City Moves to Dissolve Redevelopment Agency, Public Safety Announces Citizen's Academy

5 p.m. Amanda Burke, from Sonoma State, briefs the City Council on a new campaign aimed at bringing awareness to state budget cuts, called "the buck stops here" campaign. Burke announced also that shows are beginning this fall at the Green Music Center.

5:10: Mayor Jake Mackenzie presented Senior Center volunteer Betty Tringali with a proclomation on her service to the city.

5:15: The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety presents a plan to halt identity theft locally — which officials said is on the rise nationwide. The Internet has increased the problem locally, police said.

In Rohnert Park in 2010, police said in 2010, 159 cases were reported and in 2011, 131 cases were reported — roughly 1 out of every 320 residents.

With the economy and the downsizing of the economy, we're only able to investigate a small percentage of cases, said Sgt. Jim Brady. 

"A lot of crime is done over the Internet and electronically," he said. "We're not able to follow up on many cases, leaving victims feeling abandoned and criminals feeling emboldened."

The council asked public safety to bring back tips for citizens on how to prevent identity theft. Brady said the department is working on a program to provide residents of Rohnert Park with information on how to stop the problem and help citizens who've been victimized.

"I deal with this every day, being in financial services," said Councilman Amy Ahanotu, who is the branch manager at Redwood City Credit Union. "It is a big problem."

"It is a scary, scary thing," said Councilman Joe Callinan. 

5:20: Chief Brian Masterson announces a new effort called Citizen's Academy — a 16-week program aimed at teaching regular people about the local police and fire department. 

It covers procedures for investigations, records management, crime scene investigation, 911, animal control, first aid, fire prevention and arrest techniques. 

The Citizen's Academy begins Feb. 27 thorugh June 18, and meets Mondays from 6-9 p.m. To sign up or for more information contact Patty Poon at 707-5842650 or by email at ppoon@rpcity.org.

Masterson said the effort is in line with the department's community policing model, building relationships with residents and local businesses. 

5:25: Masterson also said the department is conducing training on human trafficking awarness and what police should do if they suspect someone is a human trafficking victim.

Each year, 17,000 people are trafficked in the United States, and that number is growing, Masterson added. 

The department has also undertaken a citizen-police tip system, meant for residents to feel comfortable reporting crimes in process or suspicious activity. Citizens can call 707-584-COPS (2677) to report, or email crimetips@rpcity.org. Police stressed not to use the system for emergencies, as messages are only checked once a day.

5:40: City Engineer Patrick Barnes presents a Capital Improvement Plan in replacing the lining of an old sewer pipe. Approved by City Council last July, the city is investigating 35-years-years old sewer pipes that run to the Santa Rosa treatment plant. Currently the city is looking into a portion that's close to Laguna de Santa Rosa. The city put it out to bid, and one came back at under the city's set spending limit of $175,000 — however low bidder did on meet minimum contractor requirements. 

Barnes said the lowest bidder should be rejected due to lack of experience. The pipe is sensitive, being so close to the laguna. He said a second bidder came in but the company quoted the project at more than $175,000.

"I agree, the lowest bidder is not always the best," Callinan said. 

However, Barnes said the city should make the fix now. The company, Superior Gunnite, was rejected for nonresponsiveness, and contract approved unanimously by the council for the next lowest responsive bidder, Insituform Technologies, Inc. The city will pay $182,200 for the project.

6:10: Under dissolution, the city's successor agency to the redevelopment agency is obligated to continue paying bills owed by the city's redevelopment agency.

County auditors and the oversight board in March will oversee a new payment schedule, but the current payment schedule — for debt and bond payments, land lease loans and a loan to the general fund — has to be carried out by the City Council. 

6:50: Ahanotu, who sits on the library board, reported to the council on a recent meeting. Ahanotu said the library has purposed creating a library Facebook page, and closing the library on Wednesdays instead of Mondays.

Stafford reported back about the Senior Citizen's Advisory Committee. The Senior Center has been very busy, she said, and keeping memberships up. The membership is a voluntary payment.

Mackenzie said after the November 2012 election, Rohnert Park and Cotati will be drawn into a new district — district 5, which includes the Napa, stretching east to the Sacramento Valley.

Mackenzie said that Rohnert Park and Cotati are the most westerly cities to be represented in a newly-drawn Congressional District 5, State Senate District three and Assembly District four — likey to be represented in Congress by Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and by officials from Yolo and Sacramento counties.

Stafford said Rohnert Park has seen a lot of Thompson recently.

"We want to be sure that we are known to them," Mackenzie said.

Belforte said she'd like to look into setting up an emergency shelter for when it's rainy or cold, for homeless people or people who have been forced out of their homes due to foreclosures.

6:55: "We literally have people outside on our streets freezing," Belforte said, pointing out that the dissolution of the redevelopment agency will put homeless people and those transitioning out of homelessness out on the streets.

Mackenzie said the city will have to look into life after redevelopment.

Belforte asked if the council could look into getting overhead shelters on city bus stops, to shield them from the weather — which would aid in increasing public transportation ridership.

Mackenzie said the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is in the middle of a transit study in the nine-county Bay Area, and he'll find out more information on Belforte's request.

7:05: meeting adjourns to closed session.