May the 27th and I'll ask that um if you're able if you would please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance tonight, have the pleasure of welcoming Richard with the local 104 sheet metal workers, and he's gonna step up and lead us in the pledge.

Hello, uh, how are you doing?

Uh okay, here we go.

I pledge allegiance to the flat.

The United States of America and to the Republic for which is standing, and liberty and justice and justice.

Thank you.

Nice job.

And uh thank you, uh Councilman uh Flores.

Um we're gonna do the roll call now, Councilmember Coleman.

Here, Councilmember Flores, present council member Nicholas, present, Vice Mayor Adiego.

I'm sorry, Vice Mayor Nagales.

Okay, we get next to the whole time.

Uh here.

Mayor Adiego.

Here.

Thank you.

We'll now skip to Levine Act Disclosures.

Does the council have any reporting?

No.

Recording.

We'll now move along to announcements from staff.

Hi, good evening.

I'm Megan Woolley Osdall, deputy city manager, and we are very excited to invite the council and the community to our citywide July 4th parade and picnic celebration.

This is a part of our year-long semi-quincentennial celebration.

Please join us on Saturday, July 4th from 10 p.m.

excuse me, 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

The celebration will kick off with a parade starting at Orange Memorial Park.

And the parade will make its way to City Hall, where we will have a program including the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Afterwards on Grand Avenue, we will have free food, family-friendly activities, and music from the band Fast Times.

We hope you'll join us to celebrate with your neighbors, support local businesses, and enjoy the holiday.

Thank you.

Thank you, Megan.

Before you depart, before you depart, um, you are our main contact person for those in the community that might be interested in joining our rolling parade.

It's not a marching parade.

That's right.

Thank you.

Yes, we're having a rolling parade, which means um people need to be in vehicles.

Um and yes, um, myself and my team are the main contacts for the celebration.

So as an example, I was contacted by the women's club and they're interested in being in the parade.

And if a local union was interested in being in the parade and had a vehicle that they'd like to decorate, red, white, and blue, and roll in the parade, they would be welcome.

That's right.

We we do ask that if folks are interested that they let us know by June 15th, so that we can best plan for the parade and the number of vehicles that we'll have.

Okay, thank you, Megan.

Yeah, thank you.

That concludes the staff reports.

Okay.

We'll move along to presentations.

Item number one is a proclamation celebrating May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

And I've asked uh Councilman James Coleman to do the presentation.

Thank you.

It's my honor to uh present this proclamation uh recognizing Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Air, Pacific Islander Heritage Month here in South San Francisco.

Uh the AAPI community is the fastest growing uh community, uh immigrant community in the United States, and it is uh especially large in South San Francisco.

Forty two percent of South City is proudly A and H PI, including four of our council members, uh Mark Nogales, uh Flor Nicholas, who are Filipino, myself who is half Taiwanese, and little known fact uh Eddie Flores is one-fourth Chinese as well.

And so we have uh if you count up all the the fractions, we're a little over a half.

Uh, Councilman, I'm still doing some research on my heritage.

So it could be more, it could be more.

Who knows, right?

Uh and the Bay Area definitely would not be what it is without our API community from the Chinese laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad to the Filipino farm workers who marched along uh for the with the United Farm Workers Union to the Japanese American families who came home from unjust incarceration and rebuilt their lives, to the South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander families who continue to enrich every corner of this region.

This is a story of resilience of community and of the America that we are still working to live up to.

And API Heritage Month is more than a celebration, it's a recognition of our shared progress, and that is always dependent on the diversity and the strength of our various communities.

And so with that said, I am honored to present this proclamation to Stephen Yi, who is a commissioner on our Equity and Public Safety Commission.

Council members, uh, and Council Coleman, thank you for uh presenting this.

Um I must admit I'm I'm incredibly grateful for this.

Uh, not just in terms of uh the recognition and the the respect uh that we're honoring today, uh but it and not just in terms of the receipt of this proclamation, but it's really in the um the very spirit of what this proclamation is all about.

You know, uh the the theme of power and unity, uh strengthening communities.

Uh I think that's incredibly pertinent, especially uh during these times and during who we are as we're evolving as a city.

Um and um, and in turn, if I if I may, you know, uh to each and everyone, uh each of you, each of us.

I I highly encourage and urge you uh to find a greater deeper meaning in your voices in somehow some way, uh whether it's to contribute, to guide, um, or simply to serve.

Um and I and I and if I may just extend it a little bit longer.

Uh I found my voice, my version of voice, uh, my addition of my lived experience by participating directly uh as a commissioner with this commission on equity and public safety.

Uh we we get together not just as just as commissioners, uh we get together as peers, your very neighbors.

Uh we really get into relevant community issues and concerns, um, as well as even the curiosities, uh, the common interests and and the meaningful reasons of why we celebrate of where each and everyone is coming from.

And I I and as you see me here before you, I invite you all, whether those of you here or wherever the camera is online to to come join the conversation to help uh shape the conversations that we have, uh, to help shape the unique blend of voices that we are here for you, the residents, the community of South City.

Um we meet what um essentially every month, third Mondays, out in City Hall, uh, the city managers conference room.

It's open doors.

Feel free to join us.

Um, and um, and if you can't come out there, we'll likely come out to see you.

Uh, whether it's like last year, formerly as a group at Kotora Fest, uh, maybe maybe even uh casually individually uh at certain events, like maybe in the lunar new year celebration earlier this year.

Uh, but definitely concert in the park.

We'll see you, many of you there as well.

So, again, uh, we invite you.

We are here to hear more of you.

We are the commission that just doesn't that just doesn't serve to the voices, but we are serving also as an advisory uh body to city council, to the city manager, um, and it's really your part in the process to help shape the future of uh South City together.

So let's come together and see what we can do to live and thrive simply.

Thank you, and thank you.

Item number two is a proclamation celebrating May as National Bike Month.

You know, it's not unusual to see the vice mayor on his bike, um, waiting at the Centennial Trail here to cross the busy Chestnut Avenue.

And um, so I thought it would be best if he was the one presenting for National Bike Month.

Thank you, Ms.

Mary.

I have a proud e-bike owner who likes to go up and down Central Trail.

There's been times where the mayor has seen me ride on my bike.

So give me a little wave.

Uh, May is National Bike Month, and it's a time to celebrate the many ways biking strengthens our community, whether it's riding to work, getting exercise, or spending time with the family, or just simply enjoying the outdoors, biking helps create a healthier, more connected and more sustainable city.

Here in South San Francisco, we're continuing to work to make our streets safer and more welcoming for everyone, including cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike.

From trails and bike lanes to community riders and safety programs, every improvement helps encourage more people to choose biking as part of their daily lives.

National Bike Month is also a reminder that transportation is more about just getting from one place to another, it's about building community and proving quality of life.

Thank you to the advocates, volunteers, and city staff and residents who continue to promote a safer, more accessible biking opportunity throughout our city.

And to writing everyone riding this month, stay safe and enjoy the ride.

And so it is my honor to ask Carlos Moreno, the bicycle pedestrian advisor committee vice chair to come up and accept this proclamation.

I also see Derry up here from RBPAC as well.

So, but Daryl, you want to come up as well.

Nope, okay, I'm gonna give it the cards.

Well, thank you so much, council members.

Uh, really appreciate this proclamation and your recognition of bike month.

Um, and just real brief, um uh there was a community ride that was hosted, uh, which is uh um council member Nogales' a great idea, and it it sounds like it was a great event with uh lots of different diverse communities out, which I think is really emblematic of what cycling can be, not just uh uh you know something for mammals, which stands for middle-aged men in lycra.

Um, but it could really be for more.

You know, it's kids, it's seniors, you know, and you saw all that in this community ride.

Um, so this isn't just for people who are just trying to recreate, although recreation is incredibly important, but it's people trying to get to school, to work, uh, to get groceries.

Uh, and especially now when gas prices are exorbitantly high, uh, it's important to recognize things like bike lanes, transit, and other modes of transportation, um, to give people other alternatives.

So, yeah, thank you so much.

Thank you, commissioner, and we'll move along.

We'll move along to council comments requests, honoring the life of our quest.

So let's turn back to the vice mayor and let him lead off this evening.

Sure.

Um, couple events that I was able to share with my colleagues uh that we all attended.

Um last Monday was our Memorial Day pancake breakfast.

Uh, thank you to the firefighters for putting together another um delicious uh pancake breakfast.

I will admit I had more than one pancake, uh, but also to the speakers um who are there, Al Banfield, um, uh Captain Gale, um, their stories are really amazing in terms of their service to our country.

And it's just a reminder that if you ever meet a veteran, a person who served, or a person who's an active duty, thank them for their service.

It's really important that you do that.

And I was joining as well with my colleagues to the 75th anniversary gala of the rotary.

And what was very uh obvious to me is the amazing work that they do in South San Francisco, especially in terms of affordable housing.

The the various affordable housing projects that the rotary is help funding, really, is tremendous.

And when there are times, especially now when it's been difficult to build affordable housing, it's kind of it kind of kind of dawned on me that maybe, you know, when you want to build affordable housing, go to the rotary in a sense.

And then lastly, I wanted to uh adjourn in memory to two individuals that are well known in this community.

Um Nori Ventura, let me start with him, who just recently passed away.

And if you know uh Flori and Nori, uh they are amazing individuals in our community, and Flori puts together concerts uh in our community, and it's just really nice to kind of see our community coming together.

And there's been times when uh Flori plays on the piano and Nori will come up and sing, and um I was very sad to hear of his passing.

And then I also wanted to adjourn a memory to our good friend Betty Batalia.

Who uh I had the great fortune of serving with her on the park and rec commission, but um she was a force in our community for good.

Um I just appreciated the advice and conversations I had with Betty throughout the years, especially when I first started out.

And I can only imagine the force of her and her husband Dick Patalia in the community.

And these amazing people who have really uh done a force of good and really changed a lot of people's lives, including mine.

So I would like to adjourn a memory to both those individuals, please, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, Mark.

Thank you.

Um why don't we go now to um uh our Zoom partner, 3,000 miles away, and uh floor Nicholas, um, if you're ready.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, like the mayor said, I'm here in Boston because uh we are required to work this week here.

Um I joined the vice mayor in honoring the memories of Honorio Ventura, who uh the whose husband for Florian Day were together for 55 years, um, and uh met Batalia.

Um and then I would like to congratulate our parts and rec team um for hosting the 26th Annual Senior Health Fair in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, and we saw a lot of seniors there, and for seniors, um uh one of the resources that I found very interesting over there because uh you know loneliness is one of the growing epidemic among seniors, there is an institute on aging, and they have they provide a friendship line.

So for those people who would like to just speak to a friend, um perhaps um one of the stays we'll have a presentation um to the seniors about institute on aging that's located in San Francisco if they want to participate and uh have the friendship line.

Um we also had um I would like to extend my uh gratitude to Captain Tony Pinel, the farm chief Matt Sampson, um Greg Midiati, who's our parks and rec director, uh Alan Wong and Jason Beers of NEMS and uh Operation Access, who were our speakers at my recent uh community outreach for District 3, and they talked about the services that we have.

Um, and also the upcoming um Sign Hill um slow ring.

Slowring, I said Slow Ring.

Well, the cap the fire chip will be able to explain that a little later.

Um May 20th.

Also, I attended the graduation of 75 or 71 high school students in our district who challenged themselves by attending the Skyline Middle College program.

This is a really great program for those who were not aware of the middle college program.

This some of the kids graduated with 35 to 32 to 60 units of college credits.

And so one graduate, the valedictorian, had 60 units of uh college credits, and uh was able to also graduate with three associate degrees.

Another one that I attended was uh barbecue of the public works team, and they celebrated the National Public Works Week on May 21st.

And like the vice mayor said, I also attended the Rotary celebration the gala for their 75th anniversary and the Memorial Day pancake breakfast.

That's it for me, Mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Flora.

Um, Councilman Flores.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh good evening, colleagues and neighbors.

Uh, I want to also begin by expressing uh my sincere gratitude to the South San Francisco Rotary Club uh for welcoming me along with our mayor and council colleagues and city staff to their 75th anniversary celebration.

Uh the Rotary, as many of you know, has been a long uh uh pillar of service here in our community in our city.

Um, and during this milestone event, we really got a glance of uh the history-making uh aspect of how they've come along and benefited so many families, so many seniors and impacted generations here in South San Francisco.

Uh, they surprised our city with an extraordinary gift, uh, the contribution of $75,000.

It's their anniversary, but they're giving to the city $75,000 towards the construction of the new Linden and Pine Park, uh, which as we know will continue to benefit families and neighbors in Old Town and in District 5.

Thank you to the mayor for asking me to join in accepting the check.

Uh, we also recently celebrated the groundbreaking of this park, and their generosity will help bring this community space to life.

So, thank you to the Rotary Club for this enduring commitment to South City.

Also acknowledge uh and thank our sister city association for hosting a delegation from Kishiwata, Japan, who joined us at that uh event that evening as well.

Um, I also uh the two Saturdays ago, I also held a neighborhood cleanup uh event, District 5 annual uh neighborhood cleanup, and I want to thank the many neighbors, residents, and families who joined us that morning.

We had over 60 individuals come out.

Um, and this has been a reoccurring event over the past three years.

We have held more than five cleanups in different areas of District 5, and this year's turnout was really truly inspiring because it there's so many activities happening on Saturday mornings, including soccer practice and all the sports practices, and for families of four or five to come out and and and really take place, take part in in this important uh community event was really um heartwarming.

Uh we welcome not only participants though from district five, but from all across South City, and that really says even our neighbors.

Uh there were a few uh folks from Colma as well.

There were children, parents, entire families working together to make our city cleaner.

Uh one recurring comment though, and I wanted to share this.

I heard multiple uh from multiple teams since we were organized in various teams, was that our city was not as littered as they expected.

That is really a sense of pride, and it's it's really a reflection of the work of our city staff does every day, including our public works uh staff.

Uh and really this cleanup events are successful, not because I hold them or because I, you know, kind of uh talk to staff and create the idea, but it's because of our employees that support them with dedication and with professionalism.

And I want to thank the individuals, and if I can, um Mr.

Mayor, I want to specifically name them because they not only you know prepare weeks ahead, but they're there at six in the morning on a Saturday and they stay till till uh breaking everything down and they ride their trucks around and everyone from our city manager's office, uh, our city manager.

Thank you for joining us, Laura Snydman, Rich Lee, Anjanette Lau, Marie Patea for organizing and putting everything together.

Our public works team, our director, Eugene Kim, Alex Henry, Arthur Reeves and his daughter, Leilani, uh, Diana Wang, Carlos Andrade, uh, Sanualo Mainlanghi, Dante Garcia, Jesus Prieto, Jorge Gonzalez Sanchez, Agustin Sandoval, Hector Brissuela Hernandez, Anthony Takaputuolo, Chris Sacaria, and Larry Yan.

Each one of them came out that Saturday morning.

Um, but I also want to thank our fire department.

Uh, they also played an important role.

They lended us the portable restrooms, the porta potties that helped uh uh the event run smoothly.

So your support made a difference as well.

Um, additionally, um this past week we celebrated the grand reopening of Anna's Beauty Salon on Baden Avenue, a minority-owned and women-owned business in our downtown.

And I want to thank uh members of the Chamber of Commerce and our economic development department for supporting this event.

Uh, local businesses like Anna's uh salon are essential to the character and the vitality of South San Francisco, and I look forward to continuing to support them.

I also, on the same line, and as a segue, I want to congratulate our city staff uh for South San Francisco selection by the National League of Cities as one of only two cities in California chosen for the 2026-2027 legacy forward cohort.

We are one of 10 cities nationwide to receive this recognition.

So this program will help expand our long-term business retention and economic growth strategies, and our participation really reflects years of relationship building with the National League of Cities by Councilwoman Nicholas and myself, and of course, our staff.

I congratulate our economic development department for earning this opportunity and for their leadership, and it's gonna bring a lot of new ideas and resources uh to our city.

Uh, before closing, I also want to offer a heartfelt tribute to someone who meant so much to our community.

And as it's been said, former Parks and Recreation Commissioner Betty Bataglia uh passed away last week, and her loss is deeply, deeply felt.

Betty, along with her husband, Dick Betaglia, who served as council member and mayor and city treasurer, devoted countless years to public service.

I also had the privilege of working closely with Betty during my time on the Parks and Recreation Commission.

We attended many events together.

We laughed together.

Her encouragement throughout my public service left a lasting impression on me.

And I remember when I was first elected to the school board, she brought everyone at that meeting, her famous cookies and brownies, and made a celebration.

We almost forgot that we had to run a park and rec meeting that evening.

She recently received a CPRS regional award for her work.

It was an honor she thoroughly deserved.

And though it represents only a fraction of her impact on South City, I'm grateful that Mayor Coleman selected her as one of the women of the year in 2024, and that I had the privilege of presenting that award to her.

She joins a remarkable group of women now who have shaped our city and now are watching over us.

Betty made South City better, folks.

If you didn't have a chance to get to know her, trust us when we tell you this.

She brought humor.

She brought smiles, she brought warmth and sincerity wherever she went.

And she absolutely will be missed.

Thank you, Betty, for your dedication to our community, and for the joy you shared with so many of us.

Also share my condolences to Flori Ventura and her family on the passing of Nori Ventura.

And before I conclude, I also want to reiterate reiterate something that I have stated previously, and that several of my colleagues have raised in past discussions, and that is that I remain hopeful that we will soon, and I want to underscore the word soon, agendize and engage in thorough conversations about how we approach our upcoming labor agreements, including uh project labor agreement.

This is essential for the long-term well-being of South City.

We are at our core, a labor town, and this council has consistently demonstrated support for our labor brothers and sisters.

And as far as this council member is concerned, we are prepared to advance a path forward that reflects the best interest of our city and strengthens the future of South San Francisco.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

That's all I have.

Thank you, Councilman.

Um Mr.

Coleman.

Thank you.

I also had the opportunity to uh attend a Memorial Day event, which is one that I've always enjoyed since I was a child.

Remember growing up in South City and always uh looking forward to Memorial Day with the pancakes provided by our our uh fire department and our fire firefighters uh next I want to uh bring some attention to uh Laz parking.

Uh there have been quite a few complaints uh recently.

Um I and I so I'll start.

Um there's been a few complaints, and and you usually when you have one or two, you kind of think okay, it might just be a mistake, but there's been a series of complaints where folks have been getting wrongful tickets to where I think we should check in with our uh our Laz uh contractors and kind of ensure that there is quality in what they're doing.

Uh one one instance is concerns the same individual within a two-month period, so it happened uh fairly uh, you know, within fairly near to each other.

One time was uh parked in front of his house and getting ticketed uh for leaving his vehicle there for more than 72 hours when that was clearly not the case, and there's ring camera footage uh to prove that.

And the second time was getting a ticket uh while parking, I believe sometime somewhere in our downtown uh where he had bought parking, he'd paid for parking um online uh for two hours, and it lasted till 4 30, and he got ticketed at 3 30 um on his car.

And so I just wanted to make sure that our Laz officers are um being upheld to a high standard because you know I was able to uh suggest that and and let them know that they should be appealing these tickets, but there are people who might not appeal it, and there are people who uh might be wrongfully paying these tickets.

So I just want to make sure that there's there's a high standard of quality there.

Uh and there has and these aren't this isn't all in person, there's been another individual um where they are parking on curbs that have not been marked red uh and have thus been ticketed, and so I just want to make sure that we are being fair there as well.

Um next, I want to join my colleagues in um remembering Betty Batalia who has been a longtime resident of Avalon Park in District 4 and a longtime community member and and commissioner in our city, and she always ran around our parks rack events, our community events, always with a lovely sense of humor, a smile, and and she is a pillar of the community that will truly be missed.

And I want to join my colleagues in remembering Nori Ventura as well, who also is an Avalon Park resident, longtime resident, and who is also the owner of a computer repair shop in Brentwood for a long period of time.

Um, Nori and Florey frequented our senior center, frequented our city events, and again, always brought an incredible sense of humor and happiness, really connecting the community together.

Um both Betty and Nori will be very missed, and that's all I have for today.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Councilman.

And um, I just wanted to um uh again mentioned um uh Betty Bitalia's, you know, she she um uh was important to um all of us in in different ways.

And um I first met her.

I was just recently out of high school, and I met her husband because he was running for uh for city council, and this was a time where all the city council seats were held by people, families that lived downtown.

So it was a very um big deal to have somebody from an outlying neighborhood, Avalon Park, running for office.

And so I went to their home, and it was an extremely active home.

They had four children, um, Laurie, Gina, uh, Gary and David, the twins, and um I think maybe Betty was like 38 years old.

Can you imagine Betty Battalia 38, the energy that she had?

I mean, um she really was the um uh the so much of the spirit of the battalia family, and and uh Dick Batalia was um so much better uh for having her in his life, and then she was just able to maintain that.

You know, there were ups and downs.

Um the councilman um served one term, and it took a couple of tries to become city treasurer, but when he did become city treasurer, it was very obvious that he was the right person for a very long time.

And um she uh she weathered all that because with the politics there's ups and downs, and sometimes it takes so much out of you.

It's hard to stay as positive as she was and stay as engaged, but she um she was always able to maintain that quite a remarkable woman.

Um, I also wanted to thank uh Fire Chief Samson and all of his um firefighters.

They've been doing this for I think 20 years.

Um it's something that um was an idea, the brainchild of uh Caramatsumoto, and um, and it's still going on today.

It might change a little bit next year because we'll be back at the park, and uh maybe we'll be enjoying um uh pancakes at the uh Joseph Fernices building um right there at the park.

Um but um the amount of uh energy that you put into that makes Memorial Day a very special day, um, especially wonderful for the people, the veterans.

You know, there was one uh no veterans were in attendance that served in World War II.

There was one gentleman that served uh in the Korean War, and there were a number of Vietnam vets, and certainly uh ones that have served in the Middle East and uh any number of battles.

Um, so I just wanted to um uh uh share that um on the more local front.

Um I I occasionally walk the Bay Trail, um, and I was out at the part of the Bay Trail that's at the end of Haskins Way, and um, and so I walked along the Bay Trail that fronts the South San Francisco Scavengers.

And what a lot of the public doesn't realize is that the Bay Trail is the responsibility of the adjoining property owners.

So to be able to build uh next to um the bay like that, you have to uh create access and you have to maintain that actress access.

And I need to tell you that the South San Francisco Scavengers gets an A plus for the way they maintain the trail.

Less litter, um, better landscaping, um, the facilities that are there, the benches and tables and the garbage cans are clean, orderly, and often empty instead of overflowing.

So um I just wanted to uh congratulate them and thank them for what they're doing out there.

And you know, there are others that um they don't get an A, and I'll be contacting their representatives in the near future.

So that uh that completes my report for tonight, and we'll move along with our uh agenda.

Thank you, Mayor.

We'll move along to public comments.

We did have one e-comment submitted by Victor Santain, who is also present to provide a public comment in person.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the city council.

My name is Victor Santian, and I live near the South Line Development Area affecting neighborhood between South San Francisco and San Bruno.

I'm here tonight because residents believe the city approved a large multi-story development.

They may have created a serious pedestrian wind hazard, but not adequately studying or mitigating the impacts to the surrounding public areas.

Since construction of the South Line project, many residents have experienced dramatically intensified wind conditions along the nearby streets, sidewalks, and residential areas.

Well, used to feel like ordinary wind, now it behaves more like concentrated wind tunnels, moving between buildings and through the pedestrian areas.

This is not simply about discomfort.

Uh we believe residents believe now that it's a public issue.

One elderly resident in our neighborhood previously fell during severe wind conditions in the area.

Her husband, who uses the walker, struggled moving through these conditions safely, especially when he needed to go get help.

Since then, she has become afraid to go outside because the intensity of the wind is sometimes just too much.

She also experiences a lot of watery and irritated eyes from debris constantly blowing torture.

These are the types of pedestrian level impacts that typically are typically studied and mitigated and dense urban developments because large buildings can redirect and accelerate wind towards the ground level where people walk.

However, residents have learned that no wind study was required or completed for this project before approval.

Given the scale of this development, approximately six stories tall.

Many of us are deeply concerned that the potential impacts to petition safety were never adequately evaluated.

The effects on public streets, sidewalks, accessibility and safety of the residents, especially seniors and those with mobility limitations.

So we respectfully ask the city council to acknowledge the seriousness of this issue.

Authorize an independent wind and pedestrian safety evaluation.

Review how this project was approved without a wind study, and work with residents and the developer on meaningful mitigation solutions.

Residents should not feel unsafe walking outside.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you, Victor.

Victor Sansellen, it was Victor, can you identify the street that you're referring to?

Sorry, Tan Fran Avenue.

San Francisco, okay.

And we have your contact information from the email that you sent.

Uh I believe so.

I've also been in contact with Adina.

Okay.

And she has all my information.

Good starting point.

Okay.

Thank you, Victor.

Next speaker is Tom Treyer.

Welcome, Mr.

Schreyer.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members.

I'm here tonight representing the proud members of Sheet Metal Workers, Local Union number 104, as well as the thousands of trade workers across this county.

I really appreciate your words earlier, Councilmember Flores, and I do agree that South City was really at the forefront of preserving the hardworking middle class.

However, the city's begun to slip behind its neighbors as of late.

San Mateo, Foster City, Daily City, even the county have all voted for PLAs.

Several other cities, including San Carlos, Belmont, and Redwood City are talking with the building trades as well.

Pretty sure you guys don't want to fall behind Belmont and San Carlos when it comes to representing the trades.

We've heard that you are committed to the middle class workers in South City, and yet for over a year we've seen little action to back that commitment.

On behalf of the members of local 104 and all the construction families, you guys could all raise up for me there.

Awesome.

Thank you all.

We'd really like to encourage all the council members here to advise the city staff to agendize the negotiation of a citywide PLA with the San Mateo County Building Trades Council.

Thank you so much for your time.

I appreciate it.

Have a great night.

Thank you, Mr.

Trey.

Andrew Avila.

Good evening, Council members.

Thank you for allowing us to speak tonight.

My name is Andrew Avela.

I am an apprentice for local 104.

I live here in South City, and it's really important to me to have opportunities to work in the community.

PLAs help apprentices like me have local jobs and work closer to home, which can save a lot on gas money.

Having a good union job has helped me stay in South City, and a PLA in the city would help give young people the same good career and chance to stay here too.

We are asking you tonight to help out local construction workers and bring a PLA to South San Francisco.

Thank you for your time.

Andrew Marino.

Good evening.

My name is Andrew Marino, and I'm the assistant training director for the Springley Fitters Local 483 here in the Bay Area.

I'm a South San Francisco resident.

The house I live in right on the side of Sign Hill.

We've had five generations live in the house.

Um, talking to my dad, grandfather.

This is a blue-collar town.

It says it across the, you know, across the hill, right?

Industrial city from our history of meat packing, you know, uh shipbuilding, manufacturing.

When I was a kid, we lived our backyard went up to seize candy, you know.

So this this community was built on blue collar, and I'm here to speak on the importance of the project labor agreement.

You know, um, again, I'm involved with training and with the apprenticeship program.

You know, the PLA really benefits our apprentices in our apprenticeship program.

You know, having that stabilized or that that work really, you know, betters our training and the foundation for you know our members.

I can't tell you how many apprentices I speak to that are commuting from out in the valley to come work in this area.

It'd be great if we can guarantee more work here for, you know, members to be able to live where they work.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Moreno.

Thank you.

Evening.

Wow.

Um, mayor, vice mayor.

We lost our council member on location.

Council members Flores and Coleman.

I'm here on behalf of the 13,000 tradesmen and tradeswomen of the Building Trades Council who live and work in San Mateo County, many of whom reside here in South San Francisco.

We're here to comment on a PLA policy.

The building trades have had continuous discussions with council members and staff since actually July of 2024 is when my first conversations with council members began.

So we've done that, including multiple meetings with staff last year and this year.

Members of the building trades who reside in South San Francisco have clearly expressed their desire for a project labor agreement here in the city.

Furthermore, council members have publicly stated from the dais at goal setting meetings and in conversations with their constituents that a PLA public PLA policy is a priority.

It is time to translate this year's set, this year's set priority into action.

Mayor, vice mayor, mayor, vice mayor, we urge you to follow through on this commitment by directing staff to immediately agendize the negotiation of a project labor agreement.

Just like in the field, we're ready to get to work.

We want to work on this and bring it home for you as the priority that you set.

And I did notice on the agenda that you'll be looking at your capital improvement plan.

I would just hope that if in reviewing that, remember that those tax dollars under a PLA will have real-time compliance.

So the workers earning those wages won't have to wait up to 18 months.

Well, usually the labor commission takes about 18 months to look at a case because that's when the statute runs out.

If there was any type of violation or you know, unpaid wages, you really don't you start the process after the job closes, 18 months later, you might get your case heard.

Our union representatives are organizers.

We take cases, the labor commission all the time.

We've never lost, well, I won't say never, but I haven't heard of us losing a case.

The hardest problem is getting them heard.

Under PLA, you have real-time compliance.

We can settle these things in a matter of days, if not, worst case scenario, maybe a month.

Get someone paid their correct time, correct wages.

So that's one of the many benefits of the PLA brings.

I know again that you have set this as a priority, so we're just looking to close the loop on this.

So thank you for the time.

Thank you, Mr.

Benchilia.

Julie Lind.

Good evening, Mr.

Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council members, and staff.

I'm Julie Lind with the San Mateo Labor Council, representing more than 95,000 workers and their families across the county, including thousands of whom are your South City neighbors.

I want to thank the council for the support you've already shown for a project labor agreement.

As you've heard over the last nearly two years, we've had thoughtful and substantive conversations with both council and staff about what a PLA could mean for the city.

Those conversations became even more detailed last fall as discussions on terms began with staff, including former City Manager Rannels and City Attorney Woodruff.

And in January, as you all will remember, at your annual priority setting workshop, your council formally identified moving forward on a PLA as a priority for the year.

Unfortunately, as you have also heard, we haven't seen much progress since.

That's why we're here tonight asking for a simple but important next step.

Please direct staff to re-engage in discussions with the building trades on terms so we can work collaboratively toward a complete proposed policy to be brought to council in July for consideration and a vote.

This discussion is especially timely as later on the agenda, you'll be discussing the city's proposed 2026-2027 budget and your capital improvement plan, including the major public infrastructure investments the council intends to make over the coming years.

A project labor agreement is exactly the kind of policy framework that should accompany that level of public investment.

As South City prepares to move forward on significant capital projects, now is the time to ensure those projects are delivered with strong labor standards, a skilled and trained workforce, clear apprenticeship opportunities for local residents, and protections that help keep public dollars circulating in our local economy.

The decisions you make tonight about capital spending and long-term infrastructure planning are directly connected to this conversation.

A PLA helps ensure those investments create the greatest possible benefits for South San Francisco workers, taxpayers, and families.

We've been told by staff that there are concerns about continuing discussions of potential terms without additional formal council direction, even though those conversations had already begun, and you all had prioritized this for completion this year.

We ask that you reaffirm that commitment and help bring this over the finish line.

Across San Mateo County, cities and public agencies are moving forward successfully with PLAs because they recognize their benefits, and South San Francisco has the opportunity to join that momentum.

Thank you again for the work that has already occurred.

We look forward to continuing to collaborate and bringing this priority to completion.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Lynn.

That concludes our speakers, Mayor.

Through the mayor, may I may say one thing.

Thank you all for joining us today for to all of our local South City workers.

I know that our staff has been working on this, and I just you just out of respect for all those in the room.

If I don't mean to put anyone on the spot, but if you could provide maybe a timeline on when we could expect to see this on the agenda.

Sure.

So council has um made it very clear that we need to bring something to you all prior to the end of July.

We've been working to try and do that to get more specific direction from you earlier than that, and as soon as we have a date, uh, I don't I can't guarantee it's gonna be earlier than that, but we have been trying to do that while still manage the overall agendas with all of your priorities.

Um you all didn't actually finalize the priorities for the year until the last meeting.

Um, and so we are working to make sure that we are we bring this back to you all prior to the end of July, and if we can do that earlier, we will do so.

And we'll be in direct contact too with trades.

All right, thank you.

I look forward to seeing it on the agenda.

Thank you, Laura.

And we can move ahead with the well now move along to the consent calendar.

Does the council wish to pull any items?

Um, any items to uh comment on or no, and anyone in the hall have an item they'd like to know.

Okay, all right.

So we need a motion.

To approve.

So move.

Second, motion and a second on the floor and roll call.

Councilmember Coleman.

Yes, Councilmember Flores?

Yes, Councilmember Nicholas.

Aye, Vice Mayor Nogales.

Yes, Mayor Adiego.

Yes.

Okay.

We'll now move along to our public hearing item number seven, is a report regarding holding a public hearing on the city of South San Francisco's community Development Block Grant Program Year 2026 to 2027 annual action plan and adopting a resolution approving the annual action plan, authorizing its submittal and all other required documents to the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development, accepting funds and approving appropriation of CDBG and home administrative funds to be incorporated into the city proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 to 27 and authorizing the city manager or authorized designee to execute all documents and certifications necessary to secure an award CDBG and home administrative funds.

Item number 7A is a resolution.

Okay, let's go ahead and uh open the public hearing and uh begin with the staff report.

Thank you.

Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and council members.

My name is Alvina Condon, and I'm a housing management analyst too with economic and community development.

This is a public hearing on South San Francisco Community Development Block Grant, CDBG program year 2026 to 2027's annual action plan.

This action plan identifies the city's housing, community, and economic development priorities and allocates available CDBG funds to address these needs.

HUD requires local jurisdictions to hold two public hearings as part of the action plan process.

The first hearing was held in February earlier this year to gather community feedback, and today's public hearing is to gather further public input on the action plan and for council's review of the final 2026 to 27 annual action plan and budget allocations.

Do we have the PowerPoint?

It's on the screen, you just have to advance the slides.

Oh, okay.

I will oh, there we go.

You know, just an observation.

Um we do this quite often, and and um in some hearings, uh somewhat advances this the PowerPoint slide just with a command, and I find that to be a lot smoother.

So maybe we could look into the possibility of doing that.

Please.

Okay, thank you.

The total anticipated budget for program year 26 to 27 is 707,397, combining CDBG funds with additional sources including the housing trust fund, the state of California's permanent local housing author housing allocation program, PLHA, ECD's FY26-27 operating budget and home administrative funds.

For our CDBG entitlement award, the city will receive 459,847, which is an increase of $3,500 from the previous year.

For CDBG Public Services, staff proposes to support rape trauma services to support their work providing sexual abuse services to children and youth.

For CDBG administration, the city will spend uh 20% of its grant award on program planning and administration for CDBG public improvements.

ECD staff is working with public works and the fire department to identify priority projects that are CDBG eligible.

Next, proposed funding for organizations providing housing and homeless prevention services is supported through the housing trust fund for a hundred thousand dollars and include CORA, HIP Housing, Legal Aid Society, Life Moves, and Samaritan House.

For the coming program year, Friends for Youth and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center is proposed to be funded through the ECD FY 2026 to 2027's operating budget for $38,200.

Minor home repair is a vital program to assist city residents with maintaining a safe and healthy environment while promoting housing stability.

Rebuilding together peninsula is funded through the city's PLHA program, a state entitlement grant, and $100,000 has been committed to the program.

The city receives home administrative funds from the County of San Mateo for fair housing activities, and staff recommends the full amount of home administrative funds, $9,350 to be awarded to Project Sentinel.

In conclusion, staff recommends that City Council hear public comments for the CDBG program year 2026 to 27 annual action plan.

Adopt a resolution for the action plan and authorize its submittal to HUD.

Thank you.

And do we have public comment?

No public comments, Mayor.

No public comment.

Okay.

Any uh comment or question from council?

Just a quick comment.

I mean, sorry, Mr.

Sorry, it is a public hearing, so just if you could open the public hearing and you did.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

I was kind of quiet when I opened the evening.

I I just want to say that these organizations are very important to our community.

Uh this funding is important as we've seen funding from the federal government and from the state sometimes has been reduced.

And so anything we can provide and help these organizations is really critical as we we've heard numerous stories from individuals who've been held by these organizations.

I think it's important that we continue to provide central funding to these organizations.

So that's all I have, Mr.

Mayor.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Sir Mayor, I have a question.

Oh yes, please, Floor.

Yes.

Um, Alvina, thank you for the report.

Um, I would like to ask, because we have moved the hundred thousand to the PIHA.

How will that be impacted because of the upcoming um state budget deficit?

Mike Noche, housing manager.

Uh, happy to take that question.

Uh so these funds through PLHA are from uh my understanding is uh stem from real estate transactions and then are are provided to local jurisdictions.

So uh there is another five-year grant that we are a part of.

Uh so this is the first five-year portion, uh, and then there's a second five-year portion.

