2020/06/16 City Council Agenda Packet"We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to
Build a Better Community for Today and Tomorrow."
ROHNERT PARK CITY COUNCIL, ROHNERT PARK FINANCING AUTHORITY (RPFA),
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SPECIAL
MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A SPECIAL MEETING
will be held on Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Open Session: 1:00 PM
*COVID-19 NOTICE*
Consistent with Executive Orders No. N-25-20 and No. N-29-20 from the Executive Department of the
State of California and the Sonoma County Health Official’s March 17, 2020 and March 31, 2020
Shelter in Place Orders, the City Council Meeting will not be physically open to the public and City
Councilmembers will be teleconferencing into the meeting via Zoom Video Communications software.
How to observe the Meeting:
To maximize public safety while still maintaining transparency and public access, members of the
public can observe the meeting on Cable Channel 26 or by visiting meeting central on our website
https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/city_council/meeting_central
How to submit Public Comment:
Members of the public may provide public comment by sending comments to the Clerk by email at
publiccomment@rpcity.org prior to the item being called on the agenda. Email comments must be
related to this agenda ONLY and should be a maximum of 350 words, which corresponds to
approximately 3 minutes of speaking time. The comments will be read for the record, with a maximum
allowance of 30 minutes of total public comments, subject to the Mayor’s discretion. Comments not
pertaining to this agenda item will not be read for the record. If a comment is received after the agenda
item is heard but before the close of the meeting, the comment will still be included as a part of the
record of the meeting but will not be read for the record or considered in connection with the agenda
item.
American Disability Act Accommodations:
Any member of the public who needs accommodations should email the ADA Coordinator at
vperrault@rpcity.org or by calling 707-588-2221. The ADA Coordinator will use their best efforts to
provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining
public safety in accordance with the City procedure for resolving reasonable accommodation requests.
Information about reasonable accommodations is available on the City website at
https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/departments/human_resources/a_d_a_and_accessibility_resources
City Council/RPFA agendas and minutes may be viewed at the City's website: www.rpcity.org.
PUBLIC HEARINGS: Council/RPFA may discuss and/or take action on any or all of the items listed on
this agenda. If you challenge decisions of the City Council or the Rohnert Park Financing Authority of
1.CITY COUNCIL/RPFA/SUCCESSOR AGENCY JOINT SPECIAL MEETING - CALL TO
ORDER/ROLL CALL
(Adams_____Belforte_____Stafford_____Mackenzie_____Callinan_____)
2.AGENDA ITEMS
2.A Update on Draft Community Engagement Plan Regarding Reviewing City Policies and
Practices to Achieve Greater Equality
A. Verbal Staff Report
B. Public Comments
C. Council discussion/direction
Item 2.A.
2.B Update on Draft Election Outreach Plan
A. Verbal Staff Report
B. Public Comments
C. Council discussion/direction
Item 2.B.
2.C Authorizing the Mayor to Send a Letter of Opposition to State Constitutional Amendment
6 Regarding Expansion of Gambling
A. Verbal Staff Report
B. Public Comments
C. Council motion/roll call vote
(Adams_____ Belforte_____ Stafford_____ Mackenzie _____Callinan______)
Item 2.C.
3.ADJOURNMENT
the City of Rohnert Park in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else
raised at public hearing(s) described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City
of Rohnert Park at, or prior to the public hearing(s).
RIGHT TO APPEAL: Judicial review of any city administrative decision pursuant to Code of Civil
Procedure Section 1094.5 may be had only if a petition is filed with the court no later than the deadlines
specified in Section 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, which generally limits the time
within which the decision may be challenged to the 90th day following the date that the decision
becomes final.
SIMULTANEOUS MEETING COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE (Government Code Section
54952.3): Members of the City Council receive no additional compensation as a result of convening this
joint meeting of the City Council and the Rohnert Park Financing Authority.
NOTE: Time shown for any particular matter on the agenda is an estimate only. Matters may be
considered earlier or later than the time indicated depending on the pace at which the meeting proceeds.
If you wish to speak on an item under discussion by the Council which appears on this agenda, please
refer to page 1 for more details on submitting a public comment. Any item raised by a member of the
public which is not on the agenda and may require Council action shall be automatically referred to
staff for investigation and disposition which may include placing on a future agenda. If the item is
deemed to be an emergency or the need to take action arose after posting of the agenda within the
meaning of Government Code Section 54954.2(b), Council is entitled to discuss the matter to determine
if it is an emergency item under said Government Code and may take action thereon.
AGENDA REPORTS & DOCUMENTS: Electronic copies of all staff reports and documents subject to
disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public
inspection on https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/city_council/meeting_central. Any writings or
documents subject to disclosure that are provided to all, or a majority of all, of the members of the City
Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda has been distributed will also be made
available for inspection on our website following the meeting.
CERTIFICATION OF POSTING OF AGENDA
I, Sylvia Lopez Cuevas, Assistant City Clerk, for the City of Rohnert Park, declare that the foregoing
agenda was posted and available for review on June 15, 2020, at Rohnert Park City Hall, 130 Avram
Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928. The agenda is also available on the City web site at
www.rpcity.org.
