Okay.

Call this meeting in order.

Please call the roll.

City Clerk.

Thank you.

Councilmember Kaplan.

Councilmember Dickinson.

Vice Mayor Talamantes.

Here.

Councilmember Plekibahn.

Councilmember Maples.

Here.

Mayor Pro Tem Guerra.

Councilmember Jennings.

Here.

Councilmember Vang.

Here.

And Mayor McCready.

Here.

You have a quorum.

Thank you.

Mayor Pro Tem Guerra, can you please lead us in the pledge and land acknowledgement?

Thank you, Mayor.

Please rise for the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and

tribal lands.

To the original people of this land, the Nisanan people, the Southern Maidu and Valley Plains

Miwok, the Putwin and Winton people 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 together today in the active practice

of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples' history, contribution,

and lives.

Please face the flag.

Salute.

Pledge.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which

it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Madam City Attorney, do you have a report out from closed session?

Mayor and Councilman, closed session to discuss labor negotiations and there's nothing to report

at this time.

Thank you.

So, Mayor, we move on to special presentations and you have the first one.

I do.

I'd like to bring up some representatives from the Sacramento Eritrean community.

Can you come on up here?

And as you start walking up, this is a vibrant community in Sacramento, from the Tomas and

all across the Sacramento area.

It's a place that not a lot of people know about, near Ethiopia, that we all of course know

that, but you're not Ethiopian, you're Eritrean.

That's right.

And we wanted to recognize you today and recognize the Eritrean Independence Day.

And thank you for your community services and engaging the community about your unique

culture.

I know you invited us out to Natomas Park a few months ago and just wanted to make sure

we had a chance to invite you to our City Hall during this month when we recognize your

Independence Day.

Thank you.

Yes.

You may address the council.

Please proceed.

Greetings, Mayor McCarty and City Council members.

My name is Luam Girmaynaizgi and I'm a young adult of our Eritrean community.

I come from two Eritrean parents with a younger brother and many Eritrean aunts and uncles,

biological and symbolic.

I am also a student at UC Davis, studying economics and policy, aspiring to one day work at the legislative

level, improving societal issues, shaping policies, and working to promote equity for the general public.

My goal is to create stepping stones for the future generation to utilize and take inspiration from.

From my community, I have learned leadership, character building, compassion, and inclusivity.

The qualities that have shaped me into the person I am today.

I have been guided by the opportunities my Eritrean community and family have paid for me to discover and create for myself.

And so, from the community and culture that have uplifted me from my earliest days, I give my thanks to you, Mayor McCarty, for our recognition.

Eritrea, while being a small country on the horn of Africa, is rich in culture, life, and resilience.

Our Independence Day signifies struggle and the ability to overcome.

And hearing the stories of my elders fills me with gratitude for the opportunities I have here in California.

This has also guided my aspirations, which is why I hope to create a lasting impact within my community through government and policy.

I look forward to the leadership and impact of this administration.

And in the not so distant future, I look forward to building relationships with our City Council members and getting to know you as well, Mayor McCarty.

Thank you again.

Thank you.

Well done.

Awesome.

How do you follow that?

Good afternoon again, Mayor Kevin McCarty and City Council members and all honored guests.

My name is Johannes and I'm honored to stand before you today here as a proud Eritrean, a member of this vibrant community here in Sacramento.

First, on behalf of our community, I want to thank you, Mayor, for this meaningful recognition.

We also congratulate you on your recent victory on the election.

We were proud of that.

We look forward to your leadership and partnership.

So, Eritrean Independence Day is not just a celebration.

It's a powerful symbol of resilience.

It marks the 30 years, the end of the 30 years struggle, a hard fought victory that restored Eritrea's sovereignty and dignity.

The timing of this recognition particularly is very meaningful because this week Eritreans around the world are commemorating Martyrs Day.

So, we honor the men and women who gave their lives for the free Eritrea.

These days carry the weight of memory, struggle, and triumph.

So, this could not come at a better day.

So, now, 34 years Eritrea continues to shine despite challenge.

Our people move forward with dignity, deep cultural roots, and unwavering spirit.

Eritrea meets strides in healthcare and education so much so that the UN recently recognized Eritrea as one of the few countries to achieve Millennium Development Goals in health.

Yes, youth literacy also rates as one of the highest in Africa as you may see.

For us, independence is about identity, hope, and the responsibility to build a better future in the country and abroad.

So, I conclude with this.

Here in the greater Sacramento area, Eritrea brings resilience, diverse cultures, strong work ethics, and contribute meaningfully in education, business, and workforce.

So, we are proud to call Sacramento our home and look forward to building stronger ties with you, Mayor McCarthy, and the City Council members.

So, as we grow together as neighbors and fellow citizens.

So, thank you again for honoring our story.

God bless Eritrea and God bless the United States of America.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If you could come up.

Oh, one more speaker?

I have one more to say.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you so much for inviting us today.

I remember when you were running for the mayors.

We came at North Thomas Park.

You promised us we're going to sponsor for our flag.

Every year we come here to raise the flag.

But because of the duty of the COVID, we never had a chance.

We came to you.

You promised us you're going to do that to us.

And then what I came here is thank you for inviting us today and taking your time.

And then we hope you're going to help us raise the flag during our Independence Day.

That's all I can say.

I just add a little bit of thank you.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If we could have you all come up.

We'll do a picture right here.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Atlas trast yeah.

Thank you.

What we do.

Where would they develop ice, oh okay.

You look strong spook in there..

Oh all.

Thank you.

We got to all squeeze in like we like each other.

Yes.

Did I have everyone here, please?

Oh, sorry.

I'll wait for the flag.

Sorry.

Here?

Oh, never mind.

Flipping.

Okay.

Okay.

Three, two, one.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And cities have recognized Refugee Day across the globe.

And Sacramento is no stranger to Refugee Day.

As we know, for more than four decades, we've been welcoming refugees since the fall of Saigon, Vietnam in 1975 to the 1980s with Cambodia and Central American refugees to the 90s with Russia.

And then the last 10 years, certainly with Iraq, Afghanistan and what we see here today.

And Sacramento is one of the top destinations for welcoming refugees with some incredible refugee resettlement orgs, which are here today.

And this is a community that's stood up time and time again.

And, you know, these are interesting times in our country.

And we always stand with refugees.

And this year, maybe even more so, it's important to recognize our diverse community and recognize World Refugee Day.

So, Council Member Guerra and Vang also wanted to share a few words as well.

Great.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yes.

You know, World Refugee Day was started in 2001 after the 50th anniversary of the 1951 convention on the status of refugees.

And as the mayor mentioned, this year actually marks the 50th anniversary of when our Vietnamese refugees came to Sacramento.

And now we have a very vibrant little Saigon of which we had a great celebration today.

Also, I think an important fact is in 1983, during the conflict in El Salvador and Guatemala, we recognized the need to support our refugees.

And that was the first time the city took a very vocal action in supporting our refugees through resolution and support of those issues.

And most recently, when we passed our fuel network and our policies and updating our resolutions, we created this service to help support refugees, asylees, and immigrants.

And because of that, we've been able to help and support our Afghan refugees that came in most recently in that effort.

But we have had a long, rich history of refugees coming here, becoming part of our community.

And we welcome them.

And we will continue to welcome them and support them on their journey as they pursue an opportunity for them and their families.

And I'm excited to support, again, the resolution on World Refugee Day.

Thank you.

Council Member Vang.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thank you, Mayor Pro Tem.

You know, we have more than over 100 million refugees, actually, around the world that have been forced to flee their homes because of war and persecution.

And as a daughter of Hmong refugees myself, I do want to say thank you to the mayor and the city for recognizing World Refugee Day, because it's really important that we honor their strength and their courage and their resilience.

And at the same time, while we are celebrating World Refugee Day, I also want to hold space for the trauma that still continues to exist for many of these communities.

In particular, yesterday, I was actually on a call with the Field Network and with several local organizations serving the refugee community to discuss ways that we actually can strengthen the Field Network,

given the arrests and kidnappings of ICE that we're seeing, not just for undocumented individuals, but actually refugees as well.

Like, just two weeks ago, there was actually a Hmong refugee in North Sacramento that was taken in an unmarked vehicle.

And I think it's important that while we celebrate World Refugee Day, we also acknowledge the harm and the trauma that continues to exist in these communities.

And I also just want to share, I know this is a moment of celebration, but it's also a moment of education.

That last month alone, there was over 160 deportation of Southeast Asian refugees.

And those are numbers that often you don't see in the media, but that is happening in our refugee communities here in the United States.

And so, yes, refugees are our neighbors, our coworkers, our classmates.

They're members of our community.

We celebrate them.

We celebrate their contribution.

And at the same time, we want to acknowledge that many of them also continue to live in fear.

Their stories, their histories is filled with hope and deep pain as well.

But at the same time, dignity and really determination to rebuild their lives here.

