And with that, we will adjourn the closed session and we'll go ahead and call to order the regular meeting for Tuesday, April 28th.

Please call the role.

Council members Kozlowski.

Here.

Larry here.

Roarbah here.

Aquino here.

And Rachel.

Here.

If you'll please stand with me for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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 crawl.

And do we have any updates for the agenda this evening?

Yes, Mr.

Mayor.

We have additional information or additional material for agenda item number 19.

I believe a copy was provided to the council, and there are extra copies on the back table for members of the public.

Thank you so much.

And that takes us to business from the floor.

If anyone is here to address the council on unagendized items this evening, go ahead and fill out a blue card in the back, and you can bring it right up here, and we'll happily get you in.

And do we have anyone scheduled to speak this evening?

Um, no request under business from the floor.

Going once, going twice.

All right.

That will move us to schedule presentations.

Okay, your first scheduled presentation item this evening is number one.

This is an introductory presentation of the Folsom Public Library Programs and Services.

It's not often the scheduled presentations get applause before they even get started.

It's not often that the library does a scheduled presentation, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh Mr.

Mayor, City Council, Tom Grunison, your library director, here with you this evening with uh library supervisor Andrew Tweet, Senior Librarian Amanda Perez, and our youth services librarian Lindsay Melhouse to share just a little bit of the info of what we do at Folsom Public Library.

Oh, I have a disconnect between what we see.

Krista.

Um, just advance it with the hand.

I agree with you.

No.

Okay, there we go.

All right.

Uh, as we were, applause, the blaz.

Thank you.

Uh, and I do want to start by saying thank you.

I want to thank you individually and as a city for your support for the library.

Uh, the theme of last week's National Library Week was find your joy.

And in a time of increasing misinformation and polarization and decreasing literacy, it gives me tremendous joy to be part of the team whose job it is to help stem that tide, to support learning and critical thinking, to you know, draw our community together and ultimately to bring our prosperity into the future.

And uh I think that that joy resonates when our with our residents when they visit the library.

It's not unusual for a community to love its library.

It is unusual for a community to engage library services with a kind of voracious appetite that we see here in Folsom.

Uh we okay, okay.

Uh we love books, we've always been about books.

Um, and our residents being a community of readers, they also love books.

And that's part of why last year we checked out more books in Folsom than any other library location in the county.

Uh, if you include our digital books, it was over a half million items.

Uh similarly, because of our tremendously hardworking staff, because of our governance model, um, because of our nimbleness, we're able to deliver more programs uh than any other library location in the county.

And because those programs are laser-focused on the immediate needs of Folsom residents, those programs were attended many times over uh in tendency when compared to other libraries inside the county.

We do all of this with a staff of only 11 full-time employees, a small dedicated crew of on-call employees, some amazing volunteers, and of course the help of the friends of the library.

So uh to give you a little bit more information about those amazing programs.

I'm gonna call up youth services librarian uh Lindsay Millis.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Lindsay Melhass, and I'm the youth services librarian at the Folsom Public Library.

Support for our community starts with our youngest residents.

Baby Storytime regularly serves over 50 infants a week in supporting early literacy and language development.

This year, increasing popularity of this program led to us doubling our baby story time offerings.

Um, and we look forward to our second annual baby prom, the cutest way to kick off summer.

We continue to support literacy skills as children get older.

In addition to baby story time, our staff host five very popular toddler and preschool story times a week, which is more than any other neighboring library.

Every child is invited to complete our 1,000 books before kindergarten challenge with finishers earning a special book and a certificate to celebrate this achievement.

And in one of our most successful and far reaching programs, our staff visit every Folsom Cordova kindergarten class in the city to give students their very own library cards.

And just this year, we've given out over 775 cards to Folsom Kindergarten students.

The library also serves as a place for young residents to build, craft, and try new hobbies.

We want to ensure that every child in Folsom feels like there is a place for them at the library.

So our program offerings reflect a wide range of interests.

Folsom kids get together to build Legos at the library every Saturday, meet up to play chess with other kids, and try their hand at building challenges in our engineers club.

We even host a kids' book club to talk about the latest popular titles.

All of these programs are part of our regularly, our regular youth services schedule.

Our library and our staff are very busy meeting the needs of our youngest patrons.

My colleague Amanda will tell you more about our summer teen and special offerings.

All right.

Hello, City Council, City Manager.

There we go.

We strive to continue to be that third space in our community for teens as well, offering teen programs like Teen Create Space, Teen Writers Workshop, Teen Talks with Local Experts, and even teen game nights throughout the year.

However, our most popular service for local teens are our teen volunteer opportunities.

Folsom has a high achieving and very busy teen population that are always looking for volunteer opportunities here.

And at the library, we offer two different programs.

The Teen Library Council is a volunteer program that runs during the school year, focuses on leadership skills, and puts them to practice by running teen events and special projects.

During the summer, we have a dedicated teen volunteer group that helps with our summer reading program and is focused on gaining experience with customer service and job training.

Between these two programs, we work very closely with about 80 teen volunteers who end up serving over a thousand volunteer hours in the year.

All right, well, you can't talk about the library without talking about the summer reading program.

At its core, the summer reading program is an effort to combat the summer slide that often occurs while children are out of school by encouraging and celebrating their reading.

In its entirety, though, the summer reading program is really a collection of programs and events that makes the best use of the busiest time of the year for the library.

To give you an example of the visitor count during summer, last year in June and July, we had over 4,000 people at our story time alone.

Our summer reading program events include those weekly story times, dance parties, crafternoons, a movie matinee showing, as well as large-scale events like Baby Prom, Dinosaur Day, and things like a Minecraft party.

It is important to note that the summer reading program is financially supported by our friends of the Folsom Library Group.

In addition to all of those recurring events that Lindsay and I have talked about, the library also hosts special events throughout the year.

Highlights include the very popular Lego contest in winter, a games day celebration featuring a life-size Candyland game in the fall, and a new program we recently started hosting a few times a year, a puzzle contest.

We also strive to partner with local organizations for unique programming, which my colleague Andrew will go into detail about.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council members.

So in addition to the staff-led programs that repeat every month, like our book discussion groups.

We partner with local authors and outside organizations to bring in specialized expertise and information for adults.

I'll call out a few of these organizations to show the breadth of our partnership in the community.

We provide free tax assistance each year from February to April with the AARP Tax Aid Program.

California State Parks interpreters have come multiple times to provide informational programs on local flora, fauna, and history to help us promote State Parks Library Pass program.

University of California Master Gardeners frequently provides speakers to teach about water wise gardening, composting, and other gardening topics.

The library has over 200,000 visitors each year, and with the growth of remote working and mobile devices in recent years.

The library has become a popular co-working location for individuals and groups who need space to work and fast Wi-Fi.

Our group study rooms provide space for student groups working on projects.

Small nonprofits that need meeting space and individuals who need distraction-free space for job interviews on Zoom.

Whether people are studying as a group or grinding out work emails, the library provides a pleasant space where they can work outside the home or office.

Lifelong learning has become increasingly important to our careers.

And at today's pace, the skills that got you a job will likely be out of date in five years.

And they won't be the skills you need to get your next promotion.

To support residents' careers, we have 27 computers which log over 17,000 sessions per year, and fast reliable Wi-Fi, which provides an average of 10,000 device connections every month.

To assist with economic development, the best business, legal, and technology book collection among our peers.

We've developed that.

And the collection is designed to help people start a side hustle or get that next promotion.

Starting in August, we'll also offer free online access to the career development video platform Skillshare, which is used by Fortune 500 companies and universities to upskill their workers.

The library is working to help Folsom residents keep progressing in their careers and their businesses.

In addition to over 90,000 books and DVDs, the library checks out a variety of kits that include everything residents need to try out a new hobby.

Most are geared towards helping people make the most of living in our beautiful town, like disc golf, bocce ball, birding, local history, hiking, gold panning, pickleball, and the previously mentioned state parks passes.

Additionally, we have telescopes and 3D printing kits, which have everything you need to learn additive manufacturing or explore the universe.

These kits build on library's historic role of taking an expensive or rare object and making it available to the widest possible audience.

In that same vein, we have book club and a bag kits that have five to ten copies of a particular book and a discussion guide to help you host your own book club and build community connections.

The last thing we want to acknowledge about library service is that Folsom's library is a beautiful centerpiece for the community.

The building itself and the location in the parks is attractive.

And uh with the continued investments that the city has made in HVAC replacement, new roofing, lighting improvements, fresh wallpaper and carpet.

We hear from residents and out-of-town visitors alike that Folsom is the best looking and most welcoming library to visit.

Okay, council.

I appreciate you uh allowing us to bring the side and forward.

Do you have any questions for your library?

Questions?

Thank you.

Really appreciate speed.

Did you present you say 10,000 connections to the high speed Wi-Fi every month?

Yeah, and that's each unique device each day.

It's not doubling up.

Yeah, that's not minor.

No, it's not.

It's not.

Tom, uh Lindsay, Andrew, Amanda, I appreciate all you guys do.

Appreciate all the staff at the library and all the volunteers we have.

You guys are providing a very important service for our community.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

We do have one request to speak on this item.

Uh, my library commissioner, Solomon uh Kees.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, and Councilman.

I'm Solomon Kish.

I'm a Folsom resident, as well.

I'm a business order owner here in Folsom, and I'm a commissioner of library.

Um, a couple of years ago, my daughter was in high school.

Uh, we got the library card.

And uh, but I wasn't aware of how much and how many programs the library has till I joined the commissions.

And when I said the first day, and I said, 'You're doing this and this and this, and Tom said, 'Yes, we're doing that.

Yes, Solomon, we're doing that.' I was so amazed of how many opportunities they have for some library they're doing here in Folsom.

So I know the Folsom City budget, it's not as great as we want it to, but I urge the city council.

I sit on the state commission and we we hear all the time that we need more money.

We need they're doing so many things, so it's so lethal with a budget.

So I'm here to advocate in behalf of Folsom Library.

Please look at the budget.

Please find some some money somewhere, and let's help this work.

Let's help this program.

And let's give those programs for Folsom.

And as well with all the friends of library and all the other donations that they're doing it, they are doing an amazing job for the Folsom Library.

Thank you so much.

Thanks, Solomon.

Appreciate you.

Please call it number two.

Okay, that takes you to item number two, which will be a presentation from California State Parks representatives regarding the Parks Mural Project.

I'm sorry we let the library go first.

They set the bar pretty high.

We'll do our best.

I have faith in you.

Council, thanks for having us.

Um we began this process quite a long time ago, as most of you are aware.

In 2020, we were asked to look at the name of Black Martyrs Bar.

Uh before then, no.

Steve, tell everybody who you are.

I'm sorry, Steve Hilton.

I'm the um district superintendent, Goldfield's district superintendent for state parks.

Um we started looking at the name change in 2020, 2021 with uh Sarah and some other folks from the council.

Um that looking at the name and trying to figure out a new name for the for that day use area prompted us to do a lot more research about the history of the area and the day use area around Black Miners Bar.

It's led us to an abundance of information, um, not only about the African American history there, but also the Chinese history in the area, and also the um most robustly the Native American history of the area.

Through that research, we identified uh a couple of high-profile Native American members that were in the area around the period of the Gold Rush.

Among them were cook was a woman by the name of Jane Lewis, who later became known as Codo Jane.

We um through our research, we identified some relatives of Codo Jane of the Wilton Rancheria that brought more stories to us, some oral history about the area and stuff like that.

Um our understanding definitely went up, and we noticed that the entire area from about the powerhouse all the way down to the Orangeville Bluffs was known as one village site, the village of Yodok.

Um that village had basically prominence over the entire area.

The 20 or so families that lived in the area would follow a lead person, whether it was acorns, salmon, or whatever gathering was happening in the area.

They identified Kodo Jane as one of these people right around the time of contact with the gold rush.

Um, so we started looking into the way Kodo Jane used the area and what that meant as far as the first acorn for salmon ceremony, talking with the informants at Wilton Rancheria.

Um we were told that Kodo Jane took um private or like ownership of some of the bedrock mortars, the grinding holes in the area, and would celebrate that every year with the larger tribal members.

Um of those happened to just be adjacent and underneath the bridge over over Folsom or Lake Natoma.

So we started in discussions with those groups.

We talked about the best way to honor uh Kodo Jane and the presence and perseverance of the Native Americans, and we together came up with this idea.

Um let's put some murals on the branch pillars.

And so we've been developing and looking at this idea for the last four or four or five years now, and I think we're finally at a point where we have a rendering that we want to show you guys.

We handed out some uh some individual stuff, uh uh representations, and now it's really up to us to start really finalizing this design and make sure that the city and the city council are for the project, right?

So Devin's gonna come up, uh interpreter two at the district.

He's gonna talk a little bit about the process of doing this, and then we have Stan Padilla, a local artist that helped us to develop this design.

So I'm gonna turn it over to those guys real quick.

Hello everyone.

Uh, so I've talked about this project many times with with all of you.

Um, it's become very near and dear to my heart.

Uh, as Steve mentioned, we've moved this process along through uh talking to these different stakeholder groups uh early on and engaging with the different tribal groups about the interest and the significance of this project.

The site was very significant to everyone.

Um, but there was kind of this desire to uh bring back some of the the native aesthetics to it and and how can we move forward with art and how can we do that?

Um so I've met Stan uh here behind me.

Stan uh retired, he informed me today, but uh he used to work for UAIC.

He's uh legacy uh mural artist.

Uh he can tell you more about his many accolades.

Uh but we decided to move forward with these different um stakeholder groups and see how we could move this project along.

Uh we went up to uh Shingle Springs several times, talked with some of the folks up there, their uh art department, and came up with what we wanted to pull from the landscape, what we wanted to pull from the various uh tribal communities.

And this is kind of a start of where this project is going to move forward to.

But if you look at the drawings that we presented to you there, you'll see that there's a lot of natural landscape that we're trying to put into the mural.

And that's intentional because it is a natural landscape.

That's one of the things that uh Folsom is famous for.

And I think you know, the bridge kind of takes away a little bit from that.

Um, so the desire is to really bring the natural landscape back, and then also uh the tribal uh culture uh that is so relevant here.

Um and so we've worked together with different uh artists.

We have some other artists that are working with us on the project, uh, Frankie and Sean, a couple artists from the tribal groups, and we're moving this design further forward uh to get more of a rendition, as you can see, it's it's uh sketched out as of right now.

Um and Stan and I can talk more about the process, but um the art itself will be painted uh mainly in a warehouse uh on what's called poly tab.

Again, Stan can explain it a little better, um, and then adhere to the pillars uh for the final rendition, and this is this is common practice for lots of murals now.

Um so it's really brought a lot of people together.

We have um different tribal groups working together.

Uh we've gotten support from the local chamber, uh, and now we're here today uh seeking your support and your um uh grace to move forward.

So uh Stan, your turn.

Good evening, everyone.

Uh as Devin said, I'm an artist of uh standing 45 years experience working with all levels of muralism.

I joined the group about a year ago, and as lead artist and as uh art director, what does that mean?

That means at all levels of development, I'm here to add my expertise and professionalism so that we develop a an appropriate uh work of art.

Muralism basically is storytelling, it's community storytelling.

It tells a story of the environment and and the history and so forth.

If you uh focus in on the drawing, uh this is really a riverscape, a historical riverscape.

If you look on the left, moving downstream, we have the traditional uh ecological knowledge and indigenous way of life that flows with the natural flow of history.

And if you look on the right-hand side, you'll see a modern angler and kayaker going upstream, and it's kind of like these where this world, these worlds can come together.

The river brings us all together, and that's kind of the story.

What is the traditional way of life, the uh natural ecological harmony and balance of nature, and at the same time, what are the contemporary uses so that we're all included in this river vision?

Uh so that's basic.

I don't want to get too geeky or too arty here.

Uh, you know, but uh again, I'm here to ensure that there's a uh professionalism that will hopefully outlast all of us, and technically using space age technology, this uh we call it parachute cloth and permanent paints.

It's kind of old fashioned anymore to paint on walls and on concrete.

It's been gone on and it causes blight in the long run.

This new idea is space age technology.

It actually comes from the uh covering of the um a space shuttle.

So it's durable, uh uh fireproof, waterproof, rip-proof.

And so uh if you have any questions, uh, you know, I'm happy to address them.

Uh I wanted to say a little bit about my professionalism.

Uh I am now uh working on, I'm the lead artist for the new uh airport uh terminal at Sacramento Airport is the lead artist building, the legacy project for the next century uh at the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Um Airport.

I was recognized by the California Arts Council last year as a legacy master legacy artist, which means an artist that has worked continuously for 50 years for the good of the community, not for themselves, but more altruistic uh work.

And uh I am an indigenous educator of 52 years.

Um so I know what I'm talking about, and uh we can do this, and and with your approval with your agreement, we would take this rendering then and develop a drawing that's more proportional, it's clearer, we know where everything fits.

It's almost like a jigsaw puzzle then.

We have it all laid out, and we would bring that to you next.

And then from there, just do it.

