City Council

>> To commence translation of the meeting for those it those joining the meeting live translation in Spanish is available and members of the public for staff question to list in Spanish. Can join a Spanish channel clicking on the interpretation icon. And soon are it looks like a glove. Won't you join the Spanish Channel. We recommend you shut off and MAY not. You. So you can only hear Spanish translation interpreter. You please translate this in Spanish? >> But I look at this. You say well done and I don't in But that's shown in b will elect a new that knew They're still not as one minute with that food ago. King at the Senate, which know, o'Donoghue needs that cannot. Needs it. Think he can do, they put this units going up. But it's a in about a different unit to sue. When you with that, I well now they say will not. So the community find lined up Monday, but a sort which I'm 19 because you're going find >> Hey, everyone lets give this a go. I'm seeing a quorum to all this money in order. MADAM Clerk, would you please take the >> Thank you. Vice Mayor. Councilmember Rogers, you're Councilmember Okrepkie here. Councilmember MacDonald, Councilmember Fleming. There, Council for us as vice mayor stop here. And Mary Rogers. Let the record show that all council members are PRESIDENT With the exception of Mayor Rogers. >> Excellent, not mistaken.

Good public comment next. On closed session items. >> Thank you. Would you like to announce a closed session items on the counter? Yes, yes, I would. One moment. Wait a minute. Help with this. Closed session item. Conference of People Council. Public employee valuation performance and 3.3 conference of Labor negotiators. >> Thank you. We're now taking public comments on item 3, the consent for the closed session calendar. If you're in council chamber would like to provide a comment but have not provided a speaker card. Please make your way to the podium. If you are participating, you please raise your hand. You know, those are mild zoom instructions. Pardon me meeting. We're kicking off here. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will or at the end of that period, MISTER Dewitte, do you wish to provide public comment? >> I want to thank you all for your service and I want to give you. >> Good new year greeting. >> Also wanted to point out that these are going to be difficult times financially. >> The state is announced they have a state deficit. >> Of many billions of dollars. And they've also stated that they expect to have deficits for the next 4 years running. This is very important that we also look at the federal numbers that say inflation is down 2%. So as you go forward, it's been said that perhaps you have a

structural deficit. Also at the city in your negotiations with the various labor groups. I would advocate that you please not give anybody more than a 2% raise. That will keep up with inflation. I know that sometimes you like to give people merit raises and people have gotten raises highs 5% in the year. This is not the time to do that. We have an unsettled political situation at the national level. We can't even get our elected officials from the 2 major parties to agree on how they're going to handle the budgetary matters. Those are still up in the air. So here locally, please keep in mind things MAY not look as rosy, especially because the monies that came from the American Rescue Plan Act and the inflation Reduction Act will be drying up and you want have any of those funds either. So last but not least. In these raises. I always want to advocate for the people who are at the ground level workers. The people who take care of our streets and the people specially take care of our parks. It's been very difficult for them all through the covid years. And I don't know any of them personally now because many of retired, but the staff that's trying to do the best job they can for recreation and parks and for our streets. And they deserve any type of races that might be given last but not least any type of funding that you

might feel is extra. Please dedicated to curbs gutters and sidewalks in Roseland and Western Santa Rosa. We have parts of Saint rose of the been the city for over 60 years without curbs, sidewalks and gutters. So please help us all out. Everybody have a good new year. Look forward to seeing you again later in the day. >> Thank you. Vice mayor. See no one else in council chamber wishing to provide public comment. >> Thank you. I think that hazing rituals over going to turn it back over to actual All right. The mayor, the mayor indicated that we will recess to closed session. >> All right. Welcome everyone to our JANUARY 9th 2024. Is there is a city council meeting. We're going to reconvene. MADAM City Clerk, Singapore, a qorum. Can you please call the roll? Thank you, Mayor Councilmember Rogers there Councilmember Okrepkie here. Councilmember MacDonald. You're Councilmember Fleming. >> Councilmember Office as it vice Mayor, stop your Mayor Rogers PRESIDENT. Let the record show that all council members are present who will now proceed to item 4.1. Our study session for the day. MADAM City manager. >> Thank you, MADAM Mayor and members of council item 4.1 is a study session integrated pest management policy. >> Good after good afternoon, mayor and members of the council. I'm Sean and I'm a sharing the podium Jen Santos and Apollo in fall 2. Talk with you about our integrated pest management policy process that we're trying to put together and looking for some

feedback from you today. The outline of this talk is I'm going to go over the goals of an integrated pest management policy will talk about the existing guidance that we've received this board. Council and impacts of product bans on operations will kind of go through a number of operations talk a little bit about a typical integrated pest management policy, how they are used and then we'll end with some staff recommendations and then move on to next for the policy. But before we get started, I'd like to come and go over some definitions. Theirs. No way about this discussion without making sure that we're on the same page so a oftentimes misconstrued is something that the tax in sex, but it's it's a broader It's a chemical that's used to eradicate any kind of past. That includes herbicides, insecticides, fungicides rodenticides, cetera. So just as we mentioned, pesticide think that that's the broader category This is an active and the type of pesticide and herbicide, most notably in Roundup. But it's found in brands of our other types names, pesticides, based on the type of environment that you're spraying it in. So when you spray glyphosate in an aquatic environment, that's a different product. Name called Rodeo. So we'll respond to like thinking about even though most of us think about it as Roundup. We're going really talk about it as glyphosate because that's the active compound. And that

covers the entire suite of herbicides that use glyphosate has an active ingredient. Neonicotinoids are a group of pesticides that are broad spectrum, broad spectrum, insecticide that kills more than the intended species they've gotten. No lot of negative press have had implications to impacting and butterflies more so than just their target species. So a lot of and he's such as this council sought to have us limit the use of those. There's a lot of documented to decrease pesticide use. And one of the most common ways to do that is through an integrated pest management policy. Pesticides and fertilizers were really used in the 40's and 50's to launch the Green Revolution. This is then shown to increase crop yields, preventing hundreds of millions of people from starving. So there was this chemistry to the rescue approach with pesticides and and a lot were and that led to increased food crops the soon after that, this started to document that many of these pesticides, we're having significant impacts. They did. They were overuse. They ended up killing on target species and were linked to human health impacts. And so since the 50's lot of research has been done integrated. Pest management practices have been developed and that's really where we are to make sure that where identifying technologies that help us do our jobs, but also identifying the risks associated with them and telegenic decisions about how

solve our problems. So the concerns with glyphosate is that it persists in the environment for days in and in months, depending on the weather conditions in the soil and things like that. It's they're widely used in agriculture and landscape maintenance and it's been listed as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer lawsuits have been filed and won against the chemical manufacturer of this and health risks are them are most acute to the pesticide applicator more so than the general public around where these pesticides are being used. All the documented cases of disease have been on applicators of side. Integrated Pest Management. The goal is really today to to begin the process of developing a citywide integrated pest management policy. This policy would direct all staff and contractors working on behalf of the city on has to how to use a and manage pests within our jurisdiction. Policy would provide Rick Seaney and that we want to make sure that this policy supports the city's ability to protect against increased fire, severity due to invasive species and climate change. And we've seen huge growth of invasive species, especially in our areas making sure that we have the appropriate tools to address those invasive is part of what this policy, the development of this policy should a. Address. So the applicability of our integrated pest management. It would really only applied to

city-owned properties. It's not building code. It wouldn't dictate personal use it does not affect county, state, federal or school owned properties but we could work with those entities that are operating within our jurisdiction to look for common ground to you know, some level of support for what we're trying to do here in our city. So this is in a picture of the study of various herbicides applied plots and and each of 5 meter plots, and herbicides treatment and then they came and took a picture on the day before they applied the herbicide and then tracked it for 35 Taking pictures of the different intervals that you can see at the top of the slide there. And then all the the pesticides that are circled in the red within that red bar. There's different applications and then you have towards the bottom glyphosate and then glyphosate. Was a flop and you can see that after 35 days, many of the organic, which are typically burn down chemicals are not nearly as effective as glyphosate. So when we're talking about spraying herbicides in the environment to, you know, there's a difference in how you need to approach it if you're using something other than glyphosate to have the result of dead weeds at the end. And so there's just this put on by a uc Davis is a good example

of kind of the when we go through the impacts to operations about product bans, to see that to meet the same performance criteria. There's a lot more action taken by staff to get to that same so far, the feedback that we've received from policy art, I'm sorry. So the feedback that we've received so far from policymakers is in AUGUST of 2018, the council approved the renewal of the landscape contract and directed the contract at that time and city staff to discontinue the use of glyphosate and then on SEPTEMBER 2019, we had a study session on citywide contract landscape services and landscape maintenance options for city sites in the council provide feedback discouraging the use of products with glyphosate and unica tonight on OCTOBER. First 2019 city council approved contracts with coast landscape management with a scope of work limited to mowing operations, the landscape, maintenance portion of the scope of work was not funded or approved. And on a separate trajectory, the board of Public utilities for our landscape, for the landscape contracts that they oversee develop landscape contracts that implement something called the Russian River friendly landscape guidelines, which is a an approach to managing landscapes in a manner that looks at more than just herbicides. But a

holistic landscape approach so it doesn't necessarily ban the use of glyphosate, but it looks a lot of activities that. Prevent you from needing to use pesticides in your landscape management. But it doesn't take the tool out of the tool box. Should you have to use something like that? Thanks, Sean. Good afternoon. Mayor Rogers, Vice Mayor staff council members. I'm sentence to be director for parks. >> cover the next slides and send it back to Sean. We wanted. So we've talked some of the feedback from policymakers and here we wanted to look at Parks perspective, what sort of impacts we have seen with the reduction or the elimination of chemicals, pesticides round up in our contracted services. So with the elimination, we've seen a lot less control in our landscapes. You probably seen that out there in our parks as well as our roadways landscape, things. Lot of interests, infestations as well as greater fuel fires, fire fuels in our parks, especially are open spaces. Those are we I'm sure areas in our parks when we excluded that. Another thing to think about is the is the cost, although obviously that's not our main purpose today. But we wanted to make sure you had some information we saw essentially a 50% increase in. Contract from one year to the next with an exclusion of round. It. 2018 to so 2019, we had an increase in our contracted services where we a great deal of problems. As in our Bob Ball fields offseason,

we had typically used by the state and other things and warning tracks a different services they're very difficult to week is that's it's a type of volcanic rock. Very difficult to weed civic landscape such as this one here. And of course, are street medians and roadway landscaping. Those are really difficult locations, too. Have. Netscape services without the use of our tool in our tool box, which glyphosate in are integrated. Pest management. All right. And so I'm just another way of looking at We have a little bit of updated information. So. And in parks and one of the things this difference between that, you know, water department or with the fire departments looking at his parks have wide wide variety of surfaces and expectations for use. They're used to live by our community and they're different than the open spaces. So when you look at increasing cost use landscape model, that is exclusive excludes glyphosate or chemicals. You're looking at a 50 58% increase in When you are looking at removing staff has done calculations show right now we're using is about 32,000 hours of labor in our current staff to try to manage these. That was based on last year without the use of an extended contract, which is equivalent to about 15 full-time employees. So they want to put that out there to let you know what the contract service these are. These are hours we could get back in our regular day-to-day responsibilities as part of managing the park system in the community. 32,000 hours, a

lot of a lot of time. Get to get back to our staff. If we have a fully integrated in it. Pest management system. With the landscape contractor looking costs around 2.2 million dollars. To remove weeds with if we do have an integrated system that over, allowed to use glyphosate as a last resort. Or we've recent cost estimates around 3.7 million without the use of any chemical controls at at all. And so, you know, the big takeaways, a lot of extra staff time recently and we're looking at essentially a 50% increase in in Costa. We wanted to put that to you because there's a cost and we you know, it is a tool in our tool box right now. And so we want to make sure that there's understanding what that could mean if we move away a fully integrated pest management system and I'll turn it back over show. With. With the that impacts up as a side avoidance and center as a water properties we can't fully ascribe the change just to round up. But our landscape contracting up approximately. >> $300,000 per for the Russian River friendly landscape practices. They only do mechanical removal. And so what we have seen is in more the paved areas around some of our water tanks and things like that. Those cracks in the pavement between concrete and asphalt to those areas. We've seen increase in weeds growing. Typically those with just get a quick spray we have also adapted to the lack of spay. A lot of our levee maintenance. Dam faces of are recycled water, ponds. We used to spray with herbicide. Know we're in Derry lands where most of those bonds are. So we have a lot more grazing on those left levees, their separate contracts that to

deal with that. And then we have a slight increase in weeds and some of our restoration areas and many of our farms. We have farm plans where we're implementing a restoration along the waterways. The creeks there and some of those restoration areas of particular invasive plants like a perennial pepper and some grasses have taken over and they're much harder to remove effectively a mechanically. And so those are some of those impacts that we've had there's some impacts on parking properties increase the leads in the lot. Similar thing that we saw in the water department in the landscape areas and lots of the garages and sidewalks we're seeing in those those cracks are just really hard to remove mechanically opted out of participating in the landscape contracting. 22 2022 to cut costs and they've been completing all that work within House staff and they say if they don't have an opportunity use Roundup that it would you know, upwards of 2 Ft ease to keep them weed free for an annual increase of about $250,000 a year to weed relatively weed. Parking areas and currently use mechanical to stroke engines to accomplish their weed eating. Are weaving in those areas so there's also the implication of those gas. Our into the environment. You know, the

traffic medians is another that is for staff and contractors to work working in the roadway is the number one reason for workplace mortality in the U.S.. And this is just due to the You know, so the the more likely it an accident while somebody is out there, I'm working in that landscape is is gets higher. The longer you spend out there. So the end we've seen in response to the ban on glyphosate is really just an increase of leads in the medians and it gives an appearance that the landscapes are poorly maintained and put potentially reflects poorly on the city's maintenance in general and that these non glyphosate herbicides and mechanical removal requires repeated treatments to get that same level. Therefore, you're putting more the staff in harm's way for greater periods of time. Good afternoon. Mayor Rogers, a vice mayor, members of the council is Paula thought Division Chief Fire marshal a covering the fire department's perspective of the plan and the request this afternoon. >> So for the fire department's were seen an increase vegetation along evacuation is in right away that's for a number of reasons. Obviously with the weather conditions we have right now. It prompts the growth of seasonal grasses, is not uncommon within our community. But our bigger concern is kind of a change of ecology that were seen primarily within our wildland urban interface. Parts of Grove, whether it's the tubs, nuns are glass fire. Burn scars were primarily open Chi

woodlands with the intensity of the fire in the last of our candid canopy that's changed the growth that we're seeing in those areas. So what used to be primarily seasonal grasses is now exploding with the growth of scotch broom. French broom Other invasive that creating a condition that's actually worse today in many than it was a in 2017. What we're doing right to kind of mitigate that. We are in the process of rolling out a of completing phase one, which is a 2.1 million Dollar Hazard Mitigation That's removing a lot of fuels in these specific areas. To make our right away. Is an evacuation route safer with this But that's obviously not a permanent fix. Just dealing with what is in place right now. We're also doing targeted fuel What we discussed previously is a lot of weed abatement activities were primarily using not only weed abatement for dealing with it, but also vegetation management funds to rpg And again, these are not long-term solutions. They're just addressing what essentially would no pun intended but pops annually. It's important to know through the weekend in the program we're working with city staff and focusing prioritizing where work is taking place. So when crews whether contracted or in-house are focusing on a lot of these targeted weed abatement activities were taking them away from other areas that they could be working. There

are also as important to accomplish and also starts to affect our ability to maintain weed abatement. When we have to go back and cut a lot of the regrowth. Ultimately the I can really be supported through the community. Wildfire protection The cw pp, which will actually hear from me again at the end of this month was initiated just prior to the glass fire and 2019. That plan was based on a significant amount of community feedback. And one of the objectives of the sea wpp was to the ability to spray and deal with a lot of the invasive growth within our community. Excellent. So both the cw ppe as well as the ordinance that was just passed by council last month that will go into effect at the end of this can support mitigating the risks of future wildfires. We've obviously seen the of our housing to our economy from the devastating wildfires in our community and really the community wildfire protection plan, which again addresses a need investigating support a sprain that was actually also supported by about 68% of the community that was surveyed during that process, along with the vegetation management are designed to make our community primarily in and around our wild land. Urban interface, a safer just as a reminder that will address a lot of the dead in down trees within the burn scar in specific locations, prevent mulch around structures require defensible space around the entire

