[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6574275,"mediaKeyId","3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4","parentId",3091042,"title","Cotati council approves consent calendar; mayor recuses from one item","audioSeconds",39,"startMs",2186000,"endMs",2225000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4&start=2186&end=2225","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4/thumbnail_2186000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6574275/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-council-approves-consent-calendar-mayor-recuses-from-one-item","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574275-be0be3f9f6a8882857c0fe0e9f9ac035/orig.mp4?Expires=1776572958&Signature=CtyUS0akPqjndWzmkhSkJ96G-hgfiqwJqLOo7118VVywJze8lrckGxzgNrTAoEdegcOEtVRCVl4Ym6z3JtA7Km0-HaIkkxrwAmjN2GdzerNhjbW7UCclweTG0QYcxsnI34eW5VAnduZDvqbbETv6et4-YfTmC6HO2GiAQ8GqwuN-2nKIITtKgRND~PflnTQjQMahMWh5SziI~Kkjo4ZvWgiLBPQRT8Vx5pSk8fxObhXxPyAuyeL-zsnkbNPmfqLKpnkV2G2HJBm5389Bf1G6t7E7FtKi~gHvdDZYezGnrHyhvcj1bvgO8yJSsuD0HbFjJ9SakTyBodo7dAuk9Zgqag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cotati, CA","date","2025-04-23T03:25:45.97Z","article","The Cotati City Council approved three consent calendar items and handled a fourth with a mayoral recusal.

Council voted 5-0 to approve items A, B and C. Mayor Ford announced he would recuse himself from item D; Vice Mayor Lemus chaired the vote on that item and the council approved the recommended action on item D. The record shows the mayor recused himself from the item and the vice mayor noted the recusal when calling for the vote.

There was public comment during the general citizen-business period before the consent vote. Several residents urged more detailed minutes and raised concerns about selective code enforcement, enforcement processes, and use of city funds for enforcement. The council noted that meetings are recorded and that the city currently uses action minutes, which record decisions and votes rather than full verbatim commentary.

No additional staff actions or follow-up were specified on the consent items at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","April 22, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The council approved consent calendar items A, B and C and, after recusal by Mayor Ford, the vice mayor chaired a vote on item D, which passed.","taxTitle","Cotati City, Sonoma County, California","taxId",72376,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6574280,"Cotati council authorizes mayor to transmit three letters on pending state housing and homelessness bills",284,5173000,5457000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4&start=5173&end=5457","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4/thumbnail_5173000.jpg","/articles/6574280/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-council-authorizes-mayor-to-transmit-three-letters-on-pending-state-housing-and-homelessness-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574280-eb9a788f1bd4294d8ef6c3b5fe9d9c01/orig.mp4?Expires=1776572958&Signature=DsGyiZguNxtoRwwubJvN~TcjsgaVXLpQCkv~EXGUsELYf1sNn85gO1heXMdbLHtmmvltZ4qYlbZh9KsHwTm4m4LAKJA2qPwW0L1RUH7975GjKtW8w7NRyqMtvUR6Wfvlup8Y~fvrSA2-j8Wh7ED-bbtkUJKRnOusFqQJ9X0K9I2f9QP55Yk9cWhEv1da7v45JnrrahaYcvSUssUG7We3vawKTmD2z~Fit1zg3Xx5rKo6Tt77WDPeWuYd2VlUOb8raHU3ujVlDBWctu~zoqHMURnGWcZTnkjTB-bC92Gs4W0bHEeQy-azWjfV7WPGrad5By-VQbksscsdYYMRgMe6aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cotati City Council authorized the mayor to sign and transmit three advocacy letters on pending state legislation: opposition to Senate Bill 634 and Assembly Bill 647, and support for Assembly Bill 650.

City staff summarized the bills. AB 650 would provide additional time and clearer written feedback from the California Department of Housing and Community Development on local housing elements. SB 634 was described in the staff report as proposing changes that could curtail local enforcement options regarding homelessness; the staff memo said cities and Cal Cities urged caution and asked member cities to oppose it. AB 647 would allow denser development on single-family parcels — up to eight units per lot with ADUs — and the League requested opposition.

