Remarks by Ed Smith
32 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 1 of 2
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Yeah, just item nine for an interest for the public to see what that one is about.
Could I ask that staff put Figure A up from the staff report so we can see the map? The public will be able to see the map we're talking about. I knew you'd come prepared. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you very much, Cody. I wanted to call the attention to this for the public. I got a few emails this week, a few phone calls where they needed more information. So I'll just say that this is the map in the property in question, about 17,000 square feet, I think it is. And that's on the airport side. So that's past Garden Road. So for all these years, People that have gone to the airport have actually been crossing through and driving. They think that they've arrived once they see the airport, but actually they've been transporting themselves past the City of Monterey property. So…
Please. Can I ask it in December 1st, maybe we can include the answer to the caller about the property that is not this as far as I can remember. It was another close by. It sounds like it's a different item. Yes, it's a different item. Maybe you could answer that question somehow.
Yeah. Please. Yeah, I serve on TAMC with representing the city council and I just want to say that this was unanimously voted for by the TAMC board. It's a significant amount of money because it significantly answers several safety issues that were identified on the North Fremont side and the gap to be able to complete this project. So $2.8 million is a lot of money to get from another agency, a transportation agency, and that is a perfectly funded project because it addresses from all safety standards an improvement for pedestrians, bicyclists, and accessibility. So there's a lot here, but…
Yes, the chair piece was one of them. Thank you, city manager, for that. Is there an assigned budget that would be allocated to this for any internal costs that would be encountered by the city manager's office?
Okay, that's the only question I have right now.
Yeah, I want to weigh in. I think that many of the speakers have brought up some very good points about maybe this should be continued until after the election. I think when I look at the list of who will be invited to the table, I see that there are some distinct missing players, and I don't know how to reconcile that because we don't want it so large that it can't really do what it's designed to do. I'm just concerned about the imbalance. I don't know if the Chamber of Commerce would be selected by the Coalition of Monterey Business Associations, but I'm not sure even how that works because…
Any discussion on the motion? Please. I just thought of a question. I think I heard the city manager say that it would not be the kind of meeting that would be noticed. So I'm thinking that that is Brown Act notice as if it was a city council meeting. Correct. But notice would have to go out to the public in some way, which would mean the city becomes responsible for some type of notice, alerts, phone calls, emails, texts, which is again raising the bar to our involvement. I think that as the city council is obviously gonna take this vote and it's gonna pass because I can count, what it means…
But I also- Maybe just put a total number on Instead of this number, maybe the city manager can clarify.
Okay. Okay. I think that the chair is actually responsible for reporting according to this.
Mayor, I was actually going to ask if we could flip-flop and hear 15 now, because I think there's many members of the public.
Oh, question. Looking at the letter that you authored and started this under your discussion, I know tonight's action is to acknowledge that there's two votes and this will go forward to staff. They will then come back to council. with a proposed policy governing this recognition. I'm very confused about one paragraph that you have. It's the second paragraph, and I don't know how the city will interpret that or take action on this. And just to briefly read to, the resolution would affirm the city's support for access to lawful gender-affirming healthcare and establish a policy governing the…
Yeah, so I think through 2026, it's been a lot of work for you and staff and appreciate that. Hopefully it's all been fruitful because you come away with some great ideas plus the setting of priorities, what the community is basically saying is important to them. But as you go forward into 2027, and you are getting some framework around recommendations to the city council for the budget process. What's your thinking about how you can sustain those relationships in the community that you are garnering now where, I mean, obviously maybe it's a different timeline, it's more infrequent, but…
Yeah, and it also bypasses the levels of filters and mixed messages and a variety of dispelling rumors. I think it comes directly from you. It's got a lot more power and accuracy. Yep.
No, I'm kidding. I much appreciate you, and thank you for taking this challenge. You know, when we think back in the process where we were and, you know, you arrived in Monterey, you didn't know us. We knew a little bit about you, but just from the moment we met you, and I'll speak for myself, but I think we all kind of felt like, yeah, you are a relationship person, but there's much more. There's the strategic thinking as well. You know, and thank you for all the hard work because I know you entered and you have done probably close to 800 or 900 meetings by now. And that takes a lot of time…
It was actually, it was nine of them, right? Nine. Was there nine? Nine, which one?
Uh. Yeah, just a couple things. You know we we have the last couple of months been hearing folks that call in advocating for. Their. Their choice to they want to vote for. I have a dream that one day we would not use this city chambers for that. That opportunity. I engaged a few folks on social media this last week and very carefully always offered my perspective or my observation and always left it with, you have a choice. I just encourage you to vote whatever your choice is. Somehow we've lost the ability to have dialogue even if we disagree with people. We should not be slamming the way…
Do we want to keep anything on the consent today? I made a mistake. Just kidding. Item 3, not 2. Sorry. Item 3. It was supposed to be laughter. Yeah, no, I was trying to do a mea culpa before. Sorry.
Yes. The reason I wanted to pull it, because there's still a couple of comments in the community that have come to me. This is a second reading of a reduction in the certain categories of the rates and permits. and we had a July release of updated rate schedule and this is a reduction of a portion of that. The last time we spoke about this, I made a motion and it was concurred by the council that we would come back with a study session. So part of the conversation is with staff, do we have an update of when we might have a study session scheduled to review some of the other increases in the…
Okay, and if you could report out for the public the list of the five that are on the agenda tonight. We have added in the staff, it's the percentage reduction from the rate schedule from July, but I think the public's questions that I was fielding for the last couple of days had to do with, well, what does that mean the rate will be? So do you have something you could present for the five rates that we're talking about tonight that's the actual dollar amount? rather than just listing a percentage amount.
Is there something we can put up on the board?
Okay, and I'm sorry, Andrew, are you talking about the new rate? These are the new rates. These are the new rates. Yes. Okay, the second rate was how much?
I was able to pull it up. It'll be showing up on your screen just momentarily. Thank you very much. Thanks, Nat. So that's the suggested amounts for after the proposed 70%, reduction 50, 70, 50, and 50. That's helpful. Thank you very much. Sure. Any other questions from the council at this time?