City Council Looks Forward to 2012

Jake Mackenzie took over as mayor of Rohnert Park Tuesday, taking Gina Belforte's place, and Pam Stafford took the seat of vice mayor.

Looking back at 2011, the City Council touted successes that are sowing the seeds of a what they said will look like a new city five years from now. They championed economic development efforts, drawing new businesses to town, the possibility of a future downtown and alternative energy efforts.

In the beginning of the year, the city changed the way it charges for sewer capacity charges — a fee every new development pays for upkeep of the city's sewer lines and infrastructure. Now, businesses have the option of paying over time. took was the first new businesses to take the city up on the deal, which the owner said allowed him to open.

While the city grapples with a and unemployment hovering around 9 percent locally, there's a new 24-Hour Fitness coming, set to open in early 2012, is in the middle of construction, there's talk amongst city planners about filling the and , and a couple new restaurants coming in.

And, Rohnert Park is on the forefront of innovation in the North Bay, with , solar energy businesses and Sonoma State Univeristy in our back yard, councilmembers said.

What makes the future look bright is the possibility of near Rohnert Park Expressway and State Farm Drive, where the future SMART station is now planned and where the city has a focus of developing the area with "smart growth" as a cornerstone — incorporating housing and a mix of retail businesses near transit hubs.

The city also this year made more complete its network of , and the public works department is busy making sidewalks safer for pedestrians.

City Manager Gabe Gonzalez Tuesday night championed efforts that push the city forward technologically — with the development of "" and a , residents can reach staff anytime with complaints, problems, useful information, suggestions or comments. Go here to check out Reach Rohnert Park.

Looking Back on 2011, and Forward to 2012: What the City Council had to say:

"When I first became mayor at the beginning of the year, we faced somewhat insurmountable issues," Belforte said. "We were in a fiscal emergency."

Belforte said the city faced a $2.5 million budget deficit, and was losing $10,000 a day from the , because of Measure L, she said. and benefits took up roughly 65 percent of the city's General Fund, city's roads , State Farm , unemployment was higher than 11 percent and Gov. Jerry Brown proposed statewide.

"We could either sink, or we could swim," Belforte said.

In the past year, she said, the city's deficit is lower than $500,000, sewer rates were increased to what Belforte said was a fair cost, public employee unions took salary reductions, public works got grant monies to fix the streets in the most need and DC Power and Innovative Molding openend up shop here.

The council also celebrated the success of the first year of and the ongoing popularity of the .

Belforte said what the city has accomplished in the "greatest recession since the Great Deparession, it is almost overwhelming."

She thanked residents, staff and public employee unions for the effort, and added that Rohnert Park is playing a significant role in shaping Sonoma County's economic recovery.

"We have the ability to be a more significant leader in Sonoma County," she said. "We are the city that values economic development and environmental-friendly policies."

Incoming Vice Mayor Pam Stafford said that "our city's looking better than ever."

She attributed that in part to Measure E, the voter-approved half-cent, five-year sales tax increase. Also, she said, what she heard frequently was that it was nice seeing a City Council that worked well together.

Councilman Amy Ahanotu said more work needs to be done.

"It is not going to be easy," he said. "Difficult decisions were made this year, and I am sure more difficult decisions will have to be made next year."

Ahanotu thanked unions that gave back in salary and benefits.

He added that Rohnert Park has a vibrant business community, and others are taking note of the city's "business-friendly" attitude.

Councilman Joe Callinan said the city's biggest accomplishments include shrinking the budget deficit and hiring Gonzalez as city manager.

"When I got elected here, we had a deficit of close to $8 million," he said. "That was three years ago, and to sit here right now, knowing that we came within a couple hundred thousand dollars of balancing the budget is just unbelieveable."

Looking to 2012, the City Council said there's movement in the business community, showing interest in moving in to the former 33-acre State Farm property. They also said they're looking forward to the city's 50th anniversary celebration, coming up in September 2012. And they agreed that they have to work on taking care of .

"Right now, we owe a lot of money that we don't have," Callinan said. "We for the first time, have addressed unfunded liabilities. We're starting to take that on."

Incoming mayor Mackenzie added, that last year there were systemic problems, including sewer operating costs, salaries and benefits not being sustainable, implementation of the city's General Plan.

Mackenzie said it was a major step to undo the damage of Measure L.

He made a large point of strengthening the city's relationship with Sonoma State in the coming year.