Good morning.
The. Rules committee we do need a qorum want today is
that we can begin. Good morning and welcome to the
rules Legislative Sheen
Committee media on this Thursday MARCH. 26, the time
is 10. 31 in this meeting
shall come to order. The more. I call roll, like to give
instructions on how to submit speaker card on items listed
on this agenda. If you are
here. A member of the audience here in chambers and would
like to submit a speaker card. Please fill out a speaker card, an attorney to a clerk,
representative. Either 2 minutes after this meeting
began war before the eye.
Called it a record. Registration to speak via zoom
was do 24 hours before this
meeting began, noting that there we will no longer take speaker cards for online
registration. Once again, the
meeting began at 10. 31 and speaker cards will no longer
be accepted. 10 minutes after
the meeting began, which is at
that time will be 10. 41 with that council. PRESIDENT
Jenkins to do you have any
announcements before began a
yes because of the potential issues. Speaker time will be
reduced to 90 seconds as
opposed to 2 minutes. With that. Thank you so much. And
we'll begin with roll on roll for this meeting. We have
council member Brown. True too
present. Thank you. Council
member Fyfe is excused.
Council member Ahmed Chandran. I and chair PRESIDENT Council
PRESIDENT Your Jenkins. I we have 3 members present won
excused. Now moving on to item number of the draft minutes
for the committee meetings of
FEBRUARY. 26 2026 3/5/2026 in
MARCH 12 2026. Move approval. I have a motion by council
member Brown second about Councilmember Ramachandran to approve the minutes. All 3 of
them as is. Council member Brown Eye Councilmember Fife is excuse council
Ramachandran. I and council
PRESIDENT Jenkins. 3 one excuse for item number 2
approval. A draft minutes now
moving to new scheduling.
Starting with item 3.1 receiving information report on the Oakland Children's
Initiative and its partners organizations, Oakland Promise
and first, 5 Alameda County and this item is being request
to be scheduled on the APRIL 13 2026. Special Education
Partnership Committee agenda.
Item. 3 point. Thank you so much. MADAM Clerk. I'm just
want to confirm the the slight
change in the title. It should
be Alameda County. First 5.
Senator, thank you for that.
Moving to item 3.2, it is an
oral report from the director
of Public works Liam Garland regarding the illegal dumping mitigation. Your school
campuses. And this is also
being request to be scheduled for the APRIL 13th Special Education Partnership
Committee agenda. I believe we don't have a quorum on the
days. Council member Brown. Thanks and thank you so much.
Well, as the question. We just needed a quorum on the days to move forward. Thank you for
that. Moving to item 3.3 receive information report
from the Oakland Youth Commission. And this is being
requested to be scheduled for APRIL just Special Education
Partnership Committee agenda
item. 3 point for is information report from the
Oakland Unified School usd
regarding current school safety protocols, funding
structures and strategic safety updates. This is also being requested to be
scheduled to the special. APRIL 13th Education
Partnership Committee agenda.
Item 3.5 is from the auditors Office and Information Report professional services
contracts authorized by the
city auditor doing fiscal
year. 24 to 25 in. This is being requested to be
scheduled for the APRIL 14th 2026. Special City Council
agenda on consent. I will now
read in the rule. 24. Nc states that the city auditor
shall present to the city
Council on an annual basis and report listing all professional service contracts
authorized by the city auditor
doing the prior year. Moving to item 3.6, which is also
information report from the
city auditor. On the audit recommendation. Follow-up
report. As of DECEMBER 31st. 2025 this is being request to
be scheduled for APRIL 14th, Special City Council agenda on
on consent. The real 24 for this item is that the city
charter states that is the responsibility of the city auditor to submit a
semi-annual report to the
council in public on the extent of implementation of
recommendations for the corrective actions made in the
city. Auditor's report. Moving
to item 3.7 resolution
reappoint Lisa Raszler as the
city Oakland's trustee to the Alameda skews me Mosquito
Abatement District board. And this is being requested to be
scheduled for APRIL 14th has special City Council agenda
consent. And I apologize. Does
this require able 24? Yes, any
items that are bypassing
committing going street to council require the body to
state a reason for your rules. Please items bypass committee and District Council on
consent. Thank you for that.
Moving on to item 3.8 item, 3.8 is an information report
from the city administrator on the status of implementing
policy directives past by the
City Council on the APRIL 21st him being request to be
scheduled. Excuse me on APRIL, 21st 2026, Finance and
Management Committee agenda.
Harden. I do see side. Through the chair. The administration
would like to request to move
this to that MAY 2012 meeting
because the agenda is fairly impacted and staff will make
themselves available to do one
on with the committee members ensure the information is made
public in advance of the publication deadline for the
MAY 12th meeting. Thank you
for that. So item 3.8, the status of the implementation of the council policy
directives now be scheduled to MAY 12 Finance and Management
Committee agenda. Thank you
for that. Moving to item 3.9 adopt an ordinance authorizing
the city administrator negotiate and execute an
agreement to purchase an easement for public right
away. To purchase in these
excuse me to purchase an easement for public right away
streets and utility purposes over a portion of the real property located at 2.60,
street. Case in family, limited partnership in the
amount not to exceed amount of
$255,000 in adopting. California. Environmental
Quality Act findings. This is being requested the schedule
for the APRIL 21st Public Works and Transportation
Committee agenda. Item 3.10, is an ordinance appealing
ordinance. Number 1, 2, 9, 6,
0, and replacing it with the
addition of mc Charter 15.80
in Re referenced flood hazard maps authorize the city
administrator to designate a flood plan administrator to
administer and develop
regulations in support of the
charter adopting appropriate, appropriate California
environmental Quality Act
findings. And this is being request to be scheduled for
APRIL. 21st 2026 Public Works and Transportation Committee
agenda. It is also noted to go
to the APRIL 28th Special City
Council agenda as a public hearing. But I believe staff has to make a question. Thank
you. My apologies. Can you speak closer to the mike so we can make sure that we can hear
you capture you. Is the mic,
Okay. Thank you. Yes, through the chair. If I MAY request that we move the meeting to
that MAY 5th. Public works and Transportation Committee has. There's a special joint public
safety meetings already
scheduled on the 28th. Some noted think and outside or if
I could clarify the the item
would go continue to go public works and Transportation
Committee meeting on APRIL.
21st. But the public hearing would be on the regular MAY.
5th City Council meeting.
That's correct. Thank you. So no thank you for that. Thank
you. Moving on to item 3.11, this is from the public public
works. Mean, it is a resolution amending
resolution, 8, 8, 3, 7, 9, to increase the professional
services agreement far. Architectural and engineering
design services with k 2, a Marais make graft associated
Architects for the fire
station. 29 project by an
amount not to exceed $700,000 bringing the total contract
amount from. 1 million, 800 $1000 to 2 million, waiving
the request for proposal, competitive selection requirements and adapting
sequel. Findings in this is being requested. The schedule
for the MAY 21st Public Works and Transportation Committee
agenda. Item 3.12 Is a
resolution authorizing the city administration negotiate
and execute. A new exclusive negotiation agreement with the museum of Jazz and Art. But to
the London Museum and Art facility on the city-owned
property located at 3.10, Oaks
Street for 8 months condition
on payment 10, $10,500 exclusive negotiating payment
with one additional six-month administrative extension
conditioned on payment of an
additional $303,500 extension
payment in adopting. California. Environmental
Quality Act findings. This is being requested schedule for
the APRIL 21st Community and Economic Development Committee
agenda. Item 3.13, is coming from the Human Service
Department a resolution accepting the planning
Oversight Committee. Recommendations to one award.
9 grants with the youth summer jobs. Mayor summer youth employment program, funding
strategy, tolling and amount
not to exceed 1 million,
480,250 dollars and $0.60 for to summer program service. Its
term grant cycles, JUNE first
2026 to SEPTEMBER. 30th 2026
in JUNE. First, 27 through SEPTEMBER. 30th 2027
contingent upon funding Bela Bility and program
performance. 2 or 12 grants across for funding strategies.
Totally amount not to exceed 1 million, 712,000 dollars,
$12,558. Summer. To the chair.
Thank you. Can't is. I'm so
sorry. This is Rob 11th in Children. Services Division
Human Services Department. Through that section, you
haven't even got to the change yet. A very small change in
the title every dot that section are directed please. Yeah, you would have to read
out the pope's so sorry. Thank
you. Staff recommends that the city council adopt a
resolution accepting the planning and oversight
committee recommendation to one award 9 grants within the
youth summer jobs. Mayor Summer Youth employment
program, funding strategy out
not to exceed 1 million,
80,200 $53.60 4, 2 summer
program service term Grant cycles JUNE first, 2026
through SEPTEMBER, 30th 20 2026. In JUNE. First 2027
through SEPTEMBER. 30th 2027 contingent upon funding
availability and program performance and to award 12
grants across for funding Strategies Elementary school
based expanded learning middle
school based expanded learning youth development leadership
and career access unemployment totaling an amount not to
exceed 1 million, 712,558
dollars. 4, 2 summer program service term Grant cycles JUNE
first 2026 through SEPTEMBER.
30th 2026. In JUNE. First 2027
through SEPTEMBER. 30th 2027 continue to pump funding availability and program
performance. The 1000 was in
the place previously. Thank
you. I'm so sorry. Thank you.
