Sebastopol hosts Sonoma County bigwigs

Sonoma County Mayors' and Councilmembers' Association members were wined and dined at the Livery

Mayor Neysa Hinton (center, in beige shirt) chats with Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Director Myriah Volk and Adam Bulbulia of the Sebastopol Downtown Association. (Kelsey Joy Photography)

By Holly Hansen with Becca Lipski

(Editor’s Note: This article was truly an “It Takes a Village” effort. Sebastopol Times Reporter Laura Hagar Rush couldn’t make it to the event due to a family medical emergency, so lots of folks stepped in to help. Thanks to Holly Hansen and the Livery’s Becca Lipski for the text and Dennis Rosatti and Kelsey Joy Photography for the photos. Thanks to Mayor Neysa Hinton for the after-hours quote and heroic photo identification efforts, plus Sebastopol Councilmember Diana Rich on additional photo IDs! Thanks also to the Chamber’s Myriah Volk for coordinating this effort. We love Sebastopol! )

Sebastopol’s City Council hosted June’s Sonoma County Mayors' and Councilmembers' Board and General Membership meeting in downtown within The Livery CoWork space this past Thursday. 

The Beale Group transformed the daily work space into a beautiful dining hall for the event to host about 45 councilmembers and mayors. Special guests Supervisors Lynda Hopkins and David Rabbitt joined the meeting as well.

“Hard Hat” tours lead by Greg Beale kicked the event off. Attendees were able to walk through busy new restaurant, Goldfinch, part of the Livery campus. They were also able to take a look at The Livery on Main food hall, lounge and rooftop deck under development with an expected opening sometime in the next 18 months. 

The food was fab. Goldfinch provided two appetizers (pickled vegetables, calamari). Second Staff provided bread, salad & entrees (Beef + Beets or Potatoes + Kelp), and Dino’s Greek Food provided dessert (traditional Greek Baklava). Goldfinch is open as a part of The Livery. The other two are connected to The Livery Project and plan to be in the food hall when it ultimately opens.

Guests listened to presentations on the Our Kids Our Future Initiative and the Sonoma County Fire Prevention & Response Proposed Sales Tax Measure. 

Sebastopol Mayor Neysa Hinton, who worked closely on the event with Becca Lipski of the Beale Group and City of Sebastopol Assistant City Manager Mary Gourley, said, “Our City Council was proud  to host our fellow mayors and councilmembers.  I was thrilled with the event and how it all came together. My vision was to use this opportunity to show off a new and unique project coming soon to Sebastopol’s Downtown. A goal accomplished by all accounts!”

The Livery’s Greg Beale (left) talks about his vision for the Livery complex to a group of mayors and councilmembers: (left to right) Sebastopol Mayor Neysa Hinton, standing next to Mayor Kevin McDonnell of Petaluma (in red) and an Petaluma Councilmember Karen Nau. In back of them are Santa Rosa Councilmember Chris Rogers, Rohnert Park Mayor Samantha Rodriguez, Petaluma City Councilmember John Schribbs, Sebastopol City Manager Larry McLaughlin, and Rohnert Park City Councilmember Jackie Elwood. Sebastopol City Councilmember Sandra Mauer is standing to the left of the pillar, and Sonoma City Councilmember Ron Wellander and Rohnert Park City Councilmember Emily Sandborn are to the right of the pillar. (Kelsey Joy Photography)

Sonoma County Mayors' and Councilmembers' Board and General Membership meeting at the Livery in Sebastopol on Thursday, June 8. (Kelsey Joy Photography)

Sonoma County Mayors' and Councilmembers' Board and General Membership meeting at the Livery in Sebastopol on Thursday, June 8: Left: Becca Lipski of The Livery and Sebastopol Assistant City Manager and City Clerk Mary Gourley. Right: Sonoma City Manager David Guhin and Petaluma Councilmember Dennis Pocekay. (Kelsey Joy Photography)

Left: Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Director Myriah Volk greets Steve Ryan of Boxt Wine, who poured at the event, and his wife Caitlin Carter. (Both are members of The Livery CoWork.) Right: Workers from Second Staff, plating their Beef + Beets entrée. (Kelsey Joy Photography)

Left and center: Sonoma Mayor Sandra Lowe and Healdsburg Mayor Ariel Kelly addressed the crowd; Petaluma Fire Chief Jeff Schach discussed the upcoming Fire Services Initiative campaign. (Photos by Dennis Rosatti)

Left: Sebastopol City Councilmember Stephen Zollman asks a question of the Our Kids Our Future presenter Ananda Sweet (right), who is also the VP of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber. (Photos by Dennis Rosatti)

And speaking of Very Important People (VIPs): Petaluma Fire Chief Jeff Schach, Gold Ridge Fire Chief Shepley Schroth-Cary, Sebastopol Interim Fire Chief Jack Piccinini, Geyserville Fire Chief Marshall Turbeville. (Photo by Diana Rich)