City Council

City Council Interim City Manager Mayor Stephen Zollman Mary Gourley Vice Mayor Jill McLewis mgourley@Cityofsebastopol.gov Councilmember Phill Carter Councilmember Neysa Hinton Councilmember Sandra Maurer CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Meeting of Tuesday, September 16, 2025 Meeting Start Time: 6:00 pm Planning Commission Interviews will begin at 6:00 pm followed by all other items. Meeting to be held in Person and Virtual /Remote Participation In Person: 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 Zoom Link Below: Zoom Link can be used for providing public comment Vimeo Link Below: Vimeo is utilized for viewing only of meeting City Council is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. City Council is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: City Council Meeting - September 16, 2025 Time: Sep 16, 2025 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86474869445 Meeting ID: 864 7486 9445 Passcode: 026734 --- One tap mobile +16699006833,,86474869445#,,,,*026734# US (San Jose) +16694449171,,86474869445#,,,,*026734# US --- Dial by your location • +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) • +1 669 444 9171 US • +1 719 359 4580 US • +1 253 205 0468 US Meeting ID: 864 7486 9445 Passcode: 026734 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kxZ4PG12 https://vimeo.com/event/5018254 COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING: This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act. Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting.  PUBLIC COMMENT Due to the length of recent City Council Meetings, it is strongly encouraged that written comments be submitted to the City Council by sending them by email to: citycouncil@cityofsebastopol.gov with either General Public Comment Written in the Subject Line or the Specific Agenda Item Number or Title Written in the Subject Line. Emails are distributed to the City Council as well as posted to the City Council meeting as public comment. Public Comment questions may be directed to City staff for a response at a later time. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL SALUTE TO THE FLAG REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED): To consider and take action on any request from a Council Member to participate in a meeting remotely due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances pursuant to AB 2449 (Government Code Section 549539(f)). Assembly Bill 2302 (2024) (“AB 2302”) revises rules for when members of local legislative bodies may participate in meetings remotely. Specifically, it amends the number of meetings that may be attended remotely for just cause and under emergency circumstances and clarifies the definition of the term “meeting,” for purposes of remote attendance. AB 2302 caps the number of remote meetings a member can attend each year based on the frequency of a legislative body’s meetings: Five meetings per year for those meeting twice a month. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The City of Sebastopol acknowledges that we live and work within the unceded ancestral homelands of the Southern Pomo and the Coast Miwok people. We pay our respect to the past, present, and future generations of these peoples, including the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. 1. Planning Commission Interviews: (2 Vacancies) 6:00 pm - Breanna Christenson 6:15 pm - Robin Rudderow 6:30 pm - Kenna Lee (By Zoom) 6:45 pm - Joan Harper 7:00 pm - Alex Kanzler 2. Planning Commission Appointments: (2 Vacancies) PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS: • Proclamation - Week Without Driving: We challenge elected officials in Sonoma County to go a week (the week of September 29th to October 5th) without using their cars for transportation • Proclamation-9/15-21 Pollution Prevention Week; 9/22-28 Russian River Creek Week • Proclamation – September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD): Up to Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit (Two Minutes for up to ten speakers). Additional public comment will be held at the end of the discussion and action items for up to an additional twenty (20) minutes. Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers. Process for calling on Speakers: Mayor or designee shall ask for public comment as follows: Speakers to be called on in an alternate manner (One speaker in person to be called on first; then one speaker remote to be called on second with additional speakers to be called on in the same manner) based upon the time limit. CONSENT CALENDAR: The consent agenda consists of items that are routine in nature and do not require additional discussion by the City Council or have been reviewed by the City Council previously. These items may be approved by one motion without discussion unless a member of the City Council requests that the item be taken off the consent calendar. The Mayor will read aloud the title of each consent item (either full agenda title or a simplified version of the agenda title), and ask if a Councilmember wishes to remove one or more items from the consent calendar; and then open public comment to the members of the public in attendance. At this time, a member of the public may speak for up to two (2) minutes on the entire consent calendar and request at that time that an item or items removed for discussion. If an item or items are removed from the consent calendar, the item shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor. Council Members may comment on Consent Calendar items or ask for minor clarifications without the need for pulling the item for separate consideration. Items requiring deliberation should be pulled for separate consideration and shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor. 3. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of August 26, 2025 Responsible Department: Interim City Manager Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item. 4. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of September 2, 2025 Responsible Department: Interim City Manager Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with approval of this item. 5. Approval of Task Order 2 with Wood Rodgers for the preparation of the Flood Resiliency Master Plan for amount not to exceed $152,130. This item is for engineering services for the preparation of the master plan as approved in the adopted CIP (CIP #0711-23.05). Carryover project from FY 2024-25. Responsible Department: Public Works Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact; budget has been approved in the amount of $170,000 6. Approval of Modification 1 to Amendment 58 with GHD Inc for the Water System Master Plan Update for amount not to exceed $14,738.00. This modification is for providing missing details in the City’s existing water model and including the infrastructure that was added to the City’s water distribution system since 2005. When the scope of work was developed, it was unknown by City staff if the water model originally prepared in 2005 would be useable or have sufficient retrievable data to use for the preparation of the updated master plan and the task (Task 6) became an optional task and was not included in the original contract, until such time it would be needed. As the work progressed on the master plan, it became apparent that additional analysis and data collection is needed to update the hydraulic model so it can be used for analysis of various flow scenarios, identify hydraulic deficiencies and to develop addition future CIP projects. This is a cost-effective approach and will result in a usable document that can provide the needed list of system improvements and upgrades, with preliminary cost estimates. Responsible Department: Public Works Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with this approval; The cost for this additional scope is not to exceed $14,538 and is within the adopted Fiscal Year 2025-26 CIP Budget of $169,000 from the Water Capital Fund 501. 7. Report to Council regarding the storm drain repairs at 222 Ragle Road completed on June 26, 2025. Receive and file. Repair of a storm drain pipe located on a City easement on private property at 222 Ragle Rd. Cost of repairs was $38,330 Responsible Department: Public Works Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact. This is a received and file as there were sufficient funds in the Public Works/Streets budget for the repairs. 8. Approval of Sponsorship of Membership Fees for Sebastopol Chamber to Join Main Street America Program. $1675.00 divided by 3 = $560.00. The total costs are to be shared between the Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce; the Sebastopol Business Improvement District Funds and the City of Sebastopol. Responsible Department: Interim City Manager  Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact as cost will be absorbed within the City Manager budget. This item was reviewed and supported by the Budget Committee 9. Approval of Revised Job Description for Planning Director Responsible Department: Interim City Manager/Human Resources Consultant Deborah Muchmore Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with approval of the revised job description. City will begin recruitment process for Planning Director using currently approved pay rates and ranges. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: Informational Items or Presentations are items that are informational only and do not require action by the City Council. Presentations shall be scheduled as necessary for the promotion of an event or service or general information items to the Council and should be limited to ten (10) minutes total in length of item (total length includes questions of Council to presenter and public comment). 10. Informational Presentation: Michah's Hugs. The mission of Micah’s Hugs is dedicated to educating youth of the dangers of substance abuse & fentanyl poisoning, bringing awareness to the disease, breaking the stigma that follows it, in addition helping those that are suffering with addiction. Their Narcan trainings are Guiness Word Records bound. They will be providing a short presentation on the work with Analy and many West County schools, in particular their work with the Press Democrat around taking all news paper boxes and converting them to Narcan distribution centers. Requestor: Mayor Zollman Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with receipt of this informational item. 11. Update on FY 2025–26 City Council Goals and Priorities – Quarterly Report Provide the City Council with a quarterly update on progress toward the FY 2025–26 goals and priorities, including status of initiatives, accomplishments, and challenges. Responsible Department: Interim City Manager Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact with receipt of this informational item. PUBLIC HEARING(s): NONE REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION): 12. Consideration of direction to staff to review and prepare updates to the Formula Business Ordinance, and to provide direction to staff regarding the development of a curated plan for the desired vision of the City’s downtown. Responsible Department: Planning Director Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact 13. Consideration of City Council Protocols for Start Time of Closed Session Meetings The City Council will consider a request for protocols for Establishing Closed Session Start Times at 6:00 PM with Exceptions as Needed. Requestor: Councilmember Hinton/Mayor Zollman Responsible Department: Interim City Manager Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Two minutes per speaker for up to twenty (20) minutes total for public comments but can be reduced at Mayor’s discretion depending upon the number of speakers or Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers. COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS: 14. City Manager and/or City Clerk Reports: (This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting) a. August 2025 Departmental Reports b. Info Only: Voting Delegate for Cal Cities General Assembly; The City of Sebastopol will not have any Councilmembers attending this conference c. Info Only: City of Sebastopol has received 5 Proposals in response to the Request for Proposals for City Manager Recruitment Services. City will be scheduling interviews with the five firms. d. Info Only: The City has the following open recruitments: • Public Works Director -Deadline: September 11th • Police Records Supervisor – Deadline 12th • Accountant Hired for Administrative Services • Conditional Offer for Police Officer Position • Conditional Offer to Associat Planner • Upcoming: Planning Director Recruitment • Admin Tech (2 Positions) in Interview Process 15. City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards. ((This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting) 16. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers) CLOSED SESSION: NONE ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING September 16, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA. American Disability Act Accommodations/Accessibility: A request can be made orally or in writing, and submitted to the ADA Coordinator by email: building@cityofsebastopol.org or to the City Clerk’s Office so as to avoid delay in reviewing and processing the request. Requests can be made by contacting the ADA Coordinator’s Office at (707) 823-8597, via email at building@cityofsebastopol.org or by mailing such a request to the ADA Coordinator’s Office located at 7425 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, CA. Note that if you contact the ADA Coordinators Office, via mail, you need to make the request early enough that a response can be timely provided. NOTICE: All Resolutions and Ordinances introduced and/or adopted under this agenda are waived of all reading of entire resolution(s) and ordinance(s). The City of Sebastopol is a general law city formed under the laws of the State of California. With respect to adoption of ordinances and resolutions, the City adheres to the requirements set forth in the Government Code. Unless otherwise required, the full reading of the text of standard ordinances and resolutions is waived. SB 751 Legislative bodies of local agencies must publicly report: (1) any action taken and (2) the vote or abstention on each action taken by each member present for the action at a meeting. If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact the City at Email: info@cityofsebastopol.org or citycouncil@cityofsebastopol.org or please call: 707-823-1153. The public is advised that pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5 all writings submitted to the City Council are public records and will be made available for review at City Hall during normal business hours. The Sebastopol City Council welcomes you in person or remotely to its meetings that are generally scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Your interest and participation are encouraged and appreciated. Government Code Section 54953. (a) All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body of a local agency in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to a specific type of meeting or proceeding. (2) Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall. There are times that the City Council open meetings may not be live streamed due to technical issues; if that is the case, the meeting will be video-taped and uploaded as soon as possible to the City Web Site. In the event of a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting to members of the public using the call-in option or internet-based service option, or in the event of a disruption within the local agency’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the legislative body shall take no further action on items appearing on the meeting agenda until public access to the meeting via the call-in option or internet-based service option is restored. Actions taken on agenda items during a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1. COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING RESTATED: This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act. Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. Prior to removing an individual, the presiding member or their designee shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding member or their designee may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. This paragraph does not apply to any behavior described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). (b) As used in this section: (1) “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, one of the following: (A) A failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body pursuant to Section 54954.3 or any other law. (B) Engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force. (2) “True threat of force” means a threat that has sufficient indicia of intent and seriousness, that a reasonable observer would perceive it to be an actual threat to use force by the person making the threat. How can I provide Public Comment on Zoom? The Mayor will request public comment during the Public Comment period on the agenda and during each Public Hearing and Regular Calendar Item. Once the Mayor has announced the public comment period, please do one of the following. USING A COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE: • Click on the “Raise Hand” feature in the webinar controls. This will notify City staff that you have raised your hand and you would like to speak. • City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. • A prompt will appear to confirm you would like to be unmuted. Once you accept the prompt, you will have two minutes to provide public comment. • Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again. USING A REGULAR PHONE: • Dial *9 (star 9), this will notify City staff that you have “raised your hand” for public comment. • City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. *6 (star 6) is used to mute/unmute. • You will hear “you are unmuted” and then you will have two minutes to provide public comment. • Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again