Sebastopol City Council
August 4, 2026

CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, July 21, 2026
6:00 pm Start Time
Agenda Item Number: 1
As Approved by the City Council at their regular meeting of August 4, 2026.

CALL TO ORDER: Mayor McLewis called the meeting to order 6:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL:

Present: Mayor Jill McLewis
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Hinton
Councilmember Stephen Zollman

Absent: None
Staff: Mary Gourley, City Manager
Alex Mog, City Attorney, Redwood Public Law
Administrative Services Director Kwong
Contract Consultant Interim Planning Director, 4Leaf Jane Riley Police Chief McDonagh
Public Works Director Hart

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.

REMEMBERING THE HISTORY OF SEBASTOPOL
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:
• Recognition 20 Years Service Award- Margarito Roman
Minute Order Number: 2026-197
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.

Mayor McLewis stated she has a conflict of interest with Item Number 9 and would be recusing herself from the meeting for that item as she owns a business lose to the proximity.

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.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
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.

The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment for items not on the agenda:

1. Erik – Public Works – Recognition of employee

2. Kyle – Remove access to zoom/access to public comment/response from City/engagement with public

3. Alissa – SCRR – One year since started services/provided stats

4. Kate – Make Sebastopol Water Supply Number 1 Priority

5. Desi – Neighbor behind Safeway

6. Linda – A&M BBQ Smoke

7. Mary Cone -Water System/request for 3 minute comments be returned

8. Phyllis – Issue at Safeway
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.

Councilmember Hinton requested item number 6 be removed and asked of staff.

Councilmember Zollman requested Item Number 6 be removed.

There were no requests.

Mayor McLewis opened for public comment. The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment:

Lee
Kyle
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Zollman moved and Vice Mayor Maurer seconded the motion to approve consent calendar items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Item Number 6 was removed.

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

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1

1. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting of July 7, 2026 Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: None
City Council Action: Approved City Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting of July 7, 2026 Minute Order Number: 2026-198

2. Approval of Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance- City Council Compensation Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: The increase would raise annual compensation costs from approximately $18,000.00 to $57,000.00 (+$39,000.00 per year). The new rate will not take effect until January 2027. $18,000 has been allocated in the FY 26 27 budget (January – June 2027).

City Council Action: Approved Second Reading and Adoption of Ordinance- City Council Compensation Minute Order Number: 2026-199
Ordinance Number: 1166

3. Approve Notice of Completion - Burbank Farm: ADA path and Public Restroom Facility (CIP #0413-78.00). City Council to Accept the Burbank Farm: ADA path and Public Restroom Facility Project and Approve the Notice of Completion.

Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact as it is approved in the FY26 CIP budget.

City Council Action: Approved Notice of Completion - Burbank Farm: ADA path and Public Restroom Facility (CIP #0413-78.00). City Council to Accept the Burbank Farm: ADA path and Public Restroom Facility Project and Approve the Notice of Completion.

Minute Order Number: 2026-200

4. Approve Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Update: Provides an overview of proposed updates to an existing City’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS), based on recommendations from the City’s investment advisor, Shuster Advisory Group. The updates are intended to align the IPS with current California Government Code provisions, incorporate best practices in public fund management, and enhance the City’s ability to optimize investment performance while maintaining safety and liquidity.

Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact to update the investment policy statement.

City Council Action: Approved Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Update: Provides an overview of proposed updates to an existing City’s Investment Policy Statement (IPS), based on recommendations from the City’s investment advisor, Shuster Advisory Group. The updates are intended to align the IPS with current California Government Code provisions, incorporate best practices in public fund management, and enhance the City’s ability to optimize investment performance while maintaining safety and liquidity.

Minute Order Number: 2026-201
Resolution Number: 6788-2026

5. Approve Contract Award and CIP Budget Amendment for the Morris Street Sewer Pump Station Wet Well Repairs Project (CIP No. 0617-25.02)
Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: The Project is included in the FY 2026-27 CIP with a budget of $300,000 Additional Fiscal Impact: Approval of this item includes a CIP budget amendment increasing the project budget to $400,000 and appropriating an additional $100,000 from available Wastewater Enterprise Fund reserves to fund the contract award and associated project costs.

City Council Action: Approved Contract Award and CIP Budget Amendment for the Morris Street Sewer Pump Station Wet Well Repairs Project (CIP No. 0617-25.02) Council adopt a resolution to award the construction contract for the Morris Street Sewer Pump Station Wet Well Repairs Project to Valentine Corporation as the

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
lowest responsive and responsible bidder and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract and approve change orders up to 10% of the total contract award, if needed. bidder in an amount not to exceed $321,369.

Minute Order Number: 2026-202
Resolution Number: 6789-2026
Item Removed from Consent Calendar:

6. Approval of Contracts for City Consultants as approved in the FY 26 27 City Budget:

Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact to approve of the contracts as funding has been approved and allocated in the FY 26 27 Budget
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.

Kyle
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

Mayor McLewis called for a motion.

MOTION:

Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Councilmember Carter seconded the motion to approve the contracts as listed with the corrections as noted by city staff.

Mayor McLewis called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Vice Mayor Maurer and Mayor McLewis

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Noes: Councilmembers Hinton, Zollman

Absent: None
Abstain: None
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Action: Approved as Corrected: The contract with WCCS is $73,000 under our current agreement. I added an additional $2,000 to provide flexibility for incidental costs associated with administration and management. WCCS has recently hired a new property manager, and we are still working through management responsibilities and service expectations . I had not assumed the budget line was intended to reflect only the contract amount.

The same applies to PJM. The Council item lists #6 says $92,000, while PJM currently charges $7,780 per month, or $93,360 annually. I budgeted $97,200 to allow for potential additional work as we replace some NFT areas and address locations along Main Street that Erik identified.

Minute Order Number: 2026-203
Resolution Number: 6790-2026
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).

7. Informational Presentation on Updates to Jerry Threet Sebastopol Police Department Audit Responsible Department: Police Chief
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact with receipt of this item.

Police Chief McDonagh 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:

Laura
Kyle
Kate
Lee
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

No action required. Informational item only.

City Council Action: No action required. Informational item only.

Minute Order Number: 2026-204

8. Informational Presentation on Crime Statistics for FY 25-26; to include details/map locations of incidents for ease of reference.

Responsible Department: Police
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: There is no additional fiscal impact with receipt of this item.

Police Chief McDonagh presented the agenda item.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
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:

Mary
Kyle
Oliver
Lee
City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

No action required. Informational item only.

City Council Action: No action required. Informational item only.

Minute Order Number: 2026-205
Mayor McLewis recused herself and departed the meeting for Item Number 9.

PUBLIC HEARING(s):

9. Development Agreement Amendment- Barlow Hotel. Request to Amend the DA for the Barlow Hotel to provide a TOT sharing arrangement of 50% (1st reading)
Responsible Department: Planning, City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered by a Developer Deposit Account.

Additional Fiscal Impact: If approved as requested, a 50% reduction in an expected future TOT revenue for 120 months; but no reduction to other expected tax revenue
City Attorney Alex Mog presented the agenda item.

Vice Mayor Maurer opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions of City staff.

Vice Mayor Maurer opened the public comment period for the public hearing. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period for the public hearing:

Ernie Handout/Need to raise bed tax
Kyle Legal authority future TOT; consistent with TOT ordinance; gifts of public funds; measurable public benefits; procedural requirements
Oliver In favor; not sure of time period; 5-7 Years
Steve Discussed room rates; not looking if it does not work out still going to developer; what if goes out of business or changes uses
Steve Hotel fantastic; trying to compete may have issues; meet minimum of 3-5 stars or diamonds Lee Do we believe applicant; stories same; revenue going forward; losing little of on financial forecast; see City do this
Kate Wish presented hotel information in 2020; support; no guarantee work; if not take risk; won’t reap reward; low risk for City
Mary For this partnership presented; loved to hear that somebody believes in Sebastopol; heart and community to it; apart from Healdsburg and Napa
Member of Public Why need another hotel; consider housing and traffic impact; vote no; put out to public City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Vice Mayor Maurer called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Carter moved and Councilmember Hinton seconded the motion to approve Development Agreement Amendment- Barlow Hotel for the Barlow Hotel to provide a TOT sharing arrangement of 50% for ten years.

Addition: The City may request, and payee of tax shall provide, at least annually documentation of how the remitted tax funds were spent for such purposes, but the City shall have no authority to direct such spending.

Vice Mayor Maurer called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Carter, Hinton, Zollman, and Vice Mayor Maurer Noes: None

Absent: Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
MOTION:

Vice Mayor Maurer moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion to reconsider the previous motion.

Vice Mayor Maurer called for a roll call vote. City staff conducted a roll call vote.

VOTE:

Ayes: Councilmembers Zollman and Vice Mayor Maurer
Noes: Councilmember Carter and Councilmember Hinton

Absent: Mayor McLewis
Abstain: None
Motion Fails
City Council Action: Approve Development Agreement Amendment- Barlow Hotel for the Barlow Hotel to provide a TOT sharing arrangement of 50% for ten years. Addition: The City may request, and payee of tax shall provide, at least annually, documentation of how the remitted tax funds were spent for such purposes, but the City shall have no authority to direct such spending.

Minute Order Number: 2026-206
Ordinance Number: 1167
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):

10. Discussion of Consideration of Ratification of Council Direction to Forgive the Waste Water Loan (Forgive repayment from Waste Water Enterprise Fund to General Fund).

Responsible Department: City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: The loan amount is $1,100,000 City Attorney Mog presented the agenda item recommending the City Council Resolution to Forgive the Waste Water Loan (Forgive repayment from Waste Water Enterprise Fund to General Fund).

Mayor McLewis opened for questions of staff. The Council asked various questions of City staff.

Mayor McLewis opened the public hearing period. The following member(s) of the public spoke during the public comment period:

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Kyle discussed misallocation of funds
Kate Member of EFOC – agree/but mis management of enterprise funds over past 15 yeas Mary Member of EFOC – move EFOC recommendations
Lee Interest - $1.1Million – may not be right number
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 to approve resolution to forgive the Wastewater Loan ($1.1M) (Forgive repayment from Wastewater Enterprise Fund to General Fund).

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 to adopt a resolution to forgive the Wastewater Loan ($1.1M) (Forgive repayment from Wastewater Enterprise Fund to General Fund).

Minute Order Number: 2026-207
Resolution Number: 6791-2026

11. Discussion and Consideration of Approval of City Response to Grand Jury Report Responsible Department: City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: No further fiscal impact with preparation of response to the Grand Jury at this time as actions noted in the letter have been approved and allocated in the City budget.

City Attorney Mog 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:

Kate Where did all the money go; asking for documentation; EFOC analysis; not address main concerns of grand jury report/EFOC recommendations
Mary Opposed to draft report; rate free recommended could snowball other things in infrastructure; critical water upgrades
Lee Neglected infrastructure; discussed rate freezes; froze rate increases; infrastructure not funded; Rates changed arbitrarily
Oliver EFOC; terrible things happened; Council did some loopy things; good getting dirty laundry out; infrastructure not good but not terrible
Kyle Commit
George Time tracking; give up on Sebastopol Commons; mold in library; fix water system; City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Mayor McLewis called for a motion.

MOTION:

Councilmember Hinton moved and Councilmember Zollman seconded the motion to approve the City response to the Grand Jury Report as amended:

The City acknowledges that in the past we fell short in our communications and clear and transparent report regarding the Water and Wastewater Enterprise Funds. We sincerely apologize for this shortcoming and are committed to significantly improving transparency moving forward, including through the work of the Enterprise Fund Oversight Committee and more open, regular reporting to the community.

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: Approve the City response to the Grand Jury Report as amended: The City acknowledges that in the past we fell short in our communications and clear and transparent report regarding the Water and Wastewater Enterprise Funds. We sincerely apologize for this shortcoming and are committed to significantly improving transparency moving forward, including through the work of the Enterprise Fund Oversight Committee and more open, regular reporting to the community.

Minute Order Number: 2026-208

12. Consideration of Approval of Waiving of First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to Amend Sebastopol Municipal Code Section. Under the City’s Municipal Code, the City Manager possesses the authority to appoint, remove, promote, and demote any and all officers and employees of the City of Sebastopol, except the City Clerk, City Attorney, and City Treasurer. This amendment changes the requirement to include the City Clerk under the City Manager hiring authority. (2.12.100 Power of appointment, etc) Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: None
City Manager Gourley 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:

City Council Discussion/Deliberations/Comments:

Council continued discussion of the item.

Mayor McLewis called for a motion.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
MOTION:

Councilmember Zollman moved and Vice Mayor Maurer seconded the motion to approve Waiving of First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to Amend Sebastopol Municipal Code Section.

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: Approve Waiving of First Reading and Introduction of Ordinance to Amend Sebastopol Municipal Code Section.

Minute Order Number: 2026-209
Ordinance Number: 1168

13. Discussion and Action of Ordinance Related to Newspaper Racks Responsible Department: Mayor McLewis/City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: The exact amount of staff time involved with enforcement of the Ordinance is unknown and will depend significantly on the number and severity of violations.

City Council Action: Item continued to the August 4th City Council Meeting at or after 6:00 pm at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425, Morris Street.

Minute Order Number: 2026-210

14. Commission and Committee Work Plans. Review and Consideration of the 26/27 Work Plans for the Planning Commission, Design Review Board/Tree Board, Climate Action Committee, and Public Arts Committee
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.

Additional Fiscal Impact: If approved by Council, the estimated fiscal impact of adding an additional PAC meeting would be $5,376 to $8,064, and the estimated total annual fiscal impact of adding an additional DRB meeting would be $7,152 to $11,448.

City Council Action: Item continued to the August 4th City Council Meeting at or after 6:00 pm at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425, Morris Street.

Minute Order Number: 2026-211
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION) CONTINUED:

Councilmember Zollman requested to add an agenda item regarding issues at Safeway 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.

The following member(s) of the public spoke during public comment for items not on the agenda:

COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
None
CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION: NONE

ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
July 21, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting was adjourned by Mayor McLewis at 10:30pm the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.

Respectfully submitted:

Mary C. Gourley
Interim City Manager
Attachment 1: ZOOM Raw Minutes
Attachment 2: VITAC Real Time Transcription Minutes

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
WEBVTT
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry.
2 00:01:02.670 --> 00:01:05.520
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Did you say we're good? We're good. Okay. 3 00:01:08.110 --> 00:01:11.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, are you ready, City Manager? 4 00:01:11.540 --> 00:01:12.530
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes.
5 00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:13.600
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, well, welcome everyone to our meeting.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

7 Agenda Item Number: 1
00:01:17.790 --> 00:01:23.430
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mary, if you'd like to go ahead and do roll call.

Thank you. Councilmember Carter?
8 00:01:24.990 --> 00:01:41.869
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Here. Councilmember Hinton? Here.

Councilmember Zolman? Yes. Vice Mayor Maurer? Here. Mayor McLewis? Here. All council members are in attendance. All right, thank you. So let's see… I'm sorry, I'm gonna take my glasses off here. We are going to go to Salute tothe flag, if everyonewould stand with us. 9 00:01:46.790 --> 00:01:48.240
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, it's from there. 10 00:01:48.380 --> 00:01:56.790
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and trust as well. 11 00:02:00.610 --> 00:02:09.549
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, I hope it's cool enough in here for everyone. We have a land acknowledgement that we do at every meeting, so I'm going to go ahead and read that.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

12 Agenda Item Number: 1
00:02:09.550 --> 00:02:25.289
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The City of Sebastopol acknowledges that we live and work within the unceded ancestral homelands of the southern Pomo and Coast Miwok people. We pay our respect to the past, present, and future generations of these peoples, including the Federated Indians of Great and Rancheria. 13 00:02:26.940 --> 00:02:42.769
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We also do, as part of, my desire as mayor, is to remember the history of Sebastopol. I've been working with Teresa Raimondo in our Miss County Museum to bring up, historical points, and so this time. 14 00:02:42.770 --> 00:02:56.170
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We have two things to… to highlight, is our Enmanji Buddhist Temple, and then its connection with the Gravenstein Apple Fair, which is actually coming up, the weekend of August is the 8th and 9th. 15 00:02:56.260 --> 00:03:15.889
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The Enmanji Buddhist Temple in Sebastopol, we have a variety of pictures there, some are circa 1990. The unique Enmanji Buddhist Temple, originally built by the Manchurian Railroad Company for the Chicago World's Fair in 1933, faithfully represents a 12th century
16 00:03:15.890 --> 00:03:22.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kamakura-style Japanese temple. After the fair, it was offered to the members of Sonoma County Buddhist Temple. Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

17 Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the structure was dismantled and shipped by rail to Sebastopol for reassembly. It was completed and dedicated on April 15, 1934, after being reconstructed without the use of nails by the skilled local Japanese craftsman. 18 00:03:38.430 --> 00:03:46.460
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the… the temple is a place of worship, as well as a center of the Japanese community in Sonoma County, and… 19 00:03:46.460 --> 00:04:01.220
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I've been told that the Gravenstein Apple Fair was actually held on the Temple property as early as 1973, and we do have a photo of the Sebastopol Apple Growers Union with their picture of the apple, and then the Sonoma County Farm Trails revived the Apple Fair.
20 00:04:01.260 --> 00:04:25.890
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: After that, after the, and moved it to Regal Park in 1977. And I just encourage anyone, if you have the opportunity, go to the temple there. I did with, Sebastopol World Friends, and it's… it's just a beautiful, it's a beautiful temple, and there's a lot of historical information there, and they welcome people of all faith or without faith to… to come and visit them. So I just wanted to share that with you, since we have the 21 00:04:25.890 --> 00:04:31.040
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Gravenstein Apple Fair, coming up here Fairly quickly.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Moving on, we have proclamations, presentations. We do have a proclamation, or,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: this, this go-around, recognizing 20 years of service for, Margarita Roman,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I believe it's not here, but we will, Eric, we'll have something to say during public comment about,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that recognition. And then, I just wanted to ask if anyone on the dais here has a conflict of interest forany ofthe items that we're going to be 26 00:05:02.330 --> 00:05:17.750
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: going for. So I do, with the Barlow, topic coming up, as I have in the past, because I own a business that is very close proximity, I have to recuse myself from the discussion, so at that time, I'll hand over.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the meeting to our Vice Mayor, Sandra Maurer, so she'll take over for that.So, if no otherconflicts, then we'll have Mary go to public comment on the…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Agenda items that are not on the agenda? 29 00:05:31.560 --> 00:05:42.619
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thankyou, Mayor. So, this is the first public comment period. It is a total of 20 minutes. We do 2 minutes in chambers, and then 2 minutes out in Zoom, and we rotate back and forth.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, first I willcome into chambers. If there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment, we'll do, come up to the podium, and then we'll go out to Zoom and come back in. 31 00:05:58.690 --> 00:06:10.599
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Council. I'm Eric Billing, Public Works Operations Supervisor, here representing the Public Works Department. I want to acknowledge Margarita Roman for his 20 years of service with the City of Sebastopol.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sebastopol has been a part of Margarito's work life for many, many years. He started off working at the Barlow at the Apple Processing Plant, working on the line, did that for 13 years before he became part of the Public Works staffin Julyof 2006.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He is our second longest tenured employee.

Margarita has done a wonderful and often thankless job of taking care of the city parks, landscape areas.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Public restrooms and cleaning up unhoused encampments.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Here are just a few, statistics to help summarize what Margarito has done in his 20 years with the city.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He has cleaned the public restrooms over 4,000 times.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He has mowed and weed whacked over 3,000 hours each.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He has emptied trash cans in the parks by city buildings and along trails over 1,800 times.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: As well as spending over 600 hours cleaning up unhoused encampments and trash in the Laguna.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He has trained and shown the ropes to many new laborers as they came on board over the years, including myself. 41 00:07:13.050 --> 00:07:16.059
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All this shows that Margaret, who is a hard worker. 42 00:07:16.400 --> 00:07:24.589
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: is often quick to offer ahelping hand when in need, and is well-liked and respected by his coworkers at Public Works and other city departments.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He is quiet and shy, and shies away from the spotlight, which is why he's not here tonight.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But this just shows what an outstanding individual he is.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One final characteristic quality that Ithink stands out to me is the fact that in the 20 years, in the 13 years I've known him, I've never heard him complain about anything, or say anything bad about anyone. He just goes about and does his job.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I really appreciate that about Margarito. Eric, you have 8 seconds? Sure, I'm wrapping up right now. On behalf of the City of Sebastopol and the Public Works Department, congratulations, and more importantly, thank you, Margarito, for your 20 years of serving the citizens of Sebastopol.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Eric. Eric? 48 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:09.320
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can I… can I give you this, sir? 49 00:08:10.990 --> 00:08:17.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we would have given you a little more time, I feel more excited, so that's, thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Next, I will go out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment for an item not on the agenda, to please raise your hand virtually.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please? 52 00:08:35.880 --> 00:08:37.770
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Kyle Falbo: I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can you see the timer? 55 00:08:40.580 --> 00:08:41.670
Kyle Falbo: Yes, I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, please. 57 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:46.890
Kyle Falbo: Tonight, you've got a lot of really,
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Kyle Falbo: I don't want to say controversial, but you have some very heavy items on the agenda tonight.
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Kyle Falbo: I've been watching City Council consistently Over the last 5 years. 60 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:04.869
Kyle Falbo: Many of the agenda items tonight…
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Kyle Falbo: Are literal carryovers from the types of issues and the concerns that our residents had 5 years ago.
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Kyle Falbo: What concerns me is that Over the last 5 years, there's been an erosion 63 00:09:21.850 --> 00:09:26.010
Kyle Falbo: of the relationship that Council and the City has with the public. 64 00:09:26.180 --> 00:09:29.110
Kyle Falbo: Particularly when it comes to council business. 65 00:09:29.410 --> 00:09:34.279
Kyle Falbo: We've seen attempts to remove access to Zoom.

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Kyle Falbo: for public participation. We've seen reductions in the amount of time that public comment is allowed. Attempts to actually move it to the end of the meeting, oftentimes after 10 PM.
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Kyle Falbo: We've seen a new city attorney who has given legal counsel to this council to not respond or engage with public comment on items that are not on the agenda, or respond in any way to public comment that's happening on agendized items. 68 00:10:04.470 --> 00:10:09.190
Kyle Falbo: And what I just want to speak to is maybe that, because maybe that's the radical change here.
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Kyle Falbo: I think you're gun-shy. You're too concerned about maybe civil litigation, putting yourself up for, potential lawsuits, but I want you to understand 70 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:33.379
Kyle Falbo: that your engagement with the public is not risky. What's risky is the decisions and the actions that the city takes that you don't respond to, that you aren't able to address and respond to.

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Kyle Falbo: So tonight, it's my hope that you're able to really consider and bring in public comment into your decision-making process and make that visible. 72 00:10:44.590 --> 00:10:47.660
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. Next, I'll come into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Good evening, Councilmembers. Alyssa Johnson, Sonoma County Resource Recovery. We are the garbage provider for the City of Sebastopol, and it's been a year since we started service, so I wanted to give you just some stats from the last year period. 20… July of 2025 to June 30th of 2026. 74 00:11:12.180 --> 00:11:23.520
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just want to let you guys know we had 412 large item pickups during that one-year period. We had very few calls for abandoned property.

We had last quarter, working on the report right now, we had 75 00:11:23.750 --> 00:11:29.030
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One call. So, I think that it has lessened a lot of the abandoned property issues.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We had 385 changes to service. 77 00:11:33.550 --> 00:11:51.869
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 300… I'm sorry, 693 payments over the phone.

Just some little stats for you guys. 71 missed pickups in a year, which averages 1.3 a week.

So we're pretty proud of that, especially considering how challenging just knowing… learning Sebastopol was for the drivers, that they've done a… they've done a really good job.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 214 new starts.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We have conducted trainings at 6 properties, multi-family properties, for the residents that come to the meetings on recycling what goes where, how to, you know, do organics properly. We've done, trainings at 10 businesses. 80 00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:18.449
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Also, we have provided signages and some… some signages that was made specifically forsome of these businesses, to… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 10 businesses that ask for specific signage. We assisted 15 more properties with Brightizing again, and 8 more businesses with right-sizing.

We also sponsored the, you know, we sponsored last year the 3rd of July through Kiwanis Club twice now.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We've done the Apple Blossom Festival, we've done the Peacetown concerts, we do an in-kind donation of providing all the garbage service for them, so they don't have to pay for it, and we've done the Family Movie Night. 83 00:12:46.760 --> 00:13:03.239
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Through the Chamber. I just want to share information. Anytime anybody has any questions about anything, please feel free to give me a call. Our doors are always open. Thank you. Thank you, Alyssa, for your public comment. Next, I'll go out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment for an item not on tonight's agenda, then please raise your hand virtually. 84 00:13:04.300 --> 00:13:09.890
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll come back into chambers. If there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment, please go ahead to the podium.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, Kate… oh, I'm sorry. 86 00:13:12.630 --> 00:13:15.629
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, and then I'll come back to you. Nope! 87 00:13:21.280 --> 00:13:28.109
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm here to ask Council to make Sebastopol's water supply their number one priority.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We are at a critical juncture. We need to move forward with the replacement of well number 4, which supplies over 40% of our town's water.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The ability to finance this project has been in the works for over 2 years. It is a vital piece of our water system. 90 00:13:48.890 --> 00:14:01.710
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Last meeting's decision to freeze rates and remove tiers without implementing grand jury restitution or the FOC's recommendations puts our water supply at risk.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If Wealth 4 fails during a fire, it would be devastating for this entire community.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The enterprise funds pay forcouncil and city staff to make prudent and cost-efficient choices forratepayers. 93 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:25.289
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It is your responsibility to make sure our water supply is stable and secure.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Due to decades of neglect, the water system requires money and investment, which is needed now. I'm making a public comment on record for Council to hear that if there is a failure in the water supply, it is because of the Council's refusal to make responsible decisions.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The EFOC has provided clear pathways to move forward that keep the water fund financially stable.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: correct Prop 218 violations, and provide funding for critical infrastructure. If there is a catastrophic failure in the water system, it is because Council is actively choosing this pathway, and the responsibility solely rests with the council members who sit on the dais tonight.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I ask Council to draw on reserves and measure you money to implement the full package of the EFOC reforms so that the Water Fund is able to move forward with replacing number… well number 4. Thank you. 98 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:36.150
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kate, for your public comment. Next, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment for an item not on tonight's agenda, to please raise your hand virtually. 99 00:15:36.650 --> 00:15:39.280
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will come back into chambers. 100
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I do have a lady in the back first that had araise. Please?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hello.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: My name is Desi, and I'm one of the neighbors that lives behind Safeway. As a lot of you know, there has been an ongoing issue in the back of Safeway that has become out of hand. There's lots of individuals, but mainly the Ana Lee High School students, and we've had our run-ins of inappropriate behavior behind that spot.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But this past April, things have taken… were taken up a notch when racistand hatefulgraffitiwasspray-painted on the back wall. Writings included multiple swastikas, and the N-word with the hard R equals bad, saying that Hitler was right.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A few weeks back, we had a group of teenagers making monkey noises after seeing some of the Black children that live across the street.

We have requested multiple meetings with the police chief to discuss how we can come up with solutions regarding these situations, and situations that most certainly will happen again once Annalee is back in session.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we have not been met with much action. We would like to request that this issue be put on the agenda so we can discuss a camera and Agenda Item Number: 1
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a fence be put up behind Safeway. We ask that City Council work with Ana Lee Safeway and the police and us neighbors to find a solution.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We are a neighborhood of people of color and children that walk to school every day. We need to feel safe in our homes and need to know that our community will support us in finding asolution. Thank you. 107
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Desi, for your public comment. Next, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment for an item not on the agenda, please raise your hand virtually. 108
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will come back into chambers. 109
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: MayorMcLewis, council members, and city staff. 110
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm here again to ask for your support.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: As a neighbor of A&M Barbecue, I have been woken at night with a home full of smoke.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Not from wildfire, not from fireplaces, but from an industrial smoker being brought in and causing dangerous air pollution. 113
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This neighborhood is full of 100-plus-year-old homes and many elderly.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Smoke gets in our homes. 115
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Exasperbating asthma and other lung disease problems is not something you, as our council members, should allow. 116
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The dangers of particulate matter found in smoke are well documented.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The American Lung Association, the Centers for Disease Control, Union of Concerned Scientists.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All agree that this is bad. 119
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Monitoring air quality on the other side of town is not a meaningful process for our neighborhood.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Please do your duty to protect public health. 121
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And do not rezone 495 South Main Street to allow a health hazard.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment for an item not on the agenda, to please raise your hand virtually. 124
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will come back in the chambers. If there's anyone… oh, sorry, hold on, let me go back to the Mary. Can you unmute yourself, please?
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mary cone: Yes.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, can you see the timer? 127
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mary cone: Oh, I can, but I never take that long.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, please. 129
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mary cone: Okay, what Kate said…
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mary cone: And, my comment is to remember that we can't have a hotel without a functioning water system.
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mary cone: So, I think that's one thing I'd like you…
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mary cone: to think about when you're deciding all of this. 133
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mary cone: The other thing is, I would really… it would really be great if we could get back to 3-minute comments. It seems like a lot of people have a lot more to say.

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mary cone: I don't know, I mean, we used to do that.
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mary cone: Something to think about. Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Please come up to the podium. 138
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hi, my name is Stella Scythe. I'm a Sebastopol resident. I wanted to tell my… Would you do me a quick favor and pull the microphone? The people on Zoom can't hear if… Can you hear? Yeah, there you go, thank you. Hi, my name is Stella Scythe, I'm a Sebastopol resident. I wanted to tell my experience with location behind Safeway.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I got a text from my niece with a picture of a piece of graffiti saying,the N-word killer.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: which was the actual word. She said, this is what I came home to. My heart sank for her. I knew she was alone, and I headed straight to her house. When I got there, I saw othergraffiti, including the Nazi eagle, Hitler was right, swastikas, and the N-word. Some neighbors were out there, and I was told that both Safeway and the police knew about this, and had remained up all day. 141
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The second incident I had at this spot was not long afterthe graffiti incident. I was parking mycar in the street, and awoman was next to the graffiti area.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I went and joined her, asking if there was more graffiti, and she said there was a group of kidsmaking monkey noisesacross… at the people across the street. She was very shooken up.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: She said, I called the cops, but I have to go to a meeting. I walked across the street to another neighbor who was upset. We were able to film the4 or 5 boys as they were walking away. I went back tocheck on my niece, and this group of boys started circling the area, on scooter and on foot, making bunky noises and screaming for more than a half an hour.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I knew the police were called by at least 5 people.

It was intimidating, was very upsetting, and was very upsetting to anyone who witnessed it. 145
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I've heard the N-word by homeless people, youth, and people with mental health issues in the same location for years. It hurts me to see the neighbors living there putting…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: putting so much energy trying to get anyone to listen and just being ignored. This has been a problem area for years. 147
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But the cops say it's Safeway's job, and Safeway says it's the cops' job, and no one does anything. All of the community, sorry, needs to feel safe here, and I believe it is now time for City Council to help with the solution. The bare minimum is this issue needs to be put on the agenda. The people who are experiencing this need to be heard, and solutions have to be made.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Some ideas are a gate, That could be put up. No trespassing signs.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And cameras need to be installed. The police should be involved when illegal hate crimes are captured on camera. Ana Lee High School, that's 2 minutes. Okay, thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Next, I'll go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment item not on the agenda, please raise your hand.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment for an item not on the agenda.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing then, public comment is closed. 152
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, thank you very much, Mary. 153
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oops, go ahead. Thank you, Madam Mayor, and yes, thank you to the member of the public that sent us the email about the, what's going on behind Safeway. I did respond to that. Thank you to the members of the public that brought that up, and we do have,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: on the agenda, always a time for us to ask for future agenda items, and I do intend to ask for an agenda item to see what staff 155
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: our police can… can do, so… Well, and since you brought it up, I… we have been conferring before we got this email today on another date, so the City Manager, Chief, and I actually
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: came up with some time. We were going to actually send an email, and then we got that email to say when we could meet, so we can also, figure that out. Because, I mean, we've been meeting with Safeway and Annalie quarterly, or every other month for the last year or so. Anyway… 157
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Let's see…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We are moving on to consent calendar. I apologize, my voice is just weird. Excuse me. So I'm going to go ahead and read consent calendar here. Number one, approval of City Council meeting minutes for regular Meeting of July 7th, 2026. Number two, approval of second reading and adoption of ordinance City Council compensation. Number three, approved notice of completion. 160
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Burbank Farm ADA Path and Public Restroom Facility, CIP number 0413-78.00, City Council to accept the Burbank Farm ADA Path and Public Restroom Facility Project, and approve the notice of completion. 161
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Number 4, approve investment policy, IPS update, policy statement update.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: provides an overview of proposed updates to an existing city's investment policy statement on the IPS based on the recommendations from the City's Investment Advisor Schuster Advisory Group. The updates are intended to align the IPS with current California government code provisions. 163
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Incorporate best practices in public fund management, and enhance the city's ability to optimize investment performance while maintaining safety and liquidity.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Number 5, approve contract award and CIP budget amendment for the Morris Street Sewer Pump Station Wetwell Repairs Project CIP number 0617-25.02.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And number 6, approval of contracts for city consultantsasapproved in thefiscalyear26-27 city budget. 166
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm asking my colleagues here if anyone wants to pull an item.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think you… I just… we had a correction by email that we all received. I think we should pull that item and make that correction, Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: corrected in public. Yeah, I was gonna ask, 170
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: ourcity attorney, if I could askstaff one question in reference to that same agenda item. If I can, then I won't pull it, andmaybe we can figure out a way to make that correction that Councilmember Hinton brought up, too, without having to fully pull it. Can I ask… Yeah, if you have a question, you can ask. Okay, so my one question is, after a series of emails.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: too many, quite honestly, to try to get clarity about this agenda item. The last word from Mary was, it's like, do what you feel like you need to do, but if you pull this, then it runs jeopardy to having us not be able to pay 172
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: these service contractors for services do. Is that the case if we don't approve this in the fa… in the
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: format that it's currently being presented to us tonight. So we would have no contracts with… for building services, we would have no contract for IT, we would have no contract for animal control services, so the ones that are listed, those contracts expired June 30th. They were part of the budget.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They were recommended from when we came forward with the Budget Committee,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I understand that you want them to… well, my understanding is there was a request maybe to bring these back individually, but I wanted to make sure that if they do come back.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: there is no standing contract. We have not reached out to them to see if they would continue to provide services until we bring this back at the future meeting.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I understand that, and it wasn't a request to bring them back individually, it was one to actually have thorough data presented here, and consistent data, because for an email I sent, we would not have gotten the corrected email that Councilmember Hinton just brought up.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, if it's gonna, like, get bumped if I pull it to the end and risk not paying our contractors, that does not sit well with me. But I do want to make a comment, the fact that I don't appreciate a non… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: fleshed-out agenda report, one that's clear about why we're getting details about some of these contracts and not on others, so… 180
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If we can do it without pulling it, I would… 181
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: do that, but I defer to Councilmember Hinton.

Well, my feeling is when we have a correction to a posted agenda item, it needs to be public, so I would not want to not
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So we could get on tonight, per the mayor's reordering the schedule, but at the same time, I want to make it clear to the public that we have an error, and that we… I mean, maybe we don't have to reorder it to the end, but I don't think we should approve things on consent that are wrong. 183
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We're not. I was waiting to see if Councilmember Zolman was going to pull the item and make the correction at that time, but if not, we're before the vote… We'll make the correction. We would make the correction. So, if the item is to be pulled, we can discuss the correction of the two inconsistencies that were provided Agenda Item Number: 1
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in the staff report, and Iwill have our Administrative Services Director provide that correction, or if it's going to be pulled for a discussion, we would discuss those two at that point.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I mean, I don't want to put us in a situation of not being able to pay contracts. I'm not okay with that. So, can I just clarify, it's not about the pain in the contract. I mean, we have the funds to pay it, it's the fact that we don't have a contract. So, and we… I don't know… I have not spoken to the individual contractors as to whether or not they would continue without a contract. They have up to this point. They've been providing the services up to this meeting.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Would you… would me reading the corrections… Director Kwong, can you provide the corrections to those for contracts? 186
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't agree with it being on consent when we have an error. So I guess I would ask the mayor if he could reorder it, but reorder it in the middle of the regular calendar agenda, say, before the discussion and action. 187
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: related to newspaper racks. Well, I would like to just put it at the very beginning, because we risk, just depending on where we're running, we can't risk this not being dealt with tonight. I mean, it impacts daily services, so… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But is… is it just simply that you… we need to discuss it, or we just need to notify the public? I'm trying to understand the concern… the biggest concern. My concern is it shouldn't be on consent with an error, so I feel like we… whether we have a long discussion or a short discussion, if you're willing to put it at the front, then we're putting it on our regular calendar.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, so I think I would like to just pull it, like you said, or honor that request, and then we'll just… we'll just move it down to where it's ahead of, basically in its position where it's at right now, but it'll just be part of… 191
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can we do it in the… right before the informational number 7, Mary? Yeah, so the city's policy is to, put at the end, but the mayor can reorder.

Yeah, I would like to reorder it, because I just worry we can't risk having, it get pushed back, and then…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we're in an even bigger situation, so… okay. All right, so, if that's all, then we can go to public comment, Mary.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Mayor. So this is public comment for items 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. If you would like to make a public item on those items on the consent calendar, please raise your hand virtually. I will dochambersfirst, thenout to Zoom, if there's anyone in chambers. Seeing then, I'll go out to Zoom. Lee, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Lee: Yes, can you hear me?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can. Can you see the timer? 196
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Lee: I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, please. 198
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Lee: Yeah, you know I love numbers, and investing's how I make my living. I did a quick estimate. The city has $13 million, or had $13 million at the end of 23-25, or 23… 24-25 on the,based on theaudited financials.
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Lee: At 4%, which is a very conservative investment return, we should be looking for somewhere around $500,000 in interest investment income, somewhere in the budget. The budget worksheet shows about $100,000 annually, which had me scratching my head. 200
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Lee: The good news is, when I lookedat the audited financials, there is $537,620 in interest and rents in the general fund.
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Lee: So in 24-25, we had half a million dollars in investment revenue. 202
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Lee: But the actuals on the budget worksheet are $166,000. 203
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Lee: So, what happened to the other $360,000? Why doesn't it show up in the budget sheets?
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Lee: How can the reserve balance be correct if you're missing $360,000? 205
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Lee: Obviously, $360,000 in revenue would go along way towards fixingthe budget deficit. 206
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Lee: My suggestion would be, rather than focusing on what kind of bonds the city should be buying, you should be asking for a report on current investments, expected returns, actual returns, and where is the money being put in the budget? It needs to show up in the budget.

Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Lee, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers. If there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment on the consent calendar items only 1 through 5. 208
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on consent calendar items 1 through 5, please raise your hand virtually.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please? 210
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There you go, can you hear us? 211
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Kyle Falbo: I can, and just so you know, participants cannot unmute themselves, it's being done by your staff, so just keep that inmind.
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Kyle Falbo: I can see the 2-minute timer.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, thank you.
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Kyle Falbo: Okay, so, this is an interesting consent calendar, and I… I applaud council members who are
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Kyle Falbo: looking at consent calendar and looking to pull items that probably shouldn't have been there in the first place.
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Kyle Falbo: For anybody who's interested, I know this is getting into the weeds, with how the agenda is constructed, and how the consent calendar items are put, I highly recommend going and trying to make it to an agenda review committee. 217
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Kyle Falbo: The experience is fascinating. What you will find, you will find twocouncil members who are sitting down with the city manager and kind of really shaping out what the night might look like for us.
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Kyle Falbo: However, what you might not notice, unless you have some experience, is the amount of influence that thecitymanager hason those two councilmembers. 219
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Kyle Falbo: There's often times the council members are relying on the experience of the city manager to make decisions about what lands on consent, and what lands on the agenda, and how much time is allotted for each of those agenda items. 220
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Kyle Falbo: Unfortunately, there's a conflict of interest that comes with that reliance ofthat experience from the city manager.
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Kyle Falbo: We need our council members to have a clear segregation when it comes to the powers that happen within this city.
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Kyle Falbo: When we're allowing city management to have so much control over the decisions that are happening with our city, in terms of what lands on an agenda. 223
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Kyle Falbo: what goes into a staff report, what the staff recommendations are. Regularly, I see Council going withstaff recommendations in ways that are 224
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Kyle Falbo: concerning. It's not clear to me that Council is doing the diligence that it needs to, and oftentimes are relying on staff. We've seen this most recently with this kind of explanation that the decisions about the water in the past were based on consultants, and consultants somehow have our best interests. No.
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Kyle Falbo: Consultants have interest in being rehired. And who rehires them? The city. So please.
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Kyle Falbo: Take ownership of the Council agenda.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers. 228
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on the consent calendars 1 through 5, to please raise your hand virtually.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed. 230
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Alright, thank you. So we're back here for any comments.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Is there any motion? 232
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'll go ahead and move the consent items 1 through 5. Second.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, so moved by Councilmember Zolman, and seconded by Vice Mayor Maurer to approve of Consent Calendars 1 through 5, with item number 6 being removed.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Carter? Yes. Councilmember Hinton? Councilmember Zolman? Yes. Vice Mayor Maurer? Yes. Mayor McLewis? Yes.

Motion passes unanimously. All right, thank you. So, to reorder this so that we can, deal with the issue that was pulled, I have consensus from everyone, we can bring that to the next item. So, approvalof contracts forcityconsultants as approved inthe fiscal year 26-

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 27 city budget. What I would like to do… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If it's permissible, Alex, is just read the corrections first, sothat… to informthe public? Would you recommendthat? Yes, sir, you could have staff read them.Okay, alright.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, thank you, Madam Mayor. So the correction for this agenda item in the table for the consultant and service provider, it's going to be the item for PJM
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: yard maintenance, landscape services. Originally, it was in the staff report as $92,000. It should be $97,200. And, the reason forthe adjustment is because, there are… there will… there could be potentially landscape work for non-functional turf area replacement.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that Public Works, Might need, for this contract. 240
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the second item that needed to be corrected in the table is the West County Community Services for Park Village Services. It was listed as 75, it's supposed to be 73.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the extra $2,000 was for, incidental, unanticipated, maintenance responsibility.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That public work might be expected. 243
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, that's the correction to the table of the, staff report. So, in total, originally it was 542, it's now 545,200. 244
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, thank you. Thank you. Any questions? Go ahead.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So it looks like that these contracts are all being signed again, per the Budget Committee, and I have been asking about, re-bidding Marin IT, and I know that we have now change in their organization assigned to us for 246
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: more years than I can count. And now we're signing another contract, it appears. I think Councilmember Zolman and I actually… Brown acted on this issue, I don't even know, when hewas first elected, so 3years ago, 4 years ago?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, so I am willing to move this forward 248
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I guess, but I believe that we should have something on there that says
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we… I mean, we… we need to… 250
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We need to take care of this. 251
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We've asked for contracts and these to go out to bid.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: for years and years and years, and we just keep renewing the contract. So, I… I'm gonna ask if that…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Is possible, or are we committing with this 254
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Approval to a whole nother year for all these vendors.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Imight havecity staff address the Marina, the RFP, that was conducted. We have done a couple RFPs.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There were… and believe it, the IT consulting was one of them.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And to answer your question, yes, signing of these contracts would be for one additional year.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we do have, I will be doing, in December, January, for many of these, an RFP for services, that are listed in here. We will go back… there's, like, 3 RFPs that we have scheduled to go out. 259
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Do you know which 3 they are? Oh, so we have the building services will be going out. That has been set for about 5 years now, so that it will be going out. The,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Outreach Community Services, we did an RFP this year. We've only received two, but we did go ahead and… it was… there was… I don't remember the… Omni was one of them, and then, Collie Hansen was the second one. That was a proposal. And I believe we will also be doing, outreach services for Park Village as well.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Management, property management. 262
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Do you have some information? So, 263
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The city did issue an RFP for IT services in January.

We did receive 6…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: responses from IT services. As I put into the grid, Marin IT is in line with other, managed services.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There are two lowest bid, and those, I believe they just wanted to respond to the RFP, so I don't count those, but there are, 266
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: for others, and Marin IT is really in line with the other RFPs, so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Ifyou… if the Councilwould like staff to bring it back and lay it out, I can do that, but I don't see, we did go out, and it is competitive.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, Councilmember Zola. I have a question, and definitely I have a comment when we get to that part about this whole way this was laid out. My question to Director Kwong is, why was this structured this way? So, we,alongwith thepublic,gotan explanationunderstaffanalysis 269
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 1, 2, 3, 4 paragraphs for information technology.

We got community outreach Coordinator, a couple paragraphs. 270
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and some little thing about Park Village. There's no analysis, pros or cons, for why we should just ride along with all these contracts. A lot of us have serious concerns. Councilmember Kitten raised one of them. I have serious concerns about a lot of these. So…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Why was this structured the way it was structured? Why an explanation for some of the contracts that are in the grid, and why did we not get any analysis on the others?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The reason you didn't get the other analysis for the other department, because
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I didn't reach out… I was not responsible for building, and…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I apologize, but I didn't reach out to the building department and see what
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I… I'm assuming that building contract is 276
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: currently what we have is… it's just gonna move forward as is. There's no change to the building.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Consultant that we currently have. 278
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. So there's no explanation as far as explaining the building and the animal services and the others, 279
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: PMJ, yard maintenance. 280
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think those are just routine to me, so I didn't reallyexplain.Okay,soquestion tothegeneralmanager,who'sresponsibleforallstaffand the contents when they're delegated to do staff reports. Is this what's going to happen every year when we have, like, budgets, and then we're just supposed to, like. 281
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: allocate money for services, but yet not see the recommended vendor for the services, or an explanation or analysis of pros and cons moving forward, because this is not acceptable. So the question is, can you explain how this happened?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can explain for… I did reach out on Phillips Surooks for building services. I did reach out informally to get a couple quotes. The companies that I did talk to do not have the capacity right now, so based upon our staffing situation, it was not in my personal opinion or professional opinion for the city to go out to get
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Quotes at this time, especially with all the development that we have going on, and especially talking to the two 285
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: consulting contract services that we have. I've also spoken with other cities as well, as to what their services were, and a couple of those cities still use Phillips Seabrook, or not still use, use Phillips Seabrook, but again, the capacity for the other two consultants was not there. We will be doing a full RFP to bring that back.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The landscape services, last year was their first year that we came in, so we did not do a RFP for landscape services for this upcoming year.

If this… we should have a policy in place as to how many… after how many years that we go back out. I think that would be a policy to come back.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sonoma County Animal Services. We had the discussion about that last year. We have a contract with them currently that was a monthto-month. We are in… 288
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: trying to get negotiations for this as to reduce anymore, but this… all cities are paying extremely high costs for animal control services.

The police department is doing some of it, which helps to reduce this cost. 289
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We are also in talk with Sonoma County, as well as other cities, as to how we can work regionally and collaboratively to try to create services. We had a meeting on that as of today, but with our services, our animal control services, since we did do an RFP last year, and we only got one response. 290
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I do not feel we need to go back out for another one for this year. West County Community Services for Park Village Services, they are in their fifthyear of their contract, sowe will be going out for an RFP for them.Marina IT, as staff just stated, we dodo an RFP earlier in theyear, and of those six, this was the recommendation from that. So moving forward.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It would be my policy is to bring back a policy when we go back out for RFPs, but also to haveindividual staff reports for individual contracts.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, Councilmember. 294
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm just gonna say that, 295
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I've kind of got inside knowledge on some of this stuff, so I… I'm not worried about it, but it is kind of nicer to see somepluses and minuses, or some SWOT on the basic sheet that comes out. Hey, we've got these, contracts coming out. We did look at a couple, this is why they're good. Yeah. Is that your question, or… 296
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yep. Okay, alright. 297
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Is that everyone's questions? Then we can go out for public comment. Thank you, Mayor. So this is for public comment on the contracts for services. If you'd like tomake a publiccomment, I will do Chambers first, andthen go out to Zoom, if there's anyone in chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go out to Zoom if there's anyone on Zoom. Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There you go, can you see the timer? 302
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Kyle Falbo: Yes, I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great, go ahead, please. 304
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Kyle Falbo: So, what I think's really, really fascinating about this is that, especially over the last year, the ability for the city to hit deadlines in a manner that's actually allowing people to make informed decisions has just been thrown out the door. So, the fact that we had 305
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Kyle Falbo: a bunch of, public seats on bodies like Planning Commission or Design Review that went months after the actual expired deadline, because there was no call out for the participation, it went out months after the fact. We're asking people to serve for months after their assigned time, because
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Kyle Falbo: The city just can't time these things. We can't seem to actually hire people, and then we use the inability for us tohire people as the justification for going out for contracts, and now it's got even to the point where you don't even hit the contract deadline in time that you can even go out for an RFP on these things. And so what's happening is that the city manager is just somehow taking… usurping authority 307
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Kyle Falbo: to be able to make financial decisions without going tocounsel, or even worse, taking those decisions, clumping them together, and throwing them on consent.

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Kyle Falbo: Explain to me how my explanation of what I just described that has happened over the last year since January is wrong.
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Kyle Falbo: Because that methodology of continuing to push decisions out past the point where you can actually even make informed decisions, because you're beyond deadlines, right? Like, oh, you gotta fork over all of this money to pay for this thing, because the grant deadline's coming out.
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Kyle Falbo: Right? All of these things where the actual decision on you, the counsel, is actually a non-decision, because you've pushed the deadline so far out that you can't actually push the deadline any further, to actually discuss and come up with a decision. 311
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Kyle Falbo: Figure out how to fixthat.
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Kyle Falbo: You've got a couple months till the end of the year, and it sounds like a great campaign, issue.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in Chambers that would like to make a public comment on this item.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on this item, please raise your hand virtually.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed. 316
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Alright, thank you. So back here for any comments.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, and not, again, to beat a dead horse, but I'm…I'mnotokaywith how thishappened,and Ifeelveryconflicted,becauseIdon'twant the city to be in a situation of asking contractors that they've had for years and years and years to just take on good faith that something's gonna happen, and that they'll get consistently paid, even though there's no contract.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Not okay with this process. 319
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But I also don't want to disrespect them, even though, as I said, I have concerns about a lot of these contracts. I also want them to have reassurance that they will get paid, because that's what cities do. 320
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you're supposed to make your bills on time. So with that, I'll go ahead and move this.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any… go ahead, Councilmember, and… 322
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm really frustrated with this item, because even if 323
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Budget Committee has insider information. That's not how it's supposed to work. It's supposed to come back to this full council. And these are $340,000 worth of contracts.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I have over and over expressed concern to the point that I wanted to be informed about the IT RFP, and it never hit this council. So… 325
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Staff just went with what they are comfortable with, and threw out two of the lowest bids.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I am not going to be voting for this tonight, because what I heard is we could still pay these vendors, and that's not a problem. We're just going forward without contracts. Probably in the majority, but I really am not okay with this process. I wasn't okay, it got thrown on consent.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the way… I think, for these large contracts, they need to come to full council, not just be dealt with with two council members that do not make up the majority on a budget subcommittee.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think that's wrong, and I also don't think it follows our policy, because I know when I first got elected, we put through, I need to refresh myself with what minimum contracts can just be moved forward on. Obviously, we're voting on these, so,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, our policy, but I have no backup to vote, so I can't make an educated decision tonight. And I'm not willing to vote on year contracts without a ability to make an educated decision.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Based on this staff report, so I will be votingno. 331
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, based upon that, then I'm going to be voting no too, because of myconcerns also, because I didn't understand. So,question to staff. So, if we do not move on this.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: these vendors will consistently get paid. Is that a yes or a no, or what will happen? They will get paid for the work they have done. We will reach out to them to see if they will continue to do services until we bring this back. 333
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And then we will bring this back for a full discussion. We will bring them back on individual staff reports, but they will still get paid. They're not going to not get paid for their services.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, so with that, then I'm an O2. 335
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can I withdraw my motion? Go ahead. Well, I have a question, if I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mary?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: just listening to what people are saying here, is there a better, different way that we can do thisprocess going forward, even if this is voted in tonight, that, like, for next year, so that we're not doing this after the fact, but it's all brought to the Council before
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, before budget season actually starts. I mean, what's a different way that wecould dothis so that we don't get into this… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Again.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: thedifferent way would be, well, one, we will go out for RFP much sooner,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To the fact that… these were… and I'm not… 342
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: going against council, am I going to go… the fact that these are on the budget, I understand, you know, we have discussed it, we discussed it at Budget Committee, we did discuss it during the budget. 343
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Like, their line items that are within the budget as to who the contract's for. I understand that we do have a purchasing policy. I believe it's $50,000 when we go out for an RFP, depending on the length of the contract. Some of these… some contracts that are not listed here, we do have one or two or three years, depending on what the Council has approved originally. We will bring this back much earlier. We will bring this back in January, February.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We will do the RFPs. 345
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That is the only way that I think that to make sure they're done by June 30th as well, but also understanding that we can't award the contract until the budget's adopted as well either. So, they did not come back on the last item, on the July 7th, because of scheduling and length of items, so they did come back on this item.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But… And so just to add, you know, let's say we do a new RFP. When that… that RFP could be for services for… for 5 years, or something, so that it comes to the Council, the Council's approving it, we put in the contract amount. 347
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, this is a five-year agreement, so we know at the end of five years it's going to comeback to the Council fora new RFP. It's still subject each year to the budget being allocated for that services, but… but then you don't… you sort of have established, okay, we're willing to have this agreement. 348
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: come back in 5 years. Like, Park Village is an example, they have one more year, so that immediately gets rolled into there, is that what you're saying? And we could just have that agreement
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Up front, say, This is agreement for a 5-year term. 350
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, and that way we know, too, right, you're not asking staff to do an RFP, which I know theCouncil is not, every single year forall of these services. You're starting to establish when you want them to be done, and it would still be subject to budget allocation each year.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry, I know I see you, but she was at first, so… For me, this is an issue that was already discussed during budget hearings, so everybody already had a chance to discuss this and vote on this. This is just giving our city manager the approval to get these contracts awarded, so… 352
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm comfortable with this, and I would like to then make a motion to
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: authorize the City Manager to execute and administer the
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: professional services agreements and related amendments. So, before I… Councilmember Zolman, are you withdrawing your motion? You had a motion on the floor?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes. And did you say with those corrected amount? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do we need to address the corrected? With the corrected amount? With the correction.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Good.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just want to make clear that while it is in the budget, and I do vote on the budget, it's for the services, not necessarily the exact vendors.

If they are past their date for renewal, as Alex pointed out, if we have a contract, I don't have a problem fulfilling the term ofthe contract.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Someof thesevendors, the specific one I'vebeen talking about, had a term, and then have been pushed out one year. 360
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One year. One year, while we were waiting to roll out the RFP, and then when the RFP came back with 6 bidders, it never came to Council. 361
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's my issue. It's over $50,000, it's over, and we didn't get a decision to look at those bids and make a vote. So, yes, of course we need IT services.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm just not happy with this… the way this process is rolled out.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay,so we have amotion on the floor. 364
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I made a motion. Yeah, that's what I was saying.

I'm gonna second it, but, you know, of course, agree that all things over 50 should be brought to the full Council, and, you know, I apologize if any of my being on the budget and not asking for it to be brought up is a thing.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But, yeah.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I also do want to clarify that some of these are in the budget as named out. So, like, our building is named out in our budgets for the contracts, so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They are listed.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember… sorry, who… the second? Councilmember Carter? Yes. So moved by…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Did you second the motion? He did. Thank you.

And I voted. Thank you. I need to call the motion first. So movedby Vice Mayor Maurer, seconded by Councilmember Carter to approve the contracts as listed with the corrections as noted by City Staff. Councilmember Carter?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes. Councilmember Hinton? No.

Councilmember Zolman? No. Vice Mayor Maurer? Yes. Mayor McLewis? Yes.

Councilmembers Carter, Vice Mayor Maurer, Mayor McLewis in support. Councilmembers Hinton and Councilmember Zolman in opposition?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, thank you. So now we're going to move on to informational item presentations. Number 7, informational presentation on updates to Jerry Threat Sebastopol Police Department audit. I believe our police chief was coming up here. We generally try to keep these presentations at 10 minutes if possible, but… 373
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Take it away.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Good evening, Council.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, this is for a request for the Council to receive and file the
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: update for the, Independent Civilian Review that was conducted back in 2021.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To provide some… Basic background, for those that don't know.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The report was requested after a number of 379
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: National incidents, and some concern that may surround the instability of the police department here. 380
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And as a result of that, there were 146, if I recall, recommendations made to the city and the police department. 381
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The, the department Over the course of the, receipt of that report made
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A number of changes, 383
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And between 2021 and 2024, implemented everything that they believed that they needed to implement or could implement. 384
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, as a result of that. 385
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The department continues to embrace those principles.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And they'd now treat that document as a… as a foundational document, rather than… than a document that requires 387
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: additional recommendations. 388
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The previous police chief, Ron Nelson. 389
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: he actually presented a staff report in December of 2024, suggesting that
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He believed that the document had reached its useful lifespan.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I do agree with him on that.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Since that report that Chief Nelson made to Council back in 2024,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No additional audit recommendations have required an implementation.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But instead, the department has focused on continuing improvements.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And these are things that were suggested in the audit.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: recommendations.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Adapting to California law, peace officer and standards training.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And Lexapore Policy Updates, which are a constant and evolving
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A moving target, evolving case law, technological advancements, and nationally recognized best practices. 400
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the, department Policy… 401
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: was under review, as I understand, by Chief Nelson prior to my tenure here in, 2024…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And he suggested that he'd have those. 403
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: updates that he was looking at, completed by March of 2025.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But, as I understand it, I don't believe he did get that completed in that time frame, and I started in March of 2025. 405
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: As is typically the case with 406
01:01:36.550 --> 01:01:39.389
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Changing, administration in a police department. 407
01:01:39.990 --> 01:01:43.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The new chief comes in and begins review of 408
01:01:43.740 --> 01:01:54.430
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: policy, and also things like property and evidence, because they're not prepared to accept the liability of previous administrations. And that's the case that we're dealing with now.

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409

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, around some of the priority reasons that I was hired here, which was… According to the hiring manager. 410
01:02:02.850 --> 01:02:08.589
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One of the main reasons he hired me was my ability to recruit and retain employees, so that was really… 411
01:02:08.890 --> 01:02:12.539
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the main focal point for me when I got here, but we are now at that stage where
412
01:02:12.790 --> 01:02:20.079
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm able to look at policy, and we've been working with our staff to dothat, and it looks like we'll probably have 413
01:02:20.310 --> 01:02:26.349
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Our first overall review ofthatdocument complete in the next two weeks, and published on the website. 414
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Moving on, relating to the threat report again, the… departments, focus.

