The Santa Rosa City Council held a regular meeting on January 28, 2025, starting at 4:05 PM and adjourning at 7:00 PM. All council members were present except Councilmember Natalie Rogers. The meeting included a proclamation, consent items, a public hearing on budget priorities, and reports on the state legislative platform, homelessness strategic plan, sewer code amendments, and mid-year budget adjustments. Several votes were taken, and public comments were heard on a range of topics.
Good afternoon. I'd like to ask the interpreter currently on the Spanish channel to commence interpretation of the meeting. For those just joining the meeting, live interpretation 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 the Zoom toolbar. It looks like a glow. Thank you very much. Back to you. Welcome everyone. The time is four zero five or um four o'clock, four oh five. I'm a little scattered today, apologies. Uh but thank you for coming out. And Madam City Clerk, would you manage would you do the role, please? Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Rogers is absent. Councilmember O'Krepke. Here. Councilmember McDonald. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Here. Councilmember Ben Wells. Here. Vice Mayor Alvarez. President. Mayor Stapp. Here. Let the record show that all Council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Rogers. Thank you, Madam City Clerk. We did not have a closed session item or closed session today. We also did not have a study session. Uh so we can move right ahead to item number seven, um, proclamations and presentations. And it is my great pleasure to welcome the Redwood Empire Chinese Association to the chamber. Um thank you to so many of you for for coming. Um and I'm I'm looking forward to reading the pro proclamation right now. Uh with a a side note. Um all of us, I think are thinking of Joe Wong today, and in fact, we're gonna be we're gonna be doing this council session in his honor, as I'll mention later. Uh but so happy to have Nancy and so many of Joe's friends here today. And with that, let's get let's get move forward with the proc proclamation. Whereas the Redwood Empire Chinese Association is holding their 2025 Lunar New Year's celebration in various cities of Sonoma County, with the largest celebrations being held in the Finley Center, Santa Rosa, and in the Children's Museum of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa. And whereas we would like to publicly recognize the importance of this intercultural organization in the fields of cultural education by offering community participation, organizational networking, public interactions with intercultural activities, and their many additional events which bring members, friends, and families into social contact and understanding with governmental agencies and diverse people through events such as their lunar lunar new year celebration, potluck socials, and many additional cultural events. And whereas we acknowledge the outstanding work done by the Redwood Empire Chinese Association in providing programs to children and youth by giving presentations to local schools from elementary to college levels, and for providing an active youth group which focuses on teen self teen self-esteem and positive community involvement, including lion dancers and dragon dancers, which provide opportunities for children and teens to perform at community events and for the RECA's annual scholarship for Sonoma County High School Seniors. And whereas we acknowledge the benefit we also acknowledge the benefit of the Redwood Empire Chinese Association's adult programs, including the adult chorus, adult cultural dancers, many members of all ages who offer information and contact at RECA interaction tables at many community events, and RECA's community involvement in assisting governmental agencies, businesses, and schools with requested assistance in matters concerning Chinese and Asian cultural and language issues. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I am Mark Stapp, Mayor of the City of Santa Rosa, on behalf of the entire city council, do hereby proclaim a success a sincere acknowledgement of the many successes in increasing intercultural understanding and acceptance by the Redwood Empire Chinese Association. And with that, are there any representatives of RECA who might wish to speak? Rena? You you've been nominated. Thank you so much to Mayor Stapp, a member of RECA, Vice Mayor Alvarez, and all council members for this amazing acknowledgement of our organization and everything that we do. My name is Rena Wang, and on behalf of Redwood Empire Chinese Association, it's really an honor to receive this proclamation. This proclamation is a tremendous acknowledgement of our organization, especially around this extremely culturally meaningful time around Lunar New Year. And we love that we can celebrate this special holiday with alongside all of you here today. RECA was founded in 1988 and received nonprofit status in the 90s.