That's the art part.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Council Mr Kazowski questions?

I actually have several questions because I'm a I'm a geek for art.

Um, are you is the fabric that you're um it painting onto is it does it end up being fully adhered to the concrete or is it fully it adheres like a decal.

Okay, gotcha.

So it's a wrap.

If you looked at in Sacramento, all the high rise buildings and underpasses, they're not painting on the walls, they paint on this material and it bonds.

It's uh like a decal or popular, uh, it's called a tattoo.

It bonds to the wall and it's per it's permanent.

And and then your your story of sort of um for lack of a better description, sort of snapshots in time, um, is um is there some specific cadence to them, like 500 years ago, 200 years ago for each of the common.

I I wouldn't say so literal, it's more um evolutionary.

If you look at it at the bottom, we would see underwater, yeah, and then what's up on top.

But if you go left to right, you're probably going oldest 100 years.

Most recent.

Yeah, you know, kind of in our era, you know.

What we know the last of the traditional way of life and the angler moving up there.

Is the idea to be a um sort of realistic depiction of those things or more impressionistic?

I know that word means a lot of things.

Kind of, yeah, I understand.

Uh I would say a marriage of both.

Okay, you know, not a snapshot or not um a photograph, something that's interpretive, but at the same time, it's real.

As was mentioned earlier, this is a very particular spot and very uh special.

So on the bike trail, you can sit and see the story of the river.

And then is the intention to have the artwork wrap around and meet back up so that it's actually a continuous scene without a seam being visible?

At this point, no.

Okay.

It would be in the front, but then the rest of it will be enhanced like one color, you know, uh a complementary or a sage green or something that would uh fill the environment.

I don't know if you know the exact spot down there, but it's blighted.

I mean, it's it's not very pretty.

The um the columns, uh, my recollection is that they're on either side of the hike bike trail.

Right.

So is the intention here that these are all visible if you're heading west or east or to the bike trail from the inside?

Yes.

Uh to work on all of them simultaneously with this being the first model, and then we would move on to the to the others, which would almost be simultaneously.

Just tonight, we don't have renderings for those yet.

Gotcha.

Um, but it's all been addressed.

We've looked at it, we've talked about it and everything.

I I just think uh, you know, a little at a time.

Sure.

And then uh additive, you know.

It's wonderful work.

Thank you.

Um, I do have one other question for Superintendent Hilton or maybe a couple of questions.

But the um you and I did talk about this a good long time ago.

And I thought it was a great idea then.

Right.

I still think it's a great idea now.

So um the um is is the intention of having the artwork sort of face into the trail still to not draw people off the trail.

That's that's that's exactly the intention.

Okay, all right.

And we want to we still need to do a sort of native plant refurbishment in that area.

And we started that.

I don't know the last time we went down to the powerhouse or um, you know, we're well this July 11th, we'll have the second intertribal Tulli boat races at Rock Beach.

Okay.

Um and we've worked with the Native American tribes.

We now have a working group that's doing restoration, riparian zone restoration along the entire area.

We started removing a lot of the blackberry, okay, uh limiting the poison oak to non you know, non-trail areas.

And then uh with full fan, we've developed the the nursery over at the cottage at Black Motors Bar, and that's going to become our basically our nursery for native plants.

Oh, and so the plan is to keep going.

We started like I said at Rock Beach, which is right across from the powerhouse because that's where we do the Thule boat races.

Um, and then we'll we'll be moving down all the way down the the lake to the bluffs.

My plan really is we as you guys know, with we're the paddling capital of the west now.

Um we get a lot of people, we go to closure at the park around you know, midday on a hot summer weekend.

Um I'd like to disperse that crowd as much as possible, and that starts with some of that restoration.

Yeah, um, and I think that this will be a good thing for that.

The idea to keep everybody on the trail is we really don't want a lot a large population going down and messing with the rocks further.

Um, but it's something that we're gonna be looking at and developing a further plan as we go forward.

That's fantastic.

And then just one suggestion, Stan, you should hide a little geometric red rabbit in the artwork someplace.

Since you're working on the airport, we'll make something iconic.

This is gonna be a landmark.

This is going to be an epic uh growth on the river there.

It is going to identify us as very good.

You can just feel it intuitively something's mayor, questions?

Um, I did have one, but Mike asked it.

Um, so I just want to say thank you.

I think this, like you just said, this is gonna be iconic, epic, another thing that people want to come to Folsom for.

So thank you for all you're doing.

However, we can help.

Our hope is to have this up by next summer.

So we're giving ourselves a year.

I hope we can get it done in that time.

Council Overlearry, any questions?

Uh I don't have any questions, but um, Superintendent Hilton.

I remember getting your email a year ago, and then I would um kind of ping um our city manager and what are we having this presentation?

I'm really looking forward to this presentation.

And uh I love this project.

Excellent.

And uh I think it it'll be iconic because it'll be something that you know people identify with this area and um just to back up a little.

When I moved here 30 years ago, there was very little evidence that Native people actually lived here.

Um, you know, most of the historic information was about the gold rush.

Uh, there was one resource to find out more about the peoples who lived here, and that was Herb Puffer, who used to run a Native American uh store just off of Sutter Street.

Uh so I'm really glad to see all of this coming forward and the involvement of all of the local tribes.

Um and uh I wanted to add one other thing, and um that is uh the kind of advertise that people catch up with law um, I guess subscribing to your newsletter, which is fantastic every month, and getting in engaged with full fan because there are a lot of great opportunities for families to go out and plant a lot of these native materials and remove uh things that are non-native.

Um so I'm I'm just excited to see this coming forward.

We have one park in town that that is a tribute to the Native American people that I actually put the name on back in the 90s in non park.

But more education is great, and I think you know, having this whole series uh across the centuries is is going to be an excellent um presentation for all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilman Burkino, any questions?

Yeah, I just want I don't know if you mentioned this.

This is the columns of the Lake Natoma crossing, correct?

So yeah, okay.

Um I also think it's a fantastic idea, and I do think it dovetails nicely with the paddling capital of the West announcement that's gonna be coming out in the next couple weeks, and then also um the city recently launched a historic walking tour.

Um, I'm wondering, I mean, could there be a QR code or an app or something for people who are on the water and paddling that there's something that they could press and and they listen to a history about the Nissan on and yeah.

Wonderful idea.

Wonderful idea.

And I think we're we're developing that.

It really this this um the partnership just continues to grow and grow.

Okay, and so I really do foresee that in the near future.

Okay, I do have one question about I think you called it the poly tab that's gonna happen.

If somebody were to tag this with graffiti, does that just wipe off then?

And and is that the responsibility of state parks?

Would the city of Folsom be responsible for maintaining?

Who's gonna be in charge of maintaining this?

I believe that we'll take responsibility.

I'm gonna have to check with my maintenance chief about that.

And uh if it becomes uh too much of a problem, we'll have to figure out what we do about that.

But yeah, I'm I'm all for taking the responsibility for that.

But Stan can talk about it.

But this also has an anti-graffiti coat on it, okay, which makes it much easier.

But that's a question we're all going to have to address because it is the possibility is always there.

Uh in the past, we by re-landscaping, it changes the mood.

People don't tag as much.

If there are lights or there are signs, then it it changes.

That's where we all as a community have to work together.

Right.

And I think the the place now, one thing we find, I go over there a lot just looking at the project, you know, empty pillars.

But um I think one thing is it's not really a place to visit necessarily.

Places under bridges are not fun typically.

Um and now this is going to be a place that people want to go, they'll want to see it.

You'll have more foot traffic there, uh, less desire for people to graffiti.

So I think that'll it'll become a place.

Um, maybe if it works out, then we could do something on the rainbow bridge.

And there's several other columns, right?

Yeah.

I just have one really important question.

Was that yes?

That's it.

So I'm confused by this kayak.

If we're going for modern, I don't see many kayaks out on Lake Otoma these days.

I see a lot of paddle borders.

John Lane would disagree with you.

You need to be out there earlier in the morning.

Who goes at 5 a.m.?

Only John Lane.

Yes, they might all be out there when I'm not there.

That would work.

But yeah, yeah, you're bringing modern and and old together.

I'm just putting a plug in there for the paddle border.

You will are aware, but there was a Thule vote race there last July.

Which is I'm I think it's an annual, yeah, or it's possible the second annual, which is just an incredible uh opportunity for tourism and for all of us to see these traditional boats come out and families and education and cultural um celebration, you know.

For the whole community, not just one aspect of our society.

But I think a important thing to think about when you think about what time frame are we looking at for this mural.

Uh, I spoke to an elder once who told me uh I asked him, what do you say when people ask you how long have uh indigenous people been here?

And he said, ever since the sun first rose over that those mountains and first set over those mountains, pointing to the mountains on the east and the west.

So essentially since the beginning of time.

And I know sometimes we have trouble uh sitting with that, but that's what we're looking at.

Awesome.

Well, I'm hearing a lot of support from my colleagues up here.

Thank you guys for coming out tonight, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

We'll see you soon.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, your next slide in this evening is number three.

This is a presentation from Hart, the homeless assistance resource team regarding the 2026 winter shelter.

Thank you.

Thank you, Krista.

Um, I'm glad to be up here again.

Um and thank you, City Council, Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Manager, all the wonderful folks who work for the city of Folsom and the folks in the audience here.

Um it's it was a great season, and so um thank you for the time to um appise you of of what it was about.

Um, Heart of Folsom is who I am with.

I am Bev Sees.

I'm the director of the winter shelter.

Um, this is the fifth year for me in that role.

And um it's been wonderful to uh to be part of that and to follow it along.

We ran the shelter this year from January 2nd to March 1st.

Trying to catch those winter months where there's wind, rain, and cold.

Um the things that we do, we provide shelter, food, safety, and compassion.

That's kind of the most basic piece of what we do for folks who find themselves unhoused in Folsom.

Um that's sort of the base level thing that we work from and provide.

We um the shelter itself helps build trust and community as folks come inside and they um spend the night within the structure that we have together, both with volunteers and with the other guests, and it's um it's a powerful part of the community within our community uh during those months.

We also connect guests with local services.

There, we don't have a lot of county services out here, but um, we do have some really key local services.

One is Dignity Health, the hospital here.

Um, this year for the first time we had each week the um the uh substance use resource person and the um the nursing director of the hospital each came, both came once a week, which was super helpful for guests with various issues to be able to again build trust with them and get help from them.

Jake's journey home is always there, and we refer folks to them a lot.

They're involved, Powerhouse Ministry as well.

They were there weekly and are just always there.

We have the cards and you know, people talk with them and work with them.

Many of our guests work with them during the week.

And then Heart Transitional Housing has a case manager for the transitional housing clients.

And that person came two or three times each week to work with folks.

So I'd say we had more resources there than we've had ever before.

So it was was really, really good.

People in Folsom are the winter shelter.

We provide kind of structure and the process by which it happens, but it's really people sort of far and wide in the city that are the shelter.

We start with about 110 volunteers, heart volunteers, we call them, because we work for the entire season, including 22 leaders who begin work in August, meet probably five times or so and put things together, then folks sign up for weekly shifts, um, doing different jobs for once or twice a week.

Um we have night captains each nice each night of the week.

There's a different person ultimately in charge.

It's really important that we have that one, that one person who's um who's the lead there, intake and interviewers.

We store people's stuff overnight in a storage pods.

We've got someone there for that.

Drivers driving them to the shelter and back, welcome team at the shelter who is there each night, um, delivery from restaurants.

I'll talk a little bit more about those.

Morning team, there's three people each morning who come and help get things rolling in the morning.

A moving team that once a week moves the whole shelter to the next location.

Um sleeping bags and cots uh team works with those, cleaning, repairing, all that kind of stuff.

Um supplies.

Uh we have a manager who makes sure that we have plates and cups and forks and things like that.

Um, and then more behind behind the scenes kinds of people.

We do this, this kind of structure, I guess you'd say, so that it's spread widely, both for safety, for um to make the load light, to make it happen so that nobody burns out and and people are fresh and ready to um to help these folks.

So shelter sites and hosts.

We spend the night um, usually a week at a time at a location with a group of people hosting.

So this year we had um the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, Trinity Episcopal Church, Oak Hills Church, Reflection, MCC, the Muslim community of Folsom, Lakeside, Bridge Community Church, and Folsom Bible Church there, and then the three Rotary groups.

So we had 10 groups all together hosting the shelter overnight this year.

So they provide dinner, um, help with showers, laundry.

There's a team of two to four people who spend the night there overnight as well.

So we are super, super grateful for all the folks involved with that.

Um, and we do have restaurants.

We have restaurants that we all go to, and they wanted to help and um provide a dinner once a week for the guests at the shelter.

So Chicago Fire, Lazy Dog, Mastaco, Bacchus House, um, all provided that for us.

And a porna, which is also on this slide, is not a restaurant, but it's an outreach group of the Indian community of Sacramento who provides things like meals.

So they um we're really grateful for all them.

Um we link with other with folks um to serve Folsom.

So the the first one I want to talk about is the police department and fire department, um, especially the hot team, which is the hot on the at the police department with Brian Mendenhall, um, so helpful, such a great resource and support for us as we exchange information and you know, see who's who and what we know and how to help things to go smoothly.

And then the fire department, we have some guests who have um fragile health sometimes.

So we we call them sometimes.

Um, and they're both super professional and compassionate.

Um we're really, really thankful for them.

And then the city as a whole, especially I would say the library, um, Tom Greneisen and as well as Parks and Recreation with Kelly Gonzalez that we're there.

The intake is there at Upper Rodeo.

Um, Chris O'Keefe and his team help us get in there and get out of there at the end of the season, and um it's really uh a cooperative thing to provide for these folks and make it work all around.

Um Hope Presbyterian Church in Folsom provides toiletries, gombs, razors, all that kinds of stuff that people need as we try and help them be part of a community that's got um more structure than they might be used to and more support, but also in a way, more expectation for both behavior and just how we operate.

So we appreciate them a lot.

And district church, which is actually actually in El Dorado Hills, they provide us a shower trailer every year, which we all know the value of a shower.

And so they donate that every year so we can provide showers every night.

Wilkinson Portables provided our both a bathroom and a washing station at intake this year.

That's new for us with them, and they were wonderful.

New Joy Arts is a ministry.

Angela Houck runs it, and she came once a week to provide art therapy for folks to just the shelter really becomes a place where people in lives that are often somewhat chaotic and the things they see is kind of chaotic to a place of calm and that kind of thing.

And so the art has been really super.

And then we have individual donors as well who help provide money so that we can buy supplies and all that kind of stuff for the shelter.

So some numbers from this year.

We served 47 guests.

A total guest nights was 693.

Average guests per night was 12.

This when I look at the season this year, I would say and compare it to kind of the last nine.

Actually, I probably have data for about the last five.

47 guests is a low number for us as far as the number of different people we saw, but they stayed the same number of nights as last year.

So we have fewer people, but they're staying longer with us, which I think is really good.

It's people who really um really value the shelter and being in that environment and having the opportunity to be able to look forward and get help and talk with people who are encouraging them to um to think out higher.

Um we had 64% men, 36% women, which um we're also on a trajectory kind of with that with more women as the years go on, higher percentage of women, um, which I think is is good.

Um, not that all women are vulnerable and men are vulnerable, but but they are vulnerable out there.

So um it's good to see them coming in more.

Our oldest guest was 72, and a youngest guest was 22.

They have to be 18 to come.

We don't, we can't take children, and they have to be ambulatory with at the most a cane because we take them in vans, they got to get up and down and that kind of thing.

So that's typical age for us.

It doesn't vary very much over the years.

11% were veterans, which again is is somewhat typical.

And 73% of them had been in full SEM prior to the season, which is the highest that we've had of them.

So again, I feel like we're sort of honing in.

I don't know how exactly, whether it's them self-filtering or we do our um, you know, there's some people who we don't who we don't allow in and we try and catch that as early as we can.

Anyway, I was all of those looked really good to me.

So the guests are there.

That's kind of who they are.

And we um look, we don't we don't um do an exit interview as each person leaves a shelter or anything, but these are the things that we know of.

Um, three guests out of that 47 were working during the shelter.

And that means sometimes we um we allow them to arrange with us to come late or leave early or then usual.

And if they can do that and work with us in that, it works great.

And the three were wonderful with that.

Uh, four guests were actively seeking work, interviews, things like that.

One of the four actually got a job right near the end of the shelter, but I kept him in that category for for now.

Um we had two guests go to programs, recovery programs.

We had two guests go to full-time shelters down in Sacramento.

Um, it's not easy to get a spot there.

Um, and the case manager was really helpful with that, where they can be there 365 all day, you know, live there.

Ours is just an overnight shelter.

Um, two guests went through transitional housing programs, and three guests um had plans with other housing with family.

So out of the 47, like a third of them, I I call it moving forward or trying to move forward.

So um that was encouraging to me to see that happen for them.

So that's it for me.

And do we have any questions?

We have time for questions.

Thank you, Bev.

Thank you to all the heart volunteers.

