1 MINUTES OF THE
REGULAR MEETING – CITY COUNCIL
APRIL 15, 2025
6:00 P.M.
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 250 East L Street, complete proceedings of which are recorded. These are action minutes; a full video is available online at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/agendas.
COURTESY ZOOM PARTICIPATION
1) CALL TO ORDER (6:00 P.M.)
Mayor Young called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
2) CONVENE OPEN SESSION
3) ROLL CALL
Present: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young
Absent: Council Member Birdseye, Vice Mayor Macenski
Excused: None
4) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
5) REFERENCE TO THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC
6) ANNOUNCEMENTS
6.A MAYOR'S OFFICE HOURS
6.B CURRENT AND UPCOMING OPENINGS ON BOARDS,
COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
Boards, Commissions and Committees Openings
7) PROCLAMATIONS
7.A PROCLAMATION - NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
Proclamation - National Volunteer Week 2025
8) APPOINTMENTS
9) PRESENTATIONS
2 10) ADOPTION OF AGENDA
On motion of Council Member Scott, seconded by Council Member Largaespada, Council approved the Adoption of the Agenda, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young Noes: (None)
11) OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS
12) WRITTEN COMMENT
13) PUBLIC COMMENT
None
14) CONSENT CALENDAR
14.A MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 18, 2025 SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS AND THE APRIL 1, 2025 REGULAR MEETING
March 18, 2025 Special City Council Meeting Minutes
March 18, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
April 1, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting Minutes
Council pulled items 14.B and 14.C for discussion.
14.B APPROVAL OF A FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT WITH
JULIAN TREE CARE, INC. TO INCREASE PAYMENT LIMITS
Staff Report - Amendment to Agreement with Julian Tree Care, Inc.
RESOLUTION NO. 25- 41 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BENICIA APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR ON-CALL TREE SERVICES WITH JULIAN TREE CARE, INC.,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY
Council and Staff discussed concern regarding increasing the amount of the contract without going through the RFP process, the process Staff went through for the contract amendment, the need to manage the City's tree inventory, the RFP process the City went through for the additional work, and the need to highlight what the City can expect for the additional work being proposed.
Public Comment:
None
3 1. Resolution - Amendment to Agreement with Julian Tree Care
2. First Amendment to Agreement with Julian Tree Care, Inc.
3. Original On-Call Agreement with Julian Tree Care
On motion of Council Member Scott, seconded by Council Member Largaespada, Council approved the adoption of Resolution 25-41, as presented, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young Noes: (None)
14.C BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE BUDGET IN EXPENSE
LINE IN SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FUND ACCOUNT
FOR THE PURCHASE OF POLICE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Staff Report - Budget Amendment for the SLEF Account
RESOLUTION NO. 25- 42 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BENICIA APPROVING A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO INCREASE
THE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS IN SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES IN FUND 251 (SLEF) FOR THE PURCHASE OF FIFTEEN FULLY OUTFITTED
BALLISTIC HELMETS FOR THE BENICIA POLICE DEPARTMENT MOBILE
FIELD FORCE
Public Comment:
1. Lori Grundman - Ms. Grundman asked for clarification on the supplemental law enforcement fund.
Council and Staff discussed the proposed purchase of the ballistic helmets.
1. Resolution - Mobile Field Force Safety Gear
On motion of Council Member Scott, seconded by Council Member Largaespada, Council approved the adoption of Resolution 25-42, as presented, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young Noes: (None)
14.D APPROVAL TO WAIVE THE READING OF ALL ORDINANCES
INTRODUCED OR ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS AGENDA
On motion of Council Member Scott, seconded by Council Member Largaespada, Council approved the Consent Calendar, as amended, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young Noes: (None)
4 15) BUSINESS ITEMS
15.A APPROVING A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT WITH THE NAPASOLANO BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
AND ITS AFFILIATED UNIONS
RESOLUTION NO. 25- 43 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BENICIA APPROVING A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT WITH
THE NAPA-SOLANO BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL AND ITS AFFILIATED
UNIONS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE
AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY
Mario Giuliani, City Manager, reviewed the staff report.
Council and Staff discussed the current and past Project Labor Agreement (PLA), contract details, trigger amounts, apprentices, what constitutes an emergency, mediation, arbitration, 90-day cancellation notice, the need for an annual review to see how well this is working, and staff time involved to review the bids.
Public Comment:
1. Danny Bernardini - Mr. Bernardini discussed the proposed contract and answered Council's questions.
2. Greg Gartrell - Mr. Gartrell discussed the benefits and risks of having the trigger amount higher and lower.
3. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
4. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
5. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
6. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
7. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
8. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
9. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
10. Citizen - the citizen spoke in support of the proposed agreement.
11. Lori Grundman - Ms. Grundman asked what the fiscal impact would be if the trigger amount was raised to the $750,000 amount.
12. Rex Hime - Mr. Hime spoke in opposition to the proposed agreement.
Staff and Council discussed language regarding a 90-day termination of the agreement, concern regarding the low threshold amount, support for raising the threshold/trigger amount to $750,000, support for keeping the threshold at the proposed amount of $220,000, agreement on the 90-day out language, agreement on the annual review, possibly compromising and having the threshold amount set at $500,000, the proposed termination clause,
Public Comment Reopened:
13. Danny Bernardini - Mayor Young asked Mr. Bernardini if he would sign the agreement if the threshold was set to $500,000 and the additional termination
5 clause were added. Mr. Bernardini stated that he would if it meant getting the contract vs. not getting the contract, however they would have preferred it be set to the $220,000 threshold.
Staff Report - Project Labor Agreement
1. Resolution - Benicia Project Labor Agreement
2. Benicia Project Labor Agreement
On motion of Council Member Scott, seconded by Mayor Young, Council approved adopt resolution 25-43 and the labor agreement, as amended, raising the threshold to $500,000, with the revision to the termination clause, an annual review, and having the resolution becoming effective immediately after adoption, on a roll call by the following vote:
Ayes: Council Member Largaespada, Council Member Scott, Mayor Young Noes: (None)
16) COUNCIL MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS:
16.A COUNCIL MEMBER COMMITTEE REPORTS
Council Member Committee Reports
17) ADJOURNMENT (8:00 P.M.)
Mayor Young adjourned the meeting at 8:30 p.m.
City Clerk