Office Of The City Administrator - Regular Meeting

Let's get started. You got a corner. There we go. Let's go ahead. Okay. Awesome.

Good morning, and welcome to the rules and legislation committee meeting on this Thursday, April 30. The time is now 10:31 and this meeting shall come to order. Before I begin with role, I would like to give instructions on how to submit a speaker cards for items on this agenda. If you are participating here with us in chambers and you would like to submit a speaker card, please turn in a card to a crook representative before the item is called into record or ten minutes after this meeting began, which would be 10:41. If, you are registering to speak via Zoom was due twenty four hours before this meeting began, so, Zoom speaker cards will no longer be accepted.

So once again, this meeting began at 10:31. Speaker cards will no longer be accepted after 10:41 or before the item is called into record. With that, council president Jenkins, would you like to make any announcements before I call roll?

Yes. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. Good morning to all the staff. Good morning to all the people coming in here. I just wanna say a fabulous happy birthday to our amazing Susan Sanchez, who's been holding council down for the past ten years. I I I don't wanna give them any insight on how young you might be turning, but I just wanna say happy birthday and thank you for all that you do.

Thank you for that. Now beginning with roll. On roll for this meeting is council member Brown.

Present. Fife.

Present. Ramachandra. Present. And chair Jenkins.

Present.

We have all four members present. We will now move to the first item which is the approval of the draft minutes for the committee meeting on 04/16/2026. We need a motion. Move approval. Second. And that was a motion by council member Fife, seconded by council member Ramachandran to approve item one. With that on roll, council member Brown? Aye. Fife? Aye. Ramachandran? Aye. Chair Jenkins? Aye. Item number one is approved with four ayes. Moving to item two, determination of scheduling of outstanding committee items, which is your pending list for rules.

Any speakers on this?

Thank you, council president. I do have two speakers for this item. Thank

you, mister Dali.

I do have Rajni Mandal as well. Council, Kevin Dali has decided to pass. Is Rajni present or participating via Zoom? Sorry. Let me see. Yes. I have Rajni. You are unmuted. You may begin your time. Thank you so much.

Rajni Mandel, District 4. I strongly support advancing charter reform for the police commission. It isn't about weakening oversight. It's about making it work. Right now, responsibility is spread across the commission, SIPRA, and OIG, but accountability is unclear. The city auditor recently found these agencies are only in partial compliance with their mandates and flagged unresolved conflicts between the charter and municipal code. It tells us the problem is structural, not something that can be fixed with a simple ordinance change. And we're already seeing the impact, overlapping authority, unclear supervision, and gaps in performance oversight. And independence without accountability is not sustainable. True independence requires clear roles, clear authority, and responsibility to public.

I urge you to move this forward for full discussion so we can build a system that preserves independence and finally delivers accountability. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. That completes your speakers for item two.

Entertain a motion.

So moved. Second. And that was a motion by council member Ramachandra and seconded by council member Fife to approve item two as is on roll. Council member Brown. Aye. Fife? Aye. Oh, did I go? Sorry. Apologies. Ramachandra? Aye. And Chair Jenkins? Aye. Item number two is approved as is with four ayes.

Thank you so much. We will now move to new scheduling, item number three. Item 3.1 is a resolution to one commemoratively rename 45th Avenue between the intersections of International Boulevard and East 12th Street as Remario G Hernandez Way authorizing the installation of a plaque. Honoring Remario Hernandez pursuant to the policy and procedure established by the Oakland City Council resolution to be heard on the May 5 city council agenda on consent. There is a rule 24 and an urgency finding. I don't know if staff will be approaching to state those into record. Thank you so much.

Good morning. There you go. Sorry about that. Good morning. On behalf of council member Gallo, he would like to state this as rule 24 reason for bypassing committee and urgency as an excuse of sunshine noting is due to the commemorative in nature and requires timely consideration for Amiro g Hernandez played a central role in organizing the first Cinco de Mayo celebration in the city of Oakland, and the family and the community seek to honor his legacy with a street renaming ceremony on May 5, a date of significant cultural and historical importance.

