Redwood City Council Meeting: Fair Oaks Field Funding, Education Foundation Recognition, Solid Waste Rate Increase, and BCC Reforms – December 5, 2022
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Redwood City Council Meeting: Fair Oaks Field Funding, Education Foundation Recognition, Solid Waste Rate Increase, and BCC Reforms – December 5, 2022
The Redwood City Council met on December 5, 2022, at 6:00 PM, both in-person and via Zoom, to address a variety of items including a $1.4 million state check for the Fair Oaks Field Replacement and Lighting Project, a proclamation honoring the Redwood City Education Foundation for pandemic support, a public hearing on 2023 solid waste collection rates, and significant reforms to boards, commissions, and committees (BCCs) membership criteria to reduce barriers to participation.
Presentations and Proclamations
- Fair Oaks Field Replacement and Lighting Project: Assembly District 24 representative Rita Abdelmalek presented a $1.4 million state check from Assemblymember Berman's office for replacing the synthetic turf and upgrading lighting at the Fair Oaks Field. Mayor Hale noted the field saves approximately 2 million gallons of water annually and has saved 36 million gallons to date. The project will use organic infill (cork and crushed olive pits) and energy-saving LED lights.
- Redwood City Education Foundation Recognition: Council presented a proclamation to Executive Director Sarah Alexander for the foundation's pandemic response. RCEF exceeded its $250,000 goal, raising $450,000, which helped keep 186 families in their homes and provided gift cards to over 550 families. Current support includes $200,000 for mental health counseling and academic support at Garfield, Hoover, and Taft community schools.
Public Comments on Non-Agenda Items
- Bill Newell spoke in support of a gun buyback program held the previous Saturday in San Carlos, reporting 288 guns turned in. He encouraged the gift of safety during the holidays.
- Chris Rollbull requested that the city council consider recording and publishing finance committee meetings, noting other nearby cities do so and questioning the city's claim about cost.
Consent Calendar
The council unanimously approved the consent calendar (6-0) consisting of five routine items: amendment to agreement with Stannick Consulting for EIR preparation for 1125 Arguello Street, water supply assessment for the same project, improvement agreement for 242 Walnut Street, approval of November 28, 2022 meeting minutes, and approval of claims checks.
Public Hearing: 2023 Solid Waste Collection Rates
- Proposal: Public Works Director Terrance Job presented the need to realign rates after five years without increases. Proposed increases: $5/month for 20-gallon carts, $4/month for 32-gallon, $3/month for 64-gallon, and 4.184% for unscheduled services. Rates would remain below the averages of other South Bay Site Waste Management Authority (Rethink Waste) member agencies (e.g., Redwood City's 20-gallon rate of $18.87 vs. average $32.74). The city received 13 protest letters out of 17,500 accounts, far below the majority protest threshold.
- Public Testimony: Jennifer Baker argued that protest rules favor large properties (one protest per parcel) and that the proposal penalizes households that downsized as encouraged. Jeff Breslin and Rona Gundrum similarly objected to the higher percentage increase on small carts while large carts receive a lower increase.
- Council Discussion: Councilmembers acknowledged the need to comply with state cost-of-service laws. Smaller carts have been subsidized by larger ones; the increases correct that imbalance. The council highlighted financial assistance programs (monthly credits for qualifying households) and noted that state policies (e.g., SB 1383) are driving up costs. Councilmember G noted that 70% of costs are now labor/equipment compared to 50% historically.
- Vote: Motion carried 6-0 to adopt the resolution establishing 2023 solid waste collection rates.
Staff Report: Governance Subcommittee Recommendations on BCC Membership Criteria
- Proposal: City Clerk Pamela Aguilar presented recommendations to reduce barriers to participation in boards, commissions, and committees (BCCs). Key changes: remove the "elector" (citizen+voter) requirement for specified BCCs; establish a minimum age of 16 for certain BCCs (Arts, Housing and Human Concerns, Police Advisory, Parks and Recreation, Transportation Advisory); allow residents of unincorporated Redwood City to serve on additional BCCs; expand eligibility and reduce required monthly meeting frequency for the Historic Resources Advisory Committee (HRAC); and codify BCC rules in the municipal code. The subcommittee did not recommend monetary compensation or parking benefits.
- Public Testimony: Barbara Finnegan questioned lowering the age to 16, suggesting 18. Isabella Chu supported the changes. Chris Roble expressed concern about 16-year-olds on the Police Advisory Committee. Lisa Hicks encouraged developing applicant pipelines. Clara Jackal (Police Advisory member) supported youth membership based on positive county experiences.
- Council Discussion: Councilmembers supported the reforms. The governance subcommittee explained that the age change aligns with the city's strategic priority for youth and a national "Vote 16" movement. Councilmember Howard suggested adding a youth seat to the Senior Affairs Commission and establishing a maximum number of unincorporated residents (consistent with existing limits of two). The council agreed to include those limits and not cap youth members at one for now.
