1 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CONCORD SENIOR CENTER
2727 PARKSIDE CIRCLE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2025
The Concord City Council met in a special meeting at the Concord Senior Center located at 2727 Parkside Circle, at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2025, with Mayor Obringer presiding. Minutes follow in abbreviated form per Resolution 3361 and Council Minutes of September 26, 1966.
ROLL CALL
COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT: Dominic Aliano; Pablo Benavente; Laura Hoffmeister, Laura Nakamura; Carlyn Obringer
STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Margaret O’Brien Director of Finance; Will Tarbox, Director of Public Works; Mindy Gentry, Director of Community
Development; Guy Bjerke, Director of Community Reuse
Planning; Steve Voorhies, Director of Recreation Services; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; Mark Bustillos, Chief of Police; Jasmin Loi, Director of Human Resources; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Kit Jory, Parks Manager; Ken Yee, Facilities Manager; Jesse Crawford, Maintenance
Superintendent; Jeff Rayos, Senior Administrative Analyst; Abhishek Parikh, Deputy Director of Public Works –
Transportation; Richard Barraco, Public Works Supervisor; Nicholas Davison, Police Sergeant; Barbie Gary, Recreation Program Manager; Amy Ramirez, Administrative Clerk II
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL:
ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Mayor Obringer opened the meeting and introduced City Manager Valerie Barone who provided introductions, conducted an ice breaker exercise, and reviewed the workshop ground rules and agenda.
Director of Finance Margaret O’Brien provided a presentation on the key takeaways from the March 1, 2025, City Council workshop, and following questions and comments from the City Council, Assistant City Manager Justin Ezell provided a presentation on the key accomplishments from Fiscal Year 2024-25.
Following questions and comments from the City Council, Director of Community Development Mindy Gentry, Director of Economic Development and Base Reuse Guy Bjerke, Director of Finance Margaret O’Brien, Director of Human Resources Jasmin Loi, Director of Information Technology Greg Taylor, Chief of Police Mark Bustillos, Director of Public Works Will Tarbox, and Director of Recreation Services provided departmental briefings on significant assignments and challenges for FY 2025-26.
Following questions and comments from the City Council, Mayor Obringer recessed the meeting at 12:30 p.m. The meeting resumed at 12:45 p.m.
Following questions and comments from the City Council, Mayor Obringer opened a public comment period.
City Council Minutes March 29, 2025
2 Hope Johnson, Concord, spoke of the importance of economic development focus.
Anonymous spoke of implementation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and of 9/80 work schedules.
Mike Miller, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission member, spoke of staff’s good work.
Mayor Obringer closed the public comment period.
Following discussion, the Council confirmed the following Tier 1 priorities for the organization for Fiscal Year 2025-26 (Tier 1 goals are required to remain a strong organizational focus by the Organization during the Fiscal Year):
•Concord Naval Weapons Station Development—Guide the Master Developer team and the City’s/LRA’s pursuit of an Economic Development Conveyance agreement with the U.S. Navy, advance infrastructure planning and resource agency permitting for the site, monitor remediation on site, and continue with community outreach in preparation for the drafting of a Specific Plan and CEQA documents.
•Implement Various Housing Element Mandates
•Unfunded Infrastructure Needs—Make progress on developing a plan to begin addressing the City’s unfunded infrastructure needs.
•Complete Labor Negotiations with POA, PMA, Teamsters, and Local 29 •Implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
•Implement Economic Development Strategy
•Unfunded Infrastructure Needs—Make progress on developing a plan to begin addressing the City’s unfunded infrastructure needs.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on March 29, 2025, at 1:43 p.m. /s/
CARLYN S. OBRINGER
MAYOR
/s/______
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK