Regular City Council Meeting January 21, 2025

0:00:03Okay, Mayor, we are ready to begin when you are

0:00:07the January 21st regular City Council meeting is called to order at 6 0. 1 Pm. Will the city clerk please call roll Mayor Weisinger, present Mayor Potem quinto. Here councilmember Kitsanis. Here. Councilmember Mothiyama is absent councilmember Saltzman we have a quorum.

0:00:26Okay? The 1st item on the agenda is consideration under Ab, 2449 city clerk. Do we have any requests? We do not have any requests. Mayor. Okay, would everyone please stand for the pledge of allegiance or observance of a moment of silence.

0:00:44pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, Republic of which is fair.

0:00:51one nation under God, indivisible with liberty.

0:01:02The next item on the agenda is the teleconference and public comment instructions from our city clerk.

0:01:09Thank you, Mayor.

0:01:10This 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. The Brown Act also ensures the public's right to be heard, and while city Council is not 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.

0:01:38Public comments will be taken in person only, and a request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk by completing a Speaker card.

0:01:44The Council's adopted rules of order and procedure 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. Thank you, Mayor. That concludes my instructions.

0:01:58The next item on the agenda is Council Staff Communications City Manager. Do we have any staff communications?

0:02:08Thank you, your honor. I'm Karen Pincus. I'm city manager, and I just want to wish everyone a Happy New Year, our 1st city council meeting back in 2025. I do have a few announcements.

0:02:171st and foremost, I want to let the public know that the City Council is going to be holding a retreat on February first, st which is Saturday at the Arlington Clubhouse from 9 Am. To one Pm. This will be a workshop to discuss

0:02:33goal settings for the year, and our new Council to get to know each other and learn about what Staff's works plans are and talk about through goals for the year. So Staff is very excited about that meeting. So we're looking forward to that.

0:02:49Secondly, I would like to announce, and I, we may have some public speakers on this topic. That city staff has worked with our project team regarding the Richmond Street Complete Streets Project. We have updated the website with Up to with new and up-to-date information. It can be found at our website at El Dash cerrito.org slash Richmond Street complete

0:03:15or if you go to our web page on the moving pictures that are at the at the top of the web page. You can click on that link as well.

0:03:25And then, lastly, I do want to make a couple of announcements between the city clerk and I. We do have a couple of changes to tonight's agenda. We staff is going to be pulling consent. Item 7. E spending authority for Ssp data, Central Square and Dell expected to exceed $45,000. We're going to bring that back to all of you at the next City Council meeting, and Holly has received word on one of our presentations

0:03:53apologies. Our second presentation tonight was scheduled to be a 3 from with Contra Costa. We did receive word from the presenters that they had a personnel conflict and are not able to attend the meeting today. So we will be working with them to reschedule that presentation at a future council meeting.

0:04:10And with that that concludes staff communications. Thank you, your honor. Thank you. City manager. Are there any announcements from any of the Council members?

0:04:20Yes, Council, Mayor Quinta, mayor pro tem quinta? Thank you, honorable Mayor, I appreciate it. Good evening, everyone, Gabe Quinto. I wanted to let folks know that I attended a special ceremony for the new mayor of Pinoel.

0:04:35Herman Sasai, who is the 1st Filipino Japanese mayor for the city of Pinole. So it was great to be there. I was there with my colleague, Supervisor Joya, and many of the regional mayors from the Bay Area attended. So it was a great event.

0:04:55or pranole, so a lot of fun enjoyed that.

0:04:59Thank you, Mayor. Pro tem. I wanted to share with the public that I, along with my council member colleagues, did attend the 36 annual Martin Luther, King, Parade, and rally on just yesterday. I'm sure we'll hear much more about that later on, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about it. But it was a great time.

0:05:17Also, on Monday, January 27, th the El Credo Chamber, along with the other regional chambers, including Richmond Chamber, is going to be hosting their 2025 Mega mixer. It's going to be at Lestrada Restaurant at between 5, 30 and 7 30 Pm. You can visit them on their website or at their social media channels on Facebook or Instagram. I'm sure it will be a great, great time. Lestrada is a great venue, so I'm sure that we will have an amazing time there

0:05:44next. The Council is currently soliciting applications for city boards, commissions, and committees. We have a number of upcoming term expirations as well as existing vacancies that create a number of ways residents can give back to the community. Please consider submitting an application by the deadline of January 31st interviews will be held in February for more information. Please see the city clerk.

0:06:11and also on January 11th I issued a Mayor certificate of recognition to Tyra Wright for her service as a 2024 president of the Contra Costa Association of Realtors, and that is it for announcements.

0:06:26The next item is all 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 please remember to identify yourself and your city of residence at the beginning of your comments. City clerk, please proceed.

0:06:54It's twice in a row. Thank you, Mayor, we have 15 members of the public who signed up to speak.

0:07:14There we go. Okay, so I will begin with, our 1st speaker. Tonight is Ing Bruce, followed by Ted Devon.

0:07:23and go ahead and make your way up to the speaker podium when it is your turn to speak.

0:07:28Good evening. My name is Inga Brest, and I have been a resident of El Cerrito for 32 years. I am speaking out against the Richmond Street Improvement Project. The research for this project was embarrassingly fake and flawed. For instance, the surveys that conclude that a very small percentage of respondents care where the parking is preserved on Richmond Street.

0:07:55Ask people who do not live in Richmond Street, and whose destination when they travel, is not a location on Richmond Street. No wonder they do not care about its parking.

0:08:07despite the sleek Pr. The project, when implemented as proposed, does not work for drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, or residents, and I am all of the above.

0:08:20It will not be safe at all, or green, that those are illusions, and it discriminates against certain demographics, especially older and disabled residents, which is a violation of the Ada.

0:08:34The vast majority of our Richmond Street community is against it

0:08:39that we have not been heard. You have not been listened to you have not responded to our letters and emails. No proper community input was allowed during your research phase. This is true. No dialogue with city representatives was possible during workshops.

0:08:58Your website, unfortunately, is a distortion of reality, showcasing a deceptive and manipulative narrative that was deliberately designed to influence public opinion under false pretenses.

0:09:13We have been shut down at council meetings, both in Speaker time as well as in Speaker numbers. Last Council meeting there were 40 here could not speak.

0:09:23These are violations of the Brown Act.

0:09:26We really wish to work with you, though, to create a better. El Cerrito, you are a new council, a council. I am proud of.

0:09:36What will your legacy be? Will you be democratic and work with us, or autocratic? Will your leadership lead to fame or shame?

0:09:46Are you truly willing to represent your community? Because so far the city has not represented us in any formal way? Thank you.

0:09:58Our next speaker is Ted Devon, followed by Shelby Hogan.

0:10:05Hi, good evening. My name is Ted Dehan, and I have lived on Richmond Street for over 25 years, and I oppose the plan to build the bike path along Richmond Street.

0:10:16The expense to build and maintain the bike path is simply not cost efficient relative to the number of bikers using them

0:10:24at 10.25%. The El Cerrito tax sales tax is the highest in Contra Costa County

0:10:31and the Median property tax rate in El Cerrito is 1.5% considerably higher than the national average of point 9 9%.

0:10:42Also, we approved a ballot measure, A to establish, quote a dedicated one half cent sales tax

0:10:50used exclusively for street improvements unquote.

0:10:54El Salvido taxpayers flip the bill for street improvements with property and sales taxes.

0:11:00Our concerns should be seriously addressed

0:11:04while a grant may relieve some of the budget shortfall.

0:11:08It does not mean that you can arbitrarily impose a plan on taxpayers who are directly impacted by this measure.

0:11:16We have surveyed residents of Richmond Street from Moser to Hill Street.

0:11:20The majority of its residents oppose this plan.

0:11:24In October 2024, the Lockspur Chamber

0:11:29reported that only 20 bikers crossed the Richmond San Rafael Bridge every morning.

0:11:35That's point 0 0 1 1% of the 18,000 commuters

0:11:42they are now considering converting the bike lanes to an HIV transit lane.

0:11:48Your engineering guidance shows that approximately 8,400 drivers use Richmond Street.

0:11:55but you did not provide the numbers of bikers using Richmond Street.

0:12:01If you don't have this figure, then your findings are incomplete, if not flawed.

0:12:07My question is, are you here to serve the interest of taxpayers who actually live on Richmond Street? 100% of the time? Or are you beholden to the less than point 0 0 1% of bikers in the name of what the one site calls quote unquote bicyclist comfort.

0:12:28I'm not against bikers. However, the expense to build and maintain the bike path is simply not cost efficient and best use of our tax dollars. Thank you.

0:12:47Good evening. My name is Shelby Holgate, and I have lived in El Cerrito for 9 years. I'm here to register opposition to the Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement project the project as proposed, where we move more than 50% of street parking on Richmond Street, north of Mosier, in order to add recreational bike lanes.

0:13:08The justification for parking removal was based on flawed and minimal research that surveyed street parking when Richmond Street residents, most of whom need to drive their cars to work were not at home.

0:13:20The city also claimed there was significant outreach to Richmond Street residents about this project since last summer

0:13:27as a Richmond Street resident and someone who has followed this project and provided survey feedback about improving street safety. I did not hear anything

0:13:36about the proposed removal of street parking until early December, and neither did most of my neighbors. It was other neighbors, and not the city who did the outreach to individually contact Richmond Street residents to inform them that complete streets meant removing more than 50% of the parking in front of their homes. And now, with the enforcement of Ab. 413, the Crosswalk Daylighting Law. The parking loss could be more than 60% of existing spaces.

0:14:04So because no one surveyed the actual community that will have to live with the full impact of the proposed parking changes. I and my neighbors did some research to find out what Richmond Street residents actually think. We organized a petition and gathered signatures from concerned Richmond Street residents regarding the planned Richmond Street Complete Streets Improvement Project, and then, earlier today emailed a copy of the petition with signatures to the city clerk and city council. So you should all have a copy. We approached the approximately 205 homes between Mosier Lane and Hill Street

0:14:3451 residents or 25% were not at home. Of those who were home, 141 or 90% declared they were against the project and signed the petition.

0:14:45So once again, 141 or 90% declared they were against the project and signed the petition. Only 10 residents or 6.5% stated they were in favor of the project. 5 residents or 3.5% were undecided.

0:14:59So, as outlined in the petition, a super majority of homeowners and residents north of Mosher Lane believe the proposed plans will hinder living, working, and commuting along an already busy street. I and my neighbors respectfully request the city of El Cerrito to reconsider, implementing the proposed plan and work with the Richmond Street residents to find a more balanced solution that allows all residents to thrive.

0:15:21This petition has received overwhelming support, demonstrating the Richmond Street community strong feelings on this issue. I and my neighbors hope to engage in a constructive dialogue to explore alternatives that better address the concerns of all involved. Thank you.

0:15:35Our next speaker is Catherine Baca, followed by Ethan Kim.

0:15:51I'm Kathy Baca. I've been a resident on Richmond Street for 25 years.

0:15:57Disabilities affect us all at one time or another, as I found out when they do, Ada protects our ability to function in our home and society.

0:16:09Ada accommodations must legally be made for the entire length of Richmond. If the project is done, since there is no way to know who will need them in the future.

0:16:22the city wants us to think they only have to guarantee accommodations for those who are permanently disabled. In reality the intent of Ada is for accommodations to be in place, so when people need them temporarily or permanently, they can continue to live independently in their homes and society.

0:16:44Ada Title 42. Public Health and Welfare, says historically, society has tended to isolate and segregate individuals with disabilities, and despite some improvements, such forms of discrimination against individuals with disabilities continue to be a serious and pervasive social problem.

0:17:07The nation's proper goals regarding individuals with disabilities are to assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living and economic self-sufficiency for such individuals.

0:17:24disabilities relevant to the Bike Path project are those keeping a person from safely getting to and from a car parked on the street?

0:17:33They include the need to use mobility aids, walkers, wheelchair

0:17:40crutches, power chair, or those with vision or hearing problems, keeping them from being aware of bicycles approaching

0:17:49those using vans to transport power chairs may need to

0:17:54park on the street, not in a driveway. They need parking in front of their own home. Visitors and aides, including those with disabilities, must be able to park easily, to assist you or visit you, keeping you from being isolated.

0:18:09How many of you.

