Regular City Council Meeting April 1, 2025

0:00:06The April 1, st 2025 regularly. City Council meeting is canceled. No, it's not canceled. Happy April. It's called to order at 6 0. 1 Pm. Clerk, will you please call the roll

0:00:18Mayor Weissinger, President Miro dem quinto here, councilmember Kitsanis here. Councilmember Mothiyama here councilmember Saltzman we have a quorum.

0:00:27Okay? The 1st item on the agenda is consideration under Ab. 2449, city clerk. Do we have any requests? We do not mayor? All right. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance or a moment of silence

0:00:40I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

0:00:55The next item on the agenda is teleconference and public comment. Instructions from our city clerk.

0:01:01Thank you, Mayor. This 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 the city council is not able to respond to your comments directly, your comments will be heard prior to council taking action

0:01:24for members of the public who wish to provide oral testimony. The mayor will announce the time for public comment on each applicable item. Public comments will be taken in person only, and a request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk by completing a Speaker card.

0:01:37The 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 all right. The next item on the agenda is Council Staff Communications City Manager. Do we have any staff communications? I do not have any staff communications, your honor. April Fool.

0:02:00No, no, for real, all right. Oh, I'm sorry I got confused. I've never had the city manager not have announcements any announcements from the council members.

0:02:15I just want to remind folks that Earth Day is coming up on the 19, th and we also have a spring tea party coming up on May 10, th

0:02:25which is $15 per person, one to 3 pm. At the Community center. If you have any interest in going to these kinds of events I would urge you to buy your tickets early. The egg splash tickets are all sold out, so popular events do sell out quickly. Thank you.

0:02:41Thank you. Anyway. Did you? Okay.

0:02:45we all have this flyer, but you might not. The go green mobility fairs coming up on Saturday, April 26, th and this is

0:02:53held by the city, and also Rita Richmond, Annex Walk, and Roll, and several other groups, but should be a pretty fantastic event at the El Cerrito Plaza Bart station. It's free. So please come, check it out. You don't have to preregister.

0:03:07Sure. I mean, this is a little further out, but the the hillside fest which has been going on for a long time is coming up May 3rd and May 4.th It's really fun. I've done some of the hikes definitely recommend checking it out.

0:03:22Thank you. And young. Yes, thank you, Mayor.

0:03:26over the weekend I did attend with Council member Rebecca Saltzman. The going away party for the former head of Contra Costa Building and Trades Bill Whitney, and it was Bill Whitney who reached out to me when he became the chair of this and asked me to. Let's work on a pla agreement, and it did some

0:03:50years to get completed. But we we did this, and I'm just so proud of his leadership. I want to say congratulations to Bill Whitney.

0:04:01He's he's done a great job, and look forward to having all the cities in West County

0:04:08have a pla agreement. So you look at the projects that we're doing here at Bart, and all that is pla agreement. And and it's good to see so hopefully with our library when we do our library. Whenever that is that we'll be able to.

0:04:26All right. Council member, all right, and some mayor announcements for the 1st quarter of 2025, covering January to March I recognize the El Cerrito centurion, David Grabner, who turned 100 with a mayoral certificate of recognition on March 27th I signed a letter in support of the city's congressionally directed spending request for the San Pablo Avenue, affordable housing and Green Gateway project.

0:04:54On March 27th I signed a letter in support of Bart's congressionally directed spending request for their led lighting program, which includes the El Credo Plaza station, and on March 31st I signed a letter of support of Cta's application for the last mile Federal funding account. Grant

0:05:12and I just want to take a moment and acknowledge my council members who joined in a if you did not see. We were on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle. I think, last Saturday. It was a great moment for us here in El Cerrito. Thank you for all the community members who have reached out just as a moment of support, because, even though we are a very diverse city who supports everyone, there are, there are some people who don't

0:05:32support the morals and ideals of this particular council. So we thank all of you, and for the couple of people who said, maybe we should be less gay, so that we're not in danger. The answer is, No.

0:05:44all right. The next item on the agenda 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.

0:06:14Thank you, Mayor. At this time we have 8 requests to speak. If you could. Please confirm the 3 min time limit. Thank you, ma'am.

0:06:21Okay. Our 1st speaker, speaker is Michael Markin, followed by Janet Byron.

0:06:31Yeah. The podium there

0:06:37greetings. And thank you, Mayor. Weisinger, honorable counselors, King DOE

0:06:46Saltzman. Thanks very much for having me. I am Michael Carey Martin, a friendly local lawyer.

0:06:54I am also newly appointed to the self titled position of Legislative Council

0:07:00to the El Cerrito Historical Society.

0:07:04I'd like to speak this evening briefly. I promise merely to introduce myself and to reintroduce the society now celebrating its 50th year.

0:07:15My mom and dad had a house built on Seaview Drive in 1958.

0:07:20We moved there when I was 4, so I'm practically a native.

0:07:24I attended the El Cerrito Cooperative Nursery School, del Mar Elementary School, Portland Junior High, and El Cerrito High School, and forever

0:07:35in seemingly rapid succession.

0:07:38Now, after a 25 year stint in Washington, DC.

0:07:43I returned home 15 years ago with a renewed interest in an appreciation for the remarkable community that nurtured me.

0:07:54The el Cerrito Historical Society is a nonprofit formed in 1975

0:08:00for the exploration and preservation of all things related to the remarkable history of our remarkable city

0:08:09from its origins, from El Cerrito's origins.

0:08:14And and it's somewhat lawless infancy in the early 20th century, through its reformed

0:08:21post World War 2 growth into the city of Holmes

0:08:26to its 21st century emergence as a seemingly oxymoronic, progressive, sleepy suburb.

0:08:35el Cerrito has always made history.

0:08:38The society seeks to honor and preserve that history

0:08:42as well as prepare for and partake in its promising future.

0:08:48I just want to remind you that we're here. We have a room upstairs a membership of several 100 and sponsor multiple events. Every year

0:08:58all are invited to join to visit our website and join up

0:09:04our interests, align nicely with that of this esteemed body.

0:09:10In the words of the fictional Rick Blaine.

0:09:14this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

0:09:18Thank you.

0:09:20Questions.

0:09:22Unfortunately, we can't take questions, but please leave your contact information with the clerk. I'm sure we would all love to hear more. Thank you very much. Thanks for your time.

0:09:30Our next speaker is Janet Byron, followed by Carrie Schulman.

0:09:39Loyal Council. I'm Janet Byron, and I'm a resident of El Cerrito.

0:09:44Many Council members are hearing from Richmond Street residents who are concerned about their ability to obtain a blue handicap spot in front of their houses in the future, if some parking is removed to make way for bike lanes.

0:09:57In my opinion the blue handicap parking spot issue is a red herring

0:10:02Federal highway administration, public right-of-way accessibility guidelines under the Americans, with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act ensure inclusion for people with disabilities in public rights of way.

0:10:15These guidelines state accessible on-street parking spaces should be situated near existing crosswalks with curb ramps to ensure easy access to pedestrian routes.

0:10:28Federal accessibility. Guidelines do not permit blue handicap spots to be situated in front of people's homes for their personal convenience.

0:10:37Also, these spots are not for designated use by particular persons, but rather for anyone in the community who possesses a handicap placard.

0:10:46a 2021 Bay area parking inventory by San Jose State University.

0:10:51found that El Cerrito has 4.5 on and off street, parking spaces for every single household in the city.

0:10:59El Cerrito does not have a parking problem.

0:11:03It has a bike lane problem.

0:11:05We have just 2 useful on-street bike lanes on Mosier, between Ashbury and Ohloney, Greenway

0:11:12and on Ashbury, south of Fairmont.

0:11:14When surveyed for the local road safety. Plan 3 quarters of residents said they would bike more if they felt safer on our streets.

0:11:22Copious research shows that bike lanes not only make people feel safer.

0:11:28they actually are safer when separated in any way from automobile traffic.

0:11:34If the city is serious about achieving its climate goals and reducing vehicle Miles traveled, we must create a network of safer bike routes on on our public rights of way.

0:11:45El Cerrito, Richmond, Annex Walk and Roll has has posted evidence-based information about the benefits of complete streets for the entire community on our website, ecrawalkroll.org.

0:11:59I also want to invite everyone in town again to come out on April 26.th El Cerrito's go green Mobility fair at the Plaza Bart station. It's sponsored by the city of El Cerrito, Berkeley, Bart.

0:12:15Bike East Bay and our group and you'll be able to test ride e-bikes

0:12:22see neighborhood electric vehicles as well as enjoy music, food, and fun for people of all ages, and I hope to see you all there. Thank you.

0:12:33Our next speaker is Carrie Schumann, followed by Amelia Schmal.

0:12:40Hello! My name is Carrie Schulman. I'm a resident of El Cerrito. But I'm actually here today to read a letter on behalf of my neighbor, who wasn't able to make it tonight. So she's also a resident of El Cerrito.

0:12:54Her letter is Dear City Council. My name is Karen Lung. I'm a longtime resident of El Cerrito with 2 kids and Wcc. Usd. Schools. I am writing to strongly urge the Council to expand and improve bike paths along Richmond Street

0:13:08as a local resident and parent. I have seen firsthand how the lack of safe bike infrastructure puts cyclists, especially our children, at risk.

0:13:18For 2 years my son rode his bike to and from Korematsu Middle School almost every school day

0:13:25he avoided Richmond Street as much as possible, because it was the most dangerous part of his route. However, between Mosier and Schmidt there are no viable side streets, leaving him with no choice but to navigate this hazardous stretch. He would use the sidewalk during that stretch of his ride whenever possible.

0:13:44He frequently rode on Norvell Street, which has speed bumps and bike signages on the stretches closer to school, and yet he was forced off the road by an inattentive motorist and crashed into the curb.

0:13:56Fortunately he was not badly injured, but he did have to miss school to recover. This is exactly the type of incident we invite when we fail to provide dedicated bike lanes along or near Richmond Street, especially so close to our schools

0:14:10beyond safety concerns the traffic around our schools is overwhelming at drop off and pickup times. The best way to alleviate congestion is to make walking and biking safer and more accessible, encouraging more students and families to bike will not only reduce traffic, but also promote healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.

0:14:32I urge the Council to take action and prioritize the creation of safe bike lanes along Richmond Street. Our community deserves streets that serve everyone, not just cars sincerely. Karen Lung.

0:14:45Thank you.

0:14:47Thank you. Our next speaker is Amelia Schmal, followed by Corolando Riesbord.

0:14:56Hi! Good evening. My name is Amelia, and I'm a resident on Everett Street congrats to the new Council. I saw the Chronicle article, and I was so proud to be from El Cerrito, grateful for the leadership on being a premier destination for Lgbtq. Plus families

0:15:12grateful to be proud of a city that is promoting kindness, inclusion, and love. Right now.

0:15:17the reason I'm here today is also in support of the Richmond Street, complete streets project.

