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[CALL TO ORDER]
AND GOOD EVENING.WELCOME TO THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL IN PETALUMA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD, 2025.
AND SO TONIGHT, TODAY IS APRIL 7TH, AND YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO BE HERE THIS DAY, TOO
AND SO, UM, WE DO, UH, WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON TONIGHT, AND IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, THERE'S A SPEAKER CARD IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
AND, UH, PLEASE BRING IT TO OUR CLERK AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO INVITE MONICA RICCIO AND MARIA GALVEZ TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN SPANISH.
MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL FOR THE EVENING BARNACLE PRESENT CATER THOMPSON.
LET'S RISE TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE PGI TO THE FLAG ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND CHOOSE RECALL FOR WHICH OF STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT TONIGHT WE'LL BE CLOSING OUR MEETING IN OUR HONOR OF GLORIA ROBINSON AND, UH, GLORIA, WELL-KNOWN COMMUNITY, UH, ACTIVIST LONGTIME, PARTICIPATE IN EVERYTHING IN PETALUMA.
AND, UH, CO-FOUNDER OF PETALUMA BLACKS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, HOPEFULLY BE FOLLOWING IN THE NEWSPAPER, UM, THE STORIES ABOUT HER AND THE MEMORIAL COMING UP FOR HER.
[AGENDA CHANGES AND DELETIONS (TO CURRENT AGENDA ONLY)]
TONIGHT, I'M LOOKING UP AND DOWN THE DIOCESE TO SEE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ALTER ANYTHING ON THE, AND SO WE'RE ADOPTING THE AGENDA AS IT'S, UH, PREPARED IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENT, AND WE GET TO MOVE ON TO[PROCLAMATIONS]
OUR PROCLAMATIONS FOR THIS MONTH.AND, UM, OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION IS, UH, FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE GEORGINA BOOGER IN OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATES TO THE PODIUM, UH, WHILE I READ THE, UM, PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS INTENDED TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS WIDESPREAD AND HAS A PROFOUND AND LASTING IMPACT ON EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER OF SONOMA COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS VERITY SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION INTERVENTION AND HEALING CENTER WORK WITH OVER 1300 SURVIVORS IN SONOMA COUNTY IN 2024, AND HAS FURTHER CONTRIBUTED TO COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IN 2024 BY HOSTING 247 PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS REACHING A TOTAL OF 10,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION.
WHEREAS NATIONAL RESEARCH INDICATES THAT ONE IN FIVE WOMEN WILL BE RAPED AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFETIME.
AND NEARLY HALF OF ALL WOMEN WILL EXPERIENCE SOME FORM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
AND AT LEAST ONE IN SIX MEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ABUSE OR ASSAULT, WHETHER IN CHILDHOOD OR AS AN ADULT.
AND WHEREAS, WHEREAS OVER 18,000 MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND OVER 80,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED EXPERIENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE EVERY YEAR.
AND WHEREAS WITH LEADERSHIP, DEDICATION AND
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ENCOURAGEMENT, THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SONOMA COUNTY THROUGH INCREASED EDUCATION, AWARENESS, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PETALUMA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE EFFORT OF VERITY AND ENCOURAGES EVERY RESIDENT TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EFFORTS TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE, INCLUDING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS, HOW TO PREVENT IT, HOW TO HELP SURVIVORS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, AND CONNECT WITH CRUCIAL COUNSELING AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES IN HOW EVERY SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY CAN WORK TOGETHER TO BETTER ADDRESS SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, KEVIN MCDONALD, MAYOR OF PETALUMA, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL, FORMERLY DESIGNATES THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2025 TO BE SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTHS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION AND HONOR OF SEX ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH ON BEHALF OF ITY SONOMA COUNTY SEX ASSAULT PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND HEALING CENTER, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF PETALUMA FOR YOUR WORK IN AMPLIFYING THIS CRITICAL ISSUE.
THROUGH CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER AND RECOGNIZE, RECOGNIZE THE SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THEIR HEALING AND JUSTICE JOURNEY REQUIRES A COMMITMENT, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AGENCY, LAWMAKERS, JUDGES, EDUCATORS, SOCIAL SERVICES, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, VOLUNTEERS, AND MORE.
PETALUMA DEMONSTRATES THIS COMMITMENT THROUGH THE INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN VERITY AND PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH THE EMBEDDED SEXUAL ASSAULT ADVOCATE MYSELF.
UM, THE VALUE OF THIS PARTNERSHIP CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
WE ARE WORKING TO HOLD UP THIS MODEL FOR REPLICATION THROUGH THE COUNTY SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH IS A CALL TO ACTION TO SHOW SUR SURVIVORS THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT DOES DO RECOGNIZE SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
VERITY HAS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED WHEN BY YOU TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO FEEL INSPIRED.
ALSO, TONIGHT WE HAVE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY, TELECOMMUNICATOR WEEK 2025.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP, UH, CHIEF BRIAN MILLER, DEPUTY CHIEF NICK MCGOWAN, TINA THOMPSON, MANAGER OF THE TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION OF THE PODIUM WHILE I READ THE, UM, PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAS DESIGNATED THE SECOND WEEK OF APRIL AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUTER COMMUNICATOR WEEK IN RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION OF NATIONWIDE TELECOMMUNICATORS, ALSO KNOWN AS PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS WHO SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND ARE OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
WHEREAS THIS WEEK IS THE TIME TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING ARE OFTEN DEPENDENT ON THE COMMITMENT AND STEADFAST DEVOTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS.
BECAUSE EMERGENCIES CAN OCCUR ANYTIME, AND THAT REQUIRES POLICE, FIRE, MEDICAL SERVICES, OR OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS WHEN EMERGENCIES DO OCCUR, THE PROMPT RESPONSE TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL IS CRITICAL.
WHEREAS THE SAFETY OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS IS DEPENDENT ON THE QUALITY OF OUR AND ACCURACY OF INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO TELEPHONE THE PETALUMA EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION CENTER.
AND WHEREAS THE PETALUMA POLICE, PETALUMA PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST CRITICAL CONTACT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES.
AND WHEREAS PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHERS OF THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2024 HANDLED 65,000 CALLS FOR SERVICES, WHICH ENCOMPASSES 24,000 EMERGENCY 9 1 1 CALLS, AND, UH, 532 TEXTS TO 1 9 1 1 MESSAGES AND 29,000 NON-EMERGENCY CALLS AND, UH, 5,740 CALLS FOR THE SAFE TEAM.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF PETALUMA ALSO RECOGNIZES POLICE PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCHER ANNIE DIMO AS THE RECIPIENT OF OUR ANNUAL DISPATCHER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
SO NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, KEVIN MCDONALD, MAYOR OF
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PETALUMA, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL, FORMERLY DESIGNATE APRIL 13TH, THE 19TH, 2025, AS NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR WEEK.AND I, AND I ASSURE THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SOME DISPATCHERS CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE COMM CENTER.
BUT THANK YOU MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND CITY LEADERSHIP FOR RECOGNIZING, UH, MY STAFF WITH THIS PROCLAMATION.
AND PLEASE INTRODUCE JEN ROE, ONE OF OUR DISPATCHERS, DARLY, UH, ONE OF OUR DISPATCHERS AS WELL, OUR TECHNICAL SERVICES MANAGER, TINA THOMPSON, WHO OVERSEES THAT ENTIRE DIVISION AND OUR NEWLY PROMOTED, UH, DISPATCH SUPERVISOR, CARRIE NEVY.
OUR DISPATCHERS ARE REALLY THE UNSUNG HEROES THAT ARE OFTEN BEHIND THE SCENES.
THEY'RE CALM VOICES AND CHAOS LIFELINES AND EMERGENCIES AND CRITICAL PARTNERS IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE.
THEY'RE THE FIRST TO ANSWER THE CALL.
THEY'RE THE FIRST TOUCHPOINT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS INTERACTING WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY HELP US GATHER ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND COORDINATING OUR SWIFT RESPONSE FOR POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL.
AS I SAID, THEY'RE THE CALM VOICES WHEN 9 1 1 AT, UH, ANSWERING THOSE CALLS ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT AND PROVIDING LIFESAVING INSTRUCTIONS, ENSURING OUR OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND MEDICS ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN THEIR DISPATCHING BEHIND THE SCENES.
THESE HEROES ARE TRULY THE FIRST OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS.
THEIR ABILITY TO STAY CALM AND COMPOSED UNDER PRESSURE TO THINK CLEARLY AND ACT QUICKLY IS NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY.
UH, THEY'RE ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM AND A CORNERSTONE OF THE SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY.
THEIR PROFESSION, COMPASSION AND QUICK THINKING MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN, IN PETALUMA EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO THIS IS A SPECIAL DAY, UM, TO RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.
IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE LET THEM OUT OF THEIR COMMUNICATION CENTER AND INTO PUBLIC, AND THEY OFTEN DON'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO IT'S REALLY A WELCOMED MOMENT TO HELP US, UH, SHINE SOME LIGHT ON THEM, NOT JUST THIS WEEK, BUT YEAR ROUND.
WE'RE PROUD TO SERVE ALONG WITH THEM AND ALONGSIDE THEM WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO TONIGHT IT'S FAIR HOUSING MONTH, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE ELISE HAMPEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PETALUMA PEOPLE SERVICES TO THE PODIUM, UM, WHILE WE READ THE PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIR HOUSING IS NOT ONLY STATE AND NATIONAL LAW AND POLICY, BUT A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN CONCEPT AND ENTITLEMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, DISABILITY, FAMILI, FAMILI, FAMILIAL STATUS, EXCL, THAT IS EXCLUSION OF MINOR CHILDREN, RELIGION, MARITAL STATUS, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION IS ILLEGAL IN CALIFORNIA.
AND WHEREAS AS A COMMUNITY, WE WELCOME ALL GOOD NEIGHBORS, RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND RICHNESS, TENDERED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF YOUNG AND OLD MALE AND FEMALE PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS, ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, ET CETERA.
WHEREAS INTERESTED PARTIES FROM BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A CITY, STATE, AND NATIONAL EFFORT TO PROMOTE FAIR HOUSING.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, KEVIN MCDONALD, MAYOR OF PETALUMA, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY DECLARE THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2025 AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN THE CITY OF PETALUMA, AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO PERSONALLY ADOPT THE SPIRIT OF EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY AND ADHERE TO THE LETTER AND CHARACTER OF THE FAIR HOUSING LAWS.
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND I HAVE WITH ME BIANCA ALDIS.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU NEED TO KNOW, BIANCA JOINED US IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID TO HELP RUN THE COUNTIES RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AND SHE'S BEEN WORKING HER BUTT OFF SINCE THEN, AND NOW SHE'S A FAIR HOUSING SPECIALIST.
SO I'M GONNA READ OUR RESPONSE IN ENGLISH AND THEN BIANCA'S GONNA SHARE IT IN SPANISH BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE DO IT, TO MAKE SURE FAIR HOUSING IS COVERED.
THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968 WAS A MONUMENTAL STEP FORWARD IN PROTECTING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FROM DISCRIMINATION IN RENTING, BUYING A HOME, OBTAINING A MORTGAGE, OR SEEKING HOUSING ASSISTANCE FOR OVER 45 YEARS.
PPSC HAS PROUDLY PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF PETALUMA TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THESE VITAL PROTECTIONS AT A LOCAL LEVEL.
WE APPLAUD THE CITY OF PETALUMA FOR ITS ONGOING COMMITMENT TO FAIR AND EQUITABLE HOUSING.
TOGETHER WE WORK TO ENSURE THAT EVERY RESIDENT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, HAS ACCESS TO SAFE, STABLE HOUSING WITHOUT FEAR OF DISCRIMINATION.
AT PPSC, OUR FAIR HOUSING TEAM IS DE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO BOTH TENANTS AND
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LANDLORDS.WE BELIEVE THAT MANY EVICTIONS CAN BE AVOIDED THROUGH EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION, AND MEDIATION.
OUR WORK IN PETALUMA HAS LED TO MEANINGFUL NEGOTIATED SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE PREVENTED DISPLACEMENT AND FOSTERED STRONGER AND MORE INFORMED HOUSING RELATIONSHIPS WHILE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING PROTECTIONS FACE INCREASING CHALLENGES.
WE WANT TO ASSURE OUR COMMUNITY THAT PPSC STANDS WITH OUR MISSION.
WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT THE BEST INTERESTS OF BOTH TENANTS AND LANDLORDS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE RESOURCE AND ADVOCATE AND THE PARTNER IN BUILDING A FARER PETALUMA FOR ALL.
WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT OF FAIR, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE LITTLE WOODS MOBILE HOME PARK, THE CITY HAS PREPARED A SUMMARY ON THE MOST CURRENT STATUS, AND THEY PRINTED IT OUT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, AND WE WILL LEAVE IT ON THE BACK TABLE FOR ANYBODY TO PICK UP WHO'S A LITTLE LLOYD'S RESIDENT.
IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE CITY OF PETALUMA'S WEBSITE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
AND OF COURSE IT'S ON, UH, PETALUMA PEOPLE'S SERVICES WEBSITE, PEOPLE SERVICES CENTER, PEOPLE SERVICES, CENTER SERVICES.
[PRESENTATIONS]
WE HAVE, UM, A PRESENTATION, UM, TO HAVE FOR US HERE.YOU KNOW, UM, MUCH AS WE THINK THAT THIS, UH, CITY IS THE BE ALL AND END ALL, WE'RE ACTUALLY PART OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER AND, UM, WE CONNECT WITH AND WE COUNT ON THE COUNTY.
AND TO HELP US, UH, UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COUNTY THESE DAYS, WE HAVE OUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR, DAVID RABBIT, PLEASE, UH, JOIN US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR, AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, TO THE MAYOR AGAIN, UH, THE VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY MANAGER, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU, ATTORNEY AND CLERK.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ACCOMMODATING ME AND ALLOWING ME TO COME TONIGHT TO, UH, GIVE YOU REALLY JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ON A FEW COUNTY ISSUES.
ALSO, ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OR THE PUBLIC.
UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT PIQUES ANYONE'S INTEREST, UH, WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT FURTHER.
UH, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, UH, START OFF WITH JUST A FINANCIAL PICTURE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S, UH, EVERYTHING DERIVES FROM THE DOLLARS TO PAY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE GONNA BE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE CONDUCTING OUR SPRING BUDGET WORKSHOPS OVER THREE DAYS AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT, UH, WAY THAT WE DO THIS.
IT ALLOWS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER INFORMATION AND DISCUSS PRIORITIES WITH OUR 27 DEPARTMENTS IN ADVANCE OF OUR BUDGET HEARINGS IN JUNE.
SO IT'S A LITTLE PREVIEW TO KINDA GET EVERYONE'S, UH, WANTS AND WISHES, CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES.
THEN ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, START COMPILING ALL THE DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES AND THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN MATCH THE TWO IN A BETTER FASHION.
THE COUNTY BUDGET IS APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS.
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FUNDS.THE COUNTY GENERAL FUND, I THINK THIS YEAR IS ABOUT 550 MILLION.
UM, LIKE MOST JURISDICTIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT FLAT TO SLIGHTLY DECLINING PROJECTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, SALES TAX COUNTYWIDE AND BEYOND.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT MOST OF OUR CONSULTANTS ARE TELLING US IS, UH, FLATTENING AS APPEARED TO BE IN A, A BIT OF A, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT WORD FOR IT, BUT PERHAPS ECO ECONOMIC MALAISE.
GOING BACK TO JIMMY CARTER YEARS, UM, WAITING FOR REALLY, UH, OTHER, THE OTHER SHOE TO DROP.
APPARENTLY, UH, PROPERTY TAX REVENUES HAVE REMAINED STRONG, BUT WITH HIGHER INTEREST RATES, AND AGAIN, THE KIND OF MALAISE THAT THAT'S OUT THERE, WE EXPECT A MUCH SLOWER GROWTH MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND THERE'S TYPICALLY A SIGNIFICANT LAG IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
IT DROPS SLOWER, BUT TAKES LONGER TO RECOVER AS WELL.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, TALK ABOUT ONE OF MY FAVORITE SUBJECTS, ONLY BECAUSE I GOT INVOLVED EARLY WITH THIS, UH, SOMETHING ABOUT OUR ROADS IN THE COUNTY.
AND I KNOW FOR ALL OF US, UM, YOU KNOW, ROADS ARE AN IMPORTANT THING.
IT'S ONE OF THE LARGER ASSETS, UH, BESIDES THE PEOPLE, UH, THAT WE ALL PARTICIPATE IN AND, UH, HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IN THE COUNTY.
UM, I THINK, UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT SONOMA COUNTY CONTINUES TO MAKE UNPRECEDENTED INVESTMENTS IN IMPROVING OUR ROAD SYSTEM.
IN 2011, I CO-AUTHORED A REPORT ON THE COUNTY'S ROADS, AND WE RECOMMENDED A STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THAT, AND I'LL GIVE MY, MY ROAD SPIEL, WHICH, UH, I THINK I HAVE DOWN, UH, NOW AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THAT SUN COUNTY OF SONOMA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 1,369 MILES OF ROADS.
THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF MAINTAINING A ROAD FROM HERE IN PETALUMA TO OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.
THAT'S A LOT OF ASPHALT, THAT'S A LOT OF ROAD TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND JUST FOR THE PERSPECTIVE, MARIN COUNTY, UH, AND WE'RE TALKING THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTIES NOW, UH, HAS 420 MILES OF ROADS.
NAPA 450 MILES OF ROAD SOLANO, 576 MILES, AND AGAIN, SONOMA WITH 1,369.
IT'S INTERESTING THE WAY THAT DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS OCCURRED.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SMALLER RANCHES, FARMS, UM, A LOT OF ROADS THAT GO UP, YOU KNOW, SERVE A FEW HOUSES.
UH, BUT JUST THE WAY THAT THEY HOLD DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS OCCURRED THAT WE'VE HAD SO MANY MILES OF ROADS IN THE COUNTY.
EVEN SPRAWLING MENDOCINO COUNTY HAS FEWER MILES, UH, THAN SONOMA WITH JUST OVER 1100 AND A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIRS ARE, ARE STILL GRAVEL.
UM, AND THAT TOOK A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
UH, WE MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT MANDATE BY TOP TAPPING INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
IN FACT, SONOMA COUNTY LED ALL 58 COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA, UH, WITH USING DISCRETIONARY MONEY ON PAVING ROADS.
AND WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE HAD TO, UH, AND I THINK I'VE TOLD SOME OF YOU THIS BEFORE, BUT HISTORICALLY, THE WAY THAT ROADS ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE GAS TAX, WHICH HAS BEEN DECLINING, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GETTING BETTER GAS MILEAGE, AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES OUT THERE, INCLUDING THE ONE I DROVE TONIGHT.
UH, BUT THE GAS TAX IS DECLINING.
THE GAS TAX, UM, AGAIN, THE STATE KEEPS 56 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR.
THEY USE THAT FOR THE HIGHWAY STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
THE OTHER 44 IS SPLIT EQUALLY BETWEEN COUNTIES AND CITIES.
THE CITIES, PETALUMA GETS YOURS BASED ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
THE COUNTIES FOR SOME REASON GETS OUR SHARE BASED ON 25% ON POPUL OR, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, ROAD MILES, 75% ON, UH, UH, ROAD MILES.
I SAID THAT BACKWARDS POPULATION, UH, WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, ORANGE COUNTY, LESS ROADS, 16 TIMES MORE FUNDING.
AND IT REALLY IS A, A UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE AND, AND ONE THAT IS DIFFICULT TO CHANGE IN SACRAMENTO BECAUSE THE POPULATION CENTERS ALSO HAVE MORE LEGISLATORS.
UH, SO OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT WHATEVER THE NEW GAS TAX FORMULAS ROLLING OUT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE'VE MADE OUR OWN INVESTMENT IN ROADS, UH, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T KEEPING UP.
AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE GAS TAX ALONE WAS NOT GONNA MAKE THAT GOING FORWARD.
UM, WE TOOK THAT SIGNIFICANT, WE'RE AGAIN, MORE THAN DOUBLED THAT.
AND WE DO HAVE A, A MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT BY TAPPING INTO THE GENERAL FUND, AS I SAID, USING ONE-TIME FUNDS AND SETTING ASIDE A NEW FUND WITH AN ESCALATORS THAT WE COULD, UH, ACHIEVE OUR GOAL.
AND I THINK THAT RESULTED IN PAVING 546 MILES OF ROADS TO DATE, AVERAGING ABOUT 42 MILES EVERY PAVING SEASON DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS FOR THE LAST 13 YEARS.
UM, 215 MILES OF ROADS OR IN THE UNINCORPORATED SOUTH COUNTY.
UH, I THINK THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY CLOSE TO WHAT PETALUMA HAS FOR TOTAL MAINTAIN, UH, MILES OF ROADS AS WELL.
AND WITHIN THE DISTRICT, WE PAVED OR TREATED 115 MILES.
AND IN THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL INVEST ANOTHER $31 MILLION IN PAVING, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, SOME NOTABLE ROADS SCHEDULED, UH, AND OR PAVED PAULA LANE FROM
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BODEGA BOULEVARD TO CITY LIMITS, PERRINGTON CHAPMAN, QUEENS HATCHERY, CV, LANE AND ROAD, MINNESOTA AVENUE, CYPRESS AVENUE, CASA GRANDE, FROM ADOBE TO CITY LIMITS, CORONA FROM PETALUMA BOULEVARD NORTH TO THE CITY LIMITS, KING LOWELL, UH, BLOOMFIELD CUNNINGHAM, RAINS FIELD.UM, THE GOAL OF THE REPORT 14 YEARS AGO WAS TO IMPROVE OUR PAVEMENT CONDITION INDEX.
AND WE HAVE YEAR OVER YEAR, WHICH I'M PROUD OF, IN, UH, EVEN WITH ALL THOSE MILES, OUR MAJOR ROADS ARE CONSIDERED VERY GOOD WITH THE PCI OF ANYWHERE BETWEEN 69 AND 80.