There was no public comment on the item. Council moved and seconded a motion authorizing the mayor to sign the three attached letters; the motion passed 5-0.","The council voted to authorize the mayor to sign three letters requested by the League of California Cities: oppose SB 634 and AB 647 and support AB 650.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6574285,"Cotati selects mental health and education among priorities to present to county mayors group",2007,3196000,5203000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4&start=3196&end=5203","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4/thumbnail_3196000.jpg","/articles/6574285/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-selects-mental-health-and-education-among-priorities-to-present-to-county-mayors-group","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574285-efb508a1cc104ef2c4f06053c73b03d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776572958&Signature=IXO3DoOi8M2AFlam5w17Sipw1u7Ow5raRvViKINyghfhEFzIhkTmEcNHHGiUy-FL-3xVogUVdVftf-rOWe-ExSTXCiSOwDkbvD5Siuc6RS6-vKywnRdVumlJ5oX1rJ~X4UMODx03UthhOeWSyeZW2UQhigPOKlc8fMo2JmvdQOuLam8Te4pVRZva-0j5juoS1sJ0CcZdDa0igUvlkotyvgyoKrzBpbs~EQQqGjqVwzTYVKLHuc9sN7GzCFxTfZMWompSCAIkjjUUujZMC6enN~HTbkykPk7bcmc-b3pjjXaoxxeFPjVYv53PhtWLDpXvGWhwkZJ~n9aPsuLkPFUn6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cotati City Council approved a list of topics to present at the Sonoma County Mayors and Council Members Association meeting, prioritizing mental health services and countywide education.

City staff presented three candidate regional priorities in the staff report — education in Sonoma County, homelessness services and housing supply — and council members and staff added other possibilities including the library joint-powers agreement review, transportation coordination, and “mobilizing residents” for volunteer and community programs. Council members discussed which issues a unified city voice could most effectively influence.

After discussion Councilmember Harvey and others argued that education funding disparities across school districts are primarily a state issue but that cities can play an advocacy role. Council members also said mental health services — especially treatment and residential beds — intersect with local homelessness response and warrant regional coordination.

Mayor Ford moved to give the city’s representative to the mayors association a package of priorities with a focus on mental health services and education in Sonoma County and a secondary list including the library JPA review, mobilizing residents, housing supply and homelessness services. The motion passed unanimously.","The council identified mental health services and countywide education as priority topics to bring to the Sonoma County Mayors and Council Members Association; council directed its delegate to present those topics and a list of other candidate topics.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6574289,"Cotati City Council unanimously adopts revisions to council rules of conduct",932,2252000,3184000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4&start=2252&end=3184","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3091042-d52b770b74f085905825f948dd7d40c4/thumbnail_2252000.jpg","/articles/6574289/Cotati-City/Sonoma-County/California/Cotati-City-Council-unanimously-adopts-revisions-to-council-rules-of-conduct","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6574289-e826acf82926d09f32fe199bb9677a36/orig.mp4?Expires=1776572958&Signature=QOfBzYs7tA-LUJgy9ih-aHm6Rk3NLV0gPl0Zg26zv6FU5dO3D4GsZ6iIiL3aRT8QGjUOQ~BL6LuhCq4m5-A56bkcdXaQ0LGSMIbMIoDjI9FKH2C4i0olF0Bo1iB1KO7wgQ-U~MjMuHsrgfiRSa3QTziRMfvjaW5o8ZNUmFnbIF-3WV889mrOf6LTSw68HF9i1-XJ99B26MrUOe09UHjD7xnT-E7Aujfk6GemFhhw-ASFfaBpV~KoxARv7txcOyxEN4lGLbz28SHySQTHGS4xZZPX7hOK0U9bn1g~sHDrMWoOF5hOJGaHOiSP97aoYreY6jqJAvaQfZFy2Sga7gyegg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cotati City Council on a unanimous vote adopted revisions to its rules of conduct that move public comment on non-action agenda items to the start of meetings and clarify when the council will open non-action items for public comment.

City staff told the council the changes, first discussed at the April 8 meeting, are intended to allow members of the public to comment on non-action items earlier in the meeting rather than waiting until later. The staff report also said the final-agenda review item would be renamed “agenda review” and no longer be an action item in most cases.

Proponents said the change lets citizens speak on items before council discussion. During deliberations, Council Member Sparks said the updates respond to requests from residents and are meant to be responsive. Council Member Harvey asked for clarification on a line that said “repetitious or dilatory comments may be ruled out of order by the presiding officer.” After discussion, the council removed the single word “repetitious” so the rule continued to allow the presiding officer to rule out only unduly long comments or disruption.

Members of the public spoke at length before the vote. Resident George Barich and longtime commenter Laurie Alderman urged more detailed minutes and better adherence to Brown Act rules; both also criticized the previous meeting’s treatment of public comment. The council and staff responded that meetings are recorded and that the city’s minutes are currently action minutes that record decisions and votes.

Council Member Sparks moved to adopt a resolution approving the revisions; the motion carried unanimously.","The Cotati City Council approved changes to its meeting rules to move public comment on non-action items earlier in meetings and clarify when non-action items will be opened for public comment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Cotati council approves consent calendar; mayor recuses from one item

Cotati council authorizes mayor to transmit three letters on pending state housing and homelessness bills

Cotati selects mental health and education among priorities to present to county mayors group

Cotati City Council unanimously adopts revisions to council rules of conduct