This special meeting brought together the Davis City Council, UC Davis representatives, and Yolo County supervisors for their annual collaborative update. The meeting focused on housing progress, the Hate-Free Together initiative, Picnic Day planning, and the impacts of federal HR1/CalFresh changes. Mayor Donna Neville opened by highlighting strengthened partnerships amid federal funding threats and policy shifts. UC Davis Chancellor Gary May (via recorded remarks) and county supervisors Lucas Frerichs and Sheila Allen emphasized collaboration and shared challenges.
Our March 2nd special meeting involving the County, the University of California at Davis, and the City of Davis. For the record, I just want to note that everyone is here who should be here, with the exception unfortunately, of Councilmember Vitla, who was unable to be here tonight. Um, as a first order of business, we just need to approve our agenda for this evening. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? Move by Councilmember Dios and a second. Seconded by Supervisor Ferex. All in favor, all in favor of approval of the agenda, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any no's hearing none, the uh the agenda is approved for this evening. Thank you, everyone. So, welcome everyone. Um, this is a really exciting time for us to all come together. I want to begin by recognizing our UC representatives who are here this evening, Associate Chancellor Engelbach and Vice Chancellor Schnell, and our county partners, Supervisors Allen and Frerex, and also my colleagues from the City of Davis, Vice Mayor Partita and Council Members Chapman and Deos. I also want to acknowledge that we have here City Manager Dunstan, and we also have Yellow County Chief Administrative Officer Mike Webb here with us this evening. And I want to extend a very warm welcome to everyone who is here in the audience, community members, and staff alike. It's really a privilege to preside over this meeting this evening. I want to begin by expressing my deep appreciation for the leadership of UC Davis during Chancellor May's tenure. Thank you. Thanks to Chancellor May and his team, the relationships between the university, the county, and the city have grown stronger and more productive. I'm especially grateful for the strength of those bonds right now as we navigate some very stormy weather. To our partners at the county, I'm equally thankful. In recent years, we have worked together to break down many of the traditional barriers between city and county government. We've rolled up our sleeves and tackled complex challenges side by side, from affordable housing and mental health care and to public safety and beyond. I'm deeply grateful for that relationship, and it's made us all better and more productive. It's no exaggeration to say that we are living in unprecedented times. Under the current federal administration, our universities find themselves on the front lines, facing threats of federal funding cuts, civil rights investigations, and policy shifts that challenge longstanding commitment to academic freedom and diversity. Counties, including our own, are feeling significant strain. Reductions in federal funding for social services and health care have caused counties to tighten their budgets, even as the need to support our most vulnerable residents continues to grow. And at the city level, we feel the pressure as well. Our community is asking us to do more with less. We have families and young children who are living with uncertainty and fear, worried about their futures and their freedom. But even in the midst of these challenges, I hold on to a very profound sense of hope and optimism. The storm has come at a time when all of us are well fortified. The partnerships we've built between UC Davis, the county, and the city have never been more important. We may not be able to prevent every bad thing from happening, but we can continue to stand together. We can share our knowledge, align resources, and lift one another up. At a time when division and polarization threatened to pull our communities apart across the country, we have chosen cooperation. I know that all of us here tonight at the Dais believe in the power of collaboration. And as we move through our agenda this evening, I think that you will see that spirit alive and well in Davis. With that, it's my honor to turn to some recorded comments from Chancellor May. Hello, everyone. Unfortunately, a schedule change beyond my control prevents me from being with you in person this evening. However, UC Davis is well represented by our Vice Chancellor, Claire Shannero, and our Chief Strategy Officer and Chief of Staff, Carl Engelbach. I'd like to start by sending my regards to our partners in the City of Davis, Yolo County, and our friends across the region. Thank you, Mayor Neville and Chair Allen, for your willingness to discuss the challenges we face and the opportunities we are creating together. Conversations like these are a vital part of ensuring that our town gallery relationship remains a model for other communities. I deeply appreciate the partnership and dialogue that move us forward. I'd like to start with a brief update about UC Davis. The 2025-2026 academic year shows great promise, but not without his share of challenges.