Cotati council narrows vision and sets housing, economic development, infrastructure and community building as top priorities

The Cotati City Council on Jan. 21 convened a special strategic planning session focused on setting vision and priorities to guide the city’s upcoming two-year budget cycle. Consultants from Baker Tilly led the workshop; staff said the session will feed into more detailed project and program discussions at a follow-up meeting in February.

The council and consultants moved toward a single draft vision statement to guide planning: a connected, resilient and inclusive city that honors its past and shapes its vibrant future together. Council members asked that the city return the wording for public review and formal adoption as part of the regular agenda process.

Michelle New, a Baker Tilly consultant, said the meeting was the first step in a multi-stage process: "Tonight, the plan is to discuss vision, mission, and priorities at a very high level. This will be followed by a second strategic planning meeting in February to discuss projects and programs at a more granular level." She and consultant Al Zelinka facilitated exercises intended to align council direction with the staff budget calendar.

During a dot-exercise to prioritize about 14 thematic topics, all four councilmembers placed their top dot on housing, development and neighborhoods. Economic development, infrastructure and community building also ranked highly: economic development received two council dots while infrastructure and community building each received at least one dot.

City Manager Damien (first name used on the record) and department directors outlined the fiscal context council will use to set priorities. Damien said the city is generally in a sound financial position but noted long-term pressures: rising insurance, energy and service costs have pushed expenses faster than revenues and require careful multiyear planning. He and staff stressed the purpose of a two-year budget is to provide multi-year visibility while retaining opportunities to adjust at check-in points.

Public Works Director Greg Scott described infrastructure priorities tied to operations and capital needs, including street maintenance and upgrades to water and sewer systems. Scott said he will prioritize a generator project for lift stations and other capital work that supports reliability.

Council discussion highlighted specific priorities for the coming budget cycle: accelerating housing production and neighborhood integration, supporting small and local businesses downtown and in the industrial area, maintaining and improving streets and utilities, and promoting community engagement through lower-barrier neighborhood events and volunteer toolkits. Council members and staff agreed to fold these priorities into the budget schedule, with staff returning proposed program and project lists for council review.

Key dates presented at the meeting include a follow-up strategic planning meeting on Feb. 18, a general fund study session on April 1, a second budget study session on April 15, and planned final budget adoption on June 10. Consultants said they will deliver a workshop summary report for the Feb. 18 packet, and staff will include the council’s feedback as the budget and project lists are prepared.

No formal votes were held at the Jan. 21 workshop; the session was a direction-setting discussion to guide staff work and the formal budget process.