>> good fternoon.
Tuesday OCTOBER 22, my name is
susan adams and on be A.M. Of
rohnert city council, it is my
privilege to welcome you to our
meeting.
We'll begin to invite you to
stand with us as we recite an
acknowledgment.
With traditional homelands and
confederated indians, and
peoples.
Thank you.
>> we are to establish a quorum
for tonight's meeting, we'll ask
our clerk, elizabeth to call the
role.
>> council member elward, here.
Sanborn, here.
Adams, here.
>> I'm here as well.
We are joined on the dais
tonight in addition to city
clerk and city clerk.
By our city attorney michelle
kenyan.
There are several members of
city manager in the audience.
If you are a director, stand up
and recognize you to let people
know who to find if they have an
issue here.
You have four directors an one
in the back.
There we go.
Thank you very much.
All right.
So e have tonight a couple of
really -- I'm getting to the
pledge of allegiance.
I have to introduce the kids
that will give it.
We have a couple of adorable
kids tonight to lead us in the
pledge of allegiance.
Hold on a minute, after you read
the pledge of allegiance, we are
going to go ahead and have you
come up for a picture.
we have adam and reilly lawson.
>> all right.
>> I pledge allegiance to the
flag of the united states of
america and to the republic for
which it stands, one nation,
under GOD, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all.
Thank you.
Hey, stay right there.
We will all come and get a
picture with you.
>> next thing we have mayor's
proclamation, claiming OCTOBER
24.
I'll share that proclamation
from the mayor.
Proclamation declaring OCTOBER
24 as domestic violence
awareness month.
Whereas the city of rohnert park
recognizes the domestic violence
affects 1 in 4 families in our
local community and nearly all
of us know someone who has been
abused, the crime of domestic
violence violates individual's
privacy, dignity and security.
Based on the systemic uses of
emotional, physical, sexual,
psychological and economic
control of abuse.
Thank goodness the kids have
left already.
Whereas established in 1976,
counties are community singular
and ital resource for local
residents to experience violence
in the place we should feel
safe, inside of our homes.
Ywca, has the only safe house
shelter in only 24/7 crisis hot
line.
Counseling support services give
group therapy and support for
victims of trauma and domestic
violence including students at
ymplet wca therapeutic preschool
serving one of the most
vulnerable populations.
ages 3-5 years old.
Whereas only informed community
effort will end the cycle of
violence to local families,
members of community are
encouraged to participate in
ywca scheduled events and
programs to raise much needed
funding support to support their
vision for every family in
rohnert county, to lead
productive lives let it pro
claim, mayor, on behalf of the
city council, to here by
proclaim OCTOBER 24 as domestic
violence awareness month in the
city of rohnert park in honor of
domestic violence survivors an
advocates, 22 day of OCTOBER 202
2024.
Thank you.
[Applause]
>> we have to receive this
stephanie.
If you would like to say a few
words.
Would you mind joining us for a
picture?
>> I would love it.
Thank you.
>> thank you very much.
>> honorable mayor and members
of the city council, I'm
stephanie barlon, the secretary
of the board of directors of the
ywc sonoma county.
There we go.
On behalf of the board of
directors, staff, volunteers and
especially the local families
served by the ywca sonoma
county, thank you for honoring
OCTOBER as domestic violence
awareness month with your
proclamation.
Established in 1976, ywca24-7dv
crisis hot line, the only one in
sonoma county is still the most
direct path to support local
families in need.
our confidential safe house
shelter is the, also the only
one in sonoma county for
families seeking refuge from
harm.
Safety planning and strategies
to insure relief are at the
forefront of every call we
receive.
On average, ywca sonoma county
serves approximately 3,000
individuals in need per year
with trauma-informed
community-focused services.
Our client population is 90%
female, 47% identify as hispanic
latinx.
23% are children.
And 7% are seniors.
The majority have very low
income and 15% are homeless.
On saturday, OCTOBER 26, we will
be hosting our 4th annual why I
run fun run and walk.
We are asking members of our
community to register and raise
funds for ywca's programs and
enjoy a beautiful afternoon with
ywca at spring lake in anta
rosa.
More information can be found on
our web site, ywcasc.Org.
I did also leave flyers about
the walk on the table there as
well as purple stickers for dv
awareness month if anyone would
like them.
In closing, please know that
ywca has been supporting local
families for nearly five
decades.
Continue to be here in sonoma
county serving families in need
as long as you need us to be.
Thank you.
>> thank you very much.
[Applause]
>> we are very honored tonight
to share proclamation,
proclamation of the mayor of the
city of rohnert park ecognizing
OCTOBER 24, 2024 as paolio he
day.
Thank you for attending and look
forward to sharing your comments
after we share the proclamation.
Whereas in 1985, rotary
international launched polio
plus and spearheaded the global
polio radcation initiative with
the world health organization,
U.S. Centers for disease control
and prevention vention and
unicef to immunize the children
of the world against polio.
Whereas polio cases dropped by
99% since 1988 and the world
stands on a threshold of
eradicating the isease.
Whereas to date, rotary has
contributed more than 1.2
billion dollars in
and countless
volunteer hours and protection
of 2 billion children in 122
countries.
These efforts are providing
operational support, medical
personnel, laboratory equipment,
education materials for health
workers and parents whereas
rotary parks and rohnert park
throughout world has sponsored
service projects to address
issue, poverty, health, hunger,
literacy, and radcation to polio
worldwide.
Therefore, I proclaim, susan
adams, mayor, here by pro claim
OCTOBER 24, 2024 as polio
awareness day in rohnert park
proclaimed this 22 day of
OCTOBER, 2024.
Thank you very much.
[Applause]
Paula, as paula comes up, they
will all come up.
A great little party then.
As they are coming up, I want to
recognize the vice mayor is very
well respected member of rotary,
we are honored to have him on
our dais tonight.
Appreciate all of the work he
does for the city.
>> thank you.
Mayor dams, fellow council
members, thank you for
recognizing this important
issue.
I'm here with fellow rotarians
and you just entioned gerard,
who is a member of our club.
Also city manager marcela and
then right there in the corner
chief maddof and linda and art.
My name is paula reinhold.
While this disease has
essentially disappeared in first
world countries, it does still
exist and as such, continues to
be a risk.
Polio mainly affects children
under 5.
There is no cure but it is
preventible with the vaccine.
I have personally had the
privilege of vaccinating
children in india insuring that
they never contract polio.
In 988, there was still over
350,000 cases of polio each year
and 125 countries.
Some MAY remember the shriner's
hospital for cripple children,
19,000 in san francisco, those
were mostly polio cases.
Today, to date, we only have 62
cases in two adamic countries,
afghanistan and pakistan in
those war torn regions.
As long as we have a single
child that remains infected,
children in all countries are at
risk of contracting polio.
Failure to eradicate polio from
last remaining strongholds could
result in global resurgence of
the disease.
It is only a car ride, bus,
train or plane ride away.
As we saw with the measles a few
years ago.
While it is top priority for
rotary to eradicate the disease,
one does not have to be a
rotarian to join the fight.
Anyone can contribute to the
cause.
Your donation is mapped by the
gates foundation 2-1 if you are
interested in donating the
polio.
And you can do that at
endpolionow.Org.
Thank you very much for the
proclamation.
[Applause]
>> I do want to take a minute,
we have a university student
here tonight.
We look orward to hearing from
you.
Before we do that, counsel takes
great pride on starting meetings
on time.
I apologize we started a little
bit late, we came in slower than
we thought we might.
We would now invite aj franklin,
legislative epresentative for
the sonoma state university to
come up and give us a report.
>> hello.
>> right into the mic so we can
hear you.
There you go.
Thank you.
>> thank you so much for having
me again.
Everyone.
For those who MAY not remember
me, I am aj.
I serve as vice PRESIDENT Of
external affairs for students of
the university.
I serve as chief legislative
officer for the corporation.
>> aj, you are so soft spoken.
We want to hear everything you
have to say.
Lean in and speak up for us.
>> okay.
Can you hear me now?
>> I can.
Yeah.
>> I serve as vice PRESIDENT Of
student affairs at ssu.
I serve s system wide advocate
for our students.
The system wide advocacy part
is, especially relevant right
now, I just got back from cal
state student association
preliminary, every one of the
23SSUs, had student government
and then every single associated
student government sends two
representatives to the
california state student
association meetings.
I am one of the representatives
along with our student body
PRESIDENT.
At these meetings I serve on a
legislative affairs committee
where we take support for
opposing positions on upcoming
legislation.
We just passed a support
position on a bill that
increases funding for basic
needs on each one of the 23ssu
campuses.
Excited about that.
I ran for one of trustee
selection committee.
Was elected.
So I'm very excited about that.
We will be, as a group, we will
be making the recommendation to
the governor for his two student
trustee representatives.
Typically who is recommended
gets appointed.
I'm really excited about that.
Really thinking about maybe
running myself one day.
So that is all very exciting.
Back at home, on campus, voter
registration efforts are now
over.
So my external affairs task
force is now pivoting to getting
students prepared to vote.
Making sure that they have the
resources they need to get
educated on ballot measures.
Making sure that they know that
there is a polling location on
campus.
A ballot booth on campus as
well.
I am assembling a lobby
lob
lobby corps to
bring along with me to the cal
state advocacy day.
