Good
Good morning
Good morning, everyone and chambers. Good morning and welcome to the rules and legislation committee meeting on this Thursday
May 21st
The time is now 10 38 and this meeting shall come to order
Before I call rule
I'd like to give instructions on how to submit a speaker card if you are here with us in chambers and would like to submit
A speaker card on items on this agenda
We ask you to please fill out a speaker card on the table in front of you
and hand it to the clerk representative either before the item is called or 10 minutes after this meeting began the meeting began at
1038 and so that would make that cut off time to submit your speaker cards either at 1048 or before the item is called in
Electronic speaker cards were due 24 hours before the meeting began. So we will no longer accept those with that. I will now be
Begin with roll on roll
Councilmember Brown present councilmember five present councilmember Ramachandran present chair Jenkins present. Good morning. Good morning
We have four members present before I move on. Do you have any announcements?
Yes, because of the immense amount of speakers. We're going to limit public speaking time to a minute and 30 seconds
Thank you for that moving to the first item item
Number one is approval of the draft minutes for the committee meeting on May 7th
twenty six need a motion move approval second I have a motion by council member
Brown seconded by council member five to approve number one the draft minutes on
roll councilmember Brown aye thank you councilmember five council member
Ramachandran aye council member chair Jenkins aye item number one is approval
for eyes thank you for that we now are moving to item number two which is
determination of scheduling outstanding committee items which is your pending
list I have no speakers any changes or a motion motion to move the pending list
second I have a motion by council member Brown second by council member five to
approve item to determination of scheduling an outstanding committee
items on roll for this council member Brown I council member five I council
member Ramachandran I and chair Jenkins I item number two is approved with
4 ayes as is no changes
This now takes us to item 3 new scheduling
Item 3 starts with item 3.1, which is an ordinance amending the
reenacting OMC charter
3.08 to remove ballot title and
summary of measure to clarify and remove unnecessary requirements for the city
Sponsored ballot measure and amend section three point zero eight point zero four zero to update language regarding
nomination petitions three amend
section three point zero eight point zero eight zero to clarify declaration of candidacy forms and
for at section three point zero eight point zero eight five to clarify requirements for ballot designations
And this item is being requested to be scheduled for the May 28th rules and legislation committee meeting
Agenda and I will now read the urgency finding for this item
Which is the ordinance needs to be adopted in order to a update election materials election materials needed
To be update prior to the state of nomination period
Now moving to item three point two, I do see
a hand at this time
So we'll adjourn into a special meeting as there's a couple of council members here that are going to participate
I'll entertain a motion
I'll second and we have a motion by council president council chair Jenkins
Seconded by council member Brown to adjourn in a special meeting
Council meeting at the presence of additional council members on roll council member Brown
I councilmember five I made the second but I my apologies okay that and
councilmember on my chondron and
Chair Jenkins. I thank you and that motion passes with council member Jenkins moving and council member five
Seconding to adjourn in a special meeting at the presence of other council members at 1042. Thank you for that
We are now moving to item 3.2 and I booked report to is a resolution to
commemoratively rename the intersection of 99th Avenue and International Boulevard as Arthur e
Thomas way in honor of mr. Arthur e Thomas
tremendous impact serving the Oakland families for nearly 60 years through his professional career as a
founder in operation of Thomas funeral homes
about that board as well as
the councilmember will present
the items in their homes and
this item is being requested to
be scheduled for the June 2nd
city council agenda on consent
and I believe staff may need to
come and read in the rule 24
for this item.
Good morning.
To the chair at Trinity Hall
sort of from the office of the
son of Oakland can Houston
district seven councilmember.
We are requesting a rule 24 for
this item because these items
typically bypass committee and
go straight to council.
Okay so we're correcting that
the council. Thank you. My apologies. And just noting my apologies to the chair to the council
member who presented this item. Three point two we would also need a. Legislation and
report for this item since it's not a ceremonial item you still would need to provide a report
for this as well yes thank you moving on to item 3.3 it's doctor resolution
confirming the appointment of a Luna de la Riva as a member of the cannabis
regulatory Commission this item is being requested to be scheduled for the June
2nd City Council agenda on consent I will now read in the rule 24 and it is
due to the recent quorum challenges experienced by the cannabis cannabis
This regulatory commission is the rule 24.
And now moving to item 3.4, which is a resolution confirming the mayor's appointment of Susan
Flores to the budget advisory commission.
And this also is being requested to be scheduled for the June 2nd City Council Agenda on consent.
And the rule 24 is due to the recent quorum challenges and experience by the budget commission
during the last meeting.
to item 3.5 item 3.5 a resolution confirming the mayor's appointment of
will bow to the budget Advisory Commission this is also being requested
to be scheduled for the June 2nd City Council agenda on consent the rule 24
is due to the recent quorum challenges experienced by the budget Advisory
Commission during its last meeting item 3.6 is a resolution confirm in the
I'm sure the mayor's appointment of the sheenee and Rosalind to the library commission this item is being requested to be scheduled for June 2nd City Council agenda on consent
The rule 24 is to build the two special vacancies that have recently occurred
Item 3.7 is a resolution confirming the mayor's appointment a supine ray to privacy advisory commission
This is also being requested to be scheduled for the June 2nd
City of Council agenda on consent and
Its rule 24 is due to the recent quorum challenges experienced by the Privacy Advisory Commission
item
3.8 item 3.8 is a resolution in support of the California Senate bill 1415
legislation to expand the welfare property tax
exemption for qualifying mixed income affordable housing developments and this is being requested to be scheduled for the
Second City Council agenda on consent and I believe if this item is moving to June 2nd, they will need a rule 24
For item 3.8 this item if it is being approved to go to June 2nd, it will need a rule 24
Thank you. We are withdrawing this item
So noted item 3.8 is to be withdrawn
We will now move to item
3.9 3.9 is a resolution authorizing the city administrator to amend the advertising sign relocation agreement dated
December 29 2023 with the Becker boards in California limited liability
such that the annual payments would be converted from a fixed fee structure to a payment structure where 20 percent of the Becker
advertising revenue collected from the new advertising signs would be
appropriated to the city and certain
community nonprofits with 50% of the revenue paid to the city and the remaining 50% split equal among
the Native American Health Center Asian Health Center like clinical de la Raza and
Baywell health with the city receiving a minimum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars per year
regardless of Becker's review revenue, which amount may be more depending on the Becker's revenue and
Adopting CEQA findings. This item is being requested to be scheduled for the June 2nd city council agenda on consent
Is there rule 24?
if staff can approach the podium on this item and
State the rule 24 for the record. Thank you
Thank you members of the council and I was one of the leaders that brought the Becker billboard to the city of Oakland
To not only support the city but also support some of the community organizations in the neighborhood
But considering right now we're we're we are and I think we have had some great discussions with the city attorney
And they provided the the information and the and the support for this so clearly when you look at the reasons under rule 24
This is to conclude is to be concluded before the end of the fiscal year so the round two can be built and deliver
2.3
9 million the city has already counted on the with the budget there are just
some small financial adjustments that guarantee the city's share in the
shorter term and increase in the long term there is no substitute policy
discussion needed if these adjustments don't happen the current billboards will
not would not be market viable which means the second round round won't be
Built yet. The first round goes down all the community advertising in the community in the city benefits would end
So we're asking to place this on
consent or non consent
and the next meeting
City attorney
Through the chair to the committee given that this is this resolution is for an amendment to a relocation agreement
authorized under Oakley Municipal Code
section 17
104 dot 0 6 0
It's our position that this needs 17 day newspaper notice
And so we would recommend that this is pushed
Scheduled out further enough to allow us to to allow the city staff to complete that notice
Council member you're notable to that. I
Also, we have representatives from the billboard company if I can have them respond
We need to get this done
And certainly it's the support for the community many of us that were here at the council spend a great deal of time
trying to get this done to benefit the city and so we
Does that mean that we can schedule the item rule 24?
Scheduling to June 2nd would not allow enough time for that newspaper notice. So I defer to the committee
Colleagues you have any
So on this item through the chair to the city attorney for that 17 day notice
Would scheduling it in committee be the recommend recommendation or should we just select a council meeting that meets that?
17 day window
Yes, my understanding is the notice is for the hearing at council
So that would be the timeline that you're working against
It's up to this body whether it goes to committee or not, but the newspaper notices for the council meeting
Through the chair to our parliamentarian, what is the urgency and what are the legal requirements for the newspaper notice?
Sorry, I'm not sure I understand the question. You're saying that it needs to be noticed in our newspapers, correct? Yes, you're the chair. Yes
Where is that? Where's the authority that states that's a necessity?
And that's under Oakland Municipal Code title 17
But we can we can give you additional details offline
or if you if the committee wants to
Move on with scheduling under item 3 we can get some more information and circle back
If it's a requirement that it needs to be noticed for an item like this
I think we should follow what the legal protocols are. That's my position
Thank You councilmember
Rema Chandra, thank you. I agree with and to this parliamentarian through the chair with June
16th council meeting be enough time for the newspaper notice
so my understanding is that the newspapers publish on Friday and do you have
At least like I think it's about a week
Deadline before that publication date, so I don't have a calendar in front of me
But you'd need to make sure that there was enough time for the 17 days
on the need for that.
Starting on a Friday when the
newspaper publishes and meeting
those newspaper deadlines.
They don't know if department
staff is hearing can provide.
Further information I'll defer
to them.
I mean just counting calendar
days it's exactly seventeen
business days.
I don't know if that's in close
to the dates published or not.
Yeah open to.
Through the chair if I could for
City attorney stated all the papers this council selected at this time our weeklies
They only publish on Fridays and your best deadline you have to have all the materials in by Wednesday
To cut through the chair to council member guy. Are there other dates that you suggest?
You know again and we're following the direction of the meeting with the city attorney and so for us
We'd like to get this done in time
before we go on break and that's what these are the committees that we're
requesting the information you have you know the company they've done extremely
good great job supporting the neighborhood the city and we it's a
business opportunity that we need to show support and continue to to do
business through the chair to the parliamentarian does it have to be a
regular council meeting or what it could it be a special council meeting I'm not
aware that it needs a regular meeting but I can check on that now let's come
back to this item so we will return back to item 3.9 so we're moving on to item
310 it's an ordinance amending ordinance number 13848 which adopted the
this is the subject of the
public hearing.
I will ask the council for a
fiscal year twenty five twenty
six masterpiece schedule as
amended to establish modify and
delete these four penalties
assessed by the city of Oakland
for fiscal year twenty six
twenty seven and this is being
requested.
To be scheduled for June a
second city council agenda as a
public hearing I believe we'll
need staff to come and state the
rule twenty four for this item.
Good morning to the chair of
the city will not be able to
If if the question is whether the reason the role 24 reason was sufficient
Can you please restate it?
But it is up to the body your council rules say that an item can bypass committee if a reason is stated on the record
So it is up to the committee
Through the chair if our councilmember Noah Gaya wants this done. Let's do a special meeting. I'll be there for them. Let's just do it
You guys got to we're coming back to that. I don't councilmember Houston
Okay
so I'll repeat the
twenty one. And this is the
new rule twenty four. This
requirement necessitates two
separate readings that full
council meetings. An initial
introduction and a subsequent
adoption of a later meeting-
this needs to happen before
July first- otherwise the city
would not be able to charge the
up the updated fees between
July one and the date of
adoption. And we have already
publicly noticed- for the
public hearing for June second-
Thank you for that
So the rule 24 for 310 is noted item 311 is a resolution confirming the city of Oakland's landscaping and lighting
Assessment district physical year 26 27 engineers report and levying the assessments and being requested to be scheduled for the June 2nd
City Council agenda as a public hearing I will now read the rule 24
Which states as part of the required annual three report process the lad?
Second report the resolution of intention
presented to the May 12th Finance Committee and the May 19th council
Presented the proposed assessment and set June 2nd as the public hearing date for the third report
moving to item
3.12
Item 3.2 12 is an ordinance one authorizing the fiscal year 26 27 increase in the rate of property tax
imposed by the voter approved measure and
Fixing the rate of property tax and levying the tax on real and personal property in the city of Oakland for fiscal year
2627 the emergency medical services retention act the
paramedic service act the library service retention and
Enhancement act the Oakland community violence reduction and injury emergency response act the
2018 Oakland Library Public Library Prevention Act the 2020 Oakland Park and Recreation prevention
preservation and litter reduction and homelessness support act the children's initiative of 2018 the
2022 Oakland Zoo annual care
education and improvement ordinance and the Wildfire Prevention Finding Act of 2024
This is to be heard on the June 2nd
2026 City Council agenda as a non-consent item I will now read in the rule 24 for this
item as well the requirements necessitate two separate readings at a full city council
meeting in an initial introduction and a subsequent adoption at a later meeting now moving to
item 3.13 which is a resolution recognizing May 2026 as Asian American Native Hawaiian
and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the City of Oakland and honoring Asian Americans
who contribute to the culture and vibrancy of Oakland. This item is being requested
to be scheduled for the June 2, 26 City Council agenda as a ceremonial. I do need a rule 24.
you.
We need a little twenty four.
For council member one.
This is a ceremony all ceremonial item and they.
Typically bypass committee and go straight to council.
So we'll put this out among consent.
As opposed to a ceremonial.
Yeah council member on children are you added as a co-sponsor.
I would like to yes.
Okay okay so please add council member.
house of this year.
So noted thank you for that and
if I made the chair to the.
Committee as well as council
and department staff if I can
just take a moment to remind
everyone that items that are
being requested to be scheduled
for the June second committee.
I counsel those report packets
will be due to the clerk's
office by four o'clock today so
moving on to item 314 which is a resolution providing for borrowing of
funds for fiscal year 26 to 27 and the sale of the city of Oakland 26 to 27
tax and revenue anticipation notes in the amount not to exceed 200 million
dollars approving an official statement official statement approving the
execution of one or more note purchase agreements relating to such notes and
and authorizing the city other actions in connection
therewith and this item is being requested
to be scheduled for June 9th Finance and Management Committee
but I do see staff.
Good morning, John.
David Jones, Treasury Administrator.
We are requesting to have this item go to the June 23rd
Finance and Management Committee.
So noted, thank you so much, David.
Moving on to item 315 is a resolution awarding a construction contract to McGuire and Hester for the
MLK junior wage streetscape improvement project the lower the lowest and responsible and responsive bidder in accordance with the project plan
specifications state requirements with construction bid in the amount of
twenty six million four hundred ninety nine thousand three hundred and thirty nine dollars and fifty cents in adopting appropriate
Sequa findings this item is being requested to be scheduled for the June 9th public works and transportation committee agenda
item
316 is
Adopt a resolution one authorizing the city administrator to negotiate and execute the following a lease and management agreement between the city of as
landlord and sharks ice LLC as tenet to operate the Oakland ice center for an initial five-year term with
four five-year extension options at a rate of
$335,000 in the base rent per year, less an annual capital contribution by the city
of $100,000 with an annual tenant capital contribution of $100,000 and a percentage
rent of 7% of the annual gross revenue above $4.3 million.
with tenant.
Retaining the first hundred
thousand dollars in the city
receiving fifty percent of the
remaining net advertising
revenue.
For a term of five years with
for five year extension options
see the use and of and one ten
excuse me one.
$1,344,910 in the capital reserve funds and up to $500,000 in anticipation net revenue
in fiscal year 2526 to reimburse shark ice LLC for losses realized under the current
management agreement and D disbursement agreement with the sharks ice LLC in a total amount
Not to exceed ten million dollars of measure you bond funds for the new
Refrigeration system and related capital improvements to making findings that the lease for below fair market rent value
rental value is the best interest of the city and
Adopting CEQA findings this item is being requested to be scheduled for the June 9th community and economic development committee agenda
item
2017 item 317 is a resolution accepting and appropriating a total award of the United States Department of Housing and Urban
Development grant funds in the amount not to exceed fourteen million six hundred seventy four thousand seven hundred and ninety nine dollars and seven cents
For community development block grants home improvement
investment partnerships emergency solutions grants and housing opportunities for persons with AIDS
programs for the fiscal year
27 authorizing the city of ministration to prepare and submit to the united states department of housing and urban development and annual action plan for physical year
2627
Appropriating any available
Revolving a loan program income for housing rehabilitation activities
Authorizing the city administrator to award agreements for activities as set forth in the exhibit a and the list of eligible backup
activities to be to be funded with the funds that became available as a result of the project being completed under budget delayed or
canceled attached here to
exclusive of prior year funding availability
subject to compliance with any applicable competitive bidding requirements in authorizing the city administrator or debt to
designate
certifying officials or designee of the certifying official for a purpose of title 24 part 58 of
of the code of the federal regulations and submit to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and this is being
Requested to be scheduled for the June 9th
Community and Economic Development Committee agenda and on the June 16th city council agenda as a public hearing
through the chair winning move from the city administrators office staff is requesting that this item be moved to the June 23rd CD and
To the July 7th council as a public hearing
So noted. Thank you for that administration
Moving to item 318 item 318 is adopted ordinance as recommended by the Planning Commission amending title 17 of the OMC
updating the accessory dwelling unit regulations for
Consistencies with the state law and providing written findings pursuant to the government code
revising discontinuance standards for the non conforming activities
removing accessibility
applicability of
scenic route combining zone discretionary standards
to a ministerial design review,
permitting recreational assembly activities
in the Wood Street, revising minimum front setback,
removing a review deadline
from the development agreement procedure,
revising utility screening standards,
and incorporating conforming and clerical revisions,
and making appropriate CEQA findings,
and this is being requested to be scheduled
for the June 9th Community and Economic Development Committee agenda and on the June 16th City
Council agenda as a public hearing.
Item 319 is a resolution authorizing the city administrator to negotiate and execute a rental
agreement with the campus in Common Inc. a non-profit in the amount not to exceed $197,432
for a art nets nature and opy are excuse me opy our YD town experience summer session
for 300 youth and 88 adults from July 29th to August 7th 2026 and this is being requested
to be scheduled for June 9th Life Enrichment Committee agenda item 320 is a resolution
Confirming the mayor's appointment in the Felicia
Very broth to the landmark preservation advisory board and this is being requested to be scheduled for June 11th
Rules and legislation committee agenda
item three point twenty one adopted ordinance amending ordinance number one three one, oh four
Which authorized the sale of the city on parcel at three nineteen Chester Street to Alliance to the Alliance for the West Oakland?
development for a purchase price of
$400,000 authorizing seller financing for the purchase price authorizing
$400,000 construction loan and authorizing disposition and
Development agreement with the developer to develop the parcel with a two-family home
To authorize converting the project into an affordable rental project
Change the city loan into a long-term affordable rental loan and increase the amount of the city construction loan by one million dollars
For a total construction loan of one million four hundred ninety four thousand four hundred ninety four thousand dollars
To be heard on the June 23rd ced committee agenda
item three point
23 is a resolution authorizing the city administrator to temporarily restrict the ability to make right turns
from international Boulevard on 9th 10th and 11th streets for a period of six months pursuing to the
California vehicle code section two one one zero one point four to disrupt
persistent activities associated with sex trafficking and this is being
requested to be scheduled for the June 23rd Public Safety Committee agenda item
three point twenty three is received a biannual informational report from the
Department of Violence Prevention to include the activities and fidelity to
the public safety committee.
Okay hold on oh there's not gonna be a July 28th. Okay well we'll leave it there
for now and we'll figure it out. Okay thank you. So noting items 3.23 will be
stating staying on July 14th public safety. Item 3.24 receive a biannual
information report from OPD regarding part 2 crime data and this is being
requested to be scheduled for July 14th public safety committee agenda. Winnie
And then we move from the city administrators office
through the chair to councilmember Wong's office.
This item is already on the public safety pending list.
So staff is requesting that this item
be scheduled through that.
And this is specific to part two crimes,
which is not something that typically
has come before public safety.
But it's a similar item, so staff is requesting
that they would combine it.
They would combine it?
Yes.
Okay, that's fine.
So we can withdraw this item.
So item as a 3.24 will be withdrawn?
Yes.
So noted.
Moving to item 3.25,
receive a biannual information report from OPD
to include enforcement matrix, staffing levels,
arrest data and proactive operations
to be scheduled for July 28th,
public safety committee agenda?
Regina, is it okay if we put that on the pending list?
Okay, so 3.25 will be on the pending list.
Noting we're putting this on the public safety pending list
or the rules pending list?
No. Public safety pending list.
Public safety, no, they're specific.
Thank you for that.
Moving to item 3.26 is a resolution awarding grants
to 21 community-based organizations
community violence intervention services set forth in table one and two for the period
of October 1st, 2026 to September 30th, 2029 in a total amount not to exceed $38,100,000
and authorizing the city administrator to negotiate and enter into a grant agreement
with the named grantees with authority to extend the term of the grant and mobility
the grant amount as set forth here in without returning to council and this is being requested
to be scheduled to the June ninth twenty twenty six public safety committee agenda.
And that concludes your new scheduling items. Can we go back to three point nine please.
City attorney. We've had a chance to look at the calendar so it looks like if staff
can get this notice to the newspaper next week for a publication Friday May 29th
then it there will be time to schedule to the June 16th council meeting defer
to the committee thank you councilmember Kyle then councilmember Houston I know
you had a comment on this item schedule as we're requesting yeah she said you
You could be on schedule for the June, what, 16th?
June.
The June date that you're requesting?
Yeah, okay, so we're, thank you, thank you.
Go to the public speakers.
As I call your name, please approach the podium
in any order and if I call your name
and you're participating in Zoom, please raise your hand
and please, when you approach the podium,
state your name for the record.
I have Christopher Powell, Kevin Dally, Blair Beekman,
Jason Overman, Isaac cost read and NEMA link
in any order, if I called your name.
Kevin Dalley, this is sort of a minor issue
suggesting a change in title for 3.22 temporarily
restricted street closure from international Boulevard.
If it's possible to change the title in a way that suggests
But it's only turns that are restricted and not the closure.
But I know the vehicle code 21101.4
talks about closure of a road,
so it might be necessary to say closure.
But it would be more clear to someone scanning through
that no, we're not gonna shut down
International Boulevard and we're not gonna be
shutting down the temple line.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Next speaker, please.
Hi, everybody.
Nima Link with Becker Boards.
Thank you for scheduling the item.
we're happy to do so.
Thank you for this lifeline that will allow us to continue
supporting the community.
It's a little dip in the short term and a lot more money
for the community groups in the city in the long run.
Thank you for giving us that breathing room
or considering to schedule giving us that breathing room.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker, please.
If I called your name and you're here in chambers.
Good morning, council members.
For the record, Jason Overman, I'm Jasmine Overman.
I'm the chief manager of the Department of Health
for the record Jason overman on
behalf of out front foster
interstates.
This item fundamentally rewrites
the deal the city approved for
Becker in twenty twenty three.
It would reduce guaranteed
annual payments to the city and
community non-profit partners
from seven hundred fifty
thousand dollars.
To as little as two hundred
fifty thousand dollars for five
digital billboards.
While also reducing Becker's
obligations to remove existing
billboard faces and install
poll covers.
The amendment would have also
retroactively credit prior
the state's calling back money from community organizations and eliminate commitments Becker previously agreed to with the only guarantee going to the city and a 10% share of whatever is left.
For the Native American Health Center, Asian Health Services, La Clinica de la Raza, Baywell Health and Movement Strategy Center could mean just mere pennies for these groups.
But in contrast, Out Front Foster Interstate has held up its commitments for the signs
they built from that 2023 agreement, including the installation of poll covers.
This is not a routine agreement, it is a major retrade of the 2023 agreement.
Thank you.
Your time is up.
For those who are called named in the chambers, please approach the podium in any order.
Good morning Council.
Isaac Koss Free, D2 resident and advocate for Becker Boards.
Because 2020 we have been challenging the big two billboard monopoly and they have fought
us every step of the way.
Today is no different.
Even when we brought them to the table to agree to historic community benefits they
continue to fight us.
Now that my client is seeking some reasonable adjustments to the agreements that will allow
them to weather the current challenging market and ensure more money long term for the city
and community while guaranteeing the short-term payments to the city, we'll also ensure competition
in the market and ensure that we can continue providing these community
benefits because if this does not work out and these billboards are not built
or the current ones go under, then all that is lost for the community.
So thank you in advance for your consideration and I appreciate your I vote.
Thank you for your comments.
We will now move to the zoom speakers.
Um, I have Blair beacon and you are unmuted.
You may unmute yourself and begin.
All right.
I wanted to speak on items 3.8, 3.9, 3.13, and 3.14, three minute times with my card I
submitted yesterday.
To first go with 3.8, support of SB 1415, that's Air Queen and Wiener at the state level.
Interesting they're working together and I used to always mention to when Jesse Air
interviewing was mayor of Berkeley,
the importance of mixed income ideas
and he is following through with hopefully
some interesting ideas in working with Scott Wiener.
On the concepts of mixed income affordable housing
to expand welfare property tax exemptions
or qualifying mixed income affordable housing developments.
Good luck with this.
Good luck that housing costs in San Diego
are fairly low in how to build homes.
not so in the Bay Area, they're really high.
So we need all the help we can get in the Bay Area.
So good luck in these efforts.
For items 9.13, that's working on Hawaii issues
that's noting AANH PI Heritage Month.
I spend like, I've been spending my winters in Lahaina, Maui
and to watch the whales and to swim underwater with them
and hear them sing and talk and stuff.
It's really interesting.
And in Lahaina, because of their fire issues a few years ago,
they're having to rebuild a lot.
And there are real questions on how to rebuild.
Do they rebuild with indigenous traditions in mind,
or do they just build as the big tourist development
that Maui and Hawaii can be?
So those are the questions, and they're battling that.
Good luck in that deliberation.
and how I think to build an indigenous future
for the area is more important.
I hope we can work on that.
To quickly mention 3.14 tax revenue anticipation notes,
I've been learning, you know,
as I live in San Diego now,
and I moved down there from the Bay Area,
San Diego, they don't like taxes.
They don't like,
they have no ways to get revenue for their things.
So I've learned that.
Good luck how you can work with
San Diego serious budget austerity issues they have right now
and how they can work through that.
Oakland has a low-life philosophy that fosters,
you know, social services.
Good luck in those good efforts.
And with 3.9, the billboard issue,
I heard good conversation, good public comments,
thank you, there's a lot of tech involved.
Good luck how we can be accountable with that tech.
And that we hold these billboard companies accountable.
And good luck how city councilpersons learn to do that
and don't get greedy.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Next speaker, Christopher Powell,
you're unmuted, unmute yourself and begin.
Good morning.
My name is Christopher Powell.
I'm an attorney at Hanson Bridget LLP,
representing Outfront Foster Interstate.
I urge this committee to reject a proposed amendment
to the Becker Board's relocation agreement.
Why does Becker need this better deal
taking money back from the city and the community?
not because it is going bankrupt.
