Belmont Measure I Committee Meeting Summary – June 9, 2025

The Measure I Advisory Committee convened on Monday, June 9, 2025, at 11:00 AM at City Hall, One Twin Pines Lane, 2nd Floor, Suite #210 - EOC, and via Zoom. The meeting covered routine approvals, committee leadership elections, and an informational update on the FY 2025-26 proposed budget and capital improvement projects funded by Measure I sales tax.

Consent Calendar

• Draft Minutes: The minutes of the Measure I Advisory Committee Meeting of November 15, 2024, were approved unanimously by voice vote with no amendments.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Committee Orientation: Director Castaneda provided a brief orientation, noting that the committee meets twice a year and that the spring meeting includes chair rotation.
• Selection of Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson: The committee nominated and elected Committee Member Tupo as Chair and Committee Member Kong as Vice-Chair. The vote for Chair was unanimous (5 ayes, 0 nays), with a roll call recording aye votes from all present members. The Vice-Chair selection was similarly approved by voice vote with all members in favor.
• FY 2025-26 Proposed Budget Update & Measure I Capital Improvement Update: Presentations by Director Castaneda and Senior Civil Engineer Bojana Palatnik.
  • Sales Tax Collections: Since Measure I began in April 2017, sales tax collections have softened and flattened following a bump in FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22 driven by luxury auto purchases. Current year collections are estimated to be flat compared to the prior year. Projections show modest, muted growth due to a slowdown in the auto industry (Belmont's top sales tax performer) and cooling in building construction.
  • Fund Commitments: To date, $8 million has been committed to active projects ($7.3 million for streets, $0.7 million for storm projects). The five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) adds another $10 million commitment ($9.3 million streets, $0.7 million storm).
  • Long-Term Financial Plan: The committee reviewed a financial plan showing projected negative fund balances in the first few years of the five-year outlook, returning to positive in the last two years. Staff clarified that the plan reflects fund commitments (planned projects) rather than actual annual spending. Actual spending will be updated as projects proceed. Chair Tupo and members discussed the commitment versus spending timeline, and staff explained the three-year pavement maintenance cycle (slurry seal, mill & fill, reconstruction) and the summer construction window.
  • Pavement Condition Index (PCI): The city's PCI improved from 56 ten years ago to 71 currently, attributed to Measure I funding. The 2025 pavement projects will further improve streets currently rated poor or very poor (red/orange on the PCI map).
  • Street Selection Process: Selection is based on PCI, number of neighbor complaints, and accident history. Value engineering is applied to each project, with staff examining subsurface conditions to avoid unnecessary reconstruction. In the prior year, this saved 21% compared to pavement management program estimates; for the 2025 pavement project, bids came in 18% lower.
  • Current and Planned Work: Current fiscal year work includes a South Trail project (bids opened, construction starting next month, completion expected in September). Planned work for next fiscal year includes storm main rehabilitation before paving streets, coordination with utility agencies (PG&E, Mid-Peninsula Water District), and in-house street maintenance (273 tons of asphalt, 145 potholes repaired, over 2,010 USA markouts in the current fiscal year to date).

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
• Chair and Vice-Chair Elections: Committee Member Tupo elected Chair, Committee Member Kong elected Vice-Chair.
• Next Meeting: Fall 2025 (date TBD) to review the FY 2024-25 Measure I audit results. The committee will review the independent auditor's opinion and recommend approval of the annual report.
• Meeting Adjournment: The committee moved to adjourn with no further business.