And as you heard from the mayor, you know, we've been a city that welcomed refugees for many years and will continue to do that.

And so, really just want to thank mayor for his leadership for bringing this resolution forth.

Thank you.

And I believe we have some representatives here today.

Good afternoon, Mayor McCarty, Mayor Proctorum Guerra, Council Member One, and Council Members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today on behalf of Sacramento Region Refugee Coalition.

We are grateful for ongoing support of refugee and immigrant communities, especially in time of fear and uncertainty.

My name is Olya.

I came to U.S. alone in 2022 as a refugee from Zaporizhia, Ukraine, the region that is mostly occupied by Russia right now.

I'm the first in my family to immigrate.

And arriving to Sacramento was one of the most terrifying and uncertain times of my life.

I didn't know how to access basic things and where to begin.

One moment I'll never forget was my first day in U.S.

Simply seeing children playing in the park.

After months of war and fear, it had felt like the world had stopped.

But in that moment, I realized life still exists and it goes on.

Thankfully, I was connected to Parasolka, a church-based nonprofit.

They guided me step by step, helping me apply for Social Security card, getting medical assistance, food assistance.

Without their support, I would have been completely lost.

Since then, I've seen Sacramento grow as a place of welcome.

City agencies, nonprofits, and volunteers have come together and built a system of support.

That spirit inspired me to give back and to serve others in our community.

Today, around 60,000 Ukrainians call this region home.

Families with children, skilled workers, community members who want to contribute but still face deep uncertainty.

During World Refugee Month, I want to thank you for showing that Sacramento is a city of compassion and strength.

And with gratitude, I ask you to continue supporting programs that assist refugees in housing, employment, and legal services.

And thank you for your recent support of programs like Fuel Network.

Also, support communities' activities that build cultural understanding and inclusion.

And advocate for policies that provide a clear and passionate path to permanent residency.

This is what makes Sacramento strong.

A city that rises together.

Thank you for making this place a home, not just for me, but for thousands of Ukrainians.

And now, I'd like to introduce my colleague from IRC, Moulalai Safi.

Thank you, Olga.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, City Council members, and honorable guests.

On behalf of the Sacramento Region Refugee Coalition, I want to express our deep gratitude for this recognition and your ongoing support for refugee communities.

My name is Moulalai, and I came to the United States in 2018.

My journey here was not a choice made lightly or easily.

It was a matter of survival.

My husband and I supported U.S. mission in Afghanistan.

Because of that, we were targeted by extremist group.

They tried to silence us simply for believing in peace, for standing alongside our American allies.

I almost lost my husband in an ambush that had been set for him on the way to the Oresgan province.

He survived, but it was a clear message for us that we cannot be there, and we had to leave.

Leaving my country, my parents, my family, and the beautiful life that I have built for me, it was heartbreaking.

And I cried the entire journey when I was coming here to the United States.

But when I reached, or we reached as a family in Sacramento, something beautiful happened.

We were welcomed.

We were welcomed by the neighbors, by people here, by, on that time, resettlement agencies helped us a lot.

And by the city leaders like you, we were welcomed and we were happy.

Today, I have rebuilt my life.

My children are safe.

And I am proud to call Sacramento my home.

Sacramento is not just the place that I live.

I am fully committed to its success, its growth, and its future.

We are here today to declare June as a refugee heritage man.

As someone who represents thousands of Afghan refugees, I want to say thank you all.

This recognition doesn't just honor our stories, but it empowers us to continue to contribute more in this city.

Let me assure you from where I stand in the heart of my community and refugees.

Refugees are giving everything they have, from professional rules to the most labor-intensive jobs, to build a stronger city.

So we are here not as burdens, but as an asset.

So to the leaders and policy makers who support refugee communities, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Your efforts are not forgotten.

Your compassion has changed lives, mine included.

Please keep going.

Please keep speaking up and supporting us.

We all need your support, now more than ever.

Together, we will continue building a Sacramento that shines not just for some, but for all.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for being the voice and the services behind refugees.

And for those people who don't know, these individuals come here, they get a little bit of help from the government through your organizations.

And then, within 90 days, they're on their feet and they're thriving all across our community.

There has been some threats and some changes on some of the federal support for these programs.

But thank you for leading the way for these communities.

Thanks.

Want to come down for a picture?

You guys want to come down there?

No.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks, everyone.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Thanks.

Hi.

Thanks.

Hi.

Hi.

If there's someone to come in, she is a notice of, like, of some of the girl.

Can I give you one phone to take a second photo of it?

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Three, two, one.

And then I'm going to switch it up.

And three, two, one.

Thank you all.

And please clean your phones.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

Moving along to consent calendar.

Is there any members that would like to comment on any items?

Councilmember Kaplan?

Item four.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Would you like to comment on consent calendar?

Nope.

Good.

Okay.

Sounds good.

And city clerk, there's no speakers for sign up to speak?

That's correct.

I have no speakers on the consent calendar.

Okay.

Councilmember Kaplan.

Thank you.

So, I just want to call attention to consent item four, which is the city unarmed uniform security guard services from Universal Protection Service or Allied Universal.

While they do provide unarmed security guards at 32 sites in the city.

I think it's called out in the city.

I think it's called out in the city.

I think it's called out in the time when we're facing a budget deficit that this contract we're entering into is for $42 million over five years or approximately 8.5 annually.

But it is also a $14.5 million increase over our previous contract in 2020.

I know there's reasons for that.

I know there's reasons for that.

But I think it's also important that we should potentially take a moment, step back, and where do we really need our unarmed security guards?

Where are cameras or AI that might come into place?

Where is over time?

I know this went through a competitive process and it was all legally done.

But I am just calling out if this was something we could find a half a million dollar savings a year.

That also helps make a dent to the $60 million deficit we have facing us amongst other things of what do we really need?

So I'm going to be looking at this for accountability in what we're being provided at all of our 32 sites.

And is this really needed?

Okay.

Thank you so much.

And I just have gotten a lot of questions about the zoo since they are no longer moving to Elk Grove and they're staying here in Sacramento.

So I just want to call attention to anybody that's watching this about the zoo.

Item number 23 is about it.

So that's about it.

Move consent, Madam Chair.

I'll second.

Okay.

We have a motion and a second.

Everybody in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Abstentions?

Noes?

McCarty is missing.

Okay.

Moving along to public hearings.

Item number 24, fiscal year business improvement, annual proceedings.

Good afternoon, Vice Mayor and members of the City Council.

I am Suzanne Tan with the Finance Department.

The item before you is the annual proceedings for the BIAs.

As required, each of the BIAs has prepared and submitted an annual report for the upcoming...

Suzanne, can you please pause for a second?

If you're exiting the chambers, please, we have business to conduct.

Do you want to wait a moment for the doors to close?

Do you want to wait a moment for the doors to close?

Okay.

You may proceed.

The annual report specifies the expenditures for the various programs, assessment rates,

and the types of programs the assessments will be used for.

There are no changes to the BIA boundaries or the method of levying the assessments.

That concludes my overview of the item.

Staff is available if you have any questions.

And, Clerk, is there any speakers signed up to speak for this item?

I have no speakers on this agenda item.

Okay.

Seeing none, Council Member Maple.

I will open and close public hearing.

You move the item.

Wonderful.

And Council Member Dickinson was the second.

Sorry, Rick.

All right.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Abstentions?

Noes.

And for the record, Eric Guerra and McCarty.

I know who I am.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

And then item number 25, citywide landscaping and lighting assessment district fiscal year.

Good afternoon, Mayor and City Council members.

I'm Mary Jean Rodriguez with the Finance Department.

The item before you is the public hearing for the citywide landscaping and lighting assessment district annual proceedings.

Annual assessments are levied in this district to finance the maintenance of city parks and other public landscape areas,

street tree maintenance, graffiti abatement, as well as the energy and maintenance costs of streetlights throughout the city.

The staff's recommendation is to conduct a public hearing and upon conclusion, adopt the resolution before you.

This resolution will confirm the budget and the levy the assessment for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26.

Thank you.

And I'm available to answer any question you may have.

Thank you.

One public comment.

I have one speaker, Daniel Patowski.

What's your guess?

Good afternoon, Honorable Mayor, City Council members, City Manager and City Clerk, Dan Piskowski.

I'm a 34-year Sacramento resident.

I was a Sacramento City Arborist from 1990 to 2020.

What I'm asking today is on behalf of the Sacramento residents.

So back in 1996, when they voted to continue this landscaping and lighting assessment, it was called Measure O,

the public would ask me, well, what are we getting if I don't have a city tree in front of my house?

Yes.

Well, what we promised was the tree in front, in your front lawn, was called a private street tree, that we would look at it.

We would plant a new tree if you needed one.

If it was blocking a street light, we would prune it.

We provide emergency service.

Well, over the years, these services have been discontinued, and it was the promises we made.

Now, on tree planting, I know that costs money, but there's a tree replacement planting fund now where the developers mitigate.

