City Council, Parks, Trails and Recreation Commission, and Page 1 of 23 December 8, 2025 Senior Services Commission Meeting
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City of Lafayette
City Council, Parks, Trails and
Recreation Commission, and Senior Services
Commission Minute
Lafayette Library and Learning Center – Don Tatzin Community Hall December 8, 2025 3491 Mount Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, California 6:00 p.m.
As a courtesy, and technology permitting, members of the public may participate virtually. However, the City cannot guarantee that the public’s access to teleconferencing technology will be uninterrupted, and technical difficulties may occur from time to time. Unless required by the Brown Act, City Council/Board meetings will continue despite technical difficulties for participants using the teleconferencing (Zoom) option. To participate virtually in the City of Lafayette’s public meetings and provide public comment, please follow these steps:
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1. CALL TO ORDER – 6:00 P.M.
Mayor Candell called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: City Council: Mayor Candell; Vice Mayor Anduri; Councilmembers Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon
Present: Parks, Trails, and Recreation Commission: Chair Carol Singer, Vice-Chair Scott Robinson, Commissioners Grace Dixon, K.C. Donovan, Alison AHill, and Geoff Bellenger; Absent: Frank Curcuro, Joe Doughery, and Shane Reisman.
Present: Senior Services Commission: Chair Terry Ann Black, Vice Chair Conrad Breece, Commissioners Carol Federighi, Cherry Sprague, and Dorothy Walker; Absent:
Joseph DiPrisco.
Staff Present: Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager; Tracy Robinson, Assistant City Manager; Riki Juster, Senior Transportation Coordinator; Molly Cohen, Senior Services Coordinator; Mala Subramanian, City Attorney; Joanne Robbins, City Clerk
3. Disclosure and/or Take Action on Remote Participation due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances Pursuant to AB 2449 (Gov. Code section 54953(f).)
4. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Anduri/McCormick) to adopt the agenda. Roll Call Vote: Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Candell, Anduri, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
5. PUBLIC COMMENTS (For Closed Session Items) – None.
6. CLOSED SESSION
Mayor Candell adjourned to Closed Session to discuss the following matters:
A. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation
Gov. Code section 54956.9 (d)(1)
Housing Action Coalition vs. City of Lafayette
Contra Costa Superior Court, Case No. C25-0512
B. Conference with Labor Negotiators Gov. Code Section 54957.6 City designated representative: Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager Employee organization: Association of Lafayette Employees (ALE) C. Conference with Labor Negotiators Gov. Code Section 54957.6 City designated representative: Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager Unrepresented employees: All employees, excluding the City Manager and those within ALE D. Conference with Labor Negotiators Gov. Code Section 54957.6 City designated representative: Mayor Candell
Unrepresented employee: Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager
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Reconvene /Report of Closed Session
Mayor Candell reconvened the Regular Meeting at 7:00 p.m. and announced that no reportable action was taken in Closed Session.
7. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – 7:00 p.m. - Mayor Candell led in the Pledge of Allegiance.
8. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT
We acknowledge that Lafayette is part of the unceded, ancestral homeland of the Bay Miwok people. The Bay Miwok and neighboring Ohlone people have lived in and moved through this place for thousands of years. They stewarded and shaped this land for hundreds of generations. We express our appreciation and gratitude for this profound legacy, which enhances and contributes to our lives to this day. We will strive to honor this land and strengthen our ties with the Indigenous communities that continue to live and work in our East Bay region as our neighbors and community members. We acknowledge and honor them and their ancestors, elders, and next seven generations.
9. PUBLIC COMMENTS (For items not on the agenda)
DAVID MAY, attorney representing Bruce and Carolyn Osterman, requested an agenda item for the next meeting regarding a procedural issue and the substance of the dispute. He distributed a packet he prepared which he gave to the City Clerk. They have tried to resolve the underlying dispute informally and formally regarding a Firewise sign issue. The DRC has authority over sign issues and they made a decision in this matter. According to the City Ordinance 6232, it states appeals from the DRC if they relate to signs, comes to the City Council. They filed an official appeal on the form provided to them with materials, and since the appeal was filed on November 19th, there has been no City action taken on it.
LIBBY HENRY thanked Mayor Candell, Councilmembers, and staff for their hard work this year. There have been many challenges and she believes the Council is trying to stand up for the City with what the State has proposed in forms of legislation.
10. CITY MANAGER’S UPDATE
City Manager Niroop Srivatsa gave the following year end statistics and highlights which she said do not include the tasks that promote the Council’s priorities or reflect additional tasks each department carries out, but these numbers show the day-to-day work performed by the various departments to keep the City operating smoothly and efficiently:
• The Administrative Services Department is fully staffed with all positions filled. City Clerk Robbins works very hard and she highlighted in blue the numbers above last year’s. Last year, the City Clerk had 45 Public Records Requests and this year they are at 60 which seems to be growing. • Human Resources is a new category and staff will report out from now on about on-boarding and off-boarding activities and the sheer number of applications received for each position. For the position of Planning Technician, the City received over 100 applications. • The Finance Department is also fully staffed and is doing an excellent job. They are pleased to report the Department’s achievement of the 10th Year of Excellence in Financing which was awarded by the State.
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• The Public Art program is robust and exciting and the first Downtown Mural has come to life, with three more to be completed.
• Suzanne Iarla is in charge of communications and the City has gained the largest number of subscribers in Instagram, up 342 since last year, and an additional 100 subscriptions in NextDoor.com.
• All currently budgeted positions in the Parks, Trails and Recreation Department have been filled.
Recreation continues to over-perform with activity enrollments up by 160. They added 127 more classes and an additional 16 in aftercare programs
• Senior Services is deep into the seven domains—the Age Friendly Plan. Senior Services have provided 11 additional classes since last year and nearly 400 additional hours of programs. The Spirit Van added 1,700 additional trips this year and staff is also reporting about its excellent partnership with Lamorinda Village. The Community Center continues to be very busy as well as a busy department.
• Only one position remains to be filled in the Public Works Department. This year, the focus has been on improving conditions of roads. The number of encroachment permits have increased to more than 175 from the previous year. Also notable are the underground alert service tickets to be handled. There were 4,000 more tickets handled this year than last year. • The City’s Planning and Building Department is actively recruiting. There are a number of positions that need to be filled. Candidates have already been interviewed for Assistant Planning Director and Senior Planner. Generally, development activity is in pace compared to last year, with a few more tree permits.
• The City has experienced a significant increase in the number of people who call in, drop in, and who visit the Planning virtual counter. They had 240 additional in-person appointments than the previous year and also of note, the number of Public Records Requests have really focused on planning and building which means a considerable amount of staff time is spent on those requests, and building permit activity remains steady.
• Regarding the Police Department, the City has hired replacements for Sharon in the parking section and parking interns. They have a budget for 17 sworn officers and currently have 16. The 17th sworn officer position will be filled in January and the Chief is looking at that person being a focused on youth services, focusing on school and safety as well as e-bike safety. The City had nearly 3,000 additional calls for service compared to last year and 500 additional traffic citations issued.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
11. PRESENTATIONS
A. Tim Przybyla, Finance Manager
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Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2024.
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Assistant City Manager Tracy Robinson, on behalf of Finance Manager Tim Przbyla, reported that for the 10th year in a row, the City has been presented with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for FY ending June 30, 2024. Credit goes to the Council for their good fiscal responsibility and also the accounting staff who makes sure everything is in order. There are several GASB rules that need to be followed, and this has been done well with a small staff. Right now, they are in the process of finalizing the audit for the fiscal year that ended in June and are confident the City will receive an award next year.
Mayor Candell and Councilmembers recognized Administration and Finance staff for the work done and achievement, cited the City’s clean opinion, and certificate of achievement in terms of financial management.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
B. Senior Services Commission
Annual Update
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Terry Black, Chair, Senior Services Commission, introduced Vice Chair Conrad Breece, Commissioners Carol Federighi, Cherry Sprague, Dorothy Walker, Parks, Trails and Recreation Director Jonathan Katayanagi who was able to attend via Zoom, Senior Services Coordinator Molly Cohen, and Senior Transportation Coordinator Riki Juster.
Chair Black thanked the Council for adopting the Age Friendly Action Plan in February 2025, noting that its successful implementation will enhance livability for older adults and residents of all ages. Because the plan includes 35 goals and over 200 action items, the Commission is encouraging community stakeholders to review the plan, select action items to support, and coordinate their efforts with City staff or the Senior Services Commission. The full plan is available online at www.lovelafayette.org/agefriendly.
To update the Council, the Commission highlighted work in the “outdoor spaces and buildings” domain.
Recent initiatives focus on promoting age-friendly environments and keeping older adults engaged through programs such as identifying new park bench locations, a weekly Lamorinda Nature Walk and Birdwatching activity, introductory Pétanque sessions, a frequent Reservoir Walking Group, and beginner pickleball classes. These efforts expand opportunities for safe outdoor activity, social interaction, and physical mobility, reinforcing community engagement in parks and natural areas.
Senior Transportation Coordinator Riki Juster reported the Spirit Van Program is offering more rides to seniors than ever before and a big part of that growth in rides is due to their collaboration with Lamorinda Village and all classes and events offered. They have more drivers and are excited to grow even more, and the Senior Services Division offers programs and resources to help seniors safely age in their homes.
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Senior Services Coordinator Molly Cohen reported that social participation opportunities for older adults have grown through both longstanding programs and new partnerships with Lamorinda Village. Activities offered at the Community Center, at the Library, on Zoom, and in local businesses help seniors build community. A major improvement is the expansion of the Senior Swell Center at the Library—now operating three days a week with coffee meet-and-greets on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Mahjong on Wednesdays—which provides a visible and welcoming gathering space for seniors.
Ms. Cohen also noted that many City commission and committee members are retired professionals who use their expertise to benefit the community, and she encouraged interested volunteers to explore openings on the City’s website. The Commission is also beginning to organize a volunteer fair to connect nonprofits and community organizations with residents seeking volunteer opportunities.
Commissioner Carol Federighi reported that improving communication and access to information remains a key focus for the Commission. Members are developing age-friendly content for the City’s online newsletter, the Weekly Round Up, and plan to distribute printed copies in locations commonly visited by seniors. The Coffee with a Cop program was well received, and the Commission hopes to hold it more frequently.
In the area of community and health services, wellness classes continue to be popular, with the Spirit Van frequently providing transportation to these programs and to medical appointments. The Commission is also working to better connect seniors with available resources, including through major community events like the Community Foundation’s Senior Symposium and the Lafayette Chamber’s Reservoir Run Wellness Fair.
Commissioner Dorothy Walker stated the Commission has prioritized Emergency Preparedness in response to City Council direction, offering classes and collaborating with local agencies to promote fire hazard mitigation grants. The City Council also funded a two-year partnership with Lamorinda Village, which has provided benefits such as subsidized memberships, expanded Swell Program days, and participation of Village staff in Senior Services Commission meetings. However, concurrent events at the Community Center may cause parking issues, which would need to be addressed.
Lamorinda Village has been successful due to its committed staff and strong community partnerships. The Commission aims to continue strengthening the Village model and encourages all stakeholders to review the Action Plan and help make Lafayette more age-friendly.
Chair Black said in closing this annual report, she advised that the City of Lafayette was the single city in the U.S. chosen to participate in a webinar entitled, “Going Digital” produced by the AARP Age Friendly Department out of the main office in Washington, D.C. The webinar will be held tomorrow, December 9th from 12 to 1 p.m. Pacific time and, along with the Director, she will be speaking. They are proud to be working with two professors from Rutgers University in New Jersey regarding their success with their age friendly program. They are proud of their accomplishments and will continue to work hard to maintain their age friendly community standards. She thanked the Council for their support and time.
Mayor Candell and Councilmembers congratulated the Commission and was glad the partnership with Lamorinda Village is working out really well, and confirmed that next year they hope to continue to expand the partnership with the Village to bring more to the Community Center and other locations in the City.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
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Councilmembers hoped the annual report will be advertised and on the City’s website, recognized the tremendous work for the community, thanked the Commission for their great work on the action plan, thinks the Volunteer Fair will be a win/win on many levels, and recognized the work done with the Youth Commission, as well.
C. Parks, Trails, and Recreation Commission
Annual Update
Recommendation: Receive and file.
Vice-Chair Scott Robinson thanked the Council and acknowledged fellow Commissioners: Trails Subcommittee members Alison Hill, Geoff Bellenger; Parks Subcommittee: Grace Dixon, Carol Singer; Community Center Liaison Role: K.C. Donovan; Hamlin Nature Park Subcommittee: Carol Singer, Geoff Bellenger, and K.C. Donovan. Not present tonight are: Frank Curcuro from the Trails Subcommittee and Shane Reisman, and Joe Dougherty. He praised their contributions to maintaining high-quality public facilities and acknowledged Director Katayanagi for his support and leadership.
He explained that the Parks, Trails, and Recreation (PTR) Commission’s main role is to advise the City Council on issues related to parks, trails, and recreation, including planning, budgeting, project oversight, collaboration with staff and other commissions, facility inspections and basic maintenance, input on the General Plan, and oversight of commemorative programs. Ongoing responsibilities include budget monitoring, GPAC involvement, facility assessments, commemorative program management, and providing guidance to the Council on PTR matters.
Commissioner Alison Hill spoke about the key partnerships which were displayed on the PowerPoint presentation, thanked the hard-working young people in Lafayette, specifically the Youth Commission which supports events at the Community Center, including the Haunted Trail, the All-Ages Recreation Downtown, the Junior Board of the Community Foundation of Lafayette, and scouting organizations.
Commissioner K.C. Donovan described several ongoing initiatives, including planning for Hamlin Parkland, the Two-Parks Collaborative Concept for Leigh Creekside and Gazebo Parks, maintenance planning for the Community Center’s HVAC and roof, and a wayfinding trail marker project. The Commission is also reviewing deferred maintenance needs and working with the City Council to secure funding for projects such as the Buckeye Patio and Community Center renovations. These efforts aim to address current priorities and ensure high-quality parks, trails, and recreation opportunities for the community into the future.
Commissioner Carol Singer said key accomplishments this year have been the Draft Park Plan for Hamlin Parkland which they would like to get going, the Community Park South Nature Trail, the Childcare and School Bus Expansion, Fees and Use Categories for Sports Fields, Lafayette Community Center Room Rental Fee Update, Oakbridge Parking Lot Parklet, Age Friendly Commemorative Benches, and Fire Abatement.
Vice-Chair Robinson reported that the Commission launched a new wayfinding system in Community Park, installing posts and maps with QR codes to help visitors navigate the area. The project is active in the Community Center Park, with plans to expand to feeder trails and noting the completion of the Moraga– Lafayette Reservoir Trail.
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He emphasized the Commission’s alignment with the City Council’s Firewise goals. Staff have improved fire safety by removing dead undergrowth, increasing visibility on trails, and adopting remote radiocontrolled mowing technology. Their fire-prevention efforts also include green-waste removal in various open spaces and parks.
Vice-Chair Robinson outlined ongoing challenges, including significant unmet needs for parks, recreation facilities, and childcare programs. The Commission faces limited funding for acquiring, maintaining, and improving parkland, as well as stiff competition when potential properties enter the market. He noted that although Measure H will support the General Fund, rising costs—especially from inflation and construction—will still hinder capital projects. The measure maintains current service levels but does not cover major unfunded maintenance needs, such as repairs at the Community Center, Buckeye Fields, and recreation facility parking lots. Robinson thanked the City Council for initiating the Capital Maintenance Study, which will clarify long-term facility needs and guide future project decisions.
In closing, he thanked the City Council for granting them time to present this year’s update. He recognized Commissioners for their time and energy and welcome any questions.
Mayor Candell and Councilmembers thanked Commissioners for the amazing work and recognized the thorough report.
Councilmember Cervantes referred to the Community Center HVAC project of an estimated $3.3 million or $4.3 million for a full facility expansion and asked to elaborate on this. Vice-Chair Robinson said Director Katayanagi could elaborate on that.
Parks, Trails, and Recreation Director Jonathan Katayanagi replied via Zoom, stating the expansion has to do with the number of rooms at the Community Center that do not currently have air conditioning. The design plan gives them a system to allow to those other rooms as part of this process, so it can be designed in such a way that they could grow off the type of unit over time or they could do it all at once. Right now, during the summer they bring in portable AC units to cool the rooms for summer camps, so the expansion allows them to go beyond the rooms that currently have cooling systems.
Councilmember Cervantes asked and confirmed the facility was originally constructed in 1954 and in 1983 it was renovated.
Councilmember McCormick asked if there is anything new happening next year or will the goalpost move forward on the things in play. Vice-Chair Robinson said there is nothing new at this point he is aware of.
They will mostly push forward with existing projects. The wayfinding and labeling last year, as well as the roof which were big projects.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
Vice Mayor Anduri said he attended elementary school at the building and he thanked the Commission for their great report, their work on significant activities and projects during the years, and it truly makes a difference for programming. He also thanked the Commission for using the word “needs” because these are needs versus things they want.
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Councilmember Wotherspoon echoed thanks and said the City must have parks, trails and recreation and she emphasized the great job on the wayfinding.
Mayor Candell and remaining Councilmembers thanked the Commission as well as those not able to be present tonight.
12. CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Candell asked if Councilmembers wished to remove any items. Items A (McCormick), Item E (Wotherspoon), and Item F (staff) were requested to be removed, and there were no further requests and no public comments.
B. 2025 Road Paving Project, Final Acceptance of Construction Contract - Project No. 014-9742 Recommendation: Accept the construction contract with Rapid Grading Services as complete and authorize staff to file a Notice of Completion for the 2025 Road Paving Project No. 014-9742 as complete.
C. Maddy Act Local Commission/Committee Appointment List Recommendation: Receive and file.
D. 2026 City Council/Commission Meeting Schedule
Recommendation: Adopt the 2026 Meeting Schedule.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Wotherspoon) to adopt Consent Calendar Items B, C, and D. Vote: 5- 0 (Ayes: Candell, Anduri, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
13. CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION
A. Remarks by Mayor Candell
Mayor Candell said she hopes most everyone is feeling like it was a good year, and while there were some ups and downs, there were so many wins on the important things for the City. They started the year off high fresh off the Measure H win. Personally, her year was going to start off awful if they had lost that election, but instead, the City ended a year with a balanced budget and a newly formed Measure H Oversight Committee.
Next, they got into the final pieces of their Housing Element and they were waiting for HCD approval. But then they got hit with a lawsuit by the Housing Action Coalition which they find out is an organization suing cities in the Bay Area over Housing Elements. The City is still fighting that lawsuit today.
In the Spring, they began discussions about 949 Moraga Road, the City-owned parking lot across from Lafayette Elementary School. This is an opportunity site in their Housing Element but she did not think anyone could have predicted the amazing journey they are now on—trying to get 48 units of permanently affordable housing for developmentally disabled adults, all managed by Sunflower Hill.
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This effort has been a full court press by staff, by Council, local elected leaders, community members, and also most importantly, Rosemary Kirbach of Sunflower Hill. They secured the first round of funding from HCD for over $19.5 million in the late summer. Now, they are still fighting because it is only about onethird of what they need and the next round is coming up in the next few weeks to see if the City qualifies for funding from the County’s Measure X funds. Their Supervisors is present and she thanked her for supervising those funds.
