Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - January 24, 2024
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Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting - January 24, 2024
The Elk Grove City Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, beginning at 6:05 PM in the City Council Chambers. The council approved the consent calendar, held public hearings on an alcohol license and the Oak Rose Apartments project (continued), and received a priority projects update. The meeting opened with a closed session report and included new hire introductions.
Closed Session Report
Mayor Singh-Allen reported that the council voted 5-0 to authorize the city attorney's office to defend the case of Prettyman v. City of Elk Grove. The regular meeting was then called to order.
Presentations & Announcements
City departments introduced new hires and promotions, including multiple police officers, animal care staff, a senior deputy city attorney, a budget manager, an IT analyst, code enforcement officers, and public works engineers. Councilmembers welcomed the new staff.
Public Comment
- Mayor Oscar Oliverio Gomez Duarte of sister city Concepción de Taco thanked the city for its support.
- Beatrice Morales, a carpenter with Local 46, urged the council to support livable wages, accessible healthcare, apprenticeship programs, and local hire, and to bring pre-qualification language to the table.
- Michael Monaski raised an ethical conflict concern, stating that Mayor Singh-Allen should recuse herself from item 8.1 because she is president of the American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association.
- Lynn Wheat proposed a senior park project, discussed potential grant funding, and later requested transparency on the Oak Rose settlement costs.
Consent Calendar
The council unanimously approved the following consent calendar items:
- Approved minutes of the January 9, 2024 special meeting and January 10, 2024 special and regular meetings.
- Received report on City Manager approved purchases and contracts through January 16, 2024.
- Received report on Requests for Proposals, Qualifications, and Bids.
- Received the Monthly Disbursement Summary for December 2023.
- Adopted Ordinance No. 01-2024 for the 8651 Bader Road Project rezone, finding no further environmental review necessary.
- Authorized recruitment for one vacancy on the Diversity and Inclusion Commission.
- Adopted a resolution authorizing amendments to master services contracts with Ascent Environmental, AECOM, Dudek, and Placeworks, and new contracts with CSG Consultants and MIG, Inc. for planning services.
- Adopted a resolution amending the FY 2023-24 Budget and CIP for raised crosswalk, bike lane, and guardrail projects.
Public Hearing: Bond Road ExtraMile Convenience Store (Item 8.1)
The council held a public hearing on a Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity (PCN) to allow a Type 20 alcohol license for off-sale beer and wine at 9299 Bond Road. Staff reported that the site is not in a high-crime area but the census tract is overconcentrated; the Elk Grove Police Department had no objection. The applicant's representative cited a clean 33-year record. Public comment included Michael Monaski's repeated request for the mayor's recusal; the mayor stated the property is not a member of the association. A resident voiced opposition by phone. The council unanimously approved the resolution finding the project CEQA-exempt and approving the PCN.
Public Hearing: Oak Rose Apartments (Item 8.2)
The city attorney announced a settlement in principle with the applicant to relocate the project to an alternative site outside the Old Town special planning area. The settlement was not yet final, and staff requested a continuance. Lynn Wheat asked that the full settlement costs be made public. The council voted unanimously to continue the matter to the regular meeting of February 28, 2024.
Discussion Item: City Council Priority Projects Update (Item 9.1)
Staff provided a semiannual update on the 30 priority projects adopted at the March 2023 retreat. Highlights included library relocation design development, the proposed zoo's draft EIR, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission station coordination, homelessness initiatives funded with over $2 million in Measure E funds (including a winter sanctuary), broadband/digital equity efforts, DEI initiatives, and the first AIM Academy cohort. Lynn Wheat suggested including failed projects like Project Elevate in the report and updating the website project statuses. Councilmembers praised staff; Councilmember Spease requested website status scrubbing. The council received the report without action.
Council Comments, Reports, and Future Agenda Items
Councilmembers reported on regional meetings, including the Sacramento Public Library Board, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. They also noted meetings with Congresswoman Matsui and Senator Ashby's office.
Closed Session (End of Meeting)
The council moved into closed session for a public employee performance evaluation (City Manager) and a conference with labor negotiator for the unrepresented City Manager. No reportable action was stated in the transcript.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimously approved consent calendar (7 items).
- Unanimously approved Bond Road ExtraMile PCN and CEQA exemption.
- Unanimously continued Oak Rose Apartments to February 28, 2024.
- Received priority projects update.
- Authorized defense in Prettyman v. City of Elk Grove (5-0).
- Convened closed session for City Manager performance evaluation and labor negotiation.
Meeting Transcript
We have reconvened from our closed session, and I have the following uh report out by a five to zero vote. The city council authorized and directed the city's city attorney's office to defend the case of pretty man 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 6.05 p.m. And that brings us to our regular meeting. I would like to call to order the Elk Grove City Council regular meeting. Today is Wednesday, January the 24th, 2024. It is 6.05 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 closed caption and webcast at Metro 14Live.gov. Tonight's meeting replays will be on Friday, January 26 at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, January 30th at 6 p.m. on Channel 14. Previous meetings can be viewed online at the 3W's.com backwards 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. Oak Grove 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. Pursuant to 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 one of the blue speaker cards, which can be found at the back of the chamber and provide it to the deputy city clerk prior to consideration of the agenda item. With that, Mayor, I will be moving into the roll call. And for the roll call, I'll be starting with Councilmember Robles. Present. Councilmember Spees. Present. Councilmember Sewen. Here. Vice Mayor Brewer. Present. And Mayor Singh Allen. Here. And we have all five members. We're ready to go. All right. Thank you. Um, next up is our land acknowledgement. Would our Vice Mayor please read the land acknowledgement? Certainly will. 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, resilience, and determination of their ancestors, tribal members, and leaders. All right. Thank you. Um would you please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance? And would Councilmember Robles please lead us? Ready? Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic. Thank you.
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