City Council
City Council
mar, 22 de julio de 2025
Puntos de agenda
Registros de votación
Resumen del debate
Transcripción
RESUMEN DE REUNIÓNGenerado por IA
Concejo Municipal — 22 de julio de 2025
Esta fue una sesión ordinaria del Santa Rosa City Council, celebrada con cinco de los siete miembros presentes (el Concejal Fleming estuvo ausente durante toda la reunión; la Vicealcaldesa Alvarez llegó después de la sesión cerrada). La sesión abarcó la supervisión policial, las tarifas del departamento de bomberos y la erradicación de maleza, una nueva política de imagen de marca de la ciudad, y un borrador de política de nomenclatura de activos municipales que generó una considerable participación pública.
Sesión Cerrada
El concejo se reunió a las 2:31 p.m. para la sesión cerrada. Dos asuntos de litigios existentes (Items 3.2 y 3.3) fueron pospuestos para la reunión del 5 de agosto de 2025. El concejo abordó el litigio anticipado (Item 3.1) y las negociaciones de bienes inmuebles (Item 3.4). Un miembro del público, Tom Robertson, habló brevemente durante el período de comentarios públicos de la sesión cerrada para describir un proyecto de apartamentos de 299 unidades a precio de mercado que él y un socio están desarrollando en 425 Mendocino Avenue en el centro de la ciudad, elogió al personal de la ciudad y señaló que la revisión de diseño se completó en 90 días. El City Attorney informó que no hubo acciones reportables en la sesión cerrada.
Proclamación — 40.° Aniversario de NAMI Sonoma County
El Concejal Rogers leyó una proclamación en honor al 40.° aniversario de NAMI Sonoma County, reconociendo cuatro décadas de educación, apoyo y defensa en materia de salud mental. Las representantes Mary Frances Walsh, Nick Fierro y Hana Seto aceptaron la proclamación y describieron brevemente cómo los programas de NAMI son llevados a cabo por familiares e individuos con experiencia vivida de enfermedades mentales.
Calendario de Consentimiento (Items 13.1–13.5)
Los siguientes asuntos fueron aprobados en conjunto:
13.1 Adjudicación de contrato para el mantenimiento de pavimento en Roseland (2025)
13.2 Resolución para un acuerdo de financiamiento cooperativo de Go Sonoma
13.3 Resolución que actualiza el Plan de Seguridad de Santa Rosa City Bus Transit Agency (2025)
13.4 Resolución que aprueba la compra de nuevas pistolas de servicio y accesorios de Pro Force Marketing, Inc., con canje del inventario actual
13.5 Resolución que extiende la proclamación de emergencia local por personas sin hogar
La Vicealcaldesa Alvarez formuló una pregunta de aclaración confirmando que los trabajos de pavimento del Item 13.1 incluyen South A Street. El Concejal Bañuelos hizo preguntas detalladas al Jefe Cregan sobre el Item 13.4 — la actualización de armas de fuego. El jefe y un sargento de entrenamiento explicaron que el departamento está reemplazando las envejecidas pistolas Glock 9mm (después de aproximadamente 10 años de uso) por versiones mejoradas que cuentan con miras montadas en la pistola (miras de punto rojo) y luces incorporadas para mejorar la adquisición del objetivo, particularmente en condiciones de poca luz. El entrenamiento incluirá un día inicial completo de 10 horas más bloques sostenidos de 4 horas cada 8 semanas. El jefe señaló que la compra está financiada con ahorros acumulados en la línea presupuestaria de armas de fuego (aproximadamente $45,000 por año, reducida a $20,000 debido a recortes presupuestarios), sin recurrir a fondos adicionales del fondo general. El canje de las armas actuales generará aproximadamente $100,000 en ahorros; los agentes podrán recuperar sus propias armas reglamentarias a través del distribuidor. El concejo también invitó a los concejales a participar en el entrenamiento en el campo de tiro.
Una oradora pública, Janice Karman, expresó su preocupación sobre las juntas inactivas y sobre si los comités asesores relacionados con el clima estaban siendo absorbidos por organismos de transporte de una manera que podría diluir el enfoque climático.
Votación: 6–0 (Fleming ausente). Propuesto por la Vicealcaldesa Alvarez, secundado por el Concejal Rogers.
Informe — Informe Anual del Auditor Policial Independiente (Item 15.1)
Michael Gennaco y Steven Connelly de OIR Group presentaron su tercer informe anual de auditoría del Santa Rosa Police Department. Hallazgos clave:
62 investigaciones internas se abrieron en 2024 de aproximadamente 117,000 llamadas al servicio de emergencias — aproximadamente el 0.05% de todas las llamadas. Diez de las 62 fueron iniciadas por la propia dirección del SRPD.
El número de recomendaciones de OIR ha disminuido cada año: de aproximadamente 20 en el Año 1 a 13–14 en el Año 2, hasta 5 recomendaciones en 2024 — lo que refleja menos brechas sistémicas en lugar de menor escrutinio.
Ninguna denuncia sostenida de sesgo policial en 2024. Las quejas relacionadas con la aplicación de normas hacia personas sin hogar cayeron drásticamente del 10–15% de los casos en años anteriores a solo 2–3 casos.
OIR destacó dos mejoras estructurales significativas: una nueva Major Incident Review Board que reúne al liderazgo del departamento y a expertos en la materia para un análisis profundo de incidentes significativos, y un nuevo cuerpo de entrenamiento dedicado (un sargento y dos agentes de tiempo completo) enfocado en la prevención anticipada de violaciones a las políticas.
Se adoptó una nueva política para quejas contra el jefe de policía, que requiere consulta con el gerente de la ciudad cuando surjan tales denuncias — una brecha que OIR identificó después de que una queja fuera investigada por un subordinado del jefe.
OIR utiliza monitoreo en tiempo real (en lugar de auditorías retrospectivas), lo que significa que son notificados el mismo día en que se presenta una queja y pueden intervenir mientras las investigaciones aún están activas.
OIR elogió el programa de respuesta conjunta en salud mental de la ciudad como un "estándar de oro" que otras jurisdicciones envidian.
Tres oradores públicos comentaron al respecto. Dana Flores compartió una experiencia positiva en la que el Jefe Cregan y un teniente respondieron rápida y personalmente para ayudar a un padre en duelo, llegado de fuera de la ciudad, a navegar el sistema. Janice Karman describió una difícil experiencia pasada con la policía, indicando que en ese entonces existía sesgo, y señaló que aún se muestra cautelosa pero que está intentando participar más. Gregory Repair, de Homeless Action, dijo que el informe es mucho más positivo que los informes de hace algunos años, y señaló una preocupación aparte sobre la actividad del CHP en Roseland Avenue, no relacionada con el SRPD.
Este asunto fue solo informativo; no se tomó ninguna votación.
Audiencia Pública — Programa de Erradicación de Maleza (Item 16.1)
La Mariscal de Bomberos Interina Kimberly Robbins presentó el informe anual del programa de erradicación de maleza del Santa Rosa Fire Department. De aproximadamente 10,000 parcelas identificadas e inspeccionadas durante la temporada de incendios de 2024, 84 resultaron en infracción tras una reinspección, 21 requirieron erradicación por parte de un contratista a expensas del propietario, y al 30 de junio de 2025, 41 parcelas tienen saldos pendientes de pago. Se solicitó al concejo que confirmara el informe detallado de costos para que los cargos puedan registrarse como gravámenes.
El comentario público incluyó a Janice Karman, quien elogió los trabajos recientes de erradicación en su vecindario, y a Michael Hilber, quien planteó preguntas sobre si los criterios de cumplimiento se están aplicando de manera demasiado amplia a grandes propiedades vacantes con solo un mínimo crecimiento de vegetación.
Votación: 6–0 (Fleming ausente). Propuesto por el Concejal MacDonald, secundado por el Concejal Rogers.
Audiencia Pública — Aumentos de Tarifas de Permisos de Bomberos (Item 16.2)
La Mariscal de Bomberos Interina Robbins presentó dos conjuntos de aumentos de tarifas:
1. Tarifas de micrografía y tecnología: aumentadas del 2.5% cada una al 4% cada una (un incremento de 1.5 puntos porcentuales), sin cambios desde 2006.
2. Tarifas de permisos operativos de CUPA (Certified Unified Program Agency): un aumento del 5%, sin cambios desde 2005, necesario para llevar el programa a la recuperación total de costos según lo exige CalEPA. El costo total de permiso anual para un pequeño taller automotriz típico aumentaría de aproximadamente $1,441 a $1,556.
Comentario público: Michael Hilber expresó su preocupación de que las altas tarifas de permisos contribuyeron al cierre de negocios (citando un desguace cerca de Lowe's). Janice Karman sugirió un aumento del 3% en lugar del 5% y planteó inquietudes más amplias sobre política tecnológica. Dana Flores preguntó si estos aumentos estaban reflejados en el presupuesto actual.
Votación: 6–0 (Fleming ausente). Propuesto por el Concejal Okrepkie, secundado por el Concejal Rogers.
Informe — Sello y Brand Book de la Ciudad (Item 15.2)
El Gerente Asistente de la Ciudad Jason Nutt y el Especialista en Comunicaciones Bryce Aston presentaron una propuesta para actualizar la Sección 1-04 del Código Municipal y adoptar un nuevo Brand Book 2025. El código existente contenía especificaciones de diseño detalladas (fuentes, colores, geometría del logotipo) que solo podían modificarse mediante ordenanza — lo que significaba que incluso el uso del color azul en el logotipo de Santa Rosa Water técnicamente violaba el código municipal. El cambio propuesto elimina ese detalle del código y en su lugar hace referencia a un brand book adoptado, que puede actualizarse mediante resolución.
El Brand Book 2025 actualiza la paleta de colores de la ciudad para que coincida con el relanzamiento del sitio web de diciembre de 2024, aclara los casos de uso formal e informal del logotipo para los departamentos, y actualiza las directrices de accesibilidad ADA.
El Alcalde Stapp señaló (con ligera ironía) una inconsistencia tipográfica en la página 11 que mezcla fuentes serif y sans-serif, y preguntó si el logotipo y la paleta de colores de 2013 (incluido el "mustard light") podrían ameritar una renovación completa de imagen en el futuro. El Concejal Okrepkie prefirió no opinar al respecto, mientras que el Concejal Rogers elogió el diseño de rosa incorporado en la infraestructura del centro de la ciudad.
Votaciones: Dos votaciones separadas — ambas 6–0 (Fleming ausente).
Introducción de la ordenanza: Propuesto por el Concejal Bañuelos, secundado por el Concejal Rogers.
Resolución para adoptar el Brand Book: Propuesto por el Concejal Rogers, secundado por el Concejal Bañuelos.
Informe — Política de Nomenclatura y Renombramiento de Activos Municipales (Item 15.3)
El Gerente Asistente de la Ciudad Nutt presentó un borrador de política integral para reemplazar la política de nomenclatura de parques de 1989. La nueva política abarcaría todos los activos municipales — parques, calles, edificios, espacios abiertos, plazas e instalaciones — y establecería:
Un proceso de revisión escalonado a través de las juntas y comisiones pertinentes antes de la acción del concejo
Un requisito de petición de 1,000 firmas (con el 50% de residentes adyacentes)
Criterios de nomenclatura que incluyen ubicación/historia, eventos significativos, individuos destacados (deben haber fallecido al menos 5 años antes), donaciones importantes, activos temáticos y derechos de nombre
Un nuevo mecanismo de nomenclatura ceremonial de calles (honorífico, no vinculante para las direcciones oficiales; mandato de 10 años; el solicitante cubre el costo de la señalización)
Un proceso de reconocimiento memorial que requiere aprobación del concejo
Una disposición de remoción de nombre que permite al concejo actuar con relativa celeridad cuando las circunstancias lo ameriten
La discusión del concejo generó preocupaciones significativas:
Carga económica sobre los solicitantes: El Concejal Bañuelos se preocupó de que exigir a los solicitantes pagar toda la señalización (potencialmente $90,000 para letreros iluminados de parques) excluiría efectivamente a los residentes de clase trabajadora de iniciar cambios de nombre.
"Quienes tienen y quienes no tienen": Tanto el Concejal Rogers como el Concejal Bañuelos cuestionaron si la categoría de donaciones privilegia a los donantes adinerados.
Requisito de 5 años desde el fallecimiento: El Concejal Okrepkie preguntó si esto aplica a la nomenclatura ceremonial de calles y expresó preocupación por su rigidez.
El Alcalde Stapp sugirió que el asunto fuera devuelto para discusión en un subcomité informal en lugar de ser redactado en el estrado, especialmente con dos concejales ausentes. El concejo estuvo de acuerdo.
El comentario público fue extenso y emotivo:
Jeremy de la Cruz describió un esfuerzo de seis años para renombrar Oak Lake Park en Rincon Valley en honor a Timothy Russell Glassey, un civil que murió en 2018 protegiendo a su familia de un hombre armado en Garfield Park. Se le informó que renombrar el parque requeriría $90,000 en señalización, lo que hace imposible el esfuerzo para él, y solicitó que su solicitud no sea reiniciada desde cero bajo la nueva política.
Joe Salinas (descendiente Pomo) instó a la ciudad a reconocer la historia indígena a través de la nomenclatura de parques, argumentó que el umbral de 1,000 firmas es poco realista para las comunidades nativas, y abogó por renombrar Flat Rock Park como Como Park (que refleja un sitio documentado de un poblado indígena). Vinculó la falta de reconocimiento indígena con crisis de identidad juvenil y de drogas.
Gregory Repair argumentó que los parques no deben llevar el nombre de donantes y recordó un intento fallido de nombrar un parque en honor a un director de parques de larga trayectoria que no había fallecido cinco años antes.
Janice Karman apoyó el reconocimiento indígena y sugirió involucrar a múltiples organismos de la ciudad en el proceso de revisión de diseño.
Mary Ann Michaels apoyó el renombramiento de Flat Rock Park y planteó una preocupación sobre qué sucede con un nombre si la instalación es cerrada posteriormente.
Un miembro de la Board of Community Services (designado por el Concejal Rogers) abogó por renombrar Roseland Creek Park como Como Park y solicitó que los asuntos de nomenclatura sean presentados ante esa junta en etapas más tempranas del proceso.
El concejo instruyó al personal a regresar con un borrador revisado tras discusiones informales del concejo. No se tomó ninguna votación.
Comentarios Públicos Fuera del Orden del Día
Los miembros del público plantearon: un reconocimiento de tierras indígenas y una solicitud para renombrar Flat Rock Park como "Come-Ta-Ri Park" (Mary Ann Michaels); oposición a la política militar de los EE. UU. y apoyo a los derechos palestinos (Elizabeth Nealon); una queja por ruido y molestias de un residente que vive adyacente a un parque de comida en Roseland (música reproducida durante 10 horas al día, uso de sopladores de hojas, construcción nocturna) quien solicitó a la ciudad que considere el historial de permisos en la próxima renovación; una solicitud para que la ciudad no contrate con proveedores que trabajen con ICE (Catherine Brouillette, Invisible Sonoma County); el reconocimiento al miembro de la comunidad Dwayne Doit por su trabajo en la construcción de puentes raciales y elogios al Kiwanis Club por la reformulación de una placa históricamente problemática (Lori); y un relato detallado de una golpiza racialmente motivada contra una pareja (Tai y Anya) en un camión de tacos en Santa Rosa Avenue a finales de mayo, con críticas a lo que los oradores describieron como una respuesta lenta del SRPD y la ausencia de un informe policial dos meses después (Tyler).
Informes del Concejo y del Personal
El Concejal MacDonald designó a Keating Vocal (Distrito 3) para la Board of Parks and Recreation, reemplazando a Omar Lopez, quien se mudó fuera de la ciudad. También informó sobre una presentación del Violence Prevention Program sobre estafas a abuelos, trabajos de erradicación de grafiti con organizaciones religiosas, una entrega de mochilas el 2 de agosto en Julia Davis Park, y un proyecto de cercado de Eagle Scout en Skyhawk Community Park a cargo de Nick Gundy.
El Concejal Rogers informó que el programa de experiencia laboral juvenil de la ciudad tuvo 255 participantes que ofrecieron 25,000 horas de voluntariado durante este verano.
El Concejal Okrepkie presentó un informe del Public Safety Subcommittee: el financiamiento de Measure H (impuesto del condado para incendios) traerá el primer camión de rescate pesado del condado (en servicio en julio de 2026) y un nuevo Engine 9 (en servicio el 6 de octubre de 2025) estacionado temporalmente en la Station 1; se espera que la Station 5 esté terminada este otoño. El Downtown Enforcement Team respondió a 2,400 llamadas el año pasado, realizó 650 arrestos, y junto con Public Works retiró más de 1,300 yardas de basura. La situación de personas sin hogar ha disminuido un 23% en todo el condado.
El Alcalde Stapp informó sobre un panel del Business Alliance con los alcaldes de Petaluma y Windsor para discutir desafíos presupuestarios y colaboración regional en servicios para personas sin hogar, una actualización sobre la expansión de Sonoma Clean Power en el condado de Lake, y su asistencia al corte de cinta del edificio FELIX de 168 unidades en el centro de la ciudad.
El Concejal Rogers (informando por el Concejal Fleming en SCTA/RCPA) señaló el financiamiento continuo del programa de mitigación de millas recorridas en vehículo y una fecha de finalización proyectada para noviembre de 2025 para el paso elevado de Hearn Avenue.
Puntos clave
Supervisión policial en mejora: El tercer informe anual de OIR muestra un progreso sostenido — solo 5 recomendaciones este año (frente a ~20 en el Año 1), ninguna conclusión sostenida de sesgo policial, y reformas estructurales significativas que incluyen una nueva Major Incident Review Board y un cuerpo de entrenamiento. El modelo de auditoría en tiempo real es reconocido como un modelo a nivel nacional.
Tarifas de bomberos aumentan por primera vez en ~20 años: Las tarifas de permisos de CUPA suben un 5% y las tarifas de tecnología/micrografía suben 1.5 puntos porcentuales cada una — aumentos moderados después de dos décadas sin ajustes, diseñados para lograr la recuperación total de costos.
Nuevo brand book adoptado: Los estándares de identidad visual de la ciudad se modernizan y se trasladan del código municipal a un marco más flexible basado en resoluciones, resolviendo los problemas de cumplimiento que existían con el uso de logotipos departamentales.
Política de nomenclatura de activos devuelta para mayor trabajo: Un borrador de política bien desarrollado generó fuertes preocupaciones del concejo y del público sobre la carga económica para los solicitantes de clase trabajadora, el requisito de 5 años tras el fallecimiento, y la relación entre las donaciones y los derechos de nomenclatura. El personal refinará el borrador mediante discusiones informales del concejo antes de someterlo a votación.
Nuevo proyecto de apartamentos en el centro de la ciudad en marcha: Un proyecto de edificio de mediana altura de 299 unidades a precio de mercado en 425 Mendocino Avenue está casi listo para comenzar las obras, con el desarrollador elogiando el proceso de revisión de diseño de 90 días de la ciudad como excepcional para California.
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Puntos de agenda (22)
Procedural (6)
1ProceduralHTTPS://SANTA-ROSA.LEGISTAR.COM/CALENDAR. CLICK ON THE "IN PROGRESS" LINK TO VIEW;
2ProceduralREMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED) To consider and take action on any request from a Council Member to participate in a meeting remotely due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances pursuant to AB 2449 (Government Code Section 549539(f)).
3ProceduralCOMCAST CHANNEL 28, AT&T U-VERSE CHANNEL 99; AND
4ProceduralVIA YOUTUBE AT HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/CITYOFSANTAROSA Public Comment may be made live during the meeting In-Person from Council Chamber or submitted in advance via email at cc-comment@srcity.org by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before the City Council Meeting. IN THE EVENT A COUNCIL MEMBER PARTICIPATES REMOTELY BASED ON JUST CAUSE OR EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES PURSUANT TO AB 2449, THE CITY WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH THE ZOOM LINK OR DIAL-IN NUMBER ABOVE.
12.1ProceduralJuly 8, 2025, Regular Meeting Minutes.
21.1ProceduralUPCOMING MEETINGS LIST
Closed Session
3.1Closed SessionCONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) and paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Government Code Section 54956.9: one potential case.
3.2Closed SessionCONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION (Paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9) (THIS ITEM IS CONTINUED TO THE AUGUST 5, 2025, REGULAR
3.3Closed SessionCONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION (Paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9) (THIS ITEM IS CONTINUED TO THE AUGUST 5, 2025, REGULAR
General Business
7.1General BusinessPROCLAMATION - NAMI 40TH ANNIVERSARY
9.1General BusinessREPORT OF SETTLEMENTS AND ACTIVE LITIGATION The City Attorney will report on all settlements authorized by Council in closed session that were finalized in June 2025, which includes but may not be limited to all settlements requiring the City to pay more than $50,000. The City Attorney will also provide a summary of pending litigation against the City.
11.1General BusinessMAYOR'S/COUNCIL MEMBERS' SUBCOMMITTEE AND LIAISON REPORTS (AND POSSIBLE COUNCIL DIRECTION TO BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ON PENDING ISSUES, IF NEEDED) 11.1.1 Council Subcommittee Reports 11.1.2 Sonoma County Transportation Authority/Regional Climate
15.1General BusinessREPORT - INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR ANNUAL REPORT BACKGROUND: On November 30, 2021, the City entered into contract with the OIR Group to become an independent auditor of the Santa Rosa Police Department. The OIR group reports directly to the City Manager and reviews internal investigations, conducts audits of policies, practices, and records, and conducts community outreach. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the City Manager that the Council receive a presentation by the OIR Group LLC of the annual report of Santa Rosa Police Department oversight. This is for information and no action will be taken.
15.2General BusinessREPORT - ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AMENDING CHAPTER 1-04 OF THE CITY CODE ENTITLED “CUSTODY AND USE OF CITY SEAL AND OTHER OFFICIAL
15.3General BusinessREPORT - CITY ASSET NAMING AND RENAMING POLICY BACKGROUND: The purpose of this policy is to establish uniform guidelines for naming and renaming of City of Santa Rosa (City) Assets. This policy is crafted to ensure that naming and renaming of City Assets reflect the City’s rich historic and cultural values including the diversity, equity and inclusion for all community members and visitors. City Asset names should primarily honor places, history, persons, organizations, events and the natural environment with a focus on local significance and may also reflect California or national names when appropriate. If adopted, this policy will replace Council Policy 000-25, titled “Park
16.2General BusinessPUBLIC HEARING - INCREASE IN FIRE PERMIT ADMINISTRATION
Consent Calendar
13.1Consent CalendarMOTION - CONTRACT AWARD - ROSELAND PAVEMENT
13.2Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - GO SONOMA COOPERATIVE FUNDING
13.3Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - SANTA ROSA CITYBUS PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY
13.4Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - APPROVAL AND ISSUANCE OF A PURCHASE ORDER TO PROFORCE MARKETING, INC. FOR THE PURCHASE OF NEW DUTY HANDGUNS AND ACCESSORIES AND TRADE-IN OF
13.5Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - EXTENSION OF PROCLAMATION OF LOCAL
Public Hearing
16.1Public HearingPUBLIC HEARING - SANTA ROSA FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL
Votos adicionales registrados en actas
Approve Consent Calendar Items 13.1 through 13.5
aye 6 · absent 1
Alvarezaye
Ben Willowsaye
Flemingabsent
MacDonaldaye
Okrepkieaye
Rogersaye
Stappaye
Adopt Resolution Confirming Itemized Report of Santa Rosa Fire Department Weed and Rubbish Abatement Costs
aye 6 · absent 1
Alvarezaye
Ben Willowsaye
Flemingabsent
MacDonaldaye
Okrepkieaye
Rogersaye
Stappaye
Adopt Resolution Increasing Fire Permit Administration and Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Fees
aye 6 · absent 1
Alvarezaye
Ben Willowsaye
Flemingabsent
MacDonaldaye
Okrepkieaye
Rogersaye
Stappaye
Introduce Ordinance Amending Santa Rosa City Code Section 1-04-020 Regarding Custody and Use of City Seal and Official Insignia
aye 6 · absent 1
Alvarezaye
Ben Willowsaye
Flemingabsent
MacDonaldaye
Okrepkieaye
Rogersaye
Stappaye
Adopt Resolution Adopting the 2025 Brand Book
aye 6 · absent 1
Alvarezaye
Ben Willowsaye
Flemingabsent
MacDonaldaye
Okrepkieaye
Rogersaye
Stappaye
Transcripción literal disponible
115 segmentos de transcripción indexados
>> Good afternoon. I'd like to ask interpreter currently on the Spanish Channel to commence interpretation of the meeting for those just joining the meeting, live interpretation in Spanish is available and members of the public or staff wishing to listen in. Spanish can join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon. In the zoom toolbar, it looks like a club. If you're on your cell phone or tablet locate the 3 dots, tap them lightly and put a check mark on your preferred language. Click don't activate and begin the interpretation. Won't you join the Spanish Channel. We recommend you shut off the main audio. So you only hear the Spanish interpretation the siege or will you please restate this in Spanish t want us to this? That a new about the netting to protect his who was then a niche by new owner. >> Quite get for the poor. We call on and give us a school. China's put you on no need. I cannot but no se and the peak in any corner, there's no You give it an to this and that but did have a the ship and have this storm. She says went on and live from that not that it to case in the U.S. To this point, the dust gets will instead enough. But this will be dot for to the to check. Yeah. That's ticket. Unicef that exceed in Alex could be different this year at Apollo me get you this place. Peak in the still all Don? When I was just a minute, not in But, you difficult and that most people, not kind that Inglis and we'll do it. But it's cool gesture that meant that ended with the I know with just Yes, back to you. >> Welcome everyone. The time is 2.31 and will call this meeting to city clerk. >> Thank you, Mayor Councilmember Rogers, PRESIDENT Councilmember Okrepkie here, Councilmember
MacDonald here, Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willow scare Vice Mayor Alvarez. Mayor, stop here. Let the record reflect all councilmembers are present with the exception Councilmember Fleming and Vice Mayor Alvarez. >> Thank you very much. We'll move ahead to a closed session items items. 3.2 3.3. But with conferences with legal counsel and existing litigation have both been continued to the AUGUST 5th 2025 regular meeting. We will proceed with item 3.1, which is our conference with legal counsel and anticipated litigation and item 3.4, our conference with real property negotiators. Are there any public are there any members of public who wish to comment on either of these items? Seeing none. Did you wish We have Tom, my apologies. Time. >> Good afternoon. Members of council. MR. Mayor. I'm Tom Robertson. I've been involved in Santa Rosa in particular downtown for a long time. Are you going back to 1990? Our company has had a commitment here and we did the restoration of the Rosenberg Department store building and from aren't unable to downtown long time ago. It seems like a lifetime in any we are now joining Robinson, my partner to build 4.25 Humble apartment project, which is 299 market rate. Mid-rise make shoes, apartment building was a commercial space. We're doing very, very We have funding lined up for waiting for the
approval of bank loan, which we've been told by both the banks, representatives and he equity sponsor whose ranging it. That is a very easy long to prove. We expect any day now really. And our hope is that we'll be able break ground, you like this month or early next month. Any I really can't talk about this project that out complimenting the staff from top to bottom and a city really been a fantastic experience. We began 8 months ago the project was the prove from a design review standpoint in 90 days which I don't know city, record budget way up there in terms any approvals for a project of this size in California. We, of course, are working in the downtown where you have your new stationery stationary, great We hope to sort of kick start to some, get it going. It 299 units will be a win-win for the city. You've been kind enough find us a grant for infrastructure, off-site, infrastructure. And we're hoping for additional funding. So they're going to be some moments over the next 2 month. When will probably be. Talking to you guys again and hoping for continued support your support, the support of the staff simply phenomenal. And i really believe that we get this project going. You have a for 20 Mendocino Project completed a granny units and it's going well and we're going to get to Station area plan moving and can't thank you enough for all support and look forward to further support in a solid
relationship with you, folks. And of course, if you have any questions we'll make ourselves available. Robin, myself over the coming weeks and look forward to meeting with some of you. We can talk about the downtown, but more particularly obviously our project. Thank you very much. Tom. Thank you for building in Santa Rosa. Thank you for stopping by to talk about a positive experience. It's great. It's great to hear. >> Are there any other members of the public wish to speak? Seeing none. We'll close public comment and we will recess into closed session. Welcome back, everyone. The time is 4 o'clock and will reconvene MADAM City clerk. Would you please call the roll? >> Thank you, Mayor Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember Okrepkie here, Councilmember MacDonald here, Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willows here. Vice Mayor Alvarez PRESIDENT Mayor, stop here. Let the record reflect all councilmembers are present with the exception of Councilmember Fleming. >> Thank you. We'll move to item 6.1. Our report on closed session. MADAM City, Attorney, thank you, MR. Mayor, there was no reportable action taken in today's closed Sessions. Thank you to item proclamation on nominees 40th anniversary. As Rodgers. >> Thank you, Mayor. Whereas since establishment in 1981 Namie Sonoma County has provided education and support to those affected by mental illness advocated for local policies that increase access
to mental health care for all and raise community awareness through mental health and local resources whereas Namie Sonoma County celebrates 4 decades of dedicated service to our communities and continued commitment to its mission of helping individuals and families affected by mental health conditions to build better lives through education, support, advocacy and by raising public awareness now, therefore, be it resolved that our mayor marks tap on behalf of the entire city Council in recognition of our community do hereby extended, heartfelt congratulations 10:00am e Sonoma County on this milestone a commendation for its outstanding contributions to the health of our communities. Namie Sonoma County 40th anniversary. >> Wonderful. And we have Mary Frances Walsh here to Please visit whatever microphone, his closest. Maybe that one of the top corner. Or every whatever's closest he would love that. You say a few words. Thank you them. >> They are staffed and thank you council members I'm here with to my colleagues, Nick Fierro, whose our communications coordinator. And a Hanukkah see to our program coordinator and we're p# # # # of the community that creates nami Sonoma County. So many of our programs are carried out by family members and individuals with lived. Experience people who know what it's like to deal with serious mental illness to have somebody in and out of an emergency departments, somebody in and out of jail,
somebody hospitalized and not know quite how to navigate the system to get help and get support and feel comfortable. Talking about it. Thank you out. We do this work because it means so much to us. Personally. We all have our own lived. Experience. And we appreciate the recognition. Thank you so much. Thank you for the incredible work that nami does for the community and thanks to entire team for being here today. >> We want to be photo in just a few seconds. But before we do that, we're going to open this up to public comment. Are there any members of the public they would like to speak on this item. Ma'am, you're standing at a podium. Are you wishing to speak? Wonderful. All right. Thank you very much. Seeing none were, quote, close public comment and will ask the nami team to come down to the front so we can take a photo. Thank you again to the nami team and we'll move on to item our city manager and city attorneys reports MADAM City manager. >> Or assistant assistant city manager. There's there is that switch air. Thank you, Jason, that assistant city manager. >> Have one update today of 2025 fall-winter fall. Winter activity guide from Santa Rosa. Recreation and Parks will be available beginning this Thursday, JULY 24th. It's produced a English and Spanish would be available online at Santa Rosa Rec dot com or can be picked up at Family Community Center and registration for all programs. Begin at 07:00am on Thursday, JULY 31st. Hopefully we'll have a great registration and a lot of fun coming this upcoming fall Winter. Thank you. That does it for me.
That's a good update. Thank you. And city manager not at a city attorney. Thank you, MR. I do have the litigation report for There were no settlements previously authorized by counseling, closed section. >> That were finalized in the month of JUNE. Our caseload remains relatively constant. We have 33 current litigation matters. Many cases are currently assigned, aren't currently in the discovery phase with trial dates assigned to most. We have a few in the appellate stage as always. We continue to try to resolve smaller cases at little or no cost to the city. Thank you. Thank you. More on then to item 10 or statements of abstention or accused of what council members are there, any statements of abstention Ulrich are accused this evening. >> There are item 11 mayor and Councilmembers reports. Are there any reports from counsel this evening? MR. Donald. >> Thank you. Mayor have a few things to report out on. First said like to start off by appointing someone new to the board of Parks and Recreation. She's here this evening are my former appointee Omar Lopez had to resigned since he recently moved out of the city of Santa Rosa limit. So I want to publicly thank him for his time and dedication to that board. But I am excited that Keating vocal is going to be representing district 3. He moved here from Tampa, Iran 2020 and lives our district. She's a tax accountant. So she
has a background finance as well as some it support that ac on her bio. But most impressive is she is a marathon runner and has ran the half-marathon Santa Rosa twice and is an avid hiker and loves the outdoors in our parks and fines like I do the importance of having open spaces. We move to the end. Housing specifically in the downtown area. She's married and has 2 kids and has to grandchildren. And so please join me in welcoming Keating to the board. >> And then I just like to briefly announced, I appreciate that. Keating was so forward thinking that she put application in advance. So when there are seats that become available in our districts having those on file is really important for us to know who's available in our districts and to have that process already done and makes it so that it's easier to point somebody when we do have a vacancy. So I want to say thank you for for the ad that went into the press, Democrat from our staff and also for your forward thinking of having that in place and it brought me that much delight to see such qualified applicants. So thank you. I also attended the ribbon cutting at 4.20 Min. Does he know the new Felix building and just want to congratulate the developers on? So it's a job well done downtown. I was there with many of my colleagues and they might have more to add to that. But want to say thank you for that development that's going through and it's exciting to see so many units becoming available in our downtown
area. I attended the first Public Safety committee meeting this morning Councilmember Okrepkie will be reporting on that. As chair of the violence Prevention program. I have some things report out. Santa Rosa pd did a presentation on scams that are happening in our community specifically on young a grandchildren are not really calling their grandparents, but they're asking their grandparents. They're scamming them to get money from them. They're saying that they're going to send a carrier to their home to pick up gift cards to pick up money to help get them out of jail. And so I think it's really important that people are aware that this is happening. I know it's happened in my district. And so it was great to have a presentation from srpd. There's information that they have on their website around those scams and how to make sure that we're being cautious when we have those spate calls from grandkids saying that they're in distress, that they have a dui. There's a lot of place at places that we've been dealing with. These kinds of things. We also are working with some of our faith based organizations on graffiti abatement program. >> And so we'll be just in the beginning talks of how we can work with the city as well as our organizations to help support houses in residential areas that continuously get tagged. And so we were excited to hear that. On AUGUST. Second in Julia Juilliard Park. They'll be a backpack and school supplies giveaway
to those who need that. It starts at 10 30 and that will support transitional kindergarten through 8th grade. We also know that there's been a lot reporting distress. That ice is in certain parts of our community. And so one of the things that has rpd had available was information on the Web site. How to find out who's in your neighborhood and always feel free to call dispatch and find out what officers are working in our neighborhoods. This is an effort to let people know when our officers are out there or sheriffs are out there that not all of them are ice. And so please work with our officers do that. We can be there to protect the community, but also know that there's a way to get information so that you can find out who's in your neighborhood and feel safe. See, we have a couple of youth empowerment groups and pro social activity groups happening this summer. One of them is 18 culinary job training program. And I understand tomorrow they're going to be able to test some of that culinary training at the thinly center. I'm not able to attend, but I hope some of the council is able to. And finally, I just want to say thank you to Boy Scout troop one. 21 that Putin are 650 feet of split rail fence in the Sky Hawk Community Park as part of an Eagle Scout project led by Nick Gundy. So this is just such a great example of collaboration between Parks Department and our volunteers to enhance our parks and bring our community
members together. So thank you, Nic Gundy for choosing District 3 and skyhawk community part for your Eagle Scout. Job. And I wish you the best of luck on getting that. >> Thank you, MR. Donald Rogers. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to give brief report out on an an activity that I was able take. Partake in, although I did not get in the pool. Our work experience program here at the city. We had 255 participants youth that participated in that program. And I found it really fascinating to know that they volunteered. 25,000 hours between the 255 participants this summer for that program, some of them it was the first summer that they have participated. >> And in many of them, they. >> Keep returning. I was told that Santa Rosa has the best summer job But most of them are volunteers so they don't get paid. But we're still the best. So I really love that. I wanted to. Yeah, again, thank them for there. >> Service to our community. Thank their parents, some of them for driving them back and forth to whatever site they were assigned. And continued to come back because the community need to the children that you are serving need to. But thank you very much. Thank you, MR. Crabb t. >> Thank you, MR. To this
morning bright nearly we had public safety subcommittee meeting in the 2 major items were first the measure h Implementation Plan update, which for those that did not attend unless you are online, you didn't which is our county. Why tax measure for our fire services. >> And some exciting news to come out of that is the approved funding so far includes one new heavy rescue engine, which helps with shoring up buildings in Clay's in cases of collapse. Trench collapse, very specialized things as well as doing the day-to-day medical response most of our fire engines do. It'll be the first heavy rescue in the county will just us great resource for the city, but also county wide on mutual aid that's expected to go into service JULY. First of 2026. But more exciting. Is that? We will have a new engine engine 9 that will start service on OCTOBER 6th of this year as well as battalion engine 9 will temporarily be attestation one until we find is permanent home and then station 5 will accommodate time to and when you receive station 5, that is also because station 5 will be completed this fall as well. An open. And if you have not gone over, found over recently, it's pretty remarkable sight to see. In addition, we had an update on the downtown enforcement team who responded to 2400 calls last year made 650 arrests. The downtown, of course, that he not only participates are not only the covers downtown is a special enforcement area, but also is that enforcement and at abc part portion of the police department because of there are no no large encampment currently within
the city of Santa Rosa, based on the point in time, count homelessness is down 23% because Santa Rosa has the largest share of the unhoused population. We expect that to be very similar decrease here most impressive isn't a partnership with our transportation public Works Department because of them. They were able to remove over 1300 yards of trash and refuse left behind. So big thanks to the downtown enforcement team. And with that, I will end my report. Thank you. And just 3 quick items from me on the nine's. I had the pleasure of presenting with Mayor Gerard. You touch a Ver park and mayor retro Cirino said of Windsor. >> We did panel presentation at the Business Alliance. Snow County talking about our respective budgets situations and how we are. We are working together and with other cities in Sonoma County and with the county itself to do things more efficiently, particularly in areas of homeless services. As we've talked about here in the past. And so we had the chance to speak to about 150 attendees that morning. And there will be more events like this. There's great collaboration between the cities in the county right now and the county itself. And then in the 10th, I attended the Sonoma Clean Power Board meeting in place of MS. Fleming was traveling we got an update on the Lake County expansion project, as we have talked about in the past, Sonoma, clean power as the great project under way of trying to take its operations over the Lake County to provide green energy over in the county where a lot of that energy is produced in the geysers on doing really nice things for the residents of Lake County. So we got an update on that. And then as Ms
MacDonald mentioned, I think almost all of us are at the few its ribbon last week, which was just fantastic 168 units downtown. It's just a perfect symbol of what we want for our downtown area. Residents love it. We love And lots of lots of other interesting plans for our downtown area in the future. So stay tuned for more good news. And without all conclude, my report hopes this Rodgers. >> I just wanted to say that I was able to attend as because council broke He was unable to attend and there were 2 things that I wanted to report out for that one and action was taken to continue with the vehicle. Miles traveled mitigation program for Sonoma County that was approved to continue that. And then the second thing was a there was a protected completion date for the Hearn overpass of NOVEMBER of this year. So that is pretty exciting. >> And that the the >> second part of the old Hearne overpass was demolished about a week ago. So that itself is pretty exciting, especially for those of us that live on that side of town and are watching this put together. So thank you, mayor. >> That's a great update. We're looking forward to that ribbon cutting. All right. With that will go to public comment on this item. Are there any members of the public who wish to speak on any of the reports that we've
given? Seeing none? We'll go to item 12 approval of minutes. We have we are reviewing the 7/8/2025 meeting minutes. Were there any edits corrections? Seeing none. We can adopt the minutes as submitted and we can go on to consent. MADAM City Clerk. Thank you, Mayor. I mean, interrupt myself because misspent way lows just reminded me that we do have to do public comment on the minutes. I like to forget that at least once every meeting, are there any public comment on the minutes? Indeed, has there ever been public comment on the minutes? Seeing none. We'll move on to item 13 consent. MADAM City Clerk. >> Okay. Item. 13.1 is a motion contract award. Roselyn pavement, maintenance 2025. Item 13.2 is a resolution go Sonoma, Cooperative funding agreement item 13.3 is a resolution. Santa Rosa City. Best public Transit Agency. Safety plan 2025. Update. Item. 13.4 is a resolution approval and issuance of a purchase order to Pro Force Marketing incorporated for the purchase, the new duty handguns and accessories and trade and of current inventory item. 13.5 is a resolution extension of proclamation of local homeless emergency. >> I think you bring it back to council. Are there any questions City Vice Mayor Alvarez? >> Thank you, mayor. And I don't see here in the but it was question simple. Maybe out are high over the and a yes or no suffice. Another 2.1 It is
part of on the perfect there's a little mark on the map that provided for us. And I just want to make her or confirm that it is south a street that is being worked on in that or a sinner Saint. We're South Street and South Street. Other thing that was and he not say that it is indeed the streaming work on. And that's my question. Thank you. MISS Ben Willows. >> I had just a few questions item 13 calling for. I was wondering if maybe. There he is. The chief us, if you could answer just a couple of questions, please. Want to come on down. >> Looking looking at our meeting time and you might be down here for a little bit. So settle in. Thank right. Our training sergeant here today to start brought him as subject matter expert. >> Excellent, great. Thank you so much. Yet scientists, I understand that we're replacing what you currently have. And I just had some questions around that is that it was going through the staff report speaking of training, what kind of training will be provided for the. Let me see, I get this right. Pistol mounted. Up up, took seconds. Optics is that they're called pm owes. Absolutely. I'll give just a high level in a letter training sergeant going to even greater detail. We have one of our full-time training officers here tonight as well. But for us, we already have to post which is the police officers standards and training. >> Mandate to train. Our
officers are going through blocks of firearms training both through their handguns or rifles or shotguns or less lethal weapons throughout the year. But for us, this is the same clock platform we have. So it's the same 9 millimeter Glock platform. But what we're adding as these have 10 years of use with thousands around and a lot of exposure out in the elements were out in the rain. But there are some big upgrades that were doing instead of traditional fixed iron sites that we have a handgun, that it has these red dots sites which gives you like quicker target acquisition. But also you're able to keep both eyes open with it and really at the end of the day, be a much more accurate shot. And for us like literally inches matter on these things. So being like, so precise with and then also what's really important for me is that officers have a clear line of sight, but view of the scenes of these have mounted lights on them, too. So if you were going to house or at night time into specifically most police shootings of current night, but to make sure that officers really clearly see and what a difference it makes with him having a clear vision to be able to see. Oh, that's a cell phone in someone's hand, not a firearm with that and not and really be able to prevent maybe some shootings happen with it. So we have something that we're really excited this year. We created to full-time training officer position because it's so important for me in these training officers are looking into issues at with our uses of force with our pursuits with anything we do and looking for training transit really having that more upstream approach to like, let's fix these problems before we start seeing them and issues on the street with that, it's our training officers have developed a post
approved training course for the transitions as the same gun. But now is have the new site, obviously with like that. So we're going to be going through a full day of training with our officers before they're issued. The guys don't have to be able to get the training with our residential experts internally. They'll have to be able to shoot and demonstrate they're accurate. They're used. Their knowledge of those firearms are Turner are training. Sergeant has a lot more detailed. He runs this team. Thanks very much. Chief us, ma'am. The chief did a great job explaining it. I think. >> For us the initial training will be approximately 10 hours. It'll cover target discrimination, different lighting conditions. Just the basic functionality of the system. And then we'll have continued sustainment training generally every 8 weeks for the officers and where they'll receive another for our block will make sure that they're comfortable with the system. They can operate. It and then we can address kind of any anything from there. But I think the Chiefs explanation is quite good. >> Okay, great. Thank you. And thanks for telling me how much time the 10 hours and the day and all of that. >> that will be continuing throughout the year. Do is it how many training bucks a year we do with the firearms? You, sir? We do. This will be a 10 hour full day dedicated every 8 weeks will. So we'll probably get another 4 blocks and have 4 hours to 5 hours each so total for a year would be about 30 to 40 hours, which right in line with national standards, if not a little bit higher. Great. Thank you. >> And then I was wondering about disposal. >> I think the report indicated that it's going to be a trade in. >> Primarily is that are there
any other alternatives to that? I did read that and I don't know how accurate is that sometimes these end up in crimes later if depending on where they get sold, some just kind of curious about why we're only doing a trade in were we looking at other alternatives? >> That rate all comes down the costs. So we're basically getting $100,000 taken off the price for trading in existing. Not only the handguns, but some older shotguns. We transitioned in the past with our able to trade in some of those with that, the only other option we have is to have those destroy to come down to the cause. That study is a little misleading. I looked into that myself. He was like making the decision and that's a study that gets passed around. Sometimes if you really look more into the granular details of that, it's not necessarily think all those were involved in crimes. But have been found at crime scenes are located a crime scene so they could just be a residence that was associated with a firearm. One thing that we're doing to mitigate that, too, is that we're working that our police officers could actually buy back their old firearm through the dealer. But we're not allowed be a federally licensed dealer to be able do that. Can't do that as the police chief. So it goes into the custody of the farms, solar and then our officers can buy back their firearms. So I would actually say of a majority of these firearms are actually going to go back to the police officers. I don't buy those firearms with that. They just have to buy it at a market rate from the dealer with that with it. But the reality is some will be some be transferred and that some will be held in the possession of the gun dealer and sold on the market. The reality is to anywhere in Santa Rosa. New in California, across the nation,
you can buy firearm. So it I think it's difficult stretch as maybe some would argue that saying that that they're more likely to be used and are there going to be an increase in firearms? But it comes down to assess being able to time out on being fiscally responsible with that in saving $100,000 with our city and then hopefully mitigating some of those concerns with officers buying back those firearms. >> And then the last thing I was wanted to ask about was maintenance. So when I was reading about the fiscal impacts, it looks like all of this is covered and your current budget. But I also understand that there's ongoing will you just putting that into your budget for the following year or how? How are you looking at maintenance of this kind of more high-tech? I felt like I was reading it. The more high tech type of weapon. >> It will be I mean, the same gun platform is the same. So now we actually are adding just the red dot sights and the lights to it with that. But we're building we already have budgeted. So we're not coming to council asking for additional funds during such tight times. We basically have have a savings account that we had. It was 45,000 per year that we got word firearms and for ammunition and all these things. And it was like to build up. So I've been strategically kind of saving this for this purchase. So we have enough to be able to make this without asking for it in additional funds and we'll be using. So we did with some of the budget cuts that got reduced to 20,000, but that will be doable. But staying between our line item budget that we have for fire maintenance and we have an internal team. So we have 5 Armour's right now that are
internal team, including our training team run by Sergeant Vickers. Here our internal team that saves a lot of the training of cost because they're able to do their own work. Some of these things will have like some of the warranties on these things like that. So I'm confident of the day that you're not going to see an increase. Anything, you're going to see a decrease as our current firearms are aging. We're starting to see more issues with him after the thousands of rounds exposed to the elements. So in the long run, we're going to have a safer platform for officers. I think you're going to see some of the costs go down and luckily we're able to kind of strategically save up for this moment to its not hitting the general fund dollars. And just to follow that and thank you for that. >> How long do you think these new ones will last? You know, you just have that the other ones that you have currently? Yeah, absolutely. And start to Biggers might do to give more details. I think we'll confidently get another 10 to 15 years off of these firearms with that. If we continue our >> current training practices and the number around that we're putting into these firearms. So I think very confidently. We're talking somewhere in the range of 10 to 15 years from now before we're asking to make another purchase. And that's something that will start carefully saving for today. Thank you so much. Really appreciate But also for the purposes of the public. So thank you. Jus thank you for. >> Thank you. Any other questions council vice Mayor? I'll speak for myself. I probably had better understanding of what the the officers go through and in the firing training classes. If we we counselors to participate bubble any day of the week.
Other than 2 days. Yes, thank you. >> And we are working on some virtual trainings that we're having to that can kind of put you going through some of those things. But maybe want to prepare a council be in the range. >> All right. Thank you. Any other questions? And will open up to the public? Are there any any members of the public who would like to comment on the consent items as Carmen? Floor is yours. >> To what? What are the numbers for the consent items? >> From weather team 0.1 to 13.5. Thank you. Thank you. Chief Cregan. >> All right. Thank Janice. Karman greetings to all of you and glad to see you again. I'd like to comment on the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and regional Climate Protection Authority. I've looked through the boards and committees it's as common. I don't think that's one of the consent items tonight. Listen, I sing in. >> So these are the items. 13.0. 1, 3.5, okay. 13.1. Okay. I just got here late. Okay. Alright. I'm sorry. I thought he starting. No, no problem. Thank you. Are there any other members of the public that would like to speak on the consent items? Saying No, resume air >> MR. Mather item relating to go Sonoma as 13.2 and I don't know if that's what Carmen was was attempting to speak on, but that is a nasty tca. Thank you for that clarification. I was reading too quickly Carmen was that intend to speak on 13.2, it's really sure to say about it. Yes. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. This is what I just wanted to bring up is that I've been looking through the boards in the commission's since this Terrance. Tom got pointed to the city Planning Commission when he lives in District 4 and Victoria District arts, which is district 3. So I looking through all of them. I found a number of inactive communities and one of them because I remembered that one of the 7 goals or 6 goals used to be. Now it's 7 was climate and climate is big. Climb is big with everybody that knows stuff about what's going on. And it was inactive. So I just wanted to be sure that it's not getting joined with something else that would override what climate is about. And the experts in the kind of people that you would trying to learn from with climate. I feel like climate is enough without joining it to something I'm just going to say that on the transportation climate thing. Thank you, Janice. >> Are there any other members of the public would like to speak? Seeing none. All bring it back to the vice mayor for a motion. I like to move 13.1 through 13.5 and wait for the reading of the text. >> Second, we have a motion and a second for MISS Rogers. MADAM City clerk. Whenever you're ready, you can call the vote. >> Thank you. Councilmember Rogers, I. Councilmember Okrepkie. I Councilmember MacDonald tie. Councilmember Fleming is absent. Councilmember Ben Yes, vice mayor, however, s I mayor
stop. Yes, but the record reflect motion passes with 6 affirmative votes with Councilmember Fleming. Absent. >> Thank you. And we are moving quickly through our agenda. We're going to hold off on public comment on non agenda matters to 5 o'clock. And we're going to begin with our report items starting with item 15.1. Our report on the our annual report on end of independent police auditor. In a report from the independent police auditor, I should say. Do we Mr? Conoco and MR. Connelly, Perfect. Welcome back. Yeah. Why they make their way to the podium. So I'm excited to introduce item 15.1. >> Independent police auditor annual report. So I look forward to exit. I this item coming to council and before the public yearly as we want to continue to show our transparency. And our relationship with the community. But we know I are in our police department. We do have police in the audience answer any questions as we go through the presentation as well. So at this time, I'll turn it over to Oir and MR. To not Thank you. Thank you, MR. Mayor Council, thank you. MADAM City Manager. >> Michael here are independent police auditor team with me as my colleague Steven Connelly. And we're here to present our. Here's 3 report and please to do that. See a lot of familiar faces on the dais and it's great to be back in Santa Rosa on this beautiful afternoon. The report you know, the narrative our report was submitted its,
you know, some 20 some pages, what we intend to do this afternoon really just to provide a high level summary of our findings in year 3 and what I maybe would want to start with is to sort of contrast this journey that we have taken with the city and the police department and you all as elected officials leadership of the city, including your city manager. And I can say that, you know, year 3 in 2025, he's a lot different than when we first got started with the city back in 2020 Twenty-twenty. As you recall, that was a year in police reform really move forward largely as a result of signifying of that is the murder of George Floyd. >> And there were protests here. And as you all can recall, those of you who are those unsure for Murray with Santa Rosa. Some of the resupply U.S. Response to those protests to not go as planned. Cannot go seamlessly and created created issues. We did do an after action. That was after our first engagement with the city was the after action report when a lot of issues were identified reported on publicly. After that, we were then appointed on a more continual basis are ongoing basis as you're independent police auditor and this report or 3rd report since we received that assignment to continue a
report police matters provide a level of transparency to the city and your community that virtually no other city in this area provides. We we have been in the independent police auditor business for some over 20 years and we have a number of other assignments up and down the state of California. And so based on that experience, we try to provide what we are learning and other and other jurisdictions and applying some of those progressive police practices and reforms to this city and vice versa. For example, one of the more robust programs you have is not a police department function, but the mental health response in your city, we talk to other cities about that project being a gold standard in our view with regard to the way in which those in mental health crisis, our responded to in the sort of the holistic varied response and resources. You have that many other cities are envious of having and don't have. So with that being said, I just want to sort of give you a one of the overarching themes from our report. It's not expressly stated in the report, but if you look at the report and you see, for example, that the number of recommendations we have made decreased over there. The 3 years we've been here. That's because the low hanging fruit that we found when we first got started don't exist anymore. And so I like to describe it as we move from oversight. 101, which is when we just get started with the jurisdiction. 2 starting to provide oversight what I would say, a graduate level and that's where we are now. It's more turning the dials and doing some more fine
