ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
1 REGULAR MEETING: 7:00 PM
1. CALL TO O
RDER / LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Council Member Miki read the Albany Land Acknowledgement Statement as adopted by the City Council per City of Albany Minute Action, November 15, 2021.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Council Members Jordan (arrived at 7:03 PM), López and Miki, Vice Mayor Hansen-Romero, Mayor McQuaid
Absent: None
3. REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION, IF ANY
4. CEREMONIAL MATTERS
5. CITY MANAGER REPORT
City Manager Nicole Almaguer reported the Albany Fire Department (AFD) received $250,000 for a training consortium. A paratransit workshop is scheduled for February 20, 2026. Coffee With a Cop will be held on February 26, 2026. The Recreation and Community Services Department will host a Kids and Family Expo on February 28, 2026.
Friends of Albany Seniors and AFD will hold a pancake breakfast on February 21, 2026.
The City Satisfaction Survey remains open and may be found at albanyca.gov/city - satisfaction-survey-2026. Information about the Bay Area Air District’s grants to install electric heat pumps is available at baaqmd.gov.
6. GOOD OF THE CITY / PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor McQuaid opened the Good of the City.
A summary of public comment is as follows: requests to extend the notification area for development projects, the Community Center to be a resilience hub, remove the penalty for com mingling trash in the garbage bins; and an inquiry regarding advisory body meetings.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
7-1. Minutes – February 2, 2026
Staff Recommendation: Approve
7-2. Ratification of Payroll – Date Paid 2/6/2026: Net Amount $468,247.79, Taxes/Benefits/Deductions $534,925.91, Total Payroll $1,003,173.70 Staff Recommendation: Ratify
Date approved: March 3, 2026•
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ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
2 7-3. Ratification of Bills, Claims and Demands - Ratification of bills, claims and demands against the City of Albany in the amount of $150,991.90 (1/30/2026), $241,651.27 (2/6/2026)
Staff Recommendation: Ratify
7-4. Investment Transactions
Staff Recommendation: That the Council receive the investment transactions for the month of January 2026
7-5. Advisory Body Appointment – Jennifer Logan appointed by Mayor McQuaid to the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Commission
Staff Recommendation: Information item
7-6. City Council Procedures & Policies Update
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution No. 2026-06, approving the updated City Council Procedures & Policies
7-7. Authorization for Professional Services Contract with Parametrix, Inc. for Jackson Street Bikeway Design (CIP No. 25015)
Staff Recommendation: That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2026- 07, authorizing the City Manager to execute Contract No. C26-08 with Parametrix, Inc. for detailed design services in the amount of $173,444, using funds previously appropriated for the Jackson Street Bikeway (CIP No. 25015)
7-8. It’s Electric License Agreement
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution No. 2026- 08, authorizing the City Manager to enter into a license agreement with It ’s Electric, Inc. to allow the installation of electric vehicle charging stations in the public right- of-way
Mayor McQuaid asked if anyone wishe d to remove items from the consent calendar.
Council Member Miki removed Item 7-8.
Item 7-8: Council Member Miki encouraged the installation of charging stations around Memorial Park and El Cerrito Plaza.
A summary of public comment is as follows: inquiry on the cost to charge at the stations; support for the project.
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ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
3 MOTION:
Moved by Council Member Miki, seconded by Council Member Jordan, to approve the consent calendar.
AYES: Council Members Jordan, López and Miki, Vice Mayor Hansen- Romero, Mayor McQuaid
NOES: None
Motion carried and so ordered.
8. PRESENTATION
8-1. Fiscal Year 2025/26 Midyear Budget Review
Staff Recommendation: That the Council receive a presentation on the Midyear FY 2025/26 Budget. No midyear budget changes are recommended
Finance Director Reina Schwartz presented the staff report. Expenses total approximately 58% of budgeted amounts, and revenues total approximately 46% of budgeted amounts.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 ended with a $2.1 million deficit due to corrections to cash and equity entries, particularly payroll liabilities. Overall, staff believes the City will meet the balanced budget as adopted. City investments are doing well and comply with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria.
Staff anticipates revenues from property tax, licenses, and permits will exceed budgeted amounts, revenues from franchise, sugar-sweetened beverage, and other taxes will meet budgeted amounts, and revenues from sales taxes will fall short of the budgeted amount.
A decrease in the transfers-in category will be offset by a decrease in expenses for Public Works projects.
In the expense categories, salaries and benefits total 61% of the budgeted amount, primarily because of pension Unfunded Accrued Liability (UAL) and the retirement of long- term personnel.
A summary of public comment is as follows: an inquiry regarding the cost of 16 and 17 year-olds voting in municipal elections.
Finance Director Schwartz indicated the cost for 16 and 17 year olds to vote is not known at this time and this has not been implemented.
8-2. Sewer System Management Plan Update
Staff Recommendation: That the Council adopt Resolution No. 2026-09, approving the 2026 Sewer System Management Plan
CIP Program Manager Allison Carrillo and Associate Engineer James Cirelli presented the staff report. The State Water Resources Control Board adopted Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) for Sanitary Sewer Systems in an effort to reduce •
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ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
4 sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The WDR requires the City to adopt a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) and to update the SSMP every six years. Staff has prepared a SSMP update for the Council’s consideration.
In 2014, the United States District Court entered a Consent Decree that requires the City and other agencies to perform specified annual amounts of sewer rehabilitation, inspection, and cleaning; to identify and eliminate inflow sources; and to record and report data. The Consent Decree provides monetary penalties for failure to comply with its requirements.
Staff performed an internal audit of the SSMP over the 2021- 2024 period to evaluate its implementation and effectiveness and identify deficiencies and corrective actions. The audit found that the City has met the target reduction at checkpoint and next checkpoint will be in 2030.
Projects designed to comply with WDR and Consent Decree requirements are included in the SSMP and funded through the Public Works Department’s Annual Sewer Rehabilitation Program.
MOTION:
Moved by Council Member Jordan, seconded by Council Member Miki, to adopt Resolution No. 2026-09, approving the 2026 Sewer System Management Plan.
AYES: Council Members Jordan, López and Miki , Vice Mayor Hansen- Romero, Mayor McQuaid
NOES: None
Motion carried and so ordered.
9. PUBLIC HEARING
10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
11. NEW BUSINESS
11-1. Permit Fee Waivers for Installation of Electric Vehicle Chargers, Solar Photovoltaic Panels, and Power Storage via Battery
Council Member Jordan Recommendation: That the Council direct staff to prepare a draft update of the Master Fee Schedule that waives permit fees for installing electric vehicle (EV) chargers, solar photovoltaic panels (PV), and on- site electricity storage via batteries
Council Member Jordan presented his memorandum. In June 2022, t he City Council amended the City of Albany Master Fee Schedule to waive the permit fees for installation of EV chargers on properties with single-family dwellings. The City Council failed to waive permit fees for installing EV chargers on properties with multifamily dwellings, solar PV electricity generation, and on-site electricity storage via battery. With the conversion from •
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ALBANY CITY COUNCIL – MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
5 gas-powered appliances and vehicles to electric appliances and vehicles, the generation and storage of clean electricity will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A summary of public comment is as follows: support for the proposal; concern about the security of EV charging stations.
A summary of Council comment is as follows: a suggestion to direct staff to evaluate the proposal’s effects on revenue and make a recommendation for the next update of the Master Fee Schedule; a preference for staff to make a recommendation sooner.
MOTION:
Moved by Council Member Jordan, seconded by Council Member López , to direct staff to prepare a draft update of the Master Fee Schedule that waives permit fees for installing electric vehicle chargers, solar photovoltaic panels that are not mandatory, and on- site electricity storage via batteries.
AYES: Council Members Jordan, López and Miki, Vice Mayor Hansen- Romero, Mayor McQuaid
NOES: None
Motion carried and so ordered.
12. COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS, COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS ON
APPOINTED REPRESENTATION OF ALBANY, AND OTHER MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Vice Mayor Hansen-Romero attended an Alameda County Waste Management Authority meeting and learned about the replacement of plastic bags with paper bags. She also attended the Lunar New Year festival.
Council Member Jordan attended the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC) Planning, Policy and Legislative Committee meeting where they discussed the Countywide Active Transportation Plan and sidewalk inventory. In addition, the Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District meeting included a discussion of an approach to reduce or control the population of aedes aegypti.
Council Member López attended the Oceanview Elementary spring festival and participated in a webinar hosted by Senators Padilla and Schiff.
Mayor McQuaid attended the Housing Authority of Alameda County meeting and volunteered to serve on the Scholarship Committee. She also attended the Chamber Mixer, Mayors’ Conference, Albany Unified School District’s (AUSD) Black History Month celebration, and Youth in Government’s VIP Day.
12-1. Housing Authority of Alameda County Report (Mayor McQuaid) 12-2. Alameda County Paratransit Advisory & Planning Committee Report (Appointee Pansino)
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ALBANY CITY COUNCIL-MINUTES
1000 San Pablo Avenue
Albany, CA 94706
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Appointee Pansino reported guidelines and performance measures for paratransit programs have been approved. A needs assessment for Alameda County is underway.
13. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Members of the public requested a workshop on waste disposal and an update of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan goals.
14. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CITY MEETINGS AND EVENTS
Upcoming City Meetings
1. Climate Action Committee Meeting, Wednesday, February 18, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
2. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting, Wednesday, February 25, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
3. Transportation Commission Meeting, Wednesday, February 26, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
4. City Council Meeting, Monday, March 2, 7:00 PM, City Hall Council Chambers
15. ADJOURNMENT
9:12 PM There being no further business before the City Council, Mayor McQuaid adjourned the meeting in memory of Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Minutes submitted by Anne Hsu, City Clerk.
PeggyM'cQu
Mayor
Attest:
;l;nne Hsu, City Clerk
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