Cloverdale City Council candidates sound off on budget, water, transparency in Press Democrat questionnaire – The Press Democrat

eEditionSign up for email newslettersSign up for email newsletterseEdition Trending: Nine candidates are running for three seats on the Cloverdale City Council in what has shaped up to be one of the most competitive local race on the Nov. 3 ballot.Incumbent Councilmembers Marjorie Morgenstern and Andrés Marquez are seeking to retain their seats against seven challengers: Will Carter, Kimberly Kern, Steve Kawa, Chris Parker, Colleen Shields, Kelly Spagnola and Jenn Neylon.The crowded contest comes at a pivotal time for the county’s northernmost city, where officials are weighing a controversial development that could substantially expand the city’s population, grappling with a general fund deficit and confronting uncertainty over the future of the region’s water supply.It also comes at a time of fractured city governance and increasingly strained relationships on the council.Ballots were mailed to about 5,640 registered voters in the city earlier this month and the first set of in-person vote centers opened last weekend with more set to open Oct. 31.Ahead of Election Day, The Press Democrat prepared a list of questions to pose to candidates running for municipal office. Full responses are below but may have been edited for grammar, spelling, length and, if necessary, to remove any offensive language and hate speech.Spagnola and Neylon did not respond to the questionnaire by deadline.MORE: Nine candidates vying for three seats on Cloverdale City CouncilWill CarterSteve KawaKimberly KernAndrés MarquezMarjorie MorgensternChris ParkerColleen ShieldsCarter: I am blessed to have called Cloverdale my home for more than 20 years. Growing up in Cloverdale, I was heavily involved with the Cloverdale Kiwanis Club and the Cloverdale High School Key Club. Because of this relationship and these experiences, I was raised to put others above myself and to pursue public service. I am now president of the Cloverdale Kiwanis Club, after also serving as board trustee, and have many years of experience in Toastmasters, both in Cloverdale and Santa Rosa, including serving in most executive committee roles.Throughout my life, I have always loved and promoted Cloverdale, so much so that my wife, Morgan, and I have chosen it as our permanent home. I intend to bring my passion for being of service in line with my passion for Cloverdale by serving on the Cloverdale City Council to advance my goals, to collaborate with other council members, and to prioritize an open dialog with the public of Cloverdale.I feel prepared for this after serving the people and small businesses of Cloverdale by providing small business and home IT services to this community for over a decade, now under my own business for more than four years. My work and community contributions have shown Cloverdale my character, my passion and my dedication.Kawa: I have been part of the Cloverdale community for nearly 20 years, and bring 25-plus years of state and local government experience to the table. When I worked as the deputy chief of staff and chief of staff for three San Francisco mayors, I learned the importance of listening and collaborating with others to work effectively in city government and have the ability to get things done. I also learned how to bring people together to solve complicated challenges. Today, I’m a semi-retired small business owner, and live in Cloverdale full-time. I love Cloverdale’s sense of community, plan to spend the rest of my life here, and want to positively contribute to Cloverdale’s future. I believe my experience, skills, and relationships will be beneficial to Cloverdale and help address our community challenges.Kern: I would be an effective local leader for Cloverdale because I bring the skills and judgment our city needs at this moment. I know how to manage complex public budgets, oversee maintenance and infrastructure with discipline and foresight, and rebuild trust through transparency and consistent community engagement. Cloverdale is entering a period of rapid development, and we need leadership that can welcome opportunity while guarding against risk — especially corruption, outside influence, and decisions that don’t put residents first.My career has been defined by integrity, steady judgment, disciplined management, and a deep commitment to public service. Over more than thirty years, I have led diverse teams, navigated complex regulatory environments, managed multimillion-dollar public budgets, and made decisions that directly affect families and communities. I have repeatedly been entrusted with high-stakes responsibilities like crisis response, safety oversight, long-term planning, and open collaboration with elected boards. My leadership style is grounded in listening, clarity, and accountability. I have a long record of building trust across constituencies and bringing people together to solve problems. Together, these experiences have prepared me to offer thoughtful, community-centered leadership and to steward public resources with care, integrity, and a deep respect for the people of Cloverdale.Marquez: I have been successful in creating good policy, establishing relationships, bringing resources back to Cloverdale, encouraging public participation and have brought a fresh, creative perspective to the Cloverdale City Council in my 19 