Unions Pack July 26 City Council Meeting: Live Blog

5:10: City Hall is packed with city hall employees, community members and reps from public employee unions.

5:17: Michael Newell, chairman for the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce, in a quarterly update, reports that the Chamber so far has 66 new members this year.

5:25: Jenny Abramson, coordinator for the  and the county's Continuum of Care, reports the results of this year's homeless count to the City Council.

We're mandated to conduct a 24-hour count every other year, Abramson said. 

"The vast majority of [homeless people] are from our own communities," she added. "It's been slowly increasing in Rohnert Park."

5:35: Pat Barnes, Rohnert Park's assistant city engineer, updated the council on Highway 101 traffic shift, which starts Friday night. Southbound traffic will shift to a new overpass.

5:50: Torri Mayor, a technical services manager with public safety, demonstrates a new 24-hour phone and Internet service run by the Department of Public Safety, where citizens can call or email complaints to any city department through one phone number or online.

Departments working together, such as public safety working with public works, saves the city money, Mayor said.

"There is a significant cost savings for public works, and more customer service ... residents are able to talk to someone 24 hours a day," she said.

So, if a tree's down on Commerce, or the power goes out, residents can call 584-2600 or visit the city online, and complaints are sent to the respective department. The program is dubbed the Citizen Relationship Management System. 

6 p.m. "I'm very excited, this is a great way for departments to work together and it's great for the citizens," councimember Pam Stafford said.

"I think we've come a long way, a month ago we got a ," councilmember Joe Callinan said. "I admire the technology that we have."

Callinan said he liked the idea of residents being able to take a photo of graffiti and send it in to the city, or shoot a photo of lawn on Roberts Lake not getting watered.

Mike Johnson, from COTS, said during the public comments period that he wanted to give more context to Rohnert Park's homelessness numbers.

He said he fears the looming impact of state budget cuts will put families hanging on the edge at risk, increase homelessness going forward.

"The trends are alarming," Johnson said. 

"We'd love to talk to the council about solutions," Johnson said.

6:07: Between 40 and 50 public employees with city unions are present, and a few line up who submitted public speaker cards.

 One city employee, Jim McIntyre, said going into negotiations "we understood the city had a budget deficit of $2.4 million ... but it appears, doing the math, the full rank and file is being asked contribute that full $2.4 million."

"I believe we can all share equally in this problem," McIntyre said.

6:15: Warren Naumann, a city union employee, asked the council to think about the impact of the decisions being made in contract negotiations.

"Our department ... saves real dollars each year … to the tune of $600,000," Naumann said. "We’re asked to give back in the form of wages and benefits, I ask the council to think clearly about the decisions being made and the impacts of those decisions."

What Rohnert Park is being asked to do is double what other cities have asked for, said Paul Carroll, a field representative for the Service Employees International Union. 

Carroll gave the example of Santa Rosa, where unions were asked for a five percent pay cut.

"Rohnert Park came to an agreement of 11 percent, and that didn't pass because of wrinkles," Carroll added. "What we need to do is sit down and talk sanely about the wrinkles. I don't think we're that far away ... but if the city moves to impasse and imposes a contract you're going to forever harm your relationship you have with these employees."

Steve Gossage, with SEIU and who was hired in 1994 by Pete Callinan, said things used to be different in Rohnert Park with union negotiations.

"Rohnert Park had a history of being very pro employee," Gossage said. "[The city] always got a little more out of everyone because they gave a little more."

"Every member of my unit I'm in is willing to give a little more, but we have to get a little more back … you ask we cut our pay and cut our hours ... it’s real difficult to do that," Gossage said.

"We want to do more to help this to make it work, but we need your compassion and help to get it done," he added. "It’s gotta be both groups, it’s not just the bargaining units; we all need to share."

6:45: Mayor Gina Belforte and the council said they wanted to move forward with the . But the policy presented by Sonoma County Waste Management Agency would require an review in cooperation with the California Environmental Quality Act — a process that's known for being expensive and time consuming.

Belforte said she thinks Rohnert Park can reduce or eliminate using single-use carryout bags without the expensive and lengthy CEQA process.

"We find it inefficient and cumbersome at best; I'm not against getting plastic bags out of the environment," Belforte said. 

Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie asked Belforte if she understood the ramifications of voting against the countywide bag ban.

Belforte said she did, that if the city votes against, the ban is halted countywide and cities can choose to implement them on an individual basis.

"Our problem is not with the issue, our problem is with the process," Belforte said.

Councilmember Amy Ahanotu said he needs more information before he decides on the ban.

"I think it's a personal choice," Callinan said. "But I'm OK with bringing it back."

Mackenzie said regarding the ordinance he'd like more information, and that the issue is too important to decide with questions, because it would bring the county's proposed ordinance "to a screeching halt."

"I'm concerned about the cost to the city," Ahanotu said. "How much will this cost?"

7:07 p.m. The council said unanimously they'd like to send the proposed ordinance back to the Waste and Recycling Committee. 

7:17: The council adopted the Wilfred Dowdell Specific Plan Reimbursement Fee, to recover costs of preparation, adoption and administration of the plan, including the CEQA costs.

7:20: Ahanotu reports that  will be instituted Aug.1. Here, it'll be closed Sundays and Mondays.

7:26: Mackenzie and Belforte report on SCAYD and the Sonoma County Water Agency's partnership in a for area youths.

"What's most important is those jobs have given them some direction" Belforte said.

7:35: Council meeting adjourns.