And so this one project at 707 Commons Drive just dropped in $132,000.

So I know there's funding to do the tree planting.

And this would just be in the front yard street tree because we have the Tree Foundation, and they do all the other tree planting.

The other thing is clearing street lights.

The street lights are so tall that you have to hire a tree company with an aerial tower.

And some of these people in these less affluent neighborhoods, it's going to cost you $400 or $500 to get a company out there just to set up the tower.

And for the city to do it, it's not that much work.

I mean, they could meld it into some of their other things because you're not pruning the whole tree.

You're just pulling up there, get up in the tower, make a few cuts, clear the street light, and go on.

And so I'm just asking if you could look at having urban forestry, number one, plant trees in the front yard, street trees, and number two, clear the street lights.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Mayor, I have no more speakers.

Thank you.

Council Member Dickinson.

Thanks, Mayor.

I just had a question or two, which are whether or not the money in the Lighting Landscape District goes, as far as lighting is concerned,

only to replacing existing lighting that goes out for one reason or another,

or is the funding also available to install new lighting?

I believe so.

Street lighting.

Yeah, I believe so.

However, the Department of Public Works is actually the control over the funding for the citywide.

Looks like Matt might be there.

Thanks.

Good afternoon, Mayor McCarty, members of the City Council, Matt Arman, Director of Public Works.

Lighting and landscaping is typically paid for to keep up the current infrastructure.

Yeah.

And any new infrastructure is usually done through development projects, through a development agreement with the developers.

Well, I'm really thinking of existing neighborhoods, Matt, where, for example,

there are a number of neighborhoods in North Sacramento that have abysmal street lighting.

And so I was just curious.

I mean, I know if it's safety lighting, sometimes you can go to SMUD and they'll put in lighting.

But can this money, number one, be used for adding lighting as opposed to just replacing existing lighting that goes out for some reason as a starter?

Is that allowed under this?

Yeah, I think the challenge here is each light could be anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000.

A new one to install?

Yeah.

You mean?

To install.

Yeah.

And then currently we don't have enough funding currently to take care of our infrastructure right now.

So the priority is to keep up with the infrastructure that we have.

I understand.

And then maybe it's not within the scope of the lighting and landscaping district,

but thinking about how we could add lighting.

Ryan's got, okay, an addendum.

Good afternoon, Mayor of City Council.

No, L&L is not eligible for new street lighting.

It's not eligible?

It is not eligible.

For new lighting?

That's correct.

Oh, okay.

All right.

So, I mean, that answers that question.

And then I, you know, I just would like to think about,

and there are lots of infrastructure needs we have, obviously,

but whether we could find a mechanism, and, of course, funding is the, it's only money.

Without question.

It's a huge need, especially in District 2.

Yeah.

L&L, we used to pay the power bill, but not for new infrastructure.

Yeah.

I don't know if there's a mechanism by which we could install new or additional lighting, street lighting,

but you guys are brilliant and creative, and maybe you'll give that a little thought as I will,

because, you know, we have some neighborhoods that are just, they're dark,

and their problem isn't too much lighting, losing the stars.

There are problems, any street lighting at all.

So, I'm trying to think about ways that we can add some lighting in those neighborhoods.

Quickly, D2, for sure.

Yeah.

Okay.

Thanks.

Okay.

Thank you.

Mike?

Thanks.

I just wanted to just share that the Racial Equity Committee did have a conversation about the lighting and landscape,

and just, you know, we know the policy is written the way it is,

but just to acknowledge that the way it is set up, very similar to just questions that was raised by Council Member Dickinson,

is oftentimes these dollars are used to maintain the current infrastructure in place.

And while that sounds really great, it actually does, you know, further our inequities in our city,

because we see that in North Sacramento or South Sacramento, we don't have tree canopy, we don't have lighting.

And so, if the dollars are only to maintain current infrastructure, we will never see those dollars in our underserved communities.

And so, I just wanted to acknowledge that.

That was a conversation we did have the Racial Equity Committee,

and perhaps taking a look at this policy again for future consideration,

but just wanted to name that, that we have a policy in front of us that inherently actually continues the inequities in our city.

So, thank you.

Thank you.

I'll make a motion to open and close the public hearing.

Okay.

Motion by Council Member Kaplan to open and close the public hearing,

second by Council Member Maple.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any no's or abstentions?

Say none.

No, adopt the resolution too.

Eight.

Eight.

Okay.

As noted.

Eight.

Zero.

Council Member Guerra absent.

Thank you, Mayor.

We move to the discussion calendar.

Item number 26, the amendment to Sacramento City Code, Section 8.48, relating to illegal fireworks.

Two-thirds vote is required on this item.

In lieu of pass for publication, we will publish this ordinance in its entirety.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council.

My name is Jason Lee.

I'm the Fire Marshal for the Sacramento Fire Department.

Today, I'm providing an update on the proposed amendments to the local fireworks code.

I'd like to begin by expressing my gratitude to Council Member Kaplan and Council Member Jennings

for their efforts in bringing these important fireworks code updates.

As we approach the 4th of July, it's imperative that we remain diligent in reducing the fire

risks throughout our community.

Our last update to this code was back in 2021, when the Council adopted the Social Host Ordinance,

allowing officers to issue citations by mail to property owners who permit illegal fireworks

on their property, just by a visual verification from one of the officers when we patrol during

the 4th of July operational period.

Last year, 55 citations were issued during the week leading up to and included in the 4th of July,

tolling $100,000 in fines.

In May, the fireworks ordinance updates passed the Law and Alleged Committee.

Here's an infograph that we sent to Council shortly after the 4th of July last year.

It kind of gives you an overview of the fireworks citations and also fireworks that were seized

by the task force last year.

Here's a summary of the proposed changes.

First, updated penalties for the possession, manufacture, and sale of and use of dangerous fireworks to $10,000,

as well as the use of any fireworks within city parks, parkways, schools, or critical infrastructure

will now be $10,000 per violation.

Modifying the permitted hours of use, display, or discharge of safety and fireworks.

This change will reduce the hours allowed from 11 p.m. down to 10 p.m.

So basically from 10 p.m. to 9 in the morning, no fireworks will be allowed to be used.

Also, updating the section on host liability to make responsible parties liable for violations.

While removing the provision requiring hosts to have knowledge or knowingly allow violations

that occur on the property.

Basically, we're removing the part of that section where the host has to know that the actual violation occurred

at the property.

So basically, it's going to just a strict liability.

And updating the section regarding failure to pay, response costs, and administrative penalties,

providing the city with more options to seek payments from individuals who have not paid their citations.

We have created an extensive outreach system for fireworks enforcement campaign, including social media posts,

press conferences.

Currently, we have two scheduled.

One's a regional press conference that is going to be held on July 1st.

And that's going to be regional within the Sacramento area, plus also with the California State Fire Marshal's Office.

We also have a second local press conference within the city of our Fire Station 10, which will be on the 2nd of July.

And also, information sheets are reviewed annually by the fire department, and participation in stakeholder meetings.

This also involves collaboration with groups like Residents Against Illegal Fireworks, which sends monthly newsletters to neighborhood associations.

I've been attending their meetings rarely for the last four years since we started our updated campaign.

And I've worked very closely with this organization, and also with our partners in the fireworks industry, and throughout our community.

I also would like to thank our city attorney, Gary Lindsay, for all his work that he's done on this ordinance, too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

At this point, I can answer any questions.

Thank you very much for your time.

Public comment on this?

Yes, Mary, I have five speakers on this.

First is Red Baines, Lynn Lindsay, Dennis Revel, and then Leslie Thomas.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Thank you for bringing this urgent piece of legislation to, or rule, to save this July the 4th.

And I live in North Natomas currently, and I go down to the Arena Bridge that overgoes I-5.

And that's a good place to usually see the fireworks show over off the river.

But what I found out last year was the amount of illegal fireworks that were being fired over the whole city.

When you look south, there was never a moment that the sky was dark.

There was fireworks going off.

And it's just so hard to imagine with insurance companies canceling our insurance as it is right now to have this dangerous fireworks going out there that can cause so much damage, which it also did in North Natomas to one of our schools.

Anyway, thank you very much for listening and putting this on an urgent track.

We really need it.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

Lynn Lindsey.

And then I think I forgot.

Denise Ross-Francon.

Lynn Lindsey.

Lynn Lindsey.

Lynn Lindsey.

Good afternoon, Mayor and members of the City Council.

My name is Lynn Lindsey.

I live in North Natomas, Council District 1.

And I'm here to voice my support for these proposed amendments for increased penalties and enforcement to create a stronger deterrent to the use of illegal fireworks in the city.

There is growing concern about the safety hazards associated with illegal fireworks.

We all know that the risk of urban fires is increasing and illegal fireworks are responsible for many of those fires each year.

We saw this firsthand when Natomas Middle School caught fire from illegal fireworks last year, July 4th.

We need enhanced deterrents and we need to give our police and fire departments the tools to enforce fireworks laws.