months since being appointed in February 2025.Morgenstern: I am a proven leader with a demonstrated history of advocating for all residents of Cloverdale. During my four years of service to our city, I have successfully sharpened my leadership skills and delivered meaningful results, including helping to establish rent control protections for local mobile home park residents. Cloverdale’s greatest strength is its diverse population. As a representative, I will always champion the underdog and ensure every member of our community has a strong, dedicated voice fighting for them.Parker: I believe effective leadership begins with listening, treating people with respect, making informed decisions, and being accountable for those decisions. During my 28-year law enforcement career, including serving as Cloverdale’s police chief, I led employees, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, responded to major emergencies, secured grants and resources, and worked closely with city departments, regional agencies, businesses, schools, and residents.My career also taught me perseverance and the importance of following through, even when challenges seem insurmountable. One example was helping solve the Sarah Geer cold-case murder, bringing a decades-old case to resolution and helping provide long-awaited justice for Sarah and her family.I also served as acting city manager during the city manager’s absences, providing firsthand experience with municipal operations, budgeting, personnel, infrastructure, and the delivery of essential City services.For more than a decade, I have coached and mentored Cloverdale youth and remained actively involved in community service. I have spent more than two decades living in and serving Cloverdale, and I would bring that experience, accountability, collaboration, and commitment to the City CouncilShields: From being a member of the board of directors for a major Santa Rosa business, to running my own business, I have good management and operational skills. I was also a bookkeeper for 40 years, so have extensive experience overseeing and managing large sums of money. I was responsible for balancing the books, with the proper oversight of expenditures and income, along with the required tracking documentation, as well.I’ve learned excellent communication skills, over the years, and am a team player — choosing decorum and collaboration, over confrontation and divisiveness. I also enjoy projects and research and would welcome the opportunity to utilize that skill, on behalf of our precious little town. And, lastly, I have integrity. When I believe strongly in something, like I do in Cloverdale, I will fight to the finish in order to see it through.Carter: My greatest focus is on improving safety, accessibility, and comfort for all users of Cloverdale’s roads, sidewalks, paths, and buses. The city can use internal and external tools such as:State laws which provide municipalities with tools to make low-cost improvements in these departments. Assembly Bill 413 extended California’s existing ‘Daylighting Law’ to extend no parking 20 feet from crosswalks. I would like to see this implemented first on the whole length of Cloverdale Boulevard, then extended to other high traffic areas in order of traffic level, or when the need is indicated by members of the public. Assembly Bill 43 adds new options for how municipalities handle speed studies and also changes many other areas of law around speed enforcement. The most compelling aspect of this bill is the option to create business activity districts where the speed limit can be set at 20 or 25 mph without the need for a costly speed study and without any doubt regarding enforceability.The internal tools are the steps Cloverdale has already planned, but not implemented. I would seek to advance many of the suggestions from the 2025 City Master Plan Circulation Element, with a focus on pedestrian safety and city wide accessibility.Kawa: As a City Council member, I’ll be guided by a few key principles — public safety is paramount, fiscal responsibility is mandatory, and Cloverdale must be economically, socially, and culturally strong. The city’s budget outlook/fiscal sustainability, the state of our local economy, water, and community infrastructure are all front and center. I’ve worked behind the scenes when city budgets have faced similarly grim outlooks and have the institutional knowledge and innovative thought process needed to work with stakeholders to make progress on these issues.Kern: The issue driving my run for office is the need for stronger fiscal responsibility and far greater transparency in how Cloverdale makes financial decisions. In recent years, the city’s budget deficit has grown while public visibility into council deliberations, long-term commitments, and spending priorities have declined. Basic infrastructure maintenance has been deferred, leading to costly emergency repairs and lapses in conflict-of-interest safeguards. Residents deserve clear information, open processes, and a governing body that treats public dollars with the same care families apply to their own budgets.If elected, I would work to restore trust by strengthening financial oversight, improving public reporting, and ensuring that major fiscal decisions are grounded in accurate data and long-term planning. That means regular, accessible updates on the city’s financial condition; transparent evaluation of