Good afternoon.

And welcome to the life enrichment committee for today, April 21st.

The time is now four.

Oh two PM, and this meeting has come to order.

Before taking roll, I will provide instructions on how to submit a speaker's card for items on this agenda.

If you are here with us in chambers and you would like to submit a speaker card, please fill one out and turn into myself or clerk representative before the item is read into record.

Well, with that, we would now proceed to take roll.

Councilmember Gaio.

Excused.

Thank you.

And Chair Five.

Moving to our first item of the day, item one.

Due to this being a special meeting, as note, there will be no minutes to be approved.

Item two, determination schedule all standing committee items, and you do have two speakers for this item.

Okay, for the determination of outstanding committee items, we will hear from our public speakers and then I will make an announcement on item two.

Absolutely.

Moving to our public speakers, Ms.ada.

Oh, I'm sorry.

As a public announcement, if you are missing your phone, Ms.

Asada has it.

Thank you.

Ms.

Asada.

Okay, that concludes your public speakers right in two.

Okay, I if I could have staff from uh parks and recreation come, Micah.

If you could come and speak to item two, we are going to be removing item five from the agenda.

Staff is going to give a few remarks about why, but after staff gives the remarks about these this agenda item, then I'll make a motion on this this item.

Uh good afternoon, council members and committee.

I'll Micah Hamming, the interdirector of OPRID.

Um, we are pulling this item due to that the department is not ready to move forward.

And at this time, I want to be fair to the Oakland vendors organization that are here to be able to put their bid in when that time comes for the next um when we put it out again for vendor.

So thank you.

So um when my staff and I reviewed this item, and I saw that this um was a contract for not well not to exceed $500,000 to a firm that was not an Oakland-based firm on the same agenda when we're talking about uh local, small local business enterprises and our update and a roadmap for how we're moving forward on um supporting Oakland businesses.

I worked with staff to uh come up with a recommendation to rectify this issue, and I want to say thank you, Micah, because you've been amazing.

This work started before you were employed with the city of Oakland, and so I want to acknowledge your um commitment to Oakland businesses and process.

So, what I'm recommending today for this item, item number five, is that we take staff's recommendation and move this item to uh pending no date specific, so I will entertain a motion to remove this per staff's recommendation from this today's agenda, and we will still hear speakers when we come to this item.

Um, but we will move it from the agenda today.

I made the motion if you want to second council member Houston.

I will acknowledge your comments.

I will recognize your comments.

Uh thank you.

I mean, we've been fighting for the small local businesses, and we want all the small local businesses that can do this work to stand up to get qualified or whatever they have to do.

What do they actually do?

The chair, what do they have to do to become um a vendor?

So they need to be able to go into the eye supplier uh procurement and put all the information in that is needed that they asked on in the system.

Once that information is in the system, then once the purchasing department puts out the bid for once it they put out for the bid, they'd be able to see the requirements, and if they're and if they make the um all the requirements that is required for this bid, if they have all the requirements, then they'll be able to be able to be it on the next time we put our RFQ out.

And through the chair, when you think that may be just rough, nothing set in stone.

When you think two months, three months, what'd you think?

At this time I can't say.

Okay, I appreciate that.

Thank you so much.

But council member Houston, just let's stay in conversation because I know this is an issue that you care about as well.

And um, we as all you know, council members should be supporting letting the public know how organizations can become registered businesses with the city of Oakland.

That is not agendized, so we will continue with this agenda.

Thank you, Ms.

Hammock.

I appreciate your your partnership on this issue.

Thank you.

Where is the business from it's it's Hayward, they're based in Hayward.

Yes, Alpine Awards is based in Hayward.

This business was based in Hayward.

Yes.

But when you put it out to bid, you some you put it publicly, right?

Correct.

For anyone from any location to come and submit their bid to you.

Correct.

Right.

All right.

I just want to make sure we continue, but and you know, we can put it locally, but it's got to be a quality bid as well.

You're absolutely right.

And this business, we've we've done business with Alpine for years, but to be fair, like we said, to be fair, we would like to have some Oakland vendors be able to be it themselves.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

And we do have except exceptional businesses in the city of Oakland that I'm sure would love to apply to a request for proposal for this uh contract.

We're done.

You can call the call the vote.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh Chair, I have a uh question comment.

I'm sorry, I apologize, council.

Oh, good.

Um and thank you for doing that.

I had the same reaction in part because of the conversations we've been having in this committee on uh you know just the this disparity studies.

Um I had a quick question just on the item.

Can we ask questions on the item?

We cannot.

Not not be we're withdrawing it.

I actually allowed a lot of extra conversation.

Um, but I'd be happy to have conversation with you and the city administrator as well as our staff offline.

Okay, um, it's not actually right that we're having any deliberation when we're pulling the item from the agenda.

We are obligated to hear from our public speaker, so if we have public speakers on the item, we will entertain those when we get to item five.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you.

We do have a motion made by chair five, seconded by councilmember Houston to accept as amended determination of schedule outstanding committee items with the amendments of removing item five regarding the contract for customized goods and peril and placing it on the life enrichment committee pending list no date specific from today's agenda.

Unroll councilmember Guyo.

I call councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye.

And Chair Five.

Aye.

Let me let me just clarify.

We did call for public comment, and the speaker waived her right to comment on the item.

Would you like would to the chair?

Do you add it?

Through the chair to the public speaker, we're removing item five from today's agenda, and we're doing it under item two.

Yeah, to clearly we will be taking public comment.

Yes, we are taking comments on item five right now.

There was one speaker card.

The speaker chose to waive the comments on item two.

We will take public comment on item five when it comes up, despite the item being removed from the agenda.

I will restate the motion.

We do have a motion by chair five, second it by councilmember Houston.

To accept as amend that removing the item five regarding the contract and customized goods imperil and placing it on a life enrichment pending list no date specific from today's agenda.

On roll councilmember Gaio.

Aye.

Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye.

And Chair Five.

Aye.

The motion does pass with four ayes to accept as amended, removing item five from today's agenda and placing it on the life enrichment committee pending list no day specific.

Please note councilmember Houston was present at 4 07 p.m.

Moving to item three.

Adopt a resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into an agreement with the city of Piedmont to receive one million eighty-two eighty-two thousand nine hundred and fifty-five dollars to provide Oakland Public Library services to Piedmont residents for fiscal years 25 through 26, 26 through 27, and 27 through 28, and accepting appropriate said funds.

You do have three speakers for this item.

Thank you.

Oh, you're already there.

We will hear a brief presentation by Director Turback from the uh library department and um take our public speakers thereafter.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

You have the floor.

Good afternoon.

Um my name's Jamie Turbach.

I'm the director of the Oakland Public Library.

The proposed resolution authorizes an agreement that allows the city of Oakland to accept about $1,083,000 over the course of three years from the City of Piedmont in exchange for the provision of public library services for the past 108 years.

Piedmont residents have obtained library services from the Oakland Public Library because the City of Piedmont does not have its own public library.

Various agreements have existed between the two cities, most recently in 1999, when the contract terms were based on the per capita cost of each city's general fund contribution for library services.

When that contract expired in 2008, the city of Piedmont continued to pay 350,471 dollars each year without a contract.

This resolution will establish a library contract between the two cities for the first time in 18 years.

In addition, the annual amount paid by Piedmont will increase by three percent.

Under these terms, the city of Piedmont pays slightly more per capita of the general fund contribution than does Oakland.

As noted in the agenda report, City of Piedmont would contract could contract with another jurisdiction, and there would be no savings to the library as well as no revenue for the city's general purpose fund.

For this reason, staff recommends that life enrichment committee adopt this resolution, and I'm available for questions.

Thank you, Director Turback.

We will hear from our public speakers.

Call in our public speakers for item three, Ms.

Asada.

This is a doozy here.

So you had a contract with the City of Piedmont that expired in 2011.

At that time, there was no consensus how to renew the contract.

So for a short period of time, uh the city of Piedmont agreed to pay you, I'll forget the amount of money, and they just continue to pay that same amount up to this point with no annual increase, that amount from 2011.

Now I have come to this podium many times and requested that you do something for years, asking you to do something about the contract.

So the unfairness of this is they get to use our libraries, but they don't have to pay the two measure taxes for the library.

I think it's measure C and Q.

We pay that.

I don't think legally the city attorney should have stepped in to say we cannot have any business with anybody unless we have a contract.

So how did this happen for since 2011 that no contract was agreed upon?

That's mismanagement, it's not legal, it's unfair for the citizens of Oakland, and they don't just use the P, they can use any library in the city of Oakland.

Any library.

Why it happened?

You guys are just gonna move on without saying somebody screwed up.

And please, what you have on here for the amount for them to pay is way under which they should be paying.

They're always paying the same amount they were paying in 2011.

No annual increases.

So that concludes your public speakers for item three.

I will entertain comments.

Councilmember Wong and then Councilmember Houston.

Director Turback and I we we did get to talk about this, and I I do agree with the the public comments that we are not getting enough money from Piedmont.

Um just to inflation adjust the numbers.

There's actually we haven't had a contract since 2008.

If we took that 350,000, we would that is in present-day value 540,000.

Um but uh as I understand it, Director Turback.

If we don't move forward with this contract, Piedmont could still access our libraries and pay us nothing.

Can you explain why that is?

Um, the state of California has a reciprocity um agreement so that if um any jurisdiction pays for library services, they can use any other library uh system in the state.

So the city of Piedmont would need to contract with somebody else, presumably, or local library jurisdictions would have the authority to stop providing their citizens' service, um, but there is a cost to stopping to provide services, and they could, for instance, contract with the county of Alameda or the City of Berkeley, which also has public libraries.

Right, okay, and as we discussed, you know, I will go ahead and move to vote for this.

Um, but what is the negotiating leverage, if any, that we have with City of Piedmont on this moving forward?

Well, it's been a multi-year process to bring this forward, and we did get a slight increase from them.