0:18:11how many of those who live you live with have had a disability which would make it difficult if you lived on Richmond and the Bike Path project were done.

0:18:22How many have a family member or friend with a disability who visit you. Richmond Street residents need accommodations in place for visitors to get to their yards.

0:18:33Can you guarantee that you will never break a leg, have a stroke, or be unable to walk far, and so need accommodations.

0:18:43No, no one can guarantee that

0:18:46the project must be legally be constructed with Ada accommodations in place on both sides of the length of Richmond Street. Thank you for your comments. Your time has ended. Thank you. Our next speaker is Ethan King, followed by Ruth Amernick.

0:19:09Hi, everyone! My name is Ethan. I've I've lived on Richmond Street for 4 years.

0:19:14The current Richmond Street Project Plan may present an illusion of safety, but in reality Richmond Street will be less safe. With these changes

0:19:22the project claims that it will create, and I quote

0:19:25a safe, comfortable, and convenient transportation network that serves users of all modes and all abilities.

0:19:33But when you look at the proposed plans, it's clear that this is not the case, especially for pedestrians and local residents.

0:19:40When people lose their street parking they will have to cross the street or walk a couple of blocks to get to and from their car.

0:19:47This will increase jaywalking on Richmond Street.

0:19:50and it will be more dangerous than before, because the density of parked cars will reduce the visibility of Jaywalkers as well.

0:19:57and it gets worse when you consider our elderly or disabled neighbors every day. They will need to risk their safety by jaywalking, despite their difficulty in moving.

0:20:07or make a strenuous or even impossible detour on their walker or their wheelchair, just to get home.

0:20:15Another challenge is delivery. Drivers and other services.

0:20:19Think Amazon ups the mailman, gardeners, plumbers, painters, elder care, pet care.

0:20:27laundry, service, house cleaners, food delivery.

0:20:31All these vehicles use our street parking today, but when there's insufficient parking on our street because of these changes.

0:20:37these vehicles will often be double parked or parked in the bike lane.

0:20:41The new street structure doesn't offer them any other alternative.

0:20:45Obviously this will be a major safety hazard for all modes of transportation cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike.

0:20:54Note, again that older or disabled residents need more of these services, since they can't do these things themselves anymore.

0:21:03It's true that the city will change Richmond Street traffic with this project, but it won't be for the better.

0:21:08We're ready to cooperate with the project team to support a new set of equitable, safe, evidence-based and common sense designs for Richmond Street.

0:21:17Thank you.

0:21:20Our next speaker is Ruth Amernick, followed by Larry Amernick.

0:21:27I'm Ruth Amernick, and I've lived on Richmond Street for over 23 years.

0:21:32I am against the proposed Richmond Street Improvement Project.

0:21:36It does not improve our street and doesn't provide any common sense solution. Our neighbors are the main stakeholders, holders affected by this plan.

0:21:46Many of my Richmond Street neighbors and I want El Cerrito to be a city that listens to its citizens, protects resident safety, respects and adheres to Ada Laws. The current proposed plan does not meet this expectation. We do not want our city council to sell out to big money interests through grants, taxes, or filling the streets with parking neithers or parking permits.

0:22:12There is a real concern with one El Cerrito, City Council, member Rebecca Salesman, a development director of Bike, East Bay, and active advocate for bike lanes. For this project she was formerly part of Oakland's bicycle and pedestrian Advisory Committee, and has a conflict of interest.

0:22:32It's important that she recuse herself from voting on this unacceptable design for Richmond Street bike lanes.

0:22:40We do not want to transform Richland Street, an emergency access street to a street with bike lanes and barriers that impede the movement of emergency vehicles for fire, police and medical emergencies or block senior and handicap access to our homes.

0:22:58family and friend visits or large vehicle deliveries. We do not want Richmond Street to become blocked, like La just experienced during the recent fires.

0:23:08We invite you to work with the majority of Richmond Street residents who see the need for improving our street through better lighting, repaving, and marking Richmond Street.

0:23:18financing the upkeep of the already created and working bike lanes on ohlone green

0:23:23blocks parallel to Richmond Street, and encouraging bike riders to use quiet streets in El Cerrito will make Richmond Street safer.

0:23:31The vocal recommendations for bike lanes and barriers on Richmond Street, voiced by an organized minority of people who do not live on Richmond Street, or even El Cerrito, or use Richmond Street as a way to transverse El Cerrito, and do not make Richmond Street their destination must not be given a priority for the Richmond Street plan priority for a Richmond Street plan needs to be given to residents who live on the street. Thank you.

0:24:00Our next speaker is Larry Amernick, followed by Sue Duncan.

0:24:06Thank you council members, residents in El Cerrito and California live with 2 constants.

0:24:14First, st we live on a tectonic plate, in fact, there's 1 about 8 blocks up from here.

0:24:20and one day we'll experience a sizable earthquake.

0:24:24Second, we face the threat of a firestorm caused by high winds and low humidity.

0:24:30Smart municipalities plan for these events by creating an unimpaired.

0:24:35an impaired arterial road system, allowing residents to move rapidly to safety.

0:24:42In addition, these same roads allow a rapid response of emergency vehicles, including large fire trucks, to protect life and property.

0:24:51Your project to reimagine Richmond Street does not address this issue.

0:24:56In fact, the city Council is creating a death trap where vehicles will be abandoned because they'll not be able to get out of the way of the conflagration fast enough.

0:25:07and 1st responders will not be able to arrive in time to provide needed services.

0:25:13If you watch the recent fire events in Los Angeles

0:25:17with the abandoned me of vehicles on the Pacific Coast highway. You're aware of the potential problem.

0:25:24This issue should be the planning priority for the city of El Cerrito.

0:25:29In addition, you're creating a scarcity out of abundance. You're forcing the residents of Richmond Street to park their cars on side streets, reducing the parking for the residents on those side streets. These people, these neighbors.

0:25:47are going to resent their neighbors around the corner for taking parking, which they sort of feel belong to them. They won't be able to have friends and relatives visiting them, because

0:26:00people on Richmond Street will be taking up parking.

0:26:04They will complain to the city Council that they're unable to park on their own streets.

0:26:11In today's Wall Street Journal, Alicia Finley penned an OP-ed entitled In California. Human Beings come last

0:26:20well in El Cerrito it looks like its residents. Come last.

0:26:25Please rethink this project. Your residents don't want or need reduced parking additional bike lanes and perpetual traffic jams, and we certainly don't want to live on a street that's been restructured to become a death trap.

0:26:40Thank you.

0:26:42Our next speaker is Sue Duncan, followed by Gary prost.

0:26:53Good evening, Honorable Mayor City Council members. I'm Sue Duncan, resident of El Cerrito. Our group make El Cerrito fire safe. 1st spoke before the city Council on September 18th of 2018, asking the city to take measures to reduce the chance of a wildfire in El Cerrito.

0:27:117 and a half weeks later the campfire 1st ignited, resulting in the death of 85 people, destroying more than 18,000 structures, 9,000 of which were homes and burning over 150,000 acres. We are still here asking for the same, with many new suggestions and a few projects finally completed.

0:27:32Since the campfire we have witnessed the horror of many more catastrophic wildfires. In California. The 2 latest ones, the Palisades fire, and the We Eaton Fire, have resulted in at least 27 dead, more than 13,600 structures destroyed, 10,000 of which are said to be homes per Npr.

0:27:52Will the East Bay and El Cerrito be the next location of a horrific deadly wildfire. El Cerrito has the Wui.

0:28:00We have Wildcat, Canyon and hillside, natural area, the hills and the hot, dry Diablo fires winds. I'm sorry El Cerrito must take more active steps now to educate the public about what can be done to lessen the chances of home ignition must make incentives for home hardening and strengthen vegetation rules.

0:28:20Several things that come to mind are including home hardening, and the 0 zone projects in the discounts to be added to the Rptt, requiring new and rebuilt fences and gates to have the 1st 5 feet 0 zone be made of noncombustible material.

0:28:38I understand right now that the State does cannot enforce 0 zones, but the city should take a lead and go ahead and ahead of the State's requirements and put it. In the code. The city also needs to remain active and so support financially the East Bay wildfire coalition of governments. I believe that there are funds earmarked in the budget right now for this.

0:29:02A very visible project that the city should do now is to take the lead and atop the 0 zone around all of its buildings. Most importantly, the Public Safety Building, the fire stations and the City Hall.

0:29:14Take a walk around this City Hall and notice how much vegetation is right up against the buildings and its windows by changing the vegetation around the city's buildings by adopting the 0 zone. Not only will the city be reducing the risk of buildings being ignited by the embers. But it will be showing the residents that it is serious about wildfire prevention. Remember, resolution 2021 to 37.

0:29:41The new landscape will also serve as a demonstration garden for residents to see how it can be done. Remember the embers

0:29:50per the California office of the State fire marshal. 60 to 90% of homes ignited in wildfires occur because of the embers. Thank you.

0:30:01Our next speaker is Gary prost, followed by Nick Samarono.

0:30:11Good evening, Honorable Mayor Weisinger City Council.

0:30:16I'm Gary prost resident of El Cerrito, and I'm representing make El cerrito fire safe

0:30:22congratulations to the new Council members.

0:30:26I'd like to address 2 fire related issues tonight.

0:30:30parking restrictions on red flag days and hydrant pressure.

0:30:36I'm asking you to look into, whether we have the ability to fill our water tank reservoirs fast enough in the event that multiple fire hydrants are being used.

0:30:46The palisades fire has taught us that hydrant pressure is critical.

0:30:51especially since we now know that our fallback position water tankers.

0:30:56can't fly on high wind days.

0:31:00I put this question to people within the city government and the county, and I have yet not not yet gotten an answer.

0:31:09So I would ask that you ask the city manager?

0:31:132 find an answer to this question

0:31:18also wanted to address evacuation in the event of an urban wildfire.

0:31:23We've all seen the horrific photos from the La Fires.

0:31:28lines of cars and gridlock smoke, swirling

0:31:32fire, encroaching lines of burnt out cars abandoned on narrow roads.

0:31:39When I look at photos of the La Fires. I see the East Bay Hills burning.

0:31:44which is why I think we need to expand and make permanent the program to restrict parking on narrow streets on red flag days.

0:31:54both to allow evacuation and to allow access for 1st responders

0:31:59in 2024, in a beautiful collaboration of public works with the fire Department and Citizen volunteers. We ran a successful pilot program on 3 streets in El Cerrito

0:32:13in 2025. We need to expand this to all narrow streets, and if it's successful, make the program permanent.

0:32:21This is not a new policy.

0:32:23It's already being done in places like Orinda Moraga.

0:32:27parts of LA. And Pasadena among others.

0:32:31Finally, in 3 months we start our own, the worst part of our fire season.

0:32:36Let's get this done now, thank you.

0:32:40Our next speaker is Nick Samarone, followed by Jim Delganes.

0:32:54Good evening, Nick Savarano el Cerrito Hills.

0:32:58as we bear witness to the devastating firestorms that ravaged Los Angeles. We must not ignore the possibility that a similar scenario could happen here in El Cerrito.

0:33:09Our hearts, of course, go out to everyone who is affected by the catastrophic wildfires throughout Southern California.

0:33:15and we give special gratitude to all the firefighters and 1st responders who had risked their lives to save others and protect property.

0:33:23I'd like to give a special shout out to our City Fire department cure.

0:33:29We, as city residents, council members, and staff

0:33:32must keep up the effort to do everything we can to make El Credo fires safe.

0:33:38That being said council, as stewards of our city's finances must ensure that our budget is balanced

0:33:46and sustainable in order to fully fund our public safety departments, police, and fire.

0:33:53It is imperative that our fire department is fully funded and maintains the necessary staffing, fire engines and equipment

0:34:01to adequately respond to any fire and other emergencies.

0:34:05We cannot allow any fire stations to be closed or be inadequately funded, due to budget deficits.

0:34:11We do not want to experience what the city of Oakland is going through with the temporary closures of a 3 fire stations and the impending possibility of formal closures.

0:34:23Likewise we must be proactive in our approach. In preparing for the possibility of a wildfire in El Cerrito

0:34:30we must conduct community workshops to educate and make our residents aware of the threat of wildfires and provide fire prevention strategies to protect our personal properties and save lives.

