From: Peter Edwards
Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2026 2:21 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Cc: Mary Gourley <[email protected]>
Subject: Support for City Meeting Agenda Item 14.
Mayor McLewis and Sebastopol City Council Members,
I am writing this in support of developing the Sebastopol Commons at the current O’Reily Building complex, (item 14 on the upcoming City Council Meeting Agenda). I recently attended the Open House at the O’Reily Building, and I was reminded of my own past experienceworkingfora nonprofitorganization. Many years ago, I worked for a small nonprofit in downtown Sacramento, and our officewas in a building occupied by many other nonprofits. I learnedthat there is atremendous benefit of housing nonprofits together.Not only do they share some of the building’s infrastructure, but there are great secondary benefits of being able to informally interact with the staff and heads of the other nonprofits. We would frequently meet in a conference room and share ideas on fund raising, public relations, and other common causes and strategies. Things as small as being able to go to the nonprofit next doorand borrowingsome printer paper, seemed much easier to do, with like minded organizations. Also, contractors such as grant writers, found it veryconvenient having several clients all grouped together.
I support the idea of the City of Sebastopol leasing out building space at the proposed City Commonsat the O’Reily property and know that it will be a benefit not only for Sebastopol, but for the nonprofits that would be housed together under oneroof. Thank you,
Peter Edwards, Sebastopol resident