In addition to serious economic restrictions, Israel has imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, halting intra-Palestinian relations between the West Bank and Gaza. As a form of collective punishment, the blockade imprisoned 1.9 million Palestinians and prevented their access to the West Bank and their exit to the outside world. The devastation enforced on the besieged strip and the subsequent Israeli wars caused thousands of civilian deaths and the massive destruction of neighborhoods, educational and health facilities, and infrastructure. Gazan society has been subjected to a grave hu- manitarian crisis and deteriorating socio economic standards. Today, more than 70 percent of the population relies on humanitarian aid, the unemployment rate is the highest in the world at 43 percent, over 72 percent of households live in food insecurity, 95 percent of factories and workshops have been shut down, farmers are denied access to 35 percent of agricultural land, 85 percent of fishing waters have been affected, and vital infrastructure has been destroyed. With the systemic obstruction of Gaza’s reconstruction and the impossibility of recovery under such conditions, Gaza’s economy is on the verge of collapse.58 Agenda Packet Page 289 of 336
Furthermore, the division between the West Bank and Gaza, coupled with Israel’s double approach to the West Bank (economic peace in the context of ongoing settlement expansion) and Gaza (crippling blockade and periodic military as- saults), has created different realities governed by opposing political, social, and institutional visions, split by widening economic inequality.
In short, post-Oslo East Jerusalem experienced intensified “Judaization” and the systematic destruction of its Arab heritage. The presence of Arab Jeru- salemites is regularly targeted through different forms of “transfer” policies that aim to displace them.
Settlements are implanted into the hearts of Palestinian neighborhoods, while the inhabitants are deprived of the right to construct houses, schools, hospitals, and other vital facilities. Discriminatory laws, including restrictions on civil status, confiscation of property, preclusion of urban planning, and revocation of residency IDs, are all strategic tools for uprooting the Palestinian population. Economic pressures and barriers to commercial and industrial development have led to high poverty rates, reaching 75 percent among Palestinian Jerusalemites according to recent estimates.59
A CENTURY OF PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE
The Palestinian resistance movement emerged early last century, espousing an 17 anti-colonial agenda and forging strategic alliances with similar anti-colonial liberation movements worldwide. It defined its mission as a struggle against the forces of international Zionism and colonialism in order to achieve self-determination and the liberation of Palestine.60 Resistance constituted the backbone of Palestinian steadfastness and survival in the face of Zionist colonization, dispossession, and dehumanization. For a century, resistance has been a conscious mission among Palestinians, who have been well aware of the perils of the Zionist project. Resistance thus shaped Palestinian national identity and was integrated into cultural heritage, knowledge production, social life, and world- view. Yet the Palestinian anti-colonial struggle is not monolithic: depending on the circumstances throughout the various stages of Palestinian modern history, resistance has been articulated differently—ranging from active to passive, collective to individual, peaceful to armed, and organized to random.
Since the Palestinians became conscious of Zionist objectives and the complicity of the British colonial mandate early last century, a series of revolts erupted, such as those of Nebi Musa (1920), Jaffa (1921–1922), Al-Buraq (1929), and the October revolt of 1933. The largest one was the Great Arab Revolt (1936–1939), an organized insurgency that articulated the Palestinian
Agenda Packet Page 290 of 336
quest for independence and the end of the Zionist project in Palestine. It involved civil disobedience, general strikes, and armed struggle against British troops and Zionist settlers. The revolt was aborted by British empty promises on the eve of WWII to halt Jewish immigration and allow for the establishment of a Palestin- ian state. While Palestinian resistance continued throughout the 1940s, Zionist paramilitary groups had developed a far superior organizational structure and armament. The power asymmetry ended in the defeat of the Palestinian resistance and the implementation of Zionist ethnic cleansing of Palestinian towns and villages, finally leading to the conquest of 77 percent of the land of Palestine.61The post-Nakba period saw the majority of Palestinians living in deplorable conditions, scattered in refugee camps, and deprived of political rights and dignity.
They were also denied a distinct political identity. Their activism was subordinated to various Arab regimes and mainly exercised through Arab political parties. By the late 1950s, a few Palestinian resistance groups had emerged and initiated armed struggle along the Israeli borders with Jordan and Lebanon.62
While these groups lacked organizational structures and resources, they implanted the seeds for the formation of the modern Palestinian national move- ment. In the 1960s, these armed groups coalesced to form a more coherent and organized national liberation movement along diverse ideological lines,
18 collectively constituting the backbone of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). With the support of the Nasserite regime of Egypt, the PLO was founded under the auspices of the Arab League in 1964, and its operations and political maneuvering were restricted by, and dependent on, the political con- siderations of Arab regimes. It was the Arab defeat in the 1967 war that caused the PLO to prioritize the role of independent Palestinian leadership, decision making, and manpower in determining the fate of the struggle for liberation and self-determination.
The post-1967 rise of the PLO left a substantial imprint on the Palestin- ian anti-colonial struggle and brought the Palestinian cause into the center of world attention for decades. The PLO functioned as an anti-colonial liberation movement with far-reaching influence on the worldwide Palestinian diaspora. It was widely recognized as “the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”63It shaped Palestinian national identity, waged armed struggle, mobilized and represented its people, and formed transnational alliances. The PLO functioned as a state-in-exile, provided social services to Palestinians in refugee camps, and supported educational and cultural initiatives. It also played a significant diplomatic role; in 1974, the PLO was the first national liberation movement to be granted observer status at the UN.64 Agenda Packet Page 291 of 336
The Palestinians who remained inside historic Palestine embarked on differ- ent forms of anti-colonial struggle. The Israeli occupation of 1967 inadvertently reunified Palestinian communities in the West Bank, Gaza, and inside Israel. Such interaction contributed to the rise of political consciousness, collective national identity, and a recognition of their shared fate.
Forms of struggle varied due to the different colonial systems imposed on each community. The Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza relied, to a large extent, on popular resistance. They challenged the Israeli authorities by organizing themselves in modern grassroots organizations, trade unions, voluntary committees, and student and
wom- en’s movements. This
process was accompanied by,
and conducive
The Palestinians who
survived the 1948
expulsion and became
second-class citizens
of Israel developed
distinct methods of
struggle for their
national and civil
rights.
to, the evolution of Sumud, a strategy that signified the adherence to Palestinian national identity as a source of collective steadfastness on the land. The first Intifada (1987–1994) was the most enlightening period of popular resistance.
New representative structures emerged to organize popular engagement in the 19 Intifada, most notably the popular committees which existed in almost every locality.
Meanwhile, the engagement of mass-based organizations; women’s and student movements; labor unions; and professional committees decisively transformed the spontaneous uprising into an organized action.
The Palestinians who survived the 1948 expulsion and became second-class citizens of Israel facing institutional discrimination and exclusion developed dis- tinct methods of struggle for their national and civil rights. First, certain political forces established organizations and committees that aimed to preserve national identity and civil rights. These organizations have also mobilized constituencies to defy Israeli policies, occasionally resulting in confrontations, general strikes, and protests. Second, other political trends adopted struggle from within Israeli institutions, most importantly by running for the Israeli Knesset with the as- sumption that they could influence the state’s laws and regulations in favor of equal citizenship and civil rights.
UNCERTAIN CONCLUSION
The active Zionist settler-colonial project has accumulated a series of successes Agenda Packet Page 292 of 336
by conquering the land and encircling the people. Yet it is an entangled project, burdened by the dynamic presence of the people of the land whose steadfastness and resistance to injustices constitute the antithesis of Zionist colonization. De- spite a century of repressive conditions of Zionist colonization that have made life unbearable, millions resist by not leaving their homeland and still adhering tirelessly to their rights.
With the intensification of Israel’s colonial expansion after Oslo, the Pales- tinian body politic has been weakened to an unprecedented extent: the PLO lost its revolutionary potential, the PA was established as a dysfunctional institution lacking representation and sovereignty, the national movement became engulfed in multiple divisions and rifts, and the society has been territorially fragmented. For Israel, this status quo is comfortable, and its current policy is to prolong the situation of relative stability. Nevertheless, this cannot be sustainable given the unabated entrenchment of Israel’s settler-colonialism.
While future scenarios are uncertain, the Israeli establishment does not hide its determination that a Palestinian state or even a meaningful type of autonomy should never materialize. However, for many, the current reality is that of a single apartheid state, with all the discrimination, segregation, and structural racism this implies. The consolidation of this reality may alter
20 future directions toward a struggle for equal rights within the one-state framework. This direction, however, will be fiercely opposed by Israel because it will shake the doctrinal foundation of the state. Regardless of the way in which Israel continues its colonization, the unrelenting steadfastness of the people of the land will always pose a structural challenge to Israel’s settler-colonial project. And the continuation of this state of affairs will likely make the ac- complishment of the Zionist dream unattainable, and might result in dev- astating consequences for the whole settler-colonial project in Palestine.
NOTES
1. Patrick Wolfe, “Settler Colonialism and the Elimination of the Native,” Journal of Genocide Research 8, no. 4 (2006): 387–409.
2. Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (London: Oneworld, 2006), 71.
3. Shlomo Sand, The Invention of the Jewish People (London: Verso, 2010), 316.
4. Ibid.
5. Alan George, “‘Making the Desert Bloom’ A Myth Examined,” Journal of Palestine Studies 8, no. 2 (1979):
88–100.
6. Nadia Abu El-Haj, Facts on the Ground: Archaeological Practice and Territorial Self-fashioning in Israeli Society (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008), 3.
7. Israel Finkelstein, “Pots and People Revisited: Ethnic Boundaries in the Iron Age I,” in The Archae- ology of Israel: Constructing the Past, Interpreting the Present, ed. Neil Asher Silberman and David Small Agenda Packet Page 293 of 336
(Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997), 219.
8. Nadim Khoury, “National Narratives and the Oslo Peace Process: How Peacebuilding Paradigms Address Conflicts over History,” Nations and Nationalism 22, no. 3 (2016): 469.
9. On the history of Palestine and the Palestinians, see: Guy Le Strange, Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from AD 650 to 1500 (New York: Cosimo, Inc., 2010), which was originally published in 1890 and translated from the works of medieval geographers; Kamil J. Asali, Jerusalem in History (Northampton: Interlink Publishing Group, 2005); Beshara Doumani, Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700–1900 (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1995); Beshara Doumani, “Rediscovering Ottoman Palestine: Writing Palestinians into History,” Journal of Palestine Studies 21, no. 2 (1992):
5-28.
10.Theodor Herzl, The Jewish State (New York: Maccabean Publishing Co., 1904), 28.
11. Abdul-Wahab Kayyali, “Zionism and Imperialism: The Historical Origins,” Journal of Palestine Studies 6, no. 3 (1977): 98–112.
12. Norman Finkelstein, Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008), 32–64.
13. Daphna Sharfman, Palestine in the Second World War: Strategic Plans and Political Dilemmas (East- bourne:
Sussex Academic Press, 2014), 93–108.
14.Khoury, “National Narratives and the Oslo Peace Process,” 469.
15. Eman Nahhas, “The ‘Silenced’ Narrative of 1948 War Events Among Young Palestinians in Israel,” in A Social Psychology Perspective on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, ed. Keren Sharvit and Eran Halperin (New York: Springer, 2016), 61–75.
16. James Barr, A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the Struggle that Shaped the Middle East (London: Simon and Schuster, 2011).
17. See: “In Depth: Israel and the Palestinians: Key Documents,” BBC, November 29, 2001, http:// news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/middle_east/israel_and_the_palestinians/key_documents/1682961.stm
18.Mutaz M. Qafisheh, The International Law Foundations of Palestinian Nationality: A Legal Examination of Palestinian Nationality Under the British Rule, Vol.7 (Leiden: Brill, 2008), 93. 21 19. Elie Kedourie, “Sir Herbert Samuel and the Government of Palestine,” Middle Eastern Studies 5, no. 1 (1969):
44. 20. Rashid Khalidi, Palestinian Identity: The Construction of Modern National Consciousness (New York: Columbia University Press, 2010), 11.
21. “Ad Hoc Committee on the Palestinian Question Report of Sub-Committee 2,” United Nations, November 11, 1947, http://unispal.un.org/pdfs/AAC1432.pdf.
22. Cablegram From Ralph Bunche To The Secretary-General Transmitting Report Regarding The Assassination Of The United Nations Mediator, Security Council, September 27, 1948, https://unispal. un.org/DPA/DPR/unispal.nsf/1ce874ab1832a53e852570bb006dfaf6/45fc0c6e511ec0c5802564d4005 60ca0?OpenDocument.
23. See: Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine; Nur Masalha, The Palestine Nakba: Decolonising History, Narrating the Subaltern, Reclaiming Memory (London: Zed Books Ltd., 2012); Eugene L. Rogan and Avi Shlaim, eds., The War for Palestine: Rewriting the History of 1948 (Cambridge: Cambridge Uni- versity Press, 2001); Ahmad H. Sa’di and Lila Abu-Lughod, eds., Nakba: Palestine, 1948, and the Claims of Memory (New York: Columbia University Press, 2007).
24.Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine, xi.
25. Joseph Schechla, “The Invisible People Come to Light: Israel’s ‘Internally Displaced’ and the ‘Un- recognized Villages,’” Journal of Palestine Studies 31, no. 1 (2001): 20–31.
26.Walid Khalidi, “The Palestine Problem: An Overview,” Journal of Palestine Studies 21, no. 1 (1991): 9.
27. The Palestinian “Nakba” (“catastrophe” in Arabic) refers to the mass expulsion of Palestinian Arabs at the hands of Zionist paramilitary groups from historic Palestine during Israel’s creation (1947–49).
28. Geremy Forman and Alexandre Kedar, “From Arab Land to ‘Israel Lands’: The Legal Dispossession of the Palestinians Displaced by Israel in the Wake of 1948,” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 22, no. 6 (2004): 809–30.
29. Raja Halwani and Tomis Kapitan, The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Philosophical Essays on SelfAgenda Packet Page 294 of 336 Determination, Terrorism and the One-State Solution (New York: Springer, 2007), 91.
30. Arnon Yehuda Degani, “The Decline and Fall of the Israeli Military Government, 1948–1966: A Case of Settler-Colonial Consolidation?,” Settler Colonial Studies 5, no. 1 (2015): 84–99.
31.Shira Robinson, Citizen Strangers: Palestinians and the Birth of Israel’s Liberal Settler State (Palo Alto:
Stanford University Press, 2013).
32. Louis Rene Beres and Zeev Maoz, “Israel and the Bomb,” International Security 29, no. 1 (2004): 175–80.
33. Nur Masalha, Imperial Israel and the Palestinians: The Politics of Expansion (London: Pluto Press, 2000), 11–4.
34. Ilan Pappe, A History of Modern Palestine: One Land, Two Peoples (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004), 188.
35. Ali Jarbawi, “The Remaining Palestinian Options,” The Arab World Geographer 8, no. 3 (2005): 118–21.
36. Jamal Raji Nassar and Roger Heacock, Intifada: Palestine at the Crossroads (Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1990).
37. David Newman, “The Evolution of a Political Landscape: Geographical and Territorial Implications of Jewish Colonization in the West Bank,” Middle Eastern Studies 21, no. 2 (1985): 192–205.
38. Oren Yiftachel, “Ethnocracy: The Politics of Judaizing Israel/Palestine,” Constellations 6, no. 3 (1999): 364–90.
39. Lisa Hajjar, Courting Conflict: The Israeli Military Court System in the West Bank and Gaza (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 2005).
40. For further understanding of the Israeli military orders and their impact on Palestinian life, see: “Introduction To Israeli Military Orders,” Addameer, July 2017, http://www.addameer.org/israeli_military_judicial_system/military_orders.
41. Yusif Sayigh, “The Palestinian Economy Under Occupation: Dependency and Pauperization,” Journal of Palestine Studies 15, no. 4 (1986): 46–67.
22 42. Ryan Sheila, “The West bank and Gaza: Political Consequences of the Occupation,” MERIP Reports, no. 47 (1979): 3.
43. Tariq Dana, “The Symbiosis Between Palestinian ‘Fayyadism’ and Israeli ‘Economic Peace’: The Political Economy of Capitalist Peace in the Context of Colonization,” Conflict, Security & Development 15, no. 5 (2015):
455–77.
44. Arie Arnon, “Israeli Policy towards the Occupied Palestinian Territories: The Economic Dimension, 1967–2007,” The Middle East Journal 61, no. 4 (2007): 573–95.
45. Leila Farsakh, Palestinian Labour Migration to Israel: Labour, Land and Occupation (New York:
Routledge, 2005).
46.George T. Abed, ed., The Palestinian Economy: Studies in Development Under Prolonged Occupation (New York: Routledge, 1988), 8.
47.Neve Gordon, Israel’s Occupation (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2008), 49.
48.Joe Stork, “Water and Israel’s Occupation Strategy,” MERIP Reports 116, no. 13 (1983), 6.
49. Martin Asser, “Obstacles to Arab-Israeli peace: Water,” BBC, 2 September 2010, http://www.bbc. com/news/world-middle-east-11101797.
50.“Background: Water Crisis,” B’Tselem, September 28, 2016, http://www.btselem.org/water.
51.Ibid.
52. Virginia Tilley, Beyond Occupation: Apartheid, Colonialism and International Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (London: Pluto Press, 2012).
53. Tariq Dana, “The Prolonged Decay of the Palestinian National Movement,” National Identities (2017): 3.
54. For example, see: “The Israeli Settlement Enterprise and its Impact on the Two-State Solution,” Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem, September 2015, https://www.arij.org/files/arijadmin/poica/ report15.pdf.
55.Sahera Bleibleh, “Walking Through Walls: The Invisible War,” Space and Culture 18, no. 2 (2015):
168.
Agenda Packet Page 295 of 336
56.Elia Zureik, Israel’s Colonial Project in Palestine: Brutal Pursuit (Oxon: Routledge, 2015), 95–134.
57. Mushtaq Khan, George Giacaman, and Inge Amundsen, State Formation in Palestine (London: Routledge Curzon, 2004).
58. “Gaza Economy on the Verge of Collapse,” World Bank, May 21, 2015, http://www.worldbank. org/en/news/press-release/2015/05/21/gaza-economy-on-the-verge-of-collapse.
59.Nur Arafeh, “Which Jerusalem: Israel’s Little-Known Master Plans,” Al-Shabaka, May 31, 2016, https://al-shabaka.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Arafeh_PolicyBrief_Eng_May2016.pdf.
60.Dana, “The prolonged decay.”
61. Mazin B Qumsiyeh, Popular Resistance in Palestine: A History of Hope and Empowerment (London: Pluto Press, 2011).
62.Yazid Sayigh, Armed Struggle and the Search for State: The Palestinian National Movement, 1949-1993 (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997).
63.Ibid., 35.
64.Malcolm Shaw, “The International Status of National Liberation Movements,” Liverpool Law Review 5, no. 1 (1983): 19–34.
23 Fall/WinteR 2017 • volUme xxiv, issUe i
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Agenda Packet Page 296 of 336
From: Sherry Drobner
To: Tessa Rudnick; Lisa Motoyama; Carolyn Wysinger; Gabe Quinto; Paul Fadelli Cc: Holly Charléty
Subject: Public Comment: Not on the Agenda. Why Ceasefire Resolutions from City Councils are Important Date: Monday, March 18, 2024 4:04:14 PM
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Dear Mayor and City Council members,
I have now heard it stated a number of times that a ceasefire resolution from the El Cerrito City Council is actually a meaningless action, symbolic at most. Please read the opinion piece from Rep. Iman Jodeh who serves on the House of Representative from the 41st district of Colorado.
As Israel’s bombardment of Gaza approaches its sixth month and a death toll of at least 35,000 Palestinians, U.S. government officials continue to throw their weight behind Israel, sending arms and taxpayer funds to their ally in the Middle East.
While the U.S. and Israel find themselves increasingly isolated in their reluctance to embrace a permanent ceasefire, 70 U.S. cities have passed resolutions on the Israel-Gaza war with a majority calling for a ceasefire.
Of them, 48 cities have gone further, specifically calling out Israel’s bombardment on Gaza, and calling for an end to the bloodshed.
Yet countless other city councils are hesitant to entertain resolutions calling for a permanent ceasefire, arguing that foreign policy is outside the purview of city councils and that municipalities’ policymaking cannot affect global issues. Sadly, this argument has become one more tactic to move the goalposts instead of pushing back on outside pressure.
But these issues directly affect their constituents. The increase in Islamophobia, anti-Arab discrimination, and antisemitism in the districts they represent as a direct result of Israel’s war on Gaza should impact their Agenda Packet Page 297 of 336
decision to take a stance and support a permanent ceasefire.
The chain of representation is essential here. City council members share constituents with their congressional delegation. Their obligation, at the very least, is to resist Islamophobia, anti-Arab sentiment and antisemitism within their districts. Moreover, city council members possess a unique ability to be proxies for these shared constituents. This capability is vital in emphasizing the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire to their congressional delegation and, ultimately, the Biden administration.
This dual role underscores the profound impact that pursuing and passing ceasefire resolutions can have on the core principles of democracy: equal, fair and honest representation. As city council members, we must ensure that the anti-war and anti-genocide voice, regardless of background, is acknowledged and given due consideration.
I have heard numerous elected officials, on all levels, say they have consulted with one group, which gives me great pause about their disregard for other stakeholders. This results in the lack of equal representation that we, as elected officials, took an oath to uphold.
Many of the same cities that refuse to issue any resolution for a ceasefire were quick to issue statements about their unwavering support of Israel.
Should anti-war and anti-genocide advocates take that to mean an Israeli life is worth more than a Palestinian life?
The indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Gaza is a grave humanitarian concern, causing significant harm to innocent lives and exacerbating the already dire conditions in the region. Continuing such indiscriminate attacks not only results in civilian casualties but also undermines any prospects for a peaceful resolution to the protracted occupation. A cessation of all hostilities is imperative to safeguarding civilian lives and fostering international efforts for a lasting ceasefire.
Agenda Packet Page 298 of 336
The need for a ceasefire is an urgent call echoed by people worldwide. The recent ruling from the International Court of Justice that it is plausible that Israel is committing genocide on Palestinians, a protected class under the Genocide Convention, further underscores the growing discontent with the status quo.
City councils have the opportunity to be on the right side of history. They should follow suit and align with 153 other countries and countless organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders.
The slew of national and local organizations, including faith-based groups and labor unions, that have called for a ceasefire are ironically the same organizations that many elected officials seek to earn their endorsements in election years.
Critics may argue that foreign policy is outside the purview of city councils and that municipalities’ policymaking can have no bearing on global issues.
But cities have increasingly taken on the work of international relations and diplomacy: setting precedents for passing resolutions against other conflicts, soliciting international investments, bidding to host global sporting events, collaborating to tackle global social issues, including climate change, broaching human rights concerns with foreign leaders, and more.
As Ambassador Nina Hachigian, the first U.S. Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy, writes, “U.S. cities remain a voice for the country’s values as federal leadership wavers.”
Indeed, the lack of action starts at the top of the ticket, and candidates and elected officials should be held equally accountable. But the focus on city councils that have stepped up and are advocating for a ceasefire serves as a Agenda Packet Page 299 of 336
catalyst for change.
Through such actions, cities can contribute to breaking the deadlock and paving the way for a more just and peaceful world.
--
I live and work on unceded Lisjan Ohlone land in the territory of Huchiun . As a non-Native person I pay Shuumi, a voluntary land tax that supports Lisjan Ohlone sovereignty . Learn more here.
Agenda Packet Page 300 of 336
From: Seth Morrison
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comments Not on the Agenda
Date: Monday, March 18, 2024 4:35:12 PM
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The genocide in gaza continues and no Palestinian children are being starved to death. Those who manage to survive risk being irreparably harmed. THe majority of Americans continue to demand a ceasefire and the el Cerrito City Council refuses to take any action. As a Jewish resident of El Cerrito I am appalled by the lack of action that is being enforced by a mayor with a significant conflict of interest.
Mayor Rudnick continues to follow the dictates of the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Council member are too cowardly to speak up for Palestinian rights.
Please know that we won't give up. Our number of El Cerrito supporters is growing daily.
Elections are coming.....
--
Seth Morrison
He/Him/His
Agenda Packet Page 301 of 336
From: j
To: City Clerk
Subject: No to Ceasefire Resolution
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 8:36:09 AM
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As an El Cerrito resident, I ask that an Israeli Ceasefire Resolution not be considered by the city council. I thank the city council for being one of the only sane councils in the urban east bay by focusing on local issues, and not on distracting geopolitical issues they have no control over.
Considering an Israel resolution would only:
divide our diverse and strong community.
distract from, and has nothing to do with, important local issues and the core function of city government.
breed unnecessary hate;
encourage those compassionate for all to choose a side; waste everyone's time and energy (I am not the only one losing sleep over this); bring bad publicity;
be insensitive to many in our community who have horrifically lost family and friends at the hands of Hamas;
will isolate Israeli, Pro-Israel, and Jewish students, families, and teachers, who are valuable community members.
Thank you for your consideration and public service.
Best,
Judd
Sent from my iPhone
Agenda Packet Page 302 of 336
From: Tal Garner
To: City Council; City Clerk
Subject: NO to Public Comments Regarding Ceasefire Resolution Agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9:19:39 AM
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Hi,
My name is Tal and I am an Albany resident, though I work in El Cerrito. I am an Israeli American who has been deeply affected since October 7.
First, I want to thank you for, so far, NOT putting a resolution on the agenda in connection to the Israel Gaza conflict. It is not a local issue, and should not be dealt with as such. As we can see in other cities, all this resolution has done is give those who are anti-jewish and anti-Israel the platform to continue spreading hatred.
Although I understand there's a lot of pressure to give into the resolution, it would do more harm than good. As the Berkeley mayor stated in an email just last week, antisemitic hate crimes have gone up 33% since October 7, while anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hate crimes have dropped 5%. I am for peace, and want Palestinians, Arabs, Jews and Israelis to all feel safe here; Putting forth a resolution that gives one side ammunition to their cause is not the way to create peace. I applaud you for not giving into it this far, and encourage you to maintain your strength in keeping the city council focused on local issues.
If you have the time, I would also appreciate your review of the texts below. I've attached links to their full articles if you'd like to continue reading.
On Ceasefire Resolutions -
"The influx of nonresidents participating in these debates further complicates matters. Many, who do not disclose their nonresident status, disproportionately influence decisions that do not directly impact them. This undermines the principle that local governance should reflect the voices and concerns of its residents. As seen in cities like Oakland and Richmond, these debates have devolved into platforms for antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories, further alienating and endangering our Jewish communities. The proposals do not recognize the complex geopolitical realities and ultimately fail to contribute constructively to the peace process they claim to support. While the desire to address international conflicts is understandable, city councils must recognize their limitations but also the critical harm these resolutions can cause."
smdailyjournal.com
“We are a divided community over this issue,” said Mayor Mark Turner. “I cannot see based on what I’ve witnessed here tonight, that if we signed that document — whether it’s a ceasefire or a peace agreement — that suddenly there will be happiness and hugs among all of you.” opportunitynowsv.org
On Amnesty International -
"As with previous rounds of conflict with Palestinian terror groups, Amnesty has disproportionately focused on allegations of Israeli wrongdoing, as opposed to an intensive campaign regarding the murder, torture, rape, hostage-taking, and dismembering corpses that Agenda Packet Page 303 of 336
represent one of the most egregious human rights atrocities in the past 30 years." ngo-monitor.org
On the UN (Please note this was written prior to Oct 7) - "From its creation in June 2006 to June 2023, the Council has adopted zero resolutions on serial human rights abusers such as China, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Zimbabwe and Cuba. It adopted 2 condemnatory resolutions on Sudan, 3 on Venezuela, 12 on Eritrea, 14 on Iran, 16 on North Korea, 42 on Syria — and 103 on Israel. Whatever its flaws, there is no rational explanation why the Jewish state should be the object of more condemnations than Iran, Syria and North Korea combined. The numbers alone reveal the UN’s irrational obsession with one nation. Even those who consider Israel deserving of criticism cannot dispute that this amounts to an extreme case of selective prosecution." house.gov
Agenda Packet Page 304 of 336
From: Noga Alon
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comments – not on the agenda opposition to putting a ceasefire resolution on the City Council agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9:12:55 AM
Dear city council members, I would like to oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. I believe the city council should be focused on local issues and not divide the community t Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
Dear city council members,
I would like to oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. I believe the city council should be focused on local issues and not divide the community through these types of resolutions related to international conflicts.
I thank you for standing strong.
Best,
El Cerrito community member
Agenda Packet Page 305 of 336
From: Alan Marks
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comment - no to putting a ceasefire resolution on the agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9:21:46 AM
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization.
Please do not provide a forum for antisemitism hate speech.
Please run the city without causing further division among the residents .
Alan Marks
Agenda Packet Page 306 of 336
From: Jewish Coalition of Berkeley
To: City Clerk
Subject: public comments – not on the agenda opposition to putting a ceasefire resolution on the City Council agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9:34:16 AM
Dear Mayor and City Council, My name is Rachel and I'm a co-lead of the Jewish Coalition of Berkeley - a group representing roughly 340 members made up of a diverse group of Jewish c Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
Dear Mayor and City Council,
My name is Rachel and I'm a co-lead of the Jewish Coalition of Berkeley - a group representing roughly 340 members made up of a diverse group of Jewish community members and allies coming together to stand up against antisemitism. Along with the vast majority of Bay Area Jews, we support Israel as a nation state with the right to self-determination and a responsibility to protect its citizens.
While I am not a resident of El Cerrito, I live on Colusa bordering El Cerrito and take care of many of my family’s needs in El Cerrito along the San Pablo Corridor and at Plaza. Our group also has several members who live, work and/or have children in the El Cerrito schools.
