OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

San Leandro City Council Special Meeting: District 2 Appointment - March 23, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, March 24, 2026
BodySan Leandro, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 4:22:25

Transcript — Verbatim
0:22

Okay, at this point we're just gonna make a quick announcement.

0:24

We do have a technical difficulty with the clerk's equipment.

0:28

We do believe that we are transmitting online, and we're gonna get confirmation here that people online can hear us.

0:34

Um and we're working on a workaround because the primary constraint is a voting constraint, because we don't have voting that will take place probably for the next three hours.

0:45

We can continue with our meeting as long as we're transmitting, but we're trying to iron out those technical difficulties, and so stay tuned.

2:04

Oh, no, I was just calling and tell you that I'm in the meeting and I can't hear anything.

2:08

Excuse me, Janelle.

2:11

Excuse me.

2:39

Okay, so we're working to double check some connectivity.

2:43

And so for the folks online, we ask you to be patient for a few more minutes.

4:33

Okay, it is five.

4:39

It is Monday, March 23rd, 2026.

4:44

Please stand if you're able to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America in terms of remote for which stands one nation under God Indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

5:00

The City of San Leandro conducts order before doing that announcement.

5:03

Would you please take roll, Madam Clerk?

5:07

Vice Mayor Viveros Walton.

5:09

Present.

5:11

Council Member Aguilar.

5:13

Present.

5:14

Council Member Simon.

5:16

Present.

5:19

Council Member Bowen.

5:21

Present.

5:22

Councilmember Bolt.

5:24

Present.

5:24

And Mayor Gonzalez.

5:26

Present.

5:26

Thank you.

5:29

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 under the California for Employment and Housing Act.

5:40

California Penal Code Sections 403 or 415 are per se disruptive to a meeting and will not be tolerated.

5:46

Please see the City Council handbook and city council meeting rule subdecorum for more information.

5:52

Madam Clerk, your announcement.

5:55

If you would like to make a public comment during the meeting, you can do so in person or via Zoom.

6:01

If you are present at the meeting, please complete a speaker card and submit it to the city clerk before the item is presented.

6:08

If you wish to participate in public comment via Zoom, you can use the raise your hand tool when the item is called.

6:16

During the public comment session, speakers will be invited to speak and will have a set time to share their comments.

6:22

A countdown timer will appear for their convenience.

6:25

And when the time is up, the microphone will be muted.

6:29

All raised hands outside of public comment will be lowered to avoid confusion.

6:33

Once public comment is opened, hands may be raised to speak.

6:39

At this point, I'm a move to agenda item number three.

6:43

And Madam Clerk, I do believe you will be introducing this item.

6:50

Yes, Mayor, thank you.

6:51

One moment while I pull up the presentation.

7:18

Thank you, Mayor.

7:19

Again, this is Sarah Bunting, uh City Clerk for the City of San Leandro.

7:23

The item before you tonight is the City Council's opportunity to interview and potentially appoint a member of the community to fill the existing district two vacancy on the city council.

7:38

We'll start with a very brief overview of the charter requirements that mandate how the city fills vacancies on the council.

7:47

And then we'll briefly talk about tonight's interview process.

7:51

Um the process of voting for nominations and appointment and potential steps if the council does not make an appointment this evening.

8:03

So by means of background, the city charter is the enabling legislation that guides the city's process for filling the vacancy and fundamentally requires that a vacancy on the council be filled by appointment by the city council within 60 days of the appointment or the vacancy existing on the council.

8:25

If the council does not make an appointment, then the council uh does not make an appointment by the deadline, the 60 days, then the city council must call for a special election for the uh vacancy to be filled by a vote of the people.

8:43

The timeline for this evening's process began with the vacancy when uh former council member Azevedo vacated his position on December 10th, which initiated that 60-day timeline.

8:57

Uh council action on February 17th, the directed staff to proceed with an application process and applications uh were circulated available online in the city clerk's office, and 12 applications were received, seven of which met the eligibility requirements in the city charter, which include uh residency in district two for this vacancy and being a registered district two voter.

