CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 3, 2025
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Regular Meeting of February 3, 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.
Councilmember/Director Sullivan teleconferenced from the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort Business Center, 44400 Indian Wells Lane, Palm Springs, CA 92210.
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 ; Denise Bazzano, Assistant City Attorney/District Legal Counsel ; Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City/District Manager; Diane Pitman, Administrative Services Director; Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director; Derek Schweigart, Parks and Recreation Director; Cory Call, Police Chief; Nate Cruz , Finance Director ; Robert Marshall, Deputy Fire Chief; Rob Lasky, IT Manager ; Laura Galli, Engineering Manager; ‘Andra Lorenz, Principal Management Analyst; Kat herine Estrada, Deputy City Clerk; Maddy Koval, Recreation Coordinator; Mark Strathbee, Video Technician ; and Priscilla Schaus, C ommunications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION HONORING FIRE CHIEF KENT THRASHER ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE SAN MATEO CONSOLIDATED FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Mayor Jimenez presented the proclamation honoring Fire Chief Kent Thrasher on his retirement from the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department to Kent Thrasher.
Jon Froomin addressed the City Council via teleconference.
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING FEBRUARY 2025 AS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
Councilmember Venkat presented the proclamation recognizing February 2025 as Black History Month to Alexis Lewis and Kathryn Haysbert, representing Island United Church, and Bill Stewart representing the Foster City Association of Black Residents.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by Councilmember/Director Niederhofer, seconded by Vice Mayor/Vice President Kiesel, 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. City/EMID Regular Meeting Minutes of January 21, 2025;
2. City/EMID Special Meeting Minutes of January 23, 2025; and
3. City Resolution No. 2025-8, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Primary Grant Agreement with the San Mateo County Transportation Authority for Future Measure A and Measure W Funding; and Finding the Agreement Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(B)(3).”
REPORTS
YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2024 YEAR END REPORT, REVIEW OF MISSION STATEMENT, AND GOALS FOR 2025. MINUTE ORDER NO. 2012.
Youth Advisory Committee Chair Francesca Wesley and Vice Chair Lian Wang presented the Youth Advisory Committee 2024 Year End Report, Review of Mission Statement, and Goals for 2025.
Discussion ensued.
Councilmember Niederhofer would like the committee to explore opportunities to work with seniors in the community.
Mayor Jimenez would like the committee to present a report on what the youth would like to see in the City’s parks with the next Parks Master Plan report.
Motion by Councilmember Venkat, seconded by Councilmember Sullivan, and carried unanimously by roll call vote , 5 -0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 2012, to accept and receive the Youth Advisory Committee 2024 Year End Report, Review of Mission Statement, and Goals for 2025.
ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION
ADDING A NEW SECTION 2.28.075, “MEETINGS-ABSENTEEISM” OF CHAPTER 2.28, “PLANNING” TO THE FOSTER CITY MUNICIPAL CODE TO SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF ABSENCES FROM MEETINGS THAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A RESIGNATION.
Assistant City Attorney Bazzano presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Venkat, seconded by Councilmember Niederhofer, and carried by roll call vote, 4-0-1, Councilmember Sullivan abstained, to introduce ordinance by title only, waive further reading, and pass ordinance to second reading, “An Ordinance of the City of Foster City Adding a New Section 2.28.075, “Meetings -Absenteeism” of Chapter
2.28, “Planning” to the Foster City Municipal Code to Specify the Number of Absences from Meetings that Would Constitute a Resignation” with the following revisions:
1. Section 2.28.075 subsection A, strike “without formal notification to the commission chair or staff liaison”; and
2. Section 2.28.075 subsection B, strike the term “calendar year” and replace it with “12-month period.”
COMMUNICATIONS
CITY/DISTRICT WARRANT OF DEMANDS. NO ACTION TAKEN.
City/District Warrants of Demands were Processed and Issued on January 3, 2025, January 16, 2025, and ACH were processed on January 3, 2025.
CITY/DISTRICT MANAGER REPORTS, COUNCIL/BOARD STATEMENTS AND
REQUESTS, AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS
City/District Manager Chatwin stated that he and Assistant City/District Manager Subhashini will be attending the League of California Cities 2025 City Managers Conference from February 5-7. Community Development Director Mangalam will be the Acting City Manager in their absence.
Councilmember/Director Venkat wished everyone a Happy Black History Month and Happy Lunar New Year . She stated that she attended the League of California Cities 2025 Mayors and Councilmembers Academy in Southern California from January 29-31.
Councilmember/Director Niederhofer thanked City staff for organizing the Parks Master Plan Community Workshop on January 22 and the City Council Annual Retreat on January 23. She stated she attended the League of California Cities 2025 Legislators Address in South San Francisco on January 24. She helped prune the roses on Shell Boulevard with the Rotary Club and assist ed with the Community Garden at the Island United Church on January 25. She shared that plot applications for the Community Garden opened on February 1 and will be due Friday, February 21.
Councilmember/Director Sullivan thanked Parks and Recreation Director Schweigart and Parks Manager Fanara for organizing the Parks Master Plan Community Workshop on January 22 and stated he assisted the Rotary Club with the Community Garden on January 25. He wished the public a Happy Black History Month and Happy Lunar New Year.
Vice Mayor/Vice President Kiesel reported that the South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA) Board meeting on January 23 was cancelled. He stated that he attended the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Authority Governing Board meeting on February 3, where they approved the purchase of a new Bookmobile mobile library vehicle.
Mayor/President Jimenez stated that she attended the Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) Board meeting on January 23 and encouraged the public to visit their website at peninsulacleanenergy.com. On January 27, she attended the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) Congestion Management and Environmental Quality (CMEQ) Committee meeting and the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership C ouncil (CCPC) meeting. She also invited the public to her monthly office hours at Penelope’s Coffee and Tea on February 8 at 1 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no objection from the City Council/EMID Board, Mayor/President Jimenez adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m.