Contents
8 sections- 01A plea to explain the consent calendarXS
- 02Relay For Life, and the consent calendarX
- 03Parks, a garden pilot and art on light polesX
- 04Recycling processing, and the human relations commissionX
- 05League of California Cities: state budget and redevelopment
- 06Park closures, civil disturbance readiness and the FPPC
- 07A design review and the new oversight boardX
- 08Adjourned in memory of James Dhy and Sonom Kodon
01 A plea to explain the consent calendar captions 1–16
0:00:58turn thank [Music] you like to call the uh special city council meeting uh to order December our December Tuesday April 3rd uh 2012 meeting we've already had the pledge uh just let the record reflect that all members of city council are here do we have uh oral communication
0:01:26from the public yes we have one speaker Al Miller uh good evening again I was going to leave my periodical reminder about the consent calendar to another night but tonight's consent calendar is such a good example I'm going to go through it very quickly uh also running a public
0:01:47agency's meetings I can understand the efficiency and the advantage of using a consent calendar to deal with usually non-controversial items uh it gives you more time in a meeting uh to address the issues that need to be discussed in public but sometimes at least in my
0:02:05opinion items that could really be useful constructive items even with a short discussion to inform uh your the public about what's happening in those areas uh Merit consideration of being dealt off of the consent calendar very quickly it seems to me that consent calendar items a b c
0:02:30e and J by most people would be considered routine administrative uh items and they don't cause much questions but item D for example the annual parcel assessment for National pollution discharge elimination system that particularly now because of the controversial clean water program
0:02:53election that we're in the middle of uh you know most people don't know what an MPD is uh or the ramifications of not meeting the requirements of that permit is so when things like that come up I think you should I would recommend that you consider having some short uh
0:03:14informational period to explain it is for example is that item connected with the uh ballot that we're asked to sign in to give more money uh maybe you want to make clear that it isn't because if it is people are going to vote against it too I don't know uh item F I'm sorry
0:03:36yeah fiscal year Landscape and Lighting you know that has a long history in the city uh when it was passed at at the current amount that it still is it paid a much much much larger percentage of the items eligible for a lighting landscape than it does not the reason it
0:03:54wasn't indexed for inflation uh cost of living increases so I think that one people don't know what is allowed to be done with lighting and Landscape funds or whatever but anyway something like that to again explain and maybe lay the groundwork for I don't know that any
0:04:16Council will ever seriously consider raising the amount but maybe considering just indexing it at 2013 so when it comes to 2016 you still have a little more money than you would have had before four uh G measure a swim parcel tax at the same rate that's good news you you should you
0:04:38could use this to uh let people know how well the staff and you are managing this program because I think the rate that you could charge is a lot higher but the fact that you're able to keep it on schedule on the same level like you had pledged to do when we passed it you know
0:04:56that's something that those of us that tend to complain about mismanagement of City fund sometimes you know a reminder that yeah we're doing a good job on this so get off our back my words not anybody else's uh H uh H quarterly investment uh I know that that's very routine but in the when
0:05:24finances are tough you're going to hear some tough news tough love in the budget options you know people might be interested in what rate you're getting is it meeting expectations if it's not what are your options to to change uh I annual progress report on a general plan
0:05:46uh mayor Jones in his uh address I think it was at the chamber mentioned an effort that's going to go into the general plan and this is a serious serious effort for the city that I believe most people in the city don't realize how important the general plan is to our quality of life now and in the
0:06:07not so distant future and even though this might be just a ministerial thing you're getting to report in the process of this I think you need to uh I would recommend that you come up with a way of being sure that every opportunity you have you use it to educate us especially to inform us
0:06:28when we are able to take part in it and to meet and to talk with people Etc so I guess my main point I'm sorry the red light just consider other things other than just the efficiency of the time when you're at putting things on the consent calendar and thank you thank
Mayor Bill Jones called the special City Council meeting of Tuesday, 3 April 2012 to order, noting that the pledge had already been said and that all members of the Council were present.