UM, WHAT PULLS US DOWN TO THE MID 50 LEVEL ARE ALL THOSE LOCAL ROADS THAT SERVE FEW RESIDENCES.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, SOME OF THOSE ROADS PROBABLY WON'T BE PAVED.
UH, A A MILE OR TWO MILE LONG ROAD THAT SERVES TWO RESIDENTS HARD TO REALLY MAKE THAT, UH, BIG INVESTMENT FOR, UH, ESSENTIALLY WHAT REALLY IS A LONG DRIVEWAY.
A COUPLE OF THINGS I I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TOO.
UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN DOWN LAKEVILLE, THIS IS, UH, THE INTERSECTION OF STAGE GULCH AND LAKEVILLE AT ERNIES TIN BAR.
UH, CALTRANS IS WORKING ON AND WITH THE COUNTY, WORKING ON A NEW ROUNDABOUT, UH, AT THAT LOCATION.
AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS LOCATION.
THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF, UH, UH, COLLISIONS THERE OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SO THIS IS REALLY, UH, AN IMPORTANT PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT HAS, UH, THERE WE GO, WRONG PAGE.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LARGE ROUNDABOUT, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, 180 FOOT CIRCULAR ROUNDABOUT WITH A SLIP LANE ON THE NORTHBOUND RIGHT TURN LANE.
UM, AND SO ROUNDABOUTS, AND I'LL SHOW YOU OR TALK ABOUT TWO OTHER ROUNDABOUTS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THIS WELL.
UH, THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY, UM, CALTRANS LOOKED AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THIS ROUND, UH, AT THIS.
BUT A ROUNDABOUT WAS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
AND TYPICALLY, A ROUNDABOUT ALWAYS KINDA RISES TO THE TOP, UH, BECAUSE ROUNDABOUTS HAVE ABOUT EIGHT POTENTIAL VEHICLE COLLISION POINTS, WHEREAS A SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION OR ANY INTERSECTION IS GONNA HAVE ABOUT 32.
AND FOR PEDESTRIANS, IT GOES FROM 24 DOWN TO EIGHT AGAIN.
SO JUST, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF SOMEONE DRIVING UP AND OVER, UH, NOT PAYING ATTENTION, UH, THERE'S ARE FEWER COLLISIONS OVERALL ON THE ROUNDABOUTS THAT WE HAVE THAT I KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE HERE IN PETALUMA AS WELL.
UH, THIS IS OLD REDWOOD AND ELI, THIS IS A COUNTY PROJECT.
UH, THIS WAS IDENTIFIED IN A TRAFFIC STUDY CONDUCTED IN AND AROUND PEN GROVE TO ADDRESS ANOTHER DANGEROUS INTERSECTION HERE.
UM, WHEN I WAS, UH, PUTTING THIS THING TOGETHER, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ARE, UH, OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER.
MAYBE A FEW OF YOU ARE 1971, THE, THE SONG ROUNDABOUT BY.
UH, SO I GIVE YOU AN EARWORM FOR TONIGHT.
UM, THERE'S NO SLIDE INCLUDED, BUT I THINK THERE'S AN, THERE'S ANOTHER ROUNDABOUT OF THE SAME STAGE AS THIS ONE, UH, THAT IS AT OLD REDWOOD HIGHWAY AND RAILROAD AVENUE, ANOTHER VERY DANGEROUS INTERSECTION THAT'S HAD SOME, UM, UH, HORRIFIC, UH, COLLISIONS.
AND, UH, MY OFFICE HAS HAD THREE MEETINGS WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN EACH QUADRANT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE HEARD AND MITIGATED IN THE FINAL DESIGN.
'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A LONG PROCESS TO WORK ON MAKING SURE YOU CAN ACQUIRE THE LAND, UM, TAKE CARE OF THE DRAINAGE, TAKE CARE OF THE LANDSCAPING, THE FENCING, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S INVOLVED.
I APOLOGIZE TO A COUPLE OF YOU THIS MORNING THAT HEARD SOME OF THIS EARLIER AT OUR WAC IN TAC MEETING, BUT I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND WE'RE AT A CRUCIAL, UH, POINT IN TIME FOR THE POTTER VALLEY PROJECT FOR WATER.
WATER IN CALIFORNIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL AND COMPLICATED.
WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO MAKE THIS PROJECT LESS SO.
UM, AND I COULD TELL YOU THAT I SERVE AS CHAIR OF IPA.
UH, THAT'S THE EEL RUSSIAN PROJECT AUTHORITY.
IT'S A JPA BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF SONOMA, THE MENDOCINO COUNTY, INLAND WATER AND POWER, AND SONOMA WATER.
ROUND VALLEY INDIAN TRIBES ALSO SIT IN THE JPA, ALTHOUGH DUE TO SOVEREIGNTY ISSUES, UH, OR CONCERNS, THEY'RE NOT SIGNATORIES, UH, ON, ON THAT AS WELL.
UH, IPA HAS THE AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE WITH PG E AS THE UTILITY MOVES FORWARD WITH THEIR DECISION TO SURRENDER OPERATIONS OF THE POTTER VALLEY HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT AND DECOMMISSION SCOTT DAM AND CAPE HORN DAM ON THE EEL RIVER IN LAKE COUNTY.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, IPA WILL ALSO HAVE THE LEGAL CAPACITY TO OWN, CONSTRUCT, AND OPERATE A NEW WATER DIVERSION FACILITY NEAR THE CAPE HORN DAM.
AND FOR OVER 100 YEARS IN EIGHT FOOT DIAMETER REDWOOD LINED ONE MILE LONG TUNNEL DELIVERED WATER INTO PG E'S PENSTOCKS IN POTTER VALLEY, WHERE PG E PRODUCED ENERGY, ELECTRICITY, THE RESIDUAL WATER THEN PASSED THROUGH POTTER VALLEY, WAS USED FOR IRRIGATION THERE BEFORE HEADING DOWN INTO LAKE MENDOCINO ON THE UPPER REACHES OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER.
[00:30:01]
THIS WATER IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US WHO DELIVER WATER TO OUR RESIDENTS TO MAINTAIN, IN MINIMUM, INSTREAM FLOWS FOR THE FISHERIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HILL, BOTH THE EEL AND THE RUSSIAN.IT'S REALLY AS, UH, CONGRESSMAN HUFFMAN DESCRIBED A TWO BASIN SOLUTION, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT BOTH RIVERS CAN COEXIST AND THAT THE NEEDS OF THOSE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER, UM, OF THE HILL OR THE WATERSHED, UM, CAN, UH, UM, SURVIVE AS WELL.
THE DIVERSION NEEDS TO CONTINUE.
THAT'S REALLY, UH, I CAN TELL YOU IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE DIVERSION TO MAINTAIN THAT WATER FLOW AND THE BASE WAY, BEST WAY TO GUARANTEE THAT FLOW IS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PG E SURRENDER APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION.
FERC, UM, UH, WE ARE IN THE DOCUMENT.
AS WE SIT IN THE DRAFT DOCUMENT, IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
THIS IS A VERY LONG PROCESS, A DECADE, UH, IT TAKES A LONG TIME, UH, TO DEAL WITH, UH, THESE KIND OF ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WATER.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS IS THE ONLY PROJECT THAT'S OUT THERE, BUT THIS IS A WAY TO MAINTAIN THE DIVERSION THAT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR FISHERIES, UH, AND TO OUR WATER SUPPLY.
MAINTAINING THE INSTREAM FLOW SO THAT BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE, WHERE WE TAKE THE WATER AT WOOLER, UH, DOWN IN THE LOWER REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER, YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT WITH CONFIDENCE THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT, UM, UH, RUINING AN ECOSYSTEM UPSTREAM.
UM, SO WE'RE, UM, WORKING, WORKING ON THIS VERY HARD.
UM, AND THIS SUMMER MONTH, UH, IPA WILL PROBABLY HAVE A MEETING SOMETIME IN JUNE, UH, DEPENDING ON HOW THINGS SHAKE OUT WITH THE APPLICATION, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DC AND, AND I, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROVERSY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT TAKING A DAM DOWN.
UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE OTHER IDEAS, BUT FOR, I CAN TELL YOU, FOR OUR COUNTY, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, FOR OUR WATER SUPPLY, IT'S THE DIVERSION.
WE ARE AGNOSTIC ON WHETHER THE DAM STAYS OR GOES.
I GET, UH, LITERALLY HUNDREDS, MAYBE A THOUSAND EMAILS FROM THE RESIDENTS AROUND LAKE PILLSBURY.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THEIR ISSUE IS REALLY BETWEEN THE PRIVATE UTILITY, PG E, UM, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF HOW THAT ALL GETS HANDLED, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I AM, UH, HERE, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, OR NEED ANY OTHER TOPIC, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY.
BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO TAKE, UH, TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
NO, WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THOSE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND THE, UH, ALSO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE POTTER VALLEY IS REALLY, UH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
SO I DO WANNA LOOK UP AND DOWN THE DIVE AND SEE IF ANYONE HAS A DIRECT QUESTION OR IF WE'RE JUST, UH, IMPRESSED THAT THE COUNTY'S GETTING SO MUCH DONE.
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR CONVERSATIONS.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT, BUTTER AND EGGS COMING UP.
AND, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
[GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT]
MOVING INTO, UH, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING.AND, UM, DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MAKE COMMENTS ON ITEM OF PUBLIC INTERESTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL'S SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION, AND THAT ARE NOT LISTED ON THE CURRENT AGENDA.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON, AND DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TIME WILL BE ALLOCATED IN EQUAL SHARES TOTALING NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES.
I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CLERK IF WE HAVE, UH, CARDS, LETTERS, EMAILS COMING IN AHEAD OF TONIGHT'S MEETING.
WE DID RECEIVE THREE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AHEAD OF THE MEETING, AND THOSE ARE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
UH, AND I CAN READ THE INSTRUCTIONS NOW.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL START A 32ND CLOCK.
SO DURING THESE 30 SECONDS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN PERSON SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED TO BE RESPECTFUL IN THEIR COMMENTS AND THAT THIS MEETING'S BEING TRANSLATED.
PLEASE PAUSE BETWEEN SENTENCES FOR TRANSLATION.
WE HAVE 11 SPEAKERS, UH, ON TO, UM, CARDS TONIGHT.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA CALL THAT TWO, UM, 12.
UH, WE HAVE A, A LAST ONE COMING IN HERE, AND THAT PUTS US AT 90 SECONDS PER ON ON THESE CARDS.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE KATHERINE BOBOWSKI TO SPEAK FIRST AND ADINA FLORES TO SPEAK.
I LIVE AT THE LITTLE WOODSVILLE OF MOAN PARK.
HARMONY COMMUNITY IS NOT GIVEN ALL THE RESIDENTS THERE THAT THE, UH, THE CLOSURE OF THE PARK.
THEY ONLY GIVE CERTAIN ONES BECAUSE THERE'S FAILING.
[00:35:01]
ALSO TOO, THIS PARK MANAGEMENT, THERE HAS BEEN, UH, HAVING OUR FRIENDS IN THE PAST VANDALIZED MY MOBILE HOME, THREATENED ME, STEALING MY MOB, UH, AND ALSO THREATENED TO KICK MY ASS AND ALSO KILL ME, BURN DOWN MY MOBILE HOME WITH ME IN IT IF I DON'T GIVE MY MOB TO HER AND HER FRIENDS.AND THIS IS WHAT HARM'S PUTTING ON OUR DOOR.
HARM'S BEEN HARASSING THE RESIDENTS, TERRORIZING THE RESIDENTS.
THEY'RE BULLIES AND THEY'RE STEALING MOBILE HOMES THAT THEY DON'T OWN AND DON'T HAVE TITLE TO.
ALSO TOO, WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR HARM'S PROPERTY TAX FOR THE LAND.
THEY SHOULD BE PAYING THEIR OWN PROPERTY TAX.
I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE PUT HARMONY COMMUNITY OUT OF BUSINESS FOR GOOD.
THEY SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING LAWS.
THANK YOU ADINA FLORES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JODI JOHNSON.
OUR SUPERVISOR, DAVID RABBIT JUST SPOKE AND HE'S BEEN IN THE PAPER RECENTLY BECAUSE HE'S BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT WE HAVE A BIAS IN THE MEDIA BECAUSE MR. BARNACLE, OUR COUNCILMAN, HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION SINCE THE FALL AS WELL DUE TO OMISSIONS ON HIS STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTEREST THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO THE FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION.
SO I'D APPRECIATE IF CITY ATTORNEY DANLEY COULD CLARIFY THAT THOSE SOURCES OF IN INCOME AS YOUR A CONSULTANT FOR, UH, CLEAN ENERGY SOLUTIONS AS WELL AS YOUR CLIENTS WERE NOT DISCLOSED.
AND WE'VE HAD MANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE DOWNTOWN OVERLAY PROJECT.
I BECAME AWARE THAT COUNCILMAN, UH, DI CARLY DE RECUSED HIMSELF FROM DISCUSSIONS REGARDING, UH, THE RECENT DECISION THAT WAS MADE WITH THE DOWNTOWN DUE TO HAVING A PROPERTY IN THE AREA.
BUT YOUR WIFE MANAGES A FLOWER BUSINESS DOWNTOWN, AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULDN'T RECUSE YOURSELF.
AND CITY ATTORNEY DAN LEE IS COMMUNICATING WITH THE FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION CURRENTLY, BUT THAT IS STILL BEING DISCUSSED.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD APPRECIATE FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY IF WE CAN HAVE THIS ON THE RECORD FOR YOUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ADDRESS WHY, UH, YOUR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, MADE PUBLIC.
AND GOING BACK TO THE POTTER VALLEY DAM REMOVAL, I WAS AT THE CLOVERDALE TOWN HALL.
WE ARE ABOUT TO LOSE 26 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DI CARLY FOR BEING THERE.
THANK YOU, JODY JOHNSON, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANICE BARKER.
GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF.
WE AT YOUNGSTOWN WISH TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON THE LIFE AND THE LOSS OF GLORIA ROBINSON.
GLORIA WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
SHE BROUGHT THE POWER OF CHANGE AND INCLUSIVITY FORWARD WITH RESPECT, DILIGENCE, AND RESILIENCE.
RECOGNIZED BY SO MANY CITIES, COUNTIES, AND STATE LEADERS, GLORIA HUMBLY CALLED YOUNGSTOWN HOME.
WHEN FACED WITH THE ATTACKS ON OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY, YOUNGSTOWN, GLORIA USED THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO CONNECT US AND ENABLE US TO FIGHT AGAINST GREED AND ELDER ABUSE THAT BECAME COMMONPLACE BY PARK OWNERS FOR OVER THREE YEARS NOW.
GLORIA NEVER SPOKE OF THE IMPRESSIVE HARD WORK, GOOD TROUBLE SHE HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN FOR DECADES.
SHE TAUGHT US THE PATH THROUGH ACTION AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
THREE MONTHS AGO, GLORIA SAT AT OUR SUPER CHAPTER MEETING, MAKING SURE HER MEMBERSHIP TO G-S-M-O-L WAS RENEWED, AND SHE VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON A COMMITTEE TO HELP IN HER HEALTH CHALLENGES.
GLORIA WAS STILL THINKING OF THE GREATER GOOD OF HER FELLOW NEIGHBORS.
SHE GAVE ME THE ABILITY TO WALK IN HER BIG SHOES AND REMINDED ME THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE WHEN THE CHANGE YOU SEEK IS BASED ON TRUTH, COMMUNITY AND INCLUSION.
GLORIA'S FAITH WAS UNWAVERING AND THERE IS NO DOUBT SHE WILL BE THE ANGEL.
NOW LIFTING US UP AND EMPOWERING OURSELVES TO EQUITY AND TO THE OUTCOMES THAT BENEFIT THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY.
TO BORROW ANOTHER COMMUNITY MEMBER'S CONDOLENCES, REST IN POWER.
GLORIA, AS YOU SIT IN THE LOVING ARMS OF GOD.
THANK YOU JANICE BARKER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRIS PARKER.
AS RESIDENTS FROM IMPACTED MOBILE HOME PARKS HERE IN PETALUMA, WE DIRECT OUR COMMENTS MAINLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECORDING THE HARM, RETALIATION, AND ABUSE OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS IN LITTLEWOODS, YOUNGSTOWN, AND CAPRI.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO STAND UP, MAINTAIN, AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF ABUSE WE HAVE BEEN AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR, DEFEND FOR THE DEFENDING, ENFORCING, AND STRENGTHENING OF LAWS, ORDINANCES, AND PROTECTIONS.
LITTLE WOODS'S RESIDENTS SUFFER GREAT LOSS TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND TO THEIR ABILITY TO SIMPLY EXIST AND TAKE CARE
[00:40:01]
OF THEIR FAMILIES.HARD TO WITNESS THE LOSS AND REDUCTION OF OTHER AMENITIES LIKE PARKING, THE LOSS OF CONTROL OVER THE FUTURE OF YOUR OWN MOBILE HOME.
THE LOSS OF MONEY IT TAKES TO LEGALLY JUST MERELY STAND UP FOR AN ORDINANCE, A LAW, OR A PROTECTION THAT WAS ENACTED TO PREVENT HARM.
THE MENTAL ANGUISH TO SEEK A SAFE PLACE TO PARK THE MENTAL ANGU OF YET ANOTHER NOTIFICATION FROM THE PARK OWNERS CLAIMING THE PARK IS CLOSING THE MENTAL ANGUISH OF YET ANOTHER COURT FIGHT TO MAINTAIN THE NON INCREASE OF GROUND RENT.
YET THESE RESIDENTS WHO HUMBLY LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS ARE FIGHTING HARD FOR THEIR FUTURE AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS' HEADS.
THE MOBILE HOME THEY PURCHASED WITH HARD-EARNED MONEY MUST BE PROTECTED FROM GREED AND GOUGING.
TO BE FOLLOWED BY TIM PORTUS, CITY OF PETALUMA.
LITTLE WOODS'S RESIDENTS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE LETTER THEY RECEIVED LAST FRIDAY.
FOR A MOMENT IN TIME, THEY FELT HOPE.
RESIDENTS ARE FINDING A WAY TO PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, BUT THE MENTAL CHALLENGES CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
CAPRI RESIDENTS ARE ALSO FACED WITH MULTIPLE ATTACKS ON THEIR COMMUNITY AND LOSS AND REDUCTION OF SERVICES LIKE PARKING, INCREASED GROUND RENTS, OVERCHARGES, LEGAL CHALLENGES, AND NOW A STATE INSPECTION TO WOR UH, DO WORRY.
IMAGINE WAKING UP EACH DAY TO CONS.
TRY TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUR JOB, YOUR FAMILY, AND EVEN YOUR HEALTH, AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT ASSAULT ON YOUR SMALL COMMUNITY.
GRATEFUL THOUGH THAT NONPROFITS LIKE REBUILDING TOGETHER PETALUMA, SEE THE NEED REACT TO POTENTIAL CHA CHALLENGES AND COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE AGAINST VIOLATIONS OR UNSAFE LIVING CONDITIONS.
HEAVY LIFTING GOING ON FROM THESE PARTNERSHIPS WHO SEEK SUPPORT AND SAFEGUARD ANY COMMUNITY RESIDENT REGARDLESS OF THEIR NET WORTH.
YOUNGSTOWN RESIDENTS FEEL THAT YEARS NOW OF ABUSE AND RETALIATION, BUT CONTINUE TO FIGHT BACK AND MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE THE PROTECTION THAT WERE VOTED IN FOR ALL SEVEN SEVEN MOBILE PARKS IN PETALUMA.
WHILE WE CONTINUE TO FIND THE MONEY AND THE RESOLVE, WE SEEK HUMBLY TO MAKE CHALLENGES THAT WILL HELP OUR FELLOW MOBILE RESIDENTS.
THANK THANK YOU THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND NOTABLY ACROSS THE STATE.
THANK AND, UH, TIM PORTUS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ELVIA CALDERON.
WE PETALUMA MOBILE RESIDENTS UNITED ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE THOUGHTFUL ENFORCEMENTS, LITIGATION AND INTENT TO DEFEND LAWFUL ORDINANCES AND ZONING AND NEVER TAKE THOSE FOR GRANTED.
WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF PETALUMA STANDS AS THE BEACON OF LIGHT FOR ALL MOBILE PARK RESIDENTS WHO NOW FIND THEMSELVES OWNED BY LARGE INVESTMENT GROUPS WHO SEEK TO REMOVE ANY PROTECTION OR ORDINANCE THAT STANDS IN THEIR WAY OF THEIR GREED.
WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS DILIGENTLY VERIFY FACTS AND REACT ACCORDING TO THE INTENDED PURPOSES OF YOUR CITY ORDINANCES AND ZONING.
WE ARE PROUD ONCE AGAIN TO CALL PETALUMA HOME WHERE YOU ARE NOT JUDGED BY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU EARN, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, OR THE TYPE OF JOB YOU MAY HAVE.
PETALUMA SEES EVERY RESIDENT AS THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE TO INCREASE, ENGAGE, AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS CITY.
WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS ALLOWED OUR VOICES.
WE SEE IT EVERY DAY IN COMMUNITY, NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACHING OUT.
WE ARE PETALUMA MOBILE RESIDENTS, UNITED STRONG, THANK YOU ELVIA, UH, CALDERON TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRIS.
GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.
TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING IN OUR PARKING ISSUES AT LITTLE WOODS.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING DELINQUENT ACTIVITIES WITH OUR VEHICLES, EVEN CONFRONTATIONS WITH OTHERS DUE TO NO PRIVATE PARKING SPOTS.
WE PARK OUR VEHICLES ANYWHERE WE THINK WE CAN.
HOMEOWNERS NOW PUTTING, UM, BARRIERS ON THE STREET WITH ORANGE CONES
[00:45:01]
AND BUSINESS OWNERS ARE LEAVING NO PARKING NOTES ON OUR DOORS, ON OUR DASHBOARDS, EVEN TELLING US VERBALLY DO NOT PART HERE.WE FEEL THEY MIGHT THINK WE HAVE COMPREHENSION PROBLEMS BY NOT LISTENING.
