CLAREMONT CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 —6:30 p.m.
Meeting Conducted In Person and Via Zoom. Video Recording is Archived on the City Website https://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/government/city-council/watch-city-council-meetings
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Reece called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
MOMENT OF SILENCE
ROLL CALL
PRESENT COUNCILMEMBER: CALAYCAY, LEANO, MEDINA, REECE, STARK
ABSENT COUNCILMEMBER: NONE
ALSO PRESENT Adam Pirrie, City Manager; Alisha Patterson, City Attorney; Jamie Earl, Assistant City Manager; Aaron Fate, Police Chief; Jeremy Swan, Director of Community Services; Melissa Vollaro, Director of Human Services; Nishil Bali, Finance Director; Shelley Desautels, City Clerk
CLOSED SESSION REPORT
There was no closed session meeting.
CEREMONIAL MATTERS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The City Council recognized Ron Kosinski, Caltrans Deputy District 7 Director, for his 57 years of service and ambassadorship to Claremont, and the Claremont Foxes Women's Rugby Club, 2022 Division 2 Spring National Champions.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL HOLIDAYS/OBSERVANCES - None
MAYOR AND COUNCIL
Council Items - None
Council Assignment Reports
This item starts at 13:32 in the archived video.
Councilmember Leano invited all to participate in Tri City Mental Health's budget development process.
CITY MANAGER REPORT
This item starts at 14:38 in the archived video.
City Council Minutes
April 11, 2023
City Manager Pirrie announced that the revised third draft of the 6th Cycle Housing Element Update is available for public review and following the public review period it will be sent to the State for their review. He also shared that volunteers are needed to survey the usage of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park and invited all to attend the upcoming Heart of the Foothills event on April 23.
PUBLIC COMMENT
This item starts at 16:27 in the archived video.
Mayor Reece invited public comment.
Rachel Forester encouraged the City Council to enact strong tenant protections to keep people in Claremont.
Unidentified speaker raised concern regarding graffiti and drug paraphernalia in Claremont parks.
Bill Kauffman shared that he secured two locations for cannabis dispensaries and is prepared to submit a business license application to the City for the new dispensaries.
Unidentified speaker stated that she has received a 60-day eviction notice and asked the City Council to help families like hers.
Elaine Thompson asked the City Council to draft a strong and comprehensive tenant protection ordinance to include rent stabilization and address no fault evictions.
Nic Lucio, Claremont Streets for People, highlighted Southern California Association of Governments active transportation grant opportunities.
Priscilla Espinoza, Claremont Helen Renwick Library Manager, shared upcoming events taking place at the Library.
Noah Winnick spoke in support of the City's Psychiatric Assessment Care Team (PACT) program and asked the City Council to agendize a discussion on using the remaining ARPA funds to fund the PACT team for a full 24/7 operation.
Medina Senghore spoke in support of the comments made by Mr. Winnick and encouraged the City Council to budget additional funding towards the PACT program.
Phalana Tiller spoke in support of the comments made regarding the PACT program.
Chris Naticchia spoke in support of expanding the PACT program and asked that in the upcoming tenant protection ordinance, rent stabilization is considered.
Gwen Tucker, Inclusive Claremont, spoke in support of Claremont renters and asked the City Council to draft a strong and comprehensive tenant protection ordinance.
Jacob, Claremont resident, shared that his rent in the past 4-years has increased by 40% and asked the City Council to help its renters.
As it has been over 30 minutes, the time set aside for general public comment, additional public comment was taken later in the meeting.
City Council Minutes
April 11, 2023
City Manager Pirrie responded to questions raised during the public comment period and shared that graffiti found on City property will be addressed within a 24-hour period, while graffiti on private property is a code enforcement issue.
City Attorney Patterson responded to a question from the City Council regarding State law for rent increases.
CONSENT CALENDAR
This item starts at 52:22 in the archived video.
Mayor Reece invited public comment on the Consent Calendar.
There were no requests to speak.
1. Adoption of a Resolution Approving the City Warrant Register Adopted Resolution No. 2023-23, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, ALLOWING CERTAIN CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND SPECIFYING THE FUNDS OUT OF WHICH THE SAME ARE TO BE PAID, dated March 30, 2023.
2. City Council Minutes of March 28, 2023 (Special and Regular) Approved and filed the special and regular City Council meeting minutes of March 28, 2023.
3. General Services Agreement with the County of Los Angeles Adopted Resolution No. 2023-24, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A GENERAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.
4. Adoption of a Resolution Approving Side Letters of Agreement with City Employee Associations to Add Juneteenth as a Recognized City Holiday and Clarify the City's Practice for Floating Holidays (Funding Source: General Fund)
Adopted Resolution No. 2023-25, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SIDE LETTERS OF AGREEMENT WITH
CITY EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS TO ADD JUNETEENTH AS A RECOGNIZED CITY HOLIDAY AND CLARIFY THE CITY'S PRACTICE FOR FLOATING HOLIDAYS.
Councilmember Stark moved to approve the Consent Calendar, seconded by Councilmember Calaycay, and carried on a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmember— Calaycay, Leano, Medina, Reece, Stark NOES: Councilmember— None
PUBLIC HEARINGS - None
ORDINANCES — None
City Council Minutes
April 11, 2023
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM
5. Community Development Block Grant Budget Amendment for 2022-23 and Job Creation & Business Incentive Program Funding for La Popular (Funding Source: Community Development Block Grant Fund)
This item starts at 53:50 in the archived video.
Councilmember Medina recused himself from the discussion and left the meeting due to the proximity of his business to Eureka Burger which owns La Popular.
Alex Cousins, Management Analyst, highlighted the staff report.
Mayor Reece invited public comment.
There were no requests to speak.
Councilmember Calaycay moved to:
A. Approve the funding request in the amount of $75,000 and authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Eureka Restaurant Group LLC; and B. Appropriate $75,000 from the Community Development Block Grant(CDBG) Fund and approve the allocation of$75,000 from City's 2022-23 CDBG balance toward the Job Creation and Business Incentive,Program;
Seconded by Councilmember Stark, and carried on a roll call vote as follows:
AYES: Councilmember— Calaycay, Leano, Reece, Stark
NOES: Councilmember— None
ABSENT: Councilmember— Medina
Councilmember Medina returned to the dais.
CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT
This item starts at 56:58 in the archived video.
Mayor Reece invited continued public comment from those who were not able to speak earlier due to the 30-minute time limit.
Lydia Hernandez highlighted a portion of the book The Affordable City by Shane Phillips and asked the City Council to create stringent tenant protections.
Russ Binder encouraged all to listen and participate in his podcast, Claremont Speaks.
Mike Boos, Claremont resident, spoke in support of the comments made regarding expansion of the PACT program and suggested the City Council review the City of Pomona's ordinance for tenant protection.
Phillipe Hernandez asked that the proposed tenant ordinance help everyone.
Seth Pringle spoke in support of strong renter protections to include no fault evictions and that annual rent increases be kept to a reasonable number.
City Council Minutes
April 11, 2023
There were no other requests to speak.
City Manager Pirrie announced that City staff will be meeting with Tri City Mental Health regarding the possibility of expanding the PACT program and will provide an update to the City Council. He also shared that the City has applied and been awarded transportation grants and will continue to do so.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Reece adjourned the meeting of the Claremont City Council at 7:47 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Claremont City Council will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at 6:30 p.m., in the Claremont CounciLChamber.
Mayor
ATTEST:
mnC,06,-)6%,
D puty City Clerk