City Council - Regular Meeting

Okay. We're just waiting for the photo.

Recording in progress.

Good evening, and welcome to the meeting of the Hercules City Council. Today is Tuesday, June 9. It is now 6.30pm. And I'm calling the meeting to order. May we have the roll call, please? Good evening.

Council Member Grimsley.

Present.

Council Member Butter.

Present.

Council Member Bailey.

Present.

Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin is currently not here, and Mayor Kelly. Thank you.

Thank you. And we have one closed session item tonight. Madam City Attorney, could you read the closed session item, please?

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor. Tonight we have one closed session item. It's a conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation. The city has significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9D2, and that's one case.

Okay, we will now adjourn into closed session.

Recording in progress.

Good evening and welcome to the meeting of the Hercule City Council. Today is Tuesday, June 9. It is now 714pm and I'm calling the meeting to order. I'm Mayor Chris Kelly. May we have the roll call please? Good evening. Council Member Grimsley.

Present.

Council Member Butteray.

Present. Council Member Bailey. Present. Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin. Present. And Mayor Kelly.

Present. Thank you. Thank you. And we've just come out of closed session, so I will ask our city attorney if there's anything to report. No reportable action this evening, Madam Mayor. Okay. Thank you. So we now have the Pledge of Allegiance. Council Member Butteray, would you lead us? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, everyone. And tonight, we do have a moment of silence. And this moment of silence is for a Hercules resident, Carol White. Carol passed away on May 31 of this year at the age of 84 years old. She passed away suddenly. I want to note that she was a dear friend of mine. I served with her on the board of our Homeowners Association for nearly 10 years. Carol was a longtime resident of Hercules. She lived here nearly 40 years. She was a farmer's insurance agent in Pinole, and she also volunteered with the Rotary, the Hercules Historical Society, and the Pinole Historical Society. Carol, you may have known her. She was always around the community. She was very active in promoting community events, such as crab feeds and other events, and she really cared deeply about Hercules. She is now survived by her daughter, Nicole Wilbur, her spouse, and grandchildren. Could we please have a moment of silence for Carol White? Thank you. So now we are moving ahead and tonight we have two proclamations and we have my first proclamation here is going to be recognizing June 19th 2026 as June 13th in the city of Hercules and I think we have someone here to accept the proclamation would you like to step up. Thank you. And come to the podium, please. So tonight we have Frank Grimsley III, Hercules resident who attended schools here and graduated from college with a degree in political science. And Frank has agreed to accept this proclamation. Whereas on June 17th, 2021, Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed by President Biden, establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States is also known as Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Black Independence Day and Juneteenth Independence Day. And whereas freedom from slavery was granted through the Emancipation Proclamation, signed on January 1st, 1863 by President Lincoln, it took another two and a half years and military intervention by General Gordon Granger and Union troops to arrive to Galveston, Texas, the farthest of the Confederate states, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation, whereby releasing the last 250,000 slaves from bondage. And whereas Juneteenth celebrates freedom and the abolishment of slavery, reminds the nation to reflect on the grievous and ongoing legacy of slavery and to rededicate ourselves to rooting out systematic racism that continues to plague our society as we strive for freedom and equality for all. And whereas, as we celebrate Juneteenth, let us recommit ourselves to the work of equity, equality, and justice, and ensure that the events of 1865 are not forgotten. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Chris Kelly, Mayor of the City of Hercules, on behalf of the entire City Council, do here I recognize June 19, 2026. As Juneteenth in the City of Hercules, I encourage all citizens to learn more about the history and impact of slavery and the significance of Juneteenth, attend Juneteenth celebrations, uplift Black-owned businesses, and support the ongoing social change efforts that promote unity equity racial and social justice in witness thereof i here unto set my hand and cause the seal of the city of hercules to be affixed this ninth day of june 2026. thank you and mr grimsley would you like to say a few words

Yes, I prepared a speech, but it also included the brief history lesson that you just included as well. So I was tailoring my words while you were speaking. Thank you so much for that, Mayor Kelly. I want to thank everybody for attending, as well as Hercules City Council, as well as Mayor Kelly. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Hi, Auntie. I also wanted to acknowledge myself. I am a Hercules resident. I've lived here since 1992. I've attended Hercules Elementary School before it was Lupine Hills. I also attended Hercules Middle School as well. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Hercules High School. I went to school in San Pablo. I apologize for that. But I took my talents to Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia shortly after and graduated the same exact school as Martin Luther King, as well as had my commencement speech commenced by President Barack Obama. as well, so I do feel weirdly qualified to accept this award. I do want to go ahead and also acknowledge that I would not be here without my first black teacher, which was Miss Leslie Barnes in Hercules Elementary. I believe she might even still be stationed at Ohlone High School if anybody still has children there. She was one of the first instructors to believe in me, instill faith in me, and confidence in me. And I was able to see myself in a person of authority that also tended to children and encouraged them to do better. So without her, I would not be standing here. So I want to go ahead and send out my love to her as well. As Mayor Kelly alluded to, the basis of Juneteenth was based in 1863, but wasn't officially all the way enforced until 1865. So that two-year gap or that two and a half year gap is I think something that I want to go ahead and kind of point out to and acknowledge. is that even though things can be passed, even though things can be accepted, even though change can be done on paper, that doesn't necessarily mean that change is happening everywhere. So I do want to let you know that I'm more than happy to accept this award, but I do want to let this know that this is a seed for us to continue to do better and to strive better. Given the current political climates as well, we've seen a lot of things being repealed. And our civil rights. So I want to go ahead and say that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not nasty words. In fact, they're the things that make this country great. They're the reason why I stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance. They're the reason why I believe that the Constitution extends to all people. The fact that it doesn't now alludes to the point that we have more work to do. The fact that LGBTQ plus rights are being revoked and repealed state to state show that we have more work to do. The fact that Roe v. Wade has been overturned shows that we have a lot more work to do. The fact that we are treating people as aliens and preventing them from finding asylum shows that we have more work to do. So I stand here in front of you to say We have more work to do. Thank you. I appreciate you guys for the talk.

Thank you. And Mr. Grimsley, we want you to come up here and accept the proclamation. And then the council would like to maybe say a few words. If you can go back to the podium. Oh, and come and shake hands. This is our tradition. And if you could go back to the podium, and I think I will start down here with Council Member Grimsley.

Okay, so it's no surprise to anyone, this is my nephew, but. And I appreciate him receiving this proclamation and thank you Mayor Kelly for allowing for this today and for my fellow council members for continuing to support Juneteenth. Juneteenth is incredibly personal to me, so it is exceptionally wonderful to be able to hand over the proclamation to my nephew this evening. My brother and his wife are also in attendance, young Mr. Grimsley's parents. On my maternal side, maternal, not paternal, on my maternal side of my family, the grandparents of my grandparents were enslaved people. And so I grew up very close to my maternal grandparents. So the fact that I grew up with people who grew up knowing enslaved people or formerly enslaved people is very significant and it also demonstrates how far we've come but how short a period of time it actually has been. We like to talk about slavery in the Americas as if it was a very, very, very long time ago. And you look at the number of years, and it does seem that way. But in real time, in real life, and you talk about lives impacted by the cruelties of slavery, And it can touch someone like me, who's now looking out at my nephew. It feels, it's almost insane. It's almost insane to think that I can reach in both directions. But I am so grateful for all the progress we have made. I'm grateful that my... Nephew attended a historically black college, one of the most well-known and well-regarded in the country. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be here on this dais and represent community members in the city of Hercules. So we are moving forward, and we will continue to move forward. I hope that we will continue to acknowledge and never forget where we have come from, where we are now, and where we are going. Thank you.

Thank you. Council Member Bhattarai.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. It is my honor to join my colleagues in recognizing the Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the freedom, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality to all. And I'm here to support and continue to be an inclusive city as Hercules is. where all the community members are valued and recognized and being inclusive. And thank you all to join this evening to celebrate this Juneteenth and a happy Juneteenth to all. Thank you, good night.

Thank you. Council Member Bailey.

Yes, Master Grimsley. Excellent speech.

I appreciate you coming in and accepting the proclamation. I'm grateful for the mayor for bringing this forward and for the residents who pushed for the day to be celebrated here in Hercules, as well as the flag, and for the council who voted very early on. The same year everyone else voted to have the holiday, but we gave it to staff very early on, just very shortly after the law was signed. So very grateful for that. And so what you said is what I would say. So it was amazingly done by you. I won't repeat it. And then the same thing for your aunt, Constable Grimsley, for her comments. So many of us have convinced ourselves that these things happened so long ago. Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, these happened when my parents were grown. They were adults. when these things are passed. So it wasn't that long ago. So as we talk about history, and it's been so long and things have changed, it has not. It may feel that way, but it hasn't. And I think it's important for everyone, including young African-American kids, to understand the importance and the great sacrifices that our ancestors went through so that we would have the privileges that we have today, which is why we fight for them, as you so eloquently put it. So again, what you said, and thank you for coming and accepting the proclamation.

Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and Councilman Grimsley must be a proud auntie, and thank you, Mr. Grimsley, for coming out. You know, I mean, Councilman Grimsley, you took a lot of the words right out of my mouth. I mean, I was sitting there kind of just tripping out. I, too, was largely raised by my grandparents who came from Jim Crow, Mississippi, who, crazy enough, were raised by their grandparents who were slaves and enslaved Africans. And I think about that a lot. in terms of one, like what was mentioned both by both Remzi, I guess we could say, just how short time is and how many things change in so many different directions, both for the positive, but we see a lot of the same problems of yesteryear. Communities that still haven't received access to food and education. Communities that still haven't received living wages and opportunities to really move forward. But at the same time, you see it. It's reflective of the three folks that are sitting on this dais right now. It's reflective of people such as yourself going to these institutions of higher learning and challenging the status quo and putting on and showing people what truly is possible. So we can't forget in terms of like looking at things in terms of a timeline. Oh, that was just a hundred some years ago. We just got to forget about it. No, these are all relevant because just as Councilman Grimsley mentioned and I'm mentioning now, we were touched by those who were literally touched by slavery. both in being in it and being residual residually impacted by it now I know some people like to divide this day up and say, well, why is it just that we're celebrating this and no other community gets recognized? I'll challenge that, because every advancement that has been made off the efforts of black Americans have benefited everyone else in return. Immigration, 14th Amendment, right after that, your ability to be a citizen and vote, that came off the backs of those who were enslaved in this country and built this country for free. When black folks succeed, everyone else succeeds. So thank you again, Mr. Grimsley, for accepting this proclamation. Thank you again, Madam Mayor, for putting this forward.

Thank you. And Mr. Grimsley, you speak so well. And it's just wonderful for me, as an older person, to see a much younger person really understand all of this and eloquently explain to all of us why Juneteenth is important and how it has actually affected you. That's great. Shall we all give him a hand? And would you like to have a photo taken with the council? Okay, so maybe your parents could take the photo. We'll just do this real quickly. Okay, so we are now moving on and we have a second proclamation tonight. And this proclamation recognizes June 2026 as Pride Month in the city of Hercules. And we have a recipient for this. Brian Campbell Miller, would you come up to the podium, please? Thank you. Whereas Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall uprising of June 1969, a pivotal moment for the LGBTQ plus rights movement that sparked a wave of activism and advocacy for equality, justice, and human rights for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. And whereas Pride Month is a time to celebrate the diversity, resilience, and contributions of LGBTQ plus community, acknowledge their invaluable impact on our society and history, reaffirm our commitment to the principles of dignity, respect, and inclusivity, and stand against discrimination, prejudice, and violence in all its forms, promoting a society where everyone can live authentically and freely. And whereas many of the residents, students, city employees, and business owners within the City of Hercules who contribute to the enrichment of our city are a part of the LGBTQ plus community. And whereas the City of Hercules appreciates the value and dignity of each person. recognizing the importance of equality and freedom, and acknowledges the positive contributions made by members of the LGBTQ plus community, actively promotes principles of equality, acceptance, and love. And whereas the pride flag is a symbol of pride, diversity, and unity, within the LGBTQ plus community has been flowed in the city hall through the month of June to symbolize the city's celebration of diversity and support for the LGBTQ plus community. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Chris Kelly, mayor of the city of Hercules, on behalf of the entire city council, do hereby recognize June 2026 as Pride Month in the City of Hercules and invite everyone to reflect on ways we can all live and work together with a commitment to mutual respect and understanding, and further, recognize Pride Month by flying the Pride flag at City Hall during the month of June. In witness thereof, I hereunto set my hand and cause the seal of the City of Hercules be affixed this ninth day of June 2026. Please, and would you like, Mr. Campbell-Miller, would you like to say a few words?

Thank you, Mayor Kelly. Thank you, council members. I'm a longtime resident of Hercules as well. I've lived here over 15 years, trying to remember how long we've actually lived here. But I was on the Community and Library Services Commission for many years and have been very active with our library community. and supporting the different events of our city. I'm very appreciative of the city recognizing Pride Month and flying the pride flag. I remember when we first flew the pride flag, and it was a little bit of a controversy, but it's become a tradition now, and so I'm very happy with that. Many people don't know much of the history of Pride, and thank you, Mayor Kelly, for going over some of it and how the Stonewall Riots was one of the beginnings. There was also many other riots or events, including one here in San Francisco at the Polk Street cafeteria where trans folks rioted because they kept getting raided by the police. We see many reflections of that reverberating back in history with trans people being under attack now, losing many of their rights in some of our states. So we have to remember that Pride Month is more than just rainbows and parades and the pageantry of it. Pride was originally a riot. Pride was originally a protest. And it is about showing that LGBTQ people have always been here and we always will. We are your neighbors, we are your children, and we deserve the same rights and responsibilities to serve in the military, to serve in government, to work in schools. I myself am a children's librarian. And in California, not too long ago, that was illegal for LGBTQ people to work as teachers for the youth. There was a big thing in the 70s and 80s around that. We just need to remember the sacrifices of those who have come before us and stand united for equality and equity for those going before us. And thank you so much for this honor.

Thank you. And would you like to come and accept this up here to the dais? And if you could go back for just a moment, I'm just gonna ask for a few words from council, and I think I'll start with Council Member Bailey.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. And yes, first of all, thank you for accessing the proclamation and for the comments. I remember a lot of things you were talking about. I remember being here for the flag vote, and someone had put it over here instead of putting it outside. It's sort of a tactic, I think. And so I think what you said there is I'm remembering the sacrifices was what stuck out from what you said. And I think that we think these things happened so long ago, and they didn't. I've been on council less than eight years, and we had that fight less than eight years ago. So... To you personally, I appreciate all the contributions you've made to our city, seeing you at events and library services committee. I think at one point you were actually with the library. I'm not sure if you still are or not. Different library. Different library, yeah. But anyway, grateful to have you here, just personally, and then grateful for our LGBT community plus community larger here in the city and all the contributions that each person makes. We are different, but we're also alike, and I think we celebrate the differences as well as we celebrate things that we have in common. Thank you.

Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin.

Madam Mayor, and thank you, my friend, for accepting the proclamation. You know, I'm going to share a grim fact right here. The average age of a black trans woman is 27 years old, and most of us can imagine why that is. So thinking about that showcases how much work we have to do as a country and as a society. I think one of the beauties, actually, probably the most beautiful thing about the LGBTQ plus community is it's truly the most intersectional community in our entire country. whether it's socioeconomic status, race, gender identity, location, you name it. And I think that is such a beautiful thing. And when we think about what we want to be as a country, we can often look back to the LGBTQ plus community as for standards of what we should all strive to be as a country. And on a personal note, When I think of all my friends who have to come out to their families and I think about all their struggles, it's disappointing that that's still a thing, where I, as a heterosexual, straight, cis man, don't have to tell my family at some point, you know, hey, I like women. But my friends that are gay and lesbian have to, and the scrutiny that they face is every single time that disappoints me, but I see the resilience out of that every single time. I see the heart, I see the passion for it, and I see the community. And it's disappointing when we have folks like Secretary Hegseth try to roll back things like renaming the USS Harvey Milk, someone who served our country honorably and dedicated their lives to this country, things that we always talk about what we want to be. Thank you to those who have blazed the trail for everyone who is in this country because no fight is ever alone. No fight is ever sitting in a silo. And thank you for all the contributions that you will make. And just know that Hercules, you are safe, you are loved, you are protected. Any person who says anything crazy can kick rock with open-toed shoes. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you. Council Member Battarai.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Madam Mayor, for putting this together. It's very important. And thank you for accepting it. It's just like my colleague said, you know, this is all about our diversity and pride, inclusive nation, and then accepting ourselves, basically. So I'm here to return my commitment to the dignity, pride, and inclusiveness for the city. And let's celebrate this together. Thank you again. Happy Pride Month.

Council Member Grimsley?

Thank you very much, Mayor Kelly. Thank you for accepting this proclamation this evening. Just to you personally, I moved to Hercules just shortly after you moved to Hercules, and you're actually one of the first people I got to know because you were everywhere. You were so involved and you were so active. I met you at the library. You came out and helped me with my campaign efforts. So just a thank you to you. In terms of Pride and Pride Month and in the identity of members of the LGBTQ plus community, I don't think that any of us should be identified by one aspect or characteristic of our identity. Who we are as human beings is multifaceted. We are many things, librarian, educator, community member who happens to be a member of the LGBTQ, not to take away anything about your personal identity, or to take away anything from my personal identity, and I think that when we start to characterize and put people in a box, and that the one label identifies everything about them, it's very scary, and it's very, I love living in Hercules in a community where we celebrate one another, where we are all valued members of the community, where we work together, as you said, play together. build this great community together. And I think we're such a wonderful example of what a diverse community looks like and how a diverse community operates. I have been very vocal about the fact that I personally am a Christian. I believe in the Bible and I hear a lot of people in this recent time characterize Christianity in a way that I don't recognize. What I do know is that God is love and what I do believe is that we were all created by God and he doesn't make mistakes.

And Mr. Campbell-Miller, I echo everything the other council has said. I think I moved to Hercules around the time that you did. As Council Member Grimbley said, you've always been around everywhere. And I got to know you many, many years ago. And I've always admired the fact that you stood up for yourself and for pride and for LGBTQ people and never shirked, never tried to hide that. And I really respect you and I respect the bravery. And I'm glad to have you and your husband here as part of our community. And now we'd like to have a photo with you, if that's okay? Okay, so we are back here now. Thank you, everyone. And now our next item is agenda additions and deletions. Mr. City Manager, do we have any?

We have no additions or deletions to the agenda tonight.

Okay, thank you.

So our next item is public communications. This time is reserved for members of the public to address issues not on the agenda. In accordance with the Brown Act, council will refer to staff any matters brought before them at this time, and those matters may be placed on a future agenda. You will have three minutes. And the first speaker is Allison Peters.

