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]
Meeting of Tuesday, February 3, 2026
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MINUTES FOR MEETING OF February 3, 2026
As Approved by the City Council at their regular meeting of February 17, 2026.
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor McLewis called the meeting to order 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Mayor Jill McLewis Via ADA Accommodation
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Hinton will be attending remotely pursuant to Government Code section 54953(b)” Location Teleconferencing From: Hampton Inn and Suites
2901 Campus Way North
Glenarden, MD 20706
Hampton Inn and Suites Conference Room
Councilmember Stephen Zollman
Absent: None
Staff: Interim City Manager Mary Gourley
City Attorney Alex Mog
Administrative Services Director Kwong
Human Resources Consultant Deborah Muchmore
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 Requested utilizing AB 2449.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The City of Sebastopol acknowledges that we live and work within the unceded ancestral homelands of the Southern Pomo and the Coast Miwok people. We pay our respect to the past, present, and future generations of these peoples, including the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
City of Sebastopol History Acknowledgement by Mayor
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:
• Proclamation – Black History Month
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 2
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.
AGENDA ITEM:
1. Interviews for two Openings on the Climate Action Committee: City Council to conduct interviews for two openings on the Climate Action Committee and consider making appointments later in the agenda.
Members with one or more of the following experiences/characteristics:
• Youth Representative
• Climate Change
• Sebastopol Business Owner
• Local Climate Action Group
• Environmental Justice and Equity
• Rights of Nature
• Energy
• Transportation
• Zero Waste
APPLICANTS EXPERIENCE/CHARACTERISTICS:
Kenna Lee Climate Change
Olivia House Youth Representative
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Interviewed Kenna Lee; Olivia did not attend the meeting.
Reference Order Number: 2026-027
2. Appointments to Openings on the Climate Action Committee Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment: None
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion to approve the appointment of Kenna Lee to the Climate Action Committee.
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 3
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Re-appointed Kenna Lee to the Climate Action Committee.
Minute Order Number: 2026-028
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.
1. Michelle
2. Shelley
3. Shantell
4. Gianna
5. Oliver
6. Robert
7. Brienna
8. Sam
9. Kelsey
10. Ben
11. Kimberley
12. Samuel
13. Valerie
14. Rob
15. Loraina
16. Carole
17. Maria
18. John
19. Jackie
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 McLewis read the consent calendar.
Mayor McLewis asked if any Councilmember wanted to remove a consent calendar item. There were no requests.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 4
Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment:
Steve
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion to approve consent calendar item number(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
3. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Meeting of January 19, 2026 – Special City Council Meeting – Closed Session
Responsible Department: Interim City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Approved City Council Meeting Minutes for Meeting of January 19, 2026 – Special City Council Meeting – Closed Session
Minute Order Number: 2026-029
4. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Meeting of January 20, 2026 – Regular Meeting Responsible Department: Interim City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Approved City Council Meeting Minutes for Meeting of January 20, 2026 – Regular Meeting Minute Order Number: 2026-030
5. Adoption of Resolution authorizing the closure of Main Street during the 2026 Apple Blossom, Saturday, April 25, 2026 the use of the South High Street parking lot for the Apple Blossom Festival and the suspension of street vendors/solicitation licensing Section 201 of Ordinance No. 696 Responsible Department: Police
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item. Per past practices, the Chamber of Commerce will be billed for Personnel Overtime and Materials. It is estimated that amount will be $7,500.
City Council Action: Approved Adoption of Resolution authorizing the closure of Main Street during the 2026 Apple Blossom, Saturday, April 25, 2026 the use of the South High Street parking lot for the Apple Blossom Festival and the suspension of street vendors/solicitation licensing Section 201 of Ordinance No. 696 Minute Order Number: 2026-031
Resolution Number: 6729-2026
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 5
6. Acceptance of DOJ Tobacco Program Grant. This item is to approve the Resolution accepting the Tobacco Grant in the amount of $31,704 to be used for costs related to the enforcement of the City of Sebastopol Tobacco Retail Ordinance.
Responsible Department: Police
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Approved Acceptance of DOJ Tobacco Program Grant. This item is to approve the Resolution accepting the Tobacco Grant in the amount of $31,704 to be used for costs related to the enforcement of the City of Sebastopol Tobacco Retail Ordinance.
Minute Order Number: 2026-032
Resolution Number: 6730-2026
7. Approval of Notice of Completion for the Americorps Trail Extension Project.
Responsible Department: City Engineer/Department of Public Works Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Approved Notice of Completion for the Americorps Trail Extension Project.
Minute Order Number: 2026-033
8. Proposed FY26-27 Budget Calendar. The FY26–27 Budget Calendar outlines the City’s annual budget development process. It serves as a structured timeline to ensure timely coordination across departments and compliance with required budget adoption deadlines.
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Council Action: Approved Proposed FY26-27 Budget Calendar. The FY26–27 Budget Calendar outlines the City’s annual budget development process. It serves as a structured timeline to ensure timely coordination across departments and compliance with required budget adoption deadlines.
Minute Order Number: 2026-034
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).
9. Quarterly update from the Building the Commons Committee. Update on progress of the committee since the initial kick off meeting on October 7th.
Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare agenda item report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with receipt of this item.
Interim City Manager Gourley presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. There were none.
Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period: None
The Council thanked staff and the committee for the presentation.
City Council Action: None taken. Received report.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 6
Reference Order Number: 2026-035
10. Q2 Financial Update (Oct-Dec 2025) – General Fund
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with receipt of this item.
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. There were none.
Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period: There were none.
The Council thanked staff and the committee for the presentation.
City Council Action: None taken. Received Report.
Reference Order Number: 2026-036
11. Q2 Financial Update (Oct-Dec 2025) – Enterprise Fund Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with receipt of this item.
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions City staff.
Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period: None.
The Council thanked staff and the committee for the presentation.
City Council Action: None Taken. Received Report.
Reference Order Number: 2026-037
PUBLIC HEARING(s):
12. First Reading and Introduction of Updates to the Formula Business Ordinance.
Responsible Department: City Attorney/Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare agenda item report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
City Attorney Mog presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions of the City Attorney.
Mayor McLewis opened the public hearing public comment period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period:
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 7
Member of the audience
Marghe
Oliver
Deborah
Lauren
Kristin
Hearing no further comments, Mayor McLewis closed the public hearing.
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:
Council continued discussion of the item.
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion the First Reading and Introduction of Updates to the Formula Business Ordinance.
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved the First Reading and Introduction of Updates to the Formula Business Ordinance.
Minute Order Number: 2026-038
Ordinance Number: 1163
MOTION:
Mayor McLewis moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion to:
• Direction to City Attorney to prepare ordinance to Prohibiting all new formula businesses Mayor McLewis amended her motion and Councilmember Zollman seconded the amended motion to authorize:
• Direction to City Attorney to prepare ordinance to prohibiting all new formula businesses and bringing the draft to the City Council with options before it goes to the Planning Commission Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Zollman and Mayor McLewis
Noes: Councilmember Carter, Hinton and Vice Mayor Maurer
Absent: None
Abstain: None
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 8
City Council Action: Denied Direction to City Attorney to prepare ordinance to prohibiting all new formula businesses and bringing the draft to the City Council first with options before it goes to the Planning Commission Minute Order Number: 2026-039
Motion Fails.
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
13. Approval of Contract/ Employment Agreement for Director of Public Works The agreement is for a three-year term ending on February 22, 2029.
The terms and conditions of the proposed agreement are comparable to those of other Director positions in the County of Sonoma. In addition to the standard terms and conditions, the Agreement provides for the following salary and benefits:
• Annual base salary will be $157,408.
• Annually, the cost of living adjustment equal to the CPI percentage change of the San Francisco Area reported in April, not to exceed three (3) percent, effective July of each fiscal year. • City provision of the same health plans (medical, dental, and vision) that are provided to other City management employees and City payment of that portion of the employee and dependent rate or premium as is determined by the City for all management employees. • Director will be eligible to accrue vacation hours in accordance with the rules, caps, and maximums described in the City’s Personnel Rules. Initially that accrual will be 10 working hours per month.
Director will accrue sick leave as laid out in the City’s Personnel Rules which currently provide 120 hours per year or 10 hours a month (4.6154 hours a pay period). • In fiscal year (“FY”) 25-26, the Director will be granted 33 hours of Administrative Leave. Beginning in FY 26-27, the Director will be granted a total of 100 hours Administrative Leave with pay during each fiscal year (50 hours accrued on July 1st and 50 hours accrued on January 1st.) • Termination without cause and severance. Termination of the Director’s employment without cause may be effected by the City Manager giving thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Director. Upon such termination, the Director shall be entitled to additional salary equal to that which would accrue during thirty (30) calendar days following the Director’s termination date, plus the cash equivalent of all accumulated vacation as of the day of termination. The Director’s acceptance of said severance pay shall constitute a final settlement and satisfaction of all claims of the Director against the City arising out of his employment.
Responsible Department: Human Services Consultant/Administrative Services Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item as the salary and benefits in the amount of $242,700 are budgeted and allocated within the existing FY 25-26 City Budget. Additionally, insurance premiums of 8.92% in Workers’ Compensation (approximately $14,041) and a 7.87% in General Liability (approximately $12,388), totaling $26,429—are also already included in the Public Works budget.
Human Resources Consultant Deborah Muchmore, MuchmoreThanConsulting, presented the agenda item and introduced Oriana Hart.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. There were no questions.
Mayor McLewis opened the public comment period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period: None
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 9
None
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Zollman moved and Vice Mayor Maurer seconded the motion to approve the employment agreement for Director of Public Works between the City of Sebastopol and Oriana Hart and authorize the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement on behalf of the City Council.
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, and Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved the employment agreement for Director of Public Works between the City of Sebastopol and Oriana Hart and authorize the Interim City Manager to execute the agreement on behalf of the City Council.
Minute Order Number: 2026-040
Resolution Number: 6731-2026
14. FY25-26 Mid-Year Budget Amendment:
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. Mid-year adjustments improve the General Fund position by $466,500, increasing the originally budgeted surplus from $3,945 to a significantly higher level due to onetime salary savings from vacancies. Revenues increase by $10,635, and expenditure adjustments across departments produce reduction in expenditures reductions. The Water Fund gains a $10,040 surplus, and the Wastewater Fund gains a $6,400 surplus. Overall, the City’s fiscal position remain stable but cautious.
Administrative Services Director Kwong presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions of City staff.
Mayor McLewis opened the public comment period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period:
Robert
Kyle
Oliver
Mary
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:
Council continued discussion of the item.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 10
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Mayor McLewis seconded the motion to approve Adoption of Resolution Approving the Mid-Year Budget Adjustments to the City of Sebastopol Budget for FY2025-26.
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, and Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved Adoption of Resolution Approving the Mid-Year Budget Adjustments to the City of Sebastopol Budget for FY2025-26.
Minute Order Number: 2026-041
Resolution Number: 6732-2026
15. Sebastopol Women Led Business Owners Celebration & Networking Evening Requestor: Councilmember Carter
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. Agenda requestor has requested $500 - $700 for this event. There is no fiscal impact as $3000 has been budgeted for this program (Economic Gardening) in the Planning Department budget for FY 25 26.
Councilmember Carter presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions of the requestor and/or City staff.
Mayor McLewis opened the public comment period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period:
Robert
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:
Council continued discussion of the item.
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Councilmember Zollman moved and Councilmember Hinton seconded the motion to Approve and authorize the City of Sebastopol Women-Led Business Owners Celebration & Networking Evening, with up to $700 in funding. • And a report back to the City Council
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 11
Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, and Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved
Minute Order Number: 2026-042
16. Direction to the Mayor, or their alternate, to support appointments to be made by the Sonoma County Mayors’ and Councilmembers’ Association’s Board of Directors at its February 12, 2026, meeting.
Responsible Department: City Attorney/Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare agenda item report is covered within existing budgeted salaries. No additional financial impact is anticipated with approval of this item.
Mayor McLewis presented the agenda item.
Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. There were none.
Mayor McLewis opened the public comment period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period: None
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:
Council continued discussion of the item.
Board of Directors Appointments:
Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Aviation Commission - 2 Seats.
Letters Received:
• David Hagele of Healdsburg
• Tanya Potter of Windsor
• Mark Stapp of Santa Rosa
The Councill supported the following applicants:
• David Hagele of Healdsburg
• Tanya Potter of Windsor
Childcare Planning Council - 1 seat
Letters Received:
• Karen Nau of Petaluma
• Stephen Zollman of Sebastopol
• Samantha Rodriguez of Rohnert Park
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 12
The Councill supported the following applicants:
• Stephen Zollman of Sebastopol
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.
MOTION:
Mayor McLewis moved and Vice Mayor Maurer seconded the motion to provide the following direction to the Voting Delegate as follows:
Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Aviation Commission - 2 Seats. • David Hagele of Healdsburg
• Tanya Potter of Windsor
Childcare Planning Council - 1 seat
• Stephen Zollman of Sebastopol
City staff conducted a roll call vote.
VOTE:
Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, and Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis Noes: None
Absent: None
Abstain: None
City Council Action: Approved the following direction to the Voting Delegate as follows:
Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Aviation Commission - 2 Seats. • David Hagele of Healdsburg
• Tanya Potter of Windsor
Childcare Planning Council - 1 seat
• Stephen Zollman of Sebastopol
Minute Order Number: 2026-043
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.
Kyle
COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS Councilmember Zollman requested an agenda for Micah’s Hugs Councilmember Carter supported the request.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
Page | 13
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)
a. Planning Director Interviews
b. Agenda Review Committee Meeting Thursday
c. Met with Chamber on BIA Funds; agenda
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)
19. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION: NONE
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor McLewis adjourned the February 3, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting at 9:51 pm to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Gourley
Interim City Manager
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
City Council Meeting - February 3, 2026
.
CARTER.
HERE.
HINTON.
HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HINTON
IS
ATTENDING REMOTELY.
McLEWIS.
HERE.
WE'LL DO A SALUTE TO
THE
FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH
IT
STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER
GOD,
INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALL RIGHT.
THEN I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AM PARTICIPATING WITH MY --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
-- THIS EVENING.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF COUNCIL MEMBER
NEYSA
NEEDED TO SAY ANYTHING.
I'M PARTICIPATING PARTICIPATING
MARYLAND AT THE
HAMPTON INN.
I DO HAVE ANY AGENDA
MY AGENDA POSTED
PUBLICLY.
I WANT TO NOTIFY THAT I
DO
NOT HAVE ANYONE IN THE ROOM WITH
ME.
SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND MOVE
ON
WITH THAT.
THANK YOU.
WE HAVE A LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
THAT WE READ AT THE BEGINNING
OF
EACH
MEETING.
THE CITY OF
SEBASTOPOL
ACKNOWLEDGES WE LIVE IN THE
UNCEDED
HOMELANDS OF THE --
GIVE ME A SECOND TO PULL THEM
UP.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OKAY.
NO PROBLEM.
DO YOU WANT TO LET ME
KNOWKNOW -- I
THE ROOM PINNED SO I'M NOT
SURE I CAN SEE WHEN YOU HAVE IT
UP.
THE FIRST PHOTO ISIS
CURRENT CITY HALL FROM WAY BACK
WHEN.
OH, OKAY.
TONIGHT THIS IS JUST A PICTURE
TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE TOWN HALL
CITY HALL LOOKED LIKE.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM ONE OF
THE LOCAL PAPERS IN 1937
WITH
THE OCCUPANCY OF THE
SEBASTOPOL'S NEW
$20,000 CITY
HALL RAISING ONE OF THE OLDEST
PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN
SONOMA
COUNTY HAS BEEN COMPLETED
AND
THE FAMILIAR FRONT OF THE OLD
LANDMARK HAS BECOME A MEMORY.
THAT'S THE PHOTO THAT IS UP
RIGHT NOW.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THE OLD WOODEN TWO-STORY
FRAME
STRUCTURE WHICH WAS
ERECTED
ABOUT 1865 HAS BEEN COMPLETELY
REMOVED FROM CITY HALL SITE ON
BODEGA AVENUE BETWEEN MAIN
AND
MORRIS STREETS, AND A
MODERN
STUCCO CIVIC
BUILDING AND A BROAD
EXPANSIVE LAWN NOW
REPLACE
IT.
DID YOU HAVE BOTH PICTURES,
MARY?
I'M DOING IT RIGHT NOW.
OKAY.
JUST FOR CONTEXT SINCE WE'RE
ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT COST
WITH
THIS HISTORICAL -- WITH THE
NEW
CITY HALL BEING BUILT,
THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW
REENFORCED CONCRETE CITY HALL
AND FIRE STATION AT SEBASTOPOL
WAS COMPLETED
UNDER WHAT'S
CALLED WHAT'S WPA PROJECT BACK IN
1937 WHICH IS CALLED A
WORK
PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AND THE FEDERAL
EXPENDITURES
WERE $4795 FOR LABOR AND
$3034
FOR MATERIALS WHILE THE
CITY
CONTRIBUTED $8500 FOR MATERIALS,
EQUIPMENT AND SKILLED LABOR.
THE WORK PROGRESS
ADMINISTRATION
PROGRAM WAS MOSTLY FOR
MEN WHO
WERE NOT FORMALLY EDUCATED TO
CARRY OUT PUBLIC WORK
PRODUCTS
INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PUBLIC BUILDS AND ROADS.
THIS WAS SET UP IN 1935 BY
PRESIDENTIAL ORDER AS KEY
PART
OF THE SECOND NEW DEAL.
I JUST THOUGHT WE ALL MIGHT
ENJOY SEEING WHAT THE
OLD CITY
HALL LOOKED LIKE AND THE
ONE
THAT WAS ERECTED IN 1938.
JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT
FOR
THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW I AM
SHARING EVERY MEETING A BIT
OF
HISTORY WORKING WITH TERESA
RAMANDO.
I WILL MOVE ONTO OUR PRESSING
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
MATTERS NOW.
WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION
TONIGHT.
THAT IS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
I JUST WANTED TO VERIFY IS
OUR
VICE MAYOR ABLE TO READ
THAT.
COUNCIL
MEMBER --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
HE IS GOING TO READ THE
PROCLAMATION.
THANK
YOU.
YES.
THIS IS KOIMCOUNCILMEMBER
-- HONOR
THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK
BLACK TO OUR NATION'S
HISTORY AND CULTURE
WHEREAS
BLACK RESIDENCE DEPARTMENTS HAVE
BEEN A PART OF SONOMA COUNTY
CALIFORNIA'S EARLIEST
DAYS
INCLUDING THOSE WHO
ARRIVED
DURING THE GOLD RUSH ERA
AND
THOSE WHO
BUILT COMMUNITY
DESPITE
FACING DISCRIMINATION IN
THE NORTH BAY.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SCIENCE, CIVIL RIGHTS,
ARTS,
LABOR AND CULTURE ENRICHING OUR
NATION'S STORY DESPITE
FACING
SYSTEMIC BARRIERS
THROUGHOUT
HISTORY AND WHEREAS
SEBASTOPOL
CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT
TO
HONORING BLACK HISTORY NOT
ONLY
IN FEBRUARY BUT THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR AND TO
ADVANCING RACIAL
EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
FEBRUARY 2026 IS BLACK HISTORY
MONTH.
ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS
TO
REFLECT ON THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
BLACK AMERICANS TO OUR SHARED
HISTORY, CULTURE AND
FUTURE.
IN WITNESS THEREOF OUR MAIL HAS
PLACED HER HAND ON THE
GREAT
SEAL OF THE CITY OF
SEBASTOPOL
THIS 3rd OF FEBRUARY 2026.
I DO SERVE ON THE STEERING
COMMITTEE FOR OUR LOCAL NAACP
AND OUR CURRENT EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF OUR CHAPTER TO
ACCEPT.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SHE RESPECTFULLY
DECLINES.
SHE HAS MADE REQUESTS OF
THE
CITY TO PUT FORTH
CONCRETE
ACTION STEPS TO FURTHER
EQUALITY.
I WILL ALSO SAY THE FACT
THAT I
WAS APPOINTED TO CAL
CITY'S
ADVANCING EQUITY COMMITTEECOMMITTEE
WE DID MEET.
I'M HOPING WITH THOSE
RESOURCES
AND DRAWING IT DOWN WITH
27 OTHER ELECTEDS THROUGHOUT
THE
STATE WE CAN ALL ADVANCE
QUITY
IN OUR OWN CITY.
THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
SO AGENDA ITEM ONE.
I GUESS WE HAVE ONE
INTERVIEW
FOR THE OPENINGS OF THE CLAIMANT
ACTION COMMITTEE.
WE'RE GOING TO CONDUCT THE
INTERVIEWS.
MEMBERS WITH ONE OR MORE
OF
THELE FOLLOWING EXPERIENCE AND
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
CHARACTERISTICS A
YOUTH
REPRESENTATIVE CLIMATE CHANGE
SEBASTOPOL BUSINESS OWNER, LOCAL
CLIMATE ACTION GROUP,
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND
EQUITY, RIGHTS OF ENERGY,
TRANSPORTATION AND ZERO WASTE.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE APPLICANTS
ON
THE AGENDA HERE PRESENT
WHICH
WOULD BE KENNA LEE.
SHE'S COMING HERE UNDER
THE
EXPERIENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
KENNA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME
TO
THE
PODIUM.
SHE IS GOING UP TO THE
PODIUM.
AGAIN, BEFORE WE GO FURTHER
I
JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN
THE
PROCESS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF
PEOPLE
HERE TONIGHT FOR PROBABLY
AN
ITEM FURTHER DOWN ON THE AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE INTERVIEWS
TONIGHT
FOR OUR CLIMATE ACTION
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMITTEE.
THEN WE GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENTS
FOR ITEMS NOT ON TONIGHT'S
AGENDA AND THEN TO THE
CALENDAR
AND THEN OUR REGULAR
ITEMS.
IF YOU'RE HERE
FOR AN ITEM LATER
ON AN AGENDA, IT MAY BE A WAY
TO GET THERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PATIENCE
WHILE WE GO THROUGH
OUR REGULAR
AGENDA.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
KENNA, WE USUALLY GIVE A
FEW
MINUTES TO GIVE AN OVER VIEW
OF
WHY YOU WANT TO JOIN THE
COMMITTEE.
GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU.
I DO NOT HAVE A PREPARED
STATEMENT.
I HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE
SINCE ITS INCEPTION
AND SERVED
AS CHAIR FOR MOST OF ITS YEARS.
I BELIEVE
I HOLD INSTITUTIONAL
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN CONTINUE
TO
MAKE THIS COMMITTEE GOOD
AT
WORKING WITH THE CITY AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW A CITY AND
A
CITY COMMITTEE CAN WORK
TOGETHER
TO ADVANCE CHANGE.
I DO HOLD PARTICULAR EXPERTISE
THAT IS UNIQUE ON THE
CURRENTCURRENT
COMMITTEE, THAT IS HOLDING
A
CERTIFICATE FROM THE SCHOOL
OF
PUBLIC HEALTH IN CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND HUMAN HEALTH AND
SERVING
CURRENTLY IN MY PAID
EMPLOYMENT
AS A CLIMATE CHANGE
SPECIALIST
AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH WORKING IN THE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH EQUITY
BRANCH TO ADVANCE THE HEALTH OF
CALIFORNIANS THROUGH CLIMATE
CHANGE ADAPTATION AND
MITIGATION
MEASURES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THANK YOU.
ARE YOU FINISHED?
YES.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OKAY.
PERFECT.
WELL, ANY COUNCILMEMBERS WITH
ANY QUESTIONS?
HAPPY TO
START WHEREVER.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.
FIRST, I DON'T THINK WE CAN
APPRECIATE KENNA'S WORK ENOUGH.
I THINK SHE'S DONE SO MANY
GOODGOOD
FOR THE CLIMATE
ACTION
COMMITTEE SINCE IT'S BEEN
AROUND.
I'M SUPER GRATEFUL FOR
HER
INVOLVEMENT AND EVERYTHING
SHE
BRINGS TO THE MEETINGS SO FAR.
THINGS COULD CHANGE
TOMORROW,
BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WILL.
[ LAUGHTER ]
SO I'M VERY, VERY FOR
YOUR
CONTINUED PARTICIPATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK YOU FOR
APPLYING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PAST YEARS
OF
DEDICATION.
MY STANDARD QUESTION I ASK OF
EVERYONE, WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO
WAY
TO RESOLVE CONFLICT ESPECIALLY
ON SMALL BODIES?
WHILE I REALIZE -- CONFLICT CAN
ARISE.
WHAT IS YOUR WAY TO MOVE THROUGH
CONFLICT?
YEAH.
I'LL ADD SOMETHING THAT I
DIDN'T
PUT ON MY
APPLICATION, WHICH IS
THAT I STUDIED NONVIOLENT
COMMUNICATION.
I APPLY THOSE PRINCIPLES IN
MY
WORK AND PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
AND IN MY RELATIONSHIPS
ON
THINGS LIKE THE
CLIMATE ACTION
COMMITTEE.
IN THE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN ON IT,
OUR CONFLICTS -- WHILE
CONFLICT
IS NATURAL, WE HAVE
NOT
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
ESCALATED DISAGREEMENTS TO THE
LEVEL OF HOSTILITY WHERE WE HAVE
DISAGREED CONSTRUCTIVELY TO COME
TO
BETTER COMPROMISES.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE?#
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.
YEAH.
I MEAN, I THINK
YOU BRING SO
MUCH VALUE TO THE CLIMATE ACTION
COMMITTEE.
WE ARE SUPER LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.
YOU LIVE YOUR TALK
WITH
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE.
IT'S LISTED ON YOUR APPLICATION.
YOU ALSO FREQUENT OUR
COUNCIL
MEETINGS WHEN THINGS ARE ON THE
AGENDA RELATED TO YOUR WORK
ON
OUR CLIMATE ACTION.
I REALLY THINK YOU'VE BEEN A
STALL
STELLAR MEMBER AND I'M
HAPPY
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
YOU'RE WILLING TO SIGN UP
FOR
ANOTHER TERM.
ALL RIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE?
ALL RIGHT.
MARY, CAN YOU REMIND
ME WHAT THE
NEXT STEP IS?
THE NEXT STEP IS WE THANK
KENNA FOR OUR INTERVIEW.
I'M GOING TO CHECK TO SEE
IF
OLIVIA IS HERE FOR HER
INTERVIEW.
I JUST WANT TO THANK
THE
COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
I WAS GOING TO
SAY THANK YOU
FOR GOING UP THERE.
THANK YOU.
SO I'M CHECKING TO SEE IF
OLIVIA
IS HERE FOR THE SECOND
INTERVIEW
FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION
COMMITTEE.
I'M NOT
SEEING OUR SECOND
APPLICANT HERE.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SO WE WOULD CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM
AND WE CAN GO ONTO THE
APPOINTMENTS.
OKAY.
SO WE'LL
GO ONTO ITEM NUMBER TWO
FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S SEE.
AN ITEM
IS TO DO APPOINTMENTS
TO THE CLIMATE ACTION
COMMITTEE
BASED UPON THE INTERVIEWS.
TYPICALLY WE WOULD HAVE BOTH
INTERVIEWS TONIGHT BUT THE ONE
APPLICANT DID NOT SHOW UP.
THIS WOULD BE THE DISCUSSION
OF
THE CONSIDERATION OF THE COUNCIL
TO APPOINT THE
APPLICANT THAT IS
BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
AND THE VICE MAYOR
HAS HER HAND
RAISED.
GO AHEAD.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO
MUCH, KENNA.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPLYING.
YOU'RE WONDERFUL.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT
YOU'RE
WILLING TO CONTINUE ON THIS.
I APPRECIATE HOW YOU RUN THE
MEETINGS.
I'VE SAT WITH
YOU IN THESE
MEETINGS.
YOU BRING A CERTAIN HUMOR TO THE
ROOM.
