Folsom City Council Regular and Joint Meeting – June 8, 2021

The Folsom City Council met on June 8, 2021, at 6:30 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting covered a wide range of items including a transit service transition, approval of a major medical center expansion, adoption of water management plans, and support for an abandoned vehicle fee extension. The council also issued a proclamation for LGBTQ+ Pride Month and received the City Manager’s third quarter financial report. Several public comments were heard on transit and community issues.

Scheduled Presentations

• LGBTQ+ Pride Month Proclamation: Mayor Kozlowski read a proclamation declaring June 2021 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in Folsom, emphasizing inclusivity and equality.
• City Manager’s Fiscal Year 2020-21 Third Quarter Financial Report: CFO Stacey Tamani presented the financial report for the period July 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. Projected general fund revenues were $89.3 million (slightly under budget), expenditures $89.0 million, with a net change in fund balance of about $1.1 million after including CARES Act reimbursement. Unassigned fund balance was projected at $14.7 million (16.5% of expenditures). The report noted that the city maintained fiscal discipline through hiring freezes, reduced temporary employee budgets, and cuts to parks and capital budgets.

Consent Calendar

• Approved all items except Item 5, which was pulled for discussion. Item 13 was amended prior to approval.
• Item 5 – Resolution No. 10636 (Lease Amendment with Folsom Chamber of Commerce): After discussion, the council voted 3-2 to table this item to a future meeting to allow further public outreach and consideration of concerns raised by other nonprofit organizations.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Transit Services (Item 17):
  • Chuck Zurich, a Folsom resident and frequent SACRT Go user, praised drivers but criticized the dispatching system for lack of flexibility, citing long wait times and poor communication on pickup times. He urged the council not to transition away from dial-a-ride without addressing these issues.
  • Partha Mohapatra, a professor and resident, questioned the ridership data presented, noting the pandemic likely skewed statistics. He recommended delaying the transition until non-pandemic data is available and suggested measuring average wait times for both services.
• Business from the Floor:
  • Michael Harris spoke about Juneteenth celebrations and raised concerns about suspicious fires along the American River Parkway, including the burning of historical signs (Negro Bar and William Alexander Leidesdorff Jr. Memorial Highway). He invited the council to a Juneteenth event on June 12 at the Folsom Historic Amphitheater.
  • Denzel and Mariel Crankson (I Benefits Inc.) presented their organization’s teen talk show and support services, seeking a sponsorship or partnership with the city.
• Folsom Ranch Medical Center (Item 16):
  • Phil Scott, representing the Greater Folsom Partnership, expressed strong support for the Dignity Health project, noting the partnership’s confidence in the investment.
  • Written comments from Antonio Acevedo raised questions about local hiring, healthcare, wages, and apprenticeship requirements for construction.
  • Written comments from Bob Delp opposed the proposed 80-foot freeway-oriented pylon sign (which the Planning Commission had recommended removing) and urged early completion of the Class I bike trail.

Discussion Items

• Item 17 – Transit Services and Vehicle Branding (Resolution No. 10646): Brent Burnager (SACRT) presented a proposal to transition the existing dial-a-ride service to “Smart Ride” (same-day on-demand service) and update bus branding to match SACRT’s regional standards. Key points:
  • Smart Ride has grown from 30% of trips in January 2020 to over 70% in May 2021.
  • Cost per trip: $2.50 for Smart Ride vs. $4.00 for dial-a-ride.
  • The last day for dial-a-ride would be August 27, 2021; existing customers would be contacted and offered SACRT Go paratransit (door-to-door, booking 2 days in advance) or Smart Ride.
  • Council members and staff addressed concerns about wait times, break scheduling, and driver flexibility. SACRT staff acknowledged areas for improvement and are adding a third vehicle to reduce wait times.
  • Motion to approve staff recommendation passed unanimously.
• Item 14 – Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan (Resolution No. 10643): Environmental and Water Resources Director Marcus Yasutake presented the 2020 plan. The city is exceeding state water conservation targets (256 gallons per capita per day vs. 352 target). The plan includes a new five-year drought risk assessment and six-stage water shortage contingency plan. The council adopted the plan unanimously.
• Item 15 – Revenue Bonds for Senior Affordable Housing (Resolution No. 10639): Stephanie Henry (Community Development) presented a request from USA Properties Fund to issue up to $20 million in tax-exempt bonds through the California Municipal Finance Authority for a 110-unit affordable senior rental facility at 89 Scholar Way. The city has no financial obligation. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
• Item 16 – Folsom Ranch Medical Center Development Agreement Amendment (Ordinance No. 1314): Steve Banks (Community Development) and Dignity Health representatives presented the project: a 530,000 sq. ft. medical campus including a 400,000 sq. ft., 300-bed hospital, two medical office buildings, and a heliport. The project will be built in five phases over 23 years, representing a $1 billion investment and over 2,000 new jobs. The Planning Commission had recommended approval with conditions, including removal of an 80-foot pylon sign and increased bicycle parking (from ~50 to 99 spaces). The development agreement amendment extends entitlement timelines and memorializes agreements on traffic signals, water infrastructure, and the Class I bike trail. The council adopted the ordinance (first reading) unanimously.
• Item 18 – Support for Abandoned Vehicle Fee Extension (Resolution No. 10648): Pam Johns (Community Development) presented a request to extend the Sacramento Abandoned Vehicle Service Authority (SAVSA) program, which collects $1 from vehicle registration fees to fund abatement. The program sunsets in April 2022 and requires a two-thirds voter approval. The city’s share of a potential ballot measure would be about $42,000, but the program returns ~$90,000 annually to Folsom. The council conditionally supported the extension, contingent on all seven member agencies participating, and will revisit financial commitment later. The resolution passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Item 17 (Transit): Unanimously approved Resolution No. 10646, authorizing the transition from dial-a-ride to Smart Ride and updated branding, with the last dial-a-ride day set for August 27, 2021.
• Item 5 (Lease Amendment): Tabled (3-2 vote) to allow further public outreach and discussion with other interested organizations.
• Item 14 (Water Plans): Unanimously adopted Resolution No. 10643, approving the 2020 Urban Water Management Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
• Item 15 (Senior Housing Bonds): Unanimously adopted Resolution No. 10639, approving the issuance of up to $20 million in tax-exempt bonds for a 110-unit affordable senior rental facility.
• Item 16 (Medical Center): Unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 1314 (first reading), approving Amendment No. 2 to the development agreement with Dignity Health for the Folsom Ranch Medical Center.
• Item 18 (Abandoned Vehicle Fee): Unanimously adopted Resolution No. 10648, conditionally supporting the extension of the vehicle registration fee for abatement of abandoned vehicles.
• Consent Calendar: Approved all items except Item 5, with Item 13 amended.
• Joint Meeting Consent Calendar: Approved minutes and investment reports for March 2021 for the Folsom Redevelopment Successor Agency, Folsom Public Financing Authority, South of 50 Parking Authority, and Folsom Ranch Financing Authority.