CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
2/28/2022
1 SUBJECT:
Follow-up Information about Council Chambers Improvements or Relocation of Meetings to an Alternate Location and Update on Returning to In-Person City Council Meetings RECOMMENDED ACTION:
1. Hear an update about the status of the pandemic and confirm return to in-person City Council and Commission/Committee meetings beginning March 14, 2022; and
2. Receive follow-up information about Council Chambers’ improvements or relocation of City Council meetings to the Community Center or Oceana High School Theatre and provide direction to the City Manager about next steps.
STAFF CONTACT:
Kevin Woodhouse, City Manager
(650) 738-7409
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The City Council has discussed when and how to return to in-person City Council and Commission/Committee meetings several times since fall 2021, at City Council meetings on September 27, November 8, and December 13. Due to health risks from COVID-19 variants, the Council decided each time to delay return to in-person meetings and, most recently on December 13, set March 14, 2022, as the new target date. The City Council also directed implementation of a “phone-in for public comment” hybrid model for City Council and Planning Commission meetings, the two regular meeting bodies that are filmed and streamed by Pacifica Community Television (PCT).
In addition, at the December 13 meeting, at the request of then Mayor pro Tem Bier, the City Council discussed whether the Council supported making modest improvements to the current Council Chambers or relocating City Council, Planning Commission, and Parks, Beaches, and Recreation Commission meetings to the Community Center Auditorium at 540 Crespi Drive. As part of that discussion, the Council directed the City Manager to bring back more cost and operational impact information about those options, in addition to inquiring about potential use of the Oceana High School Theatre.
COVID-19 Update
Although the Omicron variant spread rapidly during and after the December holiday season, with positive case rates spiking in mid-January, there has been a recent dramatic decrease in positive cases in the third week of February. In addition, the health effects of Omicron are generally much less severe for vaccinated persons, and San Mateo County has a 93.9% vaccination rate for 5+ age. As a result of the decrease in cases and lower health risks from Omicron for vaccinated persons, on February 9, 2022 the County of San Mateo Health Officer announced that San Mateo County would align with the state in lifting its indoor mask mandate for vaccinated persons beginning February 16, 2022. However, unvaccinated individuals over age 2 will continue to be required to wear masks in all indoor public settings, and businesses Pacifica City Council 2
February 28, 2022
may determine their own protocols to protect staff and patrons and may choose to require all patrons to wear masks. Bay Area health officers continue to strongly recommend masks be used as an effective tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19, especially in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor public settings. Indoor masking is still required by the State for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in public transportation; health care settings; congregate settings like correctional facilities and homeless shelters; long term care facilities; and in K-12 schools and childcare settings.
Given these improvements, the City Manager recommends a return to in-person City Council meetings beginning with the March 14, 2022, City Council meeting and other Commission/Committee meetings in March. As previously directed by the City Council, the City will pilot-test an additional alternative option for providing live public comment during the Council and Planning Commission meetings as a “phone-in for public comment” hybrid system, which allows for someone who is watching a streaming version of the meeting on television or computer to call in via telephone to make public comments. City staff has been preparing with technology improvements and staffing over the past couple months to test this type of hybrid system. As previously presented to the Council in May 2021, a video and phone hybrid model such as Zoom and In-person combined, would require significant technology improvements at the Council Chambers and ongoing costs and staffing necessary to implement, and was not selected by the Council. It should also be noted that the phone-in option is susceptible to technology disruptions, and is not a guaranteed method of meeting participation. When meetings are conducted in-person, according to the Brown Act they can continue and are not required to be adjourned when such technological disruptions occur.
Council Chambers, Community Center Auditorium, and Oceana High School Theatre The second topic for discussion is whether there is Council interest in pursuing the possibility of relocating City Council, Planning Commission, and Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commission meetings to the Community Center Auditorium at 540 Crespi Drive or to Oceana High School Theatre. If not, is there Council interest in exploring in funding modest improvements to the current Council Chambers, such as painting, redecorating walls, new carpet, and potentially reconstructing the Council dais to more of a curved configuration to facilitate lines of sight during Council deliberations. As follow-up to the December 13, 2021, discussion on this topic, staff has researched these options further and has the following information to report:
I. Oceana High School Theatre:
The City Manager reached out to the Jefferson Union High School District Superintendent and related staff to inquire about the feasibility of holding City Council, Planning Commission, and Parks, Beaches, & Recreation Commission meetings at the Oceana High School Theatre. The District’s initial reaction was that while they would like to be a good community partner and help facilitate this arrangement, they are concerned about extra work related to cleaning and/or supervising the space on a weekly basis. However, they are open to discussing it further if the City Council is interested.