We want to thank you for your leadership and strength during these incredibly difficult months where you have been incredibly bullied to pass a resolution that would only lead to more division in the community. JCB supports your decision NOT to further the attacks on Israel and American democracy. Please continue your admirable stance and stick with your very rationale and correct position on working on the local needs of El Cerrito. The City has done an incredible job on housing, bike and pedestrian infrastructure, fire prevention, economic development and so many other fronts. Thank you for keeping that focus.
Sincerely,
Rachel
Berkeley, District 5
Agenda Packet Page 307 of 336
From: Gary Prost
To: City Clerk
Cc: Sue Duncan
Subject: Public Comments, Not On The Agenda: Priorities for Measure X Funds Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 10:31:21 AM
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City Council Meeting 19 March 2024
Mayor Rudnick and City Council:
I am sharing with you a letter to the Measure X Board regarding funding priority for vegetation management in the East Bay Hills and El Cerrito in particular. I share this letter to motivate the City of El Cerrito to apply for Measure X funding to eliminate eucalyptus in the HNA and to abate fuel loads to keep El Cerrito fire safe.
I plan to speak to this topic at the City Council meeting this evening as well.
Thank you,
Gary Prost
El Cerrito, CA 94530
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Gary Prost < >
Date: Tue, Mar 12, 2024 at 9:55 AM
Subject: Priorities Input for Measure X Funds
To: < >
Emlyn Struthers
Contra Costa County Measure X Board of Supervisors
Regarding Priorities for Measure X Funds
Rachel Rosekind encouraged me to write to the Measure X Board with recommendations/priorities for Measure X funding prior to your March 20 meeting. As you are aware, one of the many important things that Measure X was intended to address is fire safety and vegetation management in Contra Costa County.
You have done good work in providing ongoing funding for a South County Training Center in the San Ramon Valley. Now I would like to call your attention to a need for ongoing vegetation management in the East Bay Hills, in particular the removal of invasive and fire-prone eucalyptus groves. We know that East Bay Regional Parks has an effort underway in the Tilden-Wildcat Canyon area, and that it will take many years before the shaded fuel break is completed and eucalyptus groves are under control. Meanwhile, in cities like El Cerrito, Kensington, and Richmond, there are many eucalyptus groves along the ridgetop and western slope from Alvarado Park to the Berkeley Country Club and Boy Scout Camp Herms, among others. There are also four groves in the Hillside Natural Area.
Agenda Packet Page 308 of 336
There are elementary schools, extended care homes, thousands of homes, and tens of thousands of residents, as well as critical infrastructure such as water tanks, cell towers, and powerlines that are threatened within a mile of the ridgetop. The western slope has been designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by Cal Fire and is High Fire Risk on the Contra Costa-Alameda Counties fire risk map.
The communities involved are high-density for dwellings: for example, in El Cerrito alone there are 7,363 residents/mi2. The diverse population is 49% non-white, based on US Census data. Twenty percent of the population is over 65, and the median home sale price in October 2023 was $1.1 million (Redfin). The cost of losing homes to fire is astronomical: there are 11,135 housing units in El Cerrito, worth an estimated combined $11 billion. The entire city is within 2 miles of the ridgetop, well within the range of wind-blown embers. This effectively puts all city infrastructure, including fire and police stations, city hall, the community center, the PG&E power substation, high-power lines, the recycling center, the city maintenance yard, and several schools and churches at risk of winddriven embers during the annual Diablo Winds. And that is just El Cerrito.
This note is merely to direct your attention to the high priority need for fire prevention and ongoing vegetation management/fuel reduction in general. I refer you to similar work being done now in Albany to remove eucalyptus in a responsible way on Albany Hill (https://www.albanyca.org/Home/Components/News/News/12320/15).
We have seen Measure X funding go to the east half of the County for fire safety; some of our public officials have expressed concern that the East Bay Hills, and El Cerrito in particular, are not receiving an equitable portion of M-X funds. I don’t know if that is because cities did not apply for funds or were turned down. In any case, removing all or some of the eucalyptus in the Hillside Natural Area, completely surrounded by homes, should be a high priority and would be a good starting point for part of the one-time monies and/or for a portion of the ongoing vegetation management funding.
Can the Measure X Board support these needs? If there is a way for our group (Make El Cerrito Fire Safe) to make specific work requests, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Gary Prost, PhD
Make El Cerrito Fire Safe, A Community Grass Roots Fire Safety Advocacy Group https://www.makeelcerritofiresafe.com/
Virus-free.www.avg.com
Agenda Packet Page 309 of 336
From: Dean Kertesz
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comments not on the agenda - opposition to putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 11:20:31 AM
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Dear Members of the City Council,
I beg you to continue to refuse to put a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
1. A resolution will do nothing to bring about a ceasefire or ease the suffering of Palestinians living in Gaza
2. Putting it on the agenda will invite extremists to bring hate speech into the city council chambers as we have seen in Richmond, Oakland, and San Francisco. It will scare, isolate, and alienate Jewish residents of El Cerrito.
3. We have already witnessed the extremism of ceasefire advocates, including physical violence, verbal intimidation, and distortions of facts.
4. It will divide city residents, not promote dialogue. There are many legitimate sides to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The forum for dialogue between people, not a city council meeting.
5. Everyone wants peace, but any genuine desire for peace must recognize the responsibility of both sides, the legitimate claims of both sides, and the atrocities of both sides.
Thank you for your patience and forbearance in the face of continuing personal attacks.
Sincerely, Dean Kertesz
Agenda Packet Page 310 of 336
From: Hillary Kilimnik
To: City Clerk; Tessa Rudnick
Subject: Public comment: Not on Agenda: NO Ceasefire Resolution on city council agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:14:18 PM
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Hello,
I'm writing to express my strong opposition to putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
El Cerrito City Council should stay focused on local issues and avoid further divisions in the community through these types of resolutions related to international conflicts. This is not the business of the city council, it is not what you were elected to weigh in on.
We need more unity, not greater divisions within our community.
Say no to those who use intimidation to pressure this city council to do what it knows it should not.
NO Ceasefire Resolution on the City Council Agenda!
Sincerely,
Hillary K.
