CITY OF PACIFICA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Council Chambers
2212 Beach Blvd
Pacifica, CA 94044
Mayor Mary Bier
Mayor Pro Tem Tygarjas Bigstyck
Councilmember Mike O'Neill
Councilmember Sue Vaterlaus
Councilmember Sue Beckmeyer
City Council Special Meeting 1 December 15, 2022
SPECIAL MEETING
December 15, 2022 (THURSDAY)
www.cityofpacifica.org
Mayor Mary Bier called the meeting to order on December 15, 2022 at 6:06 PM
OPEN SESSION
Call to Order
Mayor Bier called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m.
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Mary Bier Mayor Present
Tygarjas Bigstyck Mayor Pro Tem Present
Mike O'Neill Councilmember Present
Sue Vaterlaus Councilmember Present
Sue Beckmeyer Councilmember Present
City Clerk Coffey took a verbal roll call.
Staff Present: Kevin Woodhouse, City Manager; Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney; Lisa Petersen, PW Director; Yulia Carter, Asst. City Manager; Christian Murdock, Planning Director; Ron Myers, Fire Chief; Sean Kavanaugh, Dep. Fire Chief; Tommy Yu, IT Manager; Sarah Coffey, City Clerk; Emily La, Dep. City Clerk.
Reading of Land Acknowledgment
Mayor Bier read the Land Acknowledgment.
Salute to the Flag led by Councilmember O'Neill
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Bier asked if there were any public comments, and seeing none, closed public comments.
City Council Special Meeting 2 December 15, 2022
Councilmember O'Neill moved to approve the Consent Calendar, seconded by Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mike O'Neill, Councilmember
SECONDER: Tygarjas Bigstyck, Mayor Pro Tem
AYES: Bier, Bigstyck, O'Neill, Vaterlaus, Beckmeyer
1. Adoption of Resolution Declaring the Canvass of Returns and Results of the General Municipal Election of November 8, 2022
PROPOSED ACTION: Move to adopt the resolution declaring the canvass of returns and results of the general municipal election held on November 8, 2022.
SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS - CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION A. Presentations to Outgoing Councilmember and to Mayor Mayor Bier read a proclamation honoring retiring Councilmember O’Neill before presenting him his gifts.
Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck thanked Councilmember O’Neill for taking him under his wing, being one of three people who he was able to call on and get him through his campaign. He stated that his knowledge will be missed.
Councilmember Vaterlaus stated that she has known him probably close to 30 years. She listens to him and loves what he says and his Mike-isms. She stated she will call him anytime.
Councilmember Beckmeyer recalled working on Councilmember O’Neill’s campaigns in 2012 and 2014 and she learned a lot. She stated that his leadership on the library issues has been inspiring and so many things he has done affected her and her family so much, i.e., the school district. His leadership and what he has accomplished and put in place for this community are astounding. She stated, when he worked for the school board, the school district was also excited to see him. She stated that, about 20 or 21 years ago, they were at a Rob Schneider Music Foundation fundraiser and she saw him at a table with Chris Hunter. She didn’t know if he was on the school board then or on the Planning Commission, but she remembered hearing all the exciting things they were talking about. She appreciated all the leadership and love he has given to our community.
Mayor Bier stated she met him when she was coaching his daughter as their daughters played volleyball together. She recalled being at Cabrillo School and the band had a sleepover and they were all loud. She was trying to get them to calm down and Councilmember O’Neill stood up and said, “Everybody, be quiet!” She appreciated that he was there. She has learned so much from him and it has been an honor to serve with him. She knew he thought her running might not have been the best thing for her, and when he told her he felt differently about that, it meant everything to her. She thanked him for being a mentor and friend. She then opened public comments and invited his son to be the first speaker.
Sean O’Neill stated that he has known Councilmember O’Neill for 33 years and that he is 6'2" but will always look up to this man. He recalls working on his original campaign and will never regret working on his campaign as in this age of turmoil, Councilmember O’Neill was always sensible and reasonable. He stated that a reasonable and fair politician about the community and always giving back every chance they get can be defined by Councilmember O’Neill. He City Council Special Meeting 3 December 15, 2022
was proud to be present when he was sworn in as Mayor and see this sunset.
Mayor Bier invited Nicole Fernandez from Senator Becker’s office to present a legislative resolution from Assemblymember Kevin Mullin and Senator Josh Becker’s office.
Nicole Fernandez stated that she will defer a moment of her time to Supervisor-elect Mueller due to his schedule.
Supervisor-elect Ray Mueller stated that this Council was beloved throughout the region for the sincerity and authenticity and love of public service. He stated that the O’Neill Way sign is perfect for him because his way is known, not only in Pacifica, but throughout the region:
straight talk, common sense, to the point, to serve the public and do the right thing. He then moved on to Mayor Bier, stating that she is so full of love and joy and so beloved in the community. He stated that the Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative that she was part of made such an impact throughout the county and he thanked her for her services. He then spoke to Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck, stating that he is a perfect mayor to come after an election as he cares so much about what everybody thinks and puts so much empathy into his decision-making process and he thought it will be an amazing year. He then congratulated Councilmember Beckmeyer on her reelection and new Councilmember Boles on her election. He was excited about the fact that the education and passion Councilmember Boles will bring will add so much to the Council going forward. He was excited about working with them in the future and working with Councilmember O’Neill in the private sector.
Mayor Bier congratulated Supervisor-elect Ray Mueller also. She then invited Nicole Fernandez to return.
Nicole Fernandez stated she was present on behalf of the California state legislature. She is the district director for Senator Becker and was also present on behalf of Assemblymember Berman and Assemblymember Mullin. She stated that Assemblymember Berman just took over Pacifica and Assemblymember Mullin sadly lost Pacifica in redistricting. She congratulated the incoming Council, Mayor and Mayor pro Tem and congratulated them on leading such a wonderful town which she has had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few years. She also wanted to congratulate incoming Councilmember Boles for the team she will be a part of with the amazing knowledge and experience she will be bringing to the dais. She has a framed proclamation for Councilmember O’Neill and read a brief version of the proclamation.
Mayor Bier then stated that they have Chris Hunter from former Supervisor Don Horsley’s office.
Chris Hunter stated it was a pleasure to be present to honor Councilmember O’Neill on behalf of the Board of Supervisors and Don Horsley who wish all the best and thank him for his support, particularly on LAFCO. He was proud to know him as a friend for years and he looks forward to seeing what he does next. He congratulated him on his long tenure with the school board and City Council.
Mayor Bier stated that they will continue with public comment.
Liz O’Neill, Councilmember O’Neill’s wife, added that he was also a volunteer at Cabrillo, IBL, Terra Nova, girl scouts, boy scouts, etc. She stated she is speaking for his good friend, Lori Frater, who could not be here and is across the pond. He mentioned all the aspects of his accomplishments during his time on Council, school board, etc. and he was grateful for all his years of service and wished him the best of luck post-Council. He looked forward to whatever City Council Special Meeting 4 December 15, 2022
the next chapters bring.
Elizabeth Bredall, Pacifica, stated she is on the school board and was present to partly represent them as well as herself and her family. She reiterated his tenure on Council and school board. She stated she has known him for about 30 years, and their daughters were in the same grade from kindergarten through 8th. He attended every school event, and she mentioned some of his accomplishments and suggestions for funding, etc., that benefited the school district and/or city. She knows he will continue to work for Pacifica and will always find a way to be of service to others.
Linda Jonas, Pacifica, stated she was an accountant for the school district when he was on the school board for years, and they have worked for years on the Pacifica Library Foundation, Historical Society, castle tours, etc., doing a lot of volunteer activities together, and she thinks he is a good guy willing to do good for the community and she thanked him for all of that.
Connie Menafee, Pacifica, stated that he has served 24 years in elected office and that, during his 14 years on the school board, he was instrumental in shepherding school bond measures that uplifted and modernized the district’s K-8 schools. She met him during that period and in 1997, they worked together towards passage of an early school bond measure critical to modernize the dilapidated schools and constructing a brand new middle school. She served with him on the PSD Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2008, and he was always knowledgeable, dedicated and collaborative. She thanked him for all he has done for Pacifica schools and his many accomplishments achieved during his past ten years of service as a Councilmember, considering him a trusted colleague and a dear friend.
Chris Redfield, Pacifica, thanked him for his 30+ years in public service to Pacifica which included Planning Commission, School Board and Council. He also thanked him for his knowledge and insight on the issues facing Pacifica and many successful projects have gone to Council during the last eight years. He asked questions needed to be asked and always listened. He enjoyed their conversations and thanked him for the example he set.
