Stockton City Council/Successor Agency/Redevelopment/Financing/Parking Authority Concurrent Meeting – April 16, 2024

The Stockton City Council held a concurrent meeting on April 16, 2024, beginning with a closed session at 3:00 PM and a regular session at 5:30 PM. The regular session included proclamations, public comments, approval of a large consent agenda, and two public hearings. All votes were 6-0 with Councilmember Warmsley absent.

Proclamations & Recognitions

• Donate Life Month (April 2024): Proclamation presented to Allyssa Garcia, Community Engagement Specialist at Donor Network West. Speakers noted that a single organ donor can save up to eight lives and tissue donation can heal up to 75 others. Ruby Lockhart, a three-time organ recipient, and Raquel, a living liver donor who is also donating a kidney, shared their stories.
• Earth Day 2024: Proclamation presented to Dr. Skylar Carlson, Assistant Professor at the University of the Pacific. The 35th annual Earth Day celebration will be held at Victory Park on Sunday, April 21, 2024, with the theme “Planet over Plastics.”

Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda

• Nancy Lamb (Gospel Rescue Mission): Urged the Council to help prevent the closure of the men’s side shelter, which currently houses 85 to 90 men, many disabled. Stated that men working toward sobriety would be forced back onto the streets.
• Travis Castle (Path to Humanity): Proposed a city-wide program funded by a $40/month business contribution, discount coupon cards, and phased implementation to provide rental assistance, reduce homelessness, improve public safety, and create equality through reparations and forgivable loans. Described himself as a retired fire captain.
• Pat Barrett (South Stockton resident): Criticized the non-renewal of a city clerk contract, alleging corruption by a property owner who has sued the city three times and does not improve blighted properties. Also raised concerns about air quality from warehouses and the PG&E utility easement as the city transitions to Ava Community Energy.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved 6-0 (Warmsley absent), except items 12.10 and 12.16, which were pulled for separate discussion.
• Key consent items (approved en bloc):
  • Quarterly Investment Report for quarter ended December 31, 2023.
  • Approval of minutes from five prior council meetings.
  • Appointment of Ernesto Gonzalez to the Strong Communities Advisory Committee.
  • Ratification of San Joaquin Council of Governments’ FY 2024-25 Annual Financial Plan.
  • Authorization to apply for a $969,000 REAP 2.0 grant.
  • Grant of a utility easement to PG&E at 666 West Weber Avenue for new City Hall.
  • Vacation of public utility easements at Cannery Park.
  • Service agreement extension with US Digital Designs, Inc. (up to $118,317.05 total).
  • Contract with Sedgwick Administrators as third-party administrator for self-insured general liability program (three-year agreement not to exceed $1,421,220).
  • Acceptance of up to $2,362,493.06 from California Extended Water and Wastewater Arrearage Payment Program, including waiver of late fees.
  • Preliminary approval of FY 2024-25 assessments and budgets for six industrial storm drainage maintenance districts and setting a public hearing for June 4, 2024.
  • Preliminary approval of FY 2024-25 Consolidated Storm Drainage Maintenance Assessment District 2005-1 budget and hearing date.
  • Ratification of emergency expenditure of $962,489.88 to Ponder Environmental for hazardous materials spill cleanup at Anderson Street.
  • Authorization to apply for a Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART grant.
  • Preliminary approval of FY 2024-25 Central Stockton Lighting Maintenance District budget and hearing.
  • Preliminary approval of FY 2024-25 Consolidated Landscape Maintenance Assessment District No. 96-2 budget and hearing.
  • Change order No. 3 for emergency on-call tree services ($200,000 with West Coast Arborists).
  • Authorization for local street resurfacing project (Cape Seal) with $912,000 contract to VSS International, plus $250,000 from Gas Tax fund.
• Item 12.10 (pulled): Successor Memoranda of Understanding for Operations & Maintenance and Trades & Maintenance units, effective July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2026, including a budget amendment of $1,680,412. Approved 6-0. Councilmember Padilla thanked Human Resources and the unions.
• Item 12.16 (pulled): Acceptance and appropriation of $3,000,000 from the California Department of General Services to rehabilitate the Stockton Channel Bubbler System and other improvements. Approved 6-0. Councilmember Padilla thanked Senator Eggman for securing the funds.

Public Hearings

16.1 – Vacation of a Portion of East Sonora Street, East Church Street, and East Scotts Avenue

• Staff presentation: The abandonment is part of the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project requested by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission to eliminate a major rail bottleneck. The city does not hold title to the land; the action includes reserving a public utility easement. A Notice of Exemption (NOE 64-23) under CEQA was filed.
• Councilmember Wright provided context: trains currently wait up to two hours, running diesel, and the grade separation will improve traffic flow in South Stockton and allow increased ACE train service.
• No public comments. The resolution was approved 6-0.