contracts and development proposals; and a commitment to addressing structural budget challenges rather than relying on short-term fixes. My goal is to ensure Cloverdale’s financial practices are open, accountable, and aligned with community priorities. Our city with its vibrant arts and community culture deserves responsive, responsible, and transparent leadership. That’s what I offer.Marquez: Bring transparency to the community and encouraging public participation.Morgenstern: Currently, not all members or nonprofits in our community are receiving the equal support they need. My focus will be on advocating that the City Council takes the necessary time to thoroughly identify the unique needs of our community and respond with truly equitable solutions.Parker: Two issues driving my decision to run for City Council are economic development and public safety infrastructure. I believe they are directly connected and critical to Cloverdale’s future.Cloverdale needs a stronger, more diverse local economy. Vacant storefronts and undeveloped properties provide opportunities to attract sustainable businesses, create jobs, strengthen our tax base, and generate revenue for essential City services. I would work with businesses, property owners, developers, and residents to encourage responsible investment while protecting Cloverdale’s small-town character.We must also invest in public safety infrastructure. As Cloverdale grows, so will demands on police, fire, emergency medical services, and emergency preparedness. We need to plan ahead for adequate staffing, modern facilities, equipment, technology, and other resources necessary to maintain quality service.Having served as Cloverdale’s police chief, I understand these needs firsthand. I would work to ensure new development contributes its fair share toward the public safety demands it creates rather than placing that burden solely on existing residents. Responsible economic development should strengthen our community and provide resources to keep Cloverdale safe.Shields: I am concerned about the transparency and lack of financial oversight that is occurring in our town, as well as some important decisions about growth requirements and regulation that are currently being made. I’ve also observed how certain council members sometimes don’t vote in the best interest of their constituents, and I would like to be that voice and advocate for them. Council members are voted in to speak for the people, not their own special interests.Carter: I am pleased to see that there is discussion of creating a deputy city clerk position in Cloverdale … as I feel very strongly that our transparency efforts are greatly hindered by understaffing. Specifically, there are two major issues — public records requests delays and lack of available bilingual minutes of public meetings. Both of these should be taken very seriously by the city staff and council. It is difficult to interpret the activity of the city when the meetings are long, recorded in English, and contain many minutes of discussion to scrub through, just to know how the members of the council vote.City leaders have an obligation to be transparent, but I would like to see a city which embraces what that actually means. PRA requests are to be honored, by law, and characterizing them as an undue burden or a vindictive act is wrong. When the Clerk’s Office is well staffed, we can expand transparency beyond our legal obligations and become more proactive in publishing information and updates to the public. As a member of council, I will make myself available to all members of the public, the press, and to the leadership of our local organizations and non-profits.Kawa: Public transparency is very important to me. The public elects its city leaders and the elected representatives need to show they’re open, honest, and have earned the trust of the people who trusted in them with their vote to serve our community on the City Council. Open communication is important — I meet stakeholders and everyday residents for coffee and out in the community. Being accessible is one of the most important ways to keep that open door policy while always being transparent about what’s happening in the city — both good and bad — and how certain ideas and proposals can move things in a better direction with the community and council’s support. I will maintain this accessibility and transparent communication style as a member of the City Council, including regular meetings with constituents.Kern: The public expects transparency because it is the foundation of trust in local government. Achieving it requires clear communication, open processes, and a commitment to making information accessible before — not after — major decisions are made. Transparency is not complicated, it is a discipline. It means sharing accurate financial data, explaining the implications of long-term commitments, and ensuring residents can see how and why decisions are made.City leaders can do better by adopting consistent public reporting practices, providing timely updates on the city’s financial condition, and making budget documents, contracts, and development proposals easy for residents to understand. It also means holding discussions in public whenever possible, clearly outlining the rationale behind votes, and engaging the community early in the decision-making process rather than presenting outcomes as a foregone conclusion. When leaders