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Property owner says many residents did not receive storm‑drain ballots; asks council for reconciliation
Summary
During public comment, property owner Henry Giovinetti told the council that multiple property owners did not receive mailed ballots for the storm‑drain fee, reported vendor and postal problems, and asked how returned ballots will be reconciled to prevent improper voting.
Rio Vista — Henry Giovinetti, a Rio Vista property owner, told the council on July 9 he believes the mailings for the city's storm‑drain fee ballots were flawed and that many owners inside the city limits did not receive ballots for all parcels they own.
"I present this evening my concern regarding what appears to be a flawed balloting process that may result in many Rio Vista property owners within city limits to not obtain a ballot," Giovinetti said during public comment, describing a pattern affecting owners who purchased properties late in the prior year and rental properties.
Giovinetti said he received two of five expected ballots at his primary address, contacted the vendor (identified in the transcript as "Neste, Brooden and Stone"/NBS), and learned the vendor had identified a root cause and said replacement ballots would be sent. He also said the post office had returned a stack of undeliverable mail that is now in the city manager's office and asked the council what controls and reconciliations are in place to prevent ballots from being cast by unintended recipients.
City response and status: City staff acknowledged the returned mail and said they were working with the vendor; the vendor reportedly identified a cause and prepared to send missing ballots, but Giovinetti and other commenters said they remain concerned about the potential for eligible property owners to be disenfranchised. The council did not take formal action on the balloting procedures at the July 9 meeting and Giovinetti said he would take council comments offline.
Why it matters: If ballots are not delivered to eligible property owners or are consolidated without clear rules, affected property owners can lose the opportunity to participate in a mail‑ballot proceeding. Giovinetti raised particular concern about consolidated ballots for multiple parcels and whether city‑owned parcels were treated differently from small private owners.
Next steps: Giovinetti said he had briefed City Manager Miller on July 1; city staff said they would reconcile returned mail and work with the vendor. Council did not vote on the matter at the meeting; staff follow-up was requested by the commenter.