No Thank you. Rep moving to item 3.14 This is an information report from the
city. Auditor on audits of the Oakland police oversight
agencies. The Oakland Police Commission, the Community
Police Review Agency in Office of Inspector General. This is
being requested the schedule for the APRIL 21st Public
Safety Committee agenda item 3.15, is an information report
from the Oakland Police Department. Federal Law
Enforcement Agency Task Force annual report. And this is also being requested to be
scheduled for the APRIL 21st Public Safety Committee
agenda. Item 3.16, is a resolution authorizing the city minister to enter into
professional services
agreement with. So I 4
provisions of universal forensic extraction devices and related services for the
Oakland Police Department for a contract amount not to
exceed $140,000 for the period
of JULY. First 2026 to JUNE 30th 27 waiving the competitive multi step
solicitation process and local, small local business enterprise program
requirements and 3 accepting
the 2024. So you buy annual report and making
determinations regarding
whether the city should continue using this technology. This is being requested to be scheduled for
the APRIL 21st Public Safety
Committee agenda. Item 3.17,
is ordinance amending Omc 10.7 for authorizing the city
administrator at city to
industry to assess fines on sideshows, spectators, promoters and facilitators
Ixpe. Exempting law
enforcement and members of the media engaged in their duties
and non participating members of public. And this is being
request to be scheduled for
APRIL. 21st 2026 Public Safety Committee agenda. I do see staff. Are you approaching for
item? 3.17? This ration. We would like to move this item
ending list. And will that be to the public Safety
Committee? Penniless? Yes,
yes. So no date. And item 3.17, is end Orel Information report on the local police
departments. Automatic resource locator policy. And
this is being requested to be
scheduled for APRIL. 21st Public Safety Committee
agenda. The administration and also requests that this item
the move to pending the pending less no date specific for the Public Safety
Committee. So noted that items 3.17, the Oakland Sideshow
ordinance in item 3.18, will the information report on the local police departments out
of degree to store is located. Policy is both being requested
to be scheduled to public safety and the list. No date
specific. Yes, please great.
Thank you so much. 3.19, is a resolution authorizing the
sale of former Oakland fired
boat known as the Seawolf has
a little group 4. 25 $25,000
in a finding the sale is the best interest of the city.
Pursuant scene. And this is being requested to be
scheduled for the MAY City
Council agenda on consent in the rule. 24 for bypassing
committee is due to the
impacted. APRIL 21st meeting
agenda Now moving to the
committees from MARCH 24th. Starting with the Finance and
Management Committee item 3.20, I'll be reading in the
short titles is a man
amendment to the ordinance. Number 1, 2, 1, 8, 7, cms, the
salary ordinance for various classifications exemptions and
the committee this consistent
4 pieces of legislation. The first piece of legislation, the resolution was withdrawn
with no new date items. 2, 3
of this legislation of the
resolutions. The committee
approved to move these 2 items along with the 4th item to
APRIL 14th Special City Council agenda at 3.30, on
consent in the 4th of item again scheduled for the APRIL
requesting to be scheduled for the APRIL 14th Special 3.30,
council meeting on consent had an amendment in part for
updating the title of the
ordinance to strike that says at the full time
classification of parking administrator in the body of
the ordinance on Page want to
strike section 2 that says the following classification is
added ordinance. Number 1, 2,
1, 8, 7, in the unit, u k to pay great able to read as
follows classification title
class members step salary parking administration.
Details updating the related attachment a to remove the
park em in a straighter on
Page 8, 1, 18. Moving to item. 3.0 21, the information report
on the citywide staffing FEBRUARY 2026. The committee
approved that this item be
scheduled to the APRIL 14th Special City Council agenda at
3.30, as a public hearing.
Item 3.22 The salary survey
results. This item was also Rick because me was continue
to the APRIL 21st 2026. Finance and Management
Committee agenda. Item. 3.0
23. Is the Oakland's Pete Peepers investment portfolio
in actuary valuation report. This item was received and
filed in committing. And item 3.0 24 the fiscal year. 25 to
26 0nd quarter revenue and expenditures report this item
was also received and filed in
the Finance and Management Committee moving to
recommendations from the MARCH 24th Public Works and Transportation Committee
starting with item 3.0 25 is
the 2020 3, 2025 progress
implementation. Implementing
the 2030, equitable climate action plan and this was received and filed in
committee. Item. 3.0 26 to 2025. Be packed. Annual report. This was also received
and filed in committee. Item 3.27, the resolution in
support of the California
Senate Bill. 1218, this item was requested by committee to
be 42 the APRIL. 26 special City Council agenda at 3.30,
on consent. Item. 3.0 28, this
was the commemorative street renaming in collaboration with
Beebe Memorial Cathedral Church. This item was
requested by committee to be
42. The APRIL 14th Special City Council agenda at 3.30,
on consent. Item. 3.0 29, the ordinance to strengthen illegal dumping enforcement.
The the committee approved as amended the recommendations of
staff to be 42. The APRIL 14 special City Council agenda at
3.30, on consent with the following amendments to page 7
of the ordinance Section 5, 4 time calculations for
assessment of penalties,
adding a new whereas the dumping constituents and
commercial quality caught
contains harmful waste matter
is a mattress upholstered furniture, appliances,
furniture or electronic waste, additional daily civil
penalties of up to $1000 per
day, maybe assessed. Into the
new section b, they have strict in the administrative
citation into the new section c they strict in the administrative fines or
penalties. Moving to item 3.30
the resolution to authorize Arab its peak pilot program to
strengthen illegal dumping. Nations and remediation is my
apologies. And this is being requested to be scarred. The committee approved to schedule
this item to the APRIL 14th
Special City Council agenda on
consent at now moving to the recommendations from the MARCH
24th Saeidi Committee. The item 3.0 31 the lease
agreement with the Oakland Parks and Recreation
Foundation from maintenance of
Tyrone Kearney Park. The committee requested the item
be scheduled for APRIL 14th, Special City Council agenda at
3.30, on consent. Item. 3.0 32, which consists of 2 pieces
of legislation is amendment to the Rent Adjustment Ordinance
and regulations. The committee approved a request to withdraw
the scheduling of this item to
the U.S. Economy and move to the Saeidi committee pending list. No date specific. Both
pieces. Now moving to the recommendations from the MARCH 24th life enrichment Committee
agenda. Item. 3.0 33, the 2025 Library Commission annual
report this item was received
and filed in committee. Item
3.34 the citywide co-operative agreement. The committee approved as amended that the
recommendations of staff into before did to the APRIL 14th
City Council agenda at 3.30,
on non consent. The amendments were to the first resolve
class of legislation adding as reference in the agenda report
and accompanying attachment. So spoke with the chair on this one. This one will go
straight to consent. So noted. Thank you for that. Chair
Jenkins moving to item 3.0 35, this is the purchase of real
property at 31. 0, 5, San
Pablo Avenue for Hoover Library. And the committee approved the recommendations
of staff to be 42. The APRIL
14th, Special City Council
agenda at 3.30, on consent. Now moving to recommendations from the MARCH 24th Public
Safety Committee agenda item. 3.0 36, this is the let's
throw phone. Contracts and the committee approves staff recommendations to before
APRIL 14th, Special City
Council agenda at 3.30, on
consent item. 3.0 37, the opd staff report the committee received about this item in
committee. And item 3.0 38,
the opd gps tracker policy. The committee is proof staff's recommendations to be 42. The
APRIL 14th, Special City Council agenda at 3.30, on
consent. And that concludes
your item threes. And we have 3 most skinny. We have 3
speakers for the site. That
was a lot. Thank you. Clark.
That said the speakers. Thank
you for that. And calling
those speakers who are here in person or online, if you are online, please river. He and
so I can easily recognize you.
I have a regime and al Kevin Dally in Blair be committed
any order and please state
your name for the record. All
right. This is Kevin Dally. I've nit picky question on 3
dot 20 on the salary
ordinances as you mentioned, salary for was amended to
remove the part for the parking administrator the
intent of the committee, too. Remove it in place it on the
pending list along with Section one or was it to
strike completely? I know the city administrator can add
back in at a later date. Might
make sense to have a detach 2. Part one, which is the other
part the city administrator. The item as amended, I guess
certain. Typically don't respond. But I can talk to
Sure. Okay. Thanks. Russian
model district 4. I want to connect 3 items on your agenda
today because they point to the same underlying issue.
Governance clarity. First 3.1 for the city auditor's report
on police oversight. The important takeaway is not just
staffing into structure. The
report identifies overlapping roles, unclear authority and
gaps and accountability across
oversight bodies before adding resources. I would urge
council to consider a combined structural and performance review. So we are not
reinforcing a system that lacks clear lines of
responsibility. Second item, 3.1, 8, the opd automatic
resource locator policy. The city auditor specifically
recommended enabling gps location capability in patrol
vehicles. So dispatchers can identify and send the closest
available unit. That is a practical operational improvement that can help
reduce response times without
additional staffing. But we have not seen movements into
pack discussion in 2024. We're
also seeing policy drift. This technology was introduced as a dispatch to all but
discussions have expanded into questions of discipline and
personnel monitoring. The Oakland Fire Department appears to have already
implemented a gps unable
dispatch pilot without council approval. Could staff explain
how that program move forward operationally while the opd
policy remains pending. 3.1, 5
federal task force agreements
under a one c 9.7, the Privacy Advisory Commission must
review and publicly discuss and we'll use pd and federal
agencies before they're
executed. That gives that body significant influence over
complex intergovernmental law enforcement agreements. But pack is a privacy body. It is
not a law enforcement body. It does not have operational
public safety or investigative expertise that creates a
mismatch. These agreements
involve violent crime,
firearms trafficking in multi-jurisdictional
investigations. Oversight is essential, but we should ask
for the Oakland has given a privacy commission, outsized gatekeeping authority over
core public safety partnerships and in a way that
few other cities have. Across
all 3 items. The issue is the
same. We are assigned responsibilities without
clearly defining scope or aligning them with the
appropriate expertise. Oversight is essential, but
over state has to be aligned
with x, he's in scope right now. Authority is unclear.
