Meet Petaluma City Council Candidate John Shribbs

PETALUMA, CA — Patch reached out to all the candidates for Petaluma City Council.

Two candidates are running for Petaluma City Council District 2.

We sent out questionnaires and reprinted their answers verbatim. Below, read the responses of John Shribbs, a candidate for a seat representing District 2 on the Petaluma City Council.

John Shribbs, 73, is running for a seat representing District 2 on the Petaluma City Council. In the questionnaire, Shribbs identified hazard preparedness, the local economy and infrastructure, and community engagement as priorities.

What is your educational background?

From most recent to past: Teaching Certificate for Public Education with certificates in CLAD and Technology in Education, PhD in Horticulture with Statistics minor, MS in Pest Management, BS in Biology with Chemistry minor.

What is your professional background?

16 years teaching Science at CGHS, 25 years in Weed and Pest Management including 12 years as Senior Biological Researcher for an international agricultural corporation, 25+ years of volunteering in various civic and nonprofit boards and committees.

Have you ever held public office, whether appointive or elective?

Currently on City Council serving for 4 years, appointed to or served on several civic advisory committees including Technology, Tree, Groundwater, General Plan, Watershed, Water Resiliency, and AG and Open Space

What are the top three issues facing your district right now?

1) Hazard and Safety Preparedness for Earthquakes, Climate Change (Heat, Flooding, Drought, Sea Level Rise), Wildfires, and Global Economic Depression including building resiliency center at Fairgrounds with new Fire and Police Station and developing a stronger community safety volunteer task force.
2) Economy. Includes a) housing of all levels for all ages, esp. seniors, workers, and entry level for young families, b) filling vacant lots and storefronts creating jobs and local sales c) revitalizing downtown business and tourism which includes renovating the trestle into an activated promenade and d) strengthening city services and improving infrastructure including all the pipes and roads. Improve mobility of cars, bikes, peds, public transport.
3) Building Community with more public engagement, senior services including new Senior Center, working with community strengthening nonprofits like Blue Zones, Cool Petaluma, Aqus Community, Blacks for Community Development, and many others. Increase overall wellbeing by enhancing our urban environment with gathering spaces, green spaces and trees.

What is one specific policy you would implement in your first 100 days?

The new General Plan (GP) with all its Elements, Frameworks, and Policies has been established over the the last 6 years including Housing Element. Land Use, and Climate Change Actions. Implementing the GP in a holistic approach taking many small steps at the same time is what is needed. The next two steps are aligning all our city ordinances, zoning, and codes with this new GP. Right after that is developing a new City Charter which is how local government works. These are already started and will continue throughout the first year.

Roadwork is over 20 years behind maintenance with $200 Million backfill needed and of major concern to residents. The City increased funding from $4 to 10 Million/year but that is not enough to catch up. The road repaving program needs to increase efforts. Road repair can cost several hundred dollars per sq. yard and city revenue from property taxes do not cover this cost. We need to education the public and make this effort and need more transparent. We can set this in motion in the first 100 days.

What is your plan to enact this plan and how would you measure success after one year?

The main job of Cit Council is to set policy and prioritize goals while City Manager implements. Establishing a new set of ordinances, zoning, and codes will take most of the year. Getting a new City Charter in place by end of 2027 would be a good goal to reach. These are all in play in order to become a more efficient organization with a "Yes We Can" attitude. Council reviews City Manager, Attorney, and Clerk who provide annual review of progress and projects completed. Their reports can be combined into a list of measurements and published. Staff are working on a table of measures of progress to be published on the website.

What is one specific change you would make to improve livability in your district?

I am working on improving the Landscape Assessment Districts, which are plentiful in my District 2. A new policy and procedure has been set up and published on the city webpage. The city is also working on road improvements including safer crosswalks across Sonoma Mountain Parkway and more paving of main corridors on the East Side and residential roads that are many years behind scheduled maintenance.

How would you improve transparency or accountability in your local government?

I ask more questions of staff than other council members in writing before and verbally during meetings to fill in gaps, expose areas of concern, and develop creative ideas. I also follow up on staff work and projects with monthly meetings with city manager and attorney. I would like to see more townhall meetings, at least once a quarter, where residents can raise concerns and issues to the full council. The city website and messaging is improving with a goal of showing what is being done and how to get involved. Staff are currently working on a table of measures of progress that will be posted to the website and updated regularly. New local media (Petaluma Voice, Petaluma Patches) will be closely watching and reporting.

I also would like to see the top controversial and important agenda items put into a stand alone meeting or at least first on the agenda so residents do not have to sit for 4-5 hours before they can comment at the end of 5-6 hour meetings that go to 11 pm and later.

What makes you a better choice than your opponents?

I have deep knowledge and experience in the community. I have taught over 2000 students while at CGHS, coached youth soccer for 13 years, helped 3 nonprofits (PWA, FOPR, ReLeaf) develop into well run organizations, volunteer for many other nonprofits, participated in multiple committees, research deep into issues, and attend multiple public events and workshops.

I provide lots of added value to the council and staff. The mayor told me I am the hardest working councilmember. I read all staff reports and research issues. I listen to all sides of critical issues, ask deeper questions, think outside the box, and find compromises that are practical. I have worked well with the council and voted in agreement the majority of the time, but also speak up and vote no on critical issues that are important to the residents. I have been criticized for taking up verbal space and asking too many questions getting into the weeds during council meetings creating "trouble", but I believe I make "Good Trouble".