Next, all Councilmembers and residents learned a lot about their Constitutional rights to peacefully protest in the City, and they are grateful for everyone who took part in this important learning process.
In the late Spring, they were learning about SB 79; the State Housing bill that would have upzoned the City for very high-density housing in a one-half mile circle around the BART station. She and Councilmember Cervantes worked hard with their legislators and police and fire representatives who pointed out very clearly that if they allow for high-density housing into neighborhoods with very small winding roads, single egress, and high fire risk areas, their evacuation routes would be severely compromised. This is a real safety problem for residents, but at the end of the session they were thankful for Senator Tim Grayson who was able to get all counties removed completely from SB 79 that are not urban counties like Contra Costa.
However, their joy was short-lived, as their regional governments—MTC and ABAG—are trying to pass their own versions of SB 79 and these same regional governments are trying to get it enshrined into longterm policies. So now, not only does the City face the State’s overreach into their local planning authority, but their regional government is now doing the same.
In May, Rachel Zenner from Senator Grayson’s office staff reached out wanting to restart their old Lafayette Liaisons Meeting; one that was canceled since COVID. Since May, they have held monthly meetings with all partners in Lafayette, including schools, police, fire, state and federal representatives, the Chamber and many others. These meetings help them stay coordinated in a much more organized fashion which is very helpful for everybody.
Next, late in the summer, they began hearing about softball’s request to use one of the fields at Buckeye Fields. This led to an entire series of meetings with Parks and Recreation, LMYA Softball, and Lafayette Little League. She truly thanked everyone who participated in this process, especially the leaders of LMYA Softball and Lafayette Little League who showed everyone what real leadership looks like. They now have an agreement moving forward and a one-time investment in the fields at Buckeye and Upper Community Fields. More importantly, they have goodwill to work together moving forward on even more lofty goals of getting more fields for Lafayette. She looks forward to seeing that in the future.
Their last big win this year include getting work started on the School Street and Topper Lane walkways.
She cannot thank staff enough for being so patient and so thorough, especially with residents on Topper Lane. This work is paying off and they are getting excited to get started. The other big win is getting funding for the new Aqueduct Walkway Project. This new brand of vision of a bike and pedestrian pathway from the west of town all the way to Pleasant Hill Road is starting to take shape and, again, she cannot thank staff enough for pushing this forward.
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She thinks this is the best Council she has worked with in her 7 years here. She truly enjoys each Councilmember and believe they are 100% in support of what is best for Lafayette, and it is her honor to serve with each Councilmember. She then thanked their amazing staff led by the fearless City Manager.
When this Council and staff are so supportive of each other and shared vision, they can achieve anything they put their energy into. She thanked each and every staff member.
She thanked all of their Commissioners and Committee Members. They could not have such a great City moving forward without all of their contributions. She recognized the many volunteers helping run the City and committed to making Lafayette a better place to live, work, and shop. Lastly, she gave a shout out to County representative, Candace Anderson, as well as State representatives from Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan’s office and Senator Tim Grayson’s office.
Finally, to her husband Brian, she thanked him for putting up with her this year. Both of their jobs have been very crazy this year so it has been a long one, and hopefully 2026 will bring them both some needed relief. Brian also reminded her recently that being the Mayor is kind of like being a boat owner—the very best day is the first day when you buy the boat and the other best day is when you sell that boat. So, she thanked everybody and she loves Lafayette, and looks forward to having cake! Presentation to Mayor Candell by Vice Mayor Anduri
Vice Mayor Anduri said not before he expresses on behalf of the Council and residents their gratitude, Susan Candell agreed to serve as Mayor this year because people may not realize she did not have a running start on becoming Mayor. She went right from Councilmember to Mayor and, in fact, she was not even able to attend this meeting last year in person because she was sick. Beyond that, she knew in 2025 she had a very intense professional schedule which turned out to be true, so again, the Council is grateful she took on the role.
What is most important for the Council is the way Susan Candell met this challenge. For him, two things stand out—first is the welcoming way she conducts Council meetings and all of those who follow her will look to that as the standard going forward. What has been most impressive to him is the way the Mayor has reached out to try to bring people together and try to get them to reach common ground on issues before they come to the Council. He knows that is selfish because that has lowered their workload, but he said the Mayor has been great bringing people together and he thanked her. He then presented a small token of gratitude from the City.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period.
RACHEL ZENNER, Senator Grayson’s Office, said Senator Grayson is sorry that he could not be here but he is so grateful for the Mayor’s service, for the relationship that they have established with her. So many in Lafayette have been so welcoming when he started and he is grateful for the working relationship. She then presented Mayor Candell with a certificate, with photos taken.
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CHERISE KHAUND, representing Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, said she is honored to be here to recognize Mayor Candell’s service and second time as being Mayor of the City of Lafayette. The Assemblymember wants to thank her for always being so open and communicative, working with their office, and connecting with them when there is any way they can be of service and help from the State level. She drew out SB 79 to show what it really looks like on the ground, which really helps their State Assembly to be able to tell those stories when they are talking with the author of the bill. She also wants to thank Mayor Candell for her collaboration not only within Lafayette with all community partners and commissions, but also with the other nearby cities which has been tremendous. It is evident how she has worked as a region and as a Council in what they have been able to accomplish. On behalf of the Assembly member, she presented a Certificate of Recognition. Photos were then taken.
COUNTY SUPERVISOR CANDACE ANDERSON said it is always a pleasure to be in Lafayette and to listen to the great work of City Commissioners, and tonight to honor outgoing Mayor Susan Candell. She has always loved working with her because she does not mince words, does not beat around the bush, and it is wonderful because she loves this engagement. She knows the issues impacting the community; she is a strong advocate for Lafayette, and the nice thing is she is looking for solutions. As one of the MTC Commissioners, they are finding some good solutions as they look at OBAG and TOC issues. Nevertheless, she said it has been a delight working with Mayor Candell. Her leadership is fabulous as well as the entire Council. She thanked her and presented her with a certificate of recognition.
Mayor Candell thanked Supervisor Anderson and voiced appreciation back to the Supervisor for assisting a Lafayette resident on a Sunday morning while she was out of town in Yosemite. Photos were then taken.
Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor
Mayor Candell nominated Carl Anduri to serve as Mayor and John McCormick as Vice Mayor. No other nominations were received and nominations were closed.
