Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - April 25, 2023
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Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - April 25, 2023
The Santa Rosa City Council held a regular meeting on April 25, 2023, beginning with a closed session at 2:31 p.m. and reconvening to open session at 4:04 p.m. The meeting included proclamations, reports, consent items, public hearings, and discussion items, with all votes passing 7-0.
Consent Calendar
- 12.1 Resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement with Kitchell/CEM, Inc. for construction management and inspection services for the Fire Station 5 Resiliency and Relocation project in an amount not to exceed $2,385,201.64.
- 12.2 Resolution approving a purchase order for two Bandit 12XP drum-style wood chipper trailers from Cal-Line Equipment, Inc. for a total not to exceed $131,067.66.
- 12.4 Resolution approving a two-year blanket purchase order with three one-year extension options to ADT Security Corporation for fire sprinkler inspection and repair services, total amount not to exceed $203,500 (including 10% contingency).
- 12.5 Resolution approving a third amendment to General Services Agreement with Rapid Express Courier Systems, extending two years and increasing compensation to a total cumulative amount not to exceed $172,800.
- 12.6 Resolution approving a Professional Services Agreement with Koff & Associates for a citywide classification and compensation study in an amount not to exceed $450,000, funded from General Fund unassigned reserves.
- 12.7 Resolution approving a third amendment to Professional Services Agreement with Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard for confidential work-related investigations, increasing compensation by $100,000 for a total not to exceed $200,000.
Item 12.3 (Camino Technologies software agreement) was pulled from the agenda.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Duane Dewitt spoke multiple times: on closed session noticing (Item 2), in support of affordable housing and criticizing the commercial model (Item 6.3), supporting collection of current data for entry-level positions and opposing costs for Fire Station 5 (Item 12.6), advocating for community engagement in Roseland development (Item 13), and urging inclusion of Roseland in the EIFD boundaries (Item 14.1).
- Eric Fraser commented on the city attorney's litigation report, questioning the short-term rental ordinance and alleging preferential permit treatment (Item 8.1), and later on Item 14.2 expressing concern about electricity rate increases and mandates, and criticizing the short-term rental ordinance process (Item 17).
- Cliff Whigham spoke on Item 14.1, requesting zoning changes for the Roberts Road area and asking that his property be rezoned back to 25-40 units per acre to allow development.
- Hugh Futrell (Downtown Association) spoke in favor of the EIFD, arguing that incorporating Roseland would delay the process and that a separate Roseland EIFD should be pursued later.
- Cadance Allinson (Downtown District) expressed appreciation for staff work on the EIFD and noted its positive impact on downtown.
Discussion Items
- 14.1 Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD): Deputy Director Raissa De La Rosa presented a proposal to establish a Downtown Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District to capture tax increment from property taxes (no new taxes) to finance public infrastructure. The district boundaries exclude Roberts Road area for a potential future Roseland EIFD. Consultants from DTA, Gamble Strategies, and Jones Hall answered questions. Council discussed board composition and benefits to the county. Council Member Chris Rogers proposed an amendment to add a second county supervisor seat and a third public member to the Public Financing Authority, which was accepted. The Council adopted both resolutions (RES-2023-076 and RES-2023-077) unanimously (7-0).
- 14.2 Regional Water Reuse System Budget: Nick Harvey, Budget and Financial Analysis Manager, presented the preliminary FY 2023/24 budget totaling $72.1 million, including $43.8 million O&M, $10 million cash-funded CIP, and $23.1 million debt service. The allocation to user agencies increased due to utility costs, chemicals, and salary increases. The Council adopted the resolution (RES-2023-078) unanimously (7-0).
- 15.1 FY 2023/2024 Action Plan and Grant Agreements: Public hearing to authorize submission of the annual HUD Action Plan and approve $790,265 in grant agreements for public services, fair housing, and HOPWA programs. No public testimony was received. The Council adopted the resolution (RES-2023-075) unanimously (7-0).
- 8.1 Litigation Report: City Attorney Sue Gallagher reported on 33 total litigation matters, including a jury verdict of $87,500 in Meyer v. City of Santa Rosa, a settlement in the Owner & Renters Rights Association short-term rental case (dismissed without prejudice), and other settlements.
Key Outcomes
- All consent items (12.1, 12.2, 12.4-12.7) were approved unanimously (7-0).
- Resolution of Intention to form the Downtown Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (RES-2023-076) approved 7-0, with an amendment to the Public Financing Authority composition.
- Resolution establishing the Downtown Business Corridor EIFD Public Financing Authority (RES-2023-077) approved 7-0, with amendments.
- Preliminary FY 2023/24 Regional Water Reuse System Budget (RES-2023-078) approved 7-0.
- FY 2023/24 Action Plan and grant agreements (RES-2023-075) approved 7-0.
- Minutes of April 11, 2023 were approved as amended.
- The closed session items (2.1 and 2.2) were continued to a future date due to a noticing error.
- Mayor Rogers appointed an Ad Hoc Committee (Rogers, Rogers, Stapp) to support the hiring of a new City Attorney.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to use the over. I'd like to ask the interpreter currently on the Spanish channel to commence translation of the meeting. For those just joining the meeting, live translation in Spanish is available, and members of the public or staff wishing to listen in Spanish can join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in Zoom toolbar. It looks like a glow. Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you only hear the Spanish translation. Interpreter, will you please restate this in Spanish? Interpretación in vivo, Estara disponible y los membros del Publico or Personales can the CNECORANASELO. Sobre la vara de herramientas or the functions de Zoom. Una vez uno se canal, se recomenda Timkapagio Primario para que solo escuche la interpretación a la Spanna. All right. Welcome everyone to our April 25th, 2003 Santa Rosa City Council meeting. It is now 231, and we will be starting our meeting. I would like to welcome our Madam City Manager, Madam City Attorney, and our Madam Deputy Clerk that will be filling in today. Thank you for that. And all of my council members, thank you very much. Councilmember Stapp. Here. Councilmember Rogers. Here. Councilmember O'Krepke. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Here. Councilmember Alvarez. Vice Mayor McDonald. Here. Mayor Rogers. President. Let the record reflect all council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Alvarez. We will begin our meeting today with two closed session items. 2.1 conference with labor negotiators and 2.2 public employee appointment. Madam City Clerk, may you please conduct public comment. We are now taking public comment on item two. If you are in the chamber and would like to comment but have not provided a speaker court or your name, please make your way to the podium. If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand or dial star nine. You'll have three minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. What you see here is a copy of your agenda, which I picked up yesterday. And if you'll notice in item two, it does not put in there what you're speaking about in the closed session. As you know, it's important that that be told before the meeting. At the same time, because there are so many restrictions on how you folks share information with the public. Now we challenge other autocratic dictatorial nations throughout the world. Trying to make sure they'll look into the democratic approach. So please look at this like yes, you want to make it open. It's something that has to be done though, according to our previous settlements. All right. Welcome back, everyone. We will now reconvene our meeting, seeing a quorum. Madam Deputy City Clerk, can you please call the roll? Councilmember Stapp? Here.
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