So the uh this is part of year three of that first five-year, and uh that funding has already been allocated, so I don't believe it is part of to answer the question directly.

Part of the current uh budget deficit at the state level, uh, but we will keep an eye on that if there are any uh effects to this funding.

I'm glad because it usually was funded by uh CDBG plans before, so thank you.

Okay, anyone else?

So, what we're looking for is uh a resolution approving the program uh year 2627.

So moved.

All second.

Okay, motion and a second.

And uh before we vote, I'll go ahead and close the public hearing.

I've got the city attorney and the former mayor helping me out tonight.

Great.

And so now we can do the roll call.

Councilmember Nicholas.

Aye, Vice Mayor Nogales?

Yes, Mayor Adiego?

Yes, Councilmember Flores?

Yes, Councilmember Coleman.

Yes, okay.

Next one.

Move along to administrative business item number eight is a report regarding the city of South San Francisco's operating budget for fiscal year 2026 to 27.

Good evening, Miss Donnelly.

Good evening.

It's a big night for you.

Just getting situated here.

Okay.

Brought all my stuff.

Well, I'm I'm happy for that.

Always prepared.

Good.

So thank you.

Thank you for having me.

Mayor Adiego, Vice Mayor Nogales.

Council members, members of the community and city staff.

My name is Christy Donnelly.

I am your finance director, and am pleased to be able to present to you tonight the draft version of the fiscal year 2026-27 proposed budget.

This is a study session, so that we will be welcoming comments from council as well as the public.

A budget is a snapshot in time, and it's our best educated informed estimate.

We use our expertise as well as external consultant data to put the numbers together.

However, those numbers are not 100% known.

And so we do things like come back at mid-year and make adjustments, and we will bring adjustments as needed throughout the upcoming year.

So our roadmap for tonight, the presentation first is going to give you updates to the current year projection.

Then we're going to explain the proposed fiscal year 26 27 budget.

Excuse me.

It's kind of hard to see the slides.

If we get it enlarged on our personal screens.

Oh, it's fixed.

Okay.

IT is really pretty good.

Um, so at the end, we're going to be asking for council direction in framing the longer term planning conversation.

A key message tonight is we are stable today, but intentional planning is required for the future.

So with that, I have a lot of little checkpoints here.

I'm not going to read them all.

I'm just going to kind of highlight a couple things.

The message is tonight is balanced.

This is not a panic button moment.

We do remain strong and in a position to be able to manage the immediate shortfall without cutting services or dipping into our policy reserves.

We have an excellent credit credit rating due to our reserves, and any reserves is something to celebrate.

So I would noting that we do have a reserves.

However, this is also not a moment for complacency.

The budget or the proposed budget is in a position right now to depend upon available unassigned fund balance.

So our available funding that has been saved in the past is being utilized to bridge the gap.

Reserves give the city time to make prudent and data-driven decisions, but they don't eliminate the need to make those decisions.

So a budget accomplishes some things and it doesn't accomplish some other things.

We've been able to offset anticipated revenue shortfall due to VLF.

And we'll talk a little bit more about BLF in a little bit in a minute.

And this budget will utilizes non-general fund revenue sources if able.

So things such like fees, impact fees, special revenue funds, and even measure W.

And we'll talk about that a little bit too.

It does not, however, allow for additional ongoing service expansion.

We are dipping into reserves, and that means that we need to be able to hold where we are until we can have those conversations about how to manage those that shortfall.

Then we're going to move on to the projected year end for fiscal year 25 26.

We have improved substantially.

So at adoption back in this time last year, we anticipated a 12.2 million dollar deficit.

At mid year that improved to about 5.8 million.

And I'm happy to report that we are projecting again projection about a $600,000 deficit this year.

We'll be using the unassigned fund balance to cover that as well.

Oh, let me go back for a minute.

I was gonna talk.

The difference and the the better projection at this point is really due to three things.

TOT has increased is more than what we had projected.

Unsecured property tax.

We'll talk about that in a minute when we get into our future discussion, and then we were able to save departments of but projected the year end with additional savings and services and supplies.

Moving on to the upcoming proposed budget.

Let's see, we still it it is a one-year budget, but and and we are going to also talk about looking to the future.

So for revenue, we had solid results, with one not surprising, everyone knows about VLF and the issues that we have had with our gap with VLF, and we'll talk about that in just now.

With unsecured property tax, that increased um substantially, and just so everyone understands um unsecured property tax.

Very detailed definitions on page three of the staff report.

If you want to go into more detail, but it is basically taxable property that is not secured by real estate.

So things like business equipment, aircraft, commercial fixtures, and there was a change in assessment value this last past year that we saw an increase.

Um we believe that that increase is going to continue.

Our consultants have told us that that is expected to continue, so we have built that into the budget.

Also, TOT has in indicating that it is strong.

We believe that it is returning to its pre-pandemic levels.

The VLF gap is the single biggest issue.

Um VLF is a common term for the property tax in lieu of vehicle license fee.

Rich presented last time on this.

I'm not gonna go into a lot of detail, um, just to quickly cover it.

There are two parts to the BLF, the expected current year payment, which is tied to the number of basic aid school districts, and then the current year, so that portion has been reduced from this past year with the assumption that one school district is going to flip.

That assumption is exactly that.

It's an assumption.

We are budgeting for one, but as many as three are within sight of potentially flipping, and we don't won't know that number until later in the summer or the fall.

And we will come back to you.

All three of these things here the unsecured property tax TOT and the VLF, those are on finances radar, and we are watching them closely so that if there is any significant change for the positive or for the negative, we will bring that back to you and address whatever issues we need to be able to bring that in in line.

The other part of VLF is the um expected prior year backfill, which is what the state owes us due to short paying two years ago.

Based on counsel from the budget standing committee, staff are not assuming a state backfill.

We did receive two thirds last year and had received backfill in the years prior to that, but um wisely I believe that the um trying to read the future is not a is not in my wheelhouse, but we should um we are not expecting the backfill this year, and if we get it, we will be very happy and come and report that to you as soon as possible.

Um so there's a lot of things around BLF.

If you want to read more about that, that's on page seven of the staff report.

The takeaway here is absent the VLF reduction, the general fund would be structurally balanced, and and that is um that that's a good takeaway.

We need to address that BLF, and if we if we can't, or if the solution doesn't come, then we need to address the shortfall.

So for our um talking about our expenses, maintaining services is more expensive, it costs more.

We're not expanding programs broadly.

The main pressures are the cost of maintaining the existing services.

Payroll is our largest category, and that includes labor and agreements, step increases, CalPERS, UAL, health premiums, and the such one of the things that I was very grateful for is that working with finance, all the departments were able to review supplies and services, and we're able to remove more than 2.4 million from the ongoing base budget in order to better align with historical spending.

And so that was something that was done, it was a challenge, but tightening our belts is important, and um you will see the um the specifics of each of the cuts in the budget book.

I but believe each of you received a binder, and it is available online.

The link is in the staff report.

Um at the bottom of each department section, it outlines what those cuts were.

Um, I think that's all.

Making sure I'm covering everything.

So our general fund proposed budget 156.9 million dollars in revenues, less 162.4 in expenditures, which leaves us with a 5.5 million dollar operating gap.

We are proposing that we cover that gap with the use of available unassigned fund balance.

So I just want to talk a little bit about fund balance.

Um we start at the base of the thermal.

This is a thermometer that we're gonna build up on our foundation, is the what's set aside by law resolution, restricted or committed funds, and we have in here measure W and other, and these will fluctuate depending upon um purchase order constraints and constraints by the um by resolution, but as they are right now, this is where we we with the restricted and committed on top of restricted and committed are our reserves.

These are the monies that are set aside by policy.

So we have general fund policy reserve of 20 20 percent, our infrastructure reserve, our pension reserve, and then lastly, on in our fund balance is the available funds.

In to put this in perspective, the 40.5 would have been at the B if this were the beginning of the year, six hundred thousand dollars more.

If my estimates are right, we're gonna maybe we'll take wagers on how close I get.

Um for this is showing you the projected year end at the end of fiscal year 26 27.

And that would have been for 46 million if it hadn't been for the 5.5 million dollar deficit okay reserves and available are considered unassigned fund balance and that's important to me as an accountant because that you can that's your link between the budget and the ACFER which I'll be presenting to you in a you know about I don't know seven eight months we're closing the year now or soon.

Unassigned fund balances reported on the ACFER and so that's where they link together and that's important.

So our recommended adjustments for um fiscal year 2627 I've broken them down kind of by category community and recreation public safety admin so forth this the detail for this is available in attachment two of the staff report and it's also in the budget book.

The main story here is that the these are targeted adjustments it's not broad expansion of services and many of these increased costs will be offset by increased revenues other than general fund we have some adjustments totaling about 2.2 million this is these are being funded by sources outside of the general funds such as measure W, impact fees, um and housing and development funds this matters because the general fund should not absorb costs when there is a more appropriate funding source.

We also have some position changes these are focused position changes the first one budget neutral that basically means that there's no impact of the budget or title changes so that they can so that departments can recruit into existing approved classifications.

Second is that several positions are being offset through either new revenues measure W or non-gener sources in particular is the aquatic center we will be looking at that on the next slide a little bit um and then the last one are the general fund changes and that's including library staffing and one that I'm actually really excited about is the um decrease to the general fund because of reallocating three um positions to the CFD special tax um which is our fund 236 because phase two completed and those properties were added to the tax roll which increased the revenue and so that 236 is able to pay for those positions rather than the general fund subsidizing them.

That was always the plan and so it's nice when a plan works out the way you expected aquatic center basically on this I'm just I'm explaining that we have a new facility that was funded by Measure W and it is now going to have significant increased operating costs we have um we have the expanded to pool aquatic center and staff are needed as well as the supplies and the utilities and so we are proposing that the addition the about 1.1 million of measure w monies that is in excess of our debt service requirements be used towards the the aquatic center staffing as yeah ongoing operating costs we will be again monitoring that closely so that it would only be actual costs that are offset by measure w would not be just a random number that we pull out of the sky.

Would you mind if we stopped on that just for a moment um some of us are aware um that we're here for the beginnings of measure W, that initially uh there was a projection that we would be receiving seven million dollars um from this measure to be used for bonded indebtedness.

And then in pretty short order, it nearly doubled.

There was a time where we were collecting um just shy of 14 million dollars.

And uh so um where are we at now and and what direction do we anticipate uh things going in?

So if if it's all related to sales tax, obviously.

Um, if my memory serves me correctly, because I see a lot of numbers, but um during the day, um, we are just shy of 15 million.

All right, um, and we are anticipating it to stay pretty flat.

Um, I'm I think that we would have potentially expected it to decrease a little bit because of decreased use of gap of uh well, no, that's sorry, sales tax.

Um we we expect to stay pretty flat, and and um but that 15 million is a strong number, it is, but we do have about 13 the we have about a 1.3 million dollar buffer that's our cushion.

That's our cushion, because the rest of it is is spoken for with that service, exactly.

Mr.

Mayor, if I may want to do it, wasn't a question that you asked, but I would want to clarify uh because I was with the city at the time when it did um pass measure W.

Um the estimate, and you're right with the estimate at that time was about seven seven and a half million.

Um we were working with our sales tax consultant at that time, and they took the Bradley Burns local one percent, um, which is our share of the overall statewide base rate, and took half of that.

Now the uh that was what we had to go off of because there was no existing transactions and use tax in place yet.

Um but the sales and use tax, the Bradley Burns and the transactions and use tax, that's actually two separate uh forms of law.

That's why there's a there's a disparity between one which is point of sale and the other, which is point of destination.

I just wanted to point out why there was that disparity between the numbers.

Thank you, thank you, Richard.

I'm so glad you understand that.

Were there any other questions or discussion on the thank you?

So key takeaways for tonight.

Um financial health is currently strong.

We have a strong reserve, um, and we can manage the immediate gap without reaching the 20 percent.

We have tightened the budget.

Um the prior year supplies and services budget has been reduced.

Um at the same time, the deficit is real.

Ongoing revenues without the VLF backfill are not sufficient to fully support ongoing costs, and with the continued uncertainty about VLF and future cost pressures, that remains a um uncertainty.

So the purpose of tonight is to adopt or to discuss a re a responsible one-year approach and then begin the longer-term planning conversation.

I just want us to get a mindset that the reserves will disappear very quickly if we depend upon them to fill in a deficit gap over time.

