REGULAR MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
1950 PARKSIDE DRIVE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA AND VARIOUS
TELEPHONIC/ELECTRONIC LOCATIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2026
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, January 27, 2026, with Mayor Nakamura presiding. The pledge of allegiance was led by Councilmember Obringer. 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, Carlyn Obringer, Laura Nakamura
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; Mindy Gentry, Director of Community Development; James Nakayama, Police Captain; Colleen Awad, Community Relations Manager; Aaron Sage, Planning Manager; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Abhishek Parikh, Deputy Director Public Works - Transportation; Aaron Elias,
Transportation Program Manager II; Bruce Davis, Senior Civil Engineer; Ben Ulrey, Associate Planner, Deyuanne Lei,
Associate Civil Engineer; Kevin Wheat, Associate Civil Engineer
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL: John Tague, Concord; Philip Block, Concord; Anonymous; Ramon De La Cruz; Pat Sullivan, Palm Lake Apartments; Jackie Buckland, Concord; Tahirah Dean, Public Advocates; Jennifer Morales, Monument Impact; Davina Sriovdom, East Bay Housing Organization; Joey Flegel-Mishlove, East Bay Housing
Organizations; Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous,
Anonymous
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
John Tauge, Concord, spoke about his family.
Philip Block, Concord, asked the City to make a comprehensive and transparent plan regarding the transfer of San Francisco Immigration Court cases and ICE presence.
PRESENTATIONS
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARNESS MONTH – January 2026
No public comment was received.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
2 ANNOUNCE OPENING – Measure V Oversight Committee
No public comment was received.
City Clerk Joelle Fockler announced an opening for the business community representative on Concord’s Measure V Oversight Committee for a four-year term ending December 31, 2029, and setting a deadline for Friday, February 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. for applications to be due to the City Clerk.
CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR
No public comment was received.
APPROVE MINUTES – January 13, 2026, Regular Meeting
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to approve the benched minutes from the January 13, 2026, Regular Meeting. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVE PURCHASE OF TWO PALO ALTO NETWORK FIREWALLS – Optiv Security Inc.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to approve the purchase of two replacement Palo Alto Network Firewalls, core security subscriptions, and 5 years of premium support from Optiv Security Inc., in an amount not-to-exceed $437,227, including a 10% contingency. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVE PURCHASE OF MAINTENANCE SUPPORT – ePlus Inc.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to approve the purchase of three years of maintenance support, including hardware upgrades, for the City’s Pure Computer Storage System from ePlus Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed total for all three years of $168,378, including a 10% contingency The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
APPROVE PURCHASE OF ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION OF CROWDSTRIKE FALCON COMPLETE – ePlus Inc.
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to approve the purchase of a one- year subscription of CrowdStrike Falcon Complete with Identity Protection cybersecurity software from ePlus Inc. in an amount not-to-exceed $126,877, including a 10% contingency. The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, APPROVE BUDGET TRANSFER, AND ACCEPT IMPROVEMENTS – Baldwin Park Dance Studio and Bathroom Reconfiguration (Project No. 2771) This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Councilmember Obringer.
No public comment was received.
A motion was made by Obringer and seconded by Benavente to:
1. Award a construction contract in the not-to-exceed amount of $360,549 to Alex Kushner General, Inc., authorize the available project contingency for contract change orders up to 20% of the contract amount, ratification of staff’s determination and action on the bid protest, and authorize the Mayor to execute the contract in a form acceptable to the City Attorney; and
2. Approve a related budget transfer of $275,000 from Residential Pavement Maintenance – Phase B (Project No. 2608); and
City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
3 3. Authorize the City Engineer to accept the improvements upon completion of Project No. 2771 and direct the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT, APPROVE TASK ORDER , APPROVE AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT, AND ACCEPT IMPROVEMENTS – Residential Pavement Maintenance Phase E & F (Project Nos. 2611, 2613, 2621 & 2624) This item was pulled from consideration on the Consent Calendar by Councilmember Hoffmeister.