Jonathan Markham, Pacifica, stated that, when he came to Pacifica about 20 years ago, to become a local pastor, he came from across the pond. Therefore, local politics, including Pacifica, was a complete mystery to him. He was fortunate to meet him and, since that time, he has blessed him with multiple conversations when he helped him to understand things which he did not understand. He was grateful to him and grateful to call him his friend.
John Nibbelin, Pacifica, stated that in addition to being a proud Pacifican, he is the county counsel and had been fortunate in that capacity to know him as a client, as well as a constituent. He stated that he is like a model client and they are thrilled when they have a client like him, with so many good qualities. When he first was assigned to worked for the Pacifica School District, it was great to have a steady client and good mentor. He is an amazing client and he wanted to bring the greetings from the County Counsel’s office to him as he transitioned into his next phase and he wanted to share how much they appreciated being of service to him.
Alana O’Neill Garland (by phone), Councilmember O’Neill’s his youngest daughter, wanted to share how proud she is of her father for all his years, effort and time he has put in, but even with what he gave to the community, he never missed a moment in his children’s lives and they knew they could count on him. She loved him and was so proud of him.
Mayor Bier closed public comment.
City Council Special Meeting 5 December 15, 2022
B. Outgoing Councilmember's Remarks
Councilmember O’Neill stated that he has some stories to share. He referred to Councilmember Beckmeyer’s story at the Rob Schneider Foundation and it was his first coming out party as a school board member. He then referred to Liz Bredall’s comments, and it was before he thought about running for Council, and she told her family that she was going to run for the School Board and her daughter who is now 30 said it was Mike O’Neill’s job and are you taking it away from him.
Councilmember O’Neill stated that, in 1998, he was given a gift by Pacificans and elected to the then Laguna Salada School District Board of Trustees, which was the beginning of the journey of elected office that ends on this night, 24 years later. He stated that life is not about the destination but is all about the journey. He stated that his journey in public office has allowed him to meet wonderful people, both Pacificans and others who are not as fortunate to live in our place. He stated that, on this journey, they have confronted both physical and emotional challenges, such as coastal erosion, pandemics, infrastructure, and disagreements on how to move forward to a resolution. He stated that, in the end, whether they agree or disagree, he feels that all of us have the best interests of Pacifica in our hearts. He emphasized that there are changes and challenges forced on Pacifica and to mitigate them and maintain our quality of life, we have to work together, resolve differences, and create a shared vision of a new Pacifica.
He thanked the 24 other people, trustees and councilmembers, with whom he served, as well as superintendents and city managers who oversaw the district and the city. He thanked his wife and three children for their support, as well as the volunteers to his campaigns as their help was invaluable in getting elected. He was fortunate to work with competent, loyal stewards on the school board and Council; Pacifica is blessed with a very dedicated, professional and caring school district and city staff to help Pacificans. He was proud of facilitating the 4-H Farm at Linda Mar, higher test scores at school district, and proud of the city’s equalization basin, General Plan, etc., and many other items Council voted on. He was proud that he had support of labor during his elected office time and have been able to have relatively good relations with employees in both the school district and city. He was proud there continues to be a dialogue with other Pacifica government entities, such as NCCWD, etc., and have good relations with our representatives at the state and federal level and have been done with a team effort to maintain and establish rapport which will help Pacifica in the future. He will move on proud of what he has been a part of and thankful for the gift of public service by the voters and believes Council will be in good hands with staff and Council moving forward. He referred to the challenges they will be facing in the near future and paraphrased a quote from Robert Kennedy, surely we can learn at least to look at those around us as fellow men and women and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers, sisters and Pacificans once again, as Pacifica means peace in Spanish. He asked that all of them remember that.
Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck stated that, as tradition, they start by offering the outgoing Mayor a plaque and a beautiful gavel commemorating her time as Mayor. He stated that they also have additional gifts from Council and staff and presented them to her. As she opened her gifts, he explained what she has received.
Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck stated that there were moments over the year that Mayor Bier wanted to be liberated from the duties of Mayor but she was the mayor they needed. She has helped them navigate COVID-19 between Zoom and in person, back and forth, etc., and made sure they had a beautiful home to return to instead of a dingy archaic landscape. He thought she helped them navigate some of the more intense moments between no longer in person and City Council Special Meeting 6 December 15, 2022
looking at screens, etc., as well as completing hard goals such as completing the General Plan update. There were a lot of emotions that were not easy to navigate but she successfully navigated through those emotions; they are all better for it and he thanked her for that.
