Getting the words we know what we want.

I was there.

Gloria Gloria.

Don't do it.

Oh yeah.

Gloria.

We said Oh, great.

Norma.

If you have your car.

Now call it calling the meeting to order.

Can you hear me out there?

Everybody can hear me okay?

Okay, great.

Thank you.

So now that all the council members are present, I call to order the September 15-17th meeting of the city of West Sacramento City Council, the West Sacramento Redevelopment Agency and Finance Authority.

We will begin with the land acknowledgement.

We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we live, work, learn, and commune is the original homelands of the indigenous people of West Sacramento who have stewarded this land throughout the generations.

We acknowledge and we thank the original inhabitants who have occupied, maintained, and secured this place, and who still exist on this land.

We respect and celebrate the many diverse indigenous people still connected to this land on which we gather.

The council met in closed session this evening.

Mr.

City Attorney, do we have any items to report?

There is no action to report.

All right.

The count uh we would like to invite our guests to join the council and staff in the pledge, which will be um we would have the honor of having um retired Colonel Chad Caldwell to come to the podium and lead us in the pledge to this this evening.

Thank you.

Please stand, place your hand over your heart.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

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

Thank you.

As is noted on our agenda, City Council is prohibited by state law from discussing or taking any action on items that are brought up under public comment, but we are going to switch around public comment to after the presentations.

Um I do want to add that anyone who is wishing to address counsel on this or any other item this evening to please fill out a request to speak card and return it to the clerk.

And we accept the request to speak cards up to the conclusion of the reading of the staff report on any particular agenda item once the staff report has been read and we open the item up for public comment, the clerk will announce your name for you to walk to the podium.

So please uh listen to your name and uh then um we will have a in in front of the clerk, there'll be a timer for public comment today.

We have quite a few, so in order for us to be able to have everybody have an equal chance to be heard, we will allow for um Madame Clerk, we will narrow it down to two minutes instead of three.

So if you can um adjust your clock.

And uh we ask that all comments be limited to that amount under public comment only.

So also as we move forward along in the agenda, we have an analog flip chart, which indicates which agenda item the council is currently considering or discussing.

And we also recognize that for some speaking in public can cause anxiety, so we request that there be no applause or booze cat calls or other demonstrations.

Furthermore, so that we may maintain a civil discourse here in the chambers, we ask that those in attendance and those who address the city council abide by the code of conduct posted on the wall.

Um, but it does say that we should not speak in loud, threatening, offensive, abusive, or other disrespectful language that disrupts, disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of the meeting.

So, Madame Clerk, we're going to um pass on the item one since we have quite a few um request to speak cards.

I think we have over 50 at this time.

59.

We will begin with the proclamation of the city council of the city of West Sacramento honoring retired Colonel Chad W.

Caldwell, who just came up on his service with the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers in his retirement.

If you can please come on up to the podium.

And do you have your family members with you?

Is that please have them all come on up?

That would be great.

Thank you.

And I'm going to read the proclamation.

And then if you have any uh, well, I'm also gonna have the council, because this is um for the council.

This is a unifying um position that we all have, the work you have done to ensure that the city of West Sacramento is safe, and that has been our priority, and your work and your family's dedication along with that has been tremendously important and meaningful.

And I'm gonna read this long proclamation that I have here and allow the council to speak and then allow for you to speak as well.

Okay.

Whereas Colonel Chad Caldwell assumed command of the Sacramento District South Pacific Division, U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers on June 23, 2022, bringing more than two decades of a distinguished military service and exception and exceptional engineering leadership to the Sacramento region, and whereas under Colonel uh Caldwell's leadership, the U.S.

And whereas this historic agreement secured one point one billion in federal, state and local funding for the completion of the West Sacramento project, advancing the city toward achieving the 200 level 200 year level flood protection.

And whereas Colonel Charles Chad Colonel Caldwell's tenure, the YOLA bypass East Levy South segment was completed in 2023.

Construction began on the YOLO bypass East Levy North segment in 2024.

Design began for the Sacramento Rivi North Le um North Levy and the city hosted the risk informed design team and participated in the Stone Lock Design Cherit in 2023, whereas his expertise and commitment to collaboration have strengthened partnerships between the US Army Corps of Engineers, the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and other regional, state and federal agencies, whereas Colonel Caldwell service leaves a lasting legacy of improved public safety, resilient infrastructure, and strengthened community protection for generations of the city of West Sacramento residents.

Now therefore be it proclaimed that the West Sacramento City Council proudly hereby recognizes and honors Colonel Chad Caldwell for his extraordinary service to the United States Army, the US Army Corps of Engineers in the city of West Sacramento and expresses deep gratitude for his leadership as wishes him well in his retirement.

So we have to my left um we have our representatives in Wassafca I would like for you to have the opportunity to express some comments first.

I think it's incredible we have such a large group of people here that get to see this and celebrate you.

Um you know flood protection has been a priority of the cities for the past twenty plus years and so keeping our community safe has obviously been a priority and sitting on with SafeGo with my colleague um you know we have these conversations monthly and so we could not do this work without Army Corps of an engineers so thank you for that and your staff um but what I think is even more powerful is your service to the military and um they the time that you've committed to serving our country and the time it takes on your family.

I have family um in the Navy and you know go Navy beat army so hopefully we don't have these but I remember when my sister um uh early on we had a conversation I was like are you coming home for Christmas and she's like I don't know and just the lack of control you have in so many portions of your life and how the family doesn't know if you're gonna see them and so thank you for sharing your father with us and your husband and thank you for your service and thank you for keeping West Sacramento safe for Councilmember Early So like my colleagues I I want to say thank you.

Thank you for your your service to West Sacramento thank you for your service to our country uh both of my parents are retired Air Force uh 20 years and I know and you guys know as well that your family serves with you and so thank you all um for the commitment that you've made to keep our our city safe but also to keep our country safe Councilmember so thank you once again and to your family and to your lovely wife who was also in the military um and devoted her time to taking care of the family so that you can you can serve this community and you know do all the work we have been working on this little by little but when you stepped in it ramped up significantly and you know we we are so um grateful and uh you know handed this off to to your you know your success for who uh who's going to be continuing this great work but you laid the groundwork you were very successful all of these interagency agreements that have been established and starting the soft right with the one point one million dollar um new start so thank you again and thank you for coming here to our city hall and and um you know honoring us with your presence and with that would you would like to provide some words?

And you know, we we are so um grateful and uh you know handed this off to to your you know your success for who uh who's going to be continuing this great work but you laid the groundwork, you were very successful, all of these interagency agreements that have been established and starting this off right with the 1.1 million dollar um new start.

So thank you again, and thank you for coming here to our city hall and and um you know honoring us with your presence.

And with that, would you like to provide some words?

Sure.

Yeah, this one students.

Yeah, thank you.

So um Mayor Guerrero, City Council, uh West Safca, and probably most importantly the citizens of SAC of West Sacramento.

Thanks all for coming out just for me tonight.

That was very fortuitous.

But um, thank you for this honor.

You know, flood risk reduction is a team sport.

Nobody does this alone, and and truth in lending three and a half, really four and a half years ago when I was assigned a Sacramento District, United States Army Corps of Engineers, I had no clue about the flood risk that this city and this region actually has.

Second most at flood, no, at risk to flood in the country just next to New Orleans.

Um in West Sac, you all know that much better than I ever would in terms of the the risk that you have here.

Um and so you know, the the team sport starts with our elected officials, uh committing to public safety and appropriating the money uh that we need to do the important work that we have.

It then extends to our local and our state partners and our flood control agencies who have to do the enormous heavy lifting of real estate acquisition, um, environmental compliance, uh hazardous waste cleanup before we can even get to it.

And then the Army Corps gets to come in at the federal level and actually do the hard construction with our non-federal sponsors to actually put the infrastructure in place.

And so it really takes all of us and Mayor Guerrero, as you had um had uh alluded to, this started years and years before I got here.

Unfortunately, it's gonna go a few years after I'm here, but to put that entire levy ring around Sacramento to give the protection that you need, we'll continue to take that team to work together.

And I have no doubt that the Sacramento District under future leadership will do that.

Uh I am also retiring, so this is uh my second to last official function in uniform.

So a week from Friday will be my last official day uh wearing the uniform after um 30 years really of having it uh on every day.

Uh one of my biggest challenges will be trying to figure out what to wear every day here on.

Uh but we have decided to settle here.

So we are living in Folsom.

Uh I'm taking a job with a engineering firm here uh locally in Sacramento that is committed to highly does a lot of work in the public uh interest and really transportation.

So I'm sure that I will see a lot of you around.

And so um thank you again.

This is a great honor.

Uh thank you for giving me a little bit of time ahead of some very anticipated, I'm sure, public comments uh here in the future.

But this is a great honor, and um I'll take this with me in the future.

And I'm I'm glad that my family got to see it too.

I am glad to thank you for everything you all do for me.

Thanks.

And before you leave, we're gonna have a photo and yes, applause for sure.

Next up is our next proclamation honoring our Hispanic Heritage Month here in West Sacramento, and we have two recipients.

We have um Oscar Garcia, oh, there's Kathy right there.

I was like, where is she?

Kathy, um Oscar Garcia with the California Hispanic Chamber and Kathy Rodriguez with the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber.

Please both come on up.

I'm going to ask you to share a few words.

We'll go through the same format.

And um, I'm gonna read it first because members of our audience are all here and we'd like to um recognize this important work that you've done.

I'm gonna be able to share a few words as well as the other council members.

So whereas the city of West Sacramento is a diverse and inclusive community that values the contributions of all its residents, and whereas National Hispanic Heritage Month established in 1988 as an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural traditions and honor the significant achievements of our Hispanic, Latina, Latino, and Latin American communities.

Whereas according to mo our most recent census report from 2020, more than 32% of the West Sacramento residents identify as Hispanic or Latino Latina, and whereas four out of five city council members are Hispanic or Latino Latina descent, and many city staff identify as Latino Latina, and whereas Hispanic and Latino Americans have made enormous contributions by sharing their culture talents, traditions while simultaneously shaping the city of West Sacramento through their roles in arts, business, education, and community life.

And whereas the City Council encourages residents and community organizations to actively engage in events, activities, and educational programs that foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Hispanic and Latino culture and heritage during the special month and throughout the year.

And whereas in keeping with the 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month theme, collective heritage, honoring the past, inspiring the future, the city of West Sacramento is proud to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic communities.

So now therefore be able to claim that the City Council of West Sacramento does hereby recognize September 15th to October 15th, 2025 as Hispanic Heritage Month and encourages all citizens to join in celebrating a diverse heritage and culture.

And we're so proud to recognize both of you and your contributions to West Sacramento.

And I'm gonna start off to my right this time with Council Member Kerina Orozco with some words about her reflections of these honorees.

Thank you.

Um I'll keep it short because I know we have a long agenda tonight.

I just want to thank both of you for coming as representatives of our community.

Um make sure my mic goes on this night.

I am very proud.

I should say Latina, I normally say Latinoa, but uh tonight um, you know, we all are um really grateful for this uh annual proclamation.

I know that we s we sit amongst um giants who are advocating for our community, and regardless of your background and whether or not you have a you know uh what profession you are or what your background is, the fact that we're fighting for a common cause is beautiful.

So it is a pleasure to see both of you, uh two heroes in our community to come present uh to receive this proclamation before our council and welcome to West Sacramento.

Let's celebrate member early.

So thank you for for being here.

Um I think especially right now in our country, um recognizing Spanish Heritage Month and everything that is happening um across the country within this community.

I think it's even more important that we're not only recognizing, celebrating, acknowledging, but that not only this month, but every single month that we are fighting together and coming together to make sure that every single one of our community members are protected, seen, and not gone.

Thank you so much for being here.

You guys are on the front line.

I know you are of the work that is is needed and happening for communities, and I I can't say it enough.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Mayor Patem.

It is wonderful.

Um so hopefully this is a nice little icing on the cake after your state of Hispanic Day and you get relaxing.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

I am so proud when we have Hispanic Heritage Month.

There's so many cultures from North, Central, and South America to join here.

And in light of the the recent you know Supreme Court decision which has demonized Latinos in the United States.

I'm really hoping that we come together and that the business community make a very strong stance against any type of oppression or um unfair treatment of people because I think our business community could really really make an impact.

And I'm hoping that um all our chambers can take note of that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.

And to you both, I have seen you both work so hard for our Latino community, businesses, and those who are strong, you know, trying to that are struggling and trying to find their way in our community to be successful.

And it just uh both your work, your um state of Hispanic, you know, seeing that people, the data on people are getting access to housing.

It is happening.

And um, you know, for the California Hispanic Chamber doing all the canvassing when the grant opportunities were opening up.

What is it we what they need the businesses need?

And seeing some of the struggles with the language barriers here in West Sacramento, overcoming that.

Um, you know, literacy, financial literacy, opening up those doors so that they can acquire financing for their business, helping people to fully understand not just a business, but a home, an education, child care for their um children, you know, just upward mobility from all different levels of life.

You are the epitome of bringing everybody together and moving everybody up.

I have seen your work for years and have greatly appreciated it.

And I'm so honored to be able to present this to you today, and I'm gonna ask you not to share a few words.

Well, thank you, Madam Mayor and Council members and fellow citizens.

Uh on behalf of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, uh, we accept this uh proclamation and this recognition.

We're very honored to serve our community.

Our goal and mission is to make sure that everybody gets the assistance they need, uh, especially during this difficult time.

This is when we join forces with uh with uh our fellow members, our citizens, and the community together.

So um we're here to serve this is our mission, and we will continue to do and deserve and serve as we have been in the past.

So thank you for this recognition.

Thank you, Kathy.

So thank you so much for having me here.

I know I came across the bridge, but we do a lot of work out here in the whole entire region.

Uh thank you, Mayor Garetto, for coming to the event today, State of Hispanics.

I brought a copy of the report for each of you, so I'm not sure the protocol, but I'll hand it to you so they can each have it.

Um there.

We um every other year we present the Hispanic Economic Report.

And I'm always excited to see what the data says and what it looks like.

And since we did the first one in 21 and this is 25, we can actually see where progress has been made.

And that's what we're referring to.

We've seen home ownership for Latinos increase.

We're seeing the income gap actually become a little smaller.

We're seeing the digital divide get smaller.

So that means is that our community is actually taking advantage and knowing about resources that are there.

Entrepreneurship is growing.

We talked a lot about today about how small businesses, when they create a small business, they're also doing it because they want to create community.

And when we look a lot of areas, whether it's our diverse neighborhoods, our downtown corps, when we see those small businesses, they actually are the revitalization of these areas.

While we're waiting for big constructions and big things to happen, they're taking these small steps and making it happen right now.

And that's what makes me so proud about our community.

They don't wait.

We're like, we're gonna collaborate, we're gonna partner, and we're gonna make it happen.

And so I appreciate this proclamation.

I Oscar, I accept it on behalf of our organization, our members, and all our businesses.

But thank you for the advocates that you are and making sure that you're providing policy that makes it easier for our small businesses to do the work that they do.

So thank you so much.

Thank you.

And thank you for your support.

We really we couldn't have done this work without you.

Thank you.

Oh, I don't think we have a request to speak on this item.

One request to speak, yes.

Uh let's do it after the picture.

Okay, okay.

Yeah, yeah, why don't I do it?

That makes more sense.

That's just a thing.

Okay, Madame Clerk.

Please call the public comment on this one.

Sochi Rodriguez.

I toshi have three minutes on this one.

Yes.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, members of the West Sacramento City Council, Sochi Lodriguez, former Woodland Mayor and Council Member.

Very proud to be here in support of this honoring of Hispanic Heritage Month, Latino Heritage Month, to our community.

Um just very grateful that uh you're honoring this legacy of Latinos and Latinas here in our community in Yolo County as a proud daughter of uh Mexican farm workers.

It all always fills me with joy to be able to speak to these topics.

Um poquito in español aquí a los uh de West Sacramento.

Yo me llamo Sochi Lodriguez, vengo de um de padres este que se jubilaron como trabajadores de campo, y este de Jalisco Mexico.

So thank you very much for this.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Now this brings us to item one.

Presentations by the public on matters not on the agenda within the jurisdiction of the council, and each person has two minutes to speak.

Madame Clerk, you can please call up the those to request to speak under public comment, and they can come to the podium each one.

Chris Bryce.

Chris Bryce.

It looks it could be Bruce.

Chris Bruce.

Greetings.

My name is Chris Mercy.

I am a community organizer, an Air Force veteran, an artist, a mother, and an urban farmer at Three Sisters Gardens.

I'm here today because I truly believe in the power and purpose of our Fifth and C farm.

A space that's accessible for everyone to learn sustainable regenerative practices of how to grow their own food.

As a mother, I see firsthand how transformative this space is.

Not only in my own children, but in all the youth that come through our programs.

Let's not lose it.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you, Chris.

Oh, excuse me.

We do not applause after each speaker.

It'll take forever, and we just don't normally don't.

If we do if we do need to peep if you need to, that we're gonna shorten everybody down to one minute.

After the next one.

Thank you, Madame Clerk.

I'm unable to read the last name on this one, but it's Mark A, and the area code on the phone number is 559.

Good evening.

I don't have the best handwriting, sorry.

Um I do the weekly food distribution for the Three Sisters Garden.

So I just wanted to speak briefly about the importance of urban farming.

Uh growing your own food is the backbone of many cultures, uh, especially here around California.

And it's important to preserve the knowledge and the practices in order to preserve these cultures.

Uh it doesn't take many generations for these things to be lost if there's no effort to preserve them.

Uh knowing your neighbors and having a sense of pride in where you live absolutely matters, and it is reflected in the appearance of a place.

When you go to the Three Sisters Farms, they're always flourishing and well maintained, and people in the community come to visit.

They enjoyed uh a shared sense of pride in their neighborhood, and the sense of pride ripples through a region.

Uh, and of course, food security, right?

Being able to grow your own food is empowering.

Uh, you know, especially with the rising costs at the grocery store uh to find real products while the shelves are flooded with cheaper, less healthy alternatives.

Without something like Three Sisters Garden in a community to supplement healthy food, uh more and more people will turn to the cheaper, less healthy options.

This eventually will just become a strain on the healthcare system uh down the line, not to mention the avoidable human suffering caused by eating the process stuff.

Uh more people now than ever want and need access to healthy, locally sourced food that doesn't break the bank, and the current systems are just under equipped to fulfill that need.

Thank you.

Hope, James.

Good evening, city officials, and everyone in attendance.

For the first time in life, I'm publicly advocating for something I'm extremely passionate about.

Three sisters gardens.

I live in a broader area, just a couple of blocks away from the Fitness Sea Street Farms.

When I first heard of Three Sisters Gardens, they're just starting their youth summer internship program.

The very same program I joined in that year.

I originally didn't think much about them.

Just some farm that I passed on the way to school or going to the local liquor store.

I didn't know it then, but I was going to be a part of something greater movement.

A food desert, sorry, sorry.

A great movement.

A desert food revolution.

If you will, uh fast forward three summers, and now they've become a part of my life, all of our lives, building a hardworking, loving community that I've never witnessed before, a matter that I think we all agree is hard to find.

Seeing the immense growth that bloomed within just a couple of years being with them.

Knowing that I took part in that, we took part in that.

Knowing that to part in that, we took part in that.

Living in a low-income neighborhood, you don't get access to many healthy foods or opportunities.

Where liquor stores seemingly play gave every corner, corrupting our health with foods that hold nearly no benefit to our bodies.

However, they fixed that.

They help her provide the most fresh, the most rich, and the most nutritious foods and veggies to my family and many others.

Not only that, but providing numerous opportunities through their programs in various workshops.

Teach us how to reap the soil and create create our own farms or food sanctuaries as we call it.

Like the Coretta Scott King said, the greatness of community is not accurately measured by the compassion of actions of his members.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

And one more time, we're gonna narrow it down to one minute if that happens again.

Hello to all good evening, Council members, neighbors, and constituents of West Sacramento.

Thank you all for graciously allowing me this time to make a tiny impact this evening.

To build bonds and create healthy living spaces, to nurture the things that we trust, we believe in, and more often than not, love.

I'm here today as a mother, a daughter, a wife and a friend, and a proud member of West Sacramento community.

On behalf of a monumental movement that we all know and recognize as Three Sisters Gardens.

As a parent of five children, as the parent, my husband and I have five children, two that currently are teenagers, our son Elijah and our daughter Hope.

These two are the youngest.

And if anyone knows anything about today's teenagers, they're often have some schedules that rarely keep you updated.

Things are moving quickly, urgently, if you will.

But with that being said, as parents, we often wonder if we've raised our children well, to see the world through the lenses of our faith, love, empathy, and discernment with overall kindness and compassion.

Three Sisters Garden has given us the reason and joy, and they've shown just that.

Since summer of 2023, they've been pivotal, producing fresh fruits, vegetables, skill shares, and numerous events.

They're all geared toward better living and an overall understanding of what a food desert actually looks like.

I myself have prepared over a dozen meals with some of the farms harvested crops.

What a blessing to eat, live and be in the richness of community.

What a joy to see our children now urban farmers, delight in all of their hard work and contributions to our family.

I can express my gratitude to the city of West Sacramento, our mayor Martha Guerrero for listening attentively to the heart of the people.

If I may, first John 419, we love because he first love us.

West Sackstrong, thank you.

Thank you.

Jeremiah for you.

Hi Jeremiah.

Good seeing you.

You too.

Uh hi, everyone.

My name is Jeremiah Frayot.

Uh, and I'm a farm leader at Three Sisters Gardens.

Uh, Three Sisters Gardens is such a beneficial program, not only to me, but to everybody in the community, uh, adults and children both.

Uh, it brings everybody in our community together, and uh not only for me, but for my peers also, it's not only a program, but it's a safe space to get away from everything that's going on in the world.

And uh not only does it provide food, but it provides a safe space for all the uh all of my peers and all of our families, and it provides food to everybody in a community.

Uh that's all I had to say though for today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jeremiah.

Duncan Young.

I'll keep it really short and simple.

Um, people like Albert and his mom and an organization like the Three Sisters Gardens that make West Sac really what it is.

It's it's the essence of community.

And uh every time we get together, it you know, we're all reminded of the fact that it is uh just that simple.

Uh I've been here 63 years.

Uh my father was the president of Chamber of Commerce in 1960.

So I'm really happy about West Sac being what it is today with the diverse population, and um I'm I'm looking forward to the future really bright with this group.

So thank you.

Deanna Lamb.

Good evening.

I submitted a uh an email earlier today, but I wanted to add to that because it's wonderful to be here and um see what is happening with Three Sisters Garden.

The Hispanic Chamber talked about the goal of partnering, collaborating, and making it happen.

And that's what Three Sisters Garden epitomizes.

And it's more about food, it's about people, community, and sustainability.

And so thank you.

Thank you.

Daniel L from District One.

Uh Honorable Members of the City Council, thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I'm Daniel here with American Communist Party.

Uh, right now across West Sacramento, vacant lots sit idle, not due to lack of need, but due to lack of incentive.

These unused spaces aren't simply eyesores, they're symptoms of a deeper problem.

Urban blight fueled by land hoarding.

Um property owners hold on to empty lots, waiting for surrounding development to increase their value while the neighborhoods pay the price in loss opportunity, diminish safety, and community disconnection.

But there's a better way.

We propose adopting a vacant property tax, modeled after Oakland's successful measure W in 2018.

This would gently incentivize landowners to activate their unused properties.

Rather than penalizing hardship, this measure would include exemptions for nonprofits and those facing financial difficulty.

As for and for landowners seeking the simplest and most community positive path, they can enter into a land use agreement with a local nonprofit such as Three Sisters Gardens, based right here in West Sacramento.

Now, Three Sisters Gardens has already transformed a number of underused lots into thriving urban farms.

They've engaged 700 plus volunteers, operate four active farm plots, and donate 80% of their harvest to food insecure households.

This isn't radical, it's practical.

Oakland's measure create a public registry of vacant lots and generated millions in revenue while activating dozens of community spaces.

We're not asking for a mandate, we're asking for a nudge, a modest tax, which says if you're not using it, let someone who will to benefit the community.

Together we can grow a more resilient city and rebuild our urban soil one vacant lot at a time.

Thank you.

Thank you, Daniel.

Dave Dolvier.

Hey Dave, welcome.

Thank you, City Council members and Mayor Martha.

Um, I'd like to simply say that I agree with much that has come before me, so I won't repeat it.

But we are, I like to think we are of the soil and come from the soil.

And so when I see the Three Sisters Gardens, it brings me great joy to know that it's kind of where our origin story is.

And as someone who thinks a lot about food, seeing it all wrapped in plastic and processed every time you go to the store.

The swing by one of the gardens gives me also great hope.

Um, in fact, uh, my thoughts are there's uh we should talk to Washington Unified.

There's a lot of space on their land that could be used to grow things, but that's another item.

And finally, uh, on a selfish note, as a vegetarian of 30 years, it brings me great pride to have these urban gardens in West Sacramento, and I hope we have more of them.

So thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Dave Rebecca Baer.

Rebecca Baer.

Hi, I just wanted to come and support three sisters.

They need a long-term lease for their um farm on 5th and C.

So if you guys could figure that out, that'd be great.

Thank you.

Thank you, Rebecca.

Mary and Cole.

Marion Cole.

Tanya Beverly.

Good evening, honorable council members.

My name is Reverend Dr.

Tanya Beverly, and I'm a staff minister at the Center for Spiritual Awareness here in West Sacramento.

And I'm also an urban farmer at the New Roots Farm with a black and brown farm collected.

And I'm here to share about the impact of the work of Three Sisters' Gardens in Sacramento.

Three Sisters Gardens is more than a farm.

It's a lifeline to West Sacramento.

In just one year, they donated over 30,000 pounds of organic produce to farm to food insecure families, grown with love and care at the Fifth and C farm.

I can personally share that my church community has benefited, which I recognize as a food desert.

They benefit weekly from Three Sisters Produce.

But their impact goes beyond the food.

This land has become a sacred space for youth leadership, community education, wellness events, and healing.

We cannot afford to lose this resource.

The fifth and sea farm is a cornerstone of community resilience.

It's where young people learn to lead.

And I've seen it happen.

I've seen them come on the farm insecure and then see them grow into leaders.

That's where the investment needs to be.

It's where neighbors gather to grow and where the soil itself tells the stories of transformation.

This farm is currently on a month-to-month lease, and without a long-term agreement, everything they built is at risk.

Securing a permanent lease means securing a future where urban agriculture thrives, where education is rooted in the land, and where our community continues to rise together.

This is not just about preserving a plot of land.

It's about protecting a living legacy, service, sustainability, and sacred care.

So let's invest in our youth.

Let's protect this land.

Let's keep three sisters gardens alive for today, for tomorrow, and for more generations to come.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I am not here for Three Sisters, but I am so honored to be here listening to them and learning from them as another nonprofit operating here in West Sack.

So I'm Rachelle Ahmad.

I'm one of the founders of The Wonder Grove.

We are working to build an outdoor children's museum right here in West Sack to take advantage of one of those empty lots that's sitting here in our city.

I'm here tonight to highlight an upcoming event.

We are hosting in partnership with Stonegate Elementary PTO with grant support from Nickelodeon and the Association of Children's Museums.

We are participating in the worldwide day of play on September 27th.

So I'm here to invite everybody, Council members and the public.

It's open to the entire community.

It is free.

We are getting volunteer support from the Stonegate PTO, River City High Schools Interact Club.

Come and play loudly with us, build a cardboard city, squish slime, play field games, join a community art project, create chalk art, visit with community organizations like West Sack Home Run, Yellow County Library, and the YCCA, and so much more.

This free event spotlights our mission.

Let's get outside and play.

We are committed to making the outdoors accessible and play a budget for both children and grown-up.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Jennifer Clemens.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Clemens, and I am a member of the Indivisible West Sacramento group.

I wanted to give acknowledgement and also express my appreciation of the City Council for reaffirming your commitment to resolution 17-29 back in February, declaring that West Sacramento will not participate in the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE program.

That's something that's extremely important to us, and we appreciate your efforts.

So thank you, and we look forward to speaking with you.

And also I am in support of Three Sisters Gardens.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Veronica Vallejos Dodd.

Good evening.

I'm here this evening to talk about the Vision Zero Action Plan Report.

Excuse me.

We have that on the agenda.

Did you want to wait for the written down number item number 12?

Oh, okay.

I apologize.

That's my fault.

Thank you so much for being patient.

Pearson Roy.

Is that Vision Zero 2, Pearson?

Okay.

Where's your baby?

Back at home.

With grandma.

Okay, great.

Lucky me.

Good evening, uh, Madam Mayor and Assembled Council members.

Uh my name is Pearson Roar.

I'm a sitting member of the Transportation Mobility and Infrastructure Commission and a member of the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates.

It has come to my attention that there are plans to remove cyclist access to the Davis Causeway bike trail.

And its only entry point in Roland Hensley Park in order to accommodate heavy equipment needed by PGE to install electrical conduit between the years of 2026 and 2027.

An estimated time frame that is likely to be exceeded.

Data shows that an upwards of 250 cyclists a day use this access point to travel between Davis and uh in our city of West Sacramento to go throughout the Sacramento area.

Removal of cycle cyclist access to this essential travel route is an unacceptable situation to those writers and those who may choose to begin using active transportation during those times.

These cyclists do not come over in a group and do not come at the same time, uh, which makes the VMT increasing proposed option of shuttling these citizens the least reasonable option for mitigation.

Is our understanding that the Caltrans Park and Ride lot across the street is a far better option for the safe storage of community uh construction equipment uh than the bike park.

Uh Caltrans has mentioned that all 100 parking spots would need to be relocated for its use, but a compromise such as splitting the lots, um, reserving a portion for the normal historical operation and fencing off the rest of the equipment is encouraged.

And if the park uh must be used, then uh we do recommend a quick build situation to maintain uh uh bicycles.

Uh uh and uh you know it's easy to do, it's been done uh all over.

Uh and um we we uh really call upon the leadership of our city uh to uh show steadfast support uh for uh the the safe passage of all modes of transportation on California roads, uh which is uh detailed in uh the 2008 Complete Streets Act uh AB 1358.

Thank you.

Let's continue the conversation with Steph.

Thank you so much.

And Steph has reached out to me to show the conversation's ongoing.

So thank you.

Appreciate it.

Appreciate you coming out.

Stacy Growe.

Oh, Stacey.

Hi, good evening.

I'm Stacey Grow, a longtime West Sac resident and founder of the Stonegate School Garden and West Sacks School Garden Network.

In 2019, I was also a regular contributor to the West Sacramento Newsletter.

Um it was my privilege at that time to interview Alfred about how Three Sisters Gardens began and to share his story, um, this important story with our community.

Uh many readers were touched and inspired by this story with its message of second chances and using our time and energy to make a positive difference in society.

Since then, I visited the Three Sisters Garden site at Fifth Instreet and C Street many times and admired how it's been transformed into a productive farm, an outdoor classroom that beautifies feeds and teaches our community, especially our youth.

I cannot imagine a better use for this land.

Three sisters plays a unique and valuable role in our West Sacramento community.

I invite you to consider extending a long-term lease to this nonprofit to ensure its longevity and sustainability for many years to come.

Thank you.

