OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Santa Rosa City Council Meeting: Housing Authority Interviews and Transit Plan Update - August 5, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, August 5, 2025
BodySanta Rosa, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, August 5, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:43:38
Transcript — Verbatim
0:26

To commence interpretation of the meeting.

0:29

For those just joining the meeting, live interpretation in Spanish is available, and members of the public or staff with wishing to listen in Spanish can join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in the Zoom toolbar.

0:43

It looks like a globe.

0:45

If you are on your cell phone or tablet, locate the three dots, tap them lightly, and put a check mark on your preferred language.

0:52

Click done to activate and begin the interpretation.

0:56

Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you can only hear the Spanish interpretation.

1:03

Claudia, will you please restate this in Spanish?

1:07

Yes.

2:22

Councilmember O'Krupki?

2:24

Here.

2:29

Councilmember Ben Wells here.

2:31

Vice Mayor Alvarez.

2:32

Mayor Stepp.

2:34

Here.

2:34

Let the record show that all council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Fleming.

2:39

Thank you.

2:40

We have three closed session items to announce.

2:42

We have item 3.1, which is a public employee evaluation of performance, and then we have items 3.2 and 3.3, both of which, both of which are conferences with legal counsel regarding existing litigation.

2:55

And with that, we will go to public comment.

9:26

Thanks for your patience, everyone.

9:28

The time is three o'clock, and we will uh reconvene from closed session.

9:31

Madam City Clerk, would you please call the roll?

9:34

Thank you, Mayor.

9:36

Councilmember Rogers.

9:38

President Council Member O'Krepke?

9:40

Councilmember McDonald.

9:41

Here.

9:42

Councilmember Fleming.

9:43

Councilmember Ben Wellows.

9:45

Vice Mayor Alvarez.

9:47

President.

9:47

Mayor Step.

9:48

Here.

9:48

Let the record show that all council members are present.

9:51

Thank you.

9:52

We're going to move on to item 4.1, our interviews for housing authority.

9:57

We're going to interview applicants for the housing authority to fill one tenant commissioner at large position and one tenant commissioner senior position, each to have a two-year term expiring August 5th, 2027.

10:09

And I'm glad to see that we have a number of the applicants here today.

10:23

Is Doug here?

10:25

Doug is not here.

10:26

We will move on then.

10:27

Angela Conti?

10:29

Angela, wonderful.

10:31

If you could make your way to one of the microphones in the front.

10:36

We'll ask a few questions.

10:44

Thank you very much for applying for for these uh for this position and for taking the time to be here today.

10:51

Sure.

10:52

We've all received a copy of your application, and we have a few questions we want to we want to throw your way.

11:09

How do I see my your skills and experience assisting the residents?

11:15

Of the that are affected that are affected by the housing authority.

12:00

From that point of view of people with uh lived experience.

12:08

Wonderful, thank you.

12:10

Question number two.

12:11

What interests you about serving on the Housing Authority Commission?

12:17

Well, um again, I think because I've I've done it for two years, and I feel like I've just I'm just now getting comfortable and familiar familiar with um the system and getting comfortable with public speaking.

12:37

Um the system I I was previously familiar with was quite different than the system that we here have in Santa Rosa.

12:49

So uh that was interesting, but also there was the whole training component with the um training on the Brown Act and um equity and also um oh, I'm spacing on the the word for it, but um just learning the whole procedure of things was actually pretty um a great opportunity that I really liked.

13:25

And now that I feel like I've done all that I'm familiar with the system, it I'd like to spend another couple of years really kind of utilizing some of those experiences and knowledge that I that I have.

13:40

Thank you.

13:41

And the third question, can you give us your sense or can you give us a sense of your understanding about what the mission and responsibility of the of the housing authority is?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Miscellaneous█████████████████████████████████████████████48%
Affordable Housing█████████████████18%
Community Engagement████████████13%
Procedural███████7%
Homelessness███████7%
Personnel Matters███3%
Public Safety█1%
Racial Equity█1%
Public Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Santa Rosa City Council Meeting - August 5, 2025