wildland-urban interface. And most will physically required the removal of some of those invasive specifically Scotsman, French broom again from defensible space phones along property lines. And then most importantly, for the purposes of this along our evacuation routes within 30 feet. So can by Itm policy. So it's a typical integrated pest management really starts with pest identification. >> Then research into the least toxic mess. It methods to address the impacts to those past and determine whether or not action is needed applied the least toxic methods first and then evaluate and then if further action is needed apply the next least toxic, you know, and just kind of build that way. It it seems pretty common sense like you don't start with a nuclear weapon. And, you know, you know, to to take it all out, if you can just pull the weed out by and or something like that. That's the basic tenants of an integrated pest management policy. And always starts with non pesticide actions. First. And this is often in the design of landscapes. You want to plant spaces with dense plantings so that there's very little room for weeds to grow. Mechanical removal, where is always approved. You can cover large swaths of land if a mechanical removal will clear it avoid problematic species. So if you have certain ce plant species that you put in your landscape, but a more susceptible you could need to

apply more pesticides to protect that species. So try to avoid those and then use pesticides as a last resort following a least toxic approach. First. You and we do use This is probably one of our most common mechanisms that we use in the city where we'll have landscaped areas that aren't effective to be irrigated. And here's a sign that in the past we probably wouldn't sprayed that sign with water. But given that we're more conscious about our water use it then led this open space. That weeds were growing. So using mulch there to prevent the weeds from growing is a win-win. Gives us that clear open sight lines at the same it doesn't create a water waste scenario. That's the side follow signal And so all pesticides. We'll have these starting at the bottom. You have caution. That's the lowest toxicity. And this is why you see Roundup used so frequently roundup is a caught. A has a caution label. That's why people come by the store. Some of the most of the organics are warning labels which are moderately toxic because if you get that on your skin, that does cause rashes and can burn the skin and then dangers highly toxic. You can't buy those unless you are a licensed pesticide. Applicator and I'm pretty much we don't use any of those in the city. So that's how the signal words work. And that's why you see glyphosate often used more frequently than these organic burned down

chemicals. So pest management Typically what you'll see in an integrated pest management. His first can you tolerate? Is that past damages that really that bad? So not that bad. You can leave it if it starts to get You feel like you need to address that passed identified the disease to make sure you're using the right tool to eradicate it. And so an example would be Spider Mites if you're ever grow plants, some areas that might get infected by Spider Mites. The leaves get all curled up. It's just as easy to cut that part of the plant out. Then it is to try to open those leaves up and spray right into that area where they've called the leave. So mechanical removal is is a preferred mechanism for dealing with that. That passed and then if you have to spray sprayed with an appropriate pesticide and then, of course, replace anything that's getting a lot of diseases and looks unkempt and replace them with things that are more pest resistant. And well, as the Burbank did a really good job in propagating plants that are relatively pest resistant. We do have their very bank gardens that have a variety of plants that are appropriate for the period of that garden that are there because of the history more so than the pest resistance. So that might be areas that you have a integrated pest management policy that might be a little more open to a different kinds of pesticide use. When you're dealing with pest management. Solutions for weeds. Glyphosate is really only used for weeds. Neonicotinoids are used for insects. Can you tolerate? Are those weeds really Can you

tolerate that level? There's you could put the high-density plantings in there and the mulch as I showed earlier, mechanical removal also works when you have one plant out there, it's easy to grab real quick. But if you build up a bunch of seeds in a seed bank for not having dealt weeds for a couple years. It might be more difficult to use mechanical removal to deal with that you might bring in grazing if that's appropriate for that environment or then herbicides. Those are the kind of that's kind of like hierarchy of of roles. And here's just some mechanical removal of weeds on on in fields. And you can see they're grooming these in fields for ball play where you really don't want to have a bunch of grass is where the kids are trying to run in their cleats. Plant Right here is a picture of a rest on Rose. You can tolerate many roses will survive that identified the disease. If you're not willing to tolerate it, mechanical removal of disease parts could work. This is this is actually the only way you get rid of fire. But for any fruit tree growers, if you need to get rid of fire but you have to mechanically remove you don't really spray for fire blight or you can find appropriate sprays for different diseases sprayed with the appropriate pesticide that's called for South 8. So for for a lot of fungal diseases and then outside the Luther Burbank Gardens. If you having plant species with a bunch of diseases, it's just easier to replace that plant species. With environmentally procreate plant that won't have all those disease

pressures. And thinking about the guidance that we've received from the City Council and the Board of Public Utilities and looking at the needs that the city has for addressing a lot of things. The city staff of come up with some recommendations to to stimulate discussion. So the complete ban of neonicotinoids makes a lot of sense. These are a group of that we are not needed for our management of our landscapes. And so we would make sure that that would be in all their contracts and their staff would not be using those minimize the use of all pesticides throughout the city using integrated pest management policy require any staff that are applying pesticides to have a certified pesticide applicator or are being supervised by a person without and then when spring, any pesticide staff would use goggles, chemical resistant clothing, chemical resistant gloves and rubber boots. And this is more protective of staff and then the labels but require so should they be spring something with caution label. This is well above those limits. Those minimum standards and is more protective of person applying those We also are proposing to ban glyphosate use in most sensitive areas and these would be playgrounds. Public gathering spaces, picnic areas and any other areas that are identified with sensitive

receptors around the use of glyphosate. But we also ask that there be an opportunity to apply some exemptions, exceptions to that in the following So. Should it be determined it's in the best interest of public health and safety to allow the in road medians where the public is not typically spending a lot of time, but the them highest dangers. The amount of time that we're spending in those road mediums to get staff in there with a spray that would last for longer periods of time ball fields that are closed for renovations. So if the ball fields are closed and are denoted is closed, that they would not be active ball field Lough used on invasive plants for non routine activities. So not constant maintenance consistent apply. But if there's an explosion of an invasive species to allow the use of glyphosate is that's the appropriate chemical based on the guidance that we have for the those one time applications. And then once objectives are achieved, this is how integrated pest management policies work. It's really to decrease the use or eliminate its use completely. And really the only way you can do that is if there is a recording of what you're doing and honest and use of that. And so what we're proposing is to create a website to highlight activities to prevent pesticide used. This could be used by the general public as well as staff. It would list are integrated pest

management policy. The tips on managing the past without pesticides annual and annual report of the pesticide used on our city properties. So council and the community can aware of how much spring or non spring is occurring and look at it year after year. What we're looking at now is probably since the fires and us not using herbicides and managing our landscapes. We have a seeds source in our soils and that there might be a higher amount of use and that you should see it decreasing year after year. So we're also proposing just 4 that could community that all pesticide applications would be posted prior to list a date of the application in them when planning to apply pesticides. We closed the area to the post signs. So it is very clear not to be in that area while these activities are occurring. And city of Davis has a great integrated pest management website would be a good model for us to steal their approach to this. And it really does one provide information to the public about what we're doing give greater clarity of ways to best deal with tests and the landscape. So the next steps that we're really looking at are too here get some feedback the council today for staff to go back and draft a policy and come back in a month or so with the draft policy with the guidelines that you've proposed and hopefully get that approved so that we can put that in for the next time.

We need to go out for a new landscape contract and we could say you have to adhere to this policy. And that concludes the presentation. >> All right. Thank you very much for being here for that very thorough presentation. Looking to council to see if there are any. Question vice mayor's that. Thank you for the presentation. Curious City put into the decline in Houston, quite a claim been since 2018 since the city embarked on this. >> To my knowledge, I think we have use none. >> Interesting. So practical terms it has been phased out. So what saying we've use know, glyphosate okay. Yeah. So. >> So >> the guidance that we've received is to not use glyphosate integrated pest man and to come up with and integrated. Pest management policy. So this is that integrated pest management policy, which has the can, which would. Ideally the council would give feedback to us and then we would put that in the policy and then that would become the rule right now. What it is is just around the use of glyphosate in tonight and Integrated Pest management policy is much broader than just insecticides and pesticides used. It's it's a whole host of landscape management activities. >> Understood, thanks for the clarification. >> Looking to council to see if there any additional. Councilmember MacDonald. Thank you, mayor. >> I do have a couple questions on if you have your sides on slide. Number 8, I think those are weeds. I hope we're not using citric acid include because it doesn't look like that's effective. It

off. But do we use any of those currently? Are you said that there's no spree that we're using whatsoever? >> just add for the park's team. We have done some trials with some of these in here to see how how we can look at changing of how we do things. And as these results show, they're ineffective. >> Yeah, that's obvious. Once you know what you're looking at? I think it's obvious that that some of them are quite an for use areas. And if we're looking at a fire prevention are some of the other things. Pest management that any of these that might be thought about be useful at offer us that correct. >> for parks, for sure. I'll answer that. These have not been effective for us as much as we've tried to use these on different areas, but turned to my colleagues for the rest. >> So should you use one of these burned down chemicals? They just kill and these plants are Grasso. The they did this so they used to these turf fields and they're not located right next to each other. They're just these distinct plots and the turf field. And so they're showing how the turf grows back. >> after being sprayed, so the concept here would be, should you choose inorganic burn down chemical that you might need to 3 to 4 times to get the same kill effectiveness as one application around it. >> So along those same lines, and if it's 3 to 4 times, is that the increase in staff that we would have to have?

And then additionally, my question would be, are there some danger still around if you're just spring once with something more effective versus spring, 4 times or 5 times would not be more concerning for staff. >> Big shot. I can I take a stab at An increase in the amount of labor center for staff is is is based on looking at a mechanical means and not necessarily the organic chemical because again, and it creates a lot of extra work for and a lot of extra cost to purchase the organic chemical. So the cost difference as you see there for mechanical means for says he's an integrated pest management system. I'm using glyphosate. >> And if I go to slide number 10, I see that there's 2 different contracts. One contract he said was from 2018. Can you tell me the difference is between those 2 contracts so that we're clear in what we what services are provided within those. >> Sure. This was an early look understanding of what might be occurring. With removal of glyphosate. And so in 2018, it was a contract that allowed for maintenance all as caves throughout the city, including roadway medians and a ball field, 6 cetera, mowing. And in 2019, it was very similar except the roadside meetings were removed from that contract. So you're

looking at a contract that removes a portion of that. So it's essentially we've removal in the city for both without the medians accent are included in 2019. And no use of glyphosate in the 2019 plan going forward. >> Make sure you heard you correctly. And so in 2018. It was a full service contract that included in mowing and all over. We dream mobile. But they were able to use spray. >> Right. They will able to spray in 2018. So that was the contract cost for doing business and roadway medians as well as our mowing and blowing services. And the difference in 2019 is that it's the same except for no glyphosate know spring and no meetings, no meetings, service and the medians. And really that's essentially So that's a really I know, And blow contract is in 2019. And that's the cost increase. Are we really? Have to use the services in 20 and the referees costs by 50%. So we weren't taking care of the weeds in 2019, but we paid half a million dollars more in this contract is that our current contract, then it doesn't take care of any weeds cause. I know we just approved a one-time fund. >> About a million dollars for the weeds. But does that take care of all the weeds? Because I see another side that those numbers don't quite add up for me. So I'm hoping you can help me through that. >> Sure. So this these are the old asked Missus is not

current contract price. We did have council did approve the ability for contracted services to remove weeds on medians. And those are the things are missing from the 2019 contracted on council did not approve use of glyphosate. So the increased cost you see on the next slide. Our current or current costs. There We put the slides. The slides together before council approved. And we had estimates from our current contracted services. And that's what you're seeing. There is those estimates to remove and our current contracted services are very close to to those. Right there. The 2.2 million dollars. >> The contract that we just approved for a million dollars that took care of some of the weeds that take care of all the weeds in on the city or are some of the weeds. And because I see that like there's another side that 3.7 million dollars in our current way of nose spray. If we want to take care of all the leads in the city. So I'm trying to get to what we just spend a million bucks on. >> So he's been a million bucks on adding in those sites in the city that includes civics sites like City, a city hall as well as all the roadway medians. So most important right? Those are really difficult. There's a lot of repeated. There's little tiny sites and there's a you know, there's thousands of them. So there's a lot of service in that extended contract that was approved by council. That was not and contracted services before where we're spending about 2, 32,000 hours of her own staff. Time trying to maintain what we could out there. >> Yeah, that's the next in ago. 2, if you don't mind just if I could get a little bit

more explanation on the 58% and how that worked out to the 32,000 additional labor hours. And if we're spending that on taking care of just the weeds now what is not getting done in in our maintenance because we're trying to do mitigate this. You know, the weeds around the city to make it. So it's safe. So I'd like a little bit around that. And then now you've explained a little bit on the cost removal of the weeds. That's kind of clear to me now that was sprayed. Be about 2.2 million which goes back to the other. Does that include deed of full landscape contract where it would mowing and this spray or is that does that not include that? >> That does not include the mowing services. So these numbers include and weed removal. >> As you can explain those top 3 to me, just say you can walk us through how that works a little better. >> Right. And I I might to to our parks superintendent to if I MISS Anything, he has anything to add, it's a are before you answer director. >> Can we have additional staff come down here to provide some additional clarification to the question. Thank you. >> Hello, Mayor Rogers, Vice Mayor staff council members minds James Kallstrom superintendent for parks, maintenance. Using. So when looking at the 58% increase for the removal of weeds, we had a quote, given for extending our current services. So our current

services prior to the approval additional services council just approved about a month ago. Was a fit, 8% increase car mow and blow services. So for just a moment blow it was a percent increase. 4. From We'd seen a chemically removed. It came out to 58% increase. So that 58% number is not completely accurate. It's more like 50% because of percent. For I cam versus 50%. 4 mechanical. And the 32,000 hours. That's an approximation. But 32,000 hours is 58% of the labor hours. The total labor hours that that we calculate in park maintenance. So it's a simple math equation of 26 full-time employees 22,080 hours a year comes out to 54,000 hours. And so 58% of that is 32,000 hours. And then just simply to Ft. Ease its comes out approximately 15 point employees have teams. Does that answer your question? >> It does. So we're we're spending about 32,000 hours right now, just trying to take care of the weeds because it's manually being done or mechanically being done versus a spray. >> That's correct. So we pulled we pulled Park maintenance staff out of the parks in 2018 when a new contract was executed and we took took 32,000 labor hours out of parks. So where you're seen the decreases in service, our our ball field the condition of our restrooms and weeds with in parks. A lot of these conversations around the roadside landscaping. But we also have 1100 acres of

Parkland that also grow weeds that are not part of this conversation, that park maintenance staff actually take care of but have not been taken care of because this has been a priority. >> Thank you. I appreciate I really appreciate the clarification on the numbers. And then I just have one more question on slide. 14. Maybe 2 more questions on slide 14. It shows a median here and I'm not sure where but I know we just put in, you know, over fountaingrove, beautiful landscaping. And so my concern would be that without being able to use some spray that it's going to end up looking exactly like this picture here because we've taken a tool away either from a contracted services or our own folks. So can you tell me what that MAY be used to look like before 2019? If this is where this is, because this seems to be typical, it's fault of, you know, our our staff that's trying so hard. It feels like the fault of the decisions that they make. >> So you're you're spot what we're talking about right now is the use of glyphosate. If we don't have a conversation on glyphosate and we cannot talk about the beautification of the city because without the use of glyphosate, even founder of that's exactly what it will look like in a year. >> And I just like to add on the new founder of landscaping, one of the things we're doing as part of an integrated system up there planting very densely and we have complied with the community wildfire protection plan which offered additional species selection to select species that would do particularly well and those landscapes. So that's something also doing in

addition to. Outside of the glyphosate conversation. Appreciate all that thought. Profit since into, you know what we put in the mulch and everything else like that. But the one thing I'm really good at is growing weeds. >> So any time there's water anywhere, it seems like that's where it's going to be. And I just see that big investment. And it's, you know, really needed to happen after all the terrible things that with the fire over found grow. I just want to make sure that we understand if we aren't taking care of this in some way and using staff recommendations that that's what it's going to look like. And chairs I-17 when you're talking about management through >> So I do want to make some clarify remarks on slide 14. And although superintendent that is actually highway in, I believe it took us. 28 staff members to cut Highway 12 because they've been neglected for such an extended period of time. And what current confirm that number. >> 3 times in one year. 28 staff members times 3. >> And does that have to be coordinated with Caltrans as well? No, it does is to us. >> But it's not just parks its parks streets tp w it's it's city, 3 departments takes care of that. That's why it looks so familiar to me as part of my area. >> So as far as a pest management, it's starts on slide 17 who goes out and checks the trees for pest management. Only we're hearing so. >> So would be would ever entity is responsible for that landscaping. So in the say, the water department, it would either be the contractor

working on the Water or they would have somebody else come and take a look at So if it were a local water, say U.S. Water tank property. Then the staff who manage that. So water payment have a tree department. There's no tree department in the city. >> Or treat, I guess a tree maintenance department. I'm just wondering down the city? If there was an issue with the tree that needed to be addressed, we do have contracts for arborists too. >> Come and take a look at Throughout the and decide whether or not they get removed. It's outside of the public right of Most trees are allowed to to die you we just don't really. Spray. For treason at this point. Ever heard of like some Beatles and some other infestations that are causing problems in our trees and just trying to get at. >> Who's going to spray who's looking at are trees and how that's going to work in a city as well. In regards to how we're going to write the policy. I want to make sure it's encompassing of everything. And then my last question is you have an adoption of the Russian River friendly policy for the water Department. If we added that language in our policy, would that make sure that all the staff recommendations can be done? So could just be a city wide adoption. >> Yes, integrated pest