UM, TO DO NOT PARK EVERY DAY, ALL WE HEAR IS NO PART HERE.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO CAUSE ANY PROBLEM, IT'S JUST THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARKING RESOURCES OR VERY LIMITED.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE BEG YOU FOR SUPPORT FOR MORE SUPPORT.
THANK YOU CHRIS RELU TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN HANIA.
I'M HERE AS ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS FOR AGE-FRIENDLY PETALUMA.
IT IS MY GREAT PLEASURE TO INVITE YOU AND THE COMMUNITY AND CITY STAFF TO ATTEND OUR FIRST FORMAL EVENT ON SATURDAY APRIL 26TH.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW TO BE YOUR OWN GERIATRICIAN.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER? THERE IS A CRITICAL SHORTAGE IN THIS COUNTRY OF DOCTORS WHO KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OLDER ADULTS.
UM, MOST PHYSICIANS ARE NOT TRAINED.
THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE AGING BODY, WHICH ENDS UP IN FOLKS EITHER BEING OVERTREATED OR UNDERTREATED.
SO I WILL BE IN CONVERSATION WITH DR.
THE EVENT STARTS AT 10:00 AM IT IS FREE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS, WHICH INCLUDE THE CITY OF PETALUMA, HEALTHY PETALUMA, SUTTER HEALTH AND BLUE ZONES.
UM, WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO REGISTER.
UM, FOLKS CAN REGISTER FOR THE EVENT BY SEARCHING FOR THE AGE-FRIENDLY PETALUMA WEBPAGE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, OR BY GOING TO THE EVENT PAGE ON THE BLUE ZONES WEBSITE.
UM, IF YOU'RE AN OLDER ADULT, THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU.
IF YOU ANTICIPATE BEING A CAREGIVER, THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU.
THERE WILL BE TIME FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, DON.
JOHN HANIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY AMY LEY.
I'M GONNA START THIS BY A QUESTION.
I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS TOO, FOR THE CITY CLERK, WHEN YOU DO SWEAR SOMEBODY IN AS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A MAYOR, DOES IT COME WITH EINSTEIN DIPLOMA? BECAUSE SOME OF YOU, THEY TALK DOWN TO THE PUBLIC AS YOU ARE.
YOU KNOW, THE MAJESTY, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I CAME IN HERE TODAY THAT SOME OF THE CHAIRS ARE NOT REPLACED WITH A THRONE BECAUSE SOME OF YOU THINK YOU ARE KING AND QUEENS, AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT.
WHEN PEOPLE DON'T AGREE WITH YOU, YOU TALK DOWN TO THEM AS YOUR SUPERIOR, AND THAT'S NOT OKAY.
NOW IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION, TWO LETTERS TO THE EDITOR THAT WAS SENT BY BEN PETERSON AND A YOUNG MAN BY CARTER KELLY.
BEN PETERSON WAS HARASSING A YOUNG LADY IN THE BACK OF THE HALLWAY HERE ON THE 17TH, AND HE WAS INTIMIDATING HER.
I GOT INVOLVED AT THE END OF IT WALKING OUT, I INFERRED CON COUNCIL MEMBER DE CARLY ON THE 19TH.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER REPPS ON THE 24TH WITH LIEUTENANT AVIANO, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN HE MAKES IT LOOK LIKE OTHER PEOPLE ARE THE BULLY WHEN HE'S BEING A BULLY, WHEN HE'S BEING LABELED AS A, UM, LAB PUPPY.
IN FACT, THE PERSON WHO HAD BEEN INFORMED ME WITH THIS, HE SAID, WELL, IF BRIAN BARNACLE SAYS TO HIM, JUMP, HE SAY, WHERE AND HOW HIGH.
THANK YOU, AMY ASHLEY TO BE FOLLOWED BY DARYL PIKE.
HI, AMY ASHLEY, OWNER OF AMY'S ROOF AND SOLAR, A LICENSED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR HERE IN PETALUMA.
AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 13 YEARS.
UH, MY COMPANY WORKS WITH PETALUMA'S BILLING DEPARTMENT ALMOST DAILY.
IN FACT, PETALUMA IS MY FAVORITE BUILDING DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH.
UM, THE ISSUE I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS TODAY IS RELATED TO UNSAFE ELECTRICAL PANELS THAT ARE PERVASIVE IN PETALUMA.
ONE SUCH BRAND IS CALLED A SCO PANEL, AND IT'S A KNOWN FIRE HAZARD.
UH, WE HAVE DOZENS OF REQUESTS PER YEAR FOR SCO PANELS TO BE REPLACED, BUT WHEN THEY'RE WITHIN THREE FEET OF THE GAS MAINES, UM, AS A CONTRACTOR, WE'RE STUCK IN THE SAME PICKLE, WHICH IS THAT PG E WON'T GIVE US PERMISSION TO CHANGE THE PANEL OUT WITHOUT THE CITY WRITING US A LETTER.
THAT IS, THAT IT IS REQUIRED AND THE PETALUMA WON'T WRITE US A LETTER DUE TO THE CONSTRAINTS PG E PUTS ON THEM.
SO TO SUMMARIZE, PG E SAYS THAT IT'S SAFER TO HAVE A 40-YEAR-OLD ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT'S A KNOWN FIRE HAZARD THREE FEET FROM THE GAS MAIN, BUT THEN IT IS TO HAVE A BRAND NEW ELECTRICAL PANEL THAT
[00:50:01]
IS CODE COMPLIANT.UM, SO MY HUSBAND BRIAN, IS A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN, AND HE, THE COMPANY THEY WORKED FOR BEFORE, OUR COMPANY DID A HUNDRED THOUSAND JOBS PER YEAR.
AND THEIR POLICY WAS TO NOT DO ANY NEW WORK ON CISCO PANELS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT, UH, TO GET WRAPPED UP IN ANY RELATED LIABILITIES.
I WOULD THINK THAT PETALUMA WOULD WANNA, ONE, PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS FROM PREVENTABLE FIRES, AND TWO, PROTECT THE CITY FROM POTENTIAL LIABILITIES RESULTING FROM REFUSING TO ALLOW HOMEOWNERS TO REMOVE THEIR HAZARDOUS ELECTRICAL PANELS BEFORE THERE IS A FIRE.
UM, ROANOKE PARK AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE AN EXISTING POLICY, WHICH, UM, JUST ALLOWSS WORK ON CISCO PANELS.
UM, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH PARTS OF THE CITY AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH YOUR SUPPORT.
DARRYL PIKE TO BE FOLLOWED BY WAYNE TRO.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DARREL PIKE.
I LIVE AT LITTLE WOODS MOBILE VILLA.
I GOT A, UH, EVICTION NOTICE, AND, UH, I, UH, I NOTICED THAT, UH, THEY BLOCKED OFF THE BACK END OF OUR, OUR, UH, MOBILE HOME PARK WHERE OUR PARKING IS NOW.
UH, THE FIRE TRUCKS CAN'T MAKE IT THROUGH WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF THE PARK.
THEY HAVE TO BACK AND FORTH TO GET THROUGH THERE.
UM, THE LAST MAN THAT SPOKE, HE DOESN'T EVEN LIVE AT LITTLE WOODS.
AND WE NEED TO GET THAT, UH, FENCING DOWN SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN GET THROUGH FOR US.
AND, UH, NUMBER TWO, UH, AT, UH, LITTLE WOODS MOBILE HOME PARK IS, WAS DONATED TO THE CITY'S PARKS AND RECREATION.
HAVE YOU SOLD THAT BACK TO HARMONY? BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR PROPERTY.
THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE THAT PROPERTY BACK.
THEY ARE RENTING IT OUT AND MAKING MONEY OFF OF ITS CITY.
WE GOTTA STAND TOGETHER AND TAKE THIS OUT.
OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR THE EVENING IS WAYNE RA.
UM, MY CONCERN IS, UM, IN 2016, UH, BETWEEN 2016 AND 2019, UH, THE WATER TREATMENT FACILITY PLANT WAS UPGRADED AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE AN RNG, WHICH IS A RECLAIM NATURAL GAS, UM, FACILITY.
AND AS, AS OF TO DATE, I BELIEVE IT'S STILL OFFLINE.
I NOT SURE IF IT'S A MAINTENANCE ISSUE OR A WARRANTY ISSUE, UM, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST SOME KIND OF, UM, INFORMATION SET ON THE WEBSITE ON WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED WITH THIS SITE.
DUE TO ALL THE, UH, CONSTRUCTION THAT IS GOING ON, UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT FACILITY UP AND RUNNING.
UM, I HAVE ONE MORE, UH, SPEAKER CARD REQUEST.
I'M A A LITTLE CONFUSED IS, UH, THE COMMENT ON THE POLICE AUDIT ITEM 10 OR, OH, IT'S, IT'S RELATED, BUT NOT QUITE ON THAT.
SO IT'S, YOU'LL BACK TO PERFECT TIMING.
IT'S ACTUALLY PERFECT TIMING TODAY.
PAUL G**O IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AND, UM, I AM ON, UH, LAST, UH, AUGUST ON 18TH.
UM, I WAS, UH, DOWNTOWN WITH MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS A BIRACIAL CHILD.
UM, SHE PRESENTS AS WHITE AND, UH, WE HAD A CALL, A REPORT THAT THERE WAS A SUSPICIOUS MAN WITH A LITTLE GIRL DOWNTOWN.
MANY OF YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN HER DOWN THERE.
UH, SHE'S A LITTLE, SHE WAS SEVEN AT THE TIME.
AND, UM, THE POLICE INTERACTION, UM, WAS CALLED.
AND THEY WENT TO ASK ME IF THAT WAS MY CHILD, WHO WE PLAYED MANY TIMES DOWNTOWN.
AND SEVERAL OF THE COMMUNITY HAS SEEN US DOWN THERE.
UM, EIGHT MONTHS LATER, I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE EFFECT OF THAT TYPE OF INTERACTION.
IT'S NOT INNOCENT, IT'S NOT PROTECTING, IT'S ACTUALLY SELF-SERVING.
AND SOME IGNORANCE THAT A CALLER HAD, UM, REALLY CONCERNED, SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR THAT CHILD WHO WAS MY DAUGHTER, BY THE WAY.
SO, UM, THE, THE REVIEW FROM THE POLICE CAME BACK AND SAID IT WAS COMMENDABLE, EXEMPLARY ACTION, AND EVERYTHING WAS HANDLED TO THE BEST PROTECTION OF PETALUMA.
EIGHT MONTHS LATER, I'M HERE TELLING YOU I DON'T FEEL PROTECTED.
I'M THE ONE THAT WALKS AWAY WITH THAT FEELING EVERY TIME I'M DOWNTOWN, THEN I'M GONNA BE ASKED A QUESTION IF MY DAUGHTER IS MINE.
AND, UM, THAT IS JUST RIDICULOUS.
SO THE, THE POLICE AUDITOR DID GET INVOLVED, WHO WAS COMPLETELY USELESS, FAILED TO EVER CONTACT.
I WAS CHASING HIM TRYING TO GET UPDATES ON THE MATTER, AND IT WAS JUST A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN.
AND I NEVER GOT A CALL BACK, EVEN THOUGH HE LEFT ME A MESSAGE TO CALL HIM BACK, WHICH WAS MONTHS AGO.
[00:55:01]
AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.AND I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THE TAKEAWAY NOW IS THAT YOUR OFFICIALS BELIEVE THAT.
THIS BEHAVIOR IS 90 EXEMPLARY.
IF YOU AND COMMENDABLE, I DO SUGGEST YOU SUBMIT THEM TO THE CLERK, THE, THE WRITTEN FORM, AND THEY'LL GET IN THE RECORD THAT WAY.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT FOR THE EVENING.
[COUNCIL COMMENT]
MOVE IT ON TO, UH, COUNCIL COMMENT.AND, UM, UM, I'D LIKE TO START, UH, THIS END OF THE DIOCESE TONIGHT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SHRIVES.
I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER, UH, THE LONG LIST OF MEETINGS I WENT TO, BUT THERE'S TWO THERE THAT MOST IMPORTANT.
UM, ONE AT THE AG AND OPEN SPACE.
UH, THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE INCREASING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THEY'VE ALLOCATED LIKE $3 MILLION PER YEAR SO FAR, BUT THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS SEEM TO KEEP GIVING $6 MILLION AWAY INSTEAD.
SO, UM, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE PUSHING UP THE MATCHING GRANTS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, IT'S GONNA BE ON A, UH, LIKE FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS COMING UP.
AND SO WE NEED TO GET INVOLVED AT, UH, UH, START PUTTING IN FOR MORE GRANTS IF WE CAN.
UH, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE MATCHED.
THEN THE SECOND THING THEY'RE DOING IS THE BUY PROTECT SELL PROGRAM.
AND THERE IS, THEY'RE LOOKING RIGHT NOW AT A PROPERTY JUST NORTH OF PETALUMA.
AND IN THIS PROGRAM, UH, WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HAVE FOLKS THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED WHO WANT TO GET INTO FARMING.
UH, USUALLY YOUNGER FOLKS WITH MAYBE 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE WHO ARE LOOKING TO, UH, TO GO INTO FARMING FULL TIME, UH, AS A CAREER.
AND SO, UH, THIS BUY PROTECT CELL PROGRAM IS, THEY WOULD BUY THE LAND, THEY WOULD PUT IT UNDER LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND THEN SELL IT TO, UH, THIS NEW, UH, FARMER, UH, WITH, WITH A LOT OF SUPPORT.
AND SO THERE, AND SO WE HAVE A, A PLAN HERE POSSIBLY, UM, RIGHT HERE IN NORTH PETALUMA AS, AS A, AS AN OPTION.
SO THEY GOT LIKE SEVEN APPLICANTS TO START DOING THIS PROGRAM.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AT THE NORTH BAY WATERSHED ASSOCIATION, WE HAD A, UM, UH, A SPEAKER AND IT TURNS OUT THE GOLDEN MUSSEL, WHICH IS AS OF APRIL 24TH OF THIS YEAR, WAS FOUND AT 20 DIFFERENT SITES IN OUR DELTA.
AND THIS BUS, THE GOLDEN MUSCLE IS CONSIDERED TO BE MUCH, MUCH WORSE THAN EITHER THE, UH, CEGA OR ZEBRA OR KUGA OR ZEBRA MUSSELS THAT, THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN UNDER INVESTIGATION.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL RESERVOIRS AROUND THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE CLOSING DOWN, NO BOATS ANYMORE.
THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING DONE.
THERE'S DECONTAMINATION PROGRAMS, BUT IS EXTREMELY SERIOUS.
THIS IS A, A MUSCLE, UH, LESS THAN A DIME SIZE, BUT THEY PRODUCE IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS RAPIDLY.
UM, AND THEY WILL CLOG PIPES LIKE CRAZY AND, UM, UM, UH, THEY COMPLETELY COAT SURFACES VERY QUICKLY.
SO ANYWAY, SO IT'S A REAL PROBLEM THAT'S BEING FACED.
THEY'RE STILL BEING WORKED ON.
UH, LOTS OF FOLKS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, BUT JUST BE AWARE.
UM, SO BOATS HAVE TO BE INSPECTED, UM, AND DECONTAMINATED, UH, BETWEEN MOVING AND WATER BODIES.
NOW, UH, AROUND THE SMALLER BOATS, UH, KAYAKS, CANOES AND SUVS ARE STILL EXEMPT IF YOU HAVE 'EM DRY.
ANYWAY, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING.
THEN THE NAPA RIVER, I GOT A TOUR OF THE NAPA RIVER E ECO EDUCATION CENTER, AND WE HAVE ABOUT $10 MILLION OF, UM, OF, OF A PLAN THAT'S GOING INTO EFFECT.
THEY'VE ALREADY GOT, UH, THE, IT'S AT A FACILITIES, THE, THE GROUNDS FACILITIES THAT ARE BEING GIVEN UP RIGHT ON THE RIVER, UH, RIGHT THERE IN AMERICA CANYON.
AND SO I GET GOT ABLE TO TOUR AND VISIT THE FOLKS PROFESSIONAL, UM, STAFFED AND HOUSED, AND THEY DO 3000 STUDENTS A YEAR, UM, ALL SEVERAL DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS TALKING ABOUT WATERSHED MANAGEMENT.
SO WE NEED TO TAKE A VISIT OVER THERE WITH OUR FOLKS AND, UH, UH, SEE IF WE CAN DUPLICATE THAT OVER HERE.
AND THEN, UH, JUST QUICKLY ON THE FLOAT HOUSE, I'VE, I WAS THERE YESTERDAY AND, UH, THE PELOMA PETE IS UP AND RUNNING.
UH, THAT'S A NEW BOAT THAT, UH, UH, WAS WITH VARIOUS DONATIONS CAME IN TO HELP WITH THAT, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR A FOUR PERSON VOTE FOR FAMILIES, UM, UH, SOME DONATIONS THERE TO HELP THEM WITH A FOUR PERSON BOAT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S COMING UP, BUT, UM, UH, VERY INVOLVED IN LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
SO IF IT'S GOOD WEATHER, GET OUT TO THE PARKS.
SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, I ATTENDED THE TRANSIT ADVISORY, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION WITH THE MTC FOR TRANSIT ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR THE CITY.
I ATTENDED THE SCREENING OF JOIN OR DIE AT PETALUMA WOMEN'S CLUB, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO FIND A CLUB AND JOIN IT.
IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN PROFOUND WAYS.
UH, LAST WEEK I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE NICOLE HANNAH JONES LECTURE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AT THE SONOMA STATE, UH, UNIVERSITY.
AND I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME ORGANIZING THE KEYSTONE ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE PETALUMA VALLEY LITTLE LEAGUE.
[01:00:02]
THANK YOU.SO I, UH, YEAH, IT, IT WAS SAID ALREADY THAT I DID ATTEND A TOWN HALL UP IN CLOVERDALE, CITY OF CLOVERDALE.
THAT WAS TO DISCUSS THE POTTER VALLEY PROJECT, WHICH RABBIT COVERED A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA CLAIM TO BE AN EXPERT ON IT.
IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY, UH, COMPLEX SITUATION, BUT I KNOW AS MUCH AS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, OMA COUNTY AND OTHER COUNTIES WERE BUILT AROUND POTTER VALLEY.
UM, IT IS A MAJOR SUPPLY FOR OUR WATER.
AND, UM, I THINK, UH, I THINK WHAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DO GOING FORWARD IS TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT REALLY, UM, MAKES SURE THAT WE HAVE WATER.
AND, AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS, IS KEEPING THE DAM, UM, THIS MORNING WENT TO THE WATER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, THE COMMITTEE WENT AHEAD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY APPROVED THE BUDGET TO PASS IT ON TO THE, TO THE COUNTY, UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
AND THAT WILL RESULT IN A, UM, 4000TH OF A CENT INCREASE IN, IN RATES HERE, WHICH IS ABOUT A HALF A CENT.
UM, THEN A COUPLE WEEKS AGO WE HAD PARKS AND REC, UM, WHERE WE RENAMED CENTER PARK DOWNTOWN, UM, TO HONOR THE CHINESE HERITAGE IN PETALUMA.
UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME TOO, WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ON LUMA ICE.
UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP AND WE'RE STILL KIND OF WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE FROM THAT TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL IT ACTUALLY WAS FINANCIALLY OR NOT.
BUT, UH, FOR SOME REASON WE STILL DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS.
AND THEN AG AND OPEN SPACE, UH, JOHN COVERED THAT A LITTLE BIT ALREADY.
UM, BUT TO ADD FURTHER TO IT, IN OUR SUBCOMMITTEE, WE DID DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY, UM, PROVIDING GRANTS TO OLDER FARMS TO HELP REHABILITATE THEM.
AND THEN ALSO AG EDUCATION WHERE AG AND OPEN SPACE WOULD PARTNER WITH PEOPLE AND, AND HELP YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AGRICULTURE.
IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I PROUDLY REPRESENTED THE CITY AS THE VICE MAYOR.
IN THE MAYOR'S ABSENCE, I READ A PROCLAMATION FOR A YOUNG MAN WHO EARNED AN EAGLE SCOUT, THE HIGHEST RANK ATTAINABLE IN THE BOY SCOUTS PROGRAM, REQUIRING A SCOUT TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP SERVICE, COMMITMENT TO SCOUTING PRINCIPLES THROUGH EARNING MERIT BADGES, AND COMPLETING A SIGNIFICANT SERVICE PROJECT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH WAS AT MCNAIR SCHOOL.
I ATTENDED THE SONOMA COUNTY HOMELESS COALITION MEETING.
I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE COUNTY'S CONTINUED WORK ON THE HOMELESS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
THIS ONGOING SITUATION IN OUR COUNTY HAS NUMEROUS OBSTACLES TO OVERCOME IN THE NEXT YEAR WITH FUNDING AND ORGANIZATIONS IN JEOPARDY.
HAD A HARD HAT TOUR WITH MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL MEMBER STRIPS AT THE ADOBE ROAD WINERY AND EVENT CENTER.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT BEING COMPLETED IN THE NEXT YEAR, IT WILL ATTRACT A LOT OF TOURISTS TO OUR DOWNTOWN.
I ATTENDED THE SWEARING IN OF TWO NEW EMPLOYEES OF OUR PETAL MAP POLICE DEPARTMENT ATTENDED THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I CAN'T THANK OUR PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF ENOUGH FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
IT WAS A CLOUDY, CLOUDY AND RAINY DAY FOR THE RIBBON COUNTY AT THE LOCAL UNITED STATES COAST GUARD BASE FOR THEIR NEW SOLAR PROJECT INSTALLATION.
TOOK A VERY, UM, TOOK A VERY EDUCATIONAL AND IMPRESSIVE TOUR OF THE PROJECT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO PETALUMA BECOMING AN OFFICIAL COAST GUARD CITY.
THANKS TO OUR PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND STAFF THAT CASA GRANDE HIGH SCHOOL AND ROTARY CLUB INSTALLED A PEACE POOL ON THE CAMPUS.
