City Council
City Council
Tue, July 14, 2026
Agenda items
Vote records
Discussion summary
Transcript
Meeting summaryAI-generated
City Council — July 14, 2026
This was a regular City Council meeting notable for a major study session on revenue enhancement, the introduction of a new interim city manager, and a full agenda spanning parks, greenway planning, affordable housing bonds, and board diversity. All councilmembers were present except Councilmember Fleming for part of the session.
Closed Session (Item 3.1) — Anticipated Litigation
The Council recessed into closed session regarding one potential litigation matter under Government Code Section 54956.9. One public commenter, Duane De Wit of Roseland, urged the city to make the relevant statutory language more accessible to the public on the in-chamber display device, citing the city's open government commitments. The City Attorney reported no action out of closed session.
Study Session: Revenue Enhancement (Item 4.1)
This was the most substantive item of the evening. CFO Scott Wagner and Communications/Intergovernmental Relations staff member Misty Wood presented a comprehensive overview of Santa Rosa's ongoing structural deficit and proposed a path forward: placing a sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot.
The fiscal picture: Despite three years of difficult cuts — including elimination of 82 full-time equivalent general fund positions, consolidation of entire departments (Recreation and Parks, SIRO), a $482 million pension liability restructuring saving $28 million over five years, fee increases, and two prior voter-approved tax measures (hotel tax and business license tax) — the city remains on an unsustainable trajectory. The general fund deficit stands at approximately $14.5 million in the current fiscal year and is projected to grow to $23.3 million by FY 2030–31, in part because Measure Q (a half-cent sales tax) sunsets in 2031. Reserves are projected to fall to $11.5 million by FY 2030, well below the city's required 15–17% threshold for disaster resilience.
Why revenues are lagging: The city is unusually dependent on sales tax, which has declined by $2.1 million over the past three years due to the shift to online retail (where tax revenue flows to fulfillment centers in other cities, like American Canyon). Santa Rosa also receives only 11.7 cents of every property tax dollar collected within city limits — far below the 16–18% typical for a full-service city — due to Proposition 13 locking in a historically low allocation. Santa Rosa's combined sales tax rate of 10% is lower than neighboring cities including Sebastopol, Petaluma, Cotati, and Sonoma, which range from 10.25% to 10.5%.
Public safety impacts without new revenue: Police Chief John Cregan testified that without additional revenue, the department faces eliminating 11 sworn officer positions in FY 2027–28 (dropping below 1996 staffing levels) and up to 24 sworn positions by 2030 (1980s-era levels), forcing elimination of specialty units including narcotics, traffic, and violent crime teams. Priority-one response times would worsen. The department currently has 175 sworn officers — fewer than in 1999 — serving a city that has grown by 39,000 residents since then.
Fire Chief Scott Westrope testified that without revenue, the department faces closing one engine company by July 1, 2027 (eliminating 9 positions, $3.2 million), and by 2030, closing an additional engine company and a truck company. The city would fall below pre-recession (2007) staffing levels despite call volume having grown 66% — from 17,000 to over 30,000 calls per year. Santa Rosa operates the only staffed ladder trucks between San Francisco and the Oregon state line.
Community engagement findings: The city conducted its most extensive budget engagement effort ever, including a city manager budget working group (meeting monthly since August 2025), a January 2026 survey, the bilingual "Let's Talk Santa Rosa" initiative (2,400+ survey responses, 14 community meetings), and a June 2026 follow-up survey. Top community priorities: wildfire/emergency medical services, police response to violent crime, and street/infrastructure maintenance. Notably, 80% of June respondents rated the city's financial stability as extremely or very important — up 10 points from January.
The proposal: Staff recommended the Council authorize returning with ballot measure language to reauthorize Measure Q at one cent (double the current half-cent) until repealed by voters — rather than with a fixed sunset date. This would generate approximately $47 million annually, or $23.5 million in additional net general fund revenue, eliminating the structural deficit. A June 2026 poll showed 55% of respondents would "definitely or probably" vote yes, rising to 62% when including those leaning yes (margin of error ±4.9%).
Public comment included a sharp rebuke from one speaker who opposed any tax increase and criticized prior city management; Duane De Wit proposed licensing food vendors and selling city-owned properties as alternative revenue streams; and Gregory Ferrand urged aggressive community outreach, warning that without action the city would see service levels not seen since the 1880s.
Council direction: All six present councilmembers expressed support for bringing back ballot measure language. Councilmember MacDonald sought clarity that 100% of the tax stays with the city (confirmed). Councilmember Rogers raised concerns about future councils spending funds on non-core priorities; staff noted the revenue would go to closing the deficit, and that arts funding already comes from a separate restricted source. Councilmember Bañuelos questioned how the "until repealed" language would work in practice; staff explained voters or the Council could initiate a future ballot measure to reduce or eliminate it. Vice Mayor Okrepkie noted that even eliminating all administrative departments would not close the structural deficit — it is fundamentally an operating revenue problem.
No formal vote was taken (study session only); Council unanimously directed staff to return with ballot measure language.
Proclamation: July is Parks Make Life Better Month (Item 7.1)
Councilmember Rogers read the proclamation. Deputy Director of Recreation Jeff Tibbetts and Park Superintendent James Castro accepted on behalf of staff. Tibbetts highlighted the breadth of recreation programming (1,500 permits annually, 100,000+ Quarryhill/Howarth Park rides, youth camps, senior programs) and praised the volunteer program. Castro noted that Santa Rosa's 23 park maintenance staff care for 109 park spaces totaling 1,100 acres plus 65 acres of roadside landscaping — less than one-third of the national average staffing ratio — while the city continues to add park land. He thanked Councilmembers Rogers and MacDonald by name for their advocacy. Duane De Wit praised maintenance workers at Southwest Community Park and offered to buy 23 t-shirts reading "We Make Parks Better." Gregory Ferrand noted the County Board of Supervisors that morning approved $2 million for a new park plaza likely to be maintained by city staff.
Greenway Connectivity Study Public Outreach Update (Item 8.1)
Transportation Planner Toria Wilson briefed the Council on an ongoing public outreach effort to determine how to close the gap between the existing Prince Memorial Greenway (west side) and the planned Southeast Greenway (east side), creating a full east-west multi-use corridor. Three feasible alternatives have been developed and shared with stakeholders. An online bilingual survey has received 550+ responses; staff are also conducting focus groups (including one with Latino service providers), pop-up events (including a community bike ride with ~35 attendees), and a public workshop on July 29th at 6 p.m. at 637 Fourth Street with free childcare and refreshments. Before outreach mailers went out, Alternative 1 was most popular; after mailers, Alternative 2 took the lead. No formal vote; Council was asked to take the survey and share it widely.
Community Empowerment Plan Update (Item 8.2)
Staff provided a monthly update on upcoming community events, including the Santa Rosa in the Park concert series, a Creek Protectors Intro Day on July 16, a creek cleanup at Prince Memorial Greenway on July 18, and the National Night Out event on August 4 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. No formal action taken.
TEFRA Public Hearing — Santa Rosa Garden Apartments (Item 16.1)
The Council held a required public hearing under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act to approve the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) issuing up to $20 million in tax-exempt multifamily housing revenue bonds for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments at 4601 Montgomery Drive. The existing 111-unit affordable development (built 1970) serves households at 30–60% of area median income. The bonds finance acquisition, rehabilitation, and improvements. The city bears no financial obligation — all repayment responsibility rests with the borrower, TTG Santa Rosa Garden Limited Partnership.
Vote: Moved by Councilmember MacDonald, seconded by Councilmember Rogers. Passed unanimously (6–0, Fleming present for this vote).
Appointment of Alternate to Zero Waste Sonoma (Item 11.2.1)
The Council appointed Transportation and Public Works Director Dan Hennessy as the alternate city representative to Zero Waste Sonoma, replacing Josh Christensen.
Vote: Moved by Vice Mayor Okrepkie, seconded by Councilmember Rogers. Passed unanimously.
Request for Agenda Item — Unpermitted Food Vendors (Item 11.3.1)
Councilmember Alvarez (with support from Councilmember Rogers) requested a study session on unpermitted food vendors, citing issues that have emerged since Roseland's annexation. Director Osborne noted existing city regulations and state law already address mobile food vending, and recommended a study session first to review existing regulations in coordination with Sonoma County Health and the Police Department's environmental crimes unit. Council voted unanimously to schedule a study session.
Vote: Moved by Councilmember Alvarez, seconded by Councilmember Rogers. Passed unanimously.
Diversity Report on City Council Boards, Commissions & Committees (Item 15.1)
City Clerk Dena Amana presented the 2025 annual diversity report. Key findings: 106 applications from 81 unique individuals; 45 appointments made. Female appointees received a 60% appointment rate (up from 19% in 2024). Hispanic appointees exceeded their share of the applicant pool. African American applicants received 2 appointments (up from zero in 2024). Districts 2 and 7, previously underrepresented, saw substantial improvement. Current vacancies exist on several boards including the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board, Board of Building Regulation Appeals, Community Advisory Board, and Design Review and Preservation Board. Councilmember MacDonald raised questions about lowering the age minimum below 18 for certain boards and reconsidering meeting times to broaden access; the City Clerk agreed to explore both. The Council accepted the report unanimously.
Vote: Moved by Councilmember Fleming, seconded by Councilmember Rogers. Passed unanimously.
Consent Calendar (Items 13.1–13.10)
All ten items passed unanimously without separate discussion. Notable items include:
13.8: Accepting $4.6 million from Sonoma County Measure O for the InResponse Mental Health and Support Team.
13.9: Adopting a Memorandum of Understanding for Unit 9 (Fire Safety Management) effective July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027.
13.3: Route 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian project.
13.4: Howarth Courts renovation construction.
Gregory Ferrand (Measure O oversight committee member) noted the county distributed $12.8 million total to multiple cities that morning from Measure O and Behavioral Health Services Act funds. One speaker criticized the InResponse program; another questioned spending on a bicycle/pedestrian bridge and a community garden project.
Vote: Moved by Vice Mayor Okrepkie, seconded by Councilmember Alvarez. Passed unanimously.
City Manager and City Attorney Reports (Item 9)
Newly appointed Interim City Manager Jason Nott thanked the Council and announced that Dominique Blanc (former Human Resources Director) has been named Acting Assistant City Manager. He also announced the release of the fall/winter Recreation Activity Guide, a city blood drive on July 21st, and the opening of candidate filing for City Council Districts 2, 4, and 6 (deadline August 7, 2026).
Legislative Update (Items 29–33)
Five legislative position letters were noted for information: support letters for AB 1768, AB 2180, AB 35 (Safe Drinking Water/Wildfire Bond Act), and SB 762; and an opposition letter for AB 1383 (public employee retirement benefits). No vote required.
Key Takeaways
The city is heading toward a November ballot measure to double Measure Q from a half-cent to a full cent in sales tax, with unanimous Council support to return with language. Without new revenue, the city faces closing a fire station, eliminating police specialty units, and dropping to staffing levels not seen since the 1980s — all within the next 3–5 years.
The structural deficit is real and immediate: reserves are projected to fall below safe levels by FY 2030, and the city has effectively exhausted administrative and staffing cuts after reducing the general fund workforce by over 20% since 2007.
The Council approved a $20 million tax-exempt bond issuance for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments (4601 Montgomery Drive), preserving 111 units of affordable housing at no cost to the city.
A study session on unpermitted food vendors was approved, reflecting concerns about public health, tax equity, and enforcement challenges in post-annexation Roseland.
The annual boards and commissions diversity report showed meaningful improvement in gender and Hispanic representation but persistent gaps for African American and younger applicants, prompting Council discussion about lowering age minimums and adjusting meeting times to broaden access.
AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.
What happened at this meeting
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9: 1 potential case. RECESS CLOSED SESSION(S) AND RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION IN THE
This was a closed session item regarding conference with legal counsel regarding anticipated litigation. During public comment, Duane de Wit from Roseland suggested that the city should provide a direct link to the specific government code section cited (Government Code Section 54,956.9) on the public information device so that members of the public could better understand what the closed session discussion would cover. De Wit praised the city's previous open government initiatives and suggested this would be consistent with those efforts while still maintaining the confidentiality of the legal discussion. No council discussion was recorded as the item proceeded directly to closed session.
REVENUE ENHANCEMENT The City Manager’s Office presents this study session to provide the Council with information on enhancing the City’s revenue. The Council
# Revenue Enhancement Study Session Summary
The City Manager's Office, led by CFO Scott Wagner and Misty Wood from Communications and Intergovernmental Relations, presented a comprehensive revenue enhancement study session addressing Santa Rosa's structural budget deficit of approximately $14.5 million in the next fiscal year, projected to reach $23.3 million by fiscal year 2030-31 due to Measure Q's expiration. Despite three years of difficult cost-cutting measures—including eliminating 82 full-time equivalent positions, restructuring a $482 million pension liability projected to save $28 million over five years, and consolidating departments—the city remains in an unsustainable financial position with reserves declining to critical levels. Police Chief Cregan and Fire Chief Westrope detailed severe impacts of further cuts, including elimination of police specialty teams and potential fire station closures that would significantly impair emergency response times and public safety capabilities. Community outreach through the bilingual "Let's Talk Santa Rosa" initiative (2,400+ survey responses and 14+ meetings) identified top priorities as emergency services, police response to violent crime, and street maintenance, with 55-62% of residents supporting a sales tax reauthorization. Staff recommended reauthorizing Measure Q at one cent (versus the current half-cent) as a general-purpose sales tax requiring simple majority approval, which would generate approximately $47 million annually to maintain existing city services and infrastructure, with 100% of revenue staying in Santa Rosa's general fund.
The City Manager's Office, led by CFO Scott Wagner and Misty Wood from Communications and Intergovernmental Relations, presented a comprehensive revenue enhancement study session addressing Santa Rosa's structural budget deficit of approximately $14.5 million in the next fiscal year, projected to reach $23.3 million by fiscal year 2030-31 due to Measure Q's expiration. Despite three years of difficult cost-cutting measures—including eliminating 82 full-time equivalent positions, restructuring a $482 million pension liability projected to save $28 million over five years, and consolidating departments—the city remains in an unsustainable financial position with reserves declining to critical levels. Police Chief Cregan and Fire Chief Westrope detailed severe impacts of further cuts, including elimination of police specialty teams and potential fire station closures that would significantly impair emergency response times and public safety capabilities. Community outreach through the bilingual "Let's Talk Santa Rosa" initiative (2,400+ survey responses and 14+ meetings) identified top priorities as emergency services, police response to violent crime, and street maintenance, with 55-62% of residents supporting a sales tax reauthorization. Staff recommended reauthorizing Measure Q at one cent (versus the current half-cent) as a general-purpose sales tax requiring simple majority approval, which would generate approximately $47 million annually to maintain existing city services and infrastructure, with 100% of revenue staying in Santa Rosa's general fund.
PROCLAMATION - JULY IS PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER MONTH
# Parks Make Life Better Month Proclamation Summary
The Council adopted a proclamation recognizing July as Parks Make Life Better Month, highlighting parks' vital role in promoting physical and mental wellness, economic vitality, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Deputy Director Jeff Tibbetts and Superintendent James Castro emphasized that parks are critical public infrastructure serving as essential community resources, with park usage increasing 63% during COVID and remaining elevated afterward. Staff noted significant achievements including volunteer contributions of thousands of hours annually, completed projects like Southwest Greenway and Roseland Creek Park, and upcoming renovations, while acknowledging the challenge of maintaining 109 park spaces with only 23 maintenance staff—less than one-third of the national average. Public speakers, including community member Gregory and others, praised the park improvements and recognized parks as an affordable recreation option for families, while expressing appreciation for the dedicated but understaffed Parks and Recreation Department. Councilmembers Natalie Rogers and MacDonald were specifically thanked for their advocacy, and community initiatives like Adopt a Green Space and Park a Month were highlighted as exemplary efforts.
The Council adopted a proclamation recognizing July as Parks Make Life Better Month, highlighting parks' vital role in promoting physical and mental wellness, economic vitality, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Deputy Director Jeff Tibbetts and Superintendent James Castro emphasized that parks are critical public infrastructure serving as essential community resources, with park usage increasing 63% during COVID and remaining elevated afterward. Staff noted significant achievements including volunteer contributions of thousands of hours annually, completed projects like Southwest Greenway and Roseland Creek Park, and upcoming renovations, while acknowledging the challenge of maintaining 109 park spaces with only 23 maintenance staff—less than one-third of the national average. Public speakers, including community member Gregory and others, praised the park improvements and recognized parks as an affordable recreation option for families, while expressing appreciation for the dedicated but understaffed Parks and Recreation Department. Councilmembers Natalie Rogers and MacDonald were specifically thanked for their advocacy, and community initiatives like Adopt a Green Space and Park a Month were highlighted as exemplary efforts.
PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE GREENWAY CONNECTIVITY STUDY Staff will provide an update on a study and public outreach campaign to determine the preferred way to link the existing Prince Memorial Greenway and the future Southeast Greenway multi-use paths. Council will take no action except for possible direction to staff. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
# PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE GREENWAY CONNECTIVITY STUDY
Toria Wilson, the city's transportation planner, presented a staff briefing on the Greenway Connectivity Study, which aims to close the gap between the Southeast Greenway and west side multi-use trails by implementing one of three feasible alternatives. Staff outlined extensive public engagement efforts including over 550 survey responses in English and Spanish, 10,000 mailers, focus groups with Latino service providers and high school students, and pop-up events, with survey responses initially favoring Alternative 1 before shifting to Alternative 2 after mailers were distributed. A council member inquired about implementing multiple alternatives, and staff explained that while technically possible, limited funding requires prioritizing the most popular alternative, though additional options may be pursued depending on grant funding and pavement maintenance schedules. Staff invited community members to complete the online survey and attend an in-person workshop scheduled for July 29th from 6:00-7:30pm at 637 Fourth Street, which will offer free childcare and refreshments. A public commenter expressed support for the project and advocated for expanding the scope to include additional cross-town connections like the Southwest Greenway along Roseland Creek by pursuing additional state and federal funding sources.
Toria Wilson, the city's transportation planner, presented a staff briefing on the Greenway Connectivity Study, which aims to close the gap between the Southeast Greenway and west side multi-use trails by implementing one of three feasible alternatives. Staff outlined extensive public engagement efforts including over 550 survey responses in English and Spanish, 10,000 mailers, focus groups with Latino service providers and high school students, and pop-up events, with survey responses initially favoring Alternative 1 before shifting to Alternative 2 after mailers were distributed. A council member inquired about implementing multiple alternatives, and staff explained that while technically possible, limited funding requires prioritizing the most popular alternative, though additional options may be pursued depending on grant funding and pavement maintenance schedules. Staff invited community members to complete the online survey and attend an in-person workshop scheduled for July 29th from 6:00-7:30pm at 637 Fourth Street, which will offer free childcare and refreshments. A public commenter expressed support for the project and advocated for expanding the scope to include additional cross-town connections like the Southwest Greenway along Roseland Creek by pursuing additional state and federal funding sources.
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PLAN UPDATE This is a standing item on the agenda. Council will take no action except for possible direction to staff. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
# Community Empowerment Plan Update Summary
Staff presented the July Community Empowerment Plan update, featuring upcoming community events including the Downtown Concert Series at Juliet Community Park (free admission with parties, vendors, and artistic performances), a July 16 water quality event at Santa Rosa Creek with family activities and restoration education, a water play event for ages 5-12, a July 18 creek cleanup at Prince Memorial Greenway, and a Real 17 Preservation Committee event. Public commenter Dwayne DeWitt raised equity concerns, noting that Community Advisory Board grants ($2,500 each) are disproportionately benefiting affluent neighborhoods like Bellevue rather than disadvantaged areas like Roseland, and he requested the board redirect funding from a planned library mural to underserved communities that lack social capital to navigate the grant process. Council thanked staff for their work and approved the plan without substantively addressing DeWitt's equity concerns.
Staff presented the July Community Empowerment Plan update, featuring upcoming community events including the Downtown Concert Series at Juliet Community Park (free admission with parties, vendors, and artistic performances), a July 16 water quality event at Santa Rosa Creek with family activities and restoration education, a water play event for ages 5-12, a July 18 creek cleanup at Prince Memorial Greenway, and a Real 17 Preservation Committee event. Public commenter Dwayne DeWitt raised equity concerns, noting that Community Advisory Board grants ($2,500 each) are disproportionately benefiting affluent neighborhoods like Bellevue rather than disadvantaged areas like Roseland, and he requested the board redirect funding from a planned library mural to underserved communities that lack social capital to navigate the grant process. Council thanked staff for their work and approved the plan without substantively addressing DeWitt's equity concerns.
Agenda items (34)
Procedural (7)
1ProceduralHTTPS://SANTA-ROSA.LEGISTAR.COM/CALENDAR. CLICK ON THE "IN PROGRESS" LINK TO VIEW;
This is a procedural item directing residents to view meeting details on the city's online calendar system.
2ProceduralVIA ZOOM WEBINAR BY VISITING
This is a procedural item providing instructions for residents to join the meeting via Zoom webinar.
3ProceduralCOMCAST CHANNEL 28 OR 26 (ESPAÑOL), AT&T U-VERSE CHANNEL 99; AND
This is a procedural item listing cable and broadcast channel information for residents to watch the meeting on television.
4ProceduralVIA YOUTUBE AT HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/CITYOFSANTAROSA Public Comment may be made live during the meeting In-Person from Council Chamber, via Zoom webinar or dial-in, or submitted in advance via email at cc-comment@srcity.org by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before the City Council Meeting.
Residents can provide public comment during the meeting in person, via Zoom, by phone, or by emailing the city by 5 p.m. the Monday before the meeting, with information on how to access the meeting via YouTube.
12.1ProceduralJune 2, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes.
The council will approve the minutes from the June 2, 2026 regular meeting.
12.2ProceduralJune 16, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes.
The council will approve the minutes from the June 16, 2026 regular meeting.
21.1ProceduralUPCOMING MEETINGS LIST
This is a procedural item listing the dates and times of upcoming council meetings.
General Business
29General BusinessSupport Letter for AB1768 - Transactions and use taxes: County of Los Angeles - Provided for information
The council will consider a letter of support for AB1768, a state bill related to county sales taxes.
30General BusinessSupport Letter for AB2180 - Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act: Proportional Cost of Service - Provided for
The council will consider a letter of support for AB2180, a state bill about implementing Proposition 218 tax rules.
31General BusinessSupport Letter for - AB35 Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 - Provided for information
The council will consider a letter of support for AB35, a state bond measure for drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparedness, and air quality.
32General BusinessSupport Letter for SB762 - Transactions and Use Tax Request for Inclusion - Provided for information
The council will consider a letter of support for SB762, a state bill modifying sales tax rules.
33General BusinessOpposition Letter for AB1383 - Public employees’ retirement benefits - Provided for information
The council will consider a letter of opposition to AB1383, a state bill affecting public employee retirement benefits.
4.1General BusinessREVENUE ENHANCEMENT The City Manager’s Office presents this study session to provide the Council with information on enhancing the City’s revenue. The Council
The City Manager's Office will present information to council about ways to increase the city's revenue.
What happened
# Revenue Enhancement Study Session SummaryThe City Manager's Office, led by CFO Scott Wagner and Misty Wood from Communications and Intergovernmental Relations, presented a comprehensive revenue enhancement study session addressing Santa Rosa's structural budget deficit of approximately $14.5 million in the next fiscal year, projected to reach $23.3 million by fiscal year 2030-31 due to Measure Q's expiration. Despite three years of difficult cost-cutting measures—including eliminating 82 full-time equivalent positions, restructuring a $482 million pension liability projected to save $28 million over five years, and consolidating departments—the city remains in an unsustainable financial position with reserves declining to critical levels. Police Chief Cregan and Fire Chief Westrope detailed severe impacts of further cuts, including elimination of police specialty teams and potential fire station closures that would significantly impair emergency response times and public safety capabilities. Community outreach through the bilingual "Let's Talk Santa Rosa" initiative (2,400+ survey responses and 14+ meetings) identified top priorities as emergency services, police response to violent crime, and street maintenance, with 55-62% of residents supporting a sales tax reauthorization. Staff recommended reauthorizing Measure Q at one cent (versus the current half-cent) as a general-purpose sales tax requiring simple majority approval, which would generate approximately $47 million annually to maintain existing city services and infrastructure, with 100% of revenue staying in Santa Rosa's general fund.
7.1General BusinessPROCLAMATION - JULY IS PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER MONTH
The council will recognize July as Parks Make Life Better Month by issuing a proclamation.
What happened
# Parks Make Life Better Month Proclamation SummaryThe Council adopted a proclamation recognizing July as Parks Make Life Better Month, highlighting parks' vital role in promoting physical and mental wellness, economic vitality, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Deputy Director Jeff Tibbetts and Superintendent James Castro emphasized that parks are critical public infrastructure serving as essential community resources, with park usage increasing 63% during COVID and remaining elevated afterward. Staff noted significant achievements including volunteer contributions of thousands of hours annually, completed projects like Southwest Greenway and Roseland Creek Park, and upcoming renovations, while acknowledging the challenge of maintaining 109 park spaces with only 23 maintenance staff—less than one-third of the national average. Public speakers, including community member Gregory and others, praised the park improvements and recognized parks as an affordable recreation option for families, while expressing appreciation for the dedicated but understaffed Parks and Recreation Department. Councilmembers Natalie Rogers and MacDonald were specifically thanked for their advocacy, and community initiatives like Adopt a Green Space and Park a Month were highlighted as exemplary efforts.
8.1General BusinessPUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE GREENWAY CONNECTIVITY STUDY Staff will provide an update on a study and public outreach campaign to determine the preferred way to link the existing Prince Memorial Greenway and the future Southeast Greenway multi-use paths. Council will take no action except for possible direction to staff. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
Staff will update the council on a study and public outreach campaign to connect the Prince Memorial Greenway with the future Southeast Greenway for walking and biking; no budget impact.
What happened
# PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE GREENWAY CONNECTIVITY STUDYToria Wilson, the city's transportation planner, presented a staff briefing on the Greenway Connectivity Study, which aims to close the gap between the Southeast Greenway and west side multi-use trails by implementing one of three feasible alternatives. Staff outlined extensive public engagement efforts including over 550 survey responses in English and Spanish, 10,000 mailers, focus groups with Latino service providers and high school students, and pop-up events, with survey responses initially favoring Alternative 1 before shifting to Alternative 2 after mailers were distributed. A council member inquired about implementing multiple alternatives, and staff explained that while technically possible, limited funding requires prioritizing the most popular alternative, though additional options may be pursued depending on grant funding and pavement maintenance schedules. Staff invited community members to complete the online survey and attend an in-person workshop scheduled for July 29th from 6:00-7:30pm at 637 Fourth Street, which will offer free childcare and refreshments. A public commenter expressed support for the project and advocated for expanding the scope to include additional cross-town connections like the Southwest Greenway along Roseland Creek by pursuing additional state and federal funding sources.
8.2General BusinessCOMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PLAN UPDATE This is a standing item on the agenda. Council will take no action except for possible direction to staff. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
The council will receive a regular update on the Community Empowerment Plan and may provide direction to staff; no budget impact.
What happened
# Community Empowerment Plan Update SummaryStaff presented the July Community Empowerment Plan update, featuring upcoming community events including the Downtown Concert Series at Juliet Community Park (free admission with parties, vendors, and artistic performances), a July 16 water quality event at Santa Rosa Creek with family activities and restoration education, a water play event for ages 5-12, a July 18 creek cleanup at Prince Memorial Greenway, and a Real 17 Preservation Committee event. Public commenter Dwayne DeWitt raised equity concerns, noting that Community Advisory Board grants ($2,500 each) are disproportionately benefiting affluent neighborhoods like Bellevue rather than disadvantaged areas like Roseland, and he requested the board redirect funding from a planned library mural to underserved communities that lack social capital to navigate the grant process. Council thanked staff for their work and approved the plan without substantively addressing DeWitt's equity concerns.
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 and Climate Authorities (SCTCA) 11.1.3 Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) - Water Advisory Committee 11.1.4 Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) 11.1.5 Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Council members and the mayor will report on activities from various regional committees and agencies they serve on, including transportation, water, and agricultural preservation boards.
What happened
Council members provided subcommittee and liaison reports. Council Member Alvarez highlighted community donations of winter coats with the Mayor and Vice Mayor, a water supply tour with Sonoma Water, and praised parking manager Chad for organizing a golf tournament for Tunnels to Towers. Vice Mayor Cracking reported on the Sonoma County Homeless Coalition meeting where county staff presented on the Behavioral Health Services Act integrated plan (41.7 million over 3 years for housing interventions) and federal continuum of care funding that creates conflicts with state priorities and puts 115 units of permanent supportive housing at risk. Vice Mayor Cracking also highlighted attendance at the Sonoma County Farm Bureau's 'Love of the Land' event and the Steel Across America exhibit (a beam from the World Trade Center) that was escorted to Windsor Golf Course by police and fire departments. No public comment was received on these reports.11.2General BusinessCOUNCIL LIAISON POSITION ON JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY 11.2.1 APPOINTMENT OF ALTERNATE TO ZERO WASTE SONOMA
The council will appoint an alternate representative to the Zero Waste Sonoma Joint Powers Authority.
What happened
# Summary: Council Liaison Position on Joint Powers Authority - Zero Waste Sonoma AppointmentThe Council discussed appointing an alternate to the Zero Waste Sonoma Agency, noting that Josh Christensen, the historical staff representative, had scheduling conflicts. Staff presented Dan Hennessy as a volunteer replacement due to his availability. Mayor Stapp called for a motion and invited public comment, but none was received. Councilmember Crept moved and Councilmember Rogers seconded the appointment of Dan Hennessy (note: referred to as "Dan Hanna" in voting records) as the alternate to the Zero Waste Board, which passed unanimously.
11.3General BusinessMATTERS FROM COUNCIL REGARDING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS This time is reserved for Council to discuss whether to place matters on a future agenda for further discussion. 11.3.1 REQUEST FOR AGENDA ITEM - UNPERMITTED FOOD
Council members can request to add new items to future agendas for discussion, including a request related to unpermitted food operations.
What happened
Councilmember Alvarez requested an agenda item regarding unpermitted food vendors, seconded by Councilmember Rogers. Director Osborne presented that mobile food vending is regulated by city code and state law, noting state legislation has limited local enforcement. Staff recommended conducting a study session to review existing regulations in partnership with Sonoma County Health and Santa Rosa Police Department. Councilmember Alvarez expressed support for the study session to understand enforcement limitations and develop better support for staff compliance efforts while supporting entrepreneurial spirit and tax revenue. A public commenter from Roseland supported the study session and suggested cost-sharing with the county to maximize revenue opportunities and ensure vendors operate legally throughout the city.15.1General BusinessREPORT - DIVERSITY REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL BOARDS,
The council will receive a report on the diversity of members serving on city council boards and commissions.
What happened
# SummaryCity Clerk Dean Amana presented the 2025 Boards, Commissions and Committees Diversity Report, which analyzed 106 applicants resulting in 45 appointments with 100% demographic disclosure. The report demonstrated significant progress in gender equity (60% female appointment rate in 2025 versus 19% in 2024), ethnic diversity (15% Hispanic appointees and 2 African-American appointees compared to zero in 2024), and district representation (70% of active members in previously underrepresented Districts 2 and 7). Councilmember Rogers praised the innovative recruitment strategies involving 45-50 community partners, social media outreach, and community events, while Councilmember MacDonald raised concerns about persistent underrepresentation of Black and Asian community members and identified barriers such as meeting times, age requirements, and volunteer availability. Staff acknowledged these challenges as common across California agencies and committed to conducting a community survey about service barriers and reviewing council policies on age requirements and meeting times to improve recruitment and diversity. The Council voted unanimously to accept the report.
17.1General BusinessLEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The council will receive an update on state and federal legislative matters affecting the city.
What happened
Staff provided a legislative update highlighting 5 different support/opposition letters listed in the legislative section. No detailed discussion or questions from Council members were noted in this segment.Closed Session
3.1Closed SessionCONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9: 1 potential case. RECESS CLOSED SESSION(S) AND RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION IN THE
The city council will meet in closed session with legal counsel to discuss one potential lawsuit the city may initiate.
What happened
This was a closed session item regarding conference with legal counsel regarding anticipated litigation. During public comment, Duane de Wit from Roseland suggested that the city should provide a direct link to the specific government code section cited (Government Code Section 54,956.9) on the public information device so that members of the public could better understand what the closed session discussion would cover. De Wit praised the city's previous open government initiatives and suggested this would be consistent with those efforts while still maintaining the confidentiality of the legal discussion. No council discussion was recorded as the item proceeded directly to closed session.Consent Calendar
13.1Consent CalendarMOTION - FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TITLE VI
This is a consent calendar item regarding federal highway administration Title VI compliance.
13.2Consent CalendarMOTION - APPROVAL OF FOURTH AMENDMENT TO BLANKET PURCHASE ORDER 164204A WITH GEOTAB USA, INC. RECOMMENDATION: The Transportation and Public Works
The council will approve an amendment to extend or modify a fleet tracking software purchase agreement with Geotab USA, Inc.
13.3Consent CalendarMOTION - ROUTE 101 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN
This is a consent calendar item related to a bicycle and pedestrian project on Route 101.
13.4Consent CalendarMOTION - HOWARTH COURTS RENOVATION - CONSTRUCTION
This is a consent calendar item authorizing construction work at Howarth Courts recreation facility.
13.5Consent CalendarMOTION - SANTA ROSA SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL FISCAL YEAR 24 PROJECT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH
This is a consent calendar item approving a cooperative agreement for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program using fiscal year 2024 funding.
13.6Consent CalendarMOTION - KAWANA SPRINGS COMMUNITY PARK GARDEN -
This is a consent calendar item related to a garden project at Kawana Springs Community Park.
What happened
Public commenter raised concerns about the allocation of nearly 2 million dollars for the Kawana Springs Community Park Garden project, arguing that community gardens should typically be initiated and funded by community members themselves rather than requiring substantial government expenditure. The commenter suggested that the city could allocate land and allow community members to run gardens without such large financial investments, comparing it to a successful farm garden in the area that operated with minimal city support.13.7Consent CalendarMOTION - SECOND AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT NUMBER F001784 WITH REDWOOD VETERINARY
The council will approve an amendment to the professional services agreement with Redwood Veterinary for ongoing services.
13.8Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA ACCEPTING FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY OF SONOMA MEASURE O FOR THE INRESPONSE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORT TEAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,600,000 APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
The council will accept $4.6 million in Sonoma County Measure O funding for the InResponse mental health and support team.
13.9Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - ADOPTION OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, UNIT 9 - FIRE SAFETY MANAGEMENT REPRESENTED BY SANTA ROSA POLICE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027 RECOMMENDATION: The Human Resources Department and the City Manager’s Office recommend that the Council, by resolution, adopt the Memorandum of Understanding for an agreement for, and on behalf of, the employees in the City’s Bargaining Unit 9 - Fire Safety Management, represented by the Santa Rosa Police Management Association, and effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. This item is requesting appropriations for on-going funding.
The council will approve a new labor agreement with the Santa Rosa Police Management Association representing fire safety management employees for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
13.10Consent CalendarRESOLUTION - RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AUTHORIZING SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION FOR WATERSMART DROUGHT RESPONSE PROGRAM FUNDING FOR
The council will authorize the city to apply for federal grant funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for drought response programs.
Public Hearing
16.1Public HearingPUBLIC HEARING - TEFRA PUBLIC HEARING AND ISSUANCE OF TAX-EXEMPT REVENUE BONDS BY THE CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY IN AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $20 MILLION FOR SANTA ROSA GARDEN APARTMENTS - 4601 MONTGOMERY DRIVE BACKGROUND: TTG Santa Rosa Garden Limited Partnership, a California limited partnership (“Borrower”) selected the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (“CSCDA”), a joint-powers authority of which the City is a member, to be the issuer of tax-exempt multifamily housing revenue bonds for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments, 111 existing rental units, located at 4601 Montgomery Drive (“Project”). Borrower is requesting an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20 million to finance or refinance the acquisition, rehabilitation, improvement, and equipping of the Project; and has
The city will hold a public hearing to allow residents to comment on a proposal to issue up to $20 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance renovations at Santa Rosa Garden Apartments on Montgomery Drive.
What happened
# Combined SummaryStaff presented a public hearing and request for council approval to issue tax-exempt revenue bonds not exceeding $20 million by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority for the Santa Rosa Garden Apartments project at 4601 Montgomery Drive in Southeast Santa Rosa. The project is an existing affordable housing development built in 1970 with 111 rental units serving households at 30%, 50%, and 60% of area median income levels, with no fiscal impact to the city's general fund. One member of the public (Fred) spoke in support of the item, while no council members asked questions and no online comments were received. A motion was made and seconded by Councilmember Rogers, and the Council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution, with Councilmembers Macdonald, Fleming, Benwell, Oravez, Vice Mayor Cookie, and Mayor Stapp all voting yes.
6500Public HearingA public hearing is required to provide an opportunity for individuals to express their views, orally or in writing, on the proposed plan of financing providing for the issuance of bonds and the location and nature of the proposed project to be financed. All financial obligations of the bond issuance are the responsibility of the Borrower, including without limitation the obligation to repay the bonds and the obligations to acquire, rehabilitate and operate the Project. RECOMMENDATION: The Housing and Community Services Department recommends that the Council: (1) conduct a public hearing under the requirements of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and California Government Code Section 6500; and (2) by resolution, approve the issuance of tax exempt multifamily housing revenue bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $20 million to finance or refinance the acquisition, rehabilitation, improvement, and equipping of Santa Rosa Garden Apartments, 4601 Montgomery Drive within the City of Santa Rosa. This item has no impact on current fiscal year budget.
The council will vote to approve the issuance of up to $20 million in tax-exempt bonds to finance renovations at Santa Rosa Garden Apartments; the property owner is responsible for repaying the bonds, not the city.
Additional votes recorded in minutes
Direct staff to bring forward study session on unpermitted food vendors
aye 7
Caroline Bañuelosaye
Dianna MacDonaldaye
Eddie Alvarezaye
Jeff Okrepkieaye
Mark Stappaye
Natalie Rogersaye
Victoria Flemingaye
Appoint Dan Hennessey as Alternate to Zero Waste Sonoma Agency Board of Directors
aye 7
Caroline Bañuelosaye
Dianna MacDonaldaye
Eddie Alvarezaye
Jeff Okrepkieaye
Mark Stappaye
Natalie Rogersaye
Victoria Flemingaye
Approve Consent Items 13.1 through 13.10
aye 7
Caroline Bañuelosaye
Dianna MacDonaldaye
Eddie Alvarezaye
Jeff Okrepkieaye
Mark Stappaye
Natalie Rogersaye
Victoria Flemingaye
Adopt Resolution RES-2026-081 - TEFRA Tax-Exempt Revenue Bonds for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments
aye 7
Caroline Bañuelosaye
Dianna MacDonaldaye
Eddie Alvarezaye
Jeff Okrepkieaye
Mark Stappaye
Natalie Rogersaye
Victoria Flemingaye
Accept Annual Report of Diversity of City Council Appointees for 2025
aye 7
Caroline Bañuelosaye
Dianna MacDonaldaye
Eddie Alvarezaye
Jeff Okrepkieaye
Mark Stappaye
Natalie Rogersaye
Victoria Flemingaye
Verbatim transcript available
202 transcript segments indexed
>> I'd like to ask the hose or the 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 Inter, Haitian icon and the zoom toolbar and looks like a globe. 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 done to activate big in the interpretation. Won't you join the Spanish Channel? We recommend you shut off the main audio. So you only hear the Spanish interpretation. Claudia, will you please restate this in Spanish? >> But unless percent, let's get a check on the need. And the whole in a motion protest
tune in below and expect neck going be spending Putin was. Maybe there's political point person He is quick chat and is pregnant to put need and that 9 day spying on us in the corner, they interpret the Shield in about body so it will be able track to sync with France will send a lot of that within seconds to respond sit with the cardinals with him in think people need will meet that Who would like or hate or your mother. But if it with the U.S., it take them to the same that often on the the body. Clements had a lot in that. But that's to to will not and cannot expect pre-covid that most can see in opening tip about a couple that his coach in good. But that's going which good as has to stop most with some things. Thank you very much. Back to you. >> Welcome everyone that I'm U.S.. 2.31 call this meeting or MADAM City clerk. Would you
please call the roll? >> Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Rogers present Councilmember MacDonald here, Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Ben Willows here, for U.S.. PRESIDENT Vice Mayor Okrepkie here, Mayor Stapp here. Let the record show that all councilmembers are present with the exception of Councilmember Fleming. >> Thank you. Item, 3.1 regarding our conference with the council over anticipated litigation. We can open this up to public comment. Members of public wish to speak, MR. Do it. >> Hello, my name is Duane de Wit. I'm from Roseland. I wanted to thank you for having these types of items on the agenda, but I do especially for something where there might be a potential case that here on this little device you have for the public to get information about your items. You were to look at a
different item. It would actually have a report. It would have something to show what this is about. Hear you talk about this is pursuant to paragraph 4 of Subdivision d of the government code and then you give the number. I believe you should actually put the link to that in your little device over there. So a member of the public could actually hit that and see what this paragraph, 4 of Subdivision, d of the government Code Section 5, 4, 9, 5, 6, 0.9. Dashed hopes Kuma. Colon. One is. It's the kind of thing that just opens up a little bit more open government approach. I hope so. If you remember, there was an open government task force. It's been about 12, 13 years ago. Lot of money was spent to make sure we were going to open up our governmental processes so that the members of the public, that taxpayers would be able to be better
informed. We're not saying that you should break the confidentiality of this legal type of discussion. But you should at least put that subdivision up there and let people see what you're talking about. And that format. And then when you go to the next session study session, your revenue enhancement, you see that they put extra stuff up there on that device. We're a member of the public could actually hit something and get information. So it's just actually following up on your previous. Approaches to open government and make it all better. Thank you. I'll be here for further adventures. >> Thank you to Wayne. I see no other members of the public in person. Let's go resume house to MADAM City clerk. Any online public comment. >> Lauren? Take it away. >> We're not pick taking public comment via for item. 3.1. You'd like to make public
comment. Please raise your hand if you dialed in by telephone. Dial Star 9 to raise your hand and stars 6 to unmute one sign able your permissions, you will have 2 minutes for your comment and a countdown timer alert at the conclusion of that period. I'm seeing no hands and zoom. >> Thank you your weekend. We will recess into closed session them. Welcome back, everyone. The time is 3 o'clock and will reconvene in open session. MADAM City clerk, would you please call the roll? >> Thank you. Mayor Councilmember Rogers Councilmember MacDonald here, Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Ben Willows Councilmember Alvarez, PRESIDENT Vice Cookie here. Mayor Stapp here at the record show that all councilmembers are present. >> Thank you very much. Right.
We'll go on to item 4.1. Our study session on revenue enhancement and we have our Scott Wagner and Misty was here present. Thank you both. >> Thank you. Mayor Stapp and members of the council. I'm Scott Wagner. Chief sees chief financial officer bear with me for a moment with me here today is Misty would the communications government Intergovernmental Relations are very pleased to present this item regarding revenue enhancement as a study session item to the City Council today. In today's presentation will be covering really the last history of the city of the last 3 or 4 years. History is very, very important on where this presentation is come from and why we are here today. He's very critical to note that each step of this history has been very challenging, difficult and a tremendous amount of work has gone into it. This is not the
first step of this process here. Today is not the last, but it certainly is a critical moment for us as a city and determining what is the next step of the significant financial structure deficit that we've been in. We're going to talk about the city's existing revenue and some of the challenges around that some of the long-term structural changes we've seen within the city's revenue. Now. Missy's whatever's I provide a presentation on some community feedback and community engagement to the city's been actively doing over the past few months to receive information from the community on the services that it prioritizes most. We're going to talk about some successes that we've had. This is not been a period where the city has not had many things to talk about. As far as deep positives that are happening within the city. There's many
positives around restructuring about getting fit efficiencies. Certainly a lot of good news around economic development, whether that's infrastructure development within the city cetera. Finally, we're going to land on where we are proposing that the City Council take a look at a very hard information on bringing forward revenue enhancement options for the city and really drill down on that term and what that means and what we're looking to do next as part of this process. Lastly, I want to note that will be asking both Chief Cregan for our police department and chief Westrope from our fire department to come on down to get some better information and further information around impacts in our year to discussion around impacts to our public safety going forward. So the big picture is that despite the many difficult decisions and a
lot of work that's gone into fixing our financial situation over the past 3 years, we remain in a structural deficit. Our structural deficit lies within the city's general fund. The city has many funds 100. And 28 actually is the total number of funds that the city that are each are dedicated for different reasons. But the one really big one is the general fund and that houses many of the core functions that community relies on such as our police department, fire Department public works planning and economic development. Manager's office city Attorney's Office finance Department parks, recreation and human Resources. The general Fund does a lot the city and a lot of our core functions. The general fund at its core is the most flexible use of our city funds and that week and the city Council can direct how those funds are
used at the end of the day. What we've accomplished here at the city, though, is really drilling down and making the cuts that are necessarily really to build us to our core point of services at the city within the general fund. Currently what we will looking at with our projections is that we still, despite these many corrective actions remain on a path that is unsustainable for our reserves. We are spending the city's savings at a rate that cannot be sustained at our current service delivery model. We are a full service city. Really one that always mention punches way above our we classes as a boxing term. We provide many services within the city. We operate a sub regional wastewater treatment plant. We have a transit division. We have a housing agency. We have many specialized functions and services that the city. Those
little fall into governmental accounting structures that are restrictive. So if I think about the major funds of the city, I put them in really 3 different buckets. There's enterprise funds that would count for transit or city bus program. There's our water programs there, whether that's water or wastewater along with our parking division, those are separate funding sources from the general fund so often times and we are helping the helping the public understand these complex financial issues around our government via our city's finances. It's important understand that we can use water funds to shore up our general fund. We can use water rate payer money to fund police or fire. Those are restricted not just from our own restrictions but by state statutes that don't allow us to do it. And we don't. Furthermore, there's cip funds and I think of special revenue
funds. What I would bring up right off the bat as gas tax when you when you buy gas, the gas station, a little of that money goes towards roads that needs to be spent in very specific ways. Whether that's road maintenance or the enhancement of biking, infrastructure or pedestrian infrastructure, they are of dedicated sources that need to be used in a certain way. So often what this those are all good things. And those are all things that we need to spend our money on. But it gives us less flexibility towards shifting those monies towards different needs. We can't pull from a road project that was funded by gas tax and fun to a fire station, cetera. We are restricted that way. As I mentioned earlier, the general fund is the broadest and most flexible use of our funding and again as primary as revenue source is our sales tax property tax and utility
users tax. This is the only discretionary bucket at the city where the council really gets to decide how you act to beat those funds and through which departments. Going very briefly cover what we all know. And here 3 years of very, very long meetings and a lot of information. And I'm going to try to sum that up very briefly. But the big picture is that we have been involved in a historic fiscal crisis that the city this is absolutely akin to the Great Recession, which is the greatest cut at the city's in its history. We are right on that same level. Now, what's interesting, though, is there is not some major macroeconomic crisis to point to like in the Great Recession, which was the housing bubble collapsing, which is landed us here. But we're going to talk about why the city has ended up in the position. It is versus
long-term trends. And really those long-term trends are in 2 areas that's expenses and revenue. The seized on a lot with his expenses. As I mentioned on this slide, we have cut 82 full-time equivalent employees and the general fund. We've shored up our reserves by taking 10.2 million dollars worth of discretionary funds and put it into the city's savings. We have gone out to the voters to ask for revenue enhancement to ut increase, which are transit occupancy taxes, which is hotel taxes and asked them to increase it and they did. We've also asked for a business license tax increase which board voters supported as well. Those 2 measures brought in roughly 4 million dollars, which was very much needed and critical for the city. At that point. But facing where we started this conversation for close to a 40 million dollar deficit,
that 4 million dollars alone was not enough to solve our problem. We've increased costs recoveries here at the city. We've come back to council with increases within our recreation programs to charge more fees to better recover against these popular programs. I'm happy to say that that has not affected our demand against these programs. Very much at all. Furthermore, we've we've gone back looked at permit costs. We've raise those. We have really I think that one of the themes of today's conversation is all of the knobs that have been available to us to turn. We have turned up until this point. Another turn that we need to make is really not for us to decide, though it is for the voters. And that's what we suggest in your later in the presentation. We've not only been a tackling this problem, problem through cuts. We've been trying to set up the city
in better way and really address some of the larger financial issues that the city head on, one of which that I would bring up is a restructuring of 482 million dollars worth of pension liability that this council successfully achieved that successful pension program, that that, again, we're very enthused about is going to save us. 28 million dollars over the next 5 years. It's also going to pay off our debt quicker. It's not just a matter of kicking the can were actually making this problem go away faster than any smarter, more efficient way that we can all be proud of. We've gained a fishy efficiencies through cutting departments. We have lost entire departments to this process. We no longer have a rec and parks department. We no longer have a Siro department. We have consolidated. We have Jeanne
deficiencies are taking these functions and shooting them off into different areas of the city to create efficiencies different departments. The finance Department is very proud of our transparency, accuracy and the soundness of our financial projections. Over the past 3 years, we have done everything possible to facility clear communication and transparent communication. Only with counsel stakeholders that's our labor groups in the community and some things I'd like to highlight as part of that process is that we would did a line by line for view of the city budgets, with our long-term financial planning, an audit subcommittee. I do not believe that has ever happened at the city to give that level of review to our 2 elected officials. We were happy to do so. We've also indeed engaged with independent review. Not just
our review. Here is a city but to bring folks in from the outside that have different perspectives or different knowledge bases to look at what we've been doing, some things I would highlight there our financial forecast was deemed as industry best. Our projections have been sound. We've done an independent review of department functions through an additional contract out the city to gain efficiencies. And a look at the different services we provide to try team better efficiencies. We have created a city manager, budget working group of different community members that have come in from all different perspectives to take a look at the city's finances. We've been meeting with this group monthly to talk about the city's situation. And frankly, we're looking forward to maybe to that group coming back to council and having an
opportunity share some of the things that they've been learning to the process that's been valuable from both sides. We've been able to get great feedback on areas of the city should looking at, which has helped inform some of the actions that we've taken over the past years. And they've certainly appreciated the information coming back to them. We'll note that we have not had any audit findings as part of our annual comprehensive financial report. The old auditor at the old account and me still gets very excited about that. One I'll also note that during this period, the government finance Officers Association has awarded the city a certificate achievement for excellence in Financial reporting, along with a distinguished budget presentation Award budget. Difficulties in crisis is are very difficult for a finance
department. And I will say is the head of this department that I could not be prouder of my colleagues that I work with on a daily basis and now they've navigated this moment here. The city with integrity, accuracy and transparency. I will not shy away from saying how proud I am of that. >> And we should be. >> Coming back to this concept of a time line is that I think the very first conversation around at this fiscal crisis 3 years ago was around creating a runway. And I see that arrow as the runway and we are at the end of the runway. We've done a lot so the NOVEMBER and most of things I've already talked about on here, but 3 different periods of cutting employees starting with 1934. And then 29 employees as part of the last budget. And again, I mentioned the Calpers come on here as well. We have gone through an exhaustive process to tighten our belts and
sharpen our pencils as a way to put it. And I'm going to elaborate on those 2 points here in the next few slides. But really, we're all this leads to is the standard way that we look at the city's projected deficit is our 5 year long-range financial forecast. And what we see is if if we could have created one where the city would have done nothing over the past few years, not to mention a very bad situation. We would be in these numbers would be much closer to 40 million dollars at the next year. We've made a significant impact on the deficit. Unfortunately, we're just still at a level that is unsustainable. One note that all out is coming what you'll season fiscal year 30 31, it takes a pretty big jump from 14 and a half to 23.3 million. And that really represents current sales tax measure q which helped funds the general fund and a half cent falling
off. Only at about a quarter. We only lose about a quarter is worth of revenue. About 3 months worth of revenue for measure q at the end at end of that fiscal year, the full number there would again, would be closer to 40 million dollars if the full full amount of revenue fell off. Deficit. What I would I would like to note is where we've really again come back to history as being so important. Covid was a very odd time in government financially across the state. For us to that, we had really, really large vacancies at the city with such a hard time filling positions that that created what we call turned back and extra money at the end of the year. We also had sales tax go up a little bit during that period when we thought the global recession would cause spending to go down and it was the opposite. Again, we were not a pressure enough to know
these types of things here at the city. And I don't blame ourselves for that. So we have these periods during covid. We're we're we had projected deficit, but in the end of the year came around and we were we were positive. That is not been the case over the past 3 years, as we've, you know, entered a more normal economic cycle without global pandemic. We're seeing these deficits come to reality. These are not just on paper deficits as a way to put it. We're seeing them actually reflect in our reserve balances. Reserves are really just of fancy way of saving. Saying savings account and we have a really important need in duty to the community for the city to maintain the savings account for 2 main reasons. And that's does out disasters either economic or environmental. We know that it's cruel for the critical for the city to maintain e 15 is 17% reserves to be able to
withstand sustain operations during something like the 2017 Tubbs Fire or like another Great Recession type. Van within our economy again, as I mentioned, this is a team. Unique, I think, moment economically in that easy it in many areas of the economy, we're seeing very positive growth. But specifically for us in government. This is very much like the Great Recession in our struggles with the revenue and we do not have the true recession built into any number of the city. So if there was some form of true economic crisis, akin to the Great Recession for the dot com bubble or anything along these lines. The route the projections here will get much worse and what this chart really shows is a mention. One thing I mention every single time is that due to governmental accounting standards, the years do not perfectly match up. We live
one year in the Thank thank. Thank you. To the Governmental Accounting Standards Board. But what it shows here is that we spend on our reserves and what we know we need in our reserve account is around 45 million dollars. We'll call it and what the actions that council is taking is basically to look at that that spend on of the reserves and maintaining it not just for one year, but a two-year run way towards. We know we're going to be able sustain our reserves and a two-year basis. That's where we fall within that box to the right hand side of that chart. So what you'll note is that we're down to 49 million dollars by the fiscal year 2028, which is the year we're talking about today. And then we start falling off much quicker and that is the concerning number is that by the year fiscal year 2030, we would be down to 11 0.5 million. That is not
enough to sustain the city. Should a disaster occur? Should an economic crisis does to happen? Frankly, this rundown of our chart is still unsustainable for us as the stewards of the city. But to drill down on the last year's proposed budget. That was just adopted at the end of JUNE. And in that we brought forward what we call the two-year proposed budget strategy. It was a one-year adoption of of what was over 9 million dollars of deficit reduction solutions for the city. We started out the proposed budget with a 17 and a half million dollar deficit that we were able to successfully bring down to 7.8, a very significant reduction of what that deficit was. But as part of that discussion, there was a year to part of component of the adoption where we were transparent and explicit around what types of decisions the city would need to be
making in year 2, we are going can touch on the areas of public safety that are going to be impacted as part of this year, too. Potential reductions. Coming back to the big picture of of the historical context of this moment. During the Great Recession, the lights were out in the city of Santa Rosa. Are street lights out. We were browning out. Fire stations, our parks were going Brown, the city, community was seen the impacts of our financial difficulties as the city. In their day-to-day lives and within the really the quality of life standards that we have at the city. And importantly, the public safety. We've been successful throughout three-year process now of mitigating those visible impacts. The best that we could that has come from very difficult decisions from council and very strategic and innovative approaches from
staff. The innovative and strategic an outside the box thinking that well is dry. Now. I can think of as cfo and we've already done the pension thing. We've already cut our staff to the point of being at a critical level. There's just a not enough tools in our toolbox anymore without having a harder conversation around revenue and having a more transparent conversation directly with our community. Big picture. The what's important to bring up is that our general fund is 77% salaries and benefits in the majority of it is made up by police and fire. We are a public service agency. The majority of our allocation of funding goes there by any historic measure. We are funding the police and fire department at a higher level. Whether that's dollars or percentage allocation of our general fund that has ever been done at the city before.