Scope is expanding and
decisions are stalling. If we want accountability, we need to fix the structure. Thank
you. Thank you for your comments in our last speaker
who signed up for item number 3, is Blair be Continuara muted, please. I'm Beatrice.
Something you MAY begin. I
thank you. Blair first time been around for a while. Good
to see everyone. I wanted to
speak out about 5 items I want
I can combine items. 2.1, 4
3.1, 5 and then combine items.
3.2, 6 to 3.30 and a few
moments. I guess only the full
3 minutes. However, thank you
to speak to item 3.1, 4 3.1,
Thank you for police
commission items for 3.1, 4. I'm still hopeful there can be
some ways to try to bring back former police commissioners
who retired, who I thought were I'd incredible service.
Important job. And I feel that, you know, as we have
made a shift in Oakland towards a more conservative
approach to address City
issues. I you know, I I think the previous commissioners,
they operate a progressive approach that's needed for the
process and offered an important balance and what
we're trying to work towards
us as find the middle ground of a conservative and
progressive values are open. So good luck that you can
continue the efforts to consider the good work in the
previous commissioners. Their thinking is truly needed in
how move forward together.
Good luck in those efforts about the federal task force
things. It's important to me that the pa see get an
incredibly important service of oversight that can't be 9.
I understand with the previous
public comment said they probably provide an incredibly
important job of oversight that we have to certainly find
another. City department to opt for that oversight. We
can't just drop it and I hope they can continue the good work that the psc. They did
incredibly important work.
Oversight for the federal task force agencies. We have to continue. Those efforts could
like how we find that and to
go into the cleaning items. You have a lot of new
ordinances illegal dumping. I was always from the point of
view, if you really good tech accountability for all the
tech around illegal dumping that creates kind of a
community effort towards positive that I hope can't be
forgetting forgotten such a
time. And when you're be pack issues, 3.0, 2, 6, your yearly
review. Important reminder that tech accountability again
in the importance of what the
pact tries to work towards. I hope they they understand the
importance of working towards tech accountability as well
clues effort from everyone is how are community futures
Bill. And that's what they're going for to elect how we do
that together. Thanks for your
time. Thank you for that. Conclusion. Speakers for item
3. Thank you to everybody who came out to speak. Thank you to the court for reading all
that. So noting 3.1 title
changed. 3.7 24 3 point APRIL
to MAY 12 Finance and Management Committee. 3 point and dates going to be changed
to a public hearing on MAY
5th. 3.13 noting the title change 3.17 move to public
Safety Committee pending lists. No date specific 3.18
move to public safety. Was date specific and 3.3, 4 move
to consent entertain a motion
as amended. Move approval. And that was a motion by council
member Brown seconded by
Councilmember Ramachandran to approve item 3 as amended,
including time as amended on row for this is councilmember
eye on and run. And shared. I
item excuse Councilmember Fife is excuse item number 3
approved as amended with 3 I's
one excuse Councilmember Fife. That now takes us to item
number 4. Item. Number 4 is the review of the draft agenda
is pending lists and the council agenda means the
council and committee
meetings. As we know, we are about to come up on a break.
So at this time it's a short list of the APRIL second rules
agenda, religion that and the pending list for committees.
And I have 2 speakers.
Councilmember gender. Thank you. I'd like to request to
make the APRIL 21st Finance Committee meeting a special
meeting, moving it 30 minutes
up to 09:00am instead of 9.30, as we have the impacted agenda
don't want to set the entire day of meetings to delayed. I
believe we do have we have confirmed with staff of other council members that will have
a quorum. Can you state the
date of the meeting and the time again, APRIL, 21st
Finance Committee currently at hope would like to started at
9 o'clock. Chair. Good morning. Trinity Hall from the office of the sort of like in
Houston District 7 Council member. I am making requests on behalf of the council
member to schedule the encampment abatement policy
for the special City Council
meeting on APRIL 14th at
09:38am. On non consent. Thank being that. This is an
important item. My request would be that you guys get
that work with clerks items to
get the items posted as soon as possible so that the council members have a chance
to digest the changes as well
as the public possible with the clerk's office 10 days
before that be great. Thank you for that. And if I can just really quickly, just for
the public's knowledge, the
item that just was stated to be scheduled for this special, 90 a meeting APRIL 14th.
That's on the life enrichment Committee Pin De Lis. No date specific under item number to
sell for clarity. Thank you. The administration also has a
few changes to the pending lists for that. Now, special
Finance and Management Committee. The item under
APRIL. 21st item number 3, we'd like to request and
that's the information report
fir the city administrator in response to the city auditor's
recommendations in substantiated whistleblower
investigation regarding the
city of Oakland uses unauthorized formulas for calculating overtime. That
different from guidelines to move that the MAY 12 Finance
and Management Committee meeting. Just because it's so
impacted. And then moving on
to the life enrichment pending
west. We like to move item one
under the APRIL. 21st pending
list. The osc why 2024? 2025 final year and independent and not devalue Asian report to
the MAY 12th. And then finally moving on to the rules, ending
less. Item number 4 under the
pending no date specific. We
are requesting to schedule the reorganizing of the parking
division recommendation from a 5th at the City Council
meeting. And noting that the parking administrator MAY come
around then or later. And if I made use that MAY 5th on
consent or on on consent.
Thank you. Thank you. Seems
like that's any public
comment. Yes, I have Kevin Dowling and barely or plan come Please raise your hand if
you are on zoom. And I will take the in-person public
commenter spares. MR. Dalli is passing on his speaker. So we
do have big men in the queue. You're on muted. Please unmute
yourself. And you MAY begin. Blair. Big Ben. I think I'll be I'll do the same as Kevin
has been a pass. Also, thank
you. Thank you for that. We have no more speakers for this
item. Thank More speakers. So
melting. For 21 finance and management committee will be a
special meeting at 09:00am
item for on the pending Lewis for 21 Fmc item. Number to MAY
12. At least see item moved to
MAY 12. Rules number to MAY
5th City Council meeting. Noting Elysee item number
moved to MAY 12. I will take a as amended. Take motion as
amended. Move approval. And that was a motion by
Councilmember Ramachandran seconded by COUNCILMAN Around to approve item for as amended
on role council member Brown.
Councilmember Ramachandran. I
Chair Jenkins. And Councilmember Fife is That
makes 3 has won excused as
amended. Item number 4 is
approved. Thank you so much. That now takes us to our
discussion item item number 5. It is an information report
from the mayor, Charter Reform
working group and I have several speakers for the 32, I believe speakers for this
item. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everybody that's come out to participate. I
think it's in. The public interest that we discussed this item when the mayor was
elected, she. Came on and
wanted to embark upon reviewing the charter and seeing what kind of charter
changes the people of Oakland
wanted to see done. There's
been immense public interest in this and the charge or
hasn't been significantly changed with a structural of
Oakland's government for some
time. And so children and I found important to have this
meeting today take country and then I will give Spring League Women voters 7 minutes to
present. Thank you. Just
echoing council PRESIDENT Jenkyns. I'm grateful to the
mayor's office for spearheading and starting this
process that a year ago, almost a year ago. And I look
forward to discussing the recommendations hearing the
input of our residents. One of
the voters. Not sure that's
on. Good morning. Thank you
very much. Council PRESIDENT Council members, staff and
members of the public.
Presentation time to that. Yes, could we please have
representation be to get up? Thank you. My name is Gail
Wallace. I'm here on behalf of the legal voters. And I'm here
with Nicole manage from We were the co facilitators for
the mayor's working group. Next slide. Please. Know this
one's perfect. The mayor gave
us and it the working group a very targeted assignment was
to look at charter changes that could better define the
role of elected officials that would help address more
responsible. Citi Financial planning. And that would
improve government accountability and
transparency. Next slide. There was a process from last
SEPTEMBER until this JANUARY. That as well as the
deliberations of the working group month after month. A
great deal of community out
reach that included in-person meetings in every council district. Thank you for those
of you who gave us some assistance on standing those up. There were also 60
interviews with people extremely connected to city
government past and present. There was a survey put out and
all of that input not brought into the working group's
deliberations. Just a little bit of background context. And we spoke with a number of
people, as Bill mentioned, and
they were kind of 4th key themes that kept surfacing.
Everybody stated that Oakland's charter can't really
be changed without the broader
city context. So that's where the severe fiscal distress
Oakland is under the deep racial wealth and geographic
inequities Oakland experiences across neighborhoods, the lack
of sufficient authority to
decisively over time and a highly engaged and civic
culture and Oakland where people want direct access to
their decision makers. If you
are the key findings, misaligned authority is creating a disconnect between
public expectations and actual
powers week. Institutional alignment undermines long-term
planning, fiscal discipline, effective oversight and organizational complexity
leads to operational efficiencies. That lack
accountability and transparency. We heard from
many people that we talked to that everyone is in charge and
therefore no one is in charge.