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415
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Relating to some of the recommendations in that report is continued professional development, but that also requires a commensurate budget to do that.
416
01:02:46.480 --> 01:02:51.929
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And by doing, you know, the additional training that we feel necessary, we can avoid,
417
01:02:52.390 --> 01:02:54.940
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, the city being sued. 418
01:02:55.050 --> 01:03:00.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If ourofficers are not trained,then we open ourselves up to issues like that. And we're bringing on 419
01:03:00.670 --> 01:03:02.020
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A number of new staff. 420
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We'reactually looking at being fully staffed forthe first time in… manyyears.
421
01:03:08.550 --> 01:03:11.770
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Inboth dispatch and patrol officers. 422
01:03:12.300 --> 01:03:15.120
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So… with hiring
423
01:03:15.280 --> 01:03:30.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and filling those positions, there is additional training required. Officers don't hit the ground here at the department,whether theycome as lateral transfers from other agencies, or fresh out of the academy, with the skill set that we need to be as professional as we can with our community, so… 424
01:03:30.880 --> 01:03:35.199
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Continuing development is just… is part of the program that we need to support.
425
01:03:38.820 --> 01:03:42.420
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One of the, one of the other recommendations that I noted in the
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: independent civilian review was that the department suffered from manyyears of, instable… instability, rather, in their, organisational leadership here and management, and that seems to have been, to a degree,rectified now. We had, the previous chief was here for a number of years. 427
01:04:01.500 --> 01:04:06.050
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think it was about 2 years as the police chief, which is basically the national average these days.
428
01:04:06.470 --> 01:04:10.599
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And… I'm, approaching 18 months now, so… 429
01:04:10.800 --> 01:04:13.040
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Based on that, the department 430
01:04:13.290 --> 01:04:22.229
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Police Association ran their own employee review internally, and they put out a survey to the staff to see where we're at. 431
01:04:22.460 --> 01:04:29.609
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Where they're at, I should say, because it didn't come from me. And… overwhelmingly, the staff said that this is the, 432
01:04:30.380 --> 01:04:36.159
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The best that they can recall the department being for many, many years, as far as morale, workplace culture. 433
01:04:37.170 --> 01:04:42.439
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the support that they received from administration. So I saw that as being a really positive, 434
01:04:42.560 --> 01:04:45.600
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Independent review that's very recent in the last month.
435
01:04:47.450 --> 01:04:52.530
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And as I mentioned, recruitment and retention are also looking great. We have
436
01:04:53.220 --> 01:04:56.659
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No news of anybody leaving, which is also wonderful.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But we're also bordering on being fully staffed, which is very exciting, because we can do great things for our city. 438
01:05:03.300 --> 01:05:05.190
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: With a fully staffed police agency. 439
01:05:06.470 --> 01:05:08.499
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, as I was saying, I believe the… 440
01:05:08.700 --> 01:05:12.389
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Independent Civilian Review has reached its intended purpose.
441
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And now becomes a foundational document that we continue to rely on moving forward. But, I see nothing in it that requires any further implementation at this time.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And that was supported by the previous police chief as well.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think that's all I have. Are there any questions from the Council?
444
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, Councilmember Solnes. 445
01:05:37.530 --> 01:05:53.640
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: trying to do my due diligence and homework before I, came here tonight. I have to say, I was shocked about the contents of what was not presented in this report, so I reached out to Alex. So, Alex, so that I don't, 446
01:05:53.760 --> 01:06:04.099
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: state anything that I'm not supposed to state, can you state your understanding of how this agenda item got put forth, and what it was supposed to contain?
447
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The, the council directed, and… Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: as Council knows, in closed session, for there to be an update on the audit.
449
01:06:14.760 --> 01:06:18.110
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The police audit and where the department was on…
450
01:06:18.560 --> 01:06:24.609
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's review of those items, compliance with those items, and review of, of policies.
451
01:06:25.350 --> 01:06:44.829
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Right, and so thank you for also refreshing my memory that, as the Chief just said, the prior chief said that he would come back with how those other recommendations, 8 of them, would be implemented by March 2025. So my expectation was, is that through Mary.
452
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: our chief's boss, that that's what I would see in today's staff report, not just sort of like, everything is good, andtrust usthat it's good. I have no idea how those 8
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: further additional recommendations were implemented, and there's no way of verifying that. If you go on the site, as I asked for, it's 650 pages on a PDF. Not any one of them mentions when it was last updated. 454
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, Chief, I'm assuming you didn't get that information, that what was requested of you was to provide an update from where 455
01:07:22.450 --> 01:07:34.259
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Chief Nelson left us when he told us the last time he was here before us that those would be able to be talked about and discussed by March 2025. I take it you didn't get that memo.
456
01:07:34.340 --> 01:07:48.070
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I assume you're referring to policies? Is that what you're referring to? I'm just assuming, I'm just asking you the question, were you relayed the information from Alex about what the expectations were for the staff report? 457
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The expectations for the staffreport that I receive are the title of the staff report.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Which is what I provided, in my opinion, but if there's something I can add to help answer your questions, I'm happy to do that. But you're referring to 8 something, I'm assuming you're referring to policies? 459
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes, because actually what was attached to the staffreportwasthelastcouplepages.
460
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Actually, page 171 of page 172 has the discussion, the slide deck, slides, that says that there's 7 or 8 recommendations that will still need to be implemented.
461
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the prior chief said that we would hear about how those were implemented by March of 2025, which is now over a year from now. So, I guess the question is,why is that not in the staff report? 462
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think you're… you are referring to policies, and to answer your question, no. I didn't receive information about Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: any, status of policy updates from Chief Nelson when he was in that transition period with me starting here. 464
01:08:58.490 --> 01:09:13.009
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But as I said in my presentation, any new administration will come in here and begin a new review of policy, property, and evidence, and many other aspects of the department as standard practice, and that's standardized across the entire nation.
465
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This is not just a me thing, so whatever Chief Nelson had done is…
466
01:09:19.149 --> 01:09:21.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Without any disrespect irrelevant to me. 467
01:09:21.630 --> 01:09:24.090
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's because I need to do my own independent review.
468
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Of policies to make sure that they meet the standards that
469
01:09:28.240 --> 01:09:31.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I was hired for to bring into this department in this city.
470
01:09:31.819 --> 01:09:35.849
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, did I hear you say also the fact that referencing
471
01:09:35.880 --> 01:09:53.969
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: other updates that you would have the full review done in acouple of weeks. Did I hearyou say that earlier? Yeah, we'vealmost finished the review, the full review of the whole policy document, that 700-odd pages that you referred to earlier. Okay, so we could agendize this for a meeting in September, then? 472
01:09:53.970 --> 01:09:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To be able to have 473
01:09:56.020 --> 01:10:02.079
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that PDF, but this time having the date of when it was last reviewed by you.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: listed. Was that possible? That will be updated on the website with the date that the entire document was posted. We're not doing that to each individual policy.
475
01:10:11.150 --> 01:10:24.959
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, so you'll just review all 665 pages, and we bring it back in September, and you'll have the date of when it's last reviewed for the public.

If they're searching, when was the last use of, deadly force updated? 476
01:10:25.010 --> 01:10:31.730
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They will be able to see that you reviewed it, and you believe that the current deadly force protocol is
477
01:10:32.260 --> 01:10:42.949
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: up to what you believe it should be. Sorry, I'm just starting to get lost in your… in your explanationnow. You're talking about different things now. We talk about policy documents, now you talk about use of force data, and deadly force, and…
478
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, can you… Well, there is a deadly force policy, correct? I'm sure there is, yeah. Right. So what I'm asking for is just whatever you're bringing Agenda Item Number: 1
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it back in a couple of weeks, that it lists exactly when it was last reviewed by you, meaning the fact that all 665 pages have been reviewed by you. That's something that's possible? Is that what I'm understanding? As I said, it will be listed on the website that's available to the public with a date.
479
01:11:06.870 --> 01:11:10.040
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. We had another question, Councilmember Hinton.
480
01:11:12.620 --> 01:11:26.539
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thanks for your update. My question was, and what I expected to hear, and maybe this is, I don't know, a little clearer, but if you go to the end of the agenda item and you see the last agenda item that is 481
01:11:26.560 --> 01:11:41.019
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: dated November 25th, 2024. What the previous chief had been doing is he had been going item by item by item and having completed, and then he had 8 open that were still in progress, and they're 482
01:11:41.180 --> 01:12:00.640
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: when I just scan down, you can see, for example, item number 8, and item number 8 addresses performance reviews and evaluation processes, and that's what I was interested in asking about, and what I'm interested in hearing about is the police department addressing that item, which was part of the Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Jerry tweets, the REITs. Jerry's right. 484
01:12:04.080 --> 01:12:18.489
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: item, and are we now on top of our evaluation performances for our… for the full department, and what's the policy? So, that… that's an example of what I thought, like, we… you would be bringing back the… 485
01:12:18.590 --> 01:12:24.569
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the updates. So, just to… And maybe we can reagendize that, but, 486
01:12:24.570 --> 01:12:44.420
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, there may be some confusion there, I think, in that, but I'm happy for it to be regendered. It's when he would come, he would always go through, oh, and now we've completed these, now we've completed these, but these we're still working on. And so I think at least that was my expectation, if I can be clear about that.

My only, interaction, discussion with Chief Nelson about this was that we were done. 487
01:12:44.900 --> 01:12:47.700
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He said, we've implemented what we can, and the others we can't.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm happy to review that. And he's the new chief, I'd like to hear your assessment, if that's, yeah, on those open items, right? I can do that. I mean, I did look at the report, I studied this report before I even applied for this position. 489
01:12:59.290 --> 01:13:14.620
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And then maybe updates on ones he thought were completed, but obviously the world changes all the time, so that sort of thing. Yeah, there's definitelya constantreview of allthepoliciesand thecaselawand bestpractice, so that's a moving target.
490
01:13:14.740 --> 01:13:19.260
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Always for the better, I hope. So, just to further… 491
01:13:19.520 --> 01:13:42.119
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: When you're making… when you're doing these reviews and you're making changes, are you redlining it? And that's how you're… you know what I mean? Are you… On policy documents? Yeah, I mean, when you're making these changes, I mean, because I think that's where the issue is, like, if, you know, if you are changing and updating, I think people… I think what I'm hearing is council members would like to know what those changes are, so you're doing that already? No, the… that… 492
01:13:42.600 --> 01:13:52.469
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Those changes are within a platform that comes from the organization that we contract with, that is widely used across the nation, and any edits are done within their system.
493
01:13:52.740 --> 01:14:10.780
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If they provide an update, whether it's case law, best practice, or an update that they've somehow formulated, they submit it to… through the portal, it just arrives on our platform when we log in for review, and we just go through and checkoff. But it's redlined in that with thesuggested changes, 494
01:14:10.960 --> 01:14:16.819
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we basically accept the changes that they're making, and then once it's been through that approval process of 495
01:14:17.310 --> 01:14:30.419
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: supervisors, the lieutenant, myself, goes through a number of layers. It's then sent out to all staff to be read and acknowledged, so that moving forward, I understand that's the new policy that relates to whatever the topic happens to be.
496
01:14:30.570 --> 01:14:47.669
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Chief, can you also just stress, it's Lexapole and how CERA is related to that? I think that would also be helpful, that these policies are through our risk management agency. Correct, yeah, and they actually provide training for us. CIRA provides training for us as police chiefs,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in conjunction with Lexapole and their management, so they're very much intertwined, and they work together on policy updates. 498
01:14:55.150 --> 01:15:03.730
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we don't… receive individualized policies. The policies that we have in this city are…
499
01:15:04.220 --> 01:15:09.290
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Very much nationalized, or if they happen to be, you know, state requirements.
500
01:15:09.550 --> 01:15:14.099
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They are reflected as state requirements in the policy.
501
01:15:14.730 --> 01:15:23.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So yeah, we don't just willy-nilly make decisions on, hey, this is what we'd like the policy to be. While we have the ability to go in and edit policies and do that.
502
01:15:23.520 --> 01:15:27.010
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We obviously don't, because that's not in the best interest of the city or our citizens.
503
01:15:28.570 --> 01:15:30.100
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And… go ahead.
504
01:15:30.340 --> 01:15:51.110
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, yes, thank you, Mary, for bringing up Lexapro.

So, my understanding from Alex is that Lexapro is, like, a CAN thing, and if we wanted… if we had certain developments within the city, or we wanted changes, then we would have to propose those to you, because we certainly have had changes. Like, this agenda item did not come out of the blue.
505
01:15:51.110 --> 01:15:55.699
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It came out of a closed session related to an incident that was reported on.
506
01:15:55.700 --> 01:16:01.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, that's the reason why, when we come back in 2 months, I would like to see
507
01:16:02.170 --> 01:16:20.290
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: it being adopted, all of these policies being adopted by you on a certain date, because I don't want the public to be confused that we're still operating under the same policies that predated a significant incident inthe community. So that's what I'm trying to convey, and hopefully at this time it's 508
01:16:20.430 --> 01:16:26.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: clear, and it still sounds like that's something that's possible to have done. Well, I can 200% advise our community that 509
01:16:27.570 --> 01:16:34.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how policies are updated by Lexapole very regularly. Whenever they feel that there's a legislative change, case law change. 510
01:16:35.320 --> 01:16:40.510
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or there's a best practice, or a technique that needs to be improved, and…
511
01:16:40.670 --> 01:16:45.989
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Whenever those changes are implemented, they're immediately sent out and acknowledged by our officers, and they're not… 512
01:16:46.480 --> 01:17:00.749
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: despite thoughts of, hey, an incident occurred in our city, incidents occur across the entire nation, and there's never a use of force that looks good, ever. Anytime we have to put our hands on somebody that's not doing what they're told, or that they're required to do lawfully, it doesn't look good. 513
01:17:00.920 --> 01:17:02.460
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And it never looks good on a camera. 514
01:17:03.280 --> 01:17:14.529
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But that's the unfortunate side of a use of force, and we do our very best to de-escalate and not do that, but there are times where it's just a necessity. Our use of force policy is a nationally recognized 515
01:17:14.630 --> 01:17:20.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's not something that we've just conjured up and said, that'll do for Sebastopol. It's very much tested, proven. 516
01:17:20.650 --> 01:17:23.870
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, widely used across the nation. 517
01:17:26.160 --> 01:17:27.150
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No other questions, then we'll go out to public comment. Thank you, Mayor. So this is public comment on the informational item from the Police Chief. If you'd like to make a public comment on this item, I will come to Chambers first.
519
01:17:41.320 --> 01:17:42.110
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Laura?
520
01:17:45.350 --> 01:17:49.979
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just some historical information. I was looking back at the article I wrote
521
01:17:50.100 --> 01:17:58.139
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: after that, after Ron Nelson's last talk on this, he, you guys actually did,
522
01:17:58.440 --> 01:18:08.429
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: he did update those 8 items, and said they'd been discussed with staff, and they seem to have been okayed by you guys.There were 7 items that he said
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01:18:08.690 --> 01:18:19.009
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: should not be done, and he explained why. So, just to clarify, that's where we are. I understand there's a new process, that's cool, but I just thought I'd give you a little historical background.
524
01:18:20.220 --> 01:18:23.790
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Laura. We'll go out to Zoom. Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please?
525
01:18:24.810 --> 01:18:25.590
Kyle Falbo: I can.
526
01:18:25.800 --> 01:18:27.370
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, can you see the timer still? 527
01:18:27.370 --> 01:18:28.020
Kyle Falbo: I can.
528
01:18:28.020 --> 01:18:29.119
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great, go ahead, please.

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Kyle Falbo: Let's go ahead and applaud for our annual political theater, of where we bring our police chief forward for a 5-year-long report that just kind of drags on, and we don't actually make progress or hold anybody accountable for the decisions that are made within our police department, or any changes, or anything like that. 530
01:18:49.650 --> 01:18:58.199
Kyle Falbo: I hope that these conversations that you're kind of doing publicly, this kind of back and forth with the police chief, are things that are happening in labor negotiations. 531
01:18:58.200 --> 01:19:09.600
Kyle Falbo: Because it's my understanding that, when it came to labor negotiations this last year, that you were making quite clear that our police is doing great. 532
01:19:09.780 --> 01:19:27.099
Kyle Falbo: And so, I really hope that while maybe you decide to keep labor negotiations more of a private nature, that when you are in those private negotiations, that as much of a strong stance you're taking on policing takes place in those rooms as well. 533
01:19:27.460 --> 01:19:33.939
Kyle Falbo: I want to really highlight one particular recommendation, and that would be the last one, 58.

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01:19:34.110 --> 01:19:37.340
Kyle Falbo: Which is listed as not completed.
535
01:19:37.460 --> 01:19:54.780
Kyle Falbo: But the thing is about this one is, oh, the accountability for this one is on you as city leadership. See, it says city leadership should establish a community process to considerand createa modelof independent,effectivecivilian oversightthat's appropriate to Sebastopol's needs.
536
01:19:54.970 --> 01:20:01.320
Kyle Falbo: I've heard talk of this over the last 5 years. In fact, there was actually an agenda item where it was committed to.
537
01:20:01.340 --> 01:20:12.470
Kyle Falbo: We've had conversations about using things like a CAHOOTS model, and about trying to find funding for something like that, but time and time again, nothinghappens. 538
01:20:12.470 --> 01:20:21.350
Kyle Falbo: Time and time again, you bring a police chief up that says, it's not really in our culture. It wouldn't really fit as amodel for ourcommunity. 539
01:20:21.550 --> 01:20:24.280
Kyle Falbo: And yet, nothing continues to happen.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

540
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:20:24.630 --> 01:20:30.690
Kyle Falbo: I believe that the police chief has been asked to come and speak on this item.