I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
SO I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION
TO
APPROVE
KENNA LEE FOR THIS
POSITION.
SECOND.
OKAY.
MARY.
BEFORE WE DO THE
MOTION, CAN
WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE?
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT
FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF KENNA
LEE
TO THE CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A
PUBLIC COMMENT, IT IS A
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
TWO-MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AA
COMMENT.
SEEING NONE.
IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AA
COMMENT ON THE PAYMENT TO
THE
CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE.
SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS ON THIS
ITEM.
SO WE HAD
A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR
MAURER.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON.
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER
ZOLLMAN.
YES.
MAURER.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
YES.
McLEWIS.
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CONGRATULATIONS,
KENNA.
THANK YOU.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
ONTO
THE NEXT ITEM WHICH IS
OUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE -- I DON'T
KNOW
WHEN EVERYONE'S PLANNING
TO
COMMENT, BUT WE ALLOW FOR TWO
MINUTES.
WE ALLOW FOR UP TO 20 MINUTES.
MARY, IF YOU WANT TO --
THANK
YOU.
SO I DO HAVE A LOT OF
MEMBERS IN
THE AUDIENCE.
I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU CAN SHOW
YOUR HANDS IF YOU'RE
COMMENTING
FOR AN ITEM NOT ON TONIGHT'S
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AGENDA.
SEVEN.
WE HAVE ABOUT TEN IN CHAMBERS.
WE HAVE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR
OUT
ON ZOOM.
OR FIVE.
I WILL SAY
THE FIRST PUBLIC
COMMENT IS AA 20-
MINUTE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
IT IS A TWO-MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
SO IT IS BASICALLY TEN
PEOPLE
SPEAKING FOR TWO MINUTES.
SO IT WILL BE CHAMBERS FIRST,
OUT TO ZOOM, CHAMBERS FIRST, OUT
TO ZOOM.
IF YOU DON'T GET AN
OPPORTUNITY
TO COMMENT ON THIS FIRST PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD, THERE'S A
SECOND
PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD AT THE END
OF THIS MEETING.
SO I WILL COME INTO
CHAMBERS.
THERE'S SOMEONE THAT WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
IF YOU CAN GO OVER TO THE
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PODIUM.
THERE IS A TIMER ON THE SCREEN
OR I CAN JUMP
IN WHEN YOU HAVE
ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE SAWYER.
UNFORTUNATELY I WASN'T AT
THE
LAST MEETING.
I LEARNED QUICKLY HOW IMPORTANT
IT IS TO HOW SURE YOU ATTEND
THE MEETINGS BECAUSE A LOT OF
MISINFORMATION CAN COME ABOUT.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO
THE BROADER
TONE
REGARDING THE CONVERSATION
ABOUT THE NARCAN BOX WE'VE
BEEN
TRYING TO PLACE IN SEBASTOPOL.
WE HEARD AT THIS LAST MEETING --
I WANT TO SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY.
SOME OF THE COMMENTS RELIED
ON
FEAR AND LANGUAGE AND TIMELY
REENFORCES STIGMA AND SHAME.
WE WERE DISHEARTENED TO HEAR
REPEATED REFERENCES TO
DRUG
USERS AS IF NALOXONE IS FOR
ONE
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
TYPE OF PERSON.
IT'S FOR ALL OF US, FAMILY,
FRIENDS, CLASSMATES AND
BYSTANDERS.
OVERDOSES HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WE
LOVE.
SCARE-BASED NARRATIVES
UNDERMINE
THE WORK WE'VE BEEN
DOING TO
CHANGE STIGMA AND GET LIFE
SAVING
TOOLS INTO THE HANDS OF
PEOPLE BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
HAPPENS.
PREPAREDNESS PREVENTS OVERDOSES.
WE'VE SEEN THIS FUND THERE OUR
WORK AND SCHOOLS.
WE SUCCESSFULLY DISTRIBUTED
OVER
1400 BOXES
RECENTLY.
AFTER THE PRESENTATION,
PARENTS
REACHED OUT TO THANK US,
NOT
CRITICIZE US BECAUSE THEIR KIDS
CAME HOME INFORMED, PREPARED AND
TALKED OPENLY ABOUT SAFETY.
THE RESPONSE HAS
BEEN
OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.
OVERDOSES AMONG MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AGED YOUTH HAVE
OCCURRED IN
RECENT YEARS OFTEN
UNINTENTIONALLY AND
OFTEN
INVOLVING SUBSTANCES
THEY DID
NOT KNOW ARE DANGEROUS.
WE SHOULD BE FAR MORE
WORRIED
ABOUT FENTANYL CONTAMINATION,
ALCOHOL POISONING AND --
YOU HAVE ABOUT 15
SECONDS.
OVERDOSE DEATHS AMONG
CHILDREN AGES 10 TO 14 HAVE
MORE
THAN DOUBLED NATIONALLY
SINCE
2019 LARGELY DRIVEN BY FENTANYL
EXPOSURE.
WE SHOULD BE WORKING TO REDUCE
FEAR, NOT AMPLIFYING
IT.NALOXONE
--
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
THANK YOU.
THANK
YOU, MICHELLE, FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SHELLY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
HI.
THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS SHELLEY ALVES.
I MANAGE OUR SUBSTANCE USE
HARM
REDUCTION HERE
WITH DEPARTMENT
OF HEALTH SERVICES.
I'M HERE IN AN INFORMATIONAL
CAPACITY TO SHARE
CONTEXT
RELATED TO NALOXONE ACCESS AND
OVERDOSE PREVENTION AND TO
SUPPORT EDUCATION
AND INFORMED
DISCUSSION ON THIS TOPIC.
FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH
PERSPECTIVE, NALOXONE IS
RECOGNIZED BY THE CDC AND THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH AS WELL AS THE LOCAL
LOCAL
SONOMA DEPARTMENT
OF
PUBLIC HEALTH AS A SAFE AND
EFFECTIVE MEDICATION USED TO
REVERSE OPIOID OVERDOSES.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
IT WORKS BY RESTORING
BREATHING
WHEN OPIOIDS HAVE SLOWED
OR
STOPPED RESPIRATION.
NALOXONE HAS NO ABUSE
POTENTIAL
AND HAS NO EFFECTS IF
OPIOIDS
ARE NOT PRESENT.
STATE AND FEDERAL PUBLIC
HEALTH
AGENCIES CONSISTENTLY IDENTIFY
INCREASED NALOXONE
AVAILABILITY
AS A KEY COMPONENT OF
OVERDOSE
PREVENTION EFFORTS
PARTICULARLY
IN THE CONTEXT OF ONGOING OPIOID
CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA.
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC HEALTH AS
EMPHASIZED
COMMENT ACCESS TO NALOXONE
PAIRED WITH EDUCATION
IS
ASSOCIATED
WITH REDUCTION OF
OVERDOSE RELATED DEATHS.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
CONCERNS
THAT SOMETIMES RAISED REGARDINGREGARDING
SAFETY.
THE CDC DOES NOT
IDENTIFY
NALOXONE DISTRIBUTION AS A
PUBLIC SAFETY RISK
FOR ANY
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PERSON OF ANY
AGE.WHILE
NALOXONE CAN BRING ON
OPIOID WITHDRAWAL, WHICH MAY BE
UNCOMFORTABLE AND
DISORIENTED
FOR OTHERS, PUBLIC HEALTH
DATA
DOES NOT SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT
NALOXONE ACCESS LEADS TO
INCREASED VIOLENCE OR COMMUNITY
HARM.
THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK
INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE
IN
CLAIMERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ITEM
NOT
ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE
GO AHEAD
UP TO THE PODIUM.
THE FIRST THING WAS
EXPERIENCING WATCHING THE VIDEO
OF THE MEETING THAT THIS WAS
PRESENTED AT WAS HONESTLY
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
APOLL
-- APPALLING.
THE OPIOID IS SPECIFICALLY MY
GENERATION'S
BATTLE.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE DETRIMENT
THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC HAS CAUSED.
I WAS 13 THE FIRST TIME I SAW
A
KID STEAL PAINKILLERS FROM
THEIRTHEIR
PARENTS.
I WAS 13 THE FIRST TIME I
SAW
SOMEONE DECIDE TO SNORT THOSE
PAINKILLERS.
I WAS 14 THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO
CALL 911 FORFOR FRIEND.
I WAS 15 -- THE
HELPLESSNESS I
FELT IN THESE SITUATIONS STILL
SHAKES ME.
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
PREVENTED
BY HAVING ACCESS TO
NARCAN
WITHOUT PAYING $50 AT CVS
OR
HAVING TO ASK A STORE CLERK
OR
DO ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO
BE
DEEMED SHAMEFUL OR
POTENTIALLY
GET THEM IN TROUBLE.
THE OTHER STATEMENT I
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
HEARD THAT
WAS REALLY DISHEARTENING WAS
THE
STATEMENT THAT THESE DRUG
USERS
ARE GOING TO GO AND GET
NARCAN
JUST SO THEY CAN SEE HOW
FAR
THEY CAN PUSH THE EFFECTS OF
DRUGS.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 15 SECONDS.
NARCAN IS SUPPOSED
TO BE
THERE TO HELP PREVENT THAT FROM
HAPPENING.
IT'S NOT THERE FOR THEM TO SEE
TO
FAR THEY CAN PUSH THEIR
DRUG
USAGE.
THANKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
GIANA, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO.
WE'RE GETTING A REALLY BAD
ECHO FROM YOUR
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PHONE.
I FIXED IT.
SORRY.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER OR NO?
I CAN'T, NO.
I'LL JUMP
IN WHEN YOU HAVE
ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
LAST MEETING THE POLICE
CHIEF
WAS ASKED ABOUT OVERDOSE
RATES
IN THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT
QUESTION
WAS ASKED TO LESSEN THE
NEED
OF --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
BOX I'D LIKE TO POND TO THAT
FRAMING.
PUBLIC SAFETY TOOLS ARE NOT
INSTALLED ONLY AFTER
NUMBERS
JUSTIFY THEM.
WE DON'T WAIT FOR A
CERTAIN
NUMBER OF HEART ATTACKS BEFORE
INSTALLING AEDs AND WE DON'T
REMOVE
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
BECAUSE FIRES ARE RARE.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
WE INSTALL THEM SO THAT WHEN
THE
UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS WE ARE
PREPARED.
OVERDOSE DATA DOES NOT TELL THE
FULL STORY.
BYSTANDER REVERSALS OFTEN GO
UNCOUNTED AND
EMERGENCIESEMERGENCIES
RESPECT CITY BOUNDARIES.
SEBASTOPOL IS A DESTINATION
CITY.
PEOPLE PASS THROUGH, ATTEND
EVENTS AND SPEND WEEKENDS HERE.
PUBLIC HEALTH
INFRASTRUCTURE
MUST SERVE EVERYONE WHO WAS
HERE, NOT JUST THOSE WHO LIVE
HERE.
A NARCAN BOX IS ABOUT EDUCATION,
PREPAREDNESS AND STIGMA
REDUCTION.
TEAM TAKE NALOXONE
BEFORE THEY
NEED IT.
FAMILIES TALK ABOUT IT.
YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN WHAT IT IS
TO
SIMPLY BY SEEING IT.
MANY EMERGENCIES ARE
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PREVENTED
IN WAYS WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO
MEASURE.
24/7 ACCESS MATTERS BECAUSE
OVERDOSES HAPPEN WHEN
BUILDINGS
ARE CLOSED AT NIGHT ON
WEEKENDS
AND ON HOLIDAYS.
A LIFE SAVING TOOL LOCKED
AWAY
AFTER HOURS PROTECTS
OBJECTS,
NOT LIVES.
IF OUR NUMBERS ARE LOW,
THAT
SHOULD BE SEEN AS PROTECTION
WORKING, NOT AS A REASON TO
REMOVE ACCESS.
WE SHOULD NOT WAIT FOR
TRAGEDY
TO JUSTIFY PREPAREDNESS.
ONE LIFE IS ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS
WORTH DOING.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO ZOOM.
YEAH.
HI.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
MET MORE FIEZDRESSED AS A COULD BE.WBOY.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WAS GOING ON.
I DID MANAGE TO CALL JAMES
NADELL WHO'S THE PRESENT.
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE
HUD FUNDING ISSUES.
I WAS WORRIED
.
DESPITE HIM NOT BEING ON THE
ST. VINCENT DePAUL
WEBSITE
THEY'VE JUST ELECTED HIM AS THE
NEW BOARD PRESIDENT.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT'S
GOING
ON THERE.
THAT'S
MY NEWS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CAN YOU
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SEE THE TIMER?
I
CAN.
GO
AHEAD.
LAST WEEK FOUR OF YOU MOVED
TO ADOPT AB 1033, BUT ALSO
TO
ADOPT THE HOUSING ELEMENT
PROGRAM THAT WAS DESCRIBED
EXTENSIVELY IN THE STAFF
REPORT
AND THE ATTACHMENTS FOR --
I
DON'T THINK YOU EVER SAID A
WORD
ABOUT THE HOUSING ELEMENT
PROGRAM.
THE HOUSING ELEMENT PROGRAM
INCLUDED REMOVING ALL
DESIGN
CRITERIA FOR ANY ADU
INCLUDING
BY YOUR VOTES THE ADUs TO BE
CONSTRUCTED FOR PROFIT,
THE
CONDO ADUs.
SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS --
WINDOWS GLAZED HAS BEEN TAKEN
AWAY AND NOT INCLUDED WITH THE
CONDOS.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE AN EXTREMEEXTREME
REQUIREMENT TO ACCOMMODATE
A
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
NEIGHBOR LIKE THAT
PARTICULARLY
IF THE MOTIVE IS TO FLIP IT
FOR
PROFIT.
THE SINGLE FAMILY
NEIGHBORHOODS
ADJACENT TO THE HIGH
SCHOOL --
LOW BARRIER NAVIGATION IS A
PRETTY INNOCUOUS WAY OF SAYING
HOMELESS SHELTER.
IT IS DESCRIBED --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
LOW BARRIER MEANS YOU
CAN'T
EXCLUDE ACTIVE SUBSTANCE
ABUSERS
OR CRIMINALS WITH ACTIVE
CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.
I DON'T THINK CONTAINER
HOUSING
FOR HOMELESS IS WHAT WE NEED
BUT
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT FOUR OF YOU
VOTED FOR.
THE LAW EXCLUDES
RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR
OBVIOUS
REASONS BUT YOUR
VOTES
SELECTED -- WITHOUT
DISCUSSION
OR RATIONALE TO THE PUBLIC.
I'M SURE THE RESIDENTS ARE
GOING
TO BE SURPRISED AND ANGRY WHEN
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THEY FIND OUT THEIR
NAVIGATION
CENTER HAS MOVED INTO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE SCHOOL BOARD AT
THE HIGH
SCHOOL IS GOING TO
BE HRILLED.
THANK YOU.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO THE
CHAMBERS.
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS --
I BELIEVE THERE WAS SOMEBODY ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM
AS
WELL.
WE'LL COME TO YOU FIRST.
THE LAST TIME I
SPOKE IT WAS
SEPTEMBER.
I AM THE OWNER OF
BC
THERAPEUTICS DOWNTOWN.
I
VOLUNTEERED TO -- DIDN'T
GET
THE GRANT PASSED LAST COUNCIL
MEETING.
I COULD COME UP HERE AND
REITERATE THE FACTS ABOUT
NALOXONE AND FENTANYL TESTING
STRIPS.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
HOW IT AFFECTS US, HOW
IT
IMPACTS AND ESPECIALLY
THE
CHILDREN THAT WERE BROUGHT
UP
QUITE A FEW TIMES.
SO I REALLY, REALLY IMPLORE YOU
GUYS WHEN WE
ARE CURIOUS ABOUT
SOMETHING LET'S NOT LET
CATASTROPHIC HYPOTHESES TAKE
OVER FOR US.
WHAT I WOULD LOVE FOR US
TO LOOK
FOR IS ANSWERS.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL NEXT TIME WE ARE ABLE
TO
MAKE THIS DECISION.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENTS.
NEXT I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
SAM, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
SAM, CAN YOU
UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
THANK
YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I
CANNOT.
GREAT.
I'LL JUMP IN WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT
30 SECONDS
LEFT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
OF MICAH'S HUGS.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF VERY
GOOD
INFORMATION SHARED.
I'D GIST LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING
ON TOP THOOF.OF THAT.
REGARDING LIABILITY WITH
NALOXONE,
CALIFORNIA'S GOOD
SAMARITAN LAW, INDIVIDUALS
WHO
ADMINISTER NALOXONE
IN GOOD
FAITH ARE PROTECTED
FROM CIVIL
LIABILITY, AND ENTITIES
THAT
DISTRIBUTE NALOXONE
INCLUDING
CITIES ARE ALSO PROTECTED.
THERE'S NO DOCUMENTED PATTERN OF
CITIES BEING HELD LIABLE FOR
INJURIES RESULTING FROM
BYSTANDER
ADMINISTRATION.
THE GREATER LEGAL AND
ETHICAL
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
RISK IS KNOWINGLY
RESTRICTING
ACCESS TO A LIFE-SAVING
TOOL
THAT IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED
AS
SAFE OVER THE COUNTER
AND
PROTECTED BY STATUTE.
PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY IS BUILT ON
COMMUNITY LEVEL EVIDENCE
NOT
WORST CASE CLINICAL ANECDOTES.
WE CAN RESPECT MEDICAL EXPERTISE
WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING
THAT
COMMUNITY ACCESS SAVES
LIVES
PRECISELY BECAUSE IT IS LOW
BARRIER, ANONYMOUS AND
IMMEDIATE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU,
SAM, FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I WILL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
I HAD SOMEONE ON THE OTHER
SIDE.
HELLO.
MY NAME IS KELSEY.
I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS FOR THE
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SONOMA COUNTY FELLOWSHIP.
THIS IS ALSO ABOUT THE
MICAH'S
HUGS BOX.
THIS YEAR I WENT TO A REHAB
IN
SEBASTOPOL AND WAS A PART OF AN
OUTPATIENT PROGRAM AND A
SOBER
LIVING ENVIRONMENT IN
SEBASTOPOL.
I DID GO THROUGH AN EXPERIENCE
WHERE MY 20-YEAR-OLD ROOMMATE
WENT THROUGH AN OVERDOSE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
IF WE DID NOT HAVE NARCAN IN THE
AREA, SHE WOULD HAVE DIED
BECAUSE WE WERE KIND OF IN THE
OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN AND IT TOOK
A
WHILE FOR THE PARAMEDICS TO GET
THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO ALSO STAND
UP
AND ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
ALSO BECAUSE OF MICAH'S HUGS
THEY GRANTED ME A SCHOLARSHIP
TO
GO GET MORE HOUSING AFTER I LEFT
THERE.
THEY'RE JUST DOING INEN CREDIBLE
Agenda Item Number: 1 Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A
DISSERVICE
TO DECLINE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO
HAVE IT ON THE STREETS OF
SEBASTOPOL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, KELSEY, FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
BEN, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
THANK
YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE
TIMER?
I CAN, THANK YOU.
I'M BEN PAHLAVAN, OWNER
AND
OPERATOR OF A MID-SIZED
DRUG
ABUSE PROGRAM IN SANTA ROSA.
WE ALSO TREAT FOLKS
WITH MENTAL
HEALTH.
I CAN CONSIDER MYSELF LIKE MANY
I THINK HERE TONIGHT ON
THE FRONT
LINES OF BATTLING
THE
OPIOID EPIDEMIC WE'RE
STILL
FACING AND OBVIOUSLY SPEAKING
IN
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SUPPORT OF THE NALOXONE BOXES
THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED
OR
ASKING TO BE CONSIDERED IN
THE
TOWN OF SEBASTOPOL.
CDC ALSO DOESN'T RECOGNIZE ANY
CONTRAINDICATIONS WITH
THE
MEDICATION NALOXONE,
MEANING
THERE IS NO SEVERE MEDICATION
THAT CANNOT BE CROSSED WITH
NALOXONE.
LESS THAN 1 IN 100,000 OUT OF
EVERY 100,000 FOLKS HAVE AN
EXTREMELY RARE
HYPERSENSITIVITY
TO NALOXONE.
MUNICIPALITIES USING THE BOXES
TODAY ARE PRETTY CUTTING
EDGE
INCLUDING MARIN COUNTY
--
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
MANY DIFFERENT PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE LOCATIONS.
SO MY REQUEST IS THAT THE
POWERS
THAT BE RECONSIDER IN A
VERY
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO
ADDRESS
THE NEED RIGHT HERE IN OUR
OWN
COMMUNITY OF SEBASTOPOL.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU, BEN, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IS 20
MINUTES FOR THE
FIRST PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
THAT IS TEN SPEAKERS AT TWO
MINUTES EACH.
WE DO HAVE
THE SECOND PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THE END END
THE
MEETING.
ALL RIGHT.
I AM JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHAT --
IF THE COUNCILMEMBER
HAS
THOUGHTS -- I'M SORRY,
GO AHEAD.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER HAS HIS
HAND
RAISED.
YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
ALL
FOR COMING AND HELPING
ME
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER
ABOUT THE DANGERS OF WHAT
COULD
HAPPEN TO A YOUNGER
PERSON,
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE
MAIN
LEADERS OF THE WHAT IF MY
10-YEAR-OLD MONKEYED WITH IT.
DUE TO THAT MISTAKE OR LACK OF
CURIOUS I DON'T TY ON MY PART FOR
FULLY
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECTS OF
IT
AND NOW DOING THE DR. GOOGLE
TO
CHECK IT OUT, I REALIZE
HOW
LESS --
I'M NOT SURE -- YOU
CAN'T
CONTINUE ON THAT IN THAT WAY.
THIS IS JUST
ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT WE WANT TO EXTEND THE TIME.
OH, I'M SORRY.
I WAS JUST ACTUALLY GOING
TO
SAY WITH A SHOW OF
HANDS I
BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE YOU
WERE
GOING COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO
TOO.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT HE
WAS
GOING TO SAY.
COULD I SEE A SHOW OF
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
HANDS
FOR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF
THE
PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO
DO
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS THAT
ARE NOT ON THE
AGENDA.
I HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX, SEVEN.
SO THERE ARE SEVEN ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS.
SO WHEN WE DO THIS, WE
ALWAYS
ASK EVERYONE HERE, YOU KNOW --
WE DO BY CONSENSUS HERE SO
I
JUST WANTED TO SEE IF
EVERYONE
ELSE IF YOU'D LIKE TO
CONTINUE
CAN WE DO A THUMBS UP OR --
SO
WE'VE GOT THREE THERE.
OKAY.
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND
CONTINUE.
IS THAT ALL YOU NEED, MARY?
THAT IS
IT.
IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF
THE
COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD FOR
THE
ADDITIONAL SEVEN SPEAKERS
THAT
HAVE RAISED THEIR HANDS
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I WILL COME BACK
INTO
CHAMBERS IF ONE OF THE
MEMBERS
THAT RAISED THEIR HAND
WOULD
LIKE TO GO UP
TO THE PODIUM,
PLEASE.
MY NAME IS KIMKIM --
I'M
HERE WITH
MY SISTER.
WE OWN A DINER IN PETALUMA.
WE MET WITH MICHELLE FROM
MICAH'S HUGS AND SUPPORT ALL
THEIR HARD WORK.
THEY CAME TO US WITH A NARCAN
BOX.
WE GLADLY ACCEPTED.
I WANTED TO READ YOU AN E-MAIL
THAT I RECEIVED JUNE 24th OF
2025.
THE SUBJECT LINE IS YOU SAVED A
LIFE.
YESTERDAY ON PETALUMA
BOULEVARD
SOUTH EXTENSION ABOUT
2:30 THERE
WAS A CAR NEAR OUR DRIVEWAY
WITH
A GUY ON THE GROUND
WHO
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
APPARENTLY OVERDOSED ON
PHENOMENAL.
FENTANYL.
I JUST HAD BREAKFAST AT YOUR
PLACE AND YOU HAD A NARCAN BOX
OUT FRONT.
I GRABBED A FEW ON MY WAY OUT.
HE WAS GETTING CPR WHEN
MY
BROTHER TOLD ME WHAT WAS GOING
ON AND THEY WERE ASKING FOR
NARCAN.
I DROVE OUT THERE
IMMEDIATELY AND
THEY GAVE HIM THE
NARCAN
WHEN FIRST RESPONDERS ARRIVED.
THEY TRANSPORTED HIM TO
PETALUMA
VALLEY HOSPITAL IN MUCH
BETTER
SHAPE AND ON HIS WAY TO
RECOVERY.
THANK YOU TO YOU GUYS, MICAH'S
HUGS, FOR ALL MAKING A
DIFFERENCE.
I'M HERE TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT
JUST DRUG ADDICTS.
WE ALL HAVE CHILDREN.
CHILDREN EXPERIENCE.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THEY'RE GOING TO USE COCAINE OR
TAKE A PILL TO HELP THEM STUDY.
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT
FENTANYL
DRUG IS IN THOSE DRUGS.
SO IT'S A LONG STRETCH
OF
DIFFERENT AVENUES OF THESE KIDS
OR ADULTS GETTING THE
FENTANYL
AND HAVING A FENTANYL BOX
OUT
FRONT SAVED ONE LIFE THERE THAT
WE WERE TOLD ABOUT.
MY GIRLFRIEND, I STARTED WITH
MICAH'S HUGS BECAUSE ONE OF
MY
BEST FRIENDS FROM HIGH
SCHOOL
LOST HER DAUGHTER THAT EXACT
WAY.
THEY WERE IN THE CITY.
SHE WAS 30 YEARS OLD,
THOUGHT
SHE WAS PARTYING WITH COCAINE.
15 SECONDS.
IT WAS LACED WITH
FENTANYL
AND SHE LOST HER LIFE.
HAD SHE HAD NARCAN IN THE CAR,
SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE
TODAY
WITH US.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU, KIMBERLY.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
SAMUEL, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
HI.
MY NAME IS SAM BALLINGER.
I'M A SUPPORTER OF MICAH'S HUGS.
I'M A FIREFIGHTER AND T
FOR
CAL FIRE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO
CLARIFY THAT
WHAT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
EXPERIENCE IN HOSPITALS,
SKIMSKILLED
NURSING FACILITIES OR EMERGENCY
SETTINGS IS NOT
REPRESENTATIVE
OF COMMUNITY NALOXONE USE.
IN CLINICAL ENVIRONMENTS IT
IS
OFTEN ADMINISTERED IN HIGHER
DOSES, SOMETIMES INTRAVENOUSLY
TO PATIENTS WHO ARE MEDICALLY
FRAGILE OR DEEPLY DEPARTMENT.
IN THOSE SETTINGS
STAFF FOLLOW
SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT
THEMSELVES.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMUNITY NALOXONE BOXES DO NOT
PROVIDE INTRAVENOUS NALOXONE OR
HIGH-DOSE PROTOCOLS.
THEY PROVIDE SINGLE-DOSE
INTRANASAL NALOXONE WHICH
ABSORBS MORE SLOWLY AND IS
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR
UNTRAINED BYSTANDERS.
NATIONAL GUIDANCE FROM THE
CDC
AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC
HEALTH SPECIFICALLY --
REGARDING LIABILITY, CALIFORNIA
LAW IS CLEAR.
UNDER THE STATE'S GOOD
SAMARITAN
AND NALOXONE IMMUNITY STATUTES
INDIVIDUALS WHO ADMINISTER
NALOXONE IN GOOD FAITH
ARE
PROTECTED FROM CIVIL LIABILITY.
ENTITIES THAT DISTRIBUTE
NALOXONE, INCLUDING CITIES, ARE
ALSO PROTECTED.
WE CAN RESPECT MEDICAL
EXPERTISE
WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT
COMMUNITY
ACCESS SAVES LIVES
PRECISELY
BECAUSE IT IS LOW
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
BARRIER,
ANONYMOUS AND IMMEDIATE.
