Regular City Council Meeting — Council Reorganization December 7, 2021

0:05:59Howard are we all supposed to be able to see it

0:06:26in the original strange uh, no this

0:06:30is the one camera in chambers What you see it all because i

0:06:34see the game has the same image of her monitor

0:06:39can be turned on, just her monitor.

0:06:41Oh so it is supposed to be oK.

0:06:46Thank you. uh there we go.

0:06:55Thank you.

0:06:57Dr. On, uh reflexion.

0:07:02Oh, Yeah.

0:07:05Uh, i guess the reflection of that over here to uh, uh, uh uh

0:07:16uh Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh Good evening.

0:07:46The December 7th regular city council meeting is called

0:07:49to order at seven o clock.

0:07:51Will the city clerk, please call the roll mayor fidele here

0:07:57may appear quintel Council member Aberfan here

0:08:01council member Matsuyama here.

0:08:03Council member Rudnik here.

0:08:05Thank you.

0:08:06Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:08:08Our moment of silence I pledge allegiance

0:08:13to the flag of the United States of America. for which it stands

0:08:19One nation under indivisible liberty and justice

0:08:28Will the clerk, please give a description

0:08:30of our teleconference public comment instructions Thank

0:08:34you, Mayor.

0:08:35Tonight meeting is being held as a hybrid public meeting, which

0:08:38provides the option for in-person attendance

0:08:40for city council and limited council guests and staff.

0:08:44Only the option for public participate in at tonight's

0:08:47meeting continues to be through the Zoome platform

0:08:50to ensure compliance with the brown Act

0:08:52and to address security concern Attendee images and videos

0:08:56will remain disabled as well.

0:08:57As the chat feature for all participants

0:09:00For members of the public who wish to provide oral testimony

0:09:03the mayor will announce the time for public comment

0:09:05on each applicable item If you wish to speak,

0:09:09please select the raise hand the hand icon to raise your hand.

0:09:13If you cannot locate the icon, please refer to the document

0:09:16linked on page one of the agenda for the raised hand feature

0:09:20attendees joining by phone can dial Star nine to raise

0:09:23their hand when it is your turn to provide comments,

0:09:26your name will be called and you will

0:09:28be prompted to meet yourself.

0:09:30Attendees joining by phone will be prompted

0:09:32to dial star six to unmuted themselves That

0:09:35concludes my instructions Mayor.

0:09:37Thank you.

0:09:37Item three is council and staff communications

0:09:40tonight begin with staff communications Thank you,

0:09:45Mayor fidele.

0:09:46I'm Karen Pinkest.

0:09:47I'm a city manager reporting once again on the status

0:09:51of the city's local emergency.

0:09:53Though i don't have much to report that

0:09:55has changed since the last council meeting.

0:09:59I just want to remind the public that we certainly encourage

0:10:02everyone to continue to stay safe to get vaccinated

0:10:06and to receive your booster shots

0:10:08as I'm sure everyone has heard, there is

0:10:10a new variant called Omicron.

0:10:12It is another reason to be vaccinated and make sure it may

0:10:15be potentially more contagious.

0:10:18The jury is still out on that.

0:10:19But we want to make sure again to encourage everyone

0:10:22to be safe and get vaccinated and i encourage everyone

0:10:25as well to go to coronavirus dot health, drug

0:10:30in order to continue to look at the new any additional mask

0:10:35mandates or any information on any new additional updates

0:10:41for the pandemic at this time, i believe Police Chief Keith

0:10:47is on the call I'd like to please bring him over so I can

0:10:53have him provide update to the city council

0:10:56on a recent incident at Korematsu High School.

0:10:59Chief Keith Good evening, Mayor council.

0:11:02I'm Paul Keith.

0:11:03Your chief of police.

0:11:04I'm here tonight to talk about an incident that happened

0:11:07at Korematsu Middle School and about vandalism, theft

0:11:10and some hate motivated graffiti So this incident

0:11:14was reported to us on November twenty

0:11:16Third when our officers responded

0:11:18to the Korematsu Middle School.

0:11:19We learned that there were a series of incidents that

0:11:22occurred between November 15th in November of twenty six

0:11:26So these various incidents of vandalism and theft

0:11:29included an instance of graffiti with hate based

0:11:33epithet derogatory remarks about the principal,

0:11:36some crude caricature, caricatures of anatomy

0:11:39and the statement repeated two times that Albany is the best

0:11:44school It was a section.

0:11:46It was written on a section of concrete.

0:11:48It was about Six feet by six feet on one

0:11:50The basketball courts and it was written

0:11:52in what appeared to be a Sharpie When we went out there.

0:11:56We also learned that vandals had been breaking windows

0:11:59over the course of the previous Nine days

0:12:02and had broken about fifteen windows total

0:12:05using ball bearings projectiles that we think were launched

0:12:10at the school from a slingshot.

0:12:12So about fifteen windows were broken

0:12:13and the principal estimated the cost to repair those somewhere

0:12:17in the realm of fifteen thousand dollars or more

0:12:20And those windows had been broken over a number of nights

0:12:22because staff continued to see more

0:12:24and more windows getting the is another act

0:12:28of theft that occurred.

0:12:29The letter L. was removed from formats

0:12:32of middle school assignments.

0:12:33The in L.A. Was broken.

0:12:36Their school staff eventually located the letter

0:12:39L in a tree and Castro Park That was during this last week

0:12:43of school.

0:12:44So we sent an officer out there and the officer

0:12:46process the L for fingerprint evidence

0:12:48And we believe we may have gotten

0:12:50some fingerprints off it.

0:12:52Some of the challenges with our investigation.

0:12:54So far is that the school does not have a security

0:12:56camera system like the high school does.

0:12:59So we put out a notification to our residents

0:13:01to see if any of our residents either had video of the school

0:13:05during the times of occurrence or if they

0:13:07had seen anything suspicious in and around the school.

0:13:10During the.

0:13:11But the preceding eight to nine days we got the report is also

0:13:16directly Canvas the neighborhood around the school

0:13:18to see if any residents had seen or anything

0:13:21suspicious It would have been nice at school

0:13:24had security cameras.

0:13:25I know that the district has plans to to roll out security

0:13:31cameras more of its campuses but that really

0:13:34is one of the things that's hindering

0:13:35the investigation is we don't really

0:13:37have any evidence at this time.

0:13:39So for all of our residents are hearing

0:13:41me talk about this crime if you could think back to that period

0:13:45before Thanksgiving, and consider what you might have

0:13:50seen around Corman's, particularly during the evening

0:13:52hours, if you remember seeing anybody

0:13:56around the campus during the night

0:13:58we'd really appreciate you to call police department

0:14:00and tell us about your observations Unfortunately,

0:14:04it really was a lot of damage.

0:14:05And I think the other part of it,

0:14:07too, is that i'd like to call on the community to really keep

0:14:10your eye out on our schools.

0:14:13Our district has financial problems that it doesn't also

0:14:17need to be spending all this money to repair a very

0:14:21new campus to try to get it back up to just the standard

0:14:25operating situation.

0:14:27So that is the brief.

0:14:29I had I will say that on my computer

0:14:32the audio is a little faint.

0:14:33So if you see me leaning forward,

0:14:34if you have questions that's the reason

0:14:36why And council members, if I could just i I apologize.

0:14:41If I could just share with You talk

0:14:43more directly into your mix.

0:14:44Your audio will be stronger on the feed Thank you.

0:14:49Chief.

0:14:50Are there any questions Yes.

0:14:53Council member Motorama Thank you, Mayor.

0:14:56I just want to make a comment and thank

0:14:58chief Keith and for also addressing the situation

0:15:02at the high school.

0:15:03And quickly resolving that Thank you Any other comments?

0:15:10OK, thank you.

0:15:11Chief City Manager or any other comments from you?

0:15:14Are there any council member comments statements to make Um,

0:15:19council member tESO Redneck Well,

0:15:22just for reporting back on meetings that we attended,

0:15:25I attended it.

0:15:26Mayor Pro Tem Quinn is there as well.

0:15:29The Cal city's Joint Division meeting of the East bay,

0:15:33the North Bay and the Peninsula about sea level C level

0:15:37rise and it was a very interesting meeting.

0:15:40There's going to be a lot of more work together in twenty,

0:15:43twenty two around really unifying

0:15:47what the impacts of climate change

0:15:49are going to be doing to our region.

0:15:50And it was a very informative meeting.

0:15:54Thank you.

0:15:55Other comments No I have a couple I a mayor's letter was

0:16:02sent to the California Earthquake Authority

0:16:04in support of a specific FEMA grant

0:16:07to help retrofit cities that our city is hoping we can get

0:16:11some funding for I participated in with Fire Chief

0:16:16Pogany in the first meeting to determine if we should have

0:16:18a vegetation management power authority EPA to see

0:16:23if the EPA in El Cerrito can get some additional grants

0:16:28and coordinate on fire protection.

0:16:30That's something resolution that we passed a few months ago.

0:16:34And finally there's a mayor certificate honoring

0:16:36grace McNeil, who we mentioned a few meetings ago,

0:16:40who was previously held several positions for our library

0:16:48as a great supporter of our city and county libraries.

0:16:50And we will be giving that resolution as soon as we can.

0:16:55So thank you very much for that.

0:16:57There's other comments.

0:16:59City clerk, we will be moving to our public comments.

0:17:02And at this time, members of the public

0:17:04who wish to provide public comments regarding

0:17:06matters not on the agenda concerning

0:17:09items and presentation.

0:17:10I should use a raise and feature request to speak specifically

0:17:15Please proceed.

0:17:15Thank you.

0:17:16The mayor.

0:17:17I will just take a brief moment to announce that we did

0:17:19receive the public comments.

0:17:21We received prior to the advance deadline.

0:17:23Today were posted online and provided

0:17:25directly to the council members in advance. of the meeting.

0:17:28This included public comments for items

0:17:31not on the agenda from Kenneth Eppley on behalf

0:17:34of the Committee on Aging, Cordell

0:17:36Hendler and the Elser progressive's and i

0:17:39would first like to check.

0:17:40We did not put speaker cards out,

0:17:42but for our Fuga in the room, is there

0:17:44anyone who would wanted to provide public comments

0:17:47under the Open Forum tonight?

0:17:49Before we go to our Zoome public comments now.

0:17:52OK so Mayor, I just see to it this time if you can

0:17:57confirm the 3 minute timeline.

0:17:59Yes, three minutes Thank you.

0:18:02OK, OK.

0:18:14Our first speaker is William Kate Sonus.

0:18:16William, you should be able to meet him Begin your time now.

0:18:20Kate, my only comment is the audio for this meeting

0:18:23is very very poor.

0:18:26I can barely hear anything anyone is saying.

0:18:28I did hear Police Chief clearly, but no One else is.

0:18:31Audio has been clear so far It's not

0:18:34a meeting that I could stay on and listen

0:18:36to it because I can't hear.

0:18:37That's all Thank you The next speaker is Sherry Drobny.

0:18:42Sherry, you should be able to unmuted

0:18:44and begin your time now.

0:18:46Hi.

0:18:47Um, I'm going to echo what William said It's pretty

0:18:50difficult if you're doing the zoom connection,

0:18:54but I'm hoping you can for me.

0:18:56Clearly, I wanted to make a a comment around the housed

0:19:00in our community Um, in mid-November, I made contact

0:19:04with one individual who has been living without housing

0:19:08and primarily staying near the and she

0:19:13had been promised a visit by a corps member

0:19:17to help assess her situation.

0:19:20And so I've been regularly coming down

0:19:22to see her, see how she's doing, checking in She

0:19:25not yet been contacted by Core And I know that we don't pay

0:19:31for core services, but I understand from the council

0:19:33members, when we talk about the in-house and homeless

0:19:38in our community that we depend on county for our services

0:19:43And I think it's not enough just to say that and then move on I

0:19:48think there has to be some kind of follow through.

0:19:51So i'm tonight wanting just to advocate

0:19:55that if there's something someone at the city level

0:19:58can do to make sure that we do have core coming

0:20:02into our community to work and assess and support people

0:20:07without housing that they do.

0:20:09So thank you Thank you.

0:20:13You.

0:20:14Our next speaker is Lynn Neun.

0:20:16Lynn, you should be able to and meet and begin your time

0:20:19now OK this is in regards to Grace McNeil

0:20:26So my name is lynn Noonan.

0:20:28I'm deputy county librarian for the Contra

0:20:30Costa County Library.

0:20:31Uh, Contra Costa County Library extends its sorrow

0:20:34and gratitude to the McNeil family on behalf of the El

0:20:37Cerita library branch, Grace is a generous and thoughtful

0:20:41personality who is not to be taken lightly to her.

0:20:45The success the El Ulcerated Library

0:20:47was of paramount importance.

0:20:49We thank her for her many contributions of time talent,

0:20:52and treasure.

0:20:53The hat.

0:20:54She wore at the library were many

0:20:55and her presence will be missed.

0:20:57Thank you.

0:20:59Thank you.

0:21:01Our next speaker is Miguel Gravelle, miguel,

0:21:04you should be able to end mute and begin your time now.

0:21:08I want to be OK.

0:21:10Yes, we can.

0:21:11Wonderful Um thank you for the update regarding

0:21:15format's middle school at the beginning

0:21:18That was helpful to hear.

0:21:20Um, One thing that reminded me as I teach in the area

0:21:25is how recent research has showed what research

0:21:31since the late 90s has shown that the telomeres in people's

0:21:36DNA structure is affected by hate speech

0:21:41functions, things like that.

0:21:43And it would be cool to see the city delve into that more

0:21:47and consider making a statement regarding city officials

0:21:52the city employees, city volunteers, actually taking

0:21:56a look at how we can reconsider freedom of speech

0:22:04when it comes to hate speech.

0:22:05But these people that are employed by the city

0:22:07or volunteering in the city in the hypothetical situation

0:22:10that a scandal breaks out, it would

0:22:12be good to see someone sort of reprimanded

0:22:17for that with acknowledgment of how

0:22:19that harm causes physical harm.

0:22:21To people, not just emotional or mental harm.

0:22:25The second order of business the community member that

0:22:30was talking about the housing instability for people

0:22:36in our community also see community fridge

0:22:44that could be sponsored by a local business

0:22:47if that is something that you're interested in I believe

0:22:51that the a progressive blog post has the information about that.

0:22:55And when the city is curious to focus on

0:22:58like a social entrepreneurship angle to tackle that and the i

0:23:05would like to see a future meetings between the city

0:23:08and the city land trust and would even

0:23:11like to get sort of co management

0:23:17that villages of Rijad and torito and My time

0:23:26Thank you Thank you.

0:23:30Mayor.

0:23:30That does conclude our request to speak this time Thank you.

0:23:35I hope we can be heard throughout this meeting

0:23:38We will move on to the option of the consent calendar

0:23:41And like we've done our recently,

0:23:43I'm going to go through the list of the items

0:23:45and see if anyone has a brief comment

0:23:47or would like to pull an item and let me begin

0:23:52with the approval minutes The there's action proposed

0:23:59to change our regular meeting scheduled for city council

0:24:02next year and have a couple 6pm beginning

0:24:06dates during the summer, beginning times.

0:24:09There's a proclamation upon retirement of the detective

0:24:12Christopher purdy, and I'd like to pull that because I believe

0:24:16our police chief has a few words to say in his retirement

0:24:21D is to authorize city council and city advisory body

0:24:24to have meetings held via the teleconference pursuant to AB

0:24:29three six one Assembly bill three six one is

0:24:33a second reading adoption of an ordinance of the city

0:24:36of also Ossorio dealing with our collection

0:24:40and dispose of disposal of waste stream

0:24:43to implement Senate bill thirteen eighty three f

0:24:48the Amendment Consulting Services agreement with B.K. F

0:24:52engines dealing with complete streets project Del Norte.

0:24:57Bart and GS in of professional service

0:25:02is agreement with management partners

0:25:04to assist city in our are some of our economic and financial

0:25:09services.

0:25:10Very comments or bullying of any of these items.

0:25:14I am hoping City Manager that in the sometime in the future

0:25:19on the complete Streets project that's a major project

0:25:23that will be changing the way.

0:25:24Also the moves and cars go and bikes

0:25:27go that some of our council members

0:25:30might be able to have a tour of that to see.

0:25:32So we know the progress as we move along on that.

0:25:35Then Thank you.

0:25:37Can we then have Sergeant I mean, the police chief Cathy

0:25:42and come before us and talk about Mr. Purdy Good evening.

0:25:48And mayor and council I thank you

0:25:49for giving me the opportunity to talk

0:25:51about Detective Chris Protei.

0:25:52And once again, your police chief, Pocky.

0:25:55So we're talk to Chris Party tonight

0:25:58and we're taking a moment to recognize

0:26:01his service to our community.

0:26:02On the occasion of his retirement.

0:26:04So Chris began with a police department

0:26:07in February two and three as a reserve officer

0:26:09and hired full time.

0:26:10Four months later, and I still remember before chris started

0:26:14with us, he went on a ride along with a police officer

0:26:16and it happened to be me.

0:26:18And so I showed him around town and we made an arrest at night.

0:26:21So I like to think that some of chris

0:26:25got something from ride along and really gave him

0:26:27a passion for the community.

0:26:30And passion is a good word.

0:26:31For Chris because he spent 18 years at the police department

0:26:35pursuing his passions and he had a number of them.

0:26:38One of them bicycle patrol.

0:26:39So Chris was one of our first bicycle police officers

0:26:43and he really, really was out there riding all the time.

0:26:46I think he got in at least one vehicle pursuit on his bicycle

0:26:50or at least tried to.

0:26:51I don't know who was successful but he loved bicycling

0:26:55And a lot of a lot of our residents

0:26:57may not have met him personally.

0:26:59But if they were around the bike path, the twins,

0:27:02they definitely saw chris riding up and down

0:27:04the bar at responding to calls on his beat

0:27:06and say hi to everybody.

0:27:08Another passion of Christopher was and still is.

0:27:11I think traffic enforcement Chris was one of our motorcycle

0:27:15cops And I have to say that living in town

0:27:18pretty much everywhere I went.

0:27:20Well, Chris was a motorcycle cop You know, I go to little League

0:27:25or I would go to a PTA meeting and say, oh i

0:27:28work for the police department.

0:27:29Do you know Purdy?

0:27:30I say, oh, yeah, he was, like, the most renowned cop we

0:27:33had because he is so prolific.

0:27:36And so dedicated to traffic safety.

0:27:38It seemed to me like just about every person

0:27:40I met going to take it from Presbury They

0:27:43always I always choose, I hope.

0:27:44And they said, no, no, it was very professional.

0:27:46I wish I hadn't gotten the ticket.

0:27:48But I also wish I'd stopped at the stop sign

0:27:50or germaneness Chris also had a passion

0:27:54for helping his community.

0:27:56And you may not you might be able to tell

0:27:57from his brother exterior here, but he

0:27:59really has a heart of gold.

0:28:01He spent a lot of his years patrolling

0:28:02the hillside beat and he went to a lot

0:28:05of residential burglary calls.

0:28:06And Chris really took the time after these calls

0:28:09to make sure our residents felt cared for

0:28:11and support in the aftermath of what can

0:28:13often be a very violent crime.

0:28:15Having your house broken into you

0:28:17really took it upon himself.

0:28:19To make sure there are elderly residents still

0:28:21felt safe in their community in aftermath of burglaries,

0:28:24stopping frequently to check in and make sure people were

0:28:27able to kind put their homes back together in their lives

0:28:29back there after a real significant incident for them.

0:28:34Now also has a passion for caring unwanted animals

0:28:38or animals that have not yet found homes.

0:28:41So in his private life, he has adopted many dogs over years

0:28:45and rescued many dogs and given them homes

0:28:48And he's really passionate about that.

0:28:50And in his professional life.

0:28:52He wanted to find ways to bring people together and find

0:28:55lifelong companions and animals So Chris took the things

0:28:59that he had learned by being a police officer,

0:29:02responding to burglaries and home security

0:29:04issues around town and came up with an event called Barks

0:29:07and Bells which we had for about three years

0:29:09down the street plaza and the idea behind the event

0:29:12is that you would take rescue organizations

0:29:17to do dog rescues and company and organizations that

0:29:20help people with home security and bring

0:29:22them together in one event.

0:29:23So people could go there and maybe their interest in home

0:29:26security and they can look into ways

0:29:28to keep their house secure.

0:29:29Maybe they're interested adopting an animal

0:29:31and they get to get information about that

0:29:33and maybe they're interested in both,

0:29:34or maybe they're interested in how a dog can be your partner

0:29:37in the security of your home.

0:29:39Chris did a fantastic job with that

0:29:42and brought together a lot of people that may never

0:29:44have come together in one place at the same

0:29:48he's currently a detective.

0:29:49His last days on Thursday and during his last years

0:29:53in his final years as a police officer

0:29:57he spent his career as a detective tracking down

0:29:59burglaries and car thieves And for those of you who

0:30:02live in Rosarito, you should also He spent a lot of time

0:30:06tracking down Catelyn convertor thieves

0:30:09and trying to bring them to justice.

0:30:11To the extent that we people to justice

0:30:14He's one of our award officers.

0:30:17He was recognized by receiving the William Casey Memorial

0:30:20Ground Pound Award for his efforts

0:30:22in traffic safety and traffic enforcement.

0:30:24He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award

0:30:27for his Organization of Barks and Builds program

0:30:30And he was one of our first members

0:30:32to serve on the Contra Costa County.

0:30:34McGuffey force.

0:30:36I am proud to have served next to you, Chris.

0:30:40I am really going to miss you.

0:30:42Chris has got a great sense of humor

0:30:44and he's One of those guys that you just

0:30:46love to have the office because he's always got

0:30:48something entertaining to say.

0:30:50Really self-effacing.

0:30:52Sense of humor, too, doesn't take himself too seriously.

0:30:55But, Chris, on behalf of police department,

0:30:58thank you so much for your service to the community

0:31:00of Elsa You're one of a kind and we're really going to miss

0:31:03you Thank you very much, Chief.

0:31:06I really appreciate those kind words.

0:31:08And it was my pleasure to work with the men and women

0:31:14of the Australian police Department, the finest people

0:31:16to walk the earth wearing a badge.

0:31:19So I appreciate all of them.

0:31:21I love all of you guys like brothers and sisters.

0:31:24And it is my honor to serve with you Thank you very much.

0:31:34Any comment I'd like to share my deep appreciation for all

0:31:40of the work that you've done and making sure

0:31:43that Elsa Rito remains a really safe community

0:31:46and especially hearing about this dog event

0:31:49was very exciting.

0:31:51We regret to bring something like that back.

0:31:53Thank you.

0:31:55Thank you.

0:31:56Newcomer Yeah, Detective, thank you so much.

0:32:00I notice here in a resolution that you received the zinc

0:32:03memorial Award and that's given to officers who best

0:32:07represent the ideals of crime fighting, teamwork

0:32:09and dedication.

0:32:11The chief tells me that nobody doesn't like you in the city

0:32:15but there are some cat lovers in this city I didn't hear a word

0:32:19about cats like cats to die.

0:32:23Do I have a pet name Tuesday?

0:32:25OK, and before Tuesday, I had a cat for 5,

0:32:29fifteen or sixteen years named Jack,

0:32:31who went with me everywhere.

0:32:32Good.

0:32:33I was the first animal There are a little tougher

0:32:36to train ride Detective.

0:32:38Yeah, jack grew up with dogs.

0:32:41And he grew dogs.

0:32:43So he thought he was a dogs that you have in your laps.

0:32:47Well, congratulations.

0:32:49Have you.

0:32:49Why are you going to be retired or do you have plans after this

0:32:52to do something else?

0:32:54I for the time being, I'm going to be a house dad

0:33:00because my wife is pregnant.

0:33:04So we are going to have a little girl in May

0:33:08and she's starting her real estate franchise up in Idaho.

0:33:14So i will be at home with newborn and Seven year old

0:33:20and eleven year old.

0:33:22So I'm going to have my hands full doing that.

0:33:24OK, you've got your handful Congratulations again.

0:33:27And thank you for your service to our city.

0:33:30Thank you.

0:33:30My pleasure.

0:33:31Thank you.

0:33:32I want to move out to approval of the consent

0:33:35calendar Do I hear a motion to approve the consent calendar?

0:33:38I'll move a second.

0:33:40Yes, by Council mohtarma and seconded by council member

0:33:46Rudnik We have a roll call, please.

0:33:49We can do a roll call or you can do all in favor.

0:33:52Say i, because you are all in the same room.

0:33:54What a concept I have my suit on to for the first time Um,

0:34:01so as a refresher you can call all those in favor.

0:34:05Please say I I I am together.

0:34:10You can We're a little rusty up here.

0:34:14And then any opposed motion carries very well.

0:34:20Thank you. very much.

0:34:22Now we move to um item eight a, uh,

0:34:29it's time on the agenda for the city council reorganization.

0:34:34And that's why I wore my suit By the way,

0:34:36is this reorganization so I'm going to speak

0:34:40into the microphone here.

0:34:42A little closer.

0:34:43If I look a little weird, it's because I'm hearing

0:34:46people can't hear us too well.

0:34:48But I'm hoping they can So.

0:34:51Good evening.

0:34:51Everyone.

0:34:53Um i think it's true that when a new mayor finally

0:34:58gets the hang of the job, that's just when

0:34:59that one year is turned out.

0:35:03Our previous mayor often said that once a council

0:35:06member has been a mayor, they become a better council member.

0:35:09So i'm hoping that I also that will be true for me as well.

0:35:13I want to first thank my family in this year of being mayor

0:35:18Michelle and Kati who are here tonight,

0:35:21and Kristina is in Hawaii studying

0:35:23with the rain for their support and giving

0:35:27me the space to deal with the events of the past year.

0:35:31And sometimes even saying that they were proud of me as mayor

0:35:35So thank you, family and what a year it's been.

0:35:40Certainly locally at the state level.

0:35:44And sadly, even having to protect a very democracy

0:35:48at the federal level, what a year span we've dealt

0:35:52with continuing deadly and disruptive problems

0:35:54with the pandemic the potential for destructive wildfires

0:36:00raging tensions and the debates on police accountability

0:36:03and unstable economy And most important, probably

0:36:07to this council is our city making

0:36:09the top ten list that we would rather

0:36:11not have been on last January.

0:36:14And also that we started on a bad financial place.

0:36:18We ended up in a little bit better place

0:36:20but we still have a long long way to go.

0:36:25When I was sworn in a year ago, I presented my priorities

0:36:28for twenty, twenty one.

0:36:30And the best way I can think about making comments tonight

0:36:33is to give a brief update on those priorities of mine.

0:36:37And I believe some progress has been made.

0:36:41My first priority is obviously to focus primarily

0:36:44on the city's troubling finances The city began fiscal year

0:36:48twenty twenty one with no reserves a lack

0:36:51of potential revenues and the need to take action to get back

0:36:54on track with council supporting the state auditor's report

0:36:58as a road map, we made difficult decisions which have resulted

0:37:02in the balanced budget of Four million dollar surplus,

0:37:06which 10 percent of our general fund and no new taxes

0:37:11And this does not include more than six million dollars

0:37:14coming to us from the feds for relief funds

0:37:18from the American rescue plan It took an entire community

0:37:24concerned and vocal public dedicated staff and difficult

0:37:28budget and service cuts.

0:37:30But we are in a better place to continue the needed

0:37:33structural changes that we need to get

0:37:36to fiscal sustainability.

0:37:39My second goal was to focus on wildfire protection prevention,

0:37:44and abatement And this year we expand our fire abatement

0:37:48efforts and council passed a resolution

0:37:50that designated wildfire prevention

0:37:53and safety as a top priority.

0:37:55We also passed a resolution, as I mentioned earlier,

0:37:58tonight, to determine if our regional vegetation management

0:38:01joint Power Authority AJP could benefit Alfredo the EPA

0:38:06in achieving grants, in improving firefighting

0:38:08cooperation And I'm very pleased that even

0:38:12with great budgetary pressure, we kept our station 72 open

0:38:17and we rejected possible cuts to our fire budget.

0:38:22My third priority was to establish greater equity

0:38:24considerations for our staff and our council actions

0:38:28And I'm very proud that council agreed that we need to look

0:38:32at our city actions through a new lens that will allow

0:38:35greater discussion and scrutiny to enhance

0:38:38equity in addition to financial environmental and legal

0:38:42consideration.

0:38:44Staff and council members will have to also consider equity

0:38:48impacts when voting on policies and ordinances that we pass

0:38:53and what the city managers assistance Council also agreed

0:38:56that this goal should be broadened to assure

0:38:59that our city's administrator of operations

0:39:01also include important equity consideration and number four

0:39:07was to pass a food where anti plastic ordinance

0:39:12and like other communities, i was very

0:39:15pleased that persistance did pay off because we passed such

0:39:19an ordinance that will cut down on plastic waste

0:39:22While not detrimentally impacting our local retail

0:39:25restaurants and food preparers, because

0:39:28of our educators outreach and extended implemental dates.

0:39:32So that's good news as well.

0:39:34I had a fifth priority that I mentioned

0:39:37and that was to update our climate action plan.

0:39:40It did not get finalized this year, however,

0:39:43and we will have to work on it continued into the next year

0:39:46in part as a result of an ongoing reality

0:39:50that we will all have to deal with here.

0:39:52And that's the lack of staff due to budget cuts

0:39:55furloughs and transitions I know that city residents and we,

0:40:00the city council members may both be frustrated

0:40:03that we can't have every priority that we want

0:40:06handled all at once right away.

0:40:09But downsizing and getting our budget in shape

0:40:11has meant less staffing.

0:40:13And in this case, a climate action plan

0:40:15will have to continue.

0:40:16Went to twenty, twenty two So as mayor,

0:40:21I want to thank the remaining city staff who's

0:40:24had a very difficult year and still has much

0:40:27to do especially in the budget.

0:40:36I want to thank the city manager while we certainly

0:40:40didn't agree on everything We agreed

0:40:42that we had to work together.

0:40:44So the city wouldn't dissolve into disarray Each of us

0:40:50had to be firm and proceed with short term emergency actions.

0:40:54And plan for long term structural changes

0:40:58She helped to move us forward Public pressure system

0:41:02challenges on this mayor and this council and the state

0:41:08dictates I want to thank Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Kiato for always

0:41:13being available to assist the city when I could not attend

0:41:16specific meetings and I really appreciated that I want

0:41:21to thank Councillor janet Apison for her longevity

0:41:26as a resident expert on past council actions and history.

0:41:31Janet has continued to be a remarkable public servant as

0:41:34far back as most of us can remember.

0:41:36And Mayor, she's used to this ceremony.

0:41:38Mayor five times to congratulate janet

0:41:44I've got my colleagues here because, you

0:41:46know, I cry a you guys, right.

0:41:48But especially i want to thank the two news council Lisa

0:41:57Motorama Rudnik for their fresh approach

0:42:03Um and scrutiny, their smart comments and questions.

0:42:08And subcamp the actions which help get us

0:42:10to a better place in this city I really

0:42:13appreciate what you if you.

0:42:15OK, but i'm not done yet.

0:42:19I'm not done with my speech and I've got three more years

0:42:22as city council and as a city councilman,

0:42:25I plan to continue to focus on our finances.

0:42:27But the new finance manager that we will be getting because we

0:42:31have I want to work to assure that the Plaza Baqi

0:42:36project will be of benefit to swedens as a new city center

0:42:39and hopefully with the library I hope to be involved

0:42:43in local efforts to address homelessness As was mentioned

0:42:47tonight, the public improve our retail sector

0:42:51and work to keep ulcerated safe from safe

0:42:54with our police department and also to work

0:42:56with them to create better response approaches

0:42:58to mental health incidents.

0:43:01I also want the community to know that I will be working

0:43:05and spending some time with others

0:43:06to raise funds and organize volunteers

0:43:09to allow for a return of our famous July Fourth celebration.

0:43:15And should be at little or no cost to our city.

0:43:18We need to get that July 4, celebrate stand back

0:43:20and also with us.

0:43:21So please give when I knock on your door

0:43:24ask the ongoing challenges of covid

0:43:29will certainly test our ability to get back to normal

0:43:33and to resolve financial issues But I'm

0:43:36optimistic about the future here.

0:43:39Just look up and down.

0:43:40San Pablo with the changes and the smart growth

0:43:43that we have in the works, it's pretty impressive.

0:43:46The lesson this year to me is that we can make progress

0:43:49under difficult conditions and every week I see hope

0:43:55in all of young families that I meet that are coming here

0:43:59moving the couples at the individuals who moved out

0:44:04because they see it as the city's opportunity

0:44:07where they can hopefully still for it to grow and to succeed

0:44:13I swear i wasn't going to cry.

0:44:16I swear.

0:44:16And finally this is the one that probably will make me

0:44:19There are two things I try to tell my two

0:44:21daughters whenever I can as they move through their busy lives.

0:44:27Always be the best you can write So say to you

0:44:32and try to make the place you live in a better place.

0:44:36So as mayor I want to thank the residents of elsewhere

0:44:39for allowing me to try to live by those same words I

0:44:44stand ready to serve our mayor and the city in any way

0:44:48that I can.

0:44:48Thank you very Thank you.

0:45:00Sorry about that.

0:45:02Sorry about that.

0:45:03I let people shake hands these days.

0:45:06Just saying hello so the the city clerk has mentioned

0:45:10that I'm supposed to say, does anyone else want to make

0:45:13comments on the podium here?

0:45:20I would like to make a comment Council member

0:45:23Abels, the comment I would like to make

0:45:27is to say how much i appreciate a number of the things

0:45:32that Paul Fidele as mayor has done

0:45:36and spearheaded in in some cases,

0:45:40I think he may have done single handedly.

0:45:43Um, and those include the things that I would

0:45:48say promote our city spirit and i don't know

0:45:54if that's what you were Nice.

0:45:55Thank you.

0:45:56If that's the right way to say it,

0:45:59but, um, things that in one way, are simple,

0:46:06but no one else was doing it And so I want to really thank

0:46:12you for all of those things.

0:46:14Just things like the lights and I from what my, um spy told me,

0:46:23um, you had a lot to do with making that happen.

0:46:27And I think maybe even financing and i'm just guessing anyway.

0:46:36But anyway, I mean, I think that's such an important thing

0:46:40for our community.

0:46:42To have that kind of spirit So I really want to thank

0:46:46you for all of those things.

0:46:48In particular, as well as I saw that you were trying

0:46:54to look at our city as a whole and make improvements

0:47:00throughout our city.

0:47:02Um, and, um, it really did make a difference

0:47:07And it really does make a difference And so.

0:47:12Thank you, Paul.

0:47:13So thank you I'll keep very brief, although there's a lot.

0:47:22I could say, um, before paul and I started

0:47:25working with each other, the reputation of Paul Fidele

0:47:29is he's the nicer guy.

0:47:32I would like to add that he is more

0:47:35of a mensch He's a good guy.

0:47:37He's a nice guy.

0:47:39But he is such a good guy with such a big heart,

0:47:43so thoughtful But why he's so thoughtful

0:47:47is he wants to make sure that every voices at the table

0:47:50and there's been a lot of times in my first introduction

0:47:53to the city where I've noticed that there's

0:47:55been times where it's a challenge

0:47:58to get the conversation moving forward.

0:48:02And it's a challenge to make sure that we understand

0:48:06that while we might deviate on a few different issues,

0:48:09at its core, we really all want the same thing in Paul

0:48:12sees that.

0:48:13And he works through it.

0:48:14And it's for my First year to be here to have a mayor

0:48:18like paul in the center seat.

0:48:19Appreciate it.

0:48:20Has been so fantastic.

0:48:21So Mayor Fidele, thank you from the bottom of my heart,

0:48:24there's a lot more.

0:48:25I wrote to Card, but, you know, I'll keep it Thank you.

0:48:28Thank you very much.

0:48:31Lisa Mohtarma.

0:48:32Thank you, Mayor.

0:48:33Um i agree with everything.

0:48:36Council member Rudnick said.

0:48:38And I also want to just thank you for your leadership

0:48:44through kindness.

0:48:45And I think, ulcerated gets things done because

0:48:50of the collegiality of this council

0:48:52and are a big part of that leading kindness

0:48:55to keep us focused on the very best that Elstree can be.

0:48:59And I really appreciate that from my heart.

0:49:01Thank you.

0:49:01Thank you.

0:49:04Abraham.

0:49:05Thank you.

0:49:06Mayor Fidele.

0:49:07Uh mayor, I, um, grateful to you.

0:49:11You have turned the city around and I wanted to let you know,

0:49:16as someone who grew up here, you grew up here as well.

0:49:19So we know many of our residents and many folks

0:49:24from surrounding areas and surrounding cities

0:49:28So you have this personal approach

0:49:32and i was so proud of you in your leadership

0:49:38during this most difficult time of our city's history of one

0:49:42year plus history and you have a calming voice and stature that

0:49:50made residents realize the difficulties that this city was

0:49:55in and we were never gone through these difficult times

0:50:00without your leadership.

0:50:02Your leadership, with experience in DC in Sacramento

0:50:06and dealing with broadband and cable.

0:50:09And now here in the city, your years apart,

0:50:15you have done so much.

0:50:16And I just say thank you, Paul.

0:50:20I knew that we would be in good hands.

0:50:23This year.

0:50:24Uh, you and I have had some battles

0:50:26and an open conversation and we we would hug afterwards

0:50:33And I was very happy to know that every time we have

0:50:37discussions, um we get it out of the way

0:50:40So I'm just very proud to know you.

0:50:43Uh your many, many years of as a public servant

0:50:47And you're the epitome of a public servant here.

0:50:51On the local level.

0:50:52And the city is grateful.

0:50:54So, again, thank you.

0:50:55I have something for you.

0:50:57Um plane ticket uh, so I've, uh, your some drink for you

0:51:07because i was trying to find another brand I could not find

0:51:10that brand, but wanted to give you this and you can go That's

0:51:17why you have a few drinks and is this rude to hold a check Uh,

0:51:28oh.

0:51:29Thank you very much.

0:51:31And thank you very much.

0:51:32I appreciate you being having that green thumb at your home.

0:51:36And the neighborhood.

0:51:37Yes.

0:51:37And I look forward to having you join the Garden Club.

0:51:40Oh, okay.

0:51:41OK.

0:51:42Um, um, my I also want to, um, hand this

0:51:49over to you in remembrance of your leadership

0:51:53in this most difficult year of twenty twenty one.

0:51:56Um this will be amongst all your other awards So, uh, again,

0:52:04I want to make sure that our residents take a look at this

0:52:09and I'm very proud of you for being mayor.

0:52:12Thank Mayor.

0:52:14Thank you very much for this for being mayor.

0:52:16And just thank you very much.

0:52:18Thank you very I'm sorry about my tear ducts,

0:52:28but they just came with it came with me.

0:52:30So I was born that way.

0:52:33And and and this certainly wasn't an individual effort.

0:52:37This whole year.

0:52:38I love all of you even though we do have battles on issues.

0:52:42And we move on.

0:52:43We need to be friends that there's always the next battle

0:52:46that we may need to work on.

0:52:49But it takes a community And this community

0:52:51is back on the rise.

0:52:53We're going to get back.

0:52:55So thank you very much.

0:52:56Really appreciate it.

0:52:58Before I cry.

0:52:59Yeah i'm going to announce that uh, the, uh, the uh,

0:53:05the reorganization needs to happen.

0:53:08And I now declare the office of Mayor Mayor Pro Tem

0:53:11to be vacant.

0:53:11Can the city clerk please proceed Thank you, Mayor.

0:53:17At this time, nominations for mayor for the twenty twenty

0:53:21two calendar year can be made.

0:53:23Nominate and do not require a second Do

0:53:27I have any nominations for the Office of Mayor Council member

0:53:31I nominate gabe Quinn to be mayor.

0:53:33Thank you.

0:53:33You.

0:53:34Are there any other nominees bearing?

0:53:38None.

0:53:39I would like to ask for a motion and a second to close

0:53:42nominations and to elect council member Quinn as mayor

0:53:47for twenty twenty two I have a motion motion to close ls

0:53:53that count all those in favour.

0:53:55Please say I any opposed.

0:53:58Congratulations.

0:54:00Mayor Kinko Yeah, You guys been mayor before.

0:54:14So he knows.

0:54:15Yeah.

0:54:18Before you speak, Mayor And Mayor if you want to maybe

0:54:31stand where you're at.

0:54:33And if you could raise your right hand.

0:54:34I will go ahead and swear in and then you

0:54:36can share your remarks with us.

0:54:42OK, I state your name Abe Quinter.

0:54:47Do solemnly swear or firm do solemnly swear.

0:54:50Affirm that I will support and defend that I will support

0:54:54and defend the Constitution.

0:54:55Of the United States Constitution.

0:54:59Of the country, the United States and the Constitution

0:55:02of the State of California.

0:55:04The Constitution the state of California against all

0:55:07enemies, foreign and domestic, against all enemies

0:55:11foreign and domestic. that I will bear true faith

0:55:14and allegiance, and I will bear true faith and allegiance

0:55:19to the Constitution of the united States,

0:55:21to the Constitution of the United

0:55:23States and the Constitution.

0:55:24Of the State of California.

0:55:26And the Constitution of the State of California.

0:55:28That I take this obligation freely

0:55:30that I take this obligation freely

0:55:33without any mental reservation.

0:55:35Without any mental reservation.

0:55:37Or purpose of evasion.

0:55:38Or purpose of evasion.

0:55:40And that I will well and faithfully

0:55:42and that I will well and faithfully

0:55:44discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter this charge.

0:55:48The duties in which I am about to enter Thank you so much.

0:55:50Congratulation to me Over the past couple of years.

0:56:07The city has dealt with many challenges

0:56:09we've had to face and tackle financial issues.

0:56:12And we had to deal with the impacts of covid-19 It's been

0:56:17a challenging time with a it's been a challenging

0:56:21time a difficult time.

0:56:23But we have taken action to fix past mistakes

0:56:27and we had a great deal of progress.

0:56:29We are now in the position that we can envision

0:56:32a healthy and sustainable future I as I consider

0:56:38the coming year, there was a theme that

0:56:40connects the task before us.

0:56:44And that is sustainability sustainability

0:56:47has been defined by the United Nations

0:56:49to meet the needs of the present without compromising

0:56:52the ability to meet the needs of the future.

0:56:56For Cerita we have many issues and project that we are going

0:57:00to work on that will fulfill the city's

0:57:03short term goals as well.

0:57:05As our long term vision.

0:57:07And we should focus this year on pensions.

0:57:09What we've started We must be mindful of our resources,

0:57:14including our capacity and we will

0:57:17consider our work the vision of sustainability for Elstree.

0:57:22That includes several categories, including,

0:57:25number one, financial sustainability approved

0:57:29the fiscal sustainability plan and continue

0:57:32our progress on the state auditor's recommendations.

0:57:36so that we are removed from the high risk

0:57:38list once and for all.

0:57:42Dealing with our pension liability including fulfilling

0:57:45the council's direction on opening Section one one five

0:57:49Trust Olim dating the op ed liability

0:57:54and increasing employee contributions to Alpers

0:57:58We're going to continue to implement fab recommendations

0:58:01on filling the emergency disaster recovery

0:58:04Fund achieving a one million general fund surplus each year

0:58:09and increase.

0:58:10And then maintain an appropriate level of general fund reserves

0:58:15strategic planning We want to be strategic and thoughtful

0:58:19about how we can create this budget how we reinstate

0:58:24services that were cut due to the budget and the pandemic,

0:58:28but also respond to the needs desires of our community.

0:58:38Environmental ability We will continue to implement

0:58:42environmental actions and activities including

0:58:45the recent food and solid waste ordinance, as well

0:58:49as our climate action plan and consider our future update

0:58:53on the plan when we are able to increase our staff's capacity

0:58:58we will continue to foster sustainable development

0:59:01and construction and we will continue

0:59:03to champion clean energy.

0:59:06We foster sustainable transportation,

0:59:09including all time Sodality new parking program

0:59:13and implementing complete streets again, ensuring that we

0:59:17are mine All of our resource.

0:59:19Capasso to do so Economics ability,

0:59:24sustainability The San Pablo Avenue specifically and update

0:59:28will continue to provide the platform

0:59:31for sustainable development along

0:59:34our main commercial corridor.

0:59:36The city will continue to be a leader in housing for all

0:59:40and including implementing our affordable housing strategy

0:59:44and providing housing choices for all income levels.

0:59:49We will work with BART on the street of plausible station

0:59:52Project, which promises to be the biggest

0:59:55economic development project in our city in many, many years.

1:00:00Including the potential of a new library that will serve

1:00:04the entire community We will promote economic development

1:00:09and partner with our Chamber of Commerce

1:00:12to market El Cerrito as a great place

1:00:14to live, work, play and do business

1:00:18sustainable health and safety.

1:00:21Continue to have public safety as a highest priority

1:00:24and promote covid safety so that we can overcome this pandemic.

1:00:29This includes making any future events

1:00:32such as the fourth of July festival

1:00:34are conducted in a safe manner.

1:00:36While being mindful of our resources disaster

1:00:40prepared US will always be a key priority as the city remains

1:00:45vulnerable to many kinds of disasters natural, and manmade

1:00:50and we must be ready While safety is also a key priority,

1:00:55and we will continue to seek ways to support our fire

1:00:58department prevent wildfires and improve

1:01:02our readiness especially in our high very

1:01:06high wildfire risk areas.

1:01:09Crime prevention including supporting

1:01:12our police department and being leaders in this community.

1:01:16Law enforcement, while protecting our most vulnerable

1:01:20residents We must also seek social sustainability where we

1:01:25use an equity lens in all that we do

1:01:29and that we make sure we are working to have a city be

1:01:33safe inclusive, and accessible for all

1:01:38And we want to make sure we have a resilient and sustainable

1:01:43organization including recruiting

1:01:45talented future employee is that we

1:01:48must provide support and care for our

1:01:51dedicated current employees.

1:01:54Again being sustainable means that we are realistic about

1:01:59what the city can do and cannot do and that we are able to be

1:02:09mindful of our staff's capacity and respectful of the work that

1:02:15they do when we have a vision for sustainability in all areas

1:02:20the city works, then we can ensure

1:02:23that we indeed meeting present needs

1:02:26and planning for the future.

1:02:29Elstree is ready to build on our progress

1:02:31and move our city forward.

1:02:35I'd like to thank city manager Karen

1:02:38hankus, our executive staff, all of our members at City Hall

1:02:44Police and Fire Recreation and all departments All of you

1:02:48have made sacrifices in this most difficult

1:02:52year of Koven and recession.

1:02:55I'd like to thank my family, Blende,

1:02:58who's here We moved here in 2001 and seeing

1:03:04that it's been over 20 years.

1:03:07One, we when i moved back here to El Cerrito

1:03:12and to my neighbors who have looked after my neighborhood

1:03:16on the north side, took a chance to purchase

1:03:19a home to plant roots here in my neighborhood on the North side.

1:03:25You took this chance and I'm grateful to you

1:03:29for choosing El Cerrito as a place to have children,

1:03:34to have dogs and to work on your backyard.

1:03:38And to live here So I see a lot of amazing things

1:03:44happen We're all going to do this together.

1:03:47So, again, I want to say thank you to the residents of El

1:03:51Cerrito and you will see, uh, a lot of things

1:03:56happening in this next year.

1:03:57And I look forward to and dedicating this

1:04:02to you, Mayor Fidele, and keeping ours open

1:04:06and i will be keeping our ears open and meeting

1:04:09with our residents regularly.

1:04:11And I made the choice to make sure that you

1:04:14enjoyed your year as mayor.

1:04:16And I took a few steps back to make sure

1:04:18that you did enjoy your year.

1:04:21And I'm just very, very proud of you.

1:04:22And again, your leadership and transport with Janet Abels and

1:04:27and your leadership in what you've done with your career

1:04:31will help us in the coming years.

1:04:34And I look forward to working with my colleagues

1:04:36as well in twenty, twenty two.

1:04:38Thank you very much.

1:04:50You already got this right.

1:04:54Oh, OK.

1:05:10I will now open nominations for Mayor protactinium.

1:05:15Are there any other nominations I

1:05:19would like to nominate Lisa Toyama as Mayor Pro Tem OK,

1:05:27are there any more nominations Zero motion

1:05:32to close the nominations period and select council member

1:05:37Lothamer as Mayor Pro Tem for the city of El Cerrito.

1:05:41I moved to close the nominations.

1:05:43Do I have a second second from council member Adilson

1:05:50All those in favor say And he opposed the motion

1:05:57carries the thank you.

1:05:59Council member aMA has been selected as Mayor Pro Tem.

1:06:03Congratulations.

1:06:10We will now have remarks from new Mayor

1:06:13Pro Tem leasable Yoma Go ahead.

1:06:16Thank you.

1:06:17Mayor Antonio Um thank you so much for this operation.

1:06:22Need to serve as Mayor Pro Tem.

1:06:24I hope that I can support you and all that you do.

1:06:27And further learn more about how the council works

1:06:30and the work of the council.

1:06:32And, uh getting to know Elizardo even better.

1:06:36It's been a really wonderful experience.

1:06:38This past year, being on council and understand just how

1:06:43hard everyone works to make our community as

1:06:46wonderful as it is.

1:06:48And i do want to thank Mayor and former Mayor,

1:06:52former mayor, former mayor fidele,

1:06:55for setting a good example.

1:06:57And I feel like i've learned so much from the way

1:07:00that you handle the work and i appreciate all

1:07:02the extraordinary work that Mayor Quintel,

1:07:05you do to really raise the profile of our city

1:07:08with regional and statewide and even national

1:07:11organizer nations.

1:07:12And I know that all that work will bring

1:07:14really a lot of good attention and opportunities

1:07:17for our community.

1:07:18And I hope to support you in that in any way that I can.

1:07:22Um and I am really looking forward

1:07:27to continuing the good work that we've all

1:07:29been able to do on the budget.

1:07:31I think you know, the hard the really

1:07:34hard work happened this past year.

1:07:36But I think the longer term hard work is carrying budget work

1:07:40forward and to keep an eye on it and keep

1:07:42it moving forward and keeping it going in the right direction.

1:07:45Even if that means making some hard and tough choices.

1:07:49And I look forward to also continuing

1:07:53to watch the work happen for the bART station, which I think

1:07:57is really going to be the jewel the centerpiece of our city.

1:08:01And looking at that as an affordable housing opportunity,

1:08:04as an economic development opportunity

1:08:06and most importantly, as an opportunity

1:08:09to have a new 21st century library for our town.

1:08:14So with those ideas and mind and in my full support of you,

1:08:19I hope to make is a good year for all of us.

1:08:21Thank you.

1:08:22Thank you.

1:08:27But this is a history in the making

1:08:30because this is a first time in the city of Alcibiades.

1:08:33One plus history that we have a mayor

1:08:36and vice mayor from the Asian American community.

1:08:40And very first mayor pro tem from

1:08:44our Japanese American community that have

1:08:46been here from the beginning.

1:08:48So way to go, Lisa.

1:08:49And very proud to be mayor of do we have any uh, would

1:08:55anybody would like to speak There's always things I want

1:09:04to say, but I don't want to be the first one

1:09:06to jump in I have I think that Mayor Pro Tem Motorama put it

1:09:11well when she said that Mayor Quinton being so involved

1:09:17on a regional level really bringing regionalism

1:09:20to the city into the seat, I think is going to be really

1:09:22critical for Elsah and how it is that we are choosing to operate

1:09:27and how it is that we are working with the region

1:09:29as we are facing some really significant

1:09:32challenges when folks call in and share public comment.

1:09:37And we're listening and we're hearing what's really important

1:09:40that we need to focus on is that this is there are thousands

1:09:44of decisions that need to be made

1:09:46the importance of local government is paramount.

1:09:49However, local government can't solve the world's problems

1:09:52But by working together in a collaborative fashion

1:09:54and making these thousands of decisions together,

1:09:57we are going to move that needle closer

1:09:59and for Mayor Pottermore, Toyama I'm

1:10:01so excited that we have this new cohort coming in and really

1:10:05beginning to focus on what the future of the city is

1:10:08and how it is that we want to progress

1:10:11as a body going forward.

1:10:12So I just so honored to sit on this dais with all four of you

1:10:16and i'm excited for what is to come Yes.

1:10:21Thank.

1:10:22So I just want to parrot what's been said a few times here Um,

1:10:29the new mayor and the previous mayor, our hometown kids

1:10:33here and elsewhere.

1:10:33We know so that was a nice combination as well.

1:10:36And we've seen the changes that swedo has gone

1:10:39through from a very unorganized state highway

1:10:44system with hodgepodge to some organization

1:10:47some real nice development some themes and some heart

1:10:53And we're going to continue to make el Cerrito because we are

1:10:56the open, more affordable place in the Bay Area and the East

1:11:00Bay to begin that development.

1:11:02I also gabe is famous for bringing

1:11:08people together and regionalism and committees, and groups.

1:11:12But I've also heard him say in the rest of us

1:11:14that this has to be the second year

1:11:16we do focus more on our budget and our finance

1:11:20And he said that.

1:11:21So I'm not taking that away from them.

