City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Administrative Services
Meeting Date: October 20, 2025
Report #:2509-5196
TITLE
Approve Contract Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C25193598 with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz, and Associates (FM3) in the Amount of $26,775 for one Additional Poll (Four Polls, Total) for the Potential November 2026 Ballot Measure for a Total Not to Exceed Amount of $153,000 and Approve Budget Amendments in the General Fund and the Cubberley Property Infrastructure Fund; CEQA Status: Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. C25193598 with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz, and Associates (FM3) (Attachment A) for one additional poll in an amount not-to-exceed $26,775 for consultant services related to the November 2026 ballot measure for the Cubberley Project. This amendment results in a revised total contract not-to-exceed amount of $153,000 and
2. Amend the FY 2026 Budget Appropriation (requires 2/3 approval) for the :
a. General Fund by:
i. Increasing the transfer to the Cubberley Property Infrastructure Fund by $700,000, and
ii. Decreasing the Real Property Investment Reserve by $700,000 b. Cubberley Property Infrastructure Fund by:
i. Increasing the transfer from the General Fund by $700,000, and ii. Increasing the Cubberley Community Center Redevelopment Capital Improvement Project (CB-26000) by $700,000.
BACKGROUND
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz, and Associates (FM3) is engaged to conduct public opinion research on the November 2026 ballot measure for the Cubberley Project. Staff’s updated
workplan presented to the City Council on June 10, 20251 included three rounds of polling: the first poll released in April 2025, the second released November 2025, and the third and final released in April 2026. The contract with FM3 was approved by the City Council on February 24, 20242 and totaled $126,225. These services were exempted from solicitation under the City Manger’s authority (PAMC 2.30.360(b)(2) based on timelines established in the Cubberley workplan and known expertise of FM3 with the City and other surrounding areas. As the Cubberley project has advanced a fourth poll is now recommended. Adding a fourth poll increases the total not-to-exceed amount of the contract from $126,225 to $153,000.
The original FM3 contract was one of several contracts funded by the General Fund Real Property Reserve that was established to support real property acquisition activities. The FY 2025 Adopted Operating Budget included $1.0 million and the FY 2026 Adopted Operating Budget includes $0.7 million for this reserve. Various Council actions in FY 2025 transferred the $1.0 million reserve to the Cubberley Community Center Redevelopment CIP Project (CB- 26000)2,3,4. Funding is to be used for the Cubberley Master Plan, CEQA environmental review, public opinion research activities, ballot measure strategy consulting services and other associated costs.
ANALYSIS
On August 5, 2025, staff met with the Cubberley Ad Hoc Committee and recommended that an additional poll be added to the workplan. In the first poll, likely voters communicated three priorities in support of a bond measure:
1. Building Standards: Palo Alto residents deserve a community center that is modern, safe, and accessible to the entire community,
2. Early Childhood Education: this project will create a dedicated space for childcare and early childhood education for families from all walks of life, and
3. Affordability: Palo Alto should invest in creating an affordable, accessible place where people can gather to learn, play, read, enjoy the arts, experience joy, and connect with one another.
The additional poll will assist with narrowing concepts and priorities to help inform the Cubberley master planning process and develop the ballot measure question. Staff will discuss the next and second round of polling during the October 20, 2025 Cubberley Project Study Session. The next, or second poll, will be launched in early November 2025. The third poll will 1 City Council, June 10, 2025: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=182790&repo=r- 704298fc&searchid=57dac2b5-5c42-4ef0-978a-be940766f395
2 City Council, February 24, 2025: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=143364&repo=r-704298fc 3 City Council, December 2, 2024: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=112713&repo=r- 704298fc&searchid=648becf4-afbf-4fe9-b851-3d58440560a9
4 City Council, December 16, 2024: https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=117742&repo=r- 704298fc&searchid=7464f532-849e-4708-84ca-1ac2f16d7dd6
be launched in February/March 2026, and the final round launched in May 2026. The third and the final rounds of polling will test potential ballot measure language.
In addition to funding the additional round of polling, staff recommends appropriating the full $0.7 million Real Property Investment Reserve and transferring the funds into the Cubberley Community Center Redevelopment Capital Project (CB-26000) as part of this report. As noted in the Fiscal/Resource Impact section below, CB-26000 has anticipated costs of at least $0.7M in FY 2026, and this will streamline the funding appropriation for this priority project. Staff will still need to return to Council to amend and award contracts above the $85,000 contract authority level; however, fully appropriating the reserve in CB-26000 will also allow staff to be more responsive on this urgent and priority project through FY 2026.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
As described in the Background section above, $1.0 million was approved by the City Council in FY 2025 to be transferred from the Real Property Reserve to CB-26000. Approximately $919,000 the costs associated with these transfers were realized in FY 2025 as shown in Table 1 below. The remaining $81,000 was moved into FY 2026 to support legal counsel services.
In addition to the funding remaining from FY 2025, the $0.7 million recommended to be transferred from the Real Property Reserve to CB-26000 will be used to support the items listed in Table 1. Staff will still need to return to Council to amend and award contracts above the $85,000 contract authority level.
Table 1: Estimated Cubberley Costs
FY 2025 FY 2026 Council Status Total Costs
Master Plan Update
(Concordia)
$631,966 Approved $631,966
CEQA Environmental Review
(Rincon)
202,322 Approved 202,322
Ballot Measure Polling (FM3) 43,988 $109,012 $26,775 Contract Amendment
Pending
153,000
Strategy Consultant (Lew
Edwards Group)
27,000 81,000 Approved 108,000
Municipal Advisor (PFM) 20,000 Below Authority
Level
20,000
Legal Counsel 85,000 Below Authority
Level
85,000
Geotech and Surveying 17,545 Below Authority
Level
17,545
Engagement & Outreach
Materials
13,795 51,000 Below Authority
Level
64,795
Limited Term
Staff Augmentation
100,000 Pending 100,000
General Expenses 100,000 Pending 100,000
Contractual Services 217,372 Pending 217,372
Total Estimated Costs $919,071 $780,929 $1,700,000
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Community outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts for the project have been extensive and remain a central component of the overall process. The current focus is to encourage robust community participation through master planning meetings and associated polling activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
California Environmental Quality Control Act (CEQA) review is underway for the Cubberley Master Plan Project and will be brought to the City Council at a future date. Council action on this item is not a project defined by CEQA because voter polling is organizational administrative activity that will not result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Amendment No 1 to Contract No. C25193598 with FM3 APPROVED BY:
Lauren Lai, Administrative Services Director