Management is a component of a Russian friendly landscape guidelines. And these guidelines are something that >> promoted by the Russian River Watershed Association. It was modeled after the Bay Friendly landscape guidelines deals with waste from the landscape as well. So there's onsite composting and and just different ways of viewing landscaping that it's not all, you know, gas powered equipment, you know, applied to management of these landscapes that there's a holistic approach of how best to manage these landscapes, reducing not only pesticides, but gas powered equipment the amount of material that's off called and moved around from site to site. Those are some of the they say 7 basic principles. That's all of them. Thanks. We're looking at council to see if there are any additional questions. >> Before we go to public comment, I have a question about contracted services and I in the policy you're trying to make sure that it's very transparent if it is a contracted services, what do they have to have the same transparency standards that we're trying to have when it is city staff that are performing the work. >> Yeah. So the the intent would be that as a stipulation in their contract. Any pesticides applied by them. Not only do they have to report those to the state, but they also are that commissioner's office. They also need to report that information to us and that we

collect that information annually put out an annual report. >> I wanted to come in. You wanted to take the time to come in you before we go to public comment because I know this was very a very difficult task. You had to balance staff need to have to balance what we can actually do within our budget environmental needs, which are very important in our community needs as far as using our parts being safe. So you guys did, in my opinion, a very great job in taking the feedback that we provided thus far. I'm really coming up with what you have right now. So thank you for doing that. And with that, I send it over to City clerk for public comment. Thank you. We're now taking public comment on item integrated pest management policy discussion. >> Chamber would like to comment but have not yet provided a speaker card or your name. Please make your way to the podium. You'll have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer will alert at the end of that period. Start with Duane at the West Podian. Please go ahead. >> Much to the dedicated staff and all that they do try to make for better parks, want to make sure that they get could dues the park superintendent in the staffs that he bring out do some good stuff over there in Southwest Santa Rosa, especially along Rosen Creek. The item today was implement methods to reduce the need for pesticides. And I didn't hear a large discussion about using goats and sheep. And those are used in many other places and they do a really good job. They cut costs. You don't have to site which the detritus right? It leaves with the

animals pretty much so give it a thought you might think. Boy, that's old fashion. But it costs a lot less and you might not even have to pay the people who bring the goats and the sheep to the sites of the larger parks. The whole idea of using Blueface 8 just. Lot of people feel. It's causing problems with people's breathing is causing pop problems where lawsuits have actually been filed and won by workers that had to apply that material. So please keep this in mind. Also, we want to avoid are risks towards liability for the city and our employees being negatively affected by the pesticides that might be used. So take it from an old go looking to some sheep and goats. Thank you. Kindly. >> Mayor mc no one else approach the podium for public comment on this item Thank you very again. Thank you very much for the presentation. We're going. Oh, sorry. Council marauders. >> Now, thank you so much. And first, I want to thank you for all of your work on this. And then we side I think 4 times now at the Climate Action subcommittee. I just want to make sure I'm supportive of the direction that you're going. But I want to make sure that we didn't lose sight of the other half of the conversation. And I know it was alluded to a couple of times, but the reason that we move this direction initially was because of concerns that were brought from the public about spring in public areas

where people's kids were playing. And I know that you've addressed that, but I don't want us to just focus on the economic side of the conversation. Yes, it does have an impact on a quality of services. If you don't change anything else at the same time. And I know we'll be talk to environmental advocates. They'll be the first to tell you that using pesticides in our parks, in our public spaces. Becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that the way that it actually changes the ecology of the area, it makes it so that you need to use more and more pesticides to keep up with it rather than other types of that you've got in the I pm. So I appreciate that. That's that's not to say as Palme. I've had extensive conversations about areas that are impacted by wildfires. You need something stronger in some of those areas, particularly where our kids are playing is why so many people can turned out back in. I think it was 2018, 2017 to really push us to try to do better from an ecological perspective as well. I think you found that balance, but I wanted to make sure since most of our presentation focused on the economics that we acknowledge that reality to of why we were doing what we were doing. It's about level of service for kids and for our community. Thank you. Vice Mayor step. Just want to thank MISTER To wait for his Ensure the public that we're looking into grazing opportunities. >> As MISTER Dewitte outlined it is it is a really good option for the city and something that we're we're talking about behind the scenes. So thank you. >> So again, thank you very much for the presentation and thank you for being here

today. We will now move on to item which interviews for boards, commissions committees and I will hand it over Adams. A clerk. >> Thank you. We'll be holding interviews for the Board of Building Regulation appeals. We had a interview for the Bicycle Pedestrian advisory board. However, that applicant is unable to attend today. Like to call down Eric Miller to the staff table for your interview. Good Afternoon Council. I MISTER Miller. Thank you for being here today. Can you tell us why you apply? For this position and why you think you are best fit. >> Applied for the position because I wanted to use professional experience and knowledge to help my community. Kind of a new resident Santa Rosa on officer for about a year. And I love it here and enjoy it. All nature that Santa Rosa and Sonoma County has to offer so plan living here the rest of my life. And I want do what I can with my skill set improve my how the building code Exper is my profession. And so I'm I'm ursin building code every day. And it's not just building code. That calendar energy code so I'm very up on all the current trends with the Energy Commission and things like that. And I know that boarding up the Board of Building regulations appeals also deals with projects that. Might where the applicant the contractor architect engineer and the building official do not see Ida. And being a part

of. The 3rd group that would look at? The projects from point of view, something really interested it. >> I'm going to look to council to see if there are any questions for MISTER Miller and seeing none. I would like to thank you for your willingness to participate. We more participates around the city to step up and do Thank you very much for being here today. And we will actually >> decided to take the items. Believe it's 12.1. But thank you for thank you very much. And with that will go to Mountain City managers to MADAM City so that we can have our public comment. Thank you. You're now taking public comment on item 5.1. The board interview for. >> Portability, regulation appeals. If you'd like to make a comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name, please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes in a countdown. Timer will alert at the end of that period. Comment on that on item. 5.1 for the fine. >> About the disability position and the bike and pedestrian board. Yes, Ma'm will hear comment. I was just wondering if you're going to address that. The applicant was unable to attend the meeting but has requested that his application be considered. >> Under item that thank you. All right, seeing no additional public comment. We will now begin our. Regular meeting. And go right in to pay them. The 7 which is report on our study in closed sessions. So we'll hand it off to City attorney. >> Thank you, MADAM Mayor

Council members we have a closed session on 3 items. 3.0, 1, 3, 0.2 3.3, there's no reportable action on any of those items. Additionally, you just how the study session on your integrated pest management policy direction was given to staff during that time. That concludes my report. Thank you so much. We have no proclamations for today. So we will go to our staff briefings. MADAM City manager. >> Staff review 9.1 is the community Empowerment Plan. Update. >> Good afternoon. Mayor Vice mayor and city COUNCILMAN Petersen, director of communications government relations and I will be providing the community and current plan update today. First today is the law enforcement Appreciation Day selected. We shout out to a law enforcement agencies. The police Department fire uc in response and all mutual aid as well as Starbucks speaking appreciation. They invited the Santa Rosa Police Department to their kiosk inside target and cutting town. Where Starbucks and target shoppers and staff were able to enjoy free coffee as well as conversation with the police department. And it's great to the police department recognizing community for their efforts to protect and serve. Next up last week that police department wrapped up their holiday toy drive collecting more than 300 New and unwrapped. Those toys are donated to the base, United Woman's Group for distribution. And if you haven't seen the photos for all this, the toys encourage you to visit the city's

homepage or look at our social media account. It's really awesome to see that. At the upcoming City Council, Public Safety Subcommittee on Tuesday, JANUARY 23rd 09:00am as our bd will outline the Chiefs vision for the newly reinstated, Kings crane team and how they plan to just gang-related crime in Santa Rosa. And the community is encouraged to attend or watch online. You can find that meeting information on the city's homepage calendar at sr City Dot org. And that concludes the update. >> Thank you very much. Looking to council see if there are any question Seeing none. MADAM City clerk, can you please? The scylla take public comment. Thank you. We're now taking public comments on item 9.1. If you're in the chamber would like to comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name to the administrator. Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown. Will alert at the end of that period. We're going to start with MISTER. Do it at the West podium. >> Hello, my name is doing to it on from Rosen. Last night there was an organization known as American Veterans and and that's 40 post locally. >> I had met and talked in the past about how to be helpful. >> On removing graffiti, gang graffiti is something that's endemic almost here in Santa Rosa. Now, especially over on West 9th at Lynx Lane. >> really badly graffiti tag fence has basically been ignored now for months on end and in the past year, I came here one time and spoke about how we could have graffiti removal with veterans in neighborhoods helping to do

this. Many veterans would like to step up and do some positive things in the community. Totally volunteer. No cost required and we would actually provide the paint to cover over all these file involved tags that are left out there that the kids and their mothers have to see on the day in and day out bases there, especially at West 9th and Link Lane. Perhaps you could take a little bit of time in this community empowerment. And look to the resources you have with non-governmental organizations and veterans groups. We'd really like to help you 2, I guess you might say empower the civic engagement that you speak about. And let's really get it done. Thank you for your time. And I do believe you have my phone number and my email and my address because I formerly served on the Waterways Advisory Committee and nothing has changed except I don't get to serve there. Thank you. >> Mary, see no one else approaching the Putin's for public comment on item. 9.1. Thank you very much. And thank you very much the briefing. Now go to item 10. The city manager and city attorney's report and I'll hand it over to the city manager. Thank you, Mayor. I'm sorry. That was not purposefully. Would you like to go ahead and give your public >> Many and >> and was born in the United States 75 years ago. Last AUGUST. After my parents came here from Canada. So my father did get a free college

education. >> I have remained in the United States. >> Mostly because I wanted protest the Vietnam War when I was. 20 years old, my older brother was in the airport and stationed Thailand but sent to South Vietnam to work radio. Aircraft. He came back and moved to Canada where he was born there. So is my older sister. Canada is a socialist country, which means that you get what you need and you do what you can. >> I have lived in very sad country for a very long time. I'm a daily protester I signed with the raging grannies. A couple of >> and also you the war by Bob Dylan for the council. >> a few years back. I haven't met by to say hello in about 4 years. >> But today I heard you were meeting and I want to say hello. >> And America's 3 kinds of people. >> will will. >> And we're very playful and we love our families. >> are key that follow the white supremacist view of Christianity? And then there are the pigs. The war games. And they're very powerful. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you. No additional public comment. On item 9. We will continue to item 10 city manager and city Attorney report and I'll hand it over to the city manager. >> Thank you. The housing and Community Services Department

are seeking input to help got the fiscal year, 2020, 24 to 2027 consolidated plan. And this plan actually helps us determine how we're going to use our federal funding on housing and some of our homeless needs. There are 3 ways individuals can participate. The first way is a community forum which is located at the utility field offices at 35 Stony Point Road. That meeting will occur Thursday JANUARY. The 11th from 5.30, to 6.30. There will be a virtual participation JANUARY. The 12th from 09:30am, to 11:30am. And there will be a short online survey available individuals wanting additional information can go to sr City Dot org slash con plan that is ceo and Ple and thank you. Thank you, MADAM Mayor Council members. It is time for monthly report and settlements in active litigation attached to the agenda is our monthly I do have one item report out. >> One settlement that was approved by council. The city settled a dispute with kbb of over costs and penalties. The city assessed related to a 2006 code enforcement action at I'm sorry, 40 10 Finley under the terms of the agreement k Bbf paid the full $7,000 in assessed costs granted the city a 15 foot utility easement for sewer and

a 30 foot access road easement with a combined value for both easements. Approximately $20,000. Kbb also gave the city $10,000 worth of free radio spots to be used within 5 years. In exchange, the city released a special assessment lean and forgave $118,000 in penalties and interest. Our caseload does remain consistent at approximately 28 matters. Many cases are currently in we have trial dates assigned to most of our cases. We continue to try to resolve smaller cases with little or no cost to the city. That concludes my report. >> Thank you so much. MADAM City Clerk, can you please facilitate public comment on this item? Thank you. We are now taking public comment on item 10. The city managers and city attorneys reports if you'd like to make a comment, please make your way to the podium. If have not submitted a speaker card, otherwise they will have 3 minutes. I'm in a public in the ca timer will appear on the screen before you. They will start on the east like turn, please go ahead. >> My name is Gregory Fair. most of you know me and I've been around this city for a long time. But one of my first jobs in this area was working for ktva. One point, I was their 5th school, bookkeeper in. I was proud and still Im proud to have been associated with them. I want to thank the council for this settlement. It's been a long time coming it helps keep ebf and its own

fiscal strength. It helps the community because the property becomes a available for other uses. And I I just wanted to thank you for it. >> Thank you. MISTER Jones. Are you to make a comment? On item? 10.1? Oh, yes, I do. Forgive Okay. Thank you. Along. I didn't know the action of the city. We're going to f so for a long time. We were in negotiations with them. >> In order to put a safe camping or safe parking on their site. And they were unable to do that because of the over the top of them. There's something. That I will be discussing. I think on the items, not on the agenda later on that relates to that area and what's going on. But it is greatly appreciated to take the burden off of ktva of it. What it was a cause not of the board by a manager who? Doing illegal things and when they found out the board found out they fired and he's been gone for many, many years. And the accumulation of really essentially all almost all of that is a penalty. Not really the actual tax. And I'm sure that they're paying the taxes and have gone about whatever that is much. Appreciated. Want to thank you. And hopefully maybe can be considered for those things that we were considering, which was the parking received camping or something else? A mother Gregory said thank My

point is that was over a period of 7 years that we were in discussions of that. So it's very helpful. Thank you. >> Okay. Seeing no additional public comments. We will now move on to item 11 statements of abstention by council members and looking the council to see if there. Any abstentions saying We will right into 12, which is our mayor and council members reports. Are there any reports from council members? Councilmember over us? >> Thank you, MADAM Resort over over the holidays has had a chance to go and visit the art of to be a so appreciate that knowledge was that were made today. Our committee members in the closing the importance of the first bilingual radio station of this nation. And for those that don't know, abf was a proper property that was donated the Kennedy Robert Kennedy Foundation, Allen County to be exact. She came to California many times, but 3 of those times to visit Chavez during his hunger strike. And also to meet with the members of Summit County and In her quest for for addressing human rights and the right to exist. So the county and Santa Rosa specifically, was blessed with k Bbf and it's just celebrate its first 50 years of existence. And we're looking towards the next 50 years. Okay. Pf being little radio station. But we know it to be. And and really the benefit that has served the migrant

community, underserved community of Santa Rosa. So I want to think my colleagues for a fairly single vision. Okay. We have. And for the community too, for having always spot to keep abf on the air and it it's it's its space being struggles, but it continues forward. Thank you. >> Several >> of us had several. Several is on the day has had the chance to be at the ribbon cutting last week for the new Sonoma County Fire Department Fire District contract for emergency for emergency It was great being Mayor with with cheap westrope in the city manager. I'm sure the mayor will say more but again, a privilege. And then last the city's violence prevention team did a really nice job presenting to safe Campus Alliance. Daniel doing you let let her team talking about The kinds of services that the city has to prevent violence, especially among the youth in the community. Talking about our intervention tattoo removal, other other kinds of programs that the city is running, that that the city hopes will will help stem the stem, the uptick in violence that that we've all done all the experiencing. So thank you. >> Thank you. Looking at council members to make sure that I did not MISS Anyone before I get into my report. Thank you. Vice mayor stat. Reminding me about the ribbon cutting that we did go to, which was very great. Sonoma County fire and a medic ambulance company will soon be our sole providers for ambulance services. And so

we're very happy about that. And we're very happy to to do that ribbon cutting. It was started out with the a mustard seed of a vision and has manifested into something great. That ribbon cutting was awesome on. JANUARY. 15th at 09:00am. I will and I encourage my fellow council members and community members to join me for the mlk Day of service. A day on not a day off and it will be at the Martin Luther King Junior Park, which is that 12? 0, 8, Street in this event is a longstanding tradition in Santa Rosa. Great to see community partners and stakeholders members coming together to do great things in the community signed by everyone out for that. It's too little House keeping since I have the floor. We will start they can seize that. We have we have the board of public Utilities. We have one vacancy in that is appointment that will be made by council member. Oliver if you are interested, please let him know. And our go to the website to apply the community Advisory board. There are 2, 1, Councilmember Fleming's. And one is councilmember Alvarez. Again. If you're interested, please to apply or contact the council members, a design review board. I have one vacancy. So if you're interested, please, please contact me and or apply Marine Sonoma mosquito and Vector

Control has won. They can see an srt bia has one full service hotel operator. They can see the bicycle pedestrian advisory board, disabled community, right? They can see in the Board of building regulation of pills and waterways Advisory committee vacancies. We will be today and hopefully those will not be vacant after this meeting. I also wanted to make some changes on the sub committee assignments. I will be. >> Adding that. >> Chris Rogers, Councilmember Rogers to the Open Government Implementation Task Force. Councilmember Fleming in Councilmember Fleming, thank you so much for serving on that. I will also make a change on the public safety subcommittee and I will be adding myself on to the public safety also taking off Councilmember And next meeting COUNCILMAN Fleming only adding you to something else. So thank you so much for your patients. But that needed to be and eyes. That item and also a small right Councilmember Councilmember Okrepkie is cheering that. So we will get that updated. But again, if you're interested in volunteering, please go to the website. Our reach out to council members so we can get you all set and ready to go. And with that, I will be handing it over to. Our city clerk for public comment.