0:15:23My family strongly supports more walkability and safer bike routes and traffic calming traffic calming is extremely important and long overdue in El Cerrito

0:15:33last April we, our family, had a similar experience where a child in our family was hit by a car very close to Richmond Street. Thankfully. He is okay, but it is a horrific experience that no family should ever have to go through

0:15:48after that incident, actually almost 140 of my neighbors signed a petition that I started and submitted to this council last June

0:15:56in support of traffic calming in specific so we know that

0:16:02we know firsthand that cars drive too fast on our streets, and that traffic calming is the way to go to increase safety for our cyclists and pedestrians. So we strongly support traffic calming measures in El Cerrito. Thank you so much.

0:16:16Our next speaker is Coralander Riesbord, followed by Michael Mcdougall.

0:16:24Hello! I prepared for 2 min, so I'm going to speak very calmly now, which is nice. My name is Coriander Riceford. I've been a renter in El Cerrito since before my kids were born, and they're in college now. I live across the street from Korematsu Middle School, and I'm here today to voice my passionate support for the Richmond complete Streets proposal, including especially the bike path.

0:16:48I want to take a moment, though, to acknowledge the nature of change, and how hard it is for all of us as humans.

0:16:55The thought of losing something through change, which is a trade-off hits us in the gut in a way that the thought of what we stand to gain can't, because what we stand to gain isn't here yet.

0:17:07And so I want

0:17:08to use my 2 min to paint a picture of what we could gain from a complete streets proposal.

0:17:15I am dreaming of an El Cerrito where more of our kids get to school safely on their own, and our city isn't clogged by traffic jams around all our schools every weekday morning.

0:17:27where folks get out of their cars more, and we have more good mornings and more hellos, and because there are more eyes on the street, our street city is safer for all of us.

0:17:37I'm dreaming of an El Cerrito, where living on Richmond Street is as pleasant as living on Everett or Norvell, because it's no longer optimized for cars speeding through.

0:17:49I'll be 61 in June. I'm not going to be riding my bike around forever. I do know that, but when that day comes I want better options than we have now I want to be able to ride my mobility scooter safely to the pool for water aerobics.

0:18:05I want to safely ride my e-trike to our new library for my senior Book Club.

0:18:11I know how awful it is to live in a car dependent suburb when you can no longer drive, because I drive a meals on wheels route in San Pablo, and I see how isolated, lonely, and dependent my clients are.

0:18:24I want better for future me and for all of us.

0:18:27I'm dreaming of an El Cerrito where kids can be more independent, where adults in their middle years can be more active, and where those of us who are older are not confined to our homes. Once we can no longer drive.

0:18:41I'm dreaming of an El Cerrito, where all of us, regardless of age or degree of personal mobility can move about our city safely, conveniently, and independently.

0:18:52We're not there yet. I love this city, and I want the El Cerrito of my dreams, not the El Cerrito. We have right now.

0:19:00I urge you to approve this bike path, and I thank you for your time.

0:19:06Our next speaker is Michael Mcdougall, followed by Catherine Baca.

0:19:11Hello! My name is Michael Mctougal, and I live in El Cerrito. One of the items up 7 G is about keeping our buildings clean. And I appreciate that we have been keeping our buildings clean, and it makes a difference. I understand that there's been staffing shortages, and that the universal building services has actually been doing a satisfactory job of keeping things clean.

0:19:33But since contracts like this contract can become recurring and exceed the 45 K. It might be helpful to think a little bit about how we would approach this if we knew in advance. If we had a crystal ball and knew that instead of being sort of a short fill in item, it would turn into a a recurring longer term item, does it make sense to put

0:19:57custodial services like this out to a bid? Maybe there's things we could do to accelerate filling up the custodial staffing shortages.

0:20:06So just wanted to bring those to your attention. And thank you for everything you do to keep things.

0:20:13Our next speaker is Catherine Baca, followed by Betty Akisich.

0:20:23Get 2 min, 3 min. Oh, okay,

0:20:28I'm Catherine Baca. I live on Richmond Street. I want to start off by addressing what was said about kids getting to Korematsu. It scares me.

0:20:39I was standing in front of my house one day

0:20:42work or 2 ago, and I was waiting for a friend who was gonna give me a ride to somewhere where we're going.

0:20:50And along came a middle school kid. They're small.

0:20:55And he was riding his bike half full leather.

0:20:58and I thought to myself, if all the parking spaces in front of my house

0:21:03had been occupied, I would not have been able to see him had I been backing out.

0:21:09If, on the other hand, the bike lane was between my car and the curb.

0:21:14I wouldn't have been able to see him going into my driveway. It is a danger

0:21:22now. I was going to call talk to you tonight about the Richmond Street projects

0:21:28which is often labeled the bicyclist versus the residence, as

0:21:36as if justice were lifting up her

0:21:41balanced scales aloft to decide which side had more weight.

0:21:46This is nonsense.

0:21:48Many bicyclists do not use Richmond and would not use it if bike lanes were installed.

0:21:56A couple I know who did the grizzly sentry, and it might not be the right name told me just that.

0:22:04On the other hand, my neighbor next door

0:22:07she does the grizzly sentry, and commutes on her bike along Richmond and likes the plan. Some bicycle support cyclists support the plan, and some don't. So saying, this is bicyclist against residents is wrong.

0:22:24The bicycles who support the bike lanes on Richmond rent the bicycle lanes.

0:22:33What is an aspirational word?

0:22:35You want chocolate always

0:22:38a new car, a dog learning's a good thing, but it does not mean you get what you want.

0:22:45Many Richmond Street folks oppose the plan based on the need to have accessible parking in front of their home

0:22:53a year ago, when I suddenly messed up my knee. Kaiser told me I could not drive or walk anywhere.

0:23:02but that I needed to see my doctor.

0:23:05The only way I could do that was to ask friends for a ride. They had to park in front of my house to pick me up, which wasn't a problem.

0:23:14Usually not all the spaces are taken.

0:23:17Spaces would not be there if this plan went through.

0:23:23And even if you put spaces. What did she say?

0:23:272 houses from the corner?

0:23:30If I lived in the middle of the block

0:23:33and I was told I couldn't walk anywhere to the doctors. Okay, and I hope that the city will provide

0:23:44for the Ada. Our next. Our next speaker is Betty Akasich.

0:24:00Thank you. And good evening. I'm Buddy Akasic, resident of Hana Gardens. I've been in El Cerrito for around 8 years.

0:24:08and I'm turning out to be a senior and a senior advocate, and

0:24:13we're using the community center on Moser Lane for some of the senior programs that we have there. And they're very enjoyable. And we're certainly glad to have them

0:24:23right at the entrance of no

0:24:27parking area at the El Saludo Community Center 7 0 0 7 Nova Lane. I was aware of a parcel of of dirt that it had roofing materials when they were replacing the roof. Last year there were a couple of bricks missing. People were throwing cigarette butts.

0:24:46I didn't see any bear cans, but it was. It might have gone in that direction.

0:24:50and I engage with some dialogue with a Singapore.

0:24:57and we talked about what what that

0:25:00parcel of dirt might look like, and we talked about planting, putting a garden into that spot.

0:25:08And if you go there now, yesterday last week. This week. Tomorrow

0:25:14you'll see a garden that's been planted in in that brick enclosure right there at the entrance to

0:25:217 0 0 7 northern lane, else we look in the center, donated.

0:25:27contributed to the community by the senior community, and that

0:25:34senior year of mine that is.

0:25:36planted that garden and made it as beautiful as it is, is

0:25:41as beautiful as her, and she's here this evening, and I'd like to ask Mallory to stand up and take a bow.

0:25:51Yeah.

0:25:54So Mallory is actively involved in the beautification of El Cerrio. That's where seniors have an interest. And and I was communicating with another senior peer who he had here just a few weeks ago with her for

0:26:12some years of dedication at the Saint John, the Luther

0:26:19sooner center on Mondays on Ashbury, and that's Carol Keogh.

0:26:26And Carol had an idea that she shared with me, and as she was sharing it with me, I said, Well, do.

0:26:32Do you want me to take this to the city council? And she said, Yes, and I said, Do I have the approval to quote you your name. Carol Keogh, she said. Yes.

0:26:41she's arguing for a library in the former Joanne's location, and I pointed out to her that the city needs taxation, and she said, that you'd get the increased taxation by the people coming to go to a library in the Joanne's location, solving everybody's problem.

0:27:02Thank you. Your time has ended.

0:27:05Oh, sure! And that concludes our request to speak. All right. Thank you so much. The next item on the agenda is presentation. Starting with the el Cerrito Library Update and National Library Proclamation. Can we have the presentation, please?

0:27:21Thank you. May we have Heidi Goldstein on? Remotely? Heidi? You should be able to share screen, or, if you prefer, I can pull up the Powerpoint for you

0:27:30Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): If you don't mind pulling up the Powerpoint, that would be great, so I can read my own notes that would

0:27:34My.

0:27:35Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Excellent. Thank you very much.

0:27:43Let me know when it's I can't tell if it's up or not.

0:27:46Okay, and

0:27:54Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you.

0:27:56Hi, everybody. Thanks for showing up. Thank you. To Mayor Weisinger, Mayor pro tem quinto, and the entire El Cerrito City Council. Nice to see you all. I am here today because we are celebrating National Library week. The week of April 6, th through the 12th

0:28:13and National Library week is an annual celebration that highlights the valuable role that libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

0:28:26Next slide, please.

0:28:31So for my first, st basically a review of the last year, you can see that the circulation of library materials has increased 4%,

0:28:42and that's pretty great. And then next slide, please.

0:28:50and even more exciting our circulation. Numbers of ebooks and e-audiobooks continues to rise as well, and these materials circulate are circulating 18% more than they did in 2022, and 2023.

0:29:05Thank you. Next slide.

0:29:09While we are not yet at pre-pandemic levels, people are returning to the library in person more abundantly, and we are up 6% over the 2022, 2023 years, and visits to the library's website@ccclib.org are also up, and those are up about 22%. Thank you. Next slide.

0:29:33So I have the 4 most popular books of 2024, and you can see there we have the early reader, middle Reader, Teen and adult reader, and that's pretty interesting. But if you go to the next slide.

0:29:47You can see El Cerrito Library's most popular books, and you might note, the close observer might note that the early and middle readers, the Thank you. Book and Dogman. Book 1120,000 Fleas under the sea are the same as the countywide books, and our difference is that our teen, best reader was loveless and adult is the Heaven and Earth grocery store which I highly recommend.

0:30:13Next slide, please. Thank you.

0:30:16Here's a cute picture of our rolling reader, which is an all electric van that provides literary services to children, 0 to 5 in vulnerable communities.

0:30:27and last year it celebrated its 1st year on the road in November of 2024

0:30:33next slide, please.

0:30:36If you haven't looked lately, I definitely encourage you to do so. We currently have at least 50 different, all free digital resources that we offer to anybody with a library card.