It gives us time, but it's a bridge, it is not the plan itself.

So we need to start um planning now, and the choices will narrow if deficits continue.

We're not asking for answers tonight, but some of the questions to begin asking are how much can or should the general fund subsidize programming?

Another question would be how much of our unavailable unassigned fund balance, that part that said available, should be leveraged for upcoming stressors such as our pension and OPEB, um uh unfunded liabilities, and how best should we prepare?

And we've talked about this for uh VLF worst case scenario.

So with that, I'm just gonna talk about what we're looking for.

We're going to be going forward from here.

We're looking for input from the public and from council tonight to shape anything for the final adoption in two weeks.

Specifically, we're um looking at um 5.5 million dollars in.

I actually think I just skipped ahead to my next slide.

There we go.

Requested council direction tonight, use of fund balance of 5.5 million available on unassigned general fund balance, use of measure W to put towards the operating revenue to support increased aquatic center costs, and then any other guidance or questions that you might have about the budget, and this is where I say thank you and ask if you have.

This is where I say thank you and run away.

Yeah, not at all.

Not tonight.

Um let's see.

Um councilman.

I do have a question.

Um the mayor and I sit on the budget subcommittee, so we've seen a lot of these details.

Uh, but during uh our one-on-one that I had with the city manager, um, I believe that Burlingame School District may be another school district that may flip in the coming year.

I think that's the one.

That was the one.

Okay.

We we estimated that one might.

We didn't know which one, and so when we did the butt when we put the budget together, we decreased what we expected for our current year um by about 1.3 million.

I we don't know exactly what this we didn't know at that time which school district it might be, because there are others that are on the tipping point, um, and we estimated the 1.3 um based upon the numbers that we had.

We will know better in probably August.

Thank you.

Council member, I actually do have that number.

Um so the Burlingame School District, uh, they have about 34 million dollars in property taxes.

Our share of the VLF shortfall is uh 4.38 percent.

So when you apply our share to what is now unavailable to fulfill the VLOG backfill, that's 1.48 million, so pretty close to what we assumed for um our budget purposes.

Thank you.

Questions, Mr.

Weissman.

Um thank you for the presentation.

You were kind of talking about how we can get by now.

There is a window there when we what's that time frame there where start using our reserves really doesn't make any sense anymore because there's it's just an budget-wise.

Well, we are looking at a long-term fiscal sustainability or sustainability plan, and looking at that long-term plan is really what we're where we're starting, and we will be bringing back various solutions and be engaging with council on that discussion over the next year.

Okay, thank you because I know we originally had a conversation during during our council retreat about kind of the long-term fiscal outlook of our city, and and so I'm glad we're gonna bring back that conversation.

So that's all I have, Mr.

Mayor.

Sure, we can um let's see if uh floor, are you still with us?

Yes, I am.

You're on.

Thank you, Christine, for the presentation.

I just have a question because looking I'm looking through the folder that we received, and I was just wondering why on the proposed budget, uh, you know, we're comparing it to the adopted budget of 2024 to 2025, where uh we already have the actual for 20 24 to 25, right?

So when you're doing the budgeting and you're comparing the variance, why are we using the adopted budget instead?

We're using the adopted budget of 2526.

No, 2425.

That's what it is in the binder.

The actuals we have actuals for 2425, and we have budget for 2526.

And then we have proposed budget for 26, 27.

And the percentage there is also another column that says um adapted budget for 2425.

Yep.

That that may be some really good feedback that I need to look at that title because it is 2526.

That's right.

That's why I was a little confused by that, because uh I'm looking at it and it doesn't make sense to me that the comparison will be the adapted budget of 2425.

So can you did you can you tell me what page you were looking at and I can address that specifically?

Uh oh, if you uh if you have it there, that I just yeah, I have to look for my folder here.

Um I have to run to the room.

Um, we'll we'll take a look at what we'll take a look at that for the titles and make sure that the title is correct because the percentage change column should be fiscal year 26 adopted budget versus the fiscal year 27 budget amount.

And that's why that doesn't make sense to me what, because the header for that column is the adapted budget 2425.

So if you look at the like, for example, the revenues, right?

So for the revenues, you have the property tax, say for example, you have the actual 62.2 and the proposed 61.5, and at the very end, the last uh column on your right.

I I if I remember it correctly, it's shaded green.

So council member, what I think these are really good details.

I I will connect connect with you offline.

Sure.

And you can show me exactly where that is, and if yes, if it's a question uh a concern, we'll address that during the June 10th.

Um, and if it's a typo, then we'll be sure to correct that.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, thank you, Flora.

Um Councilman Floor.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Uh, thank you, Christy and team, um, and all department heads who have put uh this together.

I wanted to underscore, and it's unfortunate, highly unfortunate that this council chamber is not um full of additional residents here, because I wanted to underscore what you pointed out in terms of our budget shortage.

We went from 12.8 million down to six million, roughly about six million, now at 600,000 dollars.

That in and of itself is significant, and I want that to um resonate with folks that are still thinking we're at 14, 15, 16 million in terms of uh structural deficit.

Um that really paints a picture that South San Francisco we're not in a fiscal crisis.

Um we do have identified unavailable unassigned fund balance and our dedicated reserves, which is very strategic also in the way that we are moving about those.

Um, and I wanted to make sure that folks understand that we're in a position of really genuine strength uh that has taken years of discipline from um this council and my predecessors as well to be able to be at this point.

Um, and and I really look now at we're absorbing a hit from Sacramento, right?

As as it looks um that we didn't cause or or we didn't vote for, and the state owes us 5.2 million in back fill uh from two years ago, and and staff uh it is right to assume that we probably won't see it right this year, as you were saying, but I want residents to hear this clearly that this is the state's problem landing on our doorstep, and really, it's uh we're handling it the best way that we can, and we're handling it responsibly as financial stewards of this city.

Um and I appreciate what you were describing earlier that this budget is really a moral document because um it tells you it tells others what this city really believes in, and um, and this is this is something very important.

I I did have a few uh kind of feedback points that I wanted to just kind of look at, and maybe you can come back on.

Um, one of them was uh the budget book acknowledges long-range forecast, was quote unquote originally completed for FY2324, and it's quote scheduled to be updated during the coming fiscal year.

Um we are being asked to give feedback on a hundred and sixty-two million dollar budget, and without a clear long range picture, that is something I need by by June.

And we are working on that, so you know that we expect that to be in this book.

And it doesn't even have to be 10, it could be five, but I need something that puts us a little out there because otherwise I feel like I'm just um balancing a spreadsheet, a yearly spreadsheet, and not looking at the the at the forecast.

Um the other one that I wanted to look at is um 340,000 is budgeted for labor negotiations, a compensation study, and a staffing study.

Uh, that's all responsible.

I'm glad we're we're calling it out, but it also telegraphs that FY2728 will carry a salary increase not reflected in these numbers.

Um, so there might be a structural gap uh challenge there uh that is likely to repeat.

So if you could look at future costs that is is not reflected there.

Um the HR section uh confirms that our work day HCM and payroll goes live, quote unquote fall 2026, with phase two starting early 2027.

So the budget, I didn't see any contingency for um, I like to say go live days or or data migration complications or post-launch support needs.

I think I brought it up at the last council meeting, what happens in if there is um some additional maintenance um uh that is needed, like we looked at the the contract with uh pro dative um at the last council meeting.

The other one that I really wanted to look at um, it is 227,687 were eliminated from the city manager's office.

Um it, I I think this has to do with the DEI officer.

Um I wanted to really understand and and just so that our community and this council understands that even though that we're moving that off the budget book, um I didn't see any language uh describing where the programmatic responsibilities go or which staff will absorb that work.

Um and I want to make sure that the transition plan for that work um doesn't have an equity impact, right?

I and what I'm saying is I want to continue to ensure that that work is continu uh is either distributed out, even though we moved it, and that's great because it's it's you know creative thinking, but I the work is still important, right?

So, it's very important.

Thank you for raising that.

It should be in the budget narrative.

We will confirm that it got in there.

If not, we will um update that because absolutely 100% of the DEI work um is still being conducted.

Um we were able to support one of our the existing staff member who's doing that work um and continues to do that work.

We were able to um more to have a just essentially a different title that um gets us out of the potentially the federal government eye, as well as um provide some career uh support to that person to be able to broaden the responsibilities.

So 100% of the DEI work continues um and is still clearly assigned to a specific staff member.

Great.

Thank you for uh highlighting that.

Um the other one I had uh was the parking fund.

Um, um I guess the parking district um it uh shows a $1 million revenue against the 1.7 million cost structure, so essentially a seven hundred thousand dollar deficit.

Um, to my understanding, the fund exists to maintain downtown parking infrastructure.

Um I did not see any plans uh presented to potentially address this structural gap of 700,000.

Um if we could uh provide feedback or give us feedback on that as well.

Um let's see.

I had um yeah, I think that covers it in terms of my uh let me see one more.

Yeah, that's that's all I have right now.

Thank you.

That's great, thank you.

Um I just wanted to um uh tell Ms.

Donnelly that you know you have a calming effect.

Um, because this is not really all good news, it's much better news than where we started out at before you were here.

Um and the future is going to take something more than what we're doing today um to be able to operate to the level that we'd like to.

But um I really enjoy um the way you uh um give us the the upside and the downside.

And at the same time, I remember I remember being in City Hall, and the councilman um Coleman had just found out from the finance director through the city manager that I think at one time we were at $18 million deficit, and I mean it was like the people in finance, their hair was on fire, and every once in a while they would run upstairs and and uh share the uh you know the dilemma we were all in.

Um, I don't want to go back to that, so uh let me know what I can do to keep you happy, okay, because I mean it's it's just uh it's just a marvelous 180-degree flip from the way we were dealing with problems before to today.

And I wanted to mention um recently I was on uh uh 101 and I saw our electronic billboard that has the VLF message, and um that has zero impact to anyone reading it.

It is barely legible because of the colors they chose, and it it it does nothing, but when councilman flores described Sacramento with their hand in our pocket, that's what we need to show on that billboard graphically, maybe in a cartoon way, but show Sacramento lifting dollars out of the South San Francisco Treasury because what's up there now, it nobody nobody even notices it.

And um if we're if we're playing a political game, we we can do better.

So anyway, thank you for tonight, Chrissy.

And uh any other questions?

Uh one quick question.

I have not had the opportunity to see the billboard if it could be emailed to the council, or has it already been and I've just missed it.

Okay, thank you.

Or you could just drive.

You have an electric car, you could just drive up and down the freeway.

I'll just drive in circles in one-on-one until I see it.

Okay, thank you for tonight.

We'll move along to item number nine, a report regarding the proposed capital improvement program for the fiscal year 2026 to 27.

Good evening, Mr.

Ruble.

Good evening, Mayor.

Are we gonna get another stellar performance like we did in the subcommittee?

I sure hope so.

You'll tell me at the end, I'm sure.

All right.

Uh good evening, Mayor uh Diego, Vice Mayor Nogales, and City Council members.

I'm Matt Rubel, your principal engineer.

We come before you this evening to review the proposed fiscal year 2627 capital improvement program, known as the CIP's budget.

I'll begin with a brief overview of the CIP program and then I'll walk you through the proposed budgets.

All right.

All right, in patience, we'll get to us, yeah.

If we could take um Councilman Coleman's suggestion and do the same on the screen, as we did earlier.

Or we say goodbye to floor.

Picked orally, okay.

All right.

The view could be changed.

Is now an okay time to go.

Yeah, thank you.

The CIP outlines major capital expenditures and infrastructure improvements throughout our city.

For physical year 26-27.

The proposed CIP includes a total of 120 projects.

Of these, 30 projects are requesting funding for this fiscal year, consisting of both new and existing projects.

The remaining 90 projects have sufficient funding and are not requesting money at this time.

The CIP is organized into six project categories, including parks, public facilities, sanitary sewer, storm drain, streets, and traffic.

The chart on the slide shows the funding request shown by project category and shows the approximately 20 million dollars in request for this year, the largest three being parks, streets, and traffic.

The accompanying staff report provide detailed project and funding information by project type, including projected outyear funding needs.

However, today's discussion will focus on the specific request for fiscal year 26-27.

The slide before you presents the proposed CIP funding request by funding source.

Fortunately, for the CIP, it is comprised of numerous funding sources and does not rely on the city's general fund.

As part of the year uh this year's CIP review process, staff has identified approximately 12 million dollars in funding to deallocate from completed inactive or deferred projects.