Thank you. Thank you. We're now taking. Taking public comment on item 12. The mayors and council members reports. If you're in council chamber would like to comment but have not provided a speaker card or your name. Please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer. Well, or at the end of that period. And approaching the podium is 12 and we do not have name submitted to the administrator at the top of the well. Thank you so much. Going on to 12.2 board commission and committee appointments. This is a time where council can vote to make appointments to the following boards, the bicycle and pedestrian advisory board with one vacancy and we have one applicant, the board of voting regulation of pills. We have 3 vacancies in one how public it and waterways advisory committee. We have 4 upcoming and for applicants. So before we consider, I'm making those appointments. I'm gonna look. Tim Adams city clerk to go ahead and facilitate public comment on this item. Thank you, mayor. We're now taking public comments on item 2012.1 appointments to boards and commissions. If you'd like to make a comment but have not provided a speaker card or submit your name, please make your way to the podium. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. And we'll go ahead and start with MISTER. Do it at the West Lectern. I will get turned on one moment. Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Dwayne Do from Roseland. I've been following the Waterways Advisory Committee for over 20

years. This is an agenda from 20 years ago I think it's really important. We understand is just advisory so often the information they bring forward gets ignored by the planning Department or by design review people. And they just go ahead and allow the creeks to be abused. That's the best term for especially over on Rosen Creek along West Avenue. It was an opportunity to put to affordable housing units at the corner of bar him and that now new next to rows in creek. In a 7 housing unit project the to affordable housing units were actually taken out by the planners when they said they needed to a variance. Along the creek and along the roadway to allow for a bike path. And if you ever been on Avenue, you know, that's the most dangerous road in the city to ride a bike on. That's not the place to be doing it. So I just would like for you folks to give some power to waterways committee. Let them actually be a part of the decision-making and policymaking so that the things they put forward get recognized and the creeks get protected. Specifically. It was a 50 foot setback. What the city of Santa Rosa says they now have in place for a long creeks. But in actuality that gets ignored almost all the time and people can build right up next to a creek. They'll put their fence on the creek bank. That's not the way it's supposed to be. According to guidelines and ordinances.

So please. But these 4 people on their again, they're willing to volunteer their time. They've done good jobs to give them some power in the decision-making process so that they actually get to protect our creeks. Thank you for your time. And for looking at the way back agenda here. Thank you, Mary. See no had one more person approaching the Putin. Please. Go ahead. MISTER Ailes. >> You forgive a civil environmental engineer. You know, we have been struggling with this for since the Clean Water Act. >> You thanking 71 so. I just noticed that there was a new construction. As we mentioned, and it just came came to my mind. It was driving saw this. It was pretty upsetting that. There's a new construction that is Bill The top of think of a creek here in San Rosen and I'm thinking. >> For how long was that property? On on? Brookwood? Between Sonoma Avenue and 3rd. A second street. How long was that? Any development in the band's? Because of the setback and many other play all around the city all around the county. The new development could occur because that properties, if you know where I'm talking about it is the parts of Sonoma. On the corner. They're going to build now into that. But the point is. Not going to live the setback. But nothing was able to be built there because of the 7 another place I just saw in the built right up to the top. Bank. The creepy and how in the world is by the plan. What is going on? So Duane is exactly right. So do forgive me. But I mean, this just

happened. It couldn't happen any time in the last 50 years, but it can happen. Now. Winds are understand fallback. How can we fall back >> All right. Seeing no additional public comment. We will go a hand in bringing back to council to see We can make those appointments. Does anyone have it? You want me read it. So bicycle pedestrian advisory We have. >> Scott Deutsche is the name of the applicant who was unable to attend, but would still like to be considered. Eric Miller for the vice chair for the Board of Building Regulation and Appeals in for incumbents to the Waterways Advisory Committee are key. Marc Neely, Steve Rabinowitz and Kevin c. So moved. We have a motion made by Councilmember Okrepkie in its second by council member. Donald, want to call you vice-mayor so that I'm so sorry. MADAM City clerk me please call the vote. Thank you. Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember Okrepkie. I. Councilmember MacDonald. I councilmember Fleming councilmember offer vice Mayor stop crime. Mayor Rogers, I'm let the record show that passes 6 affirmative votes and Councilmember Rogers absent. Thank you. Now goes to the approval of minutes. We have one set of minutes for DECEMBER 12, 2023 Council. Are there any corrections to the minutes? All right, seeing none. MADAM Say 13 police facilitate public comment on this item. Thank you. We're now taking public comments on item 13.1 approval of DECEMBER minutes. If you're in the chamber like to make a comment, please make your way to the podium or provide a speaker card to the administrator. You'll have 3 minutes in the countdown. Timer will alert at the end of

that period. Mayor mc no one approached the podium for public comment. Thank you. Moving on to item 14, city clerk. Can you please read the consent items? Thank you, Mayor. Item 14.1, a motion for a Second Amendment to professional services agreement with peak Rate llc. Item 14.2 resolution waiver of competitive bid in approval of non-standard master services agreement with Flock Group incorporated. Item 14.3. Resolution approval of Second Amendment Professional Services agreement with buckelew programs for the in Response program. 14.4 resolution agreement for the first responder, Advanced Life support services between the city of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Fire District. Item. 14.5 resolution South Santa Rosa specific plan, professional services agreement. 14.6 resolution To extension of proclamation of local homeless services. Emergency teams report me extension of proclamation of local homeless emergency. Item. 14.7 is being continued to a date uncertain. Item. 14.8. Resolution authorizing the acceptance and execution of agreements and related documents for grant funds from the state of California Budget Act of 2022. Be 1, 7, 8, or the State of California Budget Act of 2023 sb 101. 14.9 resolution adoption of the to Roseland Area Sebastopol Road specific Plan and Roseland area annexation for the traffic signal. A station at the Hearne Avenue and Burbank Avenue. 14.10 resolution and issuance of a purchase order for the purchase of 5 2024. All-wheel-drive. Dodge Durango. Pursuit vehicles.

Item 14.11 waiver of competitive bid and purchase and installation of camera equipment for transit fleet from syan Design usa Corp. 14.12 resolution approval. Our party. 14.12 approval, a 5th Amendment to General Services agreement as the Sero 0, 1, 8, 4, Universal Protection Services lp dba Allied Universal Services for citywide security Guard services. 14.13 resolution, 3rd Amendment. Approval blanket purchase order 1, 6, 7, 1, 2, 9, with But to this point, Penn Station. So my apologies, Terry crews Shooti dba international effectiveness for translation services. 14.14 0th Amendment to service agreement. Number f 0, 0, 1, 5, 3, 9, for government jobs dot com incorporated dba neoga. A system is moving slower than my fingers are and item 14.15 ordinance introduction. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Santa Rosa to increase the mayor's monthly salary from 2,202, $2,220 retroactive to DECEMBER 2014 2022. To comply with the city Charter incorrect. A clerical error in ordinance. Number o r d Dash 2022. Dash 0, 1, 8, If I MAY MADAM Through the chair. Item 14.1, the agenda lists as a But as the recommendation clear, it's actually by resolution, not by motion. >> Thank you. Bring it back to council. Are there any questions on the consent items? >> I did want to go ahead question. So for 14.4, is there someone to address for that?

>> Getting the mayor's got Westrope a fire chief city of Santa Rosa. Thank you. >> Because there are going to be some changes going on within the city I just wanted to use is has the opportunity to educate the community members about what those changes will be in, how we will see those changes in how impact. >> Our services, right. Thank you very much for that opportunity. So if you go back to to study sessions that we did in NOVEMBER of 2021 and then in FEBRUARY of 2022, we're talking about the the opportunity for change. An ambulance service provider here in Santa Rosa we looked at 3 aspects that are really important to the city and important to the fire department. And joining me is a chief marketing from the San Jacinto County Fire District. So we looked 3 major issues that we saw in the in the way services being delivered for the last 20 or so years. And nothing do with the employees at nothing to do with the service and the quality of service they are providing you had to do with the contractor that we are working within what we looked at was there were some issues with service delivery was a community-based, was a patient focused. Was it outcome driven versus was a for profit? Number 2 was what is the business model? Look like the sustainability of the business model and the 3rd car what sort of control that we as the fire department are. We as the city had over the heat, the ems system. So we've been in this venture for a number of years now. The county of Snow went through and did an rfp process too. Select a new and ground ambulance provider in Sonoma County for Yo a one which is about 75% of the call. Volume is within the

city of Santa Rosa and includes Sebastien Paul Renner, part Kenwood and unincorporated areas of Santa Rosa. So through the competitive process. So the county fire district was selected as the new contractor in a partnership with Medicare ambulance. That space at a Solano County, but is now here. And so what we've seen as we've gone through and built our first response, Ala's contract is exactly the improvements in those 3 areas that we've been looking for. We have. Better operational enhancements to provide better service. The community. We fully intend with the partnership that we have with the district we built the system together, that there's going to be far more ambulances in the system so response times will be faster with highly trained employees. A lot of the employees were retained and we're happy to see that a lot of employees moved over to the new contract or the new provider we have. So we have that system control in that we have a partnership with the public entity now versus a private entity. So data sharing and things like that will no longer be an issue. And thirdly, it's a much more sustainable business model for not only the the contractor, but also for the fire department, the city. So we really fortunate. We're really excited about this. Opportunity is a paradigm shift. In ems service delivery really throughout the state of California that we now have a public of either here providing service to our community and a great partnership with St. County Fire District. So I hope that sort of covers in a broad spectrum and I turn it over to chief fine for any comments that he MAY have. Thank you, Mayor I wish chief Wes Trip

was the one making the bitter originally for 6 months ago because he had kind of hit a home run. There >> we're thrilled to be the new provider for ground ever since. And all services and exclusive operating area one, which is the chief said. Big chunk one is the city of Santa Rosa. In addition will be serving the city runner Park Cotati paying Grove Coleridge Fire Response area city of Sebastopol. A all the way up to the lower and the winds are. This has been a 4 year endeavor for us to get to this actually started this process. As the mayor alluded to a very small vision and it grew into what it is today. So were able to bring to because we are a public entity is the chief said would grant 100% transparency. Everything we do is open to the public in discoverable and we're happy to share anything and everything we do. And the key component that we can bring to the table as a public entity versus a private for come a profit corporation is that revenue gets returned right back into our service area back into the communities that we all serve in the form of enhanced emergency medical services. So we're thrilled to be your next ground in those provider. We go live with the system next Monday night at midnight. And I'm happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you MAY have. >> Are there Donald? >> actually just have one question when it comes to contract services. When you're looking at health care and how does that work? Because I know like you have a contract with are, you know, for city employees. How does that work now that we're switching over and is meant? Does anything

need to be amended specifically for health care providers? >> Is this orders the city or is this regards to ambulance transport I call 9-1-1 and an ambulance service comes to me and that ambulances contracted with our health care providers. How does that work now that we're switching, our ambulance service within the city, if we're not contracted with MR. >> So Lord or anyone for that matter, does at a process that needs to happen or is that already been taken care of? >> Yeah. And the way that this works is that the contract is between the Sonoma County Fire District in the county of Sonoma to provide the ground emergency 9-1-1, and on service. So midnight on Monday, when you Dial 9-1-1, it would be one of our and all says the response to that call we work directly with the patient's insurance companies to ensure that their insurance company pays that Bill. >> That's what I want a clarification on, not just for me, but for the community as well, that you take care of that part of the insurance company and the contracted services so that that wouldn't be anything that we needed to do as far as having that service. Now for the City Council. All right. Thank you so much. You're very welcome. >> If you questions that I have received from the public is are we expected to see any kinks with the transition and are we meaning you ready to take this on? So the value McCall's everything. So we're ready to go for the 16. >> Yeah, that's a great question. And led the public is engaged on that. So we have

conducting years of analysis. Response data, patient data. How many animals transports occur throughout the region and Britain and in the particular community, such as the city's and Reza going back, looking at 3 to 5 data so that we know exactly how many animals as we need to deploy. How many per medics, how many dmt is happening? Nurse practitioners, everybody else that works in the system. What the community will see as much faster response times because we're able to put more ambulances on the street than the current provider is able to. So we're going to see much quicker response times. You're going to see more emergency vehicles on the street and quicker turnaround times for the fire Department. Engine companies, for example, respond to those summer season to get them back in service, available to serve the rest of the city. >> With some of the same friendly faces, part of with some of that same friendly faces. Yeah, that's an important point. And I think it's a point that sort of got lost along the way are bidding on providing an oil services. Never been about the paramedics and emt's that work for are providing the service for many years. They are still are subject matter. Experts they know the lay of the land. They know the communities that they serve. >> About 95% of those in combat workers have come over to our system to help us run the system as we move forward. Starting on Monday night. And I'm thrilled to have that subject matter. Expertise on staff. They know everything about how the system runs. And we've taken a lot of the input feedback and how we develop our deployment. Modeling for

Hamilton's from them. >> Perfect seeing no additional questions from council members. I just wanted again to take the opportunity. I know there are a lot of other people that worked on this, but to thank you guys for your hard work and dedication and seeing something that needs to be fixed taking the initiative to to see it through. So thank you very much. And with that, we will go over 10 mountain City clerk for public comment. Thank you, Mayor. We are now taking public comment on the consent calendar. If you are in the chamber and would like provide comment but have not yet provided a speaker card or your name. >> Please make your way to the podium. You'll have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer will alert at the end of that period. We're going to start with Erica. The >> Good afternoon. City Council. Mayor Rogers, vice mayor's staff managers, men. I'm here from the Sonoma County Library and the library And I'd like you to support agenda item. 4.8, the resolution to accept and expand grant funds from the State Library. The California State Library for the building forward Together program when the state Library announced 2 years ago that they had 476 million dollars for infrastructure for libraries in the state. This was an unprecedented amount of funds that is really a one time. I one time amount of money that we will be able to take advantage of with the state's current budget woes. I'm not I'm not very confident that we will be seeing any future funds from the state. So it's really important that we take

advantage of this opportunity. The library has agreed to work with the city and part of the matching funds for this project. The totals for the project is 1.7 million dollars and focuses on the hvac upgrades electrical upgrades. As you know, the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County is experiencing unprecedented climate events with and quality index problems and making these repairs and upgrades to the Northwest Library. Ensure that our residents and our patrons will be able to enjoy a facility that has the most systems and has clean air cooling center. So I urge you approve this request and look forward to working with you Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be 2 Wayne followed by Gregory. >> use the overhead again. Okay. We'll do. This helps me focus better. I can see that that that small stuff. My name is doing with grows London. I'm real concerned on couple of items. One being the South. Santa Rosa specific plan. Document right here. Points out something that I think really needs to be brought in to your attention over and over. And that's that this is Rose line right here as the city and the county agreed on 37 years ago. All right. That's the boundaries of Roseland. These are the boundaries of Bellevue right here. 37 years ago, going all the way down there. Road. As

you do your deliberations. Keep in mind that 35 years ago. Basically we were already talking about how the city was going to annex certain spots. This was all in the county at the time. Roseland on the county, Bellevue on the county, city the county island by making these annexations 94 95. And then surprisingly, they did not realize that that County island was going to make it even harder to get this stuff down here on Moreland Avenue at Todd Road into the city. So now you're talking about doing that with a specific plan and I'm here to make sure that you have authentic community engagement during that specific plan. I was a member of the Roseland Sebastopol Road specific plan, effort and there was authentic community engagement. It was all top down. We were limited by what they said was Brown act restrictions. And that's not the way the brow supposed to be utilized, supposed to allow the public to actively participate and have even more insight and what's occurring. So I wanted to make sure that as you go forward on that, that also tonight you'll be talking about the Herndon Avenue, Avenue Signal. And that's very important because you're going to have an addendum to the e I r from that Rosen specific plan. Please don't keep the public out. Have the public be a part of your deliberation to make sure that you get the best public? I guess the best way to put this a signal that will save lives at Burbank Avenue and Hearne Avenue. We already lost a kid out there on Bellevue College or on Patrick Scott. Patrick drones got