THESE TWO REALITIES ARE NOT IN
CONFLICT, BUT THEY ARE NOT
INTERCHANGEABLE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR
CONCERNSCONCERNS
YOUNGER CHILDREN
ACCESSING
A NALOXONE BOX AND I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IT'S NATURAL
TO
THINK FIRST ABOUT SAFETY.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO
KNOW
IS THAT NALOXONE IS AN OVERTHE
COUNTER MEDICATION WITH NO
AGE
RESTRICTION AND NO
ADDITIVE
PROPERTIES AND NO HARMFUL EFFECT
IF TAKEN ACCIDENTALLY.
THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THANK YOU.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE'S SOMEONE IN
CHAMBERS.
PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
HI.
MY NAME IS VALERIE GEORGE.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF
THE
NARCAN BOX FOR MICAH'S HUGS.
I LOST MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON TO
OVERDOSE.
LET ME TELL YOU,
THAT'S
SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT
WAS
GOING TO HAPPEN TO
US.
HIS GRANDFATHER WAS IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT FOR 40 YEARS IN
SONOMA.
HE CAME FROM A LOVING HOME.
THIS IS THE KIND OF
STUFF OUR
KIDS GET INTO.
IT'S NOT THE STUFF WE USED TO
DO
BACK IN THE DAY.
IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO HAVE
EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ANYBODY.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW
SOMEBODY
THAT'S USING, YOU COULD
JUST
PASS SOMEONE ON
THE STREET
OVERDOSING AND YOU COULD
SAVE A
LIFE.
THIS IS ABOUT SAVING LIVES.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
WE'RE NATIVE AMERICAN.
AND THE STIGMA ISIS UP HERE.
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET A
NARCAN
DISTRIBUTION BOX IN FRONT
OF OUR
LOCAL CLINIC HERE IN SANTA ROSA.
WE HAVE A NARCAN BOX ON OUR
RESERVATION.
WE HAVE A NARCAN BOX
IN THE
TRIBAL OFFICE ALSO.
IF THE NATIVE AMERICANS CAN GET
PAST THE STIGMA, SO CAN THE
CITY
OF SEBASTOPOL.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, VALERIE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
ROB, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF,
PLEASE?
THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE
TIMER?
I CAN.
THANK YOU.
I AM HERE ALSO IN SUPPORT OF
MICAH'S HUGS AND NALOXONE BOX.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND
FAMILIES HAVE MANY THINGS IN OUR
HOUSE THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
HELP
US IN CASES OF EMERGENCY THAT
WE
NEVER UTILIZE, FIRE
EXTINGUISHER, SMOKE ALARMS
AND
THE REST, BUT WE HAVE THEM THERE
JUST IN CASE.
THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S
NOT
FENTANYL OVERDOSE, IT'S FENTANYL
POISONING.
MANY
PEOPLE THAT DIE FROM
FENTANYL USE HAVE NO IDEA
THEY'VE TAKEN FENTANYL.
THEY'VE RECEIVED A
COUNTERFEIT
PILL AND THEY END UP TAKING IT
AND IT CONTAINS FENTANYL.
THAT'S HOW THEY BECOME
POISONED
WITH IT.
WE JUST HEARD FROM SOMEONE THAT
WAS SAVED ON THE CITY STREETS OF
PETALUMA BECAUSE OF
THE
AVAILABILITY OF NALOXONE.
THAT HAS ALSO HAPPENED IN
SEBASTOPOL IN THE LUCKY'S
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PARKING LOT.
THERE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL
KID WHO
RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS AN
OPIOID
OVERDOSE BECAUSE HE'D HAD THE
TRAINING.
MAYBE HE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT
BUT
HE SUSPECTED IT.
HIS MOM HAD NALOXONE AVAILABLE.
HE PROVIDED IT AND SAVED
THIS
PERSON'S LIFE.
THE CITY OF CLOVERDALE HAS
HAD
TRAGEDY BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT
AVAILABLE.
THE MAYOR IS NOW A CHAMPION --
THE MAYOR OF CLOVERDALE IS NOW AA
TO
PUT BOXES IN
BUSINESSES AND IS ACTUALLY
LOOKING TO PUT THE DESIGNATED
BADGES OUTSIDE THOSE BUSINESSES
THAT SAY NALOXONE IS
AVAILABLE
WITHIN THOSE BUSINESSES.
SO I'M HERE SPEAKING ON SUPPORT
OF THIS DISTRIBUTION
BOX.
THANK YOU, ROB.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
YES.
HI.
GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS -- I'M A PHARMACY
DIRECTOR OVERSEEING
SEVERAL
DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
ACROSS SONOMA COUNTY.
BEFORE I MOVED INTO THE
DIRECTOR
ROLE, I WAS A PHARMACIST IN THE
ICU.
I TOOK CARE OF PATIENTS
OVERDOSING ON A NUMBER
OF
DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS.
ONE THING WE HAVE NEVER SEEN AN
OVERDOSE ON IS NALOXONE.
I ACTUALLY STARTED THE
NALOXONE
DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM AT ONE OF
MY HOSPITALS.
WE DISTRIBUTE NARCAN TO SO
MANY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
WE GIVE IT OUT TO ALL OF
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OUR
PATIENTS WHO ARE GOING HOME
WITH
AN OPIOID AND EDUCATE THEM
ON
THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING NARCAN
AT HOME AND KNOWING WHAT AN
OVERDOSE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO
HAVE
THESE MEDICATIONS
READILY
ACCESSIBLE TO PATIENTS.
I KNOW THEY ARE OVER
THE COUNTERCOUNTER
NOW BUT THERE MIGHT BE
A
FINANCIAL BARRIER TO SOME PEOPLE
GETTING IT.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE
EMBARRASSED
TO ASK FOR IT.
IT IS EASY TO OVERDOSE.
THERE IS FENTANYL HIDDEN IN
SO
MANY DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS NOW.
IT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE A MATTER
OF
SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
YOU MIGHT HAVE A FAMILY
MEMBER
AT HOME RECOVERING FROM SURGERY
AND HAS SEVERAL DIFFERENT
MEDICATIONS.
THEY MIGHT HAVE OXYCODONE
AND
THEY MIGHT HAVE AN OVERDOSE.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
BY MAKING
THESE MEDICATIONS
READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC
WE CAN ENFORCE HARM
REDUCTION.
IT REDUCES THE HARM.
IT DOES NOT ADD TO ANY HARM
TO
HAVE THE MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE.
I COULD TAKE BOTH DOSES OF
THIS
RIGHT NOW AND NOTHING
WOULD
HAPPEN TO ME.
IT WILL ONLY HAVE AN IMPACT IF
YOU ALREADY HAVE AN OPIOID IN
YOUR SYSTEM AND IT WILL
REVERSE
THAT OPIOID'S EFFECT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO
HAVE GOOD
COMMUNITY ACCESS FOR THESE
MEDICATIONS FOR THE SAFETY
OF
OUR PATIENTS AND COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
NEXT I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
CAROL, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
YES.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
DO YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
CAROL, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SORRY.
I MUTED MYSELF AGAIN.
SO I AM REACHING OUT TO SAY
I
RAISED MY CHILDREN IN
SEBASTOPOL.
I WENT THERE BECAUSE IT WAS A
SAFE COMMUNITY AND WANTED
MY
CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN A
PLACE
WHERE THEY FELT SAFE.
UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY THAT
THIS
WORLD HAS CONTINUED TO
GO,
NOWHERE IS
SAFE.
WE HAVE FENTANYL EVERYWHERE
INCLUDING IN LIKE MANY
PEOPLE
HAVE SAID INCLUDING OUR ELDERLY
WHO DON'T KNOW THEY'VE TAKEN TOO
MUCH MEDICATION.
I BELIEVE IF WE HAD A NARCAN
BOX
AVAILABLE IN SEBASTOPOL WE
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
WOULDN'T LOSE THE YOUTH WE
HAVE
ALREADY LOST INCLUDING THE YOUNG
MAN WHO LOST HIS LIFE A FEW
YEARS AGO, WHICH WAS ALSO A PEER
OF MY DAUGHTER'S.
I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF MICAH'S
HUGS AND PUTTING A BOX IN
OUR
SMALL TOWN THAT REALLY NEEDS ONE
JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER TOWN THAT
WE HAVE.
ING
THANK ING THANK
YOU.
NEXT
I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS.
PLEASE.
ASK PEOPLE TO REFRAIN FROM
CLAPPING.
HELLO.
MY NAME IS MARIAH GEORGE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
MICAH'S HUGS.
I LOST MY BROTHER FROM OVERDOSE.
HE WAS 16 IN PETALUMA.
I DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS
Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SOMETHING I WOULD EVER HAVE
TO
TALK ABOUT.
UNFORTUNATELY IT'S SOMETHING I
DO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT.
NARCAN WON'T AFFECT YOU IN A
BAD
WAY AT ALL.
I'VE TAUGHT MULTIPLE PEOPLE HOW
TO USE IT AND VOLUNTEERED
AT
MULTIPLE EVENTS.
IF ANYTHING, PEOPLE WILL
GLADLY
TAKE NARCAN THAN DECLINE IT.
NOBODY
THINKS I AM IN A
PHRASE
LIKE THINKING THEY'RE A DRUG
USER.
THEY'LL TAKE IT.
I FEEL LIKE IF I SHARE MY STORY,
THEN I'M LIKE TAKING CARE OF A
LIFE.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT'S
LIKE TO
LOSE SOMEBODY FROM OVERDOSE.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THIS IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY
FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
ONE LAST PUBLIC SPEAKER.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT
OF
MICAH'S HUGS BUT ON THE
OPPOSITE
SIDE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HIT
BY A
WHOLE A OF
FACTS.
I MORE WANT TO LOOK
TO THE
COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO
LAST WEEK
AND HOW TO ENCOURAGE MORE
WHEN
YOU ARE MET WITH SOMETHING
THAT
YOU DON'T KNOW USE THESE TINY
LITTLE DEVICES IN FRONT OF YOU
TO LOOK UP A LOT OF THESE THINGS
COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH ONE
SIMPLE SEARCH OF WHAT HAPPENS
IF
A 10-YEAR-OLD DOES THIS.
YOU CAN LOOK AND FIND OUT.
WE CAN ASK THE LAWYER.
HE MENTIONED THE LIMITED
LIABILITY.
YOU GUYS WERE QUITE AFRAID OF
THAT.
THERE ARE RESOURCES YOU
GUYS
HAVE THAT I FEEL WE LET INTO
THESE 10-YEAR-OLD BOYS I HEARD A
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COUPLE TIMES EVEN YOU TODAY I'M
SORRY.
AFTER YOU WERE LIKE THESE
10-YEAR-OLD BOYS ARE JUST
GOING
TO MONKEY AROUND.
BOYS WILL BE BOYS.
THAT
DAY IS OVER.
HIDING UNDER THAT IS NO
LONGER
GOING TO EDUCATE AND HELP KIDS.
YOU GUYS NEED TO EDUCATE
YOURSELVES ON THE SPOT.
DO WE KNOW THAT FOR A FACT?
NO, THAT'S NOT
TRUE.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
THAT COULD HAVE EASED
FEARS AND
TENSION AND THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN
A LITTLE BIT SMOOTHER PROCESS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS IN
THE
POSITION OF POWER YOU ARE
IN TO
DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH,
ASK QUESTIONS INSTEAD
OF LEANING
INTO THE FEAR WITH
THESE
HYPOTHETICALS AND THINK IS THAT
TRUE, HOW CAN WE FIND
OUT,
ANSWER THE QUESTION.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COOL.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU JOHN FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
THAT WAS THE ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS
UNLESS THERE'S SOMEONE
ELSE WHO
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
CAN I GET A SHOW OF
HANDS
BECAUSE WE'RE NOW GOING OVER
THE
NUMBER WE ANTICIPATED EARLIER.
PLEASE GO TO THE PODIUM.
THANK
YOU.
HOW MANY DID YOU SEE, MARY?
WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE IN THE
ROOM.
THANK
YOU.
MY NAME IS JACKIE LEONARD.
I JUST WANT TO SAY PROBABLY ALL
OF US KNOW SOMEBODY WHO'S
DIED
FROM FENTANYL OR SOMETHING
LIKE
THAT.
MY DAUGHTER'S BEST FRIEND DIED
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
IN HER
ARMS.
MY BEST FRIEND'S SON DIED,
VERY
TINY AMOUNTS THEY DIDN'T
KNOW
AND THEY'RE DEAD NOW.
IF THEY HAD NARCAN,
THEY WOULD
HAVE BEEN ALIVE.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
THANK YOU, JACKIE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THIS WILL CLOSE THE
PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
ALL RIGHT.
I'M SORRY.
IF YOU DID NOT GET A CHANCE TO
SPEAK, WE HAVE A SECOND
PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS NOT
ON
THE AGENDA
THAT ARE AT THE END
OF THE AGENDA.
IT'S OKAY TO MOVE FORWARD?
SORRY, YES.
OKAY.
JUST FOR CLARITY, I WAS LOOKING
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THROUGH
THIS.
I
APOLOGIZE.
I SKIPPED ONE ITEM ASKING ABOUT
CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST.
I WANT TO ASK IF THERE ARE ANY
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
MAYOR, I HAD MY HAND UP.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND
PEOPLE
THAT CAME THERE'S A LATER AGENDA
ITEM ASKING FOR
COUNCIL MEMBERS
TO PUT FOURTH AGENDA ITEMS
THEY'D LIKE TO SEE CALLED IN
THE
FUTURE.
I WILL BE REQUESTING THAT THIS
ITEM BE BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL
SOON.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE
WERE
ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
BEFORE
WE MOVE FORWARD INTO ANYTHING
ELSE.
NO.
OKAY.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I DON'T SEE ANY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE
CONSENT CALENDAR.
NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL OF CITY
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR
MEETING OF JANUARY 19th,
2026,
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL
MEETING
CLOSED SESSION.
APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES FOR MEETING OF JANUARY
20th, 2026, REGULAR MEETING.
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING THE CLOSURE
OF MAIN
STREET DURING THE 2026 APPLE
BLOSSOM SATURDAY APRIL 25th,
2026.
THE USE OF THE SOUTH HIGH
STREET
PARKING LOT FOR THE APPLE
BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
AND SUSPENSION
OF STREET VENDORS,
SOLICITATION
LICENSING SECTION 201 OF
ORDINANCE NUMBER 696.
ACCEPTANCE OF -- WAIT ONE
SECOND
HERE.
ACCEPTANCE OF DOG TOBACCO
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PROGRAM GRANT TO APPROVE
THE
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE
TOBACCO
GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF
$31,704
TO BE USED FOR COSTS RELATED FOR
THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL TOBACCO
RETAIL ORDINANCE.
THE AMERICORPS TRAIL EXTENSION
PROJECT.
AND NUMBER EIGHT PROPOSED 26-
27 BUDGET CALENDAR.
IT OUTLINES THE CITY'S
ANNUAL
BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
IT SERVES AS A
STRUCTURED
TIMELINE TO ENSURE
TIMELY
COORDINATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
AND COMPLIANCE WITH REQUIRED
BUDGET ADOPTION DEADLINES.
JUST WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANYANY
ITEMS ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL.
NO.
ALL RIGHT.
MARY --
THANK YOU.
WE WILL GO FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT
FOR ITEMS ON THE
CONSENT
CALENDAR ONLY AS JUST READ
BY
THE MAYOR.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC COMMENT, AGAIN, IT'S A
TWO-MINUTE TIME PERIOD.
SEEING NONE.
I'LL GO TO ZOOM.
STEVE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF
PLEASE.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.
THANKS.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK
THE
COUNCIL FOR THEIR WORK ON THE
AMERICORPS TRAIL.
I DO THINK IT WOULD BE
HELPFUL
IF COUNCIL MEMBERS DID WALK DOWN
THERE AND SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE.
IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT,
BUT THERE
ARE SOME
CONCERNS.
WE DIDN'T DO A FULL
PAVING,
WHICH MAKES SENSE.
EVEN THE COMPACTED GRAVEL
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
NEAR
THE LAGUNA WATERWAY
FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS, BUT WE DO
NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP
THAT
OPEN WITH SOME
MOWING THAT
HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY THROUGH THE
YEAR.
IT'S KIND OF A BOGGY MESS
NOW
WHEN YOU WALK DOWN THERE, BUT MY
MAIN CONCERN IS THE BRIDGEBRIDGE
IS OVER A CREEK
CULVERT.
IF YOU'RE STANDING AT THE
SCULPTURE WITH YOUR LITTLE KIDS
AND THE KIDS GO RUNNING OFF
ONTO
THE BRIDGE, THERE'S SOME
REALLY
LARGE OPENINGS THERE, VERY
EASY
FOR LITTLE KIDS TO FALL THROUGH.
IT'S NOT LIKE ANY OF OUR OTHER
BRIDGES IN TOWN.
I THINK IT REALLY WOULD
BE
HELPFUL IF PEOPLE GO DOWN
THERE
AND LOOK FOR THEMSELVES.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, STEVE, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS
THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC
COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
SEEING
NONE, I'LL CALL ONE LAST
TIME FOR ZOOM.
SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS
CLOSED.
THANK YOU.
SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ONTO OUR
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS --
WE NEED TO TAKE A MOTION AND
A SECOND AND A VOTE.
GOOD GRIEF.
I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO MOVE AHEAD.
I'M TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH YOU
STEVEN AND HOW YOU'VE
TIMED
THESE MEETINGS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION?
I MOVE.
I SECOND.
THANK YOU.
SO MOVED BY VICE MAYOR MAURER
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AND SECONDED ED BY
COUNCILMEMBER
ZOLLMAN TO APPROVE ITEMS
ONE
THROUGH EIGHT.
CARTER.
YES.
HINTON.
AYE.
ZOLLMAN.
YES.
MAURER.
YES.
McLEWIS.
YES.
MOTION PASSES
UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW WE CAN MOVE ON.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ONTO
THE
INFORMATION ITEMS PRESENTATIONS.
THAT WOULD BE NUMBER NINE.
THAT'S THE QUARTERLY UPDATE
FROM
THE BUILDING THE COMMONS
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMITTEE, UPDATE ON PROGRESS
OF
THE COMMITTEE SINCE THE
KICKOFF
MEETING OF OCTOBER 7th.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT
INTERIM CITY MANAGER
MARY WILL
BE DOING THE
PRESENTATION
INSTEAD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
IS THAT CORRECT?
THAT IS CORRECT.
OUR ACTING DIRECTOR HAD A
FAMILY
EMERGENCY, SO I WILL BE GIVING
THE REPORT.
OKAY.
IF I MISS ANYTHING FROM THE
PRESENTATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW
FROM THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS,
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN AND
CARTER.
THE CITY ESTABLISHED THE
BUILDING THE COMMONS COMMITTEE.
THIS IS THEIR FIRST QUARTERLY
REPORT.
THIS COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
TO GUIDE THE CONCEPT OF
DEVELOPMENT, ASSESS COMMUNITY
NEEDS, EXPLORE FUNDING
AND
REPORT QUARTERLY ON
PROGRESS
TOWARD CREATING THE SEBASTOPOL
COMMONS, A
SHARED CIVIC SPACE
FOR LEARNING,
CULTURE,
CONNECTION AND WELLNESS.
IT ALSO REFLECTS
SEBASTOPOL'S
VALUES WHICH IS COMMUNITY,
CREATIVITY, CONNECTION
AND
ESTABLISH A VIABLE CONCEPT FOR
FUTURE DESIGN AND FUNDING
EXPLORATIONS.
MY COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING,
SORRY.
THE COMMITTEE GOAL IS TO
LAY THE
FOUNDATION THAT REFLECTS OUR
VALUES.
THIS COMMITTEE HAS A VISION
THAT
HAS BEEN OUT IN THESE COMMITTEE
MEETINGS.
THEY'VE HAD FIVE COMMITTEE
MEETINGS.
IT'S SO ESTABLISH A
MULTIUSE
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMUNITY HUB SERVING SEBASTOPOL
WEST COUNTY RESIDENTS.
IT'S FOR EDUCATION, LIFELONG
LEARNING, ARTS AND CULTURE,
WELLNESS, ARTS AND
RECREATION,
TO EXPAND ANY LIBRARY
FUNCTIONS.
THIS COMMONS IS TO
STRENGTHEN
OUR SOCIAL CONNECTION AND
REGIONAL VITALITY.
THERE'S TWO PRIMARYPRIMARY
THAT WERE FORMED
FROM BUILDING THE COMMONS.
ONE WAS A COMMUNITY
NEEDS
ASSESSMENT AND ONE WAS A FUNDING
ASSESSMENT SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
IS EVALUATING OUR LOCAL
NEEDS,
DEMOGRAPHICS AND MODELS FOR THE
SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.
OUR FUNDING ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
IS EXPLORING COSTS,
FEASIBILITY,
FUNDING STRATEGY AND DIFFERENT
FACILITY OPTIONS.
THIS COMMITTEE
HASHAS MET FIVE
TIMES TIME
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
TIMES.
THEY HAVE --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
COMMUNITY HUBS, LIBRARY HUBS
NATIONWIDE.
THEY'VE DONE INTERVIEWS,
SURVEYS, CREATED A SEBASTOPOL
HEALTH INDEX.
THEY'VE COMPLETED A
FUNDING
ASSESSMENT AND ARE WORKING
ON
NEW CONSTRUCTION OPTIONS,
ING OR
REMODELING
EXISTING BUILDINGS.
THEY'RE DEVELOPING
COMPARATIVE
COSTS AND FUNDING MATRIXES.
THIS COMMUNITY IS ON A FASTFAST
TRACK.
IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS THEY'RE
GOING TO WORK ON NEEDS
ASSESSMENT, FUNDING ANALYSIS
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
DESIGN
PATHWAYS AND FUNDING OPTIONS
AND
POTENTIAL PARTNERS.
WITHIN QUARTER THREE OF 2026,
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
AS
THIS COMMITTEE IS TENTATIVELY
SCHEDULED IN JUNE, I
BELIEVE,
THEY ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING A
RECOMMENDATION ON LOCATION,
POTENTIAL COST,
POTENTIAL
FUNDING SOURCES AND WHO
THE
OCCUPANTS MIGHT BE IN THE
BUILDING IN THE COMMONS.
SO THIS IS JUST AN
INFORMATIONAL
WHICH THE AMOUNT OF WORK
THIS
COMMITTEE HAS DONE IS
TREMENDOUS.
I APPLAUD ALL THE WORK DONE FROM
THE SUBCOMMITTEES.
THEY WILL BE BRINGING
BACK
RECOMMENDATIONS AT A LATER TIME.
THEY JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
PREVIEW OF WHAT THEY HAVE
DONE
IN THESE FIRST FEW MONTHS.
I'LL TURN IT TO THE
SUBCOMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
THANK YOU, MARY, FOR
JUMPING
IN AND PROVIDING THE SUMMARY.
I WANT TO THANK
WHOLEHEARTEDLY
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
ALL THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS WHO
HAVE DEDICATED A LOT OF
TIME ANDAND
TO PUTTING FORTH THE
UPDATE
AND JUST INVITE MEMBERS OF
THE
PUBLIC.
YOUR PARTICIPATION IS DEFINITELY
MOST WELCOME AND WOULD BE
GREAT
TO HAVE EITHER IN
WRITING,
SUBMITTING IT VIA PUBLIC COMMENT
OR COMING AND ZOOM IS STILL
AVAILABLE.
COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER.
YEAH.
I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH MORE
TO
SAY ABOUT THAT EXCEPT
FOR YOU
ARE THOROUGHLY ANALYZING
AND
VETTING ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES IN
THE CITY TO SEE IF THINGS MAKE
SENSE.
I HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE
A
SOLUTION THAT DOES MAKE SENSE.
IT'S HARD TO SAY.
WE ARE FACT FINDING THE
BEST
THAT WE CAN.
OUT OF THIS AT LEAST WE'LL HAVE
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR
CITY ASSETS.
MAYOR, THAT IS
OUR REPORT.
WE COULD OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
COMMENT
COUNCIL HAS ANY
QUESTIONS
FIRST BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY
DOES
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FROMFROM
COUNCIL?
OKAY.
THEN WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THE
FIRST QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM
THE
BUILDING COMMONS COMMITTEE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE A
PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL COME
TO
CHAMBERS FIRST.
IT IS A TWO-MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
I'LL GO TO ZOOM.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND
VIRTUALLY.
SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO
PUBLIC
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMENT.
THANK
YOU.
I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO ACCEPT
THIS.
YEAH.
THIS COUNCIL IS RECEIVING
THIS
REPORT AND THIS
COMMITTEE WILL
BE COMING BACK AT A FUTURE TIME
WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER HAS HIS
HAND
UP.
I JUST NEED A FIVE-MINUTE
BREAK.
IS THAT POSSIBLE?
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER IS
ASKING AFTER THIS
ITEM IF WE
COULD TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE
BREAK.
SURE.
YOU MEAN AFTER 9:00 OR AFTER
10:00?
AFTER 9:00.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OKAY.
IS THE COUNCIL CONSENSUS
TO
TAKE A BREAK?
WE'LL TAKE A BREAK RIGHT NOW FOR
FIVE MINUTES.
RETURN AT 7:15.
MAYOR, THERE YOU ARE.
YEAH.
I'M HERE.
ALL I COULD SEE WAS THE SIGN ININ
HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON, ARE YOU
BACK?
I AM BACK.
I'M JUST TRYING TO
GET MY SCREEN
UP.
PERFECT.
MAYOR, WE CAN RECONVENE THE
MEETING.
OKAY.
WELL, WE LEFT OFF WITH NUMBER
10 Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
IN OUR INFORMATION ITEMS.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE WITH Q2
FINANCIAL UPDATE OCTOBER
TO
DECEMBER 2025 GENERAL FUND
THAT
WE PRESENTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE
SERVICES.
WE TRY TO KEEP THESE TO TEN
MINUTES.
I CAN'T SEE WHOSE DOING THAT.
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
I CAN ONLY SEE THE ALEX
ON
THE
TABLE.
I'M WAY AT THE
END.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.
THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE
THE
SCREEN FOR THE GENERAL
FUND.
GIVE ME A SECOND.
OH BOY.
THIS IS SMALL.
OKAY.
SO GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS AGAIN.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THIS IS QUARTER
TWO FOR
FINANCIAL UPDATE
THROUGH
DECEMBER 2025.
THIS GENERAL FUND UPDATE IS ALSO
REVIEWED BY THE
BUDGETS
COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 12th.
SO AS YOU SEE HERE, THE GENERAL
FUND SNAPSHOT AS OF DECEMBER
31st, 2025, THE REVENUE IS AT
$6.38 MILLION.
THAT IS 40% OF THE ANNUAL
BUDGET
REFLECTING TIMING LAGS SUCH
AS
SALES HACKS AND TLT, ALWAYS TWO
MONTHS LACK OF REPORTING.
IF I GO FURTHER DOWN, YOU
WILL
SEE EXPENDITURE OVERALL IS AT
7.3, WHICH IS 47%, TRACKING AS
EXPECTED.
AND SEVERAL COSTS ARE FRONT
LOADED.
SO LET'S JUST GO BACK TO GENERAL
FUND
REVENUE FOR JUST A BIT.
PROPERTY TAX CAME IN AT
ALMOST
$2 MILLION.
SO THAT'S 55% OF THE ADOPTED
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
BUDGET, HIGHER AT MID YEAR DUE
TO THERE'S SOME PAYERS THAT PAY
THE FULL YEAR.
SALES TAX IS $2
MILLION, WHICH
IS 32%, GROWING YEAR OVER YEAR.
IT IS ALWAYS TWO MONTHS BEHIND.
MEASURE U IS PART OF
THIS
COLLECTION AS WELL.
TLT IS AT $190,000, WHICH
IS
36%.
AND IT IS SEASONAL AND IT'S
REPORTING DELAY ABOUT TWO
MONTHS
BEHIND.
LICENSE AND PERMIT IS AT ALMOST
$400,000 WHICH IS 32% OF
THE
BUDGET UP FROM LAST YEAR.
THIS IS ALSO SEASONAL.
SO IN TOTAL, IT IS 6.3 MILLION
WHICH IS 40%, SLIGHTLY AHEAD
OF
LAST YEAR OF 5.5 AT THE
MIDPOINT.
FOR EXPENDITURE, MOST VARIANCES
IS REFLECTED BECAUSE OF TIMING.
THIS IS NOT BECAUSE OF
OVERSPENDING.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT YET.
FOR EXAMPLE IN THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, IF YOU LOOK
AT THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT'S ALMOST
AT
ITS BUDGET, BECAUSE WE DO
HAVE
THE ANNUAL PAYMENT WE
PAY
TO -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
-- THAT IS PAID EARLY
IN
DECEMBER AND IT'S DONE.
SO AS DEBT SERVICES, IT'S
FULLY
PAID AT MID YEAR.
CITY MANAGER, SENIOR CENTER BOTH
BELOW BENCHMARK.
IT'S BECAUSE OF VACANCY.
FOR THE TRANSFER OUT THAT ISIS
MEASURE U TRANSFER OUT
FOR
CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THAT WOULD BE IN THE SECOND HALF
OF THE YEAR.
THE PLANNED PROJECT IS STREET
PAVEMENT, EMERGENCY
OPERATING
CENTER AND THE FUELLING
STATION.
SO WITH THIS GENERAL FUND
REPORT
TONIGHT FOR Q2, THERE'S NO
ACTION.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
STAFF IS ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO
ACCEPT THE REPORT.
ALL RIGHT.
BACK OVER HERE.
THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM
THE
COUNCIL?
I CAN'T SEE EVERYONE.
THERE WE GO.
NO QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
THEN WE'LL GO OUT TO
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
FOR
THE Q2 FINANCIAL INFORMATION
UPDATE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A
PUBLIC COMMENT IT IS A
TWO-MINUTE TIME LIFT.
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS.
SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO
ZOOM.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
VIRTUALLY.
SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
SO WE'LL JUST ACCEPT THIS REPORT
AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ONTO NUMBER
11, WHICH IS Q2 FINANCIAL
UPDATE
OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2025
ENTERPRISE FUND, AGAIN
BY
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
ANNA, TAKE IT AWAY.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
OVERALL WE STILL HAVE A
NET
POSITION OF 653,000.
IT WAS UP FROM THE SAME QUARTER
OF
LAST YEAR.
SO THE RATE INCREASE
WASWAS
STRUCTURE THE NEXT
FIVE
YEARS TO AVOID ANY SPIKESPIKE IN
RATE SO THAT THE COUNCIL DOESN'T
HAVE TO RAISERAISE AND THE
RESERVE IS FOR THE
FUTURE
CAPITAL PROJECT.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I CAN SEE THERE'S PROBABLY
A
QUESTION AS TO THERE'S RESERVE.
THERE'S MORE REVENUE AND
EXPENSES.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO
WITH
THAT MONEY?
THIS IS FOR FUTURE CAPITAL
PROJECT.
WE DO HAVE WELLS FOUR COMING
UP
AND THE WATER SYSTEM
REPLACEMENT.
SO THIS IS -- I KNOW THIS
IS IN
THE SECOND YEAR AND THERE'S
A
LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE WATER RATE
INCREASE AND HOW DIFFICULT IT
IS.
THERE IS A PLAN FOR THE SURPLUS.
WITH THAT, IF COUNCIL HAS ANY
QUESTIONS, THIS IS THE
ENTERPRISE FUND AND IT'S
JUST
ACCEPTING THE REPORT FOR Q2.
OKAY.
ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FROM
THE COUNCIL?
NO.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OKAY.
THEN WE'LL GO OUT TO
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AGAIN, THIS IS PUBLIC
COMMENT
FOR THE
INFORMATIONAL
PRESENTATION ON THE ENTERPRISE
FUND.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE A
PUBLIC COMMENT IT IS A
TWO-MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL GO TO CHAMBERS AND THEN
ZOOM.
IF THERE'S ANYONE IN CHAMBERS.
SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO
ZOOM
IF THERE'S ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC
EXCELLENT.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
SO WE CAN MOVE ONTO OUR PUBLIC
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
HEARINGS.
MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO
SAY
THANK YOU TO STAFF.
THANK YOU TO THE
BUDGET
COMMITTEE AND THE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE.
NONE OF IT IS EASY.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS.
SO WE ACCEPT THIS REPORT AND
WE'LL MOVE ONTO THE PUBLIC
HEARING FOR NUMBER
12, WHICH IS
THE FIRST READING
AND
INTRODUCTION OF UPDATES TO THE
FORMULA BUSINESS ORDINANCE.
THE PRESENTER WILL BE THE CITY
ATTORNEY OR PLANNING DOING IT OR
BOTH?
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME.
MAYOR, I'LL BE HANDLING
IT.
OKAY.
HOPEFULLY THAT WILL SHOW UP
IN A MINUTE.
YEAH.
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GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL.
WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO
CONSIDER
FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO
AMEND CODE CHAPTER 17.
340
REGARDING EXEMPTIONS TO
THE
FORMULA BUSINESS ORDINANCE
AND
RELATED DEFINITIONS.
AS A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND,
AS I'M SURE YOU'RE WELL
AWARE,
THE CITY HAS A ORDINANCE THAT
REGULATES FORMULA BUSINESSES IN
DOWNTOWN SEBASTOPOL AS THAT IS
DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE.
A FORMULA BUSINESS
IS
ESSENTIALLY A CHAIN
BUSINESS
WITH
25 OR MORE LOCATIONS IN THE
COUNTRY.
BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS
YEAR,
THE COUNCIL PROVIDED
DIRECTION
TO STAFF TO EXPLORE TOTO REVIEW
THE ORDINANCE AND
EXPLORE
LIMITED AND FOCUSED UPDATES
TO
THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S ALL THAT STAFF DID,
WAS LOOK FOR POTENTIAL MINOR
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TWEAKS, NOT
ANY COMPREHENSIVE
CHANGES AT THIS TIME.
SO THE FORMULA
BUSINESS
ORDINANCE COMPLETELY
PROHIBITS
NEW FORMULA BUSINESS OFFICES ON
THE GROUND FLOOR,
FORMULA
BUSINESS RESTAURANTS,
AND
FORMULA BUSINESS HOTELS AND
MOTELS.
SO THERE'S COMPLETE
PROHIBITION
AGAINST NEW TYPES OF THOSE
BUSINESSES.
OTHER TYPES OF FORMULA
BUSINESSES REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL
USE PERMIT.
THEY'RE NOT EXPLICITLY
PROHIBITED, BUT THEY CAN BE
APPROVED THROUGH A
CONDITIONAL
USE PERMIT PROCESS WHERE
THEY
COME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION
AND THEY'RE REVIEWED.
THE PLANNING
COMMISSION HAS TO
MAKE CERTAIN FINDINGS AND
THAT
CAN BE APPROVED AND THE PLANNING
COMMISSION DECISION CAN
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BE
APPEALED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THERE IS A SECTION IN THE
ORDINANCE ON EXCEPTIONS TO THE
REQUIREMENTS.
SO EXCUSING CERTAIN
NEW
BUSINESSES OR CERTAIN TYPES
OF
CHANGES FROM GETTING NEW
USE
PERMITS OR FROM THE PROHIBITION.
THE ONE AT ISSUE TONIGHT
THAT
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING WE
CHANGE
IS AN EXCEPTION TO CHANGES IN
OWNERSHIP OF EXISTING FORMULA
BUSINESSES WHERE THERE'S
NO
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE TO THE
LAND
USE CLASSIFICATION OF THE USE
OR
IN THE MODE OR CHARACTER OF THE
OPERATION.
WE'RE RECOMMENDING CHANGE OF
THIS FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, THE CITY HAS VERY
BROAD
LAND USE
CLASSIFICATIONS.
SO USES THAT YOU MIGHT NORMALLY
THINK OF AS TWO DIFFERENT
USES,
IF YOU LOOK IN OUR LAND USE
TABLE, ARE
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ACTUALLY GROUPED
WITHIN THE SAME
DEFINITION AND
JUST SHOW UP
ONCE.
SO THE EXAMPLE IN THE
ORDINANCE
IS A CAR RENTAL BUSINESS AND A
CAR WASH OR A
SERVICE STATION
BUSINESS ARE ALL CLASSIFIED
WITHIN THE SAME CATEGORY IN
OUR
LAND USE TABLE.
SO THEY'RE VERY BROAD.
TWO TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT
YOU
MIGHT THINK OF AS DIFFERENT
ARE
CLASSIFIED BY OUR LAND USE, BY
OUR ORDINANCE THE SAME.
ALSO THE MODE AND CHARACTER
OF
OPERATION SIMPLY ISN'T
DEFINED
IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT CREATES A LARGE
LOOPHOLE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER
WORD, FOR BUSINESSES WHO REALLY
WERE NOT INTENDED TO APPLY TO
BE
SUBJECT TO THIS EXCEPTION,
TO
NEVERTHELESS ARGUE THAT THEY
ARE
COVERED BY THIS EXCEPTION
AND
NOT NEED TO GET A USE PERMIT
OR
NOT BE SUBJECT TO THE
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PROHIBITION.
SO
WE'RE PRO POSING SOME CHANGES.
FIRST, THE RELEVANT EXCEPTION
IS
GOING TO BE CHANGED TO
SAY
CHANGES IN EXISTING
FORMULA
BUSINESSES WHERE THERE IS NO
SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE TO THE
TYPE
OF BUSINESS OR IN THE
MODE OR
CHARACTER OF THE OPERATION
OF
THE BUSINESS AS DETERMINED
BY
THE PLANNING DIRECTOR.
AND I'LL JUST NOTE YOU MAY
QUESTION WHY IS THIS LEFT TO
THE
PLANNING DIRECTOR?
THAT'S SOMETHING THROUGHOUT
OUR
CODE AND IT'S VERY COMMON FOR
MOST CODES.
THE PLANNING DIRECTOR IS
LEFT TO
BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE
CODE
TO MAKE INTERPRETATIONS OF
THE
CODE WITH PROCESSES FOR
APPEALS
OF THOSE PLANNING DIRECTOR
DECISIONS.
SO IN A MINUTE WE'LL GO OVER THE
DEFINITIONS BUT WE ALSO ADDED
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DEFINITIONS TO SUBSTANTIAL
CHANGE IN THE MODE AND
CHARACTER
OF OPERATION AND THE TYPE OF
BUSINESS.
THESE ARE NOT STRICT OBJECTIVE
STANDARDS.
IT'S HARD TO COME UP WITH STRICT
OBJECTIVE STANDARDS.
85% OF THE SAMESAME OR 25% OR
WHATEVER.
THOSE ARE HARD STANDARDS TO
MEET.
BUT THIS AT LEAST GIVES
SOME
GUIDANCE TO THE
PLANNING
DIRECTOR AND EVENTUALLY
THE
PLANNING COMMISSION
OR CITY
COUNCIL IF THE ITEM IS
APPEALED
TO THEM ABOUT HOW TO APPLY THIS
REQUIREMENT.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE
IT
MAKES OUR DECISION, WHATEVER IT
MIGHT BE, MORE DEFENSIBLE,
BECAUSE WE'RE RELYING ON
AN
ORDINANCE WITH GUIDANCE AND
OUR
INTERPRETATION RATHER THAN
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JUST
BEING COMPLETELY
ARBITRARY IN
OUR DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER
MODEMODE
AND CHARACTER OF USE IS THE
SAME.
SO SUBSTANTIAL
CHANGE IN THE
MODE OR CHARACTER OF OPERATION
INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED
TO
CHANGING HOURS OF
OPERATION
OUTSIDE OF CERTAIN TIMES,
ANY
TYPE OF CHANGE THAT
WOULD
REQUIRE A DISCRETIONARY
APPROVAL
OR REQUIRING A NEW LICENSE
TO
SELL
ALCOHOL.
THOSE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES
OFOF
MIGHT BE SUBSTANTIAL
CHANGE.
IT'S NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST.
TYPE OF BUSINESS HAS THE
SAME
MEANING AS THE TERM IS
COMMONLY
USED AND IS INTENDED TO BE
NARROWER THAN THE LAND
USE
CLASSIFICATIONS USED
ELSEWHERE
IN THIS TITLE.
SIMILAR TYPES OF BUSINESSES
OFFER SUBSTANTIALLY
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SIMILAR
GOODS OR SERVICES.
FOR EXAMPLE, A COFFEE
SHOP WOULD
BE THE SAME TYPE OF BUSINESS AS
ANOTHER COFFEE SHOP BUT A
FAST
FOOD RESTAURANT WOULD BE
A
DIFFERENT TYPE OF BUSINESS
FROM
A COFFEE SHOP.
AGAIN, NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE
DEFINITION, BUT PROVIDING SOME
GUIDANCE.
AT THE BEGINNING WE TALKED
ABOUT
HOW THAT TERM IS COMMONLY USED.
THAT ALLOWS TO US TO ALSO
REFER
TO OUTSIDE DEFINITIONS.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS THAT
CLASSIFY
BUSINESSES AS WELL THAT WE COULD
POINT TO TO SHOW THAT
CERTAIN
TYPES OF BUSINESSES FALL WITHIN
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT
IS
FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE AND
WAIVE
THE FIRST READING OF AN OORD
--
ORDINANCE TO AMEND
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SEBASTOPOL
MUNICIPAL CODE 17.340.
I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF
YOU
MAYBE THERE'S MORE YOU MIGHT
BE
INTERESTED IN DOING.
CERTAINLY THE COUNCIL
CAN
PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION FROM
STAFF.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT
IS
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS
IF YOU
ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS
ORDINANCE, THEY ARE NOT
MUTUALLY
EXCLUSIVE.
YOU COULD INTRODUCE THIS
ORDINANCE TONIGHT AND
STILL
PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE DIRECTION TO
STAFF TO COME BACK WITH FURTHER
CHANGES JUST SO THAT
THOSE
FURTHER CHANGES DON'T HOLD
UP
THIS PARTICULAR CHANGE.
WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER
ANY QUESTION THAT IS THE
COUNCIL
MAY HAVE.
GO AHEAD,
COUNCILMEMBER
ZOLLMAN.
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THANK YOU, ALEX, FOR
DOING
ALL THIS.
I WAS ONE OF THEM THAT SENT
YOU
AN E-MAIL, BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY
DID RECEIVE LOTS OF EMAIL
CORRESPONDENCE AND
PUBLIC
COMMENTS ABOUT HOW DID WE
EVEN
END UP IN THIS SITUATION,
HOW
DID WE END UP WITH FORMULA
BUSINESS THAT WOULD NOT
ALLOW
ALL THE HARD WORK AND
THE
PROFITS TO STAY IN THE
COMMUNITY.
SO WHY CAN'T WE JUST PROHIBIT
ALL NEW FORMULA
BUSINESSES IN
THE DOWNTOWN.
THEN YOU
RESPONDED BACK THAT WE
COULD DO THAT BUT THEN YOU SORT
OF OUTLINED SOME SORT OF
PROCESS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT
THAT
PROCESS WOULD BE?
YEAH.
SO WE CAN.
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WE CAN CERTAINLY MAKE IT
BROADER
AND POTENTIALLY BAN ALL FORMULA
BUSINESSES.
THERE MAY BE SOME EXCEPTIONS
WE
NEED TO ALLOW, BUT
GENERALLY
THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD
PURSUE.
BECAUSE THE COUNCIL
PROVIDED
DIRECTION ORIGINALLY FOR NARROW
CHANGES, ALL THAT WE BROUGHT TO
THE PLANNING COMMISSION
WERE
THESE NARROW CHANGED.
THEN UNDER OUR CODE AND STATE
LAW, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS
TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ZONING
CODE.
AND BECAUSE THAT KIND OF
LARGE
CHANGE IS JUST
COMPLETELY
OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF
WHAT
THEY CONSIDERED PREVIOUSLY, WE'D
HAVE TO BRING THAT
ORDINANCE
BACK TO THEM TO MAKE A
RECOMMENDATION AND THEN BRING IT
BACK TO THE CITY
COUNCIL.
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THANKS.
OTHER QUESTIONS?
I HAVE AA
QUESTION.
I'M WONDERING WHEN YOU
WERE
TALKING EARLIER, YOU SAID
THE
DISCRETION WOULD BE LEFT TO
THE
PLANNING DIRECTOR AND THEN
AN
APPEAL COULD HAPPEN, I GUESS,
IF
WE SOMEONE WASN'T IN
AGREEMENT
WITH THE PLANNING.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT
THAT
PROCESS IS SO WE
BETTER
UNDERSTAND AND THE PUBLIC?
YEAH.
HOLD
ON ONE SECOND.
I'LL PULL IT UP.
SO IN CHAPTER 17.
455, THERE IS
ANY DECISION OF THE -- ANY
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION, SO
ANY
DECISION OF A PLANNING DIRECTOR
CAN BE APPEALED TO THE PLANNING
COMMISSION.
SO THAT'S PROVIDED FOR IN OUR
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CODE.
AND ELSEWHERE, YOU KNOW,
WHILE
IT -- WHAT I WOULD SAY IT'S
THROUGHOUT -- THE PLANNING
DIRECTOR'S AUTHORITY IS
THROUGHOUT OUR CODE, NOT JUST
IN
THIS SECTION, NOT JUST IN
THIS
CHAPTER OF THE DUTIES
TO
ADMINISTER THIS CODE.
THIS IS NOT UNIQUE LANGUAGE
HERE.
THEN, OF COURSE, LIKE ANY TIME
THEY'RE EXERCISING
THEIR
AUTHORITY THAT CAN BE
APPEALED
TO PA A PLANNING COMMISSION.
THEN THE PLANNING
COMMISSION'S
DECISION CAN BE APPEALED TO THE
CITY COUNCIL.
IS THERE A COST
ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT?
MARY BELIEVES IT'S
$1,000.
I BELIEVE IT'S A
THOUSAND BUT
I WANTED TO CLARIFY AND JUST
FOR
THE PUBLIC TO
UNDERSTAND AS WE
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DISCUSS THIS.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I
HAD.
JUST SO THAT I
UNDERSTAND,
YOU'RE SAYING THE
PLANNING
DIRECTOR CURRENTLY AND
WILL
CONTINUE TO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER
BASICALLY INTERPRETING --
YEAH.
THAT'S THEIR AUTHORITY NOW TOO,
RIGHT.
WE HAVE LAND USE CATEGORIES
THAT
AREN'T, YOU KNOW, NOT
EVERYTHING
FITS EXACTLY WITHIN
THE
DEFINITION AND IT'S THE
PLANNING
DIRECTOR'S AUTHORITY UNDER THE
CODE TO DETERMINE DOES THIS
FALL
WITHIN THIS LAND USE OR
THAT
LAND USE OR NOT ALLOWED AT
ALL.
IS THAT COMMONPLACE?
IT IS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN
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INFINITE
NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OUT
THERE
THAT CAN HAVE SLIGHT CHANGES OR
DIFFERENTIATIONS.
SO THERE'S SOME AUTHORITY ALWAYS
GIVEN TO THE PLANNING
DIRECTOR
TO INTERPRET THE CODE AND
ADMINISTER IT.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
I'M SORRY.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER.
SO FOR PRODUCTS THAT WAS
LIKE
80% SIMILAR, IS THERE A WAY TO
DEFINE DIFFERENTIATION OR IT
WOULD BE APPEALABLE AND EVEN IF
SO, WOULD THAT CAUSE MAYBE
LIKE
A LAWSUIT, OR COULD WE JUST
MAKE
THAT DETERMINATION AS A COUNCIL?
IF SOMETHING CAME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL, A DETERMINATION
ABOUT
WHETHER SOMETHING FELL WITHIN
THAT, THE COUNCIL WOULD MAKE
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FINDINGS AND AS PART OF
ITS
DECISION IN THE RESOLUTION.
AND IN GENERAL COURTS DEFER TO
THE
CITY AND INTERPRETING ITS
OWN CODE AS LONG AS THAT IS NOT
ARBITRARY.
I CAN'T SAY NO ONE WILL SUE.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SUE
EVEN
IF THEY HAVE LOSING
CASES
BECAUSE THEY'RE UNSET.
GENERALLY THE CITY RECEIVES
SOME
DEFERENCE IN HOW IT ADMINISTERS
ITS OWN
CODE.
I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
IT'S OFF OF SOMETHING THAT
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN ASKED
EARLIER ABOUT IF IT'S
POSSIBLE
JUST TO BAN ALL FORMULA
BUSINESSES.
YOU SAID YOU COULD, BUT
THERE
COULD BE SOME OTHER LITTLE
CAVEATS.
CAN YOU EXPOUND ON
THAT A LITTLE
BIT MORE?
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YEAH.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVEHAVE
EXEMPTIONS FOR A WHOLE LOT OF
THINGS.
I THINK PROBABLY WHAT YOU
WOULDN'T CONSIDER A NEW
BUSINESS
AT ALL, YOU KNOW, DISABILITY,
ACCESSIBILITY WORK, THOSE
TYPES
OF CHANGES TO EXISTING BUSINESS.
THE OTHER THING THAT COMES TO
MIND THAT
WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO
A LITTLE BIT MORE IS UNDER OUR
ORDINANCE WE ARE GRANTING A USE
PERMIT, WHICH IS A
PROPERTY
RIGHT THAT RUNS WITH THE LAND.
SO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO -- YOU
KNOW, IF A USE PERMIT GRANTS
THETHE
RIGHT -- AND THIS IS
A
COMPLETELY MADE UP EXAMPLE.
BUT IF THE USE PERMIT GRANTS A
RIGHT FOR A STARBUCKS, WE MAY
NOT BE ABLE TO
PREVENT THAT
STARBUCKS FROM CLOSING DOWN
AND
REOPENING AS A PETE'S IN
THE
SAME LOCATION, FOR EXAMPLE.
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YOU MEAN CURRENTLY?
CURRENTLY,
YES.
BUT IF THERE WAS --
SORRY.
GO
AHEAD.
IT'S OKAY.
GO AHEAD AND FINISH YOUR
THOUGHT.
IN THE NEW WE
CERTAINLY WOULD
HAVE MUCH BROADER AUTHORITY
TO
PROHIBIT A BRAND NEW BUSINESS
IN
A BRAND NEW LOCATION.
SAY THAT THE DECISION
WAS
THAT NO LOCKER ROOM
LA
BUSINESSES AND WOULD IT
PREVENT
THAT IN THAT CASE OR NOT?
OUR EXISTING
BUSINESSES --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
SO EXISTING BUSINESSES WOULD
BE
GRANDFATHERED IN.
AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE USE
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PERMITS, YOU KNOW, THOSE
ARE
PROPERTY RIGHTS THAT RUN
WITH
THE PROPERTY.
WOULD HAVE
SOME RIGHTS THAT
CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY AT THIS
TIME.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
QUESTION
THAT JUST RECENTLY CAME UP.
I CAN'T EXPAND FULLY ON IT BUT
IF THAT WAS THE DIRECTION OF
THE
COUNCIL WE WOULD --
SO IT NEVER I UNDERSTAND WITH
THE LAND USE THEN?
SO THERE ARE WAYS TO REVOKE
A
USE PERMIT, YOU KNOW, IF --
AMONG OTHER THINGS IF IT STOPS.
LIKE IF THE USE CEASES FOR
AN
AMOUNT OF TIME, WE COULD
REVOKE
IT -- IF A BUSINESS CLOSES
AND
NOTHING OIPS FOR A -- WE COULD
PROBABLY REVOKE THE USE
PERMIT
BUT USE PERMITS CAN'T
EXPIRE.
THAT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO
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THE
DRIVE-THROUGH
SITUATION.
YES.
ILLEGAL NONCONFORMING USE.
IT'S A SIMILAR IDEA.
THERE ARE WAYS TO REVOKE
THEM
UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES BUT
IT'S A HIGH BAR, BECAUSE
IT'S
CONSIDERED A PROPERTY RIGHT
THAT'S BEEN GRANTED BY THE CITY.
I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION,
BUT
IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION
GO
AHEAD.
I DON'T WANT TO
MONOPOLIZE.
SO THE SALE DOESN'T TRIGGER
ANY ABILITY TO TAKE AWAY OR
CHANGE THE RIGHT.
HOW ABOUT ZONING?
LIKE, IF SOME REASON THERE WAS
A
CANNING
FACTORY THERE, WE ZONE
IT DIFFERENTLY AND
SAY WE DON'T
WANT A CANNING FACTORY IN THERETHERE
ANYMORE, BECAUSE IT WAS
A
CANNING FACTORY, CAN A NEW
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CANNING FACTORY
COME IN EVEN
THOUGH WE ZONE IT
DIFFERENTLY?
THE
CITY HAS A LEGAL
NONCONFORMING USE ORDINANCE.
THE MAYOR ALAWSUITED TO
THIS,
THAT A BUSINESS THAT WAS
LEGALLY
ESTABLISHED IF YOU CHANGE
THE
ZONING OF IT CAN CONTINUE.
THAT'S CALLED A LEGAL
NONCONFORMING USE.
IT WAS LEGAL WHEN ESTABLISHED.
IT'S NO LONGER CONFORMING TO
THE
CITY'S CURRENT ZONING.
IT'S NOT ALLOWED TO EXPAND OR
INTENSIFY ITS USE.
SO IT COULD ADD IN AN ADDITION
OR SOMETHING IF HOURS
OF
OPERATION WERE MAKE 8:00 TO
5:00, WE'D SAY -- EXPAND ITS
HOURS TO BE 8:00 TO MIDNIGHT.
THAT USE EXPIRES IF THE USE
CEASES.
IT CLOSES DOWN AND STAYS OUT OF
BUSINESS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
I THINK IT'S PROBABLY
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SIX
MONTHS.
THEN THEY LOSE THAT RIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE?
DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER ONE,
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
NO?
I JUST SAW YOUR HAND GO UP
AGAIN.
I WASN'T SURE IF THAT'S
WHAT YOU
WERE ALLUDING TO.
SO BASICALLY I JUST WANT TO
MAKE
SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS EVEN
IF
THERE WAS A BAN ON ALL FORMULA
BUSINESSES.
ESSENTIALLY ALL THESE PROPERTIES
ARE ALREADY IN USE AND WHATEVER.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE
A
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ORDER
FOR
ANY OF THAT REALLY TO COME INTO
PLAY.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECT?
YES.
THAT'S ACCURATE.
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YOU WOULD KBLEETLY PROHIBIT NEW
ONES, RIGHT .
THERE'S BUSINESSES
DOWNTOWN THAT
COULD APPLY FOR A C.U.P. TO
APPLY FOR A FORMER BUSINESS.
OVER TIME THE EXISTING FORMULA
BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE TO
CLOSE
FOR VARIOUS REASONS IF THEY
GO
OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEY'RE NOT
REPLACED QUICKLY ENOUGH OR
THAT
SORT OF THING.
THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS?
OTHERWISE, WE CAN GO ONTO
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
I'M NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE
PUBLIC
HEARING ON THE INTRODUCTION
OF
THE FORMULA BUSINESS
AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A
PUBLIC COMMENT, IT IS A
TWO-MINUTE LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL DO CHAMBERS FIRST AND THEN
ZOOM.
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IF ANYONE IN CHAMBERS
WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS
IDEA, PLEASE COME UP TO THE
PODIUM.
I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A
COMMENT.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
I WANTED TO FIND OUT WHERE I
CAN -- SO I SEE MUNICIPAL
CODE
SECTION 17.340.
