This regular meeting of the Folsom City Council covered a wide range of topics including presentations on community projects, water infrastructure planning, housing policies, park improvements, and tourism development. The meeting also included the adjournment in memory of a valued community member.
The meeting was called to order following a closed session. All council members were present: Aquino, Kozlowski, Leary, Rorbaugh, and Mayor Rathel. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and the City Attorney confirmed no agenda updates.
Aminat Dhaliwal and Anushka Jasti, President and Vice President of Voices of Folsom (a Folsom High School club), presented findings from community questionnaires. Their monthly initiative gathers resident perspectives on transportation, safety, entertainment, and city services. Key findings included:
Eric Bagley and Laura Tinty presented their class project for the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary Monument sign. The 29-member leadership class selected this project based on criteria including lasting impact, clear scope, and community need. The project includes:
Marcus Yasutake, Utilities Director, presented the comprehensive 16-month Folsom Water Vision study covering the city's water future for the next 50+ years. The study, conducted by Economic and Planning Systems with extensive stakeholder engagement, included:
Key Vulnerabilities Identified:
Stakeholder Process:
Priority Goals (ranked by stakeholders):
Recommended Portfolio Projects:
Implementation Phases:
Financial Projections:
Next Steps:
Council Member Leary, who served on the stakeholder group, confirmed the thorough process and community engagement. The study identified priorities as: 1) pipeline redundancy, 2) non-potable supply development, and 3) water supply diversification.
Items 3-7 and 9-13 were approved unanimously. Item 8 was pulled for separate discussion.
Resolution 11530 authorizing contract with The Permanente Medical Group for medical director services was modified from a three-year to one-year agreement. The modification allows time to explore potential community benefit funding from healthcare providers establishing presence in Folsom (UC Davis, Dignity, Sutter, Kaiser Permanente).
Medical Director Role:
Dr. Sloan has served since December 2022, providing services to Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and Amador County. He was supportive of the one-year modification. The contract was approved 3-2 (Leary and Rorbaugh dissenting), with concerns about maintaining proven expertise versus exploring alternative funding.
Resolution 11510 establishing new inclusionary housing in-lieu fees for residential development. Desmond Parrington, Planning Manager, presented findings from Economic and Planning Systems study required by Housing Element Program H9.
Key Changes:
Recommended Fee Structure (Modified by Council):
The Council modified staff recommendation to completely eliminate fees for units 1,500 square feet or less to incentivize "missing middle" housing. Analysis showed:
Council expressed concern about state warranty requirements (10-year warranty on attached units) as primary disincentive for condo/townhome development. Resolution approved unanimously with modification.
Two resolutions approved for site work contracts:
Resolution 11537: Granite Construction contract for concrete pavement work - $72,356 (with $79,529 Measure A appropriation including contingency)
Resolution 11538: Kaya contract for site work - $257,755 from Parks Capital Fund plus $55,609 Measure A appropriation (total $313,364 with contingency)
Project Details:
Scope includes:
Project completion targeted for end of April 2026. Council thanked Vice Mayor Rorbaugh for connecting with Granite Construction for the donation.
Resolution 11528 approved establishing Charter Review Committee with modified membership to avoid Brown Act violations:
Committee will meet February-April 2026 to review city charter and potentially recommend amendments for ballot consideration. Last significant charter review occurred several years ago.
Public meeting held on proposal to increase Folsom Tourism Business Improvement District assessment from 4% to 8%. No council action required; public hearing scheduled for January 27, 2026, with potential April 1, 2026 effective date.
Purpose: Additional 4% dedicated exclusively to physical capital improvements that increase overnight visitation and hotel occupancy, including:
Proposed Conditions:
Regional Context: Proposed 8% TBID rate (combined with 8% TOT) would align Folsom with regional partners:
Process Forward:
Public testimony included:
Council expressed support for transparency measures, including requirement for public meetings (likely council meetings) when annual spending plans presented.
Mayor Rathel adjourned the meeting in memory of Thomas Colin Pactel, who passed away before Christmas. Tom served in the U.S. Air Force for eight years (including four years in South Korea as interpreter), worked 33 years with the Federal Aviation Administration, and was an active member of Folsom Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Tom had certifications in intelligence gathering, emergency medical technician, ham radio, and viticulture, and was an ordained minister. He is survived by his wife Monica, son Benjamin Mason, daughter-in-law Haley, and granddaughter Charlotte.
Two scholarships established in his name at Folsom Lake College:
Ed Meyers (Tom's CERT friend) summarized Tom's life philosophy: "Give your time, give your talent, and give your treasure. That's how Tom lived. Be like Tom."
that will adjourn the closed session and we're going to go ahead and call to order the regular meeting. Will you please call the roll? Yeah. Council members Aquino. Here. Kozlowski. Here. Leary. Here. Rorbaugh. Here. And Rathel. Here. And if you all please stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. City Attorney, any agenda updates this evening? Mr. Mayor, no update for tonight. Thank you, sir. All right. That brings us to business from the floor. If you're here to address the council on any unagendized items, now is the time for you to fill out a blue speaker card there in the back. and you'll be given three minutes to address the council. Do we have any speakers this evening? We have one request to speak this evening under Business from the Floor. It'll be from Aminat Dhaliwal and Anushka Jasti. Come on down. Good evening, Mayor and Council members. My name is Aminat Dhaliwal, and I'm the president of Voices of Folsom, a club at Folsom High School. My name is Anushka Jasti and I'm the Vice President. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share the perspectives of Folsom residents through our student-led community initiative. Background and goals. Our goal with Voices of Folsom is simple. We want to create a space where residents, especially those whose voices often go unheard, can share their experiences and concerns. We focus on improving community well-being in areas like transportation, safety, entertainment, and city services. Each month, we attend council meetings to bring you updated insights gathered directly from residents. How we did this? To understand the community's priorities, we created questionnaires and distributed them throughout Folsom. We collected responses across different neighborhoods and age groups, and today we're sharing the major trends that we found. What residents love about Folsom. The overwhelming majority of respondents expressed appreciation for Folsom's strong sense of community, its safety, and its natural beauty. People value the clean environment and the friendly family atmosphere. Importantly, most residents did not identify major negative issues in this area. Public transportation concerns. Transportation feedback was more mixed. About 59% reported no issues, but 41% of the respondents said they struggle with gaps in coverage, limited access in certain neighborhoods, or confusing systems. Residents also mentioned the reduction in school bus routes and expressed interest in more direct or express options. Suggestions for improving Folsom. When asked how Folsom could improve, the most frequent responses included the need for new schools to match the city's rapid housing growth, more activities and entertainment options for families and teens, improved traffic control, and again, expanded transportation options. Safety perceptions. Overall, residents feel safe and fulsome, but concerns came from a minority who pointed out to increasing housing density, traffic, and also visible homelessness. Many also credited friendly neighbors and the strong police presence for maintaining a sense of security within their communities. A notable number of responses pointed to a heavy congestion on East Bidwell, especially the bridge over the freeway. The corridor was consistently mentioned as one of the city's most traffic-dense areas. Thank you for your time and your continued efforts to make Folsom a safe and thriving community. We hope these insights help support future planning,