communicate openly, evaluate proposals with clear criteria, and welcome public scrutiny, they strengthen trust and ensure that city resources are managed responsibly and in alignment with community priorities.Marquez: Having the hard conversations. Bringing to light, advocating and having solutions for what needs to be changed.Morgenstern: Creating better transparency in city spending requires a mix of leveraging existing city platforms, active citizen oversight, and adopting advanced reporting and tracking tools. New rules and guidelines must be created so that the city of Cloverdale is more transparent with their spending.Parker: Transparency is essential to maintaining public trust, and I believe Cloverdale is already doing a great deal to make city finances accessible to the public. Residents can go online and review the city’s budget, expenditures, revenues and planned spending. The city also makes agendas, staff reports, and other public documents available online so residents can see how and why decisions are being made.Where we can do better is making this information easier for residents to understand. Transparency should be more than simply making documents available. City leaders should clearly explain major expenditures, significant changes from the adopted budget, and the long-term financial impact of important decisions.As a council member, I would support continuing these transparency efforts while making financial information more understandable and accessible. Residents should be able to see where their tax dollars are going and understand the decisions being made on their behalf.Shields: I believe there needs to be financial oversight, checks and balances, and audits — both external and internal. And making this information more available to the public, so they feel that their tax dollars are being spent in the ways that they are asking them to be.I feel there needs to be more collaboration and input from the community, as far as how they want their tax dollars to be spent.Carter: I would focus my efforts on low-cost, high-impact improvements, which make a measurable difference in the most important categories of safety, stability and service reliability. For many of my proposed safety/accessibility projects, these funds could be sourced from Cloverdale’s local sales tax measure, where the majority is allocated for road improvements and a portion for pedestrian concerns. This is in keeping with my perception of how the public would like these proceeds to be applied in their city.In the revenue circumstances which affect all of California, there are only a few practical tools to increase revenue. One of the best tools is new development, creating new improved properties, which will produce greater property tax revenue. These properties can then also produce sales taxes and transient occupancy taxes. Sensible growth in small businesses, encouraging local business development, and welcoming appropriate commercial developments can all boost revenues and provide more skilled jobs for Cloverdalians.Kawa: We can increase revenues through smart economic strategies such as increasing housing, which increases property tax revenues; increasing business activity, which increases sales tax revenues; and making sure we get our fair share of county, state, and federal funds.We have to be fiscally responsible and only spend what we take in while maintaining a 25% reserve fund. The city’s budget expenditures are already quite lean. We need to fund our police department to ensure public safety. Public safety is my priority. I will also work to build a new police station. Our current station is inadequate and unsafe, and I will work to secure state funding for the new station.Kern: Cloverdale’s projected deficit requires a disciplined focus on core services, long-term obligations, and the infrastructure that protects public safety and financial stability. My priority would be to safeguard essential services — fire, water systems, police, and critical public works — because these are the foundations of a functioning city. I would also prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure over launching new discretionary projects. Deferred maintenance becomes more expensive over time and can contribute to structural deficits.Closing the gap will require a careful review of non-essential spending, the timing of capital projects, and the deferral or scaling back of initiatives that do not directly serve Cloverdale residents’ immediate needs. Just as important is reducing liabilities and legal costs which often arise when due diligence is overlooked or decisions are rushed. Strengthening review processes, improving contract oversight, and ensuring that proposals are evaluated thoroughly can prevent costly mistakes and protect taxpayers.Increasing revenue should be approached thoughtfully by supporting small-business growth, improving cost recovery for city services, and evaluating development proposals for their true long-term fiscal impact. The city must communicate openly about its financial condition and involve residents early in discussions about priorities. Transparency is how communities make sustainable decisions together.Marquez: Take a deep dive into the budget and keep an open mind to what we can cut or make more efficient. Greater inclusion of the Latino population will help drive revenue to local businesses. Enriching and adding to our local hotel