0:30:47And these digital resources serve a plethora of needs such as resume assistance, career tests, school research and so much more. And here's just 3 examples. So we have O'reilly, which is a collection of technology and business ebooks, audio books, courses, and videos for students, job seekers, entrepreneurs, general learners. And beyond

0:31:08our second one is that I just picked up starting a new language with mango by choosing from over 70 world languages. Mango also includes little pim for young children, American sign language, and also English, as a second language for non-english speakers.

0:31:26Finally and most maybe most excitedly. I don't know. We also provide free, remote access to consumerreports.org, and you can use that to find reliable ratings and reviews for thousands of products. And you can also access money saving advice and tips, buying guides, videos, and more

0:31:45pretty cool stuff for free

0:31:48we also have summary a review here. So summer is a really big deal here, if you are not aware, I definitely encourage you to come by during this every all the time, but definitely during the summer

0:32:00as a county library system. We have 9 branches that serve lunch in the summer when school cafeterias are closed, and last summer over 13,000 meals and snacks were served.

0:32:13El Cerrito Library is proud to be one of these 9 branches that provides lunch during the summer, and last summer we served 333 meals over the course of 8 weeks.

0:32:23You can also see on that slide. There's a little bit about summer reading, which is, let me note, an All ages program, and we welcome everyone to come and take part in it. Last summer we had 7,881 participants, which is an increase in 21% from the previous year.

0:32:42Next slide, please.

0:32:47Here's a few more exciting things that happened for those who are unaware. We have an amazing program called Project Second Chance. And this is the library's adult literacy program, which celebrated 40 years in 2024,

0:33:00and over the last 4 decades. Project second chance has helped more than 6,500 adults improve their reading skills and achieve goals like getting a driver's license passing a citizenship test or reading to their grandchild.

0:33:14Project second chance has also trained more than 4,000 volunteer tutors who have given more than half a million hours helping neighbors meet their literacy goals and something that I did not write out already. The project, second chance manager told me the other day that El Cerrito. It has the highest number of project, second chance tutors, and over the years the most recommendations.

0:33:38Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Another undertaking that we had it. Nope. Sorry was something called self service Sundays, which opened at the Concord Library out there in the central part of the county.

0:33:49and on Sundays. Excuse me, patrons can browse the collection, check out books, return items, pick up holds, connect to Wi-fi and use the space for studying or reading. You can register to gain access pre-register to gain access to this@ccclib.org. And again, that is only currently available at the Concord Library.

0:34:09Finally, we have the North Richmond lockers, which, launched in April of 2024, and those are housed inside the Corinne, Sane Senior and Family Center on Silver Avenue in Richmond, and they're open to the public Monday through Friday, 9 Am. To one Pm. And these are lockers that are a self-service program offering convenient contact, free access to pick up library materials.

0:34:34Excuse me.

0:34:36and there we have our little library. Last year we celebrated 75 years in our Stockton Avenue location. During 2024 we had well over 200 programs for varying ages of audiences with nearly 5,000 attendees.

0:34:54You can see. Overall. We had a whole bunch of different things going on, and we generally try to keep it exciting here

0:35:04next slide, please.

0:35:05I've just decided to include some fun pictures from some of our programs, just to show everybody you know what a good time we have so pictured here on the left is one of our read to a dog volunteers clearly getting appreciated, some gentle appreciation from from some Fairmont elementary school students during a classroom visit.

0:35:26and then the image on the right is in our basement, and that is our teen dungeons and dragons program that happens monthly. And in this picture you can see they're kind of painting little miniatures.

0:35:39And that's a fun program. Next slide, please.

0:35:44And so here is a great example of a program that we had, which is the owners of Berkeley's Cafe ohlone, and they are here. They were educating our community about ohlone culture and some of the present day contributions. The ohlone are making such as their collaboration with the Lawrence Hall of Science, the National Science Foundation and Uc. Berkeley School of Information.

0:36:05So the image on the left is the front of the live. The front of the program and the image on the back is from I mean, sorry. The image on the right is from the back, and you can see kind of what a full house looks like for us. So that was probably about 50 people there in our children's section for an adult program.

0:36:23And then our next slide is an image from a super fun program we had called Sensory bookmaking that was brought to us by La Vera Wilson as part of our celebration of Black Children's Book Week. You can see here we have 2 happy bookmakers in action with their grandma.

0:36:39and finally the program on the right, which was entitled Writing Family History with AI. This was a hands-on AI assisted writing workshop, brought to us by Ron Chan, and Ron is the Executive director of the Bay Area Chinese Genealogy group. And this is our second year collaborating with him to bring a relevant program to our community.

0:36:59And that's it. You can go to the next slide. Thank you very much, and keep reading thanks for your time and attention this evening.

0:37:06I am also here for the overall week proclamation, so I'm not sure where that goes in this presentation. But thank you very much.

0:37:17Thank you so much, Heidi, for that presentation. Do any of our council members have any questions or comments? I'll start at the end.

0:37:25Councilmember. Salsman. Hi, Heidi! Nice to see you out of the library, even though I see you there almost every week.

0:37:32Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): That is true.

0:37:32Thank you for the presentation. I

0:37:35Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you.

0:37:35From it. Really appreciate the programming. And actually, just this morning my daughter likes to go to read for a dog, and if you don't know. They give out trading cards once you've read to a specific dog for the specific dog, and so we have them up on our fridge, and she is a dog. She really likes Zach. So he pulled Zach down today and was saying, I really want to go read to a dog again. So

0:37:59that program is really working. She definitely loves it. And I see all the other kids loving it. And it was so fun to see El Cerritos.

0:38:08most popular books, and

0:38:11I've read 3 out of 4 of them. I don't have a middle middle reader in my house, so I haven't read that one, but I highly recommend the Thank you. Book, and really everything by Mo. Williams and the Heaven and Earth Grocery store, and really anything. By James Mcbride, who's a fantastic author?

0:38:30And I just want to point out loveless, because that must have come from the Lgbtq shelf. Which you know, El Cerrito is the only library that has a collection like that.

0:38:42And just a kind of heads up for adults. That young adult books, actually, I think, are some of the books pushing the boundaries the most, and they're important to read, even for adults, especially adults, who are parents and are trying to figure out what's going on these days? But this was a good one. It's about a character who's just finding out that they're asexual, aromantic. They have a lot of queer friends, but they're

0:39:10not understanding their space and figuring it out. And it's a really important story. I recommend actually anything by Alice Osman. I think I've read like 4 of her books. So, anyway, go go peruse the books at the library. You never know you what you'll find, and please do check out that section. We're the only ones that have it. And they have books for all ages, adults, teens, and little kids like Get, you know, being able to pick up

0:39:36a book for my daughter where she can see parents who are 2 men or 2 women who look like our family. It's really important for a kid to be able to see that. So, anyway. Sorry just had to get on promoting our library, which I love. But thank you for the update and all that you do

0:39:55Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you so much

0:39:56Councilmember. Motiama. Thank you. Thank you for the presentation. It's always great to hear how well used our library is, and it just seems to me to make the case for a larger space. So thank you for bringing that information, and

0:40:12I know it's not on the list. But I love Dave Pilkey and Captain Underpants.

0:40:18Thank you. Go to councilmember Casanas

0:40:22Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Okay.

0:40:22Yeah, thank you. Mayor. Heidi. Great to see you. And again, thank you for the update.

0:40:29I'm reminded about, you know that library being just down the street when I was growing up

0:40:36and I attended Fairmont, and I carried all of my musical instruments with me, and waited for my mom to get home from work at so I spent an hour there every day

0:40:49until

0:40:51Junior high so a lot of memories there. And I look forward to the possibility of a new and and I know this Council, which is the 1st pro LGBT Majority Council. We have some fundraising to do in the future

0:41:12to add more books for our LGBT collection, so grateful to a couple that left us the largest LGBT. Collection in Contra Costa County, and that's here in El Cerrito. So Heidi was that 2017 when when we got that

0:41:35Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): I'm not sure when the money came in. I think the money had come in a little earlier before I actually started here, but we kicked off our special collection, Mayor pro tem quinto. In 2018

0:41:48Okay. Very good.

0:41:49Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): That's when we had that fun party. Yep.

0:41:52Look forward to the summer where we will have the mayor read to the kids

0:41:59that. That's part of our duties. And and you're gonna have a lot of fun doing that. So thank you, Heidi.

0:42:05Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you.

0:42:06Thank you, Heidi, and I do love reading to kids as long as I'm not the teacher. You know, kids, you know. You gotta keep them under wrap, and I'm just playing. It's all adjustment.

0:42:16Thank you, Heidi, for your presentation. You know that I can never say enough about books. We didn't get to meet when I was a commission. I think that we were still in the pandemic, and I came in, and you know, Heidi, just all over the place, and they're like we're trying to get you with Heidi. But I do need to speak with you, Heidi. I will see you, but I'm just glad to hear, and I think it's always important for the community to hear how used our library is

0:42:38that it is one of the most used libraries in the county system. It's 1 thing for us to say how much we love the library, but it's a different thing where people would be able to publicly assist access the numbers and see that we have lots of people coming in and out the door like council. Member Motiyama says it definitely makes the case of what we can do. If we had a larger library with a larger collection, maybe we would have my book in that collection, we'll talk about that.

0:43:03But thank you again for the presentation. Do I have a motion to approve the proclamation?

0:43:11Have a second? All right. So, moved by Councilmember Salzman, seconded by councilmember multiyama all in favor, please say aye, aye.

0:43:20all any opposed, any abstentions, all right. The vote passes unanimously

0:43:26Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Terry

0:43:26Now we oh, are we taking a picture? It says we're going to take a picture. No picture. I thought Heidi was going to be here in person. But Allison Allison is here. Our county librarian is here. Photo OP. With her would be okay. Let's do that then.

0:43:42Sorry, Alison, if you weren't ready to take a picture.

0:43:47You did not come. Picture ready. We take pictures here

0:43:55Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you so much. Everybody.

0:43:57Yeah, we can do that.

0:43:59That's a good idea, Heidi. You can smile. They'll take a picture in front of the screen so you can do it in the picture, too.

0:44:18Oh, Bethany! Oh, can't speak in that country

0:44:30perfect! And we got you, Heidi. Thank you.

0:44:32Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Yay!

0:44:35Are, we say, are we saving if we're have a cake?

0:44:41Okay? Every time. Okay.

0:44:51Heidi, we'll make sure you get the original proclamation

0:44:55Heidi Goldstein (El Cerrito Library Manager): Thank you so much. Holly. Thank you. Everyone

0:45:00All right. Next, we have the Contra Costa Library Commissioner update. Can we please have the presentation?

0:45:09May you just give me one second? We have one Commissioner in person, one Commissioner online. So I'm gonna get the presentation open. And then I'm gonna get Michael online.

0:45:53Okay, Michael, sorry for the delay you should be able to turn on your camera. Now

0:45:59I'm gonna go ahead and test. Make sure we can hear you

0:46:04Michael Fischer (CCLC): Hello! Good evening! Can I be heard?

