CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7, 2022
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Regular Meeting of February 7, 2022 of the City Council of the City of Foster City, sitting as said Council and as ex officio the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID), was called to order at 6:30 p.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/District 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, Benjamin Stock, City Attorney/District Legal Counsel; Jennifer Phan, Interim Deputy City Manager; Edmund Suen, Finance Director; Marlene Subhashini, Community Development Director; Maria Saguisag-Sid, Human Resources Director; Louis Sun, Public Works Director; Robert Marshall, Fire Marshal; Mark Lee, Police Lieutenant; Rob Lasky, IT Manager; Yelena Cappello, Deputy City Clerk; Shuli Chen, Video Technician and Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 2022 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
Mayor Awasthi presented a proclamation recognizing February 2022 as Black History Month to Bill Stewart, member of the Foster City Black Residents Association, Alexis Lewis, representing Island United Church and the NAACP San Mateo Branch, and Jim Lawrence, former Mayor of Foster City.
PUBLIC
Ann Lee addressed the City Council via email regarding the Geese Mitigation Plan.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by Councilmember/Director Gehani, seconded by Councilmember/Director Hindi, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, approving the following items on the City/District Consent Calendar:
City/EMID Consent Calendar
1. Minutes of Regular Meeting of January 18, 2022;
2. City Resolution No. 2022-8, “Approving the Purchase of Traffic Signal Poles, Mast- Arms, and Luminaire Arms for the New Traffic Signals at Various Locations Project (CIP 301-681) from Azco Supply, Inc. in the Amount of $244,320.78;”
3. City Resolution No. 2022-9, “Approving an Agreement with Koff & Associates, a Division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., in the Amount Not to Exceed $60,390 for Compensation Study Services;”
4. EMID Resolution No. 3633, “Approving an Agreement with Koff & Associates, a Division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., in the Amount Not to Exceed $60,390 for Compensation Study Services;”
5. Cancel the July 5, 2022 and September 6, 2022 Regular Meetings of the City Council/EMID Board of Directors of the City of Foster City/Estero Municipal Improvement District;”
6. Minute Order No. 1833, “By Minute Order, Approve Foster City Council Liaisons List, Dated February 7, 2022;” and
7. Minute Order No. 1834, “By Minute Order, Appoint Caroline Grafft (representing Hudson Pacific Properties) as Business Member of the Levee Bond Oversight Committee to Replace Business Member Krista Dixon (representing Hudson Pacific Properties).”
ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
AGREEMENT WITH URBAN PLANNING PARTNERS INC. FOR THE PREPARATION
OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR) FOR THE UPDATE OF THE
HOUSING AND SAFETY ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN AND
APPROPRIATING $380,912 FOR THE EIR CONSULTING SERVICES – CITYWIDE – EA2021-0004. CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2022-10.
Without objection from the City Council, Mayor Awasthi removed this item from the Consent Calendar at the request of Councilmember Sullivan and took it out of agenda order.
Community Development Director Subhashini presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Sullivan, seconded by Vice Mayor Froomin, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, adopting City Resolution No. 2022-10, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing the Mayor to Execute an Agreement with Urban Planning Partners Inc. for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to Meet the Requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act for the Update of the Housing and Safety Elements of the General Plan and Appropriating $380,912 in the General Plan Maintenance Fund Account Number 128- 0845-419-4251 for the EIR Consulting Services – Citywide – EA2021-0004.”
PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AND AUTHORIZING THE CALL FOR BIDS FOR THE SPORT COURT RESURFACING PROJECT (CIP 301-701).
Without objection from the City Council, Mayor Awasthi removed this item from the Consent Calendar at the request of Councilmember Gehani and took it out of agenda order.
Councilmember Gehani referenced Fair Political Practices Commission Regulations 18702.2(a)(6) and (a)(7) and recused himself due to owning property within 500ft of the proposed project location, and the project involving construction of, or improvements to, streets, water, sewer, storm drainage or similar facilities, and the parcel will receive new or improved services that provide a benefit or detriment disproportionate to other properties receiving the services.
Motion by Vice Mayor Froomin, seconded by Councilmember Sullivan, and carried by roll call vote, 4-0-0, adopting City Resolution No. 2022-11, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Approving the Plans and Specifications and Authorizing the Call for Bids for the Sport Court Resurfacing Project (CIP 301-701).”