Um, I agree that we want to maximize our revenue.

Um the formula by which is based actually has them paying more than Oakland, so I think the question lies in the formula and how we come to the table with a different calculation that allows more uh more balanced payment.

There um one of their points of contention is that they have the same population as the city of Emoryville, but they pay twice as much.

So that's another point where the formulas aren't um aligned in a way that sort of benefits all three cities.

Okay, thank you.

That's the end of my question.

Councilmember Houston and Councilmember Guyo.

When you said about through the chair about re renegotiating, that sounds like good.

And to the public comment, I wasn't here in 2011.

So it wouldn't happen.

Trust me, I want to get that money.

So I want to move this item, even though we're in a situation, we just want to move it.

I've moved this item, Chair.

Councilmember Guile.

Yep, I'll second the motion.

We do have a motion by Councilmember Houston, seconded by Councilmember Wong.

To approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the May 5th.

2026 City Council agenda on roll, Councilmember Guyo.

Aye.

Councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Councilmember Wong.

I'm Chair Five.

Aye.

This motion does pass with four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the May 5th, 2026 City Council agenda and through the body of this meeting.

Would that be on consent or non-consent?

Thank you.

Moving to item four.

I will read the item into record.

Go ahead.

Yep.

Adopt a resolution.

Number one, authorizing the city administrator to enter into an agreement with the city of Emoryville to receive 459,827 to provide Oakland Public Library services to Emoryville residents for fiscal years 26 through 27, 27 through 28, 28 through 29, and accept interappropriate set funds.

And you do have one speaker.

Okay, again, Jamie Turbach, director of the Oakland Public Library.

Um so again, as similar to item three, this is a contract.

The city of Emoryville also does not have a public library system, so they have paid Oakland for library services.

Um unlike the city of Piedmont, they have had a contract with us.

Um the most recent was a three-year contract that is ending this June 30th of 2026.

Um for each year of that contract, they paid a five percent escalation cost, and this contract is a three-year contract that proposes a five percent escalation of each year as well.

Um so again, similar to Piedmont, they could all call so contract with a different jurisdiction.

And um, so this resolution uh gives some benefit to the general purpose fund, and it does not significantly increase any expense to the library department.

Therefore, I recommend you approve.

Thank you.

Any initial commentary from the body since we just heard a similar item.

Councilmember Guile a second.

Let's hear from the public speakers, Ms.

Lasada.

So how much we getting from uh Piedmont all total for three years because you don't have to say anything because Oakland officially asked in 2011 for a fee increase of 3,09 uh 955 annually, and you got a contract here in 2026 where they're gonna be paying a hundred and something dollars uh every year.

Now, just to say some unfairness here, in 2011, Emoryville was paying significantly less per resident, $10 per resident, compared to the rate of $33 per resident for Piedmont.

So not only do you have to come up with a system of getting the money when you're supposed to get it, but you have to be fair about it too.

I still have a serious issue with you have library taxes that the citizens of Oakland and residents of Oakland pay measure Q, I think as of 2024, that's 114 for measure Q and another 140 for single family and another 114 for measure D.

So we got a process where you're not you're not thoroughly participating and funding the library.

You just gotta pay a low fee per person, resident, how much they paying annually?

Is it still forty dollars per person?

And we paying over two with measured measured uh Q and D, a total of 20 and 38 dollars compared to 30 something dollars, and in Emoryville, 10 annually per resident.

Now, show me now they want to go someplace else, help yourself because this is not fair.

We we do have a motion and a second on the floor, but Director Turback, can you help me understand why there is a different price or cost for both municipalities?

Um it was before my time, but my understanding was that Amoryville was contributing something through senior services that Oakland benefited from, and so they were able to negotiate a lower contract at that time.

And so this current contract is based on this multi-year moving forward.

And what is so the formula could change?

Is do you perceive those two different cities?

I I maybe I should say Piedmont, because Piedmont has not had a contract.

Have they balked at getting into a contract?

Can you speak to the relationship that Oakland has with Piedmont?

Both cities consider themselves under financial pressure, and so it's difficult for them to agree to pay more.

Piedmont they're saying that the city I I'm not justifying it in what they're what they're saying.

Um they have it, they have a fixed budget, they do not have a parcel tax that pays for library services, and um okay, okay.

Um what it you you spoke to them potentially going to Alameda County, what would that allow them to do, and what would be the loss to the general purpose fund if that were to occur?

We would have no income from City of Piedmont if they went to Alameda County.

They would pay Alameda County.

And so that there would be a gap in our in the library, but could does the do the general purpose funds end up back with the Oakland Public Libraries, or do they just go in the general purpose fund to be used?

I believe they go to the general purpose contribution for the library.

Okay.

And so that could be potentially if we forced try to force a regular formula that put them both on the same um, you know, put them at the same amounts.

They could potentially say, you know what, we don't want to be in contract with you anymore.

We're gonna contract with the Alameda County with Alameda County.

What would that allow them to access through Alameda County?

What libraries?

All libraries.

Because of reciprocity, they would just be paying somebody else for the city.

And they would still come to Oakland.

They would have the right to come to Oakland, yes.

Well, that puts us in a pickle, doesn't it?

We have a motion and a second on the floor.

Thank you.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Councilmember Wong.

Can we at least because I know we waive the fines for if we don't, if Oakland residents don't return the materials, can we at least apply those fines to Piedmont and Emoryville residents?

Um I think there's operational issues with that, but we could look into that.

That's not part of the contract right now.

The contract proposes that they would get the same services as Oaklanders.

Okay, it'd be great if we could look into that.

Thank you.

Would you have a motion made by Councilmember Gaio seconded by Councilmember Houston to approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the May 5th 2026 City Council agenda on roll, Councilmember Gallo?

Aye.

Councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye.

And Chair Fife?

Aye.

This motion does pass with four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the May 5th.

City Council agenda due to body.

Would that be consent or non?

Consent or non-consent.

Thank you.

Moving to item five as a reminder.

Item five regarding the contract or customized goods and apparel was withdrawn from this today's agenda under item two and placed on the life enrichment pending list, no date specific.

But through practice, we will take public speakers.

Colin, your name, David Boatwright, and Ms.ada.

It's it's kind of hard.

David Boatwright, it's kind of hard to ask questions about something that hadn't been discussed, but I'll make a stab at it.

Um it would be interesting to know, and I know you can't tell me the uh solicitation list that uh the this opportunity for providing the this apparel went out to because it looked like there weren't any takers, and now we we find people that are takers, so there's a it looks like there's a problem in the solicitation listing process, whatever that is, because if if there wasn't anybody that was interested before and now they are doesn't make sense, unless they feel like they can get a real good deal out of out of the uh and I assume this is for all summer and uh it's not clear from what I read, and is it like two weeks per participant?

It's not an all-summer type thing where this uh apparel is is used throughout the summer to access our parks and things.

And uh just taking the the hundred thousand dollars per year, five years uh divided into five hundred thousand, that's a hundred thousand dollars a year, assuming fifty dollars per outfit or whatever it is.

Uh that's two thousand participants, which sounds like a pretty good number.

Anyway, those are things might be considered when this comes up the next time.

I think that a report that says we're going to have the ability to uh spend money on athletic and casual uniform apparel should have in it.

This is what it's gonna be used for.

What sports are you talking about?

What is the number of sports participants that we're gonna have that these uniforms are gonna be necessary because whenever I hear about children at the school board meetings, it's always a prioritization process where they never have enough money for everybody, and they have to pick who will get.

So is this a process where $500,000 was over five years?

That's not every year.

That's a hundred thousand dollars a year for how many participations in what sports boys and girls, all age levels.

So you gotta have all of that inclusive to say this is valid, not just to come up, oh, we're gonna spend $500,000 over five years over sports apparel.

So I hope the depth will be in the report the next time this item comes up.

That concludes our public speakers for our item five, moving to item six.

Adopt a resolution authorizing a city administrator to one accept monetary grants, gifts, and donations from the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation and an amount not to exceed 10 million dollars through June 30th, 2036, and two appropriate set fines of the City of Oakland Parks Recreation and Youth Development Department, and three accept font goods and in-kind services from OPRF, valued in amount not to exceed 10 million dollars through June 30th, 2036, and you do have two speakers.

Thank you.

Ms.

Hammond, how much time do you need for the presentation?

Six minutes, about six, seven minutes, that's it.

Yeah.

So Micah Hammond, once again, interim director of OPRID.

I have my assistant director, Sarah Herberlin, and Madeline Redman here, um, the executive director of OPRF for any questions that are needed at this time.

Good afternoon, Chair Fife, members of the committee.

My name is Sarah Herbert, assistant director for Oakland Parks Recreation and Youth Development.

Um OPRYD is asking for authorization to continue to accept monetary gifts, grants and donations, and also goods and in-kind services from the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation for an additional 10 years.

Previously in 2024, Oakland City Council authorized OPRF donations through June 30th of 2026.

This resolution would continue OPRYD's authority to receive monies, goods, and in-kind services.

OPRF has a long history of supporting OPRYD and other city programs.

As a nonprofit organization, OPRYF OP OPRF has the qualifications, philanthropic expertise, and 501c3 status to encourage private donations.

The funds that OPRF raises are used to improve services and for families for Oaklanders and facilities for Oaklanders, including scholarship funds for Oakland youth to participate in summer camp and after school programs, retrofitting playgrounds and ball fields, and supplies for recreation centers.

Most of the funds donations and in-kind services provided to the city from OPRF are non-recurring with no commitment to be funded for multiple fiscal years.

The use of donations is stipulated by the donors and or grantors to be used for specific programs and or sites.

Approval of this resolution would allow for streamlined acceptance from donors who are often working within a compressed timeline.

Staff are available to answer questions, as our director indicated.

Thank you for that.

And at this time, we will hear from the mayor's office.

Let me make sure we're on the right item.

That's the next item.

Ignore me, Lenise.

We'll hear from our public speakers.

