Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - October 11, 2023

Other — Wednesday, October 11, 2023

BodyElkgrove, California

SessionOther

DateWednesday, October 11, 2023

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:33:28

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

0:01

All right, we are reconvened from closed session, and I would like to make the following announcement.

0:07

By a five to zero vote, the city council authorized and directed the city attorney's office to defend the case of yes sir, all Najar, DBA, the illusion smoke shop versus the City of Elk Grove as identified by the case number on the City Council meeting agenda.

0:24

With that, we will adjourn the special meeting at 6 o'clock p.m.

0:30

And that brings us to our regular city council meeting.

0:33

I would like to call the Elk Grove City Council regular meeting to order.

0:37

Today is Wednesday, October the 11th, 2023.

0:40

It is 6.01 p.m.

0:42

Clerk.

0:45

Thank you, Mayor.

0:45

This meeting of the Elkgrove City Council will be cable cast on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast Consolidated Communications and ATT Uverse Cable Systems.

0:55

The meeting is being closed caption and webcast at Metro14Live.gov.

1:00

Tonight's meeting replays on Friday, October 13th at 2 30 p.m.

1:05

and Sunday, October 15th at 6 p.m.

1:08

on Channel 14.

1:09

Previous meetings can be viewed online at the 3W's dot.elgrovesity.org or YouTube.com slash Metro Cable 14.

1:17

For members of the participating audience who may have personal electronic devices, please place them on silent mode during the meeting or on mute when you are not speaking.

1:25

Elkrove City Council welcomes, appreciates, and encourages participation in the City Council meeting.

1:29

City Council requests that you limit your presentation to three minutes per person so that all present will have time to participate.

1:34

The City Council reserves the right to reasonably limit the total time for public comment on any particular notice agenda item as it may deem necessary.

1:41

We're so resolution number 210-24.

1:44

No individual speaker concerning public comment may address the city council for more than three minutes.

1:48

If you wish to address the council during the meeting, please complete a speaker card.

1:52

There are the blue cards that can be found at the back of the chamber and provide it to the assistant city clerk prior to consideration of the agenda item.

2:00

With that, Mayor, I will move into the roll call.

2:04

And starting with the roll call, I will start with Councilmember Roblis.

2:07

Present.

2:08

Councilmember Brewer.

2:09

Present.

2:10

Councilmember Sewin.

2:11

Here.

2:12

Vice Mayor Spees.

2:13

Present.

2:14

And Mayor Singh Allen.

2:15

Here.

2:17

All present.

2:18

All right, thank you.

2:19

Next up is our land acknowledgement.

2:22

And you'll start to see these at the beginning of our city council meetings moving forward.

2:28

So we honor, respect, and acknowledge Elkgrove's first inhabitants, the Plains Miwok, who lived as sovereign caretakers of this land and these waterways since time immemorial.

2:42

We commemorate and advocate for their descendants, the Wilton Rancheria tribe, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County, who endure because of the bravery, resiliency, and determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders.

3:01

Next up, we have our Pledge of Allegiance.

3:04

Would you please join me for our pledge?

3:06

And uh Mr.

3:06

Mendoza, I see you're in the audience.

3:08

Would you like to lead us in the pledge this evening?

3:13

If you wish.

3:15

Yes.

3:22

Yeah.

3:22

Yes, Gary.

3:26

All right.

3:32

And to do the Republicans.

3:35

One nation under God.

3:37

Indivisible with liberty and justice.

3:41

Thank you, everyone.

3:45

At this time, please join us for a brief moment of silence.

3:56

Thank you.

3:58

All right.

3:58

So next up is our approval of the agenda.

4:01

I would like to um read a quick statement, and that is Elkrove is in good faith discussions with the applicant of Oak Rose Accelerate Housing Group.

4:12

The city is having meaningful conversations.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Arts and Culture███████████████████████23%

Animal Services████████████████████20%

Public Comment████████████████16%

Affordable Housing██████████10%

Procedural█████████9%

Public Safety████4%

Personnel Matters████4%

Public Works████4%

City Manager Report███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - October 11, 2023

The Elk Grove City Council held a regular meeting on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, starting at 6:01 PM and adjourning at 7:33 PM. The agenda included proclamations, an arts commission update, public hearings on stormwater drainage fee annexation and the Oak Rose Apartments project (continued), and public comments on animal shelter staffing and other community concerns.

Consent Calendar

Approved minutes of September 27 and 29, 2023 special meetings.
Received reports on City Manager approved purchases/contracts, Requests for Proposals/Qualifications/Bids, and contracts awarded under the Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act.
Adopted Ordinance No. 21-2023 amending Municipal Code Chapter 10.40 (Truck Routes) on second reading.
Adopted resolution ratifying Amendment No. 1 to the Memorandum of Understanding with the Elk Grove Police Officers Association.
Authorized grant agreement with Caltrans for the Blue Line/Bus Rapid Transit Implementation Plan ($470,000) and budget amendment.
Approved Pedestrian Crossing Upgrades and Guardrail Replacement projects (construction contract with B & M Builders, Inc. for $858,513, plus change orders).
Dispensed with formal RFP procedures for contracts with Occu-Med, Ltd. and Franklin Ranch Pet Hospital.
Accepted two California Office of Traffic Safety grants ($97,600 for traffic records improvement; $305,000 for concentrated enforcement).