Thank you, Stacey.

The Latino Information and Refor Resource Center.

Mariah, good evening.

And I think uh it's really impressive to see so much people turning out in support.

And I think it's pretty obvious that we really need three sisters.

I think three sisters has put us on the map, actually.

And so I think what's important more than anything is that the residents of West Sacramento need to know that every single policy that goes through this uh administration or here is actually have to be approved or go through the hands of our city attorney, Jeffrey Mitchell.

And so not having a long-term lease is it's really telling.

So if you have a month-to-month lease, it's only someone as like an attorney would know how important that is.

Because without a long-term lease, a business cannot function.

But if you keep someone on a month-to-month lease, then you keep them on on a shoestring, you keep them uh tethered uh by the neck.

And that's the reality of what we have here.

And it's really important that people know that in the state of California, an attorney has an obligation to not violate the law and has a lot of ethical considerations.

And so it's really important that any time that somebody is a victim or is a witness to violations of the law by an attorney, it's really important that people uh file a report of what they've witnessed.

And so anyway, uh thank you for your consideration.

Please know that uh Three Sisters Gardens, like I said, has put us in the map, and I think it's important that the community know the role that our city attorney plays in all of this.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Maria.

Alex Birch or Bank.

Yeah, hopefully I'm not taking somebody else's uh here.

Metro Lane.

Yes, that's me.

Um so yeah, I'll I'll keep it short.

Um I'm here uh from uh Rewild Sacramento.

We're a group that does urban greening and things like this around uh uh the region, and I just came out here to say that I think the work that uh Three Sisters Gardens is doing is really incredibly important, um, you know, with the issues that we have going on right now with rising food prices, food deserts, and things like that.

And you can obviously see from all the people gathered here today the impact that they've had on the community.

So um I just want to echo what everybody else has said and ask you to consider um giving them a longer term lease so that they can really um grow their program even more.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, and I agree with uh the Sabah.

I didn't know about that, but that sounds important.

Julie Hendricks.

Hi, I'm Julia Hendrix.

I had emailed you um a few months ago telling you how Three Sisters Gardens had um helped me and my family so much in the last couple years as a volunteer.

Um I'm in my 50s, um, still parenting teenagers, and um from the beginning, um, we were welcome and um provided just a great um experience of community and um education.

I just started a new job working with elderly and disabled folks at a day program down the street, and um Three Sisters Gardens actually hosts like we're probably gonna be the fourth one because um in getting my new job, I told my director that I was an urban farmer and active in the community, and um we're very well known.

Um asked me to speak to Chris about the field trip for our clients and stuff, and I'm gonna be starting a little gardening club at um the day program.

We really um understand that they've been struggling with the lease ever since we've known them and hope that um we get your support to continue.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Rita Davidson.

Hi.

Uh good evening, everybody.

I just wanted to say that I support Three Sisters Garden.

Um, I didn't know much about them.

And the minute I found out, I went down there, everybody's welcome.

Um, I see leaders teaching our children, our next generations coming up, and I think it's very important that we work as a community together to help them, help them grow.

And this is something that our community needs.

It's not something we just want.

We need it.

That's really all I have to say.

We need we need a long uh lease agreement.

Thank you.

Ash from Woodland.

Hello.

Um, thank you.

Um also thank you for the reminder about not uh clapping because I totally kept trying to clap just instinctively.

Uh it I'm really sorry.

Um I wanted to say tonight, um, I came uh out to say tonight that um one thing that I've learned about gardening is that consistency is key.

Uh life will grow on its own.

Um, but once you aim to take the reins to turn favor or flavor in your um for you or for your community, um, abandoning your work can be deadly.

A seed grown by hand in a greenhouse must be watered daily.

A seed tossed to the ground, follows the harsh conditions of the land.

Forget to water the former, and it weakens and dies.

Neglect the other, and it grows from Earth's inherent nourishment, but upset its environment, unbalance the system in the process, and only the weediest and invasive may survive.

What I've seen in the leaders of Three Sisters Gardens is the dedication that it takes to care for life and see it flourish.

I've seen gilded discernment, passion to drive, and the gentle hand to guide, and the natural surrender to the processes of life.

Their work has opened doors in my imagination and others' imagination that were never open before.

And I ask that the council consider giving them a longer-term lease or a permanent um ownership of the land so that they can continue their work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Gloria Sidio.

Yeah.

Thank you, Council people for being so active, like the Three Sisters Garden.

Anyway, I am pleased to see the support that is here.

Thank you for coming.

Thank you.

And for me, it was like Cesar Chavez working in the fields to feed the community.

And the Three Sisters Garden continues that concept of feeding the community and becoming a community.

And the Lorestas said, see pueda.

Yes, we can.

We can continue and continue for making a community as a unity and continue to grow and be healthy fed.

Thank you.

Thank you, Gloria.

Andrea Montaño.

Good evening.

This is a story of an at-rest teen hidden from view.

I runaway who knew alleyway darkness, sleeping in abandoned cars and light rail trains.

By day, she was an honor student by night, a fast food cashier, a house cleaner, living out of a burgundy gents for a backpack.

That girl walks streets where fruit hangs over fences, wasn't landscapes, but survival where lunch money ran out when lunch money ran out.

You knew about 59 cent consecutive Taco Bell nights, youth group couches, and cleaning apartments for a dingy studio barred with windows.

Again, against impossible odds, she avoided gangs, assault, drugs, and despair.

Even sleeping in box cars with hunger, no children should ever know.

She refused to surrender.

That girl made a promise to her 14-year-old self one day.

Today I stand in that promise fulfilled.

A certified permaculturist, mother, grandmother, and community steward.

When I first walked into Three Sisters' Gardens, I found her.

Gardens break generational cycles of trauma and teaches us that we all have seeds of healing within us.

Council members, when you secure Three Sisters Gardens long-term lease, you're not only protecting a garden, you're ensuring West Sacramento remains a place for transformation, roots deeply for Mother Earth's children can heal and help us grow.

And our 14-year-old and all of us needs this sanctuary to flourish.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jasmine Garcia.

Hi, Jasmine.

Hi, I'm here again.

Um, I'm Jasmine Garcia, a West Sacramento resident and a supporter of Three Sisters Gardens.

Over the past two years, I've come to see them not just as gardeners, but as teachers and leaders.

Their love for the earth is matched by their love for community.

And without them, our youth climate action board would simply not exist.

There's a difference between adults who support youth and those who work alongside us.

Alfred and Three Sisters Gardens stand with us.

They show that growing food and growing leaders are deeply connected, and that caring for the land means caring for the people.

And that's why I fully support securing a long-term lease for Fifth and C Street Garden Farm.

Their work is essential for the land and for the next generation of leaders, and I truly wouldn't be where I am without them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Robin Davis.

Oh, Robin, long time no see.

Uh it's good to be back.

Um I'm Robin.

I live in Bright, down the street.

Um, I came to support the beautiful mission of Three Sisters Garden.

At its core, they are about healing, healing people, healing the land, and healing our connection to one another.

It's where the harvest is more than food.

It's culture, it's connection, it's community.

For context, I was a kid that thought beans came out of a can.

So I know how important it is to give young people the chance to learn where food really comes from, how it affects our health, and to empower them with knowledge, skills, and purpose.

Three Sisters Gardens is a living vision of West Sacramento and what we stand for.

They embody many of the reasons why I fought so hard to call this city my home, and I'm so grateful to be able to live here.

That's why I'd love to see us continue to support them to secure a long-term lease for the fifth and sea farm so their mission can continue.

Thank you.

Thank you, Rob.

Alejandro Risendez.

Hello, Alejandro.

Greetings, City Council members.

My name is Alejandro Resendis, and I am the youth coordinator and assistant farm manager at Three Sisters Gardens.

Now I'm here to advocate for Three Sisters Gardens tonight and encourage you to support our work and our mission of empowering the youth of West Sacramento.

Through my role as the youth coordinator, I've had the most invaluable opportunity to teach our youth about urban agriculture.

Distribute organic, fresh organic produce in a food desert.

Now I encourage you to please support programs that help the youth explore these areas of urban agriculture, food production, food system, because they are our future leaders, and it is very important for us to as farmers age out, have the next generation of youth leaders following their steps, fill these positions, and because this is very fulfilling work.

We need to encourage youth and I please encourage you to support programs that allow youth to learn about agriculture, whether it's urban, whether it's industry, whether it's wildlife conservation, resource, natural resource conservation.

I urge you to support these programs because I know that youth are interested and want to pick up these green jobs.

Um we have very with the upcoming with the next generations they have very unprecedented challenges facing them.

Thank you.

Molly Mahoney.

Okay, hi Mayor and Council members.

My name is Molly Mahoney.

I'm a resident of West Sacramento, and just want to say a quick few words in support of Three Sisters Gardens and their goal of securing a long-term lease here in the city.

Um they're just they're they're an absolute gem.

Um they're just the best nonprofit that I personally know, and the city of West Sacramento is truly better off for having them in it.

And you know, their mission and their dedication to that mission is, I believe, quite unparalleled, honestly.

And it just makes the city a more beautiful place.

Like if you've driven past their lots, then you just know how amazing it is.

And so I truly hope the city of West Sacramento uh can also see and appreciate that, uh, the value that they bring.

And so being able to secure a long-term lease would be a win not only for them, but for all of us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Deja Westbrook.

Deja Westbrook.

Woodleta, and I apologize, I can't make out the second name.

I can't make out the second name.

On Mac Road.

Emily Clark.

Emily Clark.

Jerry Cole.

David Scott Newton.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council.

My name's Scott Newton.

I uh volunteer at Three Sisters along with my 15-year-old son.

I'm here tonight in support, of course, of a long-term lease.

And a uh having that happen in a public forum.

I'd like to see it as an agenda item for this council.

Um in the 1970s, uh, there was a term uh coined, the alternative parallel institutions.

Uh it was coined in Czechoslovakia under an impressive government that was controlling culture, finance, and information.

Uh these alternative parallel institutions were a network of social, cultural, and economic structures that would operate freely for the people, especially when the government was failing.

Uh, with WIC and many of the other federal safety net programs losing funding.

Three sisters is a valuable and needed alternative parallel institution.

Uh it gives hope and food security to the constituents of West Sacramento.

The Fifth Street Farm is uh it's now a West Sacramento landmark.

If you go there, if you've spent any time there, people are honking, waving.

Uh people come on site, they ask, what is this?

Uh they come away amazed.

Other people come on site saying, I'm hungry.

I've heard you have food, and they're given food, and that happens daily.

Um I hope you've been there, and I hope you do understand how unique this place is.

It's talked about regionally, it makes the news.

I figure it'll make national news at some point, and I hope you can support it at that level.

Um I think that's all I have to say.

I really appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Good evening.

Um, I'm really glad to see like all the people showing up for support.

My name is Cao.

I'm actually a faculty member working at Sacramento State University.

Um, I'm in the Department of Environmental Studies.

I study soil science, which you know, obviously we actually share a pretty similar mission.

You know, I care about soil health in the entire urban area.

And then I think throughout the entire three years I've been working at SAC State, Alfred and the entire Three Sisters Gardens team and I, we've been working on a lot of research collaborations as well as teaching effort.

I've been taking a lot of my students from my agroecology class and soil science class to the farm to give a visit.

Um, they've been showing a lot of cultural knowledge, you know, basically really showing my students how sustainable agriculture and soil science can be practiced in real world.

Um, and a lot of the uh research collaborations we're working on is actually implementing some of the locally produced uh a compost from the city of West Sacramento.

We are applying those uh back to the land, and some of the research data has already shown increased the carbon concentration, reduced the carbon emission, as well as higher soil fertility and water holding capacity.

So I'm kind of like briefly sharing some of the important research findings we have basically kind of like demonstrating, you know, how sustainable agricultural practices that's being implemented here in the city of West Sacramento can actually be a climate resilient solution for climate change.

Um and a lot of the students in my classes are also underrepresented students, so it's really important for them to see how the real science can be implemented in real world, um, and then give them a sense of accomplishment, um, sort of supporting the experiential learning.

So I definitely support you know, securing a renewal of the lease in long term.

Um, this is definitely gonna continue with the partnership between Sacramento State, the environmental studies department, as well as the you know, three sister gardens.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Brandon Correa.

Alicia Guterres.

Hello, Alicia.

Hello.

Uh I'm speaking in support of the work that Three Sisters Gardens has done in West Sacramento over the past several years.

Personally, I've enjoyed Skillshares classes and demonstrations that are available to the community members at no cost.

As a community member, I appreciate that Three Sisters converted a vacant lot on the corner of Fifth and C into a less productive community garden.

And for this and the other and from this and the other community gardens, staff and volunteers put in many hours to produce tens of thousands of pounds of produce that they give to the community members in need.

To date, they've already given more than 30,000 pounds of food to West Sacramentans and still have much left to harvest.

I think it's worth noting that the community farms do not have fences, so the community members can freely access what they need.

Three sisters gardens prepared and planted gardens for other organizations like Mosaic West Sacramento.

This garden was producing just a month after they completed the planting and Mosaic is using the produce it in the meals it serves daily.

The opportunities to replicate the Fifth and C model are numerous.

And I'd love for everyone here to imagine our city if the vacant lots were replaced with community gardens.

Finally, and most importantly, I've heard many stories of youth lives being transformed through their work interning and volunteering with Three Sisters Gardens, just like those heard tonight.

Testimonies from young adults like Hope and Jeremiah that want to work or volunteer at the garden to learn skills that will benefit them wherever they are in the world and end up developing a deep connection with the land.

Three Sisters Gardens work aligns with the city's objectives to support its residents to develop the next generation of leaders to support sustainable practices and to minimize or reverse climate impacts in the city.

This is a short list of all the benefits Three Sisters brings to the community without receiving city funding while attracting funds from the state and other sources.

Tonight, community members are requesting that you consider a long-term lease at Fifth and C so they can continue and expand upon their work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Carlene Cole.

Kim Spencer.

Carl Richardson.

Julie Calderon.

Hello.

I'm here to support three sisters.

I'm I'm from Sacramento, but I'm in West Sacramento like 50% of the time because my grandkids live here.

And they're in all the sports.

And the reason I like Three Sisters is because when I grew up, my father always had a garden.

And it was it was comforting.

And that's what Three Sisters is comforting.

And it provides food.

And now with my diet, vegetables are main source of my diet.

And it's great for the community.

And I have three years before I retire.

And that's what I want to do.

I want to be in the garden.

And I think it's a great thing.

It's a great thing for the community.

And I think it's going to be good for my grandsons.

I want to take them out there.

So I want you to invest in my grandkids and in the community.

So please help them out.

Thank you.

Carl Richardson.

Hello, my name is Carl Wesley Richardson.

Um I'm a farmhand at Three Sisters Garden.

I like to call myself a senior one just because how long I've been working with Alfred at the farms.

Um I started working with him right after I graduated high school in 2019.

And I've been working with him ever since uh at all the farms, and I believe that I mean it's done a lot of good for me and kept me out of trouble now that I've been paying for my own home and where I live and groceries.

It's been a lot easier to have good groceries just to go up and pick some vegetables.

But I said it keeps me out of trouble.

I've seen a lot of people come through the farm, learned a lot of stories, told my story a number of times at this point.

But uh I think because of the farm and everything that it's done for me, that I believe that it can do a lot for other people as well.

I'm not all that great with speaking, so this is kind of a hard thing for me, but Alfred I watch him talk to a whole bunch of people, and he gives me a lot of confidence to be able to come up here and do this.

But uh that's all that I really had to say, and thank you.

Vincent Martinez.

Hello everybody, how you doing?

My name is Vincent Martinez.

Uh I know Alfred for a long time.

Uh, he is a really good guy.

He and he and he expired a lot of uh good people, came a long way.