In addition, a more thorough assessment would need to be completed regarding Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, technology improvements, and portability of furniture and A/V equipment to not interfere with school usage of the theatre. The District is not currently allowing outside rentals of the theatre due to COVID-19, but that may change in the near future.
In summary, this option remains a possibility pending further discussions with the District and facility assessment, should the Council be interested in exploring further.
Pacifica City Council 3
February 28, 2022
II. Community Center:
The Community Center auditorium is a multi-use room that provides space for community and senior programming. Holding Council and Commission meetings there would require set-up and break-down for each meeting and significant equipment investment. Some of the details below were presented in December, combined with additional information researched by staff:
Costs:
• Staffing for set-up and breakdown of meetings is estimated to $1,200/month and would impact Public Works and Community Center staff workload normally spent on other duties;
• Janitorial: Unknown extra cost and scheduling for extra janitorial service; • Audio/Visual Technology Upgrades: $75,000 - $95,000
▪ Portable mixing/control audio configuration required
▪ Installation of audio and visual monitors
▪ Portable computer equipment for Council/staff
▪ Microphones/Assistive Listening Devices (depending on what could be reused from the Council Chambers)
▪ Pacifica Community Television costs/operations - See Attachment A.
Some equipment details may overlap with above. Estimated cost to PCT is $50,000.
Pros:
• Nicer facility than Council Chambers
• More accessible
• More parking and better outside lighting
• Convenience of staff offices in the same building
Cons:
• Facility not centrally located in town
• Senior/Community programming impact and loss of revenue:
▪ Dance classes and community meeting space would not be able to occur in the auditorium approximately 5-8 nights per month (depending on number of regular and special Council meetings) and some afternoons (depending on start-time of meetings which determines start time of setup) ▪ Revenue loss of approximately $20,000 (based on 2019 figures) III. Improvements to Council Chambers:
The Council Chambers serves as a dedicated facility for Council/Commission meetings.
Lighting and audio/visual improvements have been made to the Council Chambers in recent years. PCT has a dedicated equipment room at the facility. Updated cost estimates from Public Works for cosmetic improvements are as follows:
Item Cost
Repaint Chambers $49,000
Replace Carpeting $25,000
Replace Windows $35,000
Replace Dais $50,000
Total $159,000
Pacifica City Council 4
February 28, 2022
The repainting cost is high due to wallpaper removal and retexturing and preparing the walls for new paint. These items would not trigger any ADA required improvements; however, any other items that would increase the total cost to over $171,000 would require ADA improvements, making the project more costly. Repainting the chambers, replacing the carpet, and replacing the windows to refresh the space by using warmer, brighter colors, would be the easiest components of cosmetic improvements. The cost for these three tasks would be $109,000 and could take up to two months, depending on window and carpet stock inventory. Reconstructing the dais would be more complex, involving design, fabrication, and electrical permitting and work.
The City Manager is seeking direction from the Council whether to pursue further any of these options. On December 13, 2021, the City Manager also indicated the need to report back to the Council about anticipated workload impacts for pursuing these options. Due to staff vacancies, the many priority projects impacting the City Manager’s Office, Public Works, and the IT Division (as relates to this issue, but other Departments are also maxed out), and the recent tripling of Public Records Act Requests being processed by the City Clerk’s Office, staff has no additional bandwidth to pursue these options without postponing other priorities. The option that is the least impactful to other priorities would be cosmetic improvements to the Council Chambers, which would be contracted out and managed by Public Works.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The Council could identify additional options or alternatives for Council discussion not included in the information above.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
Improvements to Council/Commission meeting spaces, whether at Council Chambers or the Community Center, relate to Council Goals “An Engaged Community” and “Stewardship of City Infrastructure.”
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to the Council’s discussion of this item. Potential cost impacts are noted in the above summary information, and would need to be refined further pending Council direction. Funding for Council Chambers improvements would need to be allocated from General Fund undesignated balance.
ORIGINATED BY:
City Manager's Office
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment A: Pacifica Community Television Memorandum re: “Broadcasting Services for the City of Pacifica from the Pacifica Community Center” (PDF)