REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2025
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, August 26, 2025, with Mayor Obringer presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Councilmember Aliano. 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 (arrived at 6:50 p.m.), Laura Nakamura, Carlyn Obringer STAFF PRESENT: Valerie Barone, City Manager; Susanne Brown, City Attorney; Justin Ezell, Assistant City Manager; Joelle Fockler, City Clerk; Monique Robinson, Deputy City Clerk; Greg Taylor, Director of Information Technology; Will Tarbox, Director of Public Works; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Shawn Phalen, Police
Sergeant; Abhishek Parikh, Deputy Director of Public Works - Transportation; Aaron Elias, Transportation Program Manger II; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Aaron Sage, Planning
Manager; Bruce Davis, Senior Civil Engineer; Aldrich Bautista, Associate Civil Engineer
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: Justin and Gena Plummer, Herald; Kelly McKinley, Concord; Aeysha Corio, Concord; John Tague, Concord
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Justin and Gena Plummer, Herald, spoke on the Concord Community Park Solar Array Repair Project (PJ 2718).
PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION – International Overdose Awareness Day
Kelly McKinley, Concord, thanked the Monument Youth Drug & Alcohol Coalition for their work.
PROCEEDS FROM THE 40TH MAYOR’S CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT – Concord Junior Giants, First Tee Contra Costa Youth Golf Program, and Concord Historical Society (Concord Historical Society proceeds will go toward rehabilitation of the Don Fernando Pacheco Adobe.) No public comment was received.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
No public comment was received.
APPROVE MINUTES – August 12, 2025, Regular Meeting
City Council Minutes August 26, 2025
2 A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve the minutes of the August 12, 2025, Regular meeting. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 25-40 – Appropriating Grant Funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission – Monument Blvd. Bay Area Rapid Transit Site Due Diligence Project (Project No. 2804)
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to adopt Resolution No. 25-40 entitled, “A Resolution Appropriating Grant Funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the amount of $145,000 for Housing Element Implementation and Approval for Use on the Monument Blvd. Bay Area Rapid Transit Site Due Diligence Project (Project No. 2804).” The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
DESIGNATE VOTING DELEGATE AND ALTERNATE AT THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO ON OCTOBER 8-10, 2025 – Vice Mayor Nakamura and Councilmember Aliano
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to designate Vice Mayor Nakamura as the voting delegate and Councilmember Aliano as the voting delegate alternate at the League of California Cities Annual Conference and Expo on October 8-10, 2025. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
AUTHORIZE CONCORD PLAZA TOWER, INC. TO CONVERT THE EXSISTING FOUNTAIN AT 2020
GRANT STREET INTO A LANDSCAPED FEATURE
This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Mayor Obringer.
A motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Benavente to authorize Concord Plaza Tower, Inc. to convert the existing fountain at 2020 Grant Street into a landscaped feature; and authorize the City Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF CONCORD AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY – Residential Pavement Maintenance – Phase C (Project No. 2606 & 2618) This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Vice Mayor Nakamura who recused herself from the item due to economic interest in real property resulting from proximity to her primary residence and left the dais.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Hoffmeister to approve an Agreement with Contra Costa County for the City to accept a not-to-exceed amount of $160,000 to construct a portion of the City’s Residential Pavement Maintenance – Phase C – Concord Blvd./Myrtle Dr (Project Nos. 2606 & 2618) that occurs on Concord Boulevard within the limits of the unincorporated County; and authorize the City Manager to execute the Agreement for Roadway Surface Treatment of Concord Boulevard in a form acceptable to the City Attorney. The motion passed by the following vote:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Hoffmeister, Obringer NOES: None ABSENT: Nakamura Vice Mayor Nakamura returned to the dais.
APPROVE PROFFESIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR PROJECT DESIGN AND RELATED SERVICES FOR THE WILLOW PASS ROAD BIKE LANE CONNECTION (PROJECT NO. 2572, FEDERAL PROJECT NO. STPL-5135 (067)) – BFK Engineers
This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Councilmember Hoffmeister.
City Council Minutes August 26, 2025
3 A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Aliano to approve a Professional Services Agreement with BKF Engineers in a not-to-exceed amount of $822,010 ($747,282 plus a 10% contingency of $74,728) for project design and related services for the Willow Pass Road Bike Lane Connection (Project No. 2572, Federal Project No. STPL-5135 (067)); authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement in a form acceptable to the City Attorney, and direct staff to bring back the results of the designing effort and traffic study to the full Council prior to going out to bid. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING
INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE NO. 25-7 – Speed Limits Established Aaron Elias, Transportation Program Manager II, presented the staff report.
Public comment provided by:
Aeysha Corio, Concord
John Tague, Concord
A motion was made by Aliano and seconded by Benavente to introduce Ordinance No. 25-7 entitled, “An Ordinance Amending Concord Municipal Code, Title 10 (Traffic and Vehicles), Chapter 10.20 (Operation of Vehicles), Article IV (Special Speed Zones), Section 10.20.080 (Speed Limits Established) Approving Speed Limit Changes in Accordance with the Findings of Engineering and Traffic Surveys on Various Streets throughout the City of Concord” by reading of the title only and waving further reading.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Benched Correspondence
b. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Proposed 2025 Speed Limit Changes PowerPoint Presentation c. Correspondence received at the meeting from Justin and Gena Plummer
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on August 26, 2025, at 8:53 p.m. in memory of Kenneth Rishell.
/s/
CARLYN S. OBRINGER
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK