Suisun City, Suisun City’s sphere of influence and Flannery Associates land parcels. Map by Solano Together using QGIS. Datasources: OSM Standard, MTC/ABAG Data Library, Solano County parcel data

Nate Huntington 
Solano Together Coalition

This Tuesday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m., we urge you to attend the City of Suisun Council Meeting, where there will be a discussion on potentially expanding Suisun City limits.

What? Suisun City Council Meeting
When? TODAY - Tuesday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m.
Where? Suisun City Council Chambers, 701 Civic Center Boulevard, Suisun City, CA – or
Zoom Meeting Information:
Link: https://zoom.us/join
MEETING ID: 829 2890 4906
CALL IN PHONE NUMBER: (707) 438-1720

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Late Friday evening, the City of Suisun City released the agenda for today’s City Council meeting. Agenda item number 17 is inconspicuously titled, “Vision for Suisun City: Building Resilience and Expanding Opportunities.” This appears to be a plan by the City of Suisun to annex land owned by California Forever and work with them to develop outside of existing city limits. California Forever is continuing their secretive, behind closed doors approach even after committing to a public process.

In the agenda packet, starting on page 179, the item discusses the city’s economic “Resiliency Plan” and suggests “the Resiliency Plan’s ultimate success depends on increasing the city’s population and strategically expanding its boundaries.”

The trial date is approaching for PITTS vs. CITY OF DAVIS.

Theodore Pitts the widower of Jennifer Comey who was killed by the limb of a City of Davis Tree in Slide Hill Park will get his day in court in attempt to seek compensation for the death of his wife. A jury trial date has been set for February 3^rd, 2025 with a trial readiness conference to be held on January 27^th.

Ms. Comey died when a large tree limb fell on her in Slide Hill Park while she watched her toddler play in a sandbox during a windstorm in 2021. She was survived by her child and husband Theodore Pitts.

The trial will take place in Yolo County Superior Court in Woodland with Judge Fell presiding. Mr. Pits is represented by Sacramento attorney Roger A. Dreyer and Anthony J. Garilli of Dreyer, Babich, Buccola, Wood and Campora. Both are accomplished attorneys having successfully won millions for their clients at trial.

The City of Davis is represented by Kevin J. Dehoff of Angelo, Kilday and Kilduff of Sacramento. His website lists “Public Entity Defense” as his first Practice Area.

Davey Resource Group, Inc and West Coast Arborists, Inc were also named as defendants in the case. But earlier this month Judge David Rosenberg made a tentative ruling granting Summary Judgement for West Coast Arborists excusing them from the case. Davey Resource Group’s similar motion was denied leaving them as a defendant in the Case.

West Coast Arborist is a contractor for the City of Davis that handles wide ranging tree trimming duties in the City.

Davey Resource Group is a Ohio based Company that provides wide ranging tree and urban forestry consulting to the City of Davis.

If the City and/or Davey Resource Group is found responsible or negligent Pitts could be awarded millions in compensation for the tragedy that befell his family.

By Heather Caswell and Jonathan Greenberg

Commentary

January 18, 2025

Since writing my December 18 Enterprise column about the public safety crisis in downtown Davis, I have heard feedback from dozens of my customers, most of them older women.

Some, like former Assembly Member Helen Thomson, asked how they could support the effort. Many thanked me for paying attention. Nearly all of them told me that they now feel unsafe in downtown Davis for the first time in their lives.  

Who are we, as a community, when we cannot protect our most vulnerable members? After decades of progress in curtailing violence against women, how is it that our legal system today tolerates mentally unstable younger men menacing women, children and the elderly with violent threats, week after week, with no consequences?

By Colin Walsh

Measure T provides funding for the operation of a new library in South Davis. T answers a long felt need in an underserved area. T is a discrete tax that joins already procured funds. T makes sense.

Measure Q is a bad deal for Davis. Q doubles the local sales tax from 1% to 2% increasing costs for everyone who shops in Davis — another reason for Davis residents to leave town to shop. Worse, Q can be spent on anything the council decides later and they have a bad track record of wasting money without meeting community needs.

The council just gave all city staff a large retroactive raise that significantly outpaced inflation. They also put much of the $19 million received from the federal government for Covid recovery to nice-to-have items like a pump track and arts grants rather than to more immediate needs.

All this as Davis has fallen more than two years behind in auditing its finances and there are irregularities and deficiencies found in the last audit, that itself was several years late.

The council also ended the finance and budget commission that acted as a public watch dog on the city budget.

Q is nothing like T. Voting for T will do something good for Davis. Voting for Q will encourage our council to continue with frivolous spending. The council needs a clear message that Davis wants accountability. Please vote no on Q. Yes, on T.

City of Davis Extends Recruitment for Advisory Commissions

From Press Release

Post Date: July 03, 2024 4:00 pm

The City of Davis announced that applications to serve on one of the following City Commissions have been extended to July 19, 2024:

• Fiscal Commission 
• Senior Citizen
• Social Services
• Transportation

Due to a rescheduled City Council meeting in late July and an added commission recruitment, interested residents now have more time and options to submit an application for a City commission. Commissions have a critical role in the community and serve at the direction of the City Council. Commissions study issues within their scope of authority, analyze and recommend policies and programs and serve as public forums to hear resident interests and perspectives.

City promises made, need to be kept 

by Eileen M. Samitz                                                                      

The City needs to reject the North Covell Creek housing application to develop 75 acres of the Wildhorse golf course because it would clearly violate the 1998 Deed of Conservation Easement executed between the Wildhorse property owner and the City.  The Conservation Easement unequivocally states that its purpose is “…forever conserving the open space character…” of the property.

In the early 1990’s I was one of a group of neighborhood representatives from the surrounding neighborhoods of Green Meadows, Covell Farms and La Buena Vida who spent years in a citizen-based planning process negotiating long and hard for a better Wildhorse project. We emphasized and placed a priority on the condition of a  Conservation Easement on the golf course so that it would never be developed and  would remain a golf course with its open space nature and preserving the habitat features around it.

by Elaine Roberts Musser,

It appears that our long established city commission system is in chaos!  

Look at what happened in the month of May - many cancelled commission meetings.

Because of Councilmembers Vaitla and Chapman refusing to appoint applicants to commission vacancies, the Finance and Budget Commission (FBC) has appeared not to be  able to meet for nine months and counting. Nor is the Senior Citizens Commission (SCC) meeting anymore, for lack of a quorum. Many commissions have not been able to meet on a regular basis because of quorum problems.  

To add insult to injury:

• In a staff report written by Councilmember Vaitla and Chapman, they prematurely and presumptuously claimed to be recruiting applicants for “newly merged commissions”, even though the City Council hasn’t weighed in on merging any commissions.
• Councilmember Vaitla has said publicly that commissions are dysfunctional, don’t give the City Council information it wants, and commissioners are somehow “privileged”.

159 commissioners, former City Council members and concerned citizens signed a petition to stop the mergers. Councilmember Vaitla did make the rounds of the commissions to be merged, and many commissioners voiced their concerns.

• Commissioners are not well versed in two disparate subject matter areas.
• There will have to be more meetings/longer meetings to cover all the material required.
• Critical issues will get less attention because of time constraints.
• Recruiting qualified commissioners will become more difficult since they will be expected to be well-versed in two subject matter areas.  Commissioners are apt to quit from burnout and frustration at the heavy workload. 
• The proposed scopes of the merged commissions are vague and unclear to the point of being almost meaningless.
• Once commissions are merged, it is highly unlikely the former commissions can be resurrected, if things go wrong (which is likely - 2 commissions are already defunct).
• Fiscal oversight of the city budget will be minimal, endangering any city tax measure. 

This issue is to be heard on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 @ 6:30pm.  SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE MERGERS AT THE MAY 21 CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Express your discontent. Either: 

• Preferably come in person to the City Council meeting on May 21; or
• Record a message ((530) 757-5693); and/or
• Write a letter to City Councilmembers (citycouncilmembers@cityofdavis.org). 

See petition and updates at the following link: 

https://www.change.org/p/reverse-city-council-decision-to-move-forward-with-merging-commissions-1e9f0d8d-0697-4f45-85ad-6a7720e2b8b3/u/32599079   

by Elaine Roberts Musser

Finally the City of Davis commission  merger issue is being brought  back  to  some of the affected commissions for their feedback. Unfortunately city staff and some of the City Councilmembers are acting as if their terribly flawed plans for merged commissions are a done deal.  

