San Leandro City Council Meeting - June 4, 2025
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San Leandro City Council Meeting Summary - June 4, 2025
The San Leandro City Council convened on June 4, 2025, at 7:06 PM for a regular meeting. The agenda included recognitions, consent calendar items, public hearings, and a detailed presentation of the proposed FY 2026-27 biennial budget. The meeting extended late into the evening to accommodate public comment and council deliberation on budget reductions and a potential revenue measure campaign.
Consent Calendar
- The consent calendar was approved 7-0 with the exception of items 5B and 5C, which were pulled for discussion.
- 5B (Consulting Agreement with Schaaf and Wheeler): Authorized $360,000 for professional design services for trash capture devices, with change order authority up to 10% individually and 25% cumulatively ($90,000). Councilmembers expressed concerns about the high contingency percentage. The item passed 5-2, with Councilmembers Bolt and Simon voting no.
- 5C (Steven Taylor Sanctity of Life Pavilion Construction): Awarded a $361,087.88 contract to Raposo Engineering Inc., with an additional $140,678 appropriation from park development fees. The project scope was reduced from previous designs (removing labyrinth and landscape features) to align with budget. One bid was received. Passed 7-0 unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Pride Month: Owners of Coolfi ice cream shop accepted a proclamation and emphasized the importance of visibility and inclusion.
- On Consent Calendar: Addy Kitchen (grandmother of Steven Taylor) and Derek Benson urged the pavilion project to move forward. Bob Bailey, chair of the CPRB, supported youth nominees for the Police Review Board.
- On Non-Agenda Items: Multiple residents spoke about homeless encampments along Union Pacific Railroad tracks, safety concerns (fires, rock-throwing), and requested city action. Bob Bailey and Jackie Props urged reaffirmation of sanctuary city policies. Kika Villasenor (city employee, SLCEA VP) supported a potential structural deficit measure. Others criticized council spending and asked for more transparency.
- On Public Hearing (District Elections): Melissa Wong (on behalf of Bob Glaze) expressed support for district-based voting but raised concerns about the cost of a special election.
- On Budget: Residents called for maintaining library hours, senior services, and road repairs. One speaker urged restoring a budget task force. Another expressed fear that cuts would disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Discussion Items
- Budget Presentation (FY 2026-27): Finance Director Nicole Gonzalez presented the proposed $48.6 million general fund budget for FY26 and $42.3 million for FY27, with a projected structural deficit. The budget includes $6.1 million use of fund balance in FY26 and $6.4 million in FY27. Reductions were made across all departments, primarily eliminating vacant positions. Key cuts include: reduction in library hours (eliminating Sunday and Monday evening hours), reduction in park maintenance, elimination of two tree trimmers, reduced paving crews, reduced fire plan check positions, and reduced funding for senior meal programs and domestic violence case management. The police department eliminated 1.6 million in services and supplies. The city’s reserve policy (20% of expenditures) is met in FY26 but not FY27 (15%). Staff requested direction on a $500,000 revenue measure campaign fund.
- Council Discussion: Councilmembers generally supported the budget as presented, acknowledging the difficulty of reductions. Concerns were raised about road maintenance, library hours, senior services, and the impact on low-income residents. Councilmember Boldt suggested council members should also take cuts in compensation and travel. Councilmember Simon strongly advocated for funding the $500,000 revenue measure campaign, arguing that cuts alone are insufficient. Several members noted that many cuts were to vacant positions and that the budget maintains core services. The council did not reach a final decision on the $500,000 item but indicated general approval of the proposed budget.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved 7-0 except items 5B and 5C, which were voted on separately.
- 5B: Passed 5-2 with dissent from Councilmembers Boldt and Simon.
- 5C: Passed 7-0 unanimously.
- Bud get Direction: The council expressed general support for the proposed FY 2026-27 biennial budget, with no major line-item changes. The $500,000 revenue measure campaign fund remains unresolved; staff will explore alternative funding sources (e.g., end-of-year savings, vacancy savings) and report back.
- Future Meetings: A special city council meeting on June 9 will address the capital improvement plan. The budget adoption public hearing and vote are scheduled for June 16.
- District Elections: The council will consider a ballot measure for district-based elections at a future meeting; the cost of a special election was noted as a potential offset for the revenue measure campaign.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, thank you very much for your patience. We will assemble and begin in about thirty seconds to a minute. Okay, it is seven oh six, and we are calling to order our regular meeting of the San Leandro City Council today is Monday, June 2nd. And let's just make this sufficient. I'll lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand if you're able to leave it. I'm not in a visible of liberty and justice for all. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Aguilar. Present. Councilmember Azevito. Councilmember Bolt. Present. Councilmember Simon. Councilmember Vivero Swalton. Present. Vice Mayor Bellin. Present. Mayor Gonzalez. Present. This is all members are here. Thank you. The City of San Leandro conducts orderly meetings to fulfill its mandate to discriminatory statements or conduct that would potentially violate the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 and or the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. Thank you, Mayor. If you would like to make 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 set time to share their comments. When we get to the budgetary discussion in particular, I'm going to take public comment at the beginning of that item with respect to the budget so that we can hear from people and not make them wait till what will be approximately, I think, 10 30 or 11 o'clock at night. So just please indulge me with that. I don't see any radical opposition to that. So I think I thank you, council, for supporting our public in doing that. At this point in time, I'd like to go. Obviously, we spent a fair amount of time in closed session with five different items. Is there anything to report out at this time? Yes, Mayor, thank you. On the item of three C, uh Harris versus City Claim Settlement. The settlement uh was approved by the council of 225,000 for a full release and settlement of all claims, and an apology to the claimant, which has already been provided to the claimant. Uh the settlement again, 225,000 with a um for a full and final release and general release of all claims and settlement of all claims. It was motioned by councilmember Aguilar, seconded by Councilmember Bolt. The ayes were American, Vice Mayor Bowen, Councilmember Aguilar, Councilmember Bolt, Councilmember Veris Walton, Councilmember Azevedo was absent at that portion of the closed session, but was there for the remainder of the closed session, and Councilmember Simon abstained. For the rest of the action for the rest of the items on closed session, action was direction was provided to uh to me as counsel and to staff, uh, but no other reportable actions were taken. Thank you. At this point in time, we'll go on to our recognitions. And June is Pride Month, and here in San Leandro, we're gonna kick off with a proclamation. I'd appreciate if our lovely owners of Coolfi would please come forward. We've got Mads and Priti. Okay, all the way up here, if you don't mind. Right here, front and center. This is this is about you guys stand on this side, and there you go.
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