Mayor Candell opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Candell/Wotherspoon) to elect Carl Anduri as Mayor and John McCormick as Vice Mayor. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Candell, Anduri, Cervantes, McCormick, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
Remarks by new Mayor and Vice Mayor
Vice Mayor Anduri thanked his wife, Sharon, colleagues on the Council and the community for their support. He is deeply aware of the privilege it is to serve on the City Council as the City’s Mayor and of the responsibility that comes with that privilege.
As they go into the next year, the City is fortunate to be able to build on two important strengths—a great team is in place to pursue their goals. He sometimes marvel at the level of talent on City staff serving what is a small City of 25,000 people, and he marvels at all the talented residents who volunteer to serve on City commissions, committees, and task forces. Their second strength is that their current team benefits from the example set and the high standards established by all those who preceded them. Past Councils and City staff have built a tradition and model of excellence in public service, fiscal responsibility, and transparency that guides and motivates each of them.
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One of their traditions is that each year they, together as a Council, set their priorities for the fiscal year.
Their three current City priorities are, in brief, preparing for and mitigating wildfire risk, implementing their Housing Element, and continuing to plan for fiscal sustainability. At their next Council meeting in January, they will do a mid-course review of these priorities to see if they need to tweak them before the end of the fiscal year. On Friday, February 20th, they will meet for a full discussion of priorities for the next fiscal year that begins July 1, 2026. He welcomed everybody’s input and participation at both meetings.
In addition to these main priorities, there are the many on-going activities of their City staff, commissions, committees and other activities the City supports. A partial list includes strengthening City schools partnership, essential collaboration with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, support for the Park Theater Trust efforts to renovate the Park Theater and bring additional vitality to the downtown, support for the Lafayette Library and Learning Center—the heart of their community, facilitating development of affordable housing at 949 Moraga Road for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, constructing the new walkway along School Street from the Lafayette-Moraga Trail to Moraga Road, completing the BART entryway project which will make the transition from BART to the downtown more welcoming.
This is not close to being a complete “to-do list.” Even that list would not include very worthwhile projects and activities that many residents support but would require additional resources the City does not currently have. These projects include: Planning for and building additional sports fields, creating downtown parks, buying and preserving open space, building protected bike lanes throughout the City, creating shaded fire breaks around the City, expanding their capacity to provide childcare, providing civic space for their own City offices, a Senior Center and a Teen Center. During the next two years, they need to decide if they want to invest in any of these or other projects.
While the Council sets the priorities, each Mayor has added something to the mix which ideally does not require significant staff time or money. This year, they will be trying something a little different. He reached out to Councilmember, now Vice Mayor McCormick, to see if he would like to join him in planning and launching projects that will carry on through both of their terms as Mayor, thus giving them a greater chance to achieve positive results. He is very grateful he said “yes” and here is what they are planning:
1. The initial descriptive word that appears in their City mission statement is “welcoming.” Lafayette’s vision is to be a welcoming City. They want to do more to make new residents feel welcome in the community and to help each of them quickly learn about the resources in the community. They are pleased to announce that the Lafayette Juniors will take the lead in this effort in collaboration with the City and the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation to plan and present a regular series events here in the Don Tatzin Community Hall to do just that.
The first welcome event to which they invite new residents to learn about what makes Lafayette such a special place to live is scheduled for February 3rd, and everybody will be hearing more about it.
2. They want to double down on the Slow Down Lafayette Campaign. Safe streets is a Lafayette priority. By far, the main determinant of the severity of an accident is speed. They want to establish observing the posted speed limits as a recognized civic value and something all Lafayette residents are proud of as something each of them does to make all of us safe.
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3. They want to make Lafayette more small-business friendly which is essential to having a vibrant downtown. They will start by increasing the City’s collaboration with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce on regular door-to-door visits with downtown businesses, both Chamber members and non-members in order to develop a deeper understanding of the needs and concerns of their business community.
4. A guiding principle in their mission statement is support for environmental sustainability. They will focus on one simple action that each of them can take to increase sustainability. They have worked closely with Recycle Smart, their local agency that manages their garbage recycling and composting to determine the solution that has the biggest impact with the least amount of effort.
They agreed they want Lafayette to increase the percentage of food scraps that go into the green cart rather than into the landfill cart. This seemingly simple action can have big and positive consequences. A study conducted by RecycleSmart earlier this year found that less than half of the food scraps that Lafayette single-family residents discard are being placed in the green cart.
Their goal is for every Lafayette resident to participate. If they can get 75% of the food scraps into the green cart, it would be the equivalent of taking 200 cars off the road for a year for every year.
5. As heard earlier in the meeting, Lafayette is officially an Age Friendly City. The City’s Senior Services Commission developed, and the City Council adopted, an Age Friendly Action Plan. As part of the City’s efforts to become more age friendly and increase services for seniors three years ago the City began a collaboration with Lamorinda Village. During the next two years, he and the Vice Mayor will help deepen that collaboration with the aim of expanding services provided to Lafayette residents and also increasing volunteer opportunities for Lafayette residents who want to be of service.
6. Lafayette’s mission statement calls out their commitment to life-long learning. Through the City’s Public Art Committee and its newly expanded focus, the City seeks to embed the arts in their civic life and the fabric of the community. During the next two years, they will help strengthen these civic values by promoting arts and lifelong learning whenever possible. To that end, they will be arranging short presentations at the beginning of the first Council meeting of each month by an arts organization or by an organization that offers lifelong learning opportunities.
7. As a City name for the Marquis de Lafayette, they think it will be appropriate to help commemorate 250 years of the nation’s independence next year by highlighting and celebrating the role of France in gaining their independence. The Lafayette Historical Society and its President Mary McKosker, will take the lead in this effort.
With their City priorities, on-going activities, and their Mayoral initiatives, they have a long list of things they want and need to do. Fortunately, they have a very talented and engaged community, a talented and engaged City staff, a committed City Council and a year’s long tradition and model for getting things done. He looks forward to working with everybody in the year’s ahead as they continue their efforts to make Lafayette an even better place to live.
Vice Mayor McCormick said Mayor Anduri came to him many months ago and it has been a privilege and a lot of fun thinking of the different initiatives, how they will achieve them, and he looks forward in moving them forward over the next two years. Generally, he is excited to serve as Vice Mayor next year. When thinking about the initiatives, what is extraordinary is all of the different organizations they will be working with—from the Lafayette Juniors, to the Chamber, Historical Society, RecycleSmart and so many others.
The level of civic engagement and partnerships they can leverage to get things done is truly remarkable and it allows them to provide services and opportunities of a city much larger than them.
