City Council - meeting_joint

Welcome back. 5 Houston. 5 Houston.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Welcome to the city council meeting of Tuesday, 01/06/2026. Happy New Year, everybody. Before I take roll, I will go over speaker card instructions.

If you like to submit a speaker's card on any agenda item, please fill out a speaker's card before the item is called or two hours after the start of this meeting. This meeting was called at five I'm sorry, 03:34PM. The last opportunity to submit a speaker's card will be at 05:34PM or before the item is called for discussion. To submit a speaker's card, can grab a card at the front table and submit it to one of the two ladies at the front table before the item is called or before 05:34PM. If you were looking to submit an online speaker card, that time has passed as it was at it was twenty four hours before the start of this meeting. On roll are council members Brown.

Excused.

Council member Fife.

Present.

Council member Gallo is participating under the assembly bill two four four nine participation rules. So I would defer to the council president for that.

Council member Gallo, are there any adults in the room with you 18 or over?

No. No. There isn't. Thank you.

Okay. And a reminder, your your camera has to be on. Thank you.

It it is. Can can you hear me? It's on.

Okay. Thank

you, council member.

Thank you, council member Gallo. Council member Houston.

Thank you.

Present. Council

member Ramachandran. Present. Council member Unger. Present. Council member Wong. Present. And chair Jenkins.

Present.

Showing seven members present at this time. Do you have any announcements before we begin?

No announcements.

No announcements moving to item three which is modifications to the agenda and procedural items.

Any modifications? Seeing none.

Going to item four consideration of items with statutory public hearing requirements. There are none on this agenda. Moving to item five which is action on the non consent calendar starting with item 5.1. Adopt a resolution calling giving notice for the holding of a special municipal election on 06/02/2026 for the purpose of submitting to the voters a measure that would amend the city charter section two six zero one to among other things expand the eligibility for members of the police and fire retirement systems board and change the board meeting frequency from monthly to no

less than quarterly requesting consolidation of the special municipal election with the statewide direct primary election

to be held in the city of Oakland on 06/02/2026, directing the city clerk to take any and all actions necessary under law to submit these met this measure to voters at the June and making appropriate sequel findings. You do have two speakers on this item.

Council member you presented this before. How many minutes will you need? Three minutes.

Alright. This is the PFERS ballot measure which we have presented a few times. PFERS is a closed end pension fund for police and fire that has been closed for many, many years. We have fewer than 600 members in that account now. It is almost 99% funded, believe.

So the money is there, but what's happening is that because the members are elderly, we are having trouble getting them to regular meetings, right? We require monthly meetings and participation of only members of the PFERS board. Because many of them are in retirement homes and many of them, the average age is over 80, we are no longer able to get them to meetings. So we are trying to change the requirements of the meeting so that this board can continue to meet. It is fully funded, there are no issues with this board, it's working well.

So we are changing, we are asking the voters to to change a couple of things. And because this is a charter amendment, it has to go directly to the voters. Basically, we are changing the frequency with which they meet and changing the membership so that current members of the police department and fire department, or sorry, retired members of the police and fire department who are not necessarily in PFERS can be members of this board. There are no fiscal impacts to this. As I said, the fund is is fully funded.

And in fact, we had been collecting a tax from from voters over the the past several decades. Two years ago, half of that tax rolled off. In a couple of years, an additional amount of money will roll off, so the average amount is for an assessed value of a million dollar home, about $1,500 worth of taxes have rolled off, 750 a couple years ago, and another 750 upcoming in the next several years. So this is one of the rare occasions where we're actually seeing a reduction in taxes. And in closing, I just would like to take a moment to honor Chief John Speakman.

He was a firefighter for forty two years, or I'm sorry, and was a member of this board. He just passed last week. He gave many, many years of honorable service to this board, and that, you know, the fact that these members are aging sort of underlines why we need to make these changes. So that is all I have. Thank you.

Thank you. With thirty seconds remaining. Would you like to close this meeting in memory? Okay. Okay. Any questions from the council members? Council member Houston?

Yeah. I'd like to move it. I know we gotta hear the audience and I spoke to Unger this morning. It sounds good and I love it. I love it.

Got a motion from Houston.

I'll second that.

So let's I'll

second the motion.

Let's say Unger moved it and then Houston seconded it. We have two speakers.

As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order. Please state your name for the record before beginning. If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. Miss Asada Olubala and mister Hazard.

So I take issue oh, Asada Olubala. I take issue with eighties being necessarily nonfunctional people. I'll be 81 this year and I'm very functional. So I just don't think that's valid. We have a lot of people in their eighties.

I also take issue with the change for eligibility is not clear. It just says someone can be a member of the system with no qualifications whatsoever. You don't identify any qualifications so but the real issue is when 90% of your police department doesn't live in Oakland, I'm sure it's a challenge to get people once they leave the system no longer live living here to want to participate in anything in Oakland. I don't know if there is a cost involved in putting the item on the ballot. And if that is a cost, what is that cost and what is the source of funding for placing on the ballot the item.

And lastly, I think that seven members is going to remain. I'm not clear if you're going to change.

And

meeting four times a year and not every month some explanation for reducing it to just four times a year if you thought it was necessary. But I'm I'm I'm I just want to emphasize again people in their eighties are still vital and I don't know what group this is but I got a lot of energy at approaching 81.

For the record, Jean has it. Vote no on this proposed measure. 90% of the officers live outside of this city. We're going to accommodate them and then they're gonna go to San Ramon, Antioch, and wherever they they live. And also, there are other hidden agendas on this.

Just like there were hidden agendas on measure x x in '22. They put out their term limits for council members, but that was not the issue. They changed the Robert's rules. They asked for increase in salary for the city attorney and the city auditor. And even in the special election of April 15, it was a transaction of use tax, not a sales tax.

But the city voters are paying a sales tax that went in effect October 1. Do not support anything that this council puts on the agenda. They didn't go and circulate a petition, but they come up with it. They are hidden agendas. And I guarantee you, there's hidden agendas in this measure.

This council has a pattern and practice to deceive the public, mister Unger. And so it's not as glorified as they would have you to believe. 80 years of age, 90% of our officers live outside of Oakland. Why why are we paying for them to live elsewhere? It'll be different if they were here in this town. Go check the record.

Thank you, mister Hazard. We have a motion and a second. Oh, council member Houston.

Yes. I like to just state that I I don't agree with 90% of individuals that live somewhere else that that that are are working here. But we can't stipulate that. I mean, I don't know how we're able to stipulate can't stipulate that because I would like the officers and firefighters to live here in Oakland because you know I'm about Oakland first, right? Oakland first, Oakland first, Oakland first. So, but that's one thing I don't like. But we can't stipulate that. So I moved it and just keep it going.

Thank you. Celia?

Celia Warren, office of the city attorney. I am also the parliamentarian for the police and fire retirement board and I helped them draft this proposed measure to send to the council for approval to send to the voters. And I just want to reiterate and reassure everyone that board the PFERS board themselves approved these changes to the charter. They themselves are their 80s and they are looking down the road to the future to when they're approaching their 90s and needing to be at these meetings. And that it was their idea to push to be able to expand the membership of the board because they have reported that they have trouble finding members within their system to actually attend these meetings which require in person participation.

So they asked to be able to expand their membership and to reduce the frequency of the meetings from monthly to quarterly to no less than quarterly. So they can still absolutely meet monthly if they need to do so. But given the financial status of the system, it's in great shape right now. And they have, over time, de risked the system. So there's less and less for them to actually monitor and meet on a monthly basis for anyway. So this is, again, driven by the Police and Fire Retirement Board. And they are asking the council to approve this. And, again, it has to go to the voters because it's a charter amendment, unfortunately. Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no more comments. Madam Clerk?

There was a motion by council member Unger, second by council member Houston to adopt the staff recommendation. Council member council member Brown is excused. Council member Fife? Aye. Council member Gaill?

Aye. Council

member Houston?

Aye. Council

member Ramachandran? Aye. Council member Unger?

Aye.

Council member Wong. Aye. Chair Jenkins.

Aye.

Motion passes with a vote of seven ayes, one excused. Brown. I believe that was your only non consent item. Going to item six which is the consent calendar starting with item 6.1, approval of the draft minutes from the meeting of December 16. Item 6.2, a declaration of a local emergency due to the AIDS epidemic.

Item 6.3, declaration of a medical emergency due to cannabis. Item 6.4, a declaration of a local emergency due to homelessness. Item 6.5 is amendments to the ordinance number one two one eight seven which is the salary ordinance. Action on this item will result in final passage. Item 6.6 is the ordinance amending the camp the Oakland campaign reform act.

Action on this item will also results in final passage. Item 6.7 regarding the 27th Street Complete Streets construction contract award. Item 6.8 a resolution regarding a settlement for Twombly versus the city of Oakland. Item 6.9 appointments to the mayor's commission on persons with disabilities. Item 6.1 a resolution for appointments of the commission on the homelessness and item 6.11 appointments to the civil service board. Item 6.12 a resolution for that Oakland Alameda County JPA appointment and you do have speakers on this item.

Any comments from the council members? Council member Feife.

Yes. President president Jenkins, can you hear me?

Yes. We can hear you.

Noel Guiler? Yes.

We can hear you, council member.

Yes. Item 6.7, the contract, just before us, regarding 27th Street. I'd like to register a no Novo, and the reason being is that I still believe strongly that we need to keep our contractors in Oakland employed doing business. And based on the the presentation, the second the second bidder is local, and yet the contractor our local contractors, and I wanna support that we invest the money in local contractors because not only are they here doing the work, but they're also part of the Mandela training center where we train our young people, and they wind up being working for the local contractors. And so I'm gonna support that we go with the second bidder supposed to take in an outside contractor from the city of Louisville.

Council member will register your no vote on item 6.7, I believe you said that is. Yep. Okay. Council member Fife.

Thank you president Jenkins for the recognition. I wanted to discuss this item briefly because I pulled it from the last agenda and it was put on today's agenda because of the explosion that is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board for the incident that happened in Hayward. I'm not ascribing blame to Redswick for this particular incident and I I had a conversation with the city administrator's office as well as the city attorney's office and want to say that I'm okay with the city not having liability in this particular contract because of the insurance policy held by this company, but I also share in some of the concerns that are being raised about our our contracting process and how it impacts minority contractors. These two things are completely separate and not related, but I was was happy to meet with with our staff today about how we plan on moving forward with ensuring a a process that is equitable for our contractors. There's not a lot I can say because it's not agendized about how we plan on moving forward, but I'm also I also share some of the concerns as expressed by my colleague and I know some of my other colleagues share those concerns as well, but I wanted to to state why I pulled this from the agenda initially and those initial issues have been addressed by our our city attorney.

Thank you council member Fife. Council member Houston.

Yes. On item 6.12, I'd like to speak and say a few things on that item. Okay. Say it now? Oh, okay. I get to speak ahead. Alright. So we have David Newton. We're appointing to the JPA and and Mike went off. I'm not sure if you got anyone had the chance to meet with this gentleman or speak to this gentleman.

He's eloquent. He's brilliant and I sit on the JPA and it's going be an honor, an honor to have David Newton to sit on the JPA with me because he knows real estate, he understands real estate. There's a big real estate transaction that's going on. So I just wanted to speak that I'm so happy that president that you chose David Newton for to sit on there which is was a great great choice and he's out in audience right now.

Council member Houston. Yes sir. In accordance with our contract with ASEG did you get permission from ASEG for this appointment?

Yes. They sent the email out and they said that they recommend or they approve David Newton's appointment also.

Shall I say OAC, Oakland Acquisition Group? Yes. They did. Okay. Else? Seeing none, let's go to public comment.

As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order. Please state your name for the record, before beginning. If you're on Zoom and your name is called, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. Miss Asada Olabala, I have you for all items on consent. Isaiah Daniels, Kevin Patrick Hester, Bruce Grom or is it growing?

Derek Barnes, I have you with three items. Kevin Dally, Jennifer Siebert, Stanley Cooper, Eric Castellan, Sam Rahehbi, Bob Rahehbi, Blair Beakman, I have you with three items. And mister Hazard, I have you with all items as well. In any any order, please approach the podium. Again, raise your hand in Zoom if your name was called so I can easily identify you and you still wish to speak. Thank you.

Hello. My name is Bob Rahivy. I'm president of Redshift Construction Company. For the record, council member Gallo, we are a local business in Oakland. We started off with small local business.

We moved here in 2012. We have been here for fourteen years. We are on our contract, we have a very small local business, CEO Construction, which he is here and he will speak. In regards to the incident over in Hayward on December 11, The lateral was not hit by Redwood Construction Company nor an employee of Redwood Construction Company. It was hit by another company at 07:30 in the morning on December 11.

PG and E took control of the site at 07:40AM, and the explosion happened at 09:39AM. We were working two blocks away, and we were not within the vicinity of the explosion. So that is under

Council member Houston?

Can we ask a couple of questions to the president? Can I

the gentleman A few? A few.

So what local participation or individuals or companies that you've hired in the last year or two years are just being so you just said you started off as a small local business. Correct?

That that is correct.

And hold on. Hold on. And you went through the SLBE program?