0:46:08Yes, we can hear you loud and clear.

0:46:10Michael Fischer (CCLC): Great Mayor Mayor pro tem council members. I'm here tonight with our alternate library. Commissioner Bethany Woods.

0:46:24I I'm having some health problems which require me to stay home.

0:46:33Would otherwise, of course, want to be there anyway. Bethany and I are

0:46:39going to present a few items of, we think of interest involving the library.

0:46:48the council, and Bethany. I believe you have the 1st parking.

0:46:54The issue of privacy of library records

0:47:04Is the light on the base of the microphone.

0:47:09Thank you. I am taking the 1st item, and that is the privacy of library records.

0:47:15and according to the public records act it mandates confidentiality, love, registration, and patron use records.

0:47:24And with that information, that within it it's the identity of patrons provided to be eligible.

0:47:322.

0:47:34Borrow or use materials, so the information that they used to be able to be eligible to borrow information, and that includes their name, address, telephone number and their email address.

0:47:47borrowing information or use of materials. Any database, search records or information requests all of that was within

0:47:56okay of the privacy.

0:48:00And so who can access records? Only the patron and the age does not matter. And parent child relationship is also irrelevant.

0:48:13And so what records are kept.

0:48:15So when a person charged at an item, a record is kept until that item is returned.

0:48:20After a person returns an item. No record is kept of that. The library system keeps record of the number of times an item is charged. So, for example, being able to see how many times the book was taken out a year like we saw in the earlier presentation.

0:48:34No record is kept of who has charged out a particular item.

0:48:39No record is kept of what a particular patron has charged out.

0:48:43Only that person can information about their records.

0:48:50So the U.S.A. Patriot Act raises concerns about confidentiality of library records. So the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution affirming its strong support of our constitutionally guaranteed rights and liberties, and supported by the repeal of those sections of the U.S.A. Patriot act that infringe upon civil liberties.

0:49:10Similar opinion, together with much supporting documentation, can be found on the American Library website@ala.org slash advocacy, slash, patriot, patriot act

0:49:26Michael Fischer (CCLC): Thank you, Bethany.

0:49:29We presented that information.

0:49:34and it's just a good reminder that when you use the library, what you're using the library for is not kept as a record, and that's very much, I think, of interest to people today

0:49:53Michael Fischer (CCLC): in what I can only think is a great irony of timing. Just before Library week President Trump indicated his intent to abolish

0:50:10the Institute for museum and library services, and that's the only Federal agency that's involved in funding for libraries, and it does provide 16 million dollars to California through the statutorily funded grants to state program. Among other grants.

0:50:34And I just read today more news that apparently the number of employees at Imls has

0:50:47been just drastically reduced. And so, even if those grants were to go out, there's not the personnel to make sure that they go out. This is an item of

0:51:02great concern, as you can see on this slide. It lists a variety of different services

0:51:10that are funded by the Imls money, including, I would note at the bottom that in Contra Costa County this gives free New York times access for all library papers.

0:51:31We would ask the Council to consider passing a resolution to call upon

0:51:42our State, our State Federal representatives, our Congress

0:51:49Congressmen and our 2 State Senators to do whatever they can to protect the funding and to protect the personnel in.

0:52:02you know, within the Imls.

0:52:05and if the Council is willing to do that, I would be willing to provide the wording of a resolution to be considered at the

0:52:18next council meeting.

0:52:23Finally, in both the Mayor and us and I know others have talked about

0:52:33an article in Friday's. It was actually Saturday's Chronicle which I can't quite focus on here, but I do have. It was front page on the left side a large article entitled

0:52:53El Cerrito Plants Flag for Inclusivity, and this is just very important.

0:53:04Not only the Lgbtq plus majority on our city council.

0:53:10and particularly Mayor Weisinger, was mentioned

0:53:16in the article, but in the article she mentioned something that's been talked about several times already tonight the El Cerrito, Lgbtq. Plus library collection.

0:53:30since, I believe, only Mayor, the Mayor pro tem.

0:53:37Was on the Council at that time.

0:53:40Michael Fischer (CCLC): I'd like to briefly talk about how this collection came about.

0:53:48There was a gay couple. They actually lived in Kensington, but they had a number of libraries that they really liked, including El Cerrito, and they lent or they gave money.

0:54:07The library

0:54:10And Heidi, who was the librarian at the time

0:54:16called together a group to look at

0:54:20what we should do with the money that was involved.

0:54:26and it was decided that the best thing we could do with that money was to establish an Lgbtq. Plus collection in the library.

0:54:39When that collection had been received and shelved, we held a celebration in the library to dedicate that collection.

0:54:53The funding for the celebration

0:54:57was done by our El Cerrito Library Foundation. It was a wonderful event. I was able to

0:55:08attend, and a number of others attended.

0:55:13And I like to tell the story about what that celebration actually meant, because the day after that celebration.

0:55:27A woman came into the library.

0:55:33and she noted that she had a non-binary child, and

0:55:42that that child had attended the celebration together with their mother.

0:55:50and they said this was the 1st time that they had ever felt a member of this community.

0:56:03And further, that they wanted to volunteer at the library.

0:56:12And I am sure that that one person was actually multiplied by many other people. It's really is about

0:56:24inclusivity, as the headline in the Chronicle shows

0:56:31and as the mayor pro tem. Keeps talking to us about, we are going to keep that collection growing with our city council now with our foundation. It's important to

0:56:47to do, and to have more of that collection, you know, in our library.

0:56:58I would just ask now if there are any questions on anything that Bethany and I have reported about

0:57:07Any questions or comments from the Council. Yes, councilmember, Salson.

0:57:11thank you for the update. It was good to be reminded that only you know, patrons can access their records, which I don't. I don't think a lot of people realize, and I know I'm going to spread the word about it. But I wanted to know just because of where our city is. A lot of our residents also have library cards elsewhere, like at the Richmond Library, which isn't part of Contra Costa, or maybe some of the libraries in all Alameda County. Do you know if the other nearby libraries have similar policies

0:57:41Michael Fischer (CCLC): I would presume, because these policies come from State law.

0:57:48that the other libraries have that as well. But frankly, I would, I would ask, because, even though it's state law, we know that sometimes it's.

0:58:01you know, it's not taken seriously. And we take that very seriously. We think it's a very, very important role that libraries have

0:58:14Yes, and I know the Contra Costa Library has been on the cutting edge of policies like this this and not charging people fines. I think they were the 1st one in the State to not do that anymore for late book. So I think it's great that Contra Costa County is so so far ahead, and I will look into what the other library policies are. Thank you.

0:58:34Michael Fischer (CCLC): Thank you, councilmember. I would point out we weren't quite the 1st to do the no fines policy, but we did it very, very early, particularly. Once we found out that the fines contribute not at all to getting books back on time

0:58:55Maybe it was 1st in the Bay Area. It was 1st somewhere, so maybe I have a wrong off to go look it up.

0:59:00Remember being surprised that it at the time that it was Contra Costa. So it was great

0:59:05council. Member, multyama. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you. Bethany and Michael for the presentation. It's always good to hear kind of what's important at the county level on the State level and the Federal level.

0:59:18I do want to address the question about what libraries do, and having worked at libraries for a number of years, and even a long time ago, the civil

0:59:29issue

0:59:30is really really important to librarians, and I think that's why, you know, on top of just books and literacy that librarians are really kind of at the forefront of keeping those privacy rights going, because there's always been pressure to get information about patrons and what they check out for whatever reason, like, I can check out a book

0:59:53about how to make bombs, and no one should be able to come and accuse me of anything just because I read a book about it. So those kinds of

1:00:01rules have been in place for a long time. So I really want to applaud librarians for like keeping the faith and also

1:00:09being such a stalwart part of our democracy.

1:00:12Thank you. Thank you. Anyone on this side.

1:00:15Thank you so much, Michael. And we, you know, we've had a lot of conversation. I think that during my time as a commissioner, and I say this every time that you come to present the best thing to me about being on our commission and learning about the Contra Costa libraries is actually not the parts about the books. It's about how important the community is to our Contra Costa library system. You know the conversations that we had about unhoused community members

1:00:39who use our library and and how the library can function as another way that we support that community and how we support our children, how we support our youth. So you know, I'm always thankful to the work that you and and Bethany do.

1:00:54and keeping us in the loop with what's going on across the system and making sure that we, as a city on the cutting edge on what the county itself is doing. We are always one of the again, one of the stalwart libraries in our county, so thank you all for your amazing work.

1:01:09Michael Fischer (CCLC): Thank you, Mayor, and congratulations on that wonderful article

1:01:15How did you get a print copy? I really really thought I bought all of them. That's what councilmember, Casana said.

1:01:22Michael Fischer (CCLC): Well, we are actually probably one of the few, maybe the few people who actually subscribe to the print copy of the Chronicle and I, you know, picked up the paper on Saturday. Actually, my wife picked up the paper and she said.

1:01:39Did you see this?

1:01:41And I looked at it, and you know I had already been talking with others about our Lgbtq. Plus Majority City Council, but

1:01:52I had not seen that. And it's absolutely

1:01:56wonderful, and probably for a very small amount. I might even be willing to sell this, sell this copy

1:02:06Come up and buy it for you

1:02:08Michael Fischer (CCLC): That's a joke. I would donate it, of course.

1:02:11Well, thank you, Bethany, and thank you, Michael, so much for the presentation

1:02:14Michael Fischer (CCLC): Thank you.

1:02:17Alright. The next item on the agenda is adoption of the consent, the Consent calendar, which includes the following items.

1:02:26earth, month, proclamation, education, and Sharing Day proclamation, transgender day of visibility, proclamation, economic Development Committee appointments authorized annual report for landscaping and lighting assessment District for fiscal year 2526,

1:02:44spending authority for recreation. Instructor inspected to exceed 45,000 for Fy. 2425, spending authority for universal building services to exceed 45,000 for Fy. 2425. Adoption of the Contra Costa County. Local multi jurisdiction, hazard mitigation plan for the city of El Cerrito.

1:03:06Second reading and adoption of an Ordinance amending and restating. Chapter 3.2 0 of the El Cerrito Municipal Code to dissolve the El Cerrito Pension Board and the renewal of the library Lease and Service Agreement with Contra Costa County. One item of note

1:03:24that item 7 B has a representative here to speak and receive the proclamation which will occur after adoption of the consent. Calendar. Please also note that there is a revised proclamation and supplemental materials for item 7 a. And 7 B.

1:03:38Are there any questions or requests for councils to pull items?

1:03:44Are we Councilmember Stodsman?

1:03:46I just wanted to briefly say on A and BI appreciate that my recommended edits were included in the supplemental and then on CI just wanted to thank the mayor for putting this forward. I know this is a new one, the transgender day of visibility, and we have so many proclamations we do every year. But thank you for adding this, I really appreciate that absolutely council member. Yes, I have a quick question on item G,

1:04:16okay.