Luckily, there are 2 models that most city governments
across the country use. One is council manager where the
council acts as the unified legislative body and the mayor
sits on the council council. The council appoints a
professional manager to run city government. And there are a few examples of each of
these these types of care strong mayor government is
where mayor is the chief executive and runs the city
government. This is a balance of power between the mayor
which is the executive branch and the council, which is the
legislative branch, the council serves a separate
legislative branch of government and is responsible
responsible for oversight. Just a quick history. I'm we've operated in both of
these forms of government for a very long time. We had a
council manager from of
government in the 80's. There
started to be some challenges with that form of government and some intense to start to
move towards a strong mayor
form of government. Jerry Brown successfully championed
measure acts 1998, which past
quite quite well. And that gave a trial strong mayor system that was set to sunset
after 6 years. There is a commission formed and they chose to move forward with the
mayor council from him government where the mayor and
the council were separate
branches. However, they did
not give the mayor veto powers and things like that. That would be typical in a strong
mayor form of government. So
this has created a blended model at that that has
elements of both of these models. But Lex, the benefits
of both of them. The mayor does not serve on the council
but lacks the powers of the strong mayors. They can't vote
for Oviedo its decisions. The
city administrator manages agencies and operations. I apologize. You still have you
have 3 minutes. So make sure that you and to the rain going
to yes, go straight to the
recommendations. First. And most importantly, the working
Group recommends that Oakland
change its charter to fully
adopt one system or the other in an integrated and complete
fashion. Next slide. Please.
Luckily, there are there is research that tells you helped
too. Identify which of these 2
system actually is a match. But the character and history
of your city. Next slide.
Please. The recommendation as
to which system to adopt is to adopt the strong mayor system,
which nickel has already the described in brief in which is
much more fully described in our report. Next slide.
Please. I want to make it clear that that research and
just referenced talked about what is the character of the
city that would be best served
by a strong mayor system. So through all outreach I talked
about, we heard about fiscal
stress and that's where a strong mayor system can help
because it creates complex intergovernmental challenges. We heard about racial wealth
and geographic inequities this
also is where strong mayors shines because it it serves best where there are
disparities across
neighborhoods. You know, we've
got a highly engaged civic culture and strong mayor is appropriate voters expect that
visible executive leadership. Finally can't really see my last point there. But that's
all right. We need someone to lead decisively and the that
is what people were telling us
over and over again and political fragmentation makes
it difficult for collective accountability. Helps the favoring of the strong mayor
system. So is the recommendation is based both
on feedback and on research.
We also recommend it balancing strengthening of the city
council with creation of a legislative budget. Analysts
office return of the council not number and clarifying
certain things in the charter about the city council's role.
I want that close by pointing out just one thing says
there's reporting out saying
that the repair report recommends a salary raise for
the council. Want to clarify that because charter changes
about structural things. It's
about process. And so we noted that all the other elect did
officials auditor attorney mayor have salary setting
mechanism within in charter that allows the entire package
to be review. That's not the
case for the City Council. The provisions only allow for cost
of living increases. So we
simply recommended that that process be changed to be
consistent across all of those elected offices and anything
else would be a factual evidence rebased thing as to
what salaries any of the officials in any of these
elected offices would receive.
Alright, just to close out and there were a number of other
things that came up during the research. There were questions about the city attorney and
the city auditor and whether or not this should be elected
or appointed positions around oversight bodies, including
commissions and and financial decision-making. Whether or not there should be some
long-range planning controller's office, things
like that. Those were all
things that we we recommend further analysis but went beyond the scope of this
review. And so some next steps, any charge, charter
changes must be approved by
Oakland voters and the mayor and the council are working
together to determine which
recommendations to advance to a ballot. And we have done
some polling in which we we
shared with the council
members today that really shows strong support for the
working group's
recommendations any implementation of this needs
to be there needs to be thoughtful transition periods
so that we don't. At not fully implement all of the
recommendations and this should be a living document. The charter should be
something that we come back to regularly and make sure that
it actually meeting the needs of oaklanders. Just a quick
note, Turner from creates conditions for improvement but
doesn't substitute for effective leadership and management. There are a lot of
other things that need to be done order to improve the way
Oakland works. This is just
the high level recommendations. The real floor report. We also
developed a full very extensive faq based on a lot of the feedback that we've
been in questions that we've
been getting are all available on the mayor's website. We encourage you to take a look
at the full report. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you
for your work as well. Council members to you guys have any comments before we go to the
public Council member Brown. Thank I was gonna offer than 2
minutes of my time. Just in case they would have because I felt like they were rushing through kind of the
presentation. And so I just wanted to give you the
opportunity if there was any additional input that you want
to make sure members of the public weather here are watching virtually like you
want to make sure that the
message just the hard work of the working group all of your efforts, there's anything else
you wanted to to say. That's very kind of you and I
appreciate To the second
recommendation in the report.
There are 2 choices that almost all cities in the United States, all that we've
looked at and so what the committee really wanted to get
across was there is a problem
with Oakland's structure that it's a mix match that is
dysfunctional. And therefore, the first recommendation is do
something. Moved to an
integrated and complete system that is recognized as such and
tested by used in multiple
other cities. The second report, the thing I want, the second recommendation is tied
to the 3rd. They are really recommending the street. What
is called the strong mayor model, but it really is a
balance of an executive and
the legislative branch within the government. And therefore,
there are recommendations with respect to each and the final
point. I want to underscore is this is connected with the
character of the city of
Oakland. Otherwise it will. You could just toss a coin
because they're both formal systems in deciding which one
to choose. You really have to ask what's the history here
where we coming from? What is the character of the city that
we have? Thank Any other comments from the council
members. Okay. So you want to public comment? That's amazing
of it. All right. Let's go to
public comment. As I call your name. Please approach the
podium in any order. If you are participating via zoom, please raise your hand so I
can recognize you and as
usual, I will call those who are present in chambers first. And then those who are
participating via zoom after starting with Mark. So this
guy, Kevin Dally, Jonathan
Corn, Dina bill cough, Dory to
Biden. George Species, Orlando
Perez wild will whilst Taos Ski. My apologies but
mispronounced that Blair, big
men, Mike Boak. John Kerr s
Rasheem and all Steve Coen.
Naomi shift, Keith Brown amid
Alibaba some zoo. Uber Charles
long. Dan Marks. That's blue.
Veronica Garcia, Nancy folk, Steven Falk. David Vo, right,
Elizabeth Silver, Ralph Kantz,
Pamela Drake. Martell and
image. Millie Cleveland,
Richard Fuentes in Libby shaft. Again, please approach
the podium in any order.
Please state your name before
you begin the those who are participating via zoom, please raise your hand. We'll call
you after we have those in-person purse. You think
you. Greetings. I'm Falk, co-founder of the Oakland
Charter Reform Project and my comments are limited to 3
quick and related points. My first point is that I urge you
not to adopt the strong mayor recommendation because there
is a better way for Oakland.
My second point is that 97% of California cities have
rejected the strong mayor
system. With the exception of San Francisco, which is both a
city and county, every single
city in the Bay Area, large and small has rejected the
strong mayor model. Know California City has transition
to a strong mayor system in
the last 20 years. Not one. So basically do cities are doing
what the working group is asking you to do so you have
to ask why is that? It's because study after study
after study has proven professionally managed cities
with a powerful city council are more transparent, more
responsive, more effective and more efficient and far less
corrupt. So my 3rd and final point, a lot of the public
conversation around this issue in purse that you have only 2
choices, either a strong mayor or council manage or form of government. That is false.
That is not true. That is
what's known as a false
dichotomy. In fact, cities
today rarely choose the pure.
I apologize. Your time ended. The David Albright. Okay. You
have one more minute, MR. That is what's known as a false
dichotomy. In fact, cities today rarely choose the pure
version of either one of those
systems. And instead craft a hybrid system best suited for
their city. And that's what we're recommending with our
3rd option, which features leadership by a powerful
mayor. With a veto. Oversight
by a more powerful city
council and the terrific public services. The professional management can
deliver. Thank you for your
attention. Thank you for your
comments. Thanks for the opportunity to comment. My
name is Nancy Fall. My primary
message is that oaklanders need not settle for the strong
mayor form as recommended.
There's the better proven 3rd option that includes several
of the working group's recommendations while better
positioning Oakland, given its
unique nature for the future. This 3rd option has 3 key
elements. Number one, it embeds a more powerful mayor
with the veto authority to
serve as chair. To more powerful full-time city
Council. That's supported by an independent budget and
legislative analyst office has
recommended. 3 who jointly.
Mayor plus council oversee a professionally trained
executive. The city manager. There's no need to settle for
the strong mayor form because
it's not the proven best structure for delivering high
quality efficient and
effective city services. Council manager of government
upon which this 3rd option is
based is the proven best approach based on a lot of the
research that is in the working group's great
appendix. This 3rd option is 10%. And this Mayor Kemp Council manager formal
government is more efficient.
That strong mayor has stronger budget solvency, then strong
their cities. And it's 57%
less likely to have corruption convictions. Then strong
mayors, cities, so lets not settle for the strong mayor option and instead adopt a
proven 3rd option for a
better. Thank you for your
comment. Speaker. This been a cop, I apologize. Can you please call go closer to the
mike so we can make sure we
can. Accomplish? I live in district 3 I'm I'm here just
to lend my support to the council manager system, the
so-called 3rd option. And I'm
asking the council to put that option. On the ballot and let
let the voters decide. Not the
strong mayor model. I'm opposed to the strong mayor model for the reasons that
others have expressed. But one is that with all due respect,
I think the strong mayor system is too dependent on the
good faith of the person who
occupies the mayor's seat, the structure of our government should include checks and
balances, continuity of professional management, accountability of the City
Council. In addition to the mayor and we should look to
what are other peer cities do
all of this points to a council manager system with a
strengthened mayoral rule. The 3rd option. And and as others
have said, this is the model that is widely in use and we
should not ignore that. Thank
you. Thank you your comments.
Currently Indy 4. I appreciate the information report. I
think the the working group did a great job showing all
the options. And while they
have. Preferred choice. I
really appreciate their point.