tuning rather than looking at some of the basic concerns that exist when we first get started with any assignment. Those don't exist anymore. So that doesn't mean that the recommendations we make our comportment and I'm sure at some point Chiefs provide any feedback or acceptance or not. With regard to those recommendations. But we do have 5 recommendations. Can we go the next slide? Please. One thing I do want to remind council and your community is that the way in which we provide this level of oversight or this level of auditing different than many of the other assignments we have in the state of California and elsewhere in the sense that much of the auditing that we do in other jurisdictions as what we call after the fact auditing. So what will happen is that there will be a force incident. There will be a civilian complaint. It will be an internal complaint that investigation the force investigation. Civilian complaint investigation or the internal investigation proceed be completed. The decision making within the agency within the police department will make a determination. And then that determination is finalized it's at that point that we get the material. That is sort of the traditional way in which auditing is done in policing there are obviously some advantages to auditing a report that way. And we do that in many jurisdictions, which is we look at the after we look at the material we review the body-worn camera footage. We look at the interviews. We look at the decision and then we make our own independent assessment on
how we thought how how effect of the investigation was. We also look at the decision and whether or not that decision was principled and then we write a public report, indicating whether we agree that we thought they were shortcomings with the card to the investigation or that the result of that investigation wasn't based on the evidence that that we saw, we saw different way. That's now we do in Santa Rosa. And there's a reason we don't. What we do in Santa Rosa is what we call real-time monitoring as opposed to after the fact monitoring. And with the real-time monitoring the advantage or real-time monitoring, is that when a complaint comes in often times the complaint and will reach to us directly and we will then help the complainant get a complaint into the system. For those find their way independently from the police department will be notified day one. This complaint came in and what that means is we're not waiting until all of the information and evidence has been collected to weigh in on that. Investigative come in that complaint and the ensuing investigation, the advantage to that is that if there are as we go through and as we are advised to every step of the way as the investigation proceeds, the advantage that we have is we can step in while that case is still vibrant. While the case is still moving along and it's a process weigh in and provide advice to investigators to the decision makers along the way. So in essence, because of that level of involvement early on, we can save a case from
falling off a cliff if the cases are already put the bad, we can be critical of the captain's decision. We can be critical of the witness who wasn't interviewed. We can be critical that the wrong questions were the wrong questions the right questions. We're not asked, but there is nothing we can do about it. And then report be critical in the real time monitoring. We can have a real impact while their case is going on. So the paradigm that we often see it will have a conversation and will say, well, what about this witness? And so before that investigative package is completed, that witness will be interviewed. And if we have a question about the decision-making will be able to have input into that decision-making before again, that case is put to bed. I do think that is an advantage. I think it does save cases from going off the cliff. And the other advantages we don't have to publicly criticized the decision after the fact since we are involved in those decisions. >> All along all along the road >> and that's a big difference. Just as an example, I think early in the week my colleague Steve sat in on 2 very important interviews of a significant internal affairs investigation. And that's really important. The other aspects of the model that I do want to. >> Highlight because also
think critical to effective oversight, which in my view. You have here in the city, one is the involvement. If you have the leadership of the city your city manager checks in with us regularly on police matters. Have to candidly that other city managers and cities we work with don't have that level of engagement or involvement we are able to have candid conversations throughout the year. Not just when we come back once a year. So that we get the sense from her about her concerns about police matters and we can also report to her earlier on on what we're seeing with regard to police matter. Significant cases that she should be aware of. But that level of engagement doesn't exist in many cities. And we're pleased to the win the working relationship or that we do have that level of access. The last thing that I think really is critical is is what's happening this afternoon. And that is our ability to report not only just in a public report that will be, you know, they'll be out there for all to see and posted websites both hours in the cities, but also that we're able to engage with the leadership, the elected leadership of the city in a way on leased, a yearly basis so that we can provide an opportunity pretty all to ask questions on how things are going and that we can also provide you sort of high-level information about what we're seeing in the city and what we're seeing with how the police department is responding to public safety issues throughout throughout the year. Throughout the past
year. So the tandem of our public report, what you have provided the authority to provide and give you give your community level of trans transparency. Plus, public engagement not only with your elected, but also with the community leadership. So tomorrow. Well, we'll be meeting with the advisory group that has been formed to focus on police matters and hear from them as well as yet another opportunity to have that public facing engagement, which we think really critical to an effective oversight. The other thing that we're able to do and and have One example is is in the report that I wanted to highlight. And that is in addition to the individual cases which are all included in their report. If you look at the back end of our report. There is whole list of all the active cases. We also can make recommendations with regard to systemic improvement with regard to policy development. With regard to what we see as potential gaps and policy and then can report publicly on the degree to which police department leadership has been responsive to our recommendations just as an example over the course of this past year, there was a complaint that came in from a civilian resident of Santa Rosa. And the complaint was directed against the chief of police. The number one person in the organization. And while in that case you know, the case was investigated by a subordinate of the chief pleas. And we found the investigation to be thorough. We found the investigation to be fair. Found the
investigation be objective. There was a lot of tangible evidence that did not substantiate the complaint. On the other hand, the optics of having a sergeant or lieutenant investigate an allegation against the chief of police knowing full well that the sergeant eventually reporting to the chief of police creates an optics issue that could be potentially problematic imagine if, in fact, and this was not the case here. But imagine if, in fact, that case it has some legs and might and actually. I have indicated a potential violation of policy. Imagine how uncomfortable it would for the sergeant armed with that information. Now to have to do is sit down with the chief as a subject of the investigation and try to effectively interview and ask the hard questions that need to be asked. And that in that situation, it's just not a good. It's not a good fit. So what we suggested and the police department and the chief agreed with our recommendation and almost immediately made changes to the policy is there's now a policy that calls for in the rare case and this is the first time it's happened in 3, 1, years. We've been here, but in the rare case in which the allegation is against the leader of the organization. They will then. New policy then requires that there be a discussion with your city manager and that decision is made about whether or not that kind of allegation should be investigated independently. Again, that's just not talking so much about the substance of that. But just as an example
of the kind of changes we can make regard to gaps in policy that we find and present to the police department. We go the next slide. Please. At this point, I will turn over the remainder of our opening remarks to my colleague Stephen Colley. Thank you, Michael. And good afternoon, MR. Mayor and members of council Steven Connelly of Oir Group. And I'm very happy to be with you again. >> So I want to talk a little bit about some of the particulars from from this year's audit report which covers the run of cases that were opened in in 2024. As well as some of the systemic changes that the department made during that time. Active involvement in the discipline process is really the meat and potatoes of our role here. Obviously the public reporting is is an important piece of it in and contributes a lot to the transparency, but on a regular kind of day-to-day basis that the core of what we do is is to interact with the department with when when any new investigation is open and kind of serve as the second chair of the investigative process throughout that throughout that whole process from from the initial intake all the way through to the final decision making. There were 62 cases that were opened. Most of them were generated from public complaints. But number of them, I think 10 or 11 in this past year were also generated by the department. When management recognized there
was an issue that that felt like rose to the level of potential policy violation and open the case accordingly. And again, we played an active role in in kind of tracking and in some cases sitting in on interviews and regular consultations with the main investigator to in the hopes that these would be investigated thoroughly and that appropriate decisions would be reached and we're pleased to be able to say, as we have as we have and the other couple of years can absolutely vouch for the legitimacy of the department's process. It does a very good Excuse me, a very good job of taking investigations seriously investigating them thoroughly. We've worked with 2 or 3 different investigators in the course of our time here. And each one of them has been a very, very qualified person, very good his job in a lot of ways that makes our job easier. And we really try to contribute where we can by bringing our perspective asking a bunch of questions, the accountability peace is is always important because if policies are violated, then officers, obviously we should be held accountable for that. That should be appropriate. Corrective action, discipline, whatever it is is merited by the circumstances. But one of our big pushes since we've got here. Is to really try to treat these cases and the and the feedback from the public and that the review process that goes on as an opportunity for what we call holistic improvement looking for ways to make performance better. Even if with decision is yeah, this isn't quite rise to the level of policy violations, but this could have been
handled differently. This was a little disappointing. The department has become much better at sort of embracing those in and you taking advantage of training opportunities following up with officers, even in the cases where the allegations of misconduct are not sustain in a in a larger sense trying to make the department better. In terms of process. As I we have found the investigations to be very appropriately thorough and effective. And I think one of the biggest places where we've seen change since we got started here is that they're the interactions with the complainants. We are increasingly impressed with the department really does try to engage with folks and to explain to do a lot more explaining then the law really requires in terms of of helping them understand the outcomes of cases. If ends up being a result that they were, you know, weren't expecting are disappointed with. There's certainly a willingness to talk and engage and communicate and try to make the experience a positive one where people really feel like they've been heard. Biased policing is certainly one of the more sensitive issues that that we cover. There were a handful of cases that raise the allegations that among other things, perhaps allege that that some of the perceived mistreatment that the complainant was mentioning was a function of of some bias. All of those cases were looked at very carefully. And biased component of that complaint was was certainly focused on and we didn't have any sustained allegations of biased policing in this past
year. Mike talked about the new protocol for allegations involving that the head of the agency. And unlike previous years last year, for example, one of the things that we noticed were a number, number of a high percentage, you know, 10 or 15% of the total investigations had to do with issues of of homeless enforcement and people complaining about the way that they were treated in the context of the department's homeless enforcement efforts. That number dropped by quite a bit in the 2024 a pool of cases. I think we only had 2 or 3 in homeless enforcement was implicated as an issue at all. As Mike mentioned, from a transparency perspective, our status chart is is one of the ways that we try to provide the public with with a sense of the kinds of things that are being complained about or investigated by the police department. The outcome of those cases, how they turned out and any other kind salient facts that would help people understand the process. So certainly one of our goals today. As Mike said, we're we're kind of getting a high pass of the of the report as a whole. We certainly encourage the public to take a look at the at actual written report, which is available online the case status church in the back really unusual in our experience. In terms of that, the amount of detail that it provides, obviously while remaining respectful and and in legal compliance with officer privacy rights.
Another category of significant concern for us is has been use of force. We talked a lot about use of force in our report last year. We really focused on the department's review process had a number of recommendations that we hoped would enhance the supervisor review process, make it a little more rigorous and thorough and again, move beyond the bottom line question of in policy, you're not in policy but look to see is there anything from a training perspective or otherwise that we could be doing better? There were a couple of things that happened in the past year that we consider to be very, very significant in enhancing the department's ability to review uses of force thoroughly constructively and effectively one of them is is a new major incident Review board concept which the department didn't have before, but which we consider to be a really, really important way to to take advantage of the insights and the subject matter expertise that a lot of department members have to take a look at a range of incidents that are of special sensitivity or significance for one reason or another and really give them deep dive of analysis and discussion and debate and again, without accountability. But being one potential component of it. But also this this was significant incident that happened. What can we learn from it? How can we get better and what are the messages that we want our training cadre to to carry out to the It's a much more formal document did and and sort of
methodical way of doing something that presumably the department has been doing for a long time in terms of issues spotting. But this makes sure that the discussion is as good as it can be in that the importantly that the follow through is there. And I just mentioned the training cadre. It's a it's a new unit that the department is very proud of. And I think rightfully so. It's a sergeant and 2 full-time officers who really focus on a number of different issues that are designed to help the departments training and and review of of important enforcement events be as effective, constructive and and improvement oriented as possibly can be. So I think both of those changes are reflective of mentality in the department that we are very supportive. Our special topic for this year had to do with vehicle pursuits. I know that you're you're council has received. I detailed presentation from from the department about vehicle pursuits recently. I won't belabor it. But we wanted to take a look at their process just because it is such a sensitive issue really throughout the state throughout the country. There is I I would say increasing focus on it and trying to figure out the right balance between rigorous enforcement then and the inherent dangers that go along with these events. So we learned a lot about how the department reviews vehicle pursuits and I know the training cadre has added that to their their plate in of responsibilities, which I think is really good. And we took a look at a sampling of of the some of the
department's 45 pursuits from last year to look at again, look at underlying substance. The body worn cameras, the reports everything else, but also to see how did the department respond to this? And do we think that that their issue spotting was good? They follow up with identified issues appropriately and for the most part, we found that there a lot of good work being done. But as usual that maybe a couple refinements on the edges that we encourage the department to to consider that became the subject of a couple of our recommendations. As Mike said, we only had 5 recommendations this year compared to close to 20 the first year and was probably 13 or 14 and year, too, so that the target is shrinking in many ways. We see that as a very positive thing. Overall. And we're also very pleased to say that in the past the department has been responsive to our recommendations. That's probably the note that I want to end up We really do appreciate the constructive relationship that we've had with the department from the beginning. They certainly hold up their end of the bargain in terms of of notification, responsiveness and availability. And whenever we have a question or concern, they are certainly very willing to engage with us and oftentimes are willing to 2. Go along with our suggestions or make an adjustment or interview an extra witness or what have you? I talked to that the main investigator in professional standards a couple weeks ago when we were just running through 3 or 4 cases that had recently been
concluded. And I didn't have anything to say about one of a man. And he he was almost disappointed. He said that I can't believe there's no annoying questions or or follow-ups that you want me to do on this one. So I there was Abbott. Oftentimes I do have something that I just want tag out a little bit more or get some clarification within the department is always very, very good about that. So we are pleased with The nature of our relationship in the direction that the department is going in. We think they've made some significant improvements to their internal review mechanisms. And we also are happy to be an outlet is Mike said for for any public concerns were in touch with a number of members of the public through e-mail or telephone cleon and provide them information about the process and facilitate their their navigation through that system. And at the end of every complaint investigation, the letter that the complainant receives. Has a contact information for us and basically says if you want to follow up on this or ask any questions, you're very welcome to contact the independent police auditor as well. And we think all of those are positive things. So I'm gonna wrap it up here and we're certainly happy to entertain any questions that you folks half. Michael, Steven, thank you very much for this. This clear, thorough and ultimately very positive report. >> I'm gonna bring it back to council for questions on this item. Any questions at the moment? MR. Donald. >> Thank you, Mayor. I just
have a couple quick questions. I'm not sure if you'll be able to answer them or that if the Chiefs will need to come down. But about how many calls dispatch take in 2024, could you give me those statistics? Chief? >> So calls for service in 2024, which outlines s we had just under 184,000 calls for service that came into our 9-1-1 dispatch center officers actually responded to just over 117,000 believe it was 17848, a lot of community meetings. So that's how we responded to in 2024. >> So the 118,000 calls for service. We had 62 incidents is. So what's that percentage? >> I was looking at it for actually preparing for community 100 and 17,000 with 62 source 0, 5%. So just a fraction of our calls for service that was measurable. That actually result that internal investigation and out of the 62 as MR. Connelly said 10 of those were actually self initiated by the police department that behavior that we saw through our own internal reviews with that, that we're able to initiate and say, hey, we want to look a little closer into this behavior and see if it merits any type of discipline or training that we were able to take forward. >> I just think those numbers are so significant when we look at it at this type of reporting out. So and it's important for our community to know that while we don't have any incidents and we're looking at our process, I don't think there's too many positions where you're on a daily 3.60, review process where every day our officers who go into work and her and sworn are not in in your department, they're constantly being reviewed and under scrutiny to do better. And so
I just want to commend all of them for being so helpful with this process and how they've worked with our auditors said that we're providing the best community care that we can. But thank you for answering that question. I think it's really significant when I look at that and I love that you're working yourself out of a job. So we appreciate all the help on that. So thank you. Been us. Thank you, mayor. Just a couple of quick things. I was wondering. >> When you all mentioned the the major incident review board, what what does that look like in? How did how would that work? >> So what basically happens is that the department has the discretion and certainly chief all feel free to supplement this answer. But the idea behind it and I pro should mention this earlier. One of the things that that we try to contribute is to take advantage of of the relationship we have in the in the familiarity we have with a lot of different agencies mostly in California, but other parts of the country as well. So when there's a good idea that we department has adopted for internal review. We we would certainly try to spread that around and make sure other places know about it. So we talked to the department quite a bit about some ideas for enhancing its major incident review process. And one of those ideas was, don't, you know, treat it like a fire extinguisher behind glass and only break the glass in an absolute emergency take advantage of this process and Brean put a group of been people in the room together to talk about a significant
incident, whether it's a canine bite or a vehicle pursuit that results in a crash of some kind or one of the instance that they looked at was a swat barricade that had some different moving parts in elements to it. So anytime you have an unusual event or one that had significant consequences. It's going to bring together leadership of the agency and subject matter. Experts from the training group in and maybe some other folks as well to sit down and get a presentation about what happened and then be able to discuss it to say what are the learning opportunities here is they didn't get our officers meet our expectations and policies have have as the scrutiny we've given this event exposed any holes in our policy our equipment didn't work the way it was supposed to or they don't seem to understand this new policy that we've implemented. So it's really an opportunity to cover a wide range of things. And I think the department is trying to take full advantage of it. >> Thank Million. He was wondering about was. Access, how the public has access. And I notice that of Krista. The link for complaint says on the website that imagine imagine that goes through the police department and initially. But then you do this real time, which, by the way, I think is great. I think because you're absolutely right. And pretty sure the county does the other everything happens and then it gets analyzed by the auditors. So I think that's great. But I was just wondering about access like how. How does the public know that besides going to the police department that there's going to be an auditor that's going to be looking at
it as well or do they now? >> my experience is that they that that would when somebody files a complaint with the police, they ideally they're going to have a subsequent interaction with a investigator to do a more complete intake interview, if you will. And I've listened to a whole bunch of those and take interviews and regular part of it is just to explain the process. And one of the things that gets mention it towards the end of the conversation is the existence of our office and then other they get I think an initial notification letter after the investigation has been opened and then they get to close out letter and those make reference to our office as well. >> And another thing is to add some clarity that we have a dedicated Web page on the police department's about how to file a complaint that has all or information with their phone number, their address, email, colleague, it's directing most regularly and some of the complaints how many of the 62 actually went straight to Hawaii are within brought them to our attention. So community members, we have that information available on our website as including also each one of the annual report or on our website to some people can look at the past and be able to do that and we continue to do though community meetings when their PRESIDENT A perfect example tomorrow night as we I have my chiefs community about team to. That's 20 members mark each our city manager, Smith victim throughout the city of Santa Rosa and our police otter going to be meeting one-on-one with the 20 members of our seek out team. They already have the report they've been reviewing and they're going to ask direct
questions and feedback and be able to hopefully be a voice on the community for that and bring direct questions to our police officers. >> Thank you, chief. In addition to that, it's hosted on the city manager's website and it's the direct contact to oir and the public can also make complaints to the city manager's office. And I directly Iowa as well. >> I just want to say thank you so much. I think this is a great report. >> The annual audit really well done. And I'm really glad to hear the numbers are So, yeah, I think it's. >> overall a really, really, really huge asset to helping police working. You know everything involved. So I just want to thank you and thank you, chief. Thank you. Or any of the questions from council right now. >> Let's open it up to public comment. Are there any members of the public that like to comment on this item? MR. Flores. >> Good Evening Council. I am grateful that we're taking the time to audit the Santa Rosa police and I did have an incident at the police station recently. There was a young man, but I was helping represent from Fresno, California and his 10 year-old daughter Hung herself. So he was here to seek information on his daughter's death. And so because this man has been in and out of prison and his face a stop to not felt that he was treated respectfully. And I was really unhappy about So I did email Chief Craig in chief. Greg in got back to me
by 6 in the morning. The next day and lieutenant personally reached out to me to make sure that that young man was assigned a court, a court appointed victim advocate and he gave me many resources to make sure that he was heard. So I know that these things are being addressed because I've personally experienced bought from your staff so well done. I appreciate that very much. So as far as my complaint, just from a data perspective, I'd be curious to see that that was included. I would I'm sure it was. So I to compile further information but to speak to counsel statements earlier. The public is not aware of these audits. I was not aware and I feel that I'm well informed. So would be something really helpful, too share with the community because I know you are trying to build the bridges between the police and our community. And there's been efforts all the way around. So I would implore you to build up that bridge even further. Thank you. And GOD bless >> Thank you, Dana. Are there other members of the public would like to speak on this item? MISS Carmen, we'll go with you first. >> Ken Council to the City Council and members of the public. >> I've had a long experience with the police and >> not current. None of its current. And I know many of the police officers and I don't know if they're still