Councilmember Vaterlaus stated she loved her. She thought Mayor Bier was too nice to be on Council and now she wants to be more like her. She stated that they started a long time ago and she was glad they get to serve together for a longer time.
Councilmember Beckmeyer stated that they didn’t know each other at all before and now she loves her. She appreciated Mayor Bier’s quiet, graceful, loving way that she approaches everything she does. She stated that her leadership is immense because of her approach; she gets people’s attention in a quiet, friendly, supportive, and inclusive way, and she makes a team and helps everyone see the other person’s side of things in a way that is inspiring. She is grateful to her for helping her grow so much and she was excited that they will have four more years together. She stated she loves her.
Mayor Bier stated she loves her too.
Councilmember O’Neill stated that he was not surprised that she ran unopposed for reelection.
He said she is an excellent mayor, one of the best he has ever served with, and he was glad they got to know each other better. He stated that it was notable what Supervisor Mueller said, i.e., when they go to the monthly dinner with Council of Cities which is an opportunity for networking, as they vote on grants, etc., and Pacifica usually has a largest contingent as they go there and work together. He thought a lot of that has to do with the leadership Mayor Bier has shown. He thanked her from the bottom of his heart for what he has learned from her. He appreciated her efforts in what she has done for the community beyond City Council with leadership in other non-profits, etc.
Councilmember Vaterlaus added that she and Mayor Bier did something no one ever saw. The did YouTube every other week, Covid Conversations with Council, and they had the best time, interviewing people and statistics with great people talking.
Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck opened it up to dignitaries who might want to say something about Mayor Bier.
Nicole Fernandez stated that, if she ever served on a City Council, this is the one she would want to serve on. She stated that Pacifica is a beautiful coming together as a community and a reflection of the diversity and kindness that Pacifica offers, with Council at the heart of it, and it was lovely getting to know her as Mayor and seeing her leadership through difficult times has been an honor and she was honored to call her friend. She was excited that she gets to continue on Council and she will be friends with the next Mayor. On behalf of Senator Becker, she congratulated her for a lovely year.
Chris Hunter stated, on behalf of the supervisor as well as on his behalf, she has been part of Pacifica and has helped so many people through so many difficult times. He stated that as a board member of the Pacifica Resource Center, he knows how much she supported that organization and encouraged people to reach out and get help and she has been that for so many people.
Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck stated that additional public comments will be received following the Mayor’s remarks.
City Council Special Meeting 7 December 15, 2022
C. Mayor's Remarks
Mayor Bier thanked everyone and was grateful to her fellow Councilmembers and city staff.
She considered the city staff the best city staff on the planet and have worked through some extremely hard circumstances in the past year. She has watched them do everything they could possibly do for our city and she thanked them so much. She thanked City Manager Woodhouse for being patient with her and for being kind and stern at the same time. She stated that everything they do is about relationships, and she felt it was important to come together as humans and connect heart-to-heart to make decisions; otherwise, nothing will get done. She stated that, when she started her term as Mayor, she was asked to participate on the Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative, which has been life changing for her, changing who she is as a person and as a councilmember. She stated that they were so successful. She got to work with former mayor Giselle Hale from Redwood City, former mayor and current City Councilmember Sarah McDowell from San Carlos, and Councilmember Eddie Flores from South San Francisco; they were the working group who led the Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative. They had 16 other mayors sign on to their initiative. She stated that a couple of things they accomplished during the past year are things she is super proud of. She thanked Chris Hunter in Don Horsley’s office for helping them secure $200,000 to have mental health first aid training and be sensitive/be brave training which is suicide prevention training in cities across our county, including Pacifica. They were able to bring free training into the city because of money they were gifted by our Board of Supervisors. She stated that it is amazing what can happen when a few mayors get together and meet each other with their hearts. She stated that they also received a $250,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation which went to Star Vista, one life counseling in Daly City Youth Health Center for free and reduced services pro bono counseling services, staff recruitment and retention, mental health days for our caregivers. She stated that they brought the topic of mental health front and center to all our elected and that needs to continue as we have to support each other and we can’t do our job if we aren’t taking care of ourselves; our mental health matters and the more they talk about that the better off they will all be. She stated it was a huge honor for her to be a part of the Mayor’s Mental Health Initiative and she hopes to carry it on as they move through the next year. Through the CCAG’s Bike and Pedestrian Committee, she was able to secure money for our bike and pedestrian improvements on Esplanade and West Sharp Park. She stated that they have had to make very hard decisions this past year about our safe parking permit program for citizens in motorhomes to help them get housed; our partnership with Pacifica Resource Center is extremely important to our city and herself, and she thanked Anita Rees and all her staff for continually stepping up and taking on the extra work that our city has given them to help citizens in our community get housed. She stated that not everyone was happy about, and they had to have sensitive conversations with other public agencies about the same topic. She is proud to say that they went into the conversations with an open heart and open mind and she and Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck worked really hard to build those relationships and were able to come out with some solution to work together. She thanked the City Manager for the tax measure and Vision 2025. She stated that they have a relationship with our fire department who stepped up and rallied for our tax measure and we now have a very good relationship with the fire department.
