South San Francisco City Council Regular Meeting - October 28, 2026

The City Council met on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM. Notable items included proclamations for Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness Months, an update on the automated license plate reader (ALPR) program, adoption of a policy for naming city facilities, and public comments on multiple issues including ALPR privacy, a neighborhood block party, and an ICE enforcement action.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes from October 14, 2026, approved.
• Grand Boulevard Initiative Phase III construction accepted as complete; total construction cost $4,751,899.88 (motion approved).
• Purchase agreement with U-Rock Utility Equipment for a crane truck not to exceed $488,274.93 authorized.
• Renewal agreement with Bigbelly Solar for smart waste and recycling stations through October 31, 2031, not to exceed $365,471.76, authorized.
• Item 7 (response to San Mateo County Grand Jury ALPR report) was pulled for discussion and later approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sam Chikuti: Criticized councilmembers James Coleman and Eddie Flores for endorsing school board candidate Frank Lara, alleging political maneuvering and calling for their resignations.
• Mary Roosy: Expressed safety concerns about newly installed traffic islands on her street, requesting removal and community consultation.
• Dr. Edith Arias: Voiced strong support for the domestic violence proclamations, sharing her personal experience as a survivor and offering to collaborate on prevention efforts.
• Jeremy Labate: Urged council to amend the ALPR grand jury response to disable Flock cameras until the contract is compliant with state law, and requested the item be pulled from consent calendar.
• Stephanie Campos: Opposed continued use of Flock ALPR cameras, citing privacy violations and Flock's partnership with ICE, and requested contract termination.
• Sophia Cyrus: Alleged that councilmembers James Coleman and Eddie Flores pressured her to drop out of the District 3 council race; called for transparency.
• Mike Tanagucci, Michael Bald, Sean Wilkinson: Represented the Zeta Drive Block Party, describing their free Halloween celebration and requesting the city waive or reimburse approximately $1,300 in permit and insurance costs for the 2026 event. They also asked for a streamlined, low-cost permitting process for non-commercial neighborhood events.
• Mina Richardson: Raised alarm about an ICE enforcement action that occurred earlier in the day in South San Francisco, asking for a community reassurance message.

Discussion Items

• ALPR Program Update (Item 9): Captain Anthony Pinell presented a detailed report on the city's fixed-mount automated license plate reader program. He stated Flock cameras have been used in 163 arrests and 109 stolen vehicle recoverals, including solving a church shooting and an armed robbery. However, he disclosed that Flock had activated a nationwide lookup feature from January 2024 to March 2025 without city authorization, allowing queries from outside agencies. Flock subsequently disabled the feature and implemented new safeguards. The police chief accepted responsibility for oversight failures. Councilmembers expressed distrust in Flock and directed staff to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for future ALPR vendor selection by January 30, 2027, with results due by April 30, 2027. Councilman Coleman voted against the motion, citing fundamental concerns about the technology. The council will also consider formalizing a bridge contract extension with Flock at the next meeting (November 2026) to maintain service during the RFP process.
• Policy for Naming City Facilities (Item 10): Deputy City Manager Megan Wooley-Ousdahl presented a consolidated policy covering naming, donations, sponsorships, and capital campaigns. The policy introduces a formal process including council resolution, staff review, naming subcommittee, 30-day public comment, advisory board input, and final council approval. Criteria for naming after individuals include 10 years of extraordinary service or significant philanthropy. Councilmember Coleman expressed a preference for neutral names over naming after people. The policy was unanimously adopted.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar (Items 4,5,6,6a,8,8a): Approved 4-0 (Councilmember Flores absent).
• Item 7: Resolution approving the response to the San Mateo County Grand Jury on ALPR cameras approved 4-0 after brief discussion. Councilmember Nicholas requested clarification on why compliance with recommendation 6 (vendor agreement data-sharing prohibition) would not be completed until August 2027; Captain Pinell stated that current contract language would be updated earlier if the council approved a new agreement.
• Item 9: Motion directing staff to issue an RFP for a new ALPR vendor (with timeline: publication by Jan. 30, 2027, results by April 30, 2027) passed 3-1 (Coleman no). Council also expressed intent to move away from Flock and to include strict contract penalties for data-sharing violations.
• Item 10: Policy for naming city facilities, donations, sponsorships, and capital campaigns adopted unanimously (4-0).
• Zeta Block Party: Council directed staff to agendize a future discussion on possibly waiving or reimbursing permit fees for the 2026 block party and exploring a simplified process for neighborhood events.
• ICE Enforcement: The city manager confirmed a targeted ICE operation occurred on Commercial Avenue earlier that day; no prior notice was given to police. Councilmember Coleman shared the rapid response hotline number (203-664-472) and urged calm.
• Closed Session: Council held closed session for existing litigation (Andrew Pestana v. City; Kory Omar McPeters v. City) and anticipated litigation; no reportable actions taken.