Special and Regular City Council Meeting December 17, 2019

0:22:29Good evening This is I'm calling to order

0:22:32the regular meeting of the city council of Alice

0:22:35Prieto for December 17th.

0:22:38It is now 7 0 7 and we had a special meeting earlier

0:22:45to interview candidates.

0:22:47We made no appointments tonight so at this point

0:22:53I would like to have roll call for the regular meeting council

0:22:56member King County council member Paddy Moto as it may

0:23:01or here.

0:23:02Mayor pretend FDLE here council member Abelson here

0:23:08Item number one is pledge of allegiance to the flag

0:23:10or an observation of a moment of silence.

0:23:13Council member Ableton Would you like to lead us I

0:23:17pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America

0:23:22and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God

0:23:27indivisible with liberty and justice for all Our next item

0:23:34is item two which is counsel and staff communications

0:23:41start of my right.

0:23:44Thank you Let's see I just want to let everyone

0:23:48know that I did.

0:23:50I am returning to the Sierra Club a chapter board

0:23:53and was re-elected over the weekend.

0:23:55So I look forward in working with the 40000 members

0:24:00and Miran San Francisco Alameda and Contra Costa counties

0:24:04and I look forward in working with members here in El Sarita.

0:24:09I also last week met with the hazardous materials commission

0:24:15we met with East County Supervisor Dianne Burgos

0:24:21and we spoke to her about the things that we worked on

0:24:26and we were and what we would like her to look into as

0:24:30well regarding the dredging issues that we have

0:24:35on the northern shore line as well as dealing

0:24:40with environmental issues with the northern shoreline

0:24:45and here in Richmond.

0:24:46So it was a good meeting and we look forward

0:24:51in working with our Board of Supervisors

0:24:54they will be dealing with the dredging issue next year

0:24:57as well.

0:24:59So this is something that that is done.

0:25:02But environmentalists are saying that they

0:25:05are getting ready to refine tar sands at the Phillips 66.

0:25:11I was told by members that were there that that work at Philips

0:25:17that that was not going to happen

0:25:18so we're going to keep a close watch on and continue talks.

0:25:26Right.

0:25:26Councilman Wilson No no no.

0:25:31Okay.

0:25:32Council member Phil.

0:25:33Yeah.

0:25:34I just say I was lucky enough to attend

0:25:37my 20th holiday breakfast rural community center.

0:25:40My kids didn't come but I went 20 years in a row

0:25:43here also I attended in Sacramento the state Senate

0:25:47staff alumni association meeting last week

0:25:50and some of the discussions was on how

0:25:53to keep in touch with new senators

0:25:56and the issues that came up were housing coming up again

0:25:59in the next session in 2020 and finally I just wanted

0:26:04to draw attention to two great publications I got you

0:26:07all probably in the mail news and views

0:26:09some El Serino and the winter spring activities.

0:26:12Great great publications.

0:26:14If you really look at them and well-written

0:26:17and in the news and views there's

0:26:18a whole section on recycling green waste and garbage

0:26:21services which we'll be talking about later tonight

0:26:23as a guide for everybody.

0:26:24Thank you.

0:26:26Council member Purdue Okamoto I was.

0:26:29I want to say Mayor but it's not that won't work.

0:26:33I have nothing to report.

0:26:34Thank you.

0:26:34Right.

0:26:35How about stuff.

0:26:36Thank you Your Honor.

0:26:37I just wanted to remind the the council and the public

0:26:42that City Hall is going to be closed next week

0:26:45for the winter holidays.

0:26:46It will be Christmas and Hanukkah next week.

0:26:49So I just wanted to say happy holidays to everyone

0:26:52and we will see you in 2020.

0:26:54We will reopen on January 2nd.

0:26:57There are also other schedules for all

0:27:00of our other city buildings.

0:27:01So please look on our website.

0:27:03We have a notification up on our calendar for you

0:27:06to see exactly when the hours will be open.

0:27:09But city hall will be closed and I will be visiting

0:27:12family in Michigan quite cold.

0:27:14And then I would like to turn it over

0:27:15to Holly who also has an announcement to make

0:27:17the city clerk Charlotte.

0:27:19I'm excited to share that the city has launched improvements

0:27:22in public access to meeting materials and videos

0:27:25for city council meetings.

0:27:27The public can now access all relevant information

0:27:29for council meetings in one location

0:27:31with just a click of a button.

0:27:33We are streaming through that new medium tonight which

0:27:36has a much sharper image for those that are viewing

0:27:39the video from home and the agenda

0:27:43is now much more interactive with links

0:27:44to individual items as well as all the attachments

0:27:48that PDA agenda.

0:27:49The agenda packet the meeting minutes

0:27:51and the meeting videos all in one location so all

0:27:54of the information on our website

0:27:56has been routed in its existing location to that new software

0:28:00so our audience at home can view it all right.

0:28:05Thank you.

0:28:06And I've got a couple of things to say.

0:28:09A couple of announcements and some items

0:28:10to say on the announcement side.

0:28:14This is our last televised meeting before Martin Luther

0:28:19King parade day so I just want to remind everyone that Martin

0:28:22Luther King and I know the cameras there

0:28:24and you can zoom in on this.

0:28:26This pin it's an MLK pin that I got while I was

0:28:31in Copenhagen at the Stockholm at the museum

0:28:39for Nobel Prize winners.

0:28:41So I'm wearing it so that helped remind me to announce the MLK

0:28:45Day parade which will be on MLK Day which is January 20th

0:28:52and it starts here at city hall and we

0:28:54go over towards the high school and it starts here at 9:00.

0:28:59I think that's the usual 9 and you

0:29:05know that's my announcement with words

0:29:08that I now going to turn to is more somber news

0:29:13because I would like to report on my time

0:29:15with the state auditor.

0:29:17It was a one hour meeting and I will do my best to keep

0:29:20my report to five minutes.

0:29:23I don't think I'm going to succeed based

0:29:27on the release of the ranking of California Cities

0:29:29by the state auditor.

0:29:31A team from the state auditor's office

0:29:32visited the city of Eldorado to discuss

0:29:35our rating of high risk.

0:29:38They were there to do an assessment.

0:29:39They were here to do an assessment

0:29:41to determine whether or not the state

0:29:43auditor would conduct a full audit of the city finances.

0:29:48They spoke to the city manager the finance

0:29:50director senior staff and every council member in totality.

0:29:57Their questions asked How did Elsa Prieto

0:30:00get into this financial crisis.

0:30:03And I told the story as I know it.

0:30:06And here here are the topics that I discussed

0:30:09with the state auditor.

0:30:11So what do you know about the reserve.

0:30:14Our reserves were three point four million dollars in 2008

0:30:17when I took office and we're about a million

0:30:20in twenty nineteen primarily.

0:30:22That million dollars primarily based on inter fund transfers

0:30:27decisions over a decade have resulted

0:30:30in one time unfunded costs that have reduced the reserves.

0:30:35These costs include no layoffs during the recession of 2009

0:30:39and 2010 no layoffs when redevelopment

0:30:43agency was dissolved in 2012.

0:30:47Sanctuary City values and opposition ice contracts

0:30:50by the Contra Costa Sheriff resulting

0:30:53in a dispatch contract that cost us more money.

0:30:57Building the Midtown activity center in 2018.

0:31:02Each of these decisions was probably about a half million

0:31:05dollar decision on its own a cumulative drain

0:31:08on our reserves of 2 million dollars and more than half

0:31:13of that drain on reserves coming after 2016

0:31:22so other decisions that increased our costs

0:31:25with no clear revenue include establishing a minimum wage

0:31:30for Elsa Rito this increased our cost of part time summer

0:31:35workers increasing the library hours complying with stormwater

0:31:41pollution laws continuing streetlights

0:31:46while they do all the cost to illuminate our streets

0:31:49exceeds our current landscape lighting assessment district

0:31:51revenue input implementing implicit bias training

0:31:56and de-escalation training in response

0:31:58to growing homelessness issues funding our school resource

0:32:02officers at 11 percent.

0:32:04Even when we're only reimbursed at 80 percent Next question How

0:32:12long have I known that reserves were in trouble the declining

0:32:17revenue started in 2010 10 with the recession council debated

0:32:21intently whether to use reserves or make cuts in 2010 we decided

0:32:29to do certain things to protect to use our reserves to keep

0:32:33our staff however we did do cost eliminating cost curtailment

0:32:39and that included eliminating positions in 2010 and 2012

0:32:43balancing the budget using almost a 20 percent vacancy

0:32:47rate during the recession in 2010 through 2012 renegotiating

0:32:53labor contracts and 2012 public safety deferred pay increases

0:32:58that they were entitled to and they

0:33:00increased the amount that their staff pays for retirement up to

0:33:0312 percent non-public safety contracts and those employees

0:33:08also picked up the full cost of employee costs

0:33:11of their retirement which had been

0:33:13previously paid by the city.

0:33:16We changed our health insurance broker to reduce cost in 2014

0:33:21still our reserve was not climbing our reserve continued

0:33:26to decline and not and was did not grow as was expected

0:33:31and was of great concern in 2016.

0:33:34So we refinanced debt in 2016 to reduce cost.

0:33:39We increased the amount we collected from the pool

0:33:41and park measure in 26 to the maximum amount

0:33:45almost a 10 percent increase 10 15 percent increase.

0:33:49We began exploring charter city status in 2017 that allows

0:33:53greater local control and revenue options that

0:33:56come from being a charter city I was asked what have we done

0:34:01about revenues why started.

0:34:04And Janet knows this.

0:34:06We started trying to adjust our revenues back in 2016

0:34:11with the landscape lighting an assessment district.

0:34:13This was a Prop 2 18 ballot where votes were cast based

0:34:17on square footage of the lot.

0:34:20It failed because the large landowners were opposed to it

0:34:27Currently the general funds subsidize the light landscape

0:34:30lighting and assessment district by almost four

0:34:32hundred thousand dollars a year in 2008 measure eg for pavement

0:34:40we pass that in our pavement index

0:34:42went from one of the worst in the city in the Bay Area

0:34:45to one of the best in the Bay Area 2010 and 2014.

0:34:51We passed sales tax revenue Measure

0:34:53R which goes into the general fund

0:34:57and is helping with our growing cost of health care wages

0:35:00and unfunded retirement liabilities 2014.

0:35:06We passed the San Pablo Avenue specific plan

0:35:08to spark price property development

0:35:10along the economically depressed Avenue 2018 charter city

0:35:17and real property transfer tax was on the ballot

0:35:19and passed in this Council a year

0:35:23ago and again two weeks ago has expressed

0:35:26great desire for that revenue to go to our reserves.

0:35:30And again this year.

0:35:32Thank you to the to our voting public for passing.

0:35:35Park and pool measure H which continues

0:35:38tenured and existing revenue stream

0:35:40that can now actually reduce costs against the general fund.

0:35:45It has made maintenance is performed in our parks.

0:35:49I was asked mostly most of these revenue measures

0:35:51were before 2016.

0:35:53What has happened recently in 2016.

0:35:57We passed we increased the pool of Park measure to its maximum

0:36:01and in 2018 measure V. Charter city

0:36:04to make it possible to have other revenue

0:36:07measures was asked.

0:36:10What about our revenue assumptions and I

0:36:14talked about the fact that our storm storm water assessment

0:36:17fee has not increased ever.

0:36:21And we have unfunded state mandates

0:36:23to comply with clean water regulations driving our costs

0:36:27up our redevelopment revenue disappeared in 2012 we sued

0:36:35the state to return one point four million dollars that we

0:36:38don't believe is theirs.

0:36:40That would be useful.

0:36:42I told them I asked them if they could help us with that they

0:36:47laughed also the state tax assessor has changed how

0:36:54Home Depot tax split is done.

0:36:57This is minutia.

0:36:58Most of guys to me may not remember this minor discussion

0:37:01we had accounts on this but at one point

0:37:05Home Depot is 60 percent enrichment and 40 percent

0:37:09nails Rito but at one point because Alfredo

0:37:12is the curb we were getting 50 percent of the tax revenue.

0:37:17Then they reversed their decision At one point

0:37:20they reversed their decision and said we only have two cash

0:37:22registers in Eldorado and there are

0:37:2412 cash registers in Richmond so Richmond

0:37:27should be getting 80 percent.

0:37:30We we prevailed in that ultimately it

0:37:32went back to the original 60 40 split

0:37:35but as a result we had several years where we didn't get

0:37:38any tax revenue as the previous decision was undone

0:37:45and we paid back Richmond for those we had declines

0:37:49in the user utility tax This is caused by people canceling

0:37:54their landlines the user utility tax is a fee that we collect

0:37:58as a result of utilities in the right of ways

0:38:00and as people move to wireless and dish and satellite there's

0:38:05less tax income Now the thing I pointed out

0:38:11would love to have the state's assistance with this.

0:38:14Our county assessor took advantage of the recession

0:38:19and vastly reduced many El Serino homes and assessments

0:38:24right before his 2010 re-election

0:38:28and he didn't restore those until after his 2014

0:38:31re-election and in 2012 2013 and 2014

0:38:35we were making projections that property assessments would

0:38:38would rebound as the recession ended

0:38:41and we didn't see that We've had slow development

0:38:46of San Pablo Avenue slower than we anticipated or slower.

0:38:50We expected it in 2016.

0:38:53Now we have it is happening now and in most recent revenue

0:38:58that hasn't been realized.

0:39:00The assumption that we made that we'll have to revisit this year

0:39:05is marijuana tax revenue marijuana store is not opened

0:39:08as it as it was scheduled and we've

0:39:10not seen some of the revenue that we

0:39:12anticipated in our budget.

0:39:14I was asked has the council considered cutting services.

0:39:18I spoke about the obvious cuts where

0:39:20the general fund supports programs totaling about

0:39:24a million dollars in 1988.

0:39:28The city did not have streetlights.

0:39:32Residents voted to tax themselves.

0:39:34They put the landscape lighting in assessment district

0:39:36in place.

0:39:37It generates seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year.

0:39:41However our costs for lighting in this city is more than one

0:39:45point two million dollars a year.

0:39:48We could save money if we turned off

0:39:49the lights the challenges that fewer

0:39:54met few residents remember the time before street lights.

0:39:57So this is a service they expect we could save money eliminating

0:40:02the school resource officers our reimbursement

0:40:06and I'm gonna put this in a big quotations is currently

0:40:0980 percent or capped at hundred thousand

0:40:12for a cost of three hundred sixty thousand

0:40:15and I only envision that the school

0:40:17district is not going to reimburse at all

0:40:20with their financial problems.

0:40:23Few parents of our current students

0:40:25remember the time before SRO rose It's our community's

0:40:30responsibility to provide a safe learning

0:40:32environment for our students we going to cut that service.

0:40:38We could save money eliminating the extra hours we have

0:40:41the library open the other day I was going to the library

0:40:45I robbed a few minutes before opening there was

0:40:49over a dozen people lined up outside to use the library I

0:40:54don't think that that's going to be a service

0:40:55that people are going to relish being cut What

0:41:01about firefighter overtime.

0:41:03I was asked the concept that is in place is that it.

0:41:07Overtime is cheaper than the fixed costs

0:41:10that come with new employees.

0:41:13Overtime does not generate purrs personal retirement

0:41:18and doesn't have some of the other burdens on it.

0:41:22This calculation was true in 2010

0:41:26but it needs to be revisited in 2010

0:41:30With the recent wildfires over the last two years

0:41:33this has been a strain on our budget.

0:41:35While we are fully reimbursed by the state for any overtime

0:41:39related to fires that our crews are sent to

0:41:45and that's from the state Office of Emergency Services

0:41:50we have minimum staffing requirements

0:41:51here and in Kensington and our over time

0:41:56costs are increasing associated with that service at home.

0:42:00This is something that staff will need to look at carefully

0:42:05I was actually asked by the state auditor

0:42:07if we would revisit the Prop 2 18 election.

0:42:10The Prop 2 Proposition 2 18 election regarding landscape

0:42:13lighting assessment district.

0:42:15The auditor asked if we would try again and I said maybe.

0:42:22Given the extensive changes along San

0:42:25Pablo Avenue are large lots having changed.

0:42:28The new owners that are my mostly residential may have

0:42:31a different perspective on street lighting

0:42:36was asked what service I asked what

0:42:40services does the state auditor provide I

0:42:45asked them if they could help.

0:42:47We talked about how audit might be a huge drain on our staff

0:42:51at a time when we most need them to help with our efforts

0:42:54to resolve our financial issues and prepare a budget the state

0:43:01auditor said they could decide to do a focused

0:43:04audit on just costs or just revenues

0:43:07or both in the next 45 days.

0:43:12They will be developing a scope to recommend

0:43:14to the legislator legislature.

0:43:18I requested a focus audit as it sounded like the best balance

0:43:22between accessing their expertise

0:43:24and managing our staff workload during the next six months

0:43:30The timing of their audit will not

0:43:32be ideal they seek authorization from the legislature

0:43:38on February 19.

0:43:40Would conduct their field work in March April and May

0:43:44right when we're doing our budget

0:43:46and they would generate their report in August and September

0:43:52right after well after our budget is adopted.

0:43:55And if the community sports supports a revenue measure

0:43:59it would be after we need to place something on the 2020

0:44:03ballot their timing could undermine our efforts this year

0:44:08to address our issue but I still think

0:44:12they can help So what is our council going

0:44:18to do about action this year.

0:44:23As we all discussed two weeks ago

0:44:25this council will focus on fiscal stability

0:44:28this coming year.

0:44:29We will have a strategic plan update this year

0:44:32and we will revisit our current strategic goals

0:44:35and determine how to prioritize the services we provide.

0:44:39Not a wish list this time but a reality check

0:44:43as to how to best allocate resources our goals are deliver

0:44:49exemplary services achieve long term

0:44:52financial stability develop a sense of place and community.

0:44:56Its sense of place and community identity

0:44:59develop public facilities ensure health and public safety

0:45:04and foster environmental sustainability achieve

0:45:08long term financial sustainability

0:45:12does not is not the same as our fiscal responsibility.

0:45:18Our fiscal responsibility needs to be over all of these goals

0:45:25staff will need to consider cuts across the board residents will

0:45:34consider what their priorities are through our strategic plan

0:45:38process and we look to them to express themselves

0:45:43during the strategic budget processes to give us guidance

0:45:48on what the priorities are I hope

0:45:54I hope residents decide to increase revenues

0:45:57to maintain our services.

0:46:00Again I know that sounds like a broken record.

0:46:05However some of our revenues like landscape lighting

0:46:08an assessment district or the user utility tax

0:46:11are not increasing as our labor is as fast as our labor

0:46:16and project costs do loud doesn't even

0:46:19increase we've been able to maintain our staff as result

0:46:27of approximately 3 percent increases per year

0:46:32since the recession ended but pension costs

0:46:39continue to increase and our revenues have not always

0:46:42kept up People see the median house price

0:46:47climbing that only affects a.

0:46:50And I did the math.

0:46:53Two point six percent of our housing stock per year

0:46:58two hundred home sales out of seventy five

0:47:01hundred homes if none of those homes

0:47:08resold in the last ten years there

0:47:10would be two thousand homes would only

0:47:13be a quarter of our housing stock assessed

0:47:15since the recession with over a quarter assessed at pre 1990

0:47:20levels our tax revenues do not climb

0:47:23as fast as commonly thought.

0:47:25When you look climbing median home value

0:47:34we expect to receive our annual audited financial statements

0:47:37for the close of the fiscal year 2018 2019 sometime

0:47:40in the next couple of weeks.

0:47:43It's highly sought after our last comprehensive annual

0:47:48financial report was for the fiscal year ending 2018 staff

0:47:56will be providing the city council and the public

0:47:58with this information and an update

0:48:01on our financial position as soon as possible many residents

0:48:08have suggested a community meeting to discuss the budget

0:48:11and staff would also like to host a series of meetings

0:48:14to discuss budget priorities as I told the state auditor

0:48:19and as I announced my opening remarks last week

0:48:22two weeks ago we plan to hold a town hall meeting soon

0:48:28and the date that it's tentatively put out there

0:48:31is Saturday February 1st.

0:48:34So please save that date we'll send out further details

0:48:38after the New Year that concludes

0:48:46my report on my time with the state auditor Item 3 is next.

0:48:54It's our oral communications from the public.

0:48:57All persons wishing to speak should

0:48:58sign up with the city clerk.

0:49:00Remarks are typically limited to 3 minutes per person.

0:49:04I may reduce the time depending on the number of speakers which

0:49:08looks like it's about 3 3 I guessed correctly kindly state

0:49:12your name and residence for the record

0:49:16comments regarding non agenda items

0:49:17and presentation Consent Calendar

0:49:20items will be heard first.

0:49:22To that regard any consent items that anyway would like

0:49:25to poll given the supplemental materials are

0:49:28Dias and 840 Yep 4D is pulled.

0:49:32I'd like to talk about 4C and Mr. FDLE I'm guessing you're

0:49:35gonna talk about for a guess.

0:49:40I guess I could.

0:49:41So if you're going to speak to for a 4C or 4D

0:49:43we'll take it up at a time that we deal with those items.

0:49:47So oral communications at this time.

0:49:50Here we have three speakers tonight

0:49:52The first is cordial light followed

0:49:53by Robin Mitchell ready.

0:49:58So good evening.

0:49:59Mayor Lyman council I am Cordell handler with some Christmas

0:50:02presents for you all.

0:50:03So coming up on February the 7 which is

0:50:06six days after the town hall.

0:50:09If you have enough energy I'm inviting you all to this Alesia

0:50:12High School pasta dinner February 7

0:50:152010 he is gonna be held in their cafeteria

0:50:18and it's free for all.

0:50:19So please bring your families and I

0:50:22would try to convince our friends

0:50:23in the city of Richmond that come our DNA to the dinner too.

0:50:26So that's why then number two is if you I've been doing

0:50:30some some research and I've been comparing other cities

0:50:33and how much rent they are paying

0:50:35for for a commercial space and because I've spoken with one

0:50:39of the business owners yesterday evening

0:50:41and I asked them how much do you guys pay rent for your space

0:50:45and they say 16 grand and I'm like This

0:50:48is This is unheard of.

0:50:49I as a business owner per say I would not invest not one cent

0:50:54of my money because for two reasons one the location

0:50:58and because it's like is is pretty close to proximity and I

0:51:01said I'm not I'm not investing not once in a mine money

0:51:05in there and elsewhere because Don't get me wrong it's a good

0:51:08town but but one of the other issues I was brought

0:51:11to my attention was the safety around this area

0:51:14because there's like what like what you just said regarding

0:51:17the homeless state of mind and I said Oh Maya this is very

0:51:22unusual because as a business owner

0:51:24personally I would invest my money

0:51:26in somewhere it was convenient

0:51:28and safer for me because as a business owner

0:51:32I have to look at this from a different angle

0:51:34so I'm looking at it and I said I don't know it maybe But then

0:51:40again and not be a good fit.

0:51:41So I just want to let that let that let it sink in so.

0:51:45So that's the good and that's the I don't want

0:51:47to sound like a broken record too

0:51:48but it's just it is what it is so.

0:51:51So I will hopefully that will see

0:51:52all your council members that the spaghetti

0:51:54dinner in early February.

0:51:56So with that Robin it's all yours because Robin Mitchell

0:52:00followed by Al Miller so I'm Robin Mitchell

0:52:09a resident of El Cerrito.

0:52:11And how does handing out a letter I'm not going to read

0:52:15the whole letter but so I'm on the urban forest committee

0:52:19and we just had two of our most senior knowledgeable members

0:52:22Steve Price and Michael Schrager term out of their committee

0:52:26and they're both experts in trees and urban forestry

0:52:29and losing these members of the committee is a real blow

0:52:33to the projects that we're working on because we need

0:52:36their expertise and I understand that the term limits

0:52:40on committees were set by the city council in 2013 And I

0:52:47would like you all to explore the possibility of maybe

0:52:52amending that or I guess it's an ordinance

0:52:56or a city municipal it's in the

0:52:58municipal code for especially for committees that are small

0:53:01that haven't filled their full membership and that need

0:53:04expertise.

0:53:05I'm not sure it seems like most like these

0:53:07might need some expertise but there

0:53:08have been forest committee in particular

0:53:10you want to have people that know

0:53:11about trees know about forestry so now we're down to five.

0:53:15We only have five people on our committee

0:53:19And it's like I said it's gonna be hard

0:53:21for us to do some of our projects

0:53:22without the expertise of those two.

0:53:24So I have two requests I have no idea if it's possible for you

0:53:27to fulfill my request but I'm going to ask them anyway.

0:53:30The first one is that if possible at sometime in the not

0:53:34too distant future the City Council could actually

0:53:36reinstate those met those two members that were termed out

0:53:40as part of the urban forest committee

0:53:41while you're thinking about a new policy.

0:53:44And then the second is a longer term look at the term limits

0:53:48for committees and it could be that you need term limits

0:53:51in some situations where the committee is full

0:53:53and there's lots of people that want to be on it.

0:53:55But if the committees are really small

0:53:57and they need expertise that might

0:53:58be an exception to the term limits

0:54:00and that the other thing is that I was thinking that was just

0:54:05for committees not commissions and boards

0:54:07but you know thinking about some of the commissions

0:54:11and boards might actually benefit from that kind

0:54:14of examination also because the Design

0:54:18Review Board lost their own their landscape architect.

0:54:21I think she termed out.

0:54:22So Maggie Lake Lee was a landscape architect

0:54:25and she provided really good feedback to developers

0:54:27about planting selections So you know

0:54:30it might be that it would be good to have

0:54:32a requirement of certain expertise

0:54:35on some of these boards.

0:54:36And if you can't fill it because there aren't residents

0:54:38that expertise maybe they could keep more than their term limit

0:54:42or whatever.

0:54:43So anyway thank you for your time.

0:54:45Thank you.

0:54:46Because our Emily Lyman council members

0:54:53I'm here to talk about something that you all know about

0:54:55especially Greg it's the seventieth anniversary

0:54:59of the senator shoddy holiday display

0:55:01that Elsa Rito takes such pride in.