Executed this 15 day of June, 2020 at Rohnert Park, California.
Sylvia Lopez Cuevas
Office of the City Clerk
ITEM NO.
1
Meeting Date: June 16, 2020
Department: Administration
Submitted By: Darrin Jenkins, City Manager
Prepared By: Darrin Jenkins, City Manager
Agenda Title: DRAFT Community Engagement Plan Regarding Reviewing City Policies and
Practices to Achieve Greater Equality
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review and comment on a Draft Community Engagement Plan described in this report. Provide
direction on whether and how to proceed to receive community input regarding inequality in the
policies and practices of the City.
BACKGROUND:
With the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis the topics of race relations, police use of force
polices, and the need for reform in our country are front and center in public discourse. Protestors and
demonstrators are calling for an examination of institutional policies that contribute to the dramatic
disparities between the white experience living in America and the experiences of people of color
living in America. One topic of the discussion is police department use of force policies. But the need
for reconsideration of policies goes beyond just police departments—it extends to all aspects of our
society that create inequities for people of color living in America.
On Wednesday, June 10th, the Rohnert Park Mayor signed President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper
Pledge vowing to take the following actions:
1.REVIEW our police use of force policies.
2.ENGAGE our community by including a diverse range of input, experiences, and stories in
our review.
3. REPORT the findings of our review to our community and seek feedback.
4.REFORM our community’s police use of force policies.
Now, with the Council’s concurrence, staff will proceed with the actions described in the pledge.
However, staff is seeking Council’s agreement to not limit the process to just use of force policies, but
to receive input on other City policies as well.
Mission Statement
“We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to Build a
Better Community for Today and Tomorrow.”
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
2.A.
Supplemental Item
ITEM NO.
2
ANALYSIS:
Staff recommends a project to convene our community in order to gather input on what City policies
and practices within our organization contribute to an unequal, unfair, or disparate experience in our
city. The discussion should include not just police practices and procedures but all City practices and
procedures. Let’s keep an open mind about how the City can reform its policies and practices to be
more fair and just in its operations. The following steps are staff’s first suggestions regarding a draft
engagement plan.
Step 1: Council adopts a resolution condemning racism, inviting the community to share their
experiences with fellow community members, and making the My Brother’s Keeper pledge
with respect to police use of force policies.
Step 2: Conduct a series of listening sessions to collect stories and experiences from our residents of
unequal or unfair City policies and practices. The meetings should be combined with other
opportunities to share stories and experiences such as email, mail, and social media platforms.
Seek out leaders of the Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American
communities in Rohnert Park to gain input and hear experiences regarding City policies and
practices.
Step 3: Document the stories, experiences, and input from Step 2 and publish a report for community
review.
Step 4: Reform policies found to be causing an unequal or unfair experience living in Rohnert Park.
Draft Schedule and Format:
Conducting listening sessions during the COVID-19 Pandemic presents special challenges. From a
pandemic standpoint, the safest course would be to conduct all sessions virtually. However, the City
should consider at least some form of in-person meetings to collect input.
The City could conduct a series of listening sessions (between 3 and 5) of varying format over a two to
three month period.
Draft Principles for Community Input at Listening Sessions:
1.Respect: All participants, including staff, residents, and appointed and elected officials,
demonstrate respect in words and actions and approach decisions with open-mindedness so that
everyone feels comfortable expressing their opinion regardless of differences.
2.Inclusiveness and Equity: The City reaches out and encourages the participation of all
members of the community in dialogue. Spanish language translation and interpretation are
made available at all community listening sessions. The City looks at culturally appropriate
ways to engage those who may not have historically been engaged, particularly community
members from our Latino and other ethnically diverse communities.
ITEM NO.
3
3.Easy Participation: Communications and information are timely, easy to understand, and
offered in a variety of formats, appropriate to a given process. Information will also be
available in Spanish. The City will provide clarity about the public decision-making process,
including milestones and a defined endpoint. Participants have the flexibility to participate in a
variety of ways, including online and in person.
4.Meaningful Engagement: Provide opportunities for all community members to participate in
an open and unbiased process, free of predetermined outcomes, to consider and deliberate
feasible options. The City authentically solicits, acknowledges, incorporates, and responds to
community input.
5.Mutual Accountability: The City and community are mutually accountable for a fair process,
honest and respectful participation, informed and fact-based discussion, outcomes that reflect
input, and acceptance of the result. City processes will include meaningful assessments to
measure progress, implementation of improvements as needed, and effective communication of
both.
Conclusion:
Staff recommends soliciting and receiving community input on how City policies and practices
contribute to inequality in our community. Following this receipt of input, the City should look to
revise policies and practices. The City should endeavor to complete this process by the end of the
calendar year even although we are simultaneously dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
Engaging the community honors the City’s values of Integrity, Communication, and Collaboration.
FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE:
Depending on the scope of the listening sessions, staff estimates a cost of between $20,000 and
$40,000 for facilitation, audio visual, translation, closed captioning, and other expenses. The funding
source would be the General Fund FY 2020-21 budget under the City Manager Contingency line item.
