Measure U Community Advisory Commission Regular Meeting – October 19, 2026

The Measure U Community Advisory Commission met in regular session on Monday, October 19, 2026, from 5:36 p.m. to 7:18 p.m. at Sacramento City Hall, 915 I Street. Nine commissioners were present; Emily Gerofsky, Conner Johnston, and Timothy Smith were absent. Commissioner Paschal led the land acknowledgement and pledge of allegiance. The commission welcomed new Commissioner Sarah Soto-Taylor, approved the consent calendar, heard presentations on Measure U-funded work by the Department of Public Works and the Office of the City Attorney, approved a final report on participatory budgeting implementation grants, and began work on its 2026 Annual Report and 2027 Work Plan.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the June 15, 2026 meeting minutes and the updated Measure U Community Advisory Commission Agenda Log by a 9-0 vote, on a motion by Commissioner McGee and a second by Commissioner Novello; three members were absent.

Welcome New Commissioner

• Commissioner Sarah Soto-Taylor introduced herself as a nearly 30-year resident of Sacramento from South Side Park, a state public service employee for close to 28 years, with experience in health policy, Census 2020 outreach, and culturally appropriate service delivery.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lambert, a District 2 resident and business owner, opposed Measure U funding for the City Attorney's Office, arguing the office would still be supported by the general fund and questioning its benefit to disadvantaged communities. He also alleged Brown Act violations and praised former City Attorney Susanna Wood.
• On participatory budgeting, Lambert described his family's business experience in the pilot, said he had attended many Measure U meetings, alleged that his paperwork was lost, claimed some grant recipients who received funding did not do outreach, and called for investigation. He later called the program "wonderful" and asked why it should not continue.
• On the Annual Report item, Lambert complained that no staff report was provided before public comment, called Measure U "dysfunctional" and "co-opted," alleged that an advantage had been given to the Asian community during the participatory budgeting process and that a commissioner had resigned abruptly, and suggested going directly to the city manager for funding.
• In non-agenda public comment, Lambert presented cheesecake samples from his family's business to Commissioner Sala and repeated concerns about the participatory budgeting process.

Discussion Items

Although the agenda listed the City Attorney item before Public Works, the commission heard from Public Works first and then returned to the City Attorney item.

Department of Public Works Overview

• Jennifer Donlon Wyant, Mobility and Sustainability Division Manager, presented. Public Works has nine operating divisions, more than 780 full-time employees, an operating budget of approximately $238 million, and a capital improvement program of approximately $50 million. Measure U represents less than 2% of the department's operating budget — about $4.3 million — but supports facility improvements, climate work, ADA compliance, and illegal dumping response.
• Illegal dumping: disadvantaged communities make up 30% of Sacramento, but 48% of illegal dumping calls come from those communities. Collected material grew from 2,300 tons to nearly 3,000 tons in the past fiscal year, a 28% increase. Measure U covers disposal costs, while the department absorbs operating, maintenance, and response costs.
• Climate and sustainability: about $531,000 in Measure U funds four staff positions; this seed funding helped secure over $300,000 for trees on Franklin Boulevard, $6.7 million to transition light-duty city vehicles to zero-emission alternatives, and more than $1 million to expand the urban forest, planting 275 trees.
• Facilities and ADA: about $2.5 million supported facility improvements, including fire station repairs and a fire alarm system at the Crocker Art Museum; about $500,000 supported ADA improvements, including a wheelchair lift at Coloma Community Center, parking upgrades at Bell Coolidge Community Center, restroom improvements at Hart Senior Center, and door upgrades at City Hall.
• In response to commissioner questions, staff said illegal dumping is an escalating issue; grant matching is committed only when a grant is awarded; state law requires random bin spot checks for compost compliance; and the facility and ADA investments were one-time allocations rather than ongoing baseline funding.

Office of the City Attorney Overview

• Beau Parkhurst, Senior Deputy City Attorney and lead counsel to the Sacramento Police Department, presented. The Police Advisory and Transactions Team includes two senior deputy city attorneys and one paralegal; Measure U funds the lead attorney and paralegal positions. In fiscal year 2025-26, the team completed more than 1,500 assignments for the Police Department, including public records requests, search-and-seizure advice, use-of-force issues, policy review, and community engagement.
• Funding for the positions originated in a December 7, 2021 city council item (Resolution 21-01351) following increased police transparency mandates. Parkhurst described a personal goal of completing requests within two weeks and said the office is using AI-assisted legal research.
• Commissioner questions explored the role of the office, community engagement, and performance metrics. Commissioner Soto-Taylor encouraged continued community engagement to build trust and inform legal advice. Commissioner Ruiz-Benites asked about the dollar amount and the relationship between Measure U's purpose and defending police records; Parkhurst clarified his work is advisory and not defense of officer misconduct cases.

Participatory Budgeting Pilot Program Final Report

• Staff reported minor updates to the draft report and correction of project information that had not yet been verified. The report covers results of the $1 million participatory budgeting implementation grant pilot. The council member who requested the report is on leave, so there is no immediate deadline.
• Commissioners discussed language changes, including clarifying that the city council, not the commission, chose not to fund another round. Commissioner McGee stressed that community choice and voice were the central impact of participatory budgeting, even if outputs were similar to other grant programs. Chair Georgeoff wanted to finalize the report quickly so it could support future funding advocacy.
• The commission approved the report by a 9-0 vote, with final language edits to be completed by the ad hoc committee and delivered to staff in November; staff will then send the report to the requesting council member and publish it publicly.

2026 Annual Report and 2027 Work Plan

• Staff reviewed the two components: the Annual Report looks back at 2026 accomplishments, while the Work Plan looks ahead to 2027. Staff recommended forming an ad hoc committee and suggested aiming for a January 2027 approval to allow time for council committee scheduling.
• The chair appointed Commissioners Paschal, Miller, and Soto-Taylor to the ad hoc committee for the Annual Report and Work Plan; no formal vote was required.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved 9-0.
• Public Works and City Attorney overviews received and commented on; no formal votes were taken on the presentations.
• Participatory budgeting final report approved 9-0, subject to ad hoc language finalization and public release.
• Ad hoc committee formed for the 2026 Annual Report and 2027 Work Plan.
• No updates were reported from the 2026 Metrics Ad Hoc Committee, and no commissioner comments or ideas were offered.