0:55:05Unfortunately there are still a lot of vacant positions open.

0:55:10The goal of the organizing committee

0:55:12is to have two people at each shift there's

0:55:16two shifts a night from five to seven thirty

0:55:20and from 730 to 10.

0:55:23The display opened on the 14th and it will shut down at 10:00

0:55:30on 26 then be taken away and disappear back

0:55:35into the shipping containers by the recycling

0:55:37center on the twenty seventh so everybody knows how

0:55:43pretty it is how wonderful it is and how

0:55:45many people come to see it.

0:55:47I'm hoping that there are people out there that will say Gee

0:55:50I've never done that before but let me inform you

0:55:55that it's a very pleasant task sometimes

0:55:58it's what sometimes it's cold.

0:55:59But even those nights it's a very warming

0:56:03experience because so many people

0:56:06come out and take such pleasure in it.

0:56:09So my invitation is to anybody that thinks

0:56:12they would like to do that.

0:56:14Go look at this under a shady holiday display Web site

0:56:18and you can find out the details of it

0:56:20and how to contact the houses and get on the help list.

0:56:25Thank you.

0:56:26Thank you The speakers at this sign is seeing none.

0:56:33We will move on to the consent calendar

0:56:35which since we've pulled three out of the four things

0:56:38off we'll just take them one at a time.

0:56:40So item for a is approval of the minutes from November

0:56:4519th and December 3rd.

0:56:49We have two We have revised minutes at the diocese

0:56:53here that incorporated some minor edits So with that.

0:57:02Can I have a motion to adopt the minutes Second move by party

0:57:09Okamoto of seconded by Fidelity all those

0:57:11in favour please say I. Hi.

0:57:14Item four B is the annual review of investment policy.

0:57:18Any speakers on this item.

0:57:20No I do not.

0:57:21OK.

0:57:23The annual review of investment policy.

0:57:26Each year we take up the investment policy

0:57:29the financial advisory board reviews it

0:57:31and makes recommendations.

0:57:32This year they made no recommendations for change.

0:57:36Can I have a motion to adopt the annual review

0:57:38of investment policy.

0:57:39Some of that got moved by Quinto seconded by Ables and all

0:57:43those in favour please say hi.

0:57:44Hi.

0:57:46Item 4 C is the transportation impact fee

0:57:49annual report for fiscal year 2018 2019 I Rasta

0:57:53pull this from the agenda because I wanted

0:57:55to it's the first one and I felt it's important that we identify

0:58:02which properties which projects have

0:58:05complied with our impact fee.

0:58:08And tonight at this diet we did get a table

0:58:12a quick little table that lists two five

0:58:17projects two to 13 Pomona AV 10 20 King Drive and 10 9 6 3 San

0:58:25Pablo Avenue twice and 1 0 300 San Pablo

0:58:30Avenue for a total of two hundred

0:58:33and seven thousand dollars IV.

0:58:36I would like this table to be added to the report

0:58:41so that it's registered into prosperity that it's something

0:58:45that we can that somebody can look at it five years from now

0:58:48and know which parcels had participated in the program

0:58:54Ms. Ms Ortiz has told me that it will be appended to the report

0:58:59so that our public document will have these properties

0:59:02listed to this one.

0:59:08I'm going to look up the actual motion

0:59:14and if you haven't I'm trying to go electronic so you'll have

0:59:18to be patient So the motion I think we're looking

0:59:24for Your Honor this one is just to receive and file

0:59:30is receive and file so so can I make it a motion to append as

0:59:35well to correct it Okay so I'd like to motion

0:59:38to receive file with the amendment

0:59:41that I've asked for of adding this move.

0:59:44Quinto Well move over seconded by Ableton.

0:59:47All those in favour please say hi.

0:59:49That brings item for D.C. Council member.

0:59:53Party welcome what you asked for this Yes

0:59:55I'd like to have a few questions answered

0:59:58by staff any public comment on this item.

1:00:06No we do not.

1:00:10Good evening Mayor.

1:00:10Council members My name's event of this city's public

1:00:13works director Thank you.

1:00:15Um in light of our recent more um

1:00:19intensified budget discussions I just wanted to not just

1:00:22kind of quickly Passover large spending items such as this

1:00:28so could you please explain the somewhat of urgency

1:00:34in terms of doing this project at this time

1:00:40and how we would be affected if the projects were not done.

1:00:44Maybe the surrounding properties.

1:00:46What the effect would be.

1:00:47Yes.

1:00:48So these three sites came to our attention recently.

1:00:52These are pretty significant storm green issues.

1:00:56These are areas that have settled and caused

1:01:00some pretty significant displacements that are creating

1:01:04areas where storm drains are.

1:01:07There's like localized flooding so the storm

1:01:10drain structures that failed.

1:01:12So water is coming off the street

1:01:14and into private property.

1:01:16And so there are impacts to private property

1:01:18and they're pretty significant because these

1:01:20are areas of mapped landslide zones and also rito.

1:01:25Is that also a liability for us if we do not potentially fixes

1:01:30and it causes property damage to the surrounding properties.

1:01:33Yes.

1:01:34Okay.

1:01:36And then can you also explain where the funding will come

1:01:39from so the funding is coming from a special fund

1:01:42and restricted wind for storm drain purposes

1:01:44for a maintenance repair and improvement

1:01:47of our storm drain facilities.

1:01:49We have a current fund balance of about estimated fund

1:01:53balances of June 2019 of about six hundred

1:01:56and seventy five thousand dollars.

1:01:58We've been building up the fund balance

1:02:00as we're developing our storm drain

1:02:01masterplan which is anticipated to be completed in early 2020.

1:02:06And so that plan is going to guide development priority

1:02:10projects as well as financing.

1:02:13Okay so this is a special fund not the general fund.

1:02:15Correct.

1:02:16Thank you.

1:02:17Okay.

1:02:18Does anyone else have any questions.

1:02:20Well I'm aware of that area and I've gotten many calls

1:02:26the last couple of years regarding that So I

1:02:29am supporting this and no that that area is

1:02:34known as a landslide area.

1:02:36And there there are a lot of things

1:02:38going on there and but one of my friends that I grew up with.

1:02:45There her mother has to deal with climbing over and

1:02:50and hurt her car drags to get in their driveway

1:02:54so yeah I appreciate the staff looking into this.

1:02:58And they were.

1:03:00Can you look through that very thoroughly and I

1:03:02very much appreciate that and I know the folks on Hancock way

1:03:06and the surrounding areas appreciate all the work

1:03:09that you're doing on this.

1:03:11So again thank you.

1:03:13I just had there's a second part of this project

1:03:18correct that you're waiting until next year

1:03:20to get bids Can you describe that loan correct in order

1:03:25to allow flexibility of awarding construction contract

1:03:28depending on the prices that were bid.

1:03:30We separated out the project to a base contract

1:03:33an additive alternate bid for the third site which

1:03:38is on Arlington and Arlington site

1:03:41is just that we've implemented an interim repair

1:03:46that's holding up pretty well.

1:03:47So it's not as urgent as the other two

1:03:50the bid prices for the base contract

1:03:52came in very close to the engineer's estimate

1:03:54the bid prices for the ADD alternate were extremely high.

1:03:57And so they weren't reasonable.

1:04:00And so we have decided to bid that project separately

1:04:04distinct in terms of the type of work that's needed there

1:04:07and more limited in scope and we think

1:04:08we can bid that project out separately and get

1:04:12reasonable bids in the funding for that second additive will

1:04:16be also from the special fund guess

1:04:18it will be from the storm drain fund

1:04:24Any other questions at this time.

1:04:26Is there emotion smooth.

1:04:28There's some great motion by ROD PARDUE Moto seconded by Ableton

1:04:32all those in favour please say I write That

1:04:36concludes our Consent Calendar.

1:04:38Thank you.

1:04:39Presentations.

1:04:40We have none tonight that brings us to Item 6 a

1:04:42which the public hearing proposed East based

1:04:46sanitary garbage and green waste collection

1:04:49and post collection rates and Integrated

1:04:50Waste Management fees.

1:04:52Effective January 1 And I've got I've got a script.

1:04:57So let me see if the mayor announced

1:04:59this item states for the public before we

1:05:02see receive the staff report.

1:05:03I want to clarify the process for this item

1:05:05for members of the public.

1:05:07The staff report provided will cover all proposed fees.

1:05:10However there will be two separate public hearings

1:05:13with the opportunity to speak for on each one.

1:05:16One for the East Bay sanitary rates and a separate one

1:05:20for the Integrated Waste Management fees.

1:05:23If you have already submitted a speaker card for this item

1:05:25please approach the city clerk to indicate which hearing

1:05:28you wish to speak during or if you wish to speak during both

1:05:32or if your comments could be for the first one.

1:05:36If you can finish up in three minutes to speak to both them

1:05:38that's great.

1:05:41Do we have a staff report Good evening Mayor.

1:05:45Council members it's me again.

1:05:47Even the public works director for the city

1:05:50I oversee the city's operations and environmental services

1:05:53division and that division manages the city's recycling

1:05:58programs including curbside and the recycling center and are

1:06:02also manages the contracts with East Bay sanitary our franchise

1:06:07hauler who collects our garbage in green waste

1:06:10and Republic service are the company

1:06:13that our post collection processing

1:06:16and disposal of garbage.

1:06:19Tonight staff is requesting adjustments

1:06:21to all components of our solid waste rates and fees.

1:06:26Given all the changes this year we

1:06:28engaged the services of Garth Shultz R

1:06:31with our three consulting.

1:06:33He's right here next to me.

1:06:35He's advising us on our rate setting process

1:06:37as well as the various state laws

1:06:39that will impact city services the next in the next few years.

1:06:43Garth along with our three consulting I'll

1:06:45sing his praises now have extensive experience

1:06:49in the field of solid waste management and sustainability

1:06:52and they assist numerous municipal clients

1:06:55with solid waste rate setting operations reviews rate

1:06:59analysis and compliance assistance and as many of you

1:07:02know Garth did manage this division several years ago.

1:07:06Also here tonight our mark Pagonis with the East Bay

1:07:09sanitary and operations and Environmental

1:07:12Services division staff.

1:07:13Maria Sanders and Provost they're here

1:07:16to assist me in responding to any of your questions

1:07:19I will not hand it over to Garth to present some more

1:07:23information Thank you for that.

1:07:25And thank you honorable mayor.

1:07:27Council members Lovely to meet some of you and see some of you

1:07:30again.

1:07:33So I want to keep this relatively high level.

1:07:36There is a fair amount of material to cover

1:07:38starting with this slide.

1:07:39It's important to remember that the solid waste

1:07:42rates that residents and businesses pay here

1:07:45in the city of El Cerrito are comprised

1:07:47of three main components.

1:07:49The first component is the component for East Bay

1:07:52sanitary company which covers the collection of garbage

1:07:56and green waste and delivery of those

1:07:59to the post collection facilities

1:08:01within East Bay Sands.

1:08:02Compensation is a separate component for the post

1:08:05collection which you vet mentioned that's covering

1:08:07the end of life disposal or composting of those materials

1:08:12as well as items like the household

1:08:14hazardous waste services the city's membership dues

1:08:17and funding of the West County integrated Waste Management

1:08:21Authority recycle more and elements of compliance

1:08:25with unfunded state mandates such as HB 1826

1:08:29and SB 13 eighty three.

1:08:30A moment to talk about those on later slides.

1:08:33And then there is the third important factor

1:08:36is the Integrated Waste Management fees

1:08:38which are set by the city in which cover

1:08:40the city's costs of operations for the recycling collection

1:08:43programs and the operations of the recycling

1:08:45and environmental resource center and all

1:08:47of the associated impacts and Labor

1:08:50staffing trucks maintenance all of it up at the facility there.

1:08:53So those three main components are the entirety

1:08:56of compensation to each base and for collection

1:09:00to Republican recycle more for the post collection activities

1:09:03and to Integrated Waste Management

1:09:05for the recycling collection.

1:09:07So we'll take each of these in their parts

1:09:09through the presentation.

1:09:11So first with East Bay Sands collection adjustments.

1:09:16This dates back to a 2012 amendment

1:09:19to the franchise agreement which established a new methodology

1:09:22for moving forward with rates compensation

1:09:26to East based san is essentially a stipulated amount

1:09:29on an annual basis and for 2020 that'll be around four point

1:09:33seven million dollars each year.

1:09:36There is a an indexed calculation

1:09:39which helps determine the amount of change

1:09:42to their compensation.

1:09:44It's not cost based so this is really independent of any costs

1:09:47or profits.

1:09:48Thirty space and incurs This is really just

1:09:50an escalation of prior years.

1:09:52Compensation to the company based on these indices

1:09:56and for this year that's a three point seventy two percent

1:09:59increase over last year's compensation.

