussed and considered by the Council as a whole.
Minute Order Number: 2025-111
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. There was none.
COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS: There were no requests.
CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:
7. 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)
City Manager Schwartz provided updates to the Council.
8. 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)
City Councilmembers provided updates.
9. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers). None
CLOSED SESSION: NONE
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor Zollman adjourned the April 1, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting at 7:30 pm to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary C. Gourley
Assistant City Manager/City Clerk
ATTACHMENT: RAW ZOOM TRANSCRIPT
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
City Council Meeting - April 1, 2025
WHO [Event Concluded]
I HEARD THE FACT THAT THAT WOULD BE THE VERY FIRST TIME FOR CLOVERDALE
TO PASS INTO POSITION, AND I KNOW A NUMBER OF US HAVE SAID THAT WE
SHOULD LOOK OUT, BECAUSE WE ARE A SMALL CITY, I THINK ABOUT THE APPOINTMENTS FOR SMALL AND BIG, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL EQUALLY VALUABLE.
SO YES, I WOULD SUPPORT THE WOMAN FROM CLOVERDALE.
I AGREE, I WOULD SUPPORT MARJORIE FROM CLOVERDALE, THEN ALSO KAREN.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I DEFINITELY SUPPORT CLOVERDALE FOR THE
REASONS THAT YOU PUT, THEN I WAS GOING TO SAY JOHN BECAUSE I AM FAMILIAR WITH HIM, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE A HEAVY OPINION.
OTHER THOUGHTS?
I HAVE A QUESTION, ISN'T HE ALREADY ON -- HE'S LIKE A VICE CHAIR, RIGHT? YEAH, HE IS CURRENTLY ON THERE. AND IS HE VICE CHAIR?
I READ HIS LETTER EARLIER. I WAS TRYING TO FIND IT.
OKAY, LET ME LOOK AT HIS LETTER, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE OF WHO I SUPPORT.
I THOUGHT YOU SAID HE WAS -- MAYBE I AM MISREMEMBERING THAT HE WAS GOING TO ADVANCE TO -- MAYBE I AM WRONG. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND IT AGAIN.
I'M TRYING TO FIND IT. MAYBE I AM MISREMEMBERING. IS THAT --
I AM CURRENTLY VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, AND IF I CONTINUE, WE WILL
PROBABLY BE NOMINATED FOR ONE OF THE THREE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE POSITIONS, IS WHAT HE WROTE IN THIS LETTER.
SO THAT'S WHY I WAS THINKING, I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE -- JUST BECAUSE HE
HAS BEEN THERE AND IS WORKING HIS WAY UP, BUT ALSO SUPPORT -- SAME REASONS FOR CLOVERDALE. SO, THAT IS WHERE I AM LEANING.
IT SEEMS LIKE -- I MOVE MY SUPPORT OVER TO JOHN AND MARJORIE.
OKAY, AND I AM FINE WITH THAT. [ INAUDIBLE ] ALL THUMBS UP ON THAT. SO, MARY, DO YOU WANT TO STATE THE MOTION?
THERE IS ALSO ONE MORE PART OF THIS, THERE ARE TWO PARTS TO THIS, THAT
WOULD BE SUPPORTING THOSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, AND I WILL DO A
MOTION AT THE END, BUT THE SECOND TASK IS TO GIVE THE MAYOR AUTHORITY
TO VOTE WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO BRING AN ITEM BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. WE DID HAVE A MEETING JUST RECENTLY WHERE THE BOARD CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING FOR NOMINATIONS. THE
MAYOR DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO VOTE, SO HE DID NOT VOTE, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. SO, THIS IS TO GIVE THE MAYOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE AT AN EMERGENCY MEETING OR A SITUATION WHERE HE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
YEAH, I WANT TO EVEN MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THIS. THIS IS HAPPENED
BEFORE WHEN I WAS MAYOR, AND I THINK THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE. OTHERWISE SEBASTOPOL DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE IN
THESE SITUATIONS, SO IF WE DIRECTED HIM LIKE WE HAVE TONIGHT TO VOTE A
LITTLE DEEPER, BUT IN THE INSTANCE THAT WE HAVEN'T DIRECTED HIM AND SOMETHING COMES UP, I FEEL 100% CONFIDENT IN HAVING WHOEVER IS OUR
MAYOR AT THE TIME MAKE THAT VOTE, VERSUS US SIT BACK AND ABSTAIN AND
HAVE NO VOTE, SO, I REALLY THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SEBASTOPOL TO
ALWAYS HAVE A VOICE, AND I TRUST THAT AS COLLEAGUES, THAT WE WILL INSTILL IN OUR MAYOR TO MAKE THE RIGHT CALL ON THE FLY.