She stated that all these things led to the relationship that we formed to start Pacifica Pride and work with Katy from Table Wine. They had the first Pride event which was beautiful and they are going to do it better this year. She is now a board member of Coast Pride, and they will have a planning committee, and Pacifica Pride is going to happen every year. Because of those relationships, they were able to address acts of hatred that happened in our community, such as the Pride flag that was burned at Sunset Ridge; because of their relationships, they were able to come together and had a Unity Day at Sunset Ridge. They vowed to work towards a more loving and open community, so this city understands that is what we stand for. She thanked City Council Special Meeting 8 December 15, 2022
Elisa, her daughter, for being here, and told her she loved her.
D. Oath of Office to Newly Elected / Re-Elected Councilmembers Mayor Bier opened public comment on the reorganization.
City Clerk Coffey explained that the comments were on outgoing councilmembers, selection of mayor and mayor pro Tem. and the election and reelection of councilmembers.
Suzanne Moore, Pacifica, stated that she would like to quote Councilmember Vaterlaus and say she wants to be more like Mary Bier. She thanked her for all her hard work which she appreciated, and she thanked them all.
Chris Redfield, Pacifica, thanked Mayor Bier for an outstanding tenure as mayor, as she did an excellent job representing the city and her constituents. She formed relationships with agencies and officials that can assist Pacifica in the future. He was grateful to get to know her and looking forward to the next chapter.
Sue Digre, Pacifica, stated that she knew she was concerned about being mayor but proud at the same time. She deserved to be proud because she did a great job. She wanted to mention one thing that hasn’t been mentioned, i.e., her work with the youth and she was sure it was a great inspiration to them and what is excellent about her work with the youth is that she listened to them and enabled them to speak.
Christine Boles, Pacifica, thanked her for her year as well. She knows, having met with her before she took the office as well as over the year, she has grown a lot, but she has noticed as a member of the public is how she welcomed the public to every meeting and acknowledged them as well as make eye contact and smile and really value the input of the people. She stated that there are so many people who care about Pacifica and really want to improve it. She thanked her for her leadership which has been a great example for her and part of the reason she wants to serve as well. She looks forward to sitting on the dais with her.
Anita Rees, Pacifica Resource Center, stated that she has always known that she is a fierce, compassionate leader and now the rest of the community knows as well. She thanked her for her leadership and she looks forward to continuing to work with her.
Jonathan Markham, Pacifica, stated that he met her quite a few years ago when they gathered in a room to deal with the tragic loss of two teenagers and he has had the pleasure of working with her from that time and has watched her and grown to love her. He has the privilege of her sitting in the pews of his church on a Sunday morning. He is in awe of her leadership and compassion and he never would have dreamt when he first met her that he would see her sitting in that chair but he is so grateful for her being willing to do that and grateful to God for the empowering he has given her to enable her to be the person that she is.
City Clerk Coffey invited Councilmember-Elect Christine Boles up and former mayor Sue Digre who presented her oath of office.
City Clerk Coffey presented Councilmember Boles with the certification of election presented to her from the County’s election office.
Mayor Bier invited Councilmember Boles to join Council on the dais.
City Council Special Meeting 9 December 15, 2022
City Clerk Coffey invited Councilmember Beckmeyer up and her husband, John, who presented her oath of office.
City Clerk Coffey presented Councilmember Beckmeyer with the certificate of election presented to her from the County’s election office.
City Clerk Coffey then invited Mayor Bier to the podium with her daughter, Elisa, who presented her oath of office.
City Clerk Coffey presented Councilmember Bier the certification of election presented to her from the County’s election office.
Mayor Bier opened up public comments for the reorganization.
Gail Benjamin, Pacifica, congratulated them all for their election. She stated that Mayor Bier had a great year as mayor with great leadership. She also congratulated Mayor pro Tem Bigstyck. She hoped they can all find consensus going forward and, as Mayor Bier said, have an open heart and work together as that is how we ever get things done. She also congratulated Councilmember O’Neill, stating that she imagined they will see him in some other role.
Mayor Bier closed public comments.
E. Comments from Elected Councilmembers
Councilmember Boles stated that there is so much emotion in this moment. She wanted to say how honored and humbled she was to be before them; and for those who voted for her and those who worked hard to help her be here, she was very grateful. She knows this is a special community, and she and her husband realized that when they decided to move here in 2004.
She sees examples of that in everything she does or goes, with people jumping in to help each other when they see the need. She felt Pacifica was a special place, and people have lived here a long time and measure their ability to lead through that. As a newcomer, she is even more humbled to be here before them. She never imagined she would go into politics. She learned so much from Peter Loeb over the past few years and others such as Sue Digre, etc., who have taught her about the special place Pacifica is, its history, ordinances, preserving the hillsides and how much people care. She has been working as an architect for 35 years and has gotten to a point where she started coming to Council meetings at first looking at planning issues before getting interested in Council and the challenges the city has in terms of budgets, climate change, etc. She realized that she has some skills to offer that could be useful on Council and she was present not as a politician but as a volunteer to serve everyone. She is a team player and wants to be friends and work with them. She stated that it is different being on the other end with only three minutes as she has a lot to say in that time. She would like to keep working on how to improve the public engagement and how they cannot just take a comment but actually have conversations as there are a lot of people here and at home who want to help improve our city and they could use the help. She stated that one great honor she had was in college at MIT where she was voted for the most knocked on door on campus award because she is a good listener people like to come to and trust with information. That was an amazing part of this process this year, getting to know our community and having conversations about complicated topics, such as coastal erosion. Those are the things she wants to continue and she wants them all to know that her door is always open; she wants to develop better public City Council Special Meeting 10 December 15, 2022
input and respect and partnerships and together they can continue to help improve the city we all love.
Councilmember Beckmeyer wanted to thank her husband, John, who is the core of her life and was the most willing to help and do anything she needed him to do during the campaign. One thing she learned about running when you are seated on Council is it is a big difference when you are trying to be a leader and keep up with all of our Council packets, the issues, and committee work, and schedules. She thanked all the people who voted for her and supported her in being here. She looked forward to continuing to serve them. She thanked Paul Chervatin for being an even more relative newcomer to step forward and be willing to help our community.
She looks forward to the next four years. She stated that they have eight years if they are fortunate enough to be reelected to contribute what they can. She stated that a big area of her interest and focus has been our coastal issues and how we grapple with sea rise and bluff erosion and how do we protect the people who invested their lives in our community and their homes and how do we take care of our geography, all of which is a big challenge and rather daunting feat. She thinks they demonstrated the ability to do that even though it wasn’t perfect.
They have some basic key documents, and the foundation for our city is now accomplished.
She knew it was coming and they had to do it but couldn’t imagine how it was going to get done when she was first elected four years ago. They pulled together and they did it. They have seen the community pull together when there is a need or crisis and now they need to pull together to help ourselves avoid future crises.
Mayor Bier also thanked Robby Bancroft for putting himself out there, all of his heart and soul and energy, etc. over his campaign and stated the world has bigger plans for him.
F. Selection of New Mayor
Mayor Bier moved to appoint Tygarjas Bigstyck as Mayor; seconded by Councilmember Vaterlaus.
City Clerk Coffey took a vote by verbal roll call.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mary Bier, Mayor
SECONDER: Sue Vaterlaus, Councilmember
AYES: Beckmeyer, Bier, Bigstyck, Boles, Vaterlaus
G. Selection of New Mayor pro Tem
Councilmember Beckmeyer moved to appoint Councilmember Vaterlaus as Mayor pro Tem; seconded by Councilmember Bier.