That is exciting.
In the early stages though.
As I said, last time, my
position and team are very new.
We are trying our best to get
ourselves established, sink our
teeth into as much as we can.
If you need anything from me,
any questions or comments, or
potential collaboration, you can
reach out to me at external
externalasf@sonoma university.
>> thank you for your support.
And congratulations on your
selection.
Item number 7, public comments.
Anybody in the audience wishing
to make a comment on any consent
calendar item?
Or any city business not listed
on the agenda, now is your time.
Okay.
We don't have anybody?
Somebody for public comment?
We don't have public comment.
We'll go ahead and close the
public comment.
Agenda, consent calendar number
8.
Is there an item that you want
to pull on the consent calendar?
>> yes, mayor.
i would like to -- no, not to
pull.
>> correct.
>> I would like to make a
comment on 8h.
I will be voting no.
>> 8h.
Did you want to talk about it?
>> yeah.
I'm voting no.
It just seems a bit invasive to
our residents.
It was hard for me to find info
on how the system works and also
not a united states-based
company.
>> okay.
Anybody else like to make a
comment on 8h?
>> I agree with the comment of
council member rodriguez.
>> okay.
All right.
Any other comments about any of
these items?
>> 8-f.
>> 8f.
Okay.
You want to vote and then come
back.
>> I ask mayor if we pull 8-f
for clarification regarding what
action we are taking as it
relates to the capital projects
and our director of public works
vanessa garrett is prepared to
make that clarification for
council.
>> just a clarification, city
attorney, vote on what is in
front of us and then that?
>> we will vote on all but 8-f.
>> one more question, on 8h, is
it possible that staff could
give us more information
verbally?
Since there are at least two
that have questions.
>> pull 8f and 8h.
>> correct.
>> let's go ahead and have a
vote on 8, everything but 8-f
and 8h.
>> so moved.
>> second.
>> I'll second.
>> ll in favor.
Aye.
Opposed?
All right.
We have a unanimous aye vote on
all of the items except 8f and
8h.
Let's go to 8h.
City manager to address 8h.
>> so for the item related to 8h
I would ask our community
services director, which is
making her way to the podium to
explain what is the software
program does and perhaps the
provider as well.
Thank you.
>> hi, good evening.
I don't want to speak to the
comment about it not being a
united states-based company
because I don't know where their
headquarters are located.
For the privacy issue, this is
analytics-based on app usage.
So this company does not track
any actual individual's data.
Don't have access to your cell
phone.
Don't have access to your home
address.
Essentially, when you download
an app on your cell phone, it
asks you whether or not you
would ike to be racked.
Based on app usage.
Everyone has an opportunity to
say yes or no to that.
If you say yes, for example, I
have abc mouse on my phone.
People who have abc mouse, tip
have children under the age of
5.
When I enter a park, for
example, and abc mouse has
contracted with this company,
they will know someone with a
child ages under 5 attended that
park.
Usually I think that they ping
maybe 150 phones in the course
of say 2,000 person event and
use science data to determine
how many people were actually
there.
It is not really actually
tracking every single individual
that comes and goes if that
makes sense.
>> that makes sense to me.
Do you have any questions?
This is typical, right?
Whenever I put an app on my
phone, it says can we track you?
>> you say yes or no.
>> any questions?
All right.
Let's go ahead and vote on 8h.
We'll go ahead and do a roll
call vote.
>> do we have --
>> I think that we need a motion
first.
I move that we pass 8h.
A second?
Okay.
Someone like to make a different
motion?
So we don't need to take action.
We can let it pass by without
action taken?
All right.
I would like to know the
consequences, if any
consequences to the city not,
that hey are talking about.
>> if council decides not to
proceed with the motion, the
city will not entertain the
contract for this software
program to assist with just
getting information as far as
attendance to potential
companies.
>> okay.
>> yes, can move to another date
or ask for more information.
>> I would like to continue to
find more about it.
Make a motion.
I give it a glance.
Didn't realize the full
implications of what it might
mean.
So that was my motion to carry
it forward to next council
meeting.
>> a second?
>> I'll second that.
>> all right.
So let's go ahead and roll call
on that motion.
>> sm sanborn, yes.
Council member, rod rege, no.
Council member elward.
Mayor adams, yes.
Motion passes 3-0.
3-2 vote.
Council members rodriguez and
elward dissenting.
>> let's go back to 8-f and
invite director garrett up for
her report.
Good to see you today.
>> hi, thank you.
Thank you mayor and council
members.
I can give a general summary
what the item is about.
If you have questions about
specific projects let me know.
In general, during the last
budget process used general fund
monies for quite a few cip
projects.
And this council item recommends
actually swapping some funding
sources that make a little bit
more sense.
In the past, used things like
gas tax, special revenue for
road projects in lieu of general
fund money as an example, or
transportation measure m funding
for things like the [
Indiscernible] Study.
That money can't be used for
anything but bike and pedestrian
funded projects so that is a
recommendation today.
It is to swap some funding
sources from general fund money
to the special revenues that
have specific requirements which
we can use for cip projects.
>> thank you very much.
Before you leave, any questions
for the director?
Thank you so much.
Appreciate it.
So any comments or questions or
a motion?
>> I am prepared to move 8-f
forward.
>> is there a second?
>> and I will second.
>> thank you very much.
All in favor?
Aye.
Any opposed?
There we go.
5-0.
Thank you so much vanessa.
So let's move on to regular
items.
9a, considered adopting a
resolution, approving
authorizing the city manager to
execute and implement an
excluesive negotiating agreement
for the city of rohnert park and
sent cal properties.
We will begin with staff report
given by MR. King and invite
public comments and come back
for discussion when the council
and questions for the developer.
MR. King.
>> good evening, mayor adams,
vice mayor and council members.
My name is kevin king, city
analyst for city of rohnert
park.
I'm here to -- excuse me.
discuss the exclusive agreement
with center cal properties with
6400 state farm drive.
It will be a short presentation.
First let's just start with what
is the definition of a dna.
Allows for the city to talk
directly with the developer, for
the development of the land.
Establishes the definition of
good faith negotiation between
both parties.
Establishes responsibility of
cost during the ena phase.
That is the deadline for term
phases, which is the next one.
Next phase of his process.
And establishes timelines and
outlines negotiating process,
including the event of a
default.
Basically selection was the
first date, this is us going
steady with the developer.
So let's get into a timeline.
There is actually a lot more
timeline outline in the contract
itself.
I wanted to keep it very
specific to the one that was
directly impact this board.
So the overall e-n-a, if it is
signed today, basically starts
the clock on all of these
timelines.
So we would have 150 days from
tonight.
So that would be MARCH 21 or 300
days if we were to extend it
AUGUST 18 in order to get to the
term sheet phase of his
essentially.
What that means for center cal
and for the city and this
council, first center cal will
be on the clock to submit a
draft and conceptual design no
later than DECEMBER 6, 2024.
The friday after thanksgiving.
From that point, we will have 30
days to do a meet and confer
with center cal to discuss what
they submitted.
I will explain the dates here n
more detail.
JANUARY 3, 2025 is the friday,
30 days from DECEMBER 6 is
JANUARY 3 5 which is a sunday.
Likely not confer with them on a
sunday.
I'm putting that friday there.
As a next deadline.
From JANUARY 3, council has 30
days after that, confer, to
approve a design and term sheet.
Again 30 days from the third is
a sunday.
So most likely the council date
will be the 28th.
Unless you choose to do a
special session on this.
Then from there, if they were,
if you were to approve a term
sheet and draft conceptual
design, you have center cal has
30 days to back out.
From tonight, 180 days, from
approval, they have 180 days to
submit, officially submit the
applications to the city.
I would make one comment on all
of the dates on the right hand
column, those are all dependent
upon if everyone were to submit
on the final day in that third
column.
So they submit tomorrow, we have
45 days and we will be in
discussion, as far out of
this process as far as this
can go.
At this phase.
So any questions?
Or should I comments?
Or?
>> if it is all of the same
to you, I think that we will
have public comment and ome
back around and go there.
Okay.
thank you very much.
We have seven public comment
cards.
If anybody in the audience
have not submit add card and
wishes to make a comment
about this item, there is a
stack of pink cards over
there.
Feel free to give them to
the clerk and we'll call
your name up.
All right.
So we have a ronald, I'll
give you the first three.
Ronald lopez, marty bennett
and stephanie, is it hall?
Stephanie hall.
And if you want to just be
on deck.
When you are ready, that
will be great.
All right, MR. Lopez,
thank you for coming tonight
sir.
>> thank you very much.
I'm ron lopez, professor at
sonoma state university
where I worked for 19 years.
I'm also the labor and
community outreach for
california faculty
association, although I'm
not here in official
capacity for that.
I'm here as a union member,
a community member of
rohnert park.
I'm concerned about this
project.
In particular, I want to
make sure that in this, as
you go through the exclusive
negotiation with the
developer, that you make
sure that there are
guarantees of good labor
conditions.
Because many of our students
in this community lack good
opportunities for employment
off campus also.
I understand that there is a
part, one of the things that
was asked for, 25%
affordable housing.
I think that is very
important.
I know a lot of students
that live in garages and
live under other unsafe and,
you know, less than ideal
conditions.
Also we very much like to
see this be a least and
a lease and not
a sale.
