Good evening, everybody.

It is past six o'clock, so we're gonna go ahead and get started today.

Thank you for joining us for our regular city council meeting of June 23rd, 2025.

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 members of the public may provide comments in person during the meeting or by email to public comment at reward city.org as outlined in the agenda.

In-person speakers must turn in a speaker card to the city clerk at the dais to be recognized to speak.

Please be sure to indicate the agenda number which you'd like to address.

In-person speakers will be called in the order in which their speaker cards were turned in.

And comments that were received via email after agenda publication through five o'clock today, may be read aloud, time permitting, but in any case, we've made part of the final meeting record.

And if there is 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 conduct our role.

Good evening.

Councilmember Chu.

She is joining us remotely this evening, and I believe she is still joining.

Councilmember G present.

Councilmember Howard.

Here, Councilmember Padilla.

Here, Councilmember Sterkin.

Here.

Vice Mayor Aiken.

Here, Mayor Martinez Aballas.

Here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And with that, we'll move to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Councilmember G, can you lead us in the pledge?

Please.

If you would rise and join me in saluting the flag of our country, please.

Thank you, Councilmember.

And with that, we will move to presentations and acknowledgments, starting with a very special presentation, a proclamation recognizing National Immigrant Heritage Month.

Um June is National Immigrant Heritage Month, and it's a special time to acknowledge the cultural diversity as one of the historical characteristics of our country.

And continued immigration has shaped the daily life of our communities, strengthening their multicultural, linguistic, and economic heritage.

So on behalf of the Redwood City Council, I present the following proclamation.

Whereas immigrants in Redwood City serve in every sector of our society as educators, as business owners, healthcare workers, artists, public servants, and neighbors strengthening our city through their talents, their values, and their hard work.

And whereas honoring immigrant heritage means acknowledging both the struggles and the triumphs of those who have sought a better life here, recommitting ourselves to equity, opportunity, and compassion for all.

Whereas Casa Circulo Cultular is a grassroots community-based, multidisciplinary art organization dedicated to creating bilingual arts, cultural, and educational programming, reflective of the experiences of the San Francisco Bay Area Latino communities who have brought extraordinary events to Redwood City, including our Dia de los Niños event that we had just a few weeks ago, performances at Fiesas Patrias, their flagship events downtown that everyone looks forward to in October with the Los Muertos.

And whereas Casa Circolo, together with its dedicated volunteers and families from around the world, have contributed and made a profound and positive impact here in Redwood City, underscoring the value of rich cultural diversity in our communities and our nation.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Elmer Martina Sabayos, Mayor of Redwood City, on behalf of the City Council and the people of Redwood City, do hereby proclaim the month of June 2025 as National Immigrant Heritage Month in Redwood City, and encourage all residents to celebrate immigrant ingenuity and perseverance that strengthens our city and redefines what's possible to drive the country forward toward a more dynamic and inclusive future for all of us.

And with that, it is my pleasure to welcome the founder of Casa Circolo, Veronica Escamas, to the podium to accept this proclamation and to share a few remarks.

Thank you all for being here.

Good evening, Mayor Martinez Ceballos, Council members, and everyone here today.

Thank you so much for this special proclamation on National Immigrant Heritage Month.

It's an honor to accept on behalf of Casa Circulo Cultural and the many immigrant families that work here with us every day.

This month reminds us the significant contribution immigrants have made to this country.

We come with hope, with dreams, and with a deep love for our families.

We work hard, we care deeply, and we bring rich cultures that make our communities stronger and more beautiful.

At Casa Circulo Cultural, we see this every day.

In the laughter of the children's and the music and the stories, and in the pride people feel when they can be seen and hear just what they are.

As an immigrant myself, I understand how challenging can be to begin in a new place, but I also know how strong creative and loving our community are.

In this, I came to this country with hope, like so many others.

And now I stand here grateful because Redwood City welcomes us and celebrate our roots.

Thank you for this recognition.

It gives us a strength to keep on going and remind us that we belong to Redwood City.

Thank you.

Thank you again, Veronica, for all the great programming, the events that you do to help Redwood City and our downtown look so vibrant.

Before we let you go, I'd love for us to get a photo as a council and with any of the GASA volunteers that you brought here today.

Thank you, I think that's a good idea.

Great.

Thank you, everybody.