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Also, next year is going to be a year of building in Lafayette which is very exciting. As they know, the Cancer Support Center construction is underway. The Park Theater will be undergoing construction in the next couple of weeks. They heard about School Street and Topper Lane. They have several housing projects the Council has approved over the last couple of years that will come to fruition, and the projects and building truly reflect their values from wellness and health to culture to building new housing. It is remarkable and this does not even begin to consider what Sunflower Hill will be doing at 949 Moraga over the next several years.
He also wanted to acknowledge that unlike their incoming and outgoing Mayors, he is relatively new. One of his goals this year is to learn from all Mayors before him so when he steps into the Mayor’s role next year, he will hit the ground running and will keep these initiatives going. Finally, he is grateful for the Council, for staff, for the community, for the support. They all bring different perspectives to discussions but these are tremendously smart, gifted, and caring people. They do not always agree on everything, but when they agree and make a decision, he knows it is best for Lafayette and he is excited for the next year.
Cake Break
The Council, staff and audience then took a celebratory cake break.
14. OLD BUSINESS
A. Niroop Srivatsa, City Manager
Draft Plan Bay Area 2050+ and Draft Environmental Impact Report Recommendation: Authorize the Mayor to submit a letter outlining the City’s concerns.
City Manager Niroop Srivatsa said before the Council is a recommendation from staff and the Legislative Committee to forward a letter to ABAG and MTC outlining concerns about Plan Bay Area (PBA) 2050+.
Bay Area 2050 was adopted in 2021. PBA 2050+ is a more focused update. It focuses and uses as one of its criteria the implementation of the Transit-Oriented Community Policy checklist. Recall that in October of this year, the Council submitted a letter of concerns about the implementation of the TOC Policy.
Concerns with PBA 2050+ are the population projections, the incorrect statements that the plan will not override local land use decisions because there are specific policies that talk about the expectations of higher growth and higher densities, and a number of unfunded mandates on local governments and organizations.
The City of Cupertino did a deep dive into PBA 2050+ and the Legislative Committee reviewed that letter, as well, and asked that it be added as an attachment to the Council’s letter that will be forwarded to ABAG. The Legislative Committee also spent a lot of time looking at the fundamentals of PBA 2050+ and population assumptions and the fact that PBA 2050+ over-estimates the potential growth in population compared to the Department of Finance’s projections. It seems in conclusion that adherence to PBA 2050+ could lead to cities planning for growth and for population growth that may not materialize because the fundamental assumptions of PBA 2050+ are faulty. The letter will contain the comments in the staff report and any other comments the Council raises today, and they will also include the City of Cupertino’s letter as an attachment.
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Vice Mayor McCormick said the comments are due December 18th. He asked if they have a sense of other cities that are doing the same thing. City Manager Srivatsa said the City of Walnut Creek is researching this and intends to submit a letter of comments.
Vice Mayor McCormick asked if staff will focus on items from the staff report, and Councilmember Candell said they focus on the EIR and they seem like they are complementary.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period.
ELIAS FRETWELL, Senior at Acalanes High School, said he was here a couple of months ago regarding SB
79. He referred to population estimates which seem to be the big topic of opposition. The article from Catalyst for Local Control cites the DRU project as evidence that MTC is over-estimating the population in the coming decades. He has two issues with that conclusion: 1) It is just taking the DRU’s projection over the MTC’s, so he questioned why the DRU is more relevant; and 2) the DRU still projects for one-half million people, so regardless of what the estimate is, there are still a lot of people who will be moving here. Additionally, the 2050+ projection is actually 750,000 lower than the original plan, so they are actually at a decrease from what was originally planned for.
He also suggested the 24% growth outline is not unreasonable, so across the Bay all cities are planning for around 440,000 housing units and they have around 2.75 people per household in the Bay which comes out to 1.2 million people in the 2023 to 2031 Housing Element cycle. This is 1.2 million out of 1.8 million that MTC projects for and this is just in the next decade. To him, it seems reasonable that the growth they suggest could very much happen.
He argued that the plan is much broader than population and housing projections, addressing issues like climate change, transportation, infrastructure, green space, jobs, internet access, and inequality. Many improvements—such as preparing for sea-level rise and fixing roads and transit—are necessary regardless of population estimates. With 35 strategies in total, he finds it disappointing that critics focus on a single number, and he believes it would be wrong to discard the entire plan over one potentially uncertain element.
Councilmember Wotherspoon said Mr. Fretwell mentioned DRU and she asked him to clarify what that is. Mr. Fretwell said it is a sub-part of the Department of Finance; the Demographics Research Unit.
ANDREW ZHENG, a senior at Acalanes High School, shared his family’s story of moving to Lafayette after they could no longer afford their rental in Alamo. They chose Lafayette for its “green hills and great schools” and because they found an affordable rental. During the pandemic, Andrew’s mother lost her job but was able to start a medical practice in Lafayette that now serves nearly 5,000 people—an opportunity he feels the community uniquely enabled.
He expressed concern that rejecting PBA 2050+ would undermine the qualities that drew his family to Lafayette. He emphasized that the plan could significantly reduce living and transportation costs for lower-income residents, even if the projected benefits are overestimated. Some of his friends have faced homelessness, and he believes making Lafayette more affordable would help families like his and support vulnerable community members.
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LIBBY HENRY thanked the two seniors who just spoke but she would also implore them to please do more research or look a little further into what Catalyst wrote about the PBA. PBA mentions affordability very often; however, they have nothing in the PBA that has anything to do with how to make things more affordable. The true factual projections that the DRU does give out are based on facts. She does not know what PBA bases theirs on other than the 2017 outdated inaccurate report that the housing crisis was based upon. So, they are doubling insanity with insanity with unachievable goals and PBA has no way except by asking the people of the Bay Area to pay for it.
At $1.5 trillion price tag, the two speakers should probably re-think this because that is approximately $100,000 for every person which includes non-voting individuals in the Bay Area to achieve this so-called goal. There is nothing in the legislation that has been passed, or anything in this plan that says how they will make things more affordable. The concept of this Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) is a made-up term by politicians that are pushing an agenda of the wealthy billionaires behind the housing crisis, and while she has said this before, PBA is staff-driven and they have very little staff. The whole thing is very superficial and she appreciates the letter the City Manager prepared, and asked to please send the letter and hopefully the two speakers will seek to educate themselves more about reality.