LAST WEEK, THE MESSAGE MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH WAS READ IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES BY CASA GRANDE STUDENTS.
WE ALL RECITED THE PLEDGE TOGETHER, AND I REALLY RECOMMEND YOU CHECKING OUT THE PEACE POOL, GOING ON THE, UM, QR CODE, UM, LINK AND IT HAS THE PLEDGE.
AND I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND, UM, IS OUR TRANS HUMUS FESTIVAL, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR SHEEP HERDING DOWN TO THE, UM, RIVER PARK, WHICH WILL THEN, WELL, THE MCNAIR PENINSULA PARK, WHICH WILL THEN THE SHEEP WILL GRAZE AND CUT DOWN THE, THE GRASS THERE.
AND AT NOON ON SATURDAY, AFTER THIS EVENT AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THE SHEEP BIRDING, GO TO THE POME MUSEUM FOR OUR HISTORY WEEK, THE REUNION OF ALL OUR GOOD EGGS, INCLUDING MYSELF, AND MEET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR GOOD EGG PACK.
AND I WANNA DO A SHOUT OUT TO MY FATHER, RAY PETERSON.
[01:05:01]
I'M HERE AT CITY HALL INSTEAD OF, WELL, GOAT BISTRO, ENJOYING, UH, CELEBRATING YOUR BIRTHDAY.COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON.
UH, YEAH, WELL, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. PETERSON
MAYBE WE'LL GO DOWN THERE AFTER KAREN.
UM, I JUST WANNA THANK OUR DISPATCHERS FOR THE WORK THEY DO, AND IT'S REALLY A HARD JOB.
AND LAST NIGHT I HAD TO CALL THEM, UM, I GOT A CALL AROUND SEVEN 10 FROM SOME RESIDENTS, ACTUALLY A TEXT AND AN EMAIL ABOUT NOISE AT THE FAIRGROUND.
SO IMMEDIATELY GOT IN THE CAR, WENT DOWN THERE, AND THEN I MET OFFICER RIVERA THERE.
AND THE DECIMAL METER WAS DEFINITELY HIGHER THAN THE PERMITTED, UM, NUMBER.
AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE PROBABLY THREE CALLS BEFORE I WENT DOWN THERE.
AND SO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, NEED TO, UM, REALLY TIGHTEN THAT UP AND ADDRESS IT.
AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY'S ON TOP OF IT, SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT I NEED TO DO AT THIS POINT.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANNA SAY, ON APRIL 27TH AT 10:30 AM AT THE NORTH CORONA SMART STATION, THE NEW SMART PATH TO PEN GROVE WILL BE DEDICATED AND THEN OPEN.
AND SO IF YOU RIDE A BIKE, YOU CAN RIDE YOUR BIKE TO PEN GROVE, OR YOU CAN WALK OR JUST GO DOWN THERE AND CELEBRATE THE, THE OPENING OF THE, OF THE PATHWAY.
AND ON JUNE 13TH AT 2:00 PM THE WINDSOR SMART STATION RIBBON CUTTING WILL HAPPEN.
AND SO IT'LL BE EASY TO GET ON THE SMART TRAIN AND GO UP TO WINDSOR AND CELEBRATE.
AND THEN NEXT IS WINDSOR, AND THEN CLOVERDALE AFTER THAT.
AND SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING, AND JUST EVEN GETTING TO WINDSOR IS A, IT'S GREAT.
UM, I ALSO WAS AT THE, UM, COAST GUARD RIBBON CUTTING FOR THEIR NEW, UM, SOLAR FIELD AND ELECTRICAL DEDICATION IS, WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
AND I WAS ABLE TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PLANTS THAT ARE NOT SO SAFE COMPARED TO THIS PLANT, WHICH IS VERY SAFE FOR THE SYSTEM THAT'S SAFE.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS REALLY POSITIVE.
AND I ALSO ATTENDED THE WAC SPECIAL MEETING THIS MORNING.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, I WAS ACTUALLY NO, AT THE PETALUMA GROUNDWATER, UM, SUSTAINABILITY, THE GSA MEETING.
AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING TO REPORT.
WE'RE JUST STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WELL TESTING.
IT'S REALLY TO SEE HOW HOW MUCH WATER IS BEING DEPLETED OUT OF OUR AQUIFER.
AND SO PETALUMA IS IN BETTER SHAPE THAN I BELIEVE SANTA ROSA AND SONOMA, BUT THERE'S STILL DEPLETION IN THERE.
AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO DO RECHARGE AND HOW WE RECHARGE REALLY WORKS ACTUALLY FOR, UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SANTA ROSA AND PETALUMA BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND HOW YOU DO RECHARGE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RAIN, UM, THAT WATER IS KIND OF STORED, UM, FOR USE.
AND THAT WATER IS NOT REALLY USED FOR RECHARGE.
IT'S KINDA TWO DIFFERENT USES.
UM, AND LET'S SEE, AND OH, I WENT TO THE SCTA BIKE AND PED COMMITTEE MEETING.
I CARPOOLED WITH MARTAR AND I WENT BECAUSE I JUST WANTED TO LISTEN AND LEARN.
AND I HAD NOT BEEN TO ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS.
AND I AM A DIRECTOR ON THE SCTA.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GO TO THOSE MEETINGS AND JUST, UM, LISTEN AND JUST LISTEN.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE, YOU, MR. MAYOR.
UM, APPRECIATE SUPERVISOR RABBIT COMING IN AND GIVING HIS OVERVIEW.
UM, FIRST OF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH IS ALWAYS BUSY FOR ME.
I HAVE, I HAD A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHERE WE HEARD THE PETALUMA RIVER PARKS, UH, PROPOSAL, AND WE GAVE FEEDBACK ON THAT WITH THE HISTORIC AND PRESERVATION, UH, UH, COMMITTEE.
I HAD A BAY AREA AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT MEETING.
UM, MOST NOTABLE THING COMING FROM THAT WAS A PRESENTATION ON WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS WITH RESPECT TO AIR QUALITY, UM, FROM THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.
AND I HAD A SONOMA CLEAN POWER BOARD MEETING, UM, WHERE WE GOT A PRESENTATION ON OUR PEAK LOAD MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS. UM, IT'S PRETTY, UM, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, SMALL ACTIONS FROM PRESIDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY ARE BASICALLY WIPE ABLE TO WIPE OFF THE EQUIVALENT OF LIKE 5,000 HOMES ON A MOMENT'S NOTICE TO HELP KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.
UM, AND THAT ABOUT 30% OF THE CUSTOMERS ARE, ARE LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS.
UM, AND THEREFORE, LIKE, OBVIOUSLY REAPING THE BENEFITS OF, UM, OF THE, THE PROGRAMS I HAD, UH, WAS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PETALUMA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
WE HAD A NICE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO FLATTENING REVENUES, UM, AGING POPULATION, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, AND APPRECIATED THEM.
AND I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, UH, LOOK INTO THE ZIKO PANEL ISSUE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT.
[01:10:01]
I'D ALSO APPRECIATE AN UPDATE ON THE RNG PLANT IF, IF WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE.IF NOT, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AFTERWARDS.
BUT THAT WAS, UH, DEFINITELY PIQUED MY INTEREST AS WELL.
YEAH, I'M HOPING WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE ZENKO PANELS TOO.
I THINK WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SCHOOLS IN, IN PETALUMA.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER, WE'LL DO, UH, MARY COLLINS AT, UH, CHERRY VALLEY COMING WEEK.
UH, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT CONNECTION FOR THE KIDS TO UNDERSTAND HISTORY AND THE POWER OF WHAT THOSE VETS ARE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, I'M ALSO SPEAKING AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS AND POST OFFICE THIS WEEKEND.
IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FOOD DRIVE.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL BE DOING A FOOD DRIVE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY FOR THE NEXT MONTH, AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ASSIST THEM IN HITTING THEIR GOALS.
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH FOOD INSECURITY.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE GRAND OPENING OF A LIVING UNLIMITED, WHICH IS A HOME FOR NEURODIVERGENT NEURO NEURODIVERGENT YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, LOCATED, UH, AT A FARM, RIGHT, UH, ON THE EDGE OF TOWN HERE, AND TWO PARTICULAR POINTS.
UM, IT'S JUST SO APPARENT WHAT THE NEED IS TO HELP, UM, IN THIS AREA.
AND THAT, UM, UM, THE NEED IS SO MUCH HIGHER IN THE CAPACITY WE HAVE AND THAT THIS KIND OF WORK OPENING THIS FACILITY CAN ONLY BE DONE BY FOLKS WITH TRUE PASSION AND CARE FOR THEIR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
UM, I, UM, ALSO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO, UM, THE CASA GRANDE UNITED ANGLERS GROUP THIS YEAR.
THEY'VE EXTENDED THEIR, UH, RESTORATION WORK AND THEIR, UH, ALL THE WAY UP INTO LAFFERTY RANCH, UH, ON ADOBE CREEK THERE.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T HIKED LAFFERTY, IT'S A GEM.
BUT THANKS AGAIN TO THE CASA GRANDE STUDENTS.
AND, UM, ALSO, UM, SONOMA COUNTY WILL BE DOING A SONOMA SHAKE OUT, AN EARTHQUAKE DRILL COMING UP.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP IN MIND THE DISASTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ARE, WE'RE SUBJECT TO AND NOT ALWAYS PREPARED FOR.
SO LET'S, LET'S BE PREPARED ON THAT.
AND I DO HOPE YOU'LL JOIN, UM, MYSELF AND THE VICE MAYOR AT THE, UH, OPENING CEREMONIES FOR BUTTER AND EGGS DAY.
IT'LL BE, UH, AT OUR, UH, CONGREGATE HISTORICAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM AT, UH, NOONTIME.
[CITY MANAGER COMMENT]
LIKE TO PASS IT ON OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER FOR COMMENTS.THANKS, MAYOR COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY.
SO MUCH HAPPENING, UH, THIS MONTH.
OUR ANNUAL RECRUITMENT FOR CITY COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS OPENS NEXT MONDAY, APRIL 14TH.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30 VACANCIES AMONG MOST OF OUR COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR CITY, AND WE WELCOME A DIVERSE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE.
SO ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND ARE DUE BY 5:00 PM ON THURSDAY, MAY 29TH.
SO, UH, AT THE END OF MAY, APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE.
FOR TERMS TO BEGIN JULY 1ST, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR BY CONTACTING THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO HONORED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE CITY IS A FINALIST FOR THE ALL AMERICA CITY AWARD THAT'S, UH, GIVEN BY THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUES.
UM, IT'S A VERY PRESTIGIOUS, UH, AWARD, UH, THAT THEY'VE BEEN GIVING OUT FOR 75 YEARS.
WE ARE AMONG, UM, WE'RE A GOOD COMPANY.
WE'RE AMONG 20 FINALISTS, UM, WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN, UH, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, TO CREATE LASTING, IMPACTFUL SOLUTIONS.
FINALISTS WERE CHOSEN THROUGH A COMPETITIVE REVIEW PROCESS, LED BY AN INDEPENDENT PANEL OF EXPERTS WITH EACH APPLICATION EVALUATED ON THE CRITERIA OF SHARED VISION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, INCLUSIVENESS, AND EQUITY, COLLABORATION, INNOVATION AND IMPACT.
WE WILL NOW BEGIN PREPARING FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF OUR COMPETITION, UM, ATTENDING, UH, AN EVENT IN DENVER FROM JUNE 27TH THROUGH 29TH, WHERE WE WILL PRESENT OUR STORIES OF SUCCESS AND SHOWCASE THE IMPACT OF OUR INITIATIVES.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, THAT COMPETITION.
UM, AND THANK YOU VICE MAYOR NOW FOR MENTIONING OUR ANNUAL HERDING OF THE SHEEP.
UM, JUST FOR A REMINDER, IT STARTS AT THE PETALUMA FAIRGROUND STARTING AT 9:00 AM AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING FREE BREAKFAST BURRITOS AND COFFEE, AND THE SHEEP HURTING BEGINS AT 10 30.
AND WE'LL CUL CULMINATE AT STEAMERS LANDING, UM, AT 11:00 AM AND GO TO 2:00 PM UH, IN ADDITION, THIS SATURDAY ALSO AT THE FAIRGROUNDS IS THE PETALUMA SUNRISE ROTARY'S GREAT PETALUMA EGG HUNT FROM 10:00 AM TO NOON.
SO THEY CAN STILL MAKE IT TO THE MUSEUM AT NOON, RAIN OR SHINE FREE FOR CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER AND FOOD PRIZES ACTIVITIES,
[01:15:01]
AND THE EASTER BUNNY WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE.AND THEN FINALLY, THE CITY'S, UH, DRAFT ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
IT'S OUR ACTION PLAN FOR ALL THINGS RELATED TO BIKING, WALKING, AND ROLLING IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AND ON OUR WEBSITE, THE PLAN PROPOSES DOZENS OF ACTION ITEMS AND A VISION FOR A BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE PETALUMA WORLD CLASS ACTIVE LIVING CITY WHERE WALKING, BIKING, AND ENROLLING ARE A CELEBRATED PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS MAY VIEW THE DRAFT PLAN ON OUR WEBSITE, CITY OF PETALUMA.ORG/ATP, SO THAT'S ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
BUT IF YOU JUST LOOK UP ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, IT WILL PULL IT UP AND YOU CAN PROVIDE COMMENTS ON THE PLAN BY ATTENDING ANY OF THE THREE PUBLIC MEETINGS, WHICH I'LL ANNOUNCE HERE SHORTLY, OR SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS VIA THE PROJECT WEBPAGE.
UM, THE THREE MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING UP ARE TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH, TOMORROW, UM, AT CITY HALL, AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND, UM, A JOINT MEETING OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND PAC, OUR PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TUESDAY, APRIL 15TH, ALSO AT CITY HALL WITH THE TRANSIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND THEN MONDAY, APRIL 21ST, HERE AT CITY COUNCIL, UM, AT 6:00 PM AND THAT CONCLUDES, OH, UM, AND I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP, AMY, THANK YOU FOR, FOR SHOWING UP.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WROTE THE LETTER, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
APPRECIATE IT RESOLVED REGARDING THE PANELS.
REGARDING THE PANELS, YEAH, NOT RESOLVED, BUT THAT ONE PERSON'S RESOLVED.
BUT WE WILL WORK ON A POLICY, BUT WE GOT THE LETTER, SO YEAH, THAT'S GREAT WHEN WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THE PUBLIC AND YEP.
AND WE APPRECIATE ADVOCACY AND CAN BUILD A PROGRAM ON TOP OF A INDIVIDUAL.
UM, AND, UM, LOT'S GOING ON ALL AROUND THE CITY HERE.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
TO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR FOR THE EVENING.AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL IF ANYONE HAS A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS.
I'M GONNA, UM, OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON THE, THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE LISTED ITEMS AND, UM, AGAIN, LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES, AND I'LL ASK THE CLERK TO READ THE MESSAGING.
YES, WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AHEAD OF TIME, BUT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN PERSON SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED TO BE RESPECTFUL IN THEIR COMMENTS AND THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING TRANSLATED.
PLEASE PAUSE BETWEEN SENTENCES FOR TRANSLATION.
ONCE AGAIN, I AM OPEN UP A, IN A MINUTE WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT,
OKAY, SO WE'RE KIND OF GIVING EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO, UH, CLEAR THE ROOM, WHO WANTS TO CLEAR THE ROOM? AND, UM, SO THE, IT'S, THIS IS CONVERSATION ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
AND SO I ASK YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMENTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
IT'S NOT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND, UH, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER TONIGHT, ADINA FLORES.
AND, UH, CLERK, CAN WE SET THE CLOCK? THANK YOU.
UM, I'M ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION ONCE AGAIN PER THE MINUTES.
I UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE LAST MEETING REGARDING THE ZONING AMENDMENTS IN RELATION TO THE OVERLAY, AND I DID SEE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER DE CARLY RECUSED HIMSELF.
I HAVE TO INTERRUPT FOR A HEARTBEAT HERE JUST TO ASK, CAN YOU CONNECT, UM, YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR? YES.
SO I'M, I'M YOU'RE ASKING RE YES.
UH, SO PER THE MINUTES, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER DICARLO RECUSED HIMSELF, UH, WITH THE OVERLAY DISCUSSIONS, HOWEVER, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW, UH, TO DETERMINE WHETHER A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTED IN RELATION TO COUNCILMAN BARNACLES.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK ON FOR THE RECORD WHERE THAT STANDS, BECAUSE THE FPPC ASKED FOR AN EXTENSION TODAY.
UM, AND I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO GO BACK THROUGH AND LISTEN TO THE COMMENTERS AND REFLECT ON THE MINUTES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
IT WAS UPSETTING TO ME THAT FRIENDS OF COUNCILMAN BARNACLE COMMENTED TO STATE THAT, UH, THE ONLY PEOPLE WITH AN ISSUE REGARDING THE OVERLAY ZONING AMENDMENTS ARE ELDERLY WHITE PEOPLE.
UM, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH RACE, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
PLEASE DO NOT MAKE IT ABOUT RACE.
AND THAT CLOSES, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM FOR THE EVENING.
[01:20:01]
MR. MAYOR, IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN BRIEFLY RESPOND TO THAT, UM, QUESTION.I KNOW, I THINK, I THINK IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
WITHOUT THE ATTORNEY'S INTERPRETATION TONIGHT.
AND, UH, I'D LIKE TO BRING IT BACK UP TO COUNCIL AND, UM, I THINK I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR.
I'LL SECOND, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION FROM CATER THOMPSON AND A SECOND FROM THE VICE MAYOR.
AND, UM, ANY LAST, THEN LET'S, UH, MAYBE HAVE THE ROLL CALL VOTE BARNACLE.
[PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION]
OUR, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.AND, UH, WE HAVE THE EVER POPULAR RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING APPOINTMENTS TO THE MAYORS AND COUNCILS ASSOCIATION TO FILL THE VACANCIES.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CLERK TO WALK US THROUGH THIS.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AS YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ASSOCIATION OF SONOMA COUNTY FILLS VACANCIES ON VARIOUS LOCAL OR REGIONAL BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS WHEN THE TERMS OF OFFICE EXPIRE OR UPON RESIGNATIONS.
SO THERE ARE CURRENTLY SIX VACANCIES ON THREE BODIES.
THE FULL LIST OF VACANCIES IS AVAILABLE IN THE PACKET, UH, AS ARE THE CALLS FOR LETTERS, OR THE CALL FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST CAME TO A CLOSE ON MARCH 14TH.
AND THE LETTERS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE PACKET TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING COUNSEL TO RECOMMEND APPOINTMENTS FOR THE VACANCIES, WHICH MAYOR MCDONALD OR HIS DESIGNEE WILL VOTE ON AT THE UPCOMING APRIL 10TH MCA MEETING.
SO FOLLOWING ANY COUNCIL QUESTIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT, OF COURSE, I'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION SHOWING THE VACANCIES AND APPLICANTS AND WE CAN GO THROUGH EACH ONE TO DETERMINE COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS REGARDING THE, UH, PROCESSING? I THINK IT'S FOLLOW THE PROCESS WE USED ON, UH, THE LAST ROUND OF THESE ONES.
COUNCIL MEMBER DI CARLY, UH, DO WE WANNA HAVE A BACKUP IN CASE FOR SOME REASON SOMEBODY DROPS OUT IN, IN THE FINAL MINUTES? UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, DISCUSS IT IF, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN MIND, UH, OR A CONCERN? NO, NOT REALLY.
I'M JUST, WHEN YOU GO TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, DO WE HAVE A BACKUP PLAN IN CASE THE UNKNOWN? UH, GENERALLY THE COMMITMENT IS TO VOTE FOR THE, UH, RECOMMENDED PERSON IN, IN THE FIRST ROUND BALLOTING, AND THEN FIND OUT WHERE IT LAYS AT THE END OF THAT.
SO, UM, UM, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, AND WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE MESSAGING MAD CLERK? YES.
UH, WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS.
OH, WE DID ACTUALLY, WE RECEIVED ONE PUBLIC COMMENT AHEAD OF TIME ON THIS.
UH, AND NOW, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN PERSON SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED TO BE RESPECTFUL IN THEIR COMMENTS AND THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING TRANSLATED.
PLEASE PAUSE BETWEEN SENTENCES FOR TRANSLATION AND NOT SEEING ANYONE RESTING UP.
WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL.
AND, UM, AT THIS POINT WE'LL HAVE A, A VOTING ROUND.
AND WHAT ARE THE OFFICES WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE? WE HAVE A, LET ME BRING UP POWERPOINT.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS GONNA BE MEASURE H OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND THERE ARE TWO SEATS, UH, AVAILABLE FOR THIS.
AND WE'LL, THESE TWO ARE EQUAL.
AND WE'LL JUST ASK EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO MAKE THEIR VOTE AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THE TALLY LANDS LANDS AT THE ONE, UH, THE FIRST ROUND.
SO PLEASE, UH, PLEASE VOTE FOR TWO.
UH, FAREL LOWE AND HINTON CATER THOMPSON, SANDRA LOWE AND MISA HINTON.
NOW LO AND MITCHELL, QUINT LOWE AND HINTON SCH SHRIMPS, KY AND HINTON AND MCDONALD, UH, RE CREEK AND HINTON.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE SANDRA LOWE AND HINTON HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE EACH, CORRECT? I'M MUT THAT RIGHT.
AND WE HAVE OUR, UH, CANDIDATES THERE.
THE NEXT VACANCIES ARE ON THE NORTH BAY DIVISION, UM, LOCC EXECUTIVE BOARD.
UH, THESE TWO SEATS, ONE IS A PRIMARY AND ONE IS AN ALTERNATE SEAT.
SO I DO HAVE TWO SLIDES FOR THIS.
IF WE WANTED TO VOTE FIRST FOR THE PRIMARY SEAT, AND THEN FOR THE ALTERNATE,
[01:25:01]
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN.THIS IS AGAIN FOR THE PRIMARY SEAT BARNACLE.
