Stockton City Council/Successor Agency/Public Financing Authority/Parking Authority Concurrent Meeting – October 24, 2023

The Stockton City Council met concurrently as the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency, Public Financing Authority, and Parking Authority on October 24, 2023. The meeting opened with a 4:00 PM closed session, followed by a 6:00 PM regular session that included a proclamation, consent calendar actions, an informational arena naming-rights presentation, and creation of a charter review process. The meeting adjourned at 7:19 PM.

Closed Session (4:00 PM)

• Roll call was taken at 4:00 PM; Councilmember Padilla was initially absent and arrived at 4:01 PM.
• Closed-session announcements covered existing litigation, labor negotiations, employee performance evaluations, employee discipline/dismissal/release, and potential litigation.
• The Council recessed to closed session at 4:09 PM and returned; the closed session ended at 5:30 PM.
• City Attorney Lori Asuncion reported no reportable action was taken in closed session.

Proclamation

• The Council proclaimed November 8, 2023 as Blue Zone Awareness Day in Stockton. Nadeja Steager, Executive Director of the Community Health Leadership Council San Joaquin, accepted the proclamation and invited the community to the November 8, 2023 Annual Community Health Forum.

Public Comments & Testimony

Closed Session Public Comment (Item 3.6):

• Motec Sanchez criticized City Manager Harry Black, cited a letter from a Cal Water vice president regarding allegedly derogatory remarks, noted a complaint filed in March/April, and urged the Council to take action.
• Frank Gayaldo, a former chamber executive, also criticized the City Manager, alleging profane/derogatory language toward staff and weaponized code enforcement, and expressed support for small businesses including taco trucks.
• Christina Fugazi spoke in support of the city's approximately 1,400 full-time employees, citing concerns about intimidation, bullying, and a potentially hostile work environment, and urged the Council to act.

Regular Session Public Comment:

• Kuanghuei Liang described an incident from April 5, 2019 and asked city leaders to address citizen concerns.
• Armando Valerio invited the Council to a Day of the Dead event at Mexican Heritage and requested expedited traffic mitigation near 1663 East Main Street, citing persistent speeding, 23 calls to police between 2018 and 2019 with only two responses, a speeder clocked at 70 mph, and a near-miss involving a traffic person.
• Lisa Vela, CEO of the San Joaquin County Hispanic Chamber, thanked the city for pandemic-era support; she said the ethnic chambers helped more than 571 businesses stay open and employ over 28,000 Stockton residents, with almost 100,000 people impacted including families. She also conveyed thanks from the Central Valley Asian Chamber.
• Luethal Seawood, President of the African American Chamber, thanked the city for support that provided free websites, technical support, and computer classes to Black-owned businesses.
• Mary Nicholson requested recognition for November as Caregiver Appreciation Month, promoted the 16th annual Interfaith Caregiver Conference on November 3–4, and recognized the late Healings In Motion board member Chaka Santos.
• Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon invited cancer survivors to a Woman Warrior paint party on December 9 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, described as a survivor event rather than an awareness event.
• Juay Roybal-Kastl acknowledged being on Miwok territory, praised positive aspects of Stockton, and raised concerns about unsafe parks and houselessness affecting children and vulnerable residents.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the consent calendar 7-0, with items 12.4 and 12.7 pulled and considered separately. Approved actions included:
  • Resolution 2023-10-24-1201 – Final map and subdivision agreement for Hardin Fultcher III Estates, Tract No. 4166.
  • Resolution 2023-10-24-1202 – Three-year service contract with Pencco, Inc. for citywide wastewater hydrogen sulfide and odor control, not to exceed $4,129,600, with an optional two-year extension bringing the total not to exceed $7,830,000.
  • Motion 2023-10-24-1203 – Ratified the emergency purchase of one fire ladder truck from Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. through Golden State Fire Apparatus for $1,602,648.08, and re-authorized $1,300,000 in grant/local match funds.
  • Resolution 2023-10-24-1204 – Approved the Notice of Exemption, plans, and $960,065 construction contract with Pacific Excavation, Inc. for the Arch-Airport Traffic Signal Synchronization Project. Vice Mayor Warmsley praised the project's South Stockton location, air-quality benefits, and disadvantaged business enterprise participation.
  • Resolution 2023-10-24-1205 – Approved emergency repairs to Brooking Pool with a $169,500 payment to Burkett's Pool Plastering, Inc., funded by $59,500 from Measure M fund balance and $110,000 reallocated from Pool UV System Installations.
  • Motion 2023-10-24-1206 – Awarded a three-year hazardous waste management services contract to Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc. for $435,000 total ($145,000 per year), with an optional two-year extension.
  • Resolution 2023-10-24-1207 – Consolidated the March 5, 2024 primary municipal election and November 5, 2024 general municipal election with the statewide elections, and authorized the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters to conduct them. Councilmember Padilla asked about the salary-setting commission timeline before the 7-0 vote.