Hello, everyone. I'm Alison Peters, library manager. I feel like I say this every time I come up, but really June is the best month for the libraries and for Hercules. I appreciate everything that the city does to recognize and support its citizens. At the library, we just had a wonderful pride celebration this Saturday. We had the Oakland Gay Men's Chorus come out. It was positive and delightful and joyful and wonderful. If you come to the library now, you can see our array of pride flags and learn a little bit more about what each one means. We have books, we have just rainbows and joy and thoughtful information everywhere. So please come and join us if you can. We also have this month, as noted, our Hercules Juneteenth celebration, and this is a collaboration that we look forward to every year between the library and the city. This year, it is going to be held this Saturday, the 13th. We're starting with story times at 10 a.m. in the library. We'll have Mayor Kelly and Councilman Grimsley guesting as story times, and then we'll have the flag-raising ceremony right out front here at 11.15 a.m. We have line dancing with the Hercules Senior Center. We have Crystal Johnson, who is going to be telling the history of Juneteenth through quilted tapestries. And then we'll have the Black National Anthem with Simone Isaias. So we're going to have a wonderful celebration over here honoring Juneteenth. And then we'll also head back to the library. If you visit the library in February for Black History Month, you would have seen the art of the African diaspora, this wonderful exhibit we had up, and these larger-than-life quilts by Ms. Crystal Johnson. Crystal is coming back to the library. In addition to talking at the flag raising, she's going to have a series of California-specific Juneteenth quilts at 1 p.m. She'll walk us through them all. They're beautiful. just gorgeous and beautiful and tell the story more eloquently than I can or sometimes books can. So join us for all of this this Saturday in Hercules. And then the last thing, it is also summer reading. So you can come to the library, pick up your summer reading passport, track your reading all summer for fun and prizes. It's just what we do. We love it. We love seeing people giving book recommendations and enjoying the summer So thank you again for all of your support and for making this city so accepting inclusive and wonderful. Thank you Thank you.

The next public speaker is Catherine DuPont

Good evening, Mayor Kelly and council members. My name is Catherine DuPont with Green Access Power. I want to thank the City of Hercules for its ongoing commitment to emergency preparedness and community resilience. Throughout Contra Costa County and the Bay Area, communities are increasingly exploring resilience hubs, backup power systems, batteries, and microgrids to help maintain critical services during power outages, extreme heat events, and other emergencies. I encourage the city to continue exploring partnerships with non-profits, schools, faith-based organizations, community centers, and regional agencies that may be eligible for state and utility funding opportunities. There are significant There are significant programs available today that can help support resilient community facilities while reducing energy costs and improving emergency readiness. I would welcome the opportunity to share information and connect city staff with resources as these opportunities develop. And thank you for your time and your service to the community.

Thank you very much. And Madam City Clerk, do we have any other speakers, public speakers online?

I'll turn to my Zoom attendee. If you'd like to make a public comment at this time, please use your raised hand icon. I'm seeing none. That will end public comment.

Okay, thank you everyone. So now we have one public hearing tonight, and this is a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 26-27 City of Hercules budget plan, including the first year of the 10-year 2026-36 capital improvement plan, and I will now open the public hearing. And Mr. City Manager, we have a staff report.

As we do, Madam Mayor, tonight's meeting marks the first public hearing on the recommended annual budget, providing an important opportunity for community engagement and council input. The feedback gathered during this session, along with any alternative proposals, will be evaluated for inclusion in the final version of the annual budget at the council meeting of June 23rd. The proposed annual budget is designed to support long-term financial stability. It provides detailed estimates of both revenue and expenditures across various funds, including the general fund, restricted funds, sewer services, debt service, and internal service funds. This budget addresses all aspects of the city's operations, including general functions, capital investments, and debt obligations. The recommended annual budget aligns with the council's commitment to maintaining long-term financial stability. Labor accounts for the largest share of our overall expenses, representing nearly 60% of total expenditures. This significant category includes not only direct compensation such as wages and salaries, but also benefits including comprehensive health insurance, retirement plans, and other associated labor costs. The costs related to personnel services include a 3% cost of living adjustment aimed at helping employees keep up with inflation. Additionally, a 2% equity adjustment has been implemented for members of the Police Officers Association. regarding retirement plans, the city's current funding ratio is approximately 76%. This figure is generally regarded as adequate by rating agencies and indicates stable and responsible management of resources. However, it is essential to recognize that a funding ratio of 76% is not optimal. It remains below the 80 to 90% range that is typically classified as resilient or strong. Fortunately, the city has proactively established a Section 115 trust account, which allows for the pre-funding of pension liabilities through a tax-exempt trust. Employer-sponsored health insurance, which provides essential medical, dental, and vision coverage, is projected to experience a modest 3% increase in premiums relative to the prior year's Kaiser rate. All other discretionary expenditures are projected to increase by an average of 2%. This average increase is based on prevailing economic trends and the consumer price index. This comprehensive budget delineates a detailed financial strategy for the forthcoming fiscal year. It includes a five-year forecast for the general fund, thereby facilitating informed planning for future needs and opportunities that will encourage growth and improve the quality of life for all residents. Our analysis indicates that we may encounter budgetary challenges in the upcoming years. However, we have significant reserves to cover potential shortfalls indicated in the five-year forecast, which is on page 97 of your budget document. In summary, the years ahead are expected to be both promising and challenging. Over the next few years, the city should work towards increasing revenues and diversifying its fund sources. That concludes my brief presentation. I'm going to turn it over to our finance director for a separate presentation.

Thank you. Thank you.

Mr. Gatto? Thank you. Mr. City Manager, Madam Mayor, members of the Council, good evening. This is your Finance Director Edwin Gatto. The purpose of this evening's meeting is to formally introduce the annual budget. The introduction of the annual budget will provide the City Council and community members with an opportunity to review the proposal and share their feedback prior to the adoption. On March 24th and May 12th, the City Council conducted budget workshop to review the proposed 10-year capital improvement plan and the annual budget for fiscal year 26-27, respectively. This workshop allowed the City Council to engage in detailed discussion about financial allocation and strategic initiative for the upcoming fiscal year. In addition to the overall assumption that was discussed in the budget book, The City Council also discussed during the budget workshop that the budget documents include a comprehensive list of both ongoing and one-time budget requests. This can be found in pages 40 and 41 of the attached budget book. Following the budget workshop held on May 12, an update has been made to include a request for funding to replace the dispatch firewall for police department, which has an estimated one-time cost of $11,000. This replacement is essential for maintaining robust cybersecurity protocols as specified in the Tri-City Agreement. The city is responsible for covering the costs associated with this important upgrade. The proposed annual budget for fiscal year 26-27 is now available on the city's website. Please note that the budget may be revised before the continuation of public hearing and its adoption on June 23. Any updates will be communicated to the council at the time. If the budget is approved by the City Council, the general fund is projected to end the fiscal year with a positive balance of $127,000. Additionally, it will maintain an operating reserve of 5.4 million, representing 25% of the total budget. Furthermore, non-general funds are expected to conclude the fiscal year as outlined in the fiscal section of the staff report. This budget proposal maintains current service level while investing in key areas for long-term financial stability. However, we anticipate budget challenges in the coming years, as projected, to prepare the city. City staff is planning to keep the City Council informed about revenue and budget trends, supporting effective decision-making for a sustainable budget in the future. This concludes my staff report, and I'm happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

you mr gatto and council do you have any questions at this time or should we take public comment first do you want to have a question okay so is there anyone who would like to comment here at this public hearing on the budget i'll turn to my in-person attendees if you'd like to make a public comment on this agenda item uh please come up to the podium

Seeing none, I will turn to my Zoom attendee. If you would like to make a public comment on this agenda item, please use your raised hand icon. And seeing none, that will end public comment.

Okay, so I'll bring it back to council. And I will note, we're not approving this tonight. We're going to be continuing this till the next meeting on June 23rd, but now it's come back to council for questions and comments. So would anyone like to have a question or comment on the budget? Yes, Council Member Bailey?

Yes, and I didn't mean to jump in front of the council member, but I'll go first. Thank you for the staff report and for the city manager and for the very specific notes in the actual document. I think we have some challenges ahead. I think it's the key for residents to hear. As we look at page 97, and that page, as the city manager indicated, gives the five-year budget forecast. I'm glad to see it looks like we're using, we owe, and have owed for a while, a CalHFA loan. I wondered if staff could explain what that is, and then remind us where the funding is coming from, because we owe a thank you to a former state senator for that.

Thank you, Council Member Bailey. That's an excellent question. The total unpaid balance of the College of A loan is due on August 15, 2026 and April 11, 2027 in the amounts of 3.75 million and $1.6 million respectively. We have a proposal with CalHFA to partially pay the $2.5 million of CalHFA loan balances, which the city council approved on January 10, 2023, using funds from the local assistance fund. Additionally, the city has proposed a five-year extension for the remaining loan balance. This extension would involve annual payments of $379,000 a year. is starting on FY fiscal year 27-28 with a final balloon payment of approximately $1 million due at the end of the five-year term. The interest rate for this arrangement will be fixed at 1.5%. We have received confirmation from the College of A board that the city's proposal has been approved. and an agreement is currently being drafted. The general fund has fully recovered this liability, and the cash has been reserved for repaying these loans. As a result, there will be no impact on the general fund's ongoing operations moving forward.

Thank you.

And were we briefed that the payment had been approved?