David Boat Wright and Ms.ada.

Miguel.

Miguel said he submitted.

Can you state your name, please?

I I I'm having can you come?

Miguel.

I don't have a comment, but not at all.

What I'm hearing from our clerk is that you submitted a comment, not a request to speak.

I will allow you.

Thank you.

Very nice to meet you, Ms.

Look.

I'm not gonna argue about this.

That's a donation, so I'm not gonna say anything about that.

All I want to do is bring up in 2020 when you're part of the council.

You guys, you guys got us to sign to that measure that put a blean on our taxes.

Okay, and you guys said that some of this money was gonna go to the homeless, and I don't like to discount the home, not gonna the homeless.

The parts and rights should allow them to do their tents or whatever.

I told you guys I'd come back here, okay.

If you didn't do anything about it, okay, and I'm pissed off.

I was glad what happened here, and what you guys allowed because the people of Oakland spoke to you about the homeless.

We don't want them screwed with they've had a hard life, man.

I don't want to see that stuff, okay.

I just don't.

I don't think the way we treated them is worth what how you treat human beings, little homes.

You're like the architect of the little homes.

You had them down there when um what was that the library, okay?

That little library burn down.

Okay.

That was a joke, okay.

You know, you guys got to do this right.

Those apartments that the union council wants to build, and I don't think they should be building those, okay?

The ones on 35th to 38th Avenue, those buildings should go to brothers.

Black people have worked so hard to make this city what it is, and they paid the price for this city.

Union council should not do that thing between 35th and 38th Avenue.

I know you guys have an exclusive agreement.

You guys are pulling some stuff that I think is borderline illegal, okay, especially the way you esconded with those properties that Michael Johnson was supposed to do.

I think that was just a total host job, and you did it during a 9:30 meeting on a Monday morning.

I think that was garbage, okay?

And then that's just all I have to say, okay.

It was nice meeting you all, okay.

Thank you.

Oh, yeah.

I have to give thanks and praise to Miguel.

Miguel is the one that hit me to all that wrong doing that.

The uh what is that group called over there in Oakland?

I'll think of it.

The the you the unit is Spanish speaking unity council.

Miguel gave me a lot of information about that, and that's a Latino man who stands up for black people, stands up for the right thing.

Miguel, I'm so glad to see you.

On this issue, I don't know if you remember Ms.

Fife.

We had a donation over at the park that's being used by the ballers, that they were gonna resurface the soccer field for free.

But to consider what they wanted to do was set up the have the right to set up the schedule for soccer.

So my question is whenever you get donations or gifts, what are the clauses where they have a voice on controlling some aspect of whatever they're giving the money to?

So we're getting money from this group.

Do we have to listen to anything they're gonna say in terms of how the money can be spent?

Or do we have the liberty to spend the money as we see fit?

Anybody giving money with the specification that I have a right to tell you how to spend it, that could be problematic.

So that's my question.

The other question is just race and equity statement that they have here.

Staff did not complete a racial equity impact analysis on the recommendation.

Why not?

You acting as if you give the get the gift uh based on helping with enrollment costs, that's all.

But race demographics, is this gonna be equitable?

Is it gonna be geographically equitable?

You needed to have a race and equity statement.

You don't have a choice, that's required that you have a statement.

It almost is like they're saying we didn't do it.

I've seen it where it says we don't need to do it because it's not David Boatright, David Boatwright.

David Boatwright, my questions have been answered.

Thank you.

That concludes your public speakers for item six.

If if I could have staff come to the podium to answer a few questions, uh, I had similar questions around what happens, what is the authority that donors have to determining where certain donations should go and what would happen if they primarily were centered in a specific location.

If the request, say all of the donations requested were for the Temascal pool or an imbalance of funds or donations went to a certain geographical location, is that allowed and how would that be approached by city staff?

Um I'll give you my best answer and do you want to answer that?

Okay.

Um, so donors have the option to say what they want to donate for.

We can always choose not to accept donations.

Um, but if they do donate for a certain pool, then those funds, and generally they come in through the foundation, then the foundation would say they donated the idea that this goes to this pool.

Um we could say we don't want to receive any donations, in which case that would be fine, or we could say we'll use that at Temascal pool, and hey, look that frees up opportunities and of our own city funds to maybe meet the needs of our other pools.

I mean, we would have to work within our department.

Our goal is to serve the entire city of Oakland.

Um, for scholarships, it's not equally distributed, right?

Some parts of the city have more of a need for scholarships.

Our camp fees are the same throughout the city, but our incomes are different throughout the city, and so the foundation support enables us to cover the costs of our programming without having to charge disparate um rates and to allow people who can't pay the full cost to participate.

So internally within our department, equity is a strong focus and serving all of Oakland.

We don't get to determine in a donor gets to choose what you know we can choose to accept or not.

If they said we're gonna fund Temascal pool and you have to shut down all the other pools, you know, we wouldn't right.

So at some point you can just say no, we're not interested in that.

Thank you.

Questions, comments from the committee.

I'll entertain a motion.

We do have a motion made by Councilmember Gallos.

Didn't you wave your opportunity to speak, Mr.

Boatwright?

Oh, you are so lucky.

You it's your it's your lucky day today.

Go ahead.

Great.

Thanks.

I'm gonna give you 60 seconds.

David Boatwright, uh, Temascal is a mess and has been for the last 12 years that lakes almost unusable.

And if somebody, if you could ask them if they could do something to dredge the lake out and make it usable again, that'd be a great thing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I do want to state that that was just a hypothetical to ask the question.

I wasn't specifically making any statement about Temascal, but I see we have a request to dredge the pool.

That is not agendized, but thank you for your comments.

Councilmember Houston.

That's okay.

To approve the recommendations of staff and to forward this item to the May 5th 2026 City Council agenda.

On roll, Councilmember Gaio.

Aye.

Councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Thank you.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye.

And Chair Fife.

Aye.

This motion does pass with four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff and afford this item to the May 5th 2026 City Council agenda through the body.

Would that be consent or non-consent?

Thank you.

Moving to item seven.

Before we hear from our presenter, I will ask for Lenise Jones to come and speak for the mayor's office.

Thank you for being here with us today.

And I would need to read the item into record.

Thank you.

Adopt the resolution accepting the plan accepting the planning and oversight committee recommendation to award nine, nine grants within the youth summer jobs, mayor's mayor's summer youth employment program funding strategy, totaling an amount not to exceed one million four hundred and eighty thousand two hundred and fifty-three dollars and sixty cents for the two summer program service.

Term grant cycles June 1st, 26th through September the 30th, 26th, and June 1st, 27 through September 30th, 27.

Contingent upon funding availability and program performance.

Two award 12 grants across four funding strategies.

Totaling amount not to exceed 1,712,558 dollars for the two summer programs terms, grant cycles June 1st, 26th through September to 30 or 26, and June 1st, 27 through September to 30 and 27, contingent upon funding availability and for and program performance.

And you do have four speakers.

Thank you.

You have the floor, Ms.

Jones.

Good afternoon, Chair Fife and Council members.

My name is Lenise Jones, Director of Community Engagement in the Mayor's Office.

And I'm here in support of this resolution to accept planning and oversight committees recommendations to award 21 grants supporting the mayor's summer youth employment program and OFCY summer programs for 2026 and 2027 cycles.

Together, these investments totaling over 3.1 million and will provide more than 2,000 young people with access to paid work experience, academic enrichment, leadership development, and career pathways during the summer months.

Under Mayor Lee's leadership, expanding access to opportunities for young people, especially those with the least access, has been a top priority.

The mayor's summer youth employment program alone will connect more than 500 youth to 100 hours of paid work experience, helping them build skills, earn income, and see pathways to their future.

The mayor's summer youth employment program is not just a workforce development program for young people, it is also a public safety strategy that will continue our work of reducing violence and keeping our young people engaged, supported, and connected to positive opportunities.

We also want to acknowledge the strong partnership that makes this work possible, including the Human Services Department, the City Administrator's Office, OFCY, the Oakland Workforce Development Board, the Oakland Children's Initiative, and many other community-based organizations delivering these services on the ground.

This is a coordinated effort, citywide effort in approving these grants, ensure that we continue to invest in our young people, our communities, and a more safer and equitable Oakland.

Thank you for the opportunity and consideration of this item.

Well done.

Perfect timing.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

I will call uh Robin Love, and if we could have our staff presentation, we'll put 10 minutes on the clock, and then we will hear from our public speakers.

Good afternoon, LEC Chair Fife and fellow council members.

My name is Robin Love, and I am the Children and Youth Services Manager within the Human Services Department.

And we are pleased to be here today to bring forth to you for your review and authorization the first 21 grants that we have as a result of the RFP request for proposals that was released on October 4th.

We have a presentation for you, and then upon the conclusion of that presentation, we are happy to answer any questions you may have.

I'd like to introduce our children and youth services planner.

Good afternoon.

My name is Robin Levinson, the other Robin with the OFCY team.

I'm the program planner with the Children and Youth Services Division within the Human Services Department.

As stated by both Robin and the Mayor's Office, we're here to present the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program recommended funded awards for the summer service term along with the other OFCY summer service term awards.

I'll begin by highlighting that the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program is really building off of funding that has uh taken place over the last four decades, providing 100 hours of paid work experience, financial literacy support, and uh giving job readiness opportunities to youth ages 14 to 21 during those summer months between June and September.

As highlighted, we want to just recognize the coordination between uh Oakland Workforce Development Board, Oakland and Children's Initiative, and the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth OFCY to ensure that this could happen in this more expanded way.

In our last funding cycle during the fiscal years 22 to 25, across three summers, the mayor's summer, or excuse me, at the time, the summer youth employment funding strategy served 980 youth, which 988 youth.

This was 79% more than initially planned.

But what I'd really like to highlight is something the mayor's office already noted, which is that in this increased investment, we intend to fund 505 youth annually.

And what this look like looks like is just in two years alone will already surpass that amount.