You haven't brought it up tonight.
541
01:20:30.820 --> 01:20:34.800
Kyle Falbo: I don't expect we'll see it again for a long time, at least in. 542
01:20:34.800 --> 01:20:36.230
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kyle, that's 2 minutes. 543
01:20:37.210 --> 01:20:43.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
544
01:20:43.580 --> 01:20:48.030
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. Lee, can you…
545
01:20:48.310 --> 01:21:05.159
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kate, do you want to make a public comment before I go back out to the Zoom? Thank you. Go ahead, please. I just wanted to, offer some additional information to Kyle's comment, which is we actually do have some other policing programs. I believe one of them's called the HART program. 546
01:21:05.210 --> 01:21:17.899
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's in conjunction with the either county or city of Santa Rosa, I'm not sure. And then there's also the Mobile Support Team, which is also a county-run project.
547
01:21:17.900 --> 01:21:41.659
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I think there might be some confusion on how the policing policies are being updated. It sounds like they are updated through a software program calledLexapro, which means that they've been verified for best national practices, and therefore you probably would not go into that and make individual changes for your city 548
01:21:41.660 --> 01:21:52.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Unless you have a lot of case law and other due diligence done, because you might end up implementing a policy that would then make you liable in other ways.
549
01:21:52.690 --> 01:22:11.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I think part of your mission is trying to understand how the policies are updated through your software program, and then what actual changes would be legally viable for a town that's 7,500 people with very limited legal and policing staff. Thank you.
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

550
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:22:12.300 --> 01:22:16.400
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. I'll go out to Zoom. Lee, can you unmute yourself, please?
551
01:22:20.360 --> 01:22:20.990
Lee: Yes.
552
01:22:21.300 --> 01:22:23.200
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, can you see the timer still? 553
01:22:23.200 --> 01:22:23.810
Lee: Yes.
554
01:22:23.810 --> 01:22:25.010
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great, go ahead, please. 555
01:22:25.730 --> 01:22:37.499
Lee: Yeah, I second what Laura said. I have a fairly distinct memory of this when Chief Nelson presented the last time, and although I don't think that Councilmember Zolman was happy about it.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

556
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:22:37.630 --> 01:22:56.460
Lee: At the time, Chief Nelson said that he didn't feel like the one… the remaining items that he hadn't addressed needed to be addressed, and maybe that discussion never got finished, and maybe it never got carried forward. So, maybe there needs to be more closeddoor meetings with the police chief to get clarity around what it is that 557
01:22:56.630 --> 01:23:09.180
Lee: that Councilmember Zolman is looking for and what's possible. I'd also like to make a positive comment about the police chief. I don't know if anybody's been following the conversation on Nextdoor, but,
558
01:23:09.240 --> 01:23:31.919
Lee: he is apparently quite visible to the public. Folks on Nextdoor have come in on him makingtrafficstops.Theyseehimwalkingthedowntown area.He'sbeen activelyinvolved in issues like the vandalism on the back of the Safeway, and a lot of these issues are getting resolved. I don't think we've ever had a police chief before that took, 559
01:23:31.950 --> 01:23:48.030
Lee: took shifts, night shifts, on patrol. This is kind of a unique situation, and it's certainly one that's probably getting him up to speed, or gotten him up to speed very quickly on the uniqueness of Sebastopol and what needs to happen here. 560
01:23:48.130 --> 01:23:52.779
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Lee: So, I think there's a lot of really good things from the community's point of view about, 561
01:23:53.080 --> 01:23:54.520
Lee: Our new chief. Thank you.
562
01:23:56.320 --> 01:23:59.619
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. I will come back into the
563
01:23:59.740 --> 01:24:02.979
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Chambers, if there's anyone in Chambers that would like to make a public comment?
564
01:24:03.340 --> 01:24:07.840
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go back out to Zoom, if there's any… oh.
565
01:24:09.090 --> 01:24:13.480
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I will go out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom, please raise your hand virtually.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

566
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:24:13.990 --> 01:24:18.940
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: CNN, public comment is closed on this item. All right, thank you. So, are there any comments?
567
01:24:19.390 --> 01:24:27.170
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, when are we agendizing this again? I heard two weeks, so is this coming back on in September, or when, Mary? 568
01:24:27.510 --> 01:24:33.329
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We'll need to bring this to agenda Review and look at our schedules, look at the calendars, and I'll need to work with the chief. 569
01:24:37.370 --> 01:24:38.090
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Shit.
570
01:24:38.670 --> 01:24:57.500
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sothat seems like a different process. So, does that mean that if I need to do this, and I need to take my time to prepare an agenda, I have to go through… No, we will… no, we will bring it back. I just cannot guarantee what meeting date it is. All right, so it'll go through agenda review, hopefully September timeframe, something? Okay.
571
01:25:02.950 --> 01:25:05.570
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, any other comments? 572
01:25:05.730 --> 01:25:06.620
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
573
01:25:06.970 --> 01:25:13.150
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Alright, so we're just receiving that information, and we will move on to number 8.
574
01:25:13.290 --> 01:25:25.230
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Again, for our police chief informational presentation on crime statistics for fiscal year25-26, to include details, map locations of incidents for ease of reference.
575
01:25:26.130 --> 01:25:27.749
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for coming back. 576
01:25:28.170 --> 01:25:30.139
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Pleasure. Wasn't too long of a walk. 577
01:25:30.820 --> 01:25:32.529
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So this is the,
578
01:25:33.010 --> 01:25:42.979
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: An informational presentation regarding the fiscal 2526 crime statistics, calls for service, police activity, and geographical distribution of reported incidents through the city.
579
01:25:45.120 --> 01:25:53.179
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I noted that there was a request for maps to show incidents and details like that.
580
01:25:53.300 --> 01:25:55.260
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But across the…
581
01:25:55.910 --> 01:26:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the reporting period of an entire year, it really made the maps, in my opinion, nonsensical. It doesn't really show any sort of 582
01:26:04.160 --> 01:26:11.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: highlighted areas that we need to focus on, or that would be, excuse me, useful to the Council.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

583
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:26:12.350 --> 01:26:20.150
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think we need to look at other ways to identify any information that you may want to draw from those statistics in a mapping sense. 584
01:26:23.000 --> 01:26:29.430
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But if you have any questions related to the maps, I'm happy to try and help you with that, but I just found that a difficult task to achieve. 585
01:26:30.030 --> 01:26:32.869
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Given the time frame that you're looking to report on.
586
01:26:33.190 --> 01:26:41.829
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But during the, 25-26 fiscal year, we responded to 19,000 Plus, computer-aided incidents.
587
01:26:42.120 --> 01:26:44.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Which is about 52. 588
01:26:44.560 --> 01:26:45.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Each day…
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

589
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:26:47.880 --> 01:26:57.890
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And those incidents range from emergency, nonemergency calls, criminal investigations, proactive patrols, traffic enforcement, suspicious circumstances, welfare checks, mental health.
590
01:26:58.410 --> 01:27:00.439
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Transient-related calls for service. 591
01:27:03.270 --> 01:27:13.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And those records that we have, which there's a million ways to searchthem and to draw information, but I findthat sometimes you have to apply context to stats, they… well, probably more often than not, actually. 592
01:27:14.050 --> 01:27:20.440
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Because you can really skew them and make them look how you would like them to look. I mean, these stats show we're very busy. 593
01:27:20.580 --> 01:27:28.559
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I could… Probably… Formulate them in many different ways to present different opinions, but…
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

594
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:27:28.920 --> 01:27:34.229
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm trying to be objective here and just give you what… what they are, just to give you a… to inform your own opinions. 595
01:27:35.400 --> 01:27:39.340
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It looks like we've, we've spent 13,219 hours 596
01:27:39.750 --> 01:27:48.039
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: responding to and investigating incidents onscene. That's just on-scene investigation, which averages 41.7 minutes per incident. 597
01:27:48.850 --> 01:27:58.649
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: From the time the call is received until we clear, but there's also the follow-up time that's not captured in that data, and there's no mechanism in our system at the moment to capture that.
598
01:27:58.890 --> 01:28:08.560
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, this certainly hasn't been used. If there is, I guess we could, you know, use some sort of call sign and capture it that way, but it's not captured, is probably what I'm trying to say.
599
01:28:10.350 --> 01:28:14.809
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So basically, it looks like we're spending about 36 hours of active CAD every day.
600
01:28:15.090 --> 01:28:17.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So that's a… that's a lot of time, I mean, we're spending…
601
01:28:17.530 --> 01:28:25.330
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: With two officers on patrol. And under the current administration, myself and the lieutenant, we also assist where we can. 602
01:28:25.470 --> 01:28:29.770
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To be a force multiplier for the department, and to help
603
01:28:29.880 --> 01:28:32.750
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The citizens of our city have a safer place to live and work.
604
01:28:34.540 --> 01:28:40.699
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To have officers actually working 36 hours aday, when we're working longer than there is actual hours in the day.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

605
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:28:45.890 --> 01:28:56.039
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I'll try not to bore you with statistics, but unfortunately, that's what this particular item is. Like I said, 19,000 plus calls for service.

We did nearly 7,000 business checks.
606
01:28:56.450 --> 01:28:57.990
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Business security checks. 607
01:28:58.260 --> 01:29:00.289
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 830.
608
01:29:00.850 --> 01:29:02.059
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: criminal case.
609
01:29:02.460 --> 01:29:06.320
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Investigations, 318 arrests. 610
01:29:06.450 --> 01:29:08.480
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Over a thousand traffic stops. Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

611

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:29:08.870 --> 01:29:15.700
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: nearly 1,200 citations, and nearly 700, or I should say 650 parking citations were issued.
612
01:29:16.760 --> 01:29:22.419
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: In the reported crime categories, I tried to keep this down to the…
613
01:29:22.570 --> 01:29:29.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To sort of the major categories that were reported, because the length of that document is extensive when you start looking at 614
01:29:29.710 --> 01:29:31.670
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The many, many crimes that exist. 615
01:29:32.100 --> 01:29:38.400
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, theft, fraud, and stolen property represented 144 of the 318 cases that we had.
616
01:29:39.200 --> 01:29:41.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 93 drug offences. Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

617
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:29:41.650 --> 01:29:45.010
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 85 probation, parole, and pretrial violations. 618
01:29:45.790 --> 01:29:47.550
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 83 warrant arrests. 619
01:29:48.110 --> 01:29:51.730
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 47 disorderly conduct and public intoxication. 620
01:29:52.690 --> 01:29:55.750
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Harrest, 45 assault or battery. 621
01:29:56.070 --> 01:29:59.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We had 38 resisting, obstructing, or evading police.
622
01:30:01.240 --> 01:30:03.630
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And that's a figure that willbecome, interesting. Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

623

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:30:04.020 --> 01:30:05.139
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Later on.
624
01:30:05.350 --> 01:30:09.910
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 38 vandalism offences,31 DUIs. 625
01:30:10.130 --> 01:30:15.660
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 18 domestic violence, 15 burglaries, and 7 trespassing arrests.
626
01:30:16.640 --> 01:30:24.099
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The transient, Related calls for service. 627
01:30:26.310 --> 01:30:32.900
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's hard not to reflect on what we're dealingwith right now, but in 2025-6fiscalyear.
628
01:30:33.290 --> 01:30:35.680
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Theywere, they were significant. 629
01:30:37.830 --> 01:30:41.079
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They represent a very large portion of 630
01:30:41.180 --> 01:30:44.900
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Of police time, and certainly criminal investigations.
631
01:30:45.820 --> 01:30:51.609
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But I tried to, because we're still in this phase of implementing,
632
01:30:52.020 --> 01:30:54.400
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mechanism… we have the mechanism, but… 633
01:30:54.870 --> 01:31:04.429
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: capturing the data and making sure it reflects accurate reporting of transient-related incidents. When I started here,not all the officers were doing that. They weren't…
634
01:31:04.820 --> 01:31:10.459
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: referring to that incident that they were on, if it was transient-related, as a TRI, as we call it.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

635
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:31:10.620 --> 01:31:20.780
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So that it wasn't being captured, so the reporting is a lot of guesswork. So that's one of the changes that I've been trying to make, is to ensure that we note that so that we can capture
636
01:31:20.880 --> 01:31:24.919
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The relevant data and report it to the Council and to our community.
637
01:31:25.360 --> 01:31:33.370
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But the downtown plaza, Represents 319 of the, the calls for service that we had related to transient
638
01:31:34.060 --> 01:31:45.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Related matters inthe fiscalyear 25-6. Main Street also represented a large portion at 243, Rebel Marketplace up the north end of town at 238.
639
01:31:46.950 --> 01:31:52.590
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But it's… the Jabra Dota trial, shows 72. 640
01:31:52.780 --> 01:31:56.130
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I feel like this year it's going to explode. 641
01:31:56.350 --> 01:31:57.520
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: return.
642
01:32:00.030 --> 01:32:04.300
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Pretty much all of our parks and city areas, anywherethatwefind,
643
01:32:04.780 --> 01:32:08.800
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the community congregate, or where businesses are, we seem to find,
644
01:32:10.260 --> 01:32:18.310
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center:correlating figure oftransient-related calls for service as well. And I don't know if a lot of that relates to more people are seeing it and concerned with it.
645
01:32:18.610 --> 01:32:20.749
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or there's a combination thereof also that… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

646
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:32:20.950 --> 01:32:29.229
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that's where the crime is, or they're there because of, perhaps, panhandling or services that are available to them. It's quite possibly a mixture of all the above.
647
01:32:30.480 --> 01:32:37.739
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: With that being said, we've been very, very, fortunate to be partnering with, we have a contract with WCCS, 648
01:32:37.860 --> 01:32:40.239
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But, we also partner with 649
01:32:40.450 --> 01:32:45.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the Sonoma County Department of Human Services and their Hot…
650
01:32:45.880 --> 01:32:48.639
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Representative that is based out of the police department, and…
651
01:32:48.950 --> 01:32:52.860
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I… I cannot speak highly enough of that, that program and what…
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

652
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:32:53.360 --> 01:32:55.790
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: What that representative's been doing for our city. 653
01:32:56.010 --> 01:32:57.370
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just this week.
654
01:32:57.600 --> 01:33:10.309
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: myself. I know I'm reporting on 245, 26, but, I've been able to make interactions with… with transient individuals, directly work with him, and they're off to shelters very quickly.
655
01:33:10.430 --> 01:33:13.610
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I'm hoping to see some sort of improvement there as we move forward.
656
01:33:14.010 --> 01:33:15.719
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Into the next reporting period. 657
01:33:16.940 --> 01:33:23.740
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Therewere a number of statsprovided in the staff report relating to what HART have reported up till May the 15th. 658
01:33:24.180 --> 01:33:25.420
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And also.
659
01:33:25.520 --> 01:33:34.229
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: some stats from WCCS, though their stats, as I understand, there were some issues with… with the accuracy of them, and they… 660
01:33:34.540 --> 01:33:41.290
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: apparently did some sort of review and came back to us with some aligned statistics, but thealigned statistics are what I reflectedhere in the report.
661
01:33:41.700 --> 01:33:46.100
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If the Council would like me to discuss those, I can.
662
01:33:46.400 --> 01:33:50.270
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm not too sure that it's specifically crime-related, though.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

663
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:33:51.420 --> 01:33:57.340
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: As part of the crime reporting, we… we're required to,
664
01:33:57.520 --> 01:34:13.439
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: do what we call RIPA data, which is our racial and identity profiling, reporting. So any type ofcontact that we have with someone that's not, considered consensual, so a traffic stop, or weask somebody to stop and need to speak to them for a particular investigative purpose.
665
01:34:13.490 --> 01:34:17.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any type of person that's detained or arrested, we make that reporting.
666
01:34:18.140 --> 01:34:35.429
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So we're able to draw that data, and that's reflected here. And I found that that data really reflects the demographics of the city, so I didn't see anything there that I was alarmed by, where I'm like, okay, looks like we're targeting a particular type of race, with any type of unfairness, because that would be addressed immediately.
667
01:34:43.480 --> 01:34:50.679
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: In my opinion, the data indicated that the reported crime remained relatively stable through the reporting period.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

668
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:34:50.920 --> 01:34:54.539
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, our violent crimes were infrequent, which was…
669
01:34:55.010 --> 01:34:58.490
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Which was good, I'd prefer to see none, but… 670
01:34:59.260 --> 01:35:04.130
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Property-related offences. Stealing is huge. We, 671
01:35:04.630 --> 01:35:16.069
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we really are working hard on that, because I feel like that's… that reflects a large… and it did inour stats, it reflected alarge number of the calls that we respond to, and cases that we have.
672
01:35:16.180 --> 01:35:21.090
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I've become an integral part of the… the county's…
673
01:35:21.470 --> 01:35:25.340
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: District Attorney's Office, Organised Retail Crime Task Force.
674
01:35:25.750 --> 01:35:35.959
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to try and get Sebastopol involved, and to be able to draw some resources from that task force, and the amazing investigative knowledge from the group of people that are involved in that.
675
01:35:36.140 --> 01:35:39.180
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That task force involves, 676
01:35:40.170 --> 01:35:55.459
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: detectives from every agency in the county, all their plainclothes police, but also representatives from all the impacted businesses and non-government organisations, yeah, your Target, your Nordstrom Rack, Lucky, Lucky's Safeway, all the major businesses that are
677
01:35:55.980 --> 01:36:08.829
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Suffering from theft and related crime. And this task force works together to identify the people who… because they don't just steal from one store, they move around, and it's remarkable, the work that they're doing to capture these people.
678
01:36:09.120 --> 01:36:16.759
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And then working with the DA to prosecute them.

Obviously, a lot of these crimes start off as petty theft type thing, misdemeanor. 679
01:36:17.090 --> 01:36:25.390
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But after a number of misdemeanors, I think it's a very limited number, we start moving into felonies, so that's what they're chasing. They're trying to capture thesepeople that are repeat offenders. 680
01:36:25.650 --> 01:36:29.050
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, address that, and it's working very, very well. 681
01:36:29.420 --> 01:36:37.200
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we've had some pretty significant thefts in the last… in the last week, not in this reporting period, but nonetheless, 682
01:36:37.620 --> 01:36:42.649
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's reflected very high in this reporting period, so it's huge on my radar to address.
683
01:36:44.610 --> 01:36:50.599
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Under… Certainly under my leadership, which is all I can speak to, the department has
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684
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:36:51.800 --> 01:36:53.740
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: with my support, a, 685
01:36:54.070 --> 01:36:59.109
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A very directed, proactive approach to policing in the city, where to be out there, what, call 10-8.
686
01:36:59.650 --> 01:37:04.459
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Looking at, at preventing crime before it occurs, rather than being reactive to crime.
687
01:37:08.810 --> 01:37:17.310
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the misdemeanor custodial arrests have increased by 45% under my leadership at the department, because I have a zero tolerance for crime in the city.
688
01:37:17.510 --> 01:37:20.200
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So if I can take you to jail, you're going to jail. 689
01:37:20.430 --> 01:37:23.190
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seems to be the only… Agenda Item Number: 1
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690
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:37:24.180 --> 01:37:29.270
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: thing that I can really do to try and prevent crime occurring in the city, and it's quite prevalent.
691
01:37:30.850 --> 01:37:32.919
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I'm hoping to see some sort of, 692
01:37:33.780 --> 01:37:37.319
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Some sort of result from that, but we do have some concerns with
693
01:37:37.420 --> 01:37:39.920
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: With the way the judicial system handles those. 694
01:37:40.140 --> 01:37:41.780
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Those people, once they get there. 695
01:37:42.240 --> 01:37:44.840
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can speak to that if the Council would like me to.

