Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting – February 14, 2024
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Elk Grove City Council Regular Meeting – February 14, 2024
The City Council of Elk Grove held a regular meeting on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at 6:07 PM in the City Council Chambers. Following a proclamation for Black History Month and public comments, the Council considered consent items, an aquatics center annual report, letters of intent for affordable housing developments, enforcement against illegal fireworks, and a new community education program. The meeting adjourned at 8:25 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the January 24, 2024 special and regular meetings.
- Received reports on City Manager approved purchases, RFPs, and the quarterly Treasurer’s Report.
- Authorized the Mayor to execute a First Amendment to the City Manager’s employment agreement, increasing base salary to $315,000 and providing 40 hours of additional management leave annually.
- Authorized establishment of an IRS-approved Section 115 Trust for pension prefunding and amendments to contracts for financing administration and engineering services.
- Approved the FY2024 Thermoplastic Restriping Project contract in the amount of $148,400.50.
- All consent items were approved by unanimous voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jackie Perez expressed concerns about increased homelessness and safety issues since the opening of the warming center, stating that people from as far as Oakland are using local businesses, and urged the Council to address the changes.
- Sandy M, representing “We the People,” presented a notice regarding constitutional rights and opposed any potential future lockdowns or health mandates, citing a fear of involuntary medical measures.
- Debbie Woolley (We the People) formally requested that Council show constitutional authority for any emergency orders and warned that any rights violations would be considered with malice.
- David Capazzano thanked the Council and staff for their service.
Discussion Items
9.1 Elk Grove Aquatics Center Annual Report for 2023
- Lana Yoshimura (Community Event Center Manager) and Mike Dobson (Cosumnes CSD) presented the report. The facility saw a 44% increase in subsidy in FY2022–23 driven by utility costs (natural gas up 110%, electricity up 35%) and a $108,000 revenue shortfall from the pandemic. Mitigation efforts include new programs, marketing, and fee increases. Councilmember Spees requested a detailed financial plan and justification be brought back in 60 days to improve forecasting. The Council received and filed the report.
9.2 Letters of Intent for Affordable Housing Developments
- Sarah Bontrager (Housing & Public Services Manager) presented two sites: a 2-acre parcel in Old Town (89 senior units proposed by Mutual Housing California) and a 5-acre site at Sheldon Farms North (240 family units proposed by Abode Communities). Both developers have strong track records. The Council heard public comments from Randy Becker (cautious support, emphasizing community design involvement) and Jackie Perez (concerns about design compatibility and traffic). The Council unanimously approved authorizing the City Manager to enter into Letters of Intent.
9.3 Efforts Against Illegal Fireworks
- Ryan Huber (Acting Code Enforcement Supervisor) recommended increasing administrative fines to $1,000 per violation (state maximum for general law cities), strengthening language to cite property owners/social hosts, and promoting amnesty fireworks turn-in. Public comment from Mary Ann Simpson supported all recommendations and also suggested moving the Red, White & Blue event. The Council directed staff to implement fines at $1,000 per violation with no cap on total, allowing officer discretion, and to proceed with the other recommendations. The Council did not support moving the Independence Day celebration.
9.4 Elk Grove 101 Community Education Program
- Christal Love (Community Engagement Manager) introduced a new program to educate residents and business owners about local government. Up to 30 participants will attend sessions on city services, planning, and public safety. Applications are open until March 1, 2024. The Council welcomed the program and encouraged broad outreach to diverse communities.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
- City Manager Contract: Amended with salary increase to $315,000 and additional leave.
- Aquatics Center Report: Received and filed; staff to return in 60 days with a financial plan.
- Affordable Housing LOIs: Approved for Mutual Housing (Old Town) and Abode Communities (Sheldon Farms North).
- Illegal Fireworks: Directed to adopt $1,000 per violation fines (no cap), strengthen property owner liability, and expand amnesty and drone enforcement; declined to reschedule the Red, White & Blue event.
- Elk Grove 101: Received the presentation; applications are open.
- Adjournment: In memory of victims of the Kansas City shooting, Diane Butts (Hanford Sand and Gravel), and three Army Reservists who died in February.
Meeting Transcript
All right, um, we are all here. Great. We have reconvened and um there is nothing to disclose from closed session, nothing to report out. So we will adjourn the special meeting at 6.07 p.m. And that takes us to our regular meeting. I would like to call to order the Elkgrove City Council regular meeting. Today is Wednesday, February the 14th, 2024. It is 6.07 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 captioned and webcast at Metro14Live.secCounty.gov. Tonight's meeting replays will be on Friday, February 16th at 1 p.m. and Sunday, February 18th, also at 6, or sorry, at 6 p.m. on Channel 14. Previous meetings can be viewed online at the 3W's.elgrove City.org or YouTube.com backslash 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. Thank you. Elkgrove 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 it all present will have time to participate. 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 a blue speaker card, which can be found at the back of the chamber and provided to the assistant city clerk, Brenda Heckard, prior to consideration of the agenda item. And with that, Mayor, we would be moving into the roll call. For the roll call, Councilmember Robles. Present. Councilmember Spees. Present. Councilmember Sewen. Here, Vice Mayor Brewer. President. And Mayor Singh Allen. Here. Thank you. Next up is our land acknowledgement. Would our Vice Mayor please assist? Yes, thank you. We honor, respect, and acknowledge Elk Grove'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. Thank you, sir. All right, next up is our Pledge of Allegiance. I would like to invite CSD Director Angela Spees, who is with us this evening to lead us in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. At this time, please join us for a brief moment of silence. Thank you. Next up is our approval of the agenda. May I get a motion?
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