City Council - Regular Meeting

Oh All right. Good evening everybody and welcome to the uh Antioch City Council meeting of February the 10th, 2026. Uh it is now 6 o'clock p.m. Uh Mr. Clerk, please could we please have the role?

Thank you. Council member Roachcha here. Council member Torres Walker present. Council member Wilson is absent. Mayor Promatus present. Mayor Bernell here. Thank you. We have a quorum at 6 o'clock p.m. All right. Will you please join me in the pledge of allegiance? All right. We have two uh close session items tonight. Do we have any public comment? We have no public comment.

All right. Thank you. Uh Mr. City attorney, will you please let us know what those items are? Sure. Mayor, council, this evening we have two close sessions. The first is regarding existing litigation. This is the case of Trent Allen versus the city. The second is a conference with real party real property negotiators. This is in relation to 809 West First Street. The negotiating parties are city manager and myself and this is in regard to the Lyn House Gallery whose negotiator is Jose Cordone. All right. Thank you very much. We will adjourn to close session. session adjourned at 6:02 p.m.

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Oh wow. All right. Good evening everybody and welcome to the Antioch City Council meeting of February the 10th, 2026. Uh, Mr. City Clerk, will you please take the role? Thank you. Council member Roachcha here.

Council member Torres Walker, present. Council member Wilson, Mayor Promis, Mayor Bern. Thank you. We have a quorum at 7:02 p.m.

All right. Will you please uh stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance? All right. We had uh closed session and uh Mr. City Attorney, will you please report out?

Yes. There were two items on the close session calendar for tonight. The first was conference with legal counsel existing litigation pursuant to California government code section 54956.9 subd sub1. Allen at all versus city of Antioch at all. There was no reportable action in that matter. The second was conference with real property negotiators uh pursuant to government code section 54956.8. Uh direction was provided to staff. All right. Thank you very much. Uh public comment. Uh Mr. Clerk, how many public comments do we have? We have three public comment cards.

All right. Thank you. Can I please have Satinum, Melissa, and Jim? Hello. Uh, dear city leadership team, my name is Satnam and me and my partner, we run restaurants in Antioch and we've been doing it since 2003. A lot has changed you know cost of uh doing business has gone up vandalism has increased uh but the main reason why I'm here is is the street side vendors so the streetside vendors they are all around uh especially in Summersville 18th street Lreeway uh and they are active in the evenings they're very very active on the weekends so my question to the city is uh are these vendors licensed and permitted uh so that's number one And what's the if they are not then what's the city's plan to stop them uh and to monitor their activities or at least bring them on code? We as fixed restaurant owners we have higher fixed cost. So it's very difficult for us to compete with them. So if city can take if they're not licensed and permitted the city can do something about it that would be appreciated. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you. And what what restaurant are you the owner of? Little Caesars.

Little Caesars. Okay. Thank you. Melissa. Hello. Um, I know I talked to some of you about this, but I wanted to speak um tonight about the current and future culture at the Antioch Police Department. Um, says culture, not contracts, is what determines whether DOJ reform is successful or if it fails. Recently, the the POA released a series of highly divisive videos, and to me, it felt like public pressure aimed directly at the neck of this council. My concern tonight is not whether officers receive raises. At this moment, I trust the people on this dis more than I trust trust the 16 leaders of the APD that remained silent during the vile text message scandal that placed Antioch in national headlines and severely damaged public trust. I believe it is entirely reasonable for the council to ask for compensation discussions until the upcoming budget negotiations um this spring summer. This is not punitive to me. This is just logical. What troubled me about those videos was not the request for higher pay, but the way it was framed, as if it were simply owed to them simply because other cities got more pay. Those other cities were not dealing with DOJ oversight or national embarrassment tied to misconduct. Compensation like in every other profession should be tied to demonstrated improvement, accountability, and results. And I just want to for a point of reference, our city workers came up. were very professional to you and addressed you at the council and I believe that the um

dispatchers were as well. So there's your contrast when I publicly shared um 2024 compensation data from Transparent California showing some APD made nearly over half a million dollars near or over half a million dollars and challenged the messaging in those videos. The PO's account eventually went silent for four days. Public responses came almost exclusively from current former officers and their families. Meanwhile, I received multiple private messages from residents who agreed with me but were afraid to speak publicly. And that says a lot about the trust in APD leadership. Today, the POA claimed they offered to meet with me. That's not true. So, they're lying. What was offered was for me to sit with a dispatcher. And I want to be very clear. My concern is not for the dispatchers. My concern is the culture of the leadership within APD and the POA. Publicly claiming transparency while misre misrepresenting my private outreach to me just breaks my trust more. Culture is revealed by how leadership responds to criticism. What I see here is a pattern of legitimate concerns are met with defensiveness from them instead of accountability. Um that is this is not a sustainable culture. I have a lot more to say, but I'm running out of time, so I'll just end with culture over contracts. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. And if anybody saw us making expressions or thumbs up from council member Torres Walker, we saw Josiah walk in in his suit and tie and we were impressed by that. So, sorry that wasn't anything towards the speaker right there. So, I'll let you all know that. All right. Next speaker, please.

Jim, followed by Crystal and Leonardo. Well, I guess I won't wear my Mickey Mouse jacket next time. Um, good evening, mayor, council, city staff. Um, I'm just here short. Um, I was at the I was not able to attend the last council meeting. I watched it on TV, which I normally do when I can't attend. I want to thank um Prom Don Travis for asking Bessie to put the video that was shown about the water treatment plants and um the water system in Antioch. um on during the council meeting. Um I thought it was relevant. Um I thought it was done very well. Um I thought it was very positive and it certainly answered some questions for me and I've lived in this town for 67 years about how to water bills are applied and that type of thing. Um, I would encourage that if there's any more of those type videos laying around anywhere, um, that we do take a few minutes at each council meeting and broadcast those. Um, I, like I said, I thought it was extremely positive. Um, well done. And I also believe that there are hundreds of people in this town, thousands maybe, that do a lot of good things, a lot of good organizations. And I think we should put a plan together as a council to maybe take five minutes at each council meeting and have one of those people come in and speak about what their project is, what they're doing. Many of them are non-paid projects that do great things for citizens in the city. Um, of course, they're a wonderful profits. So, five minutes of each council meeting to bring a positive note and a good broadcast to the citizens that can't come down here, I think would be extremely positive for the city and for the council. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, Crystal followed by Leonardo.

Hello, city council members. Um so tonight I wanted to talk about um the enforcement that's happening uh parking enforcement whoever the enforcement officers are that are um coming over on Sycamore area and um people live in their cars over there. Okay. We have nowhere for them to go. Nowhere. So if cars are I'm not sure if their cars are being taken, but they are doing enforcement over there. They are ticketing people. They are talking to people. It's just not the right time. We have another time that it can be done during the summer. Uh when it's not freezing cold outside, uh people should not be put out. Um the gentleman came back who van was taken. He had no home to go to. So, just FYI, can we please uh if we're going to enforce a code or enforce people not living in their cars, then we need to go ahead and have a place for them to go. It's not fair. Um, I realize that the city does not have money for them to go somewhere. We don't even have a warming center yet. So, can we talk about a warming center? Can we get a warming center together? I realize I haven't been here in a couple of meetings, but we need something. I'm feeding at least 15 people a day at the at the deli. I need we need a warming center. They have nowhere to go. They stand up underneath the awnings on Sycamore Square because there is nowhere to go. There is nowhere for them to sit. They get kicked out by the store people there. They have nowhere to go, not even to take a shower. Can we utilize Genesis? Can we utilize

another church? Can we get something together so that these people can maybe have a place to go during the daytime since we decided during the winter time to somehow un just close up the Nick Rodriguez Center and get it all cleaned up and do whatever we were doing during the winter time. Can we get something else together for these people so that they're not just standing there drenched, soaking wet, cold, freezing 40°ree weather? Thank you,

Leonardo. Um, I've been living here all my life and I like to reminisce everything about and I remember as the age of five it was a small little town Christ sake. It used to be a two-lane freeway before the expansion before everybody started migrating here. It's a series of like how the first person said, vandalism, theft, lararseny, everything. It has spiraled out of control. And I'm seeing a lot of now vacant buildings, even now rail lease is closing. And I'm seeing right next to a 7-Eleven where people are shooting up, getting high in front of residential neighborhoods on Davidson Avenue. And it hurts me because these kids are going to be seeing this every day. And I don't want them to like I don't know what like how the last person said like there's no warming centers. And I'm thinking there's like a huge abandoned factory that we could tear it down and make it something like a little small building. And also with the police budget, it's like it's very hard to enforce these kind of stuff also. And I don't know, it's just like We're seeing new development of lands, but I'm kind of scared that we're only just going to keep building residential neighborhoods and we're just not going to have any businesses in the next couple years or so. And if this is going to be a trend where businesses are going to be now leaving going to Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburgh, they're thriving. And here we are like being like looked at like as if we're just a joke. I mean, I I'm working in Wana Creek and everybody's whenever they tell me where I'm coming from, I'm telling come from Antioch, they're like, "Oh, that area." They don't they're not

going to think of us as like a like a normal town. They're just going to think of us just another shanky town. Like it's just we're having a bad reputation. We're kind of on the right foot. We're seeing small little small businesses driving, which I I do appreciate, but it seems like when there's homelessness involved, especially downtown where I was just there the other day, we're also camps right next to railroad tracks. It's just like they're human. Yes. But it should at least have been a one concentrated area where we could have like like on skew of people just helping them, treating them. And I know it's like I said, it's a lot of money, but we're running out of options and it's already now becoming a problem. I'm already having to deal with homeless people right around the corner where I'm living and it's kids involved too and it's kind of like concerning to say the least. I'm seeing RVs parked here and there and I'm concerned that there's going to be in the next potential meth lab down there and it's just not fair. It's just like I've been living living all my life. It's just it hurts me. It hurts me mostly to me. So much so.

All right. Thank you.

Well, good evening, council, and happy new year. I know it's a little late, but had a lot going on. First, I want to say thank you to all of you, the council, the city manager, everyone that just called and reached out to me when my husband suddenly passed on December 29th. It's a hard hit, but I serve a God who's sovereign and holy and faithful. I want to um make sure and I heard someone earlier acknowledge and I think it was you Jim Lantern who's talked about our young people. Just on uh last Tuesday night we had an amazing amount of young people that represented this city tremendously at the Golden State Warriors Black Heritage Night. Mega All-Star cheer and dance just earned two national titles and I want this city to really be proud of. These are our students and our community members that went to Las Vegas and won two national titles, beat out people from all over this nation and we should be proud of what they're doing. and I was able to give them an opportunity to perform for the prime time show for the Golden State Warriors Black Heritage Night. So, when we talk about what we can do to continue to empower and to encourage our young people, it's things like this that we need to not forget and acknowledge. A lot of those children do live in the Sycamore corridor. They live in the Cavalo corridor. They live in all of these neighborhoods throughout the city of Antioch and we should be proud of the work that they're doing because what they are doing is nothing short of amaz

of amazing. They are currently right now trying to push to go for the global award and they need support. They didn't ask me to come up here and say that and I was sitting there just wanted to feel like I have some sense of normacy. But I want to make sure whatever you can do to reach out to mega to donate to help them get and make their trek to represent the city of Antioch globally globally as they just are taking that national title to another level. Let's support our own. Thank you and happy Black History Month.

Thank you. No further public comments.

All right. Thank you. Um, moving on now to uh regular council agenda. Um, item number one is the AF police oversight commission appointments for two fullterm uh vacancies expiring November 28 and one partial term vacancy expiring November 2026. Um, city manager Scott, were you going to say anything on this or you want me to take this? All right. So, um, I want to first of all thank uh, everybody um who interviewed for that. We had um six individuals that uh applied for the three positions. Um we um city manager Scott, myself, and in um a couple cases uh chair Porsche Taylor uh were able to be involved. And so I just want to thank that um thank uh everybody who applied. We had we had some really good candidates. This is a really important these are three very important positions right now. the commission is down to uh three people uh with with these vacancies and so we need to get that back up to full capacity and uh so I am u making nominations for the um the full-term vacancy the three-year term uh Porsche Taylor um and Addison Peterson for those terms. So that would be the um the first resolution would be um approving um the mayor's appointments for Porsche Taylor and Addison Peterson um to the Antioch Police Oversight Commission for two full-term vacancies expiring November 2028. So that that is my motion. Are there any public comments? We have no public comments. You want us to you want a motion to approve all or

just do we get to hear from each candidate? If you if you'd like to hear from each candidate, you're welcome to. I don't know that they're um that I I believe the two of the candidates I know Mr. Peterson is um judging um a competition tonight and wasn't able to make it. So, I believe uh Miss Taylor's here and could speak and I also um Mr. Peterson isn't. And then there's one other person for a partial term appointment expiring November 2028. That's Josiah Benon and Graham. and other person.

I mean, it's up to the council obviously, but I would like to hear from each candidate before we appoint. And I'm just throwing this out there. Maybe we don't want to be appointed to the commission. Thank you for that. Okay, that I mean that's a I mean

I just I'm in agreement. I I think I reflect on previous commission appointments or nominations from the mayor. We've had an opportunity to meet their applications today. I would have two of the applicants here tonight. I'd like to hear from them. All right, that sounds

uh so I believe the next meeting is on Monday. Uh the next the next meeting will be actually uh Monday the 2nd because uh next Monday is a holiday. So that would be when the normal meeting would be. So it would be uh Monday, March 2nd and uh with the appointment of two APO members today, they would have enough to have a forum if everybody shows up.

All right. So with that, if I could have uh current chair Porche Taylor come on up, please. I want to thank Porsha for uh reapplying and for the leadership that she's shown so far as the chair. I think you're a two two term chair, aren't you? For the last two years. One and a half. One and a half since uh so yeah, if you could you just tell us a little bit about why you like be uh like to continue in your service.

Um sure. I'm an original um commissioner for the um oversight of the police in this city. Um and I think what we as a commission um have done so far is just in the beginning phases. Um and I think it would be remiss for me to leave when we're just in the stages of breaking ground. Um we came in in flexibility. We got a new administration. We got a new city manager and our commission has had several different uh people join and fall off during the time and I think the city deserves stability and it would have been remiss again for me to leave when we have just gotten to a place where um we are making finally making the change that the city asks for.

All right. Thank you. Does any of the council have any questions for Miss Taylor? No. Okay. Thank you. I did just want to say I'm also a mega mom. So, shout out to Velma and the uh the police because they played with Mega earlier in the year. And yes, support Mega. All right. Thank you.

All right. Our um other nominee is uh Josiah Benoni Graham. He is actually an intern up in the city manager's office and has been doing an excellent job. Uh he's been attending quite a few city council meetings. Um I in the youth category under 25 years old, if I can say that. So, uh, one of the desires of the city council was that we were going to see some more young people, um, be in positions of commissions and leadership. And so, um, Josiah, if you like, come on down and say a few words, please. And you look sharp tonight, by the way.

Um, thank you. Um, I'd like to clarify that I did resign from my role at the city um effective today after my shift ended. Um because um to my understanding, current city employees aren't allowed to be on the commission. Um so I applied because I'm from Antioch. I've been here ever since I was two days old. Um I was born while my mother was incarcerated. My grandmother took me and um I was in and out of foster care and she raised me here in Antioch. Um, I've had positive encounters with the police. Um, I had well, people around me had negative um, encounters, but I believe Annioch's at an inflection point. I think we're deciding what direction we want to take the city um, and what kind of community we want to be. Um, and I like to represent the youth who, um, I believe there shouldn't be anything about us without us. And um I think we need a meaningful seat at the table.

Thank you, Josiah. Well said. Does um anybody have any questions for Josiah? No, I was making a comment. I'm impressed with you stepping up to take on the responsibility of representing youth in our community and for seeing both the positive and the negative and being optimistic that there can be a positive future. I always look I always brings joy to my heart when I see young people get involved in community. So, thank you for stepping up.

Thank you so much, Josiah. I was like, he speaks. You're always so very poised and quiet and and paying attention. I'm glad you took this step um in your leadership. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you on this commission. You do have power there. You don't have to voiceless there. Um maybe one day you could be the chair. Um and that's what's important about you stepping into this role and inspiring other young adults. Um you will be the second young person appointed to the commission commission in this city and I'm really excited about you both setting an example for next generation leadership and

all right. Um before we go further, do we have any public comment on this item?

Yes, Deon. Good evening uh everyone, community, uh city council, mayor, and city staff. Uh thank you for the opportunity to speak um on this item. I am currently the vice chair of the aio police oversight commission and I just wanted to um acknowledge um the reappoint of my chair who has been an excellent um leader team leader um and team player in the last two years that I've worked with her two well two and a yeah so we've done we like she's mentioned earlier we're doing a lot of um groundbreaking uh work and that is always seen in the public, but we want to continue that. We're just getting um to really exercise some of that um power that our council member Walker just mentioned and we're we're not we're building it for good. And so we want to continue to do this and I think that she's on the right trajectory leading the commission. As she mentioned, we did have some attrition um over the last two years, but that is neither here nor there. So, we're moving forward and we want to make sure that we're able to do this work. And I'm delighted to see uh Josiah come on board as well once you appoint them, of course, um because we we do need to see more of these voices um utilized in the city and in positions of power. And so, we want to make sure that they are seen and heard from their own voices, right? Um and we hopefully can draw a crowd because, you know, it's important to get their their their voices in the chambers as well. Um in the So, I just want to use some time to say uh congratulations on being selected and uh both of you and to Mr. Peterson who couldn't be here tonight. I know um if

once appointed he'll do some great work as well. Um and I think that's all I have to say really. So, thank you.

