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1999/12/16 City Council Agenda Packet City of Rohnert Park 6750 Commerce Boulevard Rohnert Park, California 94928 ROHNERT PARK CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED SESSION AGENDA Thursday, December 16, 1999 6:30 p.m. Adjourned Session - Open Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call (Flores Mackenzie Spiro_Vidak-Martinez_Reilly ) Acknowledging City Manager/Clerk's report on posting meeting agenda Unscheduled public appearances - for public comment on agenda items or other matters (limited to 3-5 minutes per person) CEREMONY FOR YEAR 2000 CITY COUNCIL OFFICER SELECTION *Reflections of 1999- Comments by Councilmembers, if any *Presentation to Mayor James J. Reilly, Jr. for 1999 Year as Mayor *Recognition of the Selections of City Council Officers for 2000 !Mayor Vicki Vidak-Martinez & Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie *Perspectives for 2000- Comments by Councilmembers, if any ADJOURNMENT to refreshments 02 01 01 03oaoa cal oac4a (41 (41ol fC) IC) £6) £ ) Pc) ) THOUGHTS TO PONDER The future is not a gift, it is an achievement.-Harry Laude A civilized society is one that expects the five qualities of truth,beauty, adventure, art and peace.-Alfred North Whitehead Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. -Sir James M.Barrie (93 03 03 03 03 03 03 03 05 03 03 (%3 It) Et.) ) t) ) 139 Et) to.) Ir.) Et) Ec) ) JH-h:a gaida''.121699 a gadj � tro /2//6PP CITY OF ROHNERT PARK 1999 Significant Accomplishments • City sold $12,000,000 worth of Tax Allocation Bonds and $5,000,000 worth of Certificates of Participati:n for the Library/City Hall and other Capital projects. (Issue was sold January 1999 at the lowest interest rate in 25 years) • Expressway Bridge Improvement Project was started and completed (bridge portion). (Planning process has taken over 8 years. State project funded entirely by the City.) • General Plan and Urban Growth Boundary Measure—Formed General Plan Ad Hoc Committee which developed a process that is expected to be completed in the first/second quarter of 2000. • City Hall Center Project—Hired consultants and developed a City Hall Center through major public participation which resulted in a 26,000 sq. ft. Library under design and City Hall vision. Private/public ventures on City land. • Developed a City Staff Technology Committee who have updated the City's telephone and computer systems/networks, initiated a web site and informational telephone system. • Assisted with development of a County-wide Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System for Public Safety. • Council authorized the design and construction of M Pool. • Began the coordinated process of economic development through a contract with the Chamber of Commerce. (Filled the empty KMart building with Burlington Coat Factory) • Other commercial business locating in town: El Torrito Wraps & Rolls Les Schwabb • Cultural Arts Commission and City Council commissioned a sculpture which was installed in the reflection pond at the Performing Arts Center site. • Finalized transfer of Century Communications to TCl/ATT. • Reached settlement terms with Rancho Grande Mobile Home Park. (Currently in settlement discussions with other parks.) • Successful Founders Day Parade and Events. • Initiated the Christmas in April Program for renovating homes in older sections of town. • Wilfred/Dowdell Avenue 24 acre Specific Plan — Initiated and in the process of being completed. • Purchased PAL building. • Continued goal setting and team building processes with Executive/Dept. Head Staff. • Tennis courts installed at M Park • Instituted an owner occupied community development program. a 1.7/i4/79 411t,wel by Reflections on 1999 " The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft a-gley" Robert ilta Burns. Last year at this time , I waxed eloquently if tangentially in my normal loquacious fashion on the theme of"Our Place". I hoped that our actions in 1999 would, with thought and due consideration of the consequences , lead us towards a sustainable future for our city. The efforts we have made have had a very real impact on how this city will present itself in the next era ,about to dawn. We have raised monies to build the civic part of the city center. Designing this center brought accolades to our community .We can sense the excitement of our neighbours at SSU and at the School District with the opening of the Technical High School on campus and with the appearance of the soon-to-be vine covered berms which will encompass the new "Green Farm"or" Arminana's Amphitheatre" It's easy to applaud one's own efforts when one is as as shy and retiring as myself; whether these efforts are worthy of my rehiring I'll leave for voters to decide next year. It is, however, meet and right to acknowledge sterling behaviour , effort and diligence on the part of colleagues and fellow labourers in our own particular vineyard as we look back over an action-packed year. On this council , while our various swords may not always have been turned into ploughshares , I believe that there has been a major effort on all of our parts to communicate openly and honestly with each other .There has been a major amount of committee work dealing with ever popular Mobile Home Park Issues, Jud Snyder's favorite - the UGB measure , the real ? that bugs every citizen who watches TV- when do we get to watch VH-1 24 hours a