This timing is essential to honor the community's request and to align the recognition for mister Hernandez's historical contributions to Oakland Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Additionally, the commemorate ceremony has been coordinated specifically for May 5 Cinco de Mayo reflecting mister Hernandez foundational rule in establishing the city's first celebration of this holiday. Delaying scheduling for council action would prevent the ceremony from taking place on the culturally significant date tied directly to his legacy, disrupt community planning already underway, and diminish the meaningfulness and intent of the recognition.

Thank you for the thorough urgency finding.

Thank you.

So noted the rule 24 urgency finding was stated on record. Moving to item 3.2, which is an ordinance authorizing the borrowing of funds and issuance and sale of the twenty twenty six twenty seven tax and revenue anticipation note in a principal amount not to exceed $200,000,000 payable for revenues received for our accrued to the general fund of the city during fiscal year 2026 through '27 and approving certain related matters. And this matter is being requested to be scheduled for May 12, finance and management committee agenda. Moving to item 3.3, which is a lengthy title change, so bear with me. As I read in the new title, which is a resolution acknowledging the urgency and expediting actions to remedy illegal dumping through an illegal dumping expenditure action plan.

One authorizing the city administrator to a plan implement the idea plan by negotiating and entering into contracts, grant agreements, and expenditures as set forth in table one in the amount not to exceed $1,100,000, and b, pursue partnerships with county, regional, and or state agencies to enhance these efforts. Two, waiving the waiving to the extent necessary the city advertising competitive bidding and multi step technology acquisition requirements for the contracts and waiving the local small local business enterprise program requirements for the big truck rental contract. Three, appropriating and allocating the amount not to exceed $1,100,000 from the budgeted funds, comprehensive cleanup fund for these purposes. Four, accepting and appropriating an additional funded funds from public and private sources and authorizing the city administrator to actively seek and apply for such funds to amend existing contracts and or enter into a new contract consistent with the purposes of this resolution and in furtherance of the plan in the amount not to exceed the value of such additional appropriated funds. And five, directing the city administrator to return to council within one year of the adoption of the resolution to provide an informational report on actions taken, funds received and expended, and to contracts awarded pursuant to the plan and the authority granted by the resolution.

And this is scheduled for the 05/12/2026 public works and transportation committee agenda. Moving to item 3.4. 3.4 is a resolution in support of senate bill ten ninety five related to protecting the privacy and consultation rights of California by prohibiting California fusion centers from sharing sensitive personal information with government and private entities for the purpose of unlawful immigration enforcement and racial or identity profiling. It's being requested to be scheduled for the 05/12/2026 public safety committee agenda, but I do see staff.

Hi. Good morning. Through the chair, on behalf of council member Wong, we'd like to, schedule this to rules on May 7.

Thank you. If it's May 7 you need to state urgency if not May 14. Does that work?

May 14 is fine.

So noted, so item 3.4 will now be going to rules on May 14. Now taking us to item 3.5 which is a title change but there is an additional title change that I will read into record. I do see a staff. Thank you so much. I will read the title as we speak.

Adopt a resolution in authorizing the city administrator to enter into an agreement with l n Ellen Curtis and Sons Inc for the purchase of firefighter equipment for a three year term in the amount not to exceed $1,500,000 with the option to extend the agreement up to two years in the amount not to exceed $500,000 per year without returning to counsel for a total contract amount not to exceed $2,500,000 over the possible five year term. And waiving the advertising and competitive bidding process requirements. And it is scheduled for the May 12 public safety committee agenda with that additional title change of being $500,000 and not $400,000. Thank you so much.

Thank you ma'am.

Is that sufficient? Were you here to speak further on this item? No. Okay, thank you so much. Yes, I read entitled change so I believe the committee is approving the correction. So you're good, thank you so much.

Thank you.

We are now moving to item 3.6 which is also a title change, a resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into a purchase agreement with bureau compressors.

One second. Do you have a

No comments, I'm just hearing out 3.6.

Okay. Yes. Did

you have a title change or you just were listening? I'm sorry.

There is no title change for this one, no.

Okay. I will read in the new title that's listed here on the agenda which is a resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into a purchase agreement with Bureau Compressors Inc for the purchase of services and or repair of self contained breathing apparatuses units and complete repair to turnout gear cleaning extractors for a three year period in the amount not to exceed $600,000 with a two one year option to extend the agreement for up to an additional two years in the amount not to exceed $200,000 per year without returning to counsel for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,000,000 over the possible five year term and to waiving the advertising and competitive bidding requirements and this is scheduled for the May 12 public safety committee agenda.

Thank you.

Thank you so much. Moving on to item 3.7 which is a resolution in support of assembly bill eighteen thirty seven allowing the public transit operators to install automated forward facing parking control devices on city owned public transit vehicles. This is being requested to be scheduled for the May 19 city council agenda on consent. And there is a rule 24 that I will read into record which states the city council has previously approved the use of this technology in Oakland. A resolution supporting a state bill that expands the use of the technology to additional transit line lines in is a continuation of the existing policy.

I do see council member Brown in the queue.

Excellent. Thank you so much. So for item 3.7 I would like to be added as a co sponsor on this one.

Is that amenable to the D two office?

Okay. So noted item 3.7 will be adding council member Brown. Now moving to item 3.8. Item 3.8 is a resolution condemning the war on Iran and expressing support from Oaklanders impacted by the crisis. This is being requested to be scheduled for the May 19 city council agenda on consent.

Is there somebody who will read the rule 24?

Hello Walt, Matt Moulson, policy advisor for council member Zach Unger. We're asking this to go straight to council as soon as possible as the war is still ongoing and we wanna get our position distributed to the federal offices in a timely manner.

So it says the offices mentioned in this resolution, which offices?

That would be our state officials as well as our senators at the federal level and members of congress as well.

So I think I'm gonna put this on the rules pending list. Does anybody have any objections to that? No? Okay, we're gonna put this on rules pending.

So noted item 3.8 will be placed on the rules pending list, no date specific?

Yeah, no date specific. I wanna talk with the federal offices and see how they want us to express our support or opposition thereof of the war. Yeah, so when an opportunity to talk with the state and federal offices. Thank you.

So noted. We are now moving to item 3.9 which is resolution authorizing the reactivation reimbursement of expenses occurred by the former council member Dan Cobb for attending the civil will California policymakers conference in March 2024. This request is also being scheduled for the May 19 city council agenda on consent. There is a rule 24 that I will read into record. Reimbursement as straight are straightforward and typically go straight to the city council.

Moving to item three ten which is two pieces of legislation. One, a resolution adopting the city Oakland's investment policy for fiscal year 2026 through 2027. And two, a resolution pursuant to the government code section five three six zero seven, delegating investment authority of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency to the, agency treasury for fiscal year twenty twenty six twenty seven to be heard on the May 26 finance and management committee agenda. Item three eleven is an informational report for is receiving information report informational cash management report for the fiscal year 2025 through twenty six third quarter ended 03/31/2026. This is being requested to be scheduled for May 26 finance and management committee agenda.

Item three twelve is receive an informational report from the city auditor on performance audit of illegal dumping. This is being requested to be scheduled for May 26 public works and transportation committee agenda. Item three thirteen is a resolution authorizing the city administrator to one enter into a professional services agreement with PMAM Corporation for the administration of the false alarm reduction program from 07/01/2026 to 06/30/2031 for the total contract amount not to exceed $1,100,027 and excuse me. $1,127,115 in waiving the competitive multi step solicitation process and the LSLBE requirements, and this is being to be scheduled for the May 26 public safety committee agenda. Item three fourteen is receive an information report from the city administrator on their or their designee on the special revenue collections projects including hiring and advocating the work to bring in additional revenue from non file businesses.

And this is being requested to be scheduled to the September 22, 2026 finance and management committee agenda. Item three fifteen is a title change, and I will, there is a new subject listed here. I will read in the new title, recommendation title, which is receive an information report from the city administrator as required in section five of ordinance number one three eight seven three as it applies to law enforcement activities, prosecutorial outcomes, physical outcomes, and community impact and equity review on the May September 22, public safety committee agenda. And that concludes your new scheduling and I do have four speakers and I do see staff approaching the podium.

Good morning. Good morning everyone. Misha McLaughlin from council president Kevin Jenkins office. Hello. I have two diocese requests.

I would first want to make sure that we recognize our clerks. So we are asking to do a resolution adopted a resolution declaring May 3 through 05/09/2026, municipals clerk's week in the city Of Oakland in honoring Oakland City Clerk, Asha Reed, and her staff. So clerk's week is next week and we're really excited and looking forward to that and celebrating you all. The second request that I have is adopt the ordinance amending Oakland Municipal Code Charter 4.56 vacant property tax to establish a temporary three year exemption for parcels located East Of High Street to incentivize property activation, reduce vacancy, and prevent tax default in historically underinvested areas of East Oakland. And we're asking that one to go to May 26 finance and management committee.

And then, I'm sorry, the clerks were asking that to go to May 5 city council meeting on consent.

So the first one's clerk's week May 5 on consent. The second one, Council Member Ramachandra and Chair Ramachandra in May 26 Finance and Management. You amenable to that? Thank you. Can you state the urgency for clerk's week is it's a ceremonial and typically these things bypass committee.

Yeah, we're celebrating.

Thank you.

Anybody else? Let's go to our public speakers.

As I call your name please approach the podium if you're here with participating in chambers. If you're participating online please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. As well as please state your name for the record. I have Kevin Dally, Blair Beakman, Rajni Mandal, and Miguel Labossa I believe in any order.

Hi. Kevin Daly. Brief comments on three dot seven, the video imaging of parking on the bus routes and thanks to councilmember Wong and Brown for supporting this. Just want to flag that though it does video imaging, this doesn't have a lot of the same privacy concerns that FLAC has. The data is deleted after fifteen days if there are not any violations. I'm trying to check with the privacy groups just to verify that they still have no nervousness about

it.

But if you're concerned either check with me or check with some of the privacy groups and I'll try and find out more. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker that are participating here in person we will go through them first and then we will go to those who are online. Thank you so much. And state your name for the record.

Okay. I'm Miguel de Rosa. I've lived in Oakland over fifty years. Okay. I'm a homeowner and lot of other issues. It's not you know anyway, this is what I gotta say. Okay? All the things that you guys wanted to put on rule 24, I mean, every single one of those, people knew these things were coming up. Okay? I have seen so many things come up on rule 24 that have allowed large sums of money go from one group to another, which I think is totally illegal. When you do something like that, you have to reinvent it. Okay? That's so that's not that's not the way to do it. 3.3, 3.5, and 3.6 are must haves. The legal dumping should be done.

Anything the fire department wants, give it to them. Okay? You got an undermanned staff, and we don't want this city to burn. Okay? The other thing, okay, are the reports. The what do you guys call these things? Okay? They're informational reports. Okay? We're the public. We know nothing. I like to see those informational reports in writing because they're very vague when somebody just sits here and presents it. Okay? We, the public, know nothing. And I'd like to know more about those things. Okay? Anyway, that's all I gotta say. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you for your comments. I will now move to those who are participating via Zoom. Again, if you are participating via Zoom please raise your hand in the queue so we can easily identify you. I see Blair Beakman. You are unmuted and may begin your time.

Hi. Thank you. Blair Beakman. I have, three plus items to speak on, if that's okay. Yeah. As I signed up for. 3.3, 3.12 together, 3.4, 3.7, 3.8 together, and 315. To start with, the 3.3 and, three three point one two, a legal dumping expenditure issues, expenditure plan. Dumping trash is a really important component of how you're dealing with issues in Oakland these days, and these items set forth how you will be working with state and federal agencies on it. You mentioned technology.

I've tried to say if you create a clear set of policies with the technology for the community that invites a community process to address the issue, and and it doesn't have to be so punitive. Really good luck addressing these dumping illegal dumping things as non punitive as much as possible and just finding good solutions and just people just stop doing so much trash. How we do that together is important. Good luck in those efforts. It's it's a community effort.

And and and that doesn't have to hurt, the unhoused. So good luck how how to I know you guys are trying to understand and work towards that. Good luck in those efforts. With items, three point, four, three point seven, and 3.8, a very much a thank you to Kevin who very nicely spoke on what, needs to be done with the, video bus and parking issues for buses for transit service. He spelled out very clearly it's important to talk to the PAC and to hear that from the bicycle community and transit community, that's awesome to hear.

As always, you know, good luck accountability and policy practices, understanding what can be a clear process, and thank you to Kevin for taking the steps. And thank you to council person Wang who who with item four point 3.6 is trying to work towards a better understanding of, how our data collection centers work at the state level and if they don't have to, collect, so much data on on, different groups of people. I'm not saying that very well, gosh darn it, but, you know, I thank her for her efforts, what she's doing, what she's trying and working towards with that. She's she's addressing data collection at the state level, and it's nice to hear her do that, a good step for her. Thank you.

And finally, for 3.15, my remaining twenty seconds, this is items that are going to, this this police have to come back in the fall with equity items and how they're gonna address, their review process and stuff. I'll talk more on the next, item four on this. I have a lot to say. Thank you.

Our next speaker is Rajani Mandal. I am you are unmuted and you may mute and begin. Rajani Mandal. She may not be available. She's not unmuted. That concludes your public speakers for this item.

Thank you. Noting the urgency finding on 3.1, 3.4 scheduled to rules on May 14. 3.7, we're gonna add council member Brown as a cosponsor. 3.8 rules pending list and noting the urgency finding for the clerk's suite dais request. Noting the dais request for the May 26 finance and management committee item, I will entertain a motion.

So moved. Second.

And that was a motion by council member Ramachandran, seconded by council member Fife to approve item three as amended on roll. Council member Brown. Aye. Council member Fife. Aye. Ramachandran. Aye. Chair Jenkins. Aye. Item number three was approved with four ayes as amended. That now takes us to item four. Item four is review of the draft agendas, pending list and the council and committee agendas. The draft excuse me, the agendas for May 5 city council, May 7 rules, the pending list for all subject matter committees, and the draft agendas for May 12.

Anything from the administration?

Good morning council. For May 25 agenda item 2.6, I mean, 6.25. We're asking for urgency

finding because the camp starts in two weeks and the initial quote didn't have prevailing wages and we also wanna read a new title into the record. Resolution authorizing the city administration to one, waive the request for proposal qualifications, competitive process, execute construction contracts for capital repairs and rip and replacements at February this camp located at at 5469 Oakland Camp Road, Quincy, California 95971, in a total amount not to exceed 523,938 and 9¢ with Agley Engineering for the replacement of the three septic tanks, drain systems, and the drinking water system. And three, adopt appropriate California Environmental Quality Act findings.

Thank you, Brent.

Thank you. If I may, just for the record, just to make the correction, I I believe, he stated it's May 5 agenda, not May 25.

May 5. Sorry about that.

That's okay. Thank you so much.

Anything else from the administration? Good

afternoon. Or Good still good morning. Good morning. Preston Kilworth, Deputy Chief Staff Mayor Barbara Lee. I want to bring to your attention the May 5 council agenda item 5.5. At this time, the mayor would like to respectfully request that this item be withdrawn.

Thank you. Can you note the item number again? 5.5. 5.5 on May 5. Okay. Council member Fife?

This is not about any of the items that were just mentioned. I just had a question about the council member Unger's item from earlier that is now on pending no date specific. So to the chair, when will after you speak to our state representatives and federal representatives, when will that come back to the pub what are you thinking?

So the thought is to talk to the federal representatives to see what's the best way for the city of Oakland to support the opposition to the war. So it might not necessarily be a resolution. I just wanna see from them what is the best way for us to support our opposition.

