City of East Palo Alto CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, May 7, 2013 CLOSED SESSION 7:15 P.M. OPEN MEETING 7:30 P.M. EPA Government Center 2415 University Ave - First Floor - City Council Chamber 7:15 P.M. Closed Session Call to Order 7:17 p.m. Roll Call Present: Woods, Abrica, Martinez, Gauthier Moody Absent 1. Approval of the Closed Session Agenda (Government Code 54957.7(a)) Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Gauthier. The City Council approved the City Council Closed Session agenda. (Vote 4-1) (Moody Absent) 2. Closed Session Community Forum 3. Adjournment into Closed Session 4. Conference with Labor Negotiators (Government Code 54957.6) Negotiators: Allyson Hauck, Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai LLP, Magda A. González City Manager 7:30 P.M. REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 5. Call to Order 7:31 p.m. Roll Call Present: Moody, Woods, Abrica, Martinez, Gauthier 6. Approval of the Agenda Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Martinez. The City Council approved the City Council agenda with an order change to hear Item 23 following Item 21. (Vote 5-0)
CONSENT CALENDAR - City Council Ordinances, Resolutions/Informational Reports/Approval of Actions and Motions 7. Approval of Consent Calendar Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Moody. The City Council approved the Consent Calendar and all items were approved as indicated. (Vote 5-0) 8. Proclamations 9. Claims (City Attorney s Office) 10. Minutes 11. Accept and File the Treasury Report for the Third Quarter ending March 31, 2013. (Finance Department) (Vote 5-0) 12. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a one year extension agreement with Maze & Associates to perform audit services for an amount not to exceed $73,319. (Finance Department) (Vote 5-0) Resolution Adopted 4395 13. Acknowledge the completion of Phase I of the Rail Spur Improvement Project 2011, accepting the improvements, authorize the City Manager to file a Notice of Completion with the County of San Mateo, and release the contract retention balance for the project 35 days after recordation in the amount of $15,996.30. (Community Development Department) (Vote 5-0) Resolution Adopted 4397 14. Adopt a resolution directing staff to file the Housing Element Annual Report with the State Office of Planning and Research and the California Department of Housing and Community Development. (Community Development Department) (Vote 5-0) Resolution Adopted 4396 15. Written Communications: 16. Special Presentations (Each presentation is limited to 10 minutes) (Government Code 54954.3(b)): A. Recognition of PG&E LED Street Lights Completion Jennifer Stuart Government Relations representative for San Mateo County recognized East Palo Alto as the first City in the County to convert 100% from standard street lights to 100% LED technology. Kathy Labezzo on behalf of PG&E presented a check in the amount $45, 925 to the City of East Palo Alto for the installation 879 energy efficient lights. 2
ORAL REPORTS 17. Report Out of Closed Session Interim City Attorney Valerie Armento reported that there was no action taken. 18. Staff Reports City Manager Magda Gonzalez announced for the record the following Measure C appointments made by the City Council: Vice Mayor Woods appointee are Re anita Burns, Martin Mouton, and Marcia Perez, Mayor Abrica s appointment is Mairo Pulido; Council Member Martinez appointments are Amber Jones and Jonathan Bryant. Chief Davis provided an update of the Shooting incident which occurred on Sunday at 2:46 p.m. in front of the bus stop on Bay Road. A group of six people were at the bus stop when a vehicle pulled up and drew a firearm striking five of them, all non life threatening wounds. He believes that it was targeted and that it was potentially gang related; the police department is diligently investigating to see if there is any connection to other gang violence that has occurred this year. He commended the community for their support and that they are making it very clear that this level of violence will never be tolerated. Police Department will continue to work with the community as well as other law enforcement agencies locally, regionally, state and federal.. 