Walnut Creek City Council Special and Regular Meeting – June 17, 2025
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Walnut Creek City Council Special and Regular Meeting – June 17, 2025
The Walnut Creek City Council convened on June 17, 2025, for a special closed session at 4:00 PM followed by a regular meeting at 6:00 PM, adjourning at 8:38 PM. The regular meeting included consent calendar actions, public communications, council reports, and three public hearings: the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) annual assessment, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 2025-2030 Consolidated Plan and FY26 Action Plan, and the adoption of the FY26 & FY27 Operating and Capital Budgets and Master Fee Schedule. All items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the June 3, 2025 City Council minutes.
- Accepted warrant registers and direct payroll transfers dated May 30 and June 6, 2025.
- Adopted Resolution 25-24 approving the Salary and Wage Plan effective June 22, 2025.
- Authorized amendment to Master Consultant Services Agreement with Building, IOT Inc., increasing compensation from $85,000 to $300,000 and extending term to October 6, 2027.
- Authorized reimbursement to Contra Costa County for pavement maintenance/rehabilitation up to $400,000.
- Authorized Master Consultant Services Agreements for arborist consulting: Dudek ($500,000) and Arboreal Consulting ($200,000), each for up to five years.
- Authorized a two-year subscription with Flock Safety to replace/expand automated license plate reader cameras for $161,600.
- Awarded Contract 24-15 for Phase 1 of the New Aquatic and Community Center (Heather Farm Pond/Nature Lake modifications) to Carone & Company, Inc., for $1,992,010 plus a $300,000 contingency (total $2,292,010), appropriating $2,000,000 from Measure O reserve.
- Received and filed the 2023-2031 Housing Element quarterly update through June 30, 2025.
- Accepted the March 2025 Investment and Section 115 Pension Trust Report.
- After public comment and council discussion, authorized the City Manager to enter into a License Agreement with the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek (390 N. San Carlos Road) for five years, with a modification that the user application specify equestrian use only.
- Authorized the City Manager to enter into a parking meter merchant processing services agreement with AMG, saving an estimated $0.71 per transaction compared to the current vendor.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Consent Calendar Item 2e (Equestrian Center): Ten public speakers (including Therese Caples, Cecily Gaut, Emilia Gaut, Lauren Watase-Bohn, Valerie Sterling, Jane VanderWerf, Nanda Prasad, Susan Howell, Elizabeth Hudson, Andrew Turnbull) expressed strong support for the license renewal, noting the center's unique urban equestrian access, intergenerational programs (including youth camps, veteran therapy, and community events), and its role in fostering life skills.
- Consent Calendar Item 2i (ALPR Cameras): Written public comments were received and posted online; no oral comments were made.
- Public Communications: Emily Barnett (Central Contra Costa Sanitary District) apologized for noise disruption from cleaning a 54-inch siphon pipe at Ignacio Valley Road/Civic Avenue, noting the work took 22 work days (9 AM–3 PM) due to heavy debris and 60% pipe impact; they paused for two weeks and will improve neighbor notifications. Kathy Hemmenway (Walnut Creek Downtown Association) highlighted the Summer Arts Walnut Creek program (through August 31), including events like the Locust Street Festival, concert series, and public art.
- Public Hearing on CDBG: Four speakers supported funding: Mary Vradelis (Trinity Center interim ED) noted that city funding leverages triple or quadruple the amount from other sources; Nathan Pereyra-Zelaya (Trinity Center Workforce Development Manager) described a new program providing career coaching and job placements; Molly P. Clopp (Trinity Center board chair) urged bridging a potential funding gap for the winter shelter program; Juan Orantes (Choice in Aging) thanked the council for supporting senior services through CDBG funds.
- Public Hearing on Budget: Jan Warren (Woodlands resident) praised city employees, urged support for them, and questioned the elimination of a vacant traffic maintenance worker position.
Discussion Items
- Closed Session Announcement: Mayor Darling reported that City Manager and City Attorney both received positive performance evaluations, meeting standards for salary/compensation adjustments effective June 22, 2025 and July 1, 2025 respectively.
- City Manager Report: Dan Buckshi updated on the State of California's $325 billion budget adopted June 13, noting it is not fully reconciled with the governor and pending trailer bills may affect local entities.
- Councilmember Reports: Mayor Darling explained her statement on immigration enforcement, emphasizing public safety and respect for First Amendment rights after a peaceful protest of 4,000–7,000 attendees on June 14. Other councilmembers reported on: Carpenter's Training Facility tour, ABAG Executive Board reappointment, Fiesta Cultural attendance, Zone Zero Fire Enforcement regulations (requiring a five-foot setback for homes in high-fire zones within three years), and Boundary Oak Golf Course driving range reopening.