So the rohnert park has
control and say over the
condition.
Much of my scholarship
involved communities that
have seen developments
whether the developers have
exploited or displaced
community without giving
back to the communities.
That is something that I
would not want to see here.
I think that rohnert park
needs a downtown.
There is, there has been
downtown issues over the
years.
Rohnert park could be a
great community, amazing
community for it to be
successful.
For it to be successful, it
has to meet the community
needs, needs of the student
that will help attract
students.
That will help make this a
more prosperous and
attractive community for all
of us.
Also I think that the
standard that should be
followed is standard set by
the great casino.
So high standards, not
giving away the farm.
Maintain ideally lease or
25, or 51% ownership.
So that the city has a say
in the future of this
development.
Thank you very much.
>> thank you MR. Lopez.
Appreciate your time doing
this tonight.
Bennett.
Stephanie hall.
Thank you.
Welcome MR. Bennett.
Thank you for joining us
tonight.
>> my name is marty bennett.
I'm an instructor of history
at junior college.
A consultant for united
local 2 and 30 year resident
of the county.
I reside in the city of
sonoma.
Rohnert park downtown state
farm development near by the
smart train station, f it
includes good living wage
jobs, 25% high density
affordable housing, could
become part of a two decade
campaign by labor and
environmental, transit,
affordable housing and
business organizations where
equitable, sustainable and
transient oriented
development along the 101
corridor.
The project should reflect
the values of current
rohnert park residents and
elected officials and become
a model for the entire
region.
However there are several
major challenges which must
be overcome.
the casino and hotel is
excellent example of a
project where the developers
engage in extensive outreach
to labor and community
organizations.
To create a project that
included good union living
wage jobs for the facility's
construction and operation.
Subsequently the casino is
provided share prosperity
and outstanding benefits for
the tribe, the workers, for
the city and for the
community.
Jobs are now the best
service sector jobs in the
county that allow workers to
live where they work and
participate in the
communities civic and
cultural alike in their
children's school
activities.
However there are no
assurances from center cal
that this project will
replicate success of
greaton.
First ena mentions outreach
but says nothing about the
expectations of center cal.
Please amend the ena to
include community outreach
section that specifically
includes which organization
center cal will contact and
timelines for discussions
with labor environmental,
housing and other community
organizations.
Ena should also include an
expectation with community
benefits will be a part of
the term sheet and the final
agreement.
Secondly, the ena forecloses
the possibility of leasing
the public land.
leasing the land will enable
the city to retain more
control over the project and
insure that it fulfills the
council's vision and
conforms to the community
values.
It should, we also provide
ongoing revenue to insure
the stability of the city's
finance.
The ena should be amendment
to require that the
developer lease all or part
of the land.
Thank you.
>> thank you MR. Bennett.
Stephanie, welcome to our
meeting tonight.
Thank you for coming.
>> yeah.
So my name is stephanie
hall.
I'm an inside journeyman
wireman with the
international brotherhood of
electrical workers local
551.
I'm sure that I don't look
like your typical
construction worker but
completed the apprenticeship
program around 11 years ago
now.
I'm here to speak in favor
of rohnert park of the
proposed downtown area.
This gives you the
opportunity to allow people
that live here in sonoma
county to work in their
hometown, in their backyard.
To make a living wage and
then turnaround and be able
to spend that money right
here in our community.
My fear would be that the
space would be sold to allow
for developers to come from
other counties or even
states paying lower wages to
people who have no ties to
the city who will likely not
come back to visit or spend
money here that could help
flourish our economy.
As someone who worked in the
field as electrician, who is
also mom of three small
children, it gives me great
pride to walk past the
location or drive past the
location and point out a
building and say, the lights
are on because mommy did
that.
It is a place that we go all
of the time and I helped
build it.
As my local outreach
coordinator, I spend time
going to schools to talk to
children about careers that
they could have, about jobs
they could work here in our
community.
I live four miles from this
location and I would love to
see the city keep ownership
or lease to a developer, who
would allow skills and train
workers from our community
the opportunity to work on
this project.
Thank you.
>> thank you stephanie.
All right.
The next hree people we
have are sonja, matthew.
Is that how you say it?
Weinstein.
Thank you.
Welcome sonja.
>> hi, I'm sonja, I'm with
-- that was really loud.
I'm sonja, I'm with local 2,
hotel workers union, I think
you all know me by now and
you know that, you know, the
unit here and all of labor
have high hopes for this
project in downtown rohnert
park.
To create a rohnert park
downtown.
You know, that follows the
community's values.
I know that you all bought
that land because you wanted
to enact a vision that was
not purely about profit and
relying on private
developers because you all
wanted to create something
that would be valuable for
the people of rohnert park.
So you know, I know that
this council wants a project
that delivers the full
package in alignment with
rohnert park values.
Affordable housing,
environmental
sustainability, community
hub for people to come to
and good jobs.
As things stand right now,
we are concerned that center
cal is not headed in that
direction.
During this ena period, we
are counting on you to make
sure that center cal does
right by this community.
Center cal, when picked we
were hopeful because they
said that they would engage
with the community but we
feel let down by that
community engagement.
They have not substantively
engage about issues
affecting local workers and
residents.
You know, the gratton casino
and hotel as many mentioned,
great example of the project
that the developers did
really collaborate with the
community and with labor and
created a project that
lifted up rohnert park and
sonoma county as a whole.
Shared prosperity.
We want this project to
follow in gratton's
footsteps but concerned as
you enter into this with
center cal, what will happen
if center cal doesn't change
direction and don't want to
do a project in alignment
with rohnert park values?
What will happen down the
road?
In addition to that, we want
to, you know, agree with the
building trades that a lease
would be a better option for
this property and that right
now, the negotiating
agreement includes some
language and I'm not sure if
this is even the intention
that appears to close off
the possibility of a lease
in paragraph 3a, where it
refers to one of the
deliverables is talking
about the, how they would
fund purchasing the
property.
It doesn't mention or
leasing the property.
So we would ask that be
changed to clarify and make
sure that a lease is still
on the table because as
mentioned, that allow the
city more control and more
sustainable financial
future.
So you know, again, as you
negotiate this term sheet we
are counting on you.
We know that you want to
deliver project that where
center cal does right by
this community.
Please hold them accountable
to the values that I know
that you hold.
Thank you.
>> thank you very much for
your comments.
Laura.
Laura, thank you for coming.
>> hello.
Hi, my name is laura, I'm
organizer with justice, I'm
a member of the community.
I live in sonoma county for
ten years.
My father-in-law lives right
around the corner.
I tried to avoid him as I
was walking in.
So he doesn't distract me.
I organize with a lot of
workers here too in rohnert
park.
I care a lot about the new
project here, that I know
that they will inevitably
affect this community for
years to come.
Especially a project of this
magnitude.
I'm really concerned that
center cal is not centering
worker and share the values
that people in rohnert park
have.
We know it is possible, as
having new developments that
center labor, real community
engagement.
We seen it happen with
gratton casino and hotel
where labor was involved in
the beginning.
We can see the positive
effect that has had on the
community.
We seen the jobs, the good
stable jobs that have
provided.
It is really clear that
center cal needs to step up.
Center cal needs to be
engaging with the residents
an workers here that are
asking center cal be in
alignment with the values of
the workers and families of
rohnert park.
No better time to fight for
the values of the community
than when we are thinking of
a project of this level that
has such enormous
possibilities.
Such an enormous potential
to provide good jobs, to
provide affordable housing,
this is going to be
something that changes the
landscape of rohnert park
for the better.
So this is an amazing
opportunity to set really
high standard for what
developments like these
should be.
Or what the developments
like this, for how they
should be uplifting the
community.
As you negotiate a term
sheet, we are counting on
you to make sure that the
values are upheld.
And that you make sure that
every step of the way
workers are centered.
Thank you.
>> all right.
Thank you very much for your
comments.
Weinstein.
>> ladies and gentlemen, of
the council, my name is
matthew weinstein.
I'm an employee at gratton
resort and asino.
I worked there 11 years as
of last month.
I'm here to tell you the
necessity of good jobs and
living standard.
as marty, ron, stephanie,
laura talked about the
importance of job, I would
like to tell you my story.
My job at casino has
afforded me quality
healthcare that has enabled
me to help my now deceased
wife with fight with
alcoholism.
It afforded a good wage to
help pay the bills that kept
coming after laid off
because of her alcoholism
and her fight with t.
It is now affords me a
pension that I will
hopefully be able to retire
with as all people in this
town as well as in this room
be able to retire some point
in time.
All of this is to say that
the concerns with the
central cal development are
very pressing to the
employees at gratton resort
and casino because we care
about the quality of the job
that are going to be brought
by this evelopment.
In this town.
To that end, we would
request a couple things.
The inclusion of a lease for
the property would be
central among them, as well
as a negotiation of a
potential labor piece in the
development of the center.
As the researcher, made an
analogy about first dates
and relationship, I would
like to stress that I hope
that the city council has
not been moved from a first
databased on appearances and
put best foot forward.
It takes time to get to know
people.
there are times that people
often don't get married
after the first date.
I suggest you do not do that
as well.
Or make that mistake.
But best of luck.
>> matthew, thank you very
much.
Next, john kelly someone
else making a comment about
this item, now is your time
to grab your pink card.
