Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – October 10, 2023
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Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – October 10, 2023
The Santa Rosa City Council met on October 10, 2023, convening in closed session at 3:00 PM and reconvening in open session at 4:00 PM. The meeting included a proclamation recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month, staff briefings on the Down Payment Assistance Loan Program, Violence Prevention Partnership Strategic Plan, and Community Empowerment Plan updates, along with a consent agenda of seven resolutions. The meeting adjourned at 5:42 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Item 12.1 – Resolution creating the Community Engagement Manager classification (salary $111,603–$142,926) and reclassifying a vacant Deputy Director position. Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.2 – Resolution modifying the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and EEO Officer salary range to $111,603–$142,926. Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.3 – Resolution creating the Water Quality Systems Supervisor classification (salary $93,984–$111,940) and reclassifying a vacant Water Quality Supervisor position. Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.4 – Resolution approving and adopting the City’s Salary Plan and Schedule. Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.5 – Resolution freezing and correcting two MissionSquare “opt-in” retirement plans, authorizing replacement plans, and designating a fiduciary. Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.6 – Resolution waiving competitive bidding and approving a sole source blanket purchase order with Yarbrough Bros. Towing, Inc. for vehicle impound services (up to $500,000 over two years with three one-year renewals). Adopted unanimously.
- Item 12.7 – Resolution accepting a $560,653 grant from the Board of State and Community Corrections for the Organized Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program. Adopted unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Closed Session (Item 2.1): No public comments.
- On Proclamation (Item 6.1): Gregory Fearon spoke in support of the YWCA and also recognized The Living Room organization.
- On Down Payment Assistance Loan Program (Item 7.1): Duane De Witt expressed support but urged thoughtful oversight to ensure funds benefit long-time Santa Rosa residents. Gregory Fearon thanked the Council and staff for creating the program.
- On Violence Prevention Partnership Update (Item 7.2): Duane De Witt requested attention to graffiti removal and suggested involving youth and veterans. Erika Klohe (Buckelew Foundation) supported the strategic plan, emphasizing prevention and family support. Madonna Feather Cruz supported the plan and requested youth attendance at the November 2 seminar, inclusion of tribal organizations, and consideration of poverty. Kevin Anderson (Chops Teen Club) supported the plan and appreciated community input. Ernesto Olivares (City consultant) supported the plan, noting the shift from enforcement-only to prevention/intervention/re-entry.
- On Community Empowerment Plan Update (Item 7.3): Duane De Witt criticized the top-down approach and suggested holding meetings without a preset agenda to better incorporate community input.
- On Consent Items (Item 12): Duane De Witt commented on Item 12.1, suggesting the Community Engagement Manager role should be linked to the Community Advisory Board and focus on listening to residents.
- On Mayor/Council Reports (Item 10): Duane De Witt requested ADA-accessible toilets at Bayer Farm. Gregory Fearon supported Councilmember Fleming’s report on the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority bond, urging focus on extremely low-income housing.
- On Non-Agenda Matters (Item 17): Peter Allen (Wild Oak HOA President) requested timely issuance of a notice of violation for code violations at 805 White Oak Dr. Michelle Escobar-McCrarry submitted 348 letters supporting a Tobacco Retail License ordinance and cited high tobacco retailer density near schools. Jim Ahlsten (Wild Oak HOA) noted a 1,215-day delay in code enforcement and requested equitable treatment. Drew Gorayeb (Wild Oak resident) alleged favoritism toward an architect owner and asked for enforcement. Duane De Witt presented historical documents on the Southwest Area Plan and requested attention to blight on Sebastopol Road.
Discussion Items
- Closed Session Report (Item 5): Assistant City Attorney Jessica Mullan reported that Council met in closed session on Constance Brown v. City of Santa Rosa (trip and fall incident) and approved a settlement of $100,000 (7-0).
- Proclamation – Domestic Violence Awareness Month (Item 6.1): Mayor Rogers read and presented the proclamation to Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, CEO of YWCA Sonoma County. O’Connell highlighted YWCA services: 24/7 crisis hotline (only in Sonoma County), confidential safe house, and serving ~3,000 individuals annually (90% female, 47% Latino, 23% children, 7% seniors, 15% homeless).
- Staff Briefing – Down Payment Assistance Loan Program (Item 7.1): Megan Basinger (Housing Director) and Nicole Del Fiorentino (Manager) reported the program, funded with $2 million from PG&E settlement, assists moderate-income households (up to 120% AMI, ~$153,000 for family of four). Applications opened October 2, 46 received so far. Website: srcity.org/dpal.
- Staff Briefing – Violence Prevention Partnership Update (Item 7.2): Program Manager Danielle Garduno presented the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, developed through interviews, focus groups, community meetings, and online engagement. Five focus areas: Intervention (street outreach, crisis response, tattoo removal); Prevention (pro-social opportunities, youth engagement); Communication, Outreach & Education (annual seminar Nov 2 featuring Luis Rodriguez); Investment (leveraging Measure H and other grants); Collaboration (building organizational structure). Over 70 partner organizations. Councilmember questions led to discussion on integration with joint city-school board, annual prioritization, and tribal outreach. Councilmember Stapp and Mayor Rogers announced a town hall on Oct 11.
- Staff Briefing – Community Empowerment Plan Update (Item 7.3): Lon Peterson (Chief Communications & Intergovernmental Relations Officer) reported the city is partnering with C Collaborative on an equity plan. Upcoming engagement: Faith in Blue event (Oct 7, 300 attendees), town hall (Oct 11), Hearn Community Hub meetings (Oct 25 virtual, Oct 26 in-person), Halloween trunk-or-treat (Oct 25), Halloween bash (Oct 28).
- Council Reports (Item 10): Councilmembers provided updates on subcommittees and liaison roles, including Sonoma County Transportation Authority (Hearn Overcrossing bids 2% under estimate), Sonoma Clean Power, Climate Action Subcommittee, and Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (possible $100M+ direct allocation for Santa Rosa).
Key Outcomes
- Closed session settlement of $100,000 in Constance Brown v. City of Santa Rosa approved (7-0).
- Proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month presented.
- Consent Agenda (Items 12.1–12.7) adopted by unanimous vote (7-0).
- Staff briefings received; no formal action taken, but council directed staff to consider public comments.
- Minutes of September 26, 2023 regular meeting approved as submitted.
- Written Communication (Item 16.1) – State Legislative Update supporting AB 531 (Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2024) received and filed.
Meeting Transcript
Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you only hear the Spanish translation. Pablo, will you please restate this in Spanish? Seeing a quorum, Madam City Clerk, may you please call the roll. Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember O'Krepki. Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Alvarez. Mayor, no one's approaching the podium for public comment, and we receive no written public comment. Thank you. We will now recess into closed session. Hello and welcome to our October 10th, 2023, Santa Rosa City Council meeting. It is now four PM, and we will be starting our meeting. Seeing a quorum, Madam City Clerk, can you please call the roll? Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Stapp. Here. Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember O'Krepke. Here. Councilmember Alvarez. Present. Vice Mayor McDonald? Here. Mayor Rogers. Present. Let the record show that all council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Rogers. Thank you. We have no study sessions today, so we're gonna move right into our uh reports on study and closed sessions. Madam City Attorney. Thank you, Mayor Rogers. Uh council did meet in closed session this afternoon on the matter of Constance Brown v City of Santa Rosa. The case involves a trip and fall incident on a sidewalk near Creekside Park by a vote of seven to zero. Council approves settlement of the Brown litigation following mediation in amount of one hundred thousand dollars and also authorize the city attorney to sign the settlement agreement uh authored by author or authored by both parties. Thank you. Thank you, Madam City Clerk. May you please facilitate public comment. Thank you. We are now taking public comment on item five. If you are in the chamber, please make your way to the podium to provide public comment. You will have two minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. See no one approaching the podium, Mayor. That concludes public comment. Thank you. Moving on to a much anticipated uh part in our agenda. We have one proclamation uh for today, and I have the privilege of reading that proclamation. Whereas the City of Santa Rosa recognizes that domestic violence affects one in four families in our local community, and that nearly seventy-five percent of Americans know someone who has been abused. The crime of domestic violence violates an individual's privacy, dignity, and security based on the systematic use of emotional, physical, sexual, psychological, and economic control or abuse. And we're asked established in 1975, YWCA Sonoma County is our community's singular and vital resource for local residents experiencing violence in the place. YWCA's counseling support services offer trauma informed individual and support group therapy for victims of trauma and domestic violence, including the students at YWCA's therapeutic preschool serving one of our most vulnerable populations, children ages three through five years old. And whereas only an informed community effort will end the cycle of violence for local families, members of our community are engaged to participate in YWCA's scheduled events and programs to raise much needed funding to support their vision for every family in Sonoma County to live healthy, productive lives and be safe in their own homes.
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