excuse me back in the day. I don't want that to happen again. So get the street light in there as soon as possible. Making it a 4 way. Stop. So that those people who use Herndon Avenue was a raceway and the speedway will have to deal with law enforcement. Thank you kindly for your time. Thank you. The next speaker will be Gregory. >> Good evening. My name is Gregory Fair. And I'm here to talk about it item 14.5, the item just talked about I to served on Citizens Committee for the annexation and this specific area plan development for at that time. Roseland area, as I understand it, this particular item. East of 101, south of 12, its South Santa Rosa. But it's not Roseland it's a south. Mean, it's a plan and a consultant. You're hiring in order to do I think of his peddler Hill Road. If I'm wrong, I apologize. But I would like to say that I think you ought to be doing the same kind of citizen engagement that you did for Roseland, which I served. Sure it had problems, but I think we've come a long way since then. I'm totally confident in your staff member's desk and the rest who can help us get citizen engagement in this South. Santa Rosa, specific area plan and I support thank you. >> Thank you, mayor. A c no one else approaching the podium We do have one more speaker on the consent calendar. To forgive >> again, about environmental engineering. Just we can get. Asked this. When it's mentioned by library director

that it's important to get the funding from the city. For the county Library of the Northwest. Is the meaning of that? Is that the cities control the properties? Where the county libraries are. For instance, the downtown library. So if you're ever talking to library about dealing with something particularly environmental issue, with regard to the Central Library. The pond and say everything is maintained by the city in the city owns this property. And in particular exactly what the director said. Been an issue at Central Library. In other words, the heating and ventilating goes out. It's a magnificent building. I'm really fantastic Open space is terrific. It has a large flat roof. We know she and when the heat gets on It's an enormous load. There's people inside the people load and then the heat from from the tremendous load on that. And the blows out the air conditioning and I suggested trying it, which goes nowhere is that we have a demonstration for us just out to west of town. And they have very, very palm trees, 60, 80 feet tall. And if some of them were planted along the West side of the Central Library, you would believe much of the heat load on the flat roof. Tremendous amount and then their decision was so in the winner, the drop their leaves and the sun shines. You don't have to heat in the shade of that. So kind of passive. Effect benefit the

air-conditioning and heating. You could do the same thing on out the Northwest Library that along instead of shorter community of trees, if you will, along the western side of the northwest live or you could have taller trees that are deciduous that would shaded, you know, Prince, a plea during really not when it's but in the afternoon, actually gets hotter in the afternoon. And kuz. For whatever reason the sun is able to get through the Giannis fear and so easier in the atmosphere. When it's on Why that does seem like it's real or possible. But that's what happens. And it gets harder in the afternoon with the afternoon. Sun is able And if you have those trees, you you could alleviate a lot of that looting. Lot of that cost. This MAY be totally necessary, but you could benefit your electrical usage by reducing that and having that Loot Minister, thank you. >> Thank you, MISTER Ailes. We have any additional speakers on item 12. The consider 14 the consent calendar. Victoria Yanez for item 14. Thank you. Go ahead. I wanted to address the homeless proclamation. Emergency. Homeless Emergency proclamation. I was homeless action, exclamation point. >> my concern is that we have and and the homeless proclamation. While people are freezing, their bottoms off right now. We do not have a warming center open. I'm going address that and my other public comment. I would have liked to have seen a report

from the homeless coalition. I noticed it was a possibility on the agenda. Was looking forward to it that there was no reward. The other item under number 14. Is. The Sam Jones Hall. It's a real that. We have folks. There's a person right here that has been trying to get into. Sam Jones has not been able to. So we need to maybe open another all I don't know. I don't know what the answer is because I'm just here to make noise and be about the situation the way it is now because I know people are freezing. There is a van and private persons. Going around picking up people and taking them Sebastopol because that was the only warming center But all this applies kind of did the same thing. And will comment further in public comment. Thank you. >> think fire. >> All right. Seeing no additional public comment on the consent items placed me or are there any comments from council members? Seeing none vice mayor is that? Can you please make a motion? >> Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to move that we approve items. 14.1 through 14.6 14.8 through 14.15 with item 14.7 move to a date uncertain. >> We have a motion made by Vice mayor staff a second by Councilmember MacDonald. MADAM City Clerk 3. Please call the vote. Thank Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember Okrepkie. Councilmember MacDonald. I councilmember funding. Parents. I vice mayor step. I Mayor Rogers, I let the record show this past 6 affirmative votes in

Councilmember Rogers, absent. Will now go to item 15, which is our public comment on non agenda. >> MADAM City Clerk. Thank you. We're now taking. Public comment on item 15 non agenda matters. This is a time where any person MAY address the council on matters not listed on the agenda. But within the subject matter jurisdiction of the council. Please make your way to the podium. If you'd like to provide public comment on this item. You have 3 minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. Take 12 speakers under item 15. If we have more than 12 public comments. 4 item 15, we take the remainder at item 19. The first public speaker will be Elon followed by Twain to it. Thank you. Dwayne. Please go ahead. Understood. Here we go. >> get that right there. >> My name is doing to from Roseland most of my life. Always. And from Santa Rosa, but always letting people know the Rosen was to the west and outside of the city limits of the time that I was growing up. >> This area here was forced into the city by Ernie Carpenter, the supervisor for the 5th district of Sonoma County. Back in 1996 when he said he wasn't going to allow you folks to create a county island and go out to get Bellevue Ranch, which is down here on Herndon Avenue. So this was the first part of Rose and they got an extended after. This section here along Highway 101 was part of Santa

Rosa. Those people, the only part in all of that area of Rosen was this little sliver which you can barely see where my finger nail is. That's called South Davis Park right now. And there's a number of people who've been looking this whole area needing more small parks. >> And the dilemma is the recreation and Parks department felt well, they'll just do one can be done and have it be this community park. They want to put up here in this general area and people are like, well, wait a second. The people that you're putting the housing in appear for they need parks, the people that you're putting the housing in over here, they need parks, parks need to be down here. We're not getting these parks because the city council's not pushing the city manager and the recreation and parks director to go after the smaller parks. And this is what truly needed. And this was pointed out in Rosen revitalization, studying from 2000, back in there was a redevelopment project during which I was on the elected committee of and we knew then we needed to have more small parks. And essentially it's just been a can kick down the road now for a quarter of a century. So I'm hoping that you folks, we'll take the initiative as council members and say we want small parks like home ballpark, North Park, Fremont Park that the city of Santa Rosa has scattered in other areas and let Roseland have 6 or 7 of these small parks up along the North side of basketball road near Highway 12 over on the West side out by Stony Point

Road, there was a plan to have a park along Roselyn Creek to the west near Stoney Point Road and what was called the Rosen Creek concept Plan of 2004. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Kerry followed, followed by Johanna. Gary. He can. We get Johanna to a podium followed by Janet. >> I'm looking for Gary Johanna. Okay, please. Go ahead, John. A >> mayor and members of the Santa Rosa City Council. I'm James, a Santa Rosa resident for over 45 years on Lance Drive. You're Jennings Avenue. I appreciate how much the city council has had to deal with over the past several years. And the many challenges which continue to confront our city. Even so today I ask you to devote some attention to the still closed Jennings Avenue, pedestrian and bicycle. Real crossing and develop whatever actions necessary for the crossing finally to be constructed in reopened. Residents of businesses and services on both sides of the real line have been waiting for many years. Now, a brief review in 2015 after much public input studied planning Santa Rosa applied to the cpu. See the California Public Utilities Commission, which has exclusive authority over such approvals for approval to construct a pedestrian and bicycle at great crossing at Jennings. In 2016, the cpu see also after much public input into consideration, not only improved in that rain crossing but also ruled conclusively

against any elevated crossing, then smart, which traditionally supported the approval first delayed construction and then opposed to crossing reportedly seeking an indemnification agreement from the city and then claiming the crossing would be unsafe despite the cwc approval. By 2022. With the crossing still build. The cpu see had reaffirmed and extended the approval for more even over smarts objections in 2023, the most recent approval was to expire in SEPTEMBER. So when AUGUST the city filed for yet another extension, the cpu sees administrative law. Judge is questioning the long delay, however, and has now ruled, quote in the event that an agreement to construct a real crossing is not reached by March. 1st in order to show cause hearing will be set where the city of Santa Rosa will be provided with an opportunity to show cause why the commission should continue to extend the deadline for the completion of the crossing, end quote. In other words, the cpu see won't necessarily support the stalemate for ever. Reportedly continuing. Delay now is due to Smart's demands for exceptional insurance or indemnification to be provided by the city for the Jennings Crossing, unlike any other crossing in the city, even though the approved safety features Jennings will make it among the best protected. Why is Jennings singled out for such demands perhaps more to the point

considering s'mores, intransigence, what might the city do? Perhaps through legal action if need be to be able to move forward with this project. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Janet followed by areas and this is for item 15 public comments on non agenda matters. Good evening Council. >> My name is Co. I've lived on Jennings Avenue in Northwest Santa Rosa for 23 years. For 8 years, I've been an advocate for building an act rail at grade rail Jennings. And you heard some of the history, but I'll repeat of a bit here in case you didn't know there had been an informal pedestrian path over those tracks and Jennings for over 100 years prior to 2016, people use the path to really reach businesses services, cetera, on east and west, both west and east side. When smart service began, the path was fenced off and a detour was put in on North Dutton and Guerneville Road and it which and increased the trip by about half a mile and up to 20 to 30 minutes longer. Just a walk. East West, my neighbors and other supporters collected hundreds of signatures. We we attended public hearings. We wrote letters to the city, at Cetera. We organized a public hearing which a judge from San Francisco attended the crossing was approved. And you heard a lot of history from Japan We've had 8 I feel I'm disappointed that the city seems to have lost interest

and forgotten in the northwest and the crossing that would reunify or neighbor Hood. I would remind you that Jennings crossing is part of the Jennings Bike Boulevard and Highway 101 by bridge. That is in the Santa Rosa General plan given intensifying chaos in the climate. I would think it desirable for Santa Rosa to be as pedestrian and bike friendly as possible. Why is it so difficult in taking so long to restore one safe car free path that is so obviously wanted by the community has the blessing of the cpu c and supposedly the city of Santa Rosa and that has funding climate change is happening. Population is growing on the northwest side. We we have lots of housing being built. We have this MARCH first deadline for the city and smart to move forward with an agreement. Time is running out. I urge you City Council to please put Jennings on crossing on the council agenda as soon as possible. And invite any of you who would like to literally walk the path with me as the judge did back in 2016 to contact me and will make a date. Thank you. Thank you. The next public comment will be from Harris followed by Thomas. >> Please go ahead. Errors. The executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. >> We are also supporters of great Jennings crossing and I don't think I can add anything to what the 2 previous speakers already said about the necessity for that. But the other thing that I wanted to comment about, usually when I show up in front of you, it's to ask you for something or to complain about something.

>> But I also wanted tonight give some thanks and gratitude and praise last year. We have seen >> renewed energy and activity in creating other bike infrastructure. The class 4 bikeways that were built. The first one is the city of done on armory. I'm seeing new bike racks popping up all over downtown. Lowering speed limits in different parts of the city is really crucial for The draft transportation moment of the general plan prioritizes active transportation or individual vehicles. And I am so so excited. They you have just fired and Hennessy. >> For the new director of public transportation and public works. I have been following Austin, Texas and what they have been doing to build out their bike network and they've been doing fabulous things. And so I am so excited to have an individual who was very involved in all of that coming to our city. These energy enthusiasm of of the newer transportation planners is is so infectious and I'm just really excited to see what comes next. Thank Thank you. The next speaker will be Thomas followed by Jodi. Still ahead comments. Can use certainly? >> Hopefully this hopefully is right side up for you so this doings annexation Exhibit from 1995, and it shows annexation of the center's airport 1988. >> And so this is the area that we're talking about that

will contribute to 2 Hurt Avenue because there is no Bellevue crossing right? And so I want to point out that there isn't new >> there are many. >> Roundabouts. This is a This is this is Rohnert Park and Southwest. Rohnert Park in Southwest. You can get an idea of where it is. This is in the Netherlands. And so there is a new thing. A Turbo roundabout. >> It has these unique extra lanes here. And so I added that to this design because it said potential >> roundabout. And so I added a turbo roundabout with the design. Here are And this is really important in light of those annexations. Those are definitely going to develop areas in high density housing, medium to high density housing and those are going to contribute. And only a total of crossings and 6 lanes to get across in the North. You you have 9 crossings and over 27 liens. It will limit or 12 crossings of 1, 1, of highway 12 on the on the East side that produces a total of 69 crossings for anyone in in the North East. And there's only a total of 5, 27 lanes of crossing for the Southwest and only 3 mean crossings. 2027 lanes. And there's 7 crossing. So you need to add these

crossings. You need I'm not sure if you can see what I'm showing you because the light doesn't appear here. Okay. But this with you. Direct the lanes in ways that are profitable, beneficial. This is what he's been. This design is now being built Gilroy highway. 25 one. 56 just the been used since 1990, in the Netherlands. And they're very accommodating for drivers. They keep the good the comedy to this. That facilitate how they maneuver and so on. So this is our opportunity to do this. Look, we're talking about these generations over which these things This is the time to do this. The designs are available the monies available. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Johnny followed by Jordan. Johnny. Jordan. Please make your way to the podium followed by Zoe. Okay, there you go. Everybody. Thank you for being here tonight. >> My name is Jordan and I here again. >> To urge the City Council to adopt a cease-fire resolution. Today. The Board of Supervisors in San Francisco passed cease-fire resolution. And it is time for Sonoma County to get out from underneath the rock that we've been in for a long time. And it's curious because actually in 1985 cent has county was the second county in California to pass a commitment to divest from apartheid South Africa. So we have been progressive in the past that was actually a resolution where they

committed to divesting from South African apartheid and the resolution that we're asking for is not calling for any action. Other than a statement. Declaring that we're against our tax dollars being used to commit genocide. And I want to thank Mayor Rogers working with us so far and being responsive to our group's request and I want to are other city council members to respond to? The request to meet the constituents that are trying to draft a resolution regarding this matter. More than a half of guys are up for reelection in NOVEMBER. I give you guys the benefit of the doubt because the holidays are just happening. You know, if I were you, I wouldn't respond to our group because we are half the size amount of that are adamant about this issue and if you want to prove to voters that you are accountable and available to them. I would really urge you to to be expedient and responding to us because every day that passes, hundreds of people are dying. Dozens of children are dying. The medical staff that are having to perform amputations on children without anesthesia. Our tax dollars are funding this war. And like I said at the last city Council meeting over 2 million, 2.4 million dollars. Approximately of our money is going towards this from Santa Rosa alone. That could go towards homeless services, education services. We are complicit in this genocide. And I just want and also that I reached out to the

city manager and left a to circle back to accountability. I know Councilmember Chris Rogers is not here right now, but I left a message the city manager because his phone routes to Mayor Rogers Voice mail. So he's not able to be a called by the public. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Johnny Johnny. Are you in the room? >> Thank you. We'll go from to Zoe followed by the Tory a >> hello. >> Want to thank the city Council and Mayor Rogers for hearing us tonight. My name is so weak as were. I small business owner here in Santa Rosa and I'm Jewish. And I'm here to thank you. And hear us, as we say that this genocide. Wrong. And we we. >> My people over here, we are hall that this genocide is being done with our tax money. And me as a Jewish percent. I'm appalled that this is being done in my name. I was raised very tuition. The synagogue I want to keep or school into. I was 15. I'm not informed on this issue. I been connected to it and have learning about it and speaking about it and all my life. And in the last 7500 actually the last 100 years, the Palestinian people have been enduring a brutal military occupation. As of right now over 22,000, Palestinian people have been brutally murdered. We're witnessing a replay of the Holocaust. Being done to the Palestinians. So

this this genocide is not being done in the name of Jewish safety. In fact, this genocide is actually creating more anti semitism and making Jews more unsafe. It is the siege and barbaric conquering to take a team land. Half of those thousands of Palestinian people are children. And babies. The only difference. Between this Holocaust now and the whole cost. In the 40's. Was that we actually have a chance to do something about this now. And are looking to you. To represent We're looking to you to do the right thing. So I'm just begging you to call and adopt our seats for resolution. Help stop this genocide. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Victoria followed by trade. >> You can go ahead. Make your way to the opposite. Podian law Ms Yanez mixer. Comment. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Victoria on is the is to be honest. I was homeless action, exclamation point. The couple of other groups. But that very upset about. The homeless situation. >> Here in this city. >> we have no warming centers open. I call to 1, 1, I think yesterday and they could not directly anywhere. For my friends that are out in the cold. Because as you know, Sam Jones, a Now. This is a very difficult situation for the poorest people in our community. Because given the city's towing policy to tell anybody who's out of registration. Instead of going by the state. >> Rule knowing when it's out of registration for 6 months. >> We should let that rules stand. And we urge the City

Council to change the policy that they're directing the police department to do to the Boris people of our community. Speak because when you look at all of this together, it's year now. Because first of all, they're getting towed Every time they turn around. Now the camping are starting to come forth. Because you can't sweep anywhere in the and then the city also adopted the type ordinance. So all paints a picture that is pretty sad. I don't think it's an accurate number, but they were 79. The seas told people memorialized on DECEMBER. 21st here at the Arlene Francis Center. And it's really sad that I knew a lot of people on the list. But I think tonight. We might be starting the list form. 2024. Because this list was compiled from the coroner's Office of Persons who were homeless. That dime. Since I have 14 seconds, i want to say cease-fire already. I've heard of an eye for an eye, but this is going too far. We need to stop this city council. Please pass an ordinance or resolution about this. Thank thank you. The next speaker will be trade followed by Hannah. >> Rabies. Go ahead. I'm from I'm relatively new. I've been here about a year and a half and I am currently homeless. >> I find that in most areas what resources are available are even known to most homeless. I found out about Sam don't hold by seeing a folder across the counter with

the name on it. And it rained familiar to me because I know someone named Sam Jones home. Only reason I found shelter. The allowed you to stay for 6 months. And if you follow all the rules are good kid. They like to stay for a full 6 months and then your exit have to go back on a waiting list. I'm back on that waiting list. And since Thursday, they haven't been able to tell me where I stand on that list. I'm living in my car with no heat, no defrost, which makes it very Dan. I am a medically at-risk person. I went into the hospital a couple of days before Christmas and had a lovely doctor who let me stay. Until the next day to talk to a social worker who promptly told me there are no beds in Sonoma County. So back to my car, I go. Now we have down into the temperatures of freezing. I don't know if you're aware of it, but most of your new refrigerators are sent to an automatic 34 degrees 2 degrees above freezing. We have been in that area. Imagine sitting inside your refrigerator for 24 hours. Then imagine it raining. Where do you go? What do you do? We all need to be somewhere preferably war and dry. I also like to think that. We could look at the homeless with new eyes and realize that we are not all criminal. Not all. Medic, you know, mentally ill that take care of some of our needs, that we are people who simply need a hand up, not a handout.