Public comment was provided by:
John Tague, Concord
Anonymous
A motion was made by Hoffmeister and seconded by Benavente to:
1. Award a construction contract in the amount of $1,256,805 to Spencon Construction, Inc. for the Residential Pavement Maintenance Phase F_- Concrete Improvements Project located in portions of three neighborhoods, Monte Gardens, Dana Estates, and East Concord (City Project Nos. 2611 & 2624), authorize the project contingency for contract change orders up to 20% of the contract amount, and authorize the Mayor to execute the contract in a form acceptable to the City Attorney; and
2. Approve Task Order No. 6 with UNICO Engineering in the not-to-exceed amount of $732,145.03 to provide construction management, inspection, materials testing, and related services for the Residential Pavement Maintenance Phase F, and authorize the City Engineer to execute the Task Order in a form acceptable to the City Attorney; and
3. Approve Amendment No. 2 to Professional Servies Agreement with Bellecci & Associates for additional design services for the Residential Pavement Maintenance Phase E & Phase F Projects (Project Nos. 2611, 2613, 2621 & 2624) in the amount of $48,548 (for a new not-to- exceed amount of $977,819.20), and authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment in a form acceptable to the City Attorney; and
4. Authorize the City Engineer to accept the improvements upon completion of Project Nos. 2611 & 2624 and direct the City Clerk to file a Notice of Completion.
The motion passed by unanimous vote of the Council.
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING
ADOPT RESOLUTION AMENDING GENERAL PLAN LAND USE ELEMENT AND INTRODUCE ORDINANCE – Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Overlay District Benjamin Ulrey, Associate Planner, introduced the item and then turned the presentation over to Eric Yurkovich, Raimi & Associates, who presented on the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Program.
Mayor Nakamura recessed the meeting at 8:29 p.m. The meeting resumed at 8:42 p.m.
Public comment was provided by:
Ramon De La Cruz
Pat Sullivan, Palm Lake Apartments
Jackie Buckland, Concord
City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
4 Tahirah Dean, Public Advocates
Jennifer Morales, Monument Impact
Davina Sriovdom, East Bay Housing Organization
Joey Flegel-Mishlove, East Bay Housing Organization
John Tague, Concord
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Mayor Nakamura recessed the meeting at 9:32 p.m. The meeting resumed at 9:39 p.m.
The Mayor opened a public comment period.
Public comment was provided by:
Hossam Nasser, CEO, ICG Engineering
Pat Sullivan, Palm Lake Apartments
Jackie Buckland, Concord
John Tague, Concord
Ramon De La Cruz
Anonymous
A motion was made by Benavente and seconded by Obringer to direct staff to return with the necessary documents to apply the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing overlay zoning as follows in the table below:
Site
#
Name Overlay
Acres
Units Notes
1 Kmart 7.85 471 Partial overlay; entire site is 13.4 acres 2 Clayton Faire 4.14 248 Full overlay over selected parcels 8 Palm Lake Apartments Infill 12.86 165 Full overlay with 165 unit cap 16 5390 Myrtle 2.35 141 Full overlay; realistic unit count is 60 18 1539 Kirker Pass 0.94 56 Full overlay
Total Units 28 1,081
and consider this public hearing item at a future City Council meeting. The motion passed by the following vote to Council:
AYES: Aliano, Benavente, Obringer, Nakamura NOES: Hoffmeister ABSENT: None
CORRESPONDENCE
a. Agenda Item No. 5.a – Benched Draft January 13, 2026, meeting Minutes 1-13-26 b. Agenda Item No. 6.a – Benched Correspondence
City Council Minutes January 27, 2026
5 c. Agenda Item No. 6.a – PowerPoint Presentation - Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Program d. Agenda Item No. 6.a - Correspondence received after 3 p.m. on January 27, 2026
COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Obringer requested and received support from the City Council to direct the City Manager to agendize a presentation from East Bay Regional Park District on their plans and funding needs for the portion of the Thurgood Marshal/Home of the Port Chicago Fifty Park, located south of Bailey Road and is located within Concord city limits at the next Council meeting to allow the Council to discuss and give direction on how the City might partner with the District along with other cities to advocate for Federal, State, and Foundation funding for the park.
Councilmembers shared information on events and activities in which they had participated since the last meeting and commented on items of interest.
Mayor Nakamura reported on her attendance at the League of California Cities 2026 Mayors and Council Members Academy held in Sacramento, California, from January 21 – 26, 2026.
ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on January 27, 2026, at 10:25 p.m. /s/
LAURA M. NAKAMURA
MAYOR
/s/
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CTY CLERK