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Record of Proceedings

Folsom City Council Meeting: Procurement Presentation and Homeless Services Trailer Debate - March 26, 2024

City Council — Tuesday, March 26, 2024
BodyFolsom, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 26, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

City Council and call to order the regular meeting of the Folsom City Council for Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

0:08

Would you please call the role?

0:11

So as noted on the agenda, Councilmember Rohrba will be participating via teleconference tonight, and we anticipate that she'll be joining us around 7 p.m.

0:21

So councilmember Zakino here.

0:23

Chairman Cela.

0:25

Here.

0:25

Rodriguez.

0:26

Here Kozowski.

0:27

Here.

0:28

If everybody will please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:48

Okay, are there any agenda updates?

0:51

Good evening, Mr.

0:52

Mayor and the members of the City Council.

0:55

Additional information trust middle for item eight on the agenda.

0:58

A copy has been previously provided to you.

1:01

And I believe they are also available on the table in the back.

1:05

Okay.

1:05

Excellent.

1:06

Thank you.

1:06

Um we are actually going to take the joint city council agenda out of order right now in order to uh um get that out of the way and then move on to the regular business of the day.

1:17

So could you please uh do the roll call for our joint city council agenda?

1:22

Um council members Aquino here, Chellam Chela here, Rodriguez here Kozowski here.

1:29

And first item is consent.

1:32

I'll move item number nine if no one is one to pull it in for comments.

1:36

I will second.

1:38

Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve the consent calendar, which please call the roll.

1:43

Councilmember Zakino?

1:44

Yes.

1:44

Chelem Chairla?

1:45

Yes.

1:46

Rodriguez, yes, Kazowski.

1:48

Yes, okay.

1:49

We are adjourned as the joint city council agenda and reconvened as the regular city council meeting.

1:55

And um, first up is uh item number one.

1:59

So item number one is scheduled presentations, a presentation on the city of Folsom's procurement of professional services.

2:08

All right, thank you.

2:09

Mayor Kozlowski, members of the council, Marcus Yasu Taki, Environmental and Water Resources Director.

2:16

Uh I'm sure everybody behind me is uh just waiting for this item tonight.

2:21

So I will try to make it quick so that we can get uh our public to probably the items that they wish to get to.

2:28

Uh tonight's a presentation uh related to the professional services procurement for the city of Folsom.

2:33

This is a brief outline of what I plan to cover this evening from kind of the statutes, whether they're state or federally required.

2:40

And then I'll give a couple examples at the end and then some of the references that uh we used when developing uh kind of the outline of the presentation tonight.

2:50

So on the federal side, this was enacted in 1972.

2:54

It's known as the Brooks Act.

2:56

Uh and this was really set up for the protection of public health and safety.

3:02

Uh related specifically to architects and engineering services.

3:09

And what they require is a qualifications-based or QBS selection process, and this is from the federal level.

3:18

If you want as an agency federal funding for a project you are working on, you must uh follow this process.

3:25

They did extend this to charter cities and local agencies that wish to receive federal funding as well, which uh at times the city of Folsom does do, and many of our neighboring agencies.

3:36

And essentially, you know, you can see the definition there, but it's essentially you know, any contracts for architectural or engineering services are on the basis of demonstrated competence, qualification, and experience for that service provided.

3:50

And I think in true fashion, the state of California followed and enacted their own what many call either the Little Brooks Act or the Mini Brooks Act in uh 1990, and what they did is they follow the same QBS process, but they expanded and included some additional services, uh which include landscape architecture, architectural, uh, environmental land serving, land surveying or construction project management.

4:19

And again, it's demonstrated on the basis of uh competence and professional qualifications.

4:26

Uh local agencies, so in order, at least in the state of California to procure those types of services, uh, an agency must follow that QBS method.

4:37

Uh agencies can, if they wish, uh, adopt ordinances and or procedures to allow that respective agency to follow that particular process.

5:00

And so what we are working on internally is a manual for internal for staff here at the city, so that when we are going through this process, one we are consistent, but two, as staff changes as time goes on, the next round of engineers or project managers are following the same suit, and probably most importantly, the city remains in line with uh state and federal law.

5:17

And I do note in bullet number four that price cannot be a component in the ranking process.

5:24

Now, price can be a component when you are making when staff is making a recommendation to city council.

5:29

So you can negotiate price, but it cannot be done until after you've ranked on the qualifications and competence of your respective project.

5:39

And so the last bullet really just sums that up is negotiating with the highest ranked consultant firm to achieve, and this is uh compensation at which the agency head determines is fair and reasonable to the agency.

