The Suisun City Council convened on March 5, 2024, to address updates to its procedures regarding council conduct and social media policies. During the meeting, councilmembers approved a plan to move member comments to the end of the agenda, a decision met with strong feedback from residents expressing dissatisfaction with current council behavior.
City Attorney Patrick Enright outlined revisions to the council’s social media guidelines. He emphasized that public officials are required to utilize city resources exclusively for city-related activities. Enright also detailed new provisions concerning non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for elected officials, highlighting a recent state law that prohibits NDAs related to legislation, except when dealing with trade secrets or other protected business information. He stated, “These are standard provisions, and recently the California Legislature had to deal with this same issue.” Any councilmember entering into an NDA must disclose this at the next meeting, and such agreements will be subject to the Public Records Act.
Concerns were raised by Mayor Alma Hernandez, who feared that the updates would restrict councilmembers from speaking independently, requiring approval from both her and the city manager for public statements. Enright responded that he would not oppose the deletion of this requirement.
The council also revisited its voting procedures, with Hernandez reminding members they could defer votes to subsequent meetings when necessary. While clarifying that the city has not signed any NDAs with developers, she acknowledged her own NDA with Saronic, a shipbuilding firm interested in Solano County. The NDA facilitated a tour of Saronic’s Texas facility last year. She also noted that the council’s discussions comply with the Brown Act, which mandates open meetings.
Councilmember Princess Washington requested the item be revisited to clarify the purpose of NDAs. She expressed her intention to dispel any misinformation regarding their necessity given the availability of closed sessions for council discussions. Enright responded that NDAs specifically protect trade secrets, whereas closed sessions include all council members.
City Manager Bret Prebula informed attendees about ongoing efforts to develop a food vendor ordinance aimed at addressing illegal food sales. He mentioned collaboration among all cities in Solano County to establish similar regulations for effective enforcement. Prebula also addressed potential modifications to an MOU with California Forever concerning expansion, affirming the city’s commitment to regional cooperation.
During the public comments segment, resident Andrew Russo criticized the California Forever project, calling it a “major boondoggle” that has not been subjected to a public vote. He warned that using NDAs to conceal negotiations could expose politicians to legal risks under state law. In response, Hernandez requested that Prebula include a regular update on California Forever in his comments at future meetings.
Councilmember Amit Pal encouraged community members to communicate via email rather than social media to relay their concerns. He expressed gratitude to constituents who engage with the council and addressed a controversial Facebook comment regarding the community’s diversity, affirming the positive contributions of Indian business owners.
Another council member, Parise Shepphard, shared her experience of contacting police about an incident involving an unhoused individual, describing the situation as alarming. She urged the community to remain vigilant and report any incidents through social media.
Furthermore, Hernandez noted that the Maritime Prosperity Zone proposal, backed by California Forever and Congressman John Garamendi, is gaining traction. The council also accepted a grant from the Yoca Dehe Wintun Nation to update the Fire Department’s outdated pager system, with Fire Chief Brad Lopez highlighting the importance of modernizing this essential communication tool.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to enhance transparency and improve council operations, reflecting the residents’ concerns and the complexities of governance in Suisun City.