These actions allowed unused balance to return to the original funding source and be redirected to current and future project needs.

Now we'll talk about some of the projects.

First category are the parks projects that focus on improving and expanding recreational space throughout the city, including playground upgrades, trail enhancements, and major facility investments.

The largest funding request is $3.8 million for the Orange Memorial Park May Playground Replacement Project funded through the park construction fee fund.

This project will replace the existing playground with new inclusive equipment designed for all users and ability.

Another key project is the Centennial Trail Improvement Project with a proposed 600,000 allocated from the park land acquisition fee fund.

Improvements include relocating the skate park and adding a new pathway connection from Mission Road and improving accessibility and connectivity.

And lastly, we have a $2 million in proposed for the common green rehabilitation study that an implementation project to address safety concerns and replace aging and currently closed playground areas.

Happy to pause for questions now, or we can do it at the end.

We are also proposing a hundred thousand for the civic campus bond from civic campus bond funds for EV charger installation, including replacement at the library park and recreation site and new chargers at the Orange Memorial Park Pool to support the city's sustainability efforts.

And lastly, approximately 214,000 from the 2021 A bond series interest fund is proposed for minor improvements at the Library Park Recreation Building, including minor pathway repairs, ventilation improvements, and security enhancements, and interior wall treatments.

Sanitary sewer projects focus on maintaining critical wastewater infrastructure, including the water quality control plant, pump stations, sewer lines throughout the city.

The sanitary sewer rehabilitation project includes a proposed one million allocation from the sewer enterprise fund to support construction needed to repair defected sewer mains ahead of the planned 2027 surface seal work.

Addressing these repairs in advance helps coordinate infrastructure improvement and minimate minimizes future roadway impacts.

Storm drain projects focus on repairing and improving storm drain infrastructure while also implementing green infrastructure strategies that help reduce pollution runoff into San Francisco Bay.

The Francisco Terrace Flood Protection Levy Project includes a proposed 100,000 allocation from the stormwater fund to continue the design phase of improvements intended to reduce flooding risk into the neighborhood between Francisco Drive and Centennial Trail.

Street projects improve on focus on improving transportation infrastructure throughout the city, including road rehabilitation, safety enhancement, and long-term planning efforts.

The largest investment is the 2027 Surface SEAL Project with a proposed three million allocation funded through SB1 and Measure A.

The project will provide roadway surface treatment and base repairs to preserve pavement conditions and extend the useful life of city streets.

The South Linden Avenue Grade Separation Project will include a proposed one million allocation from the citywide transportation impact fee fund to advance the preliminary engineering for future grade separations at the railroad crossing, improving both safety and traffic flow.

The Tanfran Avenue Reconstruction Project is proposed for 1 million and is funded through Measure A and Gas TAC revenue and to fully reconstruct the roadway between San Mateo Avenue and Railroad Place.

Additional proposed projects include complete street improvements, the 2028 surface seal project, pedestrian bridge rehabilitation, and future pavement rehabilitation efforts.

Collectively, these projects improve road safety, accessibility, and long-term infrastructure performance throughout the city.

Last category.

Traffic projects focus on improving safety, traffic flow, and multimodal access across key corridors, intersections, and school zones throughout the city.

The largest investment is the Signalize Intersection Battery Backup Project with a proposed one million allocation from the East of 101 traffic impact fee fund.

This project will upgrade approximately 50 intersections to maintain signal operations during power outage and improve overall system reliability.

Two additional major investments include the downtown to Bay Project and the Trains to Technology Project, each proposed at 600,000 to fund the funded through the East of 101 traffic impact fee fund.

The downtown to Bay project will advance the design of a direct car-free connection between downtown and the Bay Trail, while the trains to technology project will support a multimodal connection between the Caltrain station and the major employment centers east of 101.

Additional proposed projects include street light replacements, corridor and intersection signal upgrades, school traffic coming improvements, corridor enhancements along Orange Avenue and Oyster Point, and ongoing traffic studies and small-scale safety improvements.

Collectively, these projects improve safety, reduce congestion, and support the city's long-term transportation and mobility goals.

That the you know funding allowed, we hope to advance with your direction.

All right, apparently that's last slide.

That concludes my brief presentation.

We're happy to incorporate any feedback you have for us tonight, and we will incorporate in our presentation on June 10th for your consideration and adoption.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Matthew.

And I think I will uh let the representative of Westboro have the floor.

Maybe something about common greens is on his mind.

The mayor knows me well.

Um, the common greens, that's been an issue up in Westboro for a long time.

If you happen to live by a common green, they're not in the greatest shape.

Um and so I just kind of kind of want to understand the study and the behind it.

And so, you know, because of the the way the property tax is can only be used within the that I guess the area in terms of the common green.

I think the concern I think I have is I guess the question is if you're if the study says, Well, if we get yeah, we should probably maybe remove a common green.

I think the community will be like, well, what are you gonna do to replace it?

And I think and that might be a question, I think a bigger question among staff is do we obviously the slides gonna say do we replace it or do we do something more in terms of the benefit to the community?

I think that I think what you're gonna see is if you replace if you take away a park.

I think the community is like, well, you should replace that specific area in terms of a common green.

And so I just kind of wanted to get the sense of like as we start doing the study, what what are you looking at in terms of the questions and the kind of the community engagement?

I think that's an excellent question.

Um so this project specifically was intended to fund or study the funding of um not improvements to the entire common greens, but specifically the playgrounds.

Um the reason being I is you're aware because you you've we've talked about this.

Um the there's a playground, I think it's between Radburn and Greendale.

I'm very familiar with that one, yes.

And um that park, that playground has um has been effectively closed.

Um it has rusted um rather quickly.

These playgrounds aren't even that old.

Um they are maybe 12 years old, 13 years old.

Um, in contrast, we have playgrounds that are 20 years old and and doing well.

So we we believe it has a lot to do with the environment in Westboro.

You mean the fog is deteriorating the moisture is a concern.

Um I think moving forward, we will definitely have to look at different material choices for playgrounds.

So probably more woods, galvanized materials, things of that nature, things that we know will last rather than the powdered coated indexed steel.

Um so and you know, us talking with finance earlier today, and I really think that we we may want to come again before the city council and do a study session on the common greens as a whole, um, also considering sort of the budget forecast looking forward um so we can better understand what we can do there in the long term.

Um in the short term, um this funding can do I think two things.

Uh the first thing has two two options within it.

Um so one is start design and community conversations for A, either considering replacing the 10 playgrounds.

There's 10 individual little tiny playgrounds in the West Park areas.

Um, West Park one, two, and three uh in the Westboro area.

Um like for like so replacing them as is um that would not be an eligible use of park funds because it would be essentially maintenance, and so that funding really should come out of the common greens fund, which is based on property tax.

Option one B would be um replacing the 10 playgrounds with a larger community park.

Um the most obvious choice in our minds is what we know is Carter Park currently um on Carter near Meet Harder Drive, yeah, Carter Drive at between Meath and Duhollow, I believe.

Um, which is largely a uh open lot um with a small playground.

Um option two in my mind um would be to look at more of a phased approach and consider replacing each playground um as they need replacement based on a life cycle.

Um I think currently we obviously have the one that needs to be replaced like immediately, sort of urgently, to the extent that we are probably just going to uh staff remove the structure for now.

Um but we expect another two within the next year or so that need replacement.

So we really need to look at a entire um analysis of each side, and we we have done that um to some extent.

The scenario one A I mentioned earlier, replacing all 10 playgrounds is about a four million dollar endeavor.

Removing the 10 playgrounds and replacing it with one larger central community park is also about a four million dollar endeavor.

So this would sort of be the first year of funding, and then we would have to look at out years to fund the balance.

Yeah.

So we I think coming back before the council with some more detail would be helpful.

No, I appreciate it go ahead.

No, I just I mean I'm I'm looking forward to the study session, and I'm gonna turn to Rich Lee now because I think that really the council needs to understand um how this all came to be because originally um you know before Prop 13, um there were dollars that were collected specifically for the maintenance of the common green funds with the approval of proposition three and the one percent cap, they pay no more for property tax than you do in Avalon Park, and you don't have common greens or downtown or sunshine gardens.

So we really need to look at when you talk about equity and fairness.

Um, who should be paying for that?

Should the entire community pay for what is essentially people's backyards?

Um I think I think we could have a robust discussion.

The councilman can be very eloquent on advocating for, but I think the financing of it is really something that we need to wrestle with.

Absolutely.

And so that kind of leads me to my next question in terms of our thanks to you for the the common greens.

It kind of goes into another park.

And you know, what I've noticed is in terms of the parks in my district.

We've kind of been focusing on one side of Westboro.

And I know that in the Capital Improvement Project, there is something about selling park.

And I know Greg and I have talked about this.

The conditions there are not great.

And I know in the past we have uh the parks level project in terms of priorities.

You know, but as we focus on the other parks, I really want us to have a deeper conversation.

The main I understand we do maintenance here and there, but I don't think it's fair to that side of Westboro when we're doing all these major improvements to the Westboro Park, and now potentially another park on that side of Westboro while we're neglecting SELECT.

So I'm just throwing it out there that we really need to look at how we can improve Sullick Park.

Yeah, I will note Sullick Park is not within the common green zone.

Yes, this is a separate subject altogether, separate subject on that front.

Um, and I I will further note that um Jake, our uh director of uh capital projects and I are leading the um deferred maintenance study.

Um we should have a contractor onboarded fairly soon.

Um, and we are going to holistically look at every park in the city and every facility in the city and come together with the list of all the deferred maintenance items.

Um, and that will bring that before you and we hope to have that informed um so that'll be sort of hard data.

Um we hope the park and rec master plan will look at it again through an equity lens to inform that piece.

And so we'll have both sort of the the hard data and then sort of the softer data to inform the hard data of where we want to put our park funds.

Um we are in a fairly decent spot with our park funds.

I think we have between 20 and 30 million in the kitty.

Um, so you know, there is some availability there, but there's a lot of need as well.

Right.

And then um we just switch now from parks in terms of the I saw the the school safety zone, the 15 miles per hour.

I know there's come some funding in terms of looking in terms of improvements.

Can you talk a little bit more about that?

Because I know we've changed the the how fast you can go through the school zone, but I feel like we can do a little bit more to try to actually slow down drivers just because you put the sign up there doesn't mean they're actually gonna be slowing down.

And so I I think it was like 500,000 and think in terms of I forget how much the amount was in terms of but can you just talk a little bit more what staff's idea is to put some improvements around the schools?

Thank you for the question, Vice Mayor.

Um so there are a couple efforts that we are to improve traffic safety around schools, as you said, the council's already adopted the lower speed limits, and we've done signing and striping to help communicate and make that enforceable.

In addition, based on safe route to school walk audits that are performed with the community in the school district.

Specific improvements have been identified around most schools in our city.

And so we've gone through and we've applied for grant funding, and we are actually gonna be moving forward with construction of specific projects to provide traffic calming and safety uh enhancements for all users, pedestrians, bikes, and drivers, uh and the like as in the shared road space.

Um so that's an ongoing process, you know, as we identify additional uh needs around schools, we're uh very successful so far in applying for our grant funding, and we are gonna continue that process.

Yeah, I appreciate that because it seems like our PD gets called whenever there is a situation when parents are just speeding, and it does slow them, it does slow parents down, but you know, the PD is only out there for maybe a couple days, and then it goes back to what was before.

So, sorry, go ahead.

No, go ahead.

I just wanted to add to that.

I really want the council and the community to understand our staff is actually quite passionate about safe routes to schools.

Um, and I think Matt downplayed a little bit um the years of effort that the staff have led the process to try and make um the areas around the schools safer in terms of as he's he dimension grants, but the application process, the reporting process, um we did pilot projects trying to see if we could do things such as a one-way, um, it's been years of effort.

Um and some of the and the and it's continuing, some of the more significant improvements would require some help and cooperation from the school district and the school sites themselves at this point, too.

So just want to make sure everyone's aware of that.

Great.

And as someone who worked with staff on the safe route to school audit at Westboro, I'm very familiar with the work that we've done so far.

So I sounds like we're on our track on track here to at least do some more improvements along the schools.

So I really appreciate that.

And uh also to my colleagues who sit on the school board liaison committee, it's something you can potentially continue in terms of the conversation.

So, yeah, um, I've been talking to Johnny about that, and uh, perhaps we're um we may have to schedule again and add a meeting with the school district.

That's all I have is right.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Vice Mayor.