Kelly, welcome to our
meeting.
>> hi, thanks for having me.
It is always nice to come
see the council.
Spending more time in
rohnert park because one of
my daughters, is a student
at credo high.
I'm over there quite
frequently.
Interesting to learn about
the very dynamic energy that
this council has been
fostering in rohnert park.
It is amazing to see a city
that is so engaged and is
developing so strongly.
It is just, the kind of
thing that sonoma county can
takes a an example in many
other places, he dynamic
that this council has
promoted.
I have a series of points
that I want to make tonight.
What I'm talking to ou
about is grounded in my
personal experience.
I grew up in santa rosa, I
live in sonoma now.
I don't think that you could
pick more clear distinctions
of how different downtowns
can develop with santa rosa
and sonoma.
Rohnert park is making a
once in a century decision
how the community will look
in the long run.
It is an important one o
get right.
That is the kind of thing
that council people, it
gives them a chance to make
imprint on the people for a
long time, positive one to
be engaging with tonight.
I know some of you received
a memo that I drafted
concerning the availability
of the ground lease for the
city for this property.
The 213 page memo.
I have sympathies for you,
go through it, 12 single
spaced pages and I do know
that sort of comprehensively
addressed the points that I
just want to allude to right
now.
The first one I want to get
across, the ena that you see
tonight is definitely for
sale.
The language in there is a
conveyance of property
ownership, it is a sale.
Not a ground lease.
Ena doesn't provide for
that.
I would strongly encourage
you to consider a ground
lease.
It would allow the city to
retain ownership of valuable
land, gain revenue and
maintain control of the land
use.
It is quite possible that
the law in california will
change in years to come and
very well be if you do
surrender control to
property it will allow uses
to take place that you would
have power as a landlord to
prevent.
In that memo, I pointed out
several successful
precedents including a long
beach civic center and 1350
front street in san diego
where they have been used,
ground lease, with 55-99
year terms, full conveyance
of interest in the parcels.
Everything you expect as
landowner be able to do.
I think that there was some
question amongst the council
and observers whether a
ground lease would serve the
uses of the city, I think
the point of that memo was
to show that it does.
The final thing I would say,
I'm not here n behalf of
any interest group, I don't
have a client in this.
No economic element for it.
It is purely because it is a
once in a century decision
for you.
I wanted to do my part to
try to help you guys as much
as I could.
Help you.
Best of luck with the
decision tonight.
Thank you.
>> thank you very much for
taking the time to come
over.
I hope you enjoy visiting
rohnert park when you see
your daughter.
Grace.
>> hi there.
Hi, I'm grace wang, the vice
PRESIDENT Of leasing for
center cal property.
I oversee the leasing in
northern california and most
recently we just spent the
last three years redevelop
redeveloping bay street in
emeryville.
We took that project that
was one delapidated and
forgotten, and turned it
into a community gathering
place.
We have worked with many
local and many regional
restaurateurs, we have
talked to many people in the
community to make sure that
we included what heir needs
were.
And what the community was
looking for in a shopping
center.
If you just go to any one of
our projects, you will see
how much we really care
about creating a sense of
place, a place, a safe
place, a fun place that you
can spend time with your
loved ones.
That is what really is
important to us.
Thank you for this
opportunity.
We are so excited to make a
change here at rohnert park.
You guys, we deserve a
downtown that is just as
good f not better than many
of the local downtowns near
by.
So thank you.
>> grace, thank you very
much.
Maddy.
Maddy, welcome to our
meeting tonight.
It is good to see you.
>> good to be here.
Maddy, director with the
north bay council.
Also a laborer.
Many years f rohnert park
threatening to wallow up,
because of downtown.
But that was a long time
ago.
Just saying.
Bringing it up.
But it is so exciting this
project.
I think that it is going to
be beautiful.
We have talked about leasing
versus sales.
I spoke with the center cal
folks and sounds like they
are not interested in that
at all.
Which is why I am guessing
the ena mentions the sale.
I was the one that sent you
that document that MR. Kelly
mentioned, that talks about
how much better it is for a
city to maintain control,
you know, future
development, if you have
leased.
I'm told that s not a
possibility for them but we
are hoping that you can stay
with that.
Many of the issues that we
talked about, you know, in
the past, like neutrality
and all of that tuff, many
developers do have that
stuff all figured out before
they take ena aside.
It is not unusual that would
happen.
We were hoping to see that.
There is a community
engagement section in the
ena.
That says nothing about
community engagement.
Just words that have nothing
to do with it.
And finally, I wanted to, he
talked about shared values,
you mention shared values.
I met with these guys.
I believe they share, I
really do.
how that translates into the
project is another story.
As we have said, you know, I
said to you guys the other
day, we have been burned
before.
When we were told, yes, we
will do all of this.
Yes, be there for you.
Yes, we are going to meet
with you.
Hasn't happened.
So as much as I believe in
this company because I
really do, if it is not in
writing, it is scary.
So I'm just hoping as we go
through the process, that we
will engage with them.
They will understand the
importance of being in
laborer, especially related
to the hotels.
Hotel workers are generally
women of color, very low
wage workers.
It is hard, hard work.
We want to be sure that
those people are treated
right.
Thank you for your time.
>> thank you very much
maddy.
I have one other card.
Hedi.
Hedi, last name?
Thank you for coming tonight
tonight.
Yep.
>> hi, my name is hedi.
I am delighted to stand up
here and say I'm going to be
working with grace wang as
part of the leasing team for
this amazing project.
I'm an outside leasing
consultant and working on
center cal project off and
on for the last five years.
I've been in the bay area
for 30.
Some of you know some of my
handy work, the town center,
which organically became a
community center.
Center cal, if you seen some
of their projects, they
really do mimic the hird
place.
I worked for many evelopers
as I mentioned, independent.
But I love working for
center cal because they
listen to us, they listen to
the community.
They try to create something
special there.
As a matter of fact, the ceo
calls us all of the time
with ideas.
When you go by the gas
station and in that
community and coffee shop,
things of that sort.
I wanted to give them a
strong thumbs up.
Because, it is not
institutional.
I truly believe in them.
So 'm super excited about
this.
I think that it is long
overdue here.
>> thank you very much.
Hold on before I call this
next person.
All right.
One more speaker card.
Scott.
Scott, say your last name
for me so I don't say it
wrong.
Scott from center cal.
Thank you very much.
Welcome back it is good to
see you.
I will try to stay in my
seat but couldn't contain my
excitement.
I said I was excited to be
here, than last time.
More xcited because we are
on the precipice of stepping
in the relationship.
This project is something
that continues to gain
momentum eternally an with
the outreach we have been
receiving from the
community.
It is incredible to see the
passion in this community.
Behind this project.
Hearing what the steps are
and find what happens after
this timeline is thought
about.
Thank kevin king for his
work.
You've done absolute work
with that.
We'll we want to take
comments and questions.
So don't worry about
thinking a minute later.
We'll begin with council
sanborn
>> I don't have any
questions at the moment.
>> thank you very much.
I do have a couple.
I know I've have heard from
the community over the past
couple of weeks regarding
we've the casino hich is
great.
But I want to be able to
clear, what is the
difference of like the
casino funds versus the city
funds not at all just the
casino.
I can't speak for them.
I'm not part of their
project.
Private funds and versus
public funds and what that
looks like like as a city.
Let me explain public
dollars.
When there's a public
investment clearly you have
seen in fact, last year we
provided you with a
presentation where we shared
with the council that when
we as a city go out and do
any improvement we build any
building there are public
dollars that are spent and
80% of the work that we do
is given to local labor
groups.
When you're looking at a
private dollar.
Obviously the developer in
this case it gives them the
ability to work with any
entity whether they want to
work with labor groups or
non-
nonlabor groups type of
companies.
So they have the
flexibility.
I'll tell you just in
conversations a lot of our
lot local general
contractors a lot of them
are employing members of the
various labor groups.
And then in terms -- because
I had this question
community outreach.
Can we clarify what this
means in this document.
It also confused me.
>> what the council is
acting upon tonight and this
is simply the exclusive
negotiating agreement to the
mayor's analogy.
This is just the agreement
to commit the city to
exclusively only negotiating
with this one developer.
That is essentially what
this negotiating agreement
is about.
the specific what the terms
are for any disposition.
Any potential sale, or
leasing, the ena does
discuss in fact, sale or
leasing.
That language is in the ena.
It could involve either/or
one
one.
What the council is doing
tonight is giving the green
light to this staff and this
center cal develop you are
to begin negotiating to see
if we can come to erms what
that project will ultimately
look like.
So that's a general overview
of the ena.
Twrured your specific
question
>> essentially with two
weeks happens from they lex.
Elect
election. >> essentially with two
weeks happens from the
election. Question
>> essentially with two
weeks happens from the
election.
We are agreeing to agree in
some future date.
We don't know what the terms
are we will be agreeing to.
With regard to the community
engagement, that reference
in the en as nothing to do
with the community
engagement with your
community.
That community engagement
reference only relates to
what the city's obligation
is and what that provision
we are now prohibited from
engaging in the community
with other developers.
That is what that provision
is related to.
the ena is not the groument
we would be negotiating
community engagement.
If we wanted to include
community engagement which I
understand from the council
we do that would be a topic
for negotiation during our
negotiations on the
remainder of the project
which would hopefully result
in a disposition and
development agreement.
