🍊 Monday Gazette: September 1, 2025

No City Council meeting this week. The Board of Ethics will review open meeting law complaints against four councilmembers. How digital tools from Rivy the chatbot to smarter operations are reshaping city government. Plus, an update on Meliia’s GoFundMe.

A classic car is parked in front of the “Kindness, Unity & Community” mural at Mark Twain Elementary, a collaborative project led by artist Katya Orlovie with students, staff, and the community. (John McCombs) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside? Share it with us and help celebrate the beauty of our community!

Monday Gazette: September 1, 2025

Happy Monday and Happy Labor Day, Riverside! Today we celebrate the hard work, dedication and contributions of workers in every field who keep our community moving forward. However you spend the day, we hope it’s filled with rest, gratitude and time with the people who matter most.

See you tomorrow!


🧡
Meliia’s GoFundMe Update: So far, $1,900 has been raised to help 9-year-old Meliia and her family visit Disneyland. Every contribution brings her closer to making this dream come true! You can still help here: Support Meliia’s Dream.

GOVERNMENT

This Week in City Hall: September 1, 2025

City Council does not meet this week. The Board of Ethics will hear allegations of open meeting law violations filed by cannabis business applicants against Councilmembers Conder, Mill, Perry and Robillard.

Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worth your attention in the coming week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.

Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee

The Mayor's Nominating and Screening Committee meets on Wednesday, September 3, at 8:30 a.m. (agenda) to consider nominating Councilmember Falcone for appointment to the Northwest Mosquito and Vector Control District Board, which oversees pest control services for 900,000 residents across seven cities in Riverside County.

Governmental Processes Committee

The Governmental Processes Committee (Councilmembers Falcone, Perry, and Conder) meets on Wednesday, September 3, at 9 a.m. (agenda) to hear the Board of Ethics recommendations for potential updates to City ethics rules that would allow vendors and contractors to file complaints against officials, prohibit biased online activity by officials regarding pending City matters, add whistleblower protections, and extend the complaint filing deadline from one to two years.

Transportation Board

The Transportation Board meeting for Wednesday, September 3, has been cancelled.

Board of Ethics

The Board of Ethics meets on Thursday, September 4, at 5 p.m. (agenda) to hear ethics complaints filed by cannabis business applicants against Councilmembers Conder, Mill, Perry, and Robillard, alleging they violated open meeting laws by privately discussing reducing cannabis permits from 14 to 7 before public meetings.

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FROM THE MAYOR'S DESK

Opinion: Smarter Tools, Stronger Service

From Rivy the chatbot to smarter city operations, digital tools are making city government more efficient and accessible.

What do you think of when you hear the term Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Do you fear a Terminator-like future where evil robots replace humans? Or does it get you excited about the possibilities to solve our world’s problems, offering unprecedented breakthroughs in creativity and thought? The technology that makes AI so powerful can be unsettling, but when designed and deployed responsibly it can significantly improve our lives. This holds huge potential for the way cities serve our residents.

AI is transforming the way cities around the world operate, including right here in Riverside. This technology is being used for all sorts of city functions like providing better customer service and streamlining city services. AI holds enormous potential to make local government more accessible, responsive, and efficient for the people we serve. Riverside is embracing these tools thoughtfully and responsibly, ensuring that innovation is always paired with accountability and care for our community.

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