Anyone else?

Okay, thank you.

Um thank you uh for the presentation.

And I want to add also that um safe routes to school through the San Mateo County Office of Education comes before CCAG every year so that we could give them money so that then they can work with cities.

Um, but also they want to spread the love as we were looking at the roster.

It was a bunch of South City uh schools that have uh been up on on the improvement plan.

So um they're now kind of doing every other year and and what that, but you guys got all the kudos um throughout the county for working and being stellar partners, um, all that.

Um I had a few items for feedback and kind of clarification.

Um I'll start off with the Utah Avenue overcrossing TR 1404.

Um the budget book confirms that this project is at 95% PSNE plans as plans, specs, and estimates.

So I would assume or kind of means that it's nearly shovel ready, but it's not in the FY26, 27 CIP.

Um, you know, this is a critical uh east-west connection, might be controversial in what ways, but I want to ask um, is there funding already secured?

Uh, where where is that coming?

And and how come it says 95% already on that?

Thank you for the question.

The Utah Avenue overcrossing project is approaching the 100% milestone for completing the actual plans, specs, and estimate.

So the project would be uh fully approved by Caltrans and would be ready to build.

We uh hold off from calling it shovel ready because in order to be shovel ready, we have to have the right-of-way or own the land that's needed.

So we have not gone to that phase yet, and we do not have a funding plan in place for the 150 million dollar.

I don't have the exact number, but it's a significant amount of money at this time.

So it's our goal is we we uh we're successful with grant funding with that project as well through both the state and the local TA.

So we're utilizing that funding right now, getting the project through the final design, and while we identify the long-term funding opportunities.

Okay, so it's just the planning and the specs of it that's got it.

Okay.

Wanted to confirm on that.

Um, also on the uh let me see you you talked about um there was an item there, the CIP lists a 60,000 item for quote unquote miscellaneous traffic improvements, but it says FY2223.

So I don't know if it was mislabeled or it's just ongoing, but that's a project from four years ago, and I don't know, it just seems weird to me that it's still being appropriated.

Um is that's just something that we use as a holding bucket or is it a new project, or or why are we funding something from FY2223?

Do you have the project number by any chance for my reference?

Uh I don't.

Okay, it just said miscellaneous traffic improvements.

Yeah, so um off the top of my head, we have a uh TAC committee which uh evaluates neighborhood uh traffic complaints that we encourage residents and businesses to bring into the city, and uh there's two parts to the funding.

There is uh funding the city needs in order to do ongoing um staff support to do the studies and evaluate those requests, and that might be the $60,000 request, and then there's a separate part of that funding that comes out of the citywide transportation impact fee that could then be used to actually uh make those improvements around the city.

So I believe that is what that's for.

Okay, but maybe the labeling let me take a look at it while I'll clean it up for you.

Thank you.

Um the capital infrastructure reserve.

Um I find that so fund 513, it's it starts at 6.7 million, it ends at 5.3 million after a 1.475 million CIP draw.

Um I noticed that it has been declining uh from 8.9 million in FY25.

Um so I think this is the fund that has been created uh to address deferred maintenance.

Is that right?

Do you recall?

That is correct.

It was a kind of a area where council was able to park funds in reserve for these needs.

So it's it's kind of dwindling down, right?

So the our ability to respond to infrastructure shrinks with it as well.

So that is correct.

We hope there's a uh conversation with council to find a way to um increase that funding over time, and I believe um our finance department will be including that in future conversations, but that is something we're keeping a close eye on because without a uh recurring as we spend out of it, that can become an issue.

The last one I want to give kudos to and acknowledge is 100k in budgeted for EV charging infrastructure at civic facilities.

Um this directly connects um with a lot of uh advocacy that is happening.

Um I know of a company that's also applying gateway fleets uh applying for various support and considering expansion of EV EV charging stations.

I wanted to ask um if there is a particular plan for more EV charging investments, um, particularly in District 5 in that neck of the woods, or is this primarily just for uh city civic facilities in a particular neighborhood or area?

I believe the specific funding request this time is to do the uh EV charging at both the pool and this building here, the Library Park and Rec building.

But the city does is moving forward with identifying the future EV charging needs around the city and having a plan for where they're appropriate and how to include those.

Yeah, especially as we're having more events right in downtown and whatnot.

People are coming up to me and say, hey, I apparently there's an app right where people look up and they're like, I don't see anything in downtown.

Go ahead, Greg.

I was just gonna note, um uh city manager uh Snydman did also ask that we sort of adjourn a uh the task force or so to speak, just to look at citywide um all the EV charging that the city provides, looking at locations and also standardizing the units.

Sure.

Um we have at least three or four different kinds, so um, and hopefully selecting a vendor that'll also help us with maintenance.

I think would go a long way.

Um I think during the subcommittee uh was brought to you know, asked of us well why are we replacing the EV chargers at the LPR considering they're only three years old?

Um they are commercial but commercial light, they are you know they're not exactly of the quality that would be um used as much as they are in a facility that's visited over 300,000 times a year.

So I'm I'm glad that work is getting looked into.

Thank you, Greg.

That's all I had, Mr.

May.

I would encourage the council and staff.

There are two existing uh kind of independent uh EV charging stations, one at Mission Road at the Sunshine Gardens Center shopping center, and the other is at the corner of El Camino Real and Orange Avenue, and one would think.

Um look at the light use when you go buy those two.

I I don't know what's happening, but um they are um and there's also a lot of charging stations that's available on those towers tower one and tower two on gate uh along the airport bully bar.

So I I will say, as you know, one of my partner has a Tesla, and a lot of those cars go to San Bruno, Tanfran to charge, but there's a lot of cars there, and so I'm wondering like why isn't South City's charger, like there is a demand, but how come that's not coming to South City?

Is it the price?

Do they not know about it?

Is it not on some map?

Maybe it's maybe there are just too many Teslas and not enough uh other other makes and models.

Um but I think this is a question that we probably should be asking.

Right.

So if I can jump into the EV conversation, uh since I also have an EV.

You have a bike, uh a bike and uh EV uh car as well.

Um, where I live in a safe way, the EV chargers are always packed.

And I think it's because of the location, right?

The accessibility of where you can charge a car and also go shopping, right?

That's the hook, right?

And the rates are actually more expensive when you compare it to some of the other independent, but because I need to go pick up milk, you know, I can charge my car, and I'll just do that because of the convenience of it, right?

You know, I think the cheapest charges is actually the taco bell, where they actually have charges over there, but it's not used frequently.

But it's because it's slow charge, Mark.

I try that and it was just too long.

The ones by Safeway over in Westmoral, it's really fast.

Well, they want you to go inside and enjoy the cuisine while you're slow charging.

Yeah.

Exactly.

So um, but I used the one in orange.

Oh, I'm Alpine Urale.

And that one was a little cheaper than the one in Westboro, but there was no one there, right?

Yeah.

So maybe just gave them a boost.

Yeah.

So I think it's as we look in terms of where we were to place these EV chargers.

I think it's where the convenience of having the EV charger, right?

Like, as the new safe way is opening up, is there an EV chargers?

Yeah, there are Tesla chargers.

Tesla chargers there.

Well, there you go.

I'm pretty sure that's gonna be pretty crowded in terms of of chargers, right?

So as as you look into that.

Thank you.

Any other questions for Matt?

Uh Floor, did you have a chance?

Yeah, um Matt, did we apply for some uh um from PCE?

Any of those grants that's available for our charging stations.

Um I will take that one again.

Um actually, Director Gilcrest again um shared that he had a conversation with PCE, um, and I believe we're gonna meet with them again to better understand um how competitive, we will be for their funding.

Um I did reach out to them maybe a year ago, and they didn't have funding yet.

I think it was still on the horizon, but I think it's here now.

So um there is a chance we may not need any of this funding, and we'll return it back.

Yeah, because I believe it's being had third dice in one of their newsletters.

Okay, thank you, Flor.

Thank you.

I had one more, Mr.

Mayor.

Um Matt, I just wanted to um maybe you all can start monitoring how much of our active uh CIP portfolio is dependent on federal funding.

You don't have to tell me right now, but um maybe we could do a risk assessment of which grants are most vulnerable.

Uh considering the the current federal administration's posture, etc.

Yeah, we can generate a report on which of our current funding is federally backed.

We did that um about a year ago.

We could dust that off and take a look at that and share it with council.

Absolutely.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Thank you for the report.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

We'll move along.

Almost the last time.

Item number 10 is a report regarding the city of South San Francisco's legislative platform.

Well, Megan, you you started off this meeting and you're still here.

Thank you.

That's right.

I made that joke earlier as well, so great minds think alike.

Thank you.

Well, good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and council members.

Uh, my name is Megan Woolley Osdall, deputy city manager, and tonight I'm presenting on the City of South San Francisco's legislative platform.

I'd also like to share that I'm joined by Nicolo De Luca, who's with Towns and Public Affairs, our state's lobbying firm.

Okay.

Staff recommends that the city council adopt the proposed legislative platform.

We also recommend one word change, which is to remove the words approved and from the first sentence in the implementation section.

Uh, the revised sentence would read legislative positions because consistent with this platform may be executed by the mayor or the city manager manager or authorized designee.

Uh, we recommend this clarification since the platform, if approved by a council motion will already have been approved by the full council and would not necessitate additional approvals by the mayor or of course the city manager.

So during the March 25th meeting, City Council directed staff to prepare a legislative platform for the council's consideration.

Uh staff worked with Townsend Public Affairs to prepare the draft platform that's for your review this evening.

The legislative platform establishes a clear framework to guide the council, the city manager, staff, and our legislative advocates in advocating for an advancing state and federal policies that support our city's priorities.

A legislative platform is important for our city because advocating at the state and federal levels is about emphasizing and prioritizing our local interests.

So decisions made in Sacramento and Washington DC can create mandates that affect our budget and our daily city operations.

A legislative platform ensures that South San Francisco is not just reacting to possible changes, but is actively shaping these changes in Sacramento and DC to protect our finances and improve our community's quality of life.

So for the actual platform itself, uh it's organized into themes based on the council's major focus areas outlined in your priority action plan.

So this includes housing and supportive services, infrastructure and the environment, a modern and sustainable organization, quality of life, and a welcoming and connected community.

And of course, each theme has associated legislative priorities, and it won't read through each of the priorities, but we're happy to respond to any questions that you may have.

So the platform also includes an implementation section, which details, of course, how the platform may be implemented.

If approved, the city manager or authorized designee may take positions on legislation that is consistent with the platform.

And this could include submitting formal position letters.

So, so of course, letters of support, letters of opposition, making targeted phone calls, organizing or participating in advocacy trips, and then other actions as detailed in the platform.

The platform also states that when formal position letters are requested, that staff will prepare and uh work with the mayor or city manager to sign the letters and submit them within two weeks.

Our uh city our lobbying firm will also assist with the implementation of the legislative platform at the appropriate governmental level, and individual council members may continue to undertake lobbying efforts.

So the platform includes a sentence um with information about that the council members should share when making statements in writing or verbally to indicate that the statements are made in an individual capacity and not necessarily representative of the official position.

So that text is in there as well.

So to wrap up, as noted, we recommend that the council adopt the proposed legislative platform and revise the text as we've noted here.

And thank you for your time tonight.

We are available for questions, Mr.

Mayor, yes.

Um, so I have actually several questions.

I I was hoping when I had my one-on-one meeting with the city manager that my some of the concerns I brought up last night would have been resolved, but I'm not quite sure it was, so I'm gonna ask staff.

So, um, I just want to kind of give you a scenario here.

So, based upon what we are saying here, let's say we'll just say like a legislative bill.

If one of my colleagues brings up a bill and says, the city should support this because it falls under one of these categories, then that but by that definition, the city would then support the bill.

Is that how our legislative I just want to understand this kind of the process here?

I'm gonna let Nicola respond to to some of these questions and sort of like on a global how legislative platforms normally work, and then I can spits speak to specific subject.

Yeah, I want to I want to support this.

I just want to get my questions answered.

Go ahead, Nico.

Yeah.

First, honorable mayor and council members, it's great seeing you all.

Yeah.

I have not been here since this new civic center is freaking awesome.

This is one of the best civic centers I've seen in a long time.

Feel free to come as often you'll be able to do that.

No, absolutely I will.

Um, so one way to look at the legislative platform, and I know you all are very familiar with this, but also more to the public, it's essentially the playbook for the upcoming year for state and federal activities.