IS THAT WHERE I CAN
FIND
DEFINITIONS FOR ALL THESE
THINGS
SUCH AS WHAT IS A DEFINITION OF
A NEW FORMULA BUSINESS?
AND ALSO THE QUESTION I HAD
IS
THE THOUSAND DOLLAR COST.
I JUST WANT TO BE SPECIFIC.
THAT'S THE FEE TO
APPEAL, IS
THAT CORRECT?
AND YEAH.
I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN
QUESTIONS I HAD AS FAR AS
DEFINITIONS FOR THE WHAT IS
A
NEW FORMULA BUSINESS AND ALSO
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WHERE CAN THE LIST OF EXEMPTIONS
BE FOUND.
GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
I WILL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
MARTY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF,
PLEASE.
UNMUTED.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
HOLD ON.
YES.
GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT,
PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS MARGHE MILLS-THYSEN.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF
SEBASTOPOL FOR OVER 35 YEARS.
I FIND THIS DISCUSSION
RELEVANT
AND SIGNIFICANT TO THE VERY
QUALITY OF OUR FUTURE QUALITY
OFOF
CITY.
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AND I THINK WE NEED TO
THINK
ABOUT ALSO THE HISTORY AND
THE
CURRENT CONTEXT OF THIS
CONSIDERATION.
MOVING TOWARDS BANNING
ALL WHAT YOU'RE
CALLING FORMULA OR I
WOULD CALL CHAIN STORES FROM
SEBASTOPOL IS SOMETHING I WOULD
SUPPORT AND I THINK THAT IT'S
SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
BE
DISCUSSED VERY, VERY
SERIOUSLY
AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY
AND
HAVE A LOT OF INPUT.
I THINK THE CONTEXT IS
THAT
THERE IS A CHAIN OR FORMULA
STORE THAT IS RIGHT
NOW TRYING
TO GET INTO SEBASTOPOL.
AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE
SOURCE AND THE MODEL OF
STORES
LIKE THE CURRENT ONE, WHICH IS
GROCERY OUTLET.
THEY PROSPER BY UNDERCUTTING AND
ULTIMATELY DESTROYING LOCAL
MERCHANTS AND HAVE
OFTEN VERY
KNOWN POOR LABOR PRACTICES.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FIND A
BETTER SOLUTION THAN THE
CURRENT
APPLICANT.
I THINK IT IS WITHIN OUR
POWER
TO DO SO AND THAT THIS
DISCUSSION TONIGHT IS
RELEVANT
TO THAT.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT
WHETHER
WE WANT TO OPEN OUR POLICIES TO
NATIONAL CHAIN STORES AND TO
SIGNAL OTHERS LIKE IT THAT WE'RE
WELCOMED AND WE WELCOME
THEIR
PROMISES OF SO-CALLED
TAX
DOLLARS AND LOW
PRICES
REGARDLESS OF THEIR BUSINESS
PRACTICES.
WHAT BOUNDARIES AND ETHICS AND
VALUES AND CONCERNS AND
LIMITS
DO WE WANT TO HAVE?
WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES
SEBASTOPOL
UNIQUE AND THAT SO MANY FIND
ATTRACTIVE?
THAT'S TWO
MINUTES.
THANK
YOU.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL COME TO
CHAMBERS.
GREAT IDEA TIGHTENING UP
THIS
ORDINANCE WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY
WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT.
WHAT IS IT 1.7 SQUARE MILES WITH
A SMALL NUMBER OF ZONES
WHERE
BUSINESSES CAN EVEN OPEN IN THE
CITY.
THAT'S LIKE PROBABLY HALF A MILE
OF SQUARE MILES OR WHATEVER IT
IS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
ONE ISSUE WE HAVE IS
WE
CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE A PLANNING
DIRECTOR.
THE LAST PLANNING DIRECTOR
WAS
ALSO TASKED WITH BEING
A
BUSINESS DIRECTOR.
SHE FLAMED OUT AND LEFRT.
LEFT.
IT'S -- WHAT SORT OF BUSINESSES
WE'RE STRIVING TO HAVE
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
OPEN IN
THE CITY.
AS FAR AS FORMULA BUSINESSES
GO,
WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF GROCERY
STORES
HERE FROM LUCKY TO SOME OF
THE
MORE EXPENSIVE STORES.
THERE'S A CERTAIN LOGIC TO
SAYING A FINITE NUMBER
OF
FORMULA BUSINESSES ARE
ALLOWED
IN ANY ONE TIME WITHIN THAT 1.7
SQUARE MILES.
BEYOND THAT, YOU'RE JUST
GOING
TO KILL ANOTHER BUSINESS IF
YOU
OPEN UP A NEW ONE.
THAT'S NOT REALLY GOING TO
HELP
ANY ULTIMATELY.
PLUS, WE HAVE PLENTY OF
SHOPPING
VERY CLOSE TO THE CITY IN
SANTA
ROSA AND SO ON WITH PLENTY OF
FORMULA BUSINESSES AND SO ON.
SO I STRONGLY APPROVE
OF
TIGHTENING THE ORDINANCE
AND
BEING CAREFUL ABOUT THE
WORDING
AND MAYBE EVEN LOOKING AT IDEAS
ABOUT VERY SPECIFIC GROWTH ZONES
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THAT A NEW PLANNING
DIRECTOR
COULD GET BEHIND AND PUSH.
THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM.
UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
GO AHEAD
PLEASE.
I SENT IN AN E-MAIL
FOR
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO THE
MEETING.
I SENT A LINK TO THE CODES
THAT
ALEX TALKED ABOUT.
I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND
THAT
YOU CONSIDER UTILIZING THOSE
CODES, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY
ESTABLISHING WHAT WOULD BE
A
DIFFERENT CATEGORY.
SO IF AN FBO CAME TO YOU
AND
WANTED TO SAY, OH, WELL, THE
OLD
STORE CLOSED DOWN AND
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WE'RE
SIMILAR SO THEREFORE YOU
SHOULD
LET US IN RATHER THAN
MAKING
YOUR PLANNING DIRECTOR HAVE
TO
DEAL
WITH THIS.
THE NICS CODES ARE
ALREADY
ESTABLISHED IN SECTIONS WITH
SUBSECTIONS.
SO IN OTHER PHARMACY
WOULD BE UNDER HEALTH AND
SAME
AS COSMETICS, OPTICAL NOTHING
TO
DO WITH GROCERY.
GROCERY HAS A SUPERMARKET AND
A
CONVENIENCE STORE.
IT MAKES IT SIMPLE FOR THE
PLAN
ING DIRECTOR TO NOT GET HASSLED.
THE OTHER THING I GUESS I
WOULD
CONCUR WITH THE LAST
GENTLEMAN
THAT SPOKE.
I THINK WE HAVE PLENTY OF
FBOs
ALREADY IN THE CITY.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS CITY IS
ALL
ABOUT.
HAVING A BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
PERSON GO OUT AND REALLY MARKET
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TO BRING IN WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING
FOR RATHER THAN JUST
HOPE
SOMEBODY COMES IN AND FILLS A
SPACE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A FABULOUS
GOAL FOR THE CITY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE
IF
THE OPEN APPLICATIONS THAT
ARE
GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH
THE
GROCERY OUTLET WILL BE PUT
ON
HOLD UNTIL THAT 90 DAY IS UP
OR
IS THAT 90 DAY
ALREADY UP?
I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER THAT
BECAUSE THERE IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
THAT'D LIKE TO BE LOOKED INTO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SEEING NONE -- OH, PLEASE.
HI.
MY NAME IS LAUREN BENNETT.
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I'VE ONLY BEEN IN
SEBASTOPOL
ABOUT EIGHT YEARS SO I'M STILL A
TOURIST BY SEBASTOPOL
STANDARDS,
BUT I LOVE THIS TOWN.
IT IS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.
MY SENSE OF IT IS IF WE
ALLOWS
THIS TYPE OF GROCER TO MOVE
IN,
IT WOULD DAMAGE THE OTHER
GROCERS IN TOWN, THEIR BUSINESS.
WE WOULD LOSE THAT
REVENUE,
COULD LOSE JOBS OR HOURS BY
THETHE
WHO WORK IN THOSE STORES.
WHAT WOULD WE GAIN?
I DON'T THINK
IT'S WORTH THE
COST.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
KRISTEN, CAN YOU UNMUTE
YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES.
CAN YOU HEAR
ME?
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU SO EE THE
TIMER.
YES.
MY NAME IS KRISTEN O'CONNOR.
I'VE LIVED IN SEBASTOPOL
ABOUT
25 YEARS.
I WANT TO
APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS PARTICULARLY
BY THE
GENTLEMAN A FEW MOMENTS AGO
IN
SUPPORT OF TIGHTER
ORDINANCES
JUST TO BE MORE CAREFUL ININ
WE ALLOW AND TO CLOSE
UP
LOOPHOLES OR WAYS IN WHICH
POTENTIALLY BUSINESSES
MIGHT
COME INTO TOWN THROUGH BY WAY
OF
SAYING, OH, WELL, WE'RE
LOCALLY
OWNED SO WE'RE DIFFERENT OR I'M
NOT SURE BUT POTENTIALLY THERE
ARE WAYS WHICH THINGS CAN GET
MOVED AROUND.
SO I APPRECIATE A TIGHTER
ORDINANCE THAT JUST HELPS
US TO
BE MORE CAREFUL.
I FEEL LIKE GROCERY
OUTLET AND
LITTLE CAESARS AND SUDDENLY IT
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
FEELS LIKE, OH, IS THIS MY TOWN?
I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WAS
ABLE
TO HAPPEN.
I RECOGNIZE MAYBE THERE ARE A
LOT OF OTHER FORCES OR REASONS
THAT I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.
BUT IT'S DISTURBING TO ME TO SEE
CHANGES IN TOWN
LIKE THAT.
AND I'M IN FAVOR OF JUST BEING A
LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFUL
ABOUT
WHAT WE ALLOW.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME
AND
YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR CARE.
I APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU, KRISTEN, FOR
YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT I'LL
COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE'S ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE
A PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT
TO
ZOOM IF THERE'S
ANYONE THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
COMMENT,
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
VIRTUALLY.
SEEING NONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING
IS CLOSED FOR THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU.
WE'RE BACK TO THE DAIS WITH
COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
I 100% WILL BE
SUPPORTING
STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THIS
ITEM AND ALSO SEEKING ANY
COUNCIL MEMBERS' CQUIESCENCE TO
SEND THIS BACK
TO OUR CITY
ATTORNEY TO DRAFT REGULATIONS TO
PROHIBIT ALL NEW FORMULA
BUSINESSES IN THE DOWNTOWN.
VICE MAYOR.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION
TO
APPROVE OR INTRODUCE AND
WAIVE
THE FIRST READING OF THE
ORDINANCE TO END THE
SEBASTOPOL
MUNICIPAL CODE
REGARDING
EXEMPTIONS TO THE FORMULA
BUSINESS ORDINANCE AND RELATED
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
DEFINITIONS.
NOW WE HAVE A MOTION.
I WANT TO HONOR
EVERYBODY'S
ABILITY TO SPEAK.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE,
ALEX --
IF SOMEONE WERE TO SECOND
IT,
YOU COULD STILL HAVE DISCUSSION.
AND WHEN ALL THE DISCUSSION IS
DONE, VOTE ON THAT MOTION.
OKAY.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
THE
MOTION.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON HAS A
HAND.
I'M SORRY.
NO I DIDN'T.
I HAVE A QUESTION TOO.
GO AHEAD COUNCILMEMBER
HINTON.
YEAH.
I THOUGHT WE'D ALL BE MAKING
COMMENTS.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
SO I'M STILL ALLOWED TO MAKE
A
COMMENT AT THIS POINT, ALEX?
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY.
I AM IN FAVOR TONIGHT OF
THIS
AGENDA ITEM AND WILL BE
SUPPORTING IT AS WELL.
I DID WANT TO MAKE A ENT
BASED ON VICE MAYOR'S REQUEST
AS
I VOTED ON THE FIRST
BUSINESS
ORDINANCE AND ALL THE UPDATES
SINCE THAT MY UNDERSTANDING
WAS
WHEN WE DRAFTED THIS, THIS
WAS
THE BEST WAY TO DRAFT IT TO
BE
MORE SPECIFIC WITHIN
THE
DOWNTOWN CORE ABOUT WHAT
FORMULA
BUSINESSES WE PROHIBITED
OUTMATICALLY AND THAT THERE
WEREWERE
-- THE WAY IT WAS DRAFTED
IS
WHAT WAS ADVISED TO US AT THE
TIME.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF
COUNCILMEMBERS WANT TO SEND THIS
BACK THAT WE ARE ADVISED OF
WHAT
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THE BEST, I GUESS, WORDING
WOULD
BE.
SO I'M IN FAVOR OF WHAT'S ON THE
AGENDA TONIGHT AS IT WAS
DRAFTED
BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND
THEN
POSSIBLY LEARNING MORE.
I'M NOT SURE I'M IN FAVOR
OF
MOVING FORWARD TO PROHIBIT
100%
WITHIN OUR ORDINANCE AT THIS
TIME.
SO I HAD A
PROCEDURAL
QUESTION SO THAT I UNDERSTAND.
SO I HEARD COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN
STATE HE WAS IN SUPPORT
OF
TONIGHT BUT ALSO OF BANNING
ALL
FORMULA BUSINESSES.
SO IF THAT WERE THE CASE THEN
WHAT WOULD THE NEXT STEPS BE
IF
THAT WERE TO
HAPPEN.
YEAH.
IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION
COUNCIL
ULTIMATELY END UP GOING WITH,
STAFF WOULD PREPARE AN
ORDINANCE
AND BRING THAT TO THE
PLANNING
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMISSION FOR THEIR REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK
TO
THE TOWN COUNCIL FOR ITS REVIEW.
THAT'S WHEN YOU WOULD BE
MAKING
DECISIONS SO YOU OBVIOUSLY
HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE
FURTHER
DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
I SEE, BASICALLY IT'S STARTING OVER WITH THE PROCESS WE JUST WENT THROUGH?
CORRECT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT CLARIFICATION
BECAUSE PERSONALLY, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT COUNCILMAN
ZOLLMAN SAID, BUT WHAT CONCERNS ME IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS. THAT'S A 90-DAY PROCESS AGAIN. IS THAT CORRECT? PART OF THE REASON IT TOOK 90 DAYS BEFORE IS BECAUSE THE PLANNING COMMISSION COULDN'T REACH A CONSENSUS. PART OF THE
REASON IS BECAUSE THERE WERE ONLY THREE PEOPLE AT THE MEETING,
SO ONE PERSON -- YOU KNOW, IT ONLY TOOK ONE PERSON TO SAY NO TO STOP IT. IF WE HAVE A FULLER HOUSE NEXT TIME, WHEN THE PLANNING
COMMISSION HAS IT, IT'S LIKELY TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS QUICKER TO COME BACK TO YOU.
OKAY. I SEE. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
AND THIS ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, WOULD CONTINUE ON ITS TRACK TONIGHT IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO INTRODUCE IT. SEPARATELY FROM
THE POTENTIAL BAN THAT WOULD MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT
SEPARATE TRACK.
WAIT, SAY THAT AGAIN?
THAT YOU COULD STILL INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT, AND ON
A SEPARATE TRACK, DIRECT STAFF TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, SO THEY CAN BOTH MOVE FORWARD.
OH, OKAY. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. WAS IT COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN, I THINK YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST?
GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANTED TO SECOND COUNCILMEMBER MAURER'S MOTION TO GET
WHAT'S ON THE TABLE AND WHAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING TO MOVE
THAT ALONG, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND DISCUSS STAFF CORRECTION. BUT I'M GOING TO SECOND HER MOTION NOW.
CAN WE DO THAT PROCEDURALLY?
YES.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. I'M SORRY, VICE MAYOR MAURER? YES, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE VOTING ON THOSE IN A BLOCK. I WANT TO GET THIS PASSED AS IT IS, AND Agenda Item Number: 1
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THEN THE SECOND IDEA OF DIRECTING STAFF. THERE IS MONEY INVOLVED IN THAT BECAUSE THERE IS STAFF TIME. I FEEL LIKE FOR ME, I
NEED TO KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT BEFORE I THROW MONEY, MORE MONEY AT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I JUST DON'T KNOW
ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED BECAUSE, I MEAN, WE
ALREADY HAVE WHOLE FOODS, WE HAVE A UPS STORE, WE HAVE RITE AID WAS THERE. WE DO HAVE BUSINESSES. SO I DON'T REALLY QUITE
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF BANNING THEM, SINCE WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT ALREADY BANS THEM. SO IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN I CAN DO IN THIS MOMENT TONIGHT. SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD WITH THE SECOND. ANY WAY, THANK YOU.
CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION JUST BECAUSE IT LEAVES ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THIS. YOU'RE SAYING
IF WE HAD A BUSINESS IN TOWN IN THE CITY THAT ISN'T A FORMULA BUSINESS. IF WE BAN ALL FORMULA BUSINESSES, THEN THEY COULDN'T OPEN A FORMULA BUSINESS IN THAT SPACE? IF A BUILDING WERE TO BE
VACATED AND DIDN'T HAVE A FORMULA BUSINESS IN IT, THEN THEY COULDN'T PUT ANOTHER ONE IN THERE, CORRECT?
CORRECT. THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY. CURRENTLY THEY
COULD APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO SEE IF THE CITY OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD APPROVE IT. THIS WOULD BE TAKING AWAY THAT OPTION. THERE WOULD BE NO ABILITY FOR THAT TO OCCUR.
IF THERE IS A BUILDING WITH A FORMULA BUSINESS IN IT, THAT LAND USE GOES WITH IT, AND IT COULD BE?
YES, POTENTIALLY. WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE,
BUT I WAS USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW,
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE ALL BUSINESS AT FORMULA BUSINESSES IN THE CITY WOULD CLOSE.
OH YEAH, NO, I KNEW THAT.
MAYBE SOME TO CONTINUE.
OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. ANY WAY, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? BECAUSE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN WE CAN -- MARY?
THANK YOU. SO WE CAN CALL THE MOTION. IT WAS SO MOVED BY VICE
MAYOR MAURER AND ZOLLMAN TO APPROVE THE UPDATE TO THE
FORMULA BUSINESS ORDINANCE. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
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THANK YOU. AND I PERSONALLY LIKED -- I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, VICE MAYOR HAS SOME CONCERNS. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WE MOVE
FORWARD AND DIRECT THE STAFF TO PURSUE THE IDEA OF BANNING ALL
FORMULA BUSINESSES AND WHATEVER, MAYBE IF YOU COULD ALL GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT TYPE OF TIME AND EFFORT THAT TAKES FOR YOU.
IT IF THAT IS A MOTION, MAYOR, THEN I WILL DEFINITELY SECOND THAT MOTION.
YES, I'M MAKING A MOTION.
AND MY ORIGINAL REQUEST WAS TO BAN ALL NEW FORMULA
BUSINESSES WAS THE WORDING. I WANTED TO GET THAT RIGHT BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT ALEX SAID IN THE E-MAIL TO ME, SO I WANT TO GET THAT RIGHT.
SO TO CLARIFY. YES. FEW FORMULA BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
SO I THINK EXPLORING THIS AS A USEFUL THING TO DO FOR SURE. BUT THE UPS CASE WAS KIND OF INTERESTING TO ME. THERE MAY BE LIKE A
LITTLE SMALL NUANCE STORE THAT'S A CHAIN STORE THAT HAS MORE THAN 25. KIND OF UNIQUE, KIND OF A SITUATION. IS THERE ANY WAY WE
CAN ADD A MODIFY TO THE DIRECTION, WHERE WE ARE KIND OF
UNDERSTANDING SOME FURTHER DEPTH INTO -- BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT EVERYTHING DOWN WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT I'M DOING?
YEAH, SO THE COUNCIL DIRECTION CAN BE WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST DIRECTION. YOU'RE NOT MAKING A DIRECTION TONIGHT, SO YOU HAVE TIME TO EXPLORE, IF YOU COME BACK TO YOU.
YOU CAN DECIDE HEY, WE WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING ELSE, I THINK COUNCILMEMBER HINTON'S COMMENT. A PART OF WHY THIS WAS MAYBE
DRAFTED THIS WAY ORIGINALLY IS THAT COUNCIL AT THE TIME MAY
HAVE WANTED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO APPROVE CERTAIN TYPES OF
FORMULA BUSINESSES THAT WE THOUGHT WERE VALUABLE TO THE COMMUNITY. THIS COMPLETE BAN WOULD PROHIBIT THAT FROM
HAPPENING. AND THAT'S JUST A POLICY CHOICE FOR THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE OKAY FOR CLOSING THAT POSSIBILITY OR NOT.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YEAH. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF CVS WERE TO CLOSE, AND WE HAD A BAN ON
ALL ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, CVS AND RITE AID ARE, YOU KNOW, PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND GET THEIR PHARMACIES. SO WE
MAY, IF YOU HAD A BAN ON ALL FORMULA BUSINESS ORDINANCES, WE
MAY LOSE A PHARMACY IN TOWN, WHICH IS REALLY A NECESSARY SERVICE, I THINK. SO THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ME WITH THIS. I ALSO, CAN
YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF STAFF TIME THIS WOULD TAKE TO START RESEARCHING THIS?
CAN I ASK YOU TO CLARIFY, ALEX? I THOUGHT YOU SAID IF IT WAS
ALREADY A CHAIN BUSINESS, THEN THAT -- THAT ACTUALLY CARRIES WITH THE LAND, EVEN IF IT IS?
SO YES, IF THEY HAD A USE PERMIT, IT WOULD CARRY WITH THE LAND,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THE CVS BECAUSE IT'S UNIQUE BECAUSE IT WAS SUBJECT TO LITIGATION IN A SETTLEMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SPECIAL RULES. I DON'T REMEMBER.
SAFELY.
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BUT LET'S SAY IGNORING THAT, LET'S IMAGINE THE CVS WOULD CLOSE AND SOMETHING ELSE OPENED UP THERE. BUT A NEW WALGREENS WANTS TO COME IN SOME PLACE ELSE, THAT WOULD BE PROHIBITED.
WALGREENS MIGHT BE ABLE TO OPEN WHERE THE CVS ALREADY WAS, BUT IT WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM OPENING IN A NEW LOCATION.
RIGHT, OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD BECAUSE I'M
HEARING THESE QUESTIONS, AND I'M WONDERING IF I'M DOUBTING OR UNDERSTOOD IT. OKAY, GO AHEAD. VICE MAYOR?
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. THAT'S OUR LAWS RIGHT NOW. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PROHIBITING MORE, THIS IS THE PART I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO RIGHT NOW, LET'S SAY WALGREENS WILL WANT TO OPEN UP IN A NEW LOCATION, WHERE THERE IS NOT A FORMULA BUSINESS RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS A PARCEL AND THEY WANT TO OPEN UP. RIGHT NOW, THEY
COULD COME TO THE CITY AND APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO GET THAT PERMISSION TO OPEN. UNDER THE DIRECTION THAT THE
COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING, THAT WOULD NO LONGER BE AN OPTION TO COME ASK FOR PERMISSION TO DO IT. IT WOULD BE A COMPLETE BAN.
BUT AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS?
AS THEY CURRENTLY STAND. THEY COULD COME TO THE CITY AND
APPLY FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND THAT WOULD GO TO THE
PLANNING COMMISSION TO REVIEW, AND THERE'S FINDINGS IN THE CODE
THAT DICTATE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD CONSIDER, AND THEY COULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THAT BUSINESS.
AND PRIOR TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WOULD GO THE PLANNING DIRECTOR WHO HAS DISCRETION, RIGHT?
SO THE PLANNING DIRECTOR HAS A DISCRETION TO INTERPRET THE CODE, IF IT IS A NEW BUSINESS AND A NEW LOCATION. YOU'RE NOT
INTERPRETING WHETHER IT FALLS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, A PREVIOUS BUSINESS. SO THAT WOULD BE GOING STRAIGHT TO PLANNING
COMMISSION. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE COUNCIL IS THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS. YOU DON'T NEED TO -- THERE WILL BE MORE. I CAN PROVIDE MORE PRECISE ANSWERS IN THE FUTURE. IF THIS IS SOMETHING
YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, YOU COULD PROVIDE THE DIRECTION, AND WE
CAN MOVE FORWARD AND PROVIDE THOSE ANSWERS IN THE MORE
SYSTEMATIC WAY THAT IS NOT OFF THE CUFF HERE TONIGHT AND FOR
THOSE IN THE STAFF REPORT ARE NOT YOUR -- YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT COMMITTED TO VOTE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TONIGHT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND. SO AT THAT POINT, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP?
YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO MODIFY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT OUT,
YOU KNOW, THE THOUGHT IF IT COULD BE MORE RESEARCH, LIKE
THOUGHTFUL ON HOW WE PROCEED WITH SOMETHING, A NEW RULE
BECAUSE THIS RULE IS QUITE STRONG BECAUSE IT GOES TO A DECISION PROCESS, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO VET SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.
THAT SOMETHING, A BLANKET POLICY IS SOMETHING I PREFER TO
RESEARCH THAN JUST BRING BACK DRAWN UP AND THEN HAVE TO QUESTION.
I THINK THAT'S THE INTENT, RIGHT? YOU BRING THAT BACK AND THEY USUALLY BRING BACK, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS WITH THAT.
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SO THERE ARE TWO WAYS WE COULD HANDLE THIS. YOU COULD
PROVIDE DIRECTION. IT WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE PLANNING
COMMISSION ORDINANCE. YOU COULD PROVIDE DIRECTION THAT WE
BRING THE DRAFT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THEN BRING THE DRAFT TO YOU AND YOU CAN STILL MAKE CHANGES AT THAT POINT. OR
WE COULD BRING A DRAFT TO THE COUNCIL, AND YOU PROVIDE FURTHER DIRECTION, THEN WE CAN SEND IT TO THE PLANNING DIRECTION.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
SO THIS SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY BIG PROJECT FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND THEY USED TO HAVE A WORK FLOW, YOU KNOW, CALENDAR THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST. HAS ANYBODY, CAN ANYBODY BRING UP THEIR WORK FLOW CALENDAR? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD BE TACKLING IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? THREE MONTHS? ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEA?
OR COULD WE BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FIRST, SO WE HAVE ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT? THAT'S THE OTHER QUESTION.
I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
OKAY.
SO YOU SAY IT COULD GO ONE OF TWO WAYS. DIRECTLY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE IT TO COME BACK
TO THE COUNCIL FIRST, SINCE WE'RE THE ONES DIRECTING, AND THAT IS THE MOTION I MADE. AND WE HAVE A SECOND AS FAR AS HAVING IT
COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL, SO WE ARE NOT GOING THROUGH THIS
BACK AND FORTH, BUT TO BE MORE DIRECT TO HAVE IT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL. THEN AFTER WE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSED IT AND FIGURED IT OUT. IF WE DON'T AGREE ON IT, THEN IT'S GOING TO THE PLANNING
COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S A PROCESS THAT
RESULTS IN NOTHING, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE NOT ALL IN AGREEMENT ON IT. SO I'M STATING I WOULD LIKE IT TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE IT GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN IS IN AGREEMENT WITH HIS SECOND?
I AM WITH MY SECOND.
OKAY.
VICE MAYOR?
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHY I DON'T WANT TO SUPPORT THIS TONIGHT.