day? Joe Netter and his senior Management Team from Assistant City Manager Lievo through our wellwater and traffic expert City Engineer Joe Gaffney to retiring Chief of Public Safety Pat Rooney have all been part and parcel of these efforts . Every person who works in our city government is expected to work as a professional and they do- Public Works and our Founder's Day event , our Animal Shelter staff and their multitude of volunteers , the PAC and their ambassadors extraordinaires who usher us to our seats. Time after time throughout city government, we see this level of service and commitment . We now have a new city attorney, Betsy Strauss, who has already endeared herself to the council by upsetting our plans for a splendid spring campaign and who then immediately disappeared into hospital from whence we wish her a speedy return to her chore of extracting us out of the particular trench in which we now find ourselves. Many citizens have honoured us and themselves by their dedication and unceasing efforts to remind us why we grind away at the tasks of local government. Whether its on the Planning Commission or on the BAC or Parks and Rec Commission, thank you all! My previous reflections have had a bitter sweet quality to them which reflected a very real sense of frustration on my part. Upon contemplation , the "sweet" ,was the true challenge of governmental issues and my love of a good battle , the "bitter" a frustration with the reality of the 3-2 world in which we live. Nonetheless we do have in place ap1 process which has developed a DRAFT 20 year UGB and a DRAFT updated General Plan. I see no reason, despite the already mentioned CEQA-related delay to change the direction charted by this balanced approach to the future. I believe that finally we are getting closer to a design for our city which will result in a sustainable future for us all. So in this next period what can we look forward to- a real mixed use city center , a railroad station, a real greenbelt around us , a bikeways system , linkages with the university, a real center for family services , a hang -out for younger citizens to match what we have in our senior center? But it won't happen the way we think unless we grapple with the tough issues -It's the water stupid! It's the traffic, stupid ! It's the population, stupid! So to quote Burns again "but pleasures are like poppies spread-you seize the flower , its bloom is shed: or like the snow falls in the river-a moment white- then melts for ever: Tam O'Shanter however survived his wild ride and as the poem stated ,"Kings may be blest , but Tam was glorious, Oe'r a' the ills of life victorious!" So here we are another year forward along this interesting journey. Here's wishing that we in Rohnert Park will find ourselves "Oe'r a' the ills of life victorious" vt k-C)w-sle Le .- S 4 NT1.- NCB /a/20,9 A Perspective for 2000 `d 1-8 cade 14 4,64,24#0 July 1 1999 saw my native country Scotland regain a living parliament in her midst . I was honoured to be present at that event and to represent this city and this state . The new First Minister in his speech to the new Scottish Parliament touched a responsive chord when he said , "At the heart of the song[just sung by the parliament and the guests ] is the very Scottish conviction that honesty and simple dignity are priceless virtues , not imparted by rank or birth or privilege but part of the soul. Burns believed that sense and worth ultimately prevail. He believed that was the core of politics; that without it ours would be an impoverished profession.... Wisdom, Justice, Compassion, Integrity. Timeless values. Honourable aspirations here on the cusp of a new century We are fallible .We will make mistakes but we will never lose sight of what brought us here : the striving to do right by the people ; to respect their priorities ; to better their lot; and to contribute to the commonwealth" It's always interesting for an expatriate to return to one's native land. Why did I leave if I'm so moved by what I found on my return? I left to find work in my chosen profession- work that wasn't available in the Scotland of the 1960's. I owe a lot to my country of adoption .As others make similar decisions seeking work and a place to live it is worthwhile keeping in mind these timeless values and honourable aspirations. That speech to my former countryfolk was moving both in its delivery but also in the context of the times with voter ermui appearing to be the most popular value held. So as we contemplate life in Rohnert Park in the 2000's, how do we see ourselves ? Wisdom, Justice ,Compassion, Integrity-in the reality of the year 2000, what will be important to us as a community? I think we need to be wise as we plan our future; let's be adventurous and inventive also. I think we need to be just as we consider where and on whom our resources are spent. I think we should be compassionate as we consider where folk are going to find housing and work I think we should demonstrate integrity as we make these choices and vote on these issues. There was a poem about my native country read that day of July 1 in Edinburgh. In this new year I hope to remember these words written about Scotland: "Let it be true to itself and to its origins/Inventive, original ,philosophical/Its institutions mirror its beauty ;then without shame we can esteem ourselves". Let's say the same about our selves and our city. , Isahe 1 cw,-S44.1-'aiN('1 C tyt.