It has hundreds of signs across the U.S.
Becker simply wants to make these signs more profitable
so it can sell them to a completely different operator
and walk away.
Then what are its promises worth to the city?
Becker made these promises to the city and communities
now asking for permission to break those promises
while still reaping the benefits for making false promises.
This proposal cuts guaranteed payments from 750,000
to $250,000 a year,
two-thirds reduction replacing fixed payments with a speculative revenue share.
It retroactively claws back payments already made to the city and in the
community and it reduces billboard removal obligations from 25 basis to 14.
Therefore we ask the committee to reject this proposal. Thank you. Thank you for
your comments. That concludes our public comment. Speakers for item 3. Council
Members, any comments?
Seeing none.
Item 3.2, there's an updated rule 24.
Item 3.8 will be withdrawn.
Item 3.9 will go to June 16th.
Item 3.10, updated rule 24.
Item 3.12, updated rule 24.
Item 3.3 will go to consent rule 24
and adding council member Ramachandran as a co-sponsor.
Item 3.14 will go to FMC 623.
Item 3.17 CED, they'll go to the CED on 623.
Item 3.12, 3.24 withdrawn.
Item 3.25 moved to public safety pending list.
With that, I will take a motion.
I had a question about item 3.9.
Is there a reason since now it's going to June 16th
that it can't go to the June 9th CED?
I wanted to know from the chair,
so through the chair, if that committee is impacted.
Yes, on that specific date it is,
but if there was an interest from the body
for it to go through CED,
it would have to be on a later CED,
which I believe was the 23rd.
Okay, I'm good.
All right, I'll understand the motion.
So moved.
Second.
And that was a motion by Council Member Fife,
seconded by Council Member Brown,
to approve item three as amended
on roll Council Member Brown.
Aye.
Council Member Fife.
Aye.
Council Member Ramachandran.
Aye.
And Chair Jenkins.
Aye.
Item three is approved as amended with four ayes.
That now takes us to item number four.
Item number four is review of the draft agenda's pending list
in the council and committee meetings.
And this is your committee meetings on May 26th,
and your pending list and your council draft agenda
on June 2nd and June 4th rules.
Tracy Jones, OPD police services manager.
I have a couple items through the chair.
For May 26th, Public Safety, item number five,
that's on the agenda, the MOU between OPD and USC.
We would like to move that to no date specific.
That was item seven.
Sorry, I apologize, item seven.
Yep, thank you.
The second item is the Crime Data Report,
which is listed under the biannual reports.
We are scheduling that for October 28th.
As mentioned earlier, that report normally
includes part one data, crime data.
And we would plan to include part two data.
I believe that's October 27th, not October 28th.
27th public safety?
Yeah.
Okay.
Thank you.
Hello through the chair.
My name is Misha McLaughlin.
I represent Council President Kevin Jenkins.
I am here to withdraw, well actually the item number four
on the financing management committee for May 26th,
I would like to remove that and place it
on the pending list, for rules pending list.
We'll put it on our FMC pending list.
FMC pending list, yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And through the chair,
Winnie Wu from the city administrator's office,
I'd like to draw your attention
to the CD pending list item number eight it's to receive an informational report
on the City of Oakland's general plan and housing element annual progress
report for calendar year 2025 or requesting that to go to June 9th CD this
is the general plan study okay okay and then the June 2nd 4.2 general
this is going to be a good
work plan update going to move
that to the world's pending
list while we work with the
department.
Yeah.
The thing we would really ask is
that we get this done before
recess.
In order to be able to keep our
schedule moving absolutely we
wanted to be a good working
session but if we can then
follow up and see what the best
date would be for us to be able
to do that that would be much
appreciated okay can you follow
up with councilmember under
absolutely okay thank you right.
And chair brown.
be with you anything else if now we'll go to public comment as I call your name
if you're here in chambers please approach the podium if you're a
participating online please raise your hand so I can easily identify you I will
take as usual those who are in chambers first but again in any order please
approach the podium and state your name for the record I have a Oakland Berkeley
to the B W O P A for item four, Kevin Dally
and Blair Beekman, Kevin Dally is passing.
I don't know who the Oakland Berkeley B W O P A is.
All right.
If they're not here in chambers,
I will go to the one person on Zoom.
Blair Beekman, please unmute yourself.
Thank you, thank you.
All right, Blair Beekman.
Hopefully my zoom is not gonna cut out.
I'm on the trolley, the San Diego trolley right now.
I wanted to quickly offer,
you have a public safety committee meeting
and on your agenda is the scholarship program.
I don't know if that's exactly what it's called,
but the program shows your work students,
graduate level social work students
to go into policing and create an internship with OPD.
And working with USC on this,
and it was at a committee meeting, I think,
a week, a month ago.
And it was interesting to have, you know,
be questioned where police recruits are coming from
and coming from a university is a very positive idea.
It's from that, it helped me just think
more positive ideas that perhaps instead of the local young interns going or not local
but the young interns going through the police department is there a social services city
department they could go through first and then check in with OPD and I know you guys
were asking those sort of questions. The program needed to be started by August. Can that date
be pushed back to say November and can those questions be answered at the upcoming meeting.
Thank you.
I'm just looking forward to
the discussion.
Thank you for your comments that
concludes our speakers for item
four.
B. W. O. P. A. didn't show up.
I approached the podium and no
one was in the queue in zoom so
that.
So item number four F. M. C.
item four place on the pending
list for FMC public safety
committee item number seven
place on pending list public
safety committee crime day the
placed on the pending list and moved to 69 cd and then June 2nd 4.2 4.2 general plan
update moved to world's pending list. Entertain a motion. So moved. Second. And that was a
motion by council member five seconded by council member Ramachandran to approve item
four as amended on roll councilmember Brown.
Aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Ramachandran.
Aye.
Chair Jenkins.
Aye.
Item number four is approved as amended with four ayes
that now takes us to item five.
Item five is adopted resolution submitting to the voters
at the November 3rd, 2026 general election,
a measure that would amend the city,
the Oakland City Charter, to among other things,
make the mayor, the city chief executive officer,
responsible for managing city affairs,
to empower the council to confirm the appointment
of directors of finance, human resources,
and public works and transportation,
three, empower the council to create an independent budget
and legislative analysis office
to provide the council physical and policy analysis
that is objective and nonpartisan.
Four, affirm council members' right
to request information and relay constituent concerns
and city officials' duties to respond promptly.
Five, empower the council to hold the legislative hearings
in issue subpoenas.
Six, create a marital veto with the line item budget veto
and council power to override any veto.
Seven require council members to work full-time
and not engage in outside employment.
Eight, empower the public ethics commission
to align the mayor and council members' salaries
with those of comparable full-time public officials.
And nine, require the publication of ordinances
within 15 days of passage and directing the city clerk
to take all actions necessary under the law
to submit this measure to the voters at the election
and making appropriate California Environmental Quality
Act findings, I have 30 speakers for this item.
Madam Mayor, welcome to day three, what is it, 66?
66.
All right.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Members of the council, members of our community,
let me just say thank you so much
for giving me a chance to be with you.
I'm here to present on item five,
the proposed ballot measure to reform Oakland City Charter.
Now Oakland is at a turning point
and the status quo needs to change.
Our residents expect clear leadership,
clear accountability, timely decisions,
and delivery of city services in an efficient manner.
They do not have patience for a government
that cannot figure out where the buck stops
and why the delivery of core services is lacking.
And so that's why I announced charter reform
in my first 100 days.
Now charter reform, let me be clear,
it's not about personalities.
This is a structural change.
It's not written for any one mayor or any council member
or any one administrator.
It's a structural change that would apply to any mayor
and any future administration.
It's about how the system works, who is accountable when things go wrong, who has the tools to
fix them, and how we build a government that is truly responsible to deliver the services
our constituents, our residents need.
Now, our current charter blends elements of a strong mayor system and a council manager
system in a way that diffuses authority and obscures responsibility.
Too often this hybrid structure creates confusion, weakens accountability, and contributes to
a vicious cycle where residents struggle to get the core services that they deserve.
Replacing one hybrid with another would only continue those same problems.
Residents already expect the mayor to have the authority to act and the council to legislate
and provide oversight and to deliver services to their constituents.
Too often our structure does not match those expectations.
Before I discuss the proposal itself, I want to thank everyone who helped shake this process.
The Charter Reform Working Group, the League of Women Voters, of Oakland Spurs, city workers,
council members, and the more than 750 residents who participated in community meetings across
every council district, and of course, my staff, and our leadership, and our residents,
and our activists.
This was a very transparent, community-driven process grounded in public engagement and
expertise.
Now, when I became mayor, I already knew, mind you, I already knew there was confusion
around roles and authority inside Oakland's government, because I had experienced this
firsthand as your member of Congress and California legislature.
Even while serving in Congress, after securing federal resources, there was uncertainty inside
city hall what to do. Oftentimes I had to communicate with six or seven people
before I tracked down the appropriate contact for follow-up. Now as mayor I see
clearly how this structural ambiguity affects our ability to deliver for
residents. Too often it's unclear where the buck stops, who is responsible for
operational decisions, and who voters should ultimately hold accountable for
results. Over time that confusion has eroded trust in government, and it's made it harder
for council members to effectively do their jobs representing their constituents. That's
why I convened this working group with three goals and a very narrow framework to clarify
roles and responsibilities of elected officials, strengthening financial management systems,
and improving accountability and transparency. So let me briefly explain what's actually
in the measure before you today strong mayor strong council framework lays out the fact
that the mayor serves as the chief executive of our city accountable for managing the city
operations and service delivery the council retains full authority legislative authority
budget approval power and meaningful oversight while also being empowered to be much more
effective advocates for their districts and to ensure that services are actually delivered
to their constituents and communities regarding mayoral veto and budget line item vetoes.
The mayor would have a general veto and a targeted budget line item veto.
The council retains the ability to override by two-thirds.
Independent budget and legislative analysis, which is really needed, it's a permanent independent
office to strengthen the council's fiscal analysis, policy research, and oversight capacity.
head confirmation process, a targeted confirmation process for senior department heads that
preserves meaningful counsel oversight while avoiding prolonged vacancies.
The Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Works, Human Resources, Finances,
and the City Administrator would require counsel confirmation.
We have a full-time counsel and compensation alignment.
The charter would formally recognize counsel service as full time and align compensation
through the public ethics commission so public service is accessible to working people from
all backgrounds.
Let me mention section 218 reform.
The former section 218 impeded council members with the delivery of constituent services
and included a misdemeanor, mind you, a misdemeanor provision that many residents weren't even
aware of.
This new section, and we took that out, we eliminated that.
The new section is designed to strengthen constituent service functions and improve
responsiveness for residents seeking help from their elected representative.
Council members would have clear communication channels with city departments while preserving
prohibitions against directing staff in administrative manners.
Let me re-clear it.
reforms are designed to create clear accountability, stronger oversight, and a government structure
better equipped to deliver results for Oakland residents.
And let me address a couple of concerns you may hear about this process.
Now, I have to tell you, this process was not rushed.
It was informed by over six months, mind you, of public outreach, which included also 60
interviews, 14 public meetings, and meeting notes from the public meetings frequently
ask questions have been put up online and how the working group came to the decisions
that they came to. Also, let me say something very clearly about the tone of parts of this
public conversation. Now, reasonable people can disagree about governance structure. This
is healthy and part of democracy. But some of the rhetoric I must say, and you know me,
I'm going to be very direct about this, we have seen in recent days has really crossed
There's a long history in this country of describing black leaders, especially black
women leaders, seeking executive authority or structural reform as dangerous or unqualified.
We should be honest enough to recognize that when rhetoric begins to echo those patterns,
we have to say no.
Oakland can have a serious and substantive debate about governance reform without resorting
to language that demonizes leadership
or undermines the legitimacy of a black woman
on such a personal basis.
And I've spent my entire career fighting
for democratic accountability, transparency, civil rights,
and checks and balances.
This proposal is not about concentrating power
in the hands of one elected official.
It is about structural change and clarifying
responsibility so that the public knows who is accountable and when action is
needed and ensures the delivery of constituent services this is not a
power grab. Ultimately this decision of course will be made by the mayor, excuse
me, it won't be made by one mayor, it won't be made by the City Council,
it'll be made by the voters of Oakland. And let me address directly the concern
that this proposal weakens the council. It does not. This measure strengthens the
council's institutional road through through thorough independent
oversight tools, legislative authority, budget authority, and clearly
constituent services functions will change. Through this proposal council
members are empowered to serve as strong advocates for their district while
retaining full power and meaningful oversight authority. A strong executive
which is a mayor's role and a strong legislature legislative body they're not
competing ideas. They are complementary parts of a balanced and accountable
government. I want to close where I began the people of Oakland. Hundreds of
Oaklanders participated in this process because they want a government where
Where responsibility is understandable.
Where oversight is meaningful and accountability is visible to the public.
They want a government that is responsible to the constituents in a structured way that
allows both the mayor and council members and council members to effectively deliver
results for the council districts and the communities that they represent.
And at the end of the day, yes, residents want to know three things.
who is responsible when something goes wrong,
who has the authority to act,
who should voters hold accountable at the ballot box?
This proposal is designed
to answer those questions more clearly.
And so I respectfully ask that this body
move this measure forward
so Oakland voters can make the final decision.
Thank you again for giving me a chance to be with you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So in the interest of time,
we're gonna go to public speakers first,
and I have to really apologize to you guys.
I have to cut the time to one minute.
We are going to run into quorum issues
and we're not going to have a body
for you guys to be able to speak to.
I know you guys came down here for two minutes.
My apologies, but we will not have quorum shortly.
So speaker time will be one minute
and then we'll open it up after that.
As I call your name, please approach the podium
in any order and state your name for the record.
I will take all those who are in chamber first
and then those who are participating in Zoom after.
Please raise your hand if you're participating in Zoom
so I can easily recognize you.
starting with the names.
Katrina Burton, Brooke Levin, Kevin Dally,
Nancy Folk, Blair Beekman, Derek Barnes,
Clifford Ham, Elsa Stevenson,
Stevens, Mimi Rowe, Mindy Pacheco,
with my apologies, and Gerald,
and Naomi Shift, Charles Long, Arlington Tugwell,
Lenore Gonzalez,
Nicole Knittich, Richard Fuentes, Helen Hutchinson,
David Franklin, Ben Gold, Barbara Ann Lafette,
Linda Grant, Valeria Ocha,
Cherie Woods, Isaac Tony, Mark Swanky,
Fred Blackwell, Cynthia O'Miley, Zach Goldman, and Keith Brown,
in any order please state your name for the record.
Thank you.
Elsa Stevens with Faith in Action East Bay.
First, we thank you for listening to hundreds of residents,
their direct input.
On behalf of Faith in Action East Bay,
of which I am secretary to the Board of Directors,
we say put it before the voters in this time of authoritarian invasion of our
you United States cities we need a strong mayor city again we thank you
next speaker please Clifford ham I'm a 46 year resident of Glenview I urge you
to approve the resolution to bring the charter reform measure to the voters we
We need to clarify the responsibility of the city council, the mayor and the city administrators.
We have a current confused system that no one likes, especially not the voters, and
this amendment will finally empower this city council to be a true legislative body, give
you powers and resources you do not have today.
The amendment will also hold a mayor, any future mayor, to be responsible for the administrative
excellence, administrative leadership, and as a member of the city council, to be the
advocate for citywide issues, clearly an advocate for citywide issues elected by the people.
The proposal in front of you today.
Thank you.
Your time is up.
I apologize.
Hello, my name is Mindy Petchnuk, and I am candidate for mayor in 2026, and I urge every
member to absolutely oppose this strong mayor, and go with another option, the third option,
which would actually put the mayor in a position to work and be on the city council, and actually
have deliberation, which is what the city needs, and a city administrator.
And I ask you very much to now think about don't succumb to any pressure from Mayor Barbara
Lee or your own careers.
We need to give a quality of life to the people of Oakland.
They deserve it.
They've suffered for many generations.
And if that quality of life is going to be brought back, it needs, yes, responsibility,
but it needs the third option.
And I've written to all of you about supporting the third option.
So this is not the first time you're hearing it from me.
So this is an important decision for Oakland.
Absolutely opposed putting on the agenda,
the strong mayor.
Yeah, my name is Gerald Petchenuk, the other Petchenuk.
You can raise the mic up, sir.
You can raise the mic up so you don't, yeah.
Hear me now?
Yeah, yes.
Okay, what I learned in Hebrew school when I was a kid
was when faced two bad choices,
always do like King Solomon, take the third.
And in this case, the third option has a strong mayor,
a strong city council, and a city manager,
which is used in almost many, many cities
that coordinates that effort.
So there is unity in the community,
and that there is a discussion and deliberative process
that doesn't tilt the seas.
When your kid going to see saw city council goes up,
mayor goes down, mayor goes down, city council goes up.
Don't work.
Have that city manager the third option
to be the deliberative voice for everybody.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Kevin Dalley, thanks to Mayor Lee
for bringing charter reform before the council.
Strong mayor is definitely an improvement
over the current charter, I think it'd be even better
to have a council manager form of government
with the council able to pass resolutions
that direct the actions of the staff.
The past few years we've seen problems
that council has passed resolutions
and city administrator has often chosen not to follow those.
I don't see how this charter creates a strong council.
Couple other issues.
There's a budget veto that only has seven days notice
to override.
Can that be done with the noticing standards?
That's 8.013.
Other overrides have longer.
Intro claims that Oak Dot Director will be approved,
but if you read the text.
Thank you for your comments.
Hello, I'm Cynthia O'Malley and I've been an Oakland resident
for 46 years.
I support the city council putting the charter reform
proposal on the ballot for voters to decide.
The charter reform working group did a thorough and inclusive
job of analyzing the charter.
It was fair and unbiased in their work,
and I agree with its recommendations.
Please move this forward.
Thank you.
Good morning.
My name is Cherie Woods.