BECAUSE IT IS JUST TOO CONFUSING FOR ME. I HAVE TOO MANY QUESTIONS. I MEAN, WE HAVE A FORMULA BUSINESS RIGHT HERE THAT WE'RE STRENGTHENING. SO WHY DO WE NEED MORE? THAT IS THE PART I DON'T, I REALLY, IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO ME. WE DON'T, RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE A REGULAR PLANNING DIRECTOR. WE HAVE AN INTERIM
WHO WORKS PART TIME, SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF STAFF RESOURCES. SO ANY WAY, THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO BE CLEAR. IT'S NOT THAT I WANT A BUNCH OF FORMULA BUSINESSES IN TOWN. I DON'T. I LOVE MY TOWN, AND I WOULD LIKE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT. THANKS.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH, I'M A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS NOT GOING THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS, WHICH MEANS THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THAT'S WHY PEOPLE SIT ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THEN IT Agenda Item Number: 1
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USUALLY GETS UP TO US AFTER THEIR FEEDBACK AND
RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS TO COME UP EITHER TONIGHT. I RESPECT WHO SERVES THERE AND THEY'VE SERVED A LONG TIME, MANY OF THEM SERVED LONGER THAN I DID ON COUNCIL. I DON'T
WANT TO BE TELLING THE PLANNING COMMISSION WHAT TO DO
WITHOUT THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THIS SORT OF THING. SO I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT PART OF THIS MOTION.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE USE THE PLANNING COMMISSION. IT IS MY THOUGHT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE AND
A DESIRE FOR BANNING THE FORMULA BUSINESSES AND ALSO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE OPTIONS AND NUANCES ARE. SO WE COULD,
YOU KNOW, COME TOGETHER AND DECIDE IF WE HAVE THE VOTES, YOU
KNOW, TO SEND SOMETHING BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN AGREEMENT WITH. SO IT'S JUST, I WOULD HATE
TO SEND THIS BACK TO THE STAFF, HAVE THEM PUT SOMETHING
TOGETHER THAT DOESN'T EVEN ALIGN WITH WHAT COUNCILMEMBERS HERE ARE THINKING ABOUT. AND THEN IT GOES TO PLANNING
COMMISSION, AND THEN IT COMES BACK TO US. WELL, WE DON'T LIKE ANY OF THIS. THIS DOESN'T ANSWER ANY OF THE QUESTIONS, THEN IT GOES IN CIRCLES. SO I'M NOT SUGGESTING WE SHOULD AVOID PLANNING
COMMISSION, BUT TO HAVE MORE FINAL INPUT AND THEN THEY CAN RECOMMEND WHAT THEY THINK. THAT IS MY THOUGHT ON THAT. AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DON'T
KNOW IF WE HAVE THE VOTES OR NOT, BUT WE HAD A MOTION AND A SECOND.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO MOVED BY MAYOR MCLEWIS AND SECONDED BY ZOLLMAN. THE AMENDED MOTION TO AUTHORIZE DIRECTION TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT ALL NEW
FORMULA BUSINESSES AND BRING IN THE DRAFT TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITH OPTIONS FIRST BEFORE IT GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
NO.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
NO.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
NO.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
THE MOTION DOES NOT PASS. THREE NO'S. COUNCILMEMBER HINTON,
MAURER, TWO IN SUPPORT, COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN AND MAYOR MCLEWIS, SO THE MOTION FAILS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS. DISCUSSION INTERACTION, NUMBER 13.
APPROVAL OF CONTRACT/EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO AS YOU JUST STATED, THIS IS FOR THE
APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR
OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND I HAVE DEBORAH HERE, Agenda Item Number: 1
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WHO IS OUR HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT. THAT WILL BE PROVIDING THE STAFF REPORT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. THIS ITEM, LOOKING
FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL ON THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL FOR THE POSITION OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. AND THERE'S TWO MINOR CHANGES I WANT TO POINT OUT.
ONE IS ON THE AGENDA AND THE STAFF REPORT. THEY REFLECT ABOUT A WEEK'S DIFFERENCE OR A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN THAT. THE ACTUAL
DATES ARE THE CONTRACT THAT BEGINS IF IT SAY PROVED TONIGHT, BEGINS ON FEBRUARY 23, 2026. AND IT ENDS ON FEBRUARY 22, 2029. IT IS STILL A THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT. AND THIS AGREEMENT CAME AFTER A
COMPETITIVE RECRUITMENT, WHICH NINE APPLICANTS OF WHICH SEVEN
WERE QUALIFIED AND FOUR WERE INTERVIEWED, AND THEN THERE WERE THREE FINALISTS FROM WHICH MS. HART WAS SELECTED. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT MS. HART WHO HAS HAD PUBLIC
WORKS IN OVERSEEING ENGINEERING AND ALL THE ASPECTS, UTILITY INCLUDED. SHE'S A STRONG BACKGROUND IN CAPITAL PROJECT
MANAGEMENT. SHE IS ALSO COMMUNITY FOCUSED IN THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES. AND SHE'S COMING TO US FROM WATER RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION AS THE MANAGER THERE FOR THE CITY OF PETALUMA.
BUT SHE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SONOMA AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER. SHE WAS ALSO A STORMWATER COORDINATOR FOR THE COUNTY OF SONOMA. SO
SHE COMES WELL WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, AND SO THE AGREEMENT, THE KEY PARTS TO THE AGREEMENT IS IT IS A THREE-YEAR TERM. IT BEGINS WITH AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $157,408. AND IT DOES HAVE A COLA, WHICH IS UP TO 3% ANNUALLY AND IT IS BASED ON THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR THE BAY AREA. AND IT HAS MANAGEMENT
LEVEL BENEFITS, SAME AS OUR OTHER MANAGERS, SHE'LL HAVE THE FIRST YEAR, 33 HOURS, WHICH IS PRO-RATED. AFTER THAT, $100. SHE HAS
A STANDARD SEVERANCE PROVISION THAT THE CITY MANAGERS HAVE, WHICH SAYS YOU ARE PAID 30 DAYS TO WORK, IF YOU ARE TERMINATED FOR A CAUSE, AND THEN 30 DAYS AFTER THAT. I THINK THE BUDGET IMPACTS ARE ACTUALLY AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE PROJECT. THE WAY THIS WAS BUDGETED. THAT IS $20,240 MORE THAN THE PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR IS, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, SHE IS BEGINNING HER CAREER AT A LOWER STEP THAN THE PREVIOUS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR LEFT.
SO THAT PROVIDES SOME SAVINGS AS WELL. AND THERE IS ALSO
SAVINGS IN THE FACT ALL OF OUR SALARIES INCREASE ARE BOTH OUR
INSURANCE LIABILITIES AND ALSO OUR WORKERS' COMPENSATION, SO WE'VE GOT A SAVINGS BECAUSE OF THE PAYROLL REDUCTION IN THAT.
SO WE ARE ASKING TONIGHT FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGREEMENT AND ALSO AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE IT.
ALL RIGHT. SO IS THAT IT?
THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU IF YOU WERE JUST PAUSING. SO BACK TO THE DAIS FOR ANY QUESTIONS. OH, I SEE VICE MAYOR MAURER?
IS SHE HERE?
SHE IS HERE.
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WELCOME.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE ARIANA HART. YOU CAN STAND UP AND SAY HI.
I DON'T KNOW.
HI.
I THINK THEY SHAKE HANDS. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBER?
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M OVERWHELMED AND HUMBLED BY THIS. I CONSIDER THIS MY HOMETOWN, SO JUST VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC WORKS IN GENERAL. I LOVE HOW
WE CAN IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE IN PUBLIC SPACES,
SO I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET STARTED AND WORK WITH THE AMAZING
STAFF THAT I HAVE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, THEN WE'LL GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT, THANK YOU.
I FORGOT TO SAY THANK YOU. IT'S HARD TO SEE FROM THE BACK.
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR THE NEW CITY PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I WILL COME TO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
BUT ON THE LAST MOTION, MAYOR MCLEWIS MADE -- I'M SORRY, WE CAN'T COMMENT ON.
WELL, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? I'M SORRY.
NO, I WAS NOT.
YES, NEITHER ONE OF US WAS. SO SORRY, THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
ON THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT FOR THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT. BACK TO THE DAIS FOR ANY COMMENTS. COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF AND ALL THE HARD
WORK IN FINDING THIS CANDIDATE WHO HAS ALL THE EXPERIENCE, AND PLUS IS A WOMAN. SO GO WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP, SO SHE CLEARLY HAS MY VOTE.
ANYONE ELSE?
DITTO.
DITTO.
I GUESS I WILL MAKE THAT A MOTION.
I SECOND.
AND COUNCILMEMBER CARTER HAD A COMMENT?
YAY. WE HAVE THE POSITION FILLED WITH SOMEONE WONDERFUL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, WHO HELPED MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WELCOME, CAN'T WAIT.
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SO GLAD YOU'RE LOCAL TOO, IT'S WONDERFUL.
OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, I BELIEVE?
WE HAVE A MOTION, AND I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO OUR
HR CONSULTANT FOR ALL THE RECRUITING AND EFFORTS THEY PUT INTO IT, AND WELCOMING ARIANA. CAN'T WAIT TO START WORKING WITH YOU.
I WAS GOING TO INTRODUCE HER AFTER THE AWARD OF THE CONTRACT, BUT YOU ALL BEAT ME TO IT. SO ANY WAY, SO MOVED BY
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR MAURER
TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT AND EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR THE
DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC WORKS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANKS, ARIANA.
YES. WE'RE EXTENDING A HUGE WARM WELCOME TO YOU, AND THANKS FOR STICKING WITH US AT 8:30 AT NIGHT.
LET'S SEE. SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO NUMBER 14, WHICH IS THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 26 MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY ANNA PRESENTING AGAIN?
YES.
OH, I'M SORRY, NEYSA, I DIDN'T MEAN TO -- IT'S OKAY. I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF MAYBE STEPPING OUT OF ORDER A LITTLE BIT. BUT I THOUGHT
MARY COULD EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHY WE DIDN'T GO BACK FOR A
SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND PROTOCOL.
YES. SO PUBLIC COMMENT HAPPENS ONCE PER AGENDA ITEM. THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE MULTIPLE MOTIONS UNDER ONE ITEM. THERE'S NOT PUBLIC COMMENT ON EACH MOTION. IT'S PUBLIC COMMENT ONCE PER AGENDA ITEM.
THANKS FOR THAT.
OKAY. WE WERE AT NUMBER 14, I BELIEVE. SO ANNA, YOU WERE GOING TO DO THE MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT?
YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO HELLO AGAIN., MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILMEMBERS. THIS IS THE OVERVIEW OF THE MID YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT. SO IN FRONT OF YOU, LET ME MAKE IT A LITTLE BIGGER.
OKAY, SO THE ITEM IS PRESENTING THE 25-26 MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND TAKE ACTION. THE MIDYEAR BUDGET REVIEW PROVIDES AN EXPANSION AFTER THE SECOND QUARTER, WHICH IS IMPROVING ACCURACY AND TRANSPARENCY. THIS ITEM WAS ALSO REVIEWED BY THE BUDGET COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 12.
THE PROCESS TONIGHT THAT I WILL GO THROUGH THESE ITEMS, THE
QUESTION AND DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL, AND A PUBLIC
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COMMENTS PERIOD, WHERE THEY DID A MOTION. SO WITH THAT, THE
CITY IS IN A LITTLE BIT OF A BETTER SHAPE AT THIS STAGE THAN IT WAS ADOPTED ON JULY OF 2025. MID YEARED ADJUST WANT INCREASE, THE GENERAL FUND WITH A SURPLUS OF $466,000, COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL ADOPTED BUDGET OF A SURPLUS OF $4,000. SO IT WAS IMPROVING A LITTLE BIT.GENERAL FUND RESERVE LEVEL, THAT WILL GO FROM $25.5 TO $29.3 EXCEEDING THE 15% MINIMUM AND THE 20% GOAL FOR COUNCIL FOR RESERVE. THE COST SAVINGS, I WANTED TO MAKE THIS
VERY CLEAR THAT THIS COST SAVING IS A ONE-TIME COST SAVING DUE TO SALARY VACANCY. THIS IS NOT TO BE REPEATED YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SO THE REVENUE HIGHLIGHTS THE BOTTOM LINE, IT'S IMPROVED BY ALMOST $11,000. AND THAT IS DRIVEN BY $95,000 IN PROPERTY TAX. SALES TAX IS SLIGHTLY DECREASED. THIS IS THE NUMBER WE GOT FROM THE LAST QUARTER THAT WE HEARD FROM THE CONSULTANT. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC UNSTABLE. CHARGES FOR SERVICE, WE
ADJUST THAT A LITTLE BIT, AND MISCELLANEOUS WENT DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT. SO OVERALL, IT IS IMPROVING BY ABOUT $11,000. ON THE EXPENDITURE, THIS IS A BIG SWING. THIS IS $400,000, $450,000 IN SAVINGS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SAVING IN THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET. THIS IS BECAUSE THE SHUTTLE FARE CAME IN LOWER. THE
COUNCIL MEETING HAS BEEN RUNNING EFFICIENTLY, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SAVINGS ON THE AV REPORT. MOVING ONTO THE CITY MANAGER BUDGET, WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE FOR ALMOST HALF A YEAR.
INTERIM CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN FILLING IN. SO THERE'S A BIG SAVING IN THAT BUDGET. THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CITY CLERK BUDGET
WENT UP A LITTLE BIT, AND THIS IS NOT BECAUSE IT WENT UP, BUT THERE
WAS, WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FOR BACK IN APRIL,
MAY OF LAST YEAR, THERE WAS THIS SALARY SAVINGS THAT WAS SENT ACROSS THE BOARD. WHETHER YOU HAVE SAVING IN THAT BUDGET OR NOT, IT WOULD JUST SPREAD IT ACROSS THE BOARD. SO THIS IS JUST TO CORRECT IT, AND IT CAUSES THE BUDGET TO INCREASE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT WAS OVERSPENDING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST A CORRECTION OF THAT. ADMIN SERVICES, THE BUDGET WENT DOWN. I DID
TAKE A LOOK AT MY BUDGET, AND IT WAS JUST ADJUSTED
ACCORDINGLY, BASED ON THE ACTUAL SPENDING THAT I CAN PROJECT.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT, IT IS GOING DOWN BY $49,000. IT'S BECAUSE OF SALARY SAVINGS. I KNOW WE DO HAVE CONSULTANTS ON BOARD TO FILL IN THOSE VACANCIES. BUT THERE IS STILL SALARY SAVINGS. SAME THING WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS A VACANCY FOR SIX MONTHS. AND THEN THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN ADJUSTMENT FOR THE PG&E. SO YOU SEE THIS REDUCTION IS ALSO A REDUCTION IN MISCELLANEOUS. SO WHEN WE BUILD THAT POOL FOR PG&E, IT WAS A
LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE WITH THE EXPENSES, SO IT WAS REDUCED,
THAT'S A DIRECT REIMBURSEMENT TO THE CITY, SO IT WENT DOWN IN REVENUE, AND IT ALSO WENT DOWN IN EXPENDITURE. SO WITH THAT FOR GENERAL FUND, THE SURPLUS IS $467,000. I CAN STOP NOW AND THE COUNCIL CAN ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON?
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES, THANKS. THANKS TO STAFF AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. EVERY
TIME WE REVISIT THESE NUMBERS, I FEEL ANXIOUS ABOUT NEEDING TO Agenda Item Number: 1
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MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR TO NOT END UP IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS WHERE
WE RELY ON ONE-TIME FUNDING, IN THIS CASE, THE BUILDING PERMIT SITUATION. I SAW IN YOUR REPORT, YOU CAUTIOUSLY SAID SOME
VERBAGE ABOUT BEING MINDFUL ABOUT THE FLUCTUATION OF THE BUILDING PERMITS. BUT I WANT TO GET REASSURANCE AGAIN FROM
STAFF, YOU ARE KEEPING THAT TOP OF MIND, THAT WE'RE NOT GOING
DOWN A ROAD OF RELYING ON ONE-TIME THING, WHICH IS IF THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE BUILDING FEES?
NO, WE ARE NOT. I KNOW IN THE STAFF REPORT, I WROTE VERY
CAUTIOUSLY, BUT WE DID TALK IN LENGTH WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. THE CITY MANAGER AND I, WE REALLY TAKE INTO THE NUMBERS WHAT IS REALISTIC? YOU WILL GET THE THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE. WE WILL KNOW AT THAT POINT. I UNDERSTAND
THAT BUILDING FEES ARE SEASONAL, AND THIS IS THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR. YOU KNOW, WINDER MONTHS. THINGS TEND TO HAPPEN IN THE SPRING, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE ADVISED. WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THOSE BUILDING FEES, BUT YES.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR THE UPDATE ON FISCAL EMERGENCY.
ARE WE DONE WITH THAT NOW? HAS THAT PROCLAMATION THAT WE PASSED ENDED? I JUST HAVEN'T HEARD. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. WE'RE LOOKING AT NUMBERS. I'M JUST CURIOUS.
I HAD THE SAME QUESTION.
THE CITY HAS NOT REPEALED THAT RESOLUTION. IT IS STILL IN EFFECT.
AND CAN I ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THEN?
YEAH.
LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET, IT FEELS LIKE WE SHOULD BRING THAT BACK TO THE TABLE. IS THAT SOMETHING ONE OF US NEEDS TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONSIDER TO BRING IT BACK FOR REVIEW? OR DOES STAFF DO THAT WHEN THEY THINK WE'RE PAST THE PERIOD THAT WE'RE AT HIGH RISK? A COUNCIL MEMBER CAN ASK TO HAVE THAT BACK. OUR CITY STAFF CAN. I JUST WANT TO CAUTION, AS STATED, THESE ARE ONE-TIME FUNDS.
SO I WOULD THINK WHEN WE'RE GOING INTO THE PREPARATION OF THE
NEW YEAR, THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT TO RESCIND THAT FISCAL RESOLUTION. SO I WOULD NOT BRING IT BACK RIGHT NOW. I WOULD SAY WAIT UNTIL THE PREPARATION OF THE NEW
BUDGET FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AT ON THAT BEFORE WE BRING THAT ITEM BACK.
OKAY.
THEY CAN REQUEST THE AGENDA ITEM IF YOU WANTED IT SOONER THAN THAT.
OKAY. YEAH, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY, WHAT'S THE ADVANTAGE TO KEEP IT? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION AT THIS TIME?
YOU KNOW, IT IS MORE OF A REFLECTION OF THE COUNCIL'S POSITION AND WHETHER WE ARE STILL IN THAT FISCAL EMERGENCY. LEGALLY,
THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THAT WAS TO ENABLE THE CITY TO CONSIDER
PLACING A SALES TAX MEASURE ON THE JUNE BALLOT RATHER THAN THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY POSITION, IT IS UP Agenda Item Number: 1
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TO THE COUNCIL, AND YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT POSITION FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW ABOUT THE CONDITION.
WILL VICE MAYOR?
SO WHEN DO YOU THINK WE COULD TALK ABOUT ALLOCATING THE SURPLUS? WHEN CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT? YOU KNOW, FOR THE PROJECTS
OR FOR THE ROADS, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSED? BECAUSE 29% IS PRETTY FAR OVER SOME OF OUR -- I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD RIGHT NOW. ANY WAY, OUR ALLOCATION. I THINK WE'RE SUPPOSE TO BE AT 20% OR THE MINIMUM.
THE RESERVE POLICY. TO BRING THE RESERVE POLICY BACK?
NO, AT 29%, WE'RE PRETTY FAR OVER THE RESERVE POLICY. WHEN CAN WE START TALKING ABOUT ALLOCATING THE SURPLUS OR NOT?
I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND COUNCIL DISCUSS ALLOCATING SURPLUS. AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A ONE-TIME SAVINGS. IT'S BECAUSE THERE IS VACANCY IN KEY DEPARTMENTS. AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGET
DEVELOPMENT FOR 26-27, ALSO IN THIS MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT, THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS FOR THE FORECAST. THERE IS ONE WITH HOTEL AND ONE WITHOUT. AS YOU CAN SEE, YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS STILL AT THE DEFICIT. SO IT WOULD NOT -- WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
IF WE ARE ALLOCATING FOR ONE-TIME PROJECTS LIKE NOT ONGOING THINGS, BUT JUST A ONE-TIME PROJECT?
CAN I ADDRESS THAT REALLY QUICK?
PLEASE, PLEASE.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO DISCUSS IT RIGHT NOW. AS A REMINDER, CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS.
OH.
SO THIS DOES NOT REFLECT. SO I WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION PHYSICAL SUCH TIME WE ARE THROUGH OUR
BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANNA, DID YOU WANT TO CONTINUE? YES. SO THAT IS THE SNAPSHOT OF THE GENERAL FUND, AS FAR AS MID YEAR BUDGETS AMENDMENTS. AND FOLLOWING THE PAGE IS THE DETAIL OF ALL THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES BY CATEGORIES. AND FOR THE
EXPENDITURES, THERE'S THE BUDGET FORM THAT LAID OUT WHY EACH
DEPARTMENT AND WHAT LINE ITEM THAT EACH DEPARTMENT HAS
BUDGET REDUCTION. SO THE NEXT ONE I'M TRYING TO GET TO. SO THIS IS THE FORECAST I WOULD MENTION EARLIER. I'M PROVIDING THE CITY THE FORECAST. ONE OPTION IS WITH HOTEL. OTHER OPTION IS WITHOUT MOTEL. WE ARE BACK TO THE DEFICIT. SO THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT AT THIS PIN. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. IT'S THE FIVE FACILITY FUND. THIS
ADJUSTMENT IS MORE OF THE PROCEDURAL TO REFLECT THE
AGREEMENT THAT WAS REQUIRED BY THE ANNUAL PASS THROUGH. AND NOTHING, NOTHING SPECIAL. AND MOVING ON TO THE WATER
OPERATION. THERE'S SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENT IN WATER AND
WASTEWATER. VERY, VERY MINOR ADJUSTMENT. THIS IS IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, WHERE YOU SEE SALARY AND WAGES INCREASE. THIS IS JUST A CORRECTION OF THE VACANCY SAVING. THERE WERE NO VACANCY
SAVING, BUT IT WAS SPREAD ACROSS THE BOARD BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT MID YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT. EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM IS BEING LOOKED AT. THIS IS JUST A CORRECTION. THERE'S SOME MINOR Agenda Item Number: 1
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ADJUSTMENT GOING ON THE REDUCTION SIDE, BASED ON THE ACTUAL SPENDING TREND. SO WITH THAT, I WILL SEND IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
OKAY. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ANYONE?
THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU, ANNA. TRULY APPRECIATE IT. BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANNA BEFORE SHE EXITS THE ROOM?
I GUESS WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, MARY?
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT,
AGAIN, IT'S A TWO-MINUTE TIME LIMIT, AND I'LL DO CHAMBERS FIRST, THEN GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS? SEEING NONE. I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
GREAT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE?
IT THIS MIGHT BE MY MOST CONFUSING PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT IF YOU
GOT YOUR BUDGET SHEET IN FRONT OF YOU, THE ADJUSTED BUDGET SHEET. I WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THE LINKAGE THAT'S
OVERLOOKED BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE
FUNDS. FREQUENTLY IN THE PAST, YOU MADE DECISIONS TO INCREASE
BUDGETS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS WITHOUT
THINKING ABOUT THE FACT A GOOD PORTION OF THAT DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET WILL ALSO BE PASSED TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. SO THE RATE PAYER SEE AN INCREASE IN COSTS. IN THIS CASE, IT'S ACTUALLY A DECREASE. SO LOOK AT THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET. IT WAS $581,282, WHICH IS A LOT FOR A VAY CAN POSITION. BUT OKAY. THE ALLOCATION MODEL, WHICH YOU DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. BASICALLY TOOK 44%
OF THAT AND ALLOCATED IT TO WATER AND WASTEWATER, SO IT IS $254,000 THAT THE WATER AND RATE WASTEWATER RATE PAYERS ARE PAYING FOR THE CITY MANAGER, GENERAL FUND COSTS. NOW THAT IT'S GONE DOWN TO $292,000 THERE, IS STILL, ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET SHEET, PAYING $254,000. SO THEY'RE PAYING ABOUT 83% OF THE COST RIGHT NOW OF WHAT THE GENERAL MANAGER'S BUDGET IS. MOST OF
THOSE ITEMS BECAUSE IT'S A VACANT POSITION, AREN'T CONTRACTED SERVICES, WHICH HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WATER OR SEWER. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE. POINT IS IF YOU TAKE ONE TIME, YOU NEED TO ADJUST THE OTHER. NOW, CITY COUNCIL FOREVER HAS NOT PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO WATER AND SEWER. BUDGETS AT ALL. IT'S GREAT YOU PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ATTENTION. THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THE GENERAL FUND ISSUE. IT SAYS COST ALLOCATION PLAN, PROPOSED BUDGET. $1.8 MILLION. THAT'S $125,000 LOWER RIGHT NOW. IF YOU ADJUST THE CITY MANAGER ALLOCATION BACK TO THE 44%, THAT MEANS YOUR REVENUE IS -- ROBERT, THAT'S TWO MINUTES.
AND YOUR SURPLUS IS A QUARTER LESS. SO DON'T SPEND IT ALL.
THANKS.
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? YES, I CAN.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO, BUT THAT'S OKAY. IT WON'T BE THE WHOLE TWO MINUTES.
OKAY, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I APPRECIATE ROBERT FOR BRINGING UP THIS POINT ABOUT ENTERPRISE FUND. WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD HISTORICAL TRACK RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO OVERSIGHT OF OUR ENTERPRISE FUND. AND
THE WAY THAT NUMBERS ARE SEEMINGLY MAGICALLY APPEARING AND
DISAPPEARING IN RELATION TO THE WAY WE ARE ALLOCATING OUR ENTERPRISE FUND FOR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. IN FACT, SO MUCH
SO THAT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THERE WAS SOME SORT OF OVERSIGHT BODY. AND HERE WE ARE, A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR
FROM THAT BODY, THEIR INSIGHTS, THEIR COMMUNICATION REGARDING THE ENTERPRISE FUND AT THIS MID-YEAR BUDGET. AND YET NONE OF
THAT INFORMATION, NONE OF THAT COMMUNICATION, NONE OF THE
MINUTES OR MEETINGS OF THAT GROUP ARE INCLUDED IN THIS AGENDA ITEM OR HAVE BEEN MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS TONIGHT. SO WHAT IS
THE PURPOSE OF THAT BODY, IF IT IS NOT TO INFORM BOTH THE COUNCIL
AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THESE TYPES OF INCONSISTENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE CITY'S ATTORNEY FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
YES, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE, ALONG WITH COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. WE HAD ONE
MEETING SO FAR. I WENT AND VIDEOED ALL THE CITIES SEWER WORKS
AND VARIOUS BITS AND PIECES, SO WE CAN KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS. I THINK THE NEXT MEETING IS ON THE 13th, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT. AND WE JUST KIND OF GET OUR ARMS
AROUND LOOKING AT ALL THE NUMBERS, AND WHAT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND KIND OF DISASSEMBLING EVERYTHING, PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. WAY TOO EARLY TO GET TO PUBLIC
COMMENTING ON THAT. THE SPREAD SHEET. SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING, KYLE. BUT RIGHT NOW, WAY TOO PREMATURE FOR US TO WAIT IN ABOUT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT IT. BEST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
THANK YOU, OLIVER. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. MARY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
THIS IS FAST.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I SEE THERE'S $288,000 THAT WAS TAKEN FROM -- I THINK IT WAS THE CITY MANAGER'S FUND OR SOMETHING. HOW ABOUT WE GIVE THAT BACK TO THE RATE PAYERS? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN. WHO REALLY CAN'T AFFORD WATER. SO HOW ABOUT WE GIVE THAT MUCH Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
BACK? IF WE HAVE THAT. LET'S GIVE THAT BACK TO US, WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING TOO MUCH FOR WATER AND SEWER. THAT'S MY IDEA.
THANK YOU, MARY FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
VICE MAYOR?