All right. Thank you. Any other public comment? No further public comments? All right. Any other comments from from the council? I just I just wanted to add that when we were interviewing the candidates, we made it very clear that this is a these are positions that are going to take a lot of time. Um and there's training required. Uh there's a lot of public engagement which is a big part of the role of this um this body that's going to be necessary. Um looking over policy budgets, there's different aspects to it. And the candidates all said that they were willing and able to commit the time and um energy that's necessary to do an excellent job on this. So, I'm excited about the future. I'm also impressed with the young man that's uh quit his job before he got his next one. So, that was uh that's pretty impressive, Josiah. So, it's good. So, I would um entertain a motion, I guess, on on these two appointments.

I'll make a motion to approve second and I'm just wondering if we need clarification. appointment is one fullterm vacancy being approved tonight and one partial term vacancy expiring November 2026 Josiah see

all right so we have a motion by Council member Roacha, second by Council Member Torres Walker. Please cast your votes. Motion passes 40. All right, congratulations. And then we will bring um an item back at the next city council meeting to consider the nomination for Mr. Peterson. All right. U moving on to um item number two. These are planning commission appointments for three full uh fullterm vacancies uh fouryear terms expiring October of 2029. Um similar to Apoch, this is a very important commission that addresses land use decisions, uh sometimes parcel maps, things like that. They're also our design review board. So uh this um this uh group of individuals um is important to the the shaping of Antioch, what it looks like, uh what type of conditional use permits, things like that are approved in our city. So, it's very important. Um I uh had um three three applicants for this position and uh there are um Don Aguilard, uh William Spiker, and Romesh Suman are the three nominees. Um Mr. Aulard had a conflict tonight uh and was unable to be here in time for this meeting. He was going to try to make it, but he texted me and said he isn't going to be able to make it by now, but Mr. Spiker and Mr. Suman are both um both here. So, um if I could have Mr. Spiker come on up first, please, and tell us why he's a current planning commissioner, so he's um asking for another um another term of duty. So,

Thank you.

Thank you. Uh Mr. Mayor, Mayor Prom, council members, um I've had the pleasure and the honor of serving on the planning commission since July of last year, filling a vacant term. Um I've found working with my fellow uh planning commissioners to be a real um joy. Frankly, uh there have been I think we're all well aligned and as trying to consider the best interests of the city of Antioch, of the applicants that have been, you know, have matters before the commission. Um as well as trying to to have this vision for what Antioch can and should be as a community. Um, so I um I I would I really appreciate uh Mayor Bernal uh recommending me for the next four-year term and I I really would hope uh you strongly consider my application.

All right. Any any questions for Mr. Spiger? No. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Um the um other person who is here tonight, Mr. Suman, is also um a commissioner currently and they've been doing an excellent job. So, if you'd like to come up and say a few words and let us know why you'd like to continue in that in that role.

Good evening, mayor and city council members and the staff. I want to thank you for the opportunity of working with the planning commission for last one year and uh really happy was recommended for another four years to be part of the planning commission. I've been a business owner in this city for last 30 years I'm on brokerage so I'm well aware of the land use and housing and crisis homelessness like any other city and is not immune to homelessness and other issues that come with it. So I see as planning commission at this point is pretty strong. They make the right decision. I want to be part of it and uh I will do whatever is good for the city of Anya. Whatever moves the city of Anya towards brighter future, greater goal, try to eradicate homelessness, do something affordable housing. Those are things that are in my mind. So I hope you can consider me as one of the commissioners. Would appreciate it. Thank you very much.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Simone. Any questions? Thank you for staying both both another four years. It's amazing work. Thank you so much. Yeah. And I I just also wanted to mention that you know the planning commission in their in their role currently is in a very important season where we're um updating our general plan for the first time in over 20 years. And so their uh input besides having two people on a on a committee that's going to be part of working in it more um more specifically is going to be very important in in how that document is shaped. So these two individuals are going to play a big part in that.

I guess for the sake of consistency I would like Is there any public comment on this item? We have no public comment. Okay. Thank you. Mayor, for the sake of consistency, I would like to ask that we appoint the um two individuals who are here tonight.

We have a motion to uh appoint a second. I'll second. All right. Council member Torres Walker made a motion. Council member Roach seconded. Please cast your votes.

Motion passes 40. All right. And then we will have um Mr. Aguilard on the agenda for the next meeting as well. All right. Thank you. So at this time, in order to get them ready for um for action, could could we please swear all um and I understand we can do all four of them simultaneously. So if I could have of you come up and our city clerk will swear you all in right now. I think the city clerk's going to stand at the microphone and I think you all are going to stand stand up here uh facing him. your right hand. I state your name, do solemnly swear

or affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic. that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California. that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am about to enter. Congratulations, Before you guys take off, could I get the city council to come on down there and take a picture with you guys?

Before you guys take off,

I want to take I want to take a quick picture of it with you guys. One second.

Forever. Right there, please. One more. That one. Please.

By the way, Melissa, I noticed something that was posted that today that today is your birthday. Yes, it is. Congratulations. It's also mine. This is yours. Thank you.

I'm okay. There we go.

Well, of all the Yeah, there you go. Congratulations. You're welcome. So, of of all the of all the parts while they're finishing signing right there, please

of all the parts of this job, uh this is this is one of the funnest parts because we have uh members of our community that are engaging in really important commissions that are making a difference. So, uh, if anybody else is interested, we're going to be hear an announcement in a few minutes about openings for, uh, board of administrative appeals for, um, oversight commission. There's different, um, openings that are available, and we'd love for folks to, um, love for folks to sign up for them if they're interested.

All right. So, city clerk's going to make his way back to the station and then we will uh, We will continue on. All right. Our next uh regular agenda item is item number uh excuse me, item number three, fiscal year 202526 general fund budget update. Uh city manager Scott.

Yes. Thank you so much. This is a carryover from last meeting. I'm so you all requested periodic updates and I think it's obviously interest to the public as well. Um so for the fiscal year 256 general fund budget um our finance director is here to give the update. There's a presentation that you're going to see that provides fiscal year budget to actual comparison from December 31st of 2025 representing the first six months of our fiscal year and 50% of the total budget. actual expected results are provided in the presentation updates um and our significant good evening mayor and council. Let's see if I can get the presentation figure out how to get it on the screen. So, we last provided a budget update in September and it was for the first two months of the fiscal year through August 31st. As I mentioned, we weren't really very far far along in the year. We don't get like a significant tax allocation until December. So the city manager and I recommended for us to come back after January once we had kind of uh received 50% um for most revenues and expenditures. Not all of them are but that way we can give you a better update of how the current fiscal year is looking. So on this first page of the slide we have our budget summary. As of right now, we have 94,296,782 in projected revenues. There's $5 million being utilized of the budget stabilization funds that was approved in the adopted budget. And we're using fund balance of 11,657,947 to offset total expenditures of $110,954,729. our beginning fund balance. At the prior presentation in September, we only had a projected ending fund beginning balance

because we had not completed our fiscal year 2025 closed and our audited financial statements were not done. Those are done. So, our beginning balance meaning what we closed for the general fund balance that's June 30th, 2025 starting with fiscal year 26, which began July 1st, 2025 of $49,825,498 with Using appropriated fund balance of 11,657,947, we have a projected ending fund balance for June 30th, 2026 of 38,167,551. This still meets the minimum fund balance requirement. It's above the 20% of unassigned reserves.

Yes. Do you want questions during your presentation? Um, I will leave it up to um the what you'd like to do. Yeah, I' I'd like this to be an open discussion. So, I think it'd be good if we had questions. It's just when the public sees appropriated fund balance, could you elaborate what what that is? What constitutes the appropriated fund balance?

Yes. So, council by adoption of the fiscal year um 2526 budget, there is not enough revenues to cover the total expenditures. There's $94 million in revenues. um when you go back and then $110 million in expenditures. So obviously that's about a $16 million gap. Council authorized $5 million to be um shifted over from the budget stabilization funds which means at 11.6 million we're drawing down general fund reserves. So we're appropriating that to be spent to offset the expenditures

and the budget stabilization fund just for the public. It's a reserve fund. Yes, that's funds that were set aside um in 2018. Uh those for rainy day, rainy day funds. Um also to uh if any unexpected uh projects come up that need to be paid for, council also also authorized the use of that annually to pay the actual determined contribution required for our oped so that we're um meeting what's required to be set aside for the unfunded liabilities and that that decision was made that actually reduced the OPED liability by about $20 million because there was a straight line amortization to pay down that unfunded liability balance. Um and then also, you know, in times like this were in fiscal strain using the $5 million to help balance the budget.

And so when you talk about liabilities, we have a liability in retirement. Correct. Correct. Our liabilitys bill um in total for I I believe it's a little over 170 million for our pension and then it's approximately I believe around 20 million or so for other postemployment benefits you said yes that means other postemployment I just want to make sure no I I appreciate um um the clarification so that everybody understands you know it gets the veracular gets So second nature in my mind. So

and um director Merchants, so you on the on the where we stand on the side, you mentioned you you say that you had projected we were going to be at 33.9 million in reserves, but actually it's at 38.1. So that's a 4 about a $4.2 million improvement on what you thought what you thought it was in September. Yes.

Okay. And that was based on we thought the beginning balance um for fiscal year 25 or the ending balance for fiscal year 25 would be lower. But of course our balance is higher because we did have about $5 million in um incumbrances and capital project budgets outstanding that was rolled into the new fiscal year. So that wasn't spent at June 3025.

So does that does that mean that we ended up formally into the good or did it just get rolled to the next year? it got rolled to the next year. Um and but then in addition with the um we did make some expenditure adjustments with uh in November. So um one of them we recognize additional salary savings of 1.6 million. Also we did have some drop in revenues for our sales tax um which the vacancy savings did offset that. But a combination of those uh we were able to uh adjust what we project for. Thank you.

For the record, Council Member Wilson arrived at 7:48 p.m. So our revenues as of December 31st, 2025, we would expect that we'd be approximately 50%. Although um as you can see from here, we're at about 34.78%. Um you will you're going to go through the expenditure varies. But you can see we have the 90 94.3 million budgeted in revenue and as of December 31st we've received just about 32.8 million which is 34.78 of the totaled. So um now I can go through the revenue variances. Taxes are

so under taxes the city has two receives primarily two sources property tax and sales tax. Yes. But we also do receive franchise taxes and business license taxes but the most significant portions are property. So when we see taxes, that's Yes.

Yes. So property taxes, we get the first dispersement in December and we get 55% of the amount. However, with the sales tax, we do not get the first allocation until September because Del is two months behind. So the state collects it um you know they calculate the allocations to the cities and then two months later we get the um deposits to us for the sales tax. So as you can see on this next slide sales tax through December is only for collection through October. So it doesn't represent anything in November and December. We'll get those in the February and March time frame. And then our gas and electric franchise payments which are budgeted about 2.1 million those are paid in one month sum of April. Um so again that the percentage a little bit and then cable and refuge franchise payments are paid quarterly after the quarter end. Um so we've only gotten one quarter which is the quarter September 30th as of December and then the next quarter um those payments come in uh mid uh January to the beginning of February. on the prior slide. Can you explain what transfers in?

Yes. So, we have transfers in from uh several funds. Um one for example, we have money coming in from um the police CFD fund. Um so that supports

a community facilities district. So we have two police community facilities district um where um certain community facility district in the city collect uh an assessment for police services. So once we collect that money, it's set aside in the special revenue fund and the money gets transferred into the general fund to pay for police services. Um we also have um when we do get um Edward J. Burn memorial fund for the police department, those about 45,000 a year. Um as that money gets spent out of police department, those grant funds reimburse um the general fun one question. It's on the third bullet

under the cable and refuge franchises. Why is there a lag there? Well, they are required to quarters. So once the quarter closes, then they remit. So we so after, for example, for when September closes, we get the payments near mid to late October and then the beginning of November. So the second We haven't received those payments yet as of December 31st. Those payments came in at January and then beginning.

So I raised this just so the audience knows that our money does not come monthly. It's quarterly. We have 55 and 5% for property taxes and things of that sort. And yet we do need cash flow in order to pay all of our bills. Yes. and any reserves that we have on hand do uh supplement they cover until the the money comes in. So it's always important to have adequate um cash flows on hand to support several months of expenditures.

Mer on the on the second bullet point um those gas and electric franchise payments uh as I recall last year that number came in lower than was expected. It came in about a million dollars lower. So this budgeted figure is based on the prior year. We will not know until March. Um that's when PD gives us the amount to admit to us. Um so in March this number may be higher, it may be lower, but we'll be able to report out on that as soon as we get those that information.

Okay. So it's kind of a black box. We have no idea what what that number will be, especially after last year. Normally it's pretty consistent. Then last year it did go and then they talked about how it had to do with tariff rates on on gas and uh you know they kind of went round and round with them and they said you know trade rates and all this other stuff that's beyond my my scope of understanding on this honestly and you know kind of there's this complicated rate schedule about how it gets you know transmitted and the cost of the transmission fee did you talk with any of your fellow finance directors about whether they were experiencing the same thing

no check to see if we're anomaly if that's consistent would be My other question is on under fines and penalties, which is a low number. What what does that include? What are what's included under fines and penalties?

Um, it's really not uh it's late fees that they uh might get. Oh, so we have vehicle code lines. So that's comes in from the police department. That's when there's like traffic tickets issued when we get a portion of those fines. And then there is some um that's the main thing in that category. I think there's some um late penalties for um honestly I can't recall but I know so that doesn't include code enforcement fines. No, those are code enforcement fines go into assessment. So it falls into that current service charges um row.

Okay. I do have a question because another We found that one of the local businesses have been tardy with regards to transit occupancy tax as well as water and things of that sort. How much exposure do we have? I mean, we learned about it recently as a council, but how big of is is this people who owe us money as well as penalties?

Well, for the transit occupancy tax, I I want to at least say fortunately it's not a huge um financial impact to our bottom line and I'm not trying to say that any amount is in general we typically only receive about 300,000 in a year and that money is divided 70% to the general fund and 30% to our civic arts fund um to pay for events downtown series and so forth and with the uh not paying. Of course, we have assessed significant amounts against um some operators that have not been paying timely. Thankfully, like I said, we do have the reserves to to cover that money not coming in, but we are pursuing actions um with the assistance of the city attorney's office to work on collections for those that are behind. So institutionally I assume somebody's a nonp payment and maybe 30 days or 60 days it triggers something that we immediately try to go after the dollars.

Yeah. So depending on um the nature if it's transit occupancy tax they have to pay quarterly. So we are following up after and they have 30 days after the end of the quarter. So we're following up and working with the proprietors for that. But um if it's um other type of receivables that we bill um anybody in the public for, we will follow up after 30 days and then for those we will actually send them to uh collections after a certain time frame.

If we have an individual or business, I guess that hasn't paid their toot the transit occupancy tax and it just keeps on growing. What what happens? Do we I mean do they what happens to the debt? Does it just keep growing?

Well, it it does keep growing. They do get assessed interest and penalties, but again, we are working with the city attorney's office on those ones that are behind for collection efforts. Um because one, our municipal code doesn't give us a whole lot of teeth and there's certain procedures that we have to go go through um to go through collections for these. So, city attorney. So, can we strengthen our ordinance? Is it old and we're just living with something that's been around for decades?

Uh, yes. There are certain ways that we can strengthen the ordinance. There's also other administrative steps that we can take which um I h which I have discussed with um with Miss Merchant's uh department where it comes to maybe short of filing a lawsuit or something like that um trying to gain compliance with um these uh vendors tax obligations.

So Miss Scott I know an item is coming up with regards to you know some of the 90-day issues. I would definitely put this on, you know, because after 30 or 60 days, you know, either a lean on the property or some way for us to collect because not collecting it impacts city services. So,

and in order to do that, we need a um several administrative and operational structures, not only different uh positions, but also another deputy city attorney because it is litigation, meaning someone's job will be fines and fees, which we've discussed um at the city attorney's office. I'm not sure I I'm there, but I I do I do want to see us, you know, I'm just letting you know that operational concern with existing staff.

Yeah. And and I can tell you at least with the toot right now, the ordinance doesn't allow us to lean. Um so that's you know, but I can tell you we've definitely been working with the city attorney's office and we're working on a process right now um that we have to follow with our existing code and the steps and the and the administrative process. We're working closely with Could we put a lean? Um, probably not without changing our ordinance to allow us to Okay, that change the ordinance. I mean, I I don't understand the reluctance of keeping an ordinance that's not working for us. So, I I would suggest that we visit that.

Yeah, we can we can talk about that. It's part of the part of the budget. So, okay. Um, any other questions on on uh this page or these pages? council.

Okay. So, for licenses and permits, the encroachment and building permit revenues are exceeding collections expectations as of December 31st. Public works and community development are reviewing anticipated permits for the remainder of the fiscal year. And any proposed adjustments will be bring back um when we kick off the um budget process next month. So, you know, uh we're looking to potentially adjust the 25 26 um revised budgets. And then for investment income and rentals, which um interest earnings are exceeding projections in part due to having higher beginning fund balance, meaning having more cash on hand because we didn't spend down as much last year, and as well as the year-to- date spending followations. So, the investment income budget will be adjusted in the revised 2526 budget. Can I can I take you back one page? I'm sorry, on the transfers in question.

Yes. So, so we um we show 13% at halfway through the year because we don't do those until the end of the year. Yeah. Well, so depending on the the nature of the transfer, um another uh uh transfer um I was remiss in excluding in my explanation is we do transfer um gas tax um money and um street impact fee money. So those only happen at certain times of the year either midyear or at year end. So is it is it possible to to make like I know landscaping and lion district was it was something where you where you make the payment at in June I think you said and there was another one that's a transfer out not on the transfers in

that's transfer out of the general that's on our expense side. Okay. And that's and that one we need to wait until you're in because we need to see how the that particular lighting and landscape fund if they need as much of a subsidy as projected or if they need more. So we have to wait and see what we'll talk about that when we get to that item. Sorry, Mr. Mayor. Yes. The last council. Yes. Back. Yeah. Investment income and rentals. I know I've asked this before. Um, so given the current interest rate and conditions, is this the appropriate time to re-evaluate some of our investments um and optimize a lot of our returns but staying within the parameters? Um, would this would this be an opportune time to look at that?