Department Head Approval Date: N/A
Finance Director Approval Date: N/A
City Attorney Approval Date: 6/15/2020
City Manager Approval Date: 6/15/2020
ITEM NO.
1
Meeting Date: June 16, 2020
Department: Administration
Submitted By: Darrin Jenkins, City Manager
Prepared By: Marie Andrews, Administrative Assistant
Agenda Title: DRAFT Election Outreach Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff is interested in receiving City Council input on a Draft Election Outreach Plan described in this
report.
BACKGROUND:
Because the November 3, 2020 election will be the first election of councilmembers by district in
Rohnert Park, staff is doing community outreach regarding the election.
ANALYSIS:
Staff has developed a preliminary outreach plan utilizing a variety of tools and formats to proactively
educate residents about the upcoming district election and encourage participation.
Here are the planned actions at this point.
Action 1: Highlight the election information on the City website
a. Make sure the election information is up to date on the city website
b.Teach residents how to navigate our elections page and use the new “find your district tool”
to find what district they belong to
c. Provide election information in Spanish on our website and social media channels
Action 2: Create a brochure to outline the information on how to run for city council. The brochure may
be sent to residents in Districts 1, 3 and 4; posted on community bulletin boards as well as in other city
facilities such as Public Safety, the Senior Center, Community Center, etc.
a.Post brochure or flyer on community boards in the three districts that are up for election
b. Consider sending a personalized postcard to all residents registered in District 1, 3 and 4
Action 3: Create an informational video on District Elections
a. Play at June 23 Council Meeting; and at each meeting during the nomination period
b.Post on all social media channels
c. Post on our elections page so it remains accessible to the public
Action 4: Contact/Work with Community-Based Organization
a.Reach out the League of Women’s Voters to work on a collaboration with Los Cien to provide
joint “running for council” training for residents of Sonoma County cities
b.Reach out to the current City Commissioners
c.Reach out the Leadership Rohnert Park Group
Mission Statement
“We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to Build a
Better Community for Today and Tomorrow.”
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
2.B.
Supplemental Item
ITEM NO.
2
d.Reach out to apartment managers to see if we can post brochure or flyer in a common area of
the apartment complex
e.Have a booth at the Farmer’s Market to hand out brochures and provide information to voters
and potential candidates
f.Reach out to the Latino Alliance of Cotati-Rohnert Park
Action 5: Provide Information Via Multiple Channels
a. Social media
b.The Community Voice Newspaper – columns and advertisements
c. Direct email lists
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
Executing an election outreach plan demonstrates the City’s values of Integrity, Communication, and
Collaboration.
FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE:
The cost of the election outreach plan implementation is estimated to be between $5,000 and $10,000.
The funding source would be the General Fund FY 2020-21 budget under the Elections line item.
Department Head Approval Date: N/A
Finance Director Approval Date: N/A
City Attorney Approval Date: N/A
City Manager Approval Date: 6/15/2020
130 Avram Avenue ♦ Rohnert Park CA ♦ 94928 ♦ (707) 588-2226 ♦ Fax (707) 794-9248 www.rpcity.org
City Council
Joseph T. Callinan
Mayor
Jake Mackenzie
Vice Mayor
Gina Belforte Susan Hollingsworth Adams Pam Stafford
Councilmembers ________________ Darrin Jenkins
City Manager
Don Schwartz
Assistant City Manager
Michelle Marchetta Kenyon
City Attorney
Sergio Rudin
Assistant City Attorney
JoAnne Buergler
City Clerk
Tim Mattos
Public Safety Director
John McArthur
Director of Public Works and
Community Services
Mary Grace Pawson
Director of
Development Services
Victoria Perrault
Human Resources Director
June 16, 2020
The Honorable Anthony J. Portantino
Senate Appropriations Committee
State Capitol, Room 2006
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: SCA 6 (Dodd) – OPPOSE
Dear Chairman Portantino:
As Mayor of the City of Rohnert Park, I write to oppose SCA 6 (Dodd), a measure that
would severely impact tribal governments’ ability to provide for themselves and their
surrounding communities. SCA 6 would directly harm my City by devastating tribes’
ability to continue to provide the financial support they are currently providing us.
Graton Resort & Casino has provided over $60 million in mitigation fees to the City of
Rohnert Park for law enforcement, public services and other programs over the past six
years, and has created 2,000 well-paying local jobs. These jobs and contributions will be
essential to resuscitating our local economy from the deep economic disruptions caused
by COVID-19. In addition, Graton has provided over $10 million in charitable
contributions to such things as the Sonoma Land Trust, Tolay Regional Park, Tubbs fire
relief, the Redwood Empire Food Bank, and much more. SCA 6 threatens this much-
needed ongoing financial support for our city.
Tribes have strengthened our shared communities, as reflected in the promise of
Proposition 1A (2000) that authorized Indian gaming in California. I stand with tribal
government leaders in opposing SCA 6 and what would be yet another broken agreement
with Native American tribes.
Sincerely,
Mayor Joseph T. Callinan
City of Rohnert Park