Rules & Legislation Committee Meeting - July 10, 2025

The Oakland City Council Rules & Legislation Committee convened on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 10:43 AM and adjourned at 11:50 AM. The meeting was chaired by Council President Kevin Jenkins, with Councilmembers Rowena Brown, Carroll Fife, and Janani Ramachandran present (quorum of 4). The committee reviewed and scheduled numerous items for upcoming City Council and committee meetings, approved urgency findings for four items, adjusted consent/non-consent designations, and heard public testimony on the citywide security services contract and East Oakland Senior Center concerns.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of June 26, 2025 Minutes: Accepted unanimously (4-0).
• New Scheduling Items (as amended): The following items were approved with urgency findings to bypass committee and proceed directly to the July 15, 2025 City Council agenda on consent:
  • 3.1: Mayor’s designation of Director of Finance to the Police and Fire Retirement Board.
  • 3.2: Oakland Head Start Children’s Initiative FY 2024-27 funding application (up to $27,492,648).
  • 3.3: Resolution supporting AB 1242 (language access director and AI translation review).
  • 3.4: Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program funding (up to $449,110 in reimbursements).
• Recommendations from July 8 Committees (all forwarded to July 15 City Council on consent):
  • 3.10: Employee Benefits Broker Consultant Contract with Keenan & Associates ($481,250).
  • 3.11: Fiscal Year 2026-30 Oakland Roadmap to Fiscal Health (informational report).
  • 3.12: Nixon-Egli Equipment Company contract for paving equipment parts ($2.8 million over four years).
  • 3.13 & 3.14: Citywide Pavement Rehabilitation Projects 1007572 and 1007573 ($25.95M and $26.19M).
  • 3.15A: Contract Authorization for Pedestrian Right-of-Way Construction (up to $7.5M each).
  • 3.15B: Resolution waiving Local/Small Local Business Enterprise requirements for PROW construction.
  • 3.16: Eliminate Annual Cap on Sidewalk Assistance Program (no cap on low-income owner repairs).
  • 3.18: Memorandum of Agreement for 571 Crofton Avenue (Piedmont processing entitlements).
  • 3.19: Annexation of city-owned parcel at Joaquin Miller Park.
  • 3.20: Property BID Annual Reports and Assessment Payment Approval (including 5% and 3.2% assessment increases).
  • 3.21: OAB Air Quality Informational Report.
  • 3.22: Professional Services Agreement with Cityspan Technologies ($375,400 over two years).
  • 3.23: Revisions to Animal Control Ordinance (moved from non-consent to consent by Councilmember Fife).

Public Comments & Testimony

Item 3.17 – Citywide Security Services Contract

• Eric Coleman (Allied Universal government specialist): Expressed disappointment with the Public Works committee’s decision to not approve the staff-recommended award to Allied Universal. He argued the committee engaged in improper speculation, deviated from procurement procedures, and failed to consider Marina Security’s limited capacity (approximately 200 total employees vs. required 93 security professionals). He noted Allied Universal has over 1,600 employees in Oakland, with 1,000 living in the city, and that Marina has pending litigation including wage and hour claims.
• Frank Doyle (Allied Universal general manager): Stressed Allied Universal’s commitment to employee growth and integration into Oakland communities, citing personal experience.
• Brian Van Lu (Allied Universal Oakland branch general manager): Listed major clients (e.g., BART, Kaiser, Port of Oakland) and emphasized the company’s 20-year presence in Oakland with 20 administrative staff.
• Joseph Collier (Allied Universal employee): Cited personal positive impact from 10 years at the company and urged the committee to follow proper procedures.
• Anthony Botello (Allied Universal client manager): Mentioned open interview days and community relationships, including work with subsidized housing and Chinatown properties.
• Gene Hazard (public speaker): Criticized the committee for failing to follow procurement protocol, accusing them of keeping the current contract in place month-to-month while the contractor is under FBI investigation. He also challenged the committee’s use of Rule 24 and urgency findings, citing Brown Act requirements for transparency.

Item 4 – Review of Draft Agendas / Open Forum (Senior Center Concerns)

• Pamela Farron (NAACP Oakland Branch Vice President): Thanked Councilmember Houston for attending a senior center meeting but noted the East Oakland Senior Center is at risk of closure due to staffing loss. She presented a petition with 400 signatures and requested a special council meeting to amend the budget to keep the center open five days a week.
• Rucius Wilson (East Oakland Senior Center member): Requested the center stay open five days a week, extension of staff member Angela Galbraith’s contract, a forensic audit, inclusion of seniors in hiring panels, and a clear timeline for construction/ generator installation.
• Patty Jo Selowitz (NAACP Executive Committee): Supported the senior center requests and asked for an agenda item to amend the budget.
• Dondria Morgan (former city employee, senior center member): Detailed the center’s role as a cooling center and community resource. Requested Angela Galbraith’s contract be extended beyond August 5, 2025, and called for a clear construction timeline.
• Gene Hazard (continued): Demanded reports on several issues (e.g., California Black Ownership Initiative, Chinatown homeless housing, Department of Race and Equity updates) and again criticized the committee’s adherence to the Brown Act.

Discussion Items

Item 3.17 – Citywide Security Services Contract (Re-scheduling)

• Staff presented two new resolutions: one awarding the contract to Marina Security Services, Inc. and one to Allied Universal Security Services LP, both for a three-year term at $9 million annually (total not to exceed $45 million). The department’s position remained that Allied Universal should be awarded the contract.
• Councilmember Ramachandran expressed confusion about presenting two options from an RFP process and requested the item be pulled and brought back for scheduling the following week with written materials. The committee agreed, and the item was withdrawn with no new date, to be rescheduled for the next Rules & Legislation Committee.

Item 4 – Review of Draft Agendas

• The City Administrator’s office requested several changes: withdraw Item 8 (Letter of Support for Measure W funding) from the July 15 agenda; reschedule the FLSA Overtime Investigation Report to a special Finance & Management Committee on September 30; withdraw OPD Surveillance Technology Annual Reports from the July 22 Public Safety agenda; and schedule the 2025-2029 Economic Development Action Plan to the September 30 CED Committee.
• Councilmember Fife noted she was not willing to pull Item 5.21 (related to PG&E) from the July 15 agenda but was open to discussion with stakeholders.
• The committee approved all amendments as read.

Key Outcomes

• Approved Minutes (4-0).
• Approved New Scheduling Items as Amended (4-0), including urgency findings for items 3.1-3.4.
• Adjusted Consent/Non-Consent Designations: Items 3.15A, 3.15B, 3.16, and 3.23 were moved to consent.
• Withdrawn Items:
  • 3.9 (Citywide Security Services Contract to Marina Security Services) – withdrawn with no new date.
  • Item 8 from July 15 agenda (Letter of Support for Measure W) – withdrawn with no new date.
• Rescheduled Items:
  • FLSA Overtime Investigation Report – withdrawn from July 22 Finance & Management and rescheduled to September 30 special meeting.
  • OPD Surveillance Technology 2024 Annual Reports – withdrawn from July 22 Public Safety and placed on pending list.
  • 2025-2029 Economic Development Action Plan – scheduled from pending list to September 30 CED Committee.
• Cancellation: July 22, 2025 Public Works and Transportation Committee meeting was cancelled; next meeting scheduled for September 30, 2025.
• Public Comments: The committee heard extensive testimony on the security contract and senior center. No action was taken on senior center requests, but the Assistant City Administrator was noted as available for follow-up.
• Adjournment: 11:50 AM.