1 SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CONCORD CITY COUNCIL
CONCORD SENIOR CENTER
2727 PARKSIDE CIRCLE
CONCORD, CALIFORNIA
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026
The Concord City Council met in a special meeting at the Concord Senior Center located at 2727 Parkside Circle, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026, with Mayor Nakamura 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; Carlyn Obringer; Laura Nakamura
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; Kit Jory, 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; Ken Yee, Facilities Manager; Jesse Crawford,
Maintenance Superintendent; Jeff Rayos, Administrative
Services Manager; Abhishek Parikh, Deputy Director of Public Works – Transportation; Carlton Thompson, City Engineer; Nick Davison, Police Sergeant; Wendy McAuley, Executive Assistant to the City Manager/City Council
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WHO ADDRESSED THE COUNCIL:
ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Mayor Nakamura opened the meeting and introduced City Manager Valerie Barone who provided introductions. Director of Public Works Kit Jory and Director of Information Technology Greg Taylor led an ice breaker, then City Manager Barone reviewed the Mission Statement, workshop ground rules, meeting agenda, and Council Norms.
It was the consensus of Council to add clarifying language to the Council Norms encouraging Councilmembers who know about an upcoming event in a district of another Councilmember or who are contacted by a resident or business from another district to notify the Councilmember representing that district.
Department Heads presented briefings on significant assignments and challenges for FY 2026-
27. Following questions and comments from the City Council, City Manager Barone reviewed the Council’s Priority Areas of Focus and the FY 2026-27 Work Program.
Mayor Nakamura recessed the meeting at 11:56 a.m. The meeting resumed at 12:17 p.m.
City Council Minutes March 21, 2026
2 Following questions and comments from the City Council, Mayor Nakamura opened a public comment period, and upon receiving no public comment, closed the public comment period.
Following discussion, the Council confirmed the following Tier I priorities for the organization for Fiscal Year 2026-27: These are the Council’s top priority goals. The organization must stay focused on these, and the Council expects them to be accomplished. •New City Manager: Council and the organization will provide effective support and onboarding to the new City Manager, enabling a successful first year in the role. •Economic Development Strategic Plan: Implement Year 1 Economic Development Strategic Plan activities, which include: exploring/adopting a Property & Business Improvement District for the downtown; creating an economic advisory group that will meet at least twice a year to advise staff on how City efforts can support improvements in the local economy; proactively seek the location or expansion of target industries in the City; and coordinate efforts to market Concord with the private sector to establish a “brand” using events, Visit Concord, and enhanced appearance, safety, and other quality of life efforts.
•Unfunded Infrastructure Needs Funding: Continue to make progress identifying funding to address the annual infrastructure investment shortfall, currently estimated at $25 million annually. •Implement Various Housing Element Mandates: To ensure continued compliance with the City’s state certified housing element, complete implementation of four major housing element policies already underway, begin implementation of nine major additional housing element policies.
•Concord Naval Weapons Station Development: Make significant progress on negotiations with the US Navy and Master Developer on the Economic Development Conveyance Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and work with the Master Developer and significantly advance the specific plan, infrastructure planning, and environmental permits.
The City Council confirmed the following Tier II priority, noting that this is an important goal for the Council; however, the Council recognizes that it will only be addressed if staff has sufficient time, and if doing so does not detract from the Tier I priorities or the City’s established work program. •Working with a Mayor-appointed ad-hoc committee, evaluate the feasibility of expanding, relocating, or replacing the City’s library. The assessment will include, at a minimum, costs to build and operate, potential locations (including CNWS and other sites), funding opportunities (including grants), project timelines, and required steps. The report prepared by staff with the ad- hoc committee’s involvement will be shared with the full Council for review at a public meeting and determination if any action is appropriate.
The City Council was briefed on the organization’s work program for Fiscal Year 2026-27 and added the following tasks assigned to the Council Committee on Housing and Economic Development, with the understanding that they will not take priority over existing work program assignments:
•An evaluation of the impacts and process for obtaining the State designation of Pro-Housing for Concord.
•An evaluation of why affordable senior housing is not occurring in Concord and what steps the City could take to encourage it.
City Council Minutes March 21, 2026
3 ADJOURNMENT
By order of the Mayor, the meeting was adjourned on March 21, 2026, at 1:10 p.m. /s/
LAURA M. NAKAMURA
MAYOR
/s/ ______
JOELLE FOCKLER, MMC
CITY CLERK