June 25, 2024 Joint Meeting of Mountain View City Council, Shoreline Regional Park Community, and Capital Improvements Financing Authority

Video

Transcript

Segment 1

[00:04:05] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Well, welcome everybody. This is the June 25th meeting of the Mountain View City Council. We will open with a closed session announcement. City Attorney Logue will make a closed session announcement, and then we will welcome public comment on the item listed for closed session. City Attorney?

[00:04:29] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: Thank you. Can you all hear me?

[00:04:31] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We can.

[00:04:32] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: Excellent. This is City Attorney Jennifer Logue. There is one item on this evening's closed session agenda. Item 2.1 is a conference with legal counsel regarding one item of anticipated litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2). Thank you.

[00:04:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Now we will take any... Oh, would any members of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comment on the closed session item listed on tonight's agenda? If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a speaker card to the City Clerk. We will take in-person speakers first. Each speaker will have three minutes. Do we have any speakers here? We have no speakers here in the Council Chambers. I think we have one speaker on Zoom. April Webster.

[00:05:44] April Webster: Hi, it's April Webster. Thank you for having me speak. I read the letter from YIMBY Law and it was concerning to me, particularly because it asks to bypass requirements to add green spaces and improve the living conditions in the immediate neighborhood and where these developments to introduce affordable housing are taking place. I think the more holistic design elements that address climate resiliency and encourage better health and social connection often get neglected, disproportionately in inequitable ways in these communities that have been identified as disadvantaged. And I've seen this happen in some of the ATP applications when I've done an evaluation at the state level.

[00:06:30] April Webster: However, I do realize that we're in this position as the city was unable to meet the requirements to get our housing element approved by the deadline. So, given where we're at, um, moving forward, I'd like to strongly encourage the council and city staff to take the following steps to make the best of the current situation and avoid a repeat in the future. And there are three things. First to, you know, do the best you can in the situation to negotiate with those BR applicants to get an outcome, um, a good outcome, one that as good an outcome as we can, one that addresses climate resiliency, that maybe adds linear parks. They don't necessarily have to be large parks. They've been, you know, in Japan, this has been shown to have positive benefit on biodiversity still, mental health, it helps cool surrounding communities. Um, you know, also in negotiating, encourage building offsets to make sure the sidewalks and streets are safer for people moving around by alternative modes of transportation.

[00:07:37] April Webster: Second, you know, start to address the cities, what the city has as their tech debt. And that's our municipal codes, our standard details, our rules, etc., to make sure that they're brought up to date. From what I understand, a lot of these can be decades old and they may not be up to date with the current sort of latest design guidelines, like say NACTO for active infrastructure. They may not be quite legal or compliant or enforceable. So taking that time and directing staff to prioritize fixing your tech debt so we don't see something like this happen in the future. And this is something I'm actually dealing with in my own job. This happens a lot in technology where we have to go back because we have not prioritized this and it can cost us a lot in our products and in terms of usability in a technical product, just like it does in the city, can suffer. And then the third thing is to, of course, with the next housing element, approach it in better faith and get it done on time. Thank you so much.

[00:08:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you, Ms. Webster. We appreciate your comments. Okay, so that closes the public comment period.

[00:08:48] City Clerk Heather Glaser: You actually have one speaker in person, Mayor.

[00:08:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Oh, welcome. Mr. Brown.

[00:08:55] Mr. Brown: Hi friends. I just wanted to say I also think that we should prioritize cleaning up the Muni Code. I'm sad that that item got removed from the thing, but doing a charter cleanup and fixing the laws you have on the books to be more clean so that people know how to comply with them and what we can do as a city, I think is a good thing to do. And we should do it. Maybe next year. Thanks.

[00:09:19] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. So that does bring our public comment, our public speakers to an end? Yes. Okay, great. Alright, so now the Council will recess to the Plaza Conference Room for closed session and return to the Council Chambers at the close to continue with the regular session. We estimate that that will be about 6:30. Thank you.

Segment 3

[01:42:21] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Good evening everybody. Thank you so much for joining us for the June 25th Council meeting. This is the Shoreline Regional Park Community and the City of Mountain View Capital Improvement Financing Authority meeting as well as a City Council meeting. We will start this evening with the Pledge of Allegiance. Please join me.

[01:42:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: 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.

[01:43:10] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[01:43:13] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Here.

[01:43:14] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Hicks.

[01:43:15] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Here.

[01:43:16] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Ramirez.

[01:43:17] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Here.

[01:43:17] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Ramos.

[01:43:18] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Here.

[01:43:18] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Vice Mayor Matichak.

[01:43:19] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Here.

[01:43:19] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Mayor Showalter.

[01:43:20] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Here.

[01:43:20] City Clerk Heather Glaser: We have a quorum with Councilmember Kamei absent.

[01:43:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. She'll be joining us shortly. Now we move on to item 4, which is the consent calendar. These items will be approved by one motion unless any member of the council wishes to pull an item for individual consideration. If an item is pulled from the consent calendar, it will be considered separately following approval of the balance of the consent calendar.

[01:43:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: If you would like to speak on these items or the next item, which is oral communications on non-agenda items, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk now. And I would also just like to share that because this is the last meeting before the summer recess, we have a really long consent calendar. There are a mere 26 items on it. So there will be probably quite a bit of discussion about that, not necessarily pulling, but quite a bit of discussion. But I do have three council members who have their lights on. So I will call on Councilmember Ramirez first.

[01:44:35] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to pull items 4.21 and 4.26.

[01:44:46] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember, I mean, Vice Mayor Matichak.

[01:44:49] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thank you. I don't want to pull any items, but I do have a comment, and I also want to register a no vote. Do you want me to do all that now, or should I wait?

[01:44:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Go ahead.

[01:44:59] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay, on item 4.1, I just want folks to note that there was a supplemental memo that was posted online because a paragraph was missing from the minutes from May 28th, 2024. So I know folks don't always look for other things, but if you're looking at those minutes, be sure to look at the supplemental memo that was posted.

[01:45:26] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: And then on item 4.24, I would like to register a no vote on that one. And that is the R3 update. And I didn't support the revised scope when the Council discussed this. And so I don't support the revision to the contract that is going to do that work. So that's a no vote on 4.24. Thank you.

[01:45:57] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um, now Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[01:46:00] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you, Mayor. I didn't want to pull an item. I just wanted to make some brief comments.

[01:46:05] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Great, go ahead.

[01:46:06] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Okay, great, thank you. So in particular, item 4.6 is the Elevate Mountain View grant that was received, and I just wanted to say thank you to staff for continuing to pursue grant opportunities as was originally intended with this program. I appreciate, I'm excited that there's been interest from outside groups, and the hope was that this would be, you know, not just by the city, but really a community partnership effort. So I just want to acknowledge that and thank staff for continuing to be persistent in pursuing grant opportunities.

[01:46:50] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: And then just in general, also a thank you on the 4.2, I think is that the reach codes. And we've had extensive discussion about that at our sustainability committee 4.21, and again, I appreciate staff for coming back with some options very quickly. Thank you.

[01:47:18] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Hicks.

[01:47:21] Councilmember Alison Hicks: And also I wanted to just mention that 4.16, which is our agreement, our scope of work with a consulting firm to work on sustainability in the future, that I believe, tell me if I'm wrong, has been pulled for future discussion so that people if they want to engage with that can come to the Council Sustainability Committee meeting in the fall and talk about it at greater length. And then I believe it will be brought back to council. So if you see that on your agenda and it's not there anymore, that's why. Thank you.

[01:47:59] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, and I have a whole laundry list of ones I would like to say something about. First one is 4.4, that's the declaration of a shelter crisis. And what that enables us to do is to continue with our safe parking program. So I would really like to thank the County, particularly Supervisor Joe Simitian, for letting us use their waiver from the State. And I look forward to this valuable program continuing in our community.

[01:48:39] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Next is 4.5. That is the Miramonte road improvements. And I just wanted to comment on that and thank staff for the really comprehensive view that they have taken to develop this. There is a section on Cuesta and Hans where we're going to have a two-way bike lane on the Graham side of the road. And that is something new in our community. So I hope as we put that forward and we put that in place and it starts being used, there will be some extra education with the neighbors about how to work around that two-way bike lane. So I think there'll need to be some driver adjustment.

[01:49:43] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Then 4.7, undergrounding of the utilities at the on Terra Bella in front of an affordable housing project that's being built. It turns out it's a little more expensive, as many things are, than we first thought. But it's still the right thing to do. And I'm glad that we're doing it now. It will only get more expensive if we put it off.

[01:50:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: 4.12, the GHG, the greenhouse gas emissions inventories. We started about four or five years ago monitoring our emissions on an annual basis. And I want to thank staff for that. And I want to bring it to everybody's attention. It's one of those things that things that get monitored, get looked after and get taken care of. So in terms of us meeting our sustainability goals over time, having this extra information every year really helps us all to do a much better job. So if you're interested in GHG emissions, take a look at this. It's fascinating.

[01:50:55] Councilmember Pat Showalter: 4.13 is the right-of-way acquisition for Rengstorff grade separation. Again, this is a very important project for our community and there are lots of pieces to it. And you can't start building it until you have all the right-of-way. What right-of-way means is that's the land you need to put it on. So we need to make sure that we have all the land that is required to do this project under our control. So as soon as we get the money together, which we're working diligently to do, we'll be able to get started on it. So it's a very, and the local owner always has to take care of the right-of-way acquisition in big public works projects. So it's a very important thing for the city to get going on.

[01:51:44] Councilmember Pat Showalter: The Moffett Boulevard Complete Streets, we had a really detailed email from one of the residents who obviously rides this area all the time. And so a question was asked in our council questions about whether we could improve a particular gap in the sidewalk. And it turns out that there are technical reasons why we can't do it at this point, but we will be investigating how to correct that in the future.

[01:52:05] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And then this is one that Councilmember Ramirez pulled, so I will let him talk to that, the building reach code update. And then the other one is the 4.25, the Shoreline Boulevard reversible bus lane. This was a major project that seemed like it was something we needed very badly before COVID. But during COVID, our traffic volumes have declined a lot, especially in this area. So we no longer feel that we need this project right now. So this is about taking it out of what we're planning to do in the near future because we don't need it right now. And I think that that's just, I want to bring that to your attention because I think everybody needs to know that sometimes we try and move forward with things more quickly. Sometimes we realize that something we thought we needed in the past, we don't need anymore, and so we adjust that too. And this is an example of that. So those are the comments I had. And with that, I'm going to pass it on to Councilmember Ramirez.

[01:52:27] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Should we do public comment and then move the balance of the consent calendar first?

[01:52:31] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We can do that. Do we have, Margaret has a, Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[01:52:38] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you, Mayor. I'm sorry, I forgot to mention earlier, I would like to register a no vote on item 4.24. I think that we should stay within the original budget on that item. Thank you.

[01:52:55] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. So do I have a motion for the remainder of the consent calendar? Mayor, do you want to take public comment first? We had a long study session before this, and it kind of got our minds off of the standard flow. So yes, of course we do. Do we have anybody who would like to speak on the consent calendar? Okay, please come forward. No? Okay, we have one person on Zoom. Is that correct, Clerk? Okay, Pixel 8.

Segment 4

[02:16:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Maybe two more. Um Srija?

[02:16:33] Public Speaker: Hi, good evening council members. My name is Srija Pavaloori and I'm the government affairs and policy associate at Tarana Wireless, a technology startup headquartered in the Bay Area. Our singular goal is to help bridge the digital divide for families and communities around the world. Over the past four years, we have learned more than ever the vital role of our frontline hospital and healthcare workers who have put their health before their own throughout the Covid-19 crisis. In recognition of their selfless work, our event partner, clean energy company Bloom Energy hosted the inaugural Stars and Strides community event three years ago and collectively we have raised nearly $1 million to benefit the Valley Health Foundation. I'm here tonight to invite you to come and build on this success on Saturday morning, June 29th. This Saturday for our fourth annual Bloom Energy and Tarana Wireless Stars and Strides community run and walk. To support and celebrate our frontline hospital workers and the one million local patients they serve. Our ambitious goals for the fourth annual Stars and Strides community run and walk can be much more attainable with your help and participation. First, our financial goal is to raise and donate an additional $360,000 to the Valley Health Foundation as they support three county hospitals and 14 healthcare clinics, which collectively provide healthcare services to meet more than one million of our neighbors' health needs. Second, our participation goal is for 3,000 paying participants in the First Citizens Bank 5K run or walk, First Citizens Bank 10K run, or the Kids Fun Run. Third, our volunteer goal is 400 caring volunteers pre-race or on race day to further ensure our participants have a fun, safe, and healthy experience. Our Bloom Energy and Tarana Wireless Stars and Strides community run will start and finish at Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose and I'm inviting you to join us. If you are unable to attend physically you can still participate in our virtual run or walk. Tonight we have three requests. First, please register yourself and your family. Registration is easy at starsandstridesrun.com. For our elected leaders, please sign up under the elected official / executive 5K challenge. Second, please reach out to your own database of community members. We have sample texts you can consider using to make it easy. Third, we would be honored to work with your professional staff to be included in any online communications between now and race day. Over the past four years, we have realized just how critical healthcare workers are to our communities. We now have an opportunity to gather to celebrate and support them. This Saturday, June 29th. Please join us at Discovery Meadow in downtown San Jose and spread the word throughout your community today. Thank you so much for your time.

[02:19:03] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, thank you. And these last two comments have been under uh have really been oral communication comments not on the consent calendar. So I'd just like to remind the the next two people that are um on the uh in the queue that this is for the consent calendar. So if if that's not what you want to speak on please um unraise your hand. Um so I see that Bruce England still has his hand raised. Bruce England?

[02:19:30] Public Speaker: Thank you, Mayor. Well, yeah I mean I'm not sure actually, I just wanted to echo what April Webster said. If that was not uh related to the consent calendar, sorry about that. I... but I do think what she said is important that um to move forward on some of these things that can be low hanging fruit, if they need to be done eventually anyway, we should try to get them done. Green complete streets and biodiversity related things as she described. Thanks.

[02:19:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay um Councilmember Kamei.

[02:20:01] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Great, thank you Mayor. Um just before we take our vote I wanted to recuse myself from voting on recommendation number one under item 4.3 related to the underground utilities project at 1020 Terra Bella due to my employment as an external affairs manager with AT&T an international telecommunications company. Thank you.

[02:20:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay. So we've had the public comment and the recusals that we needed. So um Councilmember Ramos would you like to um read the uh motion?

[02:20:38] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Alright, let's go. Um I move the consent calen... the balance of the consent calendar, um which includes item 4.2: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View establishing the fiscal year 2024-25 appropriations limit to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.3: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View approving inclusion of the first of the amendment to the underground utilities at 1020 Terra Bella Project 24-38 in the recommended fiscal year 2024-25 uh capital improvement program to be read in title only, further reading waived; and adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mount... of the City of Mountain View adopting the recommended fiscal year 2024-25 capital improvement program including all amendments to existing projects except for amendment to underground utilities at 1020 Terra Bella Project 24-38, excluding the Shoreline Regional Park Community to be read in title only, further reading waived, and adopt the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Mountain View Shoreline Regional Park Community adopting the recommended fiscal year 2024-25 capital improvement program for the Mountain View Shoreline Regional Park Community including amendments to existing projects to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.4: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View amending resolution number 18301 to extend the declaration of a shelter crisis in the City of Mountain View through June 30th 2026 to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.5: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View approving a request to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission for the allocation of fiscal year 2024-25 Transportation Development Act Article 3 pedestrian bicycle project funding to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.6: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View amending resolution number 18783 which among other things authorized amend... amendment of an agreement with the Community Services Agency of Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills, CSA, for operation of the Elevate Mountain View pilot program, um to decrease the amount of the agreement with CSA by $250,000 to in light of CSA's receipt of a $250,000 grant from the Tides Foundation to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.7: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View authorizing the City Manager or designee to enter into a funding agreement with Alta Housing, a California non-profit public benefit corporation entity number 2541961, to design and construct city obligated utility undergrounding improvements at 1020 Terra Bella Avenue in an amount not to exceed 2.5 million to be read in title only, further reading waived; item 4.8: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View appointing 15 members and 10 members at large / alternates to the Youth Advisory Committee for the 2024-25 school year term to be read in title only, further reading waived. Yay. Uh item 4.9: adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View adopting the initial study / mitigated negative dec... declaration and mitigation monitoring and reporting program for the 2019-20 uh city bridges and culvert structural inspection and repairs project 20-60 in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act to be read in title only, further reading waived.

[02:24:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Congratulations on getting through all that. Okay. All right so that means that we are ready to vote on the um on the the remainder of the consent calendar and we have two no votes registered, that includes two no votes registered on 4.24 from Vice Mayor Matichak and Councilmember Kamei and a recusal from Councilmember... Abe-Koga... sorry. Yeah. Got it confused. Abe-Koga and a recusal from Councilmember Kamei on um 4.3 the first item. Okay. Everybody vote.

[02:25:06] Councilmember Pat Showalter: That passes unanimously. Okay. So now we have two more of these items that were pulled by Councilmember Ramirez. So um uh please tell us why you pulled them.

[02:25:19] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Um thank you Mayor. Uh I don't have any questions about item 4.21 Building Reach Code Updates. I'm happy to make a motion with a uh an addition after public comment.

[02:25:38] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay what about the other one?

[02:25:40] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Uh well I I similarly I have no questions about item 4.26 which is the amendment to the EERGPA. But I did want to um make a motion with a with some additional direction after public comment.

[02:25:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, all right so now we will have public comment on those two items. If um you were in the uh Council Chambers and would like to speak, please come forward and fill out a blue card. Or if you're on Zoom please raise your hand. Would anybody in the um Council Chambers like to make a comment on these two items?

[02:26:22] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Seeing none, um I I see one on Zoom. Uh, Mallika?

[02:26:35] Public Speaker: Hi council members and Mayor. Um I don't know if it's the right time to discuss because I had my ra- my hand raised earlier um and my discussion is more based on uh downtown Castro Street so I don't know if that is the right time to discuss that.

[02:26:50] Councilmember Pat Showalter: No, I think that is under oral communications which we'll get to in a few minutes.

[02:26:51] Public Speaker: No problem.

[02:27:00] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, just hang in there. All right, so um back to Councilmember uh Ramirez.

[02:27:20] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you Mayor. Uh so for item 4.21 Building Reach Code Updates, I will move to approve the Council Sustainability Committee recommendations with additional direction to staff to evaluate potential zoning incentives um as uh briefly alluded to in the uh staff responses to council questions. So it would be at staff's discretion what may be appropriate, but just to expand the scope of investigation also to potential zoning incentives that may help us achieve our building electrification goals.

[02:27:31] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Hicks.

[02:27:40] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Well I'm just going to say that I second that and not just press the button. I support that. That's all I have to say.

[02:28:20] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Any more comment on that? Okay well um let's uh can we vote on that please?

[02:28:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: That passes um 6 to 1 with Vice Mayor Matichak voting no. Okay um now we move on to the next item which is 4.26 the Education Enhancement Reserve JPA update.

[02:29:15] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you Mayor. Um I will move to receive the update and direct the City Manager to negotiate and execute a two-party agreement with the Mountain View Los Altos High School District in the event that Mountain View Whisman School District does not sign the agreement extension.

[02:30:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. We have um a motion and a second. Um I don't see any comments. So it's time to vote.

[02:32:36] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you, that passes unanimously. All right now we have completed the the 26 item consent calendar for today and we'll move on to um uh oral communications. We've also always already heard a few of them but uh this portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wishing to talk uh to the council on any matter that is not on tonight's agenda. Speakers are allowed to speak on any topic within the City Council's subject matter jurisdiction for up to three minutes during this section. State law prohibits the council from acting on non-agendized items. If you would like to speak on this item or the next item in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the City Clerk now. All right so I see that we have some names and um everybody will get... Uh if would any member of the public joining us virtually uh like to join then raise your hand in Zoom please. Um and each speaker will get two minutes. Thank you. The first one is Eric Matthews. And after Eric it will be Saul Bozim. Eric?