Understood. So will you bring that back to the body or will you let us how will that how will you let us know as the counsel without violating the Brown Act? How how do we know?

I'll have a conversation. Or maybe to the parliamentarian.

So what I could do is have a conversation with you and council member Unger's office. Thank you. Thank you.

And should I call the speakers? Yes. Thank you so much. Calling on the speakers for this item. If you're participating via Zoom please raise your hand. Kevin Dally and Blair Biekman, we'll start with those present first.

The parking reorg back to the May fifth city council meeting. It was removed removed from the city council meeting upon the promise from the city administrator that reorganization would wait until the budget was approved. Not true. May 9, there will be some changes to in the parking reorg with two people who are currently in finance taking over some of the responsibilities of parking. And I think, though I'm not positive, this will all be under Oak Dot.

And I think that the only thing that is currently being planned to move over to finance is collections. And while I could live with that personally, I would like to see this discussed by the body as has been promised over and over and over again. I don't like the promises from the city administrator to postpone the move and then going through with changes. Thanks. Thank

you for your comments. Next speaker is Blair Beakman. You have been unmuted. Please unmute yourself and begin.

Hi. Thank you, Blair Beakman, to try to tie a lot of things together in your upcoming May, fifth city council meeting and your upcoming rules committee meeting. You had, I think, another great week of committee meetings this past week, the week of the twenty first where you talked about data collection issues, Cellbrite and Peregrine. And you ended up and it's gonna be on your May 5 agenda. You ended up kinda reaching some same conclusions and decision making that you have been around the flock issue that the Peregrine and Cellbrite are companies that are And and we're questioning, and the community is questioning, and the city council is involving themselves in those questions.

And I think it's an amazingly good thing. Thank you incredibly. You talked about possibly leaving Peregrine or Celebrite within a year's time. Is it possible to move that year's time in working with the police and community up to six months and get a report back in six months how progress is going on different future data collection sources besides Cellbrite. You you put that to a year. I I really hope you can make that at a six month level. The same with, you know, the new ALPR vendor besides block. How is that process going? Are you finding, you know, are you starting that process? Are you going to have public meeting discussions on how that is progressing?

I think that stuff has to be clear. And all of this relates to council person Unger's very important helpful idea on on on stating opposition against the war in Iran. We have to you know, it's really important how to navigate and negotiate those terms that if we work towards openness and peace and best practices, that's building peace, and that gives great examples to the world how they can work towards peace also. So good luck in the tough navigation effort with these issues.

Thank you for your comments. That concludes our speakers for item four.

That was great. That was great. Noting the 6.25 title change in urgency finding and noting that 5.5 is withdrawn I'll entertain a motion.

So moved. Second. That was a motion by council member Fife, seconded by council member Ramachandran to approve item four as amended. On roll, council member Brown. Aye. Council member Fife. Aye. Ramachandran. Aye. And chair Jenkins. Aye. Item number four is approved as amended with four ayes. That now takes us to open forum. I have Kevin Dally, Blair Beekman, Rajni Mandal, Carmen Salazar. If you are here in chambers you may approach the podium.

If you are participating via Zoom please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. We will take those who are present in chambers first. Please approach the podium in any order. Again we have Carmen Salazar and Kevin Daly. Kevin Dally is passing on speaking for open forum.

Hello, I'm gonna be providing interpretation to the best of my ability from Spanish. Is it possible to get two additional minutes for interpretation?

Thank you.

Yes.

Good morning. My name is Carmen Beltran and I would like to bring to your attention an issue that's relevant across the city and it's regarding the parking fees and fines that are added to parking in the city for city parking. So I feel that it's very unjust to receive a parking ticket. And when I'm not able to pay it, the fine keeps going up and up. And in my situation, it's made it very chaotic and difficult for me.

I'm just not able to pay these fines. So the fines start at $64 $84 and with all the additional fines and fees added on they can get up to 200 or 300 and there's no consideration for income, people of low income and once they get up to that maximum and it's not paid then it goes to collections. So I feel that this is very wrong and this needs to be changed. And I understand that the council creates the collection, the table of collection fees and so I'd like to address this. So I'd like to know how the fee schedule or what the fee schedule is based on.

Is it really based on what people can afford or their income? Because really for people like me, it's just not possible to pay these fines and I wanna see what we can do to change this. So there's an issue where sometimes you can get two tickets at the same time and didn't catch everything, but it's there's an issue where there's two tickets, like, given to your car at the same time, you know, if you stay for too long and you overstay the parking meter. And it's not really clearly explained and I feel that this is wrong and the process is just very confusing.

Yeah, her time has lapsed.

Okay. So the last point was there's just not enough space for parking in the city and so it's really challenging when you're trying to go somewhere and you pay what you, you know, the hour or whatever time you think you're gonna use and then it goes over just a little bit but you're still in an appointment and then you just get hit with all these fines and tickets and it's just impossible to pay. So we need to change the system. Yeah, go with him on.

You so much for your time.

Thank you. Thank you

so much for your time. We still have two other speakers. I have Rajani Mandal and Blair Beekman. Rajni, you've been unmuted. Mute may, begin your two minutes.

Rajni Mandel, District 4. I wanna speak plainly about a problem that has now been documented for years. The police commission operates without meaningful accountability and at times outside of it. The auditor's 2020 audit found that the commission failed to comply with key charter requirements and involved itself in administrative functions outside its authority. It also documented something more concerning, a breakdown in governance, including refusal to follow city attorney guidance and a lack of respect for the city's legal framework.

That was in 2020, and we're now in 2026, and those same patterns continue. Most recently, the commission proceeded with the appointment of a commissioner despite a formal city attorney opinion raising legal concerns saying, it doesn't matter. We have an independent counsel. That is not a gray area. That is a direct conflict with the city's legal authority.

And there is still no formal system to evaluate the performance of the inspector general or the oversight system in itself. And this is starting to impact federal compliance and this is where alignment matters. At the April 23 meeting, the inspector general raised concerns about lack of responses to audit requests, but OPD leadership also explained the operational reality, that resources were being directed towards active NSA compliance tasks currently under federal review. That points to a deeper issue, a lack of coordination and prioritization between the Inspector General's work and the city's federal compliance strategy. When oversight bodies are not aligned with the city's legal and operational framework, that creates risk, just internally but in federal court.

And this is the bottom line. We have built an oversight system that demands accountability from OPD, but does not have accountability within itself. Independence was the goal, but independence without structure, without guardrails, and without accountability is not sustainable. And that is why charter reform is not optional. It is necessary. Thank you.

Thank you. Our last speaker for open forum is Blair Beakman. You may begin.

Hi. Thank you. Good luck what you can be doing with the issues on Iran and to to question the the current war of this country on Iran. You know, I think this does stem back to Israel and and their current fightings, in in that area. And if we can be able to address even as other countries may be wrong and asking Israel to to practice peace, dialogue, negotiation, and trust through all of that.

It it's an important key in how we move forward, and we have to bring Israel aboard in how to talk about peace, and trust before, you know, in having to address their current existential threats that I hope are existential and not, you know, we can learn to have dialogue but they don't have to be a forced thing. There was a very specific purpose why the Hamas raids happened on October 7 and we have to be more clear about that, we're not being clear about why that exactly happened. There's very specific reasons I feel that is a part of a dialogue of peace that a negotiation that Israel does not want to have and they got to learn to have that dialogue I think and that's that's what's so key in this future process. Good luck to ourselves, what we can be doing together because man if we work towards those things we can then practice our best practices here and we can talk about the really really good stuff and we can't do that when there's war happening, that's what war does and we're trying our darndest to work through that anyway and thank you so much that you are and the more best practices we offer we just simply offer something incredible to the world and we do that well here in Oakland.

Practice and we know how to practice peace and not harm. So good luck in those continued good efforts with all of our items today and what we can be doing moving forward. Thank you.

And that concludes our open forum speakers. Thank you.

Thank you. This meeting is adjourned.