From: hausnetwork
Sent: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 12:21 PM
To: Jill McLewis <[email protected]>; Stephen Zollman <[email protected]>; Phill Carter <[email protected]>; Mary Gourley <[email protected]>; Sandra Maurer
<[email protected]>; Neysa Hinton <[email protected]> Cc: Kate Haug ; Torran Korman <[email protected]> Subject: EFOC Public Comment - Disappointed
Hello everyone!
This is Mary Meihaus, EFOC member and I had a public comment for the upcoming January 20 meeting and in general as the city makes decision Moving forward after the grand jury report. Please lean into the community! Thank you so much for all that you do and supporting the EFOC.
All the best
Mary
Public Comment on Water and Sewer Decision Making: A Call for Community-First, FutureReady Infrastructure To the City Council and City Manger Mary Gourley,
At this current time, the City of Sebastopol and the entire community of Sonoma County, is watching the decisions moving forward about the Water and Sewer in the city Sebastopol.
The grand jury report about the City of Sebastopol Water and Sewer Crisis has put our unique situation on the map and community conversations are beginning to start.
As part of the EFOC, I am already seen the trajectory of decision-making from within the city. It has already been reported that Mary Gourley is refuting the findings of the grand jury report. Conversations like $5.5 million refund to the Enterprise Fund is inaccurate and that the City has been Prop 218 compliant.
I am disappointed and sad to see this defensive response. Why are we spending time refuting the Grand Jury Report when we should be leaning into their findings and supporting the community run EFOC Committee. To Mary Gourley and the City Council this is the moment that will show where your decision-making leans toward and it’s to go two ways.
Choosing to refute the Grand Jury findings and not take the EFOC‘s recommendation seriously will show that the city and the city manager are not leaning in with the community.
We understand that the city wants to rebuild public trust this is your moment to do exactly that.
I am not asking for anybody to admit, wrongdoing or apologize. However, this is a pivotal moment to react in a certain way that will clearly define your stands with the community or against it.
1. Going with the community would be to lean into the grand juries finding and 100% take action towards the EFOCs 12 recommendations from the Sub Finance committee and the recommendations of the Infrastructure Subcommittee.
2. Going against the community would be to refute the grand jury report and continue to argue that the numbers or findings are wrong. Also, to continue to delay or ask how we can make all these 12 recommendations happen. The City Council and City Manager has all the power and authority to make these recommendations as reality. Let’s make it happen.
It has already been shown that the City Manager is going against the community by refusing the numbers and facts of the grand jury report.
This is extremely disappointing, and I cannot be more disheartened by these decisions.
Please hear our conversations and voices in the fact that everything is OK. There is no need to panic or stress. The city has made strides to correct past decision decisions and to look forward to a new government operations that creates trust within the community. Lean into the committees that you have formed and the voices of your community.
Water and sewer prices and services are the most important conversations within government. I beg the City Council and City Manager to lean in to your community rather than argue against what the community and factual government agencies are presenting to you.
Thank you for your time and understanding.
All the best
Mary Meihaus
EFOC Committee Memeber
Sent from Proton Mail for iOS.
Public Comment on Water and Sewer Decision
Making: A Call for Community-First, Future-Ready
Infrastructure
To the City Council and City Manger Mary Gourley,
At this current time, the City of Sebastopol and the entire community of Sonoma County, is watching the decisions
moving forward about the Water and Sewer in the city
Sebastopol.
The grand jury report about the City of Sebastopol Water and Sewer Crisis has put our unique situation on the map and community conversations are beginning to start.
As part of the EFOC, I am already seen the trajectory of decision-making from within the city. It has already been reported that Mary Gourley is refuting the findings of the grand jury report. Conversations like $5.5 million refund to the Enterprise Fund is inaccurate and that the City has been Prop 218 compliant.
I am disappointed and sad to see this defensive response.
Why are we spending time refuting the Grand Jury
Report when we should be leaning into their findings and supporting the community run EFOC Committee. To
Mary Gourley and the City Council this is the moment
that will show where your decision-making leans toward
and it’s to go two ways.
Choosing to refute the Grand Jury findings and not take the EFOC‘s recommendation seriously will show that the
city and the city manager are not leaning in with the
community.
We understand that the city wants to rebuild public trust this is your moment to do exactly that.
I am not asking for anybody to admit, wrongdoing or
apologize. However, this is a pivotal moment to react in a certain way that will clearly define your stands with the community or against it.
1. Going with the community would be to lean into the
grand juries finding and 100% take action towards the
EFOCs 12 recommendations from the Sub Finance
committee and the recommendations of the Infrastructure Subcommittee.
2. Going against the community would be to refute the
grand jury report and continue to argue that the numbers or findings are wrong. Also, to continue to delay or ask how we can make all these 12 recommendations happen.
The City Council and City Manager has all the power and authority to make these recommendations as reality. Let’s make it happen.
It has already been shown that the City Manager is going against the community by refusing the numbers and facts of the grand jury report.
This is extremely disappointing, and I cannot be more
disheartened by these decisions.
Please hear our conversations and voices in the fact that everything is OK. There is no need to panic or stress. The city has made strides to correct past decision decisions and to look forward to a new government operations that creates trust within the community. Lean into the
committees that you have formed and the voices of your
community.
Water and sewer prices and services are the most
important conversations within government. I beg the
City Council and City Manager to lean in to your
community rather than argue against what the community
and factual government agencies are presenting to you.
Thank you for your time and understanding.
All the best
Mary Meihaus
EFOC Committee Memeber