>> okay.
Thank you.
And any extension of the
negotiating period the city
is not committing itself to
undertake the disposition of
the property or any portion
of thereof and developer is
not committing.
So in this ena we are --
however we vote we're not
yes or no to a sale.
We're saying we're going to
talk about to come to that
step if that comes up is
that correct?
>> maybe I can address.
What is happening.
That's why you saw there's a
project timeline.
What's going to happen now
is the developer is going to
go into a due diligence
process.
So basically what it means
they're going to do site
project inspections, project
reports.
They could determine for
whatever the reasons are
they don't want to proceed
with the project for
whatever the reasons MAY be.
What this is in essence is
saying in essence both of us
are going to do the due
diligence process.
there's a series of
documents that are going to
be submitted to the city s
well.
They need to provide their
financing plan, their
budget.
A major portion of those cun
conceptual plans to see how
they're going to lay out he
property.
What elements we're going to
have.
There's different actions
that have to be taken.
Basically what this is
saying after they take those
actions they MAY decide to
proceed or they MAY decide
not to.
>> or maybe the city the
community values.
Even though I have to
clarify those community
values for those that
project were established in
actually not last year but
many years ago.
So the community valls have
been established a long time
ago and those were basically
emphasized in the request
for qualifications that was
released to the community.
So given that we saw that
consistency with the
community centers of center
cal with the city this is
why they're in front of you
at this point in time.
>> I think you kind of
answered the request for
qualifications of
essentially this document
pulled from what we brought
forth what the community has
brought forth over time and
published and made public
almost a year ago.
Is it correct that community
members an review that
before decisions were made
>> so the r
fq ontinues to
be available.
We have a dedicated web page
is publicly available.
Any documents elated to the
downtown project including
the request for
qualifications is on our
website.
>> thank you.
That's all of my questions
for now.
>> thank you very much.
Council elward.
>> thank you.
I have maybe a couple of
questions, a comment.
But I'm going to start by
making my comment first.
So two years when we bought
this land everybody was
excited from our
constituents, from staff,
from the excitement has been
there and continued to be
there.
And what I am concerned is
that along the way we're
going to lose that fire that
has been in the city and
also among the people that
have made ossible to have
this cuncil.
We have our friends, the
labor groups that have
beened there.
Me personally if it wasn't
for them I wouldn't be
sitting here.
They made it possible for me
to be the voice that has
been here in the cty.
And I know that I know our
council is what it is today
most part because of the
hard work they've been doing
behind-the-scenes.
and I was excited and still
excited about working with
central every center cal
based on the oning they've
done, and how beautiful it
was
was, and the value that
brought to usw they've done,
and how beautiful it was,
and the value that brought
to us
o they've
done, and how beautiful it
was, and the value that
brought to us
r they've
done, and how beautiful it
was, and the value that
brought to us
k they've
done, and how beautiful it
was, and the value that
brought to us and the site
visit.
And to try to be that bridge
between what I'm hearing
from the community and what
we want to accomplish, I
want to make sure that you
know, I understand or that
the community really
understands because
obviously there's a fear
there not because of who
center cal is but based on
what this community has gone
through with previous
developers you are and the
fear is real.
And my question on that is
how can we make sure that
the developer doesn't want
to work hat we love is held
accountable based on the
fear that we are hearing
from the community.
>> well, the checks and
balances or the our control
over what the developer does
and how he does it will be
negotiated in this next part
of the phase of negotiating
the disposition and
development agreement.
That agreement is the
location where we would
include all of the terms for
the project including
milestones we want the
developer to meet before we
would consider leasing or
selling the property.
So our control over the
developer will be not only
the through the dda itself
wilton tain those controls
those checks and balances
prior to any formal
arresting or disposition
actually occurs with the
property.
And for me I know that this
council and our staff kevin
you have done such an
amazing job.
And I really appreciate
that.
And we want to make sure
that I personally want to
make sure I honor the work
you have done and also honor
our constituents and the
people that put us here.
So that brings me to my next
question is what can we do.
Following the next step.
We're not going to go there
because staff is going to be
doing.
The groups that are here
that their voice will be
heard during that process.
Is it going to be something
that based on the rfq and
also center cal is
comfortable.
We want to keep them.
Based on the language that
we have put on our rfq.
Is it something that will be
explored or is it -- because
I know the document is out
there and that center cal
and our labor groups are
comfortable as well.
We know they're not going to
get 100%.
How can we elaborate that
collaboration based on --
>> certainly you know we
will be negotiating with the
developer but even more
important than that is that
the council will be with
staff every step of the way
in these negotiations.
This is not going to be a
negotiations that are going
to be held solely by staff
and the developer.
That is not what is
occurring.
We will be working with the
council and the developer in
terms of negotiating deal
terms and we will be
periodically meeting with
the council most likely in
closed sessions whether it
be for leasing or for sale.
Council will be involved in
every step of the way.
In terms of once the
council -- if the council
approves the ena tonight
it's
it's not the staff is going
to go in a hole with the
developer and gerbe and then
come back to the council.N and then
come back to the council.
E and then
come back to the council.G and then
come back to the council.O and then
come back to the council.
T and then
come back to the council.I and
then come back to the
council.
A and
then come back to the
council.
T and
then come back to the
council.
E and
then come bcs about
as part of the city's
ongoing commitment to
protect the regional
workforce population the dda
will include some or all f
of
the following workforce
protections.
I want to make sure that
everybody understands that
since the development f
this request or
qualifications our
commitment to our local
workforce has been there.
It has not waivered.
Whether or not we're going
to be meeting as you pointed
out or the mayor pointed out
staff I personally ave met
with the different local
labor groups, and it's been
indicated to them they will
be part of this process.
And center cal you heard
scott indicate they've met
with local labor groups.
So the commitment has always
been there and continue to
be there.
Hopefully that's an
assurance to the community
we pretty much they are an
important part of this since
the beginning of this
process.
>> thank you.
I just wanted to make sure
last time we met with the
tribe there was a question
how to how we're going to
make sure that this project
is going to be beneficial
for not only the developer,
but also the region because
this will be a vital center
point, and also it might-
I'm not talking about behalf
of the tribe.
What I understood based on
the question they asked we
want to make sure we are
building something that is
profitable not only for the
city, but also for
everybody.
Developers, the labor force
and everybody to be there.
That's why I wanted to make
sure to hear bout that.
Again, like the mayor said,
if you go somewhere and you
say I was in my bedroom and
there's no pictures to prove
that it doesn't exist.
>> I need to clarify that.
Let's just clarify that.
>> that makes my point.
So here right now the talk
because there are certain
things that are not in the
writing it makes sense to
have fear it might not
-
happen.
We're going to be putting
that in writing to make sure
everybody is taken care of.
Even though it's not 100%.
They are at the table.
We should have that piece of
pie.
>> thank you COUNCILWOMAN.
MR. Vice PRESIDENT.
>> MR. Vice mayor.
>> I work with six seven
very strong women.
That is duplicated added
home as well.
I told myself I was oing to
stay in the moment for a
second and just be great
full.
i want to thank all of the
previous councils that have
worked on his for many,
many years.
A lot of effort has been put
in and yes we've been to the
altar nd we haven't been
able to get married.
That's about to change.
My singular focus did she
have the ability to build.
When I ran for city council
the number one thing that
the residents said is we
want a downtown.
This town has always had
scmaurt ot a physical
manifestation.
It is exactly equidistant
between our two biggest the
federation tribe to the
west, and the to the east
sonoma state university.
To talking people I have
dragged on my dog and pony
tour of the city.
A true integrated transit
oriented development.
It will be "the shining"
star to this the workers
this community, the
businesses of and community
are our greatest partners.
I'm very thrilled and
grateful actually I would be
on the dais with these
amazing ladies and taking
this next step.
It's been long over due.
I've been living, sleeping
and eating this for the last
four years.
I'm heartened by the values
of this council and yes it's
true that 80% of the work
that gets done in rohnert
park skilled and trained
prevailing wage et cetera et
cetera.
As we embark on this whole
renaissance that rohnert
park is going through it
also includes a another $40
million in city owned
buildings which we'll have
to fall under that category.
And in renegotiating the mou
with the federated indians
of rancho rea.
Second I want to say to the
residents of rohnert park.
People from my rotary club.
You have given us the
courage to take this next
step and we truly appreciate
that.
I truly appreciate that.
Like anything it goes like
this.
You get really, really high
and then you get really,
really low and then you come
back down.
I've experienced the whole
gamet of emotions and then
the miracle phone call with
darrin telling us that the
land is actually for sale,
and the ability for this
city to buy it for
(12) 500-0000.
And that leads me to another
thank you which is not only
to this present council but
to the previous councils
because we had to close that
deal in 20 days and it had
to be a carbondale.
We wrote a check.
Not a lot of jurisdictions
could have written a 12.5
$12.5
million check.
In my tour and in reviewing
the RFQs especially after
visiting kirkland there was
one clear choice.
I was very encouraged by
what I saw.
I was encouraged by the
-
craftsmanship.
I was encouraged by the
retail mix and this
company's ability to not
only draw as we walked
around from national
retailers then what's this
guy doing.
They're a local shining
star.
So they have this 8020 rule.
