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Willows council approves hiring consultants to pursue special‑tax district to fund police services
Summary
The City of Willows authorized engaging a professional team — Wolf Hansen & Company, Stradling (formation counsel), Web Municipal Finance — and directed staff to pursue an elections consultant to explore forming a Mello‑Roos Community Facilities District to finance police start‑up and ongoing operations, with an eye to a 2027 election date.
The Willows City Council on May 12 authorized the city manager to contract with a professional team to develop a Mello‑Roos Community Facilities District (CFD) aimed at funding startup capital and ongoing operations for a local police department.
Rob Pinkrretz of Wolf Hansen & Company told the council that an ambitious November 2026 timeline was not procedurally feasible because county and state ballot deadlines fall too early; consultants recommended a March or later 2027 election to allow for polling, rate‑and‑method work and community outreach. The consultants also advised hiring an elections consultant to support community engagement and scientific polling.
The consultant team recommended for immediate engagement includes Web Municipal Finance (special tax consultant), Stradling (formation counsel, with Mello‑Roos expertise), and Wolf Hansen & Company (municipal adviser). The motion the council adopted authorized the city manager to execute professional‑services agreements with those firms and to pursue retaining an elections consultant; council voted 5–0 in favor.
Council discussion focused on scope (whether to include fire services in the CFD), temporary versus permanent facilities for any police department, and funding alternatives if a special‑tax measure fails (general obligation bonds, special assessments, certificates of participation). Mayor Evan Hudson and other members urged a long‑term approach rather than a temporary “band‑aid.”
Consultants estimated that the earliest tax revenues would begin to arrive in early 2028 if a March 2027 ballot were successful, after a roughly three‑month period to issue bonds post‑election. The council directed staff to proceed with the recommended contracting and to bring back details on election consultant costs for future approval.
Next steps: staff will negotiate and execute the professional services agreements, begin feasibility work and public outreach, and return to council with refined cost estimates and a recommended election timeline.
