Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – November 19, 2024
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Berkeley City Council Regular Meeting – November 19, 2024
The meeting opened with ceremonial recognition of outgoing Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Vice Mayor Susan Wengraf, followed by public comment on non-agenda matters and an amended consent calendar. The council approved all consent items, moving two action items to consent and referring one item to committee. Key decisions included a $5.3 million contract for interim housing at the Howard Johnson Motel, acceptance of a $5.4 million state encampment resolution grant, and first reading of ordinances for Ashby BART transit-oriented development and amendments to development agreement procedures.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes for Approval: October 1, 15, 21, and 29, 2024 meetings.
- 2024 Annual Commission Attendance and Meeting Frequency Report – accepted.
- Contract: Dorothy Day House to Operate Interim Housing at Howard Johnson Motel – $5,313,826.28 through December 31, 2028.
- Encampment Resolution Funding Round 3 Grant Award – $5,395,637.04 from the State of California.
- Urgency Ordinance for Leasing 1512 University Avenue – 48-month term.
- Formal Bid Solicitations – approved for future issuance.
- Contract: Royal Ambulance for Mental Health Transport – up to $6,000,000 (2025-2027) with extension options totaling $12,000,000.
- Contract Amendment: Resource Development Associates for Specialized Care Unit (SCU) Evaluation – additional $40,000, total $290,000.
- Request for Proposals for Housing Trust Fund Rehabilitation Projects – approximately $6 million.
- Revenue Contract: 2025 Community Services Block Grant – accepted.
- Contract Amendment: Geographic Technologies Group for GIS Strategic Workplan – total $549,411 through June 2026.
- Exclusive Negotiating Agreement with TSA Holdings, LLC for 199 Seawall Drive – to develop a lease agreement.
- Ashby BART Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Legal Agreements – first reading of ordinance authorizing agreements with BART; adopted addendum to EIR.
- Contract: Nema Construction for FY 2023 Street Light Maintenance – $424,465.
- Contract: Sposeto Engineering for Southwest Berkeley Bikeway and Bus Stop Improvements – $2,390,000 (AHSC grant funded).
- Contract: W.E. Lyons Construction for Telegraph-Channing Parking Garage Restroom & Elevator Improvements – $2,413,689.
- Contract Amendment: LAZ Parking LLC for Parking Management – extension to December 2026, increase to $22,326,349.
- Contract Amendment: Bellecci & Associates for On-Call Civil Engineering – increase to $1,750,000 through June 2026.
- Contract Amendment: Pride Industries for Custodial Services – increase to $6,225,735.
- Contract Amendment: Allied Universal Security for Unarmed Security – increase to $4,450,000 through February 2026.
- Contract Amendment: Baker Tilly for Professional Development Services – increase to $125,000 through December 2027.
- Appointment of Maria Sol and Ashley (Jiahao) Gu to Mental Health Commission – terms November 2024 to November 2027.
- Exploring Formation of Joint Powers Authority (JPA) for Hospital (Item 23) – referred to Health and Life Enrichment Policy Committee.
- Equity for Black Berkeley (E4BB) Initiative (Item 24) – resolution adopted and referrals to City Manager for implementation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Matters: Speakers thanked Mayor Arreguin and Vice Mayor Wengraf for service; criticized homelessness policies, lack of police accountability, and failure to address traffic safety; called for immediate opening of cold weather shelters.
- Consent Calendar:
- Items 3 & 4 (Encampment Resolution/Housing): Berkeley Homeless Union representatives opposed encampment sweeps, demanded fair compensation and transparent shelter rules. Others supported Dorothy Day House’s management and requested community meetings.
- Item 8 (SCU Evaluation): Mental Health Commission members and public argued the $40,000 contract was wasteful, citing mismanagement and lack of service utilization; urged direct oversight instead of further consultant reports.
- Item 15 (Dwight Way Bikeway): Residents opposed the two‑way cycle track design due to pedestrian, bicycle, and fire safety concerns; a letter signed by over 60 households requested a one‑way alternative.
- Item 25 (Budget Amendment): Representatives from La Peña Cultural Center, Berkeley Art Center, and Walk Bike Berkeley spoke in support of funding for cultural organizations and an accessible pedestrian signal at Sacramento and Alston.
