On April 3, 2025, the Alameda City Council held a regular meeting covering a range of topics including proclamations, public comments, consent calendar items, the State of the City address, climate action plan updates, economic development strategies, electric vehicle charging regulations, and annual reports on transportation and housing. The meeting began at approximately 11:00 AM and concluded the same day, with several unanimous votes and one dissenting vote on executive compensation.
All right. Um, good evening, everyone, and welcome to the City of Alameda City Council meeting for a pleasant change. We are not just coming back from closed session. And um, I'm going to call the meeting to order, and we will start with the Pledge of Allegiance. And I would like to ask my colleague Councilmember Desag if he would please lead us in the pledge. Oh, one nation. Indivisible liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Council, Councilmember Days. Madam Clerk, Lara Weissinger, would you please call the roll? Council members Bowler. Days here, Jensen. Prior here, Mayor Ezie Ashcraft. Here. Five present. All right. Um, so we begin the evening with um proclamations. No, we don't. We uh go next to item two. Jump in the gun. Um, agenda changes. Madam Clerk, do we have any agenda changes? We just have one. Um that item 5E was withdrawn and will not be heard tonight. All right, thank you. So now we move on to um proclamations, and we do have a proclamation this evening uh because uh April is Arab American Heritage Month. And coincidentally, I'm an Arab American, so it is my pleasure to read this proclamation. So California joins the nation in recognizing the month of April as Arab American Heritage Month. As California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote, as home to more immigrants than any other state, California knows firsthand that diversity is our greatest asset. Our state is fortunate to have the largest Arab American population in the country with thriving communities in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, and other parts of the state that trace their heritage across the Middle East and North Africa. And Arab immigrants and their descendants have enriched our nation and our state with their traditions, values, and diverse perspectives for more than a century, positively impacting every aspect of American society from medicine, law, and business to the arts, education, and public service, shaping the nation's identity through their creativity, innovation, and hard work. And whereas the San Francisco Bay Area has long been home to a vibrant Arab American community, whose members have contributed to the cultural, economic, and social life of the region, founding businesses, establishing cultural and religious organizations, and contributing to the fields of art, technology, law, medicine, education, and more. And Arab American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to not only celebrate the invaluable role of Arab Americans in the Bay Area and around the country, but also to stand united in the ongoing fight against hate and discrimination and to promote a culture of inclusivity, understanding, and mutual respect among all communities. And by acknowledging and addressing anti-Arab discrimination, we can foster a more just and equitable society. And by recognizing the contributions of our Arab American neighbors, we honor the diversity and rich richness that we value in our island community. During Arab American Heritage Month, we honor the past, present, and future of this community in our California story, and we dedicate ourselves to ensuring the safety and belonging of Arab Americans across our state. And Arab Americans join with all Americans in the shared pursuit of a free and diverse democratic society where every person is guaranteed equality and security. Now, therefore, I, Marilyn Ezie Ashcraft, Mayor of the City of Alameda, to hereby proclaim April 2025 as Arab American Heritage Month in the City of Alameda, and encourage all residents to learn more about the rich culture and traditions of Arab Americans by participating in the following activities presented by the Alameda Free Library. Today going on is the take and make Arabic style tile kit um uh activity at the West End Library Branch for kids ages eight and up. Uh kits are available while supplies last. So if you didn't get there today, try tomorrow. Um, and then there is an Arab architecture and art activity on Saturday, April 12th from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Ladecker Event Center that's out by the Bay Farm Branch Island. And this is presented in partnership with the Museum of Children's Art and is for children ages five and up and their caregivers. And finally, on Tuesday, April the 29th in the main library at 5 30 PM is a multimedia presentation of archival materials from libraries with librarians with Palestine. So I just want to uh thank you for the opportunity to read to read that. And as I was declaring this month, Arab American Heritage Month, I was thinking when I was growing up, that just wouldn't have been a thing. I mean, people didn't talk about Arab Americans. If I said I was Arab American, people didn't know what that meant. So we've caught come a long way. We've got a ways to go, but we've come a long way, and it's a good thing.