SO THE IDEA OF LET'S SAY WE COULD MAYBE TRUE UP AT THE END OF
THE YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S VACANCY SAVINGS FOR THE CITY
MANAGER AND A LOT OF THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE WATER AND SEWER. SO IS IT POSSIBLE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE CAN BE A RECONCILIATION OR TRUE UP OF THOSE FUNDS? AND THEN
REALLOCATED TO THE WATER AND SEWER? SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING
THAT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE PREDICTED THAT WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET. BUT NOW WE KNOW. CAN WE TRUE IT UP AT SOME POINT? AND
THAT WOULD PROBABLY GO FOR POSSIBLY LAWYER FEES AS WELL, BUT I'M SAYING THIS FOR THE COMMITTEE. THEY COULD CONSIDER THAT TOO.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES THAN I THINK WERE MAYBE BROUGHT UP. ONE IS AN ACCOUNTING THING. AND THEN ONE IS A
BUCKET OF MONEY THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THAT WE ARE
ACTUALLY TRYING TO ATTRIBUTE TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE POINT OF RATE CHANGES ANY WAY. BUT AS FAR AS THE
ALLOCATION GOES, MAYBE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS. WE BASE THIS ALLOCATION ON A FORMULA, RIGHT? SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHEN WE -- YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
SO IF YOU REMEMBER, WE DID BRING THE CONSULTANT TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE BACK IN SEPTEMBER. WE DID TALK ABOUT GOING FORWARD.
THIS PLAN IS UP TO THE COUNCIL IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE THE ALLOCATION. YOU CAN DO THAT. BUT THE COST PLAN IS A COST PLAN.
EVEN IF YOU REMEMBER SOME DEPARTMENT AND REDUCE THAT
ALLOCATION. THE CHARGE BACK TO WATER AND SEWER DOESN'T
CHANGE THE RATE THAT THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING BECAUSE THOSE ARE WATER RATE STUDIES. THOSE RATES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. THEY ARE FIVE-YEAR RATE STUDY, AND WE ARE IN OUR SECOND YEAR. SO IT
COULD HELP IF YOU DO ADJUST THAT COST PLAN TO HELP WITH THE WATER STUDY DOWN IN THE FUTURE. BUT IT DOESN'T HELP THE RATE
RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE NOT GOING TO -- I MEAN, IF THERE IS A REDUCTION FOR RATE, IT HAS TO BE IN THE STUDY. THERE HAS TO THE BE ANOTHER STUDY. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION OR NOT.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES, AND THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS UP THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT AND MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE. THIS COST ALLOCATION THING. I CAN'T GET INTO THAT WITH A BUDGET DISCUSSION. SO WHEN IS IT POSSIBLE
FOR STAFF TO START BRINGING FORTH AGENDA ITEMS TO START EXPLAINING ACROSS THE ALLOCATION? PLAN FORMULA THAT WE HAD FOR 20 YEARS, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD FOR 20 YEARS BECAUSE OF THE FORMER GENERAL? JUST FOR A LOT OF REASONS THAT
WE SHOULD HAVE ALWAYS UPDATED THAT FORMULA EARLIER THAN LETTING IT GO FOR 20 YEARS, RIGHT? IT'S A COMPLICATED THING. IT IS Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMPLICATED WHEN I WAS ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I DON'T THINK I COULD ABSORB TALKING ABOUT A COST ALLOCATION PLAN. PRIOR ONE, THE PROPOSED ONE, WHATEVER. EVEN THE CONTEXT OF APPROVING THE BUDGET. SO IS IT NOT POSSIBLE THAT STAFF COULD START PROVIDING US INFRASTRUCTURE ABOUT THE ALLOCATION PLAN? HOW IT WORKS IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO US CONSIDERING PASSING ON THE BUDGET? IS THAT NOT A POSSIBILITY?
THE ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING.
THERE IS A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING ASKED. AND THE NEXT MEETING IS FEBRUARY 10.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT TO THE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE THAT MAYBE THEY REALLY START PUSHING, GETTING
THINGS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA TO START PROVIDING THIS EDUCATION TO US. BECAUSE JUNE IS GOING TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. IT'S MINE.
COUNCILMEMBER, VICE MAYOR MAURER?
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT A TRUE UP PROCESS AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS NOT GOING TO REDUCE THE RATES FOR THE RATE PAYERS. HOWEVER,
MONEY COULD BE THEN ADDED TO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE LONG RUN FOR THE RATE PAYERS?
CORRECT.
OKAY, THANK YOU. SO I HAVE A QUESTION. ALL THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE AND ALL OF THAT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THAT COMMITTEE, TIMELINE WISE, FOR THEM TO COME BACK. ARE THEY GETTING THE INFORMATION YOU NEED, SO YOU MOVE FORWARD. WHEN WILL THIS HAPPEN? WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF INFORMATION? IS THERE A GOAL OR A PLAN?
SO AT THE NEXT FEBRUARY 10 OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WE ARE
RETURNING TO THAT COMMITTEE WITH THE ANSWERS ADDRESSING A LOT OF THE FINANCIALS. SO WE ARE NOW STARTING TO DIG DEEPER INTO LIKE WHAT THE EXPENSES ARE IN THE WATER, ALLOCATION FUND. YOU
KNOW, HOW MUCH HAS ONE DEPARTMENT BEEN ALLOCATED VERSES HOW MUCH HAVE WE TRULY SPENT. SO WE'RE DOING ONE DEPARTMENT
AS AN EXAMPLE TO SEE IF MAYBE THAT ONE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE
BETTER TO HAVE DIRECT COST, RATHER THAN THIS COST ALLOCATION PLAN. SO WE HAVE REVIEWED IT, GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION. WE JUST WORKED ALL DAY LONG, TRYING TO ADDRESS IT. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WILL BE REVIEWING THIS ON TUESDAY, THE 10th.
DIDN'T HAVE ONE THERE. SO YES, WE ARE GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO THE ENTERPRISE COMMITTEE. THEY'LL BE REVIEWING IT AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESSES. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THESON -- IN THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. I BELIEVE TO ADDRESS THE
COST ALLOCATION AGENDA ITEMS, I BELIEVE IN MARCH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM DISCUSSING THE COST ALLOCATION. SO THAT IS ON THE FORWARD AGENDA.
SO WE CAN EXPECT A MEANINGFUL REPORT BACK FROM THAT
COMMITTEE, BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO BUDGET SEASON? LIKE FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND?
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
IT'S GOING TO TAKE US SOME TIME. I DON'T KNOW IF WE WILL HAVE ALL
THE INFORMATION PRIOR TO WHEN THE BUDGET MEETING START, BUT YES, IT WILL BE A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO IT WILL BE IN CORRELATION, I GUESS, IN PARALLEL TRACKS GOING THE AT SAME TIME.
GOT IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND I CAN'T SEE -- VICE MAYOR MAURER, SO I DON'T KNOW IF SHE HAS HER HAND UP OR NOT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO?
I DON'T SEE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
OR COMMENTS, I GUESS, IS WHAT WE'RE IN, NOT QUESTIONS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I GUESS YOU NEED US, DO YOU NEED US -- WE NEED A MOTION.
YEAH. LET'S SEE.
SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MID-YEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR FY25-26.
SO MOVED.
SECOND.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY VICE MAYOR MAURER AND SECONDED BY
MAYOR MCLEWIS TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE MID-YEAR BUDGET FOR FY25, 26. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
WAIT, WAIT, SHE'S TRYING TO TALK. DID I MISS A COMMENT? I WAS SAYING YES. SORRY.
OH, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THESE ITEMS, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO DO A QUICK CHECK TO SEE IF EVERYBODY IS OKAY? WE ONLY HAVE A COUPLE MORE TO GET THROUGH, IF ANYBODY NEEDS A BREAK. SHE'S SAYING FIVE MINUTES?
YES.
OKAY.
WE WILL ADJOURN FOR FIVE MINUTES AND RECONVENE AT 9:05.
WELL ACTUALLY, IT'S FOUR MINUTES TILL.
SORRY, 9:01.
YEAH. [ MEETING WILL RESUME AT 9:01 ]
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON, ARE YOU BACK? THERE SHE IS. WE CAN GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE THE MEETING.
I'M TALKING AWAY AND I'M ON MUTE. OKAY. LET'S SEE. WE JUST FINISHED ITEM 14. SO LET'S GO INTO ITEM 15. SEBASTOPOL WOMEN LED BUSINESS OWNERS CELEBRATION AND NETWORKING EVENING. REQUEST WAS COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. I GUESS WHO IS DOING THE
PRESENTATION? PLANNING OR?
NO, THIS WILL BE COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. IT'S HIS AGENDA ITEM. AND WE'LL JUMP IN IF HE NEEDS HELP.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
GOTCHA. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
I WILL NEED HELP, BUT I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT FIRST. SO THE REASON WHY
I'M BRINGING UP ALL OF THIS IS IT'S A PART OF THE ECONOMIC
GARDENING INITIATIVE THAT WE HAD STARTED THAT WE'RE FUNDING,
AND IT SUPPORTS THE CITY'S GOALS OF A HEALTHY GROWING LOCAL SET OF BUSINESSES. ONE THING I NOTICED, THE FIRST THING OF THIS YEAR,
AND NOW EVERYBODY LEFT, SO READING THESE OFF ARE GOING TO BE KIND OF LESS FUN. BUT YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST WALKING BY, AND I SAW THERE WAS FARM FRESH, ROSEMARY, SILK ROOM, LUCKY ROOT.
SEBASTOPOL COOKIE COMPANY, AMERICANA, RUBY'S PILATES, GLOBAL
ARTS, DESIGN COMPANY, SEBASTOPOL GALLERY, DRESSERS, MILK AND HONEY, TATTOO SHOP. IT'S CO-OWNED, GATHERED. YOGURT, AND I COULD KEEP GOING. BUT THAT'S THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN OF WOMEN OWNERS. THEY HAVE HELD OUR TOWN TOGETHER THIS YEAR. I WANT TO
CELEBRATE THEM, AND ACTUALLY I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
THEM TO GET TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE THEMSELVES AND KIND OF
NETWORK AMONGST EACH OTHER BECAUSE THOSE ARE REALLY FUN THINGS TO DO. WE DIDN'T TOTALLY USE OUR BUDGET FOR THE LAST
LISTENING MEETING, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET THESE LADIES TOGETHER AND CONGRATULATE THEM IN SOME SORT OF WAY.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, TO CELEBRATE THEM, TO ENCOURAGE THEM, AND, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THEM FURTHER.
THANK YOU. CAN I JUST SAY IT IS ALSO A FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESS? NO, YOU CAN'T.
I'M JUST SAYING.
I'M JUST KIDDING. YEAH, YOU WERE ON MY LIST.
BUT GO AHEAD. MARY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?
NO, BASICALLY TO ADD TO THAT. I THINK WHAT COUNCILMEMBER
CARTER IS ENVISIONING IS TO HAVING, YOU KNOW, LIKE A MEET AND GREET EVENT, SMALL HORS D'OEUVRES, SO IT WOULDN'T BE A MAJOR SITDOWN DINNER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT A WAY TO RECOGNIZE THE WOMEN. TO TRY TO VITALIZE DOWNTOWN, THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT'S WHAT THE PERCEPTION IS. IT'S COMING OFF THE ECONOMIC, YEAH,
ECONOMIC BUSINESS GROWING INITIATIVE THAT COUNCILMEMBER CARTER STARTED INITIALLY.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME ENGAGEMENT ALREADY. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT ONEROUS TO PUT TOGETHER.
IS THAT EVERYTHING? OKAY. QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR? SO WHO WOULD BE ORGANIZING THIS? WHO WOULD BE STAFFING IT? WHO WOULD BE SENDING OUT THE INVITATIONS? I MEAN, WHEN I THINK
ABOUT THROWING A PARTY LIKE THIS, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF HOURS THAT GO INTO IT. SO I'M WONDERING WHO IS DOING IT?
SO CITY STAFF WOULD BE DOING THE INVITATIONS AND GETTING THE LIST OF BUSINESSES FROM THE ADMIN SERVICES. CREATING THE INVITES, SENDING IT OUT DIGITALLY, LIKE E-SVITE. AND THE COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD BE WORKING ON SECURING THE VENUE FOR THE EVENT? AND
THEN TRYING TO SECURE EITHER SOLICITING DONATIONS FROM THE
BUSINESSES, BUT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, HAVING A COUPLE HUNDRED
DOLLARS FROM THE CITY TO ALSO HELP TO PAY FOR THE APPETIZERS, ALL THAT. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT'S ALSO LIKE A POT LUCK TYPE OF Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
EVENT OF THE BUSINESSES BRINGING FOOD IN AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO
THE IMPACT FOR THE STAFF INITIALLY WOULD BE TO DO THE INVITES, SEND OUT THE INVITES, DO THE RSVP LIST. DEPENDING ON THE VENUE, IT DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF STAFF WORKLOAD AT THAT POINT.
AND JUST TO FURTHER THIS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY KIND OF ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS. I THINK IT WILL GO WELL.
EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT A PARTY THROWER, TRUST ME. I FEEL LIKE I COULD SORT OF GET IT TOGETHER, WHERE IT WILL BE USEFUL ENOUGH.
AND I DON'T THINK IT WILL REQUIRE MUCH STAFF TIME OTHER THAN JUST BEING THERE TO ALSO ENJOY IT.
A QUESTION I HAVE, MARY. YOU KNOW, I WORKED WITH, WE WORKED
TOGETHER ON PLANNING, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MAYORS, WHEN THEY COME TO SEBASTOPOL AND HOSTED. I KNOW THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF TIME AND THERE IS TIME SPENT GETTING DONATIONS, ALL THAT. HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THAT TO THIS? I KNOW AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, WE DO THESE TYPES OF EVENTS MONTHLY, AND I KNOW THE AMOUNT OF TIME MY STAFF PUTS INTO IT. SO I HAVE A GOOD
IDEA OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME, BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU WHAT YOU THINK BECAUSE I THINK IT IS OFTEN MORE THAN WE THINK.
SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE STAFF TIME WOULD BE TO DO THE BUSINESS LICENSES, CREATE THE INVITE, DO THE RSP. THAT TO ME IS A FEW HOURS. THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE A LOT OF STAFF TIME. IF WE'RE
GOING TO BE SETTING SOMETHING UP, DEPENDING ON THE VENUE, AS I
STATED IN THE STAFF REPORT, THAT WOULD ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF TIME. IF WE DID IT, FOR EXAMPLE, I WOULD EXPECT STAFF TO HELP SET IT UP. IT'S OUR BUILDING, TO HELP CLEAN UP, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL STAFF TIME. IF WE'RE NOT SETTING UP LIKE
A DINNER, LIKE THE COUNCILMEMBERS THAT WE DO WHERE WE HAVE TO GET A CATERER, THE EVENT CENTER, ALL THAT. I DON'T ANTICIPATE IT BEING THAT AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME. AND THAT IS A LENGTHY AMOUNT
OF STAFF TIME TO SET THOSE MEETINGS UP TO GET THE CATERING, TO GET THAT. SO IF IT IS MORE ABOUT IF WE ARE REALLY JUST DOING THE
INVITATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND HELPING COORDINATE THAT PART OF IT. I DON'T ANTICIPATE A LOT OF STAFF TIME. BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE GOING OUT, SOLICITING DONATIONS, ALL THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE INTENT FROM COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER WILL BE DOING MOST OF THAT AND WORKING WITH THE BUSINESSES. SO IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THERE IS LIMITED STAFF TIME ON THIS ONE.
AND JUST ONE CLARIFICATION. I SEE $500 TO $700. DID YOU SAY THIS ALREADY? YOU'RE THINKING OF A FREE VENUE? BECAUSE VENUES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW.
YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S BEEN VENUES OFFERED FROM BUSINESSES OF THE WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES. SO THERE HAVE
BEEN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY STEPPED UP SAYING THEY WOULD HOST THEM. IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER
CARTER AND I WILL HAVE ABOUT HOW TO SELECT THOSE, SO WE'RE FAIR AND EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD. BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. IT'S A BUSINESS LOCATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IF IT'S A COST FOR AN
EVENT CENTER OR THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
DON'T THINK THE YOUTH CENTER WOULD BE -- I DON'T THINK THOSE COMMUNITIES WOULD SEE MORE CHARGES, BUT I'M SPEAKING FOR THEM.
THAT'S A MINIMAL FEE. IF WE DO GO TO LIKE A HALL OR AN EVENT
CENTER IN THE BAR LOW OR, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER LOCATION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO RENT. THAT WOULD ADD TO THE COST.
THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS?
GO AHEAD.
SO ARE THE INVITATIONS FOR ONLY WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES? WHAT
ABOUT IF IT IS A WOMAN AND A MAN IN LIKE A COUPLE OWNS THE BUSINESS? I MEAN, I'M JUST CURIOUS. ARE MEN BUSINESSES GOING TO BE INVITED OR IS IT JUST FOR WOMEN?
YOU KNOW, I HATE TO BE A REVERSE. WHAT DO YOU CALL IT, A REVERSE WHATEVER IT IS. BUT YEAH, NO. I THINK THE PRIMARY REASON FOR THIS
IS IT IS KIND OF LIKE WOMEN OWNED, BUT ALSO WOMEN PARTNERS BECAUSE SOME OF THESE ARE WOMEN AND PARTNER OWNED. BUT YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY WOMEN LED. I'M OPEN TO OPENING IT UP TO ALL, BUT I THINK IT COULD BECOME UNMANAGEABLE PRETTY FAST. IF WE KEEP IT
PRETTY TIGHT, LIKE JUST MAYBE JUST THE WOMEN OWNERS, IT WILL BE
A LOT EASIER TO HAVE IT AT OUR EVENT THAT WE COULD HAVE
DONATED AND HAVE MUCH MORE CONTROL OVER THE PEOPLE
CONTRIBUTING, OTHER BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTING TO THE EVENT. AND I
THINK WHEN IT BECOMES LIKE A BROAD CELEBRATION, IT COULD GET OUT OF HAND.
OKAY. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. I'M PUZZLED BY IT. SO YOU'RE SUGGESTING ONLY WOMEN SHOULD BE INVITED?
THE WOMEN BUSINESSES AND THEY CAN INVITE WHOEVER THEY WANT AS A PART, YOU KNOW, AS A PART OF IT. THAT WAS THE THOUGHT. IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS, THAT'S FINE. I'M OPEN TO OTHER THINGS.
I KNOW -- I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE AS A NON-PROFIT, WE DO THIS ONCE A YEAR, WHERE WE CELEBRATE WOMEN AND FOOD MANUFACTURING.
BUT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY ASK THE MEN TO SHOW UP TO HELP CELEBRATE THE WOMEN, AND YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THEM. SO I DON'T KNOW. IT JUST FEELS ODD TO ME TO DISCLUDE PEOPLE FROM THE EVENT.
IT'S A NETWORKING EVENT TO HELP BOLSTER THE COMMUNITY. BUT IF
YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, THE REAL AIM SHOULD BE CELEBRATION AND
GRABBING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, SO THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, MORE APPRECIATIVE. THAT WOULD DEFINITELY MAKE THE EVENT HUGE., BUT DOABLE, AND I'M SURE WE COULD FIGURE IT OUT. I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD TAKE ADVICE ON THAT. BUT THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A NETWORKING.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
I MEAN, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO -- I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD EXCLUDE
ANYBODY, BUT CELEBRATING WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS AS A
CATEGORY, NO DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE CELEBRATE NON-PROFITS, AS WE HAVE OUR NON-PROFIT COUNCIL, RIGHT? AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT SPENDING ALL THE MONEY. SO HOPEFULLY WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME OTHER THEMES. YOU KNOW, MAYBE NEWER BUSINESSES Agenda Item Number: 1
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THAT HAVE OPENED IN THE LAST THREE YEARS FOR ANOTHER THEME OR SOMETHING. BUT I CAN SEE THE SENSE OF IT BEING MANAGEABLE WITH A
SMALLER GROUP FOR THE FIRST ONE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT CITY STAFF TIME. I'D BE
WILLING TO SUPPORT THIS TONIGHT IF PHILL WANTS TO TAKE THE LEAD
ON IT AND THEN KIND OF KEEP OTHER THINGS IN MIND FOR OTHER EVENTS WITHIN THE SAME THEME THAT WE BUDGETED FOR. IT'S ALREADY PREBUDGETTED. SO IT'S OKAY BY ME.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY I SUPPORT IT TOO AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD. AND ACTUALLY ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO DID A
SIPPING COUTURE TOUR, SHE WAS LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO DO WHAT I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, NETWORKING. SO WE COULD BRING HER IN ON THIS TOO. AND I'M YOUR ALTERNATE TOO, THE CHAMBER, SO I'LL HELP YOU SECURE VENUES AND WHATEVER ELSE. SO AWESOME WORK AS WELL.
SO THIS IS OUR QUESTION TIME. SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT?
VICE MAYOR DOES.
YES, MY QUESTION IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBER HINTON SAID.
SHE COULD SEE THIS BEING A SERIES, AND THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY JUST WOMEN, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WOMEN-LED BUSINESS. I SUPPORT WOMEN-LED
BUSINESSES, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OTHER TYPES OF BUSINESSES ACKNOWLEDGED ALONG THE SAME LINES TOO. SO THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME. SO THEN MY QUESTION, I HAD A QUESTION. SO ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT DOING THAT OR IS THIS A ONE-TIME THING?
I DIDN'T REALLY THINK THIS THROUGH. [ LAUGHTER ]
AND I HAVE THAT SAME QUESTION. I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO START
THIS, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU GO DOWN THAT SLOPE, YOU
KNOW, THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT EXPECTATION, WHICH IS FINE. BUT IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE? I WAS HOPING THERE WOULD BE SOME THOUGHT OF THIS MOVING FORWARD.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] NOT TO BE TOO CHEEKY. WE CAN DEFINITELY FORWARD MORE OF THESE. THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST. THIS IS MY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SMALL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. WE
COULD DEFINITELY KEEP THE SAME TARGET BUDGET FOR THE
FOLLOWING YEAR, AND WE'LL GET BETTER AT IT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO ALSO CELEBRATE. AND FOR SURE, IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL
IF WE COULD MAKE THIS SOMETHING THAT IS SYSTEMIZED AND
ORGANIZED, SO IT COULD HAPPEN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT? GO AHEAD, MAYOR.
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE WOMEN LED BUSINESS OWNERS CELEBRATION AND NETWORKING EVENT. IF
YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, AGAIN, IT'S A TWO-MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. ROBERT, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES.
THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER STILL?
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City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
YES.
GREAT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
JUST A QUESTION. WHERE IS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. AND THEY, SEVERAL MEETINGS AGO, SAID THEY WERE STEPPING UP, GETTING THE WHOLE BUSINESS COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
WHERE ARE THEY IN THIS AND WHY AREN'T THEY HELPING? THANKS.
THANK YOU, ROBERT FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I WILL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF
THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SEEING NONE, THERE'S NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AS WE COME BACK HERE, GO AHEAD
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON. I HAVE A COMMENT WHENEVER. GO AHEAD.
WELL, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO THAT HAVING RECENTLY RUN A CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. I THINK THERE'S A PLACE FOR CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY A BIG BUSINESS PARTNER FOR US. BUT
THAT'S A MEMBERSHIP DRIVEN ORGANIZATION, AND THIS WOULD BE, I
THINK, AN INVITATION TO ALL CITY WOMEN-LED BUSINESSES THAT HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE, AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT. SO THIS DOES FOLLOW THE GOALS THAT WE SET FOR THE COUNCIL. I'LL BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS TONIGHT. THANKS.
SO I HAVE A COMMENT. I JUST WANTED TO STATE, TO MAKE SURE ALL
WOMEN ARE INCLUDED, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EFFORT IS PUT FORTH. AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO EXPRESS MY --
I KNOW THAT -- SO WHEN WE -- WITH THE SEBASTOPOL WALKS, I KNOW
LIKE COUNCILMEMBER HINTON, SHE PUTS A TON OF TIME IN THAT RESTAURANT WALK. IT TAKES A TON OF WORK, AND IT'S VERY
SUCCESSFUL, AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME. I'M JUST
HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND ZOLLMAN, IF
YOU WILL BE WILLING TO PUT IN THAT KIND OF TIME, JUST SO THE STAFF DOESN'T END UP PUTTING IN SO MANY HOURS ON THIS. AS SOMEONE WHO
PLANS EVENTS FOR BASICALLY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE EVERY
MONTH, LIKE BIG NETWORKING EVENTS, I KNOW THE AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO I'M JUST HOPING, EXPRESSING MY HOPE YOU ALL WILL BE ABLE TO PUT INTO THE TIME, SO IT DOESN'T ALL LAND ON STAFF. SO THOSE ARE MY TWO COMMENTS. I KNOW VICE MAYOR MAURER HAD A COMMENT? YES. SO I WANT TO SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES. I WANT TO ALSO SUPPORT OUR NON-PROFITS. I WANT TO SUPPORT OUR SOCIAL SERVICE GROUPS.
AND IF THE CITY IS GOING TO START ACKNOWLEDGING ONE, I WANT TO SEE THAT CONTINUE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OTHERS AS WELL. AND I'M
REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIME AND THE STAFF TIME THAT COULD
BE TAKEN, SO I'M GLAD COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN HAS VOLUNTEERED TO HELP YOU. BECAUSE I KNOW THESE KINDS OF EVENTS ARE VERY TIME
CONSUMING TO PREPARE, TO PLAN, TO SET UP, TO MANAGE, YOU KNOW,
YOU NEED PEOPLE THERE, EVEN, YOU KNOW, ANY WAY, SO IT'S A LOT OF TIME TO PUT ON AN EVENT LIKE THAT. AND I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE WANTING, WHICH IS $750. I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THAT'S GOING TO GO. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS ENOUGH.
SO YEAH.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
FUNDAMENTALLY, I'LL DO WHAT -- THIS ISN'T MY FIRST RODEO. I MIGHT
COME OFF FAIRLY NONCHALANT ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, BUT I COULD DO THIS. I HAVE DONE IT QUITE A BIT. I ALREADY KNOW HALF THE COMMUNITY, AND I TALKED TO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE 70% ORGANIZED. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW,
I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU RUN THESE THINGS, I'VE THROWN A FEW MYSELF. I DO THINK THE WOMEN BUSINESSES ARE AMAZING
THEMSELVES AS SELF-ORGANIZING.
I'LL BE FULLY RESPECTFUL OF STAFF TIME.
PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST BECAUSE I DO HAVE THE SAME
CONCERNS ABOUT, IF WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE ONE, THEN THIS WILL START TO SNOWBALL AND BECOME HIGHER COST. I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS FRAME AS A BETA TEST TO SEE HOW THIS GOES. THE
AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES AND THE AMOUNT OF TRUE COST THAT WILL
COME INTO IT BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO
COST JUST KNOWING A BUDGET THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR THE EVENT THAT'S KIND OF SIMILAR. WE'RE BUDGETING A LOT HIGHER. I
PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AS A BETA TEST, YOU KNOW, SEE
WHERE IT GOES, SEE WHERE WE LAND, AND THEN EVALUATE WHETHER
OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY
SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BUDGET. I DON'T
WANT THIS TO TURN INTO ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE COSTS BECAUSE WE
ACTUALLY CUT OUT ALL THE COSTS FOR NON-PROFITS IN THE PAST, AND
THIS JUST FEELS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO START CREEPING
INTO SPENDING MORE MONEY, IF WE, YOU KNOW, DON'T STOP AND EVALUATE AFTER THE FIRST ONE. SO THAT'S MY PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THAT.