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696
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:37:46.610 --> 01:37:53.619
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: While the custodial arrests only represent, one measure over the activity that we perform,
697
01:37:54.020 --> 01:37:57.230
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I feel like our commitment to addressing crime 698
01:37:57.810 --> 01:38:02.719
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And exercising professional discretion when necessary through warnings or citations.
699
01:38:03.620 --> 01:38:13.440
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: is unparalleled. I think the way that the City of Sebastopol polices its community is, certainly in my experience, and this is my sixth agency that I've worked for in
700
01:38:13.850 --> 01:38:25.290
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: In the 27 years since I began policing, this city's remarkable, and the police that work for the department are exceptional at taking a very community-based approach to incidents in the city.
701
01:38:29.780 --> 01:38:34.159
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Don't believe I've got a whole lot more to add to this at the moment, unless the Council have any questions. 702
01:38:36.430 --> 01:38:37.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah.
703
01:38:37.900 --> 01:38:38.820
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
704
01:38:39.210 --> 01:38:43.669
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Did you have more? I'm sorry, I didn't… No, I was just checking my notes here, but I don't believe I have any more. 705
01:38:44.380 --> 01:38:45.720
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Happy to answer any questions. 706
01:38:47.700 --> 01:38:50.679
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead. Thank you for that. 707
01:38:50.880 --> 01:38:59.229
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: when you started, something about mapping is nonsensical. So what did you refer to that, as far as trying tobe more specific? 708
01:38:59.500 --> 01:39:17.370
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: as to where these crimes are occurring outside of what you've listed as far as the plaza, Joe Radeca Trail, is that what you're referring to? Yeah, I felt like the request for mapping was to try and identify more of the sort of the hotspots that some of these crimes are happening, but I found over that whole year reporting period, it was just…
709
01:39:18.110 --> 01:39:21.230
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It just made a map of just dots everywhere, it really didn't…
710
01:39:21.560 --> 01:39:25.450
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: provide to me, at least, any useful information that I…I thought you could reflect on.
711
01:39:25.690 --> 01:39:28.180
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay Go ahead.
712
01:39:29.280 --> 01:39:37.250
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I had just some questions about the parking citations, because I was shocked to see 652. Can you…
713
01:39:37.630 --> 01:39:48.469
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't know if you've analyzed that, are they… are they repeat offenders?Are they employees that just aren't moving their car? Because we offer free parking, sothat means people are…
714
01:39:48.650 --> 01:40:01.889
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: stain longer. Any… any feedback on that? Because I was kind of shocked to see that number. I don't have any information that I could be accurately reporting on for that. All I can say is we have a very… 715
01:40:02.120 --> 01:40:10.309
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A proactive police technician that gets out there, and she's worked for the city for over 20 years, and she's very passionate about what she does.
716
01:40:10.590 --> 01:40:17.079
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, she's always eager to… to open up parking when necessary. If you… if you park beyond the time limits. 717
01:40:17.570 --> 01:40:22.760
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: she's going to decide. We do have a very active community as well that are very, very good at reporting 718
01:40:23.070 --> 01:40:32.779
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To the department, sometimes me directly, issues that they perceive needattention for parking and traffic-related matters, and we address them immediately.
719
01:40:32.940 --> 01:40:33.950
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you.
720
01:40:34.140 --> 01:40:44.490
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I had a question. Two of them, actually. So you're saying, just reading in here, when you mentioned the transient-related calls are 25% of the workload.
721
01:40:44.790 --> 01:40:45.840
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's, like…
722
01:40:46.070 --> 01:40:55.489
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: less than 1% of our population utilizing 25% of our police time? Is that right? And that's a guesstimate, because as I said, there's… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

723
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:40:55.960 --> 01:41:00.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There was a lack of connecting a transient-related incident.
724
01:41:00.480 --> 01:41:07.510
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to the call in CAD, because they weren't referring to it as a TRI, a transient-related incident.
725
01:41:08.510 --> 01:41:14.799
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I've had to guess that. I honestly feel it's much higher than that.
726
01:41:17.020 --> 01:41:21.630
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I feel like the next reporting period's going to be significantlyhigherthan
727
01:41:21.900 --> 01:41:25.449
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: than what I'm reporting to here. This is… they try to be objective.
728
01:41:25.620 --> 01:41:30.219
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: even though I have to be subjective, unfortunately, because I'm guessing, on that particular
729
01:41:30.330 --> 01:41:34.050
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: statistic, but this year, I can see it being possibly triple that.
730
01:41:34.330 --> 01:41:38.339
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I believe it, but my second question was something you mentioned earlier about
731
01:41:38.540 --> 01:41:42.400
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If we ask, you could expound on it. It was, 732
01:41:43.000 --> 01:41:49.190
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the judicial system, or the… was that… is that what you… term used, but… Yes,
733
01:41:49.450 --> 01:41:51.589
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I certainly have more concerns about Agenda Item Number: 1
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734

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:41:51.740 --> 01:41:56.419
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I… and we discussed this at, you know, various meetings, but I have concerns about
735
01:41:57.210 --> 01:41:59.040
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We make custodial arrests. 736
01:41:59.220 --> 01:42:02.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They are transported to the sheriff's office, booked.
737
01:42:02.830 --> 01:42:06.850
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The City of Sebastopol is billed for that booking. 738
01:42:07.240 --> 01:42:10.650
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And then…
739
01:42:10.890 --> 01:42:17.799
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: within the day, or the next day, they're back out here again, and we're arresting them again for something else. It's… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

740

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:42:18.940 --> 01:42:20.369
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Concerning to me. 741
01:42:20.820 --> 01:42:39.180
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I see, and that's… and I know I'd asked you previously sometime along the line with these properties that are owned by the county, but within our district, whether or not, when you're doing bookings there, the county pays for that, but you told me that that's not possible. Correct, yeah, I've received a request to ask the county
742
01:42:39.220 --> 01:42:42.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The sheriff, in particular, whether we could… 743
01:42:43.380 --> 01:42:50.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, not be billed for bookings that result from county-run or owned properties, but that was denied.
744
01:42:50.460 --> 01:42:51.450
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hmm.
745
01:42:52.610 --> 01:43:04.299
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Vice Mayor, did you have your hand up? Thank you for your report. You said that stealing is huge, and I'm, wondering what people are stealing.

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746
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:43:06.980 --> 01:43:13.970
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We have a lot of… Bicycles stolen? Bicycles.

Which we…
747
01:43:14.780 --> 01:43:23.349
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We'requite proactive about trying to find, but we have issues with, you know, serial numbers not being recorded, so it's difficult to… unless we've got pictures and…
748
01:43:24.020 --> 01:43:27.160
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We did have a successful return of a bike to our… 749
01:43:27.370 --> 01:43:32.699
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: community member, Mr. Kanaki, there at the boot shop. His bike was stolen, and it was recovered.
750
01:43:33.070 --> 01:43:36.379
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: With a transient, transient member of the community.

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751

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:43:38.430 --> 01:43:46.179
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But the other major theft locations are our… our grocery stores. It's immense, it really is, but a lot of it's not reported. 752
01:43:46.550 --> 01:43:51.590
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So… We're not even capturing that data in this, and it's still significant what we can capture.
753
01:43:51.780 --> 01:43:55.030
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's not uncommon for us to… 754
01:43:55.730 --> 01:43:59.249
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To find stolen goods, andthenhave to actively 755
01:43:59.640 --> 01:44:07.310
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Identify where they came from, from a grocery store, and try and figure out when they were taken, and then hopethat they'll allow us to prosecute that.
756
01:44:07.740 --> 01:44:19.979
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, I… I'm… I wonder if someone is stealing food, if they could… if you could… if your department could make sure that they had information on where they could get help.

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757
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:44:20.340 --> 01:44:31.140
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can assure you that those people know exactly where they can get their food, but one particular individual, I can tell you, has been trespassed from a location where food's available because of his conduct, so that makes it…
758
01:44:31.510 --> 01:44:36.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: difficult for him to… I mean, impossible, actually, without being arrested, to get food from that location. 759
01:44:37.160 --> 01:44:48.879
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Because of his poor conduct. Okay, but you're saying you do give out information on how people can get food if they need food? We do, yeah. We've got a really… I would say we've got an exceptional relationship with 760
01:44:49.140 --> 01:44:59.060
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the transient population, even though a lot of the time they end up being arrested, and quite often they seem to resist arrest, and we end up in what I consider an unnecessary use of force, but…
761
01:45:01.840 --> 01:45:12.050
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we have great relationships. When they're good, they're good, and we can have great conversations and share information like that, or make connections with the heart personnel that might help them 762
01:45:12.210 --> 01:45:18.900
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, progress to having outreach services and connections to a driver's license, social security card, and hopefully 763
01:45:19.000 --> 01:45:24.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Leaning towards shelter or placement somewhere where they can walk towards some sort of improvement in their life. 764
01:45:25.500 --> 01:45:29.230
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, hopefully a job, and… and being selfsufficient. 765
01:45:30.030 --> 01:45:31.860
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We, we try very hard. 766
01:45:32.670 --> 01:45:50.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can I just share anecdotally? I mean, the chief knows, what, a month and a half ago, I happened to witness a theft at Safeway? Yes. A Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
gentleman just… we walked right out with a huge thing of alcohol, so I went out after him, and…
767
01:45:51.550 --> 01:45:58.779
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the discussion about whether… why he was stealing that, I… that was one of the points that came up, was whether or not he was hungry.
768
01:45:58.780 --> 01:46:12.329
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or, like, why was he stealing alcohol? And he said, I just… I'm just stealingbecause I want to get the edge off. He said, I know how to get food. So, I… it's anecdotal, it's one that I witnessed, but they were… that discussion did happen. 769
01:46:12.330 --> 01:46:14.300
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, so…
770
01:46:14.410 --> 01:46:30.170
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Anyway. You may have seen the post that we put on social media, this week, maybe last week, with the grand theft and the images of the two males involved in that, and they'd stolen from multiple grocery stores in the city, stealing
771
01:46:30.900 --> 01:46:41.720
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: thousands of dollars worth of alcohol. Very, very high dollar. I mean, we're picking locks, picking locks, unboxing alcohol, and taking it out in multiple trips to the vehicle.
772
01:46:42.340 --> 01:46:44.019
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thousands of dollars at a time. 773
01:46:44.600 --> 01:46:50.050
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, yeah, that's definitely not a survival situation. So…
774
01:46:50.120 --> 01:47:06.370
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what I don't see in here is about youth data. We had a member of the public not that long ago saying we have the highest felony assault arrest, yadda yadda yadda in reference to our youth. So, there's nothing in here about youth, and earlier tonight, there was discussions about something 775
01:47:06.490 --> 01:47:09.640
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A not-great situation that might be involving our youth.
776
01:47:10.270 --> 01:47:23.680
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: why is there no youth data here? And then the second follow-up question is, what are you doing around diversion? Because I understood you say that you're… it sounded like you were, like, happy, the fact that your arrest rate is 25%.
777
01:47:23.970 --> 01:47:32.550
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But for me, especially when it comes to the youth, it's more about diversion, and are we using restorative justice? So can you speak to the youth element in this?
778
01:47:32.690 --> 01:47:37.909
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The reason that you won't find… excuse me, the reason you won't find
779
01:47:38.210 --> 01:47:39.949
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Me going down the rabbit hole with. 780
01:47:40.100 --> 01:47:47.129
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: identifying multiple other areas that we could delve into is because I've got a 10-minute presentation time that's just not possible to incorporate.
781
01:47:47.740 --> 01:48:00.690
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: every aspect, and that particular aspect wasn't requested of me either, so if it had have been, I could have maybe removed something else and formulated that into the report somehow. But,
782
01:48:01.890 --> 01:48:09.340
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We absolutely do use those Options available to us, when they're available and necessary.
783
01:48:09.620 --> 01:48:13.810
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sometimes it's not, like the incident you're referring to occurred behind Safeway with a hate crime. 784
01:48:14.100 --> 01:48:17.010
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That was investigated remarkably quickly. 785
01:48:17.510 --> 01:48:25.190
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I personally assisted our officers to work during the night to travel toa different city in thecounty to go and arrest one of the involved juveniles.
786
01:48:25.430 --> 01:48:26.380
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And…
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

787
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:48:26.620 --> 01:48:34.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: In that particular situation, I was absolutely not okay with any type of restorative justice or pat on the back and saying, okay, we'll do better next time.
788
01:48:34.710 --> 01:48:42.889
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He was absolutely referred for criminal charges, because that's completely unacceptable conduct, and I won't have it in the city. 789
01:48:45.930 --> 01:49:10.179
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any other questions? I'm sorry. Councilmember Carter? Yeah, just a quick change of direction. I'm kind of curious about what trends you see, and where things are going, what things, you know, the City of Sebastopol kind of needs to pay attention to, and if some things are diverting away from Gravenstein, or you still notice that as a hotspot, then also, if you could 790
01:49:10.180 --> 01:49:15.739
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: remark about, Like, some traffic safety things, like e-bikes and kids.
791
01:49:16.080 --> 01:49:19.860
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we'redefinitely seeing an uptick on the e-bikes.

We have…
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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

792
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:49:20.600 --> 01:49:26.979
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, we only have a department of… well, we have 14 positions for patrol officers, includingmyself and the lieutenant. 793
01:49:27.420 --> 01:49:30.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But we have one officer in particular, and he loves…
794
01:49:30.800 --> 01:49:33.259
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: E-bikes and everything related to them, so… 795
01:49:33.840 --> 01:49:46.090
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's what's great about having a variety of peoplefromdifferentbackgroundsand differentinterests,iseverybodyhasa particular target area that they like, and his is e-bikes. And, he actively chases them, and he's also interested in the,
796
01:49:46.100 --> 01:49:56.119
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in the educational side of it as well, to try and help these kids. But, we're seeing a huge uptick across the nation, and California in particular, with,
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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

797

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:49:56.910 --> 01:50:03.700
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: These kids actually being involved in fatal accidents, not necessarily with themselves, but other people hitting pedestrians and killing them.
798
01:50:03.860 --> 01:50:12.209
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: they're running into other vehicles and killing themselves. It's… it's, remarkable, and a recent training I went to involved the, 799
01:50:13.470 --> 01:50:19.599
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the city of Huntington Beach, they had an enormous amount of e-bike incidents, but they had their 800
01:50:19.830 --> 01:50:26.650
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: investigative groups from the department there, they had the DA, they had the prosecutor there, they had 801
01:50:27.300 --> 01:50:33.889
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the city attorney was there speaking on it, and they went through a number of cases, and I mean, they're actually charging parents now with, you know.
802
01:50:34.150 --> 01:50:45.259
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: allowing and enabling their kids to do these things on these e-bikes. And, when it results in someone dying, you're looking at manslaughter and some pretty serious charges, so…
803
01:50:46.010 --> 01:50:51.170
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the laws on e-bikes are constantly changing, as I feel like they're actually kind of…
804
01:50:51.270 --> 01:51:00.420
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: trying to catch up, and trying to keep up, because it's just such an evolving and a fast-evolving industry. So it's kind of a watch this space sort of thing, and we're just trying to keep up with that.
805
01:51:00.720 --> 01:51:06.719
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: What was the first part of your question, please? Just other trends and gravity.
806
01:51:07.890 --> 01:51:11.190
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So you're referring to, sort of, the aldrerry Commons area?
807
01:51:11.420 --> 01:51:23.370
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I… no,it's fine. I was translating. It's, I feel like we've had a reduction in police responses to that location, but that seems to be directly correlated to a…
808
01:51:24.020 --> 01:51:30.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They moved a few groups out of that facility that were real problem children, so to speak.
809
01:51:30.980 --> 01:51:32.980
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And as a result of that, we seem to have a better 810
01:51:33.690 --> 01:51:41.310
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: betterfit with the peoplethat are still there. It's not to say we don't have issues there, and we still… we still do attend there, but it's remarkably less than it was
811
01:51:43.180 --> 01:51:50.669
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't know that we have any… I know we have no control over who's in that facility, so it's just a pure luck game at the moment. 812
01:51:50.800 --> 01:51:57.479
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That being said, today's arrest… Stemmed from someone at that location stealing from someone at the church, so… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

813
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:51:58.860 --> 01:52:00.080
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We still…
814
01:52:01.510 --> 01:52:09.960
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Things, we should be, as a council, be aware of, and also as citizens, do you see things going in a certain direction? Like, particular type of crime, or anything?
815
01:52:12.000 --> 01:52:14.560
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Definitely theft-related, 816
01:52:16.670 --> 01:52:24.440
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: theft and transient related, I think a lot of them basically sort of intertwine with each other, but they seem to be the predominant things that we deal with.
817
01:52:24.780 --> 01:52:44.680
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And traffic. There's a lot oftraffic-related matters that we honestly don't get to, because when I inherited the department, they were significantlyshort-staffed, so it was more of a responsive model. But now, as weapproach, we just started a newofficer on Monday. We wanted to start the academy last week. He finishesup in December.
Agenda Item Number: 1
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818
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:52:45.050 --> 01:52:53.039
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We have another in background, and that'll see us fully staffed in patrol. So hopefully whenthey come out the other endof theirtraining, and yeah, by the middle of next year.
819
01:52:53.600 --> 01:52:57.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If everything goes to plan, we'll have trained and… 820
01:52:57.990 --> 01:53:03.709
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Police that can work with autonomy across the entire department andbe able to address traffic complaintsthat we get, and we get a lot. 821
01:53:03.870 --> 01:53:08.730
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So that's a trend? Yeah, super glad to hear about the turnover. That was more of a comment.
822
01:53:10.480 --> 01:53:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, Councilmemberson. Yes, thanks for, putting in here about the RIPA in reference to the race. That paragraph stating the fact that you think… you stated that it's generally consistent with the community served.

Agenda Item Number: 1
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823

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:53:23.000 --> 01:53:34.109
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The next sentence was concerning. Additionally, the department's reported data related to perceived gender identity and sexual orientation is generally consistent with statewide RIPA. So, what was the distinction? 824
01:53:34.400 --> 01:53:41.489
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: there was no distinction. It… it basically fell within the, reporting requirements that… that don't,
825
01:53:42.210 --> 01:53:47.630
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: send any red flags from the Department of Justice towards us. But my concern, while we're on the topic of RIPA data. 826
01:53:47.710 --> 01:54:02.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: is… while the community and the nation are trying tostop policefromwhattheybelievethey'redoing,which they'resayingisprofilingpeople, Ripperdata isactuallymakingusprofilepeople.
827
01:54:03.100 --> 01:54:04.350
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you must.
828
01:54:04.600 --> 01:54:12.749
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: answer the question, or you cannot get the Ripper data entry done, you must select Race. You must select. 829
01:54:13.030 --> 01:54:15.420
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A type of sexual orientation. 830
01:54:15.610 --> 01:54:19.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You must select an age. There are a number of categories you must select.
831
01:54:20.380 --> 01:54:32.880
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Even if you have absolutely no idea who's in, say, a traffic stopthat you're performing, and you're following a vehicle, and you have no clue who's in that vehicle, how old they are, what sex they are, what race they are, you must nominate something.
832
01:54:33.580 --> 01:54:39.159
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I'm not… a huge fan of Ripper data, because I believe it's skewed.
833
01:54:39.490 --> 01:54:41.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And it's making us profiled, but… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

834
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:54:41.930 --> 01:54:46.110
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in having to address that, I think what you'll find is that police will actually
835
01:54:46.490 --> 01:54:50.139
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: because they're doing the ripper data after the contact, they're going to enter what
836
01:54:50.550 --> 01:54:54.219
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They actually found, rather than what they perceived.
837
01:54:54.630 --> 01:55:01.749
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But it doesn't allow us to say that we didn't perceive anything, because, like, it was dark, I couldn't see in the tinted windows, or whatever the circumstances were.
838
01:55:02.170 --> 01:55:06.080
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, yeah, I'm not particularly fond of Ripper data and its accuracy.
839
01:55:06.210 --> 01:55:07.280
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
840
01:55:08.190 --> 01:55:09.270
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any other?
841
01:55:09.480 --> 01:55:16.299
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just wanted to just comment that I had to call 911 this past week in the square because of two men who were 842
01:55:16.880 --> 01:55:23.169
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: aggressive toward me, to the point where I was frightened,and Iappreciatethechief and thetwopoliceofficersshowingup. 843
01:55:23.730 --> 01:55:29.169
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, I… because there is an uptick in some things happening in the square that is concerning to me.
844
01:55:29.450 --> 01:55:33.279
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, thank you. Does anyone else have any questions?
Agenda Item Number: 1
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845

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:55:33.410 --> 01:55:36.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Otherwise, we'll go out to public comment. Thank you.
846
01:55:36.890 --> 01:55:38.060
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Chief. 847
01:55:38.540 --> 01:55:48.250
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Mayor. This is for public comment on the Statistics Information Report. If you would like to make a public comment, I will go to chambers first, and then go out to Zoom. Anyone in chambers? 848
01:55:49.410 --> 01:55:55.939
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go out to Zoom if there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on this report. Mary, can you unmute yourself, please?
849
01:55:58.010 --> 01:56:04.310
mary cone: Yeah, I don't know if the people who spoke about the incident behind Safeway are still there.
850
01:56:04.310 --> 01:56:24.520
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Agenda Item Number: 1
mary cone: But the city and the police are not the ones who they need to speak with, as this is really on private property, and it has to do a safe way. As a juvenile justice commissioner, I was in contact with our police chief right after this happened. All of the juveniles were arrested within 48 hours.
851
01:56:24.750 --> 01:56:43.140
mary cone: And there's been over 30 hours of patrol by the police since then. These people, I don't know if they're still there, they can get in touch with the Sonoma County Juvenile Justice Commission, and perhaps we can assist them with, dealing with Safeway. Thank you.
852
01:56:44.170 --> 01:56:49.430
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. I will come into chambers if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment. 853
01:56:50.370 --> 01:56:57.590
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment, to please raise your hand virtually. Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please?
854
01:56:58.410 --> 01:56:59.409
Kyle Falbo: Yes, I can.
855
01:56:59.590 --> 01:57:01.319
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, you can still see the timer? 856
01:57:01.320 --> 01:57:02.029
Kyle Falbo: I can.
857
01:57:02.030 --> 01:57:03.220
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sorry, go ahead, please. 858
01:57:03.220 --> 01:57:10.860
Kyle Falbo: It's great to get reports like this, and it's great to know, what trends are happening in terms of crimes of crimes that we're seeing. 859
01:57:11.040 --> 01:57:12.570
Kyle Falbo: In and around our city.
860
01:57:12.760 --> 01:57:18.720
Kyle Falbo: I think what doesn't get reported enough, or given enough, 861
01:57:19.120 --> 01:57:27.000
Kyle Falbo: Maybe our attention, is the kinds of crimes that may be happening within city government.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

862
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:57:27.100 --> 01:57:31.939
Kyle Falbo: Right? So, is there misallocation of money? 863
01:57:32.040 --> 01:57:35.030
Kyle Falbo: In ways that would be considered theft.
864
01:57:35.600 --> 01:57:38.049
Kyle Falbo: Is there a reporting mechanism
865
01:57:38.210 --> 01:57:56.110
Kyle Falbo: that when these things are identified, and when these things are reported, that somebody can take action to make sure that those funds that were maybe stolen, potentially, are investigated. And then, if deemed that those funds were, in fact, stolen. 866
01:57:56.240 --> 01:57:58.330
Kyle Falbo: That those funds would be returned.
867
01:57:58.450 --> 01:58:00.249
Kyle Falbo: To their rightful owners.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

868
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:58:00.890 --> 01:58:09.429
Kyle Falbo: I'm not sure that we have a mechanism in place. It seems, actually, that we have mechanisms that thwart those types of crimes from happening. 869
01:58:09.820 --> 01:58:15.149
Kyle Falbo: So, maybe it's something that we can prioritize for our police. 870
01:58:15.330 --> 01:58:21.720
Kyle Falbo: Rather than… Many of the types of crimes that are associated with maybe social ills.
871
01:58:21.850 --> 01:58:25.520
Kyle Falbo: That we can start thinking about ways in which we can… 872
01:58:25.710 --> 01:58:29.940
Kyle Falbo: Protect our community, protect our city assets. 873
01:58:30.180 --> 01:58:33.730
Kyle Falbo: From crimes of maybe a higher nature.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

874

Agenda Item Number: 1
01:58:35.170 --> 01:58:46.019
Kyle Falbo: I would sure love to see things like large-scale theft thwarted, and if there is large-scale theft happening, that those assets are returned to their rightful owners. 875
01:58:46.400 --> 01:58:47.310
Kyle Falbo: Thanks.
876
01:58:49.140 --> 01:58:51.929
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kyle, for your public comment. Next, I will come into Chambers.
877
01:58:52.700 --> 01:58:53.950
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yep.
878
01:58:54.550 --> 01:59:04.980
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just wanted to, follow up, what the Chief was saying about Julian Sanchez, who's with the Sonoma County Behavioral Health Division.