19. City Council Reports Council Member Gauthier announced that on May 8, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. she will conduct a Fire Side chat at the Church of Christ on Laurel Street, they occur every second Wednesday of the month. She announced that hot meals are provided by EHP and KuwanasClub at St. Francis between 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. every Wednesday. Also, on May 9 is bike to work day, and May 18 is National River Clean up Day beginning at the corner of Woodland Manhattan. Council Member Moody commended staff and Chief Davis for their response to Sunday s incident. He reported concern that some of the local markets in the community are not informed about the official launch of the bag ordinance and are already enforcing the ordinance. Mayor Ruben Abrica commended Comite Latino for a job well done with the 5 de Mayo Latino Festival. Council Member Martinez invited everyone to attend the Reading Rainbow in the Park at Bell Street Park is scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Council Member Moody reported that on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. a very important discussion will take place around high school education at the Ravenswood City School District. The Sequoia School District and the Board are recommending that Ravenswood next year will no longer be a feeder school into Karma Woodside or Sequoia High School and that all high school students from East Palo Alto will only attend Menlo Atherton High School and Stanford High School. He encouraged the community to provide input. 20. COMMUNITY FORUM There were nine speakers who spoke on various topics. PUBLIC HEARINGS 3
POLICY AND ACTION ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, INFORMATIONAL REPORTS 21. Award of 2013 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Summer Grants (City Manager s Office) Review recommendations of the 2013 TOT Summer Grants Program Application Evaluation Committee, and approve the award of up to $100,000 to local non-profit organizations for summer youth programs, with grants not to exceed $16,000 per organization. Mayor Abrica reviewed the procedure which would be followed in order to award the grants. Vice Mayor Woods disclosed that the City Council received communication from EPA United Soccer Club and he also received a phone call from an Executive from a local organization that did not receive information of the deadline Barbara Powell summarized the staff report and reviewed the process followed in preparing the RFP. City Council comments and questions followed. Action: The City Council filled out their voting worksheets, staff tallied the results. The following recipients were awarded 2013 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Summer Grant by a vote of three or more for a total amount of $100,000. Bayshore Christian Ministries $10,000 Boys and Girls Club $10,000 East Palo Alto United Soccer Club $ 8,000 Mid-Peninsula Athletic Association $ 8,000 Mural Music and Arts Project $12,500 One East Palo Alto Neighborhood Impr. $15,000 St. Francis of Assisi Youth Club $12,000 Youth United for Community Action $12,500 Action: Upon motion by Council Member Moody, and seconded by Vice Mayor Woods. The City Council voted to divide the remaining $12,000 and $4,000 Building Futures Now $ 4,000 Community Legal Services $ 4,000 East Palo Alto Boxing Club $ 4,000 22. City Council Advisory Body Appointments (Office of the City Clerk) This item was approved to be moved out of order to be heard after item 21. Make appointments to expiring and vacant seats on the City s Advisory Boards and Commissions. 4
Senior Advisory Committee Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Gauthier. The City Council voted to reappoint Ola Augman, Ruth Cossey and David Tschang to the Senior Advisory Committee to each fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 3-2 Moody, Martinez Opposed) Planning Commission Action: Upon motion by Council Member Gauthier, and seconded by Vice Mayor Woods. The City Council voted to reappoint Tameeka Bennett to the Planning Commission to fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 5-0) Action: Upon motion by Council Member Moody, and seconded by Council Member Gauthier. The City Council voted to reappoint Renee Glover to the Planning Commission to fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 5-0) Action: Upon motion by Council Member Martinez, and seconded by Council Member Moody. The City Council voted to appoint James Melling to the Planning Commission to fill the alternate seat for a one-year term ending May 31, 2014. (Vote 4-1 Abrica Abstained) Vice Mayor Woods motioned to reappoint Bernardo Huerta for a three year term, due to a lack for a second that motion failed. Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Martinez. The City Council voted to reappoint Jorge Prado to the Planning Commission to fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 5-0) Public Works and Transportation Commission Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Council Member Martinez. The City Council voted to reappoint Nancy Edelson, Arthur Lee Gray and Bernardo Huerta to the Public Works and Transportation Commission to each fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016, and Braulio Gonzalez was reappointed to the alternate seat for a one-year term ending May 31, 2014. (Vote 5-0) Rent Stabilization Board Action: Upon motion by Council Member Moody, and seconded by Vice Mayor Woods. The City Council voted to reappoint Christopher Peter to the Rent Stabilization Board to fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 4-1 Gauthier Opposed) Action: Upon motion by Vice Mayor Woods, and seconded by Mayor Abrica. The City Council voted to reappoint Vakil Goolrukh to the Rent Stabilization Board to fill a three-year term ending May 31, 2016. (Vote 4-1 Moody Opposed) Action: Upon motion by Council Member Gauthier, and seconded by Vice Mayor Woods. The City Council voted to appoint Brenda Naranjo to the Rent Stabilization Board to fill the unexpired term ending May 31, 2015. (Vote 4-1 Moody Opposed) 5
Action: Upon motion by Council Member Moody, and seconded by Council Member Gauthier. The City Council voted to appoint Lourdes Best to the Rent Stabilization Board to fill the unexpired alternate seat for a term ending May 31, 2015. Vote: 2-2 (Martinez, Abrica Opposed)-1 (Woods Abstained) Due to a split vote, the motion failed. Council Member Martinez motioned to appoint Norma Jaimez to fill the alternate seat, due to a lack of a second the motion failed. Mayor Abrica called a recess at 9:28 p.m. The City Council reconvened at 9:44 p.m. with Vice Mayor Woods presiding, present were Council Member s Moody, Martinez and Gauthier. Mayor Abrica left the meeting at 9:28 p.m. 23. Request for Qualifications and Proposals for Design of Cooley Landing Park Education Center (Community Development Department) Adopt a resolution authorizing staff to issue a Request for Qualifications and Proposals to select an architect to assist with the design of a new Education Center at Cooley Landing. Deputy Director Sharon Jones provided a brief recap of phase 1 of the Cooley Landing project. She reviewed the rules and regulation that are in place to protect the park as there has been an interest in using the park for an event. She outlined the limited activities that can occur at the park. Peter Gaherty, Cooley Landing Park Consultant briefly reviewed the budget schedule and the use of the awarded $5 million for phases 2-5. Vice Mayor Woods expressed his concern that the agenda recommendation did not reflect what was in the report. There were four speakers who spoke on this item. Action: Upon Motion by Council Member Moody, and seconded by Council Member Gauthier. The City Council voted to continue to this item to May 21, 2013. (Vote 3-1-1 Martinez Opposed, Abrica Absent) 24. General Plan Update and General Plan Advisory Committees (Community Development Department) Approve the structure of General Plan Advisory Committee, the West side Area Plan Advisory Committee, the recommended selection process, and direct the City Clerk to proceed with noticing the community regarding the opportunity to serve. Community Development Director John Doughty presented a brief overview of the General Plan process and the recommendation to create a General Plan Advisory Committee and a West Side Plan Advisory Committee. He mentioned that the recruitment would open shortly and would close on June 7, staff plans to return to the second meeting in June with recommendations. City Council comments and questions followed. 6
Action: Upon Motion by Council Member Gauthier, and seconded by Council Member Moody. The City Council voted to approve the structure of General Plan Advisory Committee, the West side Area Plan Advisory Committee, the recommended selection process, and direct the City Clerk to proceed with noticing the community regarding the opportunity to serve. (Vote 4-1 Abrica Absent) 25. Gloria Way Well Retrofit Project (Community Development Department) CONTINUED TO MAY 21, 2013 Adopt a resolution approving the Gloria Way Well Retrofit Mitigated Negative Declaration and authorizing proceeding to 100 percent design of the Gloria Way Well Retrofit Project utilizing U.S. EPA State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) ADJOURNMENT The Council of the City of East Palo Alto adjourned at 10:23 p.m. Minutes Recorded, Prepared and Respectfully Submitted by, Nora Pimentel, CMC Deputy City Clerk 7