Petaluma Tomorrow

Open Government • Responsible Development • Watershed Protection

News and Updates

SMART Community Workshop

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SONOMA-MARIN AREA RAIL TRANSIT DISTRICT – COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District is holding another community workshop to receive public input on the design of the Downtown and Corona Road stations. SMART staff and design consultants will present information about the progress of the project in general and, more specifically, the design of the two stations and related components. The workshop will be at the Petaluma Community Center and will occur on Wednesday, February 23, 2011, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

(From the City of Petaluma Website)

PT Special Notice: Dutra and BoS Brown Act Violations

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Press Release Regarding Dutra Asphalt Plant

SONOMA COUNTY COUNCIL DENIES CLAIMS OF BROWN ACT VIOLATIONS BY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, DECEMBER 14, 2010 IN AGENDIZING AND APPROVING THE DUTRA HAYSTACK LANDING ASPHALT PLANT, PETALUMA AND REFUSES TO PROVIDE ANY ‘CURE AND CORRECT’ AS REQUIRED BY THE BROWN ACT.

Last Wednesday (February 2), the Sonoma County Deputy County Counsel, Jeffrey Brax, sent a letter (attached, “SCAN2976”) describing a decision made in closed session yesterday, Feb. 1, by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.  The letter denies claims made by the City of Petaluma, Petaluma River Council, Friends of Shollenberger Park, Moms for Clean Air, Petaluma Tomorrow and a group of individuals, that the County Board of Supervisors committed any violation of the Brown Act, California’s Open Meeting Law on December 14, 2010.

We find it both frustrating and very saddening that our new Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, with the misguided advice of County Counsel, has decided on a very narrow and cramped reading of both the letter and spirit of the law of the Brown Act and case law cited.

We strongly support the concepts and effective engagement of the public by and with our government, as described in the Brown Act’s preamble:
“The people do not yield their sovereignty to the bodies that serve them, and insist on remaining informed to retain control over the legislative bodies they have created.”

While we do not have access to the actual thoughts and considerations of the five supervisors, we had hoped that the new supervisors would have taken a significantly different view of effective and meaningful public engagement than had been demonstrated over the past four years by the previous supervisors.  We had hoped that they would have granted the public a new public hearing and the opportunity to comment on hundreds of new pages of documents, including a purported “new Final EIR” provided at the last minute prior to approving the contentious Dutra.Asphalt Plant project on Dec. 14, 2010.

We are weighing our options, and will decide what is best for the community and the environment in the near future.

For additional background information review the press release issued December 14, 2010: Dutra’s Double Document Dump; County Counsel’s Double Cross.

More supporting documentation:
Letter from County Counsel, demanding cure of Dutra violations
Exhibit A (Mitigated Impacts) to Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations
Exhibit B (SU Impacts) to Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations
Exhibit C (SOC) to Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations
Exhibit D (Alternatives) to Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations
Exhibit E (Conditions of Approval) to Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations
Resolution Certifying the Final EIR for the Revised Dutra Haystack Landing Facility
Resolution Making and Adopting a Statement of Overriding Considerations

PT Update: January 21

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City Council Meeting – Monday, 7:00 P.M. January 24

A key item of interest at this meeting will be City Council Liaison Appointments. At the January 3rd meeting Mayor Glass presented a win/win recommendation for appointments. The gang of three – Healy, Albertson and Harris blocked movement on the recommendation because Harris did not get appointed to the SCTA. Of particular note was Albertson’s vote against the recommendation despite having received all of his individual appointment requests. This behavior clearly signaled that H/A/H are going to be uncompromising – our own local party of no. They have an opportunity this meeting to show us differently when the appointments are discussed again at this meeting. The full agenda can be viewed via the City’s website and Granicus. Look at item 4, Unfinished business.

Please welcome Jaimey Walking Bear to the Board of Petaluma Tomorrow. Jaimey brings a history of community service and political activism to the Board as well as needed skills in social media. Jaimey has been instrumental in updating and revamping the Petaluma Tomorrow website.

