01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 1 of 6
MINUTES OF THE DAVIS CITY COUNCIL
Meeting of January 21, 2025
The City Council of the City of Davis met in regular meeting session beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Chambers, 23 Russell Boulevard, Davis, California. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Bapu Vaitla.
Roll Call: Councilmembers Present: Josh Chapman, Linda Deos, Donna Neville, Glo- ria Partida, Bapu Vaitla
Councilmembers Absent: None
Other Officers Present: City Manager Mike Webb , City Attorney Inder Khalsa, City Clerk Zoe Mirabile
Approval of
Agenda
B. Vaitla: Defer ceremonial welcome to Mayor and Vice Mayor for 2025 until next meeting.
L. Deos moved, seconded by D. Nevill e, to approve the agenda as amended. Motion passed unanimously.
Ceremonial
Presentation
Proclamation Honoring Josh Chapman for His Service to the Davis Com- munity as Mayor During 2024 was presented by B. Vaitla.
Councilmembers expressed thanks and appreciation.
City Manager
Announce-
ments
M. Webb: January 22, 23, 29, and 30 —Davis Police Department Com- munity Outreach Meetings. January 27—G Street Grand Opening.
City Council
Announce-
ments and Li-
aison Reports
None.
Public Com-
ments
• Rebish Gorenstein and unnamed individuals : Support public meno- rah lighting included in city holiday display, other jurisdictions have already set precedent . City should not prioritize Christian symbols and events. Ask Council to take action on request to light a menorah during Christmas parade and tree lighting.
• Eden and unnamed individuals, Night Market group: Consent calen- dar item Camping Ordinance Implementation Policy—Oppose. Ordi- nance will put undue burden on community and student organizations that serve homeless individuals. Request council remove policy from consent and address at another time.
01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 2 of 6
• Michael Levy: Wrote to Council in December 2023 when Council was considering a ceasefire resolution at a meeting held on Hanukkah.
City has not recognized Hanneke as a significant observance by the community. Request staff be trained on how to recognize antisemi- tism.
• Alan Miller: Davis Police Department is not addressing crime that is perpetrated by homeless individuals.
• Una Hadden, Arts Alliance Davis: During 2025, Arts Alliance aware- ness campaign will include artists attending Council meetings to share recent work, accomplishments, and events from creative com- munity.
• Alan Hirsch: Attended M artin Luther King Jr. event. Disagree with choice of message and tone. Need hope, optimism and celebration instead of anger. Even when disagree, should lead with love and re- spect.
• Connor Gorman: Consent calendar item Camping Ordinance Imple- mentation Policy—support provision of educati on. Need more com- munity navigators to build relationships and trust. Not enough shelter space in Davis or County, many have barriers to entry.
• Unnamed individual: Need more shelter space for homeless individ- uals.
• Ron Glick: Previous Central Park event included display of a meno- rah. Should not restrict installation of public menorah.
Consent Cal-
endar
Camping Ordinance Implementation Policy
Approve Resolution No. 25-003 - Establishing an Implementation Policy Regarding Enforcement of the City of Davis Camping Ordinance (Davis Municipal Code 26.11)
Equipment Procurement Contract for Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Sedimentation Basin No. 3, Distribution Channel and Grit Basin Concrete Resurfacing, CIP No. ET0018
Approve Resolution No. 25-004 - Awarding Contract to Connexus Indus- tries Inc. for Equipment Procurement for the WWTP Sedimentation Basin No. 3, Distribution Channel and Grit Basin Concrete Resurfacing Project, and Authorizing City Manager to Execute Contract
Acceptance of Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District 2024 Sacramento Emergency Clean Air Transportation Program Grant Funds for Electric Vehicle Fleet Replacement
Approve Resolution No. 25-005 - Authorizing the City Manager to Accept Grant Funding from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Manage- ment District and to Increase Appropriations in Unallocated Fund 531
Independent Police Auditor Contract Extension
01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 3 of 6
Approve Resolution No. 25 -006 - Authorizing the City Manager to Exe- cute Amendment #1 to the 2023-24 Contract with the OIR Group to Ex- tend the Term for Independent Police Auditor Services
Amendment to Varsity Theater Lease
Approve Resolution No. 25 -007 - Authorizing the City Manager to E xe- cute a Seventh Amendment to the City’s Lease with Fenske/Novakovic, Inc. for the Varsity Theater, which (1) Shortens the Length of the Re- maining Option Periods to One Year Each, and (2) Provides Rent Relief for 18 Months to Keep the Theater Open While th e Tenant Develops, in Collaboration with the City, a Post-Pandemic Business Plan for the The- ater During This Difficult Time for the Movie Industry
Davis Youth Softball Association (DYSA) Proposal to Install Batting Cage at Community Park
Approve Resolution No. 25-008 - Authorizing the City Manager and Des- ignated Staff to Prepare and Execute All Agreements Necessary to Allow DYSA to Construct and Utilize a Batting Cage in Community Park
Revised Fiscal Year 2024/25 Authorized Position Listing and Revised Salary Table
1. Approve Resolution No. 25-009 - Approving Citywide Salary Table – Effective January 20, 2025
2. Approve Resolution No. 25-010 - Amending the Authorized Positions Listing for FY 2024/25
UC Davis Active Sensor Evaluation Study in the City of Davis Informational. Receive a report on the Caltrans Active Sensor Evaluation study being conducted by UC Davis.