So I was not only did it
give people those
recognizable shopping
opportunities that they say
they want.
We went up there and saw a
trader's joe's.
But then they had mom and
pop places and it was
interesting.
And the eye they have as ou
look down a stcompraet you
see the nuances was amazing. You see the
nuances was amazing.T you see the
nuances was amazing.
R you see the
nuances was amazing.E you see the
nuances was amazing.
E you see
the nuances was amazing.T you see
the nuances was amazing.
You see
the nuances was amazing.
A you see
the nuances was amazing.
N you
see the nuances was amazing.
D you
see the nuances was amazing.
I thin together.
It brings all of that to
forefruchblt I'm very
excited.
And I think I'm very excited.
And I think
r I'm very excited.
And I think
o I'm very excited.
and I think
n I'm very excited.
And I think
t I'm very excited.
And I think that that's all
I want to say.
I can tell without revealing
any secrets in our
discussions with staff, with
discussions with the
developer with tony and
others we've already
expressed our opinions
partially in terms of the
values we have and the what
we want to see.
They were embraced
wholeheartedly.
I'm very confident that this
is the developer to take
this project across the
finish line.
This is not law lae
ulima.
I'm very grateful for a
number of reasons in
particular for all of you
ladies.
And boy watch out what you
ask marcela for because it's
going to happen and it's
going to happen quickly.
Oh gosh can we slow down a
little bit.
I have no questions.
I would be privileged to
make the motion.
Kugeed of leave it at that.
Of leave it at that.
I of leave it at that.
N of leave it at that.
D of leave it at that.
>> any other questions or
comments.
I just want to say for the
record that I did get
married to when I was 40 and
I married a great man way
above my station and I'm
feel very confident working
with stprer
center cal.
That we are going -- I have
often said we're going to
have a downtown.
People are going to get off
the train and visit our
parks and downtown.
The people who put me in
this seat re going to be
very, very happy with what
comes to town.
I just want to make one
other comment to coup elward
is the person that signed
the
so all five of us appear at
this dais will have a hand
in taking a land hand.
We're led by a city manager
she had the develop chops.
She surrounded herself with
an excellent team that will
help her do that.
I have no doubt that we're
going to be well served
here.
With that I'll ask
MR. Giudice to go ahead and
make his motion.
>> thank you mayor.
I'd like to make a motion to
adopt resolution to city
manager to exclusive
negotiating agreement
between the city of rohnert
park and center cal
properties llc for the
2k0e6789 of 6400 state farm
drive.De of
6400 state farm drive.Ve
of 6400 state farm drive.
L
of 6400 state farm drive.Develo of 6400 state farm
drive.
P of 6400 state farm
drive.M of 6400 state farm
drive.
E of 6400 state farm
drive.
n of 6400 state
farm drive.
T o]
>> thank you very much.
[Recess take
they do our financial audits
when we are required to have
one.
They also do our agreed upon
procedures engagement
reports.
That's again you previously
approved that as part of our
budget process.
Sump as assisting of
financial reports and other
tax filings and other items
for us as well.
So the auditor is required
to communicate certain
things.
They are report to us any
misstatements and they
comply replied to us there
were misstatements.
We didn't ave any of those.
They report any significant
difficulties they didn't
report any of those and they
reported no disagreements
with management.
So management responsibility
is to prepare the financial
statements, to present the
financial statements in
accordance with gap or
generally absencing
ccepted account
accounting principles.
And for of aounts, prevent
and detect fraud.
Auditor's responsibility is
to complete the audit and
communicate with of
financial intern controls of
over reporting and controls.
And to render opinions.
So our audit results the
annual comprehensive report
the auditor has issued a
unqualified that the city's
financial reports are in
conformity with gaap.
They that we were in
conformance with gaap.
Although we did have a clean
audit we did have some
findings.
We have financial internal
control issues.
We had a material weakness
that's because we had a thra
in our bank reconciliation.
We were behind in a couple
of years.
Generally that happens when
you implement a new finance
system.
There's a lot of movement
that happens.
You have to convert from the
old system to the new system
and it's not uncommon it's
unfortunate but we have
caught up.
But we do continue to have
the funding.
They also found we had some
issues with accuracy and
reporting which resulted in
very large audit
adjustments.
We've reviewed them.
We've been very carefully
looking at our financials
and making those
adjustments.
The other finding that we
had there was a delay in
financial reporting.
So there was a delay in the
preparation and the issuance
of the cafr.
Here I am in OCTOBER.
Generally they're completed
by the end of DECEMBER.
So there was also a
significant efficiency in
untimely project and
expenditure reports.
so we had two late quarterly
report.
One was three days late and
the other one was 25 days
late.
And we had some staff
turnover.
So we did have the agreed
upon procedures and there
was no exceptions to that
report and I presented to
you back when we did the
budget.
So now I'm going to move on
to the financial highlights
and the first thing I want
to explain to you that the
general fund is the main
operating account for the
city and it's used for
accounted all resources not
accounted in another fund.
Now we're going to look at
the general fund revenue.
Here we have a pie chart
that shows the revenue that
make 52.9 general fund
revenues received in 22-23.
32
$32.2 million were derived
from taxes which includes
the property taxes of $12
million or 22.7% that's the
light green.
Sales tax of $15.6 million
or 29.5% in the light red
and the transient occupancy
tax of $4.8 million.
The next two largest are
enter
intergovernmental the light
red and charges for services
at $5.3 million and that's
in the dark blue.
So on his chart we compare
the fiscal year 2023 actual
revenues to '22 actual
revenues that show that the
total revenue.
Over
overall revenues were down
1% over fl 21-22.
21-22.
I 21-22.
S 21-22.
C 21-22.
A 21-22.
L 21-22.
21-22.
Y 21-22.
E 21-22.
A 21-22.
R 21-22.
Ade in the
motor vec
hicle license
revenue.
That's a property tax.
And that's mainly to change
in a county of sales tax
distribution.
So when you have internet
sales they don't
specifically identify what
blaupings to rohnert park
and what belongs to the
county and the other cities.
It goes into a pool and then
we get a percentage of that
pool and that's the dollars
I'm talking about.
Transient occupancy tax was
down about that 1%.
Enter guch
overn nenl crees by
22.6%.M by 22.6%.
E by 22.6%.
N by 22.6%.
T by 22.6%.
A by 22.6%.
L by 22.6%.
By
22.6%.I by
22.6%.
N by
22.6%.C by
22.6%.R by
22.6%.
!
$25,400.
interest in rents decrease
by 40%.
This was due to an increase
of rent of $200,000.
This was offset by a net
nvenlt income decrease of
$433,000.
It was a change of
presentation.
So in fact, we had $300,000
in interest and a balance is
the recording of a fair
market value which gains and
losses aren't realized until
you sell them.
But in the meantime the
market value has to be
reported.
Charges for services
decreased by 1.4%.
Or licenses and permits
decreased by 1.8
$1.8 million or
5.3%.
Donations and miscellaneous
revenues increased by
$400,000.
Donations were received from
the federated indian of ran
rancho
rancho rancho rea.
And that was about $200,000.
Next we'll talk about the
general fund expenditures.
Here we have a similar pie
chart that shows the amount
that makes up the $52.1
million of general fund
expenditures by functional
area.
So the general government in
light blue has the highest
of 24.2 scmleds this
category includes city
council, city manager,
economic development,
finance, legal, human
resources and development
services.
Of $6.1 million.
Retiree medical costs of
$1.3 million.
And word
kers compensation of
$1 million.
Public safety in the medium
blue has the next $19.8
million.
Parks and recreation in
green is 3.
$3.9 million in
expenditures.
This includes general park
maintenance.
Swimming pools and community
programs and their
administration.
Public works in burge
undy is
$3 million.
To the 20-22 actual
expenditures by function and
show you the personal of the
expenditures each functional
area is at the of the whole
general fund.
Overall decreased by $16.9
million or 2.4%.
Over 75% occurred in the
general government function.
Nearly all of reductions in
capital outlay.
The $12.7 million reduction
of general government is
mainly atrittable to fiscal
year 21-22 we did a large
pay down in her PERs.
So it caused our next year's
expenditures to go down
because we did not have that
large expenditure.
The pay down flulted
employee p echlt
er
PERs.
That's the benefit being
able to make those pay
downs.
in addition $5.3 million of
public works, public
operational utilities.
Ban kirning, insurance.
Worker compensation costs
and cost allocation werek, insurance.
Worker compensation costs
and cost allocation werein, insurance.
Worker compensation costs
and cost allocation wereg, insurance.
Worker compensation costs
and cost allocation were so
the way it works in
government when you have a
reimbursement it is a
reduction of your cost.
And so we changed that from
being a reduction in our
cost to transferring the
money from one fund to
another fund.
So instead of reducing our
costs it increased costs
because it became a
transfer.
You're going to hear this
explanation a few times.
This was simply a
reclassification.
We also had a $3.7 million
increase in contracted costs
to contract with the
unhoused population.
These were offset by grant
funding and donations.
There was 700
$700,000 increase
in wages and benefits.
The $1 million decrease in
public safety over fiscal
year 21-22 were mainly due
to a $2.9 million reduction
in the utility banking being
consolidated in the non-
nondepartmental
nondepartmental.