Change something, choose a new
system. I suggest the council quickly set up its own working
group so they can choose the
best options. Mention a couple
of points. I disagree with. We
need an at large seat. I live
in d for today. But I like
most oaklanders frequently
traveled throughout Oakland, 2 different districts. No 5
districts in the last 24 hours
for me, I suspect. Other people have done better than
tap. So we need someone who is
able to look at the entire
system and both Councilmember Brown and Council member Kaplan have done a good job
with that. I fear large
mayor's election. The last 4 districts, they're sort of the last 3 district forced Yemen's
all became mayor. We are not getting to geographical
equity. By having large mayor's race. Only way we get
a mayor from Deep East Oakland is to have the council PRESIDENT P from Deep East
Oakland have recalled. We can't depend upon as a way of
getting a graphical equity Thank you for your comments.
Next picture. Good morning. My
name is Steve Cohn. I'm a long-term resident and
homeowner in Oakland my understanding try follow this
hold process is that everyone
believes that the system is dysfunctional. The city
council members have the power to develop policy, but no
power to implement it. The mayor has the power to implement it but has no input
in developing policy. So to
me, if you just have a strong mayor, the city council still
doesn't have any. To implement the findings. By having a
strong mayor who can the doh?
Work process work process of the council. That's the council in a weaker position.
Minutes in now in respect, it,
people who've said that there's a lot of interest in
having strong mayor. There was
a survey done by party for the
working group and the number
item was strength in the city Council provide city council
with more direct ways to hold administration accountable.
And then put mayor back on the
dice with the second with 82 p 82% support give mayor role on
the city council helps a
policy laws. So I hope you'll
take what's called the 3rd option. Having a strong mayor,
a strong city council and make Oakland the city that really
wanted to Thank you very much.
Thank you for your comments. Thanks. Chair and council
member council PRESIDENT Mark.
So we residents of district one. I've worked for local
governments for 23 years,
including almost 5 years as Oakland's director of economic development. There's no
question that we need charter reform. We have a dysfunctional system and I
think we all know that. But I disagree with the working group's recommendation find
there support of their
recommendation to be very strong. Their own website
provides a lot of material which if you haven't gone
through it, you definitely
should. But I kasaan in particular pages, 7 to 9 of
the working group's report. Key differences between the
council manager and strong mayor, the strong concentrates
power in a single elected individual. It heightens the
risk of put put it political politicization. That's a tough
word to say. Misuse of authority decisions are driven
by short-term electoral incentives and success depends
heavily on the competence of the individual council manager
lays the foundation for
professional management. It insulates decisions short-term political pressures enables
the manager to make decisions
that are that are tough politically. Long-serving professionals provide
continuity, stability, institutional memory and
consistency across election
cycles. Most importantly, though, the council manager
system will distribute political power across the
council and ensure that district representatives have equal standing in shaping
policy in advocating for their communities. I urge you to
take charter reform. Thank you
for your comments. All right. I'm good Morning Council members. I'm Keith Brown,
executive secretary treasurer of the Alameda Labor Council.
I'm speaking to you this
morning as a lifelong open resident and resident of
district. And I want to first of all, thank the work of the
working group. I think one thing that almost all
oaklanders agree that the city is slow to provide basic
services. Another thing we all agree on is that the structure
of our city is not working. Currently, everyone is in charge would mean which means
no one is in charge. We must establish clear lines of
responsibility. We must ensure
data structure of our
government can deliver for our
community and for better use
of limited resources. The
strong mayor position. Offers clear direct accountability
speeds up decisions, strengthens coordination and
delivers results on
homelessness. Public safety in fiscal responsibility with
greater oversight and legislative capacity to better
represent districts. So our community has made it clear
that they want us of city government to be decisive on
action and results and a strong mayor. System allows us
to deliver for all open neighborhoods faster and more
efficient. Thank you for your
comment. Hello, I'm Mike Polk. And John Currie says with me
here is ceding his 90 seconds
to me. John and I have lived
and worked in Oakland for over
40 years. We're part of neighbors for progressive action and Oakland Group with
over 500 members, we support charter reform as Oakland's
current charter system. Surely
clearly doesn't work. We do not support the strong mayor
model recommended by the
working group. Only large cities in California have a
strong mayor system in entire
state. 2 of those San Francisco in la are special
being also counties. There's a better alternative and
empowered mayor embedded in a
council manager of government. This approach features a
citywide elected mayor with significant leadership
authority, including veto powers as recommended by the
working group. But also features are professionally
trained city manager overseen by the council in Manatee,
Mayor working together as recommended by the national
Civic model City. City
charter, some variation of
this charter is used by 96 or 97% of the largest cities by
population in our state, including 3 that are larger than Oakland and they run the
slide that we saw just a few
minutes ago. And that's a long
beach, Sacramento. And a South So this would this method would give our city council
the leverage it needs to help get things done in Oakland
that something that 83% of the people that the working group
surveyed said they they think is the most important, the highest percentage of anything
on that survey was that they want let the council to have the leverage to get things
done in the city and you won't have that leverage in the
strong mayor system. So one
other thing that 82% of those surveyed said is that they
want the mayor to attend council meetings. Now, Barbara
Lee has said she doesn't have
any problem with that ending mayors. But the strong mayor
initiative doesn't require that. And a future MAY or MAY
not want to. That's in fact
how we got where we are partly let's pay attention to what
the voters asked for in the in
the survey some of you MAY have seen maybe chefs a letter
to the editor with Council
managers widely used because most of that's mostly sauces,
small cities. It's not it's
the opposite. As we just saw, there's there's a lot of large
cities that have that so mindful of the upcoming
chantelle trial. It's unlikely
that voters will vote for. Thank you. Your time is that.
Thank you for your time. Good Morning. Council members. My
name is Pat Martell. I'm here today representing the
international City County Management Association, a
professional organization that advances transparent, responsive, effective and
efficient local government through good governance
leadership management,
innovation and ethics. As the West Coast regional director
of I want to urge your consideration of a viable 3rd
option. To move more effectively to deliver the results and vision by the
mayor's working group recommendations. A strong
mayor with veto power actively
participates in city council
meetings leading a fully engage city council city
manager structure. This option creates clear lines of
responsibility and
accountability. Elected officials set policy and a
professionally trained managers accountable to the
mayor and city Council for
execution. Local governments
have become larger and more complex over time and benefit
by having trained professionals manage operations that best serve the
needs of the community. This structural model clarifies the
role of the mayor and city
council and eliminates politicizing administrative decisions while preserving
strong democratic control. It balances strong political
leadership with results-driven professional administration
allowing the mayor and city
council to to focus on community vision policy and the priorities while leaving
operational decisions to the
city manager. Thank you comments. I apologize before
the next speaker goes. If I
can take one person threw the
chair with his discretion to take one of the members of the
public that are participating online. I'm going give them their 2 minutes. Thank you so
much for your patients for
Monica. You are a muted. You
MAY begin your 2 minutes. 90 seconds. Thank you so much for
that changes for me. Yes, you
MAY begin. Ok? Thank you. Good morning. Council members free
Oakland in the room. I just want to start by saying that I
really appreciate the work
that's gone into this and the effort to improve how the city
of Oakland operates. I don't think anyone with this agree
that Oakland, it's a faster action and more clarity around
who is responsible when things
aren't working. That's a I do
have some real concerns about the recommendation to eliminate the at-large council
seat. If that happens, the
council would be made. Made up entirely of district 3% of and
system aired Dustin Vote on legislation. We would lose
state only citywide elected voice and the legislative
branch and that matters because as we all know, Oakland, U.S. And just deal
with district issues, we deal with things that impact the entire city that need a
broader perspective. The at-large t helps connect
neighborhoods. Bring attention
to citywide needs and make sure no community gets
overlook like Melrose, which
sits in both district 5 and
district 6. From where I stand
removing that creates gaps at the time when we really need
to be more connected, connect
that asked the city. So I just
want to hurt you to move forward is that in prank you for your comments? Your time
is up. Thank you for your patients. Member of the
public. You MAY approach state, your name for the
record. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Good Morning. Council members. My name is
Ahmed Ali. Bob Muddy 6
resident, a dad. And I've had the chance to serve both
inside the city and in the private sector working with
Oakland businesses. I was part of the mayor's working group on charter reform and got to
hear from hundreds Oakland residents and the biggest
thing I heard over and over was the need for clear
accountability. Residents expects that when they vote
for a mayor, the buck stops
there. At my house, my home
when accountability is unclear. My five-year-old just
runs the whole house. Speaking from experience. That's not a
model that we should replicate
at City Hall. Right now, our system spreads responsibility
across too many places when
something goes wrong. It's not
always clear who owns it. And that makes it harder to
actually solve problems on
behalf of our residents. This
is about aligning authority
with responsibility. So when decisions are made, there's
clarity on who is accountable.
And when outcomes fall short. It's clear who needs to answer
for. At the same time, these recommendations strengthen the
council's ability. To provide stronger legislative and financial oversight, which is
just as important. I believe
this most Oakland in the right
direction. Thank you for your comments and thank you for
your patience. Speaking. Hi,
my name is Charlie. Long 21 year, resident of city of
Oakland in District 4. And I
have city manager 4 times, but
also I've invested 100 million dollars into downtown Oakland
with 2 of her projects. I
served on the bill go,
development advisory Committee. And let me tell
you, my observation, based
upon my awareness of how
organizations work. And how
development works. Oakland's or organ Oakland's
organization is broken. There
is no sense of common purpose. Departments are silos. They
don't talk to each other. They don't they don't have a sense
of common purpose. I am here
strongly request. That you
reject the strong mayor option
because all it does is it
says, okay, we've got a broken system. Where do? We're
basically there are silos. Let's create another broken
system where there are silos. Where the mayor basically is
not a participant. The council
manager of government. Makes
the city manager accountable
the mayor to the council and
the mayor sits on the city council. It has veto power and
is an active participant. Let's create that kind of
unified approach. 2. Thank you for your comments next.
