Healdsburg City Hall was standing-room-only as community members came together to celebrate accomplishments and legacies at the April 6 Healdsburg City Council meeting.
The council honored the Healdsburg High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team for “exceptional determination, resilience, and teamwork throughout the 2025–2026 season” on its way to winning its first North Coast Section title since 1995. The council praised the team for their success, with Councilmember Mitchell noting that “Healdsburg is a great place and you make it even better.”
The next proclamation declared that April is “Arts, Culture and Creativity Month in the City of Healdsburg.” The proclamation recognized that “arts, culture and creativity are essential public goods, vital for the health and growth of thriving communities.” Noah Jeppson and Michiko Conklin of the Arts & Culture Commission accepted it.
Another justifiably feel-good proclamation acknowledged volunteerism, a core value in Healdsburg. The proclamation “Recognizing April 2026 as National Volunteer Appreciation Month and thanking our volunteers throughout the community for their service” was accepted by perennial volunteer Cindy Martin.
The flurry of gratitude concluded with the annual Marie Sparks Volunteer of the Year Award. The annual program was started in 1996 after the death of Marie Sparks, well known and recognized for her volunteer efforts in the community. Sparks is remembered for her passion, persistence and grit, which encouraged many to join her in volunteering.
The 2025 recipient, Susan Sheehy, has many years’ experience volunteering with school projects, the Healdsburg Kiwanis Club, the Alexander Valley Ladies Aid and more recently with the Healdsburg Museum & Historical Society.
Many of Sheehy’s admirers, friends and family members attended the Monday meeting, and when invited to the podium she wasted no time recruiting council members to join in her latest volunteer projects. “I feel most comfortable serving, participating and helping,” Sheehy said, reflecting on her passion for volunteering.
Among administrative items on the City Council’s consent calendar were a resolution declaring support for Measure B on the June ballot, a renewal of quarter-cent sales tax that supports the SMART train.
The final agenda item on the council agenda was to discuss a disappointing turn of events. The City intended to install “underground” utilities on Grove Street, from West Grant Street to Dry Creek Road. The project would have eliminated overhead power and communications lines and brought slightly over 30 utility customers into the city electric system.
However, the project relied on the financial and logistical cooperation of PG&E, AT&T and Comcast, all of which are resisting participation, leaving the project roughly $2 million short. After a discussion of alternatives and the recognition that postponing this project put another Grove Street improvement project in danger of losing grant funds, the council agreed to reject bids and move on to infrastructure work that is not reliant on reluctant partners. The City plans to break ground later this year on construction of improved sidewalks, lighting and related improvements on Grove Street.
The next Healdsburg City Council meeting takes place at 6pm on Monday April 20 at Healdsburg City Hall.