You can also see that youth earned approximately 1,600 through their participation in this experience.

Here you'll see the list of our proposed mayor's summer youth employment awards.

The first three agencies listed Tribe Inc., the Youth Employment Partnership Inc.

and Lau Family Community Development Department Inc., excuse me, are all current fundes through the Summer Youth Employment Program.

You'll see the expansion across these following six as well.

We have nine total agencies this time, which helps us align with our additional funding investment.

Recognizing the coordination across our different uh divisions and agencies, you'll see that OFCY intends to allocate slightly over a million dollars to the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program, alongside uh allocated funds from Oakland Workforce Development Board, Measure H H, and the Oakland Children's Initiative.

And through this coordination and partnership, we were able to fully fund this investment, meaning that all proposals that meant are met our minimum score threshold were able to receive funding.

Now, this is the first year of this grant cycle, and so we don't come today with our past performance.

That being said, OFCY is really proud of the effort and roadmap that we're on, particularly under the leadership of Robin Love to ensure that our outcomes are really specific and showing a collective impact in real measurable ways.

Specifically for the mayor's summer youth employment program, we have these uh specific outcomes that we intend all programs to meet.

One, the number of youth that are gaining summer employment increases, and those that get access to first-time work experience.

We also want our young people to be aware of different career pathways and employment opportunities, particularly those in industries that are expanding or are more competitive.

For example, health care.

We also want to see improved financial stability and increased equitable access to paid work experiences, particularly in East Oakland, West Oakland, and Central Oakland.

Now, outside of the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program, the new OFCY strategic investment plan does not have a dedicated summer strategy, recognizing that we want to deepen our investment during our summer months across our other funding strategies.

And we know, just as the mayor's office emphasized, that summer programming provides critical developmental, educational, and economic benefits for young people.

With this in mind, we have additional awards, 12 additional awards we provide provide for your recommendation today on during the summer service term of June to September.

These are across four other funding strategies approved by the council in December of 2024 to serve an additional roughly 1,600 youth.

You'll see the four strategies listed there.

That last one is youth development under the uh speaking notes.

Here you'll see our list uh recommended agencies for award.

We have on this list nine agencies that have received funding in the past and then a three new agencies for a total allocation of roughly 1.7 million dollars.

Again, we're expanding our total number of summer programs.

Uh in this past fiscal year, we funded 12 summer programs all together.

Here we see 21 programs that we bring to you today, recognizing that deeper investment.

You'll see column three shows the average score that each of these proposals received, but we want to note that we didn't just use score to determine final allocations and recommendations.

Additionally, OFCY considered factors including the geographic population served, the number of proposals submitted by each agency, their total funding requested, and all the funding requested that we received overall, our history, their history, excuse me, the agency in Oakland, the applied expertise they have, and the funding landscape overall.

These factors contributed significantly to how we determine final allocations.

And we also have again these outcome measurement categories.

We really want to see that this investment means impact.

And you'll see actually coming up to the life enrichment committee, we'll be providing our evaluation from this past fiscal year, which actually puts in practice these eight outcome measurement categories for the first time.

So we built these outcomes into the RFP that all these agencies applied to, and they had to demonstrate to us in their proposal how they intended to show positive impact across these eight uh outcome measurement categories.

So overall, we bring to you today both the mayor's summer youth employment program allocation, our OFCY summer program term allocation for a total allocation of roughly three million dollars.

Here you'll see by funding strategy the number of youth served.

Here you'll see by race uh excuse me, specifically by identity and ethnicity, about 40 percent of all proposed uh youth served uh identify as Hispanic or Latinx, and an additional 35 percent identifies black or African American.

If you look at zip code, I apologize, I should have had like stars or something highlighting exactly where we see the most investment, but I do want to note that 23%, almost one quarter, uh, are residents of the zip code 94621 in deep east Oakland.

Uh that's about yeah, 502 as listed there, uh, followed closely by the zip code 94605.

And shifted slightly differently, you'll also see number of youth served by council district here.

Recognizing that last one shows citywide investment, and also wanted to know this is just estimates and just proposed.

We do see overall investment across the city with intentional um, we did say in the RP what to specifically see support in East Oakland, West Oakland, and in uh the Fruitville Central Oakland area.

And with that, we welcome questions.

Thank you.

Well, never mind.

Are you complete with your presentation?

I just want to add that we also recognize that during the summer, our young people need opportunity, they need opportunity to earn income, they need opportunity to be involved in constructive and productive activities, and we think this is really important, particularly given some of the challenges we have.

We also believe that this is very much connected to youth safety.

Idle Minds, we know this tale about that, so we wanted to make sure that this summer for summer 2026 and summer 2027, we would invest in our young people for their future.

Thank you so much.

We will hear from our public speakers.

Want to recall your name, please approach the podium.

Please state your name for the record.

You do have two minutes.

Chris Nanyo, Ms.

Sada, David Boltwright, and Lena Lama Conley.

And excuse me if I mispronounced your name.

All right, good afternoon, Chair Fife, esteemed councilor committee members.

Uh stand up here today as someone who grew up and was raised in West Oakland, West Oakland resident, and someone who has deeply benefited from summer programs as a kid growing up in the town, and now as a note as well.

The city has made a lot of progress this year on as an example of violence prevention, and I don't need to tell y'all what happens when our young people don't have something to do in the summer.

So, as the mayor's office and OFCY staff already has expressed the ability to engage our young people this summer continues to be critical, both in terms of jobs and putting money in their pocket, like I was getting money in my pocket when I was young, and also these summer programs as well.

So the benefits of OCY is immense, and the benefits of our community-based organizations who have implemented these programs have been wonderful over the years.

So I'm here in support, full support of the adoption of this resolution uh to make sure that our young people are well or safe and are connected because that's what they deserve, y'all.

So thank you for the time.

Thank you for your comments.

So I was looking at the list of vendors, and it's good not to see the same people.

The Spanish speaking unity council for first time not on here.

Hallelujah.

So opportunities for young people to get necessary skill development has to be things like being on time, uh teamwork, um, understanding your responsibility and fulfilling it.

So that's just some of the things.

Uh training, which all of these vendors is training involved.

Safety issues, are they being covered?

Uh are you dealing with the fact that we have particular skills that need to be concentrated on because these this is where the jobs are.

So in the future, if we can look at health care, if we can look at technology, if we can look skills traits, plumbing and electricians, they're making a big money, they're making more than doctors now.

Um business and finance.

Those are the areas where the jobs are.

Okay.

Now, so I would ask the question with these job opportunities for training.

What is the training skills that they're going to develop?

How much time is all this?

Is this three weeks, six weeks?

Are we really gonna have?

Are we looking at the career pathways that OUSD students are following and following it up with career pathways so they can have consistency?

Um I am concerned about uh Miguel just told me geographically he didn't see anything in 94601 zip code.

So are all zip codes being covered, or we are not covering all of them.

So I just think an opportunity for our young people today, they got some issues with what they call it job work ethics.

Thank you for your comment, Mrs.

David Boatright.

Great program, like to see it.

The earlier the better.

When kids learn what it takes to be an adult, yeah, it really helps them in their development.

Um thing is uh clarify who the uh participants are.

Uh the name the number uh 14 to 21 ages came out in the presentation.

Uh after 18, they're not in uh school anymore, so I wonder why it extends that far out.

Those kids ought to be in college or working full-time jobs, I would think.

Um these amounts of money, or one of them anyway, was kind of strange, they're very exact, and I wondered how that came to be, what the the uh reason for that would be.

And there may be a typo, it says this goes through the end of September.

Kids are back in school, I would think by end of August.

And uh boy, I wish I had a four-month summer time when I was a kid.

Yes, if there's a reason for that September period, that'd be interesting to know.

And is there any parental involvement?

I would think parents would be uh trying to find jobs for their kids so as many possible kids as possible could get uh jobs during the summer and get that good experience.

That's it.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Calling in our public speaker Linia.

Please state your name for the record.

You do have two minutes, okay?

Okay.

Yes.

Um, hi, my name is Linnaeak Conley Travis.

I am a student at Oakland Technical High School.

I'm here with my guide Chris.

I worked four years in summer programs, two years at Oakland Freedom School, two years at YEP youth employment partnerships.

I would like to speak on the funding funding summer programs.

I think my I think for myself and my peers, it keeps us occupied instead of kids being on the streets like grabbing cars, drug abuse, or even shoplifting.

Working during the summer helps me and my peers with the management, professionalism, responsibility, and etc.

Many kids like myself have to learn to provide for themselves because becoming becoming of age, many things are expensive.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

That concludes your public speakers for item seven.

What a great way to end this public speakers.

Thank you for coming and sharing your testimony.

Stanley, which item are you here for?

Uh I want to speak on on so important with these kids.

Did you fill out a speaker card?

No.

I'm not for this.

No, you can speak on the next item.

No, this is I'm trying to maintain a schedule because I we have several speakers on the next item.

Thank you.

I will hear from my colleagues at this time.

Councilmember Wong.

But uh I first of all, I really have to uh compliment you on the quality of this report.

Um I could I actually for me when I see a report that's been thoughtfully developed, I often think that it reflects the way that the program manager has thought through the program and how thoughtful they have in in the design of the program, and to me that shone through clearly to me.

So I just well done.

And um I just have one question, which is are there particular careers?

I mean, we've got AI, all kinds of challenges in the society that we're preparing our youth for the types of careers that we're preparing it for through this program through the chair and Sophia's wearing so uh DCA Navarro is also the executive director of the workforce development board, and so she's gonna speak to answer your question, and thank you.

We did put a lot of thought and intent into this report, recognizing what you all are looking for, and I'd also like to shout out Robin Lavinson, our CYS Planetor, who's been doing a phenomenal job leveling us up uh and making the work better.

So thank you for those compliments.

Thank you.

Thank you, Robin.

So GCA Navarro um wearing also the the other hat.