options.Morgenstern: The city must prioritize protecting core public safety (police) and maintaining vital water infrastructure, but we must also recognize that all city infrastructure is important. Cloverdale should focus on fixing our streets first before allocating funds to non-essential tech. To support these critical physical needs during the deficit, the city must aggressively maximize locating external grants and explore new revenue sources.The city should reduce discretionary tech spending and poorly tracked civic donations. Specifically, we should eliminate Flock safety cameras and redirect those dollars directly toward paving our roads. Furthermore, the amount of tax money paid to the Chamber of Commerce should be better monitored and reduced, allowing the city to more equitably support a variety of local nonprofits that serve the broader community.Parker: With a projected general fund deficit, the city must prioritize essential services while carefully reviewing expenditures. My infrastructure priority would be addressing the police department facility, which needs significant structural improvements and modernization to adequately serve our community and employees.Before cutting essential services, I would review projects that are scheduled but have not yet begun. Depending on their funding sources, projects that can legally and responsibly be delayed should be considered for deferral until the city’s financial position improves.We also need to focus on increasing revenue. Cloverdale should enforce its existing vacant commercial property ordinance and work closely with the Chamber of Commerce, property owners, and residents to identify the goods and services Cloverdalians currently leave town to purchase. That information should guide efforts to recruit businesses that can reduce this retail leakage and generate additional sales tax revenue.We should also pursue businesses, lodging, tourism, and economic development opportunities that can increase sales and transient occupancy tax revenues without placing additional financial burdens on residents.Shields: The current council reported recently that Measure DD (the countywide voter-approved transportation sales tax) will be providing funds for some much needed street repairs this fall. So we can finally check that off our list! The recent water rate increase will provide some of the funds necessary to help offset the repair costs for the water department. The only other infrastructure project I foresee, aside from normal maintenance and upkeep, is developing the newly acquired extended plaza area. I suggest we do as much of this by volunteerism as we can. There are many in town who’ve stepped forward and said they would donate their time and talents in order to further enhance our city and it’s growing needs. There are also local businesses that could bid on parts of the job — possibly trading a lower rate for acknowledgement and free advertising via the Chamber of Commerce, the city website, the Cloverdale Connect newspaper, and/or the Citrus Fair electric marquee.As far as the budget goes, I feel an in depth assessment needs to be done, in order to reevaluate our priorities for the allocation of city funds. There might have to be budget cuts because we’ve got to stop the bleeding.Carter: There are already proposals from the city’s water staff for system improvements, presented alongside our recent rate increase discussion. I would like to see those projects break ground expeditiously to ensure our existing systems are getting improvements. These projects also typically grow in price faster than inflation, meaning that spending now may be more effective than delaying. Our rate increases are also partially to do with a ~17% reduced usage as a city, so I do feel confident that growth can be achieved without overburdening our systems.Given the close relationship between the surface and the groundwater which serves our wells, new developments and city improvements can be asked to implement bioswales and other tools to return more water to the soil, instead of downriver. We can also encourage developers to make wise choices about water use in their landscaping and building design.I do not see a conflict between Cloverdale’s water supply and our growth, as our water is funded from rate payers.Issues with sourcing for our municipal water is an independent concern, one best addressed by working with area water boards, other affected municipalities, and projects which are built to address concerns raised by factors like the decommissioning of dams.Kawa: We must ensure Cloverdale has a safe and reliable supply of water now and for future generations. When new developments are proposed and entitlements need to be approved, the due diligence process must include a scientific analysis of the water supply, the impacts the proposed development will have on our water while meeting our housing goals, and any necessary mitigations or actions the developer needs to provide in order to receive any project approvals. It is incumbent on the developer to build any new water infrastructure associated with their project.When it comes to Potter Valley, we must have diversion systems and storage systems built and paid for before Pacific Gas and Electric Co. proceeds with any dam removal projects. We need to make sure those systems provide Cloverdale with a safe and reliable water supply. Cloverdale is at-risk should the dam removal