- Public Hearing 5a – TBID Assessment: Assistant City Manager Charles Ching noted no protests from the eight member properties. The council unanimously adopted Resolution 25-25 approving the 3% assessment for FY26.
- Public Hearing 5b – CDBG Consolidated Plan: Housing Planner Allison Rustick presented the 2025-2030 Consolidated Plan and FY26 Action Plan, including a $145,496 funding gap for homeless services. The council adopted Resolution 25-26, approving the plans and authorizing the City Manager to appropriate up to $145,496 from PLHA/PIP funds, with a caveat that if funds fall short, staff would return to council for alternatives.
- Public Hearing 5c – FY26 & FY27 Budget: Budget Manager Ryndie Azevedo presented the two-year budget. Total expenses across all funds: $180.05 million (FY26) and $166.15 million (FY27). General fund revenues: $107.36 million (FY26) and $111.15 million (FY27); expenditures: $106.94 million (FY26) and $110.99 million (FY27). The budget uses $1.23 million contingency for the General Plan update and $3 million from pension reserves. The Master Fee Schedule includes modest increases for permit/inspection services (to cover cost increases) and widening fee ranges for arts/recreation. Council adopted five resolutions (25-27 through 25-31) unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All Consent Calendar Items Approved: Minutes, warrants, salary plan, building automation contract, pavement agreement, arborist agreements, ALPR cameras, aquatic center phase 1 contract, housing element update, investment report. Items 2e (Equestrian Center) and 2h (parking meter processing) were pulled for discussion and passed separately, all unanimously.
- TBID Assessment Adopted (Resolution 25-25): Unanimous.
- CDBG Consolidated Plan and FY26 Action Plan Adopted (Resolution 25-26): Unanimous, with direction to staff to seek PLHA/PIP funding and report back if shortfall persists.
- FY26 & FY27 Budget Adopted (Resolutions 25-27 through 25-31): Unanimous. Budget includes: $3.5 million for General Plan update; $250,000 one-time contribution for Clark Pool master plan; $100,000 in FY26 for outdoor dining incentive program; 386 authorized full-time equivalent positions; and master fee schedule changes. Staff will conduct a comprehensive fee study in the next fiscal year.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I'm Cindy Darling, Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, June 17th, 2025 special meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council. The special meeting is called for the purpose of holding a closed session related to the following. The public employee performance evaluation. Um the public employee performance evaluation. Does any member of the public wish to comment on a closed session item? Seeing no one, I will adjourn and we will reconvene for closed session and see you later. And welcome to the regular meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council. The City Council is conducting this meeting from the City Council Chamber. This meeting is being video streamed and can be viewed live or later on the city's website. As some attendees may be participating in their first Walnut Creek City Council meeting, I wanted to welcome everyone and talk briefly about the public comment process. For each agenda item, there will be an opportunity for public comment on that item. Thus, if you desire to speak to an item on the agenda this evening, please hold your comments until the city council considers that item. Additionally, we have a section on the agenda titled Public Communications, which is for public comments for items not on the agenda. Any comments during public communication should not relate to an item that is on the agenda this evening. Consistent with section 9.5 of the City Council handbook. 30 minutes will be initially allocated for public communication for items not on the agenda. Additional time for public communications for items not on the agenda will be provided at the end of the open session portion of the meeting if necessary. If you desire to provide a public comment, please complete a speaker identification card and line up behind the lectern at the appropriate time. Wait your turn, and then when you approach the lectern, please state your name, City of Residence for the record. You will have two minutes to address the city council. Please keep in mind that this is a city business meeting. The City Council has adopted rules of decorum to ensure that meetings are conducted efficiently and effectively, and that all members of the public have a full, fair, and equal opportunity to be heard. The City Council handbook outlines decorum expected in the council chamber and can be found on our website. All remarks should be addressed to the City Council. Please do not use threatening, profane, or abusive language, which disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the council meeting. Again, each speaker will have two minutes to make your remarks. Written comments submitted and received up to two hours before the meeting have been posted to the city website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not be separately read into the record. That was um so nice to not have to read that tonight. And hopefully it helps you guys understand better what's going on here tonight. So good evening. I am Cindy Darling, as I said, mayor of the city of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, June 17th, 2025 regular meeting of the City Council. Will you please all rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Councilmember DeVinnie. Here. Councilmember Francois? Here. Councilmember Silva? Here. Mayor Pro Tamwok. Here. And Mayor Darling. Here. And at this time, I'd invite Deputy City Clerk Eleanor Branson to administer the oath to our newly appointed commissioners. So the new commissioners, if you guys want to come on up. And if you would raise your right hand and repeat after me. Aye and agree.
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