We did. Our volume I'm

gonna ask over. Just give me And some yeses and then how long did it take you to go what what what did you start off with? What was your company size when you started off?

The the company was started in 1947. When I purchased it, it was much smaller. So when I moved it to Oakland after I purchased it, and we were doing about $7,000,000 a year when we moved to Oakland.

And and how many employees did you have when you started off as a small local business?

We had about 10.

And you owned it how long?

I have owned it since 2005.

Okay. I'm a pass it to my counsel.

Council member Fife.

So thank you for sharing about the incident and I want to be absolutely clear that the reason I raised it is because I wanted to ensure that the city of Oakland was not would not be held liable while this investigation was moving forward. So and and thank you for sharing that that was not Redswick that was was actually responsible for hitting that that gas main that caused the explosion there. Who was it then?

It was a subcontractor to Rejwik and it's under the NTSB investigation but it was not Rejwik itself.

Was that subcontractor contracted by Rejwik?

It was contracted by Rejwik but they are not on the twenty seventh avenue contract.

Thank you.

One more question. Are were they listed to be on that contract for 27th? Were they listed? No. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Charlene?

Hi. One more question to Redrick.

Bob? One more question.

So it sounds like the subcontractor was the one that was at fault or whatever language you want to use. But I'm wondering if there was a coordination piece that you all as the prime were responsible for and if you can speak to that. Like coordination with PG and E, etcetera.

Well, the prime is always responsible. So, you know, there is the subcontractor works under the prime contractor. So we were, it's project that Reshwick had. And they were on that project. But they're the ones who hit it and it was not a reg wreck.

And so in retrospect, what was ultimately the issue that came out in Hayward and how can we prevent that from happening in Oakland?

It was a mechanical failure on a piece of equipment that hit a lateral that fed the mainline. But it was not, it was just an equipment failure that a guard on a piece of equipment dropped down and hit a lateral.

Okay.

I think you're free to leave now, Bob. We need to let the public comment. Can we save the rest of our questions for Bob towards the end? So Bob, you'll come back up here after everyone's spoke.

Yes, good afternoon. My name is Eric Castellan. I am the president CAU company. I am a listed subcontractor for the 27th Street project. I am an Oakland resident.

My business is also small local business out of Oakland. I am here to tell you guys to support Regwick that has been mentoring me throughout my two years here in Oakland. They have effectively listed me in multiple projects throughout the city of Oakland and through the Unified School District of the city of Oakland. They have effectively communicated with me, invited me to bids, not only in Oakland, but throughout the Greater Bay Area. And I am here to support them, to provide you guys to award them, and that basically will give me a contract as a listed subcontractor.

Ultimately, our staff is depending on it and I'm depending on it as well. This project bid on June 5 and we have been patiently waiting.

Thank you. Can we can we wait? But council member, you want to go right now, please. Alright.

Through the chair, come up young man. What what type of work do you self perform?

I do underground utilities.

You self perform it? Yes. And how many people do you have in your company?

I have three employees with Okay. I'm very small, sir.

Thank you. You. Next speaker.

Sam Rahebi, a proud member of District 7. Retro Construction is proudly Oakland. We're proudly local through and through. I've been working for Redwood since I've been 13, and I've been driving to Oakland every single day, every summer, throughout school in my and I'm very proud of Oakland, and that's why I'm proud of the work we do. We're stationed here in Oakland.

I personally drive to Oakland every single day. Additionally, we're gonna we're the low bidder for 27th Street by a million dollars. We're a million dollars lower. These are Oakland dollars, community dollars, a million dollars which could be saved by Oakland, which could be used to build the city and further improve the city, which we all love. Thank you. As council member Houston said, Oakland first.

Council member Houston. Alright. What city are you driving from to Oakland, to come to Oakland?

I actually moved to San

Francisco. No, I'm asking you a direct question. What city are you driving to, I mean from to come to Oakland?

San Francisco.

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Benford Siebert and I'm here to speak on the awarding of the contract. And by accepting the bid from Redwick, it reflects a more restrictive list of subcontractors, lack of diversity, is and not as diverse as the list provided by McGuire and Hester. Number two, I'm not in favor on behalf of either myself as a constituent in District 7 and or in 6, I straddle both. Although it is the lowest bid, that also means lower tax revenue through the taxes from the permits that they would have to pay for. And also, if it is the lowest bid, that also means that they're paying the employees more than likely lower and less revenue is coming back from the local economy from those employees that would be working here.

They'd have less money to spend. And number three, this bid fails to support the disparity study from 2017 where there were

Thank you, ma'am. Your time is up.

Good afternoon. My name is Kevin Hester. So born and raised in Oakland, California. I worked for a company, McGuire and Hester. This year we're celebrating our one hundredth year, also founded in Oakland.

So one thing I got that goofy last name, Hester. About twenty years ago McGuire and Hester turned into a 100% ESOP owned company. So although I definitely have something to do with the management of the company, I'm representing 200 plus employee owners for this contract. As I said before, about ten years ago, McGuire and Hester had the opportunity to do a mentor protege similar to what we're doing right now, what we'd like to do right now with Cooper with Geron Construction. At the time Geron this was in San Francisco.

Geron was doing had probably about 10 employees and was doing about $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 worth of work a year. Today, Jeron Construction has over 50 employees and is probably doing 40,000,000 to $50,000,000 McGuire and Hester would like this opportunity to have the same success with Cooper Engineering. We really want the council to invest in a local contractor. And we want and we think that we can work together and give Cooper the same opportunity and mentorship that we gave to Ron. Thank you.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Isaiah Daniels. I'm a superintendent for Cooper Construction and Engineers. First of all, I want to say that we're advocating for McGuire and Hester. We've been on a few projects with them now and it's, you know, they're, you can say for a small company right out right out of Oakland, they're very nurturing as far as helping us get to where we need to be.

We've been on a couple of projects for them now. They have been a great success. And this success is not only to the construction work we're doing, but it's also to the uniting with the community around us. I remember as I first drove into Oakland, I'm here at probably around five, 05:15 in the morning, walking the streets of Oakland, and I remember the looks I used to get. Now, get a bunch of waves, hello, good morning, even get coffee on some occasions, You know? So what I'm getting at is that we're right here out of Oakland. The owner of this here company is born right here in Oakland. We we I make sure that my crew is

Thank you, mister Daniels. Your time is up.

Can I get two minutes by any chance? I'm the owner of Cooper Construction Engineering.

I'd like

to be fair to all speakers. How many items did you sign up for?

I signed up for this right here. Last time I was here, I had people yield and they told me that they couldn't yield so I didn't even do all of that this time.

So you signed up for one item?

