OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Oakland Rules and Legislation Committee Meeting - December 4, 2025

City Council — Thursday, December 4, 2025
BodyOakland, California
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, December 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:30:14
Transcript — Verbatim
1:58

Good morning and welcome to the rules and legislation committee of Thursday, December 4th.

2:03

Before I call roll, I will um give speaker card instructions.

2:08

If you're looking to speak on a any agenda item, please fill out a speaker's card and return that card to the clerk representative before the item is called for discussion.

2:16

Excuse me, city council staff order in the chambers.

2:20

Actually, that means you.

2:23

Additionally, if you were looking to submit an online speaker card, they were due twenty-four hours before the start of this meeting.

2:30

As per the council rules of procedure, speaker cards are due ten minutes after the start of this meeting.

2:36

This meeting was called to order at ten thirty-two.

2:39

So speaker cards are due at ten forty-two AM this morning.

2:48

On roll for this meeting, are Council Member Brown.

2:57

And Chair Jenkins.

4:30

Letters to you uh that hopefully um I it's really important.

4:35

I feel that you have we have to be practicing um that a lot of people are upset about the flock process and that it really seems that we have a chance to talk about it more openly, and that if this item eventually comes back in in January and goes straight to city council, I felt I feel it should be returned as an item that more as an information item and not as a full agenda item.

5:01

It seems a lot more discussion is needed.

5:03

I spoke to the concepts of of we can be having a review process in the next six months and and and consider a new contract uh uh vendor, and um we can make short, you know, three month contracts with flock until we work out a new vendor if if a new contract is absolutely needed with Flock.

5:24

And I think we need to seriously uh consider reducing the amounts of ALPRs we need overall, reducing the amounts can actually create the same amount of public safety for neighborhoods, and we have to be having that conversation as well.

5:38

Um, so there's a lot to be talking about.

5:41

I don't think things can just be uh quickly approved.

5:44

I hope we can have dialogue and discussion, and that brings community uh harmony and really good practices.

5:51

Thank you, Mr.

5:52

Beakmer for your comments.

5:54

Do we have a motion?

5:55

I believe there was a motion by Brown.

5:57

I just need a second.

5:59

Second on the motion for item two, the minutes for November 13th and 20th, moved by council member brown, second by council member Fife.

6:08

Starting with council member Brown, aye, council member five, aye, council member Ramachandran.

6:15

Aye, Chair Jenkins, aye.

6:17

Motion passes with a vote of four ayes.

6:22

Moving on, sorry, motion passes with a vote of four ayes.

6:26

Moving on to new scheduling starting with item 3.1, a resolution in support of the Bay Area Air District's timely implementation of rules nine through four and nine through six that establish zero emission building appliance standards with appropriate flexibility to ensure equity and business development on the December 9th community and economic development committee agenda, and just noting that this item would be going to committee next week, it does need an urgency.

7:01

Is there somebody from the district two office to offer the urgency finding a urgency finding?

7:16

Hi, yes.

7:17

Uh, this is Council Member Wong.

7:19

Um so for the first item, the reason that we have an urgency finding around this is uh these particular zero emission uh appliance rules.

7:28

Um we want to have a vote on this in time for the December 10th hearing that the um Bay Area uh air district is having.

7:38

So there's a urgency around getting out our stance as a city prior to that.

7:43

So the question would be if it's going to committee, it would have to go to so if it's going to committee on the ninth and the meetings on the 10th, full city council hasn't weighed in on it.

7:54

Just through the chair, sorry to introduce just noting the presence of council member wong, we do need to adjourn into a special meeting.

8:01

Okay, I'll entertain one second.

8:03

I'll entertain a motion.

8:06

Second, brown brown, then five, then brown.

8:16

On the motion, sorry, on the motion to adjourn to the special meeting moved by council member five with a go second by council member brown.

8:26

Councilmember Brown.

8:27

Aye.

8:28

Councilmember Fife, aye.

8:29

Council Member Ramachandran.

8:34

And Chair Jenkins.

8:36

I motion passes with a vote of four ayes.

8:43

Council Member Brown.

8:44

Okay, so uh to the chair.