Thank you to Board member Bill Phillips for Chairing the campaign to defeat Measure U. Bill Chaired Petalumans for Clean Water and Fiscal Responsibility’s efforts which led the successful opposition to the irresponsible efforts of Bryant Moynihan to pass Measure U in 2010, and led the PCWFR door hanger campaign that helped defeat Measure K in 2008. Bill’s efforts help the city avoid the inevitable bankruptcy of the city had either of the measures passed.

Petaluma Tomorrow a Plaintiff in Suit to Stop the Dutra Asphalt Plant

Petaluma Tomorrow joined with the City of Petaluma and several community groups including the Petaluma River Council, Friends of Shollenberger Park, Madrone Audubon Society and Moms for Clean Air and individuals in the suit to stop the building of the Dutra Asphalt Plant. The plant was approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The decision to become a plaintiff was a logical next step in PT’s active opposition to the plant over the past several years. PT funded 70% of a full page add in the Argus opposing the plant and has contributed additional monies and participated in strategy meetings since 2009. Our activity and participation in the suit is in keeping with a key objective for 2011 and with protection of a sustainable watershed as part of our mission. The law suit was accompanied by a letter demanding a cure to several breaches of the Brown Act regarding the plant. It points out how the BOS operated with little regard for the basic fundamentals of open government.

Click the images below to download the letter to the BOS and the full text of the law suit:

Petaluma Tomorrow 2011

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Thank you Mayor Torliatt for your service to our community. We look forward to your continued involvement.

Congratulations to Petaluma Tomorrow endorsed candidates David Glass for Mayor and Teresa Barrett for City Council for their successful election.

Petaluma Tomorrow Initiatives for 2011-2012

The board has identified several key initiatives for the next two years.  These include:

  • Amending the City Charter to fill open council seats with the next highest vote getter.  Three times in the last ten years voters have lost out to a less than transparent process of selecting members to fill open seats.   It is time to change the system to honor the wishes of the voters.
  • Strengthening the city’s campaign finance ordinance.  Recent flagrant violations by former Council member Rabbitt as well as a series of violations by other candidates make clear the need to strengthen the ordinance.
  • Stopping the Dutra Asphalt Plant.  Petaluma Tomorrow has been active in its opposition to the Dutra plant approved by the Board of Supervisors.  It will remain active with other community organizations in what will be a successful legal challenge to the county.
  • Initiating a Board of Supervisors Watch.  The approval of the Dutra plant highlights the need to keep the public informed on the activities of the BoS, particularly with the addition of David Rabbitt.  We will be instituting a “watch” with reports similar to Council Watch.

The outcome of our local and countywide election combined with the signals sent by developer funded members of council – the Healy/Albertson/Harris Cabal – make these initiatives all the more important.  Please contact us if you are willing to help!

Process over People – The Healy/Albertson/Harris Cabal wants to ignore the voters.

Anyone present or watching the January 3 council meeting learned that H/A/H have no respect for the voters of Petaluma.  H/A/H voted against a simple and elegant solution to the open seat – appointing the next highest vote getter, Jason Davies.  Healy and Harris who have been critics of “process” when it worked against their developer interests want process over people if it means appointing someone who is unlikely support, lock step, their agenda for the council.  For a great summary see PT Board member Andrew Packard’s LTE in the Argus.

Take the Survey regarding the open Council seat

The current Petaluma 360 online poll concerns appointing a member to the open Council seat based on the “next highest vote getter.”  Take the survey and let the community know that voters count.

Petulance over Progress – H/A/H Set a Negative Tone for Council

On the first issue of significance to come before the council on January 3 Healy/Albertson/Harris voted against the recommendations of Mayor David Glass for liaison appointments to the city and county commissions/committees.  Glass, with the cooperation of Council Barrett who put aside her preferences, was able to maximize the preferences of other council members.  The recommendation provided Albertson with 100% of his requests and met most of the competing requests of others.  Despite maximizing the requests of all, Council Member Harris stopped progress when he did not get one of his requested appointments – to the SCTA.  Healy and Albertson (despite getting everything he asked for) joined Harris in voting against the recommendations and made clear that they are unwilling to compromise.  This vote set the tone for their discussion of filling the vacant council seat.  Don’t look for compromise from our local party of no.

The next Council Watch report will provide a full description of the activities of the Council at the January 3 meeting.