That has been a very conscious effort and conscious decision made by council and staff proposals to ensure that we maintain public safety going forward. We are going to have much harder conversations around those public safety impacts. When we look at the overall what we need to balance our budget, we're talking about another 42 employees that would need to be eliminated from our budget in fiscal year. 27. 28, most of our administrative budgets have already admission of departments have already taken either 25% or 33% cuts to their staff already, there is just nothing else there to cut my own department again. And I I do not have the positions at this point to cut from finance a department that's been already cut by 25%. I need to be able to maintain the city's ability to issue payroll. I need to be maintained the city's ability to issue
checks. We are doing the basics from administrative department perspective. And again, I'm very proud of our south from doing so. We will continue to do so. But we need to have some realistic conversations about we have an operating issue of the city not to diminish traded issue, not a bureaucracy issue by any measure. Those functions of the city are at the lowest point together through staffing or funding allocations that they have ever been. And that really Best illustrated in this chart. And this chart shows the historical staffing levels of the general fund. And what you'll see is that very first number, the 885 employees was pre Great Recession. So 2007, 2008. And what you'll see is a dramatic cut down the 705 employees by 2010, 2011. You'll see we gain back over the next 70 years, the 2018, 19. And now we've had just a
little blip. And now we're right back down the 707. That's a lot of numbers. But the important thing in the numbers is that the community is different in many ways from what it was in 2007, 2008. We have higher population. We next Roseland. We have frankly the community has more needs than it did back are volume calls when that's police. Our fire has gone up during that period, even higher at the rate of growth. Then our population growth. These are realities that we need to approach. One understanding that we've made a 20% reduction or employees have had a 12% increase in population and the demands on the city are higher. And with that, I'd Chief Cregan come on down and we're going to talk about. Specific impacts, the police department. If we need to make up these cuts purely from it, focusing on expenditure reductions within
the police department. Mayor to happen. John our chief of police here in Santa Rosa. >> And I want to is first set the stage for where we've been over the last few years last year. Obviously there were devastating budget reductions across the city to be able to balance our budget and be able to survive and move forward. The police department last fiscal year we eliminated 15 positions from the police department. 9 sworn police officers and equally important six-billion members. I wish total of 3.2 million dollars and staffing costs with additional $400,000 of overtime loss. Those have had their impacts. But but having a lot of community discussions on this topic over the last few months and really looking at the historical staffing that the police department helps us put it and perspective about what the impacts of future cuts would
be. In 2006 was the peak of the staffing in the history of the Santa Rosa Police Department. We had 190 sworn police officers in 2006 and we had 91 civilians, team members that are working and that's dispatchers are evidence, technicians and so many other qualified staff to help with our operations. Today we have 175 officers. That's 15 less police officers. But we have 74 civilians. So 17 less so billion. So that's 32 less employees fewer employees that we have at the Santa Rosa Police Department we did in 2006. But when we look at historical sworn staffing, look at our 175 that we have now. And how does that compare in 1999? That was the year 27 years ago that I started as a police officer. We had 183 sworn police officers. So we look at in 27 years. We actually have a police officer's less than we did in 1999. Since then, the
population of Santa Rosa has grown by roughly 39,000 community members in our city. So the job has got much more complex for public safety staff members, but the staffing and I and I use that this to put the historical staffing and look at what these impacts would be after the cuts last year. We really dissected it with my command staff team. We work with our labor groups and thought where can we most strategically make these cuts where they're going to have? We knew the cuts would be painful, but where would they have the least operational impacts? And that's where really work to do. We worked with our specialty teams. We eliminated portion of our traffic Team, Arbor Canines are many other positions across the department. Now, when I look, if we have to make future reductions and we look at the without any type of
revenue-generating measures cuts are looming for the police department. And I'm already working on where those cuts from and we're looking at for next year's budget up to another 3 basically mirroring what we did last year. The 3.1 million with 11 sworn positions eliminated from the police department. So that would put his below where we were in 1996. So we're taking another step back then. If we continue to look at looks like in 2030 as the structural deficit continues to stack up and stack up. We're looking up to 24 sworn police officer. So now we're going down to critical positions of the in the 1980's staffing for the Santa Rosa Police Department. And I just really want to stress that this isn't just as a leader. I'm looking forward. What can I do to be a city partner, but really just want to educate our community and our city leaders on what
there's going to be grave impacts to see the police department having this team is less staffing levels and we did in the early 90's and the late 1980's. What I'm gonna have to do is continue to look at a city to clean, but we're not going to be would take any more from patrol. We have to have. When you call 9-1-1, there needs to be a police officer who's able to respond to that. So we're going to have to look is our specialty teams and we have a host of specialty teams and we have some mentioned here on the game teams, a narcotics team, the traffic team, our special enforcement team and when you look at first place, you can say what won't be that impactful to take the specialty teams, their specialty teams. What I really want to highlight is the impact, though, that removing the specialty teams has on measurable crime impacts
across the city of Santa Rosa. But now it's not allowing patrol officers to be able to focus on their job, which is the rapid response to 9-1-1, priority. One calls. It's not allowing them to do that because they're absorbing all of the work of the specialty teams. And that's where really start looking at that. We've been trying to get our priority one response time under 6 minutes. That's been a struggle with our staffing. But we're making actual progress. And this area, if we see this level of cuts, we're going to see our priority. One response time to violent crimes to all crimes across the city rise dramatically. And that really has a safety impact. When you're the one on the other end we've seen even struggles lately when officers asking for priority response time of calling for emergency assistance when they're on the scene and we've seen delays
and that with our current staffing levels, this will get to an emergency level if we were to see level of cuts with 11 sworn or 24 sworn in the future, what I've really been working to is our city we have for operational objectives of the police department. Those are our core focus is that we have as a police department. And I set as our leaders intent and those are violence reduction, traffic, safety enforcement, the quality of life and property crimes are working with lower property crimes cases and mental health assistance in our city. And the 4th one is community engagement is so important for being at community, engaging building, trust with the community. When I look at those each one of those core operational objectives are going to be impacted by this. You're gonna see violent crime impacts across the city by not having the staffing by not
having the resources to be able focus on that we've had in the last 4 years. 37 homicides in the city of Santa Rosa are incredible. Detective team and working with our resources have made arrest. And 36 of those 37 homicides that doesn't happen across the nation. That's because we put the proper resources. We have the great staff to be able to do that. You're not going to see some of these arrests made in these cases. And what happens is that offender continues to repeat some of those offenses and you see more violence across our community. Same thing with traffic safety. Last year we had a fatal collisions in the city of Santa Rosa, 683 injury collisions in the city of Santa Rosa. You're going to see impacts of that with the traffic safety with injury collisions with fatal collisions. The same thing with property crime. You see
an impact with that and that really affect someone when a community member comes out and they're kind of like a murder is cut off the bottom of their car. The Rams are taking off their car. The cars broken into our more complex cases with financial elder abuse. Those take resources to be able to solve those cases. And the end of the last one is community engagement. We're not going to have officers out at tacos with a cop our national night out and we don't have enough officers to respond to 9-1-1. Calls. So you start being a wall as things start going away and those are the things that I really want to be able to stress to our community as a leader. There's going to be significant. Measurable impacts on our city and it's going to start with some of those for those operational objectives are also going to see just the impacts of what
the level of service were able to provide for our community and those things have also ripple effect on our staff. This is a complex job for both our police and our fire fighters for what they're doing and when officers firefighters don't have those resources, it starts being harder retain them to work for organization and they're going to go to places where they feel that they do have that support and they have the staffing to be able to safely do this job. So that's something for me that such always such difficult job of the police department in the recruitment and the retention. And I want to be able to show them that we're building a police department. Our public safety departments where they have that support will be people who want to come here to work for the city of Santa Rosa. They want to stay here for the city of Santa Rosa
because I know is chief. When you have the skill set, when you have that experience, they provide a better level of service to our community. And that's what I'm really proud that we're able to do right now. And I'm worried about what this future impacts MAY have on the police department to our staff. And most importantly, to the in today to our community and our ability respond to those calls in a timely and efficient manner. >> Good afternoon. Mayor staff members of council Scott Westrope Fire Chief City of Santa Rosa our stories very similar to the police department on the work that we've done over the last few years, too not to overuse the term, but kind of the fact that we had on the bone and we're down to cutting Bowen off bone at this point. So what I want to start with is sort of like Chief Cregan does
talk about our core services. For us. Our core services and I'll come back to this at the end are the 10 fire engines we have on the street are 2 ladder trucks enter one battalion chief. At the core. That's what we have and we have had for the last several years since about 2007. We've very fortunate recently to be able to enhance our services through Measure h outside of the General Fund an outside of peace app have your rescue nls squad and additional battalion chief. But for contacts, what said, what that's done for us is is put us in a place where we our meeting, the goals that were established 2016 strategic standards of coverage. We're just now catching that up a decade later. You can imagine and you and you all know how much the world and how much our community has changed in last 11 years or so. So. We need to and we need to expand to meet
the needs of the community. What we've seen in prior budget years in 2024 2025 fiscal year, the fire Department reduced ad of the general fund 2.1 to 5 million dollars on top of a lot of other things that most importantly eliminated 6 firefighter positions. The deputy chief deputy emergency manager in Edmund Secretary. And 25 26 fiscal year. We reduced we had a net reduction the general fund of 2.1 million dollars that eliminated 19 grant funded positions that were no longer funded 12 in the safer program. And 7 on in response that eliminated full-time equivalent community outreach specialist and then working with the city manager's office and finance, changing our capital flee purchasing program from from purchase to leasing saved about a million dollars as well. So this story is that we have done
everything we can as an organization to make major cuts all the way down to minor cuts. We've cut personnel all the way down to London services. The shop tells him things we get were no long. We do longer have the services. So we've really cross the spectrum there. We've done everything we can to just like the police department make these reductions without a major service throughout the community. But with the proposed changes or proposed cuts without additional revenue, we're going to be looking at falling below are minimum service levels that we have today. So jumping into the slide you see in front of you with the projected budget cuts. One of the things that we have to look very closely is a fire station closure. One of the reasons that were already to this point is that we are 70% salaries and everything that we've trimmed.
We can trim. And now it's going to come down to service delivery with the closure of a fire station. And we have 10 fire station strategically located throughout the community. There will be an impact to call response times. This will particularly impact to ems calls or emergency medical calls for service because that's what we do about 70 for 70% of the time impact. Our course are core fire suppression readiness. For the fire Department City Council has a goal for a summit meeting or response times within 5 minutes, 90% of the time we saw that drop coming out of covid to around 59% and with the enhanced resources we had and safer, we saw that creep its way up to around 65%. So we're making very good progress. The point is even with the resources we have on the street today, we're not meeting response time schools. So if we reduce
engine company, which is 9% of our fleet, it's going to go up significantly. Whatever addiction for wildfire prevention, Wi-Fi response capabilities. Focusing on the response capabilities. This will lower daily Avila availability to cross to for a while. Then apparatus, as you all saw yesterday, we were impacted by 16.5 acre fire just outside the city limits. But we had a lot of resources there. There's a potential that one of the stations could be close or not providing that service, even though it's outside the city limits will reduce the ability to call people back when we have a large scale. And we have to call our personnel back. Southwest personnel. We're going to have the less of an ability to up staff additional resources. And we have a major event. One of the things we talked about last time is there's going to be a point
we're going make a decision to say no, particularly in mid to late event. So we've been very, very aggressive in providing help to other communities like they helped and 2020's, 2020 2017 all the years in between. We've been very aggressive in that, but we're going going to have to reach a point. We say we can't do that anymore because we have to protect home base. So we're not gonna be able provide the mutual aid support in the Wild land bases. We could see a reduction in special operations capability. We're talking about technical rescues, water rescues except for these are really core truck company sees. So the closure of a truck company would have a major impact on our special operations capability. In one of the things we highlighted last time is that we have the only staffed ladder trucks between San Francisco in the state
line. We don't only provide mutual aid for wildfire events, but we've been other areas to use our aerial apparatus trained staff personnel are specially trained and staff that equipment full time. We're facing the potential of our resources dipping below where they were when or peace app was implemented in 2007, in which time we've seen an increase in call volume of 66%. We're running about 17,000 calls a year for service at the time. And this year, we ran over last year and over 30,000 calls here for service. Just like Chief Cregan. We see a major impact on recruitment and retention efforts. One of the things we highlighted was that there's 2 main reasons. We see the people come to Santa Rose. It's the opportunities that we have here. The team that we have here. Without that they're going to seek other
options just like that when the law enforcement world so with opportunities, we have everything anybody could want to do. You can pick your specialty or your nation really follow that. But we MAY not have the special operations teams anymore. And the team is really what they saw. We were seeing a lot an effect of the Tubbs fire where other they came from. Other communities saw what we had as a team and as a city and as a community. And they want to be part of that. So and we could be losing a lot of really, really good candidates center is is a destination fire department, but we could see that with theirs with a lack of stability. So one of things I want to highlight for council is that we will do everything we can explore every option to reduce the service. Impact delivery will focus on the community and our workforce. First and foremost.
But at the end of the day with any reduction of this magnitude, there will be service reduction impacts. Finances, lay down. What we've talked about them as a team is that as of JULY, first of 27, the proposed 88 ft reductions or the equivalent of 2.5 million dollars. That is the elimination or closure of a fire engine company. So that's 9 people equate to 3.2 million dollars or total operating costs for an engine company will be losing one of our engine companies, which is a 9% reduction in our in engine fleet. As of JULY. First, 2030, the 18 Ft proposed reduction and 5.8 million dollars. On top of what? The engine that's already close would be the closure of a truck company of Truck Companies. 12 Ft of 4.9 million dollars in the make up. The difference would have to close an engine company for another 6 months. So as of
JULY, first, 2030, without additional revenue, we could have 2 engines, clothes and a truck closed. All that being said, that's the that's the doom and gloom. But one of the things I really want to emphasize is, as of JULY first of this year, as of this new fiscal year, our personnel count, the General Fund is the same that it was in 2007. This part of our means to grow and has not grown commensurate with the growth of the community population density or the evolving rist risk matrix that we live in. So without those increased revenues are finding a new way to generate revenue worth the threat of falling below pre-recession levels. Many will have to eliminate core services and that core impact that I talked talked about at the beginning and we we will not be able to maintain current staffing levels. Are current response times to to
the community that they really deserve and need. Thank you, Chief West European. She Korean of for the next slide. Few slides. Even brief discussion This is really happened and why we found ourselves in this issue. And the primary revenue of the city's general fund is sales tax and this city is more reliant on sales tax and other agencies are size or are complexity. >> talk about why. But from a big picture perspective, our sales tax collection by the end of fiscal year 2025, which is our last audited, completed fiscal year was 2.1 million dollars less than it was 3 years earlier. And the city operates just like any other organization. If you look at your primary revenue for source and you look at 3 year period and over that period, it went down, especially over this period where we're all
experiencing increased costs within our personal budget. The city faces those scenes trains on growing expenses within its budget. There is just something that is completely out of line. The thing that's troubling is that we see that MISS Alignment, not as a blip on the radar, but as a feature of a sales tax mix going forward statewide. So stocks is challenged right now due to online sales. The city does not retain the same amount of sales tax from perch us on an online seller like Amazon or Walmart or any other vendor that sells something online that it would from a brick and mortar location. More and more of those sales are happening and the sales tax is going to where the originally origination point or the fulfillment point of that sales tax transaction. I eat American Canyon where there MAY be and was on center or
any other agency that does have one. We've seen also a change in consumer behavior that's been lasting for a long time now where non troxell transactions or eating up an even larger percent of folks as budgets. This next. These next couple of pictures really show a concept that I described is, you know, many times we talk to the community what they expect from services provided by the government. Ours are typically the first that they mention. But we are last when it comes to receiving revenues to help support us. We received 11.7% of every dollars that goes into property taxes within our city. That is very, very low. We would expect an organization of our complexity much closer to 16 to 18%. There are agencies with in Sonoma County within our own county that that routine 20% of their property tax. The reason for this is very simple
as Prop 13 and is that we were locked into an allocation percentage of property taxes. That was a very low. Santa Rosa had low property taxes on property for Dean passed. We're stuck with that now. Kind of going forever. Additionally for sales, taxes are currently in Santa Rosa's, 10% for every 10%, every $0.10 we received 1.7, $0.5 with Sonoma County receiving 2 and a quarter and the state of California receiving $0.6. We are last when it comes to receiving our sales tax for sort percentage as the city. When we look at our neighboring jurisdictions, this is how Santa Rosa stacks up against our neighbors. I will add I you frequently have heard me say I'm I'm not always very keen to compare us to other agencies because the reality is we are a full service city. We provide a range of services that is frankly greater than most
agencies our size in smaller. We have our own police department. We have our own fire department. We have a dynamic service delivery model within our general fund. But when we look at our neighbors, we are currently at 10% while cities like Sebastien pulls Sonoma Cotati Petaluma are all above Santa Rosa ranging from 10 and a quarter to 10 and a half percent. When we talk about sales tax in California, when we look at nationally, California does have a high sales tax rate. But we are. It's important for us to note that while the Reid is high, there is compressed level of activity that is taxable. So you'll find in other states that groceries or certain areas of health care, education are taxable or services, whether that General contracting services, etc. In California, we have a smaller base of taxable sales, but a higher percentage. California
actually does not ring, although our percentages are high, 3 total adjusted read. We do not have the highest sales tax rate in the country. With that, I'll it over to you. Misty. As we shift this conversation towards the community outreach efforts that have happened around budgeting. I wanted to start at the beginning. >> Has this council knows in FEBRUARY of 2025? You adopted strategic priorities and that first priority was achieve and maintain fiscal sustainability and budgeting excellence. That includes not only addressing our budget challenges but improving our financial transparency and public engagement. And that is exactly what we've done over the past several months. Next slide. Cfo Wagner covered all of our corrective actions really well and are proactive economic development efforts are important part of the
conversation too, because we've been out in the community and having these conversations. One of the first questions we get is what is the city doing to support businesses and support our local economy? The short answer is a lot. The city has invested significant effort into attracting supporting and retaining businesses. Some of our recent efforts include a variety of studies to better guide our business recruitment efforts, engaging with over 50 national companies and commercial real estate agents as part of our recruitment efforts. Launching a business concierge program to support businesses and entrepreneurs and expanding technical assistance training and resources for our business community. So its get into the communication process and feedback. We've been implementing the city's most extensive community engagement
process related to budgeting and service priorities in the city's history. This started in AUGUST of 2025, a cfo Wagner mentioned with city managers, budget working group. We did a survey in JANUARY of 2026. To initially identify resident priorities. In MARCH of this year, we launched the Let's Talk Santa Rosa, which was a bilingual community engagement initiative, too, broaden feedback and education and expand our reach. Through that effort we received over 2400 survey responses and of conducted 14 meetings and presentations with more scheduled on the calendar as well. And finally, we conducted a follow-up survey in JUNE of 2026. To determine whether community perceptions of change at all as a public has learned more about the city's financial situation. In JANUARY. Residents identified several top priorities. The
council has seen the screen before. In short, the top priorities were maintaining emergency medical and fire response services, including prevention and programs maintaining police response, particularly for violent crimes and maintaining streets and public spaces. We asked respondents to rank these top 5 identified priorities during the let's Talk Santa Rosa survey. You can see that wildfire emergency services rank number one. There's not a large variation between all of the 5 priorities that are there. One of the most important takeaways from this survey is that committee members don't view these priorities as competing with one another. We often heard that all of these services are important and that community members had a hard time ranking them sometimes because they see them as all important to their day-to-day life.
Asked to provide open-ended feedback about city issues. People read reiterated concerned about public safety and maintenance. 35% of the respondents mention public safety and transportation. 15 of the 15% of comments included the word maintenance with the top concern on street repair. And secondarily on parks and public spaces. And homelessness also emerged as an important concern during this process as well. In JUNE, we conducted a follow-up PRESIDENT Survey to see how public perception had changed if at all. The survey reinforce that residents placed the highest values on their core services. Again, the survey showed that residents value emergency medical and fire response services. Police response services, particularly response to violent crime and maintaining streets and public spaces. I do want to draw your
attention to the last line on the slide under that category, maintaining the city's financial stability. 80% of respondents ranked that is extremely important or very important. That is up 10% from the JANUARY survey was a noticeable change. When we sit back and we consider all of the surveys in their totality, there are a few themes that emerge. Community priorities are influenced by individual lived experiences. Everybody wants to feel safe, although safety looks and feels different to each person. Our committee members often found it difficult to rank or services because they value all of them and see them as important. Our committee wants the city to maintain core services and they want the city to maintain financial stability. The challenge that we're facing is that with our budget reality, it makes it increasingly difficult to meet
our community's expectations. We are facing a loss of potentially 42 positions in summer of 2027, which is just one year from today. The impact of that loss, as we've heard includes fire station closures, elimination of police response. I'm sorry, elimination of police, violent crime teams reduced maintenance of streets and parks and street lights and elimination of recreation programs and other city services. To be quite blunt without additional revenue. The city will not be able to meet our community's expectations. And these are services. They've told us they want and that they deserve Our community is not asking for new or expanded services. What we heard consistently was it's about maintaining the services they currently rely on. So when we talk about revenue enhancement, it's to a discussion not just about
funding but about how to maintain those core services that our committee has told us are important to them. >> Thank you. Is so couple more slides for me to cover. When we talk about revenue enhancement and then we're going to have a conversation on sales tax. It's important to note that that is not the first place that we've gone Weave in increase our costs recovery. We've increased our fees. We've increased the business license tax. We've increased transient occupancy tax property tax is nonstarter. When we look at Paul pulling our popularity as far as that impacting the property tax overall, we are here him strong with that. Utility users. Tax system is an effort that the city has taken in the past but has been unsuccessful. >> We've we've ultimately the last bullet on here sell stocks. And without action
will be substantially reducing 2020 31 through measure sunset the total revenue. The city for sales tax >> what staff is recommending for councils. The reauthorization of measure q at one Cent versus the current half Cent level until repealed by voters. It's important note that 100% of the sales tax would stay in Santa Rosa would not depend on a county wide allocation. The majority would come from brick and mortar sales. The remainder from online sales. This would asked me to bring in an additional 47 million dollars annually in resulting in 23 and have additional revenue to the city. Generals purpose tax would allow the city to fill critical funding gaps without legal restrictions and require a simple majority of vote of over 50% or 50%. Plus one as we are frequent to say. And with that, I'll turn it back over to Misty. Thank you.