8:46

Um, so would then your recommendation be for this item to just go?

8:50

Oh, it'll miss it altogether.

8:52

Um, or is it it's not sufficient for it to just pass through committee?

8:56

No.

8:57

So not in time.

8:59

Okay.

9:00

Can we have it go to full council in some way?

9:03

The next full council is on the 16th.

9:06

Yeah, fair enough.

9:07

Councilmember Ram Chandra.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection███████████████15%
Contracting And Procurement█████████████13%
Public Safety████████████12%
Transportation Safety███████████11%
Economic Development███████████11%
Campaign Finance████████8%
Land Use and Zoning██████6%
Personnel Matters██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Oakland Rules and Legislation Committee Meeting - December 4, 2025

The Rules and Legislation Committee met on December 4, 2025, at 10:32 AM to consider scheduling for upcoming council and committee meetings, a business tax relief ballot measure, a charter amendment for the police and fire retirement board, and campaign finance ordinance cleanup. The committee approved most items, some with urgency findings, and scheduled them for future dates.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes from November 13 and 20, 2025 (motion by Brown, second by Fife; 4 ayes).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Naomi Schiff (Oakland Heritage Alliance) opposed item 3.9 (billboard agreement), citing environmental harm and the need to include East Bay Regional Parks District.
  • Amelia Marshall (Oakland resident) opposed the billboard proposal, especially near Lake Temescal, calling it environmentally damaging.
  • Ranjini Mandal (District 4) urged that the billboard proposal (3.9) be discussed with the community prior to scheduling, and supported OPD surveillance technology reports.
  • George Spees (Traffic Violence Rapid Response) raised concerns about item 3.6 (fire code) regarding street design sections and urged committee review.
  • Kevin Daly (Transport Oakland) also spoke on item 3.6, noting that amendments had not been published and that California's fire code is more progressive; he recommended sending relevant sections to the public works committee.
  • Blair Beekman commented on multiple items, including the need for more dialogue on the Flock ALPR contract and the importance of committee review.
  • Kevin Daly (in open forum) noted the broken electronic speaker card system that limits public participation.
  • Ranjini Mandal (open forum) discussed the NSA, police compliance, and charter reform related to the police commission.

Discussion Items

  • Item 3.1 (Resolution supporting Bay Area Air District zero-emission building appliance rules): Originally scheduled for CED on Dec 9 with urgency, but speaker noted it would miss the Dec 10 air district deadline. Scheduled to CED Dec 9 with urgency finding.
  • Item 3.2 (Sewer contract increases): Approved to go to Dec 16 City Council on consent.
  • Item 3.3 (Abandoned vessel removal contract): Sponsor changed from Councilmember Wong to OPD. Sent to Public Safety Committee Dec 9 with urgency finding.
  • Item 3.4 (Property tax liens): Scheduled as public hearing for Dec 16 City Council.
  • Item 3.5 (City auditor follow-up report): Scheduled for Dec 16 City Council on non-consent.
  • Item 3.6 (Emergency ordinance adopting 2025 California Fire Code): Moved to CED Dec 9 with urgency finding after Councilmember Fife requested committee discussion.
  • Item 3.7 (ABC Security Services contract extension): Sent to Dec 16 City Council on non-consent. Several members expressed frustration over last-minute delays.
  • Item 3.8 (Summer food service grant): Scheduled for Life Enrichment Committee Jan 13, 2026.
  • Item 3.9 (Advertising signs relocation agreement with Outfront): Despite objections from Councilmember Ramachandran regarding site transparency and potential harm to Lake Temescal, the item was scheduled for CED Feb 10, 2026 and City Council Feb 17, 2026 as a public hearing. Vote was 4 ayes; Ramachandran voted no.
  • Item 4 (Draft agendas): Approved with amendment to move finance item from Dec 9 to Jan 27, 2026.
  • Item 5 (Business tax relief ballot measure): Approved to go to Dec 16 City Council on non-consent (unanimous).
  • Item 6 (Charter amendment for Police/Fire Retirement Board): Approved with a non-substantive amendment; forwarded to Dec 16 City Council on non-consent (unanimous).
  • Item 7 (Campaign finance ordinance cleanup): Approved with urgency finding; forwarded to Dec 16 City Council on consent (unanimous).