Agenda Packet Page 311 of 336
From:
To: City Clerk
Subject: I Oppose A Ceaesfire Resolution in the Gaza War Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:10:47 PM
To the El Cerrito City Council, I oppose an unconditional Ceasefire resolution at this time. My reason is that Israel was subject to an attack attacked on October 7, 2023, and over Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
To the El Cerrito City Council,
I oppose an unconditional Ceasefire resolution at this time. My reason is that Israel was subject to an attack attacked on October 7, 2023, and over 200 people were slaughtered, many were tortured and raped and hundreds of hostages were taken.
Israel has the right to defend herself. The October 7th attack by Hamas broke an existing ceasefire, in place since 2005. There is no reason to trust that Hamas will not break another ceasefire. They have already vowed to attack Israel again and again.
There are still 130 hostages hidden in tunnels in Gaza. These hostages must be released before a ceasefire.
Hamas uses innocent civilians as human shields. Their casualties are a direct result of this cynical practice. They use the deaths of Gazan civilians to garner sympathy for their cause.
Hamas does not want a 2-state solution. They want one state with no Israel. That is unacceptable.
Sincerely yours,
Susanne (Sanne) DeWitt
Agenda Packet Page 312 of 336
From: Karen Fiss
To: City Clerk
Subject: PUBLIC COMMENTS
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:15:40 PM
I strongly oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. The outcome and purpose is to isolate Jews in our community. Hamas, a designated terrorist group, needs to release ho Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
I strongly oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
The outcome and purpose is to isolate Jews in our community. Hamas, a designated terrorist group, needs to release hostages and surrender. The war would end IMMEDIATELY.
Professor Karen Fiss
Agenda Packet Page 313 of 336
From:
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comments
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:41:05 PM
To the El Cerrito City Council I am a resident of El Cerrito, and I oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. Thank you, Laura Givental &n
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
To the El Cerrito City Council
I am a resident of El Cerrito, and I oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
Thank you,
Laura Givental
Agenda Packet Page 314 of 336
From: Daphna Ross
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comments
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 1:59:46 PM
I oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. Thank you, Ann Ross
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I oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
Thank you,
Ann Ross
Agenda Packet Page 315 of 336
From: William Guynn
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comments
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 3:12:47 PM
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We oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda.
Stefanie and William Guynn
General Public Comments
Agenda Packet Page 316 of 336
From: Moran Koko
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comments – not on the agenda opposition to putting a ceasefire resolution on the City Council agenda Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 3:30:59 PM
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Dear city council members,
I would like to oppose putting a ceasefire resolution on the city council agenda. I believe the city council should be focused on local issues and not divide the community through these types of resolutions related to international conflicts.
I thank you for standing strong.
Best,
Moran Koko
Agenda Packet Page 317 of 336
From: Humaira Matin
To: City Clerk; Carolyn Wysinger; Gabe Quinto; Lisa Motoyama; Paul Fadelli; Tessa Rudnick Subject: Item not on the agenda - Ceasefire Resolution
Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 1:07:02 PM
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Ceasefire now. No more killing civilians in Palestine.
Thank you
Humaira Matin
Agenda Packet Page 318 of 336
City of El
Cerrito
JUNE 30, 2023
AUDIT RESULTS
Agenda Item No. 6.B.
Agenda Packet Page 319 of 336
Agenda Packet Page 320 of 336
Audit Standards
and Auditor
Responsibilities
GAAS
GAGAS
• Express an Opinion on the Financial
Statements
Objective
• Reasonable Assurance
• Risk Based
• Materiality
• Internal Controls
Responsibilities
Agenda Packet Page 321 of 336
Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR)
Section 1 Introductory • Letter of Transmittal
• Elected Officials
•Organizational Chart
Section 2 Financial • Auditor’s Opinion
• MD&A
• Financial Statements and Notes
• Required Supplementary Information
• Supplementary Information
Section 3 Statistical • Fiscal
• Historical
• Demographic Information
Agenda Packet Page 322 of 336
Statement of Net Position
Agenda Packet Page 323 of 336
Governmental Activities - Revenues
Agenda Packet Page 324 of 336
Governmental Expenses by Function
Agenda Packet Page 325 of 336
Business-Type Activities
Agenda Packet Page 326 of 336
Audit
Results
No Exceptions in Audit
Opinions
No Material Weaknesses
No Disagreements with
Management
No Significant Passed on
Adjustments
Control Deficiencies
Agenda Packet Page 327 of 336
From: Ira Sharenow
To: Holly Charléty; City Clerk
Cc: Lisa Motoyama; Paul Fadelli; Tessa Rudnick
Subject: Item 6B ACFR, March 19, 2024
Date: Sunday, March 17, 2024 11:20:47 AM
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While reviewing 2014 Measure R, I noticed that there is supposed to be annual audits and citizen oversight (FAB). Where is the audit of Measure R? While reviewing 2018 Measure V, I noticed that there is supposed to be annual audits and citizen oversight (FAB). Where is the audit of Measure V? http://www.el-cerrito.org/905/Measure-R-Extension
To continue to protect/ maintain City services, including fire prevention/ emergency services; emergency response times; neighborhood police patrols; firefighter/ police staffing; crime prevention/ investigation resources; after-school programs; library hours/ programs; senior services; open space, parks, paths/ playfields; other general City services, shall El Cerrito extend the existing voter-approved sales tax and set the future rate at one cent for 12 years, with citizens' oversight, annual audits, and all funds staying local, none to Sacramento? https://www.el-cerrito.org/1292/November-2018-Measure-V Measure V would require independent annual audits of RPTT receipts and expenditures. The audit would be reviewed by the City’s Financial Advisory Board, the members of which are El Cerrito residents.
Agenda Packet Page 328 of 336
From: Ira Sharenow
To: Holly Charléty; City Clerk
Cc: Lisa Motoyama; Paul Fadelli; Tessa Rudnick
Subject: Item 7B Godbe Research, March 19, 2024
Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024 11:28:20 AM
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Open records laws and the need for financial transparency need to be respected.
In 2023, at great expense to the taxpayers, the city of El Cerrito hired Godbe Research to do a survey as part of the failed effort to “educate” the public on the need for a prohibitively expensive replacement library.
Although the taxpayers paid for the survey, in response to multiple open records requests, the city clerk steadfastly refused to release the associated reports or the raw data. I think that was very unfortunate.