CATER THOMPSON CATER THOMPSON
SO FOR THE PRIMARY SEAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON HAS RECEIVED, UH, THE MOST VOTES.
SO NOW WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE ALTERNATE SEAT.
PLEASE VOTE FOR ONE BARNACLE HARVEY CATER THOMPSON, SUSAN HARVEY DECAR ZALMAN.
NOW, UM, HARVEY QUINT HARVEY TRIPS HARVEY MCDONALD HARVEY.
AND THE FINAL TWO VACANCIES ARE ON SONOMA COUNTY AGRICULTURAL PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, SO THERE ARE TWO SEATS, UH, SO PLEASE VOTE FOR TWO.
BARNACLE, SCHIBS, AND NOW CATER THOMPSON SCHIBS.
AND NOW REBS, UH, REBS AND NOW
MAYBE WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT ONE BY A CLAIM, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UM, SO NOW IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE A MOTION APPROVING, UH, THE RESOLUTION WITH THESE SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION FROM BARNACLE TO LET THE RECORD REFLECT AS YOU'VE TAKEN THE, THE POLLING AND A SECOND FROM KA THOMPSON.
AND NOW WE'RE WE'LL HAVE ROLL CALL VOTE, RIGHT? BARNACLE.
THAT MOVES US ON TO ITEM SEVEN.
UM, ANOTHER EXCITING, UM, ITS RESOLUTIONS, ORDERING ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE, CONSISTING OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE JESSICA POWER TO, UH, HELP US A LITTLE INTRODUCTION ON THE TOPIC.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
ON JANUARY 8TH, 2024, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE HAZARDOUS VEGETATION AND RUBBISH GROWING UPON PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTY ORDINANCE.
THIS ORDINANCE FORMALLY DECLARES THAT WEEDS AND HAZARDOUS VEGETATION ON BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARCELS CONSTITUTE A PUBLIC NUISANCE AND ARE SUBJECT TO ABATEMENT.
TONIGHT MARKS THE FIRST OFFICIAL COUNSEL ACTION FOR THE 2025 WHEAT ABATEMENT SEASON WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION, ORDERING THE ABATEMENT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION AND RUBBISH NOTICES WERE MAILED TO THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS, INFORMING THEM OF THIS HEARING AND THEIR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE.
THIS PUBLIC HEARING, ALONG WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION, SATISFIES LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT AUTHORIZE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ITS CONTRACTOR TO ENTER PRIVATE PROPERTY TO PERFORM WEED ABATEMENT IF THE PROPERTY OWNER FAILS TO COMPLY.
WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS TO COMPLETE THEIR WEED ABATEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES ON THEIR OWN CITY INITIATED ABATEMENT ONLY OCCURS WHEN THE PROPERTIES REMAIN OUT OF COMPLIANCE AFTER THE STATED DEADLINE OF MAY 31ST, 2025.
CITY INSPECTIONS FOR NON-COMPLIANT PARCELS WILL BEGIN ON OR AFTER JUNE 1ST, DEPENDING ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
UM, AND DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL AND, UH, NOT SEEING ANY QUESTIONS? UH, PLEASE READ THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN PERSON SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED TO BE RESPECTFUL IN THEIR COMMENTS AND THAT THIS MEETING IS BEING TRANSLATED.
PLEASE PAUSE BETWEEN SENTENCES FOR TRANSLATION.
CAN I ASK, DID WE HAVE ANY EMAIL ON THIS? WE DID NOT.
AND SEEING NO ONE RESTING UP TO GREET YOU, UH, WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL, AND, UH, THERE'S SOMETHING OF A, UM, UH, ROUTINE WE'LL NEED TO FOLLOW IN TONIGHT'S EVENING.
AND I THINK FIRST WE'LL LOOK FOR MOTION.
HOW ARE WE DEFINING THAT RESOLUTION?
[01:30:02]
WHO HAS THAT RESOLUTION NUMBER IN FRONT OF US? I BELIEVE THE FIRST ONE IS NO RECUSALS.AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, AND, AND ASSUMING THERE'S NO QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE A ROLL CALL AND THE NO RECUSALS, OH, COULD I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THAT? WE MAY, YEAH, I MAY WE HAVE A CATER THOMPSON FOR A MOTION SECOND AND A SECOND FROM NOW.
AND, UM, IN THIS NEXT ONE, I, UH, NEED TO RECUSE AND I WILL STEP OUTTA THE ROOM WHILE THE VICE MAYOR TAKES OVER FOR US.
AND SECOND, THE MOTION BY CATER THOMPSON, SECOND BY BARNACLE.
UM, AND WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
SO OUR NEXT ONE IS WITH BARNACLE RECUSED.
AND, UH, AND I AND I MIGHT ADD, UM, THESE RECUSALS ARE BECAUSE EACH OF THESE COUNCIL PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN THE PRIVATE DISTANCE FROM, UM, PROPERTIES INVOLVED IN THE ACTION.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ONE.
I'LL MOVE MOTION BY I'LL, THAT MOTION BY RI SECOND BY KATE THOMPSON.
THAT MOVES US TO, UM, NEXT TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DE CARLY'S, UH, OPPORTUNITY AND RECUSAL FOR THE SAME, UH, REASONS.
AND I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION FOR THIS.
I'LL SECOND MOTION BY, UM, SCHIBS AND SECOND BY NOW, BARNICLE AYE.
NOW I THINK I INVITE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHRIVES TO, UH, JOIN THE PARADE RECUSAL FOR THE SAME REASON.
AND I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION MOVING MO MOTION BY NOW.
UM, AND, UH, THAT CONCLUDES THAT ITEM MOVES US ONTO OUR NEXT ITEM.
I DO WANNA JUST NOTE THAT, UM, UH, DISTRICT ELECTIONS HAVE OCCURRED AND, AND, UH, NOW WE LIVE IN A MORE, UH, FAR RANGING PARTS OF THE CITY, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW RECUSALS ON THIS TOPIC EXTEND TO ALL PARTS OF THE CITY.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION, APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS BY, UH, THE CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL FINANCE AUTHORITY AND NOT TO EXCEED $65 MILLION TO FINANCE AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING FACILITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF DANCO COMMUNITIES AND THEIR PROJECT MERIDIAN AT PETALUMA NORTH STATION.
UH, THAT'S AT, UH, EIGHT 90 NORTH MCDOWELL BOULEVARD.
AND TO HELP US WITH THAT TONIGHT, KAREN ZU, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SARAH WOLF, OUR HOUSING SPECIALIST, WILL, UH, LEAD US IN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS BY CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL FINANCE AUTHORITY CMFA FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION OF MERIDIAN AT PETALUMA NORTH STATION, WHICH IS A DANKO HOUSING PROJECT.
[01:35:02]
UM, WHAT IS A TOUGHER HEARING? IT'S A MANDATED PUBLIC HEARING BY THE IRS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE ISSUANCE OF TAX EXEMPT BONDS.UM, AND TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE BONDS ARE BEING USED FOR A QUALIFIED PURPOSE.
UH, THE HEARING IS NOT AN APPROVAL OF ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE PROJECT.
UM, IN THIS TOUGHER HEARING, OOPS, PARDON ME.
UM, THE DEVELOPER, DANKO HOUSING REQUESTED THAT CMFA ISSUE UP TO $65 MILLION OF BONDS FOR FINANCING THE ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF MERIDIAN AT PETALUMA NORTH STATION 101, UH, I'M SORRY.
131 UNIT MULTIFAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
UH, CMFA CANNOT ISSUE BONDS UNTIL A PUBLIC HEARING IS CONDUCTED BY THE JURISDICTION WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS LOCATED.
UH, THE CITY WILL NOT INCUR ANY FINANCIAL OBLIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH FINANCING OF THESE BONDS.
SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT.
UM, THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF SEVEN BUILDINGS, SIX OF WHICH ARE THREE STORIES, AND ONE FOUR STORY BUILDING WITH AN ELEVATOR ON A 5.29 ACRE PARCEL.
THE SITE PLAN MAXIMIZES OPEN GREEN SPACE AND DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SMART TRAIN ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY.
UH, MANY CONSIDERATIONS WERE TAKEN AND DESIGNED TO CREATE A FUNCTIONAL AND HIGHLY ENERGY EFFICIENT PROJECT, UM, INCLUDING BEING A HUNDRED PERCENT ALL ELECTRIC IN ALIGNMENT WITH PETALUMA'S CARBON NEUTRALITY GOALS.
UM, DETAILS INCLUDE 33 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS, UM, 20 GROUND FLOOR, 80 DA COMPATIBLE UNITS.
UM, ALL THE UNITS ARE DE RESTRICTED BETWEEN 20 AND 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
SO, UH, FOR THE 20:24 AM I CHART, FOR AN EXAMPLE, UM, A PERSON EARNING UP TO $13,500 WOULD QUALIFY FOR A STUDIO WHILE A FAMILY OF FOUR COULD EARN UP TO 69,150.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU.
THE ACTION REQUESTED IS TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING, RECEIVE COMMENTS, AND AFTER THE HEARING CONDUCT, OR WE ASK COUNSEL TO CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE BONDS, UH, REVENUE BONDS BY CMFA FOR THE BENEFIT OF DANCO HOUSING FOR THIS MERIDIAN AT PETALUMA NORTH STATION PROJECT.
UM, ATTENDING VIA ZOOM, WE HAVE MACKENZIE DIPPLE, THE PROJECT MANAGER, UH, FOR DANKO HOUSING, AND BEN BARKER FROM CMFA IN THE AUDIENCE WHO'LL BE STANDING BY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
FBAS CAN'T WAIT FOR, UH, THIS HOUSING TO GET GOING.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? I DID HAVE ONE.
IF I, UH, COULD I, UH, I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE MARKET, UH, THINGS GOING ON.
WE'RE SEEING, CAN YOU BROADLY TALK ABOUT WHEN THESE WILL BE ACTUALLY ISSUED AND, UM, WHAT KIND OF TERMS WE TYPICALLY SEE FOR THIS BOTH A A RATE AND A A A PAYMENT SCHEDULE TYPE.
I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, BEN BARKER UP TO ADDRESS THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MARY AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BEN BARKER AT THE CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL FINANCE AUTHORITY.
SO THE ANTICIPATED ISSUANCE WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT TWO MONTHS FROM NOW.
THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN BESIDES JUST THE TOUGHER HEARING.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF FURTHER APPROVALS, AND THEN THE, UM, CLOSING CALLS START.
SO ESSENTIALLY THIS IS JUST A PRIVATE MORTGAGE WITH THE INTEREST RATE IS GOING TO BE TAX EXEMPT.
AND SO DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT AND THE UNDERWRITING, THE RATES HAVE ROUGHLY BEEN, UM, MID FOURS TO MID FIVES, AND THAT'LL BE OBVIOUSLY DICTATED BY THE MARKET.
THE HIGHER THE RATE, THE LONGER OUT THE MATURITY YOU'LL GO.
IF THE RATE IS COMES IN LOWER, THEN THE MATURITY COULD BE SHORTER, BUT TYPICALLY THESE MATURITIES ARE ROUGHLY 30 YEARS AS A TYPICAL MORTGAGE ON A PROPERTY WOULD BE.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF INFO I WAS LOOKING FOR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHRIVES, UM, JUST A QUESTION ON THE, UM, THE, THE QUANTITY, UH, SO 65 MILLION, UM, IS THAT GONNA BE ENOUGH TO, UH, FOR THE, TO BUILD THE ENTIRE SITE OR IS IT THAT'S JUST A, A PARTIAL AND WHERE THE OTHER MONIES MIGHT BE COMING FROM? YEAH, SO THAT'S JUST THE TAX EXEMPT PORTION.
SO THE IRS TAX CODE DICTATES THAT WHENEVER THERE'S TAX EXEMPT FINANCING DONE, YOU HAVE TO DO A TOUGHER HEARING FOR THE TAX EXEMPT PORTION.
SO THAT'S THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT FOR JUST THE TAX EXEMPT BONDS.
THERE WILL BE TAX CREDITS IN THE PROJECT AND THERE WILL ALSO BE RECYCLED BONDS INTO THE PROJECT.
UM, A FEW OTHER GAP FINANCING.
SO THAT'S JUST THE TAX EXEMPT PORTION.
WE OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, AND AGAIN, NOT SEEING ANYONE RUSHING TO, UH, HAVE
[01:40:01]
QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM.WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, PERIOD AND BRING IT BACK TO COUNSEL.
I MOVE THE ITEM HAPPILY SECOND THAT.
SO A MOTION BY BARNACLE AND IS SECOND BY CATER THOMPSON.
UM, LOVE IT WHEN HOUSING GETS THROUGH THE COUNCIL QUICKLY.
UM, AND SO THEN WE HAVE A, ANOTHER, UH, PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ON A SIMILAR PROJECT.
THIS ONE IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF PACIFICA PACIFIC ASSOCIATES, A PARTNERSHIP WITH PACIFIC WEST COMMUNITIES FOR THE VENA LANE PROJECT, LOCATED AT NUMBER TWO, RAVINA LANE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, UH, IF YOU'LL TAKE THAT AWAY.
UM, AS YOU SAID, UH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS BY CMFA FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION, UM, OF VENA APARTMENTS, ANOTHER AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
SO AGAIN, THE TOUGHER HEARING IS MANDATED, UM, TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE ISSUANCE OF THE TAX EXEMPT BONDS.
UM, AND IT'S NOT AN APPROVAL OF ANY OTHER ASPECT.
THE DEVELOPER, UH, PETALUMA PACIFIC ASSOCIATES REQUESTED THAT CMFA ISSUE UP TO $25 MILLION OF BONDS FOR FINANCING THE ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF RAVINA LANE, WHICH IS A 32 UNIT MULTI-FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
UM, CMFA CANNOT ISSUE THE BONDS UNTIL PUBLIC HEARING IS CONDUCTED, WHERE THE JURISDICTION IS LOCATED, AND THE CITY, AGAIN, WILL NOT INCUR ANY FINANCIAL OBLIGATION IN CONNECTION WITH THESE BONDS.
UM, SO SOME PROJECT SPECIFICS.
THIS DEVELOPMENT CONSISTS OF TWO THREE STORY MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ON A ONE ACRE SITE.
THE CHART DISPLAYS A BREAKDOWN OF UNIT TYPES, UM, 32 TOTAL, 31 OF WHICH ARE DEED RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS EARNING BETWEEN 50 AND 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.
UH, SO IN THIS CASE, A SINGLE PERSON EARNING UP TO $29,050 WOULD QUALIFY FOR A ONE BEDROOM WALL.
A FAMILY OF FOUR COULD EARN UP TO $110,700.
UM, WE WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT STAFF BECAME AWARE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ALL-ELECTRIC PROJECT AFTER THE STAFF REPORT WAS PUBLISHED.
SO, UM, THIS DOES ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S BROADER GOALS OF CARBON NEUTRALITY.
SO AGAIN, THE ACTION REQUESTED IS TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE COMMENTS AND CONSIDER APPROVING, UH, ADOPTING A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF REVENUE BONDS BY CMFA FOR THE BENEFIT OF PETALUMA PACIFIC ASSOCIATES, LP FOR RAVINA LANE.
AND WE HAVE LAUREN ALEXANDER ATTENDING VIA ZOOM, UM, OF THE ARMORY COMPANIES WHO REPRESENTS THE DEVELOPER PACIFIC ASSOCIATES.
AND BEN BARKER, AS YOU KNOW, IS HERE.
PRESENTATION QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS.
UM, YES, THERE WAS A, A, A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERNS BY THE LOCAL RESIDENTS RIGHT THERE AS IT WAS BEING DEVELOPED.
FIRST OFF, IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT IT'S ALL ELECTRIC.
I THINK THERE WAS A GAS VERSUS ELECTRICITY ISSUE THAT SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.
UM, THE OTHER RESOLUTION CONCERNS WAS, UM, ACCESS, UH, FIRE ACCESS COMING IN AND OUT, BEING THAT IT'S, UH, LIMITED AND ALSO JUST A MATTER OF, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION OF THE FOLKS MOVING IN AND OUT.
UM, AND THEN EITHER HOW QUICKLY CAN WE HAVE ACCESS ACTUALLY TO RAVINE LANE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO PENA BOULEVARD.
SO IF THERE'S LIKE A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY THERE, IF ANY NEGOTIATIONS WERE BEING DONE TO KIND OF OPEN THAT UP OR NOT.
UM, SO THERE'S ACCESS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS TO THE BOULEVARD AND THEN AN UP AND AROUND UP UP THE HILL.
SO IF THERE'S ANY PROGRESS AND, AND WHAT'S THE CURRENT STATUS, UM, WITH, WITH THE PROJECT? ARE, ARE WE MOVING FORWARD? IS EVERYTHING GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN? THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THAT QUESTION.
UM, I'M GONNA ANSWER ONE PART OF IT AND THEN ASK LAUREN ALEXANDER TO FILL YOU IN ON, ON SOME OF THE OTHER DETAILS REGARDING THE ACCESS.
UM, THE PROJECT IS ACTUALLY IN THE FINAL STAGES OF GETTING READY FOR ITS, UH, BUILDING PERMIT TO BE FINALED.
THEY ANTICIPATE CLOSING THEIR, UM, CONSTRUCTION FINANCING PROBABLY IN LATE MAY OF THIS YEAR, AND THEN STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON THE PROJECT.
THEY ANTICIPATE THE PROJECT WOULD BE READY FOR O OCCUPANCY PROBABLY IN JANUARY OF 2027.
AND I WILL, UM, GO AHEAD IF LAUREN, I BELIEVE YOU'RE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF, IS SHE ON THERE? YES, I'M HERE.
OKAY, I'LL LET YOU ANSWER THE REST OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, I BELIEVE THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS
[01:45:01]
WITH THE NEIGHBORS TO OPEN UP THE PRIVATE PORTION OF RO ROA LANE TO ALLOW VEHICULAR ACCESS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD OUT TO PETALUMA BOULEVARD SOUTH.UH, THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY SOMETHING THAT THE NEIGHBORS ARE AGREEING TO DO.
SO THAT PORTION THAT'S PRIVATE OF ROA LANE WILL REMAIN PRIVATE.
UM, AND WE HAVE AGREED NOT TO USE THE MAJORITY OF IT FOR VEHICULAR ACCESS.
SO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY WILL NOT BE USING THAT TO ACCESS PET PETALUMA BOULEVARD SOUTH EITHER.
AND, UH, ANY CONCERNS FOR THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THE TRAFFIC COMING UP THE HILL, UH, UH, WITH THE NEIGHBORS? I KNOW THERE WAS JUST CONCERNS THERE, UH, HAS EVER BEEN RESOLVED WITH PUBLIC MEETINGS AND SUCH.
THERE WE HAVE GOTTEN FULL APPROVALS FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ON, UM, FROM, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THE VEA, THE POR PRIVATE PORTION OF VEA LANE CAN BE USED FOR, UH, E EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS.
SO THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO FIRE SHOULD THERE BE AN EMERGENCY WHERE THEY NEED TO ACCESS FROM PETALUMA BOULEVARD SOUTH DIRECTLY.
OTHERWISE, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SIGNED OFF ON ALL OF OUR DESIGN.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD COME UP RAVINA LANE IF, IF FOR THE EMERGENCY PURPOSES? CORRECT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO JUST DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT, THAT WE DID HAVE ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY FIRE AND POLICE, UH, COMING UP THAT LANE.
AND, UM, DID BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS GO THROUGH AS SB 35 OR THREE 30? THE PACIFIC COMMUNITIES, UH, PROJECT WENT THROUGH SB THREE 30 AND THE DANCO PROJECT WAS AB 2162.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AND NOT SEEING A RUSH TO THE COUNTER CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AND BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER DI CARLY.
UM, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I, I DO TAKE SOME ISSUE WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PROJECT, IT IS IN MY DISTRICT, AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERNED RESIDENTS OVER THERE IN THE CORY HEIGHTS AREA.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PART PART OF THE CONCERN IS THAT, UM, AS THE MAYOR JUST MENTIONED, THEY DID USE STATE LAWS TO PUSH IT THROUGH.
THEY SKIRTED SOME OF THE REGULAR PROCESS HERE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
AND SO TO REWARD THEM WITH SOMETHING THAT'S TAX FREE IS, IS NOT SOMETHING I AGREE WITH.
AND, UM, I JUST, UM, I THOUGHT I'D, UH, NOTE ONE, ONE OTHER, UH, COMMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR AVERAGE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS BEEN ABOUT, UH, 110 HOUSE UNITS OF HOUSING PER YEAR, INCLUDING OUR AFFORDABLES, INCLUDING MONTERO, INCLUDING, UM, THE TINY HOUSES AT COT.
SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THE 110 IS REALLY NOT A WHOLE LOT OF NEW HOUSING FOR NEW PEOPLE.
AND HERE TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, PROVIDING A, A START FOR OVER 160 UNITS.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DAY IN OUR HOUSING WORLD.
UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE.
YEAH, I'LL JUST REMIND US TOO THAT, UH, THE, THE 44 UNITS THAT WAS ON PETALUMA BOULEVARD, UM, NORTH, SOMEONE BACK FEEDING, UM, THEY HAD, UH, 44 UNITS AND IN THE FIRST MONTH HAD 1200 APPLICATIONS.
SO IN TERMS OF, UH, LIKE WHO WE'RE SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA STAND, YOU KNOW, IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY ARE LOOKING FOR HOUSING HERE THAT ARE SERVING US OUR FOOD, THAT ARE, UM, BAGGING OUR GROCERIES, THAT ARE POWERING OUR ECONOMY AND TRY AND GIVE THEM A, AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS AND MOVE THE ITEM.
IS IT, DID THAT COME IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? IT DID.
OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE HERE TONIGHT.
UM, THAT MOVES US TO OUR ITEM 10, WHICH IS TO RECEIVE AND REVIEW THE 2024 INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR ANNUAL REPORT COVERING THE PERIOD JANUARY, 2024 TO DECEMBER, 2024, AND ALSO THE 2025 INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR WORK PLAN.
