REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2024
The Concord City Council met in a regular meeting in the Council Chamber, located at 1950 Parkside Drive and via various telephonic/electronic locations at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, with Mayor Birsan presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Vice Mayor Obringer. Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano, Laura Hoffmeister, Laura Nakamura, Carlyn Obringer, Edi Birsan
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Stefanie Ananthan, Deputy City Clerk; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Kevin Marstall, Director of Community Development; Will Tarbox, Director of Public Works; Kit Jory, Parks Division Manager; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Leng Power, Community
Services Manager; Bernard Enrile, CIP Manager; Kevin Wheat, Associate Civil Engineer
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Tommy Gong, Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder’s Office; Vivian Boyd, Concord Historical Society; Pete Bennett, Bay Area Homeless.com; Natalie; Nikita Rodgers; Jeanette Kennedy, Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa County; Ady Olvera,
Concord; LeAnn Matthews
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Tommy Gong, Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder’s Office, provided an update regarding the upcoming March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election.
Vivian Boyd, Concord Historical Society, presented a historical moment, speaking about the children of the first Mayor of the City of Concord, Joseph Arthur Boyd.
Pete Bennett, Bay Area Homeless.com, spoke of the losses he has endured over the years.
The following people spoke in support of Zoom public comment during City Council meetings:
Natalie
Nikita Rodgers
PRESENTATION
HOME MATCH CONTRA COSTA PROGRAM
Mayor Birsan introduced Logan Robertson, Associate Director, Home Match Contra Costa, who gave a presentation on the Home Match Contra Costa Program.
City Council Minutes February 6, 2024
2 Following questions from the Council, Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period.
The following people spoke in support of the Home Match Contra Costa Program:
Pete Bennett, Bay Area Homeless.com
LeAnn Matthews
Mayor Birsan closed the public comment period.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – January 9 and 23, 2024
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Nakamura to approve the minutes from the January 9 and 23, 2024, meetings. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVAL OF A MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT – J.T.S. Tree Expert, Inc.
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Nakamura to approve a Maintenance Services Agreement with J.T.S. Tree Expert, Inc. for up to four (4) years in the not-to-exceed amount of $300,000 per year (up to $1,200,000 total over four (4) years) to provide on-call tree maintenance services (Project No. 2384); and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT – PlanIT Geo, Inc.
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Nakamura to approve an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with PlanIT Geo, Inc. in the amount of $120,000 for a total not-to- exceed amount of $369,024 in order to complete the Citywide Tree Inventory, Tree Maintenance Plan, and deploy Tree Management Software; and authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
AWARD OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, AND APPROVAL OF A BUDGET TRANSFER – Treat Boulevard Fiber Phase 2 Project (Project No. 2656) and Treat Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation Project (Phase 2) (Project No. 2559) A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Nakamura to approve the following:
1. Award a construction contract in the amount $1,494,000.00 to St. Francis Electric, LLC for the Treat Boulevard Fiber Phase 2 Project (City Project No. 2656); authorize Staff to utilize the available project contingency for contract change orders that become necessary up to 10% of the contract amount; and authorize the Mayor to execute the contract in a form acceptable to the City Attorney.
2. Approve a Professional Services Agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. in the not-to- exceed amount of $941,507.60 (base agreement of $855,916.00 plus staff authority to spend up to a 10% contingency of $85,691.60) to provide construction management, inspection, and materials testing services for both the Treat Boulevard Fiber Phase 2 Project, and the Treat Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation Project (Phase 2) (City Project Nos. 2656 & 2559); and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney.
City Council Minutes February 6, 2024
3 3. Approve a budget transfer in the total amount of $1,300,000 to the Treat Boulevard Fiber Phase 2 Project (Project No. 2656) from PJ 2609 (Clayton Road Pavement Rehabilitation, Fund 407).
4. Authorize the City Engineer to accept the improvements upon completion of Project No. 2656 and direct the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION ITEM
ACCEPTANCE OF THE HOMELESS STRATEGIC PLAN
Community Services Manager Leng Power presented the staff report, provided background and a project timeline for the Homeless Strategic Plan, highlighted the Homeless Strategic Plan Working Group and its members, and discussed key elements. Community Services Manager Power then turned the presentation over to Isaiah Rich-Wimmer, Director of Projects and Programs with Thurmond Consulting, who provided an overview of the Working Group meetings, a summary of key data sources, an overview of selected goals for other neighboring counties, and services available in Concord and Contra Costa County. Mr. Rich-Wimmer then discussed each of the proposed strategies, the impact and effort for each of the strategies, project implementation approach, strategies for future consideration, next steps including implementation timeline and activities, and explained that Council was being requested to accept the Homeless Strategic Plan.
Following questions from the City Council, Mayor Birsan recessed the meeting at 8:45 p.m. The meeting resumed at 8:58 p.m.
Mayor Birsan opened a public comment period.
Pete Bennett, Bay Area Homeless.com, thanked Council and staff on their work drafting the proposed Homeless Strategic Plan and stated he was in support of the proposed Plan.
Jeanette Kennedy, Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa, stated her support of the proposed Homeless Strategic Plan.
Ady Olvera, Concord, expressed concern in approving the proposed Plan at this time due to the potential reduction of available funds resulting from the recent grant application.
LeAnn Matthews expressed concern in approving the proposed Homeless Strategic Plan.
Natalie proposed that Concord set an example for neighboring cities in providing assistance to the unhoused population.
Mayor Birsan closed the public comment period.
Following discussion by the Council, a motion was made by Nakamura and seconded by Aliano to accept the Homeless Strategic Plan with the following direction from Council to be implemented with acceptance of the Plan:
The City will rely on the existing ARPA and one-time Measure V dollar set asides, that totaled $5.4 million, as the City’s share of funding towards implementing the program and any grant funds the City receives.
The City will not add regular full-time staff to implement the Plan or add General Fund dollars to pay for implementation costs.
The City will work through third party organizations to provide the programs and services as the first approach to implementing the Plan.
City Council Minutes February 6, 2024
4 oNote: there are existing regular full-time staff working within housing and community services, and it is anticipated that some of their time and various managers at the City (City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Community Development Director) time will go into supporting the program. Additionally, the Council has already allocated funding to support the CORE program and that is anticipated to continue at this time.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 2.a – Written Public Comment
b. Agenda Item No. 3.a – Home Match Contra Costa Presentation – PowerPoint Presentation c. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Homeless Strategic Plan – Benched Correspondence d. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Homeless Strategic Plan – PowerPoint Presentation
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
Mayor Birsan asked his colleagues and received support for the Policy Development and Internal Operations Council Committee to review the selection process for Mayor, in an effort to establish a defined rotation.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on February 6, 2024, at 10:02 p.m. /s/
EDI E. BIRSAN
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK