REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
City Council: 177 First Street West
Ron Wellander, Mayor Monday, January 26, 2026
Sandra Lowe, Vice Mayor
Patricia Farrar-Rivas
John Gurney 6:00 PM Regular Meeting
Jack Ding
REGULAR MEETING
CONVENE, CALL TO ORDER, & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Wellander called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.
ROLL CALL:
PRESENT: Mayor Wellander, Vice Mayor Lowe, Council MemberFarr-Rivas, Council Member Gurney, and Council Member Ding
Vice Mayor Lowe participated in the meeting remotely in accordance with Government Code section 54953.8.3, pursuant to the Just Cause exception, due to a caregiving need for a grandchild.
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
Monique Muhlenkamp, Madolyn Edwards, Kimberly Torres, Morgan Taylor, Macy Tossman, Lisa Storment, Judi Ratto, KimPack, Judah White, and Belinda Head provided public comments.
Council Member Farrar-Rivas requested that the request for a Pride Flag Support Resolution, brought up during Public Comment, be agendized for further discussion by the Council.
2. MEETING DEDICATIONS
Vice Mayor Lowe dedicated the meeting to Gary Griffith, and Council Member Farrar—Rivasdedicated the meeting to Hannah Aclufi.
3. COUNCILMEMBERS’REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Council Member Gurney attended a Sonoma Tourism Improvement District (STID) meeting on January 8, 2026, as well as a Sonoma Valley Library Advisory Board meeting.
Council Member Farrar—Rivasattended the 2026 Annual League of California Cities (LOCC) Mayors & Council Members Academy in Sacramento from January 21 to January 23, 2026. Mrs. Farrar—Rivas also attended meetings with State Assembly Member Cecilia Aguiar—Curryand Senator Christopher Cabaldon. On January 7, 2026, she attended a Sonoma Ecology Center (SEC) meeting. She also reported that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reduced the amount that the Pacific, Gas, & Electric Company (PG&E) and other utilities can charge over their costs.
Council Member Ding also attended the 2026 Annual LOCC Mayors & Council Members Academy from January 21 to January 23, 2026. At the Academy, he attended a Policy Committee meeting.
Additionally, he was appointed as a Commissioner to the State Revenue and Taxation Committee for a one-year term. On January 26, 2026, Council Member Ding attended a Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SVGSA) meeting.
Mayor Wellander toured the new facility at Hannah Boys Center, “Today and Together,” which provides adult day care services to Sonoma Valley. He also had the opportunity to attend another homeless adhoc board meeting. Along with other councilmembers, he also attended the 2026 Annual LOCC Mayors & Council Members Academy from January 21 to January 23, 2026. Mayor Wellander met with the head of the County of Sonoma Parks to discuss a joint tree-planting enhancement project.
Mayor Wellander also provided an update to the council committee appointments for 2026 as follows: - Board/CommitteeICommission 026 Cit Reresentative 2026 Alternate Cit Finance Committee ohn Gurne Patricia Farr-Rivas
Sonoma Disaster Council - Sonoma Housino Corooration
Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority Oversight
Committee
Sonoma Tourism lmrovement District Board
on Wellander
on Wellander
on Wellander Sandra Lowe
John Gurne
noma Valle Libra Adviso Committee
onoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency
oard of Directors
noma Clean Power Authorit
noma Count Homeless Coalitio
Patricia Farr-Rivas
John Gurney
atricia Farrar-Rivas ack Dino
on Wellander ck Dino
Ron Wellander andra Lowe
sociation Board of Directors
noma County Mayor and Councilmembers
ssociation Leislative Committee
noma Count Trans ortation & Climate Authorities
Jack Ding Patricia Farrar—Rivas
Sandra Lowe
atricia Farr-Rivas
Zero Waste Sonoma
Sonoma Valle Communit Adviso Commission Ron Wellander Patricia Farrar-Rivas ' '
' ' Ron Wellander Sandra Lowe
Directors
Economic Develoment Steerin Committee
Water Adviso Committee
Association of Ba Area Governments ABAG
Ron Wellander atricia Farrar-Rivas
on Wellander ack Dino
andra Lowe atricia Farr-Rivas
State Route 37 Polio Committee
2 North Ba Watershed Association Board of Directors Patricia Farrar—Rivas Jack Dino
4. CITY MANAGERCOMMENTSAND ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Manager Guhin announced that the State of the Valley will take place on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 5:00 pm. at the Sebastiani Theater, and the annual City Council Goal Setting willtake place on Friday, January 30, 2026, from 12 — 5:00 pm. at the Sonoma Community Center. He also shared that the City was able to surplus another ambulance and send itto Ukraine to assist the frontline medics currently at war. Mr. Guhin also shared that the Department of Health Services at the County of Sonoma, which operates the Measure O HomeFirst program, was awarded $709,000 to help support homeless services. Lastly, City Manager Guhin reported that the Lovall Valley Road Bridge Repair project is now complete.
