Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Meeting - April 12, 2023
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Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Meeting - April 12, 2023
The Budget and Government Efficiency Committee met on April 12, 2023, to consider two items: a fleet management software contract extension and sidewalk vending permit fees. The meeting included public comments on non-agenda items and discussion of program costs and equity.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of committee actions from March 1, 2023, passed unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-agenda public comment:
- Blair Beekman: Suggested quarterly workshops for city staff on sexual abuse complaints and called for better preparedness for the upcoming downtown encampment ban, including funding for storage of homeless property and limiting the definition of illegal.
- Linda Satello (Exec. Dir., New Americans Museum): Urged the committee to consider access and equity issues in policies affecting communities of color, particularly regarding street vending.
- Judy Strang (parent advocate): Noted a California Department of Public Health cease-and-desist letter on CBD products and asked that sidewalk vending fees cover oversight for such products.
- Public comment on Item 1 (Fleet Management): None.
- Public comment on Item 2 (Sidewalk Vending Fees):
- Blair Beekman: Expressed support for sidewalk vendors and the $38 fee, encouraging payment plans.
- Linda Satello: Criticized the program for restricting access to public space and asked for a full report on economic impact, vending zones, and inter-departmental efficiency.
- Catherine Douglas: Argued the $38 fee is too low given the city's costs (millions in park damage, additional park rangers) and called for a higher fee.
Discussion Items
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Item 1: Authorization to extend agreement with Asset Works for fleet management information system (Fleet Focus).
- Staff (Interim Dir. of General Services, Fleet Program Manager) presented: The current agreement expires June 30, 2023. An RFP was released Jan. 13, 2023, and closed Feb. 28, 2023, but award and transition may extend beyond June. They requested a six-month extension with a possible additional six-month option, increasing the not-to-exceed amount by $219,000 (total $449,000 through end of 2024).
- Chair Montgomery Step noted workforce underrepresentation (female, Pacific Islander, Asian, Latino, African American) and raised concerns about the sole-source nature of the extension. She stated she would not support it.
- Vice Chair Moreno moved staff's recommendation, seconded by Councilmember LaCava. LaCava asked about delays in the RFP; staff cited complexity and need to include IT components. LaCava expressed frustration with the timing but supported the motion.
- Vote: 3-1 (Montgomery Step opposed).
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Item 2: Approval of sidewalk vending permit fee ($38).
- Staff (City Treasurer, Business Operations Deputy Director) presented: 673 permits issued since May 2022, 30 pending. Revenue collected $26,730; program costs (implementation, outreach, enforcement, maintenance) totaled approx. $1.3 million. Estimated ongoing annual costs ~$1.5 million but FY23 budget was $5 million (44 positions). The $38 fee is recommended to avoid barriers to entry, consistent with council's original intent.
- Vice Chair Moreno opposed the fee, arguing the city overcommitted resources ($5M budget vs. actual need) and that funds could be better used for parks and police. She noted $3.5M in unused budget.
- Councilmember LaCava supported the fee, noting the program is stabilizing and costs are lower than budgeted. He moved staff's recommendation with a request for an update in one year.
- Councilmember Lee (new) supported the fee but expressed surprise at the revenue/cost gap and asked about vendor zones. He seconded the motion.
- IBA (Lisa Byrne) recommended additional information for full council: comparison of program spending vs. budget for FY23, status of filled FTEs, and expected future costs. Staff committed to providing this.
- Vote: 3-1 (Moreno opposed).
Key Outcomes
- Item 1 (Fleet management extension) passed 3-1. Contract extended with increased not-to-exceed amount of $449,000.
- Item 2 (Sidewalk vending permit fee) passed 3-1. The $38 fee is retained. Staff will provide a full program cost report, FTE status, and budget comparison for the full council meeting (targeted mid-May 2023).
- Item 3 was returned to staff.
- The next regularly scheduled meeting is May 24, 2023, at 9 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the budget and government efficiency committee meeting of April 12, 2023. Our committee manager, Ty Birch will go over instructions for today's meeting. Thank you, Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Step. While members of the public are able to attend the meeting in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the council administration will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hands before the virtual queue closes. The queue will close after the last virtual speaker finishes speaking, or five minutes after in-person testimony concludes, whichever occurs first. This will allow for bearing meeting management and between two between the two platforms and ensure that the committee is able to manage and conduct city business. We appreciate the public's cooperation. Chair Montgomery Step. Thank you. I will now call the budget and government efficiency committee meeting of Wednesday, April 12th, 2023, to order Tyler, please call the roll. Councilmember Lacava. Councilmember Lee. Here. And our chair, Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Step. Here. Also attending the meeting today, we have Charles Monica and Lisa Byrne from the Independent Budget Analyst Office. Tyler, please continue with public comment instructions. Thank you, Chair. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on top of the box indicated. If you need to participate by telephone, you may dial 1-669-254-5252. Input Webinar ID 160-356-9855 pound. This information is also available on the agenda and will appear on the screen during the public comment period for each agenda item. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony concludes, whichever occurs first. Please note that if you're watching on C T V uh 24 or online, there may be a delay, so please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak on a particular item, wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you are a call-in participant, press star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you so much, Tyler, for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present. We will now dispense with the approval of the committee actions of March 1st, 2023. Tyler, please proceed. Thank you very much. The public comment period for the committee actions is now open. If you've already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone, please raise your hand if you wish to speak uh on the committee actions of March 1st, 2023. Uh and Chair, we do not have any individuals who have submitted speaker slips in chambers for the committee actions. We do have one individual in the virtual queue that is indicated that they wish to speak. Blair Beekman, uh you may unmute yourself. And these are comments on the committee actions of March 1st, 2023. Hi, uh Blair Beekman. I thought I lowered my hand, but I guess I have not. Not a problem. That'll conclude public testimony on the actions. Okay, thank you. We will now vote on the approval of the committee actions of March 1st, 2023. Do I have a motion? Thank you, Vice Chair, and a second. Thank you, Councilmember Lee. Um, we will now uh take the roll.
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