I am here today as a woman of faith,
a community leader with Faith in Action East Bay,
and a caregiver who works with seniors and disabled people
so they can remain safely in their homes with dignity.
I wanna be very clear today.
I am not asking this council to endorse every recommendation
from the charter reform working group,
I am asking you to let the voters decide.
For the past six months,
the people of Oakland showed up and participated
in one of the largest public engagement efforts
the city has seen in years.
More than 750 residents attended town halls,
completed surveys, joined community conversations,
and shared their voices district by district
across the city.
The people did the work.
The people gave their time.
The people deserve the right to vote
on the outcome of that process.
Whether people agree or disagree with those recommendations,
that decision should belong to the voters of Oakland.
I'm sorry, Ms. Woods, your time is up.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Next speaker.
Hello, my name is Leonardo Godines.
I am proud to say I'm Oakland born and raised,
and I love my city.
I am here as a member of Faith in Action,
but mostly just this community,
I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you
and express my opinion.
And I think that's what's important here,
and that's what we're considering here.
Put it to the voters, let them decide
how this government should be structured
so that it serves them the way they need to be served.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments, next speaker.
David Franklin, a pastor and nonprofit leader here in Oakland.
And I rise to speak in strong support of the mayor's charter reform working group's recommendations.
It's time to let Oakland move forward, and we need a structure that does that.
And after 750 residents have spoken,
the group has not come back with a radical solution.
They've come back with a sensible solution.
the city to the next level- and
it is the same governance model
that is used by every major
California city we would
reasonably compare ourselves to
Los Angeles San Francisco San
Diego and Fresno- and it's not
only a strong mayor model it's
a strong council model so let's
advance this sensible solution
and respectfully I request that
we put it before the- residents
My name is Linda Grant and I'm a proud member of Faith in Action East Bay and a community
resident and a long-term Oakland resident.
I'm here today because the people of Oakland deserve to be heard.
Over the last few months, six or seven months, neighbors, people have showed up to these
meetings, showed up and showed how much they care about Oakland.
Accountability matters, transparency matters in Oakland, and trust between the community
and leadership matters also.
the community. And we should.
one is on the working group you know we were unanimous that a few things one is
that if it when it comes to council manager form of government strong mayor
form of government we felt that both could actually work but we really felt
strongly that the strong mayor form of government was the right tool for the
job in Oakland the city manager form of government is good it can work but the
strong mayor work better for Oakland I want to reiterate the the point that the
this is not about taking power
away from the council it
recognizes the important
legislation legislative and
fiduciary role that the council
plays and it clarifies the-
important role executive role
that the- mayor plays last
thing the worst possible thing
that could happen is being
stuck with what we have. Good
morning everybody my name is
Nicole that it's time here
representing spur today and we
had the great honor of
voters. We're here today to respectfully urge you to move this measure forward and let voters
decide on the outcome of this. Oakland residents deserve the chance to vote on a governance
structure that would make their government more clear and more accountable. You've already
heard about all of the people who showed up and participated in this process. Every model,
every governance model carries tradeoffs and benefits. We tried to outline those really
clearly in this report. This model does not concentrate power it shares power
between the council and the mayor to create a balanced balanced system. Three
independent polls all came to the same conclusion that people want a strong
mayor in Oakland over 60% of people who responded to these voters said yes to
that and there's no surprise there because the working group listened
really deeply and recommended a model that most aligns with what people want
in their government structures.
So thank you very much.
Hello, my name is Charles Long.
I've been a city manager four places.
And then about five years ago, or 10 years ago,
I decided to go to the dark side and become a real estate
developer.
And I know how organizations work.
And everything that the mayor said
about the dysfunction of the city of Oakland's organization
is true but the having a strong mayor basically puts the public in the position of having
to recall the mayor if things are not going right and so I strongly urge the council put
on the ballot option three of the working group which is the council manager form of
need to make sure we have enough
support for the government it's
the overwhelming choice of
cities in California and I have
one suggestion to the mayor and
that is the more power you
share. The more power you have
and so. Good morning. I'm
Keith Brown I'm a resident of
district five and- today I am-
representing 45,000 Oakland Union households.
And we are in strong support of advancing
a charter amendment for a strong mayor governance system.
Working people deserve an accountable,
transparent government capable of delivering results.
The process that this went through
has been very transparent, open,
the city of Oakland. And it is a
group. These were put together after an extensive public process. More than 750 Oakland residents
in every council district participated in these discussions. There was interviews with
over 60 city leaders, good government experts and community members, and the recommendations
were grounded, from our group, were grounded in public feedback, research, and the best
practices from other cities. We strongly support placing a charter reform proposal before voters
that has two key components.
First, a mayor with clear operational authority
and real accountability to voters.
And that must be paired with a strong independent city council
that retains hearing authority, subpoena power,
veto overrideability, and a dedicated legislative
and budget analyst office.
The last point I'm gonna make is that
this isn't about concentrating power.
It's about making power visible, making power visible.
So that when something isn't working,
residents know who to hold accountable? Good afternoon chair and council members
I am Mark Sawicki I have 23 years of experience in local government working
for cities and as a consultant to cities I also have a master's in public policy
and I worked for five years with the city of Oakland as a director of
economic development no question Oakland needs charter reform and that either the
council manager or strong mayor system is a considerable improvement I don't
agree with the working group and I don't agree with the proposal to have a
strong mayor I don't think that is the better option according to the working
group's own materials on the city on on the website and I think attached to your
report council manager would also address Oakland structural problems the
strong mayor option was preferred due to Oakland's specific context and
challenges I'm not sure exactly what that means I don't think Oakland is like
the four big cities in California that have a strong mayor I think we are more
we've been talking about
this a lot more like the ninety
seven percent. Of cities that
have a council manager former
government- in particular one
of the key differences a strong
mayor does concentrate. Thank
you your time has ended.
Morning council members my
name is Ben Gould I'm here today
speaking as an individual as a
member of the Oakland charter
reform project. First I want to
say I'm really glad to see that
something is moving forward
it's clear that Oakland's
current charter does not work
and I want to thank the mayor
I think she accurately identifies the issues
with how Oakland's government works today
and I appreciate that this proposal follows
best practices for strong mayor forms of government.
We should not be afraid of trying to fix a broken system.
If this is the best we can do, let's give it a shot.
But I do think we could do better.
I think a council member from our government
is the proven model for delivering effective,
efficient, and transparent government.
Under a proposed strong mayor system,
the city's chief executive does not appear
at regular public meetings.
It is more difficult to hold them accountable
order place them if the performance is lacking ever future mayors it puts the
mayor and council at odds with each other which doesn't help our existing
political differences and at the mayor's discretion council may be shut out of
day-to-day decision making around service delivery and largely relegated
to passing laws and adopting a budget I urge you consider council manager from
a gun thank you for your comments next speaker please hi my name is Hugh mock
I'm a volunteer with Charlene Chan to clean up the city, so I like the strong way.
I'm sorry, did you fill out a speaker card?
Oh, this is a surprise.
Anyway.
So you would have to fill out a speaker card in order to speak, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
You have to fill out a speaker card.
Thank you for the surprise.
We appreciate it.
Next speaker.
Good.
So, I'm Helen Hutchison, and I'm here today speaking for the League of Women Voters of
Oakland we co-facilitated the working group with SPUR. We strongly urge that
then this measure be moved forward to allow the voters to weigh in. This
process was strong, comprehensive, inclusive and and reasoned and it brings
clarity and coherent accountability to Oakland governance. So thank you all for
moving this forward. Thanks. Buenas tardes. Good afternoon. I am Valeria Ochoa,
community organizer with faith in action. It's good to see you all. So we continue to pass ordinances and measures and honestly all we continue to hear is also why I can't do that because of the way the city charter is and well I can't do that because I'm not responsible for that. Through the work that we continue to do we consistently see and hear pointing fingers to different people and to different apartments and sincerely.
With y'all to each other
What we as faith and action East Bay asked of you today is to just simply allow Oakland voters to decide
Reforming the structure would create checks and balances. Let's actually give you all
Council some power and also the mayor some power and us as community to actually hold some of you guys
Accountable as well. Thank you
Thank you for comments next speaker, please
Naomi shift speaking for myself
I've been here since John Redding was the mayor.
Lionel Wilson showed up in 1977.
I really agree with a lot of the criticisms of the charter.
I was on the patch committee with Helen when Jerry Brown's version completely failed.
And I respect and support Mayor Lee in many things, but I oppose the strong mayor system.
I think we really should be looking at the council manager system along with many of
the suggestions that were made by this committee, the review committee.
And I think that having a professional manager to assist the mayor and council in executing
the day-to-day is pretty critical.
I'm not sure that we actually want to go backwards while we're going forwards.
Please put a council manager option.
My name is Arlington Tugwell.
I am a faith and action East Bay community leader.
I come to you with a simple question.
Before you, is a question that says give it to the people.
Stand for the people.
is for the people and it's supposed to be by the people.
Anytime you find that there's a discomfort
or a scale unbalanced, that means the power has left
or you create confusion.
Here we're talking about structure, order, and discipline.
Is nothing wrong with that?
Everything else until this point has not worked.