I can tell you our investment advisory firm, they're um continually monitoring what is going on in the market and we do have many investments. I believe as I spoke during the budget deliberations last year that we're locked in like a two to threeyear benchmark. So we have those higher interest earning investments um locked in place for you know at least another year. We are going to be having um a presentation from um public financial management PFM uh at the next city council meeting the city treasures um coordinating that. So that'll give you kind of an update on the market and our um investments. So right now you're saying a lot of stuff is locked in a two-year. Yes.

There's no items that are like, oh, this particular investment is outside of the two-year. Well, when they're continually um monitoring the market, and so if they see there's a more advantageous um investment that they can sell without a loss and and keep liquidity as well as good interest earnings, they'll make that trade. Um, so that is a continual, you know, occurrence that our investment company is doing. All right. Thank you for that. I'm looking forward to that, uh, that report out when it comes. Thanks.

Okay. So, for revenue from other agencies, um, part of that is homeowners property tax relief, which comes through our property tax. However, that we don't get that until April and then in June. That's budgeted at 75,000. And then we have stat statemandated reimbursements that we file with the state to reimburse us for um mandated costs that programs or reports that we're required to file. We budget that at 60,000 and that will not be received until June. We just we file for those in February and the state makes their determination and um we get that in June. Current service charges are also trending higher than projections. So, community development will be evaluating and making any necessary adjustments in the 2526 revised budget that will be coming and then transfers in um as we've spoken a little about are booked either at December 31st or June 30th or just at your depending on the source. Um can I I have a question in regards to the green building compliance.

Um seeing that it's trending posit positively so that's a a a good thing. Um, can we can can you explain or can staff explain what's driving that trend and then what um what buildings or projects are falling under that and what's coming forward? I know um right before I came and I didn't get a chance to read it, Mr. Store sent something, but um if you can kind of talk about that since that seems to be a good thing that we're doing well with. Um he's upstairs, but um I know he sent the information so I'd have to call him down so I might take a moment. All right. Just uh can go on to I don't want to hold things up, but we can go on to the next. I just thought that was a good point that we should

Yes, we'll circle back to that if we can get Mr. Shorer down. So, for expenditures, um, again, we would expect the 50% out of the 110.9 million, we've spent 46.2 million, approximately 41.65 million. So, I'll go through the expenditure variances. One, I just want to point out because it's kind of glaring when you see the non-EP departmental 74% spent. If you recall um from the presentation in September, we have to pay our general liability insurance premium upfront um in July. So that premiums, you know, over $4 million. It's not. So theoretically, it's it's frontloaded. So that's why that percentage appears high. And then by category, personnel, um services and supplies, transfers out and internal services. personnel payroll payroll is paid bi-weekly. So there's 26 pay periods in a fiscal year. Therefore, the expected percentage is actually 46.15% as of December 31st and not 50%. So we're at 48.12% which we'll explain on the forthcoming slides. Services and supplies at 42.56% and under 1% for transfers out. And that is really due to the majority of the transfers out are for year end for the lighting and landscape um subsidy, recreation subsidy, and animal services. So we need to wait until we close the year end to see how much of a subsidy is needed for those programs.

So excuse me on that on that item. Would it be possible to put half of it in in in at mid year and then balance it at the end of the year so at least these numbers would look closer to reality because I I mean I don't I don't know if if it just it just makes it when you when you look at the numbers it would just be easier to try to discern instead of saying oh transfers out 10 million it should be 5 million so actually we're at 51 instead of 100 you know instead of 46. Is there is is that a possible way of doing it or is that just not historically how we've done it?

It's not historically how we've done it. I mean it it is and it is possible but just again it's just part of our like our closing process and procedures of what we have which is why we do it at I I just think for the sake of lay people and even for council members if if it's if it's closer to reality it it would just makes it easier to try to figure this out without having to do our own mathematics on it to figure out where we are mid you know half halfway through the year right understand okay so for excuse on that point but if we don't pay till the very end June right we actually are investing those funds

right that is um if we're not uh we do keep some money on hand that's not invested in our um general account so we would have more money um and then we do have a money market that we keep at our bank so that's really liquid that we could you know invest in that and more earn more interest earnings I was just the the mayor's comment. It's I I understand. I mean, it would make it a lot easier to comprehend where we're at fiscally if you know we didn't hold things to the end of the year. But is there any advantage or disadvantage? That's really the question for me.

Yeah. Um I I don't know. I couldn't give a definitive answer on how much of an impact on investment income it would give for just having an additional six months for maybe like a million dollars. Um, so well, if it if it were to affect our our income, then I wouldn't I wouldn't I do the math in my head, right? I mean, I don't want to lose money over this. I just thought if if the money is going to be sitting in a money market account regardless, it's just shown in a different account, right? It would just be easier for this purpose, right? Is here if you want to go back to Council Member Wilson's question. Oh, yes.

Yes. Mr. Store, if you could please come to the podium. Yes, I just heard my name and I didn't know what the topic was. So, sorry about that. I was just upstairs working. I noticed in the budget report we've we've seen an increase in the um compliance fees, but they're trending positively. And just wanted to know know what was driving that increase and approximately how many buildings and projects citywide currently follow under this requirement. It's for the green building. The green building um compliance.

Yeah. So every building permit that we issue has a component of the green building permit fee. So depending on whether it's residential or commercial, it's either 15 to 18% of the valuation. So when we look to the valuation amount for the monies that we collect, you can say basically 15 to 18% is for that specific purpose. You said every building that's currently every building permit that we issue that's currently being issued. Correct. Yes. Yes. Yeah. And and in the future, yes. Okay. from what I'm just curious what year that that started till I'm assuming through now but probably in the last 5 to 10 years is my guess. Yeah. So it's nothing certainly nothing new. It's been around for a while.

No, I was just curious. I saw that that was I mean that was interesting and was curious about where that fell under. Yeah. And I I'll send the city manager a a listing or an example of how some of those fees are collected in a typical project and she could forward that to council. Oh, you did get that one. Yeah, I it came right before I came here. So, okay. Thank you. Did that answer your question? Yes.

Okay. So, for salary and benefits, we're at 47.74%. But as I notate, it is a little bit skewed. Um, I believe I mentioned in the last presentation that we pay the CalPER safety plan unfunded actual liability upfront in July. So, we paid $7,161. And so, it's front-loaded. So, it makes the percentage appear high for salaries that have been spent. So if you take essentially 50% of that almost and and you know act as if it was spread over each payroll the the true amount of salary benefits spent is 41.61% of the budget. So it's still under the 46.15%. And then in terms of overtime we're at 55.2% when we would expect it to be 46.15%. Here is overtime by department and as you can see for exceeding overtime is the police department and then community development. So for the police department um it is primarily due to staffing deficit and then for the code enforcement which is under the community development umbrella. The OT being higher uh than uh budgeted is for Saturday cleanups in partnership with Republic Services and work with the police department's community engagement team. So in terms of expenditure variances, legislative and administrative category which includes council, attorney, city manager, the clerk, human resources, and treasurer, it's at 30.32%. The appear the percentage appears low due to some projects still getting underway such as records management and additional operational assessments and the timing of billings for other contracts which have just came in after December. So there also salary savings from unfilled positions as well.

However, each of these departments do anticipate um to uh be on track with their budgets as approved for fiscal year 26. The non-EP departmental, as I've already explained, it's high due to the insurance premium. So, four 4.7 million was paid in July um upfront causing the percentage spent to be significantly higher than expected results. Public works is at 32.09%. It's due to several factors. vacancy savings, which will be captured in the revised 2526 budget, 1.3 million in transfers to the street light and landscape district funds, which will not occur until June, which we already discussed previously, and maintenance, paving, and repair projects, which have been scheduled to begin in the second half of the fiscal year. So, they should be kicking off later this month or in March, but still anticipated to spend those funds by June 30th. The animal services, this is for the subsidy of the animal shelter. The transfer is not done until June 30th. That's why that is 0%. Recreation/ community services at 1.16%. The majority of this budget is for the subsidy recreation services. The year-to- date amount was for a vehicle purchase that was budgeted for in this fiscal year 25 that was reappropriated, rebudgeted into the new fiscal year. So that's why there's a little bit of spending. And for public safety and community resources, 26.14% expenditures are below expected due to the undispersed 400,000 that was included in the budget for Homekeep Plus, as well as amounts for Aniac's core team and other contracts will be which will be ramping up in March. And then we have a staffing update as of February 2nd. There are 72 citywide vacancies. 47 of those are in the general fund. And we've listed vacancy numbers by department. A couple key points to point out is that there are 11 people in the academy for the police

department as police officers with graduation dates in fiscal year 27 that will occur after July. Um the city attorney contract um is um one of those vacancies. There's a city attorney and the deputy city attorney. The contract is actually um up for discussion this evening. And then in the city manager office, one of the positions is a grant man manager position which is currently filled on a contract basis. So in closing to the um presentation, we have a comprehensive cost allocation and fee study underway. Completion of this project will provide a basis to ensure we are charging adequate fees for services and will aid the city in building the next master fee schedule that will be considered by city council in May. Um and fiscal recovery isn't just about numbers. It's about trust, transparency, and stewardship. We will begin budget study sessions for the new cycle in March. And as a reminder, the deficit is real and and we can management management manage it if we are disciplined. The next phase focuses on structural balance, not one-time fixes. And we will um you know as we move through this process request be requesting council direction to guide priorities, trade-offs and pace so that we can get our budget into a fiscally manageable position.

Thank you. Um before we go further with council, do are there any public comments on this item? We have no public comments. All right. Thank you. Back to councel. Mer, can you I I give us a ballpark figure for our ending fund deficit for 2526.

So based on just this first slide, I'm we're still pulling together um revised numbers, but um at this point, the deficit would theoretically be the appropriated fund balance of the 11.6 million plus that 5 million. So it'd be the, you know, $16.6 million. Um we are in the process of um compiling all the numbers. I do anticipate that there will be um probably a little over $3 million in additional vacancy savings to be recognized that we'll incorporate into the 2526 budget. We already did incorporate significant salary savings into the budget when it was adopted. Um and with the November revised amendment we made, we recognized over $5 million um in uh salary savings. We anticipate more. Um however, I can tell you that our human resources department is doing an outstanding and amazing job um getting through recruitments and hiring and um you know as reported last um presentation we hired an enormous amount of people but then almost the same number left. So it's like we take steps forwards and unfortunately we take steps back. But um again, human resources is is has their nose to the grind and are doing an amazing job trying to get all of our vacancies filled. And uh myself and the city manager will be working with human resources when we pull the budget numbers together to get realistic hiring time frames for what's happening after July to try and incorporate um what we believe will be vacancy savings for the next fiscal year.

So today roughly we have $16 million deficit that we're facing. Yes. Um and maybe we have $3 million. So it's safe to say our deficit when the public asks us about fiscal responsibility is anywhere between 13 to6 million. Yes. Thank you.

Um how are our um sales tax trending? I know that we have I know that I had heard that or it had been reported that it had been dropping. What are what are we seeing in the trends? Yes, we don't have the So, from the last um budget update that we did, we had actually just met with our sales tax consultant. We met, we meet quarterly, so we should be meeting next month once they have the figures for the quarter ending December 31st. Um, but at that time, we did revise down our regular sales tax $1.1 million, which is is quite a hit to the city finances. So, that was revised to just under 17 million. and they only provided projections for fiscal year 27 at that time to increase only 28%. So not very much. Um and then for measure W 1% um we actually projected a slight increase of just over 70,000 for fiscal year 2526 to be just just over 20 million and projected to increase 1.2% in fiscal year 27. Um we again will be meeting with them again in March and be able to um build any projections to what was provided before revised. Um you know and I do have to notify them of the closing. So they'll have to take that to into account into their projections. Um so

can you can you explain uh and maybe it's not for this meeting maybe it's at the at the budget meeting but how the point of sale works as far as if somebody buys something from Amazon from Antioch. So, it's the delivery. The reason the measure W is a little bit higher is because it's from the point of delivery if you're ordering from an outofstate vendor or um online. So, we're getting those online sales that are being delivered to the city of Antioch. And another big one is for vehicle sales because no matter where you purchase the vehicle, you're paying the tax rate of where you live. So, we're getting that half cent or the one cent measure W. You know, if you go down to LA, the one cent's coming to us. It's not where you're purchasing it from. That's that's specific for vehicle purchases. So, that really um um helps with our 1 cent sales tax that it's point of sale wherever you're ordering from and it's if it's being shipped to Anna.

But if I buy a vehicle in LA, the the other 1% goes goes to LA. Correct. So, they're going to get we're going to get the 1%. They're we get our we get our measure W 1%. They get the they get the 1% for the other. Okay. And then on the on your closing um statement, so there's a um the the cost um allocation and fee study. Yes.

So it mentions that that will be incorporated into the um to the master fee schedule when we consider that in May. So is that going to be completed within the next couple months? Yes, we're actually um literally've had you know I've had been having meetings almost weekly with um Wen Financial that's um starting that and actually over the next couple weeks they're meeting uh for the cost allocation plan side um and then the over the next couple weeks the firm is meeting with each of the departments that have fees on the master fee um to kick off that process and then once that is um compiled um you know we we will have some sort of a workshop with the city council to show the proposed fees compared to um you know what the existing are and kind of get direction of what we want back into for a final uh fee schedule to be considered for approval.

Okay. So, but that will be adopted by council before the fee schedule so that we'll be able to incorporate that into the next year's fees. Correct. One one other question um that we'll do I'd like to know during the fee schedule discussion is is the fact you know I notice Brentwood's building sports fields, Oakley's building sports fields, everybody's building sports fields and we we don't seem to be collecting very much money towards any sort of regional sports fields. I'm just curious how the other cities are doing it and how we aren't or haven't been and what what we would need to do to to to see something like that happen. So just just something to throw in there now

before we go. Say those communities, yeah, they're they're they're building not not as fast as we are necessarily or have historically, but they're definitely putting big capital capital improvements in in those areas. And uh and then the other question is, will we be seeing the um the updated or the begin the budget process the first meeting in March? Hopefully. No. No, we're not. Okay, I'm just kidding. Well, it's it's

we can we'll I'll let you know what the timeline is after we go back and talk about it. Um and in terms of the sports fields, I believe that um this is something that council member Roachcha talked about when he was mayor pro Tim was the investment that we need on our baseball fields in order to attract large crowds and tournaments. So, um I think it is a conversation regarding Well, just to comment on that, we actually just

comment between council member Flores Walker and I the the fields on Wilbur Avenue, my understanding is that the fields on Wilbur Avenue, the complex there. Um when Antioch had little league, they used to play all their games there. I know my kids played there and so did a number of other of youth. Um, and since little league folded prior to 2020 in 2019, because I was looking into the little league fields at the um, fairgrounds,

which is state property, um, there's no plans to do anything with that. It's just it's just unfortunately it's going to stay the way that it is unless something comes up with a better idea to invest or someone knocks those that property down and looks at other purposes for those fields. That's So that's heartbreaking that we have three fields over there that at one time were really active about brought youth and families together that shut down after Little League um on Wilbur Avenue. My understanding is that since Little League doesn't exist in Annak that Oakley their city is benefiting from you I I think they're renting or leasing our builds on Wolver Avenue. So, uh, as being part of the sports and exports legends, I know that there's a desire to try to work with what Antioch Unifi is doing. Antioch Unified School District is introducing introductory baseball into like third to sixth grade. And so, possibly my conversations with people in the community would be, could there be a way to start up little league once again if we have a community that's interested in stepping up and doing something for their children? I coached my kids when they were little. Many of my friends were dads did the same thing. So maybe we can find a way to utilize the Wilbur Fields as they exist today. And I'm just curious who owns the property. Is it city-owned property? I'm looking at Don Fredus because I know he's the historian here. Um and it's just a shame that we have facilities.

We don't own that property. Like at the fairgrounds that have We don't own that property. I'm sorry. We don't own that property. We don't. So who I'd like to know who owns the property on Wilbur Avenue so we can look further into that. That's an ask I guess. So so the so the reason the reason Thank you council member Roachcha the reason for my ask about having the the first meeting in March is because with the 13 to Mayor Prom Freighus' comment 13 to6 million we have some we have some work to do. We don't want to have a lot of meetings like we did last year right. would like to kind of hopefully be able to um you know hit it as early as possible and get through it. So that was just the reason for the ask. I'm ready for

you. Well, we probably will be. So, yeah, maybe five. All right. Any other questions or comments from um council on this? Yeah, sure.

I just like to thank um this merchant for your um presentation. I think it's transparent and and and really for the community and for us up here, it's really a sobering reality of what we're faced with. You know, we had a larger deficit last year coming into this. We were able to work that down, but we realize it's a two-year project. Um and and for the um community and for those that may be interested in what are we doing about it, I think this is what we're doing about it. We're looking at where we're at. We're trying to get an accurate assessment of where we're at and where we're going. And hopefully we'll get some um some numbers that are a little bit more on point with when fees are collected and so forth. And then we can make some educated decisions on how we're going to fund programs and address issues with our um employee groups because it's high priority to all of us. But sometimes I think um not knowing people think that maybe things just aren't happening or they're being neglected. And I appreciate uh Miss Merch that you sharing very clearly where we're at at mid year, where we're at in J in February as we move forward to the first quarter of 2026 because I think it's helpful information to see where we're at and hopefully we can develop a plan that will bring us and move us forward to get to a place where we all want to get to.

All right. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Merchant, for the presentation. I know you work really hard. I don't have a lot of questions because I know we'll be meeting tomorrow, so I plan to get all my questions answered then. Um, I know that, you know, I have heard that you have been ringing the bell since 2012 about impending deficits in the city. And so I think it's actually time to think about economic development and growth as a related to growth as a priority, which I don't think has been. And I'm interested in uh in hearing a lot more of what you have to say um tomorrow in our meeting.