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
I WILL SUPPORT THAT.
SO, WOULD THAT BE A MOTION FOR THE ENTIRE ACTION? AND WOULD THAT BE A SECOND? SO, THE MOTION WOULD BE MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AND
SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING -- I THINK WE DO HAVE TO GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, ARE WE HOLDING? SO, YES.
GETTING OLD, 30 YEARS, MAYBE I AM LOSING IT. SO, THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THE APPOINTMENTS TO THE ASSOCIATION, SO WE WILL COME INTO CHAMBERS FIRST, THEN GO OUT AND ZOOM. KYLE? REX I REALLY APPRECIATE COUNCIL
DELIBERATING OVER REPRESENTATION, SPECIFICALLY OVER THE SALES TAX OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. HOWEVER, I WANT TO READ A BROADER CONCERN, BY
FOCUSING ON OVERSIGHT THROUGH THIS KIND OF APPOINTEE, WE ARE REALLY
JUST MISSING THE LARGER PICTURE, THE PROPOSED PRIOR SERVICES
CONSOLIDATION WOULD ACTUALLY REMOVE LOCAL CONTROL AND IMPOSE A
SIGNIFICANT TAX WITHOUT CLEAR LONG-TERM BENEFITS --
IS THAT IN REFERENCE TO THE ITEM THAT IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED? IT IS NOT.
OKAY, SO THIS WAS --
SO, LET ME REEL IT IN. THE SUGGESTION TONIGHT IS TO PROVIDE LOCAL
OVERSIGHT BY APPOINTING TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO AN OVERSIGHT BOARD ON SALES TAX MEASURES. SALES-TAX MEASURES THAT ARE GOING TO FUND FIRE SERVICES. HOWEVER, THAT OVERSIGHT IS MINUSCULE COMPARED TO
THE OVERSIGHT THAT WOULD COME FROM US ABANDONING THE CONSOLIDATION
EFFORT, AND INSTEAD ALLOW LOCAL CONTROL OVER THOSE SALES TAX FUNDS TO
BE SPENT WITHIN OUR OWN FIRE DISTRICT, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WOULD BE SPENT LOCALLY. WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTROL WHEN WE OFFLOAD
THAT RESPONSIBILITY, HAND OVER OUR ENTIRE FIRE SERVICES THROUGH A CONSOLIDATION EFFORT THAT IS GROWING CLOSER. SO, WHILE I APPRECIATE
COUNCIL'S EFFORT, AND LOOKING AT MEANS BY HAVING SOME OVERSIGHT, A
SALES TAX MEASURE RELATED TO FIRE SERVICES, WE ARE MISSING THE BIGGER
PICTURE, WHICH IS WE ARE HANDING OVER SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY, RESOURCES, OUT AND LOSING FIRE SERVICES AS A RESULT OF THAT, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, KYLE, FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE APPOINTMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, I WILL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
SEEING NONE. PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
MARY, I THINK THERE HAS NOT BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THANK YOU, SO IT IS SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AND SECONDED BY
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO SEND IT FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AND VICE MAYOR McLEWIS, AND TO SUPPORT JEFF FIRST . SORRY. SANDRA SECOND. AND THE CHANCE THAT THE VICE MAYOR AND
COUNCILMEMBER ARE KNOCKED OUT, JEFF WOULD BE CONSIDERED FIRST,
SANDRA LOWE SECOND AND ELLEN MITCHELL THIRD FOR THE NORTH DIVISION IN CALIFORNIA CITIES. IT IS A RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT THE MAYOR STEPHEN
ZOLLMAN, SUSAN HARVEY SECOND, AND JANICE THOMPSON THIRD, AND FOR THE
SONOMA COUNTY OPEN SPACE TO CONSIDER SUPPORT FOR JOHN AND MARJORIE,
AND TO ADD THE APPROVAL TO GIVE THE MAYOR THE AUTHORITY TO VOTE UPON
HIS DISCRETION IF THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO BRING COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON? COUNCILMEMBER MAUER? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
OKAY, NOW WE ARE ON TO THE ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT, AGAIN, FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
THIS IS THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. IF YOU DID NOT SPEAK DURING
THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE GO IN CHAMBERS FIRST, AND THEN ZOOM.
IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS, SEEING NONE. I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM? SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
JUST FOR THE RECORD, TOMORROW IS THE TOWNHALL REGARDING THE FIRE SITUATION.
I THINK I HAVE A FEW MORE ITEMS BEFORE WE GET TO --
YEAH, SO THE NEXT ITEM IS THE NEW ITEM THAT WE PUT ON AGENDA, THAT IF
THE COUNCILMEMBER HAS AN AGENDA ITEM IN THERE IS ANOTHER
COUNCILMEMBER THAT SUPPORTS IT, THIS IS THE TIME TO BRING THOSE FORWARD.
[ INAUDIBLE ] COUNCILMEMBER MAURER?
QUESTION. TODAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA URBAN STREAM RESOLUTION REQUESTS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A 50 -- CAN WE BRING THAT BACK FOR THE NEXT MEETING?
SO, THERE HAS BEEN AN AGENDA ITEM REQUEST TO BRING THAT BACK. WE WILL
DISCUSS AGENDA REVIEW ON WEDNESDAY, AND WE WILL CONSIDER THE PLACEMENT OF IT AT THAT TIME.
DO YOU NEED A SECOND FOR THAT?
NO, THAT IS ALREADY A FORMAL REQUEST THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ON UPCOMING AGENDAS? NO.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF REPORTS, COMMUNICATION ANNOUNCEMENTS, FUTURE MEETINGS. I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, AND THEN CITY CLERK.
THE FIRE TOWNHALL IS TOMORROW NIGHT, THE FIRST OF THE TWO TOWN HALLS.
THE SECOND ONE IS ON ZOOM AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS, I DON'T RECALL THE DATE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. TO FOLLOW UP, ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS,
TOMORROW MORNING, I WILL BE SPEAKING WITH THE NOW FORMER DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES `COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS OFFICE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS,
AND PARTICULARLY AROUND -- I'VE BEEN ASKED TO TALK ABOUT THE HOMELESS
COALITION WORK, INTEGRATING COUNTY AND CITY EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS. SO, THAT CONVERSATION IS TOMORROW. JUST A FOLLOW-UP FROM TODAY'S DISCUSSION, SO, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PROJECTS ON OUR LIST THAT
WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET, THESE ARE THINGS WE ARE WORKING ON NOW THAT EITHER WILL FINISH BY JUNE 30th OR WILL CONTINUE TO BE ON JUNE 30th.
PUTTING TOGETHER A WORK PLAN WOULD BRING THAT CLOSER TO 21 OR SO.
WHAT I'M THINKING OF DOING IS INCORPORATING AS MUCH AS WE CAN,
REASONABLY, INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO WHEN WE NEED DECISIONS ON
ITEMS THAT AFFECT THE BUDGET, WE WILL TRY AND FRAME THOSE AND BRING THEM TO YOU AS PART OF THE BUDGET DECISION-MAKING. OTHERWISE, FRANKLY, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW WE ARE GETTING OUR ARMS AROUND IT. IT MAY
COME TO YOU IN PHASES, WITH ONE PHASE PARTICULARLY TO A DEPARTMENT OR TWO WHO WILL BE WORKING ON YOUR PRIORITIES. AND ALSO, ON IVES PARK, A LOT OF INTEREST, I WANT TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THAT. WE'VE GOT THE GRANT REQUEST AS A POSSIBILITY, WE HEARD ABOUT FENCING. FLOODING IS Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
A MAJOR ISSUE THERE. SO, AFTER OUR MEETING, I MIGHT TALK TO SOME OF OUR TEAM. WE NEED TO TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AS OPPOSED TO ISSUE BY ISSUE
WITH IVES, CONSISTENCY WITH THE PLANTS, WHAT WOULD ONE PROJECT ME FOR ANOTHER, ET CETERA? AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER HINTON MENTIONED THE
OPEN SPACE POLICY ON GRANTS, AND THIS TIES TO COUNCILMEMBER MAURER'S COMMENT . I HAVE ASKED STAFF TO CONTACT THE OPEN SPACE DISTRICT AND
FIND OUT IF PROGRESS THUS FAR ON THE TRAIL WOULD IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO QUALIFY FOR A GRANT TO SUPPORT IVES PARK. SO, WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS WE HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION ON THAT. SO, THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT FOR YOU. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
GREAT, AND MARY?