And do something instead of cutting numbers instead of the mayor walking through Sam Jones and seeing what is not really the reality of it. I don't know what to say, but I know we need some help. So for your homeless proclamation. I think you need to open communication with more of us who have been and maybe are there now. So that we can do something positive for everybody, not just the homeless, but for everyone. Thank you for your time. Thank you. >> Next speaker will be Hannah followed by Lexi. Hanna, Lexi Michael. Hannah. Are you in the room? Lexie? Are you in the room? Please go ahead. Lexi. >> Good evening. Can hear me. Yes, yes. There are 50,000 pregnant women in Palestine, 150 women give birth every day without electricity medication and water on a day that should be joyous. It is filled with and I'm here as a mother and the residents to employee implore you to pass a cease-fire resolution. >> Because I want my children to grow up. In a country that they that does not fund wars and is not complicit in a genocide. >> We should follow the leads. I've San Francisco and pass a cease-fire resolution. We must stop this genocide. >> Thank you. The next speaker is Michael. Michael. Please make your way to the West. Thank you. Please. Go ahead. >> Everyone, I'm I'm Michael to town. I'm member of the Sonoma County tenants Union. I live in Santa Rosa. I meant I live in district 2 and I'm I'm

here to also encourage you to pass a cease-fire resolution. It's important that we set an example of how we want the government at large to behave on this issue because the U.S. Bears particular responsibility for the atrocities that are currently being committed against Gaza. And it's important to stand with our Palestinian and stand against Anti-Semitism. And those 2 things are absolutely not in contradiction at all. So I encourage you to pass and draft a cease-fire resolution so that we can stand for peace and we can stand for safety for everybody. I also want to encourage you to find solutions to keep the warming Chantel. Char open, too, because the rules around the warming way too stringent. It has to be below a certain temperature for multiple days. It's 28 degrees or, you know, sometimes it's 37 that there have to be all these other conditions. It's just too stringent. I I know from stepping outside and talking to people that it's too cold for me to be out there and it's cold enough that if my mom sleeping outside, I'd definitely worried that she would die. And so I really encourage us to get the warming shelter open more often so that people are not sleeping in this weather and are not reliant on, you know, methods of keeping themselves warm, that the city's from frowning upon and trying You know, further prevent people from doing. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be miles. Miles is the

next speaker. And that will be speaker on item 15 non agenda. Public comments, mayor, we'll take the remaining public comments on non agenda matters under item 19. Please go ahead. Testing testing. Thank you. >> Hello, my name is miles service will I work as the sturgeon field specialist for Land House. I spent all them for us today. Doing wildfire fuel Also a wildland firefighter I also sit on the board of directors of snow in county, acts of kindness you know, I work high schoolers every Saturday teaching them how to Stewart r when this promo me walking. We land and I teach them how to fell trees. How to clear brush. Right? Pierre and corridor trails all that. Through the beekeepers. We go to schools and teach kids about bees and pollination. And I don't how I could look any of them in the eye. If were doing. What i think you're doing, which is not calling for a cease-fire. 10,000 Palestinian children are dead. They didn't do anything. I'm I think there's about 35,000 kids in Santa Rosa. That's a 3rd of the population of Santa Rosa's children. And every day you have the power. To say the bearman. I'm not asking you to learn Israeli Palestinian relations. I'm not asking for lessons on settler colonialism. I'm asking for the bare minimum. Which is to say that the murder of children is wrong and it should stop right now. And every every day that doesn't happen. I don't I don't know. I couldn't do what I think is happening. I couldn't do that. I would have to do something else. And so I have to ask

myself when it comes time for reelection. Is that the person that I want representing me and the children of Santa Rosa. I don't know. I don't think about people. I don't think you hate children. I but I don't know why this isn't happening. Why? Why the cease-fire as and why this isn't happening like yesterday. So I see on your wall here. You have the environment now and 30 years. That's that's me out there. I'm teaching future generations how to take care of this county how to Stuart, this county, how to keep our rivers and streams and our for safe. I'm asking you to show them that you would keep them safe. No matter where they are. These are children. Let's do the right thing. This isn't too much to ask. >> Thank you. Mayor. That concludes public comment on item 15 non agenda matters. Thank you. We have no report items today. So we'll go on to public hearing. >> That we have city manager item 17 point want. The public hearing public hearing on the school. Fiscal year 2024, 25 budget priorities. >> Good afternoon. Mayor and city council members I'm bringing in for you today. A public hearing on the budget priorities for fiscal year. 24 25. The purpose of this budget hearing today is to receive public input on budget priorities for the next fiscal year and also receive public input for council goals. This public hearing is something we hold annually. It's requirement of the city charter and it's just an

opportunity for the public and the citizens to come forward and offer their feedback on where they would like the available resources of the next fiscal year budget to go. If the public is not able to be here in person today, we do accept public comment online at sr City Dot org forward slash budget comments. So as we hear public comment today, we're going to take this into consideration during the budget cycle which gets kicked off at the end of this month. Council goal setting will happen on FEBRUARY 6th and 7th at which Time Council members will also take into account. The public comment heard today FEBRUARY through MAY departments in the city manager work collaboratively with these public priorities in mind to build out the department budgets. We will bring forward a study session to council on MAY 7th and 8th to offer an in-depth look at the budgets that have been put together. And that we anticipate having a draft of the budget document available to the public on JUNE 3rd, 2024, and in the final step in our budget process is the adoption hearing on JUNE 18th? So this is a very short presentation for you today. I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any. But the main reason we're here is just to receive Thank you. Thank you. And with that introduction, we will go ahead and open the public hearing. >> city clerk me please facilitate public comment on this item. Thank you, mayor. We're now taking public comment on item 17.1, the public hearing on the budget. If you're in the council chamber would like to comment but have not yet provided your name to this or a speaker card to the administrator. Please do so. And then make your way to the podium. You'll have 3 minutes and a countdown. Timer will alert at the end of that period. The first public

comment will be from. Dwayne followed by heiress. 2004, there was a >> Roseland Creek concept plan adopted by the city of Santa Rosa. >> To this day is still not been implemented. And all this time there has been funding that comes in for development, impact fees for parks. Recently under the last administration of the previous Mayor, Chris Rogers, it was decided that rather than have the Southwest area specific development impact fee for parks to be used just there that these fees can be used throughout the city. I do believe the city of Santa Rosa has a moral obligation to help those people in the southwest area in the Roseland annexation area to get the facilities that they need and were promised years ago. The best way to have this happen is to follow along with the same approach that being so successful for the Southeast Greenway. The city has been partnering with those folks. The city has done awful lot to help make sure that the southeast Greenland will go forward and we for years and Rosalynn have been saying over Southwest Greenway and you should link us in to the South East Greenway and the Southwest should have just as much impact on your decision making as the Southeast has we realize we're not as

financially one might say powerful as those people in the northeast sections in the southeast sections of Santa Rosa. But there's 16,000 people and the general area of the Roseland District right now. And the city's own numbers state that they expected to grow 24,000, more people coming in to the southwest, as you do your South Santa Rosa annexations along Moreland Avenue. 40,000 people over on the southwest side of Santa Rosa. That would really appreciate if you use development impact fees for all those housing developments. Those thousands of housing units going in now to provide the parks along Roselyn Creek that were a part of the Rosen Creek concept plan in the past. Plus, put the park's up along the Joe or do trail in the past. They were called out on documents. We could see that there was going to be supposedly parks in those areas so far, nothing. So now is the time that you folks could step up and say we're going to do that with our budget, especially before the state starts to cut back because of their structural deficits. I've heard the I operate on a deficit. Also, but please use your money where it's most needed Southwest and Roseland. Thank you kindly. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be areas followed by Gregory. Please go ahead. And heiress Weaver, it's no county bicycle coalition. As I said earlier, the city has been making progress in moving

about improving a bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in a way that makes a safe for people of all ages and abilities. But if the city is going to reach our goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions moving more people out of private cars and into active transportation and other forms of transit progress has to me made faster than it has transportation is truly going to be a priority of the city's, how else do we show what's a priority then by how put it in the budget. I spent a good chunk of the afternoon going this current fiscal year's budget trying to see if I could pull out what is the sort of percentage of transportation dollars that are specifically focus bicycle and pedestrian stop. And it's kind of hard to get that out of there because some projects kind of cover both. But going through the cip budget. I came up with somewhere between 10 and 12% of that budget being spent on bike and pedestrian improvements with close to half of that going for 2 projects, the current avenue likes change and the one-on-one contest run by Corey Crossing which are important projects. There's a lot of those other smaller projects that I was mentioning earlier, like more bike paths, more bike parking and other things that are needed to complete out this network as well. So I would love to see the city in the budget said a specific percentage of the

transportation budget. 20%. 25% a minimum amount of if basically put the put the money where the goals stated goals are. >> And really get it done. If we're going to address these issues of climate change >> that we care about so much. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I did want to remind public commenters that if you submitted a written public comment by the deadline of 05:00pm yesterday, it was Republic as a public comment in this is not a second opportunity to make another public comment. And this is just to keep the expeditious being heard. It was republic this afternoon or this morning and any late public comments received will be published tomorrow. Go to Gregory followed by >> My name is Gregory Fair. And I'll be as quick as I can. Housing, especially for low-income. And I know you'll probably be working hard as I will to try to pass in NOVEMBER of 2020 for the Housing Bay Area. Bond but 121 million to 241 million dollars coming to Santa Rosa. If it passes. We do a significant I make a significant dent in the low income housing needs of this city. You'll hear from Jan Age who also, I assume a strong support for the measure. The 2 would be affected and impacted by 121 to 242 million dollars starting about JANUARY FEBRUARY, MARCH of 2025. So it is the fiscal year we're talking about. I want you to try to make every effort to have your housing authority and your home was a staff

prepare the best expenditure report the most effective soon as possible. Get some housing build if it passes. And I hope everyone in this room votes for it. The second I want to advocate for is for civic engagement. Your community advisory board needs the support of this council and it needs to be directed to try to engage citizens as much as possible in all of your decisions. I have other advocates that positions i want to advocate, but you people here to speak for them. Obviously bicycle past. Obviously anything getting out of cars. And finally, as you've heard from tonight and you should hear constantly parks, Southeast Greenway. Parts all over the city. Those 4 things, housing civic engagement, bicycle paths and parks. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. The next public comment will be from followed by Steve. Good evening, Jews, vice mayor stabbed City Council members. My name is Hensel co-chair of the Southeast Greenway Campaign and I Live at 13. 54 you a little bit. Difficult decisions will be made in the next 4 months. That will affect each and every department in the city. What can and cannot be done. It's a complex in strategic decision-making process and I applaud all of you for the work that lies ahead. It's not an easy job. I can't thank the planning and real estate departments enough for stewarding us through the laborious process of the Greenway acquisition for the

last 15 years. And now the property will be ours when the new budget is set in place. Most of you know, that this is not the first nor will it be the last time that be here before you with an ask. It's critical that we continue to have staff support for the next steps, the greenway planning and maintenance. Most of you know, that the campaign with our amazing partner, Sonoma Land Trust have raised the money for acquisition over 2 million dollars. We intend to remain partners with the city volunteering and raising money to see the community vision become reality. I want to welcome Don t Watson, the new park director and ask him ask you to give him the tools that he needs to bring fresh new ideas to our park system. We look forward to working with him. As a former member of the Bicycle Coalition board. I also want to welcome the new transportation director, Dan Hennessey. As Harris mentioned, we're really pleased to have him in town and we want to thank him for his focus on multi-modal transportation as the Greenway becomes another link in the safe cycling chain in this city. I asked tonight Fund parks. Make the Greenway a priority goal and give us a seat at the table. Thank you. Thank you. The next public comment will be from Steve followed by Jane. Steve Rabinowitz. >> Good evening. Mayor Rogers and city Council members, Steve Urban, which I'm a resident of Santa Rosa addressing you today to support more funding for the maintenance and improvement of our parks and public places. And I consider these

investments in our community. I'm currently involved in 2 projects that will greatly benefit Santa Rosa in the end and our environment. The Southeast Greenway project into Prince for Memorial Greenway. The city has been instrumental in working with the Southeast Greenway campaign in the Cinema Land Trust acquire the property from Caltrans. We're now very close to achieving the goal of city ownership of the property is just mentioned, this devoted group of citizens has been involved with this project for over 14 years and intends to help in any way we can. As I'm sure, you know, it will be necessary to increase funding for maintenance and operations of the Greenway. The campaign intends to work with the land trust in the city in obtaining grants for the Parks master plan. The real Greenway is a wonderful Creek Restoration Project is, you know, with bike trails connecting throughout Sonoma County along the smart rail line. The the trail to West County and all the way to the Laguna de Santa Rosa along Santa Rosa Creek has many connections potentially to Northwest Santa Rosa as well as well as to the Southeast Greenway along Sonoma Avenue. It's in need of increased maintenance and improvements in several areas. It was built in the 1990's and over 30 years ago, there was there has been a lot of activity, a lot of issues that have been dealt with. Damaged in certain areas, but it's still has great, great potential to link different parts of our

community and to be part of our environment and part of our economy, I might say because if we want to attract residents to the community and to downtown, it's a big part of what could be used to entice people to come. The new group, the friends of the principal Morial Greenway is formed comprised of neighbors, community members, the Railroad Square Association, the Hyatt Hotel in Courtyard, Marriott, and we're all working together to improve the Greenway and various city departments have been very, very helpful. The creek stewardship in the water Department public works. The city's art program. The police department in the Parks department and which we have upcoming meeting with our new parks director Dante Watson, who reached out to us. We appreciate this assistance and we're hoping to continue to partner with the city to improve the greenway for better maintenance, new public art, more public events that hopefully we're going to work on and other improvements to the Greenway. Thank you very much. >> The next public speaker will be. I mean, the next speaker will be Jane followed by Joshua Hello. >> My name is Jane Rosenberg and Yvonne Stewart Street in Santa Rosa and have worked at the Santa Rosa Junior College is a math teacher for the past. 35 years I've been a volunteer for the Southeast Greenway for well over a decade. The city council has been very supportive along the way. And together, we're celebrating the good fortune of acquiring the property in 2024. The Greenway raise the money to make this purchase and fundraising efforts will continue to support the master

park planning of the Greenway. Our next phase is to speak to the Bennett Valley neighbors, school principals, teachers and parents to encourage their participation in the future planning and the Greenway, the proximity of 6 schools near the Greenway can offer upturn opportunities such as service learning outdoor ad and the bikes to school program will be greatly enhanced. My point today in speaking is to remind our city council to ensure that the city parks are given the necessary budget to maintain our parks in general and selfies. Greenway. After the acquisition of the property, the committee wants to efforts to support the project. Imagined the bike path from Forest Hill to spring-like. It will be advertised interest magazines around the Globe. Santa Rosa is already known as a cycling destination. And the Greenway will add more opportunities for safe cycling and tourist destinations for the city and the county. In this budget year. We hope the city will provide the needed funds to support the work of the Parks department in court, including the capital improvement and maintenance. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker will be Joshua followed by Ow. >> Good evening. Mayor Vice-mayor staff council members and staff. Name is the director of special initiatives that generation housing thank you very much for Members of the public in the budget planning process. We need a budget that reflects the city's needs and no single area of the budget has a wider impact on cost of living economic production, climate and quality of life and

