Sand City City Council Meeting – February 18, 2026
Sand City City Council Meeting – February 18, 2026
Note: The raw transcript lists the meeting date as February 17, 2026, but the provided metadata states the meeting occurred on February 18, 2026. This summary uses the date from the metadata as instructed.
The Sand City City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 18, 2026. Key actions included the formal appointment and swearing‑in of Kim Scudder to fill a vacant council seat, acceptance of the independent auditors’ report for fiscal year 2024–2025, approval of several committee appointments, and a discussion of a proposed mobile café vocational training site at the city’s art park.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution recognizing and honoring the service of Robin McRae (Community Human Services CEO).
- Resolution approving the Sand City Joint Powers Refinance Financing Authority, confirming its officers.
- Acceptance of the city successor agency financial report for January 2026. All three items were approved unanimously without discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public offered comments during either the non‑agenda public comment period or the public comment periods for individual agenda items.
Discussion Items
- Appointment of a City Council Vacancy (Item 3): Staff reported that at a prior meeting the council had voted to appoint Kim Scudder to serve out the remaining term of former Council Member Sofa, which expires December 31, 2026. The council formally approved Resolution appointing Ms. Scudder via roll call (Mayor Carmo, Vice Mayor Blackwelder, Councilmember Adams, Councilmember Diaz – all yes). Ms. Scudder was then sworn in by the city clerk.
- Announcements by Mayor, City Manager & City Attorney:
- Mayor Carmo reported on MST (Monterey‑Salinas Transit) activities, including the purchase of 13 battery‑electric buses; noted good air quality based on MBARD monitoring; mentioned the upcoming Community Human Services meeting and naming of a new CEO; highlighted the Veterans Center in Marina, which serves 172 veterans daily; and noted several upcoming local events.
- City Manager Nick (last name not stated) announced that the 1.9 million dollar state grant for the Sand City multi‑use trail (bike trail) project has been released. Funds will enable the city to issue an RFP to advance design plans from 30% to 100%. He also updated on the West End Naja project, noting that a new committee member would be appointed to replace former Council Member Basopa.
- City Attorney Anthony Amara (via a separate presentation under Item 11B) provided an update on new 2026 state laws, focusing on housing:
- AB 507 (Office to Housing Conversion Act): Effective July 1, 2026 – simplifies conversion of commercial buildings to housing by allowing by‑right, ministerial approvals for adaptive reuse projects; requires a minimum number of affordable units; limits parking and impact fees.
- AB 712 (Housing Reform Enforcement): Effective January 1, 2026 – increases penalties for cities violating state housing reform laws to up to $10,000 per unit ($50,000 for projects with four or fewer units) plus attorneys’ fees, with a 60‑day cure notice.
- SB 346 (Transient Occupancy Taxes): Effective January 1, 2026 – allows cities to require short‑term rental facilitators (e.g., Airbnb, VRBO) to disclose detailed property information quarterly and display local license numbers.
- SB 456 (Murals): Effective January 1, 2026 – exempts muralists from state contractor licensing requirements, reducing barriers for public and private murals while still requiring compliance with local laws.
- Audited Financial Statements (Item 11A): Rich Gonzales of CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) presented the audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Highlights:
- The city received an unmodified (clean) opinion with no material misstatements or findings.
- Net position increased from $35 million to $39 million.
- Revenues exceeded expenses by roughly $3.3 million; public safety was the largest functional expenditure at $4.3 million.
- Prior year findings (regarding unavailable revenue reporting and the successor agency bank account) were both implemented.
- A new accounting standard (GASB 103) will take effect next year, requiring a variance column for original vs. final budget in MD&A. The council unanimously approved the resolution accepting the report.
- Design Review Committee Appointments (Item 11C): The council approved reappointments of Chris Barlow and Paul Davis (terms ending January 31, 2028) and new appointments of Ralph Goldbeck (architect) and Tyler Pratt (general contractor) (terms ending January 31, 2027). All candidates were introduced. The resolution passed unanimously.
- Arts Committee Appointments (Item 11D, labeled as 11B in transcript): The council confirmed appointments to the Sand City Arts Committee, including the reappointment of Holly. The resolution passed unanimously.
- Ratification of Appointments to Various Boards (Item 11E): The council ratified the mayor’s proposed list of city representatives to local and regional agencies for 2026. The resolution passed unanimously.
- Abilities Cafe – Discussion (Item 11F): City Manager Nick introduced the concept: leasing a portion of the art park for a temporary mobile coffee trailer operated by Abilities Café, a nonprofit providing vocational training for young adults with special needs. Operator Lorraine Gonzalez explained the program; the trailer would operate Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The council expressed strong support for the use, noting it would activate the park during weekdays and complement existing services (e.g., Hope Services). Council directed staff to return with a formal Conditional Use Permit, lease agreement, and resolution.
- Item 11G (Use Permit Amendment) – Continued: The item (1725 Conference Costa Street parking reduction due to stormwater project) was continued to the March 3, 2026 meeting.
Key Outcomes
- New Council Member: Kim Scudder was appointed and sworn in to the vacant seat through December 31, 2026 (unanimous vote).
- Audit Acceptance: Resolution accepting the independent auditors’ report for FY 2024–2025 approved (5‑0).
- Committee Appointments:
- Design Review Committee: reappointments (Barlow, Davis) and new appointments (Goldbeck, Pratt) approved.
- Arts Committee: appointments confirmed.
- Appointments to multiple regional boards ratified.
- Abilities Cafe: Council directed staff to prepare a formal lease and conditional use permit for the mobile café at the art park, with a temporary term aligned with pending redevelopment plans.
- Closed Session: The council (with conflicts noted for Mayor Carmo, Councilmember Scudder, and Councilmember Adams) conducted a closed session via a lottery to determine the remaining member (Councilmember Scudder) to participate in real property negotiations regarding APN 011‑125‑04. No reportable action was taken in open session.
Meeting Transcript
That's another thing with the words. I'm giving ready for the meeting. Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to uh welcome everyone to the February 17th City Council meeting. And at this time, Carrie will you uh call roll, please. Mayor Carmo. Uh here. Vice Mayor Blackwelder? Here. Council member Adam present. Councilmember Diaz. Here. Thank you. With that, uh, I'd like to ask uh council member Diaz if she'd leave us in the place of the writings. Ready? Begin. I can speak the writing of the United States of America. And the republic for which is there's one would be thank you. Okay. Well, that leads us to item three, and this is uh the appointment of a city council vacancy. And uh with that um with that, I believe uh Vivica will give us a staff report, item three a yes, um that uh basically this is the previous meeting. You um uh hood's um presentations by three different um appointees three three different people who wanted to be appointed to council and at that meeting you voted in public and you voted to appoint uh this kim scudder to the council and this is um to replace or to serve out council member so for his term which ends at the end of 2026. So um this item and it is um resolution is on page eight. Um and so you have to this is kind of the formal you voted on it, but this is the formal actual appointment of the scatter see so the resolution's on page eight. Um probably want to open it up to public comment to move and vote on the resolution, and then the next step will be the sort of click will swear the scotter in this council member. Okay, thank you, Vivica. Uh with that council any comments at this time before we go to public comment. I'm not seeing any. We'll go ahead then and open this up to public comment. Public comment is open. And if anyone would like to comment, please come up to the podium and state the name and three minutes for comment. And I am not seeing anyone coming up, and I want to be a Zoom, so we'll go ahead and close public comment. And um with that, uh council their discussion and action. Uh the there is a recommendation on page uh seven by staff to appoint Consider to fill the city council seat vacated by former council member sofer uh for term ending uh through December 31st, 2026. And with that, we have the resolution of page eight. And uh if you'd like me to leave it of thank you. So is the resolution council, the city of Sound City appointing council member stutter to serve the remaining term of member council member sofa okay and with that I'll uh carry for roll call vote. I'm gonna be rolling um uh for a motion that one motion can be second. Okay, second I'll second roll call vote now, please. Vice Mayor Blackwelder? Yes, council member Davidson? Yes, council member Adams, yes, Mayor Claire, yes, motion threats okay. And with that, uh congratulations, Pam, and uh we'll move directly to item four, and this is the swearing uh portion that is following and uh so with that we have uh city clerk will uh ask you to come up. And uh so with that, we have uh city clerk for uh ask you to come up there right now yeah. I can scatter I can spotted do solemnly swear, do you solemnly swear that I will support and defend then I will support and defend the constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of State of California and the Constitution of the State California against all enemies, foreign and domestic and all enemies foreign and domestic that I will bear true faith and allegiance and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the United States to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California and the Constitution of the State California that I take this obligation freely? Then I take this obligation freely without without any mental reservation, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion or purpose of evasion, and then it will well and faithfully and then we'll well and faithfully discharge the duties, discharge the duties upon which I'm about to enter. Oh I'm gonna join with that too much. Well, have you signed this congratulation? We have a great temporary sign. Did you make that very fast and uh with that please join us the fly question?
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