Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council Meeting
Date: April 10, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
West County Services Center
16390 Main Street
Guerneville
Attend virtually: Zoom link
Registration Required: No
Attachments:
1. Call to Order
A. Announcement from Spanish Interpreter: The Spanish language interpreter will provide information about how to access the interpretation channel via Zoom or obtain a headset if attending in-person.
B. Roll Call
2. Approval of the Agenda
This approval process ensures that the agenda accurately reflects the items to be discussed and decided upon. Members may request adjustments to the agenda, including reordering or deletion of items at this time. Any changes must comply with the Brown Act requirements for public notice and agenda setting. The agenda must be finalized before the Council proceeds with other meeting items.
3. Statement of Conflict of Interest
This is the time for the Chair, Vice Chair and Council Members to indicate any statements of conflict of interest for any item listed on this agenda. The River MAC bylaws state that members will not involve themselves in official River MAC activities that could materially benefit them personally, their business interests, or the interests of organizations that they represent. In a conflict of interest, the member will abstain from voting, and the abstention will be recorded in the minutes.
4. Councilmember Comment
This is an opportunity for Councilmembers to provide brief comments, restricted to matters within the Board’s jurisdiction. Due to Brown Act regulations, this is not a time for discussion of any item, however a brief dialogue about considering an item for a future agenda is permitted during this time.
5. Public Comment on Matters not listed on the Agenda
Comments are restricted to matters within the Lower Russian River MAC’s jurisdiction. Please be brief and limit spoken comments to two minutes. While Councilmembers may not respond to or discuss comments except to express interest in agendizing the topic for a future meeting, staff can briefly address or follow up after the meeting.
6. County Update
Updates from Supervisor Hopkins and / or Staff
7. Sonoma County’s Legislative Affairs: Advocacy at the State and Federal Levels
Will Tesconi, Strategic Initiatives (Analyst): Legislative Affairs for the County of Sonoma, will provide an introduction to how Sonoma County engages in legislative advocacy at the state and federal levels. The discussion will cover the county’s role in shaping policy, working with legislators, and advancing local priorities through advocacy efforts. This session will help participants better understand the legislative process and how they can stay informed and effectively engage with their state and federal representatives. AB 239, which would allow remote participation for appointed members on non-decision-making legislative bodies if passed, will be covered.
8. Discussion on Takeaways from the All-MAC Convening
At the All-MAC Convening, held Saturday February 22, members of MACs and Community Advisory Councils from across Sonoma County gathered to share insights, discuss best practices, and explore ways to strengthen governance in unincorporated areas. This agenda item provides an opportunity for Lower Russian River MAC members to reflect on key takeaways from the convening, including discussions on MAC operations, public engagement strategies, and district formation advisory services.
Lower Russian River MAC members emphasized community outreach challenges in geographically dispersed areas and the importance of collaborating with emergency services due to recurring flood risks. Overall, attendees agreed on updating and expanding the Best Practices Manual to include region-specific needs, more user-friendly onboarding tools, standardized templates, and ongoing mentorship programs. We will review highlights from the event, exchange perspectives on how the insights gained may apply to our MAC, and consider potential next steps for enhancing our work in the Lower Russian River community. Members are encouraged to share their experiences and thoughts on actionable ideas that emerged from the convening.
9. Consent Agenda
These items are expected to be routine and non-controversial. The Lower Russian River MAC will act upon them at one time without discussion. Any Representatives, staff member or interested party may request that an item be removed from the consent agenda for discussion.
A. March 13 Minutes
10. Adjournment
Open Meetings: Except as expressly authorized under the Ralph M. Brown Act (the State’s local agency open meeting law), all meetings of the River Municipal Advisory Council are open to attendance by interested members of the public.
Agenda Comments: The Chair will invite public comment for agenda items as they are taken up by the Committee. If you wish to speak, you may do so upon receiving recognition by the Chair. Please state your name and limit your comments to the agenda item under discussion. Speakers are limited to three minutes each; available time for comments is determined by the Committee Chair based on agenda scheduling demand and total number of speakers.
Public Comments on Items not on the Agenda: At any Regular Meeting, any member of the public may address the Committee on a matter not listed on the agenda as long as the subject matter is within the jurisdiction of the Committee. If you wish to speak, you may do so upon recognition by the Committee Chair. While members of the public are welcome to address the Committee, under the Brown Act open meeting laws, Committee members may not deliberate or take action on items not on the agenda. Speakers are limited to two minutes each; available time for comments is determined by the Committee Chair based on agenda scheduling demands and total number of speakers.
Documents related to open session agendas: Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council regarding any item on this agenda after the posting of this agenda and not otherwise exempt from disclosure will be made available for public review at 575 Administration Drive, Room 100-A, Santa Rosa, CA, during normal business hours.
Disabled Accommodation: If you have a disability and require a sign language interpreter, assistive listening device, material in an alternate format, or other accommodation to attend, please contact District5@sonoma-county.org or 1-707-565-2241 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting in order to facilitate arrangements for accommodation.