Councilmember Gehani left the room at 6:53 p.m. and returned at 6:54 p.m.
COMMUNICATIONS
CITY/DISTRICT WARRANT OF DEMANDS. NO ACTION TAKEN.
City/District Warrants of Demands were Processed and Issued on January 5, January 13, 2022, and ACH were Processed on January 5, January 13, 2022.
COUNCIL/BOARD STATEMENTS AND REQUESTS, COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS,
AND CITY/DISTRICT MANAGER REPORTS
Interim City/District Manager Miller stated the first Budget Study Session will be held on February 28 at 6:30 p.m. He reported that the City Attorney has received the Title Report from Mariner’s Point on ownership and stated it is currently being reviewed.
Councilmember/Director Sullivan requested to re-agendize the minimum wage item, and the City Council agreed to agendize the item. He stated he attended the Parks and Recreation Committee meeting on February 1, City/Council Association of Governments (C/CAG) Bike/Pedestrian Committee Meeting on January 27, and Congestion Management & Environmental Quality Committee (CMEQ) on January 31. He stated he also met with the Superintendent of the San Mateo-Foster City School District on February 7.
Councilmember/Director Hindi stated he also met with the Superintendent of the San Mateo-Foster City School District on February 7 and shared two highlights: 1) Bowditch’s Science and Drama buildings will be renovated with Measure X funds and 2) Turf will be added to Foster City Elementary. On February 2, he attended the SFO Roundtable meeting (SFORT) and was appointed Chair. He reported that there will be a special SFORT meeting on February 10 to discuss NIITE/HUSSH Departure procedure.
Councilmember/Director Gehani attended the San Mateo County Libraries JPA Governing Board meeting on February 7 and gave two highlights from the meeting: 1) The board received a 2021 fiscal year end report and mid-year financial report and 2) the library will be equipped with a maker space.
Vice Mayor/Vice President Froomin attended the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) meeting on February 2 and stated they discussed a book drive and logistics for the spaghetti feed. He stated he met with the developer and owner of Lincoln Centre on February 3 (Tour Gateway of Pacific, SSF – BMR), and suggested that the City consider making the building process more expeditious.
Mayor/President Awasthi attended the Council of Cities virtual meeting on January 28 where they discussed express lanes. She encouraged everyone to visit smcexpresslanes.org to learn more about the San Mateo 101 Express Lanes. She stated she attended the City/Council Association of Governments (C/CAG) orientation on February 4.
CLOSED SESSION
Mayor/President Awasthi recessed the meeting into Closed Session for:
1. Public Employee Appointment (Government Code §54957) Title: City Manager; and
2. Report Out from Closed Session.
Meeting recessed into Closed Session at 7:20 p.m. and reconvened at 8:35 p.m.
City Attorney/District Legal Counsel Stock reported that no action was taken in Closed Session.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no objection from the City Council/EMID Board, Mayor/President Awasthi adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.
From: Ann Lee
To: Foster City Public Comment
Cc: [email protected]; Yelena Cappello; Priscilla Schaus; Laurie Rith; Rob Lasky; Aaron Siu; Austin Walsh
Subject: Comment for the record
Date: Tuesday, February 1, 2022 10:38:32 AM
I was appalled when I read the article that Foster City plans to cull the Canadian geese population just because they make a temporary stopover here during their annual migrations. That is an inhumane policy for animals that pose no threat to humans. Their poop on the sidewalks is an inconvenience, but that can be accomplished by spraying the sidewalks with water. Increased bacteria in the manmade lagoon can be handled in other ways since the water is not meant for drinking or swimming anyway. For a city and state that claims to be liberal, this policy is the height of hypocrisy. No one would kill homeless people for defecating in the streets so why kill these innocent animals when they have even less understanding? In other parts of the country, signs are put up to warn people about the inconveniences of living among wildlife. But everyone is expected to respect the wildlife. No one goes around killing off all the deer just because they carry ticks. I think Foster City should revoke this geese culling policy and follow other parts of the country in handling wildlife with more enlightened solutions.
Sent from my iPhone