>> In the JUNE 2026, survey 53% of respondents stated that they believe that the city has a great need for some need for additional funding. 35%, believe that the city has a little need or no real need at about 12%, which is shown on great your screen. Here are undecided. Next slide. Residents were also asked how likely they are to support a sales tax reauthorization as discussed today. Over half of the respondents, 55% said they definitely or probably would vote. Yes. And at that support increases to 62% when including those leaning towards yes. These results have an approximate margin of error of 4 0.9%. What this means is that if the council would like to consider placing a revenue measure on the NOVEMBER ballot, it appears that it could be a viable course of action. Our community is telling us that their top priorities are
maintaining fire and medical excuse me, fire and emergency medical services maintaining police response, particularly to violent crimes and maintaining streets and infrastructure. If approved by the voters, additional revenue would help maintain those core services that are committee members have told us are most important to them. It would also help us address unfunded infrastructure needs, including street maintenance. Santa Rosa seeing growth and success is that our committee values and that need continued civic support and investment to maintain momentum. Recent examples include the rebuilding of fire station number 5 in Mountain Grove. Creation of the special Enforcement team, which is it, which was formed to address violent crime specifically. Delivering approximately 150 million dollars in public work projects over the last 12
months and decreasing homelessness by 16% over the last for years. These are just a few examples of accomplishment that reflect years of investment by our community and buyer city. With that, we will conclude on the staff presentation. The city manager's office requests. The council provide direction to staff about whether to return with ballot, not measure language for council consideration. Thank you. >> Scott, Misty, thank you so much. And thank you for for for highlighting how long this process has been. How many years we've been working together. Thank you both for what you and your teams have done. Bring back to council for questions on this item. Donald, you want to ask questions? >> Thank you for the presentation. I know we've touched on this during the budget sessions. We touched on
the need for an increase in revenue in. And I appreciate all the statistics that you put into today's presentation and painting the picture. What happens if we don't increase revenue, I think is critical for the community to understand and know. I just want to be clear because on one side it shows the breakdown of the tax and in this particular tax, I just think it's important for council as well as voters to know that this tax 100% come back to the general fund. It's not something we break down. And I just want to make sure I'm clear on that. >> Yes, thank you for that question. Councilmember MacDonald's is important to note that he transaction you sacks like the one staff proposing 100% of that money goes directly to the cities that the city has control within its general fund to program it out. Unlike a
county tax measure where we are reliant on the county to receive the small portion of that amount, this would go directly to us program. Of course, comes on. Ms Rogers. >> I have a question that I've heard before. And that if the money's is going to the general fund. Prevents future councils from doing things like that's a part or other things that people have not listed as their core because I think that's what the public wants to know. It's like, yes, we interest you to do this, but then you go in. You want to put in our piece that I don't think is significant. I'm not saying me. The person doesn't think it's significant, but they voted for for the measure. Can you address that? Please? Yes, thank you. Councilmember. >> So I we've. >> There we are structurally is the critical starting point of that conversation in saying
that this sales tax measure would not be creating extra for the general fund. This fundamentally going to go to closing a 14 and a half million dollar budget deficit along with really what will be required is a critical listening of the community in the areas of maintenance mean teen is the critical word that we've heard from the community maintain is the critical message. Feature that we're going to be bringing forward through council of maintaining what we have the core of the conversations that we've been having a council from the finance department is that that court deficit number 14 and a half million dollars actually a lot less than it should be. We are missing significant holes within our deficit that needed to be address. This is an opportunity, frankly, hear directly from the community and they have made their
voices heard very clearly to this council. I believe. And I frankly don't want to get ahead of a conversation of how this council is in a unique position to set future councils up for success because you all have had to make the very difficult cuts you, frankly have had to become financial experts. We're not necessarily you asked to be, but you had to be. That set you up in unique position that with additional revenue coming in, it will be really the direction of council and the direction of staff would be to maintain the current deficit to make sure that we're not getting into more cuts and to start maintaining properly that infrastructure of the city. Address part because you brought it up. Our of we love our arts and civic arts important. All of us to hear. I can't think of a single dollar from the general fund
being spent on art in a very, very long time. Those are, as we mentioned at the beginning of my presentation, those are funds that cannot be spent on anything else. But art. And so there's a very specific fund. So thank you for your question. All the questions from council. Been us. Thank you for the presentation. Very thorough. I just. >> I MAY have missed How would this work with measure q is in terms of. >> I guess ending date now, if we extend 2031, how does that all work? Thank you for your question. Councilmember make and been with us. So currently measure Hewson said it's in 2031. >> And what we've seen from the community feedback is that the more modern approach towards the sales tax measures is to enable the voters to repeal or to change the manager at any time. So instead of saying, hey, we're
going to have a sales tax measure for the next 30 years. We want to give the community the ability to change the sales tax measure. Any point they feel that it should go back to the ballot. For essentially doing is Missy helped with the exact verbiage until repealed by voters. So that is the exact language. If the council chooses to go down this road, that is the recommended language that we would include. >> Okay. So that's Except how would that come back to the council? I mean, if the voters came to us and said we're we'd like this to end how to how I was. Understand the wording, but I'm just not clear on how. You know, where does the council say, ok, we don't need this anymore. You know, how would that work really? Realistically? >> Councilmember Ben Willows, let me step in here. I discussed the potential shift
and reducing the tax in the future could either come through voter initiative or through council authorized process to take it back to the voters. >> I'm not really quite satisfied. But I just only because measure q currently has an ending date and they can be renewed. Of course. I'm wondering if the voters would feel better if there were something like that. As we extend this into one cent. >> Through the survey that occurred in JUNE of 2026, there was hypothetical ballot measure language as part of that. When we ask the residence. Would you like the support this or not? And that language was included in that statement until repealed by voters. So I think it's a fair question. And it was part of part of surveying that we did. >> And all and I'll just step in in working with our ballot consult the language that be,
but that we're utilizing in polling is the the common language is being incorporated by other jurisdictions tempting to the same type of to ut on this. And so from a ballot measure perspective or conforming to what the norm and the norm practices around the state. And we feel fairly confident that the language is is appropriate, provides flexibility necessary for our community and constituency here. And if they want to see a change, they have the opportunity to come back and see a change rather than being defined power to a specific term. Thank you. Other questions. Just one for me. You both alluded to it a point. Turn your remarks, but could flesh out the context of how Santa Rosa's request is also being near Mir. But other cities in the county and across the state are that some of this is particular to our city. But a lot of this is a
more General California story. >> MR. Wagner, you want to touch on Yes, thank you, >> So 2 year to your question. Our our problem is not unique here in Santa Rosa. These issues around sales tax are being felt by many agencies and frankly, we are behind. If you look at us for money from the sales tax percentage, even with some of our neighbors on where they currently are. What I think is very safe to assume. And what we've seen out there is that it is not just us that it is approaching the sales tax issue. It is really many, many agencies across the state that have taken a very hard look and we'll be pushing this forward. Thank you. I think it's fair to say that with proper 13, California has a unique funding model for its municipalities. And that combined with that with that, a change in the in the sales tax.
>> The situation has created forced a lot a lot of agencies, a lot of cities to to look at how they are bringing in revenue and center one of those. So thank you very much for this very thorough presentation. With that, let's open up the public comment. Let's see. MR. Hill, where icu at the podium, those go to MR. DeWitt. And then Gregory, Fair on. MR. Helmer we just off or can we Thank you. >> Did you read long-winded written commentary by Fred all box on this matter? It's just literally stupid. Know? Kaci, you devote your energies to lobbying for the repeal Proposition 13. This county is full of lazy hippies who don't know real work is and they think their authorities on things. Everything you had to say in that nonsense should be disregarded. And I just some if you're going to put a half percent tax increase on the
NOVEMBER ballot, you're going to get made fun of you're going to care, prizes and Compean and money growing unfit to be in office. You bet. There's going to be a a an effort to defeated. People are fed up with getting with these ridiculously high taxes. Your previous city manager, Maurice, because missed propose some serious. Cuts of the type that would right. The structural deficit problem. Some serious reductions that are needed to eliminate the structural deficit issue and what a discount do bought that them. So, you know, if you want increase measure q, you know, just going to be a and for an argument against and understand, Fred wants speak Last time I was told that if you submit written comments. You are not allowed to early so you should enforce that equally. Not just me, but everybody. Thank you as
always, Michael Dwayne, Rock. >> Hello, my name is Dwayne from Roseland. I'd like to propose to revenue enhancement techniques that you could do in case your tax increases do not pass. The would be to put fees upon the vendors that go to the parks. On Saturday. We had park volunteer day and Southwest Community Park. And I think the park people for being there. Every day. Now there are a number of vendors who come to the park. I do not think they're licensed. If you would begin a process and which every park in the city of Santa Rosa was allowed to have legally licensed food vendors. You could then enhance a revenue stream from that and it could be helpful. Also, the city owns a lot of property. It owns property that's quite valuable. You should not trade any of it away to any developer. None of these developers are really trustworthy. I've watched that
over 30 years. Basically, you should sell your properties at high market value prices, you sit on them for long periods of time. You do not do deferred maintenance. And then down the road, you say, well, because it's not maintain, we got to get rid of it. Well, so these things for high prices. You've got prime downtown land. >> And it could be useful. 2 honest developers who would actually do what they say they're going to do. That didn't happen with tnt building right over here and 5.20, 3rd Street. We were promised affordable housing would be built there. We gave them a deal under redevelopment. Didn't happen. So our properties, no increase in taxes. >> Thank you to Wayne Gregory are. >> Mayor staff members of the Council. My name is Gregory Ferrand, great presentation.
And I think one of your slides had a a line to the very bottom that said, more civic engagement. And I want to encourage you to do that a few months ago I made a similar presentation to the Board of Supervisors when we were giving out 10 million dollars worth of money and which I said, okay, the party's over Chris Christie said, oh, great. We're having and partying Gregory blew out the candles and then Andrew Baker, Mauricio no, he threw the entire cake on the floor. You're doing that right now. And you should. You should be waking up this community to the fact that if they don't pass a sales tax and you don't figure out ways of getting some other agencies should step up to the plate more who should support you more. We're going back to the 18 80's you're talking about 18 99 and watching a bunch westerns with Sam Elliott. They're showing
where was like in California in the 1980's. We're going back to that point. If if the people of Santa Rosa believe that they're going to have a police department or a fire department or anything like when have now wake You're not going to have anything like what you think the entire effort we've had for 50 years to build beautiful places with spears of influence and good planning and >> Places. We are paying a lot of money to be in. It's going to be gone. Thank you. Thank you. Gregory. >> Fred, unfortunately, we did submit written comments and so we can't let you speak on this item. But we do. We do appreciate the very thorough remarks you made. Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there other members of the public here in Chambers who wish to speak? Seeing none. We'll go online. All colors host. >> We are now taking public
comment via zoom for item. 4.1. You'd like to make a comment. Please raise your hand if you dial done by telephone. Dial Star 9 to raise your hand and star 6 to Unmute one sign able your permission 2 minutes for your quick comment. And a countdown timer alert. Well, art at the conclusion of that period. I am seeing no hands to the side. >> Thank you very much. That will close public comment and I'll bring it back to council for final thoughts and recommendations. MR. Donovan you want off again. >> Sir, I don't think that this is a really tough decision, at least from my perspective, we've been talking about budget and revenue enhancements and I've seen us cut staff, you know, down to those bare bones to where we were in 2007 with the increase of population. Is you talked about earlier today. I
think it's also important to know when you hear how many times it's important to the community about public safety. We are ready far below the national average of how many officers we have duty per community members. And that doesn't even include the amount of people that come into the city of Rosa on any given day to support everything going around us. So I think the potential of cuts to public safety, not only all of our other departments, as you suggested earlier, MISTER Wagner Year even cut 25%. And I'm sure there's statistics in every single department in the city of Santa Rosa. So when you look at how long it takes to get things across the line, it's because we don't have enough people to work on these projects. So from my perspective, I would like to see language brought back to support the general fund. I I think earlier at we already
know general signed support. 77% of that goes to benefits and things that eat. So the ongoing need of something is is critical. So I think that voters and what you're hearing back from community members on we want this to be in place. I'm interested in that same type of model moving forward. And I think there's not much more to say other than I appreciate the picture you painted in budget discussions so that we knew we were already coming to this. And I appreciate Mr, Free and fair and said about getting out to the community to let them know the reality of what we're dealing with and that it is in their hands to help us figure out how to handle these things and help us to prioritize. So thank you again. Thank you. MISS Rogers. Thank you for all the time and dedication you put into this. Thank you for all the community outreach that you have done so as a
community member, I can say that I worked really hard at work about 3 jobs and I don't like paying taxes. I have better things to spin my money on. Thing is though, Santa Rosa, so good at educating not only us, but the public. >> I think that the alternative would be detrimental. To the beautiful city in which we all live in where we can work play in, you know, more play like to play a lot. And I think we have a lot of things going on in Santa Rosa and I want continue to see that. And I wanted to continue to be safe. So I definitely support bringing language back to us so that we can we can look at this and we can move forward. And for us to go on the journey of communicating to the community and continuing to educate them on what it would look like. Our beautiful city. If we don't pass this ballot measure, what's going to
happen then an tmi. My husband recently had a a heart attack in APRIL. And I was told that I believe like I make connections by what goes on with me personally. And I'm proud to do that. But my husband recently had a heart attack and our fire Cain when I was out doing work for the city. I wasn't Sacramento a conference doing work for the city and I couldn't be with him. But our fire staff was there with him and they took care of my husband. And I knew that he was being well taken care of. And I want that for every single community member, rather, they're calling fire or police that they feel that they will have that our public safety I'm all-in yes, thank you. Thank you, MR. Rogers, MR. Alvarez. >> Thank you, mayor. A couple months ago we had this discussion about cuts and one of the comments that I made right now we're working.
That's couple before we know we're shopping the machete. And I do appreciate the candid conversation that we've had today in the comments made where reality is. A bucket cold water. Hopefully as we continue conversations that can those examples. Candid statements continue to made because whether we like or not, this is our future. This what it looks like and we are definitely looking at ways to. Protect the quality of life of Santa Rosa's. It's definitely rough ride. Foresee that. So again. Appreciate the candid conversation. Thank you, MR. Alvarez misspent Wheeless. Thank you. >> Thank you again all the presentation. I really appreciate all that all the information and all the time that you took. Thank you. >> I just want to Chris, this is not an easy I know. >> For some of our residents and especially. For folks who
are low and low-income and just want to say someone who's had 2 to 3 jobs since 2016. I know how hard it is and I know how hard it is for everyone right now. The flip side of that is that being someone who represents part of downtown Railroad Square and the West and where there are several homeless facilities. I hear the other end of the need for public safety fire and how important it is and how they have really felt the cuts that we took. So I know how important it is for and people are not feeling safe. So in the view of that and having you know, put those 2 realities together. I support bringing back some. Language for a ballot measure as well. And of course, is certain I sit on long-term finance. So I knew this was coming. But it's still very hard. And I'm not going to, you sugarcoat it. It's going to be a little bit hard. But looking at the other
jurisdictions, which are all much smaller than us. And we're not even as high as all of those and many of us spend money in those neighboring cities. So I think we actually support Santa Rosa. So it's not just for now, but for the future as well. So thank you. Thank you, MR. Creepy. Thank you, MR. Mayor thanks so much for that And I think certain level of diplomacy which you deliver some of this news, one of my favorites lies that seen using a couple presentations. Number 17, I don't know if you have readily available to put up or not. >> As a visual person, it really does help. What that shows is that the city of Santa Rosa within the county is a donor city. We send more money out of our city, the attacks than than we can keep. And I think that is extremely important to understand, because as we've heard from the public and as we've heard
from up here and I-10 degrees like nobody likes paying taxes. They understand the need to a certain extent. But when you look at the sheer numbers of what we're paying and where it goes. For residents, it's not going to the city and hull and when especially know that property tax number, as you pointed out, there's some other municipalities that are nearly double that with our county. So its important for us to keep all that in mind. I also want to say that we talked about a lot about public safety and that's because of where these cuts are going come from because of the of the large amount of the general fund support public safety. They're not the only ones that are stretched thin. I know that there's people in public works that hold for 5 hats for jobs. They do. I see our parks team here and I know that they we've set up before.
They do not have the resources to be able to take care of the parks that we asked them to I assume it frustrates them to not be able to do the job and do the upkeep that they want to do that. They take pride in doing. I know that we planners to have almost doubled the amount of applications they are responsible for as opposed to neighboring jurisdictions. So I think it's important to have a holistic view of what is it with these impacts are there was something out I was going to say, forgot. So I'm not going to That's what I'm going to say was I appreciate the ideas of of fees or the passing of the hat. And in the in metaphorical sense. But correct me if I'm wrong, if we took housing community services, the CFOs office, the city attorney's office, the city manager's office h and cut all funding out of the general fund for those we wouldn't be able to make up
the delta of structural deficit. Is that correct? That's correct. Vice mayor. So yeah, all of those all of our administrative functions could completely go away and we still have a deficit, as I mentioned earlier size, we fundamentally have an operating issue. >> Our ongoing revenues are not sufficient meet our ongoing operating. >> I thank you. So with that, I know I'm sure the mayor and his typical fashion is going to focus on a lot of the good that we're doing help offset some of these conversations. I'm used to being the bad cop when the 2 of us are together. I'll head over him to do that. But I am in favor reluctantly of putting this forward to maintain the services that we're providing. You know me too well, vice mayor. Yes, let's go back to the bright side for just a little bit to number. We highlighted that
their presentation. >> So if you live in a city, you've seen some of the great changes that have taken place over the last 10 years. You've seen the businesses that have come into Montgomery Village to Railroad Square to Sebastopol Road. You've seen what we've done downtown downtown's so much better. That was even even 10 years ago. You see the huge amount of capital development is going on in the city. We mentioned 150 million the slide, but we're talking about multiple bridges. One completed one underway, multiple fire libraries, significant increases. We've doubled the amount reporting into our roads. Are our main arterials, at least not so much the neighborhood streets. That's where we want when before. With this with the sales tax measure. But there have been a lot of improvements in the city and
we want to keep that momentum going and here we are as a community and a really interesting crossroads. Because with so many is now tax measures, the impacts are abstract. If you think about the famous ones from recent recent years Measure h measure I measured e d they pass. You don't really know how they're impacting you this one. You well, we're we're at a fork. If we don't want to tax ourselves and that's what we're doing here. It's all of us living in a city deciding whether or not we want we want to pay more. If we don't want to do that, we're going to see the service impacts immediately. If we do want to grit our teeth in this California model and yet again, agree to a tax to a tax measure, then suddenly we have no more budget deficit. We potentially have extra money to put into our infrastructure. We've gotten
keep amazing momentum going that we have in the So we're at a real fork and it's going to be up up to the community to decide how we want to proceed. I appreciate Gregory's call to action there let it be known that the city team, including everyone in the stands and our senior staff when you've been out really over the last 12 months, reaching out to every community stakeholder, every group that will meet with us to give a version of this presentation. We are spreading the word as loudly as we can. For this one. We need the community's help. We need people like Gregory, like those of you who are sitting this room to be making up your own minds thinking clearly about how you want to proceed with this particular tax initiative and talking your friends and neighbors because the impacts again, they will be concrete and they will be
quick after NOVEMBER. And so we are hoping that as the polls show that we can convince enough of our fellow residents to come to the table on this one because it could mean good things for the city and there will be consequences. And the other side, if we decide not to. With that, I would just say thank you for all the work from our finance team, from our communications team. The presentation was right on point time for me supportive. Glad to see that we have the support from from all of my colleagues up here and we very much want to see what you come back with in a couple weeks. Thank you both. All right. That ends our study session. We will go on to all right. We'll we'll we will relax for a moment with our proclamation for the evening or excuse me. Skipped over one. We have a report on closed session. MADAM City attorney, a new
report. Thank you, mayor. There are no report of items this evening. Thank you. All right. We're going to our proclamation for the evening and we are glad to see our parks team. Here are its item. 7.1. A proclamation for JULY is parks make Life Better month. And I'm going to MISS Rogers. Thank you, Mayor. >> Whereas Parks and recreation promotes physical, emotional and mental wellness organize in South directed fitness, play and activity and whereas parks and recreation supports economic vitality by partnering with local businesses, nonprofits and community groups. And whereas parks and recreation creates memorable experiences through youth sports and activities. Teen and senior programs, adult enrichment and 3 community events. And whereas parks and recreation foster social cohesiveness by celebrating diversity,
promoting social equity and ensuring all people have access to its benefits and were asked Parks and Recreation's supports human development and countless learning opportunities fostering growth in people of all ages and abilities and whereas parks and recreation strengthen community. Identity by providing facilities and services that celebrate local heritage and culture. And whereas parks and recreation facilities. Community issues resolution by providing safe spaces and key point of service that help our communities heal. And whereas parks and recreation sustains natural resources by protecting habitats connecting people to nature and promoting ecological stewardship. And whereas parks and recreation remain versatile in innovative in delivering vital facilities and essential services during emergencies. Now, therefore,
maybe resolve that. Our mayor Mark step on behalf of the entire city council recognize the importance of equitable access to local parks, recreation trails, open space in facilities for the health wellness development, inspiration and safety for our community. Do hereby proclaim JULY as part, Make Life Better Thank you. >> Here here. All right, MISTER Castro, MISTER Wilkinson, are you on tap to say a few words? MISTER Tibbetts. Oh, there we go. This route misread. Come on down. Gentleman. All right. You've got you've got a room full of fans here. Thank you for all you We the deck with our fans. Jeff Tibbetts, deputy director for recreation. Thank you, Mayor. Step Vice Mayor Okrepkie Council members. JULY is parts make life better months. And we appreciate the proclamation today acknowledging the
importance our parks play here in Santa Rosa. That is not just a slogan. It is a reality that parts make life better. When you think a part in Santa Rosa, you might think about community events ranging from cultural celebrations to movie nights to free Vance or private gatherings where we celebrate milestones in our lives to reconnect with family and friends. Our parks are a place where we reconnect with nature. Get exercise, play and socialize. Weather is our neighborhood parks where we build community, our community parks, where we create memories are special recreation spaces, spaces like ours, Park community pools, community centers. These places are not just where people go spend free time. They're the places that make center is a unique make Santa Rosa feel like home and make Santa Rosa a better place to live work and play and play
for Councilmember Rogers. As amazing as parks are. They're not magical. Parts of choir. Lot of work says we recognized Lions parts make life better month. I would also like to take this opportunity to share my appreciation for all the people who work so hard to make Santa Rosa Parks possible. As we've been through different reorganizations my 23 years with the city have seen a structured a lot of different ways. Bottom line is no matter how you structure comes down to the people that make the space so special. Now might be a little biased, but I think it's easy to make the case that our volunteer program as it relates to our parks and recreation programs is the best in the city. So they're special people start with our community members. This is evident in the strength of the programs like adopt a green space in a park a month
program. Our community contributes thousands upon thousands of volunteer work to support our part every year. And through our work experience program, where over 300 teenagers volunteer to provide over 30,000 hours of volunteer service every single summer and are recreation programs. So a big thank you to our community. Community does so much. We're also dedicated with the other. We also blessed with a dedicated team of staff. Any park system starts with planning and our park planning team has been x has a lot of exciting things going on right now. Council, you've been receiving updates on existing councils been getting updates on existing new projects in the works such as the development of the Southwest Greenway, Roseland Creek Park in Coral Springs, Community Garden Parks and Garden renovations at Dutch Floor Park, Cook Park in South
Davis. Park of all been completed in the last several months and renovations like the tennis and pickleball courts, parking down park underway are underway and more to calm and parks like mlk Park in Rincon Valley Park mayor. Hopefully the optimism I covered love for you. There. A big thank you to the planning team for their hard work. You are truly delivering in creating a lot of excitement in our parks for Santa Rosa. But even the best plan, parks require maintenance. And in Santa Rosa, we have a small but a small park maintenance team, but they're mighty team. That does a lot of heavy lifting. There's a saying that has been around for the last 23 years that I've been in the city of Santa Rosa and that is Santa Rosa loves it. Sparks to death. Well, I've said it many times. I've always left out the most important part every
day. Park maintenance goes back there and brings our parks back to life. All it can Superintendent Castro speak a little bit more in park maintenance in a moment. The last not least obviously I have to give a shout out to my recreation people over the past. 23 years. I've had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing people through the recreation division. I now get the honor of representing an amazing team of people who truly love what they do because they're so passionate about supporting our community. Recreation issues around 1500 permits every year for the community hold events and gatherings in our parks. Yes, we had over 100,000 passengers on the Quay land rights and Howard Park, hundreds of thousands of participants and to Ridgeway pool family pool, Finley community Center in person, Senior every year. Thousands
of youth playing our camps and thousands of adults plan. Our sports leagues. I can ramble off more stats. But as the saying goes, parks make life better, not parks, make data points. So with that said, I want to share my appreciation to my incredible team and all the staff and recreation, not just for what how much you do, but for what you do. We foster community and we improve the quality of life for Santa Rosa residents. Thank you all for your hard work. And I'll pass off to Superintendent Castro. Mayor Stapp Vice Mayor Council members. My name is James Cash from the park superintendent. First off, I'd like to thank you for this proclamation. Parks make life better is a statewide recognized campaign to raise awareness around the benefits of parks and recreation. >> During covid Park uses increased by 63% nationwide. And those numbers have large
and persistent post-pandemic. Organizations such as the National Recreation and Parks Association as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize parks. It's critical infrastructure because they support public health, environmental sustainability, social equity and economic prosperity. Parks are especially important in our underserved neighborhoods by providing free recreation regardless of your income, safe places for children to play his development. Accessibility for seniors and opportunities for cultural celebrations and community events. I'd like to give a special thanks to councilmember Natalie Rogers and Councilmember MacDonald. Not only do you guys talk the talk but walk the walk for advocating for parks. You show up at our events. You speak out on our behalf and your
advocacy has greater impact than, you know. I also want to thank city manager not and the rest of council for your commitment to not reducing park staff any further. We currently have 23 maintenance staff to maintain 109 park spaces. That's 1100 acres Parkland. An additional 65 acres of roadside landscaping. Santa Rosa Parks, staffing levels are less than one-third of the national average. We continue to develop parks without additional maintenance for them. No one wants to see our park spaces more beautiful than our park staff. But we need your help to make that happen. Parks are no longer simply recreation amenities, a critical public infrastructure parks to make life better. Park staff make parks better. Thank you. Thank both. >> Florida public comment. Any thoughts from council? Mrs? >> I want to definitely things are park folks because is a
love. Hear my phone ring in someones on the phone saying I just walked by Davis Park and oh, my GOD. It was about time and it's so beautiful. I'm not scared to take my children I'm not scared to go there in the evening. That's how you're improving my commute. I thank you from the bottom art that you're put in the work to make that happen. Thank you. Rodgers. >> That was very nice. Thank you so much. I will Being a single mother of 3 sometimes only place I could take my children or afford to take my children was the park. And so that's why I'm large advocate for her part that I think they're very important. Even if you have money. I think that it is a place where everyone can go to recreate for free. In addition to that, I do want to thank the staff. I think you guys are awesome for everything you do. I know one day we're driving down the
street in Andrea goes the grasses are really high. I didn't make a phone call. I didn't do anything. I said they'll get to it. And it was within one or 2 days that the median was cut and it was lookign nice. Everything by the park was looking nice. Didn't even have to do anything. So. I'm sorry that you guys have so much to do with so little. But I'm thankful that you continue to show up and come to work. Despite all we're asking you to do. And I'm hoping that we can remedy this. I know it won't be tomorrow and I know it won't be next week. But you have my promise that we're going to continue to try to find ways because we do realize how important parts. Thank you, MISS Been winless. Thank you. I just want to say thank you for all that you do. I get their course just like every district. I've got lots of parts of my district and I
get nothing but positive feedback about all your staff. And it's always good to hear that I don't have. That's one area. I mean, we worry about what's happening off parts, but I'd never worry about the staff because as my colleague was saying, I know it's going to get taken care of even though and I too, very sorry that you are short staffed and you're really doing. We're asking you to do more with less. And I recognize that and I hope I wish we could change it tomorrow. >> But I really appreciate the fact that that doesn't stop from doing your job. All of you. So thank you. Thank you, MR. Donald. Yeah. Just things to the park staff. I go to many of the volunteer events in. You're always there some of you in the days that you're not even supposed to be. And so I just want to say thank you to all of you for all your hard work.