We really appreciate the work you guys do here in our community.

Uh questions, council.

Council overlearry.

Yeah, I just have one question.

And that is when the shelters closing down, you know, like I can't remember the date in March.

March 1st.

Yeah.

Um, you know, then for example, this year we've had a lot of difficult weather after March 1st.

Um, and um just as a general rule when that March 1st date rolls around.

How are people directed to other shelters, or are there other places for them that are identified to go once the shelters closed?

There um where to go.

There are other shelters, and most of them know of them.

My understanding just from talking with them is it's I mean, there are other ones.

There are um down in the cities, kind of different.

There are reasons that folks kind of like us, you know, come out farther.

Uh it's quieter, but um, but they're definitely their powerhouse.

Many of them are really tied into powerhouse ministries with the day center.

You guys know it just moved across the street.

Um, and so they're always, you know, year-round working with folks to help them move ahead and Jake's journey as well, you know, working with continuing to work with them after the season ends.

Yeah.

So basically, some people are probably going back to camping out.

Yeah, yeah.

Some are, some are.

That's why the ones, as I showed, the ones that have found either programs or housing of some sort, um, is wonderful because there's not that many here.

Um, but but folks, some of the folks found place.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thank you.

I appreciate your service and uh other services that are working with you.

Thank you.

Yeah, we really take it takes the village for sure.

And so thank you.

We really appreciate the city support um so very much.

So thank you.

Thanks for your time.

Thanks, Bav.

We have one request to speak tonight on this item.

Uh, Miranda Pond, if you want to come on down, thank you.

Uh, my name is Marina Pond, and I am a resident of the city of Folsom, and I'm also unhoused.

This past winter, I was a participant in the Folsom winter shelter with Hart.

And I wanted to bring um to the attention of the community because there's been a lot of um issues over the last few years.

I went back and reviewed the presentations from multiple years and targeted questioning about um kind of the more transient population and also like exit interviews and linkages to to services.

Um and by context, I have a background in social work.

So I bring that uh perspective to the table.

But I think it's important that um, and again, I don't know if you guys are funding heart or not, but two issues.

Uh, one is they allegedly have a partnership with um community um first steps community um through a case manager, and it is misrepresented on their website that she provides case management, comprehensive case management, all these services.

The way it's portrayed to the community, you would think that everybody that goes into shelter receives case management, and that is not the case.

She's only given one hour, three nights a week, and that's not enough to meet with everybody.

They don't do service plans, and there are no formal referral services.

Um, and then two um has been um building a transitional house, they have a transitional housing program as well, and that's often discussed in shelter.

Um if they have openings and this year they did have openings.

And I think it's important that this city, which regulates um shelter operators in our town is aware that their transitional transitional housing application contains the majority of unlawful uh questions that are prohibited by state law, such as immigration status, disability, your medications, among other things.

Um addition, they've been recruiting, including through the shelter.

It was discussed more than once about their alleged partnership with Folsom Lake College.

And I was a student, I became suddenly unhoused for other factors.

And that is how I wound up at heart was through um their oh for lack of better word, outreach from the college.

I did receive confirmation from the vice president at Folsom Lake College this evening that they indeed do not have a partnership with Heart of Folsom, and that's been misrepresented, including at the ribbon cutting, groundbreaking, the mayor was at.

Um they were using their logo and um alleging a partnership with the college for student housing um to recruit specifically girls um to put them in the and there's more behind that that has to do with like the intersectionality with the the church, and I have concerns.

I'll wrap it up with the separation of church and state.

So thank you.

Thank you.

You have no further request to speak on this item.

All right.

That will conclude our scheduled presentations this evening.

And we do have we got a late request from business from the floor, but before we move to the consent calendar, uh, I'm gonna invite that person down.

Uh just one request.

So uh Paran, if you're still here.

Thank you.

Good evening, esteemed mayor, vice mayor, and council members, Namaste.

My name is Prayer Mathira, and I'm a volunteer with a Hindu Soyam Seva K Song, known as HSS.

Today, I am here before you to invite you to an event.

HSS USA would like to explore the opportunity to introduce our initiative, the Hindu Education Foundation, HEF, to collaborate with educators and schools.

I am here today to seek all of the respected council members' presence with your family for the heartfelt celebration of the Guru Vandana program on the occasion of the teachers' appreciation day.

We are well aware of the profound impact that teachers have on the lives of their students and their dedication, hard work, and passion for teaching our students.

This event is our way of expressing gratitude to educators for their invaluable role in shaping future generations.

In Hindu tradition, Guru Vandana, meaning salutations to the teacher, honors the deep respect and reverence for teachers.

HEF has been conducting the Guru Vandana Teachers Appreciation Day program to honor students in the local area for over a year.

In 2025 alone, over 2,000 teachers and many civic officials attended Guru Vandana across 150 programs held throughout the USA.

Our local Guru Vandana event will be hosted at Folsom Middle School in the multi-purpose room on Saturday, May 9th from 4 p.m.

to 6 p.m.

The program features cultural performances by students, a short presentation on Hindu traditions, and a special teacher felicitation ceremony.

It's a wonderful opportunity to engage with the local Hindu community and experience this beautiful tradition.

For more details, visit WW.hus.org.

We are hoping that you can take some time out of your busy schedule and be part of this wonderful initiative to honor our teachers.

Thank you.

Must they and have a nice evening.

Appreciate you.

All right, that takes us to our consent calendar.

I'm gonna pull item number nine, please.

But I if nobody else wants to pull anything.

And number 11.

Oh, nine and eleven.

Okay.

I'll move the rest of the consent calendar except nine and eleven.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Kozlowski?

Yes.

Larry?

Yes.

Lorba?

Yes.

Aquino?

Yes.

And Rachel.

Yes.

Okay, item number nine is resolution number one one five nine seven authorizing staff to submit grant applications for funding for the Folsom Boulevard Pedestrian Overcrossing Project.

This would be through the Safe Streets for All Grant Program administered by the US Department of Statewide Active Transportation Program.

So I don't need a presentation on this.

I just um this question has come up before and was asked uh of me on on Facebook in the last couple days, and I had this conversation with city staff, and I thought it was helpful, and so I just wanted to have it publicly.

Um one of the questions that we get is you know, when we do have very limited resources, especially in parks and rec and and a lot of deferred maintenance needs, you know, why would we commit um some local funding uh for a grant to build something that you know we can't afford to build on our own.

We obviously we're gonna have to um to to apply for additional grant funding to do the construction.

So if um Brian and and I think Rebecca was helpful too in the my agenda review, but if you guys could just maybe kind of explain um how we are being mindful about you know how much local money we're using to leverage and to get grants and and how we need to have some things kind of shovel ready in our queue when when opportunities arise and that sort of thing.

Sure.

Yeah, thank you very much.

Uh so it is something that we have to be very cognizant of.

And as we move forward with our budget process too, uh, we will have to be kind of judicious on uh what more we take on.

Uh part of this is this has been a project that has been on the books for for quite some time.

And this is an opportunity that we we've had, you know, uh input over the years.

Uh we have the location, we have the the situation that we hope to do someday.

Uh the goal would be uh to leverage funds to get it on a uh uh a biddable document like plans so that it can be on the shelf that if other grant funds come up, but uh in essence that's what we would try to do.

Uh not just for this, but other projects, street projects.

We want to proactively design projects so that we can be ready so that when regional funds become available, that we can be ready to uh jump on those opportunities.

Uh Rebecca, did you have anything to add to that?

No, you did a great job.

Thank you very much.

Okay, thank you.

Uh I can go ahead and move on.

No, I had I I was gonna pull this as well.

Um this this came on uh consent uh agenda item two years ago.

And um I got the information I needed after um it passed off the consent agenda, but you know, I do have an issue with this.

Um, you know, one of the things that we talked about during our strategic or our workshop, I guess, a couple months ago.

One of the highest priorities in Folsom is solving our traffic and congestion issue.

Um later in the agenda on item 11.

Um, there's nine um priorities that the staff has set out.

Um this, I don't believe has actually come to council as a priority item.

Um, I believe this was staff driven.

I I think that the um Kelly gave me a lot of answers when I sent about 11 questions, I think.

Um and I really appreciated that.

Um, but it failed a couple different times in different aspects, and I understand what you're saying about having it be um design ready.

Um, I just think that the funding that we would need to match these funds are coming from measure A funds, other buckets of money that we want for other higher priorities that will solve some of our congestion traffic issues, like Empire Ranch overseeing over change interchange.

Um the Riley Street, East Bidwell.

Um, there's a lot of different projects that I think take priority over this.

So I see this as not a priority from the council and not a priority from our cut uh our our public.

So um I'm not in favor of going forward with this.

I wasn't in favor two years ago either.

Um, and I don't think our public is really behind this.

And I think this is setting us up for in several years, um, to have it on our shelf is one thing, but um, how do we fund the matching for this?

Right now, it'd be two million, just over two million dollars in three, four or five years, it's gonna be a lot more than that, and that means we're sacrificing other opportunities unless we go out for other revenue.

So uh I can't support this at this time.

I think I'd rather have the staff putting time towards um other priorities and other grant applications.

So that's that's kind of where I stand on this.

But I do appreciate the staff working together.

Um, I did get when I did get the answers, it sounded like there was a lot of collaboration, and I appreciate that with the staff and and Kelly's um work, but at this time I just don't think this is a priority that we want to go forward with.

I have I appreciate the discussion.

I think this is a good discussion for us to be having.

Uh I am a big supporter of of split grade crossings.

Uh I'm a big supporter of a walkable and and bikeable community.

I have a really hard time with it with a 20 million dollar gross price tag.

I get it, you know, a 20 million dollar investment in our city where we pay two million.

That's pretty awesome, right?

But if it's two million that's being pulled from other mission critical projects.

So I think it's a good discussion.

I think it's it's tough to say we're not gonna spend two million to go after a really cool 20 million dollar thing.

Um, that would definitely be used by our community, definitely be an advantage to our community.

Um, but I think the question is is do we have the two million right now, right?

Uh, and is it something that's gonna pull staff time away from other things?

So I'm I'm of two minds about this.

There are other split grade crossings that we're looking at, right?

Like East Bidwell uh across a major inner, you know, uh major uh arterial uh and it's much more cost effective just because we're now dealing with light rail there.

Uh and so uh and I also kind of look at the the traffic, right?

Uh and you know, do we have any sort of traffic counts where this would be you know how many people would we have using this on a regular basis?

Yeah, um we'll have Brian Neves come up and talk a little bit about that.

I think it's important to note um uh Ryan, if you wouldn't mind talking a little bit about the ATP, how that is kind of developed, um, because in some sense this is not something that's totally new.

Uh maybe uh initially it was staff driven, but it's been on the board for a while, you know.

So uh, but I I think this is a really healthy conversation uh because I I think that's the right question is where do we want to spend our money?

Is this the highest and and best priority?

Um so can you talk a little bit about the uh ATP, some of the projects that are on that, and then maybe share where this stands in in that priority.

Ryan, can you also articulate what that what we're discussing?

I'm not sure we ever said that to the public.

Um that is yeah, for sure.

Uh good evening, Mayor, members of council.

I'm Ryan Neaves, uh Capital Project Manager in the Parks and Recreation Department.

And so the item is um to uh authorization to submit uh grant applications for the Folsom Boulevard pedestrian overcrossing project.

Um the project uh is identified as a high priority in our active transportation program or ATP that we update, you know, every five years, and so um we do robust public outreach as we identify you know the projects and priorities in the ATP.

And so this has been identified as a priority, and we um had done some extensive public outreach.

Um we've used some ARPA funds in the past to um conduct feasibility studies.

So you know, we have um you know, and as part of that, we did um you know, did reach out to the community and and so um the um I would say the timing for for these grants, so the the two grants that we identified in the staff report one's a safe streets for all grant and one's um the statewide ATP cycle eight, the those grants are both um one's due in May and one's due in June.

And so, you know, we do meet collaboratively all the different departments and talk about these grant opportunities.

Um I think given the timing of those and specific to like the East Bidwell Pedestrian Overcrossing Project, another great grade separation project that we do currently have design funding for, and we've just um executed that contract and just kind of kicking off that project.

We're not to a place where we feel as staff that we're ready to submit um additional grants.

We want to get through the feasibility and environmental clearance portions of that, you know, or get a little bit farther down the road before we you know are ready to put that one forward for funding for the next um element, which would be construction.

Um, and so yeah, this project was identified internally as our highest priority for these two um grant sources.

And I would say again we we did submit for grant applications in the past, and as you noted, uh Councilmember Robot, we were unsuccessful.

We took um advantage of SACOG's um offer to do some technical assistance on our applications, and so we feel like we're at a place where we're at the best opportunity to um uh be successful in and grant to complete at least you know the next phase of design environmental clearance and with the goal of getting a project that's shovel ready.

Um, and you know, if it's if it's not a priority, certainly um, you know, there are other projects timing-wise for our trails team.

Um, you know, even if we were to obtain grant funding, you know, we will be wrapping up um, you know, design of the highway 50 undercrossing project, construction of the Mangeny Ranch Trails project.

So, you know, we have thought about what you know how that will impact staff resources, but you know, we think timing of this will work out well, and um and if we don't pursue these grant opportunities now, if we wait for the next cycle, I think essentially this project will you know kind of become stale and um you know, and so that like now is our best opportunity.

So um if if it's obviously the directions not to proceed with it, then Mr.

Mayor, this is the forum to bring it up.

I have a question also.

Councilmember Kozlewski.

So uh would it be fair to say that Folsom Auburn Road or Folsom Boulevard in that area is one of the most heavily trafficked roads in a refined city?

I think that's fair to say, yes.

Okay.

And um the for those of you that don't aren't aware of the project specifics, it's more or less a connection from the hike bike trail that runs parallel to Folsom Boulevard and connects to the light rail station that's at Glen across Folsom Auburn Road to generally in the vicinity of Mel's Diner.

Okay.

Um, just so you have some landmarks to think of.

Um and there is a fairly tremendous population of people that live in that quadrant that is north of Blue Ravine and east of uh um Folsom Boulevard, and then there is a very large employment center on the opposite side of that road, um, which happens to contain my office just as a coincidence.

Um so the um the ability to take both recreational users off our trail system and get them into the um Lake Natoma recreation area by way of getting across the road, and then also regular pedestrian access from the light rail to those business centers is a pretty righteous goal.

And this one this has actually been under development almost as long as these columns have.

Um, and we talked about it quite a lot.

I was a skeptic at first, but I think it's uh it's a it it could be a terrific project and taking the next steps towards design with anticipation of future funding from others um to get it built, I think is worthwhile for whatever that's worth.

Thank you.

Councilmember Leary.

Uh yeah, I agree with what Councilmember uh Kozelski was just saying.

This project has been down uh on the books for quite a while, and some progress has been made on it.

Um I think that uh there is an increasing amount of traffic along Folsom Boulevard uh with people on bikes that are that are using Folsom Boulevard instead of the trails around Lake Potoma to get to the historic district or to get off at Iron Point Road or at Blue Ravine that would be serviced by this.

Um so um I I still think it's a worthwhile project.

I know it's been a long time in coming, and there, you know, could potentially be an expense for the city.

Uh I will bring up that we have someone here in the audience, Will Kempton, who uh was working on this early on, as I recall.

I don't know if he wants to comment on it, but um the other question I have is that how many other uh projects that we have on the books for Folsom would qualify for this same funding because this funding is directed for a specific type of project.

So it you know, projects for overcrossings at at Highway 50 or in other areas may or may not qualify for the same, but do you have any idea what those other projects might be?

Um I know when we um I mean um some of the project that we discussed.

I mean, one is the Riley Street project, I mean, pedestrian and cycle bicyclist um safety improvements, you know, are obviously the focus of of these.

And so um, you know, as you know, there's another agenda item with additional um requests for grant uh submissions.

And so, you know, when we looked at our list of projects and um and the various grants, you know, we had identified the Folsom Boulevard pedestrian overcrossing as the best candidate at this time for for these two grants.

Um so to be clear, you really have to match the project to the requirements of the grant that it's just grant funding that you can't throw at another project.

I think that's something that's not always clear to the point.

We really want to.

Um, if I could chime in just briefly.

And so, yeah, so the types of funding and programs that are available, they do have certain characteristics and markers that have to be met in this particular instance.

Active transportation really does just focus on that.

Um, and so you know, and and specifically, this is a very, very competitive program.

Um, we've been unsuccessful at getting uh some similar grants like this for Riley Street in the past, hence why it's back on the list for our um item 11.

But this particular project has a couple of multifaceted community benefits, and that not only does it connect state parks over to our trail system, and it also has a connection over to light rail.

It's also located uh near a um identified um affordable housing site that's helpful in terms of you know, kind of uh you know, moving folks from place to place in terms of um work when they maybe don't have the necessary resources for it.

But this project in particular has been a good candidate because of its collaboration, not only with state parks but also with uh SAC RT as well.

But they do have markers like that to to your point, they do have markers at what type of projects can be proposed for particular funding types.