[02:32:38] Public Speaker: Welcome. Thanks for coming. Thank you. Honorable Mayor and City Council Members. Um my name is Eric Matthews. I live in Santa Clara County and have been a resident of San Jose for 55 years. I am a volunteer with Sovereign United Sovereign Americans, not a spokesperson. United Sovereign Americans is a nationwide organization with thousands of active volunteers in over 20 states. Today I come to you as a concerned citizen sharing alarming information about our state's voter database, uncovered through thousands of hours of research conducted by a highly qualified and credentialed data team. While the numbers are staggering and somewhat difficult to comprehend, one thing is clear: they don't add up. Uh just like your checkbook must balance, so must our votes. If you had 10,000 fewer dollars in your bank account than than you had deposited, you would certainly want to know what happened. And if a company had that significant a discrepancy in their books, they would most certainly conduct an audit. In fact, yearly audits are required for all public companies. Our audit of the 2022 election using only official data provided by state election officials shows that the 2022 election may not have been accurate or legally compliant. We are not saying one candidate won over another or that any election should be overturned. But that the state's official data from a certified election shows that the votes as counted were not all valid and accurate under the law. Uh tonight we will present you a resolution demanding an end to the inaccuracy and the uncertainty plaguing our elections along with a summary of our findings and the laws that apply. We are happy to meet with you to go over this information including more detail about the specific findings. If you have any questions that we cannot answer now, we will commit to getting you the answer in writing from the United Sovereign Americans executive team as soon as possible. This data and our requests for an investigation have been shared with state election officials and law enforcement. It's essential that you, as our representatives, make it clear that these...

[02:32:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you sir, your time is up.

[02:34:33] Public Speaker: Alright. Thank you.

[02:34:46] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Uh the next is Saul Bozim.

[02:37:07] Public Speaker: Sue Bozzini. Sorry. That's okay. Hi, resolution for a legally valid 2024 general election. Whereas it is a recognized civil right in the United States for every citizen to have a free and fair elections. Whereas it is the duty of our election officials to guarantee our elections are accurate and free from distortion or manipulation. Whereas our constitutional system of representative government only works when the following four tenets of election are upheld. The voter rolls must be accurate, National Voter Registration Act, 1993. Votes counted must be from eligible voters, US Constitution, 14th Amendment, Section 2. The number of votes counted must equal the number of voters who voted. And there can be no more than one in 125,000 ballots in error by the voting system. Whereas open source audit of the California 2022 general election conducted by California citizens has uncovered 5,836,198 ineligible or uncertain registration violations found within the California voter roll database. 2,776,939 votes cast by ineligible or uncertain registrants. 123,785 more votes counted than voters who voted, no one knows who cast them. 2,776,849 apparent voting violations are in excess of the legal standard of system accuracy for a valid federal election. The maximum allowable system errors for the 2022 general election in California was 90. Certification as defined by law, an attestation of accuracy and compliance, appears to have been fraudulent and illegal. Thank you.

[02:37:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Next speaker is Gene Raby. And after that Dennis Jameson.

[02:37:14] Public Speaker: Point of order. We had a regular order and the number seems to be switched. Can we go according to the number that we submitted?

[02:37:25] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Yes. Sure. Are you... please come forward and state your name.

[02:38:07] Public Speaker: Lori Matthews. Whereas these findings trample legal accuracy requirements of the voting system during a federal election. Accuracy is defined as the ability of the system to capture and report the specific selections and absence of selections made by a voter without error. Whereas the intent of the voters must be known factually before certification can be lawfully conducted. Certification of an election that varies from the law is an abridgment of the civil rights of the citizens. A fraud ab initio. United States versus Throckmorton, 1878. Quote, "From time immemorial, an election to public office has been in point of substance, no more and no less than the expression by qualified electors of their choice of candidates." End quote. U.S. Supreme Court, United States versus Classic, 1941. Whereas the 2022 general election appears to have been invalid, depriving us of the guaranteed protection of our natural rights under a government duly and provably chosen by us and the American people, resulting in incalculable damage to our families, our way of life, and the fabric of these United States. Therefore, we call upon our representatives to provide relief to the people and the assurance of domestic tranquility by joining us in demanding a valid 2024 general election that upholds these existing laws and equitable principles of law. One, proof of citizenship, identity, and eligibility required to register and vote, not anonymous attestation. Two, voter rolls, certified, accurate, and available for public review and challenge 30 days before the start of early voting. Voters added after that date must bring proof of citizenship, identity, and address in person to a qualified official at each polling place. Three, hand-marked, secure ballots and similar to currency. Whereas imaging technology is used for tabulation, the security features must be verifiable in the ballot image. Four, systems, machines, security measures, infrastructure, and conduct are required to be compliant with federal law for fraud prevention regarding risk assessment, certification, testing, and implementation. Five, adjudication must be signed off by party candidate and trained citizen witness after being given full and effective observation rights. Candidates and trained citizens must be allowed immediate access to ballots, ballot images, and CVRs.

[02:38:15] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you Ms. Raby, your time is up.

[02:38:59] Public Speaker: Next speaker.

[02:39:03] Public Speaker: My name is Gene Raby. Ballots regardless of entry sources, election operations and systems must maintain end-to-end chain of custody from voter-to-vote count to final canvass, including auditability and witness transfer with paper records. Seven, a NIST compliant, randomized, statistically valid end-to-end audit with a 95% confidence level of all elections pursuant to the 14th Amendment Section 2 must be performed. These audits are to be conducted by qualified insured and bonded security, forensics, or financial auditors, not personnel from within the election system. Reconciliation will include the vote count, real physical ballots, audit adjudication, CVRs, ballot count, qualified voter count, custody transfer, and all other paper and electronic election systems including logs. Eight, if the total of unique variances above is more than 10% of the margin of victory, a new election must be held at the state for these candidates affected unless the issues can be provably corrected by a manual hand recount and a full review of records. Nine, waiver of requirements is not allowed, only end-to-end system compliance from registration through certification can guarantee the intent of the people is accurately recorded. Be it resolved that the Mountain View City Council members stand in support with the concerns and remedies presented here. We implore the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, California legislature, federal legislators, law enforcement, federal and state prosecutors, judges, and both California Secretary of State and County Registrars of Voters to cooperate and fulfill these firm requests of the people. Thank you.

[02:41:12] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you next speaker. Um I believe that's Dennis Jameson.

[02:41:13] Public Speaker: I am. Mayor, City Council, my name is Dennis Jameson. I live in Santa Clara County and have been a resident of California for nearly 40 years. I'm also a volunteer and not an official spokesperson for United Sovereign Americans. What you heard tonight is the culmination of thousands of hours of work by our highly qualified, credentialed volunteer data teams. Data teams from California and across the country. It's a powerfully written resolution outlining massive inaccuracies in our 2022 election from registration through certification. In it, you heard us ask for meaningful remedies that will proactively protect the validity of the 2024 general election for all Americans. In fact, the resolutions cited many U.S. Supreme Court precedents that support the need for such actions. Laws are being ignored. The bottom line: the checkbook isn't balancing. And we need certainty. The voting system, which controls our most vitally important right, the right to choose our representatives, is not producing an accurate, trustworthy result. Do you think that these anomalies within our election system, a system which is part of our national security infrastructure, should continue to be ignored? How much is it costing us? Not to fix the problem? How much is it costing our GDP, our military, our foreign policy, our health, the self-esteem of our children and our young people? How much is it costing our dignity to keep fighting each other? The cost is immeasurable. So we urge you to agree by putting this resolution on a future agenda, at the next City Council meeting or in the future, and voting in support for fair, honest, and valid elections. Our website showcases our initiatives as a nationwide movement, and we have some extremely informative videos revealing the anomalies.

[02:41:14] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you sir, your time is up.

[02:41:30] Public Speaker: Thank you.

[02:43:10] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. We have two speakers online. Uh the first one is Mallika Junaid and then we have a virtual caller whose phone number ends in 176. Ms. Junaid?

[02:43:30] Public Speaker: Hi council members. Thank you so much for giving me time to talk tonight. Um we are the property owners at 384 Castro Street. Uh we bought the property last year in August. Uh we are a small architectural firm. I don't know if you're aware of uh Castro's history, but the place we bought used to be another architectural firm. We did not um ask for any use change, we did not ask to add any square footage, we were just merely remodeling the existing structure so we can move in. It has been oh nearly a year and we are nowhere close to getting final to move in. Um the city staff and everybody has been super helpful, we have absolutely no complaints there, but simply the process is quite cumbersome and not streamlined. Um now now that we've moved in we understand why everybody from our realtors to everybody we know told us not to buy into Mountain View and we understand why the city is so empty. But we would really urge the council to make this a priority in future council meetings to help the staff uh with streamlining the processes so that we the small businesses can actually survive. There is no small or medium business which can keep their doors open while for a year they cannot occupy the place. Um and I would urge the council to look at your neighboring city, City of Sunnyvale, I was personally involved with them years ago to help speed up their process and their one stop permitting process is incredible and that's how they have revitalized Sunnyvale. So I would highly recommend that please council should make this a priority uh to help the small businesses survive in Mountain View. Um and thank you so much for giving me time to talk tonight.

[02:43:45] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay next is a a virtual caller ending in 176.

[02:45:16] Public Speaker: Good evening, this virtual um participant is Stephen Nelson, former trustee of the Mountain View Whisman School District. Um I'd like to talk just a little bit about the thing you uh the report you took um just before this thing happened and something that's happened before and will happen again. That's negotiations between town and gown. Um I wish because this is the second chaotic negotiation that you have um had with the school district that you'd better explain to our community how these negotiation uh dates are happening or not happening because they're missed. I I hope that the city will advertise this in public papers as the calendars advance or the calendars stall. Um the Mountain View Whisman School District will be held to account by their closest constituencies but only if they are informed that these kinds of delays and non-negotiations are happening. So the more information that's out there, the clearer that a meeting that was supposed to happen didn't happen, the less chaos there will be. Thank you.

[02:45:30] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. And um pixel uh eight I believe that's um April Webster, do you want to speak again on the um non-agenda item? You spoke before.

[02:46:38] Public Speaker: I do, yes. Um this is a a different topic. Um and I'll be short, thank you for letting me speak again. I wanted to put in a pitch to um help expedite the uh license for a coffee shop at Midwife and the Baker um on Independence um I can't remember the cross street but it's a wonderful um local business, they offer French pastries and coffee. I am an addict. Um it's very popular, they won a the second prize for SF's top croissants and they've been without coffee for I think a month and a half, two months. And these are the types of businesses I think a lot of people would love to see more of in our city and interspersed throughout the city um not just around Castro or San Antonio Center and so I would just like to put in a pitch to help um expedite um that and push you know make it easier for small businesses to get the permits they need um to offer services like this. Thank you so much.

[02:47:19] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, that brings us to the end of our public comment and um our oral communications. So now we move on to our public hearings. The first public hearing is um 6.1 Energy Services Contract for Solar Array Systems at the Senior Center, Mountain View Sports Pavilion, and the Whisman Sports Center - Various Actions. We are joined at the dais by um Principal Project Manager David Printy who will uh present the item and uh Acting Public Works Director Ed Arango is always also here as well.

[02:47:33] Assistant Public Works Director Ed Arango: No longer acting, uh Assistant Public Works Director and City Engineer.

[02:47:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Oh, that's right. We had a change. Well, it's good to see you in spite of that. Welcome. Okay.

[02:51:18] Principal Project Manager David Printy: Um thank you Mayor and Council members. Uh appreciate the introduction and I'm also as you mentioned joined by dire... Assistant Director Ed Arango and Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer Daniel Lee in the audience if questions are necessary. Um we are here to provide a brief overview of a proposed project to install solar arrays at the Mountain View Senior Center, Mountain View Sports Pavilion at Graham Middle School, and Whisman Sports Center at Crittenden Middle School. For the two gymnasiums, this project is being done in collaboration with the Mountain View Whisman School District. This project is possible in large part due to the city's successful application to PG&E in April of 2023 for an extension to the California Public Utility Commission's net energy metering or NEM 2.0 program for multiple city facilities including these three. The NEM 2.0 program provides credits to each facility's utility bill for producing clean energy over a 20-year period. Providing the clean energy projects are installed and operational by April of 2026. The credits provided under the newer NEM 3.0 program are significantly lower and would not be as beneficial to the city. This proposed project includes the installation of solar arrays on rooftops and/or structural structured carports at these sites. This is in line with both the city and Mountain View Whisman School District's clean energy and decarbonization policies. Because two of the three project sites are located on the school district property and are subject to the California Division of State Architect review and permitting processes, staff recommends using the energy conservation contracting process allowed under California government code section 4217. Section 4217 allows a public agency to select a qualified energy services contractor to design and deliver energy efficiency projects so long as the city makes the following two findings at a public hearing such as this. Number one, the energy services contract with Syserco in this case is in the best interest of the city. And the anticipated cost to the city for the electricity provided under the contract are less than the costs the city would otherwise incur. Staff has identified in the report that both findings are satisfied. As noted in the report, award to Syserco for a design-build contract will allow the projects to be completed within the NEM 2.0 deadlines, satisfying the first finding. The anticipated 20-year utility savings of all three projects is over 9.8 million, which is over twice the estimated city cost of approximately 4.1 million. And therefore satisfies the second finding. If approved, the recommendations will provide the funding necessary to begin design. And once the contract is executed, staff would issue a notice to proceed with design only to Syserco. Staff would return to Council and the school district in 2025 for budget appropriations to fund the construction phase. At that time, staff would issue a second notice to proceed to Syserco for construction to commence. Therefore, staff recommends that council adopt the resolution found in attachment one to the report to approve this mid-year capital improvement project, transfer and appropriate the recommended funding, and award an energy services contract to Syserco Energy Solutions Inc. Make the findings required by California government code section 4217, and make a finding that the project is categorically exempt under CEQA. This concludes the presentation and we are available for questions at this time, and Ed has an update.

[02:52:08] Assistant Public Works Director Ed Arango: Again Ed Arango uh assistant public works director and city engineer. Um I do have a point of clarification. Um in the um council memo report uh staff inadvertently left out language for one of the recommendations. That would be recommendation number two. Um the language that is being requested um to be revised is should read as such: uh transfer and appropriating $500,000 from the construction conveyance tax fund and $250,000 in general non-operating funds from sustainability projects project 20-99 to the new project for a total of $750,000, five votes required. We'd also request that this language be included in the resolution.

[02:52:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, we may need your help to add that when we read the motion. Um uh does that end the the presentation? Thank you. Alright, so um do I have any uh council questions? Seeing none, um we will uh open this for public comment. Does any member of the public wish to make a comment on this item? If so, please come forward and um fill out a blue card or raise your hand to indicate that you're interested. No? Okay I don't see anybody online that's new. Um is is that a new comment uh clerk? We have no way of knowing whether or not they want to comment on this item, would you like to have them called? That's true, we should ask whether or not they're interested. Okay. Um Mr. Nelson, did you want to comment again on this item?

[02:53:32] Public Speaker: Um yes Madam Mayor. Okay go forward then, thank you. Thanks for joining us. Okay. I'm really glad to see that um some of this uh camaraderie between the school district, the Mountain View Whisman School District and the city as it's gone back for more than half a century is continuing with this issue of solar panels on these joint use uh two joint use facilities. Um that was one of the things I think the uh you know decades and decades ago the city and the school district each got um commended on at the statewide level uh of good management of public resources by sharing issues. Um the issues of putting solar onto the schools uh was in the bond as one of the things that could be done uh just before I got onto the school board uh in 2012. Uh it was never done in that first bond but um it has been done in bonds since then and it's nice to know that the city has come up with a way to fund this and is going to help uh um so I'm really glad to see this happening I appreciated when it's rolled that uh or in the paper that you guys are doing it. Thank you.

[02:54:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay so um I I have a a motion from Councilmember Kamei and a second from Councilmember Hicks. And Ellen... I'm Councilmember Kamei.

[02:55:11] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Um the city attorney has her hand raised.

[02:55:24] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um a... Councilmember Logue.

[02:55:59] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: Yes, hi. Sorry um to interrupt. I I just heard what assistant director Arango read in and I was not clear on whether or not that was an amendment to the resolution and if so I just want to make sure that the city clerk or someone has a copy of that so that we can actually amend the resolution that is adopted and signed. Um typically we would have submitted a red line so that it was clear. I just I just wasn't clear what was read into the record.

[02:56:09] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Staff has given it to um Councilmember Kamei to read into the record.

[02:56:22] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: Okay, but is it an amendment to the resolution? So that when we adopt the resolution we actually need to change it? I just wasn't clear. That is correct, it is an amendment to the resolution. Okay. Okay.

[02:56:25] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um Councilmember Kamei.

[02:57:58] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Great, thanks Mayor. Adopt the resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View: one, approving a mid-year capital improvement program project solar arrays at the Mountain View Senior Center, Mountain View Sports Pavilion, and Whisman Sports Center; two, transferring and appropriating 500,000 from the construction conveyance tax fund and 250,000 in general non-operating funds from sustainability projects project 20-99 to the new project for a total of $750,000, five votes required; three, awarding an energy services contract to Syserco Energy Solutions Inc. for the design and installation of solar arrays at the project sites for a total amount not exceeding $5,944,803; four, finding the project collectively and each site individually meet the requirements of California Government Code 4217.12; and five, finding the project is categorically exempt as class one existing facilities under the California Environmental Quality Act CEQA guidelines section 15301 and on a separate and independent basis is exempt as class three construction of small structures under CEQA guidelines section 15301 to be read in title only, further reading waived. Thank you.

[02:58:03] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um Councilmember Hicks.

[02:58:58] Councilmember Alison Hicks: I just wanted to say a word or two because this flew by so fast I think this is the one of the few, maybe the only item on our agenda that I've seen council members both in written form and here on the dais have not had questions. So it was it was clear I guess um and I also assume that it it that we're all going to vote for it, we'll see if I'm wrong. But um I just wanted to say this is fabulous uh most things, most good things that will significantly reduce carbon emissions, most good things you purchase with, you know, they're expensive. This one will save us money and will reduce carbon emissions. So and I'd love it if it were an example for uh building owners all over the city and elsewhere you know that they would do the same thing um save themselves some money and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. With that I second your motion.

[02:59:12] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Very good. Alright, so I think it's time to vote.

[02:59:43] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And as Councilmember Hicks predicted it passes unanimously. Thank you very much to staff uh we'll look forward to this great project. Okay. So now we come to item 6.2, that's a public hearing on the recommended water, wastewater and trash / recycling, organic rates increases. There will be Spanish translation services available for this item. We will now hear from our interpreter.

Segment 5

[03:00:00] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Gracias. Yeah. Under proposition 218, utility rate increases are subject to a written protest that may be filed by affected customers. Notices went out to all customers as required by law, including instructions for submitting written protests. And this hearing complies with Proposition 218 requirements. Written protest to the recommended rate increases received by mail at the city clerk's office or in person at the public hearing, which is now. If anyone in the audience has a written protest to the proposed rate increases, please give it to the city clerk at this time so it may be counted and recorded. Would anyone like to come forward to give a protest to our clerk?

Segment 4

[03:00:15] Interpreter: Muy buenas noches. Si necesita interpretación al español, pulse el botón interpretación en Zoom y seleccione el idioma adecuado para escuchar la reunión en ese idioma. Gracias.

Segment 5

[03:01:00] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Seeing none, um, we will now hear a presentation by Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang regarding the requirement of Proposition 218.

[03:01:13] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: Good evening. Thank you, Mayor Showalter, Vice Mayor Matichak, and Councilmembers. Grace Zhang, Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director. Here tonight with me is Derek Rampone, our Finance and Administrative Services Director. I will be presenting on the public hearing for the recommended water, wastewater, and trash/recycling/organics rate increases. As a reminder, utility rate increases were previously presented to the Council at the June 11 budget hearing.

[03:01:44] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: Some background information. In November 1996, California voters passed Proposition 218, the Right to Vote on Taxes Act. This constitutional amendment protects taxpayers by limiting the methods by which local governments can create or increase taxes, fees, and charges without taxpayer consent. There are several requirements for fairness associated with the fees. Revenue from the fees or charges shall not exceed the funds required to provide the services. Revenue from the fees or charges shall not be used for any other purpose other than what the charge was imposed. Notice for the rate adjustment should be mailed out no later than 40- no later than 45 days before the public hearing. The notice must contain the date, location of the hearing, how to protest, and the rates, fees being proposed. Later on in this presentation, I will provide additional information on how we follow the notice requirement.

[03:02:46] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: Let's discuss about how we come up with the proposed rate for our utilities. In fiscal year 23-24, staff conducted a cost of service study for water, wastewater, and solid waste. This year, the proposed utility rates are based on the cost of service study for all three utilities plus the cost increases from the wholesalers and our providers. The proposed rates are being adjusted to reflect the cost of services are being provided. Some of the rates that are recommended from the rate studies are being recommended to spread over five years to ensure a gradual increase for our customers. There are some major reasons for the increases. For example, we have capital needs and the rate increases will make sure we have adequate funding on critical infrastructure. There are also increasing regulations that we are required to follow, which costs some cost increase.

[03:03:44] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: The first rate proposed we have is the water rates. The water rate proposed is about 6% in general for revenue increases. This is based on our wholesaler increase. For example, SFPUC has adopted an 8.8%-

[03:04:21] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: Ms. Zhang, I think you can go ahead and present while they pull up the PowerPoint slides.

[03:04:28] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: That's good. Sorry. Let's go back to the water. The water rate increase in general is about 6%, which has come from SFPUC has adopted an 8.8% increase in wholesale rate and 14.1% in meter rates. Santa Clara Valley Water District also adopted a 12.9% to the well water rate, which correspondent to a 12.2% increase to the treated water rate. This cost increase along with the CPI inflation of 2.4% results in a 6% overall revenue needs. It's also worth to note that our rate study recommend the tier structure realignments, which means the actual increase will be higher or lower depends on types of the customer and usage. The Proposition 218 hearing also include future four year annual increase for water, which is about 2.5%, as well as the continue the city's practice of implementing additional annual pass through from our wholesaler.

[03:05:26] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: The next rate increase is the wastewater or the sewer rates. The general revenue increase for the sewer rate is about 3%, which is based on Palo Alto Treatment Plant operations include a 3.2% increase. Our CPI increase is about 2.4%. The rate increase also include a 2% for the treatment plant capital cost. The city previously adopt a 10 years funding plan for the treatment plant future capital cost. Fiscal year 23-24 was the last year of this 10 year funding. However, the city has been notified by Palo Alto Treatment Plant a significant increase in capital costs. So therefore staff recommend a continue annual 2% increase for up to another five years for the capital.

[03:06:18] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: The next one is about our trash, recycling, and organic rates. General increase is about recommend is about 6% in revenue increase, which include the Recology contractual increase of 4.87%, SMaRT Station of 14.3 and a CPI of 2.4%. The cost of service study also shows that we need a 10% overall revenue increase on top of the provider cost, which is about 16% total. We mentioned that in the previous year that cost have increased significantly in the sew- in the solid in the solid waste is due to a implementation of SB 1383, which is mandates residential and commercial organic composting. However, those rate increases cannot be only adjust- can be only adjusted based on a cost surface study, which we have conducted in 2023 and 24. Therefore we adjust the rate based on our recent surface study. Staff recommend to spread over the increase over three to four years so we can smooth out the impact on our customers.

[03:07:29] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: We talk about SB 1383, which is the mandate for residential and commercial organic composting. This is one of the main reasons for the rate increase. So people might want to ask what is the compos- compostable waste? These are the three major category for organic and compostable waste, which include food scrap, food-soiled papers and yard trimmings. We also want to provide an update to Council for the multi-family composting program update. We launched this program in 2019 as a pilot program. At that time there were six apartment complex participate in this program. As of this year, this program participation rate has 475 total apartment complex.

[03:08:17] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: As I mentioned in this presentation, the rate changes is various for different types of customer based on their usage. So we prepare a comparison for the utilities rate based on different types of customers. The first one in front of you is a single family. The average use of a single family is about seven units of water and a one 32 gallon trash bin, trash trash cars. So in average their monthly increase will be about $11.87, which is about 7.1% increase. For multi-family which is four units, as an example here, the average monthly increase is about 6.2% or equivalent to $40.33 for a monthly bill. For the apartment complex unit which is about 120 units in the sample here, the rate increase is 6.4%. And for commercial the rate increase is 6.3%. So in general the utility rate increase for next year is about between 6% to 7%. We also provide a comparison for our rate with the next with our neighboring cities. As you can see on the slide here, Mountain View is the lower- the third lower city for the single family, which with an average seven unit use of the water and one 32 gallon trash bin.

[03:09:46] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: As I mentioned in the beginning of the presentation, the city followed the Proposition 218 process for the proposed utility rates. We are required to mail out the notice 45 days before the public hearing to all of our utility account owners. We mailed about 16,800 notice to the utility account owner. We also provide Spanish version of the notice available for rate owner to download on the city's website. As the hearing, at this hearing if a majority protest which is about 8,398 protests that received, rate increases subject to the public hearing cannot be adopt without repeating the notice and hearing process. As of 5:00 p.m. today we have two protests received. Oh, we received two more, so total is four. We also expand our community outreach for our utility rate increase notice. We sent out 13,600 postcards to our CSFRA occupants. We understand that this is due to because we understand not all renters are account owners, that they might not receive our Prop 218 notice. That's why we use utilized our CSFRA database and reached out 13,600 more families to allow them have an opportunity and provide feedback for our proposed utility rate increase.

[03:11:18] Assistant Finance and Administrative Services Director Grace Zhang: In summary, staff is requesting Council to consider recommended water, wastewater and trash, recycling, organics rate increases. Adoption of this rate increase for 24-25 is included with the budget public hearing item amending the master fee schedule later on tonight's council agenda. If there is a majority protest at this hearing, this item will be removed. At the end of this hearing the city clerk will provide a tally of written protests received. And then this concludes staff presentation.

[03:11:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Would any- does any member of the Council have questions? I don't see any, but I do have a question. You mentioned that I think it was 487 or 878 apartment buildings have now have compost. How many more are there? What do we know roughly what percentage of the the buildings currently have compost?

[03:12:44] Assistant Public Works Director Ed Arango: Thank you for the question. Again Ed Arango, Assistant Public Works Director and City Engineer. I believe the split is around six- it's this represents about 60%. But I'm checking, I have a lot of staff that are online. So my expertise is so I'm checking to see if somebody can be promoted and confirm that. Okay. So I ask that Jennifer Cutter be promoted so that way she can address the question.

[03:13:23] Principal Project Manager Jennifer Cutter: Good evening Madam Mayor and Council. Can you hear me?

[03:13:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Yes we can. Thank you.

[03:13:30] Principal Project Manager Jennifer Cutter: Sorry, my camera is not working at the moment, but I would like to answer this is Jennifer Cutter. I'm the Solid Waste Program Manager with Public Works. And we're at about 78% compliance with our multi-family complexes with the mandatory composting requirements.

[03:13:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Well that's a big improvement from the last time I heard the report on that. That's that's great. Thank you.

[03:13:59] Principal Project Manager Jennifer Cutter: Thank you.

[03:14:04] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Would it now would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comment on this item? If so please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk. We will take in person speakers first. Each speaker will have two minutes. Do we have any in person speakers? No. And we have it looks like we have one virtual speaker. That would be pixel 8. I think that is April Webster. Is that correct?

[03:14:45] April Webster: Hi. Yes, hi, it's April Webster.

[03:14:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Welcome back.

[03:14:49] April Webster: Thanks, I'm on a roll tonight. I just wanted to say I'm a huge fan of this program and I actually pushed to have it, my complex at 505 Cypress Point Drive included in the pilot back in 2018. And it started out small but now we've we've requested more containers and it's always getting filled up. And I was actually wanting to put the idea forward of potentially expanding out from apartment buildings and offering, I don't know if this is possible, but composting services or places to compost in public areas in the city and even more just garbage bins. Sometimes I've noticed I'm walking around in the block and I can't find a garbage bin and so I end up carrying my garbage with me for a block or two so I can find something but I've seen other cities have composting as an option, composting, recycling and garbage in public trash cans. So I just wanted to say thank you. I love this program. Thank you.

[03:15:51] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. I do know that in many of the parks, there are trash cans that are marked that say that you should put everything in them because it's separated off site. So we do have some of those receptacles. I can imagine not enough, but we do have some that say that. Okay. So that ends the that ends our speakers on this. And I will now close the public hearing, which is an official thing to do. So City Clerk Glaser, do we need a recess to tabulate any valid written protests received on the recommended utility rates?

[03:16:43] City Clerk Heather Glaser: No, Mayor. We're still at four, which doesn't represent a majority.

[03:16:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Very good. Okay. Thank you. We'll now I will bring the item back to Council for deliberation and action and note that a motion should include a finding that no majority protest has been received and that the recommended water, wastewater and trash, recycling, organics rate increases shall be included with the adoption of the budget in our next agenda item, which is item 6.3. And I see that Councilmember Ramos would like to speak.

[03:17:22] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Thank you, Mayor. So I appreciated a lot of the report. I appreciated that you were able to send out notices to renters. I know that was a previous ask that people had made. I'm glad that you're able to utilize the rent registry for it. And I think that it makes me very happy to know that like the rent registry can be used for more things that the city can do to outreach to our residents when you when you actually have that ability. I'm kind of sad that, it's great that we have 78%, my apartment complex is not in that yet. I can't wait to be able to compost. So I guess if there are no other comments from my colleagues, I'll make the motion. I move that Council find and determine that the city has not received a majority protest for the proposed increase for the water, wastewater, trash, recycling, organic rates increases shall be included with the adoption of the budget in our next item, item 6.3.

[03:18:32] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you very much. And we also have a second from Councilmember Hicks. Are there any more comments related to this item from Councilmembers? Seeing none, let's vote.

[03:19:04] Councilmember Pat Showalter: The motion passes unanimously. Okay. So now we can move on to this item 6.3. This is adoption of the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, fee modifications, and funding for fiscal year 2024-25 capital improvement projects. And Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone will present the item. If you would like to speak on this item in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the city clerk now.

[03:19:42] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: All right. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor Showalter, Vice Mayor Matichak, Councilmembers, city staff and the community. Derek Rampone, your Finance and Administrative Services Director and joining me again is Grace Zhang, the Assistant Director. We're going to jump right in here and the first slide is just a recap as you've seen before of the budget timeline. This as you can see, we're in the last and final step of the process with the public hearing and eventual adoption of the budget. Once again, I'm pleased to report that the 24-25 recommended budget is structurally balanced with a minimal addition of new ongoing staffing of critical positions. As you are aware, staff worked with a consultant to completely overhaul each department's performance measures and those are included in this document. For fiscal year 24-25, the budget document has a few points of focus, including the economic vitality, which includes the downtown area, long-term sustainable service delivery to the community, recent organizational improvements that have been made by staff in the city, the Council's strategic priorities and providing innovative programs that are important and critical to the community.

[03:21:07] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: Now we'll get into some of the numbers. The General Operating Fund is the largest, single largest city fund and provides funding for core community services of the city. This slide shows that the revenue projection for the General Operating Fund for fiscal year 24-25, as you can see, we are expecting limited growth in revenues in 24-25 when compared to the 23-24 adopted budget, we're only forecasting a increase of 1.8% or 3.3 million. Now turning to expenditures in the General Operating Fund, they are expected to grow by 6.5% or $11.2 million in 24-25 when compared to the 23-24 adopted budget. As you'll recall on the previous slide, we are expecting revenues to only grow by 1.8% or 3.3 million. This is an example of how we're seeing revenues that are growing at a lower rate than expenditures.

[03:22:11] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: Looking ahead at future revenues and expenditures, this slide shows a visual of the General Operating Fund five year forecast. As you can see, we are projecting deficits in some of the out years ranging from 1.4 million to 4.4 million. And although concerning, it should be noted that the projected deficits are less than 2% of our projected revenues.

[03:22:39] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: I'd like to highlight some of the updates that and changes that we that has been made since the last presentation on June 11th and as a part of feedback that we heard from the Council. Staff has added a $10 million contribution in the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund, establishing a general capital improvement reserve. This is similar to what the city has for its own general capital reserve fund. This change is a direct result of input that we heard at the June 11th meeting. There are other adjustments and updates that are included in this version. They include some budgeting of unused limited period funds for below market rate funding and for a public services study. There's also $5,000 for contracting services related to CSFRA. And then there's two decreases in actual funding, one for the recently revised costs that we received for the animal control authority in the amount of $88,500 and another one for a reclassification of a position from a principal analyst to an analyst I/II in the amount of $32,200. There's an impact on the General Operating Fund actually a decrease in expenditures that totals approximately $121,000.

[03:24:02] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: We also wanted to inform Council of a few non-financial updates that will be included in the adopted budget. As part of the feedback we received on June 11th, we'll be including an additional performance measure in the Planning Division and we'll be adding a workload performance measure related to Ask Mountain View in every department. As you will recall at the June 11th meeting, the General Operating Fund operating balance was projected to be 311,000. And with the updates that I discussed a couple of slides ago, we're now showing a projected operating balance of $431,000 in the General Operating Fund.

[03:24:45] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: And with that, we have the recommended action slides. There are three slides with a total of three motions that are up for your consideration this evening.

[03:25:02] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. I see Councilmember Ramirez would like to ask a question.

[03:25:11] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. Quick question. My apologies, I'm not able to find it in any of the attachments, but I'm curious what the additional performance measures for the Planning Division are. If you happen to have those readily available.

[03:25:33] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: I do. I have a general information on that. It has to do with the percent that planning staff sends comprehensive comment letters on formal development applications to applicants within 30 calendar days.

[03:25:45] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Okay, thank you.

[03:25:46] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: You're welcome.

[03:25:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. And also, this item includes a recommendation that Council adopt a resolution appropriating funds for Capital Improvement Project 24-38 Underground Utilities at 1020 Terra Bella identified in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program. This action requires a Councilmember to recuse from participation in this project due to conflicts of interests. We will consider this resolution first. Councilmember Kamei, do you have an announcement to make?

[03:26:19] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Yes. Thank you, Mayor. I am recusing myself from participating in recommendation number one under item 6.3, adoption of a resolution appropriating funds for Capital Improvement Project 24-38, Underground Utilities at 1020 Terra Bella due to my employment as an External Affairs Manager with AT&T, an international telecommunications company.

[03:26:45] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, so you're gonna you're gonna leave. All right. All right. Does any member of the Council have questions on the resolution appropriating funds for the Capital Improvement Project 24-38, Underground Utilities at 1020 Terra Bella Avenue? Seeing none, at this time, we'll take public comment on recommendation number one to adopt a resolution of the City Council, the City of Mountain View, adopting appropriations for the adopted Capital Improvement Project 24-38, Underground Utilities at 1020 Terra Bella identified in the recommended Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program. For public comment on anything other than this resolution related to appropriations for the underground utilities at 1020 Terra Bella project, we will hold a separate public comment period. So if any member of the public would like to speak on this Terra Bella undergrounding, this is the time to do that. If so, please click the raise hand button on Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the City Clerk. We will take in-person speakers first. Would anyone, no one is interested in this specific, would anyone like to speak on this? No. I do not see anyone virtually either. So we can move on. Thank you. So now we're back for Council deliberation on an action on this. Again, any Councilmembers want to speak on this? Okay, so it's time to vote.

[03:29:43] Councilmember Pat Showalter: All right. So it passes six yes and one recusal. Great. So now we move on. I'll bring this back for Council deliberation. Okay. All right, the Council will now convene a public hearing, accept public comment, and consider the remaining recommended actions to adopt the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget, fee modifications, and funding for the adopted Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Projects. Okay, so does any member of the Council have questions? I see Vice Mayor Matichak has raised her hand.

[03:30:37] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thank you. I want to follow up on the question that Councilmember Ramirez asked about the additional metrics for planning. So is there just one additional metric for planning?

[03:30:49] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: That's my understanding, yes.

[03:30:52] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay. Maybe there's additional comments.

[03:31:00] Assistant Community Development Director Lindsey Hagen: Good evening, Councilmembers. Lindsey Hagen, Assistant Community Development Director. So we did hear the feedback at the last council meeting about interest in other metrics. And so we're actually working on launching an online dashboard where we'll have a lot of that permit information, permit sort of tracking information. So some of that other feedback would be captured in that project.

[03:31:26] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay, thank you. Appreciate it. I was also wondering, I had a question about the neighborhood grants. I know I brought this up last time. And I took another look at them. And I noticed that for one of the applicants, the person who applied doesn't live within the boundaries of the neighborhood association. And I was wondering, it seems like we've used a different process this year for neighborhood grants. And I was wondering if that was allowed.

[03:32:05] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Thank you, Mayor, Councilmember Matichak. So staff will need to look into it further. And I think one of the things that we're going to be doing over the course of the next fiscal year is looking at the boundaries and making sure that we are carving out likely smaller neighborhood or boundary areas for the grant program. So we will certainly look into the folks that have applied and whether they're actually in that neighborhood area.

[03:32:36] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay. Mayor, I was wondering if we could take that item separate from the rest of the budget so we can vote on it separately. The grant applications?

[03:32:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Yes. Thank you.

[03:33:02] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. Do any other Councilmembers have questions? No. All right, then, would any member of the public joining us virtually or in person like to provide comment on this issue? If so, please click the raise hand button in Zoom or submit a blue speaker card to the City Clerk. We will take in-person speakers first. Each speaker will have three minutes. It looks like we have one virtual speaker. Perhaps two. April Webster. Are there two in-person speakers? Oh, yes, there are. Okay, excuse me. You've been waiting patiently. Here you go. Your name's been up there a long time. Sandra Esparza. And then after that, Reina Dominguez.

[03:34:19] Sandra Esparza: Good evening, everyone. About item 6.3. If I'm not mistaken, it's about the budget, right? Okay, because I was 6.1, 6.2. Okay, assuming here, again, one more time. Good evening, everyone. And my concern is always the same. And please just consider this and one more time to using all the money that you guys have it to create more affordable housing, apartments. But the reality is thinking about the diversity of families because when you building apartments, you only have certain families apply. I was looking in a housing ASC application and you have to make the maximum $90,000. So it is impossible in our city to family make that. So we have to be realistic. And when we're building and when we say really affordable housing, it must be that word because it is insane. We can't afford that. Myself, I've been living in Del Medio Boulevard and for about almost nine years and he's barely making pain 1,700 amount for one apartment, one bedroom. So can you imagine a family with two kids? I'm a single and I'm the how-house hold me and my mom. So I'm here to speak for others who really desperate, needed. And please consider. I just begging you one more time. Thinking about for all our diversity family who is here keep working hard for our community. Thank you very much. Great night.

[03:36:04] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. And then Reina Dominguez.

[03:36:12] Reina Dominguez: Good evening, everyone. Well, I like to see if there can be money to use to build more affordable houses for lower income families. This high prices cost many families like me, we have to share our apartments. And then this causes that increment the parking spots because like right now in my house, we have like about six cars because we are two families living there. So my husband, me, we use our cars. And then the other families use their cars for go to work or go to school, their kids and stuff like that. So there's we need more parking too. So but as you can see all over the streets, there is a lot of cars. That's because it's causing this. Many families lives like in one apartment. And then our housing key, I want to see if I can apply on one of these apartments. It's two bedrooms. It was about $2,500. But I have to make about $94,000 a year. And with my husband and I, we couldn't make that much money. So we couldn't apply for that apartment. We have to go more lower like the 30% to apply to I mean, we have that apply. We got the 30% to apply for those apartments, but it's too hard to find those type of apartments. So I like to know if I can if you can put more attention in this. And because I cannot believe the highest now the prices when the utilities. And then it's part of the it's another part like the apartments right where I live right now, I have to pay utilities and I cannot believe right now when this increments coming right now. I don't know how it is going to be with RUBS. Thank you very much.

[03:38:12] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, so no more that's it in in the chambers. Great. So we'll move to April Webster.