Public Comments & Testimony

Margie Jones (Strauss Festival of Elk Grove) thanked the city for financial and in-kind support and presented a plaque. (Item not on agenda)
Lynn Wheat advocated for inclusionary housing policies to allow homeownership, not just apartments. (Item not on agenda)
Multiple speakers (Estella Drake, Kat Mendoza, Kim Mendoza, Paula Schleckelman, Stacey Peterson, Julie Burga, Maria Calderon, Cecilia Vallett) voiced urgent concerns about the loss of the shelter veterinarian (left Sept. 29, 2023) and the suspension of the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. They described unsafe conditions at other clinics, rising costs, and the risk of a kitten overpopulation crisis. They requested immediate hiring of a permanent veterinarian, competitive salaries, signing bonuses, and restoration of TNR. (Item not on agenda)
Kathy Schiffer questioned the removal of mature pistachio trees at Beschert Park and received an offer to meet with staff. (Item not on agenda)
Harold Van Dyck, Ken Chappelle, Gene Sadler, Lynn Wheat, Dee Madruga, Penelope Leonard spoke on item 8.2 (Oak Rose Apartments). Most thanked the council for ongoing good-faith negotiations and supported moving the project away from Old Town; one speaker supported the original site. (Item 8.2)

Discussion Items

Arts Commission Annual Update: Chair Nan Mahan reported accomplishments including the Oasis Park playground art, Old Town Plaza public art selection (to be re-located), a concert on the history of blues, the Copa Club show, and plans for an illumination event, a blues festival, and library art. Commissioners thanked staff.
Oak Rose Apartments (Item 8.2): Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen announced the city is in good faith discussions with the applicant to explore an alternative site. After public comments, the council voted unanimously to continue the item to a date uncertain, taking no action on the project itself.
Storm Water Drainage Fee Zone 2 Annexation (Item 8.1): Staff presented the 63rd annexation for the 1 Cherrington Lane Map Project (four single-family homes). No public comments. The council received the ballot tabulation (no majority protest) and approved the resolution levying assessments.
City Manager's Report: Jason Behrmann addressed the animal shelter vet shortage: the vet left Sept. 29; contract vets are covering shelter needs. He announced plans to bring to council in two weeks a significant salary increase and a $10,000 signing bonus for the position, noting recruitments typically take 3-6 months. He also updated on the Winter Sanctuary program (open houses Oct. 16 and 26), a police vs. fire basketball game benefiting Special Olympics (Oct. 14), adoption fee waivers through Oct. 15, a donation drive (Oct. 20-21), Friday in the Grove comedy event (Oct. 20), and a free bicycle education class (Oct. 21).

Key Outcomes

Consent Calendar approved unanimously.
Item 8.1 (Stormwater Fee Annexation): Approved unanimously.
Item 8.2 (Oak Rose Apartments): Continued to a date uncertain without action. Council directed ongoing negotiations with the developer.
Animal Shelter Veterinarian: City Manager will bring a salary increase and $10,000 signing bonus to council for approval within two weeks. Recruitment to be posted immediately.
Public comments on tree removal referred to staff for follow-up.
Meeting adjourned at 7:33 PM.

Meeting Transcript

All right, we are reconvened from closed session, and I would like to make the following announcement. By a five to zero vote, the city council authorized and directed the city attorney's office to defend the case of yes sir, all Najar, DBA, the illusion smoke shop versus the City of Elk Grove as identified by the case number on the City Council meeting agenda. With that, we will adjourn the special meeting at 6 o'clock p.m. And that brings us to our regular city council meeting. I would like to call the Elk Grove City Council regular meeting to order. Today is Wednesday, October the 11th, 2023. It is 6.01 p.m. Clerk. Thank you, Mayor. This meeting of the Elkgrove City Council will be cable cast on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on the Comcast Consolidated Communications and ATT Uverse Cable Systems. The meeting is being closed caption and webcast at Metro14Live.gov. Tonight's meeting replays on Friday, October 13th at 2 30 p.m. and Sunday, October 15th at 6 p.m. on Channel 14. Previous meetings can be viewed online at the 3W's dot.elgrovesity.org or YouTube.com slash Metro Cable 14. For members of the participating audience who may have personal electronic devices, please place them on silent mode during the meeting or on mute when you are not speaking. Elkrove City Council welcomes, appreciates, and encourages participation in the City Council meeting. City Council requests that you limit your presentation to three minutes per person so that all present will have time to participate. The City Council reserves the right to reasonably limit the total time for public comment on any particular notice agenda item as it may deem necessary. We're so resolution number 210-24. No individual speaker concerning public comment may address the city council for more than three minutes. If you wish to address the council during the meeting, please complete a speaker card. There are the blue cards that can be found at the back of the chamber and provide it to the assistant city clerk prior to consideration of the agenda item. With that, Mayor, I will move into the roll call. And starting with the roll call, I will start with Councilmember Roblis. Present. Councilmember Brewer. Present. Councilmember Sewin. Here. Vice Mayor Spees. Present. And Mayor Singh Allen. Here. All present. All right, thank you. Next up is our land acknowledgement. And you'll start to see these at the beginning of our city council meetings moving forward. So we honor, respect, and acknowledge Elkgrove's first inhabitants, the Plains Miwok, who lived as sovereign caretakers of this land and these waterways since time immemorial. We commemorate and advocate for their descendants, the Wilton Rancheria tribe, the only federally recognized tribe in Sacramento County, who endure because of the bravery, resiliency, and determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders. Next up, we have our Pledge of Allegiance. Would you please join me for our pledge? And uh Mr. Mendoza, I see you're in the audience. Would you like to lead us in the pledge this evening? If you wish. Yes. Yeah. Yes, Gary. All right.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com