there, but there are formally police officers who were not only totally infected. They didn't even seem to be able to navigate. >> The issues at all. And it was really very painful for me. I got through it and here I am on the other side. But it wasn't necessary. And when they said there was bias, there definitely was bias. And I've spoken before the supervisors about a year ago, year and a half ago about misogyny in this county. I wanted to include the Office of Equity because a year ago I was really sticking out for the Office of Equity as well. And I want to say I've been trying to. Interact with the police more, but I'm still very cautious because of the very dramatic experience. I had one I would call them on the advisement of superiors who said that they would help. And that's all I'm going to say today that thank you. >> Thank you, Janice. The floor is yours. Is this on after entering floors? Thank you, Greg Repair. Today representing homeless action. >> And I'll join the previous speakers in congratulating you and oir for with seems like a very thorough and >> positive upbeat report. I'm glad to be standing here congratulating you because a few years ago it wasn't so positive. I do want to kind kind of a complaint, though. It's not Currently the
California Highway Patrol is what we believe to be taking some pretty bad action down in Rose Avenue and will pursue that against the California Highway Patrol bit. At this point, we have nothing. Awful to say about either the Santa Rosa City police or any other employee or department. So again, thank you very much for the report will devour it as much as we can. We'll continue to try to complaints when there are any, but it's good to hear that you've diminish the men and the police are acting much more positively. Thank you. >> Thank you, Gregory. Are there other members of the public would like to speak on this item? Seeing none. Never get back to MR. Creepy for a motion. And then we can have any final comments. I don't believe there is an official motion. It's just recommended by the city manager that the council will receive and accept this annual report. >> All right. We have we there's no motion motion. >> I want second it anyway. We've done. We've had a lot of so we have a lot of Any final final comments from our from our group? That's Rogers. >> I just want to say this has been a great report every year it's getting better and better. But the one thing I did want to point out and I think it probably be more to our officers in the department. It's one thing to be with in policy. >> But there's another thing when we look at the interaction that we're having and the community. And I know
that we're all humans. So but I don't think you'll be out of a job because I think those complaints we'll continue to come to come in. But to let the public know our officers are human. We will take the complaints because we're always willing to learn and we want to learn. But to our officers because I think we have fabulous officers and we have a great department. Please take your mental health days. Make sure that you are arrested at because those interactions with the public can leave a very bad taste in their mouth for our department, which I feel is a great department and I want the community to see what I see. When I look at Officers. That's my comment. Thank Thank you. Vice Mayor. >> I think this report is great and all, but I think what I'm most proud of is a few back come back for my community when they tell me about their interactions with our police officers. So chief to your team, I'm not tired of so new. What a great job. And I know in my in my area, you're making me look good and I love the the bridge. And we've been building since your assumptions into position of chief. And I do have a question, sir. Foot patrols. I know that I would love to see our officers enjoying tacos. They've also Passover odor or thereabouts. Is there any plans in the future for foot patrols? >> Yes, absolutely. And it's really important for us and we're I send out e-mails to our teams and really encouraging like get out of the vehicles and the PRESIDENT That something that we're really trying to do, not only in Rosen but across the whole
community, but officers just have to balance between calls for service that are pending. And unfortunately, right now, you see a lot of calls during the summertime. So there's a lot of calls on the board for them to go to. But that's why we're really prioritizing some of the community engagement events that we can do and we're planning another tacos with a cop on Sebastopol Road in the next 6 weeks with that. And we have our national night out coming to but also just talking to officers about get out of the parks and shopping centers and apartment buildings and things like that. And the PRESIDENT, we really seen an uptick. We actually tracked that for that. And I have a thing that I put out like a a monthly activity report about some of the things of activity in one of the things that we track is community engagement time because that's just as important to me is going out doing traffic stops or other important, important like that. And we have that is one of our for operational priorities is community engagement with that because I want from every level organization important >> and before you go, I was also congratulate you on another But thank you for your position and your leadership in regards to immigration policy and I singer actions and and how navigate through those weeds very carefully. But nonetheless, I appreciate the position that you've held and how do expect it to the community? Thank you, Thank you. >> As my colleagues have indicated, we are very, very proud to accept this report. Thank you thanks to the Oir group for all the work you put into it. This this process is currently paying dividends. And thank you, Chief Korean and the entire group at Srp for the work that you're
doing. I that the council, the city are very proud of the police force we have here. Thank you. Thank you for the work you're doing. And with that, we will conclude this item. And we're to mix it up a little bit. Thank you again. Thank you, Mike and Stephen Beard for traveling out here. Looking at the time we're going to take our first public comment on non agenda matters. If there are members of the public here who would like to comment like to make public comment on items not listed on the agenda. This is the time. And I see we have a few cars admitted already will go from we'll start with Mary Ann Elizabeth and Clifton. And if you could, if you could use both of the podiums are both of the left turns will keep this moving efficiently. So again, let's start with Mary Ann and then move on to Elizabeth in Clifton. Good afternoon. >> Members of the City Council. My name is Mary and Michaels. I have been a resident of Santa Rosa since 1981 my current address is 4, 4, 4, 4, can they brought in you? I'm a member of the religious Society of Friends of Truth. On OCTOBER, 13th 2024. My monthly meeting approved the following land acknowledgement statement. Redwood Forests, friends meeting acknowledges that our meeting house and the homes of our members tenders Oran and ceded land of the coast. New and WaPo people homes. Who have lived here for millennia. These lands were taken by settler colonizers in
fraudulent and violent ways. We seek ways to promote healing and right relationship with the land and indigenous people. For this and we commit to act as allies to support tribal sovereignty and help redistribute land power and resources back to native communities. I currently reside in Rincon Valley near the confluence of Santa Rosa Creek and Brush Creek, which is the sacred site of the come Tar Village. In keeping with my commitment to act as an ally to native communities as stated in the land, acknowledgement of Redwood Forest friends meeting. I urge you to do all in your power to respectfully recognize the original pomo people who lived on the land that we now call Flat Park by supporting the following 3 requests. That's the new wording on the plaque uses respectful language. Second. That there is signage maintained by the city that tells the true history of this sacred site. And 3rd, that the name of the park be changed to be to come Tower Park. Thank you for your support of these 3 requests. Thank you for your advocacy. >> Next we have Elizabeth. Followed by Clifton. Does >> Pentagon is is Mike Rabil work? >> I'm Elizabeth Nealon. And I I'm here to speak against Would love to. My parents grew up in Ontario, Canada. I would
have left the United States at age 20, but instead I decided to come to California to fight the Vietnam War, which my older brother was in. When he resigned from the Air Force, they ask him, are you want to sign here to denounce you're Canadian citizenship? He said why would I want to do that? And he's lived Canada for about 50 years now on an island off the eastern Coast. I stayed in the United States to fight the war machine. I just want to mention that country is the largest military empire in the history of the planet. And that Israel is our military pop. It. And we have given them billions of dollars and lots of free weaponry. 2 per the Palestinian people kill their children, deny medical services denied them food. I get behind and with the fact that I do have 4 sons and none of them have joined the military and none of them. They have become police officers. Thank >> Thank you, Elizabeth. Let to the floor. Is yours. >> Hi there. My name is looking I'm a member of I'm a resident of the wrestling community. I want to bring to complaining issue that consistent nuisance with them until food park. Unfortunately, I've tried to work with them in person and I've had to tie up some city resources with the police and actually as a positive mention recently worked Vice Mayor Alvarez responded very quickly to my complaint and trying to
work with the folks that are operating a majority food park as well. But there's been a consistent nuisance in my neighborhood. I live adjacent to the food park. For the last 3 months, they pointed to speaker at my house and play music through it for 10 hours a day they have also used a gas leak floor for an hour a day, 7 days a week to dry off their parking lot. And there's been construction at all hours, including after 11:00pm and all the way up until 4 o'clock in the morning. As I mentioned, I've attempted resolve this myself and I tied up resources for this. I didn't want to make sure that this was noted by the council and by city manager Smith for future permitting decisions. This has been something that has significantly altered my my my ability to enjoy my own house. I have to keep my windows closed all day long to be able to not hear this. And oftentimes I can hear through my closed windows. So my concern really is that they've been offered permits and continued the operate beyond the scope of what the city code says and I would like for that to considered the next time. Their permit is for review they continued continue to be sort of a bad actor and a bad neighbor. I've tried to be a good neighbor and tried to discuss this with them in person. Now I've had to come all the way to the city council. So I appreciate the in the future. If you could consider this when approving for future permits. >> Thank you, sir. Although we cannot go in the back and forth with you, I assure you that we have not lost sight of your shoe. >> Absolutely. And thanks vice
Mayor Alvarez. I'm sure we'll talk in the future. >> Absolutely, Catherine virtually followed by Lori. >> Greetings, Mayor and council members. My name is Catherine. Brutally need out all I'm here today Don Wildman of Invisible Sonoma County my original asked that I sent on JUNE 10th was to consider that the city of Santa Rosa not use any contractors like Avello in specifically Avello for any city related business. And since Avello has decided to no longer, you know, of work in our county. So we have a little bit of time our current ask is that the city not contract that the city take a stand to not contract with vendors. Any private sector vendors for travel for any logistics or for any transportation that are working with ice and that. Of hopefully to even put a clause in any rfp zadar of cues to that effect. So that until ice is following the Constitution you due process under the law and human rights that the city of Santa Rosa. Well, take us down along with like the city Eureka who has taken the stand will not be contracting with them. Those vendors, thank you. >> We have Lori and followed by >> Thank you. Vice Mayor Alvarez. Larry. I actually
asked me to go before her. Using the projector. It's turned on here. There we >> There somebody that I like to think today in this community and unfortunately is not here. But that be MISTER Dwayne from Roselyn, MISTER Dwayne, Do it. Who isn't og here? Longtime community activist and I appreciate him because he's somebody who considers himself to be a why. Ow Ly. I don't like that word. He is my friend and he will take the time to sit down and these marginalized communities that we claim to serve and actually listen to what they want and not tell them how to think so recently we had a huge win. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Rosa went ahead and agreed to re word their plaque. That was historically racist. And I know are natives had not advocated for that change for years. Vice Mayor Alvarez helped to push it forward. And so I'd like to congratulate them on that. I know that we're discussing right now, possibly renaming some parts. And so MR. Do it has written in and his articles and the Sonoma Goods that I believe about possibly renaming the park como Parte Palma preserved. And so I would love to see that happen. We do a land acknowledgement here about stolen lands. But a lot of it is a virtue signaling I would like to tell this story that the city Santa Rosa made it happen because what I see is that we had people of every race working together to achieve that goal. And it's a genuine story. It's politically driven one. So I was in Rosa Council for moving this forward. And I hope that we could continue to listen to the voices of our Native
American brothers and sisters. GOD bless guys. And thank you. >> Thank you to if I'm a vice mayor, I think we should acknowledge that honoring the way into it with a picture of his but a photo on the overhead projector is the most perfect tribute imaginable. Thank you for that art. >> lot Lori followed by tighter. >> Mayor city council members, city manager Smith. Thank you for having us. I'm here to highlight something that needs to be brought to our collective attention. I air staff councilmembers been way lows Okrepkie Rogers for your responses to my message is to recently. I'm here with a couple Tay and Anya. In the chambers today. There are recent arrivals invested deeply in Sonoma County who chose Sonoma County for a natural beauty affordability. And accountability and community. However, just a scant year after arriving here. They endured a brutal. Beating in public. Simply for challenging a racial slur being used among friends. Late MAY of this year. At a taco truck on Saint Rose Avenue. A group of young people, teens were using these racial slurs among themselves. And it was point when it was pointed out to them by the couple that the word was unacceptable. They then turned on the couple surrounded their small topless car. Sports car. Then used more racial slurs directed at the couple. A group beating ensued several on one. Ty was
the victim. What has compounded the heart is the response from our community. There does not seem to be an appropriate sense of urgency for accountability for notice. No bystanders action. To intervene to stop to even yell, stop. And what is perceived perceived to be slow police response and follow up. Understand that investigations take time that he's need to be crossed and need to be And well, we need to trust the system. We also get to check. Of note. This signals a youth crisis as well. Can they work? And they work with impunity. So the incident is not just individual incident. It's it's a pattern of harm to bipoc people specially our silence and inaction are harmful. Thai Hernandez spoke out on the use of a racial slur is casual speech as an educator myself, I would be compelled to correct teenagers in public as well. Can I be afraid now? I'm sensitive to anti-asian hate, which means hate all people, hateful speech our community cannot go unaddressed. And I thank you for your attention. >> Name is Tyler. According to fbi statistics and nearly all regards for the last 5 years, crime is down, not just in Santa Rosa, California and nationwide yet from 2021 to 2025. The srpd budget has been increased by 15 million dollars from 64 million to
79 million larger and faster larger and faster increase than any other department leaving out the millions and settlements. The Srpd has had has forced the city to pay out. The srpd now takes up. 36.5% of the whole municipal budget more than housing and community service planning and economic development, recreation and parks transportation and public works and municipal water combined. More budgets, more budget, less crime overall to be solved. Call me naive. But I would expect the police do their job efficiently with that. But finally, after more than a 3rd of our tax money goes to srpd, the srpd clearance rate is not published are readily available without a foia request. And if it follows the sfpd, the clearance rate is below the national average. But when there is a crime like a crime where your constituents are called racial slurs and assaulted on camera while just trying to get dinner from a local business. Call me an idealist. But with less less overall crime and 15 million extra dollars. The last thing I would expect is the srpd to everything that they can to drag their feet on this investigation. Your constituents were attacked and 2 months later, there is not even a report. How can expect our community feel safe from crime to feel empowered to call the police when a crime does occur. And most importantly, know that if they do call, they will be treated with dignity and respect as a victim of a crime. When the srpd refuses to communicate with victims, drag their feet and refuses to file a report.
And then we have to read the PRESIDENT Of the Sonoma naacp in the press, Democrat, that this isn't the first time issue and that it's being ignored and that my our taxpayer dollars are paying for it to be swept under the rug. These are my friends, your constituents, our neighbors, invaluable members of our community and a part of what makes center is a great. And they have been made to feel unsafe in their community and due to inaction feel unwelcome here in Santa Rosa. All while these are incredibly precarious times in our communities desperately need to know that you will do something, anything to protect them. So I am begging you. Please do something. Anything. Thank you. >> Or is there anyone else who wishes to speak on non agenda items tonight? Seeing none mayor before stores. >> Thank you for filling in Vice Mayor. All right. We're going on to our public hearings for the evening, starting with hearing or with the eye of 16.1, our public hearing pertaining to the Santa Rosa Fire Department's annual weed abatement program. Report. >> We have MISS Robbins. >> Good Good afternoon. Good evening. Mayor stopped Vice Mayor Alvarez and council members. My name is company Robbins. The interim fire marshal and today prepared a public hearing for the park fire departments weed abatement program. Each year following the declaration of the start of fire season locally by the Santa Rosa Fire Department. The department will begin inspections, ensuring property owners have maintained their parcels in accordance with the city's weed abatement ordinance. This ordinance applies to properties located in the wildland urban interface where
we area. Developed properties with over half an acre of of unimproved land. And undeveloped properties are vacant. Lots, including those in the fire rebuilding areas. The Fire Department's prevention bureau coordinates the weed abatement inspection program throughout the city. There are over 10,000 identified parcels currently on the list. These parcels are inspected throughout the duration of fire season by fire prevention staff. During these inspections parcels out of compliance, a notice to comply will be sent to the partial owner, which will include a date for a re inspection. A re inspection is conducted. And if that that parcel continues to be out of compliance. A violation notices sent to the owner with another reinspection date. If the parcel still out of compliance following the violation. Notice the fire Department Walker Eyes an approved contractor to abate the property at the property owner's expense. In the 2024 season. 84 parcels were found to be in violation after the reinspection. Of those parcels. 21 required abatement by the fire department. And as of JUNE, 30th 2025, there are 41 parcels which have unpaid balances for fire department related expenses which include violation notices additional re inspections and the actual physical abatement work. Therefore, it is recommended by the Santa Rosa Fire Department that the council by resolution confirmed the 2024 itemize report of the fire Department of the cost of the weed and rubbish abatement. As provided for in sections. 9 Dash 0, 8.0 2, 0, 9 Dash, 0, 8, 0, 8, 0, and 9 Dash 0, 8, 0, 9, 0, of the Santa Rosa
City code. That's all for my presentation. Thank you. Happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Campbell. Bring you back to council for questions. >> Vice Mayor. >> It is or is or what triggers abolished by the Robert says pretty much clear. But is there high grasses are abundance of crashes or where the grass is located on the property. >> Yes, so depending on the parcel. There can be a certain inches of growth. Typically we start looking the beginning of the fire season and then there's a certain amount of time for for that to be abated. There's sometimes where they'll just depending on the size or the acreage that they'll just be doing a perimeter. And then they'll be sometimes that they'll be doing the full parcel. >> Anything else? Perfect. Thank you very right. I will now open the public hearing. Are there members of the public who would like to speak on this item? It's common icu to make reform first. Go ahead. >> I've notice some areas. I live in Lincoln Valley and have really abuse the opportunity. Just let the grass grow and people couldn't even walk on the sidewalk. Hardly because it was such a mess. And recently these things have been addressed and it's really a relief, particularly because of the fire fires and add neighborhood wise. You know, it's it's just really unpleasant. Kids can ride their bikes close to. And I know these other problems. And they've also gotten the island. So I'm just saying the city sent a good job very recently with the abatement of the tall grasses. Thank you,
Janice. MR. Over. >> Thank you. Meant Michael Helber. As someone who used to be sent to. These notices regularly annual basis who sent these noses and inappropriately Sunday's notices. I'm concerned about criteria is being used in. I looked over the agenda packet the document You know, there not photographic evidence to support us. These findings, I noticed one property was zoned out dry, which is. Corey Avenue water role. And that's quite a large property that apparently is vacant probably has some scattered. Weeds and grass and also just plain dirt like it's been great. It's so. I'm concerned that. Someone's Ryan round and their condition suv with a high powered telephoto lens on digital camera. And as soon as they can take of bit grass, it's over 4 inches. They're going to get a violation. Notice. Now that is probably endowed drive. It's a big properties and it's quite possible to, you a little Wiese was too high, but I doubt it was You know, the entire property was left to go wild soon. I'm concerned the begun ordinances can be used be simply you know, just take money from be was appropriate. >> Thank you, Michael. Other other members of the public would like to speak on this item. Seeing We'll close the public Bring it back to my colleague, MISS MacDonald for a motion and then we can have further discussion. >> I'd like to move
resolution. The council, the city of Santa Rosa confirming the itemized report at the Santa Rosa Fire Department. The cost of removing leads and rubbish. Coming up on our in front of certain lots are parcels of land within the city of Santa Rosa. >> We have a motion that was second by MISS Rogers. Are there any further comments or discussion on this item from council? Seeing none. Let's go to the vote city clerk Councilmember Rogers. Okrepkie. I Councilmember MacDonald tie. Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willows. Yes. >> Vice Mayor Alvarez 5 Mayor stop. I the motion passes with 6 affirmative votes with Councilmember Fleming. Absent. >> This Robbins, thanks for all the work on concise presentation. We will move on to item 16 point to our second public hearing for the evening. This one pertains to the increase in fire permit administration and certified Unified program agency fees and this. Robert, you're with us again. >> Again, my name is Kimberly Robbins, interim fire Marshal and Cuba program manager. And I'm here today provide a public hearing on the fire department's proposed fee increases. It has come to my attention that the presentation was not posted online in advance of this meeting. Hard copies are available at the top of the chambers and we apologize for any inconvenience. The Santa Rosa Fire Department manages several programs including fire, construction and operational permits and the Certified Unified Program Agency or coop a program which oversees the management of hazardous materials and hazardous waste within the
city. The cost to administer these programs has increased significantly in the last several years and definitely over the last 20 years the increases are being proposed for 3 different fee structures today. All first does discuss the Micrograph xp and the technology fee. These fees are assigned to each permit issued in the department to offset the costs of processing permits, storing files and documents associated with permits as well as evolve technological dove and demands such as our need to be fully electronic with our inspection programs. Since 2006, these 2 fees have not increased from 2.5% of the cost of the parents. In order to modernize and maintain these demands. The department is proposing a 1.5% increase to each of the micro graphics p and the technology fee to make the new fee. 4 1% of the total permit amount. There is a graphic on the on the slide that shows the current fees being at the 2 0.5%. Each. The proposed fee thing at 1.5 with the new total being 4%. For each of those fees that will be incurred on the total permanent. Next, we'll discuss the proposed Cuba permit. Fee increases increases as well. During the most recent And mandated sorry, self audit of the coop, a program that's required by the California Environmental Protection Agency. It was found that the current permit fees established in 2005 no longer cover the costs around the program. The coop a program within the state is intended to be fully funded by these permit fees. During the audit internally. It was determined that a 5% increase to each
permit in the Kuiper program fully defray this expense of overseeing and managing the program and still have a minimal impact to the business community. As an example, a small automotive repair shop MAY storm minimal hazardous materials and generate some hazardous waste. So they would be put into 2 different ranges and levels in our permit program. In this case they would have to operational permits. Plus, the micro graphics and technology fees. We talked about a little earlier. Currently that total for this. This general operating permit that we assign would be $1441 and $0.66 total. With the proposed increases for the micro graphics, the technology and the Cooper permit fees. The new total be $1556. And $0.28. So that's a difference of $114 and $0.62 annually for that over all permanent. The fire code operational permits and the required state surcharges that Cali ba imposes weren't included in this calculation because there's no proposed increases for those. Therefore, it's recommended by the fire department that the council by resolution approved 1.5% increase in the micro graphics p a 1.5% increase in the technology fee and a 5% increase in the Coupe operational permit fees. And with that, that's the end of my presentation. But happy to answer questions. Thank you. >> Thank you again for a very clear and concise presentation. And I'm looking forward to the questions that my colleagues no doubt have on my graphics. Few increases. There's no one. It is an important issue nonetheless, but it's opening at let's open the public hearing. Michael. Excellent. I knew that I knew you'd come through. The floor.