We seem to have a very big uptick of,
879
01:59:05.170 --> 01:59:23.789
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: transient people in, all over the city, this summer.

And I also think something valuable that the, and I'll just say Julian Sanchez's phone Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
number is 707-326-9941. He's very proactive. So if you see somebody who's clearly mentally ill, and there's a lot of them right now, including the guy 880
01:59:23.790 --> 01:59:30.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Jumping around on the corner of 116 and 12 in the traffic allthe time. Julian is a really good guy tocall. 881
01:59:30.370 --> 01:59:48.709
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But separately, I think what something the council… would be really helpful for the council to do would be to liaise as much as possible with the county, because so many of the transients come in over the Joe Rodota Trail, and I'd love to seethe sheriffs doingmoreto basically protect thecity, and to help our police chief.
882
01:59:48.920 --> 01:59:49.990
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's my comment. 883
01:59:51.030 --> 01:59:55.539
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Oliver, for your public comment. I'll go back out to Zoom. Lee, can you unmute yourself, please? 884
01:59:55.750 --> 01:59:56.600
Lee: Yes.

Agenda Item Number: 1
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885
Agenda Item Number: 1
01:59:56.830 --> 01:59:58.560
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, can you still see the timer? 886
01:59:58.560 --> 01:59:59.409
Lee: I can, thank you.
887
01:59:59.410 --> 02:00:00.509
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Brett, go ahead, please. 888
02:00:01.180 --> 02:00:14.919
Lee: I… I… I think I'm the person that Councilmember Zolan was referring to in terms of the crime statistics that had youth associated with it, and you can find them, they're… they're… go to the FBI crime database, and you can see the breakdown of 889
02:00:15.050 --> 02:00:18.789
Lee: major crimes reported to the FBI, and
890
02:00:18.890 --> 02:00:23.000
Lee: and the youth. I haven't done it. I did it at the time because… Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

891
Agenda Item Number: 1
02:00:23.180 --> 02:00:39.819
Lee: you all were talking about budgets, and cutting budgets, and cutting police positions, and nobody had ever, in the, what, 6 years that I've been here? No one has ever stood up and reported on crime statistics like our police chief did tonight. And I think it's remarkable in terms of,
892
02:00:39.880 --> 02:00:43.779
Lee: Huge jump in transparency to have these kinds of discussions going on. 893
02:00:44.000 --> 02:00:46.040
Lee: And, and…
894
02:00:46.600 --> 02:01:00.520
Lee: So, I'm thrilled with what happened tonight, and I'm thrilled that I don't have to go do any more analyses. The city's actually… the police chief is actually presenting them to the city council. And actually, I get an email every day, I hope all of you do too, that shows 895
02:01:00.780 --> 02:01:07.699
Lee: What police activity was the day before, and a map that shows where it occurred, so you can kind of get a sense of,
896
02:01:07.800 --> 02:01:12.730
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Lee: of where things might be going on. I think, to the Chief's point, 897
02:01:12.860 --> 02:01:21.799
Lee: It's going on wherever there are people, so it's not a super highly concentrated issue.

It's where there's stores, where there's shopping centers. 898
02:01:21.970 --> 02:01:23.010
Lee: The plaza.
899
02:01:23.280 --> 02:01:33.919
Lee: But you can see that for yourselves pretty easily every day. So, I highly recommend anybody who's listening to go and sign up for the email, daily email. Thank you. 900
02:01:35.480 --> 02:01:40.770
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Lee, for your public comment. I will come back into chambers if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
901
02:01:41.210 --> 02:01:47.899
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on this informational item, please raise your hand.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

902
Agenda Item Number: 1
02:01:48.760 --> 02:01:51.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed on this item.
903
02:01:51.380 --> 02:01:57.529
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, so we're back here at the dais for any comments before we receive this report and finish.
904
02:01:57.920 --> 02:01:59.539
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The item? Go ahead. 905
02:01:59.970 --> 02:02:12.640
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just want to say thank you to our police, chief, and, everything is going, pretty well with staff. I'm kind of pleased about that, and, it looks like…
906
02:02:13.830 --> 02:02:23.549
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: While it looks like there's a little bit of an uptick in crime, it could be a little bit more of an uptick in, like, activity from us, you know, engaging, and that seems positive.
907
02:02:23.700 --> 02:02:38.149
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, so I'm just gonna, hold my gratitude, but also the, you know, the… the care that you're taking walking the line of being kind to people is also super helpful, because it's a… it's a tough place. 908
02:02:40.380 --> 02:02:55.980
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: One more thing. Just randomly, you know, regarding the e-bike thing, I don't think it's a… like, I don't want to punch kids or anything like that, but I do want to help keep them safe, and, you know, I do notice a little bit more of it out there. If you have any thoughts, let me know.
909
02:02:56.910 --> 02:03:14.430
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, just to make a comment about the e-bikes, Marin is sort of leading the way. They were one of the test, places, for receiving a grant and implementingdifferentordinancesregardingkidsand e-bikes and such, so you can do some research on that if you want.
910
02:03:14.430 --> 02:03:20.040
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They… they basically are setting the path, so… Just FYI. Thanks.
911
02:03:20.430 --> 02:03:21.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Anyone else?
912
02:03:21.680 --> 02:03:33.740
Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Otherwise, we'll receive it. I'm hoping we can take a bio break, and then in that time, I'm going to recuse myself, because the next item, our Vice Mayor will… will handle. So, 5 minutes, so what time is it? 913
02:03:33.950 --> 02:03:35.229
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm looking here. 914
02:03:35.900 --> 02:03:39.379
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: How about we'll be back at 8.10, so it's like 7 minutes?
915
02:03:41.590 --> 02:03:46.860
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: hotel, The request to amend the… 916
02:03:47.610 --> 02:03:55.199
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: development agreement for the Barlow Hotel to provide a TOT sharing agreement of50% first reading.
917
02:03:55.700 --> 02:04:10.089
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Who will be presenting? I'll be presenting, Vice Mayor. Good evening, Vice Mayor, Council Members. The item before you, relates to the proposed Barlow Hotel development. As the Council is well aware, Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

918
Agenda Item Number: 1
02:04:10.900 --> 02:04:18.209
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A little over a year ago, the Council approved a development agreement and related entitlements for the proposed hotel. 919
02:04:18.360 --> 02:04:25.629
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The applicant has come back and requested an amendment to that development agreement to…
920
02:04:27.520 --> 02:04:40.239
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: provide for share a rebate of TOT tax. So the hotel will generate TOT tax, the applicant's proposal is, that 50% of that amount would be rebated to the,
921
02:04:40.450 --> 02:04:49.929
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: developer for 10 years to be used for… promotional, activities, for…
922
02:04:50.800 --> 02:04:58.819
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The applicant has indicated this is necessary for some of their financing, and Ithink the applicant is here and willbe able to speak to that. 923
02:04:59.040 --> 02:05:01.800
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: more. Under our…
924
02:05:01.960 --> 02:05:20.359
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: zoning code, changes to a development agreement, adoption of the development agreement, and then any amendments to the development agreement have to go to the Planning Commission for a recommendation. So this was brought to the Planning Commission for recommendation. They proposed certain changes to the,
925
02:05:21.300 --> 02:05:26.169
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Language proposed by the developer, wanting to clarify that
926
02:05:26.600 --> 02:05:35.950
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Some percentage, you know, as determined by the City Council, should be, used for promotion of the city generally, not just, 927
02:05:36.400 --> 02:05:37.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Barlow Hotel.
928
02:05:38.560 --> 02:05:55.410
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This item is before the Council, and it's, you know, a complete policy decision for the Council on whether or not to move forward. The Council Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
could approve… project the request, they could approve the request as proposed by the applicant, they could… you can…
929
02:05:55.710 --> 02:05:58.980
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: approve of the… the proposed 930
02:05:59.220 --> 02:06:06.249
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: rebate as recommended by the Planning Commission, or you could do something, you know, completely separate based on what you want to do.
931
02:06:07.550 --> 02:06:20.699
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the… there will be a physical impact to this, you know, assuming the hotel opens, there… the city would only be receiving 50% of the TOT as proposed.
932
02:06:21.090 --> 02:06:33.409
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The exact amount of that rebate depends on how much TOT they generate. The staff report includes, those numbers. If you may recall, the applicant had a,
933
02:06:33.760 --> 02:06:38.439
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Economic impact study prepared at the time that estimated
934
02:06:40.100 --> 02:06:43.169
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how much TOT would come in for the hotel. 935
02:06:43.270 --> 02:06:51.499
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The city had that peer-reviewed and thought that… the peer-reviewed determined that the…
936
02:06:51.890 --> 02:06:56.669
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Assumed hotel occupancy, and in particular, the 937
02:06:56.870 --> 02:07:03.280
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: assumed rates, nightly rate for the hotel, that the applicant had used were a little high, and so
938
02:07:03.550 --> 02:07:06.670
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The peer review has a little lower, 939
02:07:07.020 --> 02:07:20.970
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: number for what the TOT, so, you know, of course, whatever the actual amount is, is what the rebate would be after. So with that, I'll pause to see if there are any questions. I believe that applicant is prepared to give a short presentation as well.
940
02:07:23.900 --> 02:07:25.329
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Zolman? 941
02:07:27.350 --> 02:07:43.809
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mayor. So yeah, in the staff report, it lists a specific example. So, from what you just described, Alex, like, we could basically do anything, right? Any version of it, to include theexample that the staff typed. Asan example, only the TOT rebate could be
942
02:07:44.130 --> 02:07:47.410
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center:could allocate the first $400,000 inTOP. 943
02:07:48.150 --> 02:07:51.899
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 100% to the city, and then provide 50% rebate on any
944
02:07:51.900 --> 02:08:10.180
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: hot revenue about that amount, so that could happen, right? Yes, and just to clarify, this is an agreement, so you… the council would be saying, this is what we're willing to approve, and the applicant may or may not accept it.

They may decide that they'd rather not accept anything, but you can decide what you're willing to accept as part of the agreement.
945
02:08:10.640 --> 02:08:11.930
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, thanks.
946
02:08:14.420 --> 02:08:15.879
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Hinton? 947
02:08:16.350 --> 02:08:22.850
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, could you just refresh me? Because I'm seeing, in red line.
948
02:08:23.150 --> 02:08:42.470
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 10% lined out at 12%. Is our TOT currently 12, or in this proposal, are they requesting to go to… It is 12. There's 12, yeah. There was a… there was a typo there, that Planning Commission corrected. Okay, and can you also remind me 949
02:08:42.470 --> 02:08:52.099
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what the max we could go to for TOT and citizens? 12 is the… is what the max is. We would… could raise it with VODAR approval. 950
02:08:52.330 --> 02:08:56.610
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The voter approved, but 12 is the max for now.

Okay, thank you.
951
02:08:59.110 --> 02:09:14.759
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And could you tell us, of that 12%, how much goes to Sonoma County Tourism? So that is a separate 2% on top of the 12%. So they… we collect the 12%,
952
02:09:14.840 --> 02:09:20.740
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And then there's separately a 2% assessment that then goes to Sonoma County Tourism.
953
02:09:21.730 --> 02:09:33.840
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Excuse me. So that… that… you could think of it as 14%. We… our TOT is 12%, and then there's a separate 2% assessment… assessment.

So we're actually charging 14%.
954
02:09:34.560 --> 02:09:48.469
Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, we are charging 12. The county hasn't, through the process, has this assessment, and they charge 2%. But we are… we approve, or don't approve, their tax.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I remember they came and gave a presentation here.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And we had to… the council had to approve it. 957
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the Council did approve, it's a business, 958
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Business Improvement Area Tax, it's a 2% done by the county. The council did do a resolution of consent with the Sonoma County Tourism for that.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So our TOT is 12%, but this business improvement area is also 2%, but it's not tied to, like, the city's TOT, which is approved by the voters.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Other questions?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, so can… Alex, you probably can refresh us.

My understanding, but it's all fuzzy, is that that 2% that goes to the Tourism Bureau 962
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Some cities have created, with that 2%, 963
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Like, most of the cities give… do it to the Tourism Bureau. Do you remember the specifics onthat 2%?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And can you outline? I don't… I can see if I can look it up in the…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: While the presentation's going on. Okay, great.

Thanks.

Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any other questions? 967
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Shall we go to the presenter, please? I think you have 5 minutes.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: My name's Ari, and by that point, I'm the development manager.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think your mic is… Good evening, my name is Ari.

I'm,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: a development manager for the applicant on this project, so I'm primarily responsible for design, managing the engineers, architects, the permitting process, and construction.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Barney… the… Barney Eldridge, owner of Aldridge Development, the developer, is sick. I think he was able to call in, but I've been with him for the last couple years and know quite a bit about the project and should be able to answer any questions.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This first slide is, I think, important because we were seeing a lot of
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we were hearing different versions of public comment. There were some questions at Planning Commission last week, and 974
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They're,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and at the development agreement update, I think we did about a month ago, and I think it's important people recognize or understand what the TOT tax is. So it's a transient occupancy tax, commonly known as a hotel bed tax, is a 12% tax here in Sebastopol.

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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: charge exclusively to visitors staying overnight in Sebastopol hotels. It is added directly to the guest's lodging bill, meaning local residents do not pay for it.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, if this agreement were to go through, and again, the developer's asking for 50%,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: rebate on the TOT tax produced by the hotel for the first 10 years of thehotel's operation.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This agreement does not take money from the city's current budget, nor does it use existing resident tax dollars. It is new money generated by the hotel's presence. If the hotel is not built, the revenue stream does not exist. So I think that's…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just important for everybody to understand. 981
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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Now it comes to this… this agreement that… that you're looking at 50% over 10 years, and, you know, what does that mean? Is that too much? Is it too little? You know, how do you think about it? And so I thought this next… actually, before you go to the next slide.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Municipalities across California widely utilize the TOT sharing agreements as a proven economic tool to attract investment and support new hotel developments. If you could go to the next slide, please. 983
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, what we wanted to show is, this isn't an unusual ask, it's not a novel or a new or a unique thing. It's fairly common for hotel developments.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh boy, that's tiny. This is a chart in your… in your staff report that youguys have.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But what we wanted to show was, 986
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Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

Agenda Item Number: 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I couldn't list all the individual, unique sharing agreements that are happening all over California that towns use to motivate developers to come in and develop hotels in tough markets like we are today. So this is a list of counties that have in-place programs. Morgan Hill, Dublin, Temecula. You know, I actually had multiple pages of this. I just picked 10 that seemed similar to the agreement that we're going for.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: These are incentive programs in place right now so that if someone wanted to build a hotel in Morgan Hill, for example, 988
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Shoot, I can't see that number. Sorry. 989
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Let me pull this up. 990
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, Morgan Hill, for example, their terms are varying,
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Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But they do up to a 50% split. Dublin does 10 years at 50% to 70% rebate.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I could kind of run through some of these. You know, Placer County, all of Placer County does 20-year-long TOT sharing agreements at up to 80% rebates. And so, you know, in their case.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: hotels that are doing new ground-up hotels, they do a 20-year term at 80% rebate, and for renovations, they do 80% for 9 years. And so, I think it's important just to understand some of the precedents here that, you know, this is somewhere in the middle of the asks.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Compared to a lot of the other hotel developments happening.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If you could go to the next slide, please. 996
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Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, the city attorney sort of spoke to this, I don't need to get too far into it, but as we look at the next numbers. 997
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think it's important to know, and what's in the staff report, none ofthose numbers are generated by the applicant. These were done by twoindependentconsultingfirms,onehired bytheapplicant,onehired bythecity. You could go to the next slide, please.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So this is a chart we put together just using the numbers from these studies.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The… both of these… and these next few slides are for Council to… to help try to come up with an estimate of what this means over 10 years based on these sort of hypothetical…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: not hypothetical, but based on the estimates of these two independent firms to helpyou try to gauge the quantity ofthe dollar amount we're talking about, to sort of help with the decision. And so… 1001
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Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: EPS and RRC both picked they estimated a TOT amount. RRCs initially was between 1… around $1.5 million. 1002
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, EPS predicted around $800 grand or so. 1003
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: inthefirst year or two, what they're showing us is on an annual basis, at a stabilized year, but I think, realistically, year one and two might be a little bit
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, we may… the hotel may not hit all those numbers year one, as you're still getting your feet under you, and then as you go forward. 1005
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we're projecting somewhere around a 3% increase each year. And so, this is an estimateby thesetwo firms, andyou can see the blue is RRC, the green is EPS, a little more conservative, and then I just had a line right in the middle to show kind of an average.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You could go to the next slide, please.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The reason we thought this was important is so you could see, over 10 years.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how much TOT is going to be produced. And so you could see EPS a little more
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Conservative, thinking somewhere around 9.6 million over 10 years is produced.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: if we… if you were to agree to this agreement, 50%, you would get half of that. Or if it were… we were to do… if the hotel performs closer to what RRC is estimating, you're at, you know, the ho… Sebastopol is receiving $8.3 million in TOT, and the hotel… the applicant's getting the other percent. 1011
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or the other half, and then the average is at the bottom. Next slide, please.