Yeah, worse worst case we can always abandon the grant, even if they offer it to us.

Thanks for pointing out the commuter benefits.

I do appreciate that.

The business park is there, there's a significant amount of jobs.

Uh it is meaningful to me for sure to get those folks um give them a better option to commute and work on a bike.

I have a I have a question after you go ahead.

I already went once, so go ahead.

Um so the ATP grant does not require a minimum local match, but the SS4A grant does.

So would our 20% does that come from the parks and rec budget, or what is that coming from?

Yeah, I mean, I would say we the potential local match funding sources that we identified were um measure a fund 276 or the TDA fund um 248, and and so um there are funds that we use for parks and recreation projects and trail projects specifically, but obviously we coordinate with public works because you know, obviously measure A funds are used for other projects, and so I think it would um you know depend on the um you know what the dollar amount is, what the what the specific local match um source would be.

And and because there is kind of a mutual benefit um to RT or state, probably even Sacramento County.

Have we explored?

Um can you can you submit an app uh application like this jointly with other agencies and maybe share the cost of that or so?

I think uh uh Ryan, if you could talk a little about this is the ask for a grant to complete the design.

Uh what's the anticipated cost of the design?

So yeah, right now our total design cost for the preferred alternative, the north alternative is 2.6 million dollars.

So it's roughly 400,000 for preliminary engineering, another 400,000 for environmental clearance, and then the remainder for final design, but two 2.6 million is our estimate for that.

So that'd be that.

And so for this particular grant, there would be a match.

So there's two grants that we're requesting approval.

One is required, it has a 20% local match requirement.

The other, the statewide ATP doesn't have a local match.

Um, obviously, if you include a local match, potentially that could increase your competitiveness, but there is no required local match for that.

Gotcha.

So the one that does have a requirement, uh it would be the proportion of the total cost.

So is that the 11.47?

It would be 20% for that grant.

So 520,000.

Yeah.

So if we if we were requested and received the full 2.6 million dollars for to complete design and environmental, yeah, then it would be 500.

Right.

And uh council member Kino, we would not use the park recreation budget for it.

We would use some um designated funds outside of the general fund for this effort.

Okay.

So I have a couple more points.

Um, this is you know, this is something that I have really appreciate that you being put on the spot.

Thank you for being there.

Um, but just having a good conversation about our priorities and the situation.

So whatever the the majority of the council decides to do, I'll fully get behind.

Um, but one of the one of my insights coming into this was we're already dealing with a lot of deferred maintenance um of our facilities in um in our city, and this is decisions that were made 10, 20, 30 years ago.

And so I want to be mindful of what we're setting up for the next 10, 20, 30 years.

While there might not be very much maintenance initially, but we're kicking the can now.

What what are what would we have to take out of RCIP in 20 years to maintain or um fix a bridge like this?

So I want to be very mindful of the priorities there that in item number 11, which we're gonna get to next, there are a lot of um priorities there that are very well established and our public is very well aware of.

So, you know, if if we get a competitive bid advantagement and we get two of these grants, I would rather see all of measure A funds going towards Empire Ranch.

Not that I don't think this um pedestrian um overpass is viable or will serve a purpose in full system that is um very positive.

My priority is to reduce the traffic and congestion in our city right now, and so that's that's where I'm at as far as this, and obviously the deferred maintenance and making sure that we are sustainable as far as our financial situation.

So that's where I'm coming from as well.

Thank you, Brian.

It's a good worthwhile question to ask the sort of maintenance responsibility.

What would what would you estimate, Madam Public Works Director, that we have to budget or expect to expend on, say the bridge that crosses um East Bidwell.

So we'll refer to that as the Jack in the Box Bridge.

It's not the bridge we're talking about.

No, but it's similar is scope.

It's been pretty minimal as far as I'm aware of anyway.

I haven't had a chance to look through the historic records of that.

Um that's been do you have any comment on that?

I mean, I I spoke with our facilities maintenance uh uh manager.

Um is that one core 10 or is it painted?

Uh it it is uh it is painted.

I mean, yes, and so we do need to so we haven't really spent much maintenance dollars.

I mean, I'm talking about over its life.

What are we expecting to I mean?

So in the last 10 years, I think we spent basically about $10,000.

So but we do have to your point, you know, now that it's getting to be, you know, more than that.

Yeah, yeah.

30 years.

Um we do have uh a need to um repaint the bridge, and so that's an upcoming project in a future fiscal year that we will um all right.

Thank you.

All right, well, in order to facilitate uh or we'll move this forward, I'll move resolution number one one five nine seven.

I'll second.

Any further comment or discussion?

Please call the roll.

Council member Koslowski.

Yes, Leary?

Yes.

Roarbaugh, no.

Aquino?

Yes.

And Raitle.

Yes.

The motion passes.

Please call the next item.

Okay, item 11, which was pulled from consent is resolution number 11600.

This is authorizing again applications for grant funding from SACOG 2026 federal funding programs.

Um I pulled this, and I think Zach, you had some heads up from some of the questions that I um asked.

Um, I appreciate all the answer.

And again, this sounds like a very collaborative um uh discussion with the whole city, all the city departments.

I don't really have any issues with any of these um priorities.

There's three for three different grants, three each for three different grants, so nine opportunities.

I just want to make sure that the same intent that um as we're this was kind of staff driven, and I believe it was taken from comments you've heard and throughout the years, but I think anything like this that's prioritizing major projects should the council should all kind of buy in on it in public um rather than a consent uh uh item, which kind of gets a lot of public don't listen to it or or hear it.

Um so that's really my intent.

I mean, you can do a brief, it looks like you did something here, so I this is proactive, right?

I set up a couple slides just for informational purposes.

If you have specific questions, I can address those really quickly, or you can give me about five minutes and I can go through the whole program and I would appreciate that.

I think our public would appreciate that.

Yeah, absolutely.

And I'm I'm happy to do so.

This is a really great program, and we're excited about the opportunities that this presents the city.

Uh Zach Bosch, uh senior civil engineer in the public works department, uh, here to present uh city staff's recommendation uh for some applications for three different grant programs uh in the SACOG 2026 federal funding program.

Uh so a little bit of background and context.

Uh our Sacramento Area Council of Government is the region's designated MPO and it's responsible for administrating the congestion mitigation and air quality and the surface transportation block grant funds on a region wide basis.

So over the past two years, uh SACOG has been working with a multi-agency working group uh to complete the transition from a four-county funding program to a six county funding program.

Uh, and that it also establishes uh performance-based competitive funding framework to distribute those funds uh since the program guidelines have been adopted and the funding assumptions for the fiscal years of 2028 and 2030 are in place.

Uh, and the proposed evaluation criteria and the Program project budgets are finalized.

Uh, we are at a staff level working on uh different applications for different these different funding uh cycles.

So for this uh program, there's approximately 230 million dollars available uh again from the federal fiscal year 2028 to the 2030 uh fiscal year.

Uh Sacramento County is anticipated to receive about 116.5 million dollars on that.

Um so there's still estimates at this point because the they're they're dependent on federal authorization for for that money.

Uh this the programs are split into three different groups.

Uh the next generation solutions and air quality program, uh, the system performance and the system preservation.

So each of those has uh their allocated amount.

So we took the two pots of money, the C Mac money and the ST uh BG funds, and we broke them into three different uh programs, and within those programs are the criteria for each of those uh that we are submitting applications for.

Uh so upon publication of materials earlier this month, city staff uh evaluated all the possible projects that we could submit for each program.

Uh so we evaluated the deliverability and the readiness of these programs based on the expenditures of the funds uh on the timelines established within the grant programs, the cost effectiveness and the matching requirements and the availability and the consistency and the alignment with the city council adopted plans and priorities.

We took these projects and compared them to the project specific evaluation criteria to develop the recommended project list before you tonight.

Uh, each federal program has performance outcomes that the projects are required to be aligned with in order to be competitive, with each project needing to show how they respond to documented challenges and community needs.

At a high level, projects will be evaluated based on their deliverability, their readiness, their financial capacity, and the cost effectiveness in alignment with the performance of local and regional priorities by a selected group of subject matter experts within the area.

Uh so presented before you tonight are the three programs, the system preservation, the next gen solutions, and the system performance.

Uh each agency is allowed to submit up to nine applications, three per category.

Uh additionally, city staff is required to submit a project priority ranking list for each of the programs, where one point is allocated to the highest project within each of those programs.

So you get one additional point for the highest project priority, and the other two within that program do not receive that additional point.

Uh staff is happy to answer any questions the council may have about the project the project list or the order of priorities.

If if before you go back, because that's really what I wanted to highlight is what we're trying to do, what the city staff is trying to do to alleviate a lot of the issues that our public really cares about.

And so those are those are major things.

The Riley Street, obviously, Empire Ranch is something we've talked about.

Um East Bidwell, all of these things.

Um, and I I that's what I really wanted to highlight as far as priorities.

Um that we're on it, we're doing it well.

I think we could adjust some of these priorities.

Um, obviously, I just voted against the Folsom Boulevard pedestrian crop overcrossing, put that third, um, but it's not an issue.

Um, so uh, you know, I'm I'm I'm pretty happy with this.

Like I started off that I'm not opposed to any of this.

I just wanted to make sure that we were all kind of got by in and with public in um oversight of what we're actually trying to do to solve some of these issues.

So you don't have to keep going on if you don't want to, unless we will hear it.

But definitely.

Um, this is this is really what I was looking for, and um yeah, that's it.

So and if I may uh Zach, first off, thank you for your preparation on short notice for this and uh to the entire council for the conversation.

I think it's important for us to uh it I guess I'll say you know, in hindsight, we probably should just put this on uh not on the consent agenda, uh more on a public presentation.

So but anyway, appreciate that.

Thank you.

Yeah, absolutely.

It's it's fascinating how these things go through the state sort of stages of development, kind of like uh you know, turning into a butterfly, because um there could be um years in between the times when we talk about them when they're sort of trying to get funding for design, different stages of design, then they're designed and then they're trying to gather up from multiple sources the funding that's necessary.

So they gestate over a really long period, and there is a gap in time that actually makes these things sort of fall out of memory a little bit.

So it's great to have this conversation.

Yeah, and I think that you know it it's hard for our public to understand.

I mean, they understand it, but it's hard to articulate how long these things take.

So, you know, we're where Folsom ranch was planned years ago.

We're finally getting to the stage where actually can go out for these grant opportunities to actually solve some of the issues that we're facing.

So um again, thank you so much.

Yeah.

Any other questions for Zach?

I'll move resolution 1160.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Kozlowski.

Yes, Leary, yes, yes, Aquino.

Yes.

And Rethel.

Yes.

And that takes us to our public hearing section.

Please call the next item.

Okay.

Your first public hearing item this evening is number 14.

This is the Natoma Station Maintenance Assessment District 2502.

This will be the protest hearing and ballot proceedings, followed by direction to staff to tally the ballots and return with results at the next city council meeting.

This is the time and place fixed for the public hearing related to the proposed formation of the Natoma Station Maintenance Assessment District number 2025-2 to fund ongoing maintenance operation and servicing of the landscaping, street lighting, public art, and other improvements within the district.

Quick announcement before we go on.

Anyone needing a replacement ballot may see Amanda with NBS and the hallway near the entrance.

Amanda, raise your hand, give us a wave.

She's out in the hallway.

She's out in the hallway.

Can you hear us?

There she is.

She's waving right now.

She can hear us.

I was like, there's speakers out there.

I would now ask the municipal landscape services manager to provide the staff report.

I'm not normally given a script, so I'm really enjoying the script.

Just one minute.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the council.

I'm Derek Prez, Municipal Landscape Services Mander for the Parks and Recreation Department.

I'll be presenting a brief presentation on the public hearing for Natoma Station's landscaping lighting district current Prop 2018 status.

Quick background.

Folsom has 30 LNL districts that maintain assets that provide a benefit to the residents in each district.

These assets include landscaping, street lights, monument signage, artwork, mini parks, as well as other assets.

All L districts are formed per swaying to the landscaping lighting act of 1972 in the California Constitution.

Folsom has districts that range in size for 10 to 2,370 units.

Most districts within the city, including Atoma Station were formed prior to their Prop 218 in 1996.

The map here shows the boundaries of the Natoma Station L District as well as the location of the public art pieces.

There are many other assets maintained by the district that are not pictured here.

This list includes a major assets in Atoma Station L and L district.

A few of the assets include 21 piece of public artwork, seven large entry monument signs, and 16 irrigation controllers that are 36 years old.

Here's a brief explanation of the LNL Act of 1972.

Essentially, the act allows local governments to form L district to fund specified services such as landscape maintenance, street lighting, and maintenance of other items as identified in the resolution of formation.

The Prop 218 process is a three-step process, and the first step was initiated June 24th, 2025 with resolution number 11403.

The second step was initiated on February 10th, 2026 with resolution number 11548, approving the preliminary engineers report, declaring the intention to order the formation of a landscaping lighting assessment district to levy and collect assessments to provide notice of public hearing and direct the mailing of assessment ballots within the proposed district in the city of Folsom.

We're currently in step three, the public hearing.

This is legally required to allow property owners public review comment and protest opportunities related to the proposed assessment.

There's a required 45-day period required between steps two and three, which met which was met between February 10th, 2026 and April 28th, 2026.

This slide here shows the timeline complete to date for the Natoma Station reassessment.

This slide here shows where we are currently at with the remaining schedule for the Natoma Station reassessment.

Tonight we are currently at the public hearing, and any remaining ballots will be collected in person by close of the public hearing.

Ballots will be tabulated on April 29th, 2026 tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m.

in the large public works conference room located at City Hall, 15 Notoma Street, Folsom.

Once the city clerk certifies the results, the results will be posted on the City of Folsom website under landscaping and lighting Natoma Station District page.

Staff will be presenting the ballot tabulation results to city council at the May 12th, 2026 meeting.

I would also like to note that staff held an additional community outreach meeting on March 5th, 2026, answering any questions related to the ballots received in the mail by the parcel owners.

Well, that staff recommends that the city council conduct a public hearing to receive testimony and to allow for the submittal of ballots before the close of the public hearing.

Staff recommends following the close of the public hearing the item be continued to the next city council meeting scheduled for May 12th, 2026.

So the city clerk can tabulate the ballots on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 at 9 a.m.

in the large public works conference room at City Hall 15 to Toma Street Folsom.

This ballot tabulation is open to the public.

Results from the tabulation will be presented at the May 12th, 2026 City Council meeting.

Any questions for Derek this evening?

No, sir.

I don't have any questions, but um this has been a long time coming.

I appreciate all your presentations on it.

And um I I just wanted to reiterate uh this is information I um I had in mind, but uh should be shared with the public as that the ballot count will be completed tomorrow, but it won't be certified until our next meeting, but people can get a report on the results of the ballot count after tomorrow.

It will be certified tomorrow morning by the city clerk, right?

And then we will be posting the results tomorrow afternoon online.

Okay, yeah, right.

So people can look those up and share that in the community.

Great.

Thank you.

All right.

The city council will now open the public hearing and hear from any interested person who desires to address the city council on this matter.

Do we have anyone signed up to speak this evening?

You currently have no request to speak on this item.

Seeing no one else who wishes to be heard.

Do any members of the city council have any further questions for staff or consultants as a result of the thrilling public testimony?

Sorry, I'm at I adlived the thrilling part of the public testimony.

Thank you.

Sorry.

They gave me a script.

All right.

I'd like to remind everyone that all assessment ballots must be received by the city clerk before this public hearing is closed.

Ballots received after the close of this public hearing will not be tabulated.

Are there any remaining ballots to be submitted?

No one.

All right.

This is the final call to submit your assessment ballots.

The public hearing is now closed.

Assessment ballots received by the city clerk after this time shall not be tabulated.

Uh thank you, Mayor and Council members.

The next step will be the ballot tabulation, which will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, April 29th, 2026 at 9 a.m.

in the large public works conference room at City Hall, 15 Atomer Street, Folsom.

This tabulation is open to the public.

Once the tabulation is certified, results will be posted on the city website the afternoon of April 29th, 2026, and then landscaping lighting website section.

Results from the tabulation will also be presented at the May 12th, 2026 City Council meeting.

Thank you.

All right, please call the next item.

Okay, your next item this evening is um public hearing item number 15, resolution number 11539.

This is a resolution declaring results of the majority protest proceedings and modifying the assessment rate of the Folsom Tourism Business Improvement District.

This was continued from the February 24th council meeting.

Great.

Thank you, Mayor members of the council.

Uh the item before you is related to the uh new um T-bit assessment of four percent.

Uh we've had a few meetings about this, and uh uh city staff along with the choose folsom staff had opportunities to meet with the hotel owners, and uh as a result of those meetings, uh governance structure was developed, and um uh we we have received um notifications from I believe all the hotel owners that had submitted uh protests before, they have rescinded those protests and um on the condition of the uh approval of the governance structure.

And uh I know we have members from um Ted Corp here with us that can speak to this as well if they if they so choose.

Uh but um in essence it appears that there's uh not enough protests to impede this from going forward.

All right.

Uh any questions for the city manager.

All right.

Uh any comments from Ted Corp.

You guys are welcome to make comments if you'd like.

Mayor, members of the council just uh want to express our appreciation to both you, Justin, and the city manager for helping us with this.

Just to clarify, you know, we started working with the management of the hotel years and then it got elevated up to the owners.

We were able to convene them and come to this resolution.

So we're excited to get started and hopefully we can complete it tonight.

And so if I could just remind the the council what the action is, is uh that staff is recommending uh staff recommends that the city council hold a final public hearing uh to declare the results of the majority protest proceedings, and if no majority protest exists, adopt resolution number uh 11539, a resolution of the city council of the city of Folsom declaring a uh results of a majority protest proceeding and modifying the assessment rate of the Folsom Tourism Business Improvement District.

Thank you.

And we do have one request to speak tonight from the public.

Uh Eileen Reynolds.

Any information.

Oh, we're gonna go ahead and officially open the public hearings.

You didn't give me a script for this one.

Good evening, everybody.

Thank you very much.

My name is Eileen Reynolds.

I am here as a member of the the public.

I am as you know, I was chair of TED Corp for two years, and I am no longer on the TED Corps board, but I must say that it is very gratifying to have seen um how this unfolded.

And thank you very much to all of you.

I know the process got a little messy for a little while because there was still a lot of negotiations that needed to be had, but we couldn't be happier that this is a good outcome, and we think this will be a good tool for the city for the future as far as being able to expend some some tourism dollars to get more money in our coffers.

So thank you very much for all of to all of you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

All right, any other members of the public want to address the council on this item this evening.

All right, hearing none, we're gonna go ahead and close the public hearing.

And I'll move resolution number one one five three nine.

Second, I just want to, yeah, I just want to make a comment.

I appreciate the the way the governance body was created.

I'm not, I think that I'm not sure who was a part of that, but having three city representatives on there, I think is very helpful and more palpable to our public as well.

Um, and that I think it's just a good balance, even though it's 11 people, which is a lot of people, but I think this is an important, and what they'll do is decide where the money is spent and how it's spent and if it's meeting its purposes.

Um so I appreciate that how this happened.

That brings up a question for me.

Sure.

And that is we have reps, two city council members that are already um representing the city on the TED Corps um board.

Um, so there's two um that will be sitting on the TBID committee, and I'm wondering if the intent is to have those be the same people or have some more diversity, you know, on the um to manage all of this.

Council member Leary, we're gonna be bringing that back at a future agenda.

Okay.

Thank you.

I think I think it would be helpful tonight if we just knew which council members were interested um and potentially serving.

We're not gonna make any decisions tonight, but um is that all right?

Just to see who's interested.

Sure.

And I would just since I'm talking, I would also request that we ask the city clerk to officially read the protest um or lack thereof into the record.

Thank you.

So a majority protest officially does not exist because the protests that have been submitted were withdrawn.

Thank you.

Uh any interest in serving.

I'll just pull all of us any interest in serving on the committee.

Um I'm happy to, but I'm also happy to defer to others.

Okay, Councilmember Leary.

I'm interested.

Okay.

Councilmember Kosowski.

You're you're you're okay either way, you're fine.

All right.

I am.

I would be happy to serve, but also um, I could go either way as well.

I do have to say, you know, I was on a city council um before outside of Folsom, and this is a board that I was on, and it was actually really fun.

So it was a really fun process.

So if anyone else wants to do it, otherwise I'd be happy to do it too.

Yeah.

I I love being on the board that gets to choose where the money goes.

So but at the same time, I could uh if we have two folks that are really interested, uh I could part but we can discuss that at the next meeting.

All right, we have uh resolution and a second.

We've recorded everything into the record we need.

We've closed the public hearing.

Please call the roll.

Council members Kozlowski, yes, Leary, yes, Rorba, yes, Aquino, yes, and Ray Thel.

Yes.

Please call the next item.

Okay, item 16.

Oh, can I just make a comment?

First of all, thank you for your support.

Secondly, just for clarification purposes, the way the governance structure is written is if, for instance, Anna is the representative that she's the one for the city council, not because there's two TED Corps, there's two city council, one that identify who she's representing, whether you're asking us to have her be the TED Corp rep or the City Council rep so that we can count it all correctly.

We'll just need to have that clarified when you do take that action.

Sounds good.

Thank you.

Understood.

Okay, item number 16 is resolution 11601.

This is the resolution replacing a prior resolution and approving the updated city impact and connection fee schedule for law enforcement, fire suppression, general facilities, vehicles and equipment, park improvement, humbug Willow Creek, Housing Trust.

Sorry, I got into this water, sanitary sewer, solid waste, transportation improvement, drainage, and light rail impact fees.

Sorry.

Thanks, Krista.

I was in too deep to back out.

All right.

Mayor Council members, I am Elizabeth Hannah, Revenue Services Manager.

And if it's okay, I'll be reading for items 16 and 17 on the agenda.

Do you need to read 17 as well?

Resolution number 11604 replacing a prior resolution and enacting the annual inflationary adjustment for city user fees.

Thank you.

All right.

For item 16 resolution 11601, we have applied the annual inflationary adjustment to impact fees for area for the area north of Highway 50.

The increase is based on the approved cost construction cost index, CCI, which is 2.43%.

And then for item 17, resolution 11604.

We have applied the annual inflationary adjustment based on the approved consumer price index, also known as CPI, to city user fees, which is 3.04%.

So with that, staff recommends to adopt resolution 11601 and 11604.

Thank you.

Any questions for staff this evening?

All right.

With that, we'll go ahead and open the public hearing for item number 16.

And we have no request to speak.

Oh, we have a request to speak.

Come on up.

Yeah.

Um not sure the appropriateness, but it did mention water.

I just wanted to ask if uh we could vote on having water at this session.

Uh some of us have forgotten to bring water.

I feel like it would cost around $30.

I've done an informal poll of looking around, and nobody has well, few people have brought water, but I feel like not all of us.

Do you need a cup or do you need a water fountain?

Yeah, well, I didn't want to interrupt the session.

I yeah, I feel like if we just have maybe $20 worth of water, that's like not too much.

Feel like we could fit that in the budget.

Water, water fountain or cup.

No, like a water bottle.

Oh, okay.

I I'm willing to negotiate with this.

Any other comments this evening?

I'm willing to answer any questions.

Thank you.

You'll have a water bottle here shortly.

Okay.

All right.

Appreciate your time.

Absolutely.

There we go.

Ask, ask and you shall receive.

Uh any other comments on item number 16.

And we'll go ahead and close the public hearing.

I'll move adoption of resolution number 11601.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Kozlowski.

Yes.

Larry, yes.

Aquino.

Yes.

And Rethel.

Yes.

And we'll go ahead and open the public hearing for item number 17.

Any comments?

All right.

With that, we'll go ahead and close the public hearing on item number 17.

I'll move adoption of resolution number 11604.

Second.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Kozlowski.

Yes.

Larry.

Yes.

Aquino.

Yes.

Ray though.

Yes.

That takes us to old business.

Please call the next item.

Yeah.

Item number 18 is resolution number 11596, approving the park and rec commission's recommendation to approve the Benevento Family Park Master Development Plan.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, Council members.

I'm Brad Nelson, Park Planning Manager.

It's gonna be a minute here to load this up.

Okay.

Sorry.

This isn't working, sorry.

Did we let Zach go home too early?

I was trying to get the sorry about that.

No worries.

Tonight I'm presenting the Benevento Family Park Master Development Plan, which reflects several months of community outreach, public meetings, and a survey conducted in March of this year with over 500 responses.

We've had a high, huge level of interest and passion from the community throughout this process, and we appreciate that engagement.

Our goal is meant to take that input and translate it into a plan that is both responsive to the community priorities and feasible to construct within the available bread budget.

The plan being presented tonight incorporates key elements that are consistently identified through outreach, including active recreation amenities, neighborhoods serving features like playgrounds and picnic areas and necessary infrastructure such as restrooms and parking.

Um about process, cost estimates, survey results, all of that information is being presented publicly tonight, so the city council and the community can review it together as part of this decision.

So this slide really speaks to our vision and goals for this evening and how we got from the 2022 plan to the plan that's being presented tonight.

After the original approval in 2022 by the Parks and Recreation Commission, we received uh significant community feedback at a community workshop in 2025 indicating the plan wasn't not meeting expectations, particularly around the balance of active recreation and overall usability.

In response, we went back out to the community, could corrected or conducted additional outreach and ultimately revised the plan to better reflect those priorities.

The updated design places a stronger emphasis on active amenities while still working within the site's physical constraints, including the terraces and existing pond and addressing neighborhood concerns related to access and compatibility.

In terms of cost, what you're seeing reflects not just design refinement, but also some real world factors.

There's construction cost escalation over time, which we've taken into account and will be taken into account, and a better understanding of some site-specific conditions, which I'll go over in a bit.

Overall, the plan presented tonight presents a balanced approach and responds to the community input.

It's feasible to build and remains fiscally responsible as we move forward into the next phase.

So a bit about the project site.

It's a 19-acre site.

This is a Broadstone Parkway here.

The Vista de Lago High School is right here.

We're going to be developing approximately eight acres of the total 19-acre site.

There are three terraces.

And then there's the upper terrace, which is adjacent to Carpenter Hill Road.

So the master plan, which I'm going to show in just a minute, was originally approved in 2022 by the Parks and Recreation Commission.

And since that time, there has been ongoing design refinement and community engagement.

So we took that plan out to the community in September of last year, and the initial update was the feedback required some revisions to that plan.

So we went back in October with a revised plan.

That also did not receive very positive feedback, so we came back in December with a revised plan.

And that at that meeting in December, we did receive positive feedback since that time.

We've had ongoing commission updates, January, February, and March of this year.

And we also conducted an online survey, as I mentioned.

This is that 2022 master plan.

So parking lot, this is eight, eight sand volleyball courts, soccer field here, pond in the middle.

We had pickleball here, two group picnic structures, a hillside play area, and a parking lot up at the top.

So this is the this is what was going to be built from that plan.

So it was just the parking lot off Carpenter Hill Road, the eight sand volleyball courts, access to the upper terraces, one of the group picnic areas, a play area, and the upper parking lot here.

So that the 2025 master plan that we ended up with in December, this is what was taken to the January 6th Park and Recreation Commission meeting.

And what that what this plan does, and based on the feedback we received from the from the September-October meetings, was provided passive amenities on the upper terrace.

So there's no parking, there's some over an overlook here, and then there's pathways that lead down to access the lower terraces, and then our large unprogrammed grass areas with trees providing shade around them.

The Beneventor Family Park Master Plan was represented as an action item to the park and recreation commission, and a motion was made to defer the decision in order to obtain additional cost estimates for certain amenities, specifically around the dock structure.

And this the commission also wanted us to take the plan to the planning and development renovation subcommittee for further review.

So a little bit about our outreach efforts following that January meeting.

We met with the Folsom Cordova Unified School District.

We met with various user groups.

We met with this planning development subcommittee.

We also had numerous meetings, actually, more of them are listed here with the residents as well.

In terms of our outreach noticing for the January, February, and March Park and Recreation Commission meeting, as well as the city council meeting this evening.

We sent out 1,600 mailers to properties within the half mile radius of the park site.

That's our 10-minute walk service radius for a neighborhood park.

We installed four yard signs in the neighborhood, as well as city e-news and social media postings.

This is the plan that shows the all the properties that we sent the mailers to.

Benevento is right here in the middle.

This is Vista de Lago, these large brown areas are open space in general.

These are the locations of the yard signs.

So we place four yard signs around the park site itself.

A little bit in the his in the history, we did receive a petition back in July of 2021, and that was to eliminate the parking lot off of Carpenter Hill Road.

We received a total of 31 signatures from that.

In January of this year, we received another petition with over 200 signatures, and that was supporting a what we're calling a community prepared plan.

So we've uh followed that with our own online survey, and the purpose was to gather uh community input, ensuring there was inclusive participation beyond just the public workshops and the public meetings, and it was really to allow us to understand the neighborhood priorities, preferences, and concerns.

That was from March 3rd through 11th.

We did have a total of 545 responses from this citywide from the survey.

Some of those were from Orangeville, people from Loomis.

So we took a and we analyzed those and we were able to confirm that a total of 250 residents of the responses lived within the half mile radius of the park.

So I think this really shows there's a strong level of engagement and really interest in this park.

So the first question on the survey was preference for the plan.

So this was that plan which I just said, which basically provides more passive amenities on the upper terrace.

Um it has a play area down here, basketball and two sand volleyball and a soccer field.

So the the it was either voting for this or voting for this is the community prepared plan.

Um pickleball down on the lower terrace, has sand volleyball, it has a soccer field, um, uh group picnic structure, basketball, a play area, and then a an overlook area taking advantage of the fantastic views.

So the results from that, um, I'm going to break this down.

I'll go through this kind of quickly.

Um, versus option one versus option two.

So there was overwhelming response for the more active elements on the upper terraces, and that was by 80% compared to 20% preferring the um the more passive amenities.

So that was the results from the half mile radius.

These were the results citywide, basically the same, um 85%, um, so slightly more preferred the more active amenities.

Um the next question was to rank the options, um, preference, uh, one being the most preferred to four being the least preferred.

So this was the half mile radius, sand volleyball received the most, followed by basketball, or sorry, sand volleyball received the least, followed by basketball, finally pickleball and the multi-use field receiving the most.

Citywide, the results were basically the same, only the pickleball had a few more votes on it.

Just taking a quick deeper dive into how this voting was.

So the first choice, this was pickleball courts, this was the number of people that had first choice, and then sand volleyball courts.

This was the number of people that had sand volleyball courts as their last choice.

So you can see from first to your fourth choice.

That was citywide.

Another question was supporting lighting on the sports courts.

So that was a resounding yes within the half mile radius.

Same thing for the citywide response, including lighting on the sports courts.

Supporting a fishing dock at the pond.

This is kind of interesting.

It's basically we consider it sort of a wash.

35% said yes, 39% said no, and 26% said no preference.

And they're more or less the same for the city's citywide response.

With limited funding available for amenities, please drag and drop the options below to rank them from one most preferred to four least preferred.

So again, the fishing dock received the least votes, followed by concrete pathways.

Additional shade around the group picnic area received more votes.

And then the most votes received was providing shade structure over the playground equipment.

Same thing for the citywide response with the most votes over the shade structure at the playground area.

This was that deeper dive.

Again, you can see how many people voted for their first choice as shade structure over play area versus their fourth choice as providing a fishing dock.

So we recognize that compromise is going to be necessary.

Not every request can be accommodated, and funding and maintenance and really our long-term sustainability really needs to guide the decisions that we're making a little bit about the funding then.

So the city council appropriated a total of 7.9 million dollars.

The plan I'm sharing with you, I'm going to actually be sharing two plans, but the first plan is a $6 million construction cost.

That includes a 10% construction contingency, which I'll explain in a minute.

And then the design and engineering costs are about 800,000 permit fees 65,000.

Staff administration cost 220, and then we have a project contingency, which I'll also explain in a minute, it's 760,000.

So that takes us to about 7.8 million.

The funding comes from Fund 411 and 412, which are impact fees, as well as 240, which are Quimby fees.

There is no general fund reliance on this project.

Understanding contingencies.

So the construction contingency is that's 10%, and that's required by the Folsom municipal code, and that's included in the project construction cost estimates, which I just showed you, the $6 million cost.

So that covers unseen field conditions, things that if there's you know some weird thing that happens during construction, if there's quantity adjustments that need to be made during construction, and if there's minor design modifications that come up during construction.

What the project contingency does is it protects the project from risk.

It covers broader project uncertainties beyond the construction costs, and it accounts for design refinements during the design and engineering phase, permitting any sort of regulatory requirements.

It also provides for flexibility for scope adjustments based on city council direction.

Those are things like ad alternates, which I'm just going to explain in just a minute.

It also helps manage our inflation and escalation cost, which I'll also talk about.

And what overall, what it does is it ensures the city can deliver the full project within our project budget.

So there we have some concerns about the site.

So from our geotechnical report, there's basically three types of soil on the site.

There's undocumented fill, and what that means, it um our geotechnical report requires over-excavation from about of about two feet, and then recompaction in 12-inch lifts or whatever it may be.

There's also shallow metal volcanic bedrock, and that is just as hard as it sounds.

It's it's very hard.

And then there's large boulders, which are 24 inches in diameter.

So those greatly, if you when you pull a boulder out of the ground, then you got a big void.

You pull 20 out of the ground, you've got an even bigger void.

So there's a lot of earthwork that's going to be involved in this project.

Um comparison, we have about a million dollars associated with earthwork cost for this project, and the earthwork cost for prospector was also a million dollars, and that was a flat site.

Um of the other potential increase are um or potential impacts are increased construction cost, um, and then the drainage and the grading complexity just based on the the terraces associated with the with the site itself.