[03:38:30] April Webster: Hello, April Webster speaking. I would like to ask that for our budget and the way we allocate funds in our CIP in relation to what projects we actually fund, that that spend matches the buckets or priorities we've identified. And making that really clear so being able to, you know, right now it's it can be very challenging to figure out different projects in the CIP, what they actually match for priorities. I have at one point attempted to do this for active transportation and it took quite a bit of work. And I think we need that sort of transparency like we talked about in terms of monitoring GHG emissions, to really understand if we're, you know, walking the walk- walking the talk, that our actions, our implementation, the way we're spending our money actually matches what we're- what our priorities are. I think that is important. And I would love to see Council direct staff to in this start to identify those priorities as metadata with the projects. Thank you so much.

[03:39:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Next speaker is Bruce England.

[03:39:51] Bruce England: Thank you, Mayor. Bruce England, Whisman Station Drive. This agenda item is really difficult to navigate, I gotta tell you. Um, kudos to if you can figure it out, but, um, want to echo some of what previous speakers has said. The affordable housing issue is, of course, really important. You're aware of this. And the things that April brought up are are also important. I'm going to say more during the next agenda item about the revenue measure. I want to encourage you to think about the kind of things that can really help to make Mountain View the best place it can be for all the people who are here, live here, work here, and interact with the city and in a variety of ways. I'm concerned about the focus on fixing potholes and just mending and patching things. It doesn't really point us in a forward direction, which is what I'd like us to do, and, again, I'll say more about that at next agenda item. Thank you.

[03:40:46] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, I think that brings us to the end of our speakers on this. So now I will bring this back for Council questions, deliberation, and action on the remaining recommendations. And note that a motion to approve the recommendation should also include the title of the resolutions attached to the report. And also we have a request to separate out the neighborhood grants. So we can- staff, can you tell us which motion that would be taken out of?

[03:42:29] Finance and Administrative Services Director Derek Rampone: At the first motion, motion number one.

[03:42:32] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. Thank you. And now I see that Councilmember Ramirez would like to ask a question or make a comment. Councilmember Ramirez.

[03:42:46] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. I wanted to first express my gratitude to staff for the extraordinary amount of work that is put into crafting a budget over the course of several months. I think we're in a very good position and I was very happy with the core recommendations that staff had proposed and I really appreciate the accommodation of several of the requests made by the council, including the good requests from the Vice Mayor which I was happy to support at our last meeting. There were a number of things that were sort of below the radar and I just wanted to make sure that one of them was elevated to the public. And that was buried deep in, I think it was the master fee schedule report, there was an acknowledgement that reduced rates for neighborhood groups reserving community center space and barbecue space would be provided in the new fiscal year. That's something that we've heard from neighborhood associations over the past several years. So I am grateful that you made it happen. And my only sorrow was that we didn't sometimes the the only thing I wish we had done was made a bigger deal out of that to show that we're responsive to community concerns. And so I do hope that we we start promoting that because that I think that's a tremendous service that we provide and I was really grateful in response to the Vice Mayor's question about planning performance metrics that you're beginning to create a dashboard to track some of those metrics. That's a lot of work, so I did want to acknowledge the work that you're putting into this. I think that's going to be a very valuable service also provided to the council and to the community. So with that, I'll attempt to craft the first motion which is to- so the staff recommendations. Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View: one, adopting the Fiscal Year 2024 to 25 city budget; two, appropriating funds to cover expenditures approved by said budget; three, establishing public benefit amounts for the El Camino Real Precise Plan and San Antonio Precise Plan; four, establishing community benefit values for the East Whisman Precise Plan; five, authorizing the City Manager to execute funding agreements consistent with non-profit funding appropriations in the adopted budget; and six, authorizing the Finance and Administrative Services Director to adjust appropriations in various funds as needed to align with actual revenue earned and received as specifically set forth herein, make final adjustments to the Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act and Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Ordinance budgets and fees, adjust appropriations related to the Graham Middle School site based on billed invoices, and determine final budget amounts based on Council direction to be read in title only, further reading waived. And I think that's where we would exclude for now the neighborhood association grant awards. And then adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View amending the City of Mountain View master fee schedule to be read in title only...

Segment 6

[03:45:00] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: only for the reading waived. Commit $1,800,000 of the parkland dedication funds to the adopted fiscal year 2024 to '25 capital budgets, including amendments to existing projects, and adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View authorizing the City Manager or designee to amend the classification and salary plans for regular and hourly employees for fiscal year 2024 to '25, to be read in title only, further reading waived.

[03:45:27] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Mayor, if I may, there is one raised hand still in Zoom. I'm not sure when that hand went up, though, so it's up to you if you want to accept comment.

[03:45:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We when after we've gotten through making the motion, we can we can have that public comment.

[03:46:09] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Ramirez, are you finished?

[03:46:13] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: One other thing, just in response to the public comments, staff can do a better job providing the information. But I think we've got is it nine affordable housing projects in the queue? So we're working on it. It's very challenging, but let's talk offline because I think there's a lot of good news on the affordable housing front. Thank you.

[03:46:36] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Councilmember Ramos.

[03:46:39] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: What Councilmember Ramirez in his comments mentioned about some of the really good news that we we are doing in this budget, I think it's one of the things that we might want to center when we do the budget in brief document, that we because we are trying to make that that budget more accessible to to everyone. And I think guiding principles going forward is is thinking about how does our budget affect you? How does our budget affect our residents?

[03:47:07] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: And so as we do future budgets and briefs and as we do future, I believe last time we did a video too, which was really nice, of like it would be nice to put those things front and center, including what Councilmember Ramirez mentioned about the affordable housing projects. Talk about the neighborhood grants, talk about the what we have done about the fees and made that more available to our neighborhood organizations. Those are the kinds of things that we may want to front load in essentially our our our summaries of the budget because most people aren't going to look as deeply as the rest of us in our giant budget packet. So moving forward, I would love that. Thank you.

[03:47:56] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. So let's take a little aside. Peiying, is this a comment on the budget or another item?

[03:48:12] Peiying: I am unmuting myself. Okay, can everyone hear me?

[03:48:15] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We can.

[03:48:16] Peiying: Yeah, and I believe I raised my hand a bit after when the public comment opened up. This is on the budget. I just wanted to deeply echo a lot of the public commenters on the priorities of things that we should focus on and what our budget should be aligned with. Affordable housing being a really top, top priority. And I just want to express appreciation that whenever there's something that goes into community services, social safety net services within our budget, those are the things that will ultimately I think impact a lot of community members as a whole.

[03:48:51] Peiying: I want to emphasize I think the financial transparency piece in terms of you know, the city has all these strategic priorities and it'd be really great to for the community, the public to know how, you know, what we're funding, what our budget, all these things are allocated towards and how they match with our values. So I'm thinking about our strategic priorities about belonging and our strategic priorities about sustainability and climate action planning. It would be a much clearer picture, you know, I heard that there might be a dashboard and that we can tie in how our budget aligns with our values as well as our strategic priorities.

[03:49:29] Peiying: And I hope that's understood moving forward. Just emphasis that, you know, our budget should be aligned with what we need as a community and all the gaps and challenges that we hear from public commenters, not just in this meeting but in the prior meetings, all talking about housing and green spaces and active transportation. Thank you.

[03:49:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay. So we have a motion by Councilmember Ramirez and a second by Councilmember Hicks. Do we have any more comments? I would just like to follow on with the thanks to the staff for all the work that's involved in this. It's really a huge amount of effort. And I'd also like to say that I've been looking at the budget in brief from last year, and it has many of the things in it that have been mentioned. And I understand that it is the plan to prepare one of these for this budget, but we have to pass it first. Is that correct?

[03:50:41] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: That is correct.

[03:50:44] Councilmember Pat Showalter: All right. So when should the public expect to see this this document?

[03:50:50] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Should be around September.

[03:50:51] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. Thank you very much. All right, we can look forward to that. I think it does provide a tremendous amount of transparency because instead of having 658 pages of budget to weigh through, you have about 20, and there are a lot of really easy-to-understand infographics that that help. So I'm a big I'm a big fan of this. Thank you for doing it. Okay, with that, I think it's time to call the vote.

[03:51:33] Councilmember Pat Showalter: So we have a remaining part that was excluded about the neighborhood grants. So Vice Mayor Matichak?

[03:51:43] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Yeah, I really don't know why the grants seem so different this year than previous years. Like what drove the change? And I was wondering, you know, do we have a policy that isn't aligned with our past practices? And if that's the case, we should probably update the policy. But it seemed very odd to me to change how we were allocating the grants without a discussion by either the CPPC or the Council.

[03:52:21] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: And I guess what I would like to do is have staff or the Council Neighborhood Committee quickly take a look at those and use our past practices where we didn't allow overlap of boundaries so one neighborhood was not getting two grants because different people had applied for them. And also that you have to live within the neighborhood where you're applying for a grant. I know when my neighborhood applied for one, city staff specifically asked us to reach out to the neighborhood associations that are around us to make sure we were not having overlapping boundaries. And we did, and then we encouraged other folks in the neighborhood when they formed their neighborhood association to do the same thing.

[03:53:10] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: So it seems like that has been the practice for at least 15 years. And so I guess I'd like to use that previous process because we haven't as a council or the CPPC changed it. And I recognize that that could pose challenges given that we're supposed to adopt it tonight. But we could say that it's $40,000 and we're gonna go back and revisit how much each neighborhood association gets. Thanks.

[03:53:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Ramos.

[03:53:51] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: So I I agree with many things that the Vice Mayor has said. I actually do think that we may need to take a look at like how the policies of guiding the neighborhood grants, because I think it it suffers from it was extremely popular this year and it got out to more new people, which is a good thing that we we want to encourage kind of thing. I think it is it should be looked after whether it's CPPC, CNC or the full Council, just some group to really evaluate essentially the neighborhood grants as a whole. However, I am not inclined to to not adopt the staff recommend like I I I'm more inclined I didn't want to do a double negative.

[03:54:45] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: I am inclined to adopt the staff recommendation now and then moving forward we have a full policy, because then we we go through this again next year and the grants open up what, March, April-ish. And then we offer the grant, the the whole process all over again. And it'd be much cleaner to not go back now or back and forth because this was a really hard meeting at the CNC where a lot of people were upset about they they applied for something that they had a an understanding of what the rules are and I don't want us to at least go back on the rules now. We should make the rules clearer going forward and then so adopt the CNC recommendations now and then in the future work out how we can make this clearer in the future.

[03:55:46] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Hicks.

[03:55:48] Councilmember Alison Hicks: So on the one hand, I'm I'm reluctant to pull it and not fund it now. On the other hand, I don't want to set a precedent where two groups, two overlapping groups get money and it makes it even more controversial in the future, which is the real group. So I'm feeling like if if I could get a little, we talked about this a little bit at our last budget meeting, but our meeting where we visited this subject. But I'm wondering if either staff or anyone on the committee can give me a little more clarity on why this happened so I can make a better decision.

[03:56:27] Councilmember Pat Showalter: At the meeting, we had if memory serves, we had more people applying than we had in the past, and so the program was much more popular than it had been. And in addition, we had, if I remember correctly, we had some groups that were took the viewpoint that they were a language-based community in addition to the other neighborhood association that had been there for a long time.

[03:57:05] Councilmember Pat Showalter: So what we suggested was that we would go with the staff recommendation this year, but going forward we would have the staff reevaluate the policies so that next year this would not be an issue. So from my point of view we really have already put that reevaluation into the program. And I think that this you know, passing it now and evaluating it so that moving forward it would be clearer is is is a is a good way to go. Councilmember Ramirez.

[03:57:47] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: The Vice Mayor is ahead of me in the queue. So I I mostly agree with what you said, Mayor. We did not approve the staff recommendations, though. We actually eliminated I think it was four or five applicants from contention because...

[03:58:01] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Sorry, I meant the staff recommendation of what's in there now.

[03:58:03] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Oh, right. Now. Okay, my my apologies for the misunderstanding. But the the I think the staff, when they were reviewing the inaugural or the initial set of applications tried to provide funding for everybody unless there was a group that was explicitly that didn't meet the criteria that that is in the the policy. So the staff had shared with us that the groups who were funded were in fact eligible, that our policy doesn't explicitly prohibit groups within the same geographic boundary from applying.

[03:58:38] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: We made that decision, though, to eliminate, I think it was four or five who we felt were were really not adhering to the spirit of the parameters of the program. So like the Frisbee group and the Arts Group, and then there were I think two there were there were two neighborhood groups that were within a very established neighborhood association, Old Mountain View, who we had directed to speak with neighborhood association leaders from Old Mountain View who were present at the meeting. And then they, I think they had a very good discussion following our discussion.

[03:59:11] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: But I agree with the Mayor in that at that meeting, we were pretty clear that we wanted staff to come back with modifications to the policy to provide parameters on if we're not just adhering to neighborhood associations and you are permitting community groups with a different kind of affiliation to participate, what are the parameters that would allow them to be eligible? And then considering regulations that would prohibit what you're describing, nested groups within established neighborhood associations. So that direction is provided and I guess I wish we had representation from the Housing Department here to speak to it, but we tried to do some of the work that you're describing and clean up some of this, but the folks who are being awarded funding according to our policy now are eligible.

[04:00:11] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Vice Mayor Matichak?

[04:00:12] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thanks. I guess from my perspective, if we have a policy that we haven't been following for a very long time, it seems like we need to update the policy before we apply it. Similar to what we did recently, we updated some of FASD's policies because we took a actually our finance director took a look at them and said this isn't really what we're doing. So we updated the policies and then we applied them, rather than doing the reverse, applying policies that we don't use anymore and then taking a look at them.

[04:00:52] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: So I really think we need to revisit this quickly and tweak the awards based upon our current practices, rather than what a policy that we haven't used in, as long as I've been watching this, over 15 years, has not been used before. So actually I would make that motion that we have the 40,000 cap and that we take a look at the instead of the 50,000 that was in the budget, and that we take a look at the awards for the different neighborhood associations and we exclude neighborhood associations where there's an overlap or that people who have applied that don't live in that neighborhood have asked for funding. Thanks.

[04:01:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We have a motion. Do we have a second for that? All right, well then it it dies for lack of a second. Councilmember Ramos, do you have any more comments?

[04:02:14] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Since that motion died, I'll move the well, staff and CNC recommendation for the 50k amount and but I would also include, I guess, just to clear it up, that we do want an evaluation of this policy, this is continuing on what CNC also recommended that we evaluate how we provide these grants. And that's that's my motion.

[04:02:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. You want to push the motion button? And I will second that. All right. So, Councilmember Kamei.

[04:03:00] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Thank you. So, and apologies, I I'm trying to remember the the discussion and the budget the budget document. So, has have any of these neighborhood groups already spent some of this funding? It's for the the upcoming year. Okay. Because I know that some of them have had recent events and so I'm not sure if those are grant recipients from the prior. Okay. So the adoption tonight would be for this coming fiscal year. Okay. Because there was some over some of the groups that we're discussing then to to Vice Mayor Matichak's point, what have they have received grant funding from last year's cycle? Or were some of those overlapping groups holding those events currently without our grant funding? Because I think some I that I'm not that I'm not clear clear about.

[04:04:05] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Some of the groups here that overlap have already had events this within the last month or two. And so I'm not sure if those are also grant recipients, since that's your concern. So I I feel given this this discussion, some of the groups may already be planning for these events, planning for these funds, and I wouldn't want them to you know, that to impede their their organization putting together the events. And my understanding is that some of these groups may have already received funding even in the fiscal year prior. So that's what I'm trying to clarify, because this might be an ongoing concern, it's not from just this year.

[04:04:53] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: So, but either way, I I hear the concern, and I agree that having CNC and staff work on it. I also know that that it's kind of going between different departments right now, it's it's transitioning, and I think hopefully that will will help. So, thank you.

[04:05:13] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Vice Mayor Matichak, do you want to speak again?

[04:05:19] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Yeah, just real quickly. So when I looked at the list, the new groups that overlap have not applied in the past, and so they did not spend any money in the current fiscal year. But in next fiscal year that starts July 1st is when some neighborhoods would basically get twice the amount because they've got two neighborhood associations.

[04:05:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: City Manager McCarthy.

[04:05:53] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Thank you, Mayor. So Mr. Chen, our Housing Director is on Zoom, he can answer any further questions, but just to clarify, this is a legacy program that was left over and the policy itself now is silent on if there are multiple groups from the same neighborhood that apply.

[04:06:11] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: So I think that's the situation that we were in. And as has been noted, staff is going to look at this program in the next fiscal year to change the policy to align with the desires of Council, to clarify the neighborhoods, make sure there isn't overlapping or competing requests and try and clarify for the specific community groups that may apply. And perhaps that might involve a separate process in and of itself that might be separate from the neighborhood grants. So that is something that staff will be taking a look at.

[04:06:50] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Councilmember Ramos, what did you want to speak again?

[04:06:56] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: No, I just withdrew it. Thank you.

[04:06:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay. So with that, do we want to take public comment on this? Because no, it was included, right? Yeah, all right. So we have a motion and a second and I think that this has been discussed, so it's time to vote.

[04:07:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: The motion passes 6 to 1. Okay. So, I see staff. So is that, we we have another motion, don't we? On the, we have two more motions left. Okay. So do you have any more presentations or just just motions? Okay. So, Councilmember Ramirez is stepping up, very good, to read the next motion. I think that's what you were stepping up to do.

[04:07:58] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Yes. I I am largely illiterate. So I move to adopt a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Shoreline Regional Community, Regional Park Community, one, adopting the fiscal year 2024 to '25 Shoreline Regional Park Community budget. Two, appropriating funds to cover expenditures approved by said budget. And three, authorizing the Treasurer to adjust appropriations as needed to make payments in accordance with the tax sharing agreement with Santa Clara County and the Educational Enhancement Reserve joint powers agreement to align appropriations with actual revenues earned and receive as specifically set forth herein and determined final budget amounts based on board direction.

[04:08:37] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you very much for reading that. Do we have any Council questions or comments related to this motion? Seeing none, it's time to vote.

[04:09:04] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Very good, that passes unanimously. So we have one left. Right? And Councilmember Ramirez has stepped up again, thank you.

[04:09:22] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. I move to adopt a resolution of the City of Mountain View Capital Improvements Financing Authority adopting the fiscal year 24 to 25 budget for debt service payments, appropriating funds to cover expenditures approved by said budget, and authorizing the MVCIFA Treasurer to make budget adjustments and determine final budget amounts based on the, based on MVCIFA board direction, to be read in title only, further reading waived.

[04:09:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And we have a second from Vice Mayor Matichak. Would any Council members like to speak on this motion? Seeing none, it's time to vote.

[04:10:11] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And this passes unanimously. So with that, the budget is passed. Congratulations to staff for all your hard work to get to this point. I know that you must be heaving a big sigh of relief. Thank you. Thank you. So now we're gonna move on to new business. But before we do that, we're gonna take a 10-minute break. Five minutes? Five minute. All right.

[04:11:10] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Welcome back everybody. Now we're on to Item 7, New Business, and Item 7.1 is Call a Municipal Election for November 5th, 2024, and Place a Ballot Measure Amending Real Property Conveyance Tax. Spanish translation services are available for this item, and we will now hear from our interpreter.

[04:11:36] Interpreter: Buenas noches. Si necesita interpretación al español, oprima el botón que diga 'interpretación' en Zoom y seleccione el idioma adecuado para escuchar la reunión en ese idioma. Gracias.

[04:11:51] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews and Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas will present the item. If you would like to speak on this item in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the City Clerk now. Staff, thank you. Thanks for joining us, go ahead.

[04:12:09] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council. Tonight's discussion is a culmination of Council deliberations over the course of months and extensive community engagement that Deputy City Manager Thomas will go into a little further in our presentation. But I thought for members who might be joining us tonight for the first time and may not understand how we got to where we are tonight, I'd like to provide a little context of why we've been having this discussion and why we're gonna conclude the discussion this evening.

[04:12:41] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So one of the things about Mountain View that makes it special is decades of strong fiscal stewardship, which has enabled this city and our community to reap the benefits of exceptional city services, infrastructure, and facilities. We've been able to do that for a pretty long period of time just through the normal budget process, but going forward into the future, our city is going to continue to have ongoing maintenance and improvement needs just for the infrastructure we currently have, but then Mountain View is also going to continue to be a visionary and an innovator and want to develop new programs as we look at what a Mountain View of tomorrow might look like, and that's actually going to require additional revenues to identify additional revenues.