In oral communications, Al Miller said that, although Miller had meant to leave a periodic reminder about the consent calendar to another night, “tonight's consent calendar is such a good example”. Having run a public agency's meetings, Miller said, Miller understood the efficiency of a consent calendar for non-controversial items, but some items merit a short public discussion. Items A, B, C, E and J were routine, but item D, the annual parcel assessment for the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, came during the controversial clean water program election, and most people do not know what the permit is; the city might make clear whether the item is connected with the ballot, "because if it is people are going to vote against it too".
On item F, the Landscape and Lighting district, Miller said the assessment was not indexed for inflation and now pays a much smaller share of eligible costs, and suggested considering indexing it. Item G, the Measure A swim center parcel tax at the same rate, was good news the city could use to show it was keeping its pledge. On item H, the quarterly investment report, people might want to know the rate earned when finances are tough, and on item I, the annual progress report on the general plan, which Miller said most people don't realize is important to their quality of life, Miller recalled Mayor Jones mentioning the effort in an address, "I think it was at the chamber", and urged using every opportunity to inform residents when they can take part. Miller closed by asking the Council to “consider other things other than just the efficiency of the time” when placing items on consent.
02 Relay For Life, and the consent calendar captions 17–26
0:06:46you okay we do have one more speaker oh yes Laura Gonzalez great hello um I'm a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and I'm part of the team for Relay For Life in Els Sero and I just wanted to thank you for um the use of the um Vista Park and the community center and I also wanted to
0:07:14take the opportunity to give you Flyers to invite you to the um to the event and possibly to get teams volunteers and if there was any information that you wanted to share on how to make it more successful this year I'd greatly appreciate it so my contact information
0:07:30is on on the form um my phone number and the website um to get in contact with me we all have copies of that that by the way thank you thanks for all your efforts by the way it is a big effort and it goes to a great absolutely great cause it's my first time being in charge it's a little
0:07:50intimidating but it's well worth it well one one time around the block and then you're okay for next year next year thank you thank you okay uh next item please the next item is adoption of the consent calendar this includes um a minutes for approval B proclaiming April 2012 as Child Abuse
0:08:12Prevention month C co-sponsorship for the use of the community center Garden Room for the Relay for Life and ser Vista Park D annual parcel assessment for the national pollution discharge elimination system e curve marking modifications in front of prospect C Elementary
0:08:30School F fiscal year 2012 13 Landscape and Lighting assessment district report and G an ordinance establishing the measure a swim center parcel tax rate the Council on the consent calendar will be introducing by title and waving any further reading and approving an
0:08:47ordinance of the city of elero for measure a swim center which sets A reduced tax rate only for fiscal year 2012-13 for the special tax imposed pursuant to chapter 4 56 of the elero municipal code there's also item H the quarterly investment report I the annual
0:09:06progress report on the general plan and J El Serita Walla nominations okay uh we have the consent item including 5G which was introduced um by title uh into the record so we're okay there um do I have any is there any comment or uh motion for Action I'll I'll provide a quick comment
0:09:35in light of the public speaker that we had tonight many of these items are being taken up tonight because they are part of our annual budget process so um uh the different fees that we are looking at are fees that we do need to um take the time to put in place so that
0:09:54our staff can appropriately budget as we go into the budget season so um with that I would move the consent calendar um items a through J I'll second the motion it's been moved and seconded all those in favor I I I oppos motion carries we have no uh public hearing or
Laura Gonzalez, a volunteer with the American Cancer Society on the Relay For Life team in El Cerrito, thanked the Council for the use of Vista Park and the community center, handed out flyers inviting teams and volunteers, and asked for ideas to make the event more successful; “it's my first time being in charge”, Gonzalez said. A councilmember thanked Gonzalez for the effort for an effort that goes to a great cause.
Staff read the consent calendar: minutes; proclaiming April 2012 Child Abuse Prevention Month; co-sponsoring the use of the community center Garden Room and Vista Park (as captioned "ser Vista Park") for Relay For Life; the annual parcel assessment for the national pollution discharge elimination system; curb marking changes in front of Prospect (as captioned "prospect C") Elementary School; the fiscal year 2012-13 Landscape and Lighting assessment district report; an ordinance, introduced by title, setting a reduced Measure A swim center parcel tax rate for fiscal year 2012-13 only; the quarterly investment report; the annual progress report on the general plan; and El Cerrito nominations (as captioned "El Serita Walla nominations").