And uh, yeah, I'm not I'm not really good at speaking on on on the mic, but uh these people been here a long time uh digging dirt and uh you know taking care of people in life and uh you know yeah, he's uh he's a good uh good guy.

So uh I keep it short.

So you guys have a good day.

Thank you.

Uh Adiva Mittal.

Honorable council members and esteemed community members.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak today.

Um I'm Adiva Mithol, a sophomore at Granite Bay High School, uh journalist for the Granite Bay Today, and a council member on the commission uh of the status of women and girls, but most importantly, one of the many impacted by the farm on 5th and C.

I first visited Three Sisters Garden in June for my blog, City Speaks, which covers urban urban planning in the Sacramento area.

However, I quickly I quickly discovered the community hub for youth empowerment, the teachings for sustainable agriculture and empowerment of the local community.

The facts are that Sacramento has over four 448,000 residents living 200% below the federal poverty level, and neighborhoods like North Sacramento and Oak Park are food deserts with the over 360 licensed liquor score stores, often outnumbering fresh food outlets.

Three Sisters Garden directly addresses this, giving out fresh produce, teaching youth sustainability and connecting neighbors.

The high school that I grew up on on was on a main street, but the but the nearest grocery store was a food for less.

This was what one of the volunteers said when I interviewed her about her experience growing up with fresh food.

Losing the lease would mean losing the over 30,000 pounds of food donated in the last year, and they will disappear just as swiftly as it was grown.

I would like to end off by saying that this is my first time engaging with grass grassroots advocacy or any advocacy for that matter um on the city level, and just the amount of people today proves that this is what real democracy looks like.

Thank you so much.

Exactly.

Thank you.

Carol Bollard Hello, thank you for taking the time to listen to us.

I just want to advocate for the gardens.

I think they need a long-term lease or a permanent lease or whatever they can have.

I would like to see it um uh along a lot of the empty lots in West Sac.

I've been waiting for a park across the street from my house for 15 years.

So I think you know, maybe that could be a garden too.

I think it's important.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Milan Dorosevich.

Peter on Fourth Street.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and City Council members.

Um I am Peter.

I'm a member of the American Comics Party.

I'm here on behalf of the Three Sisters Gardens.

Now I had a whole speech plan with data points and statistics and stuff, but I don't think I can say anything better than what everyone has said like so far.

And like you see how like this is like the highest turnout I've seen at any city council meeting.

Like people really love this.

So I think the best argument I've say is just come on, give them a long-term lease.

They they they they clearly are beloved.

If anything, it should be the city of of three sisters.

Like just give them the lease, or if anything, like start offering them more land.

Like this is the smartest move you can make as like as like politicians.

If you want to run for like governor, like just make make like three like three sisters your big like legacy that you solve like food and the insecurity in West I in West Sacramento, and you're and you're gonna go up the political spectrum like that and just be like, you'll be governor by next election cycle.

Like if you if I think I think it's a smart, a smart move, and like I feel like you should work with Alfred on way more things.

Uh thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Ed Diggs.

Hi, I'm with the American Communist Party and uh speaking on behalf of the Three Sisters Gardens.

Uh what we've uh seen across the city is a lot of uh empty lots, ones with tall weeds, busted fences, old mattresses, and trash that just keeps piling up.

The ones uh that sit there year after year while our kids walk past them on the way to school.

What we're facing is neglect.

These are property owners who don't often don't live here and who leave these lots to rot because they're betting on a big payday.

They're holding out, waiting for the city to come knocking, waiting for a new road or fancy development or a public project that means they can cash out, while the rest of us have to look on this blight and deal with the dumping in our backyards.

This isn't right.

These empty abandoned lots aren't just ugly.

They're magnets for crime, for garbage, for hopelessness, and the people who pay the price are the people that are here.

The neighbors who are here who have to work hard, aren't being treated fair by happening to see these dirty places around us.

Let's get serious about enforcing our codes.

Let's make it expensive to leave land empty.

Let's create new ways to put that land to use.

Gardens, parks, homes, whatever our community needs.

Because at the end of the day, these neighborhoods belong to the people who live in them, not to absentee owners who treat our city like a lottery ticket.

So I'm asking you stand up for us.

Let's take care of each other from the youngest to the oldest.

Let's put the empty lots back to work for the people.

Thank you for your service and the city.

Thank you.

Cat Bruce, or I'm sorry, Burcy.

Good evening.

My name is Kat Burcy, and I'm the farm manager at Three Sisters Gardens.

I've been with the org for five years now and have since then seen just how much our impact has grown locally and beyond.

Throughout this evening, you have heard our testimonies of many services that we provide to our community from food justice to opportunities for our youth.

But as an environmentalist, I want to focus on our climate emergency because this is not a conspiracy and it's not a hoax.

We have been abusing our earth and are already seeing and will continue to see the consequences of that.

TSG is a space that provides training, education necessary for the hard times to come because of this climate emergency.

And we see the need to spread that knowledge because we need drastic change and we need everybody on board.

I do believe that we are a model for resistance and sustainability, and that what we do is the future.

And I want to end by sharing a Native American proverb that goes, only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish has been caught, and the last dream poisoned, will we realize that we cannot eat money?

Thank you.

Thank you, Kip.

Valerie Hernandez.

Leanne Groves.

Peggy Palkovich.

Hello, Peggy.

Hi.

I'm Peggy Palkovic, and I have volunteered with Researchers Gardens since 2019.

And I thank everybody for their time.

Everybody's here.

We don't understand that.

That's mysterious to us.

The next question is what can we do to give you information, help you show you that will allow you or compel you to renew the lease.

Have any of you ever been hungry?

Just hungry.

Had you.

No.

There are hungry people on both sides of town.

I've met them, I've seen them, and I've been asked food.

It just it's striking.

Something that uh new news.

As some have said, year to date through mid-September, 32,800 pounds have been donated.

That's the highest ever.

That equates to about a thousand pounds a week.

That's a lot of food.

It's giving away.

Um I did some calculations on those numbers, and what I realized boiled it down, that 58 families of four people in the families, uh, one serving of vegetables a day, USDA eight ounces per family per member.

58 families a day are fed by three sisters garden.

That's a lot of food.

Rolling that number forward, that equates to 232 people just in those 58 families.

That's a lot of people.

Uh my thought about that is uh um please imagine the daily devastation to 232 people.

58 families not to have the food that they've expected, relied on, not expected, nobody expects it.

That's the wrong word.

They've relied on, they solely need up, Peggy, and they wish for so please please renew the lease.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Samuel Ramos.

Um I started as a as a volunteer for Three Sisters Garden, and uh I worked my way up a paid position.

And uh it was a great learning experience for myself.

Um as someone with no um experience in any type of trade or anything, it was a great starting point.

And uh I believe Alfred is a great role model, and I believe he needs this platform to uh continue educating you like just like he did me.

Um, I moved into different fields, but um, you know, I I still think back to what Alfred taught me, uh the fundamentals, uh being consistent, hard work, and uh you know it's uh I believe it's a very valuable program, and I think uh yeah, he deserves a space.

And uh hopefully could do it for uh more generations.

Uh thank you guys.

Thank you.

Jesse Crowder.

Hey guys, thanks for your time and your service.

Um there's not much more I can say as a volunteer every week for two years that people haven't already said.

Um, but I did think about uh the fact that I have a lot of friends who are teachers, I have a partner who's a teacher, and um there is this uh kind of change in how we approach uh teaching, especially kids with with less resources in the recent 10 years or so, and it's around something called the invisible backpack, and it's it's what kids bring in that you don't see.

It's it's you know, whatever traumas, whatever problems, lack of resources that we don't see, and there's an increasing uh reallocation of resources to help those kids.

It's an invisible problem, and it has a visible solution.

And when I heard about the levy when we came in, and it's a very important, we want to avoid flooding our cities.

I get it, but a billion plus dollars for the levies, and that's uh that's a lot of money.

That's a lot of our resources, and that's important.

And I was just wanting to put it in those terms of what happens at Three Sisters as a volunteer who keeps coming back for my own good as much as for the good of the farm and the people that it feeds.

Um it is an it is a levy of a different kind, and and Alfred's like an engineer of that levy, and it's protecting us from an invisible flood.

And I think in the future with AI with with everything coming, we we knew I think cities of the future are gonna have just like schools have therapists, cities of the future are likely going to have things like the department of belonging.

How do you how do you make people feel a belonging in their community?

And it's people like Alfred and the and the three sisters' gardens that are gonna be a prototype of that kind of thing in the future because it's a human need.

Thank you.

Thank you, Maria Garcia.

Hola Maria.

Okay.

Okay.

Muchas gracias for darme la opportunidad de estar aquí.

Um español.

Gracias por todo lo que hacen.

Um de verdad para me stoy bien agradecida for todo lo que has andado nuestra communidad.

Um so try to do in English.

Yeah, I I want to say thank you to the uh three sister gardens uh for everything they do for the old youth, uh, kids and families.

Um this is the the um the things I need uh right here in our community for everybody, not for use for me, not for use for you for everybody.

Thank you.

Gracias, Maria.

Emilio Loilers, lawyers, Isaac Food, Hello everyone.

I'm Isaac Fryho.

Um I'm a farmhand at Three Sisters Garden.

I've been working there for I want to say almost a year now.

And uh when I first started working there, I just looked at it as a a job for a uh but the more I've worked there, the more I've learned that it's not really just a job, it's more of a family.

Everybody there knows each other really well, respects each other, gets along.

The more I go there, uh the more I learn.

The um they really gave me an opportunity to go out and work in the field and and actually know what I'm growing, putting in the ground and know what I'm doing, not just doing it.

They teach you rather than just giving you and giving you something and telling you to do it.

They actually teach you what you're doing and how to go home and use it for more.

And uh I really don't think we should close down Fit and C.

That's like one of our main farms.

We really need that one.

But if anything, I think we should be giving us more farms, like we give away 30,000 almost a year.

Uh imagine if we had another farm or two more farms.

There's a lot of vacant lots out here that I think we could use.

Thank you for your time.

Raekwon Banks.

My name is Requa Banks.

Um, I'm farm lead.

And I just want to say like three sisters, hey.

I'm so proud of like working with them and being with them.

But it's not just a farm or garden or just people just coming in and work, it's more like a family and my opportunity for a lot of folks.

It's just randoms that just come walking in and we provide them with vegetables or with fruits or anything like that, water, the 10 party, small things like that.

A lot of folks that's in here today.

Hey, Alejandro, and I don't want to lose any of the farms.

For sure, not Fifth Street or C could in the main farms like uh I just say we need those, and we need more, and that's all I had to say.

Alfred Melbourne.

Good evening, Mayor.

Um, City Council.

Thank you for the work that you guys do.

Know that it can be tiresome sometimes.

Especially we got a lot to say.

Um, but I want to start off by saying that uh the power of the people will always be greater than those in power.

I'm sure that some of you have believed in that, and maybe you still do.

But just in case you don't, we are here to remind you.

I saw a need in my community, and I'm just a regular person, like many of us here.

But once I seen that need, I stepped up to the plate to be a part of the solution rather than be a part of the problem.

Once I realized that we lived in a food desert, coupled with the school to prison pipeline.

I couldn't stand to see the youth and the future leaders being locked up at such high numbers.

It was ridiculous to see that a school to prison pipelines established and that so much of our resources is going to incarcerate youth and corral them into a system rather than support them.

See, after spending 18 years of my life in prison, which I would not wish upon my worst enemy if I had one, I knew that I could use my lived experience to support the youth by training them to grow, harvest, and distribute organic vegetables and transform a food desert into a food oasis.

As some of the folks have said, we've donated over 30,000 pounds last year, and this year we've already surpassed that.

Um we plan it to finish the year stronger.

Our goal is to create a working model right here underneath the eye of the capital of California, the fourth largest economy in the world, where it's easy to be easy to see that we here in West Sacramento are leaders.

The question that I posed to the mayor and city council is this do you guys believe in climate change?

Do you believe we're experiencing a global pandemic?

And do you believe that food is medicine?

Thank you, guys.

Thank you, Alfred.

To all those that came out.

That's our last request to speak on this item.

Thank you, Madame Clerk.

Uh next we have our consent agenda items.

Um you can come on up if you submitted a card.

There were a lot, so we might have missed you.

Alfred was hoping to be.

My name is Victoria Deal.

And I want to begin by acknowledging that we gathered the tradition of lands of the Niam Nissan them, the Madhu and the Miwok peoples.

We honor the enduring connection of these indigenous communities in this land and recognize the importance of respecting and honoring and honoring their heritage and contribution.

And recognition and the value of community and partnership, I'd like to highlight the impactable work of Three Sisters' Gardens.

This local garden now um grows nutritionist vegetables for our community and beautiful flowers that enhance our spaces.

Three sisters gardens also supports our sea to skillet youth gardening program by donating compost which benefits the animals like Larry Hardy's ghost and enriches our educational efforts by fostering connections like these.

We strengthen community bonds and promote substance of sustainable local foods and flower production.

And promoting local engagement sustainability and youth education and guarding encouraging partnerships like this can enhance community well-being and highlight the importance of local growers.

I'd appreciate council's consideration of ways to support and acknowledge the three sisters community contributions and allow them a long time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, and so we didn't have any other requests to speak.

Is there somebody else who raised a hand?

Oh, sure.

Just go ahead.

But you're the last one now.

We we don't take people from the soup.

This garden has been helping a lot of people in this community with their health issues and stuff.

I weighed a hundred and fifty pounds.

And I might I went to the aunts and I went since I had this garden.

I've lost so much weight.

The doctor's so proud of me.

These gardens is very important to our community.

You know, everybody needs to have vegetables, but nobody knows how important it is, you know.

My son is doing something that is a dream.

It's a dream that came true.

It was a dream that I had, but I never told nobody.

But we my dream came through to him.

Everything that I think of, he does.

I don't even say it, but it it's like he could read my mind.

He feeds the hungry here.

And West SAT, man.

People walk up to the garden, they say hungry, he gets them by the hand and takes them to his house and he feeds them.

And he tries to do a lot for this community.

We need his gardens with SACS.

You know, if you have your mother, your father, you see them, you want them to be vegetables.

You want them to be healthy.

You want them to do what's good for your family.

Think about it, you know.

They want to go sit at home and you know, want to walk around and have a good life.

And vegetables is doing this to the community.

We need more lots here, like he says to grow more vegetables.

I asked a lady in the corner, hey, what are you going to do with this lot?

It's empty.

You know, we could use it.

She goes, Oh, I want to build this.

That yacht lot's been empty for years.

And it could be a good garden.

You know.

This guy here seems like he's not even paying attention.

It's one in the corner.

I'll say that.

Excuse me, can you just direct your your own?

No, we don't we don't pick on staff.

We just focus on the city.

But it seems like he's not even paying attention.

You know, I've been watching them with the case.

It doesn't matter.

We just want you all to understand.

We need three sisters' gardens here in West Sacramento.

Okay.

I'll come to make no problems or anything to anybody, but I want you guys to understand how important it is, you know, for the community.

That anybody that is hungry, we feed them.

Anybody that's cold, we give them food, you know, a jacket to wear.

That is our calling.

You know, all we're asking is for a chance to keep us here in West Sacramento.

Good seeing you, thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

With that, we're gonna go on to the to the next uh agenda item, our consent agenda items four through eleven.

And I would like to pull items six, seven, eight, and eleven.

Are there any other requests from our council members?

Just to be clear, you're uh Mayor, you're pulling six, seven.

Six seven.

Six, seven.

I couldn't help it.

Any others?

Nope.

Okay.

So item six is consideration of resolution 25-92 authorizing the city to enter into a restricted grant agreement with the California Department of Transportation to receive an SB1 grant funds to prepare the WestEC for transit priority plan.