1:04:17any on this side of the platform Council members. Casanas, alright. And I am going to actually go ahead and pull. Item C,

1:04:26all right. So, starting with Council Member Motima with Item G. Yes, thank you, Mayor. So my question on. Item G is in the in the discussion. There's talk about not being able to find people to fill the janitorial positions, and I was just wondering why it was so difficult. Is it the salary level or technical expertise? Or what was it that makes it so hard

1:04:57Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Okay.

1:04:57Good evening, honorable Mayor and council members. I'm Chris Jones, the recreation director.

1:05:03The language in there might might be a little confusing. It's

1:05:07we've had a series of vacancies for a variety of reasons. Not necessarily that we haven't found good candidates. And but the reason why we've used Ubs for so long is primarily because we were waiting for the class and Comp study to conclude. And then, when that happened, we had

1:05:30a retirement. And then we most recently had another retirement. We're using a current custodian in an in an acting role. And so but we do have an open recruitment right now, which we could hire one or 2 custodians depending on you know the quality of the applicants

1:05:51Great. Thank you very much.

1:05:53Chris Jones (Recreation Director): Welcome!

1:05:55This is another day when we only have 2 items being pulled. Well, I just wanted to make a quick comment on item 7 C. Which was the the resolution for transgender day of visibility. And thank you. Like Council. Member Salsman says, this is, I believe, the 1st year that we have recognized transgender day of visibility. And it is so important similar to what we said earlier about

1:06:18how we're going to go have renewed focus on the Lgbtq community members, because so many are under assault.

1:06:24In the in the proclamation or resolution, it does recognize the 450 Anti-lgbtq bills that are being currently proposed on the Federal level. Many of them have veiled attempts to truly target transgender communities. So even if they say something about protecting kids or making the sanity of bathrooms, or whatever they are, there at the, at their core. They are targeting our transgender community members.

1:06:47And for me, what's very important in this day and time, considering some of the things that are one of our statewide elected officials, has said that

1:06:55I will not name here on this dais, but

1:06:57a lot of people are going to use the tried method that was done back in the fifties where you had poor. I'm sorry. Rich white farmers who went to poor white farmers and basically told them that they may be poor, but at least they weren't black, and that was the genesis of the Jim Crow movement. And as I've told someone, some folks in a lot of different settings that's the same type of assault that we're seeing on our transgender

1:07:22community members. People are really trying to separate the T from the Lgbtq. So we want to make sure that every time we get an opportunity we not only make our transgender community visible, but make sure that people know that they are a valued part of the Lgbtq acronym, name and community.

1:07:39So once again. Oh, and I also wanted to acknowledge, for those who may ask transgender. Day of visitability was actually yesterday. It's always on March the 31, st because you're mayor. Didn't I remember that in order to file the flag we have to 1st

1:07:53half the proclamation. So that's why the flag did not fly, but it was so great, and our city manager noted how many of the actual transgender flags were already flying on Bill, on buildings, on businesses and in front of people's homes. So El Cerrito truly is a diverse community that we say that we are representing, and even as a regular council member. Next year we will make sure to get this on the agenda early enough so we can fly the flag next year.

1:08:18and with that do I have a motion to pass the consent. Calendar, I'll move anyone. Take it

1:08:25all right, all in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed.

1:08:30any abstentions. So the consent calendar passes and apologies just to confirm it's on us for a second. Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you. That's okay. I just wanted to make sure. I heard correctly. Thank you all right. Okay? So the next item.

1:08:45oh, that's right. Thank you so much. This is why Catherine Ramotiami is on the right, because she never lets me miss a thing. So we have. Item, it was 7 B. Correct, correct the education day of education and sharing Rabbi Yankee Bell. Would you like to come up and say a few words before you accept the proclamation.

1:09:12Good evening. Thank you.

1:09:15Since this is a proclamation about education and sharing. So I'm going to start off with an act of sharing and giving to put a coin into the charity box the docker box.

1:09:27I am Rabbi Yankee Bell. I direct the Chabad of El Saludo, along with my wife Shari.

1:09:33grateful to have my oldest son Mendel here with me tonight.

1:09:36Post your journey

1:09:38and I wanted to thank the city Council members and the mayor for what has become a annual annual tradition

1:09:46of proclaiming and honoring education. Sharing day here in El Cerrito.

1:09:51With this proclamation El Cerrito proudly joins the Us. Congress, governors and mayors in dozens of States and hundreds of cities

1:09:59designating the Chabad. The Bada shirebirsen's birthday always celebrated 4 days before Passover. This year, April 9, th as education and Sharing day.

1:10:12the rebbe, a global spiritual giant and leader, dedicated his life to the promotion of education as a cornerstone of humanity, establishing.

1:10:23establishing over 5,000 educational and social institutions in all 50 States, and currently in 110 countries around the world.

1:10:31Since 1978 the Us. Congress has dedicated education and sharing day on the Rabbi's birthday as a time to pause and recognize our responsibility to ensure that our young people have the foundations necessary to lead lives rich in purpose and fulfillment.

1:10:47Whoever teaches the education in general should not be limited to the acquisition of knowledge and preparation for a career. Instead, the educational system must pay more attention, indeed, remain attention to the building of character with emphasis on moral and ethical values.

1:11:04For the weather education was not merely about textbooks and classrooms, it was about instilling children, a deep sense of purpose and the responsibility to make the world a better place.

1:11:15The other emphasizes that the key to moral and ethical behavior is instilling an awareness that there is an eye that sees and an ear that hears, the Creator and Master of the universe, who watches over each individual and cares about their thoughts, words, and actions.

1:11:31This understanding reassures children and adults that they are never alone, and encourages them to act with kindness, responsibility, and integrity.

1:11:40With this awareness human beings are more likely to make good choices, speak with sensitivity, and treat others with compassion.

1:11:47Although April 9th has been set aside as education and sharing day is a theme and its theme and message is relevant. Every day of this year of the year. Let us reflect on our collective obligation and opportunity to enhance the true education of our children serve as proper role models, and to take concrete actions, bring more goodness and kindness into our world.

1:12:08That's where

1:12:10mark 75 years of the rebbe's loving leadership. 75 years of guiding, inspiring, and uplifting people of all backgrounds. His vision shapes, lives, his influence grows, and his revolution of goodness continues to change the world.

1:12:24the force of moral clarity.

1:12:26He teaches that each person has the power and responsibility to bring goodness into this world

1:12:32as we reflect on his leadership, we honor not yet not just a milestone, but a call to live. His teachings spread kindness and strengthen society's moral foundation.

1:12:41I want to thank the Mayor and City Council members once again for everything that you do

1:12:46with this important information. May God bless your efforts!

1:12:50Make a brighter future for everyone in El Ceruido, and to spread the light from here all around

1:12:57all of that. Thank you.

1:12:58Thank you. Would anyone like to make any comments about the population.

1:13:02No, all right, then we shall take a picture.

1:13:07Make sure you have the right one.

1:14:08Oh, thank you.

1:14:12Amazing! Thank you.

1:14:20Oh, right.

1:14:23The next item on the agenda is the 2025 legislative platform. Can we please have the staff report?

1:14:33Good evening, Mayor. Members of the City Council. My name's Alex Orlogas, your assistant city manager.

1:14:39joining us online tonight is Dane Hutchings, founder and CEO of California public Policy Group.

1:14:46Dane is our Dane is our

1:14:49excuse me, our legislative advocate in Sacramento and plays a key role in monitoring, analyzing, and advocating for state legislation and budget issues that impact our city.

1:15:02as you remember. On February 18th the City Council held a study session to review and provide input on our city's 1st legislative platform. A draft of this platform, created in collaboration with Staff and Cppg.

1:15:19And following the study session, Cppg, along with city staff, met with each of you individually to gather additional and detailed feedback, and to address any questions you may have beyond what was expressed on the dais.

1:15:34I do want to thank each of you for your input. And I assure you we are listening.

1:15:40So what you have before you is a proposed legislative platform

1:15:46that has changes that primarily reflect the feedback that you all provided us particularly the strong desire to condense, simplify, and reduce the number of statements, as well as remove any redundancy, vagueness, or any overly broad statements, and I'll just highlight a few key changes.

1:16:08We had. We had added legislative added language to emphasize that the mayor, or in her absence the mayor pro tem. Would be only authorized to sign advocacy items on behalf of the city. If the position clearly aligns with the platform.

1:16:27we also addressed that if there is any ambiguity about the platform alignment meaning the alignment between a proposed legislation and what's in the platform that we would place that item on the city council agenda for your consideration.

1:16:45and last, and also language was added to clarify about how council members can individually express their personal support or opposition on an item or any piece of legislation, regardless of the position the city may take.

1:17:03and lastly, the the platform was restructured to align more closely with the city strategic plan. So as you as you may have seen it is structured in a way in which it aligns with our 5 goal areas. Which, as you know, the strategic plan went through an extensive development and community outreach process all in itself.

1:17:26So the action proposed tonight is to adopt the platform.

1:17:31enabling El Cerrito to participate in this year's very active legislative process. In a very timely manner, and to and this includes responding to the hundreds and hundreds of bills that are going on at the State right now.

1:17:48And so, once approved, this platform will be considered a living document reviewed annually by the city Council, and it will in hopes, reflect what the current State legislative developments are, and as well as any any city goals that may may be, you know, different.

1:18:08So with that, said, this concludes my report this evening, and I'll pass the virtual microphone to Dane to add further comment in detail. Thank you.

1:18:20Dane Hutchings, CPPG: Good evening, Mayor and Council Dane Hutchings with Cppg. Just wanna confirm that my audio is coming in clear.

1:18:29beautiful. Thank you. I'll go ahead and share my screen as well.

1:18:37My presentation's pretty brief, and was hoping to

1:18:42kick it back to council for discussion. But before we jump into the specifics of the legislative platform and the Review. I just wanted to provide one quick highlight and give you a sense of really how things have shifted even from the last time I was here

1:18:57February 18th until today. And so

1:19:00we've seen more than 2,600 measures introduced. So far we have seen over 150 measures in housing, land use planning and permitting reforms alone.

1:19:11Fun. Fact. There's a hundred 20 lawmakers, but a hundred 50 plus bills on housing. So everyone wants to get in on this 150 plus measures on governmental operations.

1:19:22Wildfire prevention measures. There's about 30 or so a host of things in and around, energy, utility, water and solid waste, and then public safety and emergency response. It's also important to note that just in the last couple of days we have seen over a thousand bills be substantively amended, meaning that so when we were when I was with you all last time we were running up on that on that legislative introduction deadline right? So everyone had to throw in their spot bills and their spot vehicles.

