OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Alameda County, California/Board of Supervisors
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sunol Citizens Advisory Council Meeting - November 3, 2026

Board of Supervisors — Tuesday, November 3, 2026
BodyAlameda County, California
SessionBoard of Supervisors
DateTuesday, November 3, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:09:49

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:14

I know it's a long walk to get in here now.

0:16

You and sort of amazed to find your way.

Unassigned speaker

0:20

Well,

Speaker 1

0:20

I'd all made

Unassigned speaker

0:21

it.

Speaker 1

0:22

Call the meeting to order.

Unassigned speaker

0:25

Do

Speaker 1

0:25

a roll call.

0:27

Council member Conan.

0:28

Present.

Speaker 2

0:29

Council member Harrison.

0:32

Councilmember McLean.

Speaker 3

0:34

Present.

Speaker 1

0:35

Chair DeGrange.

0:36

Here we have a forum.

0:38

Thank

Unassigned speaker

0:38

you.

Speaker 1

0:40

Start out with public comment, open forum, public announcements.

0:43

I only have one card here

Unassigned speaker

0:45

from

Speaker 1

0:46

Kelly Abrew.

0:51

We'll have two minutes.

0:52

We have a full agenda today.

Speaker 4

1:00

I was thought I'd go through the story of a county road that came city road through Fremont, and then it goes for uh a half mile or a mile into Sinnol and into the county.

1:12

And this road was in such bad shape that the people at the residents at the end of the road were complaining about how horrible condition, no payment potholes, steep drop-offs on the on the dirt shoulders, all this terrible stuff.

1:28

And then it was big, and then they go to the newspaper.

1:34

The the county supervisor goes to the San Jose Mercury or East Bake Times and says, you know, the city of Fremont doesn't care one iota about this road, and they don't maintain it, they haven't cleaned the shoulders, they haven't uh done anything.

1:48

And then uh it turns out that at the uh near the regional park over there, there's like signs, and the sign says city on this side and says county on that side, and that's not really a legal thing, but it's a maintenance kind of a of a division where the county the part that they were complaining about was maintained by

Unassigned speaker

2:09

the

Speaker 4

2:09

county public works department.

2:12

And uh and and so when I when I told the city this, and I said that the so the city looked really bad in the newspaper, you know.

2:19

Oh, yeah, and the mayor is like, well, you know, we're trying hard, or whatever he said, but it wasn't even his job to go and maintain that road.

2:27

And uh the city's uh the the county was supposed to be doing it.

2:30

So when the uh the county uh uh like three, four weeks later, six county dump trucks, seven of them out there filling the potholes, it's in good shape with good repair now that the county is out there doing their job.

2:45

Thank

Unassigned speaker

2:45

you.

Speaker 1

2:47

What

Speaker 4

2:48

um

Unassigned speaker

2:50

more

Speaker 5

2:50

game in the road?

Speaker 1

2:52

Oh, okay.

2:53

Andrew Turnbull.

Speaker 5

2:54

Yeah,

Speaker 1

2:58

we

Speaker 5

2:58

went over the agenda today, and um, I know we can't cover everything all the time, and perhaps you might comment when we get to item three, but um back on the special suit social

Unassigned speaker

3:14

at

Speaker 5

3:14

Bribery Council meeting.

3:15

We had a lovely lady in Sinnoll get up and pulled a picture up of that um parity joke.

3:23

And um,

Unassigned speaker

3:26

you

Speaker 5

3:26

know, when I put this thing out with this email out about

Unassigned speaker

3:31

what

Speaker 5

3:31

Caltrans had done with taken down

Unassigned speaker

3:33

a

Speaker 5

3:34

heritage oak.

3:36

Um we know that this is an issue that is being carried at this meeting, but at the last meeting.

3:44

Um my recollection was something the size of an encyclopedia was dropped on you guys by maybe that's an exaggeration, but I don't think it's unfair by Caltrans and I remember there was a bit of a struggle, like maybe we use AI to try to figure out what's going on.