First of all, congratulations to us.

And Jason McCoy can come on up.

I have a quick question about this.

Um quick question.

This is a major achievement in tying us together for all of our transportation needs.

And um it helps as we are thinking about our light rail um as as a mode of transportation and and the future and seeing how V, you know, our pilot program in partnership with SAC City kind of uh generated more ridership.

Um, and taking a look at s the um scope of work checklist, it references the procurement of a consultant if needed.

Is that an if needed, or could there possibly be one that may be needed?

There's uh the the entire effort we're anticipating is gonna have not only uh a consultant but an entire consultant team that's gonna be involved in this.

Excellent.

Can you make sure you um if it's a team to include via as as a component of the team and um um council member early, you're in the transportation.

Do you have any other ideas that I'd like to no?

I mean, so what we discussed um last meeting actually, and what I've had an opportunity to be on with Councilmember Aqua as well, is having a holistic plan that really tries to um take into account all of our modes of transportation, um, particularly in light of the short-range transit plan that YTD is putting together, taking into account via, but as we saw again our last meeting, I think the longevity of VA continues to be something that we um are discussing.

Uh and so I think that's gonna be very important.

Yeah, they are discussing.

Okay.

And via signed on as a uh partner giving us a support letter.

Uh thank you so much.

So we have a pretty strong partnership.

Very good.

Yeah, this is gonna be a partnership all right.

So thank you so much.

That's the only question I have.

Item seven is consideration of updates to the authorized position list for fiscal year 2526 and approval of resolution 25-97.

Allocating budget related to the homeless emergency housing program, the whole team program.

Thank you, Raoul.

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me about this particular item.

I learned a lot.

I learned a lot about um, you know, the history of um, you know, where we're where we were initially when we first started with project room key and then home key, and I do I work on this at a full-time level, statewide, maintaining case management, bringing people from where they were and bringing them into housing um and maintaining their you know needs so they that they can sustain themselves independently um living in in a in a place that they probably many didn't have before, and that's a huge transition.

And we have a number of collaborators um who work with this, but hiring somebody and we had YOLO County Children's Alliance, and then um we opened it up again and downtown streets team acquired the you know the um case management um grant uh request and um we're at a position now where I think I understand from what our our our discussion you've been thinking about this for a while and where we can go because we have to pivot now that downtown streets team is um folding.

Um so tell me a little bit about that and how that transition, what what our planning is behind that?

Certainly, thank you, Mayor.

Um given you know the the sudden um unfortunate uh the solution of downtown streets team uh which we were relying on for the case management services at both uh Roadway In and the Flamingo, which are part of our homeless emergency housing program.

We find ourselves in a unique situation, but also uh we have an opportunity to try to advance the program and and try to make it even better.

Um they were providing the case management services and generally providing a very good service.

Um however, we have been thinking um about bringing some of those positions in-house to have better control, so that staff that uh deal with the day-to-day operations of the program, uh James Mayoral, who's the the main lead of our program, and Mr.

Mark Sawyer from our community outreach and response team and and his team along with uh Taylor Nelson, they will have a better opportunity to direct uh where they want those case managers to focus their efforts as they're providing the case management services.

Um so we think that overall it'll be a good transition.

It is definitely going to be uh somewhat of a challenge hiring so many individuals at once and uh taking over that additional management and oversight of the case managers, but it's definitely um something that we feel that we can accomplish and we can do uh with the staff that we have right now.

So knowing that uh we received the warrant notification, I know the employees have probably also received notification they're being let go.

I think the this hiring process needs to occur quickly.

Um it is it is a recommendation that I have in in order for us to get the right people with the experience, especially knowing I think that relationship uh of those who work with these individuals is key.

I don't I can't set the criteria.

You're you're the managers, you're the um staff.

Um, but uh I I do want to make sure that people that have that experience working with individuals, you know, who come in and we plan on hiring.

Um and I'm glad it is a city position um that provides the benefits and support like all of other employees.

I know it's temporary, but you know, still I think it's it's a nice shift um to maintain that in-house.

And I know other cities do as well.

Thank you.

Yeah, we you know, we are trying to do our best to um try to incorporate some of the current case managers and and have them apply.

Obviously, they have been notified that their positions would be as T or going to be uh terminating soon, so we can't stop them from you know looking for other jobs.

So we have notified them that this was on the agenda in hoping that they can stick around and apply for those positions and try to bring as many of them as we can um in-house.

And yeah, it it'll definitely be very important that we try to do the the recruiting as soon as possible.

Uh we have had conversations internally with our colleagues in uh human resources and finance to have them help us activate the whole process.

So we're hoping that we can work on getting that um those positions out as soon as possible.

Thank you.

I think prioritizing this, um, especially for our most vulnerable population, getting those case um management support team out back out there as soon as possible is is critical.

So um I have a ton of questions, but yes, you may jump.

No, no, no.

Is it related to the case management?

Oh, go ahead.

Yes.

I I but I I don't want to interrupt.

It looked it sounded like you were about to land the plane.

Sounds like a wait.

Um so I so we are going from having a uh basically a consultant model for all intents of purposes, right?

Um to bring in everything in-house.

And I just want to make sure I was I was I was following.

Is there a difference in the in the costs?

Yeah, yes.

Um it's probably in there, and I missed it.

No, no, no, that's that's perfectly fine.

Uh but yes, so we have currently uh two case management contracts with downtown streets team.

We have received formal notification from them that they will be seizing all program operations by this um October 31st.

Um can you share how much those contracts are for?

Um overall, uh the cost is just over 800,000 for the case management contracts.

And that's annually?

That is annually, correct.

Okay.

Uh for the two case management contracts that are being um implemented at the the roadway in the flamingo.

So that's case management for approximately 90 individuals um at any given time.

Um seven case managers, which is again what we're trying to replace with bringing those positions in-house.

Um, and uh couple of managers that from their team oversee their the the case management.

Um I just want to make sure I'm following.

Um so uh annually 800,000 across two contracts, um seven case managers, um, and you said a couple managers, so like two managers?

Correct.

Um okay, so so nine staff all together, um, and they are managing around 90 clients a month.

That is correct.

Are there are it does the contract does that 800,000 cover anything else outside of those seven case managers?

Oh, thank you.

That's like yeah, they do more.

That is so the the the case management and and James can probably speak better to that.

Um that is one of the main components of the program, right?

Uh obviously providing the roof over their head is very important, but the ultimate goal of the program is to get these individuals back to self-sufficiency.

Okay.

Uh get them back and ultimately place them into permanent housing.

Yeah, of course.

They can't do that without case management services.

So they work with them to get them the services that they they need, whether it's substance abuse help, whether it's uh mental health um issues that they may have that uh they need help with, getting driver's licenses, things of that nature, getting to doctor appointments.

Of course, um and housing application.

So they're providing wraparound services.

Exactly.

Um and so and that makes sense, but we're not fund that the con that 800,000 is it only going towards staffing?

I just want to make sure I'm following the grant that you receive.

It is paying for the case managers and the um program managers that oversee uh the seven um case managers that be that's yes.

Okay, so the majority of the so the majority of the funding goes to staffing.

Correct.

Okay, perfect.

I just I want to make sure that's the thing.

And then there there are some budget line items for like indirect, probably like overhead, that kind of thing.

Correct, exactly.

Okay, that makes sense.

Um and so then for us, we're going to hire how many staff?

We uh the proposal is to hire seven uh program tech physicians, which would be the um the housing navigators, case managers.

Correct, exactly.

Okay.

Um the budget that we have included in in the agenda also includes uh supplies for those case managers, um equipment, computers, things of that nature, um some um vehicle maintenance because we do have a vehicle that we use uh that the case managers have access to.

Uh so we also have some additional items that's part of that but okay.

And so then what um now that I understand just like a basics of the the different contracts, what what will be the difference in the cost then with us bringing it in-house?

Uh when if you look at just the case managers alone, the cost is slightly higher.

Um that makes sense.

While our contracts with uh downtown street team is about uh 850,000, the in-house portion is um about 900,000.

Uh so it is slightly higher.

And realistically, it we're gonna, it's not just gonna be our we're gonna hire case managers, but then I'm assuming we're gonna have now our own, because we won't have the managers, right?

That is correct.

And so now we're not hiring managers, and so I'm assuming now we're gonna be allocating resources and time from current staff.

Is that okay so the the oversight of the case managers is gonna be absorbed by Mr.

Mayoral, by Mr.

Sawyer, and uh some of their team uh as well.

It'll be uh absorbed internally.

Were they already doing that work?

Is that the thought?

Like I'm sorry I'm trying to figure out because then technically it could probably cost a lot more money than the 900,000.

Correct.

And let me let me have uh James answer some of that question because they were already doing some of the oversight, but obviously that was falling primarily on downtown streets team, but they were doing some of that oversight in coordination with downtown streets team at yeah, I I think my main question, right, is that you you all had full-time jobs, right?

That we you were already doing.

Um as much as I wish we could double you, we can't.

And so if you do this, you can't do something else.

And so I'm just I'm curious what what gets put to the side or right, or what are we adding to your plate.

For sure.

No, I I appreciate that.

Um so I would say that the the management position that currently oversees the case managers is I get for lack of a better term, sort of like a middle person, right?

And I think that you know, the information that gets brought to the case managers from the clients that eventually gets relayed to the manager, a lot of time is spent on my end already, um, sort of meeting with that manager discussing these sort of like individual situations or things that we need to deal with on the day-to-day related to the clients.

So it's not gonna be really a huge change on that front.

It's just gonna be more of me being able to sort of take advantage of the opportunity to work with all the case managers and kind of workshop and discuss the different things that need to take place every day.

Um I just want to make sure I understand.

So there was um previously you had the seventh case managers, and there would be a director over them, but then would report to you like when there are issues and that kind of thing.

Now, just to make sure I'm understanding, we're eliminating that director, and then you're gonna be directly over them.

Correct.

And you're thinking that's uh gonna be boardware.

Well, I I think that it's it's a lot of work that I'm sort of already doing in in collaboration with uh the current manager, but but I think that that it should be manageable on my end.

Okay.

Uh just last question, I promise.

Uh, just because I I do this for a living.

Um I'm uh actually it's two questions.

Um first one, um, are you accounting for maybe you guys already are just the high turnover in in this role that probably the streets team was dealing with before, but now you guys are gonna be dealing with directly.

What does that look like?

Particularly if you're trying to manage 90 clients each uh a month.

Um yes.

Yeah, I I think that um the the sort of advantages of having this be a city position with the benefits that come along with that that are a little bit more advantageous than then, I guess a nonprofit per se, the benefits of those, um, you know, may have some more retention.

Um and I think that there's you know opportunities for growth and and opportunities for training with the city and and uh it's it's uh an environment where I think people can learn a lot and is worth sticking around for and being a part of this team.

Okay, and then I said two questions to my last one.

Um promise.

Uh what's the hourly rate that you're gonna be paying for your housing navigators or case management managers?

Oh, that's a really good question.

Do you have a salary?

Do you have a salary?

We uh there's a salary range.

I don't know the actual hourly rate off the top of my head.

The salary range begins around the mid 50,000 up to about 71, 72,000.

Okay, thank you.

Look at Mark, he's been here forever.

That one person has been here forever.

And I I appreciate that one person sticking around.

All right, some questions, comments.

All right, let me let me finish.

Absolutely.

All right, I mean before I lose my thought.

Um first of all, as you see, there are a lot of questions, and I know we're having to pivot quickly to adjust to our situation.

Um, and I greatly appreciate that you did something so quickly right after we got the warrant notice um and put it on the agenda.

Um I I would like to see this on the strategic um council agenda item is um for our retreat um with the report back to us on with more data on who the who the individuals are.

Um learned a little bit, they're all Medi-Cal, they're all Calfresh, they're all you know, could be um variety of un other needs, and um just making sure that we have I think your connection, yours and Mark's, um, in providing with D, you know, downtown Street Steam also provided was the linkages to services and that you have that ability, if you ever need any of us to provide that support, feel free to give us a call.

We're here for you to lighten that load and to expedite any demands that are being placed on you so that we can be a resource in support, we'll contact the county officials um or any state or whatever it is you need.

I know that that that's what we're here for to help you and provide support.

Um the other item is on page 87, there is um I don't know if you have a page numbers on your it is um the total uses that adds up to a million and then there's a net return of funds to measure E.

I I would like to keep that as a placeholder um for expenses that yet that has not yet been identified is since this is a transition process, and I hope my colleagues um can see that although this is a savings that um is is to measure E is as as a result of the transition, not that I'm saying we're gonna spend it, but keep it as a placeholder.

So if we need to find a way to, you know, support you if there's any um additional unexpended um unexpected expense that comes up, you know, not we don't use it for any other purpose for right now.

Um so I'm hoping my colleagues are supportive of that.

Um yeah, I mean, I I would I I would be shocked if you didn't have some additional expenses you're um just because you're going into this and I I got speed.

And and as our mayor said, if you guys do need support or want to bounce ideas off of, I mean, you have um I think some subject matter experts up here.

We have two council members who participate in you know, county level homelessness and housing um commissions.

They're they're appointed to that.

And that's and also I literally do this for a living.

So thank you very much.

And um one more thing, um, you know, and then uh Mayor Pratem is the um, you know, the challenges that in our conversation, um, you know, as we have people, this is a a transition housing, you know, temporary housing, you know, what we want to find is something permanent for individuals as you stable, you know, bring them in, you stabilize them with the case management, and then we want to find something permanent.

Um if you could just describe a little bit about that.

Um, you know, if if there's the the 90 positions, how long have they been there?

And I don't know, I don't expect you to answer, but maybe you could put that in the report.

But if they've been there for a while, um, what are the challenges that we see and opportunities?

Sure.

Uh I can start off and then I'll turn it over to uh James.

Um certainly the lack of just housing in general is probably one of the main challenges that um that we face and that the program faces.

Um the team does an exceptional job in getting the resources to these individuals that they need again to try to get into sales efficiency and get everybody to exit the program and be placed into permanent housing.

There is very little housing there, very little affordable housing, especially.

Um so I think that's one of the biggest challenges that um uh from my perspective when we have our meetings and we discuss uh what's happening in the program um is probably the biggest one right now.

Um I think just to add to that too, I would say about 70% of the individuals on our program currently are either on disability or SSI.

So they're not really able to get back into the workforce, which of course is another barrier in terms of of getting any kind of of housing uh that's you know more than than an affordable rate for for folks that are making at most 11, 1200 a month.

So it's it's just to like even once we get folks with their IDs, birth certificates, social security cards, all the things that they need, all sign up for all the benefits, it it can be pretty tricky in terms of finding places that um they they can qualify for in terms of the income requirements.

Okay, thank you so much.

Mayor Pertemp.

Um I'm huge fan of downtown streets team, and when we got the news that they were shutting their stores, I was a little shocked.

Um and so just I want to thank staff for moving so quickly and bringing to bringing this to us.

Um also wouldn't want to acknowledge council member arrozco for bringing downtown streets to West Sacramento.

Um I remember um calling into a city council meeting before I was elected, speaking in favor of renewing the contract.

I think it's been incredible for the city.

Um I had the opportunity to attend one of their weekly success meetings.

Um and while I appreciate the conversation about budgets and numbers and staff and all of these details that are very important, um, DST to me created community, and they had a very specific culture of their staff on how they built community, and it was done through their weekly success speed.

And that was um majority their work readiness and street encampment cleanup um meetings.

Um it was a combination of motivational speaking, providing services, job training, uh providing resources and this just incredible community connection, and I'd never experienced anything like that before.

Um how do we not lose that as we take all of this in-house?

Because I left that meeting, I almost cried.

It was so special.

And community is what DST has created, and we cannot lose that by bringing this in house.