9:26

Again, the deadline to appoint would be April 11th.

9:30

And if no appointment is made tonight, the council can continue deliberations at another meeting.

9:36

The next regular council meeting would be April 6th, or the council could also vote uh to call for a special election and fill the vacancy that way.

9:48

If the council does need to proceed to calling for a special election, staff does recommend that the special election be consolidated with the November election uh this year.

10:01

The reason for that is the date is one that can be operated by the register of voters, and that election is already fully budgeted for in the existing fiscal year budget.

10:16

If a different election date were selected, the the costs could be considerably more, ranging from the low almost 200,000 to over 1.2 million dollars based on the per registered voter costs from the Alameda County Register of Voters.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████32%
Council Governance███████████████████████23%
Council Reports████████████████16%
Personnel Matters██████████10%
Homelessness█████5%
Public Comments███3%
Public Safety███3%
Council Ethics██2%
Affordable Housing█1%
Summary of Proceedings

San Leandro City Council Special Meeting: District 2 Appointment - March 23, 2026

This special meeting of the San Leandro City Council, held on Monday, March 23, 2026, at 5:07 PM in Council Chambers, was convened to interview seven eligible applicants for the District 2 City Council vacancy created by the resignation of former Councilmember Azevedo on December 10, 2025. The council had a 60-day deadline to appoint or call a special election; the deadline was April 11, 2026. After hearing public comments, conducting interviews, and two rounds of voting, the council appointed James Aguilar to fill the seat until a successor is elected in the November 2026 election. The meeting adjourned at 9:25 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Douglas Spaulding (online): Expressed support for James Aguilar, citing his energy, equity concerns, and union organizing background. Also noted the importance of considering gender balance and youth representation.
  • Emily Grego (President/CEO, San Leandro Chamber of Commerce, online): Emphasized the importance of appointing someone who understands economic development, business retention, and fostering a supportive business environment for District 2's commercial corridors.
  • Alvaro Ramos (online): Advised the council to vote for Robert Bulatao, highlighting his role in initiating district elections and his commitment to local representation.
  • Jim Pola (online): Strongly endorsed James Aguilar, praising his school board experience, financial acumen, passion for public safety, and ability to build bridges and heal divisions on the council.
  • Mike McGuire (in-person): Thanked all applicants for their bravery and interest, noting the irony of Robert Bulatao's push for district elections now facing potential appointment. Did not endorse a specific candidate.