0:34:41We must educate our community regarding restricted parking and red flag warning days, home hardening, defensible space and vegetation management.

0:34:51and at some point we must conduct evacuation drills to instruct residents on how to safely escape from a wildfire. Thank you for your full attention for listening.

0:35:02Our next speaker is Jim Doganes, followed by Bill Barish.

0:35:16honorable Mayor and city Council members, Jim Dalgonis El Cerrito, resident and member of the Community Safety Committee. But today I'm here representing make El Cerrito fire safe

0:35:30as we see the devastation of the La Fires.

0:35:34and we learned that many of the homes that burned caught fire from neighboring homes, not from trees, as many of us would have expected.

0:35:44It's useful to understand that State legislators took action in 2019 to reduce the incidence of home to home

0:35:53ignition Ab. 38 was chaptered in 2,019, and it was effective in 2021.

0:36:02It basically requires that a seller or buyer cover property

0:36:08meet, local or state vegetation management

0:36:11code within a year of escrow.

0:36:15Less vegetation, next to homes means less risk of fires.

0:36:20In some ways this requirement is similar to the El Cerrito requirement for compliant

0:36:27sewer laterals. At the time of sale

0:36:32implementation of Ab. 38 across the State has been uneven.

0:36:38Muraga, Orinda. Lafayette is very far along in this.

0:36:45In El Cerrito our fire Marshal

0:36:48Chase Speckman is developing a certification to be used to document compliance.

0:36:53A new ordinance may be required for implementation. I'm not sure but I'm sure the fire marshal and chief will figure that out. I urge the Council to support the fire department in any way needed

0:37:05to move this effort forward. Thank you.

0:37:11Our next speaker is Bill Barrish, followed by John Joya.

0:37:25Good evening, Mayor Council! Welcome to the new Council members. My name is Bill Barish. I'm a resident here, but tonight, with my

0:37:34co-liason to the City Council for the 350 Contra Costa Environmental group.

0:37:42I am here to talk about the Caap, the climate, action, and Adaptation plan. Last year the Council approved its cap. We are very appreciative of that.

0:37:56That plan pointedly cites on page 5,

0:38:01homes and commercial buildings as the second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions behind only transportation

0:38:11350 contra. Costa has stressed both the importance and viability of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from structures by requiring that all new buildings be fully electric for their energy needs.

0:38:28But the Council has not as yet advanced such an ordinance.

0:38:32even though page 36 of the Caap addresses that action, specifically

0:38:40that delay was understandable for a time over the past year following what's known locally as the Berkeley Decision.

0:38:50in which a court struck down Berkeley's ordinance requiring new buildings to be all electric.

0:38:57However, since that decision.

0:39:00several municipalities and other government bodies have been able to draft and implement laws that do not run counter to the court's ruling, including Contra Costa County.

0:39:13The county has passed ordinance

0:39:16number 2024, 17, which includes requirements and performance, benchmarks for construction of all types of new buildings to include the ability to be either immediately or at a future time all electric.

0:39:32This is a very forward thinking ordinance, in that it recognizes that it's more economical to include a fully electric power option now.

0:39:42rather than having to retrofit those buildings in 3 or 4 years when such requirements become, excuse me more ubiquitous and more expensive to meet.

0:39:53We want to note also that cities that have implemented all electric ordinances using performance requirements. Since the court ruling have not been challenged and appear to succeed in the long term.

0:40:07The Ca. P. Says that building electrification should begin in phase one. Those are the years 2024 to 28 of the plan.

0:40:16and using the county's ordinance as a template, would make the city's own ordinance achievable and low cost if done soon. Thank you for your comments. Your time has ended. Our next speaker is John Joya, followed by Buddy Akasich.

0:40:39Good evening. Mayor Weissinger. Nice to say, Mayor Weissinger and Council. I know a lot of us are here for Pat Durham, but I thought while I was here I would make a couple of brief announcements first, st

0:40:50and I've said this to a few folks. I'm really pleased to say that

0:40:54the county owned veterans building on. Stockton is going to hopefully this year undergo between half a million 3 quarter of a million dollars in upgrades. We have dedicated some measure X funding for this to do. Ada. Ground level improvements improving the structure and the outside. Our hope is to work.

0:41:15We're we're exploring some ideas to work to be with others, including local groups, to really get that building to be used more and to work with the veterans. So that that building gets more public use. We're working with some senior groups as well, and we think it's a great asset. It's right across from the existing library and the Fairmont school. So that's point 1.2. A couple of speakers have,

0:41:42talked justifiably about concern, about vegetation, clearing and wildfire prevention. And you all know that we have allocated about 4.5 million dollars per year out of Measure X to fund vegetation

0:41:56management, some of which is available to property owners along the interface, I will say Orinda Richmond and El Cerrito are the 3 cities that have taken advantage of this the most. We're working with your fire, chief, and we encourage that cooperation to continue. We know it will

0:42:14for you to look at other projects along the El Cerrito Kensington border, because what affects Kensington affects you, and vice versa. So we're committed to continue that. And I know I think

0:42:27Council member Motoyama is going to be your new representative on the East Bay sort of coalition of Wildfire Coalition. I'm currently chairing that I know. We'll be meeting here looking forward to partnerships there. So, thanks, looking forward to Pat's presentation. And you look very snazzy tonight, Supervisor. The only reason I wore a tie and dressed up so I wasn't free. Free the Council tonight. It was our Martin Luther King celebration at our board, and our humanitarian of the year award. So we dress up for that. So

0:42:56thanks, but all due respect.

0:43:01And then our next speaker is Buddy Akisich, followed by Eol Shahar.

0:43:16Good good evening, El Cerrito City Council, with

0:43:212 new faces and a new mayor.

0:43:24And I'm here to spread good vibes. You know, I made that commitment

0:43:30and I'm gonna I'm gonna hold to it.

0:43:33So what I'm going to do is talk about.

0:43:36When I 1st came into this this

0:43:39environment, some 5, 6 years ago, seated, were, William is seated right now, was Janet Abelson.

0:43:52and she immediately became my favorite.

0:43:57and her name keeps coming up, and it's gonna come up right now. It like to make reference to one of the last times that it came up

0:44:05our New Year.

0:44:07Carolyn Weisinger was in the dialogue, and I heard you say that you think that it

0:44:17we should name a street in El Cerrito after her, and you've gone on to say a number of flattering, complimentary things

0:44:24about Janet Abelson, and then Tessa Ruddick, the former mayor wrote up a whole bunch of stuff about. Oh, boy, what a wonderful contributor she should be! Our role model for social activism

0:44:38throughout El Cerrito, California. That's my belief.

0:44:41So in in honor of the

0:44:44things that you mentioned about the Advisory councils that we have here in El Cerrito. I'm proud to represent the

0:44:51city of El Cerritos, Human Relations Committee Commission right now.

0:44:58and recommend and invite you, Carolyn.

0:45:02to help me spread the word that we're going to have this second annual, Janet Abelson Memorial Walk.

0:45:10and it's going to be on Sunday, January 26th

0:45:16one pm. We're going to meet at the Corners of Fairmount and Richmond Street.

0:45:22Richmond Street. They get a lot of

0:45:27so. And from there we're gonna walk up fair amount. And then we're gonna turn right on Pomona, and we're gonna hang out a little bit right in front of the the house that that Janet lived in, which was partly in Albany, her bathroom and stuff this part of the house was, and and she she always liked to make the comment. She has boundary issues, right? So

0:45:49so if you could hear my voice. Everybody. Come on now.

0:45:53January 26, one pm. Corner of Fairmount and Richmond Street, and and if you got any any complimentary, flattering things to say about

0:46:03Janet able soon bring it.

0:46:06I thank you.

0:46:09Our next speaker is Ayel Shahar, followed by Ann Agonowski.

0:46:15Good evening, my name is Aal Shakha. I live in El Salvido for the past 3 years. I want to congratulate you all on your new term, especially you May Weisinger. Did I get it right? Yes.

0:46:30thank you for coming out this morning to talk to my daughter Ada and her classmates the kindergartners of Harding elementary.

0:46:40I was one of the chaperones this morning, and I'm grateful for the opportunity that they had to meet you. Ada asked you a question, and

0:46:48you told her that it was a very good question, and that she should, she would make a good mayor of El Cerrito.

0:46:54Unfortunately, Ada wants to be a biologist

0:46:57a good career path on its own. But if she ever changes her mind and decides to follow your footsteps, that would make me extremely proud.

0:47:04The question Ada asked you was one of the problems that Elsa is facing, and you mentioned the bikeability of all main streets. This is not to express approval or discontent of the Richmond Street project. But Ada just learned to ride her bike. And so Ada and I appreciate you attending to this while working with the community.

0:47:21I also hope that during the term during your term, you address another issue that affects Ada directly, and that is the growing divisiveness in our local community. Ada is half Jewish, Israeli and half Chinese. He has not experienced anti-semitism or anti-asian hate personally just yet, but her mother and I are on our toes.

0:47:39and we know this is something Ada and her young sister are bound to encounter.

0:47:44I am here to ask for your help. In the past few years. We saw how people try to capitalize on us and global politics to spread hate and divisiveness right here in our community, and I saw you. The Council

0:47:56stand firm, acknowledging people's pain, but refusing to be pawns in this game of virtual signaling

0:48:02talking to the kindergarteners today you mentioned, you have friends who are mayors of other cities.

0:48:09We saw how these cities played along, and we are seeing the grim results they are facing as as these results keep unfolding.

0:48:17I trust you. I trust that you do the right thing and actively work on our unity. Make sure that Ada goes up here feeling safe empowered, belonging and seen, so that if so that if she chooses she can run the give back to this community and sit right there. Thank you.

0:48:32She can be the biologist and be the mayor, the part-time mayor role.

0:48:37Our final speaker tonight is Anne Agonowski.

0:48:44I'm Anne Okanowski. I've lived in El Cerrito for over 26 years.

0:48:49I came tonight because I want to commend the Department of Public Works, and particularly Eddie Nodell.

0:48:57who has always been very helpful.

0:49:00I do a lot of volunteer work with friends of 5 Creeks that have since 1999

0:49:06more. So since I've retired, I also work at Baxter Creek, and

0:49:12privately, as a private citizen he's always responsive and helpful.

0:49:17And today that was repeated at the aquatic park in Berkeley, when I worked with, among others, Jim Russell.

0:49:25who also mentioned Eddie Nodell, and his comment, which I want to echo, is because of Eddie Nodell.

0:49:34El Cerrito knows how to leverage its support of volunteers.

0:49:40and that makes a big difference. We both have experiences with a neighboring city whose name shall not be mentioned, which is very different from El Cerrito. So I just really want to call out

0:49:54what a huge difference he makes and the people he works with in the Department of Public Works.

0:50:02and then I do have one request about street parking.

0:50:08Near intersections are Neighborhood Association brought this up

0:50:14a year in 2023 and 2024. We got a great letter saying that it would the curbs would be painted red. There would be no problem at the intersection of Lincoln and

0:50:28Lexington.

0:50:29It has not been painted, it is consistently blocked. It is not just a danger to pedestrians, but to

0:50:37car traffic.

0:50:39I have seen no no enforcement, or nor have I seen anything about that in any of the newsletters.

0:50:48no notices on the cars that consistently park right up to the intersection. So I just would like to say, could we

0:50:56please address this for as a public safety issue?

0:51:00Thank you.

0:51:03Thank you, Mayor. That concludes our request to speak.

0:51:06Thank you so much, and thank you for all that participated in our public comment. I do want to encourage, especially our Richmond street neighbors. I believe our city manager announced at the top of the meeting that the website has been updated with some more pertinent and important information. So please definitely visit that

0:51:23all right. The next item is presentations as the mayor. I have the privilege tonight of presenting the information for our newest induction to the El Cerrito wall of fame.

0:51:37The El Cerrito wall of fame is located in the lobby of City Council chambers and City Hall. This program recognizes citizens who have made significant contributions to the community over an extended period of time.

0:51:50The 1st Honoree was Sundar Shadi. In 1990.

0:51:54In 2024 longtime resident Patricia Durham, was nominated for this honor, which was approved by the City Council on October 1st of 2,024. Tonight the Council will take action to formally adopt a resolution inducting her into the wall of fame.