Just to speak on. Yeah. 6.7.

One.

Thank you so much. Okay. Hello City Council. Hi. My name is Stanley Cooper. I'm the proud owner of Cooper Construction and Engineering right here out of Oakland. I am born and raised right here in Oakland, k through 12, a graduate of Skyline High School. And then since then, I went on and got myself educated and I proudly run a civil engineering firm right here in Oakland. Some of the points that I want to make, I've already told you that I'm from Oakland. I'm also a very small local business enterprise registered right here in in Oakland.

We need to we need to we need to support local businesses, you know. Local businesses pay local taxes, businesses pay business taxes. They spoke about the 1,000,000. Think about how you can get that in business taxes. Redswick is taking $2,800,000 outside of Oakland with the uncertified, whereas McGraw and Hester's only taking 797,000. If you look

No. Council member Houston? Can we if it's important if it's imperative, you can ask now, but there's some public speakers that yeah? No? No?

Listen to you.

You wanna ask them?

I'll wait. I'll listen to you.

Okay. Okay. To the two construction owners, we will ask them after the rest of the speakers speak. Mr. Sattisman went impatiently and then I also wanna hear from Mr. Nuda.

Thank you, madam clerk. I'm addressing item six point one first, which was the minutes from the last meeting and the public hearing related to the violations of tree cutting. That baffled me because the question was asked why it took three years to address the issue. And, two staff members gave two different reasons for three years being the amount of time to address it. One said it was a staffing issue, the other one said a process was not in place.

The individual who owns the property had intentions of developing the land, and for three years he has been unable to get a permit. Let's do something about this, please. Item 6.4, emergency homelessness. It is not an emergency. You have done nothing that's substantial to deal with the homeless situation in this city.

6.5 deals with minimum wage being addressed. When are you going to address the 9% of unemployment of African Americans in this city? That's never been addressed. Six point six, you have a statement that says there's a need to take immediate action to avoid a substantial adverse impact. This is related to Campaign Refund Act, but you don't have a need to address the issues of gentrification and what's happening to the African American community in Oakland, but the substantial adverse effect, impact is taking place.

6.7, the 27th Street completes project, that's around Lake Merritt in down town Oakland. You have 15 projects related to street development around Lake Merritt. And some communities in Oakland have no projects going on to correct street issues. 6.8 is the lawsuit. The lawsuit that you have is another lawsuit in the Department of Transportation, dangerous condition, dollars 40,000, a bicycle hit a traffic light when it fell down.

And over and over again lawsuits are going on in the Department of Transportation, and you have not sat down to address how we're going to stop these lawsuits. 6.1, Commission on Homelessness. That commission, the last time it met was in Sept. Twenty four to twenty five, and then before that June 2025. That commission is not meeting sufficiently to deal with homelessness.

We had and when they did meet, they dealt with something that I found out, the pet encampment policy, they have to review it every year and produce a report to this body on the encampment policy. That has not happened. So the the count that's supposed to go on, that is addressing, and it said in their meeting, that that count will not produce

Yes.

On the ad on that proposed ballot measure, miss Assata had asked how much is this gonna cost? And council member Houston, before you became actively involved a number of years and you question 90% of officers or first responders that lives outside of Oakland, go check the data. About ten years ago, they extended the perimeter to 50 miles. Okay? Because folks live outside and there was gonna be some proposed legislation to address that.

So they extended the perimeter. You can't tell me that 90% of our first responders or police officers live outside of this open. So you go check it, and then come back and tell me. So and why do you keep having cannabis six point three as a health emergency, and you don't deal with fentanyl? Shame on you.

Every one of you. Fentanyl is a crisis. It's killing our children. And you sit up there and you don't have it, but you have cannabis. I gave you a copy of a draft final.

And you go to cleanoakland.com, and you will see it. This relates to the unlawful act that this president did with suspending rule 29 because the mayor declined to break the tie. Let me read something to you. A tie vote is not broken results in failure as a matter of law. California law is clear.

A failed motion cannot be treated as pending, cannot be revived by rule suspension, and cannot be revoted upon absent or properly notice reconsideration consistent with adopted rules through process. Rule 29 cannot suspend to override a failed vote. What you did was unlawful. And I'm prepared to do litigation if you don't correct this. It's the same crap you did and the city attorney defaulted.

They did not respond to my writ on 04/15/2025 transaction and use tax. The voters and the residents in Oakland are now paying a tax which is illegal that went into effect on the first. I will be filing the default motion, and I'm prepared to go to litigation if you don't correct the suspension of rule 29. This is unlawful illegal. You're doing like Trump does. He don't give it because you're sitting.

Thank you, mister Hazard. Your time is up.

Derek Barnes with East Bay Rental Housing Association. Good afternoon council members and city staff. I've got a few things to talk about just to kick things off. And at a macro level, I guess it's an understatement to say that we have big challenges ahead of us, but I think some that we can deal with locally. And as our congressional rep says, no one is coming to save us.

So staying connected and in collaboration is critical in 2026. And as the representative of Ebro, we've got several programs that we'd like your participation in helping to advance in this coming year. One is a vacancy and habitability restoration plan. I've talked to some of you about that already. Another is affordable housing for OPD and first responders that we heard a little bit about earlier in today's meeting.

I think we've got a good plan for that. And finally, a Ready to Own program which establishes a program and a way for first time home owners to get into this tough market, as well as providing some education for our small owner operators who become rental property owners as well. We are also going to be releasing a winter housing report coming up. Some of you have been given some of this information already. And I want to just call your attention to some of the key data points in that report being a decline in our small rental property owners in Oakland, but also a decline in the black rental property owners and homeownership in Oakland as well.

And so council president Jenkins, we look forward to following up and following through on some of the proposed legislation that we talked about last year. And council member Wong, we look forward to working with your office in advancing some of the affordable housing discussions that are critical for to our first responders. I think we can get some win win win opportunities here. And to our dean and our council member Fife, my council member, we look forward to working with you on maintaining and building businesses in D 3. I think that's really important.

That includes things like advancing Costco and helping to make sure that we can get those kind of businesses in. And also creating home ownership and opportunities through a ready to own program that we desperately need. We've talked about that as well. And hopefully releasing the the last racial disparity report. We have to get that out so we can figure out what we need to do collectively to help our communities that are under resourced and in and in desperate need.

And Council Member Houston, public safety, encampments in initiatives, illegal dumping activities, you have our support around that. And Ramachandran and Anger, incentives for encouraging more commerce and stabilizing small businesses in Oakland is an imperative. But please don't forget our small businesses that are rental housing providers as well. We have, I think, a good plan to get some of those people into the business of rental housing. But I think we can do that with creating some incentives in the way that you've suggested in your in your proposed plan. So thank you and I look forward to working with all of you in 2026.