The Santa Rosa City Council convened on August 5, 2025, with a full agenda focusing on public service appointments, transit planning, and community updates. Key activities included interviewing seven applicants for Housing Authority commissioner positions, receiving updates on the Marin-Sonoma Coordinated Transit Service Plan (MASCOTS), and reviewing the annual diversity report for city boards and commissions. The council also addressed consent items, held a public hearing for a transit grant, and heard from community members on various issues.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimously approved Resolution 14.1 confirming an administrative cost recovery lien for code violations at 715 Placer Court.
  • Unanimously approved Resolution 14.2 authorizing transit project applications for CORTICA funding.
  • Unanimously approved Resolution 14.3 amending a professional services agreement with Alvarez & Marsal, increasing compensation to $389,500.
  • Unanimously approved Ordinance 14.4 (second reading) amending Santa Rosa City Code Section 1-04.020.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Peter expressed support for law enforcement and criticized bar association lawyers and bankers, calling for a "40-day strike" to address corruption and financial systems. He also advocated for using cactus as a firebreak and food source.
  • Michael Hilbert argued that city fines, such as those for weed violations, are applied capriciously and unfairly, citing submitted photos as evidence.
  • Robert Kopak criticized the Santa Rosa Police Department for inaction on drug dealing in his neighborhood and demanded accountability from city officials.
  • Janice complained about a property violation notice she deemed harassing, related to street damage from nearby clear-cutting, and requested council intervention.

Discussion Items

  • Housing Authority Interviews: Council interviewed seven applicants for one tenant commissioner at-large and one tenant commissioner senior position. Applicants shared their skills, lived experiences, and motivations for serving, with themes of affordable housing advocacy and community service.
  • Community Empowerment Plan Update: Staff announced upcoming events including National Night Out, a Youth Ecology Corps fair, a transit plan open house on August 18, and an economic development survey open until August 15.
  • MASCOTS Transit Plan Update: Staff presented the Marin-Sonoma Coordinated Transit Service Plan, which proposes streamlining overlapping bus services, increasing SMART rail frequency, and improving local connections. Public outreach is ongoing, with implementation targeted for early 2026.
  • Diversity Report: The City Clerk's office presented the 2024 annual report on diversity in board and commission appointments, highlighting gaps in gender and ethnic representation. A new data portal was introduced to track trends and inform recruitment efforts.
  • ADA Paratransit Grant Hearing: Staff sought authorization to apply for FTA Section 5310 funds to purchase six replacement paratransit vehicles, certifying that no other nonprofit agencies are ready to provide equivalent service.
  • Council Reports: Members shared updates on county homeless coalition data, water agreement approvals, geothermal energy tours, and fair board activities.

Key Outcomes

  • Appointed Angela Conti as tenant commissioner senior and Scott Wimmer as tenant commissioner at-large to the Housing Authority, both with terms expiring August 5, 2027 (unanimous vote).
  • Unanimously approved all consent calendar items.
  • Accepted the diversity report and transit plan update as presented.
  • Unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing a grant application for $742,500 to purchase ADA paratransit vehicles.
  • Received and filed closed session reports with no action taken.

Meeting Transcript

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 with wishing to listen in Spanish can join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in the Zoom toolbar. It looks like a globe. If you are on your cell phone or tablet, locate the three dots, tap them lightly, and put a check mark on your preferred language. Click done to activate and begin the interpretation. Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you can only hear the Spanish interpretation. Claudia, will you please restate this in Spanish? Yes. Councilmember O'Krupki? Here. Councilmember Ben Wells here. Vice Mayor Alvarez. Mayor Stepp. Here. Let the record show that all council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Fleming. Thank you. We have three closed session items to announce. We have item 3.1, which is a public employee evaluation of performance, and then we have items 3.2 and 3.3, both of which, both of which are conferences with legal counsel regarding existing litigation. And with that, we will go to public comment. Thanks for your patience, everyone. The time is three o'clock, and we will uh reconvene from closed session. Madam City Clerk, would you please call the roll? Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Rogers. President Council Member O'Krepke? Councilmember McDonald. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Ben Wellows. Vice Mayor Alvarez. President. Mayor Step. Here. Let the record show that all council members are present. Thank you. We're going to move on to item 4.1, our interviews for housing authority. We're going to interview applicants for the housing authority to fill one tenant commissioner at large position and one tenant commissioner senior position, each to have a two-year term expiring August 5th, 2027. And I'm glad to see that we have a number of the applicants here today. Is Doug here? Doug is not here. We will move on then. Angela Conti? Angela, wonderful. If you could make your way to one of the microphones in the front. We'll ask a few questions. Thank you very much for applying for for these uh for this position and for taking the time to be here today. Sure. We've all received a copy of your application, and we have a few questions we want to we want to throw your way. How do I see my your skills and experience assisting the residents? Of the that are affected that are affected by the housing authority.

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