1:10:02So the rates that are before you this evening are set to fully

1:10:06recover the amount of compensation owed to East base

1:10:09and for their collection services Now

1:10:13the Post collection element is essentially

1:10:15a pass through to East Bay San It goes to Republic Services

1:10:20and is a set at a per ton rate per ton amount

1:10:25and that per ton amount is calculated pursuant to the post

1:10:29collection agreement that the city holds with Republic's

1:10:31services and within that per ton there

1:10:34is a number of factors one of them being just compensation

1:10:37to Republic for the disposal of the solid waste

1:10:40which is deposited in West County transferred

1:10:43over to central county.

1:10:44Keller Canyon and then buried in ground

1:10:47but it also covers green waste composting

1:10:49on top of the old closed landfill in Richmond.

1:10:52The provision of household hazardous waste services

1:10:54and the like There are other elements some of them

1:10:57set by the West County Integrated Waste Management

1:11:00Board on which you sit.

1:11:01Mr. Mayor.

1:11:03That includes compensation to recycle

1:11:06more for its operational expenses

1:11:09and new elements this year.

1:11:11Separately set in order to generate funds for comply

1:11:15on a regional West County Integrated Waste

1:11:17Management Authority scale.

1:11:19And for the city and these are under two important state laws

1:11:2218 26 and SB 13 23 which are largely geared

1:11:27to reduce the amount of organic waste materials going

1:11:29to landfill both because that's preserving landfill space

1:11:33and good for the environment.

1:11:34But really this is a greenhouse gas emissions reduction driver

1:11:39and I have a slide on that in the moment.

1:11:41So the proposed 2020 customer rates that the Post collection

1:11:43rates are set to achieve recovery of one hundred

1:11:48and fourteen dollars and thirty five cents per ton

1:11:50over the projected tonnage around 12000

1:11:53for the coming year.

1:11:53That's twelve thousand times combined of garbage

1:11:56and green waste altogether Recycling

1:11:58goes to a different place and isn't covered within that so

1:12:03for the East Bay sanitary collection which

1:12:07is the far left column just to the right of the garbage

1:12:09container size and post collection you can see

1:12:12the results of the rate calculation

1:12:14here again these are set to achieve the prior figures

1:12:17that we noted you can see that the collection total So

1:12:21for example the 20 gallon cart between those two elements

1:12:25around twenty five dollars a month.

1:12:26Last year's total around 24 and you can see the monthly change

1:12:30in the far right column for twenty and thirty

1:12:32five gallon residential customers which is ninety five

1:12:35plus percent of residential rate payers here in the city.

1:12:39It's a monthly change of between about a buck fifty

1:12:42and in nearly three dollars a month for just the east bay

1:12:46San components.

1:12:48Now the third component is the Integrated

1:12:50Waste Management Fee.

1:12:51This is the compensation to cover the operations

1:12:55of the recycling collection which now includes

1:12:58significant amounts of processing and marketing

1:13:01of recycled materials and the operations at the center.

1:13:05It's important to note here the unfunded mandates do continue

1:13:09to grow and accelerate recycle more has aspects of that

1:13:14that they're responsible for.

1:13:16The city is also bottom line responsible for its compliance

1:13:19with an achievement of state law mandates.

1:13:23Those are listed here.

1:13:24As you've heard over the course of the last year from staff

1:13:27sales from the revenues from the sale of recyclable materials

1:13:32have plummeted.

1:13:32That trend does continue.

1:13:34It has somewhat stabilized but that's not a promise

1:13:36to say it won't worsen over the course

1:13:38of the next several years.

1:13:40But the initial impacts have largely already been felt.

1:13:44But that is driving a need for additional revenue

1:13:48to be able to maintain the current services and programs

1:13:50that are provided here in the city

1:13:53there with the proposed rates.

1:13:56There is an element of paying back

1:13:58the general fund for amounts owed due to prior shortfalls.

1:14:02Those will be paid back in this fiscal year

1:14:04with a smaller made during the next fiscal year.

1:14:06Based on the rates that are proposed before you

1:14:10This is a slide you've actually seen before I didn't

1:14:12update the dates on the bottom.

1:14:13This is just an indicator of how recyclable revenues really

1:14:19have changed over the course of the last couple of years

1:14:23mixed paper remains and I think in this chart

1:14:25it went from around one hundred dollars a ton

1:14:27down to five or zero as of last week.

1:14:30One of my marketing contacts was saying it's stabilizing at

1:14:33around negative fifteen dollars a tonne meaning that they're

1:14:36paying out shelling out fifteen dollars a tonne just to be

1:14:39able to get mix paper into the marketplace

1:14:42and that's true of cardboard and many other commodities

1:14:45while materials do continue to move to international markets.

1:14:49The lower grade plastics papers certainly

1:14:52aren't finding homes for end of life products

1:14:57The most recyclable elements being the good quality papers

1:15:01cans and bottles fibers and the like due

1:15:03to continue to get recycled.

1:15:05But without the revenue that used to previously be enjoyed

1:15:08and offset the rates that rate payers

1:15:10would pay on unfunded mandates.

1:15:14This is just a bit of an initial preview of coming attractions

1:15:18This is a slide developed by the state which indicates

1:15:21that the short time frame and key milestones for achievement

1:15:26of compliance with SB 13 83.

1:15:30You can see late 2019 it says regulations

1:15:33adopted that that path has been stretched out a little bit.

1:15:38The state is now saying probably March or April

1:15:40they'll finalize the regulations for SB 13 83.

1:15:43We can see between 2020 and 2025.

1:15:45There's a number of milestones to hit.

1:15:47One of the services that we're helping Yvette and her team

1:15:50with are to plan for the city's actions

1:15:53that you would need to take in order to achieve SB thirteen

1:15:56eighty three's intentions.

1:15:58Some of those are changes to your solid waste ordinance.

1:16:02Some of them are procurement policies.

1:16:03There's a number of actions that need

1:16:04to be taken over the course of time

1:16:06and again unfunded by the state and needing repair revenues

1:16:10in order to fund those activities.

1:16:14This is where your Integrated Waste Management

1:16:17fees for 2020 proposed.

1:16:19How they compare to the ones that were adopted

1:16:21by the Council in July which was a rare mid-year adjustment

1:16:25in order to generate revenues to offset the increased cost

1:16:28recyclables processing and you can see the monthly change

1:16:31on the right hand side for 95 percent

1:16:33of residential customers that'll be between four and a half

1:16:36and five dollars a month putting everything all together now.

1:16:40This gives you the snapshot of the total ratepayer monthly

1:16:45amounts for collection posts collection and the Integrated

1:16:48Waste Management fees.

1:16:50The total for 2020 the change over

1:16:52the rates that were adopted in July

1:16:55and the weekly change which is important in that there's three

1:16:59trucks that come by every home and residents and business

1:17:01every week and every go.

1:17:05And this is really what it looks like in terms of weekly costs

1:17:09to your thirty two twenty and thirty five

1:17:12gallon residential customers.

1:17:14So the range is here between those two different sizes

1:17:19This is a slide I've been sharing with communities up

1:17:21and down the state for the last few months

1:17:24You have larger than normal rate increases before you

1:17:27but you are not alone in this.

1:17:29The market conditions with the recyclables crisis

1:17:33due to the Chinese national soared the pressure

1:17:36cooker of SB 83 unfunded state compliance and increasing

1:17:40amounts of waste generation really are driving

1:17:42up rates on a state wide scale.

1:17:45I'll call out just a couple of notable items to the left Los

1:17:50Altos and Los Altos Hills each of those entities

1:17:52through negotiated or competitive

1:17:55procurement processes are seeing 9 percent increases per year

1:17:58over the course of the next five years.

1:18:01Folsom is going to have 15 percent

1:18:02per year for five years.

1:18:04Castro Valley went up 15 percent after a competitive procurement

1:18:08San Ramon went up 30 percent after a competitive procurement

1:18:12and I was in Santa Clara last week presenting to the city

1:18:14council and they're facing for achievement of state compliance

1:18:18with SB thirteen eighty three on the order of a of fifty 57

1:18:21percent increase next year to the residential rates

1:18:26that's a lot to plan for.

1:18:28And I did want to give you a bit of a preview

1:18:29of coming attractions in 2020.

1:18:32One is that both the city and recycle more

1:18:34will be on a pathway to to plan for compliance with SB 13

1:18:3883 our firm conducted a performance review of East Bay

1:18:42sanitary last year and we'll be making ready

1:18:45with reporting of the results and identification

1:18:47of next steps coming up in 2020.

1:18:50There's a number of other key milestones

1:18:52on the city's horizon.

1:18:54SB thirteen eighty three have hit that one to the ground.

1:18:58Long term recyclables processing solutions

1:19:00really are needed in order to solidify

1:19:03and stabilize where those costs are going to go in the future.

1:19:06Right now you're in a short term contract arrangement

1:19:09and then finally your two primary contracts with East Bay

1:19:12San and with Republic for post collection services

1:19:15expire in 2020 five really meaning that the city needs

1:19:18to make some key policy decisions around long term

1:19:22contracting and compliance in this coming 2020 year

1:19:26with that I'll pass it back to event

1:19:35to conclude the proposed 2020 East Bay sanitary rates and IWM

1:19:39fees will continue to support the city's

1:19:42comprehensive solid waste services

1:19:44despite other challenges.

1:19:45Also retail continues to provide high quality recycling

1:19:48and waste diversion services to our residents and businesses

1:19:52For example staff has been working hard

1:19:55to identify vendors to maintain and negotiate contracts

1:19:58for such materials as electronics household reuse

1:20:03items mix paper and cardboard.

1:20:05As all those prices change and we continue to do that

1:20:10so that we can provide those array

1:20:13of services to Elsa reader residents

1:20:15at the recycling center.

1:20:18We also produced as council member I think I mentioned

1:20:23earlier we produced a new recycling brochure that's being

1:20:26distributed with news and views and newsletter to help

1:20:29our residents understand all the changes that are coming both

1:20:33that curbside that have actually been implemented now

1:20:36at the curbside program and at their recycling center

1:20:40and that pressure is also available online

1:20:44In addition city staff has continued to prioritize

1:20:47reducing problematic waste in part

1:20:50by moving forward with the development of an expanded food

1:20:53ordinance that may prohibit the use of single use plastic food

1:20:56where and Eldorado our plan is to start the public outreach

1:21:00and meeting with stakeholders in early 2020.

1:21:06In addition staff has been focused as Garth has mentioned

1:21:10on meeting current and upcoming statewide diversion

1:21:13requirements which are very aggressive

1:21:15and aimed to reduce a significant amount of waste

1:21:18in our stream for the remainder of fiscal year 2019 20.

1:21:23We have increased the Professional Services budget

1:21:25by about thirty five thousand dollars per consultant costs

1:21:29related to the food waste ordinance

1:21:30as well as planning for SB 13 eighty

1:21:34Also we have made adjustments to our staffing to change our part

1:21:38time administrative position to a full time management

1:21:42assistant to help us with these increasing state

1:21:46mandates and additional programs such as the Expanded

1:21:50Food report ordinance.

1:21:54This is in addition to our current waste prevention

1:21:56specialist position city staff has estimated

1:22:01that the IWM revenue increase.

1:22:04In summary is needed to maintain existing programs overcome

1:22:07continued declines in the recycling revenues

1:22:11and you recite our recycling cost

1:22:14as well as largely reverse the prior year

1:22:16negative unrestricted fund balance The we estimate

1:22:21the unrestricted fund balance ending June 30

1:22:262019 is about 212 thousand dollars.

1:22:30This includes an estimated amount

1:22:32due to the general fund of about five hundred thousand dollars.

1:22:37The IWM revenue increase is designed to repay a large part

1:22:40of this by the end of fiscal year 1920

1:22:44and the remainder in the following fiscal year

1:22:47the amount due to the general fund

1:22:49was largely the result of adjustments related to capital

1:22:51asset and liability accounting.

1:22:54The principal and interest payments

1:22:55for facilities and equipment were tracked differently

1:22:58in the cities accounting system versus the comprehensive Annual

1:23:01Financial Report.

1:23:03Finally as mentioned in the agenda Bill staff

1:23:06anticipates the recent rate increases to abate in calendar

1:23:10year 2021 as we pay back the general fund

1:23:14and also retire prior prior principal and interest

1:23:20payments for our first generation of trucks This will

1:23:25allow us to build our jet our IWM fund reserves coming

1:23:30into 2020 1 and will allow us to plan for the resources needed

1:23:34to implement SBA thirteen eighty three

1:23:37and other waste reduction programs that are identified

1:23:40by council as part of the fiscal year

1:23:422021 budget That concludes our presentation

1:23:45and we're available to answer your questions before

1:23:48the public hearing or after.

1:23:50Right.

1:23:51Council Murray Wilson Jones member fidelity any questions.

1:23:57Yes just a couple I'm assuming we can get copies of the slide

1:24:01presentation yes they'll be provided as

1:24:03supplemental material tomorrow.

1:24:04That's great.

1:24:05And that the slide with all the other communities listed

1:24:12do we have elsewhere that's not on there

1:24:14what is our percentage.

1:24:15Is there for this rate year it amounts to about 16 percent

1:24:20to 16 percent.

1:24:21Okay.

1:24:22So right in the middle variable.

1:24:24Okay So we do have and I'm glad you mentioned thirteen eighty

1:24:30three and the planning ahead that's gonna

1:24:32be taking place any event.

1:24:35I'm glad you mentioned the plastics issue here

1:24:38and the potential probable hopeful food

1:24:41where ordinance that may be coming to us for review

1:24:44sometime in the near future in the context developing rates we

1:24:49had mentioned.

1:24:50I know Greg did and others about on the last time

1:24:53you came to us about increasing the amount

1:24:57that you're proposing to anticipate that effort as well.

1:25:03Is there a problem with doing that before city

1:25:06council acts on that proposal.

1:25:10So we are increasing the budget for our professional services

1:25:15by about thirty five thousand dollars

1:25:17to help us with both the implementation

1:25:20of the development and the implementation of the footwear

1:25:24ordinance as well as with the SB 13 83 planning efforts

1:25:28and that the revenue increase that you

1:25:32the proposed revenue increase would

1:25:34cover that budget increase.

1:25:36But you wouldn't approve that budget increase

1:25:38until the mid-year budget adjustment comes

1:25:40to you as part of the overall citywide budget

1:25:43and probably March 2020.

1:25:46So you don't say that in the staff report.

1:25:49I did not specifically include that in the staff report

1:25:52but we do mention that it includes.

1:25:55It does include the resources necessary to implement state

1:25:59mandates and and our base reduction programs

1:26:02and could work to our potential food where efforts in our city.

1:26:07Yes that revenue.

1:26:08Okay.

1:26:10And I know this isn't an easy question

1:26:12to ask but in the context of what our mayor just opened

1:26:16this meeting with in our efforts to cut back on costs you know

1:26:21this isn't easy to pass this on to our customers

1:26:23but it is the nature of the situation and the nation

1:26:27and in the state.

1:26:29Our famous recycling center.

1:26:33Have you looked at ways and will you look at ways

1:26:37to cut back on costs there.

1:26:40With a closing on a Monday be problematic.

1:26:45Would it save money.

1:26:46Is that it a place that we can discuss options.

1:26:53Marius Anders can you please help me into this question.

1:26:56Thank you Rio Sanders operations and Environmental Services

1:27:01Manager Yeah we've been tossing around some ideas

1:27:04and the issue we're thinking of you

1:27:09know shorter hours in the day but that

1:27:11actually doesn't really save a shift unfortunately.

1:27:15So there wouldn't be any substantial savings there.

1:27:19We were also I mean closing down a day is something that

1:27:25is could be very problematic just because there's

1:27:29so much illegal dumping that goes with any day

1:27:32that we're closed.

1:27:33People all over the Bay Area are used

1:27:37to us being open 70 hours a week and if we

1:27:41change that there's a lot of illegal dumping

1:27:45and a lot of backlash.

1:27:47It's not to say that it won't save money.

1:27:49It's just to say that we would have a lot of other problems

1:27:53away all the.

1:27:54Yes with that.

1:27:57And usually we just have to write it out

1:27:59after a while people get used to it.

1:28:01But we usually takes like you know

1:28:03six months or something to in addition to every other agency

1:28:06that we have here.

1:28:08Department we'll be considering options in the course variables

1:28:12and I was just going to say if we're thinking

1:28:14about the general fund budget issue this is

1:28:19not part of the general fund.

1:28:21This is a an enterprise fund and that means it's separate

1:28:27and is supposed to be kept separate

1:28:30and it has its own income and expenses

1:28:34but they don't you know was asking outside the context

1:28:38of this fund I would I was asking

1:28:41in addition to the separate fund what are we doing

1:28:44and what issues might happen as far as recycling since this is

1:28:47the topic but what I I'm just pointing out that given

1:28:53that conversation that just went on

1:28:56and it wasn't a conversation the statement made

1:28:59by the mayor about that was I think

1:29:03really about the general fund.

1:29:05This is actually a different fund.

1:29:07I just wanted to point that I mean

1:29:09there's no further conversation necessary

1:29:12but it is a separate fund.

1:29:15Thank you.

1:29:16Did you finish your question.

1:29:17I'm done.

1:29:17Thank you council member Wilson do you have questions.

1:29:22No I actually got a lot of answers ahead of time.

1:29:27Excellent.

1:29:28Council member until Mayor I'm looking at the rates right now

1:29:37and I'm looking at the 20 gallon cart cart rate

1:29:44it looks like you're looking at the first resolution

1:29:46when that's under consideration.

1:29:48Yeah okay Yeah.

1:29:49Looking at that and looking at the post collection rate

1:29:53that's about five dollars more.

1:29:55Is that correct.

1:30:00That's the total the total fee for 2020.

1:30:03Okay.

1:30:04That changes the column on the right side.

1:30:07Okay.

1:30:08On the presentation if you look at the presentation

1:30:11the monthly changes up here is the final column

1:30:14in the resolution.

1:30:15It's just the first two columns it's the UBS collection rate

1:30:19and the Post collection rate.

1:30:21Okay and looking at the rates on disposing

1:30:27of hazardous waste how much of how much of that has that

1:30:32gone up this past year.

1:30:36Hazardous waste disposal.

1:30:37That's not separately tracked for this city

1:30:40because that's a part of the recycle more budget it's

1:30:43essentially allocated amongst the various recycle

1:30:46more member agencies based on on solid waste tonnage collected.

1:30:50So it's it's a somewhat decoupled from actual usage

1:30:53of the household hazardous waste facility.

1:30:55So I don't have details on participation

1:30:59at this point in time.

1:31:01And that figure is really again really

1:31:04based on the post collection blended

1:31:07per ton rate calculation which has

1:31:09a variety of elements in it.

1:31:10In addition to the household hazardous waste

1:31:12component so that that element is increasing above prior years

1:31:17for a couple of reasons.

1:31:19One of them is a change in the recycle more budget

1:31:22in order to fund the state compliance activities

1:31:26and actions another component of it

1:31:28is just related to the compensation

1:31:30to Republic which escalated by CPI

1:31:33and yet another is a transition in the way

1:31:36the city's handling payment of the recycle more costs.

1:31:39So there's a variety of activities under that it's not

1:31:42just household hazardous work and I know our recycling center

1:31:45is one of the few centers that accept Styrofoam

1:31:49and I know a lot of the other recycling places

1:31:51do not accept Styrofoam.

1:31:53How much of a burden is that and accepting started from Yeah

1:32:00we're happy to do it and and to actually

1:32:02reduce yourself through please introduce yourself.

1:32:05Sorry well protest action operations

1:32:07and environmental services division manager.

1:32:10So yes Styrofoam.

1:32:11It's a great service.

1:32:12We're happy to offer to members of our community.

1:32:15It does take staff time and we have

1:32:18a compacting machine that a lot of not a lot of facilities

1:32:21have.

1:32:22And that it's an old compactor that requires maintenance

1:32:26and upkeep So I won't say it's easy to provide that service

1:32:30and so it does require some cost we've

1:32:32been able to offer it free for El Sarita residents

1:32:35while charging 75 cents per pound.

1:32:38Just a small fee to community members that don't Alfredo.

1:32:42So we're able to provide that service while recovering some

1:32:45of the cost and I know we have folks

1:32:48from other surrounding cities and outside the county

1:32:52that they come to.

1:32:52Elsa read out to you.

1:32:55But use our facilities are we still letting residents

1:32:59that that live outside Sarita.

1:33:01Are they getting charged to dispose of their recyclables by

1:33:06and large they can use most services at the facility.

1:33:09There are just a few services where we charge just cost

1:33:12recovery for things like Styrofoam pharmaceuticals

1:33:15that's a dollar.

1:33:16If you're out of the service area.

1:33:18Okay Very good.

1:33:19Thank you.

1:33:20And you know as a member of the Sierra Club

1:33:22and also as a member Environmental Committee

1:33:25of the League of Cities I spoke to Senator Allen

1:33:28this past weekend and know that he has asked the league

1:33:33cities and the Sierra Club to work with him

1:33:35to make sure we get those recycling bills passed SB 54.

1:33:39That's Senator Allen's Bill and maybe 10 80.

1:33:44I think that's simply member Carlos Bill sir.

1:33:48But the League of Cities and we all

1:33:51supported that Bill and we're not we're

1:33:53not sure why it didn't pass and it didn't

1:33:55go through a committee but now that I will make sure that it

1:34:00passes this time around so.

1:34:03I did ask our Rep.

1:34:04Sam Cagle why it was members of central county

1:34:09that didn't support it and I've been trying to figure out

1:34:11why they did not support it.

1:34:13But I think most folks in the Bay Area did support it.

1:34:19It was mostly a north south thing.

1:34:22So we're going to do what we can to get some brewers resolutions

1:34:27out so cities Canada sign on to that

1:34:30and support the council member Perdue.

1:34:36The questions about the food where excuse me

1:34:39and the the food where that could potentially

1:34:43come under an ordinance plastics in particular

1:34:46are those plastics food where that we're seeing now

1:34:51is that something that is difficult to get rid of

1:34:54is something that we're paying to get

1:34:56rid of at this point yeah.

1:34:58So the those are hard to recycle materials already given

1:35:03the market conditions and especially they're often

1:35:06contaminated so single use plastic takeout food

1:35:09where often had is food soiled and making it harder to market

1:35:14and harder to recycle.

1:35:15And so therefore it's problematic

1:35:17not just from a litter standpoint or pollution

1:35:19standpoint but in terms of contaminating

1:35:21our recycling stream So this would help

1:35:23address those goals as well.

1:35:25That's very good to know because I I was thinking

1:35:27of the plastic food where's in terms

1:35:29of its environmental impact but plastic

1:35:33is you know not something that we want to keep producing

1:35:35in such large quantities it's hard to recycle

1:35:38but it's also basically costing the city money to get rid of.

1:35:41So that would be another reason just to to not have it anymore.

1:35:45So thank you very much.

1:35:48That's all my questions.

1:35:49Great.

1:35:51And I am quickly looking to see what the status of plastic film

1:35:55is.

1:35:56What's their status of recycling plastic film

1:35:58I know we can't do it at the recycling center but can

1:36:00we do it curbside still.

1:36:02Not anymore.

1:36:02But we do still accept rigid hard plastics

1:36:05curbside which we don't accept at the center right.

1:36:08Thank you.

1:36:11And then Mr. Garth it's nice to see

1:36:17you again thank you for coming back

1:36:21at least on a part time basis.

1:36:24On yours.

1:36:24SB thirteen eighty three slide the timeline that the state

1:36:28produced that there is a was at orange brown whatever

1:36:32that boxes and January 1 2024.

1:36:36Can you speak to that box.

1:36:38Yes.

1:36:39So with this is referencing that under SB 13 83 every city

1:36:46county town special district that handles solid waste rate

1:36:51compliance solid waste diversion compliance in the state

1:36:55will be required to pass ordinances requiring

1:36:58mandatory subscription to organics collection

1:37:01service for all organic waste generators.

1:37:04So you're you're required to have an ordinance that

1:37:06has mandatory provisions with enforceable penalties

1:37:10and by January 1 2024 the state will expect you to start

1:37:14enforcement of those penalties.

1:37:17And if you don't the state will enforce against you

1:37:20so if I read this correctly we will have to take on some

1:37:25of the enforcement action we'll have to have staff that does

1:37:27the enforcement at some point.

1:37:29This is an increased cost to us.

1:37:31Absolutely.

1:37:33OK.

1:37:35The other thing I want I just add to that too.

1:37:36We'll also be looking whether or not EPA sanitary can provide

1:37:39those services on behalf of the city

1:37:42so we'll be looking but the best approach would be okay.

1:37:47Also on this slide I want to point out

1:37:49the 20 percent increase in edible food recovery

1:37:51by January 1 of 20 25.

1:37:55And what this is is that establishments that create food

1:38:00would need to find a way to serve it again effectively

1:38:10So if if you're at a restaurant and there is surplus food that

1:38:15didn't serve they have to find a way to serve

1:38:19that food if you're at a banquet and in the caterer doesn't has

1:38:24leftovers they have to find a way to serve that food.

1:38:28And of course with food safety there

1:38:30this becomes a burden on storage.

1:38:34So you have to find a way to either keep it at one hundred

1:38:37and sixty degrees to keep sterile or drop it

1:38:40to 40 degrees or colder to keep to stay

1:38:44out of the bacteria zone.

1:38:46And so it's a cold storage or hot storage

1:38:50is going to become quite a challenge.

1:38:53And has nothing to do with solid waste

1:38:56but it is a solid waste function that this city will

1:39:00have to put in our solid waste requirements.

1:39:04We will take on the food delivery business

1:39:08so just just to highlight that aspect on a question

1:39:15about that topic I have read some about it

1:39:20but what I was wondering and maybe there's somebody here

1:39:23who can answer that question.

1:39:27I can see why it's pretty hard to serve food

1:39:31a second time when you don't really know how long it's been

1:39:36out at room temperature or whatever

1:39:39but it seems like animals in some cases are able to eat it

1:39:45and is that of a possible way to use the food.

1:39:55We know Yeah I can I can answer that.

1:39:58Yeah there are opportunities to feed animals

1:40:02with food scraps in this way.