The payment plan, were we briefed? I just don't recall that. Were we briefed on that? Yes. The payment plan. Okay, I just wanted to be briefed on that. I think we did. Thank you. I didn't remember, because I know we were asking for it, I just wanted to be briefed that it was. So for residents, Senator Skinner helped us out in 2022, I think it was, with $8 million. And that's helping us pay this. I think that without former Senator Skinner from our district, I think we would be having a very different conversation. So we're using reserves for that. So I know she serves on many commissions now, but I just want to thank her for that. It gave us breathing room, otherwise we'd be in a different financial place. The city manager also mentioned, I think very keenly, that we need to diversify our revenue sources. For folks listening, I'm gonna just give rounded numbers here. We basically have two large resources. It's utility user tax, that's what you pay on your cell phone bill, your PG&E bill, There's a tax on there, it's about 8%, and that brings in about $4 million a year. We have a $23, $24 million budget on average, which is very small. And then sales tax is the other percentage. A large portion of our sales tax is business to business, so we don't get very much from us going into examples being Home Depot or some of our local stores. A lot of it's business to business. We aren't even engaged in a lot of that. And that's a challenge because we have few businesses. So if a business were to leave, it puts us in a precarious place, which I think are some of the warnings that our city manager was giving in his overview. We do receive property taxes. We're very low, as the mayor frequently says, very low property tax city. So although we pay a lot to the county, right, what we get back is about $230 last time I calculated. I think we have 4,000 plus parcels. So these are challenges we have going forward. We'll get through this year. Our next mayor is going to have some decisions to make, I think, as we go forward. But the budget is there for review and to look at. I do have some... budget proposals, and so I don't know if you want to take those at the end, or if you want me to just say them out loud right now.

How do you want to handle that? Let's get to all the questions first, and then we'll come back to the budget proposals. So any other questions or comments at this time? No? Okay, I think I'll go to Council Member Battarai.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I appreciate it. part of the balanced budget, you know, up, I know, $127,000 surplus for this year. However, like, you know, our city manager mentioned, we have a structural difference down in the line. Definitely, we need to start working right now versus the waiting till the last minute. um i hope i you know i think i have you know the offline discussion with my city managers and the finance director as well uh i think there is some you know the measures i just wanted to you know acknowledge and reaffirm that you know the council has been uh putting their eyes open and making sure that you know we are we are all aligned to make sure that you know our um structural deputies are going to be addressed. But, you know, ours and my request here is let's make, you know, sooner than later, you know, let's not wait till the very last minute. Let's be proactive and very active in the very last minute. All the highlights are there, but, you know, like our Council Member Bailey said, that, you know, we have a very limited, you know, the revenue structure in place and then vulnerable, you know, the revenue source. So we definitely need to diversify that part and also to look into our, you know, the expenses and expenditures. and realign them accordingly. That's all I have in this commentaries for now. Thank you. Madam Mayor, back to you.

Okay, Council Member Grimsley.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, and thank you, Director Gatto, and your staff for the very detailed budget report. Back to page 97, sort of piggybacking on Council Member Bailey's commentary. With the projections that we have, and taking into account that these are projections and not actuals, For the future years. We do have some anticipated new business coming into Hercules as well as new housing developments And however minimal that will impact the budget where those taken into consideration in terms of the projections That's my question

So the question is if we have embedded, we have that in the projections? Yeah, potential revenue. Potential revenue. Yeah, we decided to do a cash basis projection. So we don't really count any potential revenue in the future because those are unknown things. So it's not in the budget. So the budget is really conservative. If that particular revenue surfaced, then we will have additional revenue that will go into the general fund.

Thank you. And I might add that These housing projects will provide some revenue, of course. We'll have new residents coming and spending money within Hercules that will help with their sales tax basis. But it will also create some demands on services, landscaping, police services, et cetera. So it's not all a gain. We'll have to factor in increases in revenue providing increases in services, sewer and so forth, public safety and the like.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager.

Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin? No question. So, Mr. Gatto, thank you. This budget is 225 pages. I enjoyed reading it very much, and I will read it again over the next couple of weeks before we come back on June 23rd. So just to confirm, we have a total budget in the city of $45 million, and of that, the general fund, which is the fund that is not designated, it's about $21 million this year. And after that is spent, we're estimating that we'll have $127,000 surplus at the end. So there's really not that much to save, is that correct?

Yes, for the operating fund, yes.

Okay. And then I just want to confirm, I know Council Member Bailey mentioned this too, but I think it's worth saying again, that most of our revenue does come from utility tax and sales tax. That's combined 49% of the budget of our revenue. You know, so that's a little over 10 million. And property tax only is 8% of the budget. That'll be, we're guesstimating maybe 1.7 million. For every dollar, that we pay in property tax, we pay to the county, we get back 5 1⁄2 cents on the dollar, 5.5. And I will say that other cities, such as Richmond, get 28, 29%, El Cerrito around 17, 18, Pinole maybe 11, 12%, but for historical reasons, we are a low property tax city, we only get 5 1⁄2 cents, and we're probably not going to be able to change that anytime soon. So that's why all of us up here and the city staff have concerns about the budget. Even if our expenses go up a little bit, it has a cascading effect overall. I would like to say that of the $21 million in the general fund, Mr. Gatto, we spend about $10.3 million on public safety, on police. Is that right?

That's correct. And it's about 48% of the budget.

Right, right. And that, you know, as Council Member Bailey has said and other council members, we will have a small structural deficit beginning in fiscal year 28-29, but if we don't start to take care of that now, it will have a cascading effect. So council and city staff are really, really concerned about that. Mr. Cantor, I want to ask you just a couple of questions. Looking at the special revenue funds, I'm looking at the stormwater funds. And in this budget, it looks like at the end of it, we're projecting maybe $4,488. Is there a reason to be concerned about the stormwater fund?

Not at this time. I think we have annual stormwater that comes in, fees every year. That should be equal to the amount.

That should be okay, so we're not gonna hopefully run into a deficit.

Not yet, not at this time. Unless there's a lot of state mandated work.

Yeah, so we can never predict the unfunded state mandates. That's absolutely true. And then on road maintenance, we have about 1.6 million sitting in there now. We can use that for a variety of projects. including road repair potholes and other things. And I just want to notice that we have, you know, the improvements by the NG loan to pay off the solar projects and so forth, and that will be paid off in 2040, is that right, about that time? We're continuing to pay that off, and it's not a huge strain. But I just want to note that that will end at some point.

That's correct. It's been about 30 years.

Okay, so that's just kind of an overview. Last question, are there any funds that give you great concern other than the general fund at this time?

As I discussed in the past, Landscape and Lightning District, those assessment fees, we're probably gonna outpace the revenue with expenses.

And is that for the Promenade District? The Promenade, yeah. For the Promenade District. Okay, we've discussed that up here. Anything else, even you're concerned?

Not at this time, no.

Okay. All right, any other questions here? Yes, Council Member Bailey.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you for mentioning the stormwater, because it reminded me of the sewer fund. So I got a postcard in the mail that said that the council did some things. I think it was a recommendation from staff, but the sewer rates are going up, and it looked like what happened was the sewer rates dropped to about, what was in the fund was about a million dollars. That's a special purpose fund, so we have lots of money. There's, I think, there's tens of millions of dollars, but some of that belongs to a specific fund. Lighting and landscape might be one, sewer being another. We dropped to about a million dollars in the fund, I think last year. And now we're trying, so there's a letter that came out explaining that the rates are going up, but if you can explain why that is, if not I can do it, but I wanted people to hear it from staff. Just what happened there, why did we drop to a million? Did we spend some money, did we lose the money? How did we get to a million dollars in the sewer fund? Or did we improve the truck line from,

The available cash balance that's available to use for that fund is down to $2.7 million. And the reason why is that we need to put aside money on the reserve. So we are required to do an operating maintenance reserve, 180 days to operate. And then the capital reserve, we have some equal to an annual depreciation of the system. And then we also are required to have a debt service reserve based on the covenant that we signed. So that's about 1.20% of the total debt service for the year.

So would it be fair to say we're building the fund back up, so if we have to do more sewer line, as we add more residents, we would need to... Okay, and then you said we're required, this is for us to pass an audit. Is that correct?

It's a danger for the debt service ratio. Right, so we have to maintain that.

We have to maintain that ratio, yeah. So if residents wonder why that's happening, it's because we're trying to maintain our debt service ratio. Okay, lighting and landscape comes up a lot and residents often ask me about this. Usually they ask when they get the 218 process in the mail. But those are, they run sort of like HOAs in that the money stays in that district. So it's not the city's money. We don't go in and buy new police cars or buy new uniforms for staff. They stay in the district and they're used for that district. And sometimes the fee while I may feel like it's high, it doesn't keep up with the cost of maintaining the district, which is where this 218 process comes in.

That's correct.

Okay. And then we, as a community, have to vote for those. The folks living in that neighborhood or in that zone have to approve an increase, otherwise council has to make difficult decisions about...

It requires majority vote.

So I think I heard that we have one that may be coming from the mayor. You mentioned that there may be one for Promenade.

It's not called Promenade, but that neighborhood may be having some financial... We have a small deficit this year, and we'll continue if we have tax measures.

Okay. Well, thank you for the budget. Again, I have a couple of proposals, but I can wait until we're ready for that.

Okay. Are there any other questions here? Yes, Council Member Batarai.

One quick question.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. On your page number 90, investment income, we proposed $1.2 million for 26-27. versus 25, 26, 991. I think we are projecting higher income based on our ROI, I guess, investment return, I guess. Is that correct?

When we projected the 25, 26 investment income, it was a pre-COVID era. So the interest rate is lower at the time. Now the interest rate is coming up high, about 5% to 6%. We're experiencing that nowadays. So we have to predict that that will be the assumption for this year.

That makes sense. I was curious what are the underlying driver for that. Okay, makes sense. Thank you so much. That's all I had.

