San Leandro City Council Meeting – February 18, 2025
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San Leandro City Council Meeting – February 18, 2025
The San Leandro City Council met on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers. Councilmember Bowen participated via teleconference from South Lake Tahoe. Councilmember Boldt was absent. The meeting included a proclamation declaring Scouting America Day, appointment of boards and commissions, approval of the consent calendar, public comments on a variety of issues, and councilmember reports. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 PM in memory of former Councilmember Kent Meyer.
Consent Calendar
- 5.a: Adopted Resolution 2025-011 accepting the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
- 5.b: Adopted Resolutions 2025-012 and 2025-013 approving amendments to consulting services agreements with Monarch Consulting (new total $189,500) and Willdan Engineering (new total $164,500) for code enforcement services.
- 5.c: Approved the minutes of the February 3, 2025 City Council meeting.
- One public comment was made by Douglas Balding, who noted the city’s solid financial footing but questioned whether consulting rates (e.g., $135/hour for a code enforcement manager, $90/hour for an officer) represent responsible management. The consent calendar was approved 6-0-1 (Boldt absent).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Douglas Balding (online) raised concerns about safety on Lake Chabot Road (Hill Country), reporting new cracks and ground movement. He also described racist harassment against a Black woman who purchased a home in unincorporated San Leandro (Oakhill), and invited the community to a welcoming rally on Saturday, February 15 (corrected to Hillcrest Knowles Park by next speaker).
- Karen Fernandez (in person) corrected the rally location and urged the council to be loud and proud in opposing such hate, noting it reflects poorly on San Leandro even though the incident is outside city limits.
- Deborah Acosta (Mission Bay Residents Association) criticized the city for failing to prioritize a rewrite of the mobile home rent stabilization ordinance, stating park owner BSM has imposed unlawful restrictions and fees. She announced residents have hired legal counsel to draft a new ordinance and urged the rules committee to move forward.
- Mike Katz Lak (in person) criticized the passive language used in a press release about a February 16 officer-involved shooting (three SLPD officers shot, no injuries) and called for greater transparency and clarity in police communications.
- Leo West (in person) criticized the consent calendar process for limiting public discussion, predicted federal funding cuts for sanctuary cities, and called on the city to rescind its sanctuary city declaration.
- Darlene Evans (in person) raised concerns about the Walgreens closing (March 27), trash on streets, a 7-Eleven sign still up after the business closed, and asked about future use of the high school campus.
- Mayor Gonzalez responded to the officer-involved shooting, stating the investigation is led by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (since the incident occurred in unincorporated area) and that the city will release video per its policy.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation (4.a): Mayor Gonzalez read a proclamation declaring February 8, 2025 as Scouting America Day in San Leandro, recognizing the 115th anniversary and the involvement of 130 youth in seven local troops. Scoutmaster Robert West and Eagle Scouts from the Class of 2024 accepted the proclamation.
- Appointment of Boards and Commissions (10.a): The council unanimously (6-0-1) approved a motion to appoint members to fill vacancies from the 2024 election. The appointees were then sworn in by the City Clerk.
Key Outcomes
- Proclamation adopted and presented to representatives of Scouting America.
- Boards and commissions appointments approved; appointees sworn in.
- Consent calendar approved (Resolutions 2025-011, 2025-012, 2025-013; minutes accepted).
- Meeting adjourned at 8:01 PM in memory of former Councilmember Kent Meyer; the mayor requested flags be lowered to half-staff through Friday, February 21, 2025.
Council Reports
- Vice Mayor Bowen reported on appointments to the Alameda CTC, National League of Cities Human Development Policy Committee, and the NLC Council on Youth Education and Families. She also highlighted concerns about the national climate affecting mental health and transgender youth, and encouraged nominations for StopWaste Environmental Champions.
- Councilmember Aguilar reported on the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement Board meeting (No West Nile virus, AI-based resident communication platform discussed) and attendance at an LGBTQ constituency group meeting via the National League of Cities.
- Councilmember Viveros-Walton reported on the San Leandro Improvement Association meeting, noting new board president Deborah Cox and increased participation in the Cherry Festival.
- Mayor Gonzalez reported on the Black History Month celebration, a respite care facility operated by La Familia, and reappointment to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. He also highlighted a StopWaste online resource (resource.stopwaste.org) to help residents properly sort recyclables.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, let's go ahead and assemble. Okay, it is nine oh eight. I'm calling the San Leando City Council meeting to order today is February eighteenth, twenty twenty-five. Councilmember Bowen may is participating via teleconference from the Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe, nine oh one Ski Run Boulevard South Lake Tahoe, California. We do have one of our scouts here to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Is it Gabriel Thomas? Webb? Okay, come on forward. Gabriel. If you're able to rise, please do. The United States of America. And to the Republic, for which it stands. One nation under God. And the day that we believe in liberty and justice for all is today. That's the day when we believe in liberty and justice for all. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll? Yes, thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Aguilar. Present. Councilmember Azovito. Present. Councilmember Bolt is absent. Councilmember Simon. Present. Council Member Favorus Walton. Present. Vice Mayor Bowen. Present. Mayor Gonzalez. Present. All members are present except for Council Member Bolt. Today we have an appointment and swearing in of numerous boards and commission members under item ten A in the interest of time. Seeing none, we'll move forward accordingly. The City of San Leandro conducts orderly meetings to fulfill its mandate discriminatory statements or conduct that would potentially violate the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and or the California Fair Employment Housing Act, California Penal Code Sections 403 or 415 are per se disruptive to a meeting and will not be tolerated. Please see the City Council handbook and City Council meeting rules of decorum for more information. Madam Clerk, your announcement, please. During the public comment session, speakers will be invited to speak and will have a have a set time to share their comments. All raised hands outside of public comment will be lowered to avoid confusion. Once public comment is opened, hands may be raised to speak. There will be a 30-minute window for public comments, which will take place under item seven, public comments as per the published agenda. After this time is up, the council will proceed with the rest of the meeting's agenda. If you have not had the opportunity to speak during the initial 30-minute period, there will be another chance to do so after item of 12 City Council reports. Thank you. We have a new report on close session today. No report, Mayor, but direction was provided to staff. Okay, so now we go to now we go to our recognition. So we have got two today proclaiming Scouting America Day in San Leandro. So for those that do not know the I think it's 115th anniversary of Scouting America, it was on February 8th. Back then, we celebrated Black History Month. We had our proclamation then.
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