And so if you can share your thoughts on how we create that culture, which I think is um very special and unique.

Um so in the the two years that I've been able to work with DST, which has been great.

They they've done a great job.

And one of the big things that um they talk about is like eliminating barriers for folks.

Um I definitely want to make that one of the the main priorities just in general to kind of carry along that that spirit.

Um, but in terms of the community building, right?

We're we're now gonna be relocating over to this new site of three motels that are right next to each other, right?

And I think that there's lots of opportunities there with the space that we have to have areas for you know, community space where people can go hang out and watch TV and you know make friends and and connect with one another.

Um I think that there's also opportunities for you know cleanup days on Fridays and and opportunities for people to get involved with with gardening or or things just on the site that keep people busy outside of the the work that they're putting in in order to change their situations.

And so I'm a I've I've seen, like you mentioned, the the the really amazing work that DST has done with those meetings, and if if we can do our best uh to replicate it, I we're gonna do everything that we can.

So will we continue those weekly success meetings?

I mean, it doesn't sound like we're for certain that that's gonna happen.

Yeah, I mean, I I can't I can't speak to that knowing just yet, but I think that there's plenty of opportunity for iterations of that right now.

Um what we have on site a little bit is like there's a a cooking and baking class and there's um you know, um different sort of classes or courses that some of the case managers that take interest in like arts and crafts or photography or what have you, they're sort of coordinating with uh the clients to be able to provide those sort of um sort of events.

And so I think that there's um potential that we can continue to carry those sort of things on and and perhaps if there's you know an opportunity to do the the success type meetings or or just group connection type meetings for for the community of there, I'm sure we could do it.

And recovery cafe is also really good about doing that too.

Right on a regular basis daily.

And if I can just say something really quickly, that that's a very good point that you bring.

Um, and you know, for this this um agenda item, we were focusing on the immediate need primarily, right?

We we are gonna be losing our seven case managers, uh the individuals that were doing the support to our measure E, uh, cleanup crew in the park department, the the beautification portion of the DSD contract, and we were trying to make sure that we don't lose any of those services, or that there's a very limited time for those services are not going to be available for our program participants, but we will have a little bit more time once we get all the case uh case managers hired the uh temporary assistance um hired as well to start thinking about ways to better replicate that and continue to to do a lot.

Councilmember Early.

Yeah, I um so I appreciate the the pivot as my my colleague said, and and the in the quick pivot.

Is there a reason why um we couldn't um go to one of the nonprofits that we've worked with before on this?

So uh because of the funding that we use to pay for these services, we always have to go through a formal procurement process.

So it's it's close to impossible uh because we have uh state funding, federal funding that we use to pay for these contracts and that we're gonna be using to pay for the the seven uh case manufacturers that we're gonna be bringing in.

So we would have had to go through a formal procurement process or a new procurement process, which would have taken probably twice as long.

Um and as the mayor pointed out already.

Bringing positions in-house was a conversation that we had uh a while ago when we were having some issues with our uh first uh case manager provider.

Uh things were going well with downtown streets team, so that conversation kind of was put it to the side.

Given the current situation, we figured it was a um you know the time to try that in-house model and uh see if if we can make it work.

I think uh the staff feels that we can make it work uh just as good as we we did with the uh contracted uh case management services or even better.

But um that's one of the main reasons why we decided to do the in-house uh model and stuff.

Have we um as our our mayor noted?

Uh I'm not I'm not aware of the cities, but I'm I'm I'm positive at it that they do exist.

Have we talked to any of the other cities that have these kinds of services in-house?

Um so I know that the city of Davis um is also losing their contract with downtown streets team.

They were providing slightly different services.

Um and I know that they held a workshop last night with their city council uh to get feedback on on how to resolve that situation.

Sacramento is going through the same um issues.

Um and uh I also had a conversation with the city of um Odesto, I believe, who also has a contract with Downtown Street team, and we're going through a similar situation.

So I think we're all scrambling to find the best ways to you know to deal with our unique situations because they were doing slightly different uh things for for each uh jurisdiction.

And and I I appreciate that, but the question I I was actually asking is um it sounds like there are cities that are currently doing this, so uh not associated with losing contracts, but that have been already bringing these services in-house.

Are we aware of any of those cities?

And have we talked to them?

Uh I we have not had any personal uh Albuquerque Albuquerque, New Mexico has a model for the very good idea.

Yeah, we can certainly try to reach out to other jurisdictions to get some feedback on how to make sure that we make this uh in-house model work.

Uh, but as of now, we have not.

Again, um we gotta jump on this really quickly and and try to come up with a uh best case scenario given the situation that we're in.

Um, but we will certainly do that and try to get as much back as possible.

Um I Albuquerque, it sounds like maybe has like a full model.

I do now that we're that we're talking about it, it may not be the same kind of model Albuquerque has or even what we're we're um proposing here.

But I think City of Elk Grove has actually when um uh uh what was it, Sacramento Steps or uh Sacramento housing um folded a couple years ago?

Um I think they brought uh the housing services in house, like housing navigation, and so um would suggest potentially talking with them to to see how it's gone.

We will have thank you.

Yes, yes, council member.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

So back in 2016, we had been working on trying to get this model to West Sacramento.

I was a new council member, and it back in 2017.

Um, it finally got on our agenda as a potential investment as a pilot.

And it back then the investment was far more modest.

The idea that we were going to do this transformational model on the lives of people in our community that were disenfranchised, overlooked, invisible, and completely uh seen as scourges, um, and having them actually seen and and productive and integrated and um having the opportunities before our eyes to be a part of a community and to be interwoven in the fabric that we call our home in our community.

That was that was incredible.

It became one of the most um inspiring models, I think, for our city when it comes to homelessness and giving people the job readiness, and there's so many inspirational stories, videos made about downtown streets.

Um, name aside, just the people and what was going on in our city.

That's what made it magical.

Over the years, that price tag increased, but we were willing to pay for that because it's like, well, wait a sec.

This isn't just a hand-made out uh handout uh type program.

These are people that are actually doing something to improve their lot in life.

They are wearing these very visible shirts, they're picking up trash in our community, they are contributing, and because of that, we will honk our horns.

We will give our tax dollars.

We will say, hey, we welcome this program in our city because you know what, we're all trying to make it, right?

And then of course, things changed in our community.

We had to pivot in the recent years to change the model a little bit.

And it had a little bit of the old stuff, but it had a lot of the new stuff.

Now the the program is not no longer in operation everywhere.

But what I'm worried about here, and I don't want to be the sole naysayer here, is that the magic is getting lost.

Now we're absorbing these into positions.

Well, the anyone can do that.

What what makes this any different than any other?

Like, let's just hire Joe, you know, Schmo off the street to to do this job.

I want to see that transformational impact in this community.

I want to see the magic happen.

And this is not to to uh disparage any of the investment that our staff has, because I mean I think it's pretty darn cool that y'all were willing to to pivot.

But this is a pretty hefty price tag.

Um, and I'm I'm just I'm lacking some inspiration here because I know that we have needs that need to be met, but where is the West Sacramento stamp of um vision in this?

Now that all said, my my tirade is is finished for that part.

Um I'm looking at the price take here, and normally these a lot of these services would normally be funded by federal or county or other human services sources.

Can you tell me of the $852,000?

How much is being funded by local sources such as Measure E and or the general fund?

Zero.

The entirety of all of our DST contracts are being paid, and the positions that we are requesting to be hired are will continue to be paid with a ground sources that we have available for the program.

That's not the case for the three uh temporary uh workers that we are also recommending to continue to help and support the measure E cleanup crew.

That is the part of the contract that was being paid by Measure E, the original downtown streets program, uh which historically had been paid by Measure E.

That will continue in the recommendation is that Measure E be used for those uh three positions, but the case managers precisions will be paid with the grant funds that we have available.

Fair.

Okay.

Now I have hopes of seeing something greater um in the future.

I don't know how we do it.

I know that we have some of the most talented staff I've ever worked with.

Uh to the extent that we can bring opportunity to people uh on our streets that have hit hard and need an opportunity to step back in and contribute.

Um I want to establish that pipeline because it's given hope to so many people, people that we've employed in the city of West Sacramento, people that Rayleigh's have employed, UPS, goodwill.

These people have made it back onto their feet thanks to this one program.

And I have a a framed t-shirt at my home with all of the names of hand, you know, the signatures of some of the DST workers that said thank you.

Thank you for making this a possibility.

Now I I don't need to take any credit for bringing that model here.

What like I said, it's not it's not about the name, but it's about the the hope that this gave people.

And so if we can find a way to bring that hope back, I think that would be I think that we would be doing a great service.

Thank you.

Yeah, I completely agree.

I mean, again, um that's very important and and and part of the success of the program and DSD has been that.

Um I think if you um allow us the opportunity to get these positions on board, make sure that we have our at least our our our basis covered with that, we can definitely focus on getting a lot of that back on the program and get getting more programs out there to try to get some of that back.

And roll it all started here.

Sacramento might have a downtown streets team, but that's because I sat with Steve Hansen years ago and said, you know what, you need to get it over there so I can get it over here.

And Davis followed our seat when I was the representative on the executive commission on homelessness.

They thought what's going on in West Sacramento?

We need to replicate it here.

And Mark Sawyer came to our first meeting over in Sacramento along with Aaron Laurel and said, you know what, this is this is an inspiring model.

So to the extent, I don't, you know, I'd love to watch and see what other jurisdictions are doing with their existing model, but if we can raise this, and I know uh uh Mayor Pro Tem Sulpezial Hole is our representative now to the um to the commission on homelessness, uh to see what it is that are best practices so that maybe there could be a region-wide commitment to doing something like this.

I know it might look different elsewhere, um, but I think that there is tremendous opportunity for our city and for the region with this.

Thank you.

All right, no other comments.

Um I wish you the best.

But we're here to also support you.

Um you're not you're not alone.

I know you have the magic in you.

And um, I want to add that um historically, um West Sacramento has had Mercy Coalition.

And um through the the you know, um unification of our um of our faith-based community and um volunteers um, you know, such as St.

Vincent DePaul, Yola County Children's Alliance, um, that um uh supervisor, then Supervisor Helen Thompson established um, you know, with the support of um Supervisor Mariko Yamada, um, our our past supervisors who you know kept prioritizing those that are almost vulnerable, mentally ill, you know, um those in need.

We we have a a history, an institution of caring for almost vulnerable populations, which is why West Sacramento has done well in the grand jury report.

Um it's uh it's just I think we're you know, you know, we have we have the history um from the genesis of those of those groups that have been reaching out to um and showing love and support in so many ways.

Um so I just want to add that um that that is so if you're looking for some magic, you know, there are other ways to tap that and recruit them for supporting you as well.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Madam Mayor, yes, who's called ask a quick question for clarification.

Yes, the amendment.

Yes, uh we you you we will need to pull that item to separately vote for it and cover that aspect.

So we we will need to pull it, or do you want me to just add it in, Mr.

City Attorney?

Well, we just what we need is uh to be able to be sure that we're clear on what exactly the amendment is for the resolution.

I know we're not returning funds to measure E.

Not returning the 307,000 to measure E, but what is the change that's being done?

Maintain it as a placeholder um and if needed to um cover unexpended um unanticipated expenses for this new model.

Is that just that yes?

You can move the you can move the action of via revised resolution that'll be brought to you, but I think we have enough what we're doing, right?

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

Item number eight, park side.

Um and uh just well, thank you, Roel.

Um, going over item eight.

I did have uh a couple of questions.

Um so Parkside at Sycamore Affordable Housing Project, and the type of model that um it has here, it has us as a um subordination agreement as a governmental entity.

What are the risks to the city if if these if if it's unpaid by the primary um lienholder on this?

Is there anything?

So um I guess the uh the first thing that I could say is that this is very typical to um any affordable housing project out there.

Um city financing any city commitments that are done for a project are typically in junior position to a uh senior level.

Um so this is very common, especially in uh low-income housing tax credit properties that require a lot of financial uh sources coming in.

Okay.

Um ultimately the the um the risk is if uh the project would default uh or the developer would default on their first mortgage, um the lender could foreclose on the property, and uh the city could be in jeopardy to lose its uh financial assistance.

The city would also have an ability to step in and uh try to do whatever is within their power to try to clear any defaults, work with the developer to clear any defaults.

So there are mechanisms that the city can use to limit that risk.

But at the end of the day, that is a risk.

Um but again, I will say that it is common in just about every portable housing project out there uh because of the various layers of funding that are required to build these projects.

Okay, thank you.

Um and in order to access you know an individual who qualifies, how do they go about doing that?

So they typically have an application process.

Um, you know, they they have their most properties have uh marketing plans that they follow uh whenever there are uh units available.

And you know, honestly, most of these affordable housing projects have a waiting list.

Um right, so they typically go through that waiting list first.

Uh just make sure that there's still interest from individuals that are on that waiting list, and then if there's nobody on the waiting list, which I would be very surprised, then they go to their marketing plan uh to see okay, we have to market in in this news newspaper, this news outlet, uh reach out to these community um organizations to let them know that uh there is a unit available.

And and you know, most uh of these projects, the management arm that handles the day-to-day operations have their own sources that they reach out to as well.

Um could be one of them, other service providers could be uh service providers could be uh others that uh they reach out to.

But more than likely there's a waiting list that they typically tap in.

Wow, okay.

No, thank you.

Um okay, those are all my questions on this one.

Thank you so much.

Next is item number 11, which is um the letter to the superior court on responding to the grand jury report on homelessness.

Um by the way, normally I'd like to review the letters before it gets published, but um since I'm signing it, but here we are.

Um and I just wanted to um to share a little more about what I would have liked to have seen in the letter, but it's okay.

Um at this point.

There are some points in the grand jury report that I felt were overlooked.

One is um homelessness is is is a result of a combination of things.

It is a result of somebody not being able to pay their rent, somebody being you know, sick and and not being able to recover, somebody who's been incarcerated and doesn't have a place to get um housing after they are released.

Um it could be a mental illness, it could be a substance abuse problem.

There's all those facets, and those are areas that I feel if a grand jury report was written properly, would holistically look at the entire system and and helping, you know, and and also the state level.

There requires advocacy in order for us to achieve this um at the state at the federal level.

And um, I understand a grand jury, you know, um person there doesn't have that background.

Um, but I think we should do what all we can to educate the public on our part on some of the gaps to address homelessness.

And um I know councilmember early um, you know, does uh what she can through United Way, you know, to um fill the gaps um with the guaranteed income program and other resources, which has been yep, and and tax prep and earning in income tax preparation, things like that.

Um but I think we're gonna be facing a bigger problem with um HR1 coming down the pipeline, and uh it's it's just gonna exacerbate the issue.

We do have CDBG opportunities, which we um need to continue to stay on top of and um exploring.

RVs just is a plugging the hole, it's not a solution.

It is finding affordable housing, and the sit this city is doing a great job in trying to um work with partners like a developer who's interested in in um building and applying for a partnership through you know for a grant with the state or at the federal level.

And those are the solutions, which um I just want to add that that are you know that is included.

There are some components of that that is included in the letter.

What other things we do that I don't think is um quite listed here is organizations like St.

Vincent DePaul, Yola County Children's Alliance, they help prevent homelessness.

These are you know the prevention efforts, you can't quantify it, but I do know that there is they do kind of help keep people because of a utility bill being way too expensive.

Um they just had an you know a car breakdown, you know, they're trying to get to work, they have to fix that versus paying their rent.

So I, you know, I'm in touch with them, and they are um uh a combination of the holistic solution here to prevent homelessness.

Um so I just want to say that for the record and um share that as far as additional background, which I hope maybe at some point we'll get to their radar about what's happening here in in the entire system.

But on top of that, we have an incredible team, um, both who does the housing and the homelessness part, and um we're gonna expand it and see more good things come from it, and I look forward to hearing what's gonna, you know, what is what is to come in the future.

