City Council
Mayor Jill McLewis
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Stephen Zollman
City Manager
Mary Gourley
[email protected]
CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, June 16, 2026
6:00 pm Start Time
Meeting to be held in Person and Virtual /Remote Participation In Person Location: 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 City Council is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: City Council Meeting - June 16, 2026
Time: Jun 16, 2026 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 830 6451 2965
Passcode: 914203
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COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING:
This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act.
Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Due to the length of recent City Council Meetings, it is strongly encouraged that written comments be submitted to the City Council by sending them by email to: [email protected] with either General Public Comment Written in the Subject Line or the Specific Agenda Item Number or Title Written in the Subject Line. Emails are distributed to the City Council as well as posted to the City Council meeting as public comment. Public Comment questions may be directed to City staff for a response at a later time.
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
REMOTE PARTICIPATION
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
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.
1. INTERVIEWS: Sonoma County Library Commission Interviews a. Interview two applicants for one opening on the Library Commission
APPLICANTS
Fred Engbarth
Suzanne Turk White
2. INTERVIEW: Public Arts Committee Interview
a. Interview one applicant for one opening on the Public Arts Committee
APPLICANT CATEGORY
Don Greenberg Category 1
3. APPOINTMENT: Sonoma County Library Commission Appointment Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
4. APPOINTMENT: Public Arts Committee Appointment
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
REMEMBERING THE HISTORY OF SEBASTOPOL
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS: None
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD): Up to Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit (Two Minutes for up to ten speakers). Additional public comment will be held at the end of the discussion and action items for up to an additional twenty (20) minutes. Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.
Process for calling on Speakers: Mayor or designee shall ask for public comment as follows: Speakers to be called on in an alternate manner (One speaker in person to be called on first; then one speaker remote to be called on second with additional speakers to be called on in the same manner) based upon the time limit.
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.
5. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Closed Session Meeting of June 1, 2026 Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
6. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting of June 2, 2026 Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
7. Approval of Resolution Calling and Giving Notice of a General Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each year) for the Election of Members of the City Council as required, and Requesting the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to Consolidate the General Municipal Election with the Statewide General Election to be held on that date pursuant to Elections Code; and Approval of Resolution Adopting Regulations for Candidates for Elective Office Pertaining to the Candidate Statement of Qualifications and Requiring Each Candidate Filing a Candidate Statement of Qualifications Pay in Advance to the Local Agency an Estimated Pro Rated Share ($900.00) as a Condition of Having Statement included in the Voters Pamphlet for the Municipal Election to be held on November 3, 2026.
a. (Three Seats Are Open at the November election: Sandra Maurer; Jill McLewis; Stephen Zollman)
b. Nomination Papers will be available once the nomination period has opened (not earlier than the 113th day nor later than the 88th day before the municipal election).
Appointments will be required. Candidates must obtain and complete the official nomination documents that are issued by the Office of the City Clerk. This is done during the official nomination period. Nomination forms are issued at no charge. Hours Available are Monday through Thursday, Between 8:00am to 5:00pm (closed 12pm-1pm) except for City holidays. To schedule an appointment, please contact the City Clerk's Office. A candidate should be prepared to provide their name and residential address for validation of current voter registration and eligibility status. Nomination period is as follows:
• July 13, 2026 (113 days before the election; candidates can obtain and file nomination papers starting then).
• Nomination period closes: August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (88 days before the election).
• Extension rule (per Elections Code § 10225): If an incumbent does not file by the regular deadline, the period extends by 5 days (to August 12, 2026) for nonincumbents only. Incumbents cannot file during the extension Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The FY 26 27 Budget has allocated/approved $30,000 for the November 2026 Election. This is based on a per voter cost range: $3.75 to $6.25 per voter; with a total cost range of $21,551.00 to $35,919.00
8. Approval of Resolution Authorizing City Manager per Sebastopol Municipal Code 2.12.210 to be assigned "such other duties and exercise such other powers as may be delegated to him from time to time by ordinance or resolution or other action of the City Council” This item is to approve critical" clerk functions” that need to be completed in the time period when the City is without a Clerk and assign them to the City Manager until position is filled.
Responsible Department: City Personnel Attorney/City Manager Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact associated with approval of this item. The City Manager will not receive any additional compensation for performing these critical duties.
9. Approval to Direct City Attorney to Review the Conflict of Interest Code. State law requires all public agencies, including cities, to adopt a conflict of interest code. This document identifies the positions required to file Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700) and sets forth the disclosure categories of types of interests that must be reported. These codes are to be reviewed and, if necessary, updated every two years in order to stay abreast of the current state of the law and to accurately reflect the individual office holders subject to the requirements. The update is required this calendar year Responsible Department: City Manager/City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
10. Digouts and Repair Contract Award. Award of Construction Contract for the Digouts and Repair Pavement Rehabilitation Project (CIP #0520-22.09)
Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact with this item as it is budgeted within the City FY25/26 CIP budget
11. Approve SB-1 Funded Project List for Fiscal Year 2026-27. Pursuant to SB 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, the City must adopt a resolution approving the list of projects proposed for Fiscal Year funding from the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA).
Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact with this item as it is budgeted within the City FY26/27 CIP budget
12. Approve of Pay Rates and Ranges Related to the Approved of SEIU MOU and Unrepresented Compensation and Benefit Agreement effective July 1, 2026. Approval of resolution of pay rates and ranges related to the Approved of SEIU MOU and Unrepresented Compensation and Benefit Agreement effective July 1, 2026
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None as these pay rates were approved with the SEIU Negotiations /Memornadum of Understanding
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: Informational Items or Presentations are items that are informational only and do not require action by the City Council. Presentations shall be scheduled as necessary for the promotion of an event or service or general information items to the Council and should be limited to ten (10) minutes total in length of item (total length includes questions of Council to presenter and public comment).
NONE
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
13. July 3rd Fireworks Event Special Event Fee Waiver. Request from the Kiwanis Club to waive special event fee, materials, and staff time for the 3rd of July Fireworks Event Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Kiwanis is requesting that the fees ($700), and staff time ($5,563) be waived for the event.
PUBLIC HEARING(s):
14. Public Hearing: AB 2561 Public Agency Vacancy Reporting/Compliance Update. California State Assembly Bill (AB) 2561 was approved on September 22, 2024, and added §3502.3 to the Government Code. This law, effective January 1, 2025, requires public agencies at least once each fiscal year to: (1) hold a public hearing and receive the agency’s report on the status of vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts; (2) during the hearing, identify any necessary changes to policies, procedures, and recruitment activities that may lead to hiring obstacles; and, (3) allow the recognized employee organization for bargaining units to make a presentation at the hearing. In addition, if the number of job vacancies within a single bargaining unit meets or exceeds 20% of the total number of authorized fulltime positions, the City must, upon request of the recognized employee organization, include additional specified information during the public hearing. AB 2561 requires public agencies to report annually, at a public hearing, on staffing vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts, and to provide employee organizations an opportunity to present.
Responsible Department: Human Resources Consultant Deborah Muchmore/City Manager Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: No additional fiscal impact with receipt of this item.
15. Public Hearing: FY 2026-27 Street Lighting Assessment District. Adopt a resolution approving the annual Engineer’s Report, confirming the Assessment Diagram, and authorizing the levy of annual assessments for Fiscal Year 2026-27 for the City of Sebastopol Street Lighting Special Assessment District. This item was continued from the June 2, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None. The proposed annual assessment charge of $23.32 for each ESD is anticipated to generate roughly $94,470 in revenue related to the action recommended for approval tonight.
This amount is planned to be allocated in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Budget, with corresponding expenses of about $106,365. It is important to note that the expected revenue does cover the forecasted expenses, leading to an estimated use of the fund balance of June 30, 2027, of roughly $11,395. The projected fund balance as of June 30, 2027, is approximately $23,520, representing 22.1% of total expenditures. While the assessment district is not required to maintain a specific fund balance level, this amount is considered adequate given that no new projects are planned for the upcoming fiscal year.
16. Public Hearing: FY26 27 City Budget. Item is to conduct a public hearing to gather community input. This provides an opportunity for residents to voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions which may help shape the final budget. It is recommended that the City Council conduct the public hearing and provide direction on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026–27 Budget. Upon conclusion of the hearing, staff recommends that the City Council continue the item to the June 16th City Council meeting for consideration of adoption of the FY 2026–27 Budget. This item was continued from the June 2, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The fiscal impacts associated with the Proposed FY 2026–27 Budget are detailed within the budget document. A snapshot is listed below.