0:52:11We are now going to play a brief clip to highlight the work and contributions made to our community by Patricia Durham, City clerk. Please proceed

0:53:35at this time, if they, if any, are in attendance, and I'm almost positive that they are. I would like to invite any individuals who contributed to the nomination of Patricia up to provide remarks if they wish.

0:53:48and I believe that this is a prompt for the honorable former mayor, Tessa Redney to come up. But I could be wrong about that. But I'm almost positive that's what this means.

0:54:01Okay.

0:54:08good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Paul Keith, your chief of police, and also your neighbor, because I'm also a resident.

0:54:14So thank you very much for recognizing the work of Patricia Durham.

0:54:18I 1st met Pat decades ago, too, only 2 decades ago. You've been doing a lot of work long, long before then. But a couple of decades ago, when she was involved with the Mlk. Junior celebration parade, and I was a young cop, but I was impressed with the passion that she brought to the event, and her ability to make it all come together. And sometimes on the morning that Monday morning, it doesn't look like it's all gonna come together. But she makes it all come together.

0:54:42And at the time I was just this young cop and recognized her involvement, and over the years I saw her more and more around the city, working on the Parade and celebration, and also through her work on the Human Relations Commission.

0:54:54As I advance in my career I saw Pat a lot more frequently. She acted as one of the hosts and organizers of the Good Friday prayer breakfast, an event sponsored by Saint Peter's, Cme. And the El Credo branch of the Naacp.

0:55:06I remember being a bit nervous when I 1st attended one of these breakfasts years ago. I really didn't know what to expect. But I also remember how welcoming Pat was to all the police staffers that attended, and after that 1st breakfast I became a regular

0:55:19add in the organization she volunteers with have had have continued to bring police staff community like leaders and our neighbors together.

0:55:28Good Friday after Good Friday to share food stories and camaraderie.

0:55:33I think the 1st time I attended a Good Friday breakfast I shook Pat's hand, but after that she'd never accept anything other than a hug.

0:55:41So we had was formal that very 1st one.

0:55:44So while I've known Pat for over 20 years, that's just the tip of the iceberg of her involvement in the fabric of El Cerrito. She's held leadership roles in the El Cerrito branch of the Naacp St. Peter Cme. Church, the El Cerrito Human Relations Commission, the El Cerrito Alumni Association Archival Project, and the El Cerrito Historical Society. She's raised in our city is a bona fide el Cerrito Gaucho, and never stopped giving back

0:56:11the Mlk celebration. In 2024 I saw Pat receive an award for her work with the celebration and parade.

0:56:17and I was struck by the fact that we had a living legend in our midst

0:56:21someone who had dedicated countless hours to supporting and celebrating diversity and inclusion in our community. She's brought together thousands of people from all walks of life, year after year, to hear speeches, prayers, and stories, encouraging people to work together for equality and peace

0:56:38is a deep love for El Cerrito, and our recognition of her legacy deserves a permanent home on our wall of fame. So thank you very much for moving this forward.

0:56:53Mayor Rednick.

0:56:57Thank you, Mayor and Council. It's really amazing to be able to see this new council, and be here for such a special night, which is honoring Tt. Miss Patricia Durham. I felt that the chief did a really good job of summarizing all the amazing contributions she's done to the city. But one thing I would like to add to that.

0:57:18aside from just representing myself Council Member Mosuyama. Really this was such a natural fit to go on our wall of fame. But I did a reading recently about the differences between optimism and hope, and how optimism is a very passive act when hope is a very active act.

0:57:37and I think that Miss Patricia Durham has so much hope, especially for honoring everything that El Cerrito, where El Cerrito has been, where we are currently and what we will become. And it's all better because of you. So thank you.

0:57:57One moment.

0:57:58Are there any members of the public friends or family of Ms. Durham that would like to provide comments? If so, please make your way to the podium as as Nina Wilson has done, and please remember to identify yourself and your city of residence at the beginning of your comment.

0:58:17I mean, I knew a little bit about Pat when I started the project, but Mina really really sent it home.

0:58:25I straddle that boundary.

0:58:28I did support the police chief in putting forward the application for Pat Durham to be recognized on the wall of fame, and I also am a community member. My name is Wilhelmina Wilson.

0:58:41I've been in city elsewhere about 62 years and at raised me.

0:58:49I think in our cultural ethic we have a Sankofa principle that calls for us to look back

0:58:56and bring forward the power of our ancestors into the present.

0:59:01and if nothing else, I could say a million things about that. But she does that.

0:59:06exempt in an exemplar fashion

0:59:09the generations that sowed the seeds of this greatness in the community. The African American community in El Cerrito, and out of the love for them I think Pat's passion exudes. I'll tell one story.

0:59:24We hadn't had a prayer breakfast in many years. The prayer breakfast that the police chief referred to

0:59:30police chief Moyer came on and was very inclusive, and asked me, When's the prayer breakfast?

0:59:37And I looked at her, and I said, What do you know about a prayer breakfast? Because a prayer breakfast is an Naacp tradition. I just wondered.

0:59:45and she said, well, I was a member of the Naacp in Sacramento, and we went to the prayer breakfast, and I want to go.

0:59:52So I left that meeting and went to Pat's office, and I said, Pat.

0:59:57you are not going to believe what the police chief asked me.

1:00:00He said. What I said brings the bread breakfast, she said. Shut up!

1:00:07She said. Well, we have to have one.

1:00:09And this is the story about community, especially black community in here in El Cerrito. In 30 min we had the whole program planned.

1:00:19and then we're going to do the breakfast

1:00:21we had, the police chief confirmed as the speaker. We had praise, dancers and everything, and all of that is a tribute

1:00:30to the love and connectivity that Pat Durham brings it to this community. Congratulations, Pat.

1:00:36I'm proud of you, and I'm glad I belong to you.

1:00:46Good evening again. I'm John Joy. I live in Richmond, honored to represent El Cerrito on the Board of supervisors, and I want to. And again oh, yes, most importantly for pat fellow gauchos. Yes, there's a few gauchos here today, aren't there? All right? Yes, a lot.

1:01:01I just wanna make one quick statement.

1:01:05I think there is nobody in El Cerrito who has uplifted

1:01:10the importance of the history of the African American community in this city than Pat Durham.

1:01:17Right? Nobody.

1:01:19Whether it was her work with the Human Relations Commission.

1:01:23Saint Peter, Cme. El Cerrito Naacp.

1:01:28the Historical society just as a resident of the city.

1:01:32She has really elevated the importance of the culture African American culture in El Cerrito, and of course we all know she's worked hard at the annual Martin Luther King celebration, which, of course, in early years was not supported by the city. Now the city is an amazing great sponsor.

1:01:50But you know we we've lived through times that have changed, and Pat's been part of that advocacy. So I just wanted to acknowledge that. And and really thank your police chief for really bringing up this nomination. I remember when he called and asked for letters of support, and we gladly wrote one. It is just vital to recognize this history and pat for her contribution. So congratulations, Pat.

1:02:24I am so very proud of my cousin, patricia Durham had to lead with that. My name is Kayden Cotton Blake. I am a resident of San Pablo, California. However, I have spent

1:02:39a large portion of my life in El Cerrito, having gone to Madeira for elementary school, having participated since

1:02:47second grade in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration, of which

1:02:51my amazing cousin has led for for many, many years, and I'm just so proud of the work that she does and the work that she continues to do. She is someone who gives always

1:03:04and wants to involve her community as much as she can. And there aren't many people who are looking out for others while contributing at the same time. So that is a very unique quality about her. And I just want to say, I am so very proud of you, and so very happy for you, and you are deserving of this.

1:03:21Thank you.

1:03:33Good evening, Mayor. Madam Mayor, members of the Council, a precinct center for

1:03:37see a representative of Congressman John Garamendi.

1:03:41Congressman, really congratulations to Miss Durham, but we are also doubly happy, because last year Ms. Pat Durham was also women of the year for the 8th Congressional District.

1:03:53So we are doubly proud that today we are also celebrating here in the city of Richmond on on our role here.

1:04:01you know, Chief has mentioned all that needs to be said, and of course the Mirror and Supervisor Joy as well. But it's also wonderful things for other communities to rejoice

1:04:12for the

1:04:13what other has done before we have come here. I know that you talked about Sundar shady was was the 1st person to be on the honor roll, a Sikh American who lived in Richmond, and of course the Nativity scenes that he created.

1:04:28But Pat also has brought and allowed us. Other community also come to the footsteps and celebrating Martin Luther King. Yesterday celebration for 36 years is instrumental for the rest of us, as well to thank, to remind us for the contribution that have been given from others before we ever arrived on this on this scene. So thank you, pat. Thank you for being an instrumental leader

1:04:51and something that we all can look up to. And now we can always walk in the City Hall and see your recognition right in front of us every day. Thank you very much.

1:05:08Good evening.

1:05:09I'm Kim Jones Pat's my sister.

1:05:13We don't call her Pat, though we either call her sister.

1:05:18which was her name, for I don't know 40, 50 years or Tt.

1:05:22But on behalf of the family we want to say that we're very proud of you. Tt,

1:05:29all those committees that you guys talked about that she's on. I guarantee you that all of my family members in here on the same committees. They just don't know it.

1:05:42but we're proud of you. We're glad to support El Cerrito. We are we born and raised here. Saint Peter's Church is our church home. I remember

1:05:52I remember like it was yesterday leaving church and shutting down San Pablo Avenue in both directions here in El Cerrito, so we can get that Martin Luther King Parade. I thank you for that, because I'm still out here protesting, and, good Lord, thank you. Tt. We love you, and we're very proud of you.

1:06:18Oh, my dear family and friends.

1:06:21my name is Evelyn Janine Mitchell, but my family calls me, Janine.

1:06:27and I am the former poet laureate for the city of El Cerrito and Patricia. Sister Tt. Mai

1:06:40is my mother, and I am so proud

1:06:45and honored to call her such.

1:06:49And I have a little something that I wrote a while ago.

1:06:52But it's a mother's love.

1:06:55It's been over 5 decades of unconditional love

1:07:00God gave me her, and she gave me back to him with her unconditional love.

1:07:09She nurtured me with her unconditional love. She laid a foundation, and paved a way for me. With her unconditional love she led by example.

1:07:24and disciplined me with her unconditional love. She introduced me to God.

1:07:33With her unconditional love. She has supported my dreams

1:07:38with her unconditional love, she has wiped my tears away with her unconditional love.

1:07:46She has made me laugh uncontrollably with her unconditional love, and she has made me mad uncontrollably with her unconditional love.

1:07:59She has prayed relentless for me, with her unconditional love. She has sacrificed for me with her unconditional love. She has allowed me to become her friend because of her unconditional love.

1:08:16Where would I be without her unconditional love? And I can say that her unconditional love exudes all over the place, because I know I personally have had to share her with everybody, because everybody belongs to her.

1:08:40and I am very proud of you, my dear mother, I am very honored. Thank you, and congratulations

1:08:49of you.

1:08:57My name is William Mcdaniel. I'm the pastor

1:09:00of St. Peter's, Dme. Church, and certainly would be remiss

1:09:04of me if I did not stand and congratulate

1:09:08Pat, on behalf of the entire

1:09:10Saint Peter family on behalf of the Naacp.

1:09:16When I was assigned the Pastor, Saint Peter more than 5 years ago, pat con at me, and

1:09:28I mean that in a nice way, she she coned she she con at me

1:09:34and say, I need to talk to you.

1:09:37And a conversation that started out around 6 pm.

1:09:47Around 7, 30 pm.

1:09:52It was still going strong.

1:09:55So I said, Oh, Pat, we're gonna have to continue this conversation at a later date, later time.

1:10:08and and we've been continuing that

1:10:13since that time she has. She had energy, she has ideals, she has commitment

1:10:21and on behalf of the entire

1:10:25Saint Peter family, but the El Surreal family.

1:10:29We congratulate you, we congratulate you.

1:10:36Thank you. To all who's. Oh, we have one more. Okay. And I did also have a speaker card from Michelle Jackson if she still wanted to

1:10:46go ahead.

1:10:49Hello! I'm Letitia Moore, former mayor of Esparito.

1:10:56So I was thinking back about trying to figure out when I met Pat. I've been in El Cerrito, I'm thinking, 28 years, maybe, and I don't know that there was ever a day that I didn't know Pat Durham.

1:11:12I think that El Cerrito is extraordinarily blessed to have her in our midst.

1:11:19Every day she does more and more. I'm constantly saying to Pat when you go slow down.

1:11:25But she doesn't slow down because she has extraordinarily enthusiasm for our city, for our community, for the communities around us, because it it is all about El Cerrito. But it isn't just El Cerrito. She brings people from other communities into our world, and she shares all that we are.

1:11:46we are, and what we've accomplished, and what we will accomplish with the rest of the world. And I'm extraordinarily pleased that she's getting this recognition because it's well deserved.

1:11:58I

1:12:00travel the Bay Area in a variety of ways, in a lot of different things that I do, and Pat is well known, and she's known and associated with El Cerrito as a rich community that does a lot for its residents. For the people around it. We are known for our volunteerism.

1:12:19and Pat represents that in every way and shape she's constantly stepping forward. She's constantly dragging people in

1:12:30right I on more than one occasion I would show up someplace, and Pat is pulling something together, and she grabs you, and you're at a mic.

1:12:40or your

1:12:41manning a table, or you're helping someone get from here to there because they they need help, and she's there to make it happen. She represents what is great about El Cerrito, what is special about who we are and what we do, and I hope it will always be that way. And I think this recognition acknowledges that this is who we are.

1:13:07and this woman her spirit, her energy, represents who we are, what we want to be, and what we will always aspire to be, because it's something you have to keep working at, as Pat works at every single day, with every single person of every age that she speaks with touches and brings into her heart and into her world.

1:13:29so very proud of you, but also very proud of my city and my police chief for doing this and recognizing you, and we love you.

1:13:51To Mayor Weisinker. I get a chance to say that.

1:13:56and to all of the council members here and staff, and certainly to our community.

1:14:02My name is Michelle Jackson, and I'm the younger sister of Miss Patricia Durham, you know, as life of

1:14:13takes its place because life does takes its place in our lives.

1:14:19We often hear that one person can't make a difference.

1:14:25and I'm looking at a lot of people in this room who has made a difference.

1:14:31and when you make that difference.

1:14:35you don't pick and choose, or have the

1:14:38option of what you're going to do and what you're not going to do, because it's very hard to be a leader.

1:14:45And I want to say that my sister, Patricia Durham, she's a leader.

1:14:52and leaders have to be not only committed

1:14:55to the task, but they have to be willing to stay gone all the time.

1:15:01They're not at home a lot

1:15:03because there are people depending upon you, and when you're there it changes the room. It changes the whole atmosphere that it's it. It exudes its purpose.

1:15:18And so that's a big commitment.

1:15:21So I want to let my sister know 1st of all, that I love you, and I am so proud of you.

1:15:29because you have done something that I'm not willing to do.

1:15:37When I retired I retired, and I just let the Lord lead me on what task I'm going to do.

1:15:45I'm not trying to do everything for all people.

1:15:50That's a special gift. It is a special gift, and we were raised to do such.

1:15:56We grew up in a house

1:15:58where our father, if he had on overalls, he had memberships to the Naacp in his overalls. If he had on a suit.

1:16:08He had the membership applications in a suit.

1:16:11My mother

1:16:14had us sit down at the table, not only us, our friends, and anybody that was willing to join in

1:16:21to write letters to the boys or men in our community that served in the Vietnam war.

1:16:27That's what stays with me when it's time to give back.

1:16:31We had to write letters and cookies. We we were involved in community advocacy at a very, very young age, and it pays off, because my sister is a great example of that. My family is a great example of that, and I am just so proud to be a part of that love, Jones Cotton Clan.

1:16:53It's a beautiful clan. So, Patricia, you're going to be on the wall with Judge Wilson

1:17:00and Sister Lucy Wilson, whom we hold in high esteem.

1:17:06So now you are among the legacy of the African American community

1:17:12of El Cerrito, California. Let's give that a hand

1:17:20growing up growing up in El Cerrito. We never saw that, but we never stopped joining in.

1:17:28See, we knew we had to participate, but we never thought we would be on the wall.

1:17:34Michael Jackson says off the wall.

1:17:38but she's going to be on the wall, and that's very important, because for years to come generations to come not only in your family to see that.

1:17:49but in this community you will rise to the legacy of the African American community of the city of el Cerrito. Thank you.

1:18:01Thank you so much to everyone who spoke, for Miss Pat at city clerk. Is this the moment where the Council makes? It's not in my script.

1:18:08This council make their comments now. Well, I guess that would be okay. Okay. Okay. So we'll start here at the end with Council Member casabnes.

1:18:17Oh.

1:18:18thank you very much, you know. Keep this very short, taking pictures of the speakers and aiming a camera at the video screens.

1:18:27I did the opposite I on this side, I took a picture from this side. So if anybody would like the pictures, if you give me your cell phone model or email address.

1:18:37congratulations.

1:18:41Council member. I'm sorry. Mayor. Pro tem quinto. Thank you. Mayor.

1:18:46to pat you know we've known each other many, many years a couple of decades now. So

1:18:53yeah. Moving back here I was in my thirties. Now I'm on in my sixties now, and one of the pleasures in life, was having

1:19:02Janet Abelson and a group of women regionally from Hercules all the way down to Kensington.

1:19:12They were the ones that ran everything and had to clean up the mess that the men did so.

1:19:19Janet introduced me to you many, many years ago, and I started volunteering with the senior Committee, and then also with the Human Relations Commission. Well, later I became Chair, and this group of women, which included Janet Abelson

1:19:39of it, and many others, Maria Alegria, Annovaeva, Calloway, Myrtle, Braxton.

1:19:47all the way up to Hercules with Myrna Devera.

1:19:51and a couple of other former mayors. There in Hercules. We worked Regionally. And they include included me of all people

1:20:01to help organize this region. And you were right in the middle of this. So it's fitting, and I will always remember all the work that we've done together to help all communities.

1:20:15You welcome the Asian American community at the Hrc. By letting me know the history of some of the Asian Americans that walked with you with the Mlk, the the Jacl, for example, and Ernest Illma, who worked at the school district, and we were able to write a proclamation on his life, and

1:20:41and I owe that up to you for welcoming all the communities into your church.

1:20:47and I feel welcome. I feel like I'm part of your family there, and I'm grateful of all the work that you've done for our cities. So

1:20:58you know again. I was so happy that I was the one to write a short little letter to Harpreet and Congressman Garamendi, to make sure you represented El Cerrito last year as the new Congressional 8 woman of the year, so that was one of the highlights of last year was to join you and your family to receive that award. So it's great to give this to you now.

1:21:27And I look forward many, many years of hanging out with you and your family and your church.

1:21:36You have made El Cerrito a very, very special thank you so much.

1:21:43Councilmember, Salson.

1:21:45Thank you. I'm gonna keep my comments short because I I don't have a long history with Pat but I know of all of the work that you've done, or a lot of the work, and thank you for everybody who came out tonight and shared personal stories. Because I feel like I I know you better now and appreciate you even more. And everybody in El Cerrito has benefited tremendously from all of the work you've done. So thank you so much, and congratulations.

1:22:14And I'm gonna take a long time. Not that long ago. I 1st met Tt back when Dimlis Johnson was running for Richmond City Council.

1:22:23and you know Tt is, of course, always had all that energy, but I would say I'm a person who always prided myself on, you know, knowing my family history here in West County, and how we came here, knowing the history of black people in Contra Costa County. But it wasn't until I met Tt. That I realized I did not know the history of black people in El Cerrito, and she taught it to me very, very fast.

1:22:47Because, you know, if if you're gonna be a leader somewhere. You need to know the history of everyone who came before you, and you know, yesterday the theme of the Mlk rally was mission possible.

1:23:00and I want to. Before I go into the rest of my comments, I want to again acknowledge former Mayor Leticia Moore, who was the 1st black mayor here in El Cerrito, and yes, give it up for her again.

1:23:11And because it's very, very important, we they we were talking about mission possible. None of that the Letitia Moore, the Rochelle, Ardu, Okamoto, the Carolyn Weisinger, could not have happened in this city if it had not been for Miss Pat and the El Cerrito, Naacp, and Saint Peter's Ame. I'm sorry. Cme, I'm sorry. You know I'm I'm Missionary Baptist, so I have to remind myself.

1:23:33But speaking of Missionary Baptist a lot of times when people tell the story of how that came about growing up in a missionary church, we are used to the circles, the Naomi circle and all the Dorcas circle that we had at Pilgrim Rest. A lot of people don't know how deep and spiritual that work that they did, that love that they put in to creating that resistance, parade, and contingent. And, as I said yesterday at the Martin Luther King rally, when you think back 36 years.

1:24:00I hate to have to say this in front of some folks, but I bet you that council is rolling over in their grave.

1:24:05Then this council here, the the most melanated council, as I am calling it. And you know, when I ran there were people who said that you couldn't have A. A single

1:24:16black Lgbtq. City Council member woman, Lgbtq. City council member on the El Cerrito City Council, and Miss Pat said that it just was because that was the way that she was going to make sure that it worked. She got out. She she whipped the vote. She made sure that people would get into the poll. She helped raise money because she is a part of this important legacy here in El Cerrito, so I know you and I will. The last thing I will say is.

1:24:42God does not make mistakes. The fact that I get to be the mayor when we walk you into the Hall of fame that was that was predestined. That was predetermined. That was God ordained. So I'm I'm happy and proud to be able to do this for you tonight

1:25:00you said that? Do I have a motion to approve your resolution and formally adopt Patricia Durham into the El Cerrito wall of fame. So

1:25:09all right. So I have moved, and second, moved by Kinto and seconded by Salzman. City council, city clerk. Will you please call the vote all those in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed motion carries with Council member Moti. I'm absent

1:25:27at this time. I would like to invite Patricia to the podium to share her remarks.

1:25:45My knee!

1:25:49Thank you.

1:26:01Oh, my God! And I used, I said@firstst Why, me?

1:26:08And then I started reminiscing, and it's been decades decades. I am deeply honored

1:26:18to to receive this prestigious award me, Patricia Durham.

1:26:27I am truly humbled.

1:26:30I am truly grateful to be recognized as the you know, by such a special and distinguished city.

1:26:42It's my city, you all belong to me, and I always say that he she knows.

1:26:54She always says that she belongs to me.

1:26:59I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of my journey.

1:27:05Okay, when I look back on these many decades of love and hard work.

1:27:14I see spaces, I see special faces.

1:27:21I see you.

1:27:24I see some of the faces that I see has gone to heaven.

1:27:32Some of them are still here.

1:27:35because I see faces from my family.

1:27:40I see faces from my church, I see, my friends.

1:27:46Can I see you?

1:27:48And I am so blessed.

1:27:51I am just so blessed because you are the reason for this day.

1:27:56And you know, an achievement is not solely alone.

1:28:06You cannot be successful.

1:28:09Hello!

1:28:11That does not happen. You are part of me. You belong to me.

1:28:19God is still on the throne.

1:28:23He's the leader of my life.

1:28:26and I just want to continue to do hard work so that I can continue

1:28:36to run for my city. I love El Cerrito. Thank you so much.

1:28:42Thank you for this opportunity, and I'm not gonna cry. Y'all notice that I did not cry, because

1:28:52and my pastor says it's not over yet. You all know I'm I'm a crybaby, but you know.

1:29:01once upon a time a wise man said that

1:29:11so, bed!

1:29:15You don't live in this world alone, because God has your back.

1:29:23and I know that I there's been many, many times that we didn't know if we were gonna go to the left.

1:29:31We were gonna go to the right

1:29:34of what we were gonna do. But God told us how to do it.

1:29:38And it worked, because when you put your hands in his hands, it works.

1:29:46And I'm I'm that's it.

1:29:48I love you all. Thank you so much.

1:30:00And now, Miss Pat, we are going to give you don't go back. We're gonna give you your flowers now.

1:30:08Wants to join.

1:30:15Okay.

1:30:21give you your flowers while you get warm. So we give you a flower. Oh, my God, thank you. This is your

1:30:40have not seen.

1:30:43I don't want to tell you.

1:30:55Oh, yeah, that's maximum.

1:31:02Oh, where's the camera?