5. CITYATTORNEY COMMENTS
City Attorney Ruderman summarized a case challenging development impact fees in Los Angeles that was presented to the Executive Committee of the League of California Cities’ Legal Advocacy Committee, which reviews potential amicus brief support.
6. PRESENTATIONS
Item 6.1: Proclamation Proclaiming the Month of January 2026 as National Mentoring Month in the City of Sonoma
Item 6.2: Presentation on Sonoma Police Department 2025 Statistics by Brandon Cutting, Chief of Police
Item 6.3: Extreme Cold Weather Response Planning: Review of Activation Criteria & Emergency Warming Center Operations by Sarah Tracy, Senior Management Analyst/PIO)
Public Comment: RobertDemler and Annie Falandes
7. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the consent calendar as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 7.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction and/or Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action - no backup information provided) Item 7.2: Receive the Minutes for the Regular Meetings of December 3, 2025, and December 17, 2025 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: The minutes were received.
Item 7.3: Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of December 2025 (Prapti Aryal, Finance Director)
Action: The expenditure report was accepted.
Item 7.4: Adopt an Ordinance Amending Sonoma Municipal Code to Implement Housing Element Program 15 and an Ordinance to Implement Housing Element Program 20 and Finding the Ordinances Exempt from the California Environmental Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) - General Rule - of the CEQA Guidelines (Jennifer Gates, AlCP, Community Development Director)
Action: Adopted as Ordinance 01-2026 and 02-2026.
Item 7.5: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract for the Demolition of the Front Entry Trellis and the Deck Framing at Fire Station #1 in the Amount of 34,650.00, and Authorizing the City Manager to Approve $3,465 (10%) in Contingency, and Adopt a Resolution Authorizing a Budget Amendment to Increase Expenditures from Regular Meeting Minutes, January 26, 2026
the Long Term Building Maintenance Fund (Fund 610) (Ashley Cotter, Public Works Admin & Project Manager)
Action: Adopted as Resolution 01-2026.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
None.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 9.1: Selection of the 2026 City of Sonoma Alcalde (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Gary Edwards was chosen as the 2026 Alcalde for the City of Sonoma.
Public Comment: Robert Demler and BillLynch
Item 9.2: Mid-Year Budget Update Report for FY 2025-26 and a Resolution of the City Council Approving Mid—YearBudget Adjustments (Prapti Aryal, Finance Director) Action: The Mid-Year Budget Update Report was received and adopted as Resolution 02-2026.
Motion by Council Member Gurney, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Adopt a Resolution of the City Council Approving Mid-Year Budget Adjustments. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 9.3: Update on 2025 Council Goals (David Guhin, City Manager) Action: The 2025 Council Goals update was received.
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to continue the meeting after 9:00 p.m. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 9.4: Letters of Interest Received and Direction to Mayor Wellander or His Designee Regarding Nominations for Appointees to Regional Commissions & Committees on Behalf of the Mayors' and Councilmembers' Association of Sonoma County (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: The letters of interest were received, and direction was given to Mayor Wellander to nominate Stephen Zollman to the Childcare Planning Council and Mark Stapp and Tanya Potter to the Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Aviation Commission.
10. SECOND PUBLIC COMMENT (ONLY REQUIRED IF PUBLIC SPEAKERS REMAINFROM ITEM2.0) None.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Wellander adjourned the meeting at 9:18 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly received at a regular meeting of th ..Son City Council on the 4‘”of February 2026.
Rebekah Barr, MM , Iy lerk
Regular Meeting Minutes, January 26, 2026