For example, last week the city began recruiting members for two of the proposed merged commissions (Fiscal Commission; Transportation Commission). And, this Wednesday, the first of an expected series of hearings will be held at the Utility Commission, to review a mission statement drafted by the City Council Subcommittee  (Vaitla; Chapman) for the new Finance Commission that would be created by combining Utilities Commission with the Finance and Budget Commission.  The Utilities Commission staff report states that it is seeking feedback on the proposed scope of work for what it calls the “newly created commissions.”  

These commissions have not been “newly  created,”  as the full City Council only approved them in concept  last January. It did not provide final approval in the form of official council resolutions and, in some cases, new city ordinances, that are needed to actually implement such mergers. 

• The actual motion that was approved by the City Council “task(s) the subcommittee with continuing work on reviewing and revising the authorizing resolutions of each Commission…(with) bringing information back to the full Council for final review and approvals.”
• That same evening City Manager Mike Webb advised the City Council: “… ultimately …

none  of  it  becomes  official until  the  City  Council adopts  updated  authorizing resolutions.”

The proposal to merge commissions is still extremely flawed: 

Disparate skill sets - Merging two commissions will require an incredibly steep if not impossible   learning  curve  for  commissioners   to   become   well-versed   in  disparate commission missions.

More  difficulty recruiting  applicants  -  Because  applicants  for  the  proposed  merged commission need expertise in both commission missions and meetings are apt to run long to cover all the ground required, it will be difficult to recruit citizens to serve on the merged commissions.

Time constraints - The agendas of commissions are often quite full.   A merging of two commissions  will  result in half as much  time  spent  on critical  issues and much  longer meetings.

Proposed scope inadequate, vague and unclear - The proposed scoping statements appearing in the city’s press release and staff reports for the new Finance Commission and Transportation Commission omit many functions of existing commissions and has been simplified so much that they are vague and unclear. The draft mission statements for the other commissions remain secret as of now. 

ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE VOICE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS TERRIBLE MERGER PLAN TO CITY OFFICIALS. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD THROUGH EMAILS TO THE FULL COUNCIL  ([email protected]rg), AT  COMMISSION  MEETINGS  (the Utilities Commission meets Wednesday,     April 17, in the City Council chambers conference room), PUBLIC COMMENT AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS (next meeting is April

23) AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (to the Davis Enterprise, Davisite, and Davis Vanguard).

(Chart from Mr. Best’s presentation)

The School Board has completely ignored the massive student enrollment decline while they ask all of us to pay ever increasing taxes, indefinitely!

The only way to stop this disconnect is to vote NO now while you have the chance.

 By Michael J. Harrington, a downtown neighbor and Davis voter for 29 years:

On March 7, 2023, only months before Measure N was finalized and placed on the ballot, DJUSD Superintendent Matt Best testified to the Davis City Council that:

“There are fewer students of school age in our region. Not only being born but in the 5–19-year age group. This is information from the census.”

In my courtroom work, we lawyers call the testimony and slides in this video a “party admission.” It is considered the highest caliber of evidence because the best possible evidence comes from the other party’s mouth.

Mr. Best further states

 “ … the number of resident students has declined by more than eleven hundred over the past seventeen years. This decline has been masked primarily due to a large extent by the increasing number of nonresident students joining our district and it wasn’t until the pandemic that the number of nonresident students stopped keeping up with the decline of resident students … that is why we are seeing the overall decline in the district’s enrollment during the last couple of years.” 

This shocking set of admissions was hidden in plain sight, on the City Council web site last year.

Even the DJUSD Officials - long before they placed Measure N on the ballot - testified to the Davis City Council that the declining enrollment is a big problem, the supply of non-Davis transfer students is drying up, and without changes, the Davis school system is facing a major enrollment decline. This testimony was backed up with detailed professional slides filled with demographic data provided by a third-party demographics company, and clearly demonstrate DJUSD enrollment is declining and will drop further in coming years.

The video from the March 7, 2023, presentation to the City Council is so shocking that I decided to try and get it out even at this late hour so voters can see for themselves that the district is asking for an ever-increasing permanent tax even while the district enrollment shrinks. Voters deserve to know about this disconnect and you certainly won’t see any mention of it in the Yes on N campaign literature. The video included here is a collection of outtakes from the council meeting (the full meeting video is available on the City of Davis website).

(Slide from Mr. Best’s presentation)

Considering this plummeting enrollment data, that the Measure N tax will never expire because it lacks a sunset clause, and that the tax increases every year without end, voters will see that the only responsible course is to vote NO on Measure N.

Because it lacks a sunset clause it is all but certain that today, March 5^th is your only chance to vote NO. Future repeal will be almost impossible.

The enrollment data through 2027on this chart is taken directly from the DJUSD projections. The projections past that are based on CA department of Finance projections.

I have voted for every previous school funding measure, but Measure N’s indefinite increases when the student population is declining is outrageous, so I must vote NO.

The Board has long known about the declining enrollment and did not apply it to the Measure N tax amounts and removed the sunset clause so it would be almost impossible for the public to undue the tax in the future. Now, if voters slap their hands and vote this tax down, the Board has 15 months to fix this problem and several opportunities to bring a new measure to voters before the current tax expires in June 2025. 

Despite the fearmongering Yes on N claims, there is no emergency to approve this!

Vote NO and make them bring back a more reasonable proposal with a sunset clause so we can be sure the district properly addresses the demographic crisis in enrollment.

I’m writing this letter to voice strong support for Sheila Allen’s candidacy for Supervisor in Yolo County District 4 which comprises North, East and South Davis. I have lived in all of these three areas of Davis since I first moved here in 1975. Although with brief hiatuses to other Northern California communities I have always returned to Davis to live – and hope to remain here for the remainder of my days.

It is people like Sheila that make Davis such an incredibly supportive environment that endeavors to provide essential services to all members of the community and a special place to raise a family. Sheila’s experience on the Davis School Board and numerous other selfless endeavors in support of the Davis community is without measure. As a member of the Davis School Board, I have been impressed by how diligently she’s fought for all students to be appropriately educated and cared for by Davis public schools. And this is such an important perspective she would bring as a County Supervisor.

Whether you have a young family (like I once had) or are a senior citizen (like I am now), there is no candidate that can compare to Sheila’s knowledge, compassion, humanity, energy, humility, education, commitment and self- service. Please be sure to vote on or before March 5th -- and if you live in Yolo Supervisorial District 4, please vote for Sheila Allen.

-Chuck White

Comments delivered by Tree Davis’ Executive Director to the Davis City Council regarding the re-alignment of City Commissions - January 30th,  2024

The proposal to amend the City’s Commission structure is a weighty issue, and we at Tree Davis feel that it would be a disservice to over half a century of effort from those that have served as Tree Commission Members to make this decision so quickly. To make such a decision with so little time to react for stakeholders like us and so many folks that have committed so much time is disappointing.

An extensive, healthy, and resilient urban forest is more important now than ever due to climate change stressors like excessive heat and drought. At the same time, these impacts pose new threats to the existing urban forest. Proactive planning and management is needed now to transition to the urban forest of the future, one that will be sustainable in 50 years. What would be the guiding principles of the newly formed commission that combines the Tree Commission and Natural Resources? How would the newly proposed Tree Removal Committee interact with the City, and how would people be appointed to it?

To the Editor:

It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse Sheila Allen for Yolo County Supervisor. Sheila has a wonderful resume as she has spent more than 30 years serving Yolo County. Sheila has a BS and PhD in nursing and public health. She has not only been a public health nurse but was a founding member of First 5 of Yolo County.  Sheila was a proud and effective member of our wonderful Davis school board, and founded Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance for our older adults. She currently serves as the Deputy for Yolo District 4 Supervisor Jim Provenza so she understands this important work.

I can think of no better prepared candidate for the role of supervisor in this wonderful county. Sheila has a distinguished history as a can-do person who will create a can-do atmosphere between and among people and the agencies that serve people. Sheila is optimistic and brings experience and an up beat, "let us get everybody engaged" attitude to every role she has played. She will continue our wonderful history as a county that gets things done.  Sheila does her homework and treats people with respect. She also helps people to work together. I think those attributes are especially important as the political arena can be dominated by people more interested in appearing victorious than in getting things done.

I heartily endorse Sheila Allen for Yolo County Supervisor in District 4.

