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Record of Proceedings

Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – March 26, 2024

City Council — Tuesday, March 26, 2024
BodyBerkeley, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 26, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:23:57

Original source
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0:00

We're good to go.

0:01

Okay.

0:03

Good evening.

0:04

Thank you for waiting patiently.

0:05

The city council had a closed session meeting just prior to our regular meeting.

0:10

There's no reportable action to any of the items on the agenda for a closed session meeting.

0:15

And so I can now call to order the regular meeting of the Berkeley City Council for Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

0:21

The first order business is roll call.

0:23

The city clerk can please call the order.

0:25

Okay.

0:25

Councilmember Kissarwani.

0:28

Here.

0:28

Taplin.

0:29

Present.

0:30

Bartlett.

0:31

Here.

0:32

On present.

0:33

Langgraff.

0:34

Present.

0:35

Humbert.

0:37

Present.

0:37

And Mayor Aragine.

0:39

Present.

0:40

Quorum is present, Mr.

0:41

Clerk.

0:41

I understand that Councilmember Humbert would like to participate under the provisions of Assembly Bill 2449.

0:46

So turn over to you.

0:47

Okay.

0:48

Since Councilmember Bartlett is participating remotely.

0:52

Humber under AB 2449.

0:55

There are certain uh steps that need to be um uh met.

1:01

Uh first of all, a quorum of the council is participating at the in-person meeting location, which is the case.

1:07

We have five council members present.

1:09

Uh councilmember uh Humbert has notified the council of his need to participate remotely.

1:16

Uh councilmember Humbert, if you would please provide a general description of the circumstances relating to your need to appear remotely.

1:24

Um you need not disclose any medical diagnosis or other confidential medical information.

1:31

You're muted.

1:36

Thank you, Mr.

1:36

Clerk.

1:37

Yes, I have a rotten cold, and I don't want to expose anyone else to it.

1:42

All right.

1:43

Um and council member Humber, could you please disclose uh whether there are any individuals 18 years of age or older that are present uh at your uh location from where you are participating in the nature and the nature of the person's relationship or person's relationship with you?

2:00

There is no one else in the room with me.

2:02

Okay.

2:03

Uh and per the requirements of the Brown Act, uh, Councilmember Humber um will participate through both audio and visual technology uh for the meeting.

2:12

Okay, thank you.

2:15

Okay, thank you very much.

2:17

And um, Councilmember Humbert, uh, thank you for your concern for our health and wellbeing, and we wish you a speedy recovery.

2:23

Thank you for participating tonight.

2:25

So we'll now proceed to the next order of business, which is um ceremonial matters.

2:30

I have no ceremonial matters for tonight's meeting.

2:32

So we'll that brings us to city manager comments.

2:34

Like to ask our acting city manager Batanya Bell if she has any comments for the council this evening.

2:39

Thank you, Mr.

2:40

Mayor.

2:40

No comments from the city manager.

2:42

Okay, thank you.

2:43

So that now brings us to public comment on non-agenda matters, and um like to ask for unanimous consent that we conduct this public comment period in the manner in which we've conducted it previously for our past several meetings.

2:55

We're gonna expand the number of speakers.

2:57

We will call on to 20 speakers, 10 in person here uh in the boardroom and 10 on Zoom.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████24%
Community Engagement███████████████████19%
Public Comment███████████████15%
Cultural Recognition██████████10%
Public Engagement██████6%
Holocaust Remembrance█████5%
International Relations████4%
Long Term Care Facilities████4%
Public Safety███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – March 26, 2024

The Berkeley City Council met on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at approximately 7:15 PM after a closed session. The meeting was marked by significant public comment on Gaza, a disruption that forced a five-minute break, and a major decision to reform the Human Welfare and Community Action Commission (HWCAC) while rejecting a proposed merger with the Peace and Justice Commission. The council also approved the consent calendar, including urgent items, and postponed a major item on demolition and building removal to a special meeting.

Consent Calendar

  • Urgent items added: Relinquishment of council office budget funds for Berkeley City College’s 50th anniversary gala (May 2, 2024), Kala Art Institute 2024 gala (April 27, 2024), and a letter of support for Assembly Bill 2346 addressing SB 1383 compliance. All added under Brown Act immediate action provisions.
  • Items approved unanimously (8-0): Included Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation (May 5, 2024), funding for the annual program, establishment of an ombudsman program for long-term care facilities (item 19), appointment of Terrence Davis as Director of Public Works (salary $260,000), budget referral for pedestrian safety on Upper Marin Avenue, and a wildfire-safe demonstration garden at Firehouse #4.
  • Councilmember donations recorded: Multiple members contributed from office budgets to the Holocaust Remembrance event (totaling over $1,650), Kala Art Institute, and Berkeley City College gala.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Non‑agenda public comment (20 speakers, 10 in‑person + 10 Zoom): The majority of speakers called for a ceasefire resolution in Gaza, criticized the council’s refusal to agendize the issue, and accused the city of complicity in genocide. Several Jewish speakers expressed solidarity with Palestinians and called the Holocaust Remembrance proclamation hypocritical without a ceasefire. A few speakers urged the council to focus on local issues and support the Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation, citing rising anti-Semitism. One 12‑year‑old speaker read a letter from a friend in Gaza. Disruptions occurred when audience members interrupted speakers and placed posters on the dais, leading the Mayor to issue warnings and call a five‑minute break.
  • Consent calendar public comment (30 minutes, 1‑minute speakers): Speakers addressed Holocaust remembrance (supporting proclamation), the need for the long‑term care ombudsman program, and the appointment of the public works director. Several speakers again linked Holocaust remembrance to Gaza and demanded a ceasefire.

Discussion Items

  • Item 24: Human Welfare & Community Action Commission (HWCAC) reform vs. merger with Peace and Justice Commission (Option A vs. Option B).
    • Staff (Peter Radu and Margot Ernst) presented two ordinances: Option A would merge the HWCAC and Peace and Justice Commission into a nine‑member body; Option B would reform only the HWCAC (reducing from 15 to 9 members) to comply with Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) requirements (approx. $300,000/year at risk). The city had received a 45‑day high‑risk notice from the state on February 16, 2024, due to long‑standing vacancies on the HWCAC.
    • Councilmember Humbert moved for Option A, arguing that peace and justice work can be integrated elsewhere and that consolidation eases staff burden. Vice Mayor Wengraff and Mayor Arreguin supported Option B, citing distinct missions—HWCAC handles poverty and CSBG funds, while PJC handles advocacy and global issues. Councilmember Bartlett noted operational vs. activist roles. Councilmember Taplin questioned overlap and school board appointees.
    • Public comment (7 in‑person, 6 Zoom): Commissioners and community members urged keeping commissions separate, emphasizing that HWCAC’s poverty focus is essential and that low‑income representatives must have a voice. Some proposed reducing meeting frequency rather than membership.
    • Substitute motion by Mayor Arreguin (seconded by Councilmember Han) to adopt Option B (reform HWCAC, reject merger, and direct staff to cease merger work). The motion passed on a roll‑call vote (6‑1, with Councilmember Kesarwani voting no). Councilmember Humbert initially supported A but voted yes on the substitute.
  • Item 23 (Deconstruction & Building Removal Ordinance): Postponed due to late hour (10:24 PM). The Mayor cited disruptions from the public comment period. The council voted to refer the item to the Agenda Committee to schedule a special meeting. The next regular meeting is May 7, 2024.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar approved unanimously (8‑0 as amended).
  • Item 24B adopted (first reading of ordinance to reform HWCAC, reduce membership to 9, and clarify CSBG duties). Staff directed to cease work on merging HWCAC and Peace and Justice Commission.
  • Item 23 referred to Agenda Committee to schedule a special meeting before May 7, 2024.
  • Holocaust Remembrance Day Proclamation approved (May 5, 2024), acknowledging 3,291 anti‑Semitic incidents in the U.S. (361% increase year‑over‑year) and honoring six million Jewish victims as well as other targeted groups.
  • Continued demand for ceasefire resolution: Multiple speakers and audience members pressed the council to pass a ceasefire resolution; no action was taken.

Meeting Transcript

We're good to go. Okay. Good evening. Thank you for waiting patiently. The city council had a closed session meeting just prior to our regular meeting. There's no reportable action to any of the items on the agenda for a closed session meeting. And so I can now call to order the regular meeting of the Berkeley City Council for Tuesday, March 26, 2024. The first order business is roll call. The city clerk can please call the order. Okay. Councilmember Kissarwani. Here. Taplin. Present. Bartlett. Here. On present. Langgraff. Present. Humbert. Present. And Mayor Aragine. Present. Quorum is present, Mr. Clerk. I understand that Councilmember Humbert would like to participate under the provisions of Assembly Bill 2449. So turn over to you. Okay. Since Councilmember Bartlett is participating remotely. Humber under AB 2449. There are certain uh steps that need to be um uh met. Uh first of all, a quorum of the council is participating at the in-person meeting location, which is the case. We have five council members present. Uh councilmember uh Humbert has notified the council of his need to participate remotely. Uh councilmember Humbert, if you would please provide a general description of the circumstances relating to your need to appear remotely. Um you need not disclose any medical diagnosis or other confidential medical information. You're muted. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Yes, I have a rotten cold, and I don't want to expose anyone else to it. All right. Um and council member Humber, could you please disclose uh whether there are any individuals 18 years of age or older that are present uh at your uh location from where you are participating in the nature and the nature of the person's relationship or person's relationship with you? There is no one else in the room with me. Okay. Uh and per the requirements of the Brown Act, uh, Councilmember Humber um will participate through both audio and visual technology uh for the meeting. Okay, thank you. Okay, thank you very much. And um, Councilmember Humbert, uh, thank you for your concern for our health and wellbeing, and we wish you a speedy recovery. Thank you for participating tonight. So we'll now proceed to the next order of business, which is um ceremonial matters.

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