Key Outcomes

  • All scheduling items were approved with the following assignments:
    • Items 3.1, 3.6: CED Dec 9 (urgency)
    • Item 3.3: Public Safety Dec 9 (urgency, sponsor changed to OPD)
    • Items 3.2, 3.4: City Council Dec 16 (consent or public hearing)
    • Items 3.5, 3.7, 5, 6: City Council Dec 16 (non-consent)
    • Item 3.8: Life Enrichment Jan 13
    • Item 3.9: CED Feb 10 and City Council Feb 17 (public hearing)
  • Item 4 approved with amendment.
  • Item 7 approved with urgency and sent to consent.
  • Councilmember Ramachandran voted no on item 3.9.
  • The meeting was adjourned into a special meeting briefly to handle urgency findings.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning and welcome to the rules and legislation committee of Thursday, December 4th. Before I call roll, I will um give speaker card instructions. If you're looking to speak on a any agenda item, please fill out a speaker's card and return that card to the clerk representative before the item is called for discussion. Excuse me, city council staff order in the chambers. Actually, that means you. Additionally, if you were looking to submit an online speaker card, they were due twenty-four hours before the start of this meeting. As per the council rules of procedure, speaker cards are due ten minutes after the start of this meeting. This meeting was called to order at ten thirty-two. So speaker cards are due at ten forty-two AM this morning. On roll for this meeting, are Council Member Brown. And Chair Jenkins. Letters to you uh that hopefully um I it's really important. I feel that you have we have to be practicing um that a lot of people are upset about the flock process and that it really seems that we have a chance to talk about it more openly, and that if this item eventually comes back in in January and goes straight to city council, I felt I feel it should be returned as an item that more as an information item and not as a full agenda item. It seems a lot more discussion is needed. I spoke to the concepts of of we can be having a review process in the next six months and and and consider a new contract uh uh vendor, and um we can make short, you know, three month contracts with flock until we work out a new vendor if if a new contract is absolutely needed with Flock. And I think we need to seriously uh consider reducing the amounts of ALPRs we need overall, reducing the amounts can actually create the same amount of public safety for neighborhoods, and we have to be having that conversation as well. Um, so there's a lot to be talking about. I don't think things can just be uh quickly approved. I hope we can have dialogue and discussion, and that brings community uh harmony and really good practices. Thank you, Mr. Beakmer for your comments. Do we have a motion? I believe there was a motion by Brown. I just need a second. Second on the motion for item two, the minutes for November 13th and 20th, moved by council member brown, second by council member Fife. Starting with council member Brown, aye, council member five, aye, council member Ramachandran. Aye, Chair Jenkins, aye. Motion passes with a vote of four ayes. Moving on, sorry, motion passes with a vote of four ayes. Moving on to new scheduling starting with item 3.1, a resolution in support of the Bay Area Air District's timely implementation of rules nine through four and nine through six that establish zero emission building appliance standards with appropriate flexibility to ensure equity and business development on the December 9th community and economic development committee agenda, and just noting that this item would be going to committee next week, it does need an urgency. Is there somebody from the district two office to offer the urgency finding a urgency finding? Hi, yes. Uh, this is Council Member Wong. Um so for the first item, the reason that we have an urgency finding around this is uh these particular zero emission uh appliance rules. Um we want to have a vote on this in time for the December 10th hearing that the um Bay Area uh air district is having. So there's a urgency around getting out our stance as a city prior to that. So the question would be if it's going to committee, it would have to go to so if it's going to committee on the ninth and the meetings on the 10th, full city council hasn't weighed in on it. Just through the chair, sorry to introduce just noting the presence of council member wong, we do need to adjourn into a special meeting. Okay, I'll entertain one second. I'll entertain a motion. Second, brown brown, then five, then brown. On the motion, sorry, on the motion to adjourn to the special meeting moved by council member five with a go second by council member brown. Councilmember Brown. Aye. Councilmember Fife, aye. Council Member Ramachandran. And Chair Jenkins. I motion passes with a vote of four ayes. Council Member Brown. Okay, so uh to the chair.

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