Stockton City Council Meeting - October 17, 2023

The Stockton City Council met on October 17, 2023, at 5:45 PM in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The meeting included a closed session prior to the regular session, recognitions, public comments, consideration of the consent agenda, new business items including the Youth Services Grant Program and the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program update, public hearings on annual action plan amendments and the Justice Assistance Grant, and council member updates. All voting members were present for the regular session.

Consent Calendar

• Approved as a block except items 12.2 and 12.9, which were considered separately: The consent agenda was approved unanimously (7-0).
• 12.2 – Community Committee Appointments: Approved Resolution 2023-10-17-1202 ratifying Councilmember appointments to the Community Development Committee, Measure A Citizens' Advisory Committee, and Measure M Strong Communities Advisory Committee. Motion passed 7-0.
• 12.9 – Emergency Environmental Cleanup of Sanitary Sewer Overflow: Councilmember Blower questioned the failure of an air relief valve (ARV). Mel Lytle, that Municipal Utilities Director, stated that hundreds of ARVs exist across the city and they fail over time. The motion to ratify emergency spending of $285,311.98 for cleanup passed 7-0.
• Other Consent Items (all passed 7-0):
  • 12.1: Services agreement with Periscope Holdings, Inc. for procurement support.
  • 12.3: Software services agreement with Granicus for agenda support.
  • 12.4: Acceptance of a $1 million state grant and allocation of ARPA funds for the Navigation Center Project.
  • 12.5: Contract amendment with Stantec Consulting Services for brownfield site investigation.
  • 12.6: Professional services contracts for environmental assessments on three properties.
  • 12.7: Acceptance of a $4,299,722 SAFER Grant for firefighter staffing.
  • 12.8: Mobile pump pod purchase authorized for the Stockton Fire Department.
  • 12.10: Funding Agreement with the State Water Resources Control Board for water utility extension on Sunny Road.
  • 12.11: South Airport Way Separated Bikeway Project bid award.
  • 12.12: Award of a design contract for sewer large-diameter line rehabilitation.
  • 12.13: Authorisation of the Mormon Slough Sanitary Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Kuanghuei Liang: Filed a document regarding a long-standing dispute with Stockton Police Department.
• Marlon Brooks (District 1 resident): Expressed concerns about parking enforcement impeding garbage collection and street sweeping, which asks for better signage or enforcement.
• Cynthia Gail Boyd: Criticized the city for not maintaining Dr. Martin Luther King Plaza, calling the homeless presence and the statue condition a disgrace. She also raised concerns about blocked railroad crossings creating safety issues.
• Patrick Boilew (Deputy Political Director, Operating Engineers Local 3): Spoke on behalf of 120 workers lack of contract with the city, asking the council to prioritise a fair contract.
• Pat Barrett: Objected to the two-minute public comment limit and requested a return to three minutes when the agenda is light, particularly for items that require advocacy around youth services.
• Other public commenters: A detailed public comment period on Item 15.2 (Youth Services Grants) involved many persons speaking in support of specific organisations, advocating for community capacity and youth safe spaces.

Discussion Items

• Item 15.1 – United Way Nonprofit Capacity Building Program (informational only): Staff presented updates on the first cohort. Key metrics: 14 participants, 87.5% graduation rate, over $3 million in new grant funds applied for by participants (and $1.2 million secured). 100% of participants have applied for new funding because of the program. The programme will continue with a second cohort starting January 2024. Council members praised the presenters for uplifting local nonprofits.
  • Vice Mayor Warmsley: Highlighted the programme's equity and diversity.
  • Councilmember Leng: Called it one of the most positive reports in a while.
  • Councilmember Wright: Noted that it trains nonprofits to use improved grantsmanship.
• Item 15.2 – Youth Services Grant Program: City staff reviewed a process that began with a NOFA on June 29, 2023. 36 applications were received, requesting over $19 million. 21 were deemed eligible and scored by a panel. 14 applicants scored 80 or more points (out of 100). Staff recommended funding all 14, with a total allocation of $2,086,000 (inclusive of admin costs).
  • Councilmember Wright recued himself from the vote on Read to Me Stockton because he serves on its board. That item was approved 6-0.
  • The remaining 13 awardees comprised packages for a total of $2,068,034, and the remaining $17,966 was reserved for program administration. Motion carried 7-0.
  • Council discussion highlighted:
    • Councilmember Padilla requested assurance of compliance mechanisms; staff confirmed the requirement for nonprofit documentation and regular reporting.
    • Vice Mayor Warmsley noted that 8 of 14 applicants were women of color-led organisations and hoped that organizations that were not recommended would attend future NOFA sessions. Staff noted that the best scoring applications came from organisations that had participated in the aforementioned Capacity Building program.
    • Mayor Lincoln and Councilmember Wright both emphasized council priority to expand youth programming, stating they would try to fund similar grants in 2024.

Key Outcomes

• Youth Services Grant Program: Approved with two votes (one for Read to Me Stockton on a recusal, one for 13 other awardees), totaling $2,086,034 for youth programs.
• United Way Nonprofit Capacity Program: No action needed; informational update received.
• Annual Action Plan Amendments (Item 16.1): Approved 7-0 to reallocate $1.5 million of federal funding from infrastructure (CDBG) projects to affordable housing acquisition and to move $426,000 of leftover COVID-19 pandemic response funds into an Urban Agriculture and Food Security line item for prevention and infrastructure.
• 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Item 16.2): Approved 7-0. Authorised acceptance of $420,343, with 51% to the City of Stockton Police Department and 49% to the County (Sheriff, D.A., Probation) for guns violence reduction missions.
• Closed Session: No reportable action taken.
• Council Comments: Vice Mayor Warmsley and Councilmember Von Ward highlighted speeding as a growing public safety issue. They plan to explore technology (speed cameras) as a potential tool to address the issue across the city, including in school zones.