5:54

In the case of the city, that would be the city manager, and uh I would it's probably safe to say that she relies on staff to present that information to her, and then if needed, uh, would make any uh recommendations or changes differently.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Homelessness████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████22%
Public Safety████████████████16%
Procedural████████8%
Community Engagement███3%
Budget and Finance██2%
Economic Development██2%
Parks and Recreation██2%
Pending Litigation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Folsom City Council Regular Meeting - March 26, 2024

The Folsom City Council met on March 26, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included a presentation on the city's procurement of professional services, approval of the consent calendar, and a lengthy public hearing on a proposal to potentially place a homeless services trailer on the Wye property (also known as the Y property) at the corner of Bidwell Street and Folsom Boulevard. Over 30 members of the public spoke, with the majority opposing the idea of services at that location, though many expressed support for mobile outreach. The council ultimately voted unanimously to accept the staff report and take no further action on the specific proposal, while acknowledging the need for continued dialogue and a forthcoming police department presentation on crime and homelessness scheduled for April 23, 2024.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved items 2 through 7 unanimously, including: the 2023 General Plan Annual Progress Report; appointment of an at-large member to the Folsom Landscaping and Lighting District Advisory Committee; a design and consulting services contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates for the 2024 Local Roads Safety Plan; an agreement with Mozingo Construction, Inc. for the Easton Valley Parkway Sewer Lift Station Miscellaneous Repairs Project; an agreement with Folsom Lake Ford for the purchase of a F550 Cab and Chassis; and authorization to install a monument and plaque at the Cohn-Fait Mansion at 305 Scott Street.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Jean Schuman (founder of Jake's Journey Home) provided statistics from the last three months: 1,829 field interactions, 416 unique individuals encountered, 83 assessments for programs, and 73 DMV vouchers. She expressed strong support for a centralized hub to provide case management and services, stating it would help get people off the streets.
  • Mike Saletti (business owner in Historic Folsom) opposed the location, recounting incidents of verbal threats, physical attacks on his wife and an employee, and said putting services there would attract panhandling, crime, and deter tourism. He urged the council to differentiate between those willing to accept help and violent criminals.
  • Gary Grace (30-year resident) described his blind wife being verbally accosted three times by homeless individuals. He commended police for clearing a camp near Winco but said new camps quickly reappear, and called for more enforcement against violent or aggressive homeless individuals.
  • Crystal Tobias (co-founder of Friends of Lakes Folsom & Natoma) opposed the trailer, describing frequent encounters with aggressive homeless individuals, needles, human waste, and stolen items on the nearby trail. She urged not to place the trailer along a park trail.
  • Amber Feltz (FHDA board member and business owner) suggested a mobile unit instead of a fixed location, arguing it would serve more of the community without creating a congregation point. She expressed support for services but not at the historic district entrance.
  • John Phelps (historic district commissioner) warned that a fixed site would attract drug dealers who target homeless individuals, and that drugs could reach local schools.
  • Leo Martinez (licensed clinical social worker, new business owner on Sutter Street) supported mobile services based on his experience, stating static locations attract the strongest clients while the most vulnerable remain unreachable. He also described intervening in a violent assault on Sutter Street.
  • Diana Lusader (resident of Historic Folsom) relayed fear of walking trails due to drug-induced hallucinations and said police did not respond to her call. She urged a location away from residential neighborhoods and suggested South of 50.
  • Dustin Silva (Sacramento County Sheriff's Captain) emphasized that any successful homeless strategy must start with law enforcement support and dedicated officers to address crime within the homeless community.
  • Paul Keist (resident) urged the city to change its tone, stop saying there is no money (citing a potential $17-20 million emergency fund), and treat homelessness as a service problem, not a facilities problem.
  • Doug Scalzi (reserve officer with Folsom PD for 29 years) stressed the need for a homeless outreach team (HOT) of at least six officers immediately, stating the situation is an emergency and the city cannot wait two years for a potential sales tax measure.
  • Jim Snook suggested forming a task force of community members to develop solutions, and also urged support for the citizens' sales tax initiative and repeal of Prop 47.
  • David Loya (Chief Strategic Officer of The Gathering Inn) recommended 2-4 community meetings for education and consensus on acceptable programs, a one-year pilot on city land, and noted that a winter shelter in Elk Grove reduced street-level homelessness by 88% in four months.
  • Multiple other speakers voiced similar concerns about safety, property damage, and the need for more police resources, while a few (e.g., Nicole Schumann, Beth Krutao) supported a location for services but did not specify the Y property.