And then $1.5 million was
because of the reimbursement
where instead of it being a
negative cost it became a
positive cost.
>> I'm sorry, can you plain
that in a way that somebody
who's not doesn't have your
level of expertise.
But this one is going right
past me.
>> okay.
So in government one of the
things you do not want to do
is to double count costs.
>> okay.
>> the way you do that when
you have a cost in one area
and you have a cost in
another area.
If the cost actually belongs
in program a, is but program
b paid for those costs up
front, what you do is charge
those costs to program b and
program b sends the
reimbursement back to
program a so that you don't
have costs in both areas.
Is on o in this case what
happened instead of having
the reimbursement which
reduced the cost
re-qualified to transfers
and the transfer s an
expenditure
>> okay.
Thank you.
>> it's a below the line
>> I understand.
Thank you
>> it is not a common thing
and it's only in government
and it is very confusing.
>> thank you.
>> certainly.
So in public safety there
was a $500,000 increase in
wages and benefits and they
had $700,000 in the per sec
spence again due to the
payoff we had done.
Public works increased by $1
million and this is mainly
$1 million of the expense
reimbursements being
reclassified.
Parks and recreation costs
increased by $200,000.
They had a $900,000 in wages
and benefits.
That's because they had
costs were previously housed
within the performing arts
center.
They are moved to the
community services, scp
and for
reporting purposes the
performing art center is in
a different functional
category which you're going
to hear about next.
But the affect was it caused
parks and recreation budget
to go up because of that
change.
There was an $800,000 in
banking communication that
were centralized.
And then $600,000 costs were
removed from the pac to the
operating expenses.
So now the cultural arts
piece of that.
They had -- so just to
offset so they had a
decrease of $600,000.
And that is mainly due to
transferring for salaries
and been foyts to community
services as I just told you
about.
That was $4.5 million.
Offset by a $400,000 in
vehicle purchases in fiscal
year 22-23.
And $300,000 net increase n
capitalizable equipment
purchase.
Debt service principle went
down slightly due to a pay
off to one of the pg echlt
e.
but that one has been paid
off.
So now you've seen the
revenues and expenditures we
can show the results on
operations.
And so we had $52.9 million
in revenues.
52.
$52.1 million.
And that result left us with
a net increase of $5.9
million.
So here this is the chart
that's going to show you
general fund budget to
actual and I want to point
out an error that was made
in the financial report.
I did make a last minute
change to this chart.
Your powerpoint has
different numbers on it.
We did identify the issue
and got this chart
corrected.
So this is going to show us
the original budget the
final budget the actual
amount spent and the
variance in the final budget
to the actual amounts.
So actual revenues compared
to final budget was $5.2
million because we
recognized a grant that has
not been in the budget last
year.
When the money came in it
was deferred revenue because
we haven't done the things
we needed to do in order to
call the mope our own.
Once we met those we were
able to recognize that
revenue.
So we also had $1.5 million
in taxes.
There was a $1 million
decrease in developer
revenue.
And a 700
$700,000 on investment
income because of the fair
market value I told you
about previously.
Actual expenditures were
lower by actual budget by
$7.8 million.
That was 2.
$2.1 million in
development services
savings.
$1.3 million in public
works.
$1 million in finance and
$759,000 savings in public
safety.
So the next two slides will
show us all of the
categories at JUNE 30th.
Others we have assigned
based on our current
policies and listening to
council concerns.
These amounts are simply
assigned and can be easily
redirected if the council so
choses.
We have a non-spendable
category.
Category.
S so we set those oneys
aside until we could send
those moneys over to the
senior center.
And most of these are based
on policy.
So we have an operating
reserve of $9.6 million.
We take 10% of the next
year's budget and set it
aside.
We have our contingency
reserve which is 5
% of that.
And infrastructure reserve
if there's any funds left
after we do the calculations
and the contingency we start
to put these in the
categories you told us you
wanted to set money aside
for.
We have funds set aside for
the self-insured.
We have funds for raw
etiree
health savings.
And then we have a little
bit left over from the sale
of the we have encumbrances
that roll over from the
prior year that we carry
into the new year.
And then I did vary from the
policy a little bit where
the occurrence with the city
manager.
I didn't want to take our un
au
una signed balance to $0.
That's in case we have a
reduction in revenues or we
have a additional costs we
need to cover.
I did want to make that
adjustment.
And that gave us our fund
balance of $30 million.
So next I want to give you a
lintle snippets of our
proceed
proprietary funds.
So here here are our
enterprise fund the sewer if
you said.
Re-
recycled fund and review
fund.
Our golf course.
And the available balance to
appropriate.
So those are the fund
balances that we have that
are available to appropriate
in the ext fiscal year owe
0 or if there's an
emergency.
i did a similar slide for
our internal service funds
and information technology
facilities maintenance are
our vehicle equipment
replacement fund and our and
again I've given you the
cash balance as of JUNE 30.
JUNE 30 of 2023.
Technically that's the term.
Because we're behind.
If I were giving this report
in JANUARY those would be
the balances going into
budget
>> okay
>> when we finish this
year's audit we'll be able
to give you those balances
going into next fiscal year.
So the other thing I want to
city of rohnert park
foundation.
It is a separate legal
entity and you hold separate
meetings but because of the
relationship of the
foundation to the city, it
is a blended component unit
of the city's financial
statement and is included in
the audit as a column.
It's a special revenue fund
in our audit.
But because I know that the
people have an interest in
it, and I did want to make a
presentation and give you a
brief overview of this as
well.
I'm showing you the original
budget.
The final budget.
The actual amounts and the
variance to final.
So revenue was 63
$63,000 more
than budget.
That was mainly due to
interest income.
donation from the federal
ted
indian of rancho rea.
Expenditure were 700
$700,000
less than budget mainly to
projects that will be
carried or re-budgeted in.
And with that here is the
fund balance for the
foundation.
They had revenues of $1.3
million.
Expenditures of $115,000.
They made transfers of $1.3
million and they had a net
decrease in fund balance of
$43,000.
And that concludes my
report, and I'm happy to
answer any questions.
>> thank you very much.
With that we will open it up
for public comment.
Is there anyone from the
public wishing to speak to
this item tonight.
Seeing none we'll close
public comment.
Thank you very much for your
excellent presentation.
Council sanborn do you have
any questions.
>> I started to get excited
about the balance.
My only questions were it
seems I didn't know about
can you clarify what you
said in the general fund
revenue about delinquent
hotel.
Was it reporting or payment
>> we have a little bit of
both.
Some of hotels have reported
to us how much they owe.
And we do have a delinquency
we are working on currently.
And the other question was
about the old housing
agency.
What is that?
>> so we had a re-
development
agency, and there were two
pieces to it.
There was a redevelopment
side and then there was the
housing side.
When they went the
dissolution of the successor
agency the redevelop
successor agency went into
louisiana trust fund for the
city of rohnert park nd we
still get the tax revenues
from the re-
development area.
We get the distribution just
like we get the property ax
from the county.
We use those moneys o pay
for the obligations of
winding down the successor
agency.
All we have is the debt
service scpament so they
give us the money we need to
service that debt.
We also get an
administrative fee, and then
the remainder of those tax
dollars go back to the
county and they
re-transcribe those dollars
to all of the taxing
entities that were involved
in our redevelop area.
Sometimes we call those
boomerang dollars.
They go and they come back
to us.
They do a boomerang.
Did that help with that.
>> the funds originally came
from the tate of
california, and one day they
said that's enough of that.
>> you talk in upbeat
positive voice
>> I loved the dollars.
So then the housing piece
was integrated into the city
to wrap-up on the balance of
your question.
So those were moneys that
were left over when we
integrated the funds in
until you decide what to do.
We have spent them a couple
of different times.
We hold them until we're
ready to spend them.
We hold them for you.
>> I've got nothing.
Other than great report.
Appreciate it.
Thank you.
>> yes.
I'm here thank you for the
report.
For every time you do a
presentation
presentation it makes sense
in my brain.
Because I'm not like into
number.
It's more into words.
It makes sense and it was
easy to follow.
And yeah.
Excited to see where we're
scmeinged thank you for
joining us back.H
thank you for joining us
back.
Hea thank you for joining us
back.Di thank you for joining
us back.
N thank you for joining
us back.
G thank you for
joining us back.
Thank you for
joining us back.
A thank you for
joining us back.
Nd thank you for
jit try to second guess
us.
great presentation minus the
issues with the implement
implementation.
I'm very pleased.
Residents should be very
pleased with the financial
condition of our city.
So thank you.
>> thank you for your
report.
I agree as well.
Unqualified clean audit is
something to be very proud
of.
If you go back two slides.
Slide #20.
>> on this slide
>>
>> there you go.
>> and then in a second
slide 23.
So slide 20 this is as of
the end of JUNE r JULY
2023.
>> oay.
So these are great looking
numbers here.
>> uh-huh.
>> on the next panl.
When you give us for the end
of JULY 224 ill these
numbers be here or here
minus.
>> I believe they will be
very stable.
We are still working on
things.
But I haven't seen anything
that leads me to believe
that we're going to be
dipping into fund balance.
I make no guarantees until
the audit is done.
But these numbers will
remain until we close and
what we'll be looking at is
our revenues less our
expenditures and that
difference will go into our
unassigned fund balance and
then I would be looking at
them and redistributing per
your policy across the item.
