Redwood City Council Regular Meeting - February 24, 2025
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Redwood City Council Regular Meeting - February 24, 2025
The Redwood City Council held its regular meeting on February 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM. The meeting covered the introduction of a new fire chief, approval of the consent calendar, public comments on encampment issues, a comprehensive budget update, and discussion of fiscal priorities for the upcoming year. The council voted unanimously on mid-year budget adjustments and set the timeline for the FY 2025-26 budget.
Consent Calendar
- Items Approved Unanimously: The council approved the consent calendar (items 6A through 6H) in one motion, including the investment report, rejection of a liability claim, annexation to Oak Knoll Sewer District, acceptance of state grant funds for encampment resolution, amendment for permitting software, relocation of CDBG-CV funds for a health care job training program, approval of minutes, and claims. Councilmember Howard highlighted the use of $143,000 in unused CDBG-CV funds for a health care job training program that will serve up to 20+ students.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Written Comment from Marty Udishes (Bear Island Aquatic Center): Reported ongoing encampment issues near Maple Street and the Navigation Center, including criminal activity, theft, vandalism, human waste, and a fire. Requested city action to address the encampment.
- Written Comment from Clara Jekyll: Urged the council to prioritize services like housing, youth programming, and recreation. Expressed concern about delayed parks and community center projects from the FY 2024-25 budget and recommended a formal safety net services program similar to Half Moon Bay.
Discussion Items
- Staff Presentation on Budget Update: City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz and Finance Director Beth Goldberg presented the FY 2023-24 year-end results, mid-year update for FY 2024-25, and a framework for developing the FY 2025-26 budget. Key points included:
- Preliminary FY 2023-24 results: $18 million better than projected due to stronger revenues, especially property tax and charges for services.
- Mid-year adjustments: $12.5 million in increased revenues and $10.2 million in increased expenditures across all funds; a net draw of $303,000 from the general fund balance.
- Proposed addition of 5.5 full-time employees to address staffing needs.
- Economic outlook: underlying fundamentals strong but uncertainty from federal and state policy, sales tax softening, and potential loss of federal funding.
- Measure BB approval: anticipated $3.85 million in FY 2025-26, rising to $7.7 million in FY 2026-27.
- Recommendation to use $12.7 million of operating balance for one-time capital projects and liability reduction, but council directed staff to return with a full list for decision in June.
- Council Discussion:
- Councilmember G expressed caution about spending surplus given fiscal chaos, emphasized need for revenue forecasts tied to park impact fees, and suggested strengthening reserves.
- Councilmember Chu supported Vision Zero, noting increases in pedestrian and bicycle injuries since 2018, and advocated for prioritizing safety improvements.
- Councilmember Howard supported bolstering the rainy day fund above 15% and questioned long-term funding for new positions.
- Vice Mayor Aiken highlighted needs for climate adaptation (e.g., sea level rise), homelessness partnerships, and enforcement in underserved neighborhoods.
- Councilmember Starzynski supported the park impact fee loan, proposed nominal funding for domestic violence prevention (CORA) and neighborhood improvement reimbursement, and advocated for Vision Zero.
- Mayor Martinez Saballos emphasized economic development, caution, and district-level equity.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to Approve Staff Recommendations: The council voted unanimously (7-0) to adopt a resolution appropriating and transferring funds for mid-year budget adjustments (including the $303,000 draw and 5.5 new positions) and to set June 9, 2025, as the date for the city manager to present the proposed FY 2025-26 budget.
- Direction on Operating Balance: Council directed staff to bring a full list of proposed allocations for the remaining $12.7 million operating balance to the June budget meeting, allowing council to decide on spending versus reserves at that time.
- Upcoming Meetings: Joint council-planning commission session on March 4, 2025, to discuss the Redwood Life project; budget study sessions in April; recommended budget presentation on June 9, 2025.
Other Business
- New Fire Chief: Barak Ocarta, formerly of CalFire, started his first day and was welcomed by the council.
- City Manager Update: Reported flooding at City Hall caused by a broken water line, estimated damage at $200,000. Also noted conversion of lobby restrooms to gender-neutral single-use spaces.
- Closed Session: The council convened in closed session to discuss real property negotiations (Government Code § 54956.8) and adjourned without returning to open session.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everybody. It is six PM, so we'll go ahead and get started. Thank you for joining our regular city council meeting of February twenty-fourth, twenty twenty five. We continue to offer in-person and remote options for our city council meetings. The city welcomes public comment on topics within the city's subject matter jurisdiction. And matters of the public may provide comments in person during the meeting or by email to public comments at Rewood City.org as outlined on the agenda. In-person speakers must turn in a card to the city clerk at the dais to be recognized to speak. Comments that were received via email by five o'clock may be right aloud, time permitting. And in any case, we'll be made part of the final meeting record. If there's a high volume of public comment this evening, we may decrease the time allotted for each comment or limit the total time for public comment. In the event that this occurs, please feel free to send your full comments to the city council at public comments at Redwood City.org. And I'll now turn it over to the city clerk to call the roll. Good evening. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Chu. Here. Councilmember G. Present. Councilmember Howard. Here. Councilmember Padilla. Here. Councilmember Starkin. Here. Vice Mayor Aiken. Here. And Mayor Martinez Saballos. Here. Thank you. Thank you, City Clerk. Welcome back. And we'll move on to the Pledge of Allegiance. Councilmember, could you give us the honors? Thank you, Councilmember Padilla. Moving on to item number four, presentations and acknowledgments. We don't have any community presentations or acknowledgments this evening, but I do want to welcome our new fire chief who started his first day today. Thank you very much, Mayor. Um we really appreciate the opportunity and a somewhat lighter evening to be able to welcome our new fire chief Barack Ocarta, who did start today, who's had a a full day already of getting to know Redwood City. Um as I know you know, but for the community, uh Chief Carter comes to us after a very distinguished career at Calfire, where he served for over 25 years prior to joining Redwood City, he was one of six deputy chiefs for Calfire in the state and most recently had been assigned to their Santa Clara unit, where also served as the fire chief for the community of Morgan Hill and for the South Santa Clara uh County Fire District. Um as you'll recall, we started the recruitment process last August when we learned of uh Chief Iverson's retirement and that included public engagement to get feedback on uh what hopes the community had related to the fire department and the the new chief, and I'm really delighted that Chief Carter has joined us. I think that he w um brings extensive leadership and management service to our community and a real heart for community service that is going to be really welcome here. So um with that we invite Chief Carter to come forward. Um somebody is I think telling him where the microphone pieces are. So nothing like a little hand opportunity on your first day. Thank you. Uh good evening, Mr. Mayor, Council members, uh, city leadership, uh team members and community members. I am truly honored uh for this opportunity to serve the city of Rarewood, Rarewood City and the City of San Carlos. Uh I look forward to you know forging um positive relationships with not just uh the city leadership but the communities and local stakeholders. Uh I welcome you know the challenge and and look truly truly to look forward to building uh strong relationships with our community and thank you for this opportunity.
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