All right. Thank you very much. Thank you, Miss Merchant. Um excellent job as always. So appreciate it. Thank you. All right. Um, I would like to uh suspend the rules and um we have um some young ladies from Deer Valley High School here that are want to make a presentation about smokefree multi-unit housing in Annioch and they have school tomorrow I think. So I would like to move item number eight presentations at least the first part of it up to the next item in the agenda. We have a motion from council member Freighus second. Second from or excuse me mayor promis council member Wilson second. I'm sorry. Just to clarify, is the motion to move both the presentations or just one of the presentations?

Just the f just one of the presentations, the smoke the smokefree multi-unit housing. All right, we have a a motion from Mayor Prom Freighus, second from Council Member Wilson. Please cast your votes. Motion passes 5-0. All right. So, we now are our next item is smokefree multi-unit housing in Antioch presentation. Um, thank you so much. I'm sorry,

mayor and city council. So, today we're bringing forward anformational presentation from Contraosta Health impacts of secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing and sharing local Antioch community data. This item is intended to provide context, best practices, and an overview of policy options other jurisdictions have adopted with a focus on health equity and resident protections. No action is requested this evening. It's just anformational presentation. All right, welcome ladies and thank you for um sitting through the first part of our meeting tonight. So, we look forward to your presentation.

Hi, council and mayor and city staff and most importantly, happy birthday to Council Member Fredus. Um, thank you so much for having us here today. My name is Emir. I'm a senior health education specialist with the Contraosta Health Tobacco Prevention Program. Here with me, I have my colleague Zenith, our intern Melanie, who is also a student at Deer Valley High School. We have Esmeralda who is an alumni of Deer Valley High School. And we have Sarah who is an alumni of Annioch High School. Um, and Sarah and Esmeralda also are representing the youth tobacco advocacy and policy project here today. Um, and I'm gonna pass it over to my colleague Zena to share all the fun stuff we have to share with you guys.

Hello. So, today we we will be presenting on the effects of secondhand smoke, the benefits of a smokefree multi-unit housing policy, as well as a community survey conducted by Antioch youth. So, I will pass it on over So this project started in 2022 when a group of youth myself included from Annoch came together. Um we noticed that there was a gap in protections for people living in multi-unit housing in Anoch. And when we learned that there were not any protections in place for Anyok residents that live in multi-unit housing, we wanted to bring awareness to this issue because everyone deserves the right to clean air regardless of whether or not they own their own homes. And we also know that people spend most of their time at home, um especially children, um which so being in their own homes is a primary source of secondhand smoke exposure among children. And so what we want to do is just make sure people feel safe and healthy in their own homes. Thank you guys. So let's go ahead and go over some quick definitions. First, what is considered multi-unit housing? So multi-unit housing refers to a building or complex containing multiple separate residential units that have at least one shared wall within the property. So a couple examples could be apartment buildings, duplexes, triplexes, forplexes, town homes where they share a wall depending on the how the city defines it or condos inside a shared building. And now secondhand smoke. So secondhand smoke is smoke that comes from someone smoking near you. You may smell it, see it, or breathing or breathe it. Excuse me. Drifting secondhand smoke is when you can smell someone smoking, but the smoke is coming into your home from another unit or outside. You may not

even be able to tell where it is coming from. And then third-hand smoke. Third-hand smoke is tobacco smoke residue that is left behind when someone smokes indoors. The smoke the smoke does not simply blow away. Instead, it sticks to surfaces such as walls, furniture, or floors, as well as a person's hair, skin, and clothing. The photo to the right is an example of what thirdhand smoke can look like in someone's home. The walls are coated with brown sticky residue of nicotine and tar. And this toxic residue builds up over time and can remain for years. And how does secondhand smoke travel? So secondhand smoke can travel to doorways, cracks and walls, electrical lines, meditation systems, plumbing, stairways, hallways, and common areas entering adjacent systems. The CDC estimates that 44% of residents are involuntarily exposed to secondhand smoke in their unit. Pass it on to Sarah. Okay. Being exposed to secondhand smoke presents major risks for the Antioch community. For one, children exposed to secondhand smoke have much higher rates of respiratory and ear and asthma attacks and slows lung growth, which makes their developing lungs and immune systems especially vulnerable. Secondly, in non-smoking adults, secondhand smoke causes heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer, increasing risk of heart disease by 25 to 30% and lung cancer by 20 to 30%, which contributes to tens of thousands of premature deaths annually. And then finally, infants exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to die from SIDS, also known as sudden infant death syndrome, which is linked to interference with breathing regulation in newborns. Okay. And then as discussed in the previous slide, smoking is the primary

cause of lung cancer. This graph presents data from Contraosta County regarding lung cancer deaths separated by race and ethnicity. And then this picture and di kind of a diagram shows how secondhand smoke exposure can affect different parts of the body in both children and adults. As you can see um in adults it can cause stroke, nasal irritation and um lung cancer as long as um as well as some others. And then for children, as was mentioned before, sudden infant death syndrome, middle ear disease, low respiratory illness, and even more. Why is this important? So, this is important because it is a health equity issue. Um, everyone has the right to clean air even if they don't own their own home. Exposure often happens where people should feel safest, in their homes and their cars, making children and non-smoking adults vulnerable in everyday environments. The World Health Organization estimates approximately 65,000 deaths among children and adolescents due to secondhand smoke each year. In addition, secondhand smoke causes more than 7,000 lung cancer deaths each year among US adults who do not smoke. In this chart released by the American Lung Association, it lists different cities in Contraosta County along with a respective grade calculated by the number of protections they have for their residents against secondhand smoke. Currently, the city of Enoch has a grade F showing that there is a need for policy protections for our communities in Antioch. So, right here we have um a smokefree

multi-unit housing policies separated by jurisdiction. Um as you can see, many of the jurisdictions nearby Antioch have policies in place. I do want to give a disclaimer about Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh did pass a smokefree policy last year. I know right here it says no policy. Um yeah, but this is just kind of just to explain the way that other cities have policies in place compared to Anna. Youth Tobacco Advocacy and Policy Project and Tobacco Prevention Program staff collected surveys from Antioch residents to learn more about their opinions regarding a smoke-free multi-unit housing policy and experience with secondhand smoke. We collected 130 surveys from several locations including multi-unit housing complexes, community events, and senior centers. And then a quick note, oh sorry, a quick note about the data that was just shown. Um, this data was collected using a convenient sample, meaning that participants were selected based on their willingness to participate rather than through random sampling. As a result, while the results provide valuable insights into respondents opinions, results are not generalizable to all residents. Then this slide shows both the distribution of respondents by their district and age. As you can see here, 25% of respondents live in district 1, 22% of respondents live in district 2, 18% of respondents live in district 3, and 35% of respondents live in district 4. And then this slide shows the demographic distribution of survey respondents by both gender and ethnicity. In a survey of any residents and individuals living in multi-unit housing, 77% of respondents supported a

local law restricting smoking in all multi-unit housing complexes in Antioch. This is the percentage of respondents who supported a local law to restrict smoking in all multi-unit housing complicates an area by district. So, district 1 71%, district 2 94%, district 36% and finally district 4 77%. We asked survey respondents how often they were exposed to secondhand smoke. For the respondents that do live in multi-unit housing and reported being exposed to secondhand smoke, we had 29% who said they were exposed daily, 38% several times a week, 16% were exposed at least once a week, and 18% were exposed at least once a month. Of the residents that we surveyed, 23% of respondents reported they used a tobacco, vape, or cannabis product, while 77% of respondents said that they had not used any of these products. What's especially interesting is that of our respondents, support for a smoke-free policy exists even among people who use tobacco. While support is higher among non-users, a majority of tobacco users still favor a smoke-free multi-unit housing policy. What does a comprehensive smoke-free multi-unit housing policy consist of? For a policy to be truly comprehensive, it will prohibit smoking within indoor and outdoor areas of multi-unit residential buildings to help protect people who do not smoke from being exposed to secondhand smoke. Because of this policy, tobacco users can become

more motivated to quit, and many individuals may never start smoking in the first place. A 100% smoke-free multi-unit housing policy must include no smoking in or on all individual units, including condos, on balconies, all indoor common areas, all outdoor common areas, such as patios, all areas within 25 ft of units, doors, or windows. A note that a landlord may designate a portion of an outdoor common area as a smoking area, though this area must be at least 25 ft in all directions from non-smoking areas. Some enforcement options, gradual landford enforcement uses step-by-step response like education and warring to encourage compliance before penalties. So will fines landlords HOAs hold property owners accountable for enforcement without penalizing tenants. Lease enforcements sets clear smoke-free expectations by including requirements in these agreements and restorative justice addresses violation through dialogue and shared solution to prevent any future harm. These are some enforcement examples in other cities. Elserto requires smoke-free lease provision for multi-unit housing. It also prohibits smoking in units in common areas. Owners must notify their tenants before posting signage. In Wana Creek, smoke-free policies are included in new leases and added at renov. Smoking is banned in units and shared areas unless a designated area is approved. And finally, in Richmond, the lease language defines smoking in units or common areas as a lease violation. and smoke-free um protections apply to all tenants and are enforced through lease terms. It is important to notice that we picked these three cities because each of these cities have been giving an Agrade in

smokefree air policies by the American Lung Association. Smokefree housing benefits everyone. Uh first off, ren uh residents want these policies and studies show that they're more likely to stay living in these buildings that are smoke-free. From a health perspective, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke would help protect the health of everyone, especially children, the elderly, and people who have health conditions. And from a property owner standpoint, smoke-free policies can reduce liability and help prevent legal issues related to secondhand smoke exposure. A comprehensive smoke-free multi-unit housing policy also has several benefits for both the residents and property man managers. A recent study found that costs in properties that allow smoking everywhere were nearly double that of smoking related costs incurred at smokefree properties. For one, this policy helps prevent costly damage to the unit. And compared to smoke-free units, cleaning and refurbishing costs can be up to $3,000 more in units with heavy smoking. Additionally, this policy can help reduce fire related expenses and reduce property insurance. And then finally, this policy can help reduce turnover rates, which are when residents move in and then move out shortly thereafter. As youth and residents of Antioch, our ask is that the city of Antioch take steps to implement a comprehensive smoke-free multi-unit housing policy to protect our communities because everyone deserves to breathe clean air. Any questions?

All right. Thank you. Um, any questions from city council? Yes,

I outstanding presentation. It was very very well done. And I think actually this is a subject that we may want to defer to the general plan update simply because of the the issue of existing development well as well as new development. doesn't mean we can't do a policy before, but I think particularly as the city moves forward, this would be one of those subjects that we can discuss in the the new general plan. So, and frankly, if you weren't here making this, it probably would not have happened. So, you can you should congratulate yourselves. Yeah. Any other Yeah.

I was just going to say once again, I'm impressed with your presentation, good information, data that you provided. It was also nice to see the regional of what cities have ordinances and what cities do not, which we fall into that category. And as uh Mayor Pro Tim Fredus just stated, as we prepare to develop a general plan, this is good timing to bring this topic up. And um we hope that you'll stay involved in uh communicating with us and find out more as we go forwards. I know that we would like to have youth um involved in the process. So hopefully we can get your information and we can include you in some of those discussions moving forward. I I mean I was a principal at the high school for a long time and to see young people advocate for something they believe in and and to put it into action, it's nice to see you come before us today and look at how you can make a difference not only in your neighborhood but across the community so maybe we can do something together. So thank you for your presentation.

Yes, council member Torres Walker.

Yeah, thank you for your presentation. and we saw each other earlier. Y'all got here an hour early, right? So, y'all was on time and got to sit through half the meeting. Um, I'm also looking forward to seeing what we can do during the general plan process. I will say that the last tobacco ordinance we passed had unintended consequences. every policy has the potential to have unintended consequences to our most vulnerable communities and and so definitely want to take a look at this. I think the one thing that concerned me was tying it to a violation of a lease because the only way we can keep people housed, keep people from becoming unhoused is to keep people in their homes. And so I'm looking forward to talking to some of my colleagues in Richmond to figure out like how did how did they mitigate that? Did they have any leases terminated? Like what does the enforcement side look like? Are there processes where a tenant and landlord probably have a conversation? Like what are the other things that could happen rather than a violation of a lease just so that we keep people housed and we don't have the unintended consequence of passing a a pretty amazing policy to address health issues but not creating homelessness on top of that.

Ken, yeah, first of all, thank you for your presentation and thank you. We heard from you guys a few years ago as Council Member Torres Walker was saying. So, thank you for for pushing that. Um, I'm in agreement. I want to see I would like to see this come back. Everybody should have access to clean air. Um, and as something that Council Torres Walker says, as policy makers, we always have to stop and see who is going to be impacted, negatively impacted by policy that we create. So, looking forward to seeing you guys again when we bring this back. And thank you for, you know, thank you for this youth aspect, our youth lens. You have to remind us that we need to see things through the youth lens because you guys are our constituents and community members and we need to hear your voices. So, thank you again for coming uh coming forward to us.

Yeah. Do we have any public comment on this item? We have no public comments. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you all again. The only the only question I had or would like to know is of the surveyed people, the 140 people, how many of them were multi lived in multif family units and how many didn't? I I don't think I saw that in there. And so if you don't have it, it's not a big deal, but it would be good information just to know since they're weighing in to know how many of them. But it was very interesting to see that whether people use tobacco or not, they both were in favor overwhelmingly of a of a tobacco or a smoke-free environment in multif family. So, thank you all again. Really appreciate it. And uh yeah, hope to see you guys again soon. Thank you.

All right. Uh moving back to the agenda now. We're on to item number four, city council requested discussion item, which is council review of council 90day request list items. Yes. Um, this list has been updated um for you all to take a look at and to let us know what you would like to come back for your review. And uh we did send information regarding Carnegie um quotes as well to your email um a couple months ago, but maybe twice

for your I don't want to have to put read receipts on you, but I will have to start if you force me. Okay. Um so just for your review. All right. Excellent. So, uh, what I what I thought would be the best way to go through this, and thank you for the additional updates that have been included in this one. I think it'll make it go a lot a lot easier if, um, if the folks who had had originally requested the item could just confirm that that is what they had asked for because I think last time there were some comments about the clarity on that. and then uh if they still want to see that come forward and uh and then what the uh what the council you know council thinks about that. So um we start with um number one uh that was an ad hoc committee to create policies around human rights and racial equity u by requested by council member Torres Walker.

Yeah. Is it is it okay if I just go I think like go over all of my requests. Yeah, that I I think that's okay. Yeah, just to go down the line. Yeah. So, as far as the um where am I? So many pages. You're on number one. Yeah, start with number one. Number one, right?

Because I'm like we gonna go through one by one. Um number one, so the ad hoc committee, we actually had a ad hoc committee that was um established where we worked for six months engaging the community on this. We extended that ad hoc committee for six additional months and then some direction was given to the former city attorney to actually not necessarily bring this back as a ad hoc but to take a look at city other cities and what they're doing around um human rights and racial equity like across their policies. And one of the conversations that I had with city manager Scott as we go through the general plan process is some cities actually do um a health and all policy as well as um a racial like take a racial equity lens to their general plan processes. So I don't think this needs to this this actually was not directed to come back as a ad hoc. It was to look at polic at our policies in the city to if we have human rights and racial equity baked in and then our discussion was that those conversations could be had during the general plan process.

Okay. So, so that so this this can fall off of this 90-day list and it will be discussed as part of the general plan update. Yes. Okay. Um item number three

number three um community program and opportunities. So there is an update there about the Sycamore Square. I know the mayor has been in conversation with the owner. I have the police department, the city manager related to um, you know, how do we clean up the square, have a substation, but we've also been in deep conversation with the owner about a community garden or farm in the empty lot across the street. Those conversations are ongoing. We have gained support from our county representatives to support with that. um as well as community members and a well-known nonprofit that actually runs community gardens. So that is kind of like still in discussion was like ongoing currently.

Okay. So that's any questions about that.

All right. Um staff agenda sanctuary city resolution still has not come back to have a discussion. still waiting. By the way, hundreds of young people walked out of school on Friday. It was amazing to see like across the city. Um, and so I think there's definitely a desire of our community that we take a more aggressive stance against what's happening right now with ICE and a lack of protections locally for documented and undocumented residents. So hopefully this can come back. Um number 11

11 agenda is ch so there is I think we're having a joint meeting with the planning commission which is an update here so looking forward to that. Um and then this is where it gets a little tricky because a number 12 there was a presentation by the police department already done on community cameras. Correct. Um, I was I keep asking about the economic development commission that is currently not an economic development commission. So, I don't know which direction the city is going in. So, maybe that'll be something that'll come from the mayor if if people will be appointed to it. um fire and fuel abatement along the railway.

Wait on that on that item. Since I created the economic development commission in January 2001, you know, does it even exist? No, it does not right now. Yeah. I mean, um it was it was put on it's a heck of a pause. You know, it's it died, you know. I mean, years ago. So, are we talking about reconstituting the economic development commission? I I just I'm clear.

I think the question for staff was just like around the purpose and the added value of the economic development commission potentially looking revisiting the ordinance that established the economic development commission as well as the potential of I think adding some like designated seats on the commission. So like somebody from the Chamber of Commerce, now we have the DAA and those were the conversations back then and it just went on pause and never came back. Okay. I just So you really are talking about reconstituting the Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so Okay.

That's a And and I know that there's going to be a um economic development presentation made at the next city council meeting. I don't know if this that's a place for this, but just a question of whether whether we bring it back. It might be. Yeah, that could probably let us know what you know what that could look like as a staff of 1.2 1.0. He's 1.0. He's hiring. He has three hires out right now. Okay, nice. Um so,

um fire and fuel abamement along the railways. City manager, our city manager has been in conversation um to figure out how we make that happen. My major concern is the fires every fire season on the railways as not the only resident that have a real railroad right behind their house and like my fence gets burned up every year. So I just like hopefully we can make sure that they're doing the clearings. But I was informed that those conversations are happening and still waiting to know whether there was a task force created or a ad hoc wanting to be established or if there was a different direction that the mayor and the city manager wanted to go in.