>> And to the recreation department as well to make sure that there's programs that children and families and our seniors get to participate in at a very low cost. You know, the park so beautiful so we can have the recreation programs there. But it is important and it's critical and come a member Rogers said to be able to have open space for families and people to go and recreated in. That's for your no cost is specifically through our recreation department is critical for the health and well-being of our communities. So thank you to everybody. Thank you. Mayor. >> Thank you. Yeah, to both of you. Thanks so much. To recreation. As someone who has a kid come home and talk incessantly about how much they love count camp you g I really appreciated. She loves it and you know, she spends I think it's 10 hours there with that with the early arrival
that we we put her into. So i can only imagine how much worth it's worth to every other kid in their family that goes to those into the parks Department, the main its crews, especially I did a poor job of explaining just how hard you guys work. And so, James, thank you so much for putting those statistics out. Those are and we know them kind of inherently. But like when you put the exact number on, really shows just how much excuse my language asked you guys kick for our community with what you have and we really do appreciate it. Thank you. To do everything has been that's been said. So we've added what, 50% or increased our bar parks land by 50% over the past 10 years while cutting our staff and a half. >> So we're familiar. We know we need to invest and we know that your debt, your beloved by everyone in the community and everyone here on the on
the dais speaking as a personal user of the parks and of the pools. Not very much want to. I want to make sure we see strong in this area. All we all leave it there. Start open to public comment. MISTER Dewitt. I think your first stop and if any other members of the public would like to speak, say nice things about our parks and our park staff then head head to the podium, but MR. Do it because kick us off. >> Hello, my name is Duane de wit. I'm from Roseland I definitely want to compliment the parks maintenance people definitely on Saturday at Southwest Park and the Bellevue District Saturday at 9 to noon, you had to invent again, Lorenzo, LeBron and you had maintenance workers out there got a couple of young volunteers named Asher and Elias. You had a really good day out there and I'm always going to be in the corner of
the maintenance workers for parks because it's all about management and maintenance. It's not about planning. It's not about saying we're going to buy some more parks. It's about taking care of what we have. So we've got some really good maintenance workers and I think MR. Castro just coined a new term for these folks. We make parks better. That's what the maintenance crew is all about. I think we should actually and I will kick again. I'm a out there. A volunteer to buy 23 t-shirts for these guys to have their own motto that says we make parks better because they're all about it. And it's none of this other stuff we could blow smoke in. Happy talk all day long and actually comes to the folks that are out there that take care of the place and make it all better. So you got to hear from me. Get to tell me the sizes of the church get them and will make it happen.
And you know, one other good thing on all this. I don't know if you caught yourself earlier there. MISS Top repeat, but you actually mentioned Southwest Greenway and that's how we think of the park at Roseland Creek and having a bike trail there that's been talked about for 22 full years since the Roseland Creek concept plan was adopted by the City Council. And we're moving forward out. There were never given up. So we make parks better because we're volunteers, Florida, also thank you. Thank you to Wayne. Are there any other members of the public would like to speak? >> MR. Mayor staff and members of council. My name is Gregory Fair. If they didn't have enough work to do, this is sort of a good news, bad news thing. The Board of Supervisors today added one more park to the county, the
tear to the Park Plaza received 2 million dollars from ag and Open Space district. It's probably going to be maintained by you guys. I don't think the county is going to maintain the park plaza in the middle of the city in your district to any. But I think illustrates and I'll join Dwayne. It illustrates extent to which and overworked, understaffed group of heroes. Are making so that it's not just state parks and regional parks that people go to. It's your city parks. Those are the mainstay, the core of what most people need to and love. Thank >> Thank you, Gregory. And there you go. There's your heads up, park staff more and more on the way. Any other members of the public wish to speak. All right. Let's close. Public real close in-person public comment and will go to our zoom host any online public comment.
>> We're now taking public comment on item 7.1. If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand. He dialed in by telephone Dial Star 9 to raise your hand and stars 6 to unmute. >> Sign able year for Russians will have 2 minutes for your comment. >> And a countdown timer alert. Will will lure at the conclusion of that period. Mayor, we have no >> Thank you. We'll close public comment and will invite all the members of the park staff parks department to come down and for for a photo. And of course, our recreation team as well. >> I don't need to. We got Well, you You know >> Thanks again to our parks, staff and recreation teams. Thank you for coming out. We'll move on to item 8.1. Our public outreach for the
Greenway Conductivity study. Do we have MISS Mills and hear reena? Welcome. >> you do, I'm ready. But everybody laughed. >> So a life. >> I think many are coming back to >> Do you know would you be able to share the power point? I've got it up Perfect. Okay. Hi, Mary. Stopping Council members. I'm Toria Wilson. I'm the city's transportation planner. I'm here with a very quick staff briefing. I'm not going to go over all of my slides, but I have sherwin's there. If you happen to have questions. Something we know is that we have a fabulous Southeast Greenway project that we're now moving forward with on the east side of town. That's going to drop into one of 3 wonderful parks that we have for the community. And we also happen to know that on the west side of town, we have equally as fabulous multi-use
trails creek pounds. A lot of opportunities for recreation walking and biking. And we know like on the slide in between that city staff and council have a really great opportunity to look at closing the gap between those 2 locations and the goal here really is that we have a full East-West connection across town, multi-use paths, los dress comfortable for the community. We know that smart is working on the same thing North South. And so this is a really wonderful opportunity for us to make sure that all across town we have some connections for our community. So knowing that there is a gap once the Southeast Greenway Project goes in, Citi staff about a year ago came up with 3 project alternatives. We took this to a group of stakeholders to make sure that there wasn't anything that we were missing. And now we have a period of public outreach
where we're asking the public of these 3 alternatives, which is the one that you prefer and the one that does reigns supreme as the one that we're going to focus on implementing first. And we will focus on timing that with the Southeast Greenway Project so that we can put everything in hopefully the same time or at least focus on the multi-modal components of the projects. At the same time, I won't go into super detail of these 3 alternatives. If you have any questions, I can certainly answer those. What I will tell you, though, is that these 3 alternatives are here because they are specifically feasible. So we're not taking anything to the community that would be so outlandish to implement that it would be too difficult. Everything here is possible and it is possible within the timeline of when a multi-use path on the Southeast Greenway Project
site could go and again, 3 alternatives. Each of them are a little bit different from one another. I do have some visual simulations that kind of show the differences between the 3 some visual simulations that show what they could potentially look like. But again, I'm I'm moving through quickly just because this is a staff briefing. What I want to focus on is the slide. We have a project Web page where all of our materials are up. We also have an online survey in both English and Spanish. They were asking the community to take. We already have over 550 responses to that survey. But we really would like to have a higher number as many as we possibly can. What we've done so far, we've done about 10,000 mailers to property owners and business owners in the immediate area around each of the 3 alternatives. We've done a series of focus groups
tomorrow is actually another focus group that we are hosting with Latino service providers. We did one with Montgomery High School students and we have a couple more on the books. We've done a series of in-person pop-up events this last Saturday. Dan Hennessy and I were at a community bike ride and we met Prince Gateway Park. We had about 35 people show up and we rode 2 of the alternatives and had a great time. Some of us even might got lunch afterwards because we're a little bit hungry. What else the one other in person event that I want to highlight is on JULY 29th in the evening. We will be having a in-person community workshop across the street in the large conference room, there will be free child care and there will be refreshments at public workshops. And we're again hoping that people will take the survey. What I'm asking
for you tonight is just be aware that this project is happening, that there will be a gap closure that the city is city staff is looking into. And I'm also inviting all of you to please take the survey and then maybe send it to everybody in your network, your friends, your family, your enemies, anybody that you think you can get take a survey who do very much appreciate it. With that, I think that's it. This qr code will take you to the Web page. This is the url or to Google. You can just type Greenway connectivity study and you should be taken Thank you. Outstanding to such a great project and any questions from council. >> kind of hinted you can head to that. There was an alternative is that was preferred at the moment. Can use a bit more about >> You >> Prefer already in the
service so far or >> I'll take either which which where people and or the city leaning. >> So is funny. The before we sent out the mailers. Alternative number one was the most popular. And then we sent out the mailers. And number 2 has become the most popular. I get a lot of questions from the community like, well, all of these are great. Does this mean you couldn't do all 3? Technically we could. But we all know that we have limited funding. And so what I'm hoping is that in the survey, it's very clear that there's one alternatives that comes out on top. That's the one we will focus on. And then depending on things like pavement, maintenance schedule and grants that we got, it's possible that we could do more than one. >> Excellent and has Dan Hennessy already committed to the Sonoma Avenue protected
Bike lane with with the Harker Protection? >> He me we've got a lot of right away. So I'm not throwing anybody under the bus. >> All right. We'll let that stand. I will I will present a further, but I do like the visuals. If there are no other questions from council will open it up to the public, right to member of the public like to speak MR. Do it. >> On a bicycle rider, I'm very appreciative of all the hard work of to Rita Wilson and MR. Hennessy since they've gotten year, there's been some good things coming forward. I'm firm believer also that you can look at all the alternatives and have them ready to perhaps be acted upon in the future. And as always, I have to advocate for the Roseland approach to if you look at that first map that you showed up there, the idea having more than one cross
town. Having Both is the way I look at it that you'll have that Southwest Greenway along Roseland Creek that goes all the way out to the Laguna de Santa Rosa area coming on in to the city and meeting up with the job or do trail. That's there by what you call downtown Santa Rosa on Dutton Avenue. Downtown specific area plan specifically call that area out. It's there. It's possible road and Avenue. So there's ways you can make more connections. You can do more things. I know you'll always be broke. As a matter of fact, every year I've ever come here, what I've always heard is. The government pleads poverty. We can't do that stuff. We don't have enough money to do those things. But I bet you we could find money from both the state and the feds. It might not seem that way with the current federal administration, but there's actually moneys that are there
hidden away and those federal highway transportation funds, different approaches, economic development. And you have to really get workers here with MISTER Reno. Wilson and MISTER Alex posed helping MR. Hennessey do for the money you could actually be getting more funding and getting more things going by being proactive on these types of approaches. I'm very supportive of all their efforts. Go bicyclists. Thank you to Wayne. Are there any other members of the public in council chambers and wish to speak? >> Seeing none over zoom host. Anyone online. >> We're now taking public comment on item 8.1. If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand. He dialed in by telephone. Start 9 to raise your hand and star 6 to unmute. >> Annie. >> Takers. No hands raised.
Mayor. >> Thank you very much. All right. Back to council for any final comments. >> Seeing none. We'll just thank you for the presentation will afford whatever the final result And we need said that we We need to take the survey and send the survey to our enemies. That's what I took from Every single one of you. >> I'm gonna track ip addresses. I don't how to do Figure it out. >> All right. Thank you to Arena. Thank you for the presentation. We're on item 8 point to our community Empowerment Plan. Update MISS Horta. I assume. Come on down. Welcome. >> Good afternoon. Mayor Vice mayor and city council. I'm on a that commuting gauge manager with the communications and intergovernmental Relations Office. And I will be presenting the community Empowerment Plan update for
the month of JULY from JULY 12, 2 of the 16 enjoy the city of Santa The fact park concert series a has grown into one of the most anticipated events in the count, cultural count. They're bringing together parties, audiences and vendors in the celebration creativity and artistic excellence. If anyone invited to join these free celebration, I would be to full duty or community park in downtown Santa for concert dates. Artist lineup and more information. Please visit City Org, slash labor, Juliet. On JULY 16. Join Senator also water at quick protector of Intra Day for 2 to 7 flat broke sukel from 09:00am to 12:00pm. This is a fun outdoor than kids get to explore the she did banks of the Santa Rosa Creek with a natural ease as the the scope plants burst and why life. Enjoy the scavenger hand learn about creek restoration projects that improve natural habitats.
This suited for ages 5 to 12 adults must stay with their children. This is not a drop-off event. Hands and clothes to shoes are water issues. Recommend it to register more. This hit into center city Dot org slash calendar. On JULY 18. Senator also water is hosting a creek cleanup at the Prince Memorial Greenway. All ages welcome to participate. Tears me the only park footbridge near one seeks He's all street attending the morning to sign up. Also be said is our city. The org slash calendar. Also on JULY 18, that Real 17 Preservation Committee will host their most people in tier. One from 9 in the morning to 12 noon protests includes the cemetery. Beautification such as landscaping projects painting Nvidia's maintenance you heard Torino, the Transportation and Public Works Department. He's asking our community to help shape
the future of Saint rose of trails network by participating in the survey, but also in the Greenway Committee study in-person workshop. The work will be held on JULY 29th at 6.37, for street from 6 to 07:30pm. Then about projects have tentative U.S. Questions and providing free snacks and childcare will be provided. The study will help identify if we figure out to better connect Santa Rosa, 16 Greenway and multi-use trails Neymar and take the survey at is city Org slash Greenway Clinic to study. And finally on AUGUST 4, the center Police Department and the Rosa Fire Department will be hosting and participating in the National Night Out event, Dick's Sporting Goods but cannot 1, 9, 7, 5 Cleveland Avenue from 05:00pm to 08:00pm these free and family friendly family friendly event will feature a boost from local organizations
and public safety agencies, food, trainings and fun activities for kids. National Night out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes Poli sci police, community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. That concludes the small Community Empowerment Plan update. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. And full agenda as always, bringing council for any questions. Seeing no questions from council will open up to the public, MR. DeWitt. >> Yes, hello. My name is Dwayne Do it. I'm from Roseland. Thank you. From its 40 for giving us the information about the empowerment plan next. I believe it's really important that we understand the community advisory board is also part of this activity and they've been giving money out to different organizations. One of the things that's
happening is the money is going to the people that are already well off. The disadvantaged neighborhoods. They're not getting their chance to get in there and get the small. They're not big. One sense there. $2500 grants, but they're the kind of thing that shouldn't go to the richest neighborhoods in the city. It should be the kind of thing that as a part of the empowerment, they go to the disadvantaged neighborhoods on this Thursday. Coming up, the board is going to make some decisions. I would like for them to withhold the money for a mural at the New Library and the Bellevue District. The money's got more money than I mean, the library excuse me has more money and they can imagine there's set. They got tons of money and they're doing real well with it. So the thing of it is, is these small $2500 grants could be helping smaller groups in
areas like Roseland to the north of the Bellevue District where there's needs. We've got lots of needs. We just don't have that. I guess you'd call it the social capacity. We don't have the social capital to get down there and understand how to get the money out of the community advisory board. Skyhawk gets it. They get more than once other rich neighborhood to get it. So how about we start spread that money around? Let's not put it on the wall of the new multi-million dollar. I call it a boondoggle and Bellevue. We could have done a better library up along Sebastopol Road where we were promised one at that New County site. Thank you. >> Thank you to Wayne. Are there any other members of the public would like to comment on this item? Seeing none. Let's go online. Now. All I ask or zoom host if anybody wishes to make comment.
