REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
177 First Street West
Sandra Lowe, Mayor Wednesday, November 1, 2023
John Gurney, Vice Mayor
Jack Ding
Patricia Farrar-Rivas
Ron Wellander
6:00 PM Regular Meeting
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
Public Comment Process for ZOOM Attendance at Meetings
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Mayor Lowe
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no Closed Session held.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
1. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Public Comment was moved to the end of the meeting after several callers attempted to give hate speech comments.
2. MEETING DEDICATIONS
Council Member Farrar-Rivas dedicated the meeting to Charles “Chuck” Young. Mayor Lowe delivered a land acknowledgment statement recognizing Native American History Month.
3. COUNCIL MEMBERS’ REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Council Member Ding attended a Zero Waste Sonoma meeting on October 19, 2023.
Council Member Farrar-Rivas attended a Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission meeting on October 25, 2023. Council Member Farrar-Rivas also attended a Climate Mayors General meeting, on behalf of Maylor Lowe, on October 31, 2023, as well as a Local Aging and Disability Action Planning kick-off meeting. Council Member Farrar-Rivas appointed Micaelia Randolph to the Design Review and Historic Preservation Commission as her direct appointee.
Council Member Wellander attended a prefabricated box factory tour at Mare Island, along with Council Member Farrar-Rivas and City Manager Guhin on October 25, 2023. In addition to the tour, Council Member Wellander attended a Continuum of Care Board meeting on October 25, 2023.
Lastly, he attended a Groundwater Sustainability Committee meeting on October 30, 2023.
Mayor Lowe, along with her fellow Council Members, attended a Mayors and Councilmembers Legislative Committee meeting, which the City of Sonoma hosted in the Council Chambers on October 20, 2023. Mayor Lowe was honored to be invited by the Sherpa Club to their Award Ceremony. During the ceremony, four brothers were recognized after flying the California State flag on top of Mount Everest. Mayor Lowe also attended a Local Agency Formation Commission meeting on November 1, 2023.
4. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Manager Guhin provided an update on the two automated external defibrillators (AEDs) being installed in Sonoma Plaza. Mr. Guhin also reminded the Council and the public that the first General Plan Kick—OffCommunity Input meeting will be held tomorrow, November 2, 2023, at the Vintage House starting at 6 p.m. There is also another community meeting scheduled for November 13, 2023. In addition, there will be other opportunities for the community to provide input as well. Mr.
Guhin provided an update regarding the clean-up efforts at each City cemetery. The City will host another clean-up day this Saturday, 11/4/23, at the Veterans Cemetery starting at 9 a.m. Mr. Guhin provided an update regarding the Chase Street Bridge Project. Mr. Guhin also highlighted the fact that there has been a new blinking stop sign installed on Andrieux Street, and Public Works will be installing more around the City in the near future. Lastly, the City will host a Poster Open House at the Council Chambers starting at 4 p.m. on November 7, 2023, to allow the public an opportunity to enjoy the annual Vintage Festival posters.
5. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
None.
6. PRESENTATIONS
Item 6.1: Recognition of Nick Moline & Charles Mutscheller for their Distinguished Service to the City of Sonoma (Mike Berger, Public Works Director/City Engineer) Item 6.2: Recognition of Deputy Justin Clayton and Deputy Carson Schilling in Honor of their Receiving the Medal of Valor Award from the California State Sheriffs’ Association (Brandon Cutting, Police Chief)
Item 6.3: Presentation on the Proposed Improved and Enhanced Local Fire Protection, Paramedic Services, and Disaster Response Initiative and Sales Tax Petition (Steve Akre, Fire Chief)
7. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Vice Mayor Gurney, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 7.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction andlor Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action - no backup information provided)
Item 7.2: Receive Minutes of the Regular Meeting of October 18, 2023 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Minutes were received.
Item 7.3: Adopt a Resolution Cancelling the Regular Meeting Scheduled for December 4, 2023, and Scheduling a Regular Meeting on December 6, 2023 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #69-2023.
Item 7.4: Adopt an Ordinance Adding Chapter 9.93 to Title 9 of the Sonoma Municipal Code Regulating the Safe and Secure Storage of Firearms (Brandon Cutting, Police Chief) Action: Adopted as Ordinance #07-2023.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
None.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 9.1: Update on Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s Potter Valley Project and Support for Inclusion of Proposal in the Draft License Surrender Application for the Potter Valley Project (David Guhin, City Manager and Mike Berger, Public Works DirectorlCity Engineer)
Action: Update was received, and Council approved a Support for Inclusion of Proposal in the Draft License Surrender Application for the Potter Valley Project.
Public Comment: Fred Allebach
Mayor Lowe called for a recessat 8:02 p.m.; Council reconvened at 8:10 p.m.
Public Comment: Tom Conlon.
Motion by Vice Mayor Gurney, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to approve the Support for Inclusion of Proposal in the Draft License Surrender Application for the Potter Valley Project.
Motion carried unanimously.
General Public Comment was re-opened with multiple callers attempting to make hate speech comments.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lowe adjourned the meeting at 8:26 p.m.
I HEREBYCERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meeting -/‘of theS?omaCHE Council on the 15”’day of November 2023.
Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk