Stockton City Council and Concurrent Agencies Meeting – November 7, 2023

The Stockton City Council met on November 7, 2023, in a concurrent session of the City Council, Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency, Public Financing Authority, and Parking Authority. A closed session took place from 4:00 to 4:20 PM; the regular session began at 5:30 PM and adjourned at 6:59 PM. Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley presided. Councilmembers Michael Blower, Brando Villapudua, Michele Padilla, Kimberly Warmsley, and Daniel Wright were present; Mayor Kevin J. Lincoln II and Councilmember Susan Lenz were absent. City Attorney Lori Asuncion reported no reportable action from closed session.

Closed Session

• The Council convened in closed session for conference with legal counsel on existing litigation, labor negotiations, three public employee performance evaluations, and one potential litigation matter.
• No closed-session public comment was received, and no reportable action was taken.

Recognition and Announcements

• The Council proclaimed November 12–18, 2023, as Perioperative Nurses Week. Nikki Washington, Director of Surgical Services at Dignity Health, accepted the proclamation and thanked the Council on behalf of perioperative nurses.

Consent Calendar

• The consent calendar was approved 5-0 on a motion by Councilmember Wright, seconded by Councilmember Padilla, with two exceptions.
• Item 12.2, a proposed $109,000 professional services agreement with Matrix Consulting Group, Ltd. for an operational and organizational assessment of the Public Works Department, was pulled by staff and continued to a later date.
• Item 12.3, the sale of 25 North Grant Street, was pulled by Council and considered separately below.
• Approved consent items included accepting committee minutes; adopting Resolution 2023-11-07-1204 acknowledging Fire Department 2022 annual inspection statistics for Educational Group E and Residential Group R occupancies; awarding a five-year, not-to-exceed $580,000 landscaping contract to Odyssey Landscaping Company, Inc.; and authorizing a one-time purchase from Forensic Technology, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $393,231 for a BulletTrax acquisition workstation and MatchPoint Plus image analysis license.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Ines Ruiz-Huston, Vice President of Civic Engagement and Outreach at El Concilio, thanked the Council and City Manager Harry Black; she said El Concilio helped deliver over $44 million in emergency rental assistance to families.
• Joelle Gomez, CEO of Children's Home of Stockton, called Black the strongest city manager she had seen and said more than 100 youth who would otherwise be homeless have been served through Catalyst with city partnership.
• Dan Richardson and Joel Carignan urged the city to address the Pershing Avenue/I-5 off-ramp. Richardson said Caltrans' responsibility ends at the bottom of the ramp, described dangerous rush-hour traffic and a collision that caused $8,000 in damage to his wife's car, and asked for a stop sign or signal.
• Patrick Johnston, a Children's Museum of Stockton board member, thanked the city for a $200,000 grant used for roof, exterior, and parking lot repairs.
• Audrey Griffin-Brooks asked for an update on District 1 parking issues that she said prevented her from receiving services.
• Jessica Velez, executive director of Red Rabbit Advocacy, praised the nonprofit capacity-building program but urged city leaders to stay focused on urgently needed help and accountability.
• Pat Barrett complained about a vape shop parking on the sidewalk, big-rig trailers on South El Dorado and Fifth Street, a street sweeper missing garbage, and South Stockton crime; she also criticized the two-minute speaking limit and said taxpayer dollars should result in a refund.
• A speaker identified in the minutes as Jesse Nabors defended City Manager Black and said a city manager should be removed by the Council, not through public attacks; the transcript text gives the speaker's name as Justin Avery.
• Cynthia Gail Boyd described multiple side shows across the city, saying over 25 consecutive minutes were recorded with no sirens, and said trains routinely block Main and Hazelton streets.
• Christine Noguera, CEO of Community Medical Centers, expressed support for City Manager Black and his staff, and noted the city's partnership in celebrating CMC's 45th anniversary.
• Ralph White supported Black, called him a powerful and effective city manager, urged the Council to stop attacks on him, and warned that individual council members could be sued.
• Steven Bojorquez said the Native American community wants to erect a Native American Eagle staff in the exact former location of the Victory Park totem pole and asked that another proposed project be moved to another site.
• Julie Dunning and Dan Richardson spoke on consent item 12.3. Dunning asked the Council to pull the item and questioned the original purchase price, a prior unexecuted sale, and the repair-credit structure. Richardson also questioned why the city would sell the property for about $4,800 after purchasing it for $66,000 and said the money could be better spent on traffic control at Pershing Avenue.