City Clerk Coffey took a vote by verbal roll call.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Sue Beckmeyer, Councilmember
SECONDER: Mary Bier, Councilmember
AYES: Beckmeyer, Bier, Bigstyck, Boles, Vaterlaus
City Council Special Meeting 11 December 15, 2022
H. Incoming Mayor's Remarks
Mayor Bigstyck stated to let his name sink in. He stated that governance must take itself far too regularly, far too seriously, but he wished to lead with joy and a solid sense of the absurdity of our common lives together. He stated, at any moment, we will be masticating and metabolizing something other than joy together. He stated that it is right and proper to be reminded of the togetherness that is Pacifica before they get back to business. He stated, invariably, the most pernicious sense of amnesia will quickly overtake us all. He stated that some will wind up hating him or them for a decision made over a particular issue they have a conviction about.
Council might grow resentful of some Pacificans who cannot see what Council sees, by which they draw their conclusions. He stated that inevitably they all start acting with a rage toward one another for believing very strongly and very differently. He stated that he will begin with humor dressed in ceremonial tie dye by reminding them that his name is absurd and mostly so is life, at least in recent memory as he understood it. He stated that those who are not Council afficionados or rabid spectators of local governance of varying degrees, the specific role that delineates mayors in most common law cities is simply that the mayor is the member of Council who runs the meetings. Given that this is the role he is stepping into, facilitator of the myriad voices that make the decisions that will find their way to guiding this entire community, consider that this function is what informs the observations, musings and hunches that follow and probably also those that precede. He stated that, if you know him, you know he is a writer by trade and a storyteller by nature. He stated that the story he is here to tell is a simple one:
Nothing is more dangerous than a human who believes that they are right. He stated that applies to citizens but so much more does it apply to the five people with their fingers hovering constantly over the binary switch that will seal our collective fate that we must keep this firmly as the premise at the forefront of our minds. He stated that, because we are you, we are citizens, and as the five who would be the voice of 37,000, if you don’t know that they are listening, they are never going to earn their trust. He stated that, aside from being a writer, his other trade is being a grocer. He stated that, with intention, he tells them that they can find him at the Linda Mar Safeway five days out of the week, eight hours out of the day. He isn’t suggesting they back up the checkout lines, but he is suggesting that it takes almost no time to whip out a business card and connect for the sake of him making sure that he makes time to hear how you think we can make our community better for everyone. He has done what he can think to facilitate transparency, accessibility, and an open mind until the last moment that the switch is pressed or the roll taken. He states that, all of this together, they approach those issues they are going to have to work through together. They are nowhere if they don’t feel heard or if they feel that trust is missing. He stated that part is a matter of physics. There are five of them and 37,000 of them. He has given them one solution where he is concerned and part of it is that city staff is generally overworked doing yeoman’s job of trying to be as available as possible as they are feverishly working at way too much as five good-natured people have heaped gratuitously upon their plates. He stated that what might feel like excuses to some of them now, he began addressing his perception of a rift between public and city by calling upon our City Manager to investigate creating an educational series, a sort of citizen’s academy, that might lend nuance to one’s understanding of the work our staff are constantly performing. More important than that to him, he wants the public to have an opportunity to chat with staff in a comparatively informal context to expel the notion of some sort of iron curtain that might somehow be inferred as a natural consequence of a lack of time for designated interaction between public and our staff who spend their existences constantly doing all they can to create a community we all hopefully enjoy living in. While a fully open door is pragmatically infeasible, he thinks every department head being designated two hours a year to catch up with the people they are serving is not too much to ask and, if his fellow Councilmembers agree, a notch for the work plan in March.