1:19:53Now we are seeing. I have a stack of 500 pages of bills that I'm reviewing right now with my team and I going through all of the amendments that are going through, and those bills are now actually being set for hearing already. So they were amended only a few days ago, and now they're separate hearing next week and so you know, this is really does highlight just how fast this process can move and so wanted to provide that for you, and then

1:20:22the House of Origin deadline, meaning that all bills that were introduced in the Assembly must pass to the Senate, and all bills in the Senate must pass through to the Assembly on or before June second. So it is going to be a a pretty fast sprint between. Now, when policy committees are really ramping up until we get to that 1st Major Deadline kind of the halfway point in this 1st year of the legislative session.

1:20:49So, moving back over to the platform as we've discussed, platform creates a helpful guideline to communicating to various stakeholders on where the city stands on key policy matters allows the city to have a game plan as far as how they can engage in legislation.

1:21:05It also provides your staff and your advocates here in Sacramento the ability to screen legislation, figure out what matters, what doesn't matter? What's important, what's not important, thus allowing you to focus on a finite number of pieces of legislation, and really only engage when

1:21:24we have really a material interest in improving these policies, in supporting policies, or, if needed, you know, even opposing a policy with the intent of trying to find ways to get to a place where we can make meaningful changes through the amendments process.

1:21:47So as discussed Prior, there are certain positions that can be adopted. I do know that there are I've seen

1:21:57the last year or so folks wanting to create this these 2 positions, one being concerns which isn't a thing, and then also support if amended, which is also not a thing. In fact, I just checked

1:22:12again with Senate and Assembly rules. Those are not recognized positions in the Legislature. So when you're trying to submit your letters to the legislative portal trying to be on record. Those 2 positions aren't recognized and they can't be put on a official public analysis. That's why we've omitted those options for positions.

1:22:34Also, as staff outlined, we did tighten up the language with respect to process, and really wanted to make clear that if folks do have a differing opinion, or want to express their own 1st amendment views to do so, they certainly can, and nothing in the platform or policy would prohibit that from happening.

1:22:58As discussed, we held deep dive meetings, not only with your staff, but had a chance to to connect with each of the council members to talk about issues of importance to them. We were able to reduce the overall volume of the platform by about 40% and then and and as noted here, specific platform can be found in exhibit a

1:23:24and then, as staff already indicated, and actually, this is, this is a 1st I've done a lot of platforms in the past, you know, 5 and a half, 6 years and this is the 1st time that we've been pitched with this idea of aligning the specific platform statements with a strategic plan. So this is really something that's really innovative and great. And I think it does show you know really, how these platform statements align with the goals.

1:23:52the overarching goals of the council. And so this is a new format that is due to us, but but hopefully certainly addresses some of the overall, maybe trepidation previously.

1:24:05So with that I'm happy to answer any questions, and that concludes my presentation. Thank you very much.

1:24:14All right. Thank you so much, Dane. Any questions or comments from the Council. Just councilmember. Salsaman.

1:24:21Thank you. First.st I wanna thank Staff and Dane for hearing what we all said, and meeting with all of us, I do think

1:24:31that this is better than what was brought to us last time.

1:24:35I'm still not able to support it, for the really the same reasons I expressed last time.

1:24:41but just to be very transparent with the public one. I.

1:24:46Although I understand this is one way for us to engage in legislation. It is not the only way. This is not the only avenue for this Council to engage in legislation, and there are many other government bodies that do it a different way, which is coming to the elected body each time to ask for a position on a bill. So this is one way, and that is another way. So this is not the only way.

1:25:09If we don't pass this. That doesn't mean that we can't engage in legislation. So I just want I know everybody here knows that. But I want to make that clear for the public. I'm not saying we shouldn't engage in legislation. We absolutely should take positions on legislation.

1:25:25But I think the process is concerning for me, because, though the statements here are narrowed and some of them are more clear, some of them could still be interpreted in many different ways by many different people. And it is, I understand, that it is challenging to shape these statements, to make them

1:25:48have no vagueness, and have them mean the same thing to every person, but a lot of them don't. And I'm gonna just name the the ones that I have the most concerns about, which are the reason that I cannot support this, and we'll be voting no

1:26:04under the high performing organization number 4. And I I brought this up last time, too. It's pretty similar language, or maybe the same oppose legislation that would negatively impact the city's finances, responsibilities, or legal authority that might sound straightforward. But the reality is, there are some issues that are so important

1:26:25that the State should weigh in on that. I think it's okay. If it affects our responsibilities or legal authority. We have a climate crisis. We have a housing crisis. We have many crises that come up. And if the State can find the solution. And yeah, maybe it means we have a little bit less local control, but it's a good solution, and one that supports our values.

1:26:48There's no reason we should be opposing it, because it might go with some of these other values that are within our strategic plan and that are voiced here. So there's a real pension in that statement with everything else that's in here. And actually, I think this is the most problematic of all these, and I'm very concerned that it could be used to oppose pro housing, legislation, pro climate legislation, things that we all care about.

1:27:15So I I'm I'm extremely concerned about that

1:27:18under community safety. And I did bring this up last time as well.

1:27:23The number 4 support legislation and funding mechanisms that prevent and reduce drug related crimes.

1:27:30What I'm concerned about is

1:27:33most bills that are put forward, that say they prevent drug related crimes, or really, any crimes are really not at all about prevention. They're about incarcerating people. Even if that doesn't impact the level of crimes or increases the level of crimes. So that is something I just can't support in the way that it is written.

1:27:54and then moving forward under livability and belonging number 9, oppose legislation that penalizes cities that have been acting in good faith to support housing. I did bring this up last time.

1:28:07Pretty much. Every city will say they've been acting in good faith to support housing our city has, but there are plenty of other cities that are absolutely not, but they will all argue that they are so. That is why this concerns me. If it was just about what else Rita was doing. I'd be okay, because we are acting in good faith. So it's not about us. It's about what other cities are doing

1:28:30and then under infrastructure and amit

1:28:33amenities. Number 9. I'm very much in favor of the 1st part. Oppose legislation. That substantially increase is vehicle capacity on roads.

1:28:44But then I'm not in favor of this without equal investment supporting transit and alternatives. Because really, do we want to support a bill that, for example, adds 3 lanes to 80. If it also gives some money to transit? I would think not. I would think we would still oppose that because of all the environmental impacts and other impacts. So

1:29:04those statements are the reasons why I can't support this. If those were taken out, or if we amended those, I could potentially support it. But given the way this process works, that one person, whether it's the mayor, mayor pro tem. Or whoever it is, and that'll be a different person every year can sign off.

1:29:22It's concerning to me, because I think some of these statements capture things that really

1:29:27a majority of this cancel might not support or might not oppose. So for that reason I I will oppose. If this moves forward tonight.

1:29:36all right. Any other Council member Mutiama. I don't

1:29:40gonna start at that end to make it to make it for equity. Sure.

1:29:45I learned the other day I have a problem with looking to one way and not the other way. So I'm thank you for holding me accountable.

1:29:53I want to thank

1:29:55Council Member Salzman for her analysis of this and feedback. And I I appreciate that. That

1:30:02gives me water for thought. And I thank you.

1:30:07Okay, you ready now, councilmember mothyama, I'm always ready. Okay, go ahead. So I want to thank Staff and Dean for really revamping

1:30:19the ease of understanding what is what we are supporting and what we're not. So that was I I think that's a great change. I really appreciate that you are tying it back to our strategic plan. So we can really

1:30:33understand why we're doing something. So if it's not supporting the strategic plan, we shouldn't be doing it.

1:30:40I do want to, maybe rebut a little bit what you said. Councilmember Saltzman. Especially high performing organizations number 4 oppose legislation that would negatively impact the city's finances, responsibilities, or legal authority.

1:30:58You know I have over 30 years of housing, affordable housing, development, and financing experience, and not outside of this room. I am a very strong housing advocate.

1:31:11However, seated here, I feel that it would be irresponsible of me to support something that would be a mandate from the State that would cost us a lot of money.

1:31:24So they are, you know. That is my

1:31:28feeling. That is one of my important jobs here is to make sure that we're not pushing things on our city that we can't afford, even if it's really well intentioned, even if it's a good idea in the general sense. If it will make our finances untenable or staffing work

1:31:48untenable. I appreciate that you don't agree. I just wanna okay. So that is, that is my concern. So anything that bring any legislation that brings up costs.

1:32:03it would be immediately flagged. And you know

1:32:06that's always going to be a big concern to us here.

1:32:10So I think I'm comfortable moving forward with this. You know.

1:32:16there's a lot of things that the State legislature does, because it's a good idea. But they're not really thinking about like what it will cost to implement. And so I think that we have to be very careful, you know.

1:32:30and you know we're a small town. So I think us saying, we oppose this is not necessarily gonna stop anybody from moving forward. But I think that is, that is my primary concern.

1:32:44so that is, you know, I think these are all really good things that most.

1:32:49you know, all of us can support. So I am. I am supporting this, I think. You know.

1:32:57even though we this is laid out very nicely in reality. What comes before us and comes before us to discuss will be, you know, somewhere in between all these things. It's never gonna fall smack in the middle of one of these things. That's gonna be obvious

1:33:15from this platform. I think it's it's a general direction, and

1:33:19I think no, this is as close as we can get to an absolute. So I am strongly supportive of this. And again, thank you, Staff and Dane, for really winnowing it down.

1:33:32making a lot clearer. It's never, ever gonna be perfect. As Dame mentioned, it's gonna everything that we are thinking about might change by next week. So you know.

1:33:44I think this is, I don't want to make the perfect enemy of the good here. And just I think it would be

1:33:50good to move forward with this. Thank you. Thank you. I wanted to say thank you to you both for your views on this and and with council member, I completely agree with you on this.

1:34:07you know we're we're seeing a lot of things happening in Sacramento that that do not support cities. It it is giving an opinion of their way or the highway, and and as a future President of the League of Cities.

1:34:25I am always concerned about local control. And this is part of the reason why I support what staff and what Dane has

1:34:36been able to do with this legislative platform. I'm reminded about

1:34:42a lot of the things that one party rule does in Sacramento. There are not enough checks and balances. We're seeing politics get in the way. And we're seeing the extreme of our party, taking advantage of one party rule a lot of times where a lot of unfunded mandates will just happen with cities that we have seen in the past.

1:35:11So to me, this is an important legislative platform

1:35:16that I wanna make sure that I support. And and I I hope my council members, my colleagues here, will do the same. You know you look at

1:35:30the trouble that the State of California is having right now. With deficit years. Huge deficit years you know, we cannot afford to do bailouts and bailouts for bad leadership coming in from whatever it's transit, or whether it's housing

1:35:49el Cerrito has done this right. So it's I want to promote the great things that El Cerrito stands for while being the only pro city housing in our area.

1:36:02I support that but a lot of the bills that we see our colleagues doing at Sacramento? Look.

1:36:10for example, Scott Weiner's bill, Sb. 79. You look at that.

1:36:17But you look at how El Cerrito was able to do what they were doing now. By adding housing at a bark parking lot without this legislation they want to put through. We were able to do it.

1:36:31So there's a lot of laws out there and legislation that they want to force cities to do. And I certainly don't support that. I support local control, and making sure

1:36:45that when it comes to the legislation that we support here, that it supports cities, and always cities. So so I'll be supporting this 2025 legislative platform. We look at what one party rule has done

1:37:02with public safety. And and how unaware. And you know, and and the slant that they were trying to push at this last election, when more than 70%

1:37:15of California voters voted for prop. 36. We have seen cities in our area that have gone sideways on the verge of bankruptcy, 990 million dollars in the whole. The city of San Francisco.

1:37:32is because of politics getting the way for public safety. So you know a lot of the bills dealing with fentanyl and smash and grabs

1:37:46I supported, and public safety always when it comes to making sure that cities have the tools available to counteract all the problems. So when you get cities that play politics all the time, you see a slanted version, and they think that

1:38:07yeah, they're not protecting your residents like we are here in El Cerrito. You look at Oakland

1:38:12and the things that they're doing there. You know. They're the number one city that is going to be bankrupt soon if they don't get it together. So you know. So I just, wanna, you know, point out

1:38:28laws and what is really happening in Sacramento when we don't have the checks and balances, it's these platforms that call out checks and balances, just like the League of California cities. We are

1:38:43the checks and balances, for in Sacramento right now, because we don't have a Republican party there in numbers, there's no checks and balances. So my organization, our organization is now the checks and balances of legislation. So we play an important role

1:39:02of what goes on in Sacramento because there is no longer a Republican party there in numbers. So you know, we are nonpartisan cities are nonpartisan, and we do see cities that are activist councils.

1:39:17like cities next door to us that have built no housing and continue to play politics and give us lip service when it comes to providing housing for all. So I'm proud of what we have accomplished, and I think this legislative platform will promote our pro housing

1:39:39public safety policy. We always need public safety fire and police. And you look at the things done in Sacramento, and it took committees like the little Hoover Commission where I spoke, and I spoke about the importances, the importance of public safety. So

1:40:02you know, this is something that we have to look carefully at in the future, because what happens in Sacramento affects all cities in California. And you see cities coming from the left and coming from the right.

1:40:18They're not getting along. And these are things that are going sideways because of the overreach of Sacramento telling cities what to do all the time. So that's my spiel on

1:40:31on this legislative platform, and I'm proud to support this. Thank you. And and I just want to say, and I want to go back to something that you said, councilmember, Multyama, when you talked about working in housing and the work that you do in your day job around housing, and how that's different than what you are tasked to do when you come and sit at this platform. And I think that that's that's something that's very important. I was thinking about this today, when I was

1:40:56thinking about a whole bunch of other issues about the task that is before you, when you decide to actually govern, when you decide to govern a city and you decide to govern a district, and you can't stick to just one particular thing. I think that that was very important. I mean, we all know that I support this idea, that I support this platform because what is the platform? A platform is what you stand on. This is what the city stands stands on. And I think, Dane, the most important thing that you did

1:41:22was the fact that any issue that you have with the platform goes back to the strategic plan.

1:41:27We were talking about some of the other policy issues that we're having in the city are the discussions that we're having rather, and they go back to the plan. So anything that we are opposed to in this platform is more than likely an opposition to the plan. We. I hope to God, and I don't even want to say out loud.

1:41:44But I hope this means we're not disputing the plan because we've been working so hard even before this Council came into being. The platform is the way that we go to make sure that we are supporting legislation to get us on the way towards the plan. I think that it's important for you to have like, I said before, it's important to have a Bible, and I think it's also concerning to me.

1:42:05as you said, mayor pro tem. About the the local control, and I I had a conversation. I don't know if city manager remembers it, and I can't remember what issue we were discussing. I know it had to do with water, and we were talking about. There's a law that governs the way that we interact with the water in the city of El Cerrito, and that it's not very equitable in the amount that we are tasked to pay as a small city.

1:42:31But this is something that the State legislature has put before us, without even looking to what the city can do, what the city should do. And I think that we local control.

1:42:40And what do we say at Nlc. The cities get it done.

1:42:43So I think it's very important. I don't. We? We talked in the last time we had a discussion about this platform about people losing their voice. I don't want to lose my voice and give my voice over to State legislature. I love them all very dearly. There are a lot of things that we align on, but I don't want them solely deciding how we're going to do things like building housing in El Cerrito.

1:43:02So that's my particular spiel on it. I support it. I thank you, Dane, for the work that you did prior to us, advocating to our Federal legislature, even though it did not go as we. We wanted it to go, and we'll talk about that later. I thank you for the work that we still have in front of us getting ready for the city. The city leaders summit to actually speak, not with our legislator this time. We're going directly to the actual department that are actually enacting the policies

1:43:26just in talking to them.

1:43:27So I thank you for this. I greatly support this. And I saw a couple of other hands. Council member. Sauceman. Yeah, I just wanted to clarify, because maybe I was misunderstood or my language got twisted. But I would be okay with Number 4 under high performing organization. If it ended at finances. I never said I would be okay with legislation that had a negative impact on our finances. Of course I wouldn't. I know our financial state?

1:43:54So I was a little disappointed to hear that you interpreted it that way. I did not say that, but I just have to say. I don't think local control is the Holy Grail, and though, of course, I approach here differently than I would add a protest or some other advocacy, or at my own home, or with my friends.

1:44:14I always come to the dais with the same values that I have in this other places, so my values will trump local control or other things like that always values are what is the most important. And so maybe that's different. Maybe some people, local control is more important than core values. I don't know. To me it's not

1:44:36and I think there are lots of ways to approach things. Sometimes the city is the best decider. Sometimes, if cities aren't getting it done, it is okay for some other government body to step in and try to help or to try to shape things. And I think that's okay, too, especially if the cities have failed. I also just want to say, and I brought this up at our

1:44:58whatever that was called the Retreat, the gathering we have at Arlington. I really would hope that I know we try to show each other respects here in respect to our constituents, that we would on the dais, and just in our authority as council members, respect our fellow neighboring cities. I think it's

1:45:19we are a region, and we all depend on each other, and if Oakland fails, El Cerrito fails, if San Francisco fails, El Cerrito fails, and so we don't have to agree with everything that they do.

1:45:31But they have challenges, too, and it's not easy being a big city, just like it's not easy being a small city. So we might disagree with some of their decisions. But I think it's really important to show respect to our fellow cities and try to approach it, you know, in a partnering way, instead of just a you know, will they screwed up?

1:45:56we've got to work together. So I would just hope that we would all show respect for our neighboring cities. No, I completely agree with you, and that's why the League of cities we wrote that make us brief so they can clean up their city and a lot of fentanyl addiction and just a lot of bad behavior. They were able to clean it up.

1:46:17You look at all the hotels and by the airport housing for the homeless, where they don't even want to live there. So a lot of these things that the State made us do are failed policies, a lot of them, and need to be reexamined. But at least with this what we're trying to do here in this legislative platform?

1:46:40You know, this is El Cerrito values, and where we stand in a nonpartisan way, and I'm just looking at policy. So in full support of that. And I

1:46:52be interested in making a motion. If

1:46:58mayor pro tem printer, I appreciate you bringing up the question or the issue of checks and balances.

1:47:03I will approach that slightly differently. I think that

1:47:06as a legislative body within this municipal government. We, as council people, provide checks and balances. And one of the issues that I have with this is that we're abdicating those checks and balances. If we say this is our platform, we're passing it on to someone else to interpret it for us and present on our behalf

1:47:21my understanding from the 1st presentation. Whenever, 2 weeks ago, where 2 sessions ago, I believe it was, was that there was a fairly limited number of issues that our consultant would take it upon their group to represent us, for it was there was not a lot. I think it was less than

1:47:3810 or so, if I remember correctly, was a very few, and he gave examples of other clients he had, and how many letters on their behalf he had written, and it was not very many

1:47:46at the time. I felt like there were so few that it would not be cumbersome to be too cumbersome to come back to council each time and say, this is what I propose.

1:47:56maybe as a consent item. Do you agree with it? And for us to take a vote and say, Yes, I just don't. I don't, and I don't. I don't look at this, and I think of whether these are our positions or not, whether they're good or bad, or whether you know the politics of it. I don't think of it that way. I think of it more as an issue of our responsibility to provide those checks and balances and to provide that guidance and not to just hand it off.

1:48:18And also I share initially. When we had this 1st discussion, I shared my concerns about the vagueness of some of the terms, and how they could be interpreted differently.

1:48:27I do think this is this is a great improvement. But I still see I still see that issue. I'm still concerned about that.

1:48:35Any other. Yes, customer. Montana. Okay. Thank you. Mayor. I think.

1:48:43the platform works because we haven't had one before, and we don't have staff capacity to be monitoring all this legislation all the time and reacting to it. And so what I feel that this does and gives us is an initial screening and a tool. Because, you know, I think

1:49:05before we had a platform. We didn't really look at State legislation unless it came to us through Cal cities and said, Alert, here's this legislation. So this gives us an extra step to to look a little bit further into our best interest. And I think that's that's in my mind. That's not abdicating. It's just getting more information and having the ability, for

1:49:31you know, staff and consultant, and us to like hone in on things that might not be at the level of Cal cities, but might be important to us.

1:49:41So I think that's that's, I think, more of it as a as as a screen than

1:49:48brought, you know. Take this and run with it, because I'm sure if there's any question Staff and Dane at a minimum, we'll talk about it, and if it's really important it'll come to us. I think you hit the nail on the head council member. That's the only thing I have to say that

1:50:02any other comments

1:50:04I just wanted to remind all of you that we are planning to take this annually back to you. So you know, I don't want to call it a pilot program, because it's not. But I think that we will learn a lot. If if you do decide to approve this tonight we are, gonna learn a lot over the next year in terms of what we choose to engage on what we don't engage on and so I expect next year, if this is approved now. To have a fruitful conversation

1:50:29and a look back over the past year, and to recalibrate and refine the platform appropriately.

1:50:35Yeah, one last question. Thank you for that. I I appreciate what you said.

1:50:40Also, I want to say thank you, because you look at what we do with our regional boards, and and we all belong to them. And and I believe, the things that are listed here on this legislative platform coincides

1:50:56with the work we do with marine clean energy what we do with Cal cities, what we do with transportation, and and what tech and Ccta, what we do with recycled more. So this is and and it's meant to be a little vague. So it can.

1:51:14yeah. So this is something that that I'm quite proud of. So you know you looked at

1:51:23the the list of the the platform, and and it's done in a way where this is very nonpartisan. This is just dealing with the issues, and this is dealing with what we have to deal with in Sacramento. So

1:51:39thank you.

1:51:40And just one last thing actually to add to what you said, Councilmember Motyama, when you go to these, not even if it's just Cal cities, any of the efforts that we do to go to State Capital or go to Capitol Hill, and you see a lot of the cities who already have a legislative analyst on staff.