Speaker. Good Morning Council members. My name is Denmark's
excuse me. I can resident in district 2 and of work in and for local governments for more
than 40 years. I'm a employee in the city former to committee velvet director in
the city of Berkeley. And it worked as as a ploy in several
Bay Area cities. And for the
past 15 years, I've been a management consultant on local
government effectiveness all around the country. And in
California. I want to thank the mayor for putting forward
the the mayor's task force and bringing the issue of charter
reform to the city's attention and carry it forward as issue that we have to address in
Oakland. Clearly we need a
more effective government that can deliver the services that
people have open want. And in my opinion, did not received
over the last many years. And I think most local residents would agree with me that we
need a more effective government. Not a political
one. City managers are trained in and spend their whole careers making local
government more effective. Mayors were elected for their
political You meant not their organizational skills. It's for this reason that almost
all the cities in California has been spoken earlier, adopt
a city manager form of government and I along with many of the other people have
spoken here today based on our long experience in local
government. Believe that the 3rd option is the best option
for the city of Oakland and urge that you carry that
option in some fashion forward to the citizens of Oakland.
Thank you so much. Thank you
for your comments. Rajon Rondo District 4. I want to start by
acknowledging the effort here. Easier to point out what's
broken that to try and fix And appreciate that this process
is attempting to do that. What I hear from my community is
very consistent. People want basic things to work like roads and public safety and
many residents don't feel we
have that. Charter reform is part of the solution along with fiscal in broader
governance reform. But my
concern simple. Who is accessible to the regular
Oakland resident. When something needs to get fixed and how do we ensure that it
actually happens? It's already difficult to get regular
residents. Voices heard. That makes be cautious about
concentrating more power in a single office where access can feel even more limited to
those without influence and
power. We need a balance clear leadership with accountability and full representation,
including the at-large seat. That's why I'm leaning towards
a balanced approach. Like the 3rd option. But I really urge
council choose a structure that will truly deliver
results with accountability and transparency and accessibility to all
Oaklanders. Thank you. Thank
you for your comment. Thank you. My name is Elizabeth Silver activated that the
silver. I I've lived here for
48 years. Am a retired lawyer. I was city attorney of several
cities for a total. Of 37 years. So I know what you
doing and I thank you for it. I'm in favor of the council
manager of government. The
most important thing that the city council does, that the
whole city does is its budget. And the budget is the
blueprint for what gets done
in the city. Council. Then house to put a point somebody
is going to implement the budget. Just doesn't happen by
itself. So the city administrator or city manager,
whatever you want to call the position is the person who
implements the budget. The budget includes the council's
goals, how many will be spent
but programs will be adopted.
It cetera. And it's important to have a professional in the
role implementing budget. The mayor can be on the city
Council. The city manager. Really works from council
meeting. Council meeting. So
the council has control. The implementation of its
objectives because the council points and can fire the city
manager. Thank drinking, does
not speak. My name is Millie Cleveland. I also live in
district 4. And move one plot 30 years ago, District 5.
Ended up in 4. I want to throw a little twist to the
discussion about the
underlying assumptions about the council developing policy
but not being able to enforce
it. The mayor can't develop
policy, but it's responsible for enforcement. My
observation coming to council
meetings is that our council
representatives have abdicated their responsibility,
enforcing things that in making sure the city manager
follow through. The macro. A
unit, the chief of the fire
department change the scope of work and not one council
person race issue. We've had
decades of city auditors making recommendations on how
to deal with opd over time, which have been dismissed by
the council. The council voted to civilian eyes almost 40
positions in opd, putting 40
cops back on the street. And
the council. He's done nothing to force a city administrator to speak on the work that he's
been accomplish. So I am
against Philly. My time is up.
I'm against the strong. Thank
you, Emily. Naomi I'm only
speaking for myself. I support something like the 3rd option,
an effective mayor and
ineffective counsel. I got to Oakland when John reading was
Mayor. And before district elections. And I've attended
city Hall meeting since Lana Wilson and his city manager
Henry Gardner. I served on a commission that vainly
attempted to fix Jerry Brown's unworkable, incompetent
measure acts. People want
effective and accessible district representation
publicly accountable. Mayor. The word strong shouldn't be
used here. It's pejorative
because it implies week. We've had way too much talk about
strong stuff at the national
level. Let's get rid of that. Most cities our size used council manager system. And
lastly. I support a point of
city attorney and auditor.
Because those posts are not
for anybody to run for. You
need somebody who has very specific qualifications. It's
not the same as running for
other political offices. I really appreciate the work
that's been done. I vehemently oppose the strong mayor
concept. Thank you. Thank you for your comments called on
names. Ralph former chair of
the Public Commission. Commenting that this whole
process is corrupt. That
section 601 requires 6 inches from 6 or the charter requires
an advisory group. The created by resolution of the City
Council. That didn't happen in
this case. In addition with
that doesn't meant there was no public meetings of this
working group for the public to observe the process and
understand what took place.
Well, minor detail there, but the only way you can literally
do this is. Do what they did 2003 and by City Council resolution create a working
group that the public to participate and understand
what's going on. I'm a public records request of the mayor's office back DECEMBER. That yet
to responded to evolving
things like were the agendas and minutes of the meetings of
the working group. I'm still
way. I was reserve Quest is.
Were shot. Do guards contract
who paid for all this? Who
actually did the work? None of
that is public. It's all be in bed done by a private group
with private money and secret
meetings. There's been no public process that the law
requires. This is a violation of the Constitution of the
Brown Act. And a disgrace that it's been functioning. That's
why. Thank you for your
comments. Was trying to get Levy chef to come up with me
so we could any debate. Want
to hear that right? First of all, I need an extra 10
seconds before you start counting time. I need to ask
somebody to translate to sign. Doesn't make sense to anybody
so far. And I want to complain about mobility issues for that
for this building. Please don't take my time for that.
Please. Please stop the time. And we time actually in
seconds. All right. When you
get out of the day garage and you're walking with a cane or at whatever pace to state your
name for the red. Oh, sorry, Pamela. Draped with the
Wellston Club. You have to go all the way around. Like about an extra blocker and a block
and a half. Somebody should be
at the door at the other side, there's you have somebody sitting at desk there that
could come over and escort you over to the security. So you didn't have to go all the way
around. Hope this not
violation, but seems like one. All right. Let me let me start
my name. How much time I going
to get to talk. 10 seconds
more. 20 seconds. You know, I'm a post of the strong
mayor. I'm not in favor of the
whole move movement towards authoritarianism that this country's been involved in. I
think we're backing off of
that now on top of that, there's really 2 issues that
are the ones that are up for
concern. One is that when the council members have a complaint from their
constituents, they don't have
any place for it to go so higher. Some assistant city
administrators who work directly with each council
member with each district MAY be giving district 7 their own
and the other districts to to council districts for one administrator to get your
special. Want to say, Ken need
special anyway, that would that that person would then
work directly when they have a complaint say, ok, we'll see
what we can do about your complaint and we'll work
directly with you say you can talk to your constituents
about what's being done. The other issue seems to be the
mayor should be sitting on the council. The mayor should be
available for people to see how she thinks how she organizes her thoughts and
make sure decisions. Thank
ends. Thank you, MR. Inc. You
were given by the Chair 10 extra seconds. So allow the
mike to stay on long enough. Thank you for your comments.
Next. Speaker signed up. That's PRESIDENT First. Thank
you. Windows. Yes, my name Richard Fuentes. I'm a leader
in the union movement with asked me council 57
representing 26,000 workers. Also small business owner here in downtown Oakland in a
downtown up and resident. I'm also a member of the mayor's
working group for the charter reform. And I want to speak in support of our recommendations
for storm Mayor. We did a
community outreach. We heard throughout Oakland from every
single district from working people that they wanted to
have strong mayor form of
government. We have serve ace. We're brown and black communities got to
participate. You're hearing
today about a 3rd option, a 3rd option that is not recommended by the working
group. A 3rd option that has
no input from working people from black people from Brown
people lets be cleared. A 3rd
option is a privilege option working. People don't have
time to come today. At 10:30am, in the morning to provide their perspective.
I've worked for 3 municipalities. I work for a special district. I've served
on a e pension board federal oversight committees where
I've served. Let me tell you, Oakland is diverse. And because of that, the diversity
that we have within our city,
a strong form former government is really an
approach that was served up lenders because Oaklanders
don't know who is responsible. Oaklanders don't know who's in
charge. Oaklanders want to know who is responsible for Philly, their potholes. Thank
you. Thank you for your
comments next. Speaker. Well, hello, my name is Libby
Schaff. I'm a lifetime. Oakland or I am a 24 year
veteran of city Hall and I
speak to you as a private citizen today. I do. I am
probably the only person alive
who was and East Oakland Council staffer under Jerry Brown, strong mayor form of
government. I was a council
member of district 4 and I, of
course, was the mayor for 8 years. So I do bring a unique perspective on how these
different systems actually
have worked in the asked and happy to answer any questions.