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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: theseare out of your staff report. These areright from the two independent studies, so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: on the left, the furthest left, RRC & Associates, best case. They… they were estimating the hotel
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: during the stabilized year, that's usually year two or three, once a hotel has gotten its feet under it, you know, year one never performs as well as year 5. You can imagine it's hard to… you have to market the hotel and get people to know about it and start showing up.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So they're showing the stabilized year at $1.5 million, EPS was showing $890 grand, so more conservative. 1016
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: On the right is those same cases, but split 50% if the city were to agree to this.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think the other important piece here is there's a lot morebenefits than just the TOT tax that thehotel brings. There's also the sales tax that they estimate happening based… and that's the tax revenue, not the expenditure. 1018
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So you can see below the gross guest spend expected in Sebastopol is around $23 million a year in credit card swipes, and on retail alone, both firms wereestimating between$1.5 or $2 million. 1019
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: regardless of the agreement, if there's a TOT split or not, it doesn't affect anything with sales taxor any of theguest spend around. That still goes to the city. Next slide, please.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: These charts
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This isjust a chart,this is alsoin your staff report, but it just compares EPS and RRC next to each other, so you can see the logic behind how they came to these numbers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And they're using different perceived occupancies, nightly rates,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so, yeah, I just wanted to explain that as you guys look at it. Next slide, please.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And this was the last note, 1026
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that we thought was important to show, just what, EPS, which was the city's Economic Impact Report Consultant. 1027
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: suggests that the hotel… and we're showing about the same, but EPS estimates the development replaces… which replaces the existing Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026

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warehouse,which isnow vacant,with 53permanentoperationalpositions,so53new staff for the hotel.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's divvied up somewhere… they're showing it in the range of 46 for the hotel, and 7 for supporting on the ground floor, retail, dining, and spa amenities.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There was also one of the suggestions when we did the update, the Council had recommended
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that we talk about this… if we were to do a 50% split, that this split would go directly to marketing, and that that marketing could help market both the hotel, but also could help market Sebastopol as a destination, both of which benefit the hotel, but could do somecollaboration withthe cityon it. And so I thought it was also important to show that thehotel operator is planning to staff this hotel with three full-time positions for marketing and brand
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: meaning, for the hotel in Sebastopol. 1032
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That, maybe I'll close on, I think something that Barney really wanted to make sure was understood.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This is an extremely challenging market environment right now for all real estate, and it's especially challenging for a… for hospitality in… in, you know, a ground-up hotel.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in wine country in a… currently an unproven market, and so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: He's gotten to the point, and obviously he's been runningthe…and kind of spearheadingthefinancingeffort, 1037
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Right now, with the options that he has, the project is not feasible without some public-private partnership here with the sharing agreement, and so…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If this wasn't agreed upon, he's likely to not move forward at the hotel, or at least sit and wait until the market environment is a little… 1039
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It makes the project more feasible. 1040
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I hope that makes sense, and I'm here to answer any questions.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Zolman? 1042
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, thanks again for that sort of, like, if you don't do this, we're not going to be able to move forward, because we've been hearing that, like. 1043
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: so many different ways. I don't really know if that's the best sales pitch.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: When we had Daniele from Hotel Piazza. 1045
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: with a proven record, right? Because they have a hotel in Sebastopol, or in Healdsburg, right? Right.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Like, they're proven doing hotels in this area, telling us that he can't do anything, because again, we're an unproven, and you just used the word too, right, again? Unproven marketing. So why are you any more proven than him and his entity?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, I mean, it's a… it's a fair question. I'm… 1048
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I am surprised that they haven't taken this avenue and spoken with you guys about a public-private partnership. I mean, you're right, with… the market environment is challenging right now.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think the develop… the applicant themselves is only willing to put up so much of their own money, and they're at a point where they need to bring in some other investors, and the project is not feasible enough… the returns aren't there to bring in these investors, and so this supports 1050
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Making the project more feasible to be able to attract the capital.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah. Councilmember Carter? 1052
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If you're… if you're putting the money to the… 1053
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: marketing, how does the bank say, like, hey, you've put this money to the marketing, how does that make your ability to repay this bond easier? No, so there's two…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Whenyou're financing a project, there's… there is debtand equity,and there'sthefinancingfroma bank,which rightnow haveincrediblyhigh interest rates, which hurt the returns on the project, and then you have to attract private capital. And the private capital needs a certain return, or they're not going to put their money in at such a risky investment.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so, by… you know, this project has about a million dollar marketing budget, is what's estimated right now, to be able to… 1056
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, perform. And so by getting 50% of the TOT tax that the hotel is generating back.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that's about… if you're assuming somewhere around a million dollars in TOT, and that's split.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 500 grand goes back to the hotel to support on marketing that's helping with a million dollar cost.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Right, and so that's helping with the returns. 1060
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Makes it more feasible, which then allows you to attract the private investors.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Does that answer your question? So it's not about the bank.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No, I do understand. So, this is a good mix, your capital's nice.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Private investors, as well as banks, and what you're trying to do here is…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Become attractive, you know, by saying, like, hey, we can throw a lot of money at marketing, and we're gonna survive because of that.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's right. I mean, the reason the Piazza Group has not
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't want to speak for them, but my assumption is they're not… they, too, likely need
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Banks or lenders of some type, and private equity 1068
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And they are not out of return, that they're able to greenlight the project, raise that money in whatever way that may be, and go. 1069
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: because the returns are likely not high enough, or they… whatever the reasoning, right? And so we have a path, but the returns aren't there, and so by supporting on the project, it helps the returns get closer to the thresholds we need to raise the money.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But to… to answer, your initial question on the track record, I mean, it's a… it's a hard… it's, you know, like you said, this… 1071
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, that's a proven developer, and they have,
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: a dirt lot surrounded by a fence, and they're trying to figure out what to do, and they can't. I think…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, I think sometimes people look… 1074
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: at Barney as the bad guy, but he's here willing to take a chance and put his own money at risk. We've been working on it for 3 years, 1075
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so, you know, I think if the community wants a hotel.

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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the city council wants a hotel. 1077
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: then what he's saying is, I need your help. 1078
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And, you know, it's… 1079
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think it's as simple as that. So can you tell me what, the advertising budget for the Barlow is this year? 1080
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: For just this year. Oh, for the Barlow market itself? The existing Barlow market? I couldn't… I don't know. I don't work for the Barlow. And then, you said…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that they needed a million dollars marketing budget. Is that an annual budget, or is that for 10 years? I mean, what's that budget for? The… so we hire an operator. We're partnering with an operator called Evolution Hospitality.

They work for Ambridge, it's one of the biggest hotel operators. 1082
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: maybe in the world. And Ambridge, or sorry, and Evolution is their, helps with kind of the boutique types of hotels. 1083
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: they've recommended acertain amount of staff budgeting for the… right, we have to put this in a model to understand how the hotel's gonna operate, and they've recommended at least a million dollars a year in branding and marketing. Yes. Because remember.
1084
02:27:29.130 --> 02:27:45.990
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Right now, I think, you know, if you live in Florida, and you want to go to wine country, you are aware of Napa and maybe Healdsburg. Most people wouldn't know Sebastopol, and so it would be challenging to fill rooms at the hotel, and so part of the marketing is showing
1085
02:27:46.260 --> 02:27:49.830
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That Sebastopolitz, that is a… premier destination.

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Agenda Item Number: 1
1086
02:27:51.960 --> 02:27:53.320
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Other questions?
1087
02:27:54.670 --> 02:27:58.060
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, if we can go out to public moments, please? 1088
02:27:58.310 --> 02:28:06.720
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Vice Mayor. So this is public comment on the development agreement, regarding the TOT rebate. I will do Chambers first, and then go out to Zoom.
1089
02:28:14.570 --> 02:28:15.870
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Got it, please.
1090
02:28:16.900 --> 02:28:30.850
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You have 2 minutes. 2 minutes. I'm glad, Ernie Carpenter, unincorporated, Sebastopool, I like your questions. Mr. Carter, I think you hit the nail on the head. Those agreements that you saw, I gave you a written, 1091
02:28:30.890 --> 02:28:38.969
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: prospectus, so please read that, and I can do this in 2 minutes. Those agreements on the slide are usually before the tax vote. 1092
02:28:38.970 --> 02:28:58.740
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: happens to put the TOT in place. You negotiate, just like the county did on the 2% that you're talking about to bring the tourist industry together, and a certain part of that went for promotion. Your tax is in place. You don't have to do this. The jobs and so on that are put on the other side are going to happen regardless. 1093
02:28:58.740 --> 02:29:06.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And if the developer's saying he needs this to make the project happen, which I think has already been dispelled, it's an agreement. 1094
02:29:06.190 --> 02:29:30.560
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: open up the book, sit down and negotiate, take a look, because you can do that under the Brown Act if you're going to get into agreement on the finances of the development. The reason I'm interested in this, and I haveno horse in this race, I came to the NHA Advisors' meetings back in 2023, when you were 3 million bucks in the hole, it's in the hole. It's in my little prospectus 1095
02:29:30.820 --> 02:29:35.070
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And there were 3 things you needed to do. The sales tax.
1096
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Agenda Item Number: 1
02:29:35.070 --> 02:29:59.570
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: raise the bed tax to 14%, and I don't know if you can still do that, given the 2% the voters imposed on top of your 12%. It's a question that needs to be answered, and three, to cut services. You've done 2 out of the three, but you have not raised the bed tax as suggested back in 2023 to dig yourself out of the hole.

There's a whole list of projects that you need money for. Waterloops. 1097
02:29:59.580 --> 02:30:21.769
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: roads, mold in the library. You're giving this back to the developer to promote the Barlow, and in theory, the Sebastopol, the same developer that kicked Peacetown out of, out of the Barlow. So, I'd like to sell you a bridge if you really believe that they're gonna, promote Sebastopol. Please read this. 1098
02:30:21.770 --> 02:30:29.410
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Ernie, that's 2 minutes. I beg your pardon? That's 2 minutes. Then I'll conclude by simply saying that,
1099
02:30:29.750 --> 02:30:31.759
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: What were they gonna include and simply say? 1100
02:30:31.760 --> 02:30:55.360
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, there's no language in the proposed agreement that would be in the development for conflict resolution. You're givingthis money to the developer, there's no way to resolve anything for conflict.It specifically cuts you out. You're giving them half of the bed tax… Ernie, and there's no way to resolve conflict? Give me…conflict, giveme a break. That's pretty good in twominutes. Agenda Item Number: 1
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Agenda Item Number: 1
1101
02:30:55.390 --> 02:31:01.119
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. I will go out to Zoom. Kyle, can you unmute yourself, please?
1102
02:31:01.710 --> 02:31:02.770
Kyle Falbo: Yes, I can.
1103
02:31:02.770 --> 02:31:04.729
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Can you still see the timer? 1104
02:31:04.730 --> 02:31:05.670
Kyle Falbo: I can.
1105
02:31:05.670 --> 02:31:06.850
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great, go ahead, please. 1106
02:31:08.140 --> 02:31:27.469
Kyle Falbo: So really, I'm asking Council, and particularly the City Attorney, to clarify the legal and procedural basis for including a transit occupancy tax rebate in the proposed development agreement amendment. I understand the Planning Commission may review a Agenda Item Number: 1
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development agreement as a land use instrument, and recommend that the Council approve or deny it.
1107
02:31:27.750 --> 02:31:33.570
KyleFalbo:However,theproposed agreementalsoappearstoestablish a significantfiscal incentive
1108
02:31:33.730 --> 02:31:38.679
Kyle Falbo: By returning a portion of future transit occupy tax revenue to the developer. 1109
02:31:38.840 --> 02:31:48.109
Kyle Falbo: The Planning Commission's authority generally concerns planning, zoning, development, and land use, not municipal taxation or the allocation of public revenue. 1110
02:31:48.370 --> 02:32:01.129
Kyle Falbo: Can the City Attorney therefore explain whether the Commission's recommendation was limited to the land use aspects of the development agreement, or whether the Commission was also being asked to recommend a tax policy? 1111
02:32:01.320 --> 02:32:13.910
Kyle Falbo: I'd also appreciate clarification on four related questions. First, what's the specific legal authority for rebating future transit occupy tax revenue through a development agreement?
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1112
02:32:14.140 --> 02:32:26.029
Kyle Falbo: Second, is this rebate fully consistent with Sebastopol's existing trans and oxy tax ordinance, including its requirements concerning collection, administration, and disposition of the tax?
1113
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Kyle Falbo: Third.
1114
02:32:27.400 --> 02:32:37.419
Kyle Falbo: How has the city evaluated this arrangement under the California Constitution's prohibition againstgiftsof publicfunds? Whatmeasurablepublicbenefits 1115
02:32:37.420 --> 02:32:47.640
KyleFalbo:Remember,measurablepublicbenefits,enforceableobligations,orfindings support the conclusion that the rebate serviceserves a sufficient public purpose. 1116
02:32:47.960 --> 02:33:06.359
Kyle Falbo: Finally, have all procedural requirements for amending the development agreement been followed, including appropriate public notice, environmental review, findings review by the bodies legally authorized to considerboththe land use and fiscal components? I'm asking this because it's not clear to me this is even legal.

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Agenda Item Number: 1
1117
02:33:09.230 --> 02:33:20.260
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Kyle, for your public comments. Next, I will come back into chambers. I'm in favor of this. I'm not sure about the, the time period, and I think a lot of people are getting into the weeds
1118
02:33:20.520 --> 02:33:28.780
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: there's a ton of stuff that needs to be done, but in principle, I think this should happen, because I think the… I think it's a valid point, this is an unproven market.
1119
02:33:28.930 --> 02:33:44.219
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I feel pretty strongly that if we get some momentum here, there'll be a lot of other business momentum in thecity that will hangoff the back of this, and we don't really have too much time to waste at this point. So, a lot of details to be ironed out.
1120
02:33:44.800 --> 02:33:52.580
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 5 to 7 years, I would think, would be a better… a more realistic time frame, because a hell of a lot could happen in that time, but overall, I'm in favor.
1121
02:33:54.480 --> 02:33:59.249
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will go out to Zoom. Steve, can you unmute yourself, please?
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1122
02:33:59.690 --> 02:34:00.690
Steve Pierce: Yes.
1123
02:34:00.690 --> 02:34:02.480
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, can you see the timer? 1124
02:34:02.480 --> 02:34:03.369
Steve Pierce: I can, thank you.
1125
02:34:03.370 --> 02:34:04.330
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, please. 1126
02:34:05.070 --> 02:34:16.160
Steve Pierce: Well, I think we need to remember when these hotels, especially the Barlow Hotel, when they were being proposed, we were told by the consultants that 1127
02:34:16.430 --> 02:34:32.460
Steve Pierce: not only would the Barlow Hotel be very successful, but the other proposed hotel, Sebastopol Hotel, would also be very successful, and then there was still enough market to fill additionalhotel spaces. Well.
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1128
02:34:32.870 --> 02:34:41.939
Steve Pierce: Yeah, that very well could be. We don't know. We see a range of $350 to $550 a night.
1129
02:34:42.050 --> 02:34:55.230
Steve Pierce: Can Sebastopol really support a $550 a night hotel room? It's a big question.

My main concern here is that we are not really looking at, if it doesn't work out. 1130
02:34:56.050 --> 02:35:00.319
Steve Pierce: Is that tax money still gonna be going to the developer? 1131
02:35:00.640 --> 02:35:07.790
Steve Pierce: For instance, what if it goes out of business 5 years from now, or it changes use from a hotel?
1132
02:35:08.080 --> 02:35:13.819
Steve Pierce: Are we able to get that tax money back that we gave them over those 5 years? 1133
02:35:14.360 --> 02:35:22.460
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Steve Pierce: Or, it doesn't meet the thresholds for actually producing the revenue that we need for the city.
1134
02:35:22.620 --> 02:35:26.189
Steve Pierce: Like that minimum EPS worst-case scenario. 1135
02:35:26.780 --> 02:35:28.940
Steve Pierce: If it doesn't make it there.
1136
02:35:29.470 --> 02:35:36.409
Steve Pierce: We should have a clawback revision, or a minimum threshold for taxation. If you go above that.
1137
02:35:36.580 --> 02:35:39.719
Steve Pierce: Then we can do the rebate.
1138
02:35:39.910 --> 02:35:51.160
Steve Pierce: These are public monies we're talking about here, and we really need to be looking at the other side. If it doesn't work out, we don't want to be left 1139
02:35:51.350 --> 02:35:57.660
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Steve Pierce: short-changing, the public in Sebastopol and the taxpayers. Thank you. 1140
02:35:58.860 --> 02:36:02.299
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers.
1141
02:36:07.720 --> 02:36:17.959
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hi, my name is Steve Finkelstein, I'm a resident here. On one hand, I think having a hotel or multiple hotels would be fantastic to bring guests and people in.
1142
02:36:18.450 --> 02:36:28.089
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But if you're trying to compete with Healdsburg and Napa and places like that, you may have some issues, because if you look at the paperwork that this gentleman
1143
02:36:28.230 --> 02:36:30.290
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Gave you in the sources. 1144
02:36:30.490 --> 02:36:45.450
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: everyhotel that offers therebates has to meet a minimum of 4 and 5 stars, or 3 or 4 diamonds, and that's through a third party. So, I'm not sure how you're gonna get
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1145
02:36:45.830 --> 02:36:51.780
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The dollars in each night to make yourself a 4-star, 5-star hotel.
1146
02:36:51.900 --> 02:36:55.189
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Those tend to be very expensive rooms. 1147
02:36:55.620 --> 02:36:59.560
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Nice, but very expensive, so… if you're gonna… 1148
02:36:59.970 --> 02:37:04.249
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: offer the rebate. I'm not saying do it or not do it, that's up to you.
1149
02:37:04.410 --> 02:37:20.690
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: maybe there should be some stipulation that they have to meet certain requirements to get that rebate. And if they don't meet that requirement, i.e. the level of service and quality of the hotel, then they don't get it that month, that year, or the… whatever. That's just my thought. Thanks. 1150
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02:37:21.840 --> 02:37:26.250
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment. Next, I'll go out to Zoom. Lee, can you unmute yourself, please?
1151
02:37:31.910 --> 02:37:33.919
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Lee, can you unmute yourself, please? 1152
02:37:34.150 --> 02:37:35.239
Lee: Yes, there you go.
1153
02:37:35.240 --> 02:37:37.290
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Can you see the timer still? 1154
02:37:37.470 --> 02:37:38.140
Lee: Hi, Ken.
1155
02:37:38.140 --> 02:37:39.220
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great, go ahead, please. 1156
02:37:40.560 --> 02:37:47.720
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Agenda Item Number: 1
Lee: Yeah, I… I… I feel like no rebate, likely no hotel, no additional TOT tax. 1157
02:37:48.320 --> 02:37:56.829
Lee: If you believe that, You kinda almost have to go with this. 1158
02:37:57.270 --> 02:38:00.630
Lee: Do we believe Barney? Well…
1159
02:38:00.870 --> 02:38:09.509
Lee: without the fact that Piazza's stood up and told you all the same things that Barney's told you, you might not believe him, but it does kind of seem like the stories are the same. 1160
02:38:09.780 --> 02:38:23.119
Lee: The one difference is Barney's gone a stepfurther and said, maybe if I can get a little bit of help from the city, I can make this work for me. Piazzi didn't take that step for whatever reason, maybe because they're not serious about building a hotel here. 1161
02:38:23.370 --> 02:38:29.870
Lee: You currently have a really conservative forecast for the impact of this hotel on your revenues going forward.
1162
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City Council Meeting Packet of: August 4 , 2026