There's also some minor uncertainty around the sequel review and some of the permitting requirements.

A little bit about that construction cost escalation.

So this is from Department of General Services GGS.

This is their California construction cost index from 2021 to 2025.

So you can see during you know, coming out of COVID, it was quite large, 13%, and then it's it's sort of we're seeing it sort of level down.

So that's a 7% annual escalation rate over those five years.

So if we're out to bid in six months, that could potentially increase the project by 200,000.

So now what we've been waiting for.

I'll walk through the master development plan.

So again, to orient everybody, Vista de Lago High School is on the left side, Broadstone Parkways at the top of the screen.

This is Carpenter Hill Road that wraps around here.

We have a coming off of Broadstone Parkway.

We have a 61 stall parking lot here coming into the park.

We have a restroom building, and we have four lighted pickleball courts there.

We have a basketball court here, and then we have a multi-use turf area for lacrosse or um or soccer.

There's a green space in between those to provide sort of a buffer.

We have a um we also have a group, a smaller group picnic area here, and then we have uh looped pathways that wrap around the lower terrace here.

These are trees that provide shade around the loop pathway, and then this is part of the existing natural vegetation, which we're which we're uh retaining.

These little lines which you see, those each line represents a foot of elevation change.

So you can see we're trying to stay out of the areas that required more grading.

Um, so this is a substantial hill, it's about 75 feet up there.

Then going up to up to and around the pond.

We have stairs, and then um intersecting the stairs is an ADA ramp here.

We have a natural surface path that wraps around the pond and connects up to the class one bike trail that's up here.

Um the concrete path then wraps around uh the pond, and we have that same uh ADA ramp and stairs taking you up to this is the middle terrace here.

So we have a larger 30 by 40 foot uh group picnic structure here.

We have a uh two to five play area here, and then we have a separate five to twelve play area here.

This is all um unprogrammed passive uh grass space with a lot of trees around around it.

We have a uh pathway that also serves as a maintenance vehicle access, which takes you takes you up to the upper parking lot there, and then we have a 26-stall parking lot on the upper terrace up here.

We also have an overlook with benches and and seating area that takes advantage of the view.

So also the intent with having this grip picnic area here is that would provide as an overlook area.

So a little bit about the theming on the project.

Um, we're trying to create more of a cohesive vision.

And the with that, the our Benevento Family Park is guided by the theme of nature and wellness.

So that reflects some of the site's natural features, and it also features the Benevento family legacy.

So Dave Benevento is a chiropractor in town.

He's been involved with um Folsom Athletic Association for many, many years.

He was also on the Parks and Recreation Commission for many years.

So we're uh this park really pays tribute to that.

So the the nature theming is preserving and an experience the existing landscape and the habitat.

Um the pond really serves as a central feature for the for the views for the habitat and provides passive recreation.

Um, we'll be maintaining the existing landscape to the extent possible and introducing additional native drought tolerant landscaping.

Um, we'll incorporate nature themed play elements and then shaded groves, trails, um, and other uh interpretive features.

The picture there is actually Willow Hill Reservoir.

Some of the nature themed amenities on the left is some interpretive signage that might talk about what the pond is and what some of the floor and faunas in the pond.

On the right is a respite off of a walkway that's sort of softened by the native plant material and the um then uh these are some nature themed play ideas, which are kind of fun.

On the left, there's a shark, um, and on the right, climbing structure that is a bird.

Um, more nature themed play areas, there are um toadstools serving as stepping stones, and then those uh great um flower-shaped sun sails in the middle picture.

On the right, it's a little hard to see that's actually sort of a forest themed play structure.

Um moving on to the wellness theme.

Um, it's all about moving and connecting, so it promotes active recreation and healthy lifestyles.

So what um we provided pickleball, we have basketball, we have multi-use soccer field, um, we've um providing walking loops and um endless opportunities for fitness throughout the park, and also spaces for gathering play and and really for community connection.

So the there's a multi-use field here on the left, pickleball courts in the middle, and then a basketball court on the right.

So that was the plan that was presented to the park and recreation commission on March 31st.

Following that, um, we developed an ad alternate plan for the council consideration.

So the ad alternates uh they need to be fully designed.

I'll explain about what they are in a minute, um, and they're included in the bid documents.

And then when at the time of bidding, they're actually priced separate separately.

So it allows us to establish a base bid for the project, and then there's if there's additional funding available, we can plug in those ad alternates based on the funding.

So it, as I mentioned, provides flexibility at the time of bid, it maximizes the project value, um, and it's it's a fairly common approach in public projects, and it uh most importantly allows us to maintain fiscal control over the project itself.

So we've developed um three ad alternates, and I'll I'll show you on those on a plan.

The first one is including basketball court lighting on that lower basketball court, so that's about 68,000.

Um, the second one is providing uh two lighted sand volleyball courts.

We're showing those on the middle terrace that requires the relocation of that group picnic area closer to the um closer to the um playground, um, and it also would require we're showing um we're including a 15-foot high 15-foot high fence around around the volleyball courts where it's adjacent to um Broadstone Parkway to keep balls from flying out into the road.

Um so that's about 250,000, and then um our third um ad alternate is a fishing dock, and that would require an accessible path.

So that's a um quite a bit more expensive at 419,000.

So, along with those um ad alternates, there's a design cost that's associated with those.

So, in talking to our consultant team, um, they've indicated that's going to be about sort of 74,000.

So the total cost to include these ad alternates would be $800,000.

So just want you to keep in mind if we if the project did not come in within budget and we weren't we're not able to activate those ad alternates, we would not be able to recoup that design cost.

So that design cost would be gone.

So this is what that plan looks like with with those ad alternates.

So you can't see it, but there's lights here now.

Um this is on basketball court.

Um, this is the uh this is the um concrete walkway around the pond, and then this is the fishing dock here.

If you've seen our fishing dock over at Willow Hill Reservoir, um, that's what this one is modeled after.

And then the third one is the um this addition of the sand volleyball courts, which are up here.

This is the um group picnic area, which we moved to the other side of this walkway to make room for um the sand volleyball courts, and then there's fencing, um, which would be on this side, and then it would wrap around for um eight or ten feet or so there.

So um, council members, I want to thank you for uh for the discussion tonight.

And I really want to thank the community for all the input we've heard throughout this project.

It's clear there's this very strong level of interest in this park, and we recognize and appreciate the passion the community has really brought forward.

Um at this point, approving the master development plan allows the project to move forward towards construction, which we know is an important goal for the community.

So I'd be happy to uh answer any questions.

Thank you, Brad.

You're welcome.

I'll start with you, Councilmember Aquino.

Any questions for staff?

Councilmember, any questions?

Um this has certainly been a very long um laborious project.

And you know, one of my concerns has been increased costs um for staff time to continue to revise these plans.

Correct.

Um, and I I know there's been a lot of impediments along the way.

Um, and then you know, with these other alternative potential add-ons, if there's money available, um what is the plan for making a decision about when to move forward on those or not?

When to move forward with the ad alternates?

Yeah.

So if the council uh determines to include or to approve uh and move forward with the plan with the ad alternates, the um we would proceed with the design of the um design of the park, we would have the base bid cost, and then we'd have um basically one sheet or probably multiple sheets um of each of those ad alternates.

So at bidding time, we'd have the base bid, which would be the main park itself, and then the the contractors would bid those separate elements out, the pond, um the excuse me, the fishing dock, the lights for the uh basketball court, and then the the um the sand volleyball courts separately, and so then we would see if if it comes in under budget, and if we have enough money, then we can start plugging in based on the the cost of each of those ad alternates.

So it would happen during bidding.

So you would make a decision about whether you know, alternate one, two, or three were all going to be included, or maybe just alternate one at that point, and how would you make that decision?

So I I think ultimately we when we have the the bids and we would identify the costs when we bring the project for approval by the city council, that's when it would be decided we have a public discussion, and it would be a we we accept um two of the items, or it's just not gonna work out.

We just have to go with the base bid.

But the the critical path now is to get a plan approved so that we can get our designer designing it so we can have biddable documents and then we go out to bid as fast as we can, and then we get those bids back, then we can have that discussion of what that uh ultimately looks like.

Okay, and and I just have one word of caution about the fishing dock and fishing ponds.

Um we've got one in my neighborhood that people fish in, but Willow Springs Reservoir and Willow Hills Reservoir both have had a lot of problems with long pieces of fishing line being left behind and wrapping itself around wildlife, um, you know, loss of some of the birds in those areas is one thing.

But the other thing is is that hooks are left on the ground because people aren't really picking up their materials when they break their lines and leaving them behind, and there have been kids that have been stepping on those.

So that is a consideration to take and you know uh develop some kind of a plan for if you're gonna go ahead and add another spot for people to fish.

Um there's a regular rescue group that rotates around all of the ponds in the city trying to clean all of that up, but it's uh I think I think it's a an issue that ought to be taken into consideration at any rate.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Back to you, Councilmember Aquino.

I do have one question, Brad.

At what point in the process um are the contingency funds removed if if they're not used?

Does it go all the way through or when we come back from design?

Are we taking anything off?

It would go all the way through.

All the way through.

Okay.

The the project contingency, yes.

Got it.

Vice Mayor, questions.

Uh this is kind of a future question, but um, what are we going to do, or what are the thought process behind that parking lot that's by Vista to how to protect that for the usage of the park versus the usage of students or that's yeah, that's a great question.

Um, we've uh talked about that externally and internally and with um the school district.

So um right now I think the sort of the direction that we're headed is we would do some sort of hourly parking um in that lower lot um to kind of control, you know, and of course we'd have to have somebody um patrolling that.

So um, but I think it would keep the honest people honest.

Um, but that's that's sort of our intent right now.

So it would be um we've talked about with the school district, and they wouldn't want to have any sort of a um permit parking on the on the city property.

So our intent would be to um you know preserve the parking lot for the park users.

Okay.

Councilmember Kozelski.

Yeah, this one.

I'm so sorry to bring this up actually.

This this park has been a little bit of a football the entire time I've been on the council.

And there was a park design that we set aside because it was going to be too expensive, and then we had an alternative park design that try to take advantage of the potential for some economic development activities.

Um that is how we ended up with the park design that had the larger number of sand volleyball courts.

Is there some other place that we've identified that can accommodate a larger number of sand volleyball courts, or have we abandoned that altogether?

And during the public outreach, was there any discussion about whether our parks should be used for tournament play and to be able to draw people to town for things like that?

So um that the hotels and restaurants and all the other activity that happens when youth sports activities happen.

Those are those are uh very good questions.

The we currently have um four sand volleyball courts that are uh programmed for um the parks, the community parks down in the Folsom Plan area.

Um, and other than that, we don't have um we still have there's three remaining parks in um the specific number that was there was an attack.

It was eight, and it was specifically because that's a number that you have to have in one place to be able to host a tournament for that sport.

And since that time, there's a private facility that opened up just a short drive up the hill, and so there is no longer the demand for that.

Um I I guess the broader question apolog apologies.

The the broader question is whether or not we want to program our parks for economic development activity or not, because had we gone forward with the plan that we had, it might have been open before this other facility came to exist.

Yeah, and uh for the sake of my hairline, I think that was my preferred alternative when we had this meeting in September.

So uh we presented that um alternative.

Basically, uh our park staff said, hey Brian, come to this meeting.

Uh, we're gonna have this uh uh discussion about this park, and this will be the kickoff to get it designed.

And I was just a casual observer in the back, but things spiraled downhill very quickly.

You know, the we probably had 30 or 40 people in attendance, and they said this is a terrible plan, right?

I mean, this is horrible.

How could you do this to us?

And then I tried to use the economic benefits of oh, you're just going after the money now, huh?

And so uh that caused the course change, right?

I mean, and so uh I mean I think it's um uh sometimes I say uh I talk to my family a little bit, and I say, man, the this job would be a lot easier if it weren't for the people.

So, you know, and it's because of the people that that actually I mean this was a difficult process, but I think it's some what at least from a staff perspective and a personal perspective that through this journey, we may not have got some of the things that we thought we wanted, but I think we got a lot of things that I think uh resonated with the community members that have been involved uh intimately with this process going forward, and I think we're going to have a uh a park that may not be a revenue generator, but it'll be something that'll be a uh a jewel for that area for a long time.

I think if I can just follow up on that as well.

Um what we've done in in terms of trying to um build out the park system in the plan area specifically is we've developed park design principles, which um have a draft has been prepared and they've been uh shared with the park and recreation commission.

And so that would eliminate these sort of um special facilities such as this A Sand Volleyball Complex in neighborhood parks.

So um Benevento is considered a neighborhood park, so um serves a half mile radius where it greatly impacts the immediate neighborhood.

Um things like that would be more appropriate at a community park, which we have um two community parks which are planning down in the plan area.

So I don't mean to be a black cloud, I think the design is lovely.

Um I I would prefer that we not budget for the alternate for the fishing dock at all.

Just put that out of our minds because I don't think it's necessary.

Um, but um I just the you know, each one of us at different times, or maybe I can just speak for myself at many times, many instances.

And one of those is economic development from tourism.

And we are making choices that undermine the ability of us to do that in some instances.

And I appreciate the distinction between community and neighborhood park.

And this may not be the perfect place for it, but it we should always be talking about whether or not we have opportunities that are economic in nature.

Um so that was it.

I just wanted to bring that up.

I I think the work is excellent.

I think the the result is going to be terrific.

Um, but I just think uh that we've got to always be leaning back towards what our principles are in terms of what we can afford to do and what we can afford to take care of over the long haul.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Brad, I just got a couple questions for you.

Uh and I think you started to say it.

You said we have number of undeveloped parks left.

Oh we have uh three undeveloped parks in Empire Ranch.

So if money was not spent on this park, then it would be spent likely on the next undeveloped park in Empire Ranch.

It it could be, and there's there's also there's a total of six other undeveloped parks in north of Highway 50 that this could be spent on.

Okay.

Uh and then I have to assume I I look at the the ad alternates and I I support this process, kind of in the idea of it.

Um, but I look at it and go, okay, lighting for the basketball court.

The pickleball courts are lighted.

Yes.

So they're right next door.

So they're already gonna be designing lighting like right next door.

So, like to have that as like a design alternative, I just can't think that there's much work associated with it.

It's probably like the bid, you could just be like light the basketball courts or not.

Like it almost wouldn't even be a cost for design.

It's like a it's just a bit alternate, right?

Am I am I off base there?

There is there is a little bit of design because um it would be on the electrical end because we would be um the electrical load would be have to calculate it for all of all that.

Sure.

And then accommodations for the footings for the light post.

So it would be minor.

The the design costs for that would is are definitely minor compared to the other two.

Compared to the other two options, yeah.

That's what I would think.

Okay.

Uh and and if if we didn't do the design costs, I couldn't help but notice the amount to actually just go ahead and install the lights at the basketball court, which seem generally publicly supported.

Um, we would actually have a little less money than spending the design costs.

Like we could just go are like, can we just go forward with that option?

Can we include that as part of option one?

If if that's the yes, if that's what the council would like to do.

Or or I guess we could leave it as a bid alternate if we wanted to, but I'm just kind of curious.

Like, is there the expectation that that money would be because you're right now option to like, hey, we can just add $74,000 to it, but where was that 74,000 kind of projected to come out of?

That would come out of the project contingency.

Okay.

But if you approve um the first one, we could still include the the lights for the basketball courts.

So either either one.

We would just do it out of project content.

We would start spending our contingency before we get anywhere close to that.

Right.

I think I think the biggest difference is the is the volleyball complex.

That's more of a more significant amenity when you see the second master plan.

Okay, thank you for that clarification.

I'm gonna go to public comment now, so thanks so much.

Uh Brad, we may have some more questions for you after public comment.

Okay.

So we have about five requests to speak.

So I'm gonna read um the next speaker and then the speaker who will follow them.

So if you know you're next, please come over to the side here and be ready to go.

Our first speaker will be Andrew Silcox, who will be followed by Terry Isaacs.

I know.

And if you have any more requests to speak, please go ahead and turn them in now for this item.

It's because it's a slide.

Yeah, green.

My name is Andrew Silcox.

I've lived in Empire up in that part of Empire Ranch for 23 years.

I've been a resident at Fulson for almost 40 years now.

So I've had three different houses, and I've been waiting for this park for 23 years.

It was promised to me when I moved in.

My family's all lived there, they're all grown up, they moved away.

So now be for the grandchildren.

I really encourage you to vote yes for this park to move it forward so we can start enjoying the land, please.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate you coming out.

Okay, our next speaker is Terry Isaacs.

Terry will be followed by Karen Gifford.

So Karen, you're on deck.

Thank you for letting me speak.

My name's Terry Isaacs, and I live directly across the street from Vista Del Lago High School.

So I'm very aware of where this park is going to be built.

I always wanted the full uh volleyball courts.

I don't know why we're tur we're turning down making money.

Anyone who lives there know there's swimming across the street at Vista del Lago all summer long.

And I'm sure that they generate a lot of money there.

But moving forward, a lot of work's been done.