If you have any. I want start by saying I was disappointed
to hear citations of the survey and suggesting that
that represented voter sentiment, the survey that was
done by the working group was
an opt-in survey and the demographics of respondents
16% of respondents didn't even
live in Oakland. And an interesting 23% were city of
Oakland employees. So I just please do not regard those
survey results as voter
sentiment. 3 polls now have
been done about how do oaklanders feel about this
proposal? All 3 have turned
back very clear mandates that
Oakland voters want a strong
mayor. 61% in the polls. The polls of Pulse of Oakland pull
in the fall. 60 4% in the East Bay Polling institute results
and then. Mayor or other
insights. You want to offer. I
I do have questions about how
the system worked. Yes, okay. You know, under Jerry Brant
this working group's proposal is essentially the same as we
had under Jerry Brown's strong mayor before the council took
away the veto power. You might not remember Jerry Brown had a view to power because he
hardly ever used it. The one time I remember was a piece
legislation. I actually wrote
when I was the legislative aide to Council member De La
Fuente district 5 the council
had a lot of power in my experience. It is actually
when the council and the mayor
had the best collaboration and the council offices
constituent work, which was my passion. When I worked in the
council offices actually got
done. There was more
responsiveness from the administration wall. It is not
clear that this proposal requires the 3, 1, 1, or
constituent response to be
under the mayor at that time. It was the Oaklanders
Assistance Center was actually part of the mayor's office and
it was much more responsive
than our current system. The council had a full-time
legislative in budget analyst
that allowed us to write good legislation, proactive legislation and to have our
own independent budget analyst
to actually be an independent validator of financial
information that we were getting from the
administration. So those were some of the qualities I remember from the strong
mayor. Finally. Everyone agrees that a hybrid system is
fuzzy and does not serve
anyone. Option. 3 is just
another hybrid proposal. I would prefer to see Oakland go
back to a council manager for of government rather than swap
one fuzzy hybrid for another.
I know that. That that would based on my experience in
these 24 years in these
various roles. And if anyone doesn't have any other
questions. I appreciate the
opportunity. All right. Thank
you. Thank you for your Speakers have been called if
you are participating here in
chambers and signed up to speak in her name was called please approach the podium. If
not, we will move on to zoom
speakers. I see no one rising. So we will go to those who signed up to speak in zoom. If
you are. And America extra time and ice speaking about
low mobility issues, not about the strong mayor and I would
like 30 seconds to finish.
Changing it. You're out of
order. I signed up in time. Yes, and I had to listen to
all that stuff. If I give you extra time, I got to give
everybody else know, if you're giving people who've been involved in government, I
didn't give extra time because he was involved in government.
I didn't say All right. Well, I didn't get all my time because I'm having a problem
with the mobility issues and
the city hall. And that doesn't seem okay. So because
this is an issue. I will allow you that the extra seconds.
Thank you. Okay. So the strong mayor, the real issue, if you think about strong Marin, you
think about a corporation, you know that the idea person is
not the same as the detail person. There's nobody who can
do both. Well. And it's really
a place that ends up it was change because of all the
corruption. Now the current mayor is not going to be
involved in corruption, but
whoever comes after her could use this as a real power grab.
That's that's what it essentially is. But the other
thing about the legislative
office, I don't want a plan
from the administrators the city council office. I think
that's a bad idea. Thank you.
Thank you for your comments. Now moving to the zoom
speakers. If signed up to speak for this item and you
wish to use your time. Please raise your hand in the queue
so I can recognize uic Blair, man. You have been muted. You
MAY begin. I blame Beekman.
Thank you a lot for this item. I'm living in San Diego. That
also has a strong mayor system. And that also is having a lot of questions around the strong mayor
system. I was originally from
San and they had a quite
community process few years ago to decide the future of strong Mayor versus Council
mandate. City manager, ways of
working and easily. The community came out in supporting the future of
council manager system and created a very clear case of
its importance. The strong
mayor simply is there to you know, real estate interests.
And those of the ridge. And I think the majority of the people are going to be for
this measure in Oakland are going to be either in real
estate or rich people. And we
have to acknowledge that the
tech accountability ideas that would create that whole new
charter ideas were created for
back in 2014 15. It was with
the intention to work towards the future of community
participation and open democracy as how to talk about
our future of how we practice community together. And I think we have to be committed
to those goals that the I've been learning. This is a
learning process for my so but the you know, council manager
city manager, way of working works towards open
participatory democracy. The strong mayor form does not. It
serves the weekend. Thank you
for your comments of the next speaker. In you have unit mud
or I mean, don't eat about time and I'm in district 6 in
have been here for many years. And why appreciate the work
that the working that I
support council manager
system. We had one before we step mean and worked pretty well before we start to
tinker. Now we have a system
we all agree is not workable.
But with a council managers
system where we have. With the mayor sitting on the council
and leading the effort. We
have a strong career, strong
council and we have the professionals, city
COUNCILMAN. I mean, meant I'm
city manager who as professional and can last
beyond just one administration
don't know exactly what that don't want to depend on the
goodness of And the mayor. Depending on who gets elected.
So I strongly support. Council
manager. With Strong Mayor
System. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. I show one
last hand raised in Zoom was
listed under iPhone. When you to please state the name that it's written on your speaker
card that you signed up for.
Needed iPhone. Hi, hello. My name is Fernando Perez. I did
find up yesterday. Great.
Thank you. You MAY be my the I was raised no plan. I live
throughout the Bay area at Livermore. I lived in Hayward.
I just bought a house 2 years
ago. Not back and I love open.
I love you. I love it I'm kind
of tired I'm kind of tired of always kind of the unique politically wise and all of
that and why can't we just do what our neighbors in the Bay
area are doing and they're doing great. They They're
following. The council manager says do and I I've moved out
of open for over 15 years. So I got I got an opportunity see
what a good strong city does
of basic track meet car
pickups are done a timely manner. So why can't we just
do that? Why can't we just who
is the system that has been working for our neighbors here
in the Bay area as well. So those are my $0.02 to nothing
for your time. Thank you for your comments. Again on the
names have to called. If you
signed up to speak for item 5, please approach the podium or raise your hand in the queue.
At this time chair. No more Thank you. Thank you. To
everyone came out to talk about or opinion on the way that Oakland goes forward. I
know it's. That's because you
care about Oakland direction that we go. And that's the commonality that we have
between us. So this won't be
the last meeting that we have to discuss. Potential charter
changes. Think it's important that everybody has an
opportunity to weigh in in the public forum. And so I work
with the mayor's office and
the council members too schedule one other item at some point in time so that
people have a chance to weigh in with that. I'll open it up
to council members. If you
guys have any comments. Council member Brown at-large
council member Brown. Excellent. Okay. Well, thank you all so much. So I would
just want to first start off by thanking the mayor's
working group. Everyone who
was involved. I know it's it's
not easy to, you know, put
together the community engagement events and disorganized. You know, all everyone's thoughts and
opinions. And so just want to offer my gratitude and thanks
for for that. And then in addition, really grateful for everyone who showed up today
to kind of speak and share about whether it was their
personal experience. Navigating Oakland City
government and went in and how you all think that we should
we begin to move forward. And
so, of course, you know, my goal in all of this is a chain
that we are moving forward with a government governance
structure that is based in
accountability. And we're also
ensuring that we are listening
to the concerns of our constituency. Right? And a lot
of times, it's it's really
been very consistent around. You know, at the end of the
day, community members want
their concerns to be addressed now we get into the weeds of
how that takes place. At the end the day, it boils down to
accountability. And so that is what interested in. And so I
look forward to working with
my council colleagues. So Councilmember Jenkins council
member entendre in to to ensure that we move forward in
a path that is supportive of
our entire city. Of course,
there is a larger conversation around just overall
representation. I just don't think that in our day and our
day and age and just in this
moment that we should be at
any point overall representation. One of the
public speakers talked about. About investment like and how
we are investing in our communities in it is the whole
reason why I ran for the
at-large seat had to do with
the the the blaring
observation of how communities
both in east and West Oakland
have underrepresented for decades. And the truth of the
matter is, is that in this moment that that is what we're
living through, right? And so
I just I can't I cannot get behind and a recommendation
that seeks to eliminate
representation for for the community and I have not ran
into any community members
that say they don't understand, you the role of
the at large seat or there's confusion between the mayor of
our amazing city. And so I just wanted to make sure that
I see that on the record that I just don't believe that that
is the direction we should be
going. The report also states I guess the talking point is
that moving the council back
i've number of votes. I do think that there's a simple
fix as far as that, which we can all move forward with,
which is a simple as 5 votes
and the legislation passes. And in the event that there is
a tie breaking vote, the
motion fails. And so in this moment, I think more than
anything we should be 100%
focused on solutions to
improving how our city cling governance works works. The
best for the people of Oakland and so that is something that
I want to get behind. I'm
grateful for the the group that presented their findings
around this 3rd option. I do
think that is important for so many of the important
decisions that we make as a
council. I do think that there is some value in ensuring that
the mayor can also weigh in on
those. And so I am supportive of that door to option. I just
want see that on the record.