The County of Sacramento and other jurisdictions have increased penalties for illegal fireworks and the city should be consistent in its laws.

This proposal, increasing penalties and enforcement to crack down on illegal fireworks, possession and use, and adding a curfew,

will significantly reduce fires, property damage and serious injuries, disruptions to neighborhoods, sensitive politicians and populations,

frighten pets and reduce environmental impacts.

So I respectfully urge your aye vote when this comes up.

And thank you for bringing this forward.

Thank you for your comment.

Dennis Riffel.

And then I have Leslie Thomas and Denise Ross-Fancombe.

Good afternoon, Mayor McCarty and Council Members.

Dennis Riffel, President of Riffel Communications, appearing on behalf of our client, T&T Fireworks.

T&T Fireworks and its more than 200 community nonprofit retail partners who serve Sacramento neighborhoods

and rely on the seasonal sales to fund vital programs for youth, seniors, veterans, and vulnerable families throughout the city fully support this ordinance.

First, I want to sincerely echo Fire Marshal Lee's comments and thank Council Members Kaplan and Jenny for their leadership on this ordinance,

as well as the full law and legislation committee for their unanimous and thoughtful support.

This ordinance strikes the right balance, strengthening enforcement, aligning the city's code with Sacramento counties,

and ensuring clarity for residents who legally purchase state Fire Marshal-approved fireworks.

We fully support these amendments and we appreciate your ongoing collaboration with Fire Marshal Lee,

who continues to be a statewide leader in developing effective enforcement, public education, and community engagement strategies on fireworks safety.

That said, as significant as these local efforts are,

we cannot lose sight of where the core of the illegal fireworks problems lie,

and that is outside Sacramento's jurisdiction.

Until California cuts off the supply chain feeding this problem from Nevada,

local agencies across the state will remain forced to manage the symptoms but not the source.

We once again respectfully urge that Governor Newsom authorize the state Fire Marshal

and California Attorney General to work directly with Nevada's governor, fire, and law enforcement officials

to establish a California-Nevada illegal fireworks task force

and pursue an interstate agreement that will finally begin to control the flow of illegal fireworks across our shared border.

Without addressing the cross-border supply, we will continue to...

Thank you for your comments. Your time is complete.

Our next speaker is Leslie, then Denise.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor and City Council members.

My name is Leslie Thomas, and I'm the Assistant Pastor of Abundant Life Assemblies located in District 5.

I've overseen the fireworks fundraiser through TNT Fireworks for over a decade.

We're in South Sacramento, and our goal is to reach as many as possible with the life-saving message of Jesus Christ.

Part of the way we fulfill this mission is using funds that come from our fireworks fundraiser.

We've used these for many outreaches and programs, such as our Back to School Sunday,

where we provide hundreds of backpacks and thousands of dollars of school supplies to inner-city families every year for many years.

In addition to serving the community, we've also been able to keep our church going.

We're a small congregation with no denominational support and giving has decreased.

What we receive through our fireworks fundraiser has assisted us with many projects.

For example, last year we spent over $22,000 to repair our sidewalk after the city notified us this would be required.

Without these funds as some financial safety net, it would have really hurt our organization and, in turn, our community.

This is our only major fundraiser.

For these reasons, I urge you to adopt this ordinance.

I appreciate your leadership in keeping us safe as you promote responsible, enforceable, and balanced fireworks regulation.

I don't have to tell you we have an illegal fireworks problem in our city.

I assure you that what we sell are TNT safe and sane fireworks, and they are not the problem in Sacramento.

What we sell is approved by California and important in the celebration of our amazing country.

Many illegal fireworks come from out of state.

I ask you to please urge Governor Newsom and authorize the California State Fire Marshal and Attorney General to engage with Nevada officials

and form a California-Nevada Illegal Fireworks Task Force

and begin negotiations toward Interstate Compact to restrict cross-border transport of illegal fireworks into California.

Thank you.

I pray God blesses you all.

Thank you for your comments.

Denise Ross-Fencombe.

And Denise is our final speaker on this item.

Denise Ross-Fencombe.

Denise Ross-Fencombe.

Hello.

I'm Denise Ross-Fencombe.

I cannot understand how anyone would want fireworks over the lives and safety for children and everyone in our family and everyone everywhere.

I hate those things every time they go off.

So thank you so much for taking it seriously and getting to it quickly.

That will be great.

Thank you very much.

Mayor, I have no more speakers on this item.

That's it.

Thank you.

We'll start with Council Member Kaplan.

Thank you, Mayor.

I really want to thank our fire chief, our fire marshal, Gary Lindsay in the city attorney's office, Dennis Revell working with us to address to make sure that as we look at updating our fire ordinance, one, the county did a thorough job last year.

Two, to address this because it does look like a war zone every year.

We have to have that level of consistency.

But more importantly, I want the message to be not only about the safety of our city, but remember to support all the nonprofits that run fire booths and use this as a source of fundraising from our small nonprofits, our communities, and our schools.

That is a major source of fundraising, and I'm all about celebrating.

But I've got to tell you, it really scared me and why I asked to push this quickly, which I am glad in the partnership with Council Member Jennings is we saw what happened in L.A.

Sacramento was dry.

I live in North Natomas next to a very dry field that a lot of people set off illegal fireworks in.

And we get the wind that comes through at night through both these rivers, and what happened in L.A. could happen in parts of our city.

And that is just unimaginable to me.

And that's not me saying that without data to back it up.

Over the 4th of July weekend, the fire department last year responded to 430 emergency calls, of which just that alone last year was a 56% increase compared to 2023.

And 111 of those calls were related to fires.

Houses were burned.

I saw Natomas Middle School's roof caught on fire.

One of our city parks in North Lake had significant damage that had just opened that required city resources to redo and upgrade.

We know as a region, Sacramento County 911 calls were up 45%.

This is not a little issue.

You just have to look on any major TV network and see the war zone of illegal fireworks.

And that's what this is really addressing, is if we, as a local jurisdiction, can't control what comes in out of state, what we can say is, one, we really encourage you to support legal, safe, and sane.

But two, if you're going to go the illegal route, we are now maximizing the tools that our police, fire, and code enforcement have as a resource to address illegal fireworks.

This really is, you don't want to be subject to a $10,000 fine.

Just don't release illegal fireworks.

It's plain and simple, and I know I've heard some comments on the curfew.

The curfew just makes us consistent with Sacramento County.

I think as a region on something like this, we should be consistent.

But for our firefighters, for our families, for our community, I just felt that this was something we had to get on the books to really discourage the illegal use of fireworks.

And I would hope that you will all join me in supporting this.

But thank you, everyone.

Okay.

Thank you.

Council Member Jennings.

Thank you.

I, too, will join my colleague in asking for your support for this important matter.

We know what the problem is.

We know what we have to do.

We know what consequences can be if we don't move quickly.

And, unfortunately, even as fast as we move, there's so much more work that has to be done in order to get our community partners working with us to make sure they get the word out as to the new ordinance that we're putting in place.

So that they don't get caught by not knowing about what's going on.

But the education piece of letting them know what's legal and what's not legal and the new timelines that we have in place.

And so I really want to put some effort into an educational campaign that will go from this time this year till the same time next year where we've got one full year of educating the public on what they need to do to help become a part of the solution of making our city safer and not become an L.A.

and a Pasadena and all those cities that were burnt down as a result of the fire.

So I want to thank the fire department for all their great work.

Two years ago, and I'll tell this on myself because it's only me up here.

Two years ago, I chased every single firework in South Sacramento to try to find what the source of where the fireworks were coming from so I could then report it and get some kind of enforcement to get them knocked down.

I spent seven hours chasing fireworks trying to find the source and I never was able to do it.

And so I can imagine just identifying the issues of where they're coming from is going to be a big problem.

But this fine, I think, and the change in curfew and the timing is going to be a big assets as far as helping us to change what we've seen happen for us.

So thank you all for your work on this.

Thank you, Council Member Dickinson.

Thanks, Mayor.

I want to start by thanking my colleagues, Council Member Kaplan and Council Member Jennings, for championing this issue.

I will only say you beat me to it because I wouldn't have been far behind you on this.

I can't tell you how many times as I walked neighborhoods in North Sacramento people told me about the illegal fireworks that they were the victims of.

And a number of cases described or even pointed out houses that had been burned as a result of illegal fireworks setting off a fire.

So it is a significant issue and it is not ephemeral.

It is real and it is widespread.

So I think this is a great proposal and it conforms to the county too, which makes it a little bit easier.

I did have a question and this might be a Pete Coletto question actually, Chief.

Section, I've got to get it back.

So it's 8.

Hang on one second.

8.48.180, which speaks to the violations and the penalties and in C3, says that the Department of Finance can go to small claims court or use any other means of essentially of enforcement.

And I just wanted to confirm that that includes filing a lien on homes where violations have been recorded.

Is that within the scope?

Yeah, I believe we can.

But I'll confirm that for you.

But I believe so, yes.

Okay.

Thanks, Pete.

I know that's a...

Gary could probably answer that.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Yes, Council Member.

Gary Lindsay, General Counsel for Fire.

That is correct, but it would be following the judgment.

So it wouldn't be out of the gate.

It would need a judgment from the court.

Okay.

Because I know that there are other jurisdictions using that as an enforcement technique.

So I just wanted to make sure it was an arrow in the quiver under this ordinance as well.

So thank you for that confirmation.

I also think that, you know, speaking to what Council Member Jennings was describing and trying to chase down people who were lighting off illegal fireworks,

that this and some other jurisdictions have used this as well, notably Elk Grove, I understand.

This is a, it seems to me, a great, great opportunity for the use of drones.

And so, and I know you've done some experiments along with the police department,

but this seems to me to be an ideal application of drones to identify those who are lighting off illegal fireworks.

So I just want to raise that and underscore that because identification is a huge challenge.

And it's very hard to chase people down using human resources on the street.

So I hope that's something that we might employ.

The other thing that I think is crucial, and Council Member Jennings spoke to it, is the educational aspect.

So I hope we'll do as much as we can to let people know about this ordinance and about the consequences if they use illegal fireworks.

Finally, finally, I heard as I talked to people about where illegal fireworks come from.

It was Nevada and it was Mexico, where most often cited to me by people as the sources.

And it seems to me consistent with what Mr. Revell mentioned, we might consider, Mayor, penning a letter to the governor and to the state fire marshal to ask that the state take on this issue with respect to jurisdictions and states and other jurisdictions outside the state of California.

So that's a thought.

You ride it, I'll sign it with you.

I'm happy to sit there.

I said if you ride it, I will sign it with you.

I'll be happy to ride it.

It might fall under our law and leds jurisdiction so that comes from the city.

Yeah, yeah.

But we're on it.

However we want to do it, procedurally, I'm all in.

And with that, I'm happy to support the item.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Council Member Vang.

Thanks, Mayor.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the fire chief.

I thank Jason as well and Councilwoman Kaplan and Council Member Jennings for bringing this item to council.

The ordinance in front of us is a tool to address the illegal fireworks.

But I just wanted to share on record in terms of just my position.

You know, I most likely will be supporting this because I see it as a tool to address the illegal fireworks.

But I just want to share on record that I believe all fireworks are actually hazardous and can cause injury.

You know, I know that there are cities and counties throughout the state that have banned fireworks.

And I would love for the city of Sacramento and the Sacramento County to follow that.

But I know that is not on the table for discussion.

Today is really about the ordinance and making sure that we have a tool to address the illegal piece.

But what I will say, illegal or legal, it's just bad for air quality overall.

And it's just unnecessary source of air pollution.

And it does compromise air quality and public health.

And I think it's important as policymakers.

Yes, we're creating an ordinance to have a tool to address illegal fireworks.

But illegal or legal, we know it's bad for air quality.

And the other piece is also it re-traumatizes our veterans who live in the city and also our dogs.

Right.

And we already know that there's an increased call for fire.

Councilwoman Kaplan just shared the stats earlier.

And we also know that thousands of folks are injured every single year across our country,

especially children and bystanders from legal and illegal fireworks.

So I just wanted to name that as well.

And I also acknowledge that many CBOs and churches and even churches that I attend

utilize legal fireworks as a form of income to bring dollars into their organization.

And I have to also urge that we have to figure out another way to seek funding opportunities

when we know the outcome is actually bad air quality and just overall bad for our environment.

And so I will be supporting this ordinance because it is a tool for the city of Sacramento

to address the illegal fireworks.

But I do believe that a larger conversation with Sac County must be had to really talk about fireworks

overall in this county.

Because a conversation I had with Mayor Pro Tem Guerra is that even if the city of Sacramento

bans fireworks, legal and illegal fireworks, someone can just go across the street to another

city and buy the fireworks.

And so I do think that it needs to be a county-wide conversation because overall fireworks is bad

for our air quality.

But with that, I'll be supporting this because it is a tool in our toolbox.

But it is a larger conversation that must be had.

Thank you.

Thank you, Council Member, Vice Mayor Talamantes.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'll also be supporting this because it is a tool and we do have to be consistent with the

county.

But I do feel like it doesn't go far enough.

And I don't think it actually accomplishes something for this year because the drones are

not included in this policy package.

So I was understanding they weren't.

So can I have the fire and maybe fire chief or police chief please come up and explain to

me because my staff got a briefing and they said that the drones would not be included this

year.

So the drones are not specifically called out, but they're a tool that we can use for identification

regardless.

They don't have to be called out specific in the ordinance for us to use them.

So we can work with the police department.

The fire department does not have its own drones at this time, but that's something that we

could seek to look to purchase in the next fiscal year.

Okay.

So I see the chief here.

So can you please explain to me how fire and police are going to work together to be able

to use drones to be able to identify who is using the fireworks at what house?

So let me address first.

Like we have other technology that we use too.

We have the NALM app that helps us every year.

It helps us like Mr. Jennings was speaking to focus in on a neighborhood that has a high

use.

And then with the staffing that we do have, if you're talking about 24 engines and 10 trucks

and then our fire prevention bureau, that's still, when you have thousands of fireworks

going up in the air all at once, you have to focus on certain areas and certain neighborhoods

that have that high utilization.

And I'll let Chief Lester speak to you how we can work together with the drones that we

do have and their air one.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'll touch briefly on drones.

I'm not the expert.

I'll just say that right off the bat.

But we actually worked together on a pilot with drone as a first responder.

And we used the building, the old Engine 20 right there on Arden Way.

And there are a couple of challenges, right?

We have a different system than Elk Grove.

I know we had talked about Elk Grove has a great system.

They also have some additional waivers.

And they're really leading, I think, the industry for our region in the use of drones.

And so we work with them very closely.

I also, we've typically used our drones to respond to calls for service, not necessarily enforcement.

So I would want to, for sure, dig into the details, especially because our pilot in the

north area really encompassed areas of Del Paso Heights.

And we worked with fire to respond to calls, try and bring our response times down.

We do have some restricted airspace conditions with McClellan and then also with Executive

Airport.

And if we were to use it as an enforcement tool, per se, I would want to make sure that

we did that citywide and, you know, we were equitable in our use of that.

But we can certainly look into what that looks like.

You know, I'm a very big proponent of technology and the use of drones.

And we've come a very long way in just the last five years.

So we can research that and see how that would look and what we would need to do.

So when we adopt this ordinance today, we are authorizing for drones to be used to go

and see where the fireworks are being lit so that we can find those households.

You could authorize it, but I don't know that I have the ability to implement it before the

4th of July, to be clear.

Okay.

I can work on it, though.

I mean, we will work together and look and see what that looks like.

But I think you have to have a thoughtful plan in the use of that technology.

Okay.

Thank you.

And, yeah, and the reason why I ask this is because, like, two weeks ago, three weeks

ago, I had fireworks going off in my neighborhood from, like, 9 p.m. to midnight.

And I was just like, please stop.

And it was trying to be crazy.

And I know we – I know people started calling 911 and calling our non-emergency police line.

I know it's a fire responsibility, but then fire also capacity issues.

I mean, we're already short staffed and we have a lot of fire stations that, you know, are not in operation.

So how does the fire department hope to use these fees to supplement and, like, to help

continue the program and help with the operations of it?

I think the fees would help us build the program to what we're talking about today.

In the past, we've had different citywide budget strategies that allowed us to have money

building up to the 4th of July and work on enforcement.

But we have a contraband issue in the state.

It comes across state lines.

It comes through ports.

And what I've been talking about is the illegal fireworks.

In the past, we had large fireworks shows at Cal Expo.

We had fireworks shows in Old Sacramento.

That helps draw people to a safe fireworks show, and they don't do it in their backyard.

The safe and sane fireworks.

We do promote the safe and sane fireworks.

And I know that there's an issue with air quality when it comes to the fireworks used citywide.

Again, that's why we support those large professional fireworks shows.

It allows people to go someplace and see a safe professional fireworks show.

For us, we want to deter people from using any illegal fireworks.

And I'll remind everybody, just because I have a public forum right now, that when we are after 10 p.m. at night, and we've talked about this, even the safe and sane fireworks are not legal.

So that becomes an enforcement issue for us then after 10 p.m. as well.

So how do we take the money and move it into a program?

It's going to take more than the money we collect in one 4th of July to build a program.

But it's working with the police department.

It's working with our county partners to build a program.

And it takes a whole task force countywide to enforce it in Sacramento County.

The counties around us, Placer and El Dorado, they have ‑‑ they're illegal.

And people follow the rules in those counties.

There's a lot of illegal fireworks that come into our city.

And there's just not enough of us to enforce on it.

But the technology does help us.

And that's where we would be putting the money is into technology.

Okay.

That helps us.