It's time to try something to move forward.
This here is in your hands, but give it to the people
that's how we build a team
thank you thank you for your
comments next speaker.
I say it only is received is
feeding his time to me.
Is I say it only in the room.
And your name.
My name is Barbara lefty all the
wall a and I am a faith in
action east bay community
leader and long time resident
of west Oakland and I'm here
today asking you to honor the
work the voices and the
participation of the people of
Oakland by advancing the mayor
of the people of open by advancing the mayor's charter reform working group
recommendations to the ballot
the working group for six months listen to residents
studied best practices consulted experts
and came to a clear conclusion
oakland's current system too often leaves residents
confused about who is responsible when things are not getting done
and our people deserve better than confusion
they deserve accountability
The mayor would be responsible
for managing city operations
while the council would continue
to hold strong legislative,
budgetary and oversight authority.
That is not about taking power
away from anyone, but it is about
making government work better
for the people we serve.
At the end of the day, this is
about trust, it's about
transparency, it's about
infrastructure, it's about
the state of Oakland. And it's a
the public. And if you have a
member of the local council
council.
I want to start this my name is
Richard Fuentes I'm on the
executive board of ask me
council fifty seven
representing over thirty five
thousand.
Members we have.
Members who worked at East Bay
regional parks East Bay my
Oakland museum as well as O.
U. S. the AC transit among many
others and one of the things
that I hear from my members who
live here in Oakland when they
call council offices is they
people who live in the city
we don't have the peace on
their on their streets. We
clearly don't have. And
visibly who is in charge as a
member of the working group we
heard from residents. We heard
from residents who work and
live in the city wouldn't hear.
A opinion that they wanted to
see an option three but today
we did hear from. Mindy who's
the Republican mayor- who
supports option three so we do
not Latino people, so I'm here to urge you to please place this on the ballot in November.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
If no one will now move to Zoom speakers.
Starting with Brooke Levin, please unmute yourself and you may begin.
Thank you for the opportunity today to speak.
I have two items.
One is before taking any action on putting this charter amendment on the ballot, I respectfully
request that you do a complete fiscal analysis of the Charter Amendment. The
cost of the Office of Independent Budget and Legislative Analysts, the cost of the
at-large seat which was in the working group's recommendation to be removed but
then was taken out in this proposal and I believe it should move forward with
respect to the current person in the seat. They would serve out their term and
their next two terms if they choose to increase the Council and Mayor salaries
is also in there how much is that going to cost. Secondly, the working group
recommended that the CAO go oversee administrative functions and they that
was financing HR and IT procurement and citywide permitting but this proposal
ends up adding the public works director the DOT director and admits the IT
director and the permitting. I hope that that will be corrected public work.
Apologies Brooke your time has ended we are now moving to our next speaker
Burton, please unmute yourself and you may begin.
Hi, good Council, my name is Itarina Burton,
nearly a 20-year resident who lives around the school.
I'm asking you to reject the strong mayor's proposal
instead on the ballot, the council manager system
or the open federal reform project alternative.
I want to let you know that I've worked across three
jurisdictions on their local budget processes
as a budget analyst and temperature
for the administrative office,
as a senior budget analyst and open budget bureau.
And now, as the budget manager for the city of Alameda,
for my work experience,
I see a Councilman, the system is the most effective
form of local government because it leads
the collaboration needle between our elected officials
and department staff for when the city effectively
and equitably for its residents.
Also, no matter what proposal you approve,
I really ask you to reject specifically the recommendation
that would have an independent budget office,
which is a model San Francisco has,
because it doesn't work, it creates an adversarial process
and frankly, waste that time.
I can tell you this as someone who has literally
created the budget for these three bureau system.
Apologies, your time has ended.
We will now go to Blair Beekman.
Please unmute yourself and you may begin.
Hi, thank you.
Blair Beekman and being from San Diego,
we're going through some of the same exact issues.
To be clear, I'm definitely,
and I'm from San Jose also.
And you know, we made a decision a few years ago,
strong mayor versus city council, city manager,
that the city manager system was a better form of working.
It serves the public.
It doesn't serve special interests like a strong mayor does.
Good governance is also really important to myself.
And I think to everybody,
what we need to work out here at this time,
and what I keep trying to say in San Diego,
it's following some of the same steps
that San Diego is trying to learn right now.
San Diego has the same issues
with management and governance.
It's disorganized, is anything.
Lynn McAlaney, you know, the council person before
our great current council person, Fife,
she was for an organizational process as well.
And I think that's what the city manager role does.
And we can't be afraid of that
and make the steps to move towards that.
Thank you for your comments.
And I'm now calling the last Zoom speaker.
I have Nancy Folk.
I do see Steven Folk with his hand raised,
but I don't have a card for Steven.
Nancy, you've been unmuted, you may begin.
Hello, thanks for considering the issue.
Yes, it's essential to improve the organizing governance
for the city of Oakland.
Oaklanders deserve efficient, effective,
responsive city services.
We all deserve that.
So an improvement is essential.
However, it strikes me that we are missing an opportunity
if we settle for moving to the strong mayor system.
And with all due respect to the current mayor
who is doing a fabulous job,
the charter and the governance has to survive
to all future mayors.
And I personally believe that professional managers
and people trained to deliver complex city services
would be a better solution for the Oaklanders
than those who can win citywide elections.
So I urge you to consider the voters,
allowing them to consider a council manager form.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
I do see another hand.
There was one speaker,
when I unmute you for as Davis and Baldwin,
if you signed up to speak under another name.
Yes, I did.
Under what name did you sign up to speak for?
Dorcas Davis Baldwin.
Okay, unfortunately, we don't have a speaker card for you.
So that concludes our speakers for this item.
Thank you to everyone who came out to speak on this item.
I believe we have our public ethics commission
executive director here.
Hi, good afternoon.
I'm Suzanne Doran,
director of the public ethics commission.
As many of you know, under the city charter,
the public ethics commission has to review
and have the opportunity to comment on any amendments
the laws that the commission has the power to enforce or administer before these amendments
become law.
So pursuant to that duty, the commission met last night at its regular meeting to review
and provide comment on the amendments proposed by Mayor Lee to City Charter Sections 202,
218, 300, and 603, which we administer.
So this proposed legislation would transfer the duty of setting the mayor's salary from
City Council to the PEC.
It would replace the method for setting the salaries for the office of mayor and city
council to align with the salary adjustments that we currently perform for the city attorney
and city auditor.
And it would replace section 218 non-interference administrative affairs with a section titled
right of inquiry and access for constituent services that's intended to protect council
members ability to serve as accessible points of contact for residents while still preserving
the prohibition on council members directing ordering or coercing city staff.
So we had a robust discussion at our meeting last night and the Commission voted unanimously
to take the following positions.
On the proposed amendments affecting elected official salaries, the Commission voted to
support the proposed charter amendments with the following amendments.
The commission asked that the salary setting be aligned
for all elected officials so they would occur
in the same year.
And that that means that the PEC's duty
of setting the mayor's salary and the revised method
for setting the salary for council members
would take effect in 2028.
The same year we would next be performing salary setting
for city attorney and city auditor.
The commission also voted to recommend
that you revise the new language in section 603C,
that's the section that identifies salary setting
as a commission duty,
to clarify that the PEC has the option to seek assistance
of the city administrator or outside consultants
at its discretion, but it's not obligated to do so.
The commission also suggests the authors
and city council consider an amendment
that would have the salary setting
for all elected officials be conducted every four years.
This comes from an earlier study by the commission
when they were asked to weigh in on whether they should
take over the duty of setting the mayor's salary.
At that time, the commission found that they thought
a four year cycle would more depoliticize that process
and it would also conserve staff resources
in performing this duty.
Finally, on the amendments to section 218,
Noninterference and Administrative Affairs.
The Commission recommends revising the proposed amendments
to section 218 D and 603 B to limit the PEC's duty
of enforcement to the new section 218 D only,
which maintains the prohibition
on Councilmember Interference and Administrative Affairs,
but exclude the new sections 218 A, B, and C,
which are more instructive from the laws
the PEC has a duty to enforce.
The commission has directed PEC staff
to work with the author and council on amendments as needed
and ask that any significant changes be brought back
to the commission for review prior to final adoption.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Any questions from the council members?
Council member Houston, then five.
Oh, this is blanket.
No, no, no, no, no, we're gonna go to five first.
No, no, no, we're gonna go to five first.
I just had one clarifying question
through the chair to Ms. Doran.
Do you have those amendments in writing
or those suggestions in writing
that can be shared with the committee?
You met last night.
I had to come and do this verbally,
but I'm happy to provide suggested edits.
That would be helpful.
Thank you.
I'm complete at this moment.
Thank you.
Councilmember Houston.
the city attorney. We can acquire now can't is that correct we can inquire we don't have to direct staff but we can we acquire right now if there's an issue that our constituents. Are concerned about instead of directing and this is through the chair to the city attorney.
And so.
Correct through the chair councilmember Houston under
a current version of charter two eighteen yes council members
can seek information okay so why would we have to replace it
if we can already inquire to the chair the Susan.
