The Healdsburg City Council meeting on Monday was preceded by an annual event, the raising of the Pride flag over city hall. The flag raising was an occasion for celebration and remembrance. Former mayor Ozzy Jimenez spoke, thanking the community for supporting the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. Jimenez concluded his remarks by saying, “Healdsburg is inclusive. Healdsburg is for everybody.”
Healdsburg Mayor Chris Herrod emceed the event, and next introduced Tina Dungan, who told the 50-plus attendees about Larry Berner, a second grade school teacher in Healdsburg who became an unplanned hero of tolerance when he was “outed” as a gay man in 1978, the year State Sen. John Briggs led an effort to pass Prop 6, which would have outlawed homosexual teachers in public schools. “Larry’s courage showed people how to stand up to bigotry,” Dungan said.
Five retired Healdsburg teachers, all women, shared their memories of speaking out and supporting Berner while opposing Prop 6. Judy Velasquez said that a televised debate between Berner and Briggs held in Healdsburg helped turn the tide against the ballot measure. “Healdsburg defeated Proposition 6,” Velasquez said.
After ice cream and celebration, the City Council moved indoors to its regular meeting.
Fire Chief Jason Boaz led off the council agenda, honoring Healdsburg Fire Inspector John Sullivan for 20 years of service to the fire department. “John approaches his work with a genuine desire to serve,” Boaz said, listing Sullivan’s many achievements over two decades.
The City is required by state law to report on how it manages its water supply. The bottom line: For the foreseeable future (absent a significant drought) the City has more water available than businesses and residents typically use.
A drought could trigger reductions in usage, ranging from limiting irrigation to residential “water budgets” that set reduction targets for households.
Even with the potential loss of water from the dismantling of two dams in Mendocino County, Healdsburg, with its diverse water sources, will be able to adjust, according to the staff report.
A companion agenda item covered new guidelines on how to avoid wasting water. More information on water conservation measures is at healdsburg.gov/714/Water-Conservation-Drought-Information.
The council also approved the City budget. The City budgets on a two-year cycle, so the Monday approval will be in effect until June 2028, with regular reporting and adjustments as conditions change.
Much of the budget discussion was brief, since the council held a special study session in mid-May. A longer discussion took place over the Community Services Department budget. With a need to reduce expenses, the council contemplated a list of unpopular cuts and decided to approve the overall City budget as presented, then dig deeper into community services when they have more information on the impacts of various cuts.
The approved budgets: $155 million over five years in capital projects, including streets, drainage, electric, wastewater and more; $20.7 million in expenses for fiscal year 2026-2027; $21.9 million in expenses for fiscal year 2027-2028.
A video of the June 1 City Council meeting, plus the agenda and meeting slideshow, can be accessed at healdsburg.gov/1181/Agendas-and-Minutes. Click the “Past” button and scroll down to “City Council.”