Responding to the public speaker, a councilmember said “many of these items are being taken up tonight because they are part of our annual budget process”, so staff can budget appropriately, and moved items A through J; another councilmember seconded. The motion carried by voice vote with no opposition heard. There were no public hearings or policy matters.
Outcome CarriedConsent calendar items A through J adopted by voice vote.
03 Parks, a garden pilot and art on light poles captions 27–38
0:10:20policy matters tonight so uh Council assignment lay on report start with thank you mayor I'm happy to to go first um parks and wreck uh did meet this last month towards the end of March and they received a presentation from a school district official with regard to sort of
0:10:36progress of various projects that are going on there was you know quite a lot of discussion as you might imagine um having to do with you know field use and and scheduling things and making sure everything is kind of appropriately there was a sort of a punch list
0:10:52discussion of what are the final things being done particularly at Elso High School um the uh commission also received received a presentation from one of the members Robin Mitchell about their efforts towards community garden um and she went on to discuss an Earth
0:11:09Day um project that she's helping to coordinate which would include installing a pilot community garden demonstration project at Fairmont Park right off of the aloney greenway um so she and the commission discussed that it would just be two planter boxes in the
0:11:29idea would be to provide a demonstration project so that in future grant writing Endeavors the city staff will be able to demonstrate that there is a lot of interest on the community's part and apparently that's definitely part of the of gaining a grant is showing that you
0:11:44have a pool of volunteers who are committed and interested in this project so that was that was very interesting to hear the arts and culture commission also met um towards the end of March and I'm going to pass around the final proposal that they received for the
0:12:00public art program um on the light PBS the icons on the light PBS and they adopted the resolution to approve this design so that was very exciting for the commission and there were only two public speakers who came to speak about um the design and one was in support and
0:12:15the other was in support with you know bringing up concerns about vandalism so those were discussed and addressed by the commission they were very excited to pass that um also they talked about um the bid which went out and and Karen I think the deadline was yesterday so um
0:12:35sorry a request for proposals went out for artists to um do a project at the new recycling center uh so the commission appointed members to the subcommittee to um select from this request for proposals and and Karen do we know how many proposals we received we are we on yes we received three
0:12:54proposals so the selection panel will be um meeting and discussing those in the the next few uh weeks I suppose to discuss that and make a recommendation to the arts and culture commission um so that that was for a a potential but the the RFP noted a budget of $24,000 and that would be to do a a
0:13:13project a public art project at the recycling center that would be um shall I say uh useful useful and beautiful items such as shelving for the um the area of the recycling center where you can leave and take prod take items and and Gates and that sort of thing so
0:13:31they were excited to get involved in that and the rest of the meeting was having to do with goal setting and orienting new members so they're I think looking forward to activities in 2012 that they can take on now that they've completed the street art project and
In Council liaison reports, the first councilmember said the Park and Recreation Commission heard a school district official on the progress of projects, with much discussion of field use and scheduling and a punch list of final work, particularly at El Cerrito High School. Commission member Robin Mitchell presented the effort toward a community garden, and she described an Earth Day pilot demonstration of two planter boxes at Fairmount Park off the Ohlone Greenway, so that future grant applications could show a pool of committed volunteers.
The Arts and Culture Commission adopted a resolution approving the final design for the public art program's icons on the light poles; of two public speakers, one supported it and one supported it while raising concerns about vandalism, which the commission discussed. A request for proposals for an artist project at the new recycling center had closed; asked by the councilmember, Karen (as captioned) said three proposals were received. The RFP noted a budget of $24,000 for useful and beautiful items such as shelving for the area where people leave and take items, and gates; a selection panel would recommend one to the commission. The rest of the meeting was goal setting and orienting new members.