That's great to hear because I do feel like people in my community, we do a lot of education.

And we've been doing it already this last month.

And people are calling into the city of Sacramento.

And then we're just not responding quick enough.

And then people get frustrated because they're doing exactly as we tell them to do.

And so we just need to make sure that we have our ducks in a row and that we're able to respond and have all the tools that we need.

And to be able to purchase all the tools that we need to actually do enforcement and be able to ticket people.

And I do agree that we need safe places for people.

And I think that, you know, as a city of Sacramento, I know we're in a budget crisis.

But, you know, some kids can't afford to go to Lake Tahoe or Truckee or go away on vacation to a beautiful place.

And so they take matters into their own hands.

And I bet if you did an overlay of our low-income communities with where the fireworks are coming from, it probably becomes an equity issue too.

And that's something for us as a city of Sacramento to, like, start thinking what can we do to provide families with a safe place to go enjoy fireworks to celebrate Fourth of July because we all love it.

Fourth of July.

But we do need to think creatively as a city to be able to address that and give people a place to go.

I think something else I want people to think about and hear me say, I said it on the news earlier today, that shooting off an illegal firework can have an unintended consequence of a felony for someone.

Once it hits a house, starts a house on fire, you're looking at the crime of arson.

And we do investigate every arson fire in the city.

And that has huge consequences for the person that's using an illegal firework.

I spoke about it today with Channel 3.

It's important to me that our community knows how dangerous the illegal fireworks are and what the consequences could be far-reaching a $10,000 fine.

Yeah, definitely.

And like Council Member Vang said, I mean, it's terrible for our quality.

And maybe we've got to be stricter and do more enforcement on this and figure out how we address this problem.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Back to Council Member Davidson.

Yeah, thank you.

I just want to amplify on something that Council Member Telemonte said.

This is, we naturally gravitate to thinking about July 4th as this being an issue.

This is, at least in the part of the city that I represent, this is not just a July 4th issue.

This is a year-round issue.

This is a, absolutely, this is a year-round issue and it peaks July 4th.

It peaks New Year's Eve.

But, you know, I listened to illegal fireworks going off last night in somewhere within earshot of my home.

So, you know, I think that obviously it's a challenge to try to enforce on New Year's Eve with so much going on.

But when we're thinking about these instances which are not associated, they're just part of the fabric of what goes on.

Maybe that leads us to people who are also violating ordinances on July 4th.

But I hope we'll be very aggressive with the use of technology.

And I understand the limitations and what you're going through in that regard.

But I think that's the best answer.

But it does become much more feasible, it seems to me, to enforce when we're not in the middle of an avalanche of fire.

If you can use avalanche appropriately, of fireworks.

So, I just want to make sure we're thinking about this as a year-round issue, not just a holiday issue.

Thanks.

So, we do address it in the days leading up to, but year-round it's a staffing issue, too.

So, we would have to work with council on that to address a year-round response to illegal fireworks in the city.

We hope to end the need for that year-round response to illegal fireworks.

But there is a task force that works in every community in Sacramento, the five days leading up to and then after the 4th of July.

We hope to get to where we don't need that.

And that's our goal.

So, I appreciate what you said.

I appreciate all the efforts.

It's just, you know, our thinking is focused on the holidays and the periods of time around that.

And it's not a holiday issue solely.

That's my point, really.

Yeah.

Appreciate it.

Thanks, Chief.

Okay.

We're getting close.

I just want to thank everybody on this.

But also to point out, while we're talking about this for the 4th of July, these new rules and regulations are year-round.

So, at any point and at any time, and, you know, for me, the automatic 10,000 for our parks and our schools and our public right-of-ways, I think, is something that should be highlighted at any time if you want to use our public resources and shoot off illegal fireworks.

That's what's really in jeopardy.

I think we see the explosion on the 4th of July.

Sometimes we see it on New Year's.

But I think that, you know, this is another resource for our fire chief, our police chief, city and county to work together on how do we address this.

Because I agree, Councilmember Dickinson, I hear year-round from my community.

And I hear it in mind that this isn't just a 4th of July issue, but another way that we can give tools to our public safety individuals to try and make our community safer.

So, with that, like a legislature, I'll close and ask for your aye vote.

Oh, actually, I'll move it.

I'm going to move it.

You can move it.

I'm not going to add much.

I do just want to note that I want to acknowledge the Law and Ledge Committee because when this first ID came up, I was intrigued by it.

But we had to focus on not shutting down some of our legal operators here because really it's about the illegal operators, not just from Nevada, but buying them online, internationally.

So that's the real issue.

So, with that, I'm in support.

We have a motion and a second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Unanimous.

Absent.

Councilmember Guerra.

Mayor, we now move to item 27, which is an updated homeless response audit scope proposal.

Okay.

All right.

Just waiting for the slides to come up.

All right.

Good afternoon, Mayor McCarty and members of the City Council.

My name is Frishter Arari.

I'm the City Auditor.

The recommendation before you is to review and approve the City Auditor's updated homeless response audit scope proposal,

which will provide our office with the direction on the scope of our upcoming second audit of the City's homeless response.

We have completed our first audit of the City's homeless response related to the City Motel program.

The objective of this audit was through evaluation of the program to determine the usefulness of existing metrics related to City operations

in demonstrating the service provided to persons experiencing homelessness and in informing better service delivery.

In addition, we evaluate gaps in achieving an outcomes-based homeless data system.

As I mentioned, this audit is completed and is going to be presented to the full City Council next Tuesday, June 24th.

As we wrap up this audit, I want to ensure that we have our direction for the next homeless response audit.

As a background, in April 2024, the City Council approved an initial audit scope proposal for the City's homeless response

that outlined the next couple of audits our office was to conduct.

Since then, there's been turnover on the Council and some have expressed new and evolving concerns regarding the City's homeless response strategies.

So in response to these discussions and to ensure that the audit work aligns with this Council priorities,

I'm bringing forward an updated homeless response audit scope proposal to redefine the scope and objectives of our remaining audit work.

The central question, the second audit aims to answer is which types of shelters provide the best value for money

and the strongest outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.

Specifically, we'll be looking at the different shelters the City operates,

such as emergency shelters, navigation centers, and congregate shelter options.

And our objectives will include several key pieces.

First, we'll classify all city-funded shelter types to get a clear picture of what's out there,

including reviewing the types of populations served in each shelter.

Second, we'll analyze how much each shelter model costs on a per-bed or per-client basis.

And third, we'll look at how effectively each type is at helping people exit homelessness

and move into permanent housing by reviewing data in HMIS, the Homeless Management Information System.

And finally, we'll identify practices that are linked to better outcomes

and offer recommendations to improve the system.

To do the work, the audit will review contracts, budgets, and financial records.

We'll conduct interviews with City staff, service providers, and participants.

And we'll analyze shelter entry, exit, and housing data from HMIS.

And we'll also benchmark against best practices and peer cities to see how Sacramento compares.

The updated proposal was reviewed and approved by the Budget and Audit Committee in May.

And we're looking to get approval from the full City Council prior to our audit initiation.

The team will begin detailed fieldwork and analysis soon with the goal of producing findings

that can inform policy and funding decisions.

Ultimately, this audit is designed to help the city determine which investments in shelters

are achieving the greatest impact

and how we can strengthen the overall homeless response system,

especially in terms of cost effectiveness and service delivery.

This concludes my presentation, and I'm available to answer any questions you may have.

Okay.

Thank you.

We have public comments.

I have no public comment on this item.

Okay.

First up, Council Member Napel.

Council Member Napel.

Thank you, Mayor.

And thank you, Madam City Auditor, for all your work on this.

I know I've probably said this a million times now,

but I recognize that this is a very big issue.

It's actually a collection of issues.

People like to assign one word.

It's called homelessness.

But it really is, there's many people,

for as many people there are on the streets and experiencing homelessness,

there's that many reasons for how they got there

and the help that they need to get out of it.

And so it's a very complex issue.

And so I also really appreciate that we're breaking this down into pieces.

It's the only way we're going to be able to do it

and wrap our minds around it.

So I just want to thank you for also evolving with the new council

and updating this.

I think we're asking the right questions here

with this new and updated audit,

which is, you know, how do we get the best outcomes?

I think that's what everybody wants to see in Sacramento.

I think that's what we want to see on this dais,

is how do we create a system that actually moves people

out of their situations and into something better

as quickly as possible with as little impact to them

and the community as possible.

I guess one of the biggest questions I have is whether or not,

as a part of the new audit that's going to be coming forward,

if you're also evaluating the good neighbor policies

that come along with some of these shelters as well

and whether or not those are being implemented.

We can look into that as part of the audit

because we will be doing some background research

on how the shelters are set up and how they're working.

So we can include some of that in our review as well.

I have to say, I think that that's probably one of the more vital things

that you can do because the good neighbor policies that I believe we have,

I know we have it for sure on the X Street Navigation Center

as well as Meadow View,

but I believe also for the other shelter types that we have in the city

is essentially our agreement with the community about what this means,

what our obligations are,

and what they can expect from us.