Um, and again, just wanted to emphasize before I get to that question uh the importance of this collaboration.

Super grateful for Robin and team for all their partnership and also the children's initiative.

It has been a journey, um, but we have been able to to expand our efforts.

So, related to pathways, uh, we've actually been really focused on the high growth sector industry, so healthcare is definitely one given that we have that infrastructure here in Oakland.

Um we're also looking at tech.

Um, we want to increase construction participation, um, and that's through other partnerships.

Um, and then also IT, and um, there's one more that I'm missing, but we are definitely wanting to engage with businesses.

I will say that in partnership with the mayor's office and with the the chambers, uh, we are gonna be putting on an event, I believe May 14th, where the mayor is inviting different businesses throughout the city of Oakland to really make the ask, right?

Twofold uh in that one, asking businesses to host young people, um, and if they're able to pay for it, that'd be great, because then we can also continue to expand our effort and reach.

Um, and so that is something that's happening May 14th to really engage more businesses in this process and really having the opportunity for more young people uh to participate.

That's great.

Let us know how we can be helpful in that.

Thank you.

My question before you leave, you were listing the the industries, is hospitality one of those industries because that's with Oakland being the number one food city for two years in a row.

I mean, I'm not even pressed.

I think Oakland has the best food in the country.

Yes.

I mean, e the top cities they don't got none on Oakland.

So I know in West Oakland there's a pathway at Ralph Bunch that deals with hospitality and the children really want to get involved.

And I've talked to some chefs who own restaurants who would also be um happy to facilitate some um partnerships, so I want that to be considered as well.

Through the chairs, so yes, that is definitely another industry.

Um we do have a partnership like with YEP, they have their own culinary uh institute, so there will be that um that pathway that is also uh embedded and something that we focus on.

The other piece too that I want to mention, we've been hearing from young people of what are the industries that they're interested in, and it evolves year over year.

But um, creative economy, as we all know, is is definitely an area that is of interest, and so given the the fact that we have so many small businesses here in Oakland that are within that industry, that is also an industry that we're engaging in this process.

Um, and of course, there's many others, but those are two that have definitely been highlighted.

I'll also just mention too that through um some of these existing providers, they also have their own relationships with businesses that include uh the Oakland Zoo, BART, um, and other industries and and businesses as well.

So it'll definitely be a new year where we'll be able to see uh more young people engaged and in more different industries that we'll be able to report back.

Um and I did want to just quickly address the the question about September.

Um we put this grant program goes through September because we allow for providers to do the end of the the program report.

Um so we give them an extra month so that we can compile that data to be able to come back and share those results.

While you're there, can you also speak to the 21 years old?

Yes, yep.

Yes, through the chair, the kids first charter that was approved through 2033 allows for service of young people and young adults up to the age of 21.

So we are honoring our charter and adhering to our mandate with that charter to serve that population as well.

We also know that we have young adults that uh take a little bit more time in order to reach their full development and need a little bit more support.

It is a challenging job market right now for young people and young adults, and so we think this is a value-added benefit for uh older brothers and sisters that often accompany their younger brothers and sisters to program.

I also want to add that no community-based organization that we work with will turn away a young person in the proposals.

The proposal respondents did identify how they wanted to serve and who they wanted to serve in terms of their scope of work, but know that if a young person shows up to any one of these programs and wants to participate, they will not be turned away.

That's just something we don't do, even if they're not eligible.

Our programs will work with them to do information and referral and connect them too.

But because this is uh non-categorical funding, it's not restricted.

Uh we can serve this whole city of Oakland and the population and meet young people where they are.

Thank you.

And I also want to just add that we also know that young people's brains are not fully developed at 21.

I was gonna say that.

Okay.

We with you yes, front alone.

Yep.

On this item or the next item.

Oh, we're negotiating on what's happening.

Stanley, why are you putting it in?

In order to speak, Madam City Clerk, go ahead.

Stanley, did you sign up for the previous item?

The next item.

Sign up for the other items already.

Already signed up for item eight.

I wasn't gonna speak on this, but Ms.

Sada, you already did you already use your time for this item, so you can't see your time.

Because we have so many speakers signed up for the next item.

I have to take the role for this item so we can get it's a very substantive item.

And so, Stanley, um, I appreciate I know what how you feel about making sure young people have work and are doing what they're supposed to do.

And so we're gonna we're gonna make sure that you sign up to speak next time this item comes before the the body.

Um, I will entertain a motion or are there questions or comments from the committee?

Through the chair, I did want to add one thing that I think you all will appreciate.

We are braiding and leveraging our funding, but we are also entering into one contract with uh workforce development board.

So all of the agencies that are funded through the mayor's summer youth won't have to contract with both OFCY workforce development and OCI.

We've aligned our outcomes as part of that RBA work results based accountability I've been sharing with you for the last 18 months.

And so we're hoping this reduces the burden so that we can execute contracts quicker.

Um, and the reporting will be done in our city span database.

So all the information that you get from demographics to actuals to projections to outcomes, we'll be able to report back out to you.

It is a pilot and a joint collaboration to see if we can make it a little bit easier for our community-based agencies to work with the city of Oakland.

Efficiency, I love to hear it.

I will entertain a motion on this item.

We do have a motion made by Councilmember Guyo and seconded by Councilmember Wong to approve the recommendations of staff and to forward this item to the May 5th City Council agenda on roll.

Councilmember Guyo.

Aye.

Councilmember Houston.

Aye.

Councilmember Wong.

Aye.

And Chair Fife.

Aye.

This motion does pass with four ayes to approve the recommendations of staff and forward this item to the May 5th 2026 City Council agenda.

And through the motion, the maker, Ms.

Guyo, on consent or non-consent.

Thank you.

Moving to item eight.

Receive an informational report on the impact of ordinance number 13825 that amended the local and small local business enterprise program certificate certification requirements and two draft roadmap and maximizing contract opportunities for local and small local business enterprises.

And you do have 18 speakers.

Outstanding.

Thank you, Chair Fife.

So on behalf of City Administrator Johnson, I'd like to read the statement before the presentation.

So over the past several months, the city administrator's office has operated in good faith and collaborated with key stakeholders to meaningfully meaningfully implement the recommendations of the Mason Tillman disparity study, which was presented by Dr.

Eleanor Ramsey a few months ago.

This collaborative process takes into account the realities of our staff capacity, administrative processes, legal requirements, and the city's fiscal state.

While we recognize that implementing aspects of the study has a fiscal impact and may require city council authority, we are working diligently to identify realistic time frames for the implementing recommendations within the city administrators' authority.

For example, one area that the stakeholder focus group meetings spend considerable time on is eliminating SLBE waivers.

I have given preliminary direction to our directors to halt these waivers, and I continue to receive feedback for future consideration.

While we recognize that some items require city council approval, we will bring them back to the Life Enrichment Committee for your consideration.

It should be noted that you all may be in receipt of several proposals from a subset of stakeholders that requested a significant financial commitment from the city.

These requests will require consideration by the council during the budget process.

In closing, I would like to thank Kathy Adams and the African American Chamber, members of local chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors, Director Emily Nespia, and the Department of Workplace Standards team, Director Darlene Flynn, Felicia Verdon, members of the Capital Contracts Division, and others who continue to stay engaged in implementing the key recommendations of the disparity study.

So that's on behalf of CA Johnson, and he wanted to just make sure that I expressed that.

Thank you.

All right.

Good afternoon, Chair Fife and committee members.

I'm Emmeline Espia, and I'm the director of the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards, also known as DWES.

Thank you for the opportunity to present this informational item.

So today's brief presentation has two goals to update council on the early impacts of ordinance 13825, which amended LSLBE certification requirements.

We also want to present a draft roadmap co-developed with community partners to strengthen contracting equity.

As context, the city has amended the LSLBE certification requirements three times in the last four years.

This update reflects the first full year of data since the most recent changes.

Before the ordinance, the program had structural issues that created confusion for businesses and inefficiencies for staff.

Certification criteria were inconsistencies as clerical errors restricted eligibility for firms not headquartered in Oakland.

Staff spent a lot of time reviewing applications that ultimately did not qualify.

A vast majority of denials were due to location or headquarters issues.

As I'll show in the slides to follow, the ordinance corrected these issues and has stabilized the program.

In the first year, demand remained stable with applications holding steady.

Most of the growth came from firms renewing their certification.

We also saw temporary shifts in firm size during the headquarters requirement period, but those returned to baseline once the requirement was removed.

I also want to note that the data we are presenting today are certification trends only, not contract award data.

In terms of the race and ethnicity makeup of all firms, all racial and ethnic groups increased in number, and the percentage shares stayed stable.

Industry growth was strongest in professional and technical services as well as construction.

And importantly, clearer criteria significantly reduced confusion for applicants and reduced staff workload.

This chart shows how application volume remained steady.

The growth that we've seen in certified firms is driven primarily by renewals.

As of January 2026, 62% of certified firms were recertifications and 38% were new certifications.

Across all major racial and ethnic groups, we saw numerical increases and the overall percentage shares remained about the same.

This tells us the program is stabilizing without shifting representation.

The top four industries continue to be the same with technical services and construction firms growing the most.

And finally, we need to better connect certification to outcomes by linking certification to contract awards and improving our procurement forecasting.

We know how important it is for the community and for the city to understand which certified firms are actually getting contracts.

But the reality is that the city hasn't produced this kind of contract award data in more than 25 years.

We are only now beginning to implement B2G, which will finally allow us to track and report on this information.

Our expectation is that over the next year we'll be able to provide some level of contract award data that the community has been asking for.

So I'd now like to shift and provide a high-level overview of some work city administration has been doing with some community stakeholders on developing a draft roadmap for maximizing contracting equity.

This work reflects some structured collaboration with both leaders and member organizations representing the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Minority Contractors, the NORCAL chapter, Construction Resource Center, and the East Bay Rental Housing Association.

The lived experience of these stakeholders, their frustrations, and the recommendations have shaped this work.

