Sacramento City Council Meeting - April 2, 2024: Swearing-In, Audits on Sexual Assault Kits and Homeless Response
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Sacramento City Council Meeting - April 2, 2024
The Sacramento City Council met on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, at 5:09 PM in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting, which lasted until 7:07 PM, included the swearing-in of Interim District 2 Councilmember Shoun Thao, a recognition of the River District's Public Spaces Team, approval of a consent calendar with 11 items, a public hearing on the renewal of the River District Property and Business Improvement District, and discussions on two city audits: one on the Sacramento Police Department's handling of sexual assault evidence kits and another on the city's homeless response. Councilmembers Eric Guerra and Lisa Kaplan were absent. Mayor Darrell Steinberg departed at 7:03 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Confirmation of 2024 Mayoral Appointments to Council Standing Committees and Regional Authorities, Agencies, and Committees (Resolutions 2024-0091 and 2024-0092).
- Item 2: Rescind Resolution 1987-0322, which provided Water System Development Fee waivers to infill properties (Resolution 2024-0093).
- Item 3: Amendment to Parking Citation Processing Services Agreement with Duncan Solutions, Inc., extending the term up to nine years (Motion 2024-0072).
- Item 4: Renewal of Sacramento Tourism Marketing District No. 2024-01 for a ten-year term, including adoption of an ordinance and resolutions (Resolution 2024-0094, Ordinance 2024-0006, Resolution 2024-0095).
- Item 5: Suspension of competitive bidding for an Energy Reinvestment Program at Department of Utilities facilities (Motion 2024-0073, two-thirds vote required).
- Item 6: Supplemental Agreement No. 4 for the Water Distribution System Flushing Program, not-to-exceed $89,406 (Motion 2024-0074).
- Item 7: Contract with Legacy Ranching for vegetation control via open area grazing, one-year term not-to-exceed $106,275, with potential four-year extension (Motion 2024-0075).
- Item 8: Contract with Elite Service Experts for weed abatement services, one-year term with potential four-year extension, total not-to-exceed $632,687 (Motion 2024-0076).
- Item 9: Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Tetra Tech, Inc. for disaster debris monitoring services, extending term to June 30, 2027, with no cost increase (Motion 2024-0077).
- Item 10: Supplemental Agreement No. 2 with Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. for landfill groundwater analysis, increase of $637,520 for new total of $887,336 (Motion 2024-0078).
- Item 11: Suspension of competitive bidding for student intern services in favor of an RFP process (Motion 2024-0079, two-thirds vote required).
All items passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Consent Calendar: Mac Worthy spoke about sewer system issues, alleging poor engineering and lack of attention to odor problems.
- Item 12 (River District PBID): Ryan Loufrow (President of River District Board) expressed strong support for the district renewal, highlighting the vision for the Green Innovation District and the Alchemist Public Market. Devin Stricker (Executive Director) also voiced overwhelming support from over 200 property owners, noting the area's transformation with 748 existing apartments, 572 under construction, and 3,474 in the pipeline.
- Item 13 (Sexual Assault Kits): Three speakers addressed the council. One speaker advocated for focusing on preventing rape through open carry laws and critiqued abortion. Another speaker argued that pornography is the root cause of increased rape and called for a resolution declaring it a public health disaster. Kate Carpolo, leading an informal group on rape kit issues, commended the auditor's report and police department responsiveness, but urged the city to establish oversight on the outcomes of DNA testing and prosecutions to ensure accountability.
- Item 14 (Homeless Response Audit): Charles Fost suggested including hospital spending data and critiqued the point-in-time count. Mac Worthy criticized the city's spending on homelessness, claiming funds were misused and that the city does not know what it is doing. He also alleged that the government neglect led to the homelessness crisis.
- Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda: Sixteen speakers addressed various topics. Angela Miles (District 2 resident) expressed fear and frustration about an encampment on the bike trail north of I-80, citing potential safety risks and lack of city response. Delbert Azevedo described community efforts to beautify Altos Avenue but requested city assistance with watering. Charles Fost urged the audit to evaluate whether the county is providing adequate services at shelters. Guy Stevenson called for mandatory AA/NA and mental health programs in shelters. Julius complained about council members not paying attention to free speech. Ryan Masano made a speech about Jewish control of media and was ultimately ordered to leave the meeting due to disruption. Other speakers raised issues about shelter providers and the selection process.
Discussion Items
- Item 13: Audit of the Sacramento Police Department’s Property and Evidence Division – Sexual Assault Evidence Kits – Interim City Auditor Farishta Ahrary presented the audit, which found that the department had not previously complied with AB 3118 (audit and reporting of untested kits) and SB 22 (testing of kits received after January 1, 2016). A statistical sample of pre-2016 kits estimated approximately 340 untested kits. Three recommendations were issued, all of which SPD reported as completed, including conducting an audit, reporting to the Attorney General, and establishing ongoing auditing and disposition policies. Police Chief Lester updated that 100% of post-2016 kits have been tested, and of the pre-2016 backlog, 78 kits have been sent to the county crime lab, 55 were adjudicated without testing, and 120 remain untested. The DA's office has agreed to process all remaining kits. Lieutenant Josh Jobson outlined the new process ensuring kits are sent directly to the crime lab. Councilmember Maple requested data on arrest rates for sexual assault and outcomes of adjudicated cases. Mayor Steinberg emphasized the importance of tracking the ultimate results of testing. The motion to approve the audit passed unanimously.
- Item 14: City Auditor’s Preliminary Report on the City’s Homeless Response and Audit Scope Proposal – The auditor presented a preliminary report from February 2024, outlining seven potential audit objectives organized into four topics. After direction from the Budget and Audit Committee, the auditor proposed two audit projects: (1) a review of citywide strategy and coordination, focusing on data integrity and interdepartmental coordination, and (2) an evaluation of homeless service contracts. Councilmember Valenzuela suggested incorporating client interviews and analyzing where people were unhoused before entering city programs. Mayor Steinberg stressed the need to examine inefficiencies in the continuum of care, such as the connection between vouchers, shelters, and permanent housing, and the potential conflict between enforcement and outreach. The motion to approve the preliminary report and proceed with the two audits as proposed passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: All 11 items approved unanimously.
- Item 12: Public hearing held; motion passed (7-0) to approve the proposed assessment, direct the City Clerk to tabulate ballots, and bring the matter back as a consent item on April 9, 2024. The ordinance was passed for publication.
- Item 13: Motion passed (7-0) approving the audit of the Sacramento Police Department’s Property and Evidence Division – Sexual Assault Evidence Kits.
- Item 14: Motion passed (7-0) approving the City Auditor’s Preliminary Report on the City’s Homeless Response and Audit Scope Proposal, authorizing the two proposed audit projects.
- Item 15: Information item on Master Parcel Map Approval of Solons Alley Dwellings received and filed.
- Council Comments: Councilmembers Vang, Jennings, and Maple announced upcoming community events.
- Meeting adjourned at 7:07 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. The Sacramento City Council will please come to order. Would the clerk call the roll to establish a quorum? Thank you. Councilmember Talamantes. Councilmember Venezuela. Here. Council Member Maple. Here. Council Member Jennings. Here. Council Member Vang. Councilmember Kaplan and Garrett will be absent this evening. Mayor Steinburn. I am here. Um I will take the honor of reading the landing. I chose myself. Please rise if you're able for the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands. To the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Maidu Valley, and Plains Me Walk, Patwin Winton peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the act of practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous people's history, contributions, and lives. Thank you, and please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Well, a very good afternoon again to uh my colleagues, to the city staff, most importantly to the public here in the chambers, watching online and on television. We begin tonight, I think with the most special of special presentations. Um they're all special when we recognize uh members and leaders uh in our community, but what a rare occasion to be able to swear in a new colleague, yes, on an interim basis, but um you're gonna have every bit as strong a vote as any other member up here for the eight and a half months uh that you serve, selected unanimously uh last week by this city council, and so we would like to begin by welcoming council member designee uh Sean Tao, and would like to invite you and your family up for the string of before they do that though. I also want to welcome another uh uh leader in our chambers, too. Actually, there's everyone's a leader, but former councilmember Alan Warren and his wife Gina Warren, who's a uh both who are leaders uh in the North Sacramento and District 2 communities, and I know uh Sean, you have uh many members of your family here. So the city clerk is going to swear you in. Um, and then uh we will welcome you to this dais, and we'll take a few minutes uh to welcome you from your colleagues, and then you will give your hour long state of the district two speech. Not really, we will welcome you. Come on up, please. What's that? And yes, uh, do you want you want to bring to bring up your family too? Proud mom and dad, Mr. Ms. Tau, come on, and the entire family. Who or whoever you want, Sean. Whoever you want. This is the best eat on the side. We're gonna this is all about the picture here. It is all about the picture. Okay. Come over to district eight, so that's you. Yeah, just the best. There you go. There you go. Okay, council member. You'll raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name.
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