Petaluma City Attorney Requests Improved Financial Reporting Following FPPC Investigations

The City Attorney & Clerk's office issued new guidelines to designated filers regarding late or incorrect Form 700 filings.

Yesterday, April 16, 2025, the City of Petaluma’s Clerk’s Office & City Attorney’s Office issued the following letter to designated filers, as outlined in the City’s conflict of interest code:

Subject: Form 700 Filer's Guidance

Hello Form 700 Filers,

You are receiving this email because you are required to file a Form 700 – Statement of Economic Interest in accordance with our Conflict of Interest Code (attached). As you know, the filing period has just recently closed; thank you all for your timely filing!

We are reaching out with some additional guidance in response to recent complaints received by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regarding late or incorrect Form 700 filings. The majority of these complaints relate to filers omitting income sources received by themselves or their spouse/domestic partner within the past 12 months. It appears these complaints originated from a citizen who has cross-referenced publicly available social media profiles, such as LinkedIn, with submitted Form 700s.

To avoid potential issues, please review the Form 700 investment and income reporting requirements, and note that it is not just necessary to report your own investments and income in the previous 12 months that meet the dollar thresholds specified in the Form 700 instructions (generally, $2,000 for investments and real property interests, $500 for income - but other limits apply to other types of investments). It is also necessary to report your community property share of your spouse's/partner's income and investments above the reporting threshold and, in some cases, investments of dependent children. We also recommend double checking any publicly-disclosed information (e.g. your social media pages like LinkedIn, etc.) regarding your and your spouse/domestic partner’s sources of income and business investments to confirm it is properly reflected in your Form 700 and that you have not forgotten any reportable financial interests.

Please find attached a helpful Form 700 Guide designed to assist you in completing your form accurately. We understand that the filing process can sometimes be confusing, and our goal is to make this process as straightforward and manageable as possible. We encourage you to reach out to the City Attorney’s Office or the City Clerk’s Office if you have any questions or require assistance—we are here to help.

If you believe you may have inadvertently omitted or incorrectly reported information in a previously submitted Form 700, we strongly recommend reviewing your prior filings and submitting amendments as necessary. Proactive amendments are preferable to responding to formal complaints.

Thank you in advance for your attention and diligence. Again, please feel free to contact us if you need any assistance—we are committed to helping you ensure your filings are timely, complete, and compliant.

Sincerely,

City Clerk’s Office & City Attorney’s Office

Caitlin Corley, CMC
City Clerk
City of Petaluma | City Clerk

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As referenced in the letter, the ‘citizen’ who filed FPPC complaints regarding omissions of reportable financial interests, was myself.

The following cases regarding the City of Petaluma were opened by the FPPC due to sufficient evidence of plausible violations. As stated within the City’s letters, these cases primarily pertain to omissions of reportable interests on SEI’s.

Active Cases:

Deborah Fox - Climate Action Manager

Michael Medeiros - Fire Battalion Chief

Brian Barnacle - Councilmember

Ann Baker - Climate Action Commission Member

Closed Cases:

Blake Hooper - Planning Commission

Panama Bartholomy - Climate Action Commission

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I have been featured in several local media articles regarding my efforts to bring better transparency to local agencies.

On May 2, 2022, The Press Democrat published the following article due to my efforts:

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On November 15, 2024, The Press Democrat published the following article regarding Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins. They refused to mention that I was the sworn complainant which triggered the investigation, and they did not accredit my initial article published on November 11, 2024.

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On October 2, 2024, The Press Democrat published the following article:

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While City Attorney Eric Danly and I began with a rocky start, I am genuinely grateful for this step in the right direction. As a taxpayer, I request full transparency and accountability from local appointed and elected officials who serve as decision makers for constituents. It is my presumption that most omissions are not intentional. Rather, there is a lack of comprehension from designated filers regarding what constitutes as a reportable financial interest. Education is critical to improve the process of civic engagement.

I have received over $1,000 in annual pledges from readers who wish to donate to my Substack Publication. I refuse to turn on the paywall, as it is our duty as followers of Christ to bring truth forward. I am unpaid for my activism as well as research, and journalism.

Folks are free to slander my name through Reddit threads and websites about me, but as a follower of Christ, no weapon formed against me shall prosper. I love my community. If you hate me, just remember that my own late father hated me more. Cowards hide behind keyboards, I do not. God bless my haters!

"No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper, and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, says the Lord" -Isaiah 54:17