And as always, I'm always open
to engage further with members
of the working group. If they
would like as well. And that
also would know during the working group's process and
when they met with me, I
offered multiple recommendations of how I
thought that we can employ
improve the city of Oakland's government structure. And I
did not see a single one of my
recommendations make it to the recommendations. And I think
that that is something that in my something that has been
missed, right? Because I think all of us on the council we
have valuable insights that we
can share around how we can
improve city of Oakland, governance. So that's that's
all in this moment. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Councilmember
Houston. I'm not on the rules committee. So I like to pass
that to councilmember around the child first before a
state, what I want to state. But I do want to say something. No, I do want to
say something about the timely
of scheduling item. 3.1, 3, 0,
2, 3.3 3.4 h# something up so
everyone can see real quick. And why health that up is that
I need to schedule a council member Brown and you're doing
excellent job. Everything you do work with me to an
excellent job. But yesterday I said I need to schedule
because yesterday sat with the
PRESIDENT, the principal of cast much and I had 150
students in Castle month
homeless. Are you guys talking about the charter? We were
talking about the charter and
a charter we form because a
share this my district. 10
toes down for the mayor more
than any other district. My
district was for the recall. Of the mayor and of of of the
d a more than any of the
district and everybody out here knows I've been 10 toes
down for the mayor from day
one. Go back to my counsel to
my district because they're waiting for what? How I feel
about this charter read by Tri
Reform. And I remember back if you go back to rob or by how
good it was with proper Bob, I
mean, with that strong
council, manager. So my
constituents in d 7. They wait
non. My opinion, but I want their opinion. But if they
live it to my opinion on the charter reform, it would in
line with council member Brown
of the 3rd option because I'm tired going outside. I'm a
scope of work in doing things that shouldn't be doing
because we're not able to do
it. Be kuz. Council members only legislation and policy. I'm tired of going to remove a
car myself. I'm tired of
relocate an encampment myself and that the city
administrator report it's to the mayor but doesn't report
to us as a council right? We
should have that same. Authority that the city
administrator reports to us right? Unlike what Ryan, which
your son is I can just go on
and on and But I said I was going pass it to you that you
put to you. But I got a couple more days to say so no use
that as my time PRESIDENT.
Thank you. I think today is this meeting was very enlightening myself and
council PRESIDENT Jenkyns
wanted to schedule this item specifically to continue the
process of gathering community input. Today we heard plus or
-20 comments that. We're
opposed to the strong mayor system and open to some
alternative. We heard about 4
that were for the system, but
apart from what we hear here, I can only speak for myself and I know many of my
colleagues who are out and
about the community. I have
said at least 17 times in the past month when I'm in people's living rooms in my
district, on their street
corners and the business districts that I am
information gathering stage and this is very valuable
input. And I'm continuing the process of listening to our
constituents and hearing very different perspectives for
forgot to someone that mentioned you can't come at 10:30am, that? That's correct.
Which is why after 05:00pm, out in our communities talking to people in meeting them
where they're at. And I've heard very different
perspectives. And I think this
is important to us. I
appreciate the mayor is working group in scheduling a
first round of community outreach late last year near
the holidays. And I think a
lot of those sessions service information to show ask what
is the charter? And now a couple months into this process, people are starting
to form an opinion one way or the other. So I think this is
very helpful and I will take all of this into
consideration. Plus, all of the conversations that I have
and this is not the last time this will be heard in council.
We will bring this to an evening meeting at the full
City council as this process
continues. And I look forward
to continuing hear what people have to say from not just my
district but all over the
city. Thank you. Some of the I
can speak in closing, I want to say them have community meetings from Sheffield
Village to the heels to the flat to my Latino brothers and
sisters. This waiting for me
to speak about spoke in front
of 300 last week and I'm
speaking front 300 again this Sunday. Getting pinion, get,
you know that what they want because I'm I want to purple.
They won a green. If they want to green us, want go no
matter. Even found one purple. Talk to my constituents. But
I'm definitely gonna give my
opinion my opinion, 4 with influence on how I feel and
whatever they decide to decide be a community meetings for sure about this for sure.
Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Houston Kuzma
Brandon. More comments can on track. So make sure that I
work with city attorneys office to send out a timeline
for and which things need to
get on the ballot. We need to
hear them at 2 regularly scheduled meetings and that
timeline is tight. Encourage people to continue doing the
research and continue reaching out understand that's
apparently women voters will
be available for questions. As Councilmember Robert Rinder and said we will hear this
again at a regularly scheduled
meeting. During council so that more people have the
opportunity to weigh in with that, I'll entertain a motion to receive and how this in
committee. Some of And that was a motion by Councilmember
Ramachandran seconded by councilor at Brown to receive
and file item number 5 on row for that is councilmember
brown eye now to number 5 is excuse Councilman Ramachandran. I ensure
Jenkins. Item number 5 is received and filed with 3
guys. One excuse Councilmember
Fife that now takes us to open
I will read the speakers who signed up for this item. If you are participating via
please raise your hand. So you'll be recognized. And for
those who are here and chambers in person, please
line up behind the podium in any order. I have Blair
Beekman Kellie Kevin Dally regime and Al David boat
right? Ralph cans, Millie,
Cleveland deal. Comey low and
any order. Thank you. David Boatright district I agree that council member should be
paid more. But only if the
council eliminates this city. General purpose fund deficit.
They contributed to without
adding more taxes. The council members dedicate their full to
that. Council members dedicate
their full time to their council member responsibilities as they
implicitly agreed to when they
ran for office. The council members attend all city
council meetings and their
committee meetings with rare exceptions for healthcare,
serious, personal reasons. It's amazing that the city
council won't allow seeding
partial a new speaker time and then allows only part of a
speaker's time to be seated.
How can multiple city residents be given preferential treatment, especially if they didn't sign
up to speak by that deadline and others were not allowed to
speak. And if cancel member Houston wants to speak without
signing up to speak committees
not on. I don't understand the
rules. Thank you for your
comments. Rushdie Mundell District 4. I want to connect
today's charter reform discussion to another area that deserves the same level
of scrutiny. Police oversight. Right now council is asking
fundamental questions about governance rolls authority and
accountability and those exact same questions apply to our
police oversight system. The recent city auditor report
makes it clear the issue is
not just resources in a structure, including
overlapping roles, unclear authority and gaps and
accountability across multiple oversight bodies. And we're seeing the consequence of that
structure in practice decision. Stall responsibilities are diffuse.
Becomes difficult to determine who is ultimately accountable
for outcomes. But also like to note that a significant number of the city attorney public
opinions actually one in 4 in
recent years have focused
exclusively on these oversight agencies that suggests ongoing
uncertainty about scope and
authority, not just capacity. The mayor is charter former King Group provides a useful
model here and brought together community members,
experts and stakeholders to
evaluate governance and develop clear recommendations. Encourage council to consider
a similar approach for police oversight. Thank you for your
comments next. Speaker. Million Cleveland to street
for I would like you place on
rules over time. Opd overtime
for public safety. This is
significant effect on our budget. I understand that it
was placed on the agenda for
it. Finance, but it is not
just a finance issue. It is an
operational issue for decades.
City auditors have made very concrete recommendations on
how to control opd over time that the city administrator
has never implemented. And you
guys ignored. I also think
that other issue that needs to be placed on the agenda peel
ways m o u. It has a lot of
tweaking that needs to be discussed out in the open.
People are trying to be at the negotiating table, but there is no law that would stop you
from putting that. Thank you for your comments next.
Speaker. Well, you. I'm hoping that you'll follow up on the
suggestion from the member of
the public Ethics Commission
to investigate whether you whether the council it's
legally required to set up public hearings on the charter
reform or whether we can just.
Move directly to a vote in in counseling committee and
hoping that we have public. Public forums for more than 90
seconds. Discussion out. Looking forward to the answer from the city attorney and
thanks. Thank you for your
comments. Good morning. And
you'll low. I me I'm a brown guy. I'm a former resident.
I'm a former employee home hr director here. Cardio city
manager and I've got 32 years
in public sector governance. For me, the kid political
issue is how is the city going
to be managed? I care about
the city I run here every week. I come from an to run it
around Lake Merritt every
Saturday morning. My point is I really, really care about
this city. I can in my hometown cause have been home to for the last 40 since I got
off 10:00am flight governor
says the key issue. And
please, please, please do not double down on a failed
system. Strongman system is a failed system. What does work consistently around the
country local city governance
is council manager from a government. I can tell you with 32 years of service,
including 3 years yet the city
of open and Cardiff, City manager, that system works.
Please go to option 3. Thank you for your comments next.
Speaker. Afternoon, Ralph remembering the tension of house flippers. Your attention
again. He keep ignoring those the mayor's office will respond. I don't know what's
going You're losing millions
and millions of dollars. Permit fees are being enforced. The leads don't that
placed on the property. There's no actual constructive
notice to a buyer. Therefore
the fuse never get paid. The city is losing millions and
millions of dollars. It also adds to garbage being dumped
because the rules are out. Disposal by under during construction are being
followed. Why don't you want do something when you have a
money trouble? That's all
about money. You're being
ripped off like crazy. Almost none of these people are even from Oakland. It's all money.
Leaving the city that you
should be getting a cut of because of what the city does
for those people. And Jake, as you're saying, oil, look at me
again. I mean, what is this? You got there's a screen out
here. Thank you for your out.
There's a screen right here. That's right. Thank you for
your comments. Brief said it
next. Speaker. I next. Next. My next speaker is Blair Beekman. Please unmute
yourself. You MAY begin. All right. Thank Really
interesting meeting today. Thank you. Really good public
comment here in open form. Thank you. Good luck in
addressing the overtime pay
the MARCH committee meetings overall seemed like a really
good session. Good learning
experience for myself. Really happy just to learn things
from the MARCH 10 session and overtime was a part of that.
So good luck. And that I think
it's going to take much longer 2028 carted changes can be can
come to a to a vote. Good luck that we can have a community
discussion. I'm encouraged by
what people have said. Thank
you. And I wanted to comment just another. Thank you for
the work of the flock issues that we've created a compromise process. We can
talk about a new flock vendor. And that's an important concept for all of us. We can
develop a good future. It's
good example California. Thank you for your comments. That was the last open Speaker.
Thank you. This meeting is