1:40:05What I'm not clear on and I'd have

1:40:06to check in with my staff around is for the edible food

1:40:10requirement.

1:40:10If animal feed is the if the state is seeing

1:40:16that as a potentially compliant Avenue the way I understand it

1:40:19this is really about getting food back

1:40:21into human consumption and removing

1:40:25the amount of edible food that is otherwise

1:40:27disposed of to landfills.

1:40:29So I think the answer is yes absolutely

1:40:32there are opportunities there within the Bay Area.

1:40:34There are pretty innovative new pilot technologies that

1:40:37are being deployed and implemented what I'm not

1:40:40sure about is whether the feeding of animals

1:40:43of edible food would comply with the edible food requirement

1:40:46as noted on the slide.

1:40:47Sanders yes.

1:40:49And to clarify only certain tiers of food

1:40:54deliver our food service organizations

1:40:57such as grocery stores and large hotels

1:41:01are targeted at this point in time.

1:41:04So a lot of that is I think that you know obviously

1:41:08things leftovers that come off of somebodies

1:41:11somebodies plate is you know a health violation

1:41:14to try to reserve that.

1:41:15So that wouldn't be that would obviously not be included.

1:41:19It's mainly really geared towards food that just wasn't

1:41:23used or it wasn't served.

1:41:26And getting it to individuals who are food insecure I think

1:41:32cuts by labels as example is Earth Day when we

1:41:34have food that is underserved.

1:41:37You know it's been put out to be served but it wasn't taken

1:41:41and I'd say it's sandwiches there's no good market right.

1:41:46There's no good mechanism or market right now

1:41:49to deliver that to a secondary human use because

1:41:55of the storage issues or how long

1:41:57has it been out room temperature so there's

1:41:59a quite a bit of training.

1:42:02And work that's going to go into this.

1:42:06It is five years away but it's you know five years is gonna

1:42:11go by in a blink an eye and food banks may

1:42:14be a major benefactor.

1:42:15Food banks and also probably there's

1:42:18gonna be a whole infrastructure of organization that help

1:42:23with that routing but that's on the city to make sure that we

1:42:27have access to that infrastructure

1:42:28and create that infrastructure between in our grocery stores

1:42:32and or that can be the good news of this effort right.

1:42:35Yeah.

1:42:36Ask Mr. Fidell this question and second time

1:42:38just to make sure that it's clear in the record

1:42:41a minor standing is for the food where ordinance.

1:42:44You've you have you increase some staff time in the budget

1:42:50and that's time would go towards a thirteen eighty three

1:42:52compliance but it also could be used for the for food ordinance

1:42:56as well I heard you say and you've

1:42:57got a consultant scheduled to help with the food where

1:43:01and presumably those are although we'll have to take

1:43:06a mid-year budget action at a later date

1:43:08if I heard you correctly the funding

1:43:11for the those future budget actions are

1:43:14include is in the action we're taking tonight correct.

1:43:19And to reiterate what Councilman Ray Wilson made so clear

1:43:24This is a a segregated or protected fund

1:43:28in that it's for it's it's paid by people that are recycling

1:43:34and paying their solid waste fees for solid waste

1:43:38and recycling.

1:43:39And at some point food redistribution as I

1:43:43pointed out.

1:43:44So this is a closed fund.

1:43:46Ideally it's a closed fund that the general fund neither

1:43:48supports nor pulls from correct.

1:43:52Good and to answer.

1:43:54Mr. Dean to the customer Cato's question.

1:43:57If the housewares us waste fleet costs

1:44:01went up approximately 7 percent from memory from the action

1:44:04we took at recycle more last month.

1:44:06So it's about a 7 percent increase.

1:44:09So it's it's in that not quite double digit but fairly high

1:44:13increased rate.

1:44:14Thank you.

1:44:15I just wanted to add one thing that I remember when I first

1:44:20got on the city council and they were considering closing

1:44:24the recycling center and so we did a survey

1:44:29to sort of to appease me I think to see what

1:44:34our residents wanted and our residents said they wanted

1:44:38to keep our recycle center open and they were willing to pay

1:44:42money extra money to do that.

1:44:45So I think we have in our city a very supportive population

1:44:50that's quite willing to do what it takes

1:44:53to do the right thing here.

1:44:55So I just want to say that at this point

1:45:01I'm going to open the public hearing on East Bay

1:45:03sanitary rates and ask if there are any members of the public

1:45:07who wish to speak on this item.

1:45:09We do have one speaker signed up to speak and the second one.

1:45:14Okay so we have no speakers on this item right.

1:45:16Can I have a motion to close the public to make sure.

1:45:19Yes.

1:45:20What kind of motion.

1:45:21So close the public hearing that got moved by of seconded

1:45:25by Purdue Okamoto.

1:45:27All those in favor please say I the public hearing is now

1:45:31closed.

1:45:33Are there any additional questions

1:45:34comments at this time seeing not.

1:45:39I'll take I'll take my opportunity to make a comment.

1:45:44In it it echoes what council member gave and just

1:45:46said solid waste is something that's

1:45:51very important to our community and reducing solid waste

1:45:56is something that we really need to focus on.

1:45:59And the you know although it's going to be painful compliance

1:46:04with the thirteen eighty three which is intended to reduce

1:46:07greenhouse gas emissions from waste

1:46:10organic it's going to be very difficult.

1:46:14The comment that was made by one consultants that recycle more

1:46:19is that I I came to California during the implementation of HB

1:46:25939 which is a reduction of solid waste

1:46:32and they said that this is going to make that look like Child's

1:46:36Play in the cost and cost an effort to implement

1:46:40and I can tell you that in nineteen eighty nine

1:46:46maybe nine thirty nine was very expensive and very difficult

1:46:51and the comment is that this is going to make that look easy.

1:46:57So to get a head start on funding positions that

1:47:03will begin to we still have that chart up that will begin

1:47:08to address these milestone ones that are as part

1:47:11of this legislation is important and I believe

1:47:15that it's a it's an important thing

1:47:17that we are considering this.

1:47:19I know it's a large and painful increase

1:47:21but if by doing it today we'll actually have

1:47:24less increase in the future.

1:47:26With that can I have a motion our first

1:47:29of two motions with regards to our matter

1:47:32tonight We have to read title yes.

1:47:39And do we have to read title I do like I do not have to.

1:47:43The legally you're not required to read the title.

1:47:45Excellent.

1:47:46So there is the motion is however

1:47:47I was ready it might be the easiest way to make the motion.

1:47:54If you would like to read it.

1:47:55Okay.

1:47:56Do you also read the title and resolution of the city council

1:48:00of the city of Elsa Rito establishing

1:48:02maximum allowable rates for the collection

1:48:05processing and disposal of garbage and green waste.

1:48:08Effective January 1st 2020.

1:48:13A move by Purdue Okamoto seconded by Ableton all those

1:48:15in favour please say I oppositions abstentions show

1:48:19that passed unanimously we will now open up our second public

1:48:24hearing and this is for the Integrated Waste

1:48:26management fees and it says I just

1:48:31go straight to public comment.

1:48:33Is there a staff report for this.

1:48:34The staff report was for both public hearing.

1:48:37Okay great.

1:48:37Is are there any public speakers on the Integrated

1:48:42Waste Management Fee We do have one speaker on this one.

1:48:45Howdy Gowdy Good evening Mayor and Council members.

1:48:50My name is how do you go to live in freedom.

1:48:53So I support this great increase it's

1:48:57you know it's never easy or comfortable raising something

1:49:00you know 15 percent alone for the IWM

1:49:04but you know all the reasons that were stated there's

1:49:09no declining revenue increase in costs

1:49:12and these are really important things to get our hands around.

1:49:19When we were here a few months ago for the interim rate

1:49:23setting a number of Public Speakers encouraged actually

1:49:30increasing the IWM fee with the idea of funding you know really

1:49:40substantive programs to reduce our solid waste generation

1:49:45and you know as much as it's been increased already

1:49:50I feel like the majority that is just dealing with the you know

1:49:55the blood loss so to speak and not really as forward thinking

1:50:00as as we need to be to tackle the future reality

1:50:05of this problem.

1:50:07So I just want to reiterate the encouragement to and to really

1:50:12you know double down on on developing

1:50:16programs that are going to actually

1:50:19solve the problem not just.

1:50:22I mean you know there's been a lot of great work done.

1:50:25You know scrambling to deal with you know the realities

1:50:28before us but we want to eventually not just

1:50:32be in the position of you know making

1:50:35the best of a bad situation as as we go along but actually

1:50:39actively you know creating a better future

1:50:42and and I think there needs to be a little bit more proactive

1:50:46vision along those lines and so at least a couple

1:50:49of council members were supporting that

1:50:53a few months ago and asked for it to be part of you

1:50:58know the the rate setting they came back.

1:51:01And while I appreciate the efforts going

1:51:03into the new plastics ordinance and the you know dealing

1:51:08with the organics requirements I feel like there should still

1:51:13be some some more emphasis on that

1:51:16and I hope you know going forward

1:51:18we can make that happen.

1:51:20So thank you.

1:51:21Thank you Any other speakers native speakers

1:51:26seeing seeing none.

1:51:27I will ask for us to close the public hearing.

1:51:32Move by part Okamoto seconded by Ables and all those

1:51:35in favor closing the public hearing please say I

1:51:38opposition during none passes unanimously

1:51:41I'm take the opportunity ask a question.

1:51:47It was covered in your staff report

1:51:49with regard to the Integrated Waste Management Fee.

1:51:50But I want to take it take it to the next level and reaffirm it.

1:51:56We are.

1:51:58You made some comments with regards

1:51:59to the relationship between the general fund and this fund.

1:52:02Can you repeat those comments or statements

1:52:04about the how the fee is being adjusted to reduce

1:52:09the long term loan or said the proposed fee increase will pay

1:52:16back the general fund amount to right

1:52:18now is about five hundred thousand dollars which

1:52:21is estimated at the end of June 20 19

1:52:25and over it will be mostly paid back

1:52:29by the end of this fiscal year.

1:52:31And the remainder will be paid off next fiscal year

1:52:35which is 2020 2021.

1:52:37Right.

1:52:38And so that sort of flow of funds

1:52:40is from the Integrated Waste Management

1:52:42fee to the general fund.

1:52:44Correct.

1:52:44And and that's associated with costs

1:52:47that the general fund had to pay for at some point in past.

1:52:51Right.

1:52:51Because of the capital asset accounting the cable

1:52:55asset around the trucks.

1:52:56That's correct.

1:52:57The original set of tracks.

1:52:59Yes So if I could follow up on that.

1:53:03This is my understanding or correct me if I'm not correct

1:53:08that once that's paid off then with if we keep the money still

1:53:13here then that money can be used to look forward to vehicle

1:53:18purchases and it might be used for such things for example

1:53:23as electric vehicles or I collection

1:53:29of our recycling trucks.

1:53:32Right potentially are SB 13 eighty three compliance

1:53:36or other Integrated Waste Management programs

1:53:40so that I mean and since is is a different kind of a fund where

1:53:49it has to be sort of isolated from everything else

1:53:55then that would be a way that we could take help to take care

1:53:58of the responsibilities that we're going to see

1:54:01with the legislation that's coming out which

1:54:04is you know good legislation intended

1:54:07to protect the environment.

1:54:09And so anyway it's all connected in that way.

1:54:15I just wanted to point that out.

1:54:17Thank you.

1:54:18And another call that I'll make is

1:54:20and I made this at recycling more

1:54:22and I may have made it here.

1:54:24One of the things that we need to do over the next couple

1:54:27years is find re reestablish our local industry to utilize

1:54:32some of our waste stream.

1:54:35And so whether it's you know this retailer doesn't have

1:54:39a lot of industrial zoning.

1:54:42We don't have necessarily a lot of opportunities to subsidize

1:54:46a local a truly local business to potentially utilize some

1:54:51of our diverted waste stream but potentially as a council

1:54:56member Able Seaman is talking about there is a way

1:54:59to do grant funding or some other type of funding

1:55:03to to promote research and and ideas

1:55:08on how to utilize the waste stream we are generating.

1:55:13So I lose sight of the fact that we

1:55:16do need to over time figure out how to use

1:55:19plastic film for example.

1:55:22And we've we've done a really good job of reducing

1:55:24a lot of our solid waste but we've been paying attention

1:55:28to our plastic film and boy it is a lot of plastic film

1:55:31that comes out of our house is probably the bulk of our

1:55:33our solid waste.

1:55:34Ever since we started collecting it and part the reason

1:55:39we were collecting it was it was this concept

1:55:41there was a eco break.

1:55:44I think it was called and essentially it's

1:55:45plastic bottles that get stuffed with plastic bags

1:55:48and then are used to in construction somehow.

1:55:52And it's a project that one of the local schools was doing

1:55:55and we were we collecting our bags for that purpose

1:55:58and that's how we all of a sudden

1:56:00start paying attention to the amount of plastic

1:56:02we were generating.

1:56:03And if there was a way for that that part of the reason we have

1:56:10such an impressive recycling center is because our people

1:56:13our residents are willing to source separate

1:56:16into high grading.

1:56:17And part of the reason why we still have not a double.

