City Hall, Council Chamber  
100 Santa Rosa Avenue  
Santa Rosa, CA 95404  
City of Santa Rosa  
City Council  
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, May 7, 2025  
9:00 AM  
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
Mayor Stapp called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m.  
6 -  
Present:  
Mayor Mark Stapp, Council Member Caroline Bañuelos, Council  
Member Victoria Fleming, Council Member Dianna MacDonald,  
Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, and Council Member Natalie Rogers  
1 - Vice Mayor Eddie Alvarez  
Absent:  
2. REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED)  
Council Member Okrepkie announced the need to participate  
remotely under the just cause provisions of AB 2449 of the Brown  
Act due to a contagious illness and affirmed that there was no one  
18 years of age or older present in the room at the remote location.  
Council Member MacDonald announced recusal from the Recreation and Parks  
proposed budget presentation due to a personal relationship.  
Council Member Rogers announced recusal from the Seasons of Sharing  
portion of the Homeless Services additional budget reduction considerations  
due to conflict of interest based on serving as a board member of Community  
Action Network (C.A.N.), which runs the Seasons of Sharing program.  
3. STUDY SESSION (CONTINUED FROM THE MAY 6, 2025, REGULAR MEETING)  
3.1  
REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2025-26 OPERATIONS AND  
MAINTENANCE BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM  
BUDGET  
It is recommended by the City Manager and Finance Department that  
the City Council hold a Study Session intended to provide City Council  
the opportunity to receive information and ask questions related to the  
City’s overall financial stability and the proposed Fiscal Year (FY)  
2025-26 Operations and Maintenance Budget and the Capital  
Improvement Program budget. This item is provided for Council’s  
information, and no action is required.  
Day 1, May 6:  
City Attorney  
City Council  
City Manager  
Communications and Intergovernmental Relations  
Human Resources  
Finance  
Non-Departmental  
Information Technology  
Housing and Community Services  
Fire Department  
Police Department  
Day 2, May 7:  
Planning and Economic Development  
Recreation and Parks  
Transportation and Public Works  
Santa Rosa Water  
Capital Improvement Program  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Presentation Full (Uploaded 05-01-2025)  
Presentation Day 1 (Uploaded 05-01-2025)  
Presentation Day 2 (Uploaded 05-01-2025)  
Late Correspondence (Uploaded 05-06-2025)  
Presentation Day 2 - Morning (Uploaded 05-08-2025)  
Presentation Day 2 - Afternoon (Uploaded 05-08-2025)  
Late Correspondence (Uploaded 05-08-2025)  
Scott Westrope, Fire Chief, and Sarah Roberts, Administrative  
Analyst, presented and answered questions from Council regarding  
the Fire Department FY 2025-26 budget, operational highlights and  
answered questions from Council.  
John Cregan, Police Chief, and Pam Lorence, Administrative  
Services Officer, presented and answered questions from Council  
regarding the Police Department FY 2025-26 budget, operational  
highlights and answered questions from Council.  
Gabe Osburn, Director - Planning and Economic Development, and  
Serena Lienau, Administrative Services Officer, presented and  
answered questions from Council regarding the Planning and  
Economic Department FY 2025-26 budget, operational highlights  
and answered questions from Council.  
Council Member MacDonald left the dais at 11:14 a.m.  
Donte Watson, Director of Recreation and Parks, and Jacqui  
Haman, Administrative Services Officer, presented and answered  
questions from Council regarding the Recreation and Parks  
Department FY 2025-26 budget, operational highlights and  
answered questions from Council.  
Council Member MacDonald returned at approximately 11:35  
a.m.  
Dan Hennessey, Director of Transportation and Public Works,  
presented and answered questions from Council regarding the  
Transportation and Public Works FY 2025-26 budget, operational  
highlights and answered questions from Council.  
Jennifer Burke, Director of Santa Rosa Water, and Nick Harvey,  
Deputy Director of Administration, presented and answered  
questions from Council regarding the Santa Ros Waters FY  
2025-26 budget, operational highlights and answered questions  
from Council.  
Dan Hennessey, Director of Transportation and Public Works,  
presented and answered questions from Council regarding the  
Capital Improvement Program for FY 2025-26 budget, operational  
highlights and answered questions from Council.  
Veronica Conner, Budget and Financial Analyst, presented  
additional slides based on the discussion had at the Day 1 portion of  
the study session.  
Mayor Stapp recessed the meeting at 12:54 p.m. and  
reconvened at 1:21 p.m. All Council Members were present,  
including Council Member Alvarez, who joined the meeting at  
1:21 p.m.  
PUBLIC COMMENT:  
Matt Tognozzi spoke in opposition of closing a truck company and  
proposed budget reductions.  
Matt Finnegan spoke on union, employee participation and the City  
process, and in opposition to the personnel cuts from Teamsters  
and the proposed budget reductions.  
Sam Hoel spoke in opposition to cutting staffing levels in the Fire  
Department and the proposed budget reductions.  
Carl Carr spoke in opposition to the proposed budget cuts.  
Stephan Dalporto spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions.  
Matt North, Santa Rosa Police Department Lieutenant, spoke in  
opposition to the proposed budget reductions and the risk of liability  
of eliminating the Police Lieutenant position.  
A.J. Trombetta, Railroad Square property owner, spoke in support  
of economic development and public safety, and that public safety  
must be adequately staffed.  
Melissa Stewart spoke in support of funding the school resource  
officers back in Santa Rosa City Schools and retain youth programs.  
Iris Harrell spoke in opposition to the proposed budget reductions to  
the Fire department.  
Christopher Mahurin spoke in opposition to the lieutenant position in  
the Santa Rosa Police Department.  
Janice Karrman spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions in the Fire Department and dissatisfaction with the Police  
and Planning and Economic Development departments.  
Patricia Seffens spoke in opposition of the proposed budget  
reductions in the Santa Rosa Police Department, in particular the  
Police Lieutenant position.  
Christel Antone spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions to the Fire Department.  
Michelle Rebow spoke in support of funding the school resource  
officers in Santa Rosa City schools.  
Sam Crenshaw, Local 1401, spoke in opposition to the proposed  
budget reductions in the Fire Department, in particular the impacts  
of Brown-Outs.  
Heather Chagnon Gruenbaum, Montgomery Education Foundation,  
spoke in support of funding the school resource officers in Santa  
Rosa City schools.  
Jessie Taintor, SRFD, spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions to the Fire department, in particular to the proposed  
Brown-Outs.  
David Benjamin Gruenbaum spoke in support of funding the school  
resource officers in Santa Rosa City schools.  
James Geissinger spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions in the Fire department.  
Renee Rosetti, YWCA, spoke in opposition to the elimination of the  
YWCA safe house funding.  
Joel Stras spoke in opposition of the proposed closure of Ridgway  
Swim Center.  
Jeff Bittner, Teamsters, spoke on the recent loss of critical  
employees to Sonoma Water due to better wages outside of Santa  
Rosa, spoke in support of paying attention the Treatment plant.  
Juan Torres, Sonoma C.A.N., spoke in opposition to the proposed  
cut of funds to the Season of Sharing program within the Housing  
and Community Services budget.  
Jackie Jorgensen spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions to the Fire Department.  
Patrick McDonell spoke in opposition of the proposed budget  
reductions to the funds to Legal Aid.  
Brenda Harrington spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reduction of a Lieutenant from the Santa Rosa Police department.  
Doug Lyons spoke in opposition to the proposed budget reductions  
in the Fire department.  
Sergeant White spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reduction of a Lieutenant from the Santa Rosa Police department.  
John Holt spoke in opposition to the proposed budget reductions in  
the Fire department, in particular the impacts of Brown-Outs.  
John Fisher spoke in opposition to the proposed budget reduction  
in the Santa Rosa Police department.  
Michael Hilber spoke in support of budget reductions and righting  
the budget.  
Garrison Swartz spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions in the Santa Rosa Police department.  
Ana Diaz spoke in opposition to budget reductions in public safety  
and support funding school resource officers.  
Cassidy Anderson spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions in Code Enforcement.  
Jennielynn Holmes, Catholic Charities, acknowledged the need for  
budget cuts, and asked for alternative considerations for key  
homelessness programs like the drop-in center and HOST.  
Summer Gloeckner spoke in opposition to the proposed budget  
reductions in Santa Rosa Police department.  
Margaret Stone spoke in support of keeping the fire station open in  
Oakmont, and suggested the start of enterprise fundings for  
building, Planning increase, or a General Plan surcharge.  
Brian Fix, SRPOA, spoke in opposition to the proposed to the  
sexual assault unit.  
Chandler Jordana, Secure Families Collaborative, spoke in  
opposition to the proposed budget reductions.  
Brittany Ernst spoke in opposition to proposed budget reductions in  
the Fire Department.  
Thea King, Sonoma C.A.N. spoke in opposition to the proposed  
budget reductions to the Season of Sharing program.  
Submitted speaker card, but not present during the time of public  
comment:  
Sara Roberts (no summary sentence or indication of  
support/opposition to the item, only noted "Union Process").  
Kelly Cresta (no summary sentence or indication of  
support/opposition to the item).  
Jenna Cresta indicated opposition to Item 3.1.  
Staff answered questions from Council.  
Council provided direction to staff.  
7 -  
Present:  
Mayor Mark Stapp, Vice Mayor Eddie Alvarez, Council Member  
Caroline Bañuelos, Council Member Victoria Fleming, Council  
Member Dianna MacDonald, Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, and  
Council Member Natalie Rogers  
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE TAKEN ON THIS ITEM ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 7,  
2025, AFTER ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE MADE THEIR PRESENTATIONS.  
4. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING  
Mayor Stapp adjourned the meeting at 5:23 p.m.  
Approved on: June 3, 2025  
/s/Dina Manis, City Clerk