1:31:18Oh, my God, okay, okay, okay, okay.

1:31:24look at me, Pat. Thank you. Guys, I love you guys.

1:31:29I'll take another thing.

1:31:50Hey?

1:31:52Okay.

1:32:00all the next item. Because ain't nobody. Gonna sit down until I call it.

1:32:10and with that

1:32:16going

1:32:20we don't even have the clerk. The clerk ain't here, the city manager, not here.

1:32:24Yeah, the attorneys not here. I don't even know where they are.

1:32:36City attorney and city clerk I go to. We can go to a 5 min adjournment.

1:32:43Yeah. Do I need them up here to call me.

1:32:46Yeah, you could do that. Yeah.

1:32:49and bang the gavel. I'm gonna call a 5 min recess for Photo Ops, and they may return in 5 min.

1:32:58because we don't even we don't even have a I don't even know where the word.

1:33:05Well, you know.

1:33:08Oh, what time is it after, you know that's fine.

1:33:18And she lived up there. She lived on.

1:33:21Oh, yes, you did.

1:33:29I say you and have questions like, Can I do?

1:33:34I'm sitting here.

1:33:52Aggravation service.

1:34:39Say it

1:34:47you can.

1:36:032 min left in the recess 2 min left.

1:37:48We are now going to go back into session.

1:37:54The next item is.

1:37:57Mayor, do you want to wait until the council members are all back at the dais? Oh, that's true.

1:38:04Did I get? Should I bang it again.

1:38:07I don't know. I don't know the protocol.

1:38:10We we have a quorum. Do we have to wait?

1:38:15Technically? No, if you have a quorum you can reconnect. Okay, let's let's go ahead and and continue.

1:38:20The next item is Contra Costa Library Commissioner Update. Can we please have the presentation

1:38:34absolutely probably easier.

1:38:59See, we are 2,

1:39:051st one and then Michael. Just make sure you put the microphone.

1:39:15Good evening, Council Council members.

1:39:19My name's Michael Fisher with me tonight is

1:39:24Bethany Woods, and we have the

1:39:27honor and responsibility of being your library commissioners.

1:39:33We're presenting tonight

1:39:36the 1st of what we expect to be in every other month. Report to you on library issues.

1:39:44We've submitted a written report

1:39:47on both our new Alternate Library Commissioner, the Self Service Sunday Hours trial that's taking place in Concord

1:39:57high patronage levels at the library.

1:40:01and our intention to provide bi-monthly reports to the Council on Library matters.

1:40:07We'd like to concentrate this evening on the funding level for our library system

1:40:14and Commissioner office hours, although we will happily address any library related questions the Council may have.

1:40:27So in terms of funding, we have a problem in our county

1:40:30compared to the 4 other Bay area counties with similar organization to ours. We are not only the lowest in funding per person. We are nearly half the amount of the next highest county.

1:40:43The reason for this is that our library funding is nearly entirely

1:40:49from the one and a half percent of the 1% county ad valorem property tax.

1:40:57The 6.7% funding shown in the slide by towns and cities, represents funding such as that by this city that provides for extended hours.

1:41:11unfortunately, only in those towns and cities that can afford it.

1:41:22So other counties provide additional funding through a variety of methods, as you can see on this slide.

1:41:30Now, libraries like umbrellas only work when open.

1:41:36The Library Commission's advisory ad hoc group

1:41:41noted that increasing library open hours is the key to better library services.

1:41:49But across the county open hours vary widely.

1:41:56Currently the county funds, 40 base hours for libraries to be open, with cities eligible to fund 6, 12, or 16 extra weekly hours.

1:42:09The result, though, is this drastic variation of open hours across our county.

1:42:16as you can see, with many count court many libraries, only open 40 h

1:42:23up to a few that are open 56 h.

1:42:26I will note that the 46 h for the El Cerrito Library represents the maximum that can be provided for at our small little library.

1:42:46So additionally, Sunday hours, with the exception of the self-service program inaugurated in Concord are unavailable in our county, unlike in other counties.

1:42:57And you yeah, and you can see in here that

1:43:04the other major counties that have similar structures are do have places that are open on Sunday.

1:43:14Now, the Ad Hoc advisory group

1:43:18of the Library Commission. The County Library Commission has made a set of recommendations which the Commission approved unanimously.

1:43:31These are to recognize that the county's Library limited funding

1:43:39has very limited funding compared to its peers.

1:43:43endorses, the aspirational goal of 56 fully staffed service hours per week at all service branches paid for by the county.

1:43:58provide at least 6 equitably distributed branches

1:44:04to be fully staffed and open for at least 4 h on Sunday.

1:44:10and they've asked that this information be communicated by all commissioners

1:44:17to their respective funding authorities appointing authorities which we are doing tonight.

1:44:34We're we're asking you to join us

1:44:38in a discussion of this problem and work with us

1:44:42in the coming months, and probably a couple of years in an effort to help fix it.

1:44:50And I note.

1:44:53Mayor pro tem. If I may note you and I have discussed many times over the years. Why doesn't the county fund 56 h

1:45:04in every library? We're working on it. We need your help

1:45:13to further the dialogue on this issue and other library related issues. The Library Commissioner and the Alternate Library Commissioner are announcing office hours.

1:45:23These office hours will take place twice a month

1:45:27for a 2 to 3 h period. On the day that they're scheduled they will take place in the library

1:45:36with the hours announced on the city and library websites and on social media posts.

1:45:47We're happy to answer any questions that you might have.

1:45:51Thank you so much for the presentation. Now we are opening up to council questions or comments. Does any Council member have a question to come? Council? Member Casanas. Quick question a moment ago, Michael, you've stated that 46 is the maximum.

1:46:06Well, serita, I'm wondering maximum because of cost and staff or facilities, or what drives that number because of facilities. The library is too small to have more staff that it would require if it were to be open 56 h.

1:46:22or even 52 h. This is what the library administration.

1:46:28So it's not a question of money to pay that staff. It's actually a physical size. Issue physical size of the

1:46:35of the building of the facility. Okay.

1:46:39thank you. Thank you. Mayor. Thank you for this presentation. And yes, you are right. You and I have been talking about this for years now. My last conversation with Supervisor John Joya was the possibility of using Measure X funding

1:47:00for the entire

1:47:0319 city plus the county library. So we will continue this conversation with him. He was the one that

1:47:13mentioned that to me, but

1:47:16but I will make sure that we will discuss this further with the new county Board of Supervisors, President Andice Anderson, because not just El Cerrito. We're asking for more hours. But most of the cities in Contra Costa are as well. So

1:47:35we will do this together. So and I. I will note that when Measure X 1st came up with funding

1:47:44the library Administration made a push at that time for 56 h across the board, it was not funded at that time. That doesn't mean it can't happen now. It's also expected that if there were a sales tax of 1 8th of 1%

1:48:07that that would be sufficient to fund

1:48:10the 56 h throughout the county.

1:48:15Thank you. Councilmember Salzman

1:48:19first.st Thank you for your presentation, and I'm glad you're gonna have kind of office hours, and I'll spread the word about that

1:48:28damn

1:48:29so a little concerning to hear that there's a sales tax potentially being pursued. Because, of course, if we're gonna build a new library here, we need a measure here. So

1:48:38want to make sure those aren't in conflict. But also aren't a lot of the cities in Contra Costa already at the maximum allowed level. So how does that work? Or has that been talked about?

1:48:48Maximum levels, you mean in terms of hours. No, no, for sales tax.

1:48:54Oh, I that I don't know. And that may run a serious problem, as you've suggested. We're talking about 1 8th of 1%, which is a very small amount. But

1:49:07I don't know, and I am wondering in terms of the funding that we may be looking at in our city. Whether that's going to be a sales tax. Whether that would be

1:49:21a property tax is something that we'd all have to look at as well. Sure. No, I'm thinking about this sales tax, and I don't know if city staff want to comment on this. I think multiple cities in the county are at their maximum sales tax. Is that correct?

1:49:36Including us?

1:49:41Well, so I don't know. I don't.

1:49:45I was just quickly as quickly as I could, trying to look up for the rates. No, no, I was actually seeing if I could get it done. But

1:49:51it is possible for the legislature to grants to adopt legislation that basically exempts a sales tax from the 2% cap which actually they did do for El Cerrito, and that's and that's part of how measured the measure. G capacity. That would be one pathway forward. It may also be that if it was a county wide measure that the county actually still has some capacity left

1:50:13because cities basically are using 1%, which means 1% is available for countywide taxes. I don't know whether or not the countywide measures are already taking up that 1%. There may be some capacity left. So I would encourage our commissioners to to look at that, to see if it even is a viable option. We would have

1:50:36definitely look at that. I would also note that if the this does become a county cost that relieves some funds in the city's operational budget.

1:50:47Yeah, thank you.

1:50:49Thank you so much for your presentation. I know I was. I was your no, I wasn't your option. I was John's appointee for the district, so we we got to work together for a short period, and I can't recall if it was myself and councilmember Kent, or maybe it was a separate conversation with our supervisor. But I do recall that same thing as well, the desire to try and use the measure X funds to fund more hours, especially since we're

1:51:13really being optimistic about getting a new library, and we're really touting how many services for the entire community we're going to have at the library. So I look forward to. I hope that that's an avenue that we can pursue and don't have to go down the sales tax rabbit hole. So that was my main. My main comment. Looks like Mayor pro tem. Quinto, and I were on the same page as far as pursuing that measure, but I look forward to hearing more about it, and

1:51:37and how we can continue to support. Because, again, if we're going to have this big, new, shiny library, we need to give our residents an opportunity to use it as much as possible, and

1:51:48we will be very happy to work with you in terms of trying to convince the county to do this with Measure X funds as well. So we stand ready. Yes, sir.

1:52:00thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.

1:52:06Alright. So the next item on the agenda. I can't believe we're just getting to the adoption of Consent. Calendar.

1:52:14Oh, we have one more present. Oh, my goodness, we sure do. We're not to the consent calendar. The next item on the agenda is auditor presentation for Fy. 2023 to 2024 financial statements.

1:52:26Can we please have the presentation.

1:53:24Hey? Good evening, Mayor and council members, crystal reams, finance Director. Tonight we have our auditor, Sheldon Chavon here to in attendance to give a presentation on the fiscal year 2324 audit results.

1:53:37At this time our annual comprehensive financial report, the Acfr document is not yet finalized. We hope to have that completed by the end of the week.

1:53:45So we will be submitting the completed report to council at the February 4th meeting.

1:53:51and we also have Sheldon scheduled to present the audit and the completed annual comprehensive financial report to the Fab at their next meeting on January 28, th pending completion by the end of this week

1:54:03at the February 4th meeting. I will also have a presentation. I'm ready for you with the final numbers and the completed document, to give you the opportunity to ask any questions and have the public be able to provide public comment

1:54:15with that? I did want to give an outline of a few highlights prior to Sheldon's presentation.

1:54:22And that is right here. So we have the our general fund.

1:54:28We ended really close to what we had provided in the 4th Quarter general Fund update, I believe we presented a deficit of 185,000. Sorry is this in the supplemental packet. I just can't find it anywhere, and it's very hard to see on the screen. This document is not in the supplemental packet. It was something that was put together last minute, and so it was not provided to the challenging to read on these screens in front of us. So in the future it'd be great.

1:54:55could just be sent over in an email and then to get them up. Thank you. Apologies.

1:55:00But we did end very, very close to what we had presented in the 4th Quarter general Fund update. I believe it was around $185,000 deficit that we were projecting. We did have a few additional expenditures that came in, which ultimately led us with the $250,147 deficit.

1:55:20So the general fund. The original budget for the general fund was projected to a surplus of 93,178, and the final amended budget ended up projecting a deficit of 6.3 1 million dollars. That included all of the various one-time expenditures that for the purchase of the church property, one-time maintenance. The purchase order, roll forward all of those one-time expenditures that were approved by council.

1:55:47Actual actual revenues ended up coming in

1:55:50exceeding budget by 3.4 4 million, and actual expenditures were less by 2.7 million dollars. Taking the projected deficit from 6.3 1 million down to an actual deficit of 250,147, a 6.0 6 change in that projected deficit.