[01:50:01]
CREW, UH, COMING FORWARD AND I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF BRIAN MILLER.YEAH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, I'M GONNA GET MY, LET MY STAFF GET SETTLED REAL QUICK, BUT, UH, THIS IS A, DEFINITELY A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.
SO I'M YOUR POLICE CHIEF BRIAN MILLER, MY DEPUTY CHIEF NICK MCGOWAN'S IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT, OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, LIEUTENANT GARRETT K LAVIANO YOU'VE MET BEFORE IS AT STAFF TABLE.
JOINED BY OUR INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR, JEFF SCHLANGER, WHO'S GONNA BE PRESENTING HIS REPORT THIS EVENING.
HE'S ACCOMPANIED BY HIS STAFF, DENISE LEWIS.
AND THIS REALLY ESSENTIALLY CONSISTS OF ONE OF OUR COLLECTIVE GROUPS THAT WE MEET WEEKLY.
AND SO THIS IS OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS TEAM THAT'S DISCUSSING THE COMPONENTS AND THE INCIDENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND INVOLVING, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INTERESTS.
AND SO, UH, WHILE IT'S NOT MY REPORT, IT'S REFLECTIVE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE HIGH CALIBER OF STAFF AND THE PERFORMANCE THAT THEY'RE EXECUTING ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND I'M REALLY PLEASED AND PROUD OF THE COMPLIMENTARY BODY OF WORK.
I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HEAR, UM, COMPONENTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORT THAT GO INTO DEPTH REGARDING, UH, UH, THE INCIDENTS, THE INCIDENT TYPES, THE METHODOLOGY IN WHICH WE'VE APPLIED OF HOW WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE INCIDENTS.
THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO, TO JEFF'S APPLICATION AND HIS OVERSIGHT MODEL THAT HE'S IMPLEMENTED WITH US.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A REALLY YOUNG POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE'RE SEEING REALLY, REALLY REMARKABLE OUTCOMES, AND I'M PLEASED TO TURN IT OVER AT THIS TIME TO OUR INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR FROM INTEGRA ASSURE, JEFF SCHLANGER.
JEFF, THANKS VERY MUCH, CHIEF.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, OR A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MY NAME IS JEFF SCHLANGER.
I'M HONORED, UH, TO SERVE AS PETALUMA'S INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR.
I'M JOINED THIS EVENING BY MY COLLEAGUE DENISE LEWIS.
SHE SERVES AS DEPUTY IPA, AND TOGETHER WE LEAD THE OVERSIGHT WORK CONDUCTED THROUGH INTEGRA SHERE, THE FIRM THAT WAS SELECTED BY THIS COUNCIL TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITING SERVICES.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT COVERING THE 2024 CALENDAR YEAR.
OUR ROLE IS TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT INTO THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS TO PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES AND TO HELP ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ESTABLISHING THIS OVERSIGHT MODEL PROACTIVELY.
IT WAS NOT IN RESPONSE TO ANY SPECIFIC CRISIS, BUT A FORWARD-LOOKING EFFORT TO ENHANCE PUBLIC TRUST.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE OFFER OUR SINCERE THANKS TO THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE WOMEN AND MEN OF THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHOSE FULL COOPERATION AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT HAVE MADE THIS MODEL A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.
WE'RE ABOUT 12 DAYS AWAY FROM OUR TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY HERE IN PETALUMA.
AND, AND, UH, THIS LAST YEAR HAS HAD TWO VERY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
FIRST, THE CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP IN THE DEPARTMENT WITH CHIEF BRIAN MILLER, ASSUMING THE HELM.
AND SECOND, THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PSAC.
THESE ARE BOTH MILESTONES IN THE HISTORY OF PPD.
WHILE I WILL GET INTO SOME SPECIFICS WITH RESPECT TO OUR WORK OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE HEADLINE IS THAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS TRULY A LEARNING ORGANIZATION INTERESTED IN CONTINUALLY IMPROVING AND OPERATING ON BEST PRACTICE PRINCIPLES.
THIS PRESENTATION IS MEANT TO BE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT, AND I COMMEND THAT ANNUAL REPORT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, JUST A, UH, BRIEF BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, THE CITY COUNCIL SELECTED INTEGRA SURE, UH, APRIL OF 2023 TO SERVE AS THE CITY'S FIRST INDEPENDENT POLICE AUDITOR.
OUR WORK IS DIRECTED BY THE CITY MANAGER PURSUANT TO A FORMAL SCOPE OF WORK AND A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT FROM THE OUTSET.
OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN GROUNDED IN A PHILOSOPHY OF COLLABORATIVE OVERSIGHT THAT IS IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT, NOT IN ISOLATION, BUT THROUGH OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND CITY LEADERSHIP.
OUR APPROACH COMBINES PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENCE
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WITH SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT TO FOSTER PROGRESS.LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE GOALS OF OUR OVERSIGHT MODEL ARE REALLY FOURFOLD.
FIRST IS TO INSTILL A PHILOSOPHY OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK THEY HAD THAT WHEN WE CAME AND WE HAVE FOSTERED EVEN GREATER, UH, ADHERENCE TO THAT PHILOSOPHY.
SECOND, IT IS TO HELP FACILITATE TRUST BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT IN ALL PETALUMA COMMUNITIES.
THIRD, IT IS TO SUPPORT A CULTURE IN WHICH POLICE OPERATIONS REFLECT COMMUNITY VALUES.
AND FINALLY, IT IS MEANT TO PROVIDE ASSURANCE TO YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS OPERATING IN ALIGNMENT WITH BEST PRACTICES.
THEY GUIDE EVERY REVIEW WE CONDUCT, EVERY RECOMMENDATION WE MAKE, AND EVERY INTERACTION WE HAVE WITH THE PPD.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE, UH, FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF THE IPA AND, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR OFFICE, OUR WIDE RANGING, BUT THEY'RE INTERCONNECTED.
THEY INCLUDE REVIEWING DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES AND TRAINING, EVALUATING OPERATIONAL INCIDENTS, INCLUDING USES OF FORCE PURSUITS, COMPLAINTS, ALL FOR TIMELINESS, FAIRNESS AND ADHERENCE TO POLICY, SUPPORTING THE PSAC, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS PART OF THE CITY'S HYBRID OVERSIGHT STRUCTURE, AND OF COURSE, REPORTING TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH DETAILED PUBLIC REPORTS SUCH AS THE ONE THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING.
ONE CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR WORK IS THE REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES AND TRAINING MATERIALS.
THESE REVIEWS TAKE PLACE BOTH IN RESPONSE TO OBSERVATIONS THAT WE MAKE FROM THE INCIDENTS THAT WE REVIEW, AND AS PROACTIVE EVALUATIONS OF WHETHER EXISTING POLICIES CONFORM TO EVOLVING BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF POLICING.
WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CONSIDERED DISCUSSED AND IMPLEMENTED.
IN 2024, WE REVIEWED AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDATIONS ON SEVERAL FOUNDATIONAL POLICIES, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT'S VEHICULAR PURSUITS POLICY, THE POLICY GOVERNING THE USE OF THE WRAP RESTRAINT, DEVICE, DEESCALATION AND USE OF FORCE POLICY, AND THE BODY-WORN CAMERA POLICY.
IN ADDITION, WE REVIEWED AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEPARTMENT'S TRAINING PLAN FOR 2025.
ALL OF THESE REVIEWS, AGAIN, WERE COLLABORATIVE AND REFLECT A STRONG SHARED, UH, COMMITMENT TO SAFETY, PROFESSIONALISM, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE HEART OF OUR WORK LIES IN THE REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF OPERATIONAL INCIDENTS.
THESE INCIDENTS INCLUDE USES OF FORCE, DISPLAYS OF FORCE, PURSUITS AND COMPLAINTS.
EACH INCIDENT IS REVIEWED THROUGH WHAT WE CALL A 360 DEGREE LENS, A 360 DEGREE REVIEW, WHICH EVALUATES THE ACTIONS TAKEN NOT JUST FOR THE LEGALITY AND POLICY COMPLIANCE, BUT ALSO FOR TACTICAL SOUNDNESS PROFESSIONALISM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVED OUTCOMES.
OUR REVIEWS ARE DISCUSSED IN WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THE COMMAND STAFF AND THE CITY'S ATTORNEY REPRESENTATIVE.
WE TALK ABOUT OUR REVIEWS AND POTENTIAL AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE TALK ABOUT THE INTERNAL SUPERVISORY REVIEWS OF THOSE INCIDENTS AND THE REMEDIATIONS, WHICH HAVE ALREADY TAKEN PLACE BEFORE OUR REVIEW.
AND FINALLY, WE TALK ABOUT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BEYOND THOSE MADE BY SUPERVISORS, AND WE COME UP WITH WHAT WE CALL AN AGREED UPON COURSE OF ACTION, AN ACA, WHICH OUTLINES ANY ADDITIONAL STEPS WHICH THE DEPARTMENT WILL UNDERTAKE IN ORDER TO REMEDIATE ANY ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THAT NEED REMEDIATION OR IMPROVEMENT.
THESE ACAS ARE THEN DOCUMENTED AND TRACKED FOR COMPLIANCE.
[02:00:04]
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE INCIDENTS THAT WE ASSESSED IN 2024.IN TOTAL, WE REVIEWED 41 USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS.
BY THE WAY, THESE TOTALS MAY NOT JIVE EXACTLY WITH THE DATE OF OCCURRENCE.
SOME OF THESE OCCURRED IN 2023 AND SOME THAT WE, SOME INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED IN 2024 WERE NOT REVIEWED UNTIL 2025.
SO 41 USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS, 20 DISPLAYS OF FORCE, INCI INCIDENTS, 12 PURSUITS, AND 47 COMPLAINTS.
FROM THESE REVIEWS, WE ISSUED 56 SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
IMPORTANTLY, WE DID NOT FIND IN 2024 ANY INCIDENTS TO BE OUT OF POLICY.
IN EACH CASE WHERE WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION, IT WAS TO HELP IMPROVE OUTCOMES, WHETHER THROUGH BETTER COMMUNICATION, BETTER TACTICS, OR BETTER TRAINING NOT TO ADDRESS VIOLATIONS OF LAW OR POLICY.
AGAIN, EACH RECOMMENDATION WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE DEPARTMENT, AND IN EVERY INSTANCE WE ACHIEVED CONSENSUS ON ANCA, OFTEN IN THE FORM OF MENTORING, COACHING, OR POLICY REFINEMENT.
IN OUR REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS, AGAIN, THERE WERE 47 COMPLAINTS AND WE AGREED WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S DISPOSITION IN EVERY OF ONE OF THOSE, UH, INCIDENTS OR CASES.
WE DID, HOWEVER, ISSUE EIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH RELATED TO ASPECTS OF THE COMPLAINT INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE BELIEVE COULD BE STRENGTHENED SUCH AS DOCUMENTATION, PRACTICES, COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES, OR THE HANDLING OF PROPERTY.
THESE, OF COURSE, WERE SHARED AND DISCUSSED WITH COMMAND STAFF AND AGREED UPON COURSES OF ACTION OR ACAS CAME OUT OF THESE AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY, THE USE OF FORCE AND THE DISPLAY OF FORCE IS A KEY AREA, UH, THAT WE FOCUS ON.
UM, BUT I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO PUT THESE USES OF FORCE INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU.
IN 2024, OFFICERS RESPONDED TO A TOTAL OF 58,351 CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHICH WAS DOWN APPROXIMATELY 5.5%.
SINCE 2023, THE DEPARTMENT MADE 1,693 ARRESTS, WHICH WAS A DECREASE OF 17.7% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.
THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 75 USES OR DISPLAYS OF FORCE, WHICH REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 0.13% OF THE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND THIS IS A REDUCTION FROM 2.0 0.2% IN 2023 OF THE 75 TOTAL USES OR DISPLAYS OF FORCE, 48 INCIDENTS OR 64% INVOLVED AN ACTUAL APPLICATION THAT IS A USE OF FORCE.
THUS, LESS THAN 0.08% OF CALLS FOR SERVICE RESULTED IN AN ACTUAL APPLICATION OF FORCE.
WITH FORCE BEING UTILIZED IN APPROXIMATELY 2.83% OF ALL ARRESTS MADE BY PPD OFFICERS, NO USE OF FORCE IN 2024 RESULTED IN A SERIOUS INJURY.
WHILE THE TREND OF THESE NUMBERS IS ENCOURAGING AND ALL DISPLAYS AND ACTUAL USES OF FORCE WERE CONSISTENT WITH POLICY, WE DID SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN USE OF FORCE.
IN THE USE OF FORCE CASES WE REVIEWED, WE ISSUED 25 RECOMMENDATIONS FOCUSED ON AREAS SUCH AS DEESCALATION, BETTER USE OF EQUIPMENT, AND BETTER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OFFICERS AND BETWEEN OFFICERS AND SUBJECTS.
IN DISPLAY OF FORCE INCIDENTS, WE ISSUED 14 RECOMMENDATIONS ALONG SIMILAR LINES.
AGAIN, EVERY RECOMMENDATION WAS REVIEWED WITH DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP, AND IN EACH CASE, A REC A REMEDIATION PLAN WAS ADOPTED.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
PURSUITS, UH, THOUGH RELATIVELY INFREQUENT PURSUITS CARRY A SIGNIFICANT RISK IN 2024, WE REVIEWED 12 PURSUITS AND MADE NINE RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE FOCUSED ON ISSUES OF TACTICAL SAFETY, JUSTIFICATION FOR INITIATING PURSUITS IN
[02:05:01]
THE FIRST INSTANCE, SUPERVISORY OVERSIGHT OF THOSE PURSUITS, AND THE ROLE OF LESS LETHAL OPTIONS IN PURSUITS.WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT ON POTENTIAL FURTHER REVISIONS TO THE PURSUIT POLICY THAT INCORPORATE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THESE REVIEWS IN PURSUITS.
THERE IS ALWAYS A DELICATE BALANCE THAT NEEDS TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN THE NEED TO ENFORCE THE LAW AND THE NEED TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY OFFICERS AND SUBJECTS OF POTENTIAL PURSUITS.
WE CONDUCTED AN ANALYSIS OF RIPA DATA.
RIPA STANDS FOR RACIAL AND IDENTITY IDENTITY PROFILING ACT.
AND WE DID THAT FOR BOTH 2023 AND 2024 DATA AND PRESENTED OUR GRAPHICAL AND TABULAR DEPICTION OF THE DATA IN APPENDIX E TO OUR REPORT.
HIGH LEVEL TAKEAWAYS, UH, FROM THAT REPORT ARE THAT REPORTED STOPS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 2023 TO 2024 FROM 10,889 IN 23 TO 9,510.
IN 2024, A REDUCTION OF MORE THAN 12%.
WHILE SOME DISPARITIES WERE IDENTIFIED IN STOP DATA, WE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF BIAS POLICING IN ANY INCIDENT, WHICH WE QUALITATIVELY REVIEWED.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DISPARITIES DO NOT EQUAL BIAS, ALTHOUGH BIAS IS ONE OF THE MYRIAD OF REASONS, UH, THAT MIGHT CAUSE DISPARITIES.
THE GRAPHS AND TABLES, AGAIN, ARE INCLUDED IN APPENDIX E OF OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR YOUR REVIEW.
IN JULY, WE CONDUCTED WHAT WE CALL A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF TRUE ACTIVITY OR DATA AUDIT, EXAMINING A TWO DAY SNAPSHOT OF ROUTINE PATROL ACTIVITY, ESSENTIALLY A DAY IN THE LIFE OR TWO DAYS IN THE LIFE OF THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE DO THIS TO ESSENTIALLY FILL IN THE GAP OF THE TYPES OF CASES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT NORMALLY DURING THE YEAR, AND THOSE THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY LOOK AT.
SO FOR THIS ANALYSIS, WE LOOKED AT THE ROUTINE ACTIVITIES OF OFFICERS.
WE FOUND THAT OFFICERS ACTED PROFESSIONALLY AND APPROPRIATELY IN EVERY CASE.
HOWEVER, WE DID IDENTIFY AN ISSUE OF UNDER REPORTING THAT IS THAT A REPORT, UH, A REPER REPORT, WAS NOT BEING COMPLETED FOR EACH INSTANCE IN WHICH IT WAS REQUIRED.
WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ISSUE IS NOW BEING ADDRESSED.
THIS PROACTIVE AUDIT IS ONE WAY THAT WE ENSURE THAT ALL FACETS OF POLICING, NOT JUST THE USES OF FORCE AND PURSUITS AND COMPLAINTS THAT WE REVIEW ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THAT ALL AREAS OF POLICING ARE ALIGNED WITH BEST PRACTICES.
JUST OUR 2025 WORK PLAN, UH, RELATIVE TO RIPPA DATA.
WE WILL AGAIN BE, UH, LOOKING AT THE RIPPA DATA, COMPARING IT WITH 2024, AS WE DID BETWEEN 24 AND 23 IN ORDER TO, UH, DETERMINE WHEN WHETHER THERE ARE ANY DIFFERENCES AND WHETHER ANY PATTERNS, UH, MIGHT EXIST, WHICH MIGHT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL EXAMINATION.
IN ADDITION, IT'S OUR PLAN IN 2025 TO CONDUCT TWO, UH, DATA AUDITS, WHICH I JUST JUST DESCRIBED.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR 360 DEGREE REVIEWS OF USE OF FORCE PURSUITS AND COMPLAINTS.
WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE ACAS, THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE AGREE UPON, AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR REGULAR ENGAGEMENT WITH PPD LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT THE OVERSIGHT PROCESS REMAINS DYNAMIC AND CONSTRUCTIVE.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, AND AS I'M SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS IN FACT CONSTITUTED, UH, THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING TRAINING, POLICY GUIDANCE
[02:10:01]
AND REPORTING OF OUR FINDINGS, UH, TO THAT COMMITTEE.THE COMMITTEE IS OBVIOUSLY A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF THE HYBRID OVERSIGHT STRUCTURE, AND WE COMMEND, AGAIN, THE COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING ITS ESTABLISHMENT AND ITS CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT.
FINALLY, WE TAKE, UH, EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY OUR OBLIGATION TO REPORT NOT JUST TO THIS BODY, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.
OUR REPORTS, INCLUDING THIS ANNUAL REPORT, ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR PUBLIC WEBSITE, AND I BELIEVE ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WEBSITE AS WELL.
AND THEY ARE MEANT TO INFORM AND TO INVITE ENGAGEMENT FROM RESIDENTS WHO WE KNOW CARE DEEPLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND EQUITY IN POLICING.
IN CLOSING, LET ME REITERATE OUR APPRECIATION TO THE COUNCIL FOR ESTABLISHING THIS OVERSIGHT FUNCTION.
I THINK IT'S A MODEL OF WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN EVERY CITY, UH, THAT HAS ITS OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND TO THE OFFICERS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPENNESS, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM, AND YOUR WILLING TO PARTNER, UH, WITH US IN A PROCESS THAT WE ALL BELIEVE STRENGTHENS THE DEPARTMENT AND BUILDS COMMUNITY TRUST.
WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
IT'S A GREAT REPORT, AND I'M GLAD WE'RE INTO OUR SECOND YEAR ALREADY OF THESE.
AND, UM, WE, I, I'M GLAD YOU CAME BACK TO THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE TWICE AND, AND, UH, HONED IT IN.
I I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THAT, AND I THINK, UH, UH, THAT'S A VERY ENGAGED BODY TO HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT.
AND, UH, QUESTIONS FROM UP HERE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SHRIVES.
UM, YEAH, UM, IT'S REALLY GOOD THAT, UH, WE'RE EVALUATING, UH, INCIDENCES AND COMPLAINTS AND LIKE, AND HANDLING ALL THAT.
SO I THOUGHT, IS THERE A WAY, UH, FOR THE SCOPE OF WHAT, WHAT'S BEING DONE AND REVIEWED? UM, THERE'S TWO AREAS THAT I'M CONCERNED WITH IN, IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT CHANGES THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE HERE IN OUR CITY, UM, THAT WE, THAT CONCERNS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ACTIONS THAT MAY BE FORTHCOMING FROM THAT.
WE'RE HAVING THREE NEW, UH, FACILITIES THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING UP FAIRLY SHORTLY, UH, BEING, UH, CON UH, SET IN PLACE.
SO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, I, UM, I KNOW THERE'S PRETTY GOOD INVOLVEMENT WITH, WITH POLICE IN AND FIGURING OUT WHERE AND HOW THINGS ARE GONNA BE SET UP.
UM, SO GETTING ADVICE FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES AND BRINGING THE BEST PRACTICES FOR THAT.
HERE IS ONE AREA I SAID, CAN WE GET THAT TYPE OF ADVICE? AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, I REMEMBER SEEING, UH, I THINK IT WAS IN OUR CITY, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE TEENAGER KIND OF SCOOTING AROUND ON A VERY FAST POWERED E-BIKE, WHICH IS GOING TO BECOME, WHICH IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON.
I'M HEARING AND SEEING A LOT MORE TEENAGERS THAT HAVE HIGHER POWERED MACHINES, UH, SINGLE TWO WHEELED, FOUR WHEEL, WHATEVER, BUT, UH, THESE INDEPENDENT MACHINES THAT ARE MUCH FASTER AND CAN SCOOT AROUND AND HIDE AND DO THINGS.
SO, AND APPARENTLY THERE WAS AN INCIDENT HERE WHERE, YEAH, WE, UM, THEY INJURED THEMSELVES BASICALLY BY FALLING DOWN AND AFTER THE CHASE, IS THERE, UM, POLICIES OR CHANGES IN THINGS WHETHER WE, WE NEED TO DO TO HELP THE, UH, SUPPORT THE POLICE IN THESE TWO AREAS OF HOW TO, UM, DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE THAT'S GONNA BE RISING? PROBABLY, UH, I KNOW MARIN COUNTY'S ALREADY MADE SOME RULE CHANGES ON, ON THEIR COUNTY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, HOSPITALIZATIONS OF TEENAGERS GOING TOO FAST, CAUSING TOO MANY ACCIDENTS.