4:04

Um, I'm just want to bring it up because I don't think we should forget this.

4:08

I think we

Unassigned speaker

4:09

should

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████25%
Emergency Management█████████████████████████25%
Technology and Innovation█████████████████17%
Transportation Safety████████8%
Procedural██████6%
Active Transportation██████6%
Public Works███3%
Flood Control███3%
Public Engagement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Sunol Citizens Advisory Council Meeting - November 3, 2026

The Sunol Citizens Advisory Council (SCAC) met on November 3, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Sunol Glen School Multi-Purpose Room/Hoxie Hall. The meeting included public comments, law enforcement and fire reports, workgroup updates, and several informational presentations on transportation planning, winter storm preparedness, a sheriff’s office technology contract, emergency alert improvements, and a proposed local radio network. The council also approved the minutes from the September 16, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kelly Abrew shared a story about a county road maintenance dispute to illustrate the importance of clear jurisdictional responsibility.
  • Andrew Turnbull urged the council to continue fighting Caltrans over the removal of a heritage oak and suggested the county counsel could help the community interpret the voluminous materials provided by Caltrans.

Law Enforcement & Fire Reports

  • Law Enforcement (Sergeant Richard Franco, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office): Since September 16, 2026, the sheriff’s office responded to 156 calls in Sunol and wrote 15 citations in the area. Wire thefts remain a problem, especially targeting AT&T lines. The sergeant also reminded residents about garbage can placement ordinances and encouraged neighbors to work together on safety.
  • Fire Protection (Chief Bonnie Terra, Alameda County Fire Department): In the last 30 days, the department logged 39 calls: 38% medical, 10% fire, and 52% other. Chief Jeff Nichols from CAL FIRE was unable to attend; his defensible space inspection update will be presented in November.

Workgroup Progress Reports

  • Fire Safety Workgroup (Rosemary Chang): Chang announced the formation of a Firewise committee, which will begin with one or two pilot groups in Sunol. Volunteers are needed to conduct inspections with CAL FIRE support.
  • Downtown Revitalization Workgroup (Benjamin Harrison, Connie De Grange): Wayfinding signs have been approved by the Board of Supervisors and are now moving through county procurement. The restroom project’s final usability study report for the on-site wastewater treatment system is nearing completion, after which a petition for inclusion will be circulated.

Discussion Items

4a: Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Master Plan (PBTMP)

  • Presenters: Maritoni Maravilla (Senior Transportation Planner) and Lauren Peppy (Tool Design Group).
  • The plan updates the 2019 master plan for unincorporated Alameda County. Early findings show that existing bikeways are mostly class 2 and 3, sidewalks are concentrated in downtown Sunol, and there were no fatal crashes in the area from March 2021 to March 2026. Crash hot spots include Calaveras Road and Niles Canyon Road.
  • Community concerns: Residents highlighted dangerous intersections (e.g., Bond & Main), unsafe conditions on Kilkare Road and Foothill Road due to high-speed cyclists, and the loss of a bicycle shoulder on Pleasanton Sunol Road. Attendees also noted that walking to downtown from nearby homes is unsafe.
  • The next SCAC presentation on the PBTMP is scheduled for March or April 2027.

4b: El Niño Winter Preparations

  • Presenter: Daniel Woldenesbet (Director of Public Works).
  • Public Works maintains year-round emergency supplies and provides free sandbags to unincorporated residents. Sandbag locations in Sunol: Fire Station 14, the Little Brown Church on Kilkare, and at Kilkare and Singalong Way. Handouts with storm preparation tips and contact numbers were distributed.
  • Discussion clarified that for downed trees blocking roads, residents should call Public Works or use Mobile Citizen; for emergencies, call 911. The sheriff’s office also responds to such incidents.

4c: Axon Contract Renewal (Strengthening Public Safety Technology)

  • Presenter: Captain Dan Brodie, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.
  • The Sheriff’s Office proposes renewing and expanding its contract with Axon (current contract $14M over 5 years) to include Taser 10, dash cameras (Axon Fleet 3), VR training, AI report writing (Draft One), live translation, policy chat, real-time information center (Fusus), and increased data storage. The renewal would begin January 2027 but payments do not start until August 2027, offering a 76% savings in the first year compared to waiting until the current contract expires in August 2027.
  • Public questions and support: Residents asked about data retention (3-year minimum), integration with CHP (separate systems), privacy safeguards (license plate reader technology on dash cams will be turned off pending a separate RFP), and the process for public records requests. Several speakers expressed strong support for the technology, citing improved transparency and community safety.

4d: New AC Alerts for Weather Conditions and Floods

  • Presenter: Brentt Blaser, Emergency Manager, Alameda County OES.
  • OES has integrated National Weather Service alerts into AC Alert. Residents can opt in to receive these alerts via text or email. A new website (ACAlert.org) provides a centralized portal for preparedness, emergency updates, and recovery information, including threat-specific maps and an awareness dashboard combining tools like Watch Duty and Genesis Protect.
  • Blaser noted that the system was improved after Sunol residents requested better weather alerting. The council thanked him for this responsiveness.

4e: Emergency Radio Communications for Kilkare Canyon

  • Presenter: Scott Sanders, Sunol Resident.
  • Scott presented a proposed GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) network to address the lack of cell and Wi-Fi service in Kilkare Canyon during power outages. He built a solar-powered repeater and obtained permission to install it on private property near Pleasanton Ridge Park. Handheld radios cost about $70; an FCC license costs $35 and covers the entire family for 10 years without a test.
  • Public input: Multiple residents strongly supported the initiative and encouraged the council to consider funding the equipment and supporting the network. Scott noted that several neighbors have already purchased radios. The council praised the effort and discussed potential grant opportunities through the county’s communications team.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved minutes of the September 16, 2026 meeting without changes.
  • No formal votes were taken on the informational items (4a–4e), but the council expressed general support for the Axon contract renewal and the emergency radio project.
  • The next SCAC meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2026, with presentations planned on Flock cameras and the Palecitos Nuclear Center.

Meeting Transcript

I know it's a long walk to get in here now. You and sort of amazed to find your way. Well, I'd all made it. Call the meeting to order. Do a roll call. Council member Conan. Present. Council member Harrison. Councilmember McLean. Present. Chair DeGrange. Here we have a forum. Thank you. Start out with public comment, open forum, public announcements. I only have one card here from Kelly Abrew. We'll have two minutes. We have a full agenda today. I was thought I'd go through the story of a county road that came city road through Fremont, and then it goes for uh a half mile or a mile into Sinnol and into the county. And this road was in such bad shape that the people at the residents at the end of the road were complaining about how horrible condition, no payment potholes, steep drop-offs on the on the dirt shoulders, all this terrible stuff. And then it was big, and then they go to the newspaper. The the county supervisor goes to the San Jose Mercury or East Bake Times and says, you know, the city of Fremont doesn't care one iota about this road, and they don't maintain it, they haven't cleaned the shoulders, they haven't uh done anything. And then uh it turns out that at the uh near the regional park over there, there's like signs, and the sign says city on this side and says county on that side, and that's not really a legal thing, but it's a maintenance kind of a of a division where the county the part that they were complaining about was maintained by the county public works department. And uh and and so when I when I told the city this, and I said that the so the city looked really bad in the newspaper, you know. Oh, yeah, and the mayor is like, well, you know, we're trying hard, or whatever he said, but it wasn't even his job to go and maintain that road. And uh the city's uh the the county was supposed to be doing it. So when the uh the county uh uh like three, four weeks later, six county dump trucks, seven of them out there filling the potholes, it's in good shape with good repair now that the county is out there doing their job. Thank you. What um more game in the road? Oh, okay. Andrew Turnbull. Yeah, we went over the agenda today, and um, I know we can't cover everything all the time, and perhaps you might comment when we get to item three, but um back on the special suit social at Bribery Council meeting. We had a lovely lady in Sinnoll get up and pulled a picture up of that um parity joke. And um, you

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com