housing. And I want to mostly thinking today for initiating steps that will ensure our budget reflects housing is a top priority, particularly through steps to assessing reform or existing impact fees and a lot of small budget amount to enable this. We know that when it comes to the cost of housing very little is under the control of local governments. Ty material costs, labor shortages extraordinarily high interest rates are immensely hard for cities to counteract. So when cities take action on the cost that they do control in this case, impact fees, it is clearest sign that you all are using your budgeting powers to prioritize affordable housing. It shows residents that you are aware of how cities can spur housing and you are maximizing your rule. In closing the financing gap for new housing. In addition by considering affordable fee relief rather than just deferral, your signaling to everyone here, a willingness to move from incremental reforms to implementing the best known model employed in places like Sacramento, where $0 rates fee waiver has completely flipped its past under production of affordable housing there. They have 3 times the number of affordable housing the first 3rd of their last cycle as the in the first 6. And so the program was so successful that they renewed stipulations. And Santa Rosa has got the mitigation Fee reserves to do it. And you could be poised to join Sacramento as a model for the rest of the state. Although it's only a small budget adjustment. It's and it's an important one that we're

talking about this today, planning to agendas immediately following a study session later this quarter. And we look forward to talking about this more in coming weeks. So thank you very much for your continued diligence on the best practices for getting housing thank you very much. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Jen followed by Outman Alexa. We on good evening thanks. >> Jen, Close executive director of Generation Housing. Good to be with you tonight, Mayor Rogers, Vice Mayor staff council members, MADAM City manager. For 5 years, housing production has been in top priority for the since we've made limited progress. On that. And the need has not changed. I assume your main priority. And budgeting is the walk. 2 goals and priorities talk. This is how you walk the talk of priorities. Unfortunately, our current economic climate threatens to reduce production to a trickle. And the last time the economy shut down production. The great reception recession. That shutdown lasted 10 years a decade more than twice as long as the actual recession. Some disasters are obvious fires, flood pandemics. This economic, this economic at climate is just as disasters, just maybe not as obvious. This council and staff has responded disaster with appropriate speed and can do spirit the resilient city rebuilding permit center, for example, open just 6 weeks after the start of the 2017 wildfires. So this same disaster in necessitates that same kind of bold and swift response. So we think you tonight, as we understand, you plan to add fee relief and swift implementation of ab 602, to a study session that was planned for FEBRUARY 13th, we understand take a little more time to prepare for this. And so we look forward to look forward to it being scheduled

in MARCH and will be here with you for that. And we strongly urge you to schedule an action item concurrent with that study session or at the very least the next scheduled council meeting. Please. Let's treat the situation with the urgency, it demands and get these powerful solutions on agenda for action. Before the end of q one, we cannot risk another decade's long hauled in construction, not well. The food bank lines grow that I know you see like I do not want housing affordability drives folks onto the street. Not families are living precariously paycheck to paycheck for going healthcare. Terrified of a surprise car repair. Not while we can't hire enough teachers or health care professionals, not well. Our workforce moves far away or clouds or freeways commuting in from cheaper air areas and not while we continue to fail to attract new business, we cannot wait. So consider this an urgent item and we look forward to being here before q Thank you for your service as always and in advance as you step into this leadership, bold solution, mine in leadership on housing that the city desperately needs from you. Thanks. Next. Speakers Al Lerma followed by Alexis Forester. >> good evening, everyone. My name is I work with them do to food park over the Rosen section of Santa Rosa. I'm here tonight wearing a hat with the snowmen County Hospitality Association, which I'm a member of the board. We food and beverage hotel lodging, wineries, retail, you name it. Hundreds of businesses in Santa Rosa and

throughout Sonoma County, probably 30,000 plus employees across the county. And so for one of the top priorities of our members and employees businesses, housing, housing, housing, housing. We need a house in the employ about 60 people more or less at the Mathilde. If we parked over best road, one of their needs is housing. And so tonight we're asking you to really make that a priority in the budget. We think housing, particularly affordable workforce, housing is at the Center of Economic Development and resilience for our local economy without housing for folks in the community. We can have all the other good stuff that was mentioned here tonight. And so we're asking you to please consider a waiver of impact specifically for affordable workforce housing as you go forward in the budget priorities for the New year, I think as has been mentioned, other communities have have used a fee waivers as incentives to expediting salary housing, Sacramento, San Jose Oakland, San Mateo. So we do believe that any removing any barriers to expand housing stock in Santa Rosa is critical to our economic development. So and also, I think it's been to please add this to your next study session as a topic of discussion with that. Thank you very much. >> Next step is Alexa followed by Rick Wallach. >> Good evening. Can you hear me? This MAY from. >> Good evening, mayor and council members. My name is Alexa Forster. I'm a Santa Rosa resident. Mother of 2 kids in Santa Rosa schools and a full-time professor. It as our j c I'm also one of the

co-leads of Bikeable Santa Rosa representatives of our campaign have spoken to before. But just to remind you who we are bikeable Santa Rosa is a campaign of Santa Rosa residents. Advocating for the rapid implementation of a low stress mobility network connecting all neighborhoods in Santa Rosa. People have been joining our by the droves month after month for various reasons. But the common denominator is this the completion of protected connected transportation infrastructure for people outside of cars is absolutely necessary for Santa Rosa to make good on its commitments to equity inclusion, economic opportunity, climate resiliency and vision, 0 traffic safety residents of and visitors to Santa Rosa need options for getting around town without driving. And that requires all of you to be leaders on the matter of multi modal transportation. We are grateful for and encouraged by the leadership you've recently shown on this matter. We applaud the recent hiring of super competent and committed transportation staff members and you're greenlighting of key projects we come today to request that you take additional crucial step of supporting the staff and projects with your budget allocations. Even in the tightest of budget cycles, city general funds get allocated to building and maintaining street infrastructure that occupies and defines the nature of our public right of ways. Our campaign is asking you to in the name of all cities, key values and goals commit to

ensuring that at least 15% as an absolute floor of the general fund spent on transportation projects in the coming year and all future years. He spent on the build out and maintenance of a low stress bicycle network. Our campaign also stands in support of the request by a number of our allies and neighbors here today, including the Saudis, Greenway campaign, friends of the Prince Memorial Greenway. All the greenways generation Housing's request for waving impact fees and Santa rose in bees called to pedestrian dies. 4th street. All of these steps can and help Santa Rosa become more vibrant and resilient city for generations to come. Thank you. Thank you. The next public comment will be from Rich followed by Abby. >> Circa News get a little bit closer to the microphone so we can hear you. >> Oh, there we go. My goodness. Thank you for adding the fee waiver and ab 602, adoption to the future study session. By the way, I'm with Burbank, housing. We recently in 2022 worked closely with the city of Petaluma what they called rather than fee waiver non bill it e of the impact fees for affordable housing and that help tremendously a number of projects in the city of Petaluma for one project of ours alone that created over a million dollars of less gap that the had at that point in time. Appreciate it. We do request concurrent action set for that evening of the study session in the it after that

next council in some the set and approval of that. Thank you again for your commitment to development few reform. And we look forward to continuing this discussion, Thank you. >> Thank you. The next public comment will be from. Abbey followed by. So new. >> Good evening, mayor vice mayor and members of the council. My name is Abby Arnold. And I'm a resident of the Montgomery Village neighborhood. Him here tonight to speak behalf of the housing and bicycles as priorities for you. Coming up, I'm really grateful to hear that you have added the waiver of the housing impact fees and implementation of a b 602, to the agenda of your upcoming study session. >> This is essential to what I think is a very urgent budget priority, which is making it easier and less expensive. >> To build affordable and workforce housing in Santa Rosa. We request you added a concurrent action item for that same evening so that you don't lose any time in implementing the possibilities of the impact waiver be 602, solving the housing crisis should be a top priority for the city. We can demonstrate some of the basic laws of capitalism and the increase in supply will stabilize or lower rents for apartments and purchase prices for condos. Adding more residents near our business center's will provide more people to >> dine shop and enjoy entertainment when they can walk or bike. >> To the businesses. Increased availability of housing will benefit our businesses by adding to their customer base and also make their employees better able to

get to work, being able to get to work without a using a car, being able to bike or walk to work is a huge advantage, both for employers and for employees and that brings me the second point. I want to make please consider adding more protected bike lanes to connect residents to business. Does destinations. I'm 70 years old and I would like to use my car much less. The lack of protected bike lanes makes me scared to use what I have now, which is an adult tricycle to do simple errands, like grocery shopping. My priority would be to add protected lanes to farmers Lane. So I could go to Safeway and to the Saturday farmers I try. But adding to the inventory of protected bike lanes will improve safety for all who bike in any neighborhood after housing adding bike lanes should be an urgent priority for the city. I really thank you for holding this hearing and for considering my input and that of the other folks here here tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be so new followed by Rina than Peter. >> a dear Mayor Rogers and council My name on And the owner and ceo of 10, the hospitality group. I'm here on behalf of my business and my family who? You know, thankful to be living here in the center of the community. Today. I want to address city council with the crucial appeal, which I you know, the Janet's team has done a good job of doing the outreach to

bring this issue, which is already has as the as a community and city of Santa Rosa has done a good job. >> That we have a lot of developments happening in our community whether it's the quarter area of, you know, if you starting in downtown area and then outskirts of of city as well. But it's still a dire need to continue to look at this issue very seriously. And additional steps, especially you know, the the recent interest interest rate change really makes it harder to do. Do these new developments. That means, you know, some of the projects that I have personally learned of that they were in the pipeline and now looking at not I'm not breaking ground because they cannot make a pencil. >> So every little thing that we can do as a city can make a difference so cool. You know, I really I'm glad that and thank you adding a b 602, and a few minute Raber to the conversation already. And we appreciate you to look at seriously and take edition. Those actions as soon as possible. So we can see more of those housing needs. Housing developments happen, especially when you look at, you know, we as a business, we have seen the impacts directly where our employees many times hard to attract you to to the when they cannot get affordable housing. We've seen a big gap between here from Santa Rosa going up through where the rents are like 40% less. And we've seen some time people driving that far and

it's not good for the individuals who are emerging minimum wage a living wage jobs and the driving that much in the community. So that's one item since I'm here. I also want I'm Ed to that. We should look at our schools, you know, and our next 2 priorities. We should also look at what the city do more proactively in our schools that we're not in the news for the wrong reason that we are in news for right reasons. How could be really prioritize? What are those needs for our schools? So children are getting education night in fights while they're in schools. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Reena followed by Peter than Victoria. >> Good Evening Council members. My name is Trina weighing and I'm Santa Rosa native and Santa Rosa resident. I was born and raised Santa Rosa and I went to Montgomery High School when I was in high school. I had the great fortune of being part of an amazing program called Santa Rosa Teen Council founded in 1993. It was an absolutely transformative experience for me as a young Asian American woman. The mentorship that I received the insight into City Council city, government and civic engagement was absolutely incredible. And a really rare and important experience for a young person. So as you consider budgetary priorities for this next fiscal year, I highly encourage you to take a look at the Teen Council proposal. Specifically. I want you to consider the preferred proposal of the youth internship program. I would consider this to be a revision or rather a new version of

Teen Council. It would let you chart their own course and provide numerous educational and engagement activities for these youth. There'd be 7 paid internships, one from each council district. What's amazing about this latest iteration of this Team Council proposal is the incredible equity. Where these you be able to participate who otherwise MAY not be able to afford it. And this will be an amazing experience for them as young people perhaps get the more interested in civic engagement and also too think about their careers as they enter college and beyond. So as you consider budgetary priorities, I highly encourage you not to forget the youth, the youth, the high schoolers here in Santa Rosa, who could benefit from this amazing program. There's incredible value. And I think it's very important to consider. And thank you so much for considering this as a budgetary priority. Thanks. Thank you. The next speaker is Peter followed by Victoria than Ali. >> Good Evening Council. Thank you for the opportunity. My name is Peter Rumble at the pleasure of serving as ceo of the Saint Rose of Metro Chamber of Commerce. At this point, we all have personal experience with the housing crisis beyond the things that we deal with in a professional lives. We read article after article about the increase across the living in a tent ability of housing for our community. We all have experience that personally. I believe that this is the single most important issue for us to deal with as a community. We either do everything that we can to secure our future where we roll the dice on our seniors are young families. Are kids ability to stay return here to

build their own lives. It's because of that that I commend the city of Santa Rosa for adding few waiver and maybe 6, you know, to adoption, to the future study session. It's easy to get s# # # # # into jargon, policy and fiscal analysis. When considering housing issues, it's also sadly easy for the public. Their perceptions about affordable housing. But let's be clear. What we're talking about is making it easier or even just making it possible for people who we consider essential to our allies and art, a community. Average salaries for social workers. Teachers, first responders, construction workers, restaurant workers, retail workers, just to name a few would qualify for the housing we're talking about supporting today. In other words, to borrow from the economist at Glazer, we must free ourselves from the Tennessee to see cities as their buildings. And remember that the real city is made of flesh, not concrete. Investing in housing as an investment in city centered economic development and the quality of life for Santa Rosa families in Santa Rosa's overall sustainability and resilience. And I'm proud to say that the chamber's doing everything that it can to partner on this effort. We are the only chamber of commerce in the country that provides below market rate loans to affordable and workforce housing developments. And I'm always always always always happy to partner with the city on housing as well as other in a related priorities, which I hope you include as well such as downtown revitalization. Overall economic development, expansion of quality childcare in our community and public

safety. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next public commonly from Ali followed by Joe t than Angie. Move along to Joe t j d. They will move it to Angie. >> Good evening, mayor and council members. My name is Andrew Dillon Shore and the executive director of First 5 Sonoma County. Also a member of the board of directors of Lucien Sonoma County. I'm speaking tonight on behalf of both organizations as we are closely aligned in our focus on our community's future. As someone who considers the impact of housing scarcity and the escalating rents almost daily, particularly the impacts on families with young children. Renters. And especially those who live at the margins of our community due to racial and economic disparities, I can say with confidence that the priorities in your next budget will significantly shape the future for these families. The North Bay next action steps are more than just policy recommendations. They are actually essential strategies for survival and growth in Santa Rosa. So I commend the city for adding the fee waiver and ab to adoption to the upcoming study session. This is a huge step in the right direction. We would like echo our community partners that generation housing to strongly urge the council to set a concurrent action item for that evening or the immediate

next council meeting so that you can take action before the end of this 1st quarter. I do want to take this opportunity to appreciate the council for not only recognizing the importance of early childhood development but creating local policy that is informed by that understanding. So I don't need to remind you that disruptions and housing frequent moves, housing, insecurity and homelessness are profound barriers to optimal early brain development and school readiness and learning the research bears this out very clearly. So not only do we have a housing crisis, but we continue to see in for spies, annual assessment that nearly a quarter of our communities. 5 year-old due to disruption in development, lack the necessary readiness to succeed when they start kindergarten. This has massive implications for their future and our community's future. So thank you for your commitment to development. The reform for elevating Santa Rosa's has housing crisis, has a budget priority, investing in housing is an investment in Santa Rosa's economic vitality in the quality of life for our families and in the city's overall sustainability and resilience. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. The next public comment will be from Ali followed by Joe Then Thomas. >> Okay. Will no longer call Ali Joe Thomas. >> think you for the opportunity to speak on the budget priorities. So budget priorities are representative

typical financial tradeoffs. So the example would be park impact fees are really capital improvement in the movies of the in lieu of actually. Dusing the park within the development. So that fees sitting there. But if we can frequently diverted to maintenance. Or for deferred larger parks. So that's sitting there. And the reason is clear. For instance, that you need a 50 million dollar purchases for 1000 units. Means a $15,000 for lot. Rock Rock cost. Where is the profit of those is closer to the $250,000 to $350,000 lot. Single lot in the area. Fountaingrove. So if the for a water. Service water system access of a single lot and they charge the city $15,000 can sense. The raw lot cause. And you think all the on some $15,000. And so it doesn't have a whole lot of meaning. >> But for the developer to $250,000 profit, that the for go for that lack the same thing would be true of a park. A small park, right? So they're not going to give you that park to you that. In lieu fee. And then it's going to go to maintenance. And so you don't get any other parks, accept large part, maybe because there's a climber for parks. But that's the way budgets go right. So rather than just a trade-off. I don't want to talk to you about a trade off. I want to talk to you about you're building 4 lanes. For Hearne Avenue and you're getting too. You can do everything. I said within the budget that you have and there's no additional right of way that's required. It's not a typical trade off. It is a