project proceed without replacement infrastructure and diversion systems in place first.Kern: Cloverdale’s water future is increasingly uncertain, and responsible growth must begin with a clear, data-driven understanding of our actual water capacity. With major developments like Esmeralda and the reality of recent droughts, declining river flows, and instability in the Potter Valley Project, we cannot ignore the strain additional demand would place on an already challenged system. Meeting state-mandated housing goals is essential, but it must be done in ways that protects long-term water reliability for current and future residents.My approach is straightforward — growth must be aligned with verified water availability, realistic infrastructure planning, and transparent public evaluation. Before approving large developments, the city must conduct rigorous, independent analysis of long-term water supply, treatment capacity, and system resilience — especially in drought conditions. We need to prioritize upgrades to existing water infrastructure, reduce system losses, and strengthen regional partnerships that improve supply stability.State housing requirements can be met through a balanced strategy that emphasizes infill development, moderate-income housing, and projects that fit within our actual water capacity. Rushing into high-impact proposals without due diligence exposes the city to financial, legal, and environmental risks. Responsible leaders ensure development decisions are grounded in data, transparency, and long-term water resource sustainability.Marquez: Growth would help bring revenue and a greater customer base for our water department.I have also been working to create a regional joint powers association, or JPA, in the Alexander Valley including Cloverdale, Healdsburg, the proposed Alexander Valley Water District, Dry Creek Rancheria, Lytton Rancheria, County of Sonoma and Sonoma Water to invest in regional water resiliency.Morgenstern: New units must utilize advanced graywater recycling and high-efficiency smart fixtures. The city of Cloverdale should focus on eliminating high water landscaping while also educating the public on how to do the same.Cloverdale should focus on creating more water storage. Upgrading existing municipal wells and funding the new well project will help to secure stable, long-term groundwater supplies. The city must look into a variety of ways to deliver water to Cloverdale to include finding out if it is feasible to create a pipeline from Lake Sonoma.Parker: Meeting state-mandated housing requirements must go hand-in-hand with ensuring Cloverdale has a reliable and diversified water supply. We cannot responsibly plan for growth without planning for the water and infrastructure needed to support it.I support pursuing multiple long-term solutions, including the two-basin solution, deep-water wells, additional storage, conservation, and exploring infrastructure to bring water from Lake Sonoma. I also support exploring opportunities for qualified new ownership or regional partnerships that could preserve the Potter Valley Project dams and associated water storage, if financially, environmentally, and legally feasible.The proposed Esmeralda project includes approximately one million gallons of additional water storage, which would further strengthen the city’s water system. New development should contribute its fair share toward the infrastructure needed to serve the demand it creates.Cloverdale should also continue studying and developing purple-pipe infrastructure to expand the use of recycled water for appropriate non-potable uses, preserving drinking water for our residents and future growth.Shields: From the meetings I’ve already attended, I believe we are up to speed, as far as the government mandated housing is concerned. That being said, I would work with the water department, and other council members, to discuss the options to deduce which choices would work best for Cloverdale’s growing needs.Water rates were recently raised, as per a recent council meeting, in order to offset the much needed repairs to the department’s infrastructure, so hopefully this will remedy the situation.It also might be in the best interest of the city to put a temporary moratorium on any future building until we know how much water will be needed for the Baumgardner development, on the south end of town. Once their water needs are determined, we can reevaluate and monitor the growth, as per our ability to provide adequate services for any new residents.Carter: Continuing the process of making city services, signage, social media, and all other communications bilingual is a priority to me. I would not feel represented if this standing language barrier existed for me, so we must do what we can to remove it.I would like to see all city business presented in both English and Spanish, including translating agendas, minutes, and public comments for all meetings in a timely and effective manner. Eventually, providing translation services for public comments in Spanish to be translated to English, during meetings must be implemented as well.I look forward to opportunities to meet with organizations which represent all communities in Cloverdale when considering their needs and the priorities for our City.Kawa: We need to proactively engage, listen to, and learn from our Hispanic and Latino community. Through culturally competent communications