I like the way everything looks, but I want the volleyball courts.

We have kids, we have teenagers.

I want them to have a place to play.

The meetings we have all been at, so many of the students from Vista del Lago have wanted these volleyball courts.

I want them lighted.

I don't think it's gonna cost that much more.

Also, everything is going up.

Why are we waiting?

You know, okay, maybe we'll get the volleyball courts five, 10 years from now.

It's not gonna happen.

The to put everything in place right now, phase one is gonna be the most cost-effective way to go.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, our next speaker is Karen Gifford, who will then be followed by Stephanie Parsons.

Hi, everyone, I'm Karen Gifford.

I live in Empire Ranch.

Thank you for all the work that's been done on this park.

I've been involved since September of last year.

I was at that meeting, and I wish so bad that I had spoken louder.

I left early because I had to be somewhere, and I didn't know at the time.

This is just a note for staff, maybe.

Next time you do a meeting like this, let everyone know that they can speak up and change things.

Because what I thought was being presented was like a final plan.

I didn't know that if I spoke up, I could get what I wanted.

And I didn't know that I should be speaking against the naysayers that were there because I was sitting back thinking, like, well, sex for you guys.

Like this park's awesome.

I love these eight volleyball courts.

I love what this is gonna do.

This is amazing.

And then I left, and I was so sad later when I realized that they change everything.

So about the dock.

I think the dock's gonna be awesome.

I realize it's a high cost.

There are already fish hooks everywhere.

Just you know, people fish there all the time, fish hooks everywhere.

I don't know.

I don't know what the solution to that is.

I mean, I don't think a doc's gonna change about the fish hooks, but um, I really encourage you guys to consider the adding on whatever what are we calling that?

The adding thing add on the stuff.

I love your idea, add on the basketball lighting.

We've been waiting for this park for 23 years.

The reason that it's costing so much now is because we've waited 23 years.

If we had done 23 years ago, it would have been a lot cheaper.

So anyway, thank you for your time and thanks again for all the staff.

Appreciate you.

Thank you.

Okay, our next speaker is Stephanie Parsons, who will be followed by Frank Mukhtar.

This project has definitely been a journey.

Um, I want to thank Brian.

I want to thank Sarah for coming to the site.

I want to thank the staff for all the time and effort that you've given us and all these conversations.

This money for this park, this budget, it's AB 1600 money.

We have been fighting for the original budget since the day we went into the office to talk with the staff.

We were told we couldn't have what we could have because the money wasn't there.

We pushed, we looked at the cost estimates, we reevaluated.

Shocker, it can all be done within our budget.

So please don't take the money that's allocated for the very last act of park and empire branch.

This will be amazing.

And we've fought so hard for it.

That's one.

Two, please ensure that you include all the ad alternatives in the CEQA document.

If you don't do that now, and we find out, because we probably will that we have money for the ad alternatives, you're gonna have to go back and spend more money and staff time on additional sequel review.

So put the ad alternatives in the SQL review now.

That doesn't mean that you're committed to building it.

You can review more and not build it if you don't have the money.

And then continue to work with us on cost transparency.

This is an opportunity to build the trust with the public.

Over however many years this has been going on.

That's been a bit of an issue.

And the more we dig into past costs and budgets, money's there, money's not there, we don't know why.

This is an opportunity to be transparent.

We're still not understand why the contingency went from 150k in January to 760,000 now.

That's a pretty short period of time for such a big increase.

Additionally, there is 128,000 unallocated outside of the contingency.

So please keep that in mind when you're thinking about these ad alternatives.

Get it in the SQL document, get it analyzed, put it in the bids as Brad was describing, and see what's in front of us.

Continue to allow us to talk about costs.

Ryan, you've been awesome about that, wherever you are.

Um, because we can get there.

This is a park that the entire community will enjoy, and you guys will be proud of.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, our next speaker is Frank Mukjar, who will be followed by Wendy Campbell.

Hi.

Um, she spoke most about the budget.

Um, and you saw Stephanie Dam before we speak, and there's a couple other people that we are the ones that came up with that alternative plan, and that was the closest one to the original 22 plan that they did with good faith with the community and within the half with a half mile area.

And that was the closest one to the original 22 plan that they did with good faith with the community and within the half with a half mile area.

Then when they came with their 25 plan, they came with the we're gonna go 150 feet because we want to stealthily go in here and alternate this thing.

And then when everything came out after in January, the people that actually found out about this, they were livid about it.

Passionate is not the word anymore.

Just upset and untrustworthy to what's going on is what's been the fit, what's been the issue.

To your point, there's got to be a priority.

I have two boys that are 20 plus, they lost out.

I've been there for 11 years in that down the street, literally on fence line, which is that runs right into where that parking lot is on the front top there.

They're out.

I have one boy left that can take advantage of this park.

I paid money for this, as Stephanie just mentioned.

I'm waiting for this park.

But uh prospector got put ahead of us, the budget that it was more important to Brian, which I understand is, and I'm and I I I commend you for getting us in the black, the city, but at some point, 20 years of waiting, 15 years of waiting, 10 years of waiting.

We have to have a priority at some point where the city says, and you showed it, Brian, Brian, five, six percent we've lost of our money, not because we made changes, because you put a hold and you made changes.

And if they had did the same plan back in, or they did the same uh due diligence of bringing in the the half mile people back in September to get in there and say, hey, we're out of budget, we're apologize, but would you please sit with us like you did in 22 to get it right?

No, they listened, they changed, they listened, they changed, we had to go through surveys, and now we here are nine months later.

If we had done, if they had done what they did back in 22, instead in September, we would have had the plan approved, and we would be, you know, making groundbreaking by now.

This this idea of stealthily getting around things and not being, I've learned more about what's going on in the city from the other people that are either been part of this group that are worked with the council or worked with the city and started telling me things that were being withheld, not lied to, but withheld, okay, from us, not being truthful about the whole story.

I want that alternate plan to be the priority plan, as Stephanie said, because there will not be an effort, I don't think.

I'm I'm I I wish there was, but I don't think there's gonna be a true effort to say we're gonna put everything that this alternative plan has first.

We're gonna we're if if there's plenty of money left, we'll have it.

But if we don't, we're not gonna do that.

I don't see that happening.

I always see this, let's just go as far as we can, give them what we can give them, and they'll be happy.

And I don't think that's the case.

Again, this is the last park, it's in the highest point of Folsom.

Hawaii's highest point of Santa Clara County.

Or Sacramento, sorry, I'm originally from Sacramento, sorry.

It's from Santa Clara or from Sacramento.

So I mean it's a beautiful park.

I live right down there.

I'm dying to go to that park and sit and see the sunset.

It's the best place to see the sunset in this city.

It's beautiful.

Kids want to go down there and they want to see, you know, I want to go with my child and go to the park, and I want to be able to sit there and watch that sunset in the evening.

But they were putting the park down at the bottom, they were stuffing everything there.

The plan that we have is closest.

The that plan the city put it, the people put in is the closest one to the original 22 that the city that the whole environment put or the people put together.

And the last thing I'll say is I'm a kayak or I go in that damn place.

I want to be on that poster.

Okay, thank you so much.

Okay, our next speaker will be Wendy Campbell, and she will be our final speaker on this item.

Hi, thank you so much, mayor, vice mayor, all of you.

Um days, long nights for you all here, and I appreciate your your attention and your effort.

I've lived across from this parcel of land for 23 years as well.

And I am looking forward to this being an active park.

From my perspective, and this was discussed at the parks and rec commission meeting.

Um, and actually, the the chairman of the commission agreed with my comments, which were the survey that the community took had a flaw to it.

We had to rate one to four our top priorities of those four main amenities.

Something had to come in fourth.

But the reality is, I mean, so okay, that doesn't mean nobody wants to play volleyball.

Uh it would likely get used quite a bit if we had volleyball in there.

And looking at the site, the I the plan of putting volleyball in there would have to be done at the inception because the um picnic area would have to be moved in order to fit those two volleyball courts.

So it does have to be something that has to be thought of ahead of time.

And I'm hoping that that can be something that can be incorporated.

When I was walking the neighborhoods and talking about the different amenities, there were a lot of families that said, oh my gosh, my teenagers would love to go play uh volleyball.

They would love to go play volleyball.

So I don't think it would be just this vacant kind of, oh gosh, wow, why did we bother with that?

I think it would be used and it would be active.

So I just want to make that encouragement.

Um, and um it seems to me I agree uh you know, with the mayor, I agree that putting lights on the basketball courts kind of a no-brainer.

But all that being said, I want to also encourage the choice of trees that go in.

There's going to be a 50-foot planter area between the upper parking lot and that first house.

And I would like there to not be coastal redwoods because they're not drought tolerant, and there'll be a complete eyesore when we hit our next drought.

So for there to be the drought tolerant plants, like I, you know, Brad mentioned that they're going to be looking into, but also two, to put some some shrubbery in there that has some seasonal interest to it.

So it's it's not it, it's just more pleasant to look at.

So there's a lot you that can happen with the trees.

I I was just going through Nissan Park this morning on my walk, and I saw that there were some new trees planted by smud.

So I'm thinking those were free.

Um, they were a stick.

It's gonna take 20 years for them to have any shade whatsoever.

And as much as I can appreciate the cost value, um ultimately what it would look like as far as all those trees, if we get them all from smud, it's not gonna look like that.

So I'm hoping we can make an investment into some trees and actually amend the soil so that they have a fighting chance.

If you can make your closing comments, I'm done.

Thank you.

Thank you.

You have no more requests to speak on this item.

Mr.

Mayor, in order to focus this discussion, I'd like to move resolution number 11596 with the addition of the ad alternates.

Do we have a second?

The addition of the ad alternates as ad alternates or making them part of the project, because that's two different things.

Um, well, if Brad thinks it's feasible to add the basketball court right now as part of it, I'm fine with that.

The other ones, I think we need to see we need to see what this project comes back with, but definitely want to include um, you know, have the bid include um pricing for the volleyball courts and the dock and the um and that way.

So that is what the moment what the item is, right?

Those ad alternates are going to be put out for bid with the park, and then we're gonna make a decision about whether we can afford them or not.

That could be us if there were two options.

There's two master plans that we're choosing from tonight, right?

That's correct.

Okay, so so I think the council would need to be clear in the motion, just like council member Aquino did.

Um, as stated, I think it would be alternative one, is what the resolution says now.

But if you wanted the add alternatives, we would need to say which ones.

Can I clarify too?

If we wanted the add altern the the alternate two, that would include a 74,000 design, right?

Element.

If we wanted to include the ad alternates, it would include 74,000 for the design.

Correct.

Okay.

So the total ad alternate cost with the would was about 800,000.

But that's the best estimate.

So that's that's alternative one.

Uh does not include the volleyball courts and the other ad alternates.

Uh the decision would be is it were our estimate is the additional design cost would be whatever was 74,000 if you were to approve that secondary option.

Right.

And then uh the designer would build it as if we were going, I mean, design it as if it were to be built, but we would designate certain elements uh for the contractor, like price those separate, and then we create a base bid, and then uh a total bid with the bid alternatives, and that gives the council the opportunity to say, oh man, we'd really like to do this, but it doesn't look like we have the funds, or we can do these three items, we can't do the fourth, or we can only do one, or we can only do two.

Um, so that's how that would work.

And if I could just add with respect to the 74,000, um, I was just talking with our parks director, we are going to be needing to bring back the design contract for the designer on this, and at that time the council will have the chance to vote on the total amount of um that contract, which would include these alternatives.

So for clarification, are you moving to approve design one with the design costs for one through three?

No, I'm moving to approve design two.

That includes the volleyball courts, the dock with the um enhanced pathway, and basketball lighting with those things listed as ad alternates.

But I am willing to make the basketball lighting as just part of the plan if you want to do that.

I I don't think it yeah, I don't think I'll second your motion.

All right, so we got a motion in a second.

Okay.

Oh, I my only point in bringing that up is is that if we spend $74,000 on design and then we move forward uh and it comes back that we don't have the money for it, then we just spent our basketball court lighting money on design, and then the basketball courts don't end up lighting uh lit.

So that that's the risk.

I just kind of want to point out my my concern we go down this road and and I just want to discuss it throughout, right?

Is is right now we've got what 600,000 of contingency, 800,000.

800,000.

800,000 of contingency, right?

So we're gonna get this bid back, right?

1.4.

I uh I don't I I'll ask staff for answers of the question.

So thank you though.

Um right now we've got $800,000 of or $760,000 of project contingency.

Uh so we're gonna get this alternate back.

Uh and there's gonna be pressure that we spend that project contingency money before we ever break ground on the park, which is not what project contingency is.

Project contingency is is once we start moving boulders out on that site, uh, and once we hit rock, then we start spending the money.

So I just want to make it perfectly clear that I'm I'm fine with going through in the alternate thing, but I'm not gonna sit up here and say we're gonna build this project uh without reserving some project contingency going forward, because I don't want to get into the project and have no money left over.

Uh when we do hit, we are going to hit issues.

Um I don't know if you guys have any analysis on what we typically spend in contingency.

I just know we never build anything for what we say we're gonna build it for.

Um not just us, everyone, right?

That's just the nature of construction and the beef.

So I just want to make sure that when we talk about this, what we're not gonna have this pressure of, well, there's just $800,000 more items.

So we'll just spend all the contingency on day one.

Uh so I just want to kind of have that conversation now.

Because when we get those numbers back, that number has to be below the six million dollars, right?

Yes.

We do have one um counterfactual actual incident where the fire station that we built south of the freeway actually came in under the budget that we had identified.

So there's always one that can happen.

Brad, um there's a project contingency contingency and a construction contingency, right?

Correct.

Do together they equal $760,000, or that's just the project contingency.

That's just the project contingency.

So the construction contingency is included in the six million.

Okay.

Okay.

So and as we go through the design process, um we may be that park construction cost may rise based on the design and engineering as we, you know, as we look at the, you know, our our concern, as I mentioned, is the um is the grading and the earthwork operations out there.

That's our biggest concern.

And if I could add, I mean, there's been you know, some uh comments related to the contingency and even some questions about the numbers.

Um the number is we have associated with the Spark a budget of about 7.9 million.

And so it's really clear once we have the bids, we know what the number available is, right?

I mean, and so that is part of this.

That I mean, uh I I guess in in some ways uh there was a request for transparency and that sort of thing.

And I and I'm basically thinking, well, challenge accepted.

Like, I mean, it becomes very, very clear if if the council were to support uh uh a plan that showed uh included all the bid alternatives.

One will come back and say, hey, the the estimate we have for the design cost are X, right?

We just take it from the 7.8.

So we don't need to really argue about the contingency until we actually see what the the park is going to cost.

And so I would always recommend that we uh build a plan that has uh uh uh appropriate contingency because I'm accustomed to not building projects that go over budget.

I'm accustomed to building projects that we put in the contingency in in there were questions also about um how to go from 125 to 750.

I don't know how we were ever at 125 because 10 percent contingency is very, very common.

Right, and in many minimum, right?

Actually, it's 1520, depending on the circumstances.

So the contingency amount, I mean, that'll all be worked out as we go through this process.

Uh the big thing, and and I'm I'm this has actually been a really interesting process to go through, but I think we're at a point where we'll get to to uh be able to see the clarity when we actually get the bids.

And that's because I've uh I've had uh conversations with some said, well, I just want to guarantee.

I said I can guarantee nothing until we have the bids.

So that that's really what it is.

And even then, that's why we have the contingency.

Yeah, I would like to chime in a little bit before we do that.

I mean, I do want to say that I appreciate all the staff's work that this project is aligned with our available funding to be delivered in one phase.

I think our job is not just to ensure there's projects and they're sitting on the, you know, like they said, delayed for decades.

Our job is to uh really get things built, get things built.

And I think that with Brian Whitemer coming on for the last year, that's where we're focusing, and that's why we're seeing some changes, and that's why this feels sticky.

Um, you know, I'm fine with going forward, and I I think we should just put in the cost of the the lights for the basketball ports.

I think if we're already gonna light the pickleball courts, let's like light the basketball courts.

I'm you know, I'm also fine with going.

I wasn't in the beginning, but I think you guys articulated really well.

Um, you know, doing the 74,000 or whatever for the design.

I'm not as interested in doing a design for um the dock.

I don't think if we don't have that, it will be missed.

I do think that if we don't have the sand cords, that that could be missed a lot more.

I think if people are gonna go down to the pond, they're gonna walk down there anyways.

Um, so I'm not really interested in that.

Um, but I am interested in a design aspect for the sand courts.

I think that is something uh to look forward, even if we couldn't build it now.

At least we have a plan for it.

Um so that's kind of where I'm at on that.

I don't know if that that doesn't change our motion, but um, I think going forward with the building and the construction cost.

I think what uh our mayor articulated and others have articulated the park construction costs, that's not set in stone.

We won't, like Brian just said, we won't know until the the um the proposals come in.

Um hopefully they will come in last, but likelihood that's not gonna happen.

Contingency is there for that reason.

