CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: January 6, 2026
=========================================================================================== To: Honorable City Councilmembers
From: Interim City Manager
Subject: Designating Voting Delegate and Alternate(s) to Vote in the Mayor's Absence for the 2026 Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection Committee Meetings and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board and General Membership Association Meetings.
=========================================================================================== RECOMMENDATION:
This item is to request that the City Council Approve Designating Voting Delegate and Alternate(s) to Vote in the Mayor's Absence for the 2026 Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection Committee Meetings and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board and General Membership Association Meetings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Association shall have as its principal purpose to foster a spirit of cooperation among the cities of Sonoma County and enhance public health, safety and welfare and good working relationships between the governments of all the cities and the County of Sonoma.
The Association is an informal organization and shall not have the authority to enter into contracts or to create obligations binding on either itself or its membership other than those obligations expressly provided by Federal, State or Local laws and then only when formally approved in accordance with law.
PROCESS OF AGENDA ITEM:
1. If item remains on consent, no presentation of item is required. Item would be approved as a consent calendar item.
2. If item is removed from the consent calendar; item would be placed at the end of the regular agenda items or as otherwise determined by the Mayor for discussion following the process below:
a. Presentation of agenda item by the Requestor or Responsible Department b. Questions and discussion from Councilmembers
c. Public comment period
d. Council deliberation and motion
BACKGROUND:
The Association shall be comprised of the following members:
1. Regular Members:
1. All Mayors, Vice Mayors and Councilmembers of the incorporated cities and town in the County of Sonoma
2. Board of Directors:
Agemda Item Number 4
Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026
1. All Mayors of the incorporated cities and town in the County of Sonoma.
3. Associate Members:
1. City/Town Managers of each of the incorporated cities and town in the County of Sonoma
2. Supervisors in the County of Sonoma
The Board of Directors of the Association shall be comprised of the Mayors of the member cities and the officers of the Association.
The Board of Directors shall have the powers to:
• Review policy items and develop the agenda for the Association.
1. In connection with the development of the agenda for the Association, any member of the Board of Directors may, during a Board of Directors meeting, request to place an item on the next General Membership meeting agenda. The Board of Directors will determine by majority vote (5 of 9) of the Board of Directors whether to place the item on the agenda for the next General Membership meeting.
• Make appointments of Associations’ representatives to organizations or committees such as:
1. ABAG Executive Board; and
2. ABAG Regional Planning Committee; and
3. ABAG Hazardous Waste Management Facility Allocation Committee; and
4. County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District Advisory Committee; and
5. County Child Care Planning Council; and
6. Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Commission Board of Directors; and
7. North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) Board of Directors; and
8. Sonoma County Human Services Commission; and
9. Other organizations, commissions or committees as may be created or authorized. • Act as the Sonoma County City Selection Committee in accordance with Government Code Sections 50270 et seq., to make recommendations or appointments to organizations, commissions or committees such as:
1. Local Agency Formation Commission; and
2. Golden Gate Bridge, Highways & Transportation District; and
3. Airport Land Use Commission; and
4. Metropolitan Transportation Commission; and
5. Bay Area Air Quality Board; and
6. Remote Access Network (RAN) Board; and
7. Other organizations, commissions or committees as may be created or authorized.
Agemda Item Number 4
Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026
• Make recommendations to the Association on matters of interest, and issue position letters on behalf of the Association, provided it is supported through an affirmative supermajority vote (6 of 9) of the Board of Directors. Any letters issued on behalf of the Association shall be distributed to the Association members and Associate Members as soon as possible by the Secretary.
1. Provide programming topics for the General Membership meetings to the Chairperson and Secretary, acting in their role as the Program Committee.
2. Conduct the Association’s business in an orderly manner.
DISCUSSION:
The Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association conduct five (5) regular membership meetings on the second Thursday of every other month beginning in February of each year (excluding December) at a time and place designated by the Chairperson of the Association.
Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers By Laws state: In the event a Mayor is unable to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors, the Mayor shall designate another Regular Member of the Association from their City/Town, to serve as the representative, by letter delivered to the Secretary at the time of such meeting or prior thereto. In lieu of a letter being provided prior to each meeting, cities may instead provide a letter to the Chairperson at the beginning of each term designating the approved alternates for their city. By such a letter, a Mayor may designate another Regular Member of the Association from their City/Town to serve as the representative on all occasions when the Mayor is absent, or only for a particular meeting or meetings. The representative shall enjoy the same voting privilege during the Board of Directors’ meeting as would the Mayor the designee represents. In the absence of such a letter, no one shall be entitled to act as the representative of a Mayor. The Association Secretary shall make the incoming Board of Directors aware of this provision prior to the annual transition meeting.
By such a letter, a Mayor may designate another councilperson to serve as his/her representative on all occasions when the Mayor is absent, or only for a particular meeting or meetings. The representative shall enjoy the same voting privilege during the Board of Directors' meeting as would the Mayor he/she represents. In the absence of such a letter, no one shall be entitled to act as the representative of a Mayor.
Tonight’s item is to approve the designation of a voting representative and alternate(s) for the City of Sebastopol as listed below:
Voting Designate Mayor McLewis
Voting Alternate Vice Mayor Maurer
Voting Alternate Councilmember Carter
Voting Alternate Councilmember Hinton
Voting Alternate Councilmember Zollman
Agemda Item Number 4
Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026
In the event that more than one of the above-listed alternate representatives are present and the Mayor is absent, they will be permitted to vote in the order given above.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Approval of the recommended voting delegate and alternates ensures the City of Sebastopol maintains full participation and voting authority in the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association and City Selection Committee meetings in the event the Mayor is unable to attend. Designating alternates in advance complies with the Association’s By Laws and avoids the need for meeting-specific authorization letters, ensuring continuity, efficiency, and representation of the City’s interests.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS/PRIORITIES; AND/OR GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This agenda item represents the City Council goals/priorities as follows:
Goal 4: HIGH PERFORMANCE ORGANIZATION
Restoring public trust
Improve Public Communications
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of the agenda item.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with approval of this item.
RESTATED RECOMMENDATION: Approve the designation of the Mayor as the City of Sebastopol’s voting delegate and approve the listed Vice Mayor and Councilmembers as alternate voting representatives, in the specified order, for the 2026 Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers City Selection Committee Meetings and Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board and General Membership Association Meetings.
OPTIONS:
Modify the list or order of designated alternate voting representatives and approve as modified. Council would need to remove this item from the consent calendar for this option.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Letter
APPROVALS:
Department Head Approval: Approval Date: 12-29-2025
Agemda Item Number 4
Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026
CEQA Determination (Planning): Approval Date: 12-29-2025 The proposed action is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Administrative Services/Financial Approval: Approval Date: 12-29-2025 Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No X N/A Account Code (f applicable) ___________________________ City Attorney Approval: Approval Date: 12-29-2025
City Manager Approval: Approval Date: 12-29-2025
Agemda Item Number 4
Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026
City Council
Mayor Jill McLewis
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Stephen Zollman
Interim City Manager
Mary Gourley
[email protected]
January 7, 2026
City of Santa Rosa
Chair City, SCMCA
Chair, Mayor Mark Stapp
100 Santa Rosa Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
And
Sonoma County City Selection Committee Chairperson
Clerk of the Board
County of Sonoma Board of Supervisors
575 Administration Drive, Rm. #100A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
To Whom It May Concern:
In the event that I am unable to attend a meeting of the 2026 Mayors and Councilmembers Association Board of Directors Meeting and/or the Sonoma County City Selection Committee or Mayors and Councilmembers General Membership Meeting, the following Councilmembers are designated representatives who may speak and vote in my place:
Voting Alternate Vice Mayor Maurer
Voting Alternate Councilmember Carter
Voting Alternate Councilmember Hinton
Voting Alternate Councilmember Zollman
In the event that more than one of the above-listed alternate representatives are present and the Mayor is absent, they will be permitted to vote in the order given above.
Sincerely,
Jill McLewis
Mayor
Agemda Item Number 4 Agemda Item Number 4
City Council Meeting Packet for January 6, 2026