1:56:20Not a huge double digit increases

1:56:22because because the recycling center people who do deliver

1:56:26to the recycling center it is less contaminated than streets

1:56:29to street collected recyclables so is it finding a way for us

1:56:35to reuse some of our materials that we're potentially paying

1:56:39for out of our recycling center where it's fairly well graded

1:56:44where that would be something that would be nice to give

1:56:46to accomplish Mayor may I add the League of Cities

1:56:52the environmental quality POLICY COMMITTEE We did ask Governor

1:56:58Brown when he was governor to use cap and trade funds

1:57:02to create new uses for our recycling especially

1:57:07our plastics and so we will be asking

1:57:10again to Governor Newsome the

1:57:15same thing this January.

1:57:17Great.

1:57:18Thank you.

1:57:20Any other comments.

1:57:21If none.

1:57:22I would love to have a motion I move resolution of the city

1:57:26council the city vowed to veto fixing and setting

1:57:29the Integrated Waste Management fees effective January 1 2020.

1:57:33Second I was moved by FDLE seconded by DOE all those

1:57:39and favorably say I proposed.

1:57:43Let the record show it passed unanimously.

1:57:46Thank you.

1:57:47And that will bring us to item six

1:57:49be This is a urgency ordinance to amend our accessory dwelling

1:57:56unit regulations.

1:57:58It's an interim urgency ordinance that requires

1:58:00four fifth of the vote to pass and a public hearing

1:58:05is noticed that noticing.

1:58:07I'm sure you'll tell them noticing

1:58:09went up on December 7th.

1:58:19Good evening.

1:58:21City council members My name's Jeff Ballentine

1:58:23a senior planner with the city.

1:58:25And yeah as you stated that's an I'll be going over

1:58:28says we're doing it at emergency urgency ordinance so

1:58:33just a brief background.

1:58:34So just back in 2017.

1:58:37June 2017 the City Council adopted an update to the 82

1:58:41ordinance in order to comply with a number of state laws

1:58:45and here we are just two years later

1:58:47and the state adopted a whole slew of other laws

1:58:49and we have to do it all over again

1:58:52and they have to be effective as of January 20 20 So

1:58:58just a brief overview it would include repealing and replacing

1:59:01Section 19 that 2 0 1 9 0.

1:59:04And these include all of our provisions for use.

1:59:07It would also add Section 19 that 2 0 8 1 9 5

1:59:11and that would include provisions

1:59:12for junior accessory dwelling units.

1:59:15And it would also include amendments

1:59:16to the residential use classifications

1:59:18terms and definitions as well as off street parking

1:59:21provisions for 80 years.

1:59:23And I want to highlight that just about everything I'll

1:59:26be going over tonight is a requirement from the state

1:59:29and there's only one provision that staff is recommending

1:59:32that's beyond that requirement.

1:59:33And I'll mention that later so for junior eight years.

1:59:40So HB sixty eight requires all local jurisdictions

1:59:44to allow one junior accessory dwelling

1:59:46unit per single family house and what's a junior to you.

1:59:49So it's no more than 500 square feet.

1:59:52It has been contained entirely within the single family house.

1:59:56It includes it can include separate sanitation facilities

2:00:00or can share those with a primary dwelling

2:00:03such as a bathroom.

2:00:05And it also includes what's called an efficiency kitchen.

2:00:08And that's really just the fancy term for cooking facility

2:00:11encounter and cabinets of reasonable size in relation

2:00:16to the size of the generator you see one of the really

2:00:23interesting things and this is from A.B. eighty one

2:00:27and that includes most of the visions for the 80

2:00:28is one of the really interesting things

2:00:31is that it includes these categories of to use and Junior

2:00:33to use where as long as you check these boxes

2:00:37you can go straight to building permit application.

2:00:39So currently right now 80 use all

2:00:41have to go first through planning approval

2:00:43so if you meet these requirements

2:00:44you can go straight to building permits middle.

2:00:47And so for if if you're on a single family dwelling lot

2:00:50It includes one interior Eddie or junior to you that's located

2:00:54entirely within the primary single family house

2:00:57or it's one detached Day to you know more than 800 square feet

2:01:02minimum four foot setbacks from the rear inside

2:01:04and no more than 16 feet tall Now

2:01:07another new thing is now to use can be developed on lots

2:01:10with multi-family dwellings and duplexes and in those cases

2:01:15you can have at least one interior 82

2:01:18and up to 25 percent of the multifamily units on that site.

2:01:24Jeff on this slide you're making it sound

2:01:27like it's under the single family dwelling it's either

2:01:30bullet 1 or bullet 2 but I thought

2:01:32I read that you could do a junior 80 you and a detached.

2:01:36OK that's correct.

2:01:37You could do both bullets right.

2:01:39Thank you and then for multifamily dwelling

2:01:45for the interior to you that would be for space that is not

2:01:48for livable area and then in addition

2:01:50to that you could also do two detached eight to use

2:01:54and again that's both bullet points you could do not either

2:01:57or for floor area current ordinance

2:02:04allows up to 50 percent of the habitable floor

2:02:07area the primary dwelling or twelve hundred

2:02:09square feet whichever is less.

2:02:11The proposed ordinance would now be

2:02:13if it's a studio or one bedroom maybe you you can get up to 850

2:02:16square feet if you have two or more bedrooms it's a thousand

2:02:19square feet and if it's an attached to you it's those

2:02:23above standards or 50 percent of the primary dwelling area

2:02:26whichever is less for setbacks and height requirements

2:02:34current ordinance it's minimum of five to six feet

2:02:37on the side and 15 to 25 five on the rear depending

2:02:40on the zoning district.

2:02:42Now it's going to be four feet on the side in the rear

2:02:44and you can see that's gonna make a big difference.

2:02:48For detached day to use now it's 16 feet tall

2:02:51whereas currently it's 15 feet tall

2:02:53so gives it another foot and then for replacement parking.

2:03:00So currently we do not require any parking for 80 years

2:03:03and that was per city council direction back in 2017.

2:03:07The state allows cities to require parking

2:03:10for very specific types of ideas but our city said no no parking

2:03:14is required for any use.

2:03:16And then the proposed ordinance in addition to that.

2:03:18Now with the city cannot require what's called replacement

2:03:21parking when that's involving A GARAGE CONVERSION

2:03:25so our current practices.

2:03:27If somebody converts their garage to an 80 year then

2:03:29they have to build right that replacement in a driveway.

2:03:31But now we can't require that and then just

2:03:37some miscellaneous items the owner occupancy requirement

2:03:42we can no longer require that up until 2025.

2:03:46So now somebody could rent out those those units however

2:03:49they may be on their lot.

2:03:53For short term rentals for if it's an aide to you

2:03:57specifically included in what I call the automatic approval

2:03:59category the city cannot allow the short

2:04:04term rental of those 30 days or less

2:04:07or otherwise known as Airbnb.

2:04:10However if the city choose to explore allowing Airbnb

2:04:14BS or short term rentals for the other category of years

2:04:17or anything beyond those we could do

2:04:19so but our current ordinance does not allow that

2:04:23and then finally this is the one provision city

2:04:26staff for recommending that is not in the state requirements

2:04:30and this is what's proposed is Windows

2:04:34for 80 years that are less than five feet

2:04:36from a side or rear setback.

2:04:38We're proposing that they be called what's called Claire's

2:04:41story which is they're at least six

2:04:43and a half feet above floor level

2:04:47I'm sorry above finished floor.

2:04:49And what that is there is essentially

2:04:51you can see a lot of these state requirements

2:04:53requiring to allow it is get closer

2:04:56and closer to property lines.

2:04:57This could allow a little more privacy

2:05:00and mitigate privacy impacts requiring those windows be

2:05:04a little taller so as you can see

2:05:10Our ordinance will now get much longer

2:05:12with many many more provisions.

2:05:14And let me go over a little bit of the anticipated schedule.

2:05:17So if you were to adopt by a four fifths vote

2:05:22this interim urgency ordinance become effective immediately

2:05:26for 45 days and in the interim we would continue

2:05:30to work on the permanent ADR ordinance

2:05:32and we would look to bring that to Planning Commission

2:05:34on January 15th of next year.

2:05:36And if they recommend approval to city council

2:05:39we would bring that City Council on February

2:05:414th and if it looks good or based on changes by city

2:05:45council like it's approved then we

2:05:47look at its second reading on February 18th

2:05:49with an effective date of March 19th.

2:05:52And I do want to mention if this does not get approved

2:05:56by a fourth this vote tonight then essentially R ordinance

2:06:01become null and void and it would just default to state

2:06:04standards and that could get a little

2:06:06complicated in certain cases.

2:06:09So I just want to just throw that out there.

2:06:13And with that leave it open to our questions or comments.

2:06:17Great questions.

2:06:18Council member sir um the question

2:06:22I have has to do with my own personal long

2:06:28but is a good example.

2:06:29And that is creeks so if there's a creek

2:06:36on the property Is there an Is there any wording about that.

2:06:44That's a great question.

2:06:45My understanding is those Creek provisions still

2:06:47apply but I would really be interested first guy

2:06:50to elaborate happy to.

2:06:54So the state really just doesn't answer this question.

2:06:58It's not something that the legislators I think

2:07:01contemplated when they were preparing the multiple bills

2:07:05that turn into the new law in the absence of a prohibition

2:07:09by the state.

2:07:09I believe that the city can continue to enforce the creek

2:07:13set back requirements.

2:07:14That said I think that one of the issues that we'll

2:07:16be looking at as we work on the the permanent ordinance

2:07:21is to harmonize the city's current Creek regulations

2:07:25with the new state law.

2:07:27And so one of the things that we might look I believe

2:07:29is if there is an existing structure that's within a creek

2:07:33back could it be demolished replaced with an 80 new what

2:07:39appears to be the intent of state law

2:07:41or should basically the legal nonconforming

2:07:46status of the structure not be allowed to be exacerbated

2:07:48by my replacement with an 80.

2:07:51That's something that I think the state for the moment

2:07:53has left to local jurisdictions to figure out

2:07:56and likewise if there's a structure on the property

2:08:01let's say that's legal nonconforming say

2:08:05at the back of the lot say on the property line

2:08:10like that's my house too.

2:08:12Actually I think that this shed was actually built in 1986

2:08:19but my house wasn't built on that in the 1950s.

2:08:24But it's got to do with the history

2:08:25of what went on in that area.

2:08:28But if you had something like that could you

2:08:31convert something like that to an 80 you.

2:08:35Yeah.

2:08:36So as it relates to the creek Sit Back question.

2:08:40It's a separate issue.

2:08:42OK you're right.

2:08:43So we do have including these is basically as long as you

2:08:47maintain that footprint even if you're demolishing it

2:08:49if you're maintaining that footprint you could maintain

2:08:53that footprint even if it's nonconforming as long as you're

2:08:55not expanding that footprint.

2:08:57But we would look to have a survey

2:08:59to make sure that that structure is indeed fully on the property

2:09:03and not on your neighbors partly on your neighbors property

2:09:07correct.

2:09:09OK.

2:09:10So actions OK.

2:09:11That's that's interesting.

2:09:12So you could actually add features like a it

2:09:21would probably be a junior.

2:09:23So I mean the size would not be that big but the you could

2:09:28actually turn it into a unit that aren't in the footprint

2:09:33that's currently there.

2:09:35Right whether you maintain the existing structure

2:09:37or demolish it but maintain that footprint interesting

2:09:40and just to clarify generate a user.

2:09:42It wouldn't just be a generator you because those are only

2:09:45within primary single family.

2:09:47Oh okay yeah.

2:09:48Now this is this example would not

2:09:50be that that Ed I think it it all speaks I actually

2:09:57like the 80s and I've been hearing people talk

2:10:01about putting the man you know it's pretty exciting to me

2:10:06and so I think what the one thing I have heard

2:10:10about the use of the Eldorado ordinance

2:10:15in doing that is that it's really difficult

2:10:18to get through that process.

2:10:21So I think this will be an improvement.

2:10:26And it's pretty exciting questions and questions.

2:10:31I just wanted a clarification on the parking requirements.

2:10:35I know that we said no additional parking here

2:10:38and Rosarito and what was a second part

2:10:40of that was that was the No No.

2:10:44Garage conversions or things like

2:10:46that was that something that was recommended

2:10:48or is that Estate Regulation.

2:10:50That's a state requirement.

2:10:51OK.

2:10:52Thank you.

2:10:53Yeah.

2:10:56So I saw on the news a lot of other cities

2:10:58are going through the same process

2:10:59that we are in this next few weeks here.

2:11:03So the California government code

2:11:05is what has been will has been changed

2:11:08and will be effective in January I can assume

2:11:11that our new status as a charter city

2:11:13has no impact on what we can do in the future in this direction

2:11:19that issue hasn't been litigated yet.

2:11:21So if you may recall from the charter city discussion

2:11:24that that basically what is and is not

2:11:28considered a municipal affair is basically

2:11:30decided by the courts.

2:11:31It's this seems like some can assert that a statute applies

2:11:35to charter cities but until that issue is litigated

2:11:38there's no final resolution.

