CITY COUNCIL MEETING
SPECIAL MEETING/BUDGET STUDY SESSION
Special Meeting June 9, 2025
5:30 P.M. Council Chambers
5:30 P.M. – SPECIAL MEETING/BUDGET STUDY SESSION
Mayor Bernal called the Special Meeting to order at 5:30 P.M., and Acting City Clerk Eiden called the roll.
Present: Council Members District 1 Torres -Walker, District 3 Freitas, District 4 Wilson, Mayor Pro Tem (District 2) Rocha and Mayor Bernal
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Bernal led the Pledge of Allegiance.
BUDGET STUDY SESSION
1. FISCAL YEAR 2025-27 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT – GENERAL FUND
City Manager Scott recognized staff for their p rofessionalism during the budget development process.
City Manager Scott and Finance Director Merchant presented the staff report dated June 9 , 2025, recommending the City Council provide feedback and direction regarding the budget development information for the Fiscal Year 2025-27 Budget.
Andrew Becker recommended that the City engage with approved projects that have not yet commenced construction to establish a timeline for their development and to encourage progress. Additionally, he proposed marketing the city’s surplus properties to generate revenue.
Stacy McFerson suggested the city cease investing in programs and projects that do not generate revenue. She reported that she provided City Manager Scott with a request to initiate the meet and confer process so they could be included in the budget process.
Councilmember Freitas gave a brief history of the City’s Budget process. He noted his goal was to preserve and protect employees and services, while addressing the budget deficit. He discussed the cause of the City’s fiscal crisis. He stated his primary focus was public safety, homelessness and economic development. He spoke in support of the Homekey program that would provide a facility with resources for 60 -80 homeless individuals. He stated th is budget was difficult to address; however, he was opposed to any tax increases.
Councilmember Torres-Walker thanked staff for the budget process. She reported Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Standing Committee recently discussed potentially reallocating $1.5M in housing successor funds to support the homekey application.
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In response to Councilmember Torres-Walker, City Manager Scott explained that they would be discussing solutions related to animal services support with the County and opportunities with other cities related to public works.
Councilmember Freitas encouraged City Manager Scott to include stakeholders in discussions related to Animal Services.
City Manager Scott responded that she had been in discussion with the City Attorney and th e proposal would not diminish service delivery.
The City Council engaged in a discussion regarding the staff report and provided direction to staff, which included:
➢ Maintain flexibility for hours within the AQCRT service model ➢ Remove $750,000 in General Fund expenditures from the Homekey project and replace with housing successor funds
➢ Provide Council with an update on the Grace Arms project to determine viability ➢ Reduce Homekey funding in Fiscal Year 2027 to $400,000 ➢ Bring back a discussion item related to selling the city’s surplus property and sponsorship opportunities to generate revenue
➢ Meet with employee associations to discuss COLAs
➢ Investigate a regional approach to the pool repairs/replacement at Contra Loma Reservoir, Prewett Waterpark and contracting with AUSD for use of their pools
➢ Set Fiscal Year 2026 police sworn staffing at up to 105 ➢ Provide Council with a breakdown of APD staffing numbers by division/assignment
➢ Finance – place both buyer positions in Fiscal Year 2026 ➢ Update purchasing ordinance
Attachment C – Page 1
➢ City Manager – David Mensah – Municipal Customer Service Delivery - Provide Council with the scope of work
➢ Economic Development – Evviva – Branding – bring proposal to Council ➢ Economic Development – TBD (Contracts) – Change to Citywide ➢ Economic Development – Bring the citywide banner design to Council for consideration ➢ Economic Development – TBD (Marketing) reduce amount to $75,000 ➢ Economic Development – Bring a report to Council on all marketing assets
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➢ Economic Development – TBD (Programming) – move to Fiscal Year 20 27 for consideration
Mayor Bernal declared a recess at 7:40 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 7:51 P.M. with all Councilmembers present.
Discussion continued regarding the staff report (Attachment C) and Council provided direction to staff, which included:
Attachment C – Page 3
➢ Parks and Recreation - Information & Advertisement - Direction to bring back a written policy for advertisements for Council consideration
➢ Parks and Recreation - Direction to provide Council with previously approved policies
Attachment C – Page 5
➢ Police Department – WBA Consultants – Provide Council with an update on the services provided as well as the duration of contract
Attachment C – Page 6
➢ Public Safety and Community Resources – Consultant TBD – Grant Writer - CalVIP – eliminate $30,000
➢ Public Safety and Community Resources - St. Vincent DePaul – Staff to determine if rental assistance could be funded through CDBG
➢ Public Safety and Community Resources – Community Assessment – eliminate from Fiscal Year 2026-27
➢ Public Safety and Community Resources – Staff Training – eliminate from Fiscal Year 2026-27
➢ Public Safety and Community Resources – Staff to provide a proposal for the use of the requested $60,000
Attachment C – Page 9
➢ CIP Projects – Staff to provide Council with an estimate to repair public art ➢ CIP Projects – Move the Rivertown Landmark Signs amount of $39,377 into the Citywide Signage Program
➢ CIP Projects – Staff to provide Council with a schedule for the citywide signage program
The City Council engaged in a discussion regarding other budget considerations and provided direction to staff which included:
➢ Finance – Bring back consideration of a Forensic Audit ➢ Defer two buyer positions in Finance until Fiscal Year 2027 ➢ Provide Council with monthly overtime by fund and department
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➢ Public Works – determine average expenditures related to contingency line items ➢ Utilize $5M of Budget Stabilization Funds to offset the operating budget in Fiscal Year 2026
➢ Adjust budget for savings of 25 percent of the Youth Service Manager and 20 percent of the Coordinator which would be grant funded
➢ Bring back a proposal including impacts for transferring divisions within the Public Safety and Community Resources Department into other city departments ➢ Bring back a discussion to lease the WaterPark
➢ Bring back a discussion on the reserve policy
➢ Conferences and travel to be approved by Council
➢ Retain 20 percent reserve policy
The City Council engaged in a discussion regarding the Measure W One (1) Percent Sales Tax Allocation and provided direction to staff which included:
➢ Council consensus supported a Measure W distribution:
• 70 percent Police Department
• 15 percent Quality of Life – Public Safety & Community Resources (exc. Youth) and Code Enforcement
• 15 percent Youth: Youth Network Services and Recreation Services
Councilmember Torres -Walker expressed concern about the impact on grants and cost increases associated with relocating housing and homeless services to the City Manager’s office.
In response to Finance Director Merchant, Council accepted by consensus showing a $ 7M deficit and bringing back a budget for adoption on June 24, 2025. They agreed to look at additional measures previously discussed over the next fiscal year.
Councilmember Freitas encouraged staff to articulate that this would be a balanced budget.
In response to Mayor Bernal, Finance Director Merchant stated that staff would continue to work on reducing the deficit.
City Manager Scott commented that normal operations were now at a functional deficit, and she urged Council to temper their requests to staff as they were unable to produce work product outside of the emergent response to the budget crisis.
Councilmember Torres -Walker stated she acknowledged that the budget process was a significant and stressful task for staff and urged the Council to exercise greater caution with their requests.
City Manager Scott thanked those who supported the City during this time.
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ADJOURNMENT
On motion by Councilmember Wilson, seconded by Councilmember Torres-Walker the City Council unanimously adjourned the meeting at10:22 P.M.
Respectfully submitted:
Kitty Eiden
KITTY EIDEN, Minutes Clerk