Thank you, mister Barnes. If your name was called and you are in the chamber, please approach the podium. Blair Beekman, Bruce, are you in the chamber? Mister Beekman, you wish to speak on this item? I do not have the card for her.

Hi, thank you. Blair Beakman. Happy twenty twenty six to everyone, kind of to a tough start. I wanted to speak on items 6.1, six point four and six point seven. For 6.7, you guys have been working hard here today on it already.

Thank you. I always come in with the procurement process should always have hopefully good practices of tech accountability involved and what to expect with the tech involved. How that involves, you know, our local wheelchair community, how they, what their role is in this process of decision making and tech accountability advocacy, what their role is, all that goes into the procurement process that you're deciding today. Good luck in those efforts and what we, the future of our community we're building. For item 6.4 is unhoused homeless declaration.

It's it's importance here in Oakland. Thank you. I hope we had there were some items in 2025 in the fall addressing homeless issues and cleaning issues. You guys have worked really hard to address different ways we can talk about keeping our Oakland streets clean. Thank you.

We're trying to find alternative ways than what was, it was a very strong initiative presented here that I think we're trying to find ways to mellow good luck in those efforts, how we can do that. And to conclude for item 6.1 on the December 16 meeting minutes, I just want to say very much of a thank you in the recent interesting compromise of agreeing to a two year flock ALPR vendor contract while also at the same time looking for a new AOPR vendor in the next two years as well. Thank you again. Oakland has simply created a good reference point of peace and best practices in local community policy making in a possible growing time of war. I hope our local media can learn to more clearly report on these good ideals and and how we're promoting an Oakland love life philosophy and policy of do no harm.

It could be a good example for everyone at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, mister Beekman. Moving to the Zoom speaker. Again, if you're in chambers and you wish to speak on this item, the only person I have is Bruce. Moving to Kevin on Zoom, I have you with one item for item 6.7. Please unmute yourself and begin your comments.

Kevin Dalley from Transport Oakland. I'm speaking in favor of 6.7, the 27th Street Complete Streets project. 27th Street is a dangerous street. We have had fatalities on 27th Street and near 27th Street over the last year or two. I also cycle on 27th Street, look forward to having it made safer.

The contract has been approved following standard practices. Redwood is a local company, Hegenberger Court in council member Houston's district. It's wonderful to have two local companies discussing which one is more local, and I look forward to seeing McGuire and Hester on future contracts. And let's also look on contract reform in the future. But for now, we need to pass the 27th Street project, move forward, and make the street safer. Thanks.

Thank you, mister Dalley. That was the last speaker.

So anyone who was appointed to a commission, board of commission today that wants to have words. I see mister Gonzales there. I see David Newton. Any supporters wanna come in and have words? All for public participation.

Please feel free. And if any council members have any questions of the commissioners or potential commissioners and please feel free. Please approach mister Newton and miss Brown.

Appreciate you. Just wanted to take this time to personally thank district seven Ken Houston for standing on business and being who you are, a special member of our community. I wanted to personally thank the president Kevin Jenkins for your work in this community and giving us the opportunity to come to the j p a board. I understand that seat was held by one of our local heroes who was also I'm also a Skyline alumni and a Peralta College alumni. I'm also a member and lifelong native Oaklander.

I appreciate everything that this means. It is the importance is astronomical. Right here is my adopted mother and auntie, one of our iconic figures, miss Elaine Brown, has done real work in this community. I had to recognize her in this room. She embodies the spirit. Doctor. Huey P. Newton said, our place is in this community. As we revolutionize this landscape, people like my aunt, my mother, Barbara Newton worked on projects like this and did real work to affect the city in houselessness, to affect the city in jobs. Oakland Coliseum used to be the home of our sports teams.

Now they're gone. One of the last standing heroes of our community is what you see murals of everywhere through Oakland is the Black Panther Party. I could not let this day pass without recognizing that. I just want to thank everybody. I prepared something but I felt I had to come to the heart. We're ready to do this work. All power to the people.

Thank you. So Bruce, I saw you Bruce, I saw you sneak in. Come on. Come meet your time.

Thank you very much. I apologize for my lateness. My name is Bruce Jerome, president of National Association of Minority Contractors. I'm here today to speak in support of the contract that awards that has Maguire Hester slash Cooper Engineering as the bidders for the street maintenance project. My I want to encourage you to continue to reward good behavior.

I think what you see in their offer is that it's the kind of thing that aligns with what Oakland is looking for. The kind of behavior where you're trying to spread equity to all the corners that are typically not addressed. McGuire Hester, with well more than a hundred years of existence, is a company that has, by their very nature, been a good corporate citizen here. And, they've gone out and done their very best to encourage equity by putting together mentor protege program where you actually see them attempting to advance

Thank you. Mister secretary treasurer, come on up.

Good afternoon, council president and honorable members of the, council and staff. My name is Rudy Gonzales, and I am honored to be a mayoral appointee. And with your approval on the consent agenda today, one of two of your newest members of the civil service board. It's kind of in the weeds sometimes in jurisdictions about what the purpose and responsibility is, but as an Oaklander, I'm proud to serve in this perhaps lesser known and hopefully lesser, less controversial board or commission for this body. I think it's really important to achieve our goals of equity and to uphold the personnel roles that are deeply rooted in the charter, but also an important element to adjudicating employee issues and employee appeals.

So honored to serve in this capacity and to give back to my community in Oakland in this way. So I appreciate your support. Thank you.

Thank you. Alright. So now we have are you Please, please, please do speak.

Well, I'm only I will be short. I am honored to have been accepted at to be on the Civil Service Board. I am a thirty year HR professional. I'm an ambassador for good HR practices, and I want to support the attraction and retention of quality talent so that we can support each other in this city we all love. So, thank you. I look forward to working with the other commissioners as well.

Thank you so much. Thank you for your service. And then, council members, I know we had some questions of the construction companies. Questions

for Stanley Cooper. Hey Stanley.

How

many people are employed at your firm?

We're a small company, very small local. So it's eight of us full time and you know my superintendent right over there.

Okay. That's helpful. Can If I have questions for staff, do we have to pull it off of consent? Okay.

No. You don't have to pull off of consent. Could just ask.

Okay. Great.

Have some Yeah. This is Yeah.

So my office is right here in Oakland and so I'm a local grown company. Any other questions?

No, I don't have any questions for you Stanley. For the staff, thank you.

That concludes for now. Is the relevant staff member for this? Yeah.

Hi, director Rowan. I have a question. I noticed in the report that it said that the since the project is funded by ACTC at the county that typically this project would be required to comply with the county's local business contract equity program, LBCE. But however, that the county has allowed the city to substitute the LBCE requirements with the city's local small business enterprise requirements. Can you talk a little bit more about the county's requirements and what it is that we're replacing with our with our own?

Through through the chair I I would have to lean on the technical team for the county's requirements. Typically ours are our requirements are stricter than theirs are which is why we request that we use our SLBE program. But as far as the specifics of their program go, I I I don't know the differences.

Okay. No problem. My other question is just between the two top bidders. So this is McGuire and Hester. Did was there anything in their proposal that flagged that you didn't think they could complete it or was it just the price differential?

So through the chair, to answer that question that's a difficult one because for construction contracts they're they're low bid and so it's kind of like comparing which vanilla ice cream you like the best. The city has its its SLBE program that we don't evaluate. That's not a DOT function that that is done by DWES, and we we rely heavily upon them to do that evaluation. And so we we take their report and incorporate that into our evaluation. But when it comes to the two contractors who we're talking about, both have performed well for the city.

So there there there's nothing that we would object to to either one. But we would we we want to see not only those two competing for our work, but we'd like to see five or six more competing for our work. And so I have no objection of either. I've I've I I think they both serve the city well. I think they do very fine work where they're working for us currently, and so there's nothing that that jumps out at it. So at the end of the day, they they were both compliant with the SLBE program and they were both responsive and they were both responsible and one was lower than the other and we go with the lower. Hence our recommendation.

Okay. I also noticed that McGuire and Hester had the they were like way above compliant at 113%. Can you just explain how does the VSLBE accreditation work because they got 30% versus the 15.4% and we did receive a letter that questioned that accreditation. Can you speak to that?

Through through the chair to the council member? No. I actually cannot. That that's that is that is managed by by by our DWEST department. Again, like I stated, they do those evaluations on the bids. They look at things like the bid discounts, the mentor protege. And so we rely heavily on their interpretation. But my understanding is that the McGuire and Hester team was given the maximum bid discount that's allowable under city code. And even with that bid discount it it did not change the outcome of this bid process.

Okay. And then my other question is just with the since it was a price differential of 11 I think about 900,000 right? I'm just wondering say in theory were we to reward the contract to the McGuire and Hester bid, where would you identify the additional funding? Would it be Measure KK? Is the funding available? Would it take from another project or could that in theory be done?

Through the chair. So specific to your KK question, we're actually maxed out on KK. So that that's off the table. We would have to go back and find $900,000 to fill that gap and I standing here today don't know where where that would come from. But in in reality, we would we would have to find another project and take from it to to fill that gap.

Okay.

That okay. That's that's helpful. Okay. That's the end of my questioning.

Thank you. Any more questions from council? Houston?

That was a good question council member. Is it possible through the chair I can call up the subs? I wanna call up the subs that were here for McGuire and for Redrick, please. And it doesn't matter but I don't want it mixed up. If it's gonna be Redrick, Redrick, Redrick, Redrick. If it's gonna be McGuire, McGuire, McGuire, McGuire. So come on up real quick, the subcontractors. I have a couple of questions. And it's just it's real simple questions too. Is what projects are you working on right now? Where are they located? And your core employees, How many do you have? So just answer the first one for me.

Yes. So I have three employees. Two are residents out of Oakland. I'm currently working on the 14th Ave project and I have another project that is not with Redwood but it's in San Leandro. Those are my two current projects.

And you self perform?

I self perform underground utilities, correct. Have equipment and my laborer runs the equipment and the laborers run small tools.

And you live in Oakland?

I live in Oakland, yes.

Okay, cool. I'm good. Unless my colleague has any questions through the chair. Good, okay. So any other RegWick since you any other RegWick contractor in the audience? Okay. McGuire and Hester's subcontractor. So I'm going ask you the same thing, sir. Is that what job are you currently working on right now?

Okay. Hello, everyone. Once again, my name is Stanley Cooper with Cooper Construction Engineering. I'm a general a civil.

I asked you.

And so I'm working on with McGuire and Hester. I'm listed for two things. I'm listed for the concrete which I'm currently just finished the West Oakland. Mr. Stanley I'm going ask you a direct question. What contracts are you working on right now? That would be Woe Step in West Oakland and I'm trying to get Right this one right

now. Yes. No which one's okay. And core, core. How many core employees do you have? Like

I would say about between six and eight

So core they're working right now on that contract in West Oakland?

Yes, we are. Okay. And you self perform all the work? Most definitely. We self perform all of our work.

Okay. Where do you live?

I'm in Oakland. I live in Oakland.

Of my colleagues have any questions? And that was the two subcontractors that's in the audience right now for both companies? Okay.

Thank you. Council member Wong. Oh, five and then one.

I don't have any questions. I just think that the interest from my colleagues on this item and the interest from the public really emphasizes the fact that we need to do more work on our SLBE, LBE program as well as our our contracting in the city of Oakland. It's been under discussion for many many years. It was hotly contested when I first was elected and I want to I wanna let the public know that this will be one of my prime projects for 2026 is organizing this this program in a way that is equitable and works in the best interest of the city of Oakland. There's a lot of work to do.

It's not gonna happen overnight but we need to ensure that we're moving forward with equity so that Oakland based firms are highlighted and nurtured so that they can be so they can grow and become larger businesses and one of the ways that I think it's all of these things are connected is is through the the processes that we put forward here. So I just wanted to say that because we're going to keep coming to counsel project by project asking all these questions, having these inquiries if we don't clarify what our program should be and and we we gotta do better. We just gotta do better.

Thank you council member council member Wong.

Yeah. Thank you. Through the chair, back to director Rowan if you wouldn't mind coming up. So you mentioned that additional funding would need to be identified if McGuire and Hester was given the award, would that delay the implementation of this at all? And I assume that small amounts could be taken from a number of projects. How feasible do you realistically think that would be?

Through the chair. I really am not in a position to answer that today.

I mean

we have only so many places that we can go searching for funding. We would have to look to see what what other projects we we could potentially borrow from if you will. And then the question becomes is is the money committed? Is the money encumbered? That there may contractual issues or maybe legislative requirements. So I just I've I wish I had every penny of our budget memorized but I don't. We we would have to go back and and look at our our program budgets and see where where we would make up this difference.

Okay. I'm just curious to just given some of the public comments to around the disparity study. It's it's my understanding that some cities like San Francisco have a small business or a small local business carve out or a set aside. And at the federal level where I used to work at the Department of Transportation there was a set aside for disadvantaged business enterprises. I'm wondering if you've thought or your department has thought about doing that at the Department or Public Works and how that could advance our goals or have any other sort of consequences that you've been thinking about?