Discussion Items

Arena Naming Rights (Informational, Item 15.1):

• Staff and ASM Global announced that the Stockton Arena now has a naming-rights partner: Adventist Health Arena. The agreement is between ASM Global and Adventist Health, starts November 1, 2023, and sponsorship revenue is city revenue invested back into the arena.
• The city has invested nearly $5 million in arena assets since 2020. The nearly 20-year-old, 10,000-seat arena received a 360-degree LED scoreboard, ribbon boards, an in-house HD production room, HVAC/back-of-house improvements, locker room upgrades, and planned LED lighting conversion.
• ASM Global projected more than 300 events annually across the arena, ballpark, and Bob Hope Theatre; the Stockton Lantern Festival will activate the ballpark for 51 consecutive nights beginning November 24, 2023.
• Councilmembers expressed support, asked about the entertainment radius clause, and asked how the public can follow events via StocktonLive.com. No action was taken.

Charter Review Ad Hoc Committee and Citizens' Advisory Commission (Item 15.2):

• City Clerk Eliza Garza presented Resolution 2023-10-24-1502 to establish a Council Ad-Hoc Committee and a Citizens' Advisory Commission to review possible amendments to the City Charter, with priority review of Articles XI and XI-A and preparation for the November 2024 general municipal election.
• Councilmember Villapudua asked about election costs: district 2 estimated at $90,000, district 4 at $109,000, district 6 at $82,000, the mayor's seat at $556,000, and the proposed measure at an estimated $50,000–$80,000, bringing the total to approximately $837,000; the election cost without the proposed measure would be about $780,000.
• Councilmember Blower supported the proposal, saying it was reasonable to spend roughly $57,000 to clean up the charter and align it with city practices.
• The resolution passed 6-1, with Councilmember Villapudua voting no.

Council Comments & Announcements

• Vice Mayor Warmsley noted Breast Cancer Awareness Month, supported a January 2024 Council update from Stockton PD and Public Works on traffic cameras, highlighted safe-routes-to-school and SUSD 3x3 collaboration, and encouraged positive narratives about Stockton.
• Councilmember Wright reported on the Reinvent South Stockton Social Justice Dinner and congratulated his daughter on presenting at a neuropsychology conference.
• Councilmember Padilla announced earning a master's degree, raised concerns about speeding and park safety, and said the Ad Hoc Homeless Committee would return in early January 2024.
• Councilmember Blower promoted Visit Stockton's open house, the Dia de los Muertos event, and the Adventist Health Arena press conference.
• Councilmember Lenz called for traffic enforcement, reported on the Agricultural Hall of Fame, and praised the arena improvements.
• Mayor Lincoln thanked the public and adjourned the meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar and pulled consent items were approved 7-0.
• Resolution 2023-10-24-1502 was adopted 6-1, establishing the Charter Review Ad-Hoc Committee and Citizens' Advisory Commission.
• The Council received the arena naming-rights presentation as informational only; no action was taken.
• The Council directed that an update on traffic-camera exploration be placed on a January 2024 Council meeting agenda.
• The Measure W Citizens' Oversight Committee Annual Report of Revenues and Expenditures for FY 2021-22 was received as an informational item; no action was taken.
• The meeting adjourned at 7:19 PM.