And I can just tell you that I know that it's been a challenge to do those.

And I think that we need to be taking a look holistically

at not just what's working,

how do these programs work,

how are we moving people through,

is it happening effectively,

is it cost effective,

but also are we upholding our end of the agreement?

And if not,

if we're not able to adhere to our own good neighbor policies,

why not?

I think that's a very important question to ask,

and so I don't know if my colleagues would support me on that,

but I think it's vitally important

because it's been a huge challenge for me in my district

and at the X Street shelter in particular.

If you go by there on any day of the week,

you'll see that what we've agreed to

and that policy is not being adhered to.

We have camping,

we have drug use and sales,

we have a constant.

My office fields hundreds of calls a month about that,

and so I just want to make sure

that I'm doing what I've committed to the community

and that if we're not,

we're taking a look at that

and figuring out what we can do,

and so I hope that that can be a part of that as well.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you.

I just want to also note that...

Oh, first.

Oh, Vice Mayor Tolomantis.

I just want to second

Council Member Maple's suggestion

on the good neighbor policy

and support that.

Yes, and third, of course,

to that issue.

But big picture,

as Council Member Maple noted,

this is the issue du jour,

no matter where we go,

and there's no simple solutions.

It's economic,

it's addiction, mental health,

but it's also places for people to go

that are camped out,

literally,

feet from here

after 9 p.m. at night,

which we hope to address in the near future.

But, you know,

we had a big workshop

a few weeks ago with DCR.

Mr. Pedro outlined some strategies

to get a bigger bang for our buck

on our expenditures

because we have limited money

based upon our budget,

what's happening over there

with the potential change

with the HAP funding,

so we need to just be more nimble.

And so this is extremely important,

so I think I just want to repeat

what you said,

is focusing on the value

for our taxpayer money

for these programs

and focus on the outcomes.

You know,

some cost the same

and some have problems,

like, for example,

the Navigation Center on X Street,

and they only have a 30% success rate

and other programs have a 50%,

and we should think about making adjustments.

So this is extremely important

for how we address homelessness in Sacramento,

so thank you for adjusting this work plan

and look forward to their final product.

Thank you.

Yeah, absolutely.

Council Member Vang.

Thanks, Mayor.

I'll just keep it short.

Just really wanted to thank our city attorney

for providing the scope of work.

I think the only question I have is,

what is the timeline?

When do we expect for you to come back?

Yeah, so, I mean,

performance audits in the standards

that we're required to adhere to

to get the sufficient appropriate evidence.

Did I say city attorney?

I meant city, yeah.

That's okay.

City auditor.

Okay.

Yeah, just the timeline.

I want to know,

because I think a lot of constituents

are wondering,

when are you going to audit the homeless services,

the shelter,

and so I want to make sure

we provide an accurate timeline on this audit.

Yeah, so, I mean,

our last audit

that we're going to be presenting next week

took about a year.

That's typical of how long

our performance audit takes.

It does change a little bit now

with our Measure L work

that we have to do

where we basically kind of shift gears

for the whole office

for about two, three months

to focus on that

and make sure we're, you know,

complying with our charter mandate for that.

So, yeah,

it'll probably take about a year or so.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Thank you, just for clarification.

You made some direction,

but can you change that to a motion as well?

Can I move this with my direction?

Yes.

We have a second by Council Member Vang.

Yeah, sounds great.

Okay, we have a second.

We have a motion to second.

All those in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

Any no's or abstentions?

Hearing none,

Council Member Guerra is absent.

Thank you.

Next item.

May I remove to Council?

May I remove to Council comments,

ideas, questions,

AB123 reports?

I did.

Thank you.

Council Member Vang.

Thank you.

City Clerk.

Thank you so much.

Just a few announcements.

Want to let you all know

that there is a funding opportunity

for the City of Sacramento.

An email went out yesterday

from our city,

from the Sacramento Police Department

and the Office of Violence Prevention

seeking qualified CBOs

to serve as subcontractors

to enhance public safety,

violence prevention,

and intervention

through the CalVIP,

that's the California

Violence Intervention Prevention Program.

There is a mandatory in-person session

happening on Monday,

June 23rd

from 10.30 to 12 o'clock

at 5770 Freeport Boulevard

and just wanted to provide

that update to the community.

I have requested

for an additional

in-person or virtual meeting schedule

given that this information

was just provided yesterday.

So I wanted to provide that

to the public.

If you are a CBO

doing violence prevention,

violence interruption,

and are interested,

please definitely attend

that mandatory in-person.

We're hoping we'll have

a follow-up virtual meeting

schedule for that as well.

And then wanted to

just let the community know

that I serve

on the SETA governing board.

Thank you, Mayor,

for appointing me to that board

and Mayor Pro Tem.

SETA is looking for

our passionate public representative

to join the SETA board.

You could be a business,

part of a business,

organization, labor, higher ed,

a city council member

in incorporated cities.

But I would love to see

someone from labor

and business and education

sitting on the SETA board.

So I wanted to just share

that information.

You can learn more

by visiting the SETA website.

And then just wanted to announce

our City Management Academy

deadline is June 18th,

which is literally tomorrow.

So really encouraging

district 8 residents

in particular,

but all public residents

to join this 10-week course.

And then announcement

for events happening

in our district.

Delta Shores Community Festival

is kicking off this summer.

That event is happening

this Saturday

from 11 to 2 o'clock

between the movie theaters

and Panera Bread.

So swing by for that.

And then on Wednesday,

June 25th,

which is next week,

SACRT is having

a transit idea exchange workshop

happening at the

Pinell Community Center.

So please make sure

if you're available

from 6 to 7.30,

swing by for that.

And then lastly,

next Saturday,

June 28th,

from 10 to 12 o'clock,

breakfast will be provided,

is our annual

State of District 8.

And this year's theme

is We Got Us,

The Power of Community,

and inviting all my colleagues

and the public

to join us for that.

Those are my announcements.

Yes, great announcements.

I just want to note

on your first thing

that's amazing

that we have the opportunity

to apply for the

CalVIP expansion programs.

I think this is,

is it the funding

through the,

through the,

mentioned there,

the AB28 measure?

Yes, it's through the,

it's through the state.

Did you have a role

in that, Mayor?

Yes, I want to make

an announcement though.

But I will say

that the start,

the person who launched

this idea

was a very young,

young assembly member

named Roger Dickinson.

Oh.

He started this idea

and it went down in flames.

And then 10 years later,

assembly member Jesse Gabriel

and I worked on this measure.

Essentially taxes,

ammunition,

and gun sales in California.

That's great.

And it's going to create

over $100 million statewide

to fund programs like this.

And so we want to make sure

Sacramento is first in line.

Yeah, I think,

I think that's great.

And it's,

it's,

it's good news.

And it's,

it's good news.

It's good news.

And it's,

it's bad news.

Because the good news is that,

you know,

not every city can apply for this.

And the city of Sacramento

is in the position for applying.

The bad news is that,

the reason why we qualify

is because we have high gun violence

in our city,

unfortunately.

So,

but really encouraging community

to come to the mandatory session

on Monday

and learn more about it.

And thank you,

Roger,

Council Member Roger Dickinson

and the mayor

for your leadership on this.

Thank you.

Council member Maple.

All right.

Thank you, Mayor.

Appreciate it.

Just a couple of announcements.

First of all,

I want to thank Council Member Vang

for that announcement.

I want to tag on

that I think that's a very important component.

I do hope and wish that we can apply for CalVIP

and use those funds

to reduce gun violence in our city,

especially youth violence.

Join us this Sunday at 11 a.m.,

11 to three at Two Rivers Cider,

located at 4311 Ottawa Avenue

for Hollywood Park Summer Fest.

It's a fun activity-filled afternoon

where you can bring your kids,

bring family, your dogs,

have some food,

have some ciders

or non-alcoholic beverages

and meet your neighbors.

So that'll be a lot of fun.

Again, that's from 11 to three this Sunday.

I'm sorry, that's a Saturday.

Because I was looking at my next event,

which is Sunday's best.

Located,

so the first one is on Saturday.

Sorry about that.

Second one is on Sunday.

That's this coming Sunday.

It's Faith, Justice, Mercy, Health and Peace Walk,

starting at 1.30 p.m.,

going all the way until five.

There's lots of activities,

including a gospel choir and a march.

And so I hope you can join us at the State Capitol,

where I think there'll be many speakers.

And that's it.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Council Member Dickinson.

Well, thanks.

You know, that young, young Assembly Member

just apparently didn't have the skills

to get this legislation through at the time.

So congratulations actually go to you

and Assembly Member Gabriel.

So we got lots of things going on,

but I've narrowed it down.

So on Thursday, as in tomorrow,

or excuse me, no, Tuesday.

I'm ahead of myself.

