Finley Community Center

2060 W. College Avenue

Santa Rosa, CA 95401

City of Santa Rosa

Open Government Task Force

Implementation Subcommittee

Regular Meeting Minutes - Draft

Monday, August 22, 2022

6:00 PM

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Rogers called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.

2. ROLL CALL

2 - Council Member Natalie Rogers, and Vice Mayor Eddie Alvarez

1 - Council Member Dianna MacDonald

Present

Absent

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

August 23, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes.

Approved as submitted.

Public Comment:

Duane DeWitt made public comment to not approve the minutes and have

them addressed during the next public meeting, as well as to open this

meeting up back to in person at City Hall.

Eric Frasier made public comment that he was unable to see the minutes.

4. PUBLIC COMMENT

Duane DeWitt made public comment that he was dissatisfied with the

decision to approve minutes without the

Eric Frasier made public comment on a Council Meeting that had an

agenda item on Short Term Rentals and expressed his disappointment with

how Open Government is currently operating.

Pat Kuda made public comment to ask for a working plan from this

committee and to ask for a Study Session at City Council for this

committee. Additionally, she requested to address the Implementation

Report based on the Santa Rosa Together analysis.

Gregory Fearon made public comment to thank and welcome the new

committee members.

Chair Rogers moved back to Item 3 for the approval of the minutes.

5. SCHEDULED ITEMS

5.1

PRESENTATION - OPEN GOVERNMENT TASK FORCE

RECOMMENDATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION STATUS

Danielle Garduno, Program Analyst, and Magali Telles, Deputy Director of

Community Engagement, gave a presentation on the Open Government

Task Force Recommendations Implementation Status.

Public Comment:

Pat Kuda made public comment that the report did not reflect the intention

of the recommendations initially made and expressed the need for more

support with city-wide efforts.

Gregory Fearon made public comment that he was dissatisfied with the

progress of the implementation status.

Eric Frasier made public comment that he was dissatisfied with the

progress of the implementation status.

Duane DeWitt made public comment on how processes had been done in

the past to allow for community members to communicate their needs to

elected officials to boost community engagement and encouraged the idea

to allow for more public meetings for community conversations.

Renee Riggs made public comment that she was dissatisfied with the

progress of the implementation status.

Chair Rogers opened the discussion up to clarify some questions, such as

are there restrictions with Council Members having back and forth

conversations with constituents while on the dais. City Attorney Gallagher

stated that there were restrictions within the Brown Act and possibly City

policy, and would look into it and confirm. Vice Mayor Alvarez asked if the

City would be liable for any incidents at a Neighborfest event, to which City

Attorney Gallagher replied the City would not have liability.

Chair Rogers then went into discussion with Danielle Garduno and Magali

Telles on how the Community Advisory Board would like to proceed with

their engagement in the community. Danielle encouraged the Council

Members to reach out to their CAB Members and hear how they feel about

community engagement.

6. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Chair Rogers opened the discussion up to Vice Mayor Alvarez on what he

would like to see for future agenda items.

Public Comment:

Duane DeWitt made public comment for a future agenda item to be the

discussion on holding small community engagement activities being

arranged by the Open Government Task Force Subcommittee. Additionally

that ARPA funds should first go to communities who have historically been

burdened and are at a disadvantage compared to other communities.

Eric Frasier made public comment for a future agenda item to be an effort

for broader and more robust community engagement.

Gregory Fearon made public comment that he was not optimistic with the

future of this task force, to eliminate the civic engagement department, and

redesign CABs purpose.

Chair Rogers suggested inviting the CAB Chair and a few of the CAB

members to the meeting to get their input on how they see the CAB

operating, as well as to have work groups to start taking actions versus

giving presentations for the community.

7. ADJOURNMENT

Chair Rogers adjourned the meeting at 7:36 pm.

The City of Santa Rosa does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admissions or access to, or treatment of or

employment in, its programs or activities. Disability-related aids or services, including printed information in alternate formats, to

enable persons with disabilities to participate in public meetings are available by calling (707) 543-4676 one week prior to the

meeting. (TTY Relay at 711).

Any writings or documents provided to a majority of this meeting body prior to this meeting regarding any item on this agenda

are available for public review in the City Clerk's Office, Room 10, City Hall, 100 Santa Rosa Ave, during normal business

hours.