Okay, and Mr. Gatto, I just want to bring up one thing on page 153 of the PDF. It's page 151. We talk about the pavement index, the pavement condition index. So right now it looks like we have a PCI of about 58 or 56. That is continuing to deteriorate. That's something that concerns us. a great deal because we don't have a lot of money to put into our roads. And it says here that raising our PCI index to 61 would require an expenditure of about $5.9 million annually, and we don't have that. So that is one concern that I really have. People complain about potholes and paving, and we try to do the best we can, but we just can't keep up. That's true for other cities as well. So that's also adding to our infrastructure needs.

That's correct. Yeah, okay.

All right, any comments? No, I think Council Member Bailey, you wanted to make some suggestions.

I do, I have a couple, and just for folks that maybe in the audience wonder, we talk about savings and spending, what's that about? These proposals offer one-time money. One-time money is sort of like a bonus, right? It's the money that you're not going to get. You can't hire people with it because you won't have it next year, but we do have some funds. Some of this, I know it's general fund money, but it originates from COVID money that we received from the federal government, so it's kind of rolled into the general fund. And so I have a couple proposals based on things that we have going on around the community. The first is John Muir Parkway. There are lots of marking challenges there. The previous city manager and I, when I was mayor, met with residents and we he committed to improving some of the markings there. There is a perception of a speeding issue. There is the markings that were put down about the time during COVID when the exchange opened are largely gone. So finding the roadway is challenging. The bike lane is largely chipped away, so people are parking in what was supposed to be a bike lane. So I'd like to see if we can do some improvements on the markings there. This has gone through the Traffic and Public Safety Subcommittee. I think the council has also voted on it, but the larger project was very expensive. It was in the, I think, three quarters of a million dollar range. I don't think we have that. The initial project was about $250,000, and I'd like to allocate that. Still moving through the process, let the engineers do what they do, but to see what we can do with $250,000 to improve the safety of the roadway on John Muir Parkway, beginning somewhere at about where the stop sign is at Alfred Nobel, and then going up as far as we can get with the money that we have. Understanding it's going to be paint, but it's best we can do there.

Oh, Council Member Bailey, that would basically be striping, is that what you're looking at?

Striping, I think the intent, again, this was previously brought up in a meeting, hopefully we can grab that staff report, but the intent was striping and basically doing traffic calling measures with paint to make the street appear narrower to hopefully reduce the speed of traffic as it goes through there.

Right, so painted bulb outs and things like that. So can we look into that?

Well, alternatively, instead of using general fund money, I think we can use the SB1 road maintenance rehabilitation account. And that currently has sufficient funds in there, $1.2 million available in the beginning of the year, as projected. And that particular project or local street could be eligible or may be eligible for that particular work.

I'm fine with the sources. My concern is that we usually spend, I think, that money, about one million a year on paving streets, and we have residents that are lined up for, not residents, but neighborhoods that are lined up. I don't want to take, we get about a mile, right, for a million dollars or so. So that's my concern there, but if you want to propose where it comes from, I'm not trying to dictate the source, but that's just my concern, is that we do try and do one street. We get about a mile for about a million dollars, I think, is what historically we've done.

about maybe 250. If we can have a, Mr. City Manager, have a report from someone about that, what it would cost to do that striping. And maybe the SB1 fund, that's the road maintenance fund.

Right, we'll look. SB1 is a potential source. We'll see if there's something else that we might be able to latch onto. I think reporting back to the council on what options we have to develop that roadway. I took a drive out there with Councilmember Bailey recently, and I'll have to agree that it's in need of some attention, for sure. And that's a roadway that's used a lot. It might need some reconfiguration in addition to striping. Not sure how far $250,000 would go, but we'll find out.

Okay, so would the council be okay with this, looking into this? Yes.

Yes, and if I could just add to the request, it would be, I don't think we should try and exceed 250, I don't think we have it, so I'm not trying to fund a million dollar project for that, but if we could just take 250 and do what we can do as like a phase one until we could find more money, that's kind of the ask, I'm not asking for anything more than the 250.

Yeah, that's fine, I think, with all of us here. Okay. Yes, Council Member Grimsley.

If I may just add, the consultants that presented to the Traffic Safety Committee presented with a number of options. Council Member Bailey, correct me if I'm wrong, and this was the most cost-effective of those potential projects for traffic calming.

Okay, and then, so that's one.

The other one is, and staff can help us with figuring out how we do this, but when we built John Mayer Parkway, I worked with the city manager and with the developer specifically to try and allocate $50,000, I think is what the number was. Staff can look up that number, but it was for, because I think it was 50 or 45, it's been a couple years, for a community development fund, and my ask is just that we, I think it was put into the general fund, which means it kind of gets mercuryed in there, And I'd like to see if we can set that aside so that it's used somewhere for community benefit. I'm sorry, I think I said development. It's community benefit. And so I just wanna know if there's a way we can somehow know that that money is there and we can use it for community benefit as opposed to being blended into the general fund.

And Council Member Basile, I was looking through the budget. I think we have at least maybe 200,000 in that community benefit fund.

Yes, but this 50, I think, did not go there. And so I wanna make sure, at least I don't think it did, and I wanna make sure it gets allocated if it was not.

I believe this is the Owl Ranch money that they paid.

Yeah.

Yeah, it's in the general fund. Yeah, so it's not in there. That's $50,000.

Oh, so where did this come from, Mr. Gatto?

I believe it's a community- Owl Ranch development.

Oh, yes, from the Owl Ranch, okay.

There's no restriction on the money. Right, but I like it.

It was for a community benefit, and so I want to make sure we use it for a community benefit and not. We can definitely designate that. Okay, that's an ask, and so it's just kind of reallocating that.

Yeah, can we move that into the general fund and make a note? We can designate it? Okay. Is council okay with that, taking that $50,000 and putting it into the community benefit fund? So it's for community benefits because it came from the Owl Ranch development specifically.

Before I say yes, can you elaborate a little more what is the purpose and why we are doing this right now?

Sure. So I can hear why I'm asking it. So when Owl Ranch came in, we have difficult developers and we have ones that work with this. D.R. Horton on that particular project really wanted to get it done, and so they made some concessions with us. And one of the asks, and it wasn't just me, I think Council Member Grimsey asked a similar question, and we worked through the whole council to get it done. But one of the asks was that they contribute some funds to a community benefit fund, which means that we can use it for the community benefit, whatever that might be. It could be park, lots of things that fall under community benefit. What I'm concerned is that, because it's in general fund, we may spend it as general fund money, but if we earmark it, so to speak, it's in a different fund and we know what the purpose is and we can use it when we have enough money to benefit the community.

Okay, thank you for that. Sure. I wasn't, it wasn't a good point. Are we repurposing that for which project now?

Just to set it aside, no project, just setting the money aside. I'll work on a project after this.

Okay, thank you. That's fine. Thank you for the clarification.

Okay, so then they'll actually be around 250,000 to use for some sort of community benefit. Correct. And we're all okay with that?

And then I have one last one.

Yes, all right.

The last one is, so again, the last one is to add to, so we've talked at council for about four or five years now about creating a sense of place. When our community was designed, we have a really cool side that's on the, I guess, the east side of the freeway, and that neighborhood is there, and then the freeway bisects us, and then we have the west side of town. but we don't have a sense of place, and so what I've talked about for a while is a monument sign that just says you're here. We've had several discussions that we have a future agenda item on it, but I wanted to know if we could allocate $100,000 additional to that project, because we know the costs were expensive in our previous report, and again, it's just earmarking it. It's not suspended yet. We'll have an agenda to actually spend the money, but it's just setting it aside, so if we choose to move forward with one of those plans, the money's there.

And Council Member Bailey, where would that money come from?

This would come from our, it's our one-time monies, which are technically, I guess, our general fund, but it's one-time monies.

Which one-time money? I mean, we are predicting a surplus of $127,000. Are you suggesting?

I believe he's looking for a general fund reserve. There are some reserve out there that's unallocated.

We have a process when we have excess money, that $100,000, for example, goes into that fund, and then it's used for capital improvements. This is for capital improvements.

Oh, so you take that, so that would be into capital improvements. So we already have $90,000 allocated for a monument sign, and you're asking for another $100,000.

We set aside, we'll find the actual cost. These signs are not inexpensive, by the way, but yes, that's it.

So that would give us $190,000, and we could find some kind of nice monument sign. Council, what do you think about that? Are you in agreement?

I'm in agreement.

Yes, so it is coming from the General Reserve, I guess.

Where is that coming from? We just reclassify it from unallocated to unallocated to the general.

Are we taking out from the CIP plan or?

No, just reserve.

Okay, general reserve, right? Okay.

So then that would give us a total of $190,000 for a nice monument sign. There's a really nice and not too complicated monument sign for Martinez, and that's really significant, and it might be easy to do. So that's something just to think about. All right. So, Council, we're all in agreement on that? Okay. Okay.

And for, Councilor, if I could ask you, this is not another funding source, but for a question, can you help, because it gets confusing if you weren't here. So we had... I will call it COVID money. That money got put, because it's how do you get in reserves, right? Are we spending our emergency fund is what it sounds like. So can you just kind of give us a summary? Yes, please.

That is the reason that I was kind of hesitant, you know, just to move around.

I don't want to. If you reference it on page 94, that's where we have the general fund projected reserves, right? So we have a total of $20 million cash in the bank. And we, this council, some of them designated to this particular reserve. Hercules have local match. You have the equating insurance and so forth. And then you have the general fund set aside, which is unallocated. One of them is for the former redevelopment projects, negative cash, which involves College of A. And that money will be used to pay the College of A loan. The program and projects that we put in there, that's an allocated general fund money that the council will have the ability to allocate it to what they wish to allocate it to.

Thank you for that. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Yes. Thank you.

Sorry, I just want to be on the same page. Can you please help me where is that sitting in this document right now? Which page is that?

What page? Page 94. Page 94. 94. 94, okay.

That's what I'm hearing. Which line item is that?

Under programs and projects, you have $1.3 million that is left on that particular item.

Okay.

So that's unallocated, and just Councilman Bailey would like to reclassify $100,000 of that $1.3 million to fund the monuments.

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Any other, yes.

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor. I've been talking to stakeholders in the community, both the Rotary and Chamber of Commerce. As we all know, sometimes folks can sometimes come a little late to the party, and I want to make sure that their voices are heard. So I asked them if they had any sort of items that they would like to see in this budget be included. And sure enough, they had a response. So in particular, this one is directly from the Rotary Club, and I'm looking to staff for their discretion on how they want to handle this. but these are just the numbers and items that they gave me so i'm just here to do my due diligence um the first one being these are for the tennis courts and uh both the tennis courts both at refugio and at foxborough first line item being blow leaves two times a week they believe that'll cost a thousand dollars in total um the additional one is fifteen hundred dollars to cut the eucalyptus trees nearby Third, moving along to $600 towards new nets. And fourth, and for the last one for the Rotary, in terms of things that I think that we could actually be able to do, $100 to put up new signing and the language would include no pets, no bicycling, no roller skating allowed on the tennis courts. Open to comments for that one, then I will go to the one from the Chamber of Commerce.

So, Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin, where would this money come from?

I'll look to staff on that. If it's in the reserve, it's in CIP, but I'll defer to staff on that. I just said, hey, if you have any projects, let us know.

I think, Mr. Gatto, Mr. Tang, I think we can... look and see if we can manage this. Ms. Gatto, what would you say? Because some of this is operational.

Of course.

And some of this seems to be, well, it's not quite capital project science and so forth. Comments from staff?

I said I defer to staff for all these matters.

Our operating budget in Parks and Recreation has already been allocated to those programs, so any additional that we appropriate will be coming out of the general fund reserve at this time, at this point.

Yeah, but we don't know how much all of this is going to... I mean, cutting eucalyptus trees, blowing the tennis courts. I mean, those are... Well, yeah, they'll be operational. Maintenance and so forth. So, I mean, I don't know if that can be handled in our existing budget or not.

Well, it'd be hard to estimate what the cost would be. One potential would be to have Parks and Rec kind of drill down on these four separate items and... come up with a budget, it could be a mid-year budget adjustment perhaps. We can also speak with the Vice Mayor offline and see if we can get a little more information and report back at the final budget meeting on the 23rd.

I think that would be a good idea because this is sort of nebulous, right? Vice Mayor, would that be okay with you?

Totally fine with me. Like I said, I would look directly to staff to see how they wanted to handle it. I knew that these were kind of a little bit more obscure requests than the second one that I have. We'll follow that, too.

We'll follow up with the Vice Mayor and see if we can get... more clarity on this ask and might require a dialogue with the Rotary to see exactly what it is they're intending.

Why is the Rotary, yeah, is Councilmember, like why?

What I was gonna say is I think, my concern here is not, taking down unsafe trees and things is that it's clubs asking for us to do that, because then what happens when the library committee wants to ask? That's the larger issue I have. It's not so much about taking down a tree that's unsafe or... We know that our parks have needs. They have $50 million worth of needs, minus whatever we just spent on Refugio Light Park. But I think that's my concern is more the groups, because we will have every group that we have. We have lots of nonprofits that work with us, and they're all... I'm concerned it may seem unfair from the other one's perspective.

Understood. And I think putting that aside, we may have, as part of upcoming renovations to parks, we may be addressing some of these issues already. So I want to circle back with our parks and rec director and public works as well to see if those eucalyptus trees are already scheduled for some kind of maintenance coming up. and if the tennis courts are gonna be available, gonna be refurbished or otherwise serviced anytime soon. Part of the ask, I mean, I think signage on the tennis courts is pretty simple. Doesn't cost much, but we'll look at the other items.

Okay, that'd be okay if you could just bring that back and maybe have a discussion with the vice mayor too.

Great, thank you. The last one, this is from the Chamber of Commerce again. Just threw the net out there. If anyone has something to say, add it. I'm here to be the due diligence and be the middleman in this. So if it works out, it works out. If it doesn't, it doesn't. This one is from the Chamber of Commerce. And this is the ask is to increase the city's membership level. Currently, the city is at $3,000, and the ask is to increase it to a $10,000 membership level to allow them to make upgrades to our website and increase our social media presence. And they sent me along the benefit package that basically highlights all the benefits of it. Again, just putting it out there. I'm not sure exactly where this money in particular would come from. That's why, like I made in my earlier comments, I'll yield to staff for their discretion on how they want to handle that, if they want to handle it at all. So happy to take comments too.

And so the chamber is asking the city to increase their membership? I mean, what exactly is this for?

Yes, so currently, there's several different membership layers, just like a lot of different things, right? Currently, the city of Hercules, looking at their flyer, is under the community supporters. So some of the benefits that it has is a square banner, an add-on chamber homepage, annual Megamixer sponsorship, position on the board of directors is optional. Bringing it to the $10,000 level The benefits would include annual crab three dinner dance presentation sponsorship as well as branding and marketing and everything like that. I don't think that's so much the problem for the city, more so like in the meat of that, the ask is so they can help them increase their social media presence and really just expand what their capabilities are.

You know, my first reaction to that is similar to what Council Member Bailey said is every, you know, a nonprofit could come and ask us to increase what we pay to them. I don't quite know what I think about that. Any comments here from council? Any thoughts?

No?

You know, I would like to just think about this. I don't know that I want to discuss it right now. I can see some advantages. I can also see pitfalls.

I'm not sure if there's a precedent for that. I'd like to get a better idea of exactly what the proposal is. It seems a little, you know, a little vague. Yeah, that's what I think. I don't really understand the whole membership discussion actually, but I'm not sure how the Chamber works in that regard. That's another issue that I can get back with the vice mayor on and try to refine it and see if there's something that is actionable in the budget context for the council to look at. And we can, if that's the case, it can be part of the discussion on the 23rd.

All right. How does the council feel about the city manager looking into that? Comments?

Madam Mayor, it's my recollection that historically we've worked with the Chamber of Commerce with respect to the very specific event items improving a particular set of activities such as National Night Out, the Cultural Festival, which we just had, and we have a designated budget for those particular items. And so my question is, are they asking for this to be sort of included in a package that includes those events as well? It's not clear.

It's not clear, and I was wondering the very same thing.

Yeah, because I think we currently give the Chamber, well, we have a partnership, I guess we could say. It's $50,000, so this is an additional thing. So maybe they reduce, we reduce it by five, and then if this fee is five, maybe something like that. I'm just throwing things out for the city manager, but I don't know if we're looking to allocate. That's the only org, I think, that we give that much to, so... Again, maybe if either you can work with the Vice Mayor or I'll talk offline and just see if we can figure out a way to, it just seems like a lot if I ask.

I'm happy to do that. I was unaware of any current relationship between the Chamber and the city funding any Chamber-related activities. It sounds like that is the case, so maybe there is a precedent.

And, Director, I think we do about, for some of the events, it's a $5,000 allocation is what I recall, and we just increased it slightly just a couple of weeks ago. A couple months ago, maybe. I don't want to exaggerate, but this year we increased it, I think, by $5,000.

Okay, that's helpful.

Yeah, I think if the city manager could just look into this and see what this is all about, I would feel more comfortable if you could just research that and talk with the vice mayor, then talk with the chamber and get back to us. Is that okay with everybody?

That makes more sense.

Okay. All right, is that for the other, all for the requests at the moment? Okay, then we will continue this public hearing to June 23rd. Okay, thank you, everyone. So now our next item, discussion or action item, is, oh, we're on to discussion, oh, I'm sorry, consent calendar. Almost skipped that. So we have one item on the consent calendar. Would anyone care to pull an item? No, then I would like to pull the item. and I'd like to mr. city manager on the minutes here it says there was a motion made it says council directed staff to work with the applicant team to revise the two conditions of approval it's not really revising I think what we really meant was to clarify the conditions of approval

Yeah, I think that's more accurate to state that, and we can certainly make that change to the minutes if your council colleagues approve of that.

Okay. Council, would you be okay changing the word revise to the word clarify in that item regarding the emblem?

That's okay with me.

It's okay? Yes. Council Member Grimsley?

Yes. Vice Mayor Walker-Given, and it looks like Council Member Bailey had to leave. We could note that, or stepped out.

So that change would be made on page 17 of the minutes? Right. Okay.

Okay, so if we could do that and then put that back onto the consent calendar. Does anyone want to pull that? Yeah, any comments from the public?

I would also like to note that I gave you a revised version, which had to include other names of the public comments that were provided by written comment that were not included in the packet.

Thank you. So we have all those names of the other speakers. All right, so bringing this back then, is there a motion to approve the consent calendar with these?

Madam Mayor, before you go on, I think since we polled it, it's polled, and you can just, it's the only item on the consent calendar. So it's no longer on the consent calendar. You're just voting on it as a regular item at this point, just to clarify.

All right, so we will vote on the minutes as a regular item. Can we have a roll call vote, please?

Council Member Grimsley.

Aye.

Council Member Butter. Aye. Aye. Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin. Aye. And Mayor Kelly.

Aye. And just to clarify, that vote was to approve the minutes as with the suggestion from the mayor with the change to that, the top of page, what was it? Seven? Seven, yes. And with the edits on your desk from the city clerk this afternoon. Yes. Perfect. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay, consent calendar is done, so we are now on to discussion interaction items, and this next item is November 3rd, 2026, general municipal election. Staff report, please.

Yes, Madam Mayor, our city clerk will handle this item.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members. The item before you has to do with the November 3rd general municipal election. On Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, two members of the City Council will be elected to full terms of four years. The resolution presented for Council's consideration calls for the holding of the November 3rd, 2026 general municipal election, which includes the purpose of the election, provision of payment of election costs, the action that will be taken in case of a tie vote, and any changes in boundary lines. The California Election Code requires that a resolution be adopted prior to holding the election. So the resolution sets forth a procedure in the event of a tie vote. If any two or more persons receive an equal and the highest number of votes for an office, the city council will determine the tie by lot. In past elections, city councils have opted, excuse me, city council has opted to resolve tie votes by lot, and therefore the resolution was prepared with this option. One of the election processes that have been initiated with the adoption of the resolution, the next steps are the public noticing of the election and the opening of the nomination filing period. The nomination filing period for the November 3rd, 2026 general municipal election is July 13th, 2026 to August 7th, 2026. In the event an incumbent does not file by the August 7th, 2026 filing deadline, the nomination period will be extended five calendar days to August 12th, 2026. That is my staff report and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you. Any questions here from council?

Quick question here. Not a question, just a comment. Just to make clear here, I think the Madam City Clerk In your language in the event of the incumbent does not file the other seven 2024 I think it should be 2026. I believe you mean to say 2026, but there is 2024 It's a clerical type way. Correct. Sorry.

Yes Okay, any other questions here or comments from council do we have anyone who wants to speak on this item I

I'll turn to my in-person attendees. If you'd like to make a public comment at this time, please come up to the podium. And seeing none, I'll turn to my Zoom attendee. If you'd like to make a public comment on this item, please use your raised hand icon. And seeing none, that will end public comment.

Thank you. So bringing back to Council, we now have a resolution before us. Do I hear a motion?

Madam Mayor?

Yes.

I can make a motion to adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Hercules in Contra Costa County, California, calling for the holding of a general municipal election to be held on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026 for the election of certain officers required by the provisions of the law of the State of California relating to general law cities.

Yes, is there a second?

Second.

Okay, motion by Walker-Griffin, seconded by Battarai. Any discussion? No. We'll call vote peace.

Council Member Grimsley.

Aye.

Council Member Butter, aye. Aye. Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin. Aye. And Mayor Kelly.

Aye. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Passes 4-0. So our next discussion or action item is a report on military equipment use and acquisition.

Madam Mayor, this is an annual report that's required by state statute. We have Commander Kim here on behalf of Chief Vasquez to present this report.

Great. Commander Kim, come on up.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the Council. I'm Commander Kim, and I am here to present the fourth annual Military Equipment Report on behalf of the Hercules Police Department. This report is submitted in accordance with Assembly Bill 481, City Ordinance Number 547, and Department Policy 706. This report reflects our continued commitment to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of the tools entrusted to us to keep our communities safe. In 2025, the Hercules Police Department maintained limited purpose-driven inventory of equipment used solely to protect our residents, our officers, and our visitors during critical incidents, search and rescue operations, and tactical responses. I am pleased to report that we received zero community complaints regarding military equipment use. zero policy violations, we're in full compliance with AB 481, and all personnel training requirements are followed and satisfied. Of the 15 categories defined under AB 481, the department maintains equipment in only six, each carefully selected for its public safety value. Of the six categories, we currently have three unmanned aerial drone vehicles, one command and control vehicle, 33 specialized firearms in the form of AR-15 rifles, 30 noise flash divisionary devices, flash bangs, 10 munitions containing OC 40 millimeter penetrator rounds, or like kind of pepper ball rounds, and we have two kinetic energy launchers. During the reportable year of 2025, to maintain operational readiness and replace expanded training supply, the department acquired the following. We bought 10,000 rounds of Winchester 5.56 ammunition for AR-15 training, 30 noise flash diversionary devices, one defense technology 40 millimeter launcher, and one DJI Avada 2 drone. The total cost was $15,378.29, fully within the approved police department budget, and consistent with authorized purposes outlined in policy 706. Most equipment was used in the training capacity, ensuring our officers remained proficient, disciplined, and prepared. Quarterly firearms training, special response team exercises, and drone operator raid drills accounted for the majority of the use. Operational drone deployments occurred during six incidents and consisted of searching for a homicide suspect, execution of multiple search warrants, locating a fleeing suspect wanted for assault with a deadly weapon, mutual aid for a barricaded subject involved in a violent felony. Each deployment was reviewed and found to be within policy and consistent with authorized uses under Policy 706. A comprehensive inventory audit was completed on December 19, 2025, along with continuous internal reviews of equipment use and training documentation. We found no violations, no misuse, and full compliance with state law. In keeping with AB 481, this report, Policy 706, and all supporting documentation remain publicly available through the City's website. We welcome community questions and feedback and continued dialogue. This year's report reaffirms what the Hercules Police Department holds as a core value, that public safety and trust go hand in hand. The equipment training and oversight described here enable our officers to respond decisively to critical incidents while honoring the standards of transparency the Council and our residents rightly deserve. It is respectfully recommended that the City Council receive and file the 2025 Annual Military Equipment Report pursuant to AB 481, Determine that the Hercules Police Department's use of military equipment complied with policy 706 and applicable laws during the reporting period. And renew and continue ordinance number 547 and policy 706 without modification. Thank you for your continued partnership and support of the men and women who serve the city of Hercules, and I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Commander Kim. That's comprehensive. Any questions or comments here? Yes, Vice Mayor?

Thank you, Commander Kim, for the presentation. Really proud of everything that our officers do. Thank you for leading them. No questions or anything like that. Just, you know, on a personal note, I get the need for transparency, but from an operational security standpoint, every single time I hear these presentations, I always get worried because if the enemy knows what you have, you're at a disadvantage. So thank you for everything that you and your officers do. Clear words.

Thank you. Any other questions? Council Member Grimsley.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Commander Kim. Excellent report. It's wonderful to hear that you haven't received any complaints or there haven't been any violations from the use of this type of equipment. I'm going to ask one of those scary questions, Vice Mayor. In what kind of situation would a noise flash be used and how often is something like that required of you?

We don't use it very often. It's generally when our special response team is making entry into a building for a search on a restaurant service. That is exactly what it's intended to do. It's a distractionary device. It kind of takes our attention away from the officers making entry. But we have strict policies on when we could deploy it. We don't just willingly start throwing flashbangs at people's houses. That's not what we do. There's a lot of checks and balances that go on before we could deploy them.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Commander Chen, for the presentation. My question is, what is our maintenance cost of this military equipment that we are carrying towards? Do you know? Or is it okay to disclose here? And then I also wanted to make sure that how often you use, and then is there a policy when and how we can use it?

I'm sorry, are you asking what it costs to maintain the equipment? Yeah, maintenance. It's very, very minimal because we don't have some of the more cost heavy things like an armored vehicle. So the most it'll go into maintenance is probably our command control car, which is like a retrofitted van that lets us kind of use it as a mobile command center in critical incidents. But it doesn't get deployed very often, so you're really talking about gas and basic maintenance on that vehicle. The other stuff that I mentioned, like ammunition and all that kind of stuff, there's no maintenance required.

Thank you. And then another one more question. I know the audit happens. I think the state does the auditing, I guess. Is that the third-party auditing? How that happens, basically?

So there's no audit that I'm aware of that the state comes and does it in accordance with AB 481. So it's an internal audit, and part of that is this annual presentation.

Okay, so internal audit, meaning that one of our team members goes and then accounts. So we have a designated person that does the audit. Okay, so make sure that all these are acquired or purchased are accounted to the date and make sure that we all are safe and secure. Thank you. I just want to make sure.

Thank you. And I have no questions. This is a great report. Do we have any members of the public who wish to speak on this item?

I'll turn to our Zoom attendees. If you'd like to make a public comment on this item, please use your raised hand icon. I'm seeing none that will end public comment.

Okay, so we'll bring it back here to council. And Commander Kim, it looks like we have to make a motion to renew Policy 706 and Ordinance 547. Is that correct? Or is this just, we're just receiving the report? Does the city attorney know It says here the recommended action. We have to redo it and confirm that both will remain in effect. So does this require a motion? Yes, please. Okay, so council, could we bring this back? On the staff report, under recommended action, item number three, could someone make a motion?

Madam Mayor, may I make a motion to accept this report as presented by the council? Or is there a resolution?

Okay, and do you want to renew policy 706 and ordinance number 547 and confirm that both will remain in effect without change? That is correct, yes. Okay, all right, so motion.

So yeah, just to clarify, it's the minute order included on the face of the agenda under item number two, which is by minute order, accept the annual military equipment report. determine that the police department's use of military equipment for the past year complied with the department's policy 706 and the requirements of state law and renew policy 706 in ordinance number 547. can we make that our motion or yes is that okay is that okay exactly what i'm excellent that's what i thought you meant do you agree thank you okay thank you for the clarification all right so uh can we have a roll call vote please

Councilmember Grimsley. Aye. Councilmember Butteray. Aye. Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin. Aye. And Mayor Kelly. Aye. And passes 4-0.

Thank you, Commander Kim. Thank you. Appreciate it. Okay, so our last item tonight is amend the City Council rules of procedure to govern audiovisual disruptions pursuant to SB 707. Staff report?

Yes. Madam Mayor, there's been a change in state law that necessitates us changing our rules of procedure. I'm going to have our city attorney present the report on this item.