Therefore, I request that before the city council approves spending on yet another survey, the city clerk should be required to release the library survey related data and to promise to release the data from the upcoming survey.
Ira Sharenow
El Cerrito, CA
Agenda Item No. 7.B.
Agenda Packet Page 329 of 336
From: Howdy Goudey
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public comment Agenda item 9A Advisory Bodies
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 2:01:32 PM
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Dear Mayor Rudnick and City Council members,
I appreciate the new approach for handling recommendations from advisory bodies on the consent calendar, or otherwise as part of the agenda separate from the general public comments. This is an improvement.
However, for the amount of time spent on the advisory body topic, I do not find most of the rest of the measures particularly positive and I think the exercise has largely missed the opportunity to actively work toward improving the City Council's relationship with its volunteer advisory bodies.
A two year work plan cycle is not an improvement. I would prefer that work plans are revised annually. It will only make the work plans less specific and less connected to advisory body activity.
The addition of youth members is positive and appreciated, but I think it is disrespectful, and unnecessary, to restrict them to non-voting status. They should be allowed to participate in Committee votes normally, perhaps with the caveat that they cannot be the single deciding vote.
Thanks for your time and consideration,
Howdy Goudey
El Cerrito
Agenda Item No. 9.A.
Agenda Packet Page 330 of 336
From: Jon Kaufman
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2024 12:00 PM
To: Paul Fadelli <[email protected]>; Lisa Motoyama <[email protected]>; Gabe Quinto <[email protected]>; Tessa Rudnick <[email protected]>; Carolyn Wysinger <[email protected]>
Cc: Karen Pinkos <[email protected]>; Eric Saylors <[email protected]>; Sue Duncan Lisa Jacobs
Subject: Wildfire Prevention MOU
Dear members of the El Cerrito City Council. As you know, on your agenda for tomorrow’s meeting is an item to approve a MOU for a regional Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group in the East Bay Hills.
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. sophospsmartbannerend
Dear members of the El Cerrito City Council.
As you know, on your agenda for tomorrow’s meeting is an item to approve a MOU for a regional Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group in the East Bay Hills. Wildfires do not stop at municipal lines and a regional approach is needed to ensure that we do everything we can to limit the risk of future wildfires.
The citizens committee working on this issue began three years ago and we are pleased that to date five jurisdiction have approved it. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and the cities of Berkeley, Oakland and Richmond have ratified the MOU and the RodeoHercules Fire District also is considering it this week. We are looking forward to El Cerrito’s participation and thank Paul Fadelli for his efforts to bring this matter to your attention. The initial meeting of the Coordinating Group will be held Monday morning April 29.
Please feel free to reach out to Paul or the citizens committee with any questions prior to your meeting. Lisa Jacobs is co-chair and SueDuncan from El Cerrito is a member.
Jon Kaufman, Co-chair
Wildfire Prevention Citizens Committee
Agenda Item No. 9.B.
Agenda Packet Page 331 of 336
From: Sue Duncan
To: City Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 9A
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 9:45:13 AM
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Good morning Mayor Rudnick and City Council Members,
We are pleased that the resolution for El Cerrito to become part of the East Bay Wildfire MOU is finally on this evening’s council agenda.
We strongly encourage all of you to vote to accept the resolution and have EC become part of this effort. As is stated in the agenda packet, wildfire knows no municipal boundaries. All of the East Bay Hills are in danger of the wildfire threat as are the rest of the areas down to the bay due to embers that are blown ahead of a wildfire and which ignite fires ahead of the main fire. We know that our great fire department already works with the surrounding fire departments to coordinate better fire and other emergency responses. However, the city should join this larger regional effort to further coordinate wildfire prevention.
Please vote to accept the resolution and have El Cerrito become a member of this effort.
Thank you,
Sue and Paul Duncan
Make El Cerrito Fire Safe
Agenda Packet Page 332 of 336
From: Michael Fischer
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment - Agenda Item 9A
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 10:11:49 AM
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To Mayor Rudnick, Mayor Pro Tem Wysinger, and City Council members Fadelli, Motoyama, and Quinto:
My name is Michael Fischer, I live in El Cerrito, and I am a member of Make El Cerrito Fire Safe.
I join the comments of Sue and Paul Duncan on agenda item 9A and urge its adoption.
Kind regards,
Michael
Michael Fischer (he him)
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.” (Jo Godwin) Agenda Packet Page 333 of 336
From: Audrey Liese
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment - Agenda Item 9A
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 11:43:03 AM
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To Mayor Rudnick, Mayor Pro Tem Wysinger, and City Council members Fadelli, Motoyama, and Quinto:
My name is Audrey LIESE, I have been living in El Cerrito with my family for 2 years and I am really concerned by the fire risks of this area.
I join the comments of Sue and Paul Duncan on agenda item 9A and urge its adoption.
Kind regards,
Audrey LIESE
, El Cerrito
Agenda Packet Page 334 of 336
From: nick zamorano
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment Agenda Item #9B
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 12:34:20 PM
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Greetings Mayor Rudnick and Council Members,
I am writing in support of adopting the above agenda item authorizing the City of El Cerrito to join into the MOU with surrounding jurisdictions in the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa. This resolution would coordinate efforts between all jurisdictions to reduce wildfire risks throughout the East Bay region. Stronger collaboration among all fire prevention entities is crucial in reducing the threat of wildfire in the WUI. I strongly urge council to adopt the resolution and thereby become a member of the WPCG.
Nick Zamorano
El Cerrito Resident
Agenda Packet Page 335 of 336
From: Kay P Starkweather
To: City Clerk
Subject: Comment on Agenda Item 9A
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2024 1:57:53 PM
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City Council,
I stand in support of your passage of measure 9A and tonight's agenda for all of the reason submitted by Sue and Paul Duncan of Mike El Cerrito fire safe. This has been a long time in coming and is very needed so that our Fire Department can be networked with all the other local agencies. Fire will not just stay within the boundaries of city lines.
Thank you,
Kay Starkweather
Make El Cerrito Fire Safe
Sent from my iPhone
Agenda Packet Page 336 of 336