Well I think that the mayor could speak more to the
intention here our understanding is that there's
three new elements added to that section which before was
on interference in administrative affairs,
so these more instructive items are added
that have to do with the council member's right
to request information and a right to a timely response.
So the way that the charter's currently written,
that entire section is listed as being
under our enforcement jurisdiction,
and we didn't feel that those first three
more instructive items belong as something
we are going to have to work
with them and that we would
enforce.
So so let me just make one
comment on that section two
eighteen when we looked at that
it's about it it's written in a
way where it lays out what the
council cannot do for example
it's a misdemeanor if a
council member does the
following and so that section
can't do based on whatever penalties that would be that are currently there.
Okay so so through the chair to the city attorney so when we inquire if we want
to do direction we go straight to the city administrator correct this is to
the city attorney to the city administrator we cannot go to the
directors we have to go through him or her if we want to push somebody to do
something for our committee, not push but tell them
that we want this done, right?
Through the chair to the city attorney.
To Council Member Houston, I just wanted to point out
that there's a new proposal for 218,
so what the mayor's office has introduced is in your packet
and you can see the changes that they are proposing
to section 218, which reword that section
and make some significant amendments to that section.
I think that's what the PEC was commenting on.
Okay, so.
New proposals, not the current version.
So again, so my thing is this,
that everyone here and everyone that's watching
knows that I've been 10 toes down for the mayor.
This has nothing to do with my opinion about what's happening.
Because I'm worried about the next mayor.
I know my mayor right now, and I'm gonna say my mayor,
because she is my mayor,
is competent to make these things happen.
but I want to be able to, as counsel, when I say I,
we want to be able to hire and fire the city administrator.
That's what, so we can make those decisions.
And I do feel that a strong manager,
strong counsel is the way I don't,
I'm not worried about now, I'm worried about later,
whoever takes our places or whoever,
if we decide to run again,
that I want to hear from you
because I ran with it being in
place the way it is right now
right that's what I ran for.
So I want to move this to full
counsel so I want to hear what
all my other council members
want to say I want to move it
to full council I'm not saying
I'm moving it here is that a
motion no no I can I know we
can so but I do want to hear it
I want to hear what my other
colleagues have to say I do
want to hear what my other
this is all about making a
decision but I am on the side
of keeping the power that we
have right now with the strong
manager that's where I'm at.
Thank you councilmember Houston
councilmember Brown.
Thank you so much so first off
thank you to all the public
speakers that.
I came to speak in support of
at first with the item that Council Member Houston
was talking about the changes to 218.
I actually really like how those changes are proposed.
So please have a look in the packet Council Member Houston
so you can see the change in wording on that.
And then as was mentioned, I believe that at this time,
I think that the best thing that we can do
is just move this item to the full council.
So I'll make that motion.
Full council on the second.
Yes, so we got a motion to move to four council councilmember Chandra
Thank you. I want to appreciate the mayor and the working group for a lot of painstaking efforts that you're all doing as
Volunteers to help serve our city. I'm a huge poli side nerd
I spent four years in college studying democratic systems of governance since my first year in office three and a half years ago
I've been looking at the issue of charter reform thinking of other cities and
I'm glad that a study has happened but as the mayor said reasonable minds can
disagree without resorting to character attacks and that's what I'm doing today
I'm respectfully disagreeing and would rather we move towards the council
manager system that being said here today at Rules I do believe this should
be voted on by the full council I would not support it at the full council
nor at the ballot box if it moves forward but I want my full all of my
This is a way to work with my
colleagues the opportunity to be
able to weigh in on this and
again thank you for this work we
all certainly do agree on one
thing that the current system
isn't working.
Thank you counsel member five.
I have to agree with my
colleagues and all the public
speakers who are very clear that
the system that we currently
have is not working- one of my
concerns.
About what I don't see is the
either of the change systems and I want to articulate what I understand to be
three potential options two of which are not up for debate because this is a
strong mayor model that we're discussing but there's also a council city
administrator version and the hybrid version which we have right now it's
trash and I think we all know that but I want to highlight some things that have
come to light with our recent, with the recent resignation of Justin Johnson, which came
as a shock to everyone. And the texts that were published, I saw an affirmation from
the Oakland Police Department that they were aware that the police were spreading misinformation
about crime in the city of Oakland. I want to know how in any, in a strong mayor model
that will be addressed.
I wanna know how 218 violations will be held accountable
if that occurs.
I also wanna know how department heads
will be held accountable.
I have experienced in my years in office
where department heads have worked
with the city administrator to stop my legislation.
I've heard staff say,
yeah, folks are trying to kill
what you're trying to bring to council.
I've seen people who are staff who've come and go
who've expressed racial animus for elected officials.
How are any of those going to be addressed
under the strong mayor model or a council manager?
Those are answers that will help me understand
the direction to take, but above all,
what I believe is that any options
need to go before the voters.
We need a change and we need it yesterday.
I'm just ambivalent about the changes being suggested
because I don't see the accountability
that would actually turn a tide
for what we need as a legislative body
and for what the Oakland residents deserve.
Thank you, Kim.
Is there someone here from the mayor's office
that can address the pieces around accountability?
I think the questions were the 218,
department had interference and did I miss something who would hold opd accountable as well
the oakland police department who would hold okay currently and as as well as in the charter
revision the mayor points the police chief the police commission has oversight responsibility
and the select committee and they're currently mechanisms in place in this
revision also 218 violations again you heard from the ethics committee
Commission we're working on the amendments to make sure that violations
under 218 are very clear in terms of who's accountable for what and in this
One thing I want to mention is
that with the system.
Department heads are directly
responsible to the merits an
executive function.
And the public the voters the
residents.
Want to know who's responsible
for the delivery of what the
residents deserve and so you
need any luck and in this
charter revision it's the
what we need to do is we need
to recognize will stay is the
non-interference because
non-interference under when a
council is engaged in
administrative functions,
executive functions, chaos
could occur every other day.
A city administrator could be
fired for whatever.
And you have to have a line of
And that's the mayor and the
mayor has to ensure that
councilmembers are treated
fairly and have access to what
they need to be able to deliver
the services to their
constituents.
It's not the executive function
ensures that what councilmembers
and what residents deserve
conducted.
That's what I'm saying.
That's what the city office deserve conducted.
And the city administrator also, in terms of hiring and firing,
requires confirmation by the city council.
Do that.
Yes, and my final question is, is there any tally on the financial implications that come
that are being suggested.
I wish my staff, somebody help me with it.
Somebody help me with it.
Somebody don't have a tally yet, Council Member.
We are looking at any, the budget analysis
and the fiscal analysis will be determined
based on the fiscal condition.
But what, there are two, there are two?
For the budget analysts?
Yes, yes.
Yeah, and the council will be able to make the decision
based on how many and who they want.
There's one, I believe, required under the chart.
is required under the charter.
But the council can elect to have two or three
based on the budget condition of the city.
It suggested for a budget analyst
and a legislative analyst for it, yeah.
And so it would be up to the council
to put that into the budget to hire staff.
Yes, and to determine the responsibilities
and what the council thought would be necessary
for its function.
Thank you, I'm complete council president.
Any more questions from the council members if not will afford this to full council June 2nd
Apologize to the chair. I have a motion by councilman Brown. Who's the second?
That's me. Oh, hi
Thank you for that
So we have a motion by council member Brown seconded by council member fight to approve item five as is
To be forwarded to the June 2nd City Council agenda on consent on rule council member
round I
Right. Hi, Ramachandran. I and chair Jenkins. I item number five is approved
To be forwarded to June a second City Council agenda on consent
non consent, thank you and
With that we will now go to open forum. I have two speakers Kevin Dally and Blair Beekman in any Kevin Dally
If you can please approach the podium. Thank you
I want to thank all the council members for their thoughtful comments on the charter.
I am concerned that the intro says that there are separate approvals by council of Oak Dot
Director and Public Works Director, but when you read the text of the amendment, those
are merged into a single paragraph which suggests just as a former city administrator wanted
to merge transportation DPW together.
It looks like this charter amendment has been written
assuming that they can be merged together.
This happening council approval.
If council approves both directors
and city administrator later merges them.
Anyway, thanks.
Thank you for your comments.
Blair Beekman, you're on muted.
You may begin.
Hi, Blair Beekman.
I had to quickly run across the street here.
Yeah, to quickly offer,
I didn't quite fully make clear.
I'm for the city manager third option.
I'm really hopeful that we can respect that sort of decision
and if we eventually are working towards
the city manager role, that can be okay.
The strong mayor thing doesn't have to be forever.
It was voted for in Oakland.
It was voted for in San Diego.
That doesn't mean it has to last forever.
We can make choices and compromises and that can be okay.
And I hope that someone mentioned earlier,
the power of accepting that builds power for everyone.
So good luck in the efforts in those terms.
In being from San Diego,
we've had a really difficult week
with some shootings by young people.
It's sad that these mass killings are happening
and I'm hoping they actually can be lessening
because they realize that it's a lot of pain that's caused
and it doesn't really solve anything.
That concludes our open forum speakers.
Thank you, this meeting is adjourned.