An example is right now, the assembly just adjourned like 10 minutes ago, and they've got until tomorrow and Friday to wrap up House of Origin.

Yeah.

So there's a lot of bills being discussed, and also a lot of amendments flying around.

And so the beauty of the ledge platform is we can act quickly and effectively to make sure South City's voice is being heard.

So in the scenario that you use kind of from a general um format is if a council member brings forward flags a bill, it falls in line with the ledged platform, then we can quickly knock out a letter, whether from the mayor's signature or city manager's signature, and then immediately we can rush to action.

Um, this is mostly um a focus on the state side.

Yeah, because bills can move quickly, as you well know, amendments can happen.

We can quickly go to supporting a bill, it gets admitted, and suddenly we're like, oh god, this is bad.

We want to quickly get off of it for the record.

Um, and also, as you all know, in Sacramento, everything is really kind of paper-based on what's your position, why are you in support?

Why are you opposed?

So the adopted ledge platform really gives us a lot of um backup and speed.

In addition, at the beginning of each year, and we adopt the platform, we want to share it with our delegations, both in Sacramento and DC.

So they're on the lookout for what we care about and things that are coming down the pipeline.

So let me give you a scenario or example.

Uh as I look at these categories, I can see a scenario where there's a bill that's controversial, but it fits under the category.

And but based upon the definition, then the the city would support it, but what if there's disagreement amongst the council?

How do you reconcile that?

So, what we've done in the past with municipalities that we've worked with that have these ledge platforms, yeah.

There's some bills that are slam dunks.

Yeah.

There's other bills that could be sensitive, and so obviously coordinating closely with staff, the city manager, the executive team.

We're getting a heads up ahead of time of what a bill that the council might be considering, we could quickly weigh in and be like, hey, you know what?

We're hearing some things, you know, give us a week, let's let's check it out.

As an example, um, for a municipality that we work with, they were just flagging something that was innocuous.

And I was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.

There's actually a lot of undercurrents that we should probably discuss on a Zoom or on a phone call before there's any formal action.

So I would say to address the concern that you raised about something that could be controversial, I think, speaking ahead of time to know what's coming, to know what there might be an appetite for, and then making sure we're all on the same page and we're vetting it to give you all the most amount of um comfort possible.

Okay, so that that gives me a little more comfort in terms because I I was thinking like like SB 79, right?

I was gonna say like an SB 50 or an SB 10.

That's SB50 or SB 79, where there's been different opinions on the council, but it it falls into the category here where the city could potentially say, well, if well it's in our legislative categories, and so the city is gonna support it, but then we have like a couple members who don't support it, and now it says the city of San Francisco supports it, so now they're associated with supporting the bill when they're not.

And so, but it sounds like to me, there's some guardrails here.

Yes, okay.

And in addition, traditionally it's always been support or opposed.

Yeah, there could also be support amendments or a comment letter or or something to make sure that everyone's um perspective is reflected.

Okay, and then so I'm good with that.

So I appreciate that.

That was that was a big concern for me.

The other thing that I kind of brought up is the language under legislative priorities under the housing and supportive services, it says preserve local land use authority, which is one, two, three, the third bullet.

And I when I read that, I think of local control language, and for me as someone who when I hear the language local control, no offense to anyone who like using the word local control, I associate it with NIMBYism.

And so I don't know if we somehow can soften that a little bit.

Sure, I think we can probably huddle on that.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

And I I know I know where you're coming from.

Yeah, we had a discussion in our office the other day.

We're like, hey, throw out a buzzword.

So we're like local control, and everyone's like, oh, yeah.

And as the this city has done a lot of work in terms of providing affordable housing, and so I I just think pro housing, it's pro housing, absolutely.

Just for me, it just it just stood out there.

So I'm okay.

Then I'm I will be happily to support this now.

Okay, anyone else?

Yes, uh, I'm glad this is here, and we can make our voice known in Sacramento.

Um, I do want to possibly add slash clarify some of the points here.

Uh first on infrastructure and environment.

Uh Peninsula Clean Energy, now known as Westlight, um, is very active in Sacramento, and oftentimes they do ask our their cities there uh that are a part of their JPA to also submit letters in support or in opposition to particular bills, and these bills tend to deal with uh affordable energy rates, better transparency and how rates are calculated, uh clean energy production and a stronger and more resilient grid.

And so I wonder if we could uh write in the platform somehow ways where we can support uh West flight energy and I think the the success of CCAs here locally as well as across the state.

That's number one.

Um number two is on housing and supportive services.

Um we've had comments in the past in these council chambers uh relating to you know, we're building all this housing.

How come none of it's for our own housing?

And uh as you are in Sacramento, you probably understand that condo defect law is a hot topic, and and one of the reasons why a lot of developers, when they do build uh, you know, housing that there tend to be rentals and and not uh for sale, and so if we could put in a section uh broadly on um, you know, creating affordable homes, of course, but also including homeownership as a part of it, um, and I would have an emphasis on the supply side and not necessarily subsidizing demand in that section.

Um, and then the last portion that I have is uh when we talk about climate streamlining.

I remember I think it was two two or three years ago when there was this uh bike lane project that was held up, I would believe due to CEQA.

And so I would include in the climate streamlining uh public and active transportation projects, in addition to this is in section two infrastructure environment, in addition to housing and climate-related risk reduction of fires, floods, and drought mitigations, but also including uh active and public transportation.

And those are sort of the additions I have.

Otherwise, I really appreciate this.

I think it is a great statement of the values and that we are paying attention to what is going on in Sacramento, and that really the big three is sustainability and climate change and housing, and also ensuring that our budget is being made whole based off of um you know the BLF funding.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, uh Megan for putting this together.

I want to just um signify that this is really a step in in the right direction for this council.

It's been, I think uh a long time coming.

I think high-functioning councils, and Nicolo, you could probably attest to this, really use this as a best practice.

So thank you, Megan, and and the city manager and and team for putting this together.

Um the county actually just passed their platform, I think uh a few weeks ago too, and many other cities are doing this too.

Um, I want to emphasize that this is absolutely not rubber stamping, right?

This is not what we are doing, and I appreciate your comments, Niccolo.

We we gotta filter still, right?

Make sure that it fits in just because it's on our platform, it doesn't mean that it gets a free ride.

Um and emphasize, I'm not gonna say local control, but I'm gonna say emphasize the local emphasis of South San Francisco and how it relates and impacts us in this way.

Many times cities know better what's um happening, as many legislators have never even been part of local government, unfortunately, and don't realize uh the impacts that this could have when passed.

Uh looking at some of the buckets that I'd like also to be included or maybe flushed out a little bit, appreciate that it's broad, Megan, but I want to emphasize on some things, and and this is uh wanted to understand a lot a little bit about.

I know there's bills moving through the assembly on uh utility rate affordability, right?

PGE, CPUC reform, care, FARA expansion.

I want to make sure that um in any of the language and in terms of utility franchise agreements, um uh we just actually approved our solid waste uh rate increase two weeks ago.

Um, South San Francisco should be on record for protecting ratepayers.

So any uh legislation, especially that will hit the pockets of our low-income community and families here, um, we should support legislation that that controls all of that, or passing on um, you know, costs that that frankly families cannot afford.

Um, I'd also like uh within uh quality of life, there's been a huge component in Nickel knows this because many assembly members and and state senators are moving on.

This is uh immigration, equity and resident protection.

I want to include that.

Um, I didn't see any language on state immigration legislation support, um, immigrant uh legal defense funding, mixed status, family benefit, uh supporting.

I mean, this council also approved a few months ago.

Uh, the fact that we were not going to allow any ICE from entering city build uh uh property and buildings.

I think some of that ties into the racial equity work that this council has continued to work with our commissions as well, and I want to make sure that that gets reflected in our policy platform that says nothing, uh so I want to make sure that that gets included.

Umic development, uh bids and and downtown revolution.

Um, Nicolo, I'm thinking uh Haney's bills, Gonzalez's bills that look up uh how to improve our main street right type of uh business uh economic development tools, how to support downtowns, revitalization of downtowns, that sort of uh uh small business technical assistance, any bills that uh bring in additional incentives to support our small businesses leases like we've done a program here or launch local um in preservation of that, so want to ensure that that moves forward.

Um, I also want to bring about in under our environment, um uh cap and invest.

I know that that's a hot topic there.

Uh electrification, uh revenue returning to frontline communities.

Uh I'm thinking about community air monitoring expansion, anything that uh ties into stuff that we're already doing here with our community-based organizations.

Um EV charging, like we just spoke about, right?

Like that could be something that could be included, so that there is clean energy workforce development on that.

And um the other thing that hit this council severely last November was our safety net, um, our SNAP and food assistance, right?

We didn't know what to do, and we were like, darn it, federal government.

So, what is the state government gonna um state legislature gonna do?

Um, and maybe uh language that includes the medical backfill.

How is that gonna be supported?

Um, SNAP food uh assistance protections.

I know that uh I think starting June there's gonna be new qualifications for SNAP, right, and and work uh requirements.

Um the other thing that this council is very passionate about is state mental health funding.

I think that's something that we need to also keep an eye out and monitor um through the work that we have done with the mayor's mental health initiative here locally um in supporting that uh also at the federal safety net programs being cut.

Um, we want to make sure that state backstop advocacy is is not optional.

And lastly, I want to make sure, and this, you know, we bring it about in our discussions and policy committees with uh the League of California cities, and is um opposition to unfunded mandates.

Um we don't have the money to implement things in our um general plan or in our you know our housing element reports, etc.

that require additional staff time, additional research, and uh so I want to make sure that um when Sacramento tells us what to do uh without paying for it.

Our our residents and our general fund um should not be absorbing the cost.

Um this should be in in every municipal legislative platform.

I think in terms of our local government.

So um I think some of those I appreciate you both uh taking notes.

I can follow up afterwards to make sure, but I think that encompasses a stronger platform that really touches on the things that we've been hit um here uh directly uh in our communities here in South City.

But thank you for moving this forward.

Okay, any other comments from anyone.

Okay, so that completes the report.

That does complete the report, mayor.

What I might suggest is you um if the draft is acceptable uh enough at this point, I would recommend you actually take formal action to adopt it so we can start with something, and then maybe by the later this summer we can come back with an updated version with some of the additions that you've requested.

You want us to approve the draft?

I'd like you to make a motion to adopt it, and then we will come back with a revised version.

It's pleasure, council.

So moved.

I second.

Thank you, the floor.

Roll call.

Vice Mayor Nogales.

Yes.

Councilmember Flores?

Yes, Mayor Adiego?

Yes, Councilmember Coleman.

Yes, Councilmember Nicholas.

Aye.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you so much.

Well, now move along to items from council, committee reports and announcements.

Anyone have an announcement or committee report or.

I do have a brief report.

It's it's some some good news.

Um there was a heart meeting earlier today, Housing Endowment and Regional Trust Board of San Mateo County.

Uh we approved a couple items.

One was increasing in acquisition in East of Palo Alto, which would you know increase, which would be used for affordable housing.

But the second thing, uh, which, you know, fingers crossed they're closing tomorrow, is a very exciting project, very visionary, uh, where they are acquiring an existing market rate uh housing development in Burlingame.

It's called Azara, and they're using bond financing to uh finance that acquisition, and over the course of you know, mid year by year, they're they are gradually converting the market housing into affordable housing for teachers.

And so they have partnered with the San Mateo County Board of Education, Office of Education, and they are in embarking on this deal, which hopefully fingers crossed is is done by tomorrow.

Um, and I think that if successful, it will really be uh something for for many of us to to look up to throughout San Mateo County.

So, a template for others to the template for others.

Do you know how many units that you know are involved roughly?

Uh I believe a couple hundred.

Really?

Yes, it's a sizable project.

Wow.

Yes, I don't have the exact number on top of my head, but I will get that too to you.

Okay.

Anyone else?

So we're going to adjourn this meeting in memory of Betty Batalia, Nori Ventura.

And then I have two other uh friends of the uh family, not really political friends, just longtime friends.

There is a woman by the name of Geneva Estelle Rogero, who came to South San Francisco in 57, and um the Adiegos were friends and neighbors for all that time, and then Edward Guidati, who passed away at the age of 98, and his son is a retired uh San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff.

So I just wanted to mention him, and uh we'll send out a little and with that we'll go on to our closed session.

Closed session item number 11, conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation, significant exposure to litigation pursuant to government code section 54956.92, one potential case.