-Delaine Eastin, former California Superintendent  of Public Instruction and former Assemblywoman

The Right Experience –

Voters in east, north and south Davis, El Macero and Willowbank have a clear choice among the 3 candidates for District 4 Yolo County Supervisor.Dr. Sheila Allen—currently Deputy to D4 Supervisor Jim Provenza—is a public health nurse, a former two-term+ Davis School Board Trustee, and immediate past Executive Director of Yolo Healthy Aging, a post she held for 13 years. She’s also been Chair of the Unitrans Advisory Committee and the City of Davis Human Relations Commission.Her modest rural Wisconsin hometown values anchored her through graduate education in San Francisco and her time providing in-home nursing services to families on Chicago’s South Side. She’s been active in the Davis and greater Yolo County community for 30 years; we go “way back” to 1999—when I was then D4 Supervisor Dave Rosenberg’s Deputy and she was tapped to serve as his appointee to the inaugural Proposition 10 – First Five Yolo Commission. Our collaboration continued throughout my years as the D4 Supervisor and in the State Assembly.Yes--Sheila has been doing the work and doing it well for a long time. From the youngest to the oldest county resident, her ability to serve has been boundless. As we face serious budget shortfalls and the specter of a fraying democracy, that whiff of ageism in the call for a “new generation” of leadership belies the strength of lived experience tempered only by years in service. On March 5, Vote Sheila Allen for D4 Yolo County Supervisor.

-Helen Thompson

If this tax is passed, we will essentially never be able to repeal or amend it.

This is our only real chance to vote no. 

I strongly recommend that on March 5, all local voters Vote NO on Measure N, the new large school parcel tax that will last in perpetuity with no voter check in and compound increasing every year. Because N has no sunset clause, this will be your only chance.

This is the first time I am voting NO on any school measure, and I am doing so because it is not OK to install a large permanent tax that will never automatically come back to voters and will go up every year with inflation, especially when all indications are Davis student enrollment will decline significantly. Make the Board put a sunset on it and start to plan for declining enrollments.

Voters in east, north and south Davis, El Macero and Willowbank have a clear choice among the 3 candidates for District 4 Yolo County Supervisor.

Dr. Sheila Allen—currently Deputy to D4 Supervisor Jim Provenza—is a public health nurse, a former two-term+ Davis School Board Trustee, and immediate past Executive Director of Yolo Healthy Aging, a post she held for 13 years. She’s also been Chair of the Unitrans Advisory Committee and the City of Davis Human Relations Commission.

Her modest rural Wisconsin hometown values anchored her through graduate education in San Francisco and her time providing in-home nursing services to families on Chicago’s South Side. She’s been active in the Davis and greater Yolo County community for 30 years; we go “way back” to 1999—when I was then D4 Supervisor Dave Rosenberg’s Deputy and she was tapped to serve as his appointee to the inaugural Proposition 10 – First Five Yolo Commission. Our collaboration continued throughout my years as the D4 Supervisor and in the State Assembly.

Yes--Sheila has been doing the work and doing it well for a long time. From the youngest to the oldest county resident, her ability to serve has been boundless. As we face serious budget shortfalls and the specter of a fraying democracy, that whiff of ageism in the call for a “new generation” of leadership belies the strength of lived experience tempered only by years in service.

On March 5, Vote Sheila Allen for D4 Yolo County Supervisor.

-Mariko Yamada

 I am writing to express my support for Sheila Allen. As a colleague and friend, I believe that Sheila is the most qualified candidate to represent District 4.

I first met her about twenty years ago, at the Yolo County Health Department. Throughout the years I’ve known her, she has consistently demonstrated a commitment to our community. She has been an advocate for all Yolo County residents from all stages and circumstances in life, from youth and families to seniors. The depth and breadth of her experience and commitment to service is unparalleled.

A stand-out aspect of Sheila’s service is her tireless advocacy for public health. Sheila was heavily involved in the COVID-19 response and was a valuable member of the advisory committee that made the very challenging decision-making and implementation process of equitable vaccine distribution a success. Her efforts in other public health projects have positively impacted countless individuals. We need a leader who not only understands Yolo’s unique challenges, but also has a proven track record of effectively addressing them.

In addition to her impressive accomplishments, Sheila has consistently shown a willingness to collaborate with all community stakeholders. This inclusive approach to governance is crucial in fostering unity and ensuring that the diverse voices of Yolo County are heard and represented.

As we approach March 5, I encourage Yolo County residents to consider the invaluable contributions Sheila has made to our community. Her experience, passion, and dedication make her the clear choice to represent Yolo’s District 4.

-Ada Barros