[04:13:32] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: We talk often about some of the things we'd like to accomplish in Mountain View and this is just a small illustration, but for instance, if we talk about some of the transit improvements we'd like to do for bike and ped safety, we talk about the grade crossing projects and other active transportation projects. We've had a little bit of a discussion tonight about affordable housing, and currently, just the existing pipeline, which is extensive, has about a $50 million gap.

[04:14:00] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Mountain View continues to want to be an innovator when it comes to parks and open space. We have a current policy of trying to achieve three acres per thousand residents and that's just going to continue to require more funding in the future. We are also an innovator when it comes to climate change and mitigation, but some of the things we'd like to accomplish there are also going to require additional revenues. And then as I mentioned, like every municipality, we have aging infrastructure and facilities. We've talked about a police building as one example, and we know we have two fire houses over the age of 50.

[04:14:33] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So all combined, any one of these is going to require new revenues, trying to accomplish all of them is going to require significant new revenues. And you'll notice in the staff report, importantly, we actually have a staff recommendation not to actually identify an allocation strategy yet if this ballot measure is successful, partly because Deputy City Manager Thomas is going to go into just how pleasantly surprised we've been with the extensive engagement the community has brought forward and we would like that conversation to continue as the community and ourselves continue to talk about some of these very important initiatives going forward.

[04:15:15] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: One of the other things that exemplifies the City of Mountain View as a strong fiscal steward is how few times you've actually put a ballot measure forward for the residents to consider. In the last 50 years, you've only done it four times and you'll notice that the revenue type we're discussing tonight was last discussed in 1973.

[04:15:43] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So at our last meeting, Council gave direction to staff to do three things: continue community and stakeholder outreach regarding potential service needs and recommended actions, recommendation to explore additional revenue projections, and then final recommended actions to move forward towards November. Deputy City Manager Thomas is now gonna talk about some of the engagement that we've been very encouraged by and I'll just go ahead and hold up part of what she will discuss, which is literally mail-in, which we were surprised how many mail-ins we got, but she'll go into more detail about that.

[04:16:22] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Great, thank you so much. Thank you, good evening Mayor and City Council members. Since the May 14th Council meeting, staff developed and implemented a broad outreach plan on a very expedited timeline. The project team and the communications division developed a comprehensive communications and outreach plan, including multilingual resources in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian, for the community to learn more and offer their feedback.

[04:16:49] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Shown on screen are highlights of the communications outreach and engagement, including some high points. We developed a web page, mountainview.gov/jointheconversation, which included community feedback options as well as FAQs. A mailer to nearly 24,000 registered voter households with a tear-off card to easily provide feedback, as highlighted by Assistant City Manager Andrews just now. Information was also included in the City's newsletter to nearly 42,000 residents and businesses in Mountain View.

Segment 7

[04:30:41] Assistant City Manager Audrey Seymour Ramberg: There was also a specific mention noted here which was associated with the mailers at a 7% rate. That may be indicative of the recent brochures and newsletters that I mentioned in the last slide. The priority feedback included, is primarily included from the nearly 24,000 informational brochures that were provided to the registered voters in Mountain View. It was highlighted keeping Mountain View safe and prepared for the future. The informational mailers included the tear-off sheet that you saw there, asking residents to rank the priorities identified in the survey from 1 to 6, and provided additional priorities and comments sections based upon the elements in the original survey. The city received and analyzed 693 community survey responses in total. 248 were the returned hard copy mailers, and 445 were online responses. All among all respondents, they shared that maintaining 911 medical and disaster response reached a top priority level for community residents. Again, this is based on the elements that came out of the original voter survey.

[04:32:00] Assistant City Manager Audrey Seymour Ramberg: Improving public safety, emergency response, crime prevention, addressing homelessness were also considered as top priorities. Residents also expressed support for fixing potholes, improving pedestrian and bicycle safety, as well as repairing streets and sidewalks. The second survey tracking poll was just recently completed, and it does show largely similar results with the first round, with some increased focus on transportation.

[04:32:30] Assistant City Manager Audrey Seymour Ramberg: In addition to the quantitative priority ranking of responses, the city did provide an opportunity for open-ended questions for respondents to note their other priorities. Shown on screen is a sample of both some actual respondents. We've also got a big stack of them here. But this is real feedback that was received by our residents who took the time to fill it out completely and mail it into the city. Additional feedback that was included in the comments that were written in included high costs of living and housing, a theme that was addressed earlier about affordable housing, environmental sustainability, potholes and concerns along El Camino Real, the Caltrans-based section of Mountain View, and the need for Mountain View downtown revitalization, among other comments. Feedback has been so robust, as Assistant City Manager noted earlier, it is continuing to be received and we will provide opportunities for this to be ongoing. We encourage residents to visit our city webpage or email the city council or the city manager email boxes.

[04:33:38] Assistant City Manager Audrey Seymour Ramberg: Now I'd like to hand it back to Assistant City Manager Andrews.

[04:33:42] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Thank you. So one of the other elements that Council directed staff to look at was there was a conversation last time about the potential of an escalator or possibly even raising the threshold. So you'll recall the last time we met, we brought data around a $5 million threshold, and you can see from that data that there were really only eight residential properties over the last five year period and 75 commercial properties over the $5 million threshold. You can see that the eight residentials was roughly 46 million in assessed value versus 3.3 billion for the commercial properties.

[04:34:24] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So we took a look at moving between 5 million and 6 million, and what that would have meant in terms of additional capture of properties. And on the residential side, it would have included about another six. And on the commercial side, about another 15. You can see for the residentials roughly 33 million versus roughly 83 million on the commercial side. So all those transactions equated to about 115, 116 million.

[04:34:51] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So if you look at what that would mean in terms of potential revenue, it really didn't impact it that much. You can see that the 5 million, 3.3 billion in valuation equates to approximately $10 million in potential annual revenue, and when we extracted the other $6 million properties on the previous slide, that brings you to roughly 3.2 billion, which would equate to about 9.7 million in potential annual revenue. So staff in thinking about this did make a recommendation in the staff report that instead of an escalator, we do think that moving to the 6 million is prudent and provides plenty of room for future growth as opposed to having an escalator and dealing with that administratively. And I will say Deputy City Manager Thomas mentioned it, but one of the other things we've seen in the tracking poll which has consistent is folks like the idea that the threshold moved higher. And so it was also consistent with community feedback in that survey.

[04:35:54] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So the final thing that was asked of staff was to come forward with recommendations that would meet the legal requirements of placing a ballot measure. You can see here, one, we have a recommendation to submit a ballot question for the November 5th election. We have a recommendation to authorize the preparation of an argument in favor of the ballot measure and the City Attorney provided a summary of what that entails in the staff report. A recommendation to direct the City Attorney to prepare an impartial analysis pursuant to California Elections Code Section 9280, and then a recommendation to authorize the City Clerk to contract with the County of Santa Clara for services to be performed in connection with the November 5th, 2024 election and related actions. And that concludes staff's presentation and we're available for any questions.

[04:36:44] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Appreciate it. So, uh, now, do we have council questions? Because this is in a study session because it's an item we'll have council questions, then we'll have public comment, and then we'll come back for council deliberation. Vice Mayor Matichak.

[04:37:13] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thanks, um, I actually thought Councilmember Ramirez was going to ask this. But uh, are we considering doing some sort of resolution at some point saying, similar to what we did with the last revenue measure, what percent of the revenue raised would go toward different activities? And if we did that, when would we do that?

[04:37:39] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So ultimately I think that's a council decision. Staff, when we first presented, reminded the council that in 2018 an action was taken exactly like that. It was taken right around the same time that you were addressing putting the ballot measure on the ballot, for instance this evening. But because of how engaged the community has been, we want those voices to continue to be heard and we want to create more of an opportunity for that discussion to continue. And so that's why we're recommending not making a statement this evening in terms of an allocation or potential allocation, and we intend, as the conversation continues, to ultimately come back to Council as we get closer to the election depending on what Council's discretion is.

[04:38:27] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay, and if we, based upon community input, wanted to allocate some funding to something that was not listed on the ballot statement or the ballot question?

[04:38:45] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So the ballot statement does what legally is required, which reminds everybody in the community the concept of general government services. We are developing a website currently, which will go live probably in the next week, which will have a lot of factual information and it describes what's meant by a general tax, which means it can be used for any purpose and goes into the General Fund. And so ultimately council can decide to put it towards an initiative that may or may not have been directly listed in the ballot question, but the concept of general government services captures anything and everything.

[04:39:24] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Okay, thank you.

[04:39:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Hicks.

[04:39:32] Councilmember Alison Hicks: So I've read a lot of pages of staff reports and I have to apologize for this evening. Um as usual. Um, so I apologize if this was in the staff report and I'm just not remembering. Um, the, there is, we have the, you know, what are they, four recommended actions, I think, and the first one is submit a ballot question for November 5th, 2024. Um, and then there's recommended verbiage, um, which I don't want to completely rewrite, but uh, I can't remember where, but I could see depending on public comment and so forth, adding a word or changing a word, is that something that, um, I feel like I read that that was not generally recommended, but like I said, I've read so much maybe I just imagined that. And also it does say other general government services, so that might be a reason you wouldn't need to add any words, so what are your general comments on that?

[04:40:42] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Thank you for the question. So generally it is advised not to change a ballot question that had been used in surveying because the survey results are kind of what has motivated us to keep moving forward. That being said, council always has what they can do at their discretion. It's strongly advised not to change it and to just make sure that the public gets educated to know that this is a general tax, it can be used for any governmental purpose, and the funds are deposited into the General Fund.

[04:41:13] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Okay, thank you.

[04:41:18] Councilmember Pat Showalter: I have a question, too. I was wondering about the accelerator, accelerator concept. And, um, it's not in there now. But if we, if the City Council wanted to add it, say 15 years from now, how would they do that?

[04:41:37] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So technically you wouldn't be able to add it without going to a ballot initiative again, but by moving it to 6 million, we've already accounted for way more growth and inflation than you would probably ever get with an escalator within, you know, a 20, 30 year time period. I mean it's hard to say, but we captured a lot of growth by moving it another million dollars.

[04:42:00] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, but but it would require us to go back to the voters.

[04:42:04] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Right. The way the ordinance has been revised, it does allow for exemptions to, for instance lower the value, perhaps exempt things, but it doesn't provide the latitude to change the construct.

[04:42:22] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. So if there's if there's some administrative thing that proves to be difficult, we can we can change that but nothing that's substantial. That's really what that means, isn't it?

[04:42:33] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: It means the way the resolution is written, it does not have escalator language in it, the way the ordinance is written, and that would be a change of the ordinance which would require going to the voters. Yes. Okay.

[04:42:44] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. Alright. Um, I don't see any more council questions, so then it's time to open the public comment on this. So, um, if any members of the public, uh, we, we have several members of the public who would like to speak, um, one of them, I see at least, is in the, in the chambers, um, Alex Brown. And then we have, um, uh, April Webster and Bruce England, virtual. Welcome, Alex.

[04:43:14] Public Speaker: Hi, uh, I feel like I've commented on this so many times now. And I threatened to make their use all three minutes. Uh, no, okay, so, Mountain View has done a lot of things. One of the great things with the budget is we can do things like provide the neighborhood grants. That has an abundance like mentality. We have resources that we can use to help the community to do great things to make it better, and in order to keep doing that, we need to have a diverse source of revenue that gets us money to do the great things Mountain View does. So I support this. I think that we should have more resources and we should do what we can to continue being able to support the residents of Mountain View. So, thank you. Uh, I'm not gonna say it. Nice props.

[04:44:10] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Very good, so now we'll move to our virtual speakers. Um, and it turns out we have more of them. Uh, but we'll start with uh April Webster.

[04:44:22] April Webster: Thanks, it's Pixel8 speaking. Um, I wanted to say that I I wrote in about this, but I I fully support the revenue measure, um, and I'd even go as far to say that it would be great to increase, um, that $15 per thousand dollars of of assessed value even higher, 20, 25. Um, I think it's important to have another source of revenue for our city and to have the, you know, the businesses and and whatnot in our in our community to to give back and to improve the the state of our city. Um, I also wanted to say that, um, I I know currently that this is just putting it on the ballot and then we're not talking, we're not the where that money gets spent isn't being decided in this particular meeting and and not till later on if it gets passed, but I do want to put in my Dear Santa list and put in a plug for, you know, going beyond. Um, it looks like most of the the spend that has been identified would be earmarked for public safety and city staff buildings and, and, you know, safety as well. And I think a lot of that is just baseline, I think, as Bruce England pointed out earlier, we really need to think more progressively and go beyond just providing like the foundational services and the very like the baseline. And I I think we need to um consider other places for this spend and to um to really put in place, you know, the visionary policies and and plans that council have um pushed for and I I asked then when we come back to this that we earmark some of this this money later on to to fund Green Complete Streets to fund parks, biodiversity, um more um affordable housing, active transportation projects, etc. etc. And these are the types of projects that it sounds like from staff report and the outreach that we're at risk of losing funding for over the the next few years. So I think we really need to prioritize funding those, and again, um, you know, I would love to say let's put our money where our heart is and let's like walk that talk. Um, and then I also noticed and I would like to um see perhaps another su- a survey done and perhaps um when that survey is done, just to look at how we're framing the questions and how we're um uh introducing it um to avoid bias um because the way we per- you know, I'm looking at it the way it's been presented, we talk about right in the title that it's safety, uh, and and you know what we're prioritizing, that's that's direct priming of survey respondents, um, and that introduces bias. So we should be very careful of that and how we're addressed, you know, surveying people and and getting that information and doing that outreach. Thank you so much.

[04:47:22] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um, next speaker is Bruce England.

[04:47:27] Bruce England: Thank you Mayor, Bruce England, Whisman Station Drive. Um, I wrote a letter in also, and so I won't necessarily repeat that, but listening to the presentation and hearing other comments makes me think about the narrative that is missing in the survey responses because people are just responding to items in a list as opposed to what is a vision that they would like to see for Mountain View. And I don't know if everybody really appreciates the tradeoffs, that if you get one thing you lose another. You fix potholes, what are you willing to give up to have those potholes fixed? You get a state of the art public safety building, what are you willing to give up to get that public safety building? Does the public safety building need to fill the entire site? No. Does the public safety building even need to go to that location? No, but that's probably water under the bridge at this point. It's prime real estate, land within walkable bikable distance of downtown the transit center. Um, a lot can be done there. That's just one project, but having a narrative about the future of Mountain View and what is it that people want to actually see out of this city in the years to come, not just fixing potholes and patching things, but really finding that, um, forward path, really looking forward to what can be done there. Although I do support the revenue measure and I think the language for the ballot is fine. And I'm interested, um, I want to go back and listen to this again, but Mr. Andrews is talking about other opportunities um, to provide input. And, uh, I didn't think that would happen, so it's interesting that that could happen and I would like to see, um, what that's going to look like and then participate in that. But just again, bottom line is applying some sort of a future facing narrative and not just picking from a list of things that you'd like to see fixing potholes and making Mountain View safe. That's, as April said, baseline. We need to go beyond that. Thank you.

[04:49:22] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Our next speaker is Silja Palmer.

[04:49:30] Public Speaker: Hi. Uh, this is Silja Palmer. Um, uh, similar to the previous comments, um, I do believe in diversifying our revenue sources. Um, I think on principle it makes sense. I do think that the presentation on the Y, um, tying back again to previous parts of this meeting, um, when you see that we're saying that this safety building is worth five times as much as anything else. I don't know that that survey really presented that and I don't see it in the results. People didn't say it was 5 times more important. They said it was like maybe 50% more important. And so I think this survey was really kind of a skewed representation. It really reminded me of when school administrations want a certain schedule and they present it to the students and say would you like a longer lunch. And of course every student votes for a longer lunch. But that doesn't necessarily balance with the other impacts of you have to go later or you're gonna have to do more work at home things like that. So I don't think this survey is a very um, I don't know, it's an I don't think it's a very scientific way to say that people will be on board with spending five times more on a safety building than anything else in the city. Um, and I think that that needs to maybe be addressed or there could be some toxicity going forward. Um, that's just the impression I get. Thank you.

[04:51:06] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you Silja. And now we have Peter Katz.

[04:51:13] Public Speaker: Thank you Mayor. Uh, Peter Katz, CEO, Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. Uh, the chamber is grateful to the city staff for presenting to our Business Issues and Public Policy Committee, and for giving our businesses the opportunity to dig deeper and to provide feedback. As was mentioned tonight in the uh Q&A section, following the uh formal presentation, um, it's noted that the city is prepared to outline exemptions, and we're very glad to see that. For example, we encourage that there be a phase-in approach so as not to jeopardize projects that are already in process, which of course can sometimes take years, a significant tax impact might not have been included when those plans were originally submitted. We look forward to providing additional feedback on the official wording for the ballot question and to working with the city on its robust improvement agenda. Thank you.

[04:52:06] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Peiying.

[04:52:18] Peiying: Hello. Yes, I am echoing some previous public commenters. I think, um, the survey doesn't give the opportunity necessarily for community members in the public to really imagine the future and go beyond the baseline of providing, you know, general services. I really like the idea of having continued input opportunities and also just creative outreach ways to really make sure that people know exactly what the funds will be given to. So if it is 911 medical response, is it something like having more CER groups, like people who can respond within their neighborhood?

[04:52:58] Peiying: And I also think, you know, the we should have more opportunities towards active transportation, green spaces, biodiversity. I feel like a lot of the community members I've talked with, it's really never one or the other, other, even if we have this list of priorities again, it's a list, and it doesn't really give the chance for people to actually spell out what they would like to see in the City of Mountain View. So I just wanted to echo and emphasize that it'd be really great throughout um the coming months and the years that we as a public are able to have more input opportunities.

[04:53:34] Peiying: I think one additional thing about the language itself is, um, I would actually recommend still going on the 5 million threshold as opposed to the 6, um, or at least going with a higher, like 20 for 1,000 or 25 for 1,000. Um, just looking at what the staff reported back, in terms of if we are able to get higher, general higher revenues from this ballot measure, um, I would lean towards getting more money than not. Thank you very much.

[04:54:01] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. And I don't see any more speakers, um, either in the chambers or online, so that ends the public comment on this. And we'll bring it back for council deliberation.

[04:54:13] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, who, and Council deliberation and action, and note that a motion to approve the recommendation is in order. Um, I'm not seeing anybody yet, so I'm just going to, I made a couple notes of my thoughts about this, and and, um, that I I wanted to share.

[04:54:35] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, first I wanted to thank the staff for for all the work that's gone into, um, pulling this together and, and all the people who have, have filled out those surveys for us. Thank you for doing that.

[04:54:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, I think it, it is really important for us to remember the idea of a general tax. The staff has mentioned that before, um, there are a lot of reasons that, uh, we want to have a general tax. Um, one of them is that, uh, it's easier to pass. You only need to have um 50% plus one, so a simple majority of the voters to pass it.

[04:55:15] Councilmember Pat Showalter: If it's for something specific, then you need to have 66 and 2/3%, which is much more difficult to get past. But the other reason I think that is really important is that um, over time the city's needs change. And what we might need this money for could be different, so, um, this is an opportunity for, um, us to have a pot of money that the council can say, you know, now in, in the, I imagine in the fall, we'll make a resolution and we'll have a list of things that we'd like it to be put on.

[04:55:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: But there could be a council, you know, in the future, um, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years that say, oh, wait a minute. Our, our, our, uh, our values have changed a little bit, or our needs have changed, and so we'd like to use that money for something different. And they won't have to go back to the voters to do that, they'll have the flexibility to put that money to the best use. And I I think that that from a governance point of view that's that's really valuable.

