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.
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.