City Council
City Council
Mon, January 6, 2025
Agenda items
Vote records
Discussion summary
Transcript
Meeting summaryAI-generated
City Council — January 6, 2025
This was the first regular City Council meeting of 2025, notable for the swearing-in of three newly elected councilmembers. Vice Mayor Shribbs was absent. The session was preceded by a 5:00 p.m. welcome reception in City Hall in honor of the new members.
Swearing-In Ceremony
City Clerk Caitlin Corley administered the oath of office to Frank Quint (District 4), Alexander DeCarli (District 5), and Brian Barnacle (District 6), formally seating the newly elected councilmembers.
Proclamation and Presentation
The Council recognized John FitzGerald with a proclamation; FitzGerald offered remarks to the body. Following that, Parks and Recreation Director Drew Halter and Senior Civil Engineer Josh Minshall presented the completed design for the Skatepark at Lucchesi Park — a project that figures directly in the consent calendar action below regarding grant fund reallocation.
General Public Comment
Eleven members of the public addressed the Council on items not on the agenda: Katherine Bobrowski, Jodi Johnson, Kay Poland, Janis Barker, Kelly Walker, Tim Porteous, Deborah Roberts, Robert Hansen, Tom Maunder, Sandra Shand, and Lydia Asslin. The minutes do not detail the substance of their comments.
Consent Calendar (Items 1–7)
All seven consent items passed together without discussion. Key actions included:
Vice Mayor appointment: Karen Nau was appointed Vice Mayor for 2025 (Resolution 2025-002).
Council liaison appointments: Councilmember assignments to various boards and committees were approved for 2025 (Resolution 2025-001).
Prop 68 grant reallocation: The Council approved redirecting Proposition 68 grant funding originally designated for the Kenilworth Park Revitalization Plan to the Lucchesi Skatepark Project (Resolution 2025-003). This aligns with the evening's design presentation and moves funding to a project that is now further along in development.
FEMA Emergency Operations Center grant: The City accepted a FEMA FY2024 subaward to support the Emergency Operations Center (Resolution 2025-004).
Successor Agency payment schedule: The Council adopted the Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule and Administrative Budget for July 1, 2025–June 30, 2026, as required under state Health and Safety Code for the Petaluma Community Development Successor Agency (Resolution 2025-005).
Meeting minutes and tentative agenda for upcoming meetings were also approved.
Vote: Carried 6–0. Moved by Councilmember Cader Thompson, seconded by Councilmember Nau. Vice Mayor Shribbs absent.
Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District — Annual Assessment (Item 8)
Senior Management Analyst Nancy Sands presented the staff report for the annual levy to fund the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District (BID) for Fiscal Year 2025. The BID assessment is a standard annual action that funds programs and services supporting downtown businesses. No members of the public came forward to comment.
Councilmember DeCarli recused himself from this item pending clarification of potential conflicts of interest with the City Attorney's office.
Vote: Carried 5–0 (with DeCarli recused). Moved by Vice Mayor Nau, seconded by Councilmember Barnacle. Vice Mayor Shribbs absent.
Key Takeaways
New councilmembers seated: Frank Quint, Alexander DeCarli, and Brian Barnacle were sworn in, completing a new Council composition for 2025.
Karen Nau named Vice Mayor for the coming year.
Lucchesi Skatepark moves forward: Prop 68 grant funds were reallocated from the Kenilworth Park project to the Lucchesi Skatepark, which has now reached complete design — signaling the project is on track for construction.
FEMA Emergency Operations Center grant accepted, strengthening the city's emergency preparedness funding.
Downtown BID assessment renewed for FY2025, continuing support for downtown business district programs; DeCarli recused himself pending a conflict-of-interest review.
AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.
Agenda items (8)
Consent Calendar
1Consent CalendarMinutes of the City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting of December 16, 2024
Approval of the official meeting minutes from the City Council and Petaluma Community Development and Services Agency regular meeting held on December 16, 2024.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
2Consent CalendarTentative Agenda for City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting of January 27, 2025 and Significant Agenda Items for January 2025 March 2025
Review of the planned agenda for the January 27, 2025 City Council meeting and a preview of major items expected to be discussed from January through March 2025.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
3Consent CalendarResolution Approving City Council Liaison Appointments for 2025
Appointment of City Council members to serve as liaisons to various city boards, commissions, and committees for 2025.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
4Consent CalendarResolution Appointing Councilmember Nau Vice Mayor For 2025
Appointment of Councilmember Nau to serve as Vice Mayor for the year 2025.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
5Consent CalendarResolution Accepting the Reallocation of Prop 68 Grant Funding from the Kenilworth Park Revitalization Plan (C14502317) to the Lucchesi Skatepark Project (C14402215)
Redirecting state grant money originally designated for the Kenilworth Park Revitalization Plan to fund the Lucchesi Skatepark Project instead.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
6Consent CalendarResolution Authorizing the City of Petaluma to Accept a FEMA Fiscal Year 2024 Emergency Operations Center Grant Program Subaward
Acceptance of a federal FEMA grant awarded to Petaluma for improving the city's Emergency Operations Center during fiscal year 2024.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
7Consent CalendarResolution Adopting a July 1, 2025 June 30, 2026, Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule and Administrative Budget Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 34177(1) and Finding This item is Not a “Project” Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4)&(5)
Adoption of the city's budget plan for paying recognized obligations during the July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 fiscal year under state law requirements.
