OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sacramento City Council Meeting Summary – July 21, 2026

Other — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodySacramento, California
SessionOther
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:05:18

Transcript — Verbatim
0:58

Call the meeting to order.

1:01

If we can have everyone their seat, please.

1:04

We're about to start.

1:07

Okay.

1:07

Thank you so much.

1:08

Good afternoon.

1:09

This meeting is being streamed live on YouTube with audio and captioning in English and Spanish.

1:14

Captions and translated audio are generated using artificial intelligence and may contain some errors.

1:22

Call the war.

1:23

Yes, please.

1:24

Member Kaplan?

1:25

Councilmember Dickinson?

1:27

Vice Mayor Talamantes?

1:29

Councilmember Plucky Baum?

1:31

Member Maple?

1:32

Councilmember Jennings.

1:33

Oops, I skipped.

1:35

Oh, fortuitously.

1:36

I skipped Mayor Pro Tim Guerra.

1:38

Councilmember Jennings is here, Councilmember Vane.

1:41

And Mayor McCarthy.

1:44

Councilmember Maple, Celeus in the pledge and land acknowledgement.

1:49

Please rise if you are able.

1:53

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

1:58

So the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Mayview, Bali and Plains Miwok, Putinwinchin peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe.

2:08

May we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's Indigenous Peoples history, contributions, and lives remain standing.

2:24

Salute and pledge.

2:25

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

2:32

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

2:49

Okay.

2:51

Do we have a closed session report?

2:54

Okay, thank you.

2:56

First item.

3:08

Thank you.

3:09

Cheryl, where are you?

3:12

Oh, you have to come up because I want you and everybody to see the praise that we get to uh heap on you for your 31 years of service to the city of Sacramento.

3:29

Um thank you.

3:30

31 years is not something you see uh with employees, they bounce around, but what you've been able to give to the city of Sacramento, um, beginning in 1995.

3:43

What is it?

3:44

Associate civil engineer for the environmental and regulatory compliance section.

3:50

And from there with your Department of Utility leadership, what you've been doing for water planning and infrastructure projects, for stormwall water quality improvement programs for oversight in our engineering, and even serving as an interim director in our utilities department.

4:10

Umestly, you uh people don't see it and don't understand the impact that Department of Utilities has and what you've been able to do with our water and our water quality and keeping everything safe as we look can truly not be understated for giving over 31 years of your life to the city and and a true sign of leadership is when someone values investing in others, and it really needs to be highlighted because throughout every stage of your career, you have embody the spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and consistently striving to uplift lift those on your team and creating a supportive work environment.

5:00

There is so much praise that my office has heard from every step of the way who's ever had the opportunity and the chance to work with you.

5:10

Um I mean I got a lot.

5:15

You know, but I think it just really needs to be said that uh our city is great because of our employees.

5:24

And not often do you get recognized for all the work that you've done, but 31 years, it's been a pleasure.

5:31

Um and I always know that you have an answer uh if I have questions, and I hope that you have tons of plans uh of fun things in your upcoming retirement.

5:45

But just thank you for everything that you've been able to do with engineering and water services and quality and stormwater and the river arc um to name just a few.

5:57

We are honored that you have blessed us with 31 years, and before I turn it over to you, I just want to see if any of my colleagues uh want to say thank you before I'll let you have the mic.

6:10

Thank you.

6:11

Please proceed.

6:13

There's no need.

6:18

Okay, great.

6:19

Um thank you, Councilmember Kaplan, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members.

6:23

Um I really appreciate you guys taking the time this afternoon um to acknowledge my years of service.

6:29

I really have grown up in my professional career at the City of Sacramento and the Department of Utilities, and I'm really honored and privileged to be part of the great team that provide safe and reliable water, wastewater, and drainage to our residents and our businesses, you know, all the things, many of the things that DOU does is underground, out of sight, out of mind.

6:52

Um, but really we touch people in our city every day from the moment uh they wake up until they go to bed at night, whether it's a drink of water, brushing our teeth, flushing toilets, taking showers, doing dishes, um uh f uh in a storm a huge storm event at night, being able to go to bed and know that we're safe and dry.

7:13

And so it really has been an honor um to serve our customers, and again, I really thank you for the time and the acknowledgement today.

7:22

So thank you.

7:23

Well, before um colleagues, I want to invite all of you down, but I know Vice Mayor, you want to say a couple words.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Immigration Policy████████████████████████████28%
Cannabis Regulation█████████████████████21%
Public Health██████████████14%
Procedural██████████10%
Business Regulation█████████9%
Public Comments██████6%
Public Safety█████5%
Public Works████4%
Personnel Matters█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento City Council Meeting Summary – July 21, 2026

On July 21, 2026, the Sacramento City Council held a regular meeting at 2:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included a retirement presentation, a large consent calendar, a public hearing on tobacco retailer ordinance revisions, and a contentious debate on funding for the Central California Intelligence Center (CCIC). The meeting adjourned at 5:30 PM.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 1-31 were approved in a single motion, with the exception of Item 11, which was pulled for separate discussion. Notable consent items include:
    • Approval of meeting minutes from June 2026 (Motion No. 2026-0190).
    • Confirmation of board and commission appointments (Motion No. 2026-0191).
    • Adoption of June 2, 2026 municipal election results (Resolution No. 2026-0200).
    • Administrative approvals for the November 3, 2026 municipal election (Resolutions 2026-0201, 0202, 0203).
    • Ethics Commission 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Workplan (received and filed).
    • Approval of salary range for Chief Strategy Officer, updated Employer-Employee Relations Policy, and Citywide Salary Schedule (Resolution No. 2026-0204).
    • Ongoing annual funding of $350,000 from PP-GEMT fund for Fire Department health screening (Motion No. 2026-0192).
    • Lease with California State Lands Commission for Old Sacramento Waterfront (35-year term, Resolution No. 2026-0205).
    • Elevator modernization at Memorial Auditorium (not-to-exceed $380,000, Resolution No. 2026-0206).
    • Amendment of MOUs with Sacramento Steps Forward for Transitional-Age-Youth sheltering ($897,219 total, Resolution No. 2026-0207).
    • Subaward agreement with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for CCIC services (Item 11, pulled for separate vote).
    • Ordinance revisions to city code on swine, dogs, and cats per dwelling unit (Ordinance No. 2026-0013).
    • Acceptance of $1,000,000 federal grant for Johnston Community Center improvements (Resolution No. 2026-0208).
    • Construction contract for Bertha Henschel Park restroom and basketball court improvements ($277,686, Motion No. 2026-0195).
    • Contract amendment for Hinderliter, De Llamas & Associates tax software ($45,000 extension, total $276,000, Motion No. 2026-0196).
    • Contract for Arden Way storm drain replacement ($541,642, Motion No. 2026-0197).
    • Change order for Combined Sewer System Pipe Program ($67,805, total $1,325,428, Motion No. 2026-0198).
    • Public Improvement Agreements for Sacramento Railyards Sump 163 (Motion No. 2026-0199).
    • Pass for publication of ordinances listing four properties as landmarks (items 19-22).
    • Honorary Street Sign Topper for Little Italy District (Resolution No. 2026-0209).
    • Surplus property donation to Yuba City Firefighters Association (Resolution No. 2026-0210).
    • Application for CalRecycle Oil Payment Program (up to $100,000, Resolution No. 2026-0211).
    • Change order for Two Rivers Trail Phase II ($23,211, total $2,911,485, Motion No. 2026-0200).
    • Contract award for Northgate Boulevard Fence Replacement Phase 1 ($1,739,641, Resolution No. 2026-0212).
    • Contract award for Carlson Drive Rehabilitation ($523,626, Motion No. 2026-0201).
    • Cooperative purchase agreement for prepaid postage with Pitney Bowes ($2,750,000 over 5 years, Motion No. 2026-0202).
    • Contract amendment for Fleet Exhaust System Removal & Replacement ($97,427, total $395,022, Motion No. 2026-0203).
    • On-call construction services for signing and striping (two contracts, each up to $900,000, Motion No. 2026-0204).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • On Item 11 (CCIC funding): Over 30 speakers urged the council to vote no. Speakers expressed concerns about data sharing with ICE, civil liberties, and lack of oversight. Many cited the city’s sanctuary status and the risk of immigrant surveillance. Speakers included AJ Albano, Alexander Sereya, Christina Alvarez, Fatima Garcia, Dr. Francis Liu, and others. Some speakers referenced the Prairie Land 19 case and recent ICE violence. No speakers spoke in support of the item.
  • On Item 33 (Tobacco Retailer Ordinance): 24 speakers provided testimony. Supporters (including doctors, students, and public health advocates) cited research showing the healthy food exemption failed to improve food access and increased tobacco retailer density. Opponents (small business owners) argued the exemption helped their businesses and that non-transferability would destroy their retirement savings. Several businesses requested a one-time transfer provision.
  • Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda: Multiple speakers criticized the council’s vote on Item 11, alleging complicity with federal immigration enforcement. One speaker raised concerns about AI data centers and non-disclosure agreements. Another speaker highlighted the impact of secondhand smoke.