Okay. For that one, there just hasn't been staff. So, the three housing um positions were appropriated a few months ago. We just got to final hires and offer letters this week. Um and the housing tanks are being held in place of that. The next one is on the 19th where community comes together to talk about issues. So, it's kind of yes and and happening. So, thank you. Item 20, um base camp funding opportunity. I don't even know if they still there. Um I know we had and then base camp is on here again as a followup on uh for item 27. I think we myself and um council member Roachcha went and took a walk through the base camp site and also talked with the fairground, you know, the state about different um opportunities. I think the question was really around what like what was this council's desire goal or appetite to support them over there because they are serving our homeless population with very little support from the city but still really don't know where that conversation

I just want to comment I want to comment on that um from speaking to the gentleman um who leads that organization I'm trying to remember his name right now I'm trying to black out his name um thank you is Tom is it Tom Don Don Don Frius Fus Don D O N. Yeah. Not Freighus. Frius. I went and met with him and uh he uh I've been in communication with him and he sent me some positive communications about some of the support he was getting in regard to rock. Um because you know when we went there to visit it was all dirt.

We're like what happens when it rains and it was like that's not good. Um, so I believe heworked with some local companies that are in the in the construction business. Um, and he was able to get that done. And then I know he was talking about some support with um, safety concerns about driving in and out of there because of the canal that can sometimes flood and some discussion around that. So, I know he's actively working to try to improve and do things there. I know that we have a CDBG meeting scheduled coming up and I'm hoping that we can talk a little about that and see what possibilities exist for us with those fun. So I just want to bring that up because I I have been getting conversation with Dawn in regard to some of the improvements that he's making out there.

Nice. Um 21 presentation from National Institute of Criminal Justice Reform and or Advanced Peace. I think with us wrapping up um Calvip and potentially hopefully being a recipient of another round of funding from Calvip that I still think it would be important at some point maybe work with director Cabraw to figure out when they can come present to us because I think we don't really know what other cities are doing. We're trying to do something that has been shown as a proven best practice to reduce community violence, but we technically don't know. Well, I know what it is. I'm not sure if all of my colleagues understand it to the fullest. So, I think it would be important to have the experts come in alongside um director and kind of help us understand how, you know, what's happening nationally and in California. um this 22 dis um potential senator, congress, assembly member and supervisors space. I think like it is a ongoing conversation. Myself, city manager Scott, Director Wright, and the honorable mayor pro Tim Don Freighus are still in conversations around um how to make this happen. And I think it would be nice for us to have a legislative hub and a space where our residents can have direct access to their representatives without having to go all the way to Timbuktu to do so.

Excuse me. On that point, going very far back to assembly member then state senator Dan Boatright who actually used had used the space outside of our building on the first floor. There were agreements and memorandums of understanding between going way back for state representatives as well as the members of Congress. So instead of recreating something, I know that they exist. We have them for the rental in the Annot Community Center. Um so we would put something in the Nick Rodriguez Center, but it's under construction. So we're looking at an office here are there.

And then um item number uh 28, the update from um one day at a time that occurred um yes, recently. So that's that's been that's been done. Yes. Yes. On the 27th. Thank you for reminding me. I don't know why my brain skipped that one. Um number 31. 31. Thank you, mayor, for filling the vacancies. Right.

Still working on it. and um 30 34 request staff to agendaize discussion regarding vacancy tax, landscaping, lighting assessment, and the potential of designating city clerk as a possible paid position under the authority of the city manager's office. I think these were more recent and I think I'm just like still in an exploratory phase on a couple of these. Um, and I know that the city attorney's office was going to bring back something around um, vacancy, commercial vacancy taxes.

Yes, I discussed it with um, with Mr. Cole and I think that is maybe something that may be better suited for when the new city attorney comes on board. Nice. All right. Thank you. Uh, moving on. Uh, we're going to take these in order. Uh, I guess we will go back to the top of the list and council member Wilson, do you want to do you want to run down your list that starts with number two?

Um, instead of running down my list, can I just make a suggestion? This is just something that come to mind. Um, and staff, before I say this, I appreciate all your hard work. I know you guys work really hard, so understand the spirit in which this is being asked. Um, would it be helpful for department heads to review this list? Um, review the 90-day list and identify which items come within their departments. Um, with the understanding that the council priority list comes first and then have them come back to us and do a present like these are the items that fall because I think although I appreciate this spreadsheet, it's just it's a lot and I feel like it never it never gets shorter. Never I just think this that process would be a little more efficient and I think a lot of these will get done or get in process. I think a lot of these are probably already in process under different departments. Um this is just a request I'm asking in lie of going through all of these and also looking at the time. Um if that's something we could potentially do just have the department heads look at the 90-day list and go oh this this would fall under this my department this would fall under my department and then have them come back with a report out of you know what the status of these items are if they're completed if they're in process just to you know so it's this is just not like this. So this list is not getting longer and longer and longer instead of getting shorter.

Yeah. And I think and the council can weigh in. I think the goal tonight was to find out if there's anything that have already they're in process that that can come off the list. Say council says I you know I I don't need that anymore. That's already been taken care of. So that was that was just the goal of this. And frankly, the the list, one of the challenges in the last year of having things show up on the agenda is we're now doing five items that have been carried over from previous agendas without putting anything off this list for the most part on the agenda. So, the hard part is fitting this list onto our already booked agenda,

right? And then, you know, it's interesting because I felt like item five should have come before item four because item five really is the priority. Um, but this is the order we're doing it in. If I had to go through this, there was one. Uh, so let's see. Discussion of bike safety and master plan. Yes, I'd like to see that. How about sister city? We so want to see that come back. Sister city. Yes. Um, the mitigation fees for the Contraosta canal project that's going on. Yes. Um, the APD worker. Wait, are are these going? I'm sorry. What? She's on number. She's on. She's She was on five because I'm six, but six and now I'm going to What's my next one? Are we are we eliminating or just keeping it?

Keeping Well, that's ongoing. So, keeping it um request APD to work with California Massage Therapy Council. I can talk to Chief Alone on on that one so we can take it off. Um what's my next one? agenda is historical historical sites and annual I think this is getting confused with my other item in regards to identifying sites in our city and getting them on the California historical registry so we can protect them. So I think that uh item 14 is being confused with let's see where it is. Oh with item 32. So it's really item 32 keep item 14. Um that's not something I requested. So, so get rid of item 14 then.

Yeah, get rid of item 14. Um, item 16, agenda, uh, discussion on buffer zones for, uh, sensitive uses. Chief, can you and I could talk about that? Yeah. So, we can take Is that Can you take that off? Is that related to cannabis or what is that related to? That's buffer zones in regards to violence, domestic violence, human trafficking, buffer zones around sensitive areas. Okay. So, that's something you and the chief can talk about. We can talk about that. Um and and also in regards to Planned Parenthood, you can send me an email um for him. Yes. Thank you.

And I think that this information would be um great count um city manager Scott to share with the rest of the council when answers when we get answers to things like that. Yeah. and and if you if there's a tab that actually a lot of these have been moved over that are fulfilled or where you've sent um staff has actually done the work and there's a memorandum that's gone to your email address because a lot of these are just can be memoed and answered and emailed to and we've been doing that as well. Um so we would like for you all to respond back to us though for that information because we are doing we are actually shortening this list by quite a bit.

Okay. Um, let's see. My last one it looks like is item 32 designating Carne Carnegie Library and El Campanil as historic landmark. And that's it for my items. All right. So, that's still on. Okay. Uh, I think Council Member Freighus, would you like or Mayor Ho Freedus, sorry, would you like to go next? Uh, on item number seven, should I just give up on this? No, I think we I think we still want to have it. This is the joint AUSD city um meeting. Yeah, we we still want to have that. Yeah, we're gonna have it. It's been 14 months. I'm just you you don't have to give up on it. It'll happen. I I I just

got to deal with a lot of stuff going on. With regards to item number 10, you know, it's some of the the special districts that we have in Contracasta water district, the contrast community college district, um what Delta Diablo sanitation district, board of education. I mean, there are a lot of representatives we have from special districts and we never see them ever, you know, and unless it's an emergency. And frankly, I think some of the the city manager has made presentations, LMC as being an example, which I thought was very beneficial. I mean, we have the mosquito abatement district. I mean, there are a lot that Antioch is in and that, you know, this is kind of like the video. You know, you don't know what you don't know until you see something, you know, come forward. And I just think it's important for us. It's not a top priority, but I do think, you know, knowing who our representatives are is good. BART as an example, you know,

even Tri Delta Transit would be a good to have Rashidi Barnes come, you know. So anyway, that that's the the the p purpose of that. The other is item number 13, you know, the onboarding uh process and the I assume you're going to bring that your note says it's in process and it's going to come back. It's also the code of conduct. Okay. You know, so it's it's both of them. I just um then the item number 17 request

you know study session. These are on our assessment districts. a lighting light lighting and landscaping assessment district. And part of that question is that some residents are in a lighting and landscaping district pay an assessment and there are many that are not in a lighting and landing district and the general fund pays. And so it's a question of equity that I think that we need to explore but it needs to be explained and we need to see the maps about you know which properties are in which property are out you know the various uh lighting and landscaping districts that we have. Be before you move on.

Sure. Uh so we should be seeing an item come pretty quickly I think um authorizing the preparation of the engineers report on the landscaping district so probably next meeting or something like that I think to keep that on track. So yeah I just it's one of those one of those things that's on the rotating things get forgot something. All right.

So on item 8 as the note indicates Mr. about it uh sent us a um process met with regards to some of the rehab at the Carnegie Library and I've been talking to council member Torres Walker if you remember historically we went to tour the facility with coming back and having a discussion with the council of creating a meeting space in the city of Antioch as well as an education with regards to some of our heritage. So I I just want to report to you that there have been some discussion and the possibility of how to finance you know some of the improvements which might in fact be a community you know engagement process versus the city just cutting a check or something of that sort as well as council member Wilson's discussion about designating it a building. This would also be an item that grant writer could probably request money from the Carnegie Foundation. So the other um a presentation the community foundation, you know, so it says it's scheduled. That's great. Uh item 24, the civic and uh engagement grants uh

enhancement

enhancement grants need a complete redo. But there's a policy question for the council and that is do we want to continue these or not? And so if the answer is yes, then there are some questions about how these are even done. And I after going through this process, it it it needs improvements. I'll just simply say that. and the group that was working on it. There's like three members of the park and recreation commission, me, um the park and recreation director and the PIO director. So, we've gone through it. So, we believe that we have experienced this and would be coming back to the city council with recommendations because presently it should never be um continued in its present form in my opinion. The other is a request to talk about, you know, the impacts of AB130. That's city attorney needs to come back. Uh the other Yeah. requesting again a joint meeting with the this the Apoch and now that appointments have been made, I think it's probably even more important that we have a joint meeting. It indicates that that's going to be scheduled. Uh so a lot of these will be coming off and um

35 35 is just again discussion on lighting and landscaping and some of our other assessment districts you know and on that question you know I think there also needs to be discussion about our community facilities uh assessment districts for police as well as public works. So when we're bringing back assessments we need to have a discussion about those. Okay. And I think during our feed discussion they'll come back as well on that on that too. All right. Um, Council Member Roachcha. Oh, I'm sorry. One one that I want to add and that is to change the name of the public safety and community resources department. We I made that request a month or two ago.

Okay. It's not listed, but it I think it needs to be listed. That's it for me. All right. Um, council, um, related to that, I have been in conversation with city manager Scott and Director Cabraw and they have already internally been having conversations with staff and have decided on a new name and I think it's supposed to come back to us. Okay. However, I mean, just I feel like we floated it by you and you liked it, but we'll come back. Why don't you float it by the whole council? I will. All right. Awesome. He has such bad FOMO, y'all. The mayor. All right. I'm sorry.

He has such bad fear of missing out. All right, let's uh go on to Council Member Roachcha. Uh I'll move mine through I'll move through mine pretty quickly here. Number 15

for the sake of time. Um 15. Uh this had to do and it's being reviewed by the city attorney. Uh, I know there's leg new legislation around this, but what I was wanting to bring up for discussion, unfortunately, life happens and there's times when we can't all be here. And so, for me, I my question was really about can a uh through a policy, can any of the council members be able to participate from afar if they have a personal matter that makes it difficult for them to be here? I just recently lost my father. Think you know that. In fact, I lost my father-in-law and my father in the same year. So, it was a really rough year for me. Um, condolences to you, Council Member Wilson. I know you just went through this. And so, when we're faced with situation, I think there was a time this summer where we had to have an emergency meeting where we needed to have three people present. And if one of us was unavailable, it would have cost the city a great deal of money. And I think there was also some um some concerns about the legal status it would place us in. So under those circumstances, that's what my question was about is is there a way for I know in close session there's that option to do that, but I didn't know in in in a regular agenda meeting. Can we do that for this? But I know there's some legislation. I'm not sure what that says about that

there. Yes. Well, I I have an update, but you can do

the on July one going forward, we have to have two-way audio visual. Um, we have to have that up and running. City clerk's office and I and it have been working on that. The short answer is all of you will have five abil five times a year you can appear remotely. That that's the short answer. But but we are moving to implement the new AB77 legislation. I believe it's SB77. So as of July 1, we will be back to two-way audiovisisual and all you each of you will have five opportunities for personal uh medical or other um other uh reasons all of which council member Roachcha everything you you've just mentioned would be of course permitted. Uh and we will be presenting that to you and we will be implementing that. So, that is coming before you and and we'll we'll we'll but we'll make sure to do it in the confines of this 90-day report.

Okay. I saw that it was update. So, Al also, um, Council Member Roach, something I'm really excited about with this new assembly bill is that Zoom is coming back for the public. So, the public who can't participate in person, we have to reestablish Zoom. So, I'm really excited about that. too. And again, I didn't create this legislation. I was just asking about it. You're obviously a huge advocate of it. Council member, when I brought up the question, I got some looks like, oh, what did I say? I say something wrong. Okay, number 25.

Uh, the next one, private security. I just wanted an update. I I my my wife and a couple of her friends were at Smith's Landing having um a gathering and they observed she told me, "Oh, I observed private security in front of Smith's Landing in a vehicle and they were present kind of keeping an eye on things and seemed to make a difference." I just wanted to know a little bit more about what's going on with the contract we have with the private security because it I think when people that are working for the private security are visible. I think it helps to deter some of the people who just want to hang out because I know my wife and her friends meet once a month they get together socially and she noticed a big difference from this time that she was there from the previous time. So I just didn't know if that if it's just here hit it's just here and there or I don't know how often it happens. That was just that was my question

and we can give you the update on that. I did send an email. Um, Captain Cook actually has been meeting with our security team. Uh, we asked for pictures and we made sure that the parking lots represent the most problematic areas that they patrol now. Um, so it has changed. Um, so we can give you an update on that.

The next one 20 26 was know your rights. We we are looking at having a community fair for a larger audience of people because from various um when you look at a number of people impacted by what's happening with immigration but then we have um issues around homelessness as we've talked about here you know warming centers and other needs of the community. We have veterans. We have a variety of stakeholders in our community that I think if we had a community resource fair where we can bring people together as a as an inclusive cultural uh event but then have important information for various people what they're looking for and have breakouts to do that. So we're looking to do a larger um program that can benefit more than just one subgroup of the community. So it's all important not one more than the other if we can do a better job of making sure that we are providing more information to more people. Um, moving on to I think that's I only have one more.

There is. I think you already said the uh bringing the school district and the city together. Uh, council member Torres Walker and I are on the city schools committee. I know that's a request that we've made. I know Bessie, our city manager, is working on that with the superintendent of schools. Um, it is difficult because you have five different people with five different calendars. So, there's 10 of us. But, I do think there there is an interest in meeting and sharing what's been going on during this past calendar year. Last time we met, we discussed September potentially. Does it have to wait that long? Yeah, it does. Yes. Okay. Uh I think that's it for me, right?

All right. And and then just um Dwayne that I had on here was the homeless ad hoc committee which um the city manager and I are working on and it's a staffing staffing issue. So, we are going to take a um a 9m minute break until is that 9 minutes or 11 minutes? We'll come back at 9:35 from a quick break. 11. So, we're going to take a quick recess. What school did you graduate from? Meeting at recess 9:24 p.m.

Oh.

Oh my.

welcome back from our recess. Um, Mr. Clerk, will you please take the role? Thank you. Council member Roachcha here. Council member Torres Walker, present. Council member Wilson, here. Mayor Prom Freighus, present. Mayor Bernol, here. Thank you. Okay, we have a quorum at 9:38 p.m. All right, we are moving on to um item number five, adoption of 2026 city council six-month priorities. Yes, mayor and city council. These are the priorities that you um came up with at two of the meetings with our consultant TM Consulting. Um here for your review, put into one place for your approval and vote.

All right. Thank you. Um, council, do you have any um questions or comments about the staff report or items that are presented? I was just going to say from looking at at attachment B and then the action item from 12 to 25 special meeting. I think it's all laid out pretty good notes from our meetings that we had on that um those particular dates, two dates. So, I don't have a I see reflected in the notes what we voted on and what was at least discussed and Tracy was able to capture that. And so, unless there's some discrepancy here that somebody might want to take a look at.

All right. Any other Yes, Mayor Crom. So, Miss Scott, so these are some of the priorities for the next six months. Is that like January 1st to June 30th? Is that what we're talking about? Um, yes. I think a lot of these are either already in progress coming to council or finished um and so because they were from September and then December so January to June. So we'll give you an update. You'll see um some of these items coming on the 10th of March, the 24th of March. So economic development plan, code enforcement update, all of those will be done by the end of March. So all right. So is it assumed that by June 30th, yes,

we will have gone through this and are are prepared to do a new six months. I mean, is this going is this going to be repetitive? I think that's your the policy question for the council. Um I mean because part of it is when we come up it's kind of like you know what what do you need, you know, in order to get us over there, you know, to get us through. So that's part of the the question that I would have you know as we move we move move forward we can say yes these are issues but in reality you know

what's the game plan I mean what where are we at how long when are we going to expect these and and something that we ask staff all the time and that we should apply it to oursel is how do we measure success and so I I I know that we went through this process but you know what's good for staff should be good for the council And so that's kind of a question I have as we as I looked at some of these. It's like, well, okay, what what does success look like? And I'm not sure just by looking at this, I'm getting that answer. Yeah. I I don't think that this is comprehensive enough to right

show you what a key performance indicator would be. I think that um also we know with even the report that our finance director gave tonight um you know full staffing of city employees right you know things like that where it's like clearly we have an attrition problem and there needs to be a root cause analysis of why um that is so it's taking all the exit interviews making them mandatory and then having an analysis done and then what are we doing to implement so all of that's obviously going to take more than six months Um, so yes, I do believe that you're spot on in saying what what is how do we measure success because this isn't it. So

So yeah, I'm trying to be con constructive, not destructive. It's like, okay, we talked about this, but how are we going to get there?

Council Wilson. No, I was just I was kind of uh reiterating what uh Mayor Prom Freighus um was saying that at the six months is kind of the okay, let's assess where we are because this is real more this is more of a framework than it is um priority. It's it's setting the framework so you and staff kind of know where where where we need to go. Um so that's why I kind of see it more as framework than priorities, but I I know we did it as a priority session. Yeah. And and one of the things, you know, if we're going to call this, you know, prior council council priorities January January to June 2026, um I would like to see, you know, where it says city manager to provide updates in it says October to November. Um change that to February to March or, you know, make them make them consistent with what we actually are expecting or I guess it' be March, you said. um um updates on code enforcement and up economic development plan March um 2026 with final review in April or whatever it might be so that the so that these are consistent with real time numbers and then I'd like to also see it formatted so it's consistent looking you know instead of kind of having three you know a couple different ways it looks just so it's it um it reads a little bit better uh just because the first the first two economic development and public safety DOJ kind kind look one way and then the the housing um one is a little bit different. So I think just just formatting it differently and even I think making it attachment an attachment to the resolution um just so that there's some place that it's all in one spot so we could we could find it again in the future would be helpful for me. Uh do we have any public comment on this item?

We have no public comments. Okay. Yes, of course. on on the second page uh when it says action item from December 2nd, you know, when I saw the first um attachment B, there are some dates and times that can be adjusted as you stated um you know March to June or whatever. But on the second one, which action item from 122, it talks about holding meetings over a two-year period. So to me, it seems like that's something that's probably going to be have to be mapped out over two years and have how we're going to hold these community meetings and and and place them maybe, you know, quarterly or however we're going to do it.

I I don't see that one as being accomplished in six months. To me, that's like a year to twoyear plan, right? And I think the the report out of this is whatever kind of like our budget the variances were and the reasons why because as we know even tonight we have six items from prior council meeting we're stacking back and the calendars are full even with presentations through April. So a lot of these things it's you know how would you all like to prioritize?

Would you like to see the agendas um the presentations calendars you know the community listening session calendars. I think there's just a lot more work that goes into this. And then for priority two um that was a council sort of um there's some things that are weaved into your al so your work plans. So the cross sort of collaboration and information sharing isn't really fully um known, right?

Yeah. And it it would be good to be able to define that better so there isn't uncertainty like what what's staff doing what's council doing so that we you know aren't guessing. And then I guess the other one is the on the priority three when it talks about um coming back with uh uh city manager working on coming back to council on a consultant to get homeless data as quickly as possible after we listen to the community and have the meeting meetings to take care of the property. That last part I was a little bit unclear of the meetings to take care of the property. Is that related to the Delta Fair property? Is that what it's referring to? Right. So maybe we could say meetings on the Delta Fair property or something some I know you didn't write this. I know

I was gonna say Do you want me to send you the word documents so you can Yeah. I mean Yeah. Yeah. I know that this is what Tracy came up with. might have been partly my comments because I know I brought that up um and I talked to Zach um our economic director about this is having some um outreach to residents in areas where they're wondering what's going to happen

like with the old mall and different properties and just having some community meetings to be able just to roll out this is where we're at, this is where we're trying to go. Maybe that's part of the general plan discussion or maybe from talking to um to Zach about uh economic development, some of the plans he has, maybe that could be a meeting that he holds out in district 2 to talk about this. So, and that's where that was coming from. Okay. I just want to clarify and and just just speaking of that, it's you know, a good venue for that what pass what um council member Roach is saying is at those quarterly district meetings,

you know, where each district's going to be meeting quarterly. Um that might be a good spot for key staff to just maybe give some information because you have a captive audience from people of that in that district and you don't have to have a separate meeting. So, yeah. Okay. Uh any other comments or No, no, everybody's This is great. All right. Yeah. I mean I mean I think I think there's a good first start. It just needs to be much more comprehensive and detailed and delineated between whose responsibility is is where I and again what is success, right? How do we define it? It's

it was okay.

Yeah. And and then I and I guess the other city attorney Cole um there's a couple of things on here just um not to burst your bubble as you're heading out the door, but um you know we have it's about there's an item on strengthening ordinances providing a current list of ordinances and comparisons with other cities um regarding uh code enforcement. That was something that was going to come back to the second October meeting. So maybe you can work with the city manager on whatever meeting that might come back on. um you know, so we can get the list updated correctly. And then there was an email by the end of the week, this is back in September, regarding building vacancy ordinances. And so just uh those are a couple things that council had asked for that I don't think we've seen yet. So if we could just get dates on those when when we will be seeing them, that would be that'd be good for the finished product.

And then city manager Scott, I can work with you on the finished, you know, wording so it ends up is anybody worked with us? I can fix it up for you. Yeah. All right. Perfect. So, um I don't know if this needs any more direction. I guess we have a resolution there. So, do we have a a motion to um adopt the resolution? Um I would just request that we would attach to the resolution the um the actual list of priorities. So, do we have a um a motion for that? I I just I know there was some word smithing going on up here and some date changes. So, do you want to real wild incorporate that in?

Actually, I think I think it'd probably be best to bring it back as a as a do as a as a document that actually is clean and has everything incorporated I think would be best. Okay. So, is there consensus to bring it back? Are we I mean I can make a motion that the city council adopt a resol. So moved with with an attachment with all of the changes stated tonight as an attachment to the resolution. Is that what it was? Sure. All right.

We have a motion by Council Member Torres Walker, second by Mayor Brochm Roch or uh Freus. Refetch your votes. Sorry. I'm trying to help the city clerk out. Trying to be clear, city clerk, I'm trying. Thank you. Motion passes. 5-0. All right. Moving on to um item number six, a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an employment agreement with Lori Asunion for city attorney services. That would be um city attorney Cole.

Yes. Thank you, Mayor, Council. Uh I'm very excited to present this item. Um your uh city has done a exhaustive search for a new city attorney and you have identified an exceptional uh very talented city attorney who has very large city experience and uh that is as you indicate Lauria Sunion um who I've known for a number of years and we've uh been active both in the Cal City's city attorneys department. Um, so I know that she has a fantastic reputation. I've had the privilege of speaking with her several times uh as we were preparing this agreement and this item and starting the transition. Obviously, you have to take the vote. We all know that. But in anticipation of a positive outcome, we've been having a number of discussions about um her transitioning into the office and working with the executive team, working with this council. So, I'm very excited to present this item. Uh the agreement is before you. Uh it's gone a few rounds, but it is in a format that I think is ready to be executed. Um, one thing I am required to do is that speaking of we we spoke about uh SB77 a few agenda items ago when we were talking about items that are coming back to you. SB77 has a lot of changes. One of which is to require a report out about the uh compensation package that is to be given to your key executive and your key staff department heads. Um previously uh the law required these report outs to be for the the chief executive. So our city manager um but that law has changed now. So basically every department head and key staff

position which would include the city attorney we have to do a report out. It has to be on the record meaning it has to be presented in a uh public it actually has to be put on the record in the meeting. So I will do that. I have provided working with our finance director um we have provided a fiscal impact but Mrs. Sunion will receive a salary of $288,000 annually, which is $24,000 a month. Um, the leave is discussed in here. The key is that the total compensation package is $513,028. Um, a very large portion of that is for benefits, PERS, matching, and all of that sort of thing. and our finance director has identified that $225,028 would be for the benefits. So I just wanted to put on the record the total cost all in all benefits all salary all compensation we are required to report that out and I've just done that uh for the record that's also in our staff report. So I am very happy to answer any questions that you may have. U but obviously it is now before councel subject to your question subject to public comment.

All right. Do we have any questions for Mr. Cole? Seeing none. Do we um have any public comment? No public comments. All right. It's before the council for um a motion if someone would like to. So moved. All right. We have a um motion from Mayor Prom Freighus. Second. Second by Council Member Wilson. Uh please cast your votes.

Motion passes. 5 Z. All right. Moving on to announcements of civic and community events. We have no civic community event speakers. All right. Um, announcements of board and commission openings.

Thank you. Any interested resident is invited to apply for the following vacancies. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. Friday, February 27th. The Board of Administrative Appeals has three full-term vacancies expiring March of 2030 and one alternate vacancy, a two-year term. Parks and Recreation Commission has one partial term vacancy expiring March of 2028. The Antioch Police Oversight Commission has one partial term vacancy expiring November of 2026. The general plan advisory committee has five committee member vacancies and two alternate committee member vacancies and the sales tax citizens oversight committee has five fullterm vacancies expiring March of 2030. To be considered for the vacancy positions, please complete an application and submit it to the city clerk's office by the deadline date. Applications are located on the city's website and also may be picked up in person here at city hall. Please email your completed application to the city clerk. You can also drop off your application in the water billing dropoff box located in the parking lot just outside. Thank you.

All right. Do we have any public comments? We have no public comments. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Come on up. That's a that's a general that was for this is for the commission position openings. No, this is public comments on the commission openings. Yeah. Okay. On this

Yes. on this item. Um I'm partic particularly concerned about the general plan advisory committee because I am hoping that we really have a very uh inclusive group of individuals and knowledge, experiences and things of that sort. And so my question is I I think that we need to recruit maybe differently than just putting something on social media. That we actually contact different groups and organizations in our community and explain you know what what a general plan is, why it is important, its significance to the city of Annia both today and in the future. Um, and I I just would suggest that we, you know, try to contact some of our groups and organizations and let them know that these vacancies are coming up because I we really need a very robust candidate pool because this is an incredible commitment of time, energy, and effort. This is this is significant. I I know council member Torres Walker talked about the meetings we had last year. Well, that is kind of what happens with the general plan. And I I want people to truly understand that this is a long-term commitment and there are lots of hours that are devoted to this. So, I just think we need to have a more robust, you know, uh what's the right word? Um process to try to encourage people to actually u volunteer for this position. Maybe we can put um something out on our social media um about this.

Um sure. I believe that uh director Seal can work with our consultant um to do communications around this since we're that's a part of the package. So what's the what's the date the f the closing date? Is that the 27th also of February? Correct. February 27th. That's that's pretty is that how is that how is that established that date established? Did who came up with that or how is that determined? I am not I do not know the answer to that. It's just printed in the in the agenda. I'm wondering if council can extend that another week or two um without affecting couple weeks to without affecting the schedule um the the overall the overall schedule. I I will mention it to my staff.

All right, that'd be great. All right, so um moving on to uh city council committee reports and communications. Council member Roachcha, none at this time. All right. Council member Torres Walker.

Yes. So, we had um we should be having another standing city and school standing committee um coming up pretty soon. We do have scheduled a cannabis standing committee meeting finally. Um, and we also have a CDBG committee meeting scheduled as well. So, a lot of uh updates will be forthcoming. So, I'm looking forward to um those committees getting back to work. Um, also just want to congratulate Genesis Church on the opening of uh Genesis Family Life Center. It was this um Saturday. um myself and the mayor um attended with a a lot of other um dignitaries locally and a lot of community uh to open this life center. I'm super excited about it. Um being in East 18th and the support that our res our most vulnerable residents are going to be able to get in the services um is near them and close to them is super important. forcing people in marginalized communities and as was stated by our housing element is that most of the individuals who live in district 1 and parts of district 2 are segregated from resources. There are no resources near them that is accessible. And so I'm excited about the Genesis um family life center and what we can do as a city to continue to support that work as well as our county partners. I also had the opportunity to join um Assembly Member Anna Maria Aalia Feras

um Friday um at the rally and walk out that our young people had um in protest against um ICE enforcement and separating families. And it was amazing to see young people stand up and use their voice and participate in democracy and disrupt the status quo. I want to thank um the young people for organizing for using their voice. School staff and volunteers were there making sure they were keeping the young people safe. Um strategic threat management, I saw them in the streets, which is security, armed security that's funded by the school district to be on school sites to help deter violence. Um as well as I saw a lot of APD in the community as well, all across the city. um just making sure that young people were safe and assuring the organizers which were young people that they were near not there um to harm them. They were only there to make them safe. So Chief Vhill, thank you. Um just for the way they showed up in that moment. Um it didn't scare young people and it didn't feel like enforcement. And so that was amazing to experience. And then I had the opportunity to have meetings with um department heads. I normally ask for it every year. Last year was past couple years have been a little challenging, but I want to thank city manager Scott um for setting those meetings up. And so I had an opportunity to meet with um David Store. I don't know if So I had an opportunity to meet with David Store. um was one of my first meetings and we talked about how encouraging it was to hear that downtown um downtown Antioch has doubled in sales due to increased crosscurren collaboration which was amazing to hear

how everybody downtown is working together. Um and that is doubling our sales. So thank you to everybody. You have a slide so the at the back could Yeah. Oh okay.

Okay. That's all the beautiful faces from city staff who met with me. Thank you all. And um the next slide. And so we also discussed um the great potential of our waterfront, how to preserve historical value, and how to push for smart development. And a lot of great ideas came out of that meeting. I was excited to talk to Mayor Pro Tim Freighus about some of those ideas. and he is I think me and him are super excited about continuing to work on some of these projects down downtown together. Public works and recreation staff um are hard at work improving senior programs, working on collaboration with community partners and thoughtfully improving recreation facilities. That was um amazing meeting. I can't wait to see all of the upgrades and improvements at the Nick Rodriguez Center. PD has been working hard on recruitment and improving traffic enforcement. It was also encouraging to hear that female officers and cso recruitment has um improved from six in six individuals in 2020 to um 20 individuals as of today who identify as female. So was really excited about that. Um the information and systems department, Brad Huffenberger was amazing, is working on improving connectivity and communications across all departments. And this department is also working on bringing the city into compliance um with SB77. So Zoom is coming back to the city of Antioch. I'm so excited about that. And my last meeting was with human resources. and human resources has been working hard to make sure staff evaluations are up to date, closing a seven-year gap during which no evaluations took place across all city

departments. And the department has been streamlining onboarding processes for new staff, staff training, risk management, documents, and data and tracking systems. My upcoming meetings will be with the department of public safety, community and economic development, public works, the city manager's office, the city attorney's office, and I forgot to include the finance department. And lastly, I just want to thank city manager Scott Davis Door, Chief Vehill, is Director Brad Huffenberger, HI HR Director Anna Cortez, Parks and Recreation Director Shahad Wright, and Nicole Baptiste, assistant to the city manager's office. Nicole is amazing. I know she do a lot of hard work for all of us up here and she made my stay um in the city manager's conference room very comfortable and welcoming. So, thank you so much.

All right. Thank you, Council Member Wilson. Actually, um I don't have anything to report out, but I just want to say thank you to my fellow C council members, um city staff, uh Delta Diablo, Tri Delta Transit, although I'm a former board member, uh but I want to thank them as well as being very kind and reaching out to me during this difficult time of losing my mom. So, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart u for reaching out. Thank you, mayor, for offering to cook some food. Um, but I just want to say thank you. Um, that really meant a lot to me. So, that's my report.

All right, Mayor Prom.

All right. I have a I have a couple items. So, um, back on January 28th to 30th, I was at the US Conference of Mayors back in Washington DC. Uh it was um about 300 mayors from around the country gathered together. Uh talked about a lot of different things. Um immigration was a big subject. AI was another big subject. Uh FIFA president Giani Infantino was there with the World Cup trophy and actually committed to giving 200 soccer balls to all of the member cities. So we'll be receiving 200 soccer balls from um from FIFA and uh and these will be uh World Cup soccer balls. So that'll be kind of cool. Um I and while I was the back there, I was also able to visit congressional offices of uh Danier's office, Harter's office, Garmendy's office. Um had a meeting with some other mayors and senators ship and Padilla talking about um things that are going on in DC and then also with the Department of Transportation. Some of the things that we talked about with with the electeds back there with the the congressional folks was real-time crime centers. Um LED LED lighting project to get some funding to finish up the rest of our lighting here in the city of Antioch. That's going to get getting started in district 1. Um arterial road improvements. I mentioned a street as being uh a project that would be really good as far as the DOT. And then also um uh port related projects. They're looking for some sites to do that. And since we have deep water, always want to keep us in the in the talk about that. Also with the DOT made some connections with the um the Federal Rail Authority so that we can talk about um recommissioning our Amtrak station. So um it was very it was very cold um but it was very it was a profitable time. So it was it was hustling around catching delayed flights. also uh attended um a neighborhood watch at the Antioch

Community Park with um our police department and and council member Roachcha came out. It was out in his district and so that was um well attended, had good information. Um at the Contracasta County Mayor's conference last week, the Contraosta Food Bank made a presentation. I was able to kind of segue into that with what's happening in Annoch, talking about loaves and fishes being um being a um a countywide um support to people that are in need, tripling the size of their kitchen, uh providing um training opportunities for people that um want to learn to cook, things like that. So, that was that was uh well received. Also, as um Council Member Torres Walker said, the Genesis Family Life Center, Ribbon Coney was really really positive. super exciting to have the old COC building from Golden Hills, uh, you know, resurrected and, uh, going to be serving a lot of folks and they just did amazing job inside of there. So, if you're ever out there, check it out. Um, we also had a Delta 6 meeting uh, yesterday. U, mayor or mayor um, city manager Scott and I did. We talked about um, uh, regional support for federal advocacy. Townsen spoke to the whole group because they represent a couple of us about expanding that footprint and representing us uh more regionally. Um an effort for tourism um and improvement district so we can try to market this region for tourism um more so around sports fields that are being built the upupic the different opportunities. Um, we also talked about the board workshop that's coming up this Thursday. U putting together a regional letter of support because BART is um planning on uh planning on discussing at the meeting on the 12th in Oakland phase one uh which is closing their 10 lowest performing stations uh which would include the um the Pittsburgh um the Pittsburgh station, the downtown station

that they just built and the North Conquer station. And then phase two, that would go into effect July of uh 27. Phase two would go in uh June of 27, that would include closing down the um Antioch Amtrak station as well as the Pittsburgh Baypoint station. Um that those are all if uh Prop 63 does not pass in November. So that's a half cent sales tax. very important um measure that's going to raise about a billion dollars and would fund BART, keep all of our transit agencies. Tri Delta's in the mix in all of this as well affecting us locally. So, um it's a big it's a big deal. But out of our out of the 50 BART stations, um Antioch is 36th out of the 50, has 1810 exits coming out of us um on a on a normal weekday on average weekday in 2025. So, um we have um some advoc advocacy from our board member here and uh we'll be working on that. And then also there's a BART board meeting on um uh February the 26th when they're going to be taking action on this uh study session they're having. As far as mayor's comments, I'm going to keep this short because the meeting is getting late, but there's a there's um been a lot of things happening in Antioch recently. Uh we we've I just mentioned the BART proposal to to potentially shut down our Antioch BART station in 2027 if Prop 63 doesn't pass. Uh the county actually met here in these council chambers and did a workshop uh a week and a half or so ago and they're talking about um a 625% sales tax measure that they want to potentially put on the 26 ballot that would um pay for some of the loss of revenue coming from the federal government through through H1 legislation. We have raies closing down. We have uh you know a a lot of things going up. up. We have an economic plan that's going to be coming to us along with the code enforcement plan which is really important. And so I

would just um say all that to say that uh we need to stay focused in the year ahead and make sure that we um don't get distracted because there's a lot of different things tugging after sales tax. you know, we're at 9 and 3/4% and you know, if there's a half cent for 63, if there's 625%, you know, we're up over 11% sales tax. And I think um folks are pretty taxed out right now. And so I just say all that to say that um as a council, we just need to work together and uh really try to make sure in spite of issues that are very important like immigration and everything else that we're we're making sure our own house is in order. So just would like to um leave you all with that. Um

um with that be that concluding that item uh do we have any public comments on that? Mr. Mcker Mr. tracker.

I'm going to skip over it. Yeah, we'll do we'll do it next time.

Thank you. So, that was a lot to report out. Just a uh question. I'm wondering is this a um agenda item because it doesn't carry an agenda item number and so the I when I looked through the agenda I couldn't find the presentation that was just put out. Um so wondering if that was made available 72 hours prior to the council uh meeting tonight to the public because it would be good for us to review. I do support it. But I think it's phenomenal and going forward I think it's a great way to bring um a visual depiction of those communications and what's happening. Um but there is a process right and so I just worry that as we move towards something new how are we forgetting a process that has existed for many many years. Um, and on that note, when you go through the new city's website for the agenda, it's broken down item by item by item. I can't download a whole staff report. So, I can't figure that out. Maybe the IT department can make it available in that format as well as the whole um agenda. And to some of the points that the mayor made, um, while I appreciate you out there advocating at a federal level, you know, I I'm a bit confused because we took many meetings before you were elected and after where we talked about exactly what you just talked about here tonight, regional sports facilities, tourism, bringing in economic growth. I brought you out to a property, you sat down with stakeholders and committed to those conversations and then disappeared. Those conversations have not continued. I am getting emails bi-weekly from Eastern

Sports Management Company who manages the big dream the big dreams facility out in Mantika saying what happened. We were talking about what an RFP process for a feasibility study could look like out there at the old Babe Ruth facilities. And then tonight we're hearing, well, maybe we'll look at the Wilbur Fields and do something over there. This is the chaos that we're talking about. You start one conversation where stakeholders come to the table and then you disappear and we reach out to you for months and we get no response. So what do I tell these stakeholders? They're no longer interested. They were curious. The opportunity maybe is there, but when they decide it should present, we'll pick it up again. I'm genuinely curious because here you say this is what we're doing. I bring the opportunities and you don't respond for the conversation. So I'd like a little clarity there. Thank you.

Any other public comment on this? No further public comments.

All right, moving on uh to item number eight. Again, we have the Sanwaqen Joint Powers Authority Antioch Pittsburgh GoldRunner Station Improvements Project update. Thank you so much, mayor and city council. I'm gonna ask our He's already on the way, our deputy director. Very fast. Um, and we have a presentation. It's in your binder. Um, so we're just going to give you some updates on the Antioch Pittsburgh GoldRunner station improvements. The name has changed. I found this out also. Very new for us. We could have the presentation. Thank you. All right. So, we did have an ad hoc Antioch train station working group with a goal of bringing together cross agency staff to conduct a comprehensive review of opportunities and issues at the Antioch Pittsburgh Sanwaqen Amtrak station now known as the Antioch Pittsburgh Goldrunner Station to inform improvements and safety at the station. That's the next slide. Um so we had our attendees from our county supervisors. Um the mayor was there, council member Torres Walker, our deputy director for public works as well as our director of public works. Um community members such as Devin Williams from APOG as a community member, Eddie Gums, our police chief, and uh the chief from the Amtrak Police Department as well. We had five dates um that we met. February of 2025, April in person at the station in July and November and then a couple weeks ago in person at the station to see the full sort of improvements um of the station. So the project overview. So then total project uh cost that was allocated in the last budget year was $370,3. To date, we spent about 250,000 of that. And the purpose of those improvements was to increase lighting, visibility for

passengers, um access and connectivity for residents, visitors, and workers, and to beautify the station and surrounding areas and support the city's long-term downtown revitalization goals. I think there was some conversation around why would we do the um Antioch station improvements um if whether or not we know if the station would be fully decommissioned or if we would have the possibility of recommissioning the station. and we decided that downtown beautifification doesn't hurt us at all. Um, we have to drive in to Monica's and the Porup and we have Smashburger and we just like nice views. We have our own facilities including the Lynn House across the street. Um, there's a safety element and beautifification in general lifts up the entire um, economic development possibilities of downtown. So, we believe that it was a good investment. Um, all right. So, the project status overview and I'm going to let our deputy director go through this um completed work and scheduled work.

So, to date, we've completed the new concrete pathways which are ADA accessible. We completed the uh landscape improvements with a new irrigation system and and uh some drought tolerant plants as well. We installed a 4ft high fence to delineate a pay paid fair zone area. We also uh improved uh some lighting in that area. We installed three new street lights uh in that area. And we're also working with the BNSF right now to get a a permit to access the platform to install 10 additional light fixtures which will be double uh heads on the existing single light fixtures. And we also uh just received our two shelter plat uh our shelters that we will also be installing there which will um be able to accommodate eight passengers. Um and that work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.

All right. And so for the policy context, we just want to make sure that you all know that there's an environmental justice element. Um it identifies the Goldrunner station as a key regional connection um from Oakland in the west, Sacramento to the north, and Stockton to the east. Um as well as this collaboration that we have between local, regional, and state transit agencies, and that this area is home to a high percentage of vulnerable populations and residents that live below the poverty line. So the improvements also directly support equitable transit action or access for our community to get out um to jobs, schools, and other areas for opportunities. And then the policy context is that we are including that area in our downtown specific plan. It's recognized as a vital anchor to the multim modal transportation system um in our efforts to expand walkability, biking and transit use and to reduce car dependency for local circulation and to strengthen economic activity and visitor access. So the investment matters to enhance mobility choices and reinforce our commitment to downtown improvements in that corridor in terms of the waterfront area. and it's actually in our it's goal number five in our um downtown specific plan. So um improvements to in community safety included um our police chief really helping out here. So enhanced security presence. So increased patrols with spearhead security which uh council member Roachcha mentioned earlier in terms of parking lot and coming during scheduled train arrival and departure times supplemented by patrols with APD to ensure high visibility coverage. And then that means coordinated communication between both um entities for faster response times. Um and as our direct deputy director mentioned, we expanded lighting and visibility um with the three new light poles and then light fixtures that are coming in as well as removal of overground vegetation to

eliminate blind spots and improve sight lines. Also, we put a toff the fence. We put a 4ft fence to delineate the paid fair zone only. All right. Um, so the economic development benefits um are here. It's walkable, mixed use, and commercial districts. Um, enhancing the regional rail connectivity and expanding job access to and from Antioch. And then helping our downtown businesses. Um, so the next slides are just our before construction um, which is doesn't really actually show how bad it was, but during construction and then after construction. Really beautiful. So really appreciate our deputy director and his crews for doing this so quickly. That's it.

All right. Thank you for that presentation. Uh do we have any comments from city council or questions? No, I can I can just say having been part of the process and and uh you didn't mention that the um the Sanwaqin Rail Authority folks mentioned that this was the best project they had seen done yet of revitalizing a train station. It was even nicer than the Livermore station which they had held up as their gold standard. So I guess we're the platinum standard now. But they were really happy with the work that was done. So thank thank you all because it went quickly. It looks really really good. It's lit up really well. There's going to be some new signage out there. So, overall, it's just a huge amenity for that for that area. So, thank you to staff for all the all the work you all did to do it quickly.

It's great great project.

It was great being a part of the process. I was encouraged even more that community voice was brought into the process. So, um thank you for that. And also just want to give a shout out to uh Supervisor Diane Bergus for also being a part of the process and being willing to work with the city of Antioch to have comfort, you know, just like more conversation around how this space could remain a transit hub uh for the city of Antioch even if the station doesn't stay open. So I think like the fight is for the station to stay open. The fight from the community was to not drop our stop to keep the Elm Track going and anything short of success in that area would be disappointing to the community. But I think it would also be valuable to start having conversations with the community now about the the real potential that the stop will be dropped, but then we'll keep fighting for that not to happen. And then what are the alternatives to make sure that public transit is still a priority in that area and for residents who travel regionally to and from Antioch? Uh, any public comment on this? Yes, Mr. Becker. Thank you. So I I have a lot of thoughts because this is something that I've been passionate about from the beginning and to be honest a little frustrated to hear

that all these conversations are happening with community members and uh I was never invited to be a part of that conversation being a stakeholder in that conversation early on with the organization that started working with the city. It's a little frustrating because I was also the only community member aside from our mayor who showed up to that Sanwaqen Rail Authority meeting to speak when the stop was decommissioned. And you know, it was made very clear why the stop was being decommissioned. It's a trackage agreement. They talked about public safety, but it's a trackage agreement between BNSF and the operator, which gets very convoluted because there's Sanwaqin Rail Authority, there's Sanwaqin Rail Commission, right? There's Calrans who operates the equipment uh and owns the equipment, and then there's Amtrak who manages the program, right? So, it gets very convoluted and complicated. But what was missing here tonight, respectfully, was any real update or information on Amtrak. You literally didn't talk about whether the stop will continue to be open or not. What is going on in that conversation? This is a public hearing or this is a public meeting. Those are public agencies. Why are you keeping it behind closed doors? Why can we as a public not know what those conversations that you were having are? Why can we not hear the direct words of this is what's gonna happen. This is what could possibly happen. All we've been hearing for years is we're continuing to have conversations. I want to know because what I have access to as a public member is the Goldrunner business plan from Sanwaqin Rail Authority which doesn't talk anything at all about Antioch but specifically calls out Oakley's TOD development. Talks about the six new stations that are planned. one of the stations being a relocation for a station down in Merrced. So, I have been

saying for years, why can't we relocate that stop so we meet that sixmile distance? I found a location. I found funding. I wanted to be a part of the conversation. You refused to let me be a part of the conversation, but you bring these presentations that show nothing. But you talk about how we could still potentially lose the stop in Antioch. Did we talk about how the goldrunner is increasing its route frequencies? They are going to bring more trains into the program while we potentially lose. Did we talk about how in the business plan that goldrunner is supposed to connect to the highspeed rail system where we lose additional regional opportunities? Mostly did we talk about how downtown specific plan I got to be quick calls out an intermodal transportation system while tridela transit's plan system talks about removing the mobility hub from sixth street in that DOWNTOWN SPECIFIC PLAN OUTSIDE OF IT TO EAST 18TH STREET CONTRADICTORY TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID love to continue this conversation please call me

we have any other public comment no further public comments all right thank you very much for that presentation. Uh, moving on to the consent calendar, item number nine. Are there any items to be pulled from the consent calendar? Yes, the public would like to pull item F. All right. And I would like to pull item G. So, do I have a a motion to approve the consent calendar except for items F and G? So moved. Have a motion from Council Member Roachcha. Second.

Second from Council Member Wilson. Please cast your votes. All right. Um, motion passes 5-0. Item F, new class specification assigning salary range assigning the classification to the operating engineers local number three bargaining unit.

Yes. Thanks so much. I can just talk about this real quick. The item recommends approving two new classifications, environmental resources specialist and environmental resources coordinator and reclassifying an existing administrative analyst position within the environmental resources division. A review found that the work being performed has become more specialized and is focused on environmental programs, regulatory compliance, sustainability initiatives, and technical coordination which are not fully reflected in the administrative analyst series. The proposed changes are administrative in nature, will maintain internal equity and will be funded within the existing budget with no additional fiscal impact. The city has met and conferred with the applicable bargaining unit and approval of this item will result in two environmental resource specialists and one environmental resources coordinator in the division. Uh the rewrites include best and emerging practices regarding the work that's currently being done, needed, and mandated legally under this service area that hasn't actually been concentrated. Um so we do have certain grants that we are looking at as well as state standards. Um we're trying to streamline this area since it's already been specialized over the last few years. So right sizing some of the um positions to reflect the current um workload um and and task management under under the titles correct titling.

All right. Thank you. Uh do we have any public comment on this? Yes. Can we have Julie?

Good evening, mayor, council members. While I am while I am happy that this is moving forward in general and I understand the importance of these positions as I did them for 25 years the and the need to continue this work. Rushing these new classifications through as is not the way to get qualified dedicated professionals to apply. It has taken 26 years to update the environmental resources coordinator specifications. I encourage you not to approve these tonight and to take the time to get them done right. The draft job specifications serve in his example of the lack of understanding of the positions and rather a desire of public works to pawn operations related to duties off on these positions. They were submitted to HR with no input or discussion from the person who has been doing them. And when I fought to get it, I gave my comments and much of them are what I'm still telling you today. It seems as though this is mentioning a third position or a third FTE, which I believe is really the admin analyst that's currently in NPDS, which is in the engineering division of public works, not in environmental resources. So, you're looking at one environmental resource coordinator and two specialists. Um, however, the proposed job specs do not accurately capture the work that we do. As I mentioned just a minute ago, it is very much a word s or it is very much looks like it's a lot of operational stuff. There looks like if you look specifically at the solid waste section, uh you will see a lot of word salad in my opinion where some things just go on. Let's just list everything that could possibly happen in a day is what it

sounds like when you read it. Oops, lost it. Sorry. Additionally, there are things in there that don't need to be included in your job specifications. Very specific things like the shred event that Tri Delta Transit hosts that we partner with them on, that doesn't need its own task in the specifications, that might not happen. It's not something that needs to be in a permanent job specification. Additionally, the way that this is looks like it's structured, I don't know how somebody would be able to pull off the environmental resource coordinator position with two people with AAS working underneath them potentially on storm water and solid waste. There's no way that they could keep all of that material together. It was hard enough to do it without moving NPDS completely into the division. And then also the environmental resources coordinator is being shown as exempt with admin leave. The admin leave is only 40 hours. Um I historically get around 60 hours of comp time. And so this is just really disturbing and I hope that you look at it and take a real good look at what you want these positions to be working on. Thank you.

Any other public comment? No other public comments. All right. Any questions or comments from council? None. All right. Do we have a motion to approve the um new classifications assigning the salary range um OE3 uh bargaining unit?

I'll make a motion to move a motion by council Roachcha. Second. Second by council member Torres Walker. Please cast your votes.

Motion passes. Someone did not vote. There is one abstain. We have three yes. One abstain. Okay. Okay. Revoting. Motion passes three to zero with two abstaining.

All right. Thank you. Uh who are the who are the folks that abstained on that? The abstains are uh council uh council member can't see the yellow Wilson and um Mayor Bernol. No obstain. Please show that screen again. See, it doesn't show on this one. Who was the second abstin? You were one of them. Okay. Council member Wilson abstained and

and council member Torres Walker abstained. Okay. Thank you. Uh moving on to consent calendar item number G. Um yes. Thank you so much, mayor and city council. The city is replacing its outdated video surveillance system with a modern Verata platform that provides higher resolution cameras, cloud-based storage, and improved reliability. This upgrade enhances public safety by delivering faster access to critical vehicle video evidence, sorry, stronger cyber security, and the flexibility to expand as future needs arise. Was there a question or did you want the presentation?

Um, I had a couple questions, so I don't need the full presentation. So, the first question is, uh, the contract is $184,000 paid in, um, Hey, Lieutenant Whitaker. The the the, um, contract is $184,000 paid in year one. Uh, what happens and it's a five-year contract. What happens if the company goes out of business, if we don't like them in year three, say?

So, uh, the the company's been around for 10 years. It's a 5.8 billion company that's going public this year. um just had investments over hund00 million dollars from Google. So the likelihood of it going out of business is pretty low, but it could happen. Um after year one, we do have 30 days to uh to void the contract at the start. And then if we did void the contract um after the 30 days, we would still own the $91,000 of equipment, but we would not have uh any of the the rest of the funds back.