Adopted unanimously · 6-0
Public Hearing
8Public HearingPublic Hearing to Levy an Annual Assessment for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District and Resolution Establishing the Levy for the 2025 Annual Assessment for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District
Public hearing and vote to set the annual assessment amount that downtown property owners will pay to the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District for fiscal year 2025.
Additional votes recorded in minutes
Downtown BID Support Motion
Aye 5
Brian BarnacleAye
Frank QuintAye
Janice Cader ThompsonAye
Karen NauAye
Kevin McDonnellAye
Verbatim transcript available
3 transcript segments indexed
CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL & PETALUMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY (PCDSA) City Hall Council Chamber 11 English Street Petaluma, CA 94952 MINUTES Monday, January 6, 2025 WELCOME RECEPTION 5:00 P.M. / REGULAR SESSION 6:30 P.M. WELCOME RECEPTION - 5:00 P.M. Public reception in City Hall Foyer in Honor of Newly Elected City Councilmembers. CALL TO ORDER - REGULAR SESSION - 6:30 P.M. Mayor McDonnell called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m. • SWEARING IN CEREMONY City Clerk Caitlin Corley administered oath of office to newly elected District 4 Councilmember Frank Quint, District 5 Councilmember Alexander DeCarli, and District 6 Councilmember Brian Barnacle. • ROLL CALL PRESENT: Mayor McDonnell, Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Councilmember Nau, Councilmember Quint, ABSENT: Vice Mayor Shribbs • PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE • MOMENT OF SILENCE AGENDA CHANGES AND DELETIONS (TO CURRENT AGENDA ONLY) None. PROCLAMATIONS • John FitzGerald John FitzGerald accepted the proclamation and made comments. PRESENTATION • Skatepark at Lucchesi Park Complete Design Presentation Drew Halter, Director of Parks and Recreation and Josh Minshall, Senior Civil Engineer made the presentation. GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT During General Public Comment, the public is invited to make comments on items of public interest that are within the City Council’s subject matter jurisdiction and that are not listed on the current agenda. Public comments are limited, up to three minutes per person. Depending on the number of persons wishing to address the Council, time will be allocated in equal shares totaling no more than
twenty minutes, subject to the Council’s discretion (Cal. Gov’t. Code §54954.3(a), Petaluma City Council Rules, Policies and Procedures, III). Mayor McDonnell opened the general public comment. Katherine Bobrowski Jodi Johnson Kay Poland Janis Barker Kelly Walker Tim Porteous Deborah Roberts Robert Hansen Tom Maunder Sandra Shand Lydia Asslin Mayor McDonnell closed the general public comment. COUNCIL COMMENT Councilmember Barnacle Councilmember Cader Thompson Councilmember Nau Councilmember DeCarli Councilmember Quint Mayor McDonnell CITY MANAGER COMMENT City Manager Peggy Flynn CONSENT CALENDAR 1. Approved Minutes of the City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting of December 16, 2024 2. Approved Tentative Agenda for City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting of January 27, 2025 and Significant Agenda Items for January 2025 - March 2025 3. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-001 N.C.S. Approving City Council Liaison Appointments for 2025 4. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-002 N.C.S. Appointing Councilmember Nau Vice Mayor For 2025 5. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-003 N.C.S. Accepting the Reallocation of Prop 68 Grant Funding from the Kenilworth Park Revitalization Plan (C14502317) to the Lucchesi Skatepark Project (C14402215) 6. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-004 N.C.S. Authorizing the City of Petaluma to Accept a FEMA Fiscal Year 2024 Emergency Operations Center Grant Program Subaward 7. Adopted Resolution No. 2025-005 N.C.S. Adopting a July 1, 2025- June 30, 2026, Recognized Obligation Payment Schedule and Administrative Budget Pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 34177(1) and Finding This item is Not a “Project” Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4)&(5) Mayor McDonnell opened the public comment on the Consent Calendar items #1 through 7, and seeing no one come forward to speak, he closed the public comment. Motion to adopt Consent Calendar items #1 through 7 made by Councilmember Cader Thompson, seconded by Councilmember Nau.
Vote: Carried 6-0 Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Councilmember Nau, Councilmember Quint, Mayor McDonnell No: None Absent: Vice Mayor Shribbs Recused: None PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION 8. Public Hearing to Levy an Annual Assessment for Fiscal Year 2025 for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District and Resolution Establishing the Levy for the 2025 Annual Assessment for the Downtown Petaluma Business Improvement District Councilmember DeCarli announced he would recuse himself from the discussion until he and the City Attorney’s office can confirm his conflicts of interest. Nancy Sands, Senior Management Analyst presented the staff report. Mayor McDonnell opened the public comment and seeing no one come forward to speak, he closed the public comment. Motion to Adopt Resolution No. 2025-006 N.C.S., made by Vice Mayor Nau, seconded by Councilmember Barnacle. Vote: Carried 5-0 Yes: Councilmember Barnacle, Councilmember Cader Thompson, Councilmember DeCarli, Vice Mayor Nau, Councilmember Quint, Mayor McDonnell No: None Absent: Vice Mayor Shribbs Recused: Councilmember DeCarli ADJOURNMENT Mayor McDonnell adjourned the meeting at 8:06 p.m.