OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Oakland City Council Meeting - February 17, 2026: Disparity Study, Consent Calendar, Proclamations

City Council — Tuesday, February 17, 2026
BodyOakland, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, February 17, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:39:50
Transcript — Verbatim
1:40

Good afternoon and welcome to the council meeting of Tuesday, February 17th.

1:46

Before I call roll, I will go over speaker card instructions.

1:50

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

1:59

If you're looking to turn in an online speaker card, they were due 24 hours before the start of this meeting.

2:06

And if you want to speak on any agenda item, this meeting was called to order at 3 31 p.m.

2:12

So speaker cards will be due by 5 31 or before the item is called, whichever comes first.

2:20

On roll for this meeting are Council members Brown present.

2:23

Council Member Fife.

2:26

Is excused.

2:29

Present.

2:30

Council Member Houston.

2:33

Excuse Councilmember Ramachandran.

2:37

Sorry, President Member Ramachandran.

2:40

Present.

2:42

Councilmember Unger.

2:44

Here.

2:44

Councilmember Wong.

2:46

Present.

2:47

And Chair Jenkins.

2:49

Present.

2:50

Showing six members present at this time.

2:52

Two excuse five and Houston.

2:55

Do you have any announcements before we begin?

2:59

No announcements.

3:02

Going to item three modifications.

3:05

So the agenda and procedural items, including but not limited to request to reschedule items from consent to non consent items to the next council agenda.

3:14

Speak on consent calendar, register no votes, change agenda order.

3:21

So I'm going to pull item number five point one.

3:24

We want to um Dr.

3:25

Ramsey to be here to discuss the disparity study.

3:28

So I'm going to pull that for this session, and with the intent that it will come back March 2nd.

3:40

We'll be working with me to get Dr.

3:42

Ramsey to schedule it with that.

3:44

I need a second to pull this item.

3:56

We'll pull on the item, but we will hear any public speakers that came to speak on this item.

4:10

Council Member Fife is excused.

4:12

Councilmember Gaio.

4:14

Council Member Houston is also excused.

4:16

Council Member Ramachandren.

4:38

And if you signed up to speak on this item, you will still be able to speak.

4:41

So typically at the end of meetings, we have council member announcements where we acknowledge success and losses with the um some successes and some losses with the slam down contest uh local Oaklander one and um with losses we had um the loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson.

5:07

So the mayor will be coming uh on the next item to speak to that is to the mayor's staff is the mayor ready.

5:22

When we call in 5.1 Councilmember Brown, excellent.

5:41

Thank you so much.

5:42

Um so I'll just make the announcement that um Keyshawn Johnson um is about 10 minutes out, and so then the mayor um will be joining us to honor him and his accomplishments.

5:54

Thank you.

5:59

Without any other changes to the agenda, if not, we'll wait on the mayor.

6:10

Okay.

6:11

So we will move on from item three.

6:13

We will take in 5.1.

6:17

Reading.

6:18

The mayor's here.

6:21

Actually, the mayor's here.

6:23

You ready, Mayor?

6:51

I think calling in item seven, which is council acknowledgement and announcements.

7:02

And mayor uh Keisha is about five minutes out.

7:05

Okay.

7:05

So we'll wait.

7:06

I'll do Reverend Jackson later or good.

7:11

Well, Ms.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Racial Equity█████████████████████████25%
Procedural██████████████████████22%
Public Safety█████████████13%
Environmental Protection█████████9%
Homelessness███████7%
Fiscal Sustainability█████5%
Economic Development█████5%
Community Engagement████4%
Arts And Culture████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Oakland City Council Meeting - February 17, 2026

The Oakland City Council met on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 3:31 PM. Six members were present (Brown, Fife excused, Houston excused, Ramachandran, Unger, Wong, Chair Jenkins). The council pulled item 5.1 (disparity study) from the consent calendar for rescheduling, adopted the consent calendar with an 8-0 vote, honored NBA slam dunk champion Keishawn Johnson with a proclamation, and paid tribute to the late Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Consent Calendar

  • 6.1: Approval of draft minutes from February 3, 2026.
  • 6.2-6.4: Resolutions declaring local emergencies due to AIDS epidemic, medical cannabis health, and homelessness.
  • 6.5: Ordinance amending municipal code to prohibit prostitution (final passage). Councilmember Wong noted this legislation could serve as a national model.
  • 6.6: Resolution confirming mayor's appointment to Head Start Advisory Board.
  • 6.7: Appointment to Public Safety Planning and Oversight Commission.
  • 6.8: (Not listed in transcript but on agenda).
  • 6.9: Information report on multi-year plan for voter-mandated staffing/service levels; library advocates urged concrete maintenance-of-effort funding.
  • 6.10: Construction contract amendment for citywide pavement rehab.
  • 6.11: Resolution for Measure DD grant to Segoria Tay Land Trust for watershed acquisition.
  • 6.12: Resolution for Foreign Trade Zone alternative site framework.
  • 6.13: Resolution accepting impact fees annual report for FY 2024-25.
  • 6.14: Resolution for sugar-sweetened beverage distribution tax community grants for FY 2025-27.
  • 6.15: Resolution for FY 2025-27 biennial grants.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • On Item 5.1 (Disparity Study): Multiple speakers accused the council of ignoring Black contractors and failing to act on known disparities. Blair Beekman, Derek Barnes, Kevin Daly, Ada Olabala, Edda Johnson, and Mr. Hazard spoke. Olabala criticized the city for prioritizing immigrant issues over Black economic needs. Johnson claimed civil rights violations and filed a claim for $2.5 billion. Hazard argued the study should have been on consent calendar and called for immediate action.
  • On Consent Calendar Items:
    • 6.5 (Prostitution ordinance): Vanessa Russell (Love Never Fails), Janice Jacobs, Maribel Tadeo, and others expressed strong gratitude, stating the law holds sex buyers accountable and protects survivors. Mr. Hazard countered that bail schedules still allow traffickers to be released.
    • 6.9 (Library funding): Stephen Cole, Mary Kane Simon, Chia Azuma, Fatima Yusuf, and Catherine Sternbeck (all library advocates) warned that the city's plan to restore maintenance of effort (MOE) lacks specifics, risking legal challenges to Measure C parcel tax collection.
    • 6.11 (Watershed acquisition): Tim Venderlinsky (Friends of Sausal Creek) and Karina Gould (Confederated Villages of Lashan Nation) supported the measure, citing ecological and cultural restoration.
    • 6.14 (Sugar-sweetened beverage grants): Kim Olson (SOS Meals on Wheels) urged approval, noting funds provide nutrition to 5,000+ seniors.
    • Open Forum: Speakers included Mr. Hazard (challenging special election legality), Inezi Skierda (supporting land rematriation), Rainetta Hall (thanking Councilmember Houston for humane encampment removal), Paul Hall (expressing general support), and Blair Beekman (disappointed with one-minute open forum limit). Ada Olabala criticized delays in occupying new supportive housing.

Discussion Items

  • Item 5.1 Rescheduling: Councilmember Fife explained the disparity study report was pulled from the consent calendar because Dr. Ramsey (Mason Tillman) could not attend. The item was rescheduled to March 3 (though earlier the chair stated March 2; discrepancy noted). Public speakers were heard as planned.
  • Proclamation for Keishawn Johnson: Mayor Sheng Thao and Councilmember Brown honored Johnson for winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Johnson spoke, thanking the city and encouraging youth. The mayor presented a proclamation.
  • Tribute to Reverend Jesse Jackson: Mayor Thao delivered a 15-minute tribute after Jackson's death earlier that day, recalling his civil rights work, his connections to Oakland, and his role as a mentor. The meeting adjourned in his memory.
  • Councilmember Announcements: Councilmember Unger noted the Fire Horse Lunar New Year (every 60 years, associated with revolution). Councilmember Houston noted Huey Newton's birthday and expressed disappointment over street conditions and delayed EAP funding.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent Calendar Adopted: Unanimous vote (8-0).
  • Item 5.1 Rescheduled: To March 3, 2026 (with possible scheduling discrepancy noted for March 2).
  • Library Funding Concerns: Multiple speakers and advocates called for a more concrete plan to restore Measure C maintenance of effort; no formal action taken.
  • Human Trafficking Ordinance (6.5): Final passage; praised by advocates as a model for other cities.
  • Watershed Acquisition (6.11): Approved; land to be rematriated to Lashan Nation.
  • Future Sessions: Councilmember Houston requested public works connect with District 7 on watershed restoration.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to the council meeting of Tuesday, February 17th. Before I call roll, I will go over speaker card instructions. If you'd like to speak on any agenda item, please fill out a speaker's card and return that card to a clerk representative before the item is called. If you're looking to turn in an online speaker card, they were due 24 hours before the start of this meeting. And if you want to speak on any agenda item, this meeting was called to order at 3 31 p.m. So speaker cards will be due by 5 31 or before the item is called, whichever comes first. On roll for this meeting are Council members Brown present. Council Member Fife. Is excused. Present. Council Member Houston. Excuse Councilmember Ramachandran. Sorry, President Member Ramachandran. Present. Councilmember Unger. Here. Councilmember Wong. Present. And Chair Jenkins. Present. Showing six members present at this time. Two excuse five and Houston. Do you have any announcements before we begin? No announcements. Going to item three modifications. So the agenda and procedural items, including but not limited to request to reschedule items from consent to non consent items to the next council agenda. Speak on consent calendar, register no votes, change agenda order. So I'm going to pull item number five point one. We want to um Dr. Ramsey to be here to discuss the disparity study. So I'm going to pull that for this session, and with the intent that it will come back March 2nd. We'll be working with me to get Dr. Ramsey to schedule it with that. I need a second to pull this item. We'll pull on the item, but we will hear any public speakers that came to speak on this item. Council Member Fife is excused. Councilmember Gaio. Council Member Houston is also excused. Council Member Ramachandren. And if you signed up to speak on this item, you will still be able to speak. So typically at the end of meetings, we have council member announcements where we acknowledge success and losses with the um some successes and some losses with the slam down contest uh local Oaklander one and um with losses we had um the loss of Reverend Jesse Jackson. So the mayor will be coming uh on the next item to speak to that is to the mayor's staff is the mayor ready. When we call in 5.1 Councilmember Brown, excellent. Thank you so much. Um so I'll just make the announcement that um Keyshawn Johnson um is about 10 minutes out, and so then the mayor um will be joining us to honor him and his accomplishments. Thank you. Without any other changes to the agenda, if not, we'll wait on the mayor. Okay. So we will move on from item three. We will take in 5.1.

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