1:51:56or who already have a Dane that's already contracted to them. We are so far behind them in the way that we are able to actually interact with these to your Point council member Motiyama is because we haven't taken this step yet. It's 1 thing for us to have individual opinions. Would, I think, the the platform address perfectly as far as

1:52:14how do you address not agreeing with the the city position? How do you submit your own letters, or How do you? You know, register your own support or opposition? But the fact that the city itself did not have any way at all to engage in. This is, I think, this is an important 1st step. And, like you, said Alex, we we may change it next year after this 1st year. But if you don't get started you won't get anywhere. So

1:52:38having said that, now is the time for members of the public who wish to provide public comments regarding this item. Request to speak can be submitted to the city clerk 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.

1:52:57Thank you, Mayor. We don't have any requests to speak on this item. All right. Well do I have a motion to approve the item. I'll move second, all right. So, moved by Council Member Motiyama, seconded by Mayor pro tem quinto, all in favor, please say aye.

1:53:13all right, any opposed any. Do we want to do a roll call? If you can do all those in favor, please say aye, aye, any opposed

1:53:21or post

1:53:22motion carries with council members voting. No, all right, thank you so much for that the next item is city council, local and regional liaison assignments. Are there any reports?

1:53:37Well, I'll just start at the end with councilmember. Salsman?

1:53:40We had sort of had the Wic tech meeting on Friday. We've been challenged at Wic Tech for the past year, plus at getting quorum.

1:53:50This is the 3rd meeting, I think, in the last year and a half where we didn't just one short of quorum

1:53:56and so we had a discussion.

1:53:59The problem is Cal. Cities does all of their stuff on the 4th Friday of the month, and

1:54:06that's when our meeting is. And now we have more people on Wic Tech, who are part of policy committees. So we're even more challenged than we used to be. So we're talking about, not right away, but at some point either, later this year, definitely next year, changing it to a different Friday to stop having that conflict, because it's very frustrating for staff and for the commissioners who show up

1:54:29but the good news is all the items that besides the consent calendar were informational. So we did get 3 really great informational substantive reports.

1:54:38One was on the countywide emergency evacuation plan that Ccta is working on

1:54:45highly recommend checking that out. That will, of course, be important for El Cerrito. We also got an update on something I mentioned at our last council meeting the San Pablo Avenue multimodal corridor study. They're going to be starting outreach later this year on that, and then the regional mapping and wayfinding Project

1:55:05Which is a great project happening all over the 9 County Bay area. But one of the 1st 3 stations that got those new signs was El Cerrito del Norte, a great station to pick, because so many transit agencies meet there. So if you haven't gotten a chance to go, really, walk around and look at all the signage there. It's pretty fantastic, and if you have feedback. Mtc. Wants to hear it because it's a pilot for what? Ultimately all the transit stations will look like.

1:55:33That's all I have. All right. Councilmember motyama. Thank you, Mayor. So

1:55:38On March 20th I attended the Abag Executive Committee, and we had an update on regional legislation that will affect us all. One of them is Abag recommends endorsing Ab. 736, and Sb. 417, which is a statewide housing bond for affordable housing.

1:56:02On March 21st I attended the Rosie, the riveter, 25th anniversary of our National Park national historic site as part of the national parks. It was a great event, and it was really exciting for me, because I did get to see in person.

1:56:22blanking on her name all of a sudden. You know, our famous yeah, but our famous Ranger. There, thank you. Yeah. So it's really exciting to see her in person. So that was a great event. On March the 27, th I attended the Cal City's Policy Committee.

1:56:46I serve as a member of the Housing Community and Economic Development Policy Committee over in Burbank. And so it was rather an intense day of

1:56:56all day policy discussion, and I learned about a number of legislative

1:57:05legislation coming. And so, just to reiterate what Dane said about this, the number of pieces of legislation coming forward has been really really intense. I think there's a lot of legislation that will not move forward. But this is what you know our legislators do to show that they are working for us. So there is quite a number.

1:57:28So, and they are, you know, public safety issues addressing fires la fires insurance

1:57:39legislation to include home hardening. That's Ab, one that might be of interest to people. Some brown act reforms coming.

1:57:49There are 20 bills for housing, streamlining.

1:57:54include, including housing element reform and E.

1:58:02And then I did attend a panel discussion about how to make us more competitive for development in our San Pablo Avenue corridor, and I met a developer which I passed the card on to our city manager so hopefully that they can connect

1:58:21And our committee had 2 action items. We are supporting

1:58:31these. I have so many legislations.

1:58:36we are supporting a B, 3 0, 6 to allow a pause on a

1:58:47building regulations. So building standards for 6 years in order to allow developers and funders to catch up

1:58:58to what those changes will be. We had a lively discussion. I think a lot of us, myself included personally, was not supportive of not implementing the most recent building code, but it will make rebuilding, for example, in the La Fire area, much quicker, and

1:59:18and then on March 31st yesterday I attended the a bag road show, which is the a bags

1:59:27executives went to Contra Costa County, and we met at Supervisor Carlson's office to talk about

1:59:36the overall work of a bag, and I am your representative on the Executive Committee and the Housing Committee. So that is really looking at kind of the the legislative landscape, and we had a failed

1:59:51regional measure, which was Rm. 4. To do another region, wide bond for affordable housing, which we had to pull because there was not enough support for that. So the discussion is whether that would move forward again and hopefully it will move forward in 2028 in order to give room for the Transit bill in 2026.

2:00:13So a lot of stuff is going on. A lot of issues that are the same as us and also different. Abag has a tremendous unfunded pension liability. And one of the the biggest issues with Abag is how they will solve that. My concern is that you know our dues as city members of Abag will go up to meet that.

2:00:38But really, what's priority for us as Cerrito is that we meet our own unfunded liability, so I will keep an eye on that and track that issue.

2:00:47Thank you. Councilmember Casanas. Thank you. I did not go to the Rosie, the revealer event. But I went to Laura's restaurant.

2:00:55right around the corner in Rena Bay, and I sat at a table next to 5 rosies. There were 5 women dressed in blue shirts and red bandanas with white polka dots, and had a lot of fun talking to them, and kind of kept myself for not remembering. It was that day and going.

2:01:09But thank you, thank you for going, Lisa.

2:01:11I

2:01:13I've been now 3 times or tempted to go 3 times to the Design Review Board meetings.

2:01:18and each time I've gone there's been no one there. It's been my fault to take responsibility, for I guess, not tracking them better. I would say that information on a website is not

2:01:29particularly up to date. But

2:01:31I've learned that they don't meet unless they actually have something to review, and they have not had anything to review for a while, so they will next month, I guess. Now, April this month.

2:01:40I look forward to going but

2:01:42a little bit out of the loop, and not aware when they were meeting, and when mistakenly. 3 times

2:01:48I have started having what I call office hours have to come up with a better name, but similar to what a council member Paul Fidelli did, and we met with people at Els Rio. Natural foods annex. I try to go the 1st and 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month. In advance of this meeting

2:02:05I went this last Saturday, met with 3 constituents who all wanted to talk about Richmond Street, and they were all from the Bike and Roll group, and it was wonderful to talk to them and learn and share ideas

2:02:19earlier, I guess, about tactical meter. I met with John Julia and had discussions about the veterans building

2:02:26again with a few constituents and discussed about plans to renovate it, as well as some ideas about how to manage it. Once it's renovated.

2:02:35it's still a work in progress. But moving forward.

2:02:39That's it.

2:02:40All right, Mayor. Pro tem. Thank you. Mayor. 1st of all, I wanted to invite folks to the Richmond Country Club on Friday, on the 4, th where our State treasurer, Fiona, Ma. Will speak before the Richmond Rotary Club. So I know

2:02:57Some of our members in El Cerrito

2:03:01have joined the Richmond Rotary Club since I was as dying off. So

2:03:06it costs $35. We'll be meeting at the Richmond Country Club at 12 noon, so bring a check if you'd like to join for join us for lunch.

2:03:17It's a $10 charge if you would just like to hear her speak, and she'll be speaking on.

2:03:25Here's some money. So I look forward to having a

2:03:30our city treasurer here in West County.

2:03:34But she also was the main speaker at

2:03:38our Bill Whitney's retirement party with Ag Bonta. So I look forward to seeing Bill here in El Cerrito. I know he and his wife have family here off Navalier Street, or or did at one time, so another El Cerrito connection there.

2:03:58So I did attend the Environmental Quality Policy Committee last Friday.

2:04:05a lot of bills that we are supporting and opposing.

2:04:11Watching. Ab. 61, we are supporting Sb. 491, which is the State energy Resource, Conservation and Development Commission.

2:04:23That's Sb, 491, we're supporting. We're supporting Sb. 9, 15, which is a clean energy reliability investment plan. We are supporting Ab, 2, 22. And that's Rebecca Balor Can's data center Bill. We are taking another version of

2:04:46what housing voted on on Ab. 306. We are opposing Ab. 306. So my board in the April meetings will decide whether we're going to support or oppose. Ab, 306. So that should be interesting.

2:05:04Thank you. All right, thank you so much. And I only have a couple of things report. Most of mine were during the mayor announcements, but on March 17th I did attend the Cal city's legislative priorities. Webinar, when we were talking about a lot of the different legislative items and bills that Cal cities will be supporting on the 20.th I did help our staff kick off the annual Advisory Body Member training here in the hillside room. So thank you so much to all the new

2:05:32committee and commissioners that are coming onto our city boards and commissions.

2:05:38On Friday. Unfortunately, I did not join you, Council Member Multyama, at the Rosie, the river today, because I was at the doctor. So I also. I missed Rosie derivative, and I missed this month's great governing board of the green empowerment zone. So I look forward to catching up on what that particular county committee is doing, and one thing that I also forgot to announce during announcements on tomorrow we will be finally opening up the Security Pacific public storage. I'm mixing up a bunch of names.

2:06:05but it's the big big storage area on the former offsite right over on East Shore. So I'm looking forward to joining the chamber and cutting the ribbon over there, and I'm hoping that the sun will be out, and I know that they're hoping for that as well.

2:06:19Yes, one last thing. Yes, one thing yes, you and I forgot mentioned is

2:06:25along with where Provost we were at El Cerrito high.

2:06:29Oh, listen, I forgot. I got talking about this trouble story. That was it. You said it. We we were excited to join Will to encourage some of our El Cerrito High school students to come and work here for the city.

2:06:39I specifically encourage them to join Will, so they can help him with the social media, but also, but also to just tell them about how important it is to get that foot in the door. Those of them that watch people like. If you watch the 24 h speech by Senator Cory Booker today or this is 25. I'm sorry. This is where you get your start by interning for the city, and you don't. It's not even really an internship. It's an actual job.

2:07:04So it was a good good day to let them know that we were gauchos, and we said it over and over again, and as I like to remind Mayor pro Tim, I was born the year he graduated, and I just like to say that over and over again.

2:07:17and we are adjourned next regularly scheduled city Council meeting is Tuesday, April 15, th 2025, at 6 Pm.