WE HAD $3,000 ALLOCATED TOWARDS THIS EFFORT, SO IT IS A WAY TO UTILIZE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T SPENT. AND IF YOU'RE WORRIED
ABOUT GOING FORWARD, WE COULD DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, MODEL THIS IN GOING FORWARD. YOU'LL SEE WHETHER THIS WORKED OR DIDN'T WORK. AND EVEN IF IT IS JUST ONE TIME, IT'S DESERVED.
AND JUST LAST WEEK, I DID AN EVENT. NOT 30 PEOPLE WHEN WE WERE $1,200 AT LEAST, JUST FOR ONE LITTLE THING. SO GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR MAURER.
SO HOW MUCH SAVINGS DO WE HAVE FROM THAT ECONOMIC
GARDENING THAT WE SET ASIDE, THAT I THINK IS ABOUT $3,000? IS THAT MONEY COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET? OR IS IT ADDITIONAL MONEY WE'RE APPROVING?
THIS IS MONEY THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED AS A PART OF THE $3,000 FROM THAT ECONOMIC BUSINESS EVENT. WE HAVE NOT SPENT ANY OF IT. WE'RE
ABLE TO GET THE FREE VENUE WHEN WE DID THAT, THE FIRST EVENT FOR
THE NETWORKING AND THE SPECIAL MEETING WE HAD, SO THERE IS STILL $3,000 LEFT IN THAT. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY ADDITIONAL MONEY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WOULD IT BE GOOD TO ALLOCATE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR HERE? SO NOBODY'S HANDS ARE TIED WITH THIS BUDGET?
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THE COUNCIL CAN DIRECT, IF YOU WANTED TO AUTHORIZE MORE FUNDING TO IT. YOU COULD DIRECT MORE FUNDING TO IT.
THE POINT BEING THERE'S ALREADY $3,000 THAT IS ALLOCATED, SO WE
COULD SAY WE WILL ALLOCATE A THOUSAND DOLLARS TOWARDS THIS PROJECT? AND THAT WOULD, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE BUDGET AT ALL?
THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE BUDGET WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE USING A THOUSAND RATHER THAN $3,000 THAT'S BEEN BUDGETED.
I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU HELP REMIND ME WHEN WE SET THIS UP FOR ECONOMIC GARDENING AND PERHAPS I'M MISREMEMBERING. I
THOUGHT IT WAS MORE ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GROW BUSINESS IN TOWN. CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE EXACT DEFINITION OF THAT WAS?
YEAH, IT IS ABOUT GROWING THE BUSINESSES YOU HAVE HERE, SUPPORTING THEM. SO WHEN YOU HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH
MAYBE THREE EMPLOYEES, YOU TRY TO GROW THEM TO TEN EMPLOYEES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, RATHER THAN DRAW BUSINESSES IN. SO
YOU'RE INCUBATING BUSINESSES THAT ALREADY EXIST, SO THEY COULD GET TO A BETTER PLACE. IN ONE WAY THEY SUPPORT THAT IS IF, YOU
KNOW, THESE WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER. IT'S AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE IT OUT. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS COMING OUT OF THESE THINGS. AND WHETHER THEY ARE
FINDING OUT, HEY, THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT LOCATION, AM I ORDERING FROM THE RIGHT PEOPLE? OR HOW COULD YOU HELP ME AND MY
BUSINESS? OH, I HAVE AN ACCOUNTANT TO TALK TO. ANY NUMBER OF
WAYS GETTING BUSINESS TOGETHER IS NEVER A BAD THING AND SUPER SUPPORTIVE.
I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. WITH MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT
WE'VE CONDUCTED AND SUCH, IT IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO GET THE BUSINESS OWNERS THERE BECAUSE OF THE HOURS THEY HOLD. SO ARE
YOU FEELING CERTAIN YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE PEOPLE THERE? I'M ASKING FROM A PLACE OF I KNOW HOW BUSY THEY ARE AND I KNOW THEM.
YEAH.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I GUESS WE'RE LOOKING FOR MORE A MOTION HERE?
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE THAT WE AUTHORIZE THE RECOMMENDATION
THAT IS STATED IN THIS STAFF REPORT AND THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL,
CELEBRATION WORKING EVENING AND AUTHORIZE UP TO, I DON'T KNOW, I STILL THINK $700 IS FINE, FOR THE EVENT. THIS EVENT IS CONTAINING
EFFORT, CONTINUING EFFORT OF THE ECONOMIC GARDENING COUNCIL GOAL.
CAN I ASK SOMETHING IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING, AND MAYBE, YOU
KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF REPORT BACK AFTER ALL
OF THIS TO HAVE SOME SORT OF LIKE REPORT BACK ON THE AMOUNT OF
HOURS AND MONEY THAT WAS ACTUALLY SPENT, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE MOTION?
SURE, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH, I'LL SECOND THAT.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
THANK YOU, SO MOVED BY ZOLLMAN, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
HINTON TO APPROVE AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL WOMEN
LED BUSINESS OWNERS, CELEBRATION AND NETWORKING EVENT WITH UP TO $700, YEAH, RIGHT? $700 IN FUNDING AND WITH THE REPORT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER THE EVENT. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
SO WE HAVE ONE MORE AGENDA ITEM ON HERE. ADDED AGENDA ITEM
AND THAT IS DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR OR THE ALTERNATE TO BE MADE BY THE SONOMA COUNTY MAYOR AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AT ITS FEBRUARY 12, 2026 MEETING. AND SO ALEX, IS THAT -- ARE YOU TAKING THAT?
I CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT. SO THIS IS THE MEETING THAT WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, DOWN AT THE CITY WHERE THERE
ARE LETTERS OF INTEREST THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED FOR
APPOINTMENTS FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THERE'S THE
APPOINTMENT FOR THE SONOMA COUNTY AVIATION COMMISSION. THERE ARE TWO SEATS THAT ARE OPEN, AND THERE ARE THREE APPLICANTS.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS FOR CHILD PLANNING COUNCIL. THERE IS ONE SEAT OPEN AND THREE APPLICANTS. SO THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO PROVIDE DIRECTION TO THE VOTING DELEGATE FOR THE FEBRUARY 12
MEETING, AS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHO TO SUPPORT FOR THE APPOINTMENTS. SO I WOULD TAKE THEM SEPARATELY IF YOU
WANTED TO DISCUSS THE CHARLES AND SCHULTZ SONOMA AVIATION COMMISSION FOR TWO SEATS. THERE'S THREE PEOPLE THAT WOULD APPLY. SO YOU WOULD PROVIDE DIRECTION TO TWO APPOINTMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S DO THAT. LET'S FIRST TALK ABOUT THE SONOMA COUNTY AVIATION COMMISSION. SO WE HAVE DAVID, TONYA POTTER, AND THEN MARK. SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WANTS TO COME OUT WITH IT?
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN HAS HIS HAND RAISED.
SORRY, I WAS GOING BETWEEN SCREENS.
I KNOW I'VE ONLY BEEN DOING THIS FOR THREE YEARS, BUT I FEEL STRONGLY. I THINK COUNCILMEMBER HINTON HAS ELUDED TO THIS IN
THE PAST, AND WE NEED TO START SUPPORTING SMALLER CITIES
BECAUSE IT JUST SEEMS, I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE I'M UP FOR ONE, THE
NEXT ONE WE'RE CONSIDERING, THE CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL
THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE IF THE SMALLER CITIES DON'T TRY TO SUPPORT
THE OTHER CITY NOMINEE AND PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING, IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE BIG CITIES THAT HAVE VOICES FOR THIS. SO IN THIS Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
PARTICULAR CONTEXT, I WOULD BE SUPPORTING POTTER AND HAGEL FOR THIS PARTICULAR POSITION.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
YEAH, SO WELL, USING MY WORDS THERE. I WILL JUST SAY THAT IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULD SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER HAGEL. I THINK HE'S BEEN ON THIS ALREADY. THEN I WOULD SUPPORT, I THINK MAYOR MARK ON THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH HE'S FROM BIG CITY. AND PARTLY BECAUSE I
THINK THE AIRPORT BEING REGIONAL, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE BOTH A SMALL CITY AND BALANCE OF A LARGE CITY.
ADDITIONALLY I DID HEAR FROM BOTH, DAVID AND MARK, ASKING FOR OUR SUPPORT, AND I DID NOT HEAR FROM THE COUNCILMEMBER, TONYA.
SO I HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH OF THOSE
COUNCILMEMBERS AND CONSIDERING, I THINK WE JUST GOT A RECENT
PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT PLANES FLYING OVER SEBASTOPOL, AND I FEEL
CONFIDENT THAT BOTH THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD TAKE OUR
CALLS, MY CALLS, IF I WERE TO REACH OUT ABOUT ISSUES THAT THEY
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HERE IN SEBASTOPOL BECAUSE THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE.
SO I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS TOO. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MARK, SANTA ROSA
FOR THE SAME REASON, THAT THEY HAVE A BIG STAKE IN, GIVEN THE SIZE OF THEIR CITY AND THE AIRPORT. HE DID REACH OUT. AND JUST
HAVING GONE THROUGH THE AIRPORT RECENTLY, I NOTICED, THERE'S SOMETHING. I NOTICED THE ONLY CITY THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THE WHOLE BAGGAGE AREA, ALL THE TVS, EVERYWHERE. ONLY CITY THAT'S REPRESENTED THERE IS THE CITY OF HEALDSBURG. AND SO I'VE BEEN
TORN BECAUSE I REALLY LIKE DAVID, I LIKE TONYA, BUT THE ONLY
REPRESENTATION I SEE IS HEALDSBURG, SO I STARTED WONDERING IF WE NEED DIFFERENT REPRESENTATION IN THERE. EVEN IF THEY ARE TIED,
BUT IT JUST STRUCK ME THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE BECAUSE I EVEN CONTACTED MERRIAM. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? SO PERSONALLY, I'M
STRUGGLING WITH IT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, DEFINITELY, SAME REASONS THAT COUNCILMEMBER HINTON HAS. BUT
RIGHT NOW, I THINK I'M GOING TO SUPPORT, I PERSONALLY WOULD SUPPORT TONYA AND MARK. SO THOSE ARE MY -- SO WE ARE ALL KIND OF TORN HERE. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, DO YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? I'M SORRY. IT'S HARD TO TELL.
I DO. AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO CONFUSE IT FURTHER. BUT I
THINK TONYA, FROM WINDSOR BECAUSE THE AIRPORT IS IN WINDSOR IS HELPFUL. AND DAVID, I WAS THINKING. BUT TO YOUR ADVERTISEMENT
POINT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF TOURISM IS ALSO LIKELY TO ADDRESS. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING ALSO. BUT MAYBE GO THROUGH THE SONOMA COUNTY BOARD OF TOURISM ON THAT ONE.
NO, I'M AWARE OF THAT, THAT THEY COULD BE DOING THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT. SO I MEAN, ANY WAY, BUT I'M VERY AWARE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CHANNELS. I JUST, YOU KNOW, HEALDSBURG HAS A HUGE
REPRESENTATION FROM THEIR OWN CHAMBER AND THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS. AT ANY RATE, VICE MAYOR?
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
I KNOW I SUPPORT TONYA POTTER FOR THIS POSITION, AND I COULD GO EITHER WAY ON THE OTHER TWO MEN. I DON'T KNOW THEM. SO WHERE ARE WE AT RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF A COUNT?
SO I HAVE ONE, TWO, THREE FOR TONYA POTTER. THREE SO FAR FOR DAVID. AND THEN ONE, TWO FOR MARK.
VICE MAYOR DIDN'T GIVE A SECOND NAME.
OKAY. SO IS IT UP TO ME?
NO, I'M JUST SAYING THAT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ONE, TWO -- FOUR MORE TONYA. WE HAVE THREE FOR DAVID. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE, TWO FOR MARK.
HOW MANY FOR MARK? I'M SORRY.
TWO.
I THINK THEY'RE TIED, RIGHT? DAVID AND MARK ARE TIED?
LET ME SEE.
NO, TONYA HAS FOUR, DAVID HAS THREE, MARK HAS TWO.
THAT'S NINE OUT OF TEN BECAUSE YOU HAD ONE.
I SEE, SO SOMEBODY WANTED, OKAY.
SO YEAH, WE JUST NEED A SECOND NAME FOR YOU.
SO ALREADY, DAVID HAS THREE?
CORRECT.
I'LL JUST GO WITH THE MAJORITY.
I WAS GOING TO SAY WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE A TIE? THEN WHAT DO WE DO?
VICE MAYOR MAURER JUST WENT WITH DAVID. SO RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE FOUR -- CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION THOUGH? HOW DOES THAT WORK?
YOU WOULD DRAW.
YOU COULD KEEP IT GOING UNTIL YOU SEE IF THAT SPLIT, BUT ALSO THE
MAYOR HAS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T PROVIDE DIRECTION, THE MAYOR
HAS THE ABILITY TO VOTE AT THE MEETING BASED ON THEIR OWN JUDGMENT.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE, YOU SAID YOUR VOTE, VICE MAYOR? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
YEAH, I'M JUST GOING WITH THE MAJORITY FOR DAVID AND TONYA.
SO WE'RE GOING WITH WINDSOR AND HEALDSBURG THEN? IS THAT RIGHT?
YES, THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND NOW, LET'S SEE. I'M SORRY. I'M JUST TAKING NOTES. AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS FOR CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL. IS IT OKAY TO DO ALL OF THIS AND THEN PUBLIC COMMENT?
YES. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND DO BOTH OF THESE, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN
IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND MAKE ONE MOTION.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. LET ME GET BACK TO MY SCREEN. I'M SORRY. I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT TWO SCREENS.
FOR THE CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL IS WHAT I ELUDED TO BEFORE.
I HAVE SERVED CUMULATIVELY ON THE COUNCIL FOR SEVEN YEARS. I
WAS APPOINTED BY A PRIOR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND THEN I WAS AND AM THE MOST RECENT ASSOCIATION, APPOINTEE TO THE COUNCIL.
IN MY THREE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN REPRESENTATIVES Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
FROM THE EDUCATION FIELD TO OUR MAYORS AND COUNCIL
ASSOCIATION, FULL GATHERING, WHICH WAS DR. CARTER. AND THEN
INTO THE MAYOR'S, JOANNA POND, WHO IS OUR COORDINATOR IN CHARGE OF OUR HOMELESS AND FOSTER CARE YOUTH. AND THEN ALSO
LIZ DIPRIO, OUR COORDINATOR FOR THE CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL, TO TALK ABOUT THE ONGOING WORK THAT IT DOES. SO I WOULD REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SUPPORTING ME. I KNOW THERE ARE
TWO OTHER WOMEN WHO HAVE APPLIED, AGAIN, FROM, NOW I'M
SPACING HER NAME. YES, FROM PETALUMA.
YOU'RE THINKING OF KAREN NOW?
YEAH. I WOULD BE APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR SUPPORT FOR ME TO BE ABLE
TO CONTINUE ON BECAUSE THROUGH THAT WORK, I'M NOW THE
INCOMING CHAIR AND POSITIONED TO BE COCHAIR FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THAT'S MY PLUG. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
I CAN'T THINK OF ANYBODY BETTER TO SUPPORT THIS. THIS IS YOUR AREA. SO CERTAINLY FOR YOU, AND THEN THE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM PETALUMA.
SO THERE IS ONLY ONE SEAT.
I AGREE TO APPOINT STEPHEN.
I DO AS WELL.
YEAH, GOT A PROMOTER ON PEOPLE. [ LAUGHTER ] GO STEPHEN. THOSE SEVEN YEARS EXPERIENCE COUNTS.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, STEPHEN. YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF YOUR COUNCIL. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THIS BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY. GO AHEAD, MARY.
SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE DIRECTION TO THE VOTING
DELEGATE FOR THE LETTERS OF INTEREST FOR THE SONOMA MAYOR COUNTY MEETING FOR FEBRUARY 112. WE WILL COME TO IN CHAMBERS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE. I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, SO COMING BADGE I GUESS WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THESE THREE. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, WHAT EXACTLY DO I NEED TO SAY, MARY? WE CHOSE WINDSOR AND HEALDSBURG FOR THE CHARLES SCHULTZ?
YOU'RE PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING DIRECTION TO THE VOTING
DELEGATE TO SUPPORT DAVID AND TONYA FOR THE CHARLES AVIATION
COMMISSION, AND TO SUPPORT STEPHEN ZOLLMAN FOR THE CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL.
SO MOVED. THANK YOU. AND I NEED A SECOND.
I'LL SECOND.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY MAYOR MCLEWIS AND SECONDED BY VICE
MAYOR MAURER TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING DIRECTION TO THE
VOTING DELEGATE, TO SUPPORT THE NOMINATION TO DAVID AND TONYA
FOR THE AVIATION COMMISSION, AND STEPHEN ZOLLMAN FOR THE CHILDCARE PLANNING COUNCIL. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. SO THAT WAS NUMBER 16. SO NOW WE'RE AT ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, SO THIS IS THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. IT IS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. IT IS A 20-MINUTE TIME LIMIT. TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ITEM NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA THAT YOU
DID NOT SPEAK ON PREVIOUSLY AT THE FIRST OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, I WILL GO TO CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE. I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, I CAN.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO, THAT'S OKAY. IT WON'T TAKE TWO MINUTES.
OKAY, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO I'M REALLY WANTING TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR PROCESS FOR
INTERVIEWING FOR PLANNING COMMISSION, CLIMATE ACTION, DESIGN REVIEW, PUBLIC ARTS. YOU, OVER THE LAST FEW MEETINGS, I BELIEVE,
WHEN I WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO AGENDA REVIEW, HAVE BEEN INTERVIEWING AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. AND IT HAS BEEN A KIND OF CHANGE OF PRACTICE OVER WHAT WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY.
SO HISTORICALLY, CITY COUNCIL WOULD MEET EARLY TO MEETINGS,
AND THEN CONDUCT THOSE INTERVIEWS PRIOR TO THE SET TIME THAT THE MEETING WOULD BE. THIS MEETING IS DIFFERENT, WHERE YOU WERE HOLDING INTERVIEWS AFTER 6:00 P.M. BUT WHAT I'M MOSTLY
CONCERNED ABOUT IS YOU ARE MAKING APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE FAR LATER THAN THE ACTUAL APPOINTMENT WINDOW IS DESIGNED TO BE.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT WERE COMMITTED TO BEING IN THESE POSITIONS
THROUGH DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND YOU WERE JUST NOW GETTING TO THOSE APPOINTMENTS. YOU ARE JUST NOW GETTING TO THOSE INTERVIEWS. SO YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE WHEN THESE TERMS END. YOU
HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ADVERTISING, MARKETING THESE POSITIONS
TO THE PUBLIC IN A TIMELY MANNER, SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE
CHANGEOVER HAPPENING FROM ONE BODY TO THE NEXT. DELAYING THESE THINGS OUT IS DISRUPTIVE TO THOSE BODIES. IT IS NOT REALLY GIVING MUCH RESPECT TO THOSE BODIES. AND I THINK THAT IT
WOULDN'T BE HARD TO GET BACK ON TRACK IN HAVING A CYCLE, WHICH
YOU'RE DOING THESE THINGS, TO NOT BE AS DISRUPTIVE TO MULTIPLE
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS INTO FEBRUARY AND MARCH AS WE'VE SEEN THIS YEAR. THANKS.
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NOW WE'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
ANYONE ON ZOOM, RAISE YOUR HAND. SEEING NONE, THE SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO WE ARE BACK AT THE DAIS, AND THE NEXT ITEM IS COUNCIL MEMBER REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES, AS INDICATED BEFORE, I'M REQUESTING WE BRING BACK THE MICAH'S HUGS. WE JUST HEARD THE BUSINESS APPLICANT PROVIDED A LIST OF SIX.I HAD A COMMUNICATION WITH MICHELLE OUT IN THE LOBBY. SHE THINKS THINGS ARE MOVABLE WITH THE LIBRARY. I DID NOT THINK THAT WAS THE CASE. SO THERE'S ALREADY BEEN WORKED ON, SO
I'M ASKING THAT BE AGENDIZED AND LET AGENDA REVIEW WORK WITH
STAFF ABOUT THE TIMING ABOUT HOW QUICKLY WE CAN BRING THAT ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL.
I THINK WE NEED A SECOND. DO WE NEED A SECOND?
I SECOND IT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT, MARY? ARE WE GOOD?
NO, I DO NOT.
OKAY, SO CITY COUNCIL CITY STAFF REPORTS, SO CITY MANAGER? CITY CLERK? INTERIM?
THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE, WHAT AM I LOOKING FOR? WE COMPLETED RECRUITMENT FOR THE PLANNING DIRECTOR. WE ARE DOING INITIAL INTERVIEWS NEXT WEEK. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AFTER THAT, WE WILL BE DOING INTERVIEWS. WE DO THINK WE HAVE A GOOD POOL ON THIS ONE FOR INTERVIEWING. WE HAVE THE AGENDA REVIEW
COMMITTEE MEETING ON THURSDAY INSTEAD OF TOMORROW, SO JUST A REMINDER ON THAT. I DID MEET WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AS I
SENT OUT TO YOU, THEY WILL NO LONGER BE THE FISCAL SPONSOR FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT FUNDS. I DID MEET WITH A GROUP THAT IS
LOOKING TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON THAT, SO I WILL BE BRINGING
BACK AN AGENDA ITEM TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DIRECTION OF NEXT STEPS FOR THOSE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA FUNDS. IT USED TO BE THE DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION. WE HAD AN AGREEMENT WITH THE
CHAMBER THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE THE FISCAL SPONSOR AS TO HOW THE MONEYS WERE SPENT, BASED UPON THE HIGHWAYS CODES. SO THEY'RE NO LONGER DOING IT. I'LL BE BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THAT. AND WE HAVE BUILDING THE COMMONS NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE BUDGET? DO WE HAVE BUDGET NEXT WEEK? YES. SORRY. BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT WEEK.
BUILDING THE COMMENTS, ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT MEETING NEXT WEEK. SONOMA COUNTY MEETING DINNER ON THURSDAY. CITY OF SEBASTOPOL IS CLOSED ON THURSDAY AS THE LINCOLN HOLIDAY. WE WILL ALSO BE CLOSED ON THE 16th FOR THAT AS WELL, AND I'M SURE I'M MISSING SOMETHING, BUT THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WOULD ANY COUNCILMEMBER LIKE TO REPORT OUT? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER.
I WANT TO REPORT OUT BRIEFLY. IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR
MEETINGS BECAUSE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THEM
CONSTANTLY GOING AROUND AND AROUND WITH THE PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, WE ARE HAVING AN EMERGENCY MEETING. WE'VE Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
ALREADY HAD SEVERAL EMERGENCY MEETINGS. WE'RE HAVING AN
EMERGENCY MEETING NEXT TUESDAY, NEXT TUESDAY, TO TALK ABOUT
REALLOCATION OF MONEY, SO OUR COUNTY DOES NOT LOSE ANY
PORTION OF WHAT IT HAS OBTAINED FROM HUD IN THE PAST. SO STAY TUNED WITH THAT.
OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR.
SO I ATTENDED AN EMERGENCY MEETING FOR THE ZERO WASTE GROUP OVER IN THEIR NEW OFFICES IN SANTA ROSA. AND THERE WAS A REALLY
BIG PROBLEM WITH THE COMPOST AND THE LAND, WHERE THEY WERE TAKING THE COMPOST. THERE WAS A CAPACITY ISSUE. SO THEY HAD TO
CONTRACT WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER PROVIDERS TO RECEIVE THE COMPOST. THIS IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WHEN I FIND OUT HOW THAT COST IS PASSED DOWN, I'LL LET YOU KNOW. I DID ATTEND THE GROCERY OUTLET. THEY HAD AN OPENING THAT WE ALL GOT A
POSTCARD FOR. SO I WAS THERE. AND ALSO THAT SAME NIGHT, I ATTENDED A MEETING AT THE SENIOR CENTER. VERIZON WAS HOSTING IT. IT'S ABOUT A TOWER THEY WERE PROPOSING FOR GRANDVIEW, AND
THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH PEOPLE OPPOSED TO THIS CELL TOWER ON GRANDVIEW. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE, YEAH.
OKAY. G COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
BECAUSE OF THESE NEW GROUPS, THE ENTERPRISE FUND IS TICKING ALONG. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW. TWO PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY FOCUSED ON THE FINANCE AND REALLY SCOURING IT. TWO ARE FOCUSED ON THE OPERATIONS, SO
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO KIND OF COHESIVELY ADVISE ABOUT HOW OUR CITY MANAGER, THE NEXT 25 YEARS, BUILDING OUT THE OUTLAY OF OUR SEWER AND WATER. WE ARE BEING A BETTER STEWARD OF THE
CAPITAL THAT WE ARE ACCUMULATING, TO BE ABLE TO SPEND ON IT,
BUT ALSO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IS LOOKING REALLY HARD AT THE
NUMBERS, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRANSPARENT, AND IT IS
EXPLAINABLE TO MOST PEOPLE ABOUT HOW WE WILL DO BOTH THE COST
ALLOCATION, BUT ALSO HOW WE FUND SOME OF THE CAPITAL
EXPENDITURES OR PRODUCTS. IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE BIG. AND YEAH, CREATING THE COMMONS HAS BEEN PRETTY IN DEPTH. WE ARE DOING A LOT OF LIKE REAL ANALYSIS. WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE I DO? I DO ANOTHER ONE. A BUDGET. THAT'S ALL.
ALL RIGHT, I CAN REPORT OUT, IF I CAN. SORRY, I'M PULLING OUT MY CALENDAR HERE. TWO WEEKS AGO, I ATTENDED A CAL CITY'S MEETING. I
SIT AS VICE CHAIR FOR THE GOVERNANCE TRANSPARENCY AND LABOR
RELATIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE STATEWIDE COMMITTEE FOR CAL CITIES. AND WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE BROWN ACT, TWO OF THE
BIGGEST CONCENTRATIONS, THE BROWN ACT, AND ITS IMPACT, AND THE MODERNIZATION OF IT. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE MAIN TOPIC IS ABOUT A.I. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF EXPERTS THAT CAME IN, IN
ADDITION TO CITIES THAT WERE SPEAKING ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT
THEY HAVE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF STATES THAT HAVE POLICIES. SO ANY WAY, THAT WAS A BIG TOPIC. WE ADDRESSED A POLICY ON THE FIRST POLICY. SO THE HOPE IS TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND ACTUALLY IMPACTING LEGISLATION. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DID. AND
THEN ALSO, I ATTENDED -- WE HAD THE SEBASTOPOL CULTURAL Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026
COMMITTEE AD HOC COMMITTEE. WE MET AND DISCUSSED AN ITEM THAT WILL BE COMING BACK. IN ADDITION, I MET WITH CITY STAFF, A
RESIDENT HERE THAT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT NOISE AND A VARIETY OF ITEMS, SO WE HAD A MEETING WITH THAT RESIDENT ABOUT THAT STUFF.
THEN I'M TRYING TO LOOK HERE. AGENDA REVIEW. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE ITEMS I HAVE ATTENDED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. HAVE I FORGOTTEN ANYTHING? I HOPE NOT. COUNCILMEMBER HINTON, DID YOU WANT TO REPORT OUT OR ARE YOU GOOD?
YEAH, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH. I HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS AT HOME
FIGHTING A COLD, BUT OTHERWISE I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE MUCH IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN, LET'S SEE. WHERE ARE WE AT? ARE WE DONE? [ LAUGHTER ]
WE ARE DONE, READY TO BE ADJOURNED.
I SAY THAT SURPRISINGLY. YEAH, WE'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL FOR PLOWING THROUGH THIS. I WAS HOPING WE WOULD BE DONE BY ABOUT 9:15, BUT IT'S OKAY. GOOD DISCUSSION.
Agenda Item Number: 1
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: February 17, 2026