San Leandro City Council Meeting - April 23, 2025 (agenda/transcript list April 21, 2025)
San Leandro City Council Meeting - April 23, 2025 (agenda/transcript list April 21, 2025)
The San Leandro City Council met on April 23, 2025, per the provided meeting date; the agenda and transcript identify the meeting date as Monday, April 21, 2025. The meeting, held in City Hall Council Chambers, began at 7:00 p.m. and included a remote participation approval, an Earth Day proclamation, consent calendar approvals, the first public hearing on district-based elections, two presentations, and a CalPERS contract amendment. Councilmembers Simon and Bolt were absent; Mayor Juan Gonzalez III presided.
Announcements & Recognitions
- The council adopted a proclamation declaring April 22, 2025 as Earth Day. The proclamation was accepted by co-presidents of the San Leandro Eco Club.
- The city manager announced an Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Floresta Park, 3750 Monterey Boulevard.
- The city attorney reported no reportable closed session actions, but direction was provided to staff.
Consent Calendar
- Council approved the consent calendar 5-0-2, with Councilmembers Aguilar, Azevedo, Viveros Walton, Vice Mayor Bowen, and Mayor Gonzalez voting yes; Councilmembers Simon and Bolt were absent.
- The consent calendar included: second reading of Ordinance 2025-002 adding Municipal Code Chapter 4-45 (Rental Registry); resolutions approving the San Leandro City Employees Association (SLCEA) Memorandum of Understanding and Confidential Employees Compensation Plan for 2025-2029 and the City-wide Master Salary Schedule amendment effective January 1, 2025; a legal services agreement with Stream, Kim, Hicks, Wrage & Alfaro, PC for tort litigation defense; Finance Committee minutes from March 26, 2025; and City Council minutes from April 7, 2025.
- Public comment on the consent calendar: Mark Janowitz, a homeowner, supported the rental registry as a first step but recommended limiting exemptions and strengthening enforcement by making noncompliance a defense to eviction. Douglas Baulding supported it and asked what tenant protection would come next. Jenny Madsen said the registry is needed for San Leandro and is a first step toward other policies.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Craig Williams, a 30-year resident, proposed digital signs displaying FBI crime statistics: violent crime down 15.2%, murder down 26.4%, rapes down 25%, aggravated assault down 12.5%, and robberies down 17.8%; he said four or five signs would cost about $5,000-$6,000.
- Douglas Baulding cautioned that crime could rise with the economy and cited police stop data showing African American drivers stopped disproportionately compared to their population share, while Asian American drivers were stopped less; he referenced San Leandro's history as a 'sundowner town.'
- Mayor Gonzalez later responded that the independent police auditor's analysis, including comparisons of day vs. night stops and vehicles with tinted windows, found no indication of racial profiling in San Leandro.
Public Hearing: District-Based Elections
- City Clerk Kelly Clancy presented the timeline for establishing district-based elections beginning in 2026. Public hearings are scheduled for May 5, May 19, and June 2, in addition to tonight's hearing; the council is expected to adopt an ordinance on June 16. No action was requested at this hearing.
- Outreach includes the website sanleandro.org/votebydistrict, farmers market booths on April 16, April 30, May 14, and May 28, social media posts, newspaper publications in the San Leandro Times, Daily Review, Vision Hispania, and Singto, and translation/interpretation support by request.
- Public speakers overwhelmingly supported district elections. Speakers included Carol Habercos (citing National League of Cities), Mimi Dean, Jackie Props, Susan Sandoval, Phoebe Jew, Christopher Bammer, Douglas Baulding, Deborah Lopez, Craig Williams, and Robert Bulatao. Bulatao said at-large voting violates the California Voting Rights Act and exposes the city to a potential multi-million-dollar lawsuit; he urged the council to act without spending taxpayer money on litigation. Christopher Bammer also asked the council to consider eliminating ranked-choice voting.
- Leo West expressed skepticism, saying the effort was caused by someone who lost an election, and criticized council attendance and representation.
- The mayor said council members would continue to hear public input over multiple hearings before deliberating.
Presentations
Downtown San Leandro Community Benefit District Annual Update
- Morgan MacRose, executive director of the San Leandro Improvement Association, presented the annual update. The district was established in 2013 under a 15-year term, with renewal required by 2028. Cleaning ambassadors work seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; safety ambassadors work weekdays 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends 12:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Last year's events included about 20,000 attendees and 200 booths at the Cherry Festival, over 7,000 people at 'It's a Wonderful Night,' and monthly vendor markets averaging about 800 attendees, with Mexipino drawing about 3,000. The district also received a $10,000 arts grant for a mosaic and is implementing a coordinated safety camera program.
- Public comment: Jenny Chang and Douglas Baulding praised the ambassador program and called for expansion to other commercial areas such as Greenhouse Marketplace and Bayfair.
- Council discussion covered sign ordinance enforcement and education, the 95% city / 5% property owner cost-sharing model, an estimated $45,000 annual cost for an additional full-time safety ambassador, the lack of weekend morning safety ambassador coverage, coordination with the Alternative Response Unit (ARU), and an estimated $85,000 cost for the 2028 renewal process.
Trash Free San Leandro Initiative
- Environmental Services Manager Carrie Parker presented the initiative, which encourages residents and businesses to choose reusables and reduce disposable foodware. She cited California Coastal Cleanup data and her experience implementing Alameda's foodware ordinance. Planned elements include a Cherry Festival kickoff, restaurant certification and window clings, utensil kits, stickers, a boba bottle program, and a possible reusable takeout container system.
- Public comment: Douglas Baulding encouraged partnerships with Stop Waste and local environmental groups; Ginny Madsen voiced strong support for reuse.
- Council discussion included potential school partnerships, coordination with Stop Waste, ice cream shop partnerships, and the need for a consistent long-term message. Mayor Gonzalez noted 125 stickers had been given to the San Leandro Eco Club.
Action Item: CalPERS Cost Sharing Amendment
- Ruby Andrews, senior HR analyst, presented the resolution of intention and first-reading ordinance to amend the CalPERS contract to add a 0.5% cost share for unrepresented executive safety employees (including the police chief), effective July 1, 2025, bringing the total employee contribution to 2%. The change follows prior amendments and aligns with the police chief's employment agreement. The second/final reading is scheduled for May 19, 2025.
- Councilmember Viveros Walton moved approval; Councilmember Azevedo seconded. The motion passed 5-0-2, with Councilmembers Simon and Bolt absent.
Council Reports
- Councilmember Viveros Walton reported attending Centro Legal de la Raza's anniversary dinner and announced office hours at the farmers market on April 30 from 5-7 p.m. with the city clerk on redistricting.
- Councilmember Aguilar reported on the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District meeting, including the first West Nile virus detection in Castro Valley, and on outreach at the farmers market.
- Councilmember Azevedo reported attending EBDA meetings and said he would table at the farmers market.
- Mayor Gonzalez reported visiting the Fairmont Complex with Alameda County behavioral health officials, noted sales tax revenue is down, and previewed upcoming budget discussions.
Key Outcomes
- The council approved Councilmember Aguilar's remote participation request (5-0-2) due to an emergency injury.
- The council adopted the Earth Day proclamation for April 22, 2025; San Leandro Eco Club co-presidents accepted it.
- The council approved the consent calendar and the CalPERS cost-sharing amendment; the CalPERS ordinance was introduced for first reading.
- The council received public testimony on district-based elections but took no action; additional public hearings are scheduled for May 5, May 19, and June 2, with adoption anticipated June 16.
- The council received both presentations without formal action.
- The meeting adjourned with a moment of silence in recognition of the passing of Pope Francis.
Meeting Transcript
No, these are men. Yeah, these are men's glasses. Okay, seven o'clock, and I'm calling the City Council meeting to order today is Monday, April twenty first, twenty twenty-five. If you're able to, please stand. So at this point in time, Councilmember Aguilar, would you please make your uh request? Yes. Under the Brown Act Government Code Section 54953, uh section F2 1. I request that the city council allow me to participate in a meeting remotely due to an emergency circumstance. Um I um had an injury and won't need to be taking this meeting remotely and am unable to walk. Okay, I'm gonna look down council role. Any concerns? Let's go ahead and take a quick vote on this. Uh do we have a motion to allow them to participate remotely? Councilmember Vedos Walton, so moved, council member as veto. Is that a second? I've got a second motion. Uh this is a perfunctory matter, so we're gonna go ahead and vote. Councilmember Aguilar, your vote, please. I all votes are in, motion passes. Five zero two with councilmember Simon and Bolt absent. Mayor Gonzalez, yes, Councilmember Azevito, yes, Councilmember Vivero Swelton, yes, Councilmember Vice Mayor Bowen, yes, and Councilmember Aguilar, yes. Madam Clerk, would you please take a roll at this time? Yes. Councilmember Aguilar. Present. Councilmember Azevito. Present. Councilmember Bolt is absent. Councilmember Simon is absent. Councilmember Vivero Swalton. Present. Vice Mayor Bowen. Mayor Gonzalez. Present. Thank you. City of San Leandro conducts orderly meetings to fulfill its mandate. Discriminatory state discriminatory statements for conduct that would potentially violate the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 andor California Fair Employment and Housing Act, California Penal Code Sections 403 or 415 are per se disruptive to a meeting and will not be tolerated. So please see the City Council handbook and the City Council meeting rules of decorum for more information. Madam Clerk, your announcement. Thank you, Mayor. If you would like to make a public comment during the meeting, you can do so in person or via Zoom. If you are present at the meeting, please complete a speaker card and submit it to the city clerk before the item is presented. If you wish to participate in public comment via Zoom, you can use the raise your hand tool when the item is called. During the public comment session, speakers will be invited to speak, and we'll have a we'll have a set time to share their comments. A countdown timer will appear for their convenience. And when the time is up, the microphone will be muted. 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.
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