From: Sarah Gurney
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 12:05 PM
To: Jill McLewis <[email protected]>; Sandra Maurer <[email protected]>; Phill Carter <[email protected]>; Neysa Hinton <[email protected]>; Stephen Zollman <[email protected]>; City Council <[email protected]> Cc: Mary Gourley <[email protected]>; Oriana Hart <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment Item 7 - 3rd QTR Report from The Commons Committee
Dear City Council:
Our City and community have a space crisis.
You know that our major organizations need more room. The Sebastopol Area Senior Center is bursting at the seams. The Sebastopol Community Cultural Center is in the flood zone, making repairs and upgrades. Our LIbrary warrants an improved facility, as acknowledged by all parties. Our host of enriching non-profits operate even without space. It is your responsibility to address this crisis.
You created a volunteer "blue ribbon" Committee, Building the Commons, to investigate possibilities for new spaces and new sources of financing for you. I urge you to support this Committee by accepting tonight's Report and directing it to continue its in-depth exploration of both locations under consideration.
While you may lean toward one or the other location, I believe it is premature to choose one over the other at this time. You need more information, particularly regarding financing and timing.
The Commons Committee is just starting its own research into multiple approaches to financing.
Also our community needs more time to become acquainted with the options and to evaluare the respective scenarios.
Taking more time to explore both options, while the Committee expands its public outreach, could help mitigate the oppositional energy that might otherwise develop into a major controversy. We need a big win not a big protracted argument.
I urge you to support the Commons Committee work, not just by accepting this Report and its "final" Fourth Quarter Report in September, but also by extending its charge beyond that date
Respectfully,
Sarah Gurney