Okay. Thank you. And then in the staff report, it mentions that that we we currently have 66 cameras. We're going to be replacing 51 of those and then putting 15 new cameras in. Um so a total of 66 cameras. Can you explain how that works?

Yes, sir. So we have 66 current cameras. Um we'll be replacing 51 of those. And what that means is the intersections that have um cameras, a lot of those are six to eight cameras per intersection. Because of the newer technology, everything from the width to the the visibility of them, we can go down to five per intersection. Um and then that allows us to cover three more intersections. And then also having uh uh one like at 8th Street and the Court of Eth Street at K where the old uh county building used to be. That's obsolete. it doesn't work anyway. So, we're we're not going to replace that one.

Okay, perfect. And then my last question is on on the proposal, it has a professional services $33,000 um you know, it has the equipment and then it has the tax and professional what's the professional services for? So, that is for uh DJI to do the installation and they also put a $1,000 contingency in there as well. Okay. So, that that's complete and this is a complete in place. 84,000. They replace all take down all the old ones, get rid of them, put up all the new ones. Correct. And there's no um there's no uh financial impact because this money is used from the last fiscal year. And and then does and I think it said it in here, but this all interconnects with this new Axon system that we approved recently.

Correct. So they already have a standing API. I've seen it in person myself, but um it is cloud-based, which is one of the problems of I presented in a prior council meeting having three systems. This is cloud-based. Any city employee can have access to it. We can control securities per user as well as um the full interoperability of using it with Axon. Um Fus is uh something we purchased in our contract with Axon which is a um basically like a a real-time crime center. Um we don't have that up and running, but that will um seamlessly integrate into that um those cameras as well as any expansion the city does after that as well as if any of those videos are used for evidentiary purposes, it's a seamless uh transition from their system into the axon uh evidence.com.

Okay, perfect. Thank you. That that's all the questions I had. Um any public comment on this one? No public comments. All right. So, um, I get a motion on this item. I'll move to approve. Motion from Council Member Roachcha. Second.

Second from Mayor Prom Freighus. Please cast your votes. Motion passes 5-0. All right. Thank you, Lieutenant Whitaker. Uh now moving on to uh public hearing. Item number 10, introduction of an ordinance to adopt by reference the 2025 edition of the California Standards Code and Fire Code without local amendments. Uh uh by let me finish by amending spec specified chapters of title 8 of the Antioch Municipal Code. Um yes uh Mr. Store.

Good evening. I have a 45minute PowerPoint. If we can just set that up. You didn't fall for it, did you? Okay. Every three years trially, we we in the state of California basically have updated codes, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, building, and they come a matter of law every three years. They became effective January the 1st of this year. We're making no local amendments, so they're already in place. The ordinance before you tonight is just simply making sure that the new year is put into our municipal code. That's all. So happy to answer any questions should you have them. Mr. Mayor, council members. Thank you.

All right. Any questions from council? All right. Um this is a public hearing. So I'm going to open it. Uh do we have anybody who would like to speak in opposition to this ordinance? No, sir. See nobody. Is there anybody that like to make public comment? No public comments. All right, I'll close public hearing before the council for move approval. We have a motion from second. We have a motion from Mayor Prom Freighus, second from council member Torres Walker. Please cast your votes. Motion passes 5-0.

All right, I think that was a fast public hearing. On to uh regular agenda. Um, number 11, fiscal year 2526, budget amendment in the amount of $4 million for CALR funding for trash capture devices. Yes. Uh, Director Bunting is coming up to explain.

Good evening, mayor, city council. Um, very excited to be pre presenting this to you. It's an excellent opportunity for the city in my opinion. Um, so basically approval of this resolution will authorize the city manager to apply for, accept, and appropriate CALR funding for two large full trash capture devices and enter into a CALR cooperative implementation agreement to implement the full trash capture device project. The project will actually install two trash capture devices. They'll be installed in two separate locations. One will be located at the intersection of K Cavalo Road and 13th Street and the other will be located near the intersection of Wilbur Avenue and Almond Street. Trap the trash capture devices will be connected to the storm drain system to collect trash before it reaches the Sanwalkin River. These two locations were chosen for their high trash capture benefit and the area's shared interest between both the city and Calrans. So installation of these two trash capture devices will advance the city's trash trash control compliance obligation. The two trash capture devices will control trash and other pollutants from storm water runoff from approximately 549 acres of urban land within the city of Antioch which includes 31 acres of CALR jurisdiction. The project will also provide CALR with alternative compliance credits under their statewide storm water permit. A little bit of background on this. So the city is regulated under the municipal regional storm water permit which requires eastbay cities to reduce trash capture discharge into their storm drain system by 100% by December 31st of 2025. Uh the city has already sent a letter of non-compliance on December 27th to inform the state that the city is unable to meet the 100% trash control final compliance date. A trash capture load

reduction plan was included in the letter sent to the state which outlined the pro proposed measures to meet the regulatory compliance mandate. This plan will largely be accomplished through the implementation of these large trash capture devices. Once installed, the trash capture device will the trash capture devices will capture trash from specific areas of Antioch. Once constructed, as long as the devices are properly maintained and operational, the city will continue to receive credit towards their permit compliance. To fund the proposed project, the city will provide upfront funding. The cost for both trash capture devices will be fully reimbursed by Calrans. Funding from Calrans will fully cover the cost of design installation of these two trash capture devices. The implementation of this cooperative project will help the city to cost effectively meet regulatory requirements. I'd be happy to answer any questions regarding this.

All right. Any questions? I do. So, we're out of compliance. Have we talked to the regional aquil control board? Yes, sir. And uh we presented a plan of what we plan to do. Uh they're still in talks. Right now, we're trying to move forward working with couchs on this opportunity. Um we'll continue to do the best we can and work with the state as much we can. This wasn't a surprise, right?

No. I mean, this was coming, but it's rather difficult to get the compliance that we're talking about. We've utilized small trash capture devices within our catch basins to do some of this. Um, but they haven't really proven to be as effective and then to capture the large amount of trash that we need to. Um, and this is just an opportunity, one price-wise, good opportunity with Calrans to to be funding this $4 million investment in these devices, which has been the main sticking point for us utilizing these large devices. Is there any other non-compliance of our MPDS permit in terms of what we're talking about in this trash capture? This is just generally speaking

in general. This is the only one that I'm aware of.

Okay. So, this is an issue that I've raised before. In the second paragraph, it talks about the fiscal impact and the fact the annual operation and maintenance costs will start up at approximately $10,000 in fiscal year 2930 to pay from the MPDS funds which includes equipment labor costs to maintain the two large trash devices. This MPDS fee has not been changed has not been uh reviewed or upgraded for like 20 25 years. And so again, we're going to take the MPDS funds going to take a hit and it's not staying current with the costs and demands and the MPDS uh permit itself. They become more and more stringent as we carry on. So it's a comment and again underscore that we're losing revenue that should have been in place decades ago. Number one. Number two, did San Fran did did something change? Did we suddenly get under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco regional water quality control board?

Uh, no. Nothing has changed in terms of jurisdictions, but we do lie on the border between two jurisdictions. How we're able to work with this. We were approached by CALR. This is something that Calrans is, but our permit is from the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board. As I read the whole document, it o only refers to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Yeah, we're we're members of the San Francisco Regional Water Board now. Now, when did that change? Come up to the I I I really would like to know since I created the program and ran it for almost 20 years.

Yeah. The way I understand it is as far as when MRP 3.0 0 uh got implemented in 2024 um maybe 2024 um that's when Antioch Oakley and Brentwood were included. All of Contraosta County is now part of of regional quality quality control board in San Francisco San Francisco regional quality control. We are still under compliance as far as wastewater uh sewage from region five which is central valley. this permit. San Francisco. San Francisco. Yes. Because we're right on the We as a city did not have any issue with that.

Um, that was before my time, so I do not know. Wow. Okay. I won't ask anything else. Thank you. Any other questions from council? Uh uh what percent um compliance will we will we have once these two trash capture devices since we're supposed to be 100% by the end of last year. How close will we be when these are installed? So when these get installed we'll be close to 50%. Do we have a cost estimate of what it will cost to be to become 100% compliant?

I don't have that. We can generate something. A lot of it depends on where we can locate facilities, if they're large facilities or smaller. Um, we do have about 120 or so of the smaller trash capture devices within the catch basins. If these are involved, about half of those will be able to be relocated. So, as those relocate, it'll expand the amount of area that we're able to cover.

Yeah, I think maybe when we bring back the the the fee for approval, maybe we can get a um a report on just where we are with the program. Um, generally speaking, because at 50% with the fact we're out of compliance, you know, I guess we also need to know the consequences of not coming into compliance within a certain period of time, whatever that looks like. And I know we're probably talking millions and millions of dollars to to come into compliance. So, and and that would without money in our NPDS fund to come out of our general fund if we had to fund it. So, it's not a not a good place to be. Do you know if any if there's any agency in Contraost County that's in compliance by any chance? I believe there are some cities. Yes.

Okay. Okay. All right. That's all the questions I have. Um do we do we have any public comment on this item? No public comments. All right. Seeing none, do we have a motion? So moved. A motion from Council Member Torres Walker. Second. Second from Council Member Wilson. Please cast your votes. push that button. Motion passes 5. All right.

Thank you. Thank you for that item and thank you that we have uh CALR funding this uh this this project. Uh public comments.

Yes. Can we have Jim Thank you once again. Um I amum talking about the gentleman that came up that owns the restaurant um and his concerns about the vendors that sell in parking lots and on the street and that type of thing. Um, I happen to be in a business where I get requests to ensure those types of business on a regular basis. None of them qualify. Most of them don't have proper use permits. They don't have proper county health permits. They don't meet the qualifications for refrigerating their food properly in most cases. And most of them don't have insurance because they can't get insurance. real concern is we talk about revenue and everything that's going on. If I go into his pizza parlor and buy a pizza, I pay 9 and a half% sales tax, I believe, or whatever it is currently, whatever it is. Okay. Um, I did a quote for a gentleman. Well, I didn't get a I got an electronic request for a quote from a gentleman that owns a outdoor food vending place here in town. I'm not going to throw him under the bus. Um the $70,000 a year in a parking lot, over $1,000 a week. and his comment to me when I talked to him on the phone was, "It's the best tax-free income you could have."

So, I don't know how many of these vendors we have in Antioch. There's a lot of them. A lot of them. I agree with having entrepreneurial spirit and having a business, but I do not agree if they're not properly licensed, if they don't have the right permits, if they don't have health permits, they don't have liability insurance, and they don't pay taxes on their sales. That's just one vendor. I mean, come to the flea market on Saturday and you've got a street full of vendors on the east side of L Street every week. Every week they put cones down, they block off traffic, they put on they sell in the sidewalk. Um, again, none of them have permits, none of them have insurance, and none of them pay sales tax on what they sell. So I have other folks insured that have restaurants and I hear the complaint all the time about the street vendors taking business away from them and not paying what they have to pay to operate their business in a brick and mortar. So hopefully get some information and I know you can't answer any questions here but um it'd be interesting to know what's done about it if anything. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Mr. Becker. Thank you on interesting comments tonight. So, I I wanted to uh once again kind of come with some questions looking for a little clarity. Uh I had a conversation a couple of weeks ago with the publisher with the Antioch Herald who had reached out to me regarding the commercial infill housing overlay here in the city of Antioch. and he expressed to me that he was not really tracking it, but had reached out to all of the council members as well as the mayor to get their perspective on that CI overlay, whether they supported it, whether they supported additional developments on additional properties within that overlay. I was told that the two respondents were the mayor and council member Roachcha to who he was told that you did not support the CI overlay and that you strongly did not support any additional developments within those overlay properties. So, I'm here looking for a little bit of clarity because once again with all council members, frankly, um I've reached out, had meetings with multiple council members and a property owner that owns the CVS and the 99 cent store that are two properties that are currently under that overlay. Mr. Mayor, you had lunch with that same property owner where he spoke about a potential development opportunity under

that overlay and the opportunities through that overlay for that development to which you so strongly supported it that he then went and invested a million dollars of his own money into the property next door to be able to expand all that opportunity to where he engaged with you, Council Member Roachcha, about opportunities through that overlay in the housing developments and once again was emphatically supported. So when I reached out to said property owner about that conversation that was supposedly had with the Antioch Herald, he was incredibly concerned that there might be a process or a direction that the city is looking to go in removing that overlay or removing his opportunities for development on his site. which is frustrating because as we know five other sites have already I think it's five have already been approved with projects that nobody came to you reached out to you and said this is what we want to do. This is the only property owner who also is the only one that lives locally here that purchased property and is a local business owner that wants to develop. So that's why I've been reaching out to you for weeks and months in trying to speak with you and have not gotten a response. For weeks, one of you, and months another, and have not gotten a response. It would be great if we could have a conversation about that and some of the other items that I've talked about tonight. Thank you.

Any other public comment? No further public comments. All right. Thank you. Staff communications. just wanted to give a quick microphone.

Sorry. Um for the parks and recreation department um for the youth and senior services, I wanted to let you guys know that the Antioch Community Center served 173 youth during the month of January. Um for the Antioch Senior Center lunch program, they served 1,912 meals in January and over 30,000 meals served in the entirety of of 2025. um 352 participants engaged in senior citizen or senior center programs and activities throughout the month. We have 220 youth in our junior Golden State basketball league. Um for sports and for staffing and recruitment, we're in the first round interviews for the recreation manager and water park supervisor, which we're bugging some of you to sit on the panels. Um the position schedule, the interview schedule for this month, we want to thank our HR team because they are so um small but mighty. Um the water park seasonal recruitment is underway and reertification classes have begun in preparation for the upcoming season. Um parks and recreation received a generous $3,000 donation from Rossi holds hands to support youth scholarship and we wanted to thank them um from the from the staff and um and community. And then the civic enhancement grants were are being distributed currently including updated reporting requirements to ensure accountability and program transparency before um may the mayor prom rewrites the program later this year. We'll send you the word document so you can start working on it. Um special events sponsorship sec secured to date over $4,000 for scholarships. Um, and then the project updates are that the Nick Rodriguez Community Center and Senior Center remodel contracts are currently underway. Um, and the HVAC unit installation has begun. So, you'll see that when you pass if you go during the day. For Marquetti Park renovation, construction is anticipated to begin in March with completion expected in June. And for the Antioch Water Park improvements, a successful bid walk was

conducted for the deck, concrete, and pool plaster projects. Bid opening is scheduled for February 24th with council consideration anticipated in March. So, thanks to Paul and the rest of Director Bunting's team for that. That's my update. All right. Thank you very much. Do we have any council communications and future agenda items? Council member Torres Walker. Oh, Council or Mayor BTO?

I I do and it's kind of a legal question, Mr. Cole. the comments earlier from one of our citizens. You know, this whole issue about the vendors, the street vendors, it's getting terrible. On 18th and A Street, down 18th Street, they they barbecue. I don't know what the name of the grocery is it Lies. The names change so often on 18th Street. Antioch market, I think.

Antioch Market. when they're out there. I mean, you get when you're driving up, you got this whole cloud of smoke coming at you and it it there is a crosswalk there and it's it's a little difficult when you pass. And so the question really is it is food. Is it Contraasa Health Department? Is it the city of Antioch? Who is responsible? I or you can come back. I mean, okay. I mean, I was just I was just going to add when I was out of control.

When I was principally Anak high school, whenever we had any type of vendors come in with the trucks or anything else uh that was going to be um sold or given to the public that they had to go through the county and and they had to go through a process to make sure that the meat was processed in the right way, they get a permit. it's signed off, they have to show it. Um, so I know that there's a process with the county because I know that there were people who own private businesses that would want to participate and we would say without a permit, you're you're not welcome here. So, I'm not really sure which um which RVs or food trucks have permits and which ones don't. I don't know how that's managed.

Yeah, I I it's just getting awful, you know, and you know, again, we're losing revenue and so but for me it's also a health issue and who is responsible and who is liable is really the question because a lot of the vendors are on our sidewalks and the other part of that question you know the the property on L Street that really is the 23rd district agricultural association the state of California so what jurisdiction do we have with regards to to that property, both the sidewalks, some of that sidewalk is not a city sidewalk, it's the state's sidewalk. So these questions, it's a question of liability, public health, lost revenue, on and on and on. You know, senior citizens, people with ADA issues can't get past them. So, and it it it's not getting smaller, it's getting larger. And I I really want to, you know, study this and find out what we are doing particularly with the issue of enforcement.

Thank you.

Yeah, I I know when the county fairgrounds is being used, there are a lot of vendors out there and the county fairgrounds are it's a it's state property. So, it would be good, you know, to know what what we have the legal right to do and when we're overreaching our municipal authority. I also want to say the reason why it's so distracting when you drive down um East 18th Street and pass up the Antioch Food Center is because the chicken smells great. So, it isn't the smoke that's distracting you. It's this curiosity that the chicken smells so good. And so many people have said that it's some of the best chicken they've had. And also um they are not serving um on the sidewalk. They're serving in the parking lot, which is private property and not city property. So, it might be good to talk to the store owner and see, you know, if it feels like they have an agreement there. Um, and and please do stop by and get some chicken because it is really good. Um, and I think there was a conversation I feel like a couple years ago about food vendors. Councilwoman Wilson might have a a lot more to say about that because I believe there were some conversations back then. um when I first came on council about food vendors and not trying to criminalize them and trying to figure out like how to work with them, but make sure it's within regulation. Um the ice cream truck does not come up down my street, but the corn guy does and the corn is delicious. So just, you know, we we might, you know, want to Yes. look into this and

think about that. But yes, go get you some chicken. Antioch Fool Center, East 18th Street. All right. Any other um council council members? No. Seeing none, could I have a motion to adjurnn, please? So moved. Second. Council member Torres Walker move. Um council member Roach second. Please cast your votes.

Motion passes 5. Meeting adjourned. meeting is adjourned at 11:08 p.m. Thank you.