1:11:24But we're just at the very beginning of getting healed

1:11:28and getting back together and growing

1:11:32and giving our staff back.

1:11:33And we've done some hard decisions.

1:11:35All of us up here And we've got to focus number one here

1:11:38and hopefully it's back in this room.

1:11:41So congratulate still Lisa and Gabe,

1:11:43we're with whatever we can do to help.

1:11:45We will help you, sir.

1:11:46Thank you, Councilman.

1:11:48Oh, um well, I look forward to, um, working with all four

1:11:55of you uh, in the upcoming year.

1:11:59I think it's going to be a really positive year.

1:12:03For this city.

1:12:05And I think what we're going to see happen is that we're going

1:12:10to be looking at the budget and we're going

1:12:15to make it better this year.

1:12:17Um, and I think we made a lot of improvements in this last year.

1:12:23Which were very hard to make.

1:12:26Um the hardest decisions And I think certainly we've

1:12:30made since I've been on the council um,

1:12:34and, uh, because we've been talking about people's lives

1:12:40and you know, that there's nothing

1:12:44more important than people's lives

1:12:48And so I look forward to this year

1:12:52of growth, which is what I see.

1:12:54This upcoming year.

1:12:56As being as one where we will all

1:13:01for one, will come together as a council more.

1:13:07Last year, it was, you know, a lot of newness.

1:13:10And this year, there'll be a lot of, um, I think growth

1:13:15and development And I expect to see great things

1:13:21The number one place that I expect to see great things is

1:13:25that freedom Plaza BART station where I'm really

1:13:29excited about the project that Bart is,

1:13:32uh, looking towards bringing to our community

1:13:37And so I'm all I can say Let's do it.

1:13:42All together.

1:13:43Absolutely.

1:13:44Thank you, council.

1:13:45My variable at this time, members of the public who wish

1:13:49to provide public comments for this item

1:13:51should use the phrase Hans-Peter to request to speak Sinclair,

1:13:56please proceed Thank you, Mayor.

1:13:58And first, I would like to give again,

1:14:00an opportunity There's anyone for from our council guests

1:14:03in the room that would like to provide public comments

1:14:05before we go to our Zoom's OK, So our first speaker

1:14:10is Supervisor John Joya.

1:14:12Supervisor.

1:14:13You should be able to mute and begin your time now.

1:14:16Great.

1:14:17Thank you.

1:14:18Um, it's really a pleasure to be here to acknowledge

1:14:22your changing of the guard.

1:14:23And I wanted to say a few words about both your outgoing mayor

1:14:28and your new mayor and really first start

1:14:31by saying that the the partnership between Contra

1:14:35Costa County and our cities is really important

1:14:38And Paul, having known you for a long time, I

1:14:43I know that the residents of El Cerrito

1:14:47have appreciated that you brought your wisdom

1:14:51your intelligence your passion, your compassion,

1:14:56to serving elsewhere in the city's

1:15:00really most challenging time.

1:15:02And I've always appreciate it being able to talk to you when

1:15:06our county is taking action to extend our our rent

1:15:11control, our county wide rent control,

1:15:13using our emergency powers to extend eviction moratoriums

1:15:18to impose limits on how much a third parties can charge

1:15:23restaurants for home deliveries in order

1:15:25to support local restaurants.

1:15:27You would be sort of reach out and say, hey,

1:15:29this is how Elsa feels Please take these actions

1:15:33on behalf of our city.

1:15:35And I think that's that shows your your continual effort

1:15:40to keep abreast what's happening county wide

1:15:43and how that can help residents.

1:15:45Cerritos, I just want to say I look

1:15:47forward to continuing to work with you Thank you, Georgia.

1:15:50And i also want to acknowledge, you know, my friend Gabe,

1:15:53who I another L Street, a high gaucho

1:15:57and i'm looking forward to working with you again,

1:16:00as the new mayor and bringing you also your intelligence

1:16:05and knowledge and passion for the city and your deepest

1:16:08Like Paul these are challenging times for all of us.

1:16:13And what I'm really looking forward to working with you on

1:16:16is we recently at the board allocated our new sales tax

1:16:21measure X dollars in ways that will help residents of cities.

1:16:27So I'm looking forward working with you

1:16:29as to institute this new mental health crisis

1:16:33response We've allocated.

1:16:34Twenty million dollars county wide to work for non police

1:16:39mental health crisis response And I know El Cerrito

1:16:43will be working on that.

1:16:44We allocated about four million dollars for wildfire mitigation

1:16:49and prevention, which, of course, is

1:16:50a big issue along the interface between El

1:16:53Cerrito and Tilden Park.

1:16:55We allocated about ten million dollars for housing trust fund

1:16:59and to create more housing for homeless

1:17:02And I know Wall Street which has a strong history of this Look

1:17:05forward to working on opportunities In fact, we just

1:17:08approved a San Pablo just approved a county

1:17:11proposal for fifty four units for previous homeless families

1:17:16to take homeless off our street.

1:17:18So there's a lot of things I'm looking forward to working

1:17:20with you on moving forward.

1:17:22And I appreciate the partnership.

1:17:24And obviously, we look forward to strengthening ways

1:17:27that we can look at building a new library in El Syreeta So

1:17:31congratulations and also to your new historic mayor pro tem pro

1:17:38tem Moriyama with the amazing, great history

1:17:41of Japanese Americans in Richmond and L'Esprit

1:17:44This is historic and congratulation Thank you.

1:17:48Thank you.

1:17:49Our next speaker is mayor San Pablo, Mayor Rita Xabier.

1:17:54Mayor, you should be able to unmuted

1:17:56begin your comments now.

1:18:04Mayor Xabi, are you with us?

1:18:08We cannot hear you I will come back to you I'll go to our next

1:18:17speaker, which is rowville, then Antonio you should be able

1:18:21to unmated begin your time now.

1:18:26That evening, Mayor city Council.

1:18:28I just wanted to congratulate this new council

1:18:32for this momentous occasion of being so historic with the API

1:18:36representation on the council.

1:18:38I just came back from San Francisco, reorganisations

1:18:41where the council elected their first full American mayor

1:18:45and vice mayor So to see a Filipino

1:18:49and a Japanese American vice mayor and council,

1:18:51it is this story.

1:18:52And I just wanted to congratulate you both.

1:18:54And I look forward to working closely with this council

1:18:57for housing issues.

1:18:58You guys, thank thank you Mayor Xavier,

1:19:02do you want to try again, see if we can hear you?

1:19:05Yes, I think you should be able to now.

1:19:07Yes, we can hear you now.

1:19:09Please proceed.

1:19:11I would like all of the Delhi with great job this past year.

1:19:18And former Mayor of really enjoyed working with you

1:19:25on transportational and i hope we can continue to be

1:19:30on this committee together.

1:19:33Also, neumayr quintal i am looking forward

1:19:40to working with you in twenty twenty

1:19:43two You've been very involved in committees

1:19:49and you've done such a great job.

1:19:52But as Chair the Mayors Conference president,

1:19:56of course, raises division and everything else

1:20:00you do We've been friends for years

1:20:03and I just i think it'll be great fun being together

1:20:09and thank you for attending my swearing in last night.

1:20:14Like both great job, guys.

1:20:19Thank you, Mayor.

1:20:20That does conclude our request to speak with.

1:20:24Thank you IDEX.

1:20:27We will have city council, local regional leaders on assignment

1:20:33Does anyone have an update definably OK,

1:20:40good Now we will adjourn regular city council meeting

1:20:45The time is Eight fifteen and we will

1:20:50adjourn the next regularly scheduled city

1:20:53council meeting is Tuesday.

1:20:55December twenty.

1:20:56First twenty twenty one at seven PM Have a good night.

1:21:09People.

1:21:10I How are you doing.

1:21:27Regarding the interviews So I go to Well, I'm glad we ran.