Contents
11 sections- 01A meeting about camerasSX
- 02Put it on the agenda for every meetingS
- 03A Fourth of July, so far in the blackSN
- 04Two hundred and sixteen thousand saved by paying earlySX
- 05Sixty-forty, and thirty-five thousand in legal feesSX
- 06Eight years, and a promotional priceS
- 07“That's a big point”N
- 08A good neighbor policyN
- 09Three properties, and seven hundred dollarsS
- 10“This is not the list of shame”S
- 11Two absent, and a forty-seven minute meeting
01 A meeting about cameras captions 1–31
0:02:52Good evening, everyone. It is time. 6 0. 4, and the August 20th regular City council meeting is called to order. Will the city clerk. Please call roll Mayor Rednick, present council member Motoyama
0:03:05Councilmember Fideli. Here we have a quorum with Mayor protem, Weisinger and councilmember quinto absent right thank you so much, and we do not have any Ab. 2,449 requests. So we'll move on to the pledge of allegiance to the flag, or an observant of a moment of silence.
0:03:22pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands.
0:03:29One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
0:03:36Thank you so much.
0:03:38Oh, right
0:03:40teleconference and public instruction. City clerk. Thank you, Mayor.
0:03:44this hybrid meeting provides an option to participate in person, or via Zoom with closed captions. Available meetings of the City council are subject to the Brown Act, and are held for the purpose of conducting city business.
0:03:55The Brown Act also ensures the public's right to be heard, and while Council may not be able to respond to your comments directly your comments will be heard prior to council taking action for members of the public who wish to provide oral testimony, the mayor will announce the time for public comment on each applicable item.
0:04:11Public comments will be taken in person only, and a request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk by completing a speaker card.
0:04:17The Council has adopted rules of order and procedures, specify that public speakers address the city Council in an orderly and respectful manner, proceed their comments with their name and city of residence, and be respectful of time limits. That concludes my instructions. Thank you, Mayor, thank you so much. Next is
0:04:35lost my place, but I remember offhand that it is council and staff communication, so we'll lead off with staff Communications City Manager. Do we have any.
0:04:42Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Certainly, thank you, your honor. I'm city manager, Karen Pincus, joining you remotely today from home. Just a few things I wanted to let the public know. El Cerrito Police Department is hosting a meeting to share plans, to expand the automated license plate reading camera program that is going to be on August 20. Second, coming right up at 4 pm. In our city Council chambers.
0:05:03This meeting is an opportunity for the public to learn about new deployments of cameras, ask questions and communicate any concerns. We have. We want to announce the deadline for public comments on the draft, hillside, natural area, fire, resilience and forest conservation management plan. That's mouthful the purpose of this plan is to guide the city's fire fuel, reduction, native forest conservation and maintenance activities
0:05:28and the draft plan is available for review by visiting the project website@elcerrito.org Slash Hillside, and comments are due August 25, th
0:05:41and then one more thing I'd like for everyone to save the date. We have an upcoming workshop on the Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement project. So as part of the community engagement phase of this project, all of the construction that's been happening along Richmond Street, and will go into the next phase of construction. The city's design team will be hosting a community workshop on Thursday, September 12, th
0:06:03from 6 to 7 30 Pm. In the City Council chambers, which will be a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the project and share feedback.
0:06:13And that is all of the announcements I have, your honor, thank you so much.
0:06:17Thank you. And do my colleagues have any announcements?
0:06:20I have one. Yes, council member. Thank you. Mayor. I just want to point out that the El Cerrito Art Association has their call for artists out now, and you can enter online by September 1st and get more information@www.el Cerrito art org.
0:06:39Thank you, Councillor Fideli. And yes, just that. The hillside natural area signage happened, and all 3 of us were there to. We didn't have a ribbon to cut, but we were sure happy, and music was playing.
0:06:52So we're all encouraging everyone to take advantage of our trails and the view and the nature up there. Thank you. That was, it was on August 15, th and it was so much fun. We had a full band played, and it was really jovial, lively weather was beautiful. It was a great event
0:07:09and a special Hello! We have some special guests in the audience of Councilmember Fidelli's family. It's really exciting to see a whole family here in the Chambers. So
0:07:19oh.
0:07:20much from their announcement. But it's you know I have a few left. Yeah, well, it's 1 from the heart. I have 53. Okay. 3 announcements.
0:07:31On August 8, th in support of our neighbors in San Pablo I sent a letter to the Secretary of the Interior requesting a non expedited public review period to fully address environmental impacts of the proposed Scotts Valley, Mega Casino, and Tribal Housing project in Solano County.
0:07:46The city received an application for the wall of fame by the July 1st deadline. Therefore, per the program policy. I'm forming an ad hoc committee to evaluate and make a recommendation for the nomination. The ad Hoc committee will be comprised of myself and Council member Motoyama.
0:08:02and I also want to make a note for the record that I'm making a change to our local liaison assignment that was made in January to name Councilmember Fideli as the alternate voting delegate for the Cal Cities Annual Conference in October, as Mayor pro tem. Weisinger will not be able to attend.
0:08:18Thank you. All right, it's 1 more. Yes, one more. I just want to say thank you. To all the neighbors and to staff for the national night out event. It was really a really fun event. It felt like every corner of the city had an event going, and I know that all of us as council members enjoy going out to meet everyone. Yeah, I I rode with Chief Keith
0:08:41and our assistant city manager, Alice or Alex. Order Logas, and it was so much fun. And it was great to see all the neighbors out
0:08:51alright. So next we're going to move on to oral communications from the public. Now is the time for members of the public who wish to provide public comments regarding matters not on the agenda. Consent items and presentation items, request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk by completing a speaker card. Public comments will be taken in person. Only
Called to order at 6:04 p.m. with Wysinger and Quinto absent — a three-member quorum. The City Manager joined remotely from home.
Her first announcement: the Police Department was hosting a meeting “to share plans, to expand the automated license plate reading camera program,” at 4 p.m. in the Council chambers, a chance “for the public to learn about new deployments of cameras, ask questions and communicate any concerns.”
Second, the hillside natural area draft plan, available at the project website, with comments due 25 August [14-16].
And third, a Richmond Street Complete Streets workshop on Thursday 12 September, “from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the City Council chambers, which will be a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the project.”
Rudnick reported the hillside natural area signage dedication on 15 August — “we didn't have a ribbon to cut, but we” were all there — encouraging residents to use the trails.
She had also, on 8 August, “in support of our neighbors in San Pablo,” written to the Secretary of the Interior requesting “a non-expedited public review period.”
The Wall of Fame had received an application by the 1 July deadline, so she was forming the ad hoc committee to evaluate it.
And a liaison change: Fadelli was named alternate voting delegate for the Cal Cities annual conference in October, since Mayor Pro Tem Wysinger could not attend [28].
She closed with thanks for National Night Out — “it was great to see all the neighbors out.”
This is the August 2024 camera public meeting, announced here by the City Manager in staff communications as a Police Department meeting on expanding the automated license plate reader program. The police chief cites it on 17 September as the outreach preceding the Axon contract — “nobody expressed open opposition” — and on 19 November as the consultation on parking license plate readers. It is referred back to repeatedly and nothing in this archive records what was said at it.
The Richmond Street workshop announced here is the outreach opponents later say did not reach them. On 21 January Shelby Hogan reports that despite having given survey feedback she heard nothing about parking removal until December, and that “it was other neighbors, and not the city, who did the outreach”.
02 Put it on the agenda for every meeting captions 32–51
0:09:09please remember to identify yourself and your city of residence at the beginning of your comments. City clerk. Please proceed. Thank you, Mayor. We only have request one request tonight, Bill Bill Baris, and go ahead. And this podium here.
0:09:25Good evening.
0:09:26I you already have my name. I'm here not only as a
0:09:31resident of El Cerrito, but also as a representative of 3 50. Contra Costa.
0:09:36I know that at last month's meeting
0:09:39you approved the climate, action, and adaptation plan.
0:09:44and that the report back period, for that was somewhat lengthy.
0:09:50I know that you got recommendations to shorten that, and that you've, I believe, acted on that idea.
0:09:57I believe now that the report out
0:10:00timeline is every 2 years.
0:10:04What I wanted to suggest is that, in fact, you shorten that again, and
0:10:09the
0:10:10CAP.
0:10:12On the on the agenda for every meeting.
0:10:16because
0:10:18we will need to know whether or not the city is meeting in any way its obligations for that plan which has a much longer timeline than most Bay Area cities, and which is an indication that we're not giving enough attention to the climate crisis.
0:10:37So I'd like to ask that you put it on as a regular agenda item, so that we can find out what's happening and appropriately comment on the progress. Thank you.
0:10:53Thank you so much. Thank you. That concludes our request to speak, Mayor.
0:10:56all right, and we have no presentations tonight. So we're going to move on to adoption of the consent calendar.
0:11:01It includes the following items.
One member of the public, Bill Baris, spoke as a resident and representing 350 Contra Costa.
His subject was the climate action and adaptation plan, approved the previous month. The reporting interval had been shortened after recommendations — “I believe now that the report out timeline is every 2 years.”
His request was to shorten it again, and considerably: put the plan “on the agenda for every meeting.”
His reason: “we will need to know whether or not the city is meeting in any way its obligations for that plan, which has a much longer timeline than most Bay Area cities, and which is an indication that we're not giving enough attention to the climate crisis.”
“So I'd like to ask that you put it on as a regular agenda item, so that we can find out what's happening and appropriately comment on the progress.”
There were no other speakers.
A two-year reporting interval on a climate plan whose own timeline runs to 2045 means roughly ten status reports across the life of the plan. No one responds to the request at this meeting, which comes under public comment on items not on the agenda. Five months later the same organization returns with a specific unmet action — the all-electric building requirement scheduled for phase one, 2024 to 2028 — and arrives with the number of a county ordinance that survives the Berkeley decision.
03 A Fourth of July, so far in the black captions 52–94
0:11:05item, a and approval of minutes, item, B. Boards, commission and committee work, plans and or accomplishments.
0:11:11Item, C. Civility, awareness, month, proclamation. Item d. Fiscal year 2324, 4th quarter cash and investment report.
0:11:20item E. Monthly disbursement and check register report for July 2024.
0:11:25Item F. Resolution to amend the city's classification plan.
0:11:29Item G. To execute an agreement for the lease purchase of 5 Ekg. Monitors and 3 mechanical Cpr. Devices for an annual amount not to exceed
0:11:3979,000, with a total price of 432,000
0:11:43item H. An amendment of the license agreement with the Kensington Police Protection and Community Services district extending the use of site and amenities.
0:11:52At 1940 San Pablo Avenue.
0:11:57Would anyone like to pull an item comment on an item? I'll look in this direction first.st Thank you. I have questions on 7 d.
0:12:057 E.
0:12:077 f. And 7 g.
0:12:11And ion a
0:12:137 a. I guess 7 d. Has already been called, and 7 H.
0:12:19All right, and I have questions on 7 G,
0:12:23so we'll start with. Item a.
0:12:26Yes, item, a is just a correction on the
0:12:30The minutes from the July
0:12:33the name of Linda Kane is misspelled in
0:12:38oral communications. Her last name is spelled CAIN
0:12:43you for the catch.
0:12:47All right, let's move on to Item D,
0:12:50just want to go with that, and then I'll I'll start with Councillor Fideli, and then I'll go to Council Member Motoyama.
0:12:55Yeah, I'm I'm just on your grid, your quarterly cash report?
0:13:02the section 1, 15 market value.
0:13:07When did we initiate Section 115 because we put a million dollars in there. And now we have a million, 372,000. Where did that 372,000 come from? That was from the surplus allocation for our general fund policy
0:13:23that we did. I dropped that. I think it was all at the same meeting we had. Yeah, give me 2 sentences at the 1 million dollars we had the one that we already appropriated. But then, through the surplus allocation for fiscal year 23, there was the additional 350,000, and that was all deposited April 10.th
0:13:40Okay, we'll go ahead. Start, then. Thank you.
0:13:43Alright. And that was on. Item d.
0:13:45Thank you. I did see on the chart that we got quite a lot of interest on the 1 15 Trust Funds. Can you tell me if they are invested in anything yet? And
0:13:59have we selected a fund?
0:14:01So for the 115, it is currently in the equivalent of a money market account, the original Imark Investment Company that was partnered with pars and Us. Bank was bought out by PFM. And so the paperwork changed kind of all the formats changed. And so we are working to schedule a finalization to select an investment plan with them.
0:14:24And what is, I guess. What is the interest on the money markets? It seemed to be doing quite well, so I just wanted to understand what the rate on that was.
0:14:34They annualize the rate for us, and I believe it was point 4 4 for the current month, and for the current 3 mud month annualized. It was 1.3
0:14:46percent.
0:14:48Right? It's it's nice to see that money growing. Yeah, even just in the annualized money market account. Yeah.
0:14:54thank you. All right, let's move on to item E,
0:14:57okay.
0:14:58so I think, I still, yeah, sorry. More questions. So I was wondering if you had the final cost of the 4th of July event.
0:15:09And how much you know. I did see expenses in the in the check register. So how much did we recoup of our what did it cost, and how much did we get back? And we're still reconciling for fiscal year 24. So I've got to move some of the prepaid expenses. I'm gonna have to be moving those around. So I don't have the final cost yet. But so far we are looking at about a hundred 15 in expenditures.
0:15:33and 126,000 in sorry 115,000 in expenditures, and 126,000 in donations and contributions.
0:15:42Great! That sounds good. I had a question about procurement overall. I see that we get office supplies from lots of different vendors, and I was wondering, you know, how is this? Gonna I know you're working on procurement. Is it going to get centralized? And then is there a preference for El Creto or Contra Costa based businesses?
0:16:03Yes, so currently, we are not centralized for our procurement processing, but we are in the process of evaluating our purchasing policy and implementing a blanket. The blanket purchase order process section to where we can kind of start really tracking and monitoring the expenses for for office supplies particularly, and we are also looking into consolidating our Amazon business accounts and really
0:16:27honing in on all of that. I don't think we currently have a requirement on local purchasing. But it's definitely always been a
The consent calendar carried minutes, board work plans, a Civility Awareness Month proclamation, the fourth quarter cash and investment report, the July check register, a classification plan amendment, a lease purchase for five EKG monitors and three mechanical CPR devices, and an amendment to the license agreement with the Kensington Police Protection and Community Services District.
Motoyama began with a correction: Linda Kane's surname was misspelled in the July minutes.
On the Section 115 trust, Fadelli asked where the growth had come from — a million deposited, now $1,372,000. The answer: an additional 350,000 from the fiscal 2023 surplus allocation, deposited 10 April [76-77].
Motoyama asked whether it was invested in anything yet. The answer: “currently in the equivalent of a money market account” with PARS and US Bank, annualized at 0.44% for the month and 1.3% over three months.
“It's nice to see that money growing.”
She asked for the final cost of the Fourth of July event.
The answer, with fiscal 2024 still being reconciled and no final cost yet: so far $115,000 in expenditures and $126,000 in donations and contributions.
She also asked about procurement: the city buys “office supplies from lots of different vendors.” The answer: “currently, we are not centralized for our procurement processing, but we are in the process of evaluating our purchasing policy and implementing a blanket” purchase order system.
And on local buying: “I don't think we currently have a requirement on local purchasing. But it's definitely always been a” practice.
So far the Fourth of July festival shows about $115,000 in expenditures against $126,000 in donations and contributions, with the fiscal year still being reconciled. Paul Fadelli chaired the “Bring Back the Fourth” campaign, and describes the model on 17 December as making the festival “truly community sponsored” after Covid.
The city's procurement is not centralized, and staff do not think there is a local purchasing requirement, though local buying has “always been a practice,” disclosed in answer to a question about office supplies. A blanket purchase order policy is “in the process of” being evaluated. Nothing in the built record reports it being adopted.
04 Two hundred and sixteen thousand saved by paying early captions 95–120
0:16:37practice for for many city people. Okay? And then why did we buy tennis nets for El Cerrito High School.
0:16:44the El Cerrito High School, Tennif.
0:16:48Matt.
0:16:50R. Sorry.
0:16:51Karen Pinkos (City Manager): This is.
0:16:52Chris here, Chris, he's online. Oh, okay, great. Thank you.
0:16:56Come up.
0:16:58Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Good evening, Council members. I'm Chris Jones, your recreation director. We buy the tennis nets at El Cereal High School, and El Cereal high school leaves the courts open to the public during non school hours.
0:17:12Thank you.
0:17:13Thank you. That is, during the school day, as well as just the weekends.
0:17:20Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Well, officially, it is non school hours they. They may be open during school, and and nobody cares. But officially, it's not school hours. So after school on the weekends, and over, break.
0:17:34Okay. Thank you.
0:17:36Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Thank you.
0:17:37And then I have one last
0:17:3970 question. Okay, it's
0:17:43And this goes back to our finance director
0:17:47name.
0:17:49So I did see that on July 30th we did. The Pers. And pepper payments. Are these the early payments? And how much money does this early payment save us? Yes, so the Calpers payments. On 7 30 eft in that section of the monthly report. Those were the prepayment it totaled just under, or just over 6.9 million
0:18:11the quick calculation of what Calpers had provided us. It saved about $216,835, and we also did a more kind of complex calculation to evaluate the time value of money, and it was not it was not significant enough to take the chance to lose any savings if interest rates fluctuate
0:18:32right? I think that that is really good news that we can. We can save that much just because we do have a fund reserve that's robust now. And so thank you.
0:18:41Or making that happen.
0:18:43I have 2.
0:18:44Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Member. Can I also add that? It's not just the fund reserve that allows us to do that is our cash position. Our cash position is is which, as you can see on the investment or the Quarterly report, our cash position allows us to be able to prepay as opposed to paying it over time. So the fund balance
0:19:02that's that is taken care of is one thing, but the cash position that we have on hand is the other thing. So we are. We are able to do this because we have enough cash cash on hand to be able to pay all our bills and prepay.
0:19:16Per! So once again, that's thanks to the Council's leadership, of course. But we're in the best. We're in a good pat cash position to be able to make this prepayment and save $200,000
0:19:27right.
Motoyama asked why the city buys tennis nets for El Cerrito High School. Recreation Director Chris Jones explained the arrangement covers community access outside school hours — “officially, it is non-school hours. They may be open during school, and nobody cares.”
She had noticed that on 30 July the city made its PERS and PEPRA payments, and asked whether these were the early payments and what they save.
The answer: by CalPERS's own calculation, “it saved about $216,835” on a prepayment of just over $6.9 million. A more complex time-value calculation found the difference “not significant enough to take the chance to lose any savings if interest rates fluctuate.”
Her response: “that is really good news that we can save that much just because we do have a fund reserve that's robust now.”
The City Manager added a distinction.
“It's not just the fund reserve that allows us to do that. It is our cash position.”
Reserves are one thing, “but the cash position that we have on hand is the other thing.” That is what lets the city pay CalPERS up front.
Prepaying the annual CalPERS obligation saved about $216,835, and the City Manager says it was possible not just because of the fund reserve but because of cash on hand.
The prepayment recurs as a $6.9 million accounting note on 19 November 2024, where it is mentioned only to explain why the expenditure chart looks uneven.
05 Sixty-forty, and thirty-five thousand in legal fees captions 121–154
0:19:27I have 2 quick ones. First, st if we're going to have Director Jones come back on.
0:19:31So if members of the public are looking through this, and they're seeing all these payments to Presumba, for you know
0:19:39it's in Creta Flicks camp.
0:19:41It's good for the members of the public to know how our Recreation Department operates with these? With these vendors. So if you can explain, Director Jones, why this payment structure happens this way.
0:19:53so why there are these like
0:19:57or or how it is that we're able to provide these classes to members of the community for these different instructors.
0:20:05Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Sure. Thank you. Mayor. Our, we operate many programs using independent contractors. And so that's the case for Zumba and Credit Flex. A good amount of our summer camps, a good amount of our classes as well. And we operate typically on a 60 40 split meeting of the revenue. The city takes in
0:20:2960% based on the resident rate goes to the instructor, and 40% goes to the city. And so in essence, we're always kind of guaranteeing that we have the revenue necessary to pay the instructor and then pay the city's
0:20:46costs as well.
0:20:48Thank you for explaining that. So if it's ever I've had community members ask me and not really understand the difference between, let's say, the Discovery camp versus little vet camp. People come to me and think, oh, the city is offering it. Yes. Well, we are offering it through our umbrella of services. We're happy to be able to provide it, but we make sure our independent contractors are paid. So thank you so much. Second, thank you. Second question is, I see a where is it? Lost it for a moment.
0:21:17A $35,000 payment to Redwood public law on 1755 East Shore.
0:21:24so you can explain a little bit about that payment.
0:21:28Karen Pinkos (City Manager): That would be legal services for what was going to be an appeal that was brought that would have been brought to you this evening, however, that appeal has been withdrawn.
0:21:38Alright, so is, there is, that is, has is, that is ultimately paid for by the applicant.
0:21:46The legal fees.
0:21:47Karen Pinkos (City Manager): That I can get back to you on.
0:21:49Okay, thank you.
0:21:51Right? So, item, F,
0:21:53thank you. Mayor. So I had questions, about our the fire, marshal, position.
0:22:01great
0:22:033, creepy.
0:22:06Good evening. My name is Shannon. Bassi, i'm the senior human resources analyst with the city
0:22:11great. Thank you. So what does non sworn management? Class mean?
0:22:16Yes, so the fire marshal classification is one of the more unique classifications in our city structure, and especially within the fire Department, where it is one of our non sworn civilian positions. So they have a different set of expectations and characteristics that are different than our sworn classification. So we wanted to call that out specifically on that classification.
0:22:41So that means that they're not a firefighter.
0:22:44Correct? Okay?
0:22:46And
0:22:48I know we have a fire marshal.
0:22:51but it's a firefighter that has that responsibility as part of their
0:22:55job. So now we're going to split that out and have a fire. Marshal, is that
0:23:00Hello, Eric says I'm your fire chief. Yes, correct. We currently have a fire, marshal. He's in room right now. Bc. Beckman, and he does dual duties. He does a duty as a full time battalion chief, and then he fulfills the fire marshal responsibilities as agencies typically expand in complexity. That fire marshal will be split off into a dedicated position that understands all the intricacies of the policies and building codes, of creating new buildings, such as high rises that are very complicated.
0:23:30Okay? And is this is more of a support position for community development and planning staff? Or is this geared more towards fire prevention? It was geared towards fire, prevention, fire, safety and building codes. Yeah. So handling the inspections, making sure that the buildings are built to the proper standards to keep us alive while we're in them, and to keep the residents alive so they can get out in time.
0:23:53Okay.
0:23:54great. Thank you very much. Welcome, all right. And if you can stay up there cheap sailors for item G,
Rudnick asked Jones to explain, for the public reading the check register, why the city pays individual instructors.
The model: “we operate many programs using independent contractors,” with revenue split 60% to the instructor and 40% to the city, based on the resident rate.
Its advantage, as he put it: “we're always kind of guaranteeing that we have the revenue necessary to pay the instructor and then pay the city's” costs.
Her second question was about a $35,000 payment to Redwood Public Law relating to 1755 Eastshore.
The City Manager: “that would be legal services for what was going to be an appeal that was brought — that would have been brought to you this evening, however, that appeal has been withdrawn.”
Rudnick asked the follow-up: is that ultimately paid for by the applicant? “That I can get back to you on.”
On the classification plan, Motoyama asked what a non-sworn management class means for the fire marshal position.
Senior human resources analyst Shannon Bassi answered: the classification is “one of the more unique classifications in our city structure” — the holder is not a firefighter.
The Fire Chief explained the current arrangement: the existing fire marshal “does dual duties,” serving also as a battalion chief. Splitting the role out is “geared toward” fire prevention.
$35,000 of outside legal fees for an appeal that was withdrawn before it reached the Council, with no answer on whether the applicant bears the cost. The question is asked, the answer is promised, and nothing in the built record returns to it.
Creating a dedicated, non-sworn fire marshal is the position that later carries the AB 38 work. On 21 January 2025 a resident reports that fire marshal Chase Speckman “is developing a certification to be used to document compliance” with the point-of-sale defensible space law.
06 Eight years, and a promotional price captions 155–180
0:24:00so this is the
0:24:02so for one, I'm really thrilled that we're getting these modernized Ekg machines and the medical Cpr devices. This is how our community saves lives. So I really just appreciate that.
0:24:14it wasn't in the staff reports of a few kind of questions around it. What is the useful life of these devices? Typically 8 years. So the FDA recommends 8 years. Our devices are currently at 15, and they went unserviceable last year by the manufacturer.
0:24:31And speaking of servicing, is this inclusive of warranty, or what's the warranty like? Does it cover those 8 years of its useful life. It is. It is part of what's called pro care, which is in the quote and part of what's labeled in the quote as service agreement, and that is a full time, warranty and service. So these devices are. They are certified by the FDA, and they have to be inspected and serviced on a timely fashion, and the rep comes out and does that
0:24:59when it needs to be done, so that these devices are certified, and that is included in this package and payment as well.
0:25:04Okay, because I've I've seen in the past these vendors. They'll kind of tack in at the end of oh, we have to service it, and it costs X amount when you do it. So it's good to know that all that's an inclusive in the price.
0:25:15I I really appreciate your question and your detail in this and starting negotiations for these devices. One of the criteria was that everything is built into this payment so that we don't get caught like that, and we knew that we had to stay within our budget. So the details were put in so that
0:25:35there was no way we would go over that spendable amount on a monthly basis. I really appreciate that. Because again, this is important life saving technology. I just don't want to get caught in a position where we have something that is even more expensive than is intended. We were laser focused on making sure that we've got everything that we needed and nothing more at the
0:25:55most affordable price that we could thank you. And then councilmember, Motoyama had questions.
0:26:00Thank you, Mayor. I have a more of a financial question on this, and I don't know if it's appropriate for you or for our finance director. But it looks like we're going to be paying about $100,000 in interest over the 5 and a half years. And I just want to understand what the interest rate was, and what kind of evaluation we had of whether it would be better for us to pay it upfront, and then kind of go over budget. But save that interest.
0:26:28And how you guys evaluated that. And I do want to call out, and maybe finance director wants to talk about how we've updated the materials in our packet with the amount of the
0:26:42interest as the outside amount for the purchase. I'll handle most of that, but I'm sure Crystal will get here by having gaps.
0:26:50So the interest rate on the amount borrowed is 7.7 6,
0:26:55and that is, across the items that we are borrowing, for, which includes the equipment, the upfront tax, and the freight.
0:27:04and that 7.7 6 allows us to purchase these devices very soon. Now the key to the timing of purchasing these devices is huge for us, because their price is going to increase significantly. In October
0:27:19we are roughly saving, not roughly, actually have the exact dollar amount. We are saving $96,559 by buying them this month.
0:27:28The reason why that is happening is because they just released their new life pack 35, and usually when they release them they release them on a promotional deal.
0:27:36So we were saving roughly 20% on that.
0:27:41Now, I do.
0:27:42I?
0:27:43Yeah. You got me on a few questions. So I want to also clarify the update. And I want to thank you for catching that. I was so Laser focused on looking at the 1st price and making sure that we got everything that we needed. That I did not give you the total amount after interest. So we updated that today, I appreciate your partnership because you saved me on that. That was a fantastic save on your part.
0:28:05So thank you. The initial dollar amount was just the the present value of the purchases, the updated amount is the future value post the interest of 7.7 6%
0:28:17great. And and just in general, how do you evaluate
0:28:21to pay upfront or to pay the financing fee over time in terms of impact to the overall budget? And I think I'm looking more at crystal and crystal can correct me. But this year's budget was so close. This was our best option
0:28:36to purchase this, and if we had delayed we would have gone into that new price structure, and those monitors would have gone from $49,234 to $66,000 apiece.
0:28:47So that's how I evaluated it, knowing that coming in with a
The largest consent item was a lease purchase of five EKG monitors and three mechanical CPR devices — $79,000 a year, total $432,000.
Rudnick's questions were about the terms rather than the need. Useful life: “typically 8 years. So the FDA recommends 8 years.”
Warranty and servicing: included, so that certification happens “when it needs to be done.”
Her reason for asking was experience: vendors “will kind of tack in at the end of — oh, we have to service it, and it costs X amount.” The Chief confirmed that was a negotiation criterion, so “there was no way we would go over that spendable amount on a monthly basis.”
Motoyama's questions were financial: the city would pay about $100,000 in interest over five and a half years, so why not pay upfront and go over budget instead [163-164]?
The borrowing rate is 7.76%, across equipment, upfront tax and freight.
Why borrow rather than wait: “we are saving $96,559 by buying them this month.” The manufacturer had just released a new model, and releases come “on a promotional deal” — roughly 20%.
The alternative in plain numbers: the monitors “would have gone from $49,234 to $66,000 apiece.”
The city borrows at 7.76% to capture a promotional price about 20% lower; the Chief says the deciding constraint was the $85,000 budget line, since an over-$300,000 ask “would have almost been impossible.” Motoyama asks whether it is sometimes better to go over a budget line to save the interest.
07 “That's a big point” captions 181–206
0:28:52over $300,000, ask with a budget this tight would have almost been impossible
0:28:59that a fair response. Yeah, okay, so I guess I just am wanting to make sure. I understand. And I I totally appreciate Staff's effort to stay within budget. But
0:29:13sometimes it's okay to go a little over in order to save that interest. So the question is, how did you decide on to take the interest and spread those costs out. Is that our cost of funds the timing? Or is it? You know we're just trying to make that make it within the budget. And so the choice is to really spread those costs over multiple fiscal years.
0:29:37Yeah, my budget line for this item purchase was $85,000,
0:29:42and the goal is to stay within that budget line
0:29:44and to get the timing correctly so that we could purchase them at the discounted rate
0:29:49and.
0:29:50Karen Pinkos (City Manager): If I may chime in
0:29:52council, member Motoyama, we have definitely been looking at a lot of different lease packages over the years as opposed to buying outright or spending it all in one big fell swoop. We've done that with, say, our copiers, and we do that with a lot of our different equipment. So while we know that interest rates might be a little variable, especially at this time, I think that our kind of cost benefit analysis
0:30:15was again, as as the chief said, to make sure, we're staying within our within what we had budgeted for these fiscal years. But also it does. It is easier, especially for our cast position as well to be able to spread it out, and this is a lease to own
0:30:30Scenario as well, so that we would have the ability to be able to trade those out at the end. Is that true, chief.
0:30:37Yes.
0:30:38Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Yes. Okay.
0:30:38So we will. This is Lisa own, at 66 months we will own them. If the fire department maintains that budget line. That'll be our 1st opportunity to put that money aside for a cip account to do a catch purchase in the future, so that then we'll be ahead of the game. And that's the ultimate goal we want to get.
0:30:55Okay. So that means
0:30:57what we're not spending. We're saving after 5 and a half years. Is that? Yes, okay, yes, that's exactly right. Yes, because then we'll own them. We will stop paying. And then, if the money's still available, we can continue to put that aside in A in a Pre purchased
0:31:11cash account, and the timing will work out for us to have that money to purchase them cash next time. Okay? And then, when this lease runs out, it'll be 5 and a half years. So we will only have 2 and a half years left of life in these
0:31:25devices. 8 years, 8 years is what the FDA recommends. We should get 10 years out of these devices. Okay, yeah.
0:31:31yeah, we got 15 out of our current 15 is when the manufacturer stopped servicing them. That was a little wrong. 10 years is about where we should be. Okay. No, great. Thank you. And then Councillor Fidelli has a question. Yes, Chief, just on this point. I think I heard you say that
0:31:45if we purchase it this year we'll get a savings of how much did you say? Before October we are saving $96,559. Is that in the analysis. No, that is in the pricing for next year.
0:32:00I mean, that would be helpful to be in the financial consideration section of the analysis. So we we see that that's like
0:32:07saving money.
0:32:09Yes, if we if we purchase now, yeah.
0:32:12next time. Yeah, yeah. Okay, I mean, that's that's a big point.
0:32:19all right. And lastly, while we're on.
0:32:22Thank you, chief.
And the constraint that produced the lease: “coming in with an over $300,000 ask with a budget this tight would have almost been impossible.” The budget line was $85,000.
Motoyama pressed the general principle: “sometimes it's okay to go a little over in order to save that interest.”
The Chief thanked her for catching that the packet gave the price before interest: “the updated amount is the future value post the interest of 7.76%.”
The City Manager added that the city has used lease packages before, for copiers and other equipment, and that this is lease-to-own: after 66 months the city owns the devices, and if the fire department keeps the budget line the money can go into a capital account to buy the next set outright [189-197].
Fadelli then asked that the $96,559 saving appear “in the financial consideration section of the analysis” — “that's a big point.”
The $96,559 saving did not appear in the financial considerations section of the staff report, and the future-value figure was corrected in the packet only after a councilmember queried it.
08 A good neighbor policy captions 207–243
0:32:23I think we're I think that was it for us on that. And then, item H. There was a question.
0:32:29You have one, too, on H. No? So probably Chris Jones might be the person I I just.
0:32:36and very happy that we could accommodate the Kensington police with the
0:32:41modular venue here and with the lease agreement.
0:32:46My! And and this may be the question may be coming from ignorance here. But
0:32:51I'm trying to. They need 3 more years. And then we're giving them an opportunity to extend that by 2 years.
0:32:57And I get that. It's really great that be neighborly and work with them to accommodate, because the safety of this whole area is at stake. Here.
0:33:06do we get anything special out of this? Do we get an increase in funds from last year? I mean, is this
0:33:12the license fee of a thousand per month with 5% increase the same as what we've gotten before.
0:33:17It sounds like we're not getting any bonus from being helpful, neighbor.
0:33:21Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Well, well, we're so. Thank you for your question. We're collecting. We're continuing to collect revenue on a on an underutilized property that we don't have any immediate or long term plans for we're collecting enough revenue to pay our obligations for when the modular building is removed
0:33:42which is about $18,000. And then, in addition to that we are collecting enough money within 2 years to basically restore that
0:33:53to go back to a I guess parking lot, if you will, to cap the utilities
0:33:59and to make it usable again. For various uses, and then any
0:34:05anything beyond that re that revenue can be allocated. However, the City Council would want. So I would say, in year 3 of the initial agreement there will be additional funds. That won't have to cover a specific expenditure.
0:34:22We'll get more funds you're saying.
0:34:24Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Yeah, and then and then if they renew, then those funds
0:34:29again can be allocated. However, there's no specific expenditure at this point that they would need to cover.
0:34:37But the but I will say that the their their license fee is going down because reflecting the 3 year term. So we basically took how much the city needs to recover
0:34:52for our obligations and spread it out over 3 years as opposed to 2 years.
0:34:59So I I think I just want to make the point that we're being a very good neighbor here. Someone else.
0:35:05Karen Pinkos (City Manager): And.
0:35:05Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Awesome. Yeah.
0:35:06Karen Pinkos (City Manager): And I'll add that Chris has been great as far as helping us with all of the costing out which, as you know, came from the former midtown activity Center that that he negotiated all of those contracts, and we also felt that you know again, any. We're not trying to make money market value off this property by any means. We understand that. You know. They have a lot of
0:35:31costs ahead of them to try to get themselves a building, and we didn't want to impede that.
0:35:37You're not. You're not trying to make money because it's Kensington.
0:35:40Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Because we are. We understand that they have a lot of costs ahead of them to try to build their own building or lease their own building, or whatever we didn't want to. You know we didn't want to overcharge them money that they need to use to build their own building if we are able to recover our costs at cost, then that would help even incentivize them. To be able to, to, you know, get to their own building, and use their funds for that.
0:36:08Any plans right now, in the next 3 years, possibly 5 years, to develop that land.
0:36:14Karen Pinkos (City Manager): And also we. We did make sure that we had a very, very easy termination. Clause, if you will, between both of us, if necessary, if we did have something that went on that land, that we would give them a proper notice, or if they were able to leave prior to the 3 years that we would say, you know, we would be good with that. So we we wanted we, you know, we've been working with their general manager, who has been great to work with
0:36:39and trying again to be as neighborly as you said, neighborly as possible.
0:36:44And say, This is our good neighbor policy, because.
0:36:47Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Absolutely.
0:36:48Might be a little tougher, and say, this is an entity in need of a space. And we we're the landlord here, so I appreciate it. I love Kensington so I just wanted to publicize a little bit. Thank you.
0:36:59Karen Pinkos (City Manager): Absolutely. Thank you. Thanks, Chris.
0:37:02With all those questions asked and answered, I'll entertain a motion on the consent, calendar. I'll move. I'll second by Motoyama, seconded by Fidelli, and if I could just clarify, that includes the modification to the minutes for item A, and is the revised resolution for item G.
0:37:19Yes, for the record. That is the yes. Ekg, purchase perfect. All those in favor, please say, aye, aye, aye.
0:37:25any opposed motion carries with Mayor pro tem. Weisinger and councilmember Quinto absent. Okay, thank you so much. We're going to move on to public hearings. We have one on fire hazard abatement.
The last consent item extended the Kensington police district's license to use the modular building at 1940 San Pablo Avenue — three more years, with an option for two.
Fadelli's question was whether the city gets anything for it: the license fee is “a thousand per month with 5% increase” — “it sounds like we're not getting any bonus from being a helpful neighbor.”
Jones answered with the arithmetic. The city is “continuing to collect revenue on an underutilized” site, enough to cover the roughly $18,000 obligation when the modular building is removed and, within two years, “to basically restore” the site: return it to a parking lot, “cap the utilities,” and make it usable again.
So from year three, revenue is unencumbered — “there's no specific expenditure at this point that they would need to cover.”
And the fee is lower per year precisely because the term is longer: staff “spread it out over 3 years as opposed to 2.”
Fadelli's point stood anyway: “we're being a very good neighbor here.”
The City Manager agreed and gave the reason: Kensington has “a lot of costs ahead of them to try to build their own building or lease their own building”, “and we didn't want to impede that.”
“You're not trying to make money because it's Kensington.” “Absolutely.”
She added that the agreement carries “a very, very easy termination clause” on both sides.
Fadelli's framing: “this is our good neighbor policy” — with a different tenant it “might be a little tougher… we're the landlord here.”
Consent adopted, moved by Motoyama and seconded by Fadelli, with the EKG purchase confirmed for the record. Carried, two absent.
A below-market license explicitly justified by not wanting to impede a neighboring district's ability to build its own facility. The councilmember who asks and the staff who explain reach the same place: the city is recovering its costs rather than charging market value, deliberately, as a good neighbor.
09 Three properties, and seven hundred dollars captions 244–305
0:37:36And there's also should note there's a revised exhibit A for this item in the supplemental package. Yes.
0:37:44I think the list was shortened. I'm sorry I gave away your thunder. Good evening. My name is Chase, backman, fire Marshal for the city. Bel Cerrito fire Department.
0:37:58Join with you this evening to introduce a resolution declaring identified properties within El Cerrito
0:38:03as public nuisances for the purpose of abatement.
0:38:07The summer season continues to immerse itself upon us.
0:38:11as does the El Cerrito Fire prevention division throughout our community.
0:38:15One of our many goals is a consistent focus to encourage, assist.
0:38:19and educate our community of the local fire hazards
0:38:22and conditions that exist throughout our city
0:38:25conditions that would impact our 1st responders, our citizens, property owners, and visitors. If a wildfire were to ignite
0:38:34these fires do not have to be large to create a catastrophic result.
0:38:38Everything we accomplish on a small scale has the opposite, much larger, ripple effect.
0:38:43I've observed tremendous engagement throughout and amongst our community
0:38:47more so than ever is this engagement as heightened, capable, and willing to take the necessary actions that assist and maintain our safety.
0:38:56we continue to survey properties throughout El Cerrito, and promptly respond to all citizen complaints, and this will not waver as the seasons change and the rains begin to fall.
0:39:04our attention to vegetation management is critical as a year-round endeavor.
0:39:09The more repetitions we achieve, the easier it becomes to manage properties and associated conditions
0:39:14of the numerous properties surveyed between July 15th
0:39:18of this year and August 19th of this year. 3 part excuse me. 3 properties remain noncompliant.
0:39:24These properties are listed before you on exhibit. A
0:39:27thank you for your time, and I'm available to answer any questions.
0:39:31any questions.
0:39:33any questions? Yes.
0:39:35Councillor Fideli, thank you. Thank you very much on on the hard work always, and getting that
0:39:41list down. I just saw the revised, the revised list, and the last time you're here I did ask about 1745, Arlington and you said they were still on the list, and they've been every year, and
0:39:51folks up in the Arlington area by the park are concerned about that. They're off the list. So considerable progress has been made on that corner a lot. Consider 1,745, or I don't want to 1,745 Arlington. Oh, considerable progress has been made, and there has been engagement with applying for different funding through the measure. X resource as well. So the work hasn't been done yet.
0:40:17so that still gets them off the list.
0:40:22I can. That's kind of it. Does get some fire hazard. Still, there it is.
0:40:28So I can make sure to visit 1745 again
0:40:33and follow up with, we get a work process, order or something to demonstrate that that's in progress.
0:40:39I get hit by all the neighbors about what's going on there. I understand.
0:40:44Thank you very much, Mayor. If you would like. The property owner is also present if you wanted to ask any questions. Excellent! Thank you. Perfect
0:40:546.
0:40:55Can you step up to the podium? Thank you. Oh.
0:41:00for yourself.
0:41:02Hi! My name is Shawn Cook. I'm the property owner at 1745, and
0:41:09Just last week had the
0:41:14all of the the weeds cut, cut down.
0:41:18and I spent
0:41:20approximately $700
0:41:23to to get that within compliance, and and in addition to it. I
0:41:29went beyond my yard
0:41:32to the to to follow the the diagram that I got, which was 10 feet
0:41:38beyond my property line to make sure that I was in compliance.
0:41:44And I did take pictures just now.
0:41:47So I can go over that information.
0:41:51Yeah. But I see you've been taken off the list.
0:41:54That's well, that. But he was, you know, the other council members talking about being back on the list. I I know that the roots are one thing, but there's a lot of wood there, too, and I'm sure that the measure X funds are about
0:42:05the wood clearance. Probably
0:42:07so I'm beyond my I'm sorry. I'm just glad to hear about the progress, because it does look better. Week after week I see that there's progress, but you still hear about concerns, because it's such a big lot.
0:42:20So
0:42:21thank you. Chief, for getting back to us on any measure. X
0:42:27progress. I don't know when the money goes out for that, but it's nice to know that we're constantly looking at that corner, and thank you, sir.
0:42:34but following through, and that's very important.
0:42:36Yeah, my concern is beyond my my property line, because there's I was talking with my neighbor. I don't know her address. Her name is Judy.