Discussion Items
- Consent Calendar Reorganization: Councilmember Hahn moved Item 25 (FY2025 Appropriations) to consent with an amendment adding $150,000 for a park at Parkside Drive (per Councilmember Humbert). Item 26 (Development Agreement Procedures) also moved to consent. Item 23 (Hospital JPA) was referred to the Health and Life Enrichment Policy Committee after discussion about cost analysis.
- Item 26 (Development Agreement Procedures): Staff clarified the amendments establish clearer procedures for development agreements; council noted the Bayer agreement was executed under prior code.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar Approved as amended (including all items except Item 23 referred to committee).
- Item 23 (Hospital JPA): Referred to Health and Life Enrichment Policy Committee for further study.
- Item 25 (Budget Amendment): Adopted first reading with $150,000 added for Parkside Drive park.
- Item 26 (Development Agreement Procedures): Adopted first reading.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after consent calendar approval, suspending further rules.
Meeting Transcript
Recording in progress. Okay, good evening. Thank you for waiting patiently. The city council just met in closed session. I'd like to report out the action we took in closed session. The city council met closed session pursuing to government code section 54956.9d2 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 with a release of future medical care as to a workers' compensation matter number BER 2200087 and WCAB case number ADJ 16181002. Also, before we call the meeting to order, I'd like to make uh an announcement. We want to welcome everyone to this meeting of the Berkeley City Council to allow for full participation by all members of the community and to ensure that important city business is able to be conducted. We ask that all attendees conduct themselves in an orderly manner and respect the rights of others participating in the meeting. Please be aware that the city council's rules of decorum prohibit the disruption of the orderly conduct of the city council meeting. A summary of these rules is available in the one-page handout at the rear of our boardroom. Disruptive behavior includes but is not limited to shouting, making disruptive noises, creating or participating in a physical disturbance, speaking out of turn or in violation of applicable rules, preventing or attempting to prevent others who have the floor from speaking, preventing others from observing the meeting, entering into or remaining in an area of the meeting room that is not open to the public, or approaching the council dais without consent. We ask that you observe these rules so that all members of the public may observe and participate in tonight's meeting, and thank you for joining us this evening. So now for the last time, I'd like to call this meeting of the Berkeley City Council to order for Tuesday, November 19, 2024, and ask the clerk to please call the role. Councilmember Kessarwani. Here Bartlett Drago present. On here. Humbert, present. And Mayor Array. Present. Okay. Okay. Um we're gonna proceed now to ceremonial matters. And first, um sadly, we would like to adjourn tonight's city council meeting in honor of Ben Brown, um, who um on November 14th was killed um in a um uh an accident um at the intersection um of um in North Berkeley, Rose and Josephine. There was a very beautiful um obituary about Ben Brown um in Berkeleyside um just today, um, who was a skilled cook um and um uh was involved was gave back to the Berkeley community in so many ways. Um and I understand we have some members of his family here tonight. I want to turn the floor to Councilman Lunapar. I believe that they're on Zoom. I think they're just here to observe. I'm um uh you know, obviously this is a this is a preventable accident that should have never happened. Um I know that we're gonna be looking at how we can make improvements to that intersections that this does not happen again, but just really want to acknowledge um the the many ways that that Ben Brown had uh given back to the Berkeley community and want to extend our deepest condolences to his family. And so I'd like to ask for unanimous consent that we adjourn our meeting in his honor tonight. Thank you. Okay, um we'll now proceed to um uh the other ceremonial matter, which is the recognition of uh outgoing members of the council. I want to turn over to the vice mayor. Well, Jesse. I think I first met you when you were in college, and I was a legislative aide, and I have watched you over the years develop and evolve into a skilled and incredible leader. And I say this from the bottom of my heart. We didn't always agree, especially when you live very young. Um, but uh you were always so respectful to me. You always listened to me, and we were able to disagree with each other without being disagreeable, and I have tremendous respect for you because you did that. So I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service to this community, which has been outstanding, incredible. Which has been outstanding, incredible. How many years? How many years have you? Twenty. Twenty years. And I look forward to your service to the greater community at the state level. And I think that you probably will go beyond the state. Because you have you have those skills.
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