Regardless, he can tell them that the way he formed his relationships with staff was by arriving City Council Special Meeting 12 December 15, 2022
at the Council meetings early and easily form relationships and understanding accordingly by seeking it out, an opportunity that was robbed of us during COVID-19 and an opportunity that is once again open to us now that our doors are not shut. He stated that it is important to him that the city strive to uplift our capacity for civil discourse because that is the skill we are going to need. He stated that he will never be able to tell Planning Director Murdock adequately how deeply grateful he is that he is our Planning Director in this time and place. He stated that our library is deteriorating, dilapidated, and outdated for the needs of our community. He has had the distinct pleasure of visiting what we deserve in the form of recently built libraries in Brisbane, Atherton, and Half Moon Bay. He sees the facilities we are lacking for the proper growth and development of our youth, parents, students, citizens of all ages and economic backgrounds, from those seeking jobs to those established in their fields, and the retired. We have a beautiful plan to enrich our lives and bring vitality to a neighborhood that would be a beating heart of our community and it is time we move forward with that plan. Speaking of moving forward, he thinks we deserve to be able to move 100 feet in any given direction in this town without rolling into a pothole. He stated, out of 101 cities in the Bay Area, we are No. 1 in the worst conditioned streets. The next words must be something about how expensive repaving that much street must invariably be. He stated that it is up to Pacifica to decide if our quality of life is worth the price tag. He personally wants to know what it would look like to have a center of inclusive learning and shared community creation, the library, and even half of our streets rehabilitated. He is not naive, which is why he thinks preparing us all to talk it through will yield the sweetest fruit, which brings them to the whale in the room, where in Pacifica, elephants are for over the hill and perhaps it’s an elephant seal in Pacifica. He stated that the Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, also known as a BBIRP, is the most important infrastructure project our city may see for the next 50 years minimum. As far as he is concerned, it is not about building a wall and calling it a day. It is about protecting our community and our infrastructure, and once we know the heart of our community is momentarily safe, then having the much more difficult conversation about what phased adaptation thereto from really is and what it looks like and how many years of study, planning and action it will take to manage our coastline responsibly. He has heard the screaming matches and he is here to tell them that responsible planning cannot exist under opposing conditions and we need to act before our infrastructure crumbles to the sea. He stated to take another’s perspective as though it were one’s own, if we all thought for each other rather than against one another, what a miraculous place to exist this would be. He stated that they will be discussing the housing element, the sea wall, the library, roads, homelessness, substance abuse, coastal erosion, Coastal Commission, surf camps, short term rentals, Manor overcrossings, sea level rise, economic development, interagency land swaps, affordable housing, work force housing, market rate housing, whether or not to use the Roy Davies Trust Fund to fix parks, paying for storm drainage to alleviate flooding, cell phone towers, wetlands, wildlife interfaces and the fire danger they bring, disaster preparedness, tsunamis, earthquakes, animal overcrossings, policing, trail management, augmenting clean energy, getting rid of plastics, respecting native people, childcare, elder care, as well as basic city services. He gave a special shoutout to the firefighters as he forgot to mention during his communications last Monday. He stated that trust is earned, not given. He stated that he hears when they tell him they want to be able to trust more who they have hired to represent you and who we hire to serve you. He stated that the first thing he can offer is for you to come find him over there or send him an email. In the meantime, while they actively work on that piece, he urged the tone to be civil with one another, let alone us. He seems to recall hearing a phrase: since we are going to be neighbors anyway, we might as well be friends. He will listen to the best of his ability what each and every one of them tries to say to him but he will always hear you better when you are not shouting at him. He stated that his hunch is his fellow councilmembers likely have hearing about as good as his. He stated that as many, if not most of them know, Pacifica is Spanish for peaceful, and after Mr.
City Council Special Meeting 13 December 15, 2022
O’Neill’s speech, all of us do know that. He asked that we work together to live up to the name of our home, the name of our community. He stated to Chris Redfield, that we are one perspective, a prism of fractured for the sake of creation that then we may be more than the cumulative sum of all that exists or could exist. He thanked city staff, all of whom work tirelessly so that we can have the best community possible. He thanked the community for giving him the opportunity to steer the conversation for a moment to see where it will go and he thanked his colleagues for the same. He sees many friends in the audience and family too. He would be remiss if he didn’t greet Nicole Fernandez from Senator Josh Becker’s office, our new County Supervisor Ray Mueller, Chris Hunter from Don Horsley’s office, school board member Liz Bredall, former mayor Sue Digre, former mayor Peter Loeb, executive director of the Pacifica Resource Center Anita Rees, and county counsel John Nibbelin. He was grateful to see his family present, his Aunt Tammy, Aunt Susie, Uncle Mark, and his mother. He thanked his mother for life and the circumstances by which he could choose to take on this role for his community and by which they could allow him to serve as he has expressed the desire to do so.
He loves his mom and is so grateful she is here at this time. He stated that he got word a couple of days ago that Martin Lecher had passed on December 1. He stated that Mr. Letcher had been a custodian for the school district while he was growing up. After a lifetime of impressions accordingly, he will miss him and he wished to adjourn this meeting in memory of Martin Letcher.
ADJOURNMENT FOLLOWED BY REFRESHMENTS
Mayor Bigstyck adjourned the meeting at 8:03 p.m. in memory of Martin Letcher.
Transcribed by Barbara Medina, Public Meeting Stenographer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sarah Coffey, City Clerk
APPROVED: 5 - 0; 01/09/2023
__________________________
Tygarjas Bigstyck, Mayor