SO ARE YOU ABLE TO STEP IN AND BRING BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER CITIES TO HELP US ON THESE TWO ISSUES? YEAH, I THINK, UH, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
AND, UH, WE WERE DISCUSSING ACTUALLY TODAY THE PROBLEM WITH THE E-BIKES AND DIRT BIKES AND, UH, THE PROBLEM THAT THEY'RE CAUSING IN THE CITY.
AND AGAIN, I MENTIONED, UH, THE QUESTION OF PURSUITS AND PURSUITS OF TEENAGERS ON, UH, THESE KIND OF MOTORCYCLES OR E-BIKES IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT CARRIES SOME DEGREE OF RISK WITH IT.
AND, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, THE POTENTIAL USE OF ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGY, DRONE TECHNOLOGY, UH, IS ONE THING THAT, UH, OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE, UM, ARE UTILIZING SO THAT THE DRONE CAN ACTUALLY FOLLOW THE INDIVIDUAL BACK TO HIS OR HER PLACE OF, UH, OF RESIDENCE.
AND, UH, THAT'S, YOU'VE IDENTIFIED WHO IS THERE AND YOU'VE IDENTIFIED WHERE THE, UH, THE OFFENDING VEHICLE IS,
[02:15:01]
AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE ABILITY TO SEIZE THAT VEHICLE IF IN FACT THERE WAS PROBABLE CAUSE, UH, TO, TO ISSUE A CITATION, AS I UNDERSTAND, UH, THE LAW HERE.SO TECHNOLOGY CAN PLAY A ROLE.
OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY COSTS MONEY AND, UH, UP TO THE COUNCIL AND, UH, THE CITY TO ALLOCATE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF FUNDING, UH, FOR APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH CAN HELP IN IN THAT WAY.
UM, SO FROM, THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN, UM, BRAINSTORM AND HELP ON, ON THIS ISSUE.
THE, UM, UH, THE PART OF THAT QUESTION WAS NOT JUST IN THE POLICE ACTIONS ITSELF, BUT IN ACTUAL POLICIES BY THE CITY OR THE COUNTY.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP US, UM, AND DO, ARE YOU ALREADY HAVE GOOD POLICIES AND OTHER LOCATIONS THAT YOU COULD HELP BRING TO US, THE CITY COUNCIL AS SETTING OUR POLICY? I SEE AROUND THE ISSUES ABOUT WHAT TO DO, NOT JUST HELPING THE POLICE AND THEIR ACTUAL IMMEDIATE ACTIONS, WHICH IS GOOD THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT.
UH, WE MAY NEED MORE DRONES,
ON EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY MUST HAVE ONE TO ATTACH THEIR BODIES SOMEHOW RELEASE IT, LIKE TO DO IN THE MOVIES.
BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE A, A FUTURE CONCERN.
BUT, UH, IT'S THE, THAT OTHER PART THAT, UH, ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP US WITH? YEAH, I CAN CERTAINLY IF, IF DIRECTED BY THE CITY MANAGER AND, UH, WE, WE CAN HELP RESEARCH THE ISSUE WITH RESPECT TO LEGISLATION, WHICH HAS BEEN PASSED IN OTHER, OTHER CITIES.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH, UH, A NUMBER OF CITIES THAT, UH, HAVE SUCH LEGISLATION, SO NOT A, A DIFFICULT TASK.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CATER THOMPSON.
WELL, I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP WITH, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF I WANT DRONES HOLLOWING MY CHILDREN HOME
SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE WANNA DO THAT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, BUT I THINK IF WE JUST WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE STATE IS DOING YEAH.
AND THEN START LOOKING AND SEEING WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST JUMPING IN AND YEAH.
THAT'S DOING WHATEVER AN ORDINANCE YOU ALL DECIDE IS FINE WITH ME.
WELL, I'M JUST BRINGING THIS UP THAT THIS IS A DIRECTION THAT THE STATE IS PLANNING ON GOING.
I THINK PART OF, PART OF THE ISSUE CAN BE REGULATED AND PERHAPS THAT WILL HAVE A, UH, A GOOD EFFECT.
THE, THE, THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THOSE REGULATIONS ARE IGNORED BY SOME AND WHAT DO YOU DO IN THOSE SITUATIONS, RIGHT? UH, HOW MUCH RISK DO YOU, YOU WANT YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO UNDERTAKE IN ORDER TO ENFORCE THOSE LAWS? I THINK THAT'S ULTIMATELY A QUESTION, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND FOR YOU ALL.
WELL, I THINK THIS IS ALSO ABOUT EDUCATING AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, UM, RIGHT.
SO IT'S KIND OF RIGHT OUTSIDE.
WELL, I I THINK IT'S OUTSIDE, YEAH.
OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, UM, REPORT WE'RE DEALING WITH TONIGHT.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE POLICY THAT WE'VE SET FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT, UH, UM, YOU, YOU'RE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I'D EXPECT THE POLICY FOR ANY CHANGE OF ENFORCEMENT TO COME FROM.
UH, I THINK THE QUESTION I'M MORE INTERESTED IN IS, DO OUR CURRENT PURSUIT PRACTICES ADEQUATELY DIRECT OFFICERS FOR THE TROUBLE THAT'S GOING ON TODAY ARE, ARE WE DOING THE BEST POLICE PRACTICING, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE LAWS WE HAVE AND THE, UM, SO THAT, UM, SO WE'RE ADDRESSING, UH, PURSUIT? WELL, I KNOW THAT, UH, THE CHIEF AND COMMAND STAFF AND, UH, WITH THE CITY MANAGER ARE TRYING TO BALANCE ON ONE HAND THE, UH, THE, THE PROBLEM WHICH EXISTS WITH THESE, UH, UH, THESE E-BIKES, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THE RISK THAT CAN BE, UH, THAT IS UNDERTAKEN IN EVERY PURSUIT THAT OCCURS.
UM, AND THAT'S A, A BALANCING ACT, RIGHT? AND DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS HAVE, UH, APPROACHED THIS DIFFERENTLY, SOME RESTRICTING, UH, PURSUITS TO, UH, TO FELONIES AT THE FAR END OF THE SPECTRUM, ACTUALLY, NOT ONLY JUST FELONIES, BUT FELONIES INVOLVING VIOLENT CRIMES.
AND ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, THERE ARE, UH, DEPARTMENTS OUT THERE THAT PURSUE FOR ANY, ANYTHING, INCLUDING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
AND THE RIGHT BALANCE NEEDS TO BE STRUCK.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH YOU ALL IS, UH, IS WHAT ULTIMATELY
[02:20:01]
RIGHT.YOU KNOW, UM, WE MENTION A LOT TEENAGERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS MINORS IN, IN, UH, REGARDS TO CRIME AND DO OUR, UH, POLICIES, OUR OFFICERS BEING TAUGHT TO TREAT, UM, OR PURSUED ANY DIFFERENTLY BETWEEN A MINOR AND A NON MINOR, ARE, ARE WE COMFORTABLE WITH A PLACE OUR POLICIES ARE IN RIGHT NOW THAT OFFICERS HAVE THE RIGHT TOOLS TO DO ENFORCEMENT IN THIS ARENA? I THINK THE CHIEF IS IN A BETTER POSITION TO ANSWER THAT THAN I AM.
I THINK, UH, AS JEFF INDICATED, ACTUALLY FLEW IN A COUPLE HOURS AGO, AND WE HAD A ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, VEHICLE PURSUITS AND SPECIFICALLY THE E-BIKE CONVERSATION.
YOU SAW THE PRESS RELEASE EARLIER IN THE WEEK WHERE A 20-YEAR-OLD ADULT ON AN ELECTRIC DIRT BIKE THAT'S NOT STREET LEGAL, UH, YOU KNOW, FLIPPED OFF A POLICE OFFICER THAT WAS TRYING TO PULL HIM OVER.
HE DROVE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD, HE DROVE ONTO THE FAIRGROUNDS PROPERTY, HE CRASHED INDEPENDENTLY, GOT UP, AND AS THE OFFICERS WERE TRYING TO DETAIN HIM, UH, PICKED HIS BIKE BACK UP AND TOOK OFF AGAIN.
AND SO THERE WAS A BRIEF PURSUIT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE WAS ARRESTED, WE IMPOUNDED HIS BIKE, AND HOPEFULLY HE DOESN'T ENGAGE IN THAT TYPE OF DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR.
TO YOUR QUESTION, WE ABSOLUTELY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING I APPRECIATE AND THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, OUR, OUR POLICY AND THE APPLICATION OF THAT POLICY IS, IS SOME DISCRETION OF THE POLICE OFFICERS TO MAKE REASONABLE DECISIONS IN REALLY SHORT PERIODS OF TIME FOR DYNAMICALLY EVOLVING SITUATIONS.
AND I THINK ANYTIME WE SEE A CASE WITH A VULNERABLE, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBER, UM, ELDERLY, DISABLED, UM, SOMEONE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, SOMEONE THAT IS A YOUTH, UH, OUR APPROACH IS DIFFERENT IN ALL THOSE CASE BY CASE EXAMPLES.
AND I THINK OUR STAFF DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF, OF DIFFERENTIATING WHERE WE CAN NOW ADMITTEDLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR OFFICERS WORKING NIGHTTIME, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, WE DON'T KNOW WHO OR WHAT WE ARE STOPPING OFTEN AND HAVE ZERO AWARENESS TO WHOM IS IN THE CAR.
AND, UM, THOSE ARE REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
AND WE DO OUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS BASED ON THE CONDUCT AND THE BEHAVIORS.
THE LAST COMMENT, WHICH IS WHAT I SHARED WITH JEFF EARLIER, IS WE'VE HEARD OVERWHELMINGLY FROM THE MANAGER, FROM OUR COMMUNITY, FROM YOU ALL ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE REALLY, REALLY EGREGIOUS AND DANGEROUS DRIVING BEHAVIORS, RECKLESS DRIVING, IMPAIRED DRIVING STREET RACING.
UM, WE HAD A YOUNG, YOUNG INDIVIDUAL DOING DONUTS AND BURNOUTS ON THEIR WAY HOME FROM A HIGH SCHOOL TO AN AREA HERE ON THE WEST SIDE THAT RESULTED IN, IN AN ARREST JUST THIS WEEK.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE VICTIMIZED AND INJURED AND KILLED IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF TRAFFIC COLLISIONS.
AND SO UNTIL THAT DRASTICALLY CHANGES, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE DANGEROUS DRIVING BEHAVIORS THAT ARE PUTTING US ALL AT RISK AND, AND MAKING OUR COMMUNITY LESS SAFE.
SO WE DO THOSE WITH THE MINDFULNESS FOR, UM, INCREASING TRAFFIC SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, WORKING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS PARTNERS TO DO THE ENGINEERING PROJECTS TO MAKE THE ROADWAYS SAFER WHILE OUR ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED TO ALSO ADDRESS THOSE HABITUAL OFFENDERS THAT ARE NOT ABIDING BY THE RULES.
AND, AND IF I MAY JUST ADD ONE THING, AND THAT IS THAT, UH, AS I MENTIONED DURING THE PRESENTATION, WE ARE REVIEWING EACH PURSUIT INCIDENT, AND WE ARE MAKING SURE, UM, THAT THERE IS APPROPRIATE SUPERVISORY OVERSIGHT, UH, FOR EACH PURSUIT.
THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO'S A, A LIEUTENANT OR A SERGEANT WHO'S LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WHO'S HEARING WHAT SPEED THE PURSUIT IS BEING CONDUCTED AT, WHO'S HEARING THE CONDITIONS, WHO KNOWS WHERE THIS PURSUIT IS BEING CONDUCTED, IS IT ON THE 1 0 1 OR IS IT DOWN A, A RESIDENTIAL STREET? ALL OF THESE FACTORS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN MAKING A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO TERMINATE A PURSUIT.
AND THE OFFICER HAS THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THE PURSUIT ACCORDING TO CRITERIA, WHICH EMPHASIZE EMPHASIZES THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE INVOLVED.
AND A SUPERVISOR HAS THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THE PURSUIT AS WELL.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON, WANNA FOLLOW UP JUST, UM, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT ON PUBLIC TRAILS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, UM, SCOOTERS NOW ON PUBLIC TRAILS AND THEY'RE GOING REALLY FAST AND, AND E-BIKES.
SO I'M JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE ROADS, BUT HOW WOULD, HOW, HOW IS THAT HANDLED DIFFERENTLY? AND MAYBE BRIAN CAN TALK TO IT.
I KNOW IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE,
[02:25:01]
ARE BANNED FROM TRAILS.UH, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT HERE, BUT THAT IS DONE IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
YEAH, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING, YOU KNOW, SIGNAGE CONTINUES TO BE CHALLENGING IN ANY COMMUNITY ON WHAT THE CLASSIFICATION, DIFFERENT TRAILS AND PATHWAYS HAVE DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS FOR THE TYPE OF B BIKES.
WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL PARTNERS ON REVIEWING, UH, LOCAL ORDINANCES LIKE THOSE OUT OF MILL VALLEY.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF REALLY GOOD POLICIES AND ORDINANCES OUTTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE BOARDWALKS AND BEACHFRONT AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE AS, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER INDICATED CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEFS IS WORKING WITH STATE LEGISLATORS AND ENDORSING SOME REGULATIONS THAT ARE COMING.
SO WE ALSO WANNA BE MINDFUL OF OUR PARTNERS AND THE WORKLOAD OF IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING THAT MAY BE INCONSISTENT OR JUST RECENT, UH, ADOPTED BY STATE, STATE LAW, UM, IN CLOSE CONTEMPORARY IS TINY.
WE ALSO SEE THAT MORE PERVASIVELY.
THE, THE ISSUES THAT I SEE ARE, ARE NOT REALLY E-BIKES OR NOT WHAT ARE DEFINED AS AN E-BIKE.
THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES AND DIRT BIKES.
THEY'RE NOT STREET LEGAL WHATSOEVER.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED.
YOU NEED A LICENSE, YOU NEEDED A MOTORCYCLE M1 ENDORSEMENT LIKE ANY OTHER MOTOR, MOTORCYCLE RIDER IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE DRIVEN ON OUR ROADWAYS.
YOU NEED A HELMET, YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO RIDERS.
THOSE THINGS ARE ENFORCEABLE WITH UNDER THE SUM OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE VEHICLE CODE.
CURRENTLY, UH, AS YOU INDICATED, WHAT I THINK WHAT OUR FOCUS WITH THE IPA OR THE RELEVANCE TO THE IPAS, WE TREAT THOSE AS VEHICLES.
AND SO ANY, UH, ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY, IF WE WERE TO HAVE SOMEONE FLEE IN THAT CONDITION, THAT IS A VEHICLE PURSUIT FOR US, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT FALLS INTO THE PURVIEW OF THE IPA.
AND THEY REVIEW ALL THOSE COMPONENTS.
AND AS MY DEPUTY CHIEF INDICATED TO ME A FEW MINUTES AGO, UH, I WAS REMISS IN REMINDING, AND AS JEFF MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO TERMINATE JUST AS MUCH AS WE HAVE DISCRETION TO INITIATE, AND THE SUPERVISORS OR THE REDUNDANCY THERE, THEY CAN ALSO TERMINATE THESE PURSUITS.
BUT WE'VE HAD, UM, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO IDENTIFY ONE OFFENDER THAT ON TWO OCCASIONS HAS FLED FROM OUR OFFICERS.
AND IN THE FIRST SITUATION IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, OUR OFFICER TERMINATED THE PURSUIT IMMEDIATELY ON ITS ONSET WITHOUT PROMPTING FROM A SUPERVISOR.
RECOGNIZING THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS CHALLENGING, RECOGNIZING THAT IT WAS A MINOR VIOLATION AT THAT TIME.
HOWEVER, WE'VE SEEN THE BEHAVIOR ESCALATE.
WE DID A NICKEL RELEASE WITH THE IMAGE OF THAT INDIVIDUAL WHEN WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO TRY TO FIND MORE INVESTIGATIVE WAYS RATHER THAN PURSUING THEM IF WE ANTICIPATE A PURSUIT TO HOPEFULLY IDENTIFY THEM AND ISSUE A WARRANT FOR THEIR ARREST.
SO, UM, BUT THOSE ARE ALL MATTERS THAT WOULD QUALIFY AND FALL INTO, TO THE IPA'S PURVIEW ON REVIEWING THE, THE, THE RELEVANCE, THE APPROPRIATENESS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THE LAW AND THOSE TYPE OF INCIDENTS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS, IT'S ENLIGHTENING TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S REALLY COMPLICATED, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT A YES OR NO.
AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, COUNCIL POLICING POLICY OF, UH, A NEW TERRITORY RATHER THAN EXISTING, UH, PRACTICES FOR THE, UM, UH, BEST PERFORMANCE OF OFFICERS.
UM, I I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
ONE, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT RIP IS NOT ALWAYS, UM, NECESSARY OR NOT A REQUIRED REPORT AT EVERY STOP.
WHEN IS IT REQUIRED AND WHEN NOT JUST SO IT IS REQUIRED FOR ANY, UH, VEHICULAR STOP OR INVESTIGATORY STOP.
YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S GENERALLY REQUIRED WHEN THERE'S A DETENTION OF A PERSON.
BUT WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO IS ACTUAL, IN OUR DATA AUDIT, WE IDENTIFIED SITUATIONS WHERE IN FACT IT WAS REQUIRED, BUT THERE WASN'T REPORTING.
UH, AS SO TRAFFIC CITATIONS NOT A RIPPA REPORT.
BECAUSE THE, THE TRAFFIC VIOLATOR DETAINED, IT WOULD REQUIRE A RIPA, THANK YOU.
I, UH, SPOKE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL RECENTLY, AND THAT WAS A CONCERN.
THEY HAD WATCHED THE, THE, UH, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY HEARINGS AND, AND SINCE IT CAME UP THEN, THEN THEY, IT'S, IT'S THE MOST ACCESSIBLE THING TO THE PUBLIC, I THINK, IS, UM, WHETHER, UM, THE POLICE DO THAT OR NOT.
UM, CALLS ARE DOWN IN GENERAL FOR THE YEAR.
DO WE HAVE A REASON WHY CALLS ARE DOWN? WHAT WAS THAT NUMBER? 11% FOR THE YEAR? YEAH.
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO OFFER ANYTHING OTHER THAN ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE TO WHY THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOWN.
UM, THERE WAS A, UM, TOTAL COMPLAINTS LISTED.
UH, HOW WAS THAT YEAR TO YEAR? I DIDN'T SEE THAT IT WAS COMPARED TO YEAR TO YEAR TOTAL COMPLAINTS.
NO, WE DIDN'T DO THE COMPARISON, BUT I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
WE'RE INTO, UM, OUR, UH, SECOND YEAR OF, UM, OF THE AUDITOR AND, AND OF THESE
[02:30:01]
PRACTICES.AND I'M, I'M WONDERING, UM, I WAS IMPRESSED BY HOW MUCH TRAINING IS GOING IN.
UH, IT, IT KEEPS GETTING, UH, REPEATED WHAT THE TRAINING EFFORT IS.
UM, AND THEN, UH, PREVIOUSLY WE'D ALREADY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, PROCESS TIME WOULD BE FOR ANY OFFICER FOR BETTER PRACTICES.
IS IT COSTS YOU IN PROCESS TIME.
DO WE HAVE A FEEL FOR HOW WE'RE DOING ON THAT? HOW, HOW MUCH HAVE WE INCREASED TRAINING TIME IN PER OFFICER BUDGET, THAT KIND OF THING? OR DO WE HAVE THIS ALLOWABLE IN IN PRIOR YEARS? YEAH, I, I, I WOULD SAY IT'S RELATIVELY CONSISTENT.
I THINK WHAT CHANGES WITH THE PROCESS IS THE INTERACTIONS, UM, OUT OUTSIDE OF THESE REVIEWS.
SO THE REVIEW IS COMPREHENSIVE IN A, IN A SENSE THAT, UM, THE SUPERVISOR WHERE HISTORICALLY THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT USE OF FORCE IN A VERY, UM, FOCUSED WAY, IS NOW LOOKING AT THIS 360 DEGREE, UH, CRITERIA THAT, UM, THE IPA HAS BROUGHT TO US, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE.
SO THAT'S INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INTERACTIONS THAT THE SUPERVISORS ARE HAVING WITH THEIR OFFICERS IN TERMS OF COACHING, COUNSELING, AND MENTORING.
UM, SO FROM A, A HIGH LEVEL, UM, ARE WE DOING MORE TRAINING? WE PROBABLY ARE DOING MORE, BUT I THINK WHAT, WHERE THE, WE'RE SEEING THE GREATEST IMPACT IS THOSE LOWER LEVEL, UM, COACHING, UM, SESSIONS THAT ARE YIELDING UP A GREAT BENEFIT TO THE AGENCY AND THE CITY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BARNICLE, THANK YOU.
UM, AND APOLOGIES FOR NOT GETTING MY QUESTIONS IN AHEAD OF TIME.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT HAVE LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE, IN THE DEPARTMENT OR ROUGHLY THEREOF? UH, 57.
UM, AND DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF LIKE THE STAFF THAT IS, IS THAT ROUGHLY WE'RE, WE'RE AUTHORIZED, UH, FOR 70 POSITIONS, SO, OKAY.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
AND, UM, DO WE KNOW THE PERCENT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU MADE WERE FOR AN OFFICER THAT HAD LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE? I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY THIS, THAT IN MY EXPERIENCE, ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO TEACH NEW OFFICERS IS EXACTLY THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE EMPLOYING HERE, IS BY POINTING OUT THE LITTLE MISTAKES BEFORE THEY BECOME BIG MISTAKES AND HAVE THEM WORK ON THOSE.
IT'S REALLY AN EXTENSION OF THE FIELD TRAINING, UH, THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER.
UM, BUT THIS EXTENDS THROUGHOUT THEIR, UH, THEIR LIFETIME AS AN AN OFFICER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE INSTITUTED FOR SURE.