Councilmember Cervantes said he took a look at the Executive Summary of the EIR which is rather extensive and tried to get to the population projections in Appendix A, 3A, and what was remarkable to him was that it is one page. Mr. Fretwell was more thorough in his walk-through on this than what the EIR did because it is significantly different than the DOF’s projections. They are all projections so the odds are that none of this is right, but there is a significant difference in order of magnitude where you take the DOF’s projections relative to the ones used in the EIR for the PBA 2050+ and there is a 4.5 times difference. It was striking to him when looking at the assumed population growth of the 9 Bay Area Counties at 1.8 million in the EIR. The DOF assumes 1.3 million for the State of California over the same timeframe, so something is amiss. What he would have hoped is that there would have been some explanation as to why the difference, and there was none. They just presented the numbers on one page.
His concern is that when adding up the programs it is a huge number and the driver or underlying assumption is they have a certain population growth trend of almost 1% a year. If you change that assumption, he questioned what they would have here. He does not think they would have a $1.38 trillion program and maybe it would be $500 billion. So, if they are going to use different figures, he asked to explain why. To him, this is not being honest with the reader because the implications of that assumption are dramatic. In the end, it is all projections. The odds are that the DOF is wrong and the PBA 2050+ is wrong, but they are facing a demographic headwind in the U.S. and the developing world, and globally where birth rates are on the decline. They are at the point now where they are getting below replacement and if they succeed in kicking out immigrants in this country, it will drive that further down. So, he is hardpressed to see how they get to these numbers, so he supports sending the letter because they owe the City the courtesy of explaining what is underlying this.
Vice Mayor McCormick echoed these comments and agrees the population numbers are completely out of whack with reality. The other points on the letter are great. He thinks there are strengths in numbers and this is why he asked about the different jurisdictions. He suggested the City send it to other jurisdictions and ask them to also prepare a letter so more voices can challenge this. When the City dug deeply into MTC’s policies they were very disappointed, so you cannot take a good-looking document at face value and say it must be correct. He likes some of the objectives so he does not disagree they should be more diverse and have better transportation, but they must be on the right foundation.
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Councilmember Candell agreed and said they probably should add the pieces they agree with and exemplify those, but there are real flaws. Shee asked who gives them the authority to make up their own projections. SB 828 in 2018 gave special accommodation just to HCD to add more factors into the growth projections because they used to only take the DOF projections. This blew up cities’ RHNA assessments, so what is seen is because HCD got the ability to blow them up, now they are going to build all policies based on these blown-up numbers and not the DOF again. So, she thinks it is a valid reason to question this through sending the letter.
She said the City Manager mentioned one of the assumptions they made was that home prices will drop to 2001 levels. City Manager Srivatsa said it was in an appendix and it was not the home prices but the ratio of Bay Area home prices compared to the nation would change. They anticipated that given the increase in housing, housing values would go down. There was no backup for that, and Councilmember Candell said this is another reason as to why they think they should have the authority to make up their own numbers and projections on these things.
Councilmember Candell said their whole strategy is that they will have all of this housing growth in the south bay and in San Francisco but then they want to expand all these policies to all the other areas even though they expect no growth in Contra Costa. She questioned why they are doing this when they are not even wanting the growth, and cities do not even control it because of developers, so she questioned what policies they are putting in place to even see this happen. She asked why they are not considering policies by making employers that bring all those new jobs to areas actually contribute to housing.
The other part she had a hard time with was that one of the goals is to get higher homeownership rates and provide vital inter-generational wealth building, which they all agree with but they did not pursue a policy that would actually help that. The only way the City gets affordable housing right now is through density bonus, but density bonus projects do not result in inter-generational wealth and not the type envisioned in this plan. So, if they are committed to doing the type of things the City would support, she asked why they are not pushing on those. Therefore, she thinks more items could be added to the letter if the Council all agrees on them.
Councilmember Wotherspoon agrees with the lack of credibility and they need a methodology document that tells them exactly where this projection comes from. To go without it, it begs the question of how they can believe anything the plan is based upon. She agrees they support the goals and many of the programs, but without the validation, it is deficient. She likes the Cupertino letter where they have a pretty direct list of items that the Council requests, and she thought this is pretty effective. But, she understands wanting to try and separate the theme in this letter. She thinks the core is it makes sense just basing it on the inconsistency and the incorrect statements about the plan and local land use decisions. One thing she found disturbing was that the plan does not really address wildfire evacuation at all. There is talk about wildfire risks, mitigations, but nothing about people moving in a state of crisis.
This is a big hole, so she would like to hear more about their plan and how it would be aiding, facilitating, not impeding wildfire evacuations.
Vice Mayor McCormick asked what are the next steps, as he would like to get something substantive a little bit ahead of time if they can circulate it.
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City Manager Srivatsa said she was going to draft a letter with comments from the staff report and anything else the Council wanted her to add tonight. She could share this with Lamorinda cities, Walnut Creek, and neighbors so they know, particularly those with BART stations because of the TOC policy.
Usually, when commenting on Draft EIRs, she would say they refer to the City of Cupertino’s letter and say the City concurs with all their comments on the Draft EIR.
Vice Mayor McCormick said he thinks they should state things they like and echoed Councilmember Candell’s comments. He wondered if they should stick to the top 3 to 5 points versus having a laundry list, and thought they could add evacuation routes.
Mayor Anduri agreed with that. If it is a shorter, more focused letter it will get more attention. The points raised here he would raise Councilmember Candell’s point about asking them why they moved away from the DOF in point one, and add the evacuation, and go with that. He asked and confirmed this was discussed with the Legislative Committee, and he confirmed she could share it with the Chair of the Legislative Committee because it is a Brown Act subcommittee.
Councilmember Cervantes complimented both speakers for coming out and sharing their views on this.
He thinks there is agreement on some of the big picture goals here, but did not see how they could justify their numbers, but they are trying to sort this out with limited bandwidth. It does have major implications because when they start throwing trillion dollar plus numbers out for the Bay Area, this is something they have to pay attention to.
Mayor Anduri said regarding what Councilmembers agree with, there are a number of things they like about the plan, but the problem is many of those depend on the foundation numbers here. He thinks it is fine to say they agree with a number of the goals of the plan, but here are their four main points they want to convey. He suggested a motion to authorize the Mayor to submit a letter outlining the City’s concerns.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Candell/McCormick_ to authorize the Mayor to submit a letter outlining the City’s concerns. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
15. STAFF REPORTS – None.
16. PUBLIC HEARINGS – None.
17. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT
A. City Council Minutes
November 24, 2025
Recommendation: Approve.
Councilmember McCormick asked for the following minor edits:
• Page 6, bottom, the comment that states, “…asking Springhill residents how they would like the poll proposed pullout.”
• Page 8, “Zunnie” should be changed to “Zoonie.”