[04:56:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, so um I'm looking forward this summer to hearing from a lot of residents about what they think should be in that resolution in the fall. And, um, uh, and then we'll, we'll, we'll go from there. Okay, but now I do see a number of council members who want to speak. Um, so we'll start with Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[04:56:44] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you, Mayor, and thank you to staff for, um, the and and the committee, the committee that, ad hoc committee for your hard work on this, um, item. Uh, I know we've been talking about it for quite a while now. Um, I as I've said in the past, um, I have some reservations about the type of tax that we're looking at doing, um, especially mainly because the November ballot's looking to, looking to be pretty crowded and tomorrow I will be voting on whether we put on the Regional Housing Bond measure on the ballot, and I've also heard that our local school district is looking at a parcel tax renewal.

[04:57:10] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: So um, that I do have concerns and I, you know reiterated many times my, my, my preference was for the TOT tax because I think the the issue here, the challenge is for the, the individual homeowner, it's, it's quite a bit for for them to have to burden. Um, I do appreciate staff listening to, um, us, our direct in and increasing or recommending the increase to 6 million, I think that does help and, um, you know drops it quite a few I'd say, um, single-family homeowner types, so, um hopefully that will, um, lessen any potential opposition, that that's really from a political perspective, that was my concern was that we might get opposition with this type of tax versus a TOT, but um given the polling, you know I'm I'm willing to go, go with it.

[04:57:45] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Um, so, in terms of um, what the Mayor said, yes, the General Tax, one, it's easier to pass, two, I think it gives us flexibility in terms of use. Um, I will say then and you know we've been talking about this for a while now but, um, the public safety building is a top priority, has been for me, we've been discussing it, I when was it 2004, uh 20 years, I remember talking about it in 2012, and um at that time we we looked at a design, um, and it was 60 million dollars back then and now we're looking at is it 200 million.

[04:58:05] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: So that's the real issue with, um, the public safety building or a lot of our infrastructure needs, we have a lot of needs, even City Hall is, you know, looking a little old, aged, so we're going to have to repl- look at replacing these buildings um at some point. The community center, we were able to do that, but the longer we wait the more expensive it gets, so to me, we just really should be prioritizing these infra- infrastructure needs that we don't have revenue sources for.

[04:58:25] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: And that's why that's to me a priority, but given that this is in perpetuity, um, you know, as we satisfy certain needs, we can add new needs, and also for like the public safety building I don't think we're looking at just using this solely to just fund it from this one source, it's a way for us to be able to finance a a project like that. So we, you know, probably won't be right using all of it for just the public safety building.

[04:58:35] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: So I'd believe that there will be opportunities to, uh, fund other, uh, projects and, and programs that the community brings up, so I appreciate that there will be more conversation, more input taking, um, so that we can decide what some of those other projects and programs, um, that we should be looking at for the future are. So, um, I, uh, thank you again, I appreciate all of the hard work. Um, I'm still, you know unsure of how it'll go, but um I'm ready to just give it a try and see what the res- residents and the voters say. Thank you.

[04:58:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Ramos.

[04:58:45] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Thank you, Mayor. Um, I I I I I've been hearing a lot, uh, from the community over, uh, the past weekend about, uh, the concerns of of the the revenue measure, and and I know I I heard the fear that, like, all of it will just be dumped into the public safety building, and I I understand that fear. Um, it, when we saw our um, the slide where we had our needs, that was a massive need compared to the buckets of the other needs.

[04:59:10] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, I I I we we we have made the decision to go with a new public safety building because the public safety building that we have um is not um, fulfilling our needs, um, that we will need to do for the future. Um, like the dispatch center is flooding, like, and it's not earthquake-proof. There, there are things like that that we, we need to, to take into account. And it's one of those basic things that, our city should provide that service.

[04:59:36] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, but I, one thing I do want to emphasize, um, as the mayor was mentioning that general tax does give us flexibility. And, and a big thing to also emphasize is that this conversation is not over on how we spend, spend our money. This is, we literally talk about what we spend every year when we do our budget. Um, so these conversations are not over, I I hope that people um make their opinion uh, known.

[05:00:00] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, sometimes when we do do our outreach as a city, it is um, I don't know what word to really call it, I don't want to say like, colder, but it has to be more neutral sounding, as we move forward. It doesn't give the opportunity for community to really rally around a vision, and that is, um, as we do our outreach and polling and stuff, that's, that's not quite the the government's purview, otherwise it'd be more like propaganda.

[05:00:25] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, but there's nothing I believe more than our community's ability to organize and rally behind a vision. And it's our job as the government to respond to that. And so um, we we had a number of members in public comment with, with their concerns, and I believe in their ability to organize, and and share that um, vision with their neighbors and organize more, um, because this like I said, the conversation is not done, it is um, it is a bucket of funds that we will allocate to the needs of our future, and we want you part of that conversation. We want you to rally your neighbors to push us for that vision. Uh, because we all share that vision.

[05:01:05] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, so we, and then, as there there are various pieces of funding, as um Councilmember Abe-Koga mentioned, um, they, have the big BAHFA vote tomorrow for affordable housing funds, and we're trying to puzzle our needs with our general fund, with uh, other ballot measures that will be coming along now and in the future, um, to, to really build um, a really great city, a really great community. And so um, I encourage those who, who have reached out to continue reaching out. Um, create a community pledge. Create um, and organize uh, for our vision. So thank you so much to staff on their work for this. Um, I hope we move forward on this, and I I hope it passes.

[05:02:26] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Next speaker is um, Vice Mayor Matichak.

[05:02:29] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thank you. Um, so I agree with the comments of Councilmember Abe-Koga. Um, and want to add a few things. Um, I appreciate that we are raising the threshold, uh, from 5 million to 6 million. And, um, I feel like a lot of people, um, maybe they haven't read the details, um, you know I think people need to understand that this is really not targeting residential. Um, it's not targeting homeowners, um, because most of the homes in Mountain View are under 5 million, 6 million dollars.

[05:03:00] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Um, and um, I also think a lot of people have kind of missed the wording about um, and other general government services, which is at the end of the list. Too bad it wasn't first and then listed such as. Um, because I think a lot of people are missing that. Um, but I will say that um, I have a little bit of angst over not calling out parks. Um, because I think that is something that we do need additional funding for, and I feel like I've heard loud and clear from residents that it's really important.

[05:03:35] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Um, and I also hear uh, that it's not advisable to change the um, ballot question, but you know I just I'm very tempted to uh do just that. Um, I would like to see parks included in the list. And if it was up to me, I would put in parks and take out sidewalks. Um, because I really don't hear a lot of people talking about sidewalks. Um, certainly we do about streets, um, potholes, um, affordable housing, I agree public safety building is the highest priority for me. Um, but but I feel that we should have parks in there.

[05:04:15] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: And um, I would like to see if other council members are up for including that and I know we're limited, so in terms of the number of words we can have, so I would include that instead of sidewalks. Um, but I'd love to hear from my colleagues on that one. Thanks.

[05:04:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Ramirez.

[05:04:45] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. Uh, so first up, uh, I want to clarify with staff, there, there actually is already um, a source of uh, revenue that we are committing for the Public Safety Administration Building, and can you remind us what that source is?

[05:05:00] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Correct, and uh, the Finance Director can correct me if I say anything incorrectly, but I believe one of the hotels when they were brought online, one of the agreements was that the revenues, or a large portion of those revenues, would be dedicated, I see a nod, that's good. And then I believe it's in the vicinity of about 3 million a year, 2 million a year?

[05:05:24] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Thank you Mr. Andrews, so yes, the Ameswell Hotel Council dedicated that annual funding towards the public safety building a few years ago. So that revenue that's coming in annually is already earmarked for the public safety building. So when we're talking about additional revenue, it is a smaller amount to supplement what a potential annual payment might be. So there is already a source of funding for that. Thank you.

[05:05:58] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, and I I thought it was a little bit higher, but um if I'm I'm comfortable with uh staff's recollection of the facts, but I I agree with what the City Manager just shared. We should think of it not as uh a this is not the sole source of funding for that important project, but uh a means to make up the gap.

[05:06:15] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: And I think we should think of that in the same manner that we think about some of the other needs that we've identified. We don't need $50 million for affordable housing, that's the gap for uh the uh projects that we've got in the pipeline, well the need is significantly greater, we've just leveraged our funding so effectively well that uh the gap is actually relatively small compared to the total cost of the need for affordable housing in this community. And so I think if there's anything um that our community should be um uh comforted by it's the the effectiveness of our staff in leveraging the local sources of funding that we've got.

[05:06:50] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Uh and so I'm I'm confident that we we won't see a scenario in which this funding is absorbed entirely in one project, we're gonna leverage other sources of funding effectively as we have with other services and uh um and and capital improvements that uh that we've discussed uh today even with the Capital Improvement uh Program that we adopted earlier. Um, so I I feel comforted by that and I think that's an important reminder for our community as well.

[05:07:15] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Um, I uh appreciate uh the Vice Mayor's suggestion and support it. Um, I think uh it's it's not easy to write the ballot question, um we want to try and convey to the community uh the the variety of services that we provide uh and demonstrate that we intend to use this funding um for for the priorities among those services. Um and I I'm inclined to agree that when we hear from our constituents, it's generally not about sidewalk repair, I think actually we do quite a good job in Mountain View uh in maintaining sidewalks.

[05:07:50] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Um, potholes we've struggled with a little bit more, and I think that's why we hear about them. Um, and uh an advantage of replacing the word sidewalks with parks is that parks has fewer letters than sidewalks, and so if we're very clever in how we organize the uh ballot question, we might be able to um include maybe even one other priority uh that we've heard from our community, and I think you know it's important to recognize too that um we've got a a a sizable community that has activated over this issue.

[05:08:20] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: And I think it will be seen as a gesture of goodwill by the Council to recognize that we hear them, right, and that uh we're we're working to identify a source of revenue to address that other sizable gap, right, we don't need $30 million in funding for parks, we need far more, but just as we effectively leveraged funding for other priorities, so too will we leverage local funding uh to address the the parks and open space needs of the community.

[05:08:45] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Um, so um, I would be comfortable um with uh that modification, um, and I I know we have to work carefully with our uh City Attorney to make sure that we I know there are very strict rules uh in the uh drafting of the ballot question so I I want to be mindful of that but if we can make that happen tonight I would be uh very much appreciate it.

[05:09:30] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: And if I can just make one clarification, uh it's word count, not letter count, but I appreciate you trying to accommodate us. Uh and I I know earlier I've been advised to strongly advise you not to do it, but we do have our strategy firm of Lew Edwards Group in the audience. If you'd like to hear from them, their thoughts before you contemplate making changes, I just know that I've been advised to advise you, but if you are going to consider it, perhaps you'd like to hear from them as well.

[05:10:00] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Are you advising that we hear from our consultant?

[05:10:04] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: I am, Councilmember.

[05:10:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We have the consultant in the chamber?

[05:10:15] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: They're about to be elevated to a presenter.

[05:10:18] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Ah, okay, well in the meantime, um, Councilmember Hicks has a comment, so we'll let her make her comment, and then um, uh, we'll go to the uh consultant.

[05:10:29] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Well I was going to make several comments, but I'll just to engage with that particular thing. I I do support adding the word parks. I would not be happy to take sidewalks out, and we've had several comments, several discussions tonight alone about them. Um, one was regarding the, uh, Moffett, the that it was lacking sidewalks, um, and then I think we've also seen with shifting housing element law that some of our taller buildings may not have adequate side

Segment 8

[05:15:00] Councilmember Alison Hicks: walks, we may have to in the future put money towards them. And then the third reason though is that, you know, many people talk about, many of public commentators have talked about active transportation. Now I would not recommend putting the word active transportation on there because I think people who are active in the active transportation community know what it means, but that many voters would not know what that means. To most voters what it means is is sidewalks and bike lanes. So I do agree that it's not patching sidewalks that people are really looking for, and several public commenters have said that as well. It's more like adding bike lanes and and widening and adding sidewalks. But I don't want to totally recraft it, but if if there's, so my question, recraft the verbiage. Um, my question though is if we, you know, are we really running out of words? If we add the word parks, do we have to take another word out?

[05:16:08] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: You would. The ballot language was crafted to be almost exactly 75 words which is the legal limit. And I will advise this is one of the reasons you had an ad hoc committee look at all this and deliberate this. But once again if Council wants to consider it I would just recommend that you hear from our consultants first prior to voting on any type of action.

[05:16:30] Councilmember Alison Hicks: So there's a, so if we're adding parks, when you say almost exactly, we would have to be at exactly in order to take a word, have to take a word out.

[05:16:41] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: I'm fairly certain the ballot language that was submitted is exactly 75.

[05:16:44] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Is exactly. Okay.

[05:16:47] Councilmember Pat Showalter: All right. Well with that in mind, is the consultant available?

[05:16:51] Councilmember Alison Hicks: I have the second half of my comments, but it could be after...

[05:16:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: No, since we're talking about this particular...

[05:16:56] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Is the consultant available?

[05:16:58] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Yes, Mayor, two consultants are on Zoom.

[05:17:03] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, so, um, uh, please join us.

[05:17:08] Jennifer Longley: Hello, can, can you hear me?

[05:17:10] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: And so that's Jennifer Longley with the Lew Edwards Group, and then we also...

[05:17:13] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Welcome Jennifer. Yes, we can hear you.

[05:17:15] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: ...have our survey and pollster from EMC. If you could just give a brief description of why you would make the advice you have, uh, respecting that our Council can make whatever decision they want, but if you could just provide your professional advice that'd be great.

[05:17:31] Jennifer Longley: Absolutely. Um, so obviously I know, um, Ms. Polsky Sanchez would also like to be able to speak. But I do want to flag, um, that the 75 word ballot question as tested, um, did, did test above our joint office's recommendation, um, for viability. Um, if any word is, if any word is changed, we would not then be able to stand behind our joint recommendation to move forward. Um, I would recommend to the council as you have deliberated, there will still be a discussion about the types of services that this, uh, that this measure could potentially fund. Um, and loved to hear that there's going to be an additional outreach effort on behalf of the city to receive additional feedback, but in terms of the 75 words that have already been tested, uh, we would not be able to stand behind our joint recommendation to move forward with a ballot question with a change. And while I know it may seem, uh, minor, we have seen, uh, a word of, a one to three word change swing as much as seven to ten points in an election year. Um, and as some of the council members have, uh, very astutely noted, um, this is a more challenging year. And so we would advise the city to take that into consideration before making any changes. Um, and I'd like to push this over to, uh, uh, Jessica Polsky-Sanchez from EMC Research.

[05:19:00] Jessica Polsky-Sanchez: Yeah, hi, thanks so much for letting me jump in. Uh, this is, um, as mentioned I'm Jessica Polsky-Sanchez from EMC Research. Uh, we did, um, the polling, um, to gauge the feasibility of a potential measure. Um, and so our task in doing that poll was understanding the level of support and the, and giving a recommendation as to the feasibility of passing a measure, um, as you consider putting it on the ballot. And so our understanding, um, is of course as, as you've all mentioned, that the the way the funds would be spent is something that you still can decide. But what's really important to us is that the, uh, feasibility as we discovered through the poll, um, is really based on the ballot question that we tested. And that the ballot question that we tested didn't include the word parks in the most recent poll. And so, uh, the most recent and best data that we have is that a measure is feasible, um, with the language that we tested and it didn't include parks. Now again, it does not preclude, um, you know, spending money on parks in any way shape or form, it simply means that the measure as we tested it is feasible, um, at the, uh, 50 plus one, uh, passage threshold. And so our best advice is to try and move forward with a measure that, um, is worded as closely as possible to the one that was polled.

[05:20:22] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Thank you both, we're going to go back to our Council deliberations now, but thank you for those comments.

[05:20:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Yes, I'd like to, um, uh, pass it back to Councilmember Hicks to finish her comments.

[05:20:39] Councilmember Alison Hicks: If it's 75 words, I guess the word if we were going to change it, and I'm not sure, I'll go with whatever the majority of Council wants because I'm I'm hearing the arguments against changing any words. Um, but if I were to add parks, uh I guess the word I would take out would be other, as in, instead of saying another general government services, just say and general government services. Um, but so, uh, so that's where I would lean on that. Um, and so the only other thing I was going to say is that I um want to highlight what the mayor said, that we're really in a, which was a while ago, so just remind people part of what she said was that we're really in a time of change. So I'm really glad that we, um, that we are not specifying what this goes to right now. I mean we don't know whether the, you know and and I'm glad that we are not right now committing to a spending allocation. Um, because we don't know, we don't know whether the BAAHA housing fund will, whether that measure will pass or not, that will make a big difference in terms of, you know, uh, what we have in terms of affordable housing which I know a lot of people, which is very important to, I think council and a lot of other people. Our um, you know transportation is changing a lot with both the the hybrid work and some of the dramatic changes going on with tech companies right now. Um, and then there's the impact of housing law, how that's impacting developments in um in the city and some of the things that the city will have to pay for. Um so, uh, yeah, so so I think I'm glad that this is general at this point and I'd like to hear what what other council members have to say about wording.

[05:22:36] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you. Um, yeah, I was...

[05:22:37] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Abe-Koga, is it okay if I ask a question?

[05:22:38] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you.

[05:22:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, yeah. I was wondering, especially while we have the consultants on board. Okay, so, so there's a, there's a general feeling that changing a word in the ballot measure, it hasn't been tested, we don't know how that would fly, so they're reluctant to stand behind that. That said, you know, there is a strong desire in our community to support parks. I don't think any of us would dispute that, we all love our parks and, um, it's hard to find somebody who who doesn't. Um, but, and and we need money to pay for them. But what about the idea of putting things like, putting something like parks in the argument for, uh, that's written, the argument for the ballot measure. We have, one of the other things we have to do is to authorize somebody to write an argument. So would there be any problem with putting it there? That's my question to the consultants. Or to or to um our staff.

[05:23:35] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Staff can take that question, and thank you for the question because there are other instruments as we move through this process that can be used to communicate the council's desire and the community's desire, and an argument for would be a perfect example of one of those.

[05:23:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: With that, um, Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[05:23:56] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you, Mayor. Um, so I, uh, have a little experience with this right now and, um, I actually would stand by the consultants', um, recommendations. I think the wording was tested, we have the results. Um, you might not think a word or two would make a difference, but I've actually seen how it can make a difference. And so I I appreciate what you said, Mayor. There's so many other ways to elaborate on what we intend to do with the funding. Um, it's not that we're, you know, we're not saying we're not going to fund parks, but it's really just frankly just, you know, strategic, research, data driven, this is the 75 words and it's been tested, and so, um, you know, I think it's the best guarantee we can get. Um, and I really would not want to touch that. So I am um I will support moving forward with the language as is, but certainly in our arguments, our, you know, pro arguments and our... well I'm assuming, I know there has to be a separate campaign, whoever runs that campaign, um I I would think that they will understand or will be able to relate to them the importance of parks in our community too, and hopefully um well that will be included in the messaging um in the other materials, written materials that will be produced. But I really think, very, I just feel very strongly that we should stick with the tested language. Thanks.

[05:25:38] Councilmember Pat Showalter: So, um, uh, next is uh, Councilmember Kamei.

[05:25:43] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Thanks, Mayor. Um, so I just wanted to add my comments because... is that alright? This is the portion, correct? Okay. Um, so I just want to thanks staff, I know this has been a, uh, we've been working on this the last year, the ad hoc committee for all of their hard work, the recommendations, and, you know, why we're able to be here tonight. And then obviously the community, we've been receiving robust input, and I appreciate staff engaging even more to um get that input. Um, so I just wanted to say for, for myself, um I I'm in support of staff's recommendation, uh, I support you know raising the 6 million threshold, going with the general tax. When this conversation initially started last year I think um, I was surprised at just how much um, we have on our list to, um, of projects to, to fund with without um any funding for it. Um, and then I think the second thing that surprised me was the results from, honestly the poll. Um, and but but kind of given the circumstances, I know that um, you all um heard the recommendations um, a month or two ago, and then obviously the final action tonight. What we have before us I think is the kind of the best given the situation and the climate and the economy that we're in to be able to continue to provide I think critical services and be the community for all um that our residents expect us to to provide. Um, so I understand um that people might be interested in in tweaking, but this is also our last meeting before the summer recess, and so I'm not... and I know that the ad hoc committee met tirelessly to come up with a recommendation for us tonight. And my concern is given that, um, the timeline and the and the process, I support the idea of adding arguments to the, the language and support where we may be able to add more color and um explain more fully what what, um, this is hoping to achieve, but I think in terms of tweaking the actual um ballot language I, I wouldn't be able to support as of tonight. Thank you.

[05:28:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Ramos. And perhaps it's time to start having a motion, we don't necessarily have to do all four together, we could...

[05:28:34] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Okay, um, well this was sorry, for a second round of comments, but I actually...

[05:28:39] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Oh, are you making a motion?

[05:28:40] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Go ahead.

[05:28:48] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Um, I'm actually open to adding the word parks. I'm actually really kind of curious, um, on on, on like, um, Councilmember Abe-Koga's comment on how she saw it actually like tank a measure, because I I I actually don't know any stories of that, um, but I I've never been that close to a ballot measure kind of language before. Um, I actually, um, would be open, but, like, um, instead of sidewalk, what about street, put a semicolon? Because potholes kind of imply street? Um, that I would, I would be open to, to that. I don't know if I'm barking up a wrong tree on that. Um, I, I, I don't see how adding parks could make it more vulnerable. It's hard for me to grasp that. Um, even if it doesn't go through, I I'm pretty sure most of our, our, our colleagues on council are are, are still going to push parks, but it, it, um, I am open to that if, if, if we still want to look into that. Okay.

[05:30:01] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Alright, well we have a motion on the floor, um, that, uh, Councilmember Kamei, um, made, um, and I seconded it, and now we have to... so we're gonna be discussing... you sure can.

[05:30:16] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: So I would ask, I would kind of flip that and ask the ad hoc committee why didn't you include it? So it was written by the pollster? Perhaps maybe some more information from staff on why it wasn't included and maybe what we could do given this juncture.

[05:30:45] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: If you'd like I can provide clarity on the ballot.

[05:30:48] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Thank you, that would be wonderful.

[05:30:50] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Of the final ballot question. So the ad hoc committee initially wanted to test two different revenue types, and so we had two different ballot questions that had two different buckets of things that were then equated with a single revenue type. Once that first survey was completed and the analysis was done and the pollster and consultation with the strategist saw what was resonating, then we needed to compose a single ballot language, and that ballot question was designed around the areas the community expressed a desire for in the original survey. It's not to say that the community and the council and even staff don't desire parks, I walk to Eagle Park every day, I love it. It just means that in order to have a successful ballot measure, which a lot of considerable effort has been put forward by this council, it's doing everything we can to ensure the highest probability of success.

[05:31:57] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Councilmember Kamei. So if I can elaborate a little further, um, just to build on what our assistant city manager said, we tested language that had parks in it. It did not test as well as this ballot measured language did. Now I'll, I'll speak carefully in saying this. Parks are a massive priority in Mountain View. We know we need to buy more parkland, buy more open space, build new parks. I think if you saw the last agenda, folks will see that we are really trying to make inroads especially in neighborhoods like Monta Loma and other neighborhoods that are north of Central Expressway that have less parkland. That is a commitment that this council and the city has made. Now, testing this ballot language though specifically, the ballot language proposed in front of you this evening is the language that tested at higher passage rates. The other language was really on the verge. So given potential opposition arguments, given potential other things that might happen between now and then, this is why you're hearing a very strong recommendation from our consultants and from staff to keep this. That doesn't mean that residents can't hear in the arguments for this about our support of parks. Uh, and I think there are definitely gonna be other ways to articulate that when the campaign mounts over these next few months about what the city's priorities are. It's just that that language itself tested much higher than language that included park language.

[05:33:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Vice Mayor... Vice Mayor Matichak?

[05:34:02] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: I was just gonna add one more administrative item since motions are starting to be discussed, whatever does come forward, uh, requires a 5/7 vote in order for it to move forward. Whenever you do a revenue measure it requires a greater majority. And so as you start to deliberate, and as motions come forward, it will require a 5/7th.

[05:34:26] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you for that information. Um, Vice Mayor Matichak.

[05:34:30] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Thanks. Um, so I guess, uh, I, you know, I'm still very torn about this because I do think parks are very important, but my recollection was that, um, the ballot statements or ballot questions that we tested, you know, do we really know if people were more supportive of the, um, property transfer tax or the uses of the fund versus a TOT and the uses that were listed there.

[05:35:08] City Manager Kimbra McCarthy: Thank you Councilmember Matichak. So that's a great question. Um, what we do know is that the pollsters polled on a number of priorities for the city. And staff and the ad hoc committee as you all know insisted on making sure that parks was something that was tested. And citywide the higher priorities that fared well is what is reflective in the language. So to your point, there really is not an answer for that. We don't know if it was that it was about parks or if it was about this other revenue measure. But we do know that there were higher priorities that, that tested more citywide. That doesn't mean that it's not a highest priority in certain neighborhoods, it just means that citywide. Um, and I think you know I'll also remind council and the community that this is not the only chance that the city is going to have to focus on parks. We are doing a parks and rec strategic plan right now, part of that plan is going to outline a framework for raising money and potentially really trying to get at some of these needs and priorities around parks and open space. So this isn't an either or proposition. This is putting forward a measure that we believe can be viable to our voters and have people vote for it, and also figure out how we can fund parks. And the other things that we've identified as priorities. So I don't think it has to be a you know a binary choice. I think we want to move forward with the measure that's going to get us the most success and then figure out how we're going to carve out funding parks, buying more open space, affordable housing, all these other things that were shown on the screen for the priorities. So, um, I don't think you have to put yourself in a box with this because ultimately the goal is to get this to pass. And I think if we communicate to the residents and we're hearing from a variety of residents about a variety of needs. Um, I think if we're really transparent about all the different buckets that we're trying to fulfill that that will serve us better than, um, maybe cutting off our nose to spite our face.

[05:37:40] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Yeah, I guess, um, for me, if this had said, um, street and pothole repairs and additional sidewalks, because the way it reads to me is its sidewalk repairs, and I don't think that's really what people are talking about, I think they're talking about additional sidewalks in places where we don't have them. Um, but anyway, thanks.

[05:38:11] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Yes, I agree. I think people are talking about active transportation but we don't want to put that phrase in there because it's not, it's not generally recognizable until you're really in the weeds on the subject. Um, but, um, I'm, uh, you know, I, I think if I had been on the committee and had been helping with the poll questions in any way I might have phrased them differently, but I think we are where we are now. And since it's been, um, you know, since it's, it's been tested this way, I think for me I will go with, I will support going with the way it's tested. And I really do like the mayor's suggestion that we, um, you know, make parks and frankly trees, I don't know why trees haven't come up a lot, because we hear from people about trees all the time. But make that a part of, a part of, um, a part of the, the argument, make those things a part of the argument, the ballot arguments and and raise them in other ways. But I think I'm comfortable going with the language as it is at this point.

[05:39:20] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Alright, so, um, I think that, uh, we've had a, a good discussion, and it's time to vote. And I just want to confirm that, that with Councilmember Kamei that we are voting on all four of the staff recommendations, is that correct? Thank you, that's great. Okay, so with that, um, let's vote.

[05:39:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Oh.

[05:39:50] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Can we read it? It's a resolution.

[05:39:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay. Adopt a res, um...

[05:40:01] Councilmember Ellen Kamei: Apologies, got it. Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View, one, calling for a general municipal election and ordering consolidation with the statewide general election for the purpose of submitting to the voters one ballot measure. Two, authorizing members of the council to author an argument for the ballot measure. Three, directing the city attorney to prepare an impartial analysis and four, authorizing the city clerk to contract with the county of Santa Clara for services to be performed in connection with the general municipal election to be held on Tuesday November 5th 2024 and related actions, to be read in title only, further reading waived.

[05:40:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. So with that, um, I think we can go...

[05:40:47] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: I am so sorry, Mayor. But I'm being advised by the City Clerk that part of the resolution has blank spaces for parties to be named who will do the argument, and so she would prefer that that individual or individuals be named prior to the final motion. My apologies.

[05:41:06] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, well, um, so we're left with who is going to write the argument for the ballot measure, is that the correction that that what you're talking about? That is correct Mayor. Yeah. Um, and uh do we have some members who would be interested in doing that?

[05:41:30] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, okay I see three, that's great. Um, uh, Councilmember Ramos.

[05:41:36] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Oh, I wasn't volunteering myself. I was just gonna volunteer Councilmember Ramirez.

[05:41:42] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Ah, okay. Councilmember Ramirez, um is it okay to be nominated for this task?

[05:41:49] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: I will take the ring to Mordor. Though I do not know the way.

[05:41:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: That's a yes. Good. Okay. Vice Mayor Matichak.

[05:42:00] Vice Mayor Lisa Matichak: Yes, and um I'll volunteer to work with Councilmember Ramirez on it.

[05:42:04] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you very much. Um, okay, so, does that uh fill in the blanks that we need? That's perfect, thank you Mayor. Alright. So, now, it is time to vote.

[05:42:27] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Alright, I am happy to announce that it is passed unanimously. Thank you, um, fellow council members and committee members and staff for all your hard work and consultants. Really appreciate this. And um thanks to uh Councilmember Ramirez and uh and Matichak for for agreeing to um work on the argument. We really appreciate that.

[05:42:55] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Alright. Um now we have item uh 7.2. Resolutions governing employee compensation for International Association of Firefighters, Police Officers Association, EAGLES, and Service Employees International Union, SEIU, unrepresented employees, and hourly employees. So, welcome to the dais. Um, looking for the flow.

[05:43:32] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Human um Resources Director Maxine Gulo will present the item. If you would like to speak on this item, um in person, please submit a blue card uh to the City Clerk now.

[05:49:46] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Seeing none, um, is there anyone in the audience who would like to make a comment on this?

[05:49:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: I don't see anyone, is there anybody on zoom?

[05:50:01] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Uh, Bruce England.

[05:50:11] Bruce England: Thank you Mayor, Bruce England, Wisman Station Drive. Um, I want to mention one thing that's off the topic which is, do you need to make a motion about extending the meeting past the 10 o'clock or 10:30 time? But I also want to just say that as a proud member of a family with union members in it, um, the airline workers and the carpenters union, I fully support everything the city can do to support union workers and the work they do for our city and associated with our city. Thank you.

[05:50:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um, do we have to have a motion? Do we... we were supposed to have one before we started this item, right? Uh... You could just do it now, just to make sure.

[05:50:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, so could I have a motion please to continue this meeting?

[05:50:58] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: I'll make... I'll make the motion to continue this meeting past 10 o'clock.

[05:51:03] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you, and it was seconded by uh Councilmember Abe-Koga. Um, any discussion? Seeing none, let's vote.

[05:51:22] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Alright, that passes unanimously. So we'll go back to the, uh, labor contract, uh, item. And, um, uh, I don't, we, we haven't had any council questions, we had a little bit of public comment. Thank you very much, um, Mr. England. And, so now I am bringing it back to council for deliberation. And I see that I have a motion by Councilmember, um, Margaret Abe-Koga. Would you like to read the, um, language?

[05:51:53] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Sure, thank you Mayor. Um, and before I do I just want to thank staff and, um, all of our employee groups for, um, coming to the table in good faith. And, um, this is probably one of the fastest, uh, negotiations processes that I have seen in my 16 years, and so I just wanna, um, really commend everyone, um, for all the collaboration. Uh, I think that, um, we've always had that tradition in the city and good times and bad, and, um, it it really makes a big difference. Um, unfortunately it's not that way in other places all the time, and some situations people want it to be more contentious, but I believe that collaboration and, which starts from relationship building and trust building, is really the best way to move forward, and I'm just very proud of our organization, and so I just want to say thank you to everyone. And with that, I will read the, uh, res, the motion. I'd like to make a motion to 1. Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Amend the Memorandum of Understanding between the International Association of Firefighters, Local 1965, and the City for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. And Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Amend the Memorandum of Understanding between the Mountain View Police Officers’ Association and the City for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. And Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Modify Compensation for Unrepresented Confidential Employees, Fire Managers, Police Managers, Department Heads, and Council Appointees for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. And Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Modify Compensation for Hourly Employees for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Hourly Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. And Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Amend the Memorandum of Understanding between the EAGLES and the City of Mountain View for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. And Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View Authorizing the City Manager or Designee to Amend the Memorandum of Understanding between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 521, and the City of Mountain View for the Period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and Revise the City’s Salary Plan to Reflect These Compensation Changes, to be read in title only, further reading waived. Thank you.

[05:55:39] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, and um Councilmember Ramirez has seconded. Um, so we have a motion on the floor to discuss. Is there any discussion of this motion?

[05:55:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Seeing none, um, we can call for the question.

[05:56:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: I am delighted to announce that it passes unanimously. Congratulations to everyone. Okay, with that we move to item eight, everyone's favorite, council, staff, committee reports. Um, who would like to go first?

[05:56:26] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Uh, Councilmember Ramos.

[05:56:28] Councilmember Emily Ann Ramos: Thank you Mayor. Um, I just wanted to report out that I went to the ABAG General Assembly as the Mountain View rep. Um, we voted on a budget, apparently we only meet once a year. Um, and so it was, it was uh, no, no big surprises. Um, and got to meet a lot of uh, different council members from all across the the nine county Bay Area. So thank you.

[05:56:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Right. Um, anybody else? I, I have a list. Um, on uh June 12th I went to Sacramento for the National League of Cities Summer Meeting to take part in the um EENR, um, uh, meeting. There's just a tremendous amount of interest in PFAS across, and PFAS um, regulations across the uh, the country, particularly in liability issues associated with it. I don't think that's a very big issue in our community at the moment because we don't have it in our water supply, um at least that's my understanding, so, um, that uh, that, that's it's, it's a good problem not to have. Um we also got to hear a presentation from SMUD, um, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District about um their work to make their energy as clean as possible. Their goal is only um, currently 50% uh clean, and then they make up the other 50% uh with carbon offsets. And that brings me to the topic for the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Board which I attended from my hotel room because I wasn't able to get back in time um, to attend it in person. And um, the main item of interest I think in that is that uh, Silicon Valley Clean Energy is not going to be able to um provide 100% um clean energy um this year and probably for a couple more years. I remember I sent all of you a um, a message about that. Um, but basically what has happened is that uh, with the CCA movement, the Community Choice Aggregation movement, it's not just Silicon Valley Clean Energy, it's all over the state, and so the um, the although the supply of clean energy has increased, it hasn't increased enough for us to still be able to buy um, 100%. So we're going to be about 15% shy this year it looks like. We're going to keep looking. But this should be a temporary problem because there are a number of um, of power uh generation uh projects that should come online in the next few years that we, that we have contracts with because we've invested in that will, will solve the problem. So anyway, I would be I I did send you all a a little message that I I wrote up for Carbon Free Mountain View and I would be glad to talk to you, any of you about this. Um, then uh June 13th we had another um neighborhood meeting in the San Antonio um area, we had it in the Redwood Room.

Segment 9

[06:00:00] Councilmember Pat Showalter: worked really well at the community center. Uh, thanks to, um, community member, council members Ramos and Ramirez for taking part and, um, for all of the, uh, um, staff that, that did. If I remember correctly, um, Chief Canfield won the prize again for answering the most questions. Um, but, uh, he, there were some people that were, that were very close behind him. Anyway, um, on the 15th, I joined many other, uh, mayors at, local mayors at the Juneteenth celebration in downtown San Jose. And that was, um, great fun and a, uh, a really good networking event. But they had, um, they, they had the Juneteenth festival, what event was literally a festival of, um, of crafts and, um, uh, really, um, just fascinating, um, uh, local artisans that were sharing their wares. Then on June 16th, the Vice Mayor and I went to the Stanford commencement. Thank you very much for driving. That made it a lot less stressful for me. And I have to say, um, that is just really great fun. And it's also super high-level networking. So I recommend that whoever is mayor and vice mayor in the next few years make sure that you go, um, and take part in it. They, they actually rent your, um, academic regalia for you so you get to wear, um, I got to wear my, you know, my, um, my Berkeley engineer's, uh, uh, cape and it was, and you got to wear your, um, you see it, UCLA MBA cape. I mean, we were, we were just really representing the city strongly. It was great. Um, so, uh, that, I think that was very good.

[06:01:57] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, then on June 18th, I made a presentation to Rotary, um, and was assisted, um, by Arn Andrews, who talked about the property transfer tax and the budget. So that was good. Um, uh, and then on the 20th, there was a BCDC meeting that was primarily devoted to sediment policy change efforts. Those are some things that I've been working on for quite a few years now. And they are related to making sure that we have adequate supplies of materials all around the Bay Area, not just in Mountain View, to do the restoration work that we need to do. Um, we need to change some of the policies that BCDC has had over the years about the use of, um, of dredged sediments. And, um, we need to make, uh, them more available for beneficial uses. So, we're making progress on that.

[06:02:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, then I also got, that day I attended the award ceremony for Google to receive the corporate pollinator of the year award from the Pollinator Protection Network. And, um, they apparently, they have put together over 20 acres of, um, uh, monarch butterfly pollinator gardens at their, um, at their, on their campuses. And over 700 acres of pollinator gardens just, that weren't monarch butterflies, um, around. So that's why they were recognized. Um, I went along on the, um, the city's summer solstice bike ride and I'd like to thank our staff, um, Brandon White and Raymond Wong for, um, uh, helping with that. And, uh, Raymond and Dave Halsing and I and, um, uh, Elaine McLoughlin all talked a little bit about sea level rise protection programs that were going on that people were going to be able to see the locations of when they took their bike ride.

[06:03:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, just a couple more things, honestly. Uh, um, I had, I have monthly office hours on the fourth Saturday of the month called Chat with Pat. Um, and this one was devoted to talking to people about the decision of, um, Silicon Valley Clean Energy about the, uh, temporary reduction in the clean energy target. Um, so, uh, I was really pleased that council member Sally Meadows, um, from Los Altos joined me. She's also a director on, um, SVCE, so it was, it was nice to, you know, have her to help. Uh, and the, it was a really good conversation. People had some great suggestions of how we might move forward. And then, um, lastly, I'd just like to report on the artisan fair that was held at The Village at San Antonio this weekend. Um, there were about 20, um, creative, uh, artisans there. But there were, there was really a dearth of buyers. So, um, I, I hope if this, this actually is a good location for it. There's a sort of a grassy area, um, by the dog park. I think most of us know where the dog park is because it's really cute, but anyway, there's this grassy area by there and, um, between, um, sort of Pacific Catch and Mendocino Farms. And, um, it was set up with maybe 20 tents and I hope we'll have some more of these in the future, but we need to go to it because they were kind of lonely. So, um, so that's my report for the moment. And has anybody else have one? No? Okay.

[06:05:38] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, so then, then that brings us to, um, uh, item nine, our closed session report. City Attorney Logue, do you have a closed session report?

[06:05:47] City Attorney Jennifer Logue: There was no reportable action taken in closed session this evening.

[06:05:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you very much, and thank you for staying up this late to talk to us. Um, alright, well with that, um, I bring, that brings us to item 10, which is adjournment. So tonight, we are adjourning the meeting in honor of former City Manager John O'Halloran, who had provided special service to our city organization and community. We recently learned of his passing and our thoughts are with his family. Thank you so much for joining us. The council will head into summer recess, so our next city council meeting will be held August 27th, 2024. This meeting is adjourned at 11:04. Thanks, and happy summer, everyone.

Consent Calendar

[01:55:16] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Good evening everybody. Thank you so much for joining us for the June 25th council meeting. This is the Shoreline Regional Park Community and the City of Mountain View Capital Improvement Financing Authority meeting, as well as a City Council meeting. We will start this evening with the Pledge of Allegiance. Please join me.

[01:55:43] Councilmember Pat Showalter: 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.

[01:56:05] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, roll call.

[01:56:07] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Abe-Koga?

[01:56:08] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Here.

[01:56:09] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Hicks?

[01:56:10] Councilmember Alison Hicks: Here.

[01:56:11] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Ramirez?

[01:56:12] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Here.

[01:56:12] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Councilmember Ramos?

[01:56:13] Councilmember Emily Ramos: Here.

[01:56:14] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Vice Mayor Matichak?

[01:56:14] Vice Mayor Matichak: Here.