Anything else from anybody about that?

Okay.

And with that, um, Madam Clerk, are there any requests to speak from the public about any of these items?

We have no requests to speak on any of the consent agenda items.

Okay, and on um agenda item seven, there is that uh Mr.

City Attorney might we're uh there will be a change to the resolution to reflect the fact that the measure E funds not be returned to measure E, but will re be retained for potential use in additional expenses or other items that are related to this activity as uh as a temporary measure.

All right, thank you.

And with that, I'll with that amendment.

I'll accept a motion for items four through eleven.

Early second.

Madam Clerk, um, council member Ocala moved and council member early seconded.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember Ocala.

Councilmember Early.

I council member Mayor.

I'm sorry, Mayor Pro Tempseil Pizio Hall.

I mayor Guerrero.

I alright, thank you very much.

Now we move for a public hearing on item 12.

Um it is our community through our community development departments, Mr.

Roe.

Oh, Stephanie Chan.

It's a public hearing in consideration of resolution 25-96 adopting the West Sacramento Vision Zero Action Plan.

And you have a presentation.

I feel like the air conditioning is off.

Is it off?

My bad.

I'm glad we got the fans, Chief.

I hope that looks over.

Um good evening, Mayor Guerra and members of the council.

My name is Stephanie Chan, and I'm a senior transportation planner with the community development department.

Um I'll be uh uh presenting this item today tonight on the on behalf of Steve Rosen.

Um we'll be presenting the Vision Zero Action Plan.

Uh tonight we're asking City Council to conduct a public hearing, find the adoption of the Vision Zero Action Plan except for CECLA, resolve to half the number of fatal and serious injury crashes by 2035 and set an aspiration and goal aspirational goal of zero by 2050, and approve resolution 25-96 adopting the Vision Zero Action Plan.

Um, I'll be tag teaming this uh presentation tonight with uh our consultant Tracy McMillan.

Um so I'm gonna turn it over to her now and um I'll come back up later.

Hello, everyone, and um great to see you all again.

I always enjoy presenting to uh the West Sacramento City Council.

Right, thank you.

If you recall, the Vision Zero Action Plan is the result of a federally funded Save Routes or Safe Streets for All grant, a program designed to help communities across the country take action to reduce and eliminate fatal and serious injury or FSI crashes.

The Safe Systems approach provides the foundation for the suite of actions laid out in the Vision Zero Action Plan.

A core tenant to the SAFE Systems approach is that the loss of life and injury in our streets is not inevitable.

It is preventable.

A multipronged approach is critical to address the traffic safety concerns and create a culture of safety, which can reduce the incidence of traffic crashes.

The West Sacramento Vision Zero Action Plan outlines five goals based on the safe systems approach to create a transportation system that prioritizes safety in West Sacramento, implement safe speeds throughout West Sacramento, ensure streets prioritize the safety of all people, encourage the community to be safe and responsible street users, and to create a culture of support and understanding around traffic safety.

Importantly, the Vision Zero Action Plan also states the city's commitment to eliminating roadway fatalities and serious injuries.

This commitment is a requirement of this the SS4A program, but having presented to you all several times before for this project and the STEP project, I know that the council does not need a federal requirement to make this commitment.

The commitment on this slide was directed by council at the June 4th, 2025 meeting.

The City of West Sacramento is committed to a 50% reduction in the number of FSI crashes per 100,000 residents by 2035, with the eventual goal of zero in 2015.

This commitment and the aforementioned goals shape the development of the action plan.

The community played an integral role in the development of the Vision Zero Action Plan.

Our partners, Civic Thread, who are here with us tonight, engaged the community in multiple ways across the project period.

And the project included a community advisory group, some of the members who were also here with us tonight, as well as a project development team, which was made up of staff across multiple city departments.

Approximately 20 engagement events were held throughout the project.

In this last phase of engagement, the folks focused on the actions and draft plan review.

We held two community workshops, a training on how to engage in public comment, and look to the CAG to ensure the plan and its actions was representative of the community-identified needs, concerns, and desires.

In our 2024 presentation to City Council, we shared the extensive analysis of crash data in West Sacramento that was part of this project.

We looked at all crashes from 2017 to 2023 with a particular focus on fatal and severe injury crashes.

A component of that analysis was to identify locations where higher concentrations of crashes may be occurring within the city or high injury locations.

We had oops, women, sorry.

We identified street segments and intersections as high injury locations if there were two or more fatal and serious injury crashes involving motor vehicles only, or there were two or more fatal or severe injury crashes and minor crashes involving vulnerable road users, which are defined as pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists in the plan.

Approximately 70% of all fatal and severe injury crashes in West Sacramento occur on the high injury locations identified in the analysis.

And the high injury locations account for just 3.5% of West Sacramento streets, meaning 70% of all FSI crashes in West Sacramento occur on just 3.5% of streets.

The public agrees with this analysis.

Building on the high injury location analysis, a prioritization process was used to identify priority locations for safety improvements within West Sacramento.

Based on input from the CAG, the PDT, and community stakeholders, we scored every street segment in the city based on three primary goals.

Maximize impact for improving safety, protect vulnerable road users, and ensure equitable outcomes.

This process helped to identify 18 priority corridors for safety improvements.

Some of these locations are known safety locations and have had recent projects or have planned improvements.

While some are areas that still warrant attention.

An additional location is Marshall Road, and we'll go over it in more detail in the near-term priority project priority list.

By highlighting these produ these locations in the plan, it helps the city track progress in safety improvements and actions.

The graphic on this slide is found on page 50 in attachment one.

So now I'll hand it back to Stephanie to talk a little bit about more about the priority projects and actions.

So identifying these physical projects in that list isn't enough to affect change and help us reach zero.

The plan also outlines a comprehensive list of strategies and actions structured around the five goals presented earlier to provide the city with a multi-pronged approach to safety.

The strategies and actions look at upstream and downstream actions and collective commitment from leadership.

Each of these actions has a recommended time frame for implementation, a order of magnitude costs, identifies a recommended departmental lead, and then identifies internal and external partners to help make this action happen.

So there are 11 strategies for the five polls presented earlier and 53 actions total.

This list of strategies and actions starts on page of chapter 7 of the plan, page 53 in attachment one.

So to give an example of one of these strategies for the goal of implement straight safe streets throughout West Sacramento, the strategy of design streets that compel motorists to drive at safe speeds.

There were five actions under this particular strategy.

One conduct a safe system review of the city's roadway geometry and design practices, adopt countermeasure toolbox into street design processes, reestablish the residential traffic calming program, and dedicate annual funding of staff time and implementation.

Incorporate relevant vision zero countermeasures and treatments into the neighborhood traffic calming program, and conduct pilot uh conduct pilot of automated speed cameras at high injury location intersections where speed was identified as an issue if or when allowed by law.

And then when by the rest of the table, you can see generally the timing, the cost, um, the implementation lead and the support.

Um, the the plan also includes uh six priority projects that can be implemented in the near term to affect changes in traffic safety and traffic safety culture across the city.

Um these priority projects draw upon the action list that is on chapter seven of the plan.

Four projects focus on improvements to the roadway environment that increase safety in high entry locations.

And two projects focus on policy or programmatic recommendations that can increase safety at intersections across West Sacramento for all users.

I'll go over a quick couple sentence overview of each of these priority projects for you to have a little bit more information.

So the South Port Parkway project, the city identified this road segment of Southport Parkway between Carlin Drive and Ramco Street as a high entry location and a priority corridor.

The city's currently in its early design phase of the Southport New Harbor Roadway project.

And we saw that the Vision Zero Action Plan by doing this effort, we had an opportunity to apply a safety lens to the project concept.

So our consultants actually took a look at the current um draft of project concepts at the current stage that we received them in and were able to suggest improvements that were following a safe systems approach that would address user behaviors and crash types occurring in this location.

The second uh priority project type is a quick build at intersection and crosswalk improvements.

Uh quick builds are projects that can be implemented quickly and with kind of low cost uh temporary materials while the city identifies potential like funding for a long-term solution.

So usually striping projects that can uh improve safety, and therefore the quick build example here is a potential curve extension and crosswalk improvements at um SACAV.

Um the third priority project example is uh at Jefferson Boulevard and Linden Road.

Uh this intersection is also part of the high injury location.

It's near uh River City High School, the busy shopping area at Southport Town Center, um, the uh West Sack uh recreation center and um homes.

The project team proposed a uh protected intersection design here that reduces uh the crossing distances for pedestrians and provided greater separation between motorists and bicyclists and increased visibility at the turning movements.

Um this next uh priority project is neighborhood traffic calming program, and we specifically um called out uh Marshall Road.

Um this ties back to one of the actions that I highlighted earlier, which was um to reinstate the uh regional um the traffic calming program and uh great traffic calming neighborhood traffic calming plans.

So the city actually had a traffic uh residential traffic calming program back in 1998.

And this program was um developed to address resident grievances uh including excessive vehicle speed, um, excessive vehicle volumes, unsafe traffic conditions, and other issues within local neighborhoods.

The residential traffic calming program has been inactive since 2008 due to the worsening conditions of the recession, and um funding was uh um redirected from this program into other um projects.

Um eventually in 2018, um, some annual funding was uh directed into like targeted traffic um programming, which city staff has used for traffic studies or speed surveys or other enforcement maintenance public works efforts.

Um however, um council at the time did not authorize reinstating the uh residential traffic calming program.

Um staff has continued to recommend efforts to reinstate the traffic calming program, and um we actually had the Marshall and Higgins public safety and traffic calming project approved by council as a CIP in the CFI 2324 budget process.

Um this capital project was requested by staff due to the increasing requests on West Sac Connect due to truck traffic driving through this area, a lot of speeding reported by residents, the lack of sidewalks along this uh corridor, as well as um other issues.

So using this West Sac Connect data, um we also identified other neighborhoods throughout the city that would benefit from a traffic safety and traffic uh transportation safety and traffic calming plan.

Uh budget requests have been submitted to city council and have included uh neighborhood focused uh, and because the city council has included the neighborhood focused road safety and traffic calming plans as a 2025 strategic priority on the management agenda.

Um staff included the Marshall and Higgins Public Safety and Traffic Calming Project as a priority project of the Vision Zero as an early implementation of the neighborhood traffic calming program.

Um the next program is um daylighting.

So daylighting is um I'll start by saying um that the California legislature uh passed the California Assembly Bill 413 in 2023 that and daylighting um to for daylighting.

So daylighting prohibits stopping, standing or parking within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk or within 15 feet of where curb extension is um present.

This law took effect in 2025, and the project team is recommending a uh implementation guidance for the city to um do a phased roll out of daylighting in the city um and take into consideration like how to implement this program um that we educate the public about this before we start just giving people tickets um for this effort.

Um the last priority project is uh no right turn on red guidance.

This is uh currently in the city's code of ordinances and um it in which we provide a provision to implement no right turns on reds.

There's a number of crashes related to uh right turns that have a high correlation with right turn on red um in West Sacramento.

And so the project team um developed a guidance to create a more formal process of a phased approach and broader application of no right turn on red restrictions through the city.

Um a final component of the plan is that the recommendations are that we there's a recommended annual reporting on progress, so that's the city and the community can be held accountable for progress towards the vision zero goal.

So these um accountability measures are um shown here, such as um uh uh providing an annual report on the uh change in total crashes and fatal and severe injury crashes on both the high injury location corridors and intersections as well as all West Sacramento roadways, um updating our data sets so that we understand any changes in primary collision factors and crash touristic um implementing new programs and tracking the programs that we um um that are relevant to vision zero.

And all of this is to reach our commitment, um our business vision zero commitment of uh 50% reduction in the number of fatal and severe injury crashes per 100,000 residents by 2035 with the eventual goal of zero and 2050.

And with that, I'm done with my presentation and I can return it to the council.

Thank you, Stephanie.

Any comments or feedback from the council members?

Council member caller, thank you.

Um the no turn on red possible giving people tickets for that.

Um if you implement something like this, um, how do people know?

Because in California, you can't so how would we go about doing that?

The city already has some locations um throughout the city that are marked no turn on red or have um 10 o'clock.

I'm totally blanking on the name of the sign.

The blank out sign.

Um so it's not um always in place.

Maybe it's something when a condition is in in place, um the blank outside would come into effect and become a no-turn on red.

Okay, so if there is so it would be assigned locations.

Oh, if the person violates then that's different.

Okay.

I know of one.

West Cap and Jefferson.

I but it sounds like you're saying we have a few.

There's Harbor and West Cap.

Oh, that is where I'm thinking, Harbor and West Cap.

That's right.

Isn't that like uh Jim Boys is right there?

Um pizza guys.

Is it McDonald's?

Yeah, that part.

Yeah.

Uh that's the only one I know of.

I just you said there was a few, so I was like, I feel like they're back.

I guess I'll trust that I've only seen one.

Yeah, but what we what we have laid out is consideration of are there other priority locations that should be considered for this application based on the traffic conditions and the crash history.

And you already do have some elements that um or guidance that the city engineers look at to consider the locations.

Uh so it's really just a formalization of that process and consideration.

One more question.

How many cameras do we have right now in the city?

The speed.

Yeah, yeah, running red lights, things like that.

Do we have cameras?

Do we have any?

No, we don't have.

I know Sacramento has one as you come into West Sack, there's one.

We don't have any generally I understand any speeding cameras.

Um are a my current understanding of the law is that um like speeding cameras are there is a pilot allowed across the state.

There's an automated speed enforcement pilot going on in six cities in the state.

Other states cities all allow both red light and speed enforcement.

So our recommendation is to see how those pilots proceed.

It is they are automated speed enforcement and red light running is a proven safety countermeasure and a fairly objective, non-biased um application of enforcement and are typically processed as warnings that then for escalate to find that's all trying not to drag us on, but I unfortunately my logic brain.

I I there I I know in and certain cities are actually have been attempts to actually take away the red light cameras, and so I have to admit I'm slightly surprised to hear you you see that because I I thought that they they actually um didn't prove to to be effective, but maybe uh I was wrong about that.

I think Davis is a good great example.

Oh, I I don't I can't speak to Davis's history yet.

I don't know, but I I think there has been a over the years push and pull on automated enforcement, but I think generally it is proven to be it is a federal highway administration proven safety countermeasure for um safety.

Okay, that's okay.

Thank you.

Uh and there is like um San Francisco is one of the cities that is part of the pilot program that is focused on speed.

I feel like maybe we're talking about two different things.

So just to be clear, and and maybe I was misunderstanding, Councilmember Aqua, so you can correct me if I'm wrong.

Um I I thought Councilmember Oklahoma was was referring to red light cameras, which are different than speed cameras, and so I just want to make sure we're saying the same thing.

Yeah, I I was asking about the speed because I know there's one as if you enter West, you know, if you run red lights, test speed.

So the red light camera is like, hey, I ran a red light, right?

Even if I was going five miles per hour, you still ran the red light.

Right versus speed is you know, the speed was 45, and I was going I never would up, but I'm looking at chief.

I was going 55, right?

Uh so that's right, those are two different things.

And so I guess I I thought you were talking about red light cameras.

No, I was talking about red light, not the speed.

I'm sorry, but okay.

It's later in the right.

That's okay.

I mean, I think in general, automated enforcement.

Um proven it can be effective.

Um, and it is a matter of yep.

How how much is a red red light violation?

Starting on red.

I don't run red lights, so I don't know.

Oh, great.

I don't know.

I don't know.

Yeah.

It's no speed.

But then um you have all of the fees that are added on, which are sometimes two to three times the amount of the initial plus traffic uh school and everything else, the point on your record.

Good deterrent.

Okay.

I have some questions too.

So on Southport Parkway.

Um, you know, taking a look at that big parkway.

