Good afternoon.

I'm Kevin Wilk, Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 special meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council.

This special meeting is called for the purpose of holding a closed session related to the following conference with legal counsel, anticipated litigation, one potential case, and conference with legal counsel existing litigation of one case.

Under California law, public comments at special meetings are limited to subjects on the agenda only.

Therefore, public comments will be received at this time for the item previously mentioned.

After an opportunity for public comment, unless somebody walks into the next five seconds, the city council will reconvene for the closed session discussion.

So let's reconvene.

We are going on second.

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 the 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 communications 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 and 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's website for public review and are included in the meeting record, but will not be separately read into the record.

Well, good evening to this full House.

I'm Kevin Wilk, Mayor of the City of Walnut Creek, and welcome to the Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 regular meeting of the Walnut Creek City Council.

And if you'd all please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

One nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

And City Clerk Susie Martinez, would you please call the role?

Councilmember Darling.

Here.

Councilmember Dimini.

Here.

Council Member Silva.

Here.

Mayor Pro Tem Francois.

Here.

And Mayor Wilk.

Here.

All right.

Um is a proclamation for Joan Lucasy Gardens at the Heather Farms.

And I invite Joan Lucasy to please come forward to accept the proclamation.

So Joan Lucci first connected with the garden at Heather Farms as a young mother, regularly visiting the picnic, explore and learn about the plants and flowers with her children.

Later she returned as a volunteer to support garden maintenance and propagation, eventually joining the board of directors and working her way into the interim co-executive director position.

Joan has served as the executive director at the gardens at Heather Farms since 2014.

And through her leadership, she's guided the gardens at Heather Farms through a transformative era of growth and stability, strengthen its financial foundation through grant writing and major donor cultivation, and expanded programs and facilities that significantly enhance the garden's reach and impact.

And whereas she has led and supported numerous capital and programmatic improvements, including new greenhouses, 82 community garden beds, a compost station, a tool shed, a children's garden and little library, an 8,000 square foot climate discovery garden with modern irrigation and low water plantings, upgrades to irrigation and facilities, restoration projects, including the waterfall and trellises, commercial kitchen improvements and expanded children's science and education programs.

I need a breath after all of them.

In part in partnership with local agencies and school districts.

Her guiding values of honesty, equity, determination, gratitude, patience, and humor have shaped her leadership and service, reflecting a long-standing commitment to nonprofit work and community engagement.

And after more than a decade of dedicated service, she now concludes her tenure with appreciation for the staff, volunteers, and community members, and a sense of gratitude for the daily privilege of working in a space that she deeply loves.

And therefore, I, Kevin Wilk, mayor of the city of Walnut Creek, on behalf of the Walnut Creek City Council, do hereby recognize Joan Lucasy for her extraordinary leadership, lasting contributions, and dedicated service to the gardens at Heather Farms and Greater Walnut Creek community, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes in your retirement and future endeavors.

Thank you.

Mayor Wilk and City Council, thank you so much for such a special recognition.

I really appreciate it.

And I want to take the opportunity to thank the Gardens Board of Directors who are with me here tonight.