Is yours. >> Michael. Over. You know that to. There was a wrecking yard next to Lowes Com knocked me for auto >> They closed up the years. So anyway, I want to relate to I I sort knew that guy vaguely the owner that place about a car But anyway. The one of the primary reasons he cited for closing up was the our wages of. Inspection and permit fees that he was getting hit with by the Santa Rosa Fire Department. And if you look at the fees, schedule permits for storing hazardous waste to really. Quite steep, you know, in this phone is trying to so and so was on a partisan. Not a whole lot of profit and so it's quite understandable that the closed up terminate his business on. Maybe people are happy with that to get rid of the wreckage cars. But I think the hazardous waste applies to a lot other businesses besides wrecking yard You know, understandably. You know, it's very significant and I see some. Really high fees for that, depending on how much you store and all that stuff. I don't think there's a lot being put into keeping these fees and check. Thank you, Michael. Janice, thank >> Janice Karman. I'd like to see 3%. And I'd also like to hear it when the presenters are presenting something that they give you a fee amount to give you the 14 50. But then you to do the math yourself. So I'm thinking more like 3%. And then they debate of however, they want to do it. But I want to make a comment right now about micro
everything. And that is that there is the lawsuit right now that's going on in the county. I'm hoping that this lawsuit is going to define some of the technology issues because we've had free for all Internet for all of these years and the technology for both the ai and the to Royce drones. Is very serious and needs good attention needs. Lot of science. And I'm hoping that it will be the opening for a big conversation related to the technology that has to do with moving forward. And this is another opportunity area I see for Santa Rosa. I hope that you going to ton of money toward this because you think all this and know this sounds great. But I do think it's an opportunity for Santa Rosa to be first in the technology area. And it's unfortunate that there's a lawsuit. But the other side of this is that it could bring policy and that would be a good thing and it might be a policy that would be for national. Parents and The used in areas in states as well. >> Thank you, Janice Flores. >> Good evening Council. I just wanted to ask, give. >> These increases with the fire department were included with the budget projections for the upcoming fiscal year or if this is now being used to offset. And I would just like to echo the statement by
MISTER Hilbert. I hear him speak frequently, local agency meetings and I learned a lot from him. My take is that he's somebody who comes to these meetings because he's retired on a fixed income. And so I've looked at the data that he's put together mostly with the groundwater agencies, but he's done a tremendous job. So I really value what he has to say. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Dana. Are there any other members of the public would like to speak on this item? And I will close the public hearing. Bring it back to council MISTER Crappie for a motion and a second and then some additional discussion. All right. I will move a resolution of the council, the city of Santa Rosa increase in fire permit. Administration and certified Unified program agency Cuba fees. Second, we have a motion and a second from MISTER Rogers. Before we go to the boat, are there any final comments? MR. And Wales. I just a quick question. Thank you, Mayor. >> Did you mention how long it's been since there's been in fee increase? I think you didn't just MISS That time frame. Yeah, no problem. Yes. It has been about 20 years since there's fee increase in the last several years. There has been a significant increase in the cost to run the Cuba program. So okay. >> Thank you for that question. And I just a quick follow on. And again, the purpose of the permit fees is simply to cover the costs of the permitting review. Correct. >> Correct. So it'll cover the entire program and that includes final reviews, the inspection process, documents, electronic software, everything that has to go with the program. Thank you very much. Any other comments or
questions from the Alright, MADAM City Clerk, we go to vote. Thank you, Mayor Councilmember Rogers, I Councilmember Okrepkie. I Councilmember Macdonald. I. >> Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willows. Yes, Vice Mayor Alvarez are mayor stop. Yes, the motion passes with 6 affirmative votes with Councilmember Fleming. Absent. >> Thank you. Thank you for to get presentations. Come With that. We return back to our far too final report items for the evening item. 15.2, our report on the ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Rosa. Amending chapter one Dash 0, 4 of the city code entitled Custody and use of City Co and other and fishel insignia. I've been looking forward to this one. I'm reading it is assistant city manager, not. And also price Aston. Welcome. Welcome to both of you. I'm rapt with the tension. Good evening. Mayor staff members of the council Jace, not assistant city manager and I'm joined by price past and and we're bringing to you and exciting item and we're going to explain to you why this is exciting and why it's important for us to go through today. >> The concept that we've got is 2 look at amending City Code. Section one Dash 0, 4, and it's relating to the custody and use of the seal. Another official U.S. Insignia. But then we're also going to describe for you what we're doing to ensure that our Brown, the city's brand remains intact and it remains
in a place that we can make sure that we're not seeing it disappear into other private hands and abused and used. And so that's that's the goal where we're at. So in 1949, back 1949, the city adopted its official seal we won't be talking at doubts about the official seal. But when it comes to the most official document city has the seal is embossed on those documents and you can see an image of the seal here. It does show up both asked color and has an embossed black and white and the city code references that the city clerk is fully and wholly responsible for its management upkeep and is the only one capable of putting the seal on any specific document. In 2013, there was a concern about the city logo and interest in wanting to ensure that we created some level of trademark, some level of oversight and control over the use of our city logo. And so they found a way of incorporating that logo into the city code by amending section one, Dash 0, 4, We came back and that was through ordinance number with that, they began to describe in the city code. The specifics of the logo itself. It actually would describe the detail its side rose emblem with 3 Leafs the city name both either stack or horizontal and then that replaced the logo that you see there, which was more of the stylistic asked our that was sort of in the shape of Santa Rosa Creek and the
idea was to make it more modern to give us a new feel and to give us a new look moving forward. And the idea that we put it into the city code was the attempt to secure that trademark next slide. In 2015, the city team came back to council with an update 10 as you start to see the need for these changes, it relates to the changes in technology that emblem with the Santa Rosa and California on it as a stylized product doesn't always show up cleanly are clearly on your tablet or on your cell phone also isn't quite as easy to use from the perspective some documents. And so they started to look at other formats like the square for one that you see here that is now adopted. And in 2015 was amended into the city code again with a large level of detail in an effort to ensure that we maintain the trademark. Now, since that time, there have been some adjustments and amendments and and challenge we have is is because it lives in the city code. It is an ordinance requirement to make an adjustment. Every time we make the change. So when Santa Rosa water utilize the blue collar for their logos, that was in direct violation of our own code. So we are been working on making updates over the course of time. As we look at just months that we made most recently with the city's
website, we began the process of reconstructing and recreating. The cities brand image. And with this DECEMBER, as you recall, we launched a brand new website. That website has a different aesthetic to it and had a different look at different feel. It all with the intent of trying to improve the cities, interaction with members of the public, but not just on a computer but on a tablet as well. And and a handheld device, a phone either Android or Apple and so far we feel we've been successful that new product is working out very well as we started to work toward bringing this particular product to you. We did want to make sure that the city attorneys agreed that by shifting we're making the adjustment of the amendment to the city code and removing all of the level of detail out of the code. Only reference saying and adopted brand book that was still worthy of the trademark type of value. It's still allowed us to cite individuals who are inappropriately using our logo with a misdemeanor. It gave us the opportunity to secure that moving forward. We were informed that that, in fact, was accurate. So what the proposal will be is remove that level of detail from the city code to make it simpler. But have you by resolution adopt and actual formal brand book. And I'm going to ask Bryce to go through that level of detail and describe for you what the plan book is and get you excited about Santa Rosa. Absolutely. Let's get into
this. >> And easy thing to be excited about. >> Good afternoon. Mayor stopped and members of council and good afternoon city managers. Smith. My name is Bryce asked and I am a community outreach specialist with the communications and Intergovernmental Relations at the City of Santa Rosa. And I'm really glad to be here with all of you today to get you very excited about our new brand book that hopefully be adopting. As assistant city manager not outlined to the city of Santa Rosa has developed over time. Several different versions of our logo. Several different versions of our branding. And we have been previously guided by the 2015 brand book. However, as city continues to grow and change, it's really important that our communications and our representation of ourselves to the public continues to adopt and grow with us. And so because of that, we felt it was time about high time that we got a new brand book that represented new technology. A new look at cetera. So just to give a quick overview in case there's any confusion of what a brand, but isn't role that serves in an organization. Essentially brain book provides a side of really comprehensive in clear guidelines principles on how to use an organization's branding. And so branding include sprinklers, logos, fonts template, et cetera, anything you're going to be using to communicate both internally and with the public. It's really important to maintain not so you can maintain a sense of professionalism and continuity across all communications, both internally and externally it on an organization. So is the 2025 City Center is a brand book that we're
proposing along with new specifications aligned to the new city of Santa Rosa website. We will also have a specific use cases for formal and informal city in departmental logos. This is very important. We really didn't have much of that in the 2015 brand book and it would be nice to have that clarity for both ourselves and for all other staff members. We will also have specific design recommendations to ensure consistency professionalism and legibility and all city outreach and communications and we'll have expanded guidelines on it. Hearing to graphic design, best practices and ada recommendations. Also, really another important aspect to maintain accessibility of all communications for the city of Santa Rosa. For all people. So why is it important that the city of Santa Rosa have a brand You MAY be I think it's really important to adopt brand book for a number of reasons. But above all, ensuring consistency and imagery, messaging really conveys a sense of professionalism and continuity across all city communications. And I believe this is really key to building a sense of reliability within the community. We serve when we adhere strictly to these consistent guidelines, residents can see that we approach our work and our service to the community. With the seriousness care and attention to detail that they really deserve. We are not just practically continuing to maintain and build upon our already recognizable branding as the city of Santa Rosa also ensures that residents can easily identify, trustworthy, reliable communications from the city of Santa Rosa. So when residents are downtown
and they see a poster for an event when they see a truck with the logo on it. When they get a letter in the mail from the city of Santa Rosa, they understand that those are communications directly from officials, City of Santa Rosa channels. And there's no confusion about any of that. So that's really important. Obviously. And then additionally, consistent branding guidelines outlined early in the brand book will help our staff across departments really streamline their workflow. And the process of developing developing outreach materials and other city communications. You know, it's really easy to just look at the brand book and know how you can use Temple a target. You can use logos, et cetera. You don't have to any confusion about that. And likewise that will help with working with outside city contract or outside contractors outside the city. We can just send them the brand book and say please adhere to these guidelines and principles in order to maintain our standards. When you're working with us. So as we present this brand book to you for hopeful I'd like to outline some of the highlights of what we have in this brand book for you. All already touched on most of them all. Just go over them really briefly. So as previously mentioned, one of the impetus for this process was the relaunch of the city website in DECEMBER of 2024, the 2025 brand book will have an update. A color palette for city design and outreach materials. That includes the new slightly tweaked main logo, colors and accent colors that are featured on the website. So again, that's just really maintaining that consistency across all city of Santa Rosa Communications. So that what we have online and what we have out in public printed will all look the same, maintain that professionalism. Additionally, we wanted to make sure this
resource provides clarity and guidance for staff across departments and recognize that there has previously been some community come fusion about where to use what solo goes. What they do? It is there's about a million when can I use it? And so it's really helpful to have those best use cases for all logo types. Really specific one. So hopefully that will remove that confusion in the future. We also took a closer look at accessibility and design. As I mentioned when we were developing this brand book. So one of the ways in which we did that was updating our list of official city logos to include ada, compliant logo sorry, ada compliant funds. So we want to make sure that we have those on our list of official city funds. And then we also outlined a really specific use cases for all city funds as well. And then finally, we updated our brand. But guidance on ada, compliance and designed just the overall general guidance. And I think that this is really important where previous guidance guidance was incomplete. And at this point, outdated because they've been written several years ago. And our new official guidance in the brand book is that all city average materials and design materials, communications should align with all city 88 policy. Risk management guidance and ada, graphic design, best practices as outlined on a number of like federal and state. 88 websites. This really provides a lot of flexibility in the future because ada compliance and on 88 recommendations are shifting quite often as technology changes. And as understanding of what makes
something accessible changes. And so having that flexibility, too, send staff resources and say this is these are our recommendations. This is what you should work with our and would be really helpful in the future. And that's what it for the gripping. I Thank you all for this opportunity to present the ramp up to council. I just wanted to say that my entire team worked with me to put this together to build a really robust resource for our staff and for our community. And we think it's really important to serving our community that we continue to develop reliability and trust for the city of Santa Rosa by paying attention to these admittedly very small details. Thank you very much. >> Hear hear that was a perfect ending price. All right. Bring you back to council for for all the questions. I'm going to ask a question so as I was as I was paging through the brand. But this weekend, like all of my colleagues. I noticed on Page 11 when you got into the department's Pacific logos that were that were mixing Saraf and Sohn Sarah Farms. Does that say city of tomorrow? Is anybody else? Is anybody else bothered by this? >> It It's not. >> I guess I'm partially act asking rhetorically because it has been explain to me bluntly by friends and colleagues that nobody else wants to talk about I will persist, MR. Crappie. Alright, venture to have a relevant question. So I we last change our logo in 2013 and it looks like there's been a lot of efforts to sort of standardized everything that we use. >> Including the palate with such great colors as mustard
mustard light using which remind me of the appliances. My parents had growing up. In general. Marketing and design theory when when is appropriate time to rebrand something or attempt to rebrand something? >> That's a great question. Many brands have tried and failed to find the answer to They've done it varying levels of success. I think that a rebrand generally involves a lot of really fundamental change to an organization. So I would say that probably the city of Santa Rosa's, no appointment. Yemen. If you look, if I think about other municipal organizations and how often they change their brand types, it doesn't happen often. Let's just be. >> time you try to establish the standard a standard lavilla standard. Look at the standard feel and that's sort of what you want to live with over a period of time. I think prices point if there is a large format and fundamental change in an organization than we can contemplate look at how we might make an adjustment. Can what we what we're presenting ourselves at. I want to say that this is coming out of the Great recession and the city managers at the time were trying to identify how we could really imagine who we were coming out of that space. So, you know, in that case that was fairly substantial time in history. And in the view of those city managers, it was it was an appropriate actions to evaluate. I appreciate that. But I would also point out that there are many marketing and ceo geniuses that thought New Coke
and Crystal Pepsi where appropriate at the time. >> And I just disagree. So I think I think possibly MAY be time to look at a rebrand down the line. I know we have limited resources now, but I do appreciate your efforts to standardize everything as is needed to protect our brand not have it be a compromised. The problem is great and it's necessary. And my colleague, her are calling this has become, I think, is going to demonstrate her level of emotional support. >> By departing at this moment. So with that, actually, when we can, I think we are. Are there additional questions? I'm guessing answer is no. I was over to the public comment. Are there any members of the public that would like to comment on the brand book for the city of Santa Rosa. And it's disappointing. Also. That is that's an important point. Thank you for Let's bring it back to council for a motion and a second Rogers, a close public comment seeing non MR. Rogers. He's been whale us apologies. I read in the wrong line missed and we lost the honors years. Thank you, Mayor. >> Okay. We like to make a motion to introduce the ordinance entitled Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Rosa amending section one, Dash 0, 4, tease me 0, 2, 0 of the Santa Rosa City code in waive any reading for their text. Second. >> We have a motion a second by MISTER Rogers. Rogers, please. >> We do still mine, but I do want to yes, and you did not even go to the lectern in to give your public comment. But