04 Recycling processing, and the human relations commission captions 39–43
0:13:43that's my update thank you um yes uh none of my committees U met but the West County Integrated Waste Management Authority on April 2nd did distribute a request for um interest from the various uh potential recycling entities that would handle our waste starting at January 1
0:14:072014 um so that was um sent out and so you you may have seen that in the news um that was out I think yesterday um and so there we are continuing to move forward on finding out who would be our operator uh starting in uh January 2014 question yes okay you said uh
0:14:31Recycling and then waste I'm not it's the waste it's the waste management board but it's the recycling component uh so it's after it's collected uh the curbside it's the curbside recycling for other cities not necessarily our city um but as a member entity it's right the Co
0:14:50in other cities it's co-mingled and and then they treat it our recycling um both collected and uh taken to the recycling center uh does not necessarily go to the same process or we go to a a recycling okay that thank you yeah you have any report um no none of my committees have met um we're
0:15:13meeting tomorrow for human relations commission excited to to host um Chief Moyer at our meeting so we'll be talking about uh with her as well as um someone from um the restorative justice movement um to explain what that is and and talk about that and uh Commissioners will be
A second councilmember said that on April 2nd the West County Integrated Waste Management Authority distributed a request for interest to potential recycling operators to handle the area's materials starting 1 January 2014. Asked by another councilmember whether this was recycling or waste, the reporting councilmember explained it was the recycling component after curbside collection, commingled in other cities, while El Cerrito's own recycling is collected and taken to the city's recycling center and does not necessarily go through the same process.
A third councilmember said the Human Relations Commission would meet the next day and host Chief Moyer, with someone from the restorative justice movement explaining it, and commissioners would discuss top priorities for the coming year.
05 League of California Cities: state budget and redevelopment captions 44–53
0:15:31discussing kind of top priorities for this coming year than J yes um I um attended um several policy committees for League of California cities and um I um we'll try to go over this really briefly there was a lot of information given out it was really a interesting
0:15:52and useful meeting uh the first thing that happened was that there was a uh presentation on Redevelopment and um a discussion of you know what's happening I think perhaps um and there were just some comments and I think I'll just make these comments because I think they're interesting in a
0:16:13lot of different ways one is that um they were talking about the budget and and noted that the Republicans are out of the discussion because it now takes 50% not 2third to pass the budget um and another comment was made legislators legislators are tired of cutting which um is another way of
0:16:34saying they're going to have to find new Revenue sources and um the uh what we're really waiting for right now is what's known as the May Revis of the budget and um then we had a discuss discussion on uh revenues and um in that um comment was made that the revenue growth of the state is doing uh
0:17:00better which is good uh Unfortunately they also said that local revenues are not um so that's you know bad bad you know and um anyway it looks like triggered Cuts will be happening in in the state budget and uh the structural deficit is still there in the state
0:17:21budget um uh and in the past there's U there's been a lot of gimmicks used so as I think probably most people here know there are a number of initiatives out there on um how to deal with that there's the original Governor's initiative and then there's the um millionaires tax which is actually not I
0:17:41think on the ballot they're I don't think they're collecting signatures anymore and then there's this combined one and then there's a one called um uh our children our future some people call it Molly monger and it's the one that we give all of the money um to schools
0:17:59and um so we'll see you know no we we don't really know now what's going to really be on the um ballot so we don't really know how that's going to come out but um the um there was a discussion of the Federal Transportation legislation and the day we were there uh
0:18:21which was last week um the senate had just passed a two-year extension of the transportation Bill and they were working on a 5-year extension so things are things are going really slowly and um let's see here um the um there was a comment that um CI should go really slow on disposing
0:18:49of assets that are uh that belong to the Redevelopment agency because we don't really know what's going to happen so we should go slow um I think those are the most interesting things in that I'll I'm trying to use my iPad here for the first time while I'm doing this so
A fourth councilmember reported on several League of California Cities policy committees the week before. A presentation on redevelopment and the budget noted that the budget now takes 50 percent rather than two-thirds, and that “legislators are tired of cutting”, which the councilmember took as another way of saying new revenue sources would be needed. All were waiting for the "May Revis" (as captioned) of the budget; state revenue growth was doing better but local revenues were not, trigger cuts looked likely, and the structural deficit remained.
The councilmember listed competing tax initiatives: the governor's, a millionaires tax that the councilmember thought was no longer collecting signatures, a combined measure, and one called Our Children Our Future that gives the money to schools, so what will be on the ballot is not yet known. The Senate had passed a two-year extension of the federal transportation bill and was working on a five-year one. Cities were advised to “go slow” in disposing of assets belonging to the redevelopment agency because no one really knows what will happen.
06 Park closures, civil disturbance readiness and the FPPC captions 54–66
0:19:10pardon me here um so I also attended the community services policy committee and um they um going to be 15 Parks closed this summer which actually is a lot less than I think the or originally thought as I remember but if the one being closed is the one you're interested in it really
0:19:34probably doesn't matter what about all the others yours is uh being closed and um they talked a lot about civil disturbance Readiness and getting ready um for possible Civil Service civil disturbance actions that would occur locally and um it was suggested that council members should make sure
0:19:57that their their city in fact was ready so um I don't know if that would um mean we might want to have a presentation on that does that make sense or um I don't know I don't I don't know if we're we're interested in that but um because uh part of it does involve the council members so anyway
0:20:20there was a a you know long discussion about that um and the the um person who initiated it even being on our agenda uh was the mayor of Huntington Beach which you would think is a pretty mild city except that every summer they have half a million people arrive at their Beach
0:20:43and uh cause all kinds of uh civil dist disturbances um mostly related I think to alcohol consumption and um so they've had all kinds of things they've had to deal with and um so I don't know we might want to think think about that at some point I guess in the future and um then I also attended the
0:21:04administrative services policy committee and um there is an initiative on the ballot called the if this is right governmental performance and accountability act initiative and they've gathered about 800,000 signatures now um and it's um it's an accountability measure for um primarily the state
0:21:36government but it also will have an impact on local government and um in the um city the city we had a a speaker from the City Attorney's department who came and spoke about the fppc and their um new chair her first name is was Ann I didn't catch her last name I'm sorry I was busy trying to take
0:22:02notes on this thing and um the fppc is trying to take a new Direction and I think we should be heartened by that um because some of the things that um I know the last time I ran for office some of the things that were said at the local training meetings uh were unbelievable in terms of the
0:22:26um um strangeness of the regulations in terms of one being able to follow them easily so um they're going to try to uh take make some changes so that that isn't uh so difficult and they're going to start out with the gift regulations and then they're going to deal with the uh form
0:22:481090 um regulations which deal with self uh dealing in contracts so those are the two sections that they're going to start with um and but for 2011 guidelines um we should be using I'm sorry for for this year we should be using the 2011 guidelines to fill out the form
0:23:13700 um if I said that correctly maybe Sky you have an opinion about that I don't know but uh I think I said it correctly um city clerk city clerk I think for the annual for the annual yeah through through the end of this year is what they said use the old regulations
0:23:32oh for gifts I know they just yes that's what my notes say well the filing yeah I mean definitely for for the current filing period use the existing form 700 is the guidance for which would be through the end of the year right and that was that was to be filed on April
0:23:521st oh okay I just wrote down through the end of the year but yeah I don't know just yes their guidance is to continue to use the existing form right okay uh but overall um this is an indication that they're going to try to make things easier to use and um more understandable
At the community services policy committee, the councilmember reported that 15 state parks would close this summer, which the councilmember thought was fewer than originally expected, and that there was a long discussion of civil disturbance readiness, raised by the mayor of Huntington Beach, whose beach draws half a million people each summer. Councilmembers were urged to make sure their cities were ready, and the councilmember wondered whether El Cerrito might want a presentation on it in the future.
At the administrative services policy committee, members heard about a ballot initiative, the governmental performance and accountability act, with about 800,000 signatures, aimed mainly at state government but affecting local government. A speaker from the City Attorney's department said the FPPC, under a new chair whose first name was Ann, was “trying to take a new Direction”, starting with the gift regulations and the Form 1090 (as captioned) rules on self-dealing in contracts; the councilmember recalled local training sessions on the old rules as "unbelievable" in their strangeness. Asked about the guidance, staff confirmed that the existing Form 700 should be used for the current filing period, due on April 1st.
