Redwood City Council Meeting - June 12, 2023
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Redwood City Council Meeting - June 12, 2023
The Redwood City Council met on June 12, 2023, at 6:00 PM in a hybrid format (in-person and virtual). The meeting included a closed session with no reportable action, the swearing-in of new commission members, a consent calendar, public comments, a public hearing on sewer service charges, a study session on the Fire Department’s Standards of Cover and Community Risk Assessment, a budget study session, and matters of council interest. The council approved the consent calendar, adopted a resolution on sewer charges, received the fire study, and adopted the FY 2023-24 budget resolution.
Consent Calendar
- Approved consent items except for item 8D (pulled for a future meeting) and item 8F (second item) where Councilmember Martinez Sabayos recused. The first motion (items other than 8D and 8F) passed 5-0 with one abstention and one absent. The second motion (item 8F) passed 5-0 with one recusal and one absent.
- Approved items included: amendment to Cherry Road Technologies agreement, annual appropriations limit for FY 2324, resolution consenting to Burlingame’s tourism marketing district, pilot program for temporary closure of 2000 block of Broadway, award of Redwood Shores library fancoil retrofitting project, purchase of fitness court, disposal of surplus property, final acceptance of Fair Oaks Community Center Library remodel, ordinance approving third amendment to development agreement for 1548 Maple Street, approval of May 22, 2023 minutes, and approval of claims and checks.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Hoover Community School mothers (Liz Bethrada and Guadalupe Guzmán): Expressed gratitude for city beautification and Hoover Park renovations, but raised concerns about three incidents at the school and requested increased police presence during student entry/exit and at the adjacent park, citing drug paraphernalia and harassment. They urged the city not to wait for bullets to enter the school.
- Shaw Sun: Supported the 2000 block of Broadway closure pilot but noted a lack of convenient passenger drop-off/pick-up spots for seniors, suggesting adding a designated loading zone.
- Luna (call-in): Expressed concern about the planned full closure of Highway 101 for bridge replacement (June 23-26, July 14-17, etc.) and the resulting traffic diversion through her neighborhood. She requested city support for safety, noise, and air quality impacts, and noted she had not received a response from transportation staff.
- Amanda Rothengast (landlord, call-in): Opposed the addition of sewer service charges to property tax bills, stating it creates a financial burden for landlords and that tenants may not be aware of the fee. She asked for the fee to remain a service fee tied to the property.
- Chris Robel (budget comment): Questioned why Redwood City faces financial deficits when neighboring cities do not, given the city’s significant commercial development and the passage of Measure RR (half-cent sales tax). He asked if residents are paying for the impacts of commercial development.
- Clara Jackal (budget comment): Urged the council to invest general fund resources in housing and neighborhood infrastructure, noting that current housing staff is insufficient to carry out anti-displacement programs. She advocated for upstream investments to address root causes of community issues.
Discussion Items
- Public Hearing on Sewer Service Charges (Item 9A): Staff presented a proposal to continue collecting sewer service charges for single-family residential parcels via the San Mateo County property tax roll for FY 2023-24, as part of a five-year pilot program. No rate increase was proposed; the current rate remains $89.28 per month. Staff noted that over $13 million (90% of billed charges) had been received from the county, improving revenue reliability. The city has two assistance programs (Utility Rate Assistance Program and Sewer Assistance Program) with $100,000 allocated; $38,000 had been disbursed to 71 applicants. No protest notifications were received. Councilmember Howard clarified that the change is a bundling for efficiency, not a rate increase. Council directed staff to consider phasing in multifamily, commercial, and industrial customers over time, with community outreach.
- Fire Department Standards of Cover and Community Risk Assessment Study (Item 10A): Consultant Stuart Gary from City Gate Associates presented findings from a study initiated in April 2022. Key findings: Redwood City’s travel times are about 2 minutes longer than best practices (5 minutes 51 seconds vs. 4 minutes), primarily due to traffic congestion, topography, and road network design. The department faces high EMS demand (75% of calls), with low-acuity patients straining resources. Two units (especially in District 9) are approaching saturation. Recommendations: adopt performance measures (1.5 min call processing, 2 min turnout, 5 min travel for first unit, 8 min for multi-unit), fund alternative care programs for non-acute patients, improve traffic-calming coordination with fire response routes, and consider adding a second ladder truck and additional EMS unit in San Carlos. Chief Iverson reported proactive steps already taken (reinstating training captain, updating strategic plan, engaging with traffic engineering). Council discussion focused on prioritization, alternative response models (e.g., mobile clinics, civilian outreach), and traffic-calming impacts. Councilmember Martinez Sabayos asked about mutual aid integration and best practices for EMS squads. Councilmember Sterkin raised language access in dispatch. The council received the study and directed staff to develop an implementation plan by November 1, 2023.
- Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget Study Session (Item 10B): City Manager Melissa Diaz and Assistant City Manager Michelle Pochet Flarity presented the recommended budget. The city faces an operating deficit for the next eight years due to pandemic revenue losses ($82 million), economic slowdown, rising pension costs, and high commercial vacancy rates. The structural deficit is projected at $14.5 million for FY 2024-25, reduced to $6.6 million with one-time reserves. The capital improvement program faces a $327 million shortfall over five years. Staff recommended unfreezing remaining vacant positions (adding 4.5 positions in FY 2023-24) and adding a few new positions (street sweepers, senior center staff, technology/HR/finance support). The city has maintained a 15% reserve and continued pension liability payments. Council discussion: Councilmember Aiken praised the budget document and noted the city’s low crime rate and staff challenges. Councilmember Howard emphasized the need for community outreach on revenue options and thanked staff for hard work. Councilmember Giday highlighted the impact of COVID and the importance of reinvesting in staff. Councilmember Martinez Sabayos supported studying other departments for efficiencies and urged permanent funding for the PACE youth program. Councilmember Sterkin supported increasing sidewalk repair funding and civilianizing certain police responses, and suggested exploring a property transfer tax. Staff noted ongoing studies of community development and support services. The council adopted the resolution to receive and provide feedback on the budget.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved as described, with item 8D pulled and item 8F voted separately (5-0, one recusal).
- Sewer Service Charges (Resolution): Adopted unanimously (6-0, one absent). The resolution authorizes continued collection of sewer charges on the county tax roll for single-family residential parcels for FY 2023-24, with no rate increase. Council directed staff to consider phasing in other customer types and to continue community outreach.
- Fire Department Study: Council received the study and directed staff to develop an implementation plan by November 1, 2023, including recommendations on alternative care programs, traffic-calming coordination, and potential unit additions. No vote was required; the motion to receive the report and allow staff to proceed passed 6-0.
- FY 2023-24 Budget: Council adopted the resolution to receive the recommended budget and provide feedback, with a date for public hearing and adoption set for a future meeting (not specified in transcript). The motion passed 6-0.
- Matters of Council Interest: Councilmember Aiken reported on the San Francisco Airport Community Roundtable meeting. The Finance and Audit Subcommittee met on May 24 and will next meet August 30. The Equity and Social Justice Subcommittee met on June 2 and will next meet August 25. City Manager announced upcoming community engagement on El Camino Real bike facilities (June 21 virtual meeting), anti-displacement strategy survey, and organizational review of community development.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening, everyone. Welcome to our June twelfth Redwood City Council meeting. I'd like to call our meeting to order. Happy June to everyone. Good evening. We're holding our meetings in a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual participation. Items will be taken in the order that they're listed on the agenda. With our hybrid meeting format, the public commit comment procedures are as follows. In-person speakers will be called first in the order in which speaker cards were turned into the city clerk. Speaker cards are located at the back table in the council chambers and must be turned into the city clerk at the dais. Okay, great. Thank you, everyone, for your patience. The council now is out of closed session and will reconvene in open session. There's no reportable action that was taken in closed session this evening. Our next items are presentations and acknowledgments. And before we go on to public comment, which is item number seven, I just want to take a moment to acknowledge that Redwood City will recognize June 19th or Juneteenth to commemorate an extraordinary moment in our nation's history and celebrates this day as a freedom day to promote and enhance the unity and the spiritual strength that brings us all together, especially our African Americans out of slavery and sustain their dignity and prosperity to the present day. This evening we have the pleasure of swearing in the newly appointed members of the Arts Commission and Transportation Advisory Committee who were selected at the last council meeting on May 22nd. The new members are Natalie Sheehan, Arts Commission, Michael Aguilar, Transportation Advisory Committee, Shannon Chi, Transportation Advisory Committee, and Jacqueline Ramos on the Transportation Advisory Committee. Thank you, Mary G. At this time, I'd last like to ask um Shannon, Natalie, and Michael to join me here at the podium. Okay, great. And then you're going to repeat um the oath after me at the same time. Okay. So it's my honor to administer to you the oath of office. If you could please raise your right hands. Against all enemies foreign and domestic. That I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation. Without any mental reservation. Or purpose of evasion. Or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter. Discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter. Thank you and congratulations. I think there's a need signatures, Pamela. Yes. Well, as you're signing your paperwork, thank you for not only raising your right hand, but your left hand too to say I want to volunteer, serve on one of our boards and commissions, and represent our community. So thank you very much for doing this and serving on our commissions. Turning to item number seven is public comment on the consent calendar, matters of council interest, and items not on the agenda. If you join the meeting to speak on the proposed sewer charges, the city's budget or the fire department's study, there'll be an opportunity to give public comment on those items later in the meeting. If you're attending in person, please fill out a speaker card and submit to our city clerk here at the DS. If you're attending virtually, feel free to raise your hand on Zoom or press star nine if you've joined by phone. I'll now turn it over to our city clerk to facilitate public comment. Thank you, Mayor G. As mentioned, now is the time for public comment on items that are not on the agenda or on the consent calendar. I will start with the uh speakers who we have in person, and I will call two names at a time. You will have two minutes to make your public comment. There is a timer in the upper left hand corner of the podium. You'll see three lights. Um when you the green light will be on while you're speaking. When you see the yellow light come on, that means you have 30 seconds remaining, so you want to wrap up your comments, and then the red light means your time has expired.
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