I do want to say that it looks beautiful and I pass it all the time in 8 gives me a certain amount of pride when I see it. We need those around more. So it's just the roads, but it's like in embedded in the concrete. It just it looks. Looks great. I love it. If you haven't seen it, please go by the herd over us in. Check it out. >> They're also in court in those into the redo of the Mendocino Overcrossing as well. So I think it's General ever throughout the entire area. Santa Rosa to do that. We love our roses and we love our MADAM City clerk. >> Councilmember Rogers Councilmember Okrepkie. I Councilmember Macdonald. I have Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willows. Yes, Vice Mayor Alvarez time, mayor stopped by the motion passes with 6 affirmative votes with Councilmember Fleming. Absent. >> Jason Rice, thanks for all the work on this Could presentation mayor, if I could was a second part to that, please, which is option for resolution. It's been It. >> All right. I move to adopt a resolution entitled resolution of the council. The city of Santa Rosa adopting the 2025 brand book and waive further reading of the tax. Second motion a second by MISS Rogers, MADAM City clerk. Whenever you're ready. COUNCILMAN Roger Ys, I Councilmember Okrepkie. I Councilmember MacDonald tie Councilmember Fleming is absent councilmember Ben Willows. Yes, Vice Mayor Alvarez Mayor stop. I motion passes with 6 affirmative votes with Councilmember
Fleming. Absent. >> Thank you again. And with that and more on to item 15.3, our report on city naming and renaming and assistant city manager. Not I think we still have you present Inc. >> Yes, thank you, Mayor Assistant city manager. Jason, not. You're stuck with me for one more. Just let me get this loaded up. All right. Thank you for putting up with me one more time. This is going to be little more engaging because we're going to be talking about city assets and the naming and renaming policy there's a little bit of history to this. And so I'm gonna start off with a little bit of a purpose statement. I'm not going to read this, but the bottom line right now, the city does not have a comprehensive policy that identifies where provides guidance to the city City Council or the community on how a city asset could be named or renamed. And when it's appropriate to do so. And because of interest from members of the community interest from members of the council interest from other staff members here, we felt it was the right time to start to develop a policy that would help us. Move forward with different evaluations that that could result in renaming or naming. From a background perspective. As I mentioned, there's been a number of of a there's been a number of interested requests over the course of at least the last decade that I've been here and I'm sure well beyond that, the only policy that we currently says policy, 0, 0 Dash, 2, 5, title park naming policy and procedure. If you've read through it's it's actually
it's not a bad policy. It's very simple, but it leaves a lot to the imagination as far as how we would take care of more complex requests it doesn't go beyond parks or recreational facilities. And so the park and rec team has actually been working on this for the last couple of years. At. It really came about when we were renaming Creekside Open space to Mary Open space and and it was highlighted at that point. The process for that renaming was very complex and that wasn't clearly outlined. So the recreation and parks team has for the last several years big to conduct a series of evaluations. They've been looking at other policies around the country trying to come up with the most reasonable and appropriate approach for us moving forward. And so was lucky enough when I took on this assignment to stand on their greatness and utilize a lot of the background and information that they came up with and you'll see that incorporated through here. That policy that we have in place was originally adopted. In 1989 tides been amended 4 times or 3 times and even though it's been amended, it has yet to really come into detail to help us. And that's why we were looking to do it again. As I started drafting this policy, I circulated it to each of the department's came some feedback. Here's some of the aspects that the department's asked me to
consider from a street naming perspective, some cities and municipalities around the state have actually incorporated how new streets are named into theirs into their asset, naming and renaming and working with planning and economic development. We determined that we already have a process. We've been very comfortable and happy with. So you'll see that that's actually excluded from the document that we are asking you to adopt today. But it does give us other opportunities to look at how we would rename those city streets are how we would establish something like a ceremonial street name when it comes to the recreation and park side of things. As I said, a lot of work was done by the team and I'm very thankful for the efforts that they put into it. There are a couple of other aspects, not that we have a request to look at what a themed asset might look like. But there could be there could be that shift as we look to enhance some of our parks where we think this falls under a fiend asset concept. And I wanted us to have a framework set up so that if we how to request a name that particular Parker. That asset after something specific, the framework was there for us and then when we start talking when I start talking a little further, there really is some level of priority on this. City assets. Some are named for a particular purpose and we don't really want to encourage the constant renaming of city assets. We think that there should be some level of conscious approach to evaluating requests as they come for a new. So you'll see we've incorporated a number of steps for the community for the boards and commissions and for council to really strongly
way each of the criteria and the requests to come forward to ensure that this is the way we want to move forward. And then as we were working through the final portions of this and in light of some of the activities that have occurred over the last 5 years, the city attorney's office really identified a great point in here that we really should have enough portion of this policy that gives council the authority to remove a name. And we'll talk more detail about what that means. You know, that was absent from several over the policy examples that I've looked at. And it made sense once the attorney's office and I had this discussion as to why we might want to include that. So the policies outlined in 9 different sections that I'm going very quickly go through each of these to explain what that section is about and why the first is the definitions. It has a number of definitions to it. I'm highlighting only a few just so that I can set the stage on what it is we're trying to accomplish when we're talking about city assets, its recreation facilities at city-owned facilities, the buildings that we have its treats its parks and its ancillary components of each of those. And you'll see that when we talk about the city facility, it goes into little bit more depth. It could be our library. It could be a room within the library I'm gonna use the term ceremonial at some point. This is not an official name change. This is a name change for the benefit of recognizing an individual where we are not establishing, for example, a ceremonial street name isn't going to change the post office or
mailing address of that business is to provide some can textual indication for what those people, individual or events provided our community that we want to honor memorials and plaques. Right now we have a standards policy that we are not allowing. We prohibit memorials. We do actually have any documentation that says why we don't have any process that gives folks an opportunity to come forward. If they feel they've got a reason for wanting a memorial. And so this gives us a tool to be able to make those evaluations and for the public to understand what it would take for them to bring forward request. When we talk about parks, parks is a generalized term. But the recreation and Parks department want make sure that I emphasize it is all of our activity areas. It's open space. It's trails its plazas like Jade, you way its neighborhood parks and community parks are open space and then from a recreation facility, it could be the gazebo at Southwest Community Park to Finley Community Center to the aquatics pad over here across the street at Prince Gateway Park. So I just wanted to set the stage so that when we use these terms, you understand what I'm referencing. So from a general naming criteria, these are the key major ways with which we believe that names should evaluated or considered when it comes to a naming or renaming location, obviously is the one we would generally
look at is the priority. It's the one that that we think makes the most sense you're honoring a particular location. You're honoring the environment. You're honoring a space in your community. When we think about significant events, people are places for a specific landmark. The Sonoma County Museum. There MAY be a specific landmark because it's their original post office or it's an event oriented type of activity that we want to reference for that specific space because it had history outstanding individuals is another where we want to reference an individual who in this individuals must be deceased in order to be considered for naming. But these are folks that have contributed substantially to our community. And we want to make sure that we honor them in certain ways. Marriage of are so open space was one of those we did recently. And the reason why word embedded in that conversation. Major donations. From a major donation perspective. The idea is if you have the person family who donated the person, senior wing, they donated a significant amount of money for the benefit of our community to to support the well-being of seniors in our population. And we want honor that family by making that building reference. The family donation that was provided to us. And so we've created an area or criteria associated
with that. I mention fema assets and then the last one is one that you know, again, I threw a place holder in there. I felt it was important for us to at least put the concept out on the table, which is one of naming rights. If there is a facility that we want to sell naming rights to for whatever purpose or reason there's now there's now a statement in there that the council's one open to it and that there is a generalized process. There's no detail on that process, but it just says you will establish an agreement with counsel for that benefit. From a provisions perspective. And this really says you've got the criteria. And now what are you doing with that right here? How are you evaluating and determining whether or not the criteria is is worth further evaluation. And so they're 8 general naming provisions. I'm talking about historical cultural talking about the location and history of the low of the asset general broad public support and then. Even though I talked about naming rights before the ideas, there's no commercialization of a particular asset. That's not the intent of our naming policy and program. As I mentioned, the idea is that there's a standardized process now for removing these types of request through and identified 5 different boards and commissions that would support the council's evaluation process. Identified specific types of facilities that we MAY be naming or renaming and which board. I thought was the most reasonable to to do. The
initial evaluation process and in talking with the executive team here at the city, seemed reasonable appropriate to them as well. Now from a process perspective, we did create an application and we will require that all naming requests come forward with an application. I've created a draft that draft was attached to the council pack. It. That is a draft form. We will continue to work on trying to ensure that that encompasses all of the data that we need to collect to ensure that that application is acceptable. Within that application is going to be justification letters. It's going to be letters of support. It's going to be documentation. It's it's the description of why that particular name best fits that asset. And then there's the process of justification, which is petitions. We require a petition for each application and in many cases, we're going to want to see 1000 residents sign with 50% of those residents immediately adjacent to the assets that's being named. It's important for public by. And I mentioned that on the priorities. It's important to make sure that the public agrees with the process that we're looking at agrees with the naming. And so that's how we get into the queue for evaluation purposes. Now, I'm just going to say that 1000 residents is a number where we kind of best fit when we looked at policies across the state, they range from 500 signatories to over 1500 signatories. So are fought was we're going to balance in the middle. And if council would like us to
evaluate a different number relating to that, I'm happy to consider that incorporate that in as part of the final draft of this. When we go through the review and approval process. As I this shouldn't be an easy thing to rename. I'm sorry. It needs process. It needs evaluation. It needs to make sure that. The work that community is doing to justify is validated by the community. And by that the policymakers. And so those committees that I showed previously would take the first 3 steps. And this and in those steps, it's the petition application. It's the initial evaluation of what the request is, then it's the board and commission asking staff to us to work with the applicant to further justify and identify whether there are other other petitioners for that specific or similar asset. And then it's bringing back a series of conversations and final decision making to that board and commission that would then be Rick recommended to the city Council for final evaluation. Each of these cases, public outreach must ensue. For example, on Mary Open space, in addition to the board of community service meetings, we also had public meetings out in the community to further discuss that in an effort to try to gain public support and ensure that this was the right path and direction for that process. In the end, cost, if we if it's
approved by council, the cost is is of renaming. That is to be borne by the applicant proponent, which means any signage would need to comments cost of those applicants it's it's intended to ensure that these are serious proposals that we are all bought into this, not just from the policymaker but from the community that's really advocating on their behalf. Now built into the policy. There's also the ability for the city manager to consolidate some of these activities in particular, consolidate steps 2, 3 and consolidate steps 4, 5, depending upon whether or not there are other alternatives or other petitioners for that same asset, if there aren't any. Then the city manager can authorize that. Those that those 2 processees shrink to one last meeting each. I mention ceremonial street naming and I'm going to spend a couple of slides talking about this. There are several cities that have started to adopt this. As I mentioned, this is not an a in official name change. This is a temporary naming of a street. The official address will remain the same. It will always be Santa Rosa Avenue, even if there was interest in honoring individual event or time in history for a ceremonial street name 100 Santa Rosa Avenue will continue to be the mailing address for this piece of property. Even though we might have a different honorary name to go with that stretch of street. There's a series of
criteria here relating to the individual philanthropic organization or significant event or landmark on how that would be incorporated. These are not dissimilar from the original criteria that I mentioned at the beginning of this in Section 3. But there are provisions that need to come with us for honorary street. Naming we want to make sure that the community that lives on that street has the loudest voice in either. It's approval or the voice saying we don't support this particular request. And so only a member of that street or property. A resident on that Street, a community group that operates from that street or a council member can bring forward these types of applications. This is not dissimilar from other communities that have this type of ceremonial street naming process. And so this wasn't something I made up. This is fairly common for those other communities as well. This application would be vetted originally by the city manager and then come to the city Council for consideration. It would not go through one of the boards and commissions so it would have a different path along its way. There is a protest potential for this particular process, which is 20% of those impacted residents. As I mentioned, it's the folks who live on that street that need to be given a higher weight, a voice and then it's a matter of how we would address the time
frame on the the ceremonial street naming for that. We're identifying a 10 year time frame it that the applicant would be paying for the installation of the commemorative signage. And you can see in the example of one of the cities that that has this policy and how they are demonstrating that. And their community. On Section 8, as I mentioned, is the memorial recognition. This really does say if someone wants to create a true memorial that they'll need to come to council to make that request. We will not. We will be, in essence, prohibiting additional memorials in this community. Memorial's include not just a memorial such as the Veterans Memorial. It exists outside the stores but also memorials within parks in dedication of a particular individual who is deceased. It's these are very difficult for the city to manage, maintain and to ensure they stay in good condition. It is a challenge that several years ago from an organizational perspective, we decided that we were going to cease offering these. And so we've incorporated in here as part of the policy should there be an interest in allowing a particular memorial for the course of the application? As you can see, we're referencing Section 3, these the criteria that are established as to what constitutes naming for a particular location. And we believe that would be consistent for a memorial. These applications would only be considered by the city
council and not one of the boards or commissions. And then lastly was the removal of a name. There have been points in time in our history and our recent history where information comes to light about a particular individual who MAY have been honored or a corporation or a nonprofit that is no longer are appealing for the city for political or other reasons. And this allows the council to bypass the other processes to remove those names with a little bit of expediency. It doesn't necessarily establish a renaming process other than that council can remove a name and insert something temporarily in its place. While we go through a permanent renaming program. But we felt this was important to incorporate because it was unclear without it. How council might make a request of the city manager or others. 2 conduct an evaluation for removing name of something that we no longer are wanting to support. From the meeting perspective. So with that, it's recommended by the city manager's office. The council by resolution adopt Council policy entitled City Asset, naming and renaming and recent policy. 0, 0, 0 Dash. 25 titled Park naming policy and procedure. And I'm here to answer any question that should happening. Thank you. Assistant city manager. There a lot of work that went into this and some a lot of discussion in the community in recent years about this. So it is good that we're finally evaluating this. >> Well, turning to council
for questions. As Rodgers. >> Thank you, mayor. So one thing that popped up for me, assistant city manager was cancer survivors. Part. Would that be an example of calling it? >> Something else. >> From a historical perspective, it would not warrant us to go and do something unless council believes that there is a significant reason why we would want to undo that name council could initiate a solicitation for alternative gaming and go and how that process works through here. But there was rhyme reason as to why that park was named that way. And we would want to go back and do evaluation in vetting of of how that name came to be. But it was based on a donation labeled and named as cancer Survivors Park. >> And then also the 3.1 number for the major donations. They still have to go through the entire >> process. Correct? >> That that's correct. And and actually I'll just say I had extensive conversation with the city attorney's office over this specific issue. There are individuals that we would be unwilling to accept a donation for or maybe we're willing to accept it. But we are not willing to provide them naming. We're not willing to put their name on it. So this forces, even those individuals to go through the process to ensure that the community agrees with their name being placed on that Are that city asset, even if they provide us funding to to construct. I won't go through the examples that I discussed.
The city attorney's Office spied Pino. You can you can envision some fairly individuals, for example, that that don't have community that are not likely to have community support but have lots of money that would be interested in and having their name adorned on something they build for us because they can afford to pay for it. That would not be necessarily in the best interest of the city to see their name there. >> If I can afford to give you a million dollars to go toward something, I'm sure I can afford to buy 1000 signatures. I'm just sayin, but that is one that I really don't care for. This is early, especially if they have to go through the process anyway, in all say for me, it's because I feel like people shouldn't be able to just it's like almost bribing are buying something from us. I'm fine with taking money. Don't get me wrong on that one. But just I'm gonna give you this. But you have to do this. Just reminds me of the have and the have nots and it just doesn't sit well with me. But that will be on the comments. Thank in Person. Thank you. MR. >> Yeah, just one quick clarifying question. So I thanks for this presentation. As the mayor said that, I understand a lot of work went when this over a long period of time. When it comes to the ceremony, a street naming you said earlier in the presentation they have to be dead under this new. Proposal. Is that still the case or is that revised within the new proposal? >> So the ceremonial street
naming does require that the individuals being honored comply with the outstanding individuals component of the criteria. >> Which is, which is the greater than 3 years. It's one week we adjusted at some point coming just a moment. Actually, we said deceased greater than 5 years. And so and so for a ceremonial street, naming. >> That would require and individual to comply with that. If that's to be named after an individual. Okay. And >> to go backwards. Does apply for all naming as well. They're just ceremony street naming that would apply for all naming if we're going to honor permanently in individual specific individual that falls under that particular criteria of outstanding individual. Okay. They're just 2 different mechanisms for honoring an individual. One is a permanent recognition. One is a temporary recognition. It's more of an honorarium. >> But both have to have the okay. So I think I I think I would want to have and come back the comments. But I do have concerns about that portion of it. Ok? Family lives. >> So first of all, I want to say this is great. I'm glad that we that and thank you for working on this process because absolutely right. We get requests all the time now we'll have some kind of a structured process and that we can help our constituents with right to walk into the process. Having said that, there's a lot of different levels here, which I think is is is good in many ways, but also a little overwhelming. I
know I would be like, okay. What does this fallen, too, eccentric cetera? So there's that. The other thing I'm wondering about, you know, the petition. And then 1000 signatures. This is the general under under the general. And then. Cost to the applicant. I understand cause yeah, mail and all that. All of those things have to be considered. But I think it precludes. I don't know. Regular folks working class folks from bringing forth change or not necessarily even a change. But something new, something that MAY not even have a name but could use a name. I would be really concerned about that. Cause. Would we even have an idea of what that cost would be since a kid. So many things could be affected by that change or that. Or that entity be named. >> Councilmember, I'll say that that varies depending upon the location. For example. >> From a >> Public safety response perspective. All of our park signs are now have to be internally or have to be eliminated and sand generally we're starting to put them in more durable materials than we have in the past. So there is a higher cost associated with renaming those spaces. Now, there MAY only be one sign for those particular parks which reduces the cost. But with some, there MAY be multiple points of access and Wein and each of those points would need to have the name adjusted or changed from a street name perspective are renaming depends on the length of the stretch. If we're talking a mile, you could have off. Almost 20 to 50 signs that need to be replaced to
demonstrate that New Street name if we officially changed the name and so wanting to make sure that we were able to manage the cost to the city in the organization again, this is a draft policy. If council chooses to direct us to go a different way, you know that that's the product the council by. I think the reason we've incorporated it this way is it's not uncommon for other municipalities to require that the applicants be that they put not that kind of teeth in the game for wanting to see the name change to fit with their interests. So thinking like it, for example, in my there's a whole section. >> Named after presidents, right? You know, you know, talking about Madison, Colton, all the presidents, but they're all the old PRESIDENT's just by the way. It's so I could see someone saying, well, you know, I want to >> Rini my street. Obama or I want to you know, I mean, but that they wouldn't be able to because of the costs. So I mean, it's just one thing that comes to mind the other thing I'm wondering about is what Councilmember Rodgers was talking about. The donation. I know there are many organizations that do that. If you make a big donation, I could think of a couple that I'm associated with have that practice. And that's another thing that has always bother me. As far as working class folks. Again, that having that opportunity, they would be able to because they would never be able to match. What the Schultz can better in those folks who are wonderful. But, you know, you don't get a library named after you unless you have a lot of So I'm just
thinking about Just that the disparity between the it, Councilmember Rogers said. The haves and have nots. And the other thing I wanted to ask you, you mentioned that council members could bring for something great. Would we also have to pay first Iran and or our constituents came to us and said, could you do this for us because we can't afford it. You know that. So there's kind of just a lot of different things that are coming to with the way the policy is presented right And so from the perspective of the major donations, I certainly understand the concept of the have and have nots. I I will say that there's >> that we have many assets and this organization right now that are at the benefit. We benefited from substantial donors and we're honoring them by having their names on there, whether it's Doyle Park or whether it's family community center or a person, senior wing. And there are many others out there. I do understand that it MAY give the appearance that it said it separates those individuals money from those that do not this particular policy allows for anyone's name to be. Honored on a city facility and doesn't only relates to those individuals that can afford to pay for the facility itself. And and so I just want to make sure that, you know, it's understood that it's clear that that. The attempt was not completely isolate the ability for us to name something for someone who has the fiscal means. But instead, it's
really. Wanting to appreciate those individuals that do spend money in our community that way to give council the opportunity to say thank you for that donation again to, you know, the conversation earlier. Even someone who makes a major donation must go through this process and get approvals to have their names placed on that. I'm not sure that's the way it has always been, but I didn't feel that there was a benefit for short cutting those those individuals over others. So they have to follow the same process. There's just a category that says we would really like to consider this as a potential. And just to say, I agree. I mean, when someone comes along, they offer a huge donation. >> That makes it possible to build something. That's that. Has to be rewarded. And I get that. I'm just saying that it might discourage others from even. Putting a suggestion that saw. Rodgers. Sorry. >> If they're going to have to go through the process anyway, it doesn't matter that they made the donation like thank you, but when we're looking at outstanding individuals and we're saying that there will be some individuals that even if they made a donation, we would not allow them to put their name on something. To me. They have to go through the process Giving a substantial amount of money, 2 community centers, something that's going give to our kids for for many generations to come. That's a big deal. But then that also make stand now standing individual. And that also can go, you know, it like falls into different.
Categories. >> And council member, I'd say, but not necessarily a major donation doesn't necessarily require the same level of it's not the same criteria as the outstanding individual. And so, for example, the the Finley family is donating this. It's not the particular and it MAY not be the particular individual and then they have to follow that person's been deceased. 5 years. They've substantially provided for this community. They've been outstanding all of these ways. It could be that this is a pillar family and the community that's still here that is donating the money and it's our intent from the city perspective to honor that donation by naming that facility after the family name. You know, or up to the individual or that. Nonprofit. Family. >> Obviously, the whole family is not going to be deceased. The family that is currently living. I have something named. After them. And then if something happens within that family. Or an individual disgraced the name of that family. We would take their name off of. >> The the building. >> So if the donation. If the donation is in. The name of an individual that individual needs to comply with the outstanding individuals. Criteria. If it's a family name or nonprofit, it does not need to comply with that particular section. I mean, I
still don't like it. Okay. Area and again, you know, you're you're seeing a draft. If there's even though I'm asking you to. Adopt. Yes, if there's a particular adjustment or amendment, I'm happy to to evaluate that. >> So if we're looking at the replay one in 3. The too far for change to say outstanding individuals and in our families. I don't think it's it would be, however, the criteria are here does require that that >> person being honored is deceased greater than 5 years. >> So then again, family name can only go in something if they have a lot of So then that goes back to the half of the have nots. I don't want to get into the weeds, but I'm just saying is still goes back to the have and the have nots, rather I mean. There's no way you can put the family name on something unless you have a lot of money is what it is with. This policy is saying. If I could relate this to marry >> Open space. The family that made that recommendation could have just said Open space in honor of Mary. >> Look, let me interrupt for a second here. Just because I sense that we might be going down a rabbit hole. I'm sensing concerns from colleagues. This is going to be tough to wordsmith on the day is here. Is that is it better? Is it more efficient for us to potentially not approve this tonight? And take this back to there a more informal discussion to buy to something like that to gather more feedback from council? And looking and looking for some had not. Vice mayor. >> There's a new year out
requesting. To create a draft is what? >> Now I presented you with the draft and I'm asking you to adopt that draft as a permanent c and my colleagues, cause same the haves and have nots is is really not something issue. And our mayor suggesting that we have that's who I to conversation. It sounded like need some more discussion of Yeah, I just want to say I think I think the structure of this is great. Great. I think you have sort of laid out as a framework is is great. What I >> My concern is and what I'm hearing from my colleagues is that there is some some input that needs to be had on certain items, whether it be large donations. Families were says individuals. The costs, how those are borne out you know, deceased 5 years or not. I mean, I think Obama was in perfect example of that. I don't think we should have to wait to see if he does anything more it. You know, I think he's worthy of it. Now. That's just me, though. So I think to that. And while the the framework is great, I think it might be more productive for us to have, you know, our to I-2 discussions to fine tune and hat because giving more direct feedback that you could aggregate the doing it right here over the next hour. Because that's what it's going in my opinion gonna end up being like an hour of us going trying to figure this out. Plus, we have 2 colleagues that aren't here. >> I'm I'm happy to take that feedback that received so far and create a focused discussion in some follow-up meetings, looking at my colleagues, are we in agreement on that? >> All right. Let's let's proceed that manner. I will echo what MR. Creepiest said. All right. This isn't excellent first draft. I like
the issues you're raising. I like the process, general process are putting into place. And I think with that with some offline discussion, we can we can tweak this a little bit. To that. And if there are no additional questions like go to public comment right now and we'll start trustee, Jeremy de la and then Joe Salinas. >> Good evening. Mayor Council its very refreshing to be on the side of the podium for change. This is a very emotional and near and dear discussion for me Timothy Russell glass Sacrificed his life. 6/24/2018 obstructing a lone gunman with multiple loaded firearms a bag of explosives with the intent of murdering his estranged wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, and his grandchildren on Garfield Park in Rincon Valley in 2018, he was posthumously honored by the Centers police Department with the newly appointed civilian Medal of Courage that was presented to his widow and his sons the following year. I want to there. How football games I asked in 2019, how to rename park in honor of this man who I memorialized with a tattoo on my right forearm. So every person's hand I fake. I have him with me. And I've been going through this process for the last 6 years in my request has not been denied or approved. But it has been presented with challenges due to the formal policy being as big it was and not having appropriate structure. Now for the applicant To be solely
responsible for the cost that then banks my consideration. Obsolete. I cannot no longer be a part of the conversation. Nothing is more substantial and significant than the sacrifice of this man's life. When we the park, I would like to rename is Oak Lake. In Rincon Valley. It has 3 entrances. Tim took his last breath 15 yards from where this sign is. And it's the same sign that has been at that park for 61 years. And I offered to provide the costs of the same sign it with her name. I was told that if it was renamed. Then I would have to be responsible $90,000 in fees for 2 illuminated signs due to new safety protocols on parks. When I started this 6 years ago, it's still got the same would in dilapidated flaking paint inside. I could do that. No problem with the volunteers. I have involved, but I cannot pay for electricians and new luminaid science and that shouldn't be in consideration to rename a park in honor of this man. So all I ask is we consider this policy and we consider working out the kinks of how to make this progress. Is that? My initial request does not get swept under the rug and rescinded. And I have to start process all over again. I thank you all information you could read why this has been presented and why it's important. What I've done thus far requested. And I'd like to continue to be a part of that process is a community member, but we should be able to honor a man's life who sacrificed to save so many. Without writing and exurban of a check. Thank you, Jeremy. >> Joe. >> Counsel for redoing this draft because I've been
meeting with the City Council for some years now about renaming parks and other assets for the city to recognize. And our tribal people work hard. The indigenous people of this land. We have nothing to represent our people except Elsie Allen High School got a river named after Russians everything. All these parks to call. And I just nothing for our people. City of Santa Rosa going to take initiative to do this on their own without me as an individual to say, hey, you need to change, just sign a dozen. Can you represent our people for this candidate? People be recognized? I'm glad that finally happened. When I met with Jones on those counter, I wanted to name a park after baby Auberry who's ceo and, you know, project there was also CHAIRWOMAN For Dry Creek for some years, should not right at this moment. But she was she deserved to be on it. You got a lot for Sonoma County and the people in our in our native people. But I was told that that we talked she diced and are on her name, something after her. Good is it to really honor of people go in after you want to show them that you're honoring them? I mean, be nice honor. A lot of our people, my ancestors that that have and I'm talking about basket weavers. Spiritual many of our native people that are recognized to uc Berkeley but not recognize through Santa Rosa, not recognized to Sonoma County, recognized to uc Berkeley for the things that they've done for this area. And now it's good to see this, but also like even I wanted to Flat Rock park of renaming the but the counter Park. We're gonna 1000 natives that live in anywhere near neighborhood. Not at all. I'd be lucky to get 1000 signatures to have those people support money to people. Maybe they would mean they wouldn't. I don't know.
But that hold 1000 signatures for some areas that was at one time a can documented by uc Berkeley to be in a sister, a village. Could that be recognized? And it's not just about getting recognition for the indigenous people. It's about. Making that self-awareness self identity self pride for our indigenous youth. But also are coming up here in the future to help educate them? If you love Saint Rose Love Sonoma County, this is the history of where you're from. Have some prior to being where you're from. And I think that to me, why a big thing to me is to make that honor, making that pride for our youth because icing fentanyl, take a lot of our kids and I feel like a lot and I feel like that. I know that the reason why a lot of that is because of self pride, self-awareness, self-worth. I didn't have that. That's the reason why they're not involved that stuff. When I was younger. So what can I do to fix that were can I do to make things better? And again, I am part of the working class. I wouldn't be able to afford to do any of these things, but I can easily set back in my couch and say what can I do to make some rules to better work id, to make county better and not do nothing and say, oh, yeah, we should do this. This and this is no. I come here after work. I supposed to do dance practice tonight, but I'm not. It's important to us and it should be here. And I should have to be here to say these things. But again, you know, that 1000 people live in their being pain for the renaming these are initiatives that I feel the city should be taken care of for stuff that should've been done a long and I got a whole is the basket weaver, spiritual leaders cultural later tribal leaders that if you guys are looking for names, that should be recognized should be honor.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Joe. Are there other members of the public would like to speak? Gregory? Thank you, Joe. >> Santa Rosa City Council has so love Santa Rosa Parks and other facilities for your entire existence. We have parks named after people with money. You can't have a park named after you unless you've got money. I'm a veteran of a battle that took place 7 or 8 years ago and up argue had to name was given to the guy who donated the land for the park because his daughter wanted he wasn't dead. He didn't turn into 1000 signatures. Few of us wanted to name the park after recently died only 2 years before. Park and Rec department manager who had been here for lots of years everybody in the community loved. No, you can't do that. Gregory hasn't been dead for 5 years. So I'm asking you and it's going to be a little inconsistent. I admit to not mean anything after people who just give you money or Parkland or anything else. To what Jason suggested, signatures not paid signatures but signatures or some demonstration a really important contribution. Now, on the other hand, I'm married to someone who's trying to build you a library and naming rights are important to the library foundation. So come to some way of doing both. Please. Thank you, Gregory. >> I next this comment. >> So somebody else. Janice, Europe and Cain, thank you. Janice Thank you to the city
council. >> I agree Carolyn Natalie go hey, chose Salinas, all of in another state. County has taken it upon themselves to translate into Indian dialect. The names of the street signs. So they're on all the roads in people educated, along with with everything else that goes on. The Indians should stay in Indigenous people Sonoma County has become much more of a melting pot that used to be. And when I went to school, there 3 black people totally is later junior high. When I moved here from San Francisco. And not that there were a lot in San Francisco, but I'm I'm glad this and rose is getting more divers having Every kind of people here. The Chinese are important. Japanese, the Mexican in town, Italian Scandinavians, all of them. But I'm going around town now and I'm seeing black murals. I have a degree in art and I love to look at the murals. I like to see natural things and beautiful design. And there is some of that as well. But I think did when this happens and pretty sure it's going to happen because it needs to when this happens, it will be high. 3 agencies possibly art in public spaces. The design review board. And there is one other that I was without this city manager being involved said this would be more of an open can text tool thing with the public and the people who are looking at these kinds of things and who actually have a real investment in those
specific areas. And I don't go with the idea that it adds can textual imagery or interest with the street. I think it sounds confusing to start changing street names, but in subdivisions and other things that are evolving. I think that it's a great idea that there be connection with other things that are going on in the neighborhood or Zimmer's. Santa Rosa words historically that they evolve with that and said it just naming a street like Harry drivers, something like that. Anyway, thank >> Thank you, Janice. Other other members of the public would like to speak on this item every step forward. And leaned into the mic. >> My name is Mary and Michaels. And I spoke earlier you know that I came primarily to support Flat Rock Park being renamed. >> To be don't come tire of the Park. And when I listen to the litmus test that you're going to try to run all these names through. I think this is a good example of one that probably won't make it. The residents around this park are not indigenous people. There. Residents MAY have other ideas about this park. The intent of request. That we people with solar and colonizer ancestry learn our own history. The reason we don't know is because it's been raised and we're trying to put it back. This is a very dynamic
question. And then listening today, I don't know if public buildings are also in the news. I was a Carol else's memorial and the suggestion came out of that experience. Rincon Valley, Rincon Valley Junior high be named for Karen. Now I know that some of the junior highs aren't even going to be open next fall. So as you think about this into the future, what if you finally get the right name on the right place and then something happens in the place. Isn't there anymore? What happens to that honoring and that name. I think this is very difficult question. I don't think it's going to be answered easily, but I think it's very important. Thank you. Thank you, Mary Ann. >> Are there other members of the public would like to speak? I'm Buckley on the The Board of Community Services for the city of Santa Rosa appointed by lovely Natalie. Rogers. And I've been on the board going. Think about 3 years I served on the board Park and Recreation Commission Petaluma for almost 9 years and there's a big, big need for needs to be done on the park on Burbank. I believe it's called Burbank Park. COUNCILMAN Oliver Alvarez said, but it's called. Much time when across from the school. >> Well, and it's it's it's Rosen. >> Creek, but I'm hoping that will be called Park, ok, ok? >> And the there's a group that would like to see that park named Como Park would be full and respectful to the an act acknowledgment it would serve as a living tribute to
our ancestors and the gesture towards Rick reconciliation. A number of people that would like to have that happen. And the other thing like bring up is I think things like this should come before particular item before the park and Recreation Commission and instead of us getting it at the end and then all we could to do is say yes, be approve. We approved. But these had the things I was on the board and Petaluma everything that had to do with parks, recreation and that type of the thing came before our group. We got to say it goes, it go through the all this that you're going through tonight and then we bring it to the council and and good to get it approved or disapproved. So I think that's one thing that I know most of us on the board, would like to see happen little bit better. So we get more involved. But this is this. Polo Park is something that they really, really pushing for. Thank you. Thank you. Agree. Do any other members of the public wish to speak? >> Alright, we'll close public comment and it sounds like we're going to put a pause on this item for now. What I do think we've demonstrated by our comments at the dais and the comments and members of the public, it's just how complicated naming is. I have to confess a given that I work in fundraising and work for large organizations like the San Francisco Zoo in Sonoma State University, where discussions of naming are relatively common. I'm not I am not surprised to see us go
down this road. Naming inspires passion. Lots of complicated questions. How do we name? What's the process? What's the cost to pays? How long? Again, the draft you put together Jasen. I think it starts to get those questions in a really helpful way. They will. There is going to continue to be discussion even after we approve a draft. But it does look like our for our best first bat is to bring this back to council to have some offline conversations to see if we can. We can tweak this a little bit to get it. Concerns of the council members and members of the public since many reiterated the concerns that we that brought forward of here. And we will come back discuss this at council in a future day. It is going port in the city in the long run for all sorts of reasons that we highlighted tonight. So thank Thank you for your continued work on that. All of my colleagues. Any other final final questions? All right. Well, we're going to go. We for those of you who want to make it yet more public comment. We've got one final cut public comment on non agenda matters. Janice, I believe you commented on the earlier public comment for Non-agenda matters. So for any who have not commented earlier. So they're ok, please go ahead. Is it does it? Joe? >> it's last comment talking about parks and I do in flat rock parks and rename and some of these things and getting some recognition for the indigenous people. My next thing I like to go out there is you got about 27 Snoopy statues. You don't got one statute. Now, just one. Maybe
one. And that's something I'm going to be going for coming here in the future. Is that asking the city to maybe a promoting do something to honor the indigenous people with statue or something like that. And in these parks, I'm also looking to make signage to educate people on why these parks why but to compare Park, is that because that is the tribe that once lived there documented from uc Berkeley and these are the people they are. But thank you guys, all again for your support. Thank you for your hard work in the city. I love Santa Rosa just as much you guys and hopefully we can do. We can for the future part of this city for you that for all of our people and teamwork makes the dream work. >> There's guys that things really Are there any other members of the Cup public who want to make comment on non agenda matters? >> Seeing none. I again, Janice, I think you made comment that the earlier. Correct we've done to we've got to tune on agenda item periods. Air comment. Sessions, you spoke with the earlier one. You can speak at one. Seeing no other members of the public who wish to speak. We are adjourned. Thank you, everyone.