- Vote: Motion carried 6-0 to approve the governance subcommittee recommendations with a friendly amendment to align unincorporated residency limits with current rules for the Housing and Human Concerns and Transportation Advisory committees.
Matters of Council Interest: 2023 Meeting Calendar
The council approved the 2023 meeting calendar (6-0). March and April meetings were adjusted to avoid school spring break (week of April 10-13).
City Manager Updates
- Resolved a technical issue for submitting written comments from the previous meeting; the PowerPoint on the firearm retail moratorium is now posted online.
- The next council meeting will be on December 12, 2022, beginning at 5 PM with a reorganization meeting and a reception honoring outgoing and incoming council members. The December 19 meeting is canceled.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: $1.4 million state check for Fair Oaks Field replacement and lighting.
- Approved: Proclamation recognizing Redwood City Education Foundation.
- Approved: Consent calendar (6-0).
- Approved: Resolution establishing 2023 solid waste collection rates (6-0).
- Approved: Governance subcommittee recommendations to modify BCC membership criteria (6-0) with friendly amendment on residency limits.
- Approved: 2023 City Council meeting calendar (6-0).
- Noted: Upcoming council reorganization on December 12.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'll now call the meeting to order. My name is Giselle Hale, and I'm the mayor of Redwood City. Thank you for all joining for us this evening at our regular city council meeting. As a reminder, we're continuing to hold meetings both in in-person and online via Zoom. Items will be taken in the order in which they're listed on the agenda this evening. And as always, with our hybrid meeting format, the public comment procedures are as follows. So in-person speakers, you will be invited to speak first. If you'd like to speak on any item on or off the agenda, you'll go to the back of the room, fill out a comment card. Most important on that comment card is that you include the agenda item that you wish to speak on so that we know when to call you. Councilmember Aguirre. Councilmember Howard here. Councilmember Martinez. Thank you very much. Councilmember G, would you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We'll begin tonight with some presentations and acknowledgments under item four. And starting with a very uh a very lovely presentation, which will be uh the receipt of a check from Assemblymember Berman, Mark Berman's office, for the Fair Oaks Elementary Replacement and Lighting Project. So this evening we're honored to have uh Assembly District 24 office field representative, uh Rita Abdelmalek from Assembly Member Berman's office here with us, who will be presenting a very generous check from the state funding in the amount of 1.4 million dollars for the Fair Oaks Field Replacement and Lighting Project. And before I ask for uh Ms. Abdel Malek to give some remarks, I did want to provide some highlights and background on this great project. So this field is located in North Fair Oaks, which is unincorporated Redwood City. It's technically in the county area, but of course, Redwood City has a wonderful and unique partnership between the county and the city and the school district, this uh Redwood City School District. And we have very few recreational opportunities in that area. And so the city took the lead in 2004 and 2013 and leveraged our own capital funds along with school bond funds and county funds for not only converting this field but adding new lighting so that year-round play could occur there. And in turn, our recreation department is allowed to schedule the field for youth and adult sport use, which is also in very high demand right now in Redwood City. So each synthetic turf field in the city saves us approximately two million gallons of water each year. And I know we've had a little bit of rain lately, but we are still in a multi-year drought. And it um also saves us in maintenance costs and it provides year year-round play. So to date, uh, just this one Faro Oaks field alone has saved us 36 million gallons of water. Now the TRF needs to be replaced again, and we really do wish to thank Assemblymember Berman uh for this significant contribution to this project. It's gonna allow for the in installation of new organic infill, and that's made out of cork and crushed olive pits. And uh it'll be and we'll also be upgrading the lighting to energy saving LED lights. So it's a very environmentally friendly uh and it's a conservation project as well. So on behalf of the city council, I want to welcome uh our field representative Rita Abdelmalek to the podium and um for the presentation of the check, and then please, if you have any uh remarks on behalf of the assembly member. Thank you. Absolutely, thank you, Mayor Giselle Hill. It is an honor to be here, and unfortunately, the assemblymember could not be here. He is in Sacramento for the swearing in today. Um, but I'm honored to be here, and so is the assembly member to allocate the 1.4 million dollars for the Fair Oaks field. As Mary Hill said that the turf is going to be replaced, saving nearly two million gallons of water each year, which we desperately need, um, as well as the LED replacements to conserve energy over time. And we were so happy to get this budget allocation as North Fair Oaks and the community deserve quality community amenities, and sometimes that can get neglected since they're unincorporated. And our youth and adults deserve to know that they are worthwhile to be invested in and that they deserve quality community amenities, and we're so excited for both youth and adults to enjoy this project over time. Um unfortunately, Red Redwood City got redistricted out of 8023, um, but Assembly member will always have Redwood City as a place in his heart. And I'm a resident of Redwood City, I love it deeply. Um, and it is a great city to live in, so thank you so much. We are honored. Well, he can always continue to give us checks. Yes, we'll take them and cash them. We will try our best.
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