CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETING OF JANUARY 31, 2022
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/ EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The duly called and noticed special meeting of the City Council of the City of Foster City (City), sitting as said Council and as ex officio the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) of January 31, 2022 was called to order at 6:30 a.m. by Mayor/President Richa Awasthi.
Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, as amended through Order N-08-21, the meeting was held as a teleconference meeting.
ROLL CALL
The Communications Director/City Clerk/Recording Secretary called the roll:
PRESENT: Councilmembers/ex officio Directors Jon Froomin, Sanjay Gehani, Sam Hindi, Patrick Sullivan, and Mayor/President Richa Awasthi.
ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT: Kevin Miller, Interim City/District Manager, Denise Bazzano, Assistant Attorney; Jennifer Phan, Interim Deputy City Manager; Edmund Suen, Finance Director; Marlene Subhashini, Community Development Director; Maria Saguisag-Sid, Human Resources Director; Tracy Avelar, Police Chief; Robert Marshall, Fire Marshal; Louis Sun, Public Works Director; Rob Lasky, IT Manager; Tiffany Oren, Recreation Manager; Leslie Parks, Economic Development Manager; Rocky Robinson, Video Technician; and Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary.
PUBLIC
Susan Lessin addressed the City Council via email regarding the Recreation Center.
The following people addressed the City Council via teleconference regarding the proposed minimum wage ordinance:
1. TaShon Thomas, Public Policy Director, United Way Bay Area;
2. Adriana de la Cruz, California State President, Coalition of Labor Union Women; and
3. Rosa Shields, Community Service Director, San Mateo Labor Council.
ORDINANCES FOR ADOPTION
ADDING CHAPTER 5.73 (MINIMUM WAGE) TO THE FOSTER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE.
Assistant City Attorney Bazzano presented the advice received from the Fair Political Practices Commission as it pertains to the Political Reform Act, stating that Councilmembers Hindi and Sullivan may make a determination for themselves whether they want to participate in the item or whether they want to recuse themselves, and stated that although the advice did not specifically pertain to Councilmember Gehani, he may consider it to make a determination for himself.
Councilmember Gehani recused himself due a conflict of interest because he owns a business within Foster City.
Economic Development Manager Parks presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Rosa Shields, Community Service Director, San Mateo Labor Council, addressed the City Council via teleconference.
Motion by Vice Mayor Froomin, seconded by Councilmember Sullivan, and failed by roll call vote, 2-2-0, Mayor Awasthi and Councilmember Hindi voted “no”, to introduce “An Ordinance of the City of Foster City Adding Chapter 5.73 (Minimum Wage) to the Foster City Municipal Code” by title and waive further reading with an amendment to raise Foster City minimum wage to $18.71 beginning 30 days after the second reading, adjusted annually by the percentage increase to the maximum rent allowable for very low below market rate apartments.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Mayor Awasthi, and failed by roll call vote, 2-1-1, Councilmember Sullivan voted “no”, Vice Mayor Froomin abstained, to introduce “An Ordinance of the City of Foster City Adding Chapter 5.73 (Minimum Wage) to the Foster City Municipal Code” by title and waive further reading.
Councilmember Gehani left the room at 7:10 p.m. and returned at 8:56 p.m.
STUDY SESSION
2022 CITY COUNCIL VISION AND POLICY SUMMIT – COMMON THEMES AND KEY POLICY TAKEAWAYS. MINUTE ORDER NO. 1831.
Interim Deputy City Manager Phan presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Vice Mayor Froomin, seconded by Councilmember Gehani, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1831, to receive and accept the report.
RECREATION CENTER PROJECT UPDATE – COMMUNITY SURVEY, DESIGN OPTIONS, AND FUNDING OPTIONS. MINUTE ORDER NO. 1832.
Interim Deputy City Manager Phan presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Vice Mayor Froomin, seconded by Councilmember Sullivan, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1832, to:
1. Accept the Recreation Center and Parks System Survey results, confirming staff has satisfied City Council’s interest in validating programming and usage assumptions;
2. Direct staff to proceed with the “build-to-budget” option for the Recreation Center in an amount not-to-exceed $55 million; and
3. Direct staff to proceed with utilizing $36 million from the Capital Asset Acquisition and Replacement Fund and $19 million from the General Fund Reserves for the total not-to-exceed budget of $55 million for rebuilding the Recreation Center.
Meeting recessed into study session at 8:57 p.m. and reconvened at 10:51 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no objection from the City Council/EMID Board, Mayor/President Awasthi adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 10:51 p.m.
From: Susan Lessin
To: Foster City Public Comment
Cc: [email protected]; Yelena Cappello; Priscilla Schaus; Laurie Rith; Rob Lasky; Aaron Siu; Austin Walsh
Subject: Foster City Council meeting Jan. 31, 2022; Agenda Item No. 5.2 (Recreation Center Project Update) Date: Monday, January 31, 2022 12:28:49 PM
To the Foster City City Council members,
I urge the Foster City Council members to approve a new Recreation Center that is ALL ELECTRIC with ROOFTOP SOLAR and to partner with Peninsula Clean Energy as well as other firms that specialize in climate friendly buildings in the design and construction of the new facility.
Our new Recreation Center should not contribute to climate change, be cost efficient, and serve the Foster City community for years in the future.
Thank you,
Susan Lessin
A concerned Foster City resident