Community partners identified a wide range of priority areas, from establishing an oversight committee to strengthening monitoring, transparency, compliance, and administrative procedures.

They also emphasize the need for better reporting, expanded remedial programs, and stronger support for contractor and workforce equity.

From that broader list, we worked with stakeholders to identify five areas for early action.

These areas rose to the top not only because they have the greatest potential impact, but also because each one of these strategies could realistically be implemented, implemented within the next 90 days.

And at the same time, we want to be clear that additional resources, particularly for capacity building, are critical to sustaining this work and ensuring early actions translate into long-term equity gain.

As I shared earlier, this roadmap was built with community stakeholders.

The goal is simple.

We want to rebuild trust through shared decision making.

We recognize that this trust has eroded over many decades of inaction, so rebuilding it requires us to be consistent, transparent, and accountable in how we move forward.

We've also heard clearly that the community wants immediate wins, some within 30 days.

We understand that urgency and we share the desire to move quickly.

At the same time, many of these issues are deeply structural and resource intensive, which is part of why they haven't been addressed.

So while we won't be delivered to deliver everything in 30 days, we are committed to moving as quickly as possible with the resources we currently have.

We want to be able to demonstrate steady, visible progress that the community can see and feel.

We're tightening that alignment so businesses experience consistency across the system.

And we're also striving for a performance-driven culture.

Data will guide decisions, measure progress, and hold us accountable.

And I will reiterate again that we know that equity requires sustained resources and investment in both city capacity and in small business capacity.

We need to build a system that is stable, predictable, and built to last.

We've already begun moving on several of the high impact priorities, so this work is not starting from zero, it's already underway.

City administration has recently taken action on a directive around waiver requests, has met with project managers to socialize the results of the disparity study, and we're continuing to refine contracting mechanisms to maximize small contractors working as both primes and subs.

Over the next phase, we'll continue defining exactly what each priority needs to deliver, and we'll be clear about who is responsible for driving that work.

To do this effectively, we need to identify the resources required and set specific timelines that match both our capacity and the city's broader priorities.

Once those pieces are in place, we'll launch the early action initiatives and strengthen compliance where it will make the biggest difference.

As we implement, we'll track the outcomes that matter, LSLBE participation, payment timelines, contract awards, waivers, and more.

So we can see where progress is happening and where we need to adjust.

And throughout this process, we'll keep refining our approach based on data and ongoing community feedback because this roadmap is meant to evolve as we learn.

This concludes my updates, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Good timing.

Want to call your name?

Please approach the podium and to the public through the chair to the public speakers.

For my understanding, a group of you or our seating time.

Please make sure everyone is in a room.

It's a max of five minutes.

Herman Herman and Petra.

Derek Barnes, Michael Barnes, Samuel Adams, Paul Cobb, Len Turner, Stanley Cooper, Terrence Gilfillion, Giflian.

Excuse me, if I mispronounced your last name as Asada.

Mick Penn.

Chadwick Spell, Jalen Drew.

Stanley out of you twice.

Derek Bonan Bonnen.

Dave Peters and Carol Hoof.

Please state your name for the record.

And how many minutes I have?

Five.

Your max is five minutes.

Um, and if anyone is ceding their time to you, please a lot them allow them to uh acknowledge themselves in the room.

Uh they have uh Herman Adams is here.

Herman Herman Adams, uh Terrence Gimfillion is here, Terrence and Petra Brady.

Okay, and you have your max of five minutes.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

I won't be five minutes.

I'll try to be quick.

So good evening.

Uh I'm Kathy Adams of OAACC.

I am here today on behalf of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce and our coalition partners.

I respectfully uh request that the supplement document provided to you be entered in an official meeting record.

I email that document to everyone on yesterday.

That was the supplement.

First, I want to acknowledge and thank City Administrator Johnson, Councilmember Fife.

To the public speakers, I'm gonna pause your time.

Uh Chair Five does have a question.

Where did you send that document?

To each of your emails.

Okay, I'm gonna search right now if staff, um D3 staff could help and search the D3 inbox.

I would appreciate that.

It went to all council members of the um life enrichment, and then I subsequently sent the other four to the non um members.

You may proceed with your comment.

Okay, should I start over?

Is it was the clock going?

Should I start over?

Yes, no problem.

All right, thank you.

So I'm here on behalf of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce and our coalition partners.

Our uh respectfully requested that the supplemental document provided to you be entered in the official meeting record, and that was emailed on yesterday from Kathy at OAACC.org.

First, I want to acknowledge and thank City Administrator Johnson, Councilmember Fife for bringing the disparity study forward to the council and DWS staff for engaging in this process and hosting meetings that that were matters.

But today, I'm here to say clearly, we have talked long enough, and we need action.

For six years, I have been a part of this fight.

For 20 years, the city has completed disparity studies that all say the same thing.

There are clear racial disparities in contracting.

That question has already been answered.

Under the law and under basic fairness, once disparity is documented, the city has a duty to act.

So the question today is not about more study, it's about our more discussion.

It is about whether this council will act with urgency.

Our coalition broke this down very clearly.

Not everything requires new funding, not everything requires long timelines.

Some of the most important steps can happen within 30 days.

Within 30 days, and uh director expilled this say some of these things, but this is more about reinforcement and action.

Within 30 days, you can establish older site.

Within 30 days, you can fix the waiver process.

Within 30 days, you can enforce prompt payment.

Within 30 days, you can require transparency and reporting.

Within 30 days, you can ensure federal compliance.

These are administrative actions.

They do not require delay.

And not the word shall uh shall.

We usually have these reports, and oftentimes they say shall, but shall to me doesn't really state action.

It's like a possibility, perhaps, maybe those sort of things.

So we cannot continue also to talk about capacity while businesses are being locked out of opportunity.

Certification is not equity.

A certified firm that never wins a contract is not success, it's failure.

So today, we are asking you to move immediately on the items that can be done now within 30 days.

Let the rest follow, but show us that you are serious about acting now.

The public, they're giving me a hard time.

They don't trust the process.

She's been there, and she has.

So as we move forward, and I certainly thank the city administrator, I certainly thank DWS.

I also know that this is very critical.

Our city administrators busy.

I would like to make um just a request that if he is absent when we're having these meetings, that we can have one of the deputy administrators, um assistant administrators in the room so that we don't lose any momentum.

And then finally, when we're meeting, I will feel more comfortable if we can get up the get up, get rid of the word shall and say will.

Thank you.

Michael Baines, are you in the room?

Thank you.

All right, so Kathy said uh a lot of what I was going to say, but I'm going to stress one of the things around timelines.

I've not been fighting this for six years like she has, but I've had the pleasure of understanding what has been done before me and honoring that.

We have an opportunity that we have a city council, we have a city administration that is coming to.

Yes, you came into some things after this last administration that was not so great, but you have an opportunity to fix it all.

An opportunity to adjust everything that's been happening, but also an honest opportunity to fail.

And that's why this coalition has come together to make sure not only you win, the city wins.

And if we can get together and stay together, you know, all the new stuff can just go in the background and be positive and keep going.

But if we cannot get the fundamental things in the city hall that can be done now, done, it's not going to be good because we're getting pressure.

We're saying we're working in it, city's working with us.

Emily has been great.

Justin has been great.

It's everybody has this is the furthest we've gotten in this process in decades.

People are listening, people are working, people are trying.

Don't let it be a waste because we can't get to November in a new election and every new people come in, and it's all for a waste.

It's gonna be some fire at that point, and you don't want that fire.

So what I'm saying is you're gonna get pressure, but the pressure is love.

Love of Oakland.

That pressure is love and optimism of what you can do.

So as we put pressure, we want you to put pressure as well.

Now the other piece is first thing we need to look at is that the waiver thing, the biggest issue is the waivers, that can be done and started now.

I don't care about all the input from the departments.

I mean, I'll be honest with you.

It's a leadership thing that needs to happen now.

This has to stop, it has to change, it has to be equitable.

Period.

Do the job.

And after that, the construction workers here and the contractors that are not getting these jobs, once you get money, get they get money, they're Oakland.

They get jobs, the city gets money.

As much as we hire all these outside firms, their dollars go other places.

And outside of that, the trades are great, but you also have other contracts that we do for consultants, other services that we do.

That needs to be more visible and more accessible for all the other small businesses in Oakland that we have today.

So all I'm gonna say is as we put pressure.

Thank you for your comment.

Madam Clerk, I think if someone wants to cede time to me, Jolene Drew.

She's in the Joe Lincoln, thank you.

You may proceed.

Thank you so much, Derek.

Great, thank you.

Uh, Chair Fife and committee members, Derek Barnes with East Bay Rental Housing Association, a member of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, speaking on behalf of the disparity business uh coalition.

What's in front of you today is an informational and certification report, and we respect the good work that uh administrator Johnson and uh director SPIA has done so far in working with us.

But Oakland's problem is not a certification problem.

For example, black owned firms specifically represent 27% of our certified construction vendor pool.

Yet the Mason Tillman study documents they receive a fraction of actual city uh construction and contract dollars.

That gap between certification and contract is the disparity, and that disparity shows up downstream too.

Uh why is the housing association involved?

About 10% of our 1,500 members are actually industry supplier vendors, tradespeople, and service providers.

After mortgage cost, and that's about 55% of rent collected, about 40% of Oakland's 2.8 billion dollars in rental housing pays for fees, taxes, repairs, and contractor services.

In other words, local jobs.

When local businesses don't get these housing jobs and city contracts, the lost income potential doesn't circulate back into the community.

This is the economic leakage in Oakland that I talk about all the time.

Dollars don't circulate enough times for us to stabilize our communities, and this has changed.

This has to change immediately because it shows up as deferred maintenance and blight in families who can't rent or buy homes and communities that can't build wealth, contracting equity and housing stability are the same economic ecosystem.

I will call your attention to a document that I hope you all have.