I think one of the issues is the type of road, I mean, just the gravel and just the quality of the the road.

Um and maintaining that, you know, because of the truck traffic that's constantly going on and all the Amazon trucks that are flying through there too.

Um how how what you know, what's the you know, as far as it is there a long, so it's gonna be a long term plan to maintain all of that, right?

Yeah, so the South Porta Harbor Roadway Project is a um larger infrastructure project that includes um like repaving the whole road.

Um and um so the effort that Nelson Nygard um put in with the Vision Zero was reviewing those plans and identifying potential safety um enhancements that could be made at um at with given that we are currently still in design.

Okay.

Um yeah, and there's no there's no um bike lane at a certain point, there's no sidewalk.

That's correct, and that's part of the larger South Puerto Harbor roadway project, um, s sidewalk in bill and um like bicycle infrastructure considerations are included.

And then on the tr neighborhood traffic calming program on Marshall, one of the things I see all the time are trucks driving through that.

Is there anything that could be done to redirect the truck traffic?

Um currently they're not supposed to be using Marshall, they are supposed to be using our truck routes.

We do have signage up on Marshall that tells them it is not a truck route.

Um and they should be using the truck route.

There is a there are there is a route for them to get to their like their final destination without requiring use of Marshall.

Jason.

Gonna jump in here real quick.

Uh Jimmy Fong, our traffic engineer has actually been working on a project to update the signage uh out there.

And so you'll see there's actually larger signs that are starting to get rolled out uh identifying that these are not truck routes.

So we're hoping that having clearer signage on there is gonna be helpful uh to redirect truck traffic in to the appropriate roadways.

So we are currently working on that as well as other improvements that are planned for uh Marshall, including uh roundabout improvements, taking the existing roundabout and actually improving it with greater deflection.

Okay.

So it'll help slow traffic, it'll help deter additional truck traffic.

Thank you.

And is that um contingent upon the new develop bro B R A R development?

Uh it is uh recommended in there that that project do uh incorporate a roundabout in the design.

I see that that design though was already envisioned as part of the approved CIP that the city council uh authorized uh a couple years ago.

Oh, it is okay.

Yes, one quick I have a constituent who calls me every so often.

Um she lives on Bright and the traffic going into woodland, that area.

This is like Indy 500 there.

River Road.

Uh is it Bright River Road?

It's another one.

Maybe that should be what we're talking about.

Harbor, yeah.

Going towards woodland.

Harbor, I think North Harbor is the road you're talking about, the one the like single like has a lot of city looks like the other two.

Yeah, and north okay wanted to um in taking a look at like Sacramento Avenue, um Linden and Lake Washington.

Have have you considered um asphalt art initiatives?

I know Bloomberg has an asphalt art initiative.

Applying for grants through them, taking a look at those opportunities.

I I think it does help, especially like where there's a lot of like kids.

I mean, that's part of the Linden both kids all over the place.

I mean, there's just kids everywhere.

Um coming from Southport Um elementary and River City High School.

Um I mean, I think we could benefit from something a little I I I like the lines and everything, but something that is going to kind of slow people, it's been proven to be beneficial.

Have we thought about feedback?

Um I think I will try to turn that question over to manager.

You're up.

I I think that that part was not contemplated in this plan.

So if it is something that the council would like to entertain, we can definitely look into that uh for the future.

You can provide there's a consensus to look into that.

We can definitely look into it.

I I would love to have an asphalt art project.

I'm I'm not familiar with asphalt art projects.

What can you share some more information about them and what what they do?

Yes.

Too bad I couldn't show you the little video that's here, but it's right here.

Um so it'll be um like a um intersection.

Um have you seen the black life black lives matter on the street?

It's exactly like that, but it's in areas where there could be you know traffic incidents, like you know, just crashes and things like that.

So it helps to, you know, with the pedestrians, it helps um to slow down and calm because people are seeing the art and um kind of connecting more and in a calming way.

And I can I could send you this link so that you have what we have seen cities do is um some cities will do a crosswalk.

Federal highway administration has mixed feelings about that.

Um but sometimes uh when projects um cities will do the curb extensions and use the flex posts um to delineate, like we were talking about with the quick bill just to delineate um a curb extension, then they'll paint in that curb extension area to add some art element.

Mayor real quick.

So how do the undulations work?

Because that seems to really slow traffic down.

Do you have a lot of those planned?

Speed bumps.

Undulation styles they can.

I think they're part of the a tool and the toolbox of the neighborhood traffic calming program.

I think that would slow a lot of trucks down, especially on that river road.

And I think the city would have to consider the like where the appropriate locations for the guidance that exists for that.

Um daylighting law implementation guidance is a great idea.

I definitely think that's a good move right there.

Um sometimes I I find that you know, if there's a car in the way I can't see um, you know, if anybody's coming.

Um, so that extra space right there does help you to see cars coming.

Um and the no right turn on red guidance is good too.

I I do notice the change on 15th and um river road, the no turn on red.

Everybody it's really hard.

I mean, you so you know there's that bicycle lane.

You're not supposed to go into the bicycle, everybody goes into the bicycle lane.

I I don't know how you um educate the public on how these new lanes are are not supposed to be crossed over.

I think that if we're gonna be doing things like this, like you mentioned the education pieces is um goes hand in hand with that.

Yeah, and I believe we have education uh called out as um at least in a couple places, one place for the strategies actions, but you're right.

I mean, we all take a driver's test.

When we I mean, I took a test at when I was 16, and you know, you aren't required to re-educate yourself.

The roles covered.

Yeah.

Well, good.

This is um this is all very helpful background, and um this is just the public hearing at this point that the adoption is exempt.

Okay, we got the finding um and approve the resolution adopting the vision zero action plan for tonight.

All right, we're there.

Yeah.

Okay.

Madam Mayor, we do have public comment on this item.

Okay, great.

Um we'll get started with public comment at this point.

We'll open it up.

David Moore.

Hi, Mayor City Council.

My name is David Moore.

Uh and in full disclosure, I uh previously worked for Civic Thread and supported this effort in the community engagement aspect uh for a portion of duration.

Uh I just want to start by saying that Civic Thread Umbodies equity and uh foundation tries to incorporate that in planning efforts and the advocacy work that they do more than any other agency or organization that I know of.

Um in this field at least, and the challenge with that or the effectiveness of that is really dependent on city staff and planning staff being willing to incorporate that in the actual planning implementation process.

That I just want to commend city staff and um the planning staff of Nelson Nygarden and the city of West Sacramento for wholeheartedly throughout this planning engagement and process incorporating equity to the greatest extent possible at every kind of decision point possible.

So please trust in the hopeful adoption of this plan uh that you are adopting an equitably designed plan.

Uh second of all, I just want to acknowledge that you know we are at this point in time, this moment and have been for adopting Vision Zero plans.

Um many cities are not currently kind of updating theirs and having to readjust their their years and their goals that they're making because it's a mixed bag on effectiveness, and that's not due to a lack of them having good plans or not.

I think the plan that you all have before you is a fantastic plan.

But I encourage you all to prioritize that plan's implementation.

Otherwise, it is just going to be a plan you're gonna come to 2050 and you're gonna realize that you're missing the mark.

This is not gonna get you there in and of itself.

Um so please prioritize the implementation.

Trust that it's a wonderfully designed plan.

Um it was a pleasure working on it with both the consulting team and the city staff.

Thank thank you so much.

Veronica Valeo's Dodd.

The Vision Zero Action Plan report currently reflects 29 deaths and 117 serious injuries between 2017 and 2023.

My question is when will the data for 2024 and 25 be included in the report?

And more importantly, when will that data reflect data be influence future road improvement projects?

I'm here tonight because my family has been directly impacted by the lack of safe infrastructure, specifically the absence of bike lanes on the south end of Jefferson Boulevard on August 2nd, 2025.

Two beautiful young women, my cousin Layla Clemens and her friend Jaya Chapman were killed on Jefferson Boulevard by a hit and run driver, suspected of being under the influence.

Last month, our family laid them both to rest.

And this past week, we had to had to face the imaginable of celebrating both their 18th birthdays without them here with us on Earth.

Both Layla and Jaya were riding their bikes when they lost their lives on the stretch of Jefferson.

That is not currently addressed in this plan.

Yet the West Sacramento Bicycle Pedestrian and Trails Master Plan does proposed bikeways for this area.

In their memory, I'm asking you tonight tonight to please please prioritize and complete the proposed bicycle infrastructure for the south end of Jefferson Boulevard.

These improvements are already in plans.

What we're asking for is action, not delay.

The girls didn't deserve what happened to them.

And our city has a responsibility to prevent this from happening to any other family.

Our families don't want to return here year after year pleading for this proposed change to happen.

We're asking you to act now.

My name is Veronica via host.

I'm a third generation West Sacramento native.

My my children live here, and so do my grandchildren.

Over five generations, the city has grown specifically in population, housing, and traffic, specifically in the southern areas.

Yet parts of Jefferson Boulevard remain a narrow two-lane road with poor lighting, no sidewalks, and no bike lanes.

Forty years ago, that was okay.

My husband actually used to ride his three-wheeler from the state streets all the way down Jefferson to Gregory and then back.

No problem.

Twenty years later, my son did the same thing.

It was safer then than it is today.

Children cannot ride safely from the state streets to Gregory or further south on Jefferson Boulevard.

The city has allowed the development of hundreds of homes in the Southport and Bridgeway area, but the road infrastructure has not kept pace.

Despite all the growth, Jefferson remains unchanged.

Two lanes, poor lighting, no safe passage for bikers or pedestrian.

This is a matter of life and death.

We need immediate, visible and meaningful action, not just promises on paper.

Please honor Layla and Jaya by making the necessary improvements to the south part of Jefferson a priority as part of this project.

Their lives matter.

And we must ensure no other families suffer as ours has.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We have no additional requests to speak on this item.

Thank you, Madam Ka closing the public comment.

Um Jason or Stephanie.

Can you provide an update on what we what we did provide as far as funding and planning for that part of Jefferson?

Because I know it's it's we we expedite.

Um I can speak a little bit.

We turn it over to Jason or maybe even our planning manager.

Ariana.

Yeah.

I can take so that that was part of the EIFD plan that we presented at a previous meeting.

And so there was funding allocated to that.

It's not going to be all the funding needed, but it was a step towards the looking into the design of that area.

So you're right that we did you did approve that.

I'm not sure if it I think it was the last meeting.

Right.

Um as part of that plan.

I think Councilmember Early and I were both urging that something get done as a result of the situation.

It's not here, you're right, it's not included on the 2024.

I'll ask that question after, but um, but yes, we didn't want to wait.

Um and what happened is we advanced uh I think some financing that that it is a responsibility of the developer, but making sure that we get that process started.

Um so once the the the development um with the Arbor who's building all the housing out there um begins, he knows he's responsible.

That is a requirement for that to be built before the housing gets built.

Sure, go ahead.

Um Ariana, I I remember being briefed on this uh as our as our mayor said, I think we were both pushing this forward.

And um, if I remember correctly, it it wasn't just allowing for some of the support.

I thought it was even um funding like 30 or 35% of the design or something along those lines, as what I my memory's pretty good, uh, could have sworn that that's what we were approving.

Correct.

So that yeah, the funding was to move towards the the design of of the work that's gonna be out there so it gets teed up.

Thank you, Stephanie.

You don't have to worry about answering that.

Um and then we regarding the data.

We're not waiting for the data on this particular case, but regarding the data.

You answered that.

So um during this process of 2024 data was still provisional.

That's why it was up to 2023 data that has been like reviewed and verified um through the system that we collected it from.

Uh the 2024 data should be available soon.

And um as um indicated in I think the second to last slide with the accountability matrix.

Um one of the annual processes of meeting remaining accountable and making sure that our like plan is up to date is incorporating updated data into our high-end location network and like uh updating that with the data as uh it's verified.

Okay, that's helpful.

I I do know there were two kids killed um off of 15th in Jefferson, and then there was the one off of Harbor and um right near the port and right across from the rice silos.

Um, I mean, these are all accidents of and deaths that occurred in the last year or so close.

Um that that will be taken into account, and that process when it's taken into account is presented to council, and then do we update the is the so is the vision zero plan like a like a live document?

Um I would say that there are actions that we can report the status on, and there's a countability matrix that we can like like uh update again the status on um annually.

Um, but in terms of whether it is uh brought back to council as a presentation or as a report.

Um, I think that is um up to the direction of council.

Okay.

We have it, it's all up to us.

So um yeah, it's thank thank you for that.

Very helpful.

All right, but um any if there's no other comment, I'll accept a motion.

Early second.

All right, Madam Cook, Mayor Patem Sapizio moved, and Councilmember Early seconded.

Please call the roll.

Councilmember O'Cala.

Hi.

Council member Early.

I council member Roscoe.

Aye.

Mayor Pro Tem Sulpicio Hall.

Hi.

Mayor Guerrero.

I all right, thank you so much.

Um Stephanie and team for the great work on this.

We finally did it.

It's a big deal.

Yeah.

Um next under, we don't have any regular agenda items today.

We have um under general administration function part two, um, reports from council members on their assignments.

Um uh September 4th, executive commission to address homelessness met.

Um it was fairly interesting during our HPAC update.

I talked a little bit about federal funding and ensuring that we had proper language to protect our that we were using proper language that wasn't calling out.

And some specific changes that need to be made to make sure that we protect federal funding that comes down for our housing programs.

That's it.

Council member Orozco.

Yes, I'm sorry, brought the wrong report, but on September 10th, the Sacramento Area Sewer District met the Echo Water facility for an off-site meeting to discuss a significant matter of an extreme expenditure of approximately 600 million dollars.

And that is in response to some uh regulatory changes that changed the way that the sewer district was able to clean the water.

It has to be very um we have to be very cognizant of ensuring that the regular regulations require that the way we clean water um minimizes its impact to um you know whether or not there's ammonia or nitrates or other types of chemicals uh being released back into the system.

Unfortunately, for the last several months, uh we had a trouble um with the biosolids that um were we were unable to release and we were uh finding ways to capture them on site and now need a new plan as to how it is that we're going to dispose of them.

As a result, it was to the shock um and surprise of many of the board of directors that we had to come to this point, but um we're confident that with the investment um that uh we'll be able to continue to um ensure that the refuse and the effluent from all of the neighboring jurisdictions will be dealt with appropriately with minimal impact to the environment and the members of the grove community where the echo water uh project is housed currently.

Um with that, there has been a fantastic effort to minimize the cost increases to our users.

That's not a guarantee that that's going to be continuous, um, but we've done some really good investments uh and hope that with um debt issuance we can um deal with the financing of the issue.

Um that took up the two-hour meeting essentially.

So, with that, if there's any other questions, I'd be happy to answer anything else, council calendar.

Nothing to report on the council calendar.

Okay, um, city manager report.

I have a couple things I like to report.

Yes, um, one is kind of like an echo to the vision zero plan.

I just community developments transportation planning group did an amazing job working that and being the lead on it.

Um I just want to acknowledge that there is a group of approximately 24 employees who were on the working group for that, and so it was a large effort, and so just want to acknowledge the team who worked on that, and I know there's a lot of time spent on that.

So um thank you for approving that.

Um, and then also just a quick um acknowledgement.

Uh this Friday, we're going to be moving our first cohort of our leadership academy through graduation.

And so that's exciting for us to be able to invest into our employees.

And so um just wanting to acknowledge that group of 29 participants.

Right.

Um, and so uh cohort two has already launched, and um looking forward to continuing to have more and more participants in the leadership academy.

And that's all I have to report.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And uh, we don't have any staff direction from city council members.

Um city attorney report, nothing group.

All right, we should staff direction from no staff direction or future agenda items.

Um with that, we will adjourn.

Thank you, everybody.