Surveillance Technology – Automated License Plate Readers/Public Safety Cameras
Informational. The Police Department is submitting this informational staff report on the consent calendar at least 30 days prior to asking the City Council to hold a public hearing for the Police Department’s pur- chase/use of additional Fixed Public Safety Cameras and Automated Li- cense Plate Readers (ALPR).
Commission Minutes: Fiscal Commission Meeting of November 6, 2024 Informational.
J. Chapman moved, seconded by G. Partida, to approve the consent calendar as listed above. Motion passed unanimously.
01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 4 of 6
Yolo Commu-
nity Founda-
tion Presenta-
tion on Arts
and Culture
Grant Fund-
ing
Yolo Community Foundation (YCF) Executive Director Jessica Hubbard:
City provided funding to Davis arts and culture nonprofits adversely af- fected by the pandemic. Many organizations have only begun to recover in the last 1-2 years.
Program Manager Carolina Valverde: YCF disbursed $500,000 to 20 lo- cal organizations. Majority of organizations used funds to pay staff sala- ries. YCF helps address ongoing needs by publicizing programming , workshops in marketing and grant writing , nonprofit board recruitment and organization, needs and strengths assessment. Nonprofit feedback included desire to increase diversity in programming and board member- ship.
Down Pay-
ment Assis-
tance Frame-
work
Assistant City Manager Kelly Stachowicz: Proposed ordinance provides framework should a down payment assistance program be created, would also require program -specific guidelines and funding. Summa- rized benefits and potential disadvantages.
Public comments:
• Georgina Valencia ; Ellen Kalorik and Vera Sandronsky , Interfaith Housing Justice Davis ; and Gayna Lamb -bang: Support. Council should use new sales tax to fund down payment assistance program with $1 million annual allocation or $2 million to Housing Trust Fund. • Alan Miller: Oppose. Government money put into housing market will inflate housing market.
• Alan Hirsch: Support. Homeowners are invested in the community. • Elaine Roberts-Musser, David Thompson, and Dan Carson: Oppose.
Ongoing funding has not been identified. Should assist homeowners to access state and federal funding instead of creating something new. Send to F iscal Commission to look at fiscal issues and S ocial Services Commission to prioritize what housing proposals they favor for Council prioritization. Administration could be costly. • Ron Glick, Connor Gorman and Barbara Clutter: Support program.
Should leverage all other funding available in this sphere, public and private.
B. Vaitla moved, seconded by L. Deos, as follows:
1. Introduce Ordinance Amending Section 18.05.020 (Definitions) and Adding a New Section 1 8.05.080 (Down Payment Assistance Pro- gram Framework) to Chapter 18 (Housing) to Establish a Framework for a Down Payment Assistance Program for Income-Eligible House- holds, amended as follows.
A. Add to (e) Assistance Amount: Clear affirmative duty that any as- sistance received under the Program shall be used only toward the purchase of a home in Davis.
01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 5 of 6
2. Direct the Fiscal Subcommittee (Neville, Vaitla) to work with staff to include review of a down payment assistance program in discussions regarding budget priorities as the City prepares the upcoming bien- nial budget with recommendations to return to the City Council for consideration.
A. Subcommittee to work with staff in looking a t potential funding sources and budget priorities. Subcommittee may consult with Fis- cal Commission and Social Services Commission before or after amount of funding for affordable housing has been deter-mined as they see fit.
J. Chapman proposed a Friendly Amendment: “Subcommittee will con- sult…”. Accepted by mover and second.
Motion passed unanimously.
D. Neville moved, seconded by L. Deos, as follows:
1. Refer to the Fiscal Commission to assist in developing program guidelines for DPA, related to the following issues:
A. Best strategies for minimizing financial risk to City of Davis B. Return with specific recommendations regarding program guide- lines in section 5 of ordinance that will ensure program provides greatest benefit possible to the applicants
2. Refer to the Social Services Commission to return with recommen- dations regarding program guidelines specifically pertinent to afford- able housing.
Motion passed unanimously.
City Council recessed at 8:55 p.m. and reconvened at 9:00 p.m.
2025-26 City
Council Liai-
son Assign-
ments
Assistant City Manager Kelly Stachowicz: Overview of liaison assign- ment process and Mayor recommendations for appointments
Public comment:
• Alan Hirsch: Should have an alternate member for Yolo County Transportation District (YCTD). Same councilmember should be as- signed to both Transportation Commission and YCTD , c onsider transportation systems comprehensively. Council has subcommit- tees in existence for a long time—not ad hoc.
B. Vaitla suggest: Add L. Deos as YCTD Alternate. Council consensus.
Ask J. Chapman to replace B. Vaitla on Shriners Subcommittee. J. Chap- man agree.
D. Neville: Willing to continue serving on Yolo Animal Services JPA.
Council consensus.
01/21/2025 City Council Minutes Page 6 of 6
L. Deos moved, seconded by G. Partida, to approve the mayor’s recom- mendations for Council liaison appointments for 2025-26 Council Liaison assignments with the modifications above. Motion passed unanimously.
AB 1234 Re-
porting
None
Long Range
Calendar
M. Webb: Next meeting February 4.
B. Vaitla: Measure J/R/D Exemption discussion, would like that to come to Council soon.
Public comments:
• Alan Miller: Should increase free speech opportunities.
Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 9:17 p.m.
Zoe Mirabile
City Clerk