Categories
General
Fund
General
Fund
Reserves
Non
Governmental
Funds Water Fund
Wastewater
Fund
Special
Revenue
Funds
Assessment
District Total
Estimated Beginning Balance 5,238,097 4,845,115 1,481,444 2,359,173 2,124,177 1,920,159 34,915 18,003,080 Total Proposed Revenue 15,622,473 170,000 58,900 4,476,583 6,992,336 4,040,702 94,970 31,455,964 Total Proposed Expenditures 16,582,911 373,300 940,126 4,543,433 6,368,812 2,199,667 106,365 31,114,614 Net Budgetary Surplus/(Deficit) (960,438) (203,300) (881,226) (66,850) 623,524 1,841,035 (11,395) 341,350 Addition/(Uses) of Reserves (960,438) (203,300) (881,226) (66,850) 623,524 1,841,035 (11,395) 341,350 Estimated Ending Balance 4,277,659 4,641,815 600,218 2,292,323 2,747,701 3,761,194 23,520 18,344,430
17. Public Hearing – Capital Improvement Budget: This item was continued from the June 2, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Public Works/Administrative Services Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The proposed expenditures for the FY 2026-27 Capital Improvement Projects totals $10,116,087. $3,860,457 of that total is unfunded/unsecured grant. The balance of $6,255.630 is funded with grant or local funds. The proposed CIP includes a combination of secured funding sources and future grantdependent projects identified as “Unsecured Grant” funding. Major funding sources include Sewer Capital Funds, Water Capital Funds, Measure M funds, SB1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation funds, Go Sonoma grant funds, Development Impact Fees, Gas Tax funds, Flood Mitigation Fund, Building/Facility Infrastructure Reserve funds, and Measure U. The Measure U funding includes $510,000 allocated toward road repair in the FY 2025–26 budget, as well as $612,800, or 40% of the FY 2026–27 Measure U revenue, which will also be allocated toward road repair. These funds will advance the FY26 Citywide Pavement Improvement Project (0521-25.05) and the FY27 Citywide Pavement Improvement Project (0522-26.01).
18. Public Hearing: Updating Schedule of User and Regulatory Fees for Use in Fiscal Year 2026-27 Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The anticipated fiscal impact is an estimated $27,000 increase in General Fund revenues. The intent of these adjustments is to offset incremental increases in service costs due to inflation
and maintain cost recovery for services provided. These adjustments do not represent new funding for expanded service levels.
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION) CONTINUED: NO FURTHER ITEMS 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.
COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:
19. 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. Departmental Reports (May 2026)
20. 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)
21. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION: NONE
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
June 16, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.
American Disability Act Accommodations/Accessibility: A request can be made orally or in writing, and submitted to the ADA Coordinator by email: [email protected] or to the City Clerk’s Office so as to avoid delay in reviewing and processing the request. Requests can be made by contacting the ADA Coordinator’s Office at (707) 823-8597, via email at [email protected] or by mailing such a request to the ADA Coordinator’s Office located at 7425 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, CA. Note that if you contact the ADA Coordinators Office, via mail, you need to make the request early enough that a response can be timely provided.
NOTICE: All Resolutions and Ordinances introduced and/or adopted under this agenda are waived of all reading of entire resolution(s) and ordinance(s). The City of Sebastopol is a general law city formed under the laws of the State of California. With respect to adoption of ordinances and resolutions, the City adheres to the requirements set forth in the Government Code. Unless otherwise required, the full reading of the text of standard ordinances and resolutions is waived.
SB 751 Legislative bodies of local agencies must publicly report: (1) any action taken and (2) the vote or abstention on each action taken by each member present for the action at a meeting.
If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact the City at Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or please call: 707-823-1153. The public is advised that pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5 all writings submitted to the City Council are public records and will be made available for review at City Hall during normal business hours. The Sebastopol City Council welcomes you in person or remotely to its meetings that are generally scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Your interest and participation are encouraged and appreciated.
Government Code Section 54953.
(a) All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b)
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body of a local agency in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to a specific type of meeting or proceeding. (2) Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall.
There are times that the City Council open meetings may not be live streamed due to technical issues; if that is the case, the meeting will be video-taped and uploaded as soon as possible to the City Web Site. In the event of a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting to members of the public using the call-in option or internet-based service option, or in the event of a disruption within the local agency’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the legislative body shall take no further action on items appearing on the meeting agenda until public access to the meeting via the call-in option or internet-based service option is restored. Actions taken on agenda items during a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1.
COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING RESTATED:
This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act.
Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting.
Prior to removing an individual, the presiding member or their designee shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding member or their designee may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. This paragraph does not apply to any behavior described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). (b) As used in this section:
(1) “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, one of the following:
(A) A failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body pursuant to Section 54954.3 or any other law.
(B) Engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force. (2) “True threat of force” means a threat that has sufficient indicia of intent and seriousness, that a reasonable observer would perceive it to be an actual threat to use force by the person making the threat.
How can I provide Public Comment on Zoom?
The Mayor will request public comment during the Public Comment period on the agenda and during each Public Hearing and Regular Calendar Item. Once the Mayor has announced the public comment period, please do one of the following.
USING A COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE:
• Click on the “Raise Hand” feature in the webinar controls. This will notify City staff that you have raised your hand and you would like to speak.
• City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. • A prompt will appear to confirm you would like to be unmuted. Once you accept the prompt, you will have two minutes to provide public comment.
• Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again.
USING A REGULAR PHONE:
• Dial *9 (star 9), this will notify City staff that you have “raised your hand” for public comment. • City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. *6 (star 6) is used to mute/unmute.
• You will hear “you are unmuted” and then you will have two minutes to provide public comment. • Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again