Discussion Items

  • Technical Difficulties: The meeting began with a brief delay due to issues with the clerk's voting equipment and online audio. The council proceeded after confirming remote participants could hear.
  • Interview Process Overview: City Clerk Sarah Bunting explained the charter requirements, the 60-day deadline, and the process: 12 applications were received, 7 met eligibility (residency in District 2 and registered voter). The interview order was randomized using random.org, and candidates were sequestered without electronics. Each candidate had 90 seconds for opening remarks, followed by four minutes of questions per council member, and a one-minute closing. Council members were asked to avoid questions on protected characteristics.
  • Councilmember Disagreement on Sequestering: Mayor González suggested removing electronics from sequestered candidates to prevent unfair advantage. Councilmember Boldt and Simon supported trusting candidates' integrity. Councilmember Bowen advocated for consistent questions across candidates. Vice Mayor Viveros-Walton noted she had specific questions for each applicant based on their applications. The council decided not to impose a strict rule on electronics.
  • Interviews: Seven candidates were interviewed in the following randomized order: James Aguilar, Emily Chandler, Edward Hernández, Tiare Peña, Robert Bulatao, Leo Sheridan, and Luis Mendoza. Each candidate answered questions on their motivations, key issues (budget, homelessness, rent stabilization, economic development, safety, schools), ethical challenges, bias training, and specific District 2 concerns (Bayfair, BART, railroad tracks, John George facility).
  • Nominations and First Round of Voting: After interviews, nominations were made: Councilmember Aguilar nominated James Aguilar; Councilmember Bowen nominated Emily Chandler; Vice Mayor Viveros-Walton nominated Luis Mendoza and later Tiare Peña; Councilmember Boldt nominated Leo Sheridan; Councilmember Simon nominated Edward Hernández. The first round voting order (randomized) was: Luis Mendoza, Edward Hernández, Emily Chandler, Tiare Peña, Leo Sheridan, James Aguilar. Results:
    • Luis Mendoza: 3 yes, 2 no, 1 abstain
    • Edward Hernández: 1 yes, 1 no, 4 abstain
    • Emily Chandler: 2 yes, 1 no, 3 abstain
    • Tiare Peña: 3 yes, 3 abstain
    • Leo Sheridan: 1 yes, 5 abstain
    • James Aguilar: 3 yes, 3 abstain No candidate received a majority (4 votes).
  • Second Round of Voting: The council narrowed the list to four candidates: Emily Chandler, James Aguilar, Luis Mendoza, and Tiare Peña. The randomized voting order was: Luis Mendoza, James Aguilar, Emily Chandler, Tiare Peña. Votes:
    • Luis Mendoza: 0 yes, 2 no, 4 abstain (failed)
    • James Aguilar: 4 yes, 2 abstain (achieved majority) The council then voted on Emily Chandler and Tiare Peña were not brought to a vote after Aguilar's success.

Key Outcomes

  • Appointment: A motion by Councilmember Aguilar, seconded by Councilmember Boldt, to adopt Resolution 2026-026 appointing James Aguilar to the District 2 City Council vacancy for a term expiring December 31, 2026, and until a successor is elected and qualified. The motion carried unanimously (6-0).
  • Swearing-In: James Aguilar requested to be sworn in at a public meeting. The council scheduled the swearing-in for the April 6, 2026 regular meeting.
  • No Special Election: The council did not call for a special election, as the vacancy was filled by appointment within the 60-day deadline.
  • Next Steps: The appointee will serve until the November 2026 election, when District 2 voters will elect a representative for the remainder of the term.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, at this point we're just gonna make a quick announcement. We do have a technical difficulty with the clerk's equipment. We do believe that we are transmitting online, and we're gonna get confirmation here that people online can hear us. Um and we're working on a workaround because the primary constraint is a voting constraint, because we don't have voting that will take place probably for the next three hours. We can continue with our meeting as long as we're transmitting, but we're trying to iron out those technical difficulties, and so stay tuned. Oh, no, I was just calling and tell you that I'm in the meeting and I can't hear anything. Excuse me, Janelle. Excuse me. Okay, so we're working to double check some connectivity. And so for the folks online, we ask you to be patient for a few more minutes. Okay, it is five. It is Monday, March 23rd, 2026. Please stand if you're able to pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America in terms of remote for which stands one nation under God Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The City of San Leandro conducts order before doing that announcement. Would you please take roll, Madam Clerk? Vice Mayor Viveros Walton. Present. Council Member Aguilar. Present. Council Member Simon. Present. Council Member Bowen. Present. Councilmember Bolt. Present. And Mayor Gonzalez. Present. Thank you. 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 under the California for Employment and 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 rule subdecorum for more information. Madam Clerk, your announcement. 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 will 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. At this point, I'm a move to agenda item number three. And Madam Clerk, I do believe you will be introducing this item. Yes, Mayor, thank you. One moment while I pull up the presentation. Thank you, Mayor. Again, this is Sarah Bunting, uh City Clerk for the City of San Leandro. The item before you tonight is the City Council's opportunity to interview and potentially appoint a member of the community to fill the existing district two vacancy on the city council. We'll start with a very brief overview of the charter requirements that mandate how the city fills vacancies on the council. And then we'll briefly talk about tonight's interview process. Um the process of voting for nominations and appointment and potential steps if the council does not make an appointment this evening.

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