Discussion Items

  • Presentation on Procurement of Professional Services: Director Marcus Yasu Taki outlined the Brooks Act (federal) and Little Brooks Act (state) requirements for qualifications-based selection (QBS) for architectural and engineering services, and described the city's proposed internal manual for consistent procurement. Councilmember Chalamcherla urged expanding pre-qualified vendor lists to at least 10 firms per category to increase competition and incorporate price as a factor after qualification, suggesting a cost weight floor of 25% with flexibility for higher. Mayor Kozlowski supported the concept and noted further presentations on construction and general procurement would follow.
  • Item #8 – Homeless Services Trailer on the Wye Property: Mayor Kozlowski explained the idea originated from wanting to beautify the gateway to Historic Folsom, vacate the auxiliary corporation yard, and provide very limited one-on-one counseling space for outreach agencies (e.g., Jake's Journey Home, Heart of Folsom, Powerhouse Ministries) on city-controlled property. He clarified it was never intended as a shelter or drop-in center, and no funding is available. Public Works Director Mark Rackovan presented two potential trailer sites on the 3-acre Y property, with estimated upfront costs of $225,000 to $250,000 plus $2,200/month lease and ongoing utilities. He noted that relocating corp yard operations would be necessary and that the site lacks ADA access and sidewalks. City Attorney confirmed the city could lease a trailer for city use without surplus land act requirements.
  • Council Discussion: Vice Mayor Aquino supported waiting for the April 23 police department presentation on crime stats and homeless calls. She suggested disseminating trespass enforcement authorization forms to all businesses, evaluating the winter shelter's effectiveness, and encouraging residents to continue using public amenities. Councilmember Chalamcherla called the situation an emergency, urged forming a task force immediately, and exploring state/federal grants. Councilmember Rohrbough (via teleconference) emphasized the April 23 presentation as a key action step and thanked residents for voicing concerns.
  • Chief Hillman clarified that Folsom PD still responds to homeless-related calls but has had to redeploy resources due to a 400% increase in organized retail theft, over 100% increase in robberies, and 53% increase in rapes. He noted that taking individuals to jail for low-level offenses ties up officers for hours.
  • City Attorney Wong explained the Ninth Circuit ruling on anti-camping ordinances, which restricts enforcement unless the U.S. Supreme Court overturns it (currently under review).

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to Accept Report and Take No Further Action on the Homeless Services Trailer at the Y Property: Moved by Mayor Kozlowski, seconded, passed unanimously (5-0). Council explicitly stated no intent to proceed with further design or implementation at this time.
  • Council Request for Future Agenda Item: Vice Mayor Aquino requested that Chapter 9.64.010 of the Folsom Municipal Code (trespassing on business property – dating to 1968) be repealed. City Attorney indicated no objection; staff will bring it back at the earliest possible meeting.
  • Upcoming Meeting: April 23, 2024 – Police Department presentation on crime statistics and homelessness. Residents were encouraged to submit questions in advance or attend in person.
  • Community Engagement: Council acknowledged the value of public input and encouraged continued participation in budget discussions and the April 23 meeting.

Meeting Transcript

City Council and call to order the regular meeting of the Folsom City Council for Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Would you please call the role? So as noted on the agenda, Councilmember Rohrba will be participating via teleconference tonight, and we anticipate that she'll be joining us around 7 p.m. So councilmember Zakino here. Chairman Cela. Here. Rodriguez. Here Kozowski. Here. If everybody will please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, are there any agenda updates? Good evening, Mr. Mayor and the members of the City Council. Additional information trust middle for item eight on the agenda. A copy has been previously provided to you. And I believe they are also available on the table in the back. Okay. Excellent. Thank you. Um we are actually going to take the joint city council agenda out of order right now in order to uh um get that out of the way and then move on to the regular business of the day. So could you please uh do the roll call for our joint city council agenda? Um council members Aquino here, Chellam Chela here, Rodriguez here Kozowski here. And first item is consent. I'll move item number nine if no one is one to pull it in for comments. I will second. Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve the consent calendar, which please call the roll. Councilmember Zakino? Yes. Chelem Chairla? Yes. Rodriguez, yes, Kazowski. Yes, okay. We are adjourned as the joint city council agenda and reconvened as the regular city council meeting. And um, first up is uh item number one. So item number one is scheduled presentations, a presentation on the city of Folsom's procurement of professional services. All right, thank you. Mayor Kozlowski, members of the council, Marcus Yasu Taki, Environmental and Water Resources Director. Uh I'm sure everybody behind me is uh just waiting for this item tonight. So I will try to make it quick so that we can get uh our public to probably the items that they wish to get to. Uh tonight's a presentation uh related to the professional services procurement for the city of Folsom. This is a brief outline of what I plan to cover this evening from kind of the statutes, whether they're state or federally required. And then I'll give a couple examples at the end and then some of the references that uh we used when developing uh kind of the outline of the presentation tonight. So on the federal side, this was enacted in 1972. It's known as the Brooks Act. Uh and this was really set up for the protection of public health and safety. Uh related specifically to architects and engineering services. And what they require is a qualifications-based or QBS selection process, and this is from the federal level. If you want as an agency federal funding for a project you are working on, you must uh follow this process. They did extend this to charter cities and local agencies that wish to receive federal funding as well, which uh at times the city of Folsom does do, and many of our neighboring agencies. And essentially, you know, you can see the definition there, but it's essentially you know, any contracts for architectural or engineering services are on the basis of demonstrated competence, qualification, and experience for that service provided.

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