November 2021

Get to Know the City Council of Rohnert Park:

The Rohnert Park City Council is comprised of five members elected to serve four-year terms. They are elected using the newly adopted  District System. Under this system it is required that each Councilmember live in the district that they represent. Currently three out of the five Councilmembers represent a district. The other two have their seats coming up for election in 2022. It is possible that the current redistricting process may change the lines for these two seats which will impact how we elect our councilmembers in 2022. Rohnert Park is trying hard to follow in the  Footsteps of Petaluma when it comes to following the Liberal Agenda. They have embraced Black Lives Matter and the environmental policies that restrict businesses.

Mayor Gerard Giudice has history in Sonoma County. He has a Hotel and Restaurant Management Degree that he used to start his business Sally’s Tomatoes, which started out as  a catering business and then evolved into a restaurant and event center. He is active in the community and currently has a seat on the board of the  Social Advocates for Youth and is the President of the Rotary Club of Rohnert Park-Cotati. He serves on the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and Regional Climate Board as well as playing roles in Economic Development and Education.

Mayor Giudice serves Council District 3 as a registered Democrat. This Council seat will be up for election in 2024. You can email Mayor Giudice at ggiudice@rpcity.org

Vice Mayor Jackie Elward was born in the Republic of Congo and immigrated to the United States in the early 2000’s. She is fluent in six languages which is one of the reasons she chose to serve on the  Library Advisory Board and is active on the City Committee of Education. She  received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. Earlier this year she helped put together the largest Black Lives Matter rally in Rohnert Park attended by over four hundred people, including elected leaders within the community. On the flip side she is also of the mindset to help give the Police Department what they need to do their job – not defund it. This probably stems from the fact she has family member that are in law enforcement. She makes an effort to see both sides of the coin. She also played a part in environmental issues and is a big believer in Climate Change. She was instrumental in working with the Greenbelt Alliance to help renew the city of Rohnert Park’s Urban Growth Boundary and pass Measure B as well as an advocate of alternative forms of transportation that contribute to a greener future.

Vice Mayor Elward serves Council District 4 as a registered Democrat. This Council seat will be up for election in 2024. You can email Vice Mayor Elward at jelward@rpcity.org

Councilmember Susan Hollingsworth Adams has been a resident of Rohnert Park since 1961. She currently is the Director of Operations for Art Hollingsworth Insurance Services, which is the company her father founded who was once a Rohnert Park City Councilmember himself.  She  has been active in serving the community by volunteering at her children’s schools and earned a Volunteer of the  Year award  for 2017-2018. She has been a member of the Rohnert Park Chamber of Commerce and has been serving on the Rohnert Park Planning Commission since 2003.

Councilmember Adams does not currently represent a district until the re-districting process is completed. She is a registered Democrat. This Council seat will be up for election in 2022. You can email Vice Councilmember Adams at sadams@rpcity.org

Councilmember Willy Linares is the son of immigrant parents that came from Guatemala. He was born in Oakland, CA but moved from city to city as a young child and settling in Rohnert Park in 2002. He is currently involved with the Hanna Boys Center as a member of the Board of Directors as well as the Youth Services Committee and is a member of the  Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Alliance of Rohnert Park-Cotati. He has over ten years working in marketing and is currently the Marketing Coordinator for Sonoma Clean Power.

Councilmember Linares serves Council District 1 as a registered Democrat. This Council seat will be up for election in 2024. You can email Councilmember Linares at wlinares@rpcity.org

Councilmember Stafford has been a resident of Rohnert Park for 44 years. She is a former Mayor  and Vice Mayor of Rohnert Park and has served  on the Chamber of Commerce and the Senior Citizens Advisory as well being on the Water Advisory Committee, Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency and Zero Waste Sonoma.

Councilmember Stafford does not currently represent a district until the re-districting process is completed. She is a registered Democrat. This Council seat will be up for election in 2022. You can email Vice Councilmember Stafford at pstafford@rpcity.org

The Rohnert Park City Council meetings are held at 5:00pm, on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. If you are interested in learning about issues going on and other topics you can  observe the meeting  on Cable Channel 26 or by visiting meeting central on their website.