2:11:39So as it is right now as I'm not I

2:11:43don't believe that there is any published

2:11:44case law about data use statutes and and charter cities.

2:11:49So we could have done nothing and said We're a charter

2:11:52and tested that in the New Year.

2:11:55We really cared about a certain aspect

2:11:58of radically possible yes.

2:11:59OK thank you I personally like the concept of the landlord

2:12:04not having to live there I think that opens up

2:12:06a lot of opportunities.

2:12:08And the parking issues as well so we've had good progress

2:12:11in the last couple of years Sean about moving from three four

2:12:14up to twenty two.

2:12:16Do you guys see this especially about moving ahead

2:12:20without a lot of the pre rules really

2:12:23boosting this and also retail.

2:12:25Do you think that initial permit process

2:12:28will trigger additional ideas.

2:12:33Yeah it's I think it's a little early to tell

2:12:36but I think you know in as much as these new state regulations

2:12:40are aimed at encouraging the production of A

2:12:43to use that we would expect to see an uptick like how

2:12:46how large of an uptick that is.

2:12:48I think I think remains to be seen

2:12:50but if it's anything like the scale of of the increase

2:12:54that we saw with the last legislation

2:12:55then I think it'll be considerable

2:12:59and as far as the one new change that you recommend the Clare

2:13:02story was this summer.

2:13:05This is not anything that was urgent.

2:13:07It is just something that you thought

2:13:08should be done and let's do it now

2:13:09since we have the opportunity.

2:13:11Yeah it was it was an opportunity that we

2:13:12saw to look like Jeff said.

2:13:14As you know the state is pushing us

2:13:16to permit a to use that are closer

2:13:19and closer to property lines.

2:13:21That raises the potential for more privacy impacts

2:13:25to adjacent properties.

2:13:26So we just saw this as a you know an easy way

2:13:31to address those concerns in situations where it made sense

2:13:35where you were closer than 5 feet to a property line

2:13:38and have to give a little bit of credit

2:13:41to what we modeled that requirement off

2:13:44of a requirement that the town of Port of Madeira

2:13:48included in their their ordinance.

2:13:50They were one of the first cities

2:13:52to move forward with a new 80 u ordinance

2:13:54and so we saw that and thought it was a good idea.

2:13:57But in the new year when we reconsider the ordinance again

2:14:01there may be other opportunities and changes that might occur.

2:14:04Definitely if if the council has ideas about things that you

2:14:08would like to modify in this ordinance

2:14:11we can look at those in the permanent ordinance

2:14:14and additionally I also just want to mention that we are

2:14:18supposed to send this ordinance to the State

2:14:22Department of Housing and Community Development within I

2:14:25think 30 days of its adoption.

2:14:28So they may review it and have you we've obviously drafted

2:14:32this ordinance based on our understanding of the state law

2:14:35to be compliant.

2:14:36But if the state does have any comments for us

2:14:39we can also address those comments when we come back

2:14:41with the permanent ordinance.

2:14:42Thank you So I don't want to be clear if you're using council

2:14:49member Abel since example if you have a building

2:14:52that's on the property line it's existing that you just get

2:14:57a building permit to start the conversion you don't have to go

2:15:00through any of the other planning department or any

2:15:03of those other ones that's that's correct as long as you

2:15:05meet that automatic approval list you go straight

2:15:08to building permit OK and then I was at the mayor's conference

2:15:13and talking to a representative and I see Mr.

2:15:16Miller getting up to get a speaker card and he might be

2:15:18able to answer this question and the junior

2:15:21aides use that are inside the

2:15:24home would would or would not trigger

2:15:28additional service connection fees stay to mud or to stage.

2:15:34Right so they would not.

2:15:36And that was another piece of the legislation

2:15:38I believe it's any to use I want to say it's 700 square feet

2:15:41or less no longer have to pay those sorts of capacity

2:15:44connection impact fees.

2:15:46Is that true for the detached a to use as well.

2:15:49That is my recollection I would have

2:15:50to double check that I don't I believe that's right but.

2:15:55But basically I think without getting into the details there

2:15:59is a subset of detached ADR use that under the new state law

2:16:03would not be subject to develop and impact

2:16:08fees connection charges and also can tie into existing meter.

2:16:12So it would not require a separate meter either.

2:16:14Got it.

2:16:15So so is subset we're not going to define it tonight.

2:16:18You've got to go home and do your own research.

2:16:20People but a subset of 80 you detached a to use

2:16:24would not trigger some some of the fees that

2:16:29are a tremendous hurdle to booming aid use which would be

2:16:33your water connection fee your sewer connection fee

2:16:35or the impact fees of which we talked about impact fees

2:16:39earlier tonight.

2:16:41Okay.

2:16:42Thank you that's that's the sum of my questions

2:16:43Do we have any public speakers.

2:16:45I think I saw at least two Yeah we

2:16:47need to open the public campaign and look All right.

2:16:50Well since we have public speakers I'll go ahead and open

2:16:52the public hearing at this time the first speaker

2:16:55is Howdy Gabby followed by Al Miller Oh I apologize.

2:17:03Bob Mitchell followed by Alan.

2:17:05Emily So I just want to comment about the clear story

2:17:07requirement which I think is a great addition because it's

2:17:11a way to get a lot more daylight into a space

2:17:14than you would even get from the from a window.

2:17:17But the only thing I guess that you have to take into account

2:17:19is if it's you wouldn't work for a bedroom

2:17:21because you have egress requirements.

2:17:23But but I think the clear story idea would really

2:17:26improve the interior quality of the light

2:17:28in a small unit like that.

2:17:30All right.

2:17:31Thank you next because our Emily again

2:17:39I just wanted to introduce information related

2:17:43to the Steve Sanitary District.

2:17:45We have easements alongside behind a lot of properties.

2:17:49Some of them are 10 feet wide.

2:17:51Some of them are five feet wide 10 feet

2:17:54wide ones centered on a property line

2:17:57would have an easement that's five feet from on each side.

2:18:02No structures can be built there.

2:18:06The five feet ones it would just make it complicated.

2:18:11If we have to replace a line and now

2:18:13these things are only two and a half feet away.

2:18:16The reason I mention it is because tomorrow I

2:18:20will get in touch with our general manager

2:18:22and encourage him to contact who should they contact Anyway I'll

2:18:28learn that generally so shabbily some kind of liaison

2:18:33so that we don't have cross purposes and inadvertently

2:18:39the city doesn't give permission for somebody to build

2:18:42an ADA view on our easement.

2:18:45Thank you.

2:18:47Thank you.

2:18:48Are there any other public speakers seeing none this time

2:18:51I'll entertain a motion to close a public hearing

2:18:54I move by Quito seconded by Pardue Okamoto.

2:18:59All those variables say I opposition seeing none.

2:19:03We'll move on to see if there's any additional comments

2:19:06or questions by the Council seeing none.

2:19:09I'd love to have a motion because I that we adopt

2:19:14an urgency ordinance of the city of El Salvador amending Title

2:19:1719 of the El Cerrito municipal code to amend section nineteen

2:19:23point twenty point 1 9 0 point excuse me comma 90 nineteen

2:19:34point four six point 0 4 0 3 El and nineteen point four seven

2:19:44in nineteen point two four point overall regarding accessory

2:19:51dwelling units and to add section nineteen point twenty

2:19:55point 1 9 5 regarding junior accessory dwelling units second

2:20:01motion is made by Able send second

2:20:03by Part 2 Okamoto all those in favour please say I Hi Hi.

2:20:10All those in any opposition please say nay.

2:20:15Let the record show it passed unanimously Every news item

2:20:22eight on our agenda which is city council local and regional

2:20:26liaison a signed s..

2:20:30Did anybody I went to to of my assignments

2:20:34and would love to report back on those

2:20:36does anybody have any other reports from items.

2:20:40They attended meetings they attended so I attended

2:20:45the financial advisory board meeting

2:20:47and the financial advisory board meeting.

2:20:51Of course we had I gave an update on the audit report.

2:20:58Additionally they took up an action

2:20:59item they did not complete it.

2:21:01They're going to do additional research.

2:21:03They they took up an action item to look at council

2:21:07pay so Michelle that'll be something you can get.

2:21:13They didn't finish the something you will build it to report

2:21:16back on as the time goes on.

2:21:18I also attended the Crime Prevention Committee

2:21:22and they are looking for members of the crime prevention

2:21:28committee is actively becoming integrated into our community's

2:21:36response programs and community policing.

2:21:40And they have great programs throughout the year

2:21:43around safety.

2:21:45They do programs for home safety checks to make sure your

2:21:52your house is hardened against criminals.

2:21:54They we do the tri in in which is a recognition of all

2:22:03the first responders in our three cities Richmond Albany

2:22:08and rito.

2:22:10They staff the booth Fourth of July.

2:22:13In the past they've done a bicycle safety day bicycle

2:22:16Awareness Day where we did obstacle driving with bicycles

2:22:21so it's it's an interesting committee that is desperately

2:22:26looking for new members.

2:22:27It is a committee so you have to do is attend three times

2:22:30and then the committee will recommend

2:22:33to the council to add you.

2:22:35So if you're interested in that committee that'll

2:22:37be great at this time it is my pleasure to announce

2:22:41the liaison assignments.

2:22:43They were published in the agenda eight.

2:22:46A I want to thank my fellow council members for taking

2:22:51on many of these assignments so that we can continue

2:22:55to represent ourselves both regionally and in our own city

2:23:03I'm gonna do a little bit of mayoral privilege on Item 10

2:23:09which is our German we're going to take up a portion we're not

2:23:13going to adjourn at this time because we do have a closed

2:23:14session but I would like to announce that tonight we are

2:23:19adjourning in the memory of Judith Tanenbaum and allow

2:23:25council members if they would like to make any comments

2:23:28regarding Ms Tannenbaum at this time so that it is

2:23:32available for our TV viewing office

2:23:35audience I learned that I had

2:23:40the pleasure to meet Judith when she was in charge of choosing

2:23:48our poet laureate and and I did not choose the poet laureate It

2:23:53was Judith Candyman and it ended up being my college my dear

2:23:57friend from college my shin went so I did run

2:24:02into her a couple months ago at the movie's end and so

2:24:10know that she has played an important role here

2:24:14in the city of El Salvador when regionally with her community

2:24:19work in San Quentin Prison by teaching inmates

2:24:23how to read and to write.

2:24:26Yeah there was a huge loss for our community

2:24:30here in El Salvador in West Contra Costa Mr. Fidelio Yeah.

2:24:39Judith's death really impacted me.

2:24:42I got to know her as a real city activist

2:24:45and I want to see her She had a special spirit

2:24:50and she cared about this town very much including the arts.

2:24:55She cared about the written word and she cared about justice.

2:25:00I just saw a little more than a week ago driving

2:25:03and as she was walking up Fairmont and walking fast

2:25:07and I opened up my window and yelled Hello at her

2:25:10and she waved and smiled and I thought I really needed

2:25:13to connect and see our wrist was an how she was doing

2:25:18and I'm so sad to hear that that won't be possible.

2:25:22I looked up the word Tannenbaum in this time of Christmas

2:25:27and holidays and it's fir tree and this tree

2:25:31is a symbol of consistency and faithfulness

2:25:36and Judith was certainly consistent and faithful

2:25:40in her fighting for justice.

2:25:42Well Mr. Right.

2:25:47I didn't know her really well but I did know her son

2:25:51and I know her mostly.

2:25:53I think as a person who provided a lot of service

2:25:57to our community and I think our community

2:26:02you know we'll have had a significant loss in losing her

2:26:08and I I just kind of wish I had had the opportunity to know her

2:26:14better and I actually because I've been the liaison this year

2:26:20to the Arts and Culture Commission

2:26:23and I thought oh that'll be a chance

2:26:25to get to know her better.

2:26:27And unfortunately it didn't happen anyway.

2:26:33She was a wonderful lady fear was someone

2:26:42who would always show up.

2:26:44And I think that is something I will remember about her.

2:26:48She seemed to have a passion for people.

2:26:52Passion for the underserved in our community.

2:26:57Housing rights immigrant rights.

2:26:59And I think she just was a very well-rounded person.

2:27:06I had the good fortune of running into her

2:27:10shortly before she passed.

2:27:12And she she stopped and went out of her way

2:27:18to tell me that I had done such a good job as mayor

2:27:22in the last year and it was it was really encouraging for me

2:27:26and I'm so glad that I was able to have

2:27:29that conversation with her and I asked

2:27:32her if I could give her a hug.

2:27:33And we had a nice hug.

2:27:35And now I'm so glad that we stopped

2:27:39and took that extra time to recognize each other.

2:27:43And I'll miss her at this moment.

2:27:46Like a moment of silence in memory of Judith mom

2:28:02the next item on the agenda is closed session

2:28:04public employee evaluation pursuant to government code

2:28:09Section 5 4 9 5 7 titled city manager the city council will

2:28:14now convene to close session the next regularly scheduled

2:28:19meeting is canceled the January 7th regular meeting has been

2:28:22canceled the next regular meeting will be

2:28:24on Tuesday January 21st twenty twenty Happy Holidays

2:28:30and Happy New Year