and regular, formalized citizens advisory groups, I believe we can better create awareness for and provide essential services to Spanish-speaking communities. We also need to partner with local, social nonprofits like La Familia Sana, faith-based organizations, and Hispanic and Latino business owners. Knowing that many of our 1,300 Cloverdale Unified School District students are of Hispanic or Latino descent, we also need to strengthen the partnership between the city and our city’s school district to further our commitment to inclusion and inclusive communications with all our residents.Kern: An effective engagement plan with meaningful participation requires removing barriers, building trust, and meeting people where they are. The city must create multiple, accessible pathways for diverse groups of residents to be involved in decisions before they are finalized — not after. Considering diverse voices will lead us to the best decisions.This includes offering multilingual communication across all major platforms, holding public meetings at times and locations that work for working families, and partnering with trusted community organizations, schools, and faith-based groups that already serve our Latino community. Engagement must be proactive. This could include ideas such as listening sessions in varied and diverse neighborhoods, small-group conversations, and outreach that does not rely solely on formal council meetings.The city should also expand opportunities for residents to participate in advisory committees, budget discussions, and planning processes, with clear explanations of how their input will shape outcomes. When people see their perspectives reflected in decisions, trust grows.Inclusive governance is not a slogan, it is a practice. By communicating clearly, reducing language and access barriers, and inviting residents into the process early and consistently, Cloverdale leaders can make decisions that reflect the full community it serves.Marquez: I am the first Mexican-American on the Cloverdale City Council. The second Latino. I am engaged with the Latino population of Cloverdale. I am working to establish and Latino Advisory Committee to work directly with our City Manager. I am pushing for translation and interpretation services and helping to walk it in currently. I have helped have bilingual signage at our parks. I also regularly attend meetings of the Equity Community Organization, which meets at La Famila Sana monthly and is a group of mostly monolingual Spanish speaking seniors.Morgenstern: We need to meet people where they are. I believe that local government works best when everyone has a voice.To make that happen, I want to bring translators into all of our City Council meetings so that language isn’t a barrier to being heard. We also need to stop guessing what our community needs and just ask people — which is why running a targeted survey to learn directly about the specific priorities of our Latino neighborhoods would be helpful. Lastly, we need to take the conversation out of City Hall. By hosting bilingual town halls in friendly, accessible community spaces we can build real trust and make sure everyone feels welcome to participate in the decisions that impact their daily lives.Parker: Engagement begins with building relationships and making sure every resident has an opportunity to be heard. As police chief, I worked closely with Cloverdale’s Hispanic and Latino community and regularly participated in community meetings.Recently, I met with La Familia Sana to hear directly about their needs and concerns, including better access to Spanish translation at City Council meetings. Following that meeting, I met with the city manager and helped restart efforts to provide translation services.As a council member, I would also support providing city social media information in both English and Spanish, similar to the bilingual approach used for Nixle notifications.I would encourage the chamber and community organizations to consider an annual event celebrating Latino culture and heritage. The Citrus Fair’s recent Latino Heritage event demonstrated how successful these events can be in bringing our community together.Good government requires meeting people where they are, listening, and ensuring everyone has a voice.Shields: I am pleased to say I already have several friends, clients, and coworkers in town who are members of the Latino community, and I treasure my association with them. I’ve already spoken to several of them to find out how we can make sure that they are included in the decisionmaking processes of the town. I plan to have town hall meetings with everyone in order to hear concerns and get suggestions for any improvements we can make as City Council members to be better liaisons for including their voices in the mix. And, if elected, I will create a Facebook page specifically for constituents to air their concerns and ask questions, as well as a new email address. I plan on being transparent and approachable and will respond in a timely manner. I will also post reminders about council meetings, and will invite anyone who wishes to, to attend.Copyright 2026 The Press Democrat. All rights reserved. The use of any content on this website for the purpose of training artificial intelligence systems, algorithms, machine learning models, text and data mining, or similar use is strictly prohibited without explicit written consent.source