West Sacramento City Council Meeting – March 18, 2026

The West Sacramento City Council held a regular meeting on March 18, 2026, addressing a public hearing on water and sewer rate increases, adoption of a new massage business ordinance, a proclamation for Red Cross Month, and other items. Mayor Guerrero was initially absent, with Mayor Pro Tem Silpizio Hall presiding. The meeting began with a land acknowledgment and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Consent Calendar

• Approved items 3–11 (routine approvals) by a vote of 3–0 (Councilmembers Alcala, Early, and Mayor Pro Tem Silpizio Hall). Mayor Guerrero arrived later and requested to add her vote; the motion for reconsideration failed 2–2 (Alcala and Guerrero in favor; Early and Silpizio Hall opposed), so the original vote stood.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Guy Stevenson praised the Capitol Project and Public Works for beautifying West Capitol Avenue with flowers and trees, making the city attractive. He later commented on massage businesses, stating that 80% of massage parlors in West Sacramento and Sacramento are illegal, are fronts for prostitution and human trafficking, and operate through work visas. He urged stronger regulation and enforcement, noting they draw negative attention and should not be near churches or schools.
• Kathy Bailey (Riva on the River HOA president) urged the council to provide more police funding. She described an intentional flooding of five condo units causing over $400,000 in damage, which police did not investigate due to a lack of manpower for property crimes. She also reported a drug unit in her community with no police response despite multiple calls.
• Matt Weaver criticized the council as a “lame duck” council, stating that without the mayor or three members, little can be done. He announced he would join litigation against the city regarding retail cannabis, citing inverse condemnation, regulatory taking, equal protection violations, and procedural due process. He expressed distrust in government and called for accountability. In a second comment on utility rates, he argued that deferred maintenance is the city’s fault, criticized the lack of effective outreach, and stated that raising rates burdens seniors and low-income residents who have already paid property taxes for decades.
• Alisha Gutiérrez (speaking Spanish) urged the council not to raise rates, citing the difficulty for low-income families to pay for rising electricity, water, and drainage costs.
• Jack Chandler questioned the use of recent tax revenue from population growth and asked why road conditions (e.g., Southport Parkway) remain poor. He requested more transparency on how tax money is spent.
• Dennis Price criticized the city for not having a maintenance plan for water and sewer infrastructure, questioned why mailed notices were used instead of digital outreach, and opposed the rate increase, suggesting the city should wait for better economic conditions. He also requested a detailed accounting of system failures.
• Chris Kim claimed West Sacramento has twice as many employees per capita as Davis or Woodland, alleging wasteful practices (e.g., a city truck left running at a garage sale). He argued that excess employee costs are amortized into utility rates and opposed debt financing.
• Nita Minius (on the massage ordinance) requested that the term “massage parlors” be changed to “massage therapy businesses” to respect the profession, citing the 2026 Massage Therapy Act which defines massage therapy as healthcare. She asked about the $3,000 per employee permit fee (clarified as a deposit) and requested future publications in Mandarin.

Discussion Items

• Proclamation: Red Cross Month – The council recognized March 2026 as American Red Cross Month. Red Cross volunteers spoke, and council members thanked them for their work, including responding to 630 home fires, hosting 270 blood drives, and training over 35,780 people in life-saving skills in 2025.
• Water and Sewer Rate Increases (Item 12) – Finance Director Roberta Raper, Public Works Director Rebecca, and consultant Rick Simonson presented a detailed overview of the need for rate increases due to aging infrastructure, deferred maintenance, and rising costs. The proposed five-year rate schedule would raise average single-family combined water/sewer bills from $106.22 per month to $126.84 effective April 1, 2026, with subsequent annual increases. The revenue would fund capital projects (e.g., $89.5 million water CIP, $54.1 million sewer CIP) and cover operational costs. A low-income rate assistance program (LIRA) was proposed to increase the monthly credit from $5 (with $3 for water/sewer) to $18 for water/sewer (plus $2 for refuse) for households at or below 200% federal poverty level, and a new tier for fixed-income seniors (age 62+, at or below 250% FPL) providing $15/month credit. Council discussed the rationale, use of reserves and debt financing, and outreach plans. Public hearing included 195 written protests received (far below the 8,891 majority threshold). Council adopted Resolution 26-23 (making findings on written objections) and Resolution 26-24 (adopting rates) by a 4–0 vote (Alcala, Early, Silpizio Hall, Guerrero). They also voted 4–0 to approve the revised LIRA program.
• Massage Business Ordinance (Item 14) – Senior Analyst Katie Rogers and Senior Planner Daniel Baruman presented Ordinance 26-3, which would repeal and replace Chapter 5.12. Key updates include requiring all massage practitioners to hold CAMTC certification, creating a city massage business permit (with a $3,000 deposit/refundable fee), establishing operational standards (hours, sanitation, record keeping, no residential use), and an annual inspection program similar to the motel/hotel inspection program. An eight-month compliance transition period for existing businesses was included (all practitioners must be CAMTC certified by end of period). Staff noted outreach to all 11 existing businesses and a community meeting with translation. CAMTC reviewed the ordinance and provided a letter of support. Public comment included Guy Stevenson’s allegations of illegal activity and Nita Minius’ request for terminology changes. Council discussed enforcement capacity, human trafficking resources, and oversight. Ordinance passed first reading 4–0.
• Code Amendments (Item 13) – Omnibus amendments to Titles 8, 17, and 18 for legal compliance, procedural clarity, and administrative efficiency. Exempt from CEQA. Adopted unanimously 4–0.

Key Outcomes

• Red Cross Month Proclamation – Approved by acclamation.
• Water and Sewer Rate Increases – Resolutions 26-23 and 26-24 adopted 4–0. First rate increase effective April 1, 2026, with annual adjustments through 2030. LIRA program expanded to $18/month credit for water/sewer for eligible households, plus $15/month for fixed-income seniors.
• Massage Business Ordinance – Ordinance 26-3 approved on first reading 4–0; second reading required for final adoption.
• Omnibus Code Amendments – Ordinance 26-1 approved on first reading 4–0.
• Bright Park Update – City Manager reported that the school district would consider the purchase and use agreement at a special meeting on March 19, 2026.
• Council Assignment Reports – Councilmember Early reported on Housing Authority (mid-year budget, federal funding concerns), Yolo Transportation District (budget workshop), and Capital Area Regional Tolling Authority (executive director search, target start July 1). Mayor Pro Tem Silpizio Hall reported on the Yolo County Homelessness Commission (point-in-time count pending, update on BAC-supported co-op housing in West Sacramento with 23 units, construction starting March 30).
• Future Agenda Request – Councilmember Alcala requested changing the name of the Cesar Chavez holiday; City Manager stated staff will address it administratively.