Okay. Okay. Thank you, City Manager Tang. Good evening, Council. Christy Kroll, City Attorney. As the City Manager indicated, back in late 2025, there was a significant change to the Brown Act's rules and regulations pertaining to telephonic or two-way teleconferencing provisions. We like to call that remote participation. SB 707 now requires most cities to provide a remote participation platform. As you know, Hercules has provided a Zoom platform for participation throughout the pandemic and currently does so as well. SB 707 also requires cities to adopt a policy governing disruptions relating to that remote participation. by July 1, 2026. And that's why staff is here this evening. We propose to amend the city council's rules of procedure to include the new Brown Act statutory language regulating council actions in the event of such a disruption to the city's remote meeting platform. So the new state law requires that if the city's platform is disrupted such that the public cannot view or remotely participate in a city council meeting, the city council is required to recess for no less than an hour, during which time staff makes a good faith effort to restore service. If service can't be restored, Should the city council desire to continue the meeting, it can adopt findings stating that reasonable efforts were made to resolve the disruption, and it's in the city's interest to continue the meeting, and those interests outweigh the public's interest in the remote participation. So that's what's been included as new policy 4.3.1. in your city council's rules of procedure. Those amended rules of procedure are included as attachment two to your staff report. And that concludes my report and I'm here for any questions.

Thank you. Any questions here from council? Yeah, Council Member Grimsley.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I thought it was interesting that the language says to recess for no less than one hour. Is there a reason that there's a one hour designation?

think the intent of the that's a great question and I think the intent of the law is to allow the public to either come to the chamber and arrive at the chamber and participate in person if that is something they want to do if the City Council is going to continue the meeting without remote participation I think it also gives the public a chance to have a hard return time to see if the meeting is back on

Thank you, that makes complete sense.

Any other questions from council? No, any public comment on this item?

Once again, I'll turn to my Zoom attendees. If you'd like to make a public comment on this item, please use your raised hand icon. and seeing none, that will end public comment.

Thank you, and I wanna thank Council Member Grimsley for asking that question. I was kind of stumped by that one, too. Okay, so we have a resolution before us. Do I hear a motion?

Madam Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to adopt the resolution of the City Council to submit the City Council rules and procedures to govern audiovisual services disruption pursuant to Senate Bill 707, Government Code Section 549.3 at point four.

Okay, motion by Walker Griffin. Is there a second?

Second.

Seconded by Grimsley. I don't think there's any discussion. Roll call vote, please.

Council Member Grimsley.

Aye.

Council Member Butera.

Aye.

Vice Mayor Walker-Griffin. Aye. And Mayor Kelly.

Aye. Thank you. Passes 4-0. So that ends the discussion in our action item tonight. We're on to public communications. Is there anyone from public who wishes to speak?

And I'll turn to my Zoom attendees. If you'd like to make a public comment at this time, please use your raised hand icon. And these are for items that are not on the agenda. Seeing none, that will end public comment.

Okay, so we'll bring it back, and any staff reports? Mr. City Manager?

I have a few announcements from our staff, from our Community Development Director. The first community survey for the Horizon 2050 Hercules General Plan is available through June 19th at www.hercules2050.com. There will be the first meeting of the General Plan Advisory Committee on Wednesday, June 24th at 6.30 p.m. in Council Chambers. The public is welcome to attend. This meeting will provide an overview of the update process and the role of the GPAC. as requested by the city council staff has prepared an open house for the three affordable housing developers that submitted proposals for the city's 5 million housing asset funding offer the open house will be held saturday june 20th from 10 a.m to noon in the council chambers all three proposers will make short presentations and be available for questions Also, as requested by the Council, staff developed a standard postcard mailing to publicize the open house that will soon be arriving at over 1,500 homes in the Victoria-by-the-Bay, Bayside and Promenade neighborhoods. regarding public works the Refugio Lake dredging project will not occur this year it will be put off at least until next year and there might be the potential for examining other options in light of the cost of the dredging project which might include relocation of the natural waterway we'll report more back on that in the future And we have a new superintendent, Chris Morris. I'm happy to report that he has saved the city $80,000 approximately by finding a company that will remove the derelict trailers that are outside the police department for free. Originally the city had anticipated that it would cost upwards of $81,000 to do the removal and destruction. He's found a company who will come and remove them, cap off the sewer and electricity, and put them back into circulation so they won't end up in the garbage dump. So I'd like to give kudos to our new superintendent for that good work. Finally, we do have some parks and recreation announcements, and I see that we have Mr. Roque in the audience. Maybe I'll ask him to come up and give you an update on parks and rec events.

Okay, thank you. And thanks, Superintendent Morris. That's wonderful about the removal. Oh, gosh.

I should add that the timing for that might take six to eight weeks to line up a buyer and move the trailers.

Okay, great, thank you. Mr. Oak.

Hello, good evening. A couple of announcements I wanted to just make. The cultural festival, as mentioned, was held on Sunday, June 7th. It was estimated approximately 4,500 to 5,000 people were in attendance throughout the day overall. The peak crowd was there between one and five PM. The change of venue worked out very well for the setup of the park. It was large enough for the vendors to park on the field. However, the consensus was the lack of visibility did not work in the favor of the event. While the shuttle driver reported that more folks used the shuttle service this year than in any previous year, noting that there was a large participation of handicapped folks that had taken advantage of the shuttle service. Overall, the crowd was not as big as the past few years. The food performers represented the diversity of our community, and the event went very smoothly. So that was just a quick update on the cultural festival. And then I wanted to echo what library manager Peters said about the Juneteenth event, which is coming up this Saturday. It'll start off at 10 a.m. with story time in the library. There will be a flag-raising ceremony right outside the Senior Center at 1115, and it'll conclude with telling our story through quilted tapestries. And then finally, just a quick update on a couple of projects. Everyone has seen that the Foxboro Playground is in and completed as of June 1st. The basketball court is scheduled to have the baskets, hoops and backboards installed on this Friday. So the fence should be coming down around the basketball court at Foxborough Park. So that I'm sure will get lots of play. And then the Refugio Valley Park shade structure project is coming along today. You may have noticed that they were working on installing the framework of the first shade structure. So if you didn't drive by Refugio Valley Park today, uh maybe on your way home if you uh have a moment to stop by and take a look you'll see one of the structures just the framework is up they're going to pour the slab on friday so both structures will be up prior to the pouring of the slab the plan is to complete that project before the end of the month so everything seems to be going pretty well on both those projects and We likely will have to hold multiple ribbon cuttings. And so I will at some point be reaching out through the city manager to try to schedule time with all of you.

Thank you, Mr. Rook. That's wonderful. Foxboro and the Refugio Sage structures. Great. Thank you. All right. So going on for reports. Madam City Attorney, do you have anything to report?

Nothing from me. Thank you.

Okay. So bringing it back to council. Anyone here? Council Member Grimsley.

uh yes just echoing that it was great fun to attend the cultural festival this past sunday and it seemed that everyone who was in attendance truly enjoyed themselves it was nice to have it seemed an equal number of food vendors out there i enjoyed sampling a variety of them just you know make sure the quality of food was great for everyone else this thursday i will be attending the west cap meeting on Thursday evening at Pinal City Hall. And on Saturday I will be at the Juneteenth event, both at the library and here. I did today get a chance to go play at Foxboro Park, so the new equipment is great. Thank you so much.

I also had a chance to visit the Multicultural Festival and thank you and kudos to all the volunteers and participants. It was a wonderful event despite all the doubts that we had. and some concern of Slippery Road work out very well. Thank you again, everybody. On this Saturday, I will be attending Hercules High School graduation ceremony, so I probably won't be able to, so I hope mayor and council member will be representing the whole council here. And I think that's all for me now. Oh, I have one question from the residents, actually. What if a resident wants to build like a bench or donate a bench, let's put it that way, donate a bench in the Refuge Valley Park, who would be the right point of contact and then how much cost that would be potentially? So can you please?

We'll have Director Roke handle that question.

There is a bench project that we do with the community, so they could contact myself, that would be fine, and I'll help them get to the right, we don't have a dollar amount set, because it's based on whatever the current costs are.

Okay. Thank you so much, I will direct yours, and so please be on the lookout, thanks. Sounds good.

Thank you, Vice Mayor?

Thank you, Madam Mayor. This past weekend, I, too, was at the cultural festival, largely for scientific purposes, sampling every single food vendor. May or may not have spent $300 on that. I also attended the school district's black graduation. It was really cool to see my little cousin that was born when I was in seventh grade, his big little head, now crossing the Hercules stage. With that, I'll actually be at the Hercules graduation to see him cross the stage, and so I won't be in attendance at our Juneteenth festival. And Friday, I will be the keynote speaker at my alma mater, Bologna Elementary, to send off their fifth graders. And I guess I gotta be the first person to dunk at Foxboro Park, so come get the smoke, thank you.

Thank you, Vice Mayor. It's nice to know that there'll be two council members at the graduation and two council members will be at the Juneteenth event at the library. I will be at the Juneteenth event on the library on Saturday. So for the past couple of weeks, I did go up to Sacramento for a legislative day event with the self-help counties and California Council of Governments. High-speed rail, by the way, is coming along, that great line from Merced to Bakersfield, and they're looking for AP3, a private partner, to join. SB1 funds are going down because gas is so expensive. People are not filling up their tanks fully. And, of course, as you know, it's going down anyway because of zero-emission vehicles. And we got a brief presentation from Senator Cabaldon. I was at the Networking Lunch with Labor. I attended the Oakland Gay Men's Chorus event with my husband this past Saturday. That was great, and was also at the Cultural Festival. And I think that's all to report. Any future agenda items, Council? No. All right, so we will adjourn now at 9.07 p.m., and we will see you back here on June 23rd. Thank you, everyone.