>> Okay. We're now taking public comment zoom on this item. You'd like to speak, please raise your hand if you dialed in. Please press star 9 to raise your hand. No hands. Mayor. >> Thank you very much. Alright, we'll close public comment back to council any final comments. Surprisingly, no comments today again, that you continue to do great work. Entire city continues to reach out with the resources. It has the community. So it especially as we're talking about in the time of limited resources, the fact that doing as much as as as we are in so many and all of these ways, it's a testament to you. It's a testament to the city. Thank you very much. >> It's teamwork. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. MISS Or to. All right. The time is 5 o'clock. So here's what we're going to do. A range of around a little bit. We're gonna go
to our first public comment on non agenda matters. This is a chance for the public to calm any members of the public who wish to speak to comment on items not listed on the agenda. We'll take the first 12 commenters who are here in person. And then if there are, if there's any time left, are there any commenters still remaining will take those at the end of the evening? So, again, are there any members, the public here in council chambers who wish to make comment on any item is not listed on the agenda. All right, MR. Do it. You have 2 minutes. >> I'm curious. Why has to be just 2 minutes? There's nothing else going on later this evening. Shouldn't we keep it at 3 minutes like the multi decade tradition we've had here with that in mind. I came to speak about trusted developers. I don't believe the city of Santa Rosa
actually has any trusted developers. I go back to 1994 when the talks horn effort out in Southwest Santa Rosa came forward and the developer said he put in 64 apartments and got special incentives be able to do that. Then he didn't do it. They put it off and to the city with Burbank, Housing and Burbank, Housing didn't build apartments. They build for sale. Self-help houses that then were turned around and sold down the road without being on a covenant for affordability. So recently it came up that you folks have been in secret discussions for quite some time to offload this 7 and a half acre prime downtown site where we are right now. 2 so-called trusted developer in the presentation. There was a picture of 5, 20rd Street. And if that's the place that place was one city owned property for the redevelopment agency and it was sold to a person at a
discount with the promise that there would be housing built there. That did not occur. Person doesn't pencil out. So didn't put any housing there. Now, lo and behold, that person. Perhaps we don't know for sure because this is all secret negotiations. Is talking with you, folks about doing a trade that you trade the 7 and a half acres here for that one building at 5 23rd Street. That folks is called Bamboozling. You should not be let that happen. This is the kind of thing where you folks should be watching out for are asset taxpayer owned assets. Don't trade him. >> Dwane are there any of the members of the public in council chamber who wish to speak? Seeing none? We'll go online all ask or zoom host to warn anybody online. >> All right. We're now taking non agenda. Public comment from zoom. If you'd like to speak, please raise your hand.
He dialed in please hit star 9. No hands. Mayor. >> Lauren, thank you very much. Alright, we'll close public comment on non agenda matters and we will move on to our public hearing for the evening item. 16.1, our public hearing on related to the tougher public hearing and issuance of tax exempt revenue bonds by the California statewide Communities Development Authority, inaccurate aggregate, principal amount not to exceed 20 million dollars for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments. 46 or one Montgomery Drive. We haven't seen ms ms Morgan, Perfect. >> Good evening. Mayor vice mayor and council members. The item before you today to request. Sorry, second. Has to hold at its a request to hold public hearing and approve the issuance of bonds for the Santa Rosa Garden Apartments project. Jurisdictions are
required to hold a public hearing received public comment and approved bond issuance prior to an award by the state consistent with the tax equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act. Internal revenue code of 1986. This action will not result in any fiscal impact to the general fund and the financial responsibility. Shelby of the borrower. For this project, Shelby, tThe Santa Rosa Garden, Limited partnership. The project is an existing affordable housing development located at 46 0, one Montgomery Drive. And the Southeast Santa Rosa area and was built in 1970. It is can be a conveniently located near parks, public transit, a pharmacy medical offices, grocery stores, hardware stores, restaurants and a variety of other nearby businesses. The project consists of 111 rental units of which 26 units are targeted
to households with incomes up to 30% of area median income. 55 units targeted to households at 50% area. Median income, 28 units. 8. 28 units at 60% area, median income and to unrestricted manager units. The unit makes of the project includes 16 studios, 21 bedroom units. 53, 2 bedroom units and 20 to 3 bedroom units. The housing and Community Services Department recommends that the council one conduct a public hearing under the requirements of the tax Equity, Fiscal Responsibility Act and Internal Revenue Code of 1986. And California government Code Section 6500 and 2. By resolution approved the issuance of tax exempt, multifamily housing revenue bonds by the California statewide communities Development Authority in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 20 million to finance a portion. The
acquisition rehabilitation improvement and equipping of Santa Rosa Garden apartments. 46 0, 1, Montgomery Drive within sit the city of Santa Rosa. This item has no impact on the current fiscal budget. Your budget. This concludes the presentation and in addition to staff, we have Peter Wallace participating remotely behalf the project sponsor to answer any questions that you MAY have. >> Thank you, Angela Kelley and Peter. We're going back to council any questions. There ever been any questions on for hearing? I would have. About the talk about that? All right, with no, no questions from council. Surprisingly, let's open up the public comment or any members of the public how, Fred, thank heavens. This is your time the first ever public comment on for hearing. I like to support this item. Thank you. Thank you very much for that. Are
there actually is not? I should I got it. I got a or open this up. Hoping the public hearing, Fred will count you will grandfather you into the public hearing. >> Are there other members of the public who would like to participate in this public hearing who are here in council chambers. Seeing none. We'll go online. Lauren, anybody online? >> We have anybody on zoom who would like to make public comment regarding this item. Please raise your hand. If you dial done via telephone, you press star 9 to raise your hand. Mayor, we have no hands raised. >> Thank you. Alright, I will now close the public hearing and I will look to MISS MacDonald for a motion. Any final discussion. Thank you, Mayor. >> I move the adoption of the resolution of the council, the city of Santa Rosa approving
the issuance of a tax-exempt revenue bonds by California statewide communities Development Authority and in aggregate principal amount not to exceed 20 million dollars for Santa Rosa Garden Apartments for 601, Montgomery and waive further reading of the text. >> Perfect. Aren't we have a motion? We have a second by MISS Rogers. Is there any final discussion? Seeing none. MADAM City clerk call the vote. >> Thank you, Mayor Councilmember Rogers, I Councilmember Macdonald, I councilmember Fleming Councilmember Ben well oath. Yes, councilmember over us. Yeah, I Vice Mayor Cookie. I mayor Stapp yes. Let the record show this passes unanimously. >> Thank you all. Alright. That includes so we're over time. Sensitive items are taken care of. Let's go back to where we were. I think it
was. Number 9, our city manager and city attorney reports and should be at Thank you both. Angela Kelly, thank you. But thank you both story. And there weren't more engagement this time around. All right. We'll go to our city, our item, 9 or city manager and city attorneys reports. And it should be noted that this is the first time we have boats. Aren't we have our whole new team present here with our new city manager. Jason not new city attorney actually Crocker. Welcome to you both. Officially, this is this is your time to shine. And any reports from either of you. No reports from the city attorney's office is evening. >> That was your inaugural right there. And thank you, Mayor. I do have a brief report. I'd just like to start by thanking the Council for appointing me as the interim and I both excited to keep
things rolling as we continue down the path of achieving both organizational, fiscal stability. But with my transition into this role, I'm pleased to announce that appointed Dominique Blanc is the acting assistant city manager. For those of you and the audience, you MAY know Dominique through her role as human resource director and previously as risk manager, she has a extensive knowledge of the organization, collaborative leadership style and strong commitment to the employees and community and excited to partner with her in this role we also want to talk about our recreation and Paul Recreation and parks fall. Winter activity guide. I'm really pleased to share that Santa Rosa Recreation and Parks is releasing its new fall Winter Activity Guide this week packed with opportunities for residents of all ages to stay active, learn
something new and connect with the community. The guide will be available online at Santa Rosa Rec dot com beginning Thursday afternoon and features everything from youth and adult fitness classes. Top programs, senior center activities to sports leagues tours special events fall swim lessons. Mayor fall swim lessons. Winter camps and more printed copies will also be available starting Friday, JULY 24th of Family Community Center. We encourage community members to take a look and start planning their fall and winter activities. Now registration opens at 07:00am on Thursday, JULY 30th and many of these popular programs will fill quickly. So early registration is recommended. I'd like to also take a moment to invite our community to participate in the Santa Rosa City of Santa Rosa. Blood Drive on Tuesday, JULY 21st from 10 am to one 45 pm. The
Vitalant Blood mobile upload will be able mobile will be located at City Hall campus at the corner for Street and Saint Rose Avenue. A single blood donation can help save multiple lives and the need for blood remains constant throughout our region. Appointments are recommended and can be made at sr City Dot org. Forward slash calendar. We hope you'll join us in supporting this important community effort and helping ensure lifesaving blood is available when it's needed. Most. And on JULY 13th, the city of Santa Rosa will be issuing an accepting candidate nomination applications for residents interest in running for city council in districts 2, 4, 6, in the NOVEMBER 2026 general election. That's today work the 13th. My calendar. Prospective candidates have until 05:00pm on AUGUST 7th to submit all required documents and demonstrate eligibility
for more information, including the city's guide for elected officials. Nomination timeline and district maps visit sr City dot org forward Slash Council candidates. That's one word council candidate and thank you for correcting my calendar. That's all my updates for today. Mayor, thank you. City manager. Not alright. Will grab the public comment. Would any members of the public in chamber like to on either of those reports? >> Seeing none. We'll go online host. Are there any online public comments? >> Soon, folks, we are now taking public comment on this item. If you'd like to speak, please raise your hand. You dialed in please press star 9 to raise your hand. No hands. Mayor. >> Thank you. We'll close public comment. I would just say. Welcome. Congratulations again to both of you, Jason
and Ashley and of course, also the Dominique. Welcome to the acm role. Right. Flaws live. Quiet applause. All right. No welcome. We will. Then we will close. This item will go on to item 10 of statements of abstention are accused of what council members are there. Any statements of abstention are accused this week? Seeing We'll go on to item 11 mayor and Councilmembers reports. Are there any members of council who wish to make a report this week? Ms Rogers kick us off. >> Thank you, Make mine quick. So I've been quite busy. It seemed like we had a pretty long break during that break. I was able to go on a ride along with our our lab to see what they as far as our ask Ball, Congress did. >> Is concerned. I'd learned something. City manager and then also tour our village cause it. I wanted to take a quick second to thank our
mayor, our vice mayor and council member Alvarez for. >> And me seeing a need in the community and helping to donate over 20 by winter coats for the children in our community and also they're very cute items that I saw at the store. So thank the 3 of you for allowing me to go shopping for the children in our community that need it the most. Are one of the groups of children in our community that needed the most. There's a lot of children in our community that need help. >> I was also able to take a water supply tour. So thank you to direct. There are Jennifer Burke and Sonoma Water for taking me on the tour. And lastly, I wanted to give a shout out to had head. Who is our parking manager for putting on in >> fabulous golf tournament yesterday for tunnels to Towers. Sonoma County golf tournament. If you do not know
what it tunnels to towers is, i would definitely Google it in and look it up. But it is great to see. >> Our staff participating in contributing not only when they're at work, but when they're off work when they see a need in the community. So thank you so much, Chad, for your hard work and dedication to our veterans public safety. And that concludes my report. Thank you spend >> Thank mayor. I just had a really quick one my last meeting with the Sonoma County Homeless coalition. Just a couple of are county staff presented on the Behavioral Health Services Act. Integrated plan, which includes approximately 41.7 million over 3 years for housing interventions for people with serious behavioral health conditions, including homelessness prevention non congregate shelter, housing, navigation and landlord
outreach, rental assistance and permanent supportive housing. And the second item is county staff reported on the federal continuum of care. Notice of funding opportunity fo that was released on JUNE first fo creates contradictory best practices at our state and federal levels. And it puts 115 units of permanent supportive housing at risk of being lost and shifts. Fundings priorities towards new transitional housing and service. Only projects. So things are really under the federal government, particularly if any projects close residents will be transferred into existing projects as units become available through turnover or into new projects, supported by Behavioral Health Services Act funding likely delaying housing access for people currently experiencing homelessness. So conversations are ongoing regarding project
reallocation and sustainability. And so of course, we have a lot concerns about these changes hopefully we have a special meeting in AUGUST, decide our regular meeting to address some of this. So hopefully I'll have more information coming So thank you. Thank you for that update Vice mayor cracking. Thank 2 things to highlight first last week on Thursday I was able to attend a love of the land by the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. >> It's always a great reminder about the agricultural community in county. While more recently, we are known for wine and wine grapes. There is a long history of dairy and lamb and other agricultural products that built county and this city. So there's a great time. And so thanks to County Farm Bureau for put that on. Secondly, another shut out. The Chad hedge not only for
the tunnel to Tower golf tournament, but he was able to talk to the tunnel to Towers Foundation and get an event or get unique experience for our community, which is still across America to come to Santa Rosa and camp out at Windsor Golf course. Still across America is the. Yeah. As an exhibit steel beam salvaged from ground 0 and was part of the South Tower of the World Trade Center and is traveling across the United States on this 25th anniversary, we're approaching of incredibly tragic day and I had the honor of being by Chad to be a part of a a police and fire escort to bring it from where it was being stored of. So special shout out to the fire Department for storing it at their training center funnily enough. Sort of training center because it was the safest place closest to San Francisco, San Francisco. What than play safe enough to
store? So we sort of for them for a couple of days. But we centers police departments know County Fire Santa Rosa Fire. The Sheriff Sebastopol pd, chp lights and sirens. >> Took it up there had the shout out to the honor guard from both fire and police as well as the color guard from the Coast Guard who and the back give the proper respect it deserves. It was was a really >> incredible thing to be a part of and to see. So thanks to Chad for putting that together and for our departments for working with them to honor that. Thank you for those any other updates. All right. What a public comment any members of the public like to comment on any of these reports. Seeing none in the House will go online. Host. Are there any online for online comments? >> We're taking public comment via zoom for this item. If
you'd like to speak, please raise your hand if you dialed in please. Press star 9. No hands. Mayor. >> Thank you. Alright, we'll close public comment and we will move on to item 2011.1 appointment of an alternate to our Sonoma Agency. We historically had a staff representative and then recently until recently this was Josh Christensen. Because Josh was having conflicts in his because Dan Hennessy has lots of open time slots on his calendar. Dan has volunteered to step up and be the the the staff appointment. And so I'll ask for a motion and a second here in a moment. But let's first go to public comment. Are there any members of are there any member of the public wish to comment on this item? In chamber? Seeing non anybody online. MADAM Zuma, host. >> They're anybody online id like to speak on this item. Please raise your hand. No
hands. Mayor. >> Thank you. Will close public comment look for a motion and a second to appoint. Dan Hanna says the U.S. As the alternate to the 0 Waste Board so moved. Second that we have a motion by MISTER Crept in a second by MISS Rogers. If there's any any discussion of this item. And what's called a vote. MADAM City clerk, whenever you're whatever you're reading, Councilmember Rogers, I Councilmember >> Councilmember Fleming Councilmember Ben Yes, Councilmember Alvarez Vice Cookie. I mayor Stapp yes. Let the record show this passes unanimously. Thank you. And congratulations, Dan. Just like that. But that's it for a second. >> Item 11, item, 3011.1 I request for an agenda item regarding unpermitted food vendors. I believe this came up last week with MISTER
Alvarez and also MISS Rogers seconded. So will will determine whether the council wants to send us forward. I remember correctly MR. Not our city manager wanted to say a few words on this item or did we have some staff feedback? I think this area like to invite Director Osborne to come down and talk about their. There are some areas within our existing purview that can cover a number of these spaces. >> And we want you to take that in consideration for you. Move this work. >> Thank you, city manager and good evening, Mayor vice mayor members of the council mobile food vending is currently regulated by city regulations. Also has protective measures under state law. We've gone through over the last year, pretty robust educational campaign to instruct community members on what the rights are for mobile regulations and
also need to point out there's a heavy element of Sonoma County health. So due to some of the confusion because state law has changed. State law has provided allowances over the years. There's been 2 pieces of legislation that have really went after local jurisdictions for heavily enforcing on mobile food vending. So what staff's recommendation would be at this point if the council elects to move this forward MAY be helpful to conduct a study session. First that goes over existing regulations. We can partner with our other agencies specifically Sonoma County health to understand their enforcement. We also have an enforcement effort through Santa Rosa Police Department, environmental crimes. That's very specific to illegal discharge. Is that some of the concerns that were brought up in the previous conversation? So we believe we
can just conduct after a staff briefing our study session to allow the council to better understand the various regulations and provide feedback to staff or direction moving forward. >> Thank you, MR. Osborne, questions or comments from MR. Alvarez. Thank you for that. Appreciate that. In fact, the the first words that I have in my paper study session. And the reason is and little bit of context to the to the issue is being that Saint Rose Incorporated, Roseland almost a decade ago. It's the relatively new problem that we are facing as a city, which are the unpermitted food vendors. And I do understand it's also a public safety issue among most of things. So for me, the purpose of bringing this item forward was really to get a better understanding of the limitations and obstacles. The code enforcement does face in
the the the environmental or negative environmental impact that's being done. So for me, it's definitely educating myself and over through the education, being able to develop a a a better support system for staff. 2 to enforce the policy that we have in place with the intent of really seizing the opportunity to support entrepreneurial spirit through compliance and also through tax revenue generation. So I definitely do agree with the study session and I hope that we can move forward with that. Thank you. Other questions or thoughts. It's Yeah. I just want to support that. Thank for clarifying. >> Just want to support that because I know and we do Cinco de Mayo every year. It's really confusing, especially since annexation about where it's legal on where, you know, and and the health concerns also come up. But what happens
for us is vendors come out of the woodwork and there's so many. So I understand that there would be additional work for code enforcement as well, big So I think I really want to support a study session so we can really look further into this and see if it's even feasible. So thank you. Thank you. Other questions. Let's go to public comment before doing a motion. MR. Do it. >> Hello, my name is doing to it. I'm from Roseland. Yes, I support having a study session and I do hope that you folks will work out. >> Cost sharing method with the county so that you can look at this as a tax and revenue enhancement effort. This is the kind of thing we don't want to squander the opportunity. It comes forward from these and to partners who are out there doing what they do. And let's bless the whole city with it. Rosen's blast. Everybody should have just as
many blessings as Roseland has. You should be able to do anywhere in the entire city limits of Santa Rosa. Pay your legal fees. If these people abide by the law. You'll get some increased revenue. And if you work with county's Department of Health and make sure that everybody's on the same page, the county will also be benefiting. So city and county would work together and it would pay its own way of handled correctly. Offer all those folks do what they do, whatever there their wares are, if you will. Let Pursue that path of private and curb a new role. Enterprise and move us all forward and I'll get some good Bree dozen tamales and some other good stuff down the road. Also and not to forget he got less fruit. This you got the ax. You know, it's a lot of man's the time of the year. So that's everybody jump in on this. Thank you. Kindly. Thank
you to Wayne, MR. Holder. >> This had been about Consideration of the issue you permit for Greece disposal for unpermitted food vendors whereby. >> a permit to dispose agrees properly would encourage to proper to dispose of love. It. But, you know, that's obviously untenable. Just from a legal standpoint, you can issue a permit to an unpermitted food vendor. So, you know, it's really more like a code enforcement. I matter. You're not going issue a permit increases. Oceanfront permitted to vendors. And I think doing would also brought up the issue so is tax collection. That so it's certainly unfair to the. To the established license vendors who are collecting sales tax force him to commit to compete with You know, some people or some for cash and no taxes collected. So that's another issue.
