While several of the city council’s adopted 2021-22 fiscal year goals have been delayed due to funding, staffing and emergency response to COVID-19 and drought, the city has accomplished several goals such as completing the Foss Creek pathway extension and collaborating with the county on a regional homeless plan that provides for a north county shelter or navigation center.
Still, the city has some work to do to catch up on some goals and amid a historic drought, some residents and council members would like to see the city better address climate change.
Healdsburg City Manager Jeff Kay provided an overview of the city’s progress towards its seven strategic initiatives and the corresponding goals during the Jan. 3 city council meeting.
About the goals
The city council adopted the City of Healdsburg’s Strategic Plan, Foundation for a Strong Community in 2019. There are seven strategic initiatives:
• Establish proactive policies/programs to continue to promote economic diversity and sustainable growth;
• Pursue initiatives that promote environmental stewardship;
• Expand affordable housing opportunities;
• Maintain and improve infrastructure and facilities;
• Provide effective governance;
• Maintain and enhance public health and safety; and
• Provide resident-driven community services.
In May 2021, the council adopted its 2021-22 fiscal goals, each of which fall under one of the strategic initiatives. The aim of the goals are to move forward each strategic initiative.
A desire to do more to fight climate change
For the “promote environmental stewardship” initiative there are six goals: Continue to work to exceed SB 100’s timeline for providing carbon-free and renewable energy sources; increase landfill diversion with the help of a new employee and bring back CRV return/recycling to the city; bring bike parking program to council by October 2021; implement bike wayfinding; seek funding to complete Healdsburg Avenue modifications; and direct staff to prepare a plan to support infrastructure improvements and pilot programs to support electromobility.
As part of the various goals, the city has completed its floating solar array project, worked toward creating additional bike parking and bike wayfinding signage to be installed this year, is pursuing grant funding to construct a recycled water pipleine and was awarded a grant to install a place where people can recycle beverage containers and receive a refund.
Additionally, city staff applied for a $10 million Active Transportation Program grant that ended up not being awarded, though the city is in a good position to receive the grant this year, but the project may not commence for another three to four years.
There has been some momentum on an e-bike share program with nine stations and up to 75 bikes is expected to start this spring. Within the City of Healdsburg there is an electric bus and a garbage truck that are currently operating.
Despite these gains on environment-related goals, some residents feel the city needs to be taking a more proactive and timely approach to address climate change.
“I’m grateful for many of the things that you have accomplished. The city council goals that were passed last year in my opinion fell far short of what is needed to implement the climate emergency resolution that was passed in 2019 and while you have addressed a few items under environmental stewardship, it’s still not enough,” said resident Tyra Benoit. “We appreciate what has been done but it is not an emergency response and we know that you are well aware of this. An emergency implies that we need much strong action. Having town halls and reaching out to underrepresented groups who are much more seriously affected by the climate crisis is not helpful if there is no outcome like a climate action plan or a climate change and resiliency action group, yet that was included in previous goals even though it was deleted this year.”
Speakers Brigette Mansell’s comments had echoed Benoit’s and Benoit added that she’d like the council members to publicly state whether they are supportive of more, stronger equitable climate action in Healdsburg, asking that the council agendize a climate discussion.
“Can you develop a climate action plan by the end of 2022 and will you restore one of your earlier goals and create a climate change and resiliency action group?” Benoit said.
Walter Niederberger opined that the council should update their 13-year-old general plan and that the climate crisis is important, if not more important than the housing crisis.
“I would agree with many members of the public that while I know we are, you know, keeping in mind climate throughout different initiatives that we’ve completed and that we have on the list, I do feel like we will need a substantial amount of public input going forward to meet goals like net neutrality in 2030 and to even connect interdepartmentally on initiative regarding climate since it has such a broad reach, so I would be in favor of kind of transitioning the town hall initiative to a climate committee, but I would like to know what the council’s thoughts,” said Councilmember Skylaer Palacios.
One of the council initiatives that was discussed during last year’s goal setting session is to hold a town hall meeting to address climate change and have a consultant on hand.
Mayor Ozzy Jimenez said there is no doubt that many individuals on the council want climate change front and center but, “I really want to have that conversation and I want to have that conversation when we dive in deep with the city consultant to be able to have this dialogue and perhaps we can have a meaningful result there.”
Vice Mayor Ariel Kelley said she believes it is important to acknowledge what members of the public are saying and to have that conversation about what the city climate action plan is and to define mitigation and adaptation goals.
“We are long overdue. We did talk about it in our goal setting last year to have climate town hall meetings and we have not yet done that. If we are going to set a time certain of 2030, which we have not yet done, around carbon-free electricity we really have to put something in motion to give staff the runaway to lead up to where we want to end up in 2040,” Kelley said.
Palacios reiterated that she thinks climate is an urgent matter.
“There’s no disagreement from me here that we are in a climate crisis and there then becomes a time where surprises become regular occurrences and we have a responsibility as a city to address them. I firmly believe that we need to be addressing climate change,” Jimenez said.
He said since the council is only receiving a report and not passing a motion or adopting a resolution at this time regarding goals, he would prefer to have a deep conversation on climate change in March with a consultant.
With regard to city staffing constraints around climate work, Kelley suggested the city look into getting an RCPA CivicSpark fellow, a high-level climate focused fellowship program, to help the city with climate-related work and initiatives.
Next steps
The next council goal setting session is scheduled for March 7. To view an update on the other council goals, see the sidebar.