07 A design review and the new oversight board captions 67–70
0:24:12so that's always a good idea I would think um I think those are the the most significant things that I want to bring up okay thank you MH I just had two items on the design review board uh tomorrow night they're taking up the chapot uh design at the corner of Carlson and San Pablo and it's the first
0:24:43uh step in the process of uh jpot locating in elero um my right the old yeah yes and it's my understanding that the deal is is uh basically it's done I guess pending uh getting entitlements from the city okay the second thing is uh the oversight board for the successor agency
0:25:08of the former elero Redevelopment agency will be meeting for the first time tomorrow night the board is in place all the agencies have made their appointments um and it's going to be an interesting meeting because we have an April 15th deadline to meet through wisdom of the
0:25:28legislation and so um there's going to be quite a quite a few issues taken up but they are all we have as a council we have taken and reviewed and approved all of those issues that will be going before the successor board so um we'll see how that goes so uh if unless there's any other
The mayor reported two items. The Design Review Board would take up the next night a design (as captioned "chapot" and "jpot") at the corner of Carlson and San Pablo, the first step in that business locating in El Cerrito; the mayor understood the deal was basically done pending city entitlements. The oversight board for the successor agency of the former El Cerrito Redevelopment Agency would also meet for the first time the next night, with all agencies' appointments made and an April 15th deadline set by the legislation; the Council had already reviewed and approved all the items going before it.
08 Adjourned in memory of James Dhy and Sonom Kodon captions 71–78
0:25:50business I like to adjourn but before that uh I've got two things I'd like to do uh tonight i' like to Jour the city council meeting in memory of former Elso mayor uh James dhy who passed away on March 22nd Mr dhy and his wife of 67 years Norma raised their family on Bonnie
0:26:10Drive in elero where Jim was associated with the elero mill and lumber company for many years he served on the city council from 1962 to 1966 and also served as mayor from 1963 to 196 64 he was also an original member of the BART board of directors Bart's going on 50 years too
0:26:35so um this is really good history here uh B uh he was member of the BART board of directors and served as two terms as president of the board Mr dhy was also past president of the Myra Vista Country Club in addition to his beloved wife Norma Mr dhy leaves his daughters Kitty
0:26:57and Mary Sons Jim Bill and Joe nine great grandchildren or nine grandchildren seven great-grandchildren nieces nephews and and Mary many cherished friends and on a personal note um I met Mr dhy through his daughter Joan uh who was an elero high school graduate of mine and his son bill by the way Mr
0:27:23dhy was preceded in death by um his daughter Joan uh the dhy family is a fine Family full of fun and enthusiasm and positiveness um Mr dhy and my association with him wore the pride of elero on his sleeve and was always proud to be part of and represent the elero uh
0:27:44community so our thoughts and condolences are with uh Jim's Family in addition to that I was sading to learn today that son sonom kodon uh a newer member of el Sero was among the seven uh people who died in the terrible Monday morning shooting at the at a small at the small University
0:28:06in in Oakland that we've all been hearing about for the last couple days Miss Conan moved here just over a year ago from India where she worked uh in education Administration for tibet's exiled the government in harsh har so our thoughts and condolences are also with her family and friends as well
0:28:32as the the family and friends of the other people that were either killed or injured during that uh terrible event in Oakland uh please join me in observing a moment of silence in the memory of Jim dhy and sonm kodan thank you and the meeting is adjourn
Jones adjourned the meeting in memory of former El Cerrito mayor James Dhy (as captioned "dhy"), who died on March 22nd. Mr. Dhy and his wife of 67 years, Norma, raised their family on Bonnie Drive; he was associated with the El Cerrito Mill and Lumber Company for many years, served on the Council from 1962 to 1966 and as mayor from 1963 to 1964, was an original member of the BART board of directors and twice its president, and was past president of the Myra Vista (as captioned) Country Club. Jones recalled meeting Mr. Dhy through a daughter, Joan, who had died before him, and said Mr. Dhy wore the pride of El Cerrito on his sleeve.
Jones also remembered Sonom Kodon (as captioned; also "sonm kodan"), a newer El Cerrito resident who was among the seven people killed in the Monday morning shooting at a small university in Oakland; Ms. Kodon (as captioned "Miss Conan") had moved from India just over a year earlier, where she had worked in education administration for Tibet's government in exile. After a moment of silence, the meeting adjourned.