MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
CITY OF MONTEREY
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
4:00 PM 7:00 PM
COUNCIL CHAMBER, 580 PACIFIC ST., AND ZOOM TELECONFERENCE
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
Councilmembers
Present: Albert, Haffa, Smith, Williamson (arrived at 7:05 p.m.), Roberson
Absent: None
City Staff
Present:
City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, Public Works Director, Police Chief, Parks and Recreation Director, Finance Director, Library Director, City Clerk, Deputy Human Resources Manager ***Afternoon Session Agenda ***
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Roberson called the meeting to order at 4:04 p.m. City Clerk Klein explained to the public how to participate in the meeting virtually, and the safety rules for attendance in the Council Chamber. She called the roll, with Councilmembers Albert, Haffa, and Smith and Mayor Roberson present by teleconference, and Councilmember Williamson absent.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Roberson led the Pledge.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comment on non-agendized matters was received from Lorna Moffat.
Mayor Roberson noted to the public that comment on non-agendized matters may be made in the afternoon session or the evening session, but not both. *** Adjourn to Closed Session (See additional agenda) *** Public comment on the closed session was not received. The Council adjourned to closed session at 4:13 p.m.
RECESS
RECONVENE
*** Evening Session Agenda ***
The Council reconvened at 7:00 p.m. with Councilmember Albert, Haffa, and Smith, and Mayor Roberson present by Zoom teleconference, and Councilmember Williamson absent.
Councilmember Williamson joined the meeting at 7:05 p.m.
PUBLIC APPEARANCE
1. Third Public Hearing to Receive Public Input Regarding the Composition of City Councilmember Districts After Draft Map or Maps are Drawn and on the Potential Sequence of Elections for Staggered Terms of Office (Not a Project Under CEQA per Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061); Tercera audiencia pública para recibir la opinión del City Council Minutes January 4, 2022
2 público sobre la composición de los distritos de los concejales de la ciudad después de la elaboración del proyecto de mapa o mapas y sobre la posible secuencia de elecciones para mandatos alternados (no es un proyecto según la ley CEQA, artículo 20, sección 15378 y según el artículo 5, sección 15061 del reglamento general) Action: Received public feedback
City Manager Uslar explained that due to a clerical error in the public hearing notice, this meeting would not be an official public hearing, and that the public hearing would be noticed and held on January 18, 2022.
Assistant City Manager Rojanasathira noted that LULAC had verbally agreed to a one-day extension to the districting timeline to allow the public hearing to be held on January 18, 2022.
He gave the staff presentation together with Paul Mitchell, Districting Partners, the City's demographer for this districting process. Mr. Mitchell explained to the Council how the four draft maps were developed. Assistant City Manager Rojanasathira and Mr. Mitchell went through the draft maps in detail, going through the statistical and demographic details and the exact layout of the various draft district lines. They discussed factors that should be considered when determining the sequence of elections associated with the districts. Together, Assistant City Manager Rojanasathira and Mr. Mitchell answered Councilmembers' questions.
On question, City Attorney Davi clarified that the Neighborhood and Community Improvement Program (NCIP) will not be changed by the City Council's move to district-based elections.
Public comment was received from: Zoe Carter, who spoke in favor of the “Cuttlefish” draft map; Robert Yoha, who asked that the Casanova-Oak Knoll neighborhood not be split and spoke in support of the “Bat Ray” draft map; Jean Rasch, Monterey Vista Neighborhood Association (MVNA), who spoke in favor of the “Cuttlefish” draft map and said that the MVNA board has expressed irritation with the districting process overall; Esther Malkin, Monterey County Renters United, who said that renters should receive consideration when it comes to election sequencing and be up for election first, and said that New Monterey and Villa Del Monte have the most density and therefore the highest number of renters; Rick Heuer, who shared reasons why he questions whether renters are in fact a community of interest, and spoke in favor of the “Cuttlefish” and “Dolphin” draft maps; Bruce Zanetta, who said that numbers appear to be the focus in the districting process and that history and culture are not being considered; Ann, who urged the Council to consider adopting the “Dolphin” draft map; Richard Ruccello, who spoke about the demographics in the Casanova-Oak Knoll neighborhood and spoke in favor of the “Dolphin” draft map; Tom Rowley, Fishermans Flats Neighborhood Association (FFNA), who said that the FFNA was in favor of the “Cuttlefish” draft map due to compactness and contiguity; John Sovereign, who asked the Council to reject district-based elections; and Luis Osorio, who spoke about the concept of communities of interest, and said that renters have been a historically misrepresented group.
The Council discussed the matter. It was stated that the “Bat Ray” draft map creates at least one non-compact, non-cohesive district. It was stated that it’s clear that the community at large is not excited about this districting process, and that it is important for them to understand that the Council is moving to district-based elections out of necessity to avoid a "legal hammer."
CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENTS
Public comment on non-agendized matters was received from Zoe Carter.
City Council Minutes January 4, 2022
3 ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION
City Attorney Davi reported:
cs1. 54957.6 Agency Negotiators: Allyson Hauck and Gina Russo; General Employees of Monterey (GEM), Management Employees' Association (MEA), Police Lieutenants' Management Association (PLMA), Monterey Fire Chief Officers' Association (MFCOA), Monterey Police Association (MPA), Monterey Fire Fighters' Association (MFFA) Monterey Executive Management Employees' Association (MEMEA) (Not a Project under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061) Action: On a roll call vote of 4-0-1 (Councilmember Williamson absent), the Council gave confidential direction to its labor negotiators
COUNCIL COMMENTS
Councilmember Smith said that his time as chair of the board of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) has ended, and he thanked the TAMC staff and community members.
Mayor Roberson reported favorably on the Monterey Pops concert at First Night Monterey.
CITY MANAGER REPORTS
City Manager Uslar said that the Monterey Fire Department broke its vaccination records at First Night Monterey. He urged all to wear protective masks and explained that cloth masks don't properly protect against the Omicron variant.
ADJOURNMENT
The Council adjourned at 9:04 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted, Approved,
Clementine Bonner Klein Clyde Roberson
City Clerk Mayor