City Council

City Council & PCDSA — March 18, 2024

This was a regular joint meeting of the Petaluma City Council and the Petaluma Community Development Successor Agency, notable for including a public reception with the Independent Police Auditor before the main session. All seven councilmembers were present; the meeting ran until nearly 11 p.m.

Proclamations and Presentations

The Council proclaimed March as American Red Cross Month, with representatives from the North Bay Chapter accepting the honor. Before substantive business, Jake Spaulding and Lynne Rosselli of Sonoma Water presented the agency's proposed FY 2024–25 water transmission system budget and rates, answering questions from councilmembers. The details of those rates and any Council direction were not recorded in the minutes.

Consent Calendar (Items 1–8)

The Council approved all eight consent items unanimously (7–0), moved by Councilmember Barnacle and seconded by Councilmember Cader Thompson. One member of the public, Taryn Obaid, commented before the vote. Items included:

Mid-Year Budget Adjustments — FY 2023–24 (Item 9)

Finance Director Jessie Gooch presented the mid-year General Fund update and proposed appropriation changes. The Council introduced six budget amendment ordinances (Nos. 2881–2886) covering various city funds and adopted a resolution updating the authorized and funded permanent position schedule. No members of the public commented. The minutes do not detail the specific dollar figures or position changes involved, but mid-year budget ordinances of this type typically realign spending authority to reflect actual revenues and expenditure patterns through the fiscal year's midpoint.

Vote: Carried 7–0 (moved by Councilmember Healy, seconded by Councilmember Barnacle). As first-reading ordinances, a second reading will be required before they take effect.

Independent Police Auditor 2023 Annual Report (Item 10)

Senior Management Analyst Aarón Zavala introduced a presentation from Jeff Schlanger, CEO of IntegrAssure LLC (the City's Independent Police Auditor), and Interim Police Chief Brian Miller. The report covered the IPA's activities from April 19, 2023 through December 31, 2023, and included a work plan for 2024. The IPA program, which provides civilian oversight of the Petaluma Police Department, held a public reception earlier in the evening to allow residents to interact directly with the auditor.

Six members of the public spoke during comment: Eric Leland, Joanna Paun, Ellen Obstler, Zahyra Garcia, John O'Brien, and Sandra Shand — indicating significant community interest in police oversight. The specific substance of their comments is not captured in the minutes. This was a receive-and-review item; no binding vote was taken.

Integrated Pest Management Policy (Item 11)

Director of Parks and Recreation Drew Halter and Assistant to the City Manager Patrick Carter presented a new Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy for City employees, contractors, and lessees. IPM policies generally require that chemical pesticide use be minimized and that less-toxic alternatives be prioritized. Five community members commented, with Taryn Obaid receiving ceded time from Lendri Purcell and Rika Gopinath receiving ceded time from Wayne Eckstrom, suggesting organized advocacy around the issue. Bill Carson also spoke.

The Council adopted the policy with one notable carve-out: Rooster Run Golf Club will not be subject to the IPM Policy until the City completes good-faith negotiations with the golf club regarding alternative compliance, as allowed under Section 13.9 of their lease agreement. This exemption was explicitly included in the motion.

Vote: Carried 7–0 (moved by Councilmember Barnacle, seconded by Councilmember Cader Thompson).

Key Takeaways