1:56:10Also, I wanted to highlight the ending fund balance in the general fund, 22.8 9 million of that 126,751 is considered non-spendable for inventory and prepaid items. We have 1.3 7 million in restricted balances for the section 1, 15,

1:56:26and then we have 9 million in the Edrf.

1:56:30Which this.

1:56:31according to Gatsby, 54 rules. We cannot classify this as restricted, although we have it restricted internally and tracked separately. But per gasb. 54 rules. This is categorized as an unassigned fund balance for financial statement, preparation

1:56:48that leaves the remaining 12.3 9 million in remaining unassigned general fund balance, which is about 23.7 8% of the general fund expenditures alone combining that with the Edrf, we're at 41% of general fund expenditures.

1:57:03So with that.

1:57:04is there any questions on this? On this brief portion, you will have an opportunity when you get all of the numbers. I just wanted to give you a quick little recap before Sheldon got into this and question Mayor and Council, I did just email this slide to you as well.

1:57:18Does anyone have any question before we go on to the next section, make it

1:57:23all right, go ahead perfect. So with that I'll now turn it over to Sheldon. Siobhan Sheldon has practiced public accounting since 1998, and founded Siobhan and associates Llp. In 2,009. He holds a Bachelor of science in accounting from San Jose State University is a Cpa. Licensed in California and a member of Aicpa, Calcpa, Gfoa.

1:57:43And the Government audit quality control center. His areas of expertise include compliance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America. The standards set forth for financial audits by the general accounting offices, Gao Government accounting standards.

1:57:58the provisions for Federal Single Audit Act under uniform guidance and governmental accounting standards. Gasb Sheldon specializes in the audits of local governments and nonprofit organizations.

1:58:10and I will pull up this presentation.

1:58:15That sounded really good, impressive, most impressive was I started the firm in 2,009. Now I'm feeling a little bit older than I felt the second ago.

1:58:25Good evening to the Mayor and Council members. Appreciate being here once again.

1:58:29and I apologize that we don't have the act for full act for ready for you. But I had a take a few weeks off a little family bereavement situation. So it took care of that. And now we're moving forward, and we'll have that act, for soon. By the end of the week we are on on time for that. No problem.

1:58:45And let's see where we're going to start. We'll start with the audit process. So the audit process and keep in mind. We are looking at a history lesson. June 30, 24, right? So you guys are already well into fiscal year 25. So I just want to point that out that. What auditor do they come in? They look at the past and they give you the results.

1:59:00So what do we do? Well, we have a 4 phase audit right? And that 4 phase audit includes the internal controls planning risk assessment process. That's phase one.

1:59:11And then you once you're done with that part of the process which includes document internal controls, testing internal controls, performing walkthroughs. Now keep in mind. We identify the significant transaction classes. We're not looking at every single little detail.

1:59:25But we do like to look at different cash receding at different departments, whether it's material or significant or not. Sometimes that's kind of fun to do. Especially like to bug the police department right?

1:59:34And then the second phase, once we get through the planning and preparation, there is the audit execution. Right? So that's basically doing substantive testing over the trial balance. So the balance sheet items, statement of revenues and expenditures and changes and fund balances.

1:59:47multiple funds and keep in mind that the concept behind the audit in general is identifying opinion units within the audit, because ultimately, as you see, as we move forward here. The goal is to issue an opinion on those opinion units. So we'll talk about that a bit. In a second

2:00:04phase 3 is audit reporting phase 4 is, follow up phase 3 and 4 kind of mesh together, because here we are tonight doing the audit, reporting and so, when there may be follow up after this meeting. Generally, most of that follow up has to do. Once I submit the 1st draft and results to management team, then they follow up and ask me, well, why why did this happen? Why did that happen? I don't agree with this adjustment. That didn't have too much, though, Crystal. I think we're on the same page. Right? So

2:00:29that's because we communicate very well through each phase of the process. So your team knows exactly what's going on, and we know exactly what's going on

2:00:36next slide. Please look at you're on top of it.

2:00:39So the

2:00:41process that we follow the auditing standards and our responsibilities. So of course we can. We perform the audit under generally accepted auditing standards. Right? Aicpa says we have to do that. So we do it.

2:00:52We also, for a local government, perform the audit under generally accepted governmental auditing standards pretty much the same standards. There's a little bit more in terms of independence. There's a little bit more in terms of reporting, but overall it's the same standards. The objective of the audit. Well, the objective of the audit is to issue an opinion on the financial statements. Now keep in mind those financial statements consist of opinion units. So you get to see right now in this Afr, or you will.

2:01:18The

2:01:20Consolidated Funds, including your capital, assets, long term debt into 2 statements, a statement of net position and the statement of activities.

2:01:28Governmental accounting standards require that us accountants get a little creative. So you'll see some terminology in there that you get to see one time a year, and that's deferred inflows of resources and deferred outflows of resources. Keep in mind that a deferred outflow is similar to an asset in your balance sheet. It increases your net position. A deferred inflow is similar to a liability. It decreases your net position. Why do we segregate those? Well, it's because gasb 68 pensions, right pensions, and other post-employment benefits. There's some other deferrals that come into play over time related to grants.

2:01:58But mostly it's for those pensions.

2:02:02What responsibilities do we have in an audit? We'll keep.

2:02:05you know, the the main responsibility beyond issuing the opinion is identifying that we issue our opinion with a reasonable assurance. Right? It's not absolute, because we have to sample. We can't possibly look at every single thing unless you really want to increase the audit fees. Right?

2:02:19It's a risk-based audit. So that's what we do in phase one, the risk based, the risk assessment, the planning, the internal control work.

2:02:25And that tells us what we're going to do at the end of the year. That's the key component to plan in the audit and the materiality and every evolving concept. It seems right. Each year we have to sit down and look at the financial statements. Look at the entity overall, look at where the risk are at and say, Okay, what's a good qualitative and quantitative materiality level? So the qualitative impacts the quantitative right? So we have to think about who might be relying on the financial statements, such as bond rating agencies or sales, tax measures and things of that nature.

2:02:53So what we want to do there is try to anticipate what somebody might find to be significant and then reduce our materiality thresholds or increase them, based on what those results are.

2:03:04And we discussed internal controls, and what we do there keep in mind. We are not engaged to issue an opinion on internal controls that now is an option in the last few years. Auditing standards did change and allows you to perform an integrated, integrated audit where you issue an opinion on the financial statements and the internal controls.

2:03:21That's a lot more work and a lot more money.

2:03:24Next slide, please.

2:03:30An overview of what the annual comprehensive financial report will look like. So it's basically a summary of the table of contents. You'll have a transmittal letter which comes from management summarizes what happened in terms of what's included in the in the report and a summary of what happened during the year. Of course you have your elected officials and your organizational chart. Now keep in mind. Section one is required by the Gfoa Government Finance Officers Association, not required by the Governmental Accounting Standards board

2:03:58section 2. We have our financial section, which includes our auditors opinion, the management's discussion and analysis right has audited numbers in it. But we do not issue an opinion on that. So technically, it's unaudited

2:04:12the financial statements and the notes, the required supplementary information. Now, it's funny because we have a whole section on required supplementary information that includes your budget. The actual schedules for your major funds that are

2:04:22either the general fund or special revenue but we also have the Md. And A as technically a required supplementary information section. So it's 2 different Rsi sections.

2:04:33Then we have the supplementary information, which is basically all your your combining non-major funds statements and schedules.

2:04:40Section 3 is the the statistical section

2:04:44said that a million times over the years, and essentially, this is another section that's not required under Gatsby, but is required by Gfoa. And so it includes your fiscal information. So basically a summary for the last 10 years of your balance sheet income statement for both your government wide, and your fund statements has your historical information and your demographic information. 10 year history for all of that.

2:05:07and good news for required supplementary information. You can now have 10 years of data for your pension schedules.

2:05:15I like it. I can dance to that.

2:05:17So those that tenure of 10 years of information on your annual required contributions. 10 years information on the liability for the city related to pensions and the required supplementary information. Schedule

2:05:29next slide, please.

2:05:33So now you get a nice little table that shows you a summary of the statement of net position. And again, keep in mind this is your con, your government, wide financial statement, your government wide balance sheet. So this is your governmental funds, consolidated, combined and converted into a full accrual basis statement. So it includes your capital assets includes your liabilities.

2:05:55The one thing I would take away from this chart, blue bars are 2024. So June 30, 24. The red, the red line is 2023. It's actually fairly consistent.

2:06:05If you were to go back and look at 22 versus 23, it's not quite as consistent, and you'll see this kind of recurring theme is that

2:06:13a few years ago Calpers had some really good returns in their investments. Right?

2:06:19Has an impact. The problem is, it doesn't have an immediate impact. It gets deferred over a 5 year period. So that deferral impacted the 23 statements. You had a pension credit in the fiscal year into 23. Well, you're back to normal now in fiscal year 24. So you're going to see a huge drop as we move forward into these slides, or actually a huge increase. This year. You saw a huge drop last year related to your expenses, especially in the police pension

2:06:45next slide, please.

2:06:49Government revenue was fairly consistent. The one thing that caught my eye when I looked at this and when we did, the auditing was the capital grants and contributions. And then the taxes typically taxes go up, not down. So that caught my, it's not a significant change. But we did look at that. Some property taxes there went down, and then also some sales tax went down by about 500 grand. The contributions. What happens with those is obviously every year you're looking for more money. Look, you have different projects. And so you're going to see it was Sb.

2:07:16oh, gosh, what was the Sp, that you guys had an Sp. Grant come through. I can't remember which one exactly. I'll remember later. Sorry. So there was an a grant that came through that was fairly significant. I think it was about $600,000 an account. Remembers the numbers, but not the names right? And so there were other grants, too, but the key factor here, which increased the capital grants was some technical accounting requirements

2:07:39deferred inflows right? So you had some grants that were deferred that were recognized this year, related to some of these public works. Projects.

2:07:47Next slide, please.

2:07:51All right. Here. It is kind of a funny looking schedule.

2:07:54If you go back to the 23 slides I sent you last year, and representing it looks the opposite 23 versus 22. It's you know. So what happened was that 23 years an outlier.

2:08:05So if you were to do a 10 year schedule and all your expenses, you would basically see them kind of up, up, up

2:08:11until 22, or sorry until 23. So fiscal year 23, you'd see that dip, and then you'd see it come right back up 24. And so that's because there's an 17.5 million dollar swing from 23 to 24 in your pension expense

2:08:24only in the government, wide financial statements, not in your funds, right? Your funds basically follow your annual required contributions. It's a pay as you go. And so that's consistent. But when you do, the conversion entries from the information we get from Pers, which is audited at that level, and then we re audit that at this level

2:08:44there is a 17.5 million dollar swing. So you went from a 15 million dollars pension expense

2:08:49pension credit in 23 to a

2:08:5411.5 million dollar pension expense in 24. But how does that make sense? Well, only the difference is actually a 2 million dollar conversion entry. Right? So that's the deal. So there's your 15 plus 2. You get to the 17 and a half.

2:09:06So that's why these numbers look funny

2:09:08or these, this chart looks fun.

2:09:12Next slide, please.

2:09:14Business type activities were consistent.

2:09:17Nothing really to report there. Charges for service go up because more services were provided.

2:09:25Next slide, please.

2:09:26And this is why we're really here.

2:09:29What are the auto results?

2:09:31A lot of work went into this

2:09:33look. She wants to see them all. She's getting them all up there, supposed to take your time.

2:09:38So ultimately you can see that we have no exceptions in the audit opinions, which means you have an unmodified opinion. Now you've had an unmodified opinion for the last few years since we've taken over the audit. But you've had some issues and findings and significant deficiencies along with that and some material weaknesses, I think, in the 1st year no material weaknesses to report this year, no significant deficiencies to report, and it's easy to not have disagreements with management. If you don't have material weaknesses or significant deficiencies. Now, I will say this, the journal entries

2:10:08that we had this year.

2:10:10Well, heck, I don't think we had any

2:10:12right 2 little minor ones, really. Yeah. So I mean, we're talking really clean work by Crystal and her team.

2:10:19I was very impressed.

2:10:21We always have journal entries. So for tonight I have any. I usually have some reclasses and cleanup items something like that. So it was. It was very clean, and, in fact, I sent her one journal entry, and she sent it back to me said it was wrong. Guess what it was wrong.

