CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 4, 2024
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Regular Meeting of March 4, 2024 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 Sullivan.
This meeting was held as a hybrid meeting.
ROLL CALL
The Communications Director/City Clerk/Recording Secretary called the roll:
PRESENT:
Councilmembers/ex officio Directors Jon Froomin, Sam Hindi, Stacy Jimenez, Art Kiesel, and Mayor/President Patrick Sullivan.
ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT: Stefan Chatwin, City/District Manager; Benjamin Stock, City Attorney/District Legal Counsel ; Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City/District Manager; Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director; Edmund Suen, Finance Director; Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director ; Diane Pitman, Administrative Services Director; Cory Call, Police Captain; Waqas Hassan, Assistant Finance Director; Helen Gannon, Associate Planner; Rob Lasky, IT Manager; Katherine Mendoza, Deputy City Clerk; Shuli Chen, Video Technician; and Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by Councilmember/Director Froomin, seconded by Councilmember/Director Kiesel, and carried unanimously 5-0-0, approving the following items on the City/District Consent Calendar:
City/EMID Consent Calendar
1. City/EMID Regular Meeting Minutes of February 20, 2024; and
2. City Resolution No. 2024-13, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Contract Amendment Number One to the Agreement with San Mateo Resource Conservation District Dated August 22, 2022, for the Compost Broker Program ; and Find Contract Amendment Number One Exempt From Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(B)(3)”.
REPORTS
AUDIT COMMITTEE 2023 YEAR END REPORT, REVIEW OF MISSION STATEMENT, AND GOALS FOR 2024. MINUTE ORDER NO. 1964.
Finance Director Suen introduced Audit Committee member, Audie Chang, who presented the 2023 Year End Report, Review of Mission Statement, and Goals for 2024.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Councilmember Froomin, and carried unanimously, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1964, to receive and accept the Audit Committee 2023 Year End Report, Review of Mission Statement, and Goals for 2024.
GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT (APR) AND HOUSING ELEMENT APR FOR 2023, AND FINDING THAT ACTIVITY COVERED BY CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15061 (B)(3) COMMON SENSE EXEMPTION. MINUTE ORDER NO. 1965.
Community Development Director Mangalam and Associate Planner Gannon presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Vice Mayor Jimenez, seconded by Councilmember Froomin, and carried unanimously, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1965, to receive and accept the General Plan Annual Progress Report (APR) and Housing Element APR for 2023, and finding that activity covered by CEQA Guidelines section 15061 (b)(3) Common Sense Exemption.
TAXPAYER PROTECTION AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY ACT . MINUTE ORDER NO. 1966.
Assistant City Manager Subhashini presented the staff report.
Evan Adams addressed the City Council via teleconference.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Councilmember Froomin , and carried unanimously, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1966, to receive and accept the report on the California Business Roundtable’s (CBRT) Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act and direct staff to draft a resolution in opposition of the measure to present at a future meeting and find the action exempt under CEQAS pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3).
ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION
ADDING A NEW CHAPTER 2.60, “CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR ELECTIVE CITY OFFICES” TO TITLE 2, “ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL” OF
THE FOSTER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR CITY ELECTIVE OFFICES.
City Attorney Stock presented the staff report.
Shilpi Goel addressed the City Council via email.
Evan Adams addressed the City Council via teleconference.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Froomin, seconded by Vice Mayor Jimenez , and by roll call vote, 2-3-0, the motion failed, Councilmember Hindi, Councilmember Kiesel, and Mayor Sullivan voted “no”, to introduce the ordinance by title and waiver further reading of, “ An Ordinance of the City of Foster City, California, Adding a New Chapter 2.60, “Campaign Contribution Limits for Elective City Offices” to Title 2, “Administration and Personnel” of the Foster City Municipal Code with the following revisions:
1. Establish a campaign contribution limit of $1,000;
2. Omit the automatic 3% increase of the contribution limit on January 1 of every odd- numbered year; and
3. Provide candidates with 72 hours to correct statements (if error exists) or otherwise correcting any identified violations by returning the amount of the donation that exceeds the maximum amount.
COMMUNICATIONS
CITY/DISTRICT WARRANT OF DEMANDS. NO ACTION TAKEN.
City/District Warrants of Demands were Processed and Issued on February 14, 2024.
CITY/DISTRICT MANAGER REPORTS, COUNCIL/BOARD STATEMENTS AND
REQUESTS, AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS
REQUEST TO PLACE AN ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA BY COUNCILMEMBER JON FROOMIN REGARDING FLAVORED TOBACCO REVISION.
Salim Qaru addressed the City Council in person.
Blythe Young , Community Advoc acy Director for the American Heart Association, addressed the City Council via teleconference.
Discussion ensued.
There was consensus by the City Council to agendize repealing Section 8.11.020, “Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products Prohibited” subsection (E) of Title 8, “Health and Safety” of the Foster City Municipal Code.
Councilmember/Director Hindi reported he attended the Levee Improvements Project Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on February 21 and thanked past councilmembers and City staff for their work on the project. He attended the Foster City Little League Opening Day at Sea Cloud Park on March 2. On February 22, he attended the Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) board meeting where they approved a three- year contract for $26 million to implement turnkey electrification installation services for single-family homes.
Councilmember/Director Froomin reported that he attended a South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA) board meeting on February 22.
Vice Mayor/Vice President Jimenez reported she attended the Women’s Power Breakfast event hosted by Assemblymember Papan in celebration of Women’s History Month on March 1.
Mayor/President Sullivan reported he attended the Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council meeting on February 21. He praised the efforts and dedication of City staff and all those involved with the completion of the Levee Improvement s Project. He congratulated Councilmember/Director Hindi for his reappointment as a representative for the San Mateo County City Selection Committee to serve on the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) board. On February 22, he attended the Airport Land Use Committee meeting. On February 23, he attended the Co uncil of Cities meeting at Half Moon Bay. He also attended the Foster City Little League Opening Day on March 2 at Sea Cloud Park.
CLOSED SESSION
Mayor/President Sullivan recessed the meeting into Closed Session for:
1. Conference with Legal Counsel—Anticipated Litigation Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 54956.9: (One potential case);
2. Report Out from Closed Session.
Meeting recessed into Closed Session at 8:29 p.m. and reconvened at 8:57 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 Sullivan adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:57 p.m.