This Thursday, the 18th, from 10 to 2,

we have a union job fair,

which is being sponsored by the Central Labor Council,

the State Department of Employment Development.

The Ring of Democracy in my office,

it's going to be at SETA,

which is 925 Del Paso Boulevard, Suite 100.

So for those who are interested in jobs,

that's a great place to be.

That is the best place to be.

10 to 2, Thursday.

Saturday, we have, of course,

the annual Juneteenth Festival at Williamland Park.

This is always a terrific gathering.

It runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

with a host of entertainers.

There are always every kind of booth and table

you can think of for any kind of service.

There's food.

There's children's activities.

It is a great way to recognize and celebrate Juneteenth.

And that is Saturday, coming up the 21st.

Also on the 21st,

Oak Park and Del Paso Heights are hitting the diamond

and playing each other in a game.

We've denominated Peace at the Plate.

That's at 2 p.m. at Doc Oliver Field,

which is also in Land Park.

So you can get to the Juneteenth celebration.

You can go over and watch the baseball game.

You can just spend your whole day in Land Park

and have a great, great time.

So I hope that everybody will enjoy the day

and mark the day, recognize the day,

and have a great time.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Council Member Kaplan.

Thank you, Mayor.

Tomorrow, it's food trucks at Westlake Park.

Come on out.

This Saturday is, once again,

our one Natomas Farmer's Market.

So come on out to North Natomas Regional Park

from 8.30 to 12.30.

But in reality, I need you to clear your calendars.

Friday the 27th and Saturday the 28th.

I know everyone can't wait for,

it is our first movie,

An Aquatic Night,

Friday, June 27th.

We are hosting it at the Aquatic Center.

The movie is Trolls Band Together.

So get your wigs out after you dry off

from being in the pool.

But activities begin at 7 p.m.

and the movie starts at dusk.

And then on the 28th,

after you've recovered,

it is our one Natomas night market

that's going to be from 5 to 9 p.m.

at the regional park

where there's going to be food,

interactive art installations,

local performances, giveaways,

DJs, fun, and a lot more.

So come out and join us.

Thank you.

Council Member Talamantes.

This Thursday we're celebrating Juneteenth

at the South Natomas Community Center.

And I'm partnering with Trustee Erica Harden

from Natomas Unified

and Christine Jefferson from Twin Rivers.

And one of my community leaders

named Jason Dillard

is putting together a kickball tournament

on the side with the Divine Nine.

And the Divine Nine are the people

that established the ethnic Greeks

for all the universities

across the United States of America.

And I was part of a sorority

called Lambda Theta Nu

where we partnered with Delta Sigma Theta

to march with machetes and stroll

and everything that we do in college.

And so when he told me

that he was getting the Divine Nine together

to do something fun in the community,

my heart just went ecstatic

because if you don't know about ethnic Greeks,

you should learn the history of it.

Lots of people and lots of presidents

and leaders in the United States history

were part of it.

And so I'm just really excited

for the kickball tournament

and for people to hang out

and listen to some music

and eat some food.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just very quickly.

Trucks and such in the District 7

is going to happen on June the 20th.

You should put that on your calendar.

It starts from 5 p.m.

and goes to 8 p.m.

at Garsha Bend Park.

We encourage you to bring your chairs,

your blankets, family and friends

and join us in delicious food

and incredible family atmosphere.

And then on December,

I'm sorry, District 7,

4th of July parade,

we want you to get ready

to wave those flags and celebrate.

We will have our parade,

which is just around the corner.

We're gearing up for epic celebration.

Registration is now open

and spots are filling up fast.

If you've got a classic car,

you better get it in quick.

If you're not interested

in participating in the parade,

no problem.

Join us for a day filled

with patriotic floats

and endless fun for the whole family.

Parade starts at 10 a.m. sharp

on July 4th.

And more information,

contact my office for that.

And then we have a golf challenge

against the city versus the county.

Yes, we do.

We have that on Friday,

the 9th, the 20th of June.

And it's going to take place

at Williamland Park.

And anybody who wants to come out there

and root the city on,

feel free to come out.

It will start at 830 in the morning

and the first foursomes will go out.

So if you want to come out there

and support us,

we'd love to have you.

It's going to be city versus the county.

And we are not leaving

until we take the championship home.

And we've won for the past two years,

right, Coach?

Absolutely.

Let's take it home third time.

That's my story

and I'm sticking to it.

Okay.

Mayor, anybody else?

No, we're good.

I know we have an adjournment memory.

So you're on, Council Member.

Thank you.

I'll do that.

Many of you may remember or know.

Do we have public?

No public comment.

Go ahead.

Okay.

Yes.

Many of you may remember or know

or have heard of Richard Nelson,

who was a mentor, a father, a husband.

He loved his family, his kids, his grandchildren.

He owned Nelson's bookstores

that were out at the airport

and ended up having like four different bookstores

throughout the entire city of Sacramento.

If you don't know him from that era,

you may know him when he worked at Bank of America.

You may know him when he worked

for the California Department of Housing

and Community Development.

You may know him when he co-founded

the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce.

You may know him when he worked

on the Sacramento City Planning Commission

here in Sacramento.

You may know him as a trailblazer

or a black-owned business owner.

Anyway, he was a man, again,

who loved his family and his kids

and his grandkids big time,

and he had prioritized family over anything else.

We lost Richard.

We had services for him today at St. Paul Church.

And the thing I loved about Richard

was he turned tragedy into triumph.

Back in 2010,

he was devastated by the tragic death of his daughter.

A young woman caught in the crossfire

at a shootout in the Southside barbershop.

She died shielding her son,

and her son was only two years old.

But he turned that pain into purpose,

and he co-founded a mentoring program called HAWK,

which still exists today and is running

and very effective in taking young men

and giving them purpose

and helping them to understand

their opportunity to create a legacy

like he has done.

And so it's really been a very effective program.

I strongly support it.

So the last thing I'll say about him,

in case anybody else wants to speak

about their interaction with him,

please feel free to do so.

But what I know about him

was he was a change agent.

He was a game changer.

He was a difference maker.

He knew how to leave his legacy,

and he established a legacy for others to follow

and pick up and follow.

And so we lost a champion today.

And I was glad, on behalf of the entire council,

to present him and his family

with a resolution on our behalf.

If you'd like to get a copy of that resolution,

we'll make sure that you get one.

And please reach out to his family

if you have the opportunity.

All of his grandkids were there.

All of his kids were there.

And most of the time in his services

were taken up,

them talking about how much they loved

and respected him.

Okay?

I'm closing this meeting out

in honor of Richard Bernard Nelson.

Yes, I think Mr. Dickinson

would like to add on.

Thank you, Mayor.

It's with a real sense of sadness

to mark Rich's passing.

And we had paths that crossed a number of times

over the course of the years.

Rich went to Berkeley High School,

and I went to El Cerrito High School, rivals.

At the same time,

we actually played against each other.

Berkeley was a lot better than we were.

And Rich was part of some very good basketball teams.

And one of his teammates was Phil Chenier,

who I played with at Cal

and who went on to become an NBA All-Star

before back issues shortened his career.

But it wasn't until a number of years later

that Rich and I once again ran across each other

here in Sacramento

and played on the same team in the Open League

for a number of years in other leagues.

So we had that connection through basketball.

But as Council Member Jennings mentioned,

Rich also ran the bookstore at Sacramento Metro

and then International Airport for a number of years.

And since the airport was in the district

I represented as a supervisor,

I got to know Rich for his business acumen

and worked very closely with him

in his endeavors at the airport

and his other business ventures

that Council Member Jennings mentioned.

And there was no one of greater character than Rich.

And there was no one more devoted to his family

than he was.

What happened in 2010 certainly was both tragic

and devastating to him personally.

And it was a hard time, a very hard time for him

and a long time to recover.

But he did in the way that you mentioned,

Council Member Jennings.

He cared a great deal about this community

as well as his family.

He wanted the very best for everybody

who lived and worked here.

And he was always looking at what he could do

to contribute to making it better.

I can't think of someone I've run across

who was a more upstanding person than Rich Nelson.

And I will personally very much miss him.

Thank you, Council Members.

I just wanted to add that I haven't seen him

for several years,

but I remembered him fondly,

his leadership with the Sacramento Black Chamber.

He was distinguished,

the state servant,

served under two governors,

I think housing and community development.

I knew him from his business

at the airport with Nelson's books,

a small business before he was bought out

by the big national companies

and the bookstores.

And I remember the great tragedy

when his daughter was shot and killed

down there in Little Saigon.

And you mentioned this,

my vein, just a few moments ago.

We applied for these gun violence intervention programs

and this was him.

And he co-founded the Hawk Institute,

working with young African-American males predominantly,

trying to make sure they had an opportunity for success

and ones that weren't succeeding,

helping to bring them back on their right course.

So he passed away a few weeks ago

at the age of 75,

75 good years.

He's still taken away too young,

but we want to adjourn this hearing

in memory of Richard Nelson.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.