Discussion Items

  • Item 11 – Subaward Agreement for CCIC: Deputy Chief Bryce Heinlein and Lieutenant Dave Putman presented the item, emphasizing that the $793,280 federal grant funds four non-sworn staff at the fusion center and that the city does not share personal identifying information for civil immigration enforcement. They stated compliance with SB 54 and privacy protections. Councilmember Vang voiced opposition, citing the city’s sanctuary values and a pending state audit. Vice Mayor Talamantes argued that if the city doesn’t accept the funds, other jurisdictions with fewer safeguards would. Councilmember Kaplan remained concerned about lack of control over data. Councilmember Maple also expressed concerns. The council voted 5-2 (with McCarty, Kaplan, Dickinson, Talamantes, Jennings in favor; Maple and Vang opposed; Pluckebaum and Guerra absent).
  • Item 33 – Ordinance Revisions on Tobacco Retailers: The public hearing focused on removing the healthy food exemption. Councilmember Maple noted the committee’s desire to end the exemption but also discussed transferability. Vice Mayor Talamantes proposed a motion to adopt staff recommendations (removing the exemption) with direction to the city manager to explore one-time license transfer, waste mitigation, and a path to a tobacco-free city. Councilmember Dickinson supported the motion. Councilmember Vang requested that the transferability issue return for a full council vote. The motion passed unanimously (8-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Item 11: Motion passed 5-2 (Motion No. 2026-0193) authorizing the subaward agreement with Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office for CCIC services through March 31, 2027, for $793,280.
  • Item 33: Adopted Ordinances No. 2026-0014 and 2026-0015 amending city code on tobacco retailers, removing the healthy food exemption. The council directed the city manager to:
    • Explore transferability of existing tobacco retail licenses (with a potential one-time cap).
    • Investigate tobacco waste mitigation fees.
    • Study the feasibility of becoming a tobacco-free jurisdiction.
    • Report back to council for further deliberation.
  • Item 32 (Delinquent Utility Charges): Public hearing closed; resolution adopted (8-0) imposing special assessments totaling $10,982,956.31 on delinquent properties.
  • Consent Calendar: All items except 11 approved as a block.

Meeting Transcript

Call the meeting to order. If we can have everyone their seat, please. We're about to start. Okay. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. This meeting is being streamed live on YouTube with audio and captioning in English and Spanish. Captions and translated audio are generated using artificial intelligence and may contain some errors. Call the war. Yes, please. Member Kaplan? Councilmember Dickinson? Vice Mayor Talamantes? Councilmember Plucky Baum? Member Maple? Councilmember Jennings. Oops, I skipped. Oh, fortuitously. I skipped Mayor Pro Tim Guerra. Councilmember Jennings is here, Councilmember Vane. And Mayor McCarthy. Councilmember Maple, Celeus in the pledge and land acknowledgement. Please rise if you are able. Please rise for the opening acknowledgments in honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands. So the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Mayview, Bali and Plains Miwok, Putinwinchin peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's Indigenous Peoples history, contributions, and lives remain standing. Salute and 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. Okay. Do we have a closed session report? Okay, thank you. First item. Thank you. Cheryl, where are you? Oh, you have to come up because I want you and everybody to see the praise that we get to uh heap on you for your 31 years of service to the city of Sacramento. Um thank you. 31 years is not something you see uh with employees, they bounce around, but what you've been able to give to the city of Sacramento, um, beginning in 1995. What is it? Associate civil engineer for the environmental and regulatory compliance section. And from there with your Department of Utility leadership, what you've been doing for water planning and infrastructure projects, for stormwall water quality improvement programs for oversight in our engineering, and even serving as an interim director in our utilities department. Umestly, you uh people don't see it and don't understand the impact that Department of Utilities has and what you've been able to do with our water and our water quality and keeping everything safe as we look can truly not be understated for giving over 31 years of your life to the city and and a true sign of leadership is when someone values investing in others, and it really needs to be highlighted because throughout every stage of your career, you have embody the spirit of collaboration, mentorship, and consistently striving to uplift lift those on your team and creating a supportive work environment. There is so much praise that my office has heard from every step of the way who's ever had the opportunity and the chance to work with you. Um I mean I got a lot. You know, but I think it just really needs to be said that uh our city is great because of our employees. And not often do you get recognized for all the work that you've done, but 31 years, it's been a pleasure. Um and I always know that you have an answer uh if I have questions, and I hope that you have tons of plans uh of fun things in your upcoming retirement. But just thank you for everything that you've been able to do with engineering and water services and quality and stormwater and the river arc um to name just a few. We are honored that you have blessed us with 31 years, and before I turn it over to you, I just want to see if any of my colleagues uh want to say thank you before I'll let you have the mic. Thank you.

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