In This Issue: Council Reorganization | Sonoma Shuttle Update | City Profile Report | LOCALFest 2020
2020 Treasure Artist Reception | Clare O'Brien Day | Tuesday Night Market Vendor Applications
Sonoma Art Walk | Winter Storm Prep | Project Updates | On the Agenda
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Happy February Sonoma and Welcome to the winter edition of "About Town," the quarterly e-newsletter from the City of Sonoma!

Read on to learn more about the reorganization of City Council and the recent update on Sonoma County Transit's  Sonoma Shuttle "fare-free" program. Save-the-date for Clare O'Brien Day, the next Sonoma Art Walk, First Thursdays and the Sonoma Chambers LOCALFest 2020.

Check out Sonoma's latest " City Profile Report ," see a list of  Upcoming City Meetings, read about the  Minimum Wage Increase  that went into effect January 1st and learn how to apply to be a vendor at Sonoma's Tuesday Night Market. Find out how you can  Stay Connected  to the City, how to purchase your tickets for the February 11th Reception to Honor 2020 Treasure Artist, Betty Ann Ka'ihilani Bruno  and MORE below!
SONOMA CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION
City Council Reorganization was on the agenda at the   December 16, 2019 Meeting  of the  Sonoma City Council .  The reorganization included a recognition to Amy Harrington for her year of service as Mayor. 

Logan Harvey was selected as the new Mayor and Rachel Hundley as the new Vice-Mayor. You are always welcome to email individual Council Members or the Council as a whole by emailing citycouncil@sonomacity.org . Learn more about individual City Council members, find contact information and office hours on our CivicWeb portal.
RECEPTION TO HONOR TREASURE ARTIST, BETTY ANN KA'IHILANI BRUNO
Tuesday, February 11th, 6:00 PM
The  Cultural and Fine Arts Commission  of Sonoma will host a reception to honor local dance teacher, performer, and founder of  Hula Mai , Betty Ann Ka’ihilani Bruno , the 2020  Sonoma Treasure Artist  of the Year. 

Members of the public are invited to attend the event which will be held at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at Vintage House, 264 First Street East, in Sonoma. Reservations are required.

In selecting Ms. Bruno, the Commission noted her contributions to the cultural growth of Sonoma Valley through her commitment to sharing her “aloha” spirit.

Reservations for the wine and hors d’oeuvres reception will be accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, February 7, and must be paid in advance. The cost is $25 per person.

Tickets can be purchased online on Eventbrite , or mail payment via check or cash by mail to: City of Sonoma, Attn: City Clerk, No. 1 The Plaza, Sonoma CA 95476.

For additional information, contact City Clerk   Rebekah Barr , 707-933-2216 or  Rita Gipson , 707-933-2218.
Celebrate Sonoma - Clare O'Brien Day is March 2nd

Save the date! Clare O'Brien Day is March 2, 2020. City Council will recognize Ms. Clare, the "incomparable" children's librarian at the Sonoma Valley Library, and declare March 2, 2020 "Clare O'Brien Day" at their March 2nd meeting as part of...

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www.sonomacity.org
ROUTE 32 "FARE FREE" SONOMA SHUTTLE PROGRAM REPORT
Ridership Increased Over 50% in 2019
At the J a nuary 13th City Council meeting , Bryan Albee from Sonoma County Transit presented an update on the Sonoma Shuttle Fare-Free Program and future electrification of the shuttle fleet. Mr. Albee reported that the annual average 55% increase in ridership on the Sonoma Shuttle in 2019 was "beyond expectations." Watch the presentation on our CivicWeb portal (presentation begins at 14:00).

ABOUT THE SONOMA SHUTTLE "FARE FREE" PROGRAM

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sonoma approved funding to subsidize fares for all riders on  Route 32 , the “Sonoma Shuttle,” through June 30, 2020. The City is contributed 30% of the funding and the County is contributed the remaining 70% for the program. 

When riding the local route serving the communities of Agua Caliente, Boyes Hot Springs, Temelec and the city of Sonoma, passengers no longer need to worry about having the correct change, having a transit pass or paying a fare at all! The “Fare-Free” program is designed to make using local transit services easier and to encourage hop-on, hop-off, travel without the need to pay a fare.

In addition, Sonoma County Transit adjusted the Route 32 schedule, in part, to accommodate Sonoma Valley High School students who wish to use the free service to commute to school. The first bus of the day now departs from Agua Caliente Rd./Highway 12 at 7:30 AM and arrives at the Sonoma Plaza at 7:55 AM, 25 minutes before first period at Sonoma Valley High School begins at 8:20 AM.

Download  or  view  the schedule for Route 32 and start riding “Fare-Free” today!
SAVE-THE-DATE!
SONOMA VALLEY LOCALFest 2020, APRIL 21st
5pm-7pm, Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
The Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce presents  LOCALFest 2020 , a new business showcase. New Sonoma Valley businesses provide samples, demonstrations and information to attendees. This event is open to the public with free admission.

If you started a business or nonprofit organization in Sonoma Valley in 2019 and would like to participate, please email  Carmen  with the Chamber to register! There is no cost to participate.

For details, visit SonomaChamber.org or contact the Chamber at 707-996-1033 or carmen@sonomachamber.org .
Tuesday Night Market Vendor Applications Now Available!