It kind of lays out the connection between the pop the population of uh blacks in Oakland to the uh homeownership and also what we're seeing in terms of unhoused, and that looks like this document.

Hopefully, it was circulated.

By the coalition's estimate, African Americans have been locked out of about 1.5 billion in city contracts and economic opportunity over the last 25 plus years.

Today's report has no contract award data, no waiver deadlines, no funding commitment.

We have four disparity studies over 20 years confirming the same pattern.

What we don't have yet are dates and firm commitments.

You all know that I'm results oriented, and I think we need to move fast, and we can immediate, we can actually move on some very immediate action items, as Director Spears said, and Kathy Adams noted that won't cost the city much.

So the a I asked that the COVID I'll give him one minute.

I'll give him one minute.

Do you have an additional thank you, Chair Fife?

Um so there are a few questions I want to leave the committee with today to ask staff.

Number one, what is the specific the specific deadline for waiver reform and timelines for the 20 recommendations in the staff's report?

Number two, when will certified MWBE firms contract award outcomes be tracked and published?

We recognize that there's a breach in the data between the uh certification of of contractors and the actual contract um information itself.

And number three, will dedicated remediation funding be in the FY 2026 and 27 budget proposal, yes or no.

Um I just want to say scaling up our youth and young adults is paramount.

Um I'm a beneficiary of the summer jobs program.

I don't think I turned out too bad, so I think all of this can be connected.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, counsel and staff.

My name is Lynn Turner, and I'm with Construction Resource Center.

And I'm just gonna piggyback on what some of the things that uh they just said.

And we have enjoyed a really good working relationship with the administrator and uh DeWiss with uh uh Emiline's leadership.

So we really really appreciate the uh progress that we've made so far.

And so one of the things that I wanted to mention is we need to adopt it's a it's it's our working document, it's an operational document that's always gonna change and evolve in a sense, but how do we know how to track these things that we're working on?

We need a document that we all in a sense have access to, like Google Docs, where you can actually input and track information and say where you are with things.

For for example, now these are things we just learned by talking.

We didn't even know this existed, but just by talking to the different groups, we learned that small companies and we don't have any details yet, they don't have to do a bid bond.

Bid bond is is huge, but we don't know that.

They only have to, they being the small contractors, only have to bond half of what they bid.

So if they bid 500,000, they only have to bond 250,000.

That's huge, but nobody knew that.

So things like that should go on this working document as as a win.

It could be a win because it really is a win.

And when we look at uh this document, uh it's accountability, and that's what we're trying to do is make sure everyone is accountable, even on our side.

If things are supposed to happen, why didn't they happen?

Do you have time ceded to you from someone to finish your comments?

Samuel Adams, thank you.

And I only need maybe 30 30 more seconds, really, but uh the last part.

Wait a minute, am I talking?

Okay.

Uh so the last part the the document that we want as our working document.

Let's say if the administrative staff changes, let's say if I'm not around anymore, how do we get this document memorialized so that whoever's in charge?

This is what we're working from.

We don't have to start from square one.

We were starting from what all the hard work that we've all put in.

Uh thank you.

For those individuals who haven't spoken yet who have speaker cards, please stand in line so we can know.

Um we have public safety coming up in um 15 minutes.

I'll call your name, Paul Cobb.

I'm sorry, Clerk.

Um, I I had a speaker card in.

Uh make Penn with uh Swinterton and sorry, Kathy couldn't seed my time because I I did.

Um so my name is Mick Penn, uh director of community relations.

Sure, no problem.

Thank you.

Um so we have Paul Cobb, Stanley Cooper, McPenn, Derek Bowen, Dave Peters, and Carol Hood.

You may proceed, thank you.

Okay, thank you, uh Clerk.

Uh Chair Fife, uh Councilmember Wong, um uh Wang Guyo and Houston.

I want to thank you.

Um Councilmember Fife and Guile.

Hopefully, you remember me uh when this law was being um pushed along.

Um I work for a company called Swinterton Builders.

Uh we've been in Oakland for well over 30 years.

We built the uh Port of Oakland building, we built the Ellington Hotel, multiple buildings and uh uh the 51st in Broadway.

So I just wanted to thank council member uh Fife, Chair Fife uh for the legislation, the work that Dues has done.

Um we have over 50 Oakland employees that you know in our Bay Area group that are contributing and to be a part of the local business program as an LBE, we are appreciative of.

Um I do want to flag that I'm in agreement with Director Espria that we continue to see the program uh lay out.

I understand the seriousness of the issues uh that uh many of my colleagues are here are speaking on, but I want to tip my hat to Dwess.

Yeah, um let's continue to look at the data.

Um, one of the things that I've seen is mobility around minority contractors on both sides of the bay that are adding competition to the marketplace and creating opportunities for black and brown businesses.

So thank you.

All right, so uh first of all, before we start.

Please state your name for the record to the public speaker.

Oh, yeah.

I'm Stanley Cooper, uh native of Oakland, first generation contract.

So I have I got someone to yield their time, so I'm asking for the whole five minutes.

All right, thank you.

So before we start, I'm hoping to the public speaker who seeded their time.

Are you in the room?

She's right there, and then also you said two cards they messed up, so that's a yield time.

Mr.

Thought already yielded her time to someone else.

All right, but remember I had two cards, and one of them should have been for another show.

I want to use all my time on this.

That's why I have two cards.

We're not an open forum, we're on item eight, and Mr.

Thought already yielded her time, and you put your time your card in.

It's only one card per item.

Is there anybody else in the audience who can yield some time to me?

You gotta do your best, Stanley, get through it.

All right, anyway.

Uh Stanley Cooper, Cooper Construction Engineer.

First of all, thank you, everyone.

Um Director Spillah, uh administrator Johnson.

So look, uh, to the waivers, we're asking uh for no more waivers to be presented to city council in any form.

Um all the current waivers that's current now.

We want those all to be dismantled immediately.

For example, you have a 25-year waiver on sewer work.

That does not help the local companies grow.

We need to stop that.

So all uh all of the uh waivers, all of them that's current.

Uh we want those dismantled, and that's one of the things that can happen right away, like Kathy said.

Um, we want to also uh to uh all the lower local participation goals.

We want those brought back up to 50 percent.

Right now, you have some projects out there, they're like 18 and 16 percent for local participation.

Once again, that that does not help generate local dollars right here in the city of Oakland.

And if you do, if they do need to be lowered, then they need to be re-evaluated.

All right, and also with the commun uh with the local community uh organization right here.

Um we work with them, and we also want to brought to you uh councilwoman of Fife's committee first uh before it comes to city council, so we can have uh some negotiation right there.

Uh prompt payments, we want that in 15 days.

It needs to be in the first page when you have uh um uh invitation to bid, it needs to be on the first page so the prime and the subprime can read it together because primes are out there acting like pay when pay, and that's not right.

Um enforcement, we need enforcement on all projects.

Uh we need local participation goals on all projects, including on the federal dollar projects.

Anything come out of Stanley, do you have these um comments written?

I do.

I'm can you share those with me, please?

Okay.

You could take a picture and text me.

All right.

Thank you.

Am I done?

Yep.

I gave my time, but I did have 30 seconds when you walked away.

So can I I can do it in 30.

I'm sorry, Sam.

No, y'all are trying to press me today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Moving to our on Zoom speaker.

You may unmute yourself.

What name did you sign up under?

Woo woen.

Hello, can you hear me?

Yes.

What name did you fill out for your card?

Dave Peters.

Thank you.

You may begin your two-minute comment.

Uh our um online Zoom speakers able to see time, the speakers in the room.

Yes, you may.

Who would you like to cede your time to?

Uh one of what is a point of order to clarify it, uh, because uh it was unclear whether that could happen.

Perhaps that's something that should be clarified in the new rules that are uh coming up.

Uh if there's somebody who who who wants to use this time, uh I don't know who they would have the last couple of those.

I know it would be.

I'll make I'll make these comments.

Um you can't keep talking.

Would you like to cede your time, Mr.

Peters?

I because I didn't coordinate because there's not a way to coordinate the people.

Would you like to cede your time, Mr.

Peters?

Okay.

Please regain your two-minute comment.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh we should need to facilitate a process that allows seating of time quality easily more easily between people on Zoom and people in the room.

Uh, we support the progress made on certification and the adjustments to the headquarters requirement.

The report makes it clear that certificate certification data does not reflect who actually receives contracts.

The real opportunities in the second part of this report in the roadmap uh regarding oversight, waivers, payment, capacity building, and forecasting.

These are systemic issues that require systemic solutions.

We must shift from policy discussions to systems that produce measurable results.

I'll say it again.

We got to shift from these policy discussions and go where the rubber meets the road.

One of the ways to do that, we need to track contract awards.

We need to maintain implement department level accountability, and we must have transparency across procurement.

I think there is uh multiple years outstanding report due from the administration that identifies uh the small amount of grantees, and I think that's multiple years in the waiting.

You know, as a third generation Oakland resident, these systems of investment, divestment on the state, federal state, uh, county and and Oakland municipal level uh against black folk are systemic and ongoing.

And it is, you know, we we we pride ourselves on Oakland and talk good about how activists we are and all that we do, but we continue to maintain uh these same racist structures.

Uh and you know, it's ironic that the county is about to produce a reparations commission's report, and the city of Oakland has yet to even make an acknowledgement or apology for long-standing system racial issues.

Let's hope that we have an open process to do the same.

And first of all, we make sure that we treat our black contractors equitably because we know that concludes your public speakers right a mate.

Wonderful, wonderful.

Um, I I want to take an opportunity for um the deputy city attorney, I'm sorry, deputy city administrator, to reiterate uh the statement that administrator Johnson made about the immediate shift towards a departmental administrative waivers being made, because I don't I think that was missed.

I know um one of our public speakers said that the city administrator in his absence should have a deputy here, so I'm asking our deputy city administrator to restate that comment because I I what I believe what I heard because I did not see this statement previous to coming into this meeting was that waiver those waivers were going to end effective immediately.

