Town of Atherton City Council & Finance Committee Special Meeting – May 1, 2024
SPECIAL MEETING – STUDY SESSION
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Hawkins-Manuelian called the meeting to order at 4:01 p.m.
ROLL CALL –
City Council: Holland, Widmer, DeGolia, Vice Mayor Lewis, Mayor Hawkins-Manuelian (Absent) – Present
Finance Committee: Scolnick(Absent), Patil(Absent), Hill (Present), Sleeth (Absent), Walker (Present)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Carol Flaherty
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION – by City Attorney Ebrahimi The City Attorney noted that the Council met in closed session. There was no public comment, directions were provided and no reportable action was taken.
ACTION ITEMS
STUDY SESSION
MOTION by DeGolia, Second by Holland to move Item No. 3 to be heard as Item No. 2 AYES: Holland, DeGolia, Widmer, Lewis
NOES:
ABSENT: Hawkins
ABSTAIN:
1. REVIEW OF THE FY 2024/25 TOWN BUDGET – ALL FUNDS CHANGES ONLY Finance Director Barron III presented the fiscal year 2024/2025 Town budget for Council and Audit and Finance Committee review and discussion.
MINUTES
Town of Atherton
City Council & Finance Committee
JUNE 5, 2024
SPECIAL MEETING
Town of Atherton City Council & Finance Committee Special Meeting – May 1, 2024
The Audit and Finance Committee and Council had a several clarifying questions related to expenditures and revenues within the budget to which Barron and City Manager Rodericks responded to.
Public Comments:
• Bob Polito
• Casi Ravi
Council directed that staff remove $250,000 for the Selby Lane Bicycle Lane Project, remove portion of the $350,000 for Green Infrastructure related to the Selby Lane Bicycle Lane Project, allocate more from Measure A/Measure M/Gas Tax where possible to reduce the General Fund Allocations from Fund 401 or Transfer, and rephrase Bike/Ped Grant amount of $25,000 to be Bike/Pedestrian grant application based on pre-established Council priorities, effectively removing the master plan language.
MOTION by DeGolia, Second by Lewis to remove $250,000 for Selby Lane Bicycle Lane Project
AYES: Holland, DeGolia, Widmer, Lewis
NOES:
ABSENT: Hawkins
ABSTAIN:
MOTION by DeGolia, Second Lewis to authorize staff to remove budget related to Selby Lane Green Infrastructure improvements.
AYES: Holland, DeGolia, Lewis
NOES: Widmer
ABSENT: Hawkins
ABSTAIN:
2. DISCUSSION OF CHARTER CITY STATUS
Moved from Item No. 3 to Item No. 2
City Manager Rodericks provided an overview of the item relating to General Law Cities and Charter Cities. He directed Council to the attachments within the staff report and noted that Council could consider such a process no sooner than 2025. Rodericks provided a general review of the process to become a Charter City.
Public Comment:
• Carol Flaherty
• Ken Frederick
City Attorney Ebrahimi provided additional details regarding the process for becoming a Charter City and added some context related to recent and historical court rulings related to the powers and authorities granted to Charter Cities.
Town of Atherton City Council & Finance Committee Special Meeting – May 1, 2024
Council directed that the City Manager return a plan for next steps at a future meeting potentially arranging for a Council Standing Committee with resident participation that would be subject to the Brown Act. This item will return to Council after the August 2024 break.
3. AMENDMENTS TO PUBLIC COMMENT TIME
City Manager Rodericks presented the item with a brief overview and discussed the rules set out in the City Council Handbook, Rules of Procedure and contained on the Council Agenda.
Council discussed options including reducing the time allowed for public speakers and the discretion available to the Mayor and full Council.
Council authorized that the Council Policy Manual be revised for Policy 6.13 and 4.2 to read:
Public Comment portion of the meeting. At Special Meetings, public comments are limited to agendized items. The posted agenda prescribes the time limits for public comment. The Council is not able to undertake extended discussion of or act on nonagendized items. Such items can be referred to staff for appropriate action, which may include placement on a future agenda.
MOTION by DeGolia, Second Lewis by to approve the staff recommendations as listed above.
AYES: Holland, DeGolia, Lewis
Absent: Hawkins, Widmer
COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS – None
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS – None
ADJOURN
Mayor Hawkins-Manuelian adjourned the meeting at 6:10 pm. ________________________
Anthony Suber, City Clerk