REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
— City Council Chambers
ciy Council: 177 First Street West
Sandra '-°""ev Mayo’ Wednesday, October 4, 2023
John Gurney, Vice Mayor
Jack Ding _ Patricia Farrar-Rivas 6.'00 PM Regular Meeting Ron Wellander
6:00 P.M. — REGULAR MEETING
CONVENE, CALL TO ORDER, & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Lowe called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, Council Member Wellander ABSENT: Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no Closed Session held.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Council Member Wellander, to approve the agenda with item nine being moved to after item ?ve. Motioncarried 3-0-0-2 with Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar-Rivas and Council Member-Wellander voting YES, and Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding absent.
1. MEETING DEDICATIONS
None.
2. COUNCILMEMBERS’ REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Council Member Farrar-Rivas attended a Sonoma Valley Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting on September 27, 2023, as well as a Finance Committee meeting on September 28, 2023. On October 2, 2023, she attended an Economic Business Development Services meeting.
Council Member Wellander attended a Continuum of Care Board of Directors meeting on September 27, 2023.
Vice Mayor Gurney attended the Generation Housing event on September 22, 2023, to honor and recognize David Guhin for all his work during his tenure at the City of Santa Rosa during the 2017 wildfires. He also attended a Finance Committee meeting on September 28, 2023, and a Shared Services meeting with Susan Gorin on September 29, 2023.
3. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Manager Guhin announced that the City will hold a Joint Meeting between the City Council and Planning Commission on October 11, 2023, to discuss the general plan, starting at 6 p.m. He also reminded everyone that the second cemetery clean-up day is scheduled for this upcoming Saturday at the Mountains Cemetery. City Manager Guhin also mentioned that the Sonoma Art Walk starts on October 5, 2023.
4. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
None.
5. PRESENTATONS
Item 5.1: Proclamation Proclaiming October 2023 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the City of Sonoma
Item 5.2: Proclamation Proclaiming October 8-14, 2023, as Fire Prevention Week in the City of Sonoma
6. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Wellander, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried 3-0-0-2 with Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Wellander, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES, and Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding absent
Public Comment: Fred Allebach
Item 6.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction andlor Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action — no backup information provided)
Item 6.2: Adopt a Resolution to Accept a Monetary Donation From By the Bay Health to Cover Expenses Associated with Their Requested Electrical Installation and Upgrade to Accommodate the Lighting of the Hospice Tree Located in the Southeast Quadrant of the Sonoma Plaza (Lisa Janson, Senior Management Analyst) Action: Adopted as Resolution 64-2023.
Item 6.3: Receive Minutes from the Regular Meeting of September 18, 2023 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Minutes were received.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
Item 7.1: Public Hearing, Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Adopting the 2018 Water Rate Study Final Report, Adopting Water UtilityRates, and Making Findings. (Mike Berger, Public Works Director)
Action: Adopted as Resolution 65-2023.
Open Public Hearing: 6:44 PM
Public Comment: Francis Larsen, Stephen Gerardi, Fred Allebach, and BillBotieff.
Closed Public Hearing: 6:58 PM
City Clerk Barr reported that 33 qualified protest letters had been received, which did not meet the required threshold.
Motion by Council Member Wellander, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Adopt a Resolution Adopting the 2018 Water Rate Study Final Report, Adopting Water UtilityRates, and Making Findings. Motion carried 3-0-0-2, with Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Wellander, and Council Member Farrar—Rivas voting YES, and Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding absent.
8. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 8.1: A Resolution Establishing a Disclosure of Ex Parte Communications Policy (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #66-2023.
Public Comment: Fred Allebach and Carole Campbell
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Vice Mayor Gurney, to Adopt a Resolution Establishing a Disclosure of Ex Parte Communications Policy. Motion carried 3-0-0-2 with Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, and Council Member Wellander voting YES, and Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding absent.
Item 8.2: FY 23-24 Planning Commission Annual Work Plan (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director)
Action: FY2023-24 Planning Commission Annual Work Plan was approved.
Public Comment: Fred Allebach
Motion by Council Member Wellander, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Approve the FY2023—24Planning Commission Annual Work Plan. Motion carried 3-0-0-, with Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar—Rivas, and Council Member Wellander voting YES and Mayor Lowe and Council Member Ding absent.
9. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Fred Allebach provided public comment.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Vice Mayor Gurney adjourned the meeting at 7:47 pm.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meeting of tieS ma City Council on the 18"’day of October 2023.
Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk