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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – July 23, 2024

City Council — Tuesday, July 23, 2024

BodyBerkeley, California

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, July 23, 2024

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:00:32

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

0:00

So now I like to call to order the regular meeting of the Berkeley City Council for Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024.

0:07

If the city clerk can please call the role.

0:10

Councilmember Kessarwani.

0:12

Here.

0:15

Here, Bartlett.

0:17

Here, Trey.

0:19

Present.

0:20

Present.

0:21

Langrad.

0:22

Present.

0:22

Lunapara.

0:23

Here.

0:24

Humbert.

0:25

Here.

0:25

And Mayor Arragan.

0:26

Present.

0:27

All members are present.

0:28

We did ceremonial matters earlier this evening.

0:31

Are there any city manager comments this evening?

0:37

Uh yes, Mayor.

0:39

Uh, thank you so much.

0:40

Um, I need my glasses, actually, so I can see this.

0:43

Um, our park and rec department would like to ensure that the community knows that uh we will have summer movies in the park series uh on Friday, July 23rd.

0:55

Uh, the movie that will be shown is how to train your dragon to it will start promptly at 8 35 p.m.

1:01

So please bring your blankets, sleep in bags, and your low back beach chairs and come early as parking is limited.

1:08

Uh, this weekend is the comedy weekend at Tuolamy Family Camp, as multiple comedians will entertain campers on Friday and Saturday.

1:17

And this Saturday, the music in the park series features the Shake It Booty Man at San Pablo Park from 2 p.m.

1:26

to 4 p.m.

1:27

Come out and sing along with this kid's band with performers dressed as dinosaurs.

1:33

Families will enjoy food vendors, cold sweets, and a magic performance.

1:37

And then Thursday from 9 to 2, the summer youth will participate in Olympic Day at San Pablo Park.

1:44

Um, and there will be an opening parade and an atypical summer Olympics event, such as kickball, potato sack races, and many more.

1:51

So please come out and enjoy your community events.

1:53

Thank you.

1:54

Thank you very much, madam city manager.

1:56

Um, so before I proceed to public comment on non-agitimators, electric report out from actions taken yesterday in closed session.

2:03

The city council met in closed session on July 22nd, 2024, pursuant to government code section 54956.9 D2, and provided direction to outside council and approved a compromise and release settlement with a release of future medical care as to a workers' compensation matter, WCAB case number 80j 1018 7918, and provided direction to outside council and approved a stipulated settlement of permanent disability with an award of lifetime future medical care or in the alternative by compromise and release a future medical care as to the workers' compensation matter.

2:41

WCAB case number ADJ 1579793.

2:48

The council also authorized the city attorney to settle the claim of Paul Westcott for a total amount of 24,930.

2:58

So we'll now move to public comment on non-agenda matters, and we will select five uh cards for in-person speakers and take five speakers on Zoom.

3:06

And if the clerk can please uh select the speakers.

3:10

Okay, we have Levi Cohen, Alana Hourback.

3:17

We have Berkeley Resident, Carol Morosevic, and Alenny.

3:28

Okay.

3:29

Okay.

3:35

Hello, I'm Levi Cohen.

3:37

I'm donating my time to Nagin.

3:48

Yeah, I got it.

3:55

Hello again, Council.

3:58

Have you all heard about the young man who was who was a Berkeley City um college student?

4:04

Yes, I can thank you, Councilmember Lunapara, who had the chutzpah, the courage, and the compassion to volunteer to go to the West Bank to simply witness, be a sacred witness, and protect Palestinian families.

4:22

When the settlers come and they terrorize and they brutalize.

4:26

This young man the other day was brutalized, hospitalized, okay, taken to the hospital.

4:32

This is someone who lives here in Berkeley, one of your constituents.

4:37

His face may never be the same.

4:40

Deformed, huge deformity in his face and his arm.

4:46

And simply because he was there as a sacred witness to make sure that these people, Palestinian villagers who live in the West Bank, were not terrorized.

5:00

So please, we want you to publicly denounce this and stop.

5:06

You need we need to divest from Israel, is ultimately what we want.

5:09

But the first thing you need to do is to denounce this terrorism and the settler violence against your own constituents.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Public Safety██████████████████████████████30%

Public Parks█████████████████17%

Procedural██████████10%

International Relations██████████10%

Public Works███████7%

Affordable Housing██████6%

Public Engagement█████5%

Homelessness████4%

Police Accountability████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – July 23, 2024

The Berkeley City Council met on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at 6:00 PM in a hybrid format. The meeting included routine consent items, a public hearing on CDBG fund reallocation, and a contentious resolution to designate the Dwight Triangle as public open space. The council adjourned after 11:30 PM, following a failed vote on the Dwight Triangle item.

Consent Calendar

Item 1-16 were approved as a block, with no items pulled to action. Notable items included:
- Ordinance setting FY2025 library tax rates ($0.2800/sq ft residential, $0.4233/sq ft commercial).
- Ordinance allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections (second reading).
- Contract with Downtown Berkeley YMCA for employee fitness memberships ($161,280).
- Reallocation of $549,785 in Measure P funds from Insight Housing’s Russel Street project to their Dwight Way Center.
- Appointment of Priscilla Villanueva to the Board of Library Trustees.
- Game day parking restriction changes for UC Berkeley football games (Item 15) – supported by council and public.
- 2023 Annual Military Equipment Report (Item 10) – Councilmember Lunaparra read the full inventory of BPD military equipment, including 96 M4 patrol rifles, a Barrett .50-caliber rifle, and 300 canisters of tear gas. Several public speakers urged moving this item to action for debate, but the item remained on consent and passed.
- Lease for Office of the Director of Police Accountability at 1900 Addison Street (Item 16) – approved despite concerns about leasing private space.