Through through the chair to council member Wong, at the risk of getting myself in trouble, my I came here from Atlanta. We have MBE and FBE and DBE programs. I I fully support them philosophically. I I don't have any issues at all with them. We also had the opportunity to do what we called market shelter and procurements, which was the the DBE, MBE, FPE community only.

That worked very well for small projects because quite often what the the goal is, if you notice today, I I really appreciate one of the comments that McGuire and Hester made because we don't want the SLBEs to be subs forever. The the goal is to really grow them to be primes so that they're able to handle more and do more. And quite often, the largest risk for a a construction company isn't actually doing the work, it's actually dealing with us. And so to to your point, yes, the the I I would entertain all of those ideas. I also fully support the idea that while maybe we're not allowed federally or by the state to be doing things like a DBE program, there's nothing that stops us from having goals and measuring our success against it.

But the the biggest thing, and I've said this before, is for this program to work, we're going to have to to be letting smaller projects more frequently. And and I'm committed to that. And and I think that's the goal. Most cities bundle these things up. And so you'll have these mega projects projects and and you'll you'll have a handful of subs who benefit from it.

And my experience has been that generally the subs don't see a lot of growth because it's hard to go from being a sub doing a million dollars on a $50,000,000 project to then growing to be managing that large of a project. We we really do need to have this in mind that these subs become our primes. And to your point, yes, if if we could market shelter we would look at that. I was I know the council member Houston and I have have talked about that we we did a a small business RFP, an on call. The on call waived basically every procurement provision in Oakland City code.

It put the department in a position where we could just pick up the phone and call somebody on the list and say, we'd like you to do this project and let's negotiate the price. We got, I think, five bidders and one was non responsive. I was really expecting to see a dozen. So it was a swing and a miss. I I think our hearts were in the right place, but the results didn't pan out the way we thought they would.

But I I think that's what we have to get back to is the mindset has to be how do we put these SLBEs, you know, the local and small business and and the prime positions. And again, there's there's a risk element, there's an administrative element that they're not used to, but, yes, we're we're prepared to do what we need to do to make that happen. I think there are going to be some code changes that are going to be required for us to do that. So sorry about the long answer, but philosophically, I have no objection to any of that.

So as a strong supporter and follower of the Brown Act, we need to keep this to the contract and this seems like an excellent conversation to be had in public works. There's like really fruitful discussion on outside of this contract. But I think there's all an interest here to ensure that everybody eats here in Oakland and we're spreading the love. But if we can keep it to this contract.

Fair enough. I I did wanna just register a vote then to vote for the second most responsive bid bidder.

To the parliamentary.

To echo what council member Gallo's vote was if that's possible. Through the chair

to the council, what's noticed before you today is a resolution awarding a construction contract to Redwood Construction. That's the reso that's before you today. So you can approve the reso or you can choose not to approve the resolution. But there's no resolution before you awarding to another contractor. And as the DOT director mentioned there is a requirement in your purchasing ordinance to well staff is required to award it to the lowest responsible responsive bidder.

Got it. I'll register a no vote then.

Okay. 6.7 no from Wong.

Through the chair to Mr. Rowan. If this contract is awarded to Roderick when will the groundbreaking happen? And hold that thought real quick because I was sitting in closed session, you know, a new council member, city attorney, city administrator and the president said, Ken, there's things that I hear in closed session that I don't like but is it in the best interest of the city? This is what they tell me.

And I got to keep my mindset on is this in the best interest of the city not how I actually feel, right? And that's how I move now. And so I'm gonna ask you a question is that when will the groundbreaking happen if this is approved today, mister Rowan?

So through through the chair, thank you for the question, council member Houston. This is actually fairly fortuitous timing and that it's January and it's rainy and the weather is kind of crappy outside and we don't typically start projects in the rainy season. So our goal would be for a springtime start. So I would imagine within ninety days we would have contracts executed and be looking at starting in earnest in the spring of this year when the weather breaks.

Okay. And so through the chair again Mr. Rowan, if it's not approved and I don't care what contractor it is, I just want local, local, local, local and I need my SLPEs to be embraced. If it's not, what will the time frame be to pick the second person, the third person or go out? So you're saying it'll be ninety days if we approve it and the project will move forward. If it's not what time frame is that Mr. Rowan?

So that that's a through the chair of the council member that's a that's a tougher question because there's so many options. Well there aren't so many but there are options in alluded to two of them. So if if an award was made to number two, there would have to be new legislation to get the council to to waive the code towards the low bid. If we went back out to bid which I would strongly encourage us not to do that then you're probably looking at another six to eight months. Very likely puts us into another rainy season. So it could it could delay it as much as a year.

Okay. Next question to the chair. How critical is this job? Is it a public safety issue? Will it cause some type of problem with getting lawsuits that we gotta deal with in closed session? I'm just saying how critical is this infrastructure piece of scope of work?

Through through the chairs of the council member, you know, the if you look at really the the the work that we're moving forward, there's there's a very heavy safety emphasis. And so, you know, twenty seventh doesn't have the best track record. And so, you know, I I don't wanna say it's not critical, but I also don't wanna say that we have to award it tomorrow because if we don't, the sky is gonna fall. So it's an important project to us. That's why it's where it is in our schedule. But but we also want to thoroughly vet these issues. And so when you see us with these complete street type projects, they're they're very much safety oriented.

So let my last question through the chair. So if we wait in this eight months, then we're back into rainy season again? Yes. So then that means we wait another three months if it depends on the weather?

Through the chair. I I I do believe council member in all reality, we rebid, you're talking about a year. And prices don't know where they land a year from now.

You know how difficult this is for me? This is very very very difficult because like I said, the president said, Ken, in the best interest of the city, the city administrator, the the the the the city attorney in the best interest of the city. Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you council member. Council member Fife.

I just want to express to the community and and to my colleagues that this project is in my district and it's also difficult for me because I'm I'm seeing a pattern that is deeply concerning and I want to alert my colleagues to the fact that sometimes asking questions can put you in put you cross ways with individuals in the city and it's a delicate balance that we have to walk because I I when I was first elected and and did some of this same kind of inquiry about why is it that it is so difficult for minority contractors to get work in the city of Oakland. There were people who scream bloody murder as if I was engaged in some kind of corrupt activity when the reality is there are issues that we have to address in the city of Oakland when it comes to who gets these multi million dollar contracts and who doesn't. And then we cry about issues when of of crime and education when we are not we don't see the same type of economic opportunities in the city of Oakland. That is a problem. At the same time on this 27th Avenue project 27th Street project, there are people who are are getting injured on a regular basis in that part of my district.

It's near two senior centers and an elementary school where kids have to dodge cars that are driving like maniacs on a regular basis and seniors are at risk of of consistently being hit. So there are deep issues that the city needs to resolve that we are not going to resolve today with this particular contract, but it should be our primary work to fix this contracting process in the city of Oakland. So I I'm gonna I want to move this forward. This is again, it's a contract that falls in my district and I want us through the chair to the city administrator, I know you are focusing on this work this year. I wanna make sure that we are coming back to counsel with updates about what the Department of Workforce Workforce and Enforcement, DWES, is doing to to make sure that we're bringing minority contractors into the conversation and moving equitably so they can grow to be primes.

Because right now that is not happening in the city of Oakland, period. And so I I just wanted to emphasize that I think it's important that this project move forward and we cannot afford another year delay.

Thank you. Thank you for your words. So you're moving the consent calendar?

I would like to make a motion to move the consent calendar.

I'll second that.

So, Unger, no 6.7. No 6.7 for Gaio, no 6.7 for Wong. Councilmember Houston.

Get to the president. Can I ask a couple more questions president?

Of course. Okay.

You know I follow your lead.

Clerk put the timer on him.

These two contractors are in my district. This project isn't in my district and my colleague wants to move it forward. I my most important the most important piece for me is that these small local businesses have growth. But at the same time and I'm telling you what I'm listening to you, Justin, about, you know the best interest of the city. We already have enough lawsuits.

We have things and we can't wait another year for this project to move forward. I'm a follow the lead of my colleague and I'm a vote move the project.

Okay. So we have a motion and a second with 6.7 no for Wong, 6.7 no for Gayle. Madam Clerk.

Thank you. On the consent calendar moved by council member five seconded by council member Unger with a no stated by Gaio and Wong. Council member Brown is excused. Council member five. Aye. Council member Guyell.

I'll excuse him.

See him.

Is he on my?

Guyell please unmute yourself. Council member Guyell. Council member Gallo, I see you talking. Could you please unmute yourself?

Can you hear me now?

Yes.

Yes. The answer is no for 6.7.

Got that. We're voting on the entire consent calendar at this time?

Well, in in this case, if 6.7 is part of it, so I'll vote no. Are

you voting no on consent or just no on 6.7?

No on 6.7.

Thank you. Council member Houston?

He even got me confused. Yes.

Council member Ramachandran. Aye. Council member Unger. Aye. Council member Wong. Aye. Chair Jenkins. Aye. Consent counter passes with a vote of seven ayes. Noting council member Gayle and Wong's no votes on item 6.7 and council member Brown is excused. You are now on council acknowledgments and announcements.

Council member Munger, would you like to get the name? Yes.

Assistant chief John Speakman.

Any announcements from council members? Alright. Seeing none let's go to open forum.

As I call your name please approach the podium in any order. Please state your name for the record before beginning. If you are on Zoom please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. Miss Asada Olabala, Blair Beekman, Jennifer Findley, mister Hazard, and Mavis Griffin in any order please. If clerk staff can put one minute on the clock please for open forum.

One minute not two. Oh no, I was expecting two minutes. Oh dear. Well, spoke most of my words I meant previously. I may always be thankful to Oakland City Council in trying to work out a fair compromise for the flock ALPR issue.

Besides the OPD and PAC commission, I hope all parts of the community should be allowed much additional input to help deciding a new ALPR vendor. I hope we can all have upcoming ALPR vendor procurement updates at Oakland City Council Committee meetings in something like six month intervals. And from this, I feel this should be a time to have a more clear open discussion and more strategically placed reduced amounts of surveillance technology in Oakland neighborhoods as this can continue mostly the same current public safety standards within Oakland neighborhoods. I hope our Oakland community can be in agreement to want to continue our well balanced approach of social services, the Oakland macro program, open tech accountability, law enforcement all working together in building Oakland public safety. Good luck in our efforts since 2026.

Thanks.

Jenkins and Where's the projects in your district? This project is over there by Whole Foods. There are 14 projects over there by Lake Merritt. You have no protected bike lanes in your district. None. Speak up for your district. It's not about the contract, it's about fairness and equity. Over at McClyman's, facilities has applied for a notice of extinction exemption. That means they don't want to remediate the lead in the soil at McClyman's. They're asking to be exempt from it.

That Costco over there, I will not go to it because we are making too many efforts to avoid the lead, the contamination going on in West Oakland. They've done nothing about the remediation of Bunch. The project at McClyburn was supposed to start in the summer. They've done absolutely nothing. They moved the children over to half of the building and nothing has happened. Nothing. Speak up for McClyburn.

Thank you, miss Olabala.

Go to cleanoakland.com. Let me read you sentence. Once the mayor acting pursuant to the Oakland City Charter declined to exercise her discretion to break the tie, The matter failed as a matter of law. At that point, no parliamentary maneuver, rule suspension, or procedural device could revive the failed item without violating the city charter. The Brown Act, thank you council member Fife. Thank you, council member Wang. Thank you, council member Guile. On the 12/16, you look on the last page, you voted against this unlawful procedural change that the president pushed through. It's illegal. Get prepared for a writ.

Okay? I've already written the draft. I've already written the judicial notice. And here, I've already written the memorandums and points in authority. You will lose. Look at this document. Look at the case law that supports what I'm saying.

Thank you, mister Hazard. Your your time is up. Jennifer Finley, if you're on Zoom, Mavis Griffin, if you're in chambers, please approach the podium or raise your hand. Otherwise, at this time, all names have been called. Mavis, come on up.

Yeah. Hi. Mavin Carter Griffin, Wood Street Peoples Collective, long time resident of Wood Street unhoused community. We're doing the crisis, homeless crisis, and I'm just kind of curious what that really means because we're not getting any help. And what would be paying rent or helping us move forward in our life, we're prevented from interacting.

We want a contract with City of Oakland, we can't navigate that. We we are in a crisis but it seems like it's more of a crisis about the businesses or about the new developments coming in for affordable housing. We need affordable housing and we have affordable housing, it's called trailers. And and we are tucked away in the corner of the industrial area of of West Oakland. We don't have any equity, there's no fairness for us, we can't come to the table, We have no entry into these conversations or any of the rules or or memorandums or or whatever ordinances. We're just left completely out. We have no voice, which makes us kind of a second class citizen and it

Is that Thank you, miss Carter Griffin. You're

So I'm sorry that that happened. We have to be equal with the time. Does that conclude the speakers?

Jennifer Finley, if you are on the Zoom queue, please raise your hand. I do not see your hand. At this time, all names have been called. We adjourn this meeting in honor of assistant chief John Spearman. I'm sorry. John Speakman.

Thank you. This meeting is adjourned.