16.2 – FY 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan for CDBG, HOME, ESG and Slum Blight Area Map

• Staff presentation (Carrie Wright, Economic Development Director): The city is entering the last year of a five-year consolidated plan. Estimated federal entitlements are based on last year’s budget; program income from loan repayments (including a large affordable housing development payoff) increases available funds. The plan includes:
  • CDBG: $2.2 million for housing (acquisition and rehabilitation), economic development (consolidated commercial rehab programs), and public services (food assistance through Emergency Food Bank/Second Harvest, transition-age youth programming through Children’s Home).
  • HOME: $2.2 million for affordable housing.
  • ESG: $275,000 for emergency shelter and street outreach (60% cap) and homeless prevention/rapid rehousing (40%).
  • Slum Blight Area Map: Designates an area with over 30% blight concentration to allow streamlined use of CDBG funds for blight elimination activities. The map is required every 10 years and replaces former redevelopment areas.
  • Fair housing: The only applicant (San Joaquin Fair Housing) did not meet minimum scoring criteria, so staff will issue an RFP for fair housing services.
• Public comments:
  • Pat Barrett: Praised the funded organizations but urged the city to find funds for Gospel Rescue Mission men’s shelter closure by May 1.
  • Joelle Gomez (Prevail): Thanked Council for ESG funding recommendation, noting it supports three shelters (Donhouse, Safe House, Opportunity House) for homeless youth and domestic violence victims, operating 24/7/365.
  • Jon Mendelson (Central Valley Housing): Supported homelessness prevention program, citing outcomes: in 2023, 72 people in 35 households avoided homelessness, none became homeless post-assistance. Average cost per household is $3,000 vs. $56,000 annual cost of one homeless individual.
• Council discussion:
  • Wright questioned the fair housing situation and expressed concern about evictions; staff explained the RFP process.
  • Padilla requested possible ESG funds for Gospel Rescue Mission. Staff noted Gospel did not meet federal guidelines and that the Budget Committee asked staff to return on May 1 with a recommendation, dependent on Gospel providing necessary information.
  • Lenz supported moving forward with staff recommendations, noting the city has given Gospel over $800,000 since 2020.
• The resolution approving the Annual Action Plan, sources and uses, and Slum Blight Area Map was approved 6-0.

Council Comments

• Councilmember Wright: Reported on the San Joaquin Flood Control Agency advocacy trip to Washington, D.C., with four funding requests: $2.9 million reimbursement for local funds spent in the 1980s on the Stockton Metropolitan Area Project; $1.624 million for Army Corps work plan to complete feasibility study for Lower San Joaquin River Project Phase 2; $10 million to begin construction on Phase 1; legislative language to expedite Phase 2 study. Also discussed the April 9 California State Auditor report on homelessness data, stating Stockton tracks its expenditures well and requested detailed accounting of Home Key, HAP, and other funds. Announced that the power transfer to Ava Community Energy (formerly East Bay Community Energy) is postponed from April 2024 to January 2025 per CPUC, with outreach beginning mid-2024. Attended the League of California Cities conference.
• Councilmember Blower: Highlighted community events: Collins Electric 100th anniversary, Stockton Kings first playoff win (112-109), signing of memorandum for Stockton Takes Action Against Retail Theft Program between Chamber and DA, Banner Island Ballpark opening night, NAACP 5k/10k walk, United Way Boulder Moves Breakfast, Leadership Prayer Breakfast, Lao Low High Temple New Year celebration, and Sikh Temple Vaisaki Nagar Kirtan.

City Manager’s Update

• City Manager Black had nothing to report.

Key Outcomes

• Litigation authorization from April 2 was unanimously rescinded; Council directed negotiation and draft agreement with a candidate for interim City Clerk.
• Consent agenda approved 6-0, with separate 6-0 approvals for items 12.10 (MOUs with Operations & Maintenance and Trades & Maintenance units) and 12.16 (Stockton Channel Bubbler System rehabilitation grant).
• Public Hearing 16.1: Resolution authorizing vacation of portions of East Sonora Street, East Church Street, and East Scotts Avenue for the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project, and reserving a public utility easement (6-0).
• Public Hearing 16.2: Resolution approving the FY 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan and Slum Blight Area Map, authorizing the City Manager to adjust allocations upon official HUD awards and execute contracts (6-0).