NO, JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HAVE A JANUARY REVIEW MEETING TOMORROW.
WE HAVE A BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING I BELIEVE APRIL 8th. I WON'T STEAL THE
THUNDER ABOUT THE BUYER TOWNHALL, I WILL LET THE COMMUNITY DISCUSS THAT ONE.
GREAT.
CAN WE HAVE A CLOSED SESSION ON THE SEVENTH?
NO, WE DO NOT, IT WILL BE ON THE 14th.
AND NO TO COUNCILMEMBER'S COMMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO START? VICE MAYOR?
LET'S SEE. SO, I JUST RETURNED, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I AM LIAISON FOR SEBASTOPOL WORLD FRIENDS. AND THIS YEAR IS OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THE CITY IS VERY FAR SOUTH IN JAPAN. IT IS A CITY OF ABOUT 49,000 PEOPLE. SO, I WENT THERE WITH THE DELEGATION AND SPENT SOME TIME THERE, LEARNING ABOUT THEIR GOVERNMENT PROCESSES. I THOUGHT IT
WAS INTERESTING THAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT AT ANY MEETING. THEY HAVE 20 COUNCILMEMBERS, PLUS A MAYOR AND A VICE MAYOR, AND THEY SAID ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOT EFFICIENT. [ LAUGHTER ] SO,
THEY PROVIDE COMMENT CARDS AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY, SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO DO THE TOUR. I DID PRESENT
THEM -- WE HAD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, WE HAD A CELEBRATION WITH THE
COMMUNITY AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE WORLD FRIENDS
SINCE IT STARTED, SO WE HAD SOME OF THE ORIGINAL FOLKS THERE THAT SAW A VISION IN PARTNERING WITH US, YOU KNOW. AND SO, I PRESENTED A GLASS BLOWN APPLE THAT WAS ENGRAVED WITH SEBASTOPOL 2025. AND THEN IN
ADDITION, I PRESENTED THEM WITH A SEBASTOPOL FLAG, WHICH WAS RECEIVED VERY WELL. IT WAS JUST INTERESTING. I MEAN, WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE AND WE OPENED THE FLAG AND EVERYONE JUST SAID, OH! THEY
SAID THEY NEVER RECEIVED ONE, SO IT WAS VERY TOUCHING, THERE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. SO, AND THEN THEY PRESENTED US WITH -- JUST WITH CELEBRATE 40th ANNIVERSARY SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP ESTABLISHED MARCH 87, 1985. STILL WAITING TO HEAR WHEN THEIR NEXT VISIT WILL BE HERE, BUT CITY
EMPLOYEES DID TAKE ME ON A TOUR OF THEIR LIBRARY, WHICH WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SHARE HOW THEY DO IT, IT WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL 10 YEARS AGO, AND I LEARNED A LOT. THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TAKE PICTURES, THEY HAVE A RULE ABOUT NOT TAKING PICTURES IN THEIR LIBRARY. SO, IT IS A SAFE SPACE. SO, AT ANY RATE, IT WAS JUST REALLY AN HONOR TO BE THERE AND TO
SPEND TIME WITH EVERYONE AND REPRESENT SEBASTOPOL, IT WAS VERY TOUCHING. YOU KNOW, IT IS A PRETTY REMOTE AREA OF JAPAN, ONE THAT -- YOU
KNOW, IT'S NOT A TOURIST DESTINATION, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH Agenda Item Number: 4
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City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
EVERYONE HOW TOUCHING IT WAS TO ACTUALLY BE THERE FOR ALL THAT TIME.
AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE MADE FRIENDS FOR LIFE ALREADY, I HAVE HAD SOME OF
THE PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO MEET THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAILING ME, ET CETERA, SO THEY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT COMING HERE. MANY OF THEM HAVE
ALREADY BEEN HERE MANY TIMES, I THINK SOME OF THEM MIGHT HAVE MORE FRIENDS THAN I DO IN SEBASTOPOL, BECAUSE THEY KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE. I'M SORRY. I HAVEN'T BEEN AT ANY OTHER MEETINGS, OTHER THAN I WILL BE BRINGING A REPORT BACK. I KNOW WE NEED TO BRING A REPORT BACK
REGARDING HOUSE CITIES, AND I WAITING FOR ALL MY SLIDES AND EVERYTHING, SO I CAN BRING THAT REPORT BACK. I DID THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING HERE, THE NEXT DAY, I LEFT FOR THAT CONFERENCE. BUT I JUST WANTED TO
SHARE WITH EVERYONE, IT WAS VERY TOUCHING TO HAVE PEOPLE SO IN LOVE WITH SEBASTOPOL SO FAR AWAY, I MEAN, THEY JUST LOVE THIS CITY. IT'S JUST
VERY TOUCHING TO LISTEN TO THEM ALL AND ALL THEIR STORIES ABOUT THEIR
VISITS HERE AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE, SO, IF ANYONE ELSE, THERE LIKE A HUGE AMBASSADOR FOR US. AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I SHOULD GIVE THIS TO, BUT I GUESS MARY. THAT IS MY REPORT.
THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING US. INDEED IS THERE ANYONE ELSE?
NOT MUCH TO REPORT. JUST HAD MEETINGS WITH THE COST GROUP AND WE MET
ABOUT THE APPLE BLOSSOM TRAIL AND WE HAVE HAD TWO BUDGET MEETINGS, AND WE ARE REALLY MOVING THAT BUDGET PROCESS ALONG. KUDOS TO STAFF
FOR THEIR PREPARATION ON THIS, AND I THINK MAYBE I REPORTED THIS LAST
TIME, BUT WE APPROVED A BUDGET POLICY, AND THAT PROBABLY WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL. AND THEN I ALSO ATTENDED THE
JOINT DRV PLANNING MEETING ON A LOW, BECAUSE I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT WAS, SO THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU. TURNING TO MY RIGHT, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
ON, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN GOING
AROUND TO BUSINESSES, JUST AS A COURTESY FROM THE COUNCIL, TO CHECK IN, TO SEE HOW EVERYBODY IS DOING. I HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN WORKING ON THE
IVES PROJECT, TRYING TO GET THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT INTERESTS, FOR MYSELF
TO UNDERSTAND THE CONGRUENT -- YOU KNOW, ASPIRATIONS OF ALL THESE GROUPS. SO, THOSE HAVE BEEN THE TWO BIGGEST THINGS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, MY APPOINTMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVE.
THANK YOU. THE FIRST THING THAT I KIND OF ALLUDED TO, WHICH IS THE HOMELESS COALITION, BOARD. THAT I HAVE BEEN SERVING ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS. IT IS INTERESTING, AND DAWN, I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE
MEETING WITH THEM, BECAUSE THINGS ARE -- THINGS ARE PECULIAR, LET'S JUST SAY. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN STREET
WORKERS AND CASEWORKERS, LIKE WE HAVE COME THROUGH COMMUNITY HOUSE SERVICE. OUR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD WERE APPARENTLY NOT WELL RECEIVED BY STAFF. IN PARTICULAR, ONE. AND IT WAS ACCORDING TO HIS EMAIL
HE SENT OUT THE DAY AFTER, THEY WERE RUDE, THEY WERE DISRESPECTFUL, WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE CLIMATE IN WHICH WE NOW EXIST, EVERYTHING ELSE.
