DIXON, Calif. — Over cups of coffee and morning pastries, Dixon residents spent August doing something rare in modern local government: sitting face-to-face with their elected officials for unscripted, direct conversations about their town’s future. 

The City of Dixon recently wrapped up its district-wide “Coffee with a Councilmember” series, an initiative designed to break down traditional civic barriers by bringing local government out of City Hall and directly into neighborhood meeting spots.

From Rosemary’s Farm to Fork to local coffee shops, Mayor Steve Bird, Vice Mayor Jim Ernest and  Councilmembers Kevin Johnson, Thom Bogue and Don Hendershot spent the month pulling up chairs alongside City staff to listen, take notes and build trust 

“I think I speak for the whole council when I say we really enjoyed this,” said Mayor Steve Bird. “Getting to sit down one-on-one with residents, hear their concerns and what matters to them, that is time well spent.”

Rather than formal three-minute public comments at a podium, these informal gatherings invited genuine dialogue. Neighbors shared heartfelt thoughts on Dixon’s growing footprint, traffic safety, accessibility and creative ideas to support homegrown businesses. 

“I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with City leaders and have an open conversation about what our local businesses need to be successful,” said Olimpia Garner, local State Farm agent. “It was encouraging to be able to share feedback and ideas about how we can better support our business community and create more reasons for people to shop, dine and spend their dollars right here in Dixon. These conversations are important, and I’m glad the City is creating opportunities for local businesses and residents to have a voice.”

The coffee series is part of Dixon Grown, the City’s ongoing community education and engagement initiative launched in February 2026 to ensure resident voices actively guide municipal growth. It builds on July’s “Popsicles in the Park” and interactive community workshops held earlier this spring.

As Dixon prepares to release the developer-funded draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for major proposals — including the Harvest Master Plan, Lombardo Ranch Master Plan and southeast annexation projects — the City is bringing the community’s insights directly into the next phase of planning. Once the draft EIR is released, residents will have another formal opportunity to review and submit comments.

To stay involved, view upcoming meeting schedules or track development updates in Dixon, visit DixonGrown.com.