>> Thank you, Michael. Are there any other individuals in council chambers wish to speak? Seeing none? We'll go online. Host is there anybody online that wishes to make public comment? >> Anybody participating via zoom would like to make a comment. Please raise your hand. Are 9 a p dialed in. Mayor. No hand. >> Thank you. We'll close public comment look for a motion and a second stronger Yes, all I can make a motion that we only study session. To address. Unpermitted food vendors. Second, We have a motion and a second by MISS Rogers. MADAM Can call the vote whenever whenever you're ready. Councilmember Rogers. >> I Councilmember Macdonald, I councilmember Fleming. Yes, Councilmember Ben. Well, Los, yes, councilmember vice Pete, I mayor stopped yes. Let the record show this passes unanimously.
>> Thank you. We're on item 12, our approval of minutes. We have 2 sets of minutes this week item 12 point item item. 12.1, our JUNE second, 2026 minutes and then item 12.2 or JUNE 16th, 2026 minutes. Are there any amendments to the minutes looking to council? Seeing none all ask for any public comment in chambers. Their numbers, the public wish to comment on either set of minutes. Seeing no one in person. MADAM Zoom host, anybody online wish to comment on Minutes. >> What anybody participating via zoom like to make public comment on this item. Raise your hand. Please start 9 if you dialed in. No hands. Mayor, back to you. Thank you. Will close public comment and we will adopt the minutes as submitted which brings us tend to our consent calendar. We have 10 items this evening items, 13.1 through 13.10. >> Are there any questions or
any desired up or pull any of the consent items looking to council? Seeing none. Go to public comment to any members of the public in council chambers. Wish to comment on any of the consent items, MR. Farrell, start with you. Well, 13.8. >> As you know, I'm on the oversight committee for the county for the allocation of measure o funds and we have a constant dialogue between the city and the county in between all cities and the county over the use of measure o funds. So I want point out to you and to the public that. Morning. Well, first of all, you're getting 4.6 million dollars. And I hope you appreciate that. Fought hard to do that. But I also want to point out that we gave 3.2 million dollars just to the cities of Cotati Rohnert Park in Sonoma State this morning. And 3.2 million dollars to Petaluma this morning. All out of
measure o. We also gave 1.8 million dollars out of the what used to be called the Mental Health Services Act, which is now called the Behavioral Health Services Act. So total of 12.8 million dollars. It's given out this morning to a lot of cities. And yourselves. And as you're reporting a case, we've given you 5 million dollars over the last 4 years, that's 18 million dollars out of a pot that never anticipated any of this dollars going out for this cause. If you read one of my jobs is to make sure that the voters get what voted for. This is sort of precarious because no one ever said we want mobile crisis units. Now say that to say that we're doing it because it's a need. And because you asked for it. But we're also asking you and the public to renew this tax. And for years we're going it'll be over. 240 million dollars worth of local taxes
is. >> Point well taken. Gregory, thank you. Well advocated MR. Helmer. >> Jack, to this 4.6 million dollars. That's a waste, money and inappropriate I tell you, I was smart enough to vote against and I only wish a lot more either voters were smart enough to vote against these taxes because ends up being money wasted. If you look what I submitted for item, 14 general public comment that bears on this because I included some commentary and a couple pictures. So take a good look at that. Sense to people in audience can see it. I'll tell you what shows and chose a mess and fed in news are sitting on the sidewalk on Fore Street. Was pipe right there on the open? Like, you know, it's a normal thing. S user with his pride just sitting there and broad daylight. The reality is it's n roses up to his ears and
methamphetamine users. And that's the number one problem, not mental health. A joy. Looks. He quit to lie and we'll get look at what the reality is. You know, I just want to witness firsthand in response in action. It was a Jack to methamphetamine users on the fit and they were trying to calm him down. You know, what they did is they offered him free new socks. You he'll need for a new socks he needs. Is drugs taken away from them? That's Thank you, Michael, MR. Do >> Hello, my name is Dwayne Do it. I'm from Roseland. On the consent items tonight. There's some big money being spent in some places that I think. We need kind of rein in this type of spending. On 13 3. You look at it like, well, it's other people's money. But to spend almost 40 million dollars to put a Pike bridge across the freeway. Is stunning that we had one over here. The city
tore it down. We've still got one over Davis Park. They worked well without having to spend such large amounts of money for these Cadillac kind of situations. If you could save money there, that would help you elsewhere. Perhaps. And then on 13, 6. Community gardens are the type of thing that the community is supposed to start themselves. They don't necessarily have to have. The government support with money. It's stunning to give almost 2 million dollars to some people to say we're going to put a community garden We got one over their farm. It got started up with the help of the city. Dean are perhaps not me that word. But allocating land to land pass and letting them run a community garden. There. There are a lot of work. Folks usually just don't step up and start doing garden plots unless somebody is helping them giving 2 million dollars,
though, for a community garden is just stunning. It's like wait a minute, folks. You could be out there with your plot of land and get a going and not have to spend large amounts of money, although to many people realize millions don't seem as much as they used to and then last, but not least I want to make sure on 3.10, that the drought response. You work h# # # o# that. Thank you to Wayne. Are there any other members of the public in council chambers who wish to speak? >> Seeing none. We'll go online. Lorne, any online public comment. >> For folks participating via zoom, if you'd like to make a comment on the consent calendar, please raise your hand. Start 9 if you dialed in. No hands. Mayor. >> Thank Close public comment
and a look to our vice mayor for a motion. A move to adopt consent items. 13.1 to submitted by motion a second Alvarez, MADAM City Clerk, you can call the vote whenever you're ready. >> Thank you. Councilmember Rogers, I Councilmember Macdonald, I councilmember Fleming Councilmember Ben, why Los? Yes, councilmember over as vice Cookie. I mayor Stapp yes. Let the record show this passes unanimously. >> Thank you. Alright. Move on to item 15.1. Our report, our diversity report on City Council Boards, commissions and committees. This man our city clerk. This is this is your moment. Welcome. >> Good evening, Mayor Vice Mayor Council, thank you for having me here this evening. Dean Amana City clerk here today to present to you the boards, commissions and committees, diversity report data on 2025. So today's
highlights we're going to cover the charter requirements for the annual report and and will do an overview of the 2025. Data that was provided and will touch briefly on the diversity data portal that was developed and 2025. Making sure we still have a quorum. Thank you. So try to requirements include our Section 11 of the charter requires reporting on the following boards and commissions that you see on the screen. And while the section of the city charter states that it doesn't apply to the District Commission, which now is called cab and or the Personnel Board Building Regulation Appeals board or the Housing Authority boards. We felt it important to report it. Those statistics because council makes full appointments to those ports as well. So here's the overview in 2025. Applicants. We had 106 applicants from 81 unique
individuals. And from those 106 applications, we had 45 appointments, pain. On those appointments. We had 100% provide gender and ethnicity. Information. 89% prefer reported age range information and 100% reported home in home address information so we could track to see which districts they are being appointed from. You can see here on this slide on gender. We had 81 applicants as previously stated. 45? And appointees. And we had 25 female appointees. And 22. 23 female appointees and 22 male appointees and women and men continue to apply more or less equal measure in 2025 females received about 60% appointment rate compared to 2024 appointment rate. When women sign appointment rate of just 19%. There is an indication there of a concerted effort to make advances in gender, equity and representation and appointments. On ethnicity.
You can see here as significant breakdown on this bar chart. But we're going to move over to the next table that provides a little bit more detail. So on this table here on ethnicity, diversity, it compares the applicant to the appointee to the community. Information found on the 2020 census and despite being the largest group of applicants, Kirk Haitians represent. Occasion representation among appointees is now within 16 percentage points of the community representation. Which is 48%. Hispanic appointees, a total of 15% of the appointments exceed their share of the applicant pool, which is 11% reflecting strong outreach efforts and inclusion efforts and it's size by the high 78% appointment rate, however, is bannock appointees remain under the 36. 37 1% of the community representation. African-American applicants
received 2 appointments. The cycle addressing the gap presented in the 2024 cycle where 0 African-American candidates were appointed applicants who identified as other signed 80% appointment rate, which MAY reflect an enhanced inclusion effort as well. Here is the standing our chart on the district's again in few years back. We shifted to tracking by district boundaries rather than cab boundaries and in 2020 for the annual report identified districts 2, 7, as being underrepresented with 0 point made from either district that year. Both districts saw substantial substantial increase in representation with 70% of active members from the district's being appointed in 2025. Districts for district for continues to lead with 25 applicants in 31% of total appointments. Here's the standing bar chart on age diversity. Move over to at
different table. That gives that a different perspective on the bar chart. The number of older applicants 56 place continues to lead. However, the relatively low appointment rate, 32%. Suggests more concerted or more accurately reflect the composition of the community. The 18 to 35 age range saw strong appointment rate relative to its application. Shares suggesting an ongoing effort. News rep Risen shun, although you might, depending on who you talk to 18 to. 35. That's a really broad. Bracket. Maybe 35 isn't useful. But to some it is subjective. And yet the at 18 to 35 year-olds still under up line. So in reviewing applicant rate, reviewing that appointment rate helps assess how effectively applicants from each group or district are being selected. It MAY reveal whether certain demographics are fairly represented and highlights
areas where efforts are needed to address the inequities. Hi appointment rate MAY indicate strong alignment with selection criteria. Or successful diversity outreach. Well, low rate MAY suggest barriers are mismatches in the selection process. The city leverage recruitment information recruitment response data to better inform targeted outreach strategies tailored to each group's preferred communication style to further enhance the diversity of the city of Santa Rosa boards and commissions. We are always looking for ways to diversify our recruitment efforts you can go to sr city dot org forward slash boards to apply. You're going hear me put this several times for the remaining couple of slides. So historically, our recruitment efforts have included advertisements in the press, Democrat inland, both and on some community boards. But
over the last few years, the deputy city clerk myself in the community engagement team have really tried to increase our efforts with more listings and the city connections. News letter that goes out, the social media reels are getting replayed and getting some traction on appointments. Applicants. We've also increased art outreach to community partners in building a database of over 45 to 50 community partners, including Sonoma State senator is a jc, our local libraries, senior centers and other community groups receive our monthly or quarterly recruitment fires with updates as needed. In tracking the recruitment data through the application portal. We found the best recruitment efforts continue to be a referral from the person and other that other category is the broadest. Sometimes it is one that people use this just a
catchall when they're reporting data or responding to questions. Again, our community engagement team has been doing wonderful things that every community event they attend. They have our recruitment fires on your behalf at every. Table that they support. They're talking to community members. If they're rolling up on bicycles. I know that meeting that are the event that I was supporting. Every bicycle person who rolled up or was wearing a helmet are pushing a scooter. I was saying, boy, you look like you could be a candidate for a perfect applicant for our bicycle pedestrian advisory board. Into starting to engage people and have a conversation about the appointment needs for boards and commissions. And you can do that, too. I know you all do. I am considering putting about a fire up my gym. Just little efforts like
that. You know, if you need fires to post at your. Frequent honks, we will happy happily provide them to you so you can post at the swim center are posting them over Findlay. So we are we're continually looking for avenues to it or so. If council members have ideas that we can explore to help improve the recruitment efforts. Police say the the deputy city clerk and I want to. Give you a pool of applicants. So when you have an unexpected can see you have. Some wonderful candidates to select from represent you in your seat on those boards and commissions. Our current vacancies include seats on the ap pcr public places that bicycle pedestrian advisory board. The Board of Building Regulation Appeals Board of Public Utilities. The Community Advisory Board, the Design Review and Preservation Board and the public safety
and Prevention tax Citizens Oversight Committee. For those watching, you can click on the take a picture of this qr code and go to City Sr City dot org forward slash boards to apply. And if you're curious in 2025, our administrative analysts, Luke face there, developed a diversity data portal and the interactive dashboard allows the public to dynamically exploring compare the data presented in the report. Static scrap static rats in council members can also use the dashboard as With that Mayor, Vice Mayor Council, the city clerk's office recommends that the council by motion except the annual report on diversity of city council appointees and boards and commissions for the reporting year 2025. MADAM City Clerk, thank you so much for all the work going to this report and for the even more work that that you do, recruiting people to the boards and management
process. It's it's so important city. Thank you very much. >> Any questions from council? As Rodgers. >> But I have a question, but I would like to say thank you very much for you and your team for their recruitment efforts and being very innovative. I know that when I agreed to run for council, I was not told the full truth about the extent of the work in what it entailed in. So I think it's very important that you're providing very factual, good information for our community members to make a educated choices about whether or not they want to participate. So thank you so much to that. Thank you. Councilmember. >> Thank you. MISS Been winless. >> Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. >> MADAM City for your report. It's it's very thorough. And I
it just had one quick question. >> On slide 5. >> There indicates in 2025. >> The number of applicants was 106 applicants. And forgive me. I don't know what. >> 81 unique means. >> say you are applying for boarding commission. You decided you as one person you wanted to play to 5. So you have a better opportunity to get appointed to at least one board. So it's you submitted 5 different applications. The Catholic Haitians by 81 people. >> so 81 people submitted more than one. Is that what you're seeing? 81 people submitted 106 applications tile. >> Okay. Okay. All right. That's another way of saying I think I said something. Okay. >> And just to say, you know, I am still struggling to field bicycle and pedestrian. I'm trying to bicycle pedestrian. I am interviewing someone who
hasn't quite said And just so, you know, even the chair called me and said when you get to do this. So in my one struggle. I don't know why. But thank you for all your work and all the work that Rhonda as well does. It sits really important work? You know, I've served on 3 committees back in the day. And so I how hard it is to find folks who are committed have the time and that I think that's the biggest obstacle. So thank you so much for work. >> Yeah, think you bring up a very good point. Councilmember Ben well lows that it is challenging. We know that you guys are actively as you are out in the community supporting and serving the city of Santa Rosa, you're actively looking for kick your board and commission members and asking people to apply. But we also understand that the challenges are. It's hard to find time to volunteer and
take time off work or have opportunities from your work that are flexible to pull off your you're paid position to come. Volunteer and there is limited flexibility in the Brown act about remote participation and how we can apply those provisions. So We're up against It's not unique to the city of Santa Rosa, either agencies up and down California. >> Thank Donald. Thank you for the presentation. And I just have a couple questions. Is it inner city charter that you have to be over the age of 18 to serve on some of our advisory committees. Is that state law or is that our law? >> That in our city Council policy on board appointments. You have to be 18 and there have been some carve outs made recently. I think the board of Parks and Recreation's does have an non voting under 18 position. So until votes are one thing I I'm asking about
street appointed positions is in the charters it in. It's in a policy book that we could bring backing and consider potentially. >> I can look to confirm that whether or not it's in the pocket, I don't think it's in the charter, but I do believe it is in council policy. 0, 6, on board appointments appointees have to be 18 or over. I appreciate that. My only comment to that is I do think there's some positions that might filled potentially from younger seed like I maybe a senior in high school or junior in high school. And that would be like art and a public place or the bicycle pedestrian people who actually are in our programs are are there are use in the community and I don't see any harm in and maybe if we're having a hard time filling positions, expanding it to maybe some of our youth community members that have an interest in the
U.S. Are some legal reason. We can't do that. It might give a little bit more latitude of who we could recruit. And oftentimes some of those young students go to rgc. And then there's like a whole another area of voice that we might not be hearing in our communities. So it's just food for thought. I'd be interested in seeing how that could be. And then my other question, you Dena is I know some of our meetings are set like at 5 o'clock in the afternoon or at specific times, plantings all day long there certain ones, Florida, public utilities. I know those are different voting boards, but have we ever looked at the time that were holding our meetings and asked maybe in a survey is that part of the problem why our volunteers aren't able to commit the time frame? So oftentimes we think we're gonna have the meeting at 5 o'clock. And that works for
everybody. But not if they don't get off work. Tell 5.30. And so I'm just curious if if we've looked at that. Thank you, Councilmember MacDonald, those are terrific questions. And I in my time as city clerk, I have not pulled the community related to their. The challenges they face to serve as a board or commission member. And that is something that you know, through assistance there, interim city manager net. Director intergovernmental relations with director would I can see about doing a pull similar to that to see what the challenge to try identify the challenges for Pinot all spare time, you know, want you to do this. I just find since we're struggling to get some of those positions, sometimes it's really incumbent upon us reach out to the community, to say is our timeline not working for you. We found that to be. So a lot of times in
schools when we were hosting meetings are having pta meeting. It just wasn't working for parents and families. And so maybe that's something the city needs to take. A look at is how our model is working for community members are. How does not if we really want diversity and equity and to make sure that all isis or be able be at the table. But I appreciate the information means that in Plakon white for us to realize and appreciate all your recruitment efforts for you and your whole team things. Tina. Thank you, to public comment the public wish to comment on this item. >> MR. Farron. You, Rob. I'm sorry we've or are we are forcing our city clerk to multitask. United being mean to make you Sprint? Alright, alright, 1, one moment. Gregory. All right, Greg, or you're out. >> Mayor staff and members of
the board. I was one of those kids in high school and served on a board and I appreciated So it and really appreciate her. Your comments. I think there is a role for young people. In fact, I also want to report that my wife and I have incorporated a new nonprofit here in Sonoma County to get all the way to a 5, one c 3. It's called Sonoma Transitional Age Youth Advisory board. It's a real nonprofit and we are trying to pay for out of pocket costs. Transportation, food other kinds of costs for anyone between the ages of 18. And 25 to serve either city or county boards. It to be able to provide the kind of support that they need. So with all of you, if any of you run into somebody who wants to serve on your board and expresses a little difficulty because they either, you know, can't get to it because they don't have a car and they have problems,
whatever they are. This new young advisory board is going to be working on helping their friends and colleagues get boards at the city and county level. Great to know. Thank you, Gregory, MR. Do it. >> Hello. My name is Dwayne. Do it on from Rosen. Thank you for Councilmember MacDonald's comments. It's really good to see directives are being followed. I was at the first meetings when these first studies were being discussed and brought forward. We still don't have much diversity and I'd like to see a lot of young people. I really believe that would be a good idea to actually change meeting times and make it more accessible. 2 people paired up to 16 17 year-olds set it up. So a lot of meetings or after the school day, I think having meetings in the middle of the day is actually counterproductive. And then really reaching out to the use
and helping them understand this is a foot in the door to possible employment in the future. If people were able to understand that they could utilize experience that they obtained by serving on a board or commission then enhance their employability in the future. They will see those positive things. There was a body that I first started with called the Waterways Advisory Committee. And it was an excellent thing. But it was like or 9 in the morning. Young people could be involved with things like that. I don't know exactly how you're going to handle all this. But when you've only got 2 black people. 2 Asian people and as city of 180,000 people boards and commissions, we're still not getting there. So we really need to get the use and let them see that there's a possibility for them to enhance our community with their viewpoints. It will all
turn out for the better more volunteers, the better. Thank you to rain. >> Anyway, anybody else in council chambers wish to speak. Seeing none MADAM Zoo and host any anybody online. >> Folks participating via zoom. If you'd like to make a comment, raise your hand. Start 95th dialed in. No hands. Mayor. >> Thank you, Lauren. All right. Bring you back to final comment. All right. MISTER Rogers. >> Make it say that, okay. I just wanted to say that. I Councilmember MacDonald was onto something because you also have to do so many hours in school. >> a volunteer service and this could be a way that they're introduced to local government and get those volunteer service hours in addition talking about the difficulties getting volunteers and our boards and
commissions. I can't let this opportunity pass without for my entire council stating how grateful we are and thankful for those that are currently volunteering because we know that it is a struggle, but you're making time. And so thank you so much for doing so. Thank you. >> here. Thank you. MISS Fleming. Do we have a motion? >> We have a motion to accept the annual report of the diversity of the City Council appointees for the poor the year 2025. And feedback from staff. >> Seconded the motion. We have MISS Rogers with the second MADAM City clerk. You can call a vote whenever you're ready. Thank you. Councilmember Rogers, I Councilmember MacDonald. >> Councilmember Fleming, yes, Councilmember Ben. Why loose? Yes, Councilmember Alvarez. I Vice Mayor Cookie. I their step. Yes. But the record show
this passes unanimously. >> Thank you. All right. And item 17 want want our legislative update. We just want highlight that. We have 5 different letters. They're listed underneath the legislative section. We'll move on to item 18. Our last public comment on non agenda matters. Are there any members of the public who have not already commented who wish to make public comment on any items not listed on the agenda. >> Seeing seeing none. We'll go MADAM Zuma, host Warren, anybody along was to make public comment. >> Zoom folks. This is your last opportunity to make public comment for this meeting. Please raise your hand or forever. Hold your peace. >> No hands, Mayor, thank you, Lauren. Alright, we'll close public comment and we're officially adjourned.