So if you could clarify that for me and for the public, I would appreciate that.

Thank you, Chair Five.

Again, DCA Navarro.

Um so the statement that City Administrator Johnson shared was that based on the feedback from the focus groups that the SLBE waivers, um, he gave preliminary direction to the directors to halt these waivers.

He's still getting feedback from directors, uh, and we're hoping that that will be officially effective within the next week, but they are at the moment halted.

Okay, so um they're not moving forward.

Okay, so that is we're gonna get feedback from the so we're still waiting to get feedback uh from other departments on what other waivers might be pending so that we could just assess fully.

Uh, but for now he has provided preliminary direction to halt the waivers.

Understood.

Um I do want to address a question that council member Houston had uh earlier that wasn't able to be addressed.

So council member Houston, please go ahead, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um through the chair, I just want to say thank you for um being in office for 14 months, and I uh I feel good to stand beside you or sit beside you, count Councilmember Fife in fighting this SLBE um policy that um someone had mentioned that it's been a while.

Uh me and my brothers before in my other life, we've been fighting for 25 years for this, and it's a little emotional to see that this is actually happening, and I see that some movement.

And when I first came into office, I spoke about stop these waivers, stop the waivers, stop the waivers, right?

Um, because it does not make sense.

And I'm looking at this right here, and I heard someone say there was three, it was uh amended three times.

And from my research with Trinity, it sent to me in my morning huddle today.

Are ordinances considered amendments?

And I'm asking that through the chair to the city attorney because ordinance one three one zero one was adopted 20, I mean 1220, 2011.

Then another ordinance was adopted, um, and that one was 13640.

That was 224 2021.

Then another ordinance was adopted, was 1364754 2021.

Then another one ordinance was adopted, one three eight one four ten one twenty twenty-four, and one more was adopted uh one three eight two five adopted 12 17 2024.

So what what we've uh revised this many times, right?

And it's about implementation.

What's different from all these revisions and ordinance that we're going to be able to do to implement this process, implement this.

We need to implement this.

This is going on for 25 years, council member Fife.

25 years, right?

So I wanted to bring um Lynn Um Turner, Mr.

Turner.

Can you come up real quick?

And I want Sam to come up real quick too, because I wanted you to elaborate on the um the the how they monitor it, how they they do the research.

You remember you had stopped, you had got cut off on how they follow the process.

So if if I can give an example um of just what the uh assistant administrator just said.

To the public speakers, you do have one minute, okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

So what the assistant administrator just said is that these waivers have been halted.

But when she was speaking, I didn't really know if that was really what she said.

Um, but what I was trying to say with this document is working document.

In that document, we know exactly what's being done and why.

If it's not being done, here are the reasons why.

If it is being done or if it's completed, everyone knows.

But we don't know how this waivers moving.

We don't know how do we track this stuff.

So we need a process, and that's what we need to develop.

Thank you for that.

Um and Mr.

Adams, what um was being asked by council member Houston that um Mr.

Turner was speaking on that he was asking for elaboration for is the item that no one knew about, and maybe Director Spear, you can support with this too.

There was something around um construction agencies not having to have the full bonding, that they only have to have 50% of the bonding.

Um I believe that was the question that you had.

But Mr.

Adams, if you could speak to that with your comments about about the bonding.

Yeah, that there was that so if uh uh a contract required uh uh if it if it was a $500,000 contract and you uh fit the requirements, you could uh bring a $250,000 con uh bond and it it meets as if it was a $500,000 bond.

So they basically split it in half.

So that made it a little easier for a smaller contractor that maybe didn't have the bonding capacity or could bond up to 500,000, they could bond 250 but still have a 500,000 dollar contract.

So it just makes it easier for we still got open forum, y'all.

Big big sis told me a couple other things.

So I uh what also is important here is it wasn't out to the contract community.

So if there was a small contractor, it wasn't written nowhere, it wasn't a requirement in the bid documents, so nobody knew that.

So once we spoke on it, and uh or when the um committees spoke on it, we were like nobody knew.

And and that's that's huge because you have a requirement, it's for us, but it doesn't get out to the the community.

So that that's the huge part, and that's what baseball was gathered saying.

Yeah.

And would you like me to go further?

Are you complete?

I am complete, but I will say, I will say thank you to the council for what you're doing.

Thank you for these organizations, those four organizations are supporting us.

We're business owners and we need this.

But we gotta push this to the finish line.

We can't stop here.

Headquarters was great, right?

Substantial completion, that's great, but that we can't just stop there.

We gotta implement the rest of these things that are in there.

Understood.

Thank you.

Councilmember Houston, were you did were you finished with your comments?

Yeah, I just wanted to receive and accept this informational report also, um, along with what um our city administrator said about the the waivers too.

So I just wanted to know is that that's froze right now about waiv through the chair through the chair to council member Houston.

So at the moment, yes, the uh waivers have been halted, and we're also waiting to hear back from other departments on what other waivers are pending so that we could review, and those will likely also be halted as well.

But we'll have official communication uh by end of week, if not early next.

Thank you.

So I'd like to uh receive and accept this um informational report.

I will second that and I will hear from council member Wong.

I just uh one thing I wanted to ask about because I question why in the attachment the federal DBE contract compliance, why that is not uh aligned.

Um I I asked that because um I do think that with our construction contracts, we have a big opportunity to close these disparities and at the same time on condition of getting and being compliant with federal funding, federal US DOT funding is to have a DBE program.

So it's also about making sure that now, albeit this administration is trying to dismantle that, but Congress nonetheless authorized the DBE program.

Uh and so I'm just wondering why that is not aligned.

Thank you for that question.

Um, and I may be well, Director Spear, if you could come and elaborate to answer.

Um, we are running a bit over and we still have open forum speakers to hear from, but it's my understanding that the program was on pause.

If the if things have changed over the last couple weeks, please elaborate.

But from what I understand, the federal program is currently on pause, and people are waiting to see if they are reconfirmed after the federal requirements that did not allow to acknowledge women or gender and race um in federal uh designations has been changed.

Well, if you could speak to it, you know this better than I you got it there, Councilmember Fife.

So, yes, there's an interim final rule in October that the DBE program that presumes uh gender and race as disadvantage was was halted.

So we are a sub-recipient of um funds from both Caltrans and BART.

We received um communication from them that we had to halt all of our DBE activities um oversight and um uh cuff reviews, everything related to assessing DPEs until um the state or the uh the certifying agencies can recertify DBEs as disadvantaged, not using um the presumption of gender and race.

Um I know that Caltrans gave folks until um late last week to resubmit certification applications with the new um narrative, and at this time there are no firms in the state of California that have been recertified as DBEs.

Okay, that's that's helpful.

I just want to make sure when we hopefully do have a new administration in place, and these decisions are reversed that our city is well positioned to be in compliance with the federal government and also reduce our disparities.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who's been uh participating in this process.

We do have an emotion, a motion and a second on the floor.

Uh, I will say I'm very sensitive to the concerns of the community and feeling like things are not going to move forward.

I'm not gonna let that happen on my watch, and I know my colleagues feel the same way.

So we will continue this.

Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

Thank you to all my colleagues, and I will um call for the vote.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair Five.

We do have a motion made by Councilmember Houston, seconded by Chair Five to receive and follow this in the life enrichment committee on role, Councilmember Gaio.

Thank you, Councilmember Houston.

Aye, Councilmember Wong.

I thank you, and Chair Five.

Aye.

The motion does pass with four eyes to receive and file this in the life enrichment committee.

Moving to open forum, Mrs.

Sada and Philip Birds Song.

Oh, okay.

So I'm I'm gonna ask for five seconds just to check the pulse in the room.

Well, Dr.

Randall please stand up.

Dr.

Randall right here.

So I'm gonna ask everybody in the room if a fire alarm went off right now and we had to evacuate.

Show of hands, how many people would help this woman down the steps?

Raise your hand.

You guys on the day is too, raise your hands.

That seems pretty unanimous.

Seems pretty unanimous.

However, human service director and department of uh adult aging is telling us not to.

It's a masterpiece of bureaucratic insanity.

It actually made it a legal to be a good neighbor.

The policy says other participants, that's us, are not allowed to provide assistance if our buddy is struggling with bus steps.

It's a watch them fall policy.

It's an assault on the ADA, it's an insult to low-income seniors because the alternative is they suggest you bring a professional care attendant.

Yeah, right.

We need to tell human services and department of adult agents to strike the mandate.

Don't let them bury this in a paragraph about safety.

It's not safe to leave a senior stranded because their friends are afraid of getting in trouble for helping.

This isn't just about safety protocols, this is a moral failure.

Rather than an act of grace, they are telling us the city's insurance premium is more valuable than our human dignity.

And under the federal ADA Act, we have the right to mutual consent.

If I choose to help a friend, and my friend chooses to accept that help, it's a protected civil.

Thank you so much for your comment.

Your time is up.

It was.

Thank you, Ms.

You can't.

You're it's no staying time on open forum.

I'm sorry.

I was okay.

That's okay.

Um this youth summer opportunity can take, and that's what I was trying to speak to you, Miss Navarro, can take another step.

You can have internships non-paying where young people get the experience.

I'm looking for my grandchildren to have experiences where there's nothing to do with money.

It is with the opportunity for you to learn skills that you need.

And what I mean by that with these young boys, uh, how to talk to people, how to be on time, like I was mentioning before.

So is it possible that we can do outreach for internships with companies, particularly health field, nursing homes to have people come in voluntarily to learn.

I'm trying to get my grandson to go into the medical profession.

I'm looking for an internship in any health capacity this summer that he can see service.

He did it last year, they did it last year with uh uh councilmember Miley.

You're not gonna, it's not about money, it's about you needing to learn skills and talents, how to work with people, how to appreciate giving to the community.

So, could that be taken under consideration?

I would much appreciate it.

Thank you.

So it looks like the answer was yes, and with that, this meeting is adjourned.