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
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ACTION: It was M/S/C (Candell/McCormick) to approve the City Council minutes of November 24, 2025, as amended. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
E. 2025 Annual Report from the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center Board Recommendation: Receive and file.
Councilmember Wotherspoon said she wanted to pull this item so she had an opportunity to say publicly how much the Janet and the Lafayette Community Garden means to her and is special. The City is so fortunate to have the Community Garden which is an incredible educational space for all ages. In the report, it talks about having third graders and they know there are also adults who go and they learn there. They have held special events open to the public that are fabulous, and she thinks it is very important green space and opportunity for some of their newer residents who might be living in apartments without a little plot of land of their own who could enjoy the dirt, sun and space.
Mayor Anduri noted that in their relationship with EBMUD, this is a very positive part of it because the garden is on EBMUD land and Janet and others in the garden are an amazing community resource. He also announced there are openings for next year in the garden.
F. Issue a letter of support urging the Legislature to convene an informational hearing on the findings of SB 381 and to create a forum where local agencies and safety experts can share observations, concerns, and proposed next steps related to E-bike safety.
Recommendation: Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter requesting that the Legislature hold an informational hearing on E-bike safety and the implementation of SB 381.
Councilmember Cervantes said the New York Times magazine had a piece this past Sunday entitled, “Are E-bikes out of Control?” It is a great article which talks about the legislation which targeted Marin County.
He said there is a study being done by the Benetti Institute and the lead author for this upcoming paper on E-Bike safety and policy options made the comment, “Motorcycles were regulated like cars, but Americans treat bicycles as toys.” So, it is a telling statement, and he supports issuing the letter because there has been a lot of talk about this and it is getting national attention.
Mayor Anduri said another interesting observation is that if they were called motor bikes instead of Ebikes, would that have made a difference in public perception.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period.
DAVID CLARK added that the article in the New York Times is a local article. The young woman who was injured was in Marin and it involves Redwood High School. They got the Act through the State Senate so there is likely something Lafayette could do locally if they want to along the lines of what happened in Marin.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Cervantes/Candell) to authorize the Mayor to Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter requesting that the Legislature hold an informational hearing on E-bike safety and the implementation of SB 381. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
18. COUNCIL / COMMISSION REPORTS
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A. Councilmembers report on activities and consideration of matters a Councilmember wishes to initiate for placement on a future agenda.
There were no reports.
B. Mayor Candell and Vice Mayor Anduri
Resolution 2025-56 Appointing members to the Measure H Citizens Oversight Committee Recommendation: Adopt Resolution 2025-56 Appointing members to the Measure H Citizens Oversight Committee.
Councilmember Candell reported interviewing six candidates for five positions and she and Mayor Anduri chose Peter Appert, David Clark, Wei-Tai Kwok, Matt Pease, and Vincent Salimi to the Measure H Citizens Oversight Committee.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Candell) to adopt Resolution 2025-56 appointing Peter Appert, David Clark, Wei-Tai Kwok, Matt Pease, and Vincent Salimi to the Measure H Citizens Oversight Committee. Vote:
5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
C. Mayor Elect
1. Allocation of Bonus Pay/Performance Rewards
Recommendation: Discuss and direct.
Mayor Anduri said in looking at past years, they usually had 4% or 5% of total salary bonus pool to be allocated by the City Manager. Last year, it was a lower amount and he suggested this year a bonus pool of $250,000 which would be 5% of payroll allocated by the City Manager. Also, this year in looking at the holiday schedule, the 2nd is a Friday and they could do without any financial impact making January 2nd a paid holiday just for this year so they do not have to open up City offices just on Friday and then close for the weekend.
On the matter of a bonus for the City Manager, there was no bonus last year at the request of the City Manager. He thinks this year it would be appropriate given the outstanding work the City Manager has done over the past 18 months to authorize a bonus of $15,000 which would be 5% of the City Manager’s salary which is in line with what they are doing with employees.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
Councilmember McCormick said he thinks this is a good amount. The Council is fortunate to have the City Manager as well as City staff who do great work. They are a small but mighty team and the bonus is welldeserved. He thinks the Manager has the option to allocate it appropriately to ensure high performers are rewarded. They are very close to getting all positions filled and so people are doing more work to cover the open positions, and he voiced support of the proposal.
Councilmember Wotherspoon agreed and said they have a fabulous staff who are doing hard work. There are a huge number of things being done and increases over past years, so this is well-deserved.
Councilmember Candell said she completely agrees and thanked staff for all their hard work done.
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City Manager Srivatsa thanked the Council on behalf of staff and herself stating they are truly grateful.
Councilmember Cervantes echoed colleagues. He pointed out again that they are a handful of cities in California that is not on the CalPERS system, so they are different and they should acknowledge that and treat people really well, and voiced support.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Candell/Wotherspoon) to allocate $250,000 bonus pool for employee bonus pay/performance, grant the City Manager a $15,000 bonus for pay/performance and granted staff a paid holiday on January 2, 2026. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes:
None).
2. Appointment of the City Council Finance Sub-Committee Recommendation: Appoint Mayor Anduri and Vice Mayor McCormick to serve as the City Council Finance Sub-Committee effective immediately.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (Candell/Cervantes) to appoint the Mayor Anduri and Vice Mayor McCormick to serve as the City Council Finance Sub-Committee effective immediately. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
19. WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
A. Letter of resignation from Kristina Sturm, resigning from the Planning Commission.
Recommendation: Accept with regret and thank Ms. Sturm for seven years of volunteer service.
Mayor Anduri said Ms. Sturm had stepped in at the right time and has done a fantastic job on the Planning Commission, creating stability over the last seven years.
Vice Mayor McCormick agreed and said she was not the most vocal, but her comments were very unique.
She brought a great perspective and will be missed.
Councilmember Candell agreed and said she is fabulous and the City will miss her. As a reminder, the Commission is down to five Planning Commissioners.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Candell) to accept with regret and thank Ms. Sturm for seven years of volunteer service on the Planning Commission. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
B. Letter from Rabbi Yisroel Labkowski requesting permission to place a Menorah in Lafayette Plaza for the remainder of December 2025.
Recommendation: Discuss and direct.
Mayor Anduri opened the public comment period, and there were no speakers.
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ACTION: It was M/S/C (McCormick/Candell) to approve placing a Menorah in the Lafayette Plaza for the remainder of December 2025. Vote: 5-0 (Ayes: Anduri, McCormick, Candell, Cervantes, Wotherspoon; Noes: None).
20. ADJOURNMENT – 9:35 p.m.
APPROVED:
__________________________________
Carl Anduri, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________
Joanne Robbins, City Clerk