Sonoma's Tuesday Night Market presented by the City of Sonoma in partnership with the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting vendor applications for the 2020 Tuesday Night Market season. Select an application to download below...

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www.sonomacity.org
2020 SONOMA CITY PROFILE NOW AVAILABLE
The Economic Development Board, in partnership with the City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to present the 2019 Sonoma City Profile Report . The annual report provides economic information and forecasts for the city of Sonoma.

To see reports from other Sonoma County cities, visit the Sonoma County Economic Development Board website . Learn more about Economic and Business Development Services in the city of Sonoma.
ON THE AGENDA
Visit our meetings portal, CivicWeb , to easily find the calendar and agendas for all upcoming City Council and Commission meetings, locate and review the relevant staff reports, and view televised meetings (live or later). You can also search the City's Municipal Code and subscribe to the agendas for meetings that interest you . It's a great way to get engaged with your city government.

UPCOMING MEETINGS
  • February 3 - City Council, See Agenda
  • February 12 - Community Services & Environment Commission
  • February 13 - Planning Commission
  • February 18 - Design Review & Historic Preservation Commission
  • February 19 - City Council
  • March 2 - City Council
  • March 11 - Community Services & Environment Commission
  • March 12 - Planning Commission
  • March 16 - City Council
  • March 17 - Design Review & Historic Preservation Commission

For more information and details on the meetings listed above, please visit CivicWeb directly or via the homepage link at s onomacity.org .
City Council Meeting - February 3rd

A regular meeting of Sonoma City Council will be held on Monday, February 3rd at 6:00 pm. The full agenda and staff reports including presentations and items on the consent calendar can be found on our CivicWeb Portal. Items for consideration on...

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www.sonomacity.org
LOCAL MINIMUM WAGE RATES IN EFFECT JANUARY 1, 2020
In mid-2019, the Sonoma City Council completed a  Minimum Wage Study  process and adopted a local minimum wage ordinance, which became   Chapter 2.80 of the Sonoma Municipal Code .

Sonoma’s local minimum wage is structured similarly to the State minimum wage, with different wage rates for large employers (26 or more employees) and small employers (25 or fewer employees) and a multi-year schedule of wage adjustments effective the first of each calendar year.

Effective January 1, 2020, Sonoma’s local minimum wage is $13.50/hour for large employers and $12.50/hour for small employers. These rates are 50 cents/hour higher than the new State minimum wage rates that went into effect at that time.

A website page with the wage schedule along with employer requirements, frequently asked questions, and the Official Notice (poster pictured) in English and Spanish available to download can be found at www.sonomacity.org/wages/ .

Information about the Sonoma minimum wage will also be included, along with the posters in English and Spanish, in a mailing to all  City of Sonoma Business License  holders.

Every employer is required to post the Official Notice in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site, and to give a copy to each current employee and to each new employee at time of hire.  The notification shall be provided in all languages spoken by more than 10 percent of the employer’s employees.

For questions regarding Sonoma’s  minimum wage ordinance , contact the  City Clerk .
WINTER STORM PREPAREDNESS
With the winter storm season underway, we strongly encourage you to take time to prepare for upcoming storms.

If your property has a history of flooding, please don’t wait for a storm to prepare sandbags. Sandbags can be prepared and kept on hand throughout the winter. Free sandbags are now available to City residents at City Hall during normal business hours, limit 10 bags per resident while supplies last. Additional bags are available for purchase at Friedman’s Home Improvement Center (1360 Broadway).

Free sand is also available to City residents in the parking lot at  Depot Park  (270 1st ST W). The sandbag filling station at Depot Park is self-serve; please bring your own shovel.   Read our Sandbag Instructions  to learn how to properly fill, stack, and construct sandbags.

Visit our  Emergency Preparedness  page for more information including an  Emergency Supplies Checklist  and visit  Ready.gov/floods  to learn more about how you can protect yourself, your family, and your community in the event of flooding. To stay up to date on emergency notifications, make sure to sign up for  SoCo Alerts   and  Nixle .
Next Sonoma Art Walk, February 6th, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

02/06/2020 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm - The City of Sonoma in partnership with the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, Sonoma Community Center and Arts Guild of Sonoma, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art invites you to a monthly,...

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www.sonomacity.org
PROJECT INFORMATION & UPDATES
Find quick links to information and status updates  for key initiatives, individual development and infrastructure projects in the city of Sonoma.
KEY INITIATIVES
In accordance with the goals and priorities established by the City Council, several major policy decisions and other key initiatives are part of the current workplan. Select a topic to learn more and see the latest updates on each Key Initiative.
DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING PROJECTS
Learn more and see the current status of planning projects
Click on the links below for information and status updates for individual projects.  Visit our CivicWeb portal for  agendas and meeting reports  for past and upcoming meetings of the Planning Commission, Design Review and Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Council.
IN THE WORKS
See current and upcoming infrastructure projects
Click on the links for information and status updates for individual projects. Infrastructure projects are typically part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) ; a planning and budgeting document for improvements to the City's infrastructure. The CIP includes projects to improve the City's streets, sidewalks, bikeways, and storm drainage; water distribution system, wells and pumps; parks and open space; cemeteries; and City buildings. Please see the current fiscal year  CIP  for more information, which is included in the  2019-2020 Budget documents .
STAY CONNECTED
The greater the involvement of our citizens, the stronger our community will be. Here are some of the ways you can stay connected with the City of Sonoma!