[01:56:15] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Mayor Showalter?

[01:56:15] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Here.

[01:56:16] City Clerk Heather Glaser: You have a quorum with Councilmember Kamei absent.

[01:56:18] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. She'll be joining us shortly. Um, now we move on to item 4, which is the Consent Calendar. These items will be approved by one motion unless any member of the council wishes to pull an item for individual consideration. If an item is pulled from the Consent Calendar, it will be considered separately following approval of the balance of the Consent Calendar. If you would like to speak on these items or the next item, which is oral communications on non-agenda items, um, please submit a blue speaker card, uh, to the City Clerk now. And, um... I would also just like to share that because this is the last meeting before the summer recess, we have a really long consent calendar. There are a mere 26 items on it. So, um, there will be probably quite a bit of discussion about that, not necessarily pulling, but quite a bit of discussion. But I do have two council members who, three council members who have their lights on. So, um, I will call on, uh, Councilmember Ramirez first.

[01:58:30] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to pull items 4.21 and 4.26.

[01:58:41] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember... I mean Vice Mayor Matichak.

[01:58:44] Vice Mayor Matichak: Thank you. Um, I don't want to pull any items, but I do have a comment, and, um, I also want to register a no vote. Do you want me to do all that now, or should I wait?

[01:58:53] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Go ahead.

[01:58:54] Vice Mayor Matichak: Okay, on item, uh, 4.1, um, I just want folks to note that, um, there was a supplemental memo, uh, that was posted online because, um, a paragraph was missing, uh, from the minutes from May 28th, 2024. So I know folks don't always look for other things, but if you're looking at those minutes, be sure to look at the supplemental memo that was posted. And then, um, on item 4.20, let me see, sorry, 4. uh, 24, um, I would like to register a no vote on that one, and that is the R3 update. And, um, I didn't support the revised scope when the council discussed this, and so, um, I don't support the revision to the contract with the consultant that is going to do that work. So that's a no vote on 4.24. Thank you.

[01:59:52] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um, now Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[01:59:55] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I didn't want to pull an item. I just wanted to make some brief comments.

[02:00:01] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Great, go ahead.

[02:00:03] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: All right, if I do that now. Okay, great, thank you. So, um, in particular, item 4.6 is the Elevate Mountain View, uh, grant that was received, and I just wanted to, um, say thank you to staff for continuing to pursue grant opportunities as was originally intended with this program. Um, I, I appreciate... I'm excited that, um, there's been interest from outside groups, and the hope was that this would be, you know, not just by the city but really, um, a community partnership effort. So I just want to, uh, acknowledge that and and thank staff for continuing to be persistent in pursuing grant opportunities. And then just in general, um, also a thank you on the 4., I think it's 4.2... it is about the, um, the reach codes. And and we've had extensive convers- discussion about that at our sustainability committee. 4.21, um, I and again I appreciate staff for coming back with some options, uh, very quickly. Thank you.

[02:01:13] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, Councilmember Hicks.

[02:01:16] Councilmember Alison Hicks: And also I wanted to, um, just mention that 4.16, which is our agreement, our, uh, scope of work with the consulting firm to, uh, work on sustainability in the future. That I believe, tell me if I'm wrong, has been pulled for, um, future discussions, so that people if they want to engage with that can come to the Council Sustainability, uh, Committee meeting, um, in the fall and talk about it at greater length. And then I believe it will be brought back to Council. So if you see that on your agenda and it's it's not there anymore. Thank you.

[02:01:58] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Okay, and I have a whole laundry list of ones I would like to, um, uh, say something about. First one is 4.4, that's the declaration of a shelter crisis. And what that enables us to do is to continue with our safe parking program. So I would really like to thank, um, the county, particularly Supervisor Joe Simitian, for letting us use their waiver from the state. And, um, I look forward to this, you know, valuable, uh, program continuing in our community.

[02:02:30] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, next is, uh, 4.5. Um, that is the, uh, Miramonte, um, uh, road improvements. And I just wanted to, um, to comment on that and thank staff for the really comprehensive, um, view that they have taken to develop this. There is a section of Cuesta and Hans, um, where we're going to have a two-way bike lane on the Graham side of the road. And, um, that is something new in our community. So I hope as we put that forward and we put that, um, in place and it starts being used, there will be some extra education with the neighbors about how to, um, work around, uh, the, um, that two-way bike lane. So I think there'll need to be some driver adjustment.

[02:03:37] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, then, uh, 4.7, undergrounding of the utilities at the on Terra Bella in front of an affordable housing project that's being built. Um, it turns out it's a little more expensive, as many things are, than we first thought, but, um, it's still the right thing to do. And, um, I'm glad that we're doing it now. It will only get more expensive if we put it off.

[02:04:02] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, 4.12, the GHG, um, the greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Um, we started about four or five years ago monitoring our emission- our emissions on an annual basis, and I want to thank staff for, um, for that, and I want to bring it to everybody's attention. It's one of those things that things that get monitored, um, get looked after and get taken care of. So in terms of us meeting our sustainability goals over time, having this extra information every year, um, really helps us all to do a much better job. So, um, if you're interested in GHG emissions, take a look at this. It's, it's, it's fascinating.

[02:04:48] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, 4.13 is the right-of-way acquisition for Rengstorff grade separation. Um, again, this is a very important, um, project for our community, and there are lots of pieces to it. And you can't start building it until you have all the right-of-way. What right-of-way means is that's the land you need to put it on. So we need to make sure that we have all the land that is required to do this project under our control, so that as soon as we get the money together, which we are working diligently to do, we'll be able to get started on it. So, um, it's a very and the, and the local, um, uh, owner, uh, always has to take care of the right-of-way acquisition in big public works projects. So it's a very important thing for the city to get going on.

[02:06:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And then, um, this is one that Councilmember Ramirez pulled, so I will let him talk to that. Uh, this is the building reach code update.

[02:06:19] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And then, um, the other one is the 4.25, the Shoreline Boulevard reversible bus lane. This was a major project that, um, seemed like it was something we needed very badly before COVID. But during COVID, um, our traffic volumes have declined a lot, especially in this area. So we no longer feel that we need this project right now. So this is about taking it out of, um, what we're planning to do in the near future because we don't need it right now. And I think that that's just, um, I want to bring that to your attention because I think everybody needs to know that sometimes we try to move forward with things more quickly. Sometimes we re- we realize that something we thought we needed in the past, we don't need anymore, and so we adjust that too. And this is a, um, this is an example of that. So those are the comments I had, and with that I'm going to pass it on to, um, oh, pass it on to Councilmember Ram- Ramirez.

[02:07:50] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, so do I have a motion for the, um, remainder of the consent calendar?

[02:07:59] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Mayor, do you want to take public comment first?

[02:08:02] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We had a long study session, uh, before this, and it, it, uh, kind of got our minds off of the standard flow. So yes, of course we do. Do we have anybody who would like to speak on the consent calendar?

[02:08:19] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Okay, please come forward.

[02:08:23] Councilmember Pat Showalter: No?

[02:08:28] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We have... We have one person on Zoom. Is that correct, Clerk?

[02:08:39] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Um, okay, Pixel 8.

7.1

[04:20:29] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Welcome back everybody. Um, now we're on to item 7, new business. And item 7.1 is call a municipal election for November 5th, 2024, and place a ballot measure amending real property conveyance tax. Uh, Spanish translation services are available for this item, and we will now hear from our interpreter.

[04:20:56] Interpreter: Buenas noches. Si necesita interpretación al español, oprima el botón que diga interpretación en Zoom y seleccione el idioma adecuado para escuchar la reunión en ese idioma. Gracias.

[04:21:10] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Thank you. Um, Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews and Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas will present the item. If you would like to speak on this item in person, please submit a blue speaker card to the City Clerk now. Staff, thank you. Thanks for joining us. Go ahead.

[04:21:29] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Good evening, Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Council. Tonight's discussion is a culmination of Council deliberations over the course of months and extensive community engagement which Deputy City Manager Thomas will go into a little further in our presentation.

[04:21:46] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: But I thought for members who might be joining us tonight for the first time and may not understand how we got to where we are tonight, I'd like to provide a little context of why we've been having this discussion and why we're going to conclude the discussion this evening.

[04:22:01] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So one of the things about Mountain View that makes it special is decades of strong fiscal stewardship, which has enabled this city and our community to reap the benefits of exceptional city services, infrastructure, and facilities. We've been able to do that for a pretty long period of time just through the normal budget process, but going forward into the future,

[04:22:27] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Our city is going to continue to have ongoing maintenance and improvement needs just for the infrastructure we currently have, but then Mountain View is also going to continue to be a visionary and an innovator and want to develop new programs as we look at what a Mountain View of tomorrow might look like, and that's actually going to require additional revenues and identifying additional revenues.

[04:22:51] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: We talk often about some of the things we'd like to accomplish in Mountain View, and this is just a small illustration. But for instance, if we talk about some of the transit improvements we'd like to do for bike and ped safety, we've talked about the grade crossing projects and other active transportation projects.

[04:23:10] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: We've had a little bit of a discussion tonight about affordable housing, and currently just the existing pipeline which is extensive has about a $50 million gap. Mountain View continues to want to be an innovator when it comes to parks and open space. We have a current policy of trying to achieve three acres per thousand residents, and that's just going to continue to require more funding in the future.

[04:23:33] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: We are also an innovator when it comes to climate change and mitigation, but some of the things we'd like to accomplish there are also going to require additional revenues. And then as I mentioned, like every municipality, we have aging infrastructure and facilities. We've talked about a police building as one example, and we know we have two firehouses over the age of 50.

[04:23:53] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So all combined, any one of these is going to require new revenues. Trying to accomplish all of them is going to require significant new revenues.

[04:24:03] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: And you'll notice in the staff report importantly we actually have a staff recommendation not to actually identify an allocation strategy yet if this ballot measure is successful,

[04:24:13] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: partly because Deputy City Manager Thomas is going to go into just how pleasantly surprised we've been with the extensive engagement the community has brought forward, and we would like that conversation to continue as the community and ourselves continue to talk about some of these very important initiatives going forward.

[04:25:03] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: So at our last meeting, Council gave direction to staff to do three things: continue community and stakeholder outreach regarding potential service needs and recommended actions, recommendation to explore additional revenue projections, and then final recommended actions to move forward towards November.

[04:25:23] Assistant City Manager Arn Andrews: Deputy City Manager Thomas is now going to talk about some of the engagement that we've been very encouraged by, and I'll just go ahead and hold up part of what she will discuss, which is literally mail-ins, which we were surprised how many mail-ins we got, but she'll go into more detail about that.

[04:25:41] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Great, thank you so much. Thank you, Good evening, Mayor and City Council members. Since the May 14th Council meeting, staff developed and implemented a broad outreach plan on a very expedited timeline.

[04:25:53] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: The project team and the communications division developed a comprehensive communications and outreach plan including multilingual resources in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Russian for the community to learn more and offer their feedback.

[04:26:08] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Shown on screen are highlights of the communications, outreach, and engagement, including some high points. We developed a webpage, mountainview.gov/jointheconversation, which included community feedback options as well as FAQs.

[04:26:22] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: A mailer to nearly 24,000 registered voter households with a tear-off card to easily provide feedback, as highlighted by Assistant City Manager Andrews just now.

[04:26:34] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Information was also included in the city's newsletter to nearly 42,000 residents and businesses in Mountain View. An e-newsletter that's very popular with thousands was also utilized, and information was provided on all of the city communication channels including high levels of social media engagement.

[04:26:53] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: City leadership, including a number of department heads, also actively met with a cross section of community members, groups, and business leaders, up to the publishing of this Council agenda item for the meeting.

[04:27:07] Deputy City Manager Kimberly Thomas: Feedback does in fact continue, and you'll note that by the feedback that was included with your Council correspondence this evening. A follow-up voter survey was also conducted. The first survey...

Gap between 'Segment 8' and 'Segment 8'

[05:43:51] Jennifer Lopez: Good evening, Mayor Showalter, Vice Mayor Kamei and Council. Tonight I'm here to provide an overview of the labor negotiations process, employee compensation, and salary plans. As you know, the city is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and transparency. Based on that, I'm happy to report that through this labor negotiations process, we've actively fostered a culture of collaboration and mutual respect between our labor groups and management.

[05:44:22] Jennifer Lopez: I believe this ties into why the city is able to attract top talent and maintain a dynamic and innovative workforce that is capable of meeting the diverse needs of our community. In addition, the city understands the importance of work-life balance and prioritized initiatives outside of labor negotiations that support our employees during significant life events.

[05:44:45] Jennifer Lopez: For example, the city offers a comprehensive paid parental leave program, allowing employees to focus on their families. Also, the city believes in investing in our employees' well-being is paramount. That's why the city established wellness funds providing valuable resources for health and happiness across all departments. In essence, these combined efforts translate into valued employees enhancing our community.

[05:45:15] Jennifer Lopez: Based on that, I'll give you an overview of the provisions that shaped our labor negotiations process. First, it's important to understand that contracts haven't been fully negotiated since 2017. This means interests and priorities varied across labor groups, although there are some overall themes for everybody.

[05:45:37] Jennifer Lopez: The negotiations process generally addressed three broad themes. The first one was supporting financial wellness for employees and the city. This theme focuses on ensuring our employees can maintain a strong financial footing. The wage increases keep pace with CPI and reflect current labor market trends.

[05:45:59] Jennifer Lopez: Additionally, there are some targeted equity adjustments for specific positions in safety groups and one in SEIU. Finally, we increase flat rate pay structures that haven't seen increases in several contract cycles. In addition to wage adjustments, the city is promoting retirement savings through auto-enrollment into deferred compensation accounts.

[05:46:24] Jennifer Lopez: The second theme was supporting work-life balance. Recognizing the importance of time away from work, you will see additional time across the employee groups seen as new holidays and one-time leave banks. The third theme was maintaining a competitive benefits package. This theme addressed specific benefits that different groups prioritized, from an enhanced dental plan to city contributions to deferred compensation.

[05:46:53] Jennifer Lopez: Overall, these agreements aim to address the diverse needs of each labor group. Here's some key provisions for all the groups. The agreements cover a three-year period from July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2027. The cost of living adjustments, COLAs, all employee groups will receive the same COLA increases, 4% in the first year, followed by 3% in the second and third years.

[05:47:25] Jennifer Lopez: We're also very pleased to add two new paid holidays, Cesar Chavez Day and Juneteenth. Retirement savings. To further support financial wellness, the city will contribute 2500 annually to deferred compensation accounts excluding POA members.

[05:47:43] Jennifer Lopez: Bilingual pay increase. In recognition of the diversity of our community and our commitment to DEI, this allows us to better serve our residents by enhancing communication and fostering a more inclusive environment for all.

[05:48:00] Jennifer Lopez: Other key provisions specific to each bargaining group include market equity adjustments for IAFF and sworn POA, market equity adjustment for the street maintenance worker 3 in SEIU, enhancements to career development programs for several of our groups, also increasing allowances for boots, tools, and uniforms for SEIU. Retiree medical defined benefit tiered vesting schedule for miscellaneous unrepresented employees.

[05:48:34] Jennifer Lopez: You will find detailed provisions in the staff report that provide a comprehensive breakdown of the provisions for each bargaining group. In summary, staff's recommendation is for you to approve the resolutions for IAFF employees, POA employees, unrepresented employees, hourly employees, EAGLES employees, and SEIU employees.

[05:49:12] Councilmember Pat Showalter: So does that conclude your presentation?

[05:49:14] Jennifer Lopez: Yes, that concludes the presentation.

Gap between 'Consent Calendar' and 'Segment 4'

[02:08:49] Councilmember Pat Showalter: road improvements. And I just wanted to um, to comment on that and thank staff for the really comprehensive um, view that they have taken to develop this. There is a a section of Cuesta and Hans, um, where we're going to have a two-way bike lane on the Graham side of the road. And um, that is something new in our community. So I hope as we put that forward and we put that in um, in uh to we put that uh in place and it starts being used, there will be some extra education with the neighbors about how to um, work around uh the um that two-way bike lane. So I think they'll need to be some driver adjustment.

[02:09:43] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, then uh 4.7 undergrounding of the utilities at the on Terra Bella in front of an affordable housing project that's being built. Um, it turns out it's a little more expensive as many things are than we first thought, but um it's still the right thing to do and um I'm glad that we're doing it now. It will only get more expensive if we put it off.

[02:10:08] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um, 4.12, the GHG um the greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Um, we started about four or five years ago monitoring our admission our emissions on an annual basis. And I want to thank staff for um for that and I want to bring it to everybody's attention. It's one of those things that things that get monitored um get looked after and get taken care of. So in terms of us meeting our sustainability goals over time, having this extra information every year um really helps us all to do a much better job. So um if you're interested in GHG emissions, take a look at this. It's it's it's fascinating.

[02:10:54] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Um 4.13 is the right of way acquisition for Rengstorff grade separation. Um again this is a very important um project for our community and there are lots of pieces to it and you can't start building it until you have all the right of way. What right of way means is that's the land you need to put it on. So we need to make sure that we have all the land that is required to do this project under our control. So we as soon as we get the money together, which we're working diligently to do, we'll be able to get started on it.

[02:11:30] Councilmember Pat Showalter: So um it's a very and the and the local um uh owner uh always has to take care of the right of way acquisition in um in big public works projects. So it's a very important thing for the city to get going on. The Moffett Boulevard complete streets um we had a really uh detailed email from one of the residents who obviously uh rides this area all the time and um so a question was asked in our council questions about whether we could improve a particular gap in the sidewalk. And it turns out that there are technical reasons why we can't do it at this point, but we will be investigating how to um correct that in the future.

[02:12:15] Councilmember Pat Showalter: And then um this is one that Councilmember Ramirez pulled. So I will let him talk to that. Uh this is the building reach code update. And then um the other one is the 4.25 the Shoreline Boulevard reversible bus lane. This was a major project that um seemed like it was something we needed very badly before COVID.

[02:12:40] Councilmember Pat Showalter: But during COVID um our traffic volumes have declined a lot, especially in this area. So we no longer feel that we need this project right now. So this is about taking it out of um what we're planning to do in the near future because we don't need it right now. And I think that that's just um I want to bring that to your attention because I think everybody needs to know that sometimes we try and move forward with things more quickly, sometimes we re we realize that something we thought we needed in the past we don't need anymore. And so we adjust that too and this is a um this is a an example of that. So those are the comments I had and with that I am going to pass it on to um oh pass it on to Councilmember Ramirez.

[02:13:28] Councilmember Lucas Ramirez: Should we do public comment and then move the balance of the consent calendar first?

[02:13:33] Councilmember Pat Showalter: We can do that. Do we have...

[02:13:35] City Clerk Heather Glaser: Margaret has a...

[02:13:36] Councilmember Pat Showalter: Councilmember Abe-Koga.

[02:13:39] Councilmember Margaret Abe-Koga: Thank you Mayor. I'm sorry I forgot to mention too earlier, um I would like to register a no vote on item 4.24. Um I I think that we should stay within the original budget on that item. Thank you.

[02:14:54] April Webster: Hi, it's April Webster. I'm not sure if this is the right time to comment, but I wanted to comment generally on all of the active transportation projects that are on the agenda for today. And I just wanted to remind Council about the priority to um think about green complete streets and using green infrastructure for all the myriad of reasons we've talked about and in terms of how it benefits our community.

[02:15:21] April Webster: Um but additionally I wanted to point out it will help us meet our MRP 3.0 um numeric target of uh converting 5 acres of impervious uh surface to pervious uh surface by 2027. And I really think it would be a much better choice to consider some form of green infrastructure, even if it's dirt, even if it's grass, that's still better than having pavement. Um and looking at that in these projects.

[02:15:50] April Webster: Um because you know, it's much better than um instead trying, you know, um doing an offset or something else because it also would meet all these other goals we've talked about in terms of biodiversity and improving the health of people in our communities, cooling the city, et cetera. So um just wanted to put that reminder out there and thank you very much. I appreciate everything the Council and staff has done when it comes to prioritizing climate resiliency and biodiversity and green complete streets. Thank you.

• ← Previous
• Next →