part of the budget because if you don't do it, you're going to have to solve all the problems that you're going to have with regard to annexation of of those areas in the development that Duane said there's going to be 40,000 people. And that doesn't even include the other areas that are are you next? Once they develop such as that? So so right now there's a solution which is sitting there. We we we have the agreement, the consent agreement on California, Tiger salamanders that requires mitigation banking. But there's no banking those very expensive this new solution that's being offered to Tiger salamander banking. It's going to change. Pricing is going to make that airport a very able to be blown up when it's developed. Now you're going to have a huge traffic from So then you're going to don't have any money. Knew that it's better to solve it with the money you have. Thank you. The next speaker will be Jenny followed by Joe t. >> Good evening, mayor and council members. My name is Jenny barred and I am the PRESIDENT Of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. And I just want to thank you all for this budget hearing process. I really support all of the commenters tonight. It's been a deep breath of Important issues for the city of Santa Rosa. So I appreciate and applaud all all of your work on this. I want to thank you in particular for the wonderful work you're doing on Santa Rosa Avenue. I live in the Burbank Gardens neighborhood and can't wait to ride the bike lane on Santa Rosa Avenue. That will take me straight into downtown very

safely. All the other work you're doing as well. The armory Drive protected bike lanes. The Laura speed limits downtown. I would like to Humble Bike Boulevard added to that list. Protected bike lanes on Herndon Avenue. Eventually your commitment to the highway. 101 overpass we know this is just the beginning. I love seeing that there were 26 letters in your correspondence packet all speaking to the The importance of of protected bike lanes and bicycle infrastructure throughout the city. And I echo the request to said from the bike coalition, at least 25% would be should be our goal. Many of the roadway improvements that need to happen that we all would like to a can improve can include infrastructure as well. You've all heard about all of many goals that investments and bicycle infrastructure will address. Reducing crashes and fatalities addressing a climate emergency. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is really helping many more of our children be able to ride a bike safely, not only in their neighborhoods but to school. Making our city more sustainable and equitable for for all those who can't drive such as children or MAY not be able to. I the way to look at these investments are they will help us today. Most definitely. But they're going to protect lives. Today and for future generations. So for that, thank you so much for

your consideration. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be Joe teen. >> Good Council members of the mayor and city My name is Joe contending with that and the hospitality. I want to speak on houses First of all, I do want to say thank you to the city staff and council member and mayor, the steps that were taken back and the fires that we lost all those highs I would hope that we're almost at 100% of what was lost. I know there's been a proposal getting the impact fee evade. I think I understand city does not control everything. But I think the impact fee is one of those that city does control. If it could be made, it does make or break some of the project either are in the pipeline are either will get in the pipeline. So I on the for every 13 study session, it's look at closely see if that something can be made. And brings more or into our city to do those affordable and workforce housing. I'm so excited about that. We're losing all those workforce from our community that are going to different cities because they can't afford to live here. So I hope this is looked closely. So it is something that could be approved that now as such and the hospitality we're looking at is some work for on scene. And I do see those droppers shoe because they can be. And so these so yeah, thank you. And other thing I want to

mention since I'm here, I'm going to board board of directors on Wednesday, not market. That has been that has been happening for 35 years, which is a on a blank, a lie. That might not happen this coming year. That would be a 36 years that we will be separately sending an email to the council and mayor seeing if certain of those budget could be looked over for the Wednesday night market to keep happening for those next 35 years I have spoken to some of the downtown business owners want to bring saw our community and it Old Square Plus, it does benefit the local owners, businesses that are in downtown. So thank Thank you. >> There are no additional are people that have signed up for public comment on the public hearing for the budget priorities. If there is anyone else in council chamber wishing to provide comment, please make your way to the podium. Thank you. Will now close. >> The public hearing. >> Are there any? >> Comments or the things we'd like to say. The >> Common wise parks, parks, Parks. Thank you. Thank >> So will now move on to item 18. Which is the notice of the final not on Stone Bridge home. That is in the packet item 19, public comments on non agenda matters. So if you signed up for public comment, non agenda matters and you're not able to provide your comment during the first go-around. Now would be your time to provide your public comment and I'll hand it over

to MADAM City clerk Thank you, mayor the the first public comment on non agenda matters under item 19. >> Will be followed by Jeremy. Tuna. Are you in the room? Thank you. Please. Go ahead. With this. >> On the right hand side of the podium, there is a little toggle up and down. Thank you. Thank you. >> My name is as Lynch will. I a district 5 voter. >> a lifelong Santa Rosa resident, a member of Tribe of California. In the volunteer with Mask Sonoma and Sonoma County acts of kindness. Thank you for hearing me. I want to briefly address the cease-fire resolution. My family's indigenous history on California soil means I'm unable to ignore its government from state to local how it chooses to interact with the world, especially oppressed peoples. What's happening to Palestinians by the state of Israel with over 2.4 million dollars of support from the city of Santa Rosa is devastating to me personally. But it also puts my friends of Arabic and Jewish descent here in Sonoma County, increasing danger. Time is of the essence. I know that some members of Sanders's government are wanting to change how it operates for the better in many ways, both local and beyond. This resolution is a very basic, an obvious way to begin as San Francisco demonstrated today. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Please. Go ahead. Evening, mayor and City Council. My name is Jeremy, a snowman County resident. Now try to make this quick as others before me have already

made this point. Crystal clear. >> I implore the city of Santa Rosa to adopt a cease-fire resolution as soon as possible. It's imperative to act as every day more and more innocent lives are lost. And United States has played a major role in the funding of that loss of life of the genocide that is currently happening in Palestine. This funding that is used for war and death could instead be used here to provide localities with affordable housing with houselessness, with the creation of new parks and much, much more stuff that we've already heard people talk about today. So I like. Please city council last couple of you to work with community organizations calling for a cease-fire and show your support for human life. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next commenter will be Kerry followed by Hannah. >> Council members, thank you for being here. Can you hear me now? >> Yes, thank you. For a lot of years I've sad infected by the plight. The Palestinian people and what's going on now is. Almost unbelievable. And we need to be a voice for them. I don't see it as the Jewish issue, the people with using those without power and needs to I'm I have 2 daughters one this season, one surviving. I live in Santa Rosa. And I cannot again support any council member who goes along with the genocide. The Palestinian people I want to say with our own history of genocide, of the people of

these lands where we are. I'm up all that. We are enabling Israel. To commit the same shameful act. I for one do not want any of my tax dollars going into this Certainly those of us with children and others. Cannot continue to turn a blind eye. Percent. Perceptions are changing, by the way. And I suggest that the council calls for cease-fire now. And wait any longer and stands on the right side of history. Well, we can save some lives. This must be resolved. And it is the least that we can do. Thank you for listening. Thank you. The next public comment will be from Hanna, followed by in Wheelie. >> test. Thank you, Hannah. >> My name is Ham Bearcat. I'm a Lebanese American. And I'm here to request a cease-fire resolution to be adopted for the city of Santa Rosa. What's happening in Gaza has shaken me and my family to the core. The hors we've witnessed heard from friends and family and also the horse that we've heard from. One of our family members who is a journalist in the West Bank covering the atrocities taking place there. They're be on my worst nightmare. Our tax dollars here are literally funding is really genocide. And the U.S. Support he's given it cover to go on this long. I do not want my tax money. Funding violence. Hey, I can't imagine good conscience than anybody else would. The purpose of a cease-fire resolution here is

to send a message to state and national leadership to speak up and stop the violence. Stop this genocide. I want my tax dollars to go instead into my community, housing people caring for the environment and paying for services here. Reinvesting here where we are. My name is Hannah again. I would love to request a cease-fire. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen. Thank you. The next public comment will be from lead followed by testing Dallas. >> Well, >> I could things council members. This is my second time. I see you in person. My name is immunity. I'm a resident evening industry. The fine. I'm Hugh to 9, 2 Come sir members adopt resolution, of course, there is great pity, anybody committed in prices are going in Palestine. And this is a pio is or need a priest. Was. Helping a humanitarian crisis. And I was born in the middle of the Korean War and I can be unity relate to what people I staying going, sir, right now. My mother had the pipe to determine and the or except him and my sisters for the diet infancy because over no food, no, it to cut aid and that this is you know, a season So she's a pio is at the beginning, but long suffering more suffering. 72. >> And this also in Korea, we a student at the was. So it was I can relate to Instagram mother, you know, I get in might know, come to in Santa Rosa, California, in United States. But, you know, my boys 18 and it takes 40. But to get

me up and I need those My been I need to help with the mine. You know it tendon dieters. You know, they kind of start as a grandmother. So I'm wondering and I'm thinking about grandmother. And so, you know, in Palestine, how do they even get up? You know, they don't even Sullivan the bed that they 71 hud somewhere in the 10th in the rain. And a whole. You know, there's medicine, no food. I don't know how. I mean of us. I don't you to be social story. You know what is good? He stumbled nuns to have compeition we can all relate to is the grandmother as grandfather. So come the cousin Cousins, you know, mothers. So coming from your heart, please pass the resolution. She is a pioneer, but this is not about the horses of high. It's about and being humanitarian crisis in Palestine. And I trust you because I love him. I see Desanto Rosa and yet as a nation when I never experienced you know, and I hate to do the crime on anything. So really And I thank you very much keeping me thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be test followed by Dallas. Jacqueline. >> Hi, my name is tests and a pleasure to be in front of the Santa Rosa City Council tonight. Mayor Rogers and my own representative MISS Fleming. It's great to be in front of you Additionally, it's great to be with large group of community members who care very deeply for what is happening in Palestine today. And for the past 75 years. Today, we've come here to ask

you the city of Santa Rosa to speak on behalf of the city of Santa Rosa and join other cities like San Francisco. Just this evening, Davis while ago Detroit, there are other cities we could name who signed cease-fire resolutions to say that their city does not stand for genocidal violence like it is being currently last time I spoke in front of you all, I reminded you of California's history of genocide, California committed genocide against indigenous peoples suggest as Israel is committing genocide against Indigenous peoples. Same story, different decade. I would like to speak addition to the idea that this is a foreign issue and not one that should be managed on a local level. >> I like many here in this room are and I'm beside myself with grief and pain. As day after day hour after hour. There is just a barrage of photo and video evidence of a genocide happening right here right now in real time on our planet. I've seen too many dead babies for one lifetime. I've seen too many dead children, too many dead women dead men dead people. And I don't want to see anymore, but I can't look away because looking away doesn't stop it from happening. I've seen bodies, dismembered, mangled, riddled with bullets and burned beyond recognition. And when I see them, I wonder with each dead body. Each dead person I wonder is my taxes paid for that bullet and that person's chest or as my taxes paid for that bomb that eviscerated a bakery or the missile that took out entire entire bloodline of the whole family. I wonder where my tax dollars are in this genocide.

I know that they're there. Most of us now have seen them or is more horrific things and we never wanted to see. And one life time happening in Palestine and hear tonight you the city at the city Council for the city of Santa Rosa. Can make a tangible effects on our lives here. You can say to the community that you have from that. This is a city that does not support genocidal violence. We're not asking you to move mountains or create world peace. Tonight, we're asking you to affirm along with countless members of this community that you represent genocidal violence is not a value that the city of Santa Rosa of Homes. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next public comment will be from Dallas, followed by Jack London summer. I do is go ahead. >> Good evening. My name is Dallas Warmack and the center's residents in the county born raised. I'm a software engineer specializing in cyber security. One of the industries that is most presently known for handling extraordinary circumstances. >> The National Institute of Standards and Technology outlines the cybersecurity framework for handling these sorts of extra >> ordinary occurrences. You want to many cybersecurity networks that kind outlines how to handle these things. The nist cybersecurity framework outlines identity or identifying protecting detecting responding and recovering from extraordinary circumstances. We have found ourselves as members of this world in an extraordinary circumstance. And we need to do the first step to be able to handle this, which is to identify identifying this

circumstance is going to be by adopting the cease-fire resolution knowledge Ing that what is happening in Gaza unacceptable. Unacceptable and needs to be addressed. The cease-fire opportunity allows for peaceful resolution in negotiations to exist. That allows us to move on to protecting protecting the people everyone who is involved in the conflict. The conflict able detect the areas that are causing these things response to them and therefore recover from them. If we are trusting different cybersecurity organizations to protect ourselves from power grids, water, just supplies to banking institutions. Why do we not try to adopt the same sort of mindset when we are trying to protect each other when we're trying to protect humanity. It seems like a reasonable thing to me. And I think that taking the step forward, allows Santa Rosa to be a part of the solution, be a part of peace talks be a part of moving forward and creating a future that is safe for everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next public comment will be from Jacqueline followed by summer than some. I a >> can you hear me? Good evening. >> Honorable near council members and staff. Thank you all for your time this evening. A name is Jacqueline only MAY I come to you as their constituents of district 5 and also as a fellow professional public servant, I work in local government and another Bay area municipality. I'm here today to echo and

amplify the voices of so many other community members. My neighbors time very proud to stand next to you today. Have already spoken urging you to join so many cities. Oakland, Richmond, San Francisco. And the call for an immediate and sustained cease-fire and called financial in my military support to Israel. You've heard the numbers and statistics and no doubt, I believe you have seen with your own through your phone your screens at home. The absolute devastation that's occurring in Palestine, not just today or yesterday or since OCTOBER for the last 75 years. It is our duty to humanity to condemn these actions. Not only do these atrocities require that we speak out against them, that I implore you to consider the ripple effects can occur, including exacerbating Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in our own community as well as abroad. Their own resolution passed in NOVEMBER of 2001 declares racism, public health and humanitarian crisis. That's your resolution. Genocide is the ultimate tragic iteration of racism and our tax dollars funding it. The request for resolution is not controversial. Please listen to your constituents. Listened to these community organizations. >> Faith leaders, your neighbors are coming to you begging you. Begging you to just look inside your own hearts and looking within your own humanity. We need you consider making this call. Any delay in doing so. It's it's

shameful at this point. We know what's happening. Us elected You have been entrusted to do the public goods please, I'm begging you to do it. As my neighbor said, we don't expect this to make massive change in foreign policy. But I know that we all believe in the power of local government, we all believe that changes start small. >> And they require our dedication and her persistence. Our communities, our tax ones here. >> Our unhoused neighbors in our tax funds here, our educational system needs or tax funds here. Please. Please do the right thing to be silent to be complicit. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. The next speaker will be summer followed by some I a >> good evening. Thank you so For your time. My name is summer up to p# # # # # # . I am speaking in support of a cease-fire resolution to be adopted. As a young person. And also as someone of Palestinian I've struggled with adequate housing student loan debt, inflation, climate crises here in Sonoma and these issues are connected. I believe that our tax dollars need to focus on issues here that are. More important. Sorry. >> My father was born in a refugee camp in the West Bank in 1949. After my family was displaced from Nazareth in 1948. To see families continue to be displaced in my father's homeland is a pain that is hard to describe. Every time I see a video. Of other in Gaza

struggling to take care. Of her children or be pregnant, have to give birth in the midst of this genocide. I see my own grandmother who had to to survive the same oppressive forces. Palestinians want to live life. They want the freedom to return the freedom to travel. The simple ability to live a normal life. A resolution here in the city I live in is of utmost importance as a taxpaying citizen. I'm continuously disappointed by our elected officials were ignoring the majority of the public calling for a cease-fire. Please as our most local form. Of a governing body. I'm asking you to put a cease-fire resolution on the agenda and called for the easiest most peaceful thing that you can do. And that is to call for an immediate and permanent cease-fire. Thank you. >> Thank you. The next comment will be from Somalia. >> Good evening. My name is Tim. Am you I'm a longtime Sonoma County resident. I would first like to say I am not Palestinian. But I am proud Christian Arab woman. I'm married to an amazing Palestinian man and have Palestinian children. My 84 year-old father-in-law is a byproduct of the 1948. Next that. I implore you to pass a cease-fire resolution. We need to stand up for both Palestinian and Israelis that are being killed during this genocide. I want you to know that my family, 9 were just able to visit Israel and

Palestine this past JUNE. You could not understand the horrific nature. That the Palestinians are living in till you see it firsthand. The starvation plus living. That they are all living by needing water jugs above their homes in order to get fresh water because they only get running water for days a week. I want you to pass this resolution to tell all Palestinians that their lives matter. That includes my children. Lastly, I want to share with you a little something about our culture because there's a lot of misconceptions about the Middle Eastern Arabic culture. My father taught this to our family and it is something shared amongst most Middle Eastern families. We are welcoming culture. Our worst enemies could knock on our front door. And what we're going to do is open that door and welcome and welcome you in. To have a cup of coffee and to break bread with us. This is a type of culture. We are. This is a type of culture we like to share. It is not what you always see on the news and what propaganda that is being spread. So again, I implore you. Please stand up. Do what's right. Stop sending our tax dollars to war that we don't need to be in. Thank you. Thank you, Mary. See no one else approaching the podium for public comment on non agenda matters. And that was the last speaker who had signed up. >> Thank you. Seeing no additional items on the agenda for tonight. We will now adjourned the meeting.