0:42:47We're concerned about
0:42:49the hill below, because there's a lot of dead.
0:42:54I don't know if that address is on the list or not.
0:42:58Okay, okay.
0:43:00thank you.
0:43:02Any questions.
Fire Marshal Chase Speckman presented the abatement hearing, with a revised exhibit — “I think the list was shortened.”
His framing of the work: “these fires do not have to be large to create a catastrophic result. Everything we accomplish on a small scale has the opposite, much larger, ripple effect.”
And his observation about the community: “more so than ever is this engagement heightened, capable, and willing to take the necessary actions.”
The numbers: of the properties surveyed between 15 July and 19 August, three remain non-compliant.
Fadelli pressed on a specific address he had raised before, on Arlington — now off the list. Speckman: considerable progress, an application for Measure X funding, but “the work hasn't been done yet” [268-269]. “I get hit by all the neighbors about what's going on there.”
Speckman offered to visit again and obtain “a work process order or something to demonstrate that that's in progress.”
Speckman added: “the property owner is also present if you wanted to ask any questions.”
Shawn Cook came to the podium, the owner of a property on Arlington. He had had “all of the weeds cut down” the previous week, spending “approximately $700 to get that within compliance.”
And he had gone further than required: “I went beyond my yard… to follow the diagram that I got, which was 10 feet beyond my property line.” He had taken photographs that evening.
His own remaining concern was not his lot: “my concern is beyond my property line,” where he and a neighbor worried about “the hill below, because there's a lot of dead” vegetation.
A property owner whose lot had just come off the abatement list attended the hearing to explain what he had spent and show photographs, and to raise a hazard on land that is not his. At the Conlon Avenue hearings in 2025, nobody from the property attends either session.
10 “This is not the list of shame” captions 306–327
0:43:04any questions. All right. Thank you. Thank you.
0:43:07So do I have a motion to approve a resolution declaring identified properties with the revised Exhibit a.
0:43:16We're not there yet. We'll get there.
0:43:19I'll move all right. Moved by Motoyama, seconded by Fidelli. All those in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed motion carries with Mayor. Pretend weisinger and councilmember Fidelli apps apologies. Council member Kinto absent all right. Now I get to hit the gavel.
0:43:33and the public hearing is now open. Now is the time for members of the public who wish to provide public comments regarding this item request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk via Speaker Card. Public comments will be taken in person. Only please remember to identify yourself in your city of residence. Do we have any comments on this item? We do not have any requests to speak, man, all right. Thank you so much.
0:43:54All right. Do I have a motion to close the hearing
0:43:57moved second, moved by Fidelli, seconded by Motoyama, all those in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed motion carries with Mayor pro tem. Weisinger and council member Quinto. Absent right? Any council comments
0:44:10thank you for keeping El Cerrito fire safe. This is so important for us that you know property owners are are addressing this. It was really, it's so exciting as a council member to see this really large list, and then to come back with a revised list to only 3 properties. So that's huge. So thank you to the community for that.
0:44:32One more resolution. Mayor. Oh, oh, no, go! There's 1 more comment. Oh, I'm sorry. Apologies
0:44:38so yes, I wanted to express my thanks as well, and especially to the gentleman, Mr. Cook, who came, and I I really want to make sure that this is not the the list of shame. This is really about being good neighbors, and I appreciate everyone that worked very hard to get their names off the list, and keeping all of us safe in town. So thank you.
0:45:04Chief.
0:45:06battalion, Chief Beckman, and fire marshal. Thank you for for working with everybody. I know that. I'm sure there's a lot of back and forth with some property owners to help them out and to help them understand what's needed. So I clearly you did a great job because there's only 3 names left
0:45:23on the list, and so thank you for keeping us safe.
0:45:26Thank you. I just wanted to.
0:45:28as a point of clarification.
0:45:31is it. 11 0 1, Arlington. That's your
0:45:35the lot that may be of concern to you, sir.
0:45:39Possibly I mean, I've got the is 1745. Not that corner. No, okay, no, you're right. So that's not even on this list.
0:45:50But there's still more funding you're you're saying. And I've been speaking with the county administrators for those funds. A lot of their outreach right now is focused in East County with Byron, various locations in East County, but I know that it will return back into their purview with the West County submissions. And I've been told there's a lot of neighbors up in the hill seeking measure X funds to continue
0:46:15outside natural area and abatement around their houses. So so, yeah, and thanks for the correction, I appreciate it. And thank you, sir.
0:46:23thank you
A point of clarification established that a lot of concern, possibly 1101 Arlington, was “not even on this list.”
He asked about Measure X funding for that corner. Speckman had been “speaking with the county administrators for those funds,” whose outreach is currently focused in East County, and said many hill neighbors are seeking Measure X funds for work outside the natural area and abatement “around their houses.”
A councilmember thanked Cook for attending.
The councilmember wanted to be sure “that this is not the” list of shame — “this is really about being good neighbors.”
Another thank-you to the fire marshal acknowledged what the work involves: “I'm sure there's a lot of back and forth with some property owners”.
Three properties remained non-compliant; an owner who had spent $700 attended, and a councilmember said the list is not a list of shame. The 2025 Conlon Avenue case ($41,583.81, 10.5 tons) runs through the same abatement process.
11 Two absent, and a forty-seven minute meeting captions 328–335
0:46:25all right, so now do I have a motion to approve the resolution overriding objections.
0:46:32I'll move right. Move by Motoyama.
0:46:34I'll second seconded by Fidelli all those in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed motion carries with mayor pro tem. Weisinger and councilmember Quinto absent? All right. So we don't have any policy matters tonight. So city council, local and regional liaison assignments do we have any council reports?
0:46:53None
0:46:54none.
0:46:55Alright. On August 1st I attended the mayor's conference, and then we talked about August 15.th We had the amazing Hna signed dedication, and those were amazing events.
0:47:05So with that
0:47:07it is 6 48, and we are adjourned. The next regularly set scheduled city Council meeting is Tuesday, September 17, th at 6 pm. Thank you, and have a great evening. Thank you. Mayor.
Both resolutions carried, moved by Motoyama and seconded by Fadelli, with two members absent.
No liaison reports beyond the mayors' conference on 1 August and the hillside signage dedication on the 15th — “those were amazing events”.
Adjourned at 6:48 p.m.