CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 6, 2025
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Regular Meeting of January 6, 2025 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 Stacy Jimenez.
This meeting was held as a hybrid meeting.
ROLL CALL
The Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary called the roll:
PRESENT:
Councilmembers/ex officio EMID Directors Art Kiesel, Suzy Niederhofer, Patrick Sullivan, Phoebe Venkat, and Mayor/President Stacy Jimenez.
ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT:
Stefan Chatwin, City/District Manager ; Benjamin Stock , City Attorney/District Legal Counsel ; Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City/District Manager; Derek Schweigart , Parks and Recreation Director; Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director ; Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director; Cory Call, Police Chief; Waqas Hassan, Assistant Finance Director ; Rob Lasky, IT Manager ; Katherine Estrada, Deputy City Clerk; Bridget Michelson, Video Technician; Shuli Chen, Video Technician ; and Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES TO ALYSSA C., ZEHAN H., ZEQING EBEN H., AND HANYA L. AS PART OF THE 2025 HIP HOUSING FOSTER CITY CALENDAR CONTEST.
Mayor Jimenez presented the Certificates to Alyssa C., Zehan H., Zeqing Eben H., and Hanya L. as part of the 2025 HIP Housing Foster City Calendar Contest. Mary Bates and LaTisa Brooks, HIP Housing Board members, presented the HIP Housing 2025 Calendar.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by Councilmember/Director Sullivan, seconded by Vice Mayor/Vice President 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 December 9, 2024;
2. City/EMID Regular Meeting Minutes of December 16, 2024;
3. City Resolution No. 2025-1, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing Staff to Issue a Request for Proposals for a Workers' Compensation Third-Party Administrator;”
4. City Resolution No. 2025-2, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Approving and Adopting the Amended Pay Plan Effective January 1, 2025”; and
5. EMID Resolution No. 3789, “A Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District Approving and Adopting the Amended Pay Plan Effective January 1, 2025.”
Motion by Councilmember Sullivan, seconded by Vice Mayor Kiesel, and carried, 4-0- 0, approving the following item on the City/District Consent Calendar:
1. City Ordinance No. 687 , “An Ordinance of the City of Foster City Amending the Foster City Zoning Map to Modify the Previously Approved General Development Plan (Rz-98-007) by Removing References to Grade Levels “K -5” and Replacing Them with the Term “School” for the PJCC at 800 Foster City Boulevard and Finding the Project Exempt from the California Quality Act (CEQA) Under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities – Rz2024-0011 – APN 094-471-090 (First Reading on December 16, 2024).”
Councilmember Venkat recused herself due to previously speaking and voting on this item as a Planning Commissioner.
NEW BUSINESS
AUTHORIZE TO WORK WITH CALIFORNIA PUBLIC POLICY GROUP (CPPG) TO DRAFT A SPOT BILL TO AMEND LABOR CODE SECTION 1720(C)(5)(C) TO EXPAND
EXISTING PREVAILING WAGE EXCEPTION TO INCLUDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION, CONVERSION, RECONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, AND/OR
REPAIR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADUS) AND/OR JUNIOR ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (JADUS) ON SINGLE-FAMILY PROPERTIES.
Community Development Director Mangalam presented the staff report.
The following people addressed the City Council via email:
1. Bart Pantoja, representing the Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County; and
2. Evan Adams.
Bart Pantoja, representing the Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County, addressed the City Council in person.
Discussion ensued.
The item failed due to lack of a motion. Staff was directed not to draft the spot bill and to bring this item back in a year with more information on the number of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) loans issued under the loan program with prevailing wage requirements, and report on the success of similar programs in neighboring cities.
REPORTS
FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 1ST QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE. MINUTE ORDER NO. 2010.
Assistant Finance Director Hassan presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Vice Mayor Kiesel, seconded by Councilmember Venkat, and carried unanimously, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 201 0, to receive and accept the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 1st Quarter Financial Update.
COMMUNICATIONS
CITY/DISTRICT WARRANT OF DEMANDS. NO ACTION TAKEN.
City/District Warrants of Demands were Processed and Issued on December 5, 2024, December 12, 2024, and ACH were processed on December 5, 2024.
CITY/DISTRICT MANAGER REPORTS, COUNCIL/BOARD STATEMENTS AND
REQUESTS, AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS
City/District Manager Chatwin stated that Nate Cruz will start as the City’s new Finance Director on January 8. He stated that the City is currently recruiting for two vacancies on the Planning Commission and applications are due on January 9. He remin ded the City Council that the 2025 City Council Retreat will be on January 23.
Councilmember/Director Venkat congratulated Nate Cruz on his appointment as the new Finance Director.
Councilmember/Director Niederhofer thanked staff for publishing the Coyote Awareness video and recommended the public to watch it. She also encouraged residents to attend the Parks Master Plan workshop at The Vibe Teen Center on January 22.
Councilmember/Director Sullivan stated that he attended HIP Housing’s Annual Calendar Event on December 6 , 2024 and would like to have a focused discussion regarding economic development at the upcoming City Council Retreat.
Vice Mayor /Vice President Kiesel stated that he attended the Foster City Community Center Groundbreaking Ceremony on December 18, 2024.
Mayor/President Jimenez stated she will be at Penelope’s Coffee and Tea on January 11, where residents are welcome to join her to discuss their concerns and provide input on what they’d like to see in the City. She welcomed Nate Cruz as the new Finance Director.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no objection from the City Council/EMID Board, Mayor/President Jimenez adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m.