From: Mary Cone
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 12:57 PM
To: Zulema Higgins <[email protected]>
Subject: Protect Citizens of Sebastopol
Public Comment
Protect Citizens of Sebastopol
Kate Haug, Mary Meihaus and Lee Mathias did an inordinate amount of work for the EFOC and it was ignored by the city council. Why? Why did you discount the EFOC’s recommendations?
It leaves the community to conclude it was not read or not understood.
Out of all the issues brought to each of you during your terms this was the most important. This is delivering water to people and firefighters, making sure the wells are in working order, making sure the Pleasant Hill Loop project is completed, having well 4 replaced and our water tanks secured.
These issues have been recommended since 2005!! These problems need to be resolved before there is a catastrophic event – such as a fire and 40% of people lose water and the hydrants don’t work.
Please look at the Grand Jury Report, page 17. It outlines the critical infrastructure needs that need IMMEDIATE attention. See link.
The City has failed to address those and moved in the OPPOSITE direction by freezing rates and removing tiers without giving the ratepayers the $5,500,000 reimbursement identified by the Grand Jury Report or the EFOC reforms. See the Water Freeze Analysis Document.
After the last meeting, the City is worse off than before the Grand Jury and the EFOC because freezing rates (while it sounds nice) completely derails the funding for infrastructure. The whole point of the Grand Jury recommendation was to INCREASE funding for infrastructure by $5,500,000 not DECREASE it.
This council is actively putting the Water Supply and Citizens at risk. If something happens, you are responsible. The question arises, should the city and it’s council actually be allowed to steward such a critical resource? https://sonoma.courts.ca.gov/general-information/civil-grand-jury/2025- 2026-reports-and-responses