FOR CONTEXT TOO, WE HAVE 69 ALLOCATED POSITION THAT'S INCLUDING MYSELF TO THE ACADEMY RECRUITS.
SO WHEN YOU TALK 57 AND YOU HAVE MEMBERS OF MY COMMAND STAFF HERE, UH, MOST OF OUR STAFF ARE ALMOST OUR ENTIRETY OF OUR PATROL DIVISION IS IN THAT QUALIFYING AGE GROUP THAT YOU WERE DISCUSSING.
SO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GENERALLY FOR THOSE, THOSE JUNIOR TENURED OFFICERS, WHICH I ALSO THINK WHEN YOU COME BACK TO THE POLICY CONVERSATION AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE, THE LOW LEVEL OF APPLICATION OF FORCE, WHAT WE GENERALLY DO SEE IS OUR JUNIOR OFFICERS HAVE MORE CHALLENGING INTERACTIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE MORE OFTEN, UM, PRONE TO ESCALATING SITUATIONS OR GETTING INVOLVED IN USES OF FORCE.
SO I THINK THAT 2.8%, UM, RATE IN WHICH FORCE WAS APPLIED DURING OUR ARREST INTERACTIONS IS STILL A REALLY, REALLY LOW, AND THAT'S SHOWING THAT WE'RE GENERALLY ABLE TO ARTICULATE AND GET VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE OR USE THE LOWEST LEVEL OF FORCE POSSIBLE.
UM, YOU ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THERE.
DO WE TRACK THE, THE, LIKE THE, I'M THINKING CALLS FOR SERVICE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS, RIGHT? DOWNTOWN DRINKING, LIKE THE NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, CALLS FOR SERVICE USE OF FORCE, WHERE INVOLVES PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT ARE INEBRIATED OR, YOU KNOW, ON SOME SORT OF A SUBSTANCE? YEAH, WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU AT THIS TIME.
UM, AND THEN, UH, I GUESS THE REST OF IT IS JUST COMMENTS FOR NOW.
LIKE, WELL, SO, UM, IN GENERAL, I, I'LL POINT OVER TO JIM DUFFY'S COMMENTS.
UM, IN GENERAL, I, I APPRECIATE JIM DUFFY'S COMMENTS.
USUALLY HE'S, UM, INFORMED AND ASKED GOOD QUESTIONS.
UH, THE QUESTIONS THAT HE ASKED IN HIS COMMENTS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WERE AROUND NOT COMPLETING THE RIPA AND EXTRAPOLATING THIS OUT, YOU KNOW, OVER A THOUSAND INCIDENTS.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S ACCURATE OF YEAH, UH, IT'S REALLY MATH.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A BIG THING OR NOT, BUT IT JUST, THE NUMBER
[02:35:01]
A THOUSAND LIKE COMES OUT, JUMPS OUT.UM, AND THEN THE, THE BODY-WORN CAMERA, IS THAT, IS THERE, WOULD YOU SAY THERE'S ANY ISSUE THERE OR IS THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, PRETTY NORMAL AND STANDARD TO SEE 15 OR 16% OF, UH, YOU KNOW, ISSUES WITH, WITH BODY-WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE? IT'S, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
IT IS AN ISSUE THOUGH, AND JUST, UH, A LITTLE PRIMER ON THE WAY THAT THE BODY-WORN CAMERA WORKS IS ONE IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT IN WHAT'S CALLED A BUFFERING MODE.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS WHEN ONE ACTIVATES THE CAMERA, THE CAMERA IS CONSTANTLY RECORDING.
SO YOU GET A SET AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THE PUSH OF THE BUTTON, WHICH IS RECORDED AND PRESENTED WITHOUT AUDIO.
UH, IN PETALUMA IT CAN BE UP TO A A MINUTE, I THINK, IN SOME JURISDICTIONS.
SO WHEN THAT ISN'T SET IN THAT APPROPRIATE MODE, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL OF LOSING THAT 30 SECONDS, WHICH CAN ON OCCASION HAVE VITAL EVIDENCE, UH, CONTAINED IN THAT, THAT TIME PERIOD.
SO WE WANT THAT BUFFER AND WE WANT THE, THE CAMERA TO BE IN THAT BUFFER MODE.
SOMETIMES WE SEE THAT IT ISN'T, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE DEPARTMENT IS NOW TRACKING THOSE NUMBERS FOR INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE THESE REPORTS.
NOW, UM, I FIRST WANNA THANK YOU.
OF COURSE, I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE AND I WANT TO REALLY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE ACRONYMS, UM, EXPLAINING WHAT THEY ARE, BECAUSE THE REST OF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT RPA STANDS FOR, BUT THERE WAS AN ACRONYM TONIGHT WRAP, WRAP, THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANT.
SO THE, THE WRAP, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ACRONYM, IT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
IT IS A DEVICE THAT'S USED FOR MAXIMAL RESTRAINT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO POSE CERTAIN CHALLENGES, UH, FOR OFFICERS.
AND, UH, THERE'S A PICTURE OF IT ACTUALLY IN THE REPORT, AND IT'S A, UH, IT'S A VERY USEFUL DEVICE UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND THEN THE M COTS AT E-M-C-O-T-S.
WHAT DOES THAT STAND FOR? SO THAT'S, UM, SO WE USE A TRACKING SYSTEM CALLED LTA.
IT'S, THAT'S THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.
THEY, THEIR, WHERE THEIR COMPLAINTS ARE IS THEY'RE CALLED MCOS, I BELIEVE IT'S EMPLOYEE MANAGEMENT AND CONDUCT TRACKING IS THE ACRONYM.
'CAUSE I WAS LIKE BLANKING ON WHAT THOSE MEANT.
AND, UM, WE GET AS COUNCIL MEMBERS COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT E-BIKES.
THAT'S WHY I BRING IT UP AT EVERY MEETING.
AND WE HAVE KIND OF JOKINGLY BETWEEN MEMBERS TALKED ABOUT HAVING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE WITHIN OUR ADVISORY, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
WE HAVE TO ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY HOW THAT WOULD WORK BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE AS THE COST OF E-BIKES COMES DOWN AND PARENTS ARE GENEROUSLY BUYING THESE VEHICLES FOR THEIR JUVENILE CHILDREN, I'M SAYING ANYBODY UNDER 16, BECAUSE 16 YEAR OLDS CAN GET A LICENSE AND LEARN THE, THE RULES OF THE ROAD AND THE LAWS.
BUT UNDER 16, AND I THINK SOMEONE SAID THEY'RE LIVING THEIR BEST LIFE, YOU GIVE A 12-YEAR-OLD AN E-BIKE AND HE'S GONE FOR THE SUMMER.
AND, UM, AS A MOM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YOU WON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORT THAT KID TO BASEBALL PRACTICE OR SOCCER PRACTICE.
THEY CAN JUST TAKE OFF ON THEIR E-BIKE OR DRIVE THEM TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE.
I SEE THEM IN PUBLIC PLACES LIKE THE TARGET SHOPPING CENTER WHERE THEY'RE ALMOST KNOCKING DOWN PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK.
UM, 'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE RACING AROUND.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST BEING KIDS, BUT THEY'RE ON VERY HEAVY VEHICLES.
UM, SO THE COMMUNITY WANTS US TO TELL THEM WHAT WE'RE DOING PROACTIVELY.
AND THE OTHER THING, UM, I THINK, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE WAS ASKING WHY THE CALLS TO SERVICE HAD GONE DOWN.
AND I THINK, UM, SAFE TEAM GOT A SHOUT OUT AS, AND I SEE THE CHIEF SHAKING HIS HEAD YES, THAT THEY HAVE RELIEVED THE, OUR POLICE FORCE SOME OF THOSE CALLS FOR SERVICE
[02:40:01]
BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING ON MAYBE A MENTAL HEALTH OR DOMESTIC SITUATION.SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE SAFETY AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF MY QUESTIONS THERE.
ON, ON PAGE 15, THERE'S A LINK BETWEEN SAFE TEAM AND FORCE USE OF FORCE, AND, UM, I GET A LOT OF WHAT SAFE TEAM IS, BUT COULD YOU, UH, ANECDOTALLY TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE MENTIONED IN THE SAME BREATH, USE OF FORCE AND SAFE ACTIVITIES? YEAH, I THINK, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
AND THEN, SO THE SAFE CALLS WERE UP 19%, UH, THIS PAST YEAR.
SO, SO THAT DOES CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE BEING REDUCED.
SO, UM, WHERE WE MOST SEE THE, UM, THE USE OF SAFE IN TERMS OF USE OF FORCE IS WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CALLS, UH, THE SAFE TEAM IS PRESCRIBED TO RESPOND TO CALLS WHERE THERE'S NO MENTION OF VIOLENCE, UH, NO MENTION OF WEAPONS.
UM, AND THAT CAN BECOME, UM, SUBJECTIVE AT TIMES.
SO WE RUN INTO INCIDENTS WHERE OFFICERS WILL GET THERE.
UM, THEY'RE THERE FOR A MENTAL MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION AND A USE OF FORCE MAY ENSUE.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY WE'RE REVIEWING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHETHER IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO SEND OFFICERS OR SHOULD HAVE SAFE BEEN SENT, OR BOTH WHERE WE'RE WORKING IN WHAT WE CALL A CO RESPONSE.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE THE INTERACTION OF, UM, INCIDENTS WITH THE SAFE TEAM AND USE OF FORCE WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
AND REALLY IT'S TO PROTECT THEM, UM, FROM POTENTIAL VIOLENCE.
DID YOU WISH TO WEIGH IN, UH, CHIEF? I WAS JUST GONNA ADD TO, UH, WHAT LIEUTENANT LAVIANO WAS SAYING THAT THE SAFE TEAM NOT ONLY RESPONDS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH, BUT SOME OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
UM, SO A PERSON MIGHT BE, MIGHT BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, UM, MIGHT NEED ASSISTANCE.
THE SAFE TEAM WILL RESPOND TO THAT, WHEREAS LAW ENFORCEMENT'S MERE PRESENCE MAY BE AN ESCALATION, MEANING THAT THEY DON'T WANT LAW ENFORCEMENT, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE INCARCERATED.
SO BAD DECISIONS ENSUE, WHICH RESULTS IN THE USE OF FORCE.
SO THE SAFE TEAM CAN DEESCALATE A SITUATION TO WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT DOESN'T NEED NECESSARILY TO RESPOND, WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN THAT USE OF FORCE.
YEAH, SO LET'S JUST GO BACK TO THE, UM, MY FIRST QUESTION, UM, WHICH IS REALLY ABOUT THE, UH, CANNABIS RETAIL STORES.
UM, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO MAYBE GET AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, WHAT POLICIES ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE, WHAT IDEAS ARE BEING GENERATED, AND HOW ARE YOU ARE WORKING IN, UM, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT SO THAT IT'S GONNA BE WELL MANAGED AND SAFE FOR EVERYBODY ONCE THIS IS IN PLACE.
SO WE JUST COULDN'T GET AN UPDATE, UH, SO THE COMMUNITY CAN HEAR, UH, WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, UH, DEFINITELY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE IPA WOULD REVIEW THOSE TYPE OF CALLS UNLESS THERE WAS A QUALIFYING INCIDENT RELATED TO THOSE.
UM, SO JUST A QUICK ANSWER AND HOPEFULLY THIS, UM, GETS AT WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, WE DID UPDATE, UM, THE CANNABIS REGULATIONS AS PART OF THE, UM, IMPLEMENTING THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION TO, UM, PREPARE FOR PERMITTING OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF ONSITE CANNABIS RETAIL, UM, SELLERS.
AND THOSE ARE, THAT, THAT WHOLE, THE, UM, THE CANNABIS REGULATIONS, THE SELECTION PROCESS, THE PERMITTING CRITERIA, WHICH INCLUDES ONSITE REVIEW BY THE, UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF SITE SPECIFIC ARE ALL DOCUMENTED THERE, UM, ON OUR WEBPAGES RELATED TO THE CANNABIS PROGRAM.
SO YOU CAN, WHAT I WAS REALLY REFERRING TO IS THE ACTUAL ENFORCEMENT POLICIES THAT ARE, UH, BEING ANTICIPATED.
UH, WHAT ACTIONS, POLICE ACTIONS MIGHT BE ANTICIPATED FOR THESE THREE LOCATIONS.
UH, IS THERE ANY CONCERNS, UM, HE KNOWS IF AN INCIDENT DOES HAPPEN, UH, BASED ON THAT? YEAH, I CAN, I, I MEAN, I CLEARLY THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH ANY BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WITH ANY PRODUCT, ALCOHOL, CANNABIS, UH, ET CETERA, MASSAGE PARLORS, IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING SANTA ROSA, IS, IS AN, A DISCUSSION OF WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE OCCURRING ON AND OFF THOSE PREMISES, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE ILLICIT ACTIVITIES.
AND SO, UM, CLEARLY WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT TRAFFIC IN THOSE AREAS.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONSITE CONSUMPTION, UM, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, OUR REGULATIONS DON'T HAVE THAT BEING PERMISSIBLE, BUT WE ANTICIPATE LIKE ALCOHOL OFF SALE PERMITS OR, OR IN THIS CASE CANNABIS RETAILERS THAT THEY MAY HAVE CONSUMERS THAT BYPRODUCT AND THEN GO OUT TO THEIR VEHICLES AND CONSUME THAT WE'D BE CALLED FOR TO THOSE SITUATIONS.
UM, WE JUST RECENTLY IN THE LAST YEAR, OUR TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING FOR OXA, WHICH OXA ARE THE, UM, THE, UH, EQUIVALENT OF A BREATHALYZER, BUT FOR MARIJUANA SUBSTANCE TESTING,
[02:45:01]
WE RECENTLY RESPONDED TO A FATAL COLLISION FOR OUR ALLIED AGENCIES IN THE REGION, AND THEY USED OUR TESTING DEVICE TO TEST FOR IMPAIRMENT.SO WE'RE PREPARED FOR THOSE SITUATIONS AS WE ANTICIPATE POTENTIALLY AN INCREASE OF IMPAIRED DRIVERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE, UM, UTILIZING CANNABIS AND THEN MAKING POOR DECISIONS AND OPERATING THEIR VEHICLE.
UM, RETAIL THEFT, UH, IN THE INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE AWARE OF THE CHANGES WITH PROP 36, BUT WE SEE MANY OF OUR RETAILERS DEALING WITH, UH, EITHER ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME OR JUST GENERAL SLIPPAGE AND, AND SHOPLIFTING KIND OF SITUATIONS.
MANY OF THE PRODUCTS THAT THE VENDORS IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY ARE SELLING ARE SMALL QUANTITIES.
THEY'RE REGULATED BY THE STATE CANNABIS BOARD, SO THEY CAN ONLY ALLOW SMALL DOSES, UM, WHICH ARE EASILY STOLEN.
AND SO IN AN OPEN, OPEN, UH, MARKET PLATFORM, MANY OF THE, THE, THE RETAILERS ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE HAVING CHALLENGES WITH PEOPLE SHOPLIFTING PRODUCTS AS THEY TRY TO HAVE THEM ENGAGE WITH THOSE ITEMS. UM, AND THEN CLEARLY ALL OF THEM AND, AND OUR, OUR REGULATIONS THAT WE CRAFTED HAVE A, A LENS THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT JUVENILE AND YOUTH ACCESS.
AND WE HAVE A REALLY, UM, ROBUST TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING ORDINANCE THAT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE.
UM, WE HAVE ROBUST ALCOHOL AND RBS TRAINING HERE LOCALLY, AND WE ANTICIPATE JUST APPLYING MANY OF THOSE LESSONS LEARNED IN THOSE PRACTICES TO THE CANNABIS, UH, AS IT'S TO MANY DEGREES, JUST A DIFFERENT PRODUCT WITH SAME CONCERNS AND, AND SENSITIVITIES.
I JUST WANNA SURE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR THAT WE ARE READY AND WE ARE PREPARED FOR THIS VERY MUCH SO.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR TO EVERYONE, UH, THAT WE HAVE GOT IT UNDER, UNDER MANAGEMENT.
I WOULD JUST OFFER ONE MORE COMMENT.
UM, SO WE WORK IN A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH.
OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT PARTNERS FROM CDD, OUR LEGAL TEAM.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S CODE ENFORCEMENT, POLICE PLANNING, AND THE LEGAL HELPING US APPLY AND MANAGE OUR LOCAL REGULATIONS.
SO REALLY COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BUT DEFINITELY FROM A COMMUNITY QUALITY HEALTH STANDPOINT.
LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM AND UH, SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON, UH, THIS ITEM.
YOU DON'T THINK I'M GONNA LOOK THIS ONE PAST WITH YOU? AND, UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE JOHN HANA NEE, I BELIEVE GOOD EVENING, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, I HAVE COMPLAINED AND COMPLAINED FOR THE LAST 35 YEARS AND, BUT I'VE ALWAYS GIVE THE CREDIT, WHEREAS CREDIT IS DUE IN THE PAST, MY BEST COMMUNICATION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS WITH CAPTAIN DAVE SEARS.
CURRENTLY, MY EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE ADMINISTRATION TRYING TO HOLD THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE MUCH HIGHER STANDARD.
AND WHEN I OBSERVE ANYTHING WRONG AND I BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID ABOUT GOD, WHEN HE CREATED MANKIND, ONE MOUTH, TWO EARS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY LISTENING WITH TWO EARS AND THEY'RE ACTING UP ON IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF IT, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO HOLD MUCH HIGHER STANDARD.
THEY'RE HAVING MORE OPEN DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY, TRYING TO HAVE MORE EDUCATION.
AND JUST, SOME OF YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, AND MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER DOES NOT KNOW THIS, MOST OF YOUR STAFF AT THE ADMINISTRATION IS ACTUALLY WORKING MORE THAN THEIR HOURS.
OKAY? THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE WORKING IN THEIR DAYS OFF LIEUTENANT AVIANO, HE'S THERE AT LEAST SIX DAYS A WEEK.
AND MOST OF MY COMMUNICATION IS WITH LIEUTENANT AVIANO.
SO HE'S SUPPOSED, HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, BUT YOU CAN CATCH HIM THERE AT LEAST SIX DAYS A WEEK.
SO DOES THE RISK ADMINISTRATION.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT OUT TO YOU, THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOLDING THE STAFF TO MUCH HIGHER STANDARD.
AND ONE OF THE REASON THAT YOU HAVE LOSS OF POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE THEY WANNA HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, AND THE THINGS I SEE WRONG, THEY'RE ACTUALLY IS, I DON'T COMPLAIN, YOU KNOW, I BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION AND THEY USE IT FOR IMPROVEMENT EDUCATION PROCESS AND INSTEAD OF REPRIMAND AND, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT TO YOU.
AND, AND NO, I WAS NOT LOOKING FOR BROWNIE OR ATTABOY IN MY BACK.
[02:50:01]
TO HEAR POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT CITY STAFF, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THAT PERSON TONIGHT.UM, BACK TO COUNCIL, ANY, UH, CLOSING THOUGHTS? COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE, UM, JUST 'CAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT E-BIKE SO MUCH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE POINT OUT THAT DISTRACTED DRIVING AND UNSAFE DRIVING IS STILL THE, BY FAR, THE BIGGEST SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY IN TERMS OF, UH, FATALITIES AND INJURIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT E-BIKES ARE AN INCREASING PROBLEM.
UM, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS STARTED AS PART OF A, LIKE, RACE RELATIONS AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT, UM, THEN TRANSLATED INTO WE WANT TO HAVE STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS AND MORE TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT I'M SEEING NOW WITH 82 OR 83% OF OUR STAFF HAVING LESS THAN FIVE YEARS, UM, IS THAT THIS IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TRAINING PROGRAM AND TRAINING, UM, THING, AND I, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MR. HANIA THAT THEY ARE, UM, THAT OUR ADMINISTRATION IS, YOU KNOW, HOLDING PEOPLE TO HIGH STANDARDS.
AND I JUST COMMEND YOU FOR THE, THE WORK TO, UM, THAT GOES INTO THIS.
UM, LIKE I SAID, I RESPO, I RESPECT JIM DUFFY A LOT, AND SO WHEN HE SAYS WE'RE THE ONLY ONES IN SONOMA COUNTY, UM, AND I GO TO MAYORS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS MEETINGS AND I HEAR FROM OTHER PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, PETALUMA POLICE ARE THE BEST.
WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND TRYING TO RECREATE IT HERE.
THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS HERE THIS EVENING AND SPOKE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, HIS HIS CASE IS VALID TOO, RIGHT? HIS, THAT'S HIS EXPERIENCE.
UM, BUT I'M, I BELIEVE IN MY HEART THAT, UM, WE TAKE THOSE CASES SERIOUSLY AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY'S DOING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY INCREASE THE, THE TRUST THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS IN US EVERY DAY.
YOU, ANYONE, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN BARNACLE MAKES A GREAT POINT, BUT, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO READ JIM DUFFY'S COMMENTS RIGHT INTO THE RECORD TO, UH, WHAT HE WROTE THERE.
AND, AND LITERALLY HE SAID, THIS YEAR MARKS 10 YEARS SINCE THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON 21ST CENTURY POLICING ISSUED A RECOMMENDATION STATING THAT SOME FORM OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IS IMPORTANT TO STRENGTHEN TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, PETALUMA IS THE ONLY CITY IN SONOMA COUNTY THAT HAS ACCOMPLISHED THE TASK OF, UH, ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE AS DEFINED BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT IN THE LAST DECADE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT, UM, STATEMENT OF BACKING FROM THE PUBLIC FOR THE WORK YOU ALL DOING, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY QUICKLY THAT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT AND I DO APPRECIATE OUR, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR TOWN SAFE.
AND WITH THAT, UH, WE THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT AND WE ADJOURN THE MEETING FOR THE EVENING.
AND, AND WE ARE ADJOURNING IN HONOR OF GLORIA ROBINSON AND, UH, ALL THE ACHIEVEMENTS SHE'S BROUGHT TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.