If there -- if the
expenditures do exceed the
rev nudes then we would do
we would adjust these
numbers so that we are still
in alignment.
But I don't anticipate that.
The biggest thing you have
to look at the next year's
budget because -- let's see
the operating reserve and
the contingency reserve
those numbers we have to
recalculate them and that's
the first number that we do.
That's the first draw on
those balances and the rest
of optional if there are
funds left.
But that would be the first
thing I would be looking at.
I don't believe I've seen
anything that would lead me
to believe we're not going
to add to fund balance.
>> maybe mayor if I MAY part
of the reason if you MAY
recall these two past budget
cycles we have prepared we
have worked very hard to
maintain stable budgets
given that if you see -- I
know we talked perhaps other
agencies are not in a
position that we are.
We're not seeing any
increases.
So we have worked very hard
to try not to compromise or
decline service delivery but
stay within the same bunl.
That is also a reflection we
are not stbooping the
reserve.T the reserve.
A the reserve.
P the reserve.
in the reserve.
G the reserve.
The
reserve.T the
reserve. The
reserve.In the
reserve.
!E the thought
of the team.
Same thing with these funds
here.
Water fund, sewer fund.
Available balance to
appropriate.
If I was talking to my
children here's how much
money I've got in my
checking account.
It doesn't mean we're going
to spend any of that.
>> if you see the asterisk
it includes the reserve.
We have a $1.5 million in
each one of those funds we
set aside for rate
stabilization and then we
take 5% of the next year's
operating budget and we set
that aside as well.
These numbers do include
that.
The we're not going to have
fund balance stabilize and
finance department
stabilizing.
It's just misleading at the
look at the water fund and
sewer fund, and tell them
we're going to raise your
rates.
At any rate this is
excellent.
Does anyone have any follow
up comments or questions.
Look forward to the next
report.
That takes care of 9b.
Go to 9c.
[Reading item 9c into the
record]
.
Staff report.
The staff report will be
given by our wonderful city
clerk elizabeth machado.The staff report will be
given by our wonderful city
clerk elizabeth machado.
All councilmembers they had
a potential conflict of
interest and raw accused
themselves from
participating in this result
in a lack of quorum.
The rule of necessity and
mayor adams and vice mayor
giudice and council
rodriguez were elected to
plapt in the proceedings.
Pa in the proceedings.
R in the proceedings.
T in the
proceedings.
In the
proceedingscl
turn it over to city clerk.
It was introduced by the
council at its OCTOBER 8THth
meeting.
Now to waive the second
reading and adopt it.
985 which is an ordinance
amending section 2.12.20
population, and section
2.12.30 salaries of the
rohnert park to adjust city
council compensation
>> thank you very much.
We'll go ahead and open up
for public comment on 9c.
Ing seeing no one we'll go
ahead and close the public
comment.
Are there any discussion?
Questions.
All right then I'll make a
motion that we approve this
item as read by the city
clerk
>> is there a second.
>> second.
>> all in favor.
Aye.
So will be to waive the
second reading and adopt
ordinance 985.
Council member rodriguez.
>> yes.
>> mayor adams.
Yes.
>> vice mayor giudice.
>> yes.
>> it passes 3-0 on that.
Thank you.
Item 9d discussion and
direction regarding
cancellation of the security
council on NOVEMBER 26th
2024, DECEMBER 24th, 2024
due to the holiday season.
Scheduling a special meeting
on NOVEMBER 19th, 2024 at
5:00 P.M.
We'll have the staff report.
And I can provide the staff
report with the assistance
of our city clerk.
So the item before you as
you MAY see on the NOVEMBER
26th which is the week of
thanksgiving we would be
meeting on NOVEMBER 26th.
So staff is recommending as
it relates perhaps we
consider meeting on the
NOVEMBER 19th rather than n
the TWIXth
26th.
The city has canceled that
meeting because of hall
daeds.
So recommendation we do
cancel that meeting.
But we are recommending we
have a joint special meeting
on NOVEMBER 19th.
Council discussions.
Any questions or comments?
MR. Giudice would you like
to make a motion.
>> so moved.
>> second.
>> thank you very much.
We'll do a roll call vote.
All in favor.
Any opposed.
5-0.
>> thank you.
Number 10 committee liaison
and other reports.
City standing committees.
Council elward: I wasn't
able to attend because I had
a mandatory training for my
job
>> COUNCILWOMAN Sanborn.
Hi.
I just wanted to call out a
few things I missed the 17th
17th.
Zero waste won an award for
most outstanding public
agency by the year.
The board approved their
waste for grant.
One for solid waste
infrastructure to expend
and the
recut program and then a
second for the community
change stcompwrant that is
to develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county.Gr that is to develop
and implement a re-use hub
in sonoma county.
A that is to
develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county.
N that is to
develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county.
T that is to
develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county. That is to
develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county.
A that is to
develop and implement a
re-use hub in sonoma county.
To assemble
big puzzles of water.
So you know what pieces of
information do we have about
the water the groundwater.
And what do we need to do to
get more information to see
big picture of water we have
in the basin and the three
basins.
That way we can be most
successful.
On the 10th we got an update
on all f those pieces and
those are essentially the
groundwater sustainability
plan and the implementation
activities.
One they're doing
voluntarily groundwater well
monitoring.
They've title identify it
level up and they've had 102
sign ups of residential and
well owners who're letting
the team at what level their
groundwater is now.
You can follow.
We talked received a report
on the water efficiency
program.
For which data is collected,
scp
and the data collection has
happened.
That's complete.
And they identified the
greatest potential for
demand water reduction.
Vineyards.
Pasture
pasture, rural and
commercial industrial
institutional terms: so ow
they're on to the demand
analysis and developing a
project that are in a pilot
for implementation to figure
out how we can best reduce
water consumption in those
different categories.
volunteer metering program.
So we received a report on
the voluntary low metering
work and authorized he
administer for the in
inspections of low meters
water meters on in
participate
participatence wells and
santa rosa plain.
So that's going to pay for
the meters.
People can have them put in
and get data that one.
They've developed a
dashboard app you can
actually look at current
water levels and you can
toggle to see historical
levels.
And it's a really good way
to visualize all of this
highly scientific statistic
stuff.
Hype ly
hypely
you can visit santa rosa
plain groundwater.Com to
learn more.
Next meeting is DECEMBER
5th.
>> thank you very much.
Next up is MR. Giudice vice
mayor.
>> yeah.
It's better than vice
PRESIDENT.
So sonoma county
transportation authority
region.
Tiff transportation is where
it's at.
Enjoy your bikes.
Rohnert park there's a
couple of locations at ss
uchlt
u
one at the train station.
They're all over the place.
And then I'm seeing a lot of
positive stuff out on social
media and all over the
place.
I think it will be really
effective once we have the
downtown.
Other than that the meeting
was basically about
approving budgets so the
rcpa on the stca side.
Whether it's for all of the
different things we do.
So yeah.
That's about it.
>> thank you.
Excellent.
So my report is about the
mayors and council members
meeting we held in rohnert
park and I just want to
begin by thanking the
members of our team from the
city clerk's office and city
manager's office.
We host around absolutely I
would dare so lively meet at
the oxy
ford suites.
We had a fairly nice turnout
from our colleagues around
the county.
Before that the mayor's met
and talked about the
oversight committee
representing mayors and
council members.
Kevin Mcdonald from petaluma
were assigned to that
particular responsibility.
There's another meeting in
NOVEMBER which I likely will
not be attending because of
an abag meeting.
Some 6 reports under
government code league of
california cities 2024
annual conference.
It was kind of quick.
I don't know how many have
given any thought to
something that you learn
while you were at the
conference that would want
to share.
You might want to come back
and have a discussion at the
next meeting.
Give you a little bit of
time what was your take
away.
I probably wouldn't have
thought about that had I not
attended that.
If we can put that on our
committee and liaison
reports.
Kind of a succinct I went to
this particular seminar or
conference group and this is
what I learned and share
that at our next meeting.
Number 11 communications.
Are there any communications
any members want to share.
>> the golf course is having
a halloween event on
thursday.
>> it's on their website.
I think it's I'm getting
there.
Hold on.
Maybe not.
>> I'm not sure but it's
there.
I usually put on it my
social media.
And then we have of course
all of our rohnert park
service events like the
haunted house and the de
iaw
de los muertos.
Los muertos.
Ing excellent for those who
want to come to the haunt do
we need to make an appoint
appointment online.
The chair recognizes cindy
bagley.
We have the haunt brew and
scare fest.
That is the full festival.
Tickets in advance is highly
in coloneled.
If we are not sold by
friday.
For saturday general
admission you do not have to
buy tickets in advance.
We are guaranteeing access
for those access for in a
separate line.
That one is open 7 to 10:00
P.M. On saturday.
>> adding anything to future
city council meeting.
>> I do have one thing to
comment on.
And that is typically in an
election year the selection
of the mayor and vice mayor
is made the same night that
mayor and advice
vice mayor is
seated.
If it's appropriate with the
city attorney can we do that
on the 19th of NOVEMBER so
that the new mayor and vice
mayor know they can invite.
>> there e go.
>> thank you very much.
Number 13 public comment.
Is there anyone wishing to
make a public comment.
No.
We'll close the public
comments.