Property Sale – 25 North Grant Street (Item 12.3)

• Economic Development Director Carrie Wright and Economic Development Manager Jordan Peterson said the city originally acquired the parcel for parking, that a roof collapse damaged the property, and that the purchase price was reduced after due diligence to account for repair costs. Staff said the damaged property was the city-owned parcel, not the buyer's adjacent property.
• Staff described the buyer's proposal to create an art center and outdoor arts gathering space on the adjacent property, and said the sales agreement includes a first right of refusal for the city if the art center is not completed.
• Councilmember Padilla noted that three different figures had appeared in the agenda, the resolution, and the legislative report. Councilmember Blower asked about pricing and the art-center commitment.
• The minutes record the sale to Dru Hunt in the amount of $4,812 and include the filing of CEQA Notice of Exemption No. 25-21. Public comments asserted a $30,000 total sale with a $25,000 repair credit retained by the buyer; the transcript also refers to the buyer as Drew Hunt. Staff said the purchase price had been reduced from an earlier agreement after due diligence to account for repair costs.
• The Council approved Resolution 2023-11-07-1203-01, rescinding the prior 2022 authorization for sale of 25 North Grant Street and 725 East Main Street, and Resolution 2023-11-07-1203-02, authorizing the sale to Dru Hunt and related actions. The minutes record the vote as 4-1, with Councilmember Padilla voting no; the transcript's oral announcement says the motion passed 4-0 with Councilmember Padilla declining. Mayor Lincoln and Councilmember Lenz were absent.

ARPA Business Facade Improvement Program Update (Item 15.1)

• Economic Development Manager Jordan Peterson presented an informational update. In September 2021 the Council approved an ARPA allocation of $8.87 million for small business support and economic recovery; in December 2022 an additional $800,000 brought the Business Facade Improvement Program total to $2.15 million.
• The program offers up to $25,000 per business for painting, window and door replacements, lighting, signage, awnings, and other cosmetic facade improvements in downtown Stockton, managed in partnership with the Downtown Stockton Alliance.
• Peterson reported 16 completed projects, 44 projects entering construction, about 20 projects being evaluated for eligibility, and more than 600 letters sent to licensed contractors about bidding opportunities.
• Before-and-after photos highlighted completed projects, including Courthouse Plaza signage, the Children's Museum mural, Fusion Boba Cafe, United Auto Repair, The Building, Cancun Restaurant, Keith Trophy Supply, Alex Floral, Mary Magdalene's Community Services, Game Room MV, Bridge Place, the waterfront warehouse, and the Mexican Heritage Center.
• In response to questions, staff said most program funding was already encumbered, although the application portal remained open; applying did not guarantee funding. Councilmembers praised the program and its visible effect on downtown.

Council Comments and Community Updates

• Councilmember Padilla raised parking, trash pickup, and street-sweeping problems in the Montevelo subdivision, including a constituent facing a $12.90 repeat waste-management fee; she also mentioned an unanswered public records request, side shows, construction debris, and thanked nonprofit volunteers.
• Councilmember Wright reported on conferences and community events, promoted his November 13 community office hours, and noted the passing of Roger Ulmer.
• Councilmember Blower celebrated community events and Stockton's ranking as the 13th best place to live in California, and defended City Manager Black against what he called politically motivated and unsubstantiated attacks.
• Councilmember Villapudua thanked Black, highlighted the Breaking Patterns event and Dia de Los Muertos, and promoted his upcoming podcast appearance.
• Vice Mayor Warmsley announced CalKids, noting only 6 percent of Californians have enrolled; the CalHope mental health app; a Thanksgiving food drive on November 21; free sandbags; and other community events. She requested follow-up on the Pershing Avenue exit signal, ACE and Union Pacific right-of-way issues, baseball field improvements, a smoke-shop ordinance update, and traffic safety on South El Dorado Street.

Key Outcomes

• No reportable action was taken in closed session.
• The consent calendar, excluding item 12.2 and item 12.3, passed 5-0.
• Item 12.2 was pulled by staff and will be heard at a later date.
• The 25 North Grant Street sale was approved, with the minutes recording 4-1 and Councilmember Padilla opposed.
• The ARPA Business Facade Improvement Program update was received as an informational item; no action was taken.
• Staff follow-up was requested on the Pershing Avenue/I-5 traffic control, smoke-shop enforcement, baseball field repairs, South El Dorado Street traffic, and rail right-of-way issues.