2:10:35So that is it for my presentation I'd be happy to answer any questions that you might have, and I'll be back to answer more questions once you get the full app for in hand.

2:10:45Thank you so much. Any questions from Council.

2:10:48I I just have a comment. You kind of addressed it just then I was gonna ask you if you would come back and field questions, because in the way that I operate, I would look at the audit and spend a couple of hours looking at it, and feel my questions, and also be able to follow you more easily. Having looked at it once, I found it very, very difficult

2:11:04to follow you right now, in part because I can't see it. And then, also, I'm not familiar with it. I haven't had a chance to sit and look at it and study it, so thank you for your willingness to come back. Of course

2:11:14you need councilmember. Salsman.

2:11:17Yes, I look forward to seeing the full audit. I understand we wanted to keep it on the agenda tonight. I don't know how useful this was, because we didn't get this till a couple of hours before the meeting. I know I was at work, and couldn't read anything ahead of time, so I feel bad because the rest of the agenda I read over the weekend, so I don't know. I guess I would ask Staff if it's

2:11:36there's no reason we have to have it. If we don't have the materials, can we just defer it next time, so we can have a real conversation, and I know some members of the public really were concerned that maybe this meant they weren't weren't going to see the audit. So I think the more we can just

2:11:50say we're taking it off because we can't do it and just do it when we can do it. It might be better for folks, you know, as a council member. Be better for me to get to see it ahead of time.

2:12:00your honor, may I respond? And thank you Council member, and thank you, Sheldon, for your for your presentation. This was originally scheduled for this, and and agreed in hindsight. If we had done maybe a a short staff report to address the fact that the unfortunately the document was not meant to be was not was not able to be completed before

2:12:24this was on the agenda. However, we will be able to provide you with the slides that Crystal gave this morning, or just this this evening, as well as hopefully address at least a draft before it's received and filed by the Council. We did think it was important for this to be at least discussed, even an overview prior to your February 1st retreat.

2:12:47And so we'll be able to. Now that you have a bit of a preview, we'll be able to give you more information. So because we will be going over some budget numbers at the Retreat. So I totally appreciate that. And I know that. You know, Sheldon, we've we've we've we've

2:13:02things happen, and we totally understand. But we we didn't want to let this to let this go completely. So I appreciate that. And hopefully, we won't have to worry about this again. So, but if we if anything else happens we'll we'll be sure to note that more clearly on the agenda. So thank you.

2:13:19Mayor. Pro tem. Do you have any questions?

2:13:22I do not. Okay. One quick question I noticed, looking at the the chart, the bar charts, that the interest on long term debt declined. It was. They're both very small

2:13:33charts or blocks. But why do they climb? What was the driving factor behind that? There were some adjustments to the premiums? And so they're immaterial. So instead of making those adjustments. As a prior adjustment, we went ahead and just included those with the interest. So it was a reduction to interest expense.

2:13:48Yeah, okay, thank you.

2:13:51My question is more of a point of information, because I'm I'm not a numbers person. What is a journal entry in the audit?

2:13:59So basically, what happens is we get the trial balance from the city. It's basically the general ledger. And then from those numbers, once we go through and audit those, there's 2 different things that can happen. One is we can propose a journal entry to your team, and they can accept or deny, or we can argue over it, or they can actually send us a journal entry after the fact. So we call the journal entries provided by your team client, provided journal entries.

2:14:20Anything other than that is an audit adjusting journal entry. Gotcha. Okay, thank you so much. Thank you so much for your presentation. We look forward to seeing the act hopefully at the end of the week, and we look forward to seeing you when you come back before Sheldon. So thank you. That's my pleasure. Thank you very much.

2:14:37The next item is now the adoption of the Consent calendar, which includes the following items.

2:14:47lunar, New Year Proclamation board, Commission and committee work plans and our accomplishments.

2:14:54Fy. 2425, second quarter cash and investment report, monthly disbursement and check register report for December 24, th

2:15:04spending authority for the Ssp. Data. Central Square and Dell expected to exceed 45,000 for Fy. 2425, and professional services agreement with strategic economics to complete a priority development area, economic development and affordable housing, financial analysis and implementation strategy. And just a reminder for the Council that Staff did request a poll

2:15:31item E off of the consent calendar and return at a future council meeting for that item. Okay, so that was, item E, correct, we're pulling off. Okay.

2:15:42would anyone else like to pull an item? Yes, I have a procedural question. I want to abstain for one of them. Can I abstain without pulling it? Yes, you can just state that for the record. Now, this would be the perfect time for you to do that. And then when you vote, I will just make a notation on the abstention of that one item I will abstain letter F.

2:16:01And the reason being I had, I asked to see

2:16:05of the framework behind the agreement, and it

2:16:08have not. I think it came to me. Thank thank you, Karen, but I have not had time to look at it.

2:16:14but I just wanna not not vote on that one.

2:16:18Okay, so go ahead, Holly.

2:16:21so do so. I'll move approval of the consent calendar. Not just yet. I wanted to make sure with with Council Member Cassan is abstaining. Do I need to change anything? You don't need to change anything? I'll just when I call the vote. I will make sure to mention that for the record that he abstained on that one item.

2:16:38So do we have a motion to move the consent calendar with Item E that was pulled by staff over approval. Okay, all right. So, moved by Salzman and seconded by Mayor Protein Quinto, all in favor. Or do you call that holly? I can, if you want all in favor, please say, aye.

2:16:57Can you post?

2:16:59Okay? So motion carries with councilmember Mothiyama absent and councilmember katsana to abstaining on agenda consent. Item F.

2:17:06All right. So, moving right along all the way down to item 10, the 2025 regional assignments were published in the agenda materials. Thank you to the council members and to the members of the city Council for taking on these assignments, and I just wanted to say again, thank you all for taking this on. It was very, very important to me that everyone got an appointment this year. Unfortunately, I didn't not have that opportunity in my 1st 2 years on council.

2:17:33and I am one of those people who believe that we all got here because we were all competent and capable. So just throw you out there, and you know, sink or swim. You can do it. I believe in you.

2:17:43and with that tonight we are adjourning the meeting in memory of 2 council in memory of 2 individuals in our El Cerrito community.

2:17:54First, st we adjourned in the memory of Jane Thompson, who passed away on January 7, th at the age of 83, Jean was dedicated to our community and managed the El Cerrito farmers market for the past 30 years she is survived by her husband, Don, both Oakland residents with a piece of their heart. In El Cerrito. Don will be taking over the market until a new operator can be found.

2:18:18A quick thank you, to the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring the El Credo Farmers market with Jean since 2,012, and working to bring fresh food and options to our city council every week.

2:18:30Second, at the request of Councilmember Softman, we will also adjourn in memory of Kelly Joel Gould, a member of the Fairmont Pta, who passed away at the beginning of the year. Councilmember. Softman, did you want to share a few words about Kelly? Yes, sorry. I have a few more than a few words.

2:18:47I could. I could spend an hour talking about her. But

2:18:54Kelly Gould, I did not get to know her well, but my my daughter goes to Fairmont elementary, and my wife is involved in the Pta, so she know her quite well, and Kelly was a parent and a member of Fairmont elementary schools, wonderful community since

2:19:112017, when her daughter, Isla 1st started as a kindergartner. Her youngest, Lincoln is now a 6th grader, getting ready to graduate this spring, and it's hard to overstate the amount of time, energy, and love she gave of herself to this community for students, parents, and teachers and staff alike.

2:19:29in the purpose of creating a stronger community and an enriched learning environment.

2:19:34Kelly served as vice President and then Pta President during a very challenging time in the early Covid environment, between 2020 and 2022 liaising with the school. What Pta resources were needed to support all virtual learning environments, while also transitioning to all all virtual school fundraising, was a significant challenge and an opportunity.

2:19:58and during Covid she was also helped to support an off campus Walkathon around the neighborhood when it was impossible to hold on campus, the school's biggest fundraiser, and also helped to bring families and students together, and she helped to organize parent volunteers during student lunches for social distancing and for parent volunteers to assist with Covid testing.

2:20:21She was Pta. President during the time of the school's garden program starting, and has continued to be a strong advocate for the space and programming.

2:20:31She also served as volunteer chair on the Pta between 2023 to 2024 organizing grade level play dates, teacher appreciation, potlucks, and other ways for parents to get involved. She led a really amazing mural project that culminated in several painted murals on campus to celebrate the El Cerrito and Broader Bay area communities and outdoor activities.

2:20:56and she was also an advocate of Apac, Elac and Fairmont, rainbow families inside and outside of her formal pta roles, working such that the goals and activities of the Pta would align with the goals of our community organizations focused on equity and inclusion.

2:21:13Kelly, recognizable in her straw hat, overalls, braided hair, and warm smile, was present for, and took photos of, nearly every single student event during the years that her kids were Fairmont students. She's made an incredible contribution to Fairmont elementary school community. As a parent, as a friend, a contribution we can appreciate. And looking around the campus there today, and one we can continue to honor and nurture and build upon. So thank you for joining the meeting in her memory.

2:21:41Thank you so much. Council Member. Did anyone else have anything to say? And we're going to get back to that. Anything else to say about the community members. We're adjourning in memory of councilmember Casanas.

2:21:52I did want to echo most of what Council Member Salsman said. Of course she has a child at Fairmont.

2:21:58so she has had a lot more interaction with Kelly. Did I did, and it was such a shock to me because my knowledge of Kelly is her always making sure to invite me to Pta events, even though oftentimes I didn't get to go, but she always makes sure I would see her name in my Facebook mentors, and I knew that there was something that she wanted me to try and come to for the Paramount Pta. So I'm very sad to hear of her passing, and I know that there was one

2:22:23comment that you wanted to make Council Member Quinto before we go on. Yeah, this is regarding regional boards and liaison. I'm the alternate for with tech. And I would like to request to not be the alternate and to if you can find someone else to do it.

2:22:43My added responsibilities for Cal cities has me on the road, and I'll be on the road this week the rest of the week, and next week so

2:22:54not able to be the backup this year. Well, I will happily, if I am I able to amend that and make myself the alternate holly. Yes, you can certainly put that in the record, and then we will update the information before we send it out tomorrow. Okay, so I'll go ahead and and take care of that. Do I need to say that in the record now, or we'll just I just did. Okay. Well, there you go. And having said that it is now.

2:23:17can we do regional liaison?

2:23:19Oh, if you have an update. Go ahead, go ahead.

2:23:23As the 1st Vice President of the League of California Cities,

2:23:27City manager, Karen Pincus and I will join you, and we will be part of a panel in training the new mayors and city councils

2:23:35up and down the State. We're seeing a lot of division in city councils. And you look at the cities in our area that are in the newspapers all the time because they are playing politics. So Karen and I are going to straighten these cities out and make sure.

2:23:52And it's reminding this Council as well. We are nonpartisan and not political. I know we can be political in our off hours, and that's good, but never on the dais, because this is what we see with cities going sideways right now in our area.

2:24:07Thank you. So we are. So I'll be meeting this week with the Executive

2:24:15people with the Assembly members and Senate. So I'll be meeting with Senator Lena Gonzalez tomorrow. Assembly Member, Cecilia Aguilar Curry.

2:24:26Mayor pro tem. Mcguire.

2:24:28our Senator, Jesse Arigan, Speaker, Rivas Assembly member Buffy Wicks for the 1st time. She's meeting with the Executive Committee, and she's been elected since 2018. So thank you. Assembly Member Buffy Wicks.

2:24:42Assembly, Member Nick Schultz and Senator Scott Weiner, and then my executive committee and I will be meeting with more of the leadership at dinner later tomorrow night.

2:24:55and we'll be taking the show on the road for Southern California training the new mayors and city Council members in Orange County. Well, go ahead and straighten them out, especially Karen. Karen will straighten people out.

2:25:07That's not my job. Oh, it's not her job, and we will do that. And having said that the time is now 8, 26,

2:25:15and we are adjourned in the memory of Jane Thompson and Kelly Jo Goul. On February 1st we will hold our annual city council retreat at the Arlington Clubhouse, and the next regularly scheduled city Council meeting is Tuesday, February 4, th a week before my birthday, 2025 at 6 pm.

2:25:33I'm not instructing anyone to send any gifts at all.

2:25:37Have a good night, everyone.