CHATTED WITH THE BOARD PRESIDENT, THAT WAS NOT HER FEELING AT ALL. SO, I
THINK IT IS TIME TO MOVE AND DECIDE IF WE STILL WANT THE COUNTY TO BE THE
LEAD AGENCY FOR THE HOMELESS COALITION, WHICH IS A HUGE ORGANIZATION
THAT GETS TONS OF MONEY, AND WHETHER WE ON THE LOCAL LEVEL ACTUALLY Agenda Item Number: 4
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City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025
GET ANY BANG FOR OUR BUCK AT ALL, SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT PUBLICLY. I, TOO, ATTENDED -- THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO TO COW
CITIES AND SIMILAR TO VICE MAYOR, I OWE YOU GUYS A WRITTEN REPORT, I WILL, BUT I'M SO EXCITED. THIS MEANT THE SLIDES FOR THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF ALL OF THE BILLS FOR EACH OF THE CAUCUSES. MARY WILL SEND THEM TO YOU. I
AM WAITING ON MY SIDE AS I AM ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE FOR COMMUNITY
SERVICES, WHICH COINCIDENTALLY IS TO DO WITH THE HOMELESS CHILDREN, ELDERS, THE WHOLE THING THAT MAKES COMMUNITIES EXCITING TO LIVE IN. JUST
FOR THOSE THAT ARE GEEKS THAT WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG, THERE IS A CURRENT A.B. 543 BY MARK GONZALEZ, WHICH WOULD ALLOW MEDI-CAL
AUTOMATIC PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY TYPE OF LICENSED CLINICIAN TO
GO INTO ENCAMPMENTS, WHETHER THEY BE DOCTORS, WHETHER THEY BE
PSYCHIATRISTS, TO BE ABLE TO COME IN, THE PERSON IS PRESUMED ELIGIBLE, AND
THE WHOLE PART IS THAT THIS IS JUST TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS IMMEDIATELY, TO HOPEFULLY SET THEM ON A BETTER PATH. THIS IS A
PRECURSOR, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MEDI-CAL FUNDED, THIS IS JUST A WAY TO STREAMLINE. VERY EXCITED, WE TOOK A VOTE OF SUPPORT FOR THIS TO ADVANCE IT. WHO HAS NOT WENT? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
I DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. WE DO HAVE
THAT FIRE TOWNHALL TOMORROW NIGHT, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW TOO
MUCH ABOUT IT, IT WASN'T ON MY CALENDAR, SO -- BUT I WILL BE ATTENDING AT 5:30. WITH HOPEFULLY AS MANY OF US THAT CAN. AND I THINK THERE IS ANOTHER
ZOOM MEETING IN A FEW WEEKS, SO I DID RECEIVE THE LETTERS IN THE MAIL
THAT ARE OUR NOTIFICATION ABOUT THE FIRE REORGANIZATION, AND SO, I KNOW
THOSE ARE OUT, AT LEAST THEY WERE OUT TO ME, SO, AND I HAVE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF THE POSTCARDS, SO I KNOW THEY ARE OUT IN THE MAIL AS WELL. SO, YEAH. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.
VICE MAYOR?
I FORGOT, AND SAID THAT I WOULD READ THIS SHORT LITTLE PARAGRAPH FROM THE VICE MAYOR OF THE CITY. THEY GAVE IT TO ME IN ENGLISH, BECAUSE HE OBVIOUSLY -- HE JUST SAID THAT THIS YEAR MARKS THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR CITY AND SEBASTOPOL, WHICH BEGAN IN MARCH 1985 WITH THE MUTUAL DISPATCH OF STUDENTS FROM BOTH CITIES. WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE MEMBERS
OF SEBASTOPOL WORLD FRIENDS, AS WELL AS OUR MANY PREDECESSORS WHO
HAVE SUPPORTED OUR FRIENDSHIP OR THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND EFFORTS THAT
HAVE ENABLED THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN OUR TWO CITIES TO CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. I HOPE THAT THIS WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO CITIES
WILL CONTINUE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME FOR THE SENDING AND RECEIVING OF
STUDENTS, WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF OUR EXCHANGE AND AT THE CIRCLE OF EXCHANGE THAT HAS BEEN FOSTERED WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. IN CONCLUSION,
I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE MY WELCOME AND ADDRESSED BY EXPRESSING
SINCERE WISHES FOR THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF EACH CITY AND FOR THE HAPPINESS OF ALL OF YOU GATHERED HERE TODAY. THAT WAS PART OF HIS SPEECH THAT I SAID I WOULD READ. SO --
VERY NICE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING MORE? IF THERE IS NOT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. AND YEA, THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL, THE COMMENTS SPEND THEIR TIME. THANK YOU.
[ EVENT CONCLUDED ] . [Event Concluded]
Agenda Item Number: 4
Agenda Item Number: 4
City Council Meeting Packet of: April 15, 2025