Um I think we could hope to maybe carve out you know 60 100,000 possibly out of contingency, but I I don't want our public to get their hopes too far um ahead of this, because in reality, it's probably not we're it's probably not gonna be available, but making the design so maybe we could do it in the future.

Like our plan is for Castle Park to put a bathroom in in the future when we have the funding, I think that would be a wiser choice.

So Mr.

Mayor, if I I could comment, please.

Um, you know, I live in the neighborhood across from this park.

Um many of my neighbors are here tonight.

Um, I do want to thank um city staff, the parks and back commission, our consultants, and of course, all the residents um for all the work that has gone into this.

Um, I think for me, there's a couple things that are the most important.

Number one, this park has to be one and done.

It's one phase and done.

Uh we know from from past experience that um subsequent phases either don't happen or they take decades to happen.

So it has to be a one and done.

The other thing I think is we can't let perfect be the enemy of the good.

Um nobody's gonna get exactly what they want, but this is a very, very nice park that hopefully we'll all be able to enjoy.

And and as many of my neighbors said, um, you know, we've lived in our house for 23 years.

We're we're original owners.

When when we moved in, my kids were two and a half and not yet born.

They're now 24 and 21.

We've already let one generation of of uh kids and families miss out on this park.

We can't delay any longer.

Um, I do think, yes, it's it's it's a risk that we're going to basically lose out on 74,000, but I think we need to do um we need to bid all of the all three ad alternates, and let's just see what what comes back, and then we can have another discussion about can we do any of them, can we do some of them, or can we do none of them?

But my motion is uh again, just for clarification, um plan number two, including all of the um all three options, all three additional things as as ad alternates.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Kozlowski, yes, Larry.

Yes, Roarbell.

Yes, Aquino, yes, Rachel.

Yes.

Motion passes.

Well said, Councilmember Aquino.

Well said.

Please call the next item.

Item number 19 is resolution number 11603.

This is a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute contract amendment number one with REY for the Riley Street Safety Improvement Project.

Um you have negative 26 minutes for this uh item, right?

I think you would have sure I heard the door, but that's all right.

Good evening again, Mayor, members of City Council, Ryan Neves, Capital Project Manager and Project Manager for the Riley Street Safety Improvement Project.

Happy to give you an update on where we're at, uh, where we originally were headed and where we're currently headed.

Those pictures are making me feel unsafe.

Just looking at them.

Let's not look back.

Let's just press ahead.

Only forward.

So very briefly project background.

Project's been in the works for a number of years.

We are originally did a feasibility study for adding sidewalks to Riley Street in 2020.

We sought grant opportunities for a number of years, 21 through 2024, and we were greatly appreciated.

We continued seeking additional funding for the full project, and but then ultimately came to City Council to uh and got approval to execute a design and engineering contract with RUI engineers in August of 2025.

And we currently are in that design and environmental clearance phase of the project.

This is uh one of the old original exhibits again that shows just the project limits on Riley Street.

The intent of the project is to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety, but to add sidewalks on Riley Street from uh essentially Sutter Street on the north end to um connecting to the existing sidewalks on Riley Street between Bidwell Street and East Bidwell.

And I'll have more updated project exhibits in future slide, but again, that was kind of that's been the scope of the project for since its inception.

Um I want to highlight some of the constraints that we have with um with the project, specifically with our funding.

We you know appreciate this grant funding that we have.

Our preliminary construction estimate for the project's eight and a half million dollars.

As I said, we have a four million dollar grant, which does require a local match, so um of 11.47%.

Um so we with our current funding don't have um the ability to construct the project in one phase.

Um more critically, right now we have some schedule constraints, and that's that our uh grant funds, the expenditure date is not until 2031 that we have to expend all the funds, but the funds have to be obligated for the specific phase that they're going to be spent in by September of 2026.

Um so that means that if we are going to use some of these funds for construction, we would have to have a construction obligation by September of 2026.

And um, as noted, it takes likely a couple months to get um uh approval for that construction authorization, and before we can request that construction authorization, we have to complete the environmental clearance and complete final design for that.

So uh obviously we had a very tight schedule.

Our original approach though was to uh construct uh what we could to maximize spending of the grant funding.

Uh so what we what our approach was was to environmentally environmentally clear the entire project limits and do preliminary design, a 30% level design to sufficient to support the environmental clearance for the entire project, but then we would return to city council to approve the environmental document and identify what a phase one project that we could do final design and um construction of within our available funding, but also that we could get that construction obligation by September of 2026.

So as we've been progressing in the preliminary engineering phase, um, we and the environmental compliance phase, we've um uncovered some additional um challenges with the project that uh include uh as we work with Caltrans as the federal lead agency for NEPA.

We have some additional environmental technical work that we need to do, some additional reviews that we're gonna need to coordinate with them on that are really impacting our schedule.

And again, the most critical part is to get through the environmental phase in order to maintain to move forward with our original approach to do final design and construction for a phase one project.

Um, we as we were doing our due diligence and utility coordination like we do with all projects.

We realize that we have city uh planned utility infrastructure projects on the Riley Street corridor, including water improvements, sewer improvements, and storm drain improvements, and um and as uh you know, we obviously want to be thoughtful about how many times we're tearing up a street.

We want to, you know, we recognize this as an opportunity to fold all of that into one project and um deliver a complete street and and um not one that we would have to tear up again in the near future.

Um so this is our um one of two.

This is our current project exhibit, and so you can see this is um starting at the north uh at the north end at Sutter Street.

Um the kind of teal color is the sidewalks, um, and then all of the utilities that are being included in the project are in the various colors as well.

So again, the project will include full pavement rehabilitation, but we have water uh improvements shown in blue, we have uh sewer improvements in green and storm drain improvements in orange and pink as well.

And so um the overall scope of the project, you know, project limits and the actual sidewalk improvements are consistent with what we've shown from um you know the early feasibility um time timelines.

Um we're enhancing the pedestrian crossing uh adjacent to Sutter Middle School, um, and obviously by adding the improving the sidewalks there, there will be additional queuing area for the students that congregate in that area.

I have a question that maybe for some other time, but the little pork shop out in front of the auto repair place where you're basically walking people across the street by putting them out in the middle of the street and then having them cross another street.

Does that is that really the best um crosswalk configuration right there?

Because there isn't when you showed the earlier exhibit, there isn't a crosswalk area running north-south or excuse me, east-west across the street the other way.

So it's really just to get people from one corner, one corner of bidwell to the other, and it seems like you could walk them down in front of the glass shop and have them go straight across Bidwell.

Um, yeah, I will I know that something to consider when you talk to REY.

For sure, for sure.

Um again with the original approach that what we um what we brought forward to you in August.

Um, so this is just our two exhibits that I've kind of merged together.

Um, but our our plan was to environmentally clear the entire project limits, but then we would be coming back to you and presenting what we thought we could complete final design and construction of a phase one project, and the limits were kind of to be determined, but we had discussed obviously internally with the project team and the southern section adjacent to the middle school, seemed like the um most appropriate section that we would be able to deliver with our schedule constraints because of the design challenges on the north half with the grading, retaining walls, and also some right-of-way impacts uh that would have impacted our schedule.

Um but what that would have left us with was environmentally cleared remainder of um Riley Street, but we would have needed to seek additional funding for final design for the rest of the project, and then also seek additional construction funding for the remainder of the project.

So in an effort to again, you know, maximize our grant funding and and get this project delivered um at most efficiently, we are now recommending a revised approach to still environmentally clear the entire project limits and also do the full design for the entire project.

Um what that means is that we would not be submitting for a construction obligation, but we would get our project to be you know essentially shovel ready.

Um and so again, where we're at in the project right now is we're we're um in still in environmental um clearance phase working with Caltrans on that and in our preliminary engineering phase.

So we will be coming back to you to approve the CEQA environmental document um before we move forward with the you know full steam ahead with final design.

But for now, our recommendation is that you adopt this resolution 11603 to execute a um contract amendment with REY, and the purpose obviously would be to allow them to move forward with the full environmental and final design for the entire project.

And happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

I don't have any others.

Council Member Leary, Council Member Kidding, any questions for staff?

All right, we got uh one public comment.

Okay.

Yeah, you have one request to speak on this item from Loretta Hedinger.

Thanks for sticking it out tonight, Loretta.

Well, I've been here later, as I'm sure you have too.

Um there is no doubt that safety is important on this segment of this of Folsom's thoroughfares.

My concern is historic design.

Right now, the city and all the history organizations are in an all-out effort to rescue the city, the historic district from the potential for five to eight story buildings, high rise could be any design that they wanted to be in the historic district.

That's not news to you, but it may be to people listening.

So right now, Mayor Raitel and uh Councilmember Mike Kozlowski are testifying before the assembly committees.

This is the first stage of a bill by assemblymember Hoover that would rescue the historic district from having that sort of construction that the city could not say no to.

Today's success of the historic district is largely attributable to keeping it looking historic.

A glass and metal high rise is obviously discordant development.

Infrastructure design may be less obvious than an eight-story high rise, but infrastructure needs to support, not detract from the city's goal of preserving a historic small town.

There are sidewalk and intersection designs for the historic district that should guide this project.

I'm gratified to learn that public works intends to bring the project to the historic district commission in June or July.

So my concerns about the appearance of the drawings in your staff report may be resolved there.

I don't know exactly what technical studies are anticipated for the environmental review, but I can tell you that a design that is like the existing Natoma Street would not pass culture resource study as a design appropriate to the 1850 to 1950 era of the historic district.

Those improvements on Natoma Street were done before there were historic district regulations.

And then regarding the Hoover bill, if anyone listening wants to follow its progress, we're providing updates on the Heritage Preservation League website, HPL Folsom.org.

And if you have questions for me, I would like to answer them.

Thank you, Loretta.

And I covered it in my three minutes.

Appreciate you.

Sure.

Can you be specific about what is inconsistent with what would be a historic design for this area?

What is inconsistent on this drawing?

The thing that I'm concerned about is the rolled curbs and those rounded intersections.

Separate from the design, I'm also a little concerned about whether those rounded intersections would actually create a sense of false sense of safety for people trying to turn in and out of the historic district streets onto or off of Riley Street.

So you know, perhaps someday it's going to be necessary to prevent those turning movements.

And I certainly would not want the design to be either modern or giving a false sense of security.

If you look at the DDGs, that provides designs that are appropriate for sidewalks and intersections.

I realize the constraints of right of way width, and I've discussed it briefly with Ryan.

According to history, there should be a planting strip between the travel lanes and the uh sidewalk for safety and for historic design.

I recognize the constraints of the right of way width.

So I can appreciate that the historic district commission will have to not just exactly use what is in the DDGs.

But we should definitely not have rolled curves along there.

And I am concerned about those rounded intersections.

Thanks so much.

Yeah, it's hard to tell from a bird's eye view.

Absolutely.

We'll we'll be bringing it to the historic district, so we'll get a chance to review it at that point.

Thank you, right?

And I'll ask staff to just address it.

Any impact uh on moving forward with the contract as far as the historical design at this point.

No, don't no, no, we can incorporate we'll be yeah, revising our design as as we move forward.

And yeah, we always intended to bring this to the historic district commission for a presentation at some point.

So thank you so much.

I'll move adoption of resolution 11603 and remind everybody that REY Engineers was deeply involved in the improvements to Sutter Street and their offices in the historic district.

So if there was going to be an engineer sensitive to this, they're the one.

Second.

Please call the role.

Councilmember Kozlowski, Leary.

Yes, Borba, yes, Aquino.

Yes.

And Rachel.

Yes.

And that takes us to our city manager report.

Great.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Uh, just a couple of items.

A reminder uh that the city of Folsom will be releasing the public draft of its 2025 urban water management plan on April 27th.

And uh, we're inviting community members to review and provide input.

Uh, this is prepared every five years.

The urban water management plan is a state mandated document that evaluates water supply, uh projected demand and long-term reliability.

A public meeting will be held on May 7th at 6 p.m.

at Folsom City Hall in the council chambers.

The plan will also be available for review online.

The plan will be considered during a public hearing at the June 9th City Council meeting, and both meetings are open to the public.

Uh, want to give kudos to uh the Folsom Police Department.

Uh recently, Folsom Police Special Investigation Unit investigated suspected internal theft at the Folsom Walmart, involving two employees over 21 incidents with losses exceeding 21,000.

Detectives determine one suspect concealed theft at self-checkout while the other used managerial access to disabled alarms.

Both individuals were arrested on April 16th, and more than 28,000 in stolen merchandise uh was recovered and returned to the retailer.

So great job.

Uh the 80th anniversary celebration for the city of Folsom is coming up uh Saturday, May 9th from 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

at Folsom City Lions Park.

The event will feature a live entertainment, uh, the return of the Great Folsom Snail Race, train rides, carnival games, food trucks, and a uh dessert walk.

Uh additional activities include birthday theme programming at the Folsom Public Library and free admission to the Folsom Zoo, City Zoo Sanctuary for Children 12 and Under, available to the first 500 youth guests.

Uh summer zoo hours begin May 1st.

Uh the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary will begin summer hours on May 1st and will be open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

with last admission at 2:30.

Uh the summer activity guide and registration booklet is out.

And so we encourage uh folks to uh get out there and sign up for their uh classes if you haven't already done so.

And that concludes my report.

Thank you.

We'll start with you for council comments, Councilmember Aquino.

Uh, just two quick things.

Um the shuttle for the historic district is running low on funding, so they're they're seeking funding opportunities.

I did reach out to the air district to see if they had any sort of um grants available.

So, Councilmember Kozlowski, hopefully you got that um calendar invite, but you and I are invited to meet with the air district and FHDA um coming up, and then um I regret that I'm not able to attend the swearing in and promotion ceremony for fire next week, but I will be traveling with the air district.

So um congratulations to Chief Solok for his official swearing in and and um Chief McGee, if you'd extend my uh my welcome to our new battalion chief who'll be coming from outside the city.

So thank you.

Councilmember Larry.

No comments, thank you.

Councilmember Goslovski.

Um, yeah, Loretta beat me to the punch.

I was gonna report on AB 2415, which is a Hoover bill that makes some modifications to recently pass or last year passed laws about uh density in the vicinity of um our light rail stations.

Um the modifications that are proposed by 2415, just basically give back to the city some control over um shifting a portion of that prescribed density that's now required by the state to the look to be near our other light rail stations where it actually is a would be a great thing to have good dense housing.

Um I appeared with Hoover and some others in front of the uh the assembly housing committee last week, and we got a unanimous approval, including the original bill's sponsor and author.

Um, so it was well received by that group, and justin is going to or the mayor is going to sit in my place tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow at the what is that committee?

Local gov.

Local gov, there you go.

So we're making good, we're off to a good start, but no promises in life.

That's all.

Thank you.

Vice Mayor.

Um, I have two things.

Um, I want to thank SAC RT for sending me to Cap to Cap along with my colleagues, uh, our mayor and city manager and our police chief.

Um, we're there to do uh to advocate for the region.

I was on the transportation team, like um Justin was as well.

Those are important things that we attend, um, advocating for grants that we talked a lot about tonight, um, and building the regional connections that we're all working together to bring money back here so we can get our projects done, as well as all the connections that we make.

Um, and then I want to uh go a little personal here.

My mom turned 80 a couple weeks ago, and so my 19 members of my family came and um enjoyed from all over from Boston from Washington from Arizona and um within California as well, and came into Folsom and they had a wonderful, wonderful time from Thursday through Sunday.

Everyone was so kind and generous.

Um, all the restaurants that we went through, um everything that we did down to visiting the Powerhouse Museum and all these things.

Um everyone loves Folsom and it's just such a special place to be and to bring um my family.

And so my mom just was thrilled.

She's been here many times, but this is where she wanted to come and celebrate instead of going to somewhere fancy.

Um she wanted to come into Folsom instead of going somewhere else.

So I think that's a testament to um what Folsom has to offer.

So I just also want to thank everybody that really supported us as we were traveling around town.

Just they know who they are.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I'll I'll echo some of the the things I've already been said.

I I got to attend Cap to Cap uh representing Sacramento Transportation Authority uh in the city of Folsom.

Really appreciated that experience.

I also appreciated uh the regional support uh we have for one of our projects that's on the the project priority list that you you're hearing a lot about Empire Ranch Interchange.

Um really appreciated you know our uh our congressional representation uh and other congressional members commenting on the need for infrastructure to go with the housing that's been that's been built.

So uh I'm just want to keep that momentum going, but it was great to hear uh the support for that uh with the delegation that went to Washington DC.

Uh we also have the five by five by five tomorrow at 5 30 at the Folsom Cordova.

And in and out, the Folsom Cordova Unified uh administration building down on Berkmont.

Is that right?

Bergmott.

Uh so if you want to attend at 5 30.

Oh, and then the ad hoc uh committee meeting that's on Thursday at 6 p.m.

is starting a little later.

Um, also will be in the community center.

So just want to make sure if you haven't heard that yet, uh, that's that's on the schedule.

So and with that, we are adjourned 10 minutes early.

Have a good night, everyone.