Public Comments & Testimony

Non-Agenda Matters: Multiple speakers addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging the council to denounce settler violence and call for a ceasefire. One speaker described a Berkeley City College student assaulted by settlers in the West Bank. Others raised issues with Apex private security on Southside (alleged assaults and harassment), fire alarm malfunctions at the Granada Apartments, and the need for homeless services.
Consent Calendar: Public comment focused on Item 10 (military equipment), with several speakers calling for its removal from consent. Speakers questioned the need for military-grade weapons, noted $2,000 spent on tear gas despite a city ban, and highlighted the killing of Sonia Massey by police. Other comments supported Item 15 (parking changes) and Item 18 (Dwight Triangle). A speaker for the Homeless Services Panel of Experts criticized lack of staff materials for their review of Item 6.
Item 17 – CDBG Reallocation: Speakers expressed concern about taking funds from the Senior Disabled Home Rehabilitation Loan Program without full transparency. Staff later clarified the program has a backlog and sufficient remaining funds.
Item 18 – Dwight Triangle: Over a dozen speakers spoke in strong support, describing the triangle as a vital community space for mutual aid, gardening, and art since People’s Park closure. One speaker (Alex Knox, Telegraph BID) opposed, citing lack of planning and stakeholder engagement. Others requested a trash can, porta-potty, and lighting.

Discussion Items

Item 17 – CDBG Reallocation (Public Hearing): The council held a public hearing on substantial amendments to reallocate $478,500 of CDBG funds from the Senior Disabled Home Rehab Loan Program to the Public Facility Improvement Program, with $450,000 for Insight Housing’s Dwight Way shelter and $52,775 for Larkin Street Youth Services. The mayor read a staff email explaining the loan program was underutilized due to contractor shortages and pandemic safety concerns. The item was approved unanimously.
Item 18 – Dwight Triangle as Public Open Space: Councilmember Lunaparra introduced the resolution, emphasizing the need for green space in District 7 after People’s Park closure. Public Works Director Terrence Davis noted 16 traffic incidents in 10 years (mostly vehicle collisions) and proposed interim safety measures like K-rail. Councilmember Hahn expressed support but wanted more stakeholder engagement and clarity on maintenance. Councilmember Tregub cited concerns about staff resources and competing projects. An amendment was added to establish additional stakeholder engagement with local businesses. After debate, the council voted: Kesarwani (No), Taplin (No), Bartlett (yes? not clear in transcript), Tregub (Abstain), Hahn (No), Wengraf (No), Lunaparra (Yes), Humbert (unclear but likely Abstain or No), Mayor Arreguin (Abstain). The motion failed.

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar (Items 1-16) approved unanimously (Councilmember Taplin absent momentarily but later joined).
Item 17 – CDBG Reallocation approved unanimously.
Item 18 – Dwight Triangle Resolution failed (votes: 1 Yes, 5 No? 2 Abstentions? Exact tally: Lunaparra Yes; Kesarwani, Taplin, Hahn, Wengraf No; Tregub and Mayor Abstain; Humbert not recorded in transcript but likely No or Abstain). The meeting adjourned immediately after the vote at 11:30 PM.

Meeting Transcript

So now I like to call to order the regular meeting of the Berkeley City Council for Tuesday, July 23rd, 2024. If the city clerk can please call the role. Councilmember Kessarwani. Here. Here, Bartlett. Here, Trey. Present. Present. Langrad. Present. Lunapara. Here. Humbert. Here. And Mayor Arragan. Present. All members are present. We did ceremonial matters earlier this evening. Are there any city manager comments this evening? Uh yes, Mayor. Uh, thank you so much. Um, I need my glasses, actually, so I can see this. Um, our park and rec department would like to ensure that the community knows that uh we will have summer movies in the park series uh on Friday, July 23rd. Uh, the movie that will be shown is how to train your dragon to it will start promptly at 8 35 p.m. So please bring your blankets, sleep in bags, and your low back beach chairs and come early as parking is limited. Uh, this weekend is the comedy weekend at Tuolamy Family Camp, as multiple comedians will entertain campers on Friday and Saturday. And this Saturday, the music in the park series features the Shake It Booty Man at San Pablo Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Come out and sing along with this kid's band with performers dressed as dinosaurs. Families will enjoy food vendors, cold sweets, and a magic performance. And then Thursday from 9 to 2, the summer youth will participate in Olympic Day at San Pablo Park. Um, and there will be an opening parade and an atypical summer Olympics event, such as kickball, potato sack races, and many more. So please come out and enjoy your community events. Thank you. Thank you very much, madam city manager. Um, so before I proceed to public comment on non-agitimators, electric report out from actions taken yesterday in closed session. The city council met in closed session on July 22nd, 2024, pursuant to government code section 54956.9 D2, and provided direction to outside council and approved a compromise and release settlement with a release of future medical care as to a workers' compensation matter, WCAB case number 80j 1018 7918, and provided direction to outside council and approved a stipulated settlement of permanent disability with an award of lifetime future medical care or in the alternative by compromise and release a future medical care as to the workers' compensation matter. WCAB case number ADJ 1579793. The council also authorized the city attorney to settle the claim of Paul Westcott for a total amount of 24,930. So we'll now move to public comment on non-agenda matters, and we will select five uh cards for in-person speakers and take five speakers on Zoom. And if the clerk can please uh select the speakers. Okay, we have Levi Cohen, Alana Hourback. We have Berkeley Resident, Carol Morosevic, and Alenny